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175,170 | 6ebddcc0ada47cea1fa9bf9fdcafe528a6542916 | Vladimir Putin wants to see the independent state of Ukraine wiped off the map, the country’s interim prime minister claimed yesterday. As fresh clashes erupted in Odessa and across the east of the country, pro-Western Arseniy Yatsenyuk blamed Moscow’s secret services for dozens killed in a fire in the city on Friday. ‘What happened in Odessa was part of a plan by the Russian Federation to destroy Ukraine and its statehood,’ Mr Yatsenyuk alleged. ‘Russia sent people here to create chaos,’ he added. Scroll down for video . Blame: Ukraine's pro-Western interim prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk blamed Moscow¿s secret services for dozens killed in a fire in Odessa on Friday . He went on to beg Ukrainians to bury their differences ‘so as not to give the terrorists backed by Moscow the opportunity to divide our people’. Further violence engulfed the country over the weekend. In the eastern city of Mariupol, pro-Russian forces tricked soldiers into eating food laced with a sleeping potion before taking them hostage on Saturday. Some 2,000 pro-Moscow activists stormed the Odessa police HQ in the normally easygoing Black Sea resort, shouting ‘fascists, fascists’ and ‘Russia won’t abandon its own’ as they demanded the release of almost 130 ‘comrades’ arrested for bloody unrest in which 42 were killed. After forcing their way into the yard and smashing windows, the authorities caved in and released some 30 of the detainees. Engulfed by violence which is rapidly plunging Ukraine into full-scale civil war, the bespectacled Yatsenyuk begged his people to unite and to bury their differences ‘so as not to give the terrorists backed by Moscow the opportunity to divide our people’. Attack: Pro-western Yatsenyuk said Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to 'destroy Ukraine and its statehood' Russia had a very different take on it, with one senior figure demanding that Kiev’s leaders should be hauled before the International Criminal Court in The Hague over the Odessa ‘massacre’ in which pro-Russians were killed. Senior MP Mikhail Markelov warned ‘that Yugoslavia’s fate is in store for Ukraine’, referring to the years of ethnically-fuelled bloodshed that scarred the Balkans. Yatsenyuk countered by accusing Putin of a plan ‘to repeat in Odessa what is happening in the east of the country’. He spoke in Odessa, in Ukraine’s south, which was founded by Russian empress Catherine the Great, and is seen by some as a key target for Russia in seeking to grab territory stretching from pro-Moscow eastern areas to the Moldovan enclave of Transnistria which will this week make a new bid to be subsumed into the Kremlin empire. But he was also critical of his police, firing all commanders on Odessa for failing to protect people and failing to counter ‘terrorist forces’. ‘There were dozens of casualties resulting from a well prepared and organised action against people, against Ukraine and against Odessa,’ said Yatsenyuk, whose government is being closely aided by operatives from the CIA and FBI according to German sources. At the weekend, Putin’s entourage revealed he had received ‘thousands’ of calls for help from Ukrainians. 'Freedom fighter': A man cries after being released from a local police station which was stormed by pro-Russian protesters in Odessa, Ukraine . Two sides: The protesters can be seen surrounding a Ukrainian policeman outside the Odessa police department . Reunion: The crowd cheer as released detainees reunite with friend and family outside the police station in Odessa . Brotherhood: A protester gets a kiss from a supporter after being released by police . He has already secured permission from the Russian parliament to use military forces in Ukraine, and has as many as 65,000 in Russia and annexed Ukraine, where there was a show of aerial force - strategic bombers and fighter jets - at the weekend. In Mariupol, embarrassed troop commanders revealed that donations of food were spiked. ‘It turned out that the food contained a substance that induced sleep among the servicemen,’ the acting head of Mariupol criminal police department, Alexei Paniotov, said. ‘After about half an hour, about 20 unidentified people arrived in three cars and, taking advantage of their helpless state, took them prisoner along with four automatic rifles, a grenade launcher, a machine gun and ammunition.’ They were held overnight before being released yesterday. Ukraine faces acute tests in the next week as two regions - Donetsk and Lugansk - stage ‘illegal’ referendums which could see them splitting permanently from Ukraine. Western intelligence suspects that Russia is engaged in a plan to re-take vast swathes of Ukraine which in tsarist times were called ‘Novorossiya’, or New Russia, stretching from Kharkov in the north-east to Odessa in the south-west as well as Transitria in the west. Under such a scenario, Ukraine would have its east and south lopped off and become a rump state cut off entirely from the Black Sea, with all the industrial muscle and port cities falling to the Kremlin. In February, before Crimea was annexed, a mysterious internet petition in Russia called on Putin to invade ‘Novorossiya’ - and met with overwhelming approval. After 100,000 signed, it was dramatically withdrawn with no traces left on the web but now there is suspicion that it revealed a Kremlin plan. In his TV question and answer session three weeks ago, Putin dropped another hint. ‘Novorossiya - Kharkov, Lugansk, Donetsk, and Odessa were not part of Ukraine in Tsarist times,’ he said. ‘They were transferred in 1920 [after the Bolshevik Revolution]. Why? God knows.’ Ukrainian forces were last night said to be surrounding Sloviansk amid expectations its troops were planning to storm the city to free it from control by pro-Russian militants. | Arseniy Yatsenyuk blamed Moscow’s secret services for the fire in Odessa .
Pro-western PM says Putin wants to 'destroy Ukraine and its statehood'
More than 30 died in Friday's fire in a Trade Union building in Odessa . |
111,742 | 1c179a12035e26cf408bd75ea787e3d18621cd58 | By . Simon Walters . PUBLISHED: . 16:55 EST, 20 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:56 EST, 20 April 2013 . As Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson has already upset animal rights activists with his strong support for a badger cull to halt the spread of TB to cattle. Now the Tory MP – whose role includes responsibility for wildlife – is set to provoke controversy after being photographed proudly holding specialist traps containing the bodies of dead grey squirrels that were damaging trees on his estate in Shropshire. Tory colleagues who have visited the Cabinet Minister’s mansion near Shrewsbury have been shocked to see him showing off a photograph of himself holding a squirrel trap in each hand. Controversy: Owen Paterson has been photographed holding specialist traps containing the bodies of dead grey squirrels . The dead animals’ heads are inside the devices, while their bodies and bushy tails hang limply below. ‘I’m not sure what was more shocking – the dead squirrels or the smile on Owen’s face,’ said one Conservative who has seen the picture. ‘If the animal rights mob saw it they would have a fit. Owen insisted that we look at the photo and then he said, “Look at this – these traps are the real deal. No squirrel is going to get out of that.” ‘Everyone laughed but I felt embarrassed. Owen said the squirrels had inflicted terrible damage to his trees.’ Right-winger Paterson, 56, who is married to aristocrat’s daughter Rose Ridley and has been tipped as a future Tory Party leader, is thought to have installed a number of the Kania 2000 traps in the grounds of his home. They cost about £60 each and are, according to the manufacturers, ‘by far the most powerful spring trap available in the UK’. They can be attached to trees, placed in lofts or left on the ground. The makers recommend using peanuts or peanut butter as bait to lure the squirrels inside. The animals are then crushed in an instant. Lethal: The Kania 2000 traps, pictured in action, are described as 'by far the most powerful spring trap available in the UK' There is no suggestion that Mr Paterson has done anything illegal. Unlike the endangered red squirrel – which is extinct in most parts of the UK – grey squirrels are officially classed as vermin. They are known to damage trees and gardens, and also roofs as they try to gain access to attics. The Kania 2000 was originally developed in Canada for the fur trade. It was made legal in the UK in 1993 for use against grey squirrels, mink, stoats, weasels, mice and rats. Vermin: Grey squirrels are officially classed as vermin and cause damage to trees and gardens . Kania’s UK website says it is ‘one of the safest and most humane traps in the world – perfect for the grey squirrel. Although a little on the expensive side it is well worth having a few in the armoury. ‘It is suitable for people wanting to trap squirrels in their gardens but do not want to have to dispatch the squirrel themselves.’ The website advises: ‘For the best results pre-bait for up to a week before actually setting the trap. 'This gets all the local squirrels used to eating at the trap and they lose all fear of it, even if they see another of their kind dead in it.’ Kania’s Canadian website also features an article by a farmer in California who describes how installing the traps stopped squirrels destroying his fruit crop. The man, who insisted on remaining anonymous because he is ‘not sure this method of trapping is legal’, says: ‘Folks, the Kania trap works as advertised. Period. I have been plagued by “fuzzy tails” for years. Then the Gardener’s God of the Backyard smiled upon me. 'I spotted an advert for the Kania 2000. Since then I have sent about 70 fuzzy tails to that great walnut tree in the sky. It is humane and efficient – I’ve never had a miss.’ A spokesman for Mr Paterson said: ‘Programmes for the humane control of grey squirrels have been in place in the UK for more than 40 years. These programmes protect our woodland and wildlife.’ | Tory colleagues have been shocked to see him showing off the photo .
He is thought to have installed a number of the traps in his grounds . |
274,801 | effc8e6fa97a11701490cc1c07dc4017a4fb4b34 | Temperatures are set to soar to double figures this week before a cold snap with bitter winds from Iceland moves in across Britain just in time for Christmas. Forecasters predict the mercury will rise to 12C across much of England and Wales this week before the cold weather returns on Friday, bringing strong winds and wintry showers. Bookies have now slashed the odds for a white Christmas, with many believing the cold north-westerly winds from Iceland which will sweep across the country over the weekend will bring snow in time for December 25. Scroll down for videos . Stunning: Temperatures are set to soar to 11C to 12C across much of England and Wales over the next few days, before a cold snap returns on Friday with bitterly cold winds sweeping in from Iceland and Greenland. Pictured: The River Cam near Ely, Cambridgeshire, at sunrise today . Serene: Temperatures of 12C, which is double the December average of 6C, are expected to be felt across much of England and Wales this week before the Icelandic winds sweep in on Friday. Pictured: A calm marina on the River Cam basks under warm morning sunshine today . Beautiful: The mercury will soar to 12C later this week before the cold snap returns with temperatures of 0C on Friday. Pictured: The River Cam . Sunrise: Sunlight flooded a canal in Cambridgeshire this morning after a night of milder temperatures across much of England and Wales . Morning: After a spell of spring-like weather this week, with above average temperatures of between 11C and 12C in the day and mild night-time temperatures of 8C to 9C, forecasters expect it to become progressively colder. Pictured: London at dawn (left) and a River Cam sunrise . After a spell of spring-like weather this week, with above average temperatures of between 11C and 12C in the day and mild night-time temperatures of 8C to 9C, forecasters expect it to become progressively colder towards the end of the week. Cold air from polar areas, such as Iceland and Greenland, will bring a noticeable drop in temperatures on Friday, with the cold snap set to last into next week. Mark Wilson, a forecaster at the Met Office, said today would be mainly dry with sunny spells across much of Britain, with the exception of Scotland which will continue to see heavy, wintry showers and snow on higher ground. After a cold night tonight, with temperatures dropping to freezing in towns and cities and -3C in rural areas, the mercury will begin to rise into the middle of the week. By Wednesday, warmer winds from the Atlantic will sweep westerly across the country, bringer milder conditions and positively balmy temperatures of 12C. The above-average temperatures will be felt across much of England and Wales, although northern Scotland will stay cold with wintry showers. Despite the milder conditions, rain will sweep across the country on Wednesday and winds will gradually become stronger. By the end of the week, the milder air and warmer conditions will be replaced by cold north-westerly winds, which will see temperatures plummet once again to freezing. Mr Wilson said the colder airflow would see daytime temperatures of about 6C on Friday and into the weekend, and night-time temperatures of freezing or just below. He said Scotland would continue to see cold, wintry showers, with snow continuing to fall on higher ground and, at times, on lower levels. Dawn: Forecasters predict a mild spell before the cold snap returns Friday. Pictured: Thick cloud gathered over London at sunrise this morning . Moody: The Met Office said temperatures would drop to freezing tonight but said the mercury would rise to 12C across much of the country on Wednesday, although Scotland is set to remain cold with wintry showers and possible snow on higher ground. Pictured: Sunrise in London . City: Bookies have now slashed the odds for a white Christmas, with punters convinced that the cold north-westerly winds sweeping across the country over the weekend will bring snow. Towns and cities, including London (pictured) will feel milder before the cold snap returns . Idyllic: A spectacular red sky sunrise over the causeway and its historic buildings in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, yesterday . Met Office forecaster Kirk Waite added: ‘From Monday morning it is going to be milder, although there is the risk of some rain and wintry showers to the North where it will be colder. ‘The first real push of milder conditions is expected into Wednesday. This is due to a westerly pattern, though behind that it is again looking cooler.’ Although the Met Office has not yet issued its forecast for the Christmas period, bookmakers are becoming increasingly convinced that snow will fall on Christmas Day. One company, Coral, has cut the odds on a white Christmas to 4/7 anywhere in Britain, with Aberdeen the favourite at 3/1. A final forecast by the Met Office is usually made about five days before Christmas, but spokesman Nicola McGeady said: ‘The Christmas spirit is alive in punters, who are queuing up to bet on a white Christmas in their local city. As December 25 nears, the odds on it actually happening continue to fall.’ While snow could still be on the cards for the festive period in Britain, thousands of families due to leave the UK for an Alpine skiing break next weekend are facing the prospect of a green Christmas. Many resorts across the Alps and Pyrenees had already pushed back their opening weekends from December 6 to December 13 after warm temperatures caused early snowfall in November to melt across resorts in France, Austria and Italy. But yesterday skiers at the French resort of Les Arcs, which makes up half of the giant Paradiski skiing domain, found green meadows or slopes dusted with just a light covering where inches of snow would usually have fallen by now. The resort’s daily ski report said the nearest fresh snow was 77 miles away. Winter: While milder temperatures are forecast for much of the country, the Northumberland borders and Scotland remain under heavy snow . Snow: While milder temperatures will hit England and Wales, Scotland (pictured) is set to remain cold and could continue to see heavy snow . Christmas: Zac Brown, a reindeer herder at the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre in Scotland, feeds the deer at The Cairngorms National Park . | Temperatures set to soar to double figures this week, with milder conditions sweeping across the UK from Atlantic .
After the mercury rises to 12C, temperatures will again drop to freezing on Friday as cold air from Iceland moves in .
Bookies have slashed odds for a white Christmas, as many people believe the predicted cold snap will bring snow . |
147,893 | 4b3d0811cfd39089afc08087fd8205912e7fef6a | A 900-year-old Norse code has finally been cracked, and experts believe it’s the Viking equivalent of a Valentine’s day card. The message, which is thought to say in part ‘kiss me’, means scientists may have stumbled upon a nearly millennium-old love letter. It came after PhD student Jonas Norbury unravelled the mysterious Jötunvillur code, which dates back to as early as the 9th century. The 'Kiss me' carving, thought to have been made in the 12th or 13th century, was written in cipher runes, the most common code known from medieval Scandinavia . The ‘Kiss me’ carving, thought to have been made in the 12th or 13th century in Sigtuna, Sweden, was written in cipher runes, the most common code known from medieval Scandinavia. ‘The problem with this code system is that it is impossible to read because the code gives many possible solutions,’ Mr Nordbury told MailOnline. Mr Nordby, from the University of Oslo, is the first person to study all the findings of runic codes in Northern Europe, totalling around 80 inscriptions. ‘In the cases I have been able to read, the text they contain personal names.’ Mr Nordby, from the University of Oslo, is the first person to study all the findings of runic codes in Northern Europe, totalling around 80 inscriptions. One such inscription is pictured here. The carvings are thought to say that it was written by 'the most knowledgeable man west of the sea' To read the jötunvillur code, you would replace the original runic character with the last sound of the rune name. For example, the rune for f, pronounced fe, would be turned into an e, while the rune for k, pronounced kaun, became n. While this sounds straightforward jötunvillur code is written in a way that makes the interpretation ambiguous. Mr Norby added that jötunvillur can only be written and not read, which would make it pointless for use in a message. ‘It is, however, possible - with some uncertainty - to interpret the runic inscription on a piece of bone found in Sigtuna as "Kiss me"’. Mr Norby bases his interpretation on his work on the jötunvillur code, but is keen to highlight that there are differences to the two codes that could mean the message is something different althought. ‘For the jötunvillur code, one would replace the original runic character with the last sound of the rune name,’ he explained in an interview with Forskning.no. ‘For example, the rune for “f”, pronounced “fe,” would be turned into an “e,” while the rune for “k,” pronounced “kaun,” became “n.”’ Cryptologists previously thought the code was used to communicate secret messages, but Mr Nordby thinks the pattern might have been vital in the teaching of rune instead. The carving was discovered in Sigtuna, Sweden. Cryptologists previously thought the code was used to communicate secret messages, but Mr Nordby thinks the pattern might have been vital in the teaching . One of the reasons for his claim is that the jötunvillur code is written in a way that makes the interpretation ambiguous. Mr Norby says that jötunvillur can only be written and not read, which would make it pointless for use in a message. Instead, Mr Nordby thinks the Vikings memorised rune names with the help of the jötunvillur code. The ‘kiss me’ carving suggests that the code may also have been used as a type of puzzle for others to interpret. ‘People challenged one another with codes. It was a kind of competition in the art of rune making. This testifies to a playfulness with writing that we don’t see today,’ said Mr Nordby. | Carving thought to have been made in the 12th century in Sigtuna, Sweden .
Find came after Oslo University student unravelled related Jötunvillur code .
Cryptologists previously thought code was used to communicate secrets .
Mr Nordby thinks the pattern might have been vital in education instead . |
215,826 | a35b1bfbd5e77d83227a780636b3942ac8b3e301 | Sierra Leone (CNN) -- It's Monday, mid-morning as we drive east down rain-slicked roads. There are no cars, no trucks, and no people. Sierra Leone's government demanded a shutdown and its citizens are listening. The West African nation crippled by Ebola is responding to the outbreak through a day of prayer and reflection. But that gives little comfort to us. Ebola is a disease that spreads fear faster than it infects. And the emptiness makes us uneasy. We're headed to Doctors Without Borders or MSF's treatment facility in Kailahun, a border community in the middle of the Kissi triangle, linking the country with Liberia and Guinea. Simply put, it's the epicenter of this unprecedented epidemic. Already more than 1,700 people have been infected across the three countries and now Nigeria and possibly more. Ebola can kill up to 90% of those infected and more than 930 people have already died in this epidemic, dwarfing all previous Ebola outbreaks. The WHO has just declared it a public health emergency. But as we sit down with MSF's emergency coordinator at their makeshift headquarters, we realize, months since the first infection, no one yet truly knows the outbreak's full scope. "We are too late. In an Ebola outbreak you need to be a step ahead. We are two steps behind," says Anja Wolz. What MSF needs, says Wolz, isn't more doctors -- they have those. What's needed are more experts out in the communities, to trace the disease and help train local health workers, she says. Ebola virus: 9 things to know about the killer disease . Wolz, a veteran responder to outbreaks, much of her staff's time is focused educating workers on how to respond safely to a virus that can infect with just one drop of bodily fluid. If mistakes are made, the results are deadly. The MSF's Ebola case management center in Kailahun is tightly sealed. We clumsily balance on one leg and then the other as a technician sprays the soles of our shoes with chlorine. Once inside, orange netting separates the low-risk zone from the high-risk areas. It's just a few feet, but we're told that's more than enough. While Ebola is highly infectious, it isn't particularly contagious, as it's only spread by direct contact with bodily fluids -- not through the air. Still, we watch the doctors take incredible care as they suit-up in layer after layer of protective gear. Dr. Stefan Kruger and others will enter the high-risk zone several times a day. The heat without the suits is uncomfortable. With the suits it's nearly unbearable. The medical staff can only go in an hour at a time, after that the sweat in their facemasks becomes a risk. The work is intense, the stress levels are incredibly high, and there's little doctors can do here except treat the symptoms of Ebola. There is no confirmed cure for the virus. 9 questions about this new Ebola drug . Still Kruger says for him there was no question that he needed to be here. "At the moment, in Kailahun, if MSF wasn't here, there would be nothing. That's good enough reason for me." The district's population is nearly 500,000 with just four ambulances. Containing the virus means isolating each patient. For now, that isn't happening -- the center has just 80 beds. "It is really is frustrating for us because we don't have the capacity to go everywhere," says Wolz. Luckily Tenah Naloh came to them. Her husband and son died of the disease and she and her daughter continue to battle in the high-risk zone. To talk to her, we must stand a few feet away, the orange netting, separating us. We know the protocols protect us, but they isolate her. What's the risk of catching Ebola on a plane? When they aren't treating patients, doctors here spend time in the low-risk zone, talking with their masks off, so that patients can see their faces. But, there's no way around the isolation that Tenah and others here feel. Doctors here say they know how to contain Ebola. They just need more resources. It's clear talking to patients like Teneh, the will to beat Ebola is here too. "We are feeling much better, we are strong and we are going to fight." | An Ebola outbreak in West Africa has infected more than 1,700 people .
CNN's Brent Swails and David McKenzie traveled to an Ebola treatment center in Sierra Leone .
MSF workers there say they need more experts in the community tracing the disease .
Their center is based in a district with a population of 500,000, and they have just 80 beds . |
265,290 | e39aaf003a39d5ec1efd97d1313fb388c14580c9 | (CNN) -- We could all learn a few things from Monica Lewinsky, and when you read the essay she penned for Vanity Fair, "Shame and Survival," you undoubtedly will—maybe even about yourself. That is, judging by the excerpts of her article, which the magazine released Tuesday, ahead of publication. Most of the world will be looking for the salacious details of her "consensual relationship" with President Clinton. As many will recall, that affair began in 1995 and when news of it broke in 1998, it became a global story. It almost took down the President—he was impeached-- and sent Lewinsky into such an isolated state of hell, she writes, that she had suicidal thoughts at times and a "fear that I would be literally humiliated to death." Frankly, when you consider just how intense, relentless and abusive the Lewinsky bullying has been for the past 16 years--by the media, the politicians, the public and trolls on the Internet, it's a wonder she had the psychological stamina to resist those suicidal thoughts. And thank God she did. Lewinsky on Clinton affair: 'Time to burn the beret and bury the blue dress' You can't underplay how huge the news of the Lewinsky-Clinton affair was at a time when the Internet wasn't only used for trolling celebrities; it had such an impact in the public arena that there are people who are still making money off it. The founder of the Drudge Report, Matt Drudge, broke the story of the affair on his then mostly unknown website in 1998; the story put him on the map. In 2014 the site averages more than a billion page views a month. When Barbara Walters interviewed Lewinsky in 1999 on "20/20," a record-breaking 70 million viewers tuned in. While the media pointed fingers at "that woman," it was taking advantage of the hottest story in presidential scandal history and squeezing every dollar it could out of Lewinsky's demise. Heck, when Beyoncé "dropped" her album in December 2013, she cashed in as well -- reducing Lewinsky to a line in "Partition" as a reference to ejaculation. Lewinsky replied in her essay: "Thanks, Beyoncé, but if we're verbing, I think you meant 'Bill Clintoned all on my gown.' " Sexual affairs are happening all over the world at this very moment--with politicians, world leaders, famous actors and people you know personally. Yes, affairs and other indiscretions are disgusting and immoral, but you can hardly be surprised anymore when you hear about them (looking at you Vance McAllister, John Edwards, Anthony Weiner, Donald Sterling). After all, you don't publicly execute people for these everyday offenses between two consenting adults, and yet that's basically what the world did to Lewinsky. Last year, President Clinton was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. In 2014, perhaps the world will give Monica Lewinsky the freedom she finally deserves. The powerful story here isn't the cigar and the blue dress with semen on it, it's that after 16 years of relentless bullying and a past that won't go away, Lewinsky has figured out a way to use the experience to help others by taking ownership of it. Lewinsky writes that she may be the first person ever at the center of an Internet cyberbullying event, and that it was the case of another recent victim of similar bullying, Tyler Clementi, that made her own suffering "take on a different meaning". Clintons' relationship with media still testy after all these years . "Perhaps by sharing my story, I reason, I might be able to help others in their darkest moments of humiliation." In the same way that a sitting President can sooth a community struck by a hurricane, mudslide or mass shooting, I have no doubt that Lewinsky could help a victim of cyberbullying get through the pain and humiliation -- and be instrumental in encouraging him or her to stay strong. One of the most powerful tools you have in life is the truth, and here's the truth: Regardless of what she says, people will judge. Pundits will pontificate, project and wonder aloud about political motivations in the timing. We will wonder if this will hurt Hillary Clinton in 2016 or if Lewinsky was paid by the RNC to unburden herself like this. Go down that road and you miss something way more powerful than politics -- a lesson in humanity and personal power. She writes that it's time to "stop tiptoeing around my past—and other people's futures. I am determined to have a different ending to my story. I've decided, finally, to stick my head above the parapet so that I can take back my narrative and give purpose to my past." By telling her story, she's doing exactly that. It takes remarkable courage to confront your humiliating mistakes and painful past, and still hold your head high. It's in our failures that we often find our strength. Good for you Monica Lewinsky, you found your strength. I for one will be cheering you on. | Mel Robbins: Monica Lewinsky writes in upcoming Vanity Fair about affair with Bill Clinton .
She says aftermath of affair left Lewinsky humiliated, almost suicidal. She was brave to go on .
She says media exploited news of consensual affair; cashed in. Story put Drudge on map .
Robbins: Real story here is Lewinsky taking back narrative, helping others bullied on Internet . |
78,670 | dee3d66e143612af566b8580044c2982fa30d928 | By . Martha De Lacey . When two glamorous women departed The Strand Theatre in London on 28 April 1870 after a show, passers-by were startled to see them being arrested by police officers. The women, who had been flirting openly with male members of the audience all evening, had also, unbeknown to them, been the object of the officers' attention throughout the play. Producing a warrant card and apprehending the ladies, the arresting officer said: 'I'm a police officer from Bow Street, and I have every reason to believe . that you are men in female attire and you will have to come to Bow . Street with me now.' The officer was correct in his belief. The 'women' were Fanny and Stella, a pair of . middle-class gentlemen with a predilection for cross-dressing - and their subsequent court trial for being transvestites scandalised Victorian England. And now their extraordinary tale has been chronicled in a new book by writer Neil McKenna, author of The Secret Life Of Oscar Wild, entitled Fanny & Stella and published by Faber on 7 February. Stella, left, and Fanny, right, the two Victorian men who were arrested and charged with having sex with each other and also of several acts of conspiracy . Ernest Boulton, left, as Stella, and as himself, right . Fanny and Stella's real names were Frederick Park, 22, and Ernest Boulton, 21. And on the night in question they were charged with both having sex with each other . (homosexuality was a criminal offence until 1967) and also with several . counts of conspiracy. It even emerged police had had their 'dressing-up . flat' under surveillance for a year - and that the home secretary . himself was encouraging the attorney general to prosecute. Frederick was the elder of the two, the youngest in a family of 12 children and the son of Judge Alexander Park. His brother Harry had already left England and escaped to Scotland after being arrested for homosexual offences. Ernest, just 20, was the more naturally beautiful of the pair, and very attractive in his feminine guise. The son of a shipping broker, Ernest had a wonderful soprano voice and was determined to be a singer until his father pushed him into a career as a banker. His most famous lover was Lord Arthur Pelham-Clinton, son of the Duke of Newcastle and godson of Prime Minister William Gladstone. Fanny resting on the shoulder of Lord Arthur Pelham-Clinton, son of the Duke of Newcastle, at one time the lover of Stella, sitting on floor . Victorian drawings of Stella, left, and Fanny, right . The day after their arrest, Fanny and Stella arrived sensationally at Bow Street magistrates court where nearly 1,000 people gathered to watch them be taken inside. The two men spent four months in jail awaiting trial, and if convicted, their sentence would be between 10 years and life in prison. Regardless, the pair did not flee when they were released from prison before trial, and the case arrived at Westminster Hall court in May 1871 for a huge state trial with the lord chief justice as judge and the prosecution led the attorney-general with the assistance of the solicitor-general. Stella and Fanny, top right with croquet sticks, loved dressing up in resplendent women's clothes and going out in London society in the 19th century . Ernest Boulton, left, toured as a female impersonator with . his brother Gerard before dying in England in 1903, while Frederick Park, right, went to America with his . banished brother Harry and died in New Jersey in 1881 . The trial of Fanny, right, and Stella, left, was considered Britain's first great legal squabble with homosexuality, but was forgotten as quickly as it became a sensation . But because of a very weak prosecution case - and the fact that the two men were charged with conspiracy with six others who had, between them, fled, died or didn't even know each other - the trial failed and the men were acquired. Boulton's mother Mary Ann had, crucially, testified to say that it was no secret his son's nickname was Stella and that he enjoyed dressing as a woman - which made the case look more silly than sordid and sinister. Neil McKenna, who has written a book about the notorious Victorian transvestites entitled Fanny & Stella, told the Daily Express: 'The irony is that if they had just been charged with sodomy the medical evidence would have meant they would probably have been convicted, sent to prison and died there.' Ernest Boulton and Frederick William Park, also known as Stella and Fanny, arrested at the Strand Theatre for incitement to commit an unnatural offence, by going around London at night in women's clothes . A drawing of the two female impersonators' dressing room . McKenna explains that the furore surrounding the trial of Fanny and Stella can be put down to Victorian society 'having one of its periodic anxiety attacks' about homosexuality - which had recently become a term to describe an identity rather than just a fleeting behaviour - sexually transmitted disease, death and the effeminisation of a previously masculine Britain. After the trial - which was considered Britain's first great legal squabble with homosexuality, but forgotten as quickly as it became a sensation - Frederick Park went to America with his banished brother Harry and died in New Jersey in 1881. Ernest Boulton changed his name to Ernest Byne and toured as a female impersonator with his brother Gerard. He died in England in 1903. Fanny & Stella by Neil McKenna (Faber & Faber, £16.99) is out on 7 February . Fanny and . Stella were hard to fathom. They had behaved with such lewdness in . their box in the stalls as to leave not the faintest shred of doubt in . even the most disinterested observer that they were a pair of hardened . and shameless whores. And . yet, close up, Stella was revealed as a beautiful, almost aristocratic, . young woman who showed flashes of an innate, and most decidedly . un-whorelike, dignity and grace. One newspaper said later that she was . ‘charming as a star’, another christened her ‘Stella, Star of the . Strand’. And despite all the opprobrium that would later be heaped upon . her, despite all the mud that would be slung at her and all the mud that . would stick to her, she never lost the mysterious aura of a great and . stellar beauty. Mrs . Fanny Graham, too, was clearly a woman of some education and breeding, . and was certainly very far removed from your common-or-garden whore. Here in the saloon bar, it seemed harder to reconcile their obvious . quality with the ogling, tongue-waggling, chirruping lasciviousness of . the stalls. They spent half an hour or so in the refreshment bar. Before . they left, Mrs Fanny Graham, unaware that she was being watched, betook . herself to the Ladies’ Retiring Room and asked the attendant there to . pin the lace back to the hem of her crinoline where she had trodden on . it. At a quarter past ten, Mr Hugh Mundell had been despatched in . ringing tones by Mrs Graham to go and call for her carriage and soon . afterwards the remainder of the party made a leisurely progress to the . foyer and pushed their way through the noise and confusion of an . emptying theatre to the waiting conveyance. Just . as the carriage was about to depart, one of the men who had been . shadowing them all that evening jumped up and swung himself in through . the door. 'I’m . a police officer from Bow Street,’ he said, producing his warrant card, . ‘and I have every reason to believe that you are men in female attire . and you will have to come to Bow Street with me now.' Extracted from Fanny & Stella by Neil McKenna (Faber & Faber, £16.99) McKenna explains that the furore surrounding the trial of Fanny and Stella can be put down to Victorian society 'having one of its periodic anxiety attacks' about homosexuality . Frederick Park - pictured as Fanny - went to America with his banished brother Harry and died in New Jersey in 1881 . Frederick dressed as Fanny . | Frederick Park, 22, and Ernest Boulton, 21, arrested on 28 April 1870 .
Apprehended as they were leaving Strand Theatre in London .
Charged with homosexuality and 'conspiracy'
They were acquitted after the prosecution built a very weak case .
New book by Neil McKenna, Fanny & Stella, tells their amazing story . |
281,064 | f81910b7ee0fdca770ffe6661ae86eb2b417b68d | One day Roger Federer will stop writing tennis history but, at 33, there is absolutely no sign of it yet. His huge list of tennis achievements already reads like some kind of biblical scroll lengthwise, and on Sunday he helped Switzerland to win the Davis Cup title for the first time by defeating France 3-1 before a world record crowd. Of course it had to be Federer himself to strike the winning blow, finding himself charged with clinching the 114 year-old Cup when walking out to face Richard Gasquet amid the feverish atmosphere of the Stade Pierrer Mauroy. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch highlights of Roger Federer winning the Davis Cup . Roger Federer drops to his knees after beating Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-2 6-2 in Lille to win the Davis Cup . Federer hugs Switzerland coach Severin Luthi after his superb display secured the team tournament title . Federer looked overcome by emotion in the immediate aftermath, after this rare new new experience for him . He duly did so with a minimum of fuss, dispatching the Frenchman – a late substitute for Jo Wilfried Tsonga – 6-4 6-2 6-2 to put the outcome beyond any doubt. To 17 Grand Slams, 302 weeks as world number one, an Olympic gold medal (in doubles, but let us not split hairs), winning every different Slam and a multitude of other things add the sport's premier team competition, claimed this year in the company of Stan Wawrinka. It was only this time last week that the scale of the two players' argument at the Barclays ATP World Finals in London was becoming apparent, after the calling out from courtside of his wife Mirka during their Saturday semi-final. Seven days and one repaired back on from there he was in scintillating form, taking the pivotal doubles point on Saturday and then finishing the job off in solo combat against the unfortunate Gasquet. Federer and Luthi are joined by Stanislas Wawrinka as the World No 2 struggles to contain his emotion . Wawrinka was the first onto the court to celebrate with his team-mate and their coach . Wawrinka and Federer put aside their high-profile row last week to come together and win the trophy . The pair are all smiles, just a week after falling out in London, with their trophies in hand . The Swiss team celebrate on court after winning their country's first ever Davis Cup . Michael Lammer (left to right), Marco Chiudinelli, Wawrinka, Federer and Luthi recieve their trophies . Roger Federer celebrates winning a point during his Davis Cup final victory in Lille . If anything was going to galvanise Federer it was his highly polished status taking something of a knock from the events of the previous weekend. He disappointed fans at the 02 Arena when pulling out of the final and then got caught up in the fallout from his argument with his old friend/rival/team-mate. Mirka was not there to witness this redemption, having stayed back at home in Switzerland to avoid any distraction. On Friday he had looked somewhat immobile in being hit off the court by Gael Monfils, although by the end of that match he was moving better, a trend that continued in the doubles and inexorably on Sunday. The Swiss star, who had won everything in the sport bar the Davis cup before this, completed the trophy set . The Swiss World No 2 was back to his imperious best after a difficult Friday to swat away Gasquet . 'Not for me, this is for the boys. I have won enough in my career that I don't need this to complete my everything – ticking off the boxes. We put in so much hard work. I am happy I was able to stay calm and play a good match,' he said in the emotional aftermath. We may never know how bad his back really was, and it was certainly transformed from the final's opening day, which increasingly looks like it was a practice session for the second two matches he was to play. Andy Murray mischievously tweeted afterwards: 'Amazing how long a couple of days is in sport…' It seemed Wawrinka thought the same. As the Swiss celebrations got into full swing the Swiss No 2 later joked 'Roger I still love you'. Whatever, Federer clearly trusted his back completely against a player he knows he should beat, having amassed at 12-2 career record against the talented but introverted Gasquet, who is not known as the fiercest competitor. Jo Wilfried-Tsonga (right) who was dropped for this match, and Gael Monfils, can only look on during the final . Gasquet, a late replacement for Tsonga, was unable to prevent Federer's comfortable win . It was not entirely clear why Gasquet was promoted over Tsonga to try and keep the final alive. Conflicting accounts from the French team and their officials had him being plain dropped or nursing an injured elbow. But in truth, neither he nor Gasquet would have been expected to beat Federer in fully restored fitness and on this form, with the Swiss having ended the season as the world number two by force of results rather than any accident. His mountain of big match experience was bound to serve him well in the bear pit atmosphere that greeted him, with his every shot in the warm-up greeted with a boo. Federer was stretched occasionally, but he had more than enough to see off Gasquet and secure the win . Switzerland coach Severin Luthi celebrates as his No 1 produces a brilliant display to seal the trophy . Once it got going he always looked the winner, by virtue of him doing the same things as Gasquet does but a bit better, aided by the fact that he remains quicker around the court than the man five years his junior. He broke for 4-2 in the first set, and broke twice more to forge ahead to 5-2 in the second set. British umpire James Keothavong had his work cut out controlling the excitable French Captain Arnaud Clement, who protested about several line calls, but Federer remained serene. Another couple of breaks saw him serve out for the match and he finished it in glorious style with an exquisite drop shot, before falling onto the clay face forward and being hugged by his team-mates. Federer looked overcome by emotion at the end, after this rare new new experience for him. He is a remarkable athlete for our times. Having drunk some champagne with his teammates Federer later said 'On Monday or Tuesday I thought there was no way I could play three days this weekend, it was after Friday's match I felt more confident.' He would not commit to whether or not he would help defend the title next year. | Roger Federer beats Richard Gasquet in straight sets to seal win .
Federer shakes off back injury to clinch trophy for the first time .
Switzerland win final 3-1 with a game left to play . |
169,172 | 66df5f413e783ebc0c173f720d7d3471e4c1f52b | By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 09:53 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:09 EST, 6 September 2013 . A cursed coconut has been seized by police near a polling station in the Maldives igniting fears a black witch is trying to rig the country's upcoming election with a voodoo spell. The furry fruit was spotted near a school on Guraidhoo Island on Tuesday with suspicious Arabic writing scribbled on its shell. Closer inspection found the script to be a verse from the Koran prompting officers to summon a specialist white witch to reverse the spell. Case cracked: The furry fruit was spotted near a school on Guraidhoo Island on Tuesday with Arabic writing on its shell . 'The police brought a "ruqyah" practitioner (white magician) to examine the coconut, who said it was a fake,' a police source told Minivan News. 'Because it’s a fake the police are not worried.' 'The four-inch coconut had a Sura [Qur'anic verse] written in Arabic and was lying on the ground near the school, easy for the public to see,' added another source. 'When school students saw the coconut they called the principal, who then contacted the police.' After studying the coconut, the 'ruqyah' deemed it to be nothing more than a hoax. The source added: 'Now the police and school officials are more aware and police are . patrolling the school at night, so magicians can’t practice real black . magic at the school.' Magic vote: Using black magic to either stop people voting or to influence their decision is common practice on the Maldives . Now, with the case apparently cracked, the country's presidential elections have been given the go ahead and will take place on Saturday. Using black magic to either stop people voting or to influence their decision is common practice on Guraidhoo. In July parents at the same school boycotted a polling station on the premises claiming a black witch was on the island and was trying to influence the fortunes of the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM). 'Girls in the school were getting headaches and some have fainted,' the island source told Minivan. The Maldives, whose population is just 300,000, introduced democratic elections in 2008, after 30 years of autocratic rule. Its legal system is based on English common law interwoven with elements of Sharia Law. | The furry fruit was spotted near a school on Guraidhoo Island on Tuesday .
When police saw Arabic script on its shell they summoned a white witch .
After studying the writing on the fruit, the witch deemed it to be a hoax .
As a result, the country's presidential elections will take place on Saturday . |
80,443 | e40a4196dd7095f79811ff5ff42123a7a0ed6c77 | (CNN) -- A young baseball phenom has received one of the sport's highest honors -- recognition from the National Baseball Hall of Fame for pitching not one, but two perfect games. And while a perfect game -- defined as one in which the pitcher allows no hits and no walks -- is a rare occurrence for the sport, what makes this 13-year-old pitcher's feat even more impressive is that she did it against the boys. Yes, she. Chelsea Baker, once a student of former major league pitcher Joe Niekro, last week donated the jersey she wore to pitch one of those special games to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The jersey will be part of an exhibit dedicated to the importance of women in the sport, according to the museum. Chelsea, who until recently honed her pitching arm in Plant City, Florida's Little League program, told CNN Sunday that she feels "really honored and blessed" to be recognized on a national level at such an early age. In addition to her Hall of Fame achievement, Chelsea was also recently featured on ESPN's "E:60" series. Chelsea, who says she has been pitching since she was 7 years old, boasts a fastball in the mid-60s (miles per hour) and a baffling knuckleball that has been known to make her male opponents shed a tear. "Yeah, when I strike them out with the knuckleball, sometimes they'll throw their helmets and start crying," she laughs. "It's just really funny to watch." It's a pitch that was perfected with help from Niekro, who was her team's batting pitcher before his death in 2006. "He would always throw it to us and I could never hit it, and so I'd always beg him to teach it to me and finally one day he just taught it to me," she says. The knuckleball has helped propel Chelsea through four seasons without a loss with her Brandon Farms team -- and her batting average isn't bad either, hitting over .600 this season, though she notes "I like pitching more than batting." Chelsea is now participating in Baseball for All -- an organization that advocates for women in the sport -- playing on a touring all-girls team made up of players from around the country. And Chelsea says her career is only getting started. "I want to play baseball for as long as I can," she says. "I want to play high school baseball and then I also want to play on the USA girls' travel baseball team." Watch out, boys. CNN's Don Lemon contributed to this report. | 13-year-old Chelsea Baker has been recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame .
She boasts two perfect games to her record .
Her knuckleball is known to make her male opponents cry . |
146,483 | 496c488740d07a789ba235a868854177588bbc59 | By . Anna Hodgekiss . Carly Swann suffers from a condition which means she cannot raise a full smile or even blink on the right side . A woman struck by a syndrome that deformed her face has now been the victim of botched surgery - which means she will never smile again. Carly Swann, 32, was just 14 when her face became paralysed, meaning she cannot raise a full smile or even blink on the right side. The mother-of-two suffers from a condition called cholesteatoma - an abnormal collection of skin cells inside the ear which apart from . hearing loss, can also lead to facial nerve damage resulting in a . weakness to half the face. For half her life, Ms Swann, from Sheffield, . avoided looking in mirrors because she was ‘too . repulsed’ by her own reflection. In total, she has had 16 operations for her condition. In 2007, the mother-of-two had an operation at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, using muscle taken from her left thigh and put into her cheek. The operation was a success and she regained control and movement in her face, allowing her to smile again - and for two years she lived a ‘happy’ life. But when an infection meant her face would need to be operated on again, the outcome left her devastated. Surgeons at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital interfered with the muscle holding the sling to correct her smile - which caused it to disappear. Ms Swann later discovered that her operation notes from 2007 were not requested from the hospital who had corrected her smile and restored her confidence. She was awarded a substantial sum in compensation from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust after they admitted clinical negligence. Ms Swann, who works as a PA, said: 'It was the worst point in my entire life when I saw what they had done - my face was ruined. 'They had completely destroyed my chances of smiling again. I physically hated the way my face looked and just wanted to shut the entire world out. 'What was hardest was that for two years I had finally been happy with the way I looked. 'I could go out with my friends and actually be happy and feel comfortable with my face. 'After the surgery I couldn’t bear to look at myself again and it was the lowest I had ever felt. The two hospitals that did the operations just hadn’t communicated with each other at all. 'If they had read the notes sent over to them they would have known not to remove the muscle and my face would still be fine. 'I’ve had 16 operations in total including having a scar created to look like a laughing line on my right hand side. But I’m not having any more now - I’m done.' Ms Swann aged 8 (left) and 13 (right). She was just 14 when her face became paralysed . In total, she has endured 16 operations to relieve her condition - but botched surgery means she is still unhappy with her appearance . Ms Swann was just 14 when she began experiencing problems. Friends spotted her drooping face at school after a PE lesson and a GP confirmed she had Bell’s Palsy - a form of facial paralysis - but claimed she should recover in two to three months. But with no signs of improvement, she was sent for MRI scans which concluded she in fact had cholesteatoma. And when she returned to school, she was bullied by her classmates who teased her about her skewed appearance and mocked her by saying she looked like she’d had a stroke. In the years that followed, she became a recluse who was too embarrassed to go out in fear of seeing her reflection in shop windows. People would tell her to ‘cheer up’ and she took to covering her face with her hands. She added: 'I found it really hard to meet new people, and would always angle my face away from them so they could only see my left side. 'I would never eat out at restaurants because I’m not able to chew my food properly because of the paralysis. “The worst thing about it is when I’ve put it to the back of my mind and don’t think about it. Ms Swan with her children, Ashon and Madalyn. She said she avoided looking in mirrors for half of her life because she was 'too repulsed' by her own reflection . Ms Swann with her daughter Madalyn. She said it is only in the last six months that she has got her confidence back since the botched operation . 'Then I hear someone saying, "what’s wrong with her face", or, "why does she look like that"? Then it all comes flooding back to me.' Despite her struggle, Ms Swann, a single mother of two girls - Ashon, six and Madalyn, 11 - has only recently been able to come to terms with her appearance. She said: 'It’s only in the last six months that I have got my confidence back since the operation. 'I’ve started to go to a charity called Changing Faces which if I’d been aware of when my facial palsy started, things could have been very different. 'I had been searching for 18 years for someone to talk to and eventually I am now learning to be happy with how I look.' David Throssell, Medical Director at Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'After suffering from facial palsy, Ms Swann had a successful operation at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals which restored some of her facial movements, including the ability to smile. 'We are therefore extremely sorry that a further procedure some years later to prevent a potential serious infection from occurring meant that some benefits of the previous procedure were lost. 'We can only imagine how devastating this must be for her and her family and a full review of Miss Swann’s care has been undertaken as a consequence, and we would like to offer our apologies for this.' | Carly Swann, 32, was just 14 when her face became paralysed .
Suffers from cholesteatoma, which can lead to facial nerve damage .
Cannot raise a full smile or even blink on right side - even after 16 operations .
In 2007 had successful surgery which allowed her to finally smile .
But further surgery for an infection undid all the work, ruining her smile . |
208,605 | 9a1c543dbe0292dc15e00eb22fc1bad763edc6a6 | Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- The second son of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi appeared via a video link Sunday at his trial at a court in Tripoli, where he and dozens of former senior regime officials face charges for crimes they are accused of committing during the 2011 revolution. Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, once his father's heir apparent, has been held in the western mountain city of Zintan by the militiamen who captured him in 2011. The group has refused to hand him over to the central government, citing security concerns and lawlessness in the capital. The trial was held under tight security with roads leading to Tripoli's al-Hadba prison blocked off by security forces and gunmen positioned on the building's rooftop. The judge read the charges against the defendants, which included the killing of protesters -- a crime punishable by a death sentence -- and other alleged crimes to try and suppress the 2011 uprising. Among the 23 defendants present at the hearing were Abdullah al-Senussi, the elder Gadhafi's brother-in-law and former spy chief, former Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi and the regime's head of foreign intelligence, Buzeid Durda. Eight other defendants held in the city of Misrata also appeared via video link at the trial. After more than two years in prison, Senussi, who was extradited from Mauritania, appeared frail and had lost weight. Gadhafi seemed relaxed and frequently smiled during the two-hour proceeding. In response to the judge's question on whether he had a lawyer, Gadhafi responded twice, saying, "I have God". He later said he did not have a lawyer, and the court ordered one to be appointed for him. The International Criminal Court in the Hague indicted Gadhafi and Senussi on war crimes, but Libya refused to hand them over, arguing they had to face justice in their own country. Although the international court granted Libya the right to try Senussi last year, his ICC-appointed lawyer was appealing the ruling. Some defendants complained about not having enough access to their lawyers, and Senussi asked the court to allow foreign lawyers to represent him because Libyan lawyers, he said, were not able to do so. Rights groups have raised concerns about Libya's ability to provide the defendants with a fair trial. "The case of 30+ former Gadhafi officials has been problematic from a procedural point of view from the onset as some defendants, including Saif al-Islam Gadhafi and Abdullah Senussi, both held in isolation in different locations, still do not have access to a lawyer and were not able to review court documents," said Hanan Salah, a Libya researcher for Human Rights Watch. "In cases involving the death penalty, it is more important than ever to adhere to fair trial standards." There have also been concerns about the use of the video link in this trial. "Every defendant should have the right to communicate and consult without delay and in full confidentiality with their lawyers before and during a trial. The current arrangements in which some defendants are physically separated from the court and their lawyers cast doubt over respect for these rights and some defendants risk being mere spectators in their own trial," said Salah, who was observing Sunday's proceedings in Tripoli. The judge adjourned the trial to May 11. | Saif al-Islam Gadhafi was the heir apparent before father, Moammar, was ousted .
Gadhafi, other former officials face charges, including killing protesters, in 2011 uprising .
Human Right Watch questions Libya's ability to conduct a fair trial . |
78,666 | dee033fc9eab6a23540ca41eb789110bdce952d9 | By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 03:16 EST, 5 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:31 EST, 5 July 2013 . A shocking study has revealed that nearly one in three children in Britain have contemplated suicide by the age of 16. Stress over exams, fear of failure and concern about body image are just some of the pressures harming teenagers' mental health, the major survey discovered. The worrying findings by MindFull.org - a new website launched today which aims helping youngsters find counselling - has led to growing calls for teens to be given mental health lessons in school. The report, called Alone with my thoughts, based on the experiences of more than 2,000 16- to 25-year-olds across Britain, said: 'We are at risk of failing a generation . of young people'. Pressure: Fear of failure, the burden of exams and worries over body image are thought to be major reasons for large numbers of teens sinking into depression. (File photo) It added that a 'transformation in the way we address young . people’s mental health' was needed. It also recommended . mental-health lessons be included as part of the national curriculum, with counselling in . schools, and improved services which address the needs of children and . are focused on 'early intervention'. Research showed that 32 per cent of young Britons have had suicidal thoughts, while a similar proportion (29 per cent) of young adults deliberately harmed themselves as teenagers. And more than one in 10 (12 per cent) felt a failure almost every day when they were under 16. Issues around anxiety, stress and . body image lead to poor emotional wellbeing, leaving children less able . to cope. Unchecked, this can spiral into acute, long-term mental . illness, says the report . And the problem was compounded as a taboo surrounding discussing mental health issues prevented many teenagers seeking help, the report found. It called for more services to be provided to prevent a generation falling victim to suicide and self-harm. Fears: Taboo surrounding mental health is stopping teens from seeking help, the MindFull study found. (File photo) Founder and chief executive of MindFull Emma-Jane Cross said too many children are 'being let down or simply ignored,' 'It’s . unacceptable that so many are having to resort to harming themselves on . purpose in order to cope, or worse still are thinking about ending . their own lives.' And Lucie Russell, director of policy, . YoungMinds, said: 'These shocking statistics highlight what YoungMinds . has been saying for many years – that... young people’s mental health is . a vital issue that must be prioritised.' MindFull, an offshoot of the . BeatBullying charity, is backed by clinical psychologist Professor Tanya . Byron, Labour leader Ed Miliband, and child-protection expert Professor . Eileen Munroe. It will work with schools to educate . young people on how to cope with mental-health issues, and has created a . website to give free, confidential counselling for 11- to 17-year-olds. Of the 850,000 young people with a diagnosable mental-health problem, almost 75 per cent get no treatment, says the report. And for those who do, cuts to mental-health services often mean they don’t receive the long-term, intensive treatment they need. Mental . health should be given the same importance as physical health, . according to Professor Byron. Welcoming the new mindfull.org website, . she said: 'Teenagers naturally look to the internet as a source of . information and advice, so that’s where we need to be in order to help . the hundreds of thousands of young people who are getting no support.' And . Barbara Rayment, chair of the Children & Young People’s Mental . Health Coalition, said: 'As a society we have taken many steps to ensure . the increased physical health of our young people, we now need to . ensure we make as good an investment in their mental health.' | One in 5 youngsters depressed during childhood, new survey finds .
Exam pressure and body image worries adds to teenage concerns .
Nearly a third of teenagers admit to deliberately harming themselves .
Taboo over talking about mental health is stopping children seeking help .
New website MindFull.org launched to counsel children aged 11 to 17 . |
278,303 | f484789c801aa3be78fdcb02ab2c0a66bb3e27e4 | President Barack Obama sided with open-Internet activists on Monday, urging the Federal Communications . Commission to draft new rules that would reclassify the broadband net to . regulate it more like a public utility. The end result would tie the hands of Internet service providers that want to cut special deals with services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and Amazon to push their streaming content along a 'fast lane' that ordinary Americans can't access. The FCC has been working on the new rule for seven months, and has received nearly 4 million comments from the public. Its first attempt at a 'net neutrality' rule met with the judicial axe in January with a federal court sided with Verizon and ruled that the government agency lacks the legal authority to control how Internet companies set their prices. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . President Barack Obama announced a full-court press Monday on 'net neutrality,' a policy that would prohibit Internet service providers from playing favorites as they allocate resources online . REBRANDING: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is already framing Net Neutrality in a way that connects it to the president's increasingly unpopular medical insurance overhaul . Chairman Tom Wheeler proposed a framework this year that prohibited Internet . service providers like Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner Cable from blocking any content, but allowed deals . where content providers would pay ISPs to ensure smooth delivery . of traffic. Wheeler said in April that his FCC would propose that 'broadband providers would be required to offer a baseline level of service to their subscribers, along with the ability to enter into individual negotiations with content providers.' 'In all instances, broadband providers would need to act in a commercially reasonable manner subject to review on a case-by-case basis.' Obama campaigned on the issue of net neutrality. He said in a statement Monday that the FCC's new rules should explicitly ban any paid . prioritization deals. 'Simply put: No service should be stuck in a 'slow lane' because it does not pay a fee,' Obama said. 'That kind of gatekeeping would . undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet's . growth.' 'I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules . protecting net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable . company nor the phone company will be able to act as a . gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online.' He also said the FCC should apply its new rules equally to . mobile and wired ISPs. Two GOP senators pushed back – hard. Net neutrality 'puts the government in charge of determining Internet pricing, terms of service, and what types of products and services can be delivered, leading to fewer choices, fewer opportunities, and higher prices for consumers,' Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz wrote on Facebook. '"Net Neutrality" is Obamacare for the Internet; the Internet should not operate at the speed of government,' he added on Twitter. South Dakota GOP Sen. John Thune said Obama's vision relied on 'rules written nearly 80 years ago for plain old telephone service.' 'The president’s stale thinking would invite legal and marketplace uncertainty and perpetuate what has needlessly become a politically corrosive policy debate.' The move Obama seeks would rely on Title II of the 1934 Communications Act, a law that never contemplated life in the Internet age. MEANWHILE, 13 TIME ZONES AWAY: Obama avoided questions about his Net Neutrality position by having the White House release a statement while he was in China . The National Cable and Telecommunications Association, a trade group that represents broadband providers, said it was 'stunned the president would abandon the longstanding, bipartisan policy of lightly regulating the Internet and calling for extreme Title II regulation.' In taking a position in favor of net neutrality, Obama is siding with liberal activist groups that want the FCC to put ISPs in a new category so that they can be . regulated more like public utilities. One such group, CREDO, is a self-described 'progressive mobile phone provider' that operates more like a nonprofit than an ISP. 'This is huge,' CREDO political director Becky Bond said Monday in a statement. 'President Obama just proved whose side he is on – that of the American people and an open and equal Internet.' 'Obama’s statement is simply a cynical political ploy, a way of playing to activists on the radical Left who have built mailing lists and a political movement on the most absolutist conception of net neutrality,' the libertarian think tank TechFreedom said in a statement. 'There is no dispute about the propriety of transparency rules and bans on discrimination and blocking. But this tectonic shift in national policy, should it be adopted, would create devastating results.' Obama waited to announce his position until after the midterm election. The White House emailed the news to reporters while the president was in China for a Trans-Pacific Partnership meeting. 'An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life. By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratizing influences the world has ever known. '"Net neutrality" has been built into the fabric of the Internet since its creation – but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted. We cannot allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas. That is why today, I am asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to answer the call of almost 4 million public comments, and implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality. 'When I was a candidate for this office, I made clear my commitment to a free and open Internet, and my commitment remains as strong as ever. Four years ago, the FCC tried to implement rules that would protect net neutrality with little to no impact on the telecommunications companies that make important investments in our economy. After the rules were challenged, the court reviewing the rules agreed with the FCC that net neutrality was essential for preserving an environment that encourages new investment in the network, new online services and content, and everything else that makes up the Internet as we now know it. Unfortunately, the court ultimately struck down the rules – not because it disagreed with the need to protect net neutrality, but because it believed the FCC had taken the wrong legal approach. 'The FCC is an independent agency, and ultimately this decision is theirs alone. I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules protecting net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable company nor the phone company will be able to act as a gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online. The rules I am asking for are simple, common-sense steps that reflect the Internet you and I use every day, and that some ISPs already observe. These bright-line rules include: . 'If carefully designed, these rules should not create any undue burden for ISPs, and can have clear, monitored exceptions for reasonable network management and for specialized services such as dedicated, mission-critical networks serving a hospital. But combined, these rules mean everything for preserving the Internet’s openness. 'The rules also have to reflect the way people use the Internet today, which increasingly means on a mobile device. I believe the FCC should make these rules fully applicable to mobile broadband as well, while recognizing the special challenges that come with managing wireless networks. 'To be current, these rules must also build on the lessons of the past. For almost a century, our law has recognized that companies who connect you to the world have special obligations not to exploit the monopoly they enjoy over access in and out of your home or business. That is why a phone call from a customer of one phone company can reliably reach a customer of a different one, and why you will not be penalized solely for calling someone who is using another provider. It is common sense that the same philosophy should guide any service that is based on the transmission of information – whether a phone call, or a packet of data. 'So the time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do. To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act – while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services. This is a basic acknowledgment of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone – not just one or two companies. 'Investment in wired and wireless networks has supported jobs and made America the center of a vibrant ecosystem of digital devices, apps, and platforms that fuel growth and expand opportunity. Importantly, network investment remained strong under the previous net neutrality regime, before it was struck down by the court; in fact, the court agreed that protecting net neutrality helps foster more investment and innovation. If the FCC appropriately forbears from the Title II regulations that are not needed to implement the principles above – principles that most ISPs have followed for years – it will help ensure new rules are consistent with incentives for further investment in the infrastructure of the Internet. 'The Internet has been one of the greatest gifts our economy – and our society – has ever known. The FCC was chartered to promote competition, innovation, and investment in our networks. In service of that mission, there is no higher calling than protecting an open, accessible, and free Internet. I thank the Commissioners for having served this cause with distinction and integrity, and I respectfully ask them to adopt the policies I have outlined here, to preserve this technology’s promise for today, and future generations to come.' | Cruz: 'The Internet should not operate at the speed of government.'
FCC's first 'net neutrality' plan was struck down by a federal court in January .
'This is huge,' said CREDO, a left-wing mobile Internet service provider .
President's announcement was videotaped before his trip to China but released as he was in bed in Beijing .
Obama's vision would bar providers like Verizon and Comcast from cutting deals with Hulu, Netflix and Amazon so their streaming content could be delivered along online 'fast lanes'
'No service should be stuck in a "slow lane" because it does not pay a fee,' Obama said . |
246,026 | ca70c5e2dc8c2bdf38b95b292c7a61f1996e8715 | By . Michael Zennie . A career criminal who gunned down a veteran police officer during a routine traffic stop has been captured following a shootout with cops - ending a massive manhunt that paralyzed St. Paul, Minnesota on Wednesday. Mendota Heights Police officer Scott Patrick, a 47-year-old married father of two, was shot and killed after pulling over Brian George Fitch, 39, shortly after noon in the quiet Twin Cities suburb, according to authorities. Witnesses told the St. Paul Pioneer-Press that Fitch opened fire without warning as Officer Patrick approached Fitch's car door. He fired several times, shooting the patrolman in the head. The officer's gun was still holstered and buckled. Scroll down for video . Manhunt: The murder of Mendota Heights Police officer Scott Patrick (left) on Wednesday led to a massive manhunt for suspect Brian George Fitch, 39 (right) Officer Patrick's patrol vehicle, the door still open and the lights still on, is pictured here after he was gunned down Wednesday afternoon . Gail Krull, a niece of Officer Scott Patrick, cries as she lays a bouquet of roses on a makeshift memorial during a candlelight vigil at the location where Patrick was killed . Fitch then sped off in his green Pontiac Grand Am. The shooting sent cops scrambling across the Twin Cities metro area in search for the gunman. As cops closed in on him, Fitch reportedly told a family member: 'Watch for fireworks, it's gonna be the the Fourth of July,' according to the newspaper. Officers spotted Fitch in his car with an unidentified woman in St. Paul about 8pm. When a squad car cut off Fitch's escape route, he opened fire on police. Cops returned fire, wounding both Fitch and his passenger in a hail of bullets. The woman is expected to survive her injuries, but Fitch's condition is not known. Officer Patrick is the first cop killed in the line of duty in the history of the Mendota Heights Police Department. He was the most senior officer in the force, having joined in 1995. Mendota Heights, Minnesota is one of the wealthiest suburbs in the country. Officer Patrick is the first cop to be killed in the line of duty in the history of the Mendota Heights Police Department . He is survived by his wife and two teenage daughters. His boss, Mednota Heights Police Chief Mike Aschenbrener, said Officer Patrick was a 'family man.' 'He absolutely adored his children. He cared deeply for the city of Mendota Heights,' the chief told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Dozens of mourners brought flowers, flags and teddy bears to an impromptu memorial set up on the side of the road. Witnesses told the Pioneer-Press that after the shooting, two nurses who were in the area rushed to Officer Patrick's side and tried to revive him - to no avail. Fitch has a laundry list of convictions, including felony theft, assault, making threats, possession of a firearm, and false imprisonment. Last year, he was convicted of burglary. | Mendota Heights Police officer Scott Patrick, was shot in the head by career felon Brian Fitch .
Patrick, 47, was married with two daughters .
Fitch went on the run, but was spotted by cops eight hours later .
When cops approached him, he opened fire on them.
Police returned fire, injuring him and a female passenger in his car . |
24,111 | 446e8b7c2ca7e82e1ca6368ea58e3c3cd7de4c6c | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 23:57 EST, 30 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:48 EST, 31 December 2013 . A 20-year-old upstate New York volunteer emergency medical technician was suspended after he broke the rules to drive a four-year-old child to hospital.The board the made the decision to suspend volunteer EMT and squad leader Stephen Sawyer after he drove the Ellenville ambulance to pick up a four-year-old boy who was suffering from a seizure and take him to hospital. Resigned: Stephen Sawyer, 20, resigned after the Ellenville First Aid and Rescue Squad suspended him for driving the squad's ambulance . The Ellenville First Aid and Rescue Squad's rules dictate that ambulance drivers must be at least 21 years of age. In a 4-3 decision, the board decided to . suspend Sawyer, who is also a volunteer firefighter and part-time police . officer, for 60 days. Upset by the decision, Sawyer immediately tendered his resignation. The . board's decision has caused an outcry in the community, where people . feel the young EMT should not be penalized for helping a child. According . to the Times Herald-Record, Sawyer was at the Ellenville First Aid and . Rescue Squad's headquarters when the call came in about a four-year-old . having seizures. A paramedic soon arrived at the child's home in an SUV and called for an ambulance. Sawyer, alone at headquarters, called the Kerhonkson Accord First Aid Squad, but they were busy on another call. He then called three more ambulance . services over the next 15 minutes but came up empty-handed, so he . climbed into the ambulance himself, drove the five miles to the child's . house and took the child, his mother and the paramedic to Ellenville . Regional Hospital. 'I wouldn't have been able to sleep at night or go to school knowing there's a four-year-old suffering,' Sawyer told the Times Herald-Record. The following Monday, he was called before the board of directors and asked to explain himself. Sawyer says he believes he made the best decision and that although he is only 20, he has experience driving ambulances for the Mobile Life Support Services. The board decided to suspend him for 60 days and revoke his title of advisor from the Youth Squad, which he had restarted when he joined the volunteers as a 15-year-old. Sawyer quit his position and soon . after a post about the whole episode was posted on the Ulster County . Fire/Rescue Facebook page. It soon went viral, with more than 400 comments, most in support of Sawyer, and 1,300 'likes.' Captain and board member for Ellenville First Aid services tells a slightly different story from Sawyer's. Gaveris . said Sawyer's suspension came about not as the result of an isolated . incident, but from a 'culmination of different incidents,' as well as . other aspects of the December 11 call. Community-minded: Stephen Sawyer is a part-time police officer, volunteer firefighter and until recently volunteer EMT . The Daily Freeman reports that Sawyer was at the squad's station at around 10:45am on December 11 with another EMT and an ambulance driver when the call came in about the four-year-old having seizures. Two minutes later, another call came in about an 80-year-old man who had fallen and was bleeding from his arm. Sawyer, despite not being authorized to decide which call should take priority, told the other EMT and the driver to go to the aid of the elderly man, according to Gavaris. 'They should have never listened to him. Protocol is to go to the first call unless the other one is of a more critical nature,' the captain told the Daily Freeman. 'They listened to [Sawyer] and trusted his judgment because he worked for a paid service.' Gavaris said Sawyer believed another driver was on his way, but was mistaken. After being unable to find another driver, he went himself. Underage: Sawyer drove one of these ambulances but isn't permitted to do so until he's 21 . 'He delayed transport on a patient,' he said. Gavaris said that despite his error of judgement, that incident alone wouldn't have gotten Sawyer suspended. However, Sawyer had a record of 'violating our policies and not following our rules. ... Had this been the first incident, he would have been told not to do it again.' Gavaris said squad rules about under-21s driving ambulances are standard and that Sawyer does not have the proper training to operate one. The Ellenville First Aid and Rescue Squad addressed the furor over Sawyer's suspension on its Facebook page. 'Your posts are welcome on this site, but any derogatory posts will be deleted,' reads a post on the page. 'The 20 year [old] should be praised! He took a risk to help a 4 year old child. This would not have been an issue had the squad had better prepared for a call... This only shows lack of preparation for this individual unit. Simply sad. Very glad this isn't the department I would depend on if my child or family was in a medical emergency,' reads a response. Many other comments follow along these lines, including many from Stephen Sawyer's mother, Leslie A. Gonzalez, who alleges Gavaris has disliked her son since he began volunteering with the squad. | A 20-year-old EMT was suspended for driving an ambulance to take a four-year-old having a seizure to hospital .
Stephen Sawyer was alone at an upstate New York first aid facility when the call came in .
He couldn't find another ambulance nearby and all drivers in his squad were out .
He is not allowed to drive the ambulance until he is 21 but made the decision to take the child to hospital .
He was suspended for 60 days for breaking the rules and immediately resigned .
The local community is angry at Sawyer's treatment .
Squad board members say it is not the first time Sawyer has broken rules . |
143,256 | 4544d3faf48feb341ce6f7fe5b1a827fc62c0462 | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- The little girl paused, then answered my questions: "I'm 7." "Second grade." Her hair was in braided pigtails. She wore a fancy dress. The girl had taken a seat in the folding chair next to mine after guards led another small group into the brightly lit room. We were in the post-security visitation area of the Stewart Detention Center, a privately run federal immigration facility in south Georgia. Behind us was a plain wall. In front were five sparse booths, open to the room, offering little privacy. Each booth had a chair and a large black telephone. Thick glass separated the booths from men who milled about on the other side. The men wore different colored jumpsuits: some blue, some orange, some red. Like the older woman, an aunt perhaps, who accompanied her into the room, the little girl to my right was visibly nervous. This was her first trip to the detention center. I told the girl about my own second-grader in an effort to get her mind off our surroundings. I'm quite certain I failed. After several minutes, a man in his late 20s sat down on the other side of the glass. He picked up a phone. The little girl walked up, studied another phone for a moment, and carefully raised it to the side of her head. Her greeting was straightforward: "Hi, Daddy." I couldn't hear what her father said in reply. I could see his wistful smile, though, and tears rolling down his cheeks. * * * . Every day, our immigration laws are breaking apart families of many citizens living in the United States. It's good news that, as a bipartisan group of U.S. senators seeks consensus on a plan for comprehensive immigration reform, one focus is on so-called "family reunification" preferences in our law. The senators are debating whether, and to what extent, our immigration policies should give priority to admitting family members of immigrant citizens -- their spouses, children and siblings -- still living abroad. But while family reunification is an important consideration, that issue avoids the larger point dramatized at the Stewart Detention Center about the harmful impact of U.S. immigration policy on families already here. More than 1.5 million unauthorized immigrants have been removed from the United States since President Obama took office in 2009, according to the federal government's statistics. Approximately 410,000 were removed last year alone. These numbers present an important question: Who are the immigrants we are deporting? Yes, some are dangerous criminals who need to be arrested, prosecuted and removed through deportation. Living in the United States without legal status does not, however, amount to criminality. The Supreme Court noted this last year when it wrote, "As a general rule, it is not a crime for a removable alien to remain present in the United States." Overstaying a visa, for example, is a civil violation and not a criminal one. The offenses that can trigger incarceration at detention centers like the one I visited recently include traffic violations such as driving without a valid license. This may seem like a matter of semantics to some, but incarcerating nonviolent immigrants carries real costs to the country and to the immigrants' family members who are, in many cases, U.S. citizens. Many present-day immigrants live among us in what researchers call "mixed status" households. Approximately 9 million people live in these modern American families that include both citizens and unauthorized immigrants. The result is that U.S.-citizen family members are frequently left behind when immigrants are deported. Contrary to popular belief, marriage to a U.S. citizen does not automatically confer legal status on unauthorized immigrants. While marriage can provide a pathway to legal residency, that path is often long and can be overrun with bureaucratic pit stops. In many instances, our laws require immigrant spouses to return to their home countries and remain there for as long as 10 years before reunification is permitted. These extended bars to re-entry apply, for example, to Mexican nationals who arrived in this country after 2001 without authorization even if they are married to a U.S. citizen. In that way, our current immigration laws give some U.S. citizens a distressing choice: Either extended separation from their immediate families or extended separation from this country. An emerging bipartisan consensus acknowledges that our immigration laws are broken and need to be reformed, in a comprehensive way, at the federal level. As Washington tackles this issue, we should acknowledge that reform can benefit more than the immigrants living among us. It can benefit American children who attend school with our kids, American men who share pews at our churches, and American women sitting beside us in office cubicles, by keeping their families together. Done right, immigration reform can strengthen our economy, uphold our values and preserve the family units of many U.S. citizens. * * * . Before entering the Stewart Detention Center, all visitors must fill out paperwork disclosing their immigration status. I didn't see the form of the little girl I met in the visitation room, of course, or ask the question as we chatted briefly. Given her family's willingness to bring her inside the barbed wire gates of the facility, however, it's safe to assume that she is a native-born citizen. She's as American as my grandfather, who grew up on Missouri farmland in the early 1900s, and who spoke nothing but German at home until the start of World War I. As American as my four children. The little girl was among many U.S. citizens who visit family member inmates at the detention center. On the day of my visit, at the other end of the room, a woman in her 40s sat in the corner booth. She saved up gas money and drove more than 300 miles for this chance to have a one-hour visit with her husband. Born and raised in western North Carolina, she lives on land that was owned by her father, and her father's father before him. She met her husband in a thrift store in her hometown. They fell in love. In the visitation room, the woman held a phone and spoke to her husband in Spanglish with a country twang. What she wanted most that day was the chance to touch his hand, just for a moment, through the glass. That was a chance she didn't get. Without changes to our federal immigration laws, more husbands and fathers, and wives and mothers, of American citizens will be deported. More American children will be raised outside the presence of a parent's love and financial support. And more Americans -- like the woman I saw pressing the palm of her hand against cold glass in a detention center booth -- may not have the chance to touch their spouses again. At least not in our country. At least not anytime soon. The current immigration system does not make our nation, or our families, stronger. We can do better. We can reform our immigration laws in a way that brings hardworking people out of the shadows and keeps families together. That is, or at least should be, the American way. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Chris Marquardt. | Chris Marquardt visited a privately run immigration detention center in Georgia .
He says it was clear that families with U.S. citizens were broken due to detention process .
People who commit civil violations are treated as criminals, he says .
Marquardt: Immigration reform needs to include provisions to protect families . |
269,921 | e993dcc318ed8e0ca889cf7f801c273f506e5447 | The Blackpool Tower Ballroom is the seaside town's pride and joy. But it takes a lot of elbow grease to keep it sparkling. Last year, the well-known landmark hosted The iconic Blackpool Tower’s 120th Anniversary celebrations and events such as the Carnival Ball, Gold Soul and Lancashire Tourism Awards – not to mention the ultimate ballroom dancing competition, Strictly Come Dancing. So it's hardly surprising that it's in need of a painstaking cleaning and maintenance programme - an annual event which takes two weeks to complete. This huge task begins with a thorough refurbishment of the dance floor, which since the ballroom opened 118 years ago, has been graced by millions of fox-trotting feet and sees 650,000 visitors each year. A team of maintenance engineers strip back, sand and polish the 120ft parquet floor, consisting of 30,602 blocks of mahogany, oak and walnut. The ballroom’s 14 ornate Edwardian chandeliers are then lowered, and every shard of crystal is buffed. Each of the 1,120 lights must be individually inspected, to ensure their perfect working condition for the coming season. General Manager, Kate Shane, explains: 'Of course it's a colossal undertaking, requiring huge skill, but it's maintenance work such as this that keeps the opulence and grandeur of The Blackpool Tower Ballroom alive. 'Because of the extra funds generated from the balconies fee of £2.95 per person we are now in a position to start Phase 1 work on the upholstery in The Blackpool Tower Ballroom. 'We're incredibly proud of our team, whose dedication and hard work make it possible to preserve this great British building. We can't wait to kick off the 2015 season at The Blackpool Tower Ballroom, now that it's been given a little tender love and care!' The painstaking spring cleaning of Blackpool Tower Ballroom is an annual event which takes two weeks to complete . The ballroom’s 14 ornate Edwardian chandeliers are lowered, and every shard of crystal is buffed . This huge task begins with a thorough refurbishment of the dance floor, which since the ballroom opened 118 years ago, has been graced by millions of fox-trotting feet and sees 650,000 visitors each year . Each of the 1,120 lights must be individually inspected, to ensure their perfect working condition for the coming season . Kate Shane, General Manager at The Blackpool Tower Ballroom, says: 'It's a colossal undertaking, requiring huge skill' A team of maintenance engineers strip back, sand and polish the 120ft parquet floor, consisting of 30,602 blocks of mahogany, oak and walnut . | Annual spring clean begins with refurbishment of the 120ft parquet dance floor consisting of 30,602 wooden blocks .
Every shard of crystal in the ballroom's 14 ornate Edwardian chandeliers is buffed .
Ballroom hosted Blackpool Tower’s 120th Anniversary celebrations as well as BBC series Strictly Come Dancing . |
236,385 | bdf797fbe49dd0d1a20636374329dc48725e0260 | The U.S. health secretary has turned down appeals to overrule a federal regulation that could save the life of a 10-year girl who desperately needs a lung transplant or faces dying in the next three to five weeks. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius described her decision as ‘incredibly agonizing’ when she told a congressional panel on Tuesday that she won't intervene in a transplant decision to save a dying Pennsylvania girl. Sarah Murnaghan doesn’t qualify for an adult lung transplant until the age of 12, according to federal regulations, Sebelius has the authority to waive that rule on her behalf. Scroll down for video . Battle: Ten-year-old Sarah Murnaghan has been on the waiting list for a lung transplant for 18 months . 'She [Sebelius] said "Oh I'm so sorry I know this isn't what you wanted to hear,'" Sarah’s distraught mom Janet told Fox45 after hearing of Sebelius’ verdict. 'It is in her legal authority. We're going to let a kid die over red tape. Somebody needs to stand up and say this isn't right. This is a human issue this isn't politics.’ Sarah has been hospitalized at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for three months with end-stage cystic fibrosis and is on a ventilator. Her family wants all children younger than 12 to be eligible for adult lungs because so few pediatric lungs are available. Under current policy, only patients 12 and over can join the list. But Sarah's transplant doctors say she is medically eligible for an adult lung. 'Incredibly agonizing': U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told a congressional panel on Tuesday that she wouldn't overrule federal regulations to help save young Janet . Emotional: Before Wednesday's reprieve Mom Janet had said she refused to tell her young daughter just how sick she really is . The change would add perhaps 20 children from ages 8 to 11 to the adult waiting list, which has more than 1,600 people on it, according to Sharon Ruddock, Sarah's aunt. She said Sebelius' remarks confused the family because they want a policy change for all pre-adolescent children awaiting lung transplants, not just Sarah. ‘One moment they say we're asking for an exception for Sarah. The next moment they say we're asking for sweeping changes and it has to be studied’ Ruddock said Tuesday. Sebelius has called for a review of pediatric transplant policies, but the Murnaghans say Sarah doesn't have time for that. The issue has also become a political football, on Tuesday House Republicans accused Sebelius of refusing to save Sarah at a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing on her department's budget. ‘I'm begging you. ... She has three to five weeks to live. Please suspend the rules,’ Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., urged Sebelius. Sebelius conceded the case was an 'incredibly agonizing situation' but said many complex factors go into the transplant-list formula . There is 'so much bullcrap around this . place, and we have the chance to save someone’s life - there’s no logic . to this,' an agitated Barletta said, as he and Sebelius at times talked . over each other. 'It simply takes your signature,' Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., a former doctor and one of the Republican Party’s . most active House members on health policy, told Sebelius. Price said the policy review will take 'a year' to complete - too long to be of any help to Sarah Murnaghan. 'This young lady will be dead,' Price said. Sebelius conceded the case was an . ‘incredibly agonizing situation’ but said many complex factors go into . the transplant-list formula. ‘The . medical evidence and the transplant doctors who are making the rule - . and have had the rule in place since 2005 making a delineation between . pediatric and adult lungs, because lungs are different that other organs . - that it’s based on the survivability [chances].’ Sebelius reminded Barletta that 40 people in Pennsylvania are on the ‘highest acuity list’ for lung transplants. Fears: Janet and Fran Murnaghan filed an emergency motion for the temporary restraining order on Wednesday morning, the day after U.S. health secretary Sebelius had turned down their appeals . Researchers have less data on lung transplants in pre-adolescents because only about 20 a year are done. And young children suffer from different lung diseases, making it harder to weigh their risk versus their chance of surviving a transplant, according to a letter to Sebelius from Dr. John P. Roberts, president of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Amid concerns about the higher mortality rate in pediatric patients waiting for lung transplants, the network has tweaked its policies in recent years, Roberts said. The new rules give the younger children priority over adults when adolescent lungs become available and give the sickest children priority in a 1,000-mile radius, a broader range than used in the adult system, he said in the letter, which was shared by the office of Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa. Meehan, in a letter to Sebelius, said Sarah's doctors are confident they can perform a successful transplant on her. And he said she would jump to the top of the adult list if placed there, given the stage of her disease. Ruddock, the aunt, called it ‘a question of morality’ that children get a place in the adult line, given that a far higher percentage of children die waiting for pediatric lungs than do adults on that waiting list. ‘Do you put them at the back of the line if you're not sure how to measure (their potential outcome)? Or do you put them in the line?’ she said. Sisterly: Despite her poor prognosis, Sarah remains upbeat about her chances of getting a transplant . Celebration: Sarah and her mom Janet are celebrating after a federal judge overruled a law preventing children under 12 from receiving adult organs . The system determining who is allocated lungs for transplants was overhauled in 2004 and again in 2008. Doctors claim the changes have allowed fewer people on the waiting list to die. The changes meant that lung transplants are allocated by age groups. Those over the age of 12 are given an allocation score based on how urgently they need a transplant and the severity of their medical condition. Those who would benefit most are placed highest and given first priority. For children under 12, lungs are only allocated based on the time they've spent on the list. One problem is that there are few pediatric lungs available for transplant. In 2012, there were just 10 transplants for Sarah's age group, but more than 1,700 for adults, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. On Sunday Janet and Fran Murnaghan asked the public directly for a lung donation to help save their daughter's life. 'Essentially, Sarah has been left to die,' Sarah's parents said in the statement. Sarah, . from Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, was born with cystic fibrosis and . she now lives at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as her lungs . continue to deteriorate. She . relies on a ventilator to breathe and has been on the waiting list for . new lungs for 18 months - and is top of the priority list for children . in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia . and northern Virginia. Her parents learned just weeks ago . that Sarah would be given a better chance if she were waiting for adult . lungs, which are reserved for people aged 12 or over. 'It shouldn't be about their age,' she told CNN. 'If she's the sickest person, she should qualify.' 'The law is, in my view, age discrimination,' she added to the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'I don't know if this is too late to make a difference for Sarah. But we'll keep fighting it.' Dr. Stuart Sweet from St. Louis Children's . Hospital, who helped write the pediatric transplant system, said the case 'tugs at his heart' but that no system is perfect. He said that if he changed the system for Sarah's advantage, 'there's . another patient, very likely an adolescent, who gets a disadvantage'. 'We've built a system that tries to be as fair to everyone as possible,' he contended. Her parents are hopeful that the issue can be beaten by someone stepping forward with a direct donation to Sarah. Support: Sarah, who has been living in hospital since February, is pictured with her three younger siblings . For now, they have decided not to tell Sarah, who is the eldest of four siblings, just how sick she is. 'I'm not going to tell her she's dying, because she's 10,' Janet told CNN. 'I'm going to tell her we're going to keep fighting. I don't want to scare her.' Sarah, who has been outside just twice in the last 100 days, said that she misses school, where she could 'at least try and act like all the other normal children'. But even as her lungs deteriorate, the young girl remains positive, certain that she will beat her illness and be granted a lung transplant. 'We will [get them]!' she said. 'I can't wait to take my first breath with new lungs. I can close my eyes right now and imagine it... I'm never going to quit! Never, never!' Holding on: Sarah's mother said her eldest daughter has just three to five weeks left to live . | Doctors say Sarah Murnaghan, 10, will die in three to five weeks unless she gets a lung transplant .
U.S. health secretary Kathleen Sebelius has refused to overrule a federal regulation which states a patient has to 12 to get an adult transplant .
Sarah's mom has accused Sebelius of doing nothing to help her daughter and other children needing lung transplants .
The issue has also become a political hot topic with Republicans urging Sebelius to think again .
On Sunday the family made a public plea for a donor . |
160,248 | 5b25f7ee66d2f68f10241132b2e38c69f64a4064 | (CNN) -- A relatively obscure drug used to treat mouth sores has made obese mice thin -- and the mice didn't have to eat less or exercise more, according to a study at the University of Michigan. Doctors at the university will begin studies in human beings later this year. Hopes are high, even though many drugs that work in mice do not work in humans. "It is a tour de force and offers a new and potentially exciting opening for developments of new anti-obesity drugs -- something which is badly needed," says Dr. George Bray, chief of the Division of Clinical Obesity and Metabolism at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. In the study at the University of Michigan, researchers gave mice a high-fat diet, and they became obese. They then injected the animals with a drug called amlexanox, which has been on the market for more than 15 years to treat canker sores. The mice lost weight, even though they kept eating the same number of calories. When they were taken off the drug, the mice gained all the weight back. If amlexanox works in humans -- and that's a big if -- Bray said it could become like the story of Viagra, which was originally developed to treat one condition, chest pain, but serendipitously was later found to treat a different condition, erectile dysfunction. "It could well be that what works for one disease will turn out to work for another, even though that wasn't the original intent," he said. The researchers screened several drugs and found that amlexanox, used in an ointment to treat canker sores, changed the action of genes that control metabolism. When injected in mice, the drug worked by increasing metabolism, not by suppressing appetite. "One of the reasons that diets are so ineffective in producing weight loss for some people is that their bodies adjust to the reduced calories by also reducing their metabolism, so that they are 'defending' their body weight," says Dr. Alan Saltiel, the lead researcher at the University of Michigan. "Amlexanox seems to tweak the metabolic response to excessive calorie storage in mice." The findings were published Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine. Clinical trials are expected to begin later this year to test the drug's effectiveness in humans. In the mouse study, the researchers took pains to make sure that it was the drug, and not something else, that was making the mice lose weight. They used a laser machine to trace the mice to see if perhaps the weight loss was because they moved around more while on the drug. "They don't move more. The movement is exactly the same. The increased energy expenditure was due to something called thermogenesis, meaning they generate a little bit of heat," Saltiel said. If the drug helps humans lose weight, researchers would have to make sure it's safe. "One concern will be whether these drugs, by increasing energy expenditure and body temperature, may have unintended consequences on other systems, such as the heart." Experts say that's an especially important concern because if the drug is ever used in humans for weight loss, patients would likely need to stay on the drug indefinitely, or else see the weight return. | Study: Obese mice given a canker sore drug lost weight without cutting calories, moving more .
Doctors will begin testing the drug, amlexanox, in humans later this year .
If the drugs works, it could be like Viagra, which originally was meant to treat chest pain . |
117,522 | 23c0d1662ba0694ad377913da1e16967691bfd26 | By . Steve Hopkins . A pensioner who has used a stairwell balcony to dry her clothes for 25 years has been told to stop by council officials who say it is a fire hazard. Margaret Jowsey, 70, doesn't have a balcony at her top-floor Norwich council flat and says she has never received any complaints about her using the space. But health and safety bosses have now ordered her to stop. Margaret Jowsey in the stairwell outside her Norwich flat where she has hung her washing for 25 years . Officers at Norwich City Council claim her damp clothes are a fire hazard and fear somebody could trip over her washing line in an emergency. In a letter to Ms Jowsey the council also said communal areas needed to be kept clear to enable repairs, and that as a landlord they had to 'work with our residents to minimise this risk'. Ms Jowsey said she had no option but to dry her washing on the stairwell: 'I’m on a low income so I can’t afford to go to the laundrette and I don’t have room for a tumble dryer. 'I just can’t believe they’re trying to stop me putting my washing out after all this time.' The letter Ms Jowsey received from the Norwich City Council saying that her washing line poses a trip or fire risk and that communal areas need to be kept clear to enable repairs and maintenance . Ms Jowsey works three nights a week as a carer and says she knows all about health and safety. 'A washing line ban is way beyond common sense. 'You could say there should be a sprinkler on the stairs instead. 'The postman has never hung himself up on our washing line and when workmen come they’ve never had a problem. Ms Jowsey's flat does not have a balcony and she does not want to dry her washing indoors for fear of mildew . 'So what’s this all about then? 'It’s just people with a bit of power, that’s all.' Ms Jowsey does not want to dry her washing indoors for fear of mildew. She . has vowed to keep drying her washing in the stairwell and her son, . Lawrence, 43, who lives with her, has launched a petition against the . ban. Despite being told council officials will remove her clothes and charge her for doing so, Ms Jowsey has vowed to keep using the balcony and her son has launched a petition against the ban . He said: 'You have to stand up for what you believe in. 'That’s a laundry line. 'This ban is going against our human rights.' Councillor Brenda Arthur, leader of Labour-ruled Norwich City Council, said the council was 'very happy' to talk to Ms Jowsey about her concerns. He said: 'We want to talk to residents and work with them to find alternative ways to accommodate their needs. 'Separately to this, I know Cllr Bert Bremner, as the cabinet member for housing, has asked officers to carry out an immediate review on the use of communal areas to ensure that a common sense approach prevails.' The ban comes after award-winning Norwich gardener, Kerry Annison, was warned last year that her pot plants were a health and safety danger and must be removed. Council officers ordered the 48-year-old to remove her plants from a balcony which leads up to her former council flat. They acted just months after she had been presented with a prize for them by the city’s Lord Mayor. | Margaret Jowsey has been using the area to dry her washing for 25 years .
She can't afford to go to a laundrette and has no room for a dryer .
Norwich City Council says it will clear her washing and charge her costs . |
120,387 | 27980909da0e1cb1e9a30df63aabe1cf09b24c64 | Emad Karakrah, 49, was charged after fleeing police in Chicago on Wednesday . A man has been arrested after leading a police chase through Chicago while allegedly flying the flag of Islamic extremist group ISIS from his car. Emad Karakrah, 49, also allegedly threatened to bomb police when he was pulled over on Wednesday. Police approached the driver after 911 reports of a 'suspicious person' in a silver car shortly after 9am. He refused to stop and patrol cars were forced to chase him through the city as he ran red lights. When he was finally apprehended, Karakrah told police he would detonate a bomb he had in his car, according to a police report seen by NBC. The threat led to the bomb squad, FBI and Homeland Security being called but after extensive searches, no explosives were discovered. He has been charged with felony disorderly conduct for making a false bomb threat and aggravated fleeing and a misdemeanor count of driving on a never-issued license. The 49-year-old appeared in court and was held on $55,000 bond on Thursday. He is due back in court on September 3. The incident is another troubling example of the alleged creeping presence of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) in Chicago, a city which terrorists have reportedly made a target because it is 'Obama Town'. Last week, the FBI and Homeland Security warned police forces across the country to be on the lookout for threats as a chilling note was posted online warning that Chicago could be an ISIS target. Scroll down for video . An ISIS miiltant flies the flag for the extremist group in Syria in June. A 49-year-old man is facing charges in Chicago for driving through the city on Wednesday with the same flag . According to ABC, the bulletin read: 'Because of the individualized nature of the radicalization process – it is difficult to predict triggers that will contribute to [homegrown violent extremists] attempting acts of violence.' Chicago in particular has become a prime target because extremist groups think of it as 'Obama Town', a security expert told CBS. A tweet, posted on June 20, has been discovered, showing pictures of the Old Republic Building in Chicago and the White House with a message reportedly from the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL). It reads: 'We are in your state/We are in your cities/We are in your streets/You are our goals anywhere.' A chilling note was posted on Twitter on June 20 purportedly from someone with a connection to extremist group ISIS. It featured a picture of the White House and the Old Republic Building in Chicago (left) The message, reportedly from ISIS, read: 'We are in your state/We are in your cities/We are in your streets/You are our goals anywhere' President Obama admitted on Thursday that his administration were yet to come up with a plan to defeat ISIS as the group continued its brutal rampage across Iraq and Syria. 'I don't want to put the cart before the horse,' Obama said at the White House. 'We don't have a strategy yet.' His remarks came as the Islamic State released another chilling decapitation video, threatening America and urging the Kurds to break from their alliance with the West against the caliphate. Just hours after the extremists released shocking footage of the mass execution of 300 Syrian national army soldiers in the Syrian desert, ISIS issued a second warning to the U.S. The grainy video, accompanied by the hashtag '2ndAmessagetoAmerica', shows the vicious beheading of a Kurdish soldier, who was part of a group of 15 fighters likely to have been captured by Islamic State during the fighting in Iraq. The group's first warning ten days ago was entitled 'A Message to America' and showed the decapitation of American journalist James Foley. | Emad Karakrah, 49, threatened to detonate a bomb when pulled over by Chicago police on Wednesday for flying an ISIS flag from his car window .
Bomb squad and FBI searched the scene and found no explosives .
He has been charged with disorderly conduct and aggravated fleeing and held on $55,000 bond. Karakrah is due back in court on September 3 . |
117,401 | 239a1bb462dee0871c13ea0edbf2f92f2aef8c44 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Hope was 14 years old when her uncle raped her. Betty Makoni founded the Girl Child Network to help Zimbabwe's young sexual abuse victims. "He trapped me to the ground and covered my mouth with his hand," said the 18-year-old from Zimbabwe. "He threatened to kill me if I ever told anybody." So, she kept quiet. "After a while people around the villages started saying that I looked pregnant," she said. Hope was not only pregnant, but her uncle had infected her with HIV. Like many young girls in Zimbabwe, Hope was the victim of a widely held belief that if a man with HIV or AIDS rapes a virgin he will be cured of his disease. This so-called virgin myth, perpetuated by Zimbabwe's traditional healers, has led to the rape of hundreds of girls, according to UNICEF. Some of those victims are too young to walk, much less protect themselves. Betty Makoni has fought for nearly a decade to protect her country's young girls from sexual abuse. And she's witnessed some of the worst cases of the myth in action. "The youngest girl I ever came across was a day-old baby who was raped," said Makoni, 37. Through her Girl Child Network (GCN), Makoni has helped rescue 35,000 girls from abuse -- including Hope; thousands more have found an empowering community and a public forum in which to speak out. Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year . "Ten girls per day report rape cases," she said. "It means if we keep quiet, at least 3,600 girls per year may just be contracting HIV and AIDS." Makoni's own tragic experiences fuel her fierce determination. "I was raped when I was 6 years old," she recalled. Her attacker was a local shopkeeper. Makoni said her mother would not allow her to report the abuse. "She said, 'Shh, we don't say that in public,' " Makoni remembered. "I had no shoulder to cry on." Three years later, she witnessed her father murder her mother. In that moment, Makoni said she realized the potentially deadly consequence of a woman's silence. "I told myself that no girl or woman will suffer the same again," she said. Believing an education would provide her the best opportunity and means to speak out, Makoni earned two university degrees and became a teacher. While teaching, she noticed that girls were dropping out of school at an alarming rate. She approached her students with an idea. "I [said] to girls, 'Let's have our own space where we talk and find solutions,' " Makoni said. Girl Child Network was born. Watch Makoni help young girls find safety and empowerment in Zimbabwe » . By the end of the first year, there were 100 GCN clubs throughout Zimbabwe where girls could find support. Makoni said she was not surprised: "Every woman and girl identified with the issues that we were raising," she said. In 2000, she quit her teaching job to volunteer with GCN full time. "I decided to become an advocate because I walked my own journey to survival," she said. The following year Makoni successfully procured a piece of land and opened the organization's first empowerment village, designed to provide a haven for girls who have been abused. Girls are either rescued or referred to the village by social services, the police and the community. The healing begins as soon as a girl arrives. "In the first 72 hours, a girl is provided with emergency medication, reinstatement in school, as well as counseling," said Makoni. It is important to her that the girls are in charge of their own healing. "It gives them the confidence to transform from victims to leaders," she explained. The process helped Hope work through the times when she said "I thought my life had come to end." "They offered all they could ... as I was in a traumatized state," she said. "I really appreciate what [Betty Makoni] has done and is doing in my life." Today, GCN has grown to 700 girls' clubs and three empowerment villages across Zimbabwe. An estimated 300,000 girls have received assistance. For those who were at greatest risk, Makoni believes that help was especially critical. "If my organization didn't exist, the 35,000 girls I've saved from rape and abuse could have died by now," she said. But for Makoni, speaking out came with a high personal cost. In 2008, she was forced to flee her native country. "I left Zimbabwe because my life was in danger as a result of my project being interpreted politically." Watch Makoni describe her reasons for leaving her homeland » . Today, she lives with her family in the United Kingdom. She still serves as executive director of her organization and shows no signs of slowing down. GCN has partnered with the DOVE project, a group based in Essex, England, that deals with domestic violence. "We are now bringing the girls from a local community to the international scene," she said. Her efforts in Zimbabwe will also be highlighted in an upcoming documentary, Tapestries of Hope. Makoni says nothing will end her fight for the rights of women and girls. "This is the job I have always wanted to do, because it gives me fulfillment. And in girls I see myself every day." Want to get involved? Check out the Girl Child Network and see how to help. | Many in Zimbabwe believe a man raping a virgin can cure him of HIV or AIDS .
Betty Makoni's Girl Child Network cares for Zimbabwe's young sex abuse victims .
The organization has rescued more than 35,000 girls .
Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year at CNN.com/Heroes . |
246,194 | caa7f5026648d8018e49e8172c3495949bc4dd58 | A great-grandmother who led police on a 27-mile chase at 10mph has been banned from driving again after knocking down a pedestrian on a zebra crossing. Caroline Turner, 79, had her licence taken away in 2011 after leading officers on the low-speed chase for more than an hour through Essex. She was only stopped when patrol cars formed a rolling road block on a dual carriageway - with one officer even jogging beside her car, telling her to pull over. Banned: Caroline Turner, 79, has been banned from driving again after hitting a pedestrian on a zebra crossing . Turner, who has six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, was banned from driving for a year and fined £100 after admitting driving without due care and attention at Colchester Magistrates' Court. During the pursuit, she had never gone above 20mph - and had told the officer jogging alongside her car: 'There's nothing to discuss. I'm going home', the court heard. She had also ignored blue sirens, swerved into oncoming traffic and driven the wrong way around a roundabout - forcing other motorists to take evasive action. Driving dangerously: The great-grandmother had her licence first taken away in 2011 after leading police on a low-speed chase through Essex. During the pursuit, she ignored blue sirens and swerved into oncoming traffic . Scene: Now, the widow, who regained her licence in 2012, has had her driving privileges taken away once again after knocking down a pedestrian at a zebra crossing in Butts Green Road (pictured) in Hornchurch . And now, the widow, who regained her licence . after her initial penalty was reduced to just eight points, has had her driving privileges taken away once again. This time, she failed to stop after knocking down a pedestrian at a zebra crossing in Hornchurch, Essex, in the same blue Ford Fiesta she had been driving during the low-speed chase. Turner, from Gidea Park, east London, whose husband died in 2011, was banned from driving for another year following the incident last month. Road block: During the low-speed chase in October 2011, Turner was only stopped when patrol cars formed a rolling road block on the A12 (pictured) - with one officer even jogging beside her car, telling her to pull over . She was also ordered to pay £220 to the injured pedestrian at Romford Magistrates' Court. But speaking after the hearing, the . pensioner vowed to get back behind the wheel as soon as possible - . saying: 'I have every intention of driving the car again, so there.' Turner was also fined a further £165 for driving her blue car after the accident, and ordered to pay a £130 fine and victim surcharge. | Caroline Turner, 79, was banned from driving for a year in October 2011 .
Great-grandmother led police on 27-mile chase at 10mph through Essex .
During chase, she ignored sirens and drove wrong way around roundabout .
She was only stopped when officers made road block on dual carriageway .
Now, pensioner banned from driving again at Romford Magistrates' Court .
She failed to stop after hitting pedestrian at zebra crossing in Hornchurch .
But speaking after hearing,Turner vowed to get back behind wheel again . |
76,765 | d9c39a422cf7da441d52964b026b7687d47532e8 | Amazon.com, the world's largest online retailer, attracted the attention of the Obama administration yesterday when it announced that it will be adding 7,000 American workers to it's payroll. President Obama is set to visit the 1 million square foot 'fulfillment warehouse' in Chattanooga, Tennessee this afternoon - which was the single biggest job creator in the state when it opened in 2011. Mr Obama plans to speak about middle-class jobs, which makes the Amazon backdrop surprising. Full-time positions: Amazon is focused on speeding up order fulfillment, so 5,000 of the positions will be at distribution centers in 10 states . Amazon says it pays 30 per cent more . than the $10 an hour median for retail workers. But even at $13 an hour, . that's only a $27,000 a year salary. According to the Pew Research Center, the current three-person middle-class household brings in $69,487 in annual income. Two adults working at Amazon for $13 an hour wouldn't make the cut for that definition of middle class. And . $13 an hour may be pushing it, since the Wall Street Journal estimated . yesterday that the company pays closer to $11 an hour for jobs in picking, packing . and shipping orders. That's . where most of the hiring will be in the next few months, as the company . looks to beef up staff at warehouses where it fills orders. Positions available: The company is hiring a total of 7,000 new employees at facilities in 13 states . Five-thousand of the jobs will be at Amazon's U.S. distribution centers, which currently employ about 20,000 workers who pack and ship customer orders. The company has been spending heavily on order fulfillment, a strategy meant to help the business grow, but one that has also weighed on profit margins. The company said last week that it lost money in the second quarter, even as revenue increased. Distribution center jobs are available in Phoenix, Arizona; Middletown, Delaware; Patterson, San Bernardino and Tracy, California; Indianapolis and Jeffersonville, Indiana; Hebron, Kentucky; Breinigsville, Pennslyvania; Charleston and Spartanburg, South Carolina.; Chattanooga and Murfreesboro, Tennesse; Coppell, Haslet and San Antonio, Texas and Chester, Virginia. Special visitor: President Obama is set to visit an Amazon facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee today . The company is also adding 2,000 jobs in customer service, including full-time, part-time and seasonal. Jobs are available in Winchester, Kentucky; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Kennewick, Washington and Huntington, West Virginia Work from home positions are available in Oregon, Washington and Arizona. Growing: Amazon will be hiring 2,000 workers for their customer service division . These 7,000 new Amazon.com employees will definitely perk up the oil industry, which has been seeing a drop in the price of gasoline. More workers means more drivers, and a higher demand for oil. 'We'll look to position ourselves for Friday's number and get a better gauge one how fast demand is growing and going,' Carl Larry of Oil Outlooks and Opinions said in a commentary. 'I think that demand is definitely more correlated to the number of people, which in turn leads to a lot more drivers.' | Focused on order fulfillment, Amazon is adding 5,000 full-time jobs in it's distribution centers .
President Obama will visit the Chattanooga, Tennessee facility today .
The company is also hiring for 2,000 jobs at it's customer service centers .
The jobs report for July will be released Friday with more information on nation-wide employment statistics . |
123,691 | 2bea25c0c24f27fa353aa2df3cbc771f82065901 | (CNN) -- The U.S. should stop arresting responsible marijuana users, Rep. Barney Frank said Wednesday, announcing a proposal to end federal penalties for Americans carrying fewer than 100 grams, almost a quarter-pound, of the substance. Rep. Barney Frank's bill would radically curb federal penalties for personal marijuana use. Current laws targeting marijuana users place undue burdens on law enforcement resources, punish ill Americans whose doctors have prescribed the substance and unfairly affect African-Americans, said Frank, flanked by legislators and representatives from advocacy groups. "The vast amount of human activity ought to be none of the government's business," Frank said on Capitol Hill. "I don't think it is the government's business to tell you how to spend your leisure time." The Massachusetts Democrat and his supporters emphasized that only the use -- and not the abuse -- of marijuana would be decriminalized if the resolution resulted in legislation. Watch Frank lay out the proposal » . The Drug Enforcement Administration says people charged with simple possession are rarely incarcerated. The agency and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy have long opposed marijuana legalization, for medical purposes or otherwise. Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, according to the drug control office. "Smoked marijuana has not withstood the rigors of science -- it is not medicine and it is not safe," the DEA states on its Web site. "Legalization of marijuana, no matter how it begins, will come at the expense of our children and public safety. It will create dependency and treatment issues, and open the door to use of other drugs, impaired health, delinquent behavior, and drugged drivers." Allen St. Pierre, spokesman for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, likened Frank's proposal -- co-sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas -- to current laws dealing with alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is permitted, and the government focuses its law enforcement efforts on those who abuse alcohol or drive under its influence, he said. "We do not arrest and jail responsible alcohol drinkers," he said. St. Pierre said there are tens of millions of marijuana smokers in the United States, including himself, and hundreds of thousands are arrested each year for medical or personal use. iReport.com: Is it time to legalize pot? There have been 20 million marijuana-related arrests since 1965, he said, and 11 million since 1990, and "every 38 seconds, a marijuana smoker is arrested." Rob Kampia, director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said marijuana arrests outnumber arrests for "all violent crimes combined," meaning police are spending inordinate amounts of time chasing nonviolent criminals. "Ending arrests is the key to marijuana policy reform," he said. Reps. William Lacy Clay, D-Missouri, and Barbara Lee, D-California, said that in addition to targeting nonviolent offenders, U.S. marijuana laws unfairly target African-Americans. Clay said he did not condone drug use but opposes using tax dollars to pursue what he feels is an arcane holdover from "a phony war on drugs that is filling up our prisons, especially with people of color." Too many drug enforcement resources are being dedicated to incarcerating nonviolent drugs users, and not enough is being done to stop the trafficking of narcotics into the United States, he said. Being arrested is not the American marijuana smoker's only concern, said Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance Network. Those found guilty of marijuana use can lose their jobs, financial aid for college, their food stamp and welfare benefits, or their low-cost housing. The U.S. stance on marijuana, Piper said, "is one of the most destructive criminal justice policies in America today." Calling the U.S. policy "inhumane" and "immoral," Lee said she has many constituents who are harassed or arrested for using or cultivating marijuana for medical purposes. California allows medical marijuana use, but the federal government does not, she explained. House Resolution 5843, titled the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008, would express support for "a very small number of individuals" suffering from chronic pain or illness to smoke marijuana with impunity. According to NORML, marijuana can be used to treat a range of illnesses, including glaucoma, asthma, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and seizures. Frank, who is chairman of the Financial Services Committee, said that about a dozen states have approved some degree of medical marijuana use and that the federal government should stop devoting resources to arresting people who are complying with their states' laws. In a shot at Republicans, Frank said it was strange that those who support limited government want to criminalize marijuana. Asked whether the resolution's passage would change his personal behavior, Frank quipped, "I do obey every law I vote for" but quickly said he did not use marijuana, nor does he encourage it. "I smoke cigars. I don't think other people should do that. If young people ask me, I would advise them not to do it," he said. If HR 5843 were passed, the House would support marijuana smokers possessing up to 100 grams -- about 3½ ounces -- of cannabis without being arrested. It would also give its blessing to the "nonprofit transfer" of up to an ounce of marijuana. The resolution would not address laws forbidding growing, importing or exporting marijuana, or selling it for profit. The resolution also would not speak to state laws regarding marijuana use. | DEA, White House say marijuana dangerous, has no accepted medical use .
Decriminalization advocates say marijuana laws should mirror alcohol laws .
NORML spokesman says marijuana user arrested in U.S. "every 38 seconds"
HR 5843 would not affect laws on growing, importing, exporting marijuana . |
32,760 | 5d1eab76a0393e2dce64bba998e2d3c1dae03e15 | By . James Rush For Mailonline . The mother of Ronald Goldman is selling her right to the $9 million wrongful death judgment against OJ Simpson, after waiting 17 years for the jailed star to pay. Sharon Rufo listed the judgment with a starting price of just $1 million on JudgmentMarketplace.com yesterday. The founder of the website Shawn Porat told the Associated Press the judgment would be worth $24.7 million after interest was taken into account. The mother of Ronald Goldman is selling her right to the $9 million wrongful death judgment against OJ Simpson, after waiting 17 years for the jailed star to pay . But he said that was only if Simpson pays - the winning bidder will take on the risk of collecting the money from the broke former football star. Bidding for the judgment will continue for 30 days. Simpson, 67, has been in a Nevada prison since 2008 when he was convicted of robbery and kidnapping. OJ is appealing his case to the Nevada Supreme Court but he's more hopeful he will be released when he is up for his next parole hearing in 2017. In 1995, Simpson was cleared of murdering Goldman (left) and his ex-wife Nicole Brown (right, with Simpson). He was found liable for the killings in a wrongful death suit two years later . Simpson was cleared by a jury in 1995 of murdering Goldman and his ex-wife Nicole Brown. Two years later he was found liable for the killings in a wrongful death suit filed by the Goldman family. Simpson has paid little of the $33.5 million judgment against him in that case. By HEIDI PARKER FOR MAILONLINE . OJ Simpson has been drumming up some big goals as he serves his 33 year prison sentence in Nevada for a 2008 robbery and kidnapping conviction. The 67-year-old former football player has a major crush on Kim Kardashian and plans on dating her once he's released from the slammer, according to RadarOnline. The one-time murder suspect reportedly doesn't find it a roadblock that the 33-year-old reality star is already married to Kanye West. OJ Simpson has a big crush on Kim Kardashian (pictured on Tuesday in NYC), according to a Wednesday report from RadarOnline . The incarcerated senior citizen already knows the E! beauty because her late father Robert represented him when he was on trial for the murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson. 'OJ has a creepy obsession with Kim,' a source from inside his prison told the site. That obsession includes a wall decorated with alluring photos of the mother to baby North, aged one. 'He has several sexy pictures of Kim hanging up in his prison cell from her 2007 Playboy shot and he isn’t shy about showing her picture to fellow inmates,' Radar's source said. | Sharon Rufo listed the judgment online with a $1 million starting price .
Judgment would reportedly be worth $24.7 million with interest factored in .
Winning bidder will take on the risk of collecting the money from the former football star . |
250,748 | d082caf32cdb3356f957f22ecdb7a3b02370583a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:15 EST, 2 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 2 December 2013 . Six nuns are trapped in an ancient Christian village in Syria, the government has claimed, as Bashar al-Assad and members of his inner circle were implicated in war crimes for the first time. Syrian army tanks were positioned around Maaloula as the fighting sent smoke wafting over the village nestled in hills about 40 miles northeast of the capital, Damascus. Forces loyal to President Assad are trying to keep rebels led by the Al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front, from advancing. Opposition fighters have taken control of several parts of the village since blowing up a checkpoint at its entrance on Friday, according to reports by the state news agency and opposition activists. Free Syrian Army fighters help their fellow fighter wounded during the misfiring of a mortar in Aleppo on December 2, who was wounded during the misfiring of a mortar in Aleppo December 2 . The fighting is part of a wider battle over a string of towns and villages in the rugged Qalamoun border region in an effort to control a strategic highway and smuggling routes from neighboring Lebanon. The town had been firmly in the government's grip but surrounded by rebel-held territory until Friday. Five nuns and their Mother Superior, Pelagia Sayaf, were trapped in the Mar Takla Convent, which sits above Maaloula, according to SANA, the state news agency. Kindah al-Shammat, Syria's minister of social affairs, demanded that countries supporting the rebels pressure them to release the nuns. While the Observatory could not confirm the SANA report that Nusra fighters had entered the convent, a spokesman said the old part of Maaloula, which contains the convent, is now under control of the Nusra Front. A Free Syrian Army fighter runs past a dog to take cover during the launching of a mortar towards forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo . Many of the village's 3,000 residents have already fled to Damascus, fearing rebels would punish them for supporting Assad and because they are Christians. While two bishops and a priest have been kidnapped by rebels, no nuns have been reported harmed in the three-year conflict. Syria's minorities, including Christians, have mostly sided with Assad's rule or remained neutral, fearing for their fate if rebels, dominated by Islamic extremists, come to power. In the past, rebels have seized parts of Maaloula only to be driven out within a few days by government forces. Maaloula was a major tourist attraction before the conflict began in March 2011. Some of its residents still speak a version of Aramaic, a biblical language spoken by Jesus. A Free Syrian Army fighter points out positions of forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad to his fellow fighters in Aleppo . Separately, Navi Pillay, the United Nations human rights chief, claimed on Monday that evidence has been uncovered in Syria implicating Assad and members of his inner circle in war crimes and crimes against humanity. A UN investigation into rights violations committed during the 33-month-long conflict found 'massive evidence' of the crimes. 'The evidence indicates responsibility at the highest level of government, including the head of state,' according to the investigation. A view is seen of a damaged building in Aleppo's al-Ansari al-Sharqi neighborhood following more shelling. The words in Arabic read 'Destroy, tomorrow is beautiful' It is the first time evidence by a UN-mandated commission has directly implicated Assad in crimes committed during Syria's civil war, which has killed an estimated 126,000 people, according to new figures released by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group. The four-member UN investigative . team, which has been investigating rights violations since shortly after . fighting broke out, has in the past accused both the Syrian regime and . the rebels of war crimes. For the first time however, they have now cobbled together a long and confidential list of suspected perpetrators. With . no access to Syria, the investigators had to rely on more than 2,000 . interviews in the surrounding region or by phone or Skype for their . reports. A Syrian military soldier fires a heavy machine gun during clashes with rebels in Maaloula village, northeast of the capital Damascus, Syria in September. State media claims that six Christian nuns are trapped in the village and should be released as soon as possible . Ms Pillay reiterated her call for the case to be handed over to the International Criminal Court in the Hague to ensure accountability. 'The scale of viciousness of the abuses being perpetrated by elements on both sides almost defies belief,' she said. She warned that efforts to destroy Syria's massive chemical weapons stockpile should not distract from killings with conventional weapons, which have accounted for the vast majority of deaths in the conflict. 'This is my concern, that the inquiry into chemical weapons, which is utterly necessary, should not be used as a distraction from the fact that more than 100,000 people have been killed as the result of the use of conventional weapons.' Despite international consensus on destroying the chemicals outside war-wracked Syria, no country has volunteered to have them destroyed on its soil. The OPCW on Saturday said the United States has offered to destroy Syria's most dangerous chemical weapons on a vessel at sea through a process of hydrolysis. Meanwhile in the northern city of Aleppo, at least 50 people were killed in two separate attacks over the weekend, according to activists. In one incident, at least 24 people were killed when shelling hit a bakery in the town of al-Bab. | Six nuns trapped in convent which sits above Maaloula, says state media .
Syrian government demands rebels release nuns .
Many Christian residents have already fled, fearing rebels will punish them .
UN investigation finds 'massive evidence' of war crimes indicating responsibility at 'highest level of government'
Scale of viciousness on both sides 'defies belief' |
240,226 | c2fae843377f45750cd8e309d626e00c24c2c4ce | An aid worker who has seen the deadly effects of the fast-spreading Ebola virus in West Africa says there is 'no reason' why Australian military troops cannot join the fight to stop the outbreak. Australian Ali Readhead's comments comes after Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek said the government was not doing enough to assist the growing health threat. So far Australia's efforts to tackle Ebola is focussed on hospitals and airports as a deal is sought to ensure health workers sent to Africa can be quickly evacuated and treated. Scroll down for video . Perth woman Ali Readhead has been working in Sierra Leone for two years, and more recently has seen the devastating effect the Ebola outbreak is having on the region . Ms Readhead penned a opinion-editorial saying to government had no excuse for not sending military experts to West Africa to help fight the outbreak, urging to follow their northern hemisphere counterparts. 'First, Australia doesn't need to commit large numbers of military doctors and nurses in order to make a difference.' she wrote. 'The U.K. is sending 460 medics to Sierra Leone in five-week rotations - meaning that over a period of six months there will be no more than 92 medics in country at any one time. 'These medics are being deployed specifically to train national health workers to run the five new treatment facilities being built. 'U.K. medics will not be treating Ebola patients and will return to the U.K .after the training. This approach works because Ebola is a straightforward virus to treat, requiring basic level health workers who are readily available in Sierra Leone. 'There is no reason why the Australian Government can't take the same approach to the provision of medical care.' The disease is spreading fast without the appropriate resources to contain those infected . Ali (centre) seen here at the christening of her god-daughter, said it is impossible to contain Ebola without expert military medical teams from Australia, the UK and the US . Ms Readhead also criticised Kennedy MP Bob Katter's reaction to the Ebola scare in Cairns involving Red Cross Australia volunteer nurse Sue Ellen Kovack last week. 'How did Australia respond? Federal MP Bob Katter has accused Ms Kovack of putting Australia at risk because of her "humanitarian ambitions",' Ms Readhead wrote. The federal opposition says the $18 million provided by the coalition government to tackle the virus, which is killing thousands of people in west Africa, is not enough. Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek believes Australia should be sending in health workers and other experts to help fight Ebola, which presents a threat to health and international security. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the aid spending, which came on top of $40 million for the World Health Organisation, was a creditable effort so far. Mr Abbott thinks it is irresponsible to send in Australian personnel without an agreement to fly them out immediately and get them quickly to a high-quality hospital if they contracted the virus. In Sierra Leone there are only 30 beds available for Ebola patients, so hundreds more are forced to stay at home until people die and free up space in the hospitals . Ms Readhead (centre) celebrated Australia day with fellow countrymen in Freetown this year . Ms Readhead's op-ed comes after the aid worker said the area was completely unprepared to deal with the crisis. Originally from Perth in Western Australia, Ms Readhead has been living in Sierra Leone for the past two years and has seen first hand the devastation the disease is causing. 'It's chaos. They're totally under-resourced,' she told Daily Mail Australia last month. 'Patients are getting left in their houses because we just don't have any room.' In the capital city, Freetown, there are only 30 beds available to those with Ebola, despite there being thousands of people infected or suspected to have contracted the potentially fatal virus. 'They're just waiting for people to die to free up the beds,' Ms Readhead said. Ms Readhead originally moved to Freetown to work on the women and children's health policy, but when Ebola began to spread received a direct request from the Minister of Health in Sierra Leone to help fight the disease. But she believed the only real way to contain the virus was if Australia and other nations sent expert military medical teams to set up field hospitals and isolation centres, two things which Freetown need so desperately. 'The only way we have a chance of containing this outbreak is if we deploy military', Ms Readhead said before adding that they would be able to accommodate a level of risk humanitarian aid can't. The aid worker has started a petition which has already garnered over 33,000 signatures, urging Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to do more than financially support the situation. 'I've never been more devastated in my life. Last week I returned to Perth after working with the health ministry in Sierra Leone – witnessing first hand how the deadly Ebola virus is spiralling out of control and killing hundreds.' 'It's terrifying, and to be honest I'm not sure anyone knows when or how it'll end. What I saw will stay with me forever – in some places there aren't enough ambulances to pick up those infected or bury the dead,' Ms Readhead wrote on Change.org. The country's government burial team is seen here carrying the coffin of Dr Modupeh Cole, Sierra Leone's second senior physician to die of Ebola . Fellow Australian Jo Dunlop (left) and British doctor Oliver Johnson have been fighting alongside Ms Readhead (centre) to keep Freetown's main isolation centre open . Ms Readhead said she believed there was hesitation in sending personnel overseas as there was a risk of infection. The reality is less than ten aid workers have contracted Ebola, and if isolation facilities were set up alongside US and the UK in West Africa treatment would be incredibly easy. Ms Readhead also revealed the wider devastation the spread of Ebola was having on the community, economy, and already struggling healthcare system. People are terrified to visit hospitals, which is having devastating effects on the number of people accessing the health facilites, a problem the region has already been battling with for years. 'Pregnant ladies are giving birth at home, if your baby has malaria you don't take them to the hospital', Ms Readhead revealed. 'The hospitals are empty beside Ebola patients.' She also told of how tough the struggle was to break down the stigma around accessing healthcare services, and how the disease is quickly unravelling all the hard work. One in eight women died during childbirth before the government introduced free healthcare for pregnant women. This is worst outbreak of Ebola the region has ever seen, and the first time it has appeared in such an urban and highly populated area. If it is not contained soon, the projection is grim. Authorities believe it could spread to more than 1.4 million people across the region if urgent and desperately needed help is not received. The reason the virus is spreading so quickly is the close communities without standalone houses and the close proximity of marketplaces with many people packed into them allow it to spread with much greater ease. 'We don't have that level of contact in Australia... (and) we've got the medical expertise to be able to put in place the correct procedures', Ms Readhead said when asked if Ebola could post a threat to her home country. Despite the devastating health implications, the aid worker insisted there is much more at stake than the terrible loss of life. Ms Readhead ran the Sierra Leone marathon last year with her mum there to show her support . Already unstable economies in the region are likely to crumble under the pressure, and this process has already begun . Already unstable economies in the region are likely to crumble under the pressure, and this process has already begun. Mining companies completing projects in West Africa have pulled workers out of the area in fear of Ebola, and others with 'investments in the pipelines are being disbanded.' The disease has already claimed hundreds of lives in countries in the area, and could claim many more if urgent action is not taken, Ms Readhead warned. 'It can definitely be contained... if we have beds for suspected or confirmed patients, healthworkers who are able to treat them. 'Unless we have those two things on the ground we don't stand a chance.' More than 700 people have arrived at Australian airports from west African countries since the outbreak. The 11 arrivals suspected of Ebola have all tested negative. Most of the estimated 4,500 Ebola cases worldwide have been in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, but Nigeria, Senegal, Spain and US have also recorded cases. | Australia woman Ali Readhead has been in Sierra Leone for two years .
She has seen first hand the devastation the spread of Ebola is causing .
The Perth woman urged Australia to send military medical teams .
Ms Readhead believes the government should follow the U.K.'s approach .
U.K. has been sending 460 medics to Sierra Leone in five-week rotations . |
273,509 | ee4f50767dbb388110f951f2e72759257c814912 | (CNN) -- The list of relatives Widline Germain has not heard from since Haiti's earthquake seems like a town population in itself. "When you count our extended family -- the dozens of cousins and aunts and uncles -- there's several hundred of us in Haiti, and we don't know where most of them are," she said from her home in Binghamton, New York. On January 11, the day before the magnitude-7.0 earthquake hit, the 25-year-old who recently graduated from SUNY Cortland returned to New York from an extended New Year's holiday in Haiti. Drawing attention to a photo of the Haitian presidential palace lit up with Christmas lights, a tree decorated on its grounds, she said, "It's like I'm stuck in a horrible dream. The bed I was sleeping in the day before the earthquake is dust." On Thursday, Germain went through the names of relatives -- she says she has about 400 in Haiti -- whom she and her parents are searching for and whom they know are gone. Elise and Benson Germain and their son Junior Germain, missing. Marie Nerla Nicolas and Wilkense Nicolas, missing. "I lost a cousin on my father's side. My mother lost her sister and all four kids," she said. "There are 10 missing on my mother's side and eight missing on father's side." Learn more about some of Germain's missing relatives . She described a mentally disabled uncle who reported being attacked by thugs in Port-au-Prince. Many of her family members live in Jérémie, a river town of about 31,000 that is largely isolated from the rest of the country. "The ones in Jérémie, I don't think most rescuers are getting to the smaller towns," she said, pausing. "All my little cousins -- like ages 2 to 7 -- how are they ever going to be able to get over walking over dead bodies in the street? "They were telling us on their cell phones that they don't have water. They have nothing," Germain said. "We are here, and we can't do anything for them. My family is there starving and thirsty, sleeping on the street -- elderly people sleeping on the street -- and I'm here with water and food. I can't stand this. It's wrong." She and her father and their extended family in New York are prepared to take everyone in. "It's going to be hard, but we have college degrees, jobs, a big house," she said. "We're going to manage, because they're family, and that's what you do." | Haitian-American spent holidays in Haiti, returned day before quake hit .
She said her extended family in Haiti numbers about 400 .
"My family is there starving and thirsty, sleeping on the street," she said . |
142,646 | 447c070c739bd58a41f04c49cb53acb11eb20551 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to lead the line for PSG in their Champions League last-16 first leg clash against Chelsea at the Parc de Princes on Tuesday night. The unpredictable forward has never been short of words, or self-belief for that matter, and he will be hoping to have the last laugh against former manager Jose Mourinho. But as the Chelsea defence prepares to keep the PSG striker quiet, Sportsmail reminds you of 10 of the Sweden international's best quotes. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (centre) trains ahead of Chelsea's visit to PSG in the Champions Legaue on Tuesday . Jose Mourinho's defence will be aiming to keep the Sweden international quiet at Parc de Princes . 'In my head I am the strongest of all. I certainly don't need the Ballon d'Or to prove that I am number one.' Ibrahimovic may not have been named on the shortlist for the 2012 Ballon d'Or award, but it clearly didn't affect the striker's confidence in his own ability. 'A World Cup without me is nothing to watch so it is not worthwhile to wait for the World Cup.' Ibrahimovic came up against Cristiano Ronaldo in the play-off to reach the World Cup in Brazil last summer, but it was Sweden that were on the losing side and the PSG forward let everyone know there wasn't much point in watching a tournament that didn't feature himself. 'I couldn’t believe it. I was like "No way, Zlatan doesn’t do auditions".' Arsene Wenger revealed that he came close to signing Ibrahimovic when he was a fresh-faced 16-year-old but he refused to have a trial at the north London club. Maverick striker Ibrahimovic had talks at Arsenal but didn't want 'an audition' Ibrahimovic has no need to buy his wife a birthday present because she already has him . 'Nothing. She already has Zlatan.' As any man will attest to, buying a gift for your loved one can be a difficult task. Not for Ibrahimovic though, who admits his wife needs nothing else for her birthday when she already has Zlatan. 'Well, I don’t know. You’ll have to ask your wife about that.' As a member of the media you have to remember to choose your questions carefully when interviewing Ibrahimovic. This reporter wasn't, and asked the striker how he got the scars on his face. 'What Carew does with a football, I can do with an orange.' Ibrahimovic didn't take too kindly to criticism from Scandinavian counterpart and former Aston Villa and West Ham striker John Carew. Jose Mourinho will be hoping to keep his former player quiet when Chelsea meet PSG on Tuesday . Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring against Caen in Ligue 1 on Saturday . 'Come to my house and you'll see if I'm gay, and bring your sister.' During his spell at Barcelona a picture emerged of Ibrahimovic getting rather close to team-mate Gerard Pique but the Sweden international strongly refuted suggestions he was gay, particularly when they were voiced by one female reporter. 'It was the fault of David Trezeguet, who made me do one drink of vodka after another. I slept in the bathtub. Now I hold my vodka much better.' Ibrahimovic tried to pass the blame to former Juventus team-mate David Trezeguet after reports of excessive behaviour following the club's Serie A title success. Ibrahimovic attracted the attention of Europe's top clubs during three seasons at Dutch giants Ajax . 'I like fireworks too, but I set them off in gardens or kebab stands. I never set fire to my own house.' After Mario Balotelli, a former team-mate of Ibrahimovic's at Inter Milan, set fire to his bathroom when he let fireworks of out the window, the PSG hitman admitted his like for fireworks. 'You bought a Ferrari but you drive it like a Fiat.' Ibrahimovic's short and tumultuous stint in La Liga with Barcelona was riddled with arguments and falling outs, particularly with manager Pep Guardiola and the 33-year-old was not happy with his role in the team. Ibrahimovic spent two seasons at Barcelona before leaving the club after a falling out with Pep Guardiola . | PSG play Chelsea in the Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday .
Chelsea defence will be hoping to keep the striker quiet at Parc de Princes .
Here, Sportsmail reminds you of 10 of Ibrahimovic's best quotes .
READ: Ibrahimovic used to struggle against English teams... then came those goals against Arsenal .
CLICK HERE to watch Ibrahimovic's top ten goals . |
122,897 | 2ad52011ce389dae602f97194a6d74923de38a44 | The teenager who stabbed his teacher to death in a brutal classroom killing is getting 'fanmail' from deluded youngsters, it emerged today. Mixed-up teenagers have gone online to praise Will Cornick, the murderer of Spanish teacher Ann Maguire, and he is reportedly being sent letters from admiring peers. Some youngsters have even used the term 'good times' - the words uttered by Cornick in the moments after his horrific attack - as a sickening catchphrase. Will Cornick (left) was jailed for at least 20 years for the murder of teacher Ann Maguire (right). He is now reportedly receiving 'fanmail' after youngsters praised him online . Cornick, 16, has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years for the murder of the popular teacher at Corpus Christi College in Leeds in April this year. But a Facebook group set up in his name has seen some teenage girls claim they find the 16-year-old killer attractive. After website users attacked Cornick, one girl wrote: 'Calm down. I love Will!!!' in a comment that was then 'liked' by a friend. In another 'liked' comment, a schoolgirl wrote: 'He's so buff.' When asked what she meant, she replied: 'Good looking.' One girl even repeated the phrase Cornick used after he stabbed his teacher, writing 'good times' on the page, followed by a thumbs up symbol. Again, her comment was 'liked' by others. Cornick's own Facebook page (pictured) has been taken down, but 'community pages' with comments about him have sprung up since his sentencing . The killing, at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds, shocked Britain and is believed to be the first time a teacher has been killed by a student in the classroom in the UK . Another message on the page comes from an Italian girl who is trying to get in contact with Cornick, saying she feels 'sorry for' him and describing him as a 'friend'. The online comments emerged as it was reported that Cornick has received messages from teenagers around the world as he begins his prison term. The Daily Star quoted a source close to the case who claimed: 'He is getting letters from boys and girls from England, the US and Australia. Some are from girls saying he is cute and they want to marry him.' Cornick was sentenced to life in jail earlier this month and a judge warned him he may never be released. Judge Mr Justice Coulson called the murder a 'monumental act of cowardice and evil' and branded the teenager's pride and lack of remorse over his actions 'truly grotesque'. Cornick was initially taken to Wetherby Young Offender Institution (YOI) in West Yorkshire before being moved for his own safety. | Cornick murdered teacher Mrs Maguire in classroom attack in April .
He was jailed earlier this month and told he may never be freed .
Despite his horrific crime, some youngsters have praised him online .
He is reportedly also getting 'fanmail' sent to his prison cell . |
219,725 | a86d15853ee5ef44b700ff705071547ee890f6e5 | Andy Murray is likely to have to accept a considerable cut in payments when his new clothing deal is unveiled as his lucrative five-year deal with adidas comes to an end. Murray is shortly expected to announce a new major sponsor, joining Laura Robson and James Ward on the clothing-go-round as British players’ on-court appearance change considerably in 2015. Robson has also left adidas and gone to their fellow giants Nike, while Murray is expected to replace his expiring five year $15 million deal with an arrangement promoting a company less automatically associated with tennis. Andy Murray wears an adidas t-shirt during a training session ahead of the Australian Open earlier this year . It is believed that a frontrunner in negotiations has been American company Under Armour, who are more known in this country for their deal kitting out Tottenham Hotspur. At present their tennis involvement has been limited, although they currently kit out rising American star Sloane Stephens and the veteran US journeyman Robby Ginepri. It could be that they see Murray as a good fit for their slightly edgier, sport-specific image. Industry experts say that New Balance have also been interested in expanding their tennis presence, although last year they signed Canada’s Milos Raonic. Rumours that Murray might revert to his old clothing partner, Fred Perry, are reckoned to be inaccurate. Regardless, the money is not likely to approach the $3 million per year that adidas have been paying the 27 year-old Scot over a period that took in his Wimbledon, US Open and Olympics triumphs. Murray shows his frustrations on court as he suffers defeat to Roger Federer at The O2 last month . The reduced upfront payment, perhaps barely half the previous sum according to industry observers, is partly due to him failing to reproduce that form in the year that saw him return from back surgery. It is also recognition that he is heading into his late twenties and that adidas replica kit sales have not been as high as hoped in what is said to be a relatively depressed market overall at present. The new deal will have to take into account that he is likely to continue wearing adidas tennis shoes, as this has been his favoured footwear since he was a teenager. Murray’s representatives did not wish to comment, although they confirmed that an announcement is expected in the next few weeks. His departure from adidas will top a year of change that saw Ivan Lendl, assistant coach Dani Vallverdu and fitness trainer Jez Green depart his team and Amelie Mauresmo installed at its head. Murray used to wear the clothing of Fred Perry but is unlikely to return to his old sponsor . Whenever she reappears Robson will be wearing the swoosh instead of the three stripes. She is currently training in Florida and her return from long-term wrist problems is increasingly likely to be in the United States rather than at the Australian Open. Emerging British No 2 Ward, who has risen to the cusp of the top 100, is expected to appear next year kitted out on court by Ted Baker. Until now the well-known British brand, whose founder Ray Kelvin is a long-established tennis nut, has restricted itself to providing suits for players and British teams when out and about at official functions but they are now looking for deeper involvement. Laura Robson has left adidas to join their major clothing rivals Nike ahead of her return to the court . British No 2 James Ward is expected to appear on court next year in tennis kit by Ted Baker . | Andy Murray's five-year deal with adidas has come to an end .
American company Under Armour are frontrunners to be his new sponsor .
Laura Robson left adidas earlier this year to sign up with rivals Nike . |
67,390 | bf32edfb566701a5be5458cbb145c0b94147c8d5 | (CNN) -- Defending champion Serena Williams breezed past Germany's Angelique Kerber in her opening match at the WTA Championships in Istanbul's Sinan Erdem Dome on Tuesday. The world No.1 needed just 65 minutes to overpower the World No.9 winning 6-3, 6-1 as she looks to seal a fourth WTA Championships crown and an incredible 11th title this season. "I feel really good -- I think I served very well -- and she's beaten me before so I was just a little nervous and so focused going into this match. I felt like I was going to have to play well to win," Williams said. "I'm actually happy about my match and I never say that! I'm really excited about that. I've been working really hard since the Open and hopefully I can continue with that here." Earlier, World No.2 Victoria Azarenka was made to work a little harder against Sara Errani. The Belarusian eventually came thorough 7-6, 6-2 but only after her Italian opponent sustained a calf injury at the start of the second set. Errani battled bravely but couldn't stop Azarenka bringing an end to a three-match losing streak which began at the U.S. Open final where she lost to Williams. That defeat was followed by consecutive first round exits at events in Tokyo, where she lost to sister Venus before she was dumped out in the first round of the China Open in Beijing by Germany's Andrea Petkovic. "I was missing a little bit too much at the beginning but I turned it around," Azarenka said after beating Errani. "It was a little bit difficult to focus in the second set because I didn't know what was going on (with Errani's injury). Even after the time-out, she was returning unbelievably and fought until the last point." Sixth seed Petra Kvitova had a good head-to-head record going into her match against Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska and once again came out on top. The Czech triumphed in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to improve her match record against the World No.4 to 5-1 and secure her 50th win in a WTA match this year. The season finale features the top eight singles players and the top four doubles pairings who are competing for a $6 million prize pot. Wawrinka crashes out in Basel . Two ATP Tour 500 events are taking place this week as the top men look to secure their place at the season-ending World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London which start on November 4. Home favorite Stanislas Wawrinka crashed out in the first round of the World Tour 500 event in Basel, Switzerland going down in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 to Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France. The Swiss No.2 is currently eighth in the rankings, but seventh in the Race to London given that Andy Murray has withdrawn from the event. Wawrinka can secure his place at the London finals with a good showing at the Paris Masters next week. Read more: Andy Murray to step up comeback . Tomas Berdych also suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Croatian Ivo Karlovic. The 34-year-old veteran dispatched the World No.6 4-6, 7-6, 7-6. Berdych would have guaranteed a place at the World Tour Finals in London if he had reached the semifinals in Basel, but will now have wait until next week to seal a top eight slot. Elsewhere, there were comfortable wins for Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis who overcame Germany's Benjamin Becker 7-6, 6-1, and Croatia's Ivan Dodig, who is through to the second round after his opponent Carlos Berlocq retired after two games. Meanwhile at the ATP Tour event in Valencia, Spain's Nicolas Almagro is safely through to the second round after beating compatriot Pablo Andujar 6-2, 6-3. But there was disappointment for the Spanish crowd as Fernando Verdasco went down 6-3 7-6 to Polish qualifier Michal Przysiezny and Feliciano Lopez lost out 6-3, 6-1 to France's Julien Benneteau. Przysiezny's compatriot Jerzy Janowicz also overcame Spanish opposition defeating Pablo Carreno 7-5, 7-6. Russia's Mikhail Youzhny is through to the second round after Bernard Tomic retired. The Australian pulled out of the match when he was trailing 4-1 in the final set. | Serena Williams starts defense of WTA Championship title with win over Angelique Kerber .
World No.2 Victoria Azarenka also a winner on Tuesday beating Sara Errani 7-6, 6-2 .
Stanislas Wawrinka crashes out of home ATP Tour 500 event in Basel, Switzerland . |
142,964 | 44e4a19ab5fd89988480bb9e14dbd26e9539dd77 | By . Jessica Jerreat . Google's Kevin Rose has built a career out of cutting-edge technology but plans to bring his historic Oregon home into the 21st Century have not been welcomed. Rose, who founded news site Digg before joining Google, paid $1.3 million for the spacious 1890s house in Portland. But when he revealed plans to demolish the five-bedroom house and build a new one on the site, neighbors started a petition to try to save the property. Digg founder Kevin Rose has decided not to go ahead with plans to bulldoze his historic Oregon home after his neighbors' protest sparked a last-minute change of heart . Rose, who founded the news site Digg before joining Google, paid $1.3 million for the spacious 1890s house in Portland . The house, which was built in 1892, has been described as one of the 'great icons of Northwest Portland'. On Monday however, a permit was issued to tear the property down after Rose had it removed from an historic homes inventory. Steve Wilson, who was one of the agents who listed the property, said he knew Rose and his wife Darya planned a remodel, but said he was shocked to hear it was going to be pulled down. 'We did expect him to do a substantial remodel, but you pay $1.3 million and tear a house down? In Portland? That doesn't happen in,' he told the Oregonian. An online petition set up by the couple's new neighbors has attracted more than 1,100 signatures since being set live. In an open letter addressed to Rose and his wife, the petition states: 'When several of us met you at this year’s Easter egg hunt, we were eager to find out about your plans. But when he revealed plans to demolish the five-bedroom house and build a new one on the site, neighbors started a petition to try to save the property . Updates: Rose and his wife had planned to remodel the five-bedroom house . Extra work: The couple then put in plans to demolish the family home because of concern over asbestos . 'We were reassured that you had no plans to build on the spare lot, and were relieved to hear that you were committed to remodeling rather than demolishing the house.' It added that the neighbors had been shocked to later hear that the property had been removed from Portland's landmark inventory and was set to be demolished. Rose has responded to the petition, releasing a statement that claimed the couple had been left no choice after receiving a quote for remodeling that was more than the house price. Despite having surveys done before agreeing to buy the house, the couple later discovered extensive repairs were needed. Rose said that they have asked the previous owner to buy back the house and fix the asbestos and other issues with it, and said if the demolition went ahead the materials would be recycled. Campaign: Google entrepreneur Kevin Rose's new neighbors have started a petition to try to save the house . Unlisted: Kevin Rose had the house removed from a list of potentially significant properties . 'We never intended to deceive anyone, as some of you have accused. We simply wanted to create a beautiful home for our family,' Rose said. He added that the house had been listed as potentially significant on a voluntary register, but when an independent architect inspected it, they assured the couple it was not historically important. Rose said the couple had hoped to just carry out an extensive remodel but 'the costs were higher than we anticipated, and we knew we could never recoup that kind of money on a 100 year-old house'. Jim Draudt and Ann Witsil, who the Roses bought the house from, have also backed the petition to save the property, issuing a statement praising neighbors for raising concerns about the demolition. 'The only solution acceptable to us is to save the house, not to remove it,' the couple wrote. | Rose removed 1892 house from historic register to get demolition permit .
Only way to save home is if old owner buys it back, entrepreneur says .
Plans for remodel were ditched because of asbestos and huge repairs bill . |
166,483 | 6348fa605f4176205c723803c52e8797dabefe11 | Any hopes London Welsh may have had of kick-starting a survival battle on Sunday were swiftly banished as they went down 38-7 to Newcastle at Kingston Park. The Falcons scored six tries - and had the try-scoring bonus point wrapped up by half-time - as they registered their biggest Aviva Premiership win for eight years. Three of those tries came in a seven-minute first-half spell and effectively ended any hopes London Welsh may have had of sparking a fightback. Ally Hogg of Newcastle Falcons scores a try during the Premiership clash with London Welsh . Newcastle's first-half hat-trick came shortly after the visitors squandered an early chance, when big Tongan number eight Opeti Fonua broke from the base of the scrum. His offload to Peter Browne should have led to a score, but the flanker could not hold the pass. It proved a costly miss, with Newcastle stepping up the pace to score those three tries in seven minutes to lead 19-0. Tom Catterick nearly cut through on the 22 to set up a series of forward drives and Kieran Brookes was stopped right on the try line. Sinoti Sinoti of Newcastle Falcons challenged by Paul Rowley during the 38-7 victory for the home side . That led to the opening try by Sinoti Sinoti, with Ally Hogg picking up from the base of the scrum and flicking the ball out to Sinoti, who stepped inside Elliot Kear and outside Paul Rowley to score. Newcastle were quickly back on the attack when Welsh failed to clear a long kick and then conceded a penalty which the Falcons put in the corner and drove prop Rob Vickers over for a try converted by Catterick. The third try followed when Sinoti blasted through and passed inside overhead for Mark Wilson to send in Mike Blair and Catterick again converted for 19-0. Tom Catterick went over to score one of Newcastle's three first-half tries in the win over London Welsh . Nick Scott briefly raised Welsh hopes by brilliantly snapping up Will Robinson's clever dink down the touchline to score, and Robinson landed the extras for 19-7 in 24th minute. However, Newcastle's superiority in the rolling maul was demonstrated again when Will Welch was driven over for a try in the 33rd minute to give the Falcons a 24-7 half-time lead and the try-scoring bonus point. Much as they had done in the first half, Welsh started the second period well but failed to make it count and they again paid the price. Hogg took a pass from Juan Pablo Socino and galloped 50 yards up the touchline, bumping off Scott and Olly Barkley for a try which Catterick converted in the 55th minute for 31-7. Josh Furno of Newcastle rides the challenge of Koree Britton (right) as London Welsh fell to another loss . Both sides made use of their benches in the second half and the continuity went right out of the game - particularly in Newcastle's case, but Welsh were unable to profit, and their frustration was never more evident than when Tom May had a chance to score only for the ball to be passed behind him and straight into touch. That ruined the chance of a try-scoring homecoming to the club he started his career with 19 years ago, and on his last appearance here after announcing his retirement at the end of the season. Almost inevitably, with three minutes left George McGuigan snapped up a loose ball and Alex Tuilagi slipped it to Catterick, who scored with an outside run and converted his own try for 38-7. | The Falcons scored six tries for their biggest league win in eight years .
Four first-half tries put the home side 19-0 up at the break .
London Welsh remain bottom of the Premiership with 13 straight defeats . |
63,342 | b3e802274b2f92b260c3ac79639ea065cd849071 | (CNN) -- Third seed Maria Sharapova was stunned on her return to action at the Western and Southern Open, losing to American starlet Sloane Stephens. Four-time grand slam champion Sharapova had not played since crashing out in the second round at Wimbledon in June due to a hip injury. Former world No. 1 Sharapova looked on course to make a victorious comeback in Cincinnati when she took the first set 6-2 against her 17th-ranked opponent. But Stephens bounced back, recovering from 2-6 0-2 down to take the match 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 and register her second career victory over a top-three ranked player. "It definitely started out a little rough for me, but I'm glad I was able to turn it around and start playing some good tennis in the second and third sets," 20-year-old Stephens told the WTA's official website. "At the start of the second set I was just going to start going for my shots a little more and hoped they would just go in. I'm glad I started hitting and finding a rhythm. That kind of helped me out for the rest of the match. "Obviously when you're playing someone who's No.3 in the world, you know they're No.3 for a reason and they're going to be tough. You've got to go out and play your hardest. But when you think about it, you're like, 'Okay, I'm playing Sharapova.' Like, you've got to get your mind right." The match was Sharapova's first since hiring U.S. legend Jimmy Connors as her coach and, while quick to credit Stephens, she was disappointed she was unable to continue the form she showed in the match's opening set. "I didn't continue what I was doing well for the first set and a half, and that hurt me," explained the 26-year-old. "I stopped being patient. I started making a lot more errors, especially off the first ball. Just errors I shouldn't make. "Obviously I haven't played in a long time, but I've got to be ready from the first match. So it's disappointing, but that's how it goes in this game." Second seed Victoria Azarenka had no such problems, beating American Vania King 6-1 7-6 (8-6). Belarus' Azarenka missed last week's event in Toronto with a back injury, but showed she was in good shape by recovering from 0-3 in the second set to take the match in one hour and 41 minutes. Azarenka and Sharpova both entered the tournament at the second round stage. "I think the beginning of the second set wasn't very good for me," Azarenka said after advancing into the third round. "There were quite a few unforced errors and just really fast mistakes that didn't happen in the first set. It went kind of quickly, but I was glad that I could turn it around there and come back even stronger. "Then there was competitiveness. She was already in the game and playing at a much higher level than before, and going for her shots. So I had to stay with her and just take my opportunities, and I did. "There was a little bit of inconsistency today, but first matches can be tricky. I just want to think about what I need to improve for my next match. That's the most important thing for me going forward." Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki crashed out after losing her first-round match against former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic. Meanwhile 17-time grand slam champion Roger Federer began his defense of the men's title with a battling 6-3 7-6 (9-7) win over Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber. The fifth seed, playing for the first time since losing to Kohlschreiber's compatriot Daniel Brands at a clay-court event in Gstaad, Switzerland, is bidding for a record sixth win at the Ohio event. "I think it was a match where I had to sort of just fight to come through," the 32-year-old told the ATP Tour's official website. "I was playing really well at times, and then sometimes it was maybe a bit up and down. "But assessing the performance overall, I'm very happy. It's good to be back and playing pain free. My mind's good. I was in a good place while I was playing, so it felt nice to win at the end." Third seed David Ferrer is also into the third round thanks to a hard-fought 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-4 win over U.S. wildcard Ryan Harrison. | Maria Sharapova loses to Sloane Stephens on her return from a hip injury .
Sharapova had not played since crashing out in the second round at Wimbledon .
Stephens beats a player ranked inside the top three for the second time in her career .
Roger Federer and David Ferrer advance to the third round in Cincinnati . |
156,953 | 56f23483cc8ade71439e739e714dceac7efbaa95 | Three days after Hillary Clinton said businesses don't create jobs, she cleaned up the remark, part of a critique of trickle-down economics, explaining she had "shorthanded this point the other day." Friday at a campaign rally for Massachusetts Democratic gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley, the former secretary of state told the crowd, "Don't let anybody tell you that it's corporations and businesses that create jobs," going on to say trickle-down economics "has failed rather spectacularly." Republicans seized on the sentence, seemingly made for an anti-Hillary Clinton campaign ad. America Rising, the main anti-Clinton super-PAC, is featuring it on the header of its website. On Monday at a campaign event for New York Rep. Sean Maloney, a former aide to President Bill Clinton, Clinton went for a do-over, saying, "Let me be absolutely clear about what I've been saying for a couple of decades: Our economy grows when businesses and entrepreneurs create good-paying jobs here in an America where workers and families are empowered to build from the bottom up and the middle out -- not when we hand out tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs or stash their profits overseas." It's the second time Clinton has struggled to speak fluently in the economic vernacular of her party. In early June, during her book tour, Clinton made a major gaffe when she said, "We came out of the White House not only dead broke, but in debt," a comment that critics cited as evidence she is out of touch with everyday Americans. 7 things Hillary Clinton says at almost every speech . Her comment that businesses don't create jobs stood out even more at an event where Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a populist poster child, also spoke. Though Clinton has not committed to a presidential run in 2016, she is far and away the front-runner in polls and her comments are analyzed as if she's a candidate. Her quick cleanup of the comments reflects concern about the potential for lasting damage from missteps while discussing economic issues, a pitfall that helped sink Mitt Romney's run for the presidency in 2012. "I'm not concerned about the very poor. ... I'm concerned about the heart of America, the 95% of Americans who are right now struggling," Romney, then a candidate, said in February 2012. Democrats seized on those remarks as out of touch. Republicans were chagrined Romney didn't talk about economically boosting all Americans. Later, in September 2012, once Romney was the Republican nominee, a recording of him speaking at a closed fundraiser was leaked to the media. In it he was heard saying, "There are 47% of the people who will vote for the President no matter what," describing those voters as "dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it." | Clinton: "Don't let anybody tell you that it's corporations and businesses that create jobs"
Republican critics seize on the comment, made at a Massachusetts campaign rally .
Clinton says she aimed to blast "tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs" |
231,090 | b736c73da6a988e61d5e2672e7647e71043026a6 | It's 50 years since the Jetsons first predicted we'd be flying the family about in airborne cars. And now we are finally standing on the cusp of that long-awaited milestone, as the world's first flying motorcycle goes on sale. The Pal-V One Helicycle is a two-seat hybrid car and gyrocopter that has the potential for making rush-hour delays a thing of the past. Scroll down for video . The Pal-V One - a three-wheeled motorcyle that transforms into a gyrocopter at the flick of a switch - is now on sale for $295,000 (£180,000). It takes 10 minutes to switch between modes and can go from 0 to 60 in the air in under 8 seconds . Luxury gadgets site Hammacher Schlemmer is marketing the Helicycle for 'just' $395,000 - a bargain... It is road - and air - legal and now, . two years after its maiden flight, it is finally available to buy - if . you have a spare $395,999 (£230,000) that is. The Dutch-built Pal-V One can reach speeds of up to 112mph and goes from 0 to 60 in under 8 seconds when driven on the road. The two-seater vehicle converts from a three-wheeled motorcycle to a gyrocopter in 10 minutes. It has 230hp, four-cylinder engine and reaches speeds of up 112 mph in the air or on the road. The helicycle goes from 0 to 60 mph in under eight seconds. The gyrocopter is designed to cruise at low altitudes (below 4,000ft) and it requires a 540ft runway for take-offs. For landing, the vehicle needs just 100 ft. The 27-gallon gas tank provides a 220-mile flight range (750 miles on the road). It is made from carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum and weighs 1,499lbs. Owners must have a Sports Pilot Certificate to fly the vehicle. Owners will need a Sports Pilot Certificate to fly one. The two-seater vehicle can be bought through luxury gadget retailer Hammacher Schemmler which advertises it under name The Helicycle, yet its design and specifications are identical to the Pal-V One's. Despite its helicopter-like appearance, like many flying car prototypes, including the TF-X from Austin-based Terrafugia, the Pal-V needs a 540ft runway in order to take-off. When in flight mode, the vehicle looks like a helicopter, however, it is known as a gyrocopter or autogyro because the main power comes . from the rotors at the rear of the vehicle. Its rotors spin considerably slower than a helicopter's blades, too, and can't stall. On . the ground, the machine handles somewhere between a motorbike and a . racing car - its chassis is built to lean into turns, and the two-seater . can reach speeds of up to 112mph. Unlike . most fictional flying cars, of course, it can't just extend its rotors . then hurtle skywards - the process takes about ten minutes. The Pal-V One, pictrured, needs a 540ft runway in order to take-off. When in flight mode, the vehicle looks like a helicopter, however, it is known as a gyrocopter or autogyro because the main power comes from the rotors at the rear of the vehicle . Once the engine stops, the propeller folds itself automatically into the driving position. Pushing a button then lowers the rotor mast into the horizontal position. Rotor blades and tail have to be stowed away by the driver. 'On the ground the vehicle drives like a sports car,' said Pal-V. 'Within minutes its rotor is unfolded and its tail is extended: then it is ready to take off thanks to the advanced gyrocopter technology.' The gyrocopter, pictured, is designed to cruise at low altitudes, below 4,000ft. Although it needs a 540ft runway for take-off, it only needs 100ft to land . The 27-gallon gas tank in the Pal-V One, pictured, provides a 220-mile flight range or 750 miles on the road. It is made from carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum and weighs 1,499lbs . The Pal-V One is on sale from retailer Hammacher Schemmler under the name The Helicycle - but the specifications are the same. It can reach speeds of up to 112 mph and tilts like a motorcycle when turning corners, left. The helicycle goes from 0 to 60 mph in under eight seconds on the road, as well . 'With these successful test results it is proven that it is not only possible to build a flying car but also that it can be done within existing international rules for both flying and driving.' The Pal-V One features a 230hp, four-cylinder engine powered by petrol. Its 27 gallon tank means pilots can fly for up to 220 miles at low altitudes - around 4,000ft - or drive for up 750 miles. It is made of carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum and weighs 1,500lbs. The Pal-V One completed its maiden voyage just 18 months ago. It is available in red, pictured, or black . To drive and fly the Pal-V One, pictured, owners must have a driving license and a Sports Pilot Certificate . | Pal-V One is a motorcycle and gyrocopter and costs $395,000 (£230,000)
It switches between drive and flight mode in just 10 minutes .
Owners must have a driving license and a Sports Pilot Certificate .
The vehicle reaches speeds of 112mph and flies at altitudes of 4,000ft . |
174,444 | 6dc90127216b0a0ab1745eaa1ba6208d05cede86 | (CNN) -- In the face of Republican opposition, the Senate confirmed President Barack Obama's nominee to be deputy secretary of state Tuesday. Vice President Joe Biden congratulated Tony Blinken on his confirmation. "Admired in every corner of the world," Biden said of Blinken in a tweet that included a picture of the two of them strapped inside an aircraft. Blinken was a member of the Obama-Biden presidential transition team in 2009 and later became Obama's deputy national security adviser. Before his tenure with the administration, where he has become a key player on foreign policy issues, Blinken was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Opposition to the nomination . Last week, Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida made it clear at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that they would oppose Blinken's nomination. McCain condemned Blinken for being one of the "architects" of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq in 2011, which McCain believes precipitated the growth of ISIS, the terrorist group that now controls parts of Iraq and Syria. McCain pointed to statements Blinken made then that "Iraq has never been so prosperous, so powerful, and peaceful as it is today," as reason enough for preventing his nomination. Blinken "was wrong, he was dead wrong, he made many, many statements about Iraq, and unfortunately thousands of people are dead now and parts of Iraq are now controlled by the deadly organization called ISIS," said McCain. Rubio said he's opposed to the nomination because Blinken's answers to questions about U.S.-Cuban relations were inadequate. "I intend, just to be clear and on the record, to use every procedural method available to me to slow down his nomination," said Rubio. Democrats disagreed. "I fully support him," said Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey. Menendez said Blinken's statements were part and parcel of those of an official who was duty bound to advocate on behalf of that administration. He said one may disagree with the Obama administration's views, but "that doesn't mean that I necessarily am going to hold that nominee at the end of the day hostage to the administration's view that I disagree with." Blinken was confirmed Tuesday by a vote of 55 to 38. | Tony Blinken served in the Obama-Biden transitional team in 2009 .
He was also a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies .
McCain, Rubio opposed nomination for different reasons . |
223,650 | ad928f5401cbb3d6196aab4a6431f8d7f7518d80 | By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 12:09 EST, 22 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:19 EST, 22 February 2014 . A benefits cheat pocketed almost £40,000 of Disability Living Allowance by claiming he could only walk with a stick - despite teaching martial arts across the country. Mark Kemp, 58, claimed £35,000 worth of the benefit over 15 years - during which time he became an expert in Ju-Jitsu. Kemp of Oldham, Greater Manchester, was even credited with helping to invent a discipline called Shin Ga Do. Scroll down for video . Mark Kemp pocketed £35,000 in Disability Living Allowance over 15 years despite being a martial arts teacher. He told the Department of Work and Pensions he would only walk with a stick . DWP investigators infiltrated the teacher's lessons and found him throwing kicks and blocking punches . He led classes in the sport at the Tameside Kempo Ju-Jitsu Club in the city. A picture of the man even appeared on the club's website. But the black belt cheat was exposed when investigators infiltrated his sessions and saw the father- of-two throwing kicks and blocking punches. Kemp was even filmed playing golf and enjoying a family day out at Southport Pleasure Beach during the Department for Work and Pensions probe. The black-belt, pictured during a tutorial, taught martial arts across the country and is even credited with inventing the Shin Ga Do discipline . Kemp had originally started claiming DSA legitimately in 1992 after being injured in a car accident - but failed to tell the authorities when his health improved, a court heard . Kemp was handed a six-month sentence, suspended for one year at Manchester Crown Square . He had claimed to the DWP he could not walk without a stick. Kemp has narrowly avoided jail after pleading guilty to two charges of falsely claiming benefits at Manchester Crown Square. The court heard Kemp had originally started claiming DSA legitimately in 1992 after being injured in a car accident - but failed to tell the authorities when his health improved. For four years while he was wrongly claiming benefits, Kemp also worked as a driver for a mobility company - taking people who were genuinely disabled to medical appointments and lifting them in and out of ambulances. Nicola Daley, prosecuting, said: 'It was apparent to investigators that by 2012 Mr Kemp's health had significantly improved which had not been reported. 'Statements were taken from friends or associates and they described how he has been capable of taking martial arts classes for a number of years and had no difficulty being on his feet for over two hours.' When interviewed by investigators in 2012, Kemp said his health hadn't improved - but later pleaded guilty to the two charges at court. Defending, Paul Bryning said his client had no previous relevant convictions and was otherwise of good character. Kemp was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for a year and a curfew to stay in his home between 9pm and 7am for four months. Speaking after the case, Roy Paul, DWP north west fraud manager, said: 'It is our duty to ensure that benefit payments go to those who really need them and we are committed to cracking down on those who play the system.' | Mark Kemp, 58, claimed £35,000 of Disability Living Allowance .
First claimed after injury in 1992 - but didn't notify DWP when he was better .
Martial arts teacher claimed he could only walk with a stick .
Is an expert in Ju-Jitsu and invented new discipline called Shin Ga Do .
Even worked as a driver for a mobility company that helps those with genuine disabilities to get in and out of vehicles .
Father was finally caught by investigators who infiltrated his lessons .
Was handed a six month prison sentence, suspended for one year . |
200,845 | 90028919275a45834e0923856fa5ee1e1b79efe0 | By . Ryan Kisiel . and Suzannah Hills . Dramatic footage of an RAF air display is believed to show the pilot killed in the Glasgow helicopter tragedy demonstrating his aviation prowess behind the controls of an army Chinook. Former flight lieutenant David Traill, 51, was piloting a police helicopter when it crashed into the Clutha Vaults pub in Glasgow on Friday night, killing all on board and several people inside. It has since emerged that Mr Traill was an experienced Chinook pilot who served in Afghanistan and Iraq before leaving the RAF to become a civilian pilot. Display: Footage has emerged which is believed to be of flight lieutenant David Traill, 51, piloting a Chinook helicopter at an RAF airshow in Shoreham in 2007 . Flight lieutenant David Traill was part of the display team which performed at Shoreham airshow in 2007, pictured . Interview: Flight lieutenant Traill, 51, pictured on ITV News talking about flying Chinook aircrafts in 2007 ahead of a display at RAF Odiham . It is believed this dramatic footage uploaded on . YouTube of the RAF Shoreham airshow in 2007 shows Mr Traill performing . an impressive Chinook display, The Sun reports. The massive twin propeller Chinook can be seen performing a string of tactical maneuvres in the air in front of an awe-struck crowd. Flight Lieutenant Traill was captain of the RAF Chinook display team in 2007 and took part in airshows all over the country. Mr Traill was an incredibly experience pilot who won medals for his bravey - even going on to teach new recruits how to fly. It is even believed Mr Traill may have been one of Prince William’s flight instructors at the Hampshire base where the Duke of Cambridge learned how to fly five years ago. Display: This image shows a manoeuvre being performed by the RAF Chinook display team at an airshow in 2007. Flight Lieutenant Traill was captain of the team that year and was very likely on board this Chinook . The RAF Chinook display team demonstrates the daring maneuvres performed by their pilots in action . It is not yet clear exactly what caused the police helicopter to drop 'like a stone' from the air on Friday night. The wreckage is being removed so that it can undergo a detailed examination by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Mr Traill, from Lochwinnoch, leaves behind three devastated nephews who he cared for after their father died three years ago. He regularly visited nephews David, Jamie and Max, who live with their mother Mary in Bathgate. His family has paid tribute to the 'real-life hero' who loved to fly. David Traill, 51, was a Chinook instructor at RAF Odiham where Prince William was taught . Cousin Toni Lawson, 25, said: ‘His younger brother Angus died three years ago from throat cancer, which knocked him for six. ‘Since then he’s helped raise his three young nephews. 'Their mum will have a hard time explaining to the boys what has happened to their uncle. 'They will be completely distraught about this.’ Miss Lawson added: ‘As long as I’ve been alive, he’s been flying helicopters. When he was in the RAF, he did tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. 'You name the country, and he was there. I think he got various medals for his bravery in the forces. 'He was a very experienced pilot and has always been a real hero in our family.’ Mr Traill retired from the RAF several years ago but continued to work as a civilian pilot. He taught cadets how to fly Chinooks . at RAF Odiham in 2007 and 2008 – the same time the Prince was at the . base being taught how to fly the twin-rota machines. Kensington . Palace last night said officials were unable to get hold of the Prince . to check, but it was ‘very possible’ that their paths had crossed during . his military career. A . ninth body was found by emergency services on Sunday but only six have . been removed because of the dangerous condition the pub is in. DCC . Rose Fitzpatrick said on Sunday: 'The site is extremely challenging and . the efforts of colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and . investigators have been painstaking. 'We . can now confirm that Samuel McGhee died during the incident on Friday. Our thoughts are with his family and friends tonight as they are with . all those affected by this tragedy. Kensington Palace said it was 'very possible' that Prince William and David Trail may have met before . Devastation: Authorities fear more bodies may be trapped in the wreck of the pub after the helicopter crash while families wait for news . 'Sadly I can also confirm the discovery of a further body within the site. This takes to nine the total number of people who died on Friday night. 'Our absolute priority has been to locate the bodies of people who were within the pub at the time of the incident and recover them safely. 'This process takes time, as formal identification procedures have to take place before we can notify relatives and publicly confirm identities. 'We are doing all we can to support the families of those who have lost loved ones. It is essential that we maintain sensitivity and dignity for the families of the deceased.' The wreckage of the Eurocopter EC135 T2 will be transported to the headquarters of the Air Accident Investigation branch in Farnborough, Hampshire. Aftermath: A helicopter rotor blade is lifted from the roof of the Clutha Vaults pub in Glasgow . The helicopter's rear rotor blade is lifted from the site on Sunday and the wreckage will be analysed . | David Traill, 51, was piloting a police helicopter when it crashed on Friday .
He was an 'extremely experienced pilot' who won medals for bravery .
The war hero served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the RAF .
The flight lieutenant went on to be an RAF Chinook instructor and may have taught Prince William to fly five years ago .
He was one of nine people known to have died in Friday's helicopter crash . |
71,409 | ca641f6693cd1a501fd40467387d0c021f068a0d | By EDDIE HEARN . It looks likely that Nathan Cleverly will return to Tony Bellew’s backyard for their rematch - and the winner is virtually guaranteed a world title shot. I’m pushing for an announcement next week; the fight was originally scheduled for December 6 but with Kell Brook’s injury, November 29 has been mooted. It looks like it will be in Liverpool and we’re tying up the loose ends now but I’m confident it will happen. Originally, we were going to be in Sheffield which was a neutral venue but now Nathan’s going to be travelling to Liverpool again. Obviously he would prefer it in Cardiff or at a neutral venue but in order to achieve financial targets Liverpool makes most sense. Nathan Cleverly looks set to return to Tony Bellew's backyard in Liverpool for a much-anticipated rematch . Cleverly (right) would prefer to fight in his native Wales but Bellew's (left) Liverpool makes financial sense . You have to take your hat off to Nathan who doesn’t seem fazed by returning to Tony’s city. If a fighter is not fighting at home, he needs to be compensated. Although this is only two or three hours from Nathan’s home, it isn’t Cardiff and we have a unique situation where I promote both fighters. I have a duty to ensure both fighters get the best deal going into this fight which is an interesting scenario. I’m having to deal with both of them so the common sense argument is applied which is that if you’re at home you should take less than you’d get if you’re fighting away. That dynamic applies to all fighters, particularly at world level. We have already agreed with Kalle Sauerland that the winner will face Marco Huck for the WBO world title and they’re also happy for the winner, and maybe even the loser, to fight Pablo Hernandez for the IBF title. Whilst the fight will carry eliminator status, it’s actually more powerful than that because terms have virtually been agreed with the champion for the winner. Both men want the fight badly; Tony in particular. He lost the first fight so he wants to settle the score. Nathan doesn’t like Tony and wants to knock him out. It’s great to be involved in a fight where there is so much on the line. Cleverly and Bellew facing off ahead of their 2011 bout, which the Welshman won by unanimous decision . The one trend in my conversations with them is that they want to knock each other out, they don’t want to win on points. Nathan said he’s already beaten him on points now he wants to take him out inside the distance and Tony wants to flatten him, quite honestly. He’s a fighter who would be disappointed with a points decision. I think we’ll have a different type of fight to the first one, which was a great fight but at times it was strategic and technical. This one will be about emotion, ego and will to win. I’m very fond of both fighters. This is the first time I’ve made a fight at this level where ive promoted both fighters. It is difficult but I’ve told them both that it’s a great fight and may the best man win. Whatever happens, there’s a future for both of them in the division but obviously the winner will go on and do big things. It was another spectacular performance from Scott Quigg last weekend and quite frankly the time is now for the Carl Frampton fight. People have always said it would be great if one of them could pick up a world title, or both could have world titles, well now there’s no excuse. They are both world champions and it’s really the only fight that people want to see either of them in. Scott Quigg (left) impressed in his third round knockout of Stephane Jamoye last weekend . Quigg retained his WBA World Super Bantamweight title in the win and Carl Frampton must be next . We are co-promoting Frampton’s mandatory Chris Avalos but we’ve seen from correspondence to the IBF and Top Rank that Carl is injured and will not be able to fulfill his obligation within the stated period. It is likely now the IBF will grant a medical exemption and give him a further 60 days to make the fight. My decision to get involved with Avalos was two fold. One, I feel I can maximize his earning potential through the opportunities and my experience within this market and two it gives me an opportunity to make the Quigg vs Frampton fight next while compensating Avalos accordingly. Frampton has to fight Avalos by December 4 but now that he’s injured, he’ll have to fight him by the end of February. His injury puts more pressure on making the Quigg-Frampton fight because he’s now not expecting to fight Avalos until February or March and I don’t think the British public will wait much longer for that fight. If Frampton is not going to be ready until then, I’ll be looking to get Quigg out again before the end of the year. I’ve already made contact with the McGuigans and requested a meeting to try and look at the opportunities. As I write this, I’m still waiting for a reply. But there are no true obstacles in making this fight, only ego. Carl Frampton won his IBF super-bantamweight world title bout against Kiko Martinez in Belfast . Only ego is preventing a fight between Quigg and Frampton to take place . If we don’t get the opportunity to provide these two great fighters with the biggest pay day of their career, quite frankly both teams should be ashamed with themselves. In terms of the location, the fight will happen wherever it makes most commercial sense. Obviously, we wouldn’t be able to go outside in Belfast until June/July through to August or early September. The biggest indoor arena in Belfast is the Odyssey which holds 9,000 but this fight would quite comfortably fill the Phones4U Arena in Manchester which holds 21,000. My idea of a two-fight deal is purely based on giving both fighters the fight in their home town and, more importantly, the opportunity for them to make huge money twice. It doesn’t have to be two fights but when a financial opportunity like this comes up in the super-bantamweight division, you should be clutching it with both hands. Kell Brook had his staples out this week. Many will have seen in the Sportsmail story the horrific injury that was sustained but Kell is a remarkable healer and is already on his feet. I think we will see him back in the gym by the end of October. When you see an injury like that you wonder whether you’ll ever see him in a ring again but thankfully he’s going to be ok and he’ll be back firing in no time. Floyd Mayweather won again at the weekend and, as usual, everyone in the 147lb division will play the waiting game and try to get their shot. I said around a year ago I didn’t think Floyd would fight Amir Khan in May. He didn’t. I also said he wouldn’t fight Amir in September. He didn’t. I’m now saying he won’t fight Amir next May. Kell Brook is a fantastic healer and on the mend after being stabbed on holiday in Spain . Brook has now had his staples out and is expected back in the gym by the end of October . Now, I understand that everyone wants that fight but there also comes a time when you have to stop hanging around and prostituting yourself for a shot when you have an opportunity to give the British public what they want in a huge all-British clash with Kell Brook for the world title. From our side, we are prepared to go straight into the Khan fight. I spoke to Kell about this and his response was: ‘I’ll beat him with one leg’. We are already making plans for Kell’s return in February or March. If Amir misses the boat and doesn’t get the Mayweather fight he really is in no man’s land in the division. I reiterate my respect for Amir as a fighter. He’s achieved so much in the sport at such a young age but I feel we have an opportunity here to make something really special for British boxing. Perhaps he knows that defeat to Kell Brook may signal the end of his career. Amir Khan has failed to get his fight against Floyd Mayweather so a clash with Brook should be on the cards . We have a number of lightweights in our team who are all looking for that world title shot. Mickey Bey’s surprise win over Miguel Vazquez last weekend has triggered a number of calls from our fightes requesting that fight. I’ve put their names in the mix with Al-Haymon’s team. Richar Abril will defend his WBA world title against Edis Tatli this Saturday. I’m confident that if he comes through, I can deliver the shot for Anthony Crolla later this year. We saw the rematch between Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora announced this week. Although the first fight was disappointing, expect the second to be closer. You have to feel for Fury, he has had three big fights scheduled and on sale over the last year, and all three have failed to materialise. I really hope for his sake, and career, that this one actually happens. The rematch between Tyson Fury (left) and Dereck Chisora (right) is set for November 29 in London . Finally our thoughts and prayers are with Jerome Wilson and his family after he was injured during his fight in Sheffield last Friday. I was at the fight and the paramedics and doctors reacted within an instant to help him. It’s been amazing to see the boxing community gather to support Jerome. It’s a special sport with special people. | Nathan Cleverly-Tony Bellew II will likely be in Liverpool .
The winner will be all but guaranteed a world title shot .
Scott Quigg vs Carl Frampton is the fight everyone wants for both of them .
Kell Brook will be back in the gym by the end of October .
He wants to fight Amir Khan straight away - Khan won't get Mayweather .
Our lightweights are queuing up to face new IBF champion Mickey Bey .
Our thoughts are with Jerome Wilson who was injured in the ring on Friday . |
169,316 | 6713eeb6d276d78be0d6bdd7224daae67fab301b | Lethargic and jetlagged, Serena Williams decided a coffee might perk her up after losing her first set 6-0 at the Hopman Cup. It did the trick. Williams recovered to beat Flavia Pennetta 0-6, 6-3, 6-0 on a sweltering day in Perth, John Isner followed up with a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (4) win over Fabio Fognini and the American pair combined to win the doubles for a 3-0 win over Italy in Group A on Monday in the international mixed team competition. Williams asks tournament referee Andreas Egli (left) if she can order a coffee after losing the first set 6-0 . Williams laughs as she asks the umpire if it is within the rules to drink a coffee during her match . Referee Egli arrives with the coffee and gives it to a ball girl to take it over to Williams . The ball girl hands the coffee over to Williams during a change of ends . Williams takes a drink from her coffee and recovers to claim victory in her Hopman Cup match . This is not the first time that tennis players have had a thirst or taste for something unconventional in the middle of a match. During a five-set marathon in the 2013 Australian Open third round, Frenchman Gael Monfils was drinking a can of Coca Cola at the change of ends, while his compatriot Gilles Simon asked the umpire for chocolate. There are no rules against it. Williams later joked it was 'miracle coffee.' The top-ranked Williams laughed loudly as she checked with the chair umpire and then with the tournament referee about the coffee before a ball girl served her the brew on court. 'I was just feeling it, so I just had to get some coffee into me,' Williams said. 'I just asked them to get me a shot of espresso - I asked them if it was legal, because I've never done it before. I needed to wake up.' The 18-time major winner said the round-robin nature of the Hopman Cup took some pressure off her ahead of the Australian Open later this month, and she was also heeding some advice from her father, Richard. Williams hits a forehand during her Hopman Cup victory against Flavia Pennetta in Perth . Williams (left) later teamed up with compatriot John Isner to claim victory in the mixed doubles . Williams sits alongside coach Patrick Mouratoglou during Isner's singles match against Fabio Fognini . 'My dad says, `Serena, you've done everything, enjoy yourself, I promise you'll play better,'' Williams was quoted as saying after the match. 'So I'm like, `OK'. I'm trying to relax a bit more and play how I know I can play.' The roof was closed to cool the venue in Perth, where temperatures topped 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday, the city's hottest day since 1991. | Serena Williams ordered an espresso after losing the first set 6-0 .
The world No 1 recovered to beat Flavia Pennetta in the Hopman Cup .
Williams later teamed up with John Isner in the doubles to record a 3-0 win for USA against Italy . |
224,943 | af44c8656aa9240a863a55d6af5e04e5d73d0257 | Scot Young, pictured with former girlfriend Noelle Reno, left an NHS mental health facility hours before he fell to his death from a flat . Doctors face an inquiry into the death of tycoon Scot Young after it emerged he left an NHS mental health facility just hours before he fell 60ft from a flat. Mr Young, 52, who was involved in one of Britain’s most notorious divorce cases, landed on metal railings outside a £3million apartment earlier this month. It has emerged that he had admitted himself to the NHS Gordon Hospital in central London on December 5. The facility specialises in treating the most severe mental health problems and its website says it only admits patients who are ‘in an acute phase of a serious mental illness’. But Mr Young walked out on December 8 and was dead hours later, after showing up at his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and warning he was going to jump. Health workers were obliged to contact him within 24 hours for a check-up, but he was dead by the time they called. Doctors were accused of failing Mr Young, who had twice previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and was taking prescription medication for bipolar disorder. His family is furious that he was allowed to leave the facility when he was apparently acting ‘manic’ and ‘crazy’. But as Mr Young had not been sectioned, hospital staff could not force him to stay. The NHS has begun an investigation to find out why he was discharged. James Creed, one of Mr Young’s closest friends, said: ‘He was in a mental home. He was in the same place two years ago, it’s a horrible place. He called me when he was there, every day. Then he called me on the Monday and said he was coming out. I don’t know why.’ Mr Young, a former fixer to the super rich, was found impaled on railings outside a flat in Montagu Square, Marylebone. He was one of Britain’s wealthiest men, with a fortune of up to £2billion, luxury properties in Surrey, Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Miami, a collection of supercars and a private jet. But he became embroiled in one of the most high profile divorces ever seen in the UK, with former wife Michelle, 50, accusing him of hiding millions from her and their two daughters. He claimed he had lost all his money in a Russian property deal but she demanded £300million, saying he was worth ‘a few billion’. Scroll down for video . The tycoon was killed after falling 60ft from his multi-million pound apartment onto metal railings (pictured) Doctors were accused of failing Mr Young, who had twice previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and was taking prescription medication for bipolar disorder . The businessman, a friend of Topshop mogul Sir Philip Green and late Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, was last November ordered to pay her £20million, plus £6million in legal costs. He was also jailed for refusing to reveal how much money he was worth. After his release, Mr Young became engaged to 31-year-old American fashion designer and TV presenter Noelle Reno. She was a star of the Bravo reality show Ladies of London. But he was apparently drinking heavily and using cocaine, and she split up with him a few months ago. When Miss Reno arrived home on December 8, she found him inside apparently ‘manic, crazy and probably high’ and she demanded he leave, friends said. She allegedly walked out and called the police to remove him, while he phoned her, saying he was going to jump out of the window. By the time police arrived, he was dead. Mr Young previously claimed he had been followed by private detectives hired by his ex-wife. ‘In the condition I am in, paranoia can manifest in many ways, especially when you have eight people following you,’ he said. ‘I spent 14 days in hospital under the Mental Health Act … It was not a nice experience.’ Young had admitted himself to the NHS Gordon Hospital (pictured) in central London, but walked out on the day of his death . Police insist Mr Young’s death is not being treated as suspicious but there has been much speculation, including claims he was linked to the notorious Adams crime family. Friends also claimed he was targeted by Russian mafia who had previously dangled him out of a window at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane. One said he was the fifth member of a ‘ring of death’ – five friends who have died in unusual circumstances in recent years – including TV star Trinny Woodall’s ex-husband Johnny Elichaoff, millionaire property tycoon Robert Curtis, who dated model Caprice, entrepreneur Paul Castle and Mr Berezovsky. An inquest into Mr Young’s death was adjourned on Tuesday and will resume next month. A spokesman for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘We are also investigating his care and his mutually agreed discharge from the ward to home.’ The Russian exile who fled for Britain fearing for his life . Oligarch Boris Berezovsky was found dead in the bathroom of his Berkshire home in March last year – after fleeing Russia fearing for his life. The 67-year-old businessman amassed a huge fortune after the Soviet Union collapsed and state assets were privatised. But after a high profile falling out with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he was granted political asylum in the UK in 2003. During his life, Mr Berezovsky survived many assassination attempts, including a bomb which decapitated his chauffeur. In 2012, he lost a £3 billion damages claim against Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich in 2012, after which he told family members he feared he had been poisoned. Mr Berezovsky was also one of the investors who, alongside Scot Young, lost a lot of money in a mysterious property deal in Russia named ‘Project Moscow’. In March, he was found hanged by a scarf and police investigated possible foul play. It was later declared that there had been no sign of a struggle – even though an expert speaking at the inquest into his death said he could not have killed himself. Professor Bernd Brinkmann, who deals with hanging and asphyxiation cases, claimed the marks on the oligarch’s neck indicated he had been killed. Mr Berezovsky was more likely to have been strangled by someone else and then hanged from the shower rail in the bathroom, he said. His daughter Elizaveta Berezovskaya told the inquest she feared he was assassinated for warning that Mr Putin was a ‘danger to the world’. Trinny’s Woodall's ex who friends 'cannot comprehend' would kill himself . Financial adviser Johnny Elichaoff, who used to be married to TV presenter Trinny Woodall, died last month after falling from the roof of a London shopping centre. The 55-year-old was a drummer and managed rock bands such as Fairground Attraction before getting involved in business. He became friendly with Scot Young through his work as a financial advisor but had also hit hard times – first divorcing his TV presenter wife in 2009, before more recently being forced to sell his businesses. Just weeks before his death at Whiteleys shopping centre in west London, he had been talked down from the same roof. Friends said they were devastated, but could not comprehend that he would have wanted to take his own life. The tycoon who dated Caprice but lost it all and fell under Tube train . Millionaire property tycoon Robert Curtis is another friend of Young’s who was killed in recent years. The 47-year-old businessman, who used to date model Caprice, died after being hit by a train in North West London two years ago. He had made his money in the 2000s alongside Mr Young in the London property market and was known for his lavish lifestyle, expensive cars and designer wardrobe. At the height of his success, he was the director of 15 firms and worked from an office in upmarket St John’s Wood, near Lord’s cricket ground, while being chauffeured in a Rolls Royce with a personalised number plate. The money suddenly dried up in recent years, though, and he faced huge debts. All but one of his companies folded. Before his death, the father-of-one had moved out of home and was living in a Travelodge hotel in Whetstone, North London. He had £25 cash in his pocket when he was killed by a southbound Jubilee Line train at Kingsbury station in North West London. The polo fan who played with Prince Charles and died near his London office . Entrepreneur Paul Castle also died after being hit by a Tube train. The tycoon, 54, had come from little money and had few qualifications but managed to make a fortune in property and flew between homes in the UK, France and Switzerland in his private plane. Mixing with elite crowds, he boasted of playing polo with Prince Charles and was photographed shaking hands with the Queen after the match. The father-of-two had been married three times and was due to marry his fourth wife but was apparently hit badly by the recession. Mr Castle, who is said to have socialised with Mr Young at London’s exclusive Cipriani restaurant, was killed in 2010. He was found under a carriage at Bond Street, near his London office. The lawyer who foresaw his death days before fatal helicopter crash . High-flying lawyer Stephen Curtis was killed in a mysterious helicopter crash near Bournemouth in 2004. Mr Curtis, said to have been worth £100million, told a friend just a week before he died: 'If anything happens to me in the next few weeks, it will not be an accident.' Scotland Yard said there were no suspicious circumstances at the time and referred the deaths of Mr Curtis and pilot Max Radford, 34, to a coroner, who ruled he lost his bearings in torrid weather. But the family of Mr Radford say Russian oligarchs were behind the crash which killed the pair. Mr Radford's mother, Gloria, 72, said: 'It was no pilot error - that is balderdash.' Father-of-one Mr Curtis, 45, is said to have lost much of his fortune after investing in Project Moscow. | Scot Young left a mental hospital hours before he fell 60ft from a flat .
Doctors face inquiry for letting the tycoon, 52, walk out of the facility .
Staff were obliged to call him within 24 hours but by then he was dead .
Young was apparently acting ‘manic’ and ‘crazy’ when he left the hospital .
He was one of Britain’s wealthiest men, with a fortune of up to £2billion .
Police insist Mr Young’s death is not being treated as suspicious .
But friends say former fixer to super rich was targeted by Russian mafia . |
270,916 | eaea980d64884048d21d035cf2ab3497ac9c7d1d | A newly discovered and often deadly virus related to one that causes the common cold has struck another victim, this time in France. A man hospitalized in April is infected with the novel coronavirus, France's Health Ministry said Thursday. The NCoV virus was recently found for the first time in humans and scattered cases have occurred across parts of the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia. It has proved deadly in more than half of the confirmed cases so far, according to the World Health Organization. Of 31 people with confirmed infections, at least 18 have died. But infectious disease specialists believe the virus is very difficult to catch. The newly infected man is the first confirmed infection in France, the Health Ministry said. He had recently returned from travel to the United Arab Emirates, which is on the Arabian Peninsula. Identifying the source of the man's ailment took time, the ministry said. France's Pasteur Institute confirmed the case Wednesday. The Health Ministry is seeking anyone who may have had contact with the patient. NCoV, like some common colds, is also caused by a coronavirus. And like a cold, it attacks the respiratory system, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said. But symptoms are severe and can lead to pneumonia and even kidney failure. "Once it gets you, it's a very serious infection," said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. NCoV has also been compared to related coronavirus, the one that causes SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which appears to have been contained in 2004, according to the CDC. Although its discovery in humans is new, NCoV would seem potentially deadlier, when contracted, than SARS. Of the some 8,000 verified cases of SARS, fewer than 800 people -- less than one-tenth of those infected -- died. | Out of 31 confirmed cases of infection, the NCoV virus has killed at least 18 people .
The virus is related to one that causes the common cold, also a coronavirus .
NCoV has been compared to SARS, which killed about 10% of its confirmed victims . |
143,959 | 462ad9edf04a6776fb6825fbb568b0406a556e72 | It was a sad day in the clown world when a "clown" at the Missouri State Fair put on a mask in the likeness of President Barack Obama and wore a broomstick attached to his behind to perform in a rodeo in America's Heartland. Some would ask: How this is different from late-night pundits making mocking comments about every political person alive? It is different in that it goes against everything a clown stands for and makes fun of our president in a way that is truly offensive on so many levels. As someone who has performed as a "real" clown for 32 years and has taught the craft to hundreds of clowns, I would like the world to know that we have a code of ethics that we adhere to so that our life of making the world smile goes on without hurting people. Among the ethics is a ban on "blue humor." This mean no sexual or racial humor. The joke always needs to be on us and never on an audience member. If someone is offended or made the "victim" of a joke, it is totally against what the clown community would consider funny. So what is this clown community and where do I get these ethics? One of the main international clown organizations based in the United States is Clowns of America, International. We are 3,000 members strong and are organized into clown "alleys," groups that perform together. As part of our training, and really the training of most clowns, we have a strict code of ethics covering such things as drinking while clowning, cleanliness and remaining in character. We take offense at the actions of the rodeo "clown" because we are strictly trained not to offend anyone while "in clown." The individual who took on the role of a clown in Missouri might have made some people laugh, but it was at the expense of so many others. What of the children who were in the audience and being taught to respect our president and government? What of every person in the audience who hates racism? What of the officials of the state of Missouri who are now the focus of national attention in this negative light? Forgive me for taking this forum to air another form of "clown" I find very offensive: the horror clown. In my travels as "Dear Heart" the clown, I encounter many people of all ages who are afraid of clowns. Perhaps some are afraid of anyone who is behind makeup, but most have had the experience of a house of horror where a person dressed as a clown has frightened them and, in doing so, has robbed them of fun and playful experiences for life. Being a "real clown" takes training, money and a lot of time. We each develop a character that is an extension of ourselves. Real clowns have clown hearts long before we put on makeup. Our goal is to make the world a happier place. One part of our national organization, Red Nose Response, allows clowns go to places where there have been disasters and pitch in -- helping to distribute needed supplies but also helping to keep the spirits of people up. I am most proud when I come home having given a balloon flower to an elderly person who responds with a big smile or having taught a child who is in a hospital long-term the basics of juggling. And so what is there that I have described about "real clowns" that applies to the Missouri rodeo performer? Absolutely nothing. As for the people in Texas who have said he would be welcome to perform there: Please think about that and what you are really doing. I believe that people today desperately need a reason to smile and a chance to forget their troubles for a moment and laugh. These laughs are most cherished if they are only for fun and do not offend or hurt another human being. | Judy Quest: Offensive act by "clown" at Missouri fair mocked Obama; this is not real clowning .
Quest, a clown for 32 years, says clown ethics discourage hurtful, racist, sexual humor .
She says rodeo clown sent bad message to children in crowd about respect for president .
Quest: Clowns are meant to bring happiness, not hurt . |
28,741 | 5198785a5ef849b5c09815ff4a66e279c5534a81 | When three-year-old Cain Trainor disappeared on his first day at nursery, his distraught mother Gemma feared the worst. She dashed to the school to be met by tearful staff. Her panic grew, until a neighbour phoned to say Cain was safe – he was waiting for her on the doorstep after walking the one and a half miles home. Incredibly, although he hardly knew the way, he had completed the 40-minute journey alone along nine streets, a cycle path and woodland, crossing a stream on what is known locally as the Devil’s Bridge route. Scroll down for video . Cain Trainor (pictured with mother, Gemma) went missing from nursery and walked 1.5 miles home . He had remembered to cross the road – with a group of children – where there was a lollipop lady and had even popped into a supermarket to check if his mother was there buying milk. Mrs Trainor, 32, says she is not angry with her ‘lively little monkey’ and was reassured when he said he remembered her advice not to talk to strangers. She described how she experienced the ‘worst moment of my life’ hours after leaving her son on his first day at the Little Owls playgroup in Middlesbrough. Cain went missing at 3.20pm as he and his class were being transferred from the nursery to the after-school session on the same site at Newham Bridge Primary School. He walked the route dubbed 'Devil's Bridge', which is made up of cycle paths, woods and roads he barely knew (pictured, he re-walks the route) Three-year-old Cain disappeared at the end of the day as staff were taking him to the after-school club . Mrs Trainor, who works for a housing charity, said she had no reception on her phone at work. Once outside, she saw the school and Little Owls had tried several times to call her, so she rang them. ‘They started the conversation with something like, “I don’t want to worry you, but we seem to have lost Cain”,’ she said. ‘I felt sick – there aren’t words to describe that feeling of something terrible happening.’ She dashed to the school in ‘total panic’ and was met by distraught staff. ‘When I got there, they were all in tears. The headteacher came running over, saying they didn’t know what had happened. Cain walked the 1.5 mile route through woodland and roads he barely knew from his nursery on Cayton Drive to his home in Saltersgill, Middlesbrough . ‘Then within seconds, I got a phone call from my next-door neighbour saying Cain had arrived home. I burst into tears with relief. That night, I couldn’t sleep. I just kept thinking of what could have happened.’ Yesterday Cain explained his journey home, saying: ‘I walked past the lollipop lady and she went on to the road and stopped all the cars and then I went over the road and down an alley and came home.’ He was vaguely familiar with part of the route, having used it during summer bike rides with his father Ross, a maintenance engineer. His mother says that she will continue to send him to the nursery despite the incident, which made her 'feel sick' Little Owls playgroup has apologised and said it will be putting a tighter procedures in place and will work with Ofsted and Middlesbrough Council to ensure it has the 'best practices in place' Mrs Trainor said: ‘As far as Cain was concerned he had done everything right and been very safe and responsible. 'He didn’t realise that everyone around him was going frantic. In a funny way, I’m quite proud that he managed to find his way home.’ Cain will continue to attend Little Owls after his mother was reassured by its response to the drama, which unfolded a fortnight ago. Playgroup manager Kate Murphy said Cain’s family had been ‘understanding’. It is tightening its procedures. | Cain Trainor went missing from Little Owls playgroup in Middlesbrough .
It happened during the cross-over between nursery and after school-club .
His mother Gemma was called by staff and told 'we seem to have lost Cain'
She raced to nursery but a neighbour called soon after to say he'd arrived .
He had only joined the nursery that day and had found his way home alone .
Little Owls has apologised and said it will put tighter procedures in place . |
220,545 | a978b6d225ecc8d47eb097b5271f085de527bba1 | A man who strangled his elderly neighbour before hiding her body under a wheelbarrow after she rejected his sexual advances has been found guilty of murder. Patrick Curran, 38, killed widow Joan Roddam, 74, because he was obsessed with 'granny porn' - sexually explicit images of elderly women. Curran, of Delabole, Cornwall, had a 'raised libido' when he went to the home of the pensioner, who was a friend of his mother. Patrick Curran (left), 38, killed widow Joan Roddam (right), 74, because he was obsessed with 'granny porn' - sexually explicit images of elderly women . But when she rejected his advances he killed her and buried her body under a wheelbarrow and a blanket in a field behind her house. Pornographic material, depicting women in their 70s or older having sex with men in their 20s, was found on a computer seized from Curran's home two years later. He has now been convicted, at Truro Crown Court, of murdering Mrs Roddam on November 8, 2003. The loner was arrested after a cold case review last year led to a DNA breakthrough. Curran refused to attend any of the proceedings and wouldn't even leave his cell - so he was not represented in court. He will be sentenced at a later date. Judge Graham Cottle told the jury: 'I told you the truth from the very start because I did not want you to think this man had run away. Curran buried Mrs Roddam's body under a wheelbarrow and a blanket in a field behind her house in Delabole, Cornwall . 'He is still in Exeter prison, on a daily basis he has been given the opportunity to come here but on every day he has declined that opportunity. We have done what we can to engage him in this process.' The trial heard that DNA from a bloodstain on the blanket used to cover Mrs Roddam was 'one billion times' more likely to belong to Curran than another man. The jury was also told the motive of his visit was likely to be strong sexual interest in older woman that saw him visit 151 'granny porn' websites on his computer and download more than 100 images of semi-naked women aged 60 to 80. Simon Laws QC, prosecuting, previously said Curran was hoping for sex when he visited Mrs Roddam, who lived alone with three cats. Mr Laws told the jury: 'Here is a dead woman of an age group that he found sexually attractive, covered by a blanket that had his DNA on it. 'He can only say that all of this has happened by chance, that it is all nothing but sheer bad luck. 'The prosecution say to you, simply nobody could be so unfortunate.' The prosecution said Curran also burnt significant items including jeans and a hard drive to remove any trace he was there. Curran's father had rung emergency services in the run up to the killing because he was concerned about how 'distressed' his son was. One of the three doctors who examined Curran, then 27, told the jury that at the time he was 'concerned' about Curran's mental wellbeing. He will be sentenced at Truro Crown Court on January 27. Aine Rendell, the great niece of Joan Roddam, made a statement on behalf of the family. She said: 'We still find it difficult even after all these years to come to terms with the fact that Joan was murdered by somebody that she knew and trusted. 'Patrick is the son of Margaret Curran who cared for Frank, Joan's husband, before he died. 'Margaret remained a friend of Joan's after Frank's death and it has been hard for us to accept why somebody so close to Joan could have killed her. 'During the trial we have heard details about Joan's death that have shocked us. Joan did not deserve to die in these circumstances. Mrs Roddam's killer was finally arrested after a cold case review last year led to a DNA breakthrough . 'We cannot understand why Patrick Curran did not come to court to defend himself and face us as a family. 'We are glad that finally today justice has been served.' Following the verdict, the Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Stuart Ellis said: 'The murder of Joan Roddam occurred some 11 years ago. 'Since that time her family and the community in which she lived has had to deal with this tragedy and all its consequences. 'I hope that the conviction of Patrick Curran now, will in some way bring comfort and reassurance to all those who have been affected.' | Patrick Curran murdered Joan Roddam at her home in Delabole, Cornwall .
38-year-old was obsessed with sexually explicit images of elderly women .
Had a 'raised libido' when he went to her home but she rejected advances .
Killing happened in 2003 but he was arrested after cold case review in 2014 .
Court was told blanket covering Mrs Roddam's body 'had his DNA on it'
Curran claimed this was 'by chance' and 'sheer bad luck', the court heard .
Police found stash of 'granny porn' on Curran's computer at his home .
He refused to attend any of the proceedings and wouldn't leave his cell . |
145,076 | 47a2ae9a6323859cb83a473efe3e679efb82bd7d | Former Manchester United trio Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Phil Neville were in attendance as they saw their promotion chasing Salford City side beaten 3-1 by Brighouse Town. The club's part owners were probably hoping the game would take their mind off of Manchester United’s embarrassing draw with Cambridge on Friday night, but they went home disappointed. Paul Scholes (middle) leans over to grab the ball as the part owner watches his side . An enthralled Phillip Neville and Scholes look on as they watch their promotion hopefuls play . Two red cards didn't help the away side’s cause as a bumper crowd of 515 turned up to watch the Evo-Stik NPL Division One game, with many hoping to catch a glimpse of the ex-United stars. Man United legend Scholes criticised selfie stars earlier in the week. But the former England midfielder and co were only too happy to give the fans what they wanted as they posed for pictures and spoke with interested fans. Neville Neville and son Gary talk football as Salford City were beaten 3-1 by Brighouse Town . Even Neville Neville, Gary and Phil’s father, was in attendance but it was a far cry from what he would've seen when watching his own children play in their glory days. The club’s part owners have high hopes of guiding Salford through the non-League pyramid system, but the disappointing defeat will have disrupted their plans. Phil Neville speaks to fans while Paul Scholes poses for a selfie with another football lover . Scholes (middle) reacts as he watches his Salford City side get turned over by Brighouse Town . | Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Phillip Neville are part owners of the club .
Salford City had two players sent off and lost 3-1 to Brighouse Town .
Nicky Butt also has shares in the Evo-Stick NPL Division One side .
The quartet are hoping to see Salford rise through the non-League pyramid . |
231,881 | b83b65f63aaf5e2fe477a70b96120c84c12bebf8 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 03:45 EST, 24 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:50 EST, 24 April 2013 . Emma Bridgewater at home in Oxford . Quintessentially British pottery designer Emma Bridgewater has revealed how in her darkest moments - following the horse-riding accident that left her mother severely brain-damaged aged 53 - she would go to the cinema alone and drink neat vodka to numb the pain. The mother-of-four, whose pretty polka-dot teapots and plates speckled with little pink hearts are stocked in middle class kitchens all over the country, says she used the fiction of film and theatre as an escape. Speaking in a new book by ad-man Charles Vallance titled The Branded Gentry: How A New Era of Entrepreneurs Made Their Names, Bridgewater - who founded her eponymous earthenware company based in Stoke-on-Trent in 1985, and in 2011 turned over £15m of profit -says: 'I've built a switch-off mechanism, otherwise I'm not sure I'd have survived. 'I can remember the horror of sleepless nights I've had. Sometimes, you have to sort of use an escape like fiction; theatre is very good; cinema is brilliant; cinema and alcohol are very, very effective. 'I can remember going to see Gosford Park, at a very hard time, sitting in the front row having had two large vodkas, feeling absolutely no pain at all.' Bridgewater, 51, who was one of eight siblings and now has Elizabeth, Kitty, Margaret and Michael with designer husband Matthew Rice, continues: 'I think a tragedy like this fires you up. I don't exactly understand why, but in some strange, probably quite simple way, what you're doing in your career, you're doing it for her. 'It's often unfocused and there can be anger, but there's a real longing to put it right - even though you can't really.' Bridgewater discusses the stress of having to put her mother into care while juggling two young children and a business, and how when she turned 40 she was on the verge of a breakdown. Emma Bridgewater began designing earthenware when she was looking for a birthday present for her mother but couldn't find any designs she liked . She says: 'Whatever it was, I was . exhausted. And I started finding the work pretty ghastly... And lonely. But then you think that it's very selfish on the other people who are . struggling for me to be failing on not one, but two counts: the business . isn't growing and I'm personally finding it exhausting as well. 'You feel there must be something . very badly wrong with you personally. You've got to be ready to admit . that things have to give. It's a little bit like making your house look . impeccable for a magazine, which I've always been very careful not to . do. 'You can make yourself extremely . miserable trying to do everything perfectly. No one is perfect, but . women get forced into thinking they have to be.' Emma Bridgewater at her pop-up Shop in the Fulham Road in London . Bridgewater developed rheumatoid arthritis which left her incapacitated, and was told she would only rid herself of it when she cut the stress out of her life, so Matthew began helping wit0 the company's administrative work. 'I think he'd seen how tough it had been for me,' she says. 'But it . turned out that he could do it just as well as me; better in fact. I'd . tripled the size of the business and then he more than doubled.' Explaining how her childhood influence her business, Bridgewater says: 'I think that the brand is very informal and I think that, luckily, I am as well. 'I think it's what my mum was. Mum's influence is very pervasive; strangely, probably more in the business than in my family life. 'I feel that I'm trying to capture the spirit of what she made my home life like as a child; what was unusual and special about it. And then turn that into a business. It’s a strange thing to want to do really, isn't it? 'Mum is still alive, so I can't mourn her because she's alive, but I want to explain her. I sort of feel that when we get this business right - in any aspect of the business - it's explaining her and what she stood for. And that feels very necessary - strangely.' An Emma Bridgewater personalised teapot, £50, left, and an oven design she did for Aga, £9,999 . Nice Dream Pink & Blue Boxed Set, £32 . MONEY . 'Although my parents and stepfather . were always generous, I think I inherited a bit of angst about money . from my grandparents: not having quite enough, living tight, feeling . worried. However, once you start to make what once might have seemed a . lot of money, it brings its own new set of hideous responsibilities. In . Matthew and I, you just couldn't find a couple who have less desire to . stay in fancy resorts or hotels or drive fast cars. For him, money means . land to do something beautiful with; to me, it's about trying to make . some lovely things happen here. And do funny things: like, I have a . sister with learning difficulties and it's her birthday next week, so . I'm hiring a pink stretch Limo to collect her and take her to the . circus. I just like to do stupid things like that. It only cost a few . hundred quid, but it's what mum couldn't have done because she was . always careful with money.' BRITISH DESIGN . 'In this country, we're still not . training enough engineers or investing enough in design and we're being . overlapped by the rest of the world. If I had my way, I'd like all . children to go round factories while still at primary school. We do . bring quite a few in here, but not enough.' HER NEW PROJECT . 'We've bought the site of Bampton . Castle, but all that's left is a shard and ruins. It's a beautiful place . in a lovely, funny, mad village, obsessed with Morris dancing. I've . increasingly realised, when you lift the carpet of Metropolitan . silliness, even in the soft South of England, that there's still lots of . real life going on in Britain, and this is an example; another really . strange and interesting connection we've been able to make with a very . rural community.' Extracted from The Branded Gentry: How A New Era of Entrepreneurs Made Their Names by Charles Vallance, founder of Compare the Market ad agency VCCP, and David Hopper (Elliott & Thompson, £20) | Her Stoke-on-Trent-based company was founded in 1985 .
Turned over £30,000 in first year, and in 2011 figure reached £15m .
There are now 265 staff, making 25,000 hand-decorated .
items every wee .
Mother had accident aged 53 and now lives in care .
'Mum is still alive, so I can't mourn her - but I want to explain her' |
242,869 | c6580cad4ac369e5867bd6a717eb42aa6b753776 | Dignitaries gathered on Flanders Fields today for the unveiling of a monument to the famous Christmas Truce football matches between British and German soldiers during the First World War. Football Association chairman Greg Dyke joined Uefa president Michel Platini and national and local political figures for the unveiling of the football-themed monument. A century ago on Christmas Day, German and British enemies left their trenches and headed into No Man's Land in a few scattered locations on the Western Front for an unofficial truce. Famous: Re-enactors stand behind a newly unveiled World War I Christmas Truce monument in Ploegsteert, Belgium after it was unveiled, by UEFA President Michel Platini and the Mayor of Ploegsteert Gilbert Deleu . A group of re-enactors dressed in World War I German uniforms stand in attendance at the unveiling . The event was a tribute to the German and British soldiers who left their trenches and headed into No Man's Land for an unofficial truce on Christmas Day a century ago. Pictured are re-enactors during the ceremony . Chris Barker, a 10th Essex Regiment Great War Living History Group member, is pictured at the UEFA football monument in Ploegsteert, Belgium . The football-themed monument commemorates soldiers who took part in a spontaneous truce, including friendly football matches, on some sites of the front line during the first Christmas of the First World War . The beautiful game: Football Association chairman Greg Dyke joined Uefa president Michel Platini and national and local political figures for the unveiling of the football-themed monument . 10th Essex Regiment Great War Living History Group member Chris Barker walks past the monument . Poignant: Wreaths and footballs and football-related mementoes lie next to the monument . They shared greetings, treats, mementoes and a game of football during the unofficial ceasefire. Germans placed trees illuminated with candles on the parapet of their trenches and sang Christmas carols as the war raged on nearby. Troops from both camps were able to bury their dead who had fallen in No Man's Land, repair their trenches and share cigars during the temporary ceasefire. For those involved, it was most of all a yearning for a sense of normality, however momentarily, that pushed them over the edge of their trenches, unarmed. 'Suddenly a Tommy came with a football,' wrote Lieutenant Johannes Niemann of Germany, referring to a British soldier. 'Teams were quickly established for a match on the frozen mud, and the Fritzes beat the Tommies 3-2.' If not fully-fledged matches, other soldier's diaries and various reports also spoke of balls being kicked about in friendship. 'A huge crowd was between the trenches. Someone produced a little rubber ball so of course a football match started,' wrote Lieutenant Charles Brockbank of the British Cheshire Regiment in his diary, which is part of 'The Greater Game' exhibit at the National Football Museum in Manchester. The proponents of the sport have cherished that day as historic proof that there is little that can better bridge man's differences than football. Solemnity: UEFA President Michel Platini, centre left, and the Mayor of Ploegsteert Gilbert Deleu, centre right, prepare to unveil the First World War Christmas Truce monument earlier today . The big moment: The officials lift a Uefa flag to reveal the simple monument . Waiting crowds: A wide shot shows the spectators gathered to watch the unveiling of the monument . Big smiles: Mr Platini and Mayor Deleu look very pleased with themselves after unveiling the monument . Paying respects: The pair place flowers and a football at its base in memory of the soldiers who played . Mr Platini, right, watches young children leave footballs and other mementos at a newly unveiled monument . Despite fraternisation with the enemy being punishable, the truce was maintained into January 1915, with many testimonies of the lull reported in letters by soldiers to their families. Soldiers ignored war and celebrated Christmas in peace along several places on the front line, including at Ploegsteert Wood, Comines-Warneton, known as Plugstreet to the British. In Ploegsteert, Mr Platini addressed a remembrance ceremony before inaugurating a monument in a muddy field at Warneton alongside local mayor Gilbert Deleu. Platini said: 'This remembrance ceremony pays tribute to the soldiers who expressed, a hundred years ago, their humanity by playing football together. 'They have opened an important chapter in the construction of the European community and gave example for today's young generations.' Christmas truce: German and British soldiers stand together on the battlefield near Ploegsteert, Belgium, in December 1914. Today Uefa president Michael Platini will unveil a monument to the unofficial truce, which was marked by friendly football matches and kickabouts between the sides on the Western Front battlefields . It is hoped the inauguration of the monument, close to British and German trenches, will remind young generations of the major role sport has played in the world's history. Eckart Cuntz, Germany's ambassador to Belgium, said: 'The message from here was that human beings, if they want to stop killing each other, they can do it. 'Of course, the superiors didn't like it but on some places of the front, (the truce) lasted until even the new year.' He added: 'Those who were called the enemies, sometimes monsters, they were human beings. Celebrating Christmas together, singing Silent Night, and after that, here in Ploegsteert, it was a British soldier who had as a Christmas gift a football and suggested a football . Until now, this unique event had been marked by nothing more than a simple wooden cross on the side of a windswept field filled with scorpion weed. At its base, amid wreaths of poppies, lie a smattering of balls and various club pennants, all in remembrance of the Christmas Truce of 1914. Lest we forget: Footballs and other mementoes lie beneath the 'Christmas Truce' cross in St Yvon, Belgium, which was erected in 1999 to remember the football matches played in the no man's land of northern Europe . 'Someone produced a little rubber ball so of course a football match started': The diary of First World War soldier Lieutenant Charles Brockbank, in which he details a football game that took place during the truce . Re-enactors in First World War uniforms kick a football around during half time of a Christmas Truce match in August between British team Newark Town FC and German team Emmendingen in Messines, Belgium . The war had begun on August 4 when the German invasion of Belgium kicked off a series of events which quickly pit the German and Austro-Hungarian empires against Britain, France, Russia and several allies. Germany swept into most of Belgium and northern France and even threatened Paris before the frontline was settled. Armies entrenched themselves for most of the next four years. At the time, though, the prevailing expectation on both sides had been to be home for Christmas. When that didn't happen, an early sense of euphoria quickly made way for unrelenting gloom. It set the stage for the Christmas truce and those magic kickabouts. Football players themselves had been involved in the fighting from the early days. Of the 5,000 professional players at the time, about 2,000 joined the armed forces. Sometimes whole line-ups signed up at the same time to create what became known as the Footballers' Battalions. Peace Game: An organiser holds a period-style football prior to the start of the Christmas Truce Peace Game football match in Belgium in August . London club Clapton Orient, now known as Leyton Orient, alone had about 40 players and staff joining the war effort, all following the steps of their team captain. Scotland's top team at the time, Edinburgh club Hearts, had its whole team join the British army one month ahead of that Christmas, a move which inspired others to join, Peter Francis of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission said. Christmas truce or not, seven members of that team were killed in the war. One of the first footballers killed in the war was Larrett Roebuck, a Huddersfield defender. After playing for his team in a 1-0 victory at Leicester Fosse early in the 1914-15 season, he left for the Western Front and was killed in action on the eve of the first Battle for Ypres, a few miles from that patch of land in Ploegsteert. 'The story is that he set off running across the field with the machine guns going,' said Roebuck's grandson, Frank Wood. 'His friend saw him go down but he couldn't stop to help him. With the fight like that, you couldn't stop.' In the week leading up to today's event, teams posed for combined photographs ahead of matches as part of Football Remembers to mark the truce. The Football Remembers programme is being carried out by the Premier League, the FA, the Football League and British Council and includes work with schools across the UK. Ken Skates, Wales's deputy minister for culture, sport and tourism, said: 'A century ago when war was so frequent, something magical happened. 'Through Christmas spirit, the sound of war was silenced and soldiers from opposing sides laid down their weapons and exchanged photographs and gifts. 'One of the most remarkable moments in our history was united by a common interest - in football.' Tomorrow the Duke of Cambridge will attend the Football Remembers Memorial dedication honouring the Christmas story at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. William, the FA's president, chose the design for the memorial, by 10-year-old Spencer Turner from Newcastle, with England and Arsenal player Theo Walcott. Next week, British Army footballers will take on their German counterparts in a match called the Game of Truce at Aldershot Town's stadium in Hampshire - a town with close military links. Research released by the British Council this year found that the Christmas truce was one of the most recognised moments of the First World War, with more than two-thirds of UK adults aware of it. Memories of the truce have recently been revived in the Sainsbury's Christmas television advert in which a moment of friendship is shared between a British soldier and a German. The Prime Minister today met with a group of young footballers before they travelled to Belgium to play a match at Ypres. The youngsters and Premier League representatives met David Cameron outside his home at Number 10 Downing Street early this morning. Mr Cameron brandished a period-style leather football as he spoke with the youngsters at the door to Number 10, before the players lined up for a group photo. | On Christmas Day 1914, British and German soldiers held unofficial truce .
In a few scattered locations on the front lines they played football matches .
Currently the famous games are remembered by a simple cross in Belgium . |
256,048 | d7732cf404165d1b2f86df5ead56b51a0bcd8b19 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:22 EST, 23 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:47 EST, 24 August 2012 . A teenager who was given just weeks to live at the age of four is celebrating after gaining an impressive 12 GCSEs. Kirsty Howard, 16, from Manchester, was born with her heart back-to-front - a condition so rare it did not even have a name. Her parents were told she had only six weeks to live. But the youngster, who has led a campaign . to raise £5 million for Francis House Children’s Hospice in Manchester, . has battled against the odds and is today celebrating exam success. Exam joy: Kirsty Howard, who was given just weeks to live at the age of four is celebrating after gaining an impressive 12 GCSEs . Kirsty, a pupil at Newall Green High School in Wythenshawe, said: 'It was scary but it went OK.' Kirsty said she had been out for a celebration lunch after having to spend most of the morning in hospital. The teenager, who still suffers from the rare heart defect which could end her life at any moment, is determined to live life to the full and now intends to go to sixth form college and eventually go on to study Child Care. The teenager has won a host of famous admirers during her lifetime. Kirsty Howard, pictured here in 2009 with the Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, has spent much of her life battling a rare heart defect . Survivor: Kirsty Howard, then aged six, with David Beckham at the start . of the Commonwealth Games in 2002 - because of her rare medical . condition she was not expected to survive . Golden girls: Kirsty passes the Jubilee baton to the Queen with a little help from an admiring David Beckham . Star support: Kirsty with David Beckham when she was seven years-old (left); and in 2002 with Ronan Keating (right) when she turned on the Blackpool Christmas lights. She has raised in excess of £5m for charity . Former England football star David . Beckham was befriended by the youngster when she led out the England . team at Old Trafford in 2001, for a World Cup qualifier against Greece . in which her hero scored the winning goal. A . year later, she met Beckham again as she handed over the Golden Jubilee . baton to the Queen at the opening ceremony for the Manchester . Commonwealth Games. She has also spent time with David and Samantha Cameron, as well as former prime minister and his wife Tony and Cherie Blair. In 2004 she won the Helen Rollason Award for courage at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. Kirsty continues to do charity work through The Kirsty Club which aims to keep improving the Francis House Children’s Hospice. Party girl: Kirsty arrives at her school prom at Lancashire Cricket Club earlier this year . Schoolgirl Kirsty Howard has defied all the odds to battle through against her heart condition . The extraordinary 16-year-old has won a host of famous admirers during her lifetime. Former England football star David Beckham was befriended by the youngster when she led out the England team at Old Trafford in 2001, for a World Cup qualifier against Greece in which her hero scored the winning goal. A year later, she met Beckham again as she handed over the Golden Jubilee baton to the Queen at the opening ceremony for the Manchester Commonwealth games. 'Weeks to live': Even now Kirsty, pictured here in 2004, said she knows she could die any second - but she has remarkably survived and continues to live a very full life . She was born with a back-to-front heart . Her heart problem has subsequently caused the misplacement of her internal organs . The condition is a form of situs ambiguus and can't be cured with an operation . As a result Kirsty needs a constant oxygen supply to keep her alive . She was is the only person in the UK, and only the second in the world, diagnosed with the condition in February 1999 . She was initially only given only six weeks to live, but has defied the odds to reach her teens . Mingling with the stars hasn't gone to Kirsty's head, however, and just like many teenagers her age she loves going to the cinema with friends - with posters of her movie idol Robert Pattinson filling-up the walls of her bedroom. In 2004 she won the Helen Rollason Award for courage at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. As a youngster, she was also chosen as the face of the £5million Kirsty Club appeal for the Francis House Children's Hospice in Didsbury, Manchester. She continues to appeal through The Kirsty Club which aims to make the hospice even bigger and better. The money raised by The Kirsty Club will be used to expand Francis House to help meet the needs of more than 900 families of children with a short life expectancy. Having reached her teenage years she also has big hopes for the future. She admits she doesn't have a boyfriend yet, but would love to have a big wedding with Beckham as the guest of honour. She said in The People: 'I lead a normal life. I go to school. I have lots of friends. I spend every night texting, going on the computer and watching TV. 'I love Corrie and Eastenders and especially Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor. I've also started salsa dance lessons with my sister. I can get out of my wheelchair to do it. Its so much fun.Kirsty, who has had 11 major operations, added: 'It's not been easy, but this is who I am and its helped me do a lot of good for others. 'My secret is to be positive, not to let anything get me down.' Celebrity support: Kirsty with Victoria Beckham and British singer Victoria Beckham (R), Mohamed al Fayed as she launched a fundraising drive . | Kirsty Howard was born with her heart back-to-front .
Enjoyed a celebration lunch after scooping an impressive 12 GCSEs .
Schoolgirl from Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, has met a string of celebrities as a result of her charity work . |
270,925 | eaee75abdf760245b6891250f8d73950042f153e | From stunning gemstones to glittering snowflakes, the mesmerising patterns of crystals can be found everywhere in nature. Their beautiful structure has provided scientists with an understanding of matter itself, giving them incredible insights into the intricate patterns of everyday objects. Now London-based photographer Max Alexander had shed light on some of these shapes, highlighting the importance of a technique known as X-ray crystallography. Photographer Max Alexander had shed light on some of the shapes of substances created by a technique known as x-ray crystallography. Pictured here is the rapid crystallisation of a cancer drug . The method describes a process that allows scientists to find the shape of molecules and then learn more about their atomic arrangement. It was pioneered in the early 20th century when scientists discovered that X-rays could be used to 'see' the structure of matter in a non-intrusive way. When X-rays hit a protein crystal they are scattered by individual atoms, and the way they are diffracted depends on the how the atoms in the molecule are arranged. Using sophisticated mathematical techniques, an X-ray diffraction pattern can be used to work out the relative positions of different atoms in a molecule. Crystallographers now use their knowledge of the structure of objects to change it and improve both its properties and behaviour. In this image, a tiny crystal squeezed between diamonds - the hardest structures on Earth - subjects it to extreme pressures and making the crystal structure change . The eye of crystallographer Margarete Neu reflected from her computer screen. The scientist creates crystals to understand how they interact with new medicines . Crystallographer David Keen (pictured) studies crystal structures that behave in strange ways. In this image, he has created holes in Porthcawl beach in South Wales to portray the neutron diffraction pattern from a quartz crystal . Crystallography is the study of atomic and molecular structure. The method describes a process that allows scientists to find the shape of molecules and then deduce their atomic arrangement. It was pioneered in the early 20th century when it was discovered that X-rays could be used to 'see' structure of matter in a non-intrusive way. When -rays hit a protein crystal they are scattered by individual atoms, and the way they are diffracted depends on the how the atoms in the molecule are arranged. Using sophisticated mathematical techniques, an x-ray diffraction pattern can be used to work out the relative positions of different atoms in a molecule. For instance, the double-helical structure of DNA was found from an X-ray diffraction pattern that had been generated by a fibrous sample. Mr Alexander told MailOnline that this is perhaps the biggest breakthrough achieved by the technique. 'Crystallography is a process in which art and science overlap,' he said. 'But while it has achieved a great deal in science, it is very much an unsung story.' The 53-year-old, originally from New Zealand, is hoping his photographs of the science and the people who made it happen, could raise the profile of crystallography. Mr Alexander said aspects of science can be very difficult to understand, but he hopes his images will simplify ideas to get those concepts across. 'It opens up a new set of people that might be engaged with crystallography and the science, just as we're engaging with the arts,' he told the BBC. In one image, technicians are shown forming a fan blade for a jet engine from titanium alloys, by injecting high-pressure argon gas at around 1,000 degrees celcius. Crystallography experiments carried out on these blades helps to understand how their performance is affected by the materials used in the manufacturing process. In another image, crystallographer David Keen was captured by Mr Alexander creating holes in Porthcawl beach in South Wales to portray the neutron diffraction pattern from a quartz crystal. In addition to looking pretty, the crystal shapes can also serve an important purpose. For example, needle-shaped crystals in drugs can be hard to analyse but finding the right crystal is the first step in the development of treatments for diseases such as malaria. (pictured) can be hard to analyse but finding the right crystal is the first step in the development of treatments for diseases such as malaria . Technicians here are forming a fan blade for a jet engine from titanium alloys, by injecting high-pressure argon gas at around 1,000 degrees celcius. Crystallography experiments carried out on these blades helps to understand how their performance is affected by the materials used in the manufacturing process. This is one of Max Alexander's favourite images of the series . Meanwhile, centrosomes are molecular machines that organise the process of cell division in the body. To understand this process better, scientists try to grow crystals and solve the structures of the proteins from which they are built. These crystals are of a protein that co-ordinates the assembly of this important machine. Mr Alexander took the images as part of the International Year of Crystallography, designed to celebrate the technique. Mr Alexander's photos are currently being shown at the Illuminating Atoms exhibition in London's Royal Albert Hall. The exhibition will be open until the 7 December 2014. Centrosomes are molecular machines that organise the process of cell division in the body. To understand this process better, scientists try to grow crystals and solve the structures of the proteins from which they are built. These crystals are of a protein that co-ordinates the assembly of this important machine . A crystal is placed on the end of the pin with a stream of cool air coming in from the right. The X-ray beam arrives from the silver pipe and the camera images the crystal . | London-based photographer Max Alexander has shed light on a technique known as X-ray crystallography .
Process allows scientists to find the shape of molecules and then learn more about their atomic arrangement .
The technique has been vital to science, helping to uncover, for instance, the double-helical structure of DNA .
The new exhibition aims to highlight the structures, people and processes involved in X-ray crystallography . |
164,235 | 606102b894562171245f8192596eb529592ef247 | (CNN) -- Maria Sharapova's bid to end her long wait for a second Wimbledon crown came crashing to a halt on Monday, while Kim Clijsters' final appearance at the grass-court grand slam also finished in round four. World No. 1 Sharapova lost her rematch with Sabine Lisicki, who she beat in last year's semifinals before losing the title match. Sharapova won the event as a 17-year-old in 2004 to announce herself as a new star in women's tennis, but the defeat by Petra Kvitova 12 months ago is the closest she has come to a repeat success in London. German 15th seed Lisicki powered past her Russian opponent to win 6-4 6-3 and set up a last-eight clash with eighth-seeded compatriot Angelique Kerber, who thrashed former No. 1 Clijsters 6-1 6-1 in just 49 minutes. It is the first time that two German women have made it to the second week of the tournament since 1995, when Steffi Graf won the title for the sixth time and Anke Huber lost in round four. "It's just unbelievable. I'm so happy. I had lost the last three meetings with her, so it's nice to finally win one," said Lisicki, who had lost five matches in a row coming into Wimbledon, including a first-round defeat at the French Open. "I just went for my shots out there. I felt great, it's my favorite tournament. I love the crowd and playing on grass. I'm a fighter and I fight to the last game. I think I'm getting better with each match." Sharapova, who won the French Open last month after losing in January's Australian Open final, struggled after going 3-1 down in the opening set and a 45-minute rain delay did not help her get back into rhythm. "She did many things better than I did. She played very well," said Sharapova, who saved two match-points. "I could have done things differently but not on this particular day." Four-time grand slam champion Clijsters, who has never got past the semifinals at Wimbledon, could not get going against Kerber -- who fired 19 winners to 10, and just five unforced errors to the Belgian's 13. Clijsters, 29, will retire for the second time following September's U.S. Open, a tournament she has won three times. "I think the first year that I played here, I was here just to take it all in. I don't even think I was here to play tennis. I needed to just open my eyes and look at everything," Clijsters said of her first Wimbledon appearance in 1999. "It was such an amazing thing. To me this was like Disneyland to another child. It was such a beautiful thing." In the other half of the Wimbledon draw, four-time winner Serena Williams will face defending champion Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals after both battled through with three-set victories. Williams, seeking her first grand slam title since 2010, triumphed 6-1 2-6 7-5 against Kazakhstani Yaroslava Shvedova out on Court Two. Shvedova won a record 24 points out of 24 in her first set against French Open runnerup Sara Errani on Saturday, but made a poor start in windy conditions before battling back to level. Williams, bouncing back from her first-round exit at Roland Garros, hit 35 winners to 24, and made 13 unforced errors to her opponent's 20. "The bottom line is I can play so much better than I am. If I couldn't do better that would be a problem," Williams said. World No.4 Kvitova has never beaten the American sixth seed, losing both meetings in 2010 at the Australian Open and then the Wimbledon semifinals. The Czech left-hander came from behind against 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone as she beat the Italian 4-6 7-5 6-1. Schiavone, at 32 the oldest player left in the draw, paid for her 13 double faults and struggled to keep her cool after slipping on the wet grass at the end of the second set. World No. 37 Tamira Paszek reached the quarterfinals for the second year in a row, beating Italian 21st seed Roberta Vinci 6-2 6-2. The 21-year-old Austrian, who has lost in the first round of five of her last six grand slam appearances, will next face second seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Australian Open champion Azarenka was unaffected by a rain break as the roof was closed on Centre Court as she demolished Serbia's Ana Ivanovic 6-1 6-0 in a battle of former world No. 1s. Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska will feature in the quartefinals for the first time since 2009 after beating 20-year-old Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-3. Radwanska, 23, who also reached the last eight in 2008, will next play Russian 17th seed Maria Kirilenko -- who beat China's No. 30 Peng Shuai 6-1 6-7 (8-6) 6-3. Kirilenko's only other grand slam quarterfinal appearance was at the 2010 Australian Open, while Peng is yet to get that far in singles play. | World No. 1 Maria Sharapova loses fourth-round match against Sabine Lisicki .
Lisicki will next play compatriot Angelique Kerber in Wimbledon quarterfinals .
Eighth seed Lisicki beats Kim Clijsters in Belgian's final appearance at SW19 .
Four-time winner Serena Williams to play defending champion Petra Kvitova . |
260,860 | ddd474ad0e5919c0bfe7d9e20add5b8b122b4b18 | By . Mail Foreign Service . PUBLISHED: . 18:55 EST, 16 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:44 EST, 16 June 2013 . Israel warned last night that the West should remain on its guard against Iran despite the surprise election of reformist-backed Hassan Rowhani as the country’s new president. Tens of thousands of chanting supporters filled the streets of Tehran following the landslide victory in joyous scenes a world apart from the violent crackdown on a thwarted people’s uprising four years ago. Cars honked and blared music ranging from patriotic songs to the Lambada after the triumphant cleric - who studied in Scotland in the 1970s and has a law doctorate from Glasgow Caledonian University - romped home with more than three times the votes of his nearest rival. Leaders: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) insisted there should be no 'wishful thinking' about reformist-backed Hassan Rowhani's (right) election as Iran's new president . But while Britain and the U.S. were cautiously urging Iran to follow through with a more moderate agenda, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted there should be no ‘wishful thinking’ about Mr Rowhani’s election. ‘Iran will be judged on its actions. If it insists on continuing to develop its nuclear programme the answer needs to be clear - stopping its nuclear programme by any means,’ he added. The newly-elected leader said yesterday that Iran’s dire economic problems can’t be solved ‘overnight.’ After winning over 50 per cent of the vote in Friday’s poll, he said his election was a ‘victory of moderation over extremism.’ One of his key election pledges was to restore relations with Western powers and seek to ease the crippling international sanctions imposed over its nuclear ambitions that have led to ballooning inflation at more than 30 per cent and 14 per cent unemployment. But in Iran, even landslides at the ballot box do not equate to policymaking influence. All key decisions - including nuclear . efforts, defence and foreign affairs - remain solidly in the hands of . Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his ruling clerics and their . powerful protectors, the Revolutionary Guard. Happy: Supporters of the Iranian President elect Hasan Rowhani celebrate as he visits the shrine of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, yesterday . Young fan: An Iranian girl flashes a victory sign, as she holds up a poster of Hassan Rowhani in Tehran . Although he won’t take power until August, Mr Rowhani took his first steps yesterday in consulting Iran’s clerically dominated establishment on his plans for the future. What Mr Rowhani’s victory does is reopen space for moderate and liberal voices that have been largely muzzled in reprisal for the massive protests and clashes in 2009 over claims the vote was rigged to deny reformists the presidency. 'Iran will be judged on its actions. If it insists on continuing to develop its nuclear programme the answer needs to be clear - stopping its nuclear programme by any means' Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli PM . The 64 year old is hardly a radical - having served in governments and in the highly sensitive role of nuclear negotiator - but he has taken a strong stance against the combative isolationist international policies of outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. ‘I thank God that once again rationality and moderation has shined on Iran,’ he said on state TV at the weekend. ‘This is the victory of wisdom, a victory of moderation and a victory of commitment over extremism.’ His emphasis on outreach could sharply lower the political temperature between Iran and the West - including Israel - and perhaps nudge the ruling establishment toward more flexible approaches in possible renewed nuclear talks with the U.S. and world powers. Mr Rowhani also has added leverage with . his political godfather and ally, former President Akbar Hashemi . Rafsanjani, who was blocked from the ballot but now can exert . significant influence from the wings. The White House congratulated Iranian . voters for ‘their courage in making their voices heard’ despite . clampdowns that included severe restrictions on the Internet, a key tool . of Iran’s opposition. Big victory: Supporters of Hassan Rowhani, shown in the poster, attend a celebration gathering in Tehran . All smiles: Hassan Rowhani waves to his supporters at the shrine of Iranian late supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini . Washington urged Tehran’s leadership to ‘heed the will of the Iranian people and make responsible choices,’ while noting the US remained open for direct dialogue with Iran. Just a week ago, Mr Rowhani - the only cleric in the race - seemed greatly overshadowed by candidates with much deeper ties to the ruling theocracy and Revolutionary Guard. But he gained momentum: first with . endorsements from Mr Rafsanjani and another moderate-minded former . president Mohammad Khatami. 'I thank God that once again rationality and moderation has shined on Iran. This is the victory of wisdom, a victory of moderation and a victory of commitment over extremism' Hassan Rowhani . Then artists, activist and opposition leaders joined. In the span of a few days, Mr Rowhani was drawing huge crowds and the race - once seen as firmly in the control of the ruling system - was suddenly transformed. Alireza Nader, a senior policy analyst at the Rand Corp. who follows Iranian affairs, described Mr Rowhani as a de facto hero for reformists who couldn’t support any of the other five candidates on the ballot. ‘It remains to be seen how much room will be given to Rowhani by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard,’ he cautioned. Iran’s new leader is said to be fluent in English, German, Russian, French and Arabic. He appears to be proud of his Scottish education, even mentioning it in a campaign video. He studied at the old Glasgow Polytechnic - now Glasgow Caledonian University - in the 1970s under his family name, Hassan Feridon, and returned in the 1990s to get his law doctorate. | Chanting supporters filled Tehran after Hassan Rowhani's landslide victory .
Triumphant cleric won with more than three times the votes of nearest rival .
But PM Netanyahu insists there should be no 'wishful thinking' on election . |
286,344 | ff07aa2c884e4a0c32affee5b52fca8be37c63df | (CNN) -- The Nigerian military said Thursday it killed one of the leaders of the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency in the nation for years. Mamadu Bama was the second-in-command, the military said in a statement. He was killed this month along with his father, who was the group's spiritual mentor, the military said. The militant group has not released any statement on the deaths. Boko Haram has attacked various targets in the nation since 2009, murdering and kidnapping Westerners, and bombing schools and churches. It is suspected to be behind a gruesome mosque killing this week. In that attack Sunday, militants brandishing automatic weapons killed 44 worshipers in the country's troubled Borno state. Around the time of the attack, the group released a video boasting that it was growing stronger. Boko Haram translates loosely to "western education is forbidden/sinful." It holds all government authority in contempt and wants to establish a state in northern Nigeria under Islamic law. Human rights groups have accused the Nigerian military of extrajudicial killings in its fight against the militant group. "Soldiers have allegedly burned homes and executed Boko Haram suspects or residents with no apparent links to the group," Human Rights Watch said in a report this year. "Nigerian authorities have rarely brought anyone to justice for these crimes." | Boko Haram has attacked various targets in the nation since 2009 .
Mamadu Bama is second-in-command of the Islamist extremist group, army says .
He was killed along with his father, who was the group's spiritual mentor . |
239,449 | c203d41664f569aa194593e22f97bc1820170bbf | By . Craig Hope . Follow @@CraigHope01 . Harry Redknapp insists Loic Remy could not have failed a medical at Liverpool and says there must be another reason for his transfer falling through. The Queens Park Rangers striker was set to complete his move to Liverpool on Sunday having joined them on their US tour, only for the Reds to announce he had failed a medical. But Redknapp believes it is impossible for Remy’s fitness to be the real reason behind the collapse of the £8.5million deal. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Loic Remy in shooting practice during France training . It's off: Loic Remy was unable to complete his move to Liverpool but the club have not yet explained why . Spot on: Remy scores a penalty for QPR against Fulham last season . Bargain: Harry Redknapp signed Remy from Marseille for £8million in January 2013 . Loan ranger: Remy spent last season on loan at Newcastle, scoring 14 goals for the club . VIDEO Remy deal collapses . ‘I don’t see how he has failed a . medical. It doesn’t make sense,’ said the R’s boss at the unveiling of . new signing Rio Ferdinand on Monday. ‘He had a stringent medical here, one at Marseille, one at Newcastle and one with France before the World Cup. ‘He’s never had a problem with his fitness. You could not meet a fitter lad. There can’t be any issue with his fitness. ‘I . can’t see a medical reason. There must be other reasons. That (failing . medical) is not possible. There has to be another reason. ‘He has . never failed a medical before. He’s never had a problem and didn’t miss a . game at Newcastle (where he spent last season on loan). ‘They must have changed their mind or decided to go in another direction.’ Reunited: Harry Redknapp (right) and Rio Ferdinand worked together at West Ham . New start: Redknapp is delighted to have signed Ferdinand for QPR . New start: Ferdinand has signed for Redknapp's QPR after 12 years at Manchester United . No deal: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, seen here at the end of his team's 1-0 win over Olympiacos in Chicago on Sunday night, described the collapse of an £8.5m move for Remy as 'unfortunate' Confused: Redknapp was shocked that Remy had failed his medical at Liverpool . Remy could now return to Loftus Road, and that is something Redknapp would welcome. ‘He . will come back here,’ he said.‘Their loss is our gain. I have got a . fantastic striker capable of scoring 20 goals in the Premier League. ‘We need him now to come in here and get 20 goals. So from a selfish point of view I have got a great striker. ‘If he is here we will be delighted to have him back.’ Disappointment: Remy has been left devastated after his proposed £8.5m move to Anfield fell through . | Liverpool pulled out of £8.5m move for Remy after he failed medical .
Club are yet to officially reveal why QPR striker failed his medical .
Redknapp claims Liverpool's reasoning for move collapsing is untrue .
QPR boss says he be happy for Remy to now stay at Loftus Road .
QPR boss speaking as club unveil new signing Rio Ferdinand . |
141,625 | 4324850ba5e1496c168efb915f29be9c575a4bd9 | (CNN) -- CNN on Thursday continues its series "The Sixties," which explores the decade of historically significant social movements, people and events. The new episode -- "A Long March to Freedom" -- focuses on the Freedom Summer of 1964 for a very notable reason. This week marks the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer -- the tumultuous period in our history when three young workers were kidnapped and murdered in Mississippi while attempting to register people to vote. James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner shall never be forgotten. The three youths were civil rights workers in Mississippi who had taken their summer to help eligible citizens to register to vote, a right that state and so many others down South had denied for more than one hundred years. As the men drove through Philadelphia, Mississippi, they got a flat tire. The town's deputy sheriff put on his patrol car's red light and pulled them over. He called for two highway patrolmen. Forty-four days later, the FBI found their bodies in an earthen dam. Goodman and Schwerner, white students from the North, were shot through the chest. Chaney, an African-American student from Mississippi, was beaten to death. Though 18 men were indicted on federal conspiracy charges and were likely present at the killings, seven were convicted. The longest sentence served was just six years. Those three men knew the risks they were taking, one reason why they were making haste through Mississippi's countryside and small towns. They had no desire to be martyrs. Yet, they were killed by racists who sought to stop their campaign to secure each Mississippian the right to vote. It was their deaths, along with hundreds of actions by courageous civil rights workers during the Freedom Summer of 1964, that mobilized the Congress to end the filibuster and approve the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and gave much needed momentum to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Many of those Freedom Fighters are gone, and others are too old to still organize and mobilize citizens to vote. However, they all serve as reminders that in our long march for freedom, justice and equality for all, we will never end our pursuit to secure a more perfect union. One of the people the youth recruited into local leadership in 1964 was Fannie Lou Hamer, then 44. "They treated us like we were special and we loved 'em," she said. "We trusted 'em." She became a lifelong civil rights worker. Hamer understood that we must make government our business, and our business justice. The right to vote, the right to an education, the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," the right to opportunity, go hand-in-hand, one to the other. Economic liberty and social justice and civil rights -- we cannot have one without the others. If it weren't for Freedom Summer, I wouldn't be here. If it weren't for events like Freedom Summer and for the thousands of people who participated in that and so many other events, I wouldn't be here. Throughout my years in politics and public service, I have carried with me one of the sayings of Fannie Lou Hamer. She said, "Nobody's free until everybody's free." That's true, no matter what kind of freedom we're talking about. We have a long way to go. The reactionary forces never give up, never cease, and neither can we. President Barack Obama campaigned with a message of hope to all: "Yes, we can!" He didn't say, "It will be a walk in the park." Mississippi today has come a long way. But, it still ranks near the bottom of the 50 states in poverty, unemployment, median household income and health care. There's work to do. We have to win back legislation to enforce not just civil rights, but also strengthen and protect the rights of all Americans to vote. Sadly, that right is under constant attack or simply being undermined by some lawmakers who insist there is widespread evidence of voter fraud when the evidence clearly shows that it's not true. Truly, we have come far in 50 years. No one disputes this fact. But now is the time to create a new Freedom Summer, but a very different one than what we experienced 50 years ago. This summer, we have an opportunity, if we have the courage, to struggle together — together, regardless of differences, to create a summer of economic freedom, and a new birth of secured voting rights. But it's time we try to simply power forward together. What is "power forward?" It's the term for a basketball position I played during high school. Power Forward means welcoming obstacles as opportunities. Power Forward means taking risks, accepting responsibility and sharing the profits and prestige. Power Forward means being conscientious, courageous and confident. Power Forward means being independent and interdependent. It means networking, sharing -- you can't do it on your own. It means following your own path but not ignoring the advice of those that have 'been there, done that.' It means being true to your vision and enabling the vision of others. Power Forward means staying ethical, doing it right and legally and honestly, especially when it's easy not to, when it seems no one else is. Power Forward means being humble and ambitious. Power forward means moving the ball farther down the court in our pursuit of equal justice under the law. Together we can commemorate a great milestone and power forward to a better and brighter future for all Americans. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | Donna Brazile looks back at 50 years after the Freedom Summer of 1964 .
The deaths of three young crusaders help spur Congress to pass Civil Rights Act of 1964 .
Brazile calls on America to create a summer of economic freedom and secured voting rights . |
147,181 | 4a50c8ab5685bfc914c99f0a4486f0cc5b33d550 | Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu has been ruled out for up to three weeks with a leg injury. The former Valencia man will now miss Barca's Champions League clash with Ajax as well as their trip to Almeria. The French international picked up the injury to his right leg during the 1-0 loss to Celta Vigo at the Nou Camp. Jeremy Mathieu (left) picked up the leg injury in Barcelona's 1-0 defeat by Celta Vigo at the Nou Camp . The defender will now miss the Champions League clash with Ajax and their league match against Almeria . Luis Suarez made his home debut in the defeat but despite another encouraging performance he couldn't prevent Luis Enrique's side losing their second consecutive match. The result saw them slip from the top of the table after both Real and Atletico Madrid registered wins to move above the Catalan club. The news will come as a bitter blow to Barcelona boss Enrique who is also without summer signing Thomas Vermaelen. The former Arsenal man is yet to play for his new club and Enrique admitted last week Vermaelen's recovery 'is not going as we'd hoped.' | Jeremy Mathieu has been ruled out for up to three weeks with a leg injury .
The former Valencia man picked up the injury in the defeat to Celta Vigo .
Luis Enrique's side slipped to third after their second consecutive defeat .
Summer signing Thomas Vermaelen is also out injured . |
194,584 | 87e1367683fa80de73e70fd72d9810bf29f24a3b | Polish women living in the UK gave birth to 23,000 children last year . Immigrant mothers: More than a quarter of births in Britain last year were to mothers born outside the UK . A record number of nearly 200,000 babies were born to immigrant mothers last year, figures revealed yesterday. The children of women who were themselves born abroad made up nearly a quarter of all the babies born in Britain. The report by the Office for National Statistics pointed to the growing impact on the population of the historically high levels of immigration in recent years. It said understanding the impact of childbearing among migrants is ‘essential for planning services such as maternity provision and schools’. The figures showed that 24 per cent of births in 2011 were to women who had not themselves been born in Britain, which is the best indicator statisticians have for who is an immigrant. In London, where a high proportion of migrants choose to live, the share of births to foreign-born mothers was well over half, 57 per cent. The five countries from which the greatest numbers of foreign-born mothers came were Poland, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nigeria. The share of new babies born to migrant mothers has more than doubled in 20 years and continues to shoot up. Figures: Graph showing live births in Britain between 2007 and 2011 to women from the top five countries (Office for National Statistics) According to the ONS analysis, the . number of babies born to British-born mothers barely changed in the five . years from 2007 to 2011, up from 603,000 to 612,000. However migrant . mother births went up from 169,000 to 196,000, an increase of 16 per . cent. The report said there had been a 24 . per cent rise in the number of women of childbearing age who were born . outside the UK and a fall of 5 per cent in the number of UK women of . childbearing age since 2007. It added that mothers from Poland, who . gave birth to 23,000 children in Britain last year, are now at the top . of the league table of foreign-born mothers in Britain even though birth . rates in Poland itself are low. On the rise: A graph showing the percentage of live births in the UK to non-UK born mothers between 2001 to 2011 . Marked difference: Pyramid of the female population living in the UK. It shows the number of births for UK born women and non-UK born women, between 2007 and 2011 . ‘This can be explained by the younger . age structure of the population born in Poland and by timing effects, . given that the majority of those born in Poland will be people of young . working age who have migrated to the UK since EU accession in 2004.’ Nearly 6,000 babies were born to . mothers who were themselves born in Germany, enough to put Germany . seventh on the list of countries from which migrant mothers come. However the report pointed out that . ‘many of those born in Germany will be British nationals whose parents . were serving in the armed forces in Germany at the time of their birth’. General fertility rates for the top five non-UK maternal countries of birth and for UK born women in 2011. Pakistan is markedly highest, followed by Nigeria . Baby boom: More than four out of ten births to foreign mothers last year were in London (file picture) The ONS added: ‘The increase in the . proportion of births to non-UK born mothers living in the UK illustrates . how the demographic make-up of the UK is changing.’ The report said . there were marked regional differences in the fertility rates of women, . both of those born abroad and those born in Britain. Overall, foreign-born women were . likely to have 2.28 children during their lives, while British born . women could expect, at 2011 fertility rates, to bear 1.89 children. But there was a bigger gap in London, . where fertility rates were higher for foreign-born women and where . fertility rates for British-born women were ‘well below average’. This may be because a higher . proportion of British-born women in London than elsewhere are pursuing . education and careers and delaying childbirth and families. Priscilla Gavioli and family . Brazilian-born Priscilla Gavioli, 34, gave birth to her son Daniel in July at the Whittington Hospital in North London. Miss Gavioli, who works in banking, arrived in London in 1996 as an 18-year-old looking for a better future. Six years later she met her partner, 39-year-old Steven Gray, and the couple now live in Muswell Hill. Miss Gavioli said when she first arrived there were more opportunities for her in London than in Brazil. But she added: ‘The opportunities seem to have reversed. Brazil is booming now. If there was something for us to do there we might consider going back. All my family still live there.’ The couple are acutely aware of the pressure childcare costs will have on their finances. Mr Gray, who works in the media, said: ‘A nursery will cost us £1,200 per month. I’d like a second child, but it’s so expensive.’ | There were 200,000 births to immigrant mothers in Britain last year .
Office for National Statistics reveals 4 in 10 of these children born in London .
Fertility rates for non-UK born women are higher than for those born here .
Polish women living in the UK gave birth to 23,000 children last year . |
66,094 | bb92572edff814cdfdd45920b2de6b79c9ac1bcc | Facing renewed controversy about the safety of energy drinks, Monster Energy Corp. has decided to market its products as beverages instead of dietary supplements. The company recently joined the American Beverage Association, which recommended it sell its products as a food, according to spokeswoman Tammy Taylor. Monster Energy's products will not change, but in the coming months its labels will include the caffeine content in each can. "Monster has a commitment to being responsible and wants to be transparent about the ingredients in their products," Taylor said in an e-mail. Energy drinks have been under intense scrutiny lately. Last year the parents of a 14-year-old girl filed a lawsuit against Monster after their daughter died following the consumption of two Monster Energy beverages that contained a combined 480 milligrams of caffeine. That's the equivalent of drinking about 20 8-ounce cans of soda. In November, the Food and Drug Administration began investigating 13 deaths that were preliminarily linked to the dietary supplement 5-hour Energy. The deaths had been reported to the FDA as "adverse events," which does not mean the product is responsible for or that it contributed to any health issue. The manufacturer, packer or distributor of a dietary supplement is required to notify the FDA of any adverse events linked to its product, according to agency spokeswoman Tamara Ward. That requirement does not apply to products sold as beverages or food. The FDA has received 20 adverse event reports about Monster products; five are linked to a death. Again, these reports do not represent any conclusion by the FDA about whether the product is responsible for a health problem, Ward said in an e-mail. "When important information is missing from a report, it is difficult for FDA to fully evaluate whether the product caused the adverse event or simply coincided with it." This week, 18 public health experts sent a letter to the FDA about the safety of energy drinks. The scientists have concluded there is not enough evidence to show that high levels of caffeine in energy drinks are safe. "To the contrary, the best available scientific evidence demonstrates a robust correlation between the caffeine levels in energy drinks and adverse health and safety consequences, particularly among children, adolescents," they wrote. Monster does not recommend children, pregnant women or those sensitive to caffeine consume its beverages, Taylor said. "That recommendation is on the labels of all Monster products." Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, according to the FDA. It can increase your heart rate, raise your blood pressure and cause irregular heart rhythms. The FDA regulates caffeine in sodas at a level of .02%, or 200 parts per million (there is no current FDA caffeine limit for energy drinks). That translates to about 50 milligrams in an 8-ounce can. A 2012 Consumer Reports analysis found about 90 milligrams of caffeine in an 8-ounce can of Monster Energy, and the drink comes in sizes up to 24 ounces. To compare, a 16-ounce Starbucks Grande has 330 milligrams, according to Consumer Reports. The scientists say caffeine in energy drinks differs from that in coffee because the caffeine in coffee occurs naturally, instead of being added by a manufacturer. (Food additives are subject to regulation by the FDA.) The FDA is reviewing current scientific studies on the safety of energy drinks, Ward said, and is monitoring new ingredients being added to these products. So should consumers stay away from energy drinks, or supplements? The FDA hasn't made any recommendations but cautions people to consult with their doctors to make sure they don't have an underlying medical condition that too much caffeine could affect. | Monster Energy drinks will no longer be sold as dietary supplements .
Drink labels will now include the amount of caffeine in each can .
Monster will no longer be required to submit reports of "adverse events" to the FDA . |
255,049 | d61fd1725b8ff11ab3d3328ef4af88a7ff2dc48b | Apple has come under fierce criticism for ditching Google Maps from its new operating system in favour of its own geographical app. Some users are fuming over the poor quality of the replacement maps, which have odd routes (via rivers), incorrect addresses (miles away) and preposterous images (feet is a measurement, not an appendage). But it has now emerged that the damage was entirely self-inflicted - Apple made a deliberate decision to dump Google, as the search giant is too much of a threat to its future business. Oops! The road to the Hoover Dam looks more like a roller coaster than a highway on Apple's new maps . Oui or Oy? The Eiffel Tower has become the leaning tower of Paris . The new Maps: With Google removed from the iPhone, users have been getting to grips with the new - but sometimes inaccurate - solution from Apple. At left, for example, Apple thinks 550 King St in Massachusetts is 250 'feet' away . Users were highly critical of Apple . Maps for iOS6 when it was released on Wednesday, complaining that there . were errors abound in the new application and it was 'pretty but dumb'. And when a senior tech executive was . asked by the Guardian whether the change was made by Apple itself or by . Google, the reply came: 'Duh - not Google.' Both companies have worked closely . together in developing Google Maps for the iPhone - a service which many . smartphone users have become heavily dependent on. But, since Google's Android operating . system Android is the main rival to iOS, Apple has been reluctant to . co-operate, and has now decided to go it alone when it comes to mapping . for the iPhone. The split had apparently been planned . for over a year - but when Apple got round to releasing its own map . software, the response was withering. Many users are now hoping to hang on . until Google makes a Maps app for iOS6 - as long as Apple does not block . the software from appearing on the App Store. Architecture? The Brooklyn Bridge has been rendered unwalkable! Squashed: Someone has sat on Indianapolis . Apple has decided to go it alone and . produce their own app, purchasing numerous mapping companies in the past . few years to prepare for the transition. They worked with Waze, TomTom and . other companies for the mapping data, but the venue search results will . rely heavily on Yelp's database, rather than Google's, and are thus . vastly inferior. While the new app has some improvements, it leaves a lot to be desired. Google's . popular Street View option is no longer available, replaced with . Apple's wonky 3D option, which shows many structures with photographing . ribboning throughout. Wrong Way: At right, Apple leads a user to the Kosmic Trading Post instead of the Post Office, but don't worry, the address is in the mail. At left, Apple gets lost on its way through SoHo and gives up . Danger: Apple users should be careful driving over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington . Houston, We Have a Problem: Several of the corporate offices in downtown Houston appear to have gas stations on their roofs? Public . transportation routes are also not included in Apple's software and . landmarks are mislabeled as gas stations, airports, or other unrelated . locations. 'iPhone customers will suffer,' Sarah Rotman Epps, an analyst at Forrester Research, said to Businessweek. 'Apple . believes that they can deliver a better experience for customers than . Google, but in the short term, Google has a better mapping application.' 'What’s going to happen . with the Apple maps, is that you’re literally not going to find things. When you do find them, they might be in the wrong place or position . geographically. And if you do have it, the route to it may not be the . optimal route.' Waze . CEO Noam Bardin . Sources . told the magazine that the company was anxious to scale back it's . relationship with Google, due to the companies' intense rivalry on the . smartphone market. Google's Android is now the world’s most popular smartphone software. Users . that were quick to update have found numerous errors with the new . mapping software, complaining about duplicate islands, wrong locations . and vanished buildings. Waze . CEO Noam Bardin, whose company worked to develop the maps, blasted . Apple, saying that users will get lost if they use the software. 'They’re . now coming out with the lowest, weakest data set and they’re competing . against Google, which has the highest data set. What’s going to happen . with the Apple maps, is that you’re literally not going to find things. When you do find them, they might be in the wrong place or position . geographically. And if you do have it, the route to it may not be the . optimal route,' he said to Business Insider. Directions: At left, Apple instructs a driver to . take a ferry - rather than a bridge - to cross San Fransisco and at . right, Apple instructs a driver to drive into the tarmac of the airport . in Santa Clara . Artistic: M.C. Escher must have been a consultant on the design . Destroyed: The UChicago Logan Arts Center apparently has had an allergic reaction? For now, iPhone users will be able to reach Google Maps through a mobile Web browser. TomTom has defended the product saying that as more people use it, it will improve. TomTom defended the integrity of the . map software, saying it provided only the data, and was not responsible . for how Apple used it within the app. A . spokesman said: 'The user experience is determined by adding additional . features to the map application such as visual imagery. 'User experience fully depends on the choices these manufacturers make.' 'We . are confident about our map quality, as selling 65 million portable . navigation devices across the world and more than 1.4m TomTom apps for . iPhone in the past two years reaffirms this quality.' Side By Side: Apple users hoping to find this comic book store will need some good luck . Where? The TCF Bank Stadium in Minnesota must have grown legs . Technology blogger Anil Dash wasn't into the company's excuses. 'They've used their platform dominance to . privilege their own app over a competitor's offering, even though it's a . worse experience for users,' he said on his website. 'Here in Manhattan, where I live, basic search by building names is profoundly degraded in Apple's maps search. "Bloomberg" doesn't find the Bloomberg Tower; on Google Maps it's the first result.' He continued: 'Searching for its address "731 Lexington Avenue" yields that address on Lexington Avenue in Brooklyn. It's fine to think that perhaps I wanted the address in Bed-Stuy, but even appending "NY, NY" or "Manhattan, NY" still yields the Brooklyn address. Google maps has none of these comprehension issues.' The final verdict? 'Apple's made a new product that actually is pretty but dumb,' he said. What A Trip: This day-long journey does not require a travel agent! | Apple is fixing problems as they go along, but users are finding many errors with the app .
Users may expect some hiccups with iPhone 5 launching today . |
202,972 | 92c86f575d0856a6ca5fb6717bc08199161fa708 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- Obesity is the No. 1 health crisis in the United States, and the nation could be at risk without immediate action, former President Clinton said at CNN's first Fit Nation Summit. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta and former President Clinton lead the discussion at the first Fit Nation Summit. "We need to do something about it for our children, and for our country, because something like this could easily collapse our nation if we don't act now," Clinton said. Clinton and CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, gathered with experts from across the country Wednesday to explore solutions to America's obesity crisis. Two-thirds of adult Americans are overweight or obese; the same is true for one-third of U.S. children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity carries increased risk of myriad health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. Gupta, Clinton and a panel of experts addressed such proposed solutions as healthy school lunches, elimination of trans fats, the need for healthier food in urban communities and the importance of supporting community-based efforts to fight obesity. Watch Gupta explain the solutions proposed at the Fit Nation Summit » . Clinton, who's been tackling the obesity issue over the past few years with his Alliance for a Healthier Generation, stressed the need to help educate people about the importance of a healthy diet and exercising together. Motivating Americans, especially kids, won't be easy, Clinton said. "They need to be handled with care. Kids need to know it's important, but [fitness] can't be boring," he said. "There's no shame, there's no embarrassment. We have to let them know it's all good, but you have to do it." Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and a strong advocate against trans fats in foods, stressed that the Food and Drug Administration should ban trans fats altogether and stop leaving it up to local and state governments. Trans fats, at one time, thought to be good fat substitutes, over the years have been shown to raise LDL or bad cholesterol in people and lower their HDL, or good cholesterol. "They're just not good for our health, Jacobson said. However, Dr. Robert Eckel, former president of the American Heart Association, warned, "Although we support the removal of trans fats, our biggest concern is what they'll be replaced with. We need to think about that, because there will be a substitute." The panel took questions from an audience of 150 people -- mostly obesity experts or those who work in industries that deal with obesity. Gupta was inspired to launch Fit Nation, an ongoing, multiplatform, grass-roots initiative against obesity. Over the past three years, Gupta and the CNN Medical Unit have crisscrossed the country, asking Americans to take charge of their weight by exercising more and eating healthier. This year, Gupta traveled from Michigan to California asking the public to pledge to add 1 million hours to their collective lives by getting off the couch and exercising. Since he began the tour in April, the campaign has surpassed its goal, with exercise pledges close to four times that amount. Gupta said he hopes that legislators and administrators who can make a difference in policy and perhaps change attitudes about obesity will hear the solutions discussed at the summit. "I''ve covered a lot of stories on obesity," Gupta said. "There's a battle going on, and we need to win the battle. I've talked to people out there and many are just blasé. "This is our opportunity to make them care." E-mail to a friend . | Experts gather at CNN's first Fit Nation Summit to propose obesity solutions .
Former President Clinton: Without obesity solution, nation risks "collapse"
Motivating youngsters, removing shame, embarrassment called key .
Experts: Removing trans fats, finding healthy replacements also critical . |
229,541 | b53d62fdbee907dcc1f949495ba1005b3c16dbc5 | By . Beth Stebner and Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 01:51 EST, 17 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:56 EST, 17 January 2013 . A California college professor who had been accused of setting multiple fires at his son's school over the summer to avenge the boy's suicide is now facing an addition felony arson charge. The Orange County District Attorney's has announced that prosecutors will file a new charge against Rainer Klaus Reinscheid Thursday. In July, Reinscheid, 49, pleaded to multiple counts of arson for allegedly setting nine separates fires to University High School in Irvine, a local park and a school administrator’s home. Legal woes: Rainer Klaus Reinscheid, pictured left on his faculty bio page and right, in his booking photo, will be charged with an additional arson on top of several previous counts . Loss: Claas Stubbe, pictured on a class trip to the Grand Canyon, hanged himself in March after getting in trouble at his high school . According to police, the man took the . drastic steps in a bid to retaliate for the death of his 14-year-old . son, who had committed suicide months earlier after being disciplined . for a minor theft. Several fires took place during the same period in the Irvine area, and police have continued to investigate the incidents since last July, District Attorney spokeswoman Farrah Emami told the Orange County Register. Reinscheid was previously charged in July and August with three felony counts of arson of forestland, two felony counts of arson of another's property, two felony counts of arson of a structure, one felony count of arson of an inhabited residence, one felony count of attempted arson and one misdemeanor count of resisting arrest. The 49-year-old University of California at Irvine professor of pharmacology has . been held without bail since the summer when investigators uncovered . emails written by Reinscheid laying out a plan to allegedly murder students and . officials at his late son's school. Reinscheld has never been formally charged in connection with the alleged murder plot. If convicted of the arson counts, he could face up to 24 years and four months in state prison. The . chain of events that landed the middle-aged educator behind bars was . set in motion last March, when his 14-year-old son, Claas Stubbe, ended . his life by hanging himself a day after being punished for a minor theft. The tragedy sent his father into a downward spiral that authorities said . led to setting fires and venting his anger in graphic emails describing . plans for a mass murder, sexual assaults and ultimately his own death. Reinscheid . allegedly wrote a chilling email in April titled, 'a good plan,' detailing violent revenge on the people he blamed for his teenage son's . suicide. Reinscheid . fantasized about buying a dozen machine guns, killing 200 University . High School students, raping a school counselor and killing the . assistant principal who disciplined his child. 'I will make him cry and beg, but I . will not give him a chance, just like he did to Claas,' Reinscheid . wrote. 'I will make him die, slowly, surely. Next I will set fire to Uni . High and try to burn down as much as I can, there should be nothing . left that gives them a reason to continue their miserable school.' Reinscheid never acted on his most . violent musings and police have no evidence he was preparing for a . shooting, but prosecutors charged him with a series of small arsons that . targeted the high school, the assistant principal's home and the park . where Claas hanged himself. Five fires erupted between July 1 and . July 19, and police caught Reinscheid as he tried to start a sixth one . July 24, Irvine police Lt. Julia Engen said. While investigating the fires, police . discovered three emails Reinscheid sent to his wife and himself in . April from his university account. Copies of the messages were filed in . court by prosecutors to have him held without bail. He's due in court . for arraignment August 8. In the emails, the distraught father . asks his wife to forgive him for many disappointments but asks her to . understand that he 'had to go this way' after detailing plans to kill . the vice principal and destroy the school in a firestorm. 'You would have done the same if it was your child that you failed,' he wrote to her April 26. Claas was Reinscheid's son from a . previous marriage. He has a stepdaughter and son from his second . marriage. He asked his wife to tell their son, 'Daddy was so sad when . Claas passed away, he was just eaten away by his sadness and stopped . breathing.' Set alight: Prosecutors alleged that the professor started several fires around University High School in Irvine, where his son went until his death in March . Crime and punishment: Reinscheid's son, Claas Stubbe, was forced to pick up trash after stealing from the school store; he later hanged himself . Two nights later, while on medication . to stay awake and 'legally drunk' while downing a second bottle of . wine, Reinscheid wrote to himself about how he had fantasized about . having sex with every young girl he saw on campus that day. Then he discussed his 'dreams' of . mass murder at the high school, including explicit details of how he . planned to make a teacher get naked in front of students and stab . herself with a red pencil before he shot her in the head. 'I will give myself a wonderful ending and be with Claas very soon,' he wrote. 'I like this plan, finally a good idea.' Reinscheid, a professor of . pharmaceutical sciences who also holds German citizenship, has not been . charged with anything related to the content of the emails because they . were private communications, said Farrah Emami, an Orange County . district attorney's spokeswoman. Bruce Blumberg, a pharmaceutical . colleague at UC Irvine, said Reinscheid was angry over the investigation . into his son's suicide and was considering legal action against the . school district. 'This is all a tragedy,' said . Blumberg. 'A boy is dead and he shouldn't be and his father is doing . allegedly crazy things that he shouldn't be doing. It's all a crazy . situation.' The son killed himself March 14 after . being ordered to pick up trash for stealing from the student store. After the suicide, rumors circulated around school that the teen had . been bullied, but police and the school district say they found no such . evidence. Gone too soon: His son hanged himself in Mason Park, pictured, in March; police did not find any drugs or alcohol in the teenager's system . Scene: In March, a maintenance worker found the boy's body in Mason Park, right; University High School can also be seen, bottom left . Ian Hanigan, a district spokesman, . said Reinscheid was angry with school administrators because they . informed the teen's stepsister of his death at the school, with no . family members present, after failing to reach anyone on her emergency . contact list. The school had no other complaints from Reinscheid after . his son's death and the professor hadn't threatened any school . administrators. Blumberg's wife, Dejoie, remains . close friends with Claas' mother, Doerte Stubbe. She said Claas seemed . affected by his parents' divorce and split time between Reinscheid and . his mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Tragic end: Claas Stubbe killed himself March 14 after being ordered to pick up trash for stealing from the student store . After the boy's death, Stubbe told her Reinscheid said he was writing 'goodbye letters' to everyone. 'At that point she said that she just . didn't care and I figured it was him grieving, venting and that sort of . thing. There was no threat,' Dejoie Blumberg said. 'I figured he was . very, very and extremely depressed - as any parent would be.' Longtime friend Olivier Civelli, . chairman of the pharmacology department, said Reinscheid was devastated . by his son's suicide but tried to keep it quiet at work. He showed no . signs of the deep anger evident in the emails. 'Rainer is not a violent person. Rainer never had a gun, I can tell you that,' said Civelli, who picked . up Reinscheid's car after his arrest last week. 'I think that maybe he . was doing that to vent his anger, he was telling (it) to someone who was . close - his wife.' That's an argument Reinscheid's defense would likely use if the case goes to trial - and perhaps an . argument that could keep the emails away from a jury entirely, said . Jacqueline Goodman, a criminal defense attorney. His attorney will likely argue that Reinscheid never intended to act on his writings, and was simply expressing his anguish. Knowledge is power: Reinscheid is an associate professor Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences . 'You have to take into account the . context in which these writings come. He's so emotionally distressed and . now he's under the commingled influence of psychotropic drugs and . alcohol and he's writing these things - not acting on them - just . writing them down,' Goodman said. 'He's clearly not in his right mind. It's like writing in a diary.' When police searched Reinscheid's . car, they found a red folder containing a newly signed will and also . discovered a power of attorney document on his computer that gave his . wife control over his finances and children, according to a police . report obtained by The Associated Press. Reinscheid has been at UC Irvine for . about a dozen years and rode his bike to work every day from his house . on campus. His research included studying molecular pharmacology and . psychiatric disorders, including studies of schizophrenia, stress, . emotional behavior and sleep, according to the school's website. He had requested a leave of absence from UCI, according to a police report. The college professor, who earned his . PhD in Hamburg, Germany, was arrested in the middle of the night on . July 24, after Orange County police allegedly caught him trying to start . fires in Mason Park Preserve – the same park where his son had hanged . himself in March. Prosecutors accused Reinscheid of . starting five fires at University High School earlier in July, allegedly . setting fire to various objects such as newspapers, books, fireplace . logs, and a plastic porch chair. He was released after his initial arrest on $50,000 bail, be was later taken into custody again following the discovery of the disturbing emails. | Rainer Klaus Reinscheid, 48, accused of setting five fires around University High School in Irvine, California .
His son, Claas Stubbe, 14, attended school before committing suicide in March after getting caught stealing from school store and was disciplined .
Prosecutors accuse associate professor of setting fires with newspapers, brush, and plastic lawn chair . |
65,791 | bac88375c4b51aa414d918d2fb4aebe5825c42f1 | (CNN) -- Italian teenager Federico Macheda enjoyed a remarkable debut to English football as he curled home an injury-time winner that sent Manchester United back to the top of the Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 home win over Aston Villa. Macheda receives a hug from manager Sir Alex Ferguson after scoring Manchester United's last-gasp winner. It seemed United would have to settle for a point after Cristiano Ronaldo's double had only proved enough to keep United level against a Villa side that thoroughly deserved a lead provided by John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor. But 17-year-old substitute Macheda, a former member of the Lazio academy who arrived at Old Trafford in 2007, was to have the last word. Who is Federico Macheda? At exactly the same moment as Yossi Benayoun struck for Liverpool at Fulham on Saturday, Macheda turned onto Ryan Giggs' low pass before unleashing a stunning shot that curled past Brad Friedel and sent Old Trafford into ecstasy. United, missing a host of players including Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, started poorly against an out-of-form Villa side who had gone eight matches without victory. However, a stunning piece of skill from Cristiano Ronaldo gave them a 14th- minute lead. James Milner and Friedel got themselves into a muddle, forcing the Villa keeper to handle a back pass. The resulting free-kick saw Ryan Giggs brush the ball to Ronaldo, who sent a fierce shot over the wall and into the roof of Friedel's net in a flash. Villa were not to be denied and they drew level when Gareth Barry wriggled his way into space by the touchline and Carew crept between Gary Neville and John O'Shea to steer a deft header into the bottom corner of the net. The visitors then took a deserved lead on the hour mark when Ronaldo gifted possession to Stiliyan Petrov, who swept upfield unopposed. He found Carew, whose perfect cross was headed home by Agbonlahor. The goal stung United into life and they levelled with 13 minutes remaining when Michael Carrick exchanged first-time passes with Giggs on the edge of the Villa box, before presenting Ronaldo with a lay-off. The world player of the year did not have a lot to aim at but he found the one small gap Friedel was unable to cover. A draw would have been a fair result, but United poured forward and in the third minute of five added on minutes at the end of the match, Macheda delivered the killer blow to leave the defending champions a point clear of Liverpool at the top with a game in hand. Meanwhile, in the day's other match, Everton moved to within one point of Villa in sixth position after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Wigan, courtesy of a double from on-loan Manchester City striker Jo. | Federico Macheda scores an injury-time winner as Manchester defeat Villa 3-2 .
The win lifts champions above Liverpool to top of Premier League by one point .
Everton consolidate sixth place in table after a comfortable 4-0 win over Wigan . |
83,739 | ed89d473a9d0ff73e264416f23dc5ae808fff2bf | By . Olivia Williams . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 28 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:18 EST, 28 July 2013 . This chilled-out baboon kicked back on a bench in the sunshine - and entirely refused to budge up for tired tourists. The baboon jumped in to claim the comfy seat ahead of tired walkers hiking near Victoria Falls in Zambia. Instead of moving off when they approached, these photographs show one particularly brazen one just sucking its finger in defiance. Favourite bench: A Chacma baboon reclined in the sun at Victoria Falls and decided he wasn't going to budge . Cheeky monkey: He impolitely began sucking his finger as tourists try to coax him off the seat . Unruffled: The baboons at Victoria Falls are very used to tourists so they could not be shooed away . It presented the perfect photo opportunity for 33-year-old tourist Chantelle Stobbe from Saskatoon, Canada. She had just been climbing up a steep path leading to the famous waterfalls when a group of Chacma baboons ran across her. She said: 'I was wondering where all the baboons were, as I had been told there would be many. 'All of a sudden a troop of about 15 came out of nowhere. Their territory: None of the baboons felt inclined to move, however much the weary tourists wanted to sit down . Keeping an eye out: The baboons wearily watched the tourists move away from their patch . Extreme relaxation: Overwhelmed by the head of the summer months, this baboon just lay flat out on the path . There were babies and their mums, juveniles, and adults. The young ones were running around and playing. 'A large adult lay down right on the pathway blocking my way and then another climbed onto the bench. He just sat there owning it.' Baboons at Victoria Falls are famously very bold. In the past they have reportedly stolen and other items from unwitting tourists. Watchful: A baboon eyed up the hikers, clearly waiting for them to leave . On the look out: Eventually the tourists left the baboons to enjoy their domain in peace . | Baboons hogged the seating areas as weary tourists looked for somewhere to sit at Victoria Falls, Zambia . |
267,329 | e63b0880d8b761bc445055ca1e48527adbe30301 | The Bank of England has stepped in to prevent the housing market from overheating – but indicated it is not worried if prices surge by a fifth over the next three years. In an historic intervention, the central bank announced plans to ration risky loans by banning lenders from issuing any more than 15 per cent of their new mortgages at 4.5 times an applicant’s salary or higher. Governor Mark Carney said the curbs should not make it any harder to get a mortgage – as the proportion is already below 15 per cent – and will have a ‘minimal impact’ on the housing market as long as prices rise in line with its expectations. Bank of England governor Mark Carney has moved to cool the housing market with new rules limiting large mortgages . Shares in the UK’s biggest housebuilders soared yesterday on hearing of the new regime, which will be enforced on October 1. The value of Taylor Wimpey rose by more than 5 per cent or £175million. The . Bank is expecting house prices to rise by 20 per cent by early 2017, . pushing the price of an average home from £186,512 to £223,814. It also . expects household debt levels to rise by 15 per cent in that time. Mr . Carney said both scenarios were at ‘the limit of our tolerance’, . suggesting he is prepared to take further action if the market . accelerates any faster than that. The . Canadian described yesterday’s move as an ‘insurance policy’ to prevent . the housing market from spinning out of control and ensure households . do not take on too much debt. At the same time the Treasury announced a ban on loans above 4.5 times salary on its Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme . Chancellor George Osborne said the new rules will 'help protect our hard-won economic security by better insuring us against any risks that might emerge in our housing market'. House prices in London rose by 18.7 per cent in the year to April,almost twice the national average of 9.9 per cent . He added: 'In the years before the Great Recession the failure to do this cost families dear and took our economy to the brink. 'I gave the Bank of England these new powers because I’m determined that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. 'I want to protect those who own homes, protect those who aspire to own a home, and protect the millions who suffer when boom turns to bust. 'Today’s announcement is a welcome sign that the new system we have created is working.' Prices rose by 9.9 per cent in the year to April, surging by 18.7 per cent in London. In 33 areas of England and Wales, property prices increased in value by more than annual local wages. First-time buyers have been hardest hit by the boom, with prices for them rising by more than 10 per cent in a year. People getting on to the first rung of the property ladder paid a record £199,000 in April, almost 10 times the average salary of people in their twenties. The new Bank of England rules could make it even harder to buy a house, with lenders forced to limit the number of large loans available. The Bank's Financial Policy Committee has recommended that 'mortgage lenders do not extend more than 15 per cent of their total number of new residential mortgages at loan to income ratios at or greater than 4.5'. Prices paid by first-time buyers are up 10.7 per cent year-on-year, but only 9.5 per cent for those already on the property ladder . The rule will apply to all lenders who lend more than £100million each year and should be 'implemented as soon as is practicable'. It is already getting harder for buyers to get a loan, with banks limiting mortgage approvals despite rising demand. The Bank of England reports that lenders forecast a 'lower appetite for risk' over the next three months . High street banks and lenders expect the number of new mortgage agreements to fall significantly from July to September. It follows changes to the Mortgage Market Review which forces lenders to more closely scrutinise borrowers' income and outgoings to check if they can afford repayments if interest rates rise. The Bank of England base rate of interest has been at a record low of 0.5 per cent since 2009 . In the past, people applying for a mortgage were asked for three months’ pay slips and recent bank statements to show their major outgoings. But since April they have faced invasive questions about their finances and lifestyle, from their weekly food bill to the cost of their childcare arrangements and even how much they spend on gym membership. The new rules limiting the amount that can be loaned in relation to incomes will also push down mortgage approval rates. The Bank is putting more pressure on lenders to ensure their customers are prepared for, and able to cope with, a likely rise in interest rates. On Tuesday Governor Mark Carney appeared to row back on a warning last week that rates could rise before the end of the year, leading to claims he was blowing hot and cold on when families could expect mortgage costs to increase. Giving evidence to the Treasury select committee, he told MPs that low wage growth and spare capacity in the economy meant a rate rise this year was less likely. Labour MP Pat McFadden said: 'The Bank is behaving a bit like an unreliable boyfriend. 'One day hot, one day cold and the people on the other side of the message don't know where they stand.' Last year the Bank said interest rates would not rise until the unemployment rate fell to 7 per cent, but when that target was met earlier than expected, it set broader criteria for a rise. Having signalled an early rise last week, Mr Carney today appeared more doveish and played down the idea. Mr McFadden added: 'The purpose of guidance is to achieve clarity of expectations among households and consumers.' But Mr Carney insisted the message from Bank guidance had been 'very clearly received'. 'As the economy progresses, the time to normalise interest rates is edging closer. It is coming closer. But what is most relevant is those adjustments will be through a gradual process that is likely to be lower that historical averages.' | First time buyers likely to be hardest hit by new curbs on mortgages .
Lenders told high value loans must not account for more than 15% of total .
Customers face 'stress test' to see if they could cope with 3% interest rates .
Rules will be applied to George Osborne's Help to Buy mortgage scheme . |
214,438 | a1ae8d9269868f99834739c5cd4d49ec80d61189 | (CNN) -- Ever wonder what your toddler would say about your homemade baby food if she had an acid tongue and a Twitter account? Bunmi Laditan thinks she knows. Laditan's tweeting alter ego, the Honest Toddler, has been making followers guffaw at the wry observations of a semi-fictional baby pundit for about a year now. Laditan, a social media and online marketing manager based in Montreal, works from home so she can be with her children. She is set to release "The Honest Toddler: A Child's Guide to Parenting" in May. Inspired by her spunky daughter, Tali, Laditan began a Twitter account that expressed what might really be going through her toddler's mind during a particularly tantrumy week. "She had the ability to speak, but if she could fully articulate, what would she say?" Laditan wondered. Clearly, many of her nearly 200,000 Twitter followers would like to know the same thing and get a kick out of Laditan's interpretation. CNN reached out to Laditan to find out why toddlers are so sassy, how Twitter fits into modern motherhood and what makes it all worthwhile. An edited transcript of the talk is below: . CNN: What gave you the idea to do Honest Toddler? Laditan: My 3-year old, who was 2 at the time, we were having a really hard time. I have an older child, I've been through the toddler stage before, but I think I blocked it out of my memory. She was being defiant and I was busy with work, and literally it was the worst week we'd ever had. I just started (The Honest Toddler) for fun. I was so surprised by the response. Not in a million years did I think a bunch of people would read it. CNN: Working moms wear a lot of hats. What did you do before "supervising," as your book cover says, The Honest Toddler? Laditan: I began in social media ... nowadays the first place you go, in terms of a really quick sense of community, is online. Just because it can be really hard to get in the car and find the mom group. It was difficult for me to navigate (being a mother). Wanting to read about motherhood, work-at-home moms, writer moms. Can I still have a career? How do I do it? How are other people managing? So I began taking a real interest in the parents online, and since my background is in marketing, I really wanted to incorporate that in how I would earn an income from home. So I began doing social media for companies. One was "Tasty Baby," who made online organic baby food, and from there, I kept working and expanding and taking classes and working with other PR firms, learning how to do my job better. I've always loved writing, but "I can love it, it's just not going to be my bread and butter," is how I always felt. But I wanted to keep writing, so I wrote for sites like "Mothering," "iVillage," "Huffington Post," and really just enjoyed it. CNN: There seems to be a lot of very seriously toned parenting media on the Internet these days, and The Honest Toddler is anything but. Why do you think that is? Laditan: I get that there has to be an authority source. I've been in that mode, too, when writing. I think it's about trying to regain control and trying to help people feel as if there is a how-to. Even though at this point we all know there really isn't any one way. At one point or another you realize, there is no one way to do it, it's going to be messy, we can pretend all we want with our Instagrams and Facebook photos that it's all going great. But it's a struggle, so we do have to support each other and give each other a little bit of slack. CNN: Honest Toddler is pretty unique with regards to the content on Twitter, too. Laditan: I've seen Sarcastic Rover or when people tweet from the perspective of an inanimate object or animal, and I think they probably match up much closer to Honest Toddler than most parenting tweets. I think it's that different perspective. One of the reasons I believe it's popular -- and I don't think it has anything to do with me or my writing ability or anything like that -- is it has to do with parents who have already wondered what their kids are trying to say. Who have already thought, I know, if my child had the ability to articulate, they would say something like that. They have the opinions of people long before they have control of their bowels. They really believe we are on the same level. They believe we are peers. They see their mother and father as the ones who take care of them and where they go for comfort, but they really believe they have an equal vote. CNN: That's a lot of sass for such a tiny human. Are toddlers sassy? Laditan: Toddlers are ... people without filters. They're exactly like us but they don't have all the etiquette and social norms. So they say things that we would say if we didn't fear the social consequences. CNN: How much of The Honest Toddler is rooted in the real life experiences of your children that you observe? Laditan: Much of it is. I'm scared to say how much because I know that -- one of the reasons I love being anonymous is because that didn't feel like I would be judged. Not for my lack of parenting but just the situations are so crazy. And I know those situations happen to other people, too. On Friday, I was tweeting about Tali's ear infection and going to the pediatrician's office. She told me right away, "I don't like the doctor." And I knew it was going to be a struggle. CNN: At the end of the day, what makes a parent's struggle worth it? Laditan: The number one thing that really makes it all OK is knowing that it won't last forever. When you contextualize any difficult experience, that's what makes it bearable. With my first child, I had no idea what a contraction would feel like. Only what I'd seen on TV, like TLC, all these women screaming, 'I'm going to rip in half, this is going to be terrible!' But one woman (in a prenatal class), who had six kids said, 'You can handle 10 seconds of anything.' And she said the worst part of a contraction will probably last around 10 seconds. And when I was actually in labor, I thought of that. Knowing that made it bearable. It's the same thing when both my kids are still in their pajamas, crying, we're late for school, I'm thinking, "Great, now we're going to have to go to the secretary's office and she's going to see that they're late again and that I'm not dressed, and I have weird stuff in my eyes from sleeping so I obviously didn't wash my face or brush my teeth before I drove them there." I'm thinking all those terrible things and then I think, "They're going to grow up and I'm not going to be doing any of this and I know I'm going to miss it, and they're going to want to be with their friends and not with me." So that's what makes it doable. That's what makes me able to appreciate it and be able to laugh about it. | Writer Bunmi Laditan is the woman behind The Honest Toddler feed on Twitter .
Nearly 200,000 Twitter users follow the dry observations Laditan's alter ego .
Her experiences with an ornery 2-year-old inspired The Honest Toddler .
Laditan will release a book based on the Twitter account in May . |
110,735 | 1abf955200355dbc5ddb3f0e10303ef68feae530 | (CNN)From waterfalls in a forest to the beach haunts of movie stars, a number of scenic day trips are just a few hours' journey from Rio de Janeiro. Introducing three of the most popular day trips from the city: the tropical island of Ilha Grande, the splendidly preserved 17th-century colonial town of Paraty and the fishing-village-turned-beach-hotspot of Buzios. Ilha Grande . With its hiking trails and isolated beaches, this tropical island and former pirate roost makes for a perfect downshift from the buzz of Rio. Its dense forests have changed little since it served as a base for smugglers and adventurers a few centuries ago. A two-and-a-half hour trip from Rio, the tiny hamlet's business these days is ecotourism. Prior to that it was a fishing port and the site of a prison torn down in the 1950s. Cars are banned on the island and the focus is on human-powered transit -- hiking, kayaking, swimming. Boats and schooners can be rented for trips to several superb beaches on the island. Trails spanning 150 kilometers wend through forests that are home to a number of endangered species, from the maned sloth to the brown howler monkey. The trail to one of the peaks on the island, Pico do Papagaio, offers a rare, close look at what remains of an Atlantic Forest. The island's most popular beach, Lopes Mendes, turns up regularly on roundups of top Brazilian beaches. Getting there requires a taking a boat or schooner to a 20-minute trail through the jungle. Other beautiful beaches to check out include Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Verde. The official Ilha Grande website has information on transportation, accommodations, tours and services. READ: Insider Guide: Best of Rio . Paraty . A four-hour trip west from Rio on the scenic Costa Verde, Paraty is a time capsule of colonial-era Brazil, with cobblestone streets and wood-beamed architecture. A former distribution center for the gold mines of nearby Minas Gerais, the town was shaped by the gold trade, which died out in the late 1800s. The town's well-preserved past and fine restaurants, cafes, music and festivals have made it a tourist attraction and cultural hub. Its vibrant festival season runs late spring to early summer. The medieval Festa do Divino Espirito Santo is held around May 30 (50 days after Easter). The cowboy country-style Sao Joao Festival, celebrated throughout Brazil, kicks off festivities June 24. The San Antonio Festival is on June 13 and San Pedro is on June 29. Located near 300 beaches and 65 islands, the town is a great base camp for exploring neighboring areas. The official Paraty website has information on transportation, accommodations, tours and services. READ: Powerful flavor: Rio's incredible juice bars . Buzios . A resort getaway a few hours east of Rio, Buzios is one of Brazil's top beach playgrounds. It became popular with the jet set thanks to Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s, when the French actress became a regular at what was then just a small fishing village. In recognition of her role in putting the place on the map, one of the streets is named for her -- Orla Bardot -- as well as a movie theater. Since those days, the village has grown to become a major beach destination for travelers around the world. The cosmopolitan resort now attracts a wide range of visitors, from surfers to honeymooners to the St. Tropez set. READ: World's 12 sexiest accents . The town's cobblestone main drag, Rua das Pedras, has a roaring nightlife scene, with restaurants, bars and clubs lining the road. The main attractions in Buzios are the beaches -- the resort is situated on a peninsula that has 23 of them. Windsurfers frequent the windy eastern side, while tranquil coves for snorkeling and diving can be found on the calmer western side, especially the languid waters of Azeda beach.. The most popular surf spot is Geriba, home of wind-blown surf and flanked by bars, cafes and partyers. Kite surfers and windsurfers head to Ferradura and Ferradinho. Lessons are available for everything from surfing to diving. READ: Samba central: Moving to the rhythms of Rio's Lapa district . Accommodations range from high end Casas Brancas (typically reached by private transfer from Rio de Janeiro; +55 22 2623 1458; $450 per night) to budget pousadas such as Vila Pitanga (Rua G4 no. 6, Praia da Ferradura, Búzios; +55 22 2623 7512; $77 per night). All three destinations are within easy reach of Rio de Janeiro by car or bus from Rio via BR 101. The bus station for Paraty, Ilha Grande and Buzios is the Novo Rio station. For Buzios, the route runs across the bay to Niteroi and from there on BR 101 to BR 124 at Rio Bonita and then BR 106. Author of the book "Work to Live," Joe Robinson has written for numerous publications including the Los Angeles Times. He's traveled extensively in Brazil. | No cars are allowed on the tropical island of Ilha Grande .
Colonial town of Paraty is famous for colorful and well preserved colonial architecture .
Buzios offers a bevy of choice beaches and nightlife options . |
83,181 | ebdbf300bfabc95fbad92d63b328c516412894b7 | Michelle Smart, pictured, allegedly threatened her boyfriend with a gun after he rebuffed her sexual advances over Valentine's Weekend . A South Carolina woman was arrested over Valentine's Weekend after she threatened to shoot her boyfriend who fell asleep after spurning her sexual advances. Michelle Smart, 29, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, is alleged to have threatened Ryan Rucker with his own gun after he refused to have sex with her. Deputies from Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office arrested Smart following the incident on February 15. Smart told police that she had 'attempted to make some sexual advances toward Mr Rucker' but he 'pushed her off him'. She claimed that Mr Rucker had punched and kicked her several times and she was forced to flee the house and sat in a truck outside the $78,000 home. Smart told deputies that her boyfriend had threatened to shoot her, but she did not wish to make a statement. However, according to Deputy Castillo, he and several deputies knocked on the door of the house. In a statement, Deputy Castillo said: 'Mr Rucker came to the door and was not visibly upset. Mr Rucker explained that he was asleep when Ms Smart made sexual advances on him. He stated that he pushed her off and the tow started arguing. 'Mr Rucker stated that the argument escalated and that he followed Ms Smart outside. He stated that Ms Smart got into the truck and that she would shoot him because she has the gun.' Mr Rucker told deputies that he went back into the house because he was in fear for his life, although he did not wish to make a formal complaint against his girlfriend.' According to Deputy Castillo: 'Ms Smart continually was changing her story throughout the investigation. She advised that Mr Rucker had gone walking away when in fact he was inside the house. She stated that she thought he had the gun, and tournd out that the gun in question was in her presence the entire time. 'For these reasons, Ms Smart's account became less believable throughout the investigation.' Deputy Castillo said he arrested Smart for Criminal Domestic Violence of High and Aggravated nature. Deputy Castillo said he recovered Mr Rucker's Ruger hand gun and six bullets and placed them into evidence. Deputies arrested Smart outside this $78,000 house in Spartanburg, South Carolina on Sunday . | Michelle Smart is accused of pulling a gun on her boyfriend after rebuff .
Ryan Rucker was sleeping when Smart, 29, made sexual advances .
Mr Rucker pushed his girlfriend off and a heated argument began .
Prosecutors allege that Smart pulled a Ruger handgun on Mr Rucker .
She has been charged with Criminal Domestic Violence by prosecutors . |
102,108 | 0f967003d6d6d2ec546b4348a55fa339a0b2bda6 | (CNN) -- Manchester United's hopes of winning a treble this season ended on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat to arch-rivals Manchester City in the semifinals of the English FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. Alex Ferguson's team are on course for a record-breaking 19th English league title and have also reached the semifinals of the European Champions League, but Yaya Toure's second-half winner gave City the chance of winning a first trophy in 35 years. The Ivory Coast midfielder pounced after consecutive errors by veteran goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and midfielder Michael Carrick allowed him the chance to drill in a low shot seven minutes after halftime. United's bid to reach the final of the 140-year-old knockout competition for a record 19th time was then sabotaged by a moment of madness from 36-year-old midfielder Paul Scholes. The former England international, the only player of the two squads actually born in Manchester, was sent off with 18 minutes left for a reckless high lunge into the thigh of City's Argentine defender Pablo Zabaleta. Ferguson casts doubt over Hargreaves future . City last won the tournament in 1969, and most recently reached the final in 1981 -- one of the modern classics which was won in a replay by Tottenham. Roberto Mancini's team will face either Bolton or Stoke in the final on May 14, with the two Premier League teams meeting in Sunday's second semifinal also at England's national stadium. The Italian urged his team not to get carried away, with the club still battling to qualify for next season's Champions League. "We have everything in our hands. If we have the same spirit we had today, we have the fourth spot," he said, having molded City into contenders since taking charge December 2009 after being handed a lavish transfer kitty by billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. "Manchester City was a small team until three, four, five years ago. It's important to start to win the first trophies." United should have taken an early lead after dominating the first half-hour, with Dimitar Berbatov guilty of two bad misses in quick succession. The Bulgarian, starting in place of suspended England striker Wayne Rooney, was first denied by quick-thinking goalkeeper Joe Hart and then belied the form that has seen him become the Premier League's top scorer this season by inexplicably scooping the ball over the bar from close range after being found by Nani's inviting low cross. City, missing injured captain and top scorer Carlos Tevez, capitalized on some slack United defending after the interval as the 40-year-old Van der Sar -- who retires at the end of this season -- made a poor clearance and then Carrick gave the ball away to Toure. Hart did well to tip a 65th-minute freekick from Nani onto the crossbar before Scholes' red card forced a reshuffle with Berbatov replaced by midfielder Anderson. Man of the match Toure was denied by Van der Sar in the final minute and City survived five minutes of time added on to reach the club's second final since winning the English League Cup in 1976. The match ended in ugly scenes as United defender Rio Ferdinand had to be restrained after Anderson reacted to City striker Mario Balotelli's unwise celebrations in front of opposition fans. Ancelotti in troubled waters at the Bridge . In Saturday's Premier League action, third-placed defending champions Chelsea moved five points clear of City with a 3-1 victory at mid-table West Brom. The London club bounced back from the midweek Champions League exit at the hands of United as striker Didier Drogba leveled the scoring after this time being given the chance to start instead of $80 million signing Fernando Torres. West Brom had led through Nigeria striker peter Odemwingie, but Salomon Kalou put Chelsea ahead in the 26th minute and Frank Lampard sealed victory just before halftime. The result eased any fears that Chelsea will not qualify for next season's top European competition, moving Carlo Ancelotti's team eight points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham -- who host United's main title rivals Arsenal on Wednesday. Arsenal can reduce United's lead to four points by beating sixth-placed Liverpool on Sunday in a match that Kenny Dalglish's team also need to win in order to beat Tottenham to the sole Europa League spot. Everton consolidated seventh place with a 2-0 victory at home to Blackburn thanks to second-half goals by midfielder Leon Osman and defender Leighton Baines, the latter a penalty. Aston Villa moved up to ninth with a last-gasp 2-1 victory at second-bottom West Ham as substitute striker Gabriel Agbonlahor headed an injury-time winner after teammate Darren Bent canceled out Robbie Keane's early opener. Sunderland, European hopefuls earlier this season, slumped to an eighth defeat in nine games as the 2-0 loss at Birmingham left both clubs in a group of four teams on 38 points -- five clear of the relegation zone. Wigan moved out of the bottom three with a 3-1 win at Blackpool that dropped the promoted home team into the danger area for the first time this season. | Manchester City through to English FA Cup final for the first time since 1981 .
Yaya Toure's 52nd-minute winner ends United's hopes of winning three trophies this season .
Roberto Mancini's team will face either Stoke or Bolton in the final on May 14 .
Third-placed Chelsea move five points clear of City with a 3-1 win at West Brom . |
83,301 | ec3b7dc2bbe00ff6a8406f42a6707d48f4dbbc47 | Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni have attended the funeral of a much-loved broadcaster and journalist in Paris. The couple, who have been in the spotlight recently as Mr Sarkozy prepares a political campaign to take back the Elysee Palace, were spotted at the Saint-Germain-des-Pres church this morning. They were attending the funeral of broadcaster and interviewer Jacques Chancel, a friend of Mr Sarkozy's, who passed away in a Paris apartment overnight on December 22 aged 86. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, supermodel and musician Carla Bruni, were spotted together attending the funeral of popular broadcaster and journalist Jacques Chancel today . Mr Sarkozy was a good friend of Mr Chancel, and lead tributes after he passed away on December 22, aged 86. Mr Sarkozy has returned to the public spotlight recently as he lines up a new bid for the Elysee Palace . Mr Chancel, who presented popular French TV shows, will be buried on January 8 Miramont Castle, a property he owned in the Hautes-Pyrénées mountains. Mr Sarkozy was invited to the grand eighteenth century residence several times by Mr Chancel in the early 2000s, and the pair were pictured attending social events together around the same time. He lead tributes to Mr Chancel on the day of his death, telling Le Point: 'Jacques Chancel was a man of immense culture. I cannot name a single subject that did not know passionately. 'This is a man who never said ill of anyone. He preferred to see rather than criticize. He loved life passionately. His was full of discoveries, love for others, joy of living, and of great humility. 'France has lost a great man of television. Culture has lost one of its best servants. And we all lose a friend whose loyalty never faltered. It is a sad day for us all.' Mr Sarkozy (far right) was a personal friend of Jacques Chancel (second left) and was invited to Miramont Castle, his mountain retreat, on several occasions . Mr Chancel and Mr Sarkozy pictured together as pair attend a sports match at in Bordeaux in 2005 . Mr Sarkozy has been back in the political spotlight recently after winning back the leadership of his Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party late in November. The seasoned politician, who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012, is preparing to run for the top job again in 2017 in the hopes of deposing Francoise Hollande, who is the country's most unpopular leader ever. The UMP, which has struggled to be effective in opposition to Mr Hollande, will choose its presidential nominee in 2016. His main contender will be far-right campaigner Marine Le Pen and the National Front party who have taken scalps in local elections across the country. In the past he has accused Hollande's socialist party of 'ruining France', but said voters need a genuine alternative to Le Pen's movement. Mr Chancel was born on July 2, 1928, at his parent's home in the Hautes-Pyrénées mountains. He later bought an eighteenth century castle there, where his body will be interred on Thursday . Mr Chancel presented long-running series Radioscopie and Le Grand Echiquier and was a good friend of Mr Sarkozy, who he invited to his palatial home in the early 2000s . He was pictured today alongside Carla Bruni, the former supermodel who he wed in 2008, and now has a young daughter with. Mr Chancel, whose real name is Joseph Cramps, was born on July 2, 1928, in the French mountain town of Ayzac-Ost, in the Hautes-Pyrénées, where he would later buy an eighteenth century castle. He was a stalwart of French broadcasting, presenting long-running series Radioscopie and Le Grand Echiquier, for which he was best known. | French broadcaster Jacques Chancel died on December 22 in Paris .
Today friend Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni attended his funeral .
Mr Sarkozy has been in spotlight as he launches bid to reclaim presidency . |
156,095 | 55c87567ac155ba57cf2c49deabfba4d2f4519aa | Futuristic: Tom Cruise as Chief John Anderton in Minority Report . When police in Minority Report predicted who would commit crimes and stopped them before they did it, it was considered so futuristic, the film was set in 2054. Now, however, law enforcers in two American states are using crime-prediction software to predict which freed prisoners are most likely to commit murder, and supervising them accordingly. Instead of relying on parole officers to decide how much supervision inmates will need on the outside by looking at their records, the new system uses a computer algorithm to decide for them. The Minority Report-style software is already being used in Baltimore and Philadelphia to predict future murderers, and will be extended to Washington D.C. soon. It has been developed by Professor Richard Berk, a criminologist at the University of Pennsylvania, who believes it will reduce the murder rate and those of other crimes. Prof. Berk says his algorithm could be used to help set bail amounts and also decide sentences in the future. It could also be modified to predict lesser crimes. He told ABC News that currently parole officers are using their own judgment to decide what level of supervision each parolee should have, based on their criminal record. His software, he said, replaces that 'ad-hoc' decision making, and should identify eight future murderers out of 100. He said: 'People assume that if someone murdered then they will murder in the future, but what really matters is what that person did as a young individual. 'If they committed armed robbery at age 14, that's a good predictor. 'If they committed the same crime at age 30, that doesn't predict very much.' Prof. Berk's researchers used the details of more than 60,000 crimes then wrote an algorithm to find the people behind the crimes who were more likely to commit murder when they were out of prison. Pre-cog: Samantha Morton plays a human who can see into the future in Minority Report . The software predicts future criminals like the 'PreCogs' in the Tom Cruise film who can see crimes not yet committed . Future murderer? Neal McDonough, centre, and Colin Farrell, right, co-starred with Cruise in Minority Report . Criteria including criminal record, type of crime, location, and age at which the individual committed the crime were analysed, with type of crime and age proving to be the most reliable predictors of future crime. He said even his students at the University of Pennsylvania compared his work to Minority Report, the 2002 film starring Tom Cruise in which gifted humans called 'PreCogs' can see into the future and predict who will commit crimes. In the film, Cruise plays the elite crime squad head Chief John Anderton, who himself is accused of committing a murder in the future. Prof. Berk's work has been described as 'very impressive' by Shawn Bushway, a professor of criminal justice at the State University of New York at Albany. However he cautioned that human rights campaigners might see that the extra supervision mandated by the software for those deemed most likely to murder might amount to harassment. Spielberg hit: Minority Report, directed by Stephen Spielberg, features Irish actor Colin Farrell as Department of Justice agent Danny Witwer . | Parole officers use software to decide level of supervision for ex-inmates .
Uses algorithm devised by American criminology professor Richard Berk . |
125,617 | 2e68c3d9f4688e69b6c2cf49519d8b4b13025a65 | By . Matthew Dennison . At Belvoir Castle before the war, a kitchen staff of 20 catered for the ninth Duke of Rutland and his family. Teenage boys scrubbed copper pans, standing on duckboards to lift their feet out of the suds. Maids made everything from jam to crystallised violets. In rare moments of leisure, the Scottish cook, Mrs Anderson, read tea leaves. Distinctive widow's peak: Cecil Beaton's portrait of Lady Ursula, aged 21, taken in 1939 . Upstairs and outside, the Duke’s butler, the housekeeper, footmen, gardeners, the pig man, wood-cutters, odd job men, nannies and nurserymaids ran the many- turreted Regency castle ‘at full throttle . . . like a cross between a luxury hotel, a museum and a theatre’, remembers Lady Ursula d’Abo. There was an upholstery workshop and, in the tack room, saddles embellished with silver. At the centre of an estate of more than 15,000 acres, Belvoir was the Duke’s private fiefdom. His Sunday morning routine included a visit to the dairy to sample the cheese after a service in the castle chapel. This was the world — lavish, aristocratic, rarefied — in which Lady Ursula, the eldest of the Duke’s five children and now 98-year-old great-aunt of the present 11th Duke of Rutland, spent much of her childhood. Lady Ursula’s memories range from Downton-style Christmas parties for estate workers — at which, one year, every servant was given a gift of an orange and a lemon — to being photographed in an antique silver wine cooler large enough to hold two children. In the castle Muniment Room, she discovered a letter from Charles II in which he addressed his downtrodden wife Catherine of Braganza as ‘my dear little whiffy-whoffy’. Lady Ursula did not go to school, but was educated at home. Lavish childhood: Ursula and her sister Isabel sitting in a 17th-century silver punch bowl . Aristocratic upbringing: A portrait by Charles Edmund Brock of Ursula, her brother Charles and sister Isabel . In London she took swimming, ballet and piano lessons. She was ‘finished’ in Paris. She officially ‘came out’ when she was 17, at a grand ball at Belvoir, wearing a dress by Worth. To mark this, her father presented her with a large, heart-shaped aquamarine brooch he had designed himself. It featured her name in diamonds. She describes her education as ‘all the traditional home pursuits: cooking, sewing and running a large house’. With hindsight, she recognises the degree to which she was spoiled, but dismisses it simply as ‘just the way it was’. As a child, Ursula envied her younger sister Isabel’s boisterous and easy manner with young men. Pale-skinned, with ink-dark hair, Ursula adored her father and felt uncomfortable with men of her own age. Estate of 15,000 acres: Ursula on horseback outside Belvoir Castle lodge for a meet of the Belvoir Hunt . From early in her life she was drawn to father figures. Later she would famously live with John Paul Getty, who asked her to marry him — she declined. In 1976, People magazine reported that Getty had left her shares worth $165,000 in his will. There were 40,000 children at the Coronation procession in London . It was the coronation of George VI that changed her life. Ursula Manners (as she then was) was one of the train-bearers to Queen Elizabeth. It was a nerve-racking experience, despite so many other family members also being involved: her father carried the orb, her mother carried the Queen’s canopy, two of her brothers were royal pages. The beautiful Lady in Waiting: Ursula (third from left) with King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret on the Buckingham Palace balcony in 1937 after the coronation . But it was Ursula who was photographed . standing behind the King and Queen on Buckingham Palace balcony. Those . photographs were printed in newspapers across the globe and Ursula, with . her distinctive widow’s peak hairline, became famous overnight. Happy existence: Ursula at home in her Kensington flat in 1997 . An American magazine published a poem in which each verse began with the line: ‘Who is that beautiful Lady in Waiting?’ Celebrity, however, had never been the Duke’s aim for his daughter. He intended her to marry a man like himself, preferably another duke. One of Lady Ursula’s boyfriends was, indeed, the future Duke of Buccleuch. Instead, she married a handsome barrister called Anthony Marreco. After the war, they were divorced and she married her second husband, Erland d’Abo, with whom she had three children. Later Erland’s nephew Mike d’Abo became famous as the lead singer with Manfred Mann. Aristocratic memoirs invariably combine unimaginable privilege with hefty dollops of dysfunctionalism, emotional suffering and, often, addiction or substance abuse in some shape or form. Not so The Girl With The Widow’s Peak. Though Lady Ursula’s personal life has included its share of heartache — divorce, widowhood, the death of the father she idolised aged only 53, and a car crash that involved extensive reconstructive facial surgery — her autobiography depicts a happy family existence. It is a precious window on to a vanished world. | At the coronation of George VI, Lady Ursula was a train-bearer to Queen Elizabeth .
Photographed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, she became famous overnight as the world was captivated by her beauty .
Now 98, Lady Ursula tells the story of her life - one that has included it's fair share of heartache . |
139,899 | 40e1282cffbff720edbe8371a7c575a06476c6ba | By . Richard Sharpe . PUBLISHED: . 08:16 EST, 9 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:11 EST, 9 April 2013 . A Chelsea footballer had an affair with a team-mate's girlfriend, it was claimed today. The club has been caught up in another love scandal after it was reported that the partner of Kevin De Bruyne became embroiled in an affair with team-mate Thibaut Courtois. In scenes reminiscent of the scandal surrounding John Terry and Wayne Bridge, Caroline Lijnen allegedly started a relationship with Courtois behind De Bruyne’s back, according to a Belgian gossip magazine story. Both players are on loan this season. De Bruyne, 22, is set to leave Chelsea this summer after an impressing Werder Bremen. Courtois, 20, on loan at Atletico Madrid, is seen as the long-term successor to Petr Cech. 'Affair': Kevin De Bruyne's girlfriend Caroline Lijnen (pictured with . him) is alleged to have had an affair with his Belgium and Chelsea . teammate Thibaut Courtois . Stand by your man? De Bruyne with Caroline Lijnen in pictures on his Facebook page . It is reported that Courtois and De Bruyne’s 20-year-old girlfriend exchanged explicit pictures on Facebook. The magazine reports that Caroline . Lijnen became frustrated at life with De Bruyne in Bremen and moved to . Madrid where she enjoyed a liaison with Courtois. De Bruyne was said to be ‘devastated’ upon hearing the news. A source in the magazine said: 'In . the Madrid house she cheated on Kevin. He didn't know anything, but when . he discovered about it, he went crazy. It was a huge shock for him.’ The Belgium team-mates are said to . have since rekindled their friendship after holding clear-the-air talks . before their country’s clash against Macedonia. On loan: Thibaut Courtois (above) is at Atletico Madrid, but the pair are said to be friends again . De Bruyne in action against Seattle Sounders in Washington in July. Courtois is yet to play for the Blues . And a spokesperson from the Belgium FA claimed they now laugh about it. ‘They still get along’, said a press officer of the Belgian FA. ‘They even joke about it.’ Belgium . boss Marc Wilmots is reported to have acted as peacemaker after . visiting both players and reading them the riot act before the match . against Macedonia on March 26. Torn apart: John Terry and Wayne Bridge were pals at Chelsea (left) but Terry's alleged affair with Bridge's girlfriend, Vanessa Perroncel, led to a very public falling out between the then two England team-mates . Snub: Bridge refused to shake hands with Terry as Manchester City travelled to Chelsea in December 2010 . WAG: Vanessa Perroncel watching England in action at the World Cup in Germany in 2006 . Cost £7million. Ghent born 21-year-old attacking midfielder/winger, who is currently on loan at Werder Bremen to gain first team experience.Joined Chelsea from Racing Genk and has yet to make a first team appearance, apart from friendlies on tour is the US. He has played 28 games in the Bundesliga for Werder, scoring six goals.Played for Belgium from U18 level through to the senior team, where he has made 11 appearances (two goals). His goals both came in World Cup qualifiers.Like Courtois, he has a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge. Also signed from Racing Genk and arrived in 2011.Like De Bruyne, yet to make a first-team appearance but considered the heir apparent to Petr Cech. Has been on loan at Atletico Madrid, where he has played 64 games and is highly rated in the Primera Liga.He replaced David De Gea as No1 after the Spaniard moved to Manchester United. Has nine caps for his country, where he is understudy to Sunderland's Simon Mignolet.Courtois was once a left back as a boy but converted to a goalkeeper. He became Belgium's youngest-ever goalkeeper when he played against France in November 2011. | Chelsea rocked by allegations of second affair involving Belgium team-mates after John Terry allegedly had trist with Wayne Bridge's partner .
De Bruyne and Courtois are both out on loan this season .
De Bruyne apparently left 'devastated' by the affair .
But the pair are said to have made up and now even 'joke about it' |
138,070 | 3e94adff16e36030d3cc829017d3a9bf94aac918 | By . Graham Smith . Rising eerily from the frozen landscape, these strange shapes look like something from a science-fiction film. But they are here on Earth, frost-covered trees located close to the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can drop as low as -40C. In the dramatic sub-zero conditions, the snow and frost become so thick that everything is covered in a thick blanket. Alien landscape: The frost-covered trees are located close to the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can drop as low as -40C . Eerie: In the dramatic sub-zero conditions, the snow and frost become so thick that everything is covered in a thick blanket . The stunning shots were captured by Niccolo Bonfadini, who spent nine days camping alone in the frozen world, which is around 77 square kilometres. The 21-year-old's images appear to show bizarre tendrils emerging from the ground, which is blindingly white. He said: 'I was blown away by the otherworldly landscape, everything was white as far as the eye could see. Everything was frozen. 'It was incredible to see how ice would form on top of every free surface. 'Even my snow shoes and fuel bottles would be covered in ice if I left them outside my tent during the night.' Mr Bonfadini, an environmental engineering student from Monza, Italy, sustained himself on powdered freeze-dried food during his trek and slept in his tent. He said: 'I loved what I was doing. I love to go deep into nature alone, to feel the majesty and beauty of Nature. It is absolutely what makes me happiest. 'What made the trip harder than average was the fact that I was completely alone, I only met three people during my nine days. But I prefer it like that, I don't like crowds.' Mr Bonfadini said he has had varied . reactions to the pictures, many had found it difficult to understand the . bizarre shapes were trees. Stunning: The shots were captured by Niccolo Bonfadini, who spent nine days camping alone in the frozen world . Dusk: The bizarre tendrils emerge from the ground, which is blindingly white . Surreal: Mr Bonfadini, an environmental engineering student, sustained himself on powdered freeze-dried food during his trek and slept in a tent . He said: 'Some thought they were volcanic eruptions and clouds. To me they seemed to be alive like frozen people. 'Every tree was different from the others, they had weird forms, some had snow covered branches that looked like arms. 'With . such a surreal landscape, it is easy to see how many tales and legends . about trolls and other creatures could have been born.' He added: 'Both the landscape and the sky were white, there were no shades during the day. It was like being in a completely white room and it was even difficult for the eyes to focus. 'Sometimes I couldn't even notice when the path was starting to go downhill because everything looked flat.' Despite his young age, Mr Bonfadini has photographed wildlife all over the world. He said: 'My favourite subjects are the northern countries. I feel a sense of wonder while surrounded by desolate frozen landscapes. 'I feel small and vulnerable among the power of Nature. During those moments I really feel alive.' He added: 'What I like about photography is that it is an excuse for going out into Nature. 'Photography motivates me to get out into Nature more often, experiencing conditions and places that I wouldn't probably have witnessed otherwise.' | Frost-covered trees are located close to the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can drop as low as -40C . |
58,044 | a481da1378ba67991e0e7dd3d52a1e6a96abde96 | When mother-of-two Claire Craig noticed a numb, tingling sensation in the fingers of her right hand, she never dreamed it could be something serious. 'We'd just got a puppy who was nipping a bit, and I assumed he'd caught a nerve in my hand,' says Claire, 41, an interior designer from Surbiton, Surrey. 'I forgot about it, but then, over the next three months, it got worse. My whole hand was numb. It was like I was wearing a thick ski glove. While driving, I didn't feel I could hold the steering wheel properly.' Claire's GP suspected carpal tunnel syndrome - when the nerve in the hand becomes compressed - but tests came back clear, so an MRI scan was ordered. Claire had a tumour on her brain. She is here with husband Tony and children Jemima, 8 (l) and Matilda, 12 . In the months before her scan appointment, her symptoms escalated. 'The numbness had gone right down my leg by now and it felt like lead - I had to pull it up the stairs,' says Claire, who is married to Anthony, a deputy headteacher, and who has two daughters, Matilda, now 12, and Jemima, eight, plus a stepson, George, 19. 'But I still didn't think it was anything serious as I didn't have any other symptoms - no headaches or dizziness. 'Even after they did the MRI and called me back urgently for another one because they'd found a “spot” on my brain, I remained calm. I don't think I quite took it in.' The morning after her second MRI scan, Claire received a phone call from the hospital. There was a tumour the size of a small aubergine on her brain. 'Cancer never occurred to me,' she recalls today, four years later. 'I was 36, I had two young children and in the space of a few days my life had changed for ever.' Medical advances in recent decades have transformed our knowledge of many cancers. But for brain tumours, which claim around 3,400 lives every year in England and Wales, we are badly lagging behind. Cancer never occurred to her. She was just 36 . The symptoms are vague and variable, and little is known about the causes or risk factors. Worryingly, no one can fully explain why, unlike most other conditions, the number of cases is rising. 'The detection rate is getting better, but even given that, there has been a jump in the numbers above what we might expect,' says Kevin O'Neill, a neurosurgeon at Charing Cross Hospital, London. Since 1970, the incidence of brain cancer in the UK has risen by 23 per cent in men and 25 per cent in women, according to the charity Brain Tumour Research Campaign. There's also been a rise in secondary brain tumours, which occur when cells from another cancer - such as a breast cancer - spread to the brain. Between 20 and 40 per cent of cancers eventually spread to the brain - most commonly in patients who have had breast, lung, bowel and skin cancer. Experts say not enough is being spent on research, meaning prognosis remains poor; sadly, 58 per cent of people diagnosed with brain cancer die within a year, compared with 5 per cent for breast cancer and 7 per cent for prostate cancer. Part of the problem is that brain tumours, by the nature of their location, are hard to reach. Indeed, Claire's surgeon told her he would not know for sure what kind of tumour she had until he had begun operating on it. 'He told me there were two possible types: one was non-recurring, the other terminal,' she says. 'My husband, Tony, and I dealt with it in very different ways. For me, it could only be the good type of tumour and there was no option of me not coming through this. 'Tony felt he had to prepare himself for the worst outcome.' Claire's tumour was on her brain stem - the region at the back of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. There was a high risk the operation itself would cause paralysis, but Claire had no choice. Without treatment, she could have been dead within a year. 'The three weeks before the operation in March 2009 were the worst of my life,' she says. 'We told the girls that Mummy had an egg in her head and had to have it taken out. They were only three and seven at the time, but they've since told me how frightened they were.' Claire's surgeon predicted the operation would take four to five hours - it took nine. 'It was a lot deeper and bigger than they'd thought, so they had to cut through a lot of my nerve tissue,' she says. 'When I woke up, I was paralysed down one side.' In the following weeks and months, Claire fought to regain the use of her right-hand side, slowly learning to walk, talk and eat again. After one month, she went home to her family. Tests showed that her tumour was a hemangioblastoma - a rare, but benign, type. One year after the operation, scans showed the tumour hadn't returned. Two years ago, she was told to go away and live her life as if it had never happened. 'I was cured, and not many people with brain tumours can say that,' she says. Incredibly, she has suffered few long-term problems, apart from some numbness and weakness. 'It's mainly affected my small motor skills, so I can't sew a button on very quickly or hold two mugs with one hand, for example. And I can't wear court shoes, ballet pumps or anything without support because I can't flex my foot to keep the shoe on,' she says. Claire's outcome is an astonishing one in a field of medicine that is notoriously complex. 'What causes brain tumours is the $64,000 question,' says neurosurgeon Kevin O'Neill. 'There is a relative peak in childhood and another in late middle age, but apart from that, we don't know any absolute risk factors.' Tests showed that her tumour was a hemangioblastoma - a rare, but benign, type . espite fears that mobile phones cause brain tumours, the evidence does not suggest any link. There's a risk of misdiagnosis because the condition is rare, and its symptoms - such as headache - are similar to many other, less serious illnesses. 'A headache is very unlikely to be due to a brain tumour, but if it is persistent and unrelenting, alters when you change position, and is associated with nausea, visual disturbance, numbness and weakness, it's worth having it checked.' Brain tumours cannot be treated with chemotherapy because of the blood-brain barrier - a natural protective blockade that stops drugs from getting into the brain from the bloodstream. Surgery is often the first option, but this carries risks. 'Because of where they are, brain tumours are hard to remove without injuring the patient,' says Mr O'Neill. 'Also peculiar to them is that they can be made up of different groups of cells which behave in different ways, making them difficult to see and take out. 'So whatever treatment you apply, some tumour cells may be left behind. 'But options are improving - we are starting to use 3D technology to create a picture of the tumour so that during surgery we can see which cells are tumour and which are normal brain.' Certainly, experts hope that in the future we will hear more success stories such as Claire's. She says it took several months after her operation to start to make sense of what happened. 'I suppose I used to think I was invincible. This made me realise we're not in charge,' she says. For more information, visit wayahead-btrc.org . | Mother-of-two Claire Craig, 36, from surbiton had tumour on her brain .
Discovered benign hemangioblastoma after MRI for suspicious headache .
Since 1970, brain cancer has risen by 23 - 25 per cent in the UK . |
123,993 | 2c49d9643f56871b5f8a28c3b669216f5972c74c | (CNN) -- The Brazilian National Council of Justice, which oversees the nation's judiciary, passed a resolution Tuesday that denies notaries the right to refuse to perform same-sex marriages. In Brazil, notaries officiate marriages and civil unions. Recently, 12 Brazilian states began allowing same-sex couples to marry or convert their civil unions into marriages. However, since the Supreme Court does not carry legislative powers, it was up to each notary to officiate at their discretion, and many refused, citing the lack of law. Same sex marriage: Who will legalize next? Joaquim Barbosa, president of the Council of Justice, said in the decision that notaries cannot continue to refuse to "perform a civil wedding or the conversion of a stable civil union into a marriage between persons of the same sex." Barbosa, who also presides over the Supreme Court, says the resolution merely follows the transformation of society. "Our society goes through many changes, and the National Council of Justice cannot be indifferent to them," he said. Civil unions between same-sex couples have been recognized in Brazil since 2011, after the Supreme Court ruled that the same rights and rules that apply to "stable unions" of heterosexual couples would apply to same-sex couples, including the right to joint declaration of income tax, pension, inheritance and property sharing. People in same-sex unions are also allowed to extend health benefits to their partners, following the same rules applied to heterosexual couples. Brazilian lawmakers have debated same-sex marriage, but in most cases, the bills introduced have not progressed through Congress. Brazilian neighbors Uruguay and Argentina are the only other two countries in Latin America that have laws allowing same-sex couples to marry. | In Brazil, notaries officiate marriages and civil unions, including same-sex ones .
Notaries had refused to perform such marriages and civil union conversions, citing lack of law .
Council of Justice president says resolution reflects changes in society . |
9,558 | 1b1257d57739e4eea16696a6586b5a1e922b8c72 | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 08:46 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:28 EST, 30 October 2013 . For most people, waking up covered in blood is the stuff of horror films. But for 22-year-old Stephanie Walker it became a horrifying reality of life. Miss Walker used to self-harm in her sleep and woke with injuries ranging from small grazes, to gashes which left pools of blood in her bedding. Stephanie Walker (pictured with her boyfriend Matt Daniels) developed a form of sleepwalking which saw her cut herself in her sleep - it was so bad that she would wake up to find her sheets soaked in blood . She struggled with an unusual and terrifying form of sleepwalking but has recently found relief thanks to a combination of medication and therapy. She was given sleeping tablets in an attempt to put her into such a deep sleep that she couldn't get up during the night. When this treatment failed, she was referred for a form of hypnotherapy known as sleep therapy. This treatment has now put an end to her night time injuries. Miss Walker said: 'I had one-on-one sessions with a sleep therapist and a counsellor. The therapist focused on examining my stress levels and revisiting the memories of self-harming while I was awake when I was younger. 'It scared me to think that my body was reacting in the way it did because I had no conscious outlet for the stress I was feeling. 'After the sessions with the therapist and the counsellor, I was much more relaxed. At first, I was still harming myself in my sleep, but the injuries became less bad. 'It stopped completely after me and my current boyfriend, Matt, became close again. We were very close friends when I was 16, but I lost contact with him between the ages of 19 and 21. 'It hurt to be apart from him. But since I've been in my current job, and in a stable relationship, I've never felt better.' Miss Walker (pictured in September 2011 while she was sleepwalking) said she was terrified because she did not know why she kept waking up with cuts on her legs . Miss Walker (pictured with her mother, Lynn) feared she would unintentionally hurt her parents or brother during one of her sleepwalking episodes . Until she received treatment, Miss Walker would use knives to cut her legs while she was asleep. She said: ‘At first I didn’t know what was going on. I knew no-one could have been coming into my room during the night. ‘The . injuries ranged from little spots and cuts to quite severe marks which . left a lot of blood on my bed sheets. The only rational explanation was . that I was doing it to myself. It was extremely scary.’ The frightening night episodes began when Miss Walker was 19, as she struggled emotionally following the breakdown of a relationship. She was terrified that her inexplicable night time activities would eventually lead her to hurt her mother, Lynn, 52, father, Peter, 54, or brother, Michael, 23. ‘I was able to piece together what was happening - I was getting out of bed and finding sharp objects, like knives, and then hurting myself,’ she said. ‘I must have wandered all around the house looking for cutting tools. But I had no idea I was doing it.’ Miss Walker was eventually referred for a form of hypnotherapy called sleep therapy, which finally put an end to her night time antics . She added: ‘I was always worried I was . going to hurt my parents. I wouldn’t dream of hurting them, but then I . didn’t have any control.’ Serious injuries occurred nearly . every week and soon Miss Walker was anxious that nothing could be done . to stop her bizarre behaviour. She . said: ‘It started happening with no warning at all. I had self-harmed . when I was a younger teenager, but I hadn’t done anything like it for . years. Miss Walker has now taken the step of covering the scars on her right leg with a colourful tattoo of Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas . ‘I sought help from my mum almost . straight away. I’d gone to her when I hurt myself when I was younger, so . I thought of seeking help from her first. ‘She was so supportive. She came to every single appointment with me, and every therapy session. ‘At first the doctors thought I was . doing it to myself while I was awake. They sent me to counselling and . analysed me, and put me on strong sleeping tablets which they thought . would knock me out to the extent that I wouldn’t be able to move when I . was asleep. ‘But they didn’t work. I became more and more stressed. ‘I kept nagging the doctors for help. They sent me for sleep therapy - a form of hypnotism - which began to make a difference. As the injuries became less severe, I breathed a big sigh of relief.’ Miss Walker, from Leeds, has not experienced any such injuries for a year. This week she moved into her own flat, confident her nocturnal self-harming has gone for good. Having completed her therapy treatment, she is being supported through her recovery by her boyfriend Matt Daniels, 23. Miss Walker said: ‘I feel freed from my behaviour, as if I’m able to move on with my life.’ She has even taken the step of covering the scars on her right leg with a colourful tattoo. She said: ‘You can’t see the scars on my legs any more. Most of them have been covered by a tattoo of Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas - it’s one of my favourite films.’ | Stephanie Walker had a form of sleepwalking which saw her cut her legs .
She would wake up to find her bedclothes soaked in blood .
She feared she might hurt her parents or brother in her sleep .
Doctors tried giving her sleeping pills to put her into such a deep sleep that she wouldn't get up during the night - they didn't solve the problem .
Was eventually cured by a form of hypnotherapy known as sleep therapy . |
216,662 | a47fb77ef646cde9a2f1cbb310d09a7dd80148ae | (CNN) -- Anyone who has struggled to be healthy is intimately familiar with the counting game. They've counted calories, carbs, Weight Watchers points, their heart rate, steps and miles. Now a new smart eating utensil called the HapiFork will help them count bites during meals, and maybe shame them into eating slower and potentially losing weight. Technology has made it easier to track the minutiae of everyday life, with smartphones, pedometers and small sensors that can fit in wearable devices such as wrist bands. The self-tracking hobby has blossomed into the quantified-self movement, which reaches far beyond the health conscious. People are tracking their sleep patterns, heart rate, mood, air quality and work habits, often in a bid to analyze enough data to correct problems with their health or lifestyle. "Whatever we can measure, we can improve," said Fabrice Boutain, CEO and founder of HapiLabs. In the case of the HapiFork, what can be improved is how fast people eat. It takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it is full and that it's time to stop eating, putting speedy eaters at risk for being overeaters. The HapiFork team says there are many potential health benefits to eating slower, including decreasing acid reflux, obesity and diabetes. The $99 fork first gained attention during the Consumer Electronics Show in January and will be on the market by the end of the year. How it works . The fork can be used to passively track eating habits and automatically sync that information, including duration of meals and frequency of forkfuls, with a smartphone. The HapiFork mobile app will also include a coaching program and tools to connect with friends and family. The device can also be set up for behavior modification, vibrating any time the diner is eating too quickly as a gentle reminder to slow down. By default it is set to allow a bite every 10 seconds, though the exact time is customizable. When the metal tines of the HapiFork touch the mouth, a circuit is closed and a bite is tallied. The data is automatically transmitted to a smartphone over Bluetooth or can be uploaded using a micro USB port in the base. The fork, which can stay charged for 15 days, has a thick plastic handle that houses the electronics. The core pops out so the fork can be washed by hand or run through a dishwasher. You must hold down a button to turn it on before each meal, but it powers down automatically after you stop using it. A hands-on (and mouth-on) test . I tested the fork out this week on a lunch of seared-tuna salad. There are only 10 prototypes of the HapiFork, each thoroughly sanitized between the many test eaters (I hope). It was a pretty tasty salad, and soon slow, responsible bites turned into shoveling. When two bites happened in the same 10 second window, the fork vibrated -- a somewhat unsettling feeling especially if it's near your teeth. I'd slow down for a while, mostly out of embarrassment, but eventually I'd forget and the fork would buzz me again. It happened about five times during the length of the meal -- a fairly typical count for newbies, according to Boutain. HapiLabs subscribes to the theory that it takes 21 days to create a habit. If you use the fork consistently for 21 days, it should retrain you to automatically eat slower at all times. One meal wasn't enough time to cure me of my snarfing ways, but I was more aware of how fast I ate for the rest of the day. Origin of the smart fork . The fork was invented seven years ago by Jacques Lepine, who compares the retraining to techniques used by habitual nail biters to cut down on their nibbling. Such as coating nails with bitter-tasting polish, for example. Last year Lepine connected with 5-year-old health and fitness content company HapiLabs, which is based in Paris and Hong Kong. The two joined forces just in time to take the first prototypes to CES in Las Vegas, where it was an instant hit. HapiLabs has 120 employees, only 10 to 15 of whom are currently working on the HapiFork project. But that ratio could change soon if the fork takes off. When can you get one? On Wednesday, the HapiFork team launched a 45-day Kickstarter campaign to raise $100,000 and sign up the first 1,000 users. Those early adopters will be the company's first chance to collect a large amount of data and test how effective the fork's vibration is at changing eaters' behavior. HapiLabs plans to start shipping the first forks to early Kickstarter donors at the end of the summer, and roll the devices out to everyone by the end of the year. "We want to cater to a community of people who like to eat mindfully," said Boutain. Data, data everywhere . Since it has started collecting data from test users, HapiLabs has found that people take about 70 fork bites per meal. They start eating fast but slow down after six minutes, and in an interesting bit of carb trivia, they tend to eat rice much faster than pasta (possibly due to the labor-intensive twirling process). This is just a sliver of the kind of insight the fork could give the company and medical researchers into how people eat. That potential is what makes the fork more than just a silly and fun novelty gadget. It represents an evolution in tracking technology. In the coming years sensors will pop up in more and more household objects tracking things like air quality, movement, vital signs and other stats. This potential flood of sensors could lead to a mess of data, with each piece of information tracked in its own app. Fitness trackers like the Nike Fuel Band and the Fitbit are already hugely popular. A new company, Estonian startup Jomi Interactive, recently announced it is working on tracking devices that fit onto water bottles and monitor how much water you drink. Ideally all the sensor companies will work together so that different data can be shared across apps and devices, allowing it to be analyzed for even more insightful conclusions. (Do you eat less on days you get more than 8 hours sleep? Does the air quality in your home effect your mood?) | The HapiFork tracks how quickly you eat, vibrating if your bites are less than 10 seconds apart .
The company behind the smart fork has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $100,000 .
Fork is one of many household objects that will likely get sensors in coming years . |
223,339 | ad2196cfcffee8a8c979248e3131c6f9bb7c1d75 | By . Chris Brooke and Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 10:16 EST, 20 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:14 EST, 21 January 2013 . A four-year-old boy who was killed as he slept alongside his twin brother is pictured here for the first time. The victim has been named locally as Riley Turner, while his brother is called Kenzie. The youngster was carried out of the house by his distraught stepfather as he screamed: 'Somebody please help.' The boy, whose twin brother was not hurt in the incident, was said by a neighbour to have been stabbed in the neck and body as he slept alongside his identical twin brother. Murder investigation: Four-year-old Riley Turner, pictured here aged one, died after reportedly being stabbed in the neck while he slept . Twins: Riley, left, was sleeping alongside his brother Kenzie, right, at the time of his death; they are pictured here around three years ago . A manhunt was launched and seven hours . later police in Keighley, West Yorkshire, arrested a 32-year-old man in . a railway tunnel on suspicion of murder. The ambulance service was called to . the house in Harewood Road, Oakworth, Keighley, at 4.40am yesterday and . the youngster was pronounced dead at Airedale General Hospital later. Mother . Sharon Smith lived at the . address with twins Riley and Kenzie and her 22-year-old partner Guy . Earwaker, who is not the children's father. The couple also have a . two-month-old baby. On guard: A murder investigation is now under way after the killing in Keighley, West Yorkshire . Memorial: Tributes to Riley were left outside the home where the boys lived with their mother and stepfather . The twin's uncle Peter Smith, 49, a . local DJ, said: 'I spoke to Sharon this morning and she was distraught. She could only tell me that she'd been asleep in bed and there had been a . horrible incident. It's tragic what happened.' Neighbour Audrey Currie, 40, said she heard screaming during the early hours 'but didn't realise it was anything.' She said: 'I just thought it was a lot of drunk people. 'I . could hear a man and I could definitely heard a lady screaming. A . friend of mine actually saw the little boy, she saw the man come out . with the boy in his arms.' Support: A friend offers support to a woman clutching a teddy bear at the scene of the murder . Police guard the house where a four-year-old boy was found dead in the Oakworth area of Keighley . A manhunt was launched for the suspect after police . arrived at the house and armed officers were called to the area. A local resident said: 'We woke up to . see police with machine guns walking up the road, lots of police.' Police said the man in custody was arrested at 11.30 am. According to . locals he was seized in a tunnel on the historic Keighley and Worth . Valley Railway. Steam trains were cancelled for more than three hours after police with dogs traced the suspect. Investigation: Forensic officers have been collecting evidence, in Keighley, West Yorkshire, where the body of a four-year-old boy was found . Sealed off: The road in Oakworth, Keighley, West Yorkshire, has been closed today while officers investigate the murder of a four-year-old boy . A murder investigation was launched by West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team and the street cordoned off. Police refused to release further details or confirm how the child was killed. Officers were seen searching drains near to the address where the boy was found. A 200m stretch of road was also taped off and was guarded by police at both ends while officers . searched the gutters along the street. The body of a four-year-old boy was found in Keighley, West Yorkshire, this morning . A 32-year-old man from Keighley, West Yorkshire, has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a four-year-old boy . Officers have also been seen searching bins and garage roofs in the hunt for further evidence. One upset resident said: 'We saw all the commotion this morning, lots and lots of police, they had the whole road blocked off. 'We didn't know what had happened there we found out who had been killed, I just couldn't believe it. 'This is a really quiet area, I can't believe it.' Keighley town mayor George Metcalf, who lives near to the murder scene, said: 'It’s tragic for a child so young to die and I’m devastated for the mother and other family members. 'To think what they must be going through.' A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: 'The man was arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently in police custody. 'Enquiries are ongoing and no further details are expected to be released today.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Riley Turner 'stabbed in the neck' at home in Keighley, West Yorkshire .
A 32-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder after seven-hour search .
Victim lived with brother, mother and her partner, 22 . |
142,752 | 449f52d124565dc1917707f9ec145c7c32ad9583 | Denver (CNN) -- A Colorado advocacy group is spending thousands of dollars to convince people that smoking pot is safer than drinking alcohol. It's an attempt by the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol to rally support for a vote in November that would legalize the drug for recreational use. Colorado legalized marijuana for medical use in 2000. Last Friday, the group aired an advertisement on a local Denver channel during daytime programming encouraging people to "start your conversation about marijuana." The 30-second spot features a young woman typing a message to her mother on her laptop, explaining that after spending her college years drinking heavily, she now prefers marijuana because "it's less harmful ... I don't get hung-over and honestly I feel safer around marijuana users." The marketing campaign aims to "break down the stereotype about who the typical marijuana user is," explained the campaign's co-director, Mason Tvert. "Most of them are professional, hard-working people," he said. The TV ad, which aired only on Friday, cost about $2,000, according to Tvert. It may run again, depending on fund-raising efforts, he said. Last month, the campaign spent about $4,500 on a billboard near Denver's (Sports Authority Field at) Mile High stadium -- purposely adjacent to the Mile High Liquors store -- to deliver a similar message, Tvert said. The billboard also features a woman, this one in her 50s, standing with her arms crossed next to the message: "For many reasons, I prefer ... marijuana over alcohol. Does that make me a bad person?" Watch the TV ad . By attempting to change "stereotypes" about marijuana users, the campaign hopes to make Colorado the first state to legalize recreational marijuana use. "The goal is the choice -- to make sure adults have the choice to use a less harmful substance than alcohol," Tvert said. Dr. Otis Brawley with the American Cancer Society questioned that conclusion. "The problems of excessive alcohol use and the problems caused by any even minor smoking of marijuana are so different, I have difficulty comparing," said Brawley, CNNhealth.com contributor and the American Cancer Society's chief medical and scientific officer. "There are short-term and long-term primarily pulmonary problems associated with marijuana (and) excessive alcohol use is long-term correlated with GI (gastrointestinal) and neurologic problems." Study: Occasional pot smoking not as damaging as cigarettes . Also debatable is whether the money generated by legalizing and regulating marijuana through taxes will outweigh the costs of creating government-run marijuana distribution centers. Tvert says the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol estimates that legalizing and regulating marijuana could generate $50 million a year in saved expenses and revenue. "We've been pushing very hard in Colorado and people agree, it's not worth the law enforcement resources being used (to crack down on marijuana users) and it's not worth losing out on the tax dollars," he said. 22 million Americans use illegal drugs, study says . Tvert said he was not aware of any criticism for the advertisement, noting that legalizing marijuana is "one of the biggest issues in our state legislature in the last few years." "We live in a state that has made a lot of progress on the issue," he said. "It's not as controversial as many other issues." That's partly because of the prevalence of medical marijuana dispensaries across the state. State-sanctioned marijuana dispensaries now outnumber Starbucks in Colorado and there are well over 100,000 people on the medical marijuana registry. Mobile marijuana clinic for Colorado's rural residents . Six years ago, an attempt to legalize marijuana in Colorado failed. This year's initiative goes much further than the 2006 ballot, because it establishes a system that regulates and taxes the drug, Tvert said. He believes the infrastructure created by Colorado's medical marijuana industry will help boost the chances that voters will approve legal recreational use of the drug. Residents are also more accustomed to the idea of a legalized form of the drug, now that medical marijuana dispensaries are a common sight across the state, Tvert said. "We're not asking people to imagine, as we would just two years ago," he explained. "People have seen that just because there's a marijuana center in Colorado ... just because there might be a storefront in your town or city, it hasn't caused any problems." He noted that the initiative would allow cities and municipalities to "opt out" of allowing marijuana sales, similar to "dry counties" which ban the sale of alcohol. Colorado isn't the only state where voters will consider legalizing marijuana in the fall: there's a similar ballot initiative in Washington and there could be one in Oregon, as well, if enough signatures are collected. "There are actually... close to 17 or 18 initiatives working their way to the ballots," according to Sue Rusche, president and CEO of the non-profit anti-drug organization, National Families in Action. Rusche said her group's main focus is to "force the (marijuana) industry" to ensure that it doesn't market the drug to children. "We ask a question: if a state actually does legalize marijuana for recreational use... what kind of things can we learn form the alcohol and tobacco industries in the way they've marketed to kids?" she said. "What can we do to prevent that (marijuana) industry from marketing to kids?" She said setting a legal age limit of 21 is not enough. "We do not trust the advocates who are trying to legalize marijuana because we don't believe they are willing to look at these other two industries (alcohol and tobacco)," Rusche said. "Everything we read in their initiative has to do with making money and not protecting kids." If any marijuana initiative passes, Rusche said her group is interested in working with the state agencies that write the regulations in order "to force the industry to self-police rather than (have) the taxpayers pay for the cost" of any negative consequences, including addiction treatment and accidents caused by driving under the influence. "We want people to take marijuana legalization seriously and think seriously about the consequences to kids," she said. When asked about Rusche's concerns, Tvert said he was confident the marijuana industry would not target its product to minors. "There's a great deal of self-regulating already taking place -- business owners not choosing marijuana leaves or cartoon characters," he said, referring to the medical marijuana industry. "It's an evolving industry (and) in theory, these are standards that are already being created." That doesn't mean the marijuana industry won't advertise its product in places where children might be present, though. "It's worth noting, every young person that walks into a professional baseball game in Colorado (at Coors Field) is walking into a beer commercial," he said. "So the notion that we somehow cannot possibly have marijuana legal because young people will somehow know about it and see it, is unrealistic." CNN's Tricia Escobedo reported on this story from Atlanta and CNN's Jim Spellman reported from Denver. | Voters to decide in fall whether Colorado will be the first state to allow recreational marijuana use .
Colorado medical marijuana dispensaries now outnumber Starbucks .
Marijuana linked to pulmonary problems; excessive alcohol use linked to GI, neurologic issues .
Nationwide, more than a dozen initiatives are working their way toward state ballots . |
254,741 | d5c091960151cd04f433462d9abbb49f78ee4781 | (CNN) -- Dubai could lose its place on the Women's Tennis Association Tour calendar after Israeli Shahar Peer was denied entry to compete at this week's event, the WTA supremo warned Monday. Shahar Peer told CNN she learned of her visa ban Saturday, just before her scheduled flight to Dubai. Peer was scheduled to fly into the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, but was informed Saturday night by telephone that she would not be granted a visa. WTA Chairman and CEO Larry Scott said the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour "will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament." Scott added: "The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour believes very strongly, and has a clear rule and policy, that no host country should deny a player the right to compete at a tournament for which she has qualified by ranking." Peer, who had just finished playing in the Pattaya Open in Thailand, where she reached the semifinal, said she is "very, very disappointed" to have been denied the opportunity to play in Dubai. "They really stopped my momentum because now I'm not going to play for two weeks and because they waited for the last minute I couldn't go to another tournament either," Peer said from Tel Aviv. "So it's very disappointing, and I think it's not fair." Watch Peer describe her disappointment » . Scott, meanwhile, confirmed: "Following various consultations, the Tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week, pending further review by the Tour's Board of Directors. "Ms. Peer and her family are obviously extremely upset and disappointed by the decision of the UAE and its impact on her personally and professionally, and the Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer." Scott said Peer's visa refusal has precedence: Last year an Israeli men's doubles team was denied entry to Dubai. He said the Emirate cited security reasons following recent unrest in the region. "At that time I was in Dubai. I made it clear to the authorities, the representatives of the government, that next year when our top players wanted to play this very prestigious tournament all of them had to be allowed to play," Scott said. "They had a year to work on it and solve it. We've spent time through the year discussing it. We were given assurances that it had gone to the highest levels of government," Scott said. "I was optimistic they would solve it. And we've made crystal clear to the government, to the tournament organizers that there could be grave repercussions not just for tennis in the UAE but sports beyond that." Watch CNN's interview with Larry Scott » . The Dubai government issued a short statement through the state-owned news agency, saying that Peer was informed while in Thailand that she would not receive a visa. The agency quoted an official source in the organizing committee saying, "The tournament is sponsored by several national organizations and they all care to be part of a successful tournament, considering the developments that the region had been through." Earlier an official source who did not want to be named, said, "We should check what happened in New Zealand, when Peer was playing there with all the demonstrations against Israel during the attacks on Gaza. We have to consider securing the players and the tournament." In January, a small group of about 20 protestors waved placards and shouted anti-Israel slogans outside the main entrance to the ASB Classic tournament in Auckland. They were moved on before Peer played her match. The Israeli player said she's received phone calls of support from her fellow players. "'All the players support Shahar," world No. 6 Venus Williams told The New York Times, adding, "We are all athletes, and we stand for tennis." Peer is uncertain of her next move. She said the last-minute decision had left her at a loose end. She said she was concerned about her points and ranking and may go to the U.S. this week to try to take part in another tournament. "I don't think it should happen," she said. "I think sport and politics needs to stay on the side and not be involved. I really hope it's not going to happen again, not only to me but to any other athlete." CNN Dubai bureau chief Caroline Faraj contributed to this report . | Israeli tennis player back in Tel Aviv after being denied entry for Dubai event .
Shahar Peer told night before tournament she would not be granted visa by UAE .
WTA chief Larry Scott warned Dubai tournament could lose place on calendar .
Scott: "This runs counter to everything we were promised and is a setback" |
80,236 | e363511e5873b2407481192d0660663ad62023f9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 2 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:27 EST, 2 December 2013 . In court: Dajeon Franklin, pictured, was caught using stolen credit cards with his own rewards card . One of three alleged burglars suspected of gunning down a promising med student in his frat house was caught for an earlier break-in after using his Speedy Rewards card with stolen credit cards at a gas station, it has emerged. Dajeon Franklin, 21, today faces trial for being a lookout as friends allegedly stole laptops and a wallet from a home in Ann Arbor, Michigan in May. He was caught and arrested and while out on bail, he allegedly took part in another break-in that ultimately led to the death of 25-year-old prospective surgeon, Paul DeWolf, on July 24. Joei Jordan, 20, and Shaquille Jones, 21, have also been named as suspects in the July incident. The trio allegedly broke into the Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity and entered DeWolf's basement bedroom, where they startled the promising student. DeWolf went to get something from his . dresser and one of the suspects tried to strike him with the gun, but it . fired instead, according to the statements. DeWolf died from a single wound to the neck. In the May incident, Franklin allegedly . served as a lookout for a friend as they broke into a home for . electronics and a wallet so that they could pay rent, Mlive reported. Victim: Paul DeWolf was found dead in his bedroom in a fraternity house in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 24. The three suspects claimed they intended to hit him with the gun, but it went off instead, killing him . He used the stolen credit cards at three stores; at a gas station, he used his personal Speedy Rewards card at the same time as the purchase with the stolen credit cards, the police report said. 'I was also notified … that a Speedy . Rewards card was also presented at the time of the fraudulent use of the . credit card,' Ann Arbor police Detective Dave Monroe wrote. 'I learned through Speedway that the Speedy . Rewards card returned to a Mr. Dajeon Franklin.' Franklin . was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree home invasion and two counts of stealing a financial transaction device. He posted bond and was allowed to leave the Washtenaw County . Jail before his alleged part in the DeWolf killing. But Franklin has not been formally charged and his attorney, Walter White, has denied his involvement. He faces trial for the May break in Washtenaw County Trial court on Monday morning. Charged: Shaquille Jones, 21, left, was charged with murder and home invasion for DeWolf's death, while Joei Jordan, 20, right, wascharged with the lesser crime of receiving and concealing stolen property . Crime scene: Police tape is seen outside DeWolf's home after his body was discovered on July 24 . It comes after The Detroit Free Press obtained police statements from Jones, Jordan and Franklin, saying they had broken into Phi Rho Sigma fraternity and entered DeWolf's basement bedroom. Ann Arbor police Detective Katie Nucci recounted the statements at a November 22 warrant hearing for Jordan and Jones the newspaper said. Jones . said DeWolf got out of bed 'and was asking what was going on', the . detective testified. She said Jones told investigators that the third . suspect 'pulled out a handgun and pointed it' at the medical student and 'ordered DeWolf not to move'. 'At some point DeWolf grabbed . something off of his desk and/or drawer' and started to move toward the . third suspect, at which time the man 'raised the gun and attempted to . strike DeWolf with the gun, and the gun at that time fired.' DeWolf screamed, and the suspects ran off, Nucci testified. Using data about a stolen computer, . investigators tracked Jordan to Sumter County, South Carolina, and Jones . to North Charleston, South Carolina. Loss: Police say DeWolf, a top student, marathon runner and accomplished scuba diver, failed to arrive for a scheduled assignment at the Veteran's Affairs Hospital - and his body was later found . The next court dates are Thursday for Jones and December 12 for Jordan. DeWolf was an enlisted second lieutenant in the United States Air Force and was . studying at university to complete his surgical training. He was in his fourth year of study when he was killed. He belonged to Sigma Phi Epsilon at Grand Valley State University and Phi Rho Sigma Fraternity at the University of Michigan. He was a brilliant piano and French horn player, traveled the world on several mission trips, loved scuba diving and had competed in . marathons. He was a devout Christian. A statement from the university said that DeWolf was the 'epitome of everything great in the field of medicine.' 'We extend our deepest condolences to Paul's family, friends and colleagues,' UM president Coleman added to the statement. 'He . was working and training among a close, nurturing community of healers . and I know they will help each other through this difficult time. They . will need the support of the broader campus community in the weeks and . months ahead, and we will provide it.' | Paul DeWolf was found dead in his Ann Arbor, Michigan apartment on July 24 from a single gunshot wound after '3 robbers accidentally shot him'
Shaquille Jones, 21, and Joei Jordan, 20, have been charged and Dajeon Franklin, 21, is a third suspect .
Franklin was out on bail when 'he took part in the botched robbery'
He 'was a lookout for friends in a robbery in May - and then used his Speedy Rewards card with the stolen credit cards, tying him to the theft'
Franklin goes on trial for the earlier robbery today . |
265,524 | e3e3b15f8ce270f676f101e6e2ef17b7d8acdece | The first funeral for a victim of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 was held on Thursday, as officials vowed an 'all out effort' to recover the other passengers' bodies from the sea. The first body to be formally identified, Indonesian woman Hayati Lutfiah Hami, was handed to her family in Surabaya, who held prayers at her home before moving the body to a Muslim cemetery nearby. 'I am grateful to God that my sister-in-law was found and I hope the rescuers find the others as soon as possible,' Agung Wahyu Darmono, 38, said. Scroll down for video . Tomb caretaker Subekti cleans up Hayati Lutfiah Hamid's grave, the first identified victim of the AirAsia flight . The funeral of AirAsia flight 8501 victim, Hayati Lutfiah Hami, was held on Thursday. The Indonesian woman is the first passenger to be formally identified. The body of Hayati Lutfiah, the first victim of the AirAsia crash to be identified, is handed over to weeping relatives at Surabaya police hospital where the plane initially took off . The body, previously known as B001, was identified by fingerprints, a necklace with her initials on it, surgical scars described by the family, and an identification card found on the corpse . A relative weeps as the first victim of the AirAsia crash to be identified is handed over. Search teams have warned this morning that it could take a week to recover the plane's black box recorder . Police said body B001 was identified by surgical scars, fingerprints, a necklace containing her initials, and a red name badge pinned to her uniform. Hayati Lutfiah Hamid, 47, was a school teacher who was travelling to Singapore for a family holiday with her daughter, husband and mother-in-law according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Search teams recovered a further eight bodies, bringing the total to 16, after they resumed operations following bad weather which has so far hampered efforts. Crews have been unable to investigate an object resting 100-165ft below the sea which is believed to be the remains of the Airbus A320-200, as officials have warned it could be a week before the plane's black box recorder can be recovered. A specialist black box search team from France is en route to help with the recovery. France's BEA crash investigation agency helps with any air crash involving an Airbus because the company is based in France. Indonesian Air Force personnel carry suspected debris after it was delivered by helicopter from a recovery mission for missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 at the airport in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan . Indonesian Airforce personnel recovered more debris from the plane on January 2 . Indonesian Search and Rescue crew carry the remains of an AirAsia flight QZ8501 passenger recovered at sea on January 2 . Indonesian Search and Rescue and police carry a stretcher across the tarmac . After a Muslim cleric had said a prayer over Ms Hamid's body, the casket was immediately taken to a village and lowered into a muddy grave, as Islamic traditions require bodies to be buried quickly. An imam said a simple prayer as about 150 people gathered in the drizzling rain, and red flowers were sprinkled over the mound of wet dirt with a small white tombstone. So far 16 bodies have been found from Flight 8501 out of the 162 passengers and crew that were on board when the plane disappeared from radar. The aircraft disappeared on Sunday while on route between Surabaya to Singapore shortly after the pilot radioed to report stormy conditions. Workers began finding wreckage on Tuesday, with 16 bodies pulled from the water near Borneo Island, including one wearing a life jacket and two others reported to be holding hands. A minesweeper boat and private survey ship have since located a large object beneath the waves which officials believe to be the plane, though no 'pings' from its black boxes have be detected so far. The remains of Hayati Lutfiah were handed over today (left) as rescue workers returned to the sea of Indonesia to search for more bodies. So far 16 victims have been recovered (right) Dive teams have promised an 'all out effort' to find more bodies today after rough seas and dire weather halted earlier efforts to investigate potential wreckage on the seabed . It is the middle of Indonesia's rainy season, so strong winds, heavy rains, and rough seas have so far prevented anyone from descending to inspect the object. Officials said that divers would not be sent underwater until there was a confirmed target. Indonesia air force spokesman Rear Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said his men are 'focusing on finding the body of the plane,' adding: 'There was something like a dark shadow once seen from a plane, but it cannot yet be proven as wreckage.' Frogman commander Lieutenant Edi Tirkayasa said the weather was making the operation especially difficult. Search teams have identified an object resting 100-165ft under the sea, which they believe to be the wreckage of the Airbust A320-200, but divers have been unable to inspect it because of dire weather conditions . Investigators are still not clear what caused the plane to crash, and say that it could be a week before the black box recorder, which contains essential data and recordings from the cockpit, is found . The bodies were found floating in the sea near Borneo Island, and included an air stewardess dressed in uniform, one person wearing a life jacket, and another pair reported to be holding hands . He said: 'What is most difficult is finding the location where the plane fell - checking whether the aircraft is really there. 'This is very difficult even with sophisticated equipment. With weather like this, who knows? We are still hopeful and optimistic that they'll find it. They must.' It is still unclear what brought the plane down about halfway into its two-hour flight, though investigators are working on a theory that the plane stalled as it climbed steeply to avoid a storm. During the pilot's last radio call he sough permission to climb above rough weather but was denied because of heavy air traffic. Four minutes later, the plane vanished without issuing a distress call. The bodies are being taken to Surabaya (pictured), where the AirAsia flight originally took off, where many of the families have gathered and religious services are being held . Officials say it is likely that there are scores of bodies still trapped in the wreckage of the plane, but say they have not confirmed where the plane is and will not send divers in until they have a target . The cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders, or black boxes, hold data that will help investigators determine the cause of the crash. Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas in Australia said there's a good chance the plane hit the water largely intact, and that many passengers remain inside it. He added that bodies recovered so far would have come out with a breach in the fuselage. 'But most passengers still should have had their seat belts on, particularly as the plane was going into weather. The captain would have still had the seat belt sign on.' Items recovered so far include a life jacket, an emergency exit door, an inflatable slide, children's shoes, a blue suitcase and backpacks filled with food. Bodies removed from the water are being sent to Pangkalan Bun, a town near to Borneo Island, before being transported to Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, where Flight 8501 took off. Many family members have remained at the Surabaya airport since getting word that the plane disappeared. Dive teams are on standby to search any wreckage for more bodies, but say it is extremely difficult to identify where exactly on the seabed the plane is, even with sophisticated equipment . The crash happened in the midst of Indonesia's rainy season, meaning strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rains are making search efforts especially difficult . Workers have also recovered several items that they believe are from the plane, including a life jacket, emergency exit door, and emergency slide (pictured) Other items found adrift in the ocean include children's shoes, a blue suitcase and backpacks filled with food . 'Help us, God, to move forward, even though we are surrounded by darkness,' the Rev. Philip Mantofa of Mawar Sharon Church about 100 relatives gathered in an airport waiting room Wednesday. About 40 members of Mantofa's church died in the crash. 'Some things do not make sense to us, but God is bigger than all this. Our God is not evil.' Officials have not announced the identities of the 16 bodies recovered. Relatives have given blood for DNA tests and submitted photos of their loved ones, along with identifying information such as tattoos or birthmarks that could help make the process easier. Indonesia is using a minesweeper craft and a private search vessel which have identified a large 'shadow' on the seabed which investigators believe to be the wreckage . While search teams have identified a large object they believe could be the wreckage, they say they have yet to pick up any 'pings' coming from the black box recorder . Richard Shears . The AirAsia jet which plunged into the Java Sea rose up as fast as a fighter jet and then dropped almost vertically into the sea as if being thrust down by a giant hand, crash experts agreed today. Their conclusion is that the Airbus 320-200 was in the grip of weather so freakishly extreme that there was nothing the pilots could do to save the jet and all 162 people on board. The plane behaved in ways 'bordering on the edge of logic,' Indonesian aviation analyst Gerry Soejatman said after examining figures leaked from the official air crash investigation team. He said the jet climbed at a speed that would have been impossible for the pilot to have achieved - and then plunged straight down 'like a piece of metal being thrown down. 'It's really hard to comprehend…the way it goes down is bordering on the edge of logic.' Australian aviation expert, Peter Marosszeky, from the University of NSW, told the Sydney Morning Herald that, in contrast, he was baffled by the extremely low speed of the descent - as low as 61 knots - which would suggest the plane was heading almost straight down, explaining why it has been found in water just 10km from its last point of radar contact. Both experts are in agreement that the jet went down almost vertically - and they also concluded that a freak weather pattern that placed the aircraft under extraordinary forces was to blame for its plight. | First funeral for victim of AirAsia flight 8501 is held in Surabaya, Indonesia .
The body was identified as Indonesian woman Hayati Lutfiah Hami .
Remains of Hayati Lutfiah handed back to relatives in emotional scenes .
Workers have resumed searches after being beaten back by dire weather .
Teams have promised 'all out effort' to recover more bodies from plane .
But have also warned it could take a week to recover plane's black box . |
154,693 | 53e848dcf7964b29869b1394b1b854cd5b03c9b8 | By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 12:50 EST, 22 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:53 EST, 22 July 2012 . Refuse collectors have been banned from pulling wheelie bins up alleys because of fears they may suffer a back injury. In a decision blasted as ‘defying common sense’, hundreds of residents who for decades have been putting their rubbish outside their back doors have been told it is too risky for binmen to collect. Householders – many of them pensioners – must now pull the wheelie bins along narrow alleyways near their homes themselves or risk not having their rubbish collected. Their only alternative is to attempt to trundle the large bins through the inside of their homes to the front. 'Dangerous': Durham Council officials believe binmen collecting bins from back alleys like this in Newton Aycliffe could give them back injuries . Residents in Newton Aycliffe, County . Durham, are infuriated by the health and safety clampdown, which . followed a council risk assessment. Letters were sent to 287 households . to explain that crews could be vulnerable to ‘musculoskeletal injuries’ when pulling wheelie bins. The residents live in terraced houses . with rear gardens that back on to alleyways about as wide as two wheelie . bins and up to 87 yards long. They argue that in the days of steel . bins, crews walked up the alleys to take the dustbins back to the . dustcart in the street – and that the job has now been made even easier . by wheelie bins. However, according to the council, . crews are being forced to adopt ‘awkward postures’ in the confined . space, risking back, joint and limb problems. Tracy Tremewan, 34, who lives in one of eight streets that have been affected, said: ‘I think it’s absolutely shocking. Neighbours Jean White, left, and Tracy Trermewan are just some of those who are unhappy about the health and safety rules implemented by Durham County Council. Right, a binman in the fifties from a simpler era of refuse collection. ‘That’s what they get paid to do – . move the bins. They say they can’t move them but we can. But what . happens if we hurt our backs?’ Neighbour Jean White, 65, who has lived . in her house for nearly 40 years, said: ‘Before the wheelie bins came in . they used to pick the metal ones up on their shoulders. You’d have . thought if they were going to hurt their backs they would have done so . then. ‘The next thing you know we will have to empty the bins into the lorries ourselves.’ It has also been claimed that by . getting residents to do the work of pushing bins, the council will need . to employ fewer binmen. David Stevens, 68, said: ‘The bins are . on wheels and are not heavy for strong binmen. We think that the . council is nit-picking to save money.’ Jonathan Isaby, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said residents had ‘every right to feel short-changed’. ‘Collecting the bins is a basic service which people expect in return for their council tax,’ he added. ‘If binmen have been collecting . rubbish from the same place for decades, how can the sudden change be . seriously justified? 'This is another example of health and safety rules . being interpreted in an extreme way that defies common sense.’ Jimmy Bennett, manager of Streetscene, . which provides the bin collection service, said: ‘By asking residents . to bring their bins to the end of the lane we can provide a more . effective service and keep the lane clear.’ The first collection under the new . rules went ‘smoothly’, he said, adding that special arrangements would . be made for residents who are unable to move their own bins. | Durham County Council concerned binmen will develop 'muscular skeletal injuries' by collecting bins from back alleys .
Residents now being asked to move bins further out themselves - even though some have left their bins in the alleys for decades . |
9,489 | 1ae2cb151e514e327c39561d6f6dfca4a7eb4ad0 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Actor Charlie Sheen on Friday declared "we are at war" following canceled production of the hit CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men" and his impending loss of $1.2 million per episode. "They know what they did is wrong," Sheen, who claimed he is clean, said in a call from the Bahamas to the "Loose Cannons" radio program. Producers cited Charlie Sheen's actions and statements when they announced they were calling off production for the rest of the season. "Defeat is not an option," Sheen said in the Friday interview with "Loose Cannons" host Pat O'Brien. "They picked a fight with the wrong guy. They are in absolute breach." "They kept telling me how to live my personal life," said Sheen, making repeated references to money he brought to the network. "It was a toxic environment for eight years." The actor, who began rehab treatments at his home in the wake of an emergency hospital visit in January, told ABC's "Good Morning America" in text messages Friday he is going to show up for work anyway. Sheen appeared to challenge producers to take action Thursday when he went on a rant as a guest on "The Alex Jones Radio Show." "I was told if I went on the attack, they would cancel the show and all that, so I'm just sort of seeing if they're telling the truth or not," Sheen told Jones. The decision to halt "Two and a Half Men" was announced Thursday after Sheen spoke with the Jones show. "Based on the totality of Charlie Sheen's statements, conduct and condition, CBS and Warner Bros. Television have decided to discontinue production of 'Two and a Half Men' for the remainder of the season," the network and studio said in a joint statement Thursday. Warner Bros. Television is owned by Time Warner Inc., the parent company of CNN. CBS placed the sitcom on "production hiatus" after the actor began rehab treatments. The show had been scheduled to resume taping on four more episodes next week. It's not clear if "Two and Half Men" will return for a ninth season. Industry insiders estimate that the show has already grossed $400 million in reruns, putting total syndication fees for the 177 shows at a cool $1 billion. A Warner Brothers spokesman said that at least 250 members of the cast and crew will be out of work during the canceled production. Sheen said the employees should be focused, patient and to understand "there are ways to deal with these clowns and take all their money." Sheen said on the Jones show that he was dealing "with fools and trolls" and people with "loser lives." He also had some unkind words for Alcoholics Anonymous. "This bootleg cult, arrogantly referred to as Alcoholics Anonymous, reports a 5% success rate. My success rate is 100%. Do the math. ... Another one of their mottoes is 'Don't be special, be one of us.' Newsflash: I am special, and I will never be one of you! I have a disease? Bulls**t! I cured it with my brain, with my mind," Sheen told the show. The actor also went after show co-creator Chuck Lorre. A short time after the cancellation was announced, Sheen sent a statement to celebrity news website TMZ. "I gracefully ignored this folly for 177 shows," Sheen wrote to TMZ. "I fire back once and this contaminated little maggot can't handle my power and can't handle the truth." Sheen's battle with producers is in sharp contrast to the kind words he had for them earlier this month when he thanked network executives for their support. "I have a lot of work to do to be able to return the support I have received from so many people," Sheen said in a statement then. "Like Errol Flynn, who had to put down his sword on occasion, I just want to say, 'Thank you.' " Lorre had no comment Friday. Sheen's father, actor Martin Sheen, told Sky News earlier this week he likened Sheen's addiction to having cancer. "If he had cancer how would we treat him?" the elder Sheen asked. "The disease of addiction is a form of cancer and you have to have a equal measure of concern and love and lift them up. That's what we do for him." Addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky told HLN on Friday that Charlie Sheen "is clearly manic." Pinsky said Sheen is exhibiting traits of advanced addiction, which he said has a grave prognosis without proper treatment. "When their workplace is affected, that's when you know things are really bad," said Pinsky, whose new HLN show premieres April 4. Another Sheen radio interview last week raised concern about the actor's stability. Sheen, talking on "The Dan Patrick Show," advised people to stay away from crack cocaine "unless you can manage it socially." He told Patrick then that he was ready to return to the show. "I healed really quickly, but I also unravel really quickly, so get me right now guys," Sheen said. "Get me right now." Sheen was "very, very intoxicated, also apparently in a lot of pain" on the morning of January 27, according to a 911 call from a doctor who had just talked to the actor. Porn actress Kacey Jordan has told media outlets that a two-day party preceded Sheen's collapse. Paramedics went to Sheen's Los Angeles home and then took him by ambulance to a hospital, where he spent several hours. While his representative blamed a hernia for Sheen's pain, he later announced the actor was undergoing rehab at home. CNN's Alan Duke, Aaron Smith and Brittany Kaplan contributed to this report. | Producers picked "a fight with the wrong guy"
"Sheen's statements, conduct and condition" led to the shutdown, CBS says .
The show's producer "can't handle the truth," Sheen tells TMZ .
Four new episodes were to begin production next week . |
8,171 | 171e56b2c37c9e659454d1cf1438c9d61da5bd87 | Amid the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon spa in a lava field in south-west Iceland, Lee Cattermole relaxes and reflects with his girlfriend. Three years ago, it was he who was erupting, the then Sunderland captain arrested and later accepting a police caution for damaging five vehicles in Newcastle during a night out with team-mates. Earlier that day, Martin O’Neill had been confirmed as his new manager; it was hardly Cattermole’s wisest move and merely served to vandalise his own character. Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole insists he has calmed down from the unpredictable player he once was . Gus Poyet readily admits Cattermole is among the first names on his Sunderland team sheet . Current Sunderland boss Gus Poyet was certainly sceptical upon his arrival one year ago. ‘If somebody tells me this guy is a b*****d and I need to be careful, then I will be. I was told he was impossible to control, that he will get sent off a hundred times and he will let you down,’ says Poyet. ‘I was told he could not play football like I want to. I was told he was training on his own away from everybody else. I thought I’d meet Lee and he’d have a gun and he’d shoot me in the head.’ Twelve months on and Poyet readily admits that Cattermole is the first name on his team sheet. The 26-year-old has just been voted North East Football Writers’ Player of 2014 and the manager is backing his on-field lieutenant for an England call-up — ‘In Uruguay, he would be the hero, the captain,’ he says. The respect is mutual. Cattermole says he has come a long way in 12 months under Poyet. ‘In the last year I have learned a hell of a lot,’ says the anchorman. Poyet took over as manager of Sunderland in October 2013 and continues to work with Cattermole . ‘Gus coming in has been a massive factor in winning the award, which I’m chuffed about. Gus is very much my kind of person, very English minded. ‘It is totally different playing under Gus than any other manager. I think he played street football a lot more. He almost taught himself, which is why he was a very natural player. ‘And he has told me in no uncertain terms that, in the position I play, if I don’t do what he wants then I won’t play. On and off the pitch this is as good as I have ever felt. The manager has stuck with me.’ As Cattermole suggests, off the pitch was a big issue — there was a three-year ban from pubs in his hometown of Stockton in 2008. ‘I have calmed down off the pitch as well as on it,’ he says. ‘I had a couple of incidents during my career which people have read too much into. ‘I have just matured and I even have a girlfriend now. When anyone is 26 they look back to when they were 18 and there is a world of difference — and I am no different.’ Indeed, pubs have made way for geothermal spas and romantic getaways in Nordic lava land. Cattermole — and Poyet — will be hoping his days of boiling over are a thing of the past. Cattermole says he has 'matured' at Sunderland and puts it in no small way down to Poyet's management . | Gus Poyet took over as Sunderland manager in October 2013 .
Poyet was cautious of Lee Cattermole due to his reputation at first .
But Cattermole admits he has 'matured' under Poyet's management . |
1,174 | 0354cc81d146d557dfce82bb1fb328adc33c2ea7 | All signs indicate Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer will likely veto politically-charged legislation that supporters say promotes religious freedom and opponents contend discriminates against gays and lesbians. Brewer did not signal her intention either way in an exclusive interview with CNN on Monday at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington. "I can assure you, as always, I will do the right thing for the state of Arizona," she said. But some Arizona Republicans who know her well say they are confident those comments mean Brewer will almost surely reject the bill that is generating nationwide controversy. The Republican-led measure would allow Arizona business owners to deny service to gay and lesbian customers as long as they assert their religious beliefs. Brewer is scheduled to return to Arizona on Tuesday, and a source tells CNN those familiar with her thinking say she will likely spend at least one full business day in the state before acting. "I'm going to go home, and when I receive the bill, I'm going to read it and I'm going to be briefed on it. We have been following it. And I will make my decision in the near future," Brewer told CNN. She has until Saturday to sign or veto the bill. If she does nothing, it automatically becomes law. Arizona GOP sources say Brewer considers herself a pro-business governor -- someone who above all else wants to protect and promote Arizona's economic interests. They say she knows full well there will be economic consequences for the state if it has a law on the books perceived to effectively codify discrimination. "I have a history of deliberating and having an open dialogue on bills that are controversial, to listen to both sides of those issues, and I welcome the input, and information that they can provide to me. And certainly I am pro-business, and that is what's turning our economy around, so I appreciate their input, as I appreciate the other side," Brewer said. Business leaders in Arizona and around the country, including the chief executive of American Airlines, have urged Brewer publicly and privately to veto the bill. Approval also is likely to trigger lawsuits. The bill was pushed by the Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative group opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage. The group argues the proposal protects people against increasingly activist federal courts. Brewer vetoed a similar bill last year, arguing that the state legislature should focus on more pressing issues, such as a Medicaid expansion plan she was promoting. Sources say she is concerned about this bill taking away from other issues she is now pressing, such as overhauling Arizona's child protective services system. Freedom or oppression? That's the question for Arizona's SB1062 . | Bill would allow business owners to deny service to gay and lesbians based on religious objections .
Some lawmakers who know Gov. Jan Brewer believe she'll reject the measure .
Businesses pressure her to reject the bill pushed by group opposed to abortion, same-sex marriage . |
80,169 | e33873cccd01a572696d8cfffede8b7d7ab8e840 | By . Neil Ashton . Follow @@neilashton_ . Mark Clattenburg is being investigated by referees’ chief Mike Riley after Southampton accused him of ‘abusing and insulting’ their captain, the England star Adam Lallana. Sportsmail can reveal that the extraordinary incident occurred in Southampton’s 2-1 defeat by Everton at Goodison Park last Sunday. Saints have written to the Premier League asking that Clattenburg is not appointed as an official for any of their matches until the investigation is over. Clattenburg has a controversial style and it is understood the alleged insult was directed at Lallana after the referee turned down Southampton penalty appeals late in the game. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Pochettino: We deserved a lot more from the game . Ref row: Southampton accused Mark Clattenburg of abusing Adam Lallana (centre) at Everton . Talking to: Controversial referee Mark Clattenburg speaks to the Southampton captain . Clash point: Southampton complained to the PGMOL and requested that Clattenburg not referee another of their fixtures until the incident is fully investigated . Flashpoint: Lallana fired in a cross as Southampton tried to level the score at Everton during Sunday's clash . Blocked: Lallana's delivery struck the arm of Everton defender Antolin Alcaraz . View: Clattenburg can be seen on the left of this picture not too far away from Alcaraz and the ball . Hands up: Lallana led the appeals as the Southampton players all claimed for a penalty after Alcaraz's block . Stunned: Lallana could not believe Clattenburg was not pointing to the penalty spot . Last . season, Clattenburg was accused by Chelsea of racially abusing their . midfield player John Mikel Obi during a fiery Premier League clash . against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. An FA inquiry concluded . there was no case to answer and Clattenburg was back in charge of a . Chelsea game six months after he had been accused of calling Mikel a . monkey. On Saturday, Clattenburg will officiate the high-profile FA Cup third-round tie at the Emirates between Arsenal and Tottenham. At his Friday press conference, Arsene Wenger said: 'I would be disappointed if he isn't the referee. You are innocent till proven guilty.' Lallana . confronted Clattenburg at Goodison after his cross was met by the hand . of Everton defender Antolin Alcaraz. The referee turned down Southampton . appeals for a penalty. Fuming: Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino let rip over the decision not to award a penalty . At his Friday press conference, Everton manager Roberto Matinez responded to the story: 'That's the first time I have heard that. I thought Mark Clattenburg had a very good game in terms of controlling the players and his manner. 'I don't think that that was the case. That's the first time I've heard any comment about that.’ According to sources close to the incident, . Clattenburg spoke to the player in a manner that is ‘not what you might . expect of one of the game’s top officials’. Saints manager Mauricio . Pochettino was furious with Clattenburg after the game and claimed the . South Coast club should have been awarded two spot-kicks. But . Southampton, who followed up their loss at Everton with a 3-0 defeat by . Chelsea at St Mary’s on New Year’s Day, have taken Pochettino’s . complaints a step further by writing to the Professional Game Match . Officials Ltd board. Riley is investigating the matter, but PGMOL and . the Premier League refused to comment. Merseyside mayhem: Clattenburg sent off Everton's Tony Hibbert during a fiery clash with Liverpool in 2007 . One that got away: Clattenburg did not send Dirk Kuyt off despite a lunge at Phil Neville at Goodison Park - the Dutchman went on to score two penalties as Liverpool beat their Merseyside rivals 2-1 back in 2007 . Riley is duty-bound . to speak with Clattenburg about Southampton’s claims and they are . expected to respond to the club’s letter within the next few days. Clattenburg is well known in the game for responding to verbal abuse from players with some choice phrases of his own. After the match at Goodison, Pochettino complained bitterly about Clattenburg’s handling of the game. The . Southampton manager said: ‘These things need to be said and I am . actually defending my club because it is my club and if I don’t talk I . am going to be seen as if I am dumb or I don’t care about my club. ‘I . don’t mean any disrespect against any referees but anyone watching the . game can see there were two clear penalties that weren’t given or should . have been given. Accusation: Chelsea claimed that Clattenburg had abused Chelsea's John Mikel Obi during a game last season . Cleared: Clattenburg returned to refereeing after investigations found him not guilty of any wrong-doing . Southampton assistant manager Perez has vowed Saints will not let the situation affect their preparations for hosting Burnley on Saturday. Refusing to go into detail on their complaint to PGMOL, Perez said he expects the club to find out more information in the next few days. 'I won't talk about this situation, I prefer to stay away from this and just focus on the game on Saturday," he said. 'This type of situation doesn't help us in this moment, for this game, it's away, and we'll see in the next couple of days what's happening with this. 'I read it this morning; when you are in the games sometimes you can see or hear something, but history has led me to stay away from these things.' ‘That would have changed the game completely but we weren’t given them and, of course, we are angry and upset about this. ‘I . am saying that should not be forgotten in the overall analysis of the . game and they need to be said. We don’t want to be judged by our young, . handsome, good-looking players. We just want what’s fair. We can be . a******s as well.’ Incredibly, last Sunday’s match was . Clattenburg’s first appointment at Goodison Park since his questionable . handling of the Merseyside derby won 2-1 by Liverpool in October 2007. On . that occasion he sent off Everton’s Tony Hibbert, allowed Liverpool’s . Dirk Kuyt to escape after he launched a kung-fu kick at Phil Neville and . ignored a penalty appeal when Jamie Carragher clashed with Joleon . Lescott. This weekend Clattenburg will be officiating Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at the Emirates between Arsenal and Tottenham. MERSEY MADNESS, OCT 2007In the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, Clattenburg looked ready to book Everton’s Tony Hibbert but, after apparently consulting Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, sent the defender off. He failed to show Dirk Kuyt a red card for a waist-high lunge and denied the hosts what looked a penalty in the final minutes. He did not referee an Everton match for five years and the game against Southampton was his first return to Goodison Park. SUSPENSION, JAN 2009After the winding-up of one of his businesses in the High Court, Clattenburg was suspended from refereeing and finally sacked by the referees’ governing body, the PGMO, for breaching his contract. He was accused of having business debts of nearly £200,000 and told he would never referee again, but he was reinstated that February after clearing his name. BASHING BELLAMY, DEC 2009In a match between Bolton and Manchester City, Clattenburg sent off Craig Bellamy for two bookable offences — dissent and diving. At half-time, he allegedly said to members of the City staff: ‘How do you work with Craig Bellamy all week?’ SEETHING SPURS, OCT 2010The referee had already caused problems between Tottenham and Manchester United when he failed to award Spurs a goal in 2005 after Pedro Mendes’ lob clearly crossed the line. Five years later, he correctly, if controversially, allowed a goal to stand when Nani tapped the ball in after goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes thought he had a free-kick. CLEARED OF RACE JIBE, OCT 2012Clattenburg was accused of aiming a racist insult towards Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi during their 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United. The FA and the Metropolitan Police launched inquiries into the incident, but a month later, dropped the investigation and Clattenburg was cleared. Mikel was later fined £60,000 and banned for three matches for threatening Clattenburg in the aftermath of the game. | Mark Clattenburg under investigation after being accused of 'abusing and insulting' Adam Lallana .
Incident happened during Southampton's 2-1 defeat by Everton at Goodison Park .
Clattenburg declined Saints a penalty after Antolin Alcaraz handled in the penalty area .
Lallana argued with Clattenburg and heated words were exchanged .
Saints have asked that Clattenburg does not officiate another of their games until the investigation has been completed . |
222,077 | ab75c2dff95a835781b3fa114a3b5646c8b69147 | (CNN) -- It was supposed to have been over in a few days. World powers would go in with fighter jets and the world's most sophisticated precision-guided weapons to render Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi powerless. But that's not the way things happened. As NATO's airstrikes crossed the 100-day mark, analysts blamed a host of faulty assumptions, including success based solely on surgical airstrikes, for a protracted war that some fear could drag on for more months. "It's absolutely wrong to think that an air campaign can win this," said Andrew McGregor of the Jamestown Foundation and director of Aberfoyle International Security, a Toronto-based agency specializing in security issues related to the Islamic world. The basic problem, McGregor said, stemmed from presuppositions about the fortitude of the Libyan opposition. Buoyed by the successful uprisings to the east in Egypt and to the west in Tunisia, Libyan rebels believed they had the mettle to bring down Gadhafi. Western powers believed that with a little help, Libya could be freed from totalitarian rule. But rebels launched an armed insurrection against a man who had spent four long decades preparing his state for unforeseen challenges. This wasn't a peaceful revolution of the masses against a government that had no public support. "This revolt never really had the strength to succeed," McGregor said. "There was this feeling among the rebels that all we have to do is show up. But you should take a couple of years to get it organized first. If you're just going to run out on the streets, the results will be predictable." Four months on, the rebels are not capable of supporting themselves, McGregor said. They are out of fuel, oil production has shut down, and they have few available resources. They will soon face even shortages of food and water, McGregor said. President Barack Obama faces pressure at home to withdraw U.S. forces. There is debate, too, in Europe over the expensive air campaign. The war may have been morally right, but NATO, said McGregor, is facing a conundrum. Part of that failure was a lack of consideration of the makeup of the Libyan population, said University of Texas political scientist Alan J. Kuperman, author of "The Limits of Humanitarian Intervention." "The fundamental error by the White House and NATO was to imagine that the Libyan people were united in opposition to Gadhafi," he said. "In reality, Libya is divided along lines of clan and tribe, some of whom benefit greatly from Gadhafi, and therefore defend him fiercely," he said. "Any expert on ethnic conflict and intervention could have told the White House that ahead of time." In that respect, said Thomas Donnelly, director of the Center for Defense Studies, the Libyan war has the potential for fallout that is worse than what happened after President George W. Bush declared "mission accomplished" weeks after Saddam Hussein's 2003 ouster in the Iraq war. "To imagine that Libyans are going to come together -- is a hope, but not a plan," Donnelly said. "It was a mistake to get involved in such a feckless way." Behind the rhetorical rallying cry of protecting civilians, Donnelly said, has always been the real aim of NATO -- to kill Gadhafi. "If you made me bet my mortgage at gunpoint, I'd say we probably will get Gadhafi," he said. But the question is when. And if it doesn't happen in a timely fashion, then NATO risks the erosion of public support for its campaign, Donnelly said. "In some sense, 100 days is a short period of time," he said. "But when your political support is so tenuous and thin, and when your operations have heretofore been ineffective in achieving campaign goals, then taking ground forces off the table has not made the war any shorter or any less bloody." The Libyan regime has also proven itself to be more robust and resilient than anyone imagined. It would be a mistake, said Donnelly, to assume that killing Gadhafi would mean a collapse of the entire system. The Libya conflict has sometimes been compared to NATO's air war in the Balkans in the 1990s. Many people thought the Serbs would go down instantly once NATO began bombing. They didn't. And eventually, it was the threat of a ground invasion that led to the capitulation of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Gadhafi, however, faces no such threat. And some believe the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court this week will only help strengthen his resolve to stay in power. "If Barack Obama had thought a hundred days ago that he would be where he is now, you have to wonder whether he would have made the same decision," Donnelly said. "How can you tell the American people we're going to start jumping over the fence and we have no idea where we are going to come down?" But not everyone is pessimistic about prospects in Libya. Ali Ahmida, for one, stands by his belief that the Libyan opposition can defeat Gadhafi. The rebels, he said, have made noticeable gains with the support of NATO air power. He cited recent rebel takeovers of western towns in the Nafusa Mountains and said Gadhafi is more isolated now than ever before. "The Libyan people are capable of fighting this fight," said Ahmida, an analyst at the University of New England. "The consequences of this, even though it is more painful and brutal, will have a positive outcome in the end." It has not been easy for Ahmida to watch the conflict unfold in Libya. But he is a strong proponent for self-determination who feels strongly that the Libyan people, not outside forces, must determine their fate. "I warned against this from the start, that Libyan public opinion would not like it," he said, referring to the possibility of foreign boots on the ground. And Ahmida still questions the motivation of Western powers and the agendas of exiles who he fears may want to exploit oil-rich Libya. "I'm optimistic but guarded," he said. Ahmida said the bad news is that NATO lacked clarity in its mission and also in a negotiated exit for Gadhafi, which he said is more difficult now because of the arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity. Still, Gadhafi's regime will fall, he said. Then the real battle for the future of Libya will just be starting. | An air war alone is not enough, say some analysts .
But without ground troops, what is the end game?
Some fear a protracted war that could go on for months .
A Libyan analyst says self-determination is key . |
188,619 | 8049b5cb6fdbaa58485e95f1e168e8876ce13b5e | By . Nick Pisa . PUBLISHED: . 07:20 EST, 16 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:46 EST, 17 April 2012 . Silvio Berlusconi watched girls dressed as nuns strip and perform a pole dance, a court heard yesterday. The former Italian premier claims his bunga-bunga parties were ‘convivial dinners, with wine, food, talking and singing’. But yesterday a young woman invited along to one of the notorious gatherings spoke of her shock at what she saw. Scroll down for video . Imane Fadil (left) said women had dressed in AC Milan football kits and that she went to Berlusconi's (right) parties in the hope of securing a job for one of his TV channels . Model Imane Fadil, 27, was giving evidence at the trial of Berlusconi on sex and abuse of office charges. Miss Fadil also described how girls in AC Milan football kits undressed to their G-strings while another pair performed an erotic dance. Dozens of other young women are due to testify, as well as actor George Clooney and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. Iris Beradi (pictured) dressed as Ronaldinho during one party - that is until she stripped to nothing but a G string . Miss Fadil said that she had attended the parties – held in the basement of Berlusconi’s villa – in the hope of securing a job as a presenter on one of the media mogul’s TV channels. Girls were apparently recruited by regional councillor Nicole Minetti, 26, a member of his political party, and paid to dance for him and his cronies. Miss Fadil told the hearing in Milan of an evening in February 2010 at the villa in nearby Arcore. She said: ‘I saw Nicole Minetti and Barbara Fagioli [another guest] dressed in black tunics, wearing white headcaps and a crucifix and then they stripped off … and were left just in their underwear. ‘Another evening some of the girls were wearing AC Milan shirts. One girl, Iris Berardi, was dressed as [player] Ronaldinho … and she danced until she was left wearing a G-string.’ Miss Fadil said that the girls touched themselves and also allowed Berlusconi, 75, to touch them. She added: ‘I went to the parties because Berlusconi had promised me a job. I was shocked with what I saw.’ Miss Fadil said every time she went to a party there had been ‘guests taking their clothes off’. She recalled one where TV hopefuls Roberta Nigra and Lisa Barizonte were dancing. Miss Fadil said: ‘Lisa removed Roberta’s underwear, they then both began touching each other. Then Nicole got involved.’ She said that she had been given envelopes of cash but never stayed the night – though other women were very willing to do so. Miss Fadil also revealed how Berlusconi showed guests a crude video of a former ally Gianfranco Fini who he had a bitter falling out with, sitting on a toilet adding: 'I have not spoken about this before because I was scared. He had it on an iPad in his office and Berlusconi made comments which were not very nice.' Berlusconi has always denied anything untoward happened at the bunga bunga parties and insisted that they were 'convivial dinners, with wine, food, talking and singing' - although prosecutors insist the women were paid in return for sex and one of them was then 17 year old Moroccan belly dancer Karima El Mahroug. During one of the parties, Iris Beradi (left) dressed as Ronaldinho and it is also alleged that 17-year-old Moroccan belly dancer Karima El Mahroug (right) was paid for sex during the bunga bunga parties . Berlusconi is accused of having sex with Miss El Mahroug - in Italy the age of consent is 14 but paying for sex with a women under 18 is seen as prostitution with a minor. Both he and Miss El Mahroug, who also goes by the name Ruby the Heartstealer deny the charge. Besides the sex charge with Miss El Mahroug, Berlusconi is accused of abusing his office by using his influence as prime minister to have her released from custody after she was arrested by police for theft in May 2010. He is said to have wrongly told police in Milan that she was related to then then Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and should be released so as to avoid a diplomatic incident. Miss Fadil also told the court that she had heard Miss El Mahroug had a 'compromising video' of Berlusconi, rumours of which have been circulating in Italy for several months but which as yet has not surfaced. Though she told the court she did not stay after being offered the cash-stuffed envelope, Miss Fadil described how other women were more than willing to spend the night with Berlusconi and said: 'Several women were paid to have sex - there was a woman called Joanna and another from Guatemala. 'Those that spent the night were paid more and the girls were willing to do anything to stay there. It was all organised by Nicole Minetti.' Last week it was revealed that Berlusconi had given Miss Minetti £50,000 towards her legal fees while he has also given a further £150,000 to twins Imma and Eleonora De Vivo who had been regular guests at the parties but he insisted the money were 'transparent loans.' Miss Fadil also described to the court how Berlusconi had asked the Moroccan born model for diplomatic advice on dealing with dead Libyan despot Colonel Gaddafi. She said:'I told him that the best thing to do would be to go and see Gaddafi as we Arabs can be a bit touchy. He also asked me about AC Milan (football club Berlusconi owns) and he said "What are we missing?" I told him a strong young player.' The trial continues. VIDEO: Imane Fadil posed for pictures as she arrived at court this morning . | Model Imane Fadil tells Berlusconi trial that Bunga Bunga party was like a scene from Sister Act .
Berlusconi is accused of having sex with .
Karima El Mahroug - in Italy the age of consent is 14 but paying for sex .
with a women under 18 is seen as prostitution with a minor .
Fadil recalls how some girls dressed as AC Milan players including Iris Berardi who went dressed as Ronaldinho .
Berlusconi denies anything untoward happened at the bunga bunga parties and insisted that they were 'convivial dinners, with wine, food, talking and singing' |
34,957 | 6354c0fc6413a34041e2f2604f69f5e48881c65e | Florida State University's star quarterback Jameis Winston is leaving college to enter the 2015 NFL draft, he revealed today. On the same day that Winston announced he's going pro, the woman who accused him of raping her filed a lawsuit against FSU - alleging that the university failed to investigate her claims and did nothing to stop her being bullied and threatened until she was forced to drop out. 'FSU became a sexually hostile environment where her rapist roamed free and could turn up at any moment, where she became the target of death threats and vilification campaigns,' the lawsuit says, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Winston, a 21-year-old junior, says the 2012 sexual encounter with the woman was consensual and has denied that he raped her. The prosecuting attorney's office said there was not enough evidence to charge him. And last month a Florida State University ethics panel cleared him of wrongdoing. Jameis Winston is expected to be picked early in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft - despite the specter of rape allegations hanging over him . Winston has said that the sex with his rape accuser was consensual. He was never charged with a crime and last month he was cleared of wrongdoing by an investigative panel at FSU . The rape allegations - along with off-the-field antics, including a shoplifting citation - are likely to keep Winston from being the no. 1 prospect in the NFL draft. But, with numerous teams desperate for a talented quarterback, he's still expected to be drafted early in the first round. 'After weighing this decision with my family and friends, I have decided to declare for the 2015 NFL draft and forgo my remaining eligibility at Florida State. I reached this very difficult decision after careful consideration and long thought, realizing how difficult it would be to say goodbye to my family at Florida State,' Winston said in a statement on Wednesday. November 25, 2012 - Winston and a teammate are stopped by police after calls 911 because they were shooting squirrels with a pellet gun . November 25, 2012 - Hours later, police are again called over a BB gun battle between Winston and teammates. Damage to their off-campus apartment is estimated at $4,000. December 7, 2012 - Winston is accused of raping an FSU student at his off-campus apartment. July 21, 2013 - Winston is accused of filling his cup from a Burger King soda fountain without paying for it. April 29, 2014 - Winston is stopped by police and cited for stealing $33 worth of crab legs from grocery store. He claims he 'forgot' to pay for them. May 20, 2014 - Winston refuses to show up to a student code of conduct hearing meant to investigate the sexual assault allegations. September 16, 2014 - Winston reportedly jumps on a table in an FSU cafeteria and shouts 'f*** her right in the p***y!' He is suspended for half a game and apologizes. October 13, 2014 - Winston is accused of selling autographed memorabilia, a violation of NCAA rules. He denied the allegations and said 1,000 items with his signature were forgeries. Winston - a 6-foot-4, 230lb quarterback - won the Heisman Trophy in 2013 and led Florida State to a 14-0 season and a national championship. FSU went undefeated again in 2014 - but lost to Oregon last week in the college football playoffs. The Orlando Sentinel reports that on Wednesday, as news was breaking that Winston is headed to the NFL, the woman who accused him of sexually assault filed a federal lawsuit against FSU. The woman, who is identified as 'Jane Doe,' alleges that Florida State violated federal Title IX laws with a 'clearly unreasonable response' to her rape allegations and allowed a 'hostile education environment.' The US Department of Education has launched its own Title IX investigation . The lawsuit details how after she reported that she was raped by Winston on December 7, 2012, FSU athletics officials repeatedly contacted the Tallahassee police detective on the case. When a reported contacted the Tallahassee police to inquire about the rape allegation - nearly a year later, a records clerk forwarded the request to the Florida State University police chief David Perry - who then sent it to athletic director Monk Bonasorte. Despite knowing about the rape allegations, the officials allowed Winston to suit up for the Seminoles for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. When the allegations against Winston were revealed, the accuser says, her name was leaked several places online. She began receiving death threats and someone slashed the tires on a car that was parked at her sorority house. She was forced to drop out just days later. The lawsuit does not name either the Tallahassee Police Department or Winston. It instead focuses on the conduct of Florida State. The university has not responded to the allegations. | Winston is leaving Florida State University and is expected to be picked early in the first round of the NFL draft .
He has been officially cleared of rape allegations, though they still hang over his head .
Winston's accuser is suing FSU in federal court claiming that the university protected Winston and allowed him to play despite the allegations .
FSU also did nothing to stop death threats and bullying that forced her to quit the university . |
10,915 | 1f060eca3472b9b75f1639678a97609d110bf776 | PUBLISHED: . 11:57 EST, 19 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:58 EST, 19 June 2012 . Confused council officials stormed a village pub thinking they were busting an illegal late-night gig - only to realise 4AM was the name of the band, not the starting time. Three licensing officers and two police officers raided The Feathers, in the sleepy Surrey village of Laleham, after spotting an advert promising ‘music from 4am’. The name of the band - billed as a two-piece soul funk combo - led bungling council inspectors to assume the pub gig would kick off at 4am, and they lay in wait to raid the pub before striking just after 10pm. 'Very confused': John Adams (left) and Joe Becket were baffled after council officials mistook their band name, 4AM, for a late-night stage time . Kate Dillon, landlady of The Feathers, said she was ‘amazed’ at the ‘sting’ operation - saying it was unbelievable that two police officers were called in to back up the three licensing staff from Spelthorne Borough Council. She said it was like ‘using a sledgehammer to crack a nut’, adding: 'They turned up with two police officers and three council officers. 'I was outside at the time collecting glasses (and) I came into the pub and said: "What on earth is this all about?". 'They wanted to know if there was going to be music on until 4am and I was absolutely speechless for the first time in my life. 'I’m too old to stay up that late.' The duo, named 4am after a song by jazz legend Herbie Hancock, is made up of singer John Adams and drummer Joe Becket. Mr Adams said everyone was ‘very confused’ about the raid, adding: 'This has never happened to us before. Raided: Customers and staff at The Feathers, in the sleepy Surrey village of Laleham, were stunned to see police and council inspectors charge in . 'We’re called 4am after one of our favourite tracks by Herbie Hancock. That’s how we got the name, it’s from the album Mr Hands. 'When we were looking for a name that was our favourite album. We play stuff to get the ladies dancing, it’s all dance and soul.' Simon Freeman, 32, was at the gig when the raid took place - and said it was ‘totally ridiculous’. He said: 'These two police officers came in with these three guys from the council and they were very confrontational. 'You should have seen their faces when they realised the name of the band was 4am, not the time of the gig - they shot off with their tails between their legs. 'It will take quite a while for them to live this one down.' A spokesman for Spelthorne Borough Council admitted yesterday that its officers had made an error after spotting a poster for the gig earlier this month. He said: 'Following a visit to The Feathers, there was no cause for concern. The visit was carried out after seeing an advertisement which mentioned 4am. 'On investigation, this was part of the name of the band.' | Bungling licensing officers had police back-up for raid in Surrey village .
Stunned landlady says 'sting' was like 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut' |
21,224 | 3c28aad60d4fe8decc69428746b7a3d17155a8ed | By . Sean Vincent . Not so long ago, if a race got physical, Laura Muir admits she would be left wondering what had hit her. Now, with yet another huge stride having just been taken on her impressively rapid and upward career trajectory, the 21-year-old insists she is more than capable of giving as good as she gets. The unwelcome blip of failing to make the 800 metres final at the World Indoor Championships in March seemed to have been well and truly forgotten earlier this week as Muir surveyed Hampden and the multi-coloured arena which will provide the stage for two landmark athletics meetings that could potentially send this modest shooting star into a different stratosphere. Ready to rumble: Laura Muir has toughened up for the Commonwealth Games . One, of course, is the Commonwealth Games, where she plans to contest both the 800m and 1500m. The other, which comes first, is the Diamond League meeting which will pitch up at the home of Scottish football on July 11 and 12. Muir – who clearly can’t wait to try out the revolutionary track - will run the 800m on that occasion and, in what will be a fascinating sub plot, so too will her compatriot Lynsey Sharp. The fact that both are finding form at just the right time means a Scottish head-to-head for honours is considerably more than just a remote a possibility. On Sunday, In the Dutch city of Hengelo, Muir took part in her first race of the outdoor season and promptly ran a 1500m personal best time of 4:02.91. At the same meeting Sharp, who has not had her injury troubles to seek, was also breaking new ground for herself – a time of 2:00:09 providing an 800m personal best and putting the European champion second in the Commonwealth rankings. Moving up a rung on the athletic ladder has to be hard-earned though and, even if it might not necessarily be part of her nature away from competition, Muir insists she is more than happy to fight her corner now when it comes to the dark arts of racing. ‘I remember during what was my first race of quite a high standard, at the BMC in Manchester, and I got spiked and pushed – I just came off the track thinking: “What have I been doing for the past seven years? This not what I’ve been doing!”,’ said the 21-year-old. Bouncing back: Muir has recovered from her disappointment at the World Indoor Championships . ‘I’ve learned a lot. It’s been a very steep learning curve over the past couple of years but it’s been really good, I enjoy it, and now I know to just shrug it off, get my elbows out and I’ll be fine.’ Those elbows had to be sharpened and put to good use in Hengelo, a race which provided just the sort of preparation and confidence boost to fuel Muir’s missions this summer. ‘It was just really good to be back racing,’ she said of her second-place finish. ‘I really enjoyed it. I was nice and relaxed and calm going into it. 'I stuck at the front and then just went with a couple of hundred to go. I felt really strong – there was a bit of elbowing and pushing on the home straight – but I managed to get past it and felt really good. ‘It’s strange because I am quite quiet but I think that certainly when I go out on the track it’s a flip of a switch. Friendly rivalry: Lynsey Sharp is also competing in the 800m . ‘But you’ve got to be (aggressive). I think if I wasn’t then I wouldn’t be where I am today. I think it does take a strong character to race and race well tactically. If you let other people intimidate you then that’s just not how to race really. 'You’ve just got to be really confident in yourself and that’s what I try to do. I just have to hold my position, which can be a bit hard when I’m a bit smaller than quite a lot of them, but I just know that I’ve got the ability so I know I have to be in the right place at the right time and I’ll be stronger than them in the finish.’ The good news is that Muir thinks there is plenty still to come from her. There is a calm certainty in her voice when she insists that her 1500m time will translate into her breaking the two-minute barrier for 800m. ‘I feel like I could have run faster (in Hengelo),’ she added. ‘The way my training is going, it (running under two minutes) should be on the cards. 'It’s quite a landmark for a distance runner to break that mark, even for guys. I’m not going to push for it though. Times come when they come. It depends on the race. Even though the 800m is not as variable, you might get a slower race. I never chase times but the time will come.’ Having such fierce competition from close to home in the form of Sharp will help keep motivation levels high, of course. So did Muir have sympathy for the 23-year-old at the weekend when she missed out so narrowly on ducking under 120 seconds? ‘I was delighted to see her back,’ said Muir. ‘And she took a half-second off her personal best. You can’t put any downers on that. You’re so close but, at the same time, you ran a PB. It’s great to see she’s back. She raced really well and I’m sure it will come. ‘Middle-distance running in Scotland is so good just now. It’s probably partly due to the competition. It’s driving people to train even harder but it’s great to see so many athletes in the distance events. You’re not even guaranteed a spot on the Scotland team, never mind the GB team, which is really good.’ Dress rehearsal: Muir will appear in the Glasgow Grand Prix next month . Before national service, however, comes the Diamond League and another chance to sparkle in Glasgow. ‘It will really help because you get a sense of the atmosphere and what it’s going to be like,’ said Muir of the opportunity to sample competing in the famous venue. ‘Where the warm-up is and the call room and the layout and the surroundings. And the feel of the track as well. It’s hard for people to understand but some are faster than others. 'You can tell with some having longer straights and tighter bends. It will be nice to get out there and see what it’s like.’ Watch the world’s best athletes including Yohan Blake, MoFarah, Christine Ohuruogu, David Weir at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix on July 11-12. Tickets via britishathletics.org.uk . | Muir ready to give as good as she gets in Glasgow this summer .
Twenty one-year-old plans to contest the 800m and 1500m .
Muir welcomes competition with compatriot Lynsey Sharp . |
57,426 | a2b757daad77ded01493f96e262a63cd449b0084 | By . Jason Groves and Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 12:39 EST, 15 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:41 EST, 15 June 2012 . 'Day of reckoning': Gordon Brown has warned that Italy and France may need bailouts as the Euro debt crisis spreads . France and Italy may need massive bailouts, as the euro approaches its 'day of reckoning', Gordon Brown warned last night. The former Prime Minister, who played a key role in co-ordinating global action in response to the Credit Crunch, accused European leaders of failing to rise to the challenge of the crisis - and warned that Europe could be facing a 'lost decade'. In a hard-hitting article for the Reuters news agency, Mr Brown said the European economy was in a 'downward spiral that shows no sign of ending'. He said Greece was likely to suffer a 'chaotic' exit from the euro regardless of the result of Sunday's elections, with a string of other countries likely to suffer serious financial contagion as a result. He warned that Europe's banks may need a further £400 billion in emergency funding. Writing on the eve of the G20 Summit in Mexico, Mr Brown urged world leaders to bring forward radical proposals to stave off the threat of collapse. 'The standard, but often empty, language of summit communiqués will simply not do when the euro area is finally approaching its own day of reckoning,' he said. 'Whichever way the Greeks vote in Sunday's election, a chaotic exit from the euro is becoming more likely - its tax revenues are collapsing, not rising as promised. 'Unable to regain access to markets, Portugal and Ireland will soon have to ask for their second IMF programmes (bailouts). 'Sadly Italy - and potentially even France - may soon follow Spain in needing finance as the European recession deepens. Even German banks, which are some of the most highly leveraged, are not immune from needing more capital.' Today, the International Monetary Fund . sounded a warning note over Spain, telling the country's leaders they . should raise taxes and slash government workers pay to narrow the budget . deficit. The international . lending group said the Spanish deficit is likely to exceed estimates and . the government should therefore consider several measures to boost tax . revenue. Meltdown: Greece - which has been subject to civil unrest - will quit the euro, Mr Brown predicts . An IMF report suggested that Spain raise VAT and eliminate a a deduction on mortgage payments for first-time homebuyers, which was recently reintroduced. Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has resisted increases in the VAT. The previous government boosted it to 18 per cent in 2010, though it remains one of the lowest in Europe. Spain set a goal of reducing its deficit to 5.3 per cent of gross domestic product, or GDP, in 2012. The IMF report called that goal 'very ambitious' and said it would 'likely be missed.' It also criticised Spain in unusually blunt terms for missing its target in 2011. European leaders agreed last weekend to provide Spain's government with a loan of up to $125billion to bail out its ailing banks. The prospect of either France or Italy needing bailouts would raise questions about whether the euro could survive. European dream in tatters? Ripped EU and Greek flags flutter in Athens. Mr Brown said only greater fiscal union, with a single European lender of last resort could save the euro . Mr Brown accused European leaders of having a 'one-dimensional obsession' with cutting budget deficits and national debt. He said this had led them to ignore the continuing 'seismic tremors' in the banking industry, as well as stalling a return to economic growth. Independent analysis of Spain's debts suggested they were so huge that they 'cannot be repaid on any normal timetable'. Mr Brown said only greater fiscal union, with a single European lender of last resort could save the euro. In a blunt warning to world leaders, he said: 'If there is a failure of global leadership next week, not only will Europe be condemned to a lost decade but the whole world will pay a fearful price. 'The lesson I learned in 2009 is that when a problem escalates into a global problem, you need a global solution.' | Former prime minister warns of Europe's 'lost decade' in rare article .
He predicts that Portugal and Ireland will soon have to ask for new bailouts .
IMF tells Spain to raise taxes and slash civil servants' pay . |
223,000 | acafaf1b32665b46241d03505c8b4b4edd490692 | (CNN) -- The American Embassy in Yemen was the target of a mortar attack Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said, contradicting a suggestion from the Yemeni government the attack targeted a school where 13 were injured. "Our conversations in Yemen have led us to the conclusion that the attack was directed against our embassy," according to a statement released Tuesday evening. "Since this is an ongoing investigation, we are not going to talk about the specifics of the case." Earlier, a source with knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Tuesday's mortar attack in the capital city of San'a -- but unauthorized to speak on the record -- told CNN there was a "clear and strong indication" the U.S. embassy was targeted. "My strong belief is that there is almost no doubt this is an effort directed at the U.S. embassy," the source said. The Yemeni government said the attack Tuesday -- which injured 13 students, three critically, at the Seventh of July school for girls, near the embassy -- could have stemmed from a personal dispute involving the school's headmistress. Yemen's ambassador to the United States, Abdulwahab Abdulla al-Hajjri, said the attack was "a private dispute." "The target was someone inside the school," al-Hajjri said. "It had nothing to do with the U.S. Embassy. The U.S. Embassy was not a target." However, CNN's source said the Yemeni government is calling this a private dispute to "distract us" from their security "failure." The source said Yemeni investigators are also looking at this as a terrorist attack and are "energetically pursuing that line of thought. That reflects the seriousness in which they approach it." The source indicated the Yemeni government "does not have anyone in custody" but "they are looking for someone." Yemeni soldiers guarding the embassy were hurt in the attack. The U.S. Embassy will be closed Wednesday. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh condemned the attack and offered rewards to anyone who assists in the investigation, according to Saba, Yemen's official news agency. The San'a city council called the incident "a horrible terrorist work" and said "the attack goes against Islamic teachings and cultural values; and no one would do such a thing except those who have weak souls," Saba reported. E-mail to a friend . | U.S. officials say embassy likely was target of attack .
Three mortar rounds explode at school near embassy in San'a .
13 students injured, three of them critically, officials say .
Yemeni official says target was not embassy, but someone in the school . |
267,941 | e701e92c13c53901a2381b00d1cb8c0a0957881b | The weather forecast for this Saturday evening in Wembley is muggy and that is a warning to George Groves on two counts. This is not the moment for doing anything daft. Nor can he afford to be waylaid. As Saint George sets out upon the road to redemption there is no scope for another mishap. Certainly not one as calamitous as his starching by Carl Froch. George Groves (left) takes on Christopher Rebrasse (right) for the European middleweight title on Saturday . The pair will fight at Wembley Arena as Groves looks to win the belt and become WBC world title challenger . Reassuringly, he knows it. In the early part of the build up for this European super-middleweight title challenge to French holder Christopher Rebrasse, Groves talked - whimsically and almost certainly in vain - about a third tilt at world champion Froch despite two stoppages at the hands of the Nottingham Cobra. He also expanded on his writing of a sit-com and introduced the first recruits to his secondary boxing business as a now-licensed manager. But now he sounds fully focussed on what should be a routine job at hand, assuming there really are no distractions. Groves says ‘I’m back on track to win a world title and I’m aware I can’t afford another mistake.’ Groves (left) weighed in at 11st 13lb 6oz with Rebrasse (right) topping the scales at a heavier 11st 13lbs 8oz . Groves knows he must beat Rebrasse in order to save his career at the highest level and box for a world title . If any additional incentive were needed for him to rebound from that brutal knock-out inflicted by Froch in the Stadium just across the way from the Arena in which he fights Rebrasse, it comes with the WBC’s confirmation that the winner of this one will become the mandatory challenger for that organisation’s version of the world title. And Groves came in just under the 12st super-middleweight limit at 11st 13lb 6oz with Rebrasse weighing slightly more at 11st 13lbs 8oz. Groves proved adept at manipulating the alpha-belt boxing bodies when cornering Froch into two compulsory IBF belt defences in succession. Groves (left) takes is hit cleanly by Froch (right) in their rematch at Wembley in May, his second straight loss . Groves makes his return to the ring on Saturday night at Wembley as he looks to overcome Rebrasse . Now he has done it again with the WBC, much to the annoyance of their new champion Anthony Dirrell who complains that he is not worthy of the honour. To which Groves says: ‘Whether he likes it or not - and he sounds scared of me - that’s the way it is and once I’ve beaten Rebrasse I’m coming for him.’ As a lateral thinker and a young multi-tasker, Groves is one of the more interesting personalities of the prize-ring. But come this Return Of The Saint there is nothing complicated about what must be done to reactivate his career. Simply, he has to apply his superior ring-craft to a crushing of the fanciful world title aspirations of a moderate opponent. Expect a mid-fight stoppage. The Londoner has much to contemplate as he looks to rebuild his boxing reputation on a return to the ring . WBC world champion Anthony Dirrell (right) lands a punch on Sakio Bika during their fight last month . Groves v Rebrasse is live on Sky Sports 2 HD this Saturday night from 8pm. | George Groves takes on Christopher Rebrasse at Wembley on Saturday .
Groves is challenging Rebrasse for European super-middleweight title .
Londoner says he is 'back on track to win a world title' with this bout .
But he says he 'can't afford another mistake' after two losses to Carl Froch .
Groves weight in a 11st 13lb 6oz, Rebrasse meanwhile was 11st 13lbs 8oz .
Compulsory shot at WBC champion Anthony Dirrell not far off for Groves . |
181,758 | 7754c3d440ea738e631b4895adc96ac7c9984d96 | Blow: The poor result will come as an embarrassing blow to Chancellor George Osborne's Project Merlin agreement . Net lending by banks to cash-strapped businesses collapsed by nearly £10billion last year, figures revealed yesterday. The Bank of England statistics make a mockery of Project Merlin, the Government's attempt to encourage banks to boost credit for companies. The figures come as a survey by financial specialist Bibby Financial Services reveals the owners of small firms are resorting to drawing on personal savings to keep their businesses going. A separate survey of more than 11,000 members of the Federation of Small Businesses showed a third had used their own savings to fund their businesses. The Bank of England figures offer a devastating insight into how five of Britain's biggest banks – Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Barclays and Santander – behaved towards firms last year. The figures show that between January and December, net lending – the amount of money handed out by the banks minus the amount that was repaid – slumped by £9.6billion. This means banks received £9.6billion more in loan repayments than they paid out. Overall, the gross lending target to small firms was £76billion, but the five banks managed to hand out only £74.9billion. Business Secretary Vince Cable said: 'Small firms are still finding it too difficult to secure the finance they need.' Chuka Umunna, shadow business secretary, said the promises of Project Merlin 'were not worth the paper they were written on'. Lord Oakeshott, the Liberal Democrat . peer who resigned over Project Merlin, said the lack of lending was 'a . knife in the back for growth and jobs'. Figures: The Bank of England's 2012 'Trends in Lending' data is not directly comparable with the Project Merlin figures, but shows that net lending to SMEs has actually been falling since 2008 . To blame: RBS which is 83 per cent owned by the taxpayer, is being blamed for the shortfall after the other four lenders beat their targets . Failure to deliver: Santander, HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and RBS saw combined net lending slide in 2011, including a 3 per cent drop in the final quarter . 'Project Merlin has failed to make the banks lend,' he said. 'We must . impose lending targets on our nationalised banks as in our coalition . agreement.' Phil McCabe, from the Forum of Private Business, added: 'Despite the . Project Merlin targets, banks have consistently failed substantially to . increase lending to the small firms that need it most. Under Project Merlin, Britain's top five banks agreed to lend businesses - and especially small businesses - more money in 2011. George Osborne's now rather embarrassing policy, which was finalised in February last year, also sought to make the top five pay less in bonuses than in 2010 and be more transparent about their pay packages. HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, Barclays and Santander all committed to making £190bn of credit available to businesses last year, up on the £179bn figure of 2010. A figure of £76bn of that was supposed to be made available to small businesses, an increase of 15 per cent on the previous year. The big five also agreed to give £200m to David Cameron's Big Society Bank, which is supposed to finance community projects. An extra £1bn of equity capital over three years was also due to the Business Growth Fund, which helps SMEs in deprived areas of the UK. Project Merlin was designed to help SMEs who complained of being starved of credit since the financial crises. It also aimed to reign in the bonus culture that so incensed the tax payer following the banking collapse and make the City more transparent in terms of salaries and bonuses. However, results show the top five missed their lending target by more than £1bn. Meanwhile, Osborne was preparing to green light more than £500million in bonuses for RBS bankers later this month. 'Lending costs remain punishingly high. We are urging banks to consider a . range of lending risk criteria, such as firms which can show they have . lots of big orders in the pipeline.' However, Mark . Hoban, financial secretary to the Treasury, the overall lending figures were 'good news' and that . lending to British businesses 'has increased by 20 per cent over the last . year as a result of the Merlin agreement, with lending to SMEs also up . by 13 per cent.' 'Ensuring that businesses can access . the credit they need to grow and create jobs is vital, which is why the . Government is now making up to £21 billion of guarantees available . through credit easing,' he said. 'But banks need to play their part by continuing . to support British business going forward.' Under the Project Merlin . agreement, Britain's top five banks also agreed to pay less in bonuses than in 2010 and be more transparent about their pay packets. The lending news comes as the Chancellor is preparing to green light more than £500million in bonuses for RBS bankers later this month. RBS CEO Stephen Hester last month waived his £963,000 bonus but other senior bankers at the firm can look forward to multi-million pound payouts. Meanwhile, the number of small businesses that have used a bank overdraft or loan has fallen in the past two years, according to the Federation of Small Businesses, despite Project Merlin. The survey of 11,000 FSB members found that only 35 per cent has used an overdraft in 2011, 11 per cent a secured bank loan and 7 per cent an unsecured bank loan. The survey also found that 33 per cent of respondents had used their own savings or inheritance to fund their business while 34 per cent got money from friends and family and only 25 per cent used a bank overdraft. John Walker, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 'We have long said that targets are the wrong instrument to encourage lending and growth. 'Even though overall lending is above target, this shows that money is going to bigger businesses and not new and fledgling firms that need it to take advantage of growth opportunities that are there even in these challenging times. 'Our research in the last two years shows that around a third of businesses are refused credit and this could be reflected in the fact that newer businesses are using more of their own money to fund their business rather than turn to the banks for help. 'What we need to see is better promotion of the alternatives available and for the Government to put in place their bold credit easing plans, which will help small businesses access finance on better terms.' | Royal Bank of Scotland is being blamed for the shortfall .
Top five agreed to lend SMEs £76bn last year under Osborne's Project Merlin .
Number of SMEs to use a bank overdraft or loan has fallen in the past two years .
Meanwhile, Chancellor is preparing to green light more than £500m in RBS bonuses . |
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