Unnamed: 0
int64 0
287k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 117
14.7k
| highlights
stringlengths 37
3.97k
|
|---|---|---|---|
264,239 |
e240ae26e942065001010a254a911dc02f758336
|
By . Jamie Beatson . It was supposed to be an exclusive fundraising event for the students of Scotland’s oldest university. But instead, a wealthy reveller at the Oktoberfest at St Andrews ended up in court after he bit off the ear of a former World’s Strongest Man finalist. Emanuele Ferrero de Gubernatis Ventimiglia bit into Jamie Barr’s left ear during a struggle at the event in Fife last March. Jamie Barr, left, a former World's Strongest Man finalist, lost part of his ear after Emanuele Ferrero de Gubernatis Ventimiglia, right, bit it off during a struggle at an Oktoberfest event at St Andrews University . Mr Barr had been working at the event and had tried to prevent Ventimiglia, who was wearing lederhosen, getting into a taxi with his girlfriend after the couple had argued and she asked for him to be taken away. But despite admitting biting off Mr Barr’s ear Ventimiglia – a descendant of the Fiat company founder – walked free after trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. A jury decided that the 24-year-old Italian, from Turin but now living in London’s exclusive Knightsbridge, had acted in self-defence during the fight and found the charge not proven. The St Andrews Charity Oktoberfest attracts wealthy and titled guests from across the world as well as hundreds of students. Mr Barr, 49, told a jury he had once finished ninth in the World’s Strongest Man competition. He had been working as a first aider at the Oktoberfest, at Kinkell Byre, St Andrews, and had been helping at a taxi queue at the end of the night to clear a backlog of revellers. Mr Barr told the court: ‘There was a girl in the back of a taxi crying hysterically. She had her legs up trying to kick a guy away who was trying to get in the taxi. ‘I asked if she was OK and asked if she wanted him in there – she said no. I told him he couldn’t get in and he asked if I had a problem – he wasn’t happy. ‘I shut the taxi door and he appeared right in front of me. He put his head right against my forehead. I felt him bite my ear and he came back towards me and scratched my face. I pushed him as he bit me then headbutted him and punched him. ‘Then I realised he had bit a large chunk of my ear off – they found it on the ground, it just looked like a bit of rubber. ‘I was taken to hospital with the piece of ear but they couldn’t re-attach it.’ The Quadrangle at St Andrews University: Mr Barr was working as a first aider at the Oktoberfest, at Kinkell Byre, St Andrews, and had been helping to clear a backlog of revellers at a taxi queue at the end of the night . Mr Barr told the court he had undergone a series of operations. A skin graft was taken from his arm to be stretched over the new ear cartilage and re-attached. But Gordon Jackson, QC, defending, branded Mr Barr a ‘liar’ and said he had made up his version of events to paint Ventimiglia as the aggressor. Ventimiglia, in his evidence, said he had ‘never been in a situation like it’ and was ‘s***-scared’ – and had ‘done the only thing I could’ to escape the situation. He claimed Mr Barr had ‘aggressively’ hauled him from the taxi before attacking him – and that biting his ear was the only way he could get out. Ventimiglia pleaded not guilty on indictment to a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement, and lodged a special defence of self-defence. A jury took just an hour to find the charge against him not proven by a majority and Sheriff Alistair Thornton told Ventimiglia he had been acquitted.
|
Jury rules Emanuele Ferrero de Gubernatis Ventimiglia acted in self-defence .
First-aider Mr Barr had tried to prevent Ventimiglia from getting in cab .
The Italian and his girlfriend were having a screaming row at the time .
|
120,257 |
276c305384377fa0acd1b82fdb658fd48828f4a3
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:45 EST, 11 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:50 EST, 11 December 2013 . An investigation has been launched into whether moves to make diesel cleaner could be putting millions of drivers at risk of breakdowns in potentially dangerous situations. Fuel suppliers have been implementing European Union regulations to mix conventional diesel with environmentally-friendly biofuels, made from crops including corn, sugarcane and rapeseed. But there has been a surge in sudden breakdowns of diesel cars in cold weather since the greener fuel was introduced, and the concentration of biofuel in the mixture increased. New cleaner diesel could be putting drivers at risk of breakdowns according to the RAC . The RAC revealed it attended 600 call-outs last month from motorists whose fuel filters have become clogged by a build-up of thick gel in the engine, compared with 280 incidents in November 2012. The organisation said the problem disappeared last summer when weather was warmer. Drivers only become aware of the issue when their car suffers a sudden loss of power – and mechanics found that on affected cars the fuel filter has been clogged by the fuel ‘waxing’ – a similar effect to when olive oil clouds in a bottle. One affected motorist, Jon Harvey, from Oxfordshire, said the engine of his Citroen C3 VTR cut out suddenly while overtaking on a dual carriageway. He said: ‘I put my foot on the accelerator and it suddenly cut out. It cost me £160 to fix.’ Britain has 9.4 million diesel vehicles which could be affected. Fuel suppliers have to add biofuel to road fuels under the EU’s Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation. The RAC has warned that drivers who use cleaner diesel could be in danger of winter breakdowns . The investigation into whether blended diesel is being carried out by industry bodies the UK Petroleum Industry Association, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and the Downstream Fuel Association, working with the British Standards Institution. David Bizley, technical director of the RAC, said biofuel content in diesel was being probed because it was the newest element to be added to diesel – and that the problem had not occurred before. He said: ‘It's clear that we still don't fully understand all aspects of the underlying cause.’ The Department for Transport said Transport Minister Baroness Kramer had asked the industry to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. According to RAC data, breakdowns due to clogged fuel filters on diesel vehicles have been more prevalent in eastern parts of England and Scotland, which bore the brunt of cold weather in recent weeks, but other parts of the country have also been affected. The UK Petroleum Industry Association, which represents oil refining and marketing companies, said it was aware of the problems and that the investigation would work to reveal the cause. Meanwhile, the Petrol Retailers’ Association is urging the Office of Fair Trading to reopen an investigation into ‘loss-leading’ supermarket fuel promotions which it believes are driving independent garages to the wall. Supermarkets have been offering promotions such as 10 pence off a litre of fuel for motorists spending £50 or £60 on their groceries – bringing petrol and diesel below cost price. Brian Madderson, head of the Petrol Retailers Association, said: ‘Such practices are causing the continuing trend of independent forecourt closures.’ In Australia, two of the country’s biggest supermarkets have agreed to end heaving promotions in a deal brokered by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
|
RAC warns that drivers who use new cleaner diesel could be at risk .
There has been a surge in sudden winter breakdowns of diesel cars .
Investigation launched to find out if fuel is to blame for car problems .
|
246,947 |
cb92812086698dde2eb820768114cc7d2c3c0592
|
World of Warcraft is the most popular 'online world' ever created - host to 10 million gamers who explore its Tolkien-esque world to battle huge monsters, or just fight and trade with each other. But new rival Star Wars: the Old Republic has gained ground on the gaming juggernaut - hitting a million subscribers faster than any 'massively multiplayer' online game, including Warcraft. The game, from cult studio Bioware, won 105 awards, and uses voice acting throughout - as well as the universe of Yoda and Darth Vader. It hit a score of 88 on review-aggregator site Metacritic - the highest for any online 'world' game this year. Warcraft recently lost two million subscribers as users complained about the game growing stale - and Electronic Arts's big-budget challenger seems to be ideally placed to pick up these jaded fans. The game, from cult studio Bioware, won 105 awards, and uses voice acting throughout - as well as the universe of Yoda and Darth Vader. It hit a score of 88 on review-aggregator site Metacritic - the highest for any online 'world' game this year . Players can opt to play as lightsaber-wielding Jedi or evil Sith - you can't play as famous characters such as Darth Vader, but a few famous faces crop up throughout the game . 'Massively multiplayer' games such as Star Wars: the Old Republic allow tens of thousands of players to adventure together - battling monsters together or battling one another to become more powerful . Many games have attempted the feat - including several with well-known characters such as Conan the Barbarian - but . the Old Republic is hotly tipped to do it, thanks to the familiar Star . Wars universe, a rumoured £100-million-plus budget, and the fact that . Warcraft subscribers seem to be tiring of the game's fantasy world, with . two million leaving in the past year. The game officially launched on December 20. For gamers, it's easily the biggest launch in a genre that's been ruled single-handedly by Warcraft for more than five years. 'It's happening. It's finally happening,' said game site IGN last week. The game's maker, Electronic Arts, was once the biggest game publisher in the world, but lost ground to rival Activision when Activision acquired Blizzard, makers of World of Warcraft in 2008. The game scored 88 per cent on 'review aggregator' site Metracritic - being praised for its lush graphics, involving plot and vivid game world . Unlike Warcraft, Old Republic uses recorded voice dialogue, rather than text - it has a more voice acting than any previous game, online or off . The game has seen the previous Star Wars online 'world' - Star Wars: Galaxies - switched off, with an announcement that the Rebel Alliance had 'won'. But while previews and gamer reaction to the game is generally good, others are less sure about the business model. The game has been astronomically expensive for Electronic Arts, and faces competition from other, free, online games. The evil Galactic Emperor holds court in the highly anticipated PC title Star Wars: the Old Republic. Gamers will play 'together' in an online world based on Star Wars . Frank Gibeau, President of Electronic Arts, said to Gamesindustry.biz, 'I wish it wasn't so expensive. I think everybody does.' The business model where gamers pay for discs, then pay to subscribe, is also under threat. Many games, such as Sony's DC Universe Online, have switched to a 'free to play' system similar to Facebook games, where the game itself is free, but users pay to upgrade their character with powerful items or new outfits. Gaming site Eurogamer described the game as 'the end of an era' - saying that it's arrived as the world of online gaming changes forever. The game lets players battle monsters - or one another, with the players split into two factions. The resulting mix ensures that both pacifists and more warlike players are catered for . School for scoundrels: the Sith Academy, where players can be trained in using the powers of the Dark Side. You can also join the Jedi - or simply become a trader . The Old Republic does have new ideas, though such as voice acting throughout the game - giving Old Republic a more story-driven feel. It's also driven the price up hugely. World of Warcraft has had up to . 12 million monthly subscribers, earning the company a reported $500 . million a year in subscription fees - on top of disc prices for the game . and its four expansions. The game has been running since 2004. Gamers will team up together to take on hideous alien beasts in a huge 'online world' shared by millions . The game includes hundreds of planets to explore - gamers can captain spaceships, command crews, make millions, and even turn to the Dark Side . The game also has voice acting throughout - . and a greater focus on story than rival Warcraft, which gamers sometimes . complain has 'hamster wheel'-like qualities, as they're forced to . repeat tasks to earn in-game rewards. The world of Old Republic is far bigger than the world of the films - but gamers should expect to meet familiar faces .
|
Hits 1 million subscribers faster than any rival, including World of Warcraft .
Gamers play for 5.5 million hours over Christmas .
Three billion enemies are killed .
Dark Side is narrowly ahead: 810,000 Jedi created, 850,000 Sith .
|
103,242 |
111c83502d4d447b55670f8149f567d7b10d5855
|
By . Simon Walters and Glen Owen . PUBLISHED: . 16:03 EST, 6 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:43 EST, 7 October 2012 . Actor Hugh Grant directed a four-letter outburst at a senior female adviser to Harriet Harman while discussing his campaign for good conduct and ethics in the media. Mr Grant called Ayesha Hazarika a ‘f****** a*******’ as they talked through his demands for sweeping new controls on the press following the phone hacking scandal. Ms Hazarika, chief of staff to the Labour deputy leader, hit back, telling Mr Grant he was ‘f****** rude’. Mr Grant later apologised. Hugh Grant, pictured left giving evidence at the Joint Committee on Privacy and Injunctions last year, has apologised for being rude to Ayesha Hazarika, right, an aide to Harriet Harmen . The incident happened in a crowded bar at the Midland Hotel in Manchester at about midnight last Tuesday when, in his role as head of the Hacked Off campaign into press practices, the actor visited the Labour conference to lobby party leader Ed Miliband. A well-placed Labour source said: ‘Grant and Ayesha were having a discussion about the next stage in press regulation. She was trying to explain something to him and he didn’t like it. He suddenly got angry and called her a f****** a*******. Ayesha hit back and told him he had been “pretty f****** rude”. He made a fulsome apology which she accepted.’ Afterwards, the two carried on talking and posed for a photograph together. Ms Hazarika told a friend: ‘We did have a spat. He thought I was being patronising and was rude to me. I gave it back to him. He was massively apologetic afterwards and was charming. He has been in touch with me since.’ According to a friend of Mr Grant, the actor felt Ms Hazarika ‘seemed patronising towards him’ by asking if he knew about a recent report into media regulations by former Press Complaints Commission director Lord Black and fellow Tory peer, PCC chairman Lord Hunt. The friend added: ‘As he [Grant] has been at the centre of the debate over press freedom in such a prominent way, he felt she was condescending as he had of course read in great detail the report by Lord Black and Lord Hunt. 'This was why he spoke in rather more robust language than he should have done. It was a momentary flash of irritation which was meant in a conversationally jokey way. He instantly regretted it and apologised. Hugh Grant, pictured with Labour's Harriet Harmen at the Hacked Off Campaign Rally, in London in May, was offended when asked if he was up to date on a media regulations report . ‘He thinks she [Ms Hazarika] is a great woman and they agree a great deal over press regulation and they talked for an hour after the flare-up. They have both put it behind them and are on good terms.’ Mr Miliband, Ms Harman and other Labour figures were staying at the Midland Hotel during the conference. Several hundred delegates, MPs, union officials, Labour aides and journalists were drinking there until the early hours. Earlier in the evening, Mr Grant had attended a dinner in Manchester hosted by the Hacked Off group. The following day, Ms Hazarika was present in her role as a Labour adviser on media ethics when Mr Grant met Mr Miliband and Ms Harman. The exchange of four-letter words took place in the bar at Manchester's Midland Hotel last week, during the Labour party conference . Mr Grant, famed for his roles in Notting Hill and Love Actually, has recently stepped up his involvement in the controversy over press conduct. He has made donations to the Hacked Off campaign and has been its public face. Last month he became a director of the organisation, which recently opened an office in Westminster. The group is recruiting extra staff to raise its profile as Lord Justice Leveson, who is chairing an inquiry into media ethics, prepares to publish his recommendations. Mr Grant forecast last month that Leveson’s report on the future of the press will start a ‘war’ which will divide Britain. He said he expected Leveson to propose an independent press regulator, triggering a ‘battlefield’ in which popular newspapers and their supporters would oppose the move. Mr Grant said the inquiry had been told of ‘a nightmarish pattern of mistreatment of innocent people, the cynical covering up of wrongdoing . . . all of it in pursuit not of news that might serve the public interest, but of corporate profit’. Media companies with ‘daunting’ power would fight the reforms, he said. Former TV star and civil servant Ms Hazarika, 36, is a second generation Indian immigrant brought up in Scotland. Her success in the sharply contrasting worlds of Whitehall and showbusiness helped her win the Young Achiever title at the 2005 Asian Women of Achievement Awards. She was chief press officer to Labour Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt and worked at the Home Office and Downing Street. Previously, she was a stand-up comedienne and was a semi-finalist on Channel 4’s So You Think You’re Funny competition in 2003. She also appeared in the BBC Asian Network radio soap Silver Street, playing the character Manisha. When Mr Miliband became Labour leader, he appointed Ms Hazarika as his head of press. Last year, she became Ms Harman’s chief of staff and is now the deputy leader’s senior adviser on press regulation. Mr Grant is to meet David Cameron at the Tory conference in Birmingham this week.
|
Hugh Grant called Ayesha Hazarika, an adviser to Harriet Harmen, a 'f**** a***' in crowded hotel bar during Labour party conference .
The Labour party aide hit back saying he was 'f**** rude'
The British star realised his error and used his charm to apologise .
Grant felt she patronised him for asking if he had read a recent report into press regulation .
|
253,118 |
d39ef7c8b1ab35f5029beffd9f2851ae6aa58e9a
|
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- A U.S. Marine based on Okinawa has been arrested in connection with the reported rape of a 14-year-old Japanese girl, the island's police force said Monday. Police said the assault was reported Sunday night in the Chanton entertainment district on Okinawa, a major hub for U.S. forces in the Pacific. The 38-year-old American was arrested shortly after the report, police said. The Marine was not identified, and there was no immediate comment from the service on the allegation. Previous criminal cases against American troops have triggered widespread protests by Okinawans since 1995, when three American servicemen were found guilty of raping an Okinawan schoolgirl. Under U.S.-Japanese military agreements, the U.S. government has custody over service members suspected of crimes while on duty. In addition, the U.S. military is not required to turn over those accused of crimes until an indictment is issued. E-mail to a friend .
|
Marine, 38, arrested after report of the rape .
Previous cases against U.S. troops have triggered protests by Okinawans .
In 1995, three servicemen were found guilty of raping an Okinawan schoolgirl .
|
169,854 |
67d37cd83047d06147d4485770822c25107f42e0
|
(CNN) -- A long-distance swimmer was attacked by a great white shark near the pier in Manhattan Beach, California, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. A fisherman on the pier had hooked the 7-foot shark Saturday and was trying to reel in the struggling fish when the victim swam by, LAFD spokesman Rick Flores said. "It was agitated and when the swimmer got close, it bit him," Flores told CNN. The victim was part of a group of swimmers training in the waters near the pier. They did not see the shark until it was too late. The victim was bit in the torso, sustaining a wound Flores described as "moderate." "The shark bit the swimmer and then released," he said. The 40-year-old man is still in the hospital, Flores said Saturday evening. Bystanders captured the aftermath of the attack on cell phone video. CNN affiliate KTLA posted the video on its website. It shows a group of swimmers frantically trying to reach shore with the victim screaming loudly from the water and people on the pier urging him to hurry, yelling that the shark was still close by. All of the swimmers in the water made it to shore safely. The victim was treated by paramedics at the scene, then transported to a local hospital, according to LAFD's Twitter feed. "The male shark bit victim is reported to be in stable condition," a tweet from the lifeguard division said. The fisherman had struggled to reel in the great white for up to 40 minutes before the attack happened. Then he cut the line and the shark swam away, Flores said. Police closed down the Manhattan Beach Pier after the incident. It will remain closed until Tuesday, according to a press release. Shark attacks are still pretty rare, but have increased at a steady rate since 1900, "with each decade having more attacks then the previous," according to statistics from the International Shark Attack File based in Gainesville, Florida. ISAF says on its website that in 2013 there were 72 unprovoked shark attacks on humans, actually the lowest number of global attacks since 2009, when 67 attacks occurred. The research organization emphasized on its website that an increasing number of shark attacks doesn't mean the rate of attacks is increasing. ISAF research shows people are spending more time at sea, which increases the interactions between humans and sharks. One-ton shark headed to Texas coast . What devoured this great white shark? Rare goblin shark wasn't the only thing that surfaced . CNN's Janet DiGiacomo and Greg Botelho contributed to this report .
|
A great white shark bites a swimmer in waters off Manhattan Beach, California .
The 7-foot shark was struggling at the end of a fishing line .
The victim was bit in the torso, but managed to make it to shore .
|
19,953 |
38a7528e232e8497026ca6b0d7fb1df6902bd8d0
|
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest found himself in a predicament on Monday when reporters questioned him about Vice President Joe Biden's claim last Friday that Turkey and the United Arab Emirates inadvertently armed terrorist groups in Syria. Asked if there was any truth Biden's statement, which he has since apologized for to both country's governments, Earnest hemmed and hawed and, at one point, stammered and gulped. 'The reason for the vice president's phone call was that he wanted to clarify that his recent remarks regarding the early stages of the conflict in Syria were not meant to imply that the UAE had facilitated or supported ISIL, al-Qaeda or other extremist groups in Syria,' Earnest said. Scroll down for video . 'Th -- well -- ah': That was White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest's response this afternoon to a reporter's question today regarding the truth behind Vice President Joe Biden's claims about Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Friday . Pressed to state that the White House believes that the UAE did not provide weapons and money to terrorist groups as part of a plan to aid Syrian rebels opposed to their country's leader, Bashar al-Assad, Earnest gave an even less comprehensible answer. 'That is what the -- th -- well -- ah -- let me just be clear, that what the president, or what the vice president did was clarify his remarks to indicate that, um, that he was attempting to imply that the UAE had facilitated or supported ISIL, al-Qaeda or other extremist groups in Syria,' he said, awkwardly pausing and changing direction at several points in the beginning of his answer. 'The fact of the matter is, and again, the vice president noted this in his phone call with the crown prince, that the UAE continues to be a strong partner with the United States in this effort,' he continued, adding that the White House is 'proud' to be working with the Emiratis to defeat the Islamic State. Vice President Joe Biden told what some foreign policy experts are referring to now as the cold, hard truth on Friday when he called Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Arab countries out for their role in the growth of the Islamic State in Syria while answering a question during an event at the Kennedy School of Government. After a student asked him if he thinks the U.S. erred in it's decision not to arm moderate Syrian rebels years ago, when Obama administration officials including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta wanted to, Biden said he did not. In explaining his reasoning, Biden said: 'My constant cry was that our biggest problem is our allies — our allies in the region were our largest problem in Syria.' Biden went on to say that 'the Turks were great friends,' as were the the other countries. But 'they were so determined to take down Assad and essentially have a proxy Sunni-Shia war' that 'they poured hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad.' 'Except that the people who were being supplied were al-Nusra and al-Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world,' Biden added. The vice president also claimed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an old friend of his, claimed in a private conversation that his country had in fact let 'too many' foreign fighters through. Vice President Joe Biden told students at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that Turkey and the United Arab Emirates had a role in allowing weapons and money into Syria to bolster extremist groups fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad . Erdogan refuted Biden's claim over the weekend, saying that never happened, and the vice president was forced to apologize for mischaracterizing the foreign leader's statements. In phone calls to Turkey and the UAE leaders Biden also 'clarified' that he never meant to insinuate that their countries had purposefully armed terrorists. But Biden never, in any way, suggested that the Middle Eastern countries had funded Islamic extremists by design, leading reporters to wonder on Monday why the White House had Biden apologize for that comment. Were they not true? As Politico pointed out on Monday morning, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry had said as much themselves in recent statements. 'The truth is that we’ve had state actors who at times have thought that the way to advance their interests is, well, financing some of these groups as proxies is not such a bad strategy,' Obama said during a press conference on August 28. 'And part of our message to the entire region is this should be a wake-up call to Sunni, to Shia — to everybody — that a group like ISIS is beyond the pale,' he continued. More recently, Kerry told CNN's Christiane Ammanpour, 'In the very beginning ... when the efforts to oust Assad took place, there were people who made calculations that the important thing is to remove Assad. 'And that, unfortunately, resulted in funding to different groups, and it was frankly a sloppy process. It did not provide the coordinated, concerted effort that was needed,' the State Department official said during a Sept. 24 interview. The difference between Biden's statement and that of Obama and Kerry was that he named names, making it clear to important allies in the fight against ISIS that the administration believes they are responsible for the state of affairs in Syria. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki fared slightly better than Earnest this afternoon when asked for her agency's reaction to Biden's comments. 'We don't have any evidence of any country supporting ISIL,' she said after ducking questions about the issue for a the first couple minutes of her daily briefing. After acknowledging that her own boss, Kerry, had made a comment similar to Biden's in the not-so-distant past, Psaki said State is 'obviously focused on moving forward, and what we can do from here.' 'There have been a number of steps that have been taken, even over the past couple of weeks, by a number of these countries to do more to crack down on foreign fighters and crack down on counter financing. 'That's where our focus is,' she said.
|
Asked if there was any truth Biden's statement, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest hemmed and hawed, stammered and gulped .
'That is what the -- th -- well -- ah -- let me just be clear, that what the president, or what the vice president did was,' Earnest said at one point .
Biden claimed last Friday that Turkey and the United Arab Emirates inadvertently armed terrorist groups in Syria .
He has since apologized for the statement, even though President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have made similar claims in the past .
|
222,537 |
ac1839f1b8bd4998829eba278faed202a37dc417
|
(CNN) -- President Barack Obama on Friday awarded posthumous Congressional Gold Medals to four African-American girls killed in a Birmingham, Alabama, church bombing that became a key and tragic moment of the civil rights movement. Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, all 14, and Denise McNair, 11, were killed during Sunday services on September 15, 1963, at the 16th Street Baptist Church. At least 14 others were injured. Three former Ku Klux Klan members were convicted of murder. Obama signed legislation at a White House ceremony granting the posthumous honor and acknowledged the families who pressed for the recognition. "To the families who are here today, those who lost daughters and sisters, we just want to express incredible thanks not only for the strength you showed in suffering but also in your persistence," Obama said. President John F. Kennedy hoped in the aftermath of the bombing that it would spur action against racial hatred. "If these cruel and tragic events can only awaken that city and state -- if they can only awaken this entire nation to a realization of the folly of racial injustice and hatred and violence -- then it is not too late for all concerned to unite in steps toward peaceful progress before more lives are lost," he said.
|
Four African-American girls killed in 1963 church bombing receive posthumous honor .
President awards Congressional Gold Medals to each of four girls, ages 11 and 14 .
"We just want to express incredible thanks," Obama tells families .
Three former Ku Klux Klan members were convicted of murder in the bombings .
|
133,969 |
3934622a0ef0d86531600aef652ae33eba669bb5
|
Verizon and Comcast customers are struggling to use Netflix because their connection has become too slow, it has been claimed. Customers have taken to online forums to say the service in unusable for them, and claiming the firms may be prioritising their own streaming services. Netflix revealed the providers have slipped down its ISP rankings - despite their claims to offer high speed services. Comcast and Verizon customers have taken to online forums to complain Netflix has become unusable for them . There are 44 million Netflix members worldwide. Over 1 billion hours of TV shows and movies are streamed from Netflix each month. During peak watching times, Netflix accounts for around a third of all downstream Internet traffic in the U.S. Comcast ranked among the slowest on the list, while Verizon FIOS dropped one spot, to seventh of 17, according to a Netflix analysis of data culled from its millions of subscribers. 'The Netflix ISP Speed Index is based on data from the more than 44 million Netflix members worldwide who view over 1 billion hours of TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix each month,' wrote Joris Evers of Netflix. 'The listed speeds reflect the average performance of all Netflix streams on each ISP's network and are an indicator of the performance typically experienced across all users on an ISP network. 'A faster network generally means a better picture quality, quicker start times and fewer interruptions.' However, consumers say speed is a major issue. Subscribers found other streaming sites such as Hulu worked perfectly - but Netflix was unusable . Netflix publishes its own ISP speed index . One Verizon customer wrote in January that Netflix had become 'pretty much unusable' over the previous month. 'During a movie or show, it will stop for buffering every minute or two and hang for about 30 seconds, then resume, then repeat. 'I am currently suspicious that Verizon has put in place new network policies that corrupt the Netflix streams since they have a competing service. 'Or, they just don't care about providing the level of service I am paying for.' A frustrated Comcast customer in Washington said 'Daytime is fine but the evenings suck bad.' Netflix speeds on both Verizon FiOS and Comcast, which have 6.1 million and 20.7 million respective subscribers, have been slowing for the past few months, according to the Netflix figures. The complaints come after last month's federal appeals court ruling that struck down Federal Communication Commission rules known as net neutrality. An ISP like Verizon or Comcast could charge a company like YouTube, Netflix or Facebook to deliver content faster to subscribers. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has spoken out about the move, telling investors: 'The motivation could be to get Netflix to pay fees to stop this degradation. 'Were this draconian scenario to unfold with some [Internet service provider], we would vigorously protest and encourage our members to demand the open Internet they are paying their ISP to deliver.' However, Verizon told HuffPo ts treats all traffic equally. During peak watching times, Netflix accounts for around a third of all downstream Internet traffic in the U.S., according to Sandvine, a company that monitors networks. Netflix said Verizon is not slowing its traffic, and the streaming video company isn't concerned with the possibility that ISPs may throttle its service, according to an article on Re/Code. Some experts believe the problem is with network capacity, and the huge popularity of online streaming services. During peak watching times, Netflix accounts for around a third of all downstream Internet traffic in the U.S., according to Sandvine, a company that monitors networks.
|
Ranking of internet providers released by Netflix reveals the pair are among the slowest ISPs for users .
Customers have taken to forums to claim Netflix is 'unusable' for them .
Over 31% of all US traffic comes from the streaming video service .
Claims capacity issues could be to blame .
|
268,236 |
e76dd30a24e133f396a441a6df116b15418c393a
|
Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that Hockenheim will host this year's German Grand Prix. Hockenheim was the venue for last season's race in Germany under an agreement to alternate with the Nuerburgring, which is under new ownership. The 2015 calendar does not currently specify a venue for July's race, but Ecclestone has insisted that the event won't be held at Nuerburgring. Lewis Hamilton in action during last year's German Grand Prix which was held at Hockenheim . Nico Rosberg holds aloft the winners' trophy after storming to the chequered flag in front of his home fans . 'It's going to be at Hockenheim and we're in the middle of doing something with them,' said Ecclestone, 84, on Thursday. 'It can't be Nuerburgring because there's nobody there. 'We've got a contract in place with Hockenheim, we just have to amend the years of the contract. 'It was alternating with Nuerburgring so we'll just take that out.' Sebastian Vettel punches the air in delight after winning the 2013 German Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring .
|
Hockenheim will play host to this year's German Grand Prix in July .
Agreement was to alternate the German F1 race with Nuerburgring .
But Bernie Ecclestone says 2015 grand prix will be at Hockenheim .
Future of Formula One at the historic Nuerburgring now in doubt .
|
285,054 |
fd5f2066f8ba23c0858bebdd4e3070a317cc7889
|
As the son of a powerful Chinese family, he was expected to act with decorum and meet the highest standards. But Bo Guagua, 24 - now in hiding . after his parents were engulfed in scandal over the death of a British . businessman - gained a reputation as a playboy, cashing in on his . extraordinary wealth while studying at Oxford. He has not been seen in public since . his mother Gu Kailai was named as a suspect in the murder of Old . Harrovian expat Neil Heywood, prompting her politician husband’s . suspension from China’s ruling Communist Party. Socialite: Bo Guagua, seen posing with his then girlfriend Lale Can, right, at a University party, gained a reputation for his lavish lifestyle, but was held in contempt by his Oxford University tutors . But new details have emerged about the . lavish lifestyle enjoyed by the Oxford student, who was renowned for . hosting champagne and shisha parties in his room at Balliol College, where he read Politics, Philosophy and Economics. It is understood that his performance fell short of what was expected and he . was made to sit ‘penal’ exams. But in an extraordinary twist – and in . an astonishing example the influence of his parents before their . spectacular fall from grace – Chinese officials tried to intervene to . prevent tutors from disciplining him over his lack of work, it is understood. ‘An official turned up with a couple . of men in suits. They said it was very embarrassing because education . was highly valued in China, and it was embarrassing to his father and . grandfather. ‘His tutors replied if that was the case they should get him to work harder’, a college source told the Telegraph. A source at the college told MailOnline: 'Of course, it did not affect how the college behaved. Living it up: Bo Guagua, centre, was well known for his lavish lifestyle and love of partying during his days as a student at Oxford University . 'The college treated him like any other student. And indeed, where there were concerns, there was action taken.' This visit did not prevent the college . suspending him for a year shortly after. He moved into a flat, which, . according to a student newspaper, included ‘taps of gold, a concierge . and a small . vineyard’. Despite the apparent lack of dedication, Mr Bo graduated with a 2:1, but his peers have told how tutors would not hide their contempt for him. Mr Bo was remembered by friends to be . ambitious to climb the ranks within the Oxford Union. Friends said ‘he . never held back on spending’, according to the Telegraph, constantly . offering to buy people drinks. In one case, his attempt to become the . union’s librarian, or vice presidents, saw a large contingent of . Chinese students arrive to vote for Mr Bo. But his election bid failed . when many of his supporters were told they were not eligible to cast a . ballot because they had only registered the previous day. He was also said to have arranged a . lecture at the college by movie star Jackie Chan and organised a ball . where BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood performed. Mr Bo refused to comments on events surrounding his family when contacted by reporters. Playboy: Bo Guagua, right, with his girlfriend Lale Can, centre, and martial arts film star Jackie Chan . One of lads: Bo Guagua, 25, centre takes part in . the kind of crude stunt with fellow students that is said to have . heaped embarrassment upon his ambitious father . Party boy: Bo Guagua embraces two young friends in a series of snaps posted on the internet . His mother could face execution if . convicted of the 41-year-old’s murder, and her husband Bo Xilai has been . placed under house arrest. Mr Heywood’s Chinese widow Wang Lulu . spoke of her heartbreak over the death for the first time yesterday, . telling the Daily Mail: ‘I am so sad.’ Chinese authorities revealed on . Tuesday that Mrs Gu was a suspect in Mr Heywood’s death and said she and . her son Bo Guagua had enjoyed a good relationship with the business . consultant until a ‘conflict over economic interests’. Murder: British businessman and Old Harrovian expat Neil Heywood . The announcement prompted shockwaves . in China, where Guagua’s father Mr Bo – himself the son of a Communist . Party figure of the Mao era – was a party leader in the city of . Chongqing and expected to rise to a senior position within the national . leadership. Guagua, who also attended Harrow, had previously faced . criticism after photographs appeared on social networking sites . including Facebook and Twitter, showing him daubed with lipstick and . partying with girls at Oxford University. The pictures caused embarrassment for . his family in China and raised questions about how a Communist . politician could afford to send his son to one of Britain’s most . prestigious private schools. Mr Heywood first entered Mr Bo’s orbit when the family determined Guagua should go to Harrow. He acted as a mentor to the boy, who . was then educated in Britain from the age of 12, attending Papplewick . School in Ascot, Berkshire, before he was accepted at Harrow. His family insisted he had won scholarships to attend Harrow and Oxford. However, he was eventually suspended for a year, and contemporaries noted the Ferrari-driving student had a ‘strained relationship with books’. His privileged background made him a so-called princeling in China’s ‘red aristocracy’ and gave him a celebrity status. Connections: British businessman Neil Heywood, pictured at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, was a close friend of the wife of influential anti-corruption campaigner Bo Xilai . A brief relationship with Chen . Xiaodan, the grand-daughter of one of China’s top bankers, was followed . with such avid interest that the young couple were given a police escort . during a holiday in Tibet. He is now said to be in the U.S., where he is studying at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. His studies end next month and it is thought he may apply for asylum in the U.S. Last . month, after his father was sacked as a party leader in Chongqing, he . told The Times: ‘My personal desire is to focus on my studies and be . left out of the political intrigues.’ Guagua has shut down his accounts . on Facebook and the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, and China’s censors . have stopped internet searches on his name. Bo Guagua was sent to the famous Harrow School where he was mentored by Neil Heywood . Meanwhile in Beijing Mr Heywood’s widow Wang Lulu spoke briefly of her grief. His body was discovered in a hotel room last November. Chinese authorities initially blamed the death on excess alcohol, but there is speculation he was poisoned. At her family’s home in an exclusive gated compound, Mrs Heywood said: ‘I am so sorry. I am so sad.’ Mr Heywood was reported to have applied for a British passport for his wife in the months before his death. Their children Olivia, 11, and Peter, seven, already have British citizenship. He also told friends he had handed over documents to a British lawyer, detailing the overseas investments of the Bo family, as an ‘insurance policy’, the Wall Street Journal reported.
|
Bo Guagua, who is now in hiding, frustrated his tutors by becoming well known for hosting wild parties at his room at Balliol College, Oxford .
He later moved to a flat with 'gold taps, a concierge and a vineyard'
PPE student forced to sit 'penal' exams after failing to work hard enough .
But powerful parents tried to prevent tutors disciplining him .
Now fall from grace after mother becomes prime suspect in murder of Briton .
|
127,020 |
3030f086e1faf6df6929b92ed0cda73225cc6671
|
New York (CNN) -- In one of the largest single-day operations against the Mafia in FBI history, federal agents working with local law enforcement fanned out across Italy, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island to arrest 127 people allegedly involved in organized crime, officials said. Alleged members from the five prominent New York families -- the Gambino, Colombo, Bonanno, Genovese and Lucchese families -- were arrested Thursday, based on 16 indictments in four different jurisdictions, Attorney General Eric Holder said during a news conference in New York. "Today's arrests and charges mark an important step forward in disrupting La Cosa Nostra's illegal activities," he said, referring to the criminal organization by its Italian name. Ninety-one members and their associates, including one in Italy, were charged with federal crimes that include conspiracy, arson, extortion, narcotics trafficking, illegal gambling, labor racketeering and murders that date back as far as 1981, according to a U.S. Justice Department statement. An additional 36 suspects were charged for their roles in the alleged criminal activity, the statement said. About 125 people, including several high-ranking members and much of the Colombo family leadership, are currently in custody following a raid that Holder described as the largest single-day operation against the notorious crime network. Four of those charged were previously in custody, officials said. Members of the New England Patriarca family and New Jersey-based Decavalcante family are also accused of related federal crimes. "Some allegations involve classic mob hits to eliminate perceived rivals," Holder told reporters. "Others involve senseless murders." He described two murder victims who were allegedly killed in a public bar over a dispute concerning a spilled drink. Holder's appearance in New York with leadership from local and federal law enforcement perhaps underscores the significance the Justice Department attributes to Thursday's sweep. Television images showed several men handcuffed and hand-checked by federal agents -- an apparent part of the "unprecedented" 800-person task force involved in the raid. The move comes amid concerns about a possible resurgence of organized crime despite a scattered recent history of defections, beginning with acting crime boss of the Lucchese family, Alphonse D'Arco, who admitted to "cooperating with the federal government" starting in 1991. Gambino family underboss Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano defected later that same year, providing testimony -- in exchange for a reduced sentence -- which led to the conviction of the infamous Gambino kingpin John Gotti. "If you look at the mob in the '50s and '60s and '70s, there were virtually no informants," said New York Waterfront Commissioner Ronald Goldstock. "The picture has changed dramatically today. The mob is practically unrecognizable." But Thursday's sweep may now do away with "the myth" of the mafia and the widely held notion that "La Cosa Nostra is a shell of its former self," said Janice Fedarcyk, assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York Division. "I think we made a serious dent today," Fedarcyk said, but she warned of a new generation of criminal leadership "coming up behind them." The mob revival concept, however, is the subject of debate. "Their leadership ranks have been battered by federal and local law enforcement over the years," said James B. Jacobs, a professor at the New York University School of Law. "It's very hard to see to how they could have ever reconstituted in the way they were before." Attorney General Holder said organized crime is not resurgent and no longer nationwide, but still subtracts millions of dollars from local businesses by way of a "mob tax," or tribute exacted through corrupt local officials. Holder described the phenomenon as "a major threat to the economic well-being of this country." On Thursday, New Jersey and New York prosecutors identified more than a dozen New Jersey residents with alleged mob ties who worked as officials for longshoremen's unions, charging them with racketeering and other related offenses, according to a joint statement from district attorneys in both states. A man described as a "soldier in the Genovese organized crime family" allegedly collected money from port workers, extorting payments after the workers received their annual Christmas bonuses. Police say workers from the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1235, were forced to pay corrupt officials between $500 and $5,000 each year if they hoped to rise above entry-level dock jobs, according to New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. "Organized crime means what it has always meant on the waterfront: Mobsters getting rich on the backs of dock workers," he said. Despite declines in mob activity in other industries, dockyards in the U.S. Northeast are places where organized crime remains a threat, according to Waterfront Commissioner Goldstock. And with law enforcement focused on preventing terrorism and providing port security, organized crime is often left without the "day-to-day pressures" it may have felt in years past, he said. Last April, 14 members of the Gambino crime family -- including Daniel Marino, who was then considered the family head -- pleaded guilty to charges that included murder, racketeering, extortion and prostitution of minors, court officials said. CNN's Mary Snow, Deborah Feyerick, Terry Frieden and Brian Vitagliano contributed to this report.
|
NEW: Some 125 people are currently in custody, says Attorney General Holder .
NEW: Four of those charged were previously in custody, officials said.
91 members and associates, including one in Italy, are charged with federal crimes .
Another 36 suspects were charged for their roles in the alleged criminal activity .
|
99,884 |
0cb480f9191a08cab15b8b695adabf54feb025cb
|
Roger and Joyce Bunn left frustrated by their experience . County council apologises for 'unforeseeable' delay . By . Chris Kent . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 4 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:39 EST, 4 May 2012 . A couple have had their dream of becoming foster parents shattered because nobody can read their social worker’s shoddy handwriting. Roger and Joyce Bunn went through 12 months of inspections and interviews to ensure that they met the strict criteria required to look after children. But the couple, from Hexham in Northumberland, have now been told that they have to go through the entire process again. Frustrated: Joyce and Roger Bunn's application to become foster parents was rejected because their social worker's handwriting was illegible . When the social worker assigned to their case by Northumberland County Council went on long-term sick, she passed her findings on to a colleague. However, the notes were so badly written they were illegible and the Bunns now have to restart their efforts to become foster parents. More... Slim boy ‘fat’: Schoolboy, 4, who weighed just 3st 4lbs branded overweight by NHS chiefs . More 'elf and safety nonsense: Train delayed for 30 minutes so the guard could eat his DINNER . Mrs Bunn, 54, said: 'After all the work we put in and all the hours we put in,it’s very upsetting. 'We worked so hard to make sure we fitted the bill and all of that feels wasted. “I have had tears and I have got really upset but now that I have calmed down I want to highlight what has happened. 'If it has happened to us, who knows how many more it has happened to? 'We don’t want anyone else to go through what we have.' Hexham MP Guy Opperman has taken up the case to campaign on their behalf and it could lead to a change in law concerning fostering. The Bunns began their year long application in September 2010 after responding to the Government’s plea for more carers to come forward. With two grown-up sons, Roger and Stuart and three grandchildren, the couple were confident they would be accepted as foster carers. Mrs Bunn, 54, said: 'We were thinking the child could be here before Christmas but they just keep fobbing us off. 'Just thinking about how we are with the grandchildren and other children, we know we are capable of doing this. 'We weren’t doing it for the money, but for love. 'We can give somebody something they haven’t got but that all seems wasted now. 'The programme was intense and if we weren’t being visited we were doing paperwork. 'They wanted to know everything about us, from the day we were born, to be told we have to do it all again is just so frustrating. 'But there are times when I look at it and think we could do it again because we really want to foster, but it is so time consuming and we agreed it would be too much to redo.' Frustrating: Joyce and Roger Bunn are not sure whether to re-submit their application to become foster parents . Mr Opperman has contacted the minister in charge of children and young people, Tim Loughton, who has subsequently asked for a review of the fostering system. 'I have the greatest degree of sympathy for the efforts and disappointment of Mr and Mrs Bunn,' Mr Opperman said. 'We are determined that what has befallen them won’t happen again. 'I would certainly support, and I am actively campaigning for an improvement in this system so we can have a fostering system which is not so dysfunctional as in this particular example.' A message on the county council's website says it is urgently seeking long-term foster parents for children aged seven or above. At present, the council has 146 foster parents but a spokesman confirmed it is on the lookout for 25 more. The spokesman added: 'We have apologised to Mr and Mrs Bunn for this unforeseeable delay and we are sorry for any upset caused. 'We have since reviewed our processes and taken measures to address and avoid future delays. 'Should Mr and Mrs Bunn wish to submit another application we would welcome it and we have assured them that we will deal with their application expeditiously.'
|
Roger and Joyce Bunn left frustrated by their experience .
County council apologises for 'unforeseeable' delay .
|
51,373 |
9174b1120a00de90da2206cae30aecb0a16fc853
|
Former Formula One driver Andrea De Cesaris has died following a motorbike accident on Rome's ringroad, Italian media reported on Sunday. De Cesaris, who was 55, raced for a host of teams including McLaren in 208 starts between 1980 and 1994 but never won a Grand Prix. His death came on the day when French F1 driver Jules Bianchi suffered a severe head injury and was fighting for his life after hitting a recovery truck at the Japanese Grand Prix. Andrea De Cesaris (centre) raced for many F1 teams including during 14-year career McLaren . Andrea De Cesaris (left) celebrates on the podium with Rene Arnoux . Andrea De Cesaris (left, standing) with his Jordan team-mate Bertrand Gachot and their support staff . Andrea De Cesaris (green) crashes with Jean Alesi at the 1991 British Grand Prix . Andrea De Cesaris drives on with his car catching fire during the 1987 season . McLaren tweeted: 'All at McLaren send condolences to ex-McLaren #F1 driver Andrea De Cesaris, who sadly passed away today.' De Cesaris finished on the podium five times and in 1982, aged 22, became the then-youngest driver to start from the front of the grid after he took his sole career pole at the US West round. He retired in 1994 having finished in the the top 10 of the driver's championship three times - he was eighth with Alfa in 1982, ninth with Jordan in 1991 and ninth with Tyrrell the following year. He later raced in the Grand Prix Masters series for two seasons in 2005 and 2006 alongside veterans such as Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi and Ricardo Patres. Nationality: Italian . Races: 214 (208 starts) Podiums: 5 . Pole positions: 1 . Career points: 59 . Teams: Alfa Romeo, McLaren, Ligier, Minardi, Brabham, Rial, Scuderia Italia, Jordan, Tyrrell, Sauber . First race: 1980 Canadian Grand Prix . Last race: 1994 European Grand Prix .
|
De Cesaris raced 208 times in a 14-year career between 1980 and 1994 .
De Cesaris was 55 and death comes on same day Jules Bianchi was left fighting for his lift after crash at the Japanese Grand Prix .
McLaren tweet tribute to their former driver .
|
162,247 |
5dc555b9274d0358c36992caf20f62ddf21e1eaa
|
Louis van Gaal has accrued players worth a total of £150million, been handed a gentle list of fixtures to begin the campaign, and was afforded breathing room from the pressure of continuing Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy. But, remarkably, the stunning defeat by Leicester means Manchester United have started this season worse than they did under David Moyes. With Moyes in charge, United gained seven points from their opening five Premier League games – as well as picking up victories in the Community Shield, Champions League and Capital One Cup – while Van Gaal has collected only five points and was dumped out of the League Cup 4-0 by MK Dons. Louis van Gaal (centre) reacts during Manchester United's humiliating defeat at Leicester . David Moyes endured a nightmare start as manager of United - but it was better than Van Gaal's . Such early comparisons may turn out to be wholly erroneous but they are nonetheless alarming. Van Gaal is a better fit for United than Moyes, and his record shows he should get it right, but it is worth examining the context of United’s current circumstances. 16 Aug - Swansea City (H) 1-2 . 24 Aug - Sunderland (A) 1-1 . 30 Aug - Burnley (A) 0-0 . 14 Sep - QPR (H) 4-0 . 21 Sep - Leicester City (A) 3-5 . 17 Aug - Swansea City (A) 4-1 . 26 Aug - Chelsea (H) 0-0 . 1 Sep - Liverpool (A) 0-1 . 14 Sep - Crystal Palace (H) 2-0 . 22 Sep - Manchester City (A) 1-4 . United fans will not enjoy the Premier League table as it stands today with the club in a lowly 12th position... ...and here is the Premier League table as it stood on September 22, 2013 - with United in eighth position . Transfers . During last summer’s transfer window Moyes believed Ed Woodward was going to land him a world-class central midfielder, with Cesc Fabregas the leading target. Thiago Alcantara looked on at one point and Ander Herrera too but instead United ended up scrambling to buy Marouane Fellaini for £27.5m on deadline day - £4m more than his buyout clause. There was an aborted last-minute deal for Fabio Coentrao. Juan Mata arrived in January for £37.1m but only played 12 games under Moyes. Van Gaal splashed out £60m to bring Argentina forward Angel di Maria to the club from Real Madrid . Marouane Fellaini was Moyes's only big-money buy as United missed out on all their targets . By contrast Van Gaal walked into the job with Luke Shaw and Herrera secured for a combined £60m, then sanctioned deals of £16m for Marcos Rojo, £14m for Daley Blind, and a British-record fee of £60m for Angel Di Maria. Radamel Falcao arrived for a £6m loan price. But for all the glitz, graft was missing. Arturo Vidal failed to materliaise and Kevin Strootman is injured. Mats Hummels, the commanding defender United are crying out for, stayed in Dortmund. Nemanja Vidic departed before Van Gaal arrived. Nonetheless, it is fair to say the Dutchman has been backed in the market more than his predecessor. Tactics . A classic 4-4-2 formation was the sole preserve for Moyes in his first five league games; two strikers, two wingers, two central midfielders and a flat back four. It was the system Ferguson used to make United great. At Everton, Moyes had preferred a sole centre forward with his wide men tucking in but the players available in his new job dictated that wasn’t possible. In the 4-1 defeat by Manchester City, however, 4-4-2 became rigid as his team were pulled apart by the fluid movement of their rivals. Van Gaal has toyed with two different formations already. He employed a 3-5-2 system to begin with, having found success with it at the World Cup with Holland. But it is naturally a counter-attacking set-up at odds with United’s ethos and the paucity of defenders made it a hindrance. No wins have come through using it so far. Daley Blind (left) has been entrusted with the sizeable task of shoring up United's all-star midfield . Ashley Young perhaps best sums up Moyes's insistence on using wingers in a 4-4-2 formation at United . Against Queens Park Rangers, Blind was handed the holding midfield role in a new diamond formation – 4-3-1-2 or 4-1-2-1-2 depending on your preference – as Di Maria and Herrera drove forward from deep to support No 10 Mata and strikers Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. The win was exhilarating but it papered over defensive frailties that were ruthlessly exposed by Leicester. Blind is asked to cover too much ground across the pitch and without experienced central defenders behind, or full-backs staying deeper, the problem is exacerbated. It might require another switch in formation to address the problem. Van Gaal’s history shows he is adaptable and innovative. Substitutions . Part of the problem with Moyes, from a supporters’ point of view, was his apparent dawdling over changes during matches. It would seem he deliberated excessively over how to alter losing positions and only make substitutions when it was too late. Only Tom Cleverley was sent on during the defeat at the Etihad while the goalless draw against a Chelsea team intent on defence could have benefited from attacking replacements earlier. Van Gaal has not exactly shown the Midas touch from the bench yet either. Nani for Javier Hernandez and Fellaini for Herrera in the loss against Swansea failed to work. Against Leicester we can only assume Di Maria was exhausted, otherwise taking him off for Mata with the score at 3-3 when the Argentine was on song was bizarre. Van Gaal has used his maximum of three changes in each match trying to test his entire squad, and on three occasions has been forced to make a switch because of injury. A stern looking Juan Mata (back right) listens to his boss on the bench at Leicester . Moyes was able to call on the likes of Danny Welbeck, who is now at Arsenal, from the bench last season . Fixtures . It is indisputable that Moyes was handed harder opening games than Van Gaal. Last season, United played three of the big boys in Liverpool, Chelsea, and City, with a trip to Swansea and a home tie against newly-promoted Crystal Palace the ‘easier’ games (both were won). Seven goals scored, six against. Van Gaal’s set of fixtures has been markedly more appealing, including matches against all three promoted teams plus a home match against Swansea and visit to Sunderland. Nine goals were scored, with eight against, but given three matches in four from late October will come against City, Chelsea and Arsenal, Van Gaal would surely have hoped for more points on the board. Gylfi Sigurdsson celebrates scoring during Swansea's shock opening-day victory at Old Trafford . Rooney faces up to United's 4-1 derby defeat at rivals Manchester City under Moyes last September . Public statements . The area where Van Gaal does trump Moyes is in front of the cameras. Whereas Moyes seemed uncomfortable with the enormous focus on being United manager, Van Gaal carries an aura and speaks with confidence. Within a short period after the list was released Moyes was railing against the fixture computer and hinting at the hard run being somehow contrived. There were also regular blasts at referees. Ferguson was obviously never shy to venture down such routes but from Moyes it transmitted a sense of early excuse-making. (Words such as ‘try’ and ‘hope’ peppered his interviews, much to the irritation of supporters familiar with bold declarations of United’s intent.) Captain Wayne Rooney rages at referee Mark Clattenburg during the 5-3 defeat at the King Power Stadium . Moyes never gave off an air of authority in the same way that Sir Alex Ferguson did at United . Compared with Van Gaal, who declined the chance to blame Mark Clattenburg for his officiating in awarding Leicester’s highly-dubious first penalty on Sunday. ‘I don't know if it is a penalty but we have to look at ourselves because we made such big errors as a team,’ he said. There will be occasions when the officials get blamed but in the context Van Gaal had to accept United’s failings were the cause for their capitulation. From that mentality, he can address the faults. Like our Manchester United Facebook page here.
|
Manchester United crashed to a 5-3 defeat at Leicester on Sunday .
Louis van Gaal's team were 3-1 up but collapsed in the second half .
Van Gaal has spent big money on Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao and more .
The Dutchman has also had a relatively simple fixture list .
But Van Gaal's start is even worse than David Moyes's last term .
Moyes took over from Sir Alex Ferguson in summer of 2013 .
Scot was sacked in April after less than a season in charge .
|
49,821 |
8cdd1569ce060ef0b72894ce40fd76f8955d4be1
|
By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:54 EST, 25 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:43 EST, 25 October 2012 . This is the dramatic moment a NATO warship returned fire on a group of pirates in one of the world's most dangerous shipping lanes. The HNLMS Rotterdam, NATO's flagship counter-piracy boat, was carrying out routine surveillance off the Somali coast when they spotted the suspicious dhow, a type of small boat often used by pirates. As it approached the boat, the pirates pulled out their AK-47s and opened fire, sparking a fierce gun battle. Gun battle: NATO warship HNMLS Rotterdam returns fire as it comes under attack from gun-toting pirates during a routine surveillance patrol off the Somali coast . Up in flames: One person on the dhow was killed and 25 others were rescued by the warship after jumping into the ocean to escape the fire on board . Scene: The gun battle took place in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's most dangerous shipping lanes . During the exchange, the dhow caught fire, forcing the crew members to leap into the sea. One . person on the dhow was killed and 25 people were subsequently rescued . from the water by Rotterdam, which has a 350-strong crew. Incredibly, . while trying to rescue the crew from the stricken dhow, Rotterdam came . under sustained fire from the shore with one of its inflatable boats . suffering damage. Commodore . Ben Bekkering, the commander of the NATO Task Force, said: 'We know that . pirates are increasingly using larger dhows as mother ships. Therefore . we routinely inspect them. 'In . this instance, the pirates openly chose confrontation. This does not . happen often and it indicates that we are indeed impeding their . operations and in doing so, pushing them to take more extreme options.' The coastline off the Horn of Africa . is renowned for its piracy and EU records show there are currently four . vessels being pirated with an estimated 143 hostages held. But the NATO missions appear to be working with 35 vessels hijacked this year, compared to 74 during 2010. Cdr Bekkering added: 'Firstly, it is obvious that the scourge of piracy has not gone away and we need to maintain our vigilance. 'Secondly, . the risks to the pirates themselves are becoming much greater and while . we regret any loss of life we will deal with any threat we encounter in . a firm, robust but always proportionate manner.' Command and conquer: Royal Marines from the British Royal Navy frigate HMS Portland destroy one pirate vessel and intercept another during counter-piracy operations in June 2009. NATO operations in the region seems to be working as the number of hijacked has gone down in recent years .
|
Pirates opened fire with AK-47s as the HNLMS Rotterdam was carrying out routine surveillance off Somali coast .
One person on pirate sailboat killed and 25 others rescued after jumping into water as dhow went up in flames .
NATO commander: 'It is obvious the scourge of piracy has not gone away and we need to maintain vigilance'
|
254,330 |
d5357e1def8856900b06460fac992f99a9b4b9c4
|
(Health.com) -- People who carry the genital herpes virus but have no visible symptoms -- and may not even be aware they're infected -- are still capable of spreading the virus about 10% of the time, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. An estimated 16% of U.S. adults are infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), which can cause bumps, blisters, or sores on the genitals and surrounding areas, along with pain and itching. But only about 10% to 25% of these people know they carry the virus. While some infected people have frequent outbreaks, most never have symptoms and others have just one or two flare-ups. Previous research has shown that people infected with HSV-2 can pass the virus to someone else through genital contact even if they don't have symptoms. The new study -- the largest of its kind to date -- helps quantify that risk, says Christine Johnston, M.D., one of the study's authors and an acting assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington, in Seattle. "A lot of times people are diagnosed with HSV-2 by an antibody test and they don't know what to do with that information," Johnston says. "Now I think we have a number that we can tell people." Health.com: Top 10 myths about safe sex and sexual health . The study included 498 adults with healthy immune systems who had a diagnosis of genital herpes or who tested positive for HSV-2. Every day for at least 30 days, the participants inspected themselves for symptoms and collected a swab of genital secretions, which were stored and later tested in a lab. The 410 people with a history of herpes symptoms were found to be actively "shedding" the virus on 20% of the days for which they collected swabs, compared with 10% of days for those who had never experienced symptoms. The symptom-free people released the same amount of virus when they were shedding as the symptomatic people did when they weren't experiencing an outbreak. (The amount of virus increased if symptoms were present.) The 10% figure is an average, Johnston notes; some people will shed the virus more frequently, while others will shed it less often. "People will interpret the risk very differently," she adds. "Some people will feel like 10% is a lot and some people will feel like 10% is a little." Health.com: 28 days to a healthier relationship . "[The study] just begs the point that safe sex is important, and you had better know who your partner is," says Richard D. Whitley, M.D., a past president of the Infectious Disease Society of America and a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Whitley is a leading expert on herpes but was not involved in the current study. Everyone should know whether they have HSV-2, Whitley says. Aside from the risk of unwittingly infecting sexual partners, pregnant women with no symptoms can pass on the virus to their babies with devastating consequences for the newborn, including death. (The risk of transmission is as high as 30% to 50% if the mother is infected during her third trimester.) In addition, HSV-2 infection can cause complications in people who have weakened immune systems due to chronic disease, and it can increase a person's likelihood of contracting HIV, Whitley says. Health.com: What to do if your partner refuses to wear a condom . People with HSV-2 can protect their partners from contracting the virus by using male or female condoms during sex, and by taking virus-suppressing drugs. Each measure reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to a sex partner by about half. Some people with herpes take antiviral drugs for years, while others just use them periodically -- for example, when they're starting a new relationship or anticipating a high-pressure situation. (Stress can up the risk of a herpes outbreak.) "It really is a very personal decision for patients," Johnston says. Copyright Health Magazine 2011 .
|
An estimated 16% of U.S. adults are infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)
Some people will shed the virus more frequently, while others will shed it less often .
The infection can cause complications in those with weakened immune systems .
|
207,929 |
9934df0f1101c729a37d1cae5ce3a602cc0ba226
|
Daniel Ricciardo is ready for the role of team leader at Red Bull, after a superb season that has seen him outperform reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Vettel is set to leave the team at the end of this season, but Ricciardo feels he is experienced enough to lead Red Bull to glory. The 25-year-old Australian has only been with the team for a year since his promotion from Torro Rosso, but says he can shoulder the extra responsibility. Daniel Ricciardo believes he is ready to be the No 1 driver at Red Bull after an excellent first season . The Australian has out-performed his team-mate, World Champion Sebastian Vettel . 'It's time now for me to take that role,' Ricciardo told Bleacher Report. 'I'm not as experienced as Seb, but I feel I've definitely learned enough now that I can keep the team up at the front where they belong and help them out with developing [the car]. 'I want to be racing at the front, so I'll do what I can to keep it there.' Ricciardo is more than 50 points ahead of his German team-mate in the standings, and still technically in with a chance of denying Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg the title. Ricciardo of Australia drives past the Texas Capitol building before the US Grand Prix this weekend . Ricciardo is looking to shine in Dallas as he attempts to catch up with the Mercedes cars in the standings . 'It's mathematically still possible,' says Ricciardo, although realistically the 98-point gap to Hamilton is too much to bridge. But he does look likely to finish above Vettel, despite not really being put ahead of his team-mate by Red Bull. However, Ricciardo seems unperturbed by the lack of help from team orders, and is determined to prove himself on the track, without any outside help. 'There haven't been any scenarios where I've really pushed and said, "Come on guys, do something—give me a team order." Ricciardo can still mathematically catch Lewis Hamilton, who leads the World Championship . The Australian knows that he is unlikely to compete for the title this year, but believes he can in years to come . 'I think they've handled it well. I was behind Seb for a little bit in Russia, but then I boxed [made a pit stop]. 'We sort of tried a different strategy and that got me in front. There hasn't really been a standout point where I was frustrated. 'I told the team as the season went on, "If there has to be some orders, OK," but I want to beat the guy in front on track and not have to rely on them.'
|
Australian driver is third in the standings, behind two Mercedes cars .
World Champion Vettel is leaving the team at the end of this season .
Ricciardo believes 'it is time' for him to take senior role .
The 25-year-old also happy with team support, despite lack of team orders .
|
109,640 |
1952d759659523798ca24dfa92a1548fa05e09b6
|
A common benchmark in the United States for determining when a driver is legally drunk is not doing enough to prevent alcohol-related crashes that kill about 10,000 people each year and should be made more restrictive, transportation safety investigators say. The National Transportation Safety Board recommended on Tuesday that all 50 states adopt a blood-alcohol content (BAC) cutoff of 0.05 compared to the 0.08 standard on the books today and used by law enforcement and the courts to prosecute drunk driving. "Most Americans think that we've solved the problem of impaired driving, but in fact, it's still a national epidemic," NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said. The idea for a tighter standard is part of a safety board initiative outlined in a staff report and approved by the panel to eventually eliminate drunk driving, which accounts for about a third of all road deaths in the United States. NTSB looks to technology to end drunken driving in the U.S. Hersman said progress has been made over the years to reduce drunk driving, including a range of federal and state policies, tougher law enforcement, and stronger advocacy. But she said too many people are still dying on America's roads. The board acknowledged that there was "no silver bullet," but that more action is needed at the federal and state levels. "In the last 30 years, more than 440,000 people have perished in this country due to alcohol-impaired driving. What will be our legacy 30 years from now?" Hersman asked. "If we don't tackle alcohol-impaired driving now, when will we find the will to do so?" Lowering the rate to 0.05 would save about 500 to 800 lives annually, the safety board said. Under current law, a 180-pound male typically will hit the 0.08 threshold after four drinks over an hour, according to an online blood alcohol calculator published by the University of Oklahoma. That same person could reach the 0.05 threshold after two to three drinks over the same period, according to the calculator. Supreme Court rules against police in drunk driving case . Many factors besides gender and weight influence a person's blood alcohol content, and many states outlaw lower levels of inebriation when behind the wheel. The NTSB investigates transportation accidents and advocates on safety issues. It cannot impose its will through regulation and can only recommend changes to federal and state agencies or legislatures, including Congress. But the independent agency is influential on matters of public safety and its decisions can spur action from like-minded legislators and transportation agencies nationwide. States set their own BAC standards. The board also recommended on Tuesday that states vastly expand laws allowing police to swiftly confiscate licenses from drivers who exceed the blood alcohol limits. And it is pushing for laws requiring all first-time offenders to have ignition locking devices that prevent cars from starting until breath samples are analyzed. In the early 1980s, when grass-roots safety groups brought attention to drunk driving, many states required a 0.15 BAC rate to demonstrated intoxication. But over the next 24 years, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other groups pushed states to adopt the 0.08 BAC standard, the last state falling in line in 2004. The number of alcohol-related highway fatalities, meanwhile, dropped from 20,000 in 1980 to 9,878 in 2011, the NTSB said. Drunk-drive blood tests divide Supreme Court . In recent years, about 31 percent of all fatal highway accidents were attributed to alcohol impairment, the NTSB said. "I think .05 is going to come. How long it takes to get there, we don't know. But it will happen," said the NTSB's Robert Molloy, who helped guide the staff report. For some, the vote struck close to home. NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt noted that one of his relatives had been killed by a drunk driver and another is serving a 15-year sentence in a related death. Many of the recommendations "are going to be unpopular," Sumwalt said. "But if we keep doing what we're doing, we're not going to make any difference." The NTSB cited research that showed most drivers experience a decline in both cognitive and visual functions with a BAC of 0.05. Currently, more than 100 countries on six continents have BAC limits set at 0.05 or lower, the safety board said. The NTSB has asked all 50 states to do the same. CDC: Teen drinking and driving rates cut in half . A restaurant trade association, the American Beverage Institute, attacked the main recommendation, saying the average woman reaches 0.05 percent BAC after consuming one drink. The group said it based that conclusion on a chart it said was used by auto safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). But NHTSA told CNN on Tuesday it no longer uses that chart "as there are many variables" that contribute to an individual's level of intoxication. A new NHTSA chart shows a person with a 0.05 BAC level experiences "reduced coordination, reduced ability to track moving objects, difficulty steering, (and) reduced response to emergency driving situations." A beer industry trade group said it would examine NTSB's recommendation for lowering the blood-alcohol threshold. "However, we strongly encourage policymakers to direct their efforts where we know we can get results: by focusing on repeat offenders and increasing penalties on those with BAC of (0.15) or more," said Joe McClain, president of the Beer Institute. The safety board also recommend that NHTSA provide financial incentives to states to carry out the changes. NHTSA, which oversees highway safety as a federal regulator and analyzes traffic crash data, said it would work with any state that wants to pursue a lower BAC standard to "gather further information on that approach." At Tuesday's meeting, the safety board also championed laws allowing police to confiscate a motorist's license at the time of arrest if the driver exceeds a BAC limit, or refuses to take the BAC test. Some 40 states already use the administrative tool, which the NTSB believes is effective because it is swift and immediate. And the board recommended more widespread use of passive alcohol sensors, which police can use to "sniff" the air during a traffic stop to determine the presence of alcohol. The sensor is capable of detecting alcohol even in cases where the driver has attempted to disguise his breathe with gum or mints. If the sensor alerts, it is grounds for more thorough testing. The NTSB recommended last December that states require ignition interlocks for all DUI offenders and said states should improve interlock compliance. Tuesday's recommendations were timed to coincide with the deadliest alcohol-related crash in U.S. history. On May 14, 1988, a drunk driver drove his pickup the wrong way on Interstate 71 near Carrollton, Kentucky. The truck hit a school bus, killing 24 children and three adults. More than 30 others were hurt. What sways teens not to drink, drive? Stories, not stats .
|
For a decade, 0.08 has been the blood alcohol benchmark to consider a driver intoxicated .
National Transportation Safety Board would like to see a nationwide 0.05 level .
The board would also like to see swifter action on taking away offenders' licenses .
Restaurant, beer industries say focus should be on repeat offenders .
|
285,538 |
fdfc7407699777e8baaf2dfeb79ed3d071ddd87f
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:37 EST, 9 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:30 EST, 10 July 2012 . Prosecutors have described how South Florida teen Wayne Treacy kicked 15-year-old Josie Ratley's head 'as if it were a soccer ball and stomped on it as if he was putting out a fire' in a shocking 2010 attack that left her almost dead. Treacy, now 17, cried during prosecutor Maria Schneider's opening statements at day one of his first-degree attempted murder trial today, which was attended by his parents and Ms Ratley's mother, Hilda Gotay. 'He grabbed her head by the hair and started smashing it to the surface...kicked her head as if it were a soccer ball and stomped on it as if he was putting out a fire,' Ms Schneider told the court, according to NBC Miami. On trial: Wayne Treacy, 17, pictured right, cried as he listens to prosecutor Maria Schneider describe his attack . Defense attorneys said they would use the insanity defense, claiming Treacy was suffering post traumatic stress disorder when he beat Ms Ratley to within an inch of her life at a bus stop outside Deerfield Beach Middle School on March 17, 2010. 'He was generally a nice kid, but after his brother died, things changed,' attorney Russell Williams told the court. Police said Treacy, who is being tried as an adult, sought out Ms Ratley, then 15, after she sent him text messages about his older brother Michael, who had recently killed himself. Ms Ratley suffered severe brain damage . in the attack and spent over 40 days at the pediatric intensive care . unit at Broward General Medical Center. Devastated: Victim Josie Ratley's mother Hilda Gotay, pictured left, broke down at Monday's trial opening . Cuffed: Treacy, pictured, was led into the court handcuffed before opening statements in his first-degree attempted murder trial . Prosecution: Assistant State Attorney Maria Schneider, pictured, described how Treacy 'stomped' on Ms Ratley's head during the attack in 2010 . He has been held without bond since the attack and faces up to five decades behind bars if convicted. Mr Williams added that PTSD meant the teenager struggled to control his emotions and actions. Some . of Treacy's friends testified that they had received text messages . about his intent to hurt Ms Ratley, but they thought he wouldn't go . through with the crime. Classmate, William Luft, told the court that Treacy texted him saying he would snap Ms Ratley's neck and 'stomp her head'. The teenager's then girlfriend testified about a text message she said she received from him just after the assault. 'He said, 'I just tried to kill someone,'' she testified on Monday. If convicted, Treacy could get 50 . years in prison. If not, he likely would still spend years in a state . mental institution, possibly even as long as he would spend in prison, . attorneys and legal experts say. 'They often have a difficult time . getting out,' said attorney Richard Rosenbaum, who has represented . defendants claiming the insanity defense and is not involved in the . Treacy case. He . said few insanity defenses succeed because defendants not only must . show a mental illness or defect but also must prove they didn't know . right from wrong. Parents: Wayne Treacy's attorney Russell Williams, right, speaks to Wayne's mother Donna Powers and step father Cary Smith, left, in court . Horror: Wayne Treacy (left), now 17, was 15-years-old when police say he brutally kicked and stomped the head of then 15-year-old Josie Lou Ratley (right) so badly that she suffered permanent brain injuries . 'That's . usually the prong that trips up most of the people who raise insanity . as a defense,' Rosenbaum said. 'It's fairly easy for the state to show . someone knew right from wrong. They knew 'Thou shalt not kill.'' Treacy's defense claims he was suffering . from post-traumatic stress disorder, rooted in his older brother's . recent suicide, when he became enraged outside the bus stop, by an . exchange of text messages with Ms Ratley, whom he did not know. In one of the texts, Ms Ratley tells Treacy 'now go visit your dead brother,' leading Treacy to respond, 'You're (expletive) dead! I swear to God, I'm going to kill you. Your (expletive) is cold, dead meat.' Yet Treacy threatened Ms Ratley several times during their 45-minute text exchange before she mentioned the brother. The whole thing started because Treacy was trying to get in touch with another girl, Kayla Manson, whom he had been dating. Ms Ratley sometimes let Ms Manson use her phone to contact Treacy. Tragedy: After Treacy assaulted Ms Ratley, she was left lying unconscious in a pool of blood and still has mental problems after she gradually recovered . Strategy: Treacy's attorneys said the teen, pictured, was insane when he assaulted the girl and should be acquitted of attempted first-degree murder . Ms Ratley repeatedly referred to . then-15-year-old Treacy as a 'rapist' for dating Manson, who was then . 13. Eventually Treacy texts back, 'Why are you trying to get yourself . killed? I will find you. I will mess you up, you will regret crossing . me.' And, prosecutors say, Treacy calmly laid plans to do just that over the next few hours. Evidence shows that Treacy - a gifted student who did not attend his high school that day - did computer searches on ways to efficiently kill people barehanded, wrote up a short will and hinted to several friends about his violent plans. 'I'm going to jail for murder,' Treacy said in one text to a friend, according to investigative records. Most of the friends said they didn't take the threats seriously. 'He's never hurt anyone before and I . wouldn't think he would ever hurt someone,' said Monica Montero, who . received several texts from Treacy that day. 'Mission': Prosecutors say Treacy dressed in black, including martial arts fighting gloves and his brother's steel-toed boots to ensure maximum damage, before he beat Ms Ratley at a bus stop . Prosecutors say Treacy dressed in black, including martial arts fighting gloves and his brother's steel-toed boots to ensure maximum damage. He then rode his bicycle to the middle school and found Manson, asking her to take him to Ms Ratley. Surveillance video shows Ms Manson leading the much taller Treacy through a crowd of students at the school bus stop, a few moments after Ms Ratley also passed by. The beating itself is not captured on camera. Numerous witnesses say Treacy grabbed Ms Ratley by the neck, knocked her to the ground and began stomping and kicking her. A teacher managed to knock Treacy away from the girl, who was by then lying unconscious in a pool of blood. The teacher, Walter Welsh, then hustled Treacy into the school office and waited for police and paramedics to respond. Mr Welsh said it was clear immediately the attack was planned. 'He was on a mission,' he said. 'I'm going to kill you': The boy's defence claims Treacy (bottom right) was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following his older brother's recent suicide when he attacked Ms Ratley . Later in a videotaped police interview, Treacy claimed he blacked out during the attack and that he never intended to hit Ms Ratley. Just before the investigator came into the interview room, however, Treacy quietly says, 'I'm a monster. I'm a monster.' Ms Ratley gradually recovered but still has mental problems that prosecutors say may prevent her from testifying. Manson, the girl who pointed Ms Ratley out, faces an August trial on charges of being Treacy's accomplice. For Treacy's insanity defense to succeed, experts say it's crucial that jurors are convinced he had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder for some time after his brother's suicide. In pretrial hearings, a defense . expert has testified Treacy likely was in period of detachment during . which he didn't know what he was doing. Those periods can last for hours . or days, the expert said. 'Would never have happened': Although Treacy told police he blacked out during the attack and that he never intended to hit Ms Ratley, he earlier said quietly to himself, 'I'm a monster' In a taped jailhouse phone call with his mother, Treacy says he is angry at his brother because the suicide messed up his head. 'If it wasn't for (unclear), I'd be just as normal as I ever was and this would never have happened,' Treacy says, according to a transcript. The prosecution's job is easier, said Nova Southeastern University law professor Robert Jarvis. 'The state has to keep reminding the jury that the defendant is (an attempted) killer,' he said. 'In the end, I think the defense fails in this case because lots of people lose a loved one and still function without engaging in a crime and jurors know that.' Coincidentally, the attack on Ms . Ratley happened several months after a group of students at the same . school, Deerfield Beach Middle School, set a classmate on fire, nearly . killing him. Three boys have been convicted of felonies in that case.
|
Wayne Treacy cried as prosecutors described the horrific 2010 attack in day one of his attempted murder trial .
Defense told the court the teen couldn't control his actions because he suffered PTSD after his brother committed suicide .
Victim Josie Ratley was left severely brain damaged after the beating .
|
29,226 |
53057c6e0730cc3499347a490f2a453d68ac4345
|
(CNN)The new Greek government has plenty of challenges ahead of it: A towering debt, chronic unemployment and relations with the rest of Europe. But it also has an urgent security problem. Greece has become an unwitting crossroads -- both for jihadists trying to reach Iraq and Syria from Europe, and for fighters returning home from the Middle East. Greece's long land and maritime boundaries, its proximity to Turkey, the explosion of illegal migration from Syria and the country's dire financial situation make it an inviting hub for jihadist groups, according to multiple counterterrorism sources. One source close to the Greek intelligence services told CNN there may be some 200 people in the country with links to jihadist groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the al Nusra Front -- the two groups that most Europeans join. Leftist leader plans his next move after elections in Greece . Among recent cases with a Greek connection: . -- Belgian officials believe that Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a prominent Belgian jihadist within ISIS, may have traveled from Syria to Greece and then communicated by phone with the terrorist cell recently broken up by Belgian police. -- Earlier this month, three young Belgians were arrested at Charleroi airport as they prepared to fly to Greece. The Belgian Prosecutor's Office says they have been charged with participation in a terror group. -- On January 17, Greek police arrested a 33-year old Algerian man whose extradition was sought by Belgium in connection with last week's raids. The man, who has not been named, has protested his innocence. -- Last year, two French jihadists were arrested after using Greek soil to return home. One was arrested after passing through Italy. One was Ibrahim Boudina, a 23-year-old French national born in Algiers. Greek border guards had found in his possession a USB stick with instructions for how to make homemade bombs. Europe faces 'greatest terror threat ever' They did not detain him, but tipped off French investigators, who later found bomb-making equipment and devices in his apartment near Cannes. Boudina has denied terror charges and awaits trial. What's unknown is how many jihadists are traveling individually -- in either direction -- and how many are using support networks. "Greece is not a target, just a gateway into Europe and a stop on the fighters' return home," said the source close to Greek intelligence. "The large immigrant communities is Greece, and particularly in Athens, are in a position to provide jihadists and others associated with such groups with housing and generally help them remain anonymous," the source said. In 2011, Greek authorities detained nearly 50,000 illegal migrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to police figures. One analyst who has studied jihadist travel patterns says there are indications that militants are setting up logistical, recruitment and financial cells in Greece, in part to facilitate the travel of a growing number of would-be fighters traveling from Kosovo and Albania. ISIS has produced several propaganda videos featuring Kosovars appealing to their countrymen to join them, and the Kosovo authorities believe some 200 individuals have left to wage jihad in Iraq and Syria. But it's not just the Balkans that's providing the travelers. "We estimate that about 2,000 people have used Greece in the last two years or so, mainly arriving by boat from Italy, as a stop to an onward journey," the source close to the intelligence services told CNN. "Given the number of people who have left Europe for Syria and the Middle East we don't regard this number as very high. But there is a good chance that it is much greater than we know at this point," he added. Coming in the other direction, the number of migrants trying to reach Europe illegally has soared since Syria's implosion, especially by sea. Many head to Greece and Italy on rust-buckets that trawl the Turkish coast seeking out the desperate. John M. Nomikos, director of the Research Institute for European and American Studies in Athens, says many migrants have their documents taken by human traffickers and then seek political asylum when they get to Greece. Nomikos says a few of those who arrive in Greece subsequently marry Greek women and receive Greek ID cards or passports, allowing them to travel through much of the European Union. Figures from the European Union's border agency, Frontex, show that 270,000 people tried to enter Europe illegally in 2014 -- with huge increases in the numbers setting off across the central and eastern Mediterranean. Whether ISIS or other groups are already exploiting this influx to infiltrate members into Europe is one of the worrying unknowns to European officials. The Greek Interior Ministry acknowledges it has little idea of the number of people living illegally in Greece. Nomikos and others say the Greek authorities' ability to track asylum-seekers and would-be jihadists has been hard hit by six years of recession -- a time in which budgets have been cut and senior members of the intelligence communities have lost their jobs or retired early. Combined with political appointments in the security services, and a lack of terrorism specialists, Nomikos says this has led to a damaging "expertise deficit" at a time when threats are multiplying. It doesn't help that Greek police are preoccupied with the remnants of the far-left November 17 group that occasionally launches sabotage attacks and carries out assassinations. Nomikos also says there is inadequate coordination between the National Intelligence Service, the police and other agencies -- and that Greece badly needs help from the U.S. or European government to reform its security services. "The country urgently needs a Department of Homeland Security in order to coordinate the intelligence-sharing among the Greek intelligence service (NIS-EYP), anti-terrorism squad intelligence unit" as well as police, coastguard and military intelligence, Nomikos says. The Balkan states to the north of Greece have become a major source of weapons to jihadist cells elsewhere in Europe, and some analysts believe that militant groups in the Middle East may also be tapping into this illicit arms bazaar. In November, Albanian police arrested eight people in the town of Shijak and seized guns and ammunition. Prosecutors were quoted in Albanian media as saying the weapons were destined for Syria or Iraq. In the wake of the Paris attacks this month, Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign policy chief, promised better intelligence sharing across the EU and with affected Arab states to tackle terrorism. An EU summit on February 12 will address the issue, to be followed by a similar gathering in Washington the following week. Whatever the Syriza government's disagreements with its partners on economic policy, it will likely welcome a more coordinated approach on a danger it is unable to confront alone. Ioannis Mantzikos is a researcher and consultant on Islam in Africa and terrorism issues based in Athens. Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report.
|
Greece is close to Turkey, has an influx of illegal migration from Syria and is in a dire financial situation .
These factor help make it an inviting hub for jihadist groups, experts say .
Says one source: 'Greece is not a target, just a gateway into Europe'
|
1,166 |
034f46b2e694cce3e2624a4daf397cc8a3d0d012
|
A grandmother and her four-year-old granddaughter have drowned after they went to a lake to feed the ducks. Relatives suspect that Laura Zulema Fleming, 59, jumped into the water at Silver Lake, a gated community in Miramar, Florida, on Sunday after her granddaughter Leila fell in, WSVN reported. But neither could swim and they both drowned. Family members called police around 11pm on Sunday to say the duo were missing. Their bodies were recovered from the water shortly before midnight. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Leila Fleming, pictured left and right, drowned in a lake near her father's and grandparents' home on Sunday evening. Her grandmother, Laura Fleming, also drowned after they went out to feed the ducks . Heartbroken: Relatives comfort each other the day after Laura and Leila were found drowned in the lake . 'We saw them bringing out a person with their arms up,' neighbor Andy Casteneda told WSVN. 'Then two or three minutes afterwards, they bring out a baby.' Autopsies were carried out on Monday and they were both found to have drowned, Miramar police spokeswoman Tania Rues said, the Sun Sentinel reported. 'Unfortunately, it appears they had been deceased for a period of time,' she said. 'Based on accounts from family members, neither the grandmother nor the 4-year-old knew how to swim.' Fleming had taken her granddaughter out to the water around 7pm on Sunday. 'The information that we gathered from the family is that she was a very doting grandmother, was always with the grandchild and they would go out on occasion,' Rues said. 'It was not something the family thought was unusual for them to do.' Missed: Leila is pictured with her father George, left, and mother Ashli, right, who does not live with the family. Relatives said they think Leila's grandmother jumped into the water after the girl fell in . Scene: The duo went to the lake in the gated community early on Sunday evening but never returned home . 'Doting': Mrs Fleming often took her young granddaughter down to the water to feed the ducks, police said . The youngster lived with her grandmother in the gated community. They shared a home with Leila's father - Laura's son - George Fleming Jr. and her grandfather George Fleming Sr. Her mother, 23-year-old Ashli Rodriguez, does not live at the address. Leila's cousin called her 'an adorable, sweet girl' and added that her aunt was 'a very wise woman - very caring, very loving'. Miramar Police said no one witnesses the drowning but no foul play was suspected. They continue to investigate, Rue said. See below for video .
|
Laura Fleming and granddaughter Leila failed to return home 4 hours after they went to feed the ducks in their gated community in Florida on Sunday .
Their bodies were recovered from the water around midnight .
Relatives suspect that the child had fallen in the water and then Laura - who could not swim - tried to save her .
|
215,484 |
a2eea982a1962f2054ee0682b86d13ad6ae819af
|
Halloween is firmly on the horizon so weird, scary and creepy sights are becoming commonplace. In this video, a dog attempts to get into the Halloween spirit by transforming himself into the most intimidating predator of them all... but falls somewhat short of giving anybody a scare. The adorable pug wanders around the front driveway of his home nonchalantly dressed in a Tyrannosaurus rex costume. Rawr! An adorable pug gets into the Halloween spirit in a dinosaur costume . Rest: After walking around for 30 seconds in the awkward costume the pug takes a breather . The dog's owner films the pet as he attempts to move about in the comical costume, which occasionally slips off as he awkwardly meanders about. The T-rex costume also has two protruding claws which makes it look like the dog is ready to attack at any opportunity. However, this cute canine is anything but frightening. Awkward: The pug's movement is a little restricted and he peers out from within the comical costume . 'I think I need a smaller size': Towards the end of the footage the costume slips off the pug .
|
Owner put dog in amusing Tyrannosaurus rex outfit and filmed him .
Dog looks menacing as protruding arms make it look as if dog is on attack .
Cute canine struggles to keep costume on and stumbles over .
|
218,623 |
a701545e5ff4d0910a187aa25d7e73bf71c7a719
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:46 EST, 11 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:01 EST, 11 July 2013 . A Canadian teen got a little too close for comfort to a lion she was helping care for in a South African rehabilitation facility when the beast tried to drag her into its cage by the legs. Lauren Fagen, 18, was volunteering at the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre when she leaned in to kiss the beast's fur. The Montreal girl was then pulled into the animal's cage, her legs gnawed and gashed by the lion and its mate, before she was finally dragged away by a lifesaving fellow volunteer. Worth it: Lauren Fagen plays with some lion cubs at Moholoholo Wildlife Centre in South Africa where she was later badly mauled. Before the attack, she wrote on Facebook that the hard work at the refuge was worth it . A-OK: Lauren Fagen was kissing the fur of a 5-year-old lion she was volunteering with in South Africa and it badly mauled her legs . It began as a dream. Fagen was all set to attend McGill University in the fall and wanted to indulge a lifelong passion for animals. She travelled to the Limpopo province of South Africa to work with the animals at Moholoholo, a center established in 1991 for the rehabilitation of wild African animals like rhinos and honey badgers. They give a home to injured and poisoned animals that can no longer live in the wild. Fagen’s job was to clean cages. Only trained professionals are allowed to feed the lions. ¿I didn¿t realize he could stick his paws through': Fagen thought she was safe behind the fence of the lion cage . Docile? A male lion, like the one that attacked Fagen, basks in the sun at South Africa's Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Fagen said the lion was being very docile before the attack . Savage: Fagen suffered 10 gash wounds once fellow students pulled her from the animals' grip. She is now recovering from 'huge rips' in her flesh . But Fagen wasn’t feeding 5-year-old Duma, a male, when the attack occurred. She was leaning in to kiss its fur, reports the Canadian Globe and Mail. ‘I didn’t realize he could stick his paws through,’ Fagen said of the powerful feline. The lion grabbed her and dragged her legs into the cage, where it began tearing at them . Its mate joined in, as well, by pouncing on the girl’s feet. Cuddly? Two lion cubs play at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre neat Pretoria, South Africa . Passionate: Fagen, 18, was volunteering at the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to indulge a lifelong passion for animals before starting college in the fall . Unfazed: Fagen said she will continue to love animals despite the terrifying experience that has left her physically, but not emotionally, scarred . First time for everything: The Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa takes in injured and poisoned animals. Fagen's was the first attack since it was founded in 1991 . ‘I should have died or lost a leg. It was a miracle that I survived,’ she said. Fagen said the big cat was being ‘very, very friendly’ before the attack hinting she may have been lulled into a false sense of safety. And she told ABC News via Skype from a Pretoria hospital that she still thinks the lion meant no real harm to her. Hearing her screams, some fellow volunteers came running. One of them, a veterinary nurse from Britain, managed to beat the the lion and lioness off of Fagen with a broom. ‘Both her knees were injured and she had puncture wounds in the calf and huge gouges out of her thigh,' said 24-year-old lifesaver Natalie Bennett. Lifesaver: 24-year-old British nurse Natalie Bennett (pictured) beat the lions off with a broom before administering first aid to the ailing Canadian teen . Scary: ¿It was the lioness we were worried about because they are the killers,' said Bennett, pictured here at the refuge where she saved Fagen from the claws of two lions . Heroic: 'From what she's told me it seems as if she was a bit of a heroine,' said rescuer Natalie's mom (left, with Natalie and her father) Animal lover: Fagen went to South Africa to indulge a lifelong love of animals . Lucky: Fagen seemed to be doing alright and will be home in Montreal soon. 'It¿s a miracle it wasn¿t worse,' the founder of the refuge said. 'She came here telling people that she wanted to hug an animal' PLayful: A lion cub plays at Moholoholo. The founder said this was the first time the refuge has ever had a lion attack . Close call: A lion and a lioness relax at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa. A similar pair nearly cost Fagen her life . ‘She’ll have some scarring on her legs, but there won’t be any permanent damage,’ a manager of the wildlife centre, Marisa Reinach, told the Globe and Mail. There isn’t any permanent damage to Fagen’s love of animals, either. She said she signed a waiver when she arrived at the center and knew the risks. It was the first attack at the 20-year-old center and, according to Moholoholo founder Brian Jones, things could have been much worse. ‘This is quite mild – it’s a miracle it wasn’t worse,’ he said. ‘She came here telling people that she wanted to hug an animal.’ Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.
|
Lauren Fagen was volunteering at the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa .
|
250,199 |
cfcd7c39224b6ece5bc6c2b1f8e7e3d73169e0f0
|
The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions Tuesday on leaders of the jihadist al-Nusra Front in Syria, hours after the State Department moved to blacklist the rebel group as a foreign terror organization linked to al Qaeda in Iraq. The Treasury also sanctioned two armed militia groups that operate under the control of the Syrian government, Jaysh al-Sha'bi and Shabiha, it said. Syrian opposition groups have voiced their opposition to the U.S. move against the rebel fighters, suggesting that they are being targeted because they oppose a new anti-government coalition. The move came the same day President Barack Obama recognized the leading Syrian opposition coalition as the legitimate representative of the country's people. "We've made a decision that the Syrian Opposition Coalition is now inclusive enough, is reflective and representative enough of the Syrian population that we consider them the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in opposition to the Assad regime," he told ABC's Barbara Walters. In recent months, the radical Islamist al-Nusra Front has emerged as one of the most effective groups in the Syrian resistance, drawing on foreign fighters with combat experience in Iraq and elsewhere. Read more: New head of Syrian opposition briefs European foreign ministers . But Washington accuses the group of using the Syrian conflict to advance its own ideology and ends. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland confirmed Tuesday that the al-Nusra Front had been added to the list of aliases for al Qaeda in Iraq, already designated a foreign terrorist organization. She said the group had claimed nearly 600 attacks in several cities in the past year, including suicide bombings, and was responsible for the deaths of "numerous innocent Syrians." Al-Nusra "has sought to portray itself as part of the legitimate Syrian opposition while it is, in fact, an attempt by AQI to hijack the struggles of the Syrian people for its own malign purposes," she said. The designation makes it illegal for any U.S. citizen to give "material support or resources," including money, training or weapons, to al-Nusra fighters. Read more: Syrian rebels move toward unified command . The Treasury's financial sanctions also target two senior al-Nusra leaders, named as Maysar Ali Musa Abdallah al-Juburi and Anas Hasan Khattab. The measure means that any assets they may hold in the United States are blocked and that U.S. citizens are barred from doing business with them. The Treasury sanctions against pro-government groups target two Shabiha commanders, named as Ayman Jaber and Mohammad Jaber, along with the two militia groups. Its statement said the Shabiha have "operated as a direct action arm of the government of Syria and its security services," working alongside its intelligence services, and have been "complicit in the commission of human rights abuses in Syria, including those related to repression." "Since the beginning of the unrest, the Shabiha have fired into crowds of peaceful Syrian demonstrators, shot and killed Syrian demonstrators, arbitrarily detained Syrian civilians, and shot Syrian soldiers who refused to fire on peaceful demonstrators," it said. The Jaysh al-Sha'bi militia has "conducted unilateral and joint operations with Syrian military and security elements against the Syrian opposition" that have led to the deaths of opposition members, the statement said. It accuses Iran of training, funding and arming the Jaysh al-Sha'bi militia. Washington's move comes a day ahead of a Friends of Syria meeting scheduled in Morocco. The goal of the designation is to isolate extremist groups in Syria while giving a boost to the new political opposition group unveiled last month in Doha, Qatar, U.S. officials said last week. Al-Nusra and several other groups last month announced their opposition to the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, a new anti-government coalition. U.S. officials estimate al-Nusra members represent about 9% of rebel forces in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based opposition group, said fighters from the al-Nusra Front were among rebel forces who it says have seized control of a government military base in the Sheikh Sleiman area of western Reef Aleppo. But their designation as a foreign terrorist group isn't being made on the grounds of past or possible future actions, according to the Observatory's Rami Abdelrahman. "The United States decided to single out the Nusra Front because of their recent rejection to the political opposition front and (because) they have a different approach to post-Assad's Syria," he said. Read more: Syrian National Council picks new president . Syrian Minister of Information Omran al-Zoubi told Lebanese al-Manar TV on Monday that Damascus understood why Washington wanted to blacklist the al-Nusra Front. "When the U.S. places Jabhat al-Nusra on the international terrorist organizations list, that is because it realizes the nature of these groups which are fighting the Syrian armed forces," he said. Read more: In Syria, marriage as defiance . Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has characterized the nearly 21 months of violence that have ravaged his country as a fight against terrorism. But the Syrian National Council, a largely expatriate opposition group, on Sunday voiced its "full rejection of any accusation of extremism and terrorism to any of the forces that are fighting the Syrian regime." Any accusations made against factions within the Free Syrian Army, which brings together disparate groups, were intended to cause division within its ranks and between its forces and the Syrian people, it said. "Terrorism is a characteristic that can only be attributed to the Syrian regime," it said. The commander of the Falcons of the Levant Brigade, a rebel group, criticized the U.S. move in a statement, saying the international community "should have designated Bashar al-Assad, his army and his criminal thugs on that list first and last for what they are committing against our people." The group said it would "refuse to be dragged into these Western accusations against any group" and would continue to back al-Nusra and any other faction fighting government forces. U.S. officials have previously said the jihadist al-Nusra Front has not affiliated itself publicly with al Qaeda in an apparent effort to appear more mainstream. The group has claimed responsibility for complex attacks in Damascus and Aleppo, frequently involving suicide bombers. At least 165 people were killed Tuesday across the country, according to the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported an attack in the village of Aqrab, in Hama province. More than 125 people were either killed or injured, the vast majority of which belong to the Alawite minority, it said. Al-Assad hails from the same group. A local activist in Aqrab told CNN the village has been under heavy shelling for about a week. The shelling intensified Tuesday, forcing families to flee, said Hekam Abu Rayan. He described bodies still trapped under the rubble. The Hama Revolutionary Command Council, an activist group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army, similarly reported deaths in Aqrab. It accused a pro-government militia of using women and children as "human shields," holding them in a building surrounded by rebel fighters. When rebels sent in people to negotiate with the militia, they were taken hostage and later killed, the council said. Women and children attempting to escape were also killed, it said. Syrian state news, citing a military source, denied any attack in Aqrab. CNN is unable to confirm casualty reports as the government has severely restricted access by international journalists. The meeting in Morocco this week follows a renewed international push for a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Syria, amid concerns about the potential use of chemical weapons. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters Tuesday, however, that intelligence about new attempts by Syrian government forces to move chemical weapons "has really kind of leveled off." U.S. officials said last week that they had seen intelligence suggesting that Syrian military units might be preparing chemical weapons for use, prompting strong warnings from international figures. "We haven't seen anything new indicating any aggressive steps to move forward in that way," Panetta said. "But we continue to monitor it very closely, and we continue to make clear to them that they should not under any means make use of these chemical weapons against their own population. That would produce serious consequences." Panetta said he would like to believe that al-Assad has gotten the message: "We've made it pretty clear and others have as well." But, he added, "You know it's also clear that the opposition continues to make gains in Syria, and our concern is that if they feel like the regime is threatened with collapse that they might resort to these kinds of weapons." President Obama has said that any use of chemical weapons would cross a "red line," eliciting a swift U.S. reaction. Syrian state-run media said Monday that the United States has falsely accused Syria of considering the use of chemical weapons.
|
President Barack Obama recognizes a Syrian opposition coalition .
Syrian state news reports no attack in Aqrab, a village in Hama .
The United States designates the al-Nusra Front as a foreign terrorist organization .
The U.S. Treasury also imposes sanctions on two pro-government militia groups .
|
174,635 |
6e060eaed7c5c27f263c892a5c0b9e5e8454a093
|
It's a tied race between two unpopular men. Three weeks before Election Day, Florida incumbent Gov. Rick Scott finds himself in a neck-and-neck sprint to the finish line against Democratic challenger and former Gov. Charlie Crist. According to a new CNN/ORC International poll, each candidate has the support of 44% of likely voters, while Libertarian Adrian Wyllie pulls a significant share (9%) of the vote. With the race so close, Wyllie's support sets the stage for a potential Libertarian spoiler. "And with one in five likely voters saying that they could change their minds between now and Election Day, it's really anyone's ballgame," said CNN polling director Keating Holland. The survey was done October 9-13 with 610 likely voters and has a sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. College GOP: 'Say yes' to Scott's dress . Scott and Crist are familiar faces in Florida. Crist was governor in the term immediately preceding Scott's. Crist, however, was a Republican at the time. He became an independent during an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2010, then became a Democrat in 2012. His party switch has become a major line of attack against Crist. But the former governor and his new Democratic allies say the Republican Party has taken a different ideological track in recent years. "Hell, he didn't leave the (GOP). It left him," Vice President Joe Biden said Monday in Florida, while campaigning for Crist. Florida to vote on legalizing medical marijuana . Scott was elected in the tea party wave of 2010 with campaign promises to make big cuts and take on public unions. Despite holding true to his pledges and his state seeing a steady rise in economic growth, Scott's approval ratings have slipped dramatically. While both candidates are widely known in the state, it appears voters are split on who they like less. A majority of likely voters, 53%, have an unfavorable view of Crist, and a majority, 52%, also have an unfavorable view of Scott. "One thing is certain: This year's race is not a popularity contest," Holland said. "That may explain why a third-party candidate is in the high single digits." With two prominent names in the mix, the contest has been one of the most closely watched races of 2014. Obama's midterm malaise . Crist threw his hat in the ring with much fanfare late last year, and early polls indicated he has a sizable advantage over Scott. But the race tightened this year, and the high-profile appeal of the race and its swing-state dynamics have attracted big-name surrogates on both sides. In addition to Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton campaigned for Crist this month, and first lady Michelle Obama will do a fundraiser for Crist on Friday in Orlando. On Thursday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will turn out for Scott. As chairman of the Republican Governors Association, it will mark Christie's fourth trip to the state this year. Fellow Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has also shown up for Scott. CNN will air a debate between Crist and Scott on October 21. The hourlong debate will air exclusively at 7 p.m. ET on CNN and WJXT and take place in WJXT's studios in Jacksonville, Florida. CNN's Jake Tapper, chief Washington correspondent and anchor of CNN's "The Lead," will moderate with WJXT anchor Kent Justice joining in the questioning.​ .
|
Rick Scott and Charlie Crist each have 44% of support from likely voters .
That's according to a new CNN/ORC International poll .
The survey also indicates that a majority of voters have unfavorable views of both men .
A Libertarian candidate has a significant amount of support .
|
137,879 |
3e4ffcda966bfafac0b2779afadcd5dea51d0de5
|
By . Tim Shipman and Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 20:10 EST, 4 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:39 EST, 5 October 2013 . The controversial high-speed rail project was plunged into further turmoil last night as the minister responsible for the scheme resigned to run for the post of deputy speaker. Rail Minister Simon Burns quit ahead of David Cameron’s ministerial reshuffle next week in order to fight for the post vacated by Tory MP Nigel Evans – who was in court yesterday to answer rape charges. His is the second major departure from the troubled scheme in as many months. New role? Rail minister Simon Burns, left, is to run for the post of deputy speaker, vacated by MP Nigel Evans, right, who faces rape charges . Last month the man responsible for promoting the scheme, HS2 chairman Douglas Oakervee, was replaced by Sir David Higgins – the former boss of Network Rail who masterminded the construction of the Olympic Park. He will start in January on a £600,000 salary. Mr Burns’ decision to walk out comes amid growing political opposition to the troubled project. The future of the scheme is looking increasingly doubtful following predictions that the cost of the project, officially £50billion, could spiral to more than £80billion. Quitting: Mr Burns did not mention HS2 in his resignation letter to David Cameron yesterday . Mr Burns did not mention HS2 in his resignation letter to David Cameron yesterday, but the Prime Minister replied: ‘It is no easy ask overseeing the roll-out of one of the Government’s flagship infrastructure projects, HS2 – one of our country’s most significant infrastructure projects for decades. ‘Your stewardship of our proposals has helped set the foundations of a project that will last for decades to come, a lasting legacy to your role as minister.’ MPs were last night relishing the prospect of voting for Mr Burns to spite Speaker John Bercow, with whom he has found himself clashing repeatedly. Mr Burns was forced to apologise three years ago after branding the diminutive MP a ‘stupid, sanctimonious dwarf’. In July this year Mr Bercow decided to hit back at Mr Burns while he was at the despatch box discussing HS2, saying: ‘The Minister of State is a slow learner. 'I gently advise him to raise his game and operate at the level of events.’ David Cameron has signalled that Mr Burns is his preferred candidate to take the deputy speakership, telling him in his letter: ‘Since you first entered the House of Commons you have been a parliamentary man through and through. I know you will continue to have a major influence in whatever you go on to do.’ Michael Fabricant, the Tory vice chairman, said: ‘Simon Burns resigns to stand for Deputy Speaker. He once called Bercow a sanctimonious dwarf. Simon’s got my vote!’ Contentious: The HS2 scheme has proved controversial since plans for it were outlined .
|
Simon Burns quit ahead of David Cameron's reshuffle next week .
He is to fight for the post vacated by Nigel Evans who faces rape charges .
|
139,569 |
407aee38b2e07d11a48902de7c69058b9bc3b62e
|
(CNN) -- French police arrested a man Wednesday in connection with the weekend stabbing of a soldier in a business district of Paris, according to the Ministry of Interior. The suspect, who is being named only as "Alexandre," will turn 22 on Thursday, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said in a news conference broadcast by CNN affiliate BFMTV. He converted to Islam when was about 18 years old, the prosecutor said. The attack is believed to have been motivated by religious ideology because the suspect prayed less than 10 minutes beforehand, Molins said, and because it came only three days after a soldier was killed in London, by attackers who spoke of Islam. In light of the evidence so far, police will continue to treat it as a terrorism incident, he said. The serviceman, age 23, suffered wounds to the neck when the assailant attacked him from behind with a knife or box cutter as he patrolled the capital's La Defense neighborhood. The attacker stabbed the soldier several times, Molins said. The suspect was identified through security camera footage and traces of DNA found on a juice bottle he left along with a sweater in a bag near the scene, the prosecutor said. He had a prior record of petty crimes committed when he was under 18 and is known to have been rebellious in his youth, but was not known to French security services, Molins said. His details were in the national police database because of an identity check made in 2007 when he was praying in the street. At that time, he did not appear to represent any threat, Molins said. Alexandre was arrested outside the home of a friend close to Les Yvelines, near Paris, where he had been staying because he has no permanent address, Molins said. Authorities do not believe the friend is connected to the attack, he added. The suspect can be held in police custody for 96 hours without charges being filed. Molins praised the work of French investigators in identifying him in only four days. The soldier was hospitalized with non-life-threatening wounds, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement. "The aim was to kill the soldier because he was a soldier," Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the CNN affiliate on Saturday. The attacker wanted "to kill a soldier who is in charge of French security," he said. The attacker was wearing a robe at the time of the assault, a police spokesman said. The soldier was on patrol as part of a heightened security plan initiated in certain areas following France's intervention in Mali this year, French President Francois Hollande said. UK police continue to investigate the attack on a British soldier hit by a car and then hacked to death in southeast London last Wednesday. Moments after that assault, one of his alleged attackers was filmed saying the soldier was killed "because Muslims are dying daily" and that "we must fight them as they fight us," an apparent reference to British and coalition forces' roles in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. CNN's Stephanie Halasz and Saskya Vandoorne contributed to this report.
|
Prosecutor: The suspect, a convert to Islam, prayed before the attack .
He has a record of petty crimes but was not known to security services, Molins says .
The stabbed soldier was hospitalized Saturday with wounds to the neck .
The soldier was on security patrol in La Defense, a business district of Paris .
|
39,076 |
6e6d74297d781f6f2d9c9315ebb01c77e5d84c93
|
By . Bob Graham . PUBLISHED: . 17:01 EST, 14 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:01 EST, 14 June 2012 . A Texan tycoon who defrauded almost £5 billion from investors and used his wealth to bankroll international cricket matches in England was jailed for 110 years yesterday. Allen Stanford, who for 22 years ran investment scams with an estimated 17,000 victims, was once one of the richest men in America, worth more than £1.2 billion. The courtroom in Houston was packed with many of his victims to hear the sentence handed down, the majority of whom were small business owners. Two of the estimated 17,000 victims of Stanford’s fraud were allowed to address the court. Jailbird: Convicted financier Allen Stanford arrives at Federal Court in Houston for sentencing . Jaime Escalona, who represented Latin . American victims, addressed the hearing before turning to stare directly . at Stanford to tell him: 'You, sir, are a dirty, rotten, scoundrel.' The other victims’ spokesman, Angela . Shaw, of the Stanford Victims Coalition, said of the fraudster: “Allen . Stanford has stolen more than billions of dollars. He took our lives as . we knew them.” She said some 28,000 people had lost money in the scam. Yet, even in his final hour of shame . the former tycoon couldn’t help but deny it all and to blame others. 'I’m not a thief.....I did not defraud anybody,' he said. 'The US government are responsible . ruining the business....they destroyed it and turned it to nothing. Stanford was a real brick-and-mortar global financial empire.' Guilty: Stanford was convicted in March of 13 of 14 counts of fraud . Stanford now plans to appeal against the conviction and sentence even though he was officially declared “indigent” – penniless. The court has now to appoint lawyers . who will be funded out of a scheme similar to Britain’s own legal-aid . and it is estimated to run into tens of millions of dollars. During yesterday’s sentencing, . Stanford’s 40-minute rambling account was the first time he had actually . spoken to the court about what had taken place during the 22-years his . banking empire existed. He claimed he was a scapegoat and . blamed the federal government and a court-appointed receiver who took . over his companies in 2009 for tearing down his business empire and . preventing his investors from getting any of their money back. He said: “ I’m not here to ask for . sympathy or forgiveness or to throw myself at your mercy but I will tell . you I did not run a Ponzi scheme. I didn’t defraud anybody.” Stanford was once considered one of . the richest men in the U.S., with an estimated personal net worth of . more than £1.2billion. His financial empire stretched from the U.S. to . Latin America and the Caribbean. Calling Stanford arrogant and without . remorse, prosecutors said he used the money from investors who bought . certificates of deposit, or CDs, from his bank in Antigua to fund a . string of failed businesses, bribe regulators and pay for a lavish . lifestyle that included yachts, a fleet of private jets and sponsorship . of cricket tournaments. Stanford added moments before being . led away: “If I live the rest of my life in prison …. I will always be . at peace with the way I conducted myself in business.” Disgraced tycoon Stanford’s schemes . were the second largest in US financial history – second only to Bernie . Madoff, the so-called ‘King of Con’ - who was given 150 years for his . £11.2-billion Ponzi scheme. The majority of the victims were small businesses or private investors, looking to cash-in on interest rates above bank rate. Cricket fan: The then Sir Allen Stanford poses with the England team during the Stanford 2020 Super Series match between England and Middlesex in 2008. He was later stripped of his knighthood . Cheeky: During the 2008 Stanford Super Series, the financier was photographed bouncing the wife of English cricket player Matt Prior on his knee . Happier times: Allen Stanford poses with Stanford Superstars following their victory at the end of the Stanford 20/20 Super Series match between England and Stanford Superstars in 2008 . Mike Bishop, of Houston, Texas, who . lost round £900,000 said outside the court: “ This was a wholesale . failure by government agencies who regulate companies such as Stanford. They are as responsible. “Here in Texas we believe in capital . punishment but I would not wish it on Stanford, I want him to wake up . every morning in his prison cell and reflect on what he did to us all.” Stanford, ever the showman, entered the courtroom dressed in green prison fatigues and grinning all over his face. When handcuffs were taken off he waved . to his elderly mother Sammie Stanford who sat in the well of the court . alongside Stanford’s daughter Randi. Prosecutors had asked the court for a . sentence of 230 years in prison. The prosecutor told Judge David . Hittner: “ 230 years will not get anyone their money back but on . sleepless nights they will know that he got the maximum.” In June 2008 Stanford signed a . controversial deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for a . series of five Twenty20 cricket games between England and a Caribbean . side nicknamed the ‘Stanford All-Stars.’ The winners would collect a . prize-fund of £13.6-million and the losers would get nothing. Left in the lurch:: Stanford Bank headquarters in Panama City, Panama . From prince to pauper: The man who was once transporting chests filled with cash in his helicopter (left) has been declared indigent and having to rely on court-appointed lawyers . During the tournament, Stanford was . pictured sitting with the England players wives, at one sitting bouncing . the wife of wicketkeeper Matt Prior on his knee. His next trick was to fly into Lords . aboard a personalised helicopter laden with treasure chests of cash. He . planned to be the saviour of English cricket, even though he admitted he . never really understood the game. By the time of his arrest, in February . 2009, the ECB has severed all ties with Stanford and his honorary . knighthood provided by the government of Antigua had been stripped. The jury that convicted Stanford also . cleared the way for U.S. authorities to go after about £212-million in . stolen investor funds sitting in the financier’s frozen foreign bank . accounts in London, Canada and Switzerland. Three other former Stanford executives . are scheduled for trial in September. A former Antiguan financial . regulator was indicted and awaits extradition to the U.S. Prosecutors said Stanford had treated . his victims like “roadkill”. They had asked for a prison sentence . spanning more than two centuries, calling him a “ruthless predator” who . stole from investors “simply to satisfy his own greed and vanity.”
|
Stanford was convicted in March of 13 or 14 counts of fraud .
He had been running his Ponzi scheme for two decades .
Prosecutors sought maximum sentence of 230 years .
Stanford was once considered 605th richest man in the world .
Organized series of high-paying cricket matches between England and a Caribbean .
side .
|
238,518 |
c0bc376d80c6cd68c8c3fff1672c1f855cec1467
|
(CNN) -- In April 1964, only a few months after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, his widow Jacqueline Kennedy wrote to Kay Halle -- an old family friend of both the Kennedys and the Churchills -- and gave a glimpse of the dark melancholy that shrouded her. Jackie mentioned an Easter trip with her children, Caroline and John Jr., and expressed hope the holiday might renew her spirits. "I hope it will give me via fresh air some new energy -- as I just have had none lately & cannot even touch the ever growing piles on my desk," she wrote to Halle. "But this spring maybe everything will be better -- Love Jackie." Jackie Kennedy's letters underline the behind-the-scenes role of Halle, who urged President Kennedy to bestow honorary U.S. citizenship upon Winston Churchill at special 1963 Rose Garden ceremony. But more importantly, the Halle correspondence provides further insight into the first lady's relationship with JFK during their White House years and the painful aftermath of her husband's November 1963 killing. During the past decade, the private letters of Jacqueline Kennedy have slowly come to light. Most were kept private for many years in archives, away from public scrutiny. As a result, history has been deprived of important, albeit disturbing, facts surrounding the assassination and its effect on those closest to JFK -- especially his widow, whose grief included suicidal thoughts expressed to a priest. To be sure, a generation of Americans admired Jacqueline Kennedy's extraordinary grace and courage during her husband's funeral and were naturally protective of her privacy when she was alive. But a wealth of letters and other documents -- including an extensive oral history by Mrs. Kennedy kept under wraps at the JFK Library until 2011 -- remained out of sight, well past her death in 1994, leaving the historical record incomplete. Now a half century later, it is time for all the Jacqueline Kennedy letters to be available for historians, allowing for a more full and accurate understanding about one of the most dramatic moments in 20th century U.S. history. Efforts by the Kennedy family to keep these letters at bay only mute our comprehension of what truly happened on that tragic day in Dallas and the kind of psychological damage that gun violence can wreak on the lives of innocent survivors. The existence of Jackie's letters was unknown to me until I stumbled upon some in preparing a 2003 book about how the Kennedys' Irish Catholic immigrant background influenced their personal and public lives. During my research, three people suggested speaking with the Rev. Richard McSorley, a Jesuit friend of Robert F. Kennedy's family, though none apparently knew of McSorley's involvement with Jackie. McSorley surprisingly told me how he counseled a grief-stricken Jackie for several months beginning in April 1964. He provided "tennis lessons" to Jackie at RFK's Virginia home while helping the widowed first lady through her agony and depression. McSorley later allowed me to review his personal files at Georgetown University's library. There I found several remarkable letters and documents about Jackie Kennedy's emotional struggles. She shared her doubts about God, fate, a heavenly afterlife with her slain husband, and her children's immediate future. "Do you think God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself?" Jackie asked the priest. "It is so hard to bear. I feel as though I am going out of my mind at times. Wouldn't God understand that I just want to be with him?" Georgetown later held a press conference about the "unique historical window" McSorley's papers provided. But soon after a complaint from the Kennedy family, Georgetown access was closed to Jackie's letters in McSorley's files. Similar letters, though, would turn up elsewhere. In May 2014, a batch of 33 Jackie letters to an Irish priest, the Rev. Joseph Leonard, whom she first met in the early 1950s, were headed for auction until the Kennedys objected to their disclosure. These letters, containing sentiments similar to those Jackie confided to McSorley, were published by various publications but were eventually returned to the Kennedy family, reportedly at the direction of Caroline Kennedy, her daughter. They are no longer public. More letters from Jackie Kennedy turned up in the files of Halle, made available in June 2011 at the JFK Library. I describe them in my new book about the Churchills and the Kennedys. After Halle offered successful suggestions for JFK's 1961 inaugural celebration, Jackie Kennedy sought advice about Washington's social scene. Her letter reflects the anxiety of a woman in her early 30s wanting to please her husband in her new role as first lady. "One thing I wish you could help me with," Jackie wrote in her fragmented longhand sentences to Halle. "Is it enough to just keep doing things in a private way -- as one would do if not President -- Go to the theatres, symphonies, etc. and try to have the entertainment at the (White House) be substantial -- ... But that is so little -- Do you think we should have an enormous reception at the W. House for artists -- that seems rather treating them like freaks -- I try to work some into every State dinner -- but that's a tiny drop in the bucket -- If you have a brainstorm do tell me." Jackie let Kay Halle know how to send notes to her social secretary's attention so that she'd read them personally. "Put your name on the letter and SPECIAL -- (my code for getting my own mail!)" she instructed. After JFK's assassination and the 1965 death of Winston Churchill, Halle remained in touch with both families. She later asked Jackie and her second husband Aristotle Onassis to contribute to a book of remembrances about Winston Churchill's son, Randolph, who died in 1968. "You know how Jack and Bobby loved him -- but did you know how my son John loved him?" Jackie asked Halle about Randolph. Around her children, Jackie wrote, Randolph "was completely himself -- and never changed gears for them." In her essay for Halle's book, Jackie recalled how Randolph gave her son, John Jr., a complete set of Winston Churchill's books -- including his masterful biography about John Marlborough, a fabled Churchill ancestor -- which she kept in the Kennedys' Fifth Avenue apartment in Manhattan. "They are in the bookshelves in the dining room, beside Jack's Marlborough, which he read when he had scarlet fever as a boy, and the Churchill books he had at Harvard," Jackie recalled. Uncertain of what her son's future might bring, Jackie told Halle that she hoped President Kennedy's heir might discover lessons about greatness from these bound volumes, just as other men had. "If, when he is older, he finds in them what his father found in them -- that would be this strange, touching legacy of Randolph's," Jackie concluded. "Winston Churchill and Randolph outlived Jack -- but maybe Randolph will be the one to draw John to the books that shaped John's father." Documents like these are essential tools to gaining a clear and complete understanding our past. Surely, both JFK and Jackie Kennedy, with their keen sense of history, would have understood.
|
Thomas Maier: Jackie Kennedy letters show emotions of young first lady, later grieving widow .
Maier: She puzzled over social protocols as first lady; pondered suicide when JFK killed .
He says letters a crucial part of historical record, yet have been pulled back by Kennedy family .
Maier: Those that have been seen have been revelatory. They should be public .
|
199,532 |
8e4c183b29c01e469000f6784c4623dfcc81c6b5
|
By . Laura Clark, Education Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 14:44 EST, 21 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:00 EST, 22 November 2012 . Teachers inflated children’s marks in a new reading test and allowed half the questions to leak on to Twitter and parenting websites, an official report revealed yesterday. Nineteen of the 40 words used in the test were divulged on web forums popular with parents and teachers and even a national radio broadcast mid-way through the week-long testing period, according to exams watchdog Ofqual. The ‘phonics reading check’ – taken for the first time this June by nearly 600,000 six-year-olds – was further compromised by ‘skewed’ and unreliable marking aimed at pushing as many pupils as possible over the pass mark of 32 out of 40. Compromised: Key words used in a new back-to-basics reading test for six-year-olds were leaked onto Twitter and parenting websites . Nearly five times as many pupils . achieved 32 marks as gained 31, the report said, and the marks in the . test were therefore ‘significantly skewed’. Teachers were issued with the pass . mark before they administered the test and Ofqual found this knowledge . ‘strongly influenced’ marking. The Department for Education urged . teachers to ‘take professional responsibility for the accurate marking . of the test so that the right children can be helped’. The test involves checking how well . pupils use the traditional ‘phonics’ method of reading, where children . learn the letter sounds of English and how to blend them. As well as reading 20 real words, . youngsters are expected to say 20 made-up words, such as ‘pib’, ‘queep’ and ‘groiks’. The test was introduced by the Coalition in an attempt to . identify pupils at risk of falling behind in reading at an early stage . so they could be given extra support. The test involves checking how well pupils use the traditional 'phonics' method of reading, where children learn the letter sounds of English and how to blend them (file picture) This year 40 per cent – nearly 237,000 children – fell below the pass mark. The report published by Ofqual criticised the way the test had been run. Schools are supposed to keep the questions secret since only one version of the test is used on each day of the testing week. But the report identified ‘a number of breaches of the check’s security in the course of the week’. ‘These included check items being . quoted in a national radio broadcast and referred to in forums and . websites frequented by teachers and parents,’ it said. A few also . appeared on Twitter posts. ‘In all, 19 of the 40 items had appeared in a variety of open locations by the end of the scheduled check week on 22nd June.’ Ofqual said the national testing agency had ensured the leaked words were taken down from websites as quickly as possible. It also said it did not believe the . breaches were ‘malicious’ and said that there was ‘negligible’ likelihood of the leaks affecting children’s chances in the test. The disclosure follows claims from . Ofqual that ‘over- marking’ by teachers of coursework assignments was a . major cause of the GCSE English grading fiasco.
|
The test was taken for the first time this June by nearly 600,000 pupils .
But 19 of the 40 words used in the test were divulged on web forums .
Then revealed on national radio during the week-long testing period .
Some even appeared on Twitter .
Test further compromised by ‘skewed’ and unreliable marking .
|
228,127 |
b365b573e64a79f9d5146ed93aaec27308ef4041
|
New York (CNN) -- Six British soldiers who have been charged with assaulting an off-duty New York City police officer are expected to appear in court this week, according to a police spokesman. The six soldiers were arrested early Friday morning after the 30-year-old police officer was injured outside a bar in Manhattan's Murray Hill neighborhood, said New York Police Department spokesman Sgt. Thomas Antonetti. A verbal altercation quickly escalated into a physical fight, he said. The cause is still unclear, he added. All of the soldiers are Fiji nationals who serve in the 1st Scots Guard of the British Army, according to Antonetti. The group was visiting New York City for a battalion rugby match. The men are identified as Iosefo Yavala, Iliakini Raderua, Thomas Shute, Felite Vunisarati, Mosese Kuruala, and Joeli Raduva according to NYPD. The NYPD officer, 30, and a friend, 26, suffered lacerations and bruising to the face and head. They were taken to a hospital where they were treated and released, Antonetti said. All six British soldiers were charged with third-degree assault, Antonetti said. One of the men was also charged with robbery, accused of trying to steal the NYPD officer's cell phone, he said. The British Ministry of Defence released a statement to CNN saying it is "aware of an incident in New York involving some British Army soldiers. This is a matter for the NYPD and it would be inappropriate to comment while there is an ongoing investigation. All those who are found to fall short of the Army's high standards will face disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, if appropriate." Three of the men will appear in a New York District Court on Tuesday, according to public records from the New York Criminal Court.
|
Six British soldiers were arrested after a fight outside a Manhattan bar .
An NYPD officer suffered lacerations and bruising to the face .
The soldiers are Fiji nationals who serve in the 1st Scots Guard of the British Army .
|
263,922 |
e1d1731f0fa4f21b6d82a9be5c44fef5b1342be6
|
It is one trademark celebration we’ve seen rather a lot of this season. At the final whistle, if Ipswich have claimed the three points, their captain Luke Chambers hangs around on the pitch. The fans linger too, knowing what’s coming. When all his team-mates have drifted off towards the tunnel, Chambers runs towards the stands and gives a victory shout and a fist pump. The crowd respond with a guttural roar of their own. On Saturday at Portman Road, Chambers did the celebratory fist pump no less than six times. It was, by popular Twitter consensus, the most passionate one yet. But then this had probably been the team’s best performance yet. Luke Chambers often leads the celebrations for Ipswich after victory at Portman Road . ‘We are going up,’ chorused the home faithful as Chambers (pictured) finally made his way off. They may well do. Ipswich look better equipped to mount a promotion challenge than in any of the last dozen campaigns since they dropped out of the Premier League. This was a surprisingly straightforward victory against a high-flying Middlesbrough side usually so assured on their travels but timid and toothless here. One of the Ipswich scorers was expected, the other less so. Republic of Ireland international Daryl Murphy rattled home his 14th of the season to move top of the Championship scorers’ chart, before Jay Tabb headed in the contest-killing second. The diminutive Tabb, discarded by his former club Reading, may have found himself on the scrapheap again at the end of last season but stayed at Ipswich to fight for his place — with outstanding results. Jay Tabb (left) has impressed at Portman Road, signing after being discarded by Reading . Tyrone Mings has been linked with Arsenal after an outstanding season so far in defence for Ipswich . ‘I think I was waxing lyrical about him last week,’ said manager Mick McCarthy. ‘He just continues to flourish and get better and better. ‘We made them all back themselves in a little sweepstake within the club and if they don’t get the goals, their £100 goes to charity. He only needs another seven so he’d better pull his finger out.’ There was an amusing debate about Tabb’s actual stature. Wikipedia suggested 5ft 7in, McCarthy thought that might be generous. Either way, he managed to outmuscle two burly Boro players in Emilio Nsue and Albert Adomah to head in Teddy Bishop’s perfect cross. ‘I’m 5ft 5in, maybe 5ft 6in but I have always had a good leap on me,’ said Tabb. ‘I win my fair share of headers out there on the wing. Mick McCarthy has taken Ipswich to second in the Championship table . Daryl Murphy (centre) is congratulated after scoring for Ipswich against Middlesbrough at the weekend . ‘I saw the ball come in and I just timed my jump well. I probably leaned into them a bit to win it but I managed to get above them. ‘Mick said to me at the end of last season things haven’t really worked out so if a club came in for me or I wanted to leave he would not stand in my way. ‘But I said “no” straight away. I like Ipswich Town, I like Suffolk, I like the gaffer and TC [assistant manager Terry Connor], and I wanted to stay and fight for my place. I’ve done that and it’s working out.’ With left-back Tyrone Mings linked with a move to Arsenal, McCarthy is also braced for a flurry of interest in 18-year-old midfielder Bishop, whom Boro boss Aitor Karanka described as the best player on the park. Bishop, a product of the club’s academy, has made his breakthrough this season but McCarthy issued a stern hands-off. ‘It would be wrong anyway. He should play his football here. It’s funny, when he starts doing well, everyone wants to get him out the door and sell him to a big Premier League club. If he wants to play in the Premier League, let’s see if we get there,’ said the Ipswich manager. You can only imagine the Chambers fist pump if they do make it. Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe insisted the Capital One Cup loss to Liverpool wouldn’t affect his team. He was proved emphatically correct as the Cherries routed Blackpool 6-1 to ensure the Championship No 1 spot at Christmas. Matt Ritchie’s goal to make it 3-0 was pick of the bunch. Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe (right) applauds Bournemouth's fans after beating Blackpool 6-1 . ‘It was an horrendous day,’ said Blackpool manager Lee Clark. ‘I’m angry, disappointed, embarrassed and upset.’ Not the best start for new Reading boss Steve Clarke as they went down 1-0 at home to 10-man Watford. They’ve now not scored in their last three Championship games at the Madejski. MK Dons boss Karl Robinson said his team were ‘sensational’ as they routed Oldham 7-0 to move into the automatic promotion spots in League One. Steve Clarke lost his first game as Reading manager 1-0 at home against Watford, who went down to 10 men . Will Grigg struck twice and there were five other scorers. Luton left Newport’s nine-match unbeaten run in tatters with a 3-0 win at Kenilworth Road to move third in League Two. The Hatters have won their last eight home league games.
|
Ipswich are second in the Championship after beating Middlesbrough .
Captain Luke Chambers often celebrates with fans after home victories .
Bournemouth are top of the table after thrashing Blackpool 6-1 .
|
181,170 |
7685b7858a73f3e6fc0d3274d5ed2e28beb5e28b
|
By . Joshua Gardner . Horrific: Curtis Echols was a beloved figure in his southeastern Memphis neighborhood. The cancer survivor was dragged to death in a hit and run jjust yards from his home . A 59-year-old cancer survivor beloved by his Memphis neighbors was killed late Saturday when a driver smashed into him on a sidewalk, dragged him through a front yard and left him to die in the street just yards from his home. Curtis Echols' cane, shoes and feeding tube lay at his side after a Chevy Malibu allegedly driven by 21-year-old Curteria Leuellyn sped away from the grim scene. The horrifying death leaves a void in the Orange Mound neighborhood that won't soon be filled. Echols' neighbor Randy Norris had the misfortune of seeing his friend's terrible death. 'A . loud boom,' Norris told WREG. 'They came through the fence and ended up . on the sidewalk. They started the car up and took off.' Norris, like most folks in the area of Orange Mound in southeast Memphis who knew Echols, has been left devastated. 'I hardly got any sleep,' he said. 'He was my best friend. We did everything together. He wasn’t supposed to go like that.' Echols' niece Shalanda Echols felt the irreparable loss, as well, and was most . struck with the bitter irony of her uncle's surviving throat, tongue and . prostate cancer 'only to be run over, taken out this way.' 'He went a way that he should not have went and I am really going to miss him,' said Shalanda. Charged: Curteria Leuellyn, 21, (right) has been charged with crashing through a fence, hitting Echols and dragging him to his death without calling police. Also charged on an unrelated theft count was Tonisha Thompson (left) In deep: Leuellyn was, who allegedly crashed straight through this fence, is charged with vehicular manslaughter . Wrenching: A trail of debris both physical and emotional was left behind by the Saturday night crash . The . community where Echols was known as Mayor of Hugenot, the street where . he lived and died, came together for a candlelight vigil on Sunday. The . large crowd was evidence of Echols belovedness as friends and neighbors . wept over his loss and vowed to hold on to his memory. They also vowed to find the people or person responsible for their friend's death. On . Monday, police hauled in 21-year-old Curteria Leuellyn and charged her . with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident. Allegedly riding along with Leuellyn was 19-year-old Tonisha Thompson, who was arrested on unrelated theft charges. Thompson was due in court Wednesday. Leuellyn was held in lieu of $30,000 bond and scheduled to appear in court Monday. Paying tribute: The community where Echols was so beloved gathered Sunday to grieve and pay homage to the man they lovingly referred to as their street's 'mayor' near where he lived and died . Sad: Neighbors held a candlelight vigil for Echols, where friends and loved ones called for justice through tears and remembrances of better times .
|
Memphis man Curtis Echols, 59, survived three kinds of cancer before his horrific death on Saturday night .
Curteria Leuellyn, 21, is allegedly hit Echols in a borrowed car, dragged him into the street and fled the scene .
Also arrested on unrelated charges is Leuellyn's passenger Tonisha Thompson, 19 .
|
146,858 |
49e8b4d6320629560ed38e2abd9b96af82d53fcf
|
A British father who fled the country two decades ago after a bitter divorce left him suicidal has resurfaced - as a Siberian peasant. Michael Ware, originally from Exmoor, chose a dramatic change of lifestyle when he went to live in the far-flung village of Dubinka, three time-zones east of Moscow. Mr Ware, now 55, flew to Russia months after the fall of the Soviet Union and married a local girl, Tatiana, then 18. Siberian family: Michael Ware, 55, wife Tatiana and children Veronika, 16, and Alexander, 18 . Michael Ware's fellow villagers say they can no longer tell him apart from anyone else . Locals say they can no longer tell him apart from anyone else, but the farmer left one very important part of his life behind in Somerset - three children from his first marriage. He said that missing his children was . his only sorrow about his life in a land where temperatures this week . are forecast to sink below -40C. He adopted his new wife's son from a previous relationship, Nikolai, and they had two more children together - Alexander, 18, and Veronika, 16. Now 19, Nikolai has just completed his conscription in the Russian army. Mr Ware, known as Mikhail, has 40 sheep, 14 cows, ten hens and chickens, and two pigs, on the modest smallholding he runs with his wife. Some years, he has a horse for ploughing. The village, population 15, lies 50km down a dirt track that is impassable for much of the year. Isolated: Michael Ware, 55, lives in Siberia with Russian wife Tatiana in a tiny village that is inaccessible for most of the year . Part of the scenery: The remote village has only 15 inhabitants, who say they can no longer see any difference between themselves and the Englishman . New life: Mr Ware, pictured with Alexander and Veronika when they were younger, kept his Royal Mail woolly hat as one of the only vestiges of his life in England . Content: Mr Ware says he loves 'beautiful' Siberia for its long winter, mild summer and fresh air . Mr Ware adopted his second wife's son Nikolai from her first marriage. At 19 he has just completed his conscription in the Russian army . 'In winter, our day starts at 8am and ends at 11pm to midnight,' said Mr Ware. 'Shovelling snow, cutting firewood, . looking after the cows and and sheep, it takes all day. The only free . days I get are if I'm sick.' For years, he performed these tasks wearing his warm Royal Mail woollen hat, one of his few concessions to his British roots. He insists he will stay in his cold paradise for the rest of his life, but says he remains British. 'I certainly have no regrets coming to . Siberia, not at all, though I would like to see my friends and family . more often,' he told the Siberian Times. 'There have been some hardships, but I'm happy here. Now Siberia is my home. 'It's beautiful, a long winter with lots . of sunshine and a nice mild summer. 'Plenty of clean fresh air. Many . beautiful places. It's just a pity that I don't have much time to visit . all of them. I went to the Altai Mountains and like them very much. 'I . still haven't been to Lake Baikal but plan to go there soon. 'Nobody can change their own blood. I'll always be an Englishman. Change of scene: It has now been 20 years since Mr Ware fled Exmoor for the far-flung village of Dubinka, three time-zones east of Moscow . Escape: The farmer, pictured on the road to Dubinka, says his only sorrow is that he has lost contact with his three children from his first marriage . 'I haven't got (Russian) citizenship yet. Every five years I extend my residency permit. 'To get citizenship here I must pass an exam in Russian. Somehow, I can't learn the grammar.' But he added: 'I have no information at all about my family I left in England. 'I tried to find something out about them on the Internet but failed. I don't even know what they look like now.' A local babushka said: 'You can't tell him from the rest of us anymore'.
|
His one sorrow is not knowing how to find his three children from his first marriage back in Exmoor .
Michael Ware married a local girl in a Russian village three time-zones east of Moscow, with a population of just 15 .
They now have three children together and work on a farm that is inaccessible for most of the year .
He is now known as Mikhail and locals cannot tell he is English - aside from his Royal Mail woollen hat .
Did you know Mr Ware when he lived in Britain? Email [email protected] .
|
96,438 |
0815498fc3efa51f1f10de79223e2583af2b0ced
|
A Barbecue bandit made off with thousands of dollars worth of chicken wings and ribs in an unusual heist at a Florida restaurant. The man, who has not yet been identified broke into a side door of Jerome Brown's BBQ and Wings in Jacksonville, Florida, last week and had a field day inside. According to police, the thief, who was caught on surveillance camera, nabbed everything necessary for a slap up Barbecue meal - including chicken, ribs, oil, and baked beans. Scroll down for video . Barbecue thief: The thief, who was caught on surveillance camera, nabbed everything necessary for a slap up Barbecue meal . Heist: The bandit also reportedly stole BBQ sauce, computers and a register and altogether he got away with items worth about $4,000. Restaurant: The unidentified man broke into a side door of Jerome Brown's BBQ and Wings in Jacksonville, Florida, pictured here, . The restaurant, known for its delicious food, is very popular in Jacksonville. But the owner said he was surprised that anyone would choose to rob him. Jerome Brown told ActionNewsJax: 'Twenty years I've been here. [And this has] never happened.' Brown said the thief clearly had a taste for barbecued food because he took 'ribs, chicken, oil, baked beans, pork and beans, sausage and shrimp.' And that's not all. The bandit also reportedly stole Barbecue sauce, computers and a register and altogether he got away with items worth about $4,000. Meanwhile the heist has come as a shock to customers who say they enjoy eating at the barbecue spot- but think the thief went too far. 'The people worked hard to get where they're at. I don't understand why anyone would do something like that,' Kaylah Yarberry said. Owner: Jerome Brown, the owner, said: 'Twenty years I've been here. [And this has] never happened.' Good food: The heist has come as a shock to customers who say they enjoy eating at the barbecue spot- but think the thief went too far . Security: Brown said the restaurant has surveillance cameras, an alarm and locked doors but that did not deter the suspect, seen here, . According to Brown the restaurant has surveillance cameras, an alarm and locked doors. But that didn't stop the determined crook. Brown believes the thief even brought a truck to haul away his loot which he may sell. The restaurant said that it is now busy attempting to restock the items that were taken. And if the thief is caught, Brown hopes law enforcement will prosecute the thief. Brown's alarm company, ADT allegedly said it sent Brown a text when the alarm went off but did not call police.
|
The thief broke into Jerome Brown's BBQ and Wings in Jacksonville .
He nabbed everything necessary for a slap up Barbecue meal .
The restaurant is known for its delicious food, tasty chicken and ribs .
|
141,466 |
42ed20d734ffa0dd07a7f7aba3a4bda17544ad61
|
By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 13:46 EST, 10 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:39 EST, 10 March 2014 . Sharmila Mistry, 42, was accused of causing the deaths of two toddlers when she was distracted by a mobile phone call. She has been found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving . A mother-of-two who crashed into a car before ploughing into pushchairs carrying two toddlers as she chatted on her mobile phone has been found not guilty of causing death by careless driving. One-year-old Oliwier Baczyk and two-year-old Zofia Tabaka died after being struck by a BMW being driven by Sharmila Mistry, 42, in August 2012. A court heard Mistry collided with a red Mini which sent her vehicle into the Polish toddlers who were being pushed along by their fathers near a pedestrian crossing. The children were rushed to hospital with multiple injuries but Oliwier died hours later while Zofia passed away during the night. Zofia's father Lukasz Tabaka, 30, and Oliwier's mother's cousin Kamil Kohar, who were with the toddlers, both sustained minor injuries. Mistry, from Bushby, Leicestershire, went on trial at Leicester Crown Court last week accused of two counts of causing death by careless driving. And today a jury found her not guilty of the charges after three hours and 18 minutes of deliberation. Oliwier's mother wept uncontrollably in the public as the verdict was returned. Instead Mistry was found guilty of two counts of careless driving and banned from the roads for 18 months, as well as ordered to pay a £3,000 fine. During the trial, the court heard the mother-of-two was involved in a collision with the Mini being driven by Christopher Andrews, 61, who has since died of natural causes, while she was on her way to a business meeting. Jurors were told Mistry had been talking on her phone's hands-free kit as she travelled at 36mph on the 30mph road in Leicester at 9.50am on August 6, 2012. Prosecutor James Thomas said Mr Andrews drove his Mini through a red light at the busy junction while accounts manager Mistry drove through an amber light. He told the jury the impact of the crash sent her car careering across the road before it mounted the kerb, hit a set of traffic lights before smashing into the children's pushchairs. Nicholas Syfret QC, defending, had told Mistry’s trial the ‘true cause of the tragic accident’ was the Mini driver, who passed away in unrelated circumstances in the weeks following the incident. Killed: Oliwier Baczyck, 21 months, and Zofia Tabaka, two, were fatally injured after the accident in Leicester . After Mistry was acquitted of causing the deaths of the children, he said: 'In my submission, she cannot be held in any way responsible for the collision. That was the fault of the mini. That would have come as a bolt from the blue for anybody.' Giving evidence during the trial, Mistry, an accounts manager, described the moment her car struck the Mini and careered towards the two toddlers. She said: 'As soon as I felt impact my airbags deployed. 'They were on my side. They seemed to come from the top in terms of the car door. 'There was one that came from the middle of the car. 'The one to the side came out at me and obscured my windscreen, my top windscreen, and I couldn't see. 'On impact the whole car jolted, I jolted. I felt the car move off course. I wasn't going straight any more.' Terror: The two toddlers (circled left) could be seen on CCTV footage sat in their pushchairs just moments before a car driven by Mistry (right) mounted the pavement and smashed into them . Scene: The two children were waiting with two adults at this junction in Leicester when they were hit by a car . 'RIP baby angels': Floral tributes were left at the scene where the two young children were hit by the car . She added: 'I immediately pressed the brake in the car. There was smoke in the car or that is what seemed like at the time. 'I didn't know what had hit me. I just knew I had been hit. 'I felt juddering as it (the car) mounted the kerb and I could see two poles from the vision I had from between the air bag and dashboard and then I came to a stop. 'I didn't know what had hit me. My belt locked across my chest. My stomach went tight as well, I was completely in shock.' The court heard she drove 500 miles a week in her job, and had one previous conviction for speeding in a 40mph zone, for which she undertook a speed awareness course. After the hearing, Zofia and Oliwier’s family, who wept as the verdicts were announced, were too upset to comment. Car: A Facebook picture of a black BMW on the profile of Sharmila Mistry, who appeared in court today . Scene: Marking on the pavement indicate where the children were struck as they waited in their pushchairs . Sharmila Mistry, 41, is pictured arriving at Leicester Crown Court for the first day of her trial on March 4 (left) and, right, a picture posted on Facebook .
|
Sharmila Mistry, 42, collided with a Mini and then crashed into pushchair .
One year old Oliwier Baczyk and Zofia Tabaka, two, died in hospital .
Mistry found not guilty of two counts of causing death by careless driving .
She was found guilty of two counts of careless driving .
|
121,031 |
286cad1ff808e9e072fa4149d7d614a0d0499e72
|
By . Tim Shipman, Deputy Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 18:41 EST, 4 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:09 EST, 4 November 2013 . Ed Miliband’s plan to encourage businesses to pay a ‘living wage’ would put 300,000 young people out of work, a former aide to Tony Blair warned yesterday. The Labour leader will today announce that he would offer tax breaks to firms who pay their employees £8.80 an hour in London and £7.65 in the rest of the UK – far higher than the minimum wage, which is £6.31 an hour. But John McTernan, who helped Mr Blair introduce the minimum wage in 1999, warned yesterday that the policy would be a disaster for jobs and hit young people particularly hard. Political adviser John McTernan who helped Tony Blair roll out the minimum wage in 1999 has warned new living wage estimates will be dangerous to jobs . ‘The national minimum wage was subject to intense economic scrutiny to make sure you set the level at a level which would not destroy jobs,’ he said. ‘The London Living Wage is £8.80 an hour, which is a 40 per cent increase or more on the minimum wage. ‘I don’t think you can increase wages that much without destroying jobs. ‘A study says that if you implement it across the country it would lead to 300,000 young people losing their jobs and I don’t think we can afford that at a time of high unemployment. ‘Many decent people support this campaign. But they are wrong.’ The Labour leader is expected to suggest people are 'working for poverty' in a speech today . Mr Miliband will use his speech today to say that there is a ‘low-pay emergency’ in Britain, with people ‘working for their poverty’. ‘More than five million people are now paid less than the living wage – up 1.4 million in just the last four years to one in five of all employed workers,’ he will say. ‘And low wages aren’t just bad for working people, they cost money in benefits too as the country has to subsidise more and more low-paid jobs with higher and higher tax credits and benefits. ‘Many businesses now recognise that a low-pay economy is bad for them, too. Better pay means lower turnover of staff, higher productivity.’ Attempting to make the cost of living the major battle line before the general election, Mr Miliband will again press his calls for state controls on energy prices. Labour figures – audited by the House of Commons Library, – show how the wholesale cost of energy has risen at an average rate of 1.6 per cent a year since 2011, while the Big Six energy firms have increased retail prices by an average of 10.4 per cent a year. Labour will force a vote in the Commons tomorrow on Mr Miliband’s plan for an energy price freeze for 20 months after the next election. The Labour leader challenged the Tories and Lib Dems to back the plan.
|
John McTernan warned the policy will hit young people particularly hard .
Political adviser helped Tony Blair introduce minimum wage in 1999 .
Ed Miliband will suggest people are 'working for their poverty' in speech .
|
44,051 |
7c3b226d5399ea7cdcc8171047d12c149d25f320
|
By . David Baker . PUBLISHED: . 13:54 EST, 2 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:54 EST, 2 August 2012 . A Cairo hotel was firebombed by angry residents in violent clashes today that after a man was gunned down in a stand-off with police. Dozens of civilians with Molotov cocktails have set light to several parked vehicles beside the Nile City Towers complex and attacked parts of the building. Local residents previously attacked . the towers on June 27 when staff there allegedly refused to provide . water to put out a fire that had engulfed one of their wooden shacks and . led to the death of a five-year old boy. Firebombs: Black smoke rises from burning cars as Egyptian firefighters and bystanders try to extinguish several cars that caught on fire outside the Nile City Towers during violent clashes . A statement issued by Orascom . Construction Industries, which has an office in the towers, claims the latest . incident was sparked when a man entered the adjoining Fairmont Hotel and . demanded money, threatening people with a knife. Police officers confronted the man and was attacked, the statement said, before an officer shot and killed him. Arriving in three minibuses and a fleet of motorcycles a number assailants attacked the building in retaliation. These residents are believed to live on valuable . Nile-front land and have been involved in a long-running dispute with . developers seeking to acquire prime Cairo real estate. Cairo Governorate issued a directive on June 20 authorising local police to evict them. Feud: Egyptian riot police stand behind destroyed cars outside the hotel, which was attacked following an ongoing feud with nearby residents . Security and emergency services have arrived at the scene in a bid to quell the situation with surrounding roads currently completely blocked to other traffic. 'Immediately after the residents of the shacks behind Nile City came to attack the hotel and tried to burn it down," the statement read. The management of Nile City sealed the building after residents began to burn motorcycles and cars in the forecourt. The violence is focused around the north tower and the adjacent Fairmont Hotel. Injury and death tolls are yet to be confirmed. The worrying scenes come just a day . after erupting sectarian violence in a village near Cairo, started after . the death of a Muslim man. Aftermath: Security soldiers stand next to burnt cars outside the Nile City Towers following clashes between security and angry residents in Cairo . Violence first erupted in . Dahshour on Friday following an argument between a Christian laundry . worker and his client, a Muslim, whose shirt he burned. The Muslim man . and friends went to the Christian's home to continue the argument, . provoking the Christian to lob firebombs at the crowd gathering outside . his home. The . firebombs injured a bystander who died Tuesday of his wounds, further . aggravating tensions. A group of Muslims tried to attack the local . church, but other Muslims protected it until security forces arrived and . dispersed the mob, but the tensions have prompted all the local Christians to flee. About 10 percent of Egypt's mainly Muslim 82 million people are Christian. Clashes: Smoke and flames rise from a car that caught on fire outside the Nile City Towers, whilst violence erupted elsewhere in Cairo in sectarian clashes . Security officials said police fired tear gas early Wednesday at angry Muslims who were trying to set fire to the local church. The rioters, who were returning from the burial of the Muslim man who died in the clashes, damaged several Christian properties and set three police trucks on fire. Sixteen people, including 10 . policemen, were injured, said the security officials, who spoke on . condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release . information to reporters. The local Giza Archbishop's office . said in a statement that the Christian families fled the village fearing . further attacks from Muslims. Security: Reports state that at least one person was killed during a stand off with police . The rioters 'broke the church's windows, and doors of homes nearby,' the statement said. While security forces prevented a further attack on the church, the rioters 'looted and torched the shops (of Christians), including a jewelry shop ... and terrorized the local community, forcing them to leave their homes.' Sayed Hamam, a 22-year old university student and resident of Dahshour, said security was heavily deployed in the village, and reconciliation attempts were under way to bring the Christians back. He said most have moved to a nearby village. 'We are very saddened,' he said. 'We . used to pride ourselves on how peacefully we lived together for years. We are considering it a big feud in one clan, not a Muslim-Christian . fight.' Hamam said the police and big . families in the village are in talks with the local priest and the . father of the killed resident to calm the tension. The Coptic Christian laundry worker . who threw the deadly firebombs, his father and brother have been . detained and charged with premeditated murder and possession of . explosives, the group said. Burnt out: Security soldiers and onlookers gather round another vehicle burnt out in the clashes in Cairo . Five Muslims involved in the violence are wanted in the case but have yet to be detained, it added. The violence came after the U.S. State Department said in its annual report on religious freedom in 2011 that Egypt's government has failed to curb violence against the Christian minority and has at times itself been involved in the violence. It also criticised the government's recurrent denial that the violence is sectarian in nature, often blaming it on criminal or family disputes. 'The government generally failed to investigate and prosecute effectively perpetrators of violence against Coptic Christians and continued to favor informal `reconciliation sessions,' which generally precluded criminal prosecution for crimes against Copts and contributed to a climate of impunity that encouraged further assaults,' the report said.
|
Firebombing comes after man stormed reception and was gunned down in a stand-off with police .
Rioters arrive in minibuses and fleet of motorcycles armed with Molotov cocktails .
Feud goes back to allegations staff at the Nile-fronted complex refused villagers water when fires ravaged their homes .
|
184,024 |
7a5e33b129423db4fd0e786ef49ed1ae861abc88
|
A member of the Sugarhill Gang, whose pioneering hit "Rapper's Delight" brought hip hop to mainstream audiences 35 years ago, died Tuesday of complications from cancer. "Big Bank Hank," whose real name was Henry Jackson, died early Tuesday in Englewood, New Jersey, according to David Mallie, who manages the two surviving Sugarhill Gang members. The New York native was 57. A beefy, boisterous presence onstage, Hank handled vocals in the early to middle portion of "Rapper's Delight," which despite its extended length -- one version was more than 14 minutes long -- became the first rap song to reach the Top 40 on the U.S. Billboard charts. Jackson traded rhymes with bandmates "Wonder Mike" Wright and Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien and spoke some of the song's catchiest lines, including "Ho-tel, mo-tel, Holiday Inn/If your girl starts acting up, then you take her friend." Wonder Mike and Master Gee issued a statement Tuesday: . "So sad to hear about our brother's passing. The 3 of us created musical history together with the release of Rapper's Delight. We will always remember traveling the world together and rocking the house. Rest in peace Big Bank." The three friends were unknown MCs when producer Sylvia Robinson recruited them to record the song for her rap label, Sugar Hill Records. Released in fall 1979, "Rapper's Delight" became a novelty hit and a staple at dance clubs well into 1980. It was born from the emerging New York hip-hop scene of the late '70s, in which young rappers gathered in clubs and exchanged rhymes over instrumental breaks from popular songs, most notably Chic's hit "Good Times." "Rapper's Delight" also borrowed its bass line and other flourishes from "Good Times," prompting threats of legal action by Chic co-founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. After a settlement, Rodgers and Edwards were listed as co-writers of the song. "It felt like a new art form," Rodgers said later of "Rapper's Delight." In 2011, Rolling Stone ranked "Rapper's Delight" at No. 248 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. People we've lost in 2014 .
|
Rapper "Big Bank Hank," whose real name was Henry Jackson, died Tuesday morning .
He was a member of the Sugarhill Gang, famous for their hit "Rapper's Delight"
The 1979 song was the first rap tune to reach the Top 40 on the U.S. charts .
|
134,975 |
3a9b3258c1a1d96fd56d9ab956975a681d961312
|
Industry chiefs insist the bill for converting parking meters, vending machines and phone boxes to accept the new £1 coin could be more than £200million. The 12-sided coin, which resembles a classic threepenny bit, was announced as a way to fight a surge in the number of £1 in circulation - a racket that costs the economy some £45million a year. But roughly 1.2million machines on the market will have to be re-calibrated to fit the new piece, which is set to be introduced in 2017, according to one industry expert. Scroll down for video . New design: The coin will be made from two types of metal, like the current £2 coin. And the Government will embed luminescent particles that will show up under a particular light - making fakes easier to spot . Upgrade: Payphones, parking metres, betting shop fruit machines, launderette washing machines and supermarket self-service check-outs are among the roughly £1.2million machines that will need to be re-fitted . Payphones, parking metres, betting shop fruit machines, launderette washing machines and supermarket trolleys are among the devices that will need to be upgraded. Earlier this year, the Royal Mint suggested that the cost of converting these machines would be around £20million. But company chiefs have today disputed the amount - calculating that it could me more than five times as much. Jonathan Hilder, CEO of the Automatic Vending Association, estimated that forgeries make up some 3.03 per cent of the more than 1.5billion £1 coins in circulation. He said that increasingly sophisticated technology meant that coins were easier to fake - and that 50 per cent of these counterfeit coins successfully passed through vending machines. The new coin will be made from two types of metal, like the current £2 coin. Out with the old: The present £1 coin, left, . will be replaced to allay concerns about counterfeiting. Its replacement . will be a reworking of the old-fashioned threepenny bit, which last . circulated in 1971 . And the Government will imbed tiny luminescent particles in the coin that will show up under a particular light - making fakes easier to spot. Mr Hilder said that, while the AVA agrees with the principle of introducing a new £1 coin, it also believes that the Government needs to do more to cover the cost of converting the machines. He told MailOnline that it will cost £72.8million to adapt 450,000 coffee, snack and drink machines across the country. He added: 'We need a categorical assurance that there will be no upgrade of the 20p or 50p coins in the forseeable future', explaining that the move would lead to crippling costs for some. Costly: Earlier this year, it was estimated that the cost of re-calibrating each parking machine is £500 a time, which means converting every one across the UK would add up to £50million . Bacta, the body that represents the amusement industry, said that it will cost £100million to adapt 350,000 gaming machines. Chief executive John White said: 'This cost cannot be passed on to customers because of strict rules governing the relationship between stakes and winnings. 'The industry is faced with a number of challenges already and our members, many of whom are small independent businesses, cannot afford this additional cost.' Earlier this year, it was estimated that the cost of re-calibrating each parking machine is £500 a time, which means converting every one across the UK would add up to £50million. The British Parking Association, whose members run car parks and on-street parking machines for councils and private firms estimated that the bills will be much higher. The BPA has estimated that about 80,000 parking machines - 10,000 of which dispense change. In a statement it said: 'It is estimated that the simplest software upgrade on a pay and display machine will cost in the region of £90 to £130 per machine. If the validator requires changing, this can often also require new fixing brackets for the new validator and would cost in the region of £250 to £350 per machine. 'On machines providing change, it will be considerably more.' However, the association said that one benefit of the change will be to stop around 40million counterfeit coins going in to parking machines each year, which would offset the cost. The British Retail Consortium told MailOnline today that it was working with the Mint and the Treasury on the project to ensure that there was a 'fair and sufficient implementation period'. A spokesman said that self-service check-outs, tills and weighting machines in the back office were among those that would need an upgrade. But he said that it was difficult to estimate a final total cost without receiving the final specifications. A spokesman for the Treasury said: 'After thirty year’s loyal service, the time is right to replace the current £1 coin with a new, more secure coin that will reduce the costs of counterfeiting to our economy. 'It is the small and medium businesses that feel the costs the most and ultimately, the costs of bringing in the new coin could never compare to the price we’d pay in the event that confidence in the £1 coin deteriorated. 'That’s why the government is acting now, to stay several steps ahead of the counterfeiters. In doing that, we are committed to arriving at a final specification of the coin that maximises the benefits to the UK and to introducing the new coin in a manageable way for industry. 'That is why we have been undertaking a full consultation with all interested parties, which will determine the final specification of the coin.' In September, George Osborne launched a competition for members of the public to design what goes on the tails of the new 12-sided £1 coin. This unique opportunity will put a design on millions of new £1 coins while the winner will receive a £10,000 fee in exchange for the right to use it. But the contest, which is now closed, sparked the creation of a number of spoof coins - with pranksters posting designs using Mr Blobby, Alex Salmond and the Chuckle Brothers to Twitter. Voldermort: One designer thought that the evil Harry Potter character would be perfect on the new coin . Source: BuzzFeed .
|
The 12-sided coin will be introduced in 2017 to tackle surge in counterfeits .
Roughly 1.2million machines on the market will have to be re-calibrated .
Royal Mint estimated this year that this would cost around £20million .
But industry experts said it could be more than five times as much .
|
65,925 |
bb204fd8fb967c7acf9215966792ea1edd849316
|
By . David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor . and Associated Press . President Obama told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that he 'must halt the flow of weapons and fighters' into Ukraine as the U.S. imposed tough new sanctions on Moscow. The tough action, in the form of new sanctions on Russia's lucrative energy and defense companies as well as a handful of Russian banks, was announced by Obama in a half-empty White House press briefing room on Wednesday. It came as his administration struggled for a way to quell a Moscow-backed insurgency in eastern Ukraine. The penalties, which Obama said were a response to Russia's 'provocations in Ukraine,' significantly expand on previous U.S. sanctions, which were limited to Russian individuals and companies. 'Russia must halt the flow of weapons and fighters across the border in Ukraine' and pursue international talks, Obama said. 'I've made this clear directly to Mr. Putin,' his counterpart in Moscow. President Barack Obama escalated U.S. sanctions against Russia on Wednesday in response to the crisis in Ukraine . Unrest: Smoke from a mortar attack rises above Luhansk during clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian fighters . The president said his administration . was 'designating selected sectors of the Russian economy as eligible for . sanctions,' and then applying 'significant but ... also targeted' sanctions to companies in those sectors. 'We . have to see concrete actions and not just words that Russia is in fact . committed to end this conflict along the Russia-Ukraine border,' he told . reporters. 'There are some clear steps that we've asked Russia to take that they haven't taken,' White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Wednesday. 'And that is what has elevated the risk that Russia faces right now as it relates to additional economic costs that could be imposed by the international community,' U.S. officials . said earlier in the day that they were continuing to hold in reserve a . strategy that would cripple entire market sectors in Russia, in case . Moscow launches a . full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Obama warned that with a new round of financial penalties, 'what we are expecting is that the Russian leaders will see once again that their actions in Ukraine have consequences.' The U.S. will continue to help Ukraine 'defend its territorial integrity,' he vowed. Hours earlier, the . U.S. Treasury Department listed the Bank for Development and Foreign . Economic Affairs, Gazprombank Gas Industry, Rosneft Oil Co. and the . Joint Stock Company Military-Industrial Corp among the sanctioned . entities. They are among Russia's largest business entities, but will no longer be permitted to borrow funds on the American market for medium- and long-term periods of over 90 days, The New York Times reported shortly after a closed White House conference call with journalists. The companies will still be able to conduct overnight loans and other short-term banking business. During the same brief press conference, Obama announced that Afghanistan had agreed to abide by the results of an international audit of its recent presidential election. He added the U.S. continues 'to support diplomatic efforts to end the violence between Israel and Hamas.' 'Israel has a right to defend itself from rocket attacks that terrorize the Israeli people,' Obama declared. 'There is no country on earth that can be expected to live under a daily barrage of rockets, and I'm proud that the Iron Dome system that Americans helped Israel develop and fund has saved many Israeli lives.' But he condemned 'the death and injury of so many innocent civilians in Gaza – men, women and children caught in the crossfire,' and said he would continue to pursue a diplomatic peace. Obama also added that he was considering an extension of Friday's deadline for Iran to make good on its commitments to halt its nuclear weapons program. 'Based on consultations with secretary [John] Kerry and my national security team, it's clear we've made real progress,' Obama said, while acknowledging that gaps remain between America's expectations and what Iran has delivered to date. The president took no questions after he finished reading his statement, and said nothing as a reporter shouted a question about whether he would hit Iran with sanctions similar to those he was leveling on Russia. Campaign: Protesters rally against Ukrainian military action in Donestsk on July 6 after the country tried to seize back more territory from rebels . Conflict: Ukrainian troops move armored vehicles closer to Slaviansk as the government searches for pro-Russian activists blamed for the deaths of 23 servicemen earlier this month . The U.S. announcement came as European leaders met into the night in Brussels to . discuss taking their own measures aimed at helping ease tensions along . Russia's border with Ukraine. EU . diplomats were also looking at penalties that would go beyond the . current travel bans and asset freezes against individuals, though it was . unclear whether their sanctions would go as far the U.S. Until . now, the U.S. has insisted on hitting Russia with penalties in concert . with Europe in order to maximize the impact and present a united Western . front. The European Union has a far stronger . economic relationship with Russia, making the 28-nation bloc's . participation key to ensuring sanctions packages have enough teeth to . deter Russia. But those same economic ties have made Europe fearful that tougher penalties could boomerang and hurt their own economies. The . White House's willingness to punish Russia without European backing . comes as the Obama administration faces criticism that its repeated . warnings about tougher sanctions are little more than empty threats. 'Sometimes . I'm embarrassed for you, as you constantly talk about sanctions and . yet, candidly, we never see them put in place,' Republican senator Bob . Corker said during a Senate hearing on Ukraine with administration . officials last week. Obama said he was considering an extension of Friday's deadline for Iran to show it had halted its nuclear weapons program, but ignored a reporter's shouted question about whether he might impose new economic sanctions on the Islamic republic . The U.S. and Europe have levied coordinated sanctions on Russian individuals and companies connected to Moscow's alleged destabilization in Ukraine. Obama administration officials argue that those penalties have had an impact on Russia's economy, citing International Monetary Fund statistics showing a downgrade in Russia's growth this year. However, officials have acknowledged . that the sanctions have not had an impact on Putin's decision-making in Ukraine. State . Department spokesman Jen Psaki said Tuesday that if Putin 'cares deeply . about his people, about the economy, his own country' the sanctions . would shift his calculus. But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov blasted . the U.S. in the wee hours of Thursday morning in Moscow, warning that a . Russian retaliation could be 'quite painful and serious.' 'The . new decision by the U.S. administration to lodge sanctions under false . pretenses against a number of Russian businesses and individuals can’t . be called anything other than outrageous and totally unacceptable,' Ryabkov told the Interfax news service. Obama . and European counterparts have vowed to take even broader sanctions . targeting Russia's lucrative energy and defense sectors, as well as . access to financial markets, if Moscow failed to quell tensions with . Ukraine. But it is unclear what the new package of U.S. sanctions would . include. During a Group of . Seven meeting in Brussels in early June, Western leaders warned Russian . President Vladimir Putin those penalties could be levied within a month . if Russia did not meet specific conditions. Unmoved: President Putin has so far failed to react to threats of sanctions from Europe and the U.S. The conditions included recognizing the results of Ukraine's May 25 election and starting a dialogue with President Petro Poroshenko, ending support for the pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine and stopping the flow of arms across the Russian border. The end-of-June deadline the West outlined for Putin came and went with little follow-through from Russia, yet no penalties were levied by the U.S. and Europe. Heather Conley, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the West's failure to follow through on its threat of sector sanctions has raised a 'credibility question' for the Obama administration. 'I think the bluff has now been fully called,' Conley said. If Obama moves forward with unilateral sanctions, he will face opposition from the private sector. U.S. businesses have been pressing the administration to hold off on sanctions that could put them at a disadvantage in the global economy. 'It's not clear to us that breaking commercial ties with the Russia partners, consumers gets anyone to where they want to be,' said Gary Litman, vice president for international strategic initiatives at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
|
Obama hits gas and oil companies and banks under new measures .
Economic ties with Moscow have made it harder for EU to act .
Deadline imposed by West has passed with no penalties for Putin .
EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss further measures .
|
42,133 |
76ecd1f4793a8dd0cbd138b6cd76a680f31ab630
|
(CNN) -- Rory McIlory and Phil Mickelson found form in the desert despite losing out on a dramatic final day at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Spain's Pablo Larrazabal may have walked off into the sunset with the $2.7m prize but the major winners saw the silver lining at their first tournament of the 2014 season. "What a fun week this has been," enthused Mickelson, the world No.5, despite finishing an agonizing one shot off the lead alongside McIlroy. "I am happy with the way I played and felt better with my swing each day." McIlroy was a little more irked by the events of the weekend after he was slapped with a two-stroke penalty Saturday. "I feel like I'm standing here and I should be 15 under par for the tournament and winning by one," said McIlroy, whose foot fault in the third round was pointed out by his playing partner's caddie. "I played the least shots of anyone this week. So, I can count it as a moral victory more than anything else. "It's frustrating but I've played well the whole week. It's a very positive start to the season so I'm not going to let one little negative ruin that." A ding-dong final round at the Abu Dhabi tournament saw the lead change hands several times as overnight leader Craig Lee slid out of contention. At the eighth hole, world No. 7 McIlroy had moved into the lead as he clipped in his third birdie of the day. Then at the turn, Mickelson moved into the sole lead on 12 under only to unravel at the 13th where he tried to hit the ball out of a bush and carded a three-over-par seven. "I ended up going with a 3-wood off that tee and just blocked it in a terrible spot," the American explained. "I tried to right hand it out and I double hit it. I don't know how, but it happened." Major celebration . McIlroy finished off the day with a birdie at the 18th for a very tidy round of 68 but had to rely on Larrazabal cracking to get his hands on the trophy. Mickelson needed an eagle at the last to snatch the silverware but his final shot stayed out and he had to settle for a birdie. Barcelona-born Larrazabal held his nerve to sink a birdie on the final green and win by a single stroke for his third career European Tour title. "It just feels unbelievable," he told reporters. "Today has been very special, to fight against Rory and Phil. "I don't know what it does to my career. I don't know if this gets me into any of the majors. I just want to go back to the hotel and celebrate."
|
Spain's Pablo Larrazabal wins the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship .
Top-10 big guns Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson finish an agonising one shot off the lead .
McIlroy says he feels he has a "moral victory" after two-stroke penalty on Saturday .
Mickelson content to play himself into form for 2014 .
|
213,688 |
a0bfbac8ecc73c8b7013e3c003e262abda51c7fd
|
Valerie Moore, chief executive of the trust which runs the school refused to comment but an online message said the decision was for 'safety' reasons . When snow began to fall gently around their primary school, pupils were naturally excited. But their joy quickly melted away when their teachers banned them from going near it – or even looking at it through the window. The youngsters were kept inside after they were ‘marshalled’ into the building at the start of the day. And a teacher even closed the blinds to stop a class of eight and nine-year-olds from being ‘distracted’ by watching it through the window. The school – where a vicar caused uproar before Christmas by telling pupils that Santa Claus doesn’t exist – claimed it had acted because of health and safety concerns as the ground had become icy. But outraged parents accused staff at Stalham Academy, near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, of being killjoys after just 1cm of snow fell and said that they had missed an opportunity to teach the enthusiastic children about snow. Mother-of-six Shelly Betts, 43, whose daughter Bethany, eight, is a pupil at the school, said: ‘When they told me they’d shut the blinds I couldn’t believe it. They’re only little and they only stay children for a short time. ‘They could have turned the snow into a science lesson instead of banning them from seeing it. ‘By the time they came out of school it was all gone. I don’t want it to end up with my children only knowing about snow from Christmas cards.’ Julie Hollins, 30, who has an eight-year-old son at the academy, said: ‘Stopping them from seeing it fall is like a slap in the face for little children.’ Another mother, who asked not to be named but whose nine-year-old daughter was in the classroom when the blinds were shut, said: ‘It only snowed for about 40 minutes but the teacher put the blinds down so they couldn’t see it. ‘It was so dark they had to put the lights on. They were stuck in all day as they weren’t allowed to play in the snow – and there was only about 1cm. Hitting the headlines: Stalham School, in Norfolk, has previously been in the news after a visiting reverend told children that Santa Claus isn't real . ‘These are eight-year-olds. It’s not like they’re doing A-levels. I just thought it’s a bit pathetic. Other local schools were doing snowman-building competitions.’ She added: ‘They said there were health and safety reasons because it was icy but it wasn’t. ‘Then they said there were education reasons because the kids were doing a test but none of them remember taking a test.’ She said there had been another light smattering of snow a few days earlier, during which one child was told off for ‘flicking a bit of snow’, while ‘another was put in isolation for touching it’. The mother added: ‘The school has been in freefall since it became an academy last year. ‘Homework is sporadic, teachers are leaving and no one will talk to parents. ‘When my daughter came home and said what had happened it was the last straw.’ The school was put into special measures following an Ofsted inspection in 2013 and was converted into an academy last May. It is now run by Right For Success Academy Trust, which runs two other schools in Norwich. Valerie Moore, the trust’s chief executive, was not available to comment yesterday. A message posted on the school’s Facebook page after the snowfall last Monday said: ‘We acknowledge that snow is an unusual and exciting occurrence for everyone, especially children. ‘The academy’s playgrounds were extremely icy so it was felt that in the interests of safety and in line with our risk assessment under health and safety, that children were brought inside at the start of the day.’ The notice added that the teacher who closed the blinds ‘noted the heavy snowfall was having an impact upon the learning of the children’ and acted to ensure that ‘children focused on the tasks in hand’.
|
Teachers ordered eight and nine-year-olds inside when it began snowing .
Message on school website said staff took decision for 'safety' reasons .
Angry parents said children were barred from even touching snow .
Same school hit headlines after visiting reverend said Santa wasn't real .
|
195,923 |
89920eef58dcd85c5f4a1eb46abbb45d13aea53b
|
New York (CNN) -- For one New Yorker, the journey to the Pearly Gates involved a detour to the city's car pound. On Monday, the New York City Police Department towed an illegally parked van carrying a body. The van, parked outside Redden's Funeral Home on West 14th Street, was to transport the body to Newark for a flight. Calls and e-mails Friday about the towing to funeral director Paul DeNigris yielded no response. But according to the New York Daily News, DeNigris said he went inside the funeral home to get paperwork and answer a phone call. When he returned, the van was gone -- along with the body that was in a white cardboard box, the newspaper said. "I was just a wreck," he told the newspaper. "I was frantic. When something like that happens, you go into panic mode." DeNigris recovered the van about 90 minutes later, stuck in vehicular purgatory -- the city's pound. The police waived the towing fee, $185, to expedite the vehicle's release, said Paul Browne, deputy commissioner of public information for the police. Police described the van as an unmarked 2002 Dodge with tinted windows. The first ticket was issued at 9:22 a.m. Three hours later, it was towed, police officials said. Browne said DeNigris should ask himself why he left a body unattended in an unmarked van, parked illegally for nearly three hours. "What if the van had had been stolen instead of towed?" he asked in an e-mail to CNN. "Shouldn't he or someone from the funeral home staff have stayed with the body?" Randy McCullough, deputy director of the New York State Funeral Directors Association, said the state has no rule in place that requires signage to indicate a funeral van. Hearses may be synonymous with funerals, but minivans and sport utility vehicles often transport bodies, too, said Jessica A. Koth, public relations manager for the National Funeral Directors Association. She called the situation in New York "exceedingly rare."
|
Van parked illegally outside funeral home for three hours, police say .
Funeral director tells newspaper he left to get paperwork, make phone call .
Body was to be transported to Newark for an airplane flight .
|
40,380 |
71f2a8fbc6d5948214a665ddd90308d209657038
|
Thailand's Constitutional Court has dismissed caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office, ruling that she is guilty of violating the country's constitution for reassigning a senior security official in 2011. "The defendant has abused her position as prime minister," said the judge in the ruling. "Her prime ministership has ... ended." The court ruled that nine cabinet ministers who attended a meeting over the decision to transfer the official were also to be removed from office. Deputy PM and Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan has been nominated by the cabinet as the next caretaker prime minister, Secretary General to the Prime Minister, Suranand Vejjajiva, told CNN. Yingluck's dismissal, which analysts say will only deepen Thailand's protracted political crisis, was brought about by a lawsuit filed by anti-government senators. They accused Yingluck of abusing her power by unlawfully transferring National Security Council chief Thawil Pliensri from his role in September 2011, alleging the move was intended to benefit her Pheu Thai Party and a family member. Thawil was replaced by the then national police chief, whose role in turn was later given to Priewpan Damapong, a relative of Yingluck. In March, Thailand's Supreme Administrative Court ruled the transfer unlawful and Thawil was reinstated. In the wake of the court's ruling, Yingluck thanked her cabinet ministers, government officials and supporters. "It's been two years, nine months and two days that I worked as prime minister and every day of those two years, nine months and two days was a proud day," she said. "I will always stand by the people." 'More protests and dysfunction' Analyst Paul Quaglia, director at PQA Associates, a Bangkok-based risk assessment firm, said the development set the scene for "more protests and more dysfunction in the days ahead." "Her supporters will look at this as what they call a judicial coup, which is one of the red lines they've drawn about all of this," he said. He said the case against Yingluck were "pretty weak," and that abuse of power was a "pretty grandiose term to describe what went on." "What she is accused of doing is approving the removal of a military officer from a civil servant's job in 2011. This is pretty routine," he said. "Her supporters of course will view this as a technical pretext by the court simply to get rid of her and get rid of this government." For the "yellow shirt" political bloc opposed to Yingluck, who came to office in a landslide win in 2011, her ouster would be a welcome cause for celebration, he said. "It was the last stop on the track for them -- the army had refused to get into it, to stage a coup. They hadn't won any other battles, so it falls to the judiciary to get the job done to get rid of this elected government." Yingluck defended herself against the charges in court Tuesday. "I didn't do anything against the law," she said. "I have performed my duty in the administration with the intention of benefiting the country." Yingluck had led a caretaker administration since parliament was dissolved in December, ahead of a general election in February that was disrupted by anti-government protesters. The Constitutional Court subsequently ruled the election invalid. The protests had been sparked in November by Yingluck's government's botched attempt to pass an amnesty bill that would have paved the way for the return of her brother -- the polarizing former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- to the political fray in earnest. Military coup . Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, was overthrown in a military coup in 2006 and has since lived in self-imposed exile to avoid a corruption conviction, which he says is politically motivated. The anti-government protesters, drawn mainly from Bangkok's middle class, royalist establishment, allege that Yingluck is her brother's puppet and seek to rid Thai politics of her family's influence. In contrast, the "red shirt" supporters of Yingluck and her brother, many of whom are poor and hail mainly from rural areas in the north of the country, accuse the court of bias against their side. Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai political party was dissolved by the court in 2007. Observers are now watching how both camps, who have large rallies planned in the capital over the coming week, respond to the verdict. Political tensions have occasionally spilled over into deadly violence during the current crisis. "For the first time in Thailand's history of political discord, we have opposing camps threatening to stage demonstrations in relative proximity to each other in Bangkok," said Quaglia. "We could see some trouble, frankly." He said the government had been "dealt a blow, but not a fatal blow" by the court. Under the caretaker administration, key infrastructure projects and policy decisions had already been placed on hold until after elections scheduled for July 20. "We are headed one way or another towards elections at some point. I don't know how peaceful those elections will be or what the landscape will look like between now and July 20," he said. Yingluck's opponents have campaigned against elections, arguing the alleged corruption of their political rivals meant that widespread reforms were necessary before any meaningful vote could be held, said Quaglia. Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister for the Democrat Party, has called for power to be transferred to an unelected "people's council." "The Pheu Thai Party ... want to have elections. They know they will win those elections. Their opponents, the Democrat Party, say 'No, we can't have elections,' because they know they will lose those elections. Therein lies the rub," said Quaglia. Yingluck also faces a charge brought by the National Anti-Corruption Commission over a controversial state rice-buying scheme. The commission's ruling is expected this month.
|
Thailand's prime minister has been ousted from office by a court ruling .
The court said she had abused her position by removing national security chief from post .
The move throws Thailand into deeper political turmoil .
Deputy PM Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan will be nominated as the new PM .
|
145,617 |
484ab919d4a130379fd51d1b9be3f45dea11528d
|
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Anger boiled over on the streets of Haiti's capital Tuesday -- not just from residents who have gone a week without food and water, but from the people who are supposed to be providing it. Relief workers say help is not reaching many of the 2 million residents in Port-au-Prince who need aid, because those who are supposed to be coordinating the efforts are inept. "It's terrible," said Eric Klein, head of disaster-relief agency CAN-DO. "There's got to be coordination." Medical aid is particularly needed, Klein and others said. "There are medical supplies just sitting at the frigging airport," Klein said while sitting in the cab of a 1,200-gallon water truck near the heavily damaged presidential palace. Klein and two Haitian businessmen had just delivered free water to a nearby town. iReport: Search list of the missing and the found . It's not just water and food that are not making it to residents. A 20-member French medical and rescue team that arrived Sunday in Port-au-Prince finally reached their aid site at Sylvio Cator Stadium two days later. "We did not have trucks or gasoline to get here," Bruno Besson, a co-team leader, said Tuesday. Full coverage l Twitter updates . The group had been ready since last Wednesday, one day after the earthquake, but had to sit at the airport in France for two days because there was no plane available to take them, said a frustrated Oustalet Jean-Philippe, the other co-leader for Secouristes Sans Frontieres. He blamed the United Nations. Others say the United States, which is spearheading the relief effort, is at fault. High-resolution images of damage . The Geneva, Switzerland-based Doctors Without Borders complained this weekend that U.S. air traffic controllers in charge of the Aeroport International Toussaint Louverture were diverting aircraft carrying medical supplies and other humanitarian aid. U.S. military flights were getting top priority, the doctors group said. Alain Joyandet, the French minister in charge of humanitarian aid, said Monday that the U.S. military build-up was hindering relief efforts. Some media reported that Joyandet admitted becoming involved in a tussle in the airport's control tower over the flight plan for a French evacuation mission. U.S. officials said they would start giving priority to humanitarian flights over military landings and takeoffs, reports said. About 200 flights a day are taking off and landing at the one-runway airport each day, said Army Major Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, deputy commander of the joint task force providing relief. With the seaport closed by earthquake damage, hundreds of tons of aid sit waiting at the airport, the only port of entry. U.S. military helicopters routinely load the cargo at a grassy landing zone between the runway and a crowded tarmac and airlift it to at least eight distribution points throughout the city. Some aid workers say a lack of trucks and fuel makes it difficult to transport the cargo on land. Security is also a concern. The military will open two other airports within the next two days, Allyn said Tuesday. One will be about 25 miles from Port-au-Prince, while the other will be in the adjacent Dominican Republic. The U.S. military has 2,000 troops on the ground and will increase that level to 10,000 in the next few weeks, the general said. The military has distributed 400,000 bottles of water and 300,000 meals since the earthquake, Allyn added. But many aid workers -- or those who would like to help -- find themselves increasingly frustrated. Gueldie Laraque and nine other South Florida nurses took vacation time to travel to Haiti to help and arrived Sunday. Two days later, they still couldn't find where to go. Three of them had finally gotten a ride from a friend of a friend Tuesday while they looked for a place that needed their services. "We just get can't around," said Laraque, an ICU registered nurse. "We're getting very frustrated." Her colleague, Luzus Nortelus, also voiced her exasperation. "We're trying to find out what to do," she said. "What do they need?" At Sylvio Cator Stadium, where hundreds of displaced Haitian families have set up camp, a team of Israeli doctors has treated about 500 patients in the past three days. The French medical team's arrival was particularly welcomed. "This is a dream come true," said Alan Schneider, director of the B'Nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem. "It's been a harrowing three days." The Israeli team consists of two doctors and seven nurses. They were joined by the five doctors, four paramedics, 11 rescuers and four dogs on the French team.
|
Twenty-member French team that arrived Sunday reaches aid site two days later .
French group co-leader cites frustration over lack of plane to take them to Haiti .
Doctors Without Borders complains of U.S. military flights getting top priority .
Earthquake damage closes seaport; hundreds of tons of aid sit at airport .
|
160,874 |
5bf7d862b68fc4e073ce150ba202ed373dcf31eb
|
By . Lucy Osborne . PUBLISHED: . 19:54 EST, 25 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:54 EST, 25 October 2013 . Mohammed Inayat, the father of Kalsoom Bibi (pictured), tried to wipe out his family after she told him she wanted to marry for love, a court heard . A father tried to wipe out his family and killed his wife after their daughter said she wanted to marry for love, a court heard. Mohammed Inayat flew into a rage when his daughter Kalsoom Bibi told him she planned to move to Dubai to marry a policeman. He said she had brought ‘dishonour on the family’ and allegedly threatened to kill her, before pouring gallons of petrol over his family home and setting it alight. On the night of April 17 Inayat killed his wife Naika and injured his three daughters in a blaze that took seconds to engulf the house, Birmingham Crown Court heard. Naika died of carbon monoxide poisoning and one of his daughters, 16-year-old Saimah, who jumped from a bedroom window, suffered 50 per cent burns. The father-of-six soaked seven parts of his home in petrol at about 5am as his family slept – only hours before Miss Bibi, 28, was set to fly to Dubai to marry the CID officer. Inayat, 56, denies murder and also faces four charges of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. After initially telling police the fire was started by ‘a gang led by a white middle-aged woman’, he admitted one count of manslaughter. ‘You will hear about the intention of Kalsoom Bibi to marry a man she had fallen in love with,’ Philip Bennett QC, prosecuting told the court. ‘For this defendant a love marriage was not appropriate. He was traditional in his beliefs that marriage should be arranged.’ Miss Bibi, who is already divorced from a marriage arranged by her father, met her lover in 2011 but had to travel in secret to see him in Dubai. When her family discovered the affair in December last year, they disapproved, and her father became increasingly angry and upset, the jury heard. Miss Bibi, who works for World Duty Free, said: ‘He told me he would kill me and that he would poison himself if I married him. ‘He said I would bring disgrace to the family. He was not happy with it. I understand why he wasn’t happy, it was because he had never met the man. ‘It took him a long time to accept it, but he did in the end because he could see it was what I wanted.’ On the night of the fire Miss Bibi woke to find flames coming under her bedroom door. ‘You woke up your friend Amena, who had been sleeping in the room, she told you that you needed to jump out of the window with her,’ said Mr Bennett. ‘Outside Amena tried to get help and you heard a terrible scream from your father. Amena dragged you away from the house.’ Inayat killed his wife Naika and injured his three daughters in a blaze that took seconds to engulf the house, Birmingham Crown Court heard . Miss Bibi suffered a broken arm and three broken vertebrae after leaping from the window of the terraced house in Tyseley, Birmingham. Inayat, who is originally from Pakistan, told the jury he tried to kill himself on the night of the fire, using three kitchen knives. He then claimed he attempted to tie electrical cord around his neck before pouring petrol over himself. Speaking through an interpreter, the unshaven former cleaner said he had been diagnosed with depression. ‘I didn’t know what I was doing,’ he said. ‘I said ‘‘I want to meet him in this country’’ and then I agree with her that the whole world does it. I told her I am willing to travel with you.’ Referring to the fire he said: ‘I wanted to scare them, I did not want any harm to come to them. I love them.’ The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
|
Mohammed Inayat allegedly flew into rage when Kalsoom Bibi told him she planned to move to Dubai to marry a policeman .
Court heard he threatened to kill her before burning his house down .
Fire killed his wife, Naika, and injured his three daughters .
|
280,051 |
f6d0651a553157981df1aa766a2112ce73dffdfd
|
(EW.com) -- Kris Jenner worked her magic — and familial connections, of course — to land an interview with the typically media-shy Kanye West, the father of her granddaughter North. Kanye stopped by the set of Kris on Monday to tape an hour-long interview that will air this week. West, who welcomed his first child with girlfriend Kim Kardashian in June, opens up to Jenner about his baby girl, falling in love with Kim, and dealing with the press. He also addresses President Obama's comments last month about how celebrities like Kanye and Kim have shifted the idea of the American dream. "There was not that window into the lifestyles of the rich and famous," the president said at the time. "Kids weren't monitoring every day what Kim Kardashian was wearing, or where Kanye West was going on vacation, and thinking that somehow that was the mark of success." "Kris" airs on select Fox stations, including in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Stay tuned for more info on when Kanye's interview will air. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
|
Kanye West talked to his daughter's grandmother for her talk show .
He opened up about his new child, falling in love and coping with the press .
"Kris" appears on select stations around the country .
|
1,983 |
05baf1f048c63317ecca06022f9a4eb556c6ebeb
|
By . Emily Sheridan . PUBLISHED: . 02:39 EST, 24 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:31 EST, 24 September 2012 . A 'nervous, happy and desperate to get on with it' Nick Grimshaw made his debut as the new host of the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show today. The Oldham-native, 28, took to the microphone at 6.30am for his first day, kicking off the show with Kanye West and Jay-Z's duet N***** In Paris. Before his first track, Nick introduced himself: 'So this is happening, it's actually happening. Good morning Britain, I'm Nick Grimshaw. Scroll down for video . New boy: Nick Grimshaw looks contemplative on his first day hosting the Radio 1 Breakfast Show . 'It's time to follow in the footsteps . of people I like, like Chris Moyles and Sara Cox. I'm nervous, happy . and desperate to get on with it. 'It's . time to start the difficult job of talking between records. I've been . dreaming about this since I was a little boy. Let's do it.' Nick's appointment in the role comes after previous breakfast show host Chris Moyles left following eight and half years. Nick himself had previously hosted a late night show before his new role was announced in July. Support: Fellow Radio 1 DJs (L-R) Scott Mills, Fearne Cotton, Dev, Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens came to visit . Although Nick played the radio edit . of the foul-mouthed Jay-Z and Kanye track, he joked if he had played the . unedited version it would have been 'the world's shortest stint on the Radio 1 breakfast show - three and a half minutes'. Among . the celebrity guests on the show were his good friend Harry Styles, who . talked about One Direction's new video and album on the phone, and a . pre-recorded interview with Justin Bieber. Nick ended up teasing a mumbling Harry by playing a brief bit of the wrong track instead of One Direction's new song Live While We're Young, joking: 'Sorry, my finger slipped.' After fellow Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton later noted Harry didn't sound too happy by Nick's 'slip-up', the new breakfast show host replied: 'After he said Radio 1 instead of Capital Radio by mistake at the Brit Awards, he needs us - where else is he going to go? "Oh I’m just popping into Heart" – I don’t think so!' Time to get up! Nick was greeted by people in chicken costumes for his first morning on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show . Ahead of his arrival at the Radio 1 studios in central London, Nick was greeted outside the building by two people in chicken costumes, who gave him a year's supply of Kenco coffee to help him get up in the morning. Speaking to Radio 1’s Newsbeat after the show, he said: “It feels weird, I feel a relief now, the first day is done and it was the first show. Obviously a lot of people were waiting to hear it and there was a lot of anticipation of what the show would sound like, so yes it’s good to get the first one done. 'Today I guess was a lot like an introduction and repeating myself, saying my name a lot. Tomorrow I can do a more regular show and tell a few more stories.' On his own: Nick is the main star of the show, in contrast to Chris Moyles's 'zoo' format . 'In between the celeb guests, Nick was funny, cool, collected, and played actual - gasp - music.' Now magazine . 'Grimmy’s first show was fast-paced, full of celebrity banter and, most importantly, fun.' Daily Mirror . 'A promising start – and a clear break from what went before. It was out with dad rock, cynicism and bloatedly self-indulgent banter; in with dance beats, youthful energy and enthusiasm for new music... The show has swapped one who prefers music to the sound of his own voice; one much more in touch with its target audience of teens and twentysomethings.' Daily Telegraph . 'The message in the opening show – which was a likeable mix of music, self-deprecating chat, interaction on social media, interviews, silly features and funny, often quite bitchy quips – was that the power here has shifted and lies squarely in the music... A very promising, refreshing start that politely suggested the over-30s might like to retune.' The Guardian . The T4 presenter's new role on the breakfast show is a bid to lower Radio 1's demographic after a report by the BBC Trust found the station needed to work harder to attract younger listeners. In research published last November, it was claimed the average Radio 1 listener was 32 and went up to 33 for 38-year-old Moyles' breakfast show. In a bid to attract younger listeners, the music policy seems a lot younger, with a heavier dance influence than had been broadcast on Moyles' show. Nick will aim to play between eight to 10 songs an hour - double the amount played on Moyles' show. Instead of Moyles' 'zoo' format of his production team, the Grimes show will mostly feature his voice with more phone-ins from the audience. Nick previously admitted he had problems . getting up in the morning and told his listeners he had bought a . wake-up light that gradually uses light and bird song to wake him up . gently in the morning. Showing . there was no hard feelings, Chris actually sent a good luck gift to . Nick, who read out the card live on air: 'Good luck with the new show, . enjoy it see you soon, from Chris, former owner of the breakfast show.' Nick told his listeners: 'Ahh! I texted him on holiday and said "Thank you for being nice to me in the paper." 'Chris replied, "You'll be great, but not as great as me." 'And . now he's sent me some cakes, thank you Christopher, very nice. No . pressure. And weird to not listen to him in the morning! I used to be . able to tell how late I was based on which feature.' Friendly face: Nick's close friend Pixie Geldof and her dog paid a visit to the Radio 1 studios . One of his biggest cheerleaders was close friend Pixie Geldof, who woke up early to listen to her pal, before heading in to visit him at the studio at the end of his shift. She . wrote on Twitter: 'Up early for @grimmers !!!!! So proud!!! Epic music . at the beginning of the radio one breakfast show with NICK GRIMSHAW! '@grimmers obsessed with when they say "radio 1 breakfast show with nick grimshaw" so emo.' Among those to give him praise were veteran DJ Simon Mayo, who presented the R1 morning show from 1987-1993. Simon tweeted: 'Nick Grimshaw sounding a lot less terrified and a lot more organised than I did. In 1987.' End of an era: Chris Moyles and his team (L-R) Pippa Taylor Hackett, Dominic Byrne, Tina Daheley, Aled Jones, Freya Last and Comedy Dave on their last show on September 14 . VIDEO: Move over Chris! Nick Grimshaw takes over .
|
New show has less talk, more music than forerunner Chris Moyles .
Show just features Nick in the studio, as apposed to Moyles 'zoo' full of sidekicks .
Critics heap praise on the 'cool' and 'fun' host for bringing Radio 1 back to the youth .
|
64,342 |
b6b37ff2527a7561ac32733fb98feee2ddc1816f
|
London (CNN) -- The security plans for the London Marathon this weekend are being reassessed after the deadly bomb blasts in Boston, London's Metropolitan Police said Tuesday. Police and race organizers said they are working closely on security for Sunday's race. About 35,000 runners take part in the London Marathon each year, and many more people turn out to cheer them on. READ MORE: Terror at Boston Marathon: 3 dead, scores wounded . "We will be reviewing our security arrangements in partnership with London Marathon," said event commander Chief Supt. Julia Pendry. The Metropolitan Police have "a wealth of experience in policing a wide range of public order events across London," she said. The London Marathon organizers said Tuesday the event "will go ahead as originally scheduled." "We have reviewed and will continue to review our security arrangements with the Metropolitan Police and other authorities," a statement on the event website said Tuesday. Chief executive Nick Bitel said: "We want to reassure our runners, spectators, volunteers and everyone connected with the event that we are doing everything to ensure their safety." The organizers said Monday they were deeply saddened and shocked by the news from Boston. "Our immediate thoughts are with all the people there and their families. It is a very sad day for athletics and for our friends and colleagues in marathon running," they said in a statement. London is the next, after Boston, of the six races that make up the World Marathon Majors series. The course, which starts in southeast London, passes through some of the capital's main business districts before finishing near Buckingham Palace. More than three-quarters of those taking part will raise money for charity. 'Robust security measures' "The bombings in Boston are shocking, cowardly and horrific, and the thoughts of all Londoners this morning will be with the victims," London Mayor Boris Johnson said in a statement Tuesday. "Boston is a proud city built on history, tradition and a real sense of community. These attacks were aimed at its core, at innocent men, women and children enjoying a spring day out at a major sporting event. "We do have robust security measures in place for Sunday's London Marathon, but given events in Boston it's only prudent for the police and the organizers of Sunday's race to reexamine those security arrangements." CNN anchor Piers Morgan tweeted: "London marathon this Sunday - security at these events will never be the same again." Will Geddes, managing director of threat management company International Corporate Protection, told CNN that it is "very difficult" to secure a marathon. "You can look at isolating particular areas and trying to secure these -- however, you are looking at a 26-mile-plus route, which often will spread across a major capital, and in terms of protecting it right along the route, it will be very, very difficult," he said. Any potential terrorist "will be looking for the largest number of casualties they can achieve, so the start point and the finish point will no doubt be two areas the Metropolitan Police will be focusing on and how they can secure those." But, Geddes said, "to a certain degree, there is only so much they can do." One key element will be the awareness of the general public, which in recent years has played an increasing role in alerting authorities to any suspicious activities or bags left unattended, he added. A big security operation will also swing into place on Wednesday for the funeral of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first woman prime minister. The Metropolitan Police have said parts of the transport network will be closed down and there will be a large military and police presence on the streets as the funeral procession passes through central London. Last summer, authorities successfully implemented a huge security plan to keep the city safe during the London Olympics. READ MORE: Report: 8-year-old boy killed in Boston Marathon blasts identified . READ MORE: Witness: 'I saw blood everywhere' READ MORE: Apartment searched, but no suspect yet in bombings . CNN's Antonia Mortensen and Erin McLaughlin contributed to this report.
|
NEW: "We want to reassure runners, spectators, volunteers" about safety, says event CEO .
Organizers of the London Marathon say it will take place as planned Sunday .
London mayor says "robust security measures" are in place for the event .
Tens of thousands of people take part in the race each year, cheered on by many more .
|
145,916 |
48aafeb190e4dfbfa7e81cd552e87213d19fc885
|
(CNN) -- The challenge facing the next generation of the Chinese leadership is steering the nation as it moves from an export and investment driven economy to a more sustainable consumption-driven economy. However, such transformation will not be easy. Over the last two decades, various measures to encourage Chinese consumption had limited success. The expansion of higher education since mid-1990s was one early attempt. While a success in matriculation -- 19% of Chinese under the age of 30 have a college degrees -- the move failed to spur consumption as families instead saved to afford university educations. A similar story can be seen in the commercialization of the housing market. Families have to save increasingly more in order to afford apartments with rising prices. Given the spotty success of Beijing policy to boost consumption, new research suggests the key may lie in tackling China's growing divide between the rich and the poor. Read more: Why China needs to learn the three R's . The government has never publicly released household-level data necessary to study this problem. To gauge the scope of the problem, my colleagues and I at China Household Finance Survey conducted a nationwide survey, interviewing a random sample of 8,438 households in China, both rural and urban. We found that the top 10% of Chinese households garnered 57% of total income and 85% of total assets -- a concentration level of income and wealth that surpasses those of developed countries, and can only be found in some of the African countries such as South Africa and Seychelles. Income inequality is the key reason for China's low consumption rate. The rich hold the vast majority of Chinese savings. The top 10% of households have 69% of the total savings, and average saving rate for these households is a staggering 60%. Conversely, about half of the Chinese households surveyed have negligible savings. Therein lies the dilemma for Beijing's new leaders as they try to make Chinese consumers, not exports, the key driver of China's economy. Why? The data suggests China's rich are already spending what they need, and pocketing most of the rest. The low savings rate of most Chinese households surveyed suggest they simply don't have the money to spend. To move toward a consumer-based economy, therefore, raising the income -- and spending -- levels for the poor is key. Read more: Why China won't turn the other cheek over foreign policy . Here the next generation of Chinese leadership can and should play a significant role. Typical thinking is to attack the problem from the income side by increasing the tax on the rich and redistribute it to the poor. Chinese policymakers are working in a similar vein. Beijing plans to issue new guidance on income redistribution in December. Although information on this measure is still limited, it is likely to focus on the income side by regulating market wages -- a disappointment if it were true. Additional regulation will not only create market inefficiencies, it simply may not work -- if the past is any example, firms will find ways to circumvent regulation. An effective approach to reduce the inequality and to boost consumption, however, is to shift government spending priorities away from massive infrastructure development -- roads, railroads and airports -- and toward social welfare investment. Studies have shown that spending on social welfare can have a substantial effect on consumption. In the case of health insurance, each one dollar the government spends would increase consumption by $2.36 dollars for rural health insurance or $4.16 for urban employee health insurance, according to a series studies by my colleagues and I did in 2010. Although 90% of Chinese population is currently covered by three basic health insurance systems, benefits differ substantially across the three systems because of different levels of contributions made by the government to the insurance premiums. Government should bring up the benefit level of the rural insurance to that of urban insurance. Another important area that government can do is to establish an effective unemployment insurance system. So far, the coverage rate of the unemployment insurance is only 30% of that of health insurance. It also pays too little: unemployment benefit is only 17% of the average salary compared to 47% in the U.S. and 60% in Germany. Given the challenges ahead, China's new leadership should view this with some urgency: When the economy is in transition, unemployment rate will likely rise and more people will need help. Read more: Why China's reforms have hit a brick wall . Unfortunately, Chinese government has not given up the idea of spending on massive infrastructure projects to remedy its economic problems. Over the last 10 years, government spending on social welfare programs is only about 3% of the total spending. If the government creates a stronger social safety net for its citizens, Chinese workers will feel less pressure to save for health emergencies, unemployment and retirement, and more likely to buy goods and services -- and create a mature consumer-driven economy. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Li Gan.
|
Key challenge for China's leaders is moving to a consumption-driven economy .
Measures to encourage Chinese consumption have had limited success .
Research shows top 10% of Chinese households garnered 57% of total income .
Gan: Income inequality is the key reason for China's low consumption rate .
|
80,592 |
e46cd2d56d6b66ad3f68ca031114aee8fe512ec7
|
After overlooking Lionel Messi’s trip to Casino de Barcelona on Saturday evening, Luis Enrique used the same betting strategy as every other coach in the club’s recent history. Play it straight, put all your worldly possessions on Barcelona’s No 10 and cash in at the end of the night. From these positions, the last throw of the dice, Lionel Messi used to be as safe as houses. Barcelona wizard Lionel Messi dances past Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany at the Etihad . Barcelona ace Messi leaves Manchester City defender Gael Clichy on the floor at the Etihad Stadium . Instead, the Barcelona forward skulked off at the final whistle, looking like a man who had done all his money after failing to convert a 90th-minute penalty. The little man was distraught. Messi has missed five of his last 10 from the spot for Barcelona and Argentina, a worrying trend for someone who many still regard as the world’s best footballer. To be fair to him, he played like it. By the time Pablo Zabaleta brought him down in the final minute, Messi’s work for the night had already been done. He had wreaked havoc, given the run of the place by Manchester City’s benevolent defence as Luis Suarez put Barcelona into a commanding first-leg lead. The only thing missing from this bravura Messi performance was the name of the No 10 on the huge television screens hanging off the stands at the Etihad. With 37 goals already this season, including eight in the Champions League, it would take a brave man to back against him from 12 yards out. Last year, he opened the scoring here from the spot in the 54th minute. Messi skips past fellow Argentine international Pablo Zabaleta as the defender stalks the tiny terror . Suarez, Messi and Neymar celebrate at the Etihad Stadium as they turn the style on against Manchester City . The only thing missing from this bravura Messi performance was the name of the No 10 on the huge television screens hanging off the stands at the Etihad. With 37 goals already this season, including eight in the Champions League, it would take a brave man to back against him from 12 yards out. Last year, he opened the scoring here from the spot in the 54th minute. This time Joe Hart denied him, saving brilliantly as Messi went straight and getting up in time to witness the forward tamely head the rebound wide of the post. Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart can only look on as Uruguayan ace Suarez finds the corner of the goal . The City players collapse in despair as Suarez puts the ball neatly past England number on Hart . This time Joe Hart denied him, saving brilliantly as Messi went straight and getting up in time to witness the forward tamely head the rebound wide of the post. ‘It was an important save and 3-1 would have been a difficult score for us to progress because it was a very unnecessary, emotional foul,’ admitted City’s manager Manuel Pellegrini. These spot-kicks are playing on Messi, gnawing away at this little genius after his failure to put away his penalty in the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid last month. On that occasion, he scored the rebound. A third Barcelona goal would surely have finished this tie, putting it beyond the reach of City in the second leg on March 18. At 2-1, it still feels like there is far much for Pellegrini’s team to do. Messi shows Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany a clean pair of heels as the Argentine progresses . Even those connected to the Etihad concede that, penalty apart, this was a breathtaking performance by the three-time world player of the year. The set up for Suarez’s second goal was agonising for City as he drew four defenders towards him and then twisted his way through them. Sir Alex Ferguson, watching from the stands, would have appreciated that moment more than most. When Messi finally released the ball into the path of left-back Jordi Alba, his cross found the onrushing figure of Suarez to meet it from close range. Barcelona’s No 9 scored it, Messi made it. At times he was mouth-watering, particularly when he raised that left boot into the night sky to pull down a bizarre up and under from Suarez inside the area. Hart helps Messi to his feet after the Argentine attacker had been thwarted by the England international . Do you applaud a skill like that, accept it comes naturally to this gifted forward, or try to work out how the hell anyone will ever be able to stop him? Possibly all three. Here, Gael Clichy, the man you would loosely describe as Messi’s marker, was sent off for a second booking and will miss the second leg in the Nou Camp. Clichy will not forget this night in a long while. Incredibly the left back’s two cautions had nothing to do with Messi and he was sent off in the 74th minute for a foul on Dani Alves. By then, he had been shredded by Messi. Messi is left stunned with his head in his hands as he misses a penalty to give Barcelona a two goal advantage . Messi tricks himself past a trio of sky blue shirts as he looks to attack Hart in the Manchester City goal . Hart looks on as the former Liverpool ace is able to celebrate against former rivals Manchester City . This was also a bad night for City’s captain Vincent Kompany after he headed down into the path of Suarez to open the scoring in the 16th minute. No-one knows if Kompany is any good any more, or whether this City defence is just to bad at the highest level of the European game that he keeps being exposed.Either way he escaped when he brought down Messi as he made his way into the area, with German referee Felix Brych giving him the benefit of the doubt. It is incredible that Pellegrini made no special plans to contain one of the best players we have witnessed. Messi’s intelligence is remarkable, working it all out tactically in his head in the opening five minutes and instructing Suarez to switch positions. Messi had the City defence worked out. After Sergio Aguero’s 69th-minute strike, City travel to the Nou Camp for the second leg believing they can get back into this tie. Their only hope now is to put Messi back on the spot. Messi does well to hold off the challenge of former Arsenal defender Clichy at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday .
|
Lionel Messi was at his stunning best as Barcelona beat Manchester City .
Argentine set up former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez for his second .
The 27-year-old ran rings around the City defence at the Etihad Stadium .
Only a late penalty miss threatened to ruin his magical performance .
|
177,406 |
71a755257aa860798e85b122eee72bcfc5e55587
|
By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 05:25 EST, 12 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:30 EST, 12 July 2013 . A five-year-old Palestinian boy was filmed being dragged away for throwing a stone at Israeli soldiers who then blindfolded and handcuffed his father and marched them both in full public view to a police checkpost. Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said seven soldiers and an officer detained the boy, named as Wadi' Maswadeh, in Hebron for two hours before handing him over to the Palestinian Police. Video of the incident shows Wadi'a in floods of tears as he is dragged into an army vehicle before being taken to his home. Scroll down for video . Screaming: An Israeli officer drags five-year-old Wadi'a Maswadeh towards an army vehicle after he threw a stone at soldiers . According to B'Tselem, his mother refused to let soldiers hand him over to Palestinian authorities until his father came home. Around half an hour later, when the father Karam Maswadeh did return, both he and his son were taken to an Israeli army base where the father was blindfolded and handcuffed. Mr Maswadeh said: 'When I got home, I saw several soldiers standing at the entrance to my house. An officer came up to me and ordered me to get my son, Wadi'a. 'Before I got home, the soldiers had tried to persuade my wife to hand Wadi'a over, but she had refused to do it until I came back. 'The officer told me that he was going to arrest Wadi'a and hand him over to the Palestinian Coordination. Arrest: Plain clothed Israeli officers arrest the youngster on a Hebron street . Detained: Israeli soldiers surround the youngster as they wait for a vehicle to arrive . Ordeal: Clearly upset, the boy is led into the vehicle before being driven to his home . 'I asked him: "Why arrest a five-year-old boy?" 'A soldier standing next to the officer showed me a stone and claimed that my son had thrown it, and that it had hit the car of a settler who was driving north, near 'Abed checkpoint. 'I tried to persuade the officer not to take Wadi' to the DCO, but he said that if I didn't bring him, I'd be arrested. […] I went inside the house and got Wadi', who was hiding there. He was crying.' After handcuffing and blindfolding Mr Maswadeh, the soldiers walked him together with his son, in full public view, to a police checkpoint, where they were detained for a further thirty minutes. At that point, a lieutenant colonel arrived whom the father, who speaks Hebrew, understood to be an Israeli coordination officer from the DCO. Smirk: An Israeli soldier grins at the camera as the boy is detained next to his blindfolded father . Humiliation: The boy is sat next to his blindfolded and handcuffed father at an Israeli police checkpost . The officer questioned Wadi' and asked . him why he had thrown stones. He also reprimanded the soldiers for . arresting the father and son in the presence of video cameras, and . complained that 'you're harming our public image'. The officer made it clear to the soldiers that, when detainees are held with cameras around, they must be 'treated nicely. At that point the father's hands were untied, his blindfold removed and he was given a drink of water. The soldiers then handed the pair over to the Palestinian police. They were taken to a Palestinian police station and briefly questioned before being released. Superior: An Israeli officer arrives and remonstrates with his soldiers over their treatment of the father and son while the incident was being filmed . The boy's father Karam Maswadeh eventually had his blindfold removed and was given a drink of water . B'Tselem Director Jessica Montell said detaining a child below the age of criminal responsibility, especially one so young, had no legal justification. She said: 'The footage clearly shows that this was not a mistake made by an individual soldier, but rather conduct that, to our alarm, was considered reasonable by all the military personnel involved, including senior officers. 'It is particularly troubling that none of them apparently thought any part of the incident wad problematic: not the fact that they scared a five-year-old boy out of his wits, nor threatening him and his parents to 'hand him over' to the Palestinian Police, nor threatening to arrest the father on no legal grounds, nor handcuffing and blindfolding the father in front of his son.'
|
Youngster was detained in Hebron for two hours before being handed over to the Palestinian Police .
He was forced to sit next to his father who was blindfolded and handcuffed at an Israeli checkpost .
|
216,811 |
a4b248740e541a373aec04e584d04a153b72651c
|
Rep. Paul Ryan might have to decide which job he wants more -- running the powerful House Ways and Means Committee or running for president in 2016. House Republicans adopted a new rule that could force Ryan's hand as he considers his future. The new provision requires any House committee chair who decides to seek higher office to turn in his or her gavel. The Wisconsin Republican is viewed one of his party's top policymakers. Ryan currently serves as the Budget Committee chair, but is seeking support for the post as the head of the tax writing panel in 2015, and is expected to get the nod next week. Ryan has made no secret that he views that post, which would make him the lead to craft health care changes, tax reform and other major legislation, as his dream job. The former 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee has also left the door open to a bid for the 2016 presidential ticket. Although the rule wasn't directly aimed at Ryan, his name mentioned when the proposal came up for a vote inside a closed door meeting on Friday. According to one GOP source familiar with the discussion, he was present for the discussion, but there wasn't any extensive debate about the change. Ryan's office declined to comment on the new rule. Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole drafted the proposal in response to a situation that developed last year when Georgia Rep. Jack Kingston, who chaired a key Appropriations subcommittee, ran for Senate, according to two House Republican sources. Kingston presided over the panel that drafts the annual budgets for Labor and Health agencies, but failed to pass a bill through his committee because he was focused on his campaign. Kingston didn't win the GOP Senate nomination, and Cole and other members on the Appropriations committee, felt that the lack of action hurt the overall effort to put together the full series of funding bills for the year. The new rule does come with an out -- Ryan could seek a waiver from leaders if he decides to run for president but wants to retain his chairmanship. Given his close ties to House Speaker John Boehner and others, it's likely he could get one.
|
Rep. Paul Ryan is pursuing the chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee .
A new rule would prevent holding that job and running for president .
The chairmanship has long been considered Ryan's dream job .
Ryan could seek a waiver to hold to his position if he were to run.
|
255,326 |
d67dab25735b44516b5a3e9f55a9ea2afb396583
|
By . Rebecca Evans, Claire Ellicott and Tom Kelly . UPDATED: . 03:59 EST, 8 February 2012 . Prosecutor David Jones breached strict legal guidelines on witness contact when he discussed the case of 16-year-old karate star Dana Baker with her at his house. As a result, the trial of her coach Jaspal Riat, 48, was scrapped. Mr Jones resigned from the Bar soon afterwards. Tragic case: Dana Baker was 16 when she hanged herself while waiting for her abuser to be retried . Later Dana, who represented Great Britain in karate, hanged herself after making a cry for help on Facebook, pleading: ‘Lying here, trying to figure out what the hell I’m gonna do.’ Full details of Dana’s death are expected to be revealed when an inquest is resumed later this month. But six months after she died, video testimony she had recorded meant the trial could be resumed at Gloucester Crown Court in September, and Riat was jailed for eight years. Jailed: Jaspal Riat, 48, was sentenced to eight years at the subsequent retrial . He was cleared of rape but found guilty of sexual assault and seven counts of sexual activity with a child. A jury heard he had identified the academically bright teenager, who was in voluntary foster care, as a lonely child from a ‘vulnerable’ family background, whom he had exploited for his own sexual purposes since she was 13. But what the jurors did not know was that Riat had appeared at Birmingham Crown Court in 2010 when Mr Jones, a leading barrister on the Midlands circuit with 40 years’ experience, opened the rape trial on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service. A day later, Judge Philip Parker QC discharged the jury after hearing of Dana’s two-and-a-half hour lunch meeting at the prosecutor’s home. Mr Jones, 68, a barrister with No5 Chambers in Birmingham, insisted that the meeting, a month before the trial started, was ‘well intentioned’ and was aimed at seeking to ‘avoid any problem with late video editing which might hold up the trial’. Dana, of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, attended the meeting with her foster mother and a social worker. It is understood that Mr Jones’s wife was also present. By hosting the gathering, Mr Jones breached his profession’s code of conduct because the Crown Prosecution Service was not notified, no police officer was in attendance and no notes were taken. The rules stipulate that such a meeting could have been allowed under ‘special measures’, providing that no evidential matters were discussed. Sports star: Schoolgirl Dana represented her country at karate and was academically bright . But the barrister admitted to the judge that Dana had seen transcripts of her video evidence and a ‘prosecution case summary’ which included details of other witness evidence. After the jurors were asked to leave court, Judge Parker said: ‘It is a very serious case, at its highest an allegation of rape of a young girl of 13 or 14 by a man in a position of trust.’ He said it was a misjudgment to ‘see a witness in such circumstances’, adding: ‘The long and short of it is that I do not believe that this jury can continue to consider this case. Resigned: Prosecutor David Jones quit his Birmingham law firm after his legal blunder halted the trial . ‘I am afraid the result of my ruling is that the current jury will have to be discharged and we will have to seek a new potential date for the trial.’ A hearing took place two months later at which Riat’s defence team argued for the case against him to be thrown out on the grounds that there had been ‘an abuse of process’. The application failed but Mr Jones resigned from the Bar the next day. During the retrial in September, the court heard that Dana became depressed when Riat ended their relationship, and that she had previously taken an overdose. She had also warned him that she intended to kill herself, to which he replied: ‘Thank you for sacrificing yourself for me.’ Judge Jamie Tabor QC told Riat: ‘You used her in a thoroughly selfish and, indeed, despicable manner.’ Mr Jones was called to the bar in 1967. He was also a recorder at Warwick Crown Court. Tony McDaid, practice director of No5 Chambers, said: ‘Mr Jones was a leading barrister on the Midlands circuit for 40 years. ‘What happened was very unfortunate but Mr Jones had an exemplary record.
|
David Jones breached strict legal guidelines on witness contact when he met Dana Baker at his house for lunch .
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch - see www.samaritans.org for details .
|
117,015 |
230fbe3ac296f8a80eda27d89ac2ba69bfd38acb
|
Roman Polanski (pictured) has asked for media to be banned from court during an extradition hearing over his 1977 conviction for having sex with a girl . Roman Polanski’s lawyer wants the media banned from court when it considers a US extradition request over the director’s 1977 conviction for having sex with an underage girl. The 81-year-old, who was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl, will attend the hearing on Wednesday in his childhood city of Krakow, Poland. His lawyer, Jan Olszewski, has asked the judge to ban media from the court in order to protect Polanski’s privacy and due to the circumstances of the case. The Oscar-winning director, who is in the country preparing to make a movie about French Jew Alfred Dreyfus, is subject to an Interpol warrant in effect in 188 countries, though he is able to move freely between France, Poland and Switzerland. Krakow prosecutors refused a request from US justice authorities last year to arrest Polanski but said there were no legal obstacles to the extradition, and have asked the court for a ruling. Polanski, director of classics like ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ and ‘Chinatown,’ pleaded guilty in 1977 to having sex with 13-year-old Samantha Geimer during a photoshoot in Los Angeles. He served 42 days in jail as part of a 90-day plea bargain in 1977 before he fled the United States on the eve of his sentencing the following year. In 2009, he was arrested in Zurich on a US warrant and placed under house arrest but was freed the following year after Swiss authorities decided not to extradite him. In 2013, Mrs Geimer described in graphic detail for the first time what happened on the day of the attack in Jack Nicholson’s LA home. In her book, ‘The Girl,’ she wrote about how Polanski told her mother he wanted to take pictures of the teen for French Vogue but would not allow her to accompany her daughter. Describing the sexual assault, Mrs Geimer revealed that Polanski first plied her with champagne, taking pictures of her in the Jacuzzi in just her knickers before giving her a sleeping pill. During the screening of a documentary of his life at the Zurich Film Festival in 2011, Polanski said Mrs Geimer was a ‘double victim’ after she was caught up in the media glare of his arrest in 2009. The 81-year-old will attend the hearing on Wednesday in Krakow, Poland. Polanski won a Best Director Oscar for 2002's The Pints (pictured, a scene from the film)
|
The 81-year-old was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with girl, 13 .
Will attend hearing on Wednesday in his childhood city of Krakow, Poland .
His lawyer, Jan Olszewski, has asked the judge to ban media from the court .
|
115,899 |
219855fbe77e8896ab169ec08b29c2669aa0437e
|
Tragedy: Bolutito Shodipe was hit and killed as her mother parked her car yesterday . A mother has knocked down and killed her own daughter while trying to park her car. Bolutito Shodipe was run over outside Hounslow West tube station in south-west London yesterday morning. The six-year-old's devastated family are 'coming to terms with this terrible accident' as British Transport Police investigates what happened. Bolutito's mother was attempting to park her car outside the station at around 9.40am when she struck her child. Police and London Ambulance Service paramedics tried to resuscitate Bolutito at the scene but she was later pronounced dead at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. A family statement released by police said: 'Bolutito was our eldest daughter and no-one could have asked for a better daughter. 'She was a beautiful, well behaved, girl who loved ballet and who will be sorely missed by all of us. 'This is an extremely upsetting time for us and we ask that we be given the respect and space to grieve and to come to terms with this terrible accident.' DCI Iain Miller of British Transport Police said detectives are working to determine how the incident occurred. He said: 'Our officers attended, alongside colleagues from the Metropolitan Police Service and London Ambulance Service, and discovered a child - a six-year-old girl - had sustained fatal injuries having been struck by a car being driven by her mother. Incident: Police and paramedics treated the six-year-old outside Hounslow West Station yesterday morning . 'It is clear that both mother and child arrived together in the car park and the accident occurred during a parking manoeuvre. 'Specialist officers are now providing full support to the girl's family whilst detectives are working to determine exactly how the incident occurred.'
|
Bolutito Shodipe run over outside Hounslow West tube station yesterday .
Six-year-old's devastated family are 'coming to terms with terrible accident'
Police and paramedics treated her at the scene but she could not be saved .
|
104,679 |
130e21faf75aff170621d1ee75ffe0d8884078cf
|
Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) -- Her gloves held high, Rita Mrwebi dances in the middle of a blue boxing ring. Eyes focused straight ahead, she unleashes a flurry of thudding jabs and powerful hooks. It's here, inside this small, dark gym at Hillbrow Boxing Club in Johannesburg, where Mrwebi, the South African female welterweight champion, comes to train twice a day. She hasn't had a competitive fight for a year but she's working hard to stay at the top of her game before a big title match in August. "I'm looking forward to this fight," says Mrwebi, who is set to defend her title for the third time. "It's a very tough fight because I'll be defending what is mine and she also wants my title," she adds. "I'm training very hard because I need to defend this title." Read this: Is Azumah Nelson Africa's greatest boxer? There's a lot at stake if Mrwebi loses next month. Boxing is her main source of income, but with no sponsors or manager, fights are rare. In fact, she only gets to fight about once a year, and though she's set to take home some $5,000 -- win or lose -- for the August match, she can't afford to lose her title because that's what attracts challengers and ultimately brings money. Yet it's not all about the money. Mrwebi says boxing has also given her purpose whilst growing up in Hillbrow, a notoriously dangerous inner city neighborhood of Johannesburg. "It did change my life a lot," says Mrwebi, who didn't finish school and never got to meet her father. "It kept me strict. It's a challenging sport; it's a very strict sport," adds the champion. "It kept me from bad things -- from drugs, from bad friends, having lots of boyfriends." But Mrwebi is not the only one to have benefited from the Hillbrow Boxing Club. Built in what used to be a gas station, the gym has been a haven for many youngsters in this densely populated part of Johannesburg, known for its high poverty and crime rates. After school, local boys flock to the gym to learn the basics of boxing -- how to move, jab and defend. No fee is required as the goal is to keep the young ones off the streets and out of trouble. "The Hillbrow Boxing Club has done a lot for the community," says Mrwebi, whose wins inside the boxing ropes have made her a local star. "It has saved the community, it has saved Hillbrow," she adds. "Hillbrow is not a good place but this gym has produced a lot of boxers, it has produced a lot of champions. We always go outside to look for younger stars, younger children; we keep them away from drugs; we keep them away from doing wrongs; we keep them away from walking over the street, walking around, don't know what they're looking for. "We always go outside and look for them; we bring them inside the gym and then we train them." The club was started by George Khosi, a former boxer who's been with Mrwebi since the very beginning of her career, training her since she was just nine years old. Khosi himself began boxing to avoid a life of crime. By the age of 20 he was fighting professionally across South Africa. Yet his career came to an abrupt end seven years later after a brutal robbery left him with a limp and damaged eye. "I was very sad," recalls Khosi. "I had no career. I can't do anything when I'm crippled. But God listened to me. He healed me." His dreams shattered, Khosi realized he would never be able to take part in professional matches again. But if he couldn't box, he could at lease use his skills to train others. Starting Hillbrow Boxing Club, he says, has brought purpose back to his life. And the gym is now also bringing hope to others in the neighborhood. "I grew up here in Hillbrow," says the powerfully built but softly spoken coach. "I don't want them to be in the street like I was," he adds. "You know sometimes kids, they can get bored ... in the house, so we want them to get out and come here to spend their day. When they get home they are tired. They just sleep. These are big guys. They will forget about doing stupid things outside. They come here and enjoy themselves and then they go home to sleep." Read this: Playground gets kids back in the swing . Back in the gym, Mrwebi continues her rigorous training regime by pounding a punch bag, her hands wrapped in tape. She says she is determined to work hard to make it far in her own career and also impact the next generation of Hillbrow's boxing hopefuls. "I'm hoping that one day I'll be a successful boxer, a trainer, a promoter so that I can promote other youngsters," she says. "So that I can put them somewhere so that they cannot suffer like I have suffered. So I'd love one day to be a promoter, to promote other children, to put them somewhere, to make them something one day."
|
Hillbrow Boxing Club in Johannesburg has produced champions .
Hillbrow is a notoriously dangerous inner city neighborhood .
After school, youngsters come to the gym to learn the basics of boxing .
|
229,445 |
b51d0fc50e2c71401b51fa46bab03ee7940cc3d9
|
A decreasing number of American gun owners own two-thirds of the nation's guns and as many as one-third of the guns on the planet -- even though they account for less than 1% of the world's population, according to a CNN analysis of gun ownership data. The data, collected by the Injury Prevention Journal, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the General Social Survey and population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, found that the number of U.S. households with guns has declined, but current gun owners are gathering more guns. The United States tends to have better data on gun numbers than other countries, for instance Somalia or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which may account for the high percentage, according to Alan Lizotte, dean and professor at the School of Criminal Justice at The University at Albany. Gun owners debate in wake of Aurora tragedy . However, within its own borders, the U.S. gun owning population is on the decline and those gun owners are stockpiling more firearms. "Those who own guns, own more guns," said Josh Sugarmann, the executive director and founder of the Violence Policy Center, a Washington-based gun control advocacy group. Last year the organization released an analysis of figures from the General Social Survey, which found that both the number of households owning guns and the number of people owning guns were decreasing. Politicians from both parties have tip-toed around gun control after the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater massacre to avoid political implications in the upcoming election. However, studies suggest they are bowing to a smaller number of American gun owners. Those gun owners tend to live in swing states, explained Lizotte. "You can see where [the gun debate plays out] in the presidential election," said Lizotte. "Where rural states are swing states and urban states are not." Candidates show little appetite for new gun control laws . A study published in the Injury Prevention Journal, based on a 2004 National Firearms Survey, found that 20% of the gun owners with the most firearms possessed about 65% of the nation's guns. A 2007 survey by the U.N's Office on Drugs and Crime found that the United States, which has 5% of the world's population, owns 50% of the world's guns. The number of households owning guns has declined from almost 50% in 1973 to just over 32% in 2010, according to a 2011 study produced by The University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center. The number of gun owners has gone down almost 10% over the same period, the report found . The concentration comes, in part, because guns are "marketed by and large to people who already own guns," Lizotte said. He also said that guns are specialty items, like tools in a tool box, so those who own guns are more likely to buy additional guns for different hunting purposes, for instance. "If you use a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot a rabbit, the rabbit won't exist after you shoot it," Lizotte said. Therefore a gun owner who is a hunter will use a different gun for different types of hunting, for instance a small-caliber rifle instead of a high-powered shotgun. Both studies also found that men were more likely to own guns, though the General Social Survey found that male gun ownership is down almost 20% since 1980. The Violence Policy Center's analysis of the General Social Survey data also found that part of the reason the gun owning population is declining is because those weapons are largely owned by white males, a group whose population is aging. One in 10 women own a gun, the General Social Survey found. Opinion: Do guns make us safer? Still, while it is possible to collect accurate data on the number of guns in the United States using manufacturing, import-export and life-cycle data for the guns, the federal government has little idea of who the guns owners are, gun policy experts said. "The federal government doesn't have good data on anything on guns and that's been done on purpose," said David Hemenway, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center and senior author of the Injury Prevention Journal study. "The gun lobby has lots of power ... [their] goal is not to have any sort of registration system." "We asked, 'Where'd the guns go?' The answer -- it looked like the people that had lots of guns were buying more guns," Hemenway said. The false perception that there are more gun owners has helped bolster a political narrative, emboldened the National Rifle Association and left politicians worried about losing support, gun policy experts say. "...It gives them more power to say they are representing more gun owners and there are more gun owners," said Hemenway. Sugarmann agreed. "There is a myth pushed by the gun industry, the NRA and the trade associations for gun makers that gun ownership is up," he said. "[That] there are more gun owners, when the opposite is true, gun ownership is declining." The NRA did not respond to repeated requests from CNN for comment. Opinion: Fear drives opposition to gun control .
|
The number of U.S. gun owners has declined as more guns are concentrated in fewer hands .
CNN analysis shows gun owners in the U.S. own one-third of guns on the planet .
Many gun owners live in swing states, key to the fall election .
|
79,160 |
e062d08d6f1308108ad020e2981969584e282ae2
|
By . Simon Jones . Fleetwood are making an ambitious move for Crystal Palace striker Stephen Dobbie. The 31-year-old has turned down Blackpool in favour of the League One side. On the way out: Stephen Dobbie is not part of Tony Pulis' plans at Crystal Palace and is set to depart . Meanwhile, Palace are poised to sign Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell on Thursday after a medical. Cardiff accepted £800,000 bids from Palace and Leicester. Firepower: Crystal Palace are set to pip Leicester to the signing of Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell .
|
Stephen Dobbie set to leave Crystal Palace where he is not part of plans .
Dobbie favours move to League One side Fleetwood over Blackpool .
Palace set to beat Leicester to signing of Cardiff's Fraizer Campbell .
|
218,182 |
a677da8a44bdf4ad604b2b1fa0e6861bfc8ebcf0
|
By . Craig Hope for the Daily Mail . There was talk of the San Siro just 24 hours earlier, Steve Bruce allowing himself to dream of leading out Hull City at the home of Inter Milan. But it was opposite number Peter Maes talking of fairytale ties as he supped a Jupiler beer during his post-match reflections here in Lokeren. For Bruce and his boys are certainly learning the hard way in Europe. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Hull City's Alex Bruce put off teammate David Meyler in photo shoot . Midfield battle: Hull's David Meyler challenges Lokeren's Alexander Scholz for the ball during the Tigers' Europa League play-off match at the Daknam Stadium . Tussle: Defender Paul McShane does his best to hold off a challenge from Lokeren's Belgian striker Nil De Pauw who pokes a foot forward in a bid to win the ball . Lokeren (4-4-1-1): Verhulst 6.5; Galitsios 6, Marić 6, Scholz 6, Odoi 6.5; De Pauw 7 (Abdurahimi 88, 6), Overmeire 6.5, Persoons 6, Remacle 7 (Ngolok 77, 6); . Subs: Barry Boubacar, Mertens, Henrique. Scorer: Vanaken, 59. Hull: McGregor 5; Rosenior 6, Maguire 6, McShane 6, Figueroa 5.5; Chester 6.5; Aluko 6, Meyler 6, Boyd 5.5 (Elmohamady 81, 6), Brady 5 (Ince 72, 6); Sagbo 5 (Jelavic 72, 6) Subs: Harper, Huddlestone, Livermore, Robertson . Booked: McShane . Attendance: 7,935 . Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia) They were 10 minutes away from an embarrassing first-round exit against AS Trencin and now they must overturn a self-inflicted 1-0 reverse at the KC Stadium on Thursday if they are to reach the Europa League group stage. Allan McGregor – who saved a penalty during Saturday’s 1-0 win at QPR - was one of only two players Bruce did not rest, but he was probably left wishing he had. For it was the Scotland goalkeeper who blundered to gift victory to the unfancied Belgians. Lokeren had hardly troubled McGregor until the soft concession which settled the match just before the hour mark. The 32-year-old was far too casual in his attempt to play out of his area and Hans Vanaken seized upon his weak pass before rounding the forlorn keeper and slotting into the empty net. And Bruce, who confirmed a bid for Blackburn’s Jordan Rhodes, said: ‘We’ve had our first lesson of what playing in Europe is about. ‘Concentration levels are paramount and we’ve made a mistake which cost us. ‘We had three of four wonderful opportunities to score late on but unfortunately missed them. ‘If you make a mistake like that, at this level, it’s an awful way to lose a match. McGregor was a hero on Saturday when he saved a penalty but he’s made a mistake which has cost us.’ Bruce has made no secret of his intention to prioritise domestic matters but nonetheless admits he would be ‘devastated’ to bow out before the group stage. Yannick Sagbo is one of those who will be hoping to stake his claim for more pitch time in the wake of Shane Long’s sale but he did little to impress when hesitation cost him an early strike at goal on the edge of the six-yard area, defender Mijat Maric sliding to dispossess the dithering Ivorian. Sone Aluko was Hull’s hero in the last round against AS Trencin - his late goal sparing them the ignominy of an early exit - and he was unlucky to see a rising drive evade the target soon after. Nill De Pauw went in search of a breakthrough shortly after the restart for the second half and his vicious blast from a narrow angle stung the palms of McGregor at his near post. That buoyed a vociferous home crowd and it was Lokeren who grew in confidence as the half wore on, Vanaken taking aim with a shot which slid wide moments later. Hot pursuit: Hull defender Liam Rosenior chases forward after the ball as Lokeren's Jordan Remacle tries to keep up . Struggle: Hull frontman Sone Aluko sprints towards the byline and does his best to hold off the challenge of Dennis Odoi . But the youngster made no mistake when he capitalised on McGregor’s howler to give the underdogs the lead on 58 minutes. That seemed to spread anxiety through the Hull backline and their indecision presented Junior Dutra with a sight at goal for a second, the Brazilian blazing over from 12 yards when really he should have doubled the advantage. Substitute Tom Ince did draw a save from Davino Verhulst when he wriggled free and slammed on goal, likewise Meyler as he fired towards the top corner five minutes from time only for the custodian to extend an arm and flip over the crossbar. It leaves Bruce’s men a stiff task in six days’ time, and he added: ‘It will be difficult because we haven’t got an away goal. But we’ve got to try and win the game, it’s as simple as that. ‘It will be a different game in a week’s time and we have to win it. ‘We’ve got big games coming up and I have to think about that, but in hindsight I would pick the same team tonight.’ Maes, meanwhile, is dreaming of the San Siro. ‘Yes, I am thinking about that (potentially playing Inter Milan) because it is everybody,’ said the Lokeren manager. ‘We played with a very big heart. We are going to do everything to get to the group stage, but we’re still not favourites.’
|
Keeper gifts the ball to Lokeren's Hans Vanaken who scores only goal of the game .
Hull need to win second leg to reach Europa League group stage .
Tigers fail to score away goal, making task significantly harder at KC Stadium .
Hull face Stoke City in their second Premier League game on Saturday after losing 1-0 to Aston Villa .
|
23,682 |
433e1f924205c6cb01a5a9ab6859da8a4fb1b2ab
|
Louis van Gaal has baulked at suggestions Manchester United must bolster their defence in the January transfer window. Manager Van Gaal claimed United have 'more than enough' defensive cover and quality, despite Chris Smalling's groin problem further stretching resources. Robin van Persie's double sneaked United past Southampton 2-1 at St Mary's on Monday but they struggled tactically and defensively. Manchester United defender Chris Smalling (left) was taken off injured against Southampton on Monday . Paddy McNair (right) was substituted late in the first half after a disappointing performance at St Mary's . Luke Shaw, Rafael and Phil Jones are out injured, as is Daley Blind, who could slot in as an emergency centre half. Van Gaal shrugged off criticism of his defensive stocks after switching England midfielder Michael Carrick into a makeshift defensive role midway through Monday's clash. 'When you have injuries you cannot solve the problem otherwise,' said Van Gaal. 'Do we have to buy players? No. We have more than enough.' Van Gaal's terse defence of his squad depth did little to mask United's continued rearguard shortcomings. Van Persie converted United's only two chances on the south coast as Van Gaal's men moved third in the Premier League with a fifth-straight win. Southampton pressed continually, pulling Van Gaal's systems and structures apart almost at will, though too often failing to deliver the killer blow. United boss Louis van Gaal believes he does not need to strengthen his defence in January . Fit-again Jonny Evans (right) replaced the injured Smalling during the opening period against Saints . Marouane Fellaini's inept performance forced Van Gaal to haul youngster Paddy McNair off before half-time, in the hope Ander Herrera could add midfield bite. That led to Carrick's rearguard shift, with fit-again Jonny Evans replacing Smalling after his groin injury. United are still missing Luke Shaw, Rafael, Phil Jones and Daley Blind, and that injured defensive quartet formed the foundation of Van Gaal's justification of his squad depth. United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, with former defender Gary Neville predicting the clash could descend into pub-league standard. England coach Neville claimed United 'got away with murder' at St Mary's, before tipping the Liverpool clash to resemble 'The Dog and Duck versus The Red Lion'. The unimpressed Van Gaal warned Neville to 'pay attention to his words', asking reporters to interpret his comments however they saw fit. Midfielder Michael Carrick (right) dropped into United's defence after Van Gaal brought off McNair . Neville later denied talk of a rift with Van Gaal when asked about a 'feud' on social media. One Twitter user asked Neville following the match: '@r1fgm: @GNev2 the press mentioning a feud between yourself and Van Gaal. What feud?' And Neville replied: 'One that will be created that doesn't exist.' Head here to Like our Manchester United Facebook page.
|
Chris Smalling picked up an injury against Southampton on Monday .
Manchester United have struggled to name a settled defence this season .
But Louis van Gaal says he has 'more than enough' options .
The Red Devils are interested in Mats Hummels and Diego Godin .
|
240,648 |
c38adac566a91253932c252f9e54ce77dc2554cb
|
(CNN) -- Switzerland's part-time soldiers could lose their famous right to store their weapons at home. Switzerland's part-time soldiers could lose the right to store their weapons at home. A coalition led by the country's Social Democrat party and the Greens has collected nearly 120,000 signatures to force a national referendum on whether the weapons should be stored at military bases. The coalition of 74 groups says the weapons are involved in too many suicides and murders in the country and tighter controls are needed. Switzerland's armed forces consist of just a few thousand permanent full-time staff, with the rest essentially a militia. Service in the militia is compulsory for men aged between 19 and 31 and in between call-ups they store their weapons at home. There are currently around 220,000 conscripts. However, a 2007 law change banned the storage of ammunition in homes. The coalition is looking to extend this, control the purchase of military weapons and set up a national gun register. Green lawmaker Josef Lang said more than 1.5 million unused weapons were kept in Swiss homes. Lang said their presence "at the heart" of the population could not be justified. He said a national register had to be created to keep track of the weapons, something police had long been seeking. Lang said the weapons had to be "banished" from homes. Barbara Weil, of the Swiss Medical Association, said it had been scientifically proven that if the guns were less freely available the number of suicides would drop. The studies had also shown that other methods of suicide did not increase in countries who had brought in stricter gun controls. The coalition estimates that 300 deaths annually are connected to gun use.
|
Swiss soldiers could lose their famous right to store their weapons at home .
Coalition of groups get enough signatures for referendum on gun laws .
They want weapons stored on bases and a national register .
|
163,587 |
5f88d5037624955f65b364b962cbf91d8b95ba44
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- He is hailed as a god in his native Argentina, has been a vital part of the country's culture since the mid-70s and is largely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time. Maradona's crowning achievement was captaining Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986. Now, 11 years since retiring from playing, Diego Maradona is making a triumphant return to the sport as the Argentine national coach. However, his checkered past has made Maradona something of a surprise choice. The 48-year-old has regularly courted controversy -- not with-standing his well-publicized drug-addiction. His talent has never been in doubt, though, and his performances on a domestic and world stage are the stuff of legend. Since beginning his career as a 15-year-old with Argentinos Juniors, Maradona has attracted legions of fans. At club level, Maradona won the Argentine title with Boca Juniors, prompting a high-profile move to European football, where he won the Copa del Rey with Barcelona. But it was at Napoli that his presence was really felt. When he arrived, the club were not considered title contenders in Serie A, but with Maradona's arrival, the southern side were transformed into one of Italian football's dominant forces. During his time with Napoli, the club won the Scudetto twice, the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup. And his status as a national hero was further cemented during his performances in the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cups. Though he briefly shone in his World Cup debut in 1982, before an act of petulance saw him sent off against Brazil, it was the 1986 tournament in Mexico that Maradona made his own. Maradona took the finals by the scruff of the neck, scoring five times, including one of the greatest goals ever scored in the 2-1 quarterfinal win over England -- as well as creating more controversy with his infamous "hand of God" goal in the same match. But his iconic status as a footballer is only outshone by his wild private life. His time at Napoli came to an abrupt end after he was found in possession of cocaine, and his last World Cup as a player, USA 1994, was beset with controversy, as he was sent home early after failing a drugs test. And the Maradona soap opera has continued after his retirement. Since quitting in 1997, he has spent a great deal of time in drug rehabilitation clinics in Cuba and Switzerland, where he combated his addiction to cocaine. He has also been subject to dramatic weight gain, struggling with obesity and eventually undergoing gastric bypass surgery to prevent any further fluctuations in his size. In recent years he has also been treated for the affects of alcohol abuse and his health has been a cause for much concern among the world's sports media. He has been hit by hepatitis at least twice and in 2004 he was rushed to hospital after a heart attack, following a cocaine overdose. And at times he has even seemed mentally unstable -- in a famous incident the one time chat show fired a gun at media waiting outside his house, hitting and injuring four. But, despite the negative stories that have circulated about Maradona, he is still regarded as a national hero in Argentina. No-one can doubt his skills as a player, but it has certainly raised a few eyebrows that he has been put in charge of an Argentina team that is struggling to hold its own in the World Cup qualifiers. Whether he can strategize like a professional manager is yet to be seen, but simply by being Maradona, he will prove to be a great figurehead for the team.
|
Diego Maradona is a football legend in Argentina, one of the world's greats .
His skills at Napoli and for the Argentina national side are highly praised .
He has a reputation for leading a wild private life, was addicted to cocaine .
|
143,318 |
455a2e33daf38d9ced6016ca5a60ec5a51487b19
|
The jihadi gunman who killed a police woman and four hostages at a kosher deli in Paris was buried near the French capital today after his own country of birth refused him. Mali had rejected the body of terrorist Amedy Coulibaly on Wednesday- the day before he was expected to be buried in its soil in Bamako. Now police sources say the Islamist- who killed a policewoman and four Jewish hostage during the January 7-9 attacks on Paris- has been buried in the Muslim section of the Thiais cemetery in the Paris region. Scroll down for video . Nowhere to go: The body of French jihadi Amedy Coulibaly has been rejected by his birth country, Mali. Coulibaly killed four customers of a kosher supermarket as well as a policewoman . The 32-year-old small-time dope dealer-cum-terrorist was gunned down by police as they raided the Hyper Cacher kosher supermarket in east Paris on January 9, the day police tracked down Charlie Hebdo massacre gunmen Chérif and Saïd Kouachi. A day earlier he had shot dead a policewoman in the street and critically injured a street sweeper. His family had asked for him to be buried in Mali, but that country's government made a sudden U-turn the day before his burial. The West African country gave no reason for rejecting the killer's body which had remained in a fridge in the Forensic Institute in Paris until he was interred in Thiais today. Government spokesman Stephane Le Foll had confirmed he would be buried in France if his country of birth refused to accept his body. The Kouachi brothers, who were Frenchmen of Algerian heritage, were both buried in secret locations in their hometowns - Saïd in Rheims and Chérif in Gennevilliers, a suburb north of Paris - last weekend. Both were interred at night in unmarked graves, as authorities feared their resting places could become places of pilgrimage for extremists. The brothers were killed in a shoot-out after hiding in an industrial unit, two days after the attack on the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, in which they killed 12 people. Charlie Hebdo killers: The Kouachi brothers, who were Frenchmen of Algerian heritage, were both buried in secret locations in their hometowns - Saïd in Rheims and Chérif in Gennevilliers, a suburb north of Paris . Neither brothers' hometown wanted the terrorists, but were forced to find graves for them by a French law that grants a right to be buried in the district where the deceased lived or the district where they were killed. French media reports that no request for a grave has been made in Grigny, the impoverished south Paris suburb where Coulibaly grew up and where his mother and sister still live, nor in Viry-Chatillon, where he was registered to vote. So it seems most likely Coulibaly will be buried in Fontenay-aux-Roses, the Paris suburb where he had rented a safe house. A spokesman for the town's mayor said: 'If his family decide to bury him here, I don't think we'll be able to avoid it. The law is strict. But we hope he will be buried somewhere else.'
|
Sources say Amedy Coulibaly was buried in the Thiais cemetery in Paris .
His family wanted to bury him in his country of birth but Mali refused him .
Coulibaly killed a police woman and four Jewish hostages at a kosher deli .
Attacks followed the Charlie Hebdo massacre by Chérif and Saïd Kouachi .
Kouachi brothers were buried in Paris suburbs at night in unmarked graves .
|
233,998 |
baed67f16b546d380f5aa4e5f59ea5fedd9b4de6
|
A 19-year-old backpacker from China has sparked outrage by offering to have sex with a different man in every city she visits to fund her travels. Student Ju Peng, from the eastern city of Shanghai, had posted an online ad looking for 'temporary boyfriends' who must be 'good looking, under 30, taller than 1.75 metres and, of course, rich'. Ju says: 'They will fund my transport to their city and all my expenses while I am there and they need to be generous.' 'Of course, rich': Student Ju Peng, from the eastern city of Shanghai, had posted an online ad looking for 'temporary boyfriends' who must be 'good looking, under 30, taller than 1.75 metres and, of course, rich' 'Beautiful girl': She says each man will fund her transport and expenses and 'be generous' and in return will have the 'chance to show off in company of truly beautiful girl' She adds: 'In return, they get a whole night with me, my undivided attention, and a chance to show themselves off in the company of a truly beautiful girl.' Ju says she has already travelled all over eastern China this way and wants to see the rest of the country but does not have enough money to fund it herself. Like hitchhiking? Ju says she already travelled all over eastern China this way and wants to see the rest of the country but does not have enough money to fund it herself, adding, 'It is sort of like hitch-hiking. It's nothing to be ashamed of' She said: 'It is sort of like hitch-hiking. It's nothing to be ashamed of.' But critics say the deal is nothing but prostitution and have called for the ad to be taken down. One Weibo user Hsin Tao said: 'If she was taking cash we'd all know what to call her. This is a disgusting way to carry on.'
|
Ju Peng, from Shanghai, posted online ad looking for 'temporary boyfriends'
She said he must be 'good looking, under 30, taller than 1.75m and, rich'
She says each man will fund her transport and expenses and 'be generous'
In return he will have 'chance to show off in company of truly beautiful girl'
She adds: 'It is sort of like hitch-hiking. It's nothing to be ashamed of'
|
110,068 |
19e911dc5d327368bfa9f1dca21e60ce895d0a45
|
A suspect has been taken into custody in connection with a string of random highway shootings that left three people wounded in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. The male suspect has yet to be named as no charges have been filed, police chief Darryl Forte told a press conference on Thursday evening. Police said last week that they had connected 12 shootings since early March that have targeted vehicles on Kansas City-area roads. Scroll down for video . An unnamed suspect has been taken into custody in connection with a string of random highway shootings that left three people wounded in the Kansas City, Missouri, area. Investigators have looked into as many as 20 reported highway shootings as part of their investigation. Three people have been hit with bullets, and their injuries were not life-threatening. No new shooting incidents have taken place since April 6. More details are expected at a press conference on Friday. One woman said she was driving down the road with her three-year-old child when a figure in a ski-mask driving beside her opened fire, narrowly missing the youngster. Witness Tom McFarlane told KMBC-TV: 'I . was just driving down the highway and heard a loud noise. Something hit . the car, didn't know what it was, so I pulled over at my first . opportunity to kind of see if there was any damage and that's when I saw . the bullet hole.' One witness claimed the shooter was wearing a ski-mask and just missed her three-year-old child who also in the car . Kansas City Police and the FBI had been offering a $7,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the unidentified suspect . Most of the shootings were reported in an area in the southern part of Kansas City known as the Grandview Triangle where three interstate highways and U.S. 50 intersect. Local police called in help from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A $7,000 reward had been offered for information leading to the capture of the attacker. The first incident was reported to police on March 8. Luckily, no one was killed but two victims have been hit in the legs and a third received a gunshot wound to the arm. Jenny Baugher said: 'It's really scary to think that somebody is just out here with no regard to what could happen.' Another victim, Ginny Bauer said she was driving a friend home when she was hit by a bullet. 'There wasn't another car in sight and we were in the right lane and hit on the right side," she said . Police in Kansas searching for ballistic evidence in a bid to track down the random shooter who has been targeting motorists since March 8 .
|
Police have an unnamed suspect in custody in relation to at least 12 shootings on Kansas City-area roads .
First incident reported to Kansas City police on March 8 .
State officials had called in the FBI in a bid to track down the gunman .
Gunman wearing a ski-mask fired at a woman narrowly missing her child- in all three people were shot, no one seriously .
He is expected to be charged on Friday .
|
63,429 |
b414366d7e9a533ec14b07b6b49518fe1e898bda
|
(CNN) -- A runaway teen who said her father threatened to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity has been returned from Florida to Ohio, but not yet to her family, her mother's lawyer said Tuesday. Rifqa Bary, 17, is in the custody of Franklin County Children Services while other issues in the case are settled, attorney Roger Weeden said. "We're very happy that Rifqa is back where she should be, close to her parents," Weeden said. "The allegations of abuse and neglect were unfounded. Now some unification can begin." A Florida judge ruled earlier this month in favor of her parents, Mohamed and Aysha Bary, who had requested that their daughter be transferred to Ohio. The teen's attorney, John Stemberger, who leads a Christian advocacy organization, opposed the move. The teen left her family in Columbus, Ohio, in July and took refuge in the home of a minister in Orlando, Florida. She was later moved into foster care after she said in an affidavit that her Muslim father had threatened her after finding out about her conversion. Her father has denied the allegation. Judge Daniel Dawson, in his October 13 decision, said it was in Bary's best interest for her emergency custody case to continue in Ohio. The transfer was delayed until the teen's immigration status was determined. Attorneys for the parents, who are from Sri Lanka, sent her immigration documents to the court within two weeks. Her return to Ohio comes after months of legal wrangling, including the affidavit from the teenager claiming that her father was pressured by the family's mosque in Ohio to "deal with the situation," referring to her conversion. In an earlier court filing, Rifqa Bary alleged that her father said, "If you have this Jesus in your heart, you are dead to me." The teenager claims her father added, "I will kill you." Mohamed Bary, 47, has denied the accusations. "We wouldn't do her harm," he said, saying he knew his daughter was involved with Christian organizations. "I have no problem with her practicing any faith," Bary said, but acknowledged that he prefers that she practice Islam. A report by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement says, "Our investigation has provided no clear evidence of criminal activity." During a Florida court hearing, the teen periodically read a Bible, as did many of her supporters who filled the courtroom. The supporters said they were disappointed by the ruling, but believe Jesus is with Bary no matter where she goes. CNN's John Couwels contributed to this report.
|
Rifqa Bary has returned to Ohio, but she is not back with her family, lawyer says .
Teen ran to Florida, said father threatened her for converting from Islam to Christianity .
Mohamed Bary denies threatening daughter, says he knew about Christian groups .
|
264,004 |
e1ecb65ee4b230cbccb7d94d715ddc04b57b46c6
|
The fashion industry has always treated supermodel Twiggy well... or so she thought until she dug into her family's past. The 1960s beauty icon's great-great grandmother was killed at a clothes sale in 1897, she discovered on the final episode of the latest series of the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? Trying to fight back laughter, Twiggy remarks: 'So the sales got her in the end. Bless her.' Scroll down for video . Twiggy appears on the final episode of the series of the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are, and discovers that her great-great grandmother was killed in a 'crush' at a clothes shop . Twiggy, born Lesley Hornby, delved into her before-unknown family history, uncovering a tale of petty crime and poverty. Her great-great grandmother, Grace Meadows, was punished for counterfeiting coins, after which she decided to live a crime-free life under her maiden name, Gillies, the Telegraph reported. In the BBC One ancestry show, which will be broadcast on October 9, Twiggy gasps as she reads out a report of her ancestor's death. 'Oh my goodness, oh my gosh. 1897, killed at a bargain sale! Oh I shouldn't laugh,' she says. 'An inquest was held on Tuesday respecting the death of Grace Gillies, aged 69, who died during a great crush. 'It was the first day of a great clearance sale and the doors were to be opened at 8 o'clock. She appeared to be ill and on being assisted to a seat said, "I have been beaten this time." 'She went to a sale and she had a heart attack. They say your life flashes, you know, in front of you. She must have thought I got through all my criminal life, got through hard labour, became a respectable landlady, but the sales got her. Oh bless her heart.' The former supermodel was a beauty icon in the 1960s, appearing on the covers of Vogue and Tatler . The programme also shows Twiggy visiting the shop where Grace died. 333-339 Mare Street, in Hackney, east London, was once Messers McIlroys shop, but is now a supermarket. The Vogue and Tatler cover girl also learns that Grace's son, William, was sentenced to hard labour too after finding himself on the wrong side of the law. Despite the hardship and differing lives many of her ancestors endured, Twiggy finds similarities between herself and her long-gone relatives. 'I think what this has shown me is that the women in my family are very strong women. I feel akin to them when I'm learning about them,' she says.
|
1960s beauty icon traced her past on BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?
Twiggy discovered her great-great grandmother was killed at a clothes sale .
Grace Gillies died at after a 'great crush' at a shop in east London in 1897 .
Twiggy remarks that she 'shouldn't laugh' after discovering relative's fate .
|
166,635 |
6378fecde148c8564007a4758eb24605539c21e5
|
Astronomers have been left baffled by the rise and subsequent fall of a huge feature in a sea on Saturn’s moon Titan. In July 2012 a giant feature 100 square miles (260 square kilometres) in area - roughly the area of 58,000 football fields - is seen surfacing from under the liquid before partially disappearing again. No definitive explanation is yet apparent but it could be a surface wave, rising bubbles or even a solid object just below the surface. In this series of images from the Cassini spacecraft the giant object 100 square miles (260 square kilometres) in size is seen rising out of one of Titan's largest seas before disappearing again. In the latest image on the right the object still seems to be partially submerged beneath the surface . The feature was spotted by Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft, which is currently in orbit around the Saturnian system. It was spotted in Ligeia Mare, one of the largest seas on Titan, and was observed by Cassini’s radar experiment. In images from 10 July 2012 to 21 August 2014 the feature is shown rising and then falling below the surface. With its thick atmosphere and organic-rich chemistry, Titan resembles a frozen version of Earth several billion years ago, before life began pumping oxygen into our atmosphere. Because Titan is smaller than Earth, its gravity doesn’t hold onto its gaseous envelope as tightly, so the atmosphere extends 370 miles (595 kilometres) into space. As on Earth, the climate is driven mostly by changes in the amount of sunlight that comes with the seasons, although the seasons on Titan are about seven Earth years long. Titan's ‘water’ is liquid methane, CH4, better known on Earth as natural gas. Regular Earth-water, H2O, would be frozen solid on Titan where the surface temperature is -180°C (-292°F). With Titan's low gravity and dense atmosphere, methane raindrops could grow twice as large as Earth's raindrops. As well as this, they would fall more slowly, drifting down like snowflakes. But scientists think it rains perhaps only every few decades. A comparison image from 26 April 2007 shows how no similar feature was previously spotted in that region. The mysterious feature appears bright in the radar images, suggesting it has a somewhat similar composition to the land nearby in the image. This supports one theory that it may be a solid structure - potentially an island - that surfaced from under the liquid before sinking again for an unknown reason. The dark area in the image is the liquid hydrocarbon sea on Titan’s surface, while the bright area is land. Scientists on the radar team are confident that the feature is not an artifact - or flaw - in their data. They have also ruled out the possibility of it being due to evaporation, as the nearby shoreline has not changed much. Several theories currently exist including surface waves, rising bubbles, floating solids, solids suspended just below the surface or ‘something more exotic’ according to Nasa. When asked for further comment by MailOnline the agency was yet to respond. Speaking to MailOnline Professor of Planetary Plasma Physics Emma Bunce from the University of Leicester, who also works on the Cassini mission, said it may have been some sort of iceberg akin to something we see on Earth. ‘It could be something floating that sunk and came back to the surface,’ she says. ‘I was thinking almost like an iceberg, similar to something in Earth’s oceans.’ But she doesn’t rule out the possibility of it being some sort of giant bubble, or even surface waves. She goes on to explain that the feature may have arisen due to the change in season at Saturn. The first image in 2007 was taken ‘around Saturn equinox [when the sun is above the equator], and then the latest image is now heading towards northern summer solstice on Saturn. ‘That’s sort of an ongoing theme for a lot of the Cassini results; a lot of things depend on the season at Saturn as it moves in orbit. ‘Because this lake itself is actually near to Titan’s northern pole, perhaps it is something to do with illumination conditions.' A comparison image from 26 April 2007 (left) shows how no similar feature was previously spotted in that region. The feature was spotted by Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft, which is currently in orbit around the Saturnian system. On the right is an image of Titan in orbit around Saturn . The feature was spotted in Ligeia Mare (shown), one of the largest seas on Titan, and was observed by Cassini’s radar experiment. Several theories currently exist including surface waves, rising bubbles, floating solids, solids suspended just below the surface or ‘something more exotic’ according to Nasa . The appearance of the feature may also be due to changing seasons on Titan, with summer drawing near in the moon’s northern hemisphere. Monitoring these changes is a major goal of Cassini’s current extended mission. ‘Science loves a mystery, and with this enigmatic feature, we have a thrilling example of ongoing change on Titan,’ said Dr Stephen Wall, the deputy team lead of Cassini's radar team, based at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. ‘We're hopeful that we'll be able to continue watching the changes unfold and gain insights about what's going on in that alien sea.’ It's not just Titan that is thought to have an active surface; earlier this month scientists found the first sign of geologic activity on a solar system world other than Earth - Europa. Experts from the University of Idaho and the Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, say Europa could be more Earth-like than experts imagined. The latest find appears to solve a puzzle that has perplexed planetary scientists. It shows where old crust was destroyed and how the icy crust is expanding. Many parts of Europa’s surface show evidence of extension, where wide bands - up to tens of miles wide - formed as the surface ripped apart, and fresh icy material from the underlying shell moved into the newly created gap, a process akin to terrestrial seafloor spreading, according to the study published in the journal Nature Geoscience. Europa’s surface is considered to be relatively young at between 40 and 90 millions of years old, which can perhaps now be explained by plate tectonics. It has been a decade since Cassini entered orbit around Saturn (illustration shown). In June the Cassini mission celebrated 10 years of exploring the planet, its rings and moons. It arrived for a four-year mission but has since been continuously extended, although it will almost certainly end in 2017 .
|
Astronomers at Nasa in California have been left baffled by the appearance of a huge feature in one of Titan's largest seas .
The massive object appeared in July 2012 before disappearing beneath the surface again in August 2014 .
There is no favoured explanation although it could be a rising land mass .
It has a similar colour to nearby land which favours that theory .
But it could also be rising bubbles or 'something more exotic'
The feature is thought to be indicative of Titan's changing seasons .
Monitoring this change is one of the key goals of Nasa's Cassini spacecraft that is currently in orbit in the Saturnian system .
|
85,848 |
f37267f18b58e1594d146b8b83d5ca46d8cabd95
|
A plucky parakeet is lucky to be alive - after being sucked up into her owner's vacuum cleaner. Birdie thought she'd found the perfect hiding place to lay an egg when she crawled inside her owner Marie Margarone's vacuum cleaner at her home in Milton, Massachusetts, on February 23. But the eight-year-old ended up being violently drawn up into and thrown around the canister of a hoover after Ms Margarone went to do some spring cleaning and switched on the appliance. Operation: A plucky parakeet was saved by vets after being sucked into a vacuum cleaner . Dangerous: The bird had crawled inside her owner Marie Margarone's vacuum cleaner at her home in Milton, Massachusetts . With Birdie struggling to survive, a horrified Margarone rushed her to Angell's Animal Medical Center in Boston. She said: ‘All of a sudden I heard a noise - I looked in where the air comes out and I saw feathers. I shut it off immediately and knew something had terribly gone wrong. ‘I was convinced Birdie wouldn't make it. But she's a member of my family just as my other pets are, and I wanted to do everything I could to help her.’ Badly hurt: Birdie had suffered severe blood loss and a badly fractured wing, of which 25 per cent had to be amputated during a touch-and-go hour-long operation . Vets were shocked to see Birdie had suffered severe blood loss and a badly fractured wing, of which 25 per cent had to be amputated during a touch-and-go hour-long operation. But, after making an astounding recovery, the battered bird returned home almost a week later. Ms Margarone said her pet could no longer fly, but was just relieved she had survived. She added: ‘I'm thrilled to have her back in our home where she belongs, and obviously we'll ensure she stays well clear of the vacuum from here on out.’ Thankful: The poor parakeet can't fly anymore, but its owner is just glad she is alive . Colourful characters: Parakeets are popular pets (file picture)
|
A parakeet thought her owner's vacuum cleaner would make a perfect nest .
However, she suffered terrible injuries when the machine was turned on .
Owner Marie Margarone from Massachusetts rushed the bird to a vet .
The parakeet was deemed lucky to survive after a touch-and-go operation .
|
45,366 |
7fd9e0968bd72d9f6a29534a88eb92628d458a82
|
A woman who stopped eating after being bullied over the size of her breasts is to be the face of a new campaign against mental health stigma. So traumatised by repeated bullying about her large bust, Leanne McKillop, now 31, began to diet, which quickly spiraled into anorexia, resulting in her being admitted to hospital three times as the disease took over her life and left her dangerously ill. Now Leanne, from Greenock, in Scotland, has chosen to co-front a push by campaign group 'See Me', a Scotland-wide bid to end mental health stigma and discrimination, managed by the Mental Health Foundation and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH). Scroll down for video . Leanne was once so unwell with anorexia, she had to be -hospitalised three times and became dangerously ill . Leanne is speaking about her story to help others and encouraging people to join the See Me campaign . Leanne said the stigma she faced when she had the eating disorder led to her 'questioning herself as a person'. She said that people would tell her that all she had to do was 'pick up a fork' and by not eating she was 'hurting' her family. When boys at school began to tease Leanne about her big breasts, she stopped eating in a bid to shrink her 34E chest, but soon found herself unable to stop dieting and in the grip of anorexia. At her lowest ebb, Leanne weighed just 4st 7lb and told by doctors to eat or risk dying. After seeing anorexia claim the lives of two friends, Leanne turned the corner with the help of rehab clinic The Priory. Her experiences prompted her to take part in the new campaign will be launched in Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall on October 28. Leanne is speaking about her story to help others and is encouraging people to join the See Me campaign. She said: 'It only takes one person to change someone else's actions and that can have a knock-on affect.' Miss McKillop (pictured at 17) was teased at school about the size of her breasts and became depressed . At her lowest ebb, Leanne weighed just 4st 7lb and told by doctors to eat or risk dying . See Me says nine out of ten people with mental health problems still suffer from stigma or discrimination in work, education, health care and at home. See Me programme director Judith Robertson, said: 'We are launching a campaign which signals the end of a culture in Scotland that actively discriminates against people with mental health problems, stigmatising them and their families. 'Everyone has mental health and we can all be hit by mental ill-health. But we each have the power to make a positive difference in the lives of our families, friends and colleagues when they are affected by mental health problems. Leanne said the stigma she faced when she had the eating disorder led to her 'questioning herself as a person' 'See Me, our partners, allies and supporters are building a movement which will bring people together from all over the country and encourage them to challenge discrimination at its roots. 'Our goal is equality that ensures people with mental health problems have the same opportunities as others to lead a fulfilled life.' The campaign also fronted by businessman Richard Monaghan who was in charge of 2000 employees across two companies when he had a breakdown . Co-fronting the campaign with Leanne is Richard Monaghan, who was a senior director in the rail industry, in charge of 2000 employees across two companies when he had a breakdown. Mr Monaghan, 61, from Moffat, Dumfriesshire, said the discrimination he faced had been 'horrendous'. He said: 'When I was a senior director I was constantly being contacted, as soon as it was revealed I had a break down from depression all communication with me stopped. 'People avoided having conversations with me, it was quite dreadful.' On one occasion a job centre worker told him there was ;no point' in continuing with an interview after he broke down in tears in front of 70 people. He said the stigma of his depression left him feeling 'worthless, alone and frightened'. See Me said that two out of three people with mental health problems actually stop some day to day activities because of the fear of stigma. The programme, to end mental health stigma and discrimination, want people to take action, which collectively will give a united and powerful voice to change negative behaviour. The action could range from directly challenging someone they see discriminating, to supporting someone who is struggling due to a mental health problem. With one in four people likely to experience a mental health problem every year, the new campaign is calling on the other three in four to be there to help. The true medical toll of the hundreds of young people who suffer from eating disorders has been revealed . The true medical toll of the hundreds of young people who suffer from eating disorders has been revealed in new figures released by the NHS - showing the problem could be four times as big as first thought. NHS hospitals have seen a sharp rise in the number of patients seen for conditions such as anorexia and bulimia in recent years. But new statistics show patients who suffer from an eating disorder are frequently treated at hospital for a life-threatening condition linked to their illness - rather than the eating disorder itself. For every patient seen in hospital for direct treatment of their eating disorder another three such patients are given appointments for ailments linked to their anorexia or bulimia. It means hospitals are treating hundreds of eating disorder patients for critical blood disorders, poisoning with prescription and over-the-counter medicines as well as severe stomach pains and vomiting. The full extent of the health problems associated with eating disorders comes after the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) revealed more details on the hospital records of eating disorder patients. In the document it shows that last year there were 3,127 occasions where people were treated in hospital where physicians logged the patient's main illness as an eating disorder. But there were also another 8,661 sessions in hospitals where doctors recorded a person suffering from such an illness being treated for a different but critical medical ailment. It means that every day of the year around 30 people get so sick because of their eating disorder that they need hospital treatment. Experts think even this figure is a vast underestimate of the number of people suffering from eating disorders as it is only when things tend to become desperate that these patients are treated in hospital. Other than being treated directly for their eating disorder the other most common ailments that these patients were treated for in the last year were: . 1. Chemical imbalance of the blood - 762 . 2. Accidental or deliberate poisoning by painkillers - 657 . 3. Mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol - 304 . 4. Pain in the stomach and pelvic area - 304 . 5. Accidental or deliberate poisoning by psychiatric medicines - 252 . 6. Personality disorders - 176 . 7. Insulin-dependent diabetes - 167 . Patients who suffer from an eating disorder are frequently treated at hospital for a life-threatening condition linked to their illness . 8. Accidental or deliberate poisoning by tranquilizers - 162 . 9. Nausea and vomiting - 138 . 10. Other diseases of the digestive system - 127 . Separate NHS figures show that women aged 15 to 19 are the group most likely to receive hospital care for their eating disorders - with appointment for women outstripping men by ten to one. A spokesman for the eating disorder charity Beat, said: 'Eating disorders are psychological illnesses with physical consequences and certainly we know that where an individual has an eating disorder as well as diabetes that these two conditions must be treated together. Similarly a personality disorder should also be treated alongside the eating disorder. 'Those hospitalised with an eating disorder diagnosis are very much the tip of the iceberg - there are many hundreds of thousands of others who are awaiting treatment or not had the courage to seek it. 'Early diagnosis and quick access to treatment is crucial when treating an eating disorder which has the highest mortality rate of any psychological illness.'
|
Leanne developed anorexia after being bullied over her large bust .
At lowest was 4st 7lb and admitted to hospital 3 times before recovering .
Has chosen to co-front a push by campaign group 'See Me'
The Scottish campaign aims to end discrimination against mental illness .
Leanne says stigma she faced made her 'questioning herself as a person'
Campaign also fronted by businessman Richard Monaghan .
He was charge of 2000 employees when he suffered a breakdown .
Describes the stigma and discrimination he faced as 'horrendous'
|
188,281 |
7fd09715125c9aed2b58a22f497506990bf93d75
|
This is the giant festive treat that combines a burger with an entire Christmas dinner. The monster creation features a 14oz beef burger, 10oz of smoked turkey, two bacon-wrapped chipolatas, homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy, sandwiched between a brioche roll and served with a side of chips. The 2,000-calorie Feast On A Beast is the brainchild of Eddy and Kate Weights who run the Brass Pig Barbecue Cafe in Southport, Merseyside. Scroll down for video . Eddy Weights and his wife Kate's festive burger is on the menu at their restaurant Brass Pig Barbecue Cafe . The Feast on a Beast burger contains a 14oz beef patty, 10oz of smoked turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy sandwiched between a brioche bun and topped with two pigs in blankets . The £12 burger is part of their festive menu, which also features the 'ultimate pig in a blanket dish'. The other highlight is a 1,600-calorie, £7 deep-fried seven-inch hot dog wrapped in bacon, with stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce on top. The couple, who have been married for 18 months, opened the restaurant in September and are well-known in the area for their epic meat dishes. Mr Weights said: 'We opened up here more than three months ago now and we're determined to make dishes that customers will remember. 'The Feast on a Beast was something we came up with when planning ahead for Christmas. The terrible twins of Christmas dinner: Pig in a Blanket hot dog (left) and Feast on a Beast burger (right) The couple has gone all out with the festive celebration and serve whipped cream-laden hot chocolate . 'It's completely home-made and features all of the typical Christmas dinner foods including turkey and pigs in blankets along with an enormous juicy beef burger. 'Burgers are probably the most popular dish here so we decided to get festive and it's proving to be a real hit. 'The hot dog is more of a twist on pigs in blankets and is definitely suited to those with a slightly smaller appetite. Wacky creation: The Sunday Beast burger has a beef patty, onion ring and Yorkshire pudding with gravy . Pig in a Blanket hot dog is a seven-inch battered, bacon-wrapped sausage served with cranberry sauce . Former bartender Mr Weights and his wife are calling on customers to try something different this Christmas . Feast on a Beast ingredients: . 14oz beef burger . 10oz of turkey . 2 pigs in blankets . Stuffing . Cranberry sauce . Gravy . Pig in a Blanket hot dog ingredients: . 7-inch battered sausage wrapped in bacon . Stuffing . Cranberry sauce . Gravy . 'It probably is the ultimate pig in a blanket with a festive twist - what more could anyone ask for?' The former bartender and his wife Kate, 31, are calling on customers to ditch the mince pies and tackle their tasty Christmas treats. Eddy said: 'We're always open to suggestions from customers - especially when it comes to themed burgers like this one. 'Nothing beats proper home cooked food so having these sort of dishes combined is always very well received. 'We've got a load of bookings at the restaurant for the run up to Christmas so I'm pretty confident that we'll be selling loads of them in the next few weeks. 'It's brilliant because we're quite well-known in the area so hopefully we can keep coming up with more spectacular ideas.' The restaurant has served a roast beef burger in the past.
|
Feast On A Beast brainchild of restaurant owners Eddy and Kate Weights .
Festive burger on Brass Pig Barbecue Cafe menu, Southport, Merseyside .
Pig in a Blanket dish suitable for those with a 'slightly smaller appetite'
|
200,396 |
8f6662f289ac65b7f6012a56fdc1490914827248
|
(CNN) -- To erase some of the emotional scars left behind from the December shooting massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, an advisory board wants the building torn down and replaced. The Sandy Hook Task Force voted unanimously late Friday to recommend to the Newtown, Connecticut, board of education to build a new school on the site of the existing building. Adam Lanza burst into the Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012 armed with a semiautomatic Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle and two handguns. He opened fire killing 26 people, 20 of them children, before taking his own life. Gunmaker says new law forcing it to leave Connecticut . He had previously shot his mother, Nancy Lanza, to death in their home, police said. She was a gun enthusiast, who kept a collection of guns, including assault rifles, in a lock box in her basement. Adam Lanza had a gun safe in his room, an investigation revealed. The shooting reignited a national debate on gun control and the possibility of legal restrictions on assault rifles. Newtown shooting details revealed in newly released documents . Students from Sandy Hook now attend Chalk Hill Middle School in the nearby town of Monroe. Part of the building was transformed to resemble an elementary school, and security was increased by adding new locks and surveillance cameras, a school official has said. The school also enlisted the help of a comfort dog for the school children to bond with. Sandy Hook's task force had considered other alternatives, such as renovating the existing building or building a new school on a different site. Its recommendation must be approved by the school board then by a vote in a popular referendum, before the plans can be carried out. Connecticut governor signs sweeping gun measure . CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report .
|
All 28 members of the Sandy Hook Task Force supported the recommendation .
Adam Lanza burst into the Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14 .
He is accused of shooting at least 26 people at the school before killing himself .
|
48,153 |
87ef7a6e98850fc490acc0b0c144aecbca5fe5c9
|
LONDON (CNN) -- The latest video from Somalia's al Qaeda-backed Al-Shabaab wing is as slickly produced as a reality TV show but with a startling message -- complete with a hip-hop jihad vibe. Experts think Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, dubbed "The American" by al Qaeda, speaks in the Somali video. "Mortar by mortar, shell by shell, only going to stop when I send them to hell," the unidentified voice raps on the video, which runs at least 18 minutes. The video also shows a man reported to be Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, dubbed "The American" by al Qaeda. He apparently is now in Somalia training and counseling Somalis from North America and Europe. He speaks in American English. "Away from your family, away from our friends, away from ice, candy bars, all those things is because we're waiting to meet the enemy," says the man believed to be al-Amriki. Watch part of the video » . Intelligence experts say the video was probably made in recent weeks and comes on the heels of an audio message in March purportedly from Osama bin Laden. In that recording, the al Qaeda leader calls on his "Muslim brothers in Mujahid Somalia" to overthrow President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed for cooperating with the West. Al-Shabaab is the militant Islamic wing in Somalia. It means "Youth" in Arabic. "We're seeing perhaps their most sophisticated attempt so far to really reach an audience of potential recruits in America, and that's one of the things that made that video very significant," said Ben Venzke of the IntelCenter, a Washington-based research group that tracks al Qaeda's development and messages. "They're casting it in a way that's going to speak to the youth of today," Venzke said. "Most of the time, what we're seeing in their videos directly parallels what the groups are doing operationally, what they are targeting, where they're recruiting." Sheik Ahmed Matan knows that firsthand. A respected member of Britain's Somali community, Matan said he knows of hundreds of young Somali men who have returned to Somalia for terrorist training. "A lot of young people from here, from America, from Canada, from everywhere from Europe -- they went there," he said. He added that these men are capable of being sent back home to conduct terrorist operations, even suicide bombings. "It can be, they can train anytime and send them here, anytime," Matan said. Somalis from North America and Europe are beginning to come to terms with the problem of recruitment, he said. The United States and British governments say Somalia is an emerging terror hot spot, which could pose a threat beyond its borders. Matan said he often challenges "recruiters" at mosques and elsewhere in Britain, demanding that they stop brainwashing younger Somalis about Islam. He said the government should play a greater role in monitoring what is said and done at these mosques -- but, he concedes, doing so has proved highly controversial in Britain and throughout Europe. There is some evidence that al Qaeda is successfully preying on some of those with Western backgrounds. One of them was a business student from London who suddenly left for Somalia. He surfaced about 18 months ago on a martyrdom video, just before blowing himself up in southern Somalia, killing at least 20 people, officials say. U.S. Defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said months ago that one of their worst nightmares would be al Qaeda operating freely in Somalia. Now that nightmare continues, with Somalis in North America and Europe admitting that al Qaeda's reach is spreading. Venzke said Al-Shabaab has put out more videos than ever before in the past year. "If that's what they're doing publicly, we can only assume how their operations have developed," he said.
|
Al Qaeda's Somali arm has hip-hop jihad rap and message from "American"
Intel expert says group is trying "to reach audience of potential recruits in America"
Video comes on the heels of purported bin Laden message on Somalia .
|
63,740 |
b4fee59ac816f2d4d2eefabceb4a0f4809568e69
|
(EW.com) -- If anything can make you long for the hang-loose 1970s, it's the prospect of looking for love in an era when dating is governed by more regimented thinking than the old Soviet Union. First came "The Rules," which said that the best way for women to nab a mate was by refusing to give it up (basically the code of the 1950s). Then came "The Game," which said that if women are playing by "The Rules," then the only way for men to push past those defenses is to pretend to be even bigger cads than they are (which, according to the theory, secretly flatters women by tapping their desire to tame the male animal). Then came Steve Harvey's "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man," which funneled "The Rules" and "The Game" into one book by explaining to women all the ways that men are trying to outthink them. Romantics of the world, do your heads hurt yet? "Think Like a Man," an amorous ensemble comedy based on Harvey's 2009 best-seller, follows a dozen mostly African-American men and women as they attempt to navigate the brave new world of love by the book. The movie, which is very sitcom-setup-driven (it's "The Best Man" meets "Valentine's Day"), introduces its embattled pairings with titles like ''The Non-Committer vs. The Girl Who Wants the Ring'' and ''The Dreamer vs. The Woman Who Is Her Own Man.'' For a while, the cookie-cutter behavioral tics are funny in an overly broad way, even if the dialogue is basically stand-up patter turned into glib, fast conversation. And the actors make good company. I especially liked Romany Malco as the velvet-smooth player Zeke; Meagan Good as the spiky Mya, who finds it hard to stick to her dating-war codes; and Kevin Hart as the hilariously raging Cedric, who can't stop jabbering about the divorce he only thinks he wants. Yet "Think Like a Man" is so busy tracking courtship as if it were a science project that the bite-size love stories lack spontaneity. When the women first get hold of Harvey's book, the manipulations that ensue are fun. When the men read the book and try to out-psych the women, the film should grow ever foxier in its complications -- but instead it comes down to a bunch of horndogs pretending to be chivalrous, which is repetitive and kind of soggy. That's the downside of staging a romantic comedy by the rules. B- . See the full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
|
"Think Like a Man," is an amorous ensemble comedy based on Harvey's 2009 best-seller .
Kevin Hart is the hilariously raging Cedric, who can't stop jabbering about the divorce he only thinks he wants .
It comes down to a bunch of horndogs pretending to be chivalrous .
|
278,145 |
f45538c9e5315b46520c1fa29736fb56418b7ec1
|
By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 12:15 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:41 EST, 31 July 2013 . This is the moment a council street sweeper caused up to £10,000 of damage after crashing into a 190-year-old Grade II listed hotel which had survived a World War Two bombing raid. The portico at the Lowther Hotel in Goole, East Yorkshire, had managed to remain unscathed since it was built in 1824. But it was shunted out of position by the street sweeper as it attempted to make its way through a gap between the pillar and a 4x4 car. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Damage: The street cleaner damaged the portico at the Lowther Hotel in Goole, while trying to fit through this gap . Tight fit: The street cleaner appears to be too large to get through the gap as it makes contact with the portico . Too close for comfort: The pillar twists out of position as the street cleaner makes its way past . On its way: The street sweeper appears to continue on its journey after damaging the pillar . A structural engineer has now estimated the cost of fixing the damage to be between £5,000 and £10,000. East Riding of Yorkshire Council has since apologised to the hotel following the incident last Thursday. Hotel manager Rik Duckworth, 27, said: 'I looked at the CCTV and I was amazed at what I was seeing and I didn't know whether to be angry, upset or just laugh. 'If the sweeper would have twisted the pillar by another three inches, the full portico could have collapsed and crushed anything in its path. 'The incident was not brought to our attention for another 40 minutes, and we had around 50 guests arriving for breakfast meetings walking under the entrance. It could have been catastrophic. 'I had a phone call from a member of staff saying that the portico had been twisted, and I thought they were joking at first. Expensive: A structural engineer has estimated it could cost between £5,000 and £10,000 to fix the damage . Apology: East Riding of Yorkshire Council has since apologised to the hotel following the incident last Thursday . Historic: The Grade II listed hotel was built in 1824 and survived a World War Two bombing raid . 'I phoned the police who cordoned off the area and I looked through the CCTV to find it was a road sweeper. 'I was angry to see that the sweeper had just driven off without any apology given at the time. There must have been some force and power behind the sweeper to cause the pillar to twist.' The Lowther was bought by Mr Duckworth's parents Howard and Julie in 2008. Business: The parents of hotel manager Rik Duckworth (pictured) bought the building in 2008 and have since ploughed £2m and three years' work into restoring it . They have since ploughed £2m and three years work into restoring the hotel. But plans to install a £1.5m 400-seater extension in about 18 months have now been put on hold following the incident. Mr Duckworth has said with the hotel looking at months of repair work, planned weddings at the site have been put in jeopardy. He said: 'The entrance to the hotel is one of the main draws to it, as we recreated the luxurious Georgian feel of the place with our investment. 'I have weddings booked in August and now a lot of the photos and their overall day experience is now going to be spoilt by this incident. 'The hotel has been up for a very long time and we were bombed by Zeppelin on August 9, 1915, and it blew out all the windows, but it has taken a bit of modern technology to cause this. 'We want to get this fixed as soon as we possibly can but we're waiting for the report from the structural engineer first. The hotel is currently covered in scaffolding and it looks like a building site rather than a place to stay.' Stonemason experts who have worked at York Minster have been brought in to assess the damage. The street sweeper was operated by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which has said the matter is with its insurance company. The authority apologised in a statement for what it called 'a regrettable incident'. The council said: 'The authority's building control officers have been sent to Goole to inspect the damage and help ensure public safety, and we will work closely with the hotel to rectify the situation as soon as possible.'
|
Council has apologised after street sweeper crashes into 190-year-old hotel .
Portico at Lowther Hotel, in Goole, was shunted out of position by sweeper .
Has been estimated the damage will cost up to £10,000 to fix .
|
229,966 |
b5cb804122a87b7c56a5d1df7f041b8942d1f82b
|
By . Leon Watson . He loves beer, red wine, headbanging to Status Quo and kicked out his girlfriend because they kept arguing but this Jack the Lad is a parrot. Six-year-old blue and gold macaw Jack loves popping down to his local pub for a pint of best and once got so drunk on Rioja he fell off his perch. But he is at his happiest when he's rocking out and squawking all over the world to his favourite band Status Quo. Scroll down for video . Jack the parrot loves popping down to his local for a pint of best and once got so drunk on Rioja he fell off his perch . Owner Norie MacKinnon, of East Kilbride, Scotland, said: 'He loves Quo. He headbangs to them all the time. They're his favourite band. 'It's hilarious when he gets going, his bangs his head back and forward in time with the music. He even tries to sing along to songs like Whatever You Want but it just comes out as a squawk. 'He likes other music - he's quite keen on Billy Idol and he likes a bit of jazz - but Status Quo are far and away his favourite.' Mr MacKinnon, 54, an A&E nurse at Hairmyres Hospital, bought his pet for £1,500 from a friend six years ago. Norrie KcKinnon, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, out for a pint and a pie with his pet parrot Jack who he takes with him wherever he goes . Jack's not much for conversation but he does say 'geez a kiss' and 'where's my boy?' Jack is at his happiest when he's rocking out and squawking all over the world to his favourite band Status Quo . Jack was only three months old at the time but his friend's wife didn't like him. Father-of-one Norie said: 'He's named after Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and he is a right Jack the lad. 'A couple of years ago I bought a mate for him, a female blue and gold macaw called Cheeky, but he couldn't stand her so she had to go. I think she cramped his style.' Who's a tipsy boy then? Jack loves beer, red wine, headbanging to Status Quo and kicked out his girlfriend because they kept arguing . When Jack's had enough of his owner's company he screeches 'night night' Jack's not much for conversation but he does say 'geez a kiss' and 'where's my boy?' and when he's had enough of his owner's company he screeches 'night night'. He regularly accompanies Mr MacKinnon to his local pub, the Stewartfield Farm in East Kilbride, where he enjoys sipping away at a pint of Caledonian Best. Mr MacKinnon said: 'He loves his beer and red wine. But one night at home I heard a clunk and turned round to see he'd fallen off his perch. He'd had too much wine. 'Nowadays I buy him a pint down the pub and he just takes a few sips out of it. 'He's a great character and a great companion. I love Status Quo too so we rock out together.'
|
Jack the gold macaw loves popping down to his local for a pint of best .
But he is at his happiest listening to his favourite band Status Quo .
Owner Norie MacKinnon, of East Kilbride, Scotland, says: 'It's hilarious'
|
272,312 |
ecb7e51741b3f669fcc718b63cee5b9bac849783
|
(CNN) -- From elephants getting pedicures to hipsters holding their own Olympics, here's a look at some recent stories from CNN's affiliates around the world that are interesting, unique or just plain bizarre. Half-a-billion dollar drug bust . In Australia, police have busted a major drug ring, seizing half a billion dollars' worth of crystal methamphetamine and heroin stuffed into terra cotta pots, Nine Network reports. More than 674 pounds of meth and 555 pounds of heroin were seized as part of an operation that began a year ago when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration tipped off officials in Australia. See some of the haul in the video above. Elephants get pedicures . Zookeepers at the Hongshan Forest Zoo in east China used a 2-foot-long file to give elephants there a pedicure. And they fed them apples while they got pampered! But the pedis weren't for beauty, as the CCTV report explains. Zookeepers say elephants' toenails wear down when they live in the wild, but because they don't have to travel long distances in captivity, their nails grow fast and need to be maintained to prevent bacteria infections. Watch more of the pedicures in the video above. Humans aren't the only ones that need a little spoiling sometimes. Germans compete in hipster Olympics . Some hipsters in Germany take cool to a whole other level. They're so cool, they have Olympics to prove it. Dozens of people turned out for the second annual "Hipster Olympics," in the capital, Berlin. About 2,500 people gathered to watch the hipsters compete. Watch more in the video above or check out a few hipsters competing at RBB. Dog comforts kitten . Who said cats and dogs can't get along? A kitten and dog in Sorbara, Italy, groom each other as they hang out on the sidewalk. Watch more of the creature comforts in the video above, from TM News. Yellow River floods . The Yellow River, the second largest river in China, recently reached a third flood crest, CCTV reports. Torrential rains drove up the water level, the river's largest water flow since 1989. Typhoons Saola and Damrey will likely bring more rainfall to the lower and middle parts of the river. The Yellow River is also known as "China's Sorrow," because of its frequent flooding that devastates surrounding areas. Watch more of the floods in the video above.
|
Check out some interesting or just plain bizarre stories from around the world .
They range from rising flood waters in China to more creature comforts in Italy .
|
273,883 |
eec5096150de69993ccd5d146ae2f1aa2a4e079d
|
Should Ross Barkley start for England at the World Cup? Wayne Rooney dominates the headlines. After a rusty display against Peru, followed by Roy Hodgson’s decision to use him out wide against Ecuador, a debate has started: will he — or won’t he — start alongside Daniel Sturridge when Italy stand in front of England in Manaus? Even if Rooney was on top form, I wouldn’t play him in the second striker’s position. It’s a supporting role to Sturridge but, more importantly, it includes the job of nullifying Andrea Pirlo. Rooney was given that task in the Euro 2012 quarter-final, alongside Andy Carroll, and could not lay a glove on the veteran playmaker. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Fabregas denied superb lob by last-gasp Pique clearance . Side by side: But what roles will Wayne Rooney (left) and Daniel Sturridge fill for England? People talk about Rooney’s best role being off the front, but I’ve never gone along with that theory. Of course, he can do it. He’s done it to great effect for club and country over the years, but when I think of the best I’ve seen Rooney, it was the 2009-10 season. Then, he scored 34 goals and won the PFA Player of the Year award as an out-and-out striker. Don’t forget, Sir Alex Ferguson used Danny Welbeck as a second striker, rather than Rooney, to stop Xabi Alonso against Real Madrid in the Champions League the season before last. Alonso is Madrid’s Pirlo. It’s not a . matter of a lack of workrate from Wayne. In fact, I think he actually . works too hard at times. And I’m not jumping on the ‘drop Rooney’ bandwagon either, but for tactical reasons I’d rather see a midfielder . being asked to pester Pirlo. Trophy boy: Rooney scooped the PFA Players Player of the Year Award in 2010 after scoring 34 goals . Having Adam Lallana, say, or Ross Barkley in there, with a midfielder’s mentality, would be more solid than having a striker dropping off from deeper. They would normally have Pirlo in front of them so they can see him — Rooney would be checking over his shoulder — and both have the ability to run past the Italian. Don’t forget, also, that the gifted young Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti will also be looking to cause problems for England. Neither he nor Pirlo can be given space to create. A striker will, at times, be 20 to 30 yards away from Pirlo with a lot of ground to make up — and has Wayne got enough fitness to do that job in these conditions? Chasing shadows: Rooney couldn't get near Italy's Andrea Pirlo in Euro 2012 . It may seem harsh when Rooney is the fifth highest goalscorer in England’s history after he scored against Ecuador in Miami, along with six goals in eight games in the qualifying programme, but Sturridge is currently the best option to play at centre forward. That means Wayne has to play wide. This, though, does not mean he is filling a limited, defensive role. Quite the opposite, in fact. He would be asked to attack from the left, like Luis Suarez does for Uruguay. There is a big difference with that job compared to a left midfielder. Talk has been about Sturridge and Rooney creating a partnership similar to the Liverpool pairing of Sturridge and Suarez. I’ve watched them a lot this season and they have been lethal with their goals in the Barclays Premier League, but I wouldn’t say there was great chemistry between them. Making history: Rooney's goal against Ecuador moved him up to fifth in the all-time England scoring charts . In the mix: Ross Barkley (left) should be deployed to thwart the inspirational Pirlo . They are two top strikers, but it is too simplistic to say they played as a pair all season. When Liverpool used a back three and a diamond formation, both systems give you the numbers in the centre of the park and allow you to play a front two. The diamond would be my choice against Italy, with Rooney and Sturridge supported by Barkley or Lallana to choke the space around Pirlo. I doubt Raheem Sterling will be included, given that he has played so little in the warm-up games. But it looks like Roy will deploy two sitting midfielders with three supporting a single striker (Sturridge) in a 4-2-3-1 system. Another question for the management would be: do they believe Rooney and Sturridge can complete those three group games in nine days and in these conditions? I don’t believe they can. Centre stage: Liverpool star Sturridge is set to spearhead England's attack in Brazil . Having worked with Daniel, he is prone to a niggle between games and that could mean missing vital tactical sessions or missing the next game. Rooney has been criticised for his performances in tournaments since Portugal 2004. I don’t think his ability is in question, more his adaptability to play in those conditions at the end of a season. There have been plenty of times when I’ve seen him looking shattered as we’ve struggled to keep the ball, and he’s chasing shadows. With three games in quick succession, what would Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger do at club level towards the end of a season? They would rotate. We never do it, as there’s a fear that if it goes wrong, the manager will be hung out to dry. But the manager needs to make bold decisions. Plenty to ponder: Roy Hodgson must decide where best to use Rooney . Rooney and Sturridge with Welbeck as a front three gives versatility and unpredictability. They can all play from the flanks or through the middle, so there can be lots of interchanging, which would mean Italy could never relax. Rooney and Sturridge are two of the best players in the squad and I have no doubt they could be dangerous as a pair, but in the biggest games against top opposition I don’t think there’s room for both through the middle. Roy has a reputation for playing it safe but I feel this tournament is about being brave with selection and changes from the bench.
|
Liverpool star Sturridge should spearhead England's attack .
Rooney should play out wide - not in second striker's position .
Manchester United forward could not lay a glove on Italy's Andrea Pirlo .
|
265,974 |
e484b568bcd0cc8daba2c3c92ffffccfba68c123
|
By . Ryan Gorman . Three men dressed as ninjas were caught Wednesday on surveillance restraining the owner of a multimillion-dollar home while they stole valuables. Bill Kitchen, 65, and Camil Espinel, 42, were tied up in his $4.5million home while the disguised thieves ransacked the home for nearly an hour. Neither was harmed during the ordeal, but one of their cars was stolen. The pair was first accosted by the two men in the home’s garage and then led inside by the three men holding weapons, police told WFTV. The robbers demanded money, jewelry and other valuables. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Brazen: Kitchen stands tied up in one of the home's rooms while a robber wears one of Espinel's hats and looks right at the security camera . A photo from the surveillance footage shows Kitchen tied up in what appears to be a home office while one of the crooks wears one of Espinel’s hats. ‘Our home security shows me (hands bound behind me) in the office, pointing out the valuables. Camilo is sitting, also bound, with his head in a pillow case,’ Kitchen wrote Facebook. ‘One of the three robbers (in black Ninja suits) found Camilo's hat, and is wearing it. In the second pic, the robber sees the video camera.’ A MailOnline attempt to obtain a list of stolen items and the weapons used from Windermere Police was not successful. Held up: Bill Kitchen (left) and Camilo Espinel (right) were tied up but not harmed during the robbery . ‘We were asked to produce all money, jewelry and valuables,’ he wrote in the post. ‘For an hour they ransacked the house.’ The trio then made off in one a car owned by one of the bound men, Kitchen added. ‘It's very scary. I'm hoping that it was an isolated incident like they're saying it was and that it wasn't random and that we have nothing to worry about,’ neighbour DeeDee Lee told WKMG. Police also have not said what make or model car was taken, but did note it was found nearby. Mansion: Kitchen's home is estimated to be worth just under $4.6million . Luxurious: The kitchen of the home in an exclusive community that Tiger Woods and ex-wife Elin Nordegren once called home . Wealthy: Kitchen earned his millions running a roller coaster design company he founded, the waterfront backyard is pictured here . An oasis: The lavish waterfront property even has a sea plane . ‘Although this is frightening to happen in our community, I believe this to be an isolated incident, said police chief David Ogden. Kitchen’s wealth comes from founding a roller coaster design company based in Orlando, according to various reports. The pillaged home is worth just under $4.6million, according to Zillow. He has not spoken publicly about the incident, but his son released a statement to WESH saying ‘he is holding up quite well considering the circumstances.’ Windermere is the exclusive community where golfer Tiger Woods and ex-wife Elin Nordegren once lived prior to their divorce. The investigation remains ongoing.
|
Homeowner Bill Kitchen and a friend were tied up but not harmed during the robbery .
Three men dressed as ninjas ransacked the house for about an hour .
They fled in a car stolen from the home - it was found nearby .
The ninjas are still on the loose .
|
273,384 |
ee2787bf1ecb94e17bdac02e5636cfe98465efe8
|
A plane landing at the Dallas/Forth Worth International airport got stuck in the grass after sliding off a taxiway Monday night. The American Airlines plane was attempting to turn a corner at a slow speed when the front nose gear slid on the ice, according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman. The MD-80 plane was unable to continue taxiing to the terminal and the passengers were deplaned through the emergency exit and taken by bus before the aircraft was towed. An American Airlines plane landing at Dallas/Forth Worth International airport got stuck in the grass after sliding off a taxiway while attempting to turn a corner on Monday night . The plane's front nose gear slid on the ice, causing the plane to veer off course. It was unable to continue taxiing to the terminal and the passengers were deplaned through the emergency exit . Flight 296 from San Antonio was carrying 63 passengers and five crew members. No one was hurt, according to NBCDFW. One passenger said the plane immediately slid to the left as soon as it hit the ground. Danelle Canales said the pilot then addressed the situation over the intercom, telling the passengers they had 'no control over the brakes' when the plane landed. The pilot added that the brakes had been fine when they were tested. Canales said she at first didn't realize the plane had slid. Flight 296 from San Antonio was carrying 63 passengers and five crew members. No one was harmed . One passenger said the plane immediately slid to the left as soon as it hit the ground. Danelle Canales said the pilot then told the passengers they had 'no control over the brakes' when the plane landed . Another passenger said they 'came down smooth', USA Today reported. 'There wasn't a jolt. We kind of just glided off the runway to the left a little bit.' 'We still had at least one wheel on the ground.' According to NBCDFW, the cause of the plane's slip has not yet been confirmed, but much of the area was covered in ice after receiving up to an inch of sleet overnight. Airport crew members are currently working to keep the runways and taxiways clear of ice. Taxiways are paths connecting runways to ramps and terminals. They are often used to allow planes to vacate runways more quickly. More than 1,000 flights to be cancelled at DFW on Monday due to ice weather, and 100 have already been pre-cancelled for Tuesday, according to CBS DFW.
|
Front nose gear of the American Airlines plane slid on the ice .
Plane was unable to continue taxiing to terminal and passengers were deplaned through the emergency exit .
Pilot told passengers over intercom that they had 'no control over the brakes' when the plane landed .
Another passenger said plane came down smooth and they didn't feel a jolt .
DFW cancelled more than 1,000 flights on Monday due to icy weather .
|
106,886 |
15e27c516a28b57028de0b297f5702ecf0f80df1
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:01 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:55 EST, 29 March 2013 . Doomed hero: Freeze Frame of Captain Scott writing his journal in the Winterquarters Hut . A letter written by Polar hero Captain Scott as he neared death, with a poignant plea for his family to be looked after, has been published in full for the first time. Part of the pencilled letter to a friend was already in the public domain, in which Scott wrote of his doomed team setting a ‘good example to our countrymen’ and facing their fate ‘like men’. But two lines were kept hidden by the 1912 document’s previous owner. They say: ‘I want you to secure a competence for my widow and boy. I leave them very ill provided for, but feel that the country ought not to neglect them.’ In a touching PS he ends: ‘Excuse writing, it is -40, and has been for nigh a month.’ The complete letter to Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman, who had been Scott’s commanding officer in the Royal Navy, is unveiled today by Cambridge University’s Scott Polar Research Institute to mark the 101st anniversary of the explorer’s death. It is one of ten he wrote to friends and family when he realised he would not return home. Archivists believe most were written around the time of his final diary entry on March 29, which read: ‘For God’s sake look after our people.’ He is presumed to have died that day. SPRI archivist Naomi Boneham said: ‘The letters are written on paper ripped from diaries. It is hard to imagine how desperate it must have felt. 'It is incredibly moving.’ Captain Robert Falcon Scott, 43, and his team of Dr Edward Wilson, Captain Laurence Oates, Lieutenant Henry Bowers and Petty Officer Edgar Evans, were beaten to the South Pole by Norwegian Roald Amundsen, and died on the return journey. A fund in response to Scott’s plea on behalf of the team’s dependents raised £75,000, equivalent to more than £5.5million now. His . son Peter, who was two at the time of Scott’s death, became the leading . naturalist and artist who co-founded the World Wide Fund for Nature. In love: Captain Scott pictured with his wife Kathleen. He asked his friend Sir Francis Bridgewater to make sure Kathleen and their son would be looked after . Happier times: Captain Robert Scott and his wife marry at Hampton Court in 1908, left, and a portrait of Mrs Scott, right . Last post: An extract from Captain Scott's final letter to Sir Francis Bridgeman thanking him for his friendship . Final goodbyes: The letter is one of ten that Captain Scott wrote to friends and family when he realised he might die . Poignant: Scott's letter . To Sir Francis Bridgeman . My Dear Sir Francis . I fear we have shipped up – a close shave. I am writing a few letters which I hope will be delivered some day. I want to thank you for the friendship you gave me of late years, and to tell you how extraordinarily pleasant I found it to serve under you. I want to tell you that I was not too old for this job. It was the younger men that went under first. Finally I want you to secure a competence for my widow and boy. I leave them very ill provided for, but feel that the country ought not to neglect them. After all we are setting a good example to our countrymen, if not by getting into a tight place, by facing it like men when we were there. We could have come through had we neglected the sick. Good-bye and good-bye to dear Lady Bridgeman. Yours ever . R. Scott . Excuse writing, it is -40, and has been for nigh a month.
|
The letter was written to Scott's friend Sir Francis Bridgeman .
Sir Francis had been Scott's Commanding Officer in the Royal Navy .
Scott wrote ten letters to friends and family when he knew he would die .
|
83,998 |
ee4416e11e8238648591e437a5b304b1aeacdec3
|
(CNN) -- Fireworks boom, bulbs flash, and flames flicker as tens of millions of people across the globe celebrate the beginning of the Festival of Lights. Diwali -- from the word Deepavali, meaning "row of lights" -- is observed by Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities, who celebrate for five days in autumn to mark the victory of light over darkness. This year, the festival begins on November 3, with splashes of color, lighting displays and blaring parties set to greet Diwali's arrival. Celebrated for centuries across much of the Indian subcontinent, Diwali is now exploding: spreading the promise of wealth, knowledge and happiness to new communities across the world. From India . For the Diwali newcomer, photographer Roy del Vecchio expertly captures the outsider's inauguration into the festival -- snapping the delighted face of a man who had invited him to join the celebrations on his roof. 39-year-old del Vecchio says he had traveled to Rajasthan to see the festival, when the man holding the sparkler had invited to join him and his sons to light fireworks and share traditional sweets. More CNN Celebrates: Halloween -- Some of you are pretty twisted . Fireworks are said to drive away evil spirits and, at this time of year, many Hindus will also clean the house and light small oil-burning lanterns to attract Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth into the home. But the celebration is anticipated with excitement by many across India -- as well as neighboring Sri Lanka and Nepal -- regardless of religious beliefs. "I do celebrate Diwali, more for the spirit of the festival, rather than its religious implications," says iReporter Samarjit Mazumdar from Bangalore, India. To the World . Mazumdar captured one of Diwali's traditional symbols: a Swastika assembled from marigold flowers, which symbolizes peace, the 32-year-old explains. But this year's celebrations are likely to be anything but peaceful, with an explosion of Diwali parties lighting up cities across the world. Recent years have seen Diwali parties pop up in locations from Ontario, Canada to Melbourne, Australia, where traditional Diwali celebrations mix with showcases for Indian food, music, dance, and film. From Singapore's Little India district to rural Somerset, UK, iReporters have sent pictures of Diwali lights shining out. Meanwhile in Guyana, a huge motorcade rolls through the capital Georgetown -- as captured by Guyana native Amanda Richards. The country's 200,000-strong Hindu population line the route and often wait for hours to see the parade pass by. Richards says she's already planning where she'll go to wait for this year's motorcade -- and join the millions of others across the world hoping to catch a glimpse of the lights.
|
Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by by Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities .
The festival has spread from India to become a global celebration .
CNN iReporters captured dazzling Diwali parties from Guyana to Canada .
|
272,112 |
ec759b3e605528052eb624204a29f9fc50303ef6
|
By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 04:40 EST, 1 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:04 EST, 2 May 2013 . Native Americans are facing the final deadline in their battle to save the Wounded Knee massacre site - and expressed their outrage at the landowner 'making a buck out of miserable history.' The land in South Dakota is where U.S. troops killed up to 300 Native American men, women and children in 1890. James Czywczynski, whose family has . owned the property since 1968, is trying to sell the 40-acre fraction of . the historic landmark for $3.9 million. He has given the Oglala Sioux Tribe until today to agree to the price or plans to open it up to outside investors. Chief Joseph Brings Plenty, a former chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and a traditional chief said: 'The reason he asked . for $3.9m is because of the land's historical significance, based on the . deaths of hundreds of our relatives. If someone turns a buck on our . ancestors' misery then shame on them.' Anger: The Wounded Knee Massacre site and mass grave -the site where U.S. troops killed up to 300 Native American men, women and children in 1890 is up for sale . Up for sale: The 40-acre property in South Dakota is on the market for $3.9 million (about £2.5 million) Sale: James Czywczynski, 74, is trying to sell a 40-acre fraction of the landmark for $3.9 million to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. But leaders on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation say the asking price for a property appraised at less than $7,000 is just too much . The last major bloodshed of the American Indian wars occurred on December 29 when the U.S. troops went into the camp to disarm the men. According to the U.S. version of the story, a deaf tribesman named Black Coyote resisted attempts to disarm him that morning and in the struggle a shot was fired. U.S. troops then opened fire in response and a small number of Lakota fighters who still had guns fired back. The 7th Cavalry overwhelmed the Lakota warriors and began shooting haphazardly killing men, women and children of the Lakota Sioux - they also wounded at least 51. U.S. Military authorities awarded twenty troopers the Medial of Honor for the massacre. Along with its proximity to the burial grounds, the land includes the site of a former trading post burned down during the 1973 Wounded Knee uprising, in which hundreds of American Indian Movement protesters occupied the town built at the site of the 1890 massacre. The 71-day standoff that left two tribal members dead and a federal agent seriously wounded is credited with raising awareness about Native American struggles and giving rise to a wider protest movement that lasted the rest of the decade. He didn't return calls . this week to The Associated Press seeking information about the . prospective buyers. The ultimatum has caused anger among many tribal members and descendants of the massacre victims. 'I know we are at the 11th hour, but . selling this massacre site and using the victims as a selling pitch is, . for lack of a better word, it's grotesque,' said Nathan Blindman, 56, . whose grandfather was 10 when he survived the massacre . 'To use the murdered children, the . murdered teenagers, the unborn, women screaming and running for their . lives, using that as a selling pitch ... that has got to be the most . barbaric thing ever to use as a selling pitch.' Czywczynski acknowledges the . historical significance adds value to each parcel of land, which have . each been at less than $7,000 apiece, according to records reviewed by . the AP. Besides its proximity to the burial . grounds, the land includes the site of a former trading post burned down . during the 1973 Wounded Knee uprising, in which hundreds of American . Indian Movement protesters occupied the town built at the massacre site. The 71-day standoff that left two . tribal members dead and a federal agent seriously wounded is credited . with raising awareness about Native American struggles and giving rise . to a wider protest movement that lasted the rest of the decade. Scene: This is the site where a battle was fought between the US Army and Sioux Indians. After the battle ended, there were approximately 300 dead Sioux and 25 dead soldiers . Artist impression: A lithograph after a Painting of the Battle of Wounded Knee by W.M. Cary . Killed: The 7th Cavalry overwhelmed the Lakota warriors and began shooting haphazardly killing men, women and children of the Lakota Sioux - they also wounded at least 51 . Price: Land owner James Czywczynski insists the site's historical significance adds value . The land sits on the Pine Ridge Indian . Reservation, home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, but many of the . descendants of the massacre victims and survivors are members of several . different Lakota tribes, said Joseph Brings Plenty, a former chairman . of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and a traditional chief. Brings Plenty said the tribes are not in a position to pay millions of dollars for the land. Although tribal members are not . opposed to development that would preserve, beautify or better educate . the public about the land and its history, they are opposed to . commercialization, he said. 'You don't go and dance on grandma and grandpa's grave to turn a hefty dollar sign,' he said. Tribal members and descendants have . reached out to President Barack Obama to make the site a National . Monument, which would better guard the site against development and . commercialization, Brings Plenty said. But even if an outside investor buys . the land with intent to develop, there will be obstacles, said Craig . Dillon, an Oglala Sioux Tribal Council member. Past: A picture of Wounded Knee on 28 Mar 1973. It was the site of a violent clash in 1973 between a group of native activists, the American Indian Movement and US Marshals . Massacre: U.S. Military authorities awarded twenty troopers the Medial of Honor for the massacre . Frozen: 'Big Foot,' the leader of the Sioux tribe, lies frozen on the battlefield of Wounded Knee, South Dakota . The tribe could pass new laws preventing the buyer from actually building at the site. 'Whoever buys that is still going to have to deal with the tribe,' Dillon said. 'Access is going to be an issue. Development is going to be an issue. I'm not threatening anybody, but my . tone is be aware you have to deal with the tribe if you purchase it.' There are nearly 2,500 national . historic landmarks across the country, with the vast majority of them . owned by private landowners, said Don Stevens, chief of the History and . National Register Program in the Midwest Region for the National Park . Service. Remembrance: Members of the American Indian Movement stand near the Wounded Knee Massacre Monument last month to mark the 40th anniversary of the start of the 71-day occupation . Respect: American Indians on the Big Foot Memorial Ride arrive at Porcupine, S.D n 2007 to remember the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre . Gathering: A crowd gathers to mark the 30th anniversary of the American Indian Movement standoff near the gravesite at Wounded Knee, S.D . 'We advocate for preservation and we . always express concern about potential harm for their care,' Stevens . said, adding that the NPS does not have any legal authority. Still, a site can lose its designation . if it does not retain its physical integrity, he said. One example is . Soldier Field in Chicago, which lost the designation when it was . remodeled a decade ago because it changed its physical character. As for the Wounded Knee site, Stevens said any development could potentially affect the Historic Landmark designation. 'Certainly you would hear a hue and . cry about that type of thing,' he said. 'And certainly if we saw . something going up, we'd express our concern, even if we don't have a . legal jurisdiction to intercede, we'd express our concern.'
|
The 40-acre property is being offered for $3.9 million (about £2.5 million)
Land is in an impoverished region of South Dakota .
U.S. soldiers killed 300 Native American men, women and children in 1890 .
Tribe has until tonight to come up with funds before sale is opened up .
|
137,102 |
3d5a6c5d5833ed3c21daf0bdf5727323bb35ee6b
|
By . Darren Boyle . A man will appear in court on Monday following the fatal stabbing of a man at a Scottish holiday caravan park. The 41-year-old victim, who has been named as George Boyce, was discovered in the Sandylands caravan park in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire on Thursday night. Paramedics were unable to save Mr Boyce's life after he was involved in what Police Scotland have described as 'an altercation'. Police forensic officers gather evidence from the scene at Sandylands holiday caravan park in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, where George Boyce was stabbed to death late on Thursday night following an 'altercation' A spokesperson for Police Scotland said Mr Boyce, from Nielston, East Renfrewshire and was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers were called to the caravan holiday park, which is 32 miles south west of Glasgow on Thursday evening. A spokeswoman said: 'We received a . report at 11.35pm on Thursday of a man injured following an altercation . at Sandylands caravan park in Saltcoats. 'Emergency services attended and a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.' Today, a specialist team of forensic officers continued to gather evidence from the scene of the attack. A file on the incident is being prepared for the procurator fiscal. A 28-year-old man is expected to appear before Kilmarnock Sheriff's Court on Monday morning in connection with Mr Boyce's death who was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services on Thursday night . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
|
George Boyce died following a late night 'altercation' outside caravan park .
Paramedics tried to save Mr Boyce's life after Thursday night's attack .
The 41-year-old victim died at the scene in the Sandylands Caravan Park .
A 28-year-old man due to appear at Kilmarnock Sherrif's Court on Monday .
|
158,291 |
58a5dbc65f4d63af95c8d2e89bf1e077efcd5def
|
Bolton's favourite son Peter Kay has another award to his collection after one of his jokes was named the funniest one-liner ever. The affable comedian from the North West saw of stiff competition to take the title ahead of the likes of comedy geniuses such as Tommy Cooper, Ricky Gervais and Rowan Atkinson. Kay was awarded the title for his gag: 'I met a Dutch girl with inflatable shoes last week, phoned her up to arrange a date but unfortunately she’d popped her clogs.' Scroll down for video . Clogs: Peter Kay's (left) gag about a dutch woman has been named the funniest joke of all time by a survey. Tommy Cooper (right) took second and third places . The legend that was Tommy Cooper took second place with: 'Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was . drinking battery acid, the other was eating fireworks. They charged one . and let the other one off.' One of the larger than life comic's gags also came third with: 'Apparently, one in five people . in the world are Chinese, and there are five people in my family, so it . must be one of them. 'It’s either my mum or my dad. Or my older brother, Colin. Or my younger brother, Ho-Chan-Chu. But I think it’s Colin.' Researchers compiled 180 popular online jokes and asked 6,000 adults to vote for the top 50 funniest. Benny Hill, Bill Bailey and Tim Vine also feature, along with Michael McIntyre and Sarah Millican. A . spokesman for paid for survey site 2Brewarded.co.uk, which commissioned . the study, said: 'Britain clearly has a great sense of humour. Many of the jokes in top 50 are from true, British comic legends. 'Gags from comedy geniuses such as Michael McIntyre, Peter Kay and Tommy Cooper are all ranked highly. Funny lass: Newcastle's Sarah Millican (left) featured on the list at number 35. Co-creator of The Office, Ricky Gervais (right), also featured highly . 'All of the jokes that made the final list are all genuinely funny and good natured which proves crude gags don’t really cut it.' The array of topics reflects the modern era as well with gags about Google Plus, Facebook and Twitter all making the list. Funny . tales about marriage, famous icons and religion also cropped up in the . poll while gags about families, money and food also appear in the list . of our favourites. The most . popular joke about marriage turned out to be: 'Why do men get married? So they don’t have to hold-in their stomachs anymore.' The . favourite celebrity-based jokes revolved around Taylor Swift and her . much-publicised boy troubles. A spokesman for 2Brewarded.co.uk added: 'It’s hard to read through these jokes without a smile on your face.' Surprise: Rowan Atkinson featured for two of his gags in Blackadder Goes Forth . 1. I met a Dutch girl with inflatable shoes last week, phoned her up to arrange a date but unfortunately she’d popped her clogs - Peter Kay . 2. Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was drinking battery acid, the other was eating fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off - Tommy Cooper . 3. Apparently, one in five people in the world are Chinese. And there are five people in my family, so it must be one of them. It’s either my mum or my dad. Or my older brother, Colin. Or my younger brother, Ho-Chan-Chu. But I think it’s Colin - Tommy Cooper . 4. I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance - Peter Kay . 5. 'Being an England supporter is like being the over-optimistic parents of the fat kid on sports day' - John Bishop . 6. We are in the stickiest situation since sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun - Rowan Atkinson . 7. I can hear music coming out of my printer. I think the paper’s jammin’ again - Unknown Origin . 8. I believe in equality. Equality for everybody. No matter how stupid they are or how superior I am to them - Steve Martin . 9. I have come up with a plan so cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel - Rowan Atkinson . 10. You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen. It said: ‘Parking Fine.’ So that was nice - Tim Vine . 11. 20 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Bob Hope and Steve Jobs. Now we have no Cash, no Hope and no Jobs. Please don’t let Kevin Bacon die - Bill Murray . Crisps: Russell Brand's dry observation on the human body saw him make it onto the list . 12. Why do men get married? So they don’t have to hold-in their stomachs any more - Unknown Origin . 13. Where there’s a will, there’s a relative - Ricky Gervais . 14. Just because nobody complains doesn’t mean all parachutes are perfect - Benny Hill . 15. Two aerials meet on a roof - fall in love - get married. The ceremony was rubbish, but the reception was brilliant - Tommy Cooper . 16. I had a ploughman’s lunch the other day. He wasn’t very happy - Tommy Cooper . 17. To the man on crutches, dressed in camouflage, who stole my wallet ... you can hide but you can’t run - Milton Jones . 18. Taylor Swift waved at a boy yesterday and he didn’t wave back... So she will have a new album coming out tomorrow. - Will Ferrell . 19. I hate when new parents ask who the baby looks like. It was born 15 minutes ago, it looks like a potato - Will Ferrell . 20. Money doesn’t buy happiness? Well it does buy a jet ski. Have you ever seen a sad person on a jet ski? Yeah, I thought so - Unknown Origin . 21. I’ve lived in Manchester since my 20’s and I’ve only been in three fights. Not a bad average - John Bishop . 22. I found a Justin Bieber concert ticket nailed to a tree, so I took it. You never know when you might need a nail - Unknown Origin . 23. My friend keeps telling me I’m in the closet. I just say it’s Narnia business - Will Ferrell . 24. I know that to be a true fact because I read it in Heat magazine - Bill Bailey . Superstar: Hollywood's Steve Martin found himself in the top 10 . 25. Bob Geldof...no wonder he’s such an expert on famine, he has been dining out on I Don’t Like Mondays for thirty years - Russell Brand . 26. What’s black and white, black and white, black and white? A penguin rolling down a hill - Unknown Origin . 27. Are there any medium rappers? They’re always big or lil - Unknown Origin . 28. I like to play chess with bald men in the park, although it’s hard to find 32 of them - Emo Phillips . 29. I saw a fat person wearing a sweatshirt with ‘Guess’ on it. I said ‘Thyroid problem?' - Peter Kay . 30. My wife and I both made a list of five people we could sleep with. She read hers out and there were no surprises...1 George Clooney...2 Brad Pitt etc...I thought ‘I’ve got the better deal here’...1 Your sister - Michael McIntyre . 31. I’m a post-modern vegetarian: I eat meat - ironically - Bill Bailey . 32. So I said to a Scotsman ‘did you have terrible spots as a kid?’ He said ‘ac ne’ - Unknown Origin . 33. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn’t find any - Tommy Cooper . 34. Last night, me and my girlfriend watched three DVDs back to back. Luckily, I was the one facing the telly - Tim Vine . 35. My mother told me, you don’t have to put anything in your mouth you don’t want to. Then she made me eat broccoli, which felt like double standards - Sarah Millican . 36. I picked up a hitchhiker. You gotta when you hit them - Emo Phillips . 37. I hate when I’m on the treadmill and my hand accidentally hits the stop button and I have to get off and eat a bacon grilled cheese sandwich - Unknown Origin . 38. I went into a French restaurant and asked the waiter, ‘Have you got frog’s legs?’ He said, ‘Yes,’ so I said, ‘Well hop into the kitchen and get me a cheese sandwich' - Tommy Cooper . 39. What do you call a sleepwalking nun? A roamin’ Catholic - Unknown Origin . 40. I bought one of those anti-bullying wristbands when they first came out. I say ‘bought’ - I actually stole it off a short, fat ginger kid - Jack Whitehall . 41. Vegetarians, if you love animals so much then why do you keep eating all their food? - Unknown Origin . King of the Road-show: Many of the comics have appeared on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow . 42. How do you know when you’re too drunk to drive? When you swerve to miss a tree then realize it was your air freshener - Kevin Hart . 43. If your body is 90 per cent water why have you got to drink water all the time? Why can’t you just have some crisps? - Russell Brand . 44. You know who really gives kids a bad name? Posh and Becks - Stewart Francis . 45. A market researcher said ‘can I ask you 10 questions’, I said ‘go on’, she said ‘question number one, have you ever had a blackout?’ I said ‘no’, she went...and finally, question number 10' - Lee Mack . 46. You know, I have Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Skype accounts. Man: and do you have life? OMG, No! Could you send me a link? - Unknown Origin . 47. Last week my mother-in-law fell into a wishing well, can’t believe it actually worked - Unknown Origin . 48. Dyslexic man walks into a bra - Unknown Origin . 49. The pollen count, now that’s a difficult job. Especially if you’ve got hay fever - Milton Jones . 50. I was raised as an only child, which really annoyed my sister - Will Marsh .
|
British humour as strong as ever with scores of comics in top 50 .
Peter Kay has won the crown of 'funniest one-liner' ever with clogs' gag .
The legendary Tommy Cooper still a favourite taking places two and three .
There were surprise entries for Steve Martin and Rowan Atkinson .
|
74,129 |
d232d6e17cdc9ce932fd254675f3aee96a1c93af
|
By . Emma Robertson . PUBLISHED: . 07:17 EST, 22 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:54 EST, 22 August 2013 . Could Monica's meticulous personality teamed with Chandler's neuroses be the real reason why the popular TV couple couldn't conceive? Worried about your chances of having children? The secret could be to lighten-up, say researchers. According to a new study published in the European Journal of Personality, men with neurotic personality traits are having fewer children compared to previous generations. The study examined the effect of personality on how likely a person is to have children, using extensive survey and birth registry data from Norway. It also found that men who are extroverted and open tend to have more children, while women who rank as conscientious on personality tests tend to have fewer children, regardless of which generation they are from. The study could have important implications for population dynamics at a time when fertility rates across developed countries have fallen to below replacement rates. Personality effects may be one factor contributing to the decline of fertility rates in Europe, says International Institution Applied Systems Analysis' Vegard Skirbekk, who led the study. Population changes are an important factor for projecting future changes in sustainability, climate, energy and food security. In particular, Skirbekk notes the decline in childbearing among neurotic men - neurotic meaning individuals who tend to be moody and emotional. The study found that the effect only applies for men born after 1957. Skirbekk says that the change in these men's fertility could be due to new norms in having children, for example that couples today wait longer to have children and couples tend to test each other out more before committing to raising children together. The study was made possible by Norway's very detailed birth records and an integrated personality survey, which allowed the researchers to examine the connections between both female and male fertility and personality. Extrovert men may be more fertile: Family-man and TV personality Jamie Oliver with his wife Jools and four children Poppy Honey, Daisy Boos, Petal Blossom and Buddy Bear . 'For men, often you don't know exactly how many children they have because information is not matched in the registries, but for Norway we have very exact information' says Skirbekk. While the study only considers Norway, Skirbekk says that the findings likely apply more widely. 'Norway is a leader country in terms of family dynamics,' says Skirbekk, . 'Many trends that have been observed first in Norway - increasing cohabitation, divorce rates, and later marriage, for example - have then been observed later in many other parts of the world. 'Of course it remains to be seen if this phenomenon will also spread.'
|
Surprising study examined link between personality and birth rates .
It found extrovert and open men, such as Jamie Oliver, have more children .
Neurotic men and conscientious women more likely to have fewer .
|
88,923 |
fc5da7be2852cb119666704c5cb8a4b04dca6698
|
They might be fluffy faced, buck-toothed little creatures, but two species of rodent have been identified the latest culprits to be contributing to climate change. Researchers have found that the arctic ground squirrel and the beaver may be playing a far greater role in global warming than had previously been realised. It means that scientists will in the future have to alter their theories around anthropogenic climate change to take account of 'rodentopogenic' influences. Menace: Ground squirrels live in shallow burrows around the Arctic Circle but their incessant digging mixes the normally frozen soil, introducing oxygen and leading to the release of carbon dioxide gas . The influence that these two species of rodents have on the climate were uncovered during separate studies of how their behaviour affects the environment. Researchers studying permafrost in the Arctic found that ground squirrels there are hastening the release of greenhouse gases from the frozen soil where they build their burrows. Scientists were baffled by the appearance of mysterious craters in northern Russia earlier this year. Researchers now believe these craters may have been created by a build-up of methane over centuries that has been erupting out of the thawing ground. But strange, unexplained holes are just the beginning of what could be a series of mysterious happenings on the planet – all caused by melting Arctic ice, scientists believe. The methane trapped inside the ice is known to catch fire explosively and could lead to fires spreading. Melting permafrost is also leading to ‘drunken trees’ as the firm soil slowly transforms into mud causing the plants that grow in them to lean to one side. Some trees survive this erosion, while others collapse or drown as the subterranean ice melts. They found that by churning up the normally stable layers of soil, and fertilizing it with their faeces and urine, the little rodents are encouraging the decomposition of biological material that is usually locked in suspended animation by the permafrost. This leads to carbon dioxide locked within the frozen Tundra ground to be released into the atmosphere. Permafrost is known to be an enormous store of carbon as methane gas and carbon dioxide can become locked inside ice crystals while organic matter from dead plants and animal are preserved in the ice. Scientists estimate that the Arctic permafrost is a store of twice as much carbon than is currently in the atmosphere and fear that if the permafrost melts, it will release these huge reserves of greenhouse gases, leading to climate change. Dr Sue Natali, an environmental scientist at Woods Hole Research Centre in Massachusetts, who led the work as part of the Polaris Project to study climate change at the poles, told Mail Online: 'Arctic ground squirrels are pan-Arctic, so their influence may be very widespread. 'But I think this is a larger story about wildlife impacts on carbon cycling, and how this may change as the climate warms. 'The Arctic ground squirrel dig colonial burrows that cause important shifts in soil structure and plant composition. 'Ground squirrel burrowing can impact soil carbon cycling as a result of nutrient addition and by digging up soil which disturbs the plant community, decreases soil moisture, and increases soil aeration.' Scientists estimate that more than 1,600 billion tons of carbon is locked in the Arctic permafrost and if released it could treble the levels of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere, driving global warming . Nigel Golden, an ecologist at the University of Wisconsin who also took part in the research, said that by digging into the Tundra soil, ground squirrels, which are also known as Parka in Alaska, increased the amount of carbon being released during summer melts. He said the temperature of the ground around their burrows was higher than in the surrounding area. Speaking to the BBC, he said: 'They are soil engineers. They break down the soil when they are digging their burrows, they mix the top layer with the bottom layer, they are bringing oxygen to the soil and they are fertilizing the soil with their urine and their faeces. 'We saw an increase in soil temperature in the soils where the arctic ground squirrels were occupying. 'This is a major component. As that permafrost begins to warm, now microbes can have access to these previously frozen carbons that were in the soil. 'And because they mix the soil layers, they are being exposed to warmer temperatures.' Arctic ground squirrel, or parka, live in high numbers through out the arctic and climate scientists may now need to start taking account of their role in releasing greenhouse gases in future climate change models . It is not the first time that animals have been found to play a role in climate change - it is already widely accepted that livestock are major contributors to global warming through the methane they emit while digetsting their food. However, the researchers belive that ground squirrels may be playing a far more important role in the release of carbon from the permafrost than had been appreciated. Arctic ground squirrels are among the most numerous rodents in the arctic circle, found across North America and Siberia. With an average length of around 15 inches, they dig shallow burrows to shelter from the harsh conditions and can hibernate for around seven monoths of the year. They feed on grasses and other plants that grow during the brief summer in the Arctic. The research team, who presented their findings at the Fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union, also found that the nitrogen that squirrels were adding to the ground in their waste was having an impact. Dr Natali said: 'Plant removal results in soils that are warmer because plants and organic material in soil insulate soil from warm summer temperatures. 'Warmer soils will increase microbial breakdown of soil organic carbon, and then, that carbon is released as CO2, and increase ground thaw, which means that there is more unfrozen carbon available for microbes to decompose. 'Nutrients added by squirrel waste are needed by microbes to break down the carbon while increased aeration that results from digging also makes more favorable conditions for microbes.' Dam building by beavers is thought to have contributed 200 times more methane to the atmosphere than 100 years ago and the ponds they create in rivers now cover more than 16,200 square miles around the world . It is estimated that around 1,600 billion tons of carbon is stored in the Arctic permafrost. However, the role of arctic ground squirrels is thought to be tiny compared to the melting of the permafrost caused by carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by human activity. Dr Natali added: 'Human activities are the primary influence on climate. We do, however, need to understand how these activities are impacting natural ecosystems, and how these ecosystem responses will amplify or attenuate these human-driven impacts. 'Even though we cannot alter wildlife activity, it's important that we include greenhouse gas emissions from these activities into our accounting of carbon loss from the Arctic. 'But I think this is a larger story about wildlife impacts on carbon cycling, and how this may change as the climate warms.' She warned that further melting of the permafrost due to human activities could also lead to an increase in ground squirrel populations in the arctic. She said: 'Ground squirrels burrow in areas that are dryer and require a deep enough level of ground thaw. 'As the permafrost thaws with continued climate warming, additional areas may be opened up to ground squirrel burrowing.' A separate study has also found that another rodent, the beaver, is also playing a far greater role in the release of climate changing gases like methane than had been previously thought. Numbers of these animals has increased in recent years in both North America and Europe as a result of conservation projects. However, the shallow ponds that build up behind beaver dams produce methane as biological material builds up on the low oxygen environment on the beds of the ponds. Scientists estimate that 200 times more methane is released from beaver ponds now than was being released in 1900. Dr Colin Whitfield, from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, estimated the size of global beaver populations and the amount of area covered by their ponds. Fur trade between the sixteenth and nineteenth century lead to beaver populations in many areas becoming extinct. But now Dr Whitfield and his team have estimated that beaver numbers have grown dramatically to more than 10 million and estimate populations in Europe and Asia could increase by a further four million. Beaver numbers have soared to more than 10 million globally since 1900 due to reintroduction projects . Ponds behind beaver dams are often less than five feet deep and as a result allow methane from decomposing biological material on bottom of the ponds to be released into the atmosphere rather than dissolved in water . They found that beavers have dammed up more than 16,200 square miles of ponds. The scientists, whose work is published in the journal AMBIO, claim that beavers are responsible for releasing around 881,000 tons of methane into the atmosphere each year. This is about 15 percent of what wild cud-chewing animals, such as deer or antelope, are thought to contribute. Dr Whitfield said: 'The dynamic nature of beaver-mediated methane emissions in recent years may portend the potential for future changes in this component of the global methane budget. 'Continued range expansion, coupled with changes in population and pond densities, may dramatically increase the amount of water impounded by the beaver. 'This, in combination with anticipated increases in surface water temperatures, and likely effects on rates of methanogenesis, suggests that the contribution of beaver activity to global methane emissions may continue to grow.'
|
Arctic ground squirrels churn up and warm soil in the Tundra, allowing carbon dioxide gas trapped in the ice to escape into the atmosphere .
Methane released from ponds created by beavers estimated to contribute 200 times more greenhouse gas to atmosphere than they did 100 years ago .
Climate scientists will have to tweak their models to include role of rodents .
Scientists insist that rodents role in global warming does not let humans off the hook but shows animals play more of a role than previously thought .
|
132,180 |
36f204645a160ec3d786233abedb53349dc60f0d
|
The sight of a blue-clad No 8 breaking late into the box to finish off a flowing move is a familiar one at Stamford Bridge – but on Saturday things were a little different. A week on from when Frank Lampard showed his former employers what they were missing at the Etihad, Brazilian midfielder Oscar is going some way to making up for his absence. The 23-year-old is still far from the finished product, as shown by Jose Mourinho’s decision to drop him in that title clash with Manchester City, but in his showings against Bolton and Aston Villa he is starting to demonstrate the performance levels that his manager demands. Oscar scored against Aston Villa on Saturday with a Frank Lampard-esque burst into the box . Lampard himself was at it again on the weekend as he scored in Manchester City's 4-2 win against Hull . Oscar, in the Chelsea No 8 shirt vacated by Lampard, takes on Aston Villa's Alan Hutton on Saturday . Lampard (here challenging Didier Drogba last season) made the Chelsea No 8 shirt his own . Chelsea legend Lampard was never frightened to go for goal from range – but Oscar has actually scored more from outside the box in his first 25 goals for the Blues. Lampard vs Oscar . 21 Right foot 20 . 3 Left foot 3 . 1 Head 2 . 21 Inside the area 17 . 4 Outside the area 8 . 2 Penalties 1 . Against Villa he drove a midfield that contained the quality of Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic – and outshone them all with an opening goal typical of the man whose shirt number he has taken on. Oscar rarely tops the charts in terms of the ground he covers (5.6 miles compared with Fabregas’ 7.4 this weekend) or his pace (his top speed of 16.8mph was lower even than John Terry’s 19.3) – but what he is is effective – and with Diego Costa leading the line he now gets the room he needs to pull the strings in that No 10 position. 'I played him (Oscar) again because I think he needs the confidence that comes with matches,’ Mourinho said after the 3-0 win. Lampard scored against his old club Chelsea for Manchester City but refused to celebrate the goal . Oscar wheels away after scoring against Villa at Stamford Bridge, which took him to 25 goals for Chelsea . ‘His performance was good; he was in important areas of our game, the connection between him, Matic and Fabregas was good, the connection between him and the attacking players was good.’ In a combination of the No 10 role under Mourinho and from wide under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benitez, Oscar has produced 25 goals and 23 assists in just over two seasons for the Blues. Lampard only had 17 goals in the same time period when he began his Chelsea career – and he was three years Oscar’s senior. Of the Brazilian's first 25 goals for the Blues, eight have come from outside the penalty box . Lampard became a Chelsea legend at Stamford Bridge and is the club's record goalscorer with 211 . While no-one is suggesting he will reach the same heights as Chelsea’s all-time greatest player, the numbers are still impressive for a player many thought had switched off with a focus on the World Cup towards the end of last season. Blues assistant Steve Holland spoke post-match about the importance of a Chelsea No 10 being a ‘goalscorer’ as well as a creator – and with two goals in a week Oscar is going some way towards that. With countryman Ramires out of the side through injury he needs to prove to Mourinho he has the temperament to impact on big games – and that starts on Tuesday night against Sporting Lisbon and in even more so in Sunday’s London derby against Arsenal. The 23-year-old Oscar will be hoping to start against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday in the Champions League . VIDEO Chelsea will drop points - Mourinho .
|
Oscar has scored twice in two games and now has 25 goals for Chelsea .
The 23-year-old also has 23 assists in just over two seasons for the Blues .
The Brazilian put Chelsea ahead in Saturday's 3-0 win against Aston Villa .
The midfielder's knack of arriving late in the box is reminiscent of Frank Lampard .
Lampard is Chelsea's record goalscorer with 211 for the club .
The Blues face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday .
|
194,012 |
87229c273ca23811186833cea89d0659fe36bc8a
|
(CNN) -- At least 37 people were killed following a bus crash west of Nairobi, Kenya, police said Thursday. The wreck took place in the predawn hours in Ntulele, when the bus overturned on the Nairobi-Narok highway. At least 32 others suffered multiple injuries and were evacuated to a district hospital, police said. Earlier, the Red Cross had reported 41 killed in the mishap, citing police. Between 3,000 and 13,000 people die in road accidents in Kenya every year, the World Health Organization says. Most of the victims are motorcyclists and pedestrians, but one third of them are vehicle passengers often riding on unsafe public transportation. Road safety laws are lacking, the WHO says. "There are no laws for helmet wearing, blood alcohol concentration levels for drivers or child restraints in Kenya and where road safety laws do exist they are poorly enforced." The WHO says that main roads between Nairobi and the eastern part of the country -- such as the Nairobi-Narok highway -- are very dangerous. Speeding is a particular problem.
|
The bus overturned in predawn hours on a highway connecting Nairobi with the east .
Basic road safety laws are lacking in Kenya, the WHO says .
WHO: Roads in the east are very dangerous .
Speeding is a particular problem .
|
129,198 |
32f6c5f0d1e2c3aa460b40482d0c08d08271d491
|
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:38 EST, 18 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:11 EST, 18 August 2013 . Bad teacher: 38-year-old surf instructor Dylan Greiner was arrested Friday night on suspicion of child molestation . A surf school instructor in Santa Cruz, California was arrested late Friday night on suspicion of 'lewd and lascivious acts' with children. Dylan Greiner, 38, is the owner of the Santa Cruz Surf School, and police say that he has been engaging in inappropriate relationships with children for at least the past four years. Many remember Greiner as a local hero who posted a video drawing attention to the problem of needles on a local beach. But that was changed when two teenage girls, 13 and 14, alerted police that the instructor lured them into relationships by offering free surf lessons. He then proceeded to make sexual advances on the children and videotaped their private body parts. And police believe there may be more victims. An . initial search of Greiner's home and business turned up 'thousands' of . images of young girls, focusing on the 'breasts, buttocks and genitalia . of young girls,' according to Santa Cruz police spokesman Steve Clark. There was even video footage taken of students changing in and out of their wetsuits in the school's dressing rooms. The photographs and footage captured girls as young as 8-years-old. Greiner . admitted to taking the secret changing room video and photographs and . to downloading inappropriate images of teenage girls. He also admitted . to viewing other child pornography. Shocking discovery: Police said an initial investigation of Greiner's home and surf school, above, produced thousands of inappropriate pictures taken of young girls . His roommates and a 14-year-old girl were present at his house when Greiner was arrested. After . his arrest, Greiner wrote letters to the two victims who came forward . to police and to the community, apologizing for his actions. The letter to the community has not been made public. Greiner . was somewhat of a local legend after a video he posted online of . needles he found on a local beach spurred a clean-up effort. Wipe-out: Greiner's Facebook was still public as of Sunday morning, with several shots of him surfing. A few images on his profile show him teaching young kids how to surf . I'm sorry: After his arrest, Greiner wrote letters to two to of the teenage girls he had a relationship with and the community, apologizing for his behavior . 'Unfortunately, his video skills didn't stop there,' Clark told the San Jose Mercury News. T.J. Magadallanes, who helped Greiner raise awareness about the needle problem was surprised to learn about the surfer's arrest. 'It's sickening. I can't believe it,' he said. 'It was quite a shocker considering he was a local hometown hero.' As of Sunday morning, his Facebook account was still public and friends were taking to his wall to condemn Greiner. 'F*****' pedophile...Can't wait for them to let you loose in gen pop. I give a . pretty boy like you 5 minutes,' Bobby Hall wrote. Greiner . was arrested and taken to the Santa Cruz County Jail where he is being . held on $500,000 bond. A judge agreed to raise the bail amount . considering more victims may come forward.
|
Dylan Greiner, 38, the owner and instructor of Santa Cruz Surf School was arrested Friday on suspicion of 'lewd and lascivious acts' with children .
Two teenagers, 13 and 14, informed police that Greiner lured them into relationships by offering free surf lessons .
Police found 'thousands' of inappropriate images and videos taken of underage female students during an initial search of his home and work .
Many remember Greiner as a local hero who drew attention to a problem of needles being found on a local beach .
Greiner is being held at Santa Cruz County Jail on $500,000 bond .
Police believe there may be more victims .
|
189,740 |
81b428b48814e65acf5980c92b117423b72cdb62
|
It doesn't look as though on-again off-again couple Hilary Duff and Mike Comrie will be on again any time soon after his drunken night at a famous LA eatery. And Mike wasn't out for just a night of boozing. He was looking to hook up. And he was willing to pay for it. Actress and singer Duff, 27, and former ice hockey pro Comrie, 34, announced they had split a year ago after four years of marriage, despite remaining incredibly close and committed to their son, Luca, who turns three next month. And last September the singer did a Gwyneth Paltrow and insisted: 'We're uncoupled for now...If there wasn't a chance of getting back [together], we would have filed for divorce...' But eyewitnesses at the famous steakhouse Mastro's in Beverly Hills, tell Daily Mail Online exclusively that the retired hockey player spent most of the evening of January 30th, drinking, alienating his friends and propositioning bar patrons and staff for sex. Scroll down for video . Reconciliation? Singer Hilary Duff and Mike Comrie separated last year after four years of marriage. She told a radio audience last fall that a reunion may be on the cards but Comrie was acting very single on January 30 . Buzzed: Eyewitnesses at Mastro's in Beverly Hills, tell Daily Mail Online exclusively that the retired hockey player spent most of the evening of January 30th, drinking, alienating his friends and attempting to have sex with bar patrons and staff . Tossed: Security were able to put Mike in a taxi and ordered the taxi to take him home and not to another bar . 'Mike and a buddy arrived around 9.00pm and were ushered to their private reserved table in the cocktail lounge of Mastros on the second floor,' a worker at the bistro tells Daily Mail Online. 'Mike was clearly already tipsy when he arrived. He was already slurring his speech a bit and walking funny, and it was only 9 pm.' The hockey player was drinking throughout the evening, say observers. He was drinking cocktails along with shots of '1942,' a high end Cuervo tequila at about $33 per shot. Canadian-born Comrie's family sold their furniture company in 2012 for $700 million. 'I work there and I have to say he's a really nice guy, actually. He tips well and is super polite and kind. He was just drunk. But then things got worse.' 'I watched him as he blatantly and repeatedly hit on his waitress. I'm sure she was extremely embarrassed because other customers and staff saw this. She handled it well, remaining kind and professional. 'Mike just wouldn't let up with the flirting. It became a bit creepy. Even his buddy tried to dial him back a bit.' But Mike was on a mission. Several eyewitnesses claim that Mike kept telling his server how much he liked her and how beautiful she was. 'Mike wanted to wait for her until her shift was over and take her out,' one eyewitness reveals. 'She told him nicely that she was not available, that she was in a relationship, but that didn't phase him. He kept insisting, sometimes loudly, that he wanted to wait until she got off work. 'She was in a tough spot. Then Mike wanted to settle his tab. That would be all well and good, but the tab had been paid for an hour prior and he owed no more money. He kept trying to pay her, for some reason. She couldn't get through to him.' 'She actually started to feel bad for him. He's very handsome and so sweet, but he was very intoxicated and seemed deeply lonely if he were going to all of these extremes to pursue someone who was on staff and was in a relationship. Still close: The All About You singer said that she remains incredibly close to Mike and they are devoted to their son Luca. Mike took over parental duties on Wednesday as Hilary went off to catch a showing of 50 Shades of Grey . 'He was also not wearing his wedding ring. I can't imagine how upset Hilary would feel if she knew Mike was acting like this in public.' Eyewitnesses say that after his server left the table to close up for the night, Mike, now alone, approached the bar where where a couple were sitting. 'Mike's pal had left an hour or so before. So he'd been just drinking alone for a while and then as the restaurant was closing for the night, Mike approaches this woman at the bar. She is clearly sitting with her boyfriend or husband. Mike ignores the guy completely and starts talking to the woman.' 'I heard him say to her, "I saw you making eyes at me. Do you like what you see?" 'The woman assured Mike that he was mistaken, and even her date chimed in, trying to reassure Mike that no one was making eyes at him.' 'I'm watching all of this go down and it's clear that Mike was confused and very drunk now. The couple suggested, in almost a caring tone for the guy, that he should return to his table. This was not his finest hour and boy, I couldn't stop thinking about Hilary and the her little boy.' That's when the couple, and restaurant staff, were horrified at what happened next. 'Mike would not go to his table. Instead, he reaches into his wallet and pulls out hundreds of dollars' 'He asked the nice woman at the bar, 'Ok. How much? How much do you want? I have as much as you need. How much for sex? Name your price. How much do you want to have sex with me?' When the woman's date objected, suggesting that Mike had overstepped his bounds and should back away, Mike became 'aggressive,' witnesses say. 'Mike got in the guy's face and said, "Come on. You and me. Let's step outside." 'I alerted restaurant security because it looked to me like Mike was picking a fight with the man and wanted to possibly fight him outside. Why else would he want the woman's date to follow him out?' House security stepped in and stopped the 'situation from escalating,' the server said. 'When security confronted Mike, he claimed to be sober and insisted he was sober and hanging with friends. In fact, he said not only was he totally sober but that he was the designated driver that night for his pals. 'When Mike gestured at the table of friends, and the table was of course empty, Mike was promptly escorted to the valet parking station outside.' Security were able to put Mike in a taxi and ordered the taxi to take him home and not to another bar. Party hearty: The couple dressed to the nines for a Halloween party before they split . 'I have to say, as the server who saw all of this, I feel bad for Hilary. I know that she and Mike are separated but I'd heard that they've been trying to reconcile for the sake of their little boy. 'I hope what Mike did the other night was an isolated scenario. He was drunk and sad and alone and asking strangers for sex at this five-star restaurant. Celebrities, politicians and dignitaries all dine here on a regular basis. So to have this sort of scene happen is rare.' The pair announced their 'amicable' separation in January after almost four years of marriage since whenever they have been spotted together, they appear incredibly close. On Wednesday Comrie took over parental duties as Hilary caught a matinee of 50 Shades of Grey. Opening up about the split last September, Hilary - in Australia promoting her latest single All About You - told the Kyle and Jackie O KIIS 1065 show the pair still 'really care a lot' for one another. And revealing intimate details about their relationship, she went on: 'When we were trying for a baby we weren't, "We have to have a baby right now". 'We were laid back...Whatever happens, happens. Once we're tired of doing this, we'll make a choice. 'We just don't really care what anyone thinks. We're being totally honest about it. My life is so up for grabs everyone knows everything.' And when probed by radio presenters Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O about who looks after the pair's two-year-old son, Luca, Hilary revealed her mother and Mike share the responsibility when she's away working. She said: 'My mom takes care of Luca a lot now. His dad and my mom are working hard to take good care of him.' The pair announced their 'amicable' separation in January after almost four years of marriage since whenever they have been spotted together, they appear incredibly close. Niether Comrie nor his representative returned our requests for comment.
|
Hilary Duff and Mike Comrie separated last year after four years of marriage. They have a son who turns three next month .
Former hockey pro Comrie was 'tipsy' when he showed up at Mastro's steakhouse in Beverly Hills without his wedding ring .
He was drinking cocktails and shots of tequila at the restaurant .
'He blatantly and repeatedly hit on his waitress,' says an eyewitness .
Then he approached a couple at the bar and said to the woman, ' Do you like what you see?'
He reached into his wallet and pulled out what looked like hundreds of dollars .
Comrie was confronted by restaurant security and sent home in a taxi .
|
256,758 |
d8534eb41cae2ba82b13f362374ec77a701c0c00
|
By . Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 19:57 EST, 21 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:13 EST, 22 July 2013 . A newlywed Minnesota couple's dream honeymoon was shattered this weekend when an alleged drunk driver hit their car on a New Hampshire highway and fled - killing the bride and leaving her husband severely injured. Leah Fonda and Brian Preiss, both 30 years old from Saint Paul, had exchanged vows and danced together at their wedding only days before. They were driving through New Hampshire on their way to Niagara Falls about 4.30pm on Saturday when Matthew Tsopas, 43, hit their car with his luxury Infiniti sedan, police say. Ms Fonda died on the highway and Mr Preiss was rushed to the hospital where he is still being treated for injuries that police describe as 'serious.' Tragic: Newlywed bride Leah Fonda, 30, was killed by an allegedly drunk driver during her honeymoon - just days after she was married . Horrific: Brian Preiss, 30, survived the crash but is still hospitalized recovering from serious injuries he sustained. Leah died on the highway after the crash . The couple's family is heartbroken by the tragedy and furious at the alleged drunk driver. 'We had just seen them dance together,' Mr Preiss' uncle Chuck Czech told WCVB-TV. 'We had just seen them make their vows together. We had just seen them pose for pictures together. Arrested: Matthew L. Tsopas, 44, allegedly tried to flee the scene of the deadly crash . 'We're in complete shock, disbelief. Ms Fonda and Mr Peiss both worked at the amusement park in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. They were 'very kind, very gentle unassuming people,' their uncle said. And they were deeply in love. 'Their love was obvious, just the way they looked at each other,' Mr Czech told the TV station. Police say Tsopas was intoxicated when his 2008 Infinity G35SX swerved into the oncoming lane and slammed into the couple's Kia Spectra. Officers say Tsopas did not wait to check on the couple and instead fled. He was apprehended a short time later. 'He didn't have the character to stick around. He fled the scene and tried to get out of it,' furious family member Mr Czech said. 'He left a person dead. And not just a person, but a new bride. And her husband is in the hospital now. ' Matthew L. Tsopas, the operations manager at Executive Funishings - a New Hampshire company that provides interior design for office spaces - is charged with he was charged with negligent homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol and conduct after an accident. This is the stretch of New Hampshire road way were the crash took place. Investigators say Tsopas cross the center line and hit the newlyweds head-on . Mr Preiss' uncle said it was immediately clear that he and Ms Fonda were deeply in love 'just by the way they looked at each other'
|
Leah Fonda, 30, of St. Paul, Minnesota, died after her car was hit head-on by a 'drunk driver'
She and new husband Brian Preiss, also 30, were on on their way to Niagara Falls during their honeymoon .
Matthew Tsopas, a local company executive, was arrested after allegedly fleeing the scene .
|
268,381 |
e7a047798c6a8839b98dd73cf861226d302e8044
|
By . James Salmon . PUBLISHED: . 20:41 EST, 8 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:41 EST, 8 February 2013 . Fred Goodwin, the disgraced former boss of Royal Bank of Scotland, faces demands to hand back up to £6 million in bonuses earned at the height of the rate rigging scandal. The state backed bank is preparing to appeal to Goodwin and former RBS investment bank chief Johnny Cameron to voluntarily give up their awards after deciding that the chances of successful legal action would be slim. But these efforts to ‘appeal to their better nature’ were described last night as ‘laughable’ by critics. The news came as chief executive Stephen Hester also faced growing pressure to forfeit a £2 million bonus awarded in 2010. Former Royal Bank of Scotland Chief Executive Sir Fred Goodwin, pictured, has been asked to repay the £6m bonus earned during the rate rigging scandal . RBS, fined £390 million for criminally rigging crucial interest rates on Wednesday, has already pledged to use special ‘claw back’ powers to recoup £300 million from staff. But the bank believes its only option is to ask Goodwin and Cameron to voluntarily hand back some of the lavish rewards paid during their disastrous reign. Banks only have the power to dock ‘deferred’ bonuses – issued in company shares - that have not yet paid out. RBS also introduced the policy in 2009, after it received a £45 billion bail out from taxpayers, meaning it cannot automatically recoup bonuses paid before then. This means those at the helm of RBS when the worst of the rate–rigging was going on are currently untouchable unless criminal statutes are enforced. One option is mounting a legal battle to retrieve some of Goodwin’s bonuses if the disgraced former boss refuses to co-operate. Goodwin was stripped of his knighthood last year over his role in the bank’s collapse. But insiders believe it would be too costly and the chances of success would be slim. Chairman . Sir Philip Hampton said on Wednesday that the option of asking ex . directors to voluntarily hand back their bonuses is ‘being addressed’. Under pressure: Chief executive Stephen Hester is facing growing pressure to forfeit a £2 million bonus awarded in 2010 . But this was slammed by critics. Deborah Hargreaves, chair of the High Pay Centre said: ‘They had to force Goodwin to give back some of his pension - it’s highly unlikely that he will just hand back his bonus.’ She added: ‘Morally you’d think Goodwin and Cameron would feel some obligation to make amends for what happened under their make money at all costs culture. But Philip Hampton is assuming that bankers still have some moral standards when they are quite happy to just take the money and run.’ Fred Goodwin ran RBS from 2000 until it collapsed in October 2008, and was rescued with a £45 billion bail-out from taxpayers. The rigging of Libor interest rates started under his watch in January 2006 and went on until November 2010. Goodwin, received a £2.8 million bonus in 2006 and a £2.9 million pay out the following year when the worst of the wrong-doing occurred. He enjoys a £342,500 pension paid for by the taxpayer. He had been in line for a £550,000 annual pension, having cashed in a £2.7 million tax free lump sum, but was forced into giving up more than £200,000 a year after months of political pressure. Other executives who could receive a call from RBS include Johnny Cameron, the former head of the investment bank. Cameron, who has received a lifetime ban from the City for his part in the bank’s collapse, received over £4 million in bonuses, split between 2006 and 2007. This week Hampton warned of the ‘dangerous’ consequences if rogue traders are not locked up. He pledged to help authorities investigating 21 RBS workers involved in manipulating interest rates. This includes six individuals still working at the bank. He said: ‘If people don’t end up in prison over this scandal I worry it will further perpetuate the sense that there is one rule for the financial system and another set of rules.’ Incoming Bank of England governor Mark Carney also described Libor rigging as ‘reprehensible’ and said it ‘should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law in the various jurisdictions that are affected.’ Chief executive Stephen Hester also came under fire last night for refusing to hand back a £2 million shares bonus awarded in 2010 while his traders cointinued to rig interest rates. Half of this bonus is due to pay out this year. Liberal democrat peer Lord Oakeshott said: ‘The board looks more laughable by the day. Asking Fred Goodwin for a generous gesture now is like whistling in a hurricane. But the real test for the RBS board is to see how long it takes them to realise Hester cannot possibly ckling on to his £2m bonus awarded in 2010 when the bank was still rigging rates.’ The row comes amid reports that scandal hit Barclays is set to dish out between £1.5 billion and £2 billion in bonuses to staff for their work last year, despite being emboiled in a string of scandals. This would mark a drop from the £2.2 billion awarded for 2011, £1.5 billion of which was paid to its investment bankers. But it comes after arguably its most shameful year in its 323 year history. In the summer it was slapped with a £290 million fine for rigging crucial interest rates. It set aside another £1.6 billion to pay compensation to customers mis-sold payment protection insurance. And it has built up an £850 million pot to compensate small businesses sold interest rate swaps alongside loans. These complex financial instruments were meant to protect firms, from care homes to hair salons, from rising interest rates. Instead they often left businesses with crippling bills when rates fell to record lows. Chief executive Antony Jenkins has attempted to douse public anger by banning upfront cash bonuses for more than a thousand top investment bankers.
|
Fred Goodwin ran RBS from 2000 until it collapsed in October 2008 .
Goodwin paid £6m bonuses earned at the height of the rate rigging scandal .
RBS investment bank chief Johnny Cameron also asked to repay bonuses .
|
91,185 |
01479cd543d0d19663e15e07bb8edbe2a5bbdf52
|
By . David Kent . Prince Harry has joined a growing list of celebrities who have featured in a selfie during the last couple of months with the growing craze now extending to members of The Royal Family. The Prince, who attended the 800m women's freestyle, photobombed New Zealand Commonwealth Games officials during his time at the swimming event. Harry looked in buoyant mood during the Games - and even gave a cheeky thumbs to the camera when he was in the background of a selfie taken by New Zealand rugby sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens, Sport Manawatu chief executive Trevor Shailer and Massey University Professor Emeritus Gary Hermansson . The three men in the their black and white New Zealand team kits leaned in with their arms around each other as the Royal popped up in the background in a white shirt. They were watching the 800m women's swimming freestyle in Glasgow on Monday night, which saw Welsh swimmer Jazz Carlin win gold. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Commonwealth Games: Day 6 review . Cheeky: Prince Harry (back) photobombed the snap taken by New Zealand rugby sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens . A chuffed Trevor Shailer quickly changed the photo to his Facebook profile picture. He wrote: 'Photo of the day.... A Royal photo bomb by Prince Harry with Titch (Sir Gordon) and Gary Hermansson at the Swimming venue tonight. Thanks to Bev Hari for taking the pic...fun times supporting our athletes at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games!' The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also at the event with Harry at the Tollcross Swimming Centre in the Scottish city's east. Harry's move comes after Queen Elizabeth inadvertently photobombed a selfie between Hockeyroo players Jayde Taylor and teammate Brooke Peris on Thursday. They took the picture, which showed the Queen peering into the photo in the background, before their opening match of the Commonwealth Games against Malaysia, at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre. Royal photobomb: The Queen appeared in the background of a selfie taken by two players from the Australian women's hockey team . After Mr Shailer posted the photo as his profile picture on Facebook, he was inundated with comments from friends . The royal seemed thrilled to be introduced to the triumphant athletes at the Glasgow National Hockey centre, and posed for photographs with the Aussie team, nicknamed the Hockeyroos. Despite England's loss, Harry, 29, seemed in a jovial mood and smiled as he mingled with the players, who are favourites to win gold in the games, having taken the top spot in Delhi in 2010 and Melbourne in 2006. Royal welcome: Members of the Australian hockey team - or the Hockeyroos - smile as Harry seems to crack a joke after their victory in Glasgow . Posed up: Members of the team, which beat England 3-0 today and are favourites to take home a gold medal for their performance . After shaking hands with the winning players, Harry went on to pose for photographs with his arms around them. The Prince, presumably in a gracious mood, also commiserated with the England team. Jodie Kenny and Emily Smith, who between them scored their teams' goals, looked particularly thrilled in the aftermath of their victory. The team took the royal visit as further proof of their world domination, later tweeting: 'Prince Harry is on board the #roovolution as meets @Anna_Flanagan and the girls after today's win over England' Giving some tips? The Australian team took home a gold medal at the games in Delhi in 2010 and Melbourne in 2006 . Laughing along: Prince William, left, was also in the frame today meeting the players after their game against England . Happy days: The two princes smiled in the sunshine today as they shook hands and posed with players from both teams . VIDEO Commonwealth Games: Day 6 review . The game means Australia is safely through to the last four, securing the top place finish in Pool B with four wins from four and a goal record of 25 scored and 0 conceded. England began brightly as birthday girl Susannah Townsend found Ellie Watton and tried to attack the goal, but were blocked by Australian keeper Rachael Lynch. Two quick scores, however, had England on the back foot as first Kenny converted from a penalty corner on 17 minutes, before Smith capitalised on a mistake from captain Kate Richardson-Walsh shortly afterwards. Maddie Hinch in the England goal was forced to save two shots from Kenny before the break, while Lily Owsley fired a shot just wide of the mark. A green card for Laura Unsworth proved costly 13 minutes into the second half as shortly after she left the field, Kenny slotted home from another short corner. England kept pressing and earned two penalty corners of their own but on both occasions they couldn’t find the target – Sam Quek seeing an effort deflected behind. Georgie Twigg also made her return for England after missing their last game against Malaysia through the injury she sustained in the opening game. After the match, England coach Danny Kerry said: 'Australia were better than us defensively and offensively in both circles but I actually felt for large periods of the game we were playing the more constructive hockey. 'The reality is that we need to be much tougher in both circles and their corner execution was superior to ours today.'
|
Prince Harry was seen putting his thumbs up in the picture .
The Prince was watching the 800m women's freestyle in Glasgow .
Harry posed for pictures with members of the Australian hockey side .
|
74,173 |
d256b2696d6d2287e9ab6d74c689de66cf33cc9c
|
Manchester United are due to hold talks with Danny Welbeck over his future in the coming days. The England forward is unsure how much of a role he will play this season with Louis van Gaal and will weigh up his options over the next fortnight. Hull have tried and failed to sign him while Sunderland are keen as their search for strikers continues. Tottenham and Everton would be expected to show an interest also although the latter may struggle to afford a deal. VIDEO Scroll down for Alonso masters the master as he nutmegs Real legend Zidane . Doubts: Danny Welbeck wants talks with Manchester United over his future at the club . Unsure: Welbeck does not know where he will fit into manager Louis van Gaal's plans . Welbeck has been happy at United but wants to play and knows with European football his opportunities will be more limited this season. Van Gaal is also eager to see how James Wilson copes this season after impressing for the club's U21s. United are giving a trial to 15-year-old Belgium youth star Indy Boonen, who left Genk this summer, but may only sign one, possibly two, players between now and the close of the window. United's hierarchy maintain they are not chasing Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria nor Roma defender Mehdi Benatia who is a target for Bayern Munich. Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus is likely to become more of an option next season when his £20million clause kicks in. Roma's Kevin Strootman is also still in their their immediate plans. It is understood, former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has also been offered to United and others as Real Madrid continue to look to trim their squad. Offered: Real Madrid want to trim their squad and have earmarked Xabi Alonso as one player who could leave . Arteta injury woe may make Arsenal go to market . Mikel Arteta's ankle injury will prompt Arsenal to consider their transfer options over the coming days. Arsene Wenger has been focusing on getting his side through the Champions League qualifier with Besiktas but has had an eye on recruiting a defender with Atletico Madrid's Toby Alderweireld and Kostas Manolas from Olympiacos among the options. However, the need for more defensive qualities in his midfield remains. Much faith has been placed in the versatility of Calum Chambers but Arsenal have taken a fresh look at his former Southampton clubmate Victor Wanyama. The Kenya midfielder impressed scouts in last week's game against Liverpool where he helped suppress the influence of Steven Gerrard on the game. While Morgan Schneiderlin earned plaudits for his return, Wanyama's performance was noted as he gave Southampton's defence extra protection and allowed the front five to advance in the second half. Option: Arsenal are considering a move for Victor Wanyama (left) as cover for Mikel Arteta . Coach Ronald Koeman is a fan of Wanyama but the 23-year-old has become unsettled by the sales in the summer and is keen to see who else the coach brings in over the next fortnight. Wanyama's role at Southampton has been understated but the statistics support his affect on the team with less goals conceded when he plays. The Premier League's top six are continuing to monitor his progress. Arsenal have also asked about Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot. The talented 19-year-old is expected to spend another season on the periphery of PSG's first team and is keen to leave but it won't be easy as the French champions demand £24m for him despite his contract having just one year left. AC Milan have offered Rabiot a two year loan. Wenger says Arsenal have not had offers for any of his players but noises out of Germany persist that Lukas Podolski is a target for Galatasaray among others and the striker could be sold for £10m. Balotelli on brink of shock Liverpool move . Liverpool have agreed a fee of £16million and hope to complete a permanent deal for Mario Balotelli. The move has surprised many at Anfield as Brendan Rodgers was adamant there was too much baggage with the Italian for him to fit into Liverpool's harmonious group. The turnaround comes as Rodgers recognised the need for extra quality in attacking positions remains and Liverpool's other options have diminished. Liverpool were prepared to pay the £12m loan fee and £8m in wages for Radamel Falcao's season loan from Monaco but the player still wants Real Madrid and the manager's reservations over Samuel Eto'o are that he is too much of a spent force. Talks had been continuing with the Cameroon striker's people up to Wednesday. Return: Mario Balotelli is set to join Liverpool for £16million from AC Milan . No go: Radamel Falcao wants to move to Real Madrid rather than Liverpool . Everton have also held talks with Eto'o's representatives but while Roberto Martinez recognises the qualities the 33-year-old still possesses he has similar reservations to Liverpool and wonders whether a tight budget will be put to better use on younger players. Belgium starlet David Henen will complete his move from Anderlecht but could go out on loan. Meanwhile, AC Milan will look to replace Balotelli with an ambitious attempt to sign Jackson Martinez from Porto. They will also make a renewed request to Arsenal for Joel Campbell on loan. Porto have asked about Hull City target Vincent Aboubakar from Lorient. Steve Bruce is hopeful though of reaching accord with Blackburn for Jordan Rhodes as reported in Sportsmail. Leeds target an Italian job (or two) Leeds United's expected march on the Italian transfer market is continuing as they show an interest in Udinese full-back Marco Davide Faraoni. Owner Massimo Cellini has closed a £1m deal for Ternan striker Mirco Antenucci and is holding talks over a loan for Cagliari's Brazilian playmaker Adryan, and the 22-year-old Faraouni is seen as less of a risk having played for Watford in the Championship last season. One player Leeds did miss out on, forward Kieran Agard, has joined Bristol City who have agreed a fee with Rotherham. The 24-year-old failed to agree personal terms with Leeds but League One Bristol City and manager Steve Cotterill have struck a deal. Spurs braced for a double departure . Tottenham are braced for a renewed push from Napoli for midfielder Sandro while Roma have made further enquiries for defender Vlad Chiriches. On the move? Totenham midfielder Sandro is wanted by Serie A side Napoli . Roma's Walter Sabatini and chief executive Mauro Baldissoni have been in London to assess what the market demand is for their players while also looking at options in attack and defence. Fernando Torres at Chelsea and Manchester City's Matija Nastasic were discussed a couple of weeks ago and further talks were held this week. Roma have Mattia Destro and Mehdi Benatia to offer but Destro in particular has been told by new Italy coach Antonio Conte that he must play regularly if he wants to make the national squad and a move to Chelsea does not promise that. Tottenham is a possible option for Destro but that may depend on what cash they are offered for Roberto Soldado. Chiriches is an alternative to Nastasic, who also has interest from Juventus and Arsenal, but the Romanian is also nursing a back injury at the moment which may slow down negotiations. Napoli will look to take Sandro on loan after the injury to Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini. Chopra to play under Little Master... and James . Former Blackpool, Newcastle and Sunderland striker Michael Chopra has been signed up to play for Sachin Tendulkar’s Kerala Blasters in the inaugural Indian Super League. Kerala, who are co-owned by Indian batsman Tendulkar, will be managed by former Liverpool and England goalkeeper David James who has also been selected as the franchise’s marquee player. Chopra, 30, who has scored 114 goals during spells with Cardiff, Watford, Ipswich and Blackpool, was Kerala’s first pick in Thursday’s International Players Draft in Mumbai. He said: 'I am very excited to have been picked by Kerala Blasters. I just can't wait to get the boots back on and get on the pitch. To play for a team that is owned by Sachin Tendulkar is an honour.' Welcome: Michael Chopra has joined Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters . Other notable moves saw Team Chennai pick former Manchester United midfielder Bojan Djordic and ex-Bolton and Hull City defender Bernard Mendy. Former Liverpool players Josemi and Luis Garcia were selected for Atletico Kolkata, the franchise has Atletico Madrid and Sourav Ganguly among its co-owners. The ISL, which will also feature David Trezeguet, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg, kicks off on October 12. Leicester consider Almeida as their Fox in the box . Leicester CIty are the latest club to consider Portugal striker Hugo Almeida. He is a free agent and has held discussions with West Ham while Hull City and Sunderland have also been mentioned but Leicester have now joined the race as they look to add a couple more signings before the window closes. Almeida, 30, has a decent track record and Nigel Pearson would like cover for striker Leonardo Ulloa. A two-year deal for midfielder Esteban Cambiasso is also expected to be agreed on Thursday. Option: Leicester could be tempted by a move for Portugal striker Hugo Almeida . VIDEO United seal Rojo deal .
|
Danny Welbeck is concerned he will not play often under Louis van Gaal .
Forward will hold talks with Manchester United in the coming days .
Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has been offered to United .
Arsenal could look to Victor Wanyama as cover for Mikel Arteta .
Napoli are set to make a move for Tottenham midfielder Sandro .
Michael Chopra will play for Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League .
Leicester are considering a move for Portugal striker Hugo Almeida .
The Foxes are also close to a deal for Esteban Cambiasso .
|
159,014 |
598e41fa800d3494e8887555301fc85e23c085b8
|
By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 02:42 EST, 13 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:24 EST, 13 December 2013 . The mothers of two little girls both suffering incurable diseases became acquainted in an unusual way - and found their daughters' lives, like their names, were startlingly similar. Amber Greenawalt is mother to five-year-old Savannah who suffers mitochondrial disease, and Lindsay Cairns Lennox is the mother of five-year-old Seattle, who has transverse mylitis. Friends of the two, realizing that Savannah is in desperate need of an oxygen tank and Seattle needs a new wheelchair, created a Go Fund Me page for the little girls to raise money for their medical care. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Little warriors: Savannah Greenawalt (left) and Seattle Lennox (right) have both been fighting illnesses for much of their short lives . In need: Savannah suffers mitochondrial disease and needs an oxygen tank to help her breathe throughout the day . The pair met after Greenawalt, a die-hard Battlestar Galactica fan, met actress Leah Cairns at a 'Galacticon' conference in Houston. They began talking and realized they had much in common as mothers of three children. Leah Cairns mentioned her sister, Lindsay Cairns Lennox and her daughter Seattle. 'I never could have imagined how blessed I would be to have Leah come into my life and how impactful that connection would turn out to be,' writes Greenawalt on her blog Life, Love & Laundry. 'While the diagnoses are different the life experiences of our girls have been remarkably similar. In fact the parallels in their stories are incredible and it's easy to see that the wee warriors are kindred spirits right down to their city names.' Catalyst: Lindsay Cairn Lennox and Amber Greenawalt met through actress Leah Cairn, pictured (left) in character on Battlestar Galactica and (right) at a film premiere . Seattle's condition, transverse mylitis, is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across both sides of one level, or segment, of the spinal cord. After initially being paralyzed by the condition as a 15-month-old, Seattle has mad a good recovery but can't walk for long periods of time and experiences constant pain due to transverse mylitis. Savannah has Complex I and Complex III mitochondrial disease. She was diagnosed three weeks after her first birthday. Her mother writes that the condition has 'caused her body to experience poor growth, hypermobility (Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome Type 3), hypotonia, Eosinophilic Colitis and other gastrointestinal issues, hypoglycemia, asthma, immunodeficiency, chronic infections, seizures, dysautonomia, polydipsia/polyuria, dysphagia, reflux, vasso-constriction/dilation and lactic acidosis among other things.' Fighter: Seattle walks as much as she can but she needs a new wheelchair to help her get around . This currently incurable cellular energy disorder keeps Savannah’s body from being able to convert food and oxygen into energy. This causes cell damage, and eventually cell death. There is no cure for the disease and many sufferers do not make it to their teenage years. Both little girls have spent much of their short lives in hospitals, hooked up to machines and in pain. 'If . they survived at all, it was doubtful they would ever be able to talk, . walk or function on their own,' reads the Go Fund Me page. The little fighters have both proved that they're made of stronger stuff. Seattle walks and Savannah's progress has been nothing less than remarkable. But there's still a long way to go for both of them. As babies: Amber Greenawalt and Savannah (left) and Lindsay Cairn Lennox with Seattle . 'Leah [Cairn] and another incredible . woman who came into our life because of her, Lacey Harrison, and two . other gals Tammy Sheperd and Jo Sharples set up a Go Fund Me page for . Savannah and Seattle,' writes Amber Greenawalt. 'We have done many fundraisers through the years to benefit some amazing organizations doing research for a cure but we have never fundraised directly for Savannah's medical needs. As I'm sure Lindsay would agree its a tough thing to do....Ask people for direct support. But the truth is our girls have medical needs right now that surpass what we can cover out of pocket on our own. That's why this page, this campaign, means the world to us.'The money will be split 50/50 between Savannah and Seattle. So far, the campaign has raised $4,250.
|
Mothers met after Amber Greenawalt met the actress sister of Lindsay Cairn Lennox at a 'Battlestar Galactica' convention .
Both are mothers to five-year-old girls, Savannah and Seattle .
Savannah Greenawalt has mitochondrial disease and Seattle Lennox has transverse mylitis .
The little girls have both been battling illness since infancy .
A new Go Fund Me fundraising page has been set up to help the girls' parents with their medical expenses .
|
114,223 |
1f5e143e5408be407cd05d9d7cf183ed1c3b870d
|
By . Sally Lee for Daily Mail Australia . It's the viral campaign that's taken social media by storm with world-wide support from celebrities and dignitaries alike. Thanks to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Motor Neurone Disease Australia has received more than $832,000 worth of donations when the campaign came down under on August 10. And the figures continue to be mind-blowing as Daily Mail Australia can reveal the donations recorded from the past couple of weeks are 26 times more than funds from last year. Scroll down for video . Celebrities partake in the ALS ice bucket challenge, which has gained worldwide support . Aussie singer Kylie Minogue and fashion designer Stefano Gabbana jump on board the ice bucket challenge . Actor Chris Hemsworth takes on the viral challenge which launched in Australia on August 10 . The viral challenge for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which is known as MND (motor neurone disease) in Australia, kicked off in the U.S. late July. Dr Moira O'Connor says it's a long way until a cure for MND is found . Since it launched in Australia just over two weeks ago, a grand figure of $832,450.20 was donated to MNDA by 20,419 people. 'It's been absolutely mind-blowing,' a MNDA spokeswoman said, noting that it's been by far the biggest year of donations for the organisation. With about 1,900 Australians affected by MND, researchers and families finally feel as though they've been given a voice through the highly successful awareness campaign for the progressive and terminal neurological disease. Half of the donations will go towards MNDA's research arm, the MND Research Institute of Australia. 'MNDRIA allocates funds to the best research with the greatest chance of increasing our understanding of MND, and moving us closer to finding an effective treatment and cure for the disease,' Janet Nash, MNDA's Executive Officer Research, said. While Perth senior researcher Dr Moira O'Connor says 'effective treatment and a cure is inevitably a long way off', more research is needed into providing support for MND patients and also families. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young tipping the bucket on herself in Canberra . Australian plus-size model Robyn Lawley accepts the ice bucket challenge . 'MND gradually weakens the muscles as people lose their ability to talk, walk, swallow and eventually lose their ability to function,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Dr O'Connor, from Curtin University's School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, is focusing on the psychological effects to support the emotional well-being of both patients and carers. 'While patients feel flat and loss of hope carers also feel depressed because they have little control of the unpredictable symptoms and the physical burden of the job is quite demanding,' she said. 'There are good services available but always room for improvement to ensure a positive journey for all and to ensure people don’t fall through the cracks, maintaining positive attitude . Dr O'Connor said about five to 10 per cent of cases are inherited with the disease commonly affects males and those in the 50 to 60 age bracket. 'We hope the donations keep on coming, even when the viral campaigns fades out,' she said. 'We're still a long way from finding a cure so we hope MND isn't forgotten and people keep their ongoing commitment.'
|
Motor neurone disease is a progressive and terminal neurological disease .
There is no known cure and no effective treatment .
Since August 10, Motor Neurone Disease Australia recorded $832,450.20 of donations from 20,419 people .
In the same period of time last year, just $31,689.35 had been raised .
Half of the donations will go towards the MND Research Institute of Australia .
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.