Unnamed: 0
int64 0
287k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 117
14.7k
| highlights
stringlengths 37
3.97k
|
|---|---|---|---|
179,098 | 73e72c82117f37007b225cfceaeaeb75697ace34 | Jerusalem (CNN) -- Four rockets were fired from southern Lebanon at northern Israel Thursday, with two of them landing in populated areas but injuring no one, Israel Defense Forces said. It wasn't immediately clear where the two rockets landed. They caused property damage, but no one was hurt, the IDF said. One rocket was intercepted by Israel's missile defense system between the northern Israeli cities of Nahariya and Acre, the IDF said. Information on what happened to the fourth wasn't immediately available. Earlier, the IDF said all the rockets besides the intercepted one fell outside Israeli territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised his nation would respond. "We are using many different means of both attack and prevention, and we are operating responsibly," Netanyahu said. "Our policy is clear: to defend and prevent. Anyone that hurts us, anyone that wants to harm us should know we will harm them." The attack prompted a halt to all civilian aerial activity in northern Israel, IDF spokesman Capt. Eytan Buchman said. Lebanon car bomb death toll rises to 22 . The IDF believes that global jihadist elements were behind the rockets, which were launched from a village south of the Lebanese city of Tyre, Buchman said. Opinion: Why Netanyahu's dark world view clouds peace prospects . Sirens sounded in northern Israel after the missiles were launched, and explosions could be heard, Israel's Channel 2 reported. Lebanon's National News Agency reported Thursday that four rockets were fired from Lebanon "towards the occupied Palestinian lands." The news agency gave no other details. OPINION: Five ways to tell if Mideast peace talks are serious . CNN's Jim Clancy contributed to this report. | NEW: Two rockets fell in populated areas but injured no one, IDF says .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says nation will respond .
Israel Defense Forces blame the attack on global jihadist elements .
The attack halted civilian aerial activity in northern Israel, IDF spokesman says . |
54,788 | 9b312454312a9f605f3be4a3e640129dfc8758d1 | Hero: Shakil Afridi, the doctor who helped the CIA track down Osama bin Laden, claims he is being held in total isolation in Pakistan's Peshawar prison . The heroic doctor who helped the United States pinpoint the location of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden has been held in complete isolation in a Pakistani prison since September 2012 - without access to lawyers or family - as he waits for a court to decide his future, according to a letter smuggled out of the country by a supporter. Shakil Afridi, 49 - who worked with the CIA on a fake vaccination operation to confirm the presence of bin Laden in an Abbottobad compound, resulting in the fateful May 2011 SEAL mission that killed the terrorist mastermind - is regarded as a hero in the US but has been tried as a traitor in Pakistan. Originally sentenced by a court in a remote tribal area to 33 years jail for 'conspiring against the state', he now awaits a new verdict to be handed down on Dec. 18 on whether he will serve out the term or be granted a retrial. But, according to a one-and-a half page handwritten letter smuggled out of Peshawar prison, Afridi says he is being denied basic rights at a time that is crucial. 'My legal right to consult with my lawyers is being denied,' he wrote in the letter. 'What sort of justice system is this?' The authenticity of the letter - obtained by Fox News - has been verified by Afridi's cousin, Qamar Nadeem, who used previous correspondence to match the handwriting. Nadeem said the letter, written in the Hindustani language Urdu, also referred to the 'mental torture' the physician is forced to face with on a daily basis. Afridi was arrested soon after the unilateral raid by US commandos that killed Bin Laden. While he was arrested for running the fake vaccine operation, his 33-year sentence was for allegedly being a member of militant terror group Lashkar-e-Islam, which he has vehemently denied. Pinpointed: Afridi ran a vaccination program for the CIA to collect DNA in an attempt to verify Bin Laden's presence at a compound in the town of Abbottabad (pictured), prior to the U.S. raid that killed him in 2011 . The sentence was widely seen as punishment for assisting the United States in the capture and kill of Bin Laden, which came at a major international embarrassment to Pakistan. Dead: Osama bin Laden was killed during a covert US mission to Pakistan in May 2011 . In the almost-10 years between the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and the mission, the country continually said it was not plausible for the Al Qaeda leader to be hiding in Pakistan, only for him to be located in one of their most affluent towns. The operation subsequently lead to suspicions Pakistan were harboring Bin Laden. In August, Afridi's conviction was overturned, with a court citing procedural errors and ordering a retrial. However the judge that overturned the sentence soon died in a suspicious gas explosion at his Islamabad apartment. The trail court has since to grant the new trail and, as the final nears, local authorities have gathered a host of other charges together in an attempt to keep Afridi imprisoned if the terrorist charges are dropped. One is the 'murder' of a teenage boy, who died after the doctor performed surgery on him for appendicitis in 2006. A three-member tribunal, which operates under the archaic tribal law system, heard arguments on the merits of a new trial at a court in Peshawar on Monday. The tribunal’s decision, which could force local authorities to launch a new trial, is expected to be handed down on Dec. 18. Behind bars: Afridi has remained jailed in Peshawar Central Jail (pictured in this file photo) since 2011. In a new letter smuggled out of the prison, the physician writes he has been denied access to his lawyers and family since September 2012 . 'We are confident that Dr. Shakeel Afridi would be freed after a free and fair trial,' said Afridi’s lawyer, Samiullah Afridi. But others from the defense team feel the case has been crafted on political rather legal grounds and a favorable verdict is unlikely. Another of Afridi’s lawyers fears the letter going public could hurt the doctor’s bid for freedom. | Shakil Afridi ran a vaccination program for the CIA to pinpoint Osama bin Laden in Pakistan before the raid that killed him .
The doctor was sentenced to 33 years in jail after the mission for 'conspiring against the state'
While the conviction was overturned, he has been remanded in prison pending a new verdict on Dec. 18 .
A letter written by Afridi smuggled out of Pakistan by one of his supporters says the doctor is being held in complete isolation without access to his lawyers or family and is being subjected to 'mental torture' |
75,429 | d5e4a0857df24fdcbeb44e05e0c30dcf142c5340 | (CNN) -- Espanyol suffered a setback in their quest for European Champions League football on Monday as they surrendered a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 at home to Mallorca. The Barcelona-based team currently occupy fifth position in Spain's La Liga and they took the lead against their tenth placed opponents when striker Alvaro Vasquez converted Jose Callejon's pass. The match was level after 63 minutes when Cameroon forward Pierre Webo finished from a Sergio Tejera cross. Michael Laudrup's Mallorca ensured they would move up to tenth place in the table when 23-year-old Emilio Nsue grabbed his fourth goal of the season with just seven minutes remaining. The result means Mauricio Pochettino's Espanyol stay fifth, seven points behind Villarreal in the fourth and final Champions League place. Sevilla closed within two points of Espanyol after a comfortable 3-0 home win over Sporting Gijon. Goals from Luis Fabiano, Diego Perotti and Alvaro Negredo edged them into seventh, level on points with Athletic Bilbao. In Germany, MSV Duisburg booked their place in the DFB Pokal Cup competition after beating Energie Cottbus 2-1 thanks to goals from Stefan Maierhofer and Srdjan Baljak. Duisburg will face either Bayern Munich or Schalke in the final. They play on Wednesday. In the French Cup, Nice booked their place in the semifinals with a 3-2 away win over second division outfit Stade de Reims. | Espanyol lose 2-1 at home to Mallorca in Spain's La Liga .
Sevilla thrash Sporting Gijon 3-0 with Luis Fabiano among the goals .
MSV Duisburg reach the German Cup final after beating Energie Cottbus 2-1 .
Nice beat Stade de Reims 3-2 to reach French Cup semifinal . |
286,831 | ffa59bafd1294eebfe7ac76932bc8711a4e305f0 | By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:01 EST, 2 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:13 EST, 4 December 2012 . An American magician was recuperating Sunday in the Dominican Republic after a local television show host lit his head on fire with a flammable cologne. Chico, California-native Wayne Houchin said he is receiving treatment for burns that doctors are cautiously optimistic will not result in scars. A Sunday statement on his Facebook page says he is 'resting, healing & working through the legal process' in the Caribbean nation, where he had been performing with a group of fellow magicians. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . 'Surprise attack': Guest host Franklin Barazarte rubbed his hands together and over Wayne Houchin's head . Houchin's head immediately caught fire . During a November 26 appearance on the Dominican Republic's Closer To The Stars TV program, guest host Franklin Barazarte abruptly doused the U.S. magician's head with 'Agua de Florida,' a flammable cologne commonly used in Santeria rituals. Two days after the incident Houchin posted on Facebook: 'I was not aware he was going to do this. This was not a stunt or part of an act - this was a criminal attack. 'The fast actions of the rest of our Curiosidades team saved my life. 'The fire was put out and I was rushed to the emergency room. I have bad burns on my head, face, neck and right hand.' The host appeared to try and put out the flames . Houchin staggered off stage with his head still ablaze . A video of the incident shows the magician's head bursting into flames as Barazarte runs his hands over Houchin's hair. It is unclear why the TV host doused his head in the liquid and what ignited it. The program has not commented on the incident. The video also shows Houchin, Barazarte and others struggling to extinguish the flames for several seconds. Houchin has since claimed that the quick actions of the TV crew saved his life . The incident was not broadcast on Dominican television but a video of it has appeared on the Internet. Houchin added on Thursday: 'The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country full of beautiful people. 'The outrage here and outpouring of support has been incredible. 'The support, love and well wishes that has been sent my way through social media, blogs, forums, friends and fans has been both humbling and overwhelming. Thank you.' It was not immediately clear if he has retained a lawyer in the Dominican Republic. The magician needed immediate hospital treatment for his burns. Houchin is now recovering and is hopeful there will be no permanent scars . | Presenter douses performer's head in flammable liquid, then ignites it .
Magician Wayne Houchin suffers burns to head, face, neck and hand . |
195,272 | 88c5c2d63a88c59e24a543cf6a59d2e850ad9f42 | Victor Valdes is expected to make his Manchester United debut in the less-than-glamorous surroundings of Cambridge United's Abbey Stadium on Friday night. The former Barcelona keeper, who has won three Champions League titles and a World Cup, is set to don the gloves for United for the first time in their FA Cup fourth-round clash at the League Two side's 8,100-capacity home. Valdes, 33, signed an 18-month contract at Old Trafford earlier this month and has been named on the bench for United's Premier League matches at QPR and at home to Southampton behind David de Gea. Victor Valdes is set to make his Manchester United debut against Cambridge in the FA Cup fourth round . However, he is expected to play for the first time since suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in Barcelona's clash with Celta Viga last March. United manager Louis van Gaal, who worked with Valdes during his own second stint at the Nou Camp, invited the keeper to the club to complete his rehabilitation. Fellow Spaniard De Gea has once again been in sterling form this season and is rumoured to have interested Real Madrid. The 24-year-old's contract expires in 18 months and with no extension agreed speculation grew that he may be set to depart Old Trafford. However, Van Gaal moved to reassure supporters that he will shortly pen a new long-term deal. The 33-year-old Valdes joined United on a 18-month deal in January - with the option of an extra year . Valdes' presence is already being felt by his team-mates. Defender Chris Smalling told MUTV he had been in fine form on the training pitch. 'He (Valdes) is someone that we all look up to through what he's achieved already in his career but you can see that he's nowhere near done yet,' said Smalling. 'On the training field he's so sharp and you can see that he's very agile. He's such a great addition and is a name that really belongs here at Manchester United. 'We've heard a few stories from him and quite a few people here have asked him questions. Barcelona is another great club and you want to get some insight of what happens abroad as well.'Â . Valdes has been named on the bench for United's last two games as back-up to David de Gea (above) | Manchester United travel to Cambridge United in the FA Cup fourth round .
United signed goalkeeper Victor Valdes on an 18-month deal .
Valdes has been on the bench for the last two league matches . |
59,197 | a804efdd2fd0f0a325460832b40fc2d4b2568c70 | (CNN) -- The sun is shining, barbecues are out, beaches are packed and the commute to work is slightly less crowded than normal. It can mean only one thing: football's summer transfer window is upon us. Most managers hate it, fans are powerless to resist hourly updates on it; sports journalists worldwide are consumed by it. With a further month of fevered speculation, rumor, counter-rumor and downright subterfuge to come before it closes, CNN tries to work out what it all means. Will he, won't he? Every summer needs a transfer saga. Recent tradition tends to place an Arsenal player at the center of a heart-wrenching drama, with dastardly suitors attempting to steal him away from Arsene Wenger's bosom. Usually, after a summer of emotionally charged hearsay, these players stick around to give the Arsenal boss one more chance to deliver the satisfaction they crave. But eventually, as with Patrick Vieira (Juventus), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), and Robin Van Persie (Manchester United), the lure of new pastures proves too strong, and the bond is broken. This year, in a dramatic break from tradition, it is Arsenal's turn to play the villain in the love triangle, and covet the prized assets of other clubs. Gonzalo Higuain proved to be nothing but a flirt, eventually finding Napoli more enticing than North London. While many label him a bad boy, Arsenal now seem only to have eyes for Luis Suarez. Faint heart, as they say, never won fair maid; but only time will tell whether Arsenal's seduction technique and slightly eccentric offers of £40 million, plus one pound, will be enough to tempt the controversial Uruguayan. But none of these great romances can hold a candle to events on the other side of North London. For weeks Tottenham Hotspur have been clinging desperately to Gareth Bale, begging him to remember the good times and promising that a top four finish in the Premier League can make him happy again. Real Madrid, meanwhile, have been suggestively whispering that, while he looks great in white, he'd look even more fabulous in the white of the Castilian giants. Certainly the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale on their respective wings is more than enough to get most Madrilenos salivating, but until this week it seemed that Spurs would keep their man. Now, however, things have changed; the latest reports indicate the Londoners' passion for Bale has cooled sufficiently for them to admit defeat. As with many a high-profile divorce, however, the scale of the pay-off should at least help to wipe away their tears. Vive la revolution! Time was when the mere suggestion Chelsea or Manchester City were interested in a player pretty much put an end to transfer speculation; indeed, when Edinson Cavani indicated he was ready to leave Napoli behind him, England seemed his inevitable destination. To the surprise of many, however, the towering striker opted to join the newly minted French champions, Paris Saint Germain, instead. The Premier League may still believe itself to be the world's best, but this summer's evidence shows that its spending power may be diminishing. What's more, the traditional big three European leagues -- England, Spain and Italy -- can no longer have it all their own way. For a start the Bundesliga has already demonstrated its strength on and off the pitch, with trophies and multi-million dollar transfer fees alike. France's Ligue 1, however, is making a surprise bid to join the giants. The resurgence of Monaco, and their favorable tax rules for foreigners, has added a new string to the French elite's increasingly impressive bow. Alongside their Qatari-backed Parisian rivals, Monaco are simply outbidding the big spenders, leaving the likes of Chelsea -- who they also beat to the signature of Falcao -- scratching their heads. Suddenly, French football seems a lot more interesting, and Jose Mourinho's billionaire-backed Blues a little less potent. Austerity is for normal people . All over Europe, austerity is biting hard. Unemployment, particularly among the young, is at eye-watering levels, and belts are being tightened accordingly. In England, where former Premier League perennials Coventry City have become the latest club to hit skid row, fans have also been protesting at high ticket prices. All the signs should point to a more sensible age of spending in the game. Of course, we're talking about football here though -- a world where almost nothing makes any sense whatsoever. So while Spanish unemployment lines grow, talk of Real Madrid paying a record-obliterating $120 million for a player many argue they don't really need seems absolutely genuine. In fact, according to a FIFA report, transfer spending over the first six months of 2013 sharply increased, while the list of multi-million dollar deals in this summer's window grows almost daily. It remains to be seen whether spending in 2013 will set new records, but don't bet against it. Are you ITK? Everyone likes a bit of juicy gossip, and starved of the usual stuff to talk about, football fans in summer are particularly susceptible to a little tittle-tattle. The inexorable rise of Twitter has spawned a wave of people claiming to be "ITK" ("in the know") -- particularly supposed agents. The most notorious of these fakes unmasked himself last year, but only after his (completely fabricated) rumors had found their way into the mainstream media. One hapless fan even bought a shirt with the name of an apparently done-deal transfer emblazoned on it. These days it is often hard to tell whether the rumor you have picked up on social media is anything more than a mischievous hoax, but fake agents are not just found on Twitter. A more insidious breed is also playing a highly damaging role in some young footballers' careers. The problem is particularly acute in Africa, where an international scouting camp has been set up to help young players find genuine agents and avoid being exploited by chancers. Even experienced players can be hoodwinked, as Glasgow Rangers striker Francisco Sandanza discovered to his cost earlier this year. The Spaniard was sacked after details of an overly candid phone call with a man purporting to be an agent were made public, to the anger of his employers. Buyer beware. Footballers have feelings too . Wayne Rooney is "angry" and "confused". Gareth Bale is "horrified" and "distraught". Meanwhile Arsene Wenger apparently experiences every defeat "like a death", so who knows how the Frenchman is coping as Arsenal keep missing out on their transfer targets. Footballers and their agents, managers and chairmen have been reaching for their thesauruses in an attempt to convey the sheer emotional turmoil that the transfer window brings. There are safety issues for the general public too: back in 2006 Ashley Cole almost "crashed his car in disgust" when he heard Arsenal were only prepared to offer him £55,000 a week, rather than the £60,000 he had his heart set upon. Top footballers are fragile creatures. During this unsettling period, as they are forced to endure exotic beach holidays and wonder just how much money might be on the table, one really has to feel for them. Still, with just a matter of weeks to go until the Window closes, calm will soon be restored - at least until it reopens on January 1st, and the whole astonishing business gets underway once again. | The European football season has two transfer windows .
One runs in the offseason, the other throughout the month of January .
Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez are two high-profile EPL stars linked with moves .
French clubs Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain have spent heavily . |
135,300 | 3b060351ed912eb24491336a7192da386243aceb | Kelly Brook’s muscular on-off boyfriend crashed his van carrying a load of dead badgers after falling asleep at the wheel while on a controversial animal cull, it has been revealed. David McIntosh, who is known for appearing in TV series Gladiator as ‘Tornado’, had been employed to take the dead creatures for disposal as part of the badger cull in Gloucestershire. But as the 28-year-old former Royal Marine drove his VW Transporter van to a furnace in the middle of the night, he swerved and smashed into a bus stop, the court was told. Former couple: Kelly Brook's on-off boyfriend David McIntosh (pictured together on Monday) had been employed to take the dead creatures for disposal as part of the badger cull in Gloucestershire . He claims to have lost control when a radio - which police used to pass on intelligence about the location of anti-cull protesters - fell under the brakes, Stroud Magistrates’ Court heard. McIntosh crashed after falling asleep during the night shift in Gloucester city centre just before 1am on September 29. He admitted driving without due care and attention and not having a valid licence. Passenger John Parker - who suffered bruised ribs, thigh, face and wrist in the crash - told the court he was checking Facebook on his phone when he felt the van change direction. Reading Mr Parker's statement, prosecutor Graham Dono said: ‘I looked up after feeling the vehicle change direction to see a bus stop. ‘I can't say if he was asleep on not, but when I looked at David both of his hands were on the wheel, but his head was on his chest. I believe his eyes were shut.’ The court heard McIntosh, of Altrincham, Cheshire, had managed to get the job as a driver despite having his licence for that class of vehicle suspended for running a red light in 2005. Making their point: Anti badger-cull protestors outside Stroud Magistrates' Court where McIntosh was fined . Mr Parker said during the incident he shouted and grabbed the wheel, shocking McIntosh into action, who hit the accelerator and smashed into the bus shelter. In a statement read out in court, . McIntosh, a former Royal Marine driver said: ‘I was carrying badger . carcasses to the furnace as I was involved in the cull. 'I was carrying badger carcasses to the furnace as I was involved in the cull' David McIntosh . ‘The radio was always kept in the vehicle on the dashboard so we could easily hear and keep up with police as to where the protesters were. It was blocking the clutch and the brake. 'Before I retrieved it I was heading off the road. I started to brake but it was too late.’ District Judge Joti Bopa-Rai said: ‘It is either that he has fallen asleep or been distracted.’ Unemployed McIntosh was fined £91, plus a £20 victim surcharge and £30 prosecution costs. He was given six penalty points. Scene: The bus shelter in Gloucester which was damaged when a van load of culled badgers crashed into it . He claims to have lost control when a radio - which police used to pass on intelligence about the location of anti-cull protesters - fell under the breaks . McIntosh crashed after falling asleep during the night shift in Gloucester city centre just before 1am on September 29 . McIntosh is a British TV personality, model, bodybuilder and former ‘security operative’. He . has served in Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Somalia, and the Persian . Gulf. He was deployed to Afghanistan in October 2008 for six months. McIntosh, who was allegedly dumped by . Brook for being too fame-hungry - something he denies, was pictured . together with her heading to her London bar Steam & Rye on Monday . night. Around a dozen anti-cull protestors attended the hearing and waved placards outside court. They . were angered an alleged ‘collusion’ between the police and cull workers . via radio, and also that McIntosh was able to get a job without a valid . licence. 'It is either that he has fallen asleep or been distracted' District Judge Joti Bopa-Rai . Steve Tomlin, 64, . who spent 100 nights out in Somerset and Gloucestershire during the . cull, said: ‘Why wasn't he breathalysed? This is a case of a politically . motivated blind spot.’ Jude . Walker, 58, of Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting, added: ‘It . certainly goes against what we have always been told about the police . being even handed. And what happened to the badgers?’ The address given in court for McIntosh in Greater Manchester matches the business of his company, Next Generation Fitness Ltd. Kelly . has previously posed for campaigns for People for the Ethical Treatment . of Animals (Peta) - who opposed the cull. Spokesmen for McIntosh and . Brook both refused to comment. Natural England authorised two pilot culls of badgers, which was paid for by the farming industry. A . spokesman for the public body said that it issued licenses to culling . companies which in turn employed their own marksmen. He added: ‘Daniel . McIntosh is not a Natural England employee.' The court heard the van was travelling from Tewkesbury to Maisemore in Gloucestershire. McIntosh . contacted the DVLA after the incident and was told his licence was . revoked in 2005 for going through a red light, it was said. Relationship: McIntosh, 28, is known for appearing in TV series Gladiator as 'Tornado' (left). Brook, his on-off girlfriend, is pictured (right) modelling Ultimo underwear . His letter to the court said: 'I have had numerous hire cars and have been stopped by police for random checks and not once was it flagged up.' District Judge Rai said: 'I have heard that this was part of the badger cull operation. I have to exclude anything to do with the badger cull. I am looking at the driving of an individual.' Neither Mr Parker nor McIntosh were in court. A spokesman for McIntosh said last night: 'David McIntosh was in a minor car accident last year that did not involve any other vehicles. At the time David worked as hired security for various companies and assignments. ‘Specifically in this case, he was hired to provide secure transportation in the operation of badger culling where firearms were being used. ‘He was there to prevent any intervention as to insure the safety of staff as well as the safety of protesters by preventing any altercations. ‘David was not involved in the culling operation or process he was merely doing the job assigned to him of security and transportation. ‘David loves animals and his personal views are against the practice of culling badgers - but as an ex-military, David knows to separate between his personal beliefs and feelings to the legal task or job at hand he was hired to do. ‘The matter of the accident was resolved in court where David had to pay a fine for the traffic violation.' | David McIntosh, 28, is known for appearing in Gladiator as 'Tornado'
He swerved and smashed into bus stop while driving to furnace .
McIntosh lost control when a radio fell under the brakes, court hears . |
93,473 | 0436e21d005688f93d487b21fb99127df20c9179 | By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . Islamic terrorists fighting in Iraq are 'planning to attack us here at home in the United Kingdom', David Cameron said today. The Prime Minister told MPs that the crisis in the Middle East must not be dismissed as 'nothing to do with us'. He said the jihadist insurgents in Iraq, Syria, Somalia and Nigeria would 'come back and hit us at home' if the UK did not help defeat them. David Cameron told MPs during Prime Minister's Questions that the threat posed by ISIS militants was not confined to the Middle East. He said they were planning to turn their fire on Britain . The damning warning came after former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones claimed Britain was sending more Islamic extremists to Syria and Iraq than any other country in Europe. Speaking in the Commons Mr Cameron said: 'I'd disagree with those people who think this is nothing to do with us and if they want to have some sort of extreme Islamist regime in the middle of Iraq that won't affect us – it will. 'The people in that regime, as well as trying to take territory, are also planning to attack us here at home in the United Kingdom. Baroness Neville-Jones has said more young men leave the UK to become jihadis than anywhere else in Europe . 'So the right answer is to be long term, hard-headed, patient and intelligent with the interventions that we make, and the most important intervention of all is to make sure that these governments are fully representative of the people who live in their countries, that they close down the ungoverned space, and they remove the support for the extremists. 'If we do that, not just in Syria, but we have to help in Iraq, in Somalia, in Nigeria, in Mali, because these problems will come back and hit us at home if we don't.' Earlier, Baroness Neville-Jones warned there is a danger of 'a sufficient number' of British citizens travelling to fight in Iraq and Syria becoming radicalised against the West and returning 'with the intention of doing damage.' The former chairman of the British Joint Intelligence Committee said militants in the region posed the gravest threat to Britain today, as Iraq's ambassador to the U.S. warned ISIS extremists could produce 'a thousand' global terrorists like Osama bin Laden. Lukman Faily has said if the U.S. and other nations focus too much on Iraq's internal politics and ignore the 'immediate threat' of a terrorist movement that's gathering steam, the results will be catastrophic. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Baroness Neville-Jones said there was a danger of 'real radicalisation' if British citizens travelled to fight. She said: 'I think the danger lies in their desire to go, for whatever motive, and what happens to them when they are there, then that's the danger of real radicalisation, coming back with skills and without any other activity in life and motive.' She warned a 'sufficient number' could return to the UK with the 'intention of doing damage.' The former Tory minister said: 'I think it's entirely undesirable that any should go and indeed I think it may become an offence to do that. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS . Lukman Faily, the Iraqi ambassador to the United States, warned CNN's Christiane Amanpour that 'a thousand' Osama bin Ladens could emerge from among the Sunni extremists pushing to take over Baghdad . Pushing back: Iraqi Shiite tribesmen are joining state-run security forces in the fight against Jihadist militants who have taken over several northern Iraqi cities; Iraq's US ambassador says his country needs America's help to prevent 'a thousand' Bin Ladens from turning the globe into a terrorist shooting gallery . 'But I think a sufficient number will be radicalised and will be radicalised in ways where this notion about how it's the West's fault will get embedded in their thinking and they will come back with the intention of doing damage.' Baroness Neville-Jones said: 'Unfortunately, I think the UK exports more young men to become jihadis in Europe than any other.' She went on to say: 'The intelligence picture is fairly clear. There's no doubt the numbers are there and there is a real danger of these young men when they come back getting into serious trouble. 'Our ability to track what's going on is infinitely greater than it was post 9/11 which I think is one of the reasons why we haven't seen the national alert rise.' Baroness Neville-Jones was asked whether young men with 'muddled views' about fighting with Muslims, when in Iraq and Syria they would also be fighting against other Muslims, should be regarded 'as potential radicals'. She said: 'I think we can't take the risk of this kind of thinking just brewing without any kind of antidote.' She suggested educating and providing young men with more information in the short-term, along with a longer-term process of better integration. Mr Cameron yesterday said the police service and spy agencies have been ordered to focus their efforts on the Islamic insurgents, particularly those returning to Britain. Today's warnings were backed by security expert Professor Peter Neumann who said Britain will be 'haunted' by the threat of terror for years to come. Professor Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, said the country faced a 'significant' risk from a minority of those who joined groups such as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis). He said: 'I think personally that it is a threat that will continue to haunt this country and other European and western countries for years to come. 'Even if Isis is pushed back from Iraq, they are still going to exist. This is going to be keeping the security services and police busy for many years to come.' The ICSR estimates that between 400 and 500 Britons have gone to fight in Syria, with many believed to have joined the ranks of Isis. Professor Neumann said: 'Up to about a week ago almost all of them were in Syria but we are now seeing reports of people crossing the border into Iraq.' It comes after MailOnline revealed more . British citizens have signed up to fight in Iraq and Syria than joined . the Army Reserve last year. Ministers have been caught off-guard . by the speed of the insurgency by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sweeping through Iraq, with more evidence emerging of . brutal executions. Several . hundred Britons have travelled to the region to join militants in . fighting, but just 170 extra reservists enlisted over the past year. Mr Cameron yesterday insisted the prospect of battle-hardened jihadists returning to the UK was a ‘real threat to our country’. Mr Faily has warned of the dangers of . the U.S and other nations focussing too much on Iraq's internal politics . and ignoring the extremist movement. 'This . is a global tumor in Iraq taking place now and in Syria,' he said, . referring to the Sunni militant group calling itself ISIS. 'We've seen it before.' ISIS aims to establish a caliphate -- an Islamic state that transcends national borders -- in areas of Syria and Iraq, and it has captured at least nine cities in the two countries . The . White House has scolded Nouri al-Maliki's government in Baghdad for . provoking ISIS by alienating the country's Sunni minority. Barack . Obama said on Friday that U.S. military intervention would be . conditioned on reconciliation efforts from Maliki's Shia majority. 'Any . action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces . has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq’s leaders to . set aside sectarian differences, to promote stability, and account for . the legitimate interests of all of Iraq’s communities,' Obama said in . public remarks. 'So . this should be a wake-up call. Iraq’s leaders have to demonstrate a . willingness to make hard decisions and compromises on behalf of the . Iraqi people in order to bring the country together.' Baroness Neville-Jones backed Prime Minister David Cameron's comments that militants in Iraq and Syria pose the gravest threat to Britain today . But Faily suggested during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour that Obama is naively fiddling while Baghdad burns. 'These are all "nice to have" discussions,' he said, but 'what we have in Iraq now, to -- is an immediate threat.' 'But . do you not feel this is an immediate threat?' Amanpour interrupted, . 'that practically half the country feels disenfranchised? The Sunnis?' 'We're . not saying we're not happy to [have a] discussion,' he responded. 'We . want to have that discussion. But we're saying conditioning that . discussion is not wise. Making clear that we all stand together against a . threat in global terrorism is the question.' 'Let me give you an example. What you have in Afghanistan, with one Bin Laden – you will have a thousand of them.' 'No POWs,' he warned. 'Nothing, none of that. No rules of engagement but destruction.' 'That's the situation in Iraq.' Obama told . Congress on Monday that he is sending 275 armed military men and women . into Baghdad to protect American embassy personnel and assets as they . are moved elsewhere in Iraq and to Jordan. They . will be 'armed for combat,' the White House said, while insisting that . the ground troops won't be the first drop in an ocean of military . entanglements of the sort that Obama campaigned against in 2008 and . 2012. An . administration official also said Monday that the president is . considering the deployment of a small contingent of Special Forces to . Iraq, specifically to help the al-Maliki government slow the advance of . ISIS. Obama . is also mulling unilateral air strikes to hamper ISIS, but . administration sources told MailOnline on Tuesday that the primary . objection to that strategy is political, not tactical. The . National Security Staff, one source said, is concerned that forcing . ISIS off the battlefield now that neighboring Iran has sent 2,000 of its . elite Quds forces to stabilize the region could effectively clear the . way for Iran to seize oil fields and other lands in eastern Iraq. | Prime Minister says insurgents in Iraq planning attacks on the UK .
Tells MPs the jihadists need to be defeated or they will turn on the West .
Comes after former spy chief Baroness Neville-Jones warns of terror threat .
Says Britain exporting more Islamic terrorists than any other EU country .
Claims militants in Iraq and Syria pose gravest threat to Britain today . |
145,208 | 47ce70fb9ba8c982bfee95db01af2e90f1220b0b | Police in Minnesota are investigating if a man wheeled his dead mother into a bank to withdraw funds in her name just hours before he reported her deceased. Up until her death two weeks ago, Caryl Vanzo, 90, had been living with her son David at his home in Plymouth. But just seven hours before he called local police to report his mom's death, the pair took a taxi to a local branch of Wells Fargo where they withdrew $850. David Vanzo denies that his mother was already dead when he took her to the bank and claims the $850 was from a joint account. He was arrested for elderly neglect after his mother's death two week ago . Bank employees recalled seeing Caryl's feet dragging under the wheelchair and were unsure if she was breathing. A search warrant citing the employees says she 'did not move' and employees 'couldn't tell if she was breathing.' A neighbor who saw them leave in the taxi also wondered if Caryl was dead. 'I don't know if she was unconscious, or not alive,' the neighbor told FOX 9. Police responding to David's call that his mom was dead arrived at the home to find Caryl in bed, wearing a robe and fur coat. They reported that she smelled of urine and her boots were covered in human feces. Just seven hours before Vanzo called local police to report his mom's death, the two took a taxi to a local branch of Wells Fargo where they withdrew $850 . Police responding to David's call that his mom was dead arrived at the home to find Caryl in bed, wearing a robe and fur coat. They reported that she smelled of urine and her boots were covered in human feces . The cops arrest David for elderly neglect, but are also now investigating him for financial exploitation. He denies that his mother was already dead when he took her to the bank and claims the $850 was from a joint account. 'My mother and I had an agreement,' he told Fox 9. 'I took care of my mom for years, I'm the good guy here, not the bad guy.' However this isn't the first time David had been accused of financial exploitation of his mother. He once withdrew $47,500 and then $25,600 from her account and Caryl failed to explain to local social workers why a reverse mortgage for $118,000 had been taken out in her name. | David Vanzo is accused of wheeling his dead mother Caryl into a bank to withdraw funds in her name just hours before he reported her deceased .
Seven hours before he called police to report his mom's death, the pair took a taxi to Wells Fargo where they withdrew $850 .
Caryl Vanzo, 90, died two weeks ago and when police arrived they found her smelling of urine and covered in human feces .
David was arrested for elderly neglect, but police are also investigating him for financial exploitation . |
26,454 | 4b226efcf9e2009c7b0284cfa5e037065c74e6fe | (CNN) -- Arsonists attacked the administrative offices of leading Israeli football club Beitar Jerusalem on Friday, police said. The attack occurred just days after the club signed two Muslim players. No one was injured in the fire, which was discovered around 5 a.m., police said. But the blaze damaged the club's trophy room. Last Thursday, four club supporters were arrested on charges of making racist chants, apparently directed at the Beitar's newest players, Zaur Sadaev and Dzhabrail Kadaev. They came from Russian League club Terek Grozny, based in Chechnya. On the same day they were signed, January 26, fans at a Beitar match waved a banner reading "Beitar -- pure forever" and chanted anti-Arab slogans. Four were arrested. The Israeli Football Association later fined Beitar $15,000 and ordered the club to close the area at the Teddy Kollek Stadium where the club's hardcore supporters usually gather. Meanwhile, investigators continue to figure out who is behind the arson attack. "A thorough investigation has been opened by a Special Investigations Unit searching for suspects that fled the scene," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "shameful" arson attack in a statement issued Friday. "We cannot accept such racist behavior," he said. Beitar's general manager, Itzik Kornfein, issued a defiant message, saying the club would stand by its signing of Sadaev and Kadaev. He said bringing them on was the "right decision," despite the subsequent controversy. "We will keep strong," he told CNN. "The club won't change it's mind because of these criminals," he said. "But I want to emphasize that a minority of people have been causing these actions. Beitar and most of its fans are not racist." Rosenfeld said security will be stepped up ahead of Beitar's home match Sunday in the Israeli League against Bnei Sachnin, an Arab-Israeli team. Beitar, owned by Russian-Israeli Arkady Gaydamak, was founded in 1948. The club's crest features the menorah, which is also embedded in the emblem of the state of Israel. Throughout the club's history many of their fans have remained implacably opposed to the signing of Arab or Muslim players. | Beitar Jerusalem offices are set on fire days after it signed Muslim players .
Football club supporters are arrested for making racist remarks .
Fans wave a banner at a match that says "Beitar -- pure forever"
No one was injured in the fire, police say . |
157,313 | 5764e406ee16ba52087f9fd193ade627a9538736 | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 00:40 EST, 27 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:05 EST, 27 July 2013 . Mia Farrow's brother has pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually abusing two young boys, but also claimed his innocence as he entered an Alford plea in court on Friday. Businessman John Villers-Farrow made the plea at his hearing in Maryland's Annapolis court as a way to reduce his sentence while asserting that he was innocent. The father was accused of 39 counts of abusing two boys, who lived near his home, over a five-year period. Plea deal: John Villers-Farrow, left, entered an Alford plea after facing child sex abuse charges, his sister is actress Mia Farrow, right . Villers-Farrow, told the court he . entered the plea because it was the quickest way he could serve time and . get home to his wife, Sandra Hall, according to the Capital Gazette. He . now faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced later this year. If found guilty on all 39 . counts he could have been sentenced to 50 years, according to NBC . Washington. Under the plea he is able to assert his innocence while admitting that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him. The . plea was first used in the Supreme Court in 1970, when Henry Alford . argued that he had admitted to murder to avoid being given the death . sentence, which was mandatory in cases where the defendant had been convicted . after pleading not guilty. The Supreme Court ruled that a defendant could plead guilty while maintaining their innocence, to secure a plea deal. Connections: John Villers-Farrow, center, and sister Mia Farrow traveled to India in the 1960s with The Beatles . The Capital Gazette reported that, according to the statement of facts, the first alleged victim moved near to Villers-Farrow’s home when he was six-years-old, and came to know the family, whose son was a few years younger than him. It was alleged that the victim spent a lot of time at the family's home and that Villers-Farrow would buy him gifts, take him to baseball games and on other trips. Prosecutors allege that he began sexually abusing the boy regularly, between the ages of 9 and 16. In the same time period, it is claimed that a second boy who was friends with the first victim, was abused about a dozen times over five years, Deputy State Attorney Kathleen Rogers said. Mrs Hall, who is standing by her husband, has called the two alleged victims, who are now aged 20, 'vipers'. The defense argued that Villers-Farrow, who traveled to India with his sisters Mia and Prudence in 1968 to meet the Maharishi with The Beatles, was generous to many children in the neighborhood. Family portrait: John Farrow and Maureen O'Sullivan with their children, from left, Mia Farrow, Joseph Farrow, John Farrow and Michael Farrow in Los Angeles, February 1947 . His famous sister has not commented about the case involving her brother. When the charges were first made, NBC Washington noted it was not the first time Villers-Farrow had been in the public eye. In 1992, . he famously told PEOPLE magazine that Woody Allen, who had . once been married to Farrow and fathered three of their children, would . have serious legal trouble because of his relationship with her adopted . daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Villers-Farrow . said: ‘[He’s] going to be indicted, and he’s going to be ruined. I . think when all of it comes out, he’s going to jail.’ Allen, . famous for his self-deprecating and neurotic on-film persona, began a . romantic relationship with Farrow’s adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn, 34 . years his junior. Following . the discovery of naked photos of Soon-Yi in Allen’s possession, Farrow . split from Woody and launched a messy custody battle over their three . children, Satchel, Dylan, and Moses. During . the proceedings, which were closely followed, Farrow claimed that Allen . had sexually abused Dylan, though the judge dismissed the claims . because they were not substantiated. Farrow . was awarded full custody, and Allen was denied visits with Dylan, who . later changed her name to Malone. The couple's other adopted child, . Moshe, who changed his name to Moses, chose not to see Allen at all. Defense: Villers-Farrow spoke out on behalf of his sister Mia Farrow, pictured in 1990 with then boyfriend Woody Allen, when he left her for adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, pictured right with the director in 2011 . In Villers-Farrow's case, the alleged victims claimed that the abuse happened during sleepovers at his home in Edgewater. In . the opening statement of the trial on Thursday, the court was told that . the first alleged victim looked up to Villers-Farrow and spent four . months living with him after being physically abused by his own father. According to the Capital Gazette, . when the accusations were first made in August last year, investigators . asked one of the alleged victims to call Villers-Farrow. During . the conversation, which was recorded without Villers-Farrow's . knowledge, prosecutors alleged he did not deny sexually abusing the boy. The defense however, argued that Villers-Farrow had never been left alone with the boys, and that one of them had solicited their alleged abuser for money. The allegations were made when Villers-Farrow refused to pay, his defense lawyer said. After he entered the Alford plea, Judge Laura S. Kiessling revoked Villers-Farrow’s bond. He will remain in jail until his sentencing in September. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | John Villers-Farrow uses Alford plea to reduce possible 50-year sentence .
Deal allows defendants to assert their innocence while admitting there is enough evidence to convict them . |
106,869 | 15dc2622c8da4776967fa55d8647c7bfb1f51df1 | (CNN) -- "Pediatrics Group Backs Gay Marriage, Saying It Helps Children," proclaims a headline in The New York Times. But the advocacy group presented no new studies, no new data, to support this claim. And the studies the group cites have been shown to be insufficient to come to this conclusion about same-sex parenting. Turns out the press release, picked up nationwide, was a PR stunt aimed at influencing the Supreme Court. The nine justices are set to hear oral arguments Tuesday and Wednesday in two cases about the constitutionality of marriage laws. Today, 41 states define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Marriage is at the center of an intense national debate, a family-by-family, state-by state conversation that CNN substantively encourages by making room for varying perspectives and supplying state-based data. However, CNN risks obscuring that conversation about what marriage is by framing the issue as measurable by an "LGBT rights calculator." This writer is for equal rights for all Americans. But no one has the right to redefine marriage. It's important to future generations that Americans understand what marriage is, why it matters, and the consequences of redefining it. The Supreme Court shouldn't truncate the debate and redefine marriage by judicial decree to include same-sex relationships. So what about that release from the American Academy of Pediatrics? Two eminent political scientists, Leon Kass (a professor at University of Chicago) and Harvey Mansfield (a professor at Harvard), filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court cautioning against accepting politicized science: "Claims that science provides support for constitutionalizing a right to same-sex marriage must necessarily rest on ideology. Ideology may be pervasive in the social sciences, especially when controversial policy issues are at stake, but ideology is not science." Kass and Mansfield urge the court not to redefine marriage based on new, inconclusive research. The academic studies on same-sex parenting purporting to show "no differences" are, they argue, "subject to severe constraints arising from limited data" and a lack of "replicable experiments." The professors contend: . "Even if same-sex marriage and child rearing by same-sex couples were far more common than they now are, large amounts of data collected over decades would be required before any responsible researcher could make meaningful scientific estimates of the effects." Although we still have much to learn about the impact of same-sex parenting, we do know quite a bit about marriage and child well-being. We have decades of rigorous social science data confirming that children do best with a married mother and father. In another amicus brief submitted to the court, a group of social science professors explains: . "It is not simply the presence of two parents ... but the presence of two biological parents that seems to support children's development. ... Experts have long contended that both mothers and fathers make unique contributions to parenting." Indeed, scholars have known this for quite some time. Professor David Popenoe of Rutgers University explains: . "We should disavow the notion that 'mommies can make good daddies,' just as we should disavow the popular notion ... that 'daddies can make good mommies.' ... The two sexes are different to the core, and each is necessary—culturally and biologically—for the optimal development of a human being." These statistics have penetrated American life to such a great extent that President Barack Obama can refer to them as well understood: . "We know the statistics—that children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. They are more likely to have behavioral problems, or run away from home, or become teenage parents themselves. And the foundations of our community are weaker because of it." Fathers matter, and marriage helps to connect fathers to mothers and children. But how can the law teach that fathers are essential if we redefine marriage to make fathers optional? Redefining marriage denies the importance of mothers and fathers, and same-sex parenting arrangements, as the social science professors note, "by definition, exclude either a mother or a father." The concern is not whether same-sex couples can make "quality and successful efforts in raising children." The concern is that there "remain unique advantages to a parenting structure consisting of both a mother and a father, political interests notwithstanding." Marriage policy should place the needs of children before the desires of adults. It should respect the rights of children to the care of the man and woman who created them as much as the rights of adults to live and love as they choose—which adults can do, without redefining marriage for the entire nation. One thing CNN's calculator makes clear is that, wherever they live, Americans are in the middle of a national conversation about what marriage is, why it matters, and the consequences of redefining it. The Supreme Court shouldn't make marriage policy for the entire nation. Rather than cut short democratic deliberation, the court should uphold the constitutional authority of citizens and their elected officials to make decisions about marriage. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ryan T. Anderson. | Ryan Anderson: Some social scientists cite research to support same-sex marriage .
He says the studies don't support that conclusion about same-sex parenting .
It will take a long time to answer the question rigorously, he says .
Anderson: We do know that roles of father, mother are distinct and vital . |
199,727 | 8e8cd4140cb05f407f45fbffa04b84ebf5bdd4bc | The average billionaire is worth £1.79 billion, has four luxury homes and more than £350 million cash in the bank, research revealed yesterday. There are 2,170 billionaires around the world with a combined worth of £3.88 trillion - double the figure from five years ago. And London is the number one chosen destination in Western Europe for the super-rich - with 67 of these people living in the capital. Billionaire's playground: Russian billionaire and owner of Chelsea soccer club Roman Abramovich in London . Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich bought three flats in Knightsbridge in 2006 for a total of £7.8 million, adding to three he already owned there worth £10 million . Paris boasts 25 billionaires while tax haven Geneva has just 18 residents with assets running into ten-figures. Of these, 60 per cent are self-made billionaires, 20 per cent have inherited wealth with 20 per cent having part-inherited, part-made fortunes. The likes of Roman Abramovich and Lakshmi Mittal will typically own four homes around the world. Incredibly, they will never spend less than £10 million on a house in London unless it is for a servant. And it's traditional family homes, which they choose for their number one residence. This is according to the Ultra Prime Barometer Survey, which yesterday revealed the average billionaire has at least £50 million of homes. The research, by Beauchamp Estates and Dataloft, looks into the property portfolios of ultra high net worth individuals (UHNWI) across Western Europe. Steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal has taken up residence in London . This house in Kensington Palace Gardens, west London, was bought by multi-billionaire steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal in 2004. He paid a record £70 million for the 12 bedroom mansion . In London, the elite buy mansions in the 'platinum triangle' of Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Belgravia but also look for palatial residences in St Johns Wood and Regents Park. It costs a staggering £250,000 a year to maintain each of these London properties with huge amounts spent on insurance, security and utility bills. On top of London, billionaires also need a European beachside home in their property portfolio, with the French Riviera, Tel Aviv, Tuscany and Greek islands the most popular locations. These people are typically worth £1.79 billion and 86 per cent of them are married. They are family people with 2.1 children. On average, they hold 42 per cent of their wealth (£760m) in private holdings, 35 per cent (£630m) in publicly held companies, 18 per cent (£350m) in cash, three per cent (£50m) in property and two per cent (£35m) in luxury assets such as artwork, yachts and private jet travel. Three-quarters have a home in a city which is crucial to their financial, banking and business interest. This helps boost London’s position as the number one Western European destination of the super-rich. And it is all about the 'S' word with the wealthy buyers wanting a select location, size, space, security and a high specification. The average London ultra prime residence, which the billionaires battle it out to own, has six bedroom suites and four reception rooms. Most (96 per cent) have an outside garden, 39 per cent have a private swimming pool, 43 per cent have a cinema and 43 per cent have a gated driveway. Beauchamp Estate believe it is a 'badge of billionaire membership' to have a London mansion in the 'platinum triangle' or St Johns Wood and Regents Park. Gary Hersham, director of Beauchamp Estates, said: 'We advise UHNWI buying homes in London and around the Mediterranean to set aside budgets of typically £50 million to acquire the right properties. 'Most UHNWI buying in Western Europe see having an ultra prime home in Prime Central London and on the French Riviera as 'must have' badges. 'Others then decide they also want a Tuscan estate or residence on the Greek islands which adds another £10 million.' | Researchers find 2,170 billionaires around the world worth £3.88tn .
London has 67 billionaires living in the city, while Paris boasts 25 .
Billionaires will typically own four homes around the world . |
2,815 | 083de44a4a3c3db24a7ca060010a53e148a7ee53 | (CNN) -- The Obamacare website might still be slow, but the politics and context of Obamacare are shifting rapidly. On Thursday, to deal with some of the grousing about canceled insurance plans, President Obama announced an administrative fix to allow people to keep those crummy plans (that they think they like) for up to a year. This should quiet some of the complaints within his own party, though certainly not Republicans, who will just find another reason to attack Obama and health care reform. One hopes this fix will put the focus back on making Obamacare implementation as successful and effective as possible. It's certainly not there yet. On Wednesday, the Obama administration announced that just more than 106,000 Americans had enrolled in health insurance plans through Obamacare exchanges, and another 975,000 people had shopped for plans but not enrolled in a selection yet. No one is cheering these numbers — well, no one except those Republicans who didn't want anyone to have access to affordable, quality private health insurance options in the first place. The 106,000 enrollments are well below the 500,000 the White House had originally projected for this period before launch of the exchanges. The brouhaha over canceled insurance plans has muddied an otherwise positive law. But all of the above should be put in a broader context —the context of enrollment in past comparable insurance systems, the context of what health insurance was like before the Affordable Care Act passed, and the context of its opponents' repeated lies meant to distort and destroy Obamacare. So, here are three handy charts to help you understand the reality of Obamacare and separate fact from fear-mongering. CHART 1: Romneycare enrollment . Looking for an analog to what Obamacare enrollment might look like nationwide? Look no further than Massachusetts, which implemented a mini-version of Obamacare under then-Gov. Mitt Romney. In 2007, Romneycare wasn't even plagued by a bum website rollout — and enrollment was still gradual, as shown in this chart (click on it to expand) and explained by Jonathan Cohn at The New Republic. It can be expected that people who need Obamacare the most — either because they're sick or because they're sick of their current expensive individual insurance — will enroll first, but everybody else, especially those who are currently uninsured, will wait until the last minute to sign up before they face the individual mandate penalty. Plus, even people who want their new plan to kick in on January 1, 2014, have until December 15 to enroll in a plan. Also, choosing among the many options in the Obamacare exchanges does take time — which might explain, for instance, why almost 1 million people have logged into the exchange but not yet chosen an insurance option. With time, those numbers can be expected to grow. CHART 2: How bad it was before Obamacare . We may need a reminder of how disastrous our health insurance system was before Congress passed Obamacare. Just one way of looking at this is that health care spending as a percent of family income was already an astronomical 19% in 2009 but was projected to be 30% by 2019 and 48% by 2029 — unless something was done. This reality is particularly lost when discussing the estimated 2% to 4% of Americans who have private insurance plans that will ultimately be canceled because of higher coverage standards set by the Affordable Care Act. Many of those people will find they have even better options in the exchanges, and at better prices. But even the small percentage of folks who find themselves paying more for insurance should be seen in the broader context of health care and insurance costs that were already skyrocketing out of control, for all of us, before Obamacare was passed. CHART 3: About those canceled plans . Finally, yes, Obama will implement an administrative fix so people can keep their lousy insurance plans for another year if they want to. But insurance companies will now be required to tell people they have other (and in many cases, probably better) options in the new exchanges. This will hopefully stop the practice of insurance companies trying to trick people with canceled plans into buying much more expensive new plans from the same company rather than shopping around. But it will likely not stop Republican finger-pointing and accusations that President Obama lied. No matter that Obama apologized for the promise that people who liked their insurance plans could keep them, tried to clarify the situation and is implementing a fix in fulfillment of that pledge. But wait, aren't Republicans the ones who came up with death panels and keep asserting that lie even though it was not only disproven but also called the "lie of the year" by PolitiFact? To make the point that Republicans really shouldn't be pointing fingers in the lie department, Steve Benen came up with this chart to put this into perspective: . So here's where this leaves us: Not enough people have signed up for Obamacare yet, but there's still plenty of time; enrollment was slow when Massachusetts did this, too. And the administrative fix announced on Thursday will, incidentally, ease the transition period to new plans while probably keeping enrollment numbers even lower since people can now keep their current plans an extra year. Meanwhile, even a slow and clunky Obamacare rollout is better than the runaway health care costs and millions of uninsured Americans we had before Obamacare. Republicans should stop trying to sabotage the law. Obamacare is slowly but steadily rising over the obstacles of our broken insurance status-quo -- and destructive Republicans. When Obamacare is finally, fully implemented, our families, our health care system and our economy will all be better off. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sally Kohn. | Sally Kohn: Obama's fix on cancelled health plan lets us refocus on implementation .
She says enrollment numbers lagging, but recall, Romneycare signups slow too .
She health insurance system was disaster that Obamacare will ultimately redress .
Kohn: GOP lies meant to thwart implementation that will help families, economy . |
92,784 | 0358dc27b606512445978ae013009aaf07946d6f | Tens of thousands of teenagers are avoiding being punished for crimes by simply saying sorry – even to girls they have raped. Figures obtained by The Mail on Sunday show that more than 30,000 young people who admitted crimes including sexual assault, violence, possession of hard drugs and carrying guns have escaped prosecution over the past year. Instead, they have just apologised or tried to make amends. It means they do not have to go to court, risk jail or a fine, and do not receive a criminal record. Hard time: Supporters of restorative justice say it frees up space in crowded prisons and stops first-time offenders from descending into a life of crime. But it is being used for violent and sexual offences . Supporters of the initiative, known as restorative justice or community resolution, claim it is a fairer way to deal with first-time offenders while still giving closure to those they have wronged. But critics fear it allows young thugs to get away with serious crimes. Jack Dromey, Labour’s Shadow Policing Minister, said: ‘It is disturbing that restorative justice is being used for indictable offences including sexual assault. These figures are alarming.’ Since last April, the Home Office has required police forces to submit statistics on informal resolution, and this is the first time such detailed figures have been released. Deaf student Kirsty Mills, 21, said the boy who came to apologise for egging her home smirked . Statistics from 40 British forces show that between April 2013 and January this year, 37,168 offences by under-18s were dealt with informally. Over the same period, 43,188 youths were prosecuted. Guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers says it is risky to deal informally with crimes such as domestic abuse or sexual assault because of the risk of further offences. The figures, however, show that 222 sexual offences were dealt with by community resolution. In the past two years, Devon and Cornwall Police have dealt informally with three teenage rapes, while Staffordshire Police have done the same with four rapes in the past year. In addition, 11,436 acts of violence were resolved in this way, including serious offences of wounding. There were 13 incidents of assaults on police, and dozens of public order, harassment, racist abuse and even threats to kill. At least 152 young people were caught with weapons such as knives yet spared prosecution, and at least six when they had guns. Common uses of restorative justice include shoplifting and criminal damage, with youths apologising to shopkeepers or painting over graffiti. But the alternative was also used in 2,436 cases of drug possession, some involving ecstasy and ketamine. Some of the activities ordered have been criticised as too soft. In Hull, three boys who stole a cancer sufferer’s bike were told to take part in a charity run. In Lancashire, an 11-year-old who stole swan’s eggs had to ‘learn more about wildlife’. Some victims have also questioned the measures. Deaf student Kirsty Mills agreed to restorative justice after a 13-year-old boy mocked her and pelted her home with eggs. Police took the yob to her home near Salford to apologise, but Kirsty, 21, said: ‘He didn’t give a damn. He was smirking. I still have to get a lift to university rather than catch the bus so I can avoid him.’ A spokesman for charity the Restorative Justice Council said: ‘The scheme has been shown to reduce reoffending by 14 per cent, and four out of five victims would recommend it.’ | Supporters say restorative justice is a good way to treat first offenders .
But it is used after crimes of sexual assault, violence, drugs and guns .
222 sexual offences dealt with in past year including seven rapes .
Restorative Justice Council says technique reduces reoffending by 14% . |
28,330 | 506183828bed5a6799281db1972570fbfb592e53 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 14:31 EST, 2 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:28 EST, 3 January 2013 . An elderly man has been charged with two murders after he allegedly beat a resident and carer to death with a hammer at his assisted-living complex. David Settle, 68, was later found in the bathtub of his Las Vegas home wearing a diaper after a suicide attempt, authorities said. Henry Namett, 82, and 59-year-old employee Elenita Ablao were both killed after suffering more than 20 blows to the head on Sunday. Scroll down for video . 'Hammer attack': David Settle, 68, has been arrested over the murders of two residents at his assisted-living center in Las Vegas, Nevada . Police discovered the male victim in a recliner chair at an apartment and the female in a corner of the bedroom. The motive for the attack was unclear as Settle had appeared to have a friendly relationship with both individuals. A police report revealed that Settle was paranoid his landlord was cheating him out of money and stealing his belongings. The war veteran also told Las Vegas police that he had gone to the store to buy wine and cigars after the attacks. Settle's ex-wife Gina Harris told Lvrj.com that he was an alcoholic, battled drug addiction and used to beat her during their 17-year marriage. The couple have an adult son who lives in Los Angeles. Ms Harris said that Settle had been in the air force in Vietnam and suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome and depression. She said he had tried to commit suicide several times while they were married. The 68-year-old is being held at Clark County Detention Center without bail. Victims: Henry Namett, 82, and 59-year-old Elenita Ablao were both killed after suffering more than 20 blows to the head on Sunday at their care facility (pictured) No bail set: Settle is being held at Clark County Detention Center following the deadly attacks . | David Settle, 68, charged with two counts of murder in Las Vegas .
Veteran had history of violence and alcoholism, according to ex-wife . |
137,621 | 3dfb45a742f887f743a0ac95e4c86c930ce0ce61 | A 23-year-old woman has spent an astonishing £10,000 on new clothes because she doesn't want to be seen wearing the same thing twice online. Rachael Adams from Essex, says that after being tagged on Facebook or Instagram in a new dress, she will then banish it to the back of her wardrobe. The personal assistant has admitted she's splurged a small mortgage on an array of party outfits so she can keep up appearances on social media. Scroll down for video . Rachael Addams from Essex has admitted she's splurged a small mortgage on an array of party outfits . The personal assistant has invested £10,000 into her image so she can keep up appearances on social media . 'It's social media's fault,' Rachael says. 'You know other people will notice if you wear the same thing twice and you don't want to be seen as boring. 'It would just be so embarrassing to be seen in the same dress again. I'm usually tagged in about 80 pictures after a night out so it's really obvious.' She goes out at least twice a month and buying a new outfit each time has cost her over £10,000 in six years. Rachael says: 'I notice if my friends or people on Facebook and Instagram do it and I wouldn't slag them off. But it is frowned upon.' Rachael (left), pictured with a friend on a night out, suffers from Outfit Repetition Syndrome . Rachael (right) won't wear the same outfit twice - and she's happy to spend £70 a pop . The party girl will happily pay up to £70 for a brand-new dress - which she will wear just once. 'If it's a birthday or special occasion I buy something a bit more special,' she admits. 'I go on at least two big nights out a month, so I need to buy two new outfits.' When Rachael was younger, she didn't feel under so much pressure. 'I wasn't too bothered, Facebook and Instagram wasn't as big when I was at high school,' she explains. But when she started going out aged 17, she felt she needed to shop for a new outfit for each new occasion. Sometimes for a spur of the moment night with the girls, she'll reluctantly wear something old. 'I really try not to do it, but if that happens, I'll ban any pictures,' Rachael says. 'All my friends are the same. 'If I do have to dig out something I've worn before I always confess because I know they'll notice.' Her boyfriend of two years, Luke Tappin, doesn't have the same problem. 'He thinks it's such a waste of money, he's got suits and blazers that he wears over and over again,' Rachael says. 'It's more of a girl thing, we're a lot more judgemental.' Her boyfriend of two years, Luke Tappin (left), doesn't have the same problem . Rachael has to clear out her bulging wardrobe three times a year, selling clothing on eBay, at boot sales and by donating to charity shops. 'If I really love something, I might keep it but I wouldn't wear it again,' she says. 'Most things I get rid of after a few months to make space for my new stuff.' She's already planning for the festive season. 'I've worked out I'll need to buy nine new outfits for girls' nights as well as work parties and family get togethers. 'For New Year's Eve and Christmas Eve, I'll definitely be spending more. It'll be about £500 in total on new clothes.' Rachael's now joined forces with Oxfam to encourage more women to donate their barely worn clothes to its charity shops. She says: 'When they've only been worn once, they're just going to waste so you can make space in your wardrobe and help charity at the same time.' He thinks it's 'such a waste of money' - he's got suits and blazers that he wears over and over again . When Rachael started going out aged 17, she felt she needed to shop for a new outfit for each new occasion . A survey carried out by Oxfam has revealed an astonishing 67 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds feel the same as Rachael. Thousands of women are suffering from so-called 'Outfit Repetition Syndrome'. Out of the 2,000 women surveyed, 46 per cent said they wouldn't wear their favourite party outfits more than five times. Women in the Midlands are the most prone to ORS, with the East and West Midlands taking the top two spots of being the most concerned about outfit repetition online. Scottish ladies meanwhile remained largely unfazed. East and West Midlands also topped the poll of women who re-use their staple party outfits the least and are the most eager to find something unique at an affordable price. A spokesperperson for Oxfam said: 'The days of the staple party dress are officially over. As social media usage increases, so does ORS.' Fee Gilfeather, of Oxfam Trading added: 'Bring in your overexposed but hardly worn party outfits to an Oxfam shop, and make your new selection from somebody else's pre-loved style. 'It's the low-cost, feel good way to create a unique party look. Then you can be the star of the ball, as well as the social media wall!' Visit www.oxfam.org.uk . | Rachael Adams from Essex has splurged a small mortgage on outfits .
After being tagged on social media in a new dress, she won't wear it again .
An astonishing 67 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds feel the same as Rachael .
Phenomenon has been dubbed Outfit Repetition Syndrome .
Rachael has now joined forces with Oxfam to encourage more women to donate their clothes to its charity shops . |
153,537 | 52666fd74d3ed35366f407b2f5b84752f95c2adb | (CNN) -- Despite acknowledgment from the White House a day earlier that a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians is unlikely before a new U.S. president takes office, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday she is confident that ongoing efforts would produce success. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speak Thursday. "Carried to its state of conclusion, it will produce a state of Palestine," Rice, referring to negotiations in the wake of last year's U.S. summit on Israel-Palestinian peace in Annapolis, Maryland, said at a joint news conference with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, West Bank. Rice is on her eighth trip to the region since the Annapolis summit. On Thursday, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the Bush administration does not "think that it's likely that it (a peace agreement) would happen before the end of the year." Rice said Friday that she realizes the lack of a peace agreement in the months following the Annapolis summit had caused some concerns that talks had stalled or might fail, but "it's quite the opposite -- the Annapolis process has laid the foundation for the eventual establishment for the state of Palestine." The purpose of her current trip, Rice said, was "to advance the Annapolis process," and while she did not speculate on a timetable for the future of the process or offer specifics on peace talks, she added, "I've seen them move forward a great deal in the past year." Both Israeli and Palestinian officials have expressed doubts about achieving a peace agreement before President Bush leaves office, but until this week U.S. officials had been more optimistic in their public comments. Speaking in Israel on Thursday, Rice blamed part of the inability to secure a deal on recent political changes in Israel, which she noted is "in the midst of elections." With Abbas on Friday, she emphasized that the commitment expressed by Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert when they signed an agreement to work toward a peace deal by the end of 2008 is still strong. "I hope that the tremendous commitment (by both sides) is fully understood," Rice said. While Rice did not discuss any impact a new administration in Washington might have on the process, she said, "The United States really does understand why the Palestinian people want unity." Israel in recent months has seen political upheaval. Olmert resigned in September amid allegations of corruption. Kadima Party leader and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni gave up efforts to form a new coalition government late last month and is seeking to hold early general elections, which could be held in February, Livni's spokesman has said. Olmert will continue to lead as Israel's interim prime minister until a successor assumes power either by forming a coalition in the current Knesset or through general elections. However, it is unclear whether he will be able to strike a deal with the Palestinians before Israel forms its new government. Last month, Rice postponed a trip to a Middle East conference because of the global crisis in financial markets. | Ongoing process will result in Palestinian state, Condoleezza Rice says .
Secretary of State Rice meeting with Middle East leaders .
Recent political changes in Israel cited as one reason peace deal elusive .
Israeli leader has resigned but will stay in office until successor assumes power . |
155,440 | 54e787f35977089ec0a4c05526ad532893207198 | (CNN) -- A 6.9-magnitude earthquake shook the Pacific Ocean near the Solomon Islands Tuesday night, one day after a string of earthquakes rattled the same area and another quake hit the Philippines, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The quake, considered strong in terms of earthquake magnitude, hit near sparsely populated islands in the archipelago at 11:15 p.m. (7:15 a.m. ET) at a depth of 35 km (22 miles). By 12:56 a.m. local time Wednesday, there had been five aftershocks, according to the USGS Web site. "Usually when we see earthquakes of this size, we see aftershocks," said USGS geophysicist Jessica Sigala. "The aftershocks are usually smaller in size, but are earthquakes in their own right." No tsunamis were expected, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The island located closest to the initial quake's epicenter was Tetepare, located eight miles to the north. Geophysicist Amy Vaughan said the USGS had received no reports of damage, and it was hard for the agency to predict what might have occurred until it hears from media or people living in the area. There was property damage from Monday's quakes, but she didn't know how extensive it was. On Monday, the Solomon Islands were hit by eight quakes in 14 hours, starting at 8:48 a.m. local time and causing damage to at least one village. Rattling the islands were a strong 6.5-magnitude quake at 8:48 a.m. and a more powerful 7.2-magnitude tremor less than an hour later. The Solomon Islands are situated in the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. | The Solomon Islands are struck by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake .
Earthquakes rattled the same area the day before .
No tsunamis were expected, according to Pacific Tsunami Warning Center .
There were no reports of damage from Tuesday's quake . |
1,417 | 040f0824ba4a1792ebdee78bc796e383c99854ff | By . Harriet Arkell . and Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 08:15 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:34 EST, 10 January 2014 . Residents of a town in western Mexico set fire to at least three trailer trucks on Thursday to protest the arrival of 600 vigilantes to their community. The burning trucks blocked roads leading into Paracuaro in Michoacan state before federal police and soldiers removed them. The ‘self-defense’ group arrived Saturday in pickup trucks and SUVs and set up a checkpoint at the entrance to Paracuaro, a town of artisans and lime farmers. Scroll down for video . Torched: A vehicle burns at an entrance to Paracuaro, Mexico, on Thursday as part of a protest by residents at the arrival of vigilantes . The situation in Paracuaro is akin to a civil war, with drug dealers, the police, vigilantes and locals, all fighting each other . An armed member of a self-defense group, that formed to fight organized crime, mans a checkpoint in Paracuaro . Federal police patrol the entrance of Paracuaro . Soldiers guard the entrance to Paracuaro with one of the three trailer trucks that residents set on fire in the background . A man belonging to a self-defense group that formed to fight organized crime stands at a checkpoint in Paracuaro . Vigilant: A member of a self-defense group cleans his weapon at a Paracuaro checkpoint . Townspeople said they oppose the vigilantes because they are forcing young men to join them. Detained: Local vigilantes arrested police in Paracuaro in south-west Mexico as they seized back control of the town from the Knights Templar drugs gang . Taking matters into their own hands: Hundreds of residents joined forces to storm Paracuaro, headquarters of the Caballeros Templarios gang . They disarmed some police officers on . suspicion they were working with drug traffickers. An unidentified man . was killed in a gunbattle after the vigilantes seized the town. Townspeople said they oppose the vigilantes because they are forcing young men to join them. Vigilante . groups have formed to confront drug cartels in parts of Michoacan, a . rich farming state that is a major exporter of limes, avocados and . mangos. Police officers are forced to surrender their weapons to armed vigilantes in Paracuaro after the group seized control . Members of Guerrero state's Public Safety System marched in honour of their first anniversary - their region is a centre for drugs production . Rumors circulate . that some self-defense groups have been infiltrated by the New . Generation cartel, charges that the groups vehemently deny. New Generation has been fighting a turf war with the Michoacan-based Knights Templar cartel. Some . people in the region say members of the Knights Templar have also tried . to use self-defense groups as cover for illegal activities. The . vigilantes drove into the town in black armoured vehicles shouting . 'don't be frightened, we are vigilantes', before expelling drugs . traffickers. Local vigilantes armed themselves to take control of Paracuaro back - they accuse police of being in league with the gangs and say they have to protect themselves . In neighbouring Guerrero state members of the Public Safety System (a community police organisation) marched in honour of their first anniversary . Bloody battle for control: A vigilante aims his weapon after storming into Paracuaro yesterday - one man was reported dead in the gun battles that ensued . Smash: This plane crashed in western Mexico on Sunday, killing one man and injuring four others including vigilante group leader, Dr Jose Manuel Mireles . Michoacan has . been rocked by repeated explosions of civil unrest since February last . year, as vigilante groups have sprung up in communities where people say . they are not being protected from drugs trafficking gangs. Over . in the neighbouring state of Guerrero, which produces half of Mexico's . heroin and is riddled with drugs gangs, members of the Public Safety . System, or the Guerrero community police, marched yesterday to . commemorate the first anniversary of their foundation in Ayutla de los . Libres. Insecurity dominates . the lives of millions of Mexicans, for whom taking the law into their . own hands has become the only option. Drugs cartels make millions of . dollars producing and selling drugs, so the land where they produce . opium poppies and marijuana is highly prized and often fought . over. | Residents living in fear of violent criminal gangs in south-west Mexico are taking matters into their own hands .
600 vigilantes seized control of town of Paracuaro in Michoacan state in bloody battle that left one dead .
Convoy of 'autodefensas', or self-defence groups, drove into the town controlled by drugs gang in blacked-out SUVs .
They took back control from the Cabelleros Templarios (Knights Templar) gang which terrorised local residents .
Residents angry at the vigilantes recruiting young people have burnt at least three trailers to keep them out . |
13,520 | 265daba470f2c1641645a912bd010891ec89479a | His heroics more than a hundred years ago during a deadly battle close to the Afghanistan border mirrored the bravery of Britain's Taliban-fighting soldiers. Now a Victoria Cross won by an army officer who only stopped fighting when he fainted - having been shot three times - has emerged for sale for £180,000. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Watson had already been hit in the thigh trying to clear a village in British India of murderous warriors when he insisted on going back. The Victoria Cross (right) awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Watson (left) who only stopped fighting when he fainted - having been shot three times - has emerged for sale for £180,000 . Lr Col Watson led a 'few' men on a charge to remove tribesmen from the village of Bilot (pictured) in what was then British India . He was shot again in the arm, had his hand smashed by a bullet and he had to be carried from the battlefieldby his men after passing out due to blood loss. It was noted that the officer had 'in all probability saved the whole force from being wiped out' by the Pashtun enemy in what is now northern Pakistan in 1897. Despite the gravity of his condition Lt Col Watson later modestly described his injuries as nothing more than a flesh wound when he wrote home to his wife so as not to panic her. Lt Col Watson's actions received praise by a young Winston Churchill who was part of the relief force that arrived the following day. Churchill later wrote of Lt Col Watson's heroics: '...the man will go on, unshaken and unflinching after he has received a severe and painful wound.' Lt Col Watson was awarded the VC for his bravery. He went on to serve in World War One but died from illness in 1917. Despite the gravity of his condition Lt Col Watson (right) later modestly described his injuries as nothing more than a flesh wound when he wrote home to his wife Edith Welchman (left) so as not to panic her . Lt Col Watson's medals (right), including the Victoria Cross, have been passed down through the Watson family who are now selling it at auction. His wife Edith is pictured left . The medal, the highest military decoration for valour in the face of an enemy, has been passed down through the Watson family who are now selling it at auction. David Erskine-Hill, of London auctioneers Dix Noonan and Webb, said: 'The North West Frontier was so oft the scene of savage fighting and heavy casualties in days of the Empire. 'And the story behind Thomas Watson's VC epitomises the very nature of that fighting - a small hillside village, surrounded by overwhelming numbers of hostile tribesmen, and a remarkable band of British and Indian troops who held on against all the odds, until relieved. 'Watson led two hair-raising charges at the cost of multiple wounds, including a shattered hand and ruptured artery. 'No wonder Winston Churchill, who arrived with the relief force the following morning, was later moved to describe Watson's courage as 'sublime'. 'But in common with many fellow VCs, Watson remained extremely modest about his accomplishments, his charming letter to his wife, written in haste soon after those momentous events, merely referring to one or two 'grazes.' Lt Col Watson, from Louth, Lincolnshire, was commissioned in to the Royal Engineers in 1888. He married his wife Edith Welchman, who herself had previously been awarded the Royal Red Cross for her efforts in the nursing of British soldiers in India. The family's collection is set to sell for up to £180,000 when it goes up for auction . The officer fought in the First World War and was the commanding engineer of the 12th Inidian Division in Mesopotamia (Iraq) against the Ottoman Empire. A photo album belonging to the Watsons is pictured above . In July 1897 an army of 10,000 Pashtun tribesmen lay siege to the British garrison in Malakand. Months later, on the night of September 16 at the village of Bilot that was being held by the enemy, Lt Col Watson rounded up 'a few' men of the East Kent Regiment and of the Bengal Sappers. He led them in a charge to remove the tribesmen who retaliated with heavy fire. In his 1898 book, the Story of the Malakand Field Force, Churchill wrote of how the burning village was a 'shambles' when the relief party arrived the next day. The future Prime Minister wrote: 'All round lay corpses of men and mules. The bodies of five or six native soldiers were being buried in a hurriedly dug grave. 'Eighteen wounded men lay side by side in a roofless hut, their faces drawn by pain and anxiety looked ghastly in the pale light of the early morning.' Churchill's account of the action the night before stated: 'The village was too large for so small a party to clear. 'The tribesmen killed and wounded several of the soldiers and a bullet smashed Lieutenant Watson's hand. He however continued his efforts and did not cease until again shot, this time so severely as to be unable to stand. Lt Col Watson's actions received praise by a young Winston Churchill who was part of the relief force that arrived the following day. The officers 'record of services' is shown above . 'His men carried him from the village.' Four days later, while recovering from his wounds, Lt Col Watson wrote the letter to 'my own darling' wife. He wrote his getting injured: 'I got touched on the right leg, only a graze...I went back to get some Sappers...I hurried back and was pointing out where the devils were sneaking up when I got a slight flesh wound in the inside of the right arm - nothing of consequence but unfortunately almost immediately afterwards I got hit badly on the left hand.' The brave officer went on to fight in the First World War and was the commanding engineer of the 12th Inidian Division in Mesopotamia (Iraq) against the Ottoman Empire. He contracted an illness from which he died in London in June 1917 aged 50. Lt Col Watson's Victoria Cross has recently been bequeathed to three grown up children who have decided it is best to sell it now as it cannot be divided between them. The VC along with other medals and letters home is being sold on December 10. | Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Watson was handed Victoria Cross for bravery .
Helped clear a village in British India of murderous warriors in 1897 .
Officer had already been shot when he insisted on going back in to fight .
His actions 'in all probability saved the whole force from being wiped out'
The Victoria Cross he won for bravery has emerged for sale for £180,000 . |
134,289 | 39a68a4784df75b27565723d42794fb9ec2dd94d | (CNN) -- As she sat in the makeup chair, dressed in a plush terrycloth robe while two women did her nails and another did her makeup, Tziporah Salamon knew the day she had longed for had finally arrived. The 62-year-old New Yorker has a long resume of disparate jobs: schoolteacher, performer, hostess and shop girl, to name a few. But in April, she finally added model for a high-fashion house to the list. "I felt like such a princess, a queen for a day," Salamon said. "I was as high as a kite." For many, the life of a model is the stuff of dreams, an aspiration so far out of reach that we would never dare utter it to friends. But some fashion labels are putting the focus on women (and men) who aren't typical calendar girls. Salamon is one of 11 "real people" selected to appear in French designer Lanvin's winter ad campaign, which is generating buzz for using people of all sizes, colors and ages to create intimate images that resemble portraits. It's about bringing a sense of reality to fashion to show that the lofty world of high style is not as unattainable as it seems, said Alber Elbaz, creative director of Lanvin. "Fashion doesn't look good only on models, it can look good on different people of different ages and different body shapes," he said. "We didn't think there would be such a big talk because we just did it and we thought let's try to work with real people. Let's do street casting, let's work with different men and women of different ages and see what comes out of it." Aging Stylishly, online and in the streets . None of them fit the typical model mold because they aren't professional models. Casting agent Zan Ludlum found Salamon and 82-year-old Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock through the popular street style blog Advanced Style, which documents men and women of a certain age. Others came from street scouting, including one of the older male models, who was spotted walking out of a basement bar in New York's East Village, said Ludlum, whose agency scouted the models. While the Lanvin models are not professionals, they possess a certain mystique. "It's beyond visual. Sure, they might have great eyes or features but it's more about their presence, their ownership of their own individuality," Ludlum said. "You might see someone who has style, but if you strip away everything, are they still powerful? Because we are taking them out of who they are and putting them in new clothes. Are they interesting beyond what they're wearing?" Of course, pounding the pavement in search of raw talent is nothing new. But it's becoming increasingly common as fashion and style slowly embrace different ideals of beauty. Earlier this month, American Apparel revealed that the new face of its ad campaign would be 60-year-old Jacky O'Shaughnessy, who was spotted in a New York restaurant. In swimwear, Spanish designer Dolores Cortés chose an infant with Down syndrome to be the face of the brand's 2013 DC Kids ads. It would have been easy to create a beautiful photo with a beautiful model, said Elbaz, especially working with photographer Steven Meisel and some of the top names in hair and makeup. But, at this level, it's important to think outside the box and move forward with each campaign, he said. "I'm always looking for a story," said Elbaz, whose career includes stints with Geoffrey Beene, Guy Laroche and Yves Saint Laurent. "In high fashion we're always accused of doing things that are not very relevant, not the real world. I know that it's important sometimes to do fantasy but I felt like touching people and going back to different women and men, especially the idea of different ages and body shapes." It's a timely message, he said, in an era of cultural bias toward youth-oriented ideals of beauty. "The phenomenon I see today of women erasing their age -- nobody is allowed to have an age anymore, nobody is allowed to have wrinkles or imperfections," he said. "I thought, let's change that, let's show that fashion can be amazing on 81-year-olds and 17-year-olds, on Tziporah, who is not [European] size 36, and she looks gorgeous." While apparel and lifestyle brands have long been using "real people" to draw new audiences and generate buzz, it's rare for a high-fashion house such as Lanvin to take this approach, said Sarah Collins, associate chair of fashion at the Savannah College of Art and Design. But it's happening more often, in ads and on the covers of fashion magazines, she said, as part of the effort to democratize fashion. Has image overtaken music? "The effect on viewers is that it's easier for them to pictures themselves in the clothes and identify with the clothing line," she said. "Not only is it about democracy of fashion but it creates a buzz. How do you stand out as a fashion ad campaign? By using people off the street it does generate buzz." It also reflects the growing influence of street style blogs in touting alternative beauty ideals, said Ari Cohen, the writer behind the Advanced Style blog, which led the casting agency to Salamon and Murdock. "I think the message is to embrace individuality and personal style, and alternative notions of beauty," Cohen said. "It's hugely important to show more diversity in advertising. By focusing on superyoung models and too much Photoshopping, advertisers set up unreal expectations for consumers." Even if consumers like what they see in the Lanvin campaign, that doesn't mean they'll be able to afford it. For Salamon, the vintage Lanvin jacket that she owned before the shoot will have to suffice, along with memories of being a queen for a day. "What are the odds that my first time out as a model I'm with the top people in the field?" she said. "It totally came to me, I didn't do anything to make this happen except be myself. It was all orchestrated by God, a gift from the universe." How do you feel about fashion and reality colliding? Would you like to see more 'realistic' fashion ads? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. | French fashion house Lanvin generates buzz with ad campaign using "real people"
Lanvin is latest brand to use men and women to showcase different ideals of beauty .
Ads aim to show that "fashion doesn't look good only on models," creative director says . |
123,790 | 2c09de05ce9ff776d1a1a50eb559add3a63d8b7c | (CNN) -- The world will feign outrage over the "revelations" cited in the newly released Senate Intelligence Committee's torture report. Around dinner tables and coffee shops in the Middle East, North Africa and Southwest Asia, people are probably chuckling over the hype surrounding U.S. interrogation techniques such as sleep deprivation, loud music, and yes, waterboarding. And what do their own governments use? Most likely beatings, mutilations and executions. The report findings may result in protests, but the most damaging consequence may be that it would set back our intelligence services in fighting terrorism. Those captured on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan were surprised when the treatment they received by their U.S. captors was nothing like what they were told by their leaders. They were told they would be brutally tortured and killed regardless of whether they shared information. But they quickly learned that wasn't the case. The mistakes at Abu Ghraib in 2003 by unsupervised night-shift wannabe interrogators mirroring what they thought professionals were doing were wrong, and led to the end of the careers of those involved. The good thing that came out of Abu Ghraib was that despite what Americans thought of the U.S. military, those in Iraq knew the U.S. military would bend over backwards to demonstrate fair treatment. Over time, those who were released told their leaders and U.S captors they would rather be detained by the U.S. than by their own governments. Our humane treatment of prisoners resulted in insurgent and terrorist manuals instructing fighters to wait out American detention and that eventually they would be released much like ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was released in 2004 from Camp Bucca, Iraq. Detainees deemed of high value were sent to Guantanamo. After reforms following the abuses at Abu Ghraib they could play chess and backgammon while drinking tea and watching TV via satellite. At the height of the sectarian fighting in Baghdad in 2006, Sunni insurgents and al Qaeda took the fight to Shia militias. Al Qaeda leaders were able to mobilize fighters assuring frightened Sunnis that U.S. forces would protect their neighborhoods from Shia militias. What? Yes, even al Qaeda leaders knew the United States -- while an adversary -- was not the monster they said it was and would do all it could to protect Sunni areas from Shia militias, and unknowingly freeing up terrorists to go on the offensive. Feigning outrage is being used as a tactic to shift U.S. public support away from intelligence agencies and law enforcement in order to constrain them in the fight against terrorism. Would the easily offended American public condemn those who did everything they could to protect them post 9/11? Sending terrorists back to their own intelligence and security agencies for interrogation or rendition works mainly because they speak the language and know how to use culture and the Quran to deconstruct arguments. They may know the tribe and family relations and use that information to exert pressure to denounce terrorism. And yes, they have more leeway to use interrogation techniques. The fear of the known and unknown in rendition can lead to a detainee providing actionable intelligence before employing any tactic and often negates the use of interrogation tactics. The report states that enhanced interrogation tactics did not provide actionable intelligence -- I have to disagree. While some intelligence can be obtained without using these techniques, "ticking time bomb" intel cannot be obtained without them. The Obama administration is retaining the right to use enhanced interrogation techniques in "ticking time-bomb" scenarios. The simple threat of sending a terrorist back to his country of origin was often enough to get him to give up information just to stay in U.S. custody where he knew he would be treated humanely. He may even have been able to tell someone to "wake up and pay attention" like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed did during a lecture to U.S. intelligence agencies on terrorism. We are making it too easy for terrorists and their supporters to exploit our media and public over this report, which claims that no actionable intelligence came from these enhanced interrogation techniques. For example, did Senate intelligence staffers interview Khalid Sheikh Mohammed? The U.S. intelligence community were able to gleam valuable and previously unknown information on al Qaeda operations and its key leaders from him. The one advantage interrogators have is the "fear of the unknown." This is often enough to get actionable intelligence from a detainee within the first 24 hours. The new report takes that away -- there is no fear of the "known." In other words, the U.S. will not do anything to you, you'll be fine and there's no need to give out any information ... and if your food is cold, call Sen. Dianne Feinstein. | Michael Pregent: The world will feign outrage over "revelations" in the new torture report .
Pregent: The most damaging result may be that the report's findings would set us back .
He says U.S. intelligence agencies fighting terrorism need our support .
Pregent: Terrorists may cooperate less with interrogators if agencies are constrained . |
51,701 | 9265bdfa228820bafc6baf187cacd3ad794a3095 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Singer Etta James is "nearing the ends of her time," but her health has improved in recent days allowing doctors to remove the respirator that was helping her breathe, according to her sons' lawyer. James, 73, has been in a Southern California hospital for two weeks battling the final stages of terminal leukemia and suffering from dementia. The "At Last" singer spent New Year's Eve watching the ball drop with her sons, Donto and Sametto James, in her hospital room, said Donto James, who played drums in his mother's Roots band for 15 years. "She's all right," James said. "My brother and I would like to see her stay in the hospital a little longer until she gets more stable. Our main concern is for her to be taken care of right." Paul Wright, a lawyer represents the sons in their dispute with Etta James' husband over who makes decisions for her, said Sunday that the singer is "nearing the ends of her time, but she's a tough lady." The judge overseeing James' conservatorship approved an agreement last month in which husband Artis Mills is the conservator, but he must equally share "end of life" decisions with the sons, Wright said. Mills is also limited in how much of her estate he can spend and he cannot "encumber her music catalog," Wright said. | NEW: James' sons share "end of life" decisions with husband, lawyer says .
The "At Last" singer is battling the final stages of terminal leukemia .
She is also suffering from dementia .
Etta James was hospitalized on December 21 . |
238,486 | c0b0d8671c66e2e8ba03bf1a56c133dfc8603d13 | New Delhi (CNN) -- The Indian anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare has begun a new hunger strike to add pressure to his persistent demands for a tough law to deal with endemic corruption in the country. Hazare and his supporters are also seeking special investigations into allegations of corruption they have made against more than a dozen of India's federal government ministers, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh -- accusations the government denies. A 75-year-old former army driver, Hazare galvanized the nation last year with his use of fasting to demand a strong citizen ombudsman to tackle official corruption. The attention his protest generated brought huge political pressure to bear on Singh, who agreed in August to Hazare's demand for the new anti-corruption agency. The resulting legislation, however, has become bogged down in parliament. A protest Hazare organized in Mumbai in December to press lawmakers to act drew fewer people than expected, suggesting the momentum behind his campaign might be waning. But thousands of people turned out in New Delhi on Sunday when the veteran activist commenced his new, open-ended fast, adding his clout to a similar protest that three of his supporters had started Wednesday. Hazare told the crowds that his agitation would continue until the government accepted his group's version of the bill to establish a Jan Lokpal, or citizen ombudsman. Government legislation to create the agency is still pending in parliament, but Hazare and other activists say it is too weak to tackle widespread graft around India, the world's second most populous country after China. "I want to tell my supporters that I will not die until the Jan Lokpal bill is passed," Hazare said Sunday. India's coalition government, led by the Congress party, has been rocked by a series of corruption scandals in recent years. Last year, a former government minister was among a dozen defendants charged in a multibillion-dollar telecom scandal. Andimuthu Raja, a former telecommunication minister, is accused of being involved in a scheme involving the underselling of cell phone licenses at the height of India's lucrative telecom boom. He denies any wrongdoing. Congress suffered a crushing electoral defeat earlier this year in the key state of Uttar Pradesh in a vote that was considered a litmus test for Singh's government ahead of national elections due in 2014. | Thousands of people in New Delhi attend the start of the fast .
Anna Hazare wants the government to set up an anti-corruption agency .
Legislation to create the ombudsman has got bogged down in parliament .
Hazare galvanized the country last year with a hunger strike protest . |
221,614 | aae090c43254137aa51d68c8226daf31df35d6ae | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 10 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:30 EST, 10 November 2013 . A hero of the Nairobi mall siege, who was shot twice in the back, says the mental scars of the atrocity are harder to recover from than the physical ones. Safari guard Simon Belcher, 49, originally from Pethshire, shielded a four-year-old boy under a car in September's terror attack in the Westgate shopping centre. The father-of-two, who was shot while his wife, Amanda, watched from underneath another car, said he still struggles with the memories of the massacre, in which 72 people died. Safari guard Simon Belcher (pictured in hospital) was shot twice in the back in the Nairobi terror attack but he says the mental scars are taking longer to heal than the physical wounds . Mr Belcher, who runs a safari guide business in Kenya, said: 'My wife and I feel safer in the bush . among the crocodiles and lions than in a shopping centre with humans now . - it's going to take us a while to recover. 'I still have a wound in my chest where the bullet exited but apart from that my body has healed. 'The physical stuff is fine. It's the mental stuff that gets you in the dark of the night.' Mr and Mrs Belcher had returned from guiding a safari tour days before the September 21 attack. They were going to the cinema in the shopping centre when members of the Al-Shabaab terror group struck. Speaking from the Kenyan coast where he is recovering with his family, Mr Belcher said: 'In a funny way it's brought my wife and I closer together. 'It sounds terrible and something you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, let alone your family - but because we both experienced that horrific day we know exactly what each other is going through and can pick each other up in the bad times. Mr Belcher said he and wife, Amanda, feel safer in the Kenyan bush that in a shopping centre with other people . 'We've shared this and ultimately came out the other side alive.' He and his wife parked on the rooftop and went into the mall when they heard gunfire. He said: 'At first we thought it was a robbery gone wrong but when we heard grenades going off we knew it was terrorists and probably Al-Shabaab.' The Somalian terror group have made a number of attacks on neighbouring Kenya in recent years. 'My wife and I feel safer in the bush . among the crocodiles and lions than in a shopping centre with humans now . - it's going to take us a while to recover,' Simon Belcher . Mr Belcher said: 'Our intention was to . make our way on foot down the car park ramp that led out of the . building but, as we did, we could see two terrorists coming up shouting . and shooting. 'We then ran . over to the opposite end of the car park where a cookery class had been . taking place earlier. All the adults and kids who had been there were . scattered about hiding. 'We got under two cars parked next to each other. The terrorist pair began shouting how Kenyans had killed Somalian women and children and they were here to kill all Christians and Kenyans in revenge. Only Muslims would be spared. 'Some people said they were Muslims and they were let go. Then the terrorists started shooting the rest. 'It wasn't like in the movies where the baddies indiscriminately spray round after round of bullets. 'This was very deliberate targeting. You'd hear a shot and then a few seconds later perhaps another two being fired. Mr Belcher and his wife hid under a car during the attack and shielded a four-year-old boy from terrorists . 'From my position I could see people's legs as they ran away. I'd hear a shot and then they'd topple over on the ground dead. 'It was very strange - things going fast and slow at the same time.' The couple stayed frozen to their position under the cars as the terrorists went on the rampage on the rooftop. After 10 minutes the terrorist pair lobbed a grenade towards hostages near Mr and Mrs Belcher. He was hit in the leg by shrapnel. 'I didn't scream for fear of giving away our position, and was surprisingly calm,' he said. 'I thought "it's not hit my head or heart" so I'll survive and worry about it later.' It was in the ensuing panic after the grenade attack that Mr Belcher saw a young boy fleeing with a woman. 'My wife and I started mouthing to them to get under the car with us, which they did. I don't know what would have happened to them otherwise. 'I protected the boy under the car but soon afterwards I was spotted.' Unfortunately, as one of the terrorists bent over to pick up ammunition he had dropped, he spotted him hiding. A total of 72 people died in the Al Shabaab attack on the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi in September . 'It was lucky it was just me he saw . but, as he stood up, he must have signalled to his accomplice who fired . into the car - shooting me twice in the back, with one bullet also going . through my arm as well. 'They . either must have thought I was dead or it was too much hassle to bend . down to make sure because they left me alone after that. 'I guessed the bullets hadn't gone through my lungs or spine so it wasn't going to kill me immediately.' For . the next two and a half hours the couple and the four-year-old boy and . others who had joined them, cowered as the terrorists returned . intermittently. Mr Belcher said: 'It was very eerie. You could hear all the normal sounds of shopping malls - the whirl of . ventilation units, the background music from restaurants and then . gunfire. 'Eventually, . private security forces - the real heroes - managed to secure the . rooftop and start getting people out. The first wave of rescues were for . people who could walk. 'My wife refused to leave me and we were rescued 15 minutes later when they managed to get an ambulance up the ramp. 'We were taken to the nearest hospital where I was operated on. 'Later the doctors told me I was only 10 minutes from death and had suffered near fatal blood loss and internal injuries. Mr Belcher was rescued by police and private security forces, who he said were the 'real heroes' 'But the adrenaline coursing through my body meant I had no idea what was going on and how close to death I was.' After 10 days in hospital, he was . discharged and, alongside his wife, is taking part in intensive . counselling sessions to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder from . their ordeal. Mr Belcher said: 'I want my story to be positive - we are here and lucky to be alive. 'In some ways it's been harder for Amanda because although she's not had the physical wounds she's had the mental ones, which are harder. 'My children, who are both at boarding school in South Africa, took it badly. 'My son Seb, 18, was very angry about it all and my daughter Phoebe, 17, has had some terrible nightmares. 'But these terrorists' ultimate aim is to divide us along religious grounds. We can't let that happen. 'The little boy who was so strong throughout the whole thing got away safely in the first wave of rescues, but I've been unable to track him down since. 'It would be great to see him again to tell him how brave he was. 'Stories like him surviving are the ones to take from this experience - not the tales of murder.' | Simon Belcher shot in the back during Westgate Shopping Mall attack .
Said the mental scars have lasted longer than the physical problems .
The safari guard said he and wife Amanda now more comfortable with 'crocodiles and lions than in a shopping centre with humans' |
96,747 | 0883437038f5f93550197234fdb937ba00748d2f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:58 EST, 19 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:57 EST, 22 April 2013 . She's been making stellar appearances on red carpets and television, while he's been making headlines for odd behaviour. On Thursday night, though, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber were reportedly spotted kissing in Oslo. The 20-year-old singer apparently flew to Norway earlier this week to see the Baby hitmaker, who is currently on tour, and friends believe they are back together based on their affectionate display. Selena on his mind: Justin Bieber was pictured in Amsterdam last week carrying an iPhone with a picture of his ex, and on Thursday night, the two were reportedly spotted kissing in Oslo . His blue belle: The star had a picture of Gomez from a photo shoot in March . A source told People: 'They were holding hands, hugging and they kissed on the lips. 'They looked really in love, like no fights ever happened before. It definitely looked like they were back together.' Pals recently insisted that despite . their on/off relationship, the pair – who split late last year - can't . stay away from each other and have unstoppable chemistry. A source said: 'They have a crazy connection. They just can't seem to break their connection. It can be intense.' Reunion? Selena is set to have met up with Justin backstage at the Telenor Arena in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday . The rumoured reconciliation comes not . long after it was reported Selena had asked Paramount Pictures to . remove her from Justin's sequel to his 'Never Say Never' concert film, . for fear it would paint her in a negative light. A source said: 'There are plenty of scenes where she's yelling at him, which, if edited, would make her look bad. 'Selena is desperately worried he'll try to exact some sort of revenge on screen.' Despite her fears, the two might be giving their young love another chance. Justin hasn't let go of his affection for Selena, as he was seen with a picture of the singer on his cell screensaver during his trip to Amsterdam last week. The background image, spotted by TMZ, is from the 20-year-old's photoshoot taken on March 4. | Selena 'jet to Norway from Los Angeles to see her ex'
Pair 'reunite backstage' after his Oslo performance on Thursday . |
69,992 | c6740c68c51ecdb8d7ea9329894b6131f8b8601d | By . Jack Doyle, Ben Todd and Kate Loveys . Last updated at 11:26 PM on 15th November 2011 . The adopted son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour was released from prison yesterday morning - four months after he was sentenced for violent disorder during the tuition fee protests. Charlie Gilmour, 21, walked out of HMP Wayland in Norfolk into the autumn sunshine with what appears to be a cigarette tucked behind his right ear before stepping into a chauffeur-driven Mercedes in which his father was sitting. The close crop of the rioter's hair was in marked contrast to the lengthy locks he sported when he swung from a Union flag on the Cenotaph during demonstrations in London last December. Charlie Gilmour, 21, steps out of prison today into the autumn sunshine after serving barely a quarter of his sentence for violent disorder during the London riots . On leaving the prison Gilmour, with what appears to be a cigarette tucked behind his right ear, stepped into the a chauffeur-driven Mercedes in which his father was sitting . The close crop of the rioter's hair was in marked contrast to the lengthy locks he sported when he swung from a Union flag on the Cenotaph during demonstrations in London last December . Gilmour was jailed after admitting violent disorder during the riots in London while high on LSD, Valium and whisky . He was jailed for 16 months in July after a judge said he had shown the 'ultimate disrespect' to Britain's war dead. His solicitor, Robert Brown, said: 'Charlie Gilmour was released from HMP . Wayland subject to him complying with a home detention curfew (HDC - . commonly known as tagging). 'The curfew will continue until the . halfway point of his 16-month sentence. This is standard procedure for . prisoners who are serving a sentence of between three months and four . years. 'Charlie Gilmour was sentenced to 16 . months' imprisonment on July 15, 2011, and his release today subject to . HDC is therefore in line with normal Home Office procedure.' Despite his conviction, Gilmour is likely to be allowed to complete his history degree next year, the Mail can reveal. Cambridge University authorities are . yet to make a formal decision on whether he should be disciplined, but . have indicated he is extremely unlikely to be expelled. Gilmour's release comes two days after Remembrance Sunday. Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former Army colonel, criticised the decision to let him out. He said: ‘I thought Gilmour had been . given an exemplary sentence in order to discourage others. I find it odd . therefore that he is being released with barely a quarter of his . sentence served.’ Gilmour was jailed after admitting violent disorder during the riots in London while high on LSD, Valium and whisky. He joined a mob which ransacked . Topshop on Oxford Street, causing £50,000 of damage; attacked the convoy . carrying Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to the Royal . Variety Performance; and was photographed swinging from a Union Flag on . the Cenotaph. At his trial he tried to excuse himself by claiming he did not know it was the Cenotaph. But Judge Nicholas Price said that . explanation ‘defied belief’ and described Gilmour’s behaviour as . ‘outrageous and deeply offensive’. Last month, Gilmour appealed against . his sentence, claiming it was ‘unduly harsh’, but the case was rejected . by the Court of Appeal. Following his release he is likely to return to his family home in Billingshurst, West Sussex. Gilmour, pictured with his parents on his way to court, was originally sentenced to 16 months for his rampage through London . The family also have a £2.68million seafront mansion in Hove, East Sussex. Gilmour will wear the tag until he reaches the halfway point of his sentence, when he will be released on probation. His family are said to be ‘delighted’ he will be home for Christmas. A Prison Service spokesman said: ‘We do not comment on individual prisoners.’ A spokesman for Cambridge University . said Gilmour had been released from jail too late to start the third . year of his undergraduate history degree. He said: ‘There is no way that he . would be able to resume his studies this year but no decision has been . taken on whether he can next year.’ Gilmour’s college, Girton, will decide within a month if he can return in October next year to complete his degree. He could be fined up to £200, suspended or sent down, the Cambridge term for being expelled. A college spokesman said no students had been sent down in the past decade. | Charlie Gilmour, 21, sentenced for violent disorder during student protests .
Likely to be allowed to complete his history degree .
Will wear electronic tag and obey 12-hour curfew . |
238,119 | c02e6f81b1dc8ae74f72ed339c18c8e1215f6fb3 | (CNN) -- Google is tightening its grip on the booming tablet market, with a new tablet, updated version of Android and a social take on games. The company announced a new version of its popular Nexus 7 tablet during a press event Wednesday in San Francisco. Sundar Pichai, Google's senior vice president of Android and Chrome, unveiled a slimmed-down, speedier version of the tablet, which will start at $229 when it goes on sale next week. The new Nexus 7, made by Asus, has undergone some subtle physical changes. The size of the device has been trimmed down while keeping the screen the same dimensions. The higher resolution screen is now 1,920 by 1,200 pixels, packing in 323 pixels per inch. The amount of RAM has been doubled, and the CPU is twice as fast as the previous Nexus 7. The company also said that it has improved its speaker performance and that it can last for nine hours of high-definition video playing. Netflix will be one of the first apps to take advantage of the new video-friendly specs. The streaming-video company's new Android app will stream movies at 1080p on the Nexus 7. The device will run Android Jelly Bean 4.3, a new version of Google's Android operating system. Google unveils $35 device that streams video to your TV . Tablets are on track to take over PCs, and Google has a bigger stake in the boom than its own flagship devices. Half of all tablets sold worldwide are based on Android, according to the company. "By the end of 2013, consumers are going to buy more tablets every year than personal computers," Pichai said. The new version of Android 4.3 will have parental controls so you can prevent the little ones from seeing saucy content or inappropriate apps. There are also user profiles for tablets that end up in the hands of multiple users. The company expects to have more than 70 million tablet activations this year. Many of those users are downloading content such as apps, music and movies from the Google Play store. The Play store has more than 1 million apps and has seen more than 50 billion downloads, according to the company. A new app, called Google Play Games, is similar to Apple's Game Center. In it, Android users can see what games their friends are playing and go up against other users, checking out their accomplishments on leader boards. Older Nexus devices will also be able to test out the Android upgrade -- existing Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10 and Galaxy Samsung devices will receive over-the-air updates for the operating system. The Wi-Fi versions of the Nexus 7 will be available starting July 30, and an unlocked LTE version of the tablet will go on sale in the coming weeks. | Google unveils new tablet, version of Android .
The new Nexus 7 is slimmer and faster for $229 .
Android Jelly Bean 4.3 adds parental controls, profiles, Games center .
First Nexus 7s available July 30 . |
26,253 | 4a6e4122cf39cfa7566fe15140dd6e2b238e5dde | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:56 EST, 31 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:50 EST, 31 October 2013 . A professional wrestler in Iowa has come up with an enticing proposition for sponsors - the chance to have their logo inked permanently on his back. Levi McDaniel came up with the idea to sell advertising space on his back as a way to raise money for a cancer charity in memory of his aunt who died this month. After advertising for sponsors on eBay, a Des Moines tattoo and piercing parlor took him up on the deal and offered to do the tattoo for free. Deal: Wrestler Levi McDaniel is offering companies the chance to have their logo tattooed on his back . Opening bid: Lucky Gal tattoo parlor is the first company to have their logo inked on to McDaniel's back . 'It just seemed like he had a big heart, . since he was going to give the money away to family,' Chris . Pruisner, of the Lucky Gal parlor, told the Des Moines Register. McDaniel, 23, said he got the idea for selling advertising space on his body from Rock 'n' Roll Wrestling founder Buck Zumhofe. After seeing McDaniel's extensive tattoos, Zumhofe suggested that he used future ones to attract sponsors. McDaniel said he wasn't sure if Zumhofe was joking but when he thought about the size of the crowds he competes in front of he decided to give it a go. The wrestler listed his offer on eBay, saying 'let me be your mascot' and telling prospective sponsors their logo would have plenty of exposure thanks to his more than 22,000 Twitter followers and a career performing in front of huge crowds. Exposure: McDaniel says the logos will be seen by the large crowds who watch his wrestling matches . When tattooist Pruisner heard about the auction he loved the idea and decided it would be better if his logo went on McDaniel rather than something else. 'Someone said something [in the article] . about him ending up with something like the Gerber Baby on his back. I . decided it would be better if I did it than someone else,' he said. After contacting McDaniel in private, he offered to pay $1,000 and do the tattoo for free - an offer the wrestler was more than happy to accept. Todd Countryman, one of 3XWrestling's owners, said McDaniel's tattoos added to his presence in the ring. 'It gives Levi an extra gimmick and . draws more attention to him. It could make whatever company decides to . advertise on him seem more unique and draw a little more attention to . him,' he told USA Today. On show: Chris Pruisner of Lucky Gal took up McDaniel's offer and tattooed his company's logo on the wrestler himself . McDaniel said his new tattoo was awesome, and added: 'Chris did a great job; he’s a cool guy with a cool shop. I . really like the tattoo, so I’m happy. It was all worth it.' He donated 75 per cent of the sponsorship money to the family of his aunt, Linda, and the remainder to a cancer charity in memory of her. Since having the logo inked on his back, McDaniel has been approached by other companies also wanting to advertise on the wrestler's body. | Levi McDaniel sells space on his back to advertisers .
Iowa tattoo parlor is first to take up professional wrestler on unusual deal . |
284,661 | fcd7dc78a581fe1ad3591ac99f31cd1d9f74b038 | By . Rebecca Camber . Shameless: Gary Dobson was convicted in 2012 of murdering Stephen Lawrence . Stephen Lawrence's shameless killer has bragged from behind bars that a public inquiry into the case will clear his name. Gary Dobson, 38, is attempting to use an official review into undercover policing ordered by the Home Secretary following revelations that police spied on the family of Stephen Lawrence, to claim that he has been 'fitted up' by corrupt detectives. In a series of bizarre rambling messages left on Facebook, the murderer currently serving life for the stabbing of the black teenager, mused that the development could be 'life changing' for him. The development comes as the detective suspected of acting corruptly during the initial botched murder inquiry emerged from his holiday hideaway yesterday for the first time since a damning report by barrister Mark Ellison, QC, suggested that he helped shield Stephen's killers. Ellison's review contained shocking allegations of police corruption, cover-up and evidence that an undercover police officer spied on the grieving parents of the 18-year-old aspiring architect, who was knifed to death by a group of up to six white youths in an racist attack in Eltham, South-East London, on April 22, 1993. The report did not challenge any of the forensic evidence which led to the conviction of Stephen's killers. Although it raised the prospect that undercover police operations may have led to wrongful convictions in other cases. But less than 24 hours after its publication, Gary Dobson instructed his sister Hayley to post this message: 'A message from Gary. 'Hello everyone, Finally the met police look like they are being held responsible for the monumental wrong doing they have orchestrated in this case over the last 21 years. Stabbed to death: Stephen Lawrence was killed by a gang of white youths at a south-east London bus stop in 1993 . 'The "evidence" I am sitting in prison for was corrupted and I now hope someone will be held accountable for this. 'The failings in this investigation fall in all directions, not all in my favour, whenever the surface of this case is scratched more revelations are revealed that bring the whole establishment into question. 'No wonder they fitted us up to take the edge, or focus, off of this travesty they have done to many family's (sic). Just how deep does it go?? 'In the mean time I am incarcerated for a terrible crime I played no part in, and my children grow up without their Dad. 'I look forward to this inquiry with life changing interest, and thank all you people for your relentless support, defeat is only bitter if swallowed! 'All my love Gary x' Jailed: David Norris was also convicted of murdering Stephen . Yesterday it emerged that Dobson, who was convicted in 2012 of Stephen's murder, along with David Norris, 37, has been posting regular messages on Facebook despite strict rules banning prisoners from going online. He manages to get his misspelt missives out through his sister Hayley who posts them on the Justice For Gary Dobson page, which has 858 members. In another rant the same day, he wrote: 'A lot of people out there ie. the police, media, government and any other secret service involved in this case need to be brought to book, heads need to roll. 'Stop the cover up.' Dobson's shameless bid to use the public inquiry to his own end is a bitter blow to Stephen's mother, Doreen who took great comfort in the fact that Dobson had finally admitted his guilt when he dropped an appeal against his conviction exactly a year ago. Then Baroness Lawrence said: 'It took me and my family almost 20 years to get justice for my son Stephen when Gary Dobson and David Norris were convicted of the murder in January 2012. 'In those years I had put my grieving on hold and had to struggle against police racism. It would have been a great comfort to me and my family if Gary Dobson or his accomplices had admitted what they had done. 'Now that Gary Dobson has dropped his appeal I can only assume it is because he has finally admitted he murdered Stephen.' Intervention: In 1997 the Daily Mail used its front page to name Dobson, Norris and three others of killing Stephen . But far from accepting guilt, Dobson's family and friends are now attempting to use the Ellison review to mobilise a demonstration to get the killer out of jail. His mother Pauline wrote: 'Corruption Works Both Ways.....Free Gary Dobson.' The Ellison review published earlier this month looked at whether the hunt for Stephen's killers was damaged by corruption. The QC said there was a high level of suspicion that Detective Sergeant John Davidson, who worked on the original murder inquiry, was corrupt and had links to Norris' gangster father Clifford. The former detective, who has run a restaurant in the Spanish holiday island of Minorca for 15 years since taking early retirement from the Metropolitan Police, has been in hiding since the review. But yesterday he emerged from his home sporting a deep tan as he indulged in some shopping.The National Crime Agency has announced a probe into whether Mr Davidson was in the pay of drug smuggler Clifford Norris. He could be questioned on suspicion of misconduct in a public office or perverting the cause of justice - both of which carry heavy jail terms. But the Glasgow-born 68-year-old, who was nicknamed OJ for 'Obnoxious Jock' during his time on the Met, has denied any wrongdoing, telling fellow expats: 'They'll never lay a finger on me. I've done nothing wrong. 'They've got nothing to do me for.' April 1993 - Stephen Lawrence is stabbed to death in Eltham, south-east London. Days later a letter naming the suspects is left in a telephone box. Police begin investigating.May-June 1993 - Neil and Jamie Acourt, David Norris, Gary Dobson and Luke Knight, are arrested. Neil Acourt and Knight are charged with murder, which they deny.July 1993 – The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) drops the charges, citing unreliable evidence.September 1994 – Stephen’s parents, Doreen and Neville Lawrence, launch their own prosecution against Dobson, Knight and Neil Acourt.April 1996 – The private prosecution fails after Neil Acourt, Knight and Dobson are acquitted of murder charges at the Old Bailey.February 1997 – An inquest into Stephen's death returns a verdict of unlawful killing, describing the attack as ‘unprovoked’ and ‘racist’. The next day, the Daily Mail accuses the five men of murdering Lawrence on its front page, adding ‘If we are wrong, let them sue us’.March 1997 – A police probe is launched into the handling of the case, which later highlights ‘significant weaknesses, omissions and lost opportunities’. Four months later Home Secretary Jack Straw announces a judicial inquiry into the case.February 1999 – The judicial inquiry reports back, and accuses the Metropolitan Police of institutional racism.September 2002 - Norris jailed and Neil Acourt are jailed for a racist attack the previous year.May 2004 – The CPS say they will not prosecute anybody for Stephen's murder.April 2005 – The Government scraps the principle of ‘double jeopardy’. This enables people to be tried more than once for the same crime.July 2006 – Police review their evidence after a BBC documentary into the murder. A year later they say they are examining new forensic evidence.July 2010 – Gary Dobson is jailed for five years for supplying class B drugs.May 2011 – The Court of Appeal rules that new forensic evidence means Dobson and Norris can be prosecuted again.November 2011 – Dobson and Norris are tried at the Old Bailey, where jurors her that Stephen’s DNA was found on their clothes. After a six-week trial the pair receive life sentences for murder.June 2013 – Allegations emerged that the police spied on the Lawrence family in 1993 in order to smear them and discredit criticism of the police. David Cameron calls for an investigation.March 2014 – A review into the original murder investigation, conducted by Mark Ellison QC, finds reason to believe an officer working with the family was corrupt. On the same day, Theresa May launches an inquiry into undercover policing, prompting Gary Dobson’s boastful Facebook posts. | Gary Dobson, 38, was jailed in 2012 for the murdering Stephen in 1993 .
Home Secretary has ordered a review into police spying around the case .
Now in rambling Facebook posts Dobson has claimed review will clear him .
He claims that he has been 'fitted up' by corrupt officers and wrongly jailed . |
49,029 | 8a761d05681ffcc091a8996872b39b4325e898d0 | Perhaps you've come across a recipe or two on Pinterest for perfect skin. We've seen them too: banana and orange facials, spicy acne masks, olive oil cleansers and more. But whether you're holistically-minded, frustrated with drugstore finds or having a beauty emergency, it's not always wise to experiment on your face with that thing you saw on the Internet. We wondered, should you ever put your skin and hair at the mercy of your kitchen pantry? "For the most part I prefer drug store or department store or cosmeceutical products from your dermatologist because they're actually tested on the skin and they go through certain quality control measures," said New York dermatologist Dr. Doris Day. "But in a pinch, there are things you can use at home." You just have to pick carefully and learn a little bit from the past. People have been using substances like olive oil, yogurt, vinegar, honey and aloe for skin care for ages, Day said, and now there are scientific studies that explain why they work. We asked Day, who has a few DIY recipes of her own in her book, "Forget the Facelift," to guide us through the "dos and don'ts" of homemade beauty treatments. Think different . Here are some of Day's favorite pantry beauty ingredients. HoneyOne of Day's go-to products is honey. "Honey is published widely in medical literature for its use on wounds and diabetic sores," she said. It is antiseptic and creates a barrier on wounds that's breathable, like skin, she said. Honey also helps preserve homemade salves, so you can use them for more than one application. She includes honey in her recipes for acne treatment, eye de-puffing and exfoliating scrubs. It's excellent for treating eczema, she said. AloeAloe, like honey, is great for treating wounds, Day said, and other skin irritations. It is anti-inflammatory, she said, so it's great for the pain associated with burns and poison ivy. Just pop off a piece of an aloe house plant and rub it directly on your irritated skin, she said. "But it can sting when you first put it on the skin, so you have to be a little patient that way," she said. OilsOlive oil and coconut oil are Day's favorites for home hydration. They are gentle on the skin, she said, and good for treating irritation. A little bit of these oils massaged gently around the eyes can help hydrate wrinkly skin under the eyes, but take care not to get it in your eyes, she said. Olive oil can even be used to effectively clean oily skin -- and is often used as a binder for sugar or salt scrubs. For silky, shiny, smooth hair, Day recommends putting coconut oil in your hair, letting it soak in for a bit, then massaging in some shampoo before rinsing. If you shampoo after you've got water on your oil-soaked hair, it will be greasy for days, she said. ExfoliantsSalt and sugar are excellent exfoliants, Day said. Baking soda, as well, can be used as a fine-grained exfoliant, and may have antiseptic and brightening qualities as well, Day said. It's simple to add salt, sugar or baking soda to any cleanser you already have and make it a scrub. Dissolved epsom salts can also exfoliate the skin when used in high concentration. "Epsom salts are an all-purpose type of thing," she said. "Depending on the concentration, you can use it for everything from cleaning your furniture to get the calluses off your feet to help soothe your skin." It can help dry out a poison ivy rash if you use a small amount of Epsom salt in a bath, she said. TeaIf you want to get antioxidants on your skin, use tea, rather than the often-suggested berries, Day said. "You can put blueberries on your face, but that will just stain your skin and probably you won't get enough of the blueberry's antioxidant effect to make a difference," she said. Steeped tea bags can effectively de-puff your eyes by themselves or strongly brewed tea can add antioxidant treatment to cucumber slices. "White tea has the highest levels of antioxidants and caffeine, so that would be my preferred one for the face," she said. YogurtSome DIY facial treatment recipes use milk for wrinkle-banishing properties, but Day said it's silly. Milk can actually spoil on your skin, and it's not strong enough to deliver any lactic acid, she said. "It won't work," she said, "and it's expensive." Instead, Day said, reach for the yogurt. In a mask, yogurt can deliver enough lactic acid to actually treat certain skin conditions. Think twice . Here are some ingredients Days says to approach with caution, or consider other options. VinegarPlain old white vinegar has historically been used as a deodorant, and it does stop body odor, Day said. But it has a major drawback: It stinks. "It's killing the yeast and certain bacteria," that can make you smell bad, she said, "but then you smell like vinegar." Adding essential oil to vinegar helps, but does not eliminate the salad smell entirely, she said. As for making your hair shiny -- another often-suggested use -- "it might have an effect on the hair cuticle, closing it," she said, "but I don't know that I would use it in the hair." After all, coconut oil works better, she said. Egg whitesEgg whites can provide a temporary tightening effect, a little relief for oily skin, Day said. But they come with a risk. "You have to be careful with the egg white mask because egg whites sometimes have salmonella, and if you end up ingesting it by accident, you can actually get salmonella," she said. "So these days, unless you know the source of the eggs, I would be very careful with that one." SpicesIf a DIY facial scrub recipe calls for cinnamon, use it at your own risk, Day said. "I think that would be irritating. You wouldn't get enough of a concentration of cinnamon and you can probably even get blisters," she said. "It's a spice. If you put pepper on your skin, you can burn your skin." But your skin can benefit from spices in your food, she said. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, she said, and she often suggests adding it to meals. "But it will stain your skin orange and you won't get enough absorption from using it on your skin to get the benefit," she said. "Over-the-counter products that contain turmeric use turmeric extract, and those are better on the skin." CitrusCitrus fruits, like lemons, can irritate skin, Day said. So if you're looking at a beauty recipe that calls for rubbing orange juice on your face or lemon wedges on your lips, stop reading. (Lips don't have oil glands, so they're especially sensitive," Day said.) "Lemons have a chemical called psoralen, and the psoralen makes you exquisitely sensitive to light. It activates in about 10 to 15 minutes, and it takes about 24 hours to wear off. So if you do that, and go out in the sun, you can actually blister," Day said. "I see it on people at the beach if they're having a Corona or a margarita," she said. "Because they squeeze the lemon and get a rash on the back of their hand. It's the splatter pattern of how they squeezed the lemon, and the sunburn effect." Hydrogen peroxideLike lemons, peroxide is often suggested as a home remedy for lightening hair color. But Day warns against it. "It can bleach, but it can irritate," she said. "Peroxide is toxic to skin cells. So if you have a wound and you keep putting hydrogen peroxide on it, it won't heal." Only use it on the first day of your injury to clean a cut or a wound, she advised. | Honey, olive oil and tea are great pantry products for your skin, dermatologist Doris Day says .
Citrus and spices can irritate skin, the "Forget the Facelift" author says .
Salt, sugar and baking soda are effective exfoliants, Day says . |
191,931 | 848555a9ea4823f7f6b6875c656d58a75949b95a | By . Anna Hodgekiss . A woman so inspired by the plight of a young girl dying from cancer shed 11st in order to help other people battling the disease. Encouraged by a tweet from terminally ill Alice Pyne, Karen Mitchell created her own 'bucket list', which included losing weight and . saving lives. Pride Of Britain winner Alice, who had fought Hodgkin's lymphoma from the age . of 12, took to social media to urge people to join the bone marrow . register. Karen Mitchell shed 11st 7lb after promising a dying teenager she would join the bone marrow register . After seeing it - and being deeply moved by the teenager's blog - Ms Mitchell decided she too would sign up to donate her stem cells . and save lives. But at 25st and with a BMI of 60 - well above the healthy limit of 25 - she was rejected. Determined to fulfill her pledge, she even sent Alice a tweet, promising she would lose . weight to join the register. Alice replied, urging her not to . give up - and Ms Mitchell has since lost 11st 7lb. She said: 'I thought Alice was incredibly brave and inspiring and when I read her tweet encouraging people to join the bone marrow register, I knew straight away that I wanted to do something for . her. 'Being rejected was a turning point because here . was this amazing young woman who was terminally ill yet doing all she . could to help others – and I was just wasting my life being fat. 'I couldn't even walk up the stairs at work without becoming out of . breath. I felt useless. Now my weight was stopping me doing one thing . for Alice.' Next week she will make a life-saving donation in memory of Alice, who died in January 2013. 'Alice told me not to give up and I . didn't want to let her down,' said Ms Mitchell. 'Her amazing legacy can go on . saving lives and I hope everyone reading this will donate as well – not . for me, but for Alice.' Ms Mitchell's weight loss was inspired by the Alice Pyne, who was dying from cancer and urging people to join the bone marrow register. But at 25st, she was too fat - so tweeted Alice promising to lose weight . Ms Mitchell, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, had battled with her weight for as long as she could remember - spending her teenage years wearing size 18 clothes. 'I longed to wear trendy clothes like the other girls at my school but I could only shop in the 'fat' section of shops,' she said. By the time she married at 27, she walked down the aisle in a size 28 wedding dress - but says she knew the five-year marriage was doomed. 'In my heart I knew I wasn't right for him and he wasn't right for me. But I was a big girl and I told myself it would probably be my only chance to get married and settle down. I hoped we could make it work.' She went on to find love again - but blissfully happy with new partner Dan Hague, she piled on even more weight. After four years together, by 2012 her weight had peaked at 25st and Dan's had rocketed up from 14st to 19st 8lb. 'We were just so happy together,' she says. 'We enjoyed going for drinks and meals and cooking together, but it was always really high-calorie, bad foods.' Ms Mitchell had battled with her weight all her life - and by the time she promised to join the register she was 25st with a BMI of 60 . After meeting partner Dan Hague, she piled on more weight due to the couple's love of fatty food and drinks . ogether they weighed a whopping 44st 8lb and attracted cruel insults wherever they went. But Ms Mitchell, who works in a fizzy drinks factory, was still shocked when she tried to join the bone marrow register after reading about Alice and was turned down. To join the register, donors needed a BMI below 30, but hers was 60. So she sent Alice a tweet that read: 'I promise to lose weight so I can join the register'. And to her total surprise, Alice tweeted back, saying 'please do it'. Spurred on, Ms Mitchell said: 'I told myself that this time I would lose the weight. But it felt like such an impossibly huge mountain to climb. 'I wanted to lose 11st, so that meant more than half my body weight had to go. I wondered how on earth I could ever manage to do it.' The couple embarked on a weight loss challenge and between them, have lost 17st . She joined a local Slimming World group and swapped takeaways for vegetable stir-fries, salads and fresh fruit for chocolate bars and crisps. And as the weight slowly started to fall off, she continued to follow Alice on Twitter as she ticked off all the wishes on her bucket list, which included meeting Take That and whale watching. 'I followed her doing all the incredible things she had on her list and, like all her thousands of followers, I just thought her courage and bravery were amazing.' To keep on track, she decided that she too would write a list containing all the reasons she wanted to lose weight. Dubbed the 'Belly Bucket List', objectives included being able to climb the stairs at work, wear high heels, see her nieces grow up, fly in a plane without a seat belt extender and fit into a chair. She also started her own blog to keep her motivated and began to upload the photographs of every healthy meal she ate. By January 2013, when Alice tragically died, aged just 17, Ms Mitchell had lost 5st. 'I was devastated to hear the news - but all I could do was vow to carry on dieting until I could join that register as I had promised.' To speed up her weight loss, she began also took up running - and before long, partner Dan also joined the weight loss challenge. 'There was some healthy competition between us, which definitely helped,' said Ms Mitchell. 'We had a scoreboard in the kitchen and . whoever lost the least weight that week had to cook for the other. By last summer, she was able to cross off number 14 on the Bucket Belly List - sitting in a deckchair. She said: 'It might sound a bit daft, but just to be able to sit down without . worrying if I would fit into the chair or not felt really fantastic. 'I'd never been able to just sit down in a chair before because usually I wouldn't fit, especially if it had arms.' Another milestone moment came when she was able to buy tights that were labelled 'one size only'. Now, 18 months after Alice died,she has lost 11st 7lbs and weighs 13st 7lbs. Her BMI is now 31. Mr Hague has gone from 19st 8lb to 13st 8lb – a loss of 6st, . While Ms Mitchell is too old to be a bone marrow donor for the Anthony Nolan charity -the limit is 30 - next week she and Mr Hague will be donating their bone marrow stem cells via the National Blood Service. 'One thing Alice used to say that has stuck with me is, " You only have one life, so live it", and, thanks to her brave example, that is exactly what I am doing,' she said. 'Her courage and optimism not only inspired me, it transformed me and I hope to encourage people to sign the register like me just as Alice wished.' For more details about joining the Anthony Nolan marrow register, visit anthonynolan.org . | Karen Mitchell, 39, was inspired after reading plight of Alice Pyne .
Teenager lost battle with rare form of cancer in January 2013, aged 17 .
Before she died she urged people to join the bone marrow register .
Ms Mitchell tweeted Alice to promise she would - and teenager was delighted .
But at 25st and with a BMI of 60, Ms Mitchell was rejected for being too fat .
Has now lost 11st 7lb and next week will donate bone marrow stem cells . |
31,833 | 5a9ccceeedfe79088ec4adab59861c4212c4bcb6 | By . Sara Nathan . Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour has declined an invite to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's wedding - just weeks after controversially putting them on the cover of the fashion bible. Ms Wintour HAS received an invitation to the exclusive affair, with Entertainment Tonight today reporting there will be a dinner in Paris on May 23 before guests are flown to the wedding in Florence in Italy on May 24. A source close to the editor confirmed she would not be attending. However, she is believed to be in talks to feature their wedding pictures in an upcoming issue. Scroll down for video . Leaving on a jet plane: Kim Kardashian yesterday arrived at LAX before jetting to New York, where she is believed to attending E!'s Upfronts . Sisters flying high: Kim Kardashian was joined by her sibling Khloe at the airport en route to the Big Apple . Sisterly love: The pair both looked in focused mood as they strolled through the terminal . A source told MailOnline: 'Anna politely declined Kim and Kanye's kind invitation.' The trio remain close and Kim and Kanye joined Ms Wintour at the Met Gala in New York last week. When asked about the wedding photos being featured in Vogue, a Vogue spokeswoman said: 'We never comment on future issues'. Kim and Kanye appeared on the April cover of Vogue, shot by legendary Annie Leibovitz. Golden ticket: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's surprisingly elegant wedding invite . Standing in a strapless Lanvin gown, Kim looked the blushing bride with her Lorraine Schwartz engagement ring, valued at over $ 5million, as Kanye stood with his arms wrapped around her. The hashtag #worldsmosttalkedaboutcouple was emblazoned beneath them on the cover. The cover led to around 250,000 sales - about 20 percent more from the previous issue featuring Rihanna. The wedding of the reality star and the rapper is said to be so intimate . that even Keeping up with the Kardashians executive producer and family . friend Ryan Seacrest did not score an invite. Speaking . on Monday at the FOX Upfronts in New York, American Idol star Seacrest, . 39, told Access Hollywood: 'Here's what I would guess. It would be one . of the most amazing ceremonies that has ever been had. 'I think that we'll all sort of smile and love that fact that you can see how much he adores her and she adores him.' And . Kim, 33, who will be on her third marriage, told Seacrest on his KISS FM . radio show in February: 'We're having a super, super small, intimate . wedding. As we go along, we're realizing we want it to be smaller and . more intimate than people are imagining and thinking.' The invitations, revealed last week, . feature a simple design: gold lettering on a neutral background. Information is scarce; all that's included are a few lines about the . date and dress code for the ceremony and rehearsal dinner. The . bride-to-be, who today was on her way to New York for the E! Upfronts . with her sister Khloe, recently tweeted about the upcoming event, noting . that the . vows would not be filmed for her E! reality show, but 'everything . leading up til and after' would be. 'We've decided to keep this close to . our heart and share thru photos,' she wrote. Politely declined: Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour has turned down Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's invitation to their wedding, now believed to be in Florence, Italy, on May 24- just weeks after controversially putting them on the April cover of the fashion bible . Friendship: Anna Wintour has forged a close friendship with rapper Kanye and reality star Kim - defending her decision to put them on the April cover of Vogue . For months it was rumored that music millionaire Kanye had been 'begging' Ms WIntour to put his fiancée on the cover of Vogue. But Ms Wintour put those rumors to rest in her April 2014 Editor's Letter for Vogue's Shape Issue, calling the cover shot: 'both charming and touching'.'You may have read that Kanye begged me to put his fiancée on . Vogue’s cover,' wrote the 64-year-old Editor In Chief. 'He did nothing of the sort. The gossip might make better . reading, but the simple fact of the matter is that it isn’t true.' Ms Wintour applauded Kim's 'strength of character', writing: 'There’s barely a strand of the modern . media that the Kardashian Wests haven’t been able to master, and for . good reason. 'Kanye is an amazing performer and cultural provocateur, . while Kim, through her strength of character, has created a place for . herself in the glare of the world’s spotlight, and it takes real guts to . do that.' This is such a dream come true!!! Thank you @VogueMagazine for this cover! O M GGGGGG!!! I can't even breath [sic]!' Kim tweeted when the cover was released on Vogue's website . Ms Wintour, who has been editing the magazine since 1988 says a long held tradition of Vogue is 'being able to feature those who define the culture at . any given moment, who stir things up, whose presence in the world shapes . the way it looks and influences the way we see it. 'I think we can all . agree on the fact that that role is currently being played by Kim and . Kanye to a T. (Or perhaps that should be to a K?),' she writes with tongue in cheek. Rumors that Kim may have secured herself a spot on Vogue's cover went into overdrive in June last year after the couple was spotted dining at Ms Wintour's West Village home in Manhattan. Four months later, in October 2013, the couple announced their engagement. Hello NYC: Kim Kardashian leaves LAX en route to New York for the E! Upfronts . Then in early February it was widely reported that Kanye wanted Ms Wintour to put his fiancée on Vogue's cover wearing a wedding dress by Valentine’s Day, in order to 'present his lady love with the ultimate gift!' While sartorially speaking those rumors were spot on, Ms Wintour emphasized in her Editor's Letter that 'It was, I should add, entirely our idea to do it'. Meanwhile, Kim was so overwhelmed, she tweeted: 'This . is such a dream come true!!! Thank you @VogueMagazine for this cover! O . M GGGGGG!!! I can't even breath [sic]!' | Legendary Editor-in-Chief invited to exclusive, intimate wedding on May 24 .
Despite 'politely declining' the invite, Ms Wintour plans to feature their wedding pictures in upcoming issue .
Entertainment Tonight now reports the wedding will be in ITALY, with a dinner the night before in PARIS . |
32,330 | 5bea447deebee133f44393867684693cfd597827 | By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 10:42 EST, 18 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:14 EST, 19 April 2012 . Greenpeace activists have staged an hour-long rooftop protest at computer giant Apple's European headquarters - protesting at the electricity burned by 'cloud' data centres. As more and more companies store data online, huge data centres use increasing amounts of electricity to store this information - arousing the ire of green activists. The group claims some burn as much as 250,000 homes - and scaled Apple's to protest. Ironically, Apple's is powered by clean energy. Greenpeace activists scale the Apple headquarters offices in Cork City to demand that the company switches from coal to renewable energy sources to power their cloud computing data center . A number of protesters scaled the Apple building in Holyhill at around 7am and voluntarily came down after an hour . Apple says that the activist group's actions were targeted at data centres which are in fact among the 'greeenest' ever built. 'Our data center in North Carolina will draw about 20 megawatts at full capacity, and we are on track to supply more than 60% of that power on-site from renewable sources including a solar farm and fuel cell installation which will each be the largest of their kind in the country,' said a spokesperson today. 'We believe this industry-leading project will make Maiden the greenest data center ever built, and it will be joined next year by our new facility in Oregon running on 100% renewable energy.' Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International executive director, said customers of some of the world leading IT and internet companies want to know the companies' energy policies are sustainable. ‘When people around the world share their music or photos on the cloud, they want to know that the cloud is powered by clean, safe energy,’ he said. A number of protesters scaled the Apple building in Holyhill at around 7am and voluntarily came down after an hour. Gardai and the fire service were called to the scene and other activists distributed leaflets to staff. Greenpeace, which praised Apple's energy policy in Ireland, also staged protests over cloud computing centres in Turkey and Luxembourg. It is angered over the use of coal generated energy for new cloud sites. Iris Cheng, campaigner from Greenpeace International, said some major IT companies are not innovative enough about how they power their centres. ‘Coal is one of the dirtiest fuels on the planet, causing untold damage to the environment and global climate,’ she said. Gardai look on as Greenpeace activists scale the Apple HQ offices in Cork City and display a clear message 'Clean Our Cloud' ‘A company that prides itself for its vision and innovation should not be using outdated polluting coal. ‘The irony here in Cork is that Apple's HQ is powered by renewable energy sources. The much needed jobs this HQ provides to the local community are also increasing the jobs in the Irish renewable energy sector. Apple has shown it can power with clean energy in Cork, it is now time to clean up globally.’ Ireland is increasingly becoming an important base for cloud computing with the Government and investors highlighting the cool climate and westerly weather patterns as a big draw. A Greenpeace study found that companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, Yahoo!, Amazon and Microsoft are building more data centres for customers to store and share information. The units house thousands of computers and consume huge amounts of electricity with . Greenpeace claiming some can use as much electricity as 250,000 European homes. | Activists claim 'data centres' used to power online 'cloud' storage are eco-unfriendly .
Some powered by coal, says green group .
Some data centres use as much electricity as 250,000 homes .
Activists scale Apple data centre to protest . |
200,945 | 9021e963a1c8c6d9394cf73b0288fa0fa287285f | Two obsessed Oregon Ducks football fans plunged into the end zone of holy matrimony in front of the Rose Bowl Thursday morning. Lisa DeFluri and Steve Twomey traded a bridal gown and tuxedo for Oregon jerseys adorned with "8," the number worn by the Ducks' 2014 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Marcus Mariota. "We're not traditional, we love football and love the Ducks," Lisa told CNN. "And it's a Heisman year." The couple had plans for a wedding on the beach at Santa Cruz, Steve said, "but this randomly came up and sounded much better." The ceremony took place in front of the looming Rose Bowl in Pasadena, where the 25-year-old Eugene residents' beloved Ducks would play the Florida State Seminoles that evening in one of two first-ever NCAA Division I semifinal championship football games. The giddy bride and groom stood next to a card table piled with tailgate treats while Steve's stepfather, Randy Miles, presided. "There's no coincidence these (wedding) rings are shaped in 'O' for Oregon," quipped the minister, who got his ordination online. Tailgaters whooped when the couple, sweethearts since seventh grade, kissed. "I feel like I will want a divorce if they lose, but I feel like we will win," Lisa deadpanned. "She's the sarcastic one," said Steve. The couple are both school teachers and attended Western Washington University, but they bleed Oregon green and yellow. "We grew up loving the Ducks," Steve explained. "I just thought they had really cool helmets when I was in like fourth grade," Lisa confessed. Never mind an altar and flowers, these newlyweds stood on asphalt, and nearby a decorative football wedged between chips and salsa read "2015 Rose Bowl Steve & Lisa Just Married." | Lisa DeFluri and Steve Twomey wear Oregon jerseys as they exchange vows .
"We're not traditional, we love football and love the Ducks," Lisa says .
Chips and salsa spread proclaimed their nuptials and the 2015 Rose Bowl .
Oregon and Florida State play in the NCAA Division I semifinals Thursday . |
196,654 | 8a7dfb8c34ced21019fd8d436815ac8ba28ada55 | By . Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:57 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:45 EST, 9 August 2013 . Cause of death: Grand Valley State University quarterback Cullen Finnerty, 30, died in the Michigan wilderness of pneumonia caused by inhaling his vomit . A former college football star who disappeared in the Michigan wilderness during a fishing trip died of pneumonia caused by inhaling his vomit and had a degenerative brain disease made worse by painkillers, it was revealed Thursday. An updated autopsy report said Cullen Finnerty's anxiety and paranoia in the woods the night of May 26 may have been exacerbated by an ‘elevated’ level of oxycodone and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - the brain disease that has been found in a number of ex-football players. Finnerty's brain was studied at Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, which said Thursday the severity of CTE was moderate and it's ‘highly unlikely’ the disease alone led to his death. ‘CTE possibly affected his judgment, insight and behavior, but there are other factors, including the use of medications prescribed by his doctor, that most likely contributed to the circumstances surrounding his death,’ the center said in a statement. Kent County Chief Medical Examiner Stephen Cohle said Finnerty, 30, became incapacitated before inhaling his vomit in Lake County 65 miles north of Grand Rapids. Though relatives reported the former Grand Valley State University quarterback had a number of alcoholic drinks the day he died, Cohle said his blood-alcohol level was ‘negligible’ and didn't contribute to Finnerty's incapacitation. The report said it's likely Finnerty had anxiety, disorientation and paranoia from being alone in the woods while waiting for in-laws to pick him up. Cohle said the pain medication was prescribed to Finnerty for back injuries likely sustained during his football career. Mystery: Former Grand Valley State quarter back Cullen Finnerty, center in 2006, was found dead in the woods of northern Michigan Tuesday night, days after disappearing while out fishing near his family's cottage . Concerned: Finnerty (pictured with his wife) last spoke to a family . member May 26 in a phone call in which he said 'he was nervous . about something' Finnerty's father, Tim Finnerty, said . that his son also was taking a thyroid medication at the time of his . death, and the family is concerned high doses could have caused him to . become sick and confused. ‘None . of this [news] is going to bring Cullen back,’ Mr Finnerty said. ‘The . only people that will know what happened will be Cullen and God.’ An . initial autopsy conducted the morning after Finnerty's body was found . determined that he had a ‘slightly enlarged heart and slightly cloudy . lungs’ but ‘no trauma to the body at all.’ The final report includes toxicology results and the determination that he had CTE. Boston . University's center for study of the disease reported in December that . 34 former pro football players and nine who played only college football . suffered from CTE. Personal struggles: Finnerty's wife, Jennifer, told investigators that her husband had had 'paranoid' episodes in the past . Happier times; Finnerty is survived by his wife and two young children (pictured) The . NFL faces lawsuits by thousands of former players who say the league . withheld information on the harmful effects of concussions. The NCAA . also is being sued over its handling of head injuries. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is associated with cognitive and behavioral problems later in life and can eventually cause dementia. Also known as punch drunk syndrome, it has been most common in boxers and is associated with receiving multiple concussions. In recent years, CTE has been shown to exist in other athletes, including professional and college football players and pro hockey players. Sufferers can show symptoms such as memory loss, aggression, confusion and depression which may appear within months of the trauma or many decades later. Tim . Finnerty, who coached football for 35 years, said it's important to . keep researching CTE and possible links to injuries not only in football . but hockey, soccer and others sports. But he said the life lessons and . benefits of playing football are ‘substantial.’ Finnerty's . wife, Jennifer, told investigators that he had a past addiction to . painkillers but had not taken any drugs since spending time in rehab . more than a year earlier, adding that it wasn't the first time he had a . ‘paranoid’ episode. Instead . of driving home from Detroit a year-and-a-half earlier, he took off for . Grand Rapids in western Michigan due to fears the FBI would follow him, . she said. She said her husband remained in a state of panic for four to . five days. Cullen . Finnerty, his brother-in-law Matt Brinks and father-in-law Dan Brinks . went fishing the night of May 26. The Brinks dropped off Finnerty around . 8.30pm and watched as he boarded a small personal inflatable pontoon . boat and floated downstream. The . plan was for the Brinks to pick up Finnerty in about 30 minutes, but as . it turned out, it was the last time they would see him alive. His body . was found May 28 within a mile of where he had disappeared. Growing problem: Boston University's center for study of the disease reported in December that 34 former pro football players and nine who played only college football suffered from CTE - the same disease that Finnerty had . In two brief phone conversations with family members, Mr Finnerty sounded disoriented and complained of being tailed. His body was found May 28 at about 8pm in woods within a mile of where he disappeared, said Lake County Undersheriff Dennis Robinson. He said the body was not in the water and was found in a wooded area in Webber Township, near the family's cottage. The search drew scores of police and volunteers, including staff and players from Grand Valley State. Finnerty last spoke to a family member that night in a phone call in which he said 'he was nervous about something.' Based on that call, the family suspected 'he might be having some kind of a mental episode - that he was either afraid or something and ran off into the woods,' Hilts said. The sheriff said authorities had been tracking Finnerty's cellphone 'until it went dead.' The terrain made the search for the 6-foot-3, 230-pound ex-athlete difficult, Hilts said. Searchers from the sheriff's office, state police and area fire departments fanned out Tuesday across a square-mile area of Webber Township, which is about 65 miles north of Grand Rapids. Champion: Finnerty, 30, who had played at Grand Valley State University, led the team to three Division II national titles and more than 50 wins . In addition, dozens of current and former Grand Valley State players, coaches and staff hopped on a bus and headed north to Lake County to lend a hand in the search effort. Grand Valley coach Matt Mitchell, who was a defensive assistant when Finnerty led the Lakers to national titles in 2005 and 2006, as well as former Grand Valley coach and current Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin were among those helping out. Finnerty, who starred at Brighton High School, originally accepted an offer to play at the University of Toledo but transferred to Grand Valley after redshirting in 2001. The dual-threat QB played for Grand Valley teams that won Division II titles in 2003, 2005 and 2006, and he briefly was a member of the Baltimore Ravens. Mitchell said Finnerty was 'held in very high regard. He was the starting quarterback on national championship teams. But he's more than that: He's one of the most loyal teammates we've ever had.' He is survived by his wife and two small children. | Cullen Finnerty, 30, led Grand Valley State University to three Division II national titles and more than 50 wins .
Finnerty disappeared in May while on a fishing trip in Michigan wilderness .
Autopsy showed Finnerty suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy - disease seen in some ex-football players .
Died from pneumonia caused by inhaling his vomit; also had 'elevated' levels of oxycodone in his system . |
226,020 | b0b226b8cac81cc8d5a33dfe490b97834e8f229c | By . Daniel Martin, Whitehall Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 09:03 EST, 28 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:06 EST, 28 October 2013 . Initiative: David Cameron today visited the Mini factory in Oxford to launch new plans to boost the skills of British young people . Eastern Europeans find it so easy to get jobs in Britain because many of our young people are not ‘fully capable’ of holding down work, David Cameron has said. The Prime Minister said the UK needs to ‘say no’ to the current situation, which sees half of workers in many factories coming from abroad. Poor training and school standards mean young Britons do not have the skills and qualifications to compete, he said. He told apprentices at a Mini factory in Oxfordshire he did not blame ‘hard-working’ Eastern Europeans for travelling here, nor employers for hiring them. But because our education system has failed many school-leavers and the welfare system has not incentivised work, Britons are often a cut below other workers, he said. ‘Immigration, welfare and education are totally linked,’ said Mr Cameron. ‘You go round factories in our country and half the people have come from Poland or Lithuania or Latvia. You can’t blame them. They work hard. ‘They see the jobs, they come over and they do them. But as a country what we ought to be saying is “no”.’ He said: ‘Let’s get our education system right so we are producing young people out of our schools and colleges who are fully capable of doing the jobs. Second, let’s reform the welfare system so that it doesn’t pay to be out of work. And third, let’s have sensible controls on immigration. ‘Crack those three problems together and we’ll create an economy that really generates wealth for all our people.’ The comments come weeks after London Mayor Boris Johnson backed chef Jamie Oliver, who suggested many young Britons were ‘lazy’ and ‘wet behind the ears’. Speech: The Prime Minister said he did not blame foreign workers for coming to the UK to look for jobs . And this summer, civil society minister Nick Hurd said some young people lacked the ‘grit’ and social skills to get a job. Yesterday, . skills minister Matt Hancock said: ‘We have a record number of jobs in . this country and we’ve got to make sure that as people leave school, . they are in a position to take those jobs. ‘And likewise employers should look at . local young people. I don’t blame the employers at all – my job is to . make sure that young people have got what it takes.’ He . said a recent study showed Britain was ‘the only country in the world . where 65-year-olds have better skills than those who have left school in . the last few years’. Scheme: Mr Cameron is seeking to promote apprenticeships to help British workers' prospects . Mr . Cameron defended the Government’s controversial work experience scheme, . in which people do internships in return for benefits. He . said: ‘Getting people into the workplace, giving them experience of . work, of timekeeping and all the things it means to have a job is a . really good way to help get people started.’ He added: ‘The danger for a . country like Britain is yes, you see the economy recover, yes you see . jobs coming, but you leave behind people who have not got the right . qualifications from school. ‘I don’t want that to happen in our country.’ The . Prime Minister spoke as more than 60 leading firms – including Mini’s . owners BMW, BAE Systems, Microsoft and Barclays Bank – signed up to . deliver new, tougher apprenticeship schemes, which will last at least a . year and include maths and English tests. Downing . Street said all new apprenticeships should meet the standards by . 2017/18, while intensive vocational training will be offered to those . for whom apprenticeships are not the best option. Accenture, BAE Systems, Barclays, BT, Centrica, Diageo, G . SK, HSBC, Kingfisher, M&S, National Grid, Tesco, Unilever and WPP will start new vocational schemes. | Prime Minister said he did not ‘blame’ Eastern Europeans who flock to UK .
Compared ‘can do’ attitude of foreign workers with young Brits .
Half of factory workers are from overseas, Cameron says .
15% of all people in work are non-UK nationals .
British jobless must get into the habit of work, PM warns . |
120,063 | 272aa1d106aa8b612b10c32564c40401545d6de5 | By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 21:25 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:18 EST, 7 November 2012 . Michele Bachmann was this morning finally declared the projected winner of her congressional race with 98 per cent of precincts reporting and the one-time presidential candidate scraping by with a narrow 3,966-vote lead. It wasn't until the very final ballots were counted in her close race against businessman Jim Graves that Bachmann was announced as the winner, scraping through by a very slim margin. While she prevailed in the end, the close nature of her race and the defeat of another half dozen other Tea Party Republicans may spell the end of the conservative movement as a major political force. Focusing locally: Michele Bachmann, seen here in her Minnesota headquarters, is in a particularly tight race to hold on to her congressional seat and she raised the most out of all incumbents . Most notable were the losses of Florida's Allen West and Illinois' Joe Walsh. The final tally in the race between . West, a leading member of the Tea Party Caucus who ruffled feathers by . calling a number of Democrats 'traitorous Communists', and challenger . Patrick Murphy but the Democrat is thought to have won by between 1,000 . and 2,000 votes. All told, USA Today reports that West spent $13million to hold on to his seat - nearly four times as much as Murphy raised. Joe Walsh, West's fellow one-term peer . from Illinois, lost to Democratic war veteran Tammy Duckworth as she . earned 55 per cent of the vote compared to his 45 per cent. Both the races in the Florida 18th and . the Illinois 8th were noted for being particularly nasty as questions . were raised over respective military records. Murphy ran negative ads about West's . time in both Kuwait and Iraq. Walsh drew the ire of some supporters . after he said that he wasn't sure if Duckworth, who lost both legs . during her time in Iraq, was a 'true hero'. While New York is known for being a . Democratic stronghold, whose Electoral College votes were quickly called . for President Obama. But upstate New York has a number of Republican . congressional districts, including two where Tea Party-endorsed . incumbents were ousted by Democratic challengers after just one term in . the House. Primping: Allen West was one of the leaders of the Tea Party Caucus when he was elected in 2010 but now faces a difficult race against 29-year-old Patrick Murphy . Elected to Congress in 2010 during the . Tea Party so-called 'uprising', Ann Marie Buerkle lost to Democrat Dan . Maffei, the man she beat out from the seat in the first place. Republican Nan Hayworth in Westchester . County was shut out by Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney, making him the . state's first openly gay man elected to Congress. While freshmen representatives like . Buerkle, Hayworth, West, and Walsh make for a trend, the most . interesting challenge still comes from that of incumbent Bachmann. Her re-election should have been a . breeze considering she was a serious contender for the presidency at one . point. She won the Ames straw poll last August in the pivotal swing . state of Iowa, but her campaign eventually ran out of steam in January . as she suspended her presidential bid just weeks before saying she would . run again for her spot in Congress. War of words: Incumbent Joe Walsh (left) questioned whether double-amputee Iraq veteran Tammy Duckworth (right) was a 'true hero' By July, Politico reported that she . had raised nearly $15million for her congressional war chest, and . followed that with an additional $4.5million in July through September. All told, she raised the most out of all of her peers in Congress. She only won in 2010 with 53 per cent of the vote, making it even more critical that every ballot is counted in this election. By 5am, Bachmann was officially declared the projected winner, coming in just shy of a 4,000-vote lead. Holding on: Republicans are expected to retain the House so John Boehner will remain Speaker . ‘When she was running for president, . her attention was clearly not on district concerns and I think that . perception stuck with some voters and it is a vulnerability that Graves . is trying to exploit,’ Minnesota’s Carleton College professor Steven . Schier told Reuters. Another female Republican who has come . under the spotlight is Mia Love, the African American from Utah who . rose to prominence in conservative circles after her address at the . Republican National Convention. Her prime convention placement, which . analysts speculated was done to show the diversity within the GOP, . heightened her national recognition but apparently was not enough to . take her over the edge. Love conceded to Democrat Jim Matheson even though he was only up by less than one percentage point at the time. Following hype over her strong speech, . Tea Party groups reportedly sent out emails to supporters saying that . Love was being targeted by liberals intent on stopping her from making . history as the first black female Republican elected to Congress. Two Tea Party favorites who faced threats over ethical concerns had a split night. Both Michael Grimm from New York and . David Rivera from Florida are currently subject to federal . investigations, but that apparently had little sway over New Yorkers. Grimm held on to his seat, beating . challenger Mark Murphy even though he is at the center of a campaign . finance scandal where he was accused of taking contributions from the . aide to a local rabbi in return for helping him get a green card. Rivera is said to be at the center of . an FBI investigation relating to the alleged funding of a fake campaign . of one of his would-be competitors. Because of the continuing ethical . questions, and the fact that he only won by 52 per cent of the vote in . 2010, it comes as little surprise that Democrat Joe Garcia claimed . victory on Tuesday. Looking at the larger picture, these . loses meant little for the Republican party. The GOP retained its . control over the House just as it was expected to do and John Boehner . will remain the Speaker. What they do change is the role and . influence of the Tea Party, particularly in their credibility in regards . to their staying power. | Tough races for half-dozen Tea Party candidates across the country .
Bachmann projected winner of her congressional seat beating Democratic challenger by 3,966 votes .
Freshmen congressmen Allen West of Florida and Joe Walsh of Illinois both lost their close races .
Republicans will retain majority of the House of Representatives so John Boehner continues to be the Speaker . |
37,703 | 6ac4bfda34206e940a183765fbd29f352865d439 | (CNN) -- A Canadian woman accused of stalking Alec Baldwin began sending "a series of annoying and unsolicited communications" to the actor after having dinner with him in fall 2010, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday. Genevieve Sabourin, 40, was arrested by New York police Sunday on five misdemeanor counts of harassment and stalking after she appeared at Baldwin's Manhattan home. A judge released Sabourin on her own recognizance after a court appearance Monday, but ordered her to return for a May 14 hearing. Until then, she must keep away from Baldwin, 53, and not send him any e-mails or text messages, the judge ordered. Their encounters, including an incident Friday night, during which she showed up at a Lincoln Center movie screening hosted by Baldwin, has caused him to suffer "anxiety, annoyance and fear," the court filing said. She sent Baldwin a dozen e-mails last week that added to his stress, the complaint said. "I NEED TO START MY NEW LIFE, WITH MY NEW NAME, WITH MY NEW CARRIER IN MY NEW COUNTRY HELP MY NEWLY HUSBAND, YOU!" an April 4 e-mail said. "I NEED YOU NOW, PLEASE ALEC COME AND PICK ME UP NOW. I AM LESS THAN 10 MIN AWAY FROM YOU TONIGHT. SAY I DO TO ME," another message the same day read. "I'M EXISTED ABOUT THAT PORTION OF THE PROCESS, CREATING GENEVIEVE BALDWIN AND GET ALL OF WHAT I WANT IS THE BEST PART," she wrote, according to the court document. Two days later, Baldwin got this e-mail: . "I HOPE I DID GOOD ENOUGH LAST NIGHT FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS. I HOPE I DID NOT RUIN EVERYTHING BY MY LACK OF FREEDOM AND PASSIVE ACTIONS...IHATE MYSELF FOR BEING SO PASSIVE. BUT I AM EXHAUSTED AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO, THEN PROTECT MYSELF, I AM VERY WEAK NOW AND VULNERABLE...AND SO, I PLAYED DEFENSIVE INSTEAD OF GOING FOR IT. I AM SO SORRY, I DID NOT KNOW." A e-mail sent to Baldwin Saturday read in part: . "THERE ARE VERY CRUCIAL/VITAL THINGS I NEED HERE AND TODAY, I WANT YOU TO BE THE ONE GIVING THEM TO ME. I NEED TO SEE YOU NOW." The complaint described Baldwin's previous relationship with the woman as limited to their meeting "briefly for dinner in the fall of 2010." However, she served as a unit publicist for the 2002 Eddie Murphy movie "The Adventures of Pluto Nash," in which Baldwin had a cameo role. It was not immediately clear whether Baldwin and Sabourin met on the set. Sabourin is described in several media reports as an actress; however, her online LinkedIn resume lists her current occupation as a film producer in Montreal. Police confirmed she is from Montreal. The stalking suspect's acting resume is sparse, with a handful of small roles in Canadian TV productions, the last in 2007, according to the Internet Movie Database. Her biggest film acting credit appears to be in Tom Sizemore's "Swindle," a 2002 crime thriller, according to the IMDb. "As you know, stalking is a serious issue, so we've turned this matter over to the New York Police Department," Baldwin's publicist told CNN on Monday. Baldwin is engaged to marry Hilaria Thomas, a 27-year-old yoga instructor. CNN's Jane Caffrey contributed to this report. | NEW: Genevieve Sabourin is free until a May 14 hearing, but she must stay away from Baldwin .
NEW: Baldwin is stressed after getting a dozen e-mails from the Canadian woman last week, the complaint says .
NEW: "I NEED YOU NOW, PLEASE ALEC COME AND PICK ME UP NOW," one e-mail to Baldwin said .
NEW: Sabourin was arrested Sunday after showing up at Baldwin's Manhattan home . |
10,817 | 1ec246b7909643facc0c691c669b0358af8e2845 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 02:57 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:30 EST, 6 September 2013 . David Cameron today announced an additional £52 million in UK aid for victims of the civil war in Syria, as the G20 summit in St Petersburg saw stark division over the international response to allegations of chemical weapons use by the regime of President Bashar Assad. The US and France are so far the only nations attending the G20 to have backed the use of military force against the Assad regime, with Russia and China insisting that any action in the absence of UN Security Council approval would be illegal. Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta - who also attended this morning's aid meeting - said in a tweet last night that 'the G20 has just now finished the dinner session, at which the divisions about Syria were confirmed'. A spokesman for the Russian presidency said a US strike on Syria would 'drive another nail into the coffin of international law'. Aid: David Cameron today announced an additional £52 million in UK aid for victims of the civil war in Syria . Conference: David Cameron, right, and members of his delegation walk back to their villa at the G20 Summit earlier today . Group photo: Russia's President Vladimir Putin, center front, stands with G-20 leaders during a group photo outside of the Konstantin Palace . Much of the new money will go towards . medical training and equipment to help civilians targeted by chemical . attacks, while Mr Cameron also called for international action to secure . humanitarian access to war zones. After . defeat in the House of Commons prevented Mr Cameron from joining US . President Barack Obama in preparing for military action against Assad, . the Prime Minister has sought to avoid being marginalised at St . Petersburg by putting himself at the head of a drive to persuade G20 . leaders to strengthen their support for efforts to relieve the suffering . of millions of Syrians affected by the two-year civil war. The PM was yesterday forced to deny he was being sidelined, after reports that a senior aide to summit host Vladimir Putin - a long-time ally of Assad who has warned that military action without UN backing would amount to an act of aggression - had dismissed Britain as 'just a small island: no-one pays any attention to them'. Italian PM Enrico Letta (left), President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso (centre) and David Cameron attend a meeting of Business 20 and Labour 20 representatives led by Russian President Vldimir Putin, during the G20 Summit today . The PM was yesterday forced to deny he was being sidelined, after reports that a senior aide to summit host Vladimir Putin - a long-time ally of Assad who has warned that military action without UN backing would amount to an act of aggression - had dismissed Britain as 'just a small island: no-one pays any attention to them' Downing Street demanded 'clarification' of the remarks, which were denied by the Russian President's chief spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said they did not reflect Moscow's true view of the UK and the 'positive dynamics' of relations between the two countries. A Number 10 source said that the reported remark 'highlights how a small island with great people can achieve a big footprint in the world'. It is not known whether the alleged snub . was discussed in a 35-minute bilateral meeting between Mr Cameron and . Mr Putin which took place at 2am St Petersburg time, after the Russian . President had treated his guests to a lavish display of music and . fireworks at the Peterhof Palace. Target: Much of the new money will go towards medical training and equipment to help civilians targeted by chemical attacks . Meeting of minds: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron talk during the summit . Discussions: World leaders are venting over Syria's civil war but look no closer to agreeing on international military intervention to stop it . Mr Cameron announced Britain's new aid contribution - bringing the total UK funding for assistance in Syria and neighbouring states to £400 million - at a meeting he called to urge fellow leaders to dig deep to fund a 3 billion US dollar (£1.9 billion) shortfall in the United Nations appeal for Syria. Acknowledging the deep disagreements voiced when Syria was discussed at last night's official dinner, Mr Cameron said that action on aid would show that the G20 had 'a very large message' of support for the people of the war-torn Middle Eastern state. 'This is a moral imperative,' Mr Cameron . told the meeting, attended by ministers from Canada, Japan, Australia, . Saudi Arabia and Turkey and a senior official in the Obama . administration, as well as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the EU's . Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman van Rompuy. 'This is the big refugee crisis of . our time. As the Secretary General has made clear, seven million people . are in dire need and chemical weapons attacks have made this even more . acute. 'A Syrian . becomes a refugee every 15 seconds while we sit here at this conference. That is 5,000 fleeing their homes and becoming homeless while we are at . this G20 summit. 'It . is also a political imperative. It will help us build international . support for action by showing that our response is not just military. At . a summit where people have focused on potential divisions over Syria, I . wanted to bring you together to identify key priorities about the . action needed to send a strong message about our commitment to the . Syrian people and the urgent priority to do more.' President Putin and President Hollande attend a meeting with Business 20 and Labour 20 representatives today . Arrival: President Putin arrives in an electric car for a meeting with the heads of BRICS member states' Reminding fellow leaders that the UN . relief appeal is so far only 43 per cent funded, Mr Cameron said: 'The . UK is the second largest bilateral donor and today we can announce an . extra 81 million dollars... We would welcome an announcement by others . to highlight our resolve to do more.' Mr . Cameron said he wanted today's meeting to begin a campaign in the weeks . ahead of the UN General Assembly to challenge the world to meet the . UN's funding appeal. He . added: 'On chemical weapons, a strong response must be about saving . lives as well as preventing future attacks. Britain's new support will . include scaling up medical response in the face of chemical attacks, . through the training of medical and civil defence teams, protective . equipment to assist decontamination and medical supplies including . antidotes and response medicine. 'I . hope we can send a strong signal that we can act, and act specifically . to relieve this appalling suffering caused by the war crime of chemical . weapons use.' President Barack Obama, and members of his delegation walks to meet with China's President Xi Jinping for a bilateral meeting . U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during his bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping . Mr Cameron also called for a . 'political and diplomatic breakthrough on the problem of humanitarian . access', calling for agreement on the need for 'unfettered humanitarian . access inside Syria'. This . could include priority routes for aid convoys, humanitarian pauses in . the fighting so aid can get through, dedicated officials to resolve . problems on the ground and the lifting of bureaucratic obstacles for aid . workers. 'All of this will make a big difference to the humanitarian aid picture in Syria,' he said.'If . we can agree these three points, we will have made sure that this G20 . summit - despite all the disagreements there were last night - has a . very large message on humanitarian aid.' The . US and France are so far the only nations attending the G20 to have . backed the use of military force against the Assad regime, with Russia . and China insisting that any action in the absence of UN Security . Council approval would be illegal. Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta - . who also attended this morning's aid meeting - said in a tweet last . night that 'the G20 has just now finished the dinner session, at which . the divisions about Syria were confirmed'. US . frustrations over Russia's stance were reflected in comments by the . American envoy to the UN, Samantha Power, who told a New York news . conference: 'Even in the wake of the flagrant shattering of the . international norm against chemical weapons use, Russia continues to . hold the (Security) Council hostage and shirk its international . responsibilities. Cup of tea anyone? Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister David Cameron, warm themselves as they arrived for the Water and Music Show last night . Vladimir Putin, second right, covers Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel warm blanket before the show starts . 'What . we have learned, what the Syrian people have learned, is that the . Security Council the world needs to deal with this crisis is not the . Security Council we have.' The Pentagon has been instructed by Obama to draw up a more extensive list of potential targets in Syria, according to the New York Times. This means expanding beyond the 50 or so . major sites that were part of the original target list developed with France. The newspaper reported that he gave . the instruction following intelligence indicating that Assad has been . moving troops and equipment used for chemical weapons. The aim would not be to strike the chemical weapons instead headquarters overseeing efforts, military units and rockets. The . US Government accuses Assad's forces of killing 1,429 people in a . poison-gas attack in a suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, on August . 21. Strained: Leaning tiredly on his hand, his forehead etched with tension, David Cameron cut a miserable figure during the first working session at today's G20 summit . Britain announced yesterday that scientists at the Porton Down research laboratories have found traces of the nerve gas sarin on cloth and soil samples retrieved from the site of the attack. Meanwhile, there were signs that Mr Obama may struggle to secure support in Congress for his proposal of 'limited and proportionate' military action against Assad. A poll commissioned by the BBC and ABC News suggested more than one-third of Congress members were undecided whether or not to back military action, while a majority of those who had made a decision said they would vote against the President. The survey found that 226 members of the House of Representatives said they would oppose or were likely to oppose military action, against 45 who were certain or likely to support it and 189 who were undecided or did not respond. Some 17 members of the Senate were certain or likely to oppose Mr Obama's plans, against 23 certain or likely to back him and 60 whose position was undecided or unknown. | Money will go towards medical training and equipment to help civilians .
It is hoped it will help them in case of any further chemical attacks .
The PM was yesterday forced to deny he was being sidelined .
Putin said Britain is 'just a small island: no-one pays any attention to them'
Stark division over international response to regime of Assad . |
235,148 | bc6ad05bbde00c2e971f5222a64d853cacb072b2 | By . Kate Lyons . A schoolteacher who was killed in a light plane crash took to Facebook to pay a touching tribute to her husband, who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash, just days before she died. Caro Harding, 47, posted a photograph taken at the couple's wedding with the caption: '25 years ago I married the love of my life you are my everything and always will be.' The Inverell Public School kindergarten teacher was travelling in a light plane to Brisbane for a family holiday on Friday along with her 13-year-old daughter and her husband, Dr Mark Harding, 52, who was piloting the plane. Caro Harding posted a picture to Facebook celebrating 25 years of marriage on Tuesday, just days before she died in a light plane crash . The Cessna 210 aircraft came down in Clive State Forest not long after takeoff and while all three escaped the wreckage, the plane then burst into flames and Mr and Mrs Harding received severe burns. The family were initially taken to Inverell Hospital but Mr and Mrs Harding were later flown to Toyal North Shore hospital in Sydney. Mrs Harding had sustained burns to 70 percent of her body and died in hospital on Saturday morning. Dr Harding remains in a critical condition and the couple's daughter suffered burns to her legs. Mrs Harding was taken to Inverell hospital but then had to be transferred to Sydney's Royal North Shore hospital, where she died on Saturday morning . Highly respected school teacher Caro Harding (pictured left with her husband Mark and daughter) died from severe burns after a light plane crash in Inverell . Inverell mayor Paul Harmon, said the entire community was grieving over the well-respected teacher. 'She was a valued member of the school staff, you know, having an impact on lots of young people's lives," he told the Seven Network. 'She certainly is going to be missed. It's very sad.' Witnesses reported hearing the plane's engine cough and splutter before it crashed just short of the runway. 'I was driving home and we saw something, it was like a pebble skipping across the water ... and then it came to a standstill,' witness Jade Olds told the Illwarra Mercury. 'There was a man who just stopped dead in the road and then he just ripped his shirt off and pulled people out of the plane. 'I just saw them getting taken out of the plane – it didn't look pretty ... and then the plane just went ka-boom and there was fire everywhere.' The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating and police are preparing a report for the coroner. The plane began experiencing problems soon after take off, it burst into flames soon after crashing . Witnesses reported hearing the plane's engine cough and splutter before it crashed just short of the runway . Ms Harding who died after her family's Cessna 210 aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Inverell Airport, northern NSW, has been remembered as an inspirational teacher by the Inverell community . A witness said she heard the single-engine aircraft's engine cough and splutter before it crashed into Clive State Forest just short of the runway . | Highly respected school teacher Caro Harding died from severe burns after a light plane crash in Inverell, northern NSW .
Her husband, Dr Mark Harding, was flying the plane on Friday .
He remains in a critical condition in Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital .
Their teenage daughter was also a passenger and suffered burns to her legs in the accident .
The family of three had just taken off from Inverell Airport to go on a holiday to Brisbane . |
32,998 | 5dbe3f4e8a6c35c43ab512de5244dda2e21ddf8a | New York (CNN) -- When President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990, he addressed concerns the sweeping civil rights law would be ''too vague or costly, or may lead endlessly to litigation.'' Bush tried to reassure Americans his administration and Congress were ''committed to containing the costs that may be incurred.'' Borrowing from President Reagan's Berlin Wall speech from a few years earlier, Bush said, ''Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.'' Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, an original sponsor of the legislation, introduced a resolution last week saluting the people who helped bring the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. "Twenty years ago, we heard testimony from Americans who had to crawl on their hands and knees to go up a flight of stairs; who couldn't ride on a bus because there wasn't a lift; who couldn't even cross the street in their wheelchairs because there were no curb cuts,'' the resolution said. "The ADA has broken down barriers, created opportunities and transformed lives." Amazing success fueled by act of discrimination . But the sweeping law, which regulates employment practices, federal and local programs, transportation, public accommodations and commercial facilities, remains a ripe source of news, legal action and popular debate. Pressured by court rulings, settlements or conscience, organizations and companies big and small regularly make modest or multimillion dollar changes to their buildings and business practices. In the past week, Los Angeles International Airport said it installed five grassy ''relief stations'' for travelers with guide dogs. The facilities include bowls and fake fire hydrants. In Virginia, The Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union, which owns and maintains George Washington's estate, promised the Justice Department it will modify Mount Vernon's main walkway, build a less steep entry ramp and make exhibitions more useful to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and low-vision visitors. In the same week, the department also said Blockbuster will train employees to ensure people with service animals have full and equal access to its more than 3,000 stores. As the anniversary approached, an internet chat board sampling turned up countless positive comments but also many critical ones. ''ADA laws have been interpreted, reinterpreted and misinterpreted so many times that unfortunately nobody has a final answer until you end up in court,'' one posting complained. On plumbingzone.com, a forum for plumbers, a comment poked fun at requirements for urinal heights in public restrooms, saying, ''Listen, a handicapped person ain't gonna use a urinal to begin with.'' On another site, a post by a self-described business owner says, "I spent thousands of dollars complying with the ADA laws. I then get a letter in the mail from someone that is disabled that came into my establishment notifying me of all my violations.'' ''One was that the toilet paper dispenser in the restroom was three inches off the required ADA position,'' the posting said. "What disabled person goes around with a tape measure? I could smell a lawsuit and immediately fixed all the minor items.'' ''While I understand the idea behind the law, it is definitely not being used as it was intended.'' According to the Census Bureau, 54 million Americans have a disability. That's almost one in five people. More than three million 15 years or older use a wheelchair. To coincide with the anniversary of the act, the Vehicle Production Group, a Florida-based specialty automaker, announced the MV-1, which it calls the first entirely wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Slated to sell for about $40,000 at base price, the minivan ''features a deployable access ramp with a 1,200-pound weight capacity, a spacious 36-inch entryway and a roomy interior that seats up to six people comfortably,'' the company's news release said. | Disabilities law marks 20th anniversary Monday; it's criticized for its cost, litigation .
It's credited with smashing barriers, creating opportunities, transforming lives .
Web chat boards poke fun at required Americans with Disabilities Act projects .
One in five Americans are disabled; more than three million 15 or older use wheelchairs . |
199,697 | 8e84c6b8c39dc7648918f19c72ff167bf2b57388 | By . Meghan Keneally . It has been revealed that the elderly woman whose nursing home ordered in a stripper had also arranged a trip to Hooters for their male residents. The drama over the decision by supervisors at a Long Island nursing home to allow a male stripper to put on a show came after they reportedly took a host of the male residents to a local Hooters. No further details about the Hooters trip have been revealed but TMZ alleges that it prompted some resentment from the female residents, which led to the September 2012 show. Risky business: The son of Bernice Youngblood (seen putting money in a stripper's underwear) was shocked when he arrived at her nursing home in Long Island to find this picture from a September 2012 strip show . A lawyer for the nursing home said that a 16-member resident committee had requested the September 2012 performance and the nursing home paid the $250 fee. TMZ claims that a now-dead female member of the committee was the one to push the stripper proposal through their voting process. Lawyer Howard Fensterman said that in spite of the lawsuit's claims that the strip tease defiled Bernice Youngblood, the 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient pictured tucking dollar bills in the stripper's underwear, she was not the only one enjoying the plaintiff in the lawsuit, was not the only one who was happy about the event. 'They welcomed it, and it looks like they had a good time,' the nursing home's attorney told The New York Post. Terrible and ashamed: Mrs. Youngblood (pictured) attended a dual press conference Tuesday in front of the facility and she said she felt 'terrible' and 'ashamed' Claim: The lawsuit filed against East Neck Nursing Home (pictured) said that Mrs Youngblood has been 'defiled' by the striptease incident . The salacious event came to light when one of Mrs Youngblood's sons found a picture of her with the stripper among her belongings. The family complained not only about the striptease show, but about the fact that Mrs Youngblood's money was supposed to be locked safely away. They held a press conference outside the home Tuesday, which the woman's son Franklin Youngblood attended. He said he immediately went to a nursing supervisor for an explanation after finding the photo. The lawsuit claims the nurse attempted to snatch the photo from him. Outraged: The Youngblood family listen during the Tuesday press conference. Bernice's son Franklin Youngblood (center) says a nursing home employee tried snatching the photo when he first found it in January 2013 . Attorney John Ray, representing the Youngbloods points to the photograph with his cane during the news conference. Ray says the elderly woman's money was supposed to be under lock and key . The suit said: ‘Plaintiff Bernice Youngblood was placed in apprehension of imminent, offensive, physical harm, as she was confused and bewildered as to why a muscular, almost nude man, was approaching her and placing his body and limbs, over [her] and directing [her] to place her hands about and upon his body, including his genital area, without [her] consent.' It continued: ‘Hiring male strippers to perform for the defendant’s nursing-home patients was a serial occurrence. ‘Bernice Youngblood has lived 85 years as a traditional Baptist, hard-working, lady... And now she has been defiled.' Fensterman said the East Neck Nursing Center's management reserves the right to reject a request by the residents' committee, particularly if the activity were deemed detrimental. 'But in this instance these are adults who wanted to have this activity, they requested it, they voted on it and the nursing home approved of it,' he said. | East Neck Nursing Center is being sued for 'defiling' one of its residents but their lawyer says a group of residents voted to hire the stripper .
Strip show came after the female residents began complaining about how the male residents had been taken to a nearby Hooters .
The racy exploits of the Long Island, New York nursing home came to light when a son of a resident found a picture of his mother with the stripper .
Lawsuit said his mother feared 'physical harm' during striptease .
The 85-year-old woman suffers from dementia and has had three strokes . |
110,977 | 1b1b97ae11def9bc6511881164f9818b24a491fd | Eliza Houghton returned to her car late on Tuesday night after working hard all day and spotted that someone had crashed into her Hyundai Getz parked at the train station. Then she spotted a note tucked under the windscreen wiper and assumed that the person who had crashed into her vehicle had done the right thing and left their details. But this was not the case for the radio producer, who had parked her car outside Geelong station, south of Melbourne. Instead, Ms Houghton, who works for Tom Elliot's Drive show on Melbourne station 3AW, returned to her car to find a very 'insulting' note left on it. Scroll down for video . This offensive letter was left on Eliza Houghton's car while it was parked at Geelong Station on Tuesday . 'Sorry I dont (sic) have insurance - damaged your car you look rich enough to fix it yourself,' the rude letter read, which was posted to Twitter by Elliot on Wednesday afternoon. Houghton described the letter to Daily Mail Australia as 'pathetic' and the person who left it as a 'jerk'. Houghton described the note as 'pathetic' and said she couldn't believe people would do something like that . 'I got back to my car after work last night and saw this jerk had left me a message', she said. Although there was no missing mirrors or doors, the culprit left an array of dents and scratches on the producer's car. 'It would have been nice if they'd left their details, but there are these types of people in the world', Houghton said. She works on Tom Elliot's Drive radio show on 3AW in Melbourne, who shared the note on Twitter . 'Who does that!' she added. As for the accusation that her car made her look 'rich', Houghton laughed and said she drives and old Hyundai Getz. 'It's not really a car that I would imagine a 'rich' person would drive,' she said. Despite the note's claims that she was 'rich', Eliza Houghton drives a humble Hyundai Getz . | Eliza Houghton found the message on her car on Tuesday evening .
The radio producer left her car parked at Geelong station while at work .
She described the culprit as 'pathetic' and a 'jerk'
The letter writer said she looked 'rich' and she could pay for the damage .
Houghton said she didn't know how her old Hyandai Getz made it seem that way . |
255,795 | d714e6c59943c73516b2bbce206dabb826964bb0 | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 10:33 EST, 7 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:41 EST, 7 November 2013 . A teenage motorcyclist who repeatedly flicked a V-sign at the same speed camera as he roared past at double the speed limit has been banned from the road for a year. Luke Weeks brazenly mocked police by making the rude gesture at cameras, believing he could not be caught because his licence plate was not visible. But eventually police had so many images of him racing past the camera that they were able to track him down and arrest him. Ban: Luke Weeks has been barred from driving after repeatedly flashing a V-sign at speed cameras . Medway magistrates heard that the 19-year-old was caught speeding 19 times by the same speed camera in Dartford, Kent between May 27 and August 27 this year. He was travelling at speeds up to 60mph in a 30mph zone, and added to the danger by taking his hands off the handlebars and making rude gestures at the camera. Weeks was apparently confident that he would get away with it because the camera faced the front of his bike and so could not read the licence plate on the rear. Cases such as this one have prompted campaigners to call for motorbikes to have compulsory licence plates on the front and back, like cars. Dangerous: At one point Weeks was shown with no hands on the bike even as he was carrying a passenger . The court heard that Weeks had two motorbikes, a Honda CB 250 and a Suzuki SV 650 SY, on which he raced through his home town. Magistrates were told that he rode with 'no hands... and made offensive gestures even with a pillion passenger holding onto him'. Weeks pleaded guilty to 19 counts of speeding and three counts of careless driving, and was fined £10 for each of the speeding offences, as well as £125 in court costs. He was also banned from driving for a year, and ordered to take an extended driving test. Repeat offender: Weeks, 19, was caught speeding 19 times by a single camera in Dartford, Kent . Katherine Meehan of the Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership said: 'The safety camera is there to reduce the number of crashes and casualties within the signed area, and is regularly visited by a safety camera van to further try to reduce speeding along this stretch of road. 'Mr Weeks posed a serious threat to himself, his passenger and other road users. Fortunately a collision did not occur on these occasions. 'Thankfully the majority of young riders do not display this behaviour, however in the past three years in our county there were 546 collisions involving 16- to 19-year-olds on motorcycles.' | Luke Weeks, 19, repeatedly flicked V-sign at speed cameras in Dartford .
He thought he'd get away with it because licence plate could not be seen .
But teenager has now been banned from driving for a year . |
283,510 | fb3edc4220d0ef9aec116ef4d8b477f4d49c0349 | Occupy Wall Street protesters have begun to squabble over money with some demanding a reported $500,000 the movement has in its bank be shared more equally. And with the cold weather beginning to take a firm grip on New York City, doubts have been raised as to whether the anti-corporation demonstration can make it through the winter. It has also emerged that Zuccotti Park, the focus of the protest since it begun on September 17, is providing an alluring home for vagrants, at the same time as those within the movement cautioned against spreading the demonstration too thinly. The beat goes on: Paxton Gearity, age four from Ossining, New York joins demonstrators with Occupy Wall Street continue their protest at Zuccotti Park in New York today . Protesters of all ages: Malka, age 5, joined demonstrations today . If you need some, take some: Protesters are falling out over the allotment of nearly $500,000 worth of donations . Ironic? News of a fallout over money seems to run in contrast with the anti-corporation ethos of the Occupy Wall Street movement . Bedding down: The increasingly cold winter weather is also a cause for concern for protesters, who are not allowed to erect tents . Yet given Occupy Wall Street's (OWS) anti-establishment ethos, the main worry for the hundreds camped out in New York's financial district will be the battle over money. Donations are pouring in, but gripes over how that money is spent is threatening to split the protesters apart. A Finance Committee has been set up to deal with cashflow, and assign it to working collectives with the movement so essential items can be bought. But those denied funds are getting angry. For example, a set of drums was vandalised one night last week, however the Finance Committee has refused a request for $8,000 to replace them. 'F**k Finance. I hope Mayor Bloomberg gets an injunction and demands to see the movement’s books,' Bryan Smith, a 45-year-old protester who joined OWS from Los Angeles three weeks ago told the New York Post. 'We need to know how much money we really have and where it’s going.' Mr Smith, who works in TV production, is a member of the Comfort Working Group, which is charged with finding out what basic necessities campers need, such as thermal underwear, and then raising money by asking for donations on the street, the New York Post reported. Working groups: A number of groups have been set up with defined purposes, but some are getting annoyed at requests for money being turned down . Tents please: A petition is underway to push for tents to be allowed at Zuccotti Park, but Mayor Bloomberg is resistant to relaxing the laws. Tarpaulin sheets must make do instead . Advice: On-site nurses are telling people to stay wrapped up and dry, words which this little pooch has heeded . 'The other day, I took in $2,000. I kept $650 for my group, and gave the rest to Finance, he told the paper. 'Then I went to them with a request - so many people need things, and they should not be going without basic comfort items - and I was told to fill out paperwork. Paperwork! Are they the government now? 'We need winter gear, shoes, socks. I could spend $10,000 alone for backpacks people need. We raise all this money. Where is it?' One rainy night last week, someone stabbed holes in many of the protesters' drums with a knife, Elijah Moses told the New York Post. The 19-year-old, a founder of the Pulse Working Group, asked for $8,000 to replace the drums, and build a small shed to lock them up. 'They said no - they turned us down. I’m really frustrated,' he told the paper. Haven for the homeless: There are reports of vagrants moving to Zuccotti park in New York because of community feel and free food . Pete Dutro, 36, a Brooklyn tattoo artist studying a master's in finance and sits on the Finance Committee, said big purchases can't get the green light straight away. 'We don’t have the power for that. They have to go to the General Assembly. If it's approved, we pay out that amount and make sure everything is accounted for,' he told the New york Post. The funding fight emerged as a number of protesters voiced concerns over the coming freezing temperatures - as tents are forbidden. At night, the several hundred people who sleep on site in the financial district currently huddle together using plastic tarps, sleeping bags and emergency blankets. But the worst is yet to come. 'So far, we have been extremely blessed,' Cynthia Villarreal, who has slept at Zuccotti for 18 days, told AFP. Zuccotti Park has so far experienced only a handful of rainy days, while at night, temperatures are still above freezing. However New York winters often see temperatures drop below 14F (-10C) and some are beginning to worry. 'The cold affects us already,' Maria Fehlig, a volunteer nurse at the protesters' makeshift infirmary, told AFP. Soaked: Rainy nights have so far been few, but Russell Brand got caught in a shower last Wednesday, and weather is expected to worsen . She described how there had been several cases of hypothermia and respiratory problems. An online petition is asking New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to allow protesters to erect tents on the plaza, though it has not yet been sent. Its chances of success seem slim, though, with Mr Bloomberg saying earlier this week: 'The Constitution doesn't protect tents, it protects speech and assembly.' But Ms Fehlig, who has been teaching protesters basic methods for battling the cold, insisted that they formed 'a determined group that plans to stay until it changes.' She is informing demonstrators to stay dry, wear hats, layers of clothing and good pairs of socks and gloves, AFP reported. Meanwhile the New York Daily News has reported a growing number of homeless people are flocking to the site, as it provides a safe, community environment, along with free food. 'I think this is a better situation to be involved with,' 49-year-old Matthew Maloney, who was released from prison last month and spent time in a Staten Island shelter, told the New York Daily News. 'I am around a good cause and around positive people, rather than in that other environment,' Maloney, who has drifted in and out of the state prison system for more than three decades for a variety of crimes, including robbery and possession of stolen property, told the paper. Bronx couple Yvette Vigo and Orlando Nieves told the Daily News they were forced into a shelter a year ago when they could no longer afford rent. 'I feel safer out here than I did in a shelter,' Ms Vigo, 45, said. 'It's a big area with a lot of kind people.' Organisers yesterday put up a large flat-screen TV in Zuccotti Park for a movie night in an effort to attract new recruits following a lacklustre showing at a police-brutality event in Union Square which attracted only 50 participants. | Finance Committee set up to deal with donations of nearly a million dollars .
But some demonstrators are angry at how the money is being allocated .
Temperatures expected to plummet with forecasts of falling protesters .
Campers in Zuccotti Park create petition to push for tents to be allowed . |
61,875 | afc3503c2ba8eeafb6b1a39e47439434e5413348 | UYUNI, Bolivia (Reuters) -- On the edge of the world's biggest salt desert, villagers optimistically scrawl "salt for sale" signs on their mud brick homes. In backyards, mountains of the stuff are heaped like year-round snow drifts. The sparse beauty of Bolivia's Salar di Uyuni is attracting growing numbers of tourists. But mining salt is no longer the only way to survive in this cold, arid corner of southwestern Bolivia. The Salar de Uyuni is becoming a must-see for adventurous visitors to South America, changing at least some fortunes in the poor village of Colchani. "There's nothing here apart from salt... Tourists used to arrive and they wouldn't buy anything, so we thought, 'How can we improve things?"' said Fermin Villca, who now sells ashtrays and llama figurines carved from salt stone. Stretched between distant Andean peaks like a shimmering white carpet, the Salar de Uyuni is home to pink flamingos, 1,000-year-old cacti, rare hummingbirds and hotels built entirely from blocks of salt. Earlier this year, leading travel publisher Rough Guides listed the Salar as one of its top 25 wonders of the world, alongside far better-known attractions such as the Taj Mahal, Grand Canyon and Great Wall of China. And word is spreading. At least 60,000 tourists visited the roughly 4,250-square-mile salt flat last year, and local officials say their numbers are steadily rising. Apart from freezing night temperatures and fierce desert sun, visitors have to brave a grueling journey on unpaved roads to reach the Salar, which lies about 185 miles south of the capital La Paz near the Chilean border. Some 40,000 years ago, it was part of a lake that covered a large swath of the Andean highlands. The moon-like landscapes of the salt desert are part of what was left when it dried up. In the nearby town of Uyuni, residents and local officials have ambitious plans for its future as a hub for tourism, which has fast overtaken llama-herding and quinua-farming as the impoverished region's main economic activity. At the recent start of a road-building scheme to link Uyuni with the city of Potosi, the provincial governor said he wanted Uyuni to be "the world's top tourist city" with the help of the highway and new attractions such as a llama museum. Even before the road has been paved, some officials have also proposed the construction of a high-speed railway using profits from the region's revitalized silver-mining industry. But with frequent power cuts, a lack of drinking water and only basic hotels, they admit they have a long way to go. "There's no center to deal with the garbage. The wind blows and all the garbage ends up back in town," said Martin Calvimontes from the non-governmental organization Inagro, which is trying to promote better practice in tourism. For tourists who want to stay on the Salar itself, there are several hotels made from salt bricks -- beds, chairs and cocktail bars included. "People want to test it's really made of salt by licking the walls," said Raul Garcia, a workmen building a new salt hotel, as he crammed coca leaves into mouth. "They're very impressed when they see that it's all made from salt." The view from the hotel's windows is flat whiteness, fringed by the peaks of mountains on the horizon beneath a bright blue sky. The silence of the Salar is only broken by the occasional tour group speeding by in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Uyuni tourism director Ovidio Copa expects twice as many tourists to be visiting the Salar within five years as word of its otherworldly beauty gets out. "The Salar has the ability to captivate people with its silence and tranquility," he said, sitting before the towering cacti of one of the salt flat's islands. "Its intrinsic beauty is the attraction." E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | Salar di Uyuni, the world's biggest salt flat, attracting growing numbers of tourists .
Bolivian wilderness described as one of world's 25 wonders by Lonely Planet .
60,000 tourists visited last year; numbers expected to double within five years . |
16,507 | 2ed542efc4eef8f2521c0c9e113eb2e0dfef8584 | The BBC is no longer the 'bastion' of correct English on radio and television, one of its editors has admitted. Thousands of viewers and listeners now complain to the corporation every year saying its once-high standards of grammar and pronunciation have slipped. Ian Jolly, who is the BBC newsroom's 'style editor', conceded his presenters and reporters repeatedly make basic errors, such as confusing the word 'historic' with 'historical' and using the term 'chair' when they mean 'chairman' or 'chairwoman'. Ian Jolly, who is the BBC newsroom's 'style editor', conceded his presenters and reporters repeatedly make basic errors, such as confusing the word 'historic' with 'historical' Following recent criticisms that presenters are also mispronouncing the letter 'H', he called on the BBC's senior management to prioritise efforts to make the corporation a linguistic 'standard bearer' once more. Appearing on Radio 4's Feedback, he said: 'There are thousands of people who get in touch with us every year because of our output on radio and television and on the internet. So they do care. 'And the thing that people often point out is that they look to the BBC to uphold standards. So I do think that we used to be a standard bearer in these matters. 'Whether that’s the case now I’m not so sure. I would love to see someone at the top of the BBC take up the challenge and put the emphasis back on the quality of our language so we can once again be a leader for the people who look to us. 'They think the BBC is the bastion and I would like to see us back at that position.' Mr Jolly was asked to respond to a string of complaints received in the past week by Feedback. One listener, Stuart Grist, contacted the programme to complain about BBC reports into the resignations of Fiona Woolf and Baroness Butler-Sloss from the Government's sex abuse inquiry. He said: 'The other day it was reported that the child abuse enquiry had lost two chairs. Today we were told that two chairs had stepped down. Whatever next, "chairs found legless"? Or worse, "two chairs table motions"?' Following recent criticisms that presenters are also mispronouncing the letter 'H', he called on the BBC's senior management to prioritise efforts to make the corporation a linguistic 'standard bearer' once more . Mr Jolly agreed it was incorrect to describe somebody as a 'chair' rather than a 'chairman' or 'chairwoman'. He added: 'I think it’s one of the side effects of what we like to call political correctness. But I don’t really see the need for it and we don’t advocate using it. We think if a man’s a chairman, he’s a chairman. A woman’s a chairwoman. 'If you know the gender of a person then there are quite good options there.' Another listener complained about the repeated confusion of the word 'historic', which should be used to describe an important event, and 'historical', which simply means an event took place in the past. He said newspapers, police forces and even the judiciary have also made the same error, adding: 'So it is one of those phrases that has seeped into our consciousness. We never used to use it and now we are not sure which it should be and tend to get it wrong. ' Mr Jolly said he 'occasionally' tells off presenters for making grammatical mistakes, but said listeners and viewers should be more understanding of errors that creep into live broadcasts. He said: 'The BBC produces hundreds of hours of broadcasting every day, much of it live. Not every word is perfect. We would be concerned if writers were getting things wrong. 'I think we have to allow staff a little bit of leeway in the live broadcasting that makes up so much of our output.' Last month, the BBC was criticised by the Queen's English Society for allowing presenters including Sara Cox and Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw to say 'haitch' instead of 'aitch' when referring to the letter 'H'. It said such mistakes marked the beginning of a 'slippery slope', but the BBC said it was proud of the 'range of voices' across its programmes. | Thousands now complain to the corporation every year over grammar .
Ian Jolly, who is the BBC newsroom's 'style editor', conceded his presenters and reporters repeatedly make basic errors .
They often confuse the words 'historic' with 'historical' and use the term 'chair' when they mean 'chairman' or 'chairwoman' |
47,936 | 874cf147b8685a49700354a4e57d8c3b22b32476 | By . Dan Bloom . PUBLISHED: . 15:40 EST, 11 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:42 EST, 11 March 2014 . The main railway line from London to Cornwall will re-open within weeks after millions of pounds were spent rebuilding a section of track which swept into the sea. Three hundred engineers have used 5,000 tonnes of concrete, 150 tonnes of steel, scaffolding bridges and long stretches of cable to repair the track in the Devon town of Dawlish, which bore the brunt of the fierce storms which battered Britain last month. Photos show dramatic progress on the 100m stretch of track, where workmen have had to build a new sea wall, lay new track and demolish and rebuild an entire platform at Dawlish station after a storm surge left the railway dangling over the sea. Mammoth project: The cost of rebuilding the railway line through the Devon town of Dawlish is thought to be around £15m after it was swept into the sea . Hard at work: More than 300 engineers have been tasked to work on the two-month project, using more than 5,000 tonnes of concrete and 150 tonnes of steel . Then and now: Left, the section of track which was left dangling over the sea on February 5 in stormy weather; right, workers in the sunshine as the repairs move on . Devastated: How the worst-affected section of track looked on February 6. The collapse destroyed part of a house which was perched on the seafront near the line . Repairs: The same area on February 27 after workers made a temporary sea wall using shipping containers full of stones and poured concrete into the gap . Rail chiefs hoped to re-open the line this month, but had to put the date back to mid-April as the project slipped behind schedule. Now, however, they have brought the date forward two weeks and say it will re-open on April 4. It will be welcome news to the thousands of commuters who will have been stranded on replacement buses and coaches for two months. Immediately after the track collapsed some passengers were forced to pay double because the rail firm which runs services on the line withdrew all its advance tickets, which come at a heavy discount. Amid a fierce backlash, First Great Western was forced to deny 'profiteering' and the next day introduced a 25 per cent discount for all its more expensive on-the-day fares. Despite the gesture traders in Devon and Cornwall have claimed the works have cost the South West's tourist economy more than £1million a day. Battering: Waves smash against the seafront in Dawlish on the morning after a storm surge washed away the sea wall under a 100m stretch of railway track . Mess: Workers arrived soon after the track was left dangling in mid-air, but had to continue battling storms which damaged the sea wall for more than a week afterwards . Damage: While the hole in the sea wall was the biggest in Dawlish, several other parts of the historic railway designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel were damaged . The repair work is reportedly costing £15million but Network Rail has refused to confirm its estimate for the final cost of the project. A spokesman told MailOnline only that it would run into 'millions of pounds'. The spokesman said: 'Network Rail is acutely aware of the value of the railway to the economy of the south west of England and has been working closely with local authorities, business groups and transport providers in and around Dawlish to ensure that disruption is minimised. 'Restoring this vital asset in time for the busy school holiday period will provide a welcome boost to the regional economy as business and tourism return to South Devon and Cornwall.' Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin added: 'I saw for myself the scale of the damage to the line at Dawlish caused by the recent exceptionally bad weather. Today’s confirmation that the line should now be back in operation before the Easter holidays will be a real boost for local communities and businesses. 'I know that Network Rail staff have been working tirelessly to get the line up and running as soon as possible. I would like to thank everyone for their hard work so far.' Spray: The storms continued for more than a week after the collapse but workers were already on site, as shown in this photo from February 9 . Sea view: Network Rail released a series of photos showing how work has progressed on the site of the disaster. This one is dated February 12 . Romantic walk on the beach: Works continued on February 14, Valentine's Day, when this photo was taken. Huge shipping containers formed a temporary wall . Damage: Work continues on February 19. The project is costing an estimated £15m and more repairs will be needed to secure the sea wall in the future . Just keep digging: Workers on the seafront on February 26. The route is more than 150 years old and was opened as a channel from London to the south west . Progress: This photo, also taken on February 26, shows how work on the sea wall has progressed since much of it was swept away . Landslips: Workers on the line on March 5. Several landslips in more than a week of storms pushed the work behind schedule amid protests from Cornwall businesses . More work will have to be done on the line to safeguard it against future storms once the railway has been reopened, with the final cost yet to be confirmed. The Army and Royal Marines were called in to help with emergency repairs after the track gave way on the night of February 4. It had already been closed for safety reasons after heavy waves and a storm surge were predicted. More than a week of storms badly damaged a 3.7 mile section between Dawlish and Teignmouth - with other breaches at Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth and five landslips near the famous Smugglers’ Cove. The route is more than 150 years old, and . was designed by the engineering legend Isambard Kingdom Brunel to take . tourists to the south west from London. Sunny at last: Workers in Dawlish have finally been able to bask in warm weather, which has helped push the re-opening of the line ahead of schedule . Tuesday 4 February . Forecasts warn of six-metre waves and at 3.15pm the line through Dawlish is closed to trains, with staff withdrawn to 'safe locations'. The storm continues through Wednesday as engineers arrive on site to begin repairs. Thursday 6 February . Work begins on demolishing what is left of the battered railway. Rails and sleepers spanning the hole in the sea wall are cut off and removed. A ramp into the hole is constructed for access. Sunday 9 February . A row of shipping containers is put in place and filled with rubble to provide a breakwater for the workmen, who spray quick-drying concrete on sections that need urgent repairing between each high tide. Wednesday 12 February . Workers create scaffolding and a cable bridge to access parts of the site which have been cut off. Friday 14 February . Another sea surge swamps the Dawlish cost during the night, damaging the 10-tonne shipping containers forming the temporary sea wall. Further sections of the old sea wall are destroyed - making the hole a third bigger - and another section of the wall breaks away near Dawlish Warren. Wednesday 26 February . The storms have finally blown over. Track begins to be built for the area near Dawlish station as the platform is rebuilt and some of the 5,000 tonnes of concrete continue to set into a new sea wall. Thursday 27 February . Rail bosses announce they have finished filling the hole with concrete. Monday 10 March . The new platform nears completion as new sleepers are installed between Dawlish Warren and the main hole. Within days workers start the process of laying new tracks at the site. | More than 300 engineers have used 5,000 tonnes of concrete in repair work on the coast of Dawlish, Devon .
The main London to Cornwall rail line collapsed on the night of February 4 as waves battered the seafront .
Original re-opening date in mid-March was pushed back a month when rail chiefs admitted their task was enormous .
It has now been brought forward again to April 4 with a final cost rumoured to be £15m - and much more to tourism . |
92,498 | 02f86e2fab694d7d85d1922e56ed31be8a056942 | A mystery 'storm cloud' caught on weather radar after erupting off a U.S. military missile testing ground in New Mexico has left weather experts baffled. Conspiracy theorists have speculated that the plume-like cloud, which seems to appear out of nowhere, could have been kicked up by the explosion from an unreported weapons test. Deepening the mystery, U.S. National Weather Service offices in Albuquerque and El Paso have confirmed the reading, but say they have no idea where it could have come from. The mysterious plume as it appeared on the radar at Plymouth State Weather Centre as it headed toward Cannon Air Force Base. Weather experts are baffled about where it could have come from . The plume was tracked north-east, over Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis, home of the 27th Special Operations Group, over Amarillo in north Texas and towards the Oklahoma border . The plume first appeared at sunset on Monday evening over the part of the vast White Sands Missile Range in east Socorro county, close to the 'Trinity Site' where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945. It was spotted in publicly accessible radar data by a blogger, who tracked its progress and has published his findings in two YouTube videos and a blog post. He showed how the Weather Channel's storm identification system had detected the plume as a strong storm cell which seemingly emerged out of nowhere on a clear night. A second view of the plume, on the College of DuPage's NeXt Generation Weather Lab service, showed how it appeared to burst out of a small point, like the aftermath of a massive explosion. The plume was tracked north-east, over Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis, home of the 27th Special Operations Group, over Amarillo in north Texas and towards the Oklahoma border, where it appeared to dissipate. A closer look at the whereabouts of the beginning of the apparent weather event showed that it emerged from the White Sands Missile Range, a site which extends to some 3,200 sq/miles across New Mexico that is used as a proving ground for the U.S. military's ballistic missiles. In its previous incarnation as the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range, the site played host to the 'Trinity' test of the world's first atomic bomb on July 16, 1945. In that test scientists from the Manhattan Project exploded a 20 kiloton plutonium bomb of the same kind as the Fat Man device that was a month later dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing 40,000 people instantly. There is as yet no evidence of a nuclear explosion. The U.S. has not officially tested any atomic weapons since signing the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1992. The Trinity Site, where the world's first atomic bomb was detonated in July 1945, which is close to the source of the unexplained plume on the White Sands Missile Range . The Trinity test explosion pictured 0.016 seconds after detonation. The 20 kiloton plutonium bomb was of the same kind as the Fat Man device that was a month later dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki . Nevertheless the bizarre 'weather' event's appearance over a military site has led to speculation that some kind of massive weapon has been exploded at white sands, propelling a huge amount of particulate debris into the atmosphere. With the Carrizozo volcanic field just east of the site, another possible explanation could that a volcanic eruption - which has gone unreported for whatever reason - could be the source of the plume. There have been been no eyewitness reports or photographs of the plume, and no official statements from agencies involved in either missile testing or geology. Weather experts told KOB Eyewitness News 4 that they have no idea what it could be. So, whatever the source of the reading, the consensus appears to be that it was not weather related. | There is speculation that the cloud could be the result of a weapons test .
But the U.S. has not done A-bomb tests since the Test Ban Treaty in 1992 .
Plume originated from White Sands Missile Range in Socorro county . |
213,369 | a04f998fd9cc2dbfe9d1deee52302a72c73b9ec7 | An estranged wife has alleged her former husband has taken two expensive paintings from their luxury apartment. Lydia Astill claims the most substantial item allegedly taken from the property by her husband, Cameron, is the Brett Whiteley painting 'Interior with Bull-Bull Egg Sculpture. The affluent Gold Coast couple, who are believed to own several exclusive properties together, are now embroiled in a bitter battle over the artworks. Ms Astill has told police the couple had yet to decide who would claim the paintings from one of Australia's most influential artists, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported. The Brett Whitely painting titled Interior with Bull-Bull Egg Sculpture: Lydia Astill alleges it was stolen from her luxury apartment . Brett Whiteley in his studio in 1965: Whiteley is one of the most revered artists in Australia, having twice won the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes . Ms Astill claimed her husband used his keys to slip back into the apartment the couple once shared and take the artworks. Brett Whiteley is considered one of the most important and influential artists in Australia since World War Two. He won numerous art prizes before his death at 53 from a heroin overdose. Last year, Whiteley's painting My Armchair sold for $3.2 million, making it the the all time second highest price for an Australian painting. Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Des Lacy told The Gold Coast Bulletin: 'It appears to be a civil dispute and the fact is you can't steal your own property,' Mr Lacy said. 'They were husband and wife and it seems likely this will be determined by their lawyers.' Ms Astill was unavailable for comment at the time of publication. | Lydia Astill alleges her estranged husband Cameron took several paintings from their luxury apartment .
One of the allegedly stolen artworks is Brett Whiteley's picture titled Interior with Bull-Bull Egg Sculpture .
The affluent couple are yet to divide their assets .
Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Des Lacy says: 'The fact is you can't steal your own property' |
251,434 | d173cc648cc66a419e981f17b3d4c49512408ba6 | By . Paul Donnelley . A village has unveiled a new bus shelter - despite having NO bus services there for the past six years. The smart new concrete structure was specially built for the people of Bissoe, Cornwall for free by a generous local construction firm. However anyone who uses it faces a long wait as the last bus stopped in the village in 2008. Grateful residents hope the new shelter will be a sign that their old service could one day be restored. The Cornish village of Bissoe, near Truro, has been given a new bus shelter despite having no bus service . Simon Lucas, the production manager at Cornish Concrete Products, said that his company was just doing its bit for the local community. He said: ‘The old bus shelter was falling down and we thought it was starting to become a bit of a hazard. ‘We approached the council and asked if we could provide a new one for nothing. ‘They agreed but said it would have to be similar to the old one, so we made one the same size but carved the word Bissoe into the front of it. ‘There’s no real focal point to the village when people come here, so we thought this would mark it out. ‘We are aware there are no buses coming here at the moment but we’d like to hope that the new shelter might encourage them to come back. ‘It would certainly help us if they did, as it would help our employees to get to work more easily if there was a bus service.’ Villagers launched a Facebook campaign last year begging bus companies to divert the region’s services so they stop in Bissoe - but their pleas have so far gone unanswered. Local resident Nicholas Richards said: ‘It’s nice that Cornish Concrete Products have done it out of goodwill and it’s nice the way that they have done it. ‘But it seems quite ironic that we have this new shelter but no bus services.’ | Local firm generously replaced 'shabby' shelter for Bissoe, Cornwall .
There has not been a bus stopping there since 2008 .
Locals have started Facebook page begging bus company to reroute service to their village near Truro . |
176,584 | 709bd19f6eb251f79c37eae00ad56b63e63989ea | Muhammad Ali was released from hospital on Friday ahead of his 73th birthday celebrations . Muhammad Ali has been released from hospital and is in good spirits ahead of his birthday on Saturday. A spokesman for the champion boxer said that he 'looks forward to celebrating his 73rd birthday tomorrow'. Ali had been admitted to hospital for the second time in four weeks after he was found in an unresponsive state by guests staying at his Scottsdale, Arizona home. The former champion boxer needed follow-up care related to the severe urinary tract infection he was hospitalized with on December 20. 'There were still issues with the urinary tract infection,' spokesman Bob Gunnell said of Ali's latest hospitalization. The three-time world heavyweight champion was now heading home to celebrate his 73rd birthday on January 17 with his family and friends. 'My daddy is a strong man. He's so resilient and we're all very grateful and blessed,' daughter Rasheda Ali-Walsh, one of his nine children, said earlier this week. Ali, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, was diagnosed with the brain disease about three years after he retired from boxing in 1981. Ali's public appearances have diminished in recent years as he continues to battle Parkinson's disease, but he still enjoys getting out and watching sports and visiting friends. Ali appeared in public in September at a ceremony in his hometown of Louisville for the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards. He did not speak to the crowd but posed for photos with award winners, including former NFL great Jim Brown. Brown leaned over and whispered to the seated Ali during the photo session. Later, Brown said he told Ali: 'You're the greatest of all time.' Ali and his wife, Lonnie, have homes in Paradise Valley, Arizona; Berrien Springs, Michigan; and in Louisville. Ali's daughter Rasheda Ali-Walsh, one of his nine children, told TMZ in November that her father was being treated at a hospital in his home state of Kentucky . 'Greatest of all time': Ali, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, was diagnosed with the brain disease about three years after he retired from boxing in 1981. At left, he's pictured at after beating Sonny Liston to gain the heavyweight title in February 1964 . | Muhammad Ali was on his way home in Scottsdale, Arizona today .
He had been suffering from a recurring urinary tract infection .
He was looking forward to celebrating his birthday with family and friends, a spokesman said on Friday . |
73,666 | d0dd99dc622e3ef4233b2e7f4b4495829117f9ec | Two former schoolgirl friends are getting married after one of them had a sex change to become a man - and they are now expecting a child. Toni Harper, 22, met Sean Horton, 25, through friends when they were aged 12 and 15 and he was a blonde girl called Sian. They became good friends and Sean 'came out' to Toni after years of torment about his gender and sexuality. Sean started hormone treatment and the pair fell in love as his voice lowered and he grew facial hair. Trainee mechanic Sean is just one operation away from the end of his treatment and the couple will tie the knot next month after winning a wedding in a competition. Scroll down for video . Childhood sweethearts: Toni Harper and Sean Horton became friends at school when Sean was a blonde-haired girl called Sian - they are now set to be married after Sean underwent a sex change . Before and after: Sean Horton (right, aged 25) grew up as a blonde girl named Sian (left, aged 12) First meeting: Toni was 12 years old (pictured) when she met Sean, who was then a blonde 15-year-old called Sian . The pair are also about to start a family thanks to a sperm donor and Toni is due to give birth four weeks after their wedding. Sean, from Knowle, Bristol, said: 'When I was younger I always wanted to wear boys' clothes. My mum just thought I was a Tomboy until I told her the truth. 'Now I just can't wait to be a dad. I can't wait to hear him call me "daddy".' The couple became friends while at school and grew so close that Toni was the first person Sean told that he wanted to be a man. He then later revealed his feelings to his mother Heather, 51, who fully supported her son. She said: 'He came back with a new short haircut - it was around his 16th birthday - and he ran in with a hat on and buried his head in his pillow. 'He poked his head out from under his hat and just said "this is me". It was breaking his heart, I could tell. 'I cuddled him and he said to me "you don't understand, I'm a man". Wrong skin: Sean (pictured as Sian aged 10) 'always wanted to wear boys' clothes and now aged 25 says he 'can't wait to be a dad' Love and support: Sean's mother Heather (left) has always backed his decision and the couple (pictured) are now looking forward to becoming parents themselves thanks to a sperm donor . 'Later he just came out and said it - he wanted a sex change. I said "whatever you want, we will be there for you".' The family approached their GP to find out about having a sex change and he was referred to London's Gender Identity Clinic. Sean said: 'I had to prove to [doctors] I was living as a man and my college, where I was studying mechanics, even wrote a letter to say I was considered Sean, not Sian.' After months of meeting a psychiatrist to confirm he was making the right decision, he began hormone treatment, aged 20, and met up with Toni for the first time in two years. Engaged Toni, a worker at Marks and Spencer, said: 'He suddenly had facial hair and his voice had dropped down really low - I couldn't believe it was him. 'It felt weird at first, but we started seeing each other more and more until we started going out and growing closer and closer. 'When Sean first told me, I asked him how that could be possible. It was so difficult, but I knew what was going on deep inside.' Sean had a full mastectomy and then a year later he began genital surgery - a series of four operations including one where medics took skin from his arm. 'After the first surgery I was in shock,' he said, 'But now I couldn't be happier. 'I used to dread getting dressed and seeing myself in the shower when I was a woman but now I have never felt more comfortable in my own body.' The engaged couple had artificial insemination treatment with donor sperm in a bid to get pregnant, spending £8,000 at a private clinic on three unsuccessful attempts. Family: Toni (pictured at two) said: 'It felt weird at first, but we started seeing each other more and more until we started going out and growing closer and closer' Future dreams: Sean says he always knew he was a man and is now eagerly looking forward to becoming a father . The pair also planned a wedding but put it on hold after Sean's father Martin was diagnosed with cancer. In a cruel twist of fate they got the news they could have further insemination treatment on the NHS the day Mr Horton passed away from cancer. Toni then became pregnant with the baby boy, which due on Mr and Mrs Horton's wedding anniversary. The couple are getting married next month after they won a £12,000 wedding through local paper, The Bristol Post. Excited groom Sean said: 'I believe this is fate falling on us. He wanted his first grandson as bad as we did, but when he was here we had three failed attempts. 'Then, after he passed away, we managed to get pregnant on the first attempt. We couldn't believe it. Toni said she will never forget my face when I found out.' Toni added: 'It was the longest two weeks of our life after the insemination. 'We had tried before. It had been so hard and so disappointing. But we were so relieved in the end.' | Couple from Bristol were once friends when they both girls at school .
Older girl always knew she was a man and 'came out' to her friend .
The pair then fell in love after hormone therapy and sex change operation .
They are now set to be married after previous ceremony put back .
Marks and Spencer worker bride-to-be is pregnant after sperm donation .
Trainee mechanic groom says he cannot wait to be a father . |
186,966 | 7e1f791577c616dd34f380f29aca6fb088d42574 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:49 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:05 EST, 4 November 2013 . Fresh sea bass from your local fishmonger, organic vegetables from the grocers and artisan bread from the village bakery is a foodie’s dream - but who has the time or energy to shop for that? One new delivery service, which allows users to order food online from a range of local shops and have them delivered to their door in one lot, is hoping to make that concept a reality. Hubbub - an Ocado-style delivery service for local shops - describes itself as a home delivery service on a mission to save the high-street. So how does it work? Customers log in to their website and fill up their online basket with goods from participating shops in their local area and Hubbub drivers will collect your order from each shop and deliver it to your door at your chosen time. Scroll down for video . That's handy! Hubbub is an Ocado-style delivery service for local shops that allows customers to buy food online and have it delivered to their door . The service costs £3.50 - the first order and any orders over £75 are, however, free. Marisa Leaf, a former human rights lawyer, is the brains behind the business. She came up with the idea in 2007 after working such long hours that she was forced to live off convenience food. She loved to eat well and had always been passionate about independent shops - but her lifestyle meant that, when it came to where she shopped and what she ate, she couldn’t make the choices she wanted to. So in 2008, she spent £30,000 of her own money to pilot the concept. Speaking to The Telegraph, she said: 'I kept thinking, if you could have the convenience of an online supermarket but with the quality and integrity of local shops, that would be perfect.’ Easy peasy: Shoppers log on, shop and then choose a delivery time suited to them, with the service costing £3.50 . Hubbub was officially born in January 2010 and currently delivers 4,000 products from 32 independent shops across 200 postcodes of London. Local shops such as Spice Mountain in Borough Market, Moxon’s fishmongers in south London and Giacobazzi's delicatessen in Hampstead are some of the businesses on board. Hubbub promises that its items cost the same as they would in store and Leaf charges retailers around 50 per cent of their profit on the goods. ‘Today, Hubbub is a team of 13 food-loving shop-supporting superheroes including two former chefs, a food anthropologist, a development economist, an engineer, a wannabe pop-up restaurateur, two developers with massive brains, and our dashing delivery drivers,’ writes Leaf on her website. Speaking about her customers, Leaf said they have a higher-than-average income, 'because by definition they are cash-rich and time-poor.’ ‘I don’t agree with the common assumption that high street shops cost more than the supermarket. If you stand outside the Ginger Pig [a renowned London butcher] you will see people from all walks of life, because butchers sell cuts of meat that you don’t get in supermarkets,’ she said. And Leaf is thinking big: she plans to take her foodie brainchild nationwide. On board: Local shops such as Spice Mountain in Borough Market, Moxon's fishmongers in south London and Giacobazzi's delicatessen in Hampstead are some of the businesses on board . | Hubbub is like Ocado delivery service for local shops .
Shoppers choose goods online from range of local participating shops .
Hubbub collect them and deliver to your door for £3.50 .
Launched by time-poor former human rights lawyer who could never buy food she wanted to . |
169,107 | 66c9ae5e74163cbc741c1ca3d601d85a2e87f791 | (CNN) -- It is the much-anticipated book many in football have been waiting for, while others have feared its publication. Alex Ferguson's autobiography offered the tantalizing prospect of lifting the lid on life as the manager of one of the world's biggest football clubs -- Manchester United. Ferguson retired after 27 years at Old Trafford in May, giving him time to reflect on a career which has seen the Scotsman clash with the great and the good of world football. If you don't have the time to sift through Ferguson's 400-page memoir, don't worry. CNN is here to help, with the 10 things you can't afford to miss from "Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography." Ferguson on Wayne Rooney: . Ferguson and the United staff were impressed with Rooney from a young age. "This was a man playing in under-age football," the Scot's scouting reports told him when he was a schoolboy playing for rival club Everton. United attempted to sign Rooney at the ages of 14 and 16, but on both occasions the young striker turned the Old Trafford club down, with the forward's commitment to Everton being such that the club was "in his blood," according to Ferguson. "A remarkable raw talent," is how Ferguson describes the player he finally signed in 2004, but he also labels Rooney as "not the quickest learner." Ferguson also didn't take kindly to Rooney's suggestions as to which players United might sign. Playmaker Mesut Ozil is currently delighting Arsenal fans with his sparkling form. And according to Ferguson, the German was a player Rooney thought United should have bought in 2010, before he joined Real Madrid from Werder Bremen. Ferguson told Rooney in no uncertain terms that it was "none of his business who we should have gone for." Ferguson on Roy Keane: . Roy Keane played for United between 1993 and 2005, acting as Ferguson's general and captain out on the pitch. "He was the most influential presence in the dressing room in the time we worked together," says Ferguson. "Roy took a lot of the onus off me in making sure the dressing room was operating at a high level of motivation." But Keane was fiercely critical of players who he deemed weren't committed to the United cause and as his relationship with the club fractured, it would be his undoing. The Irishman lambasted some of the team's younger players during an interview with United's MUTV television channel. "The hardest part of his body is his tongue," says Ferguson of Keane. "He had the most savage tongue you can imagine." Keane left United to sign for boyhood club Celtic, where he played 10 games before retiring in June 2006. Ferguson on David Beckham: . Both Ferguson and David Beckham bowed out of football at the end of the 2012-13 season, with the former saying "He went out at Paris Saint-Germain much as I did at United: on his own terms." Beckham left United to join Real Madrid in 2003 and Ferguson details how the relationship between the two had deteriorated. After a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in February 2003, Ferguson kicked a boot which flew towards Beckham and struck him just about his left eye. It marked the beginning of the end of Beckham's United career. Ferguson suggests Beckham became distracted by the media storm which follows him wherever he goes. "His eye was off the ball," says Ferguson. "A shame, because he could still have been at Manchester United when I left." Ferguson does praise the former England captain's tenacity and longevity, but wonders whether Beckham might live to regret swapping European football for Major League Soccer and the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. "At some point in his life, he may feel the urge to say: I made a mistake." Ferguson on Suarez/Evra affair: . One of the great controversies of Ferguson's latter years at United is the racism row which erupted between Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez, of the club's great rivals Liverpool. Suarez was hit with an eight-game ban in December 2011 for racially abusing Evra, with Ferguson highly critical of how then Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish handled the affair. Suarez refused to shake Evra's hand ahead of a match later on in the 2011-12 season, an act which drew Ferguson's ire. "A club of Liverpool's stature should have done something about that, but he played in the game all the same," recalls Ferguson. "I called Suarez a 'disgrace to Liverpool' and said they would be wise to 'get rid' of him." Blog: Can brain power improve footballers? Ferguson on England job: . The passionate Scotsman reveals he was twice offered the chance to manage the England national team, in 1999 and 2001. But it was not a job he entertained accepting for one minute. "There was no way I could contemplate taking the England job," he says. "Can you imagine me doing that? A Scotsman? "I always joked that I would take the position and relegate them: make them the 150th rated country in the world, with Scotland 149." Ferguson on Cristiano Ronaldo: . He is in no doubt that Ronaldo was "the most gifted player I managed." "He surpassed all the other great ones (players) I coached at United. And I had many," says Ferguson of the Portuguese star. Ronaldo joined Real Madrid for a then world record fee of £80 million pounds in 2009, a transfer which Ferguson describes as "a clever move by them." "It was a way for Florentino Perez, their president, to say to the world 'We are Real Madrid, we are the biggest of the lot.'" It marked the end of a two-year pursuit of Ronaldo by Real Madrid. Perez's predecessor as Real president Ramon Calderon made a bid to sign the explosive forward in 2008 which irked Ferguson, with the Scot telling Ronaldo "I'd rather shoot you than sell you to that guy now." A year later, Ronaldo was unveiled in the Spanish capital. Ferguson on Barcelona: . In 2009 and 2011, Ferguson saw his United team lose to Barcelona in European Champions League finals. Barcelona's style of play was unrivaled in Ferguson's eyes and he describes the Catalan team as "the best team ever to line up against my Manchester United sides." Ferguson reserves special praise for Lionel Messi, the four-time FIFA Ballon d'Or winner who was to become Barcelona's talisman. "The group of world-beaters who formed around Messi were formidable," declares Ferguson. "I felt no envy towards those great sides. Regrets yes, when we lost to them, but jealousy, no." Ferguson on Sven Goran Eriksson: . Ferguson first announced his intention to retire in 2001, saying he would sever all ties with United in May 2002. Eventually he performed a U-turn and signed a new contract with the club and the rest, as they say, is history. But for a large part of the 2001-02 season, United's board were trying to identify a successor to Ferguson. The man they had in mind, according to Ferguson, was then England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. "The head-hunters were due to meet a candidate to succeed me the following week," explains Ferguson. "Sven-Goran Eriksson was to be the new Manchester United manager, I believe ... I remember asking Paul Scholes one day: "Scholesy, what's Eriksson got?' but Scholesy could shed no light." Ferguson on Jose Mourinho: . When Jose Mourinho was unveiled as Chelsea manager in 2004, Ferguson suspected he could be a serious rival to United in the pursuit of major honors. "Jose was fresh in town, working for an employer with stacks of money, and with hype clearing his path," Ferguson says of the manager who arrived at Chelsea after guiding an unfancied Porto team to European Champions League glory in 2004. "(Chelsea) were much better organized than before. I didn't win a game at Stamford Bridge after Mourinho arrived." Mourinho rejoined Chelsea earlier this year, after winning an Italian league, cup and Champions League treble with Inter Milan in 2010 and a Spanish title with Real Madrid in 2012. Ferguson on rivals Manchester City: . In a thrilling climax to the 2011-12 English Premier League season, Ferguson saw his United team lose out on the title to their neighbors Manchester City, who scored a last-minute goal on the final day of the campaign to secure their triumph. Ferguson felt the pain of a crushing defeat, but it was his wife Cathy who was inconsolable. "Cathy said, 'That was the worst day of my life. I can't take much more of this.' "I felt pretty ragged myself, but I could see the distress in my wife. 'Cathy,' I began, 'we have a great life, and we've had a fantastic period of success.' 'I know,' she said. 'but I'm not going out. There are too many City fans in the village.'" Cathy need not have worried. United beat City to the title by 11 points in 2013, with Ferguson retiring after securing the club's 20th English championship. | Alex Ferguson's autobiography unveiled .
The former Manchester United manager chronicles his relationships with many players .
Ferguson describes Wayne Rooney as "not the quickest learner"
The Scotsman twice turned down the opportunity to manage England . |
185,661 | 7c7cb4bf680cafda96a089b791bd3ad1b9b5c523 | Suspended Vanderbilt football star Chris Boyd admitted Friday to helping cover up an alleged on-campus gang rape, accepted a yearlong probation sentence and agreed to testify against four men accused directly in the crime. After prosecutors laid out the case against him, Boyd pleaded guilty to one count of being an accessory after the fact. As part of his plea deal, Boyd said he will willingly pay court costs, face 11 months and 29 days of unsupervised probation and "testify truthfully" against the men he helped last June. Beyond giving some closure to Boyd -- a suburban Atlanta native who had been on the official "watch list" for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given annually to college football's top wide receiver, prior to his suspension from the Commodores -- Friday's court hearing also revealed information about the prosecutors' case against the four former Vanderbilt players charged with rape. Chris Boyd indicted in rape case . Early on June 23, Davidson County Deputy District Attorney Tom Thurman alleged in court, Brandon Vandenburg took an unconscious Vanderbilt student into a building on campus. He was joined in his dorm room by three others also charged with rape -- Corey Batey, Brandon Banks and Jaborian McKenzie -- Thurman said. "Different individuals" then sexually assaulted the young woman, the prosecutor said, as captured by CNN affiliate WSMV. Vandenburg texted the 21-year-old Boyd a picture of her, which Boyd promptly erased so his girlfriend wouldn't see it, Thurman said. Soon after that text, Vandenburg called Boyd "saying the victim had been messed with in the hall and sexually assaulted in the room, and he needed Mr. Boyd to come over," Thurman said. "Mr. Vandenburg further stated that he wanted to have sex with the victim, but he could not get an erection even though he used cocaine," added the prosecutor. Boyd went over and, with two other people, moved the woman -- who was lying in the hall unconscious, partially clothed -- to a room, put her on a bed, then left, Thurman said. Subsequently, Boyd exchanged texts with Vandenburg and Batey, Thurman said. In one, Boyd said, "Tell the boys to delete that sh**. I'm looking out for your a**." Boyd also texted his girlfiend that he "got everything cleared up" and "deleted everything," Thurman said. More texts followed the next day, including one in which Boyd detailed how he had helped move the young woman and said "she doesn't know anything that happened." Boyd also talked about it with Vandenburg, Batey, Banks and McKenzie at a Popeye's restaurant, Thurman said. "The defendant was not completely truthful with the police or the district attorney's office in his initial interviews," the prosecutor said. "... He later came forward and gave additional information." Asked later by a judge if Thurman's presentation was correct, Boyd replied, "Yes, sir." His lawyer, Roger May, after the hearing described Boyd as "a 21-year-old young man that was forced with making a decision in a situation that he did not fully understand." "He is paying for that decision," May added, "and he will be paying for it the rest of his life." Thurman said after the hearing that, if Boyd was convicted, he probably would have gotten a 1-year sentence given his clean criminal record. "I don't know how good a deal it is for him," the prosecutor told reporters. Vanderbilt spokeswoman Beth Fortune said later Friday that Boyd remains enrolled at the school, though he is still suspended from its football team, "pending further review by the university." The incident came to light when university officials checking the dorm's hallway surveillance recordings regarding an unrelated situation observed unusual behavior by the defendants, police said. That prompted a notification to campus police on June 26. That same day, Vanderbilt University Police called Nashville Police into the investigation. Four days later, Vandenburg, Batey, Banks and McKenzie were dismissed from the football team and suspended from the university. The university and city police announced the dismissals but did not identify the players at that time. The four young men now each face five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg was also charged with one count of tampering with evidence and one count of unlawful photography. | Chris Boyd pleads guilty to being an accessory after the fact in an alleged rape .
His plea deal calls for 1 year probation and his testifying against 4 accused of rape .
Prosecutor says Boyd exchanged texts with suspects, helped move victim's body .
"He will be paying for (his decision) the rest of his life," Boyd's lawyer says . |
180,870 | 762913ec10452d76f2bcf095612b9297aa8b6f68 | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Actress Kelly Preston, whose son Jett Travolta died earlier this year, will talk publicly in October about how she and her husband, actor John Travolta, have dealt with their grief. Kelly Preston is going to speak on a panel titled "Grief and Resilience" in October. Preston, 46, will appear on a panel titled "Grief and Resilience" at a conference hosted by California first lady Maria Shriver, according to a conference spokeswoman. Jett, 16, was found unconscious on January 2, while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas' West End. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, local police said. The Travolta family has not spoken publicly about the exact cause of Jett's death, but employees of the funeral home that handled the remains said in January the death certificate listed "seizure" as the cause of death. The family has remained out of the public eye since his death, only issuing a few written statements. When his latest movie, "The Taking of Pelham 123," was released last month, John Travolta did not take part in the publicity tour to promote the movie, instead issuing a short statement saying his family needed "additional time to reconcile our loss." Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former Sen. John Edwards, and actress Susan St. James will also be on the panel, conference spokeswoman Marissa Moss said. Both women have mourned the loss of sons. The Women's Conference will be in Long Beach, California, in late October, according to its Web site. | Kelly Preston, John Travolta's wife, to address conference on grief .
Preston and Travolta's 16-year-old son Jett died in January .
Other speakers include Elizabeth Edwards, Susan St. James . |
114,414 | 1fa540b9f47bb0820c38c4fc5ee3c9cfb95e30b4 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 08:04 EST, 25 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:28 EST, 25 November 2013 . When Lynda Whitehead introduced her new puppy Patch to her family, she didn’t realise quite how much of a führer he would cause. For while the cute seven-week-old is quiet and cuddly, her daughter spotted his uncanny resemblance to Adolf Hitler. Now he inspires her grandsons to do the goose-step and even responds to being called Adolf or Hitler. Spitting image: Hitler (left) and Patch the puppy (right), who has an unfortunate resemblance to the 20th Century dictator, but has a much gentler temperament . A dark mark on his top lip mirrors the Fuhrer's famous moustache. And another large brown area over his left ear completes the look of the 20th Century dictator. But, according to his owner, the resemblance ends there as Patch - unlike Hitler - has a lovable temperament. The tiny puppy, a cross between French bulldog and a shih tzu, has two brothers and lives with owner Lynda in York. She said no-one calls him by his real name any more and Patch is starting to obey orders - as 'Adolf' or 'Hitler'. Mrs Whitehead said: 'None of us noticed the likeness until we put a photo on Facebook and my eldest daughter saw it and said ‘You've got a little Hitler there". 'Although he's called Patch, everybody calls him Adolf now. My grandsons are the worst for doing the goosestep when the puppy's around.' Patch's mother Betty, a French bulldog, and father Teddy, a shih tzu, both belong to Mrs Whitehead's daughter Clare, and Patch belongs to Clare's 17-year-old son Dan. Just obeying orders: Patch the Adolf Hitler look-a-like is a cross between a French bulldog and a shih tzu . Look-a-like: Mrs Whitehead said: 'None of us noticed the likeness until we put a photo on Facebook and my eldest daughter saw it and said ‘You've got a little Hitler there"' The three puppies in the litter are being reared at the family home until they reach 12 weeks old after Betty rejected them. Mrs Whitehead added: 'He is a lovely little thing. All of them are, but he is the gentlest of them all. He will sit on your lap and just look at you until he falls asleep. 'One of his brothers should be Hitler as he has the attitude. That one's the runt of the litter so he's had to fight a bit more.' The tiny puppy, a cross between French bulldog and a shih tzu, with owner Clare Whitehead in York . Barking: A still from one of the many Nazi propaganda films sent to Pathe in the 30s showing Adolf Hitler in full flow . Patch isn't the only pet that's had an unfortunate resemblance to Hitler. After MailOnline introduced you to the house that looked like Hitler two years ago, in Swansea, south Wales, a series of readers sent in pictures of their cats that looked like the Nazi dictator. In 2011, a six-week-old puss was named Kitler . by staff at Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, . who took her in after she was found abandoned at a roadside. Kitler, a kitten small enough to fit in a cup with a remarkable resemblance to Hitler was looking for a home after being found abandoned at the side of a busy road . | Patch has a dark mark on his top lip mirrors just like Fuhrer's moustache .
He also has a large brown area over his left ear, like Hitler's hair .
But his owner, from York, insists the resemblance ends there .
She says Patch is gentle and loveable - unlike his spitting image . |
185,637 | 7c758dce67de63618a5bba1234c287661ab3af53 | A short video released by ISIS on Friday shows the apparent beheading of British aid worker Alan Henning, with the executioner blaming the death on the United Kingdom for joining the U.S.-led bombing campaign against the group. Before he is killed, Henning speaks to the camera, referencing the British Parliament's decision to participate in coalition of more than 40 countries who have banded together to go after the so-called Islamic State terror group in Iraq and Syria. At the end of the video, ISIS shows American aid worker Peter Kassig and threatens his life. There is no reason to believe the video is not authentic, a U.S. intelligence official told CNN, adding that American officials are studying it. "The brutal murder of Alan Henning by ISIL shows just how barbaric and repulsive these terrorists are," UK Prime Minister David Cameron said, referring to the group also known as ISIS. "Alan had gone to Syria to help get aid to people of all faiths in their hour of need," Cameron said. "The fact that he was taken hostage when trying to help others and now murdered demonstrates that there are no limits to the depravity of these ISIL terrorists." The news of Henning's beheading comes just days after Britain joined the coalition. UK jets began flying reconnaissance flights over Iraq a week ago, and on Tuesday dropped its first missiles on an ISIS heavy-weapon position and an armed pickup truck in Iraq, according to the UK Defense Ministry. A taxi driver from near Manchester, England, Henning was part of a team of volunteers that traveled to Syria in December 2013 to deliver food and water to people affected by the Middle Eastern country's devastating civil war. He was abducted the day after Christmas by masked gunmen, according to other people in the aid convoy. The Prime Minister vowed to bring the killers to justice. Last week, the British Foreign Office released an audio file of Henning pleading for his life. His wife made a public plea for ISIS to spare his life. Barbara Henning's pleas were joined by voices of Muslim leaders around the world. They included Shaykh Haitham Al Haddad, a judge on the Shariah Council in London, who has said that "whatever your grievance with American or British foreign policy, executing this man is not the answer." But the calls for mercy appear to have been met with bloodshed. The White House released a statement condemning Henning's murder and vowing to work alongside the UK and its allies to "degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL." Video similar to others . If the authenticity of the video is confirmed, Henning will be the fourth Westerner to be beheaded on camera by ISIS. This summer, ISIS beheaded American freelance journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff -- showing their gruesome killings in videos posted online. ISIS then claimed its first British victim, aid worker David Haines, according to video that appeared online on September 13. In the video released by ISIS Friday, Henning's name is misspelled "Allen." Who is the ISIS? The video is similar to the previous ones, with a clearly scripted statement being delivered by the victim. But unlike the previous ones, this one is shorter and is shot tightly, showing none of the surroundings. And just like the previous videos, it ends with a threat to another hostage. The National Security Council confirmed that Kassig is being held by ISIS. "We will continue to use every tool at our disposal -- military, diplomatic, law enforcement and intelligence -- to try to bring Peter home to his family," according to agency spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. The American who appears at the end of the video, Kassig, is a former soldier who became an aid worker in the Middle East. Kassig's parents, Ed and Paula, confirmed to CNN it was their son, "who was doing humanitarian work in Syria, is being held captive." "We ask everyone around the world to pray for the Henning family, for our son, and for the release of all innocent people being held hostage in the Middle East and around the globe," the statement said. Kassig, 26, founded the non-profit Special Emergency Response and Assistance group. At the time, the organization was providing humanitarian aid to refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war. Kassig worked as a medic and was en route to Deir Ezzor in northern Syria for SERA when he was kidnapped on October 1, 2013, according to his family. "I am not a doctor. I am not a nurse. But I am a guy who can clean up bandages, help clean up patients, swap out bandages, help run IVs, make people's quality of life a little bit better," he told CNN's Arwa Damon during an interview in 2012. "This is something for me that has meaning, that has purpose." How ISIS is run . | NSC confirms Peter Kassig, American shown on video, is being held by ISIS .
ISIS claims to have beheaded another Westerner .
Video appears to show the killing of Alan Henning, a British aid worker . |
32,090 | 5b5af3ab3c6a84c559c275650d35948f53028655 | (CNN) -- In a tucked-away corner of Zanzibar's historic Stone Town lies a little shop of curiosities. Colorful bags, necklaces and hats hang on the racks, and beautiful African prints line the walls. In the back room, a low hum of sewing machines is a sign of busy artisans at work. Welcome to Aromas of Zanzibar, a clothing and accessories store that's different to others on the island. Founded by the 29-year-old entrepreneur Rizwan Janmohamed, every single thing the shop -- from guitar cases to can holders -- is made on site by local craftsmen, using only locally sourced materials. "Since my childhood, my dream has been to own my own business," says Janmohamed, "so I thought to myself, what is missing in Stone Town? At the time, everything was coming from China, India, Thailand, so I decided to make something which is produced here. That's my concept," he adds. Janmohamed left his job as an assistant manager of a local hotel and used a bank loan, with added help from family and friends, to set up his shop. Read more: Teen's gardening invention blooms into planting revolution . Thousands of tourists come to Stone Town each year and visit its many knickknack stores, but Janmohamed thought he would stand out by providing a piece of authentic Zanzibar for them to bring home. A melting pot of cultures . He started with colorful beaded necklaces and then moved on to spices and aromatic cardamom tea. Today, his most popular items are small wallets, pouches and cosmetics cases made out of vibrant African prints known as Kitenge. However, beginnings were tough, and Janmohamed found it difficult to market his products: "When I started the business a few years back, you can say it was a nightmare. It was really a challenge. Because you don't know what to produce first and you don't know what's expected tomorrow," he says. At the moment, his shop is breaking even, but the businessman hopes to start making a profit within two years, and says his shop is frequented not just by tourists but local people as well. Janmohamed attributes his success to Zanzibar's unique handicrafts, which display a fusion of Swahili and Arabian culture, but stresses that creating a welcoming environment is just as important. "It's not just about selling your product. It's about maintaining your service, it's about how you talk to your customer and maintain that relationship as well," he says. His products may be local, but Janmohamed's ambitions run significantly further: "I want to become one of the largest companies on the African continent for production of fabric accessories and clothing," he says. Read more: Teen's gardening invention blooms into planting revolution . Read more: Think there aren't enough hours in the day? Meet this maverick slum dweller . Read more: 'Nigerian iTunes' dances to the mobile phone beat . | Aromas of Zanzibar sells clothing and accessories crafted in vibrant African prints .
All products are made on site by local artisans, using only locally sourced materials .
The shop is the brainchild of former hotel assistant manager Rizwan Janmohamed . |
145,087 | 47a56286593c2b033611ef328c1b90f4c0e7fea8 | The family of an Indianapolis woman who died from inhaling excessive smoke from fireworks at a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) event five years ago are battling for justice and suing those they claim are responsible. Susan Prim, 36, a nurse, took her sons, Brodie and Tyler, to a WWE Summer Slam match on August 17, 2008, held at the Conseco Fieldhouse arena in Indiana. During the show's finale, featuring . the professional wrestler known as The Undertaker - whose signature move is the 'choke slam' - fireworks shot out around the arena. Susan Prim, 36, died from severe brain damage after her asthma attack, says husband, David . Smoke inhalation: The fireworks during The Undertaker's show in the finale caused Susan Prim to have a fatal asthma attack . The Undertaker: The professional wrestler's signature move is the choke slam . The thick smoke from the fireworks engulfed the venue causing Susan . to suddenly have a fatal asthma attack, claim the Prims. 'She was telling us she was having trouble breathing, she wasn’t feeling too well and so we walked out. She collapsed, she was passed out,' Brodie tells RTV6 ABC as he recounts the tragic event. ‘She had been down too long without . oxygen and she had no brain activity. They had her on life support but . they told me she was already gone,’ Brodie says. In Court: Susan Prim's son Brodie (L), son Tyler and husband David in the Indiana Court of Appeals to sue those they say are responsible for her death . Fireworks frenzy: The Indianapolis arena of the WWE event filled with smoke in the final act causing Susan's tragic death . Susan’s . brain damage was 'so severe' that she went from respiratory arrest to . cardiac arrest and never recovered, according to David Prim, Susan's . husband. The Prims blame the WWE Inc. and the . city of Indianapolis, among others, for not making the show safe enough, . causing Susan's death. The Prims filed a lawsuit against each . group they said was responsible for making sure the show was safe, . including the Capital Improvement Board, Pacers Basketball, LLC, Conseco . Fieldhouse, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., various other . pyrotechnic and entertainment companies and the city of Indianapolis. Always there: Brodie Prim says his mother, Susan, was his 'best friend' I love mum: Susan's two sons, Brodie and Tyler, saw their mother die in front of them at the 2008 WWE Summer Slam in Indiana . This week, on July 2, the Indiana Court of Appeals accepted the list of defendants, which means the case can move forward. None of the defendants would comment on the pending case. The WWE, which is the largest . wrestling federation the world, reaches 13 million viewers in the U.S . and is broadcasted in more than 145 countries. Brodie, who tells RTV6 ABC that he misses his mother, hopes this small, but significant, victory will give Susan the justice she deserves. ‘She was always there for me, helped me out. She was my best friend.’ | Indianapolis woman, Susan Prim, 36, tragically died when smoke from the fireworks gave her fatal asthma attack causing severe brain damage and cardiac arrest .
She was watching the finale show of professional wrestler, The Undertaker, when the fireworks started and killed her .
The Prim family is suing a long list of those they claim are responsible, including WWE Inc. and the city of Indianapolis .
The Indiana Court of Appeals accepted the list of defendants this week . |
173,661 | 6cbc51e808887f03c123b9347cbc192348fe7c58 | (CNN) -- Nintendo released details about its upcoming Wii U console during a news conference Thursday. But, as happens in the age of social media, reactions began pouring in just as fast as the facts were coming out. The Japanese game company made announcements in Japan, the United States and Europe, each one talking about the three main points everyone has been wanting to know: when will Wii U be available, how much will it cost, and what games can I play on it? Prices and release dates vary around the world, but U.S. gamers will get first crack November 18. A basic version of the console package will sell for $299, while a "deluxe" version -- including additional memory, a stand and charger for the GamePad, and the "NintendoLand" game -- will go for $349. Reaction in the gaming community ranged dramatically from joy to pessimism. As prices for the two versions of the console were announced, a split seemed to form over whether the Wii U was too expensive for what it appears to be offering. TheVoices, a commenter on the CNN.com story, said, "Just can't see myself spending money on another product like this. I'll wait for the 720 (Xbox whatever it is called) or the PS (Playstation) 4." G4 Network host and reality-TV vet Blair Herter joked on Twitter, "Not a fan of the Wii U's price but I'm getting it for my kid because even though the child hasn't been born yet I WILL BUY HIS/HER AFFECTION." However, others were just as quick to point out the history of new console release prices. Twitter user Brandon Whaley reminded people what the PlayStation 3 cost when it came out in 2006. "I still don't get the fuss over the Wii U price," he tweeted. "The PS3 was FIVE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE DOLLARS at launch." A Twitter user in the UK offered an international perspective on the price battle. Larry Bundy Jr. tweeted, "Dear US friends, Please stop complaining that the Deluxe Wii U is $350. In the UK, it will be £330 ($533) and ship WITHOUT a sensor bar!!!" If it wasn't the dollars (or yen or euros) being discussed, the topic centered on the games being offered. Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said that more than 50 games would be available from the launch to the end of March but didn't say specifically which titles would be available at launch. Some games drew more attention than others. "Bayonetta 2" was announced as a Wii U exclusive, drawing howls of protest and disbelief from many on social media who enjoyed the original on other consoles. Others were excited about the news. Ally Tamara from Canada wrote on Twitter, "Well I guess I'm gunna have to buy a WiiU now since Bayonetta 2 is only going to be on that platform. I apologize to my Xbox and PS3." The variety of announced titles tried to hit as many different genres and fan bases as possible. Many people found at least one game that attracted them to the new Wii U console. Perry, commenting on the CNNMoney.com story, wrote, "Sold. I was almost positive that I was getting a Wii U before, but with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate coming... Please, take my money." Video game writer Matthew Furtado said on Twitter, "Nintendo Land sold me on the Wii U. Tons of fun with those games today. Never mind the brilliance of NSMBU ("New Super Mario Bros. U") and lots of others." David MacArthur added, "Looking at ZombiU changed my opinion of WiiU. Excited. Hope Nintendo release more than a handful of games aimed at adults this time." Despite reports of brisk pre-orders, other people urged caution and patience before rushing out to get the new console. Some are worried Nintendo is just playing catch-up to Sony and Microsoft, and wonder what happens when their new consoles arrive. "I don't hate the #Wiiu, but there's nothing yet that demands a day 1 buy," wrote Richard Wiltshire on Twitter. "can we not be nintendo fanboys just this once please internet?" James Andrews is concerned about next-generation consoles. "What's so special about the wiiU? it's just a wii with Playstation 3 graphics and a tablet. Come on Nintendo be more creative!" "I'm still not impressed. If it's only 'on par with current consoles'... the ones that are at the end of their cycle... that's scary," wrote Samantha (Twitter handle: @reluctant_gamer). Still, commenters generally agreed that the Wii U will sell well in the beginning, pointing out how successful the Wii console sold on launch. The trick is to sustain that initial momentum, many say, will be releasing a stable of good games people will want to play. Two game reviewers said they were hopeful for the outlook for the new console. Max Parker, video game columnist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, said, "I'm optimistic because of more info on good exclusives. Plus it seems genuinely different from the rest of the crowd. I'm up for a change of pace." And a Twitter post by Ben Kuchera, senior editor for the Penny Arcade Report, may sum up the overall feelings of many about the Wii U -- at least for now. "Nintendo Wii U: More expensive than I'd like, software focus on casual, but a ton of potential. Overall? Can't wait." What do you think about Nintendo's announcement? Let us know in the comments below. | Reactions range from excitement to skepticism on Nintendo's Wii U .
Console will debut November 18 for $299 and $349 .
Some say price is too high, but others put it into historical context .
Excitement for games like "Bayonetta 2," questions about others to come . |
186,420 | 7d7d2b6656be0a8e7404ef9af17adbe33e2e2b1c | By . Simon Tomlinson and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:29 EST, 3 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 4 July 2012 . A JetBlue pilot who caused panic after leaving the cockpit of his plane screaming about religion and terrorists was on Tuesday found insane and not guilty of interfering with a flight. Clayton Osbon's bizarre behavior forced an emergency landing in March and he was charged with interference with a flight crew, facing a possible 20 years in prison. A psychological examination that concluded, 'at the time of the commission of the offense, the defendant appeared to suffer from a severe mental disease or defect that impaired his ability to appreciate the nature, quality, or wrongfulness of his behavior.' Scroll down for videos . Fit for trial? JetBlue captain Clayton Frederick Osbon is pictured as he is escorted to a waiting vehicle by FBI agents after being released from The Pavilion at Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo in April . All parties, including the prosecutors, agreed to the report, seen by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson in Amarillo, Texas. Last month, Judge Robinson declared . Osbon fit to stand trial, saying he was 'not now suffering from a mental . disease or defect' that would make it impossible for him to assist in . his own defense. Osbon had been examined by a . government-appointed psychologist who did not address whether he was . sane at the time of the March 27 incident. Judge Robinson ordered that Osbon be . taken to a prison in Fort Worth, Texas, for a mental examination, then . returned to court for an August 6 hearing, where his fate will be up to . the judge. Clayton Osbon, pictured right after being removed from the flight in restraints, and left, in his hometown, lost his father Ronald in a plane crash in April, 1995 . The veteran pilot, pictured, who has been a JetBlue captain for 12 years, started flying as a teenager with his father Ronald . Under federal law, people found not . guilty by reason of insanity can be incarcerated until they can . establish that they are entitled to be released. Several passengers on board the . flight have filed suit against JetBlue for gross negligence, saying the . airline should have known that he was unfit for duty as a pilot. Passengers aboard flight 191 watched . in horror as the 49-year-old ran through the aisle screaming 'say . your prayers' and banged on the cockpit door after being locked out by . his co-pilot Jason Dowd. He had tried to interfere with the plane's . controls and began rambling, saying, 'We're not going to Vegas,' and . warning the first officer that 'We're going to have to take a leap of . faith.' They said Osbon had to be wrestled to . the floor of the plane that was heading from New York to Las Vegas . after he began sprinting down the aisle, yelling that 'Things don't . matter,' and talking about Afghanistan, Iraq and al-Qaeda. He was restrained with seat belt extenders and zip tie handcuffs while the . first officer diverted the flight to land in Amarillo. Outnumbered: The captain was subdued thanks to the help of passengers on the flight 'packed with burly men' heading to the 2012 International Security Conference in Las Vegas . Lost control: Osbon, 49, screamed 'say your prayers, say your prayers' at horrified passengers after running up and down the aisle shouting 'Iraq, al-Qaeda, terrorism, we're all going down' Ranting: Clayton Osbon filmed here screaming at passengers on the flight from JFK to Las Vegas . Unplanned stop: This maps shows the route the Las Vegas bound flight 191 took after taking off from New York's JFK at 7.28am on Tuesday . The veteran pilot started flying as a . teenager with his father Ronald who was killed after crashing his small . plane while enroute to look for treasure in Fort Lauderdale, according . to a 1995 story in the Washington Island Observer. Osbon has been married to his wife Connye since 2005, according to the pilot's Facebook page. But witness accounts tell of a . disturbed man, who about three hours into the flight, began behaving . erratically, randomly talking with passengers on his way back to the . cockpit before discovering he had been locked out after Dowd changed the . security code behind him. When he went back to the cockpit and realized . he had been locked out, a passenger told ABC News Osbon began screaming 'let . me in'. Mark Sellouk told CBS: 'He's banging . on the door, yelling at the first officer, I think his name is Steve, . 'Bring the throttle to idle! Bring it to idle! Bring it to idle! We're . going down, we're all going to die! Pray to Jesus. Open this goddamn . door!' Tony Antolino, a 40-year-old . executive for a security firm, said the captain seemed disoriented and . agitated, then began yelling about an unspecified threat linked to Iran, . Iraq and Afghanistan. 'They're . going to take us down, they're taking us down, they're going to take us . down. Say the Lord's prayer, say the Lord's prayer,' the captain . screamed, according to Antolino. In custody: The unidentified captain is removed in restraints from the flight to a waiting ambulance . Outburst: Passengers said the pilot lost it after he went back to the cockpit and realized he had been locked out by his co-pilot . Antolino, who said he sat in the 10th . row, said he and three others tackled the captain as he ran for the . cockpit door. The passengers pinned the captain and held him down while the plane landed at . Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. The flight had been packed with heavily built men . heading to the 2012 International Security Conference in Las Vegas held for professionals working in ‘law enforcement, border . protection and campus security’. VIDEO: Footage claims to show the captain going berserk on the plane. He is then escorted off Flight 191 . VIDEO: Air Traffic Control conversation with Flight 191's cockpit as it is brought in to land . | Clayton Osbon, 49, was charged with interference with a flight crew and was facing a possible 20 years in prison .
A psychological report stated he was suffering severe mental disease or defect at the time of the incident . |
106,565 | 1570e8039303d9bda6f01ceebe62954fd63d4379 | By . Hamish Mackay . Follow @@H_Mackay . Fleetwood Town chairman Andy Pilley had a bad start to his side's Capital One Cup first-round encounter with Rotherham - he turned up at the wrong ground. The Millers relocated in July 2012 from the Don Valley Arena in Sheffield to the New York Stadium in Rotherham but it seems Pilley's navigation technology was unaware of the move. 'Disaster. We have just arrived at the Don Valley. Damn sat nav has took us to old ground,' Pilley tweeted. On the ball: Fleetwood Town Chairman Andy Pilley turned up at the wrong ground to watch his side play . It meant Pilley was four and a half miles away from the correct venue when he discovered the problem, forcing him into a quick re-routing to get to the game. And one disappointment led to another as The Fishermen were knocked out of the cup. The League One side played admirably against their Championship opposition and did manage to force the game in to extra-time. But a late Matt Derbyshire penalty eventually won it for the hosts 1-0. Pilley, though, felt his team deserved more. He said: 'Really good show by @ftfc players tonight we were really worth a result. Loads of positives.' Loner: Pilley found that his sat nav had led him to an empty stadium rather than a Capital One Cup tie . CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . | Fleetwood Town faced Rotherham in Capital One Cup first round .
Fleetwood's chairman Andy Pilley turned up at wrong ground .
Millers relocated from Don Valley Arena to New York Stadium in 2012 .
Rotherham eventually won the match 1-0 after a Matt Derbyshire penalty . |
182,493 | 7851b510b406fc41fd2e5137a3607cf12e4b1572 | While most players have returned to their clubs to begin a toiling pre-season, Bacary Sagna was enjoying the last of his holiday with wife Ludivine. The former Arsenal right back has been granted extended leave following his exertions for France at the World Cup before joining up with new club Manchester City. The 31-year-old was pictured taking a dip with his beautiful wife - wearing matching pink swimsuits - on a beach in Miami. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Bacary Sagna and wife Ludivine swimming off Miami beach . Life's a beach: Bacary Sagna enjoys an extended break with wife Ludivine . Sinking feeling: France international has been given an extended break after the World Cup . Body beautiful: Ludivine Sagna would have turned heads on her sunshine break in the States . Back to work: After his break Bacary Sagna will be joining up with new club Manchester City . Top Gunn: The 31-year-old ended his Arsenal career by winning the FA Cup . Pretty in pink: Bacary Sagna and wife Ludivine were pictured wearing matching colour swimsuits . Ooh la la: French WAG Ludivine Sagna shows off her curves in a pink bikini at the beach in Miami . Sagna spent eight years at Arsenal before agreeing to join City on a deal worth £150,000 a week. Manuel Pellegrini’s side take on Sporting Kansas before friendlies against AC Milan and Liverpool in the States next week. The Blues jetted out to America following a short spell in Scotland where they lost to Dundee before beating Hearts. Cooling off: Bacary Sagna takes a dip with his wife Ludivine in Miami . Fun times: Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna and wife Ludivine take a dip in the sea in Miami . Sunshine break: Sagna was relaxing 1,600 miles from Man City team-mates as he enjoyed extended holiday . Snap happy: Bacary Sagna poses for a picture with young fans on the beach . Time out: Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna and wife Ludivine relax in Miami after a long season . Resolved: After a long contract stand-off with Arsenal, Sagna departed the club to join City . Take a break: Since resolving his future, Sagna has holidayed in Miami with wife Ludivine . Recuperating: City have already begun their pre-season but Sagna is on break due to playing in the World Cup . VIDEO Pellegrini calm over squad despite Negredo injury . Sagna joined the Premier League champions on a free transfer putting an end to months of speculation about his future. The France . international will compete with Pablo Zabaleta for a spot in Pellegrini's side - with both men are on extended summer breaks after . the World Cup. Sagna . helped Les Bleus reach the World Cup quarter-finals where they lost to . Germany, while Zabaleta's Argentina reached the final where they also . succumbed to the Germans. Happy ending: Sagna ended his seven-year spell at Arsenal with silverware by winning the FA Cup . Les Bleus: Sagna represented France at the 2014 World Cup where they reached the quarter-finals . 'I’m going to clear everything up because I keep reading that I did it for money and I’m greedy,' he said. 'What I want to say is I have stayed with Arsenal on the same contract since 2008 and I never asked for more money. 'For . people who think it’s for money, it’s not. I just wanted to change. I . needed a boost in my career and I think it was about time. 'It . was not an easy time because we were still involved in the FA Cup and . it was hard to stay focused. I stayed focused on my team because I have a . lot of respect for Arsenal.’ | Bacary Sagna and wife Ludivine enjoying holiday in Miami .
Defender completed free transfer to Manchester City from Arsenal .
France international yet to link up with new club due to World Cup exploits . |
209,759 | 9ba880e4ab82ed19e57593735b826d4bb20afe94 | By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 21:38 EST, 17 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:27 EST, 17 August 2012 . A school binder decorated with pictures of a 13-year-old's older brother and her softball team nearly led the girl being kicked out of school, her mother claims. Seen in his military uniform, a photograph of Brianna Gentry's older brother Derrick who is stationed in Montana as a military policeman is one of several pictures on her school binder. 'My brother is very important to me. I haven't seen him in a while,' Brianna told KTLA on her reasoning behind the photo's placement. Scroll down for video . Problem: The mother of Brianna Gentry says her daughter was nearly kicked out of school for keeping pictures of her softball team and brother in his military uniform on her binder . Long distance: Brianna says her brother is stationed as a military policeman in Montana so rarely sees him, prompting her to keep the photo of him close to her . Around him are also pictures of her softball team. Both pictures, however, as Brianna recently learned, do not comply with her school's rules with the eighth grader's membership of their AVID programme for top or advanced students. 'The counsellor took me out of class twice telling me that the pictures aren't AVID material,' Brianna said. 'But they haven't pulled out any other students with pictures out from their class. Just me.' According to the school, which sent a copy of AVID's rules home for her to re-read, all students must 'maintain the AVID binder with assignments, grade sheets, and daily notes as required.' The issue: The pictures clash with her school's rules specific for their AVID programme's students which Brianna is a member of . Angry: Finding that the AVID rules don't list pictures on binders as banned, Brianna's mother wrote a letter to the school saying her daughter will keep the pictures in place . Finding school officials' argument against her daughter's photographs absurd, and not in conflict with what they had agreed to, Brianna's mother fired back. 'These items are in her binder and will remain in her binder. The contract does not say a student cannot have pictures in the outside sleeve. 'The principal told me yesterday the rule is based on interpretation. Having a neat, clean binder is a matter of opinion. 'We will follow the rules set forth which do not include the removal of photos.' 'Her brother is a positive role model in her life,' her mother Jaima Eudy told KTLA. 'Her softball team she's very active in little league, she has been for six years. So, these are things that are happy moments for her.' Agreement: Coming to an agreement, Brianna was allowed to keep the photo of her brother in her binder but had to remove her softball team . After some back and forth, the school came to an amended conclusion this week. 'We want our students to be successful and if this is the type of motivation that is going to help this young lady or any other student succeed, then by all means we will support her efforts,' school district spokeswoman Linda Bardere told KTLA. But the picture of her softball team still had to be removed they decided. 'I'd rather have my brother in my pictures than have nothing at all,' Brianna said. 'So, I'm fine with the decision.' Watch the video here: . | Brianna Gentry told decorating her school binder was against her school's honour student programme she is a member of . |
144,777 | 47428da6b3fc72bd1431949fa0ccc83a268a9c71 | For the four Utah men profiled on controversial new TLC reality series 'My Husband's Not Gay', it's possible - if not common - to remain married to a woman despite having sexual feelings for other men. But a new study has found that relationships involving gay Mormons are two to three times more likely to end in divorce than others. Researchers surveyed 1,612 LGBT/same-sex attracted members and former members of the Latter Day Saints Church and found that between 51 percent and 69 percent of mixed-orientation marriages end in divorce. By comparison, only 25 percent of LDS couples that both identify as heterosexual end in divorce, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Scroll down for video... Controversial: A new study has found that Mormon marriages involving a man who is attracted to other men are two to three times more likely to end in divorce than others. Here, Preston and Megan Dahlgren, one of the couple's profiled in My Husband's Not gay, hold their daughter Naomi . Co-stars: Jeff Bennion and his wife Tanya kiss in front of their home near Salt Lake City during filming of My Husband's Not Gay. The concept of the show has come under fire since it was announced by the TLC network . The study was spearheaded by John Dehlin, a doctoral student at Utah State University, and Bill Bradshaw, a retired Brigham Young University professor, with help from Renee Galliher, also of USU. It also found that 70 percent of people who experience SSA - same sex attraction - which the church prefers to gay as a label, would go on to leave the LDS, while 80 percent admitted to undergoing some kind of therapy to change their sexual orientation. The people who participated in the survey were spread across 48 states, but 45 percent were from Utah, as well as 22 countries. Some 75 percent were male and 22 percent were female. Around 7 percent were excommunication from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 25 percent had resigned, 36 percent were inactive, 29 percent were active, and 3 percent had been disfellowshipped. Kendall Wilcox, the creator of Far Between, a documentary about LGBT Mormons, said the data stacked up. He also noted the willingness of such Mormons to come forward, because 'they want their story to be known and not repeated; they want vindication for their mistreatment'. The release of the study coincides with the debut of 'My Husband's Not Gay', which has the support of Mormon leaders but was slammed as irresponsible and dangerous by gay rights advocacy groups. 'While the church does not promote marriage as a treatment method for same-sex attraction, couples who are trying to be lovingly supportive of each other while being true to their religious convictions deserve our support and respect,' said church spokesman Eric Hawkins. The gay rights group GLAAD, however, says the show sends the wrong message and is a sad reminder of so-called gay conversion therapy, often faith-based efforts designed to change sexual orientation that can be emotionally scarring. New Jersey and California in 2013 banned therapists from practicing gay conversion therapy on children and teenagers. The American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association do not support the therapy. As pro-gay groups like GLAAD vent outrage over the show's premise, the LDS Church has spoken out in support of the unlikely TV stars . 'No one can change who they love, and, more importantly, no one should have to,' GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. 'By investing in this dangerous programming, TLC is putting countless young LGBT people in harm's way.' The organization pointed to a change.org petition asking TLC to cancel the show that so far has gathered more than 80,000 signatures. Responding to GLAAD, the network says it will tell compelling stories about different ways of life, and the four men on the hourlong show speak only for themselves. Jeff Bennion, 44, met his wife, Tanya, more than 13 years ago after he had dated men. He told her he was attracted to men after they'd been dating for about a year and a half. 'I was devastated because I didn't know what that meant for me,' said Tanya Bennion, 42. She worried that he'd cheat on her with a friend but said the couple's strong connection helped her work through her questions. Megan Dahlgren says her marriage remains strong, including the physical aspects of their relationship. 'We do have a happy, healthy sex life,' she said. Dahlgren and Bennion both said their upbringing in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a big part of why they wanted to remain in a husband-and-wife relationship. 'I would say it was part of my decision early on, especially, and a big influencer of that,' Dahlgren said. 'It certainly helped guide me toward where I'm at today, no doubt about it.' Preston Dahlgren and Jeff Bennion both said their upbringing in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a big part of why they wanted to remain in a husband-and-wife relationship . 'My Husband's Not Gay' is not the only show about people from Utah in unusual marriages. TLC also airs the shows 'Sister Wives' and 'My Five Wives' about polygamous unions . Jeff Bennion said he would be horrified if a parent told a gay child that they should be more like one of the men on the show. 'That's not anything that I would support or agree with,' he said. But Bennion said that he's happy with his wife and their 6-year-old son. 'I can't believe how lucky I am,' he said. | Researchers surveyed 1,612 LGBT/same-sex attracted members and former members of the Latter Day Saints Church .
Found between 51 and 69 percent of mix-orientation marriages end in divorce .
Also found 70 percent of those members leave the church .
Church leaders support the men in new show My Husband's Not Gay .
Pro-gay groups like GLAAD have assailed the show, calling it dangerous and irresponsible .
Attacked the show for upholding conversion therapy, which has been debunked by medical experts . |
29,936 | 551c069ec371a15e99f897036df04b84e3acfb56 | By . Keith Gladdis . PUBLISHED: . 19:44 EST, 3 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:49 EST, 3 April 2012 . Recovering: India Furness, nine, was travelling at 30mph when she crashed through a safety barrier and fence, through the glass window of a hut . A nine-year-old British girl left seriously hurt after veering from a ski slope and smashing through a hut window was just inches from death, rescuers revealed. India Furness was still unconscious last night after losing control and crashing through a safety net and fence before hurtling through the glass. She is in the paediatric intensive care unit of the Innsbruck University Hospital, Austria, where doctors say she has severe injuries but her life is no longer in danger and she should recover. The medic who treated her at the scene revealed that India, from Cerne Abbas, Dorset, would have been killed if she had hit the wall of the wooden hut instead of the first-floor window. Gerhard Eder, of the rescue helicopter crew, said: ‘There was some luck in her misfortune because she came through the window rather than the wall.’ India, a pupil at Dorchester Middle School, had been travelling at about 30mph but was wearing a helmet. Local police are investigating Monday’s accident on Austria’s highest mountain, the Grossglockner. India’s parents Nigel, 50, a landscape gardener and Helen, 45, a caterer, had lost sight of their daughter when she lost control where the black run meets an easier red run, during a holiday in Goldried resort, near Innsbruck. Austrian police said there is no lower age limit for children skiing on the most difficult black runs, saying it depends on the ability of the skier. Resort officials described the family as competent skiers but said that icy conditions had been a factor. Crash landing: The girl flew through this ski hut window after losing control on the slopes . Rescue: The child was airlifted to hospital in Innsbruck by this helicopter . Speaking from her home in Dorset, India’s grandmother Phyllis Stenhouse said that the family had gone well prepared. She added: ‘She lost control and she went through the safety net and through the barriers and through the window of the hut at the bottom. ‘The fact she went through the window must have saved her.’ | Rescue workers found India Furness unconscious and curled up in a corner on the floor . |
123,643 | 2bd6361ad91929b1e7db7bd5e93accc1c75f796e | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:13 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:04 EST, 26 December 2013 . A mother-of-two who was told the operations and chemotherapy treatment she endured to rid her of bowel cancer would leave her infertile has defied medics by giving birth to a miracle baby girl. Beth Bryant, 43, underwent numerous operations and intensive chemotherapy after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2008. But while the treatment saved her life, doctors warned the mortgage adviser that she and her partner Matt Hinton- who live in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, with her sons Tony Bryant, 14, and Dean Bryant, 12 - would not be able to have any more children. And then baby Evane arrived out of the blue. Miracle baby: Beth Bryant with baby Evane, 18 months, who was born after her mother was told that she would be left infertile by chemotherapy treatment for bowel cancer . Happy family: From left, Tony Bryant, Dean Bryant, Evane Hinton, Beth Bryant and her partner Matthew Hinton, at home in West Sussex . Beth said: 'Doctors did offer me a drug to try to give me a 50-50 chance of conceiving. I already had two healthy boys and I felt I had enough to contend with, so I declined that.' But after finishing the gruelling cancer treatment, Beth and Matt were shocked to discover she was pregnant again. She said: 'The last thing I was expecting was to fall pregnant. I just couldn't believe it. Matt was stunned by thrilled. 'At first I just carried on as normal and I didn't go to the doctors for a while because I was in denial. Saying it out loud felt like I was like I was tempting fate. 'I don't think anyone could believe it, especially my mum and my close family because they knew what I had been through and how there was no way I was supposed to get pregnant. 'I doubted my body was capable and of course the midwives kept a very close eye on me but we made it.' Brave smiles: Beth during her cancer treatment, pictured with sons Tony, left, and Dean . Little miracle: Beth with Evane when she was just a few weeks old, left, and now, right, supporting the cancer charity that helped her mother through treatment, Stand Up To Cancer . Mum and dad: Baby Evane when she was one month old with her parents Matt and Beth . Talking about baby Evane, Beth said: 'There's not a day that goes by when I don't think how special she is - she's our little miracle. 'We are a really close family and the boys idolize her. They can't wait to get home from school and give her a cuddle.' Evane, now one, was born at the Princess Royal Hospital near Beth's home in Haywards Heath in May last year. Beth, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in the large bowel, is now raising money for Cancer Research UK's Stand Up to Cancer Campaign. She added: 'It's thanks to research I am still here and we have Evane. I am so grateful for the treatment which saved my life. Sadly, however, not everyone survives.' Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and around 11,500 people are diagnosed each year. Adoring brothers: Tony, left, and Dean, 12, swing baby Evane, 14 months, through the air, holding their Stand Up To Cancer arrows . Happier times: Beth, 43, who was told she would never have any more children following chemotherapy treatment, with baby Evane, 18 months . | Beth Bryant, from West Sussex, gave birth to daughter Evane last year .
Lives with partner Matt Hinton and her sons Tony, 14, and Dean, 12 .
Was told treatment for bowel cancer in 2008 had left her infertile .
The mortgage adviser now fundraising for Stand Up To Cancer campaign . |
25,488 | 482988f038f9249859be7a3d0ee554ebd05a2fc7 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A Pakistani court Monday gave police two weeks to prepare their case for charging five Americans whom police suspect of planning terrorist attacks. Authorities have said they plan to prosecute the five men -- who are being held in jail -- under the country's anti-terrorism act. A court hearing was set for January 18. Police have said they are confident that the Americans were planning terrorist acts, according to Tahir Gujjrar, deputy superintendent of police in Sargodha, where the men were arrested December 9. Gujjrar told CNN a preliminary investigation suggests that the men came to Pakistan to wage jihad and had sought to link up with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Jamaat-ud-Dawa militant organizations, neither of which showed interest, he said. The men wanted to martyr themselves, he said. Jaish-e-Mohammed is the group believed to be responsible for the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl. But Mohammed Ameer Khan Rokhri, an attorney representing the men, said they testified on the Quran, the Muslim holy book, "that they have no connection with any banned organization," including Jaish-e-Mohammed or al Qaeda. They told the court, "We are going to Afghanistan to help the Muslims who have been injured by the NATO forces and other Afghan forces," the attorney said. And they said the didn't intend to commit any crime in Pakistan, he said. The five young men are identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni, Umar Farooq, Aman Hassan Yemer, Waqar Hussain Khan and Ramy Zamzam. All are in their early 20s except Yemer, who, according to the interrogation report from Pakistani police, is 18 years old. Two of the suspects are Pakistani-American, two are Yemeni-American, and one is Egyptian-American. A sixth man, Khaled Farooq -- the father of Umar Farooq -- also was arrested, but was released by the anti-terror court for lack of evidence. The five men worshipped together at a mosque in Alexandria, Virginia, until they went missing in November and turned up in Pakistan. Fellow congregants at the ICNA Center said they were shocked by the arrests and accusations. Subira Farooq, the wife of Khaled and mother of Umar, said in December that she and her husband had traveled to Pakistan to arrange a marriage for Umar, and that she was surprised to see her son arrive in the country shortly afterward. The police interrogation report describes the five as college students who "were of the opinion that a jihad must be waged against the infidels for the atrocities committed by them against Muslims around the world." CNN's Pierre Bairin and Arwa Damon and journalist Fayyaz Adrees contributed to this report. | Men accused of trying to link up with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Jamaat-ud-Dawa militant groups .
They wanted to wage jihad, martyr themselves, police official says .
Attorney: Men vowed "that they have no connection with any banned organization"
Two are Pakistani-American, two are Yemeni-American, one is Egyptian-American . |
146,256 | 49215690c481c4c0c91b09d4c4c184df4cfbabfb | Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is facing a leadership challenge triggered by his decision to award a knighthood to the Duke of Edinburgh. The Liberal Party leader came to power with a stunning election victory just 15 months ago but has been under increasing pressure because of poor showings in opinion polls. And Mr Abbott - a staunch monarchist - was ridiculed for his decision to award a knighthood to Prince Philip on Australia’s National Day last month. Ridiculed: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (left) decided to award a knighthood to Prince Philip (right) Luke Simpkins, pictured, has moved a motion for a secret ballot to declare the party leadership open . Now Luke Simpkins, a Liberal MP, has moved a motion for a secret ballot on Tuesday to declare the party leadership open. If it receives the support of a majority of the 102 Liberal MPs it will lead to a leadership vote. Mr Simpkins said in his email to party colleagues that the knighthood for Prince Philip was ‘the final proof of a disconnection with the people’. He wrote: ‘I think we must bring this to a head and test the support of the leadership in the party room.’ Mr Abbott has come out fighting and declared he has the support of Julie Bishop, his deputy and potential candidate to replace him. Communication minister Malcolm Turnbull has also been touted as potential replacements for Mr Abbott. While both have made public statements of support for him, they can sound out supporters from within government ranks now that the ballot is officially on the meeting agenda. Mr Abbott has warned his colleagues against such a challenge. He said Australians voted out the chaotic and divided centre-left Labour Party government in 2013 because it had changed its prime minister twice in four years. | Mr Abbott was ridiculed for decision to award knighthood to Prince Philip .
He has been under increasing pressure because of poor showings in polls .
Now an MP has moved motion for a ballot to declare party leadership open . |
223,370 | ad2e02498f7712d79e2b7fb58544133b974e135d | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:12 EST, 23 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 23 May 2013 . From Lady Gaga's meat dress to necklaces made from pheasant's skulls, some designers use all sorts of weird and wonderful materials to create 'carcass couture'. And one Scottish design student is following suit by creating a handbag line from tripe in honour of one of Scotland’s most iconic creatures. Jocelyn Mather, 23, has crafted the unique and somehow luxurious collection of bags using the stomach lining of a Highland Cow – after realising how much of the animal goes to waste once it is slaughtered. Unique: Jocelyn Mather crafted the collection using the stomach lining of a Highland Cow - after realising how much of the animal goes to waste once it is slaughtered . Jocelyn, a 4th year studying at Edinburgh Napier University, said: '40 per cent of the animal is edible but a lot of the "off-cuts", like tripe are used for dog-food. 'A lot of abattoirs also sell the hides on to customers in Italy and I just thought, this is our national animal, why aren’t we more proud of it?!' Her four statement bags, which will go on display at the University’s Creative Degree Show from 24th May, were all hand stitched. The collection ranges from a formal clutch to a dainty handbag, with tripe either used as a lining or outer material. Creative: The budding designer hopes her creations go some way to make people think differently about animals . The fastenings are also made using the animal’s horns and bull-ring. 'My lecturer kept saying they would look great on Lady Gaga', said Jocelyn. 'It was really hard to get hold of tanned tripe so I attempted the tanning process myself in my bath. I had to leave the tripe soaking there for about a week before hanging it to dry on my clothes rack. My friends thought I was mad.' The talented student also hit a further hiccup along the way when her flat was raided by wildlife officers. 'My letting agent had been carrying out an inspection in my flat and had obviously come across a pair of cow horns', Jocelyn said. 'But he had thought they were ivory tusks and called the police! I was terrified, but they just laughed when they saw the horns.' Problematic: The talented student hit a hiccup along the way when her flat was raided by wildlife officers because her landlord found horns in her room . The budding designer hopes her creations go some way to make people think differently about animals. 'If each butcher was given one cow, one pig and one sheep to feed his local community every part of the animals would be used, but in this day and age of mass-farming that just doesn’t happen. 'I wanted to show more respect for this stunning animal by using its less palatable pieces to create something beautiful and unique.' On display: Her four statement bags will go on display at the University's Creative Degree Show from 24th May . Famous fan? Jocelyn's tutor says they would look great on Lady Gaga, who is know for her quirky fashion sense . Ian Lambert, Subject Group Leader: Art Design & Communication, said: 'Jocelyn’s designs are thought provoking and like much of the work set to go on show, executed to a high standard. 'This year, our students have created innovative and visually delightful projects and our Degree Show offers a fantastic showcase of Scotland’s next generation of creative talent.' Edinburgh Napier’s Degree show opens on Friday 24th May at Merchiston Campus and runs until Sunday 2nd June. | Jocelyn Mather, 23, crafted collection using the stomach of a Highland Cow .
Realised how much of the animal goes to waste once slaughtered .
Will go on display at Edinburgh Napier University Creative Degree Show . |
168,997 | 66a2d83e0ed1d411aaa95d73f138376d1e06be6e | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 13:16 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:34 EST, 4 October 2013 . Stephen Colbert married a couple on his show Thursday after the government shutdown threatened to destroy their plans to wed at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. Colbert officiated the wedding between Mike Cassesso, 29, and MaiLien Le, 30, on 'The Colbert Show,' against the digital backdrop of the memorial where they had planned to wed Saturday. The comedian - who is an ordained minister - said he came to the couple's rescue because he was moved by their story, noting, 'It caused a shutdown in here,' as he tapped his chest. Stephen Colbert married a couple on his show Thursday after the government shutdown threatened to destroy their plans to wed at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. Colbert takes a round of shots with the groom (far right) and his groomsmen . Colbert downs another shot with the bridesmaids after declaring 'bachelorette party!' 'Well, Nation,' Colbert said, 'I promised you on night one of the shutdown that as leader of the Colbert Nation and Earl Lord of the Afterscape, I would provide all canceled government services, and that includes weddings.' Colbert first welcomes Cassesso and his two groomsmen to the stage. When he asks Cassesso how he's feeling, the groom responds: 'Wicked excited. The group, including Colbert, then down a round of shots. 'Bachelor party!' Colbert shouts. Colbert then welcomes the three bridesmaids and declares 'bachelorette party!' as they take a round of shots. Next, the group waits on the bride, who doesn't arrive on time so Colbert seeks her out in the dressing room. Colbert goes to the bride's dressing room and encourages her to walk down down the aisle after she expresses concern about getting married on TV . 'Homeland' star Mandy Patinkin sang a song for the couple during the ceremony . The couple enjoys their first dance on the set of 'The Colbert Show' She tells Colbert she's nervous about getting married on T.V. 'Don't you ruin this for me!' Colbert tells her. 'This is my special day! I've been dieting for like 15 minutes!' 'Happy shutdown, everybody!' Colbert said at the end. Cassesso and Le were notified Monday that their wedding could be canceled due to the shutdown. As things stand, unless the government . shutdown is resolved by 5.30pm on Saturday then Cassesso and Le plus . their family and friends will be barred from stepping foot on the lawn . which had until now held so many precious memories for them. Scroll down for video XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . MaiLien Le, 30, and Mike Cassesso, 29, have had to quickly find an alternative venue for their wedding on Saturday as the west lawn of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial has been closed by the government shutdown . ‘Shutdowns are one of those things . that on an intellectual level you know are going to impact an average . person, but you really don’t get it until it hits you in a way like . this,’ Cassesso told the Washington Post. ‘There . are plenty of people around the country who may not understand that . this isn’t just going to hurt nameless government workers and that, in a . depressing way, it impacts your wedding plans with just a few days’ notice.’ The couple are so nostalgic about their first date by the Jefferson Memorial three years ago that, in the run-up to their wedding, they had a professional photographer take pictures of them paddleboating by the memorial again. Cassesso and Le were notified Monday that their wedding could be canceled due to the shutdown . A woman views the Jefferson Memorial from behind barricades in Washington, DC, on October 1, 2013 following the government shut down at midnight . Washington couple Mike Cassesso and MaiLien Le have admitted they briefly contemplated crashing their own wedding site - the Thomas Jefferson Memorial which has been closed as part of the government shutdown . 'This is a very meaningful site to me,' Cassesso. A couple of weeks ago, when they began pondering how a shutdown might impact their nuptials, Cassesso and Le never thought that the wedding site would be off-limits. ‘We just thought there’d be leaves on the ground, that there’d be no maintenance, no rangers or Park Police,’ Cassesso said. They couple even briefly contemplated crashing their own wedding site, but their thoughts quickly turned to finding an alternative venue. The newly-married couple poses with the comedian, who is also an ordained minister . It wasn't the Jefferson Memorial, but at least 'The Colbert Show' offered a digital backdrop that looked just like it . Unless the government shutdown is resolved by 5.30pm on Saturday then Cassesso and Le will get married at the Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar on Capitol Hill, the venue for their reception . Unfortunately finding a venue for 130 . guests isn’t an easy task at short notice and the couple quickly . determined that they had two options – to either marry at their . reception venue, the Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar on Capitol Hill; or . use the backyard of their apartment building. Although Cassesso was keen to go with their backyard because they’d already spent $700 to rent chairs, his bride put her foot down because the yard is also home to a dumpster. ‘I don’t want there to be a dumpster. It’ll smell,’ said Le. The couple are one of two dozen October weddings on the Mall endangered by the federal shutdown. Nationwide more than 400 parks are impacted by the shutdown, but a spokeswoman for the National Park Service said it doesn’t have a tally for the number of weddings scheduled. | Mike Cassesso and wife-to-be MailLien Le faced a last minute headache after the government shutdown closed their intended wedding venue .
Unless the government .
shutdown is resolved by Saturday they won't be able to set foot on the west lawn of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial .
Colbert married a couple on his show Thursday after the government shutdown destroyed their plans . |
215,622 | a31c054e6cc9d03ecb8809da12f934d7d5aca272 | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 08:26 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:04 EST, 29 October 2013 . A career criminal has been accused of shooting five people to death – including his mother and an aunt – in a Monday night rampage that terrorized a Texas town. Charles Brownlow Jr., 36, was taken into custody early Tuesday morning by Terrell police after a high speed chase that followed him shooting five people and burning down the home he shared with his mother, according to reports. The final person shot by Mr Brownlow, Luis Leal, 22, was recently engaged and had just become a father, Fox DFW reported. Scroll down for video . In custody: Charles Brownlow Jr., was taken into custody Tuesday morning after a violnet rampage that left five dead in one Texas town . Authorities first became aware of the shooting spree after discovering the body of a woman believed to be Mr Brownlow’s aunt just after 5pm Monday, according to the Dallas Morning News. She was shot in the head, said officials. This would be the first in a series of grisly discoveries. ‘We're all in a state of shock. You have a tendency to think, 'How can that happen here?' Terrell Police Chief Jody Lay said during a press briefing. Shortly after that discovery, according to NBC DFW, police and firefighters responded to a nearby home on fire. The body of a woman believed to be Mr Brownlow’s mother was found inside. Senseless: Store clerk Luis Leal, 22, is wheeled out of Ali's Market after being shot dead by Mr Brownlow - he was a recently engaged father with a newborn son . Records show Mary Brownlow, 63, as living with Mr Brownlow at the Stallings Street address found on fire with a woman’s body inside. The fire is ‘obviously arson,’ an official told NBC DFW. ‘This is a country community, a rural community, people are real close and this is going to have a really big impact on us,’ Chief Lay said during the briefing. Mr Brownlow, who shared that home with his mother, stole her car and continued his violent bender, officials said. ‘This is a good community, and we don't know what happened and what triggered it all,’ neighbour Denise Fields told WFAA. After firing shots at a home thought to be his girlfriend’s – no one was injured, Mr Brownlow is accused of killing two more people. A man and a woman were discovered just before 10:30pm, WFAA reported. A three-year-old child found inside the house of horrors suffered no injuries, amazingly. A family devastated: Mr Leal poses with his son, now fatherless, and fiancee . Scene of a tragedy: Mr Leal's family gathered at Ali's to pay respects to their fallen loved one . A cousin of at least one of the victims, Clarence Graham, couldn’t believe what had happened.‘I'm still in shock about it,’ he told WFAA. ‘I've got to let it soak in. I don't know. It's something that's hard to deal with.’ Only 10 minutes later, Mr Brownlow is said by officials to have shot dead Mr Leal during an attempted robbery at Ali’s Market, a convenience store where he worked, according to reports. Andre Dye, a friend of Mr Brownlow’s, told local media that he doesn’t know what could have caused the shooting spree, that the accused killer is a good man. Footage of the scene showed Mr Leal’s shocked relatives gathered in the parking lot of the usually busy minimart. The violent thug was apprehended just before 1:30am Tuesday after a high speed chase that ended with him hiding in the woods and being found by a combination of a helicopter using a heat detecting camera and K-9 units. Horrified: Terrell Police Chief Jody Lay (right) said Mr Brownlow's actions will affect the town for a long time . Crime scene: Cops swarmed all over Terrell Texas to apprehend Mr Brownlow . Court records revealed Mr Brownlow has been convicted of a litany of criminal offenses dating back to the 1990s. Starting with nine months probation for multiple theft charges in 1998, Mr Brownlow has been in and out of courtrooms most of his life. He has also been convicted of multiple felony weapons and burglary charges, as well as domestic violence, drug possession and burglary of a vehicle. The convicted felon’s most recent sting in prison was from 2008 until 2011, records show. Mr Brownlow is currently in custody. Should he face capital murder charges, he would be eligible for the death penalty. | Charles Brownlow Jr., has been accused of shooting five people dead Monday evening .
Among the dead are his mother, whose house he burned down, an aunt and a recently engaged new father .
The night of terror ended in a high speed chase and a search through the woods with K-9s and a helicopter .
Mr Brownlow is a career criminal with multiple weapons, theft, burglary and assault convictions . |
247,617 | cc6e6ad4de33384a3cf62107f853f8a4729a6ce1 | By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 12:31 EST, 30 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:32 EST, 30 September 2013 . Local delicacy: Grasshoppers, which are already commonly eaten in Mexico, will provide the base for the first batches of Power Flour . Scientists have begun work to develop a protein rich flour, called Power Flour, which is made from insects and could feed millions in malnourished populations. Students from McGill University in Montreal were awarded the $1 million dollar Hult Prize to help with the production of the sustainable food staple which can produced and consumed in poor countries. Initially the team plan to recruit farmers to work on production in Mexico, where around 4 million people live in poverty and their is widespread malnutrition. The first batches of the flour will be made from grasshoppers, which are already common fare in the North American nation. Mohammed Ashour is the leader of the McGill team who pioneered what could be a revolutionary food stuff for the developing world. Speaking to ABC news, he said: 'It's a huge deal because we had a very ambitious but highly executable five-year plan in place. 'So winning this prize is a great step in that direction.' Ashour worked along with teammates Shobhita Soor, Jesse Pearlstein, Zev Thompson and Gabe Mott. They are now setting up an advisory board to oversee the first stages of Power Flour production. Speaking of their decision to begin with the humble grasshopper, Ashour explained the importance of using insects which are already familiar in the local diet. He said farmers have already expressed interest in raising grasshoppers on a mass level. The project is expected to be popular in areas of the world where insects are already a palatable food source. In many nations outside the western world they are already considered an important source of protein. And the type of insect used in each nation can vary depending on local eating habits. People of Ghana, for example, prefer palm weevils whereas in Botswana caterpillars are popular. The . committed scientists who developed the product said they have consumed . kilos of the creepy crawlies as part of their research. Staple: The bugs will be used to produce a flour that is 'rich in protein' Foodstuff: Insects have already made their way into some western dishes, such as this Grasshopper plate from Wahaca, but scientists they can be used for good in poor malnourished populations . Ashour said: 'Shobhita was recently researching in Thailand and tried everything from worms to water beetles' Even Mott, who is a vegetarian member of the team, consumed his fair share of basil-flavored palm weevil. Ashour said: 'He's a vegetarian for ethical and ecological reasons, and when he looked at insects, for him it was really not an issue as far as being a source of protein that is ecologically balanced' | Scientists scoop prize for developing protein rich 'Power Flour'
Production could boost economy in poorer countries .
It can be made from different insects depending on local taste . |
30,177 | 55bebb71c3fc2dfbea8d8e4d07058a57f0b6aa8b | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 12:47 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:45 EST, 6 September 2013 . Police are hunting for any leads that could help solve the mysterious death of a young pregnant mother who was found shot in her car next to her injured daughter. Authorities received a call saying a yellow Jeep Wrangler had crashed off the road in Ripley, Ohio and arrived to find the bullet-riddled body of Brittany Stykes, 22, inside. She had been hit by two bullets, with the fatal shot puncturing her lungs. Her 14-month-old daughter Aubree was strapped in a car seat beside her suffering from a bullet graze to the head. The little girl was rushed to hospital and is now speaking and breathing on her own. Photographs shared by her family show a large scar across her forehead where the bullet struck. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Brittany Stykes, 22, was shot dead as she drove her car, while her daughter Aubree, pictured, suffered a wound to the head. Brittany was pregnant and her unborn child also died . Brittany, a married stay-at-home mother, was four months pregnant and her unborn child also died in the tragedy on August 28. A week on and authorities are scrambling to find any clues that could reveal who shot the five bullets at Brittany's car as she made a routine journey home with her daughter. More than a week after the death, no arrests have been made and the motive in the crime 'is still up in the air,' Chief Deputy John Schadle said at a news conference on Thursday. 'Obviously we're taking this as a very serious matter,' he said, adding that investigators were testing unspecified items found at the scene and trying to reconstruct the crime. Recovering: Aubree's head was grazed by a bullet that shot her mother. She is improving every day, family said . 'We hope this helps fill in some of the pieces of the puzzle.' Preliminary autopsy results show that no gunpowder residue was found on Stykes' body, which suggests that the shots weren't fired at close range. Brown County authorities said the . bullets had been fired through the driver's side of the vehicle and . passed through the passenger side. The bullet that grazed Aubree had passed through her mother. A motorist had called 911 after spotting her yellow Jeep crashed on the highway. He pulled over and checked inside the vehicle, finding the dead mother and her crying toddler. He assumed she had died in the impact of a crash, WCPO reported. Torn apart: Family members say Brittany, right, lived for her daughter Aubree, left, her family and husband . 'There's a Jeep off the road in the . woods. Looks like somebody drove off the road into the woods and they're . passed out at the wheel,' Craig Labell told a 911 dispatcher. 'Looks like a girl, female in her 20s or 30s.' But police found Stykes hunched over the steering wheel. She had been shot with two bullets that had left three wounds on her body, authorities said. David Dodson, Stykes' father and Aubree's grandfather, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he and his family are still baffled about why anyone would want to hurt his daughter and her children. Stykes lived for her family and was loved by everyone who knew her, he said. 'She would call me every morning and it was always, "Dad, what are we going to do today?"' Dodson said, adding that she visited him every day while her husband worked his factory job in Cincinnati. Scene: Trucks tow Brittany's yellow Jeep, right, which was found crashed off the highway on August 28 . Probe: Authorities closed the road in the days after to search for evidence that could lead to an arrest . 'She loved being a mom, that was her world right there – the babies and being married,' he said. 'She wanted to be with us all the time.' His daughter had just left her mother-in-law's house and was on her way home when she was shot, Dodson said. He said Aubree is getting better every day and has been asking about her mother. But until he knows who killed Brittany and unborn grandchild, Dodson said that he'll be worried about Aubree's safety. 'If there's anyone who knows any information, I beg you, please come out and get a hold of the sheriff's department on this,' he said. 'We need answers.' A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to whoever was responsible. 'We're not going to leave any stone unturned to get justice for Brittany and her family,' Schadle said. See below for video . | Married mother-of-one Brittany Stykes was found dead in her Jeep after a passerby saw her crashed car off a highway .
Five bullets hit the car as she was driving home .
She was four months pregnant and the unborn child also died .
Her 14-month-old daughter Aubree was hit in the head with a bullet that had passed through her mother's body; the girl is recovering .
Police have no leads into who was responsible for the killing . |
234,215 | bb36603be5d60b79e877d48e20a3ed4446a93f63 | (CNN) -- This was a not a normal reserve team fixture for English second-tier club Doncaster Rovers. For a start, a bevvy of teenage girls started arriving ahead of their development squad's clash with Rotherham around midday. And when the teams finally took to the field, a crowd of around 5,000 fans had amassed for a fixture that would usually attract only a handful of diehard supporters. But then, it isn't every day that Louis Tomlinson -- one fifth of the most popular boy band on the planet -- is the star attraction. A mixture of applause and high-pitched screaming greeted the One Direction singer, who signed a deal with his home-town club last August, when he was introduced as a substitute. Try as he might, the 22-year-old couldn't break the deadlock as the match petered out into a goalless draw. "Just pulling on the shirt is just a boyhood dream," he told the club's official website after getting 25 minutes of action in the match that helped support a local charity. "It's absolutely amazing, those boys get to do that every week and it really is such an honor to be involved in a club, where I spent most of my childhood going down to the games." One Direction were formed through British talent show X-Factor in 2010 and have broken record after record since -- their success stateside even being compared to that of the Beatles. Tomlinson stars alongside Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Liam Payne in the band, who are managed by music mogul Simon Cowell. They are the only UK band to have had their first two albums reach No.1 in the U.S and have a combined 98 million followers on Twitter. Tomlinson's hectic schedule with the band had prevented him making his debut before now, and he spent a month training with the club before Wednesday's bow. One previous high-profile appearance in an all-star charity match ended prematurely when he was tackled strongly by Gabriel Agbonlahor -- leading to a wave of abuse on social media for the Aston Villa star. "I had to get fit first, because a few people saw what happened last time when Agbonlahor nobbled me and that was a bit of a mare and I had to try and avoid that," Tomlinson added. "I did alright in the end I think. I think its really important that when we are lucky enough to be in the position that we are in, to use that for the greater good. "It is really important to spread the word about (children's hospice) Bluebell Wood because they are such a great, great charity." So could Tomlinson be persuaded to put his pop career on hold in a bid to try and make it full time with Doncaster? When asked if it was easier being a pop star than a footballer he replied: "Physically it is much easier is being on stage and singing because those boys are proper athletes -- football is harder. "To get an insight into the football world has been fascinating and to be invited into that is such an honor. "I have really enjoyed it and I can't thank the people enough at Doncaster Rovers for having me." | One Direction star Louis Tomlinson makes football debut for Doncaster Rovers .
Pop star plays for second-tier English club in a reserve fixture against Rotherham .
A crowd of 5,000 fans turned up to watch, mostly teenage girls .
22-year-old Tomlinson played 25 minutes and called it a "boyhood dream" |
135,003 | 3aa30ab8cfd4e58fd2b626b9dfa78e6ef40d225f | By . Derek Lawrenson . One of the . joys of this golfing season has been the Thursday masterclass from Rory . McIlroy and the one delivered at Royal Aberdeen in the opening round of . the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open was surely the best yet. This . one, delivered over one of Britain’s finest links courses, was so good . it surely laid to rest any idea he still possesses shortcomings when it . comes to this venerable form of the game. And . so alongside the 63s delivered at the Emirates course in Dubai and PGA . National in Florida in February, and Muirfield Village in Ohio in May, . comes a new course record 64 and a consummate demonstration of all he . has learned since he vented his frustration over links golf after being . blown away at Royal St George’s in 2011. Reward: Rory McIlroy poses with the European Tour Golfer of the Month award for May in Aberdeen . Now watch this drive: McIlroy hits off the tee during day one of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open . What a view: McIlroy, Jamie Donaldson and Thongchai Jaidee approach the 17th green during the first round . ‘It’s obviously not my natural style of golf but I am determined to make it my favourite for two weeks every year,’ was the wry verdict of the 25 year old. The highlight was undoubtedly the wind-assisted drive at the par four 13th, struck so hard and true it trickled on to the green fully 436 yards away. Ian Poulter was putting at the time. ‘I only hit a three wood as well,’ said McIlroy to Poults jokingly, after the sheepish apology. Yet it was the shots played into the wind that were really the most impressive. We all know how far Rory can hit it when he opens his shoulders. But here as well were the cut-down shots that you need to win Scottish Open and Open titles. A gorgeous four iron at the par three seventh, for example, that only flew 160 yards – fully 70 yards less than McIlroy normally carries the ball through the air with that club. At the fifth he hit an eight iron that only travelled 120 yards, as against the more normal 170 yards. It might not be his favoured form of golf but McIlroy is so good he still has a prized collection of low scores on links courses. A scarcely-credible 61 at Royal Portrush, for example, and a 63 at St Andrews. ‘Given how hard the front nine was playing, I’d definitely rate it right up there,’ said McIlroy. ‘I can’t remember shooting this low before on a links when the wind was this strong.’ Still, nobody will be thinking of handing him the trophy just yet. The other thing that binds those masterclasses together is they have invariably been followed by Friday horror shows, most notably with a 78 at Muirfield Village. That one was so bad it drew a raised eyebrow from tournament host Jack Nicklaus. When the pair met for lunch a week later, it was still on the great man’s mind. ‘How do you go from a 63 to a 78?’ the Golden Bear good-naturedly enquired. Personal best: The Northern Irishman ranks the round as one of the best he's played on a links course . VIDEO Fun to learn new course - McIlroy . In fact, it was part of a curious run on Fridays that saw McIlroy shoot 40 or more for nine holes for four straight events on the PGA tour and five out of six tournaments. ‘I think it’s more mental than anything, just focusing too much on where I am on the leaderboard rather than going out and trying to play another solid round of golf,’ said McIlroy. ‘So that’s what I will be trying to do here in the second round.’ McIIroy, who leads by a shot from Swedish early bird Kristoffer Broberg – he was first man out at 6-30am – wasn’t the only big name to show up on the leaderboard. Not going so well? Ian Poulter puts his head in his hands during the first round in Aberdeen . Luke-ing good: Englishman Donald drives off the fourth tee on his way to an opening round of 67 . Defending champion Phil Mickelson . might have three-putted the 18th but a 68 still represented a solid . start to his big fortnight, while his playing partner Luke Donald edged . him with a 67. Mickelson was . typically good value, with an eagle three at the sixth and then an . outrageous birdie at the 13th, after his drive finished on a paved path. A free drop was on offer but doing that would be boring, wouldn’t it? So Phil played a sand wedge approach off the path to 8ft and rolled in . the birdie putt. The . American’s woes this year have been mainly to do with poor putting, and . he was encouraged with his work in that department. ‘I was pleased with . the way I putted,’ he said. ‘Even though I three putted the last, it was . much better. It was a good round.’ Rough spot: Ricardo Gonzalez finds himself in trouble on the 13th as his ball ends up in the long grass . Reigning champion: Phil Mickelson tees off at the third hole as he looks to retain his title . This event is the start of a busy run . for the stars, with most playing eight out of the next ten events before . a week off and then the Ryder Cup. ‘What I’m looking for from these . events is to build up some momentum,’ said Donald. ‘It’s . been what I would call a choppy season to this point, with some good . weeks but some poor ones. I need to shoot some low scores, so I can . build up a head of steam.’ A . four under par bogey-free round certainly represented a start in the . right direction for the runaway winner of this event in 2011. The . players out in the morning had the best of the conditions, as the . greens dried out and the wind changed direction. Justin Rose shot a fine . 69 but Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood both laboured, as they carded . scores of 73 and 72 respectively. American Rickie Fowler shot 71 while . Sir Nick Faldo, making a rare tournament appearance a week shy of his . 57th birthday, shot a creditable 73. VIDEO Rory is ready for Scottish Open . | Rory McIlroy shoots opening round of 64 at Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open .
Northern Irishman's round set new course record at Royal Aberdeen .
Phil Mickelson and Luke Donald also in strong positions after good scores .
Northern Irishman has vowed not to follow up with a poor round on Friday . |
183,344 | 797b32dbbc3fe15bdb0e97a59b8c261966317693 | It is hard to believe this shy-looking schoolgirl in her pigtails and glasses, pictured above left, would become one of the world’s greatest sex symbols. But this is one of the first-ever photographs of legendary French screen beauty Brigitte Bardot. The intimate family snap is among dozens of rare photographs of the star featured in a major new book on her life and career. Scroll down for video . Wearing glasses and still at school in the 1940s, one of the first photos of the screen legend . Pictured in 1952, the Paris-born actress became a fantasy figure for men across the globe . The young Bardot may have regarded herself as ugly, but within a few short years of this picture being taken she would be a fantasy figure for men across the globe. The Paris-born actress had already made 16 films before her starring role in Roger Vadim’s 1956 movie And God Created Woman turned her into an international icon. In 1969 she received the ultimate accolade when she was chosen as the first face of Marianne, symbol of the French Republic. But the star grew tired of the movies and the celebrity, and she retired in 1973 after making more than 40 films. Now, just turned 80, Bardot devotes herself to her beloved animal rights causes. Now, having just turned 80, Bardot devotes herself to her beloved animal rights causes . The book, Brigitte Bardot: The Life, The Legend, The Movies, spans the entire course of her life and includes childhood photographs, never before seen shots of her on set, as well as more recent photographs of her enjoying her retirement. Bardot insists she has never been comfortable with the beauty and fame that captivated the world and talks about this exclusively in a rare interview with Liz Jones in this weekend’s You magazine. Brigitte Bardot: The Life, The Legend, The Movies, by Ginette Vincendeau, is published by Carlton on November 6 at £30. | Book spans entire course of her life and includes childhood photographs .
Also shows never-before-seen shots on set and recent retirement pictures .
Now, aged 80, Bardot devotes herself to her beloved animal rights causes . |
209,131 | 9ad369db0e4fb47a5f704fe8c4d8bfd40037cd70 | A teenager who attacked a vision-impaired pensioner on a public bus will be released from jail on Thursday after being sentenced to three years behind bars. Layni Cameron, 18, was sentenced at Southport District Court on Monday for attacking Paul Buttigieg, 77, on a Gold Coast bus back in February. She was handed a three year jail sentence by Judge Tony Rafter, but having served nine months in custody she will be released on Thursday. Layni Cameron, 18, and Larna Watmough, 21, bashed Paul Buttigieg on a Gold Coast bus on their way home from the races back in February . Cameron and her friend Larna Watmough, 21, bashed Mr Buttigieg on their way home from the races back in February. A fellow passenger filmed the assault on the elderly man and the women were widely condemned after the footage went viral. In court on Monday, Cameron also pleaded guilty to a string of other charges. At the time of the attack on Mr Buttigieg, Cameron was on bail for holding up a Surfers Paradise store with a knife. Watmough, who pleaded guilty for her part in the vicious assault, was given a two-month suspended sentence back in September. Paul Buttigieg, 77, was physical and verbally attacked on a bus on the Gold Coast back in February . A fellow passenger filmed the assault on the elderly man and the women were widely condemned after the footage went viral . While handing down his sentence for Watmough, Magistrate Gary Finger labelled the pair as 'louts' and 'idiots' for their behaviour. 'You attacked a defenceless old man with impaired vision... you certainly must be proud of yourself,' he said. 'Your actions were deplorable. To say they were deplorable is an understatement.' Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said at the time Watmough's sentence was 'manifestly inadequate'. He announced the Director of Public Prosecutions would act on his behalf in Queensland's district court when he appealed her two-month sentence. Watmough, who pleaded guilty for her part in the vicious assault, was given a two-month suspended sentence back in September . While handing down his sentence for Watmough, Magistrate Gary Finger labelled the pair as 'louts' and 'idiots' for their behaviour . In the video, Watmough and Cameron could be seen kicking and punching Mr Buttigieg as they hurled verbal abuse at him. Onlookers yelled for the women to stop and 'leave the poor man alone', before another male passenger eventually stepped in and forced the offenders off the bus. The women had earlier been yelling obscenities at several passengers on the bus. Watmough presented a handwritten note to the court during her sentencing in which she apologised to the man for the incident. The two-page letter told of her regret about the shocking attack which also saw her receive a 12-month probation for the public nuisance charge and ordered to pay $500 in compensation. 'If I could go back and walk off the bus I would,' the letter read. 'My actions that day were completely out of character. All (sic) though its seems like I'm that person, I can assure you that I'm not.' Watmough presented a handwritten note to the court apologising to Mr Buttigieg for the incident . She also received a 12-month probation for the public nuisance charge and ordered to pay $500 in compensation . | Layni Cameron was sentenced to three years behind bars on Monday .
The 18-year-old will be released on Thursday having already served nine months in custody .
Cameron and her friend Larna Watmough, 21, bashed Paul Buttigieg on a Gold Coast bus their way home from the races back in February .
Watmough, who pleaded guilty for her part in the vicious assault, was given a two-month suspended sentence back in September . |
6,582 | 12aefcb3c69d12569aa85af8f95cc974af1ffd06 | The burning alive of a Muslim man by the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has jolted the president of the United States into acknowledging publicly that the world's chief terror threat comes from people who 'profess to stand up for Islam but instead betray it.' But that stark conclusion, long missing in the White House, was followed by a litany of other wrongs done in the name of religion. 'Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place,' Obama told the National Prayer breakfast on Thursday morning, 'remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.' 'In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.' But 'no God condones terror,' he insisted. Scroll down for videos . President Barack Obama delivered remarks during the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, taking a more aggressive tone against ISIS and saying they 'profess to stand up for Islam but instead betray it' Obama (on screen) addressed the event in Washington, DC, hammering the ISIS Islamist radicals while the Dalai Lama (2nd right) listened . PRAYER: Obama has spoken at the annual event every year since his presidency began . Early in his speech Obama hinted at the ISIS terror army by noting that 'professions of faith' have been 'used both as an instrument of great good, but also twisted and misused in the name of evil.' Faith, he said, is often 'twisted and distorted, used as a wedge, or worse, sometimes used as a weapon.' Then he got specific. 'From a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris, we have seen violence and terror perpetrated by people who profess to stand up for faith – their faith – (who) profess to stand up for Islam but in fact are betraying it,' Obama said. 'You see ISIL,' he continued, referring to ISIS by his preferred alternate acronym, 'a brutal, vicious death cult that in the name of religion carried out unspeakable acts of barbarism, terrorizing religious minorities like the Yezidis, subjecting women to rape as a weapon of war, and claiming the mantle of religious authority for such actions.' JUST AS BAD? Obama compared the ISIS terror army to the 15th Century Spanich Inquisition, carried out by Catholics against Jews and other religious groups . SLAVERY: Obama said America's early human bondage was often justified in the name of Jesus Christ . Obama also condemned Syria's intra-Islam sectarian conflicts, Nigeria's runaway tide of murders hitting both Muslims and Christians, a religious war in the Central African Republic and 'antisemitism and hate crimes' in Europe as evidence that bad actors 'seek to hijack religions for their own murderous ends.' His clear linkage of ISIS with Islam stands in sharp contrast to his January 16 joint press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron. While Cameron came out swinging against 'a very serious Islamist extremist terrorist threat in Europe, in America, (and) across the world,' Obama declined to frame ISIS as a radical Muslim sect, calling them 'terrorists' and 'fanatics' instead. Keeping with his administration's policy to label foreign fighters as 'terrorists,' Obama would not refer to the religion of ISIS militants during the White House news conference but at one point called them 'fanatics.' The White House has scheduled a 'combating violent extremism' summit for later in February, and Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest has taken great pains to avoid giving the impression that it might be particularly critical of a narrow group of Muslims. But the gruesome videotaped murder of Jordanian Air Force pilot Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh may have shaken the White House into a more aggressive posture since its online release on Tuesday. ISIS militants are seen in the footage burning the 26-year-old man alive as he struggles in a giant animal cage, and then burying his charred body, twisted cage and all, under a cascade of broken concrete. Jordanian intelligence officials believe the grisly execution was carried out as early as January 3, meaning Al-Kaseasbeh was dead long before the Obama-Cameron press conference. WHAT A DIFFERENCE THREE WEEKS CAN MAKE: Obama shied away from hitting ISIS as a Muslim group during a press conference with UK Prime Minister David Cameron on January 16, while Cameron leapt at the chance to castigate the group in religious terms . 'DEATH CULT': Obama slammed ISIS by name two days after the group released a video showing a Jordanian pilot who had run a bombing mission against them being burned alive . Jordan's King Abdullah II was scheduled to read a passage of Qur'anic scripture at the prayer breakfast but did not appear: He was back in his home country dealing with the fallout from al-Kaseasbeh's death and the wrath of a country bent on revenge. Abdullah ordered the execution of two al-Qaeda prisoners in retaliation. The prayer breakfast, an annual event that Obama has attended every year since becoming president, attracted 3,600 people from all 50 states and 130 countries. Its most conspicuous guest on Thursday was the Dalai Lama, a revered Tibetan monk embroiled in a long political dispute with China over Tibet's independence. He has never before attended a public event with an American president, as American administrations have been cautious about antagonizing Beijing. But Obama said Thursday that he had welcomed him to the White House on several occasions and considered the Lama 'a good friend.' The holy man was seated at the front-most round table in a cavernous ballroom along with presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett and other dignitaries, directly in front of the speakers' podium. He is 'a powerful example of what it means to practice and act,' Obama said. 'He inspires speak up for freedom and dignity of all human beings.' | President appeared at annual prayer event attended by 3,600 people from all 50 states and 130 countries .
First head-on presidential attack on ISIS in terms of religion in recent memory .
Obama has been criticized for failing to condemn Middle Eastern terrorists as religious radicals while other world leaders decry 'radical Islam'
He followed up aggressive language by comparing ISIS to the medieval Crusades, the Spanich Inquisition and American slavery . |
244,217 | c8152b9f4d32b12dcb26f87a7b90b37ab46ad29f | The Premier League may only be four games old but there have already been plenty of twists and turns. Leicester City claimed a memorable 5-3 victory against Manchester United while Manchester City held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad. Here, EA Sports crunch the numbers to reveal the top 10 Premier League performers from the weekend. It's no surprise that Jamie Vardy and Leonardo Ulloa top the leaderboard after brilliant performances for the Foxes, but who else makes the top 10 in our Player Performance Index PPI chart? Jamie Vardy tops the Player Performance Index PPI chart after a brilliant display against Manchester United . 10. Winston Reid, (PPI score: 33.0) West Ham's memorable 3-1 home victory against Liverpool on Saturday night was sparked by Winston Reid's early goal after just 75 seconds. The Hammers defender managed to make 10 clearances and three interceptions during the Premier League clash which also saw goals from Diafra Sakho and Morgan Amalfitano. West Ham's Winston Reid celebrates giving his side an early lead against Liverpool on Saturday . The EA Sports PPI is the official player rating index of the Premier League. It measures a player's contribution to the success of his team. The intention is to remove any opinion bias and only work with proven statistical measurements which become more accurate as the season progresses. So, what are the six indices? 1. Winning performance . 2. Player's performance per match . 3. Appearances . 4. Goals scored . 5. Assists . 6. Clean sheets . 9. Stewart Downing, West Ham (34.1) Stewart Downing continued his bright start to the Premier League season with another assist during West Ham's win. The English winger also made two successful dribbles and produced two successful crosses on a memorable evening for the West Ham faithful. 8. Nikica Jelavic, Hull City (34.7) Nikica Jelavic scored a stunning volley to give his side a second half lead against Newcastle on Saturday in a performance that earned the striker a 34.7 score with EA's PPI index. The Croatian forward converted one of his two shots at St James' Park before seeing his side lose a two-goal lead after a double from Magpies striker Papiss Cisse. Nikica Jelavic (above) celebrates after his stunning volley against Newcastle last weekend . 7. Mile Jedinak, Crystal Palace (38.3) Neil Warnock's Crystal Palace side claimed an impressive scalp on Sunday with Mile Jedinak at the heart of his side's 3-2 win against Everton. Jedinak pulled his side back into the game with a 30th minute penalty while making five successful tackles as goals from Frazier Campbell and Yannick Bolasie ensured Palace would leave Goodison Park with a valuable three points. 6. Papiss Cisse, Newcastle United (38.7) Papiss Cisse may have finished just sixth in EA's PPI index, but his contribution will mean an awful lot more to under-fire Newcastle manager Alan Pardew. The Senegalese frontman pulled his side and his manager's future at St James' Park back from the brink with a second half brace to earn Newcastle a 2-2 against Hull. With the score at 2-0, Cisse scored in the 73rd and 87th minute to secure a point and keep Pardew in a job for another game. Cisse also managed to score his two goals from his only two shots at goal. Newcastle's Pappiss Cisse (above) saved a point for the Magpies with a brace against Hull . 5. Mesut Ozil, Arsenal (41.3) Mesut Ozil has been under scrutiny for the early part of the season after a number of lackluster performances. However, the German seemed to thrive in the No 10 role on Saturday as Arsenal romped to a 3-0 win against Aston Villa. Ozil managed one goal and one assist while completing 52 passes in Villa's half with a 92 per cent pass completion. 4. Danny Welbeck, Arsenal (41.5) Danny Welbeck moved a step closer to proving that he can be Arsenal's main man this season with his first goal in a Gunners shirt. Welbeck was central to Arsenal's first half salvo which saw Arsene Wenger's side three goals ahead with just 36 minutes on the clock. The former Manchester United man also made 25 passes in Villa's half with an impressive 96.9 per cent pass completion. Arsenal duo Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil (left) both feature in the Player Performance top ten . 3. James Morrison, West Brom (46.8) West Brom midfielder James Morrison scored his side's winning goal on Sunday as the Baggies grabbed a shock three points against Tottenham. Morrison's 74th minute striker was enough to earn West Brom their first Premier League win of the season as the Scottish international controlled play with 89.4 per cent pass completion rate. Leicester's Leonardo Ulloa scores from the penalty spot to make it 5-3 against United on Sunday . Ulloa continued his brilliant start to the season with two goals against Louis van Gaal's side . 2. Leonardo Ulloa, Leicester City (49.0) Leonardo Ulloa continued a brilliant start his his Leicester career with two goals for the Foxes as they stormed to a 5-3 win against Manchester United. The former Brighton striker pulled his side level with a 17th minute header before sealing Leicester's memorable victory with a penalty in the 83rd minute to give his side a 5-3 lead. 1. Jamie Vardy, Leicester City (60.9) Jamie Vardy deservedly takes this week's top spot with a PPI score of 60.9. The Foxes forward was a constant thorn in United's side on Sunday and was vital to Leicester's victory. Vardy managed to bag four assists as well as a goal for himself as Leicester returned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 victory. Rafael and Tyler Blackett fouled Vardy to hand the hosts two penalties, which were dispatched by David Nugent and Ulloa respectively. Vardy, who was plying his trade in the seventh tier of English football four years ago, also found the net in a frantic final half hour, as did Esteban Cambiasso, who was making his full debut. Vardy bagged one goal and four assists during the match as he steered Leicester to victory . Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official Player Rating index of the Barclays Premier League . | EA Sport crunch the numbers to reveal the Player Performance Index chart .
Jamie Vardy tops the list after stunning performance against Manchester United .
Vardy bagged four assists and scored to help Foxes to a 5-3 victory .
Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck and Papiss Cisse also make top 10 . |
181,249 | 76a4011130efc06140d62c8e3fd768e77ccf564e | They held him hostage in the Philippines for 472 days... but they were so incompetent they couldn't read, write or count. An Australian who was held to ransom by terrorists for 15 months has told how he screamed at his bumbling captors for them to kill him after witnessing them make one of many stupid mistakes. 'Why don't you f...... kill me?' Warren Rodwell, now 56, recalled screaming at his captors midway through his imprisonment. 'You pricks don't know what you're doing!' Scroll down for video . Warren Rodwell was held captive by militants in the Philippines for 15 months. Picture: YouTube . A disheveled Mr Rodwell speaks during a hostage video released by his captors. He is holding a recent edition of a newspaper in the Philippines. Mr Rodwell (right), with Dr Bob East (left) and Dr East's wife Maria (centre), is well on the way to recovering from his ordeal in the Philippines. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia before the release of a new book about his experience at the hands of Abu Sayyaf, an al-Qaeda linked militant group, Mr Rodwell shed new light on the disastrous incompetence of the mostly young guards who kept him prisoner. In that instance, one of his captors had sat on his hammock, sending it crashing to the ground. But the terrorist organisation's problems ran far deeper than that, Mr Rodwell said. 'They were not only illiterate, they were innumerate.' 'They thought one million pesos equaled one million dollars, so let's double it (the ransom).' He remembered one of the up to 100 guards who watched over him was particularly incompetent. 'He was completely empty in his head, he had no initiative.' 'He climbed trees and made noises like an animal.' After a lengthy time in captivity, he said he felt there was little his captors could do to hurt him as he had nothing left. Free at least: Warren Rodwell smiles in March 25, 2013, following his lengthy period of captivity in the Philippines as a prison of Abu Sayyaf. Mr Rodwell lost around 30kg during his time in captivity and dropped to a body weight of 55kg. He said when he lay down to sleep late in his captivity he could feel his ribs touching his hip bones. Doctors told him upon his return to Australia in March 2013 that he likely would only have held out three to six months more in captivity eating small meals. Mr Rodwell's remarks come as an independent researcher, Dr Bob East, prepares to release a new details about Mr Rodwell's kidnapping in 472 Days Captive of the Abu Sayyaf: The Surivival of Australian Warren Rodwell. Another expert in the region, Dr Peter Sales, wrote in the book's forward that spy agencies were engaged in 'spooky' activities in the region and criticised the Australian Government's response to Mr Rodwell's kidnapping. 'Rodwell survived his ordeal, but he was poorly served by local officials and by his own government, which is capable of great dissembling and has been too willing to deal with the worst rascals in Mindanao (a province in the Phillippines). 'We are also playing clandestine games there, earning much local resentment and fuelling some nascent anti-Australian resentment. 'There are many (im)pertinent questions yet to be asked about spooky activity by intelligence agencies throughout the southern Philippines,' wrote Dr Sales. The title of independent researcher Dr East's book, which is scheduled to be published around October by Cambridge Scholars Publishers. Another still from a hostage video shot while Mr Rodwell was being held in captivity. Mr Rodwell is well on the path to recovery nearly 18 months after his release. He had to have his right index finger amputated last September because of damage caused when his abductors shot him in the hand. He is now living in Brisbane and has spent extensive time with doctors, psychologists and physiotherapists. Mr Rodwell spent time in a wheelchair when he returned from the Phillippines because his legs were so atrophied from a lack of use. Dr East told Daily Mail Australia Mr Rodwell had survived an ordeal which was sometimes 'harrowing'. 'The other thing I'd have to say about Warren is he's a fairly tough man... He's very shy in a lot of the ways he talks.' 'When I write about him at the book where he's completely lost his cool and screamed out great volume of obscenities to his captors - that's not his nature, you know. 'He (was) just at breaking point.' | Forthcoming book reveals new details about kidnapped Australian Warren Rodwell's 15 month ordeal as a captive of terror group .
In an interview before the book's release, Mr Rodwell describes the incompetence of his Abu Sayyaf guards .
'Why don't you f---en' kill me? You pricks don't know what you're doing!'
Mr Rodwell has been recovering in Brisbane since his release in March 2013 . |
218,511 | a6de37d90f2f7f1e3c66f185da6c97c2cea51321 | New York (CNN) -- About this time last year, Kate Rigaut was surrounded by 15 of her closest relatives, heaping turkey, stuffing and two kinds of potatoes onto her plate. Football was on television, beers were in the fridge and the family was together. "That's how it should be," she said, stirring the cranberry sauce for this year's Thanksgiving dinner. Her tight-knit Irish-American family lives on New York's Rockaway Peninsula in the Belle Harbor neighborhood of Queens, where a powerful mix of converging weather systems flattened homes on October 29. When the storm hit, a series of tidal surges crashed through the neighborhood as high winds whipped along the coast, leaving billions of dollars in damage and thousands homeless. Volunteers help Sandy victims start over . "We normally don't evacuate, but did this time," Rigaut said. She fled with her family to her sister-in-law's place in New Jersey one day before Superstorm Sandy made landfall. But her neighbor, Christine Mahoney-Schneider, decided to stay and brave the torrents unleashed on this coastal community and others like it along the East Coast. After each storm surge, she uploaded photos of the aftermath to Facebook, keeping Rigaut abreast of the condition of her home. As the hours progressed and the photos streamed in, tension mounted. By late evening on October 29, it became clear that Sandy had rendered the Rigaut family homeless. "My knees buckled, and I fell," said Rigaut, who is 52 and an attorney. "I inherited that house from mom and dad. And we had spent the year renovating." The "Douglas family compound," as she called it (referencing her maiden name), had been in the family for generations, serving as a gathering spot for neighborhood get-togethers and holiday festivities. Built in 1937, it was where her parents hosted beach parties and entertained neighbors with beer, wine and music that would often carry along a beachfront that residents lovingly coined the "Irish Riviera." During the holidays, throngs of Rigaut's nieces and nephews squeezed onto mismatched chairs set around a cherry oak dining-room table that she inherited from her grandmother. Filling their stomachs with stuffed sausage and mushrooms, bread with raspberry and walnuts and sweet potato pie with marshmallows, they would then retire to the family-room couch or their own homes just a few doors down the block. "It's the kind of thing that's lost in America today. Having that fabric of the family in the same neighborhood," she said. Now, many of those cherished physical spaces in the Rockaways are gone in Sandy's wake. The first floor of Rigaut's two-story home collapsed, and its two decks all but disappeared into the sand. Rigaut's husband, Mike, uncovered the frayed wooden leg of that dining-room table -- one of many family heirlooms lost in the storm -- down the block, sticking out from a pile of trash. Still, Rigaut seemed determined to celebrate this year's holidays in the same fashion to which she was accustomed: surrounded by her family. Jersey Shore community gives thanks even after Sandy . "For us, it's like the house died, but we didn't," she said. Sandy caused 119 deaths in the United States, including 43 in New York City and 33 in New Jersey. The Rigauts and their neighbors managed to escape with their lives. Yet three weeks after the storm, they say they still have not received any form of compensation. "On top of all of this sadness, we are struggling with the insurance companies," said Rigaut, whose family is now holed up in a rental home in southern New Jersey. Undeterred, they say they plan to pile into the car Thursday and head north, joining 13 other relatives for Thanksgiving dinner in Belle Harbor at her sister's storm-battered, though still functional, home. "My sister was out buying air mattresses," she said. "It's going to be a little tight, sleeping like the Irish did after Ellis Island: 12 to a room!" But with a daughter who is "borderline asthmatic," the Rigauts say they plan to stay only one night. What local residents call "the Rockaway dust" has them concerned. Rotting drywall, mold and piles of garbage across the Rockaway Peninsula have residents worried about worsening air quality in the region, though officials were not immediately available to comment on the relatively new phenomenon. A red sticker on the Rigauts' old front door signifies that the city has condemned the building and plans to demolish it. The remains of their home will now likely join the massive garbage heaps along the Rockaway shore, adding to potential health concerns. iReport: Who's at your Thanksgiving table? CNN's Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report . | The Rigaut family was one of many to lose their home on the Rockaway Peninsula .
The home, built in 1937, was in the family for five generations of parties and holiday celebrations .
Residents now worry about "Rockaway dust," rotting drywall, mold and garbage . |
169,868 | 67d9e81c98fa7e666d5dea032bf8d7773ec4baf1 | (CNN) -- A tugboat on Saturday reached a disabled freighter carrying 22 people, hours after the ship rode out Hurricane Ike without power, Coast Guard spokesman Mike O'Berry said. O'Berry said the tugboat Rotterdam arrived shortly before 2 p.m. (3 p.m. ET). Repairs will be made aboard the Antalina, which has a broken fuel pump, while at sea, O'Berry said. The tugboat will then tow the ship to Port Arthur, Texas, where it will undergo additional repairs and eventually offload more of its cargo -- petroleum coke, a petroleum byproduct -- O'Berry said. The crew members aboard the Antalina, a Cypriot-flagged freighter, are all in good health, said Coast Guard Cmdr. Ron Labrec. The freighter suffered no major damage from the storm, said Darrell Wilson, a spokesman for the company that manages the ship. Aircraft from the Coast Guard and Air Force were sent Friday afternoon to try to rescue the crew of the freighter, which is loaded with petroleum coke, a petroleum byproduct. But high winds forced the military to abort the rescue, O'Berry said. The Coast Guard then instructed the freighter to contact it each hour. It also told told the crew to turn on the ship's emergency radio beacon so its position could be monitored, O'Berry said. Watch the Coast Guard conduct a rescue operation » . Onshore as well, rescuers found it too dangerous to respond to calls for help. In Liverpool, Texas, south of Houston, a family called for help around 1 a.m. Saturday when a tree crashed into their house, but authorities concluded that strong winds made it too dangerous to respond, said Doc Adams, Brazoria County's emergency management coordinator. "You want to take care of people, and when you can't, it's tough," Adams said. "Unfortunately, someone has to make the decision about whether the risk is worth the benefit. Are you willing to risk three or four lives to save one? It's not easy." Adams said he didn't know if anyone in the house was hurt. "As far as I know, they're still there in the house with a tree over it," he said at about 3:40 a.m. The stranded freighter had been headed south through the Gulf of Mexico from Port Arthur, Texas, but "lost main propulsion 90 miles southeast of Galveston" and was unable to steer, the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard received a distress call from the vessel at 4 a.m. Friday. The Antalina was "basically adrift, at the mercy of the wind and sea currents," Coast Guard Petty Officer Tom Atkeson said at the time. "We are in hell," one of the men aboard the freighter told CNN on Friday before the rescue was called off. The man said the winds around the ship were strong but that the freighter still had power. On Friday before the storm hit, authorities picked up more than 120 people stranded by rising seas along the southeast Texas coast. Most of the rescues occurred in Galveston County, where rising water and other effects of the storm began hours before landfall early Saturday. Stranded residents were airlifted from Crystal Beach, Bolivar Peninsula and other communities in the Galveston area. Many of those rescued were motorists stranded on flooded roads. In Surfside Beach, police waded through chest-high rushing water to rescue five people trapped in their homes. One man refused to leave, said Surfside Beach police Chief Randy Smith. "Some of them took convincing, some of them didn't," Smith said. Police also rescued five other people who waded out to meet the officers. About half of those rescues were done by helicopters out of bases along the coast, said Coast Guard Petty Officer David Schulein. Three HH-65C helicopters from Coast Guard Air Station Houston rescued more than 20 people and continued to fly rescue missions until weather grounded them Friday evening, said Petty Officer Renee Aiello, a station spokeswoman. Some 37,000 people may need to be rescued in the aftermath of the hurricane, a U.S. military official estimated Friday. Texas already has asked for help, and the active-duty military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby, the official said. | NEW: Tugboat reaches stranded freighter .
Ship's crew of 22 endures night without power in Gulf of Mexico .
Coast Guard, Air Force had to abandon rescue because of poor conditions .
Authorities onshore find it too dangerous to respond to calls for help . |
106,961 | 15f99e227560eb7fb29fb3c283078b7072f110cd | All you might feel is someone brush by you and a slight pin prick. But very quickly you would be suffering muscle paralysis followed by suffocation. You would be dead within a very short period of time. This is the deadly effect of just one of the weapons found on a failed North Korean assassin last year on the busy streets of Seoul, now shown exclusively to CNN. Disguised to look like a Parker ballpoint pen, it contains a poison needle and is practically impossible to identify as a weapon. The second pen shoots a poison-filled bullet which penetrates the skin and releases the toxin and the third weapon is a flashlight, loaded with up to three bullets. They all look completely innocuous but all three will kill. An individual willing to be identified only as an "investigation official" showed CNN the weapons, pointing out the flashlight as the most significant find. "This flashlight is new," the man familiar with North Korean assassination devices said. "I've never seen this weapon. If you look at the front, there are three holes, there was a bullet in each hole and here is the trigger. This is currently loaded and dangerous, two bullets remain." The third bullet had been fired by investigation authorities to test the weapon. It was accurate and deadly. The would-be assassin who was carrying these devices was arrested on his way to kill his target. That target was anti-North Korea activist, Park Sang-hak, who has since been given round-the-clock police protection by South Korean authorities. We showed Park the footage of the weapons intended for him. He was shocked. "You'd notice a gun, but these weapons are so innocuous, you can easily kill someone, I'd be dead immediately." Park says he will continue to send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the border in balloons, a practice which has angered the regime, sparking threats of military retaliation. He was aware he was at the top of North Korea's hit list. Park had been in contact with the would-be assassin, named only as Ahn, as Ahn had expressed interest in funding his activism. He was on his way to meet him when the National Intelligence Service intervened and stopped him. It was at that meeting Ahn was believed to have planned to kill Park, according to South Korean authorities. Ahn was convicted in April and sentenced to four years in prison. "I didn't believe they'd try and kill me on the crowded streets of Seoul, I thought the NIS was over-reacting," Park said. He now knows they saved his life but is also convinced that it will not be the last attempt on his life. | Poison-tipped ballpoint pen and pen firing poison bullets found on failed N. Korean assassin .
Target was anti-North Korea activist, Park Sang-hak, according to S. Korean intelligence .
Park had been sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across border in balloons .
He is convinced that this incident will not be the last attempt on his life . |
187,648 | 7efffb6cc79ad645c8d93469ac8aaf782c806bc7 | It is one of the biggest events on . the UK celebrity calendar and gives our girls a chance to show off the best of British on the red carpet. The Glamour Women of the Year Awards is also not one to be missed by leading ladies across the pond, who make an annual pilgrimage to Mayfair in London for the prestigious ceremony. Now in its tenth year, the bash attracts a stellar list of guests with last year’s winners including the likes of Kylie Minogue, Donatella Versace, Jessie J, Jessica Alba, Fearne Cotton, Amanda Holden, Eva Longoria, and Dionne Warwick. And while most ladies attending the event next Tuesday are . hoping to take home a much coveted gong, it seems that all is not lost for those who miss out on an . award. Bag of tricks: The winners and presenters at the 2013 awards in association with Pandora will walk away with a goodie bag worth £3,000 and even non-winners will take home this £300 one . It has been revealed that honoured . nominees and A-list presenters at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards will all receive goodie bags . worth a staggering £3,000, and judging by the contents, everyone really is a . winner. Featuring in excess of 70 gifts, this is the event's most exciting and indulgent goodie bag yet. Famous faces: Jessie J and Katherine Jenkins are among previous attendees at the glitzy awards . Including a Pandora gold heart ring, Aspinal of London notebook and a £100 My-wardrobe voucher, the VIP attendees are in for a stylish treat. And it's not just the winners who get presents. Every guest will be walking away with some arm candy as smaller goodie bags, worth £300 and packed with the likes of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, a copy of the Revenge wears Prada book and even a bottle of David Beckham Classic Fragrance, will be available at every table place. Glamour's Women of the Year Awards honours the celebrities, politicians, local leaders, and athletes who have helped empower and inspire women this year. The best takeaway ever? The winners will take home a bag worth £3,000 packed full of beauty and fashion goodies . Whilst the winners and attendees are yet to be announced, nominees include Mad Men stars January Jones, Christina Hendricks and Elisabeth Moss, Downton Abbey's Joanne Froggatt, comedian Miranda Hart, singers Jessi J and Rita Ora and sportswomen Victoria Pendleton and Jessica Ennis. Glamour readers have been voting for their favourites in categories such as Best Presenter, Best Solo Artist and Designer of the Year in a celebration of all things female. Last year the Fashion Designer of the Year gong went to Donatella Versace while Eva Longoria was commended for her inspiration and Jessica Alba took home the Entrepreneur award. Other awards ceremonies famed for their overflowing goody bags include the BAFTA's which saw celebrities take home a £2,500 bag full of gifts including Lancome skincare and makeup products, Tattinger . Brut Reserve champagne, a painting of the Diamond Jubilee river pageant . from the Savoy and even an invitation to stay at Villa Maria Estate in . New Zealand. Beauty bag: The bag will include St Tropez tanning products and Sanctuary Spa goodies too . Luxury: There will also be an Aspinal of London notebook and Pandora Gold Heart Ring worth £315 . Pandora Gold Heart RingElizabeth Arden Prevage Intense Serum Rodial productsBabyliss istubble plus for the men or 35 Boutique Italian AC Dryers for women Cochine hand and body lotionElemis Tranquil Touch Creamy Body WashSt TropezAspinal of London notebookKurt Geiger voucherJaegar leather pouchesChloe VIP setsDavid Beckham Essence FragranceBare Essentials lipsticksThorntons Chocolate Clutch Bag . | Magazine pulling out all stops for tenth anniversary of awards .
Glitzy goodie bags contain 70 products .
Include Pandora jewels, Aspinal of London notebook, St Tropez products .
Non-VIPs will still take home bags worth £300 .
Last year's winners included Eva Longoria and Jessica Alba .
2013 nominees include Victoria Beckham, Rita Ora and Jessica Ennis . |
143,400 | 457399a6c56c5013125a0fce5ecb461b6a2dcc5e | Cristiano Ronaldo took a break from his best-of-enemies routine with Lionel Messi to urge his son to walk up and speak to the Argentina ace just before the Ballon d’Or bash. The duo were minutes away from going head to head to see who would be crowned the world's best player at the awards ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland. But there was certainly no hostility between the pair as Ronaldo urged his son to introduce himself to the Barcelona forward after claiming that Cristiano Jnr was a big fan. Lionel Messi (right) introduces himself to Cristiano Ronaldo's son Cristiano Jnr at Ballon d'Or bash . A nervous Cristiano Jnr looks towards his father for some for some reassurance after meeting Messi . Cristiano Jnr returns to the safety of his father after his brief meeting with Messi in Switzerland . In the video, translated on AS's website, Ronaldo explains how his son had seen clips of Messi and that the pair had spoken about them afterwards. Messi is quick to introduce himself to a shy Cristiano Jnr, before asking the youngster how he is and whether he is well. However, the moment between the pair proved to be short-lived as a nervous Cristiano Jnr returned to his father after going quiet in front of his hero. It's all smiles for Cristiano Jnr as he helps his dad collect his second successive Ballon d'Or in Switzerland . A shy Cristiano Jnr clings to his triumphant father as he collects the third Ballon d'Or award of his career . The youngster went on to see his father beat Messi to the award for the second straight year and win for the third time overall. Messi still leads the head-to-head count 4-3. Although it is not clear whether Cristiano Jnr was disappointed to see his new friend miss out... Ronaldo goes head-to-head with defender Joa Miranda during Real Madrid's game with Atletico Madrid . Messi (right) challenges Atletico Madrid's Diego Godin for possession at the Nou Camp . | Cristiano Ronaldo Jnr is a big fan of Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi .
Messi was quick to talk to young Ronaldo and asked how he was .
Ronaldo Jnr appeared shy in front of Messi .
Ronaldo Snr had the last laugh, winning the Ballon d'Or ahead of his rival . |
250,853 | d0a61f430bd46fdbced9cf58205aaa2fc83d315b | No-frills airlines and Europe’s free travel rules are being exploited by Romanian gangs to target Britain, it was revealed yesterday. Up to 240 crime networks have been identified in the country by Europol, the European criminal intelligence agency. Its director Rob Wainwright said crooks are using low-cost airlines to target cities for one-day sprees. Airport: Criminals are flying in and out of a country in just one day, Europol's director has said (file picture) Romanian and Bulgarian gangs are thought responsible for 90 per cent of all European card-skimming crimes . Thieves, credit card fraudsters and pickpockets buy cheap tickets to fly in and out in just a few hours. As a result police are almost powerless to identify those responsible. An . estimated 68,000 Romanians live in Britain, but there have been 28,000 . arrests of Romanian people for serious offences in the past five years. Mr Wainwright said his agency was facing ‘petty criminals operating across multiple jurisdictions’. He added Romanian and Bulgarian offenders are responsible for 90 per cent of all card-skimming in Europe. ‘We . have this travelling criminal gang phenomenon that has become much more . prevalent in the last three or four years; gangs from Lithuania, gangs . from Poland, gangs from Romania that are operating in 20 or more . European countries,’ he added. ‘They . fly on low-cost airlines, do a few hits in one city and get back in . time for tea. It’s very difficult for local police to respond.’ Europol estimates that Romania’s organised crime gangs account for 6.7 per cent of such networks in Europe. It claims this figure is out of proportion for a country with a population of 21million. Experts think gangs have divided Europe into two, along a rough line from Gdansk in Poland to Lisbon in Portugal. The main crimes being carried out by the travelling gangs are thought to be card-skimming and pickpocketing . Romanian gangs control the north, including Britain, Bulgarians the south. Romanian . criminals are specialists in pickpocketing and card-skimming, in which . devices fixed to cash machines steal card details, they say. The information, combined with a PIN recorded by a hidden camera, is used to drain a victim’s account. Often . data is used by accomplices in countries that do not require security . chips, such as the US, Canada and Asia. This summer, police blamed Roma . gipsies who were living rough on London’s Park Lane for a surge in . begging, pickpocketing and shoplifting. Police . are working closely with colleagues in Romania and other countries to . uncover suspects’ criminal records, and have won funding for eight . Romanian and Polish officers to work as liaison officials. In one case a . shoplifter was found to be a notorious Romanian criminal wanted for . more than 60 offences including kidnap and armed robbery. 'They fly on low-cost airlines, do a few hits in one city and get back in time for tea' Rob Wainwright, Europol director . Last . month, the Home Affairs Committee heard that foreigners with . convictions overseas can enter Britain, go on a crime spree and leave . hours later without being caught. The warning came as a report said staff shortages and a failing screening system have left Britain’s borders in chaos. The National Audit Office said terrorists and offenders are slipping through the net. Last year a family of pickpockets who built ‘palaces’ at home in Romania were jailed. The . Rostas family preyed on passengers on late-night trains out of London. They lived on benefits and stole hundreds of thousands from at least 185 . victims over two years. Government . figures suggest the number of Romanians and Bulgarians in the UK has . gone up by a third in the past year. The number working in the UK rose . from 91,000 in April to June 2012 to 127,000 during the same period this . year. Both countries joined the EU in 2007, and from January 1 their citizens will have full rights to live and work here. France’s . foreign minister has called for Romanians and Bulgarians to be stopped . from travelling freely. Laurent Fabius said there were security fears . over crooks using the two impoverished countries as a way into the rest . of the EU. A high-profile . trial in Nancy, eastern France, has heard how children of ten were in a . ‘criminal army’ of Roma immigrants run by a 66-year-old woman. A . gang of 27 men and women are accused of robbery and people-trafficking, . including allowing . | Europol director Rob Wainwright says the gangs are active across Europe .
Exploit low-cost airlines by targeting city and getting 'back in time for tea'
He said police cooperation is needed to halt the crime wave . |
191,068 | 836ed7c7f835bf43b3ac13adb841a396a1cffd48 | Alfreda Weir, 64, has 26 medical conditions . She is not sure if operator was being 'rude or just stupid' Patient's group brands treatment at hands of Scottish Ambulance Service 'absolutely inhuman' By . Hayley Dixon . PUBLISHED: . 12:40 EST, 29 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:30 EST, 30 November 2012 . A blind pensioner was told by an ambulance service operator she could get to hospital on her own as her guide dog would read the signs. Outraged Alfreda Weir, 64, has had three strokes, kidney failure, heart failure and depends on her 10-year-old guide dog Yoko for getting around. She has to make regular visits to the hospital for treatment and until recently she was regularly picked up by the Scottish Ambulance Service and taken to her appointments. Blind Alfreda Weir, 64, was effectively told that her guide dog Yoko, pictured with her, could read signs and get her to hospital . But after calling the service last week, Ms Weir was informed by an operator that she no longer met criteria and would have to make her own way to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Ms Weir, who lives alone in Dunfermline and has no family, was then left speechless when the operator effectively told her that her Labrador could read the hospital signs for her when she got there. She said yesterday: 'When the lady on the phone made it clear the ambulance wouldn’t be taking me for my appointment, I asked her what I would do if I made my own way to the hospital. 'It’s a big place and they use signs to direct patients, but obviously I can’t read them. Ms Weir was trying to get to her appointment at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, pictured, when the operator refused to provide her with an ambulance . 'She said to me "there are signs". So I reminded her that I am visually impaired, to which she replied "but you’ve got a guide dog". 'So I had to tell her that my dog can’t read. She’s a lovely, clever little thing but she’s not that clever. I’m not sure if the operator was being rude or just stupid.' As well as being blind, Ms Weir has 26 different medications for conditions such as bronchitis, diabetes and asthma. She has used the patient transport system for years to get to appointments but a new booking system was introduced in October and she was told she no longer met criteria for a lift. Margaret Watt, from the Scottish Patients Association said Alfreda’s treatment was 'Absolutely inhuman'. Ms Weir, pictured at her home with her guide dog Yoko, was left outraged by the Scottish Ambulance Service's refusal to provide her with transport to her hospital appointment . She said: 'I doubt any of the people in the ambulance service would think that was clever if it was one of their relatives. 'What a ridiculous thing to say. That operator should be retrained on respect, compassion and dignity for patients, because she obviously hasn’t got any. 'With regards to Ms Weir not being taken to hospital, that is also not acceptable. Not only is it inconvenient for the patient it costs a lot of money. 'They should be making sure this lady gets to and from hospital safely and has no difficulties in getting around hospitals.' The matter has now been resolved and Alfreda will be picked up by the ambulance again, but she said she is nervous about calling the operator to book up. A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said that they would not comment on specifics of the case because of patient confidentiality, but issued this statement: 'Ambulance transport is provided for patients who have a mobility or medical need. 'The decision to provide transport was based upon the initial information provided by the patient. Once further information and the patient’s circumstances were clarified, transport was confirmed and will continue to be provided in future.' | Alfreda Weir, 64, has 26 medical conditions .
She is not sure if operator was being 'rude or just stupid'
Patient's group brands treatment at hands of Scottish Ambulance Service 'absolutely inhuman' |
247,121 | cbccd0a16aea6ba6a1a177b3a5706578e1465e5c | Ever since Pippa . Middleton and Kim Sears stepped out armed with their trusty Aspinal of London handbags, they have fast became the season's must-have arm candy. But if the Marylebone tote's super slick design and clutch of celebrity fans wasn't enough, it just got better (and a lot more expensive). While Pippa and Kim's luxurious leather totes cost around an eye-watering £1,000, Aspinal of London has created its most exclusive limited-edition handbag to date. Scroll down for video . Famous fans: Kim Sears, left, has been carrying the £1,395 Marylebone tote in Ivory Saffiano and Mouse Python at Wimbledon. Pippa, meanwhile, favours the £795 monochrome version, right, and now the brand has unveiled its most luxurious creation to date . The brand has created the diamond-dusted crocodile Marylebone tote - but at £18,000, could it be too much for even Kim and Pippa's beloved other halves to afford? The new bag, which is to be sold exclusively in Harrods (where else?), has been handcrafted using crocodile skin and hand-finished with two-carat diamonds to create a 'dazzling finish', says the brand. 'Guaranteed to turn heads, this breathtaking and ultra-luxurious creation will be strictly limited edition and available only while stocks last,' says the brand. Luxury tote: The new diamond-dusted Marylebone tote has been handcrafted using crocodile skin and hand-finished with two-carat diamonds - and will set you back a cool £18,000 . Kim Sears, the queen of courtside fashion, has been carrying the £1,395 Marylebone Tote in Ivory Saffiano and Mouse Python while at Wimbledon. Pippa, meanwhile, favours the £795 monochrome or £750 Deer Saffiano versions. Other famous fans of . the luxury British brand include Millie Mackintosh, who is often spotted . with her Marylebone tote, as well as Amanda Holden, and Mollie King, who has a satchel named after her. Famous fans: Millie Mackintosh and Mollie King are fans of Aspinal - Mollie even has a satchel (pictured right) named after her . Hell for leather: Ellie Goulding is also a fan of the brand and favours the £350 Aspinal Letterbox Saddle bag . | Aspinal of London unveils £18,000 diamond-dusted Marylebone tote .
Pippa Middleton, Kim Sears and Mollie King are fans of luxury brand .
New 'dazzling' handbag will be sold exclusively in Harrrods . |
198,956 | 8d9236aa44b87371d0c9ba71b497e9a453c36d40 | A century ago, King Island was a bustling community of 200 people who passed their days hunting seals and their long winter nights dancing beneath the wide Alaska skies. But now, after a series of tragedies, the island stands deserted, reduced to a collection of crumbling, empty homes - a mere skeleton of the thriving neighborhood it once was. Seventy years ago, as the island's men were shipped off to battle in World War II and a savage outbreak of tuberculosis claimed many of those left behind, numbers began to dwindle. The lure of . jobs and better medical care on the mainland also added to the exodus, and finally the . Bureau of Indian affairs closed the island's only school in 1959 because of fears of a . rock slide. Scroll down for video . Abandoned: The residents of King Island in Alaska built their houses on stilts on the side of a jagged island . Settlement: Before a series of tragedies, a community had lived on the island for thousands of years . With . their school closed, the remaining families were forced to begin a new . life in the nearby mainland town of Nome - but the move brought a new series of hardships, with families . separated, children put into care because of truancy laws, and others . forced to attend boarding schools. 'In short, the fabric of King Island . extended family life was shredded without cause,' the Alaska Dispatch reported. 'The stated reason for . the move... was that a boulder was about to roll down the . hill and crush the school. More than 50 years later, the boulder still hasn't moved.' Before the tragedies and fears of rock slides, families had lived on the island - which is 40 miles west of the mainland - for thousands of years, propping their community up on the steep, rocky banks. The island, which is just a mile long, was inhabited by a group of Inupiat who called themselves Ukivokmiut, which means 'People of the sea'. The small village was named Ukivok. The men gained fame as hunters and ivory carvers, and survived on walrus, seal, birds and berries before heading to the mainland in the summer to sell their carvings. Former homes: An image from 1928 shows King Island when around 200 residents would have lived there . Villagers: King Island residents in kayaks in an image taken around 1892. The kayaks are the characteristic King Island style as they carry more than one person or items on deck . Community: A group of men aboard a ship from the island in 1898; the men caught seals and fish . Way of life: Pictured in 1928, an Inupiat man on King Island uses a bow-drill to drill a hole in a walrus tusk . Today, the mystique of the tiny deserted . island lives on, with the granddaughter of former residents finally . achieving her wish to visit their one-time home. Joan Naviyuk Kane had been raising money . to fund a two-week trip to King Island, a tiny village of houses built . on sticks along the jagged island, when an unnamed foundation donated $32,000. Ms Kane had been struggling to raise the money to visit when she received the anonymous gift. 'I'm still in disbelief,' Mrs Kane, who is half Inupiat, said. 'I've been trying to wrap my head around it.' For years the 35-year-old, who lives with her husband and children in Anchorage, has felt drawn to the village, which was deserted in 1966. She wants to spend two weeks at the remote spot, taking photographs and finding inspiration for her writing. Today: The village, built on the slope of the island, is now deserted following fears of rock slides . Treacherous: King Island is a mile in size and around 40 miles from the mainline, and 90 miles from Nome . On her fundraising page Mrs Kane says . she wants to make the trip while 'My mother and her remaining siblings - . as well as others who were born and raised on the island - are still . alive, interested, and capable of making the trip together to ensure . that King Islanders remain connected to our ancestors, culture, and . place of origin'. The . writer, who is planning a novel about the 1971 Alaska Native Claims . Settlement Act, hopes the trip will help others 'Gain an understanding . of the challenges of reversing federal policy and returning people to . their homes, even for a brief visit of several weeks'. Reaching King Island is no easy feat. With no landing spot for a large boat, Mrs Kane will have to use a . helicopter or small boat to reach the village. She will also need a tent that can stay . up as strong winds blow across the deserted settlement, which is about . 90 miles from the gold rush town of Nome. Roots: Poet Joan Naviyuk Kane is organizing a trip to the remote King Island to connect with her heritage . Memories: The poet plans to document her trip to the remote island, to preserve the Inupiat culture . Connection: Joan Naviyuk Kane holds a walrus ivory letter opener, carved by her grandfather who was one of the island's last residents . Ms Kane plans to set up a website . about the ghost town, and had campaigned to raise funds for her trip on . the fundraising site United States Artists. She had raised more than $15,000 through her online campaign, when the anonymous group made its $32,000 donation. 'It is unusual for an anonymous gift to . come in this large,' USA program officer Armando Huipe told NewsTimes.com. 'But it's not uncommon for foundations . and corporations to give to projects.' | The tiny deserted King Island is 40 miles from the Alaska mainland .
For thousands of years, a small community lived on its rocky banks .
But last century, men were shipped to World War II, others lost their lives to TB and fears spread about rock slides - so the inhabitants moved away .
Now the granddaughter of former residents is hoping to visit the island . |
133,231 | 384311172b9e3a380fe6bcdc3e60ef690e1c71d6 | By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:24 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:15 EST, 15 November 2013 . Toronto's City Council today voted overwhelmingly to strip crack-smoking Mayor Rob Ford of some of his powers in the latest attempt to box in the brash leader who has refused to resign. The motion, approved in a 39-3 vote, suspends Ford's authority to appoint and dismiss the deputy mayor and his executive committee, so Ford is unable to fire members who speak out against him. An unusually subdued Ford vowed to fight the motion in court. 'I can't support this and obviously I have no other options but to challenge this in court,' the mayor said. Battle: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford stands in the council chamber in Toronto on Friday as the City Council voted overwhelming to strip him of some of his powers following his crack-smoking scandal . A few members had expressed concerns about the move to reduce his powers, even though they said they disapproved of the mayor's conduct. 'We are collectively disgusted with the mayor's behavior,' Councilor Anthony Perruzza said. 'If one day we are disgusted with someone’s political views or their political positions, basically we can do the same thing?' The vote came a day after yet another series of antics from Ford that outraged city councilors, anti-drunk driving advocates and even Toronto's football team. Most city councilors are frustrated by Ford's refusal to step aside since he admitted last week to smoking crack, but they lack the authority to force him out of office unless he is convicted of a crime. Stubborn: Ford, who has refused to step aside despite the revelations, smiles during the meeting Friday . Vote: Councillor John Filion, pictured on Friday, said reducing Ford's powers to appoint and dismiss the deputy mayor and his executive committee, means Ford is unable to fire those who criticize him . In the span of a few hours on Thursday, Ford used obscene language to deny that he pressured a female employee for oral sex, admitted that he had driven while drinking and then apologized for his vulgarity and said he was seeking professional help, though he refused to give details. Allegations that he made sexual advances towards staffer Olivia Gondek had sparked an angry outburst earlier in the day. 'It says that I wanted to eat her . p****,' he told reporters. 'I would never do that. I'm happily married. I've got more than enough to eat at home, thank you very much.' At . noon, the mayor held yet another press conference backed by his wife . Renata to apologize for his 'graphic language' blaming the 'impulse in . my remarks' on the last six months of 'tremendous stress'. 'The . revelations yesterday of cocaine, escorts and prostitution have pushed . me over the line,' he said. 'I used unforgivable language.' Beleaguered: Ford speaks at a news conference with his wife Renata on Thursday. Associates accused him of driving drunk, using racist language and pressured a female employee for oral sex . Standing by her man: Renata Ford does not look impressed as her husband gives at the press conference . He also upset the Toronto Argonauts by wearing the football team's jersey at City Hall on Thursday when he made vulgar statements and admitted to driving while drunk. Councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong, a former ally, said: 'We need to take away his power for the good of the city. 'The tide has turned and there are very few people that are prepared to defend him given his vulgar comments and his admission that not only does he takes drugs but that he seems to be comfortable drinking and getting behind the wheel.' Ford's troubles began escalating in May when news reports first surface of a video showing him smoking crack. After . month of evading the question, the mayor admitted to having smoked . crack when Toronto police announced they had obtained the video during . the course of a massive drug investigation that has ensnared a close . friend of Ford. Making enemies: Ford, pictured on Thursday, even upset the Toronto Argonauts boss after wearing the football team's jersey when he made offensive remarks and admitted he has driven while intoxicated . Revelations . have rapidly surfaced of other startling behavior, from former aides . alleging that the mayor has been frequently drunk on the job, to a video . showing the mayor threatening to kill someone in an incoherent rant. It . has been a stunning decline for the 44-year-old mayor who was elected . three years ago with fervent support from Toronto's conservative-leaning . outer suburbs, where many voters felt angry about they considered . wasteful spending and elitist politics at City Hall. Throughout the ordeal, his wife Renata has stood by him and pursed her lips as she appeared at his side during his press conference on Thursday. The couple met in high school when they were only living a few blocks from each other, and got married in 2000. They have an 8-year old daughter, Stephanie, and a 5-year-old son, Douglas. But she is famously secretive, even to people within the Ford circle, and has been described as the 'invisible wife' and an 'enigma' by Toronto Life Magazine. Time to go: People protest against Toronto Mayor Rob Ford in front of City Hall in Toronto on Wednesday . Reducing his powers: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and his brother Doug Ford . (left) confront Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (bottom center) during . council at City Hall in Toronto on November 13 . The Ford marriage has been far from . perfect. In 2008, a domestic dispute started between the two when Ford . called the police because of his wife's 'irrational, out-of-control' behavior. When police 'saw the situation' they informed him to leave with the children so he took them to his mother's house. The next day, Ford returned to his house to take a shower and change clothes and that's when Renata called police. Ford was arrested and charged with assaulting his wife and threatening to kill her. The charges were eventually dropped due to 'credibility issues' on Renata's part and the couple seemed to patch things up after the incident. 'Everything's going great...whatever it takes,' Ford said when he finally returned to his home. 'I support my wife. My wife supports me.' | Ford's power to appoint and dismiss the deputy mayor and his executive committee have been suspended - to prevent him from firing his critics .
It comes a day after the mayor, who previously admitted to smoking crack, angered the council with another series of antics .
He had used vulgar language to deny pressuring a female employee into oral sex - and then apologized a few hours later .
His wife Renata stood beside him as he blamed the outburst on stress .
He also denies allegations of snorting cocaine, abusing alcohol and prescription pills as well as hanging out with prostitutes . |
211,624 | 9e0f46d0ac7c0232310a3f61aeb6f08af3b00a76 | By . Jaya Narain . PUBLISHED: . 04:42 EST, 30 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:05 EST, 30 October 2013 . Tyne Yates, 23, has been jailed for 18 months for theft, burglary, taking two vehicles without consent and driving while disqualified and without insurance . The granddaughter of a respected magistrate made sexual advances towards elderly men so she could pickpocket their wallets. Tyne Yates, 23, targeted vulnerable old men out walking alone and then distracted her victims by hugging or groping them. While manhandling them she would put her hand into their jacket pockets and steal their wallets and mobile phones before walking off. Yates, who has serious drug and drink problems, targeted the vulnerable old men as they walked on Blackpool Promenade. One 87-year-old widower, who was on a break in the seaside resort following the death of his wife, was a victim of her ‘Kiss Me Quick’ thefts. In a two-year campaign she is believed to have struck numerous times but many of her victims are thought to be too embarrassed to report it to police. Last night Yates was behind bars, starting an 18-month jail term after she admitted four charges of theft and a burglary. She also admitted taking two vehicles without their owners’ consent, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. Preston Crown Court heard Yates shunned her middle-class background and went off the rails despite her grandparents being pillars of the community and leading political figures in the Lancashire town. Family: Yates grandmother Sylvia Taylor, pictured left, is a magistrate, Labour Councillor and a former town mayor while her grandfather Ivan Taylor, pictured right, is a prominent member of Blackpool Council and also a former town mayor . Her grandmother Sylvia Taylor, a . magistrate and Labour councillor, was a former mayor of the seaside . resort until she retired earlier in the year. Yates’s grandfather Ivan . Taylor, a company director, was also a former mayor of the town, head . of education and social services and sits on the joint executive and . scrutiny panel for Blackpool Council. The . couple, both 74, who had adopted Yates’s mother Lisa as a child and . later set her up in her own home, were too upset to talk about the case . yesterday. When contacted about her granddaughter Mrs Taylor said: ‘I’m sorry but we don’t want to talk about it.’ But . one of their neighbours said: ‘It’s such a shame because they’re a . lovely couple who have given so much public service and done so much . good in Blackpool. They doted on this girl yet it seems she has just . thrown it all back in their faces.’ Yates’s descent into crime began when she was just 15 years old and began to play truant from her high school. Yates, who has serious drug and drink problems, targeted the vulnerable old men as they walked on Blackpool Promenade . Life of crime: Preston Crown Court heard Yates, pictured in 2009, had a comfortable middle class upbringing but turned to drugs and crime . In . 2005, her mother was hauled into court after her daughter went to . school on only four out of a possible 110 days over a four-month period. The . teenager had an average attendance rate of just 4 per cent and carried . on truanting despite repeated visits by education officials. As a result . her mother was ordered to complete community service for failing to . ensure Yates went to school. Her . mother died in 2007, at the age of 38. Her death led Yates further into . crime and in 2011 she was charged with stealing a wallet containing £80 . after hugging a 74-year-old man on the promenade. At the time the victim said she asked him for a cigarette then got hold of him by the hips, hugged him and asked him for sex. He . said ‘no’ and walked away but two witnesses believed a theft had taken . place and alerted police who arrested Yates and were able to return the . wallet to the victim. During . a subsequent police interview Yates said she needed to steal the money . because she had a serious drug and alcohol habit to feed. Pickpocket: Yates targeted men on Blackpool Promenade, distracting them with hugs and sexual advances so she could steal their wallets and belongings . Troubled teenager: Yates, pictured after her arrest, was a notorious truant at school and her mother Lisa had to complete community service for failing to make her daughter attend classes . She . was tagged and ordered to go into drug rehabilitation course but she . was arrested again after she drunkenly crashed a Ford Mondeo car while . chauffering a 71-year-old businessman from a football match. The . court heard that in May, Yates had approached a 17-year-old boy and . asked him if he ‘fancied a cuddle’ before stealing his mobile phone. Two . days later she approached a 73-year-old man waiting at a bus stop and . asked for sex in return for money, and began touching him over his . clothes. The pensioner said . he wasn’t interested but afterwards realised his wallet, containing £10 . cash, and his mobile phone had been stolen. Later . Yates and another girl went to Blackpool promenade where they spotted . the 87-year-old holidaymaker. Yates asked for money and then asked him . if he wanted sex with her. She began to grope the old man and touch him and, as he tried to push her away, she took his wallet containing £100. Yates . was arrested a month later after committing a burglary with her then . boyfriend when she ended up driving the victim’s Nissan Primera car. Peter . Horgan, defending, said Yates was highly ‘embarrassed and disturbed’ by her repeated behaviour of stealing from vulnerable old men. Thief: Yates told Preston Crown Court she stole the money to fund her alcohol and drug habit . | Tyne Yates had a comfortable upbringing but turned to drugs and crime .
Her grandmother is a JP, Labour councillor and former town mayor .
A court heard Yates distracted her victims with sexual advances so she could pickpocket their wallets and mobile phones .
She targeted vulnerable men on Blackpool promenade over two years .
She was jailed for 18 months for theft, burglary, taking two vehicles without consent and driving while disqualified and without insurance . |
131,387 | 35e838ee3e370bac7865be515860a61b84ca1e5e | Killer Jon Venables has blamed the mother of James Bulger for the toddler's murder saying that she should never have left him on his own, according to reports. Venables and Robert Thompson were both 10-years-old when they shocked Britain by abducting Bulger, then just 2-years-old, before torturing and killing him. The crime made the boys the youngest killers in modern English history. The duo snatched Bulger from outside a butcher's shop in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1993, while his mother popped into a store for just a few seconds. The toddler's mutilated body was found on a railway line in Walton, Liverpool, two days later. Scroll down for video . Killer Jon Venables, seen above age 10 after being arrested for the murder of James Bulger, has blamed the toddler's mother for her son's death saying that she should never have left him on his own . A surveillance camera image shows Venables leading Bulger out of the Bootle Strand shopping mall, near Liverpool, on February 12, 1993; the 2-year-old's mutilated body was found on railway lines two days later . Venables, now 32, is said to have told a reveller in a packed pub that Bulger's mother Denise Fergus was responsible for her son's death, an action that could have put his £1 million secret identify at risk. The killer's identity is protected by a lifelong order and has been changed four times since his release in 2001, costing taxpayers £250,000 each time. The reveller has told how he spoke to Venables in the 'gay friendly' pub after taking pity on the killer who was getting drunk alone at the bar. He said Venables had been hitting on his 56-year-old mother. Bulger's mother Denise Fergus is outraged by Venables claim saying 'how dare he try and put the onus back on me' The man, who has not been named, described Venables as a 'very troubled person' who appeared to want to reach out to someone. The man said: 'It was like he wanted me to know who he was and couldn't help himself. He told me he wasn't allowed a mobile or to go on social networking sites,' he told the Daily Mirror. 'Then something clicked. I was saying to my mum, 'I'm sure that's Jon Venables'. I said to him, 'You're Jon Venables'. And he denied it. The pair began talking about Bulger and the man said Venables claimed the death was 'the mum's fault for leaving him outside the butcher's'. Ms Fergus, 47, told the newspaper: 'How dare he try to put the onus back on to me? I was in a shop for 30 seconds and had briefly turned around. It's all on CCTV footage. 'He's already admitted that he and Thompson were to blame.' The man later searched for a picture of Venables online and claims he is 100 per cent sure it was the killer he had spoken to. Venables and Thompson were found guilty of killing Bulger in November 1993 and were sentenced to custody until they reached 18. They were freed in 2001, but by 2010 Venables was back in prison for violating the terms of his release by possessing child pornography. Venables was paroled again in 2013 and took on his fourth new identity. | Jon Venables and Robert Thompson murdered James Bulger in 1993 .
The duo abducted the 2-year-old and tortured him before taking his life .
Aged just 10 at the time the boys became the youngest killers on record .
Venables, now 32, claims the death is Bulger's mothers' own fault .
He made the allegation to a stranger in a pub where he was drinking alone .
Bulger's mother Denise Fergus said 'how dare' Venables try and blame her . |
85,665 | f2fa936f7ee65376e5f7d30fecfca0dcf4f9a3d5 | Paul Scholes has labelled Louis van Gaal a ‘mad genius’ as the Manchester United manager prepares for his first Barclays Premier League game against Swanseaon Saturday. Scholes says the Dutch coach is prone to ‘going off his head’ when his team fail to follow orders during training sessions or matches. The former United midfielder, also criticised his former club for failing to bid for Toni Kroos, signed by Real Madrid for £20million, or former Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Paul Scholes say Schweinsteiger asked for his shirt . Criticism: Man United legend Paul Scholes believes the club should have signed a world-class midfielder . Instant respect: Louis van Gaal is a mad genius and is prone to 'going off his head', according to Scholes . ‘From what I’ve seen (Van Gaal) looks a bit mad. He’s a bit like a mad genius, a bit crazy. He’s obviously very good at his job from where he’s been. I’ve not seen him work but I have seen clips on the telly and one moment he’s hugging someone for doing a great pass and the next, if something’s not right, he’s going off his head. He’s brought a bit of fear, which is no bad thing. 'I played for 20 years for Sir Alex Ferguson and he could be a scary man. Fear can bring performances from you. There’s no doubt these players need to perform this year. If they don’t, I don’t think they’ll be there for very long. ‘Players will know where they stand, which is what you want. You knew where you stood with Sir Alex from what you’d done on the Saturday. If you’d done well, he’d pat you on the back. If you hadn’t, you probably wouldn’t be playing the next week.’ United finished seventh in the Premier League last season and fired manager David Moyes in April after they lost to Everton. Presence: Scholes compared Van Gaal to former boss Sir Alex Ferguson and said both are 'scary' managers . Now Scholes believes Champions League qualification will be seen as a success in Van Gaal’s first season, insisting they have no chance of winning the title. ‘Success will be the Champions League,’ he said. ‘It’s between City and Chelsea (for the title). The next two places are between United, Liverpool and Arsenal. ‘There are a lot of players in that (United) team who have won leagues before. They are capable of getting close. We’ll have to see how good the manager is, and if he can bring a couple more players in, although he might think he has enough as it is. Chelsea and Man City have got stronger squads but in the end, squads don’t matter - it’s what you do on the field. ‘In May, hopefully United will be proving people like me wrong.’ In the hotseat: Scholes believes Champions League qualification will be seen as a success during Van Gaal's first season in charge . VIDEO Januzaj new no11, van Gaal chasing Rojo . Scholes was puzzled by United’s failure to bid for world-class players such as Kroos, Bastian Schweinsteiger or former Arsenal midfielder Fabregas. ‘A Fabregas, a Toni Kroos or a Schweinsteiger could add real quality to the team, but that’s up to the manager,’ Scholes added. He also claimed confidence was at an all-time low at United when he was brought in with Ryan Giggs for the final four games of last season after Moyes’ dismissal. BT Sport’s new pundit has dismissed Arsenal’s title chances, despite their 3-0 victory over champions Manchester City in the Community Shield last weekend. ‘(Alexis) Sanchez is a good signing but is that the type of player they need?’ he said. ‘They needed a top centre half and a strong midfield player. If they had that, they could challenge.’ World-class: Scholes believes Real Madrid signing Toni Kroos and Chelsea new boy Cesc Fabregas were the only top-level midfielders available this summer . Not needed? Scholes admites Alexis Sanchez is a good signing but believes Arsenal need a top centre back . Manchester United v Swansea City is one of 38 Barclays Premier League matches exclusively live on BT Sport this season along with top games from the FA Cup, UEFA Europa League and live action from more top flight football leagues than any other UK TV provider. | Manchester United legend Paul Scholes doesn't believe Red Devils can challenge for Premier League title this season .
Former United star admits new manager Louis van Gaal has restored fear factor at Old Trafford .
39-year-old believes Dutcham earned instant respect from players .
Scholes predicts Chelsea and Manchester City will battle it out for the title . |
110,713 | 1ab56182009c2f5faeb852258ec8aaa28c27eb89 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:26 EST, 22 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:16 EST, 22 January 2014 . A Florida high school student suspended after appearing in pornographic films has been allowed to return to class. Robert Marucci has been allowed to return to Cocoa High School after officials said they had been wrong to punish the 18-year-old. The high school senior had been excluded from school after other students circulated images two weeks ago, showing Robert in adult films that he appeared in to help his mother pay bills. Scroll down for video . Back to class: Robert Marucci has been allowed to return to Cocoa High School . Support: Melyssa Lieb says she is proud of her son for trying to earn cash for the family . By being excluded Robert risked not being allowed to graduate, but Brevard County School District reversed its decision on Tuesday to let the teenager return to class. Robert told NBC he had done nothing wrong, and had appeared . in the film to help his family pay bills. His mother, Melyssa Lieb, supported her son, whose initial suspension had caused . a protest by dozens of classmates last week. 'I think he's the most awesome person in the world,' she told WKMG through tears. 'He stood up and he was the man of the house when I couldn't be.' Michelle Irwin, a district spokeswoman, said: 'No child would ever be suspended for a job that they have outside of the school environment.' Even after he had been suspended, Robert remained unapologetic for the work he considers no different to any other job. The debacle began two weeks ago when fellow students at Cocoa High School discovered his videos on an adult website and started showing each other the explicit images on their phones. Exposed: Robert's role in adult films came to light when other students spotted him in porn movies . The website shows Robert, who goes by . the name of 'Noel', posing naked and having sex with other men, as well . as featuring in an introductory video about his love of surfing. Despite his pride in his work, when the photos emerged at school, he was targeted by bullies, WKMG reported. School administrators called him a 'major disruption', according to the referral slip. A friend posted on Reddit that Robert was suspended for 10 days, which meant that he would not be unable to graduate because of an automatic 'failure from absences'. 'I feel like I have been treated unfairly and this is unjust,' Robert said. 'This was completely legal. I didn't break any laws, and this took place out of the school.' Decisions: Cocoa High School has reversed its suspension of Robert . Backing: A protest by fellow students was held after Robert was suspended from class . His . mother added: I don't think that this is anybody's business except for my son.' Robert's mother wasn't the only one who supported him, as dozens staged a walkout at the school on Friday. A Facebook group was also set up to support him. | Florida high school reverses decision to exclude Robert Marucci over his role in adult films .
School friends held protest to show support for teenager . |
163,267 | 5f1e0aadb29517823dd07b94ddb6568ceea76abd | Istanbul (CNN) -- In a further escalation of tensions between Israel and Turkey, at least three Israeli diplomats are being expelled from the Israeli Embassy in Ankara, Israeli officials said Wednesday. The Israeli consulate, however, appears to be unaffected by the Turkish downgrade of diplomatic relations with Israel. "Consulates and embassies are not in the same status," said Ohad Kaynar of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. "There are treaties that define what consulates are supposed to do. The personnel that are being expelled are from the embassy. As of now, we have not heard anything from the Turkish foreign ministry regarding expulsion of any of the consulate personnel." On Tuesday, Turkey's fiery prime minister compared Ankara's once-close ally in the Middle East to a "spoiled boy" and announced additional sanctions would soon be imposed. "We are completely suspending all of these, trade relations, military relations, related with the defense industry," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to the semi-official Anatolian Agency. "All of these are completely suspended and other measures will follow this process." Asked to clarify whether this meant Turkey will halt more than $3 billion in bilateral trade, an official in the Turkish prime ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity under government protocol, insisted Erdogan was not referring to trade relations. "He was referring to the defense industry," the official said. "Nothing more than the measures that have been announced so far." Last week, Turkey declared it was downgrading relations with Israel, suspending all military agreements between the two countries and giving senior Israeli diplomats less than a week to leave Turkish territory. "If the current steps are regarded as 'plan B,' there will be a 'plan C,'" Erdogan said on Tuesday in his first public comments on the matter since Ankara imposed sanctions on Israel. Erdogan's government is incensed that Israel refuses to apologize or pay compensation for eight slain Turks and one Turkish-American. The humanitarian workers and activists were shot dead by Israeli commandos in a botched 2010 raid on an aid convoy that was trying to bust Israel's sea blockade of Gaza. But "Israel does not want to see a further deterioration in the relationship with Turkey," said a senior Israeli government official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. "There have been a number of proposals on the table to prevent a deterioration and unfortunately they have not been successful, but from our point of view a deterioration in the relationship serves neither side's interests." Multiple Israeli sources said they are doing what they can to be responsible and reverse the negative dynamic. Some Israeli officials believe the current troubles between the two countries are minor bumps that can be smoothed out with time and the proper diplomacy. Others believe the deteriorating relationship has little to do with Israel and more to do with a reorientation of Turkish foreign policy towards the Muslim world. A possible Erdogan trip to Gaza is contributing to that school of thought. Diplomats in Cairo and Ankara tell CNN that Erdogan is tentatively scheduled to visit Cairo next week. There is growing speculation in local media that the Turkish prime minister may try to visit Gaza via Egypt's Rafah border crossing. "This is a process that will continue until the last moment," Erdogan said Tuesday, according to Anatolian, when asked about a trip to Gaza. "We will make the final decision there, talking to our Egyptian friends and brothers. According to that, there may be a trip to Gaza." Despite deteriorating political relations between Jerusalem and Ankara, trade has grown substantially between the two countries over the last year, according to Turkish government statistics. On Monday, Stanley Fischer, governor of the Bank of Israel, gave a speech in which he highlighted the importance of Israel's economic ties with Turkey. He noted that Turkey's economy was the largest in the region, with a gross domestic product in excess of $700 billion, and that Turkey is becoming a key player in regional trade. Turkey is a significant Israeli trading partner, Fischer said, and damage to the trade relationship between the two countries could have serious consequences for Israel. Yigal Schleifer, Washington-based editor at Eurasianet and expert on Turkish-Israeli relations, argues the Middle Eastern "outsider" status that once drew Turkey and Israel together into an alliance during the 1990s has changed, as Turkey has grown economically and established closer political ties with Arab neighbors. "The paths have diverged," Schleifer said. "What you have left is two countries with different visions currently for their position in the region. So Turkey wants to build a more unified region with more open borders that ultimately helps trade and ultimately helps Turkey see itself as a regional leader. Israel sees itself as isolated in the region, increasingly threatened and increasingly concerned with security issues." Prior to the report about Erdogan's comments Tuesday, Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli defense official, told Israeli radio that despite the reports, Turkey is not disengaging from Israel. Contrary to what is being reported, he said, the Israeli military attache to Turkey is continuing his work there. | The Israeli consulate appears to be unaffected .
"Consulates and embassies are not in the same status," an official says .
An official says trade relations will not be suspended .
The tension stems from a 2010 raid on a Gaza aid convoy . |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.