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There should be no problem with Frank Lampard's move to New York City being delayed until July, according to MLS commissioner Don Garber. The England international was supposed to move to America to begin training with his new side early in 2015 but his form with parent club Manchester City saw the Premier League champions extend his stay under Manuel Pellegrini. Many New York fans were outraged that they had been 'lied to' over Lampard's situation in a ploy to sell season tickets, but Garber insists that most Designated Players coming from Europe don't join up with their new team until the summer. The delay in Frank Lampard's move to New York City until July is normal, according to the MLS commissioner . Don Garber (left, at a conference alongside David Beckham) says most Designated Players arrive in July . 'They [Man City] were faced with a difficult decision,' Garber told Grant Wahl of Sports Interactive. 'I'm going to be supportive of all our ownership groups, making them aware of my point of view. But we need to work hard now to move forward and recognize that Frank will be joining this team in July along with other Designated Players, who throughout the history of the Designated Player program have almost always joined in July. 'If there was an error in judgment on this, it was not just announcing that he would come in July and figuring out how to manage the start of the season, no different than what happened with Robbie Keane or Thierry Henry or David Beckham. Lampard's fine form with Manchester City saw the Premier League champions extend his stay . Steven Gerrard has announced his intention to join a side in America in the summer after leaving Liverpool . Garber also spoke about the possibility of Steven Gerrard arriving stateside, admitting their had been discussions with the Liverpool captain's representatives but that nothing had been signed. When questioned about supporters in the Big Apple voicing their discontent over Lampard, he referenced an 'unusual set of circumstances' which will have swayed Man City's decision. He added: 'Frank has become one of the most important players in Man City's season, and he's scored critical goals to have them tied for first place in the Premier League.'
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Manchester City extend Frank Lampard's stay until end of the season .
Fans of New York City upset over promises over Lampard's arrival in MLS .
But MLS commissioner Don Garber says move in July is normal .
Claims most Designated Players in America don't move until the summer .
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(CNN)An image of 48-year-old Cindy Crawford in lingerie is stirring discussion about what "real" women look like -- but not for reasons you might expect. The practice of photo retouching in fashion publications renders most models completely free of blemishes or imperfections to the point of being unrealistic. But this photo of Crawford baring her sun-kissed torso is drawing praise for showing her in a realistic light. The image comes from a cover shoot for the December 2013 issue of Marie Claire Mexico and Latin America, representatives for the Mexico-based publication said. The photo in question was not published, and spokespeople did not provide an explanation for how it surfaced last week. Sex, lies and media . "During the session that we did at that time for our edition, we proved that Cindy is an ambassador of beauty who has made history. It was a total privilege to have this fashion icon on the cover," Ariadne Grant, editor in chief of Marie Claire Mexico and Latin America, said in a news release. "The most important thing about this news is to note the beauty that Crawford has always been, and how happy we are that she has been part of a production for Marie Claire Mexico and Latin America -- a title that shows the strength and power of real women, always respecting (their) beauty, individuality and femininity." Opinion: Is Cindy Crawford's photo empowering? The image spread through social media on Friday after British ITV News anchor Charlene White shared it on Twitter, attributing it to Marie Claire magazine. White said she first spotted the image on a friend's private Instagram feed and sought it out on Twitter. She said she found it on a fashion blog whose name she couldn't recall, and she shared the image from there. Regardless of the photo's origins, White said, she took comfort in the image as a celebrity whose looks are constantly scrutinized. "Women come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes," White said. "I think it's important to see all sorts of body shapes on our screens and in our magazines so that people have a true reflection of what people look like." Fat is the new ugly on the playground . The American version of Marie Claire, a joint venture between Hearst Magazines and French-based Marie Claire Album, called the image real, honest and gorgeous but denied any connection to the photo. "It appears that this unretouched version is a leak," the magazine said in an online post Friday. "No matter where the photo came from, it's an enlightenment -- we've always known Crawford was beautiful, but seeing her like this only makes us love her more." Report: Kids as young as 5 concerned about body image . The image is still resonating days later. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis was one of many to applaud the image on Twitter by sharing an image of herself in skivvies. "Bravo Cindy Crawford," she said. "Beauty is truth, truth beauty, that is all Ye need to know on earth, and all Ye need to know." Others, however, questioned the reflex to applaud realistic depictions of women in fashion. The response has not been entirely positive. But White said it matters not what detractors say. "I want people to feel like magazines aren't responsible for their happiness when it comes to their bodies but magazines also have a responsibility to show us an array of images," she said. Bottom line? "No one has the right to tell other people how to feel about their body." Age before beauty? We've got both, actually .
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NEW: Marie Claire Mexico says photo came from December 2013 cover shoot .
NEW: "Cindy is an ambassador of beauty who has made history," editor in chief says .
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The man accused of killing one-punch victim Raynor Manalad will be the first person dealt with under new laws which could see him jailed for a minimum of eight years. Hugh Garth, 21, stands accused of striking the 21-year-old nursing graduate while the pair were celebrating a birthday party early on Saturday morning. If convicted, Garth could face a minimum jail sentence of eight years. He was today refused bail in a Sydney court where his charges were upgraded to assault causing death while intoxicated and causing grievous bodily harm. He will reappear in July. 'A beautiful sunset' Raynor Manalad was a recent university graduate with his whole career ahead of him, before he was killed by a single punch to the face . Tragic: Raynor Manalad was at a house party celebrating a 21st birthday party when he was hit by a punch to the face shortly after midnight on Saturday . Police will allege that during an argument with his girlfriend at the house party in Rooty Hill, Garth king-hit Raynor Manalad in the head while the victim tried to quell the conflict. He was transported to hospital, but died the following day. Mr Manalad was a recent Australian Catholic University graduate with his whole life ahead of him. His death is the third of its kind to claim a young life in Sydney since 18-year-old Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie died on the streets of Kings Cross. And like both of them, it appears Mr Manalad was yet another innocent victim. Friends and family have called for justice on Facebook declaring his death is yet another senseless act of violence. 'RIP Ray brother. Didn't know you well enough but through everything I've seen and heard the past few days you were loved by all. Heart goes out to all the family and loved ones. Rest well bro,' Jeremy Nool posted to Facebook. Accused: Hugh Garth was fighting with his girlfriend before being accused of punching Raynor who was trying to quell the argument . Hugh Garth will appear in Blacktown local court on Wednesday where he will face charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, common assault and affray . Another friend, Alyssa, described him as 'a beautiful sunset.' 'Hearing about your passing hits me like a ton of bricks. I cannot believe that you are gone. It hurts that you are no longer alive because you where the person who would always keep the peace in the group.' The mother of the man accused of the killing is still in shock, first made aware of her son's arrest when approached by Channel Nine on Monday. 'I was watching 60 minutes, on the news Saturday, and that's when my heart was pumping,' she said. She also said the severity of the situation was 'hard' for her to deal with. Since the deaths of Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie, both 18, and a number of other serious assaults on Sydney's streets, new laws have been introduced to help curb alcohol-fueled attacks. The New South Wales government also introduced earlier lock-out and closing times for some of Sydney's busiest bars. Mr Christie was walking along the same street as Thomas when he was attacked by 25-year-old Shaun McNeil on New Year's Eve. Tragedy: A man has died in Westmead Hospital following another one-punch attack which occurred at a house party in Sydney's south . Mr Christie had been in a critical condition for 11 days before his family made the decision to turn off his life support. In December last year, Michael McEwen, 23, was attacked by up to three men at Bondi when he was punched to the ground and allegedly stomped on. All these incidences were the catalyst for new mandatory minimum sentencing laws imposed against people who commit such crimes. It was announced that anyone convicted of reckless grievous bodily harm or wounding a member of the public or a police officer while intoxicated can expect a minimum sentence of three to five years and a maximum penalty of up to 16 years. Former premier Barry O'Farrell said the new laws, which included a curfew on trading hours to 3am across the city, sent out 'the possible strongest message' that drug and alcohol-fuelled violence will no longer be tolerated. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Hugh Garth could face eight years in jail for allegedly punching Raynor Manalad in the head .
The 21-year-old will the first person dealt with under new sentencing laws .
Raynor Manalad was killed while trying to quell a fight at a house party .
Garth will reappear in a Sydney court in July .
Friends have paid tribute to the recent nursing graduate on Facebook .
Death follows those of Daniel Christie and Thomas Kelly in similar circumstances .
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By . Binky Felstead . PUBLISHED: . 12:16 EST, 4 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:18 EST, 4 August 2013 . Hi guys! It’s officially festival season – I had some serious Glasto envy earlier this year and have made a vow to register for tickets for next year. I did manage to catch some of the coverage on TV though, and as well as watching all the awesome bands I loved looking at all the crazy outfits and make-up worn by festival goers. Festivals are a time when you can really go crazy with your make-up. Glitter, UV paint, crazy colours in your hair – anything goes! This week Binky Felstead uses glitter, UV paint and neon colours to create the perfect festival look . This week, I’ve enlisted the help of top make-up artist Daniel Sandler. Daniel’s taken inspiration from make-up seen on Pixie Lott and Vanessa Hudgens to create my floral festival-themed face. This happy-go-lucky hippy style look will take you from day to night whether you’ll be rocking out at Reading or raving it up in Creamfields. How To Create A Floral Festival Makeup Look . Step 2 – Powder in PlaceTo set my base, Daniel rubbed his Invisible Veil Powder into his hands and applied it to my face with his fingers. This powder gives a real airbrushed, flawless finish to the face without looking or feeling caked on, and sets make-up perfectly so you don’t have to worry about it sweating off in the heat. For the Earth Mother style floral face pattern, Daniel grabbed his Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in Green Velvet and began drawing a floral stem design to the side of one of my eyes . Step 3 – Shimmering ShadowNext, Daniel moved onto defining my eyes, using the Clarins Eye Quartet Mineral Palettes in Rosewood and Violet. He applied some of the pearly pink shade from the Rosewood palette all over my lids to give them a subtle iridescent glow, followed by the lilac colour from the Violet palette just below the outer corners of my eyes. This created a pretty, shimmering effect – we didn’t want anything too heavy. Finally, he dabbed some of the bright white shade from the Violet palette to the inner corners of my eyes to make them pop, as well as stroking some under the eyebrow to highlight the brow bone.Step 4 – Funky FlowersNow for the fun part! For the Earth Mother style floral face pattern, Daniel grabbed his Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in Green Velvet and began drawing a floral stem design to the side of one of my eyes. He then dabbed a small brush into a melted down version of his Luxury Matte Lipstick in Gigi and used this to draw on some flower petals. For the centres of the flowers, he used the shimmering golden shade from his Eyeshadow Quad in Beyond Sunset. You don’t have to be too neat when painting on a design like this – just be spontaneous and let your creativity flow! Festivals are all about having fun and you can get away with much more daring looks than you can on a day-to-day basis, so feel free to go as crazy as you like with colours and patterns. Daniel's taken inspiration from make-up seen on Pixie Lott and Vanessa Hudgens to create my floral festival-themed face . Step 5 – Crazy EyelashesThese gorgeous Paperself False Eyelashes are ideal for a festival when you’re entitled to go a little mad with your look, and their intricate floral design perfectly complements the flower pattern Daniel drew onto my face earlier. He snipped a portion off the false lashes and ran eyelash glue along their edge. He then waited until the glue was tacky before carefully applying them across my upper lash line. Applying false eyelashes can be a bit tricky, so practise in your room at home before doing it in your tent! Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All In One BB Cream . Rimmel Stay Matte Powder . 17 Eye Shadow Trios in Purple Heart and Metallic Toffee . Rimmel Soft Khol Kajal Eye Pencil in Jungle Green . Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids Lipsticks in Fuscia Flash and Electric Orange . Step 6 – Two-Tone LipFor a vibrant night-time look, Daniel created this amazing two-tone lip. He patted his Luxury Matte Lipstick in the bright fuschia shade Gigi onto my upper lip with his fingers, then did the same on my lower lip using the same lipstick in blood-orange shade Marilyn. I then gently pressed my lips together to slightly blend the colours for a smudged effect.Festivals can get very messy as I’m sure you all know, so I recommend taking some Handy Hygienic Wipes from Halo with you to freshen up as you go along. Their Eye Make-Up Remover Wipes work a treat for removing all the crazy make-up from your face when the party’s over, and they also offer Moist Toilet Tissue wipes – the ultimate festival essential! Hope you guys like this look! Drop me a comment and let me know what you think. Are you off to any festivals this year? Let’s keep our fingers crossed the sun stays out…Until next time,Binky xxx . Read more of Binky's beauty tips on her blog here.
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Reality TV star shows you how to perfect festival make-up .
Calls in make-up artist Daniel Sandler for help .
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By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 03:59 EST, 23 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:16 EST, 23 September 2013 . Amanda Knox today claimed she has been 'hunted' over the murder of British student Meredith Kercher as she defended her decision not to return to Italy to face retrial for the killing in her first live interview on British television. The 26-year-old American said she was trying to rebuild her life after the 'ultimate nightmare' of being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned over the killing of Leeds University student Ms Kercher in November 2007. Ms Knox said she is now trying to fight back against her accusers because she wasn't given the chance before and said she will take a lie detector test to prove her innocence. Scroll down for videos . Will not return to Italy: Amanda Knox today defended her decision not to return to Italy to a face a retrial over the murder of Meredith Kercher in an interview on ITV's Daybreak . Victim: Amanda Knox told Lorraine Kelly that she had been 'hunted down' over the murder of Meredith Kercher in November 2007 . 'I've been hunted. I'm being hunted down,' she told ITV’s Daybreak, adding: 'I'm trying to fight back now that I have the opportunity.' Asked if she would be willing to take a . lie detector test, Ms Knox said: 'I would do anything to prove my . innocence. I don’t think that is necessary, but like I said, I am doing . everything I can to prove my innocence. 'I am not afraid of anything. I have been put through a tremendous gauntlet.' Ms Knox has denied any involvement in the killing of Ms Kercher, who was found with her throat slashed in the bedroom of the house they shared in Perugia, central Italy. She was convicted along with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito following a high-profile trial, but the pair were later cleared in 2011 after an appeal court found the prosecution lacking and criticised large swathes of the case against them. Innocent: Ms Knox today said she would take a lie detector test to prove her innocence over the murder . Starting again: Ms Knox, who now lives in Seattle, said she is trying to rebuild her life since being acquitted of the murder . Italy’s supreme court has ordered a new trial but Miss Knox, who now lives in Seattle, has said she will not attend. She said: 'I have plenty to fear because I was already imprisoned wrongfully, I was already convicted wrongfully and this is everything to fear, this, as an innocent person, is the ultimate nightmare, this does not make sense.' Ms Knox added that she is unable to afford to travel to Italy and remain in the country for the duration of a retrial. Mr Sollecito, 29, has denied any involvement in the killing and has appealed for money to fund his new court battle. He is due to face a retrial next Monday. Explaining her reasons for not returning . to Italy for the retrial, Miss Knox said: 'There are many reasons why I . have made the decision. Loss: British student Meredith Kercher was found killed in the apartment the girls shared in Perugia . 'One of the major reasons is because I have done this, I have given testimony ... I can’t financially afford to be going back and forth to Italy. 'I am in school, I am trying to rebuild my life. Then there is the very real fact that I was imprisoned wrongfully and I cannot reconcile that experience with the choice of going back. It doesn’t make sense. 'This isn’t a complicated case. It has been resolved and for people to hold on to circumstantial things that have been proven wrong... At the very beginning, I never had a chance to defend myself. Over the course of the trial, it was shown that I wasn’t the monster that was being made of me.' She added: 'There is proof of my innocence in there being no trace of me in the room where my friend was murdered. 'There was no reason for me to have done this, there is nothing that is a part of me that would ever do something like this. 'It is so scary to have go to through this again, I did not expect this to happen. 'And now I am not sure what to expect because I have two different experiences - I was wrongfully convicted and rightly acquitted for being innocent and now I have to hope that the next court is able to look at this without prejudice and realise that there is proof of my innocence here. 'This isn’t a case about a character, this isn’t a case about a femme fatale, this is a case about my friend who was brutally murdered as she just happened to be home that night.' Ms Knox said she would like Ms Kercher's family to take her to visit her grave and believes that they can help one another with the grieving. 'The greatest closure is for them to . be willing to take me to her grave. I never had a chance to see them . before I was already called the murderer,' she said. Refusal: Speaking on the Today show, Amanda Knox said it was 'common sense' that she will not return to Italy for the re-trial in the murder of her British roommate in 2007. Knox was freed in 2010 . Hitting back: Raffaele Sollecito, who was accused of murdering Meredith Kercher, says the police's handling of his case was 'incompetent'. He claims he was blackmailed into framing Amanda Knox for the crime . Ms . Knox said she understood why Ms Kercher's family might believe she was . involved in her death but insisted the prosecution was wrong and asked . them to consider her innocence. 'I can understand where they're coming from. I know that they think that I had some sort of involvement with Meredith's death. 'I would hope that they would eventually take into consideration even the possibility of my innocence. They need to understand that the prosecution is simply wrong and that their lawyers are wrong. 'I also want them to understand that Meredith really was my friend. She was very kind to me and I had nothing to do with her murder. And I am truly innocent. And I truly believe that the only way that any of us are going to be able to heal from all of this is if we come together and acknowledge the pain that we have all gone through.' Ms Knox denied she had tried to cash in on Ms Kercher's death by writing her book, Waiting To Be Heard, which was published in the United States earlier this year, and said all the proceeds had gone on paying back her parents and lawyers. 'I am not sitting on a yacht somewhere - that's not the case,' she said. 'Odd behavior': Knox was pictured kissing her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito after the murder . Thanks: Knox acknowledges cheers of supporters while her mother comforts her after she was freed in 2010 .
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Ms Knox was acquitted of 2007 murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher .
She had already served four years behind bars in Italian prison .
A retrial of the case begins in 10 days, but Knox has vowed not to return .
She appeared on ITV's Daybreak this morning in her only British interview .
The 26-year-old says she will take a lie detector test to prove her innocence .
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2f974676efd49d82e7843d7e11186813949acbe4
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An internal Veterans Affairs audit released Monday said tens of thousands of newly returning veterans wait at least 90 days for medical care, while even more who signed up in the VA system over the past 10 years never got an immediate appointment they requested. The review provides a more complete picture of widespread problems at the agency's health care facilities -- as reported by CNN over the past seven months -- than preliminary findings last month that led to the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. "This data shows the extent of the systemic problems we face, problems that demand immediate actions," said acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson, who took over after Shinseki stepped aside. Deadly waits . Reports of the sometimes fatal waits, with the VA acknowledging 23 deaths nationwide due to delayed care, sparked public anger over problems at the VA that have existed for years. Despite efforts to address some issues in recent years, including reductions in backlogs for benefits and the number of homeless veterans, the long waits have continued for newly enrolled veterans to get initial appointments for care. Reasons for the chronic problems include the increasing number of veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a bonus system that rewarded managers for meeting goals regarding access to treatment. 14-day goal "not attainable" The audit findings, covering 731 VA facilities nationwide and based on interviews with more than 3,700 staff members, said a 14-day goal for providing care to newly enrolled veterans proved "simply not attainable" due to growing demand and a lack of capacity. "Imposing this expectation on the field before ascertaining the resources required and its ensuing broad promulgation represent an organizational leadership failure," it said of the deadline imposed under Shinseki. According to CNN's previous reporting, managers in Phoenix and elsewhere used secret waiting lists to cover up the amount of time it took for veterans to get appointments. "In some cases, pressures were placed on schedulers to utilize unofficial lists or engage in inappropriate practices in order to make waiting times appear more favorable," said a fact sheet released with the audit. At the same time, the audit said that questions it posed "were not worded to ascertain the reason that policy may have been violated," adding that its findings "cannot be extended to identify deliberate deception, fraud, or malfeasance." Keyword search the audit . The figures in the audit -- 57,436 newly enrolled veterans facing a minimum 90-day wait for medical care; 63,869 veterans who enrolled over the past decade requesting an appointment that never happened -- show the scope of the problem. At the same time, both figures represent about 1% of the total 6 million or so appointments in the VA system now, and don't reflect possible changing circumstances, such as enrolled veterans who seek care at a different facility than the one where they first signed up. Gibson's statement said the VA has contacted 50,000 veterans "to get them off of wait lists and into clinics" so far, and planned to contact another 40,000. Steps taken . Other steps he announced included: . •Removing the 14-day scheduling goal. •Suspending all performance awards for VHA senior executives for fiscal year 2014, which runs through September. •A hiring freeze at VA central headquarters in Washington and the 21 VHA regional offices, "except for critical positions to be approved by the secretary on a case-by-case basis." •A new patient satisfaction measurement program. •Ordering an independent, outside audit of VHA scheduling practices across the system. This would differ from a review being conducted by the VA inspector general's office. •Applying reforms announced for the Phoenix VA facility to others considered the "most challenged." •Deploying mobile medical units to provide services to veterans awaiting care. CNN first reported the extensive problems at the Phoenix VA facility, including an interview with a whistleblower who said dozens of veterans died while waiting for care there. Fatal waits in Phoenix . Changes needed . White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the new audit showed "some personnel changes need to be made and some have already," in reference to Shinseki's departure and some top managers in Phoenix placed on administrative leave. "It's also clear there need to be some management changes in terms of ... the procedures that the VA has in place to fulfill their responsibilities," Earnest said. Some in Congress on both sides of the aisle have called for a criminal investigation, and 21 senators sent a letter Monday to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for the FBI to get involved. "This challenge requires resources that only the Department of Justice can provide in developing and assessing evidence, pursuing leads, and initiating active prosecutions aggressively if warranted," said the letter from 10 Republicans and 11 Democrats. Bring in the feds . The signers included Kay Hagan in North Carolnia, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Pryor of Arkansas -- Democrats from traditionally conservative states who face tough re-election battles in November. Richard Griffin, the acting VA inspector general conducting his own review of the system, has said he regularly consults with the Justice Department as part of his inquiry. A Justice spokesperson said Monday that "the department continues to consult with the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General regarding their ongoing review." Declining further comment on an "ongoing matter," the spokesperson said the department "often consults with inspectors general on legal matters and acts on any referrals should they find sufficient predicate for a criminal investigation." Griffin said on Monday that his office is now looking at 69 VA facilities.
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Audit confirms widespread scheduling problems at VA .
CNN first reported on the issue in November, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned over the scandal .
Twenty-one senators from both parties call for FBI investigation .
VA acting inspector general says his office is now looking at 69 VA facilities .
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592f7019dfb20330f3e644ca7132822eb0d4814e
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Gabriel Barbosa Almeida, simply known by Gabriel, is the striker dubbed the 'new Neymar' who looks destined to follow in the Brazilian's footsteps from Santos to Barcelona. The La Liga giants have preferential rights to buy the 18-year-old as part of their deal for former Santos striker Neymar from the Brazilian Serie A club last summer. The forward, having made his professional debut as a 16-year-old, has also adapted the nickname 'Gabigol' due to his goalscoring prowess in Brazil. VIDEO Scroll down to watch striker Gabriel match Neymar's debut goal tally for Santos . The next big thing: Santos's Gabriel could soon be en route to Barcelona and following in Neymar's footsteps . Strike: Barcelona have preferential rights of the 18-year-old as part of Neymar's summer transfer to Barca . Ready for company? Neymar joined Barcelona from Santos and the Nou Camp club struck the early deal . Gabriel's current deal with Santos expires in 2015, and his agent Wagner Ribeiro is currently discussing an extension. In 14 games this year, Gabriel remains Santos's top goalscorer with five and three assists. The move to Spain is a desired one, though, and Gabriel previously announced: 'Someday I hope to become a Barca player. I've dreamed of this since I was little, from the moment I started playing football.' The bad news for Europe's elite clubs, however, is that Barcelona have the first option to make a move, and the Spanish side are understood to be keen to pounce sooner rather than later. Starlet: Gabriel's current deal with Santos expires in 2015 and Barcelona can steal the teenager soon enough . Hopeful: 'Someday I hope to become a Barca player. I've dreamed of this since I was little,' admitted Gabriel . Starlet: Spanish newspaper Sport dedicated their front page to Gabriel, who could become Barca's next star .
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Gabriel Barbosa Almeida - known by Gabriel - looks destined to move to the Nou Camp as Barcelona have preferential rights on the 18-year-old .
Barcelona secured first rights during transfer of Neymar from Santos .
Gabriel, a Santos starlet, has been dubbed the 'new Neymar' and admits he has always 'dreamed of this (move to Barcelona) since I was little'
'Gabigol' is Gabriel's other nickname due to goalscoring prowess in Brazil .
Gabriel has five goals and three assists in 14 appearances this season .
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Washington (CNN) -- A Pennsylvania woman has been indicted for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and kill a person in a foreign country, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. Colleen LaRose, known as "Jihad Jane" and "Fatima LaRose," has also been charged with making false statements to a government official and attempted identity theft. She was arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 15, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said. No arraignment date has been set, the official said. LaRose is being held at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. LaRose and five unindicted co-conspirators recruited men on the Internet "to wage violent jihad in South Asia and Europe, and recruited women on the Internet who had passports and the ability to travel to and around Europe in support of violent jihad," according to a Justice Department statement. Irish police arrest 7 on murder plot charges . If convicted, LaRose faces a possible life prison sentence and a $1 million fine, the statement said. The conspiracy began in June 2008, when LaRose posted a comment on YouTube under the username JihadJane saying she is "desperate to do something somehow to help" Muslims, according to the indictment unsealed Tuesday. From December 2008 to October 2009, LaRose engaged in electronic communication with the five co-conspirators about their shared desires to wage jihad and become martyrs, according to the indictment. Read the indictment (PDF) LaRose and the co-conspirators, according to the statement, used the Internet to establish relationships with each another and develop plans "which included martyring themselves, soliciting funds for terrorists, soliciting passports and avoiding travel restrictions (through the collection of passports and through marriage) in order to wage violent jihad." According to a U.S. government official familiar with the case, LaRose was successful in recruiting some people to join the cause. She also was able to raise money, the official said, adding that she was in contact with committed jihadists in South Asia, Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The official declined to link her to any specific terrorist organizations. LaRose, the indictment claims, stole a U.S. passport at one point in order to "facilitate an act of international terrorism." She received "a direct order to kill a citizen and resident of Sweden, and to do so in a way that would frighten 'the whole Kufar [non-believer] world.' " The indictment does not identify the Swedish resident, but a government official familiar with the case acknowledged that Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks was the intended target. Justice Department officials declined to comment. "I will make this my goal till I achieve it or die trying," LaRose said via electronic communication, according to the indictment. LaRose, along with the co-conspirators, believed that "her appearance and American citizenship would help her blend in while carrying out her plans, calling it a possible "way to achieve what is in my heart," according to the indictment. The indictment alleges that LaRose even agreed to marry one of the co-conspirators to obtain residency status in a European country. LaRose traveled to Europe in August and "tracked the intended target online in an effort to complete her task," the statement said. According to the indictment, LaRose told the co-conspirator who ordered the murder that she considers it an "honour & a great pleasure to die or kill for" the co-conspirator and pledged that "only death will stop me here that I am so close to the target." The killing did not occur, and LaRose was arrested about two weeks after the electronic message was sent. Mark Wilson, a federal public defender representing LaRose, declined to comment on the case Tuesday. LaRose, according to the Justice Department, was born in 1963 and lives outside Philadelphia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. CNN's Carol Cratty and Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report.
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NEW: Official says Swedish cartoonist was target .
Justice Department says Colleen LaRose, five others developed plans for martyrdom .
She could receive life sentence, $1 million fine .
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Two high school students died on their way home from a movie theater in after a faulty exhaust pipe leaked carbon monoxide into their car. Carly Marie Imbierowicz, 16, and Daulton David Pointek, 17, were found dead early Saturday morning in a parked car near Cochranville, Pennsylvania. A preliminary toxicology report found that both teens died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but there is no indication of suspicious activities or suicide. Tragedy: Carly Marie Imbierowicz, 16, was found dead in a car with her friend Daulton David Pointek, 17, after a faulty exhaust pipe had leaked deadly carbon monoxide into the vehicle . The teenagers had visited a cinema with friends in nearby Downingtown on Friday night, and Mr Pointek was driving Ms Imbierowicz home, Pennsylvania State Police Avondale have said. The pair, both students at Octorara High School, pulled over by the roadside, where their bodies were discovered by a passerby on Saturday morning. Life lost: 'Sports fan' Daulton David Pointek . Family has described Ms Imbierowicz as a 'talented athlete' who played for the varsity field hockey team as well as the school's volleyball, softball and powderpuff football teams. An obituary published by a local funeral home also notes that she was the junior class vice-president, vice-president of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), volunteered at a local hospital and was a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol . Mr Pointek has also been described as an athlete who participated in golf, baseball and basketball at Octorara High School and loved sports and cars. 'It hit our community hard but it united us. We're hoping it goes back to normal but nothing is going to be normal,' fellow student Hannah Keenan told WPVI-TV. 'I saw her [Ms Imbierowicz] that Friday night because her mom had just gotten surgery and I was dropping food off. 'We said our goodbyes but I didn't think that would be our final goodbye.' 'It was definitely something we never expected to happen,' Octorara High School principal Scott Rohrer added. 'The odds are just astronomical, I just can't imagine. It's really difficult to comprehend.' The police investigation is ongoing. The Carly Imbierowicz Family Fund's gofundme page .
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Carly Marie Imbierowicz, 16, and Daulton David Pointek, 17, found dead .
Pair died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to leaking exhaust pipe .
The teenagers had been on their way home from a movie on Friday .
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By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:34 EST, 23 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:37 EST, 24 August 2012 . The body of a stowaway was found inside a passenger jet that landed at Heathrow today. British Airways said the corpse was inside the landing gear bay of a Boeing 747 after it arrived at the London airport from Cape Town in South Africa. 'We are liaising with the South African authorities and Cape Town airport after a body was found in the landing gear bay of one of our aircraft,' a company spokesman said. Mystery: The stowaway was found on a BA flight when it landed at Heathrow this morning . 'They are investigating how this incident took place, which involved a Boeing 747 which arrived this morning from Cape Town. 'This is a very rare and sad event and our thoughts are with the individual’s family.' The Metropolitan Police said the body was a man who was not a member of the jumbo jet’s crew or a passenger on the flight. The body of the stowaway was discovered in the landing gear bay of British Airways jet . 'Police were called at approximately 6.25am on Thursday August 23 to an incoming flight at Heathrow Airport following the discovery of a man’s body,' a spokesman said. 'Officers and London Ambulance Service attended. 'The man was pronounced dead at 7.07am. 'The death is being treated as non-suspicious. 'Inquiries are ongoing to establish the man’s identity.' It . is believed the dead man could be a person who was spotted scaling the . fence at Cape Town International Airport last night before heading . towards a BA flight getting ready to take off. Airports Company South Africa, which runs the airport, said it was carrying out an investigation. A . spokeswoman said: 'Last night at approximately 8.40pm a person was . detected scaling the perimeter fence at Cape Town International Airport . (CTIA). 'The airport . immediately responded and, as a security patrol officer attempted to . apprehend the man, he ran in the direction of a British Airways aircraft . already in its holding pattern ready for take-off. Home: The man was seen running into Cape Town's airport after scaling a fence . 'British Airways, in addition to various other parties, were notified. Further sweeps were conducted of the runway and the broader airfield. 'This morning, reports from London's Heathrow Airport confirmed that a stowaway was found on board a British Airways aircraft. The person was found dead. 'Airports Company South Africa is concerned about the loss of life and thus views this incident in the utmost serious light. A full investigation will be undertaken.'
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Man found dead in landing gear area of a Boeing 747 from Cape Town .
Officials in South Africa say he must have scaled a fence and climbed into the jet just before takeoff .
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8f05c6d13022e3cea56693ea4a96a32afd923700
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(CNN) -- Nearly one-fifth of American 4-year-olds are obese, and children of color are at higher risk, according to new research. Obese children are at risk for early onset of diabetes, fatty liver and musculoskeletal problems. Researchers calculated the body mass index from a sample of 8,550 Hispanic, black, white, Asian and Native American 4-year-olds. The children were born in 2001, and in 2005, their height and weight were measured -- 18.4 percent of them were obese. "Significant differences in the prevalence of obesity between racial/ethnic groups were evident at 4 years of age," the researchers wrote in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Using body mass index, they found that 31.2 percent of American Indian/Native Alaskans, 22 percent of Hispanics, 20.8 percent of blacks, 15.9 percent of whites and 12.8 percent of Asians were obese. "It's surprising that there are large differences by racial/ethnic group by that age," said Sarah Anderson, an assistant professor of epidemiology at The Ohio State University and lead study author. Anderson and co-author Robert Whitaker's analysis showed that children were becoming obese even before encountering soda and candy vending machines in schools. "These results really do point to the need for us to focus attention on early childhood and the need for research to understand how these differences can emerge so early," Anderson said. "To do that, we may need to understand the different family and cultural factors that are at play in these children's lives." The cause for the early health disparities is hard to pinpoint, childhood obesity experts said. "It's always possible there are biological factors within ethnic groups," said Dr. Tom Robinson, director of the Center for Healthy Weight at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "We know most of the changes that have occurred in body fat tend to occur from being in an environment that promotes very easy access to high-caloric foods and limited opportunities for physical activities." Michael Rich, an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, called the disparities between ethnic groups disturbing. "The expectations, lifestyle, behaviors are different on a cultural and socioeconomic basis," he said. "Kids who live in the inner city, whose neighborhoods are perceived as dangerous, stay at home more, sit more, eat more snacks, because that's all they can get at the local bodega. There are no supermarkets to get produce. That's what mom is eating, so that's what kid is eating. What we're dealing with here is whole life issues." Previous research has shown that older children are becoming less active and spending more time in front of a computer or TV. "That is displacing physical activity," said Dr. Sarah Barlow, director of the Obesity Center at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. "You can imagine strollers, less outdoor play -- all those kinds of things that have shifted how much activity younger kids are getting. At the same time, portion sizes are increasing for everybody." According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults fare no better. Approximately 45 percent of blacks, 36.8 percent of Mexican Americans and 30 percent of whites are obese. "It's a very bad sign if we see obesity at a young age," Robinson said. "When we see children obese at age 4, we're likely to see complications -- high blood pressure, abnormal lipids -- which can lead to heart disease and stroke, diabetes in children." Diseases commonly seen in 40- or 50-year-olds are presenting in 6- and 7-year-olds. Obese children are developing type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and musculoskeletal problems, which occur because their bodies can't carry that much weight, doctors said. Calculate your child's body mass index. "The heavier you are as a child, the likelier that extra weight will follow you through life," Robinson said. "That's why we see adolescents who need weight-loss surgery, because they have life-threatening complications from obesity." If you have an obese child... The first step is for the parents to acknowledge that the child is overweight, instead of making excuses or comparing him or her to heavier children. Many of the parents of obese children are overweight themselves, which makes that acknowledgment difficult, said Rich, who is also director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital in Boston. "While it's important to focus on it and take it seriously, it's also important not to give up or feel hopeless," he said. "Then you won't try. You want to look at it for what it is and not be defeated by it." When you're trying to help your child achieve a healthy weight, remove the stigma attached to obesity. "It should always be about health, not about losing weight," Rich said. "You're trying to build the positive." He recommended the 5-2-1-0 plan. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, cut screen time down to two hours or less, exercise at least one hour, and have zero soda and sugary drinks. Such changes, which are not seismic shifts to lifestyles, can help the child get into a health weight. "It's easier to start that way, rather than try to change habits when they're 8 or 12 or 16," said Barlow, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. While it's possible for some kids to outgrow the excess weight, she warned parents not to count on that. "We've seen over time that the environment doesn't promote that," she said.
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Research: 18.4 percent of 4-year-olds in the United States are obese.
Native Americans, Hispanics, blacks at most risk; whites and Asians at lowest risk .
Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors play a role in likelihood for obesity .
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450e80b066501bf2a0f1cc6f205d0e09d2d39390
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(CNN) -- [Breaking news alert, 1:39 p.m. ET] . Authorities in Piermont, New York, believe that they have recovered the body of Mark Lennon, the second victim of a boating accident involving a wedding party on the Hudson River, Sheriff Louis Falco told reporters Sunday. Lennon was the best man in the group. [Previously published story, 12:10 p.m. ET] . The path that led Lindsey Stewart and Brian Bond to decide to join their lives together was as measured and deliberate as its end was abrupt. The two had been friends since they were children living in the suburbs north of New York City. They went to the same church. More than three years ago, the relationship turned romantic. Next month, the 30-year-old human resources manager at an insurance company in Nyack, and her 36-year-old beau were to marry at Good Shepherd Church in Pearl River. The reception was to be at Torne Valley Winery in Hillburn. "She did all the plans herself," her stepfather, Walter Kosik, told CNN. "She had everything under control." On Friday night, Stewart and Bond and four of their friends dined at a restaurant, then boarded a 21-foot Stingray power boat on the Hudson River for what was to have been a short ride from the village of Piermont in Rockland County to Tarrytown. It was a clear, balmy night. The short ride and the couple's long-term plans collided fatally when the boat struck the side of one of three barges that were lashed together at a construction site near the Tappan Zee Bridge, 25 miles north of Manhattan. The barges, which were being used by a contractor who is building a new bridge, had been anchored in the river since around April, said Robert Van Cura, undersheriff of the Rockland County Sheriff's Office. Stewart was thrown from the boat, as was Mark Lennon, who was to have served as the couple's best man. Despite suffering serious head injuries, Bond, Stewart's fiance, called 911 from the boat at 10:41 p.m., reporting that it had struck an object south of the bridge. Rescuers poured in from around the area, but to no avail. At 2:30 a.m. Saturday, the police showed up at the house belonging to Stewart's mother and stepfather. "That's something -- a nightmare -- I don't wish on any parent, to get that police coming over your house waking you out of your sleep to tell you that an accident has occurred," Kosik said. A few hours later, a body believed to be that of Stewart's was discovered about an eighth of a mile off the riverbank. The search for Lennon, which proved fruitless Saturday, was to resume Sunday morning, but officials held out little hope he would be found alive. "We're always hopeful, but obviously, at this hour, it's less and less likely that this would be a rescue as opposed to a recovery," Van Cura told reporters. The four who were not thrown from the boat suffered head injuries and were taken to area hospitals. One of them, boat operator Jojo K. John, 35, was arrested. "We have probable cause to believe that he operated the boat while intoxicated," Van Cura said. John was arraigned at an area hospital on one count of first-degree vehicular manslaughter and three counts of second-degree vehicular assault, Van Cura said. More charges are possible, he said. Van Cura said the operator was not the registered owner of the boat, which may have more than one owner. Bond was hospitalized at Westchester Medical Center, said Kosik, who visited him Saturday. "He was in no condition to talk." A spokesman for the medical center said Bond was in fair condition. "She's supposed to be married two weeks from today," said Carol Stewart about her daughter. "It just can't end like this." An investigation has begun. "The barge had some lights on it; whether or not it was properly lighted is part of the investigation," Van Cura said. "On a clear, moonlit night, with the bridge lights on, you can see pretty well," said Tom Sobolik in a telephone interview from aboard his sailboat near the accident site. The moon was last full on Monday. But Craig and Celeste Kmiecik said they were boating in the area on Friday night and that it appeared dark. "There was a moon last night, but you really can't see anything," said Craig Kmiecik. "The barge was not lit up," said Celeste Kmiecik. "We saw that last night coming back to the marina." CNN's Alina Cho and Chris Welch contributed to this report.
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A 21-foot Stingray power boat hit a barge, officials say .
Victims were part of a pre-wedding party .
"The barge was not lit up," boater says .
Bride-to-be's mother: "It just can't end like this"
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1b6c4a38a82187bf60eb5e175965257a8fb812e1
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(CNN) -- A heavily publicized murder trial. A horrific school bombing. A parade of con artists, legendary athletes, industrialists and anarchists, radiant movie stars and wearisome politicians. And, soaring over all, Charles Lindbergh. They're all part of "One Summer: America, 1927," Bill Bryson's new book about a handful of months of a tumultuous year. "It was an extraordinarily crowded summer," Bryson says in a phone interview. "I think it was the most eventful summer any nation has ever had -- certainly in peacetime." Many of the year's events remain well known: Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic, Babe Ruth's 60 home runs, the debut of the first sound film, "The Jazz Singer." Others, though less remembered today, echo eerily almost 90 years later. In New York, a woman named Ruth Brown Snyder murdered her husband. The crime grabbed the attention of the public. The trial, which included her lover, dominated news coverage. It was nicknamed, of course, "the crime of the century." In Bath, Michigan, a disgruntled farmer named Andrew Kehoe murdered his wife and set off a truck full of explosives at the local school, killing 38 students and six adults, including himself. It remains the worst school mass murder in American history. In Cleveland, Ohio, construction workers finished topping out the Van Sweringen brothers' masterpiece, Terminal Tower. The developers' structure -- which would be the tallest building in the world outside New York when it opened three years later -- included a railroad station, hotel, department store, restaurants and office building. It was also the toppling tip of the Van Sweringens' house of cards, a heavily leveraged empire that included railroads and real estate. In 1929 they were worth $3 billion; within a few years they would be practically wiped out. But perhaps the most fascinating figures in Bryson's book are the aviators: not just Lindbergh, but such now-forgotten figures as Clarence Chamberlin, Bert Acosta, Floyd Bennett and Francesco de Pinedo. At a time when flying was still incredibly risky -- the stuff of air shows and derring-do -- they dared to head across the Atlantic and to other long-distance destinations. Many didn't make it. All too often, Bryson ends the story of an aviator with the phrase, "He was never heard from again." The Britain-based Bryson, a wry and thoughtful author known for books on the Appalachian Trail ("A Walk in the Woods"), the English language ("Mother Tongue") and the sciences (the award-winning "A Short History of Nearly Everything"), spoke to CNN from a tour stop in Boston. The following is an edited and condensed version of the interview. CNN: Why this subject? Bill Bryson: For a long time, I'd been vaguely fascinated by the idea that Charles Lindbergh flew the Atlantic and Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs in the same summer. I wondered if it was possible to do a dual biography of these two iconic figures. But when I started doing the research, I quickly discovered that though Lindbergh and Ruth were important elements of the summer of 1927, they were only part of it. And that became the story. CNN: What struck you about this summer? It seems the biggest broad-shouldered year of an energetic decade. Bryson: Lots. There were so many things that I'd only barely ever heard of -- or not heard of at all. Certain events that were so momentous I can't believe I'd never heard of them. The one that leaps out is the madman in Michigan who blew up the school. I was astounded. I'd never heard of this at all. The problem was he did it on May 19, 1927, and the very next day Lindbergh flew to Paris and it knocked everything off the front pages. CNN: Why was Lindbergh the through line? Bryson: I didn't realize just how momentous (Lindbergh's flight) was, and how it gripped the whole world. And Lindbergh was far and away the most enigmatic and most fascinating (character). Just imagine if you were 25 years old and suddenly, overnight, became the most famous man on the planet. And not just famous and celebrated, but people are regarding you as a kind of savior. In this painfully symbolic way you've descended from heaven and people are treating you almost as if you've come to save the Earth. It was just ridiculous. But soon afterwards he turned quite ugly and became this great Nazi sympathizer and very much pro-Germany and anti-Britain as the second World War came along, and a very, very much less attractive person. He was a very hard person to get a grasp of. CNN: I enjoy the way you draw connections between things -- people who crossed paths at the time, and events that resonate down through today. Bryson: I painted myself into a corner by writing a whole book on this one period. The summer of 1927 came to an end, but nothing else did -- all of these peoples' lives went on. I suddenly found myself in this position of writing an epilogue, and you're supposed to be wrapping things up, but you're actually condensing long and busy lives into a paragraph or two. CNN: But even the quick brush strokes -- the Van Sweringens, for example. They could be the overextended moguls of today. Bryson: It did strike me that the Van Sweringens were not really all that different from Charles Ponzi (who makes a cameo appearance in "One Summer"). The only real difference was that Ponzi was an out-and-out fraudster. But the Van Sweringens -- their whole empire was built on exactly the same kind of sleight of hand, and looking a lot more sturdy and wealthy than they really were. It was all based on inflating things and building these pyramids -- not unlike Ponzi. CNN: The society was also more rural, and there didn't seem to be the same fear of death. Bryson: That was what struck me again and again with the aviators. They seemed fearless. They were doing the most hair-raising, dangerous things. After Lindbergh's flight, Clarence Chamberlin was persuaded to be the first person to take off from a ship. And he admits just before he doesn't know how to swim! You think, was this guy a complete fool, or was he really that brave? And I think it was a mixture of both. The idea of getting in those planes flying around your own town was scary enough, but getting in them and trying to fly across an empty ocean without any navigation equipment was unbelievable. And yet you look at pictures of them as they're climbing in the planes and they look as confident as they would as if they were going to the grocery store. CNN: How do you go about picking your subjects? Bryson: It's always a combination of things. The basic challenge of any book is you know you're going to be working on it for three or four years or more. So you want to have a subject that will keep you engaged. But then I have to factor in practicalities -- how much travel will this involve, can I make this appeal to English-speaking audiences. These are not things you can always resolve, but you have to take them into account. With "At Home" (Bryson's history of residences) I promised my wife I would spend my time at home. I had done a lot of traveling, and I told her I would do something where I could go to a library all day and come back for dinner every night. And it occurred to me, what if I did a history of the world but from the perspective of my own house? This one, since I live abroad, I do get hankerings to come home sometime and reconnect with America. I like to do books in which a lot of the research and the writing and the thinking revolves around something American. So that was indulging my homesickness, and a very, very longstanding desire to write something about baseball. CNN: Do you take the time you spend on planes and ponder the aviators you wrote about? Bryson: It's hard not to! I urge you to go to the Smithsonian and just look at these little planes. I was standing with one of the curators and you can see that (Lindbergh's plane), the Spirit of St. Louis is just fabric. I asked how sturdy was it? Could you poke a hole in it with your finger? And he said yes. You could demolish the Spirit of St. Louis with your bare hands in about a minute and a half. It's just amazing.
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Bill Bryson's latest book, "One Summer," is about summer of 1927 .
It was the year of Charles Lindbergh's flight, Babe Ruth's home run record, horrific crimes .
What was originally going to be a narrow focus turned into much more, says Bryson .
Author known for books on Appalachian Trail, Australia, the sciences .
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43e01b41d93ae01d2b54c2bc7d724517686b01b0
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By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 18:51 EST, 7 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:45 EST, 8 January 2014 . Pregnant: Julia Navarro, 58, right, hugs her daughter Lorena McKinnon after acting as surrogate for the 32-year-old . Utah resident Julia Navarro, 58, is looking forward to being a grandmother for the first time, but doubly so because she will be the one in the delivery room actually giving birth to the baby girl. After three years and about a dozen failed pregnancies, Ms Navarro's 32-year-old daughter Lorena McKinnon and her husband Micah were getting desperate to start a family. They tried in-vitro fertilization but that failed too. When they reached out to a friend to be a surrogate, the woman dropped out after learning how complicated the process would be. Seeing that her daughter had hit a wall, Ms Navarro stepped up and volunteered to be the couple's surrogate. 'As a family, we have to help each other,' Ms Navarro told the Salt Lake Tribune. But being past her prime pregnancy years meant she had a lot of work to do to get her body ready for baby. For three months leading up to the incubation, Ms Navarro had to take hormone shots every day - leaving her bruised and bleeding. Under Utah's 2005 Parentage Act, the couple and surrogate also had to go through three months of counseling and sign a series of official contracts. 'The psychologists wanted to make sure we knew what we were getting into — that we were mentally prepared,' Mrs McKinnon said. 'Mostly, surrogacy contracts are with people you don’t know. It was weird to have a contract with my mom.' Touching: Lorena McKinnon, right, feels her mother's bump. The 32-year-old has had a dozen failed pregnancies and now her mother is acting as surrogate . Close bond: The mother and daughter are about eight months into the pregnancy . Mrs McKinnon estimates that surrogacy usually costs $60,000 and that she and her husband have been able to save $30,000 with her mother volunteering to carry the child. The rest they've paid for by taking out loans, including some money borrowed from mom. The money and painful preparation was worth it in the end however, when the first embryo suprisingly took. Doctors had estimated that there was a 45 per cent chance of Ms Navarro getting pregnant with her age. Other than that the pregnancy has been easy, especially since the young couple moved into Ms Navarro's small house to help her out. She hasn't had any morning sickness or discomfort and up until recently was able to work three 12-hour shifts at the hospital in her job as a nurse's aide. A mother's gift: Young couple Micah and Lorena McKinnon (pictured) have been trying to have children for the past three years, but struggled to get pregnant. Finally, Lorena's mother stepped up to volunteer as surrogate . Nesting: Mr and Mrs McKinnon moved in with mother Julia Navarro when she was successfully incubated to help the 58-year-old through the pregnancy . In fact, her daughter seems to be worrying about the pregnancy more than her, constantly reminding her that she needs to drink more water, stay away from peas and not cross her legs because it will hurt her circulation. Ms Navarro has to remind her daughter that she's gone through two successful pregnancies and knows 'how to do it, thank you very much'. The family is now anxiously awaiting the baby's birth, which is due in a few weeks. They plan to name the girl Myla Juliette McKinnon. Ms Navarro has been so moved by the experience that she hopes to do even more good with the baby's birth. 'I was praying, "If this baby works, I am going to help others,"' she said. 'I would like to donate some of the money from my baby shower [January 12] to children in Peru who don’t have parents or moms or dads who need help.' Mr and Mrs McKinnon also hope to continue growing their family, since they have five embryos left, but plan to find another surrogate next time. Expecting: The couple are expecting a baby girl in the next few weeks. They hope to have more children, but plan to use another surrogate next time .
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Lorena McKinnon and her husband Micah struggled through three years of failed pregnancies .
When one potential surrogate dropped out, Lorena's mother Julia Navarro stepped up to volunteer .
At 58, she had to go through three months of hormone treatment to get her body ready for baby .
The embryo took on first try and now Ms Navarro is just weeks away from being a grandmother for the first time .
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59,620 |
a94eed0d6e6eb9cdb4775101484f05fa46e03d6b
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Quite the spread: Rosney, 54, takes 38 separate pills and supplements to treat his body and brain. He has an IQ of 192 . A man with a claim to being the second-most intelligent person on the planet has revealed that he takes a mixture of 38 drugs and pills every day in a bid to stay in top mental and physical form. Rick Rosner, 54, boasts an IQ of 192, which has seemingly only been topped by a Greek doctor, Evangelos Katsioulis, according to the world genius directory. But despite his apparent intellectual capacity, Rosner lists himself as unemployed while he works on writing a book entitled Dumbass Genius. The former TV writer and bouncer instead spends his time developing theories, working on a book, and visiting some five gyms per day, aided by cocktail of medical supplements. Rosner, who revealed the routine to Business Insider, listed a staggering array of substances, ranging from coffee and aspirin to an experimental pill designed to remove protein from the brain. Speaking to MailOnline about his routine, Rosner said he takes the pills because: 'I'd like to remain healthy and live for as long as possible. 'A lot of these things may not do anything for you - if I had to guess maybe only a third of this stuff has benefits. 'I try to read up about what these things are supposed to do - as new studies come out sometimes I swap things in and out.' 'I probably alter what I take on a three-to-four-monthly rotation.' Along with the supplements, Rosner has also estimated that he spends around two and a half hours per day in the gym, sometimes visiting five locations in a day. 'Working on my book': Rosner, who tweeted this picture of himself recently, now spends his time writing his book Dumbass Genius . When asked why he sticks to the intense routine, he replied: 'I like it', and said that it is part of the 'obsessive' personality which led him to testing his mind rigorously enough to come out with the 192 IQ score. Rosner, who lives in Los Angeles with his wife of more than 20 years, spent years as a bouncer in bars, and even as a nude model, before starting to work in television. He said his IQ score was originally came from 'desperation to have something going for me' while working menial jobs and trying to get a girlfriend. Pills, pills pills: Rosner listed 38 separate supplements, though admits a two-thirds of them probably don't do anything . But even now, after a series of jobs in television and even an Emmy nomination, Rosner defends the tests as 'the best of a bad bunch' when it comes to quantifying intellect. In a nod to the fact that IQ doesn't tell the whole story, between gym sessions and pill-popping Rosner writes a book of memoirs he will entitle Dumbass Genius. He said: 'People think of smart people as doing really smart stuff... but I've done a lot of stupid things.' Omega 3 fish oil capsules . Aspirin . Metformin (a diabetes drug) Metoprolol (blood pressure pill) Glisodin (may have anti-ageing effects) Dutasteride (alters testosterone levels) Glucosamine (for joints) Multivitamin pills . Astragalus (designed to stop DNA decaying) Gummy fiber supplements . Generic cholesterol-reducing pills . Curcumin (anti-inflammation drug) ToCoQ10 (vitamin E supplement) L-carnosine (an amino acid) Acetyl L-carnitine (another amino acid) Vitamin D3 . Vitamin C . Vitamin E pills with selenium . Lycopene (taken to treat heart disease) Trimethylglycene (taken by some as a steroid) Calcium . Benfotamine (diabetes pill) N-acetyl cysteine (liver pill) Mangosteen pomegranate noni complex (antioxidant) Vitamin K . Horse chestnuts (treats varicose veins) Quercetin (general wellness supplement) Coffee . Phosphatidylserine (a brain pill) DMAE (used to treat ADHD) Aminoguanidine (diabetes drug) Centrophenoxine (Alzheimer's pill) Piracetam (thought to enhance memory) Cognitex (thought to halt brain decline) Vinpocetine (used for blood diseases) Methylene blue (experimental pill supposed to clear out 'junk' brain proteins)
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Rick Rosner, 54, has an IQ of 192 and takes a huge array of supplements .
However he estimates only a third of the expensive blend does anything .
Rosner lists himself as unemployed while he writes a book of memoirs .
Visits five gyms on a daily basis and routinely tweaks his mix of chemicals .
Says it plays into 'obsessive' personality that led him to intelligence tests .
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196,162 |
89e0022cfc53d1fcddfa3fe331e9a0fcfc79cccc
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Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Iran's defense minister rejected U.S. allegations that the country was helping insurgents in neighboring Iraq, saying Wednesday that such "baseless claims" demonstrate U.S. failure in the Middle Eastern country. Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi's comments were reported by the semiofficial Fars News Agency. Vahidi said the United States was trying to sow discord among the countries in the region. His comments came after U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta became the latest U.S. official to reiterate that Iraq needs to crack down on armed factions that have been targeting U.S. troops with Iranian-supplied weapons. "We are very concerned about Iran and weapons they are providing to extremists here in Iraq, and the reality is that we've seen the results of that," Panetta told troops in Baghdad Monday. "In June, we lost a hell of a lot of Americans." The U.S. force of 46,000 has come under increased attacks in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said any potential agreement with Iraq for U.S. forces to stay on beyond the end-of-the-year deadline must confront the issue of Iranian involvement. "Iran is playing an out-sized role right now," Mullen said. "Iran is very directly supporting extremist Shia groups (in Iraq), which are killing our troops." He added that Iran had made a decision in 2008 to scale back its involvement in Iraq but had recently stepped up its activities, possibly so it could claim credit for the American withdrawal. Tehran has said Washington, with its accusations, is trying to project the blame for U.S. troop deaths elsewhere.
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Iran's defense minister says the U.S. is trying to sow discord in the region .
Panetta: "We are very concerned about Iran and weapons they are providing"
If Iraq wants U.S. forces to stay, it must confront Iran's involvement, Mullen says .
Tehran says Washington is trying to project blame for troop deaths elsewhere .
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By . Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor . PUBLISHED: . 12:17 EST, 1 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:20 EST, 1 June 2012 . Tickets for the official Diamond Jubilee Pageant party alongside the River Thames are being offered for up to 40 times their £5 face value. The charity event in Battersea Park has the support of the Queen and is timed to coincide with the Royal River Pageant. As many as 90,000 people are expected to attend, with money through the pageant and associated events supporting the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation. Royal rip off: Tickets for the Jubilee Pageant are being offered on eBay for up to 40 times their original price . The foundation is a privately funded . charitable trust which aims to raise funds for projects that have a link . to The Queen with a particular focus on youth and education. The . prices were deliberately kept to a modest figure of £5, which covers . administration costs, to ensure the maximum number of people would be . able to take part. At the same time, any children under 13 will be allowed in free provided they are accompanied by an adult. However, . the tickets sold out weeks ago and eBay is peppered with auctions by . individuals who are trying to cash in on the popularity of the Queen by . selling the tickets at a huge mark-up. One listing is offering four adult tickets with a face value of £20 for £800. What they're paying for: More than 1,000 boats are due to follow the Queen and Royal Barge for one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river . The listing makes clear that the . focal point of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Festival in Battersea Park is . the opportunity to view the Royal Flotilla on the Thames. More than 1,000 boats are due to follow the Queen and Royal Barge for one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river. The sale of the tickets was handled . by the Ticketmaster agency and are sold as eTickets, which means those . looking to cash in can simply forward them to buyers to be downloaded . and printed at home. Unscrupulous: Individuals are trying to cash in on the popularity of the Queen by selling the tickets at a huge mark-up . A spokesman for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation hit out at those trying to make profit from the royal fervour. ‘It . is disappointing that tickets, for what is both a charitable event and a . national celebration, are being re-sold in this way,’ she said.‘Unfortunately, the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation has no control over the reselling of tickets. ‘Although the Battersea Park event is now sold out, we urge anyone who wishes to experience the Pageant to come and watch from the riverbank, or on one of the giant screens. This great day out is entirely free of charge.’The official charitable partner of the pageant is the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, whose chairman is the former prime minister, Sir John Major. Sir John stressed the events are an opportunity for people to raise money for charity and support causes that are close to the Queen’s heart. ‘The Trust’s purpose is to honour and commemorate The Queen’s unrivalled contribution to the Commonwealth and intends to fund projects that will enrich the lives and opportunities of all Commonwealth citizens,’ he said. ‘It is our hope that individuals, . organisations and countries will all wish to contribute to the Trust, as . a tangible and enduring way of honouring HM The Queen, and to . demonstrate the enormous respect and affection in which she is held, not . only within the Commonwealth family, but also the wider world.’ Royal Barge: The Queens Barge Gloriana is moored at Richmond upon Thames in south west London. It will follow the Spirit of Chartwell in the Flotilla . Gloriana: The £1m boat that will the lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant alongside the Royal Barge . Preparations: Narrowboats due to join the Royal Flotilla arrive in British Waterways' West India Lock . Finishing touches: A pair of red-velvet thrones - poorly concealed beneath transparent plastic sheeting - are the giveaway to the magnificent Queen's Barge . The Battersea event has been co-curated by designer Wayne Hemingway. It will feature music, theatre, design, art, film, fashion and food from the past 60 years. The park will be divided into zones including a Coronation bandstand tea dance with live big bands swing, jive and lindy hop, 1952-themed bars and the food flavours of the Coronation Year. The main stage will feature six concerts to represent the six decades of the Queen’s reign. There will also be The Diamond Geezer pop up pub, with Pearly Kings and Queens, sing-a-longs and traditional pub games.
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90,000 people are expected to attend charity event in Battersea Park .
Tickets were deliberately kept to a modest figure of £5 .
eBay auction lists four adult tickets with a face value of £20 for £800 .
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00ada4c6ad4502ed689a8c72260b99bbe7ceae8a
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By . Leon Watson . Two gangsters who 'orchestrated' a dramatic escape from a security van escorting them to court have been handed lengthy jail sentences. Stevie McMullen, 32, has been jailed for 25 years and Ryan MacDonald, 21, should serve 20 years. They were being sentenced today along with 11 other members of a Salford gang at Minshull Crown Court in Greater Manchester. Scroll down for video . Stevie McMullen, 32, has been jailed for 25 years and Ryan MacDonald, 21, were sprung from a security van escorting them to court. The dramatic escape was caught on CCTV . The prison van was carrying Ryan . MacDonald, 21, and Stevie McMullen, 32, to Manchester Crown Court from . Britain's first privately financed prison HMP Altcourse in Merseyside . Jailed: Ryan MacDonald, 20, left, and and Stevie . McMullen, 32, right, were both convicted of conspiracy to possess an . imitation firearm at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester. Both . pleaded guilty to conspiracy to escape at earlier hearings . The pair were sprung at gun-point by an armed gang as the pair were being transported through Salford a year ago. Shocked . rush-hour motorists were threatened with an axe and told to back off . while the front windscreen of the van was smashed before a terrified . security guard was ordered to open the cells. MacDonald . fled as a pillion passenger on board a stolen Yamaha R1 motorcycle . while McMullen and other gang members fled in a Saab. McMullen was taken to a safehouse in Bolton and later fled to Spain. Police . later released dramatic CCTV footage of the attack on the prison van as . part of a huge manhunt. McMullen was eventually arrested in Spain a . year later. The escape plot . started to unravel when police found the jacket and mobile phone of the . man who had ridden the Yamaha motorbike away from Salford. Analysis of . the phone led police to identify the biker and ten other gang members. Police cordon off the scene after a prison van was attacked in Salford, Manchester, last year . A gang of masked men tracked the prison van before blocking it with a green Saab car in the middle of the street in Salford, Manchester . While . in prison cocaine-addict McMullen, a father, and McDonald had access to . 'a variety of Sim cards and mobile phone handsets', a court heard. Police established that one handset was used as 'the escape phone' and analysis of calls led them to other gang members. Before . he was sprung, McMullen had been due at Manchester Crown Court charged . with conspiracy to rob while MacDonald was due to be sentenced for . unconnected offences of conspiracy to commit robbery. Stephen Wilson, left, was found guilty of conspiracy to escape from lawful custody. Both Anthony Smith, centre, and Nathan Chapman, right, admitted conspiracy to escape from lawful custody and conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence . Ten people were found guilty of a range of offences including conspiracy to escape and perverting the course of justice. Michael Crossley, left, and Marcus Hill, right, both admitted assisting an offender. Michael Morrison, centre admitted conspiracy to escape from lawful custody . Karla Withers, left, was found guilty of conspiring to escape from lawful custody following a trial as was Matthew Patrick McGivern, centre. Withers also pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition without a firearm certificate. Mavis Chapman, right, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice . Ainsley MacDonald, 21, was found guilty of contacting Ryan McDonald on a contraband mobile phone while he was in prison . Crown prosecutor Kim Whittlestone said: 'This . was a well-organised sophisticated conspiracy orchestrated from inside . prison with the use of illegally held mobile phones. 'The . conspiracy was organised by both Stevie McMullen and Ryan MacDonald. They each recruited their close criminal associates to put into action . their plan to escape.' The pair were sprung from the van as it made its way along Regent Road in Salford from HMP Altcourse, Merseyside, on April 30. The gang was armed with a pistol, a shotgun, a sledgehammer, crowbar, hatchet and hammer. McMullen, . of no fixed abode, was convicted of conspiracy to escape, conspiracy to . possess an imitation firearm, conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to kidnap . and arson. MacDonald, also . of no fixed abode, was convicted of conspiracy to escape and conspiracy . to possess an imitation firearm. While he was on the run he was jailed . for seven years and ten months for a series of robberies. The sentencing continues. Ryan MacDonald escapes from the prison van, pictured, after guards were held at gunpoint in April last year . Stevie McMullen escapes from the prison van, pictured, during the ambush while they were on their way to face court in Manchester in April last year . Ten other people were found guilty of a range of offences including conspiracy to escape, possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate and encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence .
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Ryan MacDonald and Stevie McMullen masterminded the plot from jail .
They smuggled mobile phones into prison van to help them plan escape .
Shotgun-wielding accomplices threatened guards while inmates broke-out .
McMullen, 32, was jailed for 25 years and Ryan MacDonald handed 20 .
Eleven others were found guilty of a range of offences in connection .
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John Shears, pictured, of Lower Nattadon in Devon is said to be among four men quizzed after a drugs raid on barns and outbuildings last week . A former National Farmers' Union chairman has been arrested and quizzed by police over an alleged cannabis farm. John Shears, 69, of Lower Nattadon, Chagford, Devon was said to be among four men quizzed after a drugs raid on barns and outbuildings. He is an unelected member of Dartmoor National Park Authority's Development Management Committee based at its headquarters in Bovey Tracey and a prominent farmer in the area. Police, who have not confirmed the identity of those detained, revealed that 189 large cannabis plants with a street value of £75,000 were taken away from an apparent drugs factory near Chagford on Thursday last week. Others questioned by officers at Launceston Police Station, Cornwall, after the swoop were a 25-year-old man from Kingsteignton, a 49-year-old man from the Chagford area and a 34-year-old man from Cullompton. All four were later released on police bail pending further inquiries, including analysis of the plants and growing equipment seized from the farm buildings. It is understood police hired a large vehicle to take away what they described as a 'significant' haul. Dartmoor National Park Authority confirmed it was reviewing Mr Shear's status as a member while the police investigation continued. A spokesman said: 'This matter is part of a police investigation. He is assisting police with their enquiries. 'We are reviewing his status as an authority member pending the outcome of the investigation.' West Devon police sector commander Insp Andy Oliver said: 'All those questioned were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the production and supply of cannabis. 'Some 189 plants were taken away. They had an estimated street value of £74,800. This was a big operation.' He added: 'It was a significant find and comes on the back of one just a few weeks before in Okehampton where drugs and cash seized were valued at £100,000.' Former National Farmers' Union chairman John Shears is a farmer in and around Dartmoor (file picture) He said all four men would be questioned again by officers in August. A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said: 'A warrant was executed at a rural property in Chagford around 9.20am on May 7. 'Officers seized more than 100 suspected cannabis plants and suspected drugs equipment. 'Four men arrested on suspicion of production of Class B drugs. Aged 41, 34, 69 and 25 and from Chagford. All four taken into custody at Launceston and bailed until August 7.' Growing cannabis can attract a substantial prison sentence depending on the offender's role in the crime. Mr Shears has been an active member of the National Farmers' Union where he has served as a chairman and vice-chairman. He is also chairman of Chagford Commoners' Association. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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John Shears, of Lower Nattadon, Devon, arrested after drugs bust at barns .
The 69-year-old farmer is a member of Dartmoor National Park committee .
Police seized '189 cannabis plants worth £75,000' during the raid .
Three other men questioned by Devon and Cornwall Police following raid .
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(CNN) -- Doctors for several people in New York suffering from a mystery disorder that led them to develop tic-like symptoms say their patients are starting to feel better. Out of more than a dozen who developed uncontrollable twitching and verbal tics, three say they feel completely better and six say they are significantly better, according to Dr. Laszlo Mechtler, medical director at DENT Neurologic Institute in western New York. "The media focus, the questions on whether it is environmental or toxins, all that adds confusion, anxiety and difficulty," said Mechtler, who has treated some of his patients with psychotherapy and behavioral therapy, as well as prescribed medication for anti-anxiety, depression and headaches. A second doctor from New Jersey, Dr. Rosario Trifiletti, diagnosed some of the patients with PANDAS -- Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections -- and has been treating them with antibiotics. Lana Clarks, mother of one of Trifiletti's patients, told HLN's "Dr. Drew" that her daughter, Lauren Scalzo, has fewer "headaches, stomachaches, no tic-ing and she's been more energetic." Marge Fitzsimmons, 36, who is among those who came down with the mysterious symptoms, says she is still experiencing some symptoms but feels much better and is soon expected to return to work full time. The incidents occurred in the small town of LeRoy beginning in mid-October. All of the patients -- with the exception of Fitzsimmons -- are students at LeRoy Junior-Senior High School. Doctors have diagnosed most of them with conversion disorder, saying that stress is the likely root of their physical problems. "What happens is there is traditionally some kind of stress or multiple stressors that provoke a physical reaction within the body," said Dr. Jennifer McVige, a neurologist who has evaluated several of the teens. "This is unconscious, it is not done purposefully and it's almost like ... the stress wells up in your body has to come out in some way shape or form." The medical mystery in LeRoy has attracted the attention of activist and investigator Erin Brockovich, who came to the village of 8,000 people in western New York after learning about a 41-year-old toxic spill a few miles from the school. Brockovich and an associate suspect that the illnesses are related to the cyanide and trichloroethylene (TCE) that was spilled during a December 1970 train wreck. CNN's Sheila Steffen contributed to this report.
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Some of the high school girls are feeling better .
Some students on antibiotics also improving .
The incidents occurred in the small New York town of LeRoy .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 07:37 EST, 4 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:20 EST, 4 October 2012 . Harriet Harman today took a swipe at ‘unrealistic’ Fifty Shades of Grey, saying women would rather watch Great British Bake Off than indulge in kinky sex. Labour’s deputy leader revealed she has read the erotic bestseller for ‘research purposes’ but was left cold by its tales of sado-masochism. In an extraordinary passage in her speech closing Labour’s party conference, Ms Harman told delegates most women want is ‘not a man who ties you to the bed, but one who unstacks the dishwasher’. Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman said Fifty Shades of Grey was 'unrealistic' Ms Harman has been married to Jack Dromey, a former union official and now fellow MP, for 30 years. A staunch campaigner for women’s rights and sexual equality, she told party activists that in her new role as Shadow Culture Secretary she was always asked what she is reading. ‘Just the other week, I had an awkward moment when a journalist asked me if I'd read "that" book. Women here will know the one... ‘The one about a sado-masochistic relationship - you know…with a dominant superior controlling a naive submissive. ‘And I said: "don't be silly - of course I've read the coalition agreement".’ Bake-Off not bed: Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman said unlike Fifty Shades of Grey (right) most women do not want to be tied up for sex but to watch cookery programmes like the Great British Bake Off (left) To gasps in the conference hall, Ms Harman then admitted: ‘As it happens I have also read Fifty Shades of Grey… for research purposes. ‘But I have to say I don't think it's very realistic. ‘Because, let's be honest, what most women want is not a man who ties you to the bed, but one who unstacks the dishwasher while you watch the Great British Bake Off. Harriet Harman and her husband Jack Dromey have been married for 30 years . Ms Harman also had a dig at Page 3, which she has called to be ditched by tabloid newspapers. In a parody of the feature in The Sun, she began her speech saying: 'I'm Hattie, 62, from Camberwell. And here’s today’s news in briefs...' Ms Harman also mocked the Prime Minister . telling the conference: ‘Women are finding it hard to hang onto their . jobs - and that's just the women in David Cameron's Cabinet. ‘You know Angry Birds used to be David Cameron's favourite computer game . - now it's his pet name for Caroline Spelman and Nadine Dorries.’ Far from reviewing popular . literature, the deputy leader’s speech at the Labour conference is . traditionally a tub-thumping affair aimed at sending delegates home with . a spring in their step. Ms Harman claimed Labour was now in with a ‘fighting chance’ of winning the next election. ‘This week has been special, this week the game has changed. 'We know we have big challenges ahead . but we leave Manchester emboldened, enthused, with a strong sense of . purpose. We have grown in confidence, we have grown in self-belief.’ Harriet Harman's speech brought the Labour conference to a close before delegates sang Jerusalem and the socialist anthem The Red Flag . And she again attacked the Lib Dems, accusing Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg of propping up a ‘miserable Tory government’. There had been speculation that . Labour was cosying up to some Lib Dems after it emerged Vince Cable had . exchanged text messages with Ed Miliband. ‘Let's not forget Saint Vince is in it up to his neck too. After all, it was his policy to treble tuition fees. 'So I have a message for Vince. Don't bother texting Ed - he's changed his number.’ The . conference ended with the traditional singing of Jerusalem and the . socialist anthem The Red Flag, accompanied by a group of young . Manchester singers called Re:verb. Labour leader Ed Miliband led delegates in singing the 'Red Flag' with help from members of the Reverb choir from Manchester.
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Labour's deputy leader draws gasps during conference speech when she says most women just want to watch the Great British Bake Off in peace .
Shadow culture secretary says people always ask what she is reading .
She uses speech closing the party conference to take a swipe at Page 3 .
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(CNN) -- The viral Kony 2012 video has propelled the Lord's Resistance Army and its leader, Joseph Kony, into the world's spotlight and conscience. On YouTube alone, more than 56 million people viewed it in its first four days. As the video created by Invisible Children shows, the LRA has created an enormous human rights and humanitarian crisis in central and east Africa. The LRA, which began as a rebel group in Uganda, evolved into a brutal renegade force that has abducted tens of thousands of civilians, forcing them to serve as soldiers or sex slaves, has killed tens of thousands and has displaced more than 2 million in four African nations: Uganda, newly independent South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. The message of the Kony 2012 campaign is simple: Arrest Kony. But the campaign also sets out what the United States government needs to do, in partnership with other members of the international community and civil society groups in Africa, to make this happen. Our organization, the Enough Project, joined with two advocacy groups, Invisible Children and Resolve, to send President Obama a letter on how to move toward ending the LRA. The United States must commit to keeping on the ground the military advisers that it deployed to central Africa a few months ago and providing diplomatic, logistical and intelligence support to efforts by governments in the region to make sure the advisers can succeed. Right now, the administration has a critical window of opportunity: The advisers are in the field and an initiative of the African Union is taking shape. President Obama should reach out personally to African and European leaders and lead a diplomatic surge aimed at finally bringing an end to this 25-year crisis. The U.S. military advisers are by no means a simple, stand-alone solution. For them to have an opportunity to succeed, the administration must ensure they have the necessary partner forces, capabilities and equipment. This means the United States should: Secure more capable forces from an African nation, such as South Africa or Botswana; provide intelligence and transportation support, especially helicopters; and get additional support from the international community. The United States must urge regional governments to increase their commitment. In particular, the Ugandan army -- the best-equipped military of the countries affected by the LRA -- has already deployed many of its most capable troops to Somalia to combat the terrorist group al-Shabaab. It is planning to send even more there, at the expense of their commitment to combat the LRA elsewhere. The Obama administration should also work rapidly to resolve the impasse between the governments of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As seen in the recent spike in LRA attacks in Congo, Kinshasa's insistence that the Ugandan army no longer operate there is causing the country to become a safe haven for the LRA. Civilian protection must be prioritized and improved dramatically. The United States must also monitor the human rights abuses and natural resource exploitation of the Ugandan military and other militaries and insist on accountability for any crimes committed. The administration needs to keep U.S. advisers in place until they can succeed. In the region, 20 civil society, human rights and religious groups in areas affected by LRA violence (Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic) have welcomed the advisers, and they hope the United States will fulfill its promises. A military campaign to apprehend the LRA's top leaders and protect civilians is necessary but insufficient. Military operations alone simply cannot capture all the LRA's commanders. Even if Kony and a few additional leaders are captured, others will take their place. Therefore, the United States needs to lead the international community in developing and implementing a defection strategy that encourages LRA commanders, including senior and mid-ranking commanders, and rank-and-file fighters to leave the group. Increased radio programming should be used to encourage defections and to sensitize communities so that LRA combatants who do defect no longer have to fear being attacked by local populations. The United States and others in the international community must work closely with civil society leaders in the region and make a long-term commitment to rebuild and reconcile communities affected by the LRA. Millions of people in northern Uganda, Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic are counting on increased and sustained engagement by the United States and others. The Obama administration should immediately pursue a diplomatic surge and additional initiatives to make 2012 the year that all communities plagued by the LRA can begin to recover and rebuild. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John C. Bradshaw and Ashley Benner.
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Bradshaw, Benner: Kony 2012 video spotlights brutal Kony and Lord's Resistance Army .
They say it's an opportunity for Obama administration to make push to end the 25-year terror .
They say administration should bolster military, civil, equipment assistance, stem recruits .
Writers: Create way for LRA members to safely defect; help affected communites recover .
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(CNN) -- The case of three women held as slaves in south London has shocked not just the British public, but people across the world. What makes this particular case stand out is the length of time these women are said to have been held captive - over 30 years. Although this is an extreme example, this type of slavery is not uncommon in London. Figures from the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre and Serious Organised Crime Agency for this year show that there were 389 potential victims of trafficking in the capital. Although the women in this case are not believed to have been trafficked, the case shows that hidden slavery is taking place around us, within our everyday environments, whether it be on construction sites, mobile soup runs for the homeless, at cheap takeaways, in nail bars and in domestic homes in our neighborhoods. Read more: How to recover after decades of slavery? It's not necessarily organized by criminal gangs - it can involve informal arrangements, carried out by so-called ordinary and even respected people in the community. I recently published a report called "Shadow City -- Exposing human trafficking in everyday London" that uncovered just how diverse that trafficking is, and that no matter where you live you are probably not that far from someone who is being exploited. Sadly, authorities are still blind to this. Things need to change, urgently. An overstretched anti-trafficking unit in London's Metropolitan Police, and a figure-driven culture, means police are focusing on large-scale organized cases, and neglecting the informal cases that take longer to find, but are sometimes more serious. In this case the three victims were lucky. They are said to have contacted a charity that was able to successfully rescue them. Many are not so fortunate. Read more: Slavery's last stronghold . But if we continue to lose the expertise of dedicated trafficking officers within the Met police, the cultural subtleties behind cases will be missed and traffickers and perpetrators of slavery will continue to largely evade conviction. Of course budgets are tight, but if the money made in trafficking exploits is recuperated through the use of specialist teams, then these investigations could pay for themselves. In my report, I made some recommendations that could help tackle the lack of action on informal types of slavery. These included the Met's anti-trafficking unit being urgently protected from further integration into other units, additional human trafficking units to be established in other police forces across the UK, human trafficking to become part of the core syllabus for training new police recruits, and special points of contact to be established in every borough's police force. The police are not the only agency that needs better systems put in place. It is also vitally important that social workers, teachers, health professionals and benefit agency staff receive training on how to spot signs of trafficking and slavery, and who to consult if they have concerns. For too long many Londoners have assumed that trafficking happens elsewhere, and statutory agencies have concentrated too much resource into trafficking that happens through organized crime with a concentration on drugs and sex workers. The case in south London shows that slaves could be living next door. Read more: The CNN Freedom Project . Watch more: 12,000 girls rescued from slavery . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andrew Boff .
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The case of three women held capitive in London has shocked Britain, and the world .
While it's an extreme example, slavery is not uncommon in London, Andrew Boff says .
Authorities are over-stretched and neglecting the informal cases which are hard to find .
This case shows how slavery is a huge problem -- and it's all around us .
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(CNN) -- With Libyan rebels on the brink of toppling Moammar Gadhafi's 42-year rule, leaders from around the world weighed in as the battle with regime forces intensified in the capital. Here are a few of the reactions: . . CHINA . . Ma Zhaoxu, Foreign Ministry spokesman: "We've noticed the development in Libya. China respects the choice of Libya people. China hopes the situation in Libya gets stabilized as soon as possible and people can live a normal life there. China is willing to cooperate with the international society to play a positive role in the future reconstruction of Libya." . EUROPEAN UNION . . Catherine Ashton, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs: "We are witnessing the last moments of the Gadhafi regime. I call on Gadhafi to step down without further delay and avoid further bloodshed. I call on the National Transitional Council and opposition forces to ensure the protection of civilians, to fully respect international human rights and humanitarian law and to act with responsibility in the interests of maintaining peace and stability throughout the country." . Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission and European Union presidents, respectively: "The quest for freedom by the people of Libya is coming to a historic moment. The relentless efforts of the forces of the new Libya, supported militarily by NATO and several EU member states, and countries from the region are bringing the Gadhafi regime to its end. We urge Colonel Gadhafi to accept the will of the people, step down immediately, and avoid further bloodshed and sufferance." . FRANCE . . Nicolas Sarkozy, president: "Whereas there is no longer any doubt (that Gadhafi will have to go), the president of the republic urges Colonel Gadhafi to avoid inflicting new futile sufferings on his people in abandoning what is left of his power and in immediately calling on his forces, who are still loyal to him, to a cease-fire, to drop their weapons, to go back to their barracks and to put at its disposal legitimate Libyan authorities." . ITALY . Franco Frattini, foreign minister: "Time is up. There are no alternatives to his (Gadhafi's) surrender. If Gadhafi keeps calling for a civil war, he will be considered the only one responsible for the bloodbath," Frattini said in an interview with Italian news channel Sky Tg24. . NATO . . Anders Fogh Rasmussen, secretary-general: "The Libyan people have suffered tremendously under Gadhafi's rule for over four decades. Now they have a chance for a new beginning. Now is the time for all threats against civilians to stop, as the United Nations Security Council demanded. Now is the time to create a new Libya -- a state based on freedom, not fear; democracy, not dictatorship; the will of the many, not the whims of a few. . RUSSIA . . Russian Foreign Ministry: "The latest dramatic development of the Libyan conflict apparently shows that the power in this country will be handed over to the rebel forces very soon. We hope that this will put an end to the protracted intra-Libyan bloodshed, which brought so many woes and so much suffering to this country's population and caused serious damage to the national economy," the ministry said in a statement.. SOUTH AFRICA . . Clayson Monyela, spokesman, Department of International Relations: "With the imminent fall of the government of Colonel Gadhafi, we wish to urge the interim authority in Tripoli to immediately institute an all-inclusive inter-Libyan political dialogue aimed at building a truly representative and people-centred dispensation." The spokesman refuted "rumors and claims that it has sent planes to Libya" to fly Gadhafi and his family out, saying "we have steadfastly maintained that the future of Libya should be decided by the Libyans themselves." . TURKEY . . Ahmet Davutoglu, foreign minister: "Today is a historical day for Libya. ... Leaders of other countries should also be aware that they'll stay in power as long as they respond to demands of the people." . UNITED KINGDOM . . David Cameron, prime minister: "It is clear from the scenes we are witnessing in Tripoli that the end is near for Gadhafi. He has committed appalling crimes against the people of Libya and he must go now to avoid any further suffering for his own people." Cameron said Monday that Britain will "soon release" frozen Libyan assets to help support the rebel government. "At the U.N., we will ... be taking early action in the Security Council to give the new Libyan authorities the legal, diplomatic, political and financial support they need," Cameron said. "We will soon be able to release the frozen assets that belong to the Libyan people." Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister: "The UK will stay the course in Libya -- protecting the Libyan people and putting them in charge of their own fate ... It is now clear that the Libyan people will only be safe once Gadhafi has left power. Recent events suggest that day is closer than ever. . Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour Party: "The situation in Libya remains fraught and fragile, but what is clear is that the regime of Colonel Gadhafi is crumbling. This is to be welcomed by all those who believe dictatorship, brutality and threats against civilians should not be allowed to stand." . UNITED STATES . . Barack Obama, president: "Tonight, the momentum against the Gadhafi regime has reached a tipping point. Tripoli is slipping from the grasp of a tyrant. The Gadhafi regime is showing signs of collapsing. The people of Libya are showing that the universal pursuit of dignity and freedom is far stronger than the iron fist of a dictator." . VENEZUELA . . Hugo Chavez, president: "Today we are seeing images of how the democratic European governments are practically demolishing Tripoli with their bombs and the supposedly democratic government of the United States, because they feel like it. Today they dropped I don't know how many bombs and they are dropping them indiscriminately and openly."
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As rebels enter the Libyan capital of Tripoli world leaders call for Gadhafi to step down .
Obama: "Tonight, the momentum against the Gadhafi regime has reached a tipping point"
French president Nicolas Sarkozy appealed for Gadhafi to "abandon what is left of his power"
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By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 06:16 EST, 20 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:49 EST, 20 September 2013 . David Attenborough has visited new paleontological hotspots to fill in evolutionary gaps of how vertebrates came to rule the Earth and how their evolution defines our own human bodies. In a new two-part documentary, Rise of Animals: Triumph of the vertebrates, the naturalist explores the origins of the backbone by studying a tiny prehistoric animal and a living fossil living in the south of England. Sir David takes a 500-million-year evolutionary journey to study animals including a newly discovered ‘missing link’ from China, a shallow water predator that swam like a fish but took its first steps on land, giant ancient animals and the famous fossil of the feathered dinosaur. Scroll down for exclusive video . Sir David sets out to investigate how vertebrates managed to step out of the water for the first time and his search takes him to see fossils in the Canadian Arctic, revealing an amazing creature called Tiktaalik (a CGI image is pictured) Sir David looks at the story of mammals in the Lufeng Basin of Southern China where he examines a tiny 195-million-year-old fossil of a Hadrocodium skull measuring just one centimeter belonging to one of earliest mammals discovered. A mocked-up skeleton of a Hadrocodium is pictured . The series, which will air at 9pm tonight on BBC 2, uses CGI animation to bring long-dead creatures to life and tells the story of how a wide array of animals, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals came to flourish. It sees Sir David filming for the first time in China, where he sees the fossils that are changing the face of palaeontology, as well as travelling to remote locations across the globe to unravel the mysterious origins of vertebrates, chart their unexpected journey out of the water and reveal the rise of mammals. He said: 'China . has discovered rare fossils which it takes very seriously that have not . yet been fully explored by the Western world. Sir David discovers fossilised creatures that would prove the only living legacy of the giant reptiles - the first feathered dinosaurs. A CGI image is pictured . 'Having visited China 30 . years ago, I wanted to return and film there to find out more about the . amazing discoveries scientists have been making there over recent . decades.' Sir David was given special access to this treasure trove of new fossil evidence in China, which he uses to answer questions such as where do fingers and toes come from and why are we warm-blooded? The programme explores the origins of verebrates by looking at primitive fish, which sees Sir David joining an excavation team in the Chinese province of Yunnan to unearth creatures entombed in an ancient seabed 525 million years ago. The site is considered one of the most . significant discoveries of the 20th century because the creatures . fossilised there have filled key gaps in the . evolutionary tale and Sir David reveals the origin of the backbone in the paperclip-sized ancient fish called Myllokunmingia. As the fight for space and resources in the ancient ocean grew, animals began to explore the land, including the vertebrates. Sir . David sets out to investigate how vertebrates managed to step out of . the water for the first time and his search takes him to see fossils in . the Canadian Arctic, revealing an amazing creature called Tiktaalik. The Tiktaalik's bones developed into . four very simple limbs, allowing the freshwater predators to push . themselves around in the shallows and ultimately, to take the first . steps onto land. In these creatures are the origins of our arms, legs and articulated necks. Sir . David investigates the evolutionary innovations that spawned a . pioneering group of land-dwelling reptiles, including watertight skin. At . the Lufeng Dinosaur National Geopark in Yunnan, he sees fossilised . watertight dinosaur eggs and in the province of Liaoning in Northern . China, Sir David discovers fossilised creatures that would prove the . only living legacy of the giant reptiles – the first feathered . dinosaurs. David Attenborough has visited new paleontological hotspots, including Lufeng Dinosaur National Geopark (pictured) to fill in evolutionary gaps of how vertebrates came to rule the Earth and how their evolution defines our own human bodies, in a new two-part documentary . The programme explores the origins of verebrates by looking at primitive fish, which sees Sir David joining an excavation team in the Chinese province of Yunnan to unearth creatures entombed in an ancient seabed 525 million years ago, such as the paperclip-sized ancient fish, Myllokunmingia (pictured) The Geopark is China’s Pompeii, where . prehistoric creatures preserved in volcanic ash reveal a group of small, . tree-living dinosaurs that evolved feathers the forefathers of modern . birds. The feathers were used for warmth and display but flight came . later. He said: 'There’s no question what the . number one highlight was - seeing one of these feathered dinosaurs. To . be able to actually see it with a lens…that’s a real privilege. 'We . met the man who identified the first feathers in dinosaurs. He’s a . historic figure. Just sitting and listening and talking with him was a . privilege.' Sir David then looks at the story of mammals in the Lufeng Basin of Southern China where he examines a tiny 195-million-year-old fossil of a Hadrocodium skull measuring just one centimeter belonging to one of earliest mammals discovered. At the Lufeng Dinosaur National Geopark in Yunnan, Sir David sees fossilised watertight dinosaur eggs (pictured) China's Pompeii revealed prehistoric creatures preserved in volcanic ash including a group of small, tree-living dinosaurs that evolved feathers the forefathers of modern birds, called Anchiornis. The feathers were used for warmth and display but flight came later. Here Sir David looks at the famous fossil . He looks at how the creature evolved to have fur and warm blood and learned to hunt at night, as well as how other mammals evolved to produce milk around 160 million-years-ago. In . Northern China, David studies the earliest fossils yet found of . the two live birth groups – the marsupials and the placentals - which make up 99 per cent of all mammals today, as well as travelling the world to see exampled of strange mammals and super-sized Megafauna, such as the Paraceratherium, which was over five metres tall and eight metres long. Sir David is shown a fossilised . skull that some experts believe is the earliest human known to have . lived in China, 68,000 years ago, before visiting a maternity ward to . explain how a child's skull is adapted to accommodate a large brain, to . complete the story of vertebrates. Sir David said: 'Evolution continually throws up new . designs and some of them fit perfectly for a particular environment at a . specific time in history, but in our bodies we contain some of the most . amazing developments, which appeared at different times over 500 . million years. Sir David travels the world to see examples of strange mammals and super-sized Megafauna, such as the Paraceratherium, which was over five metres tall and eight metres long and the Titanothere- a CGI version is shown next to a human . '[These developments appeared] in animals as varied as the fish whose set of four limbs . is the forerunner of our own arms and legs; the amphibians which . developed the ability to breathe air like us; the reptiles who had the . first water-tight skin, so they could live out of water – again like . us; and how we are the inheritors of the ability of the earliest warm . blooded creatures who could be active at night. 'I’ll show what . it is that sets us apart from other animals and makes us especially . able animals.' The . first episode of David Attenborough's two-part documentary, Rise of . Animals: Triumph of the vertebrates, airs tonight at 9pm on BBC 2 . Myllokunmingia: The first known common ancestor of all vertebrates. Using its early back-bone to move around in a totally new way, this animal diversified over millions of years to create the spectacular variety of backboned creatures we see on our planet today. Parayunnanolepis: A newly identified ‘missing link’ from China; older fish have front fins but this one has another pair of back fins, or pelvic fins, granting much more swimming stability to the owner. Along with the jaw, sharks and skates benefited greatly from this crucial innovation. Tiktaalik: An ancient shallow water predator which is the very first vertebrate that could move its head independently of its shoulders. In deep water it swam like any other fish, but in the shallows it used its big muscles, robust bones and jointed fin to punt around. This key evolutionary step became the driving force behind one of the most spectacular events in evolutionary history: the arrival of vertebrates on land. Lufengosaurus: Studier legs joints and stronger hips compared to their splayed out ancestors meant dinosaurs like Lufengosaurus could take longer strides and support heavier bodies. Lufengosaurus were able to support the entire weight of the body on the hind legs, like we can today. Hadrocodium: This is the earliest mammal fossil we know of which makes it the ancestor of all mammals alive today. This creature had a new innovation of warm-bloodedness, heightened senses powered by a growing brain which enabled it and the early mammals to operate in the dark. Juramania: This small mammal is the first creature we know of that nurtured its young inside its body, in a womb. It is therefore part of the mammal group that we belong too, the placentals. The placental system evolved in Juramania about 160 million years ago. Titanothere: One of the first ‘megafauna’ they started out as small creatures but evolved to be true giants, standing about 2 and a half metres tall. Their skulls were massive with bony protrusions that were used for combat and defensive from predators. David helps to excavate a skeleton at the dinosaur excavation site in Lufeng Dinosaur National Geopark, where the large dinosaur eggs were found .
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The first episode of David Attenborough's two-part documentary, Rise of Animals: Triumph of the vertebrates, airs tonight at 9pm on BBC 2 .
Sir David explores the origins of the backbone by studying a tiny prehistoric animal and a living fossil living in the south of England .
The documentary uses CGI animation to bring long-dead creatures to life such as the Tiktaalik and famous feathered dinosaur .
It sees Sir David filming for the first .
time in China, where he sees the fossils that are changing the face of .
palaeontology .
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Bureaucrats charged with bringing down obesity levels in America have cost taxpayers millions of dollars to upgrade their plane seats because they are too fat to fly in coach. Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services took 7,000 first and business class flights between 2009 and 2013, figures from the General Services Administration reveal. Almost three quarters of these premium tickets, which cost taxpayers a total of $31million, were justified as 'medical exemptions'. Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services took 7,000 first and business class flights over four years, and three quarters of them were justified as 'medical exemptions' This could mean the passenger was suffering from back pain, circulation issues, or was too fat to fit in coach seats, among other reasons. Figures obtained by the Washington Examiner showed that for 253 of these trips a one-way ticket cost more than $15,000. The data also showed HHS bosses booked more premium tickets than any other federal agency. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention booked the second highest number of premium seats, though their total came to just 3,000, less than half the HSS total. Other reasons given for the bookings were 'exceptional security circumstances,' no coach tickets being available, and that first or business class was 'required because of agency mission.' Federal employees are allowed to fly business or first class if their flight is longer than 14 hours, but only 1,400 of the 7,000 HHS flights met that criteria. The numbers will be particularly galling as the Department of Health and Human Services is charged with 'protecting the health of all Americans', including tackling obesity. HHS is charged with 'protecting the health of all Americans', including reducing obesity, which will make the numbers all the more galling . According to its own website, one of its keys goals is to 'help Americans achieve and maintain a healthy weight,' in part by promoting healthy choices in the workplace. They aim to become 'a model healthy workplace', while also investing in grants that promote healthy living in other offices. In September, the agency announced $212million in funding to battle diseases, including obesity. A spokesman for HHS told the New York Post: 'If someone is obese and too large for a seat, the doctor can put in a request. 'It’s not a rubber stamp approval. It’s not as easy as, "My back hurts and I have a doctor’s note."'
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Health and Human Services staff took 7,000 premium flights in four years .
Number far exceeds that of other departments and cost $31million .
HHS justified 5,100 first and business tickets with 'medical exemptions'
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By . Thomas Durante . PUBLISHED: . 19:44 EST, 13 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:08 EST, 14 February 2013 . Despite crucial tips that led authorities to find Christopher Dorner, it has been revealed that nobody will be able to claim the $1.2million reward in the case of the killer ex-cop. The rogue former police officer is believed dead after he was cornered in a burning cabin in the San Bernardino National Forest on Tuesday after a furious gunbattle with law enforcement officers. Likely beneficiaries of the reward would have been Jim and Karen Reynolds, who surprised Dorner, who had been staying in an upstairs room in their condo near Big Bear Lake. Scroll down for video . Ordeal: Karen and Jim Reynolds say that they surprised Dorner when they walked into one of the units they own near Big Bear Lake - where he had been staying . Big reward: Business leaders, police unions and governments across Southern California have offered a $1million reward for the capture of Christopher Dorner . Destroyed: Dorner is believed dead after he had taken refuge in a cabin that later burned to the ground . But the couple told reporters on Wednesday night that the reward would not be given because Dorner was neither arrested nor convicted in a trial, a stipulation of the cash sum. When pressed about the reward by reporters, Mrs Reynolds said: 'No one is getting that because he needed to be captured and convicted.' The Reynolds, who were tied up and had their heads wrapped in pillowcases, were able to break free after Dormer had stolen their car and fled the home. The call set Dorner's final hours in motion when the car . was spotted by game wardens, who pursued it until Dorner crashed - and . he fled to another cabin, which is now ravaged by fire. The couple came forward to clear up earlier reports that it was their housekeepers who had surprised Dorner and were tied up in the home. Lucky to be alive: Rick Heltebrake was carjacked by Dorner and says the revenge-bent former cop pointed an assault rifle at his head, but allowed him to flee with his life - and his dog Suni . Killer: Dorner, pictured in a January surveillance tape, reportedly shot two deputies on Tuesday as tried to escape out of the back door of the cabin, killing one of them . But Dorner encountered one more . person before his last stand - a driver whose pick-up truck Dorner stole . moments before the gunfight with officers. The motorist, 61-year-old Rick Heltebrake, told the Los Angeles Times, that it is he who deserves the reward after he had called authorities to notify them about Dorner's latest movements. He told the paper: 'Someone owes me $1 million. It was my call that led the officers to him.' But he did say he was willing to share the reward with anyone else who may have helped authorities catch up with Dorner. 'I know there were two other women involved and I don’t mind parting it three ways.' Police departments, local governments, . business leaders and police unions pool their money to offer a $1million . reward two days before Dorner's capture. Hiding under their noses: Dorner was discovered in a condo half a mile from a temporary command center . According to KCAL-TV, the reward was upped to $1.2million after donations by AEG, the Los Angeles Dodgers and various . business leaders and law enforcement groups. But as TMZ reported, a technicality in the . wording of the reward offer would mean that no one is eligible to receive it. LA . City Council sources told the site that the legislative analyst and the . city attorney were at odds earlier in the day about how the reward . offer should be interpreted. In the days leading up to the final showdown, Dorner gained national attention for his he was on the run and an bizarre online manifesto in which he detailed his plot to kill specific police officers. His writings also included various shoutouts to celebrities, including Charlie Sheen, Larry David and Tim Tebow. Los Angeles officials appealed to the public for help catching him after he killed three people, and several rewards were established to find Dorner. The reward was announced by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Sunday as the initial leads regarding Dorner came up empty. Watch video here .
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Cops and Los Angeles County officials had raised up to $1.2million for any info leading to the arrest and conviction of Chris Dorner .
Maids who were tied up by Dorner earlier on Tuesday are top candidates for the reward .
Rick Heltebrake, the driver who was carjacked by Dorner moments before the fatal firefight, also wants a piece of the reward .
Because Dorner was killed, a technicality in the wording of the reward could mean that no one would be eligible .
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A vast cloud of dust is thrown up as millions of hooves stampede down the banks of the Mara River in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. One by one the charging wildebeest throw themselves into the boiling river as they make the annual pilgrimage from Serengeti National Park in neighbouring Tanzania to greener pastures. The river crossing is fraught with danger. Crocodiles lie in wait just a few yards in, hoping to snatch the younger or weaker creatures for an easy meal. Journey: Every year 1.5 million wildebeest make the journey from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in neighbouring Kenya . Stampede: As the herd heads down the steep bank and into the water, one wildebeest throws himself into the boiling river . Dramatic: A huge cloud of dust is thrown up for the banks of the Mara River as a herd of wildebeest risk their lives and plunge in . Leap of faith: All too aware of the dangers that lie ahead, two migrating wildebeest jump into the Mara River in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, regardless . Incline: A breakaway group forge a new path down the steep bank before diving into the water. Out front, a pair of adults appear to be shepherding a calf across . Orderly: Having made their way to the edge of the river, this group form a queue before stepping into the abyss which is littered with danger for them . If that does not get them, they have to fight strong currents as they bid to make it across to the other side. These dramatic images, taken by Moscow-based photographer Sergey Agapov, show one of natures most magnificent migrations. Up to 1.5 million wildebeest are believed to make the journey every year. Mr Agapov, a retired Presidential Security Service officer who turned his attentions to photography four years ago, said: 'Watching the wildebeest I feel excitement and respect because of their bravery in the face of risk, said Mr Agapov. 'These animals know that deadly danger awaits them in the river, yet thousands of them readily jump into death's face. This cannot leave anyone indifferent.' Pastures new: The rib cage of the wildebeest at the back of the queue show why the herd is so keen to make it to the lush plains of Kenya . Magnificent: Former security officer Sergey Agapov captured the dramatic images during a trip to Kenya . Annual event: Every year wildebeest cross the Mara River into Kenya. Here a small group plunge into the treacherous waters in spite of the dangers that lay ahead . Jostling: The magnificent creatures clamber over each other at significant risk to their well-being as they venture out into the river . Head of steam: The sheer power of the herd is captured perfectly here as the wildebeest out front forges a path across the fast-flowing Mara . Power: Water is thrown up into the air, which has already been filled with the dust from more than four million wildebeest hooves . Finding their rhythm: As the horned-beasts make their way into deeper water, they start to swim across the lethal Mara . The migration takes place between July and October each year, but the mass exodus peaks in the month of August. Photographers from all over the world flock to Kenya at this time, with Mr Agapov admitting he had to start planning his trip eight months ahead. He added: 'The most interesting part of photographing the migration is capturing them during the jump from the precipice into the river and during their run through the dust clouds.' 'You need to pick the right station and to be very lucky and patient to make a perfect snap.' Safety: Having successfully navigated their way across the Mara, this group of Wildebeest battle their way through a narrow opening in the rocks . Onward: Back on dry land, another huge cloud of dust is kicked up as the wildebeest once again stampede towards the lush pastures of the Maasai Mara . Thirsty work: The wildebeest quench their thirst before heading up the bank. A group of zebra appear to have joined the throng. In the background, a hippo has a nap . Exhausted: The wildebeest are soaked to the skin and out of breath, but they make their way in single file back onto dry land . Pilgrimage: Every year about 1.5 million wildebeest cross into Kenya in the migration season between July and October .
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Spectacular photographs by a retired Russian security officer capture one of natures most magnificent migrations .
Every year up to 1.5 million Wildebeest make the annual pilgrimage from Tanzania to neighbouring Kenya .
The notorious river crossing is fraught with danger where the creatures have to avoid hungry crocodiles .
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(CNN) -- With his opinion for a narrow majority of the Supreme Court, upholding major provisions of the Affordable Care Act, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has, for the first time since his confirmation as chief justice in 2005, breached the gap between the conservative and liberal wings of the court on a polarizing political issue. News: Legal scholars unsurprised by Roberts . In doing so, he has jettisoned his reputation as a predictable conservative vote on controversial issues, such as campaign finance reform and affirmative action, that have been decided by a divided court. Roberts, in finding the critical provisions of the Affordable Care Act constitutional, has followed the example of his predecessor, Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes, who led the court during the tumultuous constitutional battles over President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal legislation. Hughes, like Roberts, sometimes found narrow grounds to uphold New Deal legislation and, as a result, cautiously steered the court away from the public perception that justices voted according to their political values, not constitutional principle. Chief Justice Hughes, and now Chief Justice Roberts, demonstrated that they placed a high value on projecting the image of the court as a nonpartisan judicial institution that upholds the rule of law and is above partisan politics. Hughes skillfully worked to promote the court's public image as nonpartisan, not just in his narrow opinions, but, dramatically, in defending the justices against FDR's attacks and his court-packing plan. Later, in grudging admiration, Roosevelt said that Hughes was "the best politician in the country." That was hardly the way Hughes would have chosen to be remembered, but there was much truth in the president's remark. In June 2012 it may be said that Chief Justice Roberts, like Hughes, has employed political as well as judicial skills in his role as the leader of the Supreme Court. News: Emotions high after Supreme Court upholds health care law . Roberts surprised almost everybody, including constitutional pundits and members of the Obama administration, when he announced Thursday's decision upholding the Affordable Care Act's most controversial provision, the individual mandate, under Congress' power to tax. Judges on the lower federal courts who passed judgment on the Affordable Care Act, as well as both the challengers and defenders of the law in the Justice Department, focused their arguments on Congress' authority to regulate interstate commerce. The chief justice, after rejecting the administration's Commerce clause argument, turned to the more general power of Congress to tax. And tellingly, he declared that the court was obligated to uphold a law as constitutional if there were reasonable grounds to do so, even if there were alternative grounds to strike it down. In this respect, the chief justice's opinion was a model of judicial restraint, a term that has not frequently been used to describe the Roberts court. The chief justice pointedly wrote that the court did not pass judgment on the wisdom of the law, only its constitutionality. The distinction Roberts made between what may be wise, or even good public policy, and what the Constitution allows, has always been a hallmark of judicial restraint. When the Hughes court in the 1930s, led by four ideological conservatives, struck down major pillars of the New Deal, dissenters accused the justices in the majority of substituting their political judgment for that of popularly elected branches of the federal government. News: By the numbers: Health care insurance . Though Chief Justice Hughes sometimes voted with the court conservatives, he demonstrated, time and again, that he understood the distinction between the role of the political branches of the federal government and that of the court, which is obligated only to rule on the constitutionality of a statute. Today, Chief Justice Roberts, like Hughes (whom he is known to admire), has again struck a blow for judicial restraint and integrity. As a result of Thursday's decision, the ultimate fate of the Affordable Care Act does not reside with a majority of the life-tenured members of the court, but with the political branches of federal government and the American voters. In a representative democracy, this is exactly where the responsibility should be. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Simon.
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James Simon: Chief justice breached gap between court's conservative, liberal wings .
He says Roberts upended reputation as predictable conservative, like a predecessor .
He says FDR-era Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes also kept politics out of decisions .
Simon: Roberts left fate of law with political branches and voters, where it belongs .
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By . Dr Tony Cooper . On Saturday, a huge sinkhole opened up at the side of a house in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Swallowing up half of the front lawn, it was 35ft wide and 20ft deep. Last week, a hole as deep as a double-decker bus is high suddenly opened up in the back-garden of a house in South-East London, almost swallowing a child’s trampoline as the ground collapsed without warning. Had the poor owner’s daughter been rushing out to play on the trampoline, she could have very easily have been seriously injured or even killed. Scroll down for video . A 50ft-deep hole appeared in the central reservation on a section of the M2 in north Kent earlier this year . Two weeks ago, there was a similarly narrow escape for a family living in High Wycombe, when, overnight, a deep hole appeared without warning in the driveway just next to the house. This time the adult daughter’s car did end up buried at the bottom of the hole, thankfully, while there was no one in it. And in Kent last week, motorists hoping to use the M2 were left fuming by the motorway’s temporary closure, after a substantial hole — 15ft deep — suddenly appeared in the central reservation. Again, no one was hurt but had the hole opened up just a few yards away, it is obvious what a different story it could so easily have been. All of these holes are what the public call sinkholes and now, after weeks of heavy rain, they seem to be appearing with ever greater regularity. Hard statistics are difficult to find — not least because sinkholes that appear on farmland often go unreported — but having studied them for 35 years, I’d estimate that sinkholes are currently appearing at four-to-five times their normal rate. Gone: A Volkswagen Lupo was swallowed up by this sink hole in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire . Brand new: Zoe Smith, 19, was given a replacement after the car was engulfed by the hole which developed outside her home . With more heavy rain forecast, I’d be surprised if we’ve seen the last sudden sinkhole of this winter. Even when the rain does stop and warmer weather returns, for reasons that I’ll come to, there could be a second spate of them. Strictly speaking — and as I work for the British Geological Survey I do need to be strict about these things — not all the big holes that have been appearing are sinkholes. Technically, a sinkhole is a hole that opens up when the surface layers collapse into a naturally made cavity. When the surface layers collapse into a cavity made by man — and at least two of the recent holes are in areas where mining has been carried out in the past — then it should be called a dene or crown hole. But given that both types are caused by a collapse into an underground cavity and the end result — a large, potentially dangerous hole in the ground at the surface — is the same, for the sake of simplicity, let us call them all sinkholes. Certainly, anyone suffering the tragedy of having their house fall into one won’t be worrying about the difference. Fatalities caused by sinkholes in this country are thankfully very rare, but a homeowner in Florida did die in exactly those circumstances only last year. Risk: Gretel Davidson feared she would have to pay around £10,000 after a sinkhole twice the height of a double-decker bus appeared in her garden in Banehurst, South-East London . The sheer size of sinkholes and their sudden appearance without warning does make them extremely hazardous. This explains why in the superstitious distant past, their appearance was often linked to misfortune. Some saw them as a direct route to Hell itself; one near Darlington that collapsed in the 12th century is called Hell Kettle and the rising groundwater in it steams in the winter. Of course, it’s not the Devil but all the heavy rain that lies behind the sudden spate of sinkholes. Rainwater dissolves limestone easily because it gets acidified from carbon dioxide in the air and by passing through rotting vegetation or certain types of rock. The water dissolves rocks such as chalk, limestone and gypsum, making existing natural underground cavities bigger. It also scours fine material out of existing cavities. In addition, it makes the surface layers of soil composed of such things as clay or gravel heavier as they become waterlogged. Bit by bit, the cavity becomes a little bigger, the covering layers a little heavier until . . . snap . . . those covering layers no longer have the mechanical strength to span the cavity and suddenly they collapse into it, taking anything unfortunate to have been standing on the surface down with them. Concern: A 35ft wide hole appeared underneath a home in Hemel Hempstead last week, prompting the surrounding properties to be evacuated . It’s no accident that sinkholes often seem to appear next to a fairly substantial piece of civil engineering, such as a house or road, rather than underneath the piece of civil engineering itself. As long as we put roofs on houses and impermeable cambers on our roads, rainwater will be thrown off the things being protected. It’s often where that rainwater ends up — by the side of the road, by side of the house — that becomes vulnerable to sinkholes. Nor is it a coincidence that so many of the new sinkholes have appeared in the South-East. Not only has this part of the country endured one of its wettest winters for decades, possibly centuries, but it is also home to one of the four types of underlying soluble rock — in this case chalk — that make an area vulnerable to sinkholes. It’s also an area where mining of some sort — in the form of chalk diggings, clay pits, flint mines etc — has been going on for thousands of years. The South-East, however, is not the only area that is vulnerable. Much of Yorkshire lies on chalk, although the fact that it has been covered by glaciers several times means that most of the surface cavities have long been worn away, making it more resilient to sinkholes than the softer, purer chalk of the South-East. Pipes: The owner of the house above the hole is said to have warned the council about the situation weeks in advance . The underlying limestone of areas such as the Pennines, South Wales, North Wales and part of Cumbria make all those areas vulnerable to both natural sinkholes and collapses over mines, as the appearance of one of the biggest recent holes — some 160ft across in Foolow, Derbyshire — at the end of last year certainly confirmed, when an old lead and fluorite mine collapsed. Other vulnerable areas include a belt between Darlington and Doncaster, where the underlying rock is the highly soluble gypsum. This belt takes in the city of Ripon, which could well lay claim to the unwanted title of Sinkhole Capital Of Britain and is home to one of the most enduring sinkholes in the country, which first appeared in 1834 and remains open today, being some 36ft across and 46ft deep. Wedged: A Los Angeles fireman looks under a fire truck stuck in a sinkhole in 2009 . Parts of Cheshire are also highly vulnerable to sinkholes, thanks to underlying mineral salt deposits which could have been removed both naturally and, of course, by man. Britain’s sinkholes, however, tend to be dwarfed by those found in other parts of the world, such as the 131ft wide, 67ft deep, water-filled Bimmah Sinkhole in Oman, the 400ft deep Devil’s Sinkhole in Texas, and the Great Blue Hole off the coast of Belize, another underwater hole some 984ft wide and 410ft deep. Guatemala City, built on particularly soft, volcanic rock, has been dubbed the Sinkhole Capital Of The World. But it’s the growing number of sinkholes reported in parts of China and the United States that is potentially of greater concern for those keeping an eye on sinkhole activity in the UK. Trapped: A family were in a car when it fell into a sink hold in Hetian, Xinjiang, China . In these countries, many of the new sinkholes are being caused not by an excess of water — be it rain, leaking drains or burst water mains — but by the systematic extraction of groundwater for irrigation or mining purposes; often with disastrous consequences. Just as covering layers can become too waterlogged to support themselves over a cavity, so they can also collapse as water drains out of a cavity below. And that does worry me about what might happen in Britain over the coming months. The heavy winter rains have already produced more sinkholes than normal and, although their appearance is notoriously hard to predict, it would be a brave geologist who would say we’ve seen the last of them for this winter. Vanished: 20 holes disappeared after a 150m-wide sink hole opened up in Guatemala . But the rain will also have done more unseen damage underground, widening out cavities, weakening supporting pillars, washing out the fine deposits that may have kept them stable for decades. When warmer weather does return, the groundwater will lower, the layers that cover these now widened holes will begin to drain and, in certain cases, their mechanical strength begin to weaken until — crash! — those surface layers literally reach breaking point. One way or another, come rain or indeed shine, we almost certainly haven’t seen the last sinkhole of 2014. So be careful where you park your car tonight.
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Sinkholes seen in Kent, South-East London and Hemel Hempstead .
One in High Wycombe engulfed a car as it was parked in the driveway .
Expert believes sinkholes are appearing five times their normal rate .
Forecast heavy rain could mean more holes appear around the country .
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In the last week, the Apple iWatch has made the jump from unlikely rumor to a real product that's probably in development, thanks to well-placed leaks that have been showing up in various publications. The latest is a report from Bloomberg that says Apple already has a team of 100 employees working on a wearable device. The clues, and resulting flurry of speculation, are planting the seeds of an Apple watch in consumers' minds. The general public has not been crying out for a better watch. Apple dream-product rumors have mostly focused on an elusive Apple TV over the past year. But Apple prides itself on knowing what the people want before they do, and an Apple watch would be way more than just a fancy timepiece. It's not about the watch form factor, but creating a wearable mobile device that takes advantage of advances in mobile computing technology such as cheap sensors, better battery life and improved voice recognition. An Apple watch could work with an ecosystem of third-party wearable sensors and products that tie into one powerful, small hub. If executed correctly, an Apple watch could spawn a lucrative industry of compatible products, like it did with the iOS App Store and mobile applications. "It's unlimited, the number of wearable things you can tap into," said Gene Munster, an analyst with Piper Jaffray, who imagines small companies making inexpensive products like belts with sensors that alert the watch when you've eaten too much. Apple is not entering virgin territory. There are already a handful of slick smart watches available, but most act as accessories, connecting to the more powerful Android and iOS smartphones and tablets over Bluetooth. For example, the new Pebble smart watch passes on alerts from a smartphone, so when you receive a text, e-mail, or Facebook notification it is pushed to the watch, which vibrates. Wearable technology is also booming, thanks to cheap sensors that can be used to track things like movement and heart rates. The number of wearable fitness products has been growing at a fast pace, but an Apple offering would shake up the industry completely. "We're finally getting some players involved, and Apple's the real one, that can add some value to some of this wearable technology," said Munster. Apple isn't alone in seeing the potential for this type of technology. Google is working on its own wearable platform, Google Glasses. The two will face off when they are finally available, each sporting its own unique take on what kind of user interface people will use (voice control and a small touchscreen or augmented reality). And they will, of course, have their own ecosystems of accessories and apps. Traditional watches have dropped in popularity in recent years. Smartphones prominently display the time and are already in our back pockets, so it can seem redundant to also strap a small clock to our wrists. But when you start packing more power, sensors and connection options like Bluetooth into a watch, it ceases to be a watch and becomes a small wearable computer. An Apple watch could leap frog the current crop of smart watches by creating a platform, not another accessory. According to Munster, the three tasks people use their smartphones for are, in order, texting, Internet and phone calls. Two out of three of those tasks would be a natural fit for a small device, while the need to surf and play games would ensure the smartphone doesn't become obsolete.
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An Apple watch could pass existing smart watches with more computing, sensor power .
Bloomberg reports that 100 employees are already working on developing the device .
A watch could spawn an industry of compatible third-party wearable accessories .
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A Cairns nurse cleared of contracting the deadly Ebola virus will remain in hospital until at least Monday while she undergoes further testing. She remains in isolation in Cairns Hospital and will have a second round of testing on Sunday before she is able to return home. Sue Ellen Kovack was tested for the deadly virus on her return from Sierra Leone where she was volunteering with the Red Cross in the fight against Ebola. She tested negative to Ebola after initial results were returned early Friday. Scroll down for video . Sue Ellen Kovack volunteered as a nurse treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone last month . There were fears the 57-year-old, from Cairns, was suffering from the illness she was helping to treat after she reported feeling a fever at 1pm AEST on Thursday. Ms Kovack isolated herself at home on her return, but reported to authorities she had a low-grade fever, as per normal protocol, and was admitted to hospital on Thursday. A Queensland Health spokesman said on Saturday most of Ms Kovack's symptoms had subsided. 'She still has a bit of a sore throat and is tired, which you could expect given the circumstances,' the spokesman said. Queensland Health is expected to provide updates on Ms Kovack's condition throughout the weekend. Scroll down for video . Ms Kovack posted a number of snaps of her on the job in Sierra Leone on her Facebook page . There are an estimated 7,200 Ebola cases in West Africa, according to the latest figures from the Centre for Disease Control . Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young stated on Friday morning that initial tests taken have returned a negative result and it was likely the Ms Kovack would remain under observation for at least another 24 hours. 'This is a necessary precaution given the patient has been to West Africa and has had a fever within the incubation period of 21 days. For the sake of her health and to follow due diligence, we want to be sure she is clear of Ebola virus disease as well as any other disease.' Dr Young said regardless of the outcome of the tests, the broader community was not at risk of contracting EVD. Authorities have moved to allay fears Ms Kovack could have spread the virus, which can only be contracted by coming into contact with secretions of an infected person. Ms Kovack just returned to Australia on Tuesday after a month volunteering for the Red Cross in the West African nation. The Red Cross worker returned from Sierra Leone, via Casablanca and Dubai, then made her way through Perth and Melbourne to Cairns. Red Cross Australia confirmed one of their aid workers was under observation for the deadly virus. 'Our heartfelt thoughts are with the Red Cross aid worker and her family. We will do everything we can to support her at this difficult time,' the organisation's head of international program Peter Walton said in a statement to the Red Cross Australia Twitter page. Mr Walton later told 9News: '[Ms Kovack's] well, I've spoken with her recently. 'We just have to play a bit of a waiting game. 'She's in good spirits - she's feeling good at the moment.' Ms Kovack decked out in medical gear during her stint in the West African nation . Dr Jeannette Young broke the news at a press conference on Thursday afternoon . A friend of Ms Kovack's, Jennifer King, told ABC's Lateline the volunteer nurse was 'popular' and 'well-known' in the Cairns medical community, and her situation had sparked an outpouring of support from her colleagues at the north Queensland hospital. Ms King said her friend of 25 years was used to working in the tough conditions of African nations. 'She wants to help people, she's incredibly compassionate and she's selfless like not many people on earth,' Ms King said. 'A bunch of the nurses [at Cairns Hospital] have gone down to Accident and Emergency [department] to offer to nurse Sue Ellen, which is really brave. 'They're upset and they want to help.' But Ms Kovack's humanitarian efforts have been slammed by outspoken Federal MP Bob Katter. The member for Kennedy - whose electorate takes in the southern area of Cairns and the town's airport - said her volunteering pursuits had put the nation at risk. Mr Katter said it was 'unbelievable and incomprehensive' how a person could get into Australia from an Ebola-infected country. 'There cannot be any compromise with this,' Mr Katter said. 'If you want to go to one of these countries, however laudable your motivation, I am sorry but when you return to Australia, you must be quarantined for three weeks - not home quarantined.' Mr Katter said Australian aid workers travelling to west Africa, including Ms Kovack, were putting Australia at risk. 'We love these people, and we honour these Australians for being self-sacrificing, but compared to the risk they create for our country, it is not remotely comparable. One person's moral and humanitarian ambitions are being carried out at a very grave cost to Australia,' he said. But Queensland's chief medical officer Dr Jeannette Young praised Ms Kovack's efforts and said she had acted appropriately when raising the alarm to health authorities. 'I think she's an amazing lady to go to Africa and provide that service,' Dr Young said. She added: 'She has done everything appropriately.' Ms Kovack has been in isolation since she returned home as is the protocol for medical workers who have treated Ebola patients overseas. Dr Young said Ms Kovack had been testing herself in the 'isolation' of her own home and had not been into the Cairns community since she returned on Tuesday. 'This morning she rang up as part of [national health] protocol because she developed a low-grade fever of 37.6 degrees Celsius. 'But we felt it important that she come into Cairns Hospital for Ebola virus disease.' Ms Kovack is originally from Toronto, Canada but is living in Cairns, Queensland . Cairns Hospital where the 57-year-old is under observation and quarantined . Dr Young stressed it was almost impossible that Ms Kovack to have infected other people, including her housemate who is showing no symptoms or passengers on her flight, as she did not develop symptoms until Thursday morning. Doctors awaited the results of a blood test and received the results early Friday morning as the sample had been sent to Brisbane for testing on Thursday afternoon. Dr Young said the actual blood testing process took about four hours. A Federal Department of Health spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia any health care worker who comes back from an affected country needs to monitor their health - including taking their temperature twice a day - and cannot return to work for 21 days. Health Minister Peter Dutton has moved to reassure the public that talking to people arriving from Ebola-hit countries is still the best method of screening for the deadly disease. He said doctors still backed the process to identify and contact people arriving into the country who may have been exposed to the disease. 'I think that's the more effective screening process at the moment, but these things evolve,' he told the ABC. Mr Dutton said introducing a screening in arrivals halls could be problematic. 'It provides a sort of air of complacency if you like,' he told the ABC. 'So people come through, they feel unwell a couple of days later and they think "No, no, I've just been through that screening process and I wasn't picked up, I'm ok".' Mr Dutton reiterated the World Health Organisation had not asked Australia for on-the-ground health workers in the stricken African countries. But he said that advice may change over time. Australia will send help if a case presents in the region, for example in PNG, the minister says. 'We would be expected within our region to rapidly respond, and we have the capacity to do that with a team out of Darwin ... and resources within Canberra,' Mr Dutton said. Before she left for Sierra Leone, Ms Kovack spoke to media about her journey, and was actively keeping her friends and family up to date on Facebook. 'I'm a little bit nervous, a little bit anxious but healthily anxious I think,' she told local newspaper The Cairns Post. In an interview with the ABC last month, she said it was her responsibility to help those in need. 'I care about humanity and if I have what people need, I would like to use these skills. 'Why me? Well, if not me then who?' Ms Kovack said. Except for the fever, Dr Young said Ms Kovack was 'perfectly well' but because of the circumstances: 'I am treating it as if it was (Ebola)'. She said there was no risk to fellow passengers on Ms Kovack's flights home. 'She did not have any symptoms at all when she was on those flights, so there is no risk at all,' she said. 'The Ebola virus is very difficult to transmit. 'It's not transmitted through the air - you need to be exposed to secretions: vomit, diarrhoea, blood. 'She doesn't have any symptoms producing those secretions.' Ms Kovack is expected to find out on Friday morning whether or not she has the deadly virus . Ms Kovack recently shared happy snaps of her in Sierra Leone, dressed in quarantine uniforms and being sprayed by decontamination hoses. On September 23, she wrote: 'Big day... Have taken our first bloods from our first ebola survivor at the (International Federation of the Red Cross) treatment centre. It was not the first time Ms Kovack had travelled overseas to help those in need. She had previously worked with the Red Cross in war-torn South Sudan and had volunteered in Sierra Leone in 2002. The Ebola virus has infected an estimated 7,200 people, according to the World Health Organisation. More than 3300 have died. There have been no recorded cases in Australia. Last month, a Gold Coast man was placed in isolation after he was feared to be suffering the deadly illness. He was quickly cleared of the condition.
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Red Cross nurse Sue Ellen Kovack cleared for Ebola virus .
She had been volunteering in Sierra Leone - a nation swept with the illness .
Ms Kovack was treating Ebola patients and had just returned .
She raised the alarm after suffering a mild fever at 1pm AEST on Thursday .
A Red Cross spokesman said she was doing 'well' and in 'good spirits'
But outspoken MP Bob Katter has slammed Ms Kovack's volunteer efforts .
The federal member for Kennedy said she had put Australians at risk .
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(CNN) -- The "best job in the world" contest has generated huge interest around the globe, but the jury is out on whether that will translate into more tourism dollars for Queensland, Australia. Ben Southall will move into a three-bedroom beach home overlooking the Great Barrier Reef. "That's the million dollar question," said Anthony Hayes, CEO of Tourism Quensland, which sponsored the contest. "Quite frankly you can have $150 million worth of publicity, but if it doesn't generate sales you've really wasted your time on a pretty story." A British man beat 34,000 other applicants Wednesday to win the right to stroll the white sands of a tropical island in Queensland, Australia, file weekly reports online to a global audience and earn a cool $100,000. Watch as lucky winner is revealed » . For the winner, Ben Southall, the six-month assignment is a far cry from his old job as a fundraiser. "I love discovering new places," Southall said in his hyperkinetic minute-long application video for the position. "Last year, I drove all around Africa, I crossed deserts, climbed mountains, run marathons, bungee jump, mountain-bike, scuba-dive and snorkel everywhere because I'm practically a fish myself." Oh, and he rode an ostrich. He will move into a three-bedroom beach home overlooking the tropical island's Great Barrier Reef. For six months, he will feed the fish, clean the pool and send weekly blog and video reports on what is happening on the island. Other benefits include free return airfares from their nearest capital city, transport on the island, computer and camera gear and travel to other islands. The applicants used various attempts to woo their prospective employer, from wandering round a chilly city center in a bikini, to making their application in the form of a street musical, complete with chorus singers. Sixteen finalists were flown in to Hamilton Island on Monday for interviews with a four-person panel. The job starts July 1. The "world's best job" campaign was 18 months in the making as a way to lure more tourism to the 600 islands near the Great Barrier Reef. "The starting point was how do we get the message out there ... that they're open for business and we want people to come and visit," Hayes said. "The idea of this is to protect jobs throughout our regional parts of Queensland."
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Winner of "best job" competition is British citizen Ben Southall .
Tourism Queensland advertised dream island caretaking job for $100,000 .
Six-month stint involves reporting on the Great Barrier Reef island off Australia .
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42571968b2402150fcbdc946edf138592b493052
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An Indonesian couple who were reunited with their daughter 10 years after a tsunami snatched her from their arms claimed Tuesday to have found their son, who was also swept away in the disaster. Jamaliah and her husband Septi Rangkuti had an emotional reunion Monday with the teenager they believe is their long-lost son, bringing their whole family together for the first time in 10 years. Arif Pratama Rangkuti, now 17, was carried off with his younger sister when the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami slammed into Indonesia's westernmost Aceh province, killing more than 170,000 people there and tens of thousands in other countries. Scroll down for video . The whole family, reunited at last with missing son Arif Partama Rangkuti (bottom right) in the Payakumbuh town on Sumatra Island. First, mum Jamaliah and her husband Septi Rangkuti were reunited with their daughter Raudhatul Jannah (left panel, right) in June. Now the family claim to have found their long lost son Arif Pratama Rangkuti, 17, who was carried off with his younger sister when the Indian Ocean tsunami struck Aceh, Indonesia in 2004. The family had an emotional reunion with Raudhatul Jannah (second right), who is now aged 14. Here, she sits with mother Jamaliah (second from left), holding youngest son Jumadi Rangkuti (centre) and father Septi Rangkuti (far right), joined by Syarwani (left), the foster mother who has raised Jannah in the city of Meulaboh, Aceh province. Jamaliah shows reporters a picture of her daughter after being reunited in Meulaboh, Aceh, Indonesian on August 7, 2014. Arif's sister Raudhatul Jannah was reunited with the parents in June after a relative spotted a girl in an Aceh village who bore a striking resemblance to her. On Tuesday the couple said their son had now also been returned, thanks to this month's huge media coverage of their "miracle" reunion with their daughter. 'It's true, he's our son. We're now preparing to take him home,' Rangkuti told AFP, explaining that the boy had lived for years as a street kid on the island of Sumatra. Jamaliah, speaking in the town of Payakumbuh in West Sumatra province, wept as she clutched the teenager, who seemed shy and overwhelmed. Jamaliah (left) gives a hug to Raudhatul Jannah (centre) after being reunited in Meulaboh, Aceh, Indonesian on Aug 7, 2014. Lost daughter: Jamaliah embraces Raudhatul Jannah after their reunion. With her family: Raudhatul Jannah (second from left), joins her mother (left) and her father Septi Rangkuti (right), ten years after she went missing during the Indonesian tsunami. 'I prayed every night, because inside I believed that my child was still alive,' she told reporters. 'My husband has always been restless at home because of this. He would say that our son is still alive.' The family were reunited at the home of a couple who found the boy one night asleep outside the Internet cafe they run in Payakumbuh. The teenager has lived homeless for years, sleeping in outdoor markets and abandoned shops. Lana Bestari and Windu Fajri let the boy sleep at their Internet cafe for several months, giving him food and clothes on his regular visits. Bestari got in touch with the family after she saw a photograph of Arif as a child on television. Even after ten years, she said she instantly recognised the tsunami victim as the boy who had slept at her cafe. 'I was shocked - there was a photo of a boy I recognised very well. I recorded his image on my smartphone,' she said. Together at last: Jamaliah (left) holds her daughter Raudhatul Jannah (right). The boy had only told her he had come from Medan in North Sumatra province. If he is indeed the couple's son, it is unclear how he made the journey there from Aceh. After seeing the news, Bestari and her husband searched for the boy, whom they had named Ucok. The teenager spoke to Jamaliah and Septi Rangkuti on the phone and the couple immediately travelled to meet him, along with their youngest son and their newly-found daughter, now aged 14. When the tsunami hit their home in Aceh, Arif and his sister were swept away clinging to a board, according to their parents, who had long abandoned any hope of finding either child alive. The couple now believe the children were rescued together by fishermen who took them to the Banyak Islands off the coast of Aceh. The girl was taken in by a family in Aceh, who renamed her Wenni. A fisherman wanted to adopt both of them, but ended up taking just Jannah as he did not think his family could provide for two more children. Jannah was reunited with her parents in June after a relative spotted her as she walked home from school. 'God has given us a miracle,' Jamaliah said earlier this month after finding her daughter.
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Jamaliah and Septi Rangkuti reunited with 17-year-old son .
Arif Pratama Rangkuti was swept away in 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami .
Comes just weeks after they were reunited .
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f01f346929e2219c2942834a2abb7cba462afca5
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Tony Blair has warned of the political, economic and emotional dangers of Scotland voting for independence . Tony Blair has warned against 'ripping up the alliance' between Scotland and England in a rare intervention in the referendum debate. The former Prime Minister, who was born in Edinburgh, said: 'Obviously I hope that Scotland votes to stay part of the United Kingdom.' Mr Blair has avoided campaigning for a No vote as he knows he remains a divisive character north of the Border in the wake of the Iraq War. In his autobiography, the former Labour leader claimed he was to blame for the party's humiliating defeat by the SNP in 2007, and the Nationalists have repeatedly described him as 'toxic'. But supporters insist he made one of the greatest all-time speeches in favour of the Union in 2006, when he warned Scotland against turning in on itself with the nationalist 'politics of grievance'. Speaking at a security conference in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev at the weekend, he said: 'To rip up the alliance between our countries would not be sensible, politically, economically or even emotionally.' Born in Edinburgh, Mr Blair went to school in Durham before returning to Scotland to attend Edinburgh's Fettes College. His father was born in Yorkshire but grew up in Glasgow. In his final speech to a Scottish Labour conference in Oban in 2006, he famously said: 'I detest this narrow nationalism not because it engenders fear but because it squanders hope.' Ex-Chancellor Alistair Darling, leader of Better Together, has previously called for his former boss to play his part in a 'call to arms' to keep the UK together. But Mr Blair has been reluctant to speak out, in stark contrast with his successor, Gordon Brown, who has returned to frontline politics to fight for the Union. Meanwhile, the journalist who first claimed Mr Blair's government had 'sexed up' a dossier on Saddam Hussein has described the SNP's proposals for independence as 'every bit as dodgy'. In May 2003, then-BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan said a claim that Hussein could fire weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes had been included in a dossier even though the UK Government knew it was probably 'wrong'. He said that originally the dossier had contained little that was new, but in the week before publication Downing Street had ordered it to be 'sexed up' and new facts 'discovered' to make it more exciting. Scroll down for video . Mr Blair said a Yes vote would 'not be sensible, politically, economically or even emotionally' Mr Blair added: 'Obviously, I hope that Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom . In yesterday's Sunday Telegraph, Mr Gilligan wrote: 'As the BBC reporter who first exposed those lies, I believe that Scotland is being led over a cliff by a dossier every bit as dodgy as the one that took us into Iraq. 'Like the whole of Britain in 2003, Scotland in 2014 is being asked to fix a problem that does not exist. Back then, it was an imaginary threat from Iraq. Now, it is an imaginary threat to the NHS, 45 minutes from destruction if you vote No. 'Back then, it was the supposed 'clash of civilisations' between Islam and the West. Now, it is a supposed 'fundamental conflict of social values' between two nations, England and Scotland – whose social values, all surveys show, are extremely similar. 'And just as in 2003, Scotland is also being asked to tackle another problem that is real and does exist – but in a way that will only make that problem worse, for itself, and for all of us. Back then, we were told that invading Iraq would protect us from international terrorism. In fact, of course, it gave international terrorism a boost beyond al-Qaeda's wildest hopes and dreams. 'Now, Scots are told that independence will protect them from global capitalism. They are told that a new international border at Gretna will form a magic shield against the City, the Tories, and the cuts.'
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Former Prime Minister made comments at security conference in Ukraine .
Mr Blair, who was born in Edinburgh, warned of political, economic and emotional dangers .
He previously admitted he was to blame for SNP coming to power in 2007 .
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47c3076d418742151f60340713852b826ad1c783
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Washington (CNN) -- A pair of Russian aircraft buzzed a U.S. warship off the Arctic coast of Russia on consecutive days last week, leading the U.S. Navy chief of naval operations to raise the issue with his Russian counterpart, a Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said. The first incident occurred September 10 in international waters of the Barents Sea. A U.S. military official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the incidents, said a Russian Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft flew about 50 yards off the side of the guided missile frigate USS Taylor at just about 100 feet above sea level. The official said the aircraft made several passes near the ship. The next day a Russian Helix helicopter circled the Taylor, also at low altitude. The official described the activity as "abnormal" operating procedure, because of the risk of an accident at such close range. Adm. Gary Roughead, the U.S. chief of naval operations, discussed the matter with his Russian counterpart, Adm. Vladimir Vysotskiy, according to Lapan. Lapan said the ship's crew did not interpret the Russian overflights to be hostile, but said the two sides are still talking to determine whether standard maritime procedures were followed. The two admirals met earlier this week during a visit of Russian military officials to the Pentagon. The incidents were disclosed by U.S. military officials only after that visit was over.
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Two Russian aircraft made separate close approaches to the USS Taylor, officials say .
The activity was "abnormal" but not necessarily hostile, officials say .
The incidents were disclosed after Russian military officials visited the Pentagon .
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Click here to see more of our brilliant Match Zone, including an impressive 25-pass build-up for Lukaku's goal . When Roberto Martinez met Samuel Eto’o one Sunday in late August for a coffee, there was only one question he wanted answering. Did he have the hunger to play on a cold afternoon in the North West, when the going was tough and the environment was unforgiving? Everton’s manager never had a concern about Eto’o’s quality but he needed to see if the desire was still there. Eto’o has never given Martinez a moment to think he made a wrong move but his decision was vindicated once again at blustery Turf Moor, as his two goals inspired Everton to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Burnley. VIDEO Scroll down to see Roberto Martinez on his side's performance . Samuel Eto'o's stunning curled effort ensured Everton's three points late on... the goal was his second of the afternoon . Eto'o sticks out his tongue in celebration after his second of the afternoon puts the game beyond Burnley's reach . Eto'o gestures to the Everton faithful after scoring the Toffee's third goal of the afternoon against Burnley at Turf Moor . Burnley: Heaton 7; Trippier 6, Shackell 5.5, Duff 5.5, Ward 6; Kightly 6 (Sordell 84), Jones 6, Arfield 7, Boyd 7 (Chalobah 86); Jutkiewicz 7 (Barnes 65), Ings 7 . Subs (not used): Gilks, Mee, Wallace, Keane . Goal: Ings (20) Booked: Boyd, Arfield, Ward, Barnes . Everton: Howard 7, Coleman 7, Baines 7, Jagielka 7, Alcaraz 6, Barry 7, McCarthy 8, Osman 7 (Pienaar 82), Naismith 7, Eto’o 8.5, Lukaku 6 (Barkley 65) Subs (not used): Robles, Hibbert, Gibson, McGeady, Besic . Goals: Eto'o (4, 85), Lukaku (29) Booked: Lukaku, Naismith . Referee: Andre Marriner 7 . Attendance: 19,952 . Man of the Match: Samuel Eto’o . Player ratings by DOMINIC KING at Turf Moor . As Eto’o left the pitch with the acclaim of 4,000 travelling Evertonians ringing in his ears, a number of Martinez’s managerial peers — not least Brendan Rodgers — may well have been regretting that they allowed the chance to sign him slip away. He may be 33 but he still has much to offer. ‘I like Samuel when he is in that type of form,’ said Martinez, who saw Romelu Lukaku atone for the mistake that gifted Burnley a goal by scoring Everton’s second. ‘He can play anywhere. He brings real know-how and experience. Sometimes, you want to develop young players. 'But he can give them a lot of aspects technically, tactically and physically. There’s few people who can teach things like Samuel due to his experience. 'Everyone will speak about the goals but I was so pleased with the performance he had, his role off the ball and the way he worked hard for the team. ‘He has set real standards and I’m really pleased. He has played two games in a week, but his performance was a real example. What an incredible professional to have in a dressing room full of young players.’ That point is key. Some will carp and say Eto’o has thrived against a side who are heading back to the Championship but that overlooks the fact that he arrived on Merseyside as one of a select group who have won the Champions League at two different clubs. The moment he walked into Goodison Park, Eto’o — once of Barcelona and Internazionale —had the respect of his new team-mates and he was a calming influence here, always making the right decision and using the ball sensibly. He set a tone that was the catalyst for a clinical performance. In order to give his team some freshness following their midweek trip to Lille, Martinez made six changes to Everton’s starting line-up and his reward was a blistering start that left Burnley frantically trying to catch their breath. Samuel Eto'o worked his socks off in Everton’s win at Turf Moor. Far from his more familiar role as a target man, he played as an attacking midfielder in support of Romelu Lukaku. Though nominally playing down the left, he roved across the width of the pitch, as the heat map of his main areas of activity shows (below). And he put in a shift in his own box for corners too. Not too shabby for a 33-year-old. Romelu Lukaku celebrates after putting his side 2-1 up at Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon . Lukaku strikes the ball to put Everton ahead in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon . The Everton team celebrate after Lukaku's goal 29 minutes into their game against strugglers Burnley at Turf Moor . MINS KM MILES . Burnley total 122.3 76.0 . George Boyd 86 12.3 7.6 . Scott Arfield 90 12.2 7.6 . David Jones 90 11.9 7.4 . Everton total 122.4 76.0 . Steven Naismith 90 11.9 7.4 . Gareth Barry 90 11.7 7.3 . James McCarthy 90 11.2 6.9 . Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official Player Rating Index of the Barclays Premier League . When Everton’s passing clicks, they are an impressive side to watch and never was that more apparent than in the fourth minute as the ball zipped from one white shirt to another, sweeping the length of the pitch. The move culminated in Gareth Barry sending Leighton Baines scampering down the left and the England full back’s inch-perfect cross was given the finish it deserved, as Eto’o’s bullet header thudded against the underside of the bar before hitting the back of Tom Heaton’s net. Burnley were startled by Everton’s speed out of the blocks but gradually they regained composure themselves and they received an expected gift in the 20th minute that enabled them to secure parity. Everton were in no danger when Romelu Lukaku took possession just by the halfway line but, carelessly and inexplicably, he gave the ball to Lukas Jutkiewicz, who wasted no time sending Danny Ings away. The England Under 21 striker did the rest, rounding Tim Howard and finishing with aplomb. Much to Burnley’s frustration, however, it wasn’t long before they conceded cheaply once again. They had only been on terms for eight minutes when Steven Naismith found Lukaku in the area and he made up for his aberration with a shot that bobbled beyond Heaton. Lukaku's goal included a 25-pass build-up, and looked impressive using our brilliant Match Zone . Danny Ings cups his ears to the Burnley fans after levelling the scores in Burnley's Premier League match on Sunday . Ings strikes to ball to make the score 1-1, to the frustration of onlooking duo Gareth Barry and Tim Howard . This was Everton’s first victory over Burnley at Turf Moor for 44 years. It was also the first time they have enjoyed successive league wins since April. Burnley worked hard after the break but, for all their huff and puff, they rarely looked like blowing Everton over and in the 85th minute they were seen off when Barry, Ross Barkley and Steven Pienaar combined to give Eto’o the chance to bend a drive in from 25 yards. Moments later, he rounded Heaton again but his shot from a tight angle bounced off the post. It was the only slight blip on an otherwise exemplary display. ‘It was a very challenging day against a fine team,’ said Sean Dyche, whose Burnley side are still winless. ‘Eto’o has been a fine player and still is. Everton had high-quality players doing what high-quality players do. We all wanted Premier League football but nobody said it’d be an easy ride. The Burnley players celebrate after Ings' leveller at Turf Moor against Everton on Sunday afternoon . The Burnley defence is helpless to the effort of Eto'o, whose header gave Everton an early lead . Eto'o celebrates after scoring the first goal of his two on Sunday afternoon, a bullet header past a helpless Heaton in the Burnley goal . Eto'o's first goal set the ball rolling for Everton... goalkeeper Tom Heaton was helpless to stop it from hitting the back of the net . Eto'o wheels away in celebration after scoring Everton's first goal of the afternoon, in the fourth minute of the game . Gareth Barry battles with Burnley's David Jones during the first half of the Premier League clash at Turf Moor . Lukaku (right) celebrates with team-mate Seamus Coleman after scoring to put Everton 2-1 up at Turf Moor . George Boyd lunges to stop the effort of Gareth Barry during the first half of the game on Sunday . Phil Jagielka guards Howard as he collects the ball ahead of the challenge of Lukas Jutkiewicz . Howard comes out to punch the ball clear, while Jutkiewicz shuts his eyes as he jumps for the ball too . Referee Andre Marriner points at Everton striker Lukaku after booking him midway through the first half of the match . Howard screams in celebration after his side took the lead at Turf Moor - they went on to win 1-3, a marked improvement on previous weeks . This weekend saw the first use of the Premier League's high visibility ball, which will be on show throughout the winter months . Burnley manager Sean Dyche laughs as he shakes hands with Everton boss Roberto Martinez prior to the match . Everton boss Martinez concentrates as he watches his side during their Premier League match at Turf Moor on Sunday .
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Samuel Eto'o opened the scoring early on for Everton with a thunderous header in off the crossbar .
Danny Ings levelled the scores shortly after when he took the ball round Tim Howard and slotted home .
Romelu Lukaku restored Everton's lead in the second half, but was always second-best to his strike partner .
Eto'o made sure of the points with his second of the match in the second half, a wonderful curling effort .
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A Texas homeowner got a shock when she walked into the bathroom of her College Station home to find a 12ft python wrapped around her toilet bowl. Veronica Rodriguez, 50, discovered the huge African python slithering across the bathroom floor earlier this month. It is believed that the python got in through the back door to Ms Rodriguez's home, which she shares her teenage daughter Kelsie. Scroll down for video . Veronica Rodriguez got a shock in her Texas home earlier this month when she found a 12ft African python slithering around her bathroom . Exactly when this happened is unknown - although she admitted the door had been left open while she was doing chores throughout the day. Ms Rodriguez was on the phone when she heard noises coming from the bathroom. She told The Eagle: 'When I opened her bathroom door, there . was a 12-foot python. I didn't know what I was . going to do with a snake that large.' She called 911 and the responding officer showed up with a paper bag. Ms Rodriguez said that she told him: 'You're going to need a bigger sack than that.' Responding officer Tony Gonzales said: 'When I opened her bathroom door, there was a 12-foot python. I didn't know what I was going to do with a snake that large.' Animal control was called into help with the officer showing up with a ten-gallon bucket - but the officers finally decided that the only way to contain the snake was in a trash can. The snake, which appeared to be around five years old and in healthy condition, was initially taken to a rescue facility but it has since been returned to its owner. Police have refused to release the owner's identity because he did nothing wrong, they say. The snake made its way into the single-story College Station home earlier this month and nestled into the bathroom .
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Veronica Rodriguez, 50, came home earlier this month to find the huge African python slithering across the bathroom floor .
She thinks snake came in through back door while she was doing chores .
Ms Rodriguez told officer who turned up with a paper bag: 'You're going to need a bigger sack than that'
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:36 EST, 19 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:49 EST, 19 October 2013 . A South Florida woman who offered police officers $30,000 to help kill her newlywed husband and another man was yesterday arrested and charged with solicitation of murder. Annybelkis Terrero, 38, was working as a police informant when she allegedly made the bribe. The incident began several weeks ago when police were called to Terrero's home in Boynton Beach, south of Palm Beach, amid complaints of drug activity and prostitution. When members of the narcotics investigation unit arrived at the house Terrero agreed to act as a confidential informant. In custody: Annybelkis Terrero, 38, was working as a police informant when she allegedly asked two officers to help her find a hit man to kill her husband and another man, who has only been identified as an acquaintance . Ongoing investigation: The plot started when police were called here, to Terrero's home in Boynton Beach, several weeks ago, amid complaints of drug activity and prostitution . She signed paperwork that agreed to show police where a drug dealer lived. As Terrero and the officers drove to the house, Terrero discussed how she hated her husband and wanted him dead. 'She wanted her husband dead and that she had come up with a plan to do it,' Boynton Beach Police Spokeswoman Stephanie Slater told NBC News 4. More... Murder case opened after horrified woman survives a car crash only to step out of her vehicle and onto a HUMAN SKULL thought to have been buried in the 1970s . Hero cop caught on camera risking his life to drag shot partner to safety despite heavy gunfire . Utah man accused of raping and blackmailing his wife’s ex-HUSBAND . Two murderers who were mistakenly released from prison with forged documents showed up three days later to register as ex-cons . The officers then started to play along. 'At that point the agents switched gears, assumed the roles of undercover officers and implied that they could help her with her wish to have her husband killed,' Ms Slater said. 'At that point she produced two stolen credit cards as a down payment and gave it to the officers.' Undercover: Boynton Police spokesperson Stephanie Slater explains how officers 'switched gears' to entrap Terrero after she began talking about wanting her husband dead . Annybelkis Terrero makes a brief court appearance in South Florida to face allegations of soliciting to murder her husband and another man and two counts of bribery . Police said Terrero told them to use the credit cards quickly because they were 'hot'. On Thursday night, Terrero met with the two officers and an undercover Boynton Beach officer who was posing as a hit man at a shopping center parking lot. Terrero brought a fully-loaded shotgun and ammunition to the meeting and offered it to the hit man as a down payment and sign of good faith, police said. She also agreed to pay $30,000 and said the money would come from her husband's life insurance policy once the job was done. The agreement was that another man, an acquaintance, would also be killed. Terrero was then arrested and charged with two counts of solicitation of murder and two counts of bribery. She is being held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail. Custody: Annybelkis Terrero is being held here, at Palm Beach County Detention, without bond after being arrested on Friday .
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Annybelkis Terrero, 38, signed on as a police informant after officers were called to complaint at her South Florida home .
On assignment she starts discussing plan to have husband killed .
Officers play along as part of entrapment plan .
She was arrested and charged after producing shotgun to a 'hit man', who was really an undercover cop .
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5aacb27ef584b618f2abf9e05a84af1340016847
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Jim Jeffords, who shifted the balance of power in the Senate when he bolted from the Republican Party in 2001, died on Monday. The former Vermont lawmaker had been in declining health and died at a military retirement center in Washington, according to a one-time aide, Diane Derby. He was 80. Jeffords was a veteran member of the House before moving to the Senate in 1989, where he was one of the most liberal Republicans. Jeffords embraced issues like education and the environment. Years later, many in the party believed he single-handedly sank a sweeping tax cut package proposed by then-President George W. Bush, forcing the White House to negotiate a smaller deal with Democrats. Political tensions boiled over and Jeffords became an independent in 2001 and caucused with Democrats. The drastic step shifted Senate control to Democrats. He left the Senate in 2007. President Barack Obama said in a statement that Jeffords never lost the "fiercely independent spirit that made Vermonters, and people across America, trust and respect him" and that he "voted his principles, even if it sometimes meant taking a lonely or unpopular stance." People we've lost in 2014 .
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Jim Jeffords handed Democrats control of the Senate when he left the GOP .
He angered Republicans when he opposed George W. Bush's tax cuts .
Jeffords was a fixture in Washington for decades, first serving in the House .
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949d1eb9ac294aa01ae900bbc9cb1beab61476f6
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Alex Salmond was left reeling last night as a new poll revealed a surge in support for the Union amid growing anger over his support for Vladimir Putin. The bruised First Minister gave a woeful display in Holyrood as he was blasted by all three opposition leaders for his glowing comments about the Russian president. At the end of one of the toughest weeks for the SNP leader in recent months - including branding Scotland a 'nation of drunks - a new poll was also published which found that Better Together has recorded a dramatic 16-point lead over the Yes campaign. Among those expressing a preference, 58 per cent said they would vote against Scottish independence, with only 42 backing it in a YouGov poll for Channel 4 News . With undecided voters stripped out from the figures, the YouGov study put support for the Union at 58 per cent, with backing for separation languishing on just 42 per cent. That is a far cry from a recent ICM poll which put Yes on 48 per cent and No on 52 per cent, and suggests any momentum for Mr Salmond’s campaign has come to a shuddering halt. It is also a major humiliation for SNP strategists who privately told journalists they could draw level in the polls as early as this week. However, the importance of persuading pro-Union Scots to cast their votes on September 18 became clear yesterday, as a study found that supporters of independence are far more likely to turn out. Their greater appetite could boost the final Yes tally by 2 per cent, which could be pivotal in a close race. The poll is a devastating blow for Alex Salmond after one of his worst ever weeks . Record numbers of Scots have now registered to vote, including 80 per cent of 16 and 17-year-olds. The new YouGov poll for Channel 4 News involved surveying 1,208 Scots between Friday, April 25, and Monday, April 28. It came at the end of a week when Labour had ‘stamped its mark all over the referendum debate’ with leader Ed Miliband bringing his Shadow Cabinet to Glasgow and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown appearing under the Better Together banner for the first time. Then, on Monday, it emerged Mr Salmond had told GQ magazine that he admires ‘certain aspects’ of Putin’s politics. The Russian president has effectively outlawed homosexuality, defended the Syrian government’s attacks on its own people, and annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea before claiming it for Russia. But, while Mr Salmond said he does not approve of a ‘range of Russian actions’, he added: ‘He’s restored a substantial part of Russian pride and that must be a good thing.’ His comments sparked worldwide condemnation from groups such as Amnesty International, while the SNP leader received unwanted support from the Kremlin and pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk. In the same interview, while discussing promoting whisky when abroad, Mr Salmond said: ‘My argument is that if you are promoting it as authentic and of great worth, you cannot promote it from a nation of drunks.’ Mr Salmond has stubbornly refused to apologise to Ukrainians, and again flatly turned down the opportunity to say sorry during First Minister’s Questions yesterday. Observers agreed that it was one of the worst performances by Mr Salmond in the chamber for months. His front bench looked uncomfortable as Labour leader Johann Lamont told him: ‘The reputation of the people of Scotland has been damaged.’ Mr Salmond's frontbench colleagues appeared uncomfortable during yesterday's First Minister's Questions . Scots families would pay more for mortgages and credit cards in an independent Scotland, an influential ratings agency has warned. Moody’s said separation would leave Scotland at least two notches below the rest of the UK, pushing up the cost of borrowing and leaving people worse off. It has also delivered a hammer blow to Alex Salmond’s hopes of sharing the pound by saying it would be bad for the rest of the UK. However, it admits such an outcome is ‘unlikely’ as the main parties have all ruled out a currency union following a Yes vote. The findings reinforce the gloomy predictions for an independent Scotland previously made by the likes of Fitch and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). Fitch, one of the other top ratings agencies, warned the SNP plans for a ‘currency union’ with the rest of the UK could lead to ‘high volatility and market turbulence’ in December. And earlier this month, NIESR said Scotland’s annual debt repayments to the rest of the UK, including interest, would be a crippling £23billion. First Minister Alex Salmond has said Scotland could walk away from the UK debt if it is not allowed to join a currency union. And Joan MacAlpine, SNP MSP, made the bizarre claim that Scotland’s credit rating would be higher than the UK’s. That was dismissed by Moody’s yesterday. It said: ‘The most likely scenario is that Scotland would be rated somewhere in the middle of investment grade, though at least two notches below the UK's rating. ‘An A rating is the most likely at the outset, but with risks of a different outcome tilted to the downside.' It also backed the UK Government’s decision to rule out sharing the pound following a Yes vote. ‘If Scotland were to retain the pound sterling as its currency and the Bank of England as its central bank, this would be credit negative for the remainder of the UK,’ Moody’s said. The findings were seized upon by the pro-union campaign who said they deal a further blow to the nationalists’ faltering economic case for independence. Alistair Darling, the leader of Better Together, said: ‘This is an absolutely devastating report for the nationalists.' Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish . Liberal Democrats, said: ‘The First Minister wants us to stand tall in . the world, but does he not just look small?’ Ruth Davidson, Scottish Conservative leader, said the First Minister ‘continues to make poorly timed and badly judged interventions on foreign affairs’. She added: ‘How can we trust the First Minister to represent Scotland on the global stage when he so consistently gets it wrong?’ Mr Salmond’s only defence was to weakly refer to a £500,000 donation to Better Together from businessman Ian Taylor last year, and to claim that he was referring to the Sochi Winter Olympics when he spoke of Russian ‘pride’. ‘The position that we have put forward has been consistent and balanced,’ he said. ‘It shows that we do not approve of Russian actions and consists of comments that are reasonable in the circumstances, and we back that up by the action that we have taken.’ Afterwards his top spin doctor bizarrely claimed the criticism was not borne out of concern for the people of Ukraine, or Scotland’s global image, but was part of a Better Together conspiracy. His remarks were reminiscent of Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill’s widely derided claim that criticism of his plan to abolish legal safeguards was also a pro-Union plot. The First Minister’s spokesman said there was a ‘coordinated political attack by opponents sensing an opportunity that has nothing to do with the situation in Ukraine’. Meanwhile, the new YouGov poll was welcomed by Better Together last night. ‘This poll is yet another sign that our campaign speaks for the majority of Scots who want Scotland to remain a proud member of the UK,’ a spokesman said. However, researchers at social research institute ScotCen found that the proportion of Yes voters who are more than 50 per cent likely to take part in the referendum is four percentage points higher than the equivalent proportion for No supporters. Among undecided voters, 91 per cent of those leaning towards Yes are more than 50 per cent likely to vote, compared with 73 per cent leaning towards No. A spokesman for Better Together said: ‘This analysis shows that everyone who believes that we are stronger and better together as part of the UK has to campaign for it and they have to vote for it. This is the biggest decision that we will ever take as a nation. It is too important to leave to other people.’ A Yes Scotland spokesman said: ‘The success of the campaign so far lies in the fact that hundreds of thousands of people have found no difficulty in finding the motivation to fight for a Yes vote.’ The SNP claimed that support for separation is at its highest level in YouGov polls, and business convener Derek Mackay insisted the race is still ‘neck and neck’.
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58% say they will vote No, with only 42 backing independence .
Surge in support for the Union follows growing anger over Putin praise .
Refused to apologise for remarks during Holyrood questions .
Also faces a backlash for branding Scotland a 'nation of drunks'
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eb01d2007737e33e8c7e61687bdf038ed91a6915
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Ben Affleck's children are "freaked out" by photographers who camp near their home and follow them in public, the actor said. Affleck and his wife, Jennifer Garner, hope a beefed-up California law with keep the paparazzi at a distance when it takes effect on New Year's Day. "My kids aren't celebrities," Affleck said in a wide-ranging Playboy interview. "They never made that bargain." The law, which Garner joined Halle Berry to lobby for, doubles to a year the jail time a photographer can get for harassment that "seriously alarms, annoys, torments, or terrorizes" children. The law applies to children under 16 who are photographed because of their parent's occupation. "The tragic thing is, people who see those pictures naturally think it's sweet," Affleck said. "They don't see the gigantic former gang member with a huge lens standing over a 4-year-old and screaming to get the kid's attention." Affleck and Garner have three children: Violet, 8, Serafina, 5 next month, and Samuel, who turns 2 in February. "The kids are always looking down because they're freaked out and scared of these people," Affleck said. "And so they yell. Which is fine if you're Lindsay Lohan coming out of a club, or me, or any adult. With kids, it's tasteless at best." Affleck recounted a case five years ago when a man was charged with stalking his family after hiding among the pack of paparazzi that followed his children to nursery school. The stalker "who had threatened to kill me, my wife and our kids showed up at the school and got arrested," he said. "I mean, there are real practical dangers to this." A Los Angeles judge ruled the man was mentally incompetent to stand trial. He was committed to a mental health institution and ordered to stay away from the family for 10 years. The California law does not punish websites, newspapers or magazines for publishing photos of children taken in violation of the law. "A lot of these photographs are being bought by legitimate magazines," Affleck said. "In the UK, they have a good system: If you take a kid's picture, you have to blur out the face. It protects the privacy of children, any child. I wish we would do that here, though I don't expect it." He wants a "bubble of safety" around his children, with cameras staying at least 100 feet away, he said. "They all have 300-millimeter lenses. I'm a photographer myself, and I can tell you with complete confidence that you can get a fine picture."
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"My kids aren't celebrities. They never made that bargain," Affleck tells Playboy .
He wants a "bubble of safety" around his children, with cameras at least 100 feet away .
California outlaws photography that "seriously alarms, annoys, torments, or terrorizes" children .
A stalker who threatened to kill Affleck's family hid among photographers, actor says .
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0728e0ccb142dc70113ce9cfed0647ea0fb4ca65
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(CNN) -- Starting Monday, Facebook will no longer allow ads on pages that contain sexual or violent content. The move, announced in a blog post, comes after pressure from advocacy groups. It appears to target content that falls into a gray area -- likely to be deemed offensive by many, but which doesn't go far enough to be banned by the site. "Our goal is to both preserve the freedoms of sharing on Facebook but also protect people and brands from certain types of content," the post reads. In May, Facebook was targeted by a coalition of women's organizations complaining about pages or groups that seemed to celebrate or make light of violence against women. As part of the campaign, the groups petitioned Facebook advertisers. The campaign appeared to have some effect. Several advertisers, including Nissan UK and Nationwide, said they were pulling ads from Facebook, while others said they were monitoring the situation. In response, the site announced it was redoubling efforts to stamp out hate speech. Now Facebook says it's implementing new standards for which pages or groups may have advertising placed on them. "For example, we will now seek to restrict ads from appearing next to Pages and Groups that contain any violent, graphic or sexual content (content that does not violate our community standards)," the post reads. "Prior to this change, a Page selling adult products was eligible to have ads appear on its right-hand side; now there will not be ads displayed next to this type of content." The process will begin with potentially offensive pages being flagged by humans but will eventually give way to "a more scalable, automated way to prevent and/or remove ads appearing next to controversial content." With more than 1 billion users to monitor and sometimes grumbly investors to please, Facebook finds itself having to satisfy users of the free service as well as the advertisers that provide the vast majority of its revenue. "Like any digital platform, we're not going to be perfect but we will be much better," Facebook said. "We'll continue to work aggressively on this issue with advertisers. We are confident the immediate steps we're taking will result in a significantly improved approach to preventing these instances from occurring, and we are committed to making this process work for everyone who uses Facebook."
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Facebook is pulling ads from pages that contain sexual or violent content .
Move comes after complaints about anti-women hate speech .
Facebook's system for flagging content will eventually be automated .
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a1a8a0d5ed72923ce0c3cb9b737717598c4ea95e
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(CNN) -- Nearly 20 years have passed, but Diego Goldman still can't get rid of the sensation in his nostrils. "Do you know what it smells like? I can still smell that smell -- the one of burning flesh." It has been like that ever since the horrific day his mother woke him from his slumber with screams usually only heard in nightmares. On July 18, 1994, a bomb was set off at the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people and wounding about 300. "There were bodies everywhere," Goldman, who was 18 at the time, told CNN. "But it's the smell which lingered. I can never forget. Never. "I remember arriving and knowing that so many people who I knew were inside that building -- I knew so many of those who were murdered. "I just wanted to help. I wanted to help rescue those below the rubble, and worked for hours trying to get people out alive. "It was chaos -- there was blood, flesh ... people didn't know what to do. Some couldn't stay and help, it was too difficult. "But there were people I knew who would have been there. I can still see people's faces." On Saturday, Goldman, like many of those affected by the bomb, will turn his attention to Argentina's footballers and their World Cup meeting with Iran -- the country blamed for the atrocity. Argentine prosecutors accuse Iran of helping coordinate and plan the attack through a Hezbollah cell in the region. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, and Iran vehemently denies any involvement. It's the first time Argentina has faced Iran in football since that fateful day -- and its 250,000-strong Jewish community, the largest in South America, wants its dead remembered. In a June 3 letter sent to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the Latin American Jewish Community requests "at the beginning of this match, a minute of silence in memory of the victims, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the attack and all these years of impunity." The move, which is unlikely to be successful as a spokesman for the global game's ruling body says it has not received a request from the Argentine Football Association, has brought fresh publicity to the search for justice. As well as the smell of burning flesh, the image of bodies laid strewn across the ground remains a permanent fixture in Goldman's consciousness after the building, the heartbeat of the Jewish community in the Argentine capital, was reduced to ruins. "You don't forget things like that," he says quietly. "I stood there with boyfriends, husbands, wives, girlfriends, all of us digging and hoping to find a loved one. "I could see people trapped but I knew if I took a wrong step, more rubble could fall upon them. "Some people just couldn't handle it -- the smell was enough to turn a lot of volunteers away. "So many people died ... so many." In February 2013, Argentine lawmakers agreed to work with Iran to investigate the attack -- a move which was met with skepticism. The formation of a five-person panel -- named the "Truth Commission" -- was passed by a 131-113 vote following an intense 14-hour debate. The move was struck down by the Federal Court, which ruled it unconstitutional, and a government appeal will now be heard in the country's Supreme Court. In 2007, Argentina requested the arrest of several Iranians in connection with the bombing, including Iran's former defense minister Ahmad Vahidi. While the request for a minute's silence on Saturday is unlikely to come to fruition, there will be a short remembrance service before the game on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach, where Israelis, Argentines and Jews from across the world are expected to gather. One of those hoping to be present is Mariano Schlez, who has traveled from Buenos Aires to Brazil as part of a separate project aiming to connect Jewish football fans at the World Cup. Schlez and his wife, Paola Salem, received a charity grant to help launch activities for Jewish supporters who are in Brazil for the tournament. Many of them will attend the ceremony on Copacabana before watching the game, which is being played 216 miles away in Belo Horizonte. "As Jews, we are always looking to show that we want to find justice," said Schlez. "We see this game between Argentina and Iran as a great opportunity to tell the world that this case is still unresolved and there have been no convictions." Argentina, which won its opening game against Bosnia, will begin as a heavy favorite against Iran on Saturday. Led by Barcelona's four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi, Argentina is expected to reach the later stages and possibly even win the tournament for the first time since 1986. But for many, a moment of silence before kickoff in Belo Horizonte would resonate loudest. "We're asking for a minute's silence because it deserves to be respected," Goldman says. "I think that the world should know that this was an act of terror which has impacted on both nations. "We cannot allow ourselves to forget what happened." For Goldman the memories remain raw -- and the smell refuses to go away.
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Argentina faces Iran in World Cup Saturday .
First meeting between teams since 1994 Buenos Aires bombing of Jewish Community Center .
Leading Jewish body has asked FIFA to hold minute silence prior to kick off .
Iran denies any involvement in bombing .
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4507e1fc11bdd95990cdc7da86b7856e67723361
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:58 EST, 12 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:15 EST, 12 December 2013 . The wife and daughter of a Chicago lottery winner who was poisoned with cyanide after winning $425,000 in Illinois have settled his estate.. Urooj Khan, 46, died in July 2012, days before he was to collect his in winnings. His brother raised suspicions that prompted authorities to exhume Khan's body to gather evidence in case prosecutors decide to file charges. Khan died without a will, leading to a court battle - his widow, Shabana Ansari, 32, hired an attorney and will receive one-third of the winnings, their house and business. Urooj Khan, 46, posed with a winning $1 million instant lottery ticket just one day before he died in July 2012 . Urooj Khan's widow Shabana Ansari (pictured) will receive one-third of the $425,000 and his daughter from another marriage will receive two-thirdsUrooj Khan's wife, Shabana Ansari . Khan's daughter from another marriage, Jasmeen, 17, will get two-thirds the lottery proceeds and some investments. The . settlement approved yesterday also prevents either party from filing a . wrongful death lawsuit against the other unless new evidence surfaces in . a criminal investigation. In March 2013 the coroner investigating the cyanide death revealed he couldn't say if his final meal killed him. Stephen . Cina, the chief medical examiner of Cook County in Chicago, said that . an autopsy revealed no trace of the poison whatsoever in the body of . Urooj Khan, including his stomach. Dr Cina said that too much time had passed and the body was so decomposed that any cyanide would have evaporated by now. At a press conference Dr Cina also revealed that Urooj had a blockage in one of his arteries that ‘wouldn’t have helped’ but said that it was the poison that ultimately killed him. Family: Mr Khan's sister won custody of Urooj's 17-year-old daughter Jasmeen, center, even though she appears to have lived with Shabana, left, most of her life . Testing: The body of Urooj Khan is seen carried to a hearse for a forensic autopsy on January 18, 2012 . Urooj’s widow is said to have served . Urooj his last meal of a traditional Indian Kofta curry just hours . before he collapsed at their Chicago home. He would have died an agonising, horrific death as the cyanide suffocated him cell by cell. Urooj, who ran a successful dry cleaning . business, died on July 20 last year, the day after he collected the . oversized cheque from Illinois State Lottery officials at the 7-Eleven . where he bought the winning scratchcard. After taxes, the prize money amounted to $425,000 as he took it in a lump sum. His initial toxicology tests did not find anything suspicious and it was not until a relative asked the Cook County Medical Examiner to take another look that the cyanide was found and the death was ruled a homicide. His body was exhumed but in a press conference Dr Cina said that the results were not conclusive. He said that a ‘lethal’ level of cyanide was detected in a sample taken from Urooj’s body on July 21, the day after his death. However, when tests were carried out on the body which was exhumed in January, ‘no cyanide was detected in the tissues or the small amount of gastric contents’. Wife: The wife of Mr Khan, Shabana Ansari seen here, tried to cash the winning lottery check in the immediate days following his unexpected death according to family . Tragic end: The family lived in this Chicago-area home where he painfully died hours after taking his last meal . This is because cyanide has a short half-life and would naturally have evaporated out of the body, he said. Dr Cina said: We couldn’t detect cyanide. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t present at some point.’ He added that ‘the route of administration could not be confirmed’, which means that it will likely never be known whether Urooj ingested or inhaled the poison or if it was injected into him. There was also ‘severe, about 75 per cent blockage of one of the major coronary arteries’ which made Urooj ‘particularly susceptible to this type of toxin’. The cause of death however was still cyanide poisoning and it is still being treated as a homicide, he added. Urooj’s death has united his family against Shabana, who they make no secret of blaming for his untimely demise. His brother ImTiaz Khan has alleged in probate documents that Shabana attempted to claim the windfall ‘shortly’ after he died but for some reason was unable to. His sister Meraj Khan successfully won custody of Urooj’s 17-year-old daughter Jasmeen even though she appears to have lived with Shabana, her stepmother, most of her life. In another twist, the Chicago Tribune has reported that Fareedun owed $124,000 in unpaid taxes because of a small business he owned that appears to have failed.
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Urooj Khan's widow Shabana Ansari will receive one third of the lottery winnings, their house and business .
His daughter from another marriage will receive two thirds of the $425,000 .
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121,654 |
293d828322bbef6a2cd8e47f7560a68cd70979a5
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A converted windmill holiday home set along its own stretch of riverbank has been put up for sale for the same price as a London flat. The Horning Windmill, which sits beside the River Bure in Norfolk, comes complete with kitchen, sitting room, dining area, double bedroom, two single bedrooms and a shower room - for £365,000. Thought to have been converted in the 1930s, the historic property is among the most photographed and painted windmills anywhere in Norfolk. This converted windmill set along its own stretch of riverbank has been put up for sale for the same price of a London flat . The Horning Windmill, which sits beside the River Bure in Norfolk, comes complete with kitchen, sitting room, dining area, double bedroom, two single bedrooms and a shower room - for £365,000 . It is currently run as a successful and well established holiday let, generating a gross income of over £28,000 per year. The petite property offers breath-taking, unspoilt views over 50ft of private river frontage in Horning, one of the most sought after villages in Norfolk. Philip Wright, the 41-year-old partner of Waterside Estate agents, said: 'It's an exciting opportunity for us as it's incredibly rare for properties this iconic to come to the market. Thought to have been converted in the 1930s, the historic property is among the most photographed and painted windmill anywhere in Norfolk and is currently run as a successful and well established holiday let, generating a gross income of over £28,000 per year . The compact accommodation is all arranged within the octagonal ground floor section and includes a kitchen, sitting room, dining area, double bedroom, 2 single bedrooms and a shower room . 'It combines great charm and character with a truly stunning location right on the River Bure, set at the very heart of The Norfolk Broads. It really is the perfect holiday home.' The building was once known as a 'smock mill', which was used as a drainage mill, also known as a windpump, to control the level of the water on the low lying land or marshes. The building today is very different to the original mill. It was once a dark wood structure with a slim tower, but it is now painted white, giving it a an overall Dutch appearance. Philip Wright, the 41-year-old partner of Waterside Estate agents, said: 'It's an exciting opportunity for us as it's incredibly rare for properties this iconic to come to the market' It offers breath-taking, unspoilt views over 50ft of private river frontage in Horning, one of the most sought after villages in Norfolk .
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The Horning Windmill sits beside the River Bure in Norfolk and is thought to have been converted in the 1930s .
It's currently run as a successful and well established holiday let, generating income of over £28,000 per year .
Offers views over 50ft of private river frontage in Horning, one of the most sought after villages in Norfolk .
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1a7a8054368d7ff37ad58ae1efdfddd7d7954a95
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(CNN) -- Pink Floyd are not who you think they are. With effects-laden production, Hipgnosis-illustrated concept albums and expansive live shows, the band is famously associated with rock 'n' roll excess. It wasn't for nothing that the Sex Pistols' John Lydon scrawled "I HATE" on a Pink Floyd T-shirt (though he later admitted he loved the band). But, almost 45 years on, a closer look at the band's catalog reveals as much hardcore pile-driving ("Run Like Hell") and wistful melodies ("Wish You Were Here") as the long-form "Interstellar Overdrive" space rock with which it's frequently classified. Still, drummer Nick Mason says, it's hard to escape the pigeonholing. "I think these labels are generally delivered by people who sometimes haven't listened to the music," he said in a phone interview. Longtime fans and new listeners will have another chance to size up Mason's words. The band's entire studio catalog, including the Syd Barrett-led 1967 debut "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn," the Roger Waters-dominated "The Wall" (1979) and the career-concluding "The Division Bell" (1994), has been remastered and is scheduled for release on Tuesday. "The Dark Side of the Moon," the band's 1973 classic, which still holds the record for longest run on the Billboard album charts, will be issued in three versions: a single CD, a two-disc "Experience Edition" that includes a live album, and a six-disc "Immersion Edition" boxed set. Mason talked to CNN about the band's evolution, the pitfalls of playing live and fantasies about being the Monkees. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: How often do you go back and listen to the old material? Mason: The answer is, I would never willingly put on one of our old records at home for entertainment. But with this project, that all changed -- and I was forced at gunpoint to listen to everything, again and again. (laughs) Actually, it's really interesting. It's a bit like a diary -- looking at old photographs. What you get is not only the music but the memories that come with it of what you were doing, and how it was in the studio, and all the rest of it. CNN: There's been the label placed on Floyd as "space rock." How did you guys take that label? Mason: One tends to try and reject any labeling anyway, as a matter of principle. And I think the labels tend to reflect whatever you were doing before. So we were labeled psychedelic -- well, "Dark Side of the Moon" was the least psychedelic album you could hope to listen to. It's terribly specific and measured and not floaty-off anywhere. I think these labels are generally delivered by people who sometimes haven't listened to the music -- sometimes by just looking at the photographs. If the band have got curly hair and flared trousers, then they're prog-rock or space rock, and if they're very, very grubby, with waistcoats and jeans, then they're an R&B band. CNN: Also, it probably has something to do with what you were smoking or doing when you were listening to the album. Mason: Yeah. Always be very careful if you're listening to country and western and doing drugs. CNN: Let's talk about "Dark Side." Were you aware that you were creating something different? Mason: I don't think so. My opinion was that we knew we'd done the best thing so far. But as I've told people, even if you think you've done the world's greatest record, that does not guarantee that the public will feel the same way. What happened with "Dark Side" was we were out touring with it and it began to come up the American charts, but we were actually on tour, so there wasn't that time to reflect and bask in the glory of being No. 1. It was much more, "Where are we tomorrow? Dallas. OK." We were slightly disjointed from its success. What the success really bought for us was the thing of moving up a notch. You suddenly go from playing theaters to playing arenas. And in some cases, arenas into stadiums. So that's the way things catch up with you. Sometimes they catch you out. If you're used to playing smaller venues, and you suddenly find yourself in a stadium, it's not necessarily the best place to be working. CNN: After that, you guys did play a lot of stadiums. That led to a lot of discord. Was there a time when you thought, I wish I could go back to the clubs? Mason: No. I don't think there was a wish to go back. But I think stadiums make quite a lot of bands feel a little uneasy. There is that sense that you're not really connecting with the audience as well as you would. I think arenas are fine -- I think arenas are really suited for rock concerts. But stadiums, it gets away from you a bit. There's too many people at the back not listening. CNN: How did the band change for you over the years as leadership went from Syd to Roger to David Gilmour? Mason: I've always been happy with the way it operates. I have no wish to be the fearless leader. And interestingly, I think even David found it pretty wearing when he was sort of in command on the last couple of tours. It's not always easy being the chief. I've always felt that I have my say and I am a partner in it, rather than an employee. CNN: What do you think are some of the underrated aspects of the band? Mason: To be honest, after this long and this many releases, there's not much that's been overlooked. I was telling someone yesterday, I feel like a stately home with people taking tours around me. CNN: How are you guys getting along nowadays? Mason: Fine, I think. We haven't had any fights recently. David and I pitched up for Roger's show in London. And it was really nice -- we had dinner together. There's a lot of shared stuff as well as plenty of aggro. The fact of the matter is you grow up together. The problem is when you start in a band you think it's all going to be like the Monkees -- four lovable moptops running around at double speed. But then you get married and have children, and being rock and roll often the marriages break up. People change as they grow. CNN: And here you are still with people you knew at 18. Mason: Yes, it's very unsatisfactory. (chuckles) CNN: Do you feel like sitting in with an R&B band some night? Mason: Yeah. I still really like playing music, and playing with other people is terrific. I was talking with someone about a charity record we did a year or so ago, and the rhythm track was Bill Wyman playing bass and me playing drums. I've known Bill for 35 years or something, and it was great to finally end up playing together. It's always a little bit nerve-wracking -- you're always alarmed at the prospect of f***ing up -- and if you get through it, and someone says, "It's good," it's a very warming feeling.
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Pink Floyd's entire studio catalog has been remastered .
Drummer Nick Mason says band isn't just "space rock"
Band is getting along fine these days, Mason says .
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19,865 |
3869ba5dd9c4f2df32e0cd83b4d5db78098a3af6
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By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 13:37 EST, 21 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:24 EST, 22 July 2013 . They say imitation is the best form of flattery. Following in the tradition of Spain’s annual La Tomatina festival, thousands flocked to Brooklyn Saturday to toss tomatoes at each other in the sweltering heat. A food fight for the ages, everyone in the massive crowd was covered from head to toe in tomato. Holy Tomato!: 5,00 people attended the hour-long tomato bash in Brooklyn . An estimated 5,000 people attended the hour-long tomato toss, according to reports. Some wore goggles, other rode on the on shoulders, but no one left Brooklyn's Aviator Sports and Event Center at Floyd Bennett Field clean. It didn’t take long for the ground to turn into a sea of warm tomato juice on the almost-100 degree day. What a mess: 5,000 people tossed 100,000 tomatoes at each other in only one hour . Pow!: The tomato thrower was nailed in the head by a thrown tomato . Revelers paid $50 each for the privilege of covering each other in crushed tomatoes, plus $10 for a shuttle from a local subway station. Over 100,000 tomatoes were used, but organizers said they were all overripe and would otherwise have been thrown away, according to reports. Incoming!: A woman riding on the shoulders of another festival goer tries to take cover while tomatoes rain down from all directions . La Tomatina, Spain’s tomato festival held every August in the small town of Buñol, was the inspiration for Saturday’s sea of red. It normally sees tens of thousands of revelers pitching tomatoes at each other. There was only one rule for the day, all tomatoes had to be crushed prior to being thrown. Cheese!: Jessica Podhaisky, 22, and Kelly Olson, 22, both of Brooklyn, take time between hurling tomatoes to pose for a quick picture . Get us out of here!: These two girls look like they've had enough tomatoes for a day . You'll get yours!: This tomato thrower looks to be out for revenge . No escape: Revelers were covered head to toe in nearly rotten tomatoes . All types: People from all over came to Brooklyn to throw tomatoes at each other in the excessive heat . Picture perfect: A group of tomato tossers poses for a picture in the midst of the mayhem . Never better: This festival-goes is a picture of calm while chaos reigns supreme around her .
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Thousands of people flocked to the Brooklyn Aviator Sports and Event Center .
Tens of thousands go to Spain's La Tomatina festival each August .
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71d976bce1e0c1f543a88c6ce50ce66c1aae73c1
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By . David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 16:38 EST, 23 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:42 EST, 23 April 2012 . An armed mob ‘lured’ police on to the streets by firebombing a pub so they could attack them during last summer’s riots, a court heard today. They fired at least 12 shots at officers from four guns during the night of ‘orchestrated violence’ in Birmingham, a jury was told. Prosecutor Andrew Lockhart QC said the Barton Arms pub in the inner city Newtown area was set fire to before furniture from it was used to build a ‘makeshift barricade’ and to smash into other nearby shops and offices. Violence: An armed mob 'lured' police on to the streets by firebombing a pub so they could attack them during last summer's riots, a court heard today. This dramatic image shows a gunman firing a gun at police officers . Armed: The mob fired at least 12 shots at officers from four guns during the night of 'orchestrated violence' in Birmingham, a jury was told. This image shows some of those involved that night wearing masks . But in contrast to other incidents during the riots which spread across the country and saw large-scale looting, nothing else was stolen from any of the businesses because the dozens of masked and hooded men responsible for this incident had a ‘different agenda’. Mr Lockhart said: ‘This was an event in which they carried out a series of acts that they knew a large number of police officers would be deployed to deal with. ‘It was their aim to get a large number of police officers out on the streets where they could then be attacked... They were out on the street armed and intent on violence.’ It had ‘all the hallmarks of a planned event’, with two groups of men – the first numbering 25 or 26, and the second an unspecified number - converging on the pub and ‘a cheer going up’ when they came together. The jury was shown dramatic CCTV footage of some of them smashing their way into the pub with baseball bats shortly before midnight on August 9 last year before one lit a firebomb in the bar. Four people were upstairs in the pub at the time, which would have been obvious to the men attacking it as the upstairs lights were on, Mr Lockhart added. Vandalised: The jury was told that the Barton Arms pub, pictured, in the inner city Newtown area of Birmingham was set fire to before furniture from it was used to build a 'makeshift barricade' and to smash into other nearby shops and offices . The occupants dialled 999 when they heard the windows breaking and one of them rushed downstairs with a fire extinguisher when the intruders left. As the police were deployed, some of the group moved away and one could be seen on the CCTV firing a handgun. A police helicopter followed them as they left the area. On Monday, six men and two youths went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court over the incident. They are Tyrone Laidley, 20, Nicholas Francis, 26, and Joyah Campbell, 19, and two 17 year olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all of Birmingham. They were joined by Wayne Collins, 25, of Luton, Bedfordshire, Renardo Farrell, of Wolverhampton, and Jermaine Lewis, 27, of Oldbury, West Midlands. Planned: The court was told that it was the aim of the mob to get a large number of police officers out on the streets where they could then be attacked. This image showing a member of the mob was taken from the police helicopter . In the dock: Six men and two youths have gone on trial at Birmingham Crown Court over the incident . They are each charged with riot, violent disorder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and arson being reckless to whether life would be endangered. Mr Lockhart said not all the defendants could be shown to have been carrying guns themselves, but it is the prosecution case that all of them ‘encouraged or supported’ those who did. Similarly, the firebombing of the pub was a ‘joint venture’. The jury was told they will hear evidence that some of the defendants had met the day before to discuss what they were going to do. They also heard that there is a series of links between them, ranging from having been to school together to socialising. The eight defendants each deny all four charges. Some of them say they were incorrectly identified as being present, while others claim they were there but were not involved in the disorder. The case continues.
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They fired at least 12 shots at officers .
from four guns during the night of ‘orchestrated violence’ in .
Birmingham, a jury is told .
Six men and two youths have now gone on trial over the incident .
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d0c1b322a32f4966c0a3be98fb8bd3011dd5baaf
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By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 13:31 EST, 20 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:06 EST, 20 February 2014 . Shares of Facebook slipped Thursday morning after the world's biggest social networking site surprised Wall Street by spending $19 billion on the messaging service WhatsApp. Analysts that follow the company had mixed feelings on the deal, which Sterne Agee called strategically sound. But Pacific Crest Securities said it would have preferred to see Facebook grow organically, or at least act sooner on such acquisitions to avoid the sticker shock. WhatsApp is a global messaging service for smartphones. It allows users chat with their phone contacts, both one-on-one and in groups, and well the sending of texts, photos, videos and voice recordings. Scroll down for video . Boom: The free instant messaging service created in 2009 has grown faster than Facebook in its five years, and now has more than 450million monthly users around the world . Facebook said Wednesday that it's paying $12 billion in stock and $4 billion in cash for the company. In addition, the app's founders and employees will be granted restricted stock worth $3 billion that will vest over four years after the deal closes. The size of the deal dwarfs acquisitions made by other technology companies, such as Google's $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility or Microsoft's $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype. Sterne Agee Arvind Bhatia said that WhatsApp comes with a large and rapidly growing user base that has a higher percentage of daily active users than Facebook. Pacific Crest's Evan Wilson, however, said that it is hard to justify the valuation of both Facebook and WhatsApp if the social network does face significant competition from mobile messaging services. He noted that the company's acquisition of Instagram, its reported offer for Snapchat and the WhatsApp deal signify that it does. Shares of Facebook Inc. slipped 2 percent, or $1.38, to $66.68 Thursday about a half hour before markets opened. But the shares are still up more than 20 percent this year. Proud moment: Jan Koum, pictured at a digital conference in January, described the deal as 'incredible' On Wednesday, Facebook announced it had snapped up the mobile messaging service WhatsApp for up to $19 billion in cash and stock in the firms biggest ever acquisition. Facebook says it is keeping WhatsApp as a separate service, just as it did with Instagram, which it bought for about $715.3 million. 'The acquisition supports Facebook and WhatsApp's shared mission to bring more connectivity and utility to the world by delivering core internet services efficiently and affordably,' the social network said. WhatsApp has more than 450 million monthly active users. In comparison, Twitter had 241 million users at the end of 2014. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says WhatsApp is on path to reach a billion users. 'The combination of WhatsApp and Facebook will allow us to connect many more people round the world,' Zuckerberg said. 'We want to develop more mobile experiences like Instagram and Messenger. 'WhatApp fits this vision perfectly, it has incredibly strong engagement and growth.' 'It's the only app we've ever seen that has grown more quickly than Facebook itself.' 'Their product roadmap is very exciting and won't change. More... How Wales' richest man will make millions from Facebook's £11 BILLION purchase of WhatsApp . Stocks rise after US report offsets China weakness . 'Go back to Mars': David Bowie under attack from 'cybernats' after Brit awards appeal for Scotland to 'stay with us' 'Overall, I'm very excited about this deal. 'WhatsApp had every option in the world, so I'm thrilled they chose us.' Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's co-founder and chief executive has paid $19 billion for WhatsApp in a move which has taken Wall Street by surprise . As part of the deal, WhatsApp co-founder and Chief Executive Jan Koum will join Facebook's board, and the social network will grant an additional $3 billion worth of restricted stock units to WhatsApp's founders, including Koum. Facebook promised to keep the WhatsApp brand and service, and pledged a $1 billion cash break-up fee were the deal to fall through. WhatsApp will remain based in Mountain View, Calif., and Facebook said its own messenger app and WhatsApp's core messaging product will continue to operate as separate applications . Shares in Facebook slid 5 percent to $64.70 after hours, from a close of $68.06 on the Nasdaq. Facebook was advised by Allen & Co, while WhatApp has enlisted Morgan Stanley for the deal. The deal is the latest aquisition for Facebook, which last year bought Instagram. It also reportedly offered to pay close to $3 billion or more to acquire messaging service Snapchat, though that offer was spurned by the site's founders. Zuckerberg said WhatsApp would operate in the same way as Instagram, as a separate firm. WhatsApp in numbers . 'It would be pretty stupid of us to interfere,' he said. He also said he was not planning to put ads on the service. 'Our strategy is to grow and connect people. 'Once we get to 2-3 billion people there are ways we can monetise. 'Now we want to focus on growing users. I don't think ads are the right way here.' Koum also pledged not to add ads to WhatsApp, which makes money from a subscription model. 'We think advertising is not the way to go - we create a direct relationship with customers,' said Koum. 'We want to make the product better, faster and more efficient.' Experts say the deal could help Facebook attract teens. Professor Will Stewart from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) said: 'Obviously WhatsApp adds instant messaging to Facebook which must strengthen their position for the moment. 'Equally, all app types rise and fade, so established social media formats like Facebook will be overtaken by something new, and picking up candidates that might have ultimately replaced them may be a good survival strategy for a while. 'This does show the growing significance of mobile, though of course Facebook is on mobile anyway. 'But, Facebook has been around a while now so the real question is what comes next?'
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Shares of Facebook drooped 2 percent, or $1.38, to $66.68 on Thursday in the aftermath of their $19 billion purchase of WhatsApp .
Some investors would have preferred to see Facebook produce its own version of the app or to buy sooner rather than pay over the odds .
Facebook will pay $12 billion in Facebook stock and $4 billion in cash .
App's founders and employees will be granted $3 billion in Facebook stock .
App and brand will continue in same way as Instagram .
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224,989 |
af54a148e9d57f42912b33f538674dd8e1acb429
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By . Frank Coletta For Daily Mail Australia . First it was poor people who don't drive cars, now it seems Joe Hockey has been unwittingly dragged into a controversy over whether his driver stopped in a disabled parking zone when he picked the Treasurer up from Sydney Airport. But the images don't lie and despite Sydney Airport suggesting there 'was nothing wrong' with the driver's actions, the Treasurer's office did not shirk the matter with its prompt response to questions on the matter today. 'The treasurer was unaware of where the private contractor had parked and had no control over that as he was walking out of the airport terminal,' a spokesman said. It's unlikely the contractor will make the same mistake again, however, Mr Hockey's office going on to add that 'the driver has been counselled'. Scroll down for video . You decide. Is the Treasurer's chauffeur-driven car stopping in a disabled parking zone at Sydney Airport? Despite what looks like a clear mistake, Sydney Airport security was contacted and did suggest the driver had not done anything wrong, having stopped in a limousine only area. That area is accessible only by a swipe card through a boom-gate. Under NSW Roads and Maritime Services . parking offences Rule 168-1 (1) Stop/park in a restricted parking area, . the fine for this infringement would be $104 and 2 demerit points. Earlier a spokeswoman for Mr Hockey had reportedly told ninemsn that the driver was not fined or even spoken to for stopping where he did, and that there were at least 10 other disabled spots still vacant at the time. Red marks the spot. It would appear hard for anyone to argue that this chauffeured car is not stopped in a disabled parking bay . Almost 3 and a half million Australians have a disability and Grace Fava from the Autism Advisory and Support Service says this is the sort of situation that she hears about far too often. 'It's not just those with physical disabilities, we also see it happening to parents with children with disabilities, it can make it very hard for them too,' she said. 'Aussies are usually very giving and considerate but this is wrong and I don't care how busy someone is, there is no excuse. 'His driver should know better and he should also know that Joe should not be treated any differently to any of us, I know he is a charitable man but this is not on.' Ms Fava called on the Treasurer to make a charitable donation to match what would have been the fine ($104). 'It's the honourable thing to do,' she said. This incident is just the latest in what is fast becoming a cavalcade of car-related gaffes for the embattled Treasurer. Last week he was forced to apologise after making comments that rich people spend more on fuel than poor households because poor people don't have cars or don't drive far. For that he was labelled a 'cigar-chomping Foghorn Leghorn' who is out of touch with Australians. Since then his own personal wealth has come under scrutiny, and more recently the hundreds of thousands of dollars that go towards his own forms of road transport has been revealed. Mr Hockey's expenditure and entitlements report showed that the treasurer has spent more than $200,000 of taxpayer's money over the past four years on cars and cabs.
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Treasurer's driver 'counselled' over his apparent error of judgement .
Mr Hockey 'was unaware of where the private contractor had parked'
Penalty for stopping in a restricted parking area is $104 and 2 demerit points .
Sydney Airport says the driver 'did nothing wrong' because he entered the limousine-only area correctly, despite clearly stopping in a disabled spot .
Sydney Airport cannot retrospectively issue parking infringements .
Disability advocates say the Treasurer should not get preferential treatment .
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267,412 |
e651cfe77c6618cb19860293b80f5f8615b13cfe
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(CNN) -- Bahrain has ordered the expulsion of a U.S. diplomat for meddling in the country's internal matters, the kingdom's foreign affairs ministry said. Tom Malinowski, U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, is "unwelcome and should immediately leave the country" due to his "interference in its internal affairs," the ministry said. "These activities have included holding meetings with one party, leaving out others who represent different parts of society, which is indicative of an approach which discriminates amongst the people of this one nation," the ministry said. The U.S. State Department said it is deeply concerned with Bahrain's demand, saying Malinowski's visit was coordinated far in advance and warmly welcomed by Bahrain, "which is well-aware that U.S. government officials routinely meet with all officially-recognized political societies." "Contrary to our longstanding bilateral relationship and in violation of international diplomatic protocol, the government insisted ... to have a Foreign Ministry representative present at all of Assistant Secretary Malinowski's private meetings with individuals and groups representing a broad spectrum of Bahraini society, including those held at the U.S. embassy," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. For its part, Bahrain said it reaffirms its "strong and solid relations with the United States of America, and underlines that the progress and development of these ties should not be affected by such unfortunate acts." Bahrain has made headlines over the past three years after pro-democracy protests sparked a government crackdown. In 2011, at the height of the Arab Spring, Bahraini citizens demanded democratic reforms and other changes in the way the country was run. Anger from the majority Shiite population was directed at the ruling Sunni minority . In February, the king has ratified a new law that imposes a prison sentence of up to seven years and fine of up to $26,500 for anyone who publicly insults him, state-run media said. The measures stipulate a minimum sentence of one year in jail and $2,600 fine for "any person who offends in public the Monarch of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the flag or the national emblem," according to Bahrain News Agency. "Aggravating circumstances will be applied if the offense occurred in the presence of the King," it said. Germany calls in U.S. ambassador over new spying allegation . India summons U.S. diplomat over report of NSA spying .
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Tom Malinowski is accused of interference in Bahrain's internal affairs .
U.S. State Department: Bahrain insisted on having an official at his private meetings .
Bahrain made headlines after pro-democracy protests sparked a government crackdown .
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562f9fdd5811793c11970c856d21c7f0c32118b8
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By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 1:58 PM on 4th August 2011 . As the devastated family of a missing New Hampshire girl found dead struggles to come to grips with their loss, the girl's grandfather is speaking out. Dead: Divers found Celina Cass's body on Monday . morning near a hydroelectric dam . The body of Celina Cass, of New Hampshire, was found on Monday in the Connecticut River almost a week after she disappeared, but detectives don’t know how she died. Celina’s grandfather, Wally Laro, told the Boston Herald: 'I just hope justice is brought and whoever’s responsible gets the max because that little girl didn't deserve that.' He added: 'I don’t want no Casey Anthony.' Mr Laro was referring to the murder case out of Orlando, Florida, where Casey Anthony was on trial for the killing of her young daughter Caylee. Last month, Casey Anthony was acquitted of the murder, and released from jail. On Monday, a pick-up truck thought to belong to the troubled stepfather of the 11-year-old girl was been hauled away by investigators. Neighbours said the vehicle taken away is typically driven by her stepfather and while it was on a flatbed outside the house, technicians could be seen examining its undercarriage. Celina's stepfather, Wendell Noyes, was reportedly hospitalised hours before her body was recovered from the river and returned to the community on Tuesday. Witnesses said Mr Noyes was taken away by ambulance on Monday after lying down with his face in his arms outside a home where he had been staying in Stewartstown. Scroll down for video . Justice for Celina: Wally Laro, the grief-stricken grandfather of Celina Cass, demands answers in the case of the 11-year-old, who was found dead on Monday . Mr Noyes was reportedly involuntarily committed to a mental institution and diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2003, and was said to be receiving treatment for his mental illness. Officials are not expected to make any announcements on the progress of their investigation just yet - and the New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young would not comment on Wednesday. Ms Young said on Tuesday that an autopsy failed to determine how the girl died - and further toxicology tests and more investigations were needed, but the death was considered suspicious. Investigations: This mobile phone photo shows law enforcement officials standing near the silver pick-up truck being removed from where it was parked near the home of Celina Cass, in Stewartstown, New Hampshire . Meanwhile, Jeanine Brady, a family . friend and the employer of Celina's mother, said the girl's body had . been turned over to the family and that a private service was being . planned. Troubled past: Celina Cass's stepfather, Wendell Noyes, was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2003 and was hospitalised earlier this week . Divers found Celina's body on Monday . near a hydroelectric dam that spans the Connecticut River between . Celina's hometown of Stewartstown and Canaan, Vermont. It ended an intense search that at its peak involved more than 100 federal, state and local law enforcement officers. Celina, who lived with her older . sister, mother and stepfather a mile from Canada, was last seen at her . home computer around 9pm on July 25 and was gone the next morning, . authorities said. Police said there was no sign of a struggle and there was no indication she ran away or someone took her. The autopsy was unable to determine . how she died – and community residents were saddened that the autopsy . wasn't able to provide them with any closure. 'I don't even know what to say,’ said . Debbie Whelan whose daughter was Celina’s friend. ‘I thought the . community needed some answers, and I thought we were going to get them . tonight.’ The lack of answers was 'scary,' said . Shannon Towle, who owns a convenience store across the street from the . house where Celina lived with her mother, sister, stepfather and another . man. 'We still don't know what happened, . and that's terrifying,' Ms Towle said. After a news conference, . teenagers gathered in a town park, where candles were lit in Celina's . memory. Search: Investigators search near the dam where the body of Celina Cass was found on Tuesday . Grim: Divers recovered Cass' body from the Connecticut River on Monday a quarter-mile from her home . Grim: The hydroelectric dam that spans the Connecticut River between Stewartstown, N.H. and Canaan, Vt., near where the body of 11-year-old Celina Cass was found . Memories: A memorial for Celina Cass is seen here after her body was discovered at the bottom of a dam . 'Someone has to light the way for . Celina,' said Kayla Baglio, 18. 'It's to let her know no matter what, . people are going to be here for her.' Earlier Tuesday, investigators combed . the area along the river, which divides Vermont and New Hampshire, . above where Celina's body was found. A crime scene technician said they were doing computer-aided diagramming to give them a precise electronic image of the area. Because of the town's remote . location, law enforcement officers went so far as to have a mobile phone . tower erected to assist in communications. Five hundred tips were received and . the FBI offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to her and to . the arrest and prosecution of anyone responsible for her disappearance. Speech: Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young, center, announces that New Hampshire Fish and Game divers have recovered the body of Celina Cass . Devastated: New Hampshire State Police officers watch as a woman identified as Celina Cass's mother, under a blanket, is escorted from the family home on Wednesday . 'Whatever it takes': A New Hampshire State Police Trooper puts crime scene tape around the family home of Celina Cass in the town of Stewartstown on Wednesday after her disappearance . Comforting: Family and friends of Celina wait on the porch of the family home, Wednesday, as the town searched for the 11-year-old . Popular: Celia Cass pictured left in her basketball uniform and right, with friends in a photo she posted on Facebook. Her friends have described her as athletic and hardworking, and say she would never run away . Hunt: Residents post flyers on trees in Stewartstown to help find Celina .
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Girl's grandfather speaking out, wants answers .
Body of young girl Celina Cass found on Monday in the Connecticut River .
Pick-up truck thought to belong to 11-year-old's stepfather Wendell Noyes .
Mr Noyes was hospitalised hours before her body was found in the river .
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By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 10:11 EST, 9 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:26 EST, 9 November 2012 . The days of wives receiving multi-million pound divorce payouts from wealthy husbands could be numbered after one of the country's top family judges slammed such claims. Lord Justice Thorpe said payouts in 'big money' divorces, where wives feel it is 'reasonable' to ask for millions to maintain the lifestyle they are accustomed to, should be consigned to history, adding: 'We only talk about "needs" when there isn't a lot to go round.' The judge made the comments when presiding over a case in which multi-millionaire hotel boss Andrew Morris Davies, is battling to get a £2.75million divorce payout awarded to his ex-wife Debra Ann Davies cut. Debra Ann Davies (left) leaving the Appeal Court. She is involved in a bitter divorce battle with her multi-millionaire hotelier ex-husband Andrew Davies (right) Mr Davies was 'in love' with his business, The Cardiff Hotel, in exclusive Norfolk Square, Bayswater, West London, and described himself as 'a force of nature' to Judge Martin O'Dwyer who made the award to his ex-wife. She helped run the hotel for 13 years before the couple split, and in August last year, Judge O'Dwyer recognised her contribution to the success of the business when he awarded her a £2.2million lump sum, plus the £550,000 former matrimonial home, in Friars Way, Acton. That payout was largely made up of a one-third share in the £6m value of the hotel building and business. Mr Davies reacted angrily to the award, insisting that - whilst his wife was 'the second best receptionist' he ever had - she should not get a share of the hotel's value because she was just a paid employee who 'simply did her duties'. Today he asked Lord Justice Thorpe, Lord Rimer and Lord Justice Elias sitting in London's Appeal Court to slash her payout. Mr Davies, 50, married his Australian wife, 39, in 2005, and they had two children, but the couple had been together- with Mrs Davies working up to 17 hours-a-day helping run the hotel business - since 1997. However they split after just four years of marriage. Lord Justice Thorpe said payouts in 'big money' divorces should be consigned to history . The court heard the hotel had been passed to Mr Davies and his two sisters by their parents, and Mr and Mrs Davies bought out his siblings' shares during their marriage. Having heard that Judge O'Dwyer had assessed Mrs Davies' claim, 'in terms of pure need', at £1.55million and had then upped her payout to £2.7million because of her contribution to the success of the hotel, Lord Justice Thorpe said: . 'Any mention of needs is completely inappropriate in a case of this scale. We only talk about needs when there isn't a lot to go round. 'In a case like this, which is loosely categorised as 'big money', needs should not make much of a contribution to judicial reasoning. 'The bigger the family fortune, the less relevant needs became. In big money cases, the wife will often get twice what she needs. I don't see what bearing needs have in this case.' Peter Duckworth, for Mr Davies, argued that the hotel had been a 'gift' by Mr Davies' parents, Morris and Gwyneth, to their children, and the judge had over-estimated the value of the ex-wife's contribution. 'The affairs of the Cardiff Hotel were at all times kept separate. The wife had no say in how the business was run, or any share in the profits - rather, she was paid a wage,' the barrister said, adding that judge O'Dwyer had been wrong when he found that the business was 'entirely valueless' in 1997 before Mr and Mrs Davies began working there together. Saying that, before the wife had any input, the business had produced a post tax profit of £250,000, the barrister said: 'The judge found that the hotel was wholly valueless in 2007. In reality it was a cash generator.' Insisting that the couple had done no more than take advantage of the valuable gift provided by Mr Davies' parents, the barrister added: 'They didn't add value to the business- they just took what was there and exploited it. 'Judge O'Dwyer accepted the wife's evidence that she had basically turned the business around - She takes credit for the great rise in company turnover. Mr Davies asked Lord Justice Thorpe, Lord Rimer and Lord Justice Elias sitting in London's Appeal Court to slash his wife's payout . 'But the value of the hotel business . has varied in relation to the state of the economy, and there was . nothing to suggest that the wife contributed to the value of the . business,' Mr Duckworth said. In . her evidence to Judge O'Dwyer, Mrs Davies said she and her husband had . 'worked ceaselessly' to transform a 'dowdy and unwelcoming' hotel with . 'no sense of customer service' into a successful and lucrative business. 'We . threw ourselves into it wholeheartedly,' Mrs Davies told the court, . explaining why she felt she was entitled to a share of the value of the . business. 'Mr Davies was burning to make the hotel . work. He was in love with the hotel. His characterisation of his wife . was as a good employee. He said she had been the second best . receptionist he had.' Judge O'Dwyer . She said she had . built and designed the hotel's first website and transformed its . advertising, as well as working extremely long hours, whilst living with . Mr Davies in a 9'x8' room on the premises before they bought their . home. Jonathan Cohen QC, . for Mrs Davies, said: 'The husband in his case was seeking to diminish . the wife's contribution and in that he failed squarely.' He added that, by virtue of her hard work at the hotel, as well as raising a family, the wife deserved every penny of her award, regardless of whether or not her 'reasonable needs' had been over-estimated. 'When one comes to look at fairness, which is the touchstone of all these cases, this award is at the low end, bearing in mind that this was a lady who made a very active contribution to the business for 13 years and when the marriage broke down was left with two children,' said Mr Cohen. Judge O'Dwyer, in his ruling last year, had acknowledged Mr Davies' fierce love for his business, and observed: 'There is a third party in the relationship- the Cardiff Hotel.' 'Mr Davies was burning to make the hotel work. He was in love with the hotel. His characterisation of his wife was as a good employee. He said she had been the second best receptionist he had.' Although Mr Davies had at one time been 'head over heels in love with her', the judge said there was now 'no real acknowledgment by him of her commitment to him both before and after the marriage.' 'He has a great love of the hotel and a strong sense of entitlement to it.' Dealing with Mr Davies' view of his ex-wife's role at the hotel, the judge said: 'It was his case that, because she had been paid as an employee, she had simply done her duties.' Lords Justice Thorpe, Rimer and Elias reserved their decision on Mr Davies' appeal, to be delivered at a later date.
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Lord Justice Thorpe said 'big' payouts should be consigned to history .
He made comments while presiding over a case involving multi-millionaire hotel boss Andrew Morris Davies .
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By . Jennifer Newton . A stash of raw tobacco worth £5million which could be mixed with potentially harmful chemicals has been uncovered at an illegal cigarette factory . Investigators swooped on an industrial unit in Bury, Greater Manchester and discovered the warehouse packed with weighing scales, chemical drums and fake packaging, all equipment needed to make fake cigarettes. The tobacco, valued at £5million in unpaid VAT and duty, was found alongside £15,000 in cash, which is now being processed under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Some of the three tonnes of tobacco, which would be enough to make three million cigarettes . An illegal tobacco factory was raided by HM Revenue and Customs in Bury, Greater Manchester . Fake packaging was also discovered at the industrial unit where the tobacco was stashed . Chemical drums and weighing scales were also found when investigators raided the premises . Dry, harvested tobacco leaves believed to be imported from tobacco growing country and then processed using glycerine, white spirits vinegar and flavoured with vanilla . It is thought that the chemicals and machinery found meant it was to be used to produce and sell illegal tobacco products across the UK. And people are being urged to be wary of the low quality tobacco in products they are buying. Four men - two 35-year-olds from Bury and two from Blackburn aged 41 and 29 have been arrested. They were held on suspicion of evading duty contrary to the Customs and Excise Management Act but have been released on bail. Investigations are continuing. The warehouse is being linked to other tobacco seizures and is believed to be just one site used by a suspected network of organised criminals. Other swoops were made in Essex, Preston and Blackburn - netting 11 tonnes of raw tobacco in total. Fifteen thousand pounds in cash was also uncovered and is now being processed under the Proceeds of Crime Act . Boxes stacked up at the unit. Four men have now been arrested on suspicion of evading duty . The discovery of the tobacco is being linked to other seizures in Essex, Preston and Blackburn . The warehouse in Bury was raided by HM Revenue and Customs officers at the same time as two domestic houses and a garage in the area, which were all searched as part of Operation Eel. The tobacco was found wrapped in boxes and bags and is believed to have been illegally brought into the UK without excise duty being paid. HMRC said it was 'in the process' of being mixed with chemicals at the unit by a gang and converted into hand-rolling tobacco. Dry, harvested tobacco leaves are believed to have been imported from tobacco growing country then processed using and white vinegar, and flavoured with vanilla, according to HMRC. 'There are no controls over what is mixed into counterfeit cigarettes and by buying it smokers are funding international organised crime gangs,' an HMRC spokesman told MailOnline. 'We are cracking down on it.' Write caption here . Fake printed wallets would be filled with tobacco and used to dupe customers into believing they were genuine. Sandra Smith, assistant director of criminal investigation's at HMRC, said: 'Illicit tobacco factories hidden in our communities are packaging low quality tobacco and I'd urge people to be wary. 'Cheap tobacco may seem like a bargain, but there are no controls over what is mixed into the product and by buying it smokers are funding organised crime gangs.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Factory uncovered during raid on a warehouse in Bury, Greater Manchester .
Tobacco worth £5million in unpaid VAT and duty discovered .
Scales, chemical drums and fake packaging also found .
Four men arrested on suspicion of evading duty .
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Is this the world’s most politically correct snack? A Melbourne café has caused an internet sensation with their innovation, the ‘organic, vegan genderless gingerbread figure’ - their ultra-modern take on the traditional gingerbread man. The Organic Food & Wine Deli in Melbourne’s CBD have made gingerbread men palatable for the socially adware, allergy-ridden and health conscious. It’s understood the ginger people were named playfully by the deli owners, but the debate has surged on Social Media, with people worldwide who have taken the issue to heart speaking out. The Reddit post, which has ignited worldwide debate about the politically correct way to refer to baked goods . A photo of the deli’s biscuit was originally posted on Reddit before it quickly went viral. Many were thrilled to see their concerns about the sexist term ‘gingerbread men’ had finally been addressed. However, many took to Social Media – outraged that their own minority group had been discriminated against by the choice of wording. ‘So offensive to gingers’, wrote one person. ‘They should be called strawberry blondes,’ argued a Twitter user. ‘So offensive to amputees,’ added another. ‘Why they gotta be so white?’ Others were concerned by the nutritional content of the organic, vegan biscuits. ‘And it’s not even gluten-free!’ exclaimed a troubled individual. ‘Are they fair trade?’ On the store’s website, they explain The Organic Food & Wine Deli store owners explain that they are committed to using only organic and ethical products. Their store uses ‘biopaint’ on its walls with shelves made from low emission plantation timber. Sugar cane fibre packaging which breaks down in 6 weeks is used for takeaway containers and their shopping bags are made from non sweat shop, non child labour villages. They only use coffee which is fair trade and is part of the rainforest alliance. A Reddit user joked that the new name would cause serious issues for beloved nursery rhymes. 'Run, run as fast as you can. You cant catch me I'm the Organic Genderless Gingerbread Figure. 'No... Magic's lost”
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Sign in a Melbourne cafe has gone viral internationally after Reddit post .
Cafe renames its gingerbread men 'Genderless Gingerbread Figures'
The gingerbread figures are also vegan and organic .
There is comical debate online, with Social Media users feigning concern about the name .
Some suggest the name is offensive to 'gingers' and amputees .
There's also concern the biscuits 'aren't gluten-free or fair trade .
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This is the picture that could cost a pregnant woman in Sudan her life after she was sentenced to death for converting to Christianity to marry her husband. Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, 27, was charged with adultery for marrying a Christian man and has been ordered by the courts to abandon her newly adopted Christian faith and return to Islam. During yesterday's sentencing hearing Judge Abbas al Khalifa asked the pregnant mother-of-one whether she would return to Islam - but she refused. She said 'I am a Christian,' and the death sentence was handed down, judicial sources said. Scroll down for video . The wedding photo that has cost Sudanese woman Mariam Yahya Ibrahim her life after being sentenced to death for converting to Christianity. She is hoping to appeal the sentence . More than 50 people gathered outside the court where sentence was being passed on Mariam Yahya Ibrahim . After the verdict her husband, Daniel Wani told CNN: 'I'm so frustrated. I don't know what to do. I'm just praying.' A government spokesman said the ruling could be appealed in a higher court. Outside the court, around 50 people held up signs that read 'Freedom of Religion', while some Islamists celebrated the ruling, chanting 'God is Greatest.' The United States called on Sudan to respect the religious freedom guaranteed in its own constitution . People held up signs that read 'Freedom of Religion', while some Islamists celebrated the ruling, chanting 'God is Greatest' On February 7, Ms Ibrahim was arrested with her 20-month-old son, and put in a women’s prison. It is thought a relative had turned her in to the police for marrying a Christian. According to the Sudan’s Public Order Criminal Code, she is a Muslim by default because she was born in Sudan. Therefore, her marriage to a Christian is classed as a criminal act. On March 4, she was charged with adultery and apostasy. The adultery charge came with a punishment of 100 lashes and the apostasy charge came with a punishment of death. No remorse: Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's career has been defined by war. He came to power in a coup in 1989 and has ruled what was until this year Africa's largest country with an iron fist ever since . Mr Wani is not allowed to care for their child, Martin, because he is a Christian. Martin, who is almost two years old, is in prison with his mother. Mr Wani is not allowed to visit or see his son. Young Sudanese university students have mounted a series of protests near Khartoum University in recent weeks asking for an end to human rights abuses, more freedoms and better social and economic conditions in the country. The authorities decided on Sunday to close the university indefinitely. Uncertain future: Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has said he wants to adopt a '100 per cent' Islamic constitution now that the South has split off. The government says the new constitution will guarantee religious freedom, but many Christians are wary . Western embassies and Sudanese activists sharply condemned the accusations and called on the Sudanese Islamist-led government to respect freedom of faith. 'The details of this case expose the regime's blatant interference in the personal life of Sudanese citizens,' Sudan Change Now Movement, a youth group, said in a statement. President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's government is facing a huge economic and political challenge after the 2011 secession of South Sudan, which was Sudan's main source of oil. A decision by Bashir last year to cut subsidies and impose austerity measures prompted violent protests in which dozens were killed and hundreds were injured.
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Mariam Yahya Ibrahim has been sentenced to death for converting to Christianity to marry her Christian husband .
Having been born in Sudan, Ibrahim is considered a Muslim by birth .
This makes her marriage to husband Daniel Wani, a non-Muslim, illegal .
The punishment will be carried out after her second child is born .
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Chelsea's highly rated midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah has joined Championship strugglers Reading on loan until the end of the season. Reading are 18th in the league and but manager Steve Clarke knows more about Chalobah's potential than most, as he was an assistant to Jose Mourinho during the Portuguese's first tenure at Stamford Bridge. The England under-21 international's versatility means he also offers cover in defence and Clarke believes Chalobah can help guide The Royals further away from the drop zone. Nathaniel Chalobah poses with the number 14 shirt that he will wear while he is on loan at Reading . Chalobah has already taken part in his first training session with the club . Reading manager Steve Clarke knows about Chalobah as he used to be assistant manager at Chelsea . 'Nathaniel is a good young player who I have known about and followed for some time,' Clarke said to Reading's official website. 'He burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old when he was part of the Watford team that narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League in 2012-13. Since that season, he has gained experience at other clubs and now feels that Reading is the right club to further his development as a player.' The 20-year-old Chalobah will be available to make his debut in the FA Cup fourth round clash with Cardiff City in Wales on Saturday.
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20-year-old Nathaniel Chalobah can play in midfield or defence .
Reading are managed by former Chelsea assistant Steve Clarke .
He is available for the club's FA Cup clash against Cardiff City on Saturday .
Transfer news LIVE: Click here for all the latest .
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The little girl had probably only been in the village pub’s toilet for a few minutes. So when she emerged to find her mother and father and others in their party had vanished from the bar and outside she was naturally a little bemused. 'Where are my parents?' the eight-year-old asked staff at The Plough. Whoops: David Cameron, pictured holding his daughter Nancy at a wedding in 2007, thought Samantha Cameron had all their children but she thought Nancy was with him . They were clearly nowhere to be seen and had obviously left without her. But thankfully the landlord was well . aware where these particular parents might be… because they were David . and Samantha Cameron. Publican Stephen Hollings yesterday . recounted details of Nancy Cameron’s unfortunate adventure as Downing . Street gave a full version of 'The Day The Prime Minister and His Wife . Accidentally Left Their Daughter Behind In A Pub'. Eldest child Nancy became separated . from her parents after visiting the toilets as the family prepared to . leave the village gastropub close to the Prime Minister’s country . retreat, Chequers. Mr and Mrs Cameron, who were . travelling in separate cars, each believed Nancy was with the other and . were 'distraught' to discover she was missing when they reached . Chequers. Mrs Cameron, 41, who also has . children Arthur, six, and Florence, 22 months, swiftly returned to the . pub and was reunited with her daughter within 15 minutes. Error: The Plough pub, where the Camerons accidentally left their daughter Nancy when they drove off in separate cars . Easy: The Plough is a short drive away from Chequers, pictured . Yesterday, as the Camerons faced . criticism over the blunder, Mr Hollings described the PM as 'a great . father and genuine family man'. Mr Hollings, the former husband of . Carry On actress Barbara Windsor, said the family were regular visitors . to his pub, The Plough at Cadsden, a Buckinghamshire hamlet a few miles . from Chequers, and described the couple and their children as 'charming'. He said: 'The Camerons had been . sitting outside with two other family groups who seemed to be personal . friends. Mr Cameron just had a pint of bitter and then they all left. 'Then Nancy came out of the toilets . and said something like: “Where are my parents?” We knew who Nancy was . and looked after her until she was collected.' An insider at the pub added: 'I know . there were a lot of children there that day but I still don’t quite . understand how they lost their daughter in such a small pub and then . drove off without her. You would have thought the security officers . would do a head count.' Chillaxing? David Cameron enjoys a pint during a visit to a brewery . In a new biography, friends of Mr . Cameron last month told how he enjoyed drinking 'three or four glasses . of wine' over lunch at the weekend, while one source told the authors: 'If there was an Olympic gold medal for "chillaxing", the Prime Minister . would win it.' Mr Hollings yesterday denied any suggestion that Mr Cameron had more than a single drink. A senior Downing Street source said . the incident happened when the three families returned to Chequers in a . convoy of cars. He said: 'David grabbed five children and Samantha did . the same. It was not a case of each family travelling back in a certain . car. 'Nancy had wandered away. But she is a . clever girl and revealed herself to the landlady. Nancy had a whale of a . time helping the landlady. They go to the pub regularly and [staff] . know the Camerons well.' He said the incident happened 'two or . three months ago' after the three families had walked the two miles . from Chequers for pre-lunch drinks at the pub. The spokesman said that was something of a 'ritual' each Sunday, before the group would drive back to Chequers for lunch. As if to illustrate the point, the . family visited the pub again on Sunday, with Mr Cameron spotted carrying . a small child in a backpack-style baby carrier. Clare Bonnick, 51, said . she was visiting the pub with a walking group when the Camerons and a . couple of other families walked in. Mrs Bonnick said they arrived on foot but left in three black cars, apparently driven by protection officers. She added: 'There were about six . adults and at least as many children and they were all getting into . different cars. It was easy to see how they could have lost one of the . children.' Pub regular Norman Meade, 89, said . he often saw Mr Cameron at The Plough on a Saturday – usually enjoying a . drink with just his police protection officer for company. Mr Meade added: 'He’s a decent bloke . who will come over and shake my hand. But how could you do that? Walk . away and leave a baby?' Parents on website Mumsnet also expressed surprise at Mr Cameron’s forgetfulness. One wrote: 'I don’t understand how this could happen when they surely have police protection officers with them.'
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The Camerons only realised Nancy was missing once they arrived home, two-miles away from the pub .
David and Samantha were travelling in separate cars and both assumed the little girl, 8, was with in the other vehicle .
Nancy had gone to the toilet on her own without telling anyone .
When Samantha Cameron returned to collect her - after 15 minutes - she was found 'happily helping' pub staff .
Landlord of the family pub leapt to Cameron's defence describing the PM as a 'great father and genuine family man'
Spokeswoman said Camerons .
take full responsibility for looking after their children and were not .
blaming security officers .
An internal police review is underway to discover how the little girl came to be left in the pub .
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7eb83a78681e6b12776998c38b48d4c18d787969
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Sex between consenting homosexual partners is once again illegal in India after the country's Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling Wednesday. Four years ago, India's High Court decriminalized such a relationship, in what was then hailed by gay rights groups as a landmark ruling. The Supreme Court overturned that ruling. Known as Section 377, the law has been in the books since India's Colonial-era days. It bans people from engaging in "carnal acts against the order of nature." On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled that the penal code was constitutionally valid. It was up to parliament, the court said, to decide whether or not to keep the law in the statute books. Seven year fight . In 2009, the non-profit Naz Foundation won a verdict from New Delhi's high court after a seven-year legal fight to decriminalize homosexuality. It argued that the law infringed on the right to equality, privacy and dignity as set out in India's Constitution. The High court ruled in Naz's favor. But the decision came under fire from Christian, Hindu and Muslim groups, who filed an appeal to the Supreme Court. India's central government did not appeal, saying it didn't disagree with the High Court's ruling. Amnesty International India called Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling "a black day of freedom in India." "It is hard not to feel let down by this judgment, which has taken India back several years in its commitment to protect basic rights," the group said. 'Setback to human dignity' Until now, India hasn't maintained a central database of prosecution under Section 377, said Akhilesh Kumar, a chief statistical officer at the National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB). "Henceforth, we will be compiling crimes committed under this relevant section," Kumar said. "Maybe from the next year." Rights activists say a number of gay couples have faced court cases because of their relationships. "There have been hundreds of trials under Section 377 in different parts of the country," said Colin Gonsalves, a human rights lawyer. He said the law also rendered gay couples vulnerable to what he called harassment by police. The New York-based group Human Rights Watch called on the Indian government to take steps to scrap Section 377. "The Supreme Court's ruling is a disappointing setback to human dignity, and the basic rights to privacy and non-discrimination," the group said in a statement. "But now the government should do what it should have done in the first place and seek to repeal section 377."
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Human Rights Watch calls the ruling a "setback to human dignity"
The law banning gay sex was leftover from the Colonial era .
The High Court overturned it four years ago .
But the Supreme Court has now reinstated it .
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f2930794ccb11814ce8b890f8016ed497a81af54
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Astronomers around the world have been training telescopes on an asteroid and returning images and data as it flies past Earth. At 4.20pm GMT (11.20am EST) asteroid 2004 BL86 made its closest approach to Earth at a distance 3.1 times greater than that of the moon - far too distant to be of any threat. Observers on Earth were able to view the asteroid with binoculars or a telescope -and Nasa's high powered telescopes revealed it had its own moon. Scroll down for video . The 20 individual images used in the movie were generated from data collected at Goldstone on Jan. 26, 2015. They show the primary body is approximately 1,100 feet (325 meters) across and has a small moon approximately 230 feet (70 meters) across. The images show the asteroid, which made its closest approach today (Jan. 26, 2015) at 8:19 a.m. PST (11:19 a.m. EST) at a distance of about 745,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers, or 3.1 times the distance from Earth to the moon), has its own small moon. The 20 individual images used in the movie were generated from data collected at Goldstone on Jan. 26, 2015. They show the primary body is approximately 1,100 feet (325 meters) across and has a small moon approximately 230 feet (70 meters) across. In the near-Earth population, about 16 percent of asteroids that are about 655 feet (200 meters) or larger are a binary (the primary asteroid with a smaller asteroid moon orbiting it) or even triple systems (two moons). Asteroid 2004 BL86 was initially discovered on 30 January 2004 by a telescope of the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (Linear) survey in White Sands, New Mexico. Astronomers had thought the asteroid was about 1,640ft (500 metres) wide, but new images have revealed it to be smaller at about 980ft (300 metres) across. But, even passing at a distance of 745,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers), Nasa said the asteroid posed absolutely no threat to Earth. This was the closest pass of an asteroid this large until 2027 when another - (137108) 1999 AN10 - passes our planet within one lunar distance. The asteroid will be at its closest point to Earth at 4.20pm GMT (11.20am EST) today. However, observers in the Americas, Europe, and Africa will have the best chance to view it when it is fully illuminated by the sun and at its brightest, at 1.00am GMT tomorrow (8.00pm EST today). During this time 2004 BL86 will be heading northward through the dim constellation Cancer, and should be visible just above Jupiter. It will then skim the eastern edge of a star cluster called the Beehive (or Messier 44) from about 5am GMT tomorrow (midnight EST tonight). The asteroid will continue to be visible until tomorrow night, giving astronomers a rare opportunity to study an object of this type and size. 'The asteroid's close pass will enable ground based radio astronomers to bounce radio waves off the object, to get a much better determination of its overall shape and true size,' astronomer Nick Howes, who works with the Kielder Observatory in Northumberland, told MailOnline. 'This data, combined with that from many ground based visual observations will give us more insights into these near-Earth objects, and hopefully play a part in mitigating the risk of any future ones possibly hitting Earth.' Dr Don Yeomans, who is retiring as manager of Nasa's Near Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, after 16 years in the position, added: 'Monday, January 26 will be the closest asteroid 2004 BL86 will get to Earth for at least the next 200 years. 'And while it poses no threat to Earth for the foreseeable future, it's a relatively close approach by a relatively large asteroid, so it provides us a unique opportunity to observe and learn more.' 2004 BL86 made its closest approach to Earth at 4.20pm GMT (11.20am EST). The asteroid passed about 3.1 times the distance of Earth to the moon (illustrated). It is estimated that the asteroid is 980ft (300 metres) in size. Novice stargazers should be able to view it with binoculars or a telescope through today and tomorrow . In a live Slooh webcast, images of the asteroid from Mauna Kea in Hawaii (shown) were also shown. Over the next day it is expected that more images of the asteroid will be returned, revealing new details . One way Nasa scientists plan to learn more about 2004 BL86 is to observe it with microwaves. Nasa's Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, California, and the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico will attempt to acquire science data and radar-generated images of the asteroid during the days surrounding its closest approach to Earth. 'When we get our radar data back the day after the flyby, we will have the first detailed images,' said radar astronomer Dr Lance Benner of JPL, the principal investigator for the Goldstone radar observations of the asteroid. 'At present, we know almost nothing about the asteroid, so there are bound to be surprises.' At the time of its closest approach on 26 January, the asteroid was approximately 745,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from Earth - and it is now moving away from our planet . This image shows the asteroid moving through the night sky on 23 January. The asteroid has a tail in the image due to its fast speed. Astronomers will be hoping for even better views later today . Where to watch: Observers in the Americas, Europe, and Africa have the best seats for seeing the asteroid. It will begin to be visible in the night sky from about 4.20pm GMT (11.20am EST) today, but will be at its brightest at 1.00am GMT tomorrow (8.00pm EST today) when it is fully illuminated by the sun . Almost exactly when it becomes brightest (about 9th magnitude), asteroid 2004 BL86 skirts very close to the Beehive Cluster, M44. During this time 2004 BL86 will be heading northward through the dim constellation Cancer. It will later skim the eastern edge of a star cluster called the Beehive (or Messier 44) The asteroid orbits the Sun every 1.84 years. It was discovered 11 years ago by the Linear telescope in New Mexico, which was designed to hunt for such objects. Despite the asteroid's two close visits then and now, it won't approach Earth again this closely for another 200 years. Astronomers have also assigned this asteroid a permanent number, 357439, but it has not yet been named. Because it's relatively large, 2004 BL86 will brighten rapidly as it approaches and passes Earth. The asteroid will brighten, despite the increasing distance, because we're seeing its face become more fully illuminated. 'One good technique for [finding] fast-movers like 2004 BL86 is to identify and lock onto a star along its path,' explains Kelly Beatty from Sky and Telescope. 'Then just watch at the time that the asteroid is predicted to pass by that particular star.' The asteroid is expected to be observable to amateur astronomers with small telescopes and strong binoculars. 'I may grab my favorite binoculars and give it a shot myself,' said Dr Yeomans. 'Asteroids are something special. Not only did asteroids provide Earth with the building blocks of life and much of its water, but in the future, they will become valuable resources for mineral ores and other vital natural resources. 'They will also become the fueling stops for humanity as we continue to explore our solar system. There is something about asteroids that makes me want to look up.'
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2004 BL86 made its closest approach to Earth at 4.20pm GMT (11.20am EST) today .
It will remain visible with binoculars or a telescope until tomorrow .
The asteroid passed about 3.1 times the distance of Earth to the moon .
New images suggest the asteroid is 980ft (300 metres) in size .
Astronomers will be hoping to study it as it passes Earth .
But novice stargazers can also view it near Jupiter with binoculars .
Observers in the Americas, Europe, and Africa have the best seats .
It will appear to move backwards in the night sky relative to other stars .
This will be the closest approach of an asteroid this size until 2027 .
Nasa says it poses no threat to Earth 'for the foreseeable future'
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186,934 |
7e156ae32f284223d7a2c7b0ca310d9459432023
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Edward Putman, 47, was convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl in 1993, and is now planning to build a 30-bedroom hotel next to the M25 . A convicted rapist who won almost £5million on the Lottery is planning to build a 30-bedroom hotel next to one of Britain’s busiest motorways. Edward Putman, 47, who was jailed for breaking into a house and twice raping a 17-year-old girl, submitted an official planning notice for a budget motel at the site in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire. His plans, which were refused by Three Rivers Council last month, include demolishing the £600,000 house and outbuildings he bought with his lottery winnings and converting them into a hotel off the M25. Putman served four years of his seven year sentence for rape in 1993 before scooping £4.5million when his numbers came up in September 2009. He had intended to keep his win a secret by requesting anonymity from National Lottery operators Camelot, who were unaware of his previous convictions. But his past came to light when it was revealed that he had carried on claiming £15,000 in income support and housing benefits following the win. Doubts were raised after council officers became suspicious when he tried to buy his former one-bed council flat in Hemel Hempstead with £83,000 cash. He admitted two counts of benefit fraud and was sentenced to nine months in prison in 2012. Now released, the benefit cheat is said to have invested in a ‘wealth management’ finance scheme and the hotel is his latest project. Despite having his proposals turned down by the local authority, Putman has hired a property developer to draw up detailed plans and continue pursuing the scheme. Richard Wyndham-Smith of FJ Thompson in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, told the Sunday Mirror: ‘There was a lot of support from it from local people so it’s something we have got to balance the whole thing up and make a decision on. ‘The whole thing is that the current use of the site is something that a lot of the resident’s don’t want.’ Mr Wyndham-Smith added that a decision to appeal or submit a fresh plan was currently being considered. The property was granted planning permission for second-hand motors to be sold and serviced at the site in 2005 – six years before Putman is believed to have moved in. However, it is not understood whether he currently operates a business from the site. Many locals are said to be ‘horrified’ by the plans, and one told the Sunday newspaper: ‘Putman’s the last person who should have anything to do with owning a hotel.’ And Mike Sibley, Crime Prevention Design Advisor from Hertfordshire Constabulary, said: ‘I am rather concerned with the drive through underground car park. ‘The car park could also be a magnet for antisocial behaviour particularly in bad weather and could become a youth shelter with associated problems.’ Putman's £600,000 home in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, that he bought with his lottery winnings and now wants to demolish in order to create a budget hotel . The plans (pictured), which were submitted to Three Rivers Council, show the proposed elevations of the build . The proposals include 30-bedrooms across two floors and a dining room, kitchen and an office beside M25 . While Lib Dem Councillor, Joy Mann, has backed the plans stating that as a commercial business it is ‘an excellent idea’. She said: ‘The immediate area is an industrial site with some very prestigious international businesses based there. ‘A motel would bring the kind of jobs to the area that we need especially skills for our young people. It would be good for local business as guests would be using local facilities.’ It is not known whether Cllr Mann knew about his previous convictions – which also include witness intimidation and perverting the course of justice - when she submitted the comments to the council. Putman has also been convicted of wounding with intent in a case from the mid-1980s, after a neighbour was stabbed in the stomach, while friends claim he has appeared in court for other offences including burglary. Putman, pictured left after he served four years of seven year rape sentence, and his ex-partner Gail, right . After his rape conviction was revealed, his ex-partner Gail Vincent, 53, waived her right to anonymity and described how he had put a six-inch knife to her throat and raped her as well. Ms Vincent, with whom he has a 28-year-old son, Sam, only learned of his lottery win when she was contacted by the Daily Mail in 2012. She said: ‘He paid less than £200 in maintenance in 12 years, although seven or eight of those he was in prison. Putman leaving St Alban's Magistrates' Court in July 2012 where he admitted two counts of benefit fraud . ‘I can’t begin to tell you what I think about his win. He should give the money back or pay compensation.’ She also claims that he burnt alive her children’s pet rabbit and guinea pig and pushed her down the stairs while she was eight months pregnant. She told a newspaper: ‘I was petrified of him. He was like a ticking time bomb – you never knew when he’d go off.’ Ms Vincent, who lives in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, made a rape allegation against him in 1998 but later withdrew it after claiming she was pressurised by his associates. The former support worker, who stayed with Putman for 15 years, was jailed for 28 days for perverting the course of justice. Her daughter from another relationship, claimed her Putman was a violent alcoholic who sexually abused her by making her undress in front of him. She also alleged he threatened her brother and mother with a kitchen knife. She said: ‘Eddy comes across as a charmer but he is really a Jekyll and Hyde character. He’s won millions and it couldn’t have happened to a less deserving person. He is an absolute monster.’ While his victim, who was a teenager at the time of the rape and cannot be named for legal reasons, spoke out after his lottery win saying she 'would like to see him penniless'. ‘He is a brazen psychopath who told everyone what he had done when he went to prison. There was no remorse, no shame,' she said.
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Edward Putman, 47, was jailed for twice raping a 17-year-old girl in 1993 .
He has now submitted a planning notice for a budget hotel off the M25 .
It includes demolishing £600,000 house and outbuilding bought with win .
Lottery win was exposed after he was found fraudulently claiming benefits .
After benefit scam his rape conviction from 1993 also came to light .
Three Rivers Council rejected his plans but he intends to pursue them .
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Mario Balotelli could have signed for Paris Saint-Germain after his impressive performances at Euro 2012 - but Carlo Ancelotti plumped for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be 'on the safe side'. Ancelotti, now at Real Madrid and an opponent of Balotelli and his Liverpool team in the Champions League, believes that once the Italy striker feels settled at Anfield, he will prove to be a good signing. 'I was trying to (sign him) at Paris Saint-Germain. He was coming off the back of an impressive European Championship,' Ancelotti said to La Repubblica. VIDEO Scroll down to see Ibrahimovic's Puskas nominated goal . Mario Balotelli has had difficulty in producing his best form for Liverpool since joining from AC Milan . Carlo Ancelotti (right) pictured in his time at Paris Saint-Germain, said he almost signed Balotelli for the club . 'Then the opportunity for Ibrahimovic presented itself and we went more on the safe side.' Balotelli is yet to score for Liverpool since his August transfer to the club from AC Milan, but Ancelotti does not doubt that he will succeed, albeit in his own time. 'He has to find a place to feel at ease. Sooner or later he will succeed, but it depends on him - heaven helps those who help themselves,' he said.
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Carlo Ancelotti almost signed Mario Balotelli for PSG after Euro 2012 .
The Real Madrid manager believes Balotelli will come good for Liverpool .
Balotelli has not scored in the Premier League yet for his new team .
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847d64e76ce04c5a8fb856824c407d0eb137407d
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U.S. officials told the Associated Press on Thursday that retired Marine Lieutenant General John Allen will coordinate the broad international effort to battle the self-declared Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), as nations begin to determine what part they will play. Several U.S. officials said Allen will coordinate the contributions of various nations. Nearly 40 countries around the world have agreed to join the fight, although few have said they will put soldiers in harm's way. In a post-retirement television interview, Allen said he was concerned that Iraq was descending into chaos following the U.S. troop pullout at the end of 2011. Asked if the Middle Eastern country would be more stable if the Obama administration had left a residual force behind,he responded, 'I don’t think there’s any question.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Retired Marine Lt. Gen. John Allen said after his retirement that 'I don't think there's any question' Iraq would have been safer if the US hadn't withdrawn all its forces, but now he's on mop-up duty as ISIS grows . President Barack Obama said Wednesday night that he would rely on an international coalition to help 'degrade and destroy' ISIS -- a coalition that Gen. Allen will lead . 'My fear is that we could see a polarization of the principle elements in Iraq,' he told ABC News. Allen cited 'the increase in violence for all of us that served there, in particular those of us who served in the Anbar Province, which was a really violent area ... We don’t want to see it return to that.' Anbar hasn't been the focus of ISIS's reign of terror – those operations have mostly been focused to the north – but that region, which abuts Syria to the west, is a reliable transit point for jihadis who travel between the two countries across a largely invisible border. Allen will come to the job with vast experience coordinating international allies on the warfront. He served as deputy commander in Iraq's Anbar province from 2006 to 2008, working with Arab partners to organize the Sunni uprising against al-Qaeda. Allen was also the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013, another position that put him in close contact with America's international allies. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the appointment ahead of an announcement. Allen (right) was ensnared in a sex scandal -- many say unfairly -- in 2013 linked to disgraced Gen. David Petraeus . Petraeus slept with his biographer, Paula Broadwell (right), and both generals carried on allegedly flirtatious email relationships with Tampa socialite Jill Kelley (left) Allen became tabloid fodder in 2013 when his retirement was preceded by a sex scandal involving Gen. David Petraeus, then the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Petraeus was caught having an extramarital affair with Paula Broadwell, his biographer. An investigation found that Allen and Petraeus had both become uncomfortably friendly with socialite Jill Kelley, who lived in Tampa where U.S. Central Command is located. Allen was accused of flirting with Kelley in a series of conversations that spanned more than 1,200 emails, and ultimately left military service to help his wife recover from a severe autoimmune disease.
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Top Marine said after his retirement that 'I don't think there's any question' Iraq would have been safer if the US hadn't withdrawn all its forces .
He was caught up in the 2013 David Petraeus sex scandal after an investigation found that both men had flirted with a socialite via emails .
Allen was the U.S. commander in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013 .
He will cooordinate a multinational coalition of nations that will devote various resources to the fight against the ISIS terror group .
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190,048 |
820dab4c4991facd6acbdc71fd32991709cf62e4
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By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 09:23 EST, 14 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:48 EST, 14 December 2012 . Two Australian DJs who made a hoax phone call to the hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated for morning sickness could be in hiding for months due to ongoing fears for their safety. Sydney-based 2DayFM radio presenters . Michael Christian and Mel Greig, called King Edward VII Hospital in London last week in a bid to gain information about the Duchess of Cambridge's condition. Nurse Jacintha Saldanha, 46, unwittingly transferred their call to a colleague who gave the DJs detailed information on the Duchess's health. Ms Saldanha was found hanged days later - leading to worldwide condemnation of the DJs' prank. In hiding: Sydney-based 2DayFM radio presenters Michael Christian (left) and Mel Greig (right) have gone into hiding following the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha . Mr Christian and Ms Greig made a . grovelling apology in two interviews aired on Australian TV following . the death of the nurse, but have had to go into hiding after receiving threats. At least eight other senior staff . members at the 2Day FM radio station and its parent company, . SCAustereo, are also under the protection of security guards as they . remain at a number of secret locations in Sydney and Melbourne. A radio station source told the Mail today that ‘there are people out there who obviously want to . cause trouble and no risks are being taken as far as the safety of . everyone who might have held some responsibility for the hoax is . concerned.’ Duped: Nurse Saldanha was found hanged just days after the hoax call . What has added to the fears, in the . wake of a week of hate messages on social media, is a letter sent from . South Australia and addressed to DJ Michael Christian warning him that . there was a bullet with his name on it. It is understood the letter, accompanied by a torrent of foul language, also mentioned a shotgun. Australian police, who are liaising . with Scotland Yard as a probe continues into the hoax call, are keeping in close . contact with radio station executives as a wave of fear runs through the . radio network. Police are continuing to scour social . media for any sign of further threats – and are watching for fake . messages on sites that pretend to be sourced from the radio station or . its staff. One disrespectful message regarding . Miss Saldanha and purporting to have been written by SCAustereo chief . executive officer Rhyss Holleran was dismissed by a company spokeswoman . yesterday as ‘a total fabrication.’ Sam Kaye told the Mail: ‘This is . clearly a fake, following on from other fake messages that have been . written by people out to hurt us. Mr Holleran would not be a party to . anything like this, whether the eyes of the world were on us or not.’ British police are understood to have . asked their Australian counterparts for the names of people who would . need to be questioned about the radio hoax as part of their inquiries . into the suicide of nurse Saldanha. Sydney’s Daily Telegraph today published photos of 10 staff members who were directly, or indirectly, behind the prank call. As well as the two DJs and Mr Holleran, they include the executive producer of the prank show, Hot30, Emily Mills and Guy Dobson, SCAustreo's head of content. Together: Ms Jacintha's husband Barboza (centre) and her children Lisha and Junal (pictured here with Labour MP Keith Vaz (right), had no idea the nurse had received the hoax phone call . The body of Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was discovered in her room in staff quarters last Friday. Two notes were found nearby and a third was among her possessions. The mother of two had also sent a . number of emails and made telephone calls that police believe might help . explain what happened. During a five-minute hearing at . Westminster Coroner’s Court earlier this week it was revealed that attempts were . made to revive the nurse but they were ‘to no avail’. Scotland Yard detectives are examining . the notes, as well as interviewing Mrs Saldanha’s friends, family and . colleagues at London’s King Edward VII hospital. Mrs . Saldanha, a night sister, was the senior nurse on duty when she took a . call at 5.30am on Tuesday from Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael . Christian, who were pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles. She . unwittingly transferred the call to a colleague, who described in . detail the condition of Kate, who was being treated for severe morning . sickness. Mr Harman told the hearing detectives . had been in contact with colleagues in New South Wales and would be . taking statements from those involved in the prank call. Mrs Saldanha, who was born in India, . lived in London during the week and returned home to Bristol to be with . her family at weekends. Mr Barboza and children Junal, 17, and Lisha, . 14, had been expecting her home for the weekend and were apparently . unaware of her role in the hoax call. Labour MP Keith Vaz, who has been . representing the family, said they could expect the results of a . post-mortem examination within four days. Southern Cross Austereo, the parent . company of Sydney-based 2Day FM which broadcast the hoax call, has ended . Greig and Christian’s Hot 30 show and suspended prank calls across the . company.
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Michael Christian and Mel Greig given protection following threats to their safety .
Eight other senior staff .
members at Australian radio station and its parent company also in hiding at secret locations in Sydney and Melbourne .
DJs made hoax call to London hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated for severe morning sickness .
Nurse Jacintha Saldanha, 46, unwittingly transferred their call to a colleague who gave details of Duchess of Cambridge's condition .
Worldwide outcry against DJs after Ms Saldanha was found hanged just days after the prank .
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475701d824694bc4df408817c3a777111d63aea4
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This is the moment a distraught Montana police officer broke down in tears after shooting an unarmed suspect dead during a traffic stop. Billings Police Officer Grant Morrison killed 38-year-old Richard Ramirez in April when authorities said Ramirez — a suspect in a recent drug-involved shooting — appeared to reach for something as he sat in his car. The suspect, a meth addict, repeatedly to raise his hands before the officer shot him three times, according to video footage shown Tuesday during an inquest into the shooting. After Morrison shot Ramirez, he was captured on video walking away with his hand covering his eyes with another officer's arm rested on his shoulder. Scroll down for video . This is the moment distraught Officer Grant Morrison broke down in tears and is comforted by a fellow officer after shooting dead Richard Ramirez during a traffic stop in Montana . Police video footage of the April 2014 shooting of Richard Ramirez by Billings Police Officer Grant Morrison, (screen) is shown to a seven-person jury in Billings, Montana. An emotional Morrison can be seen sitting between two of his colleagues in the aftermath . Richard Ramirez had been wanted in an armed robbery and ignored the officer's orders, making a sudden movement during a traffic stop . In the previously unreleased video from a patrol car dash-cam, Morrison could be heard yelling 'Hands up!' at least six times before firing three shots into the vehicle in rapid succession. The actions of Ramirez could not be seen in the footage. The two-day inquest will determine if Morrison was justified in the killing. It comes amid heightened scrutiny of law enforcement and recent nationwide protests in response to police killings of unarmed suspects including in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City. Detective Brett Kruger, who investigated the shooting in Billings, testified that two cellophane bags with a small amount of methamphetamine and a syringe were later found near where Ramirez had been sitting in the backseat of the vehicle. Kruger said Ramirez had two outstanding warrants and was trying to get the drugs out of his pocket to avoid arrest. Two of the three people in the car with Ramirez testified that Morrison's commands for them to raise their hands were clear. Both said they were in the front seat and couldn't see if Ramirez complied. The person sitting next to Ramirez, Tom Black, told The Associated Press in the days after the shooting that Ramirez was trying to unbuckle his seatbelt when he was shot. Police dash cam footage shows as Officer Morrison makes his approach (left) and gets ready to fire (right) In 2013, Morrison shot and killed another man during a traffic stop after the man reached for something that was later determined to be a BB gun. An inquest cleared Morrison of wrongdoing in that case. A seven-person jury will decide if Morrison acted appropriately in the killing of Ramirez and advise prosecutors on whether charges should be pursued. Montana law requires an inquest whenever someone is killed by law enforcement or dies in custody. Morrison was expected to testify when the inquest resumes Wednesday. Before Ramirez was shot, Morrison recognized him as the suspect in a shooting the night before where authorities had recovered 90 grams of methamphetamine, Senior Deputy Yellowstone County Attorney Ed Zink said. 'His hand goes up and down two or three times in his pocket while officer Morrison was screaming at him,' Zink said about Ramirez. Ramirez's sister Julie (left) consoles her mother, Betty Ramirez, during court proceedings over the cop shoot . About a dozen Ramirez family members and supporters attended the inquest. Most wore T-shirts with an image of him. Sister Julie Ramirez said outside the inquest that the family wants Morrison charged with murder. She noted that her family is half-Mexican and accused the police of racial profiling in the case. 'He could have tased my brother or called for backup,' Julie Ramirez said. 'When Officer Morrison got out of that patrol car he knew he was going to kill my brother.' Two of Morrison's co-workers, Sgt. Matthew Brewer and Officer Mark Snider, testified that on the night before his death, Ramirez was identified as the suspect in a shooting across town. Morrison was aware of that information and had been searching for Ramirez with other officers, testimony showed. Brewer and Snider said Ramirez was known to them as a methamphetamine user, which Snider said can make suspects violent and uncontrollable. Members of the Ramirez family have acknowledged his drug use and previous arrests linked to drugs. However, they say that criminal history was wrongly used to rationalize his death. Ramirez was the fifth man to be fatally shot during a two-year period by law enforcement in Billings, Montana's most populous city. Last week, the wife of one of those people, Daniel Brawley, filed a civil rights lawsuit in Montana District Court against the City of Billings and Officer David Punt, seeking damages for alleged excessive use of force. Brawley was shot by Punt after being arrested in a burglary and trying to escape in Punt's patrol car, striking the officer. An inquest into Brawley's death determined Punt's actions were justified. The city has not formally responded to the lawsuit, but Billings Police spokesman Lt. R.D. Harper said Tuesday the inquest confirmed Punt did not use excessive force. Police video footage of the April 2014 shooting of Richard Ramirez by Billings Police Officer Grant Morrison is shown to a seven-person jury (not pictured) in Montana .
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Officer Grant Morrison, of Billings, Montana, shot Richard Ramirez in April .
Cops say 38-year-old Ramirez was a suspect in a drug-involved shooting .
The meth addict appeared to reach for something during the traffic stop .
Video shown at an inquest into the shooting shows moment of shooting .
After Morrison is seen with his head in his hands in between two officers .
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bb12b4cccf9f7073f7ded4fe36c0c69f9308d0c2
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Using the loo means a trip to the dunes, and the only shower is in a communal block - but for house-hunters looking for a back to basics bolthole, these seaside huts could be a perfect fit. The five tiny beach huts, all without a bathroom or mains electricity, sit on Mudeford Spit, near Christchurch, Dorset, which is so remote it can only be reached by ferry or a novelty train. But those looking to escape the stress of the city will need to have more than a little spare change. The huts are on the market for up to £240,000 - as much as a spacious family home in other parts of the country. Scroll down for video . Beach bolthole: Hut 145, pictured centre, on the remote Mudeford Spit near Christchurch, Dorset, is on the market for a staggering £240,000 . Breathtaking: The five huts which are up for sale all sit on Mudeford Spit, Dorset, above, which can only be reached by ferry or a novelty train . Back to basics: Six people can squeeze into the hut for an overnight stay on two single sofa beds (pictured), bunks and a mezzanine level . Seaside retreat: Hut 78, pictured far right, which boasts breathtaking harbour views, is being sold privately and is on the market for £200,000 . With an asking price of £240,000, hut 145 is the most expensive one on the market. At just 15ft by 10ft, the property costs the equivalent of £1,6000 per square foot - a similar rate to a beachfront mansion in exclusive Sandbanks in nearby Poole. And for the same amount, potential buyers could snap up a five-bedroom home in Liskeard, Cornwall - or splash out on a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. The property, which boasts picturesque views across to the Isle of Wight, can sleep up to eight people packed into two single sofa beds, fitted bunks and a separate mezzanine sleeping area. It is one of three that is being marketed by Denisons Estate Agents. The firm is also offering hut 224, which looks over the harbour, for £225,000, and hut 131, whose more restricted view gives it a more affordable £185,000 price tag. The huts’ electricity comes via solar panels on the roof which power the lighting, while the kitchen area has a cooker and small fridge which run off a cylinder of camping gas. The other two huts for sale are being sold privately by the owners, both for £200,000. Hut 78 has a harbour view and sleeps four and hut 335 has interrupted beach views. Buyers can only sleep at the huts between March and October, although they can visit any time of year. Last July a 18ft by 12ft hut at Mudeford became Britain's most expensive beach hut when it went on the market for £270,000. Escape the city: This sky-blue hut, number 224, is on the market for £225,000 and offers beautiful views over Christchurch Harbour . Compact: The wooden living area of hut 224 incorporates a kitchen which offers a cooker and small fridge that run off a camping gas bottle . Tight squeeze: The mezzanine level of hut 224, pictured above, offers guests another option for an overnight stay during the summer months . More affordable: Restricted views of the sea mean hut 131, pictured centre, comes with a £185,000 price tag - making it cheaper than average . Sought-after: The interior of hut 131 is bright and airy and offers a relaxed way of life to those looking to escape the stress of city living . Buyers will also have to shell out between £2,500 and £4,000 a year in ground rent to Christchurch Borough Council on top of the cost of a hut and pay a £15,000 transfer fee when they want to sell it. As beach huts are not classified as residential properties, buyers are exempt from paying stamp duty. This cuts thousands of pounds of the overall costs as 2 per cent stamp duty is paid on properties costing up to £250,000. But beach hut-owners are not spared all extra costs. Those who own beach huts on Mudeford Spit have to pay Christchurch Borough Council between £2,500 and £4,000 a year in ground rent. While anyone looking to sell has to pay a £15,000 transfer fee when it changes hands. Andy Denison, from Denisons Estate Agents, said January was a popular time of the year to sell the huts as, just as when booking holidays, would-be buyers often think about their summer plans now. He said: 'A million pounds does sound quite a lot just for five beach huts, but that does reflect how sought-after they are. It is not just a beach hut, it is a lifestyle you are buying into as well. 'It's a busy time of year for beach huts, people are starting to think about their summer plans. 'It's not that much different from travel companies starting to advertise their holidays now. It's something that has snowballed over the last few years. 'They do seem to be fetching around the £200,000-mark now and there are rumours of them going higher than that. 'It's very difficult for us to value the huts, it's governed a lot by location - whether you have that fabulous sea view - although some poeple prefer the harbour side, that's got it's own micro-climate. 'But size and condition come into it too. 'It seems like a lot of money but people are willing to pay that, even though they've still got to rent the land from the council as well. 'I think people just really want to be part of the community. It's quite a rare thing. 'Some people will spend six weeks at their beach hut for the summer holidays, getting into that way of life. 'It's a beautiful part of the world and has some of the nicest beaches. It's not an easy journey for the day so it tends to be quieter than Bournemouth or Southbourne.' In demand: One estate agent said that beach huts in the area tend to fetch around £200,000, adding that prices could rise even higher . Stunning: Hut 335, pictured right, offers uninterrupted sea views. It is being sold privately by the owner and is on the market for £200,000 . Worth the cost: Hut 145, which has no bathroom or mains electricity, does offer the owner stunning views across to the Isle of Wight, above . Carefully-designed: The kitchen inside hut 145, pictured, which is on the market for £240,000, offers a sink, small fridge and cooker .
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Five beach huts are on the market for between £185,000 and £240,000 on extremely remote Mudeford Spit, Dorset .
Properties do not offer bathrooms or mains electricity and can only be reached by ferry or novelty train .
Buyers also have to shell out thousands a year in ground rent - but at least they won't need to pay stamp duty .
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7d123ff65dd95bab63c5920de9290d134253f947
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(CNN) -- The size of a specific part of the brain may help experts pinpoint when autism could first develop, University of North Carolina researchers report. The amygdala helps individuals process faces and emotions. Using MRI brain scans, researchers found that the area of the brain called the amygdala was, on average, 13 percent larger in young children with autism, compared with control group of children without autism. In the study, published in the latest Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers scanned 50 toddlers with autism and 33 children without autism at age 2 and again at age 4. The study adjusted for age, sex and IQ. "We believe that children with autism have normal-sized brains at birth but at some point, in the latter part of the first year of life, it [the amygdala] begins to grow in kids with autism. And this study gives us insight inside the underlying brain mechanism so we can design more rational interventions," said lead study author Dr. Joseph Piven. A normal-sized amygdala helps a person process faces and emotions, behavior commonly known as joint attention. "When you see a face, you scan it, identify if it's friend or foe and make a decision about whether to move forward or avoid it," said Dr. Barry Kosofsky, chief of neurology at Cornell Medical Center, who was not affiliated with the study. UNC researchers conducted diagnostic assessments, in addition to the MRI scans, to monitor the children's behavior. They found toddlers with a large amygdala also had joint attention problems. Watch Dr. Gupta explain the findings » . "We would basically try to get the child to look one way, we'd turn and point to a clock and see whether or not the child would notice it," explained Piven. "The 2-year-olds without autism would see your face, see where you are looking and join you but the children with autism, with large amygdalas, would not." Autism experts agree joint attention difficulty is a key characteristic of autism. It also is the only behavior linked to a large amygdala, according to the study. Researchers found no association between repetitive behavior or other social behaviors and a large amygdala. "This is a core feature of autism, and it raises a very provocative possibility that if they [joint attention problems] aren't caused by changes in the amygdala, they are certainly associated with it," said Kosofsky. Autism experts say such findings are critical in developing new ways to treat and diagnose autism earlier. "Many studies have observed the brain grows too big in kids with autism, but this study finds that by age 2, the amygdala is already bigger and stops growing," said Kosofsky. "So it tells us the critical difference has already developed. It now poses the question: Are children born with autism or does it develop in the first two years of life?" Parents cannot run out and ask their doctor to check the size of their child's amygdala to determine their child's autism risk, but researchers hope over time, it can be used as a clinical tool to diagnose the mysterious developmental condition, which affects as many as 1 in 150 children. "Once we understand the neurological circuits, we may be able to detect if a child has problems in those circuits as early as 6 months of age," said Piven. "If we are able to combine those things, we can better predict and guide interventions. We need to let the pattern of early brain development guide us to predict who is at higher risk and who would benefit from early intervention." UNC researchers are conducting a follow-up to their initial findings. They're recruiting 500 infants who are also siblings of children with autism for national infant brain imaging study. "By tracking the behaviors and brain volume growth from birth in high-risk babies, we can pinpoint when the brain first begins to grow larger than normal and provide therapy or medications to limit the growth or symptoms a lot earlier than we are doing now," said Piven. Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the United States. It's newly diagnosed in 67 children every day. The average age for diagnosis 3.
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Study: The amygdala in toddlers with autism is 13 percent larger than unaffected kids .
Size of brain area linked to ability to process faces as friend or foe .
Autism is believed to affect as many as 1 in 150 children .
University of North Carolina researchers hope findings result in earlier intervention .
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(CNN) -- A U.N. resolution justifies the targeting of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, a senior NATO military official with operational knowledge of the Libya mission told CNN Thursday. The resolution applies to Gadhafi because, as head of the military, he is part of the control and command structure and therefore a legitimate target, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The official was not authorized to talk to the media. Asked by CNN whether Gadhafi was being targeted, the NATO official declined to give a direct answer. But NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu disputed the claim, saying the alliance was not specifically targeting Gadhafi. "We are targeting critical military capabilities that could be used to attack civilians, including command and control centers that could be used to plan and organize such attacks," Lungescu said. "We are simply not targeting individuals," she said, but noted on CNN's American Morning that those military capabilities are the "nerve center of Gadhafi's kill chain. The war machine that has been consistently attacking, relentlessly attacking and systematically attacking civilians in Libya." "We've seen just the other day in Misrata that sort of indiscriminate shelling is still continuing. So the Gadhafi regime still poses a threat to its own people." NATO has been ramping up pressure on the regime, employing helicopters last weekend for the first time against Gadhafi's forces. Explosions are heard often in Tripoli, evidence of allied air strikes. NATO intervened in March in the months-long civil war under a U.N. mandate to protect civilians as Gadhafi tried to crush the revolt against him. The resolution adopted by the U.N. Security Council authorized "all necessary measures," with the exception of a ground invasion, to protect civilians. NATO's goal is to end attacks against civilians, the withdrawal of Gadhafi forces to barracks and bases, and full humanitarian access, Lungescu said. "There is, of course, a political track and that is what has been going on with the Contact Group in Abu Dhabi," she said, referring to the Thursday meeting of world powers focused on the Libyan crisis. The group bolstered financial and moral support for the Libyan opposition there and focused on sustaining pressure on Gadhafi. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Wednesday it is time to start planning for what to do in Libya after Gadhafi's departure "because Gadhafi's reign of terror is coming to an end." But Gadhafi has refused to step down, going so far this week as to do a live audio broadcast as NATO warplanes bombed his Tripoli compound. "We will not surrender," he said during Tuesday's broadcast. NATO recently announced its decision to extend its mission in Libya by 90 days. CNN's Eve Bower contributed to this report.
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NATO spokeswoman says the alliance is not specifically targeting Gadhafi .
U.N. resolution applies to Gadhafi in his capacity as head of military, official says .
NATO last weekend employed helicopters against Gadhafi's military assets .
Bombing began March 31 under a U.N. mandate to protect civilians during the fighting .
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(CNN) -- Atletico Madrid overcame struggling Elche at the Vincente Calderon on Friday and moved a step closer to the club's first La Liga title in 18 years. Brazillian defender Joao Miranda rose at the far post to power home a header midway through the second half before Diego Costa scored an injury time penalty to seal a closely fought 2-0 victory. Atletico now requires three wins from its remaining four fixtures to claim the La Liga title. "It was a very open and dangerous match," Atletico manager, Diego Simeone, told reporters in his post match press conference. "We could not find space in the first half and they took chances on the break to create danger. Our attitude changed in the second half, the intensity increased and from persistence came the prize." While pleased with the result, the Argentine coach will hope for a more convincing performance in his side's next fixture against Chelsea in the semifinal of the Champions League on Tuesday. Atleti struggled to break down their well-organized opponents all night and had to withstand a period of Elche pressure before Costa sealed victory in the 90th minute. A pedestrian first half produced few chances for either side with Atletico failing to register a single shot on target. At the other end, Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to be alert to make a smart save from Elche defender Cristian Sapunaru's header. Atleti brought on midfielder Raul Garcia at the start of the second period to offer an aerial threat going forward and the tactic almost paid immediate dividends. Garcia was brought down as he attacked a high-ball into the Elche box by the retreating Sapunaru. Referee Carlos Clos Gomez pointed to the spot but David Villa couldn't convert as he fired weakly at Elche keeper Manu Herrera. Ateltico didn't let the penalty miss effect them and kept pressing their opponents with a greater intensity than they had done in the first period. The breakthrough came in the 71st minute as Miranda climbed highest at the back post, directing a header back across goal and beyond Herrera who stood rooted to the spot. Elche, themselves seeking points as they attempt to move away from the relegation area, pressed forward in search of an equalizer but were caught on the break in injury time. Diego Costa burst through and was nudged in the back as he was about to shoot by Sapunaru who gave away his second penalty of the game and was shown a straight red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity. Costa stepped up to take the spot kick and sent the diving Herrera the wrong way. Atletico now stand atop the La Liga table on 85 points, six ahead of second placed Real Madrid and seven clear of reigning champions Barcelona. The Catalans can close the gap at the top of the table to four points with victory at home to fourth placed Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. They will have to do so without the services of Neymar, however, after the Brazilian striker was ruled out for at least four weeks with a metatarsal injury on Friday. Barcelona have suffered a dreadful few weeks, exiting the Champions League at the quarter final stage for the first time in six seasons, losing ground in La Liga after defeat at Granada and falling to defeat at the hands Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey final on Wednesday. Real Madrid do not play this weekend after taking the option to postpone their match against Real Vallodolid in order to prepare for Wednesday's Champions League semifinal first leg clash with Bayern Munich.
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Atletico Madrid move seven points clear at top of La Liga after victory over Elche .
Goals from Jaoa Miranda and Diego Costa seal 2 - 0 win at Vincente Calderon .
Atleti can now lift first title in 18 years with victory in next three La Liga matches .
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By . Associated Press . Latest fatality: Cody Talanian, 17, was in critical condition immediately after the crash but was pronounced dead late Sunday night . The teenage death count in car crash over the weekend in Long Island has now risen to five after one of the survivors who was in critical condition has now been pronounced dead. Nassau County police said four of the teenagers died when the car they were in crashed with a large SUV early Saturday. A fifth teenager- Cody Talanian- was pronounced dead at Nassau University Medical Center on Sunday night, police said. The teens were riding in a 2001 Nissan when it crossed over a double yellow line and collided with a GMC Suburban. Two people in the SUV were seriously injured. Police on Monday identified the teenage fatalities as Jesse J. Romero, 18; Tristan Reichle, 17; Talanian, 17; Noah Tziamihaf who also goes by Noah Franklin, 15, and Carly Lonnborg, 14. A spokesman said the homicide squad had yet to release information on who was driving. Other details about the crash investigation also were not immediately provided. Carly Lonnborg's relatives have launched a Go Fund Me page to help raise money for her funeral. As of early Monday evening, they had raised more than $3,800. 'Carly was the brightest, most beautiful and unique young lady. She was only 14, but in those short years she lived a full vibrant life and touched everyone who was lucky enough to have known her,' the page reads. Grief counselors were sent to Farmingdale High School, where all of the teens were either current of former students. The flag outside the school was flying at half-staff. Friends: Tristan Reichle (left) and Noah Francis (right) were two of the four who died instantly in the crash shortly after midnight on Saturday . Too soon: Carly Lonnberg (left) and Jesse Romero (right) were the other two who were declared dead shortly after the crash early Sunday . Students at a suburban New York high school dressed in green on Monday — the school's color. 'They're . young kids who had a future ahead of them, as much as I do, and they . didn't know that they were going to end like this,' 16-year-old . sophomore Kimberly Kolsch told Newsday. Nassau County police say a 2001 Nissan carrying five teens was traveling west when it crossed into the eastbound lane and was struck by a GMC Suburban at about 12:04am. According to the paper, the front of the SUV slammed into the passenger side of the Nissan, crushing the small car. 'It was really a horrific scene,' Farmingdale Fire Department spokesman Christopher Pieloch, who responded to the accident, told Newsday. The two people in the GMC, a man, 53, and his female passenger, suffered serious injuries but are expected to survive, police said. High schoolers: All five teens who were riding in this 2001 Nissan were from Farmingdale High School . Disbelief: The families of the teens awoke to the awful news on Mother's Day . Both vehicles were impounded for brake and safety checks. The investigation is ongoing. 'This has been a heartbreaking time for our Farmingdale School District community as well as the greater Farmingdale community,' School Superintendent John Lorentz said in a statement Monday. 'There is nothing more devastating than losing a child.' How she is remembered: Carly's friends and relatives say that she was 'the brightest, most beautiful and unique young lady' A vigil on Sunday night at St. Kilian's Roman Catholic Church — about a half-mile from the crash scene — was attended by more than 1,000 people. Parent Jeff Kolsch said he told his daughter, 'Life is short, it can end anytime. Be grateful for everyday day,' and 'we're thankful that God gives us another day.'
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Cody Talanian, 17, was pronounced dead late Sunday night .
He was in a car with four friends- all of whom died immediately after the crash in Long Island in the early hours of Sunday morning .
The teens were in a 2001 Nissan sedan when a SUV crossed over the median and slammed directly into their car .
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f8a1c840fe228dff743e0c7706c39e538da56080
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Sen. Ted Cruz hasn't decided whether he'll be hitting the presidential campaign trail in 2015, but he's scheduled to hit the Passover speaking circuit next year. Cruz, who has been actively courting major Jewish and pro-Israel donors in recent months, will speak at at least one ritzy Passover getaway this spring in California. Cruz was mistakenly listed as a speaker at four pricey Passover getaways organized by the Prime Hospitality Group, but a rabbi who helped coordinate Cruz's appearance said the Texan senator is only slated to speak at one event. "Unfortunately it was a mistake on our part," Rabbi Seth Grauer said. Grauer added that Cruz may speak at an additional Passover event in California or Colorado, but deferred additional comment to Cruz's office. His office has not responded to CNN's request for comment. Cruz has spoken at length in the past about the need to support Israel and has called a nuclear Iran the top national security threat to the United States. A tea party and evangelical favorite, Cruz is billed as a speaker alongside several leading rabbis and Malcolm Hoenlein, a major player in the pro-Israel lobby and the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. The event where Cruz is slated to speak is set at the five-diamond St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in California, where stays range from $5,600 to $11,000 per person for the full 10-day stay, according to the Prime Hospitality Group. The organization's website bills Cruz as an ardent supporter of Israel, quoting Mort Klein, the President of the right wing pro-Israel group, the Zionist Organization of America. Cruz's deputy chief of staff Nick Muzin will also speak at the Passover event in California. Cruz reportedly met with top Jewish donors in New York City in November, according to the New York Observer. He also met privately with casino mogul and Jewish Republican donor Sheldon Adelson in November. Cruz left the stage at an event celebrating Middle Eastern Christians in September after he was booed for expressing his support for Israel. "If you will not stand with Israel, then I will not stand with you," Cruz said at the event in September.
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Cruz will speak at four pricey Passover resort getaways this spring .
Cruz is considering a 2016 presidential run and has been actively courting top Jewish donors .
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7a3a0ecade629a58678c79c5324f2c13ff720abb
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By . Sarah Bull . Created 10:42 PM on 29th August 2011 . She's been keeping a low profile in recent months since her unceremonious sacking from X Factor USA. But it looks like Cheryl Cole is determined to make her name Stateside after landing her first Hollywood film role. In a rare glimpse of the singer, she was spotted looking slim and toned on the set of What To Expect When You're Expecting in Atlanta, Georgia. Ready, Hollywood? Cheryl Cole looked confident and slim on set in Atlanta, Georgia yesterday (left) compared to her anxious appearance at the X Factor USA auditions in May (right) After months of hitting the gym near her Los Angeles apartment, the 28-year-old showed off the results in a tight black Emilio Pucci lace dress and Christian Louboutin heels as she made her way to film her first scenes. Her sleek and confident look is a far . cry from her cute, but unsure appearance in a polka dot outfit at the X . Factor USA auditions in May. The . film – whose cast also includes actors Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock and . Matthew Morrison - chronicles the lives of four couples as they prepare . to become parents. Stylish: The 28-year-old looked incredible in a black lace Emilio Pucci dress and Christian Louboutin heels . And, in what could be construed as a side-swipe at Simon Cowell after she was sacked from X Factor USA, Cheryl will play a TV talent show judge for her cameo role in the film. Cameron plays Jules who auditions in an X Factor-style contest in front of the TV talent show judge - Cheryl's character. Cheryl . is said to have initially impressed Hollywood film bosses during a . four-day appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in May. A . film source revealed to the Daily Mail earlier this year: ‘This is a . bit of fun for Cheryl. She will film the scenes imminently and is really . looking forward to it. Cooling down: Cheryl, who changed into silver sandals to walk to the set, enjoys an iced drink between takes . Under fire: Cheryl was criticised for her too-long trousers and big hair at her first X Factor USA auditions . 'It doesn’t mean she suddenly wants to become an actress. It was just an opportunity that has come up while she has been having some down time and she thought it would be great fun to take part.’ A spokesperson for the singer said at the time: 'Cheryl Cole is confirmed for a small cameo appearance in . the film What to Expect When You're Expecting.' While . it's Cheryl's first Hollywood film role, she previously starred . alongside her Girls Aloud bandmates in British comedy St Trinian's in . 2007. Cheryl's appearance on set comes as she finally wrote her first tweet - two months after opening her official Twitter account. She wrote today: 'It's me CC! WHERE MY SOLDIERS AT.......?!!! I can't believe what my fingers are doing but yes I'm tweeting :-s so here goes...X.' She then sent a message to her new co-star Diaz, who turns 39 today. She said: 'Happy birthday Cameron, you sexy beeeyyaatchh...X.' Meanwhile, in a . recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Simon Cowell said he . wouldn't hesitate to offer Cheryl a role on another of his TV projects. Defending his decision to replace Cheryl with Nicole Scherzinger in the U.S., Cowell said: 'You're not drowning puppies here. 'You're offering someone who's got . millions of dollars, more money and more work. And if people think . that's cruel, then they can do that to me on a daily basis. I'll take it . twice a day.' Cowell also . confirmed that he offered Cheryl the chance to return to UK X Factor, . but negotiations fell apart and they hadn't spoken since. He . said: 'She missed the deadline which meant she'd lost the UK show. I . asked her manager Will.i.am, "How does she feel about it?" He said, . "It's none of your concern." 'I never heard from her... I think her silence was quite damning.' Co-star: It is believed Cameron Diaz's character Jules will audition for a reality show in the film, in front of Cheryl on the panel . Breaking the silence: Cheryl Cole used her Twitter account for the first time ever today .
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Writes her first Tweet two months after opening her official Twitter page .
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47d5ea2e8704e7002affa05f611091e5c620b6de
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Baghdad (CNN) -- An Iraqi judge sentenced a British contractor to life in prison Monday, sparing him the death penalty. Daniel Fitzsimons, 30, was charged with murder in the 2009 shooting deaths of two colleagues in Baghdad, in the first trial of a Westerner in Iraq since the Iraq War started in 2003. He pleaded not guilty, telling a three-judge panel that he shot the two men in self-defense. The judge who sentenced him said he didn't give him the death penalty "because you're still young and because of the circumstances of the crime," he said. Fitzsimons smiled and thanked the judge when he heard the verdict Monday. The victims were Paul McGuigan, a British national, and Darren Hoare, an Australian. Fitzsimons was also accused of the attempted murder of a guard. The Iraqi guard, Arkan Mahdi, was wounded. He has the right to claim compensation in civil court, the judge ruled. Iraqi judges are not named for security reasons. Fitzsimons's Iraqi lawyer, Tariq Harb, said he was "very happy with the court decision." But Salam Abdulkarim, who represents the families of the victims, said Fitzsimons had committed an ugly crime and according to Iraqi law, he should get the most extreme punishment. A spokesman with the British Embassy in Baghdad said it was a matter for Iraqi law. "This was a decision made by the Iraqi court. We respect the independence of the Iraqi judicial system, the court verdict and the sentence," the spokesman said. Fitzsimons complained during the trial that the court would not let him talk about his post-traumatic stress disorder. The court issued two delays in order to get a health committee report on PTSD. Fitzsimons had previously been diagnosed with the disorder in Britain, but his lawyer had argued that the disorder was new to Iraq. The trial comes after security contractors lost their immunity following the U.S.-Iraq security agreement that went into effect in January 2009. Before that, Iraqis had complained that private security contractors were operating in a state of lawlessness, never held accountable by Iraqi authorities for incidents in which Iraqis were killed. According to Fitzsimons' testimony, after a night of drinking, he got into a fight with McGuigan that lasted on and off for more than an hour. He then left, but was later attacked by McGuigan and Hoare, and he shot them in self-defense, he told the court. At one point, one of the judges told him that his version didn't match some of the evidence. Under Iraqi law, murder is punishable by hanging.
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NEW: The judge is lenient because of the youth of the killer and the circumstances .
Daniel Fitzsimons, 30, is the first Westerner to be tried in Iraq since the war began in 2003 .
Fitzsimons admitted shooting two colleagues, Paul McGuigan and Darren Hoare .
But he pleaded not guilty to murder, saying he shot the men in self-defense .
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1ed66e2169dfb16e4172afde0c50290f36fe31eb
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By . Meghan Keneally . A worker at a Red Robin in Missouri has been diagnosed with hepatitis A and now health officials fear that more than 5,000 customers may have been exposed to the disease. The infected individual has not been identified and the only detail that has been released is that they work at the Springfield, Missouri location. USA Today reports that the employee's condition was reported to the Springfield-Greene County Health Department on Tuesday and they have now called on anyone who ate at the location at any point in the last two weeks. Customer call back: An employee at this Springfield, Missouri Red Robin has hepatitis A and may have spread the disease to customers between May 6 and May 8 . Hepatitis A is a highly-contagious liver disease that can cause inflammation which, in turn, prevents the organ from operating properly. The disease typically spreads through contact with water or food that an infected individual has touched, making the employee's job at a fast food restaurant even more dangerous and susceptible to spread. 'Upon being informed of the incident, the Springfield Red Robin took all safety measures to ensure the well-being of our guests and team members including arranging the inoculation of all Springfield team members with the immune globulin prophylaxis shot,' Red Robin officials said in a statement. This is the second time this month that a Red Robin employee has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, though the earlier instance was at a Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania outpost. Passing through food: Hepatitis A regularly spreads when infected individuals handle food or drinks . In that case, the local health authority did not feel it was necessary to put out a call for the public to seek immediate medical treatment. That wasn't the case in the latest case in Missouri, as the county health department has announced that they feel anyone who ate at the restaurant between May 6 and May 8 should be immunized. 'We did extensive investigations through inspections and determined it was a significant risk and that we needed to notify the public and have some immunization clinics to try to prevent any further spread of hepatitis A,' Springfield-Greene County Health Department director Kevin Gipson said. Downward trend: The number of acute hepatitis A infections in the United States have dropped dramatically due to the development of a vaccine . The problem facing the containment process is that infected individuals do not necessarily display symptoms, though adults are more likely to feel nauseous and notice a spike in their temperature, a yellowing of their skin and vomiting. Most cases are deemed mild and do not require serious treatment, resolving itself in a few weeks without causing permanent damage, but that is not always the case. 'Any time we have these cases we err on the side of caution. We never take the public’s health for granted so we have scheduled a couple of clinics,' Mr Gipson said. This possible outbreak comes at a relative low point for the disease as the Centers for Disease Control have reported that while there were more than 30,000 cases of acute hepatitis A in the early 1990s but now the vaccine has led to only 2,700 acute cases being reported in 2011.
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An employee at a Springfield, Missouri Red Robin has been diagnosed with hepatitis A and may have infected thousands of customers .
Health officials have set up immunization clinics to treat the liver disease .
Not all infected individuals show symptoms but it can include vomiting, fever, and yellowing of the skin .
This is the second time this month that a Red Robin employee has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, the first time was in a Pennsylvania outpost .
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By . Associated Press Reporter . A judge on Monday has ordered an investigation into the whereabouts of Casey Kasem after an attorney for the ailing radio personality's wife said the former Top 40 host had been removed from the country. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy ordered a court investigator and adult protective services to find out where Kasem is being treated and report back to the court. Kasem, 82, suffers from advanced Parkinson's disease, can no longer speak and has been in various medical facilities chosen by his wife, Jean Kasem. Casey Kasem, 82, suffers from advanced Parkinson's disease, can no longer speak and has been in various medical facilities chosen by his wife, Jean Kasem . Casey Kasem's children have complained that they have been unable to see their father in accordance with an agreement with their stepmother. Daughter Kerri Kasem had sought a temporary conservator-ship and was appointed her father's temporary caretaker on Monday. Her attorney, Troy Martin, said the family believes the entertainer has been taken to an Indian reservation in Washington state. Murphy's order came after Craig Marcus, an attorney who appeared on Jean Kasem's behalf at Monday's hearing, said he did not know where the radio personality was but knew that he had been removed from the country. Daughter Kerri Kasem had sought a temporary conservator-ship and was appointed her father's temporary caretaker on Monday . ‘I have no idea where he is,’ Marcus said. The revelation brought stunned protests from Murphy and two of Casey Kasem's daughters, two of the entertainer's three children from a previous marriage. ‘Your statements concern me even more,’ the judge told Marcus, who declined to comment after the hearing. Marcus said in court that Jean Kasem had every right to move her husband as she saw fit. Murphy appointed a doctor to look into Casey Kasem's care and ordered a court-appointed attorney to find out his whereabouts as soon as possible. Casey Kasem gained fame with his radio music countdown shows, American Top 40 and Casey's Top 40, and was the voice of Shaggy in the cartoon Scooby Doo. Wife and husband: Casey and his wife Jean, shown in 2007 in Beverly Hills, California, have been married since 1980 . As temporary conservator, Kerri Kasem will have access to her father's medical records and other reports that have previously been sealed by court order. Kerri Kasem's case is the second one opened by one of the former host's children to try to gain access to their father and have some oversight over his care. A previous case by daughter Julie Kasem was dismissed after she reached a settlement with her stepmother, but the daughter said on Monday that agreement has been breached. In a court filing last week, Kerri Kasem's attorneys wrote that the entertainer has been repeatedly moved without warning and his children have been unable to see him. The complaint accused Jean Kasem of elder abuse by isolating her husband from his family. ‘We've been troubled for a long time,’ Kerri Kasem said after Monday's court hearing. She said Murphy's orders will ensure that the truth about her father's care comes out. ‘Justice has been served today,’ she said.
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A judge has ordered an investigation into the whereabouts of Casey Kasem .
Kasem, 82, suffers from advanced .
Parkinson's disease, can no longer speak and has been in various medical .
facilities chosen by his wife .
His children have complained that they have been unable to see their father in accordance with an agreement with their stepmother .
They believe he has been taken to an Indian reservation in Washington state .
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fbcac72a7033e420ff526771683e08113efef7a9
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Editor's note: This article contains profanity that some may find offensive. This is part one of a three part series showing different aspects of life inside Colombia's drug gangs. A gang member sniffs in a cloud of cocaine dust as he cuts the drug with other substances. MEDELLIN, Colombia (CNN) -- A young man with tattoos covering one arm rolls hundreds of marijuana joints in the half-light of a shack, perched on a hillside in a Medellin slum. A 9mm pistol and a .38 revolver lie on his work bench. An old battery-powered radio blares out the salsa music classic, "Todo Tiene Su Final" or "Everything Comes To An End." "I'm getting calluses on my tongue rolling all these spliffs," he laughs, telling me has enough marijuana for about 1,000 joints. He and his comrades plan to sell them for about 50 cents apiece. A few doors away, two other gang members have raided their mother's kitchen for soup plates, drinking glasses and a blender. They've just taken delivery of a kilogram (2.2 pound) brick of pure cocaine. Their job now is to cut it and package it in gram bags to peddle on street corners they control. Watch as cocaine is cut » . A female gang member shows up with two more bags, one containing powdered caffeine and the other lidocaine, a dental anesthetic used to dilute the pure cocaine. They mix business with pleasure. Every now and again one of the gang members pulls off the top of the blender and breathes in a cloud of pulverized cocaine. One of them coughs and keels over in the kitchen. Seconds later, he's back on his feet snorting cocaine off a spoon. "Breathing that cocaine cloud mellows me out so I need a line to take me back up," he says. Standing in the background, snorting lines of pure cocaine off a pocketknife is the gang leader, a man in his mid-20s. His cohorts call him "Chief." He tells me they'll sell the heavily cut cocaine for $1.50 a gram. Higher purity powder goes for about $4 a gram. That's much cheaper than the $50 or $60 a heavily cut gram costs on most U.S. and European streets, according to estimates from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. I agree to conceal Chief's true identity to protect him from the police and rival gangs. As we chat, he dismantles a small caliber pistol. Watch the gangs in action » . "Around here the only law is the rules of the street," he explains. "The rules don't change; they always will be the rules, here or anywhere else." A trusted source, who made the introduction for me, tells me Chief is a "total animal living on borrowed time," who has earned so many enemies he cannot risk stepping outside the few hundred square yards of his home turf. "I'm only human, of course I get afraid," he says. "Afraid my life will end suddenly before I can do anything to get out of this war." Since the time when undisputed cocaine king Pablo Escobar held sway here, the "northeastern commune" district has forged a fearsome reputation as a recruiting ground for drug cartel hit men and violent gang wars. Medellin is once again in the grip of a vicious drug war. In January to September this year, city authorities say the murder rate has more than doubled with almost 2,000 killings. Officials at the Medellin public prosecutor's offices say the vast majority of victims were shot, likely victims of rival drug gangs and cocaine capos. Watch marijuana joints being rolled by the hundreds » . That makes Medellin as dangerous as Ciudad Juarez, the frontier town dubbed Mexico's most dangerous city as a result of the ongoing cartel war there. Authorities in Juarez say killings are up from last year and are hitting record highs. Colombian authorities estimate there are around 130 street gangs -- known as "combos" -- in Medellin, totaling some 6,000 members. Their only real loyalty is to the money that drug capos dole out to hire a gang's services. Capos will supply them with drugs to retail on street corners and occasionally issue them weapons to take on rival gangs loyal to another crime boss. Until earlier this year, Medellin's drug underworld was ruled by the so-called "Office of Envigado," named after a district of the Medellin metropolitan area. The "office" was a syndicate of the top cocaine bosses who agreed on the basic rules of doing business in the area. They shared smuggling routes and acted as the ultimate enforcers if cartel members reneged on deals or debts. But the "office" has been ripped apart by infighting. Some senior members were arrested, some of those already in jail were extradited and others cut cooperation deals with U.S. authorities. That left the lower ranks fighting to fill the power vacuum. It's an internal battle that is still raging. Watch how CNN's Karl Penhaul got unprecedented access to the gangs » . "The ones fueling this war are the ones from the other side. They've f***ed up Medellin," Chief says. "They're from Medellin but they're traitors." "They want to get control of all Medellin so they're shooting up one gang then another. They're getting paid to fight. These are wars between the big capos and we're paying the price out here on the streets," he adds. Chief and his allies have stopped rivals intruding on their turf by strictly enforcing what they call "street rules." A day before our meeting, Chief says he helped bury one of his friends who had been gunned down when he ventured into the heart of Medellin with a girlfriend. "I couldn't even bear to take a look inside the coffin," he began explaining. "We don't really know who did it. But it was that crack head girlfriend who persuaded him to go down there. So we killed the bitch. "You see that's street rules. You have to answer for our friend and the only way you can do that is pay with your life," he says. Chief shies away from questions about which cartel boss is bankrolling his gang. But clearly somebody has been supplying them with guns. They pose with a Czech-made .22-caliber rifle and an assortment of semi-automatic pistols -- as well as the wholesale supply of drugs they then sell on the streets. My conversation with Chief is interrupted when another gang member arrives at the improvised drug den. He mumbles to his boss that a local man has been beating up his wife. Chief authorizes his underling to go and thrash the accused man with a pool cue. "I don't think we need cameras for this one please," he requests. As I get ready to leave I have one last question for Chief: I want to know if he ever had any dreams. "I've tried to get out of this but it's never quite worked out," he says. "I'd like to sail away in a sailboat. Alone and far away."
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Drug war raging in Medellin, Colombia, has seen almost 2,000 killings this year .
Gang leader says violence sparked by power vacuum as old bosses arrested .
His gang sells cocaine and marijuana and he rules through violence .
But he refuses to say which cartel boss is bankrolling his gang .
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Eric Dier knows England Under-21s team-mate Danny Ings will need close attention if Tottenham are to overcome Burnley in Wednesday's FA Cup third-round replay. After last Monday's encounter at Turf Moor ended in a 1-1 draw, the sides will again do battle at White Hart Lane to decide who hosts Leicester in the fourth round. Tottenham are favourites to progress but Dier is not taking the Clarets lightly, especially given the form of Young Lions team-mate Ings. Eric Dier has played with Danny Ings as part of Gareth Southgate's England Under-21s team . The Tottenham squad line up before performing fitness drills ahead of their FA Cup clash against the Clarets . Ings breaks clear of Tottenham's Ben Davies (left) and Jan Vertonghen (right) in the FA Cup third-round . 'Danny Ings is a massive threat and he's probably their most dangerous player,' Dier told Spurs' official website. 'I've played with him for England Under-21s and I've seen at close quarters that he's a really good player. 'He's shown that he's very sharp, so we'll have to keep an eye on him. 'In terms of the game itself, Burnley made it difficult for us and their style of play was tough to play against last week but at White Hart Lane we fancy our chances, especially with our recent home form going in our favour.' Ings vies with Queens Park Rangers' Richard Dunne for the ball during Burnley's 2-1 win on Saturday . Ings scores a brace for Burnley in their 2-1 win over Stoke City at the Britannia stadium in November . The England Under-21s striker has scored six goals in 18 Premier League games for Burnley this season .
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Eric Dier has singled out Danny Ings ahead of FA Cup clash with Burnley .
Dier has played with Ings for England Under-21s .
Ings has scored six goals in 18 Premier League games this season .
Tottenham and Burnley drew 1-1 at Turf Moor in the initial third-round tie .
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A health visitor with a first class honours degree in nursing was found hanged after she became tormented by her severe skin condition. Hollie McEwen, a dedicated professional, first suffered psoriasis as a 12-month-old but it eased with treatment. However, it later reappeared due to stress and the 28-year-old became so depressed she took her own life at home. Her father Andrew told an inquest: 'Her condition played a large part in what she decided to do. 'She was a beautiful, vibrant young woman who felt she couldn't deal with the condition. She felt this was the only way out.' The Doncaster hearing was told she had suffered from bulimia as a teenager. Her family believed the eating disorder stemmed from her ongoing issues with her skin condition. Her mother Wendy said: 'Her skin condition played a large part in her problems as a teenager and when older I feel this was at the root of all the problems.' Hollie McEwen, 28, hanged herself just two days after she had sought medical help for her depression . Ms McEwen, pictured, had been prescribed drugs to help combat her depression . Hollie's body was found just two days after she had sought medical help for her depression. She had spent a long time writing several letters to loved ones which were found in a bin. Her father, who saw her the evening before the tragedy said: 'She was a happy, young woman who enjoyed her work and social life but she kept everything very close to herself. We had a good laugh on that last night and there was no indication she was unhappy.' Mrs McEwen said her daughter, who lived in Scawsby, Doncaster, had treatment for psoriasis over the last few years involving hospital stays and steroids after suffering anxiety attacks. Hollie had enjoyed a family holiday in Turkey but was 'down' after being given an anti-depression drug by her GP which failed to lighten her mood. 'She was an intelligent, determined and organised young woman,' she said. 'I told her to keep going with the tablets and give it time.' When told about her daughter's death she said: 'I was in absolute shock. Her death has left a large hole in our family. I still can't understand why this has happened.' Hollie's brother Andrew told the inquest: 'She was a happy young woman who enjoyed her work and social life. She kept everything very close to herself.' Assistant Doncaster coroner Fred Curtis said Ms McEwen's family was 'most loving' and 'really cared for her' He said there was no indication that she was unhappy the evening before she died. He added: 'As a teenager she was always conscious of her skin condition and it worried her greatly.' Hollie's neighbour Elaine Lunn found a note from her on the morning of Friday, May 23 asking her to call the emergency services so Hollie's family would not find her body. She said: 'I believe she had planned it. There was nothing to suggest prior that she was going to do anything like this. I feel totally distraught.' She added: 'She was a very attractive young woman. She was energetic, thoughtful and caring and studied to further her career. She was very bright and intelligent.' Nurse and friend Angelina Deighton, who trained with Hollie at Sheffield Hallam University, said she knew her psoriasis had worried Hollie and she said she was having treatment and counselling. 'She was always the life and soul of our friendship group,' she said. 'She was always bubbly. She had a boyfriend for a few months in 2013 but it fizzled out and she wasn't concerned about it. 'Lately she described being tired, down and just not coping. She had been to her GP for anti-depressants but she didn't think counselling would help her and she tried to help herself. 'I tried time and time again to get her to seek help. She had many friends who thought she would never do anything like this.' Behavioural psychotherapist Jessica Dunn, who had a session with Hollie just two days before she died, said Hollie had started to feel anxious and overwhelmed at having to plan a friend's hen party. The inquest heard Ms McEwen, pictured, had been avoiding her friends because her mood was so low . 'She was well presented with immaculate hair and make-up,' said Miss Dunn. She had 'dark thoughts' but had no intention of carrying them out. 'She told me "I wouldn't put my family through that".' Hollie had been avoiding her friends and not socialising because her mood was so low. After breaking down in tears in the witness stand Miss Dunn said: 'I had no concern for her safety.' Dr Elena Pamphilon, Hollie's GP for ten years, said she had come in for repeat prescriptions for medication to treat her psoriasis which she managed herself. She attended with depression and anxiety towards the end of 2013 and again this year. 'In May she said she was finding things overwhelming but did not mention any particular trigger.' The skin condition — characterised by raised flaking, itching red patches on various parts of the body — affects around 1.8 million people in Britain, most of them first affected before their 40th birthday. It is an immune condition that causes the body to produce too many new skin cells. The extra cells accumulate and cluster in red, inflamed patches, thickening the skin, which often has a ‘silvery scale’ appearance. A virus or infection such as tonsillitis — when the immune system is weakened — can trigger the condition in those with a genetic predisposition, as can a stressful event. Around 30 per cent of people with psoriasis get painful joints — sometimes the joint pain comes before the skin condition appears — because the immune system targets the joints, triggering psoriatic arthritis. The severity of the condition varies from person to person, for some causing a minor irritation, while for others it has a major impact on their quality of life. The condition is not contagious, so cannot be spread from person to person. There is no cure for psoriasis, but a range of treatments can be used to improve symptoms and the appearance of the affected skin patches. In most cases a sufferer will be prescribed creams and ointments to ease the symptoms. The doctor gave her sertraline, an anti-depressant drug, but a fortnight later Hollie's mood had worsened and she went back. 'She may have had to wait longer to see the benefits of the drug,' said Dr Pamphilon. 'There isn't a drug to give more immediate relief.' Assistant Doncaster coroner Fred Curtis said: 'She was a young lady who has achieved well in just about everything she has done.' Although suffering from psoriasis and bouts of anxiety and depression she was 'happy and active' until her mood began to change towards the end of 2013. 'She had the most loving of families - a family that really cared for her,' said the coroner. 'They were aware of some of the problems but never the full extent thereafter not because of any fault on their part because Hollie did not reveal the full extent of the depression she suffered at times.' She never told her family, doctors or friends about her suicide plans. 'During the spring of 2014 her mood was at all times lower than that recognised by anyone,' said the coroner. 'That's not to criticise her family or health services. It may be down in part to the fact that she cared for so many people she didn't want them to believe she had a very low mood and didn't want to distress them.' He said her death involved planning 'which she kept from everyone.' Recording a suicide verdict he extended his sympathies to the family and said: 'She had been successful and had a good future ahead of her.'
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Hollie McEwen fell into depression after suffering from severe psoriasis .
The 'beautiful, vibrant' 28-year-old had first class honours degree in nursing .
She was found hanged after she became tormented by the skin condition .
Inquest heard skin condition played a 'large part' in what she decided to do .
Medical professionals had prescribed her drugs to help combat depression .
For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details .
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By . Jill Reilly . A London hotel has devoted space on its third floor balcony to more than 300,000 guests - in the form of bees. The bee sanctuary at St Ermin’s Hotel, in St James’s Park, is the first of its kind in the capital and the hotel now has an entire wall dedicated to the insects. The hotel offers stylish purple hexagon suites for the bees in what has been dubbed a 'bijou BEE&b.' A London hotel has devoted space on its third floor to more than 300,000 guests - in the form of bees . The bee sanctuary at St Ermin's Hotel, in St James's Park, is the first of its kind in the capital and the hotel now has an entire wall dedicated to the much-loved insects . The hotel offers stylish hexagon suites for the bees in what has been dubbed a 'bijou BEE&b' Designed and created by the St Ermin’s expert beekeeper, Camilla Goddard, the new bee hotel provides a welcome home for a wide variety of visiting bee species. It is also home to entire colony of buckfast bees - a man-made species bred in the early 20th century at Buckfast Abbey, Devon, to combat a disease decimating local colonies. Now the bees - which can come and go as they please from the outside space - have been given bamboo nesting areas as well as specially designed log-style homes for solitary species of bumblebee. Sweet success: The hotel's bee-keeper Camilla Goddard (left) teaches guests how to collect raw honey . Ms Goddard says: 'I really want to encourage more people to help by creating more forage for bee' The bee hotel also provides a variety of special areas for other helpful insects including rolled cardboard swirls for lacewing and crevice stacks for ladybirds, earwigs, woodlice and spiders . The bee . hotel also provides a variety of special areas for other helpful insects . including rolled cardboard swirls for lacewing and crevice stacks for . ladybirds, earwigs, woodlice and spiders. Ms Goddard said: 'Bees are suffering massive decline and have a lot of challenges . at the moment, including reduced natural forage, such as wild flower . meadows. 'I . really want to encourage more people to help by creating more forage . for bees - don’t forget trees like apples, chestnuts and pears. 'In London bees visit lots of privet flowers, so please don’t prune off the flower heads.' Ms Goddard is offering a series of small group taster bee keeping workshops at the St Ermin’s Hotel during the Chelsea Fringe period and again in September. Heaven scent: The terrace is dotted with wildflowers and bee-friendly plants . Causing a buzz: The 'bee hotel' is located on the third floor terrace at St Ermin's Hotel in St James Park .
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The bee sanctuary has been set up in St Ermin’s Hotel, in St James’s Park .
Hotel has devoted space on its third floor balcony to more than 300,000 bees .
Created stylish purple hexagon suites for the bees as 'accommodation'
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South Koreans are in the grip of a frantic hunt for chunks of meteor which could be worth more than £50,000 ($83,000). Hundreds of people have been scouring hills and rice paddies for space souvenirs near the southeastern city of Jinju after the rare shower on March 9. Some of the treasure hunters were armed with GPS devices and metal detectors, according to media reports. South Koreans are in the grip of a frantic hunt for chunks of meteor which could be worth over £50,000 ($83,000). South Korean geologists are shown here surveying the area near where a chondrite (a type of meteorite) was found, in the southeastern city of Jinju . ‘Media hype claiming that chondrites [a type of meteorite] could bring you a bonanza sparked the fever for space rocks,’ an official from the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea (CHAK) told AFP. Local greenhouse owners have put up signs warning off trespassers after the first large chunk of rock, weighing around 20lbs (9kg), was found in a greenhouse near Jinju. A second piece weighing 8.8lbs (4kg) was found by another local resident. Local greenhouse owners have put up signs warning off trespassers after the first large chunk of rock (pictured), weighing around 20lbs (9kg), was found in a greenhouse near Jinju . A South Korean farmer checking a chondrite (a type of meteorite) at his greenhouse in the southeastern city of Jinju (left). On the right locals go on the hunt to find even more pieces that may be scattered in the area . Scientists confirmed that two rocks, found in the two days after the meteor shower, had come from space . Meteorites are typically sold by weight, but other factors come into play when putting a price tag on these space rocks. Rarity of type, condition of preservation and its beauty can all change the price. Prices vary from one source to another but it typically ranges between £3 ($5) to £6 ($10) per gram. Unclassified stone chondrites, such as the ones found in South Korea, are at the bottom scale of the price range. Pallasites, stony-iron meteorites, are more valuable, particularly when cut and polished because of their attractive colour. Some can will fetch between $20 (£12) and $40 (£24) per gram. A quality slice the size of a small dinner plate is worth thousands of pounds. Scientists confirmed that both rocks, found in the two days after the meteor shower, had come from space. ‘Because it is suspected that a meteorite divided in the atmosphere into more than two pieces, it is still possible that more meteorite [debris] will be discovered,’ said an official of the Korea Polar Research Institute (Kopri). However, an an official estimate has yet to be confirmed. Treasure hunters hope they will sell any meteorites found for large sums. The current going rate for meteors ranges betwee £3 ($5) to £6 ($10) per gram. The 20lb (9kg) rock found last week is expected to be worth up to $90,000 (£54,000). A U.S. meteorite-hunter has been handing out business cards in the local area, asking people to sell him any shards they find, the Korea JoongAng Daily said. Prime Minister Chung Hong-Won suggested the government should secure them for research or as a natural monument. The current international standard is of £3 ($5) to £6 ($10) per gram. This 20lb (9kg) rock found last week is expected to be worth up to $90,000 (£54,000) Ownership of the meteorites remains a legally grey area because of the lack of relevant provisions in South Korean civil law . Both space rocks were found in Jinju, a city in South Gyeongsang Province in South Korea . The CHAK official said the agency would designate any meteorites found as cultural assets to stop them from being taken out of South Korea. Ownership of the meteorites remains a legally grey area because of the lack of relevant provisions in South Korean civil law, the official added. A space rock was last found on its soil in 1943, when the Korean peninsula was under Japan's colonial rule. Meteor showers occur when hundreds of meteors - fragments of dust and rock that burn up as they pass through the Earth's atmosphere - light up the sky in a spectacular display. Meteorites are meteors that do not burn up completely, surviving the fall to Earth. Scientists check the authenticity of the finds. A space rock was last found on its soil in 1943, when the Korean peninsula was under Japan's colonial rule . The second piece of space rock found weighed 8.8lbs (4kg) and was uncovered by a local resident in Jinju .
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Meteor shower took place in southeastern city of .
Jinju on March 9 .
Hundreds of people have been scouring area with GPS and metal detectors .
First rock, weighing around 20lbs (9kg), was found at local greenhouse .
A second piece weighing 8.8lbs (4kg) was found by another local resident .
Current going rate for meteors ranges between £3 ($5) to £6 ($10) per gram .
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The University of Virginia on Saturday suspended activities at all campus fraternal organizations amid an investigation into a published report in which a student described being sexually assaulted by seven men at a fraternity in 2012. President Teresa Sullivan said in a letter to the university community that the Board of Visitors is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the allegations contained in a Rolling Stone article, along with the university's policies and procedures concerning sexual assaults. Groups of students, faculty, alumni and others will be asked to hold similar discussions. 'In the words of one student who wrote to me this week, `Policy is needed, but people make change,'Sullivan wrote. Students protested against sexual assault and held signs outside the fraternity house Phi Kappa Psi where the alleged incident took place on Saturday. The alleged scene: Phi Kappa Psi house at the University where the student was allegedly raped by seven fraternity members back in 2012 . protest: Bridget Onion, center, holds a sign saying 'Harm to others is harm to all' during a protest at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at the University of Virginia . Uprise: A person is arrested by Charlottesville police for trespassing during a protest at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at the University of Virginia on saturday . 'We need the collective strength of the members of our community to ensure that we have the best policies.' Sullivan said the suspension of all fraternal groups is effective until Jan. 9. She also has asked Charlottesville police to investigate the alleged rape at the Phi Kappa Psi house. The fraternity has voluntarily surrendered its fraternal agreement with the university. On Friday, Attorney General Mark Herring said the university agreed to withdraw its appointment of former federal judge and prosecutor Mark Filip as independent counsel to investigate how the school responds to rape allegations. In college, Filip was a member of Phi Kappa Psi. Sullivan had said the Rolling Stone article includes details that weren't disclosed to university officials previously. 'I write you in great sorrow, great rage, but most importantly, with great determination,' Sullivan wrote. 'Meaningful change is necessary, and we can lead that change for all universities. We can demand that incidents like those described in Rolling Stone never happen and that if they do, the responsible are held accountable to the law. This will require institutional change, cultural change, and legislative change, and it will not be easy. We are making those changes.' promising change: University of Virginia President, Teresa Sullivan says that she is dedicated to making meaningful changes in the university's response to sexual assault . Outrage: Shannon Cruse Ranson, from Norfolk, holds a sign detailing her own experience with rape during a protest at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at the University of Virginia . No more rape: People gather with signs during a protest at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at the University of Virginia on Saturday .
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The University of Virginia on Saturday suspended activities at all campus fraternal organizations amid a rape investigation .
'In the words of one student who wrote to me this week, `Policy is needed, but people make change,' University President Teresa Sullivan said .
She also has asked Charlottesville police to investigate the alleged rape at the Phi Kappa Psi house in 2012 .
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By . Mario Ledwith . PUBLISHED: . 10:02 EST, 22 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:55 EST, 22 April 2013 . Diligently falling in line behind their mother, this group of ducklings has swum into the record books. Despite laying her eggs in sub-zero temperatures at the beginning of March, a mother gave birth to 24 healthy chicks - thought to be the largest brood ever recorded. The female was pictured with her two-dozen bundles of fluff at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’s reserve in Arundel, West Sussex, after 28 days of incubating the eggs. Huge brood: The mother and her record-breaking 24 ducklings at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Arundel, West Sussex . Record-breaker: This mallard duck has given birth to a record-breaking 24 young ducklings . But the chicks will face another monumental task collectively making it to adulthood, with their inability to fly making them easy prey for pike and birds such as herons. The previous record for the largest brood of ducks is thought to have been set in Oklahoma in the US, where a female hatched 22 ducklings. In the UK, the largest known brood was recorded in Hazelbury, Dorset, by photographer Brian Moore, who discovered the huge group of 21 ducklings in his son’s garden pond. After hatching, ducklings usually stay in their nest for around ten hours where they stretch out their legs and dry off. The youngsters are usually led to water the morning after birth, depending on their mother for between 50 and 60 days before they become independent. Huge brood: The youngsters are usually led to water the morning after birth, depending on their mother for between 50 and 60 days before they become independent . With mum: One of the brood sits on top of their mother. The group of 24 are thought to be the largest group brood of ducklings ever recorded . Taking to it like ducks to water: The newborn ducklings quickly get to grips with swimming just after they are born . Leading the way: The mother duck leaps into the water followed by her huge brood . The chicks will face another monumental task collectively making it to adulthood, with their inability to fly making them easy prey for pike and birds such as herons . Mother duck: The largest ever previously recorded brood was 22 in Oklahoma, US .
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Previous biggest ever brood of ducks was 22 in Oklahoma in the US .
Youngsters will become independent in 50 to 60 days time .
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Athens (CNN) -- The DNA of a girl authorities think may have been abducted by a Roma couple in Greece doesn't match any profile in Interpol's database, the international law enforcement agency said Tuesday. In a case that has generated huge interest in Greece, authorities have charged the couple with abducting the child they call Maria. Interpol said Greek authorities have asked for its help in solving Maria's identity. "Until now, a comparison of the girl's profile against Interpol's global DNA database has not produced a match," Interpol said in a news release. Interpol said it would make the database available to authorities in countries where someone who claims to be a possible blood relative to the child has submitted a DNA profile. The agency has more than 600 missing people listed on its website, 32 of whom are 5 or 6 years old. A spokesman for a Greek children's charity said about 10 cases of missing children around the world are "being taken very seriously" in connection with Maria's case. "They include children from the United States, Canada, Poland and France," said Panagiotis Pardalis of the Smile of the Child charity. The couple who had Maria until last week appeared Monday in court and were remanded into custody pending trial. A lawyer for the couple says the pair adopted the child from her biological mother. The Smile of the Child said the girl, who was found Thursday in a Roma community near Larissa, central Greece, is being cared for in a group home. Medical tests indicate she is 5 to 6 years of age, slightly older than initially thought, said Pardalis. Police have said they suspect the records the couple provided for the child and for other children in their care may be false. In addition to the abduction charge, the couple is accused of falsifying official documents. Four officials, including the head of the registry office that issued Maria's birth certificate, have been suspended while a police investigation is under way, the media office of the Athens municipality said Tuesday. The girl received the document this year, it said. It is unusual for a birth certificate to be issued years later. 1,000 years of Roma discrimination . Authorities asked questions about Maria because she has fair skin and blond hair, while her parents have darker complexions typical of Roma, a race descended from Indian nomads, who face widespread discrimination in Europe. Haralambos Dimitriou, head of the local Roma community, said the couple took in the girl because her Bulgarian mother couldn't keep her. He said Maria was raised like a "normal" child. Pardalis said Sunday that she was found in "bad living conditions, poor hygiene." Calls about the girl . Thousands of calls poured into Greece after authorities released photos of the girl last week. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, whose daughter Lisa Irwin was 11 months old when she vanished two years ago from their home in Kansas City, Missouri, asked the FBI to contact the Greek authorities about the case. "There is no such thing as a tip too small," said Bradley, whose hopes were raised despite the apparent disparity in age between their missing daughter and Maria. "I am not sure there are enough similarities between the girls," a federal law enforcement official said. Still, the official added, the FBI is working with Greek authorities to determine whether the girl could be Lisa Irwin. A top official with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in Virginia said the center works with law enforcement groups to collect data, biometrics information and DNA that can be used to compare with samples from Maria. "Frankly, right now ... it does not appear that this may be any of our children. But again we want to confirm one way or the other," Robert Lowery, the senior executive director of the organization's missing children division, said. He added that a definitive comparison could be done "rather quickly." Interest has popped up elsewhere . In Canada, a spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said its Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains had been contacted by Interpol to aid in identifying the girl, though there was no information that she is Canadian. "We are going through the files that we have and we are developing a list of possible children that could meet that criteria," said Sgt. Lana Prosper. "We are currently looking at an age range of about 2 to 8 years old, we don't want to exclude anybody. The files we currently have to look through number in the thousands, but they include boys as well." Once that number has been narrowed, police will contact local authorities to assist, "if needed," she said. Police: Couple kept changing story . Authorities released photos of the two adults charged Monday in the case -- Eleftheria Dimopoulou, 40, and Christos Salis, 39 -- in hopes that the publicity would reach someone who can provide more information about them. Interpol said it was issuing what it calls a "blue notice" asking authorities in other nations if they have any additional information about Dimopoulou or Salis. Police said the blond child looked nothing like the man and woman with her, and DNA testing confirmed that they were not her biological parents. A police statement said the couple "changed repeatedly their story about how they got the child." A government news agency said police found suspicious birth and baptism records as well as family registrations that claimed the woman had given birth to 10 children and the man was the father of four more. "I used to see the mother, she would come to the square here to beg with the child," a man in the Larissa region told the Reuters news agency. "At one point, I had asked her how she got such a blond angel. She told me she had conceived it with a blond man." Prejudice against the Roma . Prejudice and discrimination against the Roma are widespread in Greece and elsewhere in Europe, Amnesty International says. Maria's case plays into old prejudices about them stealing children for forced labor. Pardalis mentioned such a possibility, saying, "We don't have any other information if this girl was forced to work or to beg on streets." The government news agency also raised "the possibility of the existence of a ring bringing pregnant women to Greece from Bulgaria and then taking their children for sale." The agency cited past reports that empty coffins had been found for infants who supposedly were stillborn to foreign mothers in Athens. Photo blog: The plight of the Roma . CNN's Elinda Labropoulou reported from Athens and Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. CNN's Carol Cratty, George Howell and David Simpson contributed to this report.
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Parents of a missing child in Missouri are among those to contact Greek authorities .
Tests indicate Maria is 5 to 6 years of age -- older than initially thought .
About 10 cases of missing children from four countries are being looked at, charity says .
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By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 05:35 EST, 9 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:00 EST, 9 September 2013 . A romantic man has gifted the love of his life 55,000 dresses over their 56 year marriage. Paul Brockmann, 78, wanted wife Margot, 76, to have a different dress every time they went ballroom dancing. And his relentless desire to deck her out in a beautiful frock led to him buying dozens of gowns a week over the decades. But following a bout of ill-health and expensive storage costs - the dresses took up six full storage containers - the couple from L.A. are now selling off the impressive collection. Scroll down for video . Belle of the ball: Paul bought wife Margot a new dress every time they went dancing . German-born, Paul, a general contractor, started dancing at the age of 13 and has enjoyed the pastime ever since. But he became as obsessed by the beautiful dresses worn by the female dancers as he did by the dance moves. He met Margot at a dance and said she 'changed his life' after they fell in love. He writes on his website: 'Margot is the love of my life and has remained so to this very day. I followed her to the United States and was disowned by my own family for doing so back in the 50's. 'We first lived in the Midwest and with time travelled West and settled in Los Angeles, California. The dress collection grew as I searched far and wide at estate sales, department stores, yard sales and antique shows. Always looking to buy more dresses for Margot, everywhere and anywhere I went.' Walk-in wardrobe: Paul has bought 55,000 dresses for his wife over the decades . On sale: Margot sifts through rails of her own dresses, gifted to her by her husband over 56 years of marriage - they will keep a couple of their favourites . Strictly come dancing: Paul discovered the pastime at the age of 13 and has loved it every since . Paul explains how his love for Margot resulted in the huge vintage dress collection that's now on sale via their website. He said: 'I loved seeing her dance and began collecting dresses for her. I would envisage Margot dancing in the dress, the look of it, the sound of it, and buy dress after dress for her to wear when we danced.' The 55,000 dresses were bought across the decades - sometimes as many as 30 at a time - but it was always the 50s styles that Paul likes best. 'I was fascinated by the dresses from . the 50s. The petticoats and the wide skirts made a woman look real . feminine. And that is what I really liked. When I seen a gal with a . dress like that,' Paul tells LA Weekly. 'I wanted to get her on the dance floor.' '[Margot and I] went ballroom dancing every week, and I wanted her to have a different dress for every dance.' But Paul's fascination with the dresses went far beyond him just buying them for Margot to wear once a week. He bought a total of 55,000 - many of which his wife has never even worn. Paul told LA Weekly he would buy the . dresses 'before work, after work, sometimes during work' raiding . department stores and yard sales so he would sometimes come home with 30 . dresses in one day. Dancing through the decades: Paul and Margot met at a dance and enjoyed the hobby together every week . Never have enough dresses: The collection grew as Paul searched estate sales, department stores, yard sales and antique shows . Spoilt for choice: Paul wanted his wife to have a different dress for every dance. He loves how they make a woman look . The most he ever spent on a dress was $300 (nearly £200) and he would buy them regardless of size - meaning they often didn't fit his wife. He explained: 'If there was a dress that I liked, I could visualise what she would look like in it. And I had to have it. Even if it was the wrong size. 'You know, it's a crazy idea, but I kept thinking maybe my wife grows into them, whether losing weight or gaining.' Two children, five decades of marriage and 55,000 dresses later, they have reached a point where they want to sell off their astounding collection. But not entirely. 'I do have some of my favourites that aren't for sale,' he tells HuffPost UK Lifestyle. 'From the very first one I bought my wife to the one that makes the perfect swoosh sound.' 'At the time of purchasing the dresses I really had no idea about designer names, but I am discovering dresses that date back to the 1940s from designers such as Oscar de La Renta and Vera Wang.' Vintage finds: He had no idea of designers at the time, but the collection boasts Oscar de La Renta and Vera Wang .
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Paul, 78, and Margot Brockmann, 76, married in the 1950s .
They moved around America where he bought her dresses .
Their impressive collection grew to 55,000 in 56 years .
Now selling them off due to ill-health and expensive storage .
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A computer hacker who famously stole nude photos from Paris Hilton’s cell phone and posted her contacts online has apologized some nine years after publicly embarrassing the socialite. Cameron Lacroix, now 26, was just a teenager when he cracked Hilton’s T-Mobile account in 2005 in the first example of a celebrity’s phone being hacked. Lacroix, who has spent the past 10 years carrying out a range of cyber-crimes, is attempting to put his house in order before he begins a four-year sentence in federal prison. Scroll down for video . Cameron Lacroix, now 26, was just a teenager when he cracked Hilton’s T-Mobile account in 2005 in the first example of a celebrity’s phone being hacked . ‘Paris, I’m sorry I put your information online,’ he told NBC News. ‘I should never have done it. I wouldn’t want it done to me.’ Along with embarrassing Hilton, Lacroix, from New Bedford, Massachusetts, also famously hacked Burger King’s Twitter account last year. Along with these high profiles crimes, Lacroix has also hacked federal law enforcement databases, changed his community college grades and caused more than $1 million in damage to private firms. Lacroix was just 16 in 2005 when he cracked the code to Hilton’s Sidekick phone. Lacroix hacked into T-Mobile’s computer system and decided to check if there was a phone registered in Hilton’s name since she was advertising the Sidekick . He had decided to hack into T-Mobile’s computer system because he wanted a free phone, but on realizing how easy it was he decided to check if there was a phone registered in Hilton’s name since she was advertising the product. ‘Sure enough, it was under her name. I went into it and was shocked at what I saw,’ he said. Publishing Hilton’s phonebook and nude photos online made Lacroix feel good about himself. ‘I wanted to be a celebrity,' said the computer obsessive whose mom had died of a drug overdose when he was young and who had dropped out of high school, ‘it was mind-blowing for me. … I felt famous.’ But Lacroix also got noticed by federal officials and was soon serving 11 months in a federal juvenile facility for the Hilton hacking and other offences. Over the next seven years he served several stretches inside and says that when he wasn’t in prison he was committing further cyber-crimes including steeling credit card numbers from online retailers. Lacroix's other high profile hack happened in February 2013, when he gained access to Burger King’s Twitter account and changed the logo to McDonald's golden arches . Lacroix's other high profile hack happened in February 2013, when he gained access to Burger King’s Twitter account. He replaced the fast-food chain’s logo with McDonald’s golden arches and said that Burger King had been sold to its competitor because 'the Whopper flopped.' In October he was sentenced to four years in federal prison and has vowed to go straight when he gets out of jail in 2018, by which time he will be 30. After his release, Lacroix plans to put his hacking skills to good use for the federal authorities and credit card companies that he has spent the past 10 years scamming. 'I’ve caused a lot of harm. I’ve got to fix this,' he said.
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Cameron Lacroix was just a teenager when he cracked Hilton's T-Mobile account in 2005 in the first example of a celebrity's phone being hacked .
He famously posted her nude photos and celebrity contact's phone numbers online .
Lacroix's apology comes just before he begins a four-year sentence in federal prison for numerous cyber-crimes .
On his release he has vowed to go straight and help the credit cards companies that he has spent the past ten years scamming .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 07:13 EST, 6 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:01 EST, 6 August 2013 . Boris Johnson is out in front in the battle to succeed David Cameron, a new poll of Tory members reveals. The London Mayor has the support of almost two in five Conservatives activists to become party leader. While he sought to play down talk of a leadership bid today, Mr Johnson insisted he remains an ‘eternal optimist’ that something will ‘crop up’ after his term in the capital ends. Race: A new survey of Conservative grassroots members reveals who they want to see as leader if David Cameron is ousted . Out in front: The London Mayor, pictured taking part in the RideLondon event on Sunday, is favourite to succeed David Cameron . The survey of Conservative party members found six out of 10 think Mr Cameron should quit if he is ousted from Number 10 at the next election. Mr Johnson is way ahead of all the other challengers, despite maneuvering by the likes of Home Secretary Theresa May and Education Secretary Michael Gove. Mr Johnson receives the support of 38 per cent of grassroots members, double the number backing Mrs May. Mr Gove, who has repeatedly insisted he has no leadership ambitions, is backed by 13 per cent while Chancellor George Osborne, whose stock in the party is rising as the economy recovers, got just three per cent of first preferences. Back at work: David Cameron was seen at the back door of Number 10 this morning, after returning from last week's holiday to Portugal . Professor Bale said: ‘Basically, our survey shows us that Cameron is toast if he can’t deliver the Tory Party a second term, and that Boris is best-placed to replace him, if he can get into the Commons, because he commands support that’s as deep as it is wide. ‘May is running a credible second, but Gove’s support is narrower. Osborne maybe in with a chance but he will have to make up a lot of ground. No one else looks like a serious prospect.’ While Mr Johnson garners a lot of support in London, he also appeals to younger voters. Professor . Bale added: ‘Theresa May does well among women and appeals reasonably . well to working class as well as middle-class members, which suggests . that a May-led Tory party may attract more support among women and the . fabled C2s. ‘You can’t rule out Gove or even Osborne. But in the end, Boris is the man to beat.’ Iron lady: Home Secretary Theresa May has been likened to Germany's Angela Merkel and has been boosted by cuts in immigration and crime . Out of favour: Education Secretary Michael Gove and Chancellor George Osborne were left trailing in the poll . However Mr Johnson dismissed the poll as ‘all fantasy politics’ as he Johnson was challenged over his ambitions as he took questions on LBC 97.3. He added: ‘It’s not going to happen and what you’ve got is a Prime Minister who I think is increasingly confident and on top of his game.’ He insisted that while the general election is due in 2015, he will have ‘another full year as Mayor of the greatest city on earth’ to last until 2016. And after that he will ‘completely deliquesce, something will crop up, I’m an eternal optimist’. Asked what he would do about Deputy PM Nick Clegg if he ever became Prime Minister, Mr Johnson replied: ‘Well, thankfully that is a completely hypothetically question which I can swerverama. ‘But what I would say is that, and I’m sure this is the view of David Cameron as well who I think will continue to be Prime Minister after 2015.’ He added there is a ‘real, real chance now, a bigger chance than ever there is going to be an absolute Conservative majority at the next election’.
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Survey of grassroots shows 38% want Boris Johnson as leader next time .
Theresa May is on 18%, Michael Gove 13%, George Osborne 3% .
London Mayor insists David Cameron will win election in 2015 .
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b8c22f075fff61add959ba47be1da51312ef6b6c
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Flood alerts have been issued for parts of Britain as heavy rain and high winds are expected to hit the country over the next ten days. The Environment Agency said areas in south-west England, the Midlands and Wales were at risk of flooding despite breaks in the wet weather which could see some parts warmer than Mexico City over the next few days. The South East may experience temperatures of . up to 18C (64F) today and tomorrow, five degrees higher than the . national average for October. However, recent . gales and heavy downpours have triggered weather warnings and the . Environment Agency has issued more than 30 flood alerts for areas in . Wales, the Midlands and the South West. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Drenched: A walker is splashed by waves as they battle to keep their umbrella in tact amid heavy wind and rain that battered the Mount Batten Pier in Plymouth, Devon . Marooned: A car is surrounded by flood water in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, as the Met Office issues severe weather warning for parts of Britain . Deluge: Recent gales and heavy downpours have triggered weather warnings and the Environment Agency has issued more than 20 flood alerts . Making waves: A driver battles their way through floodwater near Thorpe in The Derbyshire Peak District . In Wales, residents in ten areas have . been advised to be vigilant amid predictions that the heavy rainfall and . flash flooding that began over the weekend, is set to continue. Gareth . Harvey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press . Association, said: 'We are expecting heavy rains and gales over the . next 10 days or so. The weather pattern is very mobile and it is likely . to stay unsettled. 'Tomorrow . and Thursday see some drier weather but the rain is likely to be . relentless, and as there has been quite a lot of rain in recent weeks we . might start to see some localised flooding. 'There is also a suggestion that it might turn a little colder and drier towards the end of the month.' Evasive action: A car is forced to go up onto the central reservation to avoid heavy flooding in Glasgow . Downpour: A worker sweeps up debris after heaving flooding at Wolverhampton train station . Rain stops play: A football pitch in the Scottish town of Kilbirnie is partially submerged after a downpour . Heavy going: Downpours caused problems for rush-hour commuters across Wolverhampton (above) Unsettled: Heavy is expected to hit large parts of Britain over the next ten days, but there will be some breaks in the inclement weather . Tredegar . in south Wales saw the heaviest rainfall yesterday, with 40mm, or . 1.6in, falling in the 12 hours to 7pm, Mr Harvey said. The . Met Office has issued a number of severe weather warnings for the . central, Tayside and Fife area, south-west Scotland, Lothian, . Strathclyde and borders and south-west England as well as Wales. It . said the risk of river and surface water flooding was low for south . west England and south Wales today, and very low tomorrow. Dan Williams of the Met Office said: 'It looks unsettled into the weekend and indeed into the start of next week as well. 'It looks as though we will see periods of rain and perhaps some drier brighter spells.' The . heaviest rain so far this week was in Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, where . 1.4in (35mm) fell in 24 hours. Good gourd: Dmitri Galitzine puts in some final practice before attempting to make history by crossing one of the world's busiest shipping channels in a pumpkin . Halloween hero: Mr Galitzine will leave Gosport, Hants, on Thursday before arriving in Ryde, Isle of Wight, four miles away. He hopes to arrive in three hours . Easy does it: Torrential rain on the London bound carriageway of the A127 in Basildon Essex . Light and stark: Stormy seas batter the lighthouse at Porthcawl harbour in South Wales . Wave of fear: More than 30 people from the 400-strong village of Walcott on the North Norfolk cost evacuated to the local pub after the high tide smashed over the sea defences . Batten down the hatches: Windows are boarded up to help save houses and holiday homes in Walcott on the North Norfolk cost . Natural Resources Wales said it was . asking people to be vigilant for localised flooding. The Environment Agency said the wet start to the week would give way to more settled weather by Thursday. A spokesman said: 'There is a low risk of . river and surface water flooding today across Devon and Cornwall and a . low risk of surface water flooding in other parts of south west of . England. 'On Tuesday there is a low risk of . river and surface water flooding across much of south west England and . south Wales as shown in the map below for tomorrow. 'This is as a result of further heavy rain expected through tomorrow. 'The forecast flood risk remains very . low for all other areas today and tomorrow, and for all of England and . Wales on Wednesday.' Take cover: A man on a mobility scooter struggles against gale-force winds in Hunstanton, Norfolk . Autumnal hues: Walkers enjoy a stroll with their dog in Hazlehead Park as more than 30 flood alerts for parts of Britain during a period of unsettled weather over the next ten days . Playing fetch: A dog walker enjoys the sunny weather in Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen on Monday . Warm air flowing across the country from the south west is keeping temperatures hovering above average for this time of year. However, . the tepid air has triggered extreme conditions as it moves in, clashing . with cold air from the north, stirring up squally wind, rain and storms . that even triggered a tornado. On . Sunday, a twister damaged 100 homes, uprooted trees and flipped a . caravan as it swept across Hayling Island off the Hampshire coast. And . a mini tornado ripped roofs off garages and tiles from homes, leaving a . trail of destruction in its wake in Walsall, West Midlands. Lucky: Jody Cadwell and her niece, two-year-old Issey Webb, in Bissoe where a tree toppled over in a storm . Destruction: Three cars and a house were damaged when the 100-year-old beech tree fell down yesterday . Close-call: Karl Cadwell was sleeping when the tree narrowly missed hitting his bedroom window . Met . Office spokeswoman Laura Young said: 'You have this warm air going over . the sea and crashing into colder air over land, combines and produces . the rain and wind. 'It has . been slightly warmer than average by one or two degrees. All of our air . is currently coming up from the south west, so conditions are on the . warm side for this time of year. 'If . it was coming from the west conditions would be closer to normal for . this time of year, or if it was coming from the north west it would be . slightly cooler. 'The big difference is the overnight temperatures have been much warmer than average and the nights have been quite mild.' Residents in Walsall launched a clean-up operation today after a tornado hit the West Midlands area . Destroyed: Andrew Ely stands in his roofless garage in Walsall, West Midlands . Kamaldip Kaur holds bits of her roof tiles in Walsall where a tornado hit on Sunday . However, the mild nights and close days will soon change as wind directions change toward the end of the week. Ms Young said: 'Early indications are showing that there will be a return to normal temperatures for this time of year. 'In . the south, you would usually have temperatures between 12C and 14C for . the maximum during the day, our if you were in the north you would be . looking at between 8C and 12C, and further north in Scotland it may be . closer to 9C or 10C. 'Night-time . temperatures for this time of year all depend on the conditions, if . there is cloud cover it will keep it lightly warmer. Asbestos roofs on two private garages were torn off by strong gusts while tiles from three houses were damaged . A garage with the roof missing in Segundo Road in Walsall which experienced a tornado . It is claimed that the UK gets more tornadoes per square kilometre than the USA but not more tornadoes in total. On average, around 30 tornadoes are reported each year in the UK, although these are generally much weaker than their American counterparts. However, there have been a number of notable exceptions – such as the Birmingham tornado on July 28 2005, which left a significant trail of damage. 'Night-time . temperatures this week are anything between 15-16 degrees in the south. That continues as a trend until dipping to between 11-13 in the south . and seven and nine in the north, before warming up again on Thursday. 'But early indicators suggest a return to usual temperatures for this time of year in between five and 10 days time.' Meanwhile, a family had a lucky escape after a tree toppled over in 50mph storms smashing into their three cars and house. The 100-year-old tree came crashing down in Bissoe, Cornwall, as parts of Britain were lashed by high winds over the weekend. Bill Cadwell, 55, heard the 40ft trunk landing on his driveway early on Sunday morning, crushing his son Karl’s Alfa Romeo and badly damaging a Peugeot 208 and a BMW. It narrowly missed the bedroom windows where Karl, 23 and sister Jody, 27, were sleeping and is now resting against the side of the house.
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Thirty flood alerts issued as rain set to move in over the next ten days .
Temperatures may reach up to 18C in parts of Britain today and tomorrow .
Forecaster: 'Weather pattern is very mobile and it is likely .
to stay unsettled'
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By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . A council was forced to put the brakes on a controversial parking scheme – after neighbours pointed out there was nowhere to pay. Residents were baffled when workers unveiled signs for new restrictions before pay machines had been installed. It is the latest gaffe by East Sussex’s Brighton and Hove City Council, which later covered up the signs. Workers were forced to cover up parking signs in Brighton as there was nowhere to pay (stock picture posed by model) Last week The Mail on Sunday revealed how the Green-controlled council was responsible for a catalogue of recent blunders. A spokesman said the scheme had been hit by an ‘unforeseen delivery delay’. Earlier this year, two parking wardens in Brighton issued a driver with a ticket after his car broke down in the middle of a busy road. Passers-by watched in disbelief as wardens from Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex, slapped a ticket on the silver saloon car's windscreen after the driver left to fetch help. The car, believed to be a VW Passat, was ticketed while broken down on a busy road in Brighton city centre. A child seat was visible in the vehicle. Parking wardens in Brighton issued a driver with a ticket even though his car had broken down in the middle of the street . Brighton and Hove City Council has been criticised in recent years for the amount of money it makes from parking. In December last year it was revealed that the council's overall profit from parking services for 2012/13 was £16.3million - the most of any local authority outside London. Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, whose party captured the city council . Speaking at the time, a Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: 'We don't provide commentary on individual cases. 'The driver is well within their rights to make a case for appeal. That will be considered in time. 'However it would be unfair for us to comment beforehand.' Starting with just one councillor in 1996, the Green Party’s rise to power in Brighton has been unprecedented and rapid. In 2010 there was the election of Caroline Lucas as the MP for Brighton Pavilion – the party’s first Westminster seat – and then came the capture of the city council just a year later.
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Brighton and Hove City Council started controversial new parking scheme .
Signs for the new restrictions were unveiled before pay machines installed .
They later had to be covered up after neighbours pointed out flaw .
Council say scheme had been hit by 'unforeseen delivery delay'
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798a7dc7fc20133e880b715632d2d00aee8ce642
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Few road vehicles could hope to outrun an aeroplane. But thanks to a 12,000 horsepower engine and a top speed of almost 400mph, this rocket-propelled Chevy can do just that. The vehicle known as the 'Flash Fire Chevy' is the brainchild of retired businessman Neal Darnell of Springfield, Missouri - who built it after he retired. Scroll down for video . The Flash Fire Chevy built by retired American businessman Neal Darnell which is able to reach speeds of almost 400mph . Together with his son Chris, Mr Darnell took a engine from a US Navy fighter jet and built the vehicle around it, meaning it can go from 0-60 in one and a half seconds . The vehicle is so fast that Mr Darnell races it against aeroplanes and he can often outrun them thanks to the car's 12,000 horsepower engine . Together with his son Chris, the pair took a Pratt and Whitney engine from a US Navy trainer jet called the T-2 Buckeye and built the vehicle around it. With the additional rocket power, the Chevy is able to accelerate from 0-60 in 1.5 seconds - exerting up to G-Force 6 on the driver. It can easily hit 350mph and has reached a top recorded speed of 375mph at airshows, where it impresses the crowds by catching up with light aeroplanes flying a few metres above. Mr Darnell, 65, said: 'The truck is a Chevy S-10 replica. The body mould actually came from a real Chevy S-10. 'Basically to build one of these things you set the engine in the shop and then you build the truck around it. 'The frame is all chrome alloy steel and it was formed around the engine and made to fit the body. It's basically a two-year project and a lot of money.' Mr Darnell races the car at airshows in the U.S. where he impresses the crowds by catching up and outrunning light aeroplanes flying above . The car, which was built by Mr Darnell and his son Chris can easily hit 350mph and has reached a top recorded speed of 375mph . The truck is a Chevy S-10 replica, which has been built around the two fighter jet engine with the frame made from chrome alloy steel . Mr Darnell, who also races Shockwave, the World's Fastest Jet-Powered Truck, had worked in motor sports show production for 20 years before retiring - and then decided to put himself in the front seat. He added: 'Prior to my airshow career we promoted monster-truck races, truck and tractor pulls and motocross events, that kind of thing, so it was kind of a natural progression. 'I have always raced something on the side. I have raced motorcycles, sand dragsters, funny cars and so when I retired I wanted to get into something that was fun and exciting. He added: 'Everybody loves speed. I will always love speed. And this vehicle is definitely the ultimate speedster.'
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Retired businessman Neal Darnell built the 'Flash Fire Chevy' which has a top speed of almost 400mph .
Vehicle has a US Navy trainer jet engine which has 12,000 horsepower and can go 0-60 in one and a half seconds .
Mr Darnell often races the car which is able to keep up and even outrun aeroplanes flying a few metres above .
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43c6ef0d17173dd148b5d3679afeb9a5fc3a0b09
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By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 07:24 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:48 EST, 7 January 2013 . A little girl who was minutes from death after contracting the killer brain bug meningitis has made a remarkable recovery. A priest was called in to give Amelia Lancaster the last rites and had just started to pray when her body began to stabilise and she pulled through. The infection cut off the blood supply to her limbs, leaving them black. Doctors managed to save her legs but were forced to amputate part of her right hand. Amelia Lancaster shows off her new right hand, with her sister Sophie and parents Simon and Melinda . Doctors said Amelia (pictured in hospital) was only minutes from death before turning the corner . Now, the brave three-year-old has made a full recovery after months of hospital treatment - and has learned to walk again and even catch a ball. Her mother Melinda, 26, said: 'That day, Amelia developed a raging temperature and was screwing her eyes up any time she was near light. 'A doctor found a spot the size of a pin-prick on her tummy that wouldn't disappear under pressure. Then a rash appeared all over her body. It all happened so fast. 'She was taken to intensive care and put on a drip but she didn't react. I was absolutely terrified and felt so helpless. 'Doctors told us she didn't have long left so we called a priest and just as he was giving Amelia the blessing, her heart rate dropped. 'Before that day, I'd never been much of a believer in miracles but now I do because my daughter really is a miracle.' Amelia, from Bordon, Hampshire, was just ten months old when she fell ill and had just taken her first steps. Melinda and husband Simon, 24, a vehicle mechanic with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, were initially told it could be chickenpox after calling NHS Direct. But when the little girl was violently sick, they rushed her to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where they were living at the time. Amelia (left) and sister Sophie in hospital after her last operation to straighten her arm . Amelia is learning to use her new prosthetic hand (pictured left). Her parents hope to raise funds to buy her one with more flexibility . There, a doctor did the test for meningitis by rolling a glass over her skin and took a blood test. Melinda, a full time mum, said: 'By now, Amelia was struggling to breathe and her heart rate was sky-high. 'Simon was cradling her in his arms and suddenly said: "I didn't realise Amelia had a birthmark there." I knew she didn't and when I opened up her nappy, I saw hundreds of spots. 'The rash quickly spread. That's when I knew it must be meningitis.' Moments later, the test results confirmed everyone's worst fears - Amelia had the most dangerous form of the bug, bacterial meningitis as well as septicaemia. She was immediately rushed to intensive care and put on a life support machine, while doctors battled to save her. Amelia plays catch with her father Simon. Her parents say she is very determined . Melinda said: 'My poor baby was swollen and covered head-to-toe in the rash. It didn't look anything like her. I just sat there and sobbed. 'Then a doctor told us she probably wouldn't make it through the night and asked if we'd had her christened. We already had so I asked the priest to give her the last rites. 'I couldn't believe what happened next - and neither could the doctors.' Amelia after her last operation: Her parents said they were very grateful to the doctors who have treated her . Amelia's heart rate began to drop and by the next day, her body had stabilised. But now she faced an operation to cut open the skin and let the fluid that had built up drain away.Not only had the blood supply to her limbs been cut off but the muscles had died and her bones and ligaments had become infected. The fingers and thumb on Amelia's right hand never recovered and they had to be removed. Melinda said: 'She's had to learn to adapt to life without her fingers but she doesn't let anything stand in her way. 'It took her a year to walk again. She's a very determined little girl. 'She's got a prosthetic hand but it's just a basic one. She recently had an operation to straighten her arm which has meant she can now use it a lot better. 'Watching her play catch with her one-year-old sister, Sophie is something I never thought I'd see. We're so proud of her and what she's achieved. 'Simon and I are so grateful to the hospital and doctors who treated her. They worked extremely quickly and because they were so tuned in to what was happening they did manage to save her legs with the fasciotomy surgery. 'If it weren't for their amazing care and knowledge we wouldn't have her here today with us.' Amelia will need more operations in the future to straighten her legs and help her walk for longer distances. The warning signs of meningitis and what you should do if you suspect it . Now, her parents are supporting Meningitis Research Foundation and its campaign to raise awareness of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia. Melinda and Simon are also trying to raise money to buy Amelia a fully functioning hand to allow her to be more independent because the NHS won't pay for one until she is older. Chris Head, Chief Executive of Meningitis Research Foundation said: 'Meningitis and septicaemia affects around 3,600 people in the UK and Ireland annually. 'They are deadly diseases that can strike anyone without warning, killing one in ten, and leaving a quarter of survivors with life altering after-effects ranging from deafness and brain damage to loss of limbs.'For more information about meningitis symptoms, visit www.meningitis.org .
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Amelia began to recover from meningitis as she was receiving last rites .
Doctors managed to save her legs but were forced to amputate fingers .
Amelia, 3, is walking again and can now play catch with her sister .
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(CNN) -- When Jay Kwon Yang died from stomach cancer in Virginia in 2012, he left a dream unfulfilled: world travel. The environmental engineer and owner of a dry cleaner wanted to see Europe. And Africa. Even California or not so far away Florida. But he never got the chance. He was just 52 when he died. For more than a year, his 25-year-old daughter, Jinna Yang, couldn't grow past the grief of losing her father, who had raised her, along with a brother and half-sister, almost single-handedly. So she decided to take her father on the trip of his dreams. (You can read Yang's moving tribute to her father on her blog.) Buddy pictures . Traveling for a month in April with a portable, life-sized cutout of her father, New York-based Yang trekked across Europe and posed for pictures in front of famous landmarks, from Skogafoss Waterfall in Iceland to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. "I have a good friend whose father is an industrial designer -- he helped me score the cutout so that it folded in and out," Yang tells CNN. "It became portable enough to carry around after I folded it up." "I took the time to appreciate the little things," says Yang. "In every city I went, I took time to sit and soak in sights. "Whether it was a huge waterfall in Iceland or a local cafe in Florence, I just sat. I loved watching the couples pass by in the romantic city of Florence, water crashing against rocks on the Italian Riviera, even the peacocks I saw on the island of Lokrum off the coast of Croatia." Iceland was the most "life-changing" destination for Yang. "I had never done anything so adventurous, and the entire country seems like another planet sometimes," she says. Her cardboard travel buddy stirred curiosity throughout the trip. "Many people stopped me in the street, asking me if it was a famous person," says Yang. "Most of the time when you see a life-sized cutout, it's of Justin Bieber or One Direction, and it's usually in a nine-year-old's room. "Lots of people stopped to take photos as well." Worldwide attention . When she returned to New York, Yang posted her collection of photos on her blog (see gallery above). The photos touched people around the world, though not all of the feedback has been positive. Some commentors on Yang's site have suggested the photos are faked, an accusation Yang denies. "It's really unfortunate to hear these false accusations but I guess it goes with the territory," Yang tells CNN. "The cutout I took with me was a flat board that stood six feet tall. I scored (it) into three sections so I could fold it up and take it around with me. So, no, I didn't have to pay for an extra seat for dad!" A "behind the scenes" photo of Yang carrying the cutout in front of the Louvre appears on her Instagram page. "I consider myself an artist, and when I set out on this mission, I wanted to honor my father's memory and take beautiful photos to showcase the project," Yang says. "As any photographer knows, in order to create that 'perfect image' there are times that editing is required. "I do edit my work, and so does my photographer friend who took the photos. The white border around the cutout was cleaned up to make for a more beautiful photograph in many of these shots. "It is sad that people are questioning the authenticity of the entire project, but ... I am grateful for the positive support I've received from the community. "The purpose of this project was not to make the perfect picture, but to bring peace to my family and inspire people to find hope and the courage to continue." Travel as therapy . Now back in New York, Yang is planning another European tour she hopes to take in July. "Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to know which direction to go," says Yang. "I was broken, and because I allowed myself to accept that, I found the strength to make a change. "I had talked about going backpacking through Europe, but when I (actually) booked the ticket and started planning the trip, it gave me something to look forward to again. "I became confident in my ability to do something, and discovered hope in my future again."
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Grieving daughter honors dead father by posing for pictures across Europe with his life-sized cutout .
Only 52 when he died, father Jay Kwon Yang dreamed of world travel, but never got the opportunity .
Daughter Jinna Yang is an artist in New York City .
Photos have gained worldwide attention .
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Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Nearly 130 people were killed and more than 400 wounded early Tuesday when a string of five suicide car bombings hit government buildings, a neighborhood and a commercial district in Baghdad, Iraqi authorities said. Iraq's Finance and Labor ministries and a courthouse were the targets of three of the terror attacks, which shattered a two-month period of relative calm in the capital. By evening, Interior Ministry officials put the toll at 127 dead and 448 wounded, the worst since twin car bombings killed and wounded hundreds of people in late October. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the attacks were aimed at undermining Iraq's upcoming elections, now set for March after a lengthy impasse in the country's parliament. "The timing of these cowardly terrorist attacks in Baghdad today, after the success of Iraqi Parliament in overcoming the last obstacle in the election procedures, shows that the enemies of Iraq and its people are aiming to create chaos in the country and prevent any progress in the political process and to disrupt the procedures of the coming elections," he said. The first of the vehicles blew up in southern Baghdad's Dora district at about 10 a.m. (2 a.m. ET), followed by four more car bombs about half an hour later. Three of the explosions struck at the heart of the Iraqi capital, detonating a few minutes apart. One hit the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, while another hit the new site of the Ministry of Finance near al-Qashla Square. The ministry's former building was destroyed in a bombing in August. Another bomb exploded in the busy commercial district of Nahdha, and the fifth bomb blew up outside the Karkh Civil Court in western Baghdad's Mansour district. The sounds of sporadic gunfire and emergency sirens could be heard immediately following the attacks, and smoke from the blasts billowed into the morning sky. Suicide bombers carried out the five attacks, Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta, a spokesman for the Baghdad Operations Command, told CNN. At the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks and offered his "heartfelt condolences" to the families of those killed, according to a statement from his office. "The Secretary-General appeals to the people of Iraq to remain steadfast in the face of these attacks and to continue their determined efforts to achieve national reconciliation," the statement said. "The United Nations remains committed to supporting them." And the human rights group Amnesty International said there was "absolutely no justification" for the bombings, noting that indiscriminate attacks on civilians are war crimes under international law. Suicide bombers were also blamed for the two bombings October 25 in Baghdad, which killed 160 people and wounded 540. Those bombs detonated in quick succession at mid-morning on a Sunday, the first day of the workweek in Iraq, in the Salhiya district of central Baghdad. The location was close to the Foreign Ministry. Government officials, including Baghdad's governor, questioned how the bombers were able to penetrate the area's security, which was supposed to have been improved in the months leading up to the attacks. Authorities subsequently detained more than 60 people responsible for security in the district where the bombings took place. And Tuesday's attacks sparked debate among Iraqi lawmakers about the capability of the country's security forces. Noor Aldeen al-Haiali, a member of Iraq's parliament from the country's largest Sunni Arab party, said al-Maliki's government "failed in taking the measures to protect the targeted Iraqi citizens, who are shocked and getting slaughtered on a daily basis." Ali al-Adeeb, a senior member of the prime minister's Dawa party, said security has improved in recent years. But Kurdish lawmaker Mahmood Othman told CNN that more attacks could be possible "because the people against the political process, against the elections and against stability in Iraq" will try to disrupt the elections. And he said stepped-up security measures won't be enough to deter them. "There should be some political stability, political reform, reconciliation," he said. "These are also very, very important to provide security." CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
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Four car bombs explode in central Baghdad, killing nearly 130 and wounding hundreds .
First of the vehicles blew up in southern Baghdad's Dora district .
Three other car bombs struck at heart of Iraqi capital, detonating a few minutes apart .
Fifth bomb blows up outside the Karkh Civil Court in western Baghdad's Mansour district .
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(CNN) -- More than one speaker at the Democratic National Convention alleged this week that a Mitt Romney presidency would spell financial ruin for Medicare in four years. The claim stems from earlier projections, made before the Democrats' health care reform law was passed in 2010, that Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund would be insolvent before the end of this decade. Former President Bill Clinton led the way Wednesday, saying that the Democrat-backed Affordable Care Act bought time for Medicare and made it financially solid until 2024. He said Romney, who wants to repeal the act, would reverse this gain and make Medicare "go broke in 2016." Fact Check: The not-so-empty factory . The statements: . "So, if (Romney is) elected and if he does what he promised to do, Medicare will now go broke in 2016. Think about that. That means, after all, we won't have to wait until their voucher program kicks in, in 2023, to see the end of Medicare as we know it." -- Former President Bill Clinton, Wednesday . "The plan (Romney is) proposing would cause Medicare to go bankrupt by 2016." -- Vice President Joe Biden, Thursday . The facts: . We'll look first at Medicare's financial situation and then Romney's plan. When officials talk of Medicare insolvency, they're talking specifically about the trust fund for Medicare's hospital insurance, or Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital stays, care at a nursing facility, hospice care and some home health care. The other parts of Medicare, though costs are rising, are "adequately financed" for now, the program's trustees say. The Part A fund's overseers -- the Boards of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds -- said back in 2009, before the Affordable Care Act passed, that the banked money used to make up the difference between income (such as taxes) and expenses for Part A would be depleted in 2017. But then the Affordable Care Act passed. The trustees reported that the act's lower expenditures (cutting rates to providers) and increased revenues (a payroll tax hike for wealthier people in 2013) "improves the financial outlook for Medicare substantially." The trustees reported in 2010 that health care reform would delay the Part A trust fund's insolvency until 2029. By 2011, the trustees moved that insolvency estimate back to 2024. By that date, the trust fund would be depleted. But that doesn't mean the Medicare Part A program would collapse. Revenues would be able to pay for most of the costs. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which administers the program, said this year: "Projected (trust fund) revenue would be adequate to cover 87% of estimated expenditures in 2024 and 67% of projected costs in 2050." And even if it got to that point -- in 2016, 2024 or whenever -- it's highly unlikely that Congress wouldn't step in to prevent any shortfall. The center put it this way: . "In practice, Congress has never allowed a Medicare trust fund to exhaust its assets." That would be nothing to cheer, as it could mean even greater budget deficits. In an April 2012 paper arguing that claims that Medicare is nearing bankruptcy are misleading, the liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says that Medicare nonetheless "faces serious financing challenges in order to make the (Part A) trust fund solvent over the long term and to reduce unsustainable federal budget deficits that are driven in part by Medicare's rising costs." But both the Congressional Research Service and the CBPP have noted that trustees have warned of pending insolvency for the past four decades, with reports varying from two years away to 28 years. "But Medicare benefits have always been paid because Congress has taken steps to keep spending and resources in balance in the near term," the CBPP said in its April report. As for the present situation, one of the trustees, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, said that without the health care reform, Medicare Part A would only be able to pay costs in full until 2016, CNNMoney reported. So, where does Romney come in? Romney calls for repealing the Affordable Care Act. He also wants to set up a "premium support system" for Medicare, meaning seniors would get vouchers to buy coverage from either private insurance providers or a government-run Medicare insurance plan. Romney's campaign says the voucher plan wouldn't affect "seniors or those nearing retirement" -- meaning it wouldn't go into effect for years. A similar plan championed by his running mate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, would go into effect in 2023. The GOP presidential nominee, while not necessarily adopting all of his running mate's plan, has said it "makes important strides in the right direction." Paul Van de Water, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told CNN on Thursday that repealing the health care reform law would, by itself, return the insolvency date of the Part A trust fund to 2016. If Romney also delays the voucher program so that it won't affect soon-to-be retirees, it will have no effect on the 2016 insolvency date, Van de Water said by phone. "As long as he sticks with that (delay), then the premium-support proposal has no effect within the relevant time period," Van de Water said. Still, as Medicare's administrators have said, it's highly unlikely that Congress wouldn't move to patch up the trust fund past 2016. "I presume that, at the end of the day, if Gov. Romney were elected president, he would figure out some way to make sure that the trust fund didn't become insolvent in 2016. But the question is, how would he do it? Because his specific proposal (repealing the Affordable Care Act) makes the financing problem worse, rather than better." University of North Carolina professor Jonathan Oberlander, a Medicare historian, said that repealing the Affordable Care Act "would in fact worsen Medicare's financial condition" and move up the projected date for the Part A trust fund's insolvency. But "Medicare is not going bankrupt," he said. "It would have a projected shortfall in the hospital trust fund and you would need to make changes to address that shortfall," Oberlander said. "But Medicare would still have most of the necessary funds to pay those expenses, and other parts of the program would be unaffected. Medicare won't go bankrupt in the literal sense in 2016 or 2024 or 2064 -- or ever." Van de Water said there weren't enough details about Romney's plan to project whether his voucher plan would help the trust fund's solvency long-term. But he did say that under the Ryan plan, the rate of Medicare spending growth per person "is somewhat less than what is expected under current law." "It would reduce Medicare spending, and so it would improve Medicare solvency. But it shifts costs to beneficiaries," Van de Water said. Consumer advocates worry that seniors would wind up paying much more for care under the Ryan plan. They point to a Congressional Budget Office report that shows spending would be between 35% and 42% lower for new enrollees under the Ryan plan versus traditional Medicare, CNNMoney reported. When asked for a response to Clinton's criticism, Romney spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg wrote that under President Barack Obama's current plan, "Medicare will go bankrupt in 2024." "Mitt Romney has a plan for Medicare that protects it for today's seniors and strengthens it for future generations," she wrote in an e-mail. The Romney campaign also accuses Obama of taking $716 billion out of Medicare to pay for the Affordable Care Act. Romney's campaign got the $716 billion figure from a July 24 Congressional Budget Office report, which measured the impact of repealing the health care overhaul. But the report also notes that the projected $716 billion increase in Medicare spending if the measure is repealed does not signal a $716 billion decrease if the measure stays in place -- which is Romney's argument. Conclusion: . A repeal of the Affordable Care Act -- counting no other action -- may worsen Medicare's financial situation and move up the projected insolvency date of Part A's trust fund from 2024 to 2016. But experts agree that other moves would be on the table. While it's conceivable that Romney's Medicare plans as stated wouldn't be implemented in time to counter the 2016 projection specifically, it's highly unlikely that no action would be taken to shore up the fund in the interim. Fact Check: Clinton arithmetic holds up on jobs . CNN's Jason Hanna, Emily Smith, Caleb Silver and Justin Lear contributed to this report.
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Clinton: Democrat-backed Affordable Care Act bought time for Medicare and made it financially solid until 2024 .
Romney wants to set up a "premium support system" for Medicare, with vouchers to buy coverage .
Repealing and maintaining the Affordable Cart Act both have consequences .
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Real Madrid's misfiring striker Karim Benzema has been told by coach Carlo Ancelotti to forget Cristiano Ronaldo's scoring exploits and concentrate on helping the team. While Ronaldo has been scoring for fun with seven goals in his last two Madrid matches, it has been a very different story for Benzema who has just two from eight games so far. 'Benzema is fine and he has a lot of ability,' said Ancelotti ahead of his side's La Liga game at Villarreal on Saturday. Karim Benzema must score goals on a regular basis if he wants to remain in Real Madrid's starting line-up . The Frenchman has been told by his manager to not compare his goalscoring record to Cristiano Ronaldo's . Ronaldo has been on fire for Real Madrid - scoring 10 goals in his last five games for his club . Benzema, pictured in training, has scored two goals in eight games for Real Madrid so far this season . 'He needs to work as he always has done and not feel any pressure about scoring. There is no need for him to worry that Cristiano has scored four goals. The only thing that he needs to think about is helping the team to play better and give solutions in attack.' Benzema failed to score in the 8-2 destruction of Deportivo La Coruna last weekend when Ronaldo hit a hat-trick. He was then rested for the midweek clash against Elche, as the Portuguese got four in a 5-1 victory. Ancelotti showed his confidence in Benzema ahead of the season by not recruiting multiple striking reinforcements, which left the Frenchman as the only recognised centre forward at the club. Yet his poor goal record has caused alarm bells to ring at the Bernabeu. Javier Hernandez's early form for Real Madrid will put pressure on the former Lyon forward . Ancelotti restructured his team against Elche by putting Ronaldo and Gareth Bale together in the centre of the attack and they swept aside the visitors. Ronaldo showed he is back to his best after knee and hamstring injuries that had taken the edge off his game in recent months. 'I have faced Ronaldo when I was at Milan and he was at (Manchester) United and I don't think it is easy to stop him. If you are up against him then it is better not to think about it so that you are calmer,' joked Ancelotti. 'At the moment there is no doubt that he is the best in the world and it is not easy to mark the best in the world. We are lucky that we have him in our team and that he has plenty of desire and character. 'He is a leader and it is necessary to have him fine physically and mentally as he will win you titles.' Carlo Ancelotti has warned his players they must shore up their defence if they are to win the title . Ancelotti will be hoping for an improvement in defence against Villarreal, which has been Real's weak point in the opening five La Liga games. They are in fifth place in the table, four points off the lead. 'The teams with the best chance of winning trophies are those that are solid and concede few goals,' he said. 'Last year we were successful because we became more solid and we know that our team will never have problems to score.'
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France international Karim Benzema has scored just one La Liga goal so far this season .
Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, has netted nine times in the league .
Carlo Ancelotti has labelled Ronaldo the best player in the world .
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df8e837d1ff5de468a2c1b0e9735d3118f0a49c2
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By . Thomas Jacobs . Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge took to social media to play down concerns about his injury on Monday afternoon. The England striker missed the Euro 2016 qualifier in Switzerland after picking up a thigh problem in training on Friday following the friendly win over Norway 48 hours earlier. Sturridge has been sent for more scans to assess the full extent of the damage, but is a major doubt for Saturday's Premier League clash with Aston Villa. Crocked: Daniel Sturridge suffered a thigh injury in training on Friday . Red men: Sturridge posted the above image to his Instagram account on Monday . Vow: Sturridge says he will be back in action for Liverpool soon . However, the former Manchester City frontman has vowed to return to action as soon as possible. 'Be back soon,' the 25-year-old posted on his official Instagram account. Liverpool kick off their Champions League campaign against Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets Razgrad at Anfield next Tuesday. National service: Sturridge in action for England against Norway on Wednesday .
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Sturridge picked up a thigh problem during England training on Friday .
Liverpool striker ruled out of Monday's Euro 2016 qualifier in Switzerland .
Frontman faces race against time to be fit to face Aston Villa on Saturday .
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f23dc857e44ec66bb9a0e972c4f218be276db68d
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The Drug Enforcement Administration paid an Amtrak employee hundreds of thousands of dollars over two decades to obtain confidential information it could have gotten for free, according to internal investigators at the railroad. According to a report released Monday by Amtrak's inspector general, the DEA paid an Amtrak secretary $854,460 to be an informant. The employee was not publicly identified except as a 'secretary to a train and engine crew.' Amtrak's own police agency is already in a joint drug enforcement task force that includes the DEA. According to the inspector general, that task force can obtain Amtrak confidential passenger reservation information at no cost. Amtrak is not a federal agency but it runs its own police force -- which already partners with the DEA and shares information like passenger lists and cargo manifests . The office of Amtrak Inspector General Tom Howard declined to identify the secretary or say why it took so long to uncover the payments. Howard's report on the incident suggested policy changes and 'other measures to address control weaknesses that Amtrak management is considering.' DEA spokeswoman Dawn Dearden declined to comment. Amtrak is officially known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp. and is not a government agency, although it has received tens of billions of dollars in federal subsidies and is subject to the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. Passenger name reservation information is collected by airlines, rail carriers and others and generally includes a passenger's name, the names of other passengers traveling with them, the dates of the ticket and travel, frequent flier or rider information, credit card numbers, emergency contact information, travel itinerary, baggage information, passport number, date of birth, gender and seat number. Amtrak's inspector general said the secretary provided the passenger information without seeking approval from Amtrak management or police, but Amtrak's own corporate privacy policy expressly allows it to sell or share personal information about its customers and passengers with contractors or a category of others it describes as 'certain trustworthy business partners.' It was not immediately clear whether the DEA has rules against soliciting corporate insiders to provide confidential customer information in exchange for money when providing that information would cause the employee to violate a company's or organization's own rules or policies. The DEA does not publish on its website its staff manuals or instructions for employees. Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Michele Leonhart will face pressure after the revelation that her agency paid an Amtrak secretary $854,460 over nearly 20 years to obtain confidential information about train passengers . Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said the hundreds of thousands of dollars in payouts were unnecessary, and demanded more information from the DEA . The report said the secretary was allowed to retire, rather than face administrative discipline, after the discovery that the employee had 'regularly' sold private passenger information since 1995 without Amtrak's approval, said the IG's summary. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called the $854,460 an unnecessary expense and asked for further information about the incident in a letter he released Monday to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart. Grassley said the incident 'raises some serious questions about the DEA's practices and damages its credibility to cooperate with other law enforcement agencies.' It's not unprecedented for law enforcement to have professional people who are informants employed in transportation and other industries, said a federal law enforcement official who is familiar with the incident involving Amtrak. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak on the record. The official said that years ago during the investigation of drug lord Pablo Escobar, an informant at a U.S. chemical company provided a major assist to law enforcement by informing authorities that thousands of gallons of acetone were being shipped to Colombia. Acetone is used to manufacture cocaine.
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DEA paid nearly $43k per year for 20 years to an 'informant' who was passing along private passenger data .
Amtrak's own police force would have shared the information with the DEA without cost .
Sen. Chuck Grassley is angry about the unnecessary spending .
The Amtrak secretary who pocketed the DEA's cloak-and-dagger money was allowed to retire instead of facing dismissal or other discipline .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 12:45 PM on 15th September 2011 . A student who was arrested under the Terrorism Act and kept in custody for six days has been awarded £20,000 compensation by the police. Rizwaan Sabir, 22, who was studying for a master's at Nottingham University, was arrested after downloading a terrorist manual for his research on al Qaeda. Police arrested him on the university campus on May 14, 2008 on suspicion of possessing extremist material. Wrongfully arrested: Rizwaan Sabir has secured a £20,000 payout from police . Mr Sabir was arrested after downloading an edited version of the The Al Qaeda Training Manual from a US government website for his postgraduate research, his solicitor said. He was held for six days before he was released without charge. After the cash award was announced, Mr Sabir said he was pleased to have cleared his name after a battle lasting more than three years. A police spokesman confirmed a sum of £20,000 had been agreed to settle Mr Sabir's civil case. 'We stand by the fact that the arrest, detention and obtaining of a warrant of further detention were all perfectly legal, proportionate and necessary in the circumstances as they were in 2008,' a statement said. Researcher: Mr Sabir downloaded an al Qaeda manual from a U.S. government website . 'The matter was settled without admission of liability save that the force admitted that one brief search of Mr Sabir and his vehicle carried out in February 2010 was the result of a mistaken belief on the part of the officers involved. This was admitted in November 2010 and the force apologises for this search. 'Nottinghamshire Police has also agreed to amend some records held on Mr Sabir to give them greater clarity. 'Given that all litigation carries with it a risk, this modest monetary settlement was viewed as a sensible way of keeping overall costs to a minimum.' Following his release from custody, Mr Sabir told ITV Central News: 'It was the most terrifying experience that I have ever had. 'It absolutely broke me. It has been the lowest time in my entire life.' He said he had felt 'the bureaucracy of the state hit me in its hardest form and I feel that the police powers were used in the wrong ways'. Mr Sabir, who is of Pakistani descent, said: 'There is no smoke without fire. There's fire and the fire is that I am Asian and I'm Muslim and I have got a beard and that's the fire so there is smoke.' Mr Sabir, who is currently a PhD student at the University of Strathclyde researching the UK's domestic counter-terrorism policy, was arrested after the manual was discovered on a friend's computer. It is understood Mr Sabir had sent the 1,500-page document to the friend - who was also arrested on May 14 under the Terrorism Act and later released without charge - because he had access to a printer. A statement issued today by Bhatt Murphy Solicitors on Mr Sabir's behalf said the manual was 'well established as a document used for research in the field of counter-terrorism policy', was referred to in standard textbooks and was widely available. The statement said Mr Sabir brought proceedings against Nottinghamshire Police for false imprisonment and breaches of the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Human Rights Act 1998. He claimed that false information on Nottinghamshire Police records, including a clear but unfounded assertion that Mr Sabir had been convicted of a terrorist offence, had led to Mr Sabir being subject to numerous stops and searches. Mr Sabir said the police 'have been forced to account for the wrong they did to me. 'But I am one of the lucky ones. I cannot forget all those other innocent people like me who have suffered at the hands of the police but do not have the chance or means to vindicate their names.' Michael Oswald of Bhatt Murphy said: 'Clearly, the police have a difficult and important job to do in their counter-terrorism role, however, they must nonetheless act within the law and must be held to account when they do not. 'Through his remarkable effort and fierce determination over the last three years, Mr Sabir has been able to hold the police to account for their failings.'
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Rizwaan Sabir had downloaded a terrorist manual from a U.S. government website to help his research .
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London (CNN) -- Passengers struggling to get away for the holiday season faced further frustration and delays Tuesday, as the EU's top travel official slammed snow disruptions across the region as "unacceptable." Heavy snow caused severe disruption to train and plane schedules in a number of major cities days before Christmas, forcing thousands of people to sleep in terminals while they waited for information on their onward journey. "I am extremely concerned about the level of disruption to travel across Europe caused by severe snow. It is unacceptable and should not happen again," European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas said in a written statement. He took issue with airport infrastructure which he called the "weak link" in the chain, and urged airports to "get serious" about planning for severe weather conditions. Thousands of passengers endured another frustrating day at London's Heathrow Airport Tuesday as airlines struggled to clear the backlog of passengers after two days of cancellations. Only one of the airport's two runways was operating, following cancellations during the previous two days due to heavy snow. British Prime Minister David Cameron discussed the weather chaos with his cabinet "extensively" Tuesday, according to his office. "The people stuck here are having an incredibly difficult time, especially just a few days from Christmas, and everything must be done to either get them on holiday or get them home safely," Cameron said at a news conference. Kylie Deegennars said she had been sleeping on the terminal floor since arriving at Heathrow late Saturday. "We got told on that evening that if we waited until 6 a.m. the next morning we'd get more information. We did not get a blanket or a bottle of water until 1:30 a.m. in the morning," she said. Conditions hadn't improved since then and Monday night she was still waiting for confirmation of a flight. "We're younger, we've got resistance, but there are babies, there are elderly people, and they're getting no extra treatment than anyone else. It's disgusting," she said. On Tuesday afternoon, British Airways announced that it was considering transporting passengers stranded at Heathrow by bus to other UK airports. Terminal five, it said, had been closed as staff worked to clear the backlog of people crowding the main concourse. London Heathrow is to remain open for the next 24 hours, British Airways said, adding that it was considering bringing planes back overnight to clear the load. Gatwick airport officials indicated Tuesday evening that operations were nearing normal. Nearly 700 flights were scheduled to arrive or depart the airport Tuesday carrying about 100,000 passengers, an airport spokeswoman said, and only 53 flights had been canceled. "The airfield teams are continuing to work round the clock and we are in a strong position to get flights moving to as near normal operations later today," Gatwick spokeswoman Andrea Hopkins said. The airport has requested additional snow-clearing equipment to be delivered from Switzerland in an effort to make operations fully functional. Colleagues Sharon and Cathy were trying to get back to Phoenix, Arizona, after suffering a two-day delay to their flights from Munich, Germany. They have been stranded at Heathrow airport since Monday. "We really felt that we were flying into the eye of the storm and it didn't make much sense to do that, but here we are. We've been told our best chance of getting out is on December 27," Sharon said. The colleagues say they are "lucky" to be put up in a hotel by their company, and expressed sympathy for others stranded in the airport with little or no information, accommodation or money. "It looks like a refugee camp. People have been staying there for days," Sharon said. "There were guards at the doors of Terminal One not allowing other people to come in. We were a little concerned about leaving the terminal that we might not be able to get back in." The British government has come under fire for failing to heed warnings about the incoming inclement weather. Defending the government, UK Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said, "Nobody foresaw the really extreme temperatures that we've had." He laid the blame for chaos at Heathrow Airport firmly at the door of airport operator BAA who he said made a "bad call" on Saturday when the snow first started to present problems. "This is as a result of extreme weather conditions and also to be frank of a bad call on Saturday by the airport operator who was, as it turned out, over-optimistic about their ability to leave the airport open," he said. The government had offered military manpower to help clear runways which had been rejected, Hammond said. He added that the government was working with authorities to ensure the smooth supply of de-icing equipment and other materials to keep the airport operating. British transport expert David Quarmby, author of an independent audit on the resilience of England's transport system, said that the country could not be expected to be able to cope as well as other cities that regularly experience heavy snowfall. "We had a severe winter last winter and a bit of a winter the year before. But for eight years before that we hardly saw any snow at all," he said. "It's very difficult to justify investing in the resources that you find in airports and rail systems and highways in countries elsewhere which always have winters that are as severe as the one that we've got at the moment." The travel disruption was not limited to airports. Long queues snaked around St. Pancras International railway station in London on Tuesday as Eurostar canceled 10 trains, or about 20% of its normal service between London and Paris. "Due to the continuing bad weather, speed restrictions are in place on our high speed lines, adding up to two hours to journey times. As a result we can not operate as many trains as planned," said Eurostar spokeswoman Mary Walsh. Passengers ignored advice to turn up at the station one hour before departure. Some queued for as long as four hours in the London drizzle before stepping foot inside the terminal. During the wait, they were offered pizza, curry, coffee and tea, according to CNN's Jim Boulden. Earlier, hundreds of passengers camped at Paris train stations, including Eurostar's Paris terminal, Monday night while they waited news of the next train, French transport minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet told French radio Tuesday. Around 3,000 passengers on cancelled flights slept on the floor at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, while another 400 spent the night at Orly airport, she said. Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France KLM said efforts had been made to find stranded passengers a hotel room. "We found 4,000, but we couldn't find anymore," Gourgeon told French radio. A message on the Paris airports website said air traffic was "slowly resuming" after severe snow disruptions. Passengers were advised to check whether their flights had been cancelled before traveling to the airport. Heavy snowfall halted all plane travel at Frankfurt airport in Germany for a short time Tuesday, said Thomas Uber, an airport spokesman. By mid-morning in Europe, the number of canceled flights had risen to 464, mostly due to backlogs and disruptions at other airports, an official said. About 50 flights had been canceled at Munich airport, also due to disruptions elsewhere. German Transport Minster Peter Ramsauer has asked German state authorities to allow night flights on a case-by-case basis to ease travel chaos at airports. Major German airports have restrictions on night flights usually from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. and only allow night flights on a very limited basis or in cases of emergencies. On Tuesday afternoon Belgian authorities had started putting passengers whose flights had been diverted from Heathrow Airport to Brussels on coaches and boats to London. In a statement posted on its website, the airport advised passengers bound for Frankfurt on Lufthansa flights to make their way independently by train or car. European Commission Vice President Kallas said he would convene a meeting of European airport representatives in coming days to demand an explanation and assurances that they can handle future snow disruptions. "We have seen in recent years that snow in Western Europe is not such an exceptional circumstance. Better preparedness, in line with what is done in Northern Europe is not an optional extra, it must be planned for and with the necessary investment, particularly on the side of the airports," he said. The UK's Met Office, the country's weather forecasting agency, said it is not expecting further snow in London on Wednesday and that Heathrow and Gatwick airports "should remain dry." CNN's Laura Perez Maestro, Fred Pleitgen, Phil Han and Jim Boulden contributed to this report .
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NEW: Gatwick operations nearing normal, spokeswoman says .
BA considering transporting passengers by bus from Heathrow to other airports .
UK Transport Secretary lays blame for Heathrow chaos on "over-optimistic" operator .
Thousands of passengers await connections in European airports, rail stations .
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Can you imagine legally growing marijuana in your backyard? How about walking down to the corner pharmacy to buy a gram or two of ready-to-smoke pot? Starting Tuesday, this scenario will no longer be a pot smoker's fantasy in one South American country. Uruguay has published regulations for a new, legal marijuana market, a measure approved by lawmakers there in December. The law and the new regulations make Uruguay the first country in the world to have a system regulating legal production, sale and consumption of the drug. In announcing the marijuana regulations, presidential aide Diego Canepa reminded everyone that the state will control the marijuana market from beginning to end, starting with setting prices. "The value of the gram of marijuana sold at pharmacies in the regulated market will be set by the President's office through the control agency," Canepa said. That's right. The Uruguayan government has created an agency whose mission is to regulate the pot market, known as the Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis. The proposed price starts at 20 Uruguayan pesos per gram (about 87 cents in U.S. dollars), Canepa said. People can grow as many as six plants at home and produce a maximum of 480 grams per year, according to the published rules. Cannabis clubs of anywhere between 15 and 45 members will be legal. Another rule allows people to buy as much as 40 grams of marijuana per month at state-licensed pharmacies. Julio Rey, founder of a cannabis club and a spokesman for the National Association for the Regulation of Marijuana, told CNN in December, shortly after passage, that his organization was very pleased with the legislation. "We will take care of the tools of this law to demonstrate that we, as the public, can objectively look at this project and comply with its proposed legality," Rey said. This isn't about creating a free-for-all system, Canepa told reporters. It's about creating rules that will refocus government efforts on prevention and taking the market from the hands of ruthless drug traffickers that only care about money. Opinion: Finally, a nation legalizes pot . "What we now know is that we had a sustained increase in consumption during prohibition. This new reality, as we understand it, is going to change that, and it will be possible to implement better public policy to take care of those who abuse drugs," Canepa said. For anyone considering traveling to Uruguay to smoke marijuana legally, President Jose Mujica, a big supporter of the law, says go elsewhere. The law doesn't give foreigners the right to smoke or even buy the drug. In fact, consumers, sellers and distributors all have to be licensed by the government. In an interview with CNN en Español in 2012, Mujica explained his reasons for promoting the legislation. "If we legalize it, we think that we will spoil the market (for drug traffickers) because we are going to sell it for cheaper than it is sold on the black market. And we are going to have people identified," he said. With the help of state-of-the-art technology, authorities will track every gram or marijuana sold, according to Canepa. Bags will be bar-coded. The genetic information of plants that are legally produced will be kept on file. This will allow police to determine whether illegal marijuana is being commercialized. Governments and drug policy experts will certainly be watching closely how the Uruguayan model develops. The marijuana legislation places the South American country at the vanguard of liberal drug policies, surpassing even the Netherlands, where recreational drugs are illegal but a policy of tolerance is in place.
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Uruguay is the first country to regulate legal production, sale and consumption of marijuana .
New rules legalizing the marijuana market take effect Tuesday .
President Jose Mujica backed the law and says it will harm drug traffickers .
The law doesn't give foreigners the right to smoke or even buy the drug .
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