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17,333 | 311250eecbe68c455b06309856a64d5c3b05c514 | (CNN) -- Woody Allen famously said that 80% of success in life is about just showing up. He's wrong. Success in life -- as in diplomacy -- is about showing up at the right time. So Is John Kerry coming to the Israeli-Hamas crisis too early, too late or just at the right time? The secretary of state has been eager to get into the middle of this almost since it started. He considered going last weekend from Vienna, Austria, where he had joined five other world powers in negotiations with Iran on the nuclear deal. But he smartly decided -- or was discouraged by the Egyptians who were in the middle of their own cease-fire mediation -- not to go. Still, the rising number of deaths primarily on the Palestinian side and the real danger of escalation of a ground incursion left him little choice. Regardless of the outcome, after Syria and Iraq, both President Barack Obama and Kerry realized that the United States couldn't sit on the sidelines like a potted plant. Kerry arrives in Israel . Moreover, Kerry's hot mic comments showing his irritation at Israel's supposed "pinpoint" airstrikes in Gaza revealed a good deal more frustration than simply a desire to collect more frequent flier miles. Kerry is an activist and simply couldn't abide the fact that people were dying and the United States wasn't at least trying to stop it. But desire and passion won't produce a deal. Kerry proved that in his nine-month effort to negotiate an agreed framework for peace between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. So what will it take to negotiate a cease-fire, and is Kerry the guy to do it? A key question is whether the combatants now believe it is urgent to reach a cease-fire: You would think that with more than 600 Palestinians dead, thousands wounded and displaced, and Israel soldiers' casualties rising, the conflict would have created an imperative for de-escalation. And it may eventually bring both Hamas and Israel to the point that a cease-fire is a top priority. At the same time, Israel's successful Iron Dome missile defense system has insulated the government to a degree from popular pressure to stand down, and the United States generally has been supportive of Israel's right to defend itself. But Palestinian civilian casualties have increased international pressure. And Tuesday's Federal Aviation Administration decision to stop flights to and from Israel temporarily will remind Israelis about the costs of the continuing confrontation. As for Hamas, it's not easy to read its calculations, in part because it's not clear whether the military or political wing is in charge. But it is evident that having entered this conflict financially strapped and politically weak, Hamas leaders believe they need to show something tangible for the death and destruction their missiles have produced in Gaza. And, by infiltrating Israel through tunnels and confrontation with Israelis in Gaza, they have inflicted more fatalities on the Israel Defense Forces than they did in the entire three-week war of 2008/9. Indeed, Hamas seems convinced this fight could continue for a while longer. Bottom line: Both sides may be reaching a tipping point when pain outweighs gain. But they just may not be there quite yet. A second key question is who is in a position to mediate the deal. Kerry's formidable energy and talent notwithstanding, he cannot do this deal on his own. Washington has plenty of influence with Israel under the right circumstances but none with Hamas. And that means relying on regional partners who do. But that poses a variety of complications. Egypt wants to maintain the key role here while keeping Qatar and Turkey at bay to limit their pro-Hamas leanings. Still the deal will likely require payment of Hamas employee salaries and the Qataris may be the banker on that one. Egypt and Hamas will also need to work out some new arrangement to ease crossings from Rafah -- the largest pedestrian crossing from Gaza to Egypt. Israel also wants to limit the gains Hamas makes. It wants a clean cease-fire first and only then arrangements that might satisfy some of what Hamas is seeking. In the middle of this is a secretary of state who's very much improvising in an effort to determine who has the most influence with Hamas and how best to go about using it. At the end of the day, it's no coincidence that Kerry stopped in Egypt first. Cairo will remain the fulcrum of this process. The final question is what kind of deal could be achieved. The simplest way to conclude this round would be quiet for quiet: no more Hamas rockets and no more Israeli military action. But it's probably too late for that kind of a cease-fire, and it would likely only be a temporary respite. At the other extreme are a variety of proposals from demilitarization to reoccupation of Gaza by Israel to eliminating Hamas as an organization. But none of these are realistic. The best that can be hoped for is a kind of stability for stability in which a long-term cease-fire would be followed by a number of arrangements to open up Gaza economically in exchange for Hamas' commitment to stand down and ensure that there would be no attacks against Israel via tunnels and rockets. Indeed Israel may well demand the border with Gaza be supervised to prevent reconstruction and reuse of Hamas' terror tunnels. In exchange, a number of parties would be asked to deliver on certain commitments: Qatar would pay promised salaries for Hamas employees under the Fatah-Hamas unity accord; Egypt would allow the Rafah crossing to be opened under terms to be negotiated; Israel would agree to open its crossings with Gaza, perhaps with the return -- even in a symbolic manner -- of Palestinian Authority officials in some role in Gaza. Egypt would continue to crack down on military contraband, slowing Hamas' capacity to rearm. And the United Nations -- together with international donors -- would work to deal with the humanitarian costs of the current crisis. Sooner or later, something along these lines will be put together. And Kerry can work to assemble part of it. But it will be Egypt that will drive the train, not just because of its desire to be the key actor, but also to limit the outside influences of others. And of all the potential mediators, including the United States, Israel would likely prefer Cairo, which shares its objective of limiting Hamas gains. None of this will provide a long-term solution to an Israel-Hamas rivalry, let alone to the broader question of how to reach a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian problem. But it will bring to an end another costly round of Israeli-Palestinian violence. And the time for that is long overdue. | Secretary of State John Kerry went to the Middle East to try to end the Gaza battle .
Aaron Miller: Need for peace is urgent, but do Hamas and Israel feel time is right for deal?
U.S. is not in a position to mediate a solution by itself but can work with others, he says .
Miller: It's too late to end crisis with just a cease-fire; a broader deal is needed . |
224,118 | ae34510c09511baf60a31f6fc48b85395a62995d | (CNN) -- Chinese fans will have a new reason to cheer when the 101st Tour de France kicks off on Saturday: 26-year-old Ji Cheng will become the first rider from China to compete for competitive cycling's highest honor. Ji, who will be riding with the Netherlands-based Giant-Shimano team, has competed in professional European cycling since 2007 and has already completed other top races. "I am just really happy to race for my country in the Tour de France, I'm really excited," Ji, who comes from the northern Chinese city of Harbin, told CNN. He's dreamed of competing in the Tour since he began racing. "When I started cycling in China, the Tour de France was the only race they showed on the TV," Ji said from Leeds, England, where the tour will begin. He's happy that his friends and family will get to watch him compete. As Ji qualifies for one of the most famous races in the world, his example could help kickstart China's nascent competitive cycling scene. 'Breakaway killer' Ji started his athletic career as a runner in school, but shifted to cycling soon after in part because of the cold weather in Harbin, where winter temperatures get below -4°F (-20°C) and cycling gave him the opportunity to train indoors. He started with track cycling -- in which racers do laps around a velodrome track on specialized bikes -- and then moved to longer distance road cycling. After training with a Hong Kong team for a year, he was signed by Shimano and moved to Europe in 2007. The Tour de France won't be the first milestone Ji has passed. He's also competed in the other two highest profile races in competitive cycling: the Vuelta a Espana, in which he raced in 2012 and the Giro d'Italia the following year. The three races collectively are known as Grand Tours, and he is the first Chinese cyclist to participate in each of them. Ji is known as a "breakaway killer," which means he catches up with cyclists who try to get away from the pack of riders. It's not the flashiest role, but it helps position his teammates on the nine-man squad to win races. He says he doesn't have a strategy going into the Tour. "My goal is to try my hardest for my team, and I hope I finish the whole three weeks." Giant-Shimano coach Rudi Kemna said in a statement that Ji played an important factor in the team's formations. His participation in the Tour "will be huge for him and his country and we look forward to seeing the impact this has on the globalization of the sport," Kemna said. Kingdom of Bicycles? Advocates hope that Ji's participation in the Tour could help competitive cycling gain attention in China. "The fact that there is a Chinese racer in the race means the media and the public will focus on it much more," said Alain Rumpf, the director of Global Cycling Promotions, an organization affiliated with cycling's governing body, that promotes the sport around the world. "Ji Cheng is a pioneer." International teams currently compete in events like the Tour of Beijing, a top-level annual race that will have its fourth edition in October. Ji and several of his Shimano teammates competed in the race in 2013. But overall, international road cycling hasn't gained much traction in the country. China won three medals in women's track cycling at the 2012 London Olympics -- two silvers and a bronze -- but has lagged behind in road cycling. Some cyclists aim instead for China's National Games, where athletes represent their regions or cities. Cycling in general is also not as prevalent as it once was. China was known as the "Kingdom of Bicycles" in the 70's and 80's, when a bike was the main form of transportation for many. Now, as more people have moved into the middle class, mopeds and automobiles have started to replace bikes on the streets of Beijing and other cities, although there are still more than 8 million bikes in the capital city. Poor air quality is also an obstacle for cyclists, who can face health problems from riding in smoggy urban centers. READ MORE: Nine things that make air pollution bearable . Cycling renaissance . Recently, however, members of a growing middle class are picking up their bikes again. For these people, cycling is recreation, not a way to get to work. "There's now more and more people who will strap an expensive road bike to the top of their BMW and head to the hills around Beijing," said David Culbert, a spokesperson for the Tour of Beijing. In the suburbs, the roads are smooth and the air is clean. "You will see literally hundreds, if not thousands, of people out there on the weekends riding their bikes," said Shannon Bufton, the co-founder of Serk Cycling, a Beijing NGO promoting cycling culture. This cycling renaissance has even gotten support from the headline-grabbing billionaire Chen Guangbiao, who celebrated China's "National Urban Car-Free Day" in 2011 by smashing a Mercedes-Benz and giving his employees free bicycles. It's also attracting the attention of professional cycling teams eager to find untapped talent, and cycling sponsors eying China's potential as a lucrative market. And Beijing is looking to build a more competitive road cycling program for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Ji's example could give more people a reason to get back in the saddle. "What Chinese cycling needs is a national hero who performs well at an international level," Bufton said -- and that could be Ji. For now, Ji is focused on the Tour, in which 198 cyclists, divided among 22 teams, will ride a total of 2,272 miles before the July 27 finish line. But he's already thinking ahead. "I hope for the future we will send more and more riders to European pro races," Ji said. "I hope they can use my experience to see that European cycling is possible." | 26-year-old Ji Cheng will become the first rider from China to compete in cycling's most prestigious race .
Ji, who is part of the Giant-Shimano team, has also competed in two of the sport's other two highest profile races .
International road cycling hasn't gained much traction in China, and some bicycles have been replaced by vehicles .
As a growing middle class starts cycling for recreation, some think China could be the next frontier for competitive cycling . |
284,480 | fc91d6c99b7435237e5c4d1869c2d80078a7e987 | By . Lizzie Parry . A Tesco delivery driver who contracted a fatal disease claims he was infected at work after handling bags saturated with rat's urine. Darren Finn, 39, who was diagnosed with Weil's disease, said the supermarket's distribution centres were overrun with the vermin. The father-of-two, who captured this footage of a rat-infested container of food, was rushed into hospital in November 2012, complaining of debilitating flu-like symptoms. When doctors . examined Mr Finn they discovered he was suffering from kidney failure, . jaundice and a loss of function in his liver but they were baffled by . the cause of his illness. Scroll down for video . Caught on camera: Former Tesco delivery driver Darren Finn captured footage of rats crawling over food and crates at a Tesco distribution centre. He claims he contracted the potentially deadly Weil's disease from bags he carried that he claims were saturated with rat's urine . Infested: Rats can be seen climbing up the crate inside the centre, while others are spotted scurrying between containers . Concerns: Mr Finn, a father-of-two, claims the distribution centre was overrun with vermin . Hospitalised: The 39-year-old fell ill with Weil's disease in November 2012, when he worked as part of Tesco's Harlow Transport Team. Doctors discovered he was suffering kidney and liver failure, and fought to keep him alive . It . took more than a week before he was finally diagnosed with the . potentially life-threatening condition Weil’s disease, by which time he . had grown so ill hospital staff feared he might die. Mr Finn, who lives in Epping, London with his wife and children, believes he contracted the disease while working as a fresh distribution lorry driver for Tesco. The supermarket chain deny the claim, adding they have passed scrupulous Environmental Health inspections. But Mr Finn said the distribution centre was constantly overrun with rats and staff members were not given adequate equipment to safeguard them from illness. He said: 'I have been to hell and back due to this illness. I honestly believed I was going to die when I was in hospital as I was on death’s door - even the doctors were extremely worried. 'Thankfully I managed to pull through but I am not the same as I was before and I doubt I’ll ever be back to what I was before. Problem: Mr Finn said he had been concerned about the sanitation of the company's distribution centers claiming they had consistently attracted a high number of rats due to available food waste . 'The distribution centres and stores . are teaming with vermin and it is the only place I have ever come in to . contact with rat urine so there is no where else I could have got the . disease,' he claimed. Mr . Finn had been employed as a delivery driver for Tesco for more than 10 . years and was part of the company’s Harlow Transport Team. Ordeal: Mr Finn has since left Tesco and is now working for DHL . He . said he had been concerned about the sanitation of the company’s . distribution centers claiming they had consistently attracted a high . number of rats due to available food waste. He said: 'The state of the distribution centers is disgusting. There are rats and vermin all over the place, every time we arrive for a night shift you can see them scurrying around as they are attracted to the food. 'When you pick up the bags they are often wet and with so many rats running around I’m sure there is a lot of rat urine. 'The equipment Tesco give us is simply not sufficient, all we have are the overalls and a pair of cloth gloves that soak in all the moisture. They get soaking so if you have a cut or you rub your eye God knows what you’re going to end up with. 'I was one of the unlucky ones and it almost cost me my life.' Mr Finn, who has left Tesco and now works for DHL, instructed law firm Slater & Gordon to pursue a civil action against the supermarket giant. Tesco have denied liability for his illness. 'I decided to take legal action not just because I want them to answer for what they did to me but to also make sure no one else suffers as I have. Other employees are at risk,' Mr Finn said. Tracey Benson, personal injury lawyer with Slater & Gordon, said: 'Darren has suffered a great deal of pain and distress from this condition which could have easily cost him his life. Denial: A spokesman for Tesco said the supermarket does not accept liability for Mr Finn's illness, adding there is 'no evidence to suggest he caught the disease while working for Tesco' Weil's disease - or leptospirosis - is a type of bacterial infection spread by animals. In 90 per cent of cases the disease causes mild flu-like symptoms, including headache, chills and muscle pain. Where the infection takes hold of a patient's body and is more severe, it can be life-threatening causing organ failure and internal bleeding. The disease is spread in water contaminated with the urine of wild animals infected with the leptospira bacteria. Animals known to carry the bacteria include cattle, pigs, dogs and rodents, particularly rats.Transmission of the disease between humans is incredibly rare. In the UK only 44 cases of the disease were reported in England and Wales during 2011. None were fatal. The infection can be treated with a course of antibiotics. 'The pictures and video he has provided has shown there are a high number of rats scavenging in the recycling and food waste his team was tasked with moving yet they were provided with insufficient safety equipment for the job. 'Employers have a responsibility to protect staff and provide them with the correct equipment to enjoy a safe working environment. 'If they fail to provide this they may be liable if an employee suffers injury or ill health.' A Tesco spokesperson said the company deny any liability for Mr Finn's illness. He said: 'We take any health and safety issues at our sites very seriously. 'Following Mr Finn’s original allegation in December 2012, the Harlow site where he was based was thoroughly inspected by Environmental Health officers who found we had robust pest control routines in place. 'We believe there is no evidence to suggest he caught Weil’s disease while working for Tesco. 'Legal proceedings are ongoing and we are in touch with Mr Finn’s representatives.' | Darren Finn says he captured footage of rats crawling over food and crates .
39-year-old claims he was struck down by Weil's disease in November 2012 .
He claims he contracted the illness from bags soaked in rat's urine .
Father-of-two nearly died after suffering kidney and liver failure .
Tesco deny the claims, adding they passed scrupulous health inspections . |
74,809 | d415369b9d03eff8d56e53fc5d74cc8e1f6cc208 | (CNN) -- As a gung-ho supervisor, Stephen Jackson was so adept at finding and photographing sleeping airport security guards that colleagues called him the "Nighttime Ninja," he says. Now the 38-year-old former U.S. Marine says he has been fired in retaliation for repeatedly bringing attention to the sleeping habits of subordinates who were supposed to be protecting New York's JFK Airport. Jackson said he reported to his bosses about a half-dozen instances in which guards fell asleep on post during his six months at the airport. But he says his employer -- FJC Security Services -- only took action in one case, suspending a guard who he had documented twice falling asleep. "At JFK, they didn't want to know about it. They didn't want to deal with it," said Jackson. "I was told that, 'Listen, You fly under the radar here. You don't have to be so gung-ho.'" Jackson this week provided the New York Post and CNN with photographs that he says show security guards asleep at JFK posts. An official with FJC Security, which provides security for JFK, painted Jackson as a disgruntled employee who released the photos to damage the company after he was fired for misconduct. FJC vice president and chief security officer Matt Horace said the photos were "never brought to the attention of FJC. Had he taken the proper steps as supervisor, those employees would have gone through the proper steps up to and including termination." FJC provides security under a contract with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, operators of JFK. #Avgeeks: The new warriors on terror at the airport . While the Transportation Security Administration provides the high-profile job of screening passengers and baggage, airports are responsible for providing perimeter security under plans that undergo TSA scrutiny and approval. Most large airports contract with private firms for that security work. Jackson, of Staten Island, said he informed supervisors about sleeping guards and showed them photos. But he says he met resistance. "My complaints fell on deaf ears, or at least somebody who didn't want to be bothered," he said. Jackson said FJC responded differently if sleeping guards were discovered by the Port Authority or by other FJC officials. Those discovered by the Port Authority were fired, he said, while those discovered internally were not. In May, a TSA inspector "found one of our guards sleeping" at the airport's "H post" -- an access point to an airport operations area -- and reported it to the company, Jackson said. But the company "made no issue of it," he said. A TSA official said the validity of that claim could not be immediately determined. The Port Authority on Monday said it "immediately directed FJC to permanently remove from Port Authority premises the guards shown sleeping in photos and/or on video as well as any other guards caught sleeping at our facilities." "The Port Authority will not tolerate unacceptable performance from its vendors," the statement said. Jackson was fired May 28 for "gross misconduct and security infractions," the FJC's Horace said. Jackson allowed an off-duty guard to photocopy log entrees. "When we became aware of it, an investigation was pursued and Mr. Jackson was terminated." Jackson told CNN the guard was a union shop steward and that he and another supervisor "challenged" him. But Jackson said they were told the steward had permission and that he reported it "about an hour or so after the fact." "They suspended the other manager and fired me," Jackson said. | Stephen Jackson says he was fired for exposing guards sleeping at JFK airport .
Security company at airport painted the ex-Marine as a disgruntled employee .
Jackson said he told supervisors about sleeping guards, showed them photos . |
69,877 | c61aec7c0eb8d0e9abdac7498e9611cf7024fee0 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Jurors in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor worked for more than seven hours Friday before telling the judge that they had not reached a verdict and were ready to go home for the weekend. The seven men and five women deciding the fate of Dr. Conrad Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 death of the pop icon, will resume deliberations Monday morning. Katherine and Joe Jackson, the parents of the Jackson family, were so anxious for a verdict that they spent Friday afternoon in a hotel near the courthouse so they could get there quickly. Dozens of Jackson fans filled the plaza outside of the downtown Los Angeles County courthouse, shouting slogans, waving signs and sometimes arguing with Murray supporters. The jury heard from 49 witnesses over 23 days, including Murray's girlfriends and patients, Jackson's former employees, investigators, and medical experts for each side. Prosecutor David Walgren told them Thursday the evidence that Murray caused Jackson's death is "overwhelming" and "abundantly clear," while defense lawyer Ed Chernoff argued no crime was committed. "If it were anybody else but Michael Jackson, would this doctor be here today?" Chernoff asked, saying it's a negligence case that should instead be heard by the state medical board. "He was just a little fish in a big, dirty pond," Chernoff said, pointing the finger at other doctors who treated Jackson, and at Jackson himself. The singer's death on June 25, 2009, was caused by acute propofol intoxication in combination with two sedatives, the Los Angeles County coroner ruled. Jurors must decide if the overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol was infused into Jackson's blood by a steady IV drip, as the prosecution contends, or if Jackson injected himself with a syringe left nearby by Murray, as the defense argues. Prosecutors argue that Murray's use of propofol in Jackson's home to treat his insomnia was so reckless it was criminally negligent. "Conrad Murray left Prince, Paris and Blanket without a father," Walgren said. "For them, this case doesn't end today, or tomorrow. For Michael's children, this case will go on forever, because they do not have a father. They do not have a father because of the actions of Conrad Murray." Walgren argued that until Jackson's death, no one ever heard of propofol being in a home every night to put someone to sleep. He called it "a pharmaceutical experiment on Michael Jackson ... an obscene experiment." The defense contends Jackson self-administered the fatal overdose of drugs in a desperate search for sleep without Murray's knowing. "What they're really asking you to do is to convict Dr. Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson," Chernoff said. After Chernoff finished his arguments, Walgren attacked the defense for trying to blame "everybody but Conrad Murray, poor Conrad Murray." "If allowed more time to argue, I am sure they would find a way to blame Michael's son, Prince," Walgren said in his rebuttal. Walgren painted Murray as a selfish doctor who agreed to take $150,000 a month to give Jackson nightly infusions of propofol in his home, something an ethical doctor would never do because of the dangers. While Jackson was hooked up to a constant intravenous drip of propofol, Murray was not paying attention, the prosecutor said. Telephone records and testimony showed he was talking to Sade Anding, a Houston cocktail waitress, when he realized Jackson had stopped breathing. "What was so important to Conrad Murray that he had to call Sade Anding at that time? What was so important to this doctor that he needed to call one of his female friends in Houston? What was so pressing that he just couldn't care for Michael Jackson, that he had to call Sade Anding?" It will never be known how long Jackson had not been breathing when Murray dropped the phone in the middle of his conversation with Anding, the prosecutor said. "Was Conrad Murray in another room? Did Michael Jackson yell out for help? Did he gasp? Did he choke? Were there sounds? We don't know and we'll never know, because of the neglect and negligence of Conrad Murray." Walgren questioned why Murray waited at least 20 minutes after he found Jackson was not breathing before he asked a security guard call for an ambulance. "To speak to a 911 operator was the only hope of Michael Jackson being revived to see another day," Walgren said. Paramedics arrived just four minutes after the call, but too late to save Jackson, he said. Chernoff argued that Murray depended on chef Kai Chase to send up a security guard while he was trying to revive Jackson, but she only sent son Prince. When Murray spoke with police two days after Jackson's death, it was "to get ahead of the story," because he knew there would be toxicology reports showing he died from propofol and sedatives, Walgren said. "Unfortunately, his version doesn't match up with the evidence, the phone records, the e-mails, but he knew what toxicology findings would show," Walgren said. Jurors heard from two anesthesiology experts who offered competing theories, Dr. Steven Shafer for the prosecution and Dr. Paul White for the defense. Walgren attacked White for his determination "to find a theory or way to blame it on Michael Jackson." White testified that the levels of propofol and sedatives found in Jackson's stomach, blood and urine during the autopsy convinced him that Jackson swallowed a large does of lorazepam and later gave himself a rapid injection of propofol, which led to his death. "What you were presented from Dr. White was junk science," Walgren said. Chernoff defended his expert and attacked Shafer, saying he was "not a scientist; he was an advocate. He was trying to prove a point; he was trying to prove a case." "Dr. White knows more about propofol than Dr. Shafer will ever, ever know," Chernoff said. Shafer testified that the "only scenario" in Jackson's death was one involving an IV drip system infusing a steady flow of propofol into Jackson over several hours before his death. Chernoff argued that the prosecution fabricated the theory because they "desperately needed a drip," because "without a drip, what Dr. Murray gave Michael Jackson would not have harmed him." "If Dr. Murray did what he said he did, there was no danger to Michael Jackson," Chernoff said. "Michael Jackson was not going to die and it doesn't matter if you leave the room and go outside and play basketball." Chernoff attacked the credibility of Alberto Alvarez, Jackson's former bodyguard, who testified that he saw a propofol bottle inside an empty saline bag suspended on an IV stand by Jackson's bed. Alvarez waited two months after Jackson's death to tell the story, Chernoff said. "All of a sudden, his story becomes monumentally more compelling and more valuable," Chernoff said. Alvarez acknowledged he turned down a $500,000 offer for an interview, Chernoff said. "Do you honestly believe that Alberto Alvarez is not going to cash in?" Alavarez, who placed the 911 call from Jackson's bedroom, also testified he helped remove Jackson from the bed and performed CPR on him, but a paramedic contradicted that testimony. Investigators who found the cut saline bag and propofol bottle never photographed them together or document the bottle being inside the bag, Chernoff said. The "bottle in a bag" theory was even less believable because the propofol bottle had a plastic strip attached to it so it could be hung from an IV stand, he said. That strip was never used, both sides agreed. "Dr. Murray didn't have to go through the ridiculous, absurd step of cutting a bag, propping it up into a cut IV bag, hanging it up where it could fall," Chernoff said. Murray, if convicted, faces up to four years in prison and the loss of his medical license. | NEW: Jury deliberations resume Monday in Conrad Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial .
Don't convict "Murray for the actions of Michael Jackson," defense says .
Defense blames "everybody but Conrad Murray, poor Conrad Murray," prosecutor says .
Jury must decide if Murray used an IV drip or if Jackson injected himself with overdose . |
127,645 | 30ffade6a3641bd3f9a723f083696cb5f237d75a | Explosive scenes: Dame Helen Mirren plays the Queen in the Broadway production of The Audience . It is one of the most extraordinary confrontations in recent British political history. The Queen pleads with Tony Blair to call off the planned 2003 invasion of Iraq in a fraught private audience at Buckingham Palace, imploring him to seek a diplomatic solution from the United Nations. But with British forces poised to join the US in bombing and ground assaults the next day, he says: ‘The right thing to do is to go in now, and go in hard.’ This explosive scene is in a new Broadway production of controversial play The Audience, with Dame Helen Mirren as the Queen. Publicity material for the play says it will ‘break the contract of silence’ around private audiences between the Queen and her Prime Ministers. It describes the meetings as both ‘intimate’ and ‘explosive’. It’s the first time Blair has been in the play, written by Peter Morgan and directed by Stephen Daldry. It ran in London depicting meetings with seven Prime Ministers including Churchill and David Cameron. Royal experts denounced a scene suggesting the Queen had a negative view of the invasion. She asks Blair: ‘You don’t want to give it more time?’ A defiant Prime Minister says it will lead to the overthrow of a tyrant and the creation of democracy, saying: ‘We confidently predict liberated Iraqis will cheer our soldiers through the streets after a short, sharp and easy campaign.’ Blair refers to bombing taking place ‘tomorrow’, placing the alleged meeting on March 19, 2003, the day before the Allies launched their ‘shock and awe’ campaign. But the court circular, which lists the Queen’s official engagements, makes no reference to the meeting. The discrepancy will increase pressure on Morgan to justify claims in the play, which premiered in London in 2013 and is to return to the capital this year. The playwright, now working on a £100 million blockbuster about the Royal Family called The Crown, has never revealed his sources, saying much of it was based on ‘anecdotal information’. He said: ‘If transcripts exist, I’m confident she’d emerge with credit.’ But historian and constitutional expert Andrew Roberts last night said: ‘The idea the Queen would oppose the war because she is the Left-wing conscience of the nation is rubbish. It is easy for playwrights to impose Left-wing views on the Queen, secure they will not be denounced.’ Private chats: The Queen with Mr Blair in 2002 - the year before the Allies launched their campaign in Iraq . The scene is controversial because Britain’s case for war, including Blair’s close relationship with President George W Bush, the ‘dodgy dossier’ of evidence of Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction and the legal advice of former Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, are all under scrutiny in the long-delayed Chilcot Inquiry. Roberts said last night: ‘There is no sense the Queen would be with people opposing the Iraq War on the streets. BLAIR: We confidently predict that liberate Iraqis will cheer our soldiers through the streets after a short, sharp and easy campaign . QUEEN: [pleading] You don’t want to give it more time? Just get back to the United Nations and see that a diplomatic solution can be reached . BLAIR: [insistent] No ma’am, the right thing to do is go in now, and go in hard . 'She would have intelligence reports people demonstrating on the streets wouldn’t have. She is close to the Armed Services. Her family understands military dangers.’ Constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bogdanor, who advised on the original production, said the Queen prized the confidential meetings and would probably distance herself from anyone who betrayed a confidence. But he called the play’s depictions of the audiences as highly plausible, as was the idea the Queen could ask a question about Iraq. He said: ‘I think her manner is to ask questions rather than to argue. ‘She might have asked, do you not think it a good idea to go to the UN? He might have said no. But I think Mr Blair would have been more deferential.’ Royal biographer Penny Junor said: ‘I suspect the Queen would voice concerns. That’s what she’s there for.’ It is not clear if the scene will be in the London revival this year, with Kristin Scott Thomas in the title role. Buckingham Palace declined to comment, as did a spokesman for Tony Blair. Morgan and Daldry were unavailable for comment. | Explosive exchange is in new Broadway production of play The Audience .
Shows the Queen pleading with Tony Blair to call off planned action in Iraq .
But expert denounced scene suggesting she had negative view of invasion . |
99,683 | 0c70b9702255217324971ab847ade0feb7d9cfd5 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- A judge declared a mistrial Monday in actress Nicollette Sheridan's wrongful termination lawsuit against "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry and ABC. The jury told the judge they were deadlocked at 8-4, in favor of the actress, after three days of deliberations. They needed nine jurors to agree on a verdict. Sheridan sued, claiming her character was killed -- and her acting job eliminated -- in retaliation for her complaining that Cherry hit her during a rehearsal for the ABC comedy. Lawyers for Cherry and ABC's Touchstone Television argued the demise of her character was a creative decision unrelated to the workplace complaint. ABC executives testified that Cherry gained their permission to have Edie Britt -- the sassy blonde played by Sheridan -- die in May 2008, four months before an incident in which Cherry allegedly struck Sheridan. The hit during a rehearsal was just "a light tap on the head" intended to demonstrate "a piece of physical humor" Cherry wanted Sheridan to perform, the defense said in opening statements. Sheridan testified that Cherry hit her because he was frustrated during a discussion over her lines in a scene. "It was a nice wallop to my head" she said. One juror who voted for Sheridan's case said afterward that the defense story "just didn't hold water for me." Beverly Crosby, a retired elementary school principal, said her decision to find the studio liable was based on her doubts about the credibility of several defense witnesses, which included high-level ABC executives. "There were a lot of people that some of the jurors found not too credible," Crosby said. Juror Johnny Huynh, who also voted for Sheridan's side, said it seemed to him that ABC executives scripted their stories "just a little bit." "I don't say they was scripted," Huyhn said. "It's more like the story don't match for me." Sheridan lawyer Mark Baute said while there was no victory, the jury's 8-4 vote did send a message to ABC and parent company Disney. "They had 10 witnesses tell their little scripted story, with no documents, and eight jurors looked at their best, their presidents, and said, 'No, I'm not buying it, I'm not buying what you're selling, Mr. President,' " Baute said. Lawyers will now prepare for a retrial, because an out-of-court settlement is not expected, he said. "My view is that Disney is the unhappiest place on Earth, so why would there ever be a settlement offer?" Baute said. ABC lawyer Adam Levin said the retrial will be "far more narrow than the previous case" since the judge tossed out Sheridan's battery complaint, leaving only the wrongful termination issue against the studio. In fact, Cherry is no longer a defendant, he said. The jury of nine women and three men began deliberating on Wednesday but told the judge on Monday morning they were hopelessly deadlocked. Although the show's line producer reported the hitting incident to the studio's human resources department, there was no investigation until an ABC senior executive saw a National Enquirer story about it at a grocery store two months later, according to testimony. What followed was a "fake" investigation designed "to protect the money machine known as 'Desperate Housewives,'" Baute said. "Nobody wants the 'Desperate Housewives' applecart turned upside down." The human resources investigator did not interview Cherry or Sheridan about the incident, only three people who worked for Cherry, Baute said. Five months and 11 episodes after the rehearsal incident, Cherry informed Sheridan that Britt would die during a show taping the next day, ending her five-year run on "Desperate Housewives." "To my estimation, it wasn't handled correctly," juror Crosby said. "It wasn't handled the way it should have been handled." Sheridan was asking for $5.7 million in damages from ABC and Cherry, although the actress was paid $4 million in her last year of work and is still earning royalties from her vested interest in the hit series. | NEW: Juror says she questioned credibility of ABC's witnesses .
Actress Nicollette Sheridan sued the show's creator and ABC for wrongful termination .
She claims her firing was in retaliation for complaining she was struck by show's creator .
The jury was deadlocked at 8-4, in favor of the actress . |
280,879 | f7de4278787ac66fa5f3797fd34391e8a23c9ff0 | (CNN) -- It's a 12-year-old oft-mocked clunker of an automobile. Brenton Netz has made a side business out of fixing up Geo Metros and selling them locally and on eBay. But Marci Solomon is hoping she'll be the one laughing -- all the way to the bank -- when her Geo Metro saves her from skyrocketing gas prices. Solomon, like many others, was taking a huge hit when it came to gas prices. With her 100-mile commute to and from work each day, she saw no end in sight. Then she rediscovered the Geo Metro. "I used to be a car snob, and I used to be too vain to drive anything that doesn't shine," said Solomon, an electrician. "But now it's about, do I want to eat, or do I want to make it to work? I want to do both." The Metro has been making a huge comeback, especially on eBay, where Solomon bought the car, because of its extremely high gas mileage. The 1996 Metro's average of 40 miles per gallon nears that of the hybrid 2008 Toyota Prius -- priced at $21,000 for the cheapest model -- and bests most current cars by a long shot, according to government ratings. Older models of the Geo Metro, specifically cars from 1991 and the XFi edition, have the same average as the hybrid. See how the Geo Metro stacks up with the Toyota Prius » . Solomon toyed with the idea of purchasing a Prius but decided that for a price of $7,300, the Metro was the more economical option. For the most part, Solomon plans on using the car for commuting from her home in Rochester, Washington, to her job. The vehicle she has now, a Honda Element, was getting 28 mpg, and she was filling up twice a week, costing her nearly $100. Stations were charging $3.97 a gallon in her area Tuesday, she said. iReport: Tell us how high gas prices are affecting you . The Metro is an investment in the future, Solomon said, even if she did pay more than five times the Blue Book value of the car. "It was all about saving money," she said. "I don't think gas is ever going to go down, and these are going to be the types of solutions we have to turn to. I wanted to beat the rush." The rush may have begun. The 1996 2-door 3-cylinder Metro Solomon now owns opened on eBay May 7 with a bid of $200. A week later, Solomon won the car auction with a bid of $7,300. In 1995, a new Metro hatchback sold for about $9,000, according to Auto Mall USA. In May alone, 43 Metros of various years and models were sold on eBay, ranging in price from $221.50 to Solomon's bid of $7,300. The cars have been hot items, drawing upwards of 49 bids on certain vehicles, with many of the auctions coming down to last-second bidding wars. On Tuesday morning, 34 Metros were still up for grabs. Since her eBay purchase, Solomon has acquired another Metro, which she is considering flipping on eBay for profit. She has her eye on a third at a local car lot. "To be honest, I'm thinking of scarfing up any Geo Metro I can find," she said. Solomon isn't alone in trying to profit off of a gas-saving craze. Brenton Netz has been selling fixed-up Metros and Ford Festivas for two years now. After buying a Metro on Craigslist in Montana and driving it back to his home in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Netz realized how rarely he was making trips to the pump. "I thought the gas gauge was broken," Netz said. "I couldn't believe the gas mileage I was getting." He realized that he had stumbled upon a possible side business and began buying one-way tickets to states in the West to purchase as many of the cars as he could. Netz said he has sold about a dozen cars and has eight more sitting in his backyard. His cars go up for sale only one at a time because he knows that putting up a couple at a time would drive down the value and cut into his profit. Netz says consumers don't seem to mind paying more than the retail value, and if they do, they generally stop feeling that way after they pick up the cars. He's gotten phone calls and e-mails from customers saying how thrilled they are with the mileage. It seems, Netz said, people are beginning to realize that their car choices need to be focused more on practicality than status and appearance. "Gas prices are definitely driving increased popularity in the Metro, which at times wasn't cool," he said. "Now the coolness factor is stemming from the fact that you're getting 50 miles per gallon and never having to fill up." | Marci Solomon bought 1996 Geo Metro for $7,300 .
Solomon's old car got 28 miles per gallon; Metro averages 40 .
Brandon Netz has side business finding, fixing and selling Metros, Festivas .
Solomon: "It's about, do I want to eat, or do I want to make it to work?" |
274,919 | f02576f9bc2d310f33ab7b469bbe5c1932e69fe0 | Who is the only Englishman to manage five national teams? Here’s a clue: he once scored a hat-trick in a trial match for Chelsea and played in goal for Millwall twice. Any closer? The answer is Stephen Constantine, who in May was appointed as manager of Rwanda. He was born in London’s East End to an English-Irish mother and Cypriot father but his football career has taken him to more than 80 countries. As a player, it never quite worked out for Constantine. He was 16 when he played in that trial match for Chelsea and scored a hat-trick from central midfield — even though he was a striker. Six weeks later, the knock-back letter arrived. Stephen Constantine is carried by his Rwandan players after victory over Congo Brazzaville in Kigali . Constantine is all smiles and seems to be enjoying himself as coach of Rwanda . The 51-year-old, pictured in Brighton, has been halfway across the world in his management career . Constantine's managerial or coaching roles . 1994–95 Achilleas FC (Cyprus) 1995–96 APEP FC (Cyprus) 1996-98 AEL (Cyprus, youth coach) 1998–99 APEP FC . 1999–2001 Nepal . 2001-02 Bournemouth (youth coach) 2002–05 India . 2005-06 Millwall (first-team coach) 2007–08 Malawi . 2009–10 Sudan . 2010 APEP FC . 2010–12 Nea Salamis (Cyprus) 2013-14 Apollon Smyrni (Greece, coach) 2014- Rwanda . Two years on, Constantine, then a goalkeeper, had unsuccessful trials for Millwall. He relocated to Cyprus and signed for AEL Limassol. He was called up to the Cyprus Under 23 side but turned them down after being ordered to do national service. ‘I told them I’ll wait for Ron Greenwood, who was England manager at the time, and I’m still waiting,’ he jokes. When he was 19 he joined his brother Costas in America and spent a decade playing for Pennsylvania Stoners and New York Freedoms but had to give up when he snapped a ligament in his knee. Constantine’s footballing desire was undiminished so he gained his coaching badges. It was while he was back in Cyprus coaching that he met his wife, Lucy, who was there on holiday. ‘On the first date we went to Pizza Hut and I told her I like my football,’ he explains. ‘She asked how bad can that be? I said if there’s a match on telly I’ll watch it, if there’s a game within 1,000 miles of the house I’ll be there and if I get offered a job anywhere in the world I feel is right I’ll do it.’ Mrs Constantine couldn’t complain she hadn’t been warned. When Nepal came calling, in 1999, offering him his first international job and a contract worth $3,000 a month, Constantine accepted. Constantine (second right) talks to his India players during a training session in 2004 . The Englisman (right) watches over a training session at the Yubabharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata in 2004 . HUGGING THE CROWN PRINCE OF NEPAL . At the South East Asia Games, which we were hosting, we met the Maldives in the semi-final. I wore traditional Nepalese dress. We won 2-1 and on the lap of honour, the Crown Prince had come on to the pitch and people were falling to the floor. He hugged me and everyone was gasping as you’re not allowed to touch the royal family. 70,000 NORTH KOREAN FANS — BUT NO NOISE . Travelling to North Korea for an Olympic qualifier was surreal. At the airport we all had to hand in our mobile phones and weren’t allowed them back until we left. We lost 2-0 in front of a 70,000-capacity crowd but there was no noise until they scored, when they all stood up, clapped politely then sat back down again. 10,000 AT KOLKATA AIRPORT . After my first three months as India’s manager, we travelled to Vietnam for the LG Cup. We were 2-0 down after 22 minutes in the final against them, but in the 90th minute scored the winner. When we landed back in Kolkata , 10,000 fans greeted us. It took more than two hours to get from the baggage carousel to the team bus. His wife and first daughter, Paula, followed three months later, flying into unrest among Maoists in the country. Constantine called on a favour from his goalkeeper, who was also a policeman. They drove in an armoured truck straight on to the runway to meet Lucy and baby Paula off the plane. As they departed, the pair were flanked by four policeman with shotguns. Two years later, Constantine left with the highest honour available to a foreigner, the Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu, awarded to him by the Nepalese royal family — and a second child, Christiana. He worked as assistant director at Bournemouth’s Centre of Excellence before, within a year, the Indian national team asked him to take charge. When he arrived in India, the team didn’t have a kit sponsor, but Constantine managed to negotiate a £5million deal with Nike. He led them to their first international tournament win in 42 years, coming from 2-0 down to beat Vietnam in the final of the LG Cup. Constantine’s eyes light up as he discusses a brief spell as Millwall’s first-team coach and the family’s decision to move to Cyprus. They flew over followed by 130 boxes. Then he received a call saying he was wanted by Malawi. ‘I told my wife I’d see her in three months and left before the boxes arrived,’ he recounts. ‘She is a saint.’ He endured a frustrating year: the players were indisciplined and the national team accommodation had wooden beds with sheets that barely covered the players’ midriffs. The mosquito nets were patchy — and the mosquitoes over there can kill. Constantine packed his bags again, heading back to Cyprus, and within a year was in charge of Sudan. Constantine receives a handshake from Brazilian legend Zico, then managing Japan, in 2004 . The day he touched down in Khartoum he visited the British embassy. They warned him to stay off the streets because a warrant for the arrest of president Omar al-Bashir was expected and they couldn’t guarantee his safety. He had to have a police escort to scout a left back and could only stay at the ground for 15 minutes, despite driving hours through the desert to get there. That job, too, lasted a year, and he returned to Cyprus. Not long ago he met Roy Hodgson at King’s Cross in London. ‘I told him to bring England to Rwanda and play us instead of pointless friendlies,’ Constantine says. ‘The feelgood factor you will generate will be unbelievable. He laughed and said he didn’t even know where Rwanda is. I told him not to worry about that.’ At this point in the interview, Constantine’s family arrive. Paula is now 16, Christiana 14 and Isabel nine. They surround their father in the cafe in Brighton where we meet and hear him recall working as Lawrie Sanchez’s assistant at Greek side Apollon Smyrni before taking the Rwanda job in the summer. Constantine addresses his India players at a training camp in 2003 . Constantine, now 51, is already growing into a hero there. His target is to prepare the team for when the country hosts the African Nations Championship in 2016 — similar to the Africa Cup of Nations but a tournament only players from African clubs can participate in. ‘Before I took over, in their last 17 games they had won once, drawn five and lost the rest,’ he says. ‘I thought the only way is up.’ The country went mad when Constantine led them to shock victories against Libya and Congo Brazzaville to reach the qualification stage for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations. But they have since been disqualified after Congo complained that striker Daddy Birori had a passport for both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In August, they lost an appeal against the decision. For Constantine, it seems, the adventure is never over. | Stephen Constantine has travelled to all four corners of the globe in an extraordinary coaching career .
The Englishman is currently in charge of Rwanda, his fifth national team job after Nepal, India, Malawi and Sudan .
Constantine has also coached at Bournemouth and Millwall, as well as clubs in Cyprus and Greece .
He managed in Nepal during a Maoist uprising and relied on his policeman goalkeeper for an armed escort off the plane .
The coach dodged killer mosquitoes in Malawi and survived a presidential coup in Sudan .
His Rwanda team were disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations because their striker holds two passports . |
139,958 | 40f55b78c0ebd28a2b2c9bf5a160e05c59b75f4e | By . Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 10:32 EST, 4 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 5 March 2013 . Erin Burnett is not a morning person. After the CNN host reportedly refused to give up her prime-time slot, the network’s executive, Jeff Zucker, is mulling over more morning-friendly options to host opposite Chris Cuomo. According to Page Six, that includes NBC’s ‘Today’ show correspondent and MSNBC host Tamron Hall, as well as other CNN hosts like Brooke Baldwin. Write caption here . The 24-hour news channel has been going through an influx of change after bringing on Zucker, who most recently served as the president and CEO of NBC Universal. Upward mobility: Jeff Zucker, former president and CEO of NBC Universal, started at CNN last fall . The New York Post gossip page, citing a source at the network, reports that CNN anchor Suzanne Malveaux is also in the running. An insider for RadarOnline told the gossip website that Burnett was officially offered the morning position, ‘but as a negotiating tactic played too hard to get. ’Her game playing, the source said, caused executives ‘to wonder if she’s worth the cost of doing business.’ The source further added that Burnett had planned out the CNN staff with whom she would – or wouldn’t – work. Among the ‘won’t’ list: executive vice president of CNN Ken Jautz, as well as Bart Feder, the vice president of the station, according to the source. CNN representatives did not immediately respond to request for comment. Sources told Page Six last Friday that Burnett's $2.5 million contract with CNN includes a clause requiring her show to air in prime time and the cable network would need to offer her an attractive buyout to get her to budge. The new CNN chief, who was appointed . president last November and resumed his duties on January 1, decided to . revamp the cable network's morning lineup and get rid of 'Starting Point,' hosted by Soledad O’Brien. Former ABC News journalist Chris Cuomo will move to the new morning show but is in need of a partner. New life: Erin Burnett married Citigroup executive David Rubulotta, right, in December 2012. The newlywed supposedly doesn't want to have to work the morning shift at CNN . Burnett, who is recently married and has no children, is Zucker's top choice for the . co-host opening but she has reportedly told her staff that she doesn't want . to make the move to mornings. Burnett, a former financial . analyst, got her big break on CNBC hosting the morning business show Squawk on the Street. She left the Peacock Network for CNN in 2011. With a primetime post detailed in her contract, she is said to be angling to get a buyout with a higher salary offering. The 7pm show Erin Burnett 'OutFront' started in October 2011 but has not made a mark in the ratings, . especially competing against other primetime heavyweights Fox News and . MSNBC. However, Burnett's show regularly gets twice as many viewers as she . did on CNBC. Change: Zucker has moved Chris Cuomo, left, to the morning slot that will push Soledad O'Brien, right, out of the CNN morning show, 'Starting Point,' that currently runs from 7am to 9am . Early days: The journalist got her start hosting CNBC's morning business show Squawk on the Street . | Latest bit of gossip over cable news channel claims that CNN's Jeff Zucker is looking to bring on NBC's Tamron Hall .
Burnett reportedly told her staff she did not want to give up prime-time slot . |
197,434 | 8b8a38a0a51b629f03f14ff888344a905a8d0fa3 | London (CNN) -- A shipwreck laden with 200 tonnes of silver -- the largest haul of precious metal ever found at sea -- has been discovered in the North Atlantic. The wreck of the SS Gairsoppa, a British steamship sunk by a German U-Boat during World War II, was found 300 miles off the coast of Ireland by underwater archaeology and salvage experts Odyssey Marine Exploration. The U.S. company has explored the wreck which lies 4,700 meters down, on the sea bed, using a remotely operated submarine. It now hopes to bring the SS Gairsoppa's valuable cargo of silver bullion to the surface. Odyssey's senior project manager Andrew Craig said: "We've accomplished the first phase of this project - the location and identification of the target shipwreck. Now we're hard at work planning for the recovery phase." Craig said he was "extremely confident" the company would be able to salvage the seven million ounces of silver (200 tonnes), which was worth more than £600,000 in 1941. The 412ft steel-hulled SS Gairsoppa was built in 1919 for the British India Steam Navigation Company, and originally served as a cargo ship on routes to and from the Far East, East Africa and Australia. When the Second World War broke out, she was ordered into Britain's merchant navy. In February 1941, the SS Gairsoppa was traveling from Calcutta, India, to Liverpool, Britain, with a cargo of silver, tea and pig iron when she became separated from the rest of her convoy in bad weather. As the crew battled to bring the ship, which was running low on fuel, safely in to port at Galway in Ireland, she was struck by a torpedo from a German U-Boat. More than 30 of the 85 sailors on board the SS Gairsoppa are believed to have made it onto lifeboats, but only one, Second Officer Richard Ayres made it safely home, landing in Cornwall after drifting at sea for two weeks. Odyssey says it does not expect to find any human remains on the wreck. Neil Cunningham Dobson, Odyssey's Principal Marine Archaeologist, said that -- as a former merchant mariner -- the story of the SS Gairsoppa had struck a chord with him. "Even though records indicate that the lifeboats were launched before the ship sank, sadly most of her crew did not survive the long journey to shore," he said. "By finding this shipwreck, and telling the story of its loss, we pay tribute to the brave merchant sailors who lost their lives." The company won a British government contract to search for and salvage the ship. Under the terms of the agreement, it will keep 80% of the value of any silver recovered from the wreck. | SS Gairsoppa was sunk by a German U-Boat in February 1941 .
The ship was carrying a cargo of silver bullion, tea and pig iron .
Only one of the 85 people on board survived the sinking .
Wreck found 300 miles off the coast of Ireland, at a depth of 4,700 meters . |
95,739 | 0710a2436286c0a0254391fdb4fc22664541564e | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 10:17 EST, 24 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:43 EST, 24 January 2014 . A teenager who doctors feared would never walk again after she smashed into a condo in a terrifying parasailing accident has broken her silence to reveal her grueling recovery. Alexis Fairchild, 17, was left in critical condition alongside friend Sidney Good on July 1 when their parasail snapped free from its boat in . Panama City, Florida, leaving the girls soaring through the air. In an ordeal that was captured on camera by horrified holidaymakers, the girls were heard screaming as they were . left to the mercy of the wind and thrown against the 13th floor of a condominium. Alexis, who spoke to the Today show on Thursday just . days after Sidney also conducted her first interview, suffered traumatic . brain injuries and has needed multiple cranial and back surgeries. Battle: Alexis Fairchild, 17, was left with brain damage after her parasail broke free from its boat last July and sent her and a friend hurtling into the side of a building. She is now undergoing therapy . Back on her feet: Alexis, pictured with Today reporter Kerry Sanders, said she suffers excruciating back pain . It has left her weak on her feet and with the reading age of a fourth . grader. She now struggles to brush her teeth, comb her hair or take a shower. 'My independence was completely ripped away,' she told the Today show. 'My life was pretty much ripped away from me and I'm just relearning everything.' But she has also been left with emotional scars and struggles to sleep. 'It's not really the shocks that keep me . from sleeping, it's more night terrors,' she said. 'I have really bad nightmares . about it and I think it's because I remember so much from the accident. I don't go into deep sleep. It's like my mind . doesn't allow me to shut off.' Hurt: Alexis, left, was on vacation with her friend Sidney Good, right, in Florida last July when the accident occurred. Alexis revealed that they have not spoken throughout their recoveries . Terrifying: Footage taken from the beach showed the girls hitting the condo and then taking off again . Horror: They flew through the air and eventually hit a power line and dropped on top of a car . Alexis said she has no . intention of ever watching the terrifying footage of the moment they hit the condo as their screams were heard across the beach. 'I mean, I lived it,' she said. 'I remember a lot. All of it . actually. I mean to a point where I blacked out.' After hitting the balcony, the girls were . thrown into the air again and eventually collided with power lines . before landing on top of a car in a nearby parking lot. In a sad twist, she also revealed that she has not been in touch with her best friend, Sidney Good, throughout their recoveries. They are both back home in Huntington, Indiana. 'We're both just trying to get on with . our lives, you know,' she said. 'We just need to worry about getting . back to 100 percent recovery.' Her parents, Mike and Angie, became emotional as they spoke about their fears that they would lose their daughter. They praised her attitude but said they fear for her every day. Hurt: The girls landed on this parked car in a nearby parking lot and were rushed to hospital . 'You relive it every day,' Angie Fairchild said. 'Every day, . just watching her. Watching her struggle and there's nothing you can do . to take that away. All because she made the decision to do something . everybody thought was fun.' Alexis' family is now suing the . company, Aquatic Adventures, the largest para-sail firm in the U.S, and the resort that organized the activity. 'They need to have regulations just like everybody else,' Angie said. 'My 17-year-old daughter and her friend. Their whole lives are changed. We don't want another parent to live our nightmare.' The . company said it is unable to comment on ongoing litigation. Alexis, who also attends an alternative school to finish her education, said that she would love to be beside her former high school friends on graduation day. Recovery: The girls, pictured before the accident, both needed multiple surgeries after suffering head trauma . Injuries: Sidney Good, pictured . in hospital last year, has not regained all of her eyesight since the accident . Faith: She is pictured praying in the hospital with her parents. She said her belief in God got her through . 'If I don't graduate that's fine, but I want to be able to walk with my class that I grew up with,' she said. Sidney revealed earlier this week that she suffered broken vertebrae and brain trauma. 'About the second day, my body was preparing itself to die,' she told the Today show. She said that doctors do not . expect her to make a full recovery; she has double vision constantly and . her peripheral vision is totally gone - but says she still hopes she . graduates this year. When asked what helped her survive the ordeal, she said: 'I'm a very strong believer in God.' They became detached from the boat . when their boat dropped anchor due to unusually high and dangerous winds . and their line snapped. Anger: Alexis' parents Mike and Angie are now suing the parasailing company and the holiday resort . Family: Sidney's father Eric said doctors did not know if the teenager suffered her life-changing injuries as she hit the building or when she and Alexis fell on top of a car in a parking lot . 'These two little girls were just . screaming bloody murder,' said witness Rick McGee to Indiana News . Center. 'I could see they were going to contact the condo, and they did . strike it on the gulf side.' 'It . was heading towards the condos and they were screaming and it was - it . was horrific,' another witness, Inga Bobbin, told WJHG. 'And . they hit the building and then they stopped screaming and it was awful. Everybody was trying to get to them and nobody could do anything.' Earlier . in the day, Alexis had taken to Twitter to speak of her delight at her . vacation on the Gulf shores, writing: 'Beach Day!! Its seriously sooo . beautiful here!' She later added that they were going parasailing, writing: 'Freaking out.' See below for video . Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Alexis Fairchild and her best friend Sidney Good suffered life-changing injuries in the freak parasail accident in Florida on July 1 last year .
During high winds, their parasail snapped off its boat and they were sent flying through the air and into the side of a condo .
Both girls, from Indiana, suffered head trauma and needed surgery .
Alexis now has the reading age of a fourth grader and suffers night terrors because of her vivid memories of the accident .
Her family is now suing the parasailing company and resort .
Sidney, 17, also spoke out earlier this week and revealed that she has not regained all of her eyesight . |
143,466 | 458c4e81a0aa2cde437c724717ff7b1389461f6f | Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel tied for the most Oscar nominations Thursday morning with nine nods each, including best picture. They were joined in best-picture nominations by Boyhood, Whiplash, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, American Sniper and Selma. Nominations for the 87th annual Academy Awards were announced from Beverly Hills, where they were broadcast and streamed live. Scroll down for video and full list of nominations . And the nominees are: Chris Pine and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the Academy Award nominations in Beverly Hills on Thursday . The Imitation Game trailed close behind with eight nominations. Clint Eastwood's Navy SEAL drama American Sniper did especially well, landing six nods including best actor for Bradley Cooper. Angelina Jolie's WWII epic Unbroken was not recognized, and other snubs included Jennifer Aniston for Cake, Amy Adams for Big Eyes and the animated film The Lego Movie. Best Picture nomination: Birdman received nine nods in total, one for Best Picture, it was announced on Thursday morning by the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences . On the list: The Grand Budapest Hotel, starring Ralph Fiennes, also got a nod . Up for Best Picture: Boyhood, starring Ellar Coltrane (left) and Ethan Hawke (right) was recognized . There were theories about this: The drama The Theory Of Everything got a nomination too; it stars Eddie Redymane and Felicity Jones as Stephen and Jane Hawking . On the list too: Selma, starring Colman Domingo, David Oyelowo, André Holland and Stephan James, was produced by Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment and Oprah Winfrey . Also with six nominations was Richard Linklater's coming-of-age epic Boyhood, which remains the best-picture favorite. On Sunday, it won best drama at the Golden Globes. But Wes Anderson's old Europe caper The Grand Budapest Hotel, which also won best comedy or musical at the Globes, has emerged as the most unexpected awards heavyweight. Best Picture . American Sniper . Birdman . Boyhood . The Grand Budapest Hotel . The Imitation Game . Selma . The Theory of Everything . Whiplash . Best Director . Alexandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman . Richard Linklater, Boyhood . Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher . Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel . Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game . Best Actor . Steve Carell, Foxcatcher . Bradley Cooper, American Sniper . Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game . Michael Keaton, Birdman . Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything . Best Actress . Marion Cotillard, Two Days One Night . Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything . Julianne Moore, Still Alice . Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl . Reese Witherspoon, Wild . Best Supporting Actor . Robert Duvall, The Judge . Ethan Hawke, Boyhood . Edward Norton, Birdman . Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher . J.K. Simmons, Whiplash . Best Supporting Actress . Patricia Arquette, Boyhood . Laura Dern, Wild . Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game . Emma Stone, Birdman . Meryl Streep, Into the Woods . Best Cinematography . Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki . The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman . Ida – Lukasz Zal & Ryszard Lenczewski . Mr. Turner – Dick Pope . Unbroken – Roger Deakin . Best Foreign Language Film . Ida . Leviathan . Tangerines . Timbuktu . Wild Tales . Best Adapted Screenplay . American Sniper . The Imitation Game . Inherent Vice . The Theory of Everything . Whiplash . Best Original Screenplay . Birdman . Boyhood . Foxcatcher . The Grand Budapest Hotel . Nightcrawler . Best Makeup and Hairstyling . Foxcatcher . The Grand Budapest Hotel . Guardians of the Galaxy . Best Original Score . The Grand Budapest Hotel . The Imitation Game . Interstellar . Mr. Turner . The Theory of Everything . Best Original Song . 'Lost Stars,' Begin Again . 'Everything is Awesome,' The LEGO Movie . 'Glory,' Selma . 'Grateful,' Beyond the Lights . 'I’m Not Gonna Miss You,' Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me . Best Animated Feature . Big Hero 6 . The Boxtrolls . How to Train Your Dragon 2 . Song of the Sea . The Tale of Princess Kaguya . Best Documentary—Short . Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 . Joanna . Our Curse . The Reaper . White Earth . Best Film Editing . American Sniper . Boyhood . The Grand Budapest Hotel . The Imitation Game . Whiplash . Best Production Design . The Grand Budapest Hotel . The Imitation Game . Interstellar . Into the Woods . Mr. Turner . Best Animated Short . The Bigger Picture . The Dam Keeper . Feast . Me and My Moulton . A Single Life . Best Live Action Short . Aya . Boogaloo and Graham . Butter Lamp . Parvaneh . The Phone Call . Best Sound Editing . American Sniper . Birdman . The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies . Interstellar . Unbroken . Best Sound Mixing . American Sniper . Birdman . Interstellar . Unbroken . Whiplash . Best Visual Effects . Captain America: The Winter Soldier . Dawn of the Planet of the Apes . Guardians of the Galaxy . Interstellar . X-Men: Days of Future Past . Best Documentary — Feature . Citizenfour . Finding Vivien Maier . Last Days of Vietnam . The Salt of the Earth . Virunga . Best Costume Design . The Grand Budapest Hotel . Inherent Vice . Into the Woods . Maleficent . Mr. Turner . With $59.1 million at the North American box office (opening all the way back in March), it's also the most money-making best-picture entry. That, however, is likely to change soon after American Sniper expands nationwide this weekend. The eight best-picture nominees left out two wild cards that might have added a dose of darkness to the category: the creepy Jake Gyllenhaal thriller Nightcrawler and the tragic wrestling drama Foxcatcher. She won a Golden Globe this year already: Julianne Moore in the film Still Alice; she received a nod . In the three previous years since the category was expanded (anywhere between five and 10 film may be nominated), there were nine movies contending for best picture. The nominees for best actor are: Cooper, Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Michael Keaton (Birdman) and Eddie Redmayne. David Oyelowo, who stars as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, was left out. There was not a single person of colour nominated in the acting or directing categories. Marion Cotillard for the French-language Two Days, One Night was the surprise nominee for best actress. She was joined by Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) and Reese Witherspoon (Wild). The nominees for best supporting actor are: Robert Duvall, The Judge; Edward Norton, Birdman; Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher; Ethan Hawke, Boyhood; and J.K. Simmons, Whiplash. The nominees for best supporting actress are: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood; Laura Dern, Wild; Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game; Emma Stone, Birdman; and Meryl Streep, Into the Woods. A long trek for this Oscar winner: Reese Witherspoon, who took home the gold for 2005's Walk The Line, was nominated for playing Cheryl Strayed in Wild . This year's modestly sized but much-beloved favorites - Boyhood, Birdman - have been largely locked in place throughout much of the ever-expanding industrial complex of Hollywood's lengthy awards season, where statuette-hunting campaigns span months and are feverishly chewed over by Oscar prognosticators. As studios have focused more and more on easily marketed blockbusters, Oscar season increasingly exists apart from the regular business of the movies, in its own highfalutin, red-carpeted realm. Ratings are on the rise. Last year's Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, drew 43 million viewers, making it the most-watched entertainment telecast in a decade. 12 Years a Slave took best picture. This year's ceremony on Feb. 22 will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. He will be at the Oscars in February: Clint Eastwood's Navy SEAL drama American Sniper did especially well, landing six nods including best actor for Bradley Cooper . A bright future for this newlywed: Redmayne received a Best Actor Oscar for The Theory Of Everything . Golden boy: Hawke, pictured with Coltrane, got a nod for Boyhood; he already picked up a Golden Globe Best Actor Drama award for the part . Shortly after the announcement, the host shared a video on his Twitter page. He told his 12.9million followers: ‘The Oscar nominations just came out this morning and that can only mean one thing – I just lost 20 bucks.’ Neil then turned to his four-year-old daughter Harper and handed her the cash, claiming he had bet on who would be up for Best Credit Design Of A Foreign Language Film – a made up category. The new host: Neil Patrick Harris is taking a stab at hosting the 87th Academy Awards on February 22 . | Clint Eastwood's American Sniper lands six nods including best actor for Bradley Cooper .
There was not a single person of colour nominated in the acting or directing categories .
Cake's Jennifer Aniston and Big Eyes star Amy Adams both snubbed .
Angelina Jolie's Unbroken overlooked and The Lego Movie left out of best animated feature film category . |
242,127 | c55d9db2532bb3ab9592c94f6b86d603fe84a4b5 | Google his trying to halt a British court challenge over alleged secret tracking of internet users who claim their privacy has been breached. The internet giant is challenging a decision by a High Court judge in January that allowed Google to be sued in the UK for allegedly bypassing security settings to track the online browsing of Apple's Sarafi users and target them with personalised advertisements. The landmark case is being brought by a group of more than 100 people known as Safari Users Against Google’s Secret Tracking, which includes editor and publisher Judith Vidal-Hall as well as IT security company directors Robert Hann and Marc Bradshaw. Campaigners: IT security company director Marc Bradshaw (left) and editor and publisher Judith Vidal-Hall (right) are part of a group which claims Google bypassed security settings to track their online browsing . They say Google’s 'clandestine' tracking and collation of internet usage between summer 2011 and spring 2012 has led to distress and embarrassment among UK users. If they win, it potentially leaves Google facing claims from millions of people who were using Apple devices in 2010. Today, lawyers for Google told the Court of Appeal that Mr Justice Tugendhat in the High Court impermissibly failed to apply binding legal authority on two issues of law which were of general importance in the field of privacy and consequently erred in declaring that the court had jurisdiction. They also say that he got it wrong in several respects in his assessment of whether there were serious issues to be tried. 'In the result, the judge wrongly dismissed the appellant's application to set aside service of proceedings out of the jurisdiction, and his ruling should be reversed,' Antony White QC told the Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson, Lord Justice McFarlane and Lady Justice Sharp. Challenge: Google is challenging a decision by a High Court judge that the UK courts were the 'appropriate jurisdiction' to try claims brought by the group, known as Safari Users Against Google’s Secret Tracking . Hugh Tomlinson QC, for the group, said that the judge was right to hold that misuse of private information was a tort - a civil wrong - for the purposes of the rules governing service out of the jurisdiction and that the case raised important issues concerning the gathering of information by an international internet company. Google says that dissatisfied users of the Apple Safari internet browser should have launched their claims for misuse of private information in the United States, where Google is based. Dan Tench, a partner at law firm Olswang which is representing the claimants, said: 'Google has already failed in the High Court to prevent the claimants from bringing this case in England. 'It felt that California was a better place for such a claim, a venue that would clearly be beyond the means of many British people. Argument: Google's lawyers told the Court of Appeal that Mr Justice Tugendhat in the High Court failed to apply binding legal authority on two issues of law, and so erred in declaring the court had jurisdiction . A group of Apple iPhone and iPad users are suing Google, claiming the internet giant secretly tracking their browsing habits in order to bombard them with targeted adverts. The claimants, known as Safari Users Against Google's Secret Tracking, all used Apple's Safari browser and have accused Google of bypassing security settings in order to track their online browsing and target them with adverts. They say that cookies, small tracking files, were installed by Google on the Apple computers and mobile devices of those using the Safari internet browser without their knowledge. Cookies are used by advertisers, and owners of other websites, to target advertising based on an individual's internet use. The campaigners also say that Google's 'clandestine' tracking and collation of internet usage between summer 2011 and spring 2012 has led to distress and embarrassment among UK users. The claimants are accusing Google of misuse of private information, breach of confidence and breaking data protection laws. The landmark case could pave the way for up to 10 million Britons to sue Google for alleged privacy breaches. 'This is why we argued, successfully, that the breach took place here and so the case should be brought here. Google's now appealing against the decision. 'It's arguing that if people have not lost out financially from a privacy breach then they should not be allowed to sue. 'We stand by the decision of the earlier court that declared, for the first time, that the breach of privacy is a tort thereby opening up Google's transgressions to English courts. The regulator, it seems, agrees. It has asked to intervene in the case and supports our position.' The Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, has intervened in the landmark case by making written submissions to the Court of Appeal, arguing that there is a 'serious issue' to be tried. Mr Graham has received permission by the court to make submissions on two specific elements of the claim - whether there is a serious issue to be tried as to whether the information at issue is 'personal data' under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), and whether there is a serious issue to be tried as to whether the meaning of 'damages' under section 13 DPA includes non-monetary loss. Cause: Ms Vidal-Hall said the case had 'enormous relevance in that British people should have some means to hold Google to account' In his submissions, which have been handed into the court, he argued: 'There is a serious issue to be tried on the question of whether the BGI data amounts to 'personal data.' 'There is a serious issue to be tried on the question of whether 'damage' in s.13 includes non-pecuniary damage.' Mr Graham, said that the information gathered by Google, regardless of whether they store people's names, is 'personal data' because it allows the company to target individuals with tailored advertising. He said: 'Browser-Generated Information (BGI) in the hands of the Defendant is itself 'personal data' for the purposes of the DPA. 'This is because it comprises both detailed information about websites accessed from a particular device, in other words a user's browsing history and information derived from use of the Defendant's DoubleClick cookie.' He added this allows Google to 'to recognise that the user of that device is present online' and 'to target adverts at the user based on inferences about their interests derived from analysis of their browsing history.' He continued: 'There must be an effective remedy for breach of an individual's data privacy, even where the breach merely gives rise to distress.' The claimants say that this case has 'enormous' significance to the British public and if Google are successful in its appeal they would be free to use people's personal information for whatever commercial gain they chose. Claimant Mr Bradshaw said: 'This is a crucial case for British Internet users. It arose when Google ignored the wishes of people using Apple's Safari web browser not to be tracked and tracking cookies were placed on their laptops. 'We believe that if we choose not to be tracked online, Google should respect our wishes. We feel it entirely wrong that Google could track people online even when they did not seek to use Google's services at all.' Ms Vidal-Hall, added: '170 people have asked to join this case. It clearly has enormous relevance in that British people should have some means to hold Google to account. 'Unless we are successful, Google will be free to use Britons' personal information for whatever commercial purposes it chooses and no matter how that information was obtained. That would be dangerous for society and would render us second class citizens in comparison to those in the United States, where Google has paid a fine for the Safari security breach.' The hearing was adjourned until a date to be arranged in the new year for further argument on the remaining issues. After January's ruling a Google spokeswoman said: 'A case almost identical to this one was dismissed in its entirety three months ago in the US. We still don't think that this case meets the standards required in the UK for it to go to trial.' But Mr Tench said: 'The Court of Appeal hearing will decide whether British consumers actually have any right to hold Google to account in this country. 'This is the appropriate forum for this case - here in England where the consumers used the internet and where they have a right to privacy.' | Group claims Google bypassed security to track their online browsing .
Safari Users Against Google's Secret Tracking says internet giant targeted them with online adverts .
Argue 'clandestine tracking' led to embarrassment among UK users .
Campaigners include editor and publisher Judith Vidal-Hall .
Google is challenging High Court judge's decision to sue in the UK .
Says claims for misuse of information should have been launched in US .
Information Commissioner has argued there is a 'serious issue' to be tried . |
35,871 | 65dbb5a4bc92ca6b32672cb7927c52b0731a4baa | By . Associated Press . Last updated at 9:05 AM on 25th January 2012 . An Oklahoma hospital in Garth Brooks' hometown must pay $1million to the country singer because it failed to build a women's health centre in honour of his late mother, jurors ruled Tuesday evening. Jurors ruled that the hospital must return a $500,000 donation to Brooks plus pay him $500,000 in punitive damages in Brooks' breach-of-contract lawsuit against Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Yukon. Brooks said he thought he'd reached a deal in 2005 with the hospital's president, James Moore, but sued after learning the hospital wanted to use the money for other construction projects. Country singer: Jurors ruled that the hospital must return a $500,000 donation to Garth Brooks plus pay him $500,000 in punitive damages . The hospital argued that Brooks gave . it unrestricted access to the $500,000 donation and only later asked . that it build a women's centre and name it after his mother, Colleen . Brooks, who died of cancer in 1999. 'Obviously we are disappointed, . particularly with the jury's decision to award damages above and beyond . the $500,000,' Integris spokesman Hardy Watkins said. 'We're just glad . to see the case come to a resolution.' Brooks called the jurors 'heroes' and said he felt vindicated by their verdict. 'I no longer feel like I'm crazy,' he said. Jury member Beverly Lacy said she . voted in favor of Brooks because she thought the hospital went back on . its word. As far as the punitive damages, she said: 'We wanted to show . them not to do that anymore to anyone else.' Relieved: Brooks called the jurors 'heroes' and said he felt vindicated by their verdict . Top-selling star: Garth Brooks, left, is pictured in 2011. His mother Colleen and father Troy are seen right in 1995 . During the trial, Brooks testified . that he thought he had a solid agreement with Moore. Brooks said the . hospital president initially suggested putting his mother's name on an . intensive care unit, and when Brooks said that wouldn't fit her image, . Moore suggested a women's centre. 'I jumped all over it,' Brooks told . jurors in tearful testimony. 'It's my mom. My mom was pregnant as a . teenager. She had a rough start. She wanted to help every kid out . there.' His attorney told the jury during closing arguments that Brooks kept his end of the agreement. 'This case is about promises: promises . made and promises broken," lawyer John Hickey told jurors shortly . before they started deliberating. 'Mr Brooks kept his promise. Integris . never intended to keep their promise and never built a new women's centre.' But hospital attorney Terry Thomas . said Brooks' gift initially came in anonymously and unrestricted in . 2005. He also noted that Brooks couldn't remember key details of . negotiations with the hospital's president - including what he'd been . promised - when questioned during a deposition after filing his lawsuit . in 2009. Lawsuit: James Moore, left, president and CEO of Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital, right, arrives for the civil trial at the Rogers County Courthouse in Claremore, Oklahoma . 'At most, it was a misunderstanding . between these two,' Thomas told jurors during his closing argument. 'Am I . calling Mr. Brooks a liar? Absolutely not. It's perfectly . understandable that he does not remember these events.' The jury began deliberating Tuesday . afternoon in Rogers County District Court, and the judge told jurors she . wanted them to work as late as midnight to come to a decision. Before the verdict was read, Brooks . said the day had been emotional. The country music star said he was . simply trying to honour his mother. 'This little pistol, she deserves nothing but good,' Brooks said. ‘I jumped . all over it,’ Brooks said. ‘It's my mom. My mom was pregnant as a . teenager. She had a rough start. She wanted to help every kid out . there.’ Brooks said he gave $500,000 to the hospital anonymously, which he said was his custom when giving to charities. The . singer said he, his family and the hospital wanted to keep things quiet . until a ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce the centre. He . was shown architectural drawings of a proposed centre bearing his . mother's name. ‘That's why I thought it was a win-win for everybody,’ he . said. | Country star sued Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Oklahoma for breach-of-contract .
Claimed hospital went back on promise to build women's health centre he wanted named after mother Colleen .
Integris Canadian Valley Regional .
Hospital in Yukon must return a $500,000 donation .
to Brooks plus pay him $500,000 in punitive damages . |
38,558 | 6d0dab8b95b4fae676d87763a10e9044ef58f442 | Terrible loss; Olivia Glennie, 15, hanged herself in September 2013. She is pictured here on a trip to Las Vegas the summer before she died . A schoolgirl hanged herself because she could not cope with the ‘21st-century pressures’ caused by social media and mobile phones, her father said yesterday. The family of 15-year-old Olivia Glennie had no idea anything was wrong before her death. He father Alex said the pressures of 24-hour communication by text, Facebook and the internet mean teenagers are faced with ‘too much, too young’, and parents need to be more aware of the danger signs. Olivia was found hanging from a tree in September by a dog walker. She was given resuscitation treatment and taken to hospital but died five days later. Talented and popular, Olivia was outwardly happy but was hiding insecurities about her boyfriend, her friends and her looks, an inquest heard. Her family said they were unaware of this as she ‘had everything to live for’ and had enjoyed her sister’s wedding just days before. Mr Glennie, 51, a contracts manager from Huddersfield, told the Daily Mail: ‘I can’t say what was going through her mind, I don’t think anybody in this world can. ‘Maybe people need to be more aware of the signs with teenagers in this day and age. With the internet and mobile phones and Facebook, I think they are getting too much, too young. It’s a cultural change. ‘Children are growing up so quickly. They have a lot of pressures, these 21st-century pressures.’ He said his daughter, who was 6ft 1in, could have been a model but was insecure about her teenage acne. ‘She would say to me, “Dad, I’ve got too many spots”,’ he said. ‘I have photographs of her with no makeup on and she still looks beautiful.’ A statement from Olivia’s mother, Diane, 49, was read to the inquest in Huddersfield. She said: ‘To be told that our beautiful daughter would not pull through brought unimaginable pain, all our hopes and dreams for her were shattered.‘ . She must have been in a really dark place at that time. This is something, as a mother, I wish I could have helped her with.’ The 15-year-old was hiding insecurities about her boyfriend, her friends and her looks. Her father said parents need to be more aware of 'the signs with teenagers in this day and age' The outwardly happy 15-year-old was found hanged from a tree in woods by a dog walker in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in September last year, just days after attending her sister Lucy's wedding - Wakefield Coroner's Court heard . Family said Olivia 'had everything to live for' and that she hoped to become a teacher after university . The . inquest heard from Olivia’s friends that she was upset about splitting . from her on-off boyfriend and had fallen out with a close friend. One . friend was aware she had been self-harming by cutting her hip, but her . parents did not know. Friends had been supportive and did not suspect . she was suicidal. Olivia had taken her French and history GCSEs early and was expecting A* and A grades in a further ten subjects. She had hoped to go to university and become a teacher. Her organs were donated, as she had requested, and her family recently received a letter saying she had helped save the lives of three people: a 14-year-old girl, a woman in her 20s and a man in his 30s whose successful kidney transplant has enabled him to take his first holiday abroad. Mr Glennie said: ‘She will be living on in somebody else. That is comforting to know.’ Assistant coroner Mary Burke said Olivia ‘had everyday issues that you would expect with a teen growing up’. She added: ‘She was a 15-year-old girl with a complex range of ever-increasing pressures and stresses which face adolescents in their daily lives.’ Recording a narrative verdict, she said she had doubts Olivia intended to take her own life and it was possible she believed she would be found before her actions proved fatal. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here . | Olivia Glennie was popular dancer and singer with close circle of friends .
Inquest has heard she was plagued with worries about on-off relationship .
She was found hanging from a tree in woods by dog walker in September .
Given CPR and taken to hospital - but she died five days later .
An inquest in Huddersfield into her death had recorded a narrative verdict .
Family said their 'beautiful and loved' daughter had had a 'happy family life' |
165,271 | 61b42dc80330da3f5a45d085522e55c7b8d35f96 | Marussia sporting director Graeme Lowdon has revealed the confusion and mayhem that followed Kimi Raikkonen's accident on the opening lap of Sunday's British Grand Prix helped wreck Max Chilton's race. Chilton admitted he was "very lucky" as a stray tyre from the 150mph, 47g impact of Raikkonen's Ferrari into a metal guardrail flew over his head after hitting the front-left wing of his car. Believing his race to be over as he was unsure of the damage, Chilton returned to the pits when he instead should have lined up on the grid as the race had been red flagged. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Incredible new angles of Raikkonen British F1 Grand Prix crash . Crash: Raikkonen's car is lifted away from the track after his 150mph smash at Silverstone . Once the race resumed behind the safety car after an hour's delay to carry out repairs to the barrier, Chilton was immediately a lap down. The 23-year-old had to wait at the end of the pit lane whilst the field toured behind the safety car for a lap, only being released once they had filed past. As further punishment for entering the pit lane under a red flag, Chilton was handed a stop-go penalty, eventually finishing the race in 16th and two laps down on race winner Lewis Hamilton. Explaining Chilton's difficulties, Lowdon said: 'Max unfortunately got caught up in that accident where Kimi went off. Blunder: Chilton went in to the pits while the red car was out, incurring a stop-go penalty . 'The car sustained some damage, and although it was only to the front nose, it was unclear at the time, so he called to pit, but then obviously the race was suspended. 'When the red flags come out you cannot then enter the pits, but by that stage it was too late as he'd already committed to coming in, so he was then stuck between a rock and a hard place. 'It was a bit a double whammy as he had to start at the end of the pit lane, and on the resumption of the race behind a safety car which does a lap, you are a lap down. 'You only start when the last car goes past the end of the pit lane and the pit lane exit lights go green. 'Then, of course, he received a penalty because it's very clear in the sporting regulations you can't pit when a race is suspended. Battling back: The young Brit eventually finished 16th despite losing time . 'It was unfortunate the way the timing all worked.' Lowdon concedes the volume of radio traffic further clouded matters, adding: 'There were a lot of things going back and forth. 'First of all there was the shock of the accident, and secondly he was trying to feel the extent of the damage to the car, and then the red was thrown in the middle of that. 'Potentially it could have been a really nasty accident for Max because there were some bits flying around, and he just appeared at the wrong time and the wrong place. It was one of those things.' | Max Chilton finished 16th at British Grand Prix .
Kimi Raikkonen's tyre caught Chilton's front-left wing in 150mph crash .
Chilton pitted despite red flag causing hour delay .
Chilton handed stop-go penalty for entering pits . |
252,832 | d3374fc0c22624c1c3f6360e2e02e187114986c2 | A million housewives every day pick up a tin of beans and say... well, that was the advertising jingle that was seen in more than a million homes every day. And now it is all changing. The humble baked bean has had a luxury makeover. No, not just mini pork sausages or mini burgers... From tomorrow, the Queen’s grocer Fortnum & Mason is offering up gourmet baked beans — at £3.95 a tub. Like the traditional tinned variety, Proper Beans can be heated up on the hob or in the microwave. But there the similarities stop. Two of the exotic new beans being sold by Fortnum and Mason . Unlike their tinned cousins, Proper Beans have to be kept in the fridge and are available in four (not 57) varieties, including British Fava Beans And Smoked Pork Collar, and Ham Hock, Potato And Thyme. The range is the brainchild of 33-year-old Londoner Ben Mason. ‘Some people said, “You’re completely crazy,”’ he says. ‘Most people think that beans can’t change.’ The Proper beans range goes on sale in Fortnum & Mason at £3.95 a tub . But he is hoping for a case of history repeating itself. It was in Fortnum’s Piccadilly store that another young entrepreneur, Henry Heinz from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, introduced the baked bean to Britain in 1886 marketed as an expensive foreign delicacy. | New tastes include British Fava Beans And Smoked Pork Collar, and Ham Hock, Potato And Thyme .
It was in Fortnum’s Piccadilly store that Henry Heinz introduced the baked bean to Britain in 1886 .
It was seen as an expensive foreign delicacy at the time . |
53,104 | 96a1a9169218b893375877634e869f9010bfeb6f | By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 11:48 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:43 EST, 17 March 2014 . As an ambassador for one of the world’s most popular and well known lingerie brands Doutzen Kroes is well aware of the power of her physique. And now the Victoria’s Secret Angel has admitted that she likes to make the most of her enviable assets both on and off the catwalk. Describing her own style as ‘casual chic’ the 29-year-old says that she loves wearing jeans, emphasising that making sure her bottom looks good is of the utmost importance. Doutzen strips off her loose grey T shirt in the video, revealing the latest Victoria's Secret bra and a seriously toned torso . It is hard to believe that the mother-of-one really has to make any effort to make her body look any better . The angel, who gained her wings in 2008, cheekily blows a kiss into the camera . ‘I love jeans. The fit is very important, that it’s a little bit stretchy, comfortable, and how the butt looks especially. I’m a typical girl that way’ Speaking in a video interview for the launch of Victoria Secret’s new T-shirt bra, the mother-of one (who recently announced she is expecting her second child), says the key to her look is jazzing up a simple outfit. ‘I would describe my style as casual chic. Which means I wear lots of jeans and t shirts, and I like to dress it up with some accessories like a nice bag or shoes or a belt. Wearing white cropped jeans and a simple round necked soft grey T-shirt, Doutzen has her ombre blonde hair loose and wears minimal make-up in the video, smiling as she goofs around and discusses her style. Midway through she strips down to reveal not only her toned body and defined stomach, but also showing off the Victoria’s Secret bra which aims to combine comfort with a sexy natural shape, eliminating 'double boob', bra strap induced back pain, and 'greige' (i.e. once white) bras. The 29-year old model talks about her style and admits making sure her bottom looks good in her jeans is important to her . Wearing white cropped jeans and a simple round necked soft grey t- shirt, Doutzen has her ombre blonde hair loose and minimal make up in the video, smiling as she goofs around . Having gained her coveted Victoria's Secret Angel wings in 2008 and walked in their epic annual show as well as modelling for the brand ever since, it is not surprising that the Dutch beauty cites underwear as an important component of her wardrobe. ‘Lingerie plays a huge role in how I feel. If you put on something sexy then it is almost like you have your own little secret and you feel confident and that is something that’s really important.’ However, the down to earth beauty, who lives in New York with husband Sunnery James and three year old son Phyllon Joy Gorré, says that despite her extensive experience of the fashion world she still diverts to her friends when it comes to style. It is not hard to see why ladies man Adam Levine is besotted with his beautiful fiance as Behati models the T shirt bra . The 24-year-old model shows off her incredible body in just the new range of underwear and a grey strap top . The new T shirt bra aims to aims to combine comfort with a sexy natural shape, eliminating such horrors as the 'double boob' and bra strap induced back pain . ‘My friends have better fashion sense than I have so I sometimes ask them.’ One of those friends is fellow model Behati Prinsloo who models the Victoria's Secret T Shirt Bra in images for the campaign. The 24- year-old looks predictably stunning in a simple grey cotton strappy top and jeans over her underwear. The fiancé of singer Adam Levine is one of the newest Angels and has been hard at work earning her wings, last week stripping down to show off the lingerie brand's 2014 Swim Collection at The London Hotel in West Hollywood with Alessandra Ambrosio. | Doutzen chats about her 'casual chic' style in video for Victoria's Secret .
Strips down to show off the brand's new T shirt bra .
Adam Levine's fiance and VS Angel Behati Prinsloo also wears models bra . |
12,156 | 227e0409b402b053acdfadabf7a717f13b5d9c11 | By . Deni Kirkova . A five-year-old boy has been banned from his church playgroup because he likes to wear princess dresses. Romeo Clarke, from Rugby, Warwickshire, who has three older sisters, has amassed a collection of 100 dresses and eight pairs of high-heeled children's shoes. The youngster likes to wear heels and something in his favourite colour, pink - such as socks or a hair clip, every single day. Romeo also likes having his hair straightened, his nails painted and playing with Barbie dolls. Scroll down for video . Little Romeo Clarke, five, from Rugby, pictured sitting among some of the 100 dresses he owns . He says he is unfazed by what people think. But the organisers of Romeo's after-school club, run by his his local church, believe his princess dresses were 'confusing' the other children and have asked him not to return. They say he can only rejoin the group if he wears gender-appropriate clothing. His furious mother Georgina Clarke, 36, has lodged a complaint with the church, claiming they are discriminating against her son. The stay-at-home single mother said: 'I was so cross when I was told he couldn’t wear dresses I was speechless - all I could ask was, why? 'Wearing the dress is his choice and if wearing it makes him happy, it's fine with me. 'This is not a case of my son being trapped in a girl’s body - he’s a normal boy who, because he has three big sisters, likes wearing dresses. What is wrong with that?' Romeo is banned from an after-school club run by his local church after being accused of 'confusing' other children by dressing in girls' clothes . Georgina says that wearing the dress is Romeo's choice and if wearing it makes him happy, it's fine with her . Romeo started primary school in Rugby last September and mother Georgina also enrolled him in the Buzz Children’s Club at their local church. The club, which is run by the Rugby Christian Fellowship Church, charges £1 per week for children aged 5-7 to to attend every Wednesday from 4.30-6pm. Three weeks ago Georgina, who is also mother to Kayla, 19, Amber 18, and Keisha, 12, was approached by the organisers of the group, who informed her Romeo was no longer welcome. She said: 'I was shocked and surprised, the leader Bex Venables, who is a really lovely lady, said she didn't think it was appropriate he wore the dress. 'She said it was upsetting and confusing the other children. 'She took to me to one side after I dropped him off and said "Romeo will be welcome back when he wears clothes which match his gender." Three weeks ago Romeo's mother Georgina was approached by the organisers of her son's church playgroup, who told her he was no longer welcome there . Georgina with son Romeo, wearing a dress outside the Church (left) and dressed in boys' clothes (right) 'I spoke to three other parents who take their children to the group. I asked them if Romeo wearing the dress concerned them or their children in any way and they all said no. 'What does the gender matter? Romeo keeps asking when he is going back and I don't know what to say. 'He is going to be so upset as he loves going to play there.' Georgina says Romeo has had an eye for 'glitzy things', since he was two years old. 'He has always been surrounded by girls I suppose, with his three older sisters. If he asks for it, they straighten his hair and paint his nails when they are doing theirs. 'Romeo has . about 100 dresses and high heels, too. He has to wear . something pink everyday, even something like a hair clip. 'He pretty much comes home from school, throws off his uniform, puts on a dress and starts singing. 'His favourite film is Frozen and loves acting out the role of the princesses with his sisters. 'He wears his dress to the supermarket and sings down the aisles, he isn't bothered what people think. I don't think he should be, I’m proud he is so free and comfortable with himself. 'He took a Barbie to school the other week, I did warn him the other children might say something but he didn't care. 'He is friends with boys and girls, but mostly girls. I think he is quite theatrical so he might end up on the stage, I guess. He loves performing. 'I try to encourage his boy side too and he goes rock climbing once a week and swimming but I think he wants to do ballet too. Romeo pictured with his mother Georgina Clarke at their home in Rugby . Romeo insists on wearing something pink every day, even if it's just a hair clip . 'The whole family is very supportive. He won't be going back to that club, he will just have to go somewhere else.' Romeo's . father Winston Morris, 42, a builder, who has separated from the . family, added: 'I don't care if he wears the dress. He can be whatever . he wants to be. 'I am not happy with the way the whole thing has been dealt with. 'We think he has been singled out and he definitely won't be going back.' At the request of his school, Romeo wears a boy's uniform . Mrs Venables, the Minister in Training at the Rugby Christian Fellowship yesterday defended the decision. She said: . 'Georgina's son is still allowed to attend Buzz Children's Club but has . been asked to wear clothing of the gender stated on his registration . form, which states male. 'This request is no different from what is asked by his school, where he wears a boys' uniform. 'Buzz . Children's Club seeks to follow our usual safeguarding guidelines and . we did so in this case in order to avoid any confusion or possible . conflict or teasing from other children.' Zoë Ashmore, Consultant Forensic Psychologist who works with families and co-editor of the forthcoming book Forensic Practice in the Community said: . 'We know from social learning theory that children will imitate what they observe in their environment. It sounds as if Romeo likes to dress up like his older sisters and follow their example. 'Engagement in positive activities such as after school clubs is important for children. It is where they learn to socialise with others. 'I very much hope that the club involved and the family can work together to resolve this issue.' His mother says Romeo (pictured here at the age of three) has had an eye for 'glitzy things' since he was two years old . | Romeo Clarke, from Rugby, Warwickshire, has three older sisters .
Youngster owns 100 dresses and eight pairs of heeled shoes .
Builder dad Winston, 42: 'I don't care. He can be whatever he wants to be' |
28,785 | 51b84c3043f39b7e48bb289d4d3c6d262b914840 | London Zoo's animals have embraced the Halloween spirit, enjoying a few pumpkin-shaped treats of their own this October 31. Cheeky squirrel monkeys, penguins, a tortoise and a tiger were just some of the animals who were involved in fun and games to celebrate the spooky day. The squirrel monkeys were treated to snacks such as sunflower seeds, monkey nuts and their favourite treat, wax worms, all served in carved pumpkins. Gore-toise! A Galapagos tortoise chows down on a carved pumpkin as a treat for Halloween at London Zoo . A London Zoo keeper said the squirrel monkeys have thoroughly enjoyed the unusual meal time arrangements and the monkey are especially curious. 'The monkeys are so inquisitive, they're going to absolutely adore these pumpkins and they'll be head first in looking for what they can get,' she said. 'Our monkeys are very much like us, so they're like children, extremely inquisitive. They want to explore everything. They love insects and things like that so they'll be foraging around under leaves. So anything new that we put in is really exciting for them.' A London Zoo employee said the squirrel monkeys are very inquisitive and love the filled pumpkins . A squirrel monkey likes what he see as he makes his way down to the carved pumpkins . The staff member said it encourages the whole group to come down and it also encourages all of the natural behaviour that is seen in the wild. 'The more brave ones will be the first down and then some of the younger ones will be holding back so it's fun to watch them all interact.' The penguins, who are located in a walk-through enclosure, also enjoy their own range of Halloween inspired treats with fish attracting their interest in the pumpkins. The pumpkin treats elicit natural behaviours of the monkeys as they explore anything new . It's mine! A tiger also plays with one of the pumpkins during the short video . Speaking to a little boy who asks the keeper if the penguins ever get scared the keeper says that they are entirely comfortable in their surroundings.' 'No, they're not scared,' she says. 'They've been brought up in this enclosure where it's a walk through. They're used to lots of people coming through. This is their territory if you like so this is their home and they're happy here.' | Monkeys, penguins, a tortoise and a tiger all enjoy Halloween treats .
London Zoo keeper says inquisitive monkeys are just like children .
A tiger plays with pumpkin like a ball while a Galapagos eats one . |
6,228 | 11a58792bb05cd081f991edce6a710ffcc85d98b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:55 EST, 13 January 2013 . Tragic: Shepherdess Liz McIntosh was killed in a quad bike accident . A shepherdess has died in a quad bike accident while she worked on the hills. Liz McIntosh, 64, was tending her flock in the Northumberland National Park when her machine crashed and it may have been some time before the alarm was raised on Friday afternoon. The accident happened on an unnamed road near Elsdon in Northumberland, where she looked after a flock of 700 sheep and cattle with the help of a part-time shepherd. John Hartshorne, chairman of Otterburn Parish Council, said: ‘She had stock to deal with and at this time of year farmers are charging around the hillsides on quad bikes. ‘You might say everybody is to some extent at risk if they are out on the hills and people don’t know where they are if something happens. ‘That’s the sort of environment she was working in - upland hill farming, isolated, cold.’ Mr Hartshorne, who runs Albion Outdoors which gets young people out into the countryside to study nature, said Ms McIntosh was a keen naturalist. The important 10,000-year-old peat bog known as Steng Moss was part of her land, and she allowed his students access to learn about it, he said. ‘She was well-informed, a very good naturalist and very good with birds,’ he said. Ms McIntosh, the daughter of a surgeon who studied geography at Newcastle University, was understood to be divorced. Her friend and neighbour Barbara Foti told the Sunday Sun newspaper: ‘She was very strong, very tough and enjoyed what she did. Ms McIntosh was tending to her flock of sheep in the Northumberland National Park when her quad bike crashed . A keen naturalist: Ms McIntosh, who studied at Newcastle University (pictured) was 'well-infomed, a very good naturalist and very good with birds' ‘We are devastated and we can’t believe it.’ Northumbria Police has yet to officially name the person who died in the accident. The force is preparing a report for the coroner and has appealed for witnesses who may have seen her prior to the accident to contact them. | The accident happened on an unnamed road in Northumberland where she looked after a flock of 700 sheep and cattle .
Liz McIntosh, 64, was 'very strong, very tough and enjoyed what she did' |
189,195 | 81052a9dee2f8250fcf180f0eb440e78c1087e5b | By . Sam Webb . David Lowe, who was sacked after he played an old version of The Sun Has Got Its Hat On, claims the show was pre-recorded - but no one at the BBC approved it for transmission before it was played . The BBC DJ who left the BBC after accidentally playing a song with a racial slur in it claims it is on the corporation's approved list - and still is now. David Lowe, lost his job after playing a 1932 version of The Sun Has Got His Hat On during his Sunday night show on BBC Radio Devon. The version contains the line: ‘He’s been tanning n****** out in Timbuktu, now he’s coming back to do the same to you.’ Following . the broadcast, Mr Lowe immediately offered to apologise on air for his . error - but the corporation ordered Mr Lowe to 'fall on his sword' after . just one listener complained. According to the Mirror, the 68-year-old told The Jon Gaunt Show on Fubar Radio: 'When talking about my treatment, I prefer to use the word ‘inconsistencies’, rather than ‘double-standards’, because to the best of my knowledge, the version of the song I played was, certainly until just a few days ago, on the BBC’s ‘Okay to play’ list. ‘And one of my all-time favourites, Oliver’s Army by Elvis Costello, which features the N-word, is still played regularly on British radio.' Mr Lowe has said the show was . pre-recorded - but it not approved for transmission by station managers . as required by the BBC's compliance system. He added that the BBC management structure was 'flawed' and should be 'scrapped'. Mr Lowe said: 'I don’t have any quarrels with my BBC colleagues - my quarrel is with the flawed system they are trying to work with. 'The BBC is trying to be all things to all men and women - and that’s an impossibility in anyone’s language.' Mr Lowe played a 1932 version of the son, performed by Amrbose & His Orchestra, on a Sunday night golden oldies show . A BBC spokeswoman said: 'David's show is a specialist music show and he played the track out of his own personal music collection. 'We don't have an 'approved' list. Nor do we have a 'banned' list. The . lyrics to The Sun Has Got His Hat On have been changed several times . since Noel Gay (above) and Ralph Butler wrote the original in 1932. It . was composed for the musical Me And My Girl and first recorded by the . Henry Hall BBC Dance Orchestra, with vocals by Val Rosing. The second verse went: ‘He’s been tanning n*****s out in Timbuktu, Now he’s coming back to do the same for you.’ More . recent versions have changed it to: ‘He’s been roastin’ peanuts out in . Timbuktu’ or just ‘shining brightly out in Timbuktu’. 'We make editorial decisions about what records to play on a case-by-case basis taking a wide range of contextual factors into account. 'As we’ve made clear, we accept that the discussion with David Lowe about his future could have been handled better. 'We don’t ban records and the decision about which records to play on local or national radio is for individual producers or presenters, as it always has been. 'We make editorial decisions about what records to play on a case-by-case basis taking a wide range of contextual factors into account. 'David Lowe's weekly show was categorised as low risk and therefore did not require complex sign off procedures. 'We do not require managers to listen to programmes categorised as low risk if the producer of the programme is happy that it complies with BBC Editorial Guidelines. 'The producer in this case was David Lowe. 'The key point remains that we should not have accepted his resignation.' She added that the door remains open if he wishes to resume his show. Some have accused the BBC of double . standards for allowing Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson to keep his job . after mumbling the N-word in an outtake of his motoring show. Mr Lowe's former boss at BBC Radio Devon Roy Corlett, said at the time: ‘To end David’s career in this way when Clarkson was given a rap on the knuckles is absolutely appalling. 'It is an outrageous way to treat a loyal and distinguished employee. You couldn’t wish to meet a nicer man.’ Prime Minister David Cameron said his dismissal was 'slightly unfair' while Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the corporation acted in a 'disgraceful' way by firing the veteran DJ. | David Lowe, 68, played song containing the N-word on BBC Radio Devon .
He resigned after playing 1932 version of The Sun Has Got His Hat On .
But the song was on the corporation's approved song list, he claims .
DJ said his shows were pre-recorded, but no one listened to it . |
256,886 | d87cdc592bffa0718dc3d35f3b14520353a72170 | (CNN) -- At least 40 bodies -- all of them wearing uniforms identifying them as army officers -- have been found in a mass grave inside the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles paramilitary in the capital, Dhaka, authorities said Friday. Bangladeshi army soldiers gather near the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters in Dhaka Thursday. The discovery brings to at least 62 the number of army officers who have been found dead after mutinous paramilitary forces took dozens of superiors hostages at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) headquarters on Wednesday. The Rifles laid down their arms after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed to grant them amnesty. The bodies were found in a grave behind the mortuary building inside the BDR compound in the Pilkhana area of Dhaka, said Cmdr. Abdul Kalam Azad with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite internal security team that is helping with the recovery effort. "It's a bad scene," Azad said. "You can only see their legs. We're carrying away only as many as we can fit in ambulances. Then we're going to go look for more." Earlier, 22 bodies had been recovered from the Buriganga River after the rebelling troops dumped them down a sewer during the standoff, authorities said. The Rifles took their superiors -- all military men -- hostage Wednesday morning after a rebellion they said was spurred by years of their grievances not being addressed. Discontent had been bubbling for years among the ranks of the BDR troops, a 65,000-strong paramilitary outfit primarily responsible for guarding the country's borders. Watch how the paramilitary revolt spread » . The recruits complained their army superiors dismissed their appeals for more pay, subsidized food and opportunities to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh and its South Asian neighbors contribute the most troops to such U.N. operations. And the pay is far greater than the meager salary the jawans -- as the BDR troops are called -- make. | Mass grave found with bodies of at least 40 Bangladesh army officers .
At least 62 officers found dead since mutiny by paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles .
Rifles laid down arms Thursday after PM agreed to offer them amnesty . |
111,725 | 1c12d837f1f571fbca3f5e5bb17c81e15fbec9fa | Beijing (CNN) -- The death toll from earthquakes that rocked southwest China rose to 80 on Saturday, after the tremors destroyed roads and communication lines, and forced tens of thousands of evacuations, state media reported. More than 800 others were injured in the Friday quakes, according to Xinhua news agency. Officials fear the death toll may rise as they scramble to reach affected areas. Large rocks blocked roads, and communication lines and other infrastructure were downed, hampering rescue efforts. About 100,000 people have been evacuated and 100,000 others are in need of relocation, state media reported. Premier Wen Jiabao, who will direct rescue efforts, inspected stricken areas Saturday and visited the injured. Initial estimates put the "direct economic losses" from the tremors at more than half a billion dollars, the news agency said. The four earthquakes struck near the border of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Their magnitudes ranged between 4.8 and 5.6, according to the U.S. agency. All four quakes struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles). The southwestern region of China is prone to earthquakes. In May 2008, a magnitude 7.9 quake in Sichuan province caused widespread devastation, killing at least 69,000 people. CNN's Steven Jiang contributed to this report. | NEW: More than 800 people are injured .
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits the affected areas .
Tens of thousands are evacuated .
Communication lines and other infrastructure are downed . |
223,025 | acb9c3bc4286003b7b21babaea9b0b99a8dc7df4 | (CNN) -- One person was killed and at least 20 homes destroyed after a weekend tornado that struck a town in eastern Kansas, state officials said. The storm also damaged another 200 homes around Reading, about 100 miles southwest of Kansas City, said Sharon Watson of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. She said the agency received a report of a tornado touching down at 9:15 p.m. Saturday. Strong line of storms pummels Midwest; Missouri hard-hit . The agency said five others were injured in addition to the fatality, and power was knocked out to much of the town of about 250. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback issued a disaster declaration for 16 counties on Sunday, a step toward getting state and federal aid for the affected areas. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim and everyone impacted by this storm," Brownback said in a statement issuing the declaration. The National Weather Service said the storm was caused by an EF-1 tornado, which packs winds of 86-110 mph. It was among several storms that hit the area between 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, authorities said. "The first significant calls of damage came in about 6:30 p.m. local in Shawnee County," Watson said. "There was significant damage caused by large hail, which broke windows and broke tree limbs." In Jefferson County, a mobile home was destroyed and an elderly couple was trapped inside, Watson said. She said first responders cleared the debris and rescued the couple, who was not hurt. CNN's Leslie Tripp contributed to this report. | A tornado killed 1 person and destroys 20 homes in Reading, Kansas .
The state's governor has issued a disaster declaration .
The National Weather Service classified the storm as an EF-1 tornado . |
122,869 | 2acbb1c08d097331c6975e58041884824fbc7fc0 | By . Jennifer Smith . PUBLISHED: . 19:39 EST, 15 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:37 EST, 16 October 2013 . The number of complaints about doctors made by their colleagues or patients is on the rise, according to new figures. Data from the General Medical Council (GMC) shows a jump in both patient complaints and the number of doctors willing to speak up about the poor standards of other medics. In 2012, the GMC received 8,109 complaints - a 24 per cent increase since 2011 and a 104 per cent increase since 2007. New figures have revealed the number of complaints made about doctors is on the rise . The new data reveals that between 2007 and 2012, the overall number of complaints from the public rose by 87 per cent to 5,014. While most came from patients and their friends and relatives, a significant amount were made by doctors' employers and concerned colleagues. The GMC, which regulates around 250,000 doctors in the UK, said the overall number of complaints is very small when the number of interactions between doctors and patients is taken into account. The Council said the high expectations of patients and willingness of some doctors to point out areas of concern compared to others should be taken into account when considering the rise. Overall, 54 per cent of the complaints were about clinical care and communication with patients. Many made by doctors (38 per cent) concerned conflict of interest or criminal convictions held by their colleagues. Among the public, people aged 46 to 60 were the most likely to complain, with women more likely to speak up than men. GPs were more likely to be complained about than other doctors, and male medics were twice as likely to attract criticism than their female counterparts. Twenty-two per cent of male GPs received a complaint compared with just 11 per cent of female GPs. The number of doctors aged over 50 who were complained about was higher than for doctors aged 30 to 50. Female GPs were less likely to be complained about than their male colleagues, according to the study. Posed by models . This was particularly true for GPs, the State of Medical Education and Practice report showed. A third of all complaints received met the threshold for a full investigation by the GMC, but only 20 per cent of those lodged by the public satisfied the same criteria. Eighty-four per cent of all concerns raised by employers merited an investigation, as did 48 per cent of those made by doctors. Professor Sir Peter Rubin, chair of the GMC, said: 'Overall the standard of care that patients receive in the UK is good and doctors continue to deserve the trust and respect of the public. 'The GMC has an important role to play in protecting patients and ensuring that doctors practise to the highest possible standard. 'Complaints from members of the public, doctors and other professionals are invaluable in helping us to do this. 'Complaints also give the health service a chance to reflect and improve the care that patients receive. 'However what our report shows is that some patients don’t know where to go to raise a concern about their treatment and more needs to be done to help them raise issues. 'Making a complaint about a doctor can be stressful and it is important that concerns are raised with the right organisation so patients are not passed from pillar to post.'ends . Anna Bradley, chair of Healthwatch England, said: 'It’s no surprise that people don’t know who to go to with their complaint as the system is far too complex. 'Most patients and people receiving care don’t know the difference between the GMC, the Care Quality Commission and their local complaints advocacy services. They just want their complaint dealt with. 'But people aren’t just failing to report complaints because they don’t know where to go. 'We know from our own research that more than half of those who experienced a problem in the last three years didn’t report it because they simply didn’t trust the system to listen or take any action. 'We all have a right to safe, dignified and high quality care, backed up by an effective complaints system for when things go wrong. The Healthwatch network can play a central role helping people understand where to go with their complaint, making things as simple and straightforward as possible.' | General Medical Council report showed more complaints are being made each year .
Most concerns raised by patients and their family members .
Large number of complaints made by doctors about each other .
Female practitioners are less likely to be complained about than their male colleagues, research says .
GPs over 50 received more complaints than younger doctors . |
91,710 | 01fbb31e4389358df82afe2efdcda3cc2febd2fe | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 10:23 PM on 28th June 2011 . An ex-New Orleans police lieutenant today told how his former colleagues conspired to plant a gun and lied to cover-up the shooting of unarmed civilians in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Michael Lohman took the stand in the trial over shootings that killed two victims on the city's Danziger Bridge in September 2005. Four of the city's police officers are on trial accused of indiscriminately opening fire with shotguns and assault rifles amid confusion in the aftermath of the disaster. Aftermath: Lance Madison is arrested by Louisiana State Police and New Orleans Police Department SWAT teams Sept. 4, 2005, after the alleged shooting on the Danziger Bridge. His brother had just been shot dead . Grief: Lorna Madison, right, sister of victim Ronald Madison, with Fuki Madison, Ronald's mother, center, and Micheal Jenkins, his friend . 'Cover up': Former New Orleans Police Lieutenant Michael Lohman said he conspired with officers to make it seem that they were justified in opening fire . Sergeant Kenneth Bowen, former officer . Robert Faulcon, Seargeant. Robert Gisevius and Officer Anthony Villavaso deny any wrongdoing in the shootings that killed 17-year-old James Brissette and . 40-year-old Ronald Madison, who was severely mentally disabled. Brissette is said to have died in a hail of gunfire when officers opened up without reason while Maddison was allegedly shot in the back with a shotgun minutes later. Mr Lohman told the jury that when he arrived at the scene of the shooting, none of the junior officers could explain why they opened fire. He said he arrived at the bridge to find 'people lying on the pedestrian walkway with multiple gunshot wounds' but no evidence of any of them being armed. But after finding the body of Mr Madison, he became increasingly concerend that he could see lot of wounded people but 'no guns'. 'They seemed to be unsure of what . actually happened,' Lohman recalled. 'There was too much uncertainty, . and things didn't add up.' He said he told the officers to go 'collect themselves, calm down and then come back and tell me what happened.' He indicated that he expected them to make up an untrue story according to WDSU New Orleans. He . said Officer Kenneth Bowen then came back and said, 'What about this? I . kicked the guns off the bridge because the scene was still hot. I did . not want anyone else to pick up the guns.' Lohman said he put Sgt. Arthur Kaufman in charge of the investigation. Accused: Sergeant Kenneth Bowen and former New Orleans police officer Robert Faulcon pictured as they handed themselves in over the Danziger Bridge shootings in 2007 . Handing themselves in: Sgt. Robert Gisevius, left, and Anthony Villavoso were also greetedby supporters when they handed themselves in . Prosecutors say the confusion started when police officers on a nearby interstate reported that someone was shooting and gave the impression they had a 'man down'. Shortly afterwards nine officers arrived on the nearby Danziger Bridge and opened fire. The Bartholomew family came under fire and four of them were injured. Susan Bartholemew had her arm shot off and 17-year-old James Briseete was shot dead. Officers say they were shot at but no weapons were found at the scene. Further up the bridge, another officer is said to have opened fire with an assault rifle at mentally-disabled Ronald Maddison ansd his brother Lance. Officer Faulcon is said to have driven up the bridge, got out and shot Ronald Maddison in the back before stomping on his body and arresting his brother unharmed. No weapons were found at the scene . Lohman expressed concern that there . were no guns on the scene. He said Kaufman told him he had a gun he . could put on the scene. He then asked Kaufman whether the weapon was 'clean,' meaning it could not be traced, and Kaufman said it was. Lohman then said he told Kaufman that 'if he was going to do it, to do it and not talk about it with anyone else. Just do it.' 'The guys who were involved in this were co-workers, and some of them were friends of mine. I didn't want anybody to get into trouble," Lohman said. 'I feel pretty horrible about all of it, but most particularly about the people who were killed and wounded.They were people who didn't deserve what they got.' His evidence came a day after the court heard a woman describe how her arm was blown off as officers opened fire. Susan Bartholemew told jurors she felt bullets piercing . her body as she huddled with her husband and teenage daughter behind a . concrete barrier. She recalled that her daughter, lying on the ground . next to her, tried to shield her body from the hail of gunfire. She recalled that her daughter, lying on the ground next to her, tried to shield her body from the hail of gunfire. I prayed. I just called to the Lord because I didn't know what else to do,' Bartholomew said. Bartholomew said it wasn't until after the shooting stopped that she realized police officers had shot her, leaving her right arm hanging by just a strip of skin. She said the officers approached them as they lay on the bridge, threatened to kill them and yelled at them to hold up their hands. 'Of course I couldn't because my arm was shot off,' she said. 'I raised the only hand I had.' Opening arguments started Monday with prosecutors painting a picture of out of control police opening fire on unarmed civilians without following proper procedure. Defense attorneys countered with a portrait of stressed, tired, overworked officers reacting to what they thought was an attack on fellow officers. 'They cut loose with assault rifles . and shotguns and they did so without ever identifying themselves,' Justice Department attorney Bobbi Bernstein said of the officers. 'The . mistake they made was thinking anyone walking on the Danziger Bridge . that day was a criminal.' The . officers are accused of plotting to plant a gun, fabricate witnesses . and falsify reports to make the shootings appear justified. Five other . former officers already have pleaded guilty to participating in a . cover-up. Crime scene: A caution tape floats in the wind over a walkway running alongside the Danziger Bridge . A .223 caliber shell casing lies alongside the road on Danziger Bridge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana November 10, 2005. They are cooperating with the government and are expected to testify during the trial, which could last up to eight weeks. Defense attorneys said their clients had honored their oaths to protect and serve, quickly beginning rescue missions even though they too suffered from the hurricane's destruction. They saw death and suffering, worked in horrifying conditions and heard gunshots so frequently at night they had to stop rescue missions when the sun went down. Holmes survived, but Brissette died on the east side of the bridge. On the west side, Faulcon allegedly shot Madison in the back with a shotgun as he and his brother, Lance Madison, were fleeing from the gunfire. Ronald Madison was lying on the ground when Bowen walked over and asked a fellow officer, 'Is that one of them?" before he repeatedly stomped on the dying man, Bernstein said. 'This was a tragedy for everyone involved, police officers and victims," said attorney Lindsay Larson, who represents Faulcon. 'It was a horrible, terrible mistake, but it was not a federal crime.' | Michael Lohman tells jury of conspiracy to plant a gun .
He says there was 'no evidence' Danziger Bridge victims were armed .
Lieutenant gave muddled officers time to sort out their story .
I didn't want anyone to get into trouble, he tells court . |
285,313 | fdb453a3ecd56ea2a3850eef5797899fd94feafc | By . Sally Lee . Lucan Battison was suspended from a New Zealand Catholic school after he refused to cut his long curly hair but he can keep his hairstyle after winning his fight in the high court today . A long-haired New Zealand teenager has landed himself in court after refusing to abide by his school's rules and cut his curly locks. St John's College student Lucan Battison was subsequently suspended by principal Paul Melloy last month. However the suspension was cleared on the basis that the 16-year-old returned with shorter hair. The matter has since been taken to the High Court at Wellington for a judicial review sought after by his father Troy Battison and Lucan has not returned to school. The teenager's lawyer Jol Bates said the year 12 student stood up for his rights and followed the example of humanitarian activist Martin Luther King Jr, the court heard on Monday. Mr Bates added that Lucan isn't comfortable with cutting his curly hair as it would become 'boofy and turned into an afro', reported the New Zealand Herald. Mr Bates said Lucan had been sporting the same hairstyle since he became a student at the Catholic college three years ago. The court was also told that his hair does not pose any health and safety concerns nor was it a distraction to other pupils. After St John's College student (right) was suspended by principal Paul Melloy the matter was taken to the High Court at Wellington for a judicial review. The teenager is pictured with his lawyer Jol Bates (left) on Monday . Lucan, who had his hair tied back at during the hearing, listened to the school's lawyer Richard Harrison as he said a teacher had sent the teenager to Mr Melloy's office as his hair had overgrown its acceptable length. When asked to cut his hair, Lucan refused and asked the principal to contact his father. Mr Harrison described this as 'continual disobedience' and further said this could be 'harmful and dangerous' as this may influence on other pupils who look up to Lucan. Justice David Collins asked Mr Melloy why had not considered other disciplinary action and Mr Harrison said the principal ruled out other measures when Lucan chose to go against the school's policy in the presence of his parents. The case continues. Mr Bates said his client was standing up for his basic human rights, challenging authority and following in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr . Mr Bates said Lucan had been sporting the same hairstyle since he became a student at the Catholic college three years ago . | New Zealand year 12 student Lucan Battison was suspended by St John's College's principal Paul Melloy last month .
The 16-year-old was allowed to come back to school if he had shorter hair .
But Lucan did not return to school and instead took the matter to the High Court at Wellington . |
115,711 | 2152ef2449d2c0db612873bb164b4c10823c8e9d | President Barack Obama is taking some heat from Republicans on Capitol Hill for reestablishing diplomatic relations with Cuba, but a CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday shows he has the public's backing. About six in 10 Americans favor diplomatic relations with Cuba and two-thirds want the travel restrictions to the island lifted, according to the poll of 1,011 Americans conducted after Obama announced a landmark deal with Cuba to relax sanctions and ease some travel restrictions. Obama relaxed some sanctions and gave a green light to establish an embassy in Havana, but he can't end the embargo against Cuba outright without Congressional approval. More than half of Americans surveyed -- 55% — want the embargo lifted. Republican members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee like Sens. Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham of Florida and South Carolina, respectively, said last week they will pull all the stops to undercut Obama's steps to normalize relations, vowing to hold up funds for the embassy and keep Obama's nominee for ambassador to Cuba from clearing the Senate. Related: Read the full CNN / ORC poll on Cuba . Christie to Obama: Tell Cuba to hand over cop killer . Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba, has led the charge against Obama's accord with Cuba and President Raul Castro, charging Obama with giving away a huge chunk of the U.S.'s leverage to spur political reform in the country. But supporters of the deal to normalize relations say more diplomatic and economic engagement is the key to opening up Cuban society and encouraging democratization. Regardless, Americans continue to have an unfavorable view of Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro, with 81% holding a negative opinion of the former leader and brother of the country's current president. | 63% of Americans favor reestablishing diplomatic relations with Cuba .
More than half want the embargo fully lifted .
81% say they still hate Fidel Castro . |
63,496 | b4513a58fa6774a42c60929dbd95bbc5e8d6153d | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 14:16 EST, 12 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:25 EST, 12 March 2013 . Many believe the Shroud of Turin bears the face of Jesus Christ. But in the days leading up to Easter, another vision of the Son of God has emerged - this time in condensation on the windscreen of a car parked in Gateshead. David Alexander, 39, of Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, was shocked when he looked over and saw the image of Christ appear above the dashboard of his friend's car. Holy water: David Alexander was transfixed on the face revealed on the windscreen of a car which he says resembled Jesus Christ . Mr Alexander, who works as a support manager for a data marketing analysis firm, said: 'I was sitting in a friend's car on Sunday night. 'We were about to set off when an image manifested itself on the driver's side of the windscreen. 'I could see a face staring back at me - it looked just like the Turin Shroud - except it looked like Jesus was smiling back at me. 'I pointed it out to my friend and we couldn't believe it.' Sighting: In the days leading up to Easter another vision of the Son of God emerged. This time in the condensation on a windscreen of a car parked in Gateshead . The image of 'Jesus' was around three inches high and remained on the windscreen for around an hour. 'Maybe there was some holy water in the car', said Mr Alexander. 'It was very strange. It was a very still night and there was an orange light from the streetlamp shining through the image, making it glow and really stand out. Holy brew: When Trucluck flipped over the piece of carton, he discovered a white marking which he said looked like the profile picture of Christ . 'It was very surreal so I had to take some photographs to prove it. I immediately thought it looked like Jesus. 'Seeing the image hasn't changed my life so far, it hasn't led to a conversion experience, but who knows, maybe it has something to do with Easter approaching.' Blessed snack: A man shared a photo online of a Cheeto treat which he claimed was shaped like Jesus . Saviour sightings: People have been seeing the face of Jesus in many . everyday items, including this greeled cheese sandwich which a woman . sold on eBay for $28,000, left; and a potato chip, right . It is not the first time the Son of God has appeared on items. His image has been seen on rocks, wood, windows and even a tortilla. In 2011 Sarah Crane, from Orington, was stunned when she hung her laundry out to dry and discovered the face of Jesus staring back at her from a crumpled sock. Miss Crane was so impressed she even built a shrine to the sock. Holy relic: The Turin shroud, which according to Roman Catholic tradition was used to wrap Christ's body before the resurrection . Last month, a devout Christian from the town of Bradenton near Sarasota, came across a piece of beer packaging shaped like a fish - a symbol closely associated with Christianity. He took the packaging home because of its religious symbolism but an even bigger surprise awaited. He discovered an image resembling Jesus on the back of the beer packaging. A website called stuffthatlookslikejesus.com is dedicated to images of everyday items that have reminded them of the face of Christ. | David Alexander said Jesus was 'smiling back at him' above the dashboard of his friend's car .
Image was around three inches high and remained on the windscreen for around an hour . |
215,092 | a27459331fbcf06d87758ef2fd9c19ce248f4a42 | After a careful review of all relevant research worldwide, the U.S. government's leading analyst of weight data just confirmed what I've long known: Being fat might not be a death sentence. That this study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association seems at all shocking is a measure of the intensity and pervasiveness of weight prejudice in our society and in our sciences. Another recent study found people who were "metabolically healthy" and overweight or obese had no higher death risk than metabolically healthy "normal" weight people. I take an interest in the topic because I'm fat and because I don't have a death wish. I'm also interested because, like so many fat people, I've encountered weight discrimination when I seek routine medical care. I was 26 years old when I was denied the right to purchase health insurance. I had no significant history of illness or injury. I was just fat. That day, I became a fat rights activist. Being overweight linked to lower risk of mortality . In the intervening years, I've heard from so many people who fear for their lives when they encounter weight discrimination in our health care system. As a fat activist, I help as much as I can, but I'm no federal agency. One woman called in the middle of the night, hoping I knew of an MRI she could use for an important test. The machine at her local hospital, which she'd used before, was being guarded by a technician who strictly enforced the weight limits. The tray that slides in and out of the machine could break. Instead, she was denied potentially life-saving information in a crisis. How many of the deaths blamed on weight are actually caused by medical equipment -- everything from blood pressure cuffs to surgical instruments -- that fails to accommodate fat people when we need it most? I'll never forget the teenage girl who was told by a nurse practitioner that her complaint would go away once she lost weight. Luckily, she had the nerve and the parental backup to get another appointment and the prescription necessary to treat her condition. How many of the deaths blamed on fat actually happen when people are diagnosed as fat instead of being diagnosed and treated for an illness? Then there are the fat people who did everything their doctors recommended to lose weight ... and died from dangerous diet drugs, from starvation diets, from mutilating weight-loss surgeries. I also hear from many people who live with the devastating physical and psychological consequences of such weight-loss attempts. Some of these stories are referred to as anecdata, meaning they don't count unless they're counted in research -- although there are plenty of studies to support these outcomes. Even so, I believe it still makes a difference when we tell our stories of weight discrimination and its damaging impact on our health. Living: 'Fatshion' bloggers find beauty in all sizes . People are telling their stories of weight bias in medical care on websites like First, Do No Harm, This Is Thin Privilege and Obesity Surgery Gone Wrong. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance has been speaking out on behalf of fat people's civil rights since its founding in 1969. Health professionals of good conscience are joining this effort in increasing numbers. They've developed an approach called Health At Every Size that is proving to be better for people's health than weight-loss attempts. The Health At Every Size professional organization, Association of Size Diversity and Health, this week launched the project Resolved, a response to New Year's weight-loss resolutions. It invites people to share stories about weight discrimination in health care and opinions about what needs to change. Weight bias has been documented among doctors, nurses, fitness instructors and other professionals on whom a fat person might need to rely for help. Last year, researchers who themselves are part of an anti-"obesity" institution (Yale's Rudd Institute) surveyed medical professionals who specialize in caring for fat people and found that they had high levels of weight bias, viewing us as "lazy, stupid, and worthless." These biases don't improve medical care. Two pioneers of the Health At Every Size approach, psychologist Deb Burgard and health promotion expert Lily O'Hara, analyze existing data to point out that using BMI as a proxy for metabolic health mislabels 51% of healthy people as unhealthy. Meanwhile, 23.5% of the thin people with risky indicators will not be screened or treated early because they "look" healthy. In the medical literature, every time fat people prove to be healthier or to live longer than thin people, researchers call that result an "obesity paradox." I'd call their refusal to view fat people positively a form of prejudice. Here's a finding from the recent research that didn't make the headlines: For people over 65, being fat wasn't associated with increased risk, not even for the fattest old people. When do most people die, in our increasingly long-lived society? Over age 65, perhaps? Living: Are we really ready to take a look at 'real women'? I also learned this week that a highly accurate way to predict a person's risk of dying is to see how easily they can get up from the floor. I'm trying to imagine how different our health care system would be if, instead of focusing on weight and weight loss, caregivers did the sitting-rising test instead. How much healthier would we be? How much more would we actually enjoy healthy living, free from weight judgment? How much time and money would we save? How much discrimination and human tragedy could we avoid? I'm guessing it'd be tons. | Marilyn Wann: Study confirms fat is not a death sentence, and overweight people live longer .
Wann denied health coverage because of her size; she became an activist afterward .
Wann: Fat people continually get misdiagnosed, receive poor health care because of bias .
Wann: Doctors finding new Health At Every Size approach provides better care . |
99,241 | 0bd425e84799c4a0490d11c4790208018305e422 | (CNN) -- Three weeks ago, 276 girls awoke to a nightmare. On the night of April 14, a gang of heavily armed militants attacked their dormitory at the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, a town in Nigeria's Borno state. They shot the guards, loaded the girls into trucks and drove them away into the forest. It has been reported that the girls are being married off or even sold for as little as $12 to be wives to Boko Haram militants. Since then, there has been disturbingly little action to find these girls. Local police say that around 53 of the girls have escaped, but that still leaves at least 223 held hostage in the hands of Boko Haram. That's almost as many people as were aboard Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 -- a horrible tragedy that has been the subject of intense media coverage and a massive international search. In Nigeria, no one seems to know where these girls are, and until this past weekend, no one seemed inclined to do much about it. The most determined pursuit of the kidnappers had come not from the Nigerian military but from the families of the abducted girls. Some of the family members, armed only with bows and arrows to fight terrorists armed with assault rifles, rode into the forest on motorcycles to try to find their girls. Fortunately, after this past week, the world is finally paying attention. With the families reaching out through social media, using the Twitter hashtag '#BringBackOurGirls,' protests have spread across the world calling for the Nigerian government to take stronger action and for the international community to help. The United States should help lead this international effort, and we have to take some immediate actions to help marshal a global response to this heinous crime. First, the United States should seek a resolution from the U.N. Security Council condemning this attack. It should also call for member countries to extend all appropriate assistance to Nigeria and neighboring countries to help locate the victims of Boko Haram's abductions and bring them home. I've joined with 20 women senators to call on the U.N. to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist group -- as the United States has already done -- which would trigger additional international sanctions on the group. Second, we should move as quickly as we can to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to contribute to the search for the missing girls. The countries of the region have limited resources, and American support with aerial and satellite surveillance, similar to what we have provided to the hunt for Joseph Kony and his so-called Lord's Resistance Army in central Africa, could make a significant difference in their ability to liberate Boko Haram hostages. I'm encouraged by the administration's announcement that a team from the military, the FBI and other agencies is traveling to Nigeria to advise and assist the government with intelligence, hostage negotiations and other counterterrorism expertise. Finally, we must work to strengthen the capabilities of local authorities in Nigeria and other countries in the region to protect children, particularly girls, and combat human trafficking through civilian law enforcement. Our current security sector assistance programs for these countries remain weighted towards their armed forces rather than building the capacity of civilian law enforcement to protect citizens where they live. We should use the expertise of the Department of State, Department of Justice, and U.S. Agency for International Development to help design and implement robust programs that bolster anti-trafficking efforts in these countries over the long term. Make no mistake, how we respond to the abduction of the girls of Nigeria will be a moral test of our nation's commitment to the fight against modern-day slavery. Human trafficking is a stain on the conscience of the world and is now the world's third-largest criminal enterprise, behind only drug- and gun-trafficking. I recently led a delegation to Mexico to talk about how we can coordinate with other countries to fight sex trafficking around the world. The U.S. can work with local officials to help them crack down on traffickers and support victims. But this isn't only a problem in countries half a world away -- it's happening in our own backyards. In fact, 83% of the victims in the United States are U.S. citizens. I've introduced a bipartisan bill with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to fight sex trafficking in America by making sure minors sold for sex aren't prosecuted as criminals but are instead treated as victims. The bill also allows victims of sex trafficking to participate in the Job Corps program to help them get back on their feet, and would create a National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking to encourage cooperation among all the federal, state, and local agencies that work on this problem. We cannot close our eyes to these horrific acts in our own country and across the globe, including the clear evidence of barbarity unfolding before us in Nigeria. Our action or inaction will be felt not only by those schoolgirls being held captive and their families waiting in agony, but by victims and perpetrators of trafficking around the world. Now is the time to act. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | Sen. Amy Klobuchar argues that the U.S. must help lead the effort to rescue the kidnapped Nigerian girls .
More than 200 girls were abducted earlier this month, many have reportedly been sold .
The militant group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility . |
227,882 | b31994faa8454e6a0ab38bf7dc37096682ae1ee0 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 06:10 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:25 EST, 15 November 2013 . Scathing: New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has blasted Bill de Blasio and Democratic mayoral hopefuls . New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has blasted Bill de Blasio and his fellow Democratic mayoral hopefuls for back-stabbing him over city's stop-and-frisk policy. The veteran cop, who is approaching the end of his run as the city’s longest-serving police commissioner, said in a scathing interview that he felt betrayed. Reporter Glenn Plaskin asked the commissioner, 'Do you think they were just full of s***?' 'Absolutely,' replied Kelly. In . the interview published today in Playboy magazine Kelly said he had a close relationship . with all of the Democratic candidates before they turned on him for . political gain. 'It just goes to show you what some politicians will do,' he said, reported the New York Post. 'They’ll say or do anything to get . elected. I know all these people. They all claimed to be friends of mine . until their mayoral campaigns.' The . NYPD has come under scrutiny for its 'stop and frisk' policy, which . several minority groups contend is an unlawful discriminatory practice. Getting into the grove: Bill de Blasio celebrates his victory with a family smack down - a dance that has become his trademark through his campaign for New York City mayor . One of the planks of De Blasio's campaign was to promote the end of stop and frisk which he calls a violation of civil rights. In one advert his 18-year-old son Dante made the case for his father's life and policies including stop and frisk. The profiling practice has been vigorously defended by Kelly and New York mayor Mike Bloomberg. And Kelly . said the city has thwarted 16 terror attacks, including ones on the . subway system, the New York Stock Exchange, Times Square and JFK . Airport. He said he had the highest job-approval rating of any public official. In the reflective interview the 72-year-old also spoke of meeting President George W. Bush, who asked if the commissioner noticed people giving Bush the middle finger. Next at bat: De Blasio met with his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, on Wednesday morning in City Hall . 'They’re just saying you’re Number 1, Mr. President,' Kelly replied. Last week de . Blasio met with Bloomberg as the two men . started to discuss his transition into City Hall. The . two men have never been particularly close and it showed through . Bloomberg's expressions as he stayed straight-faced- and even pouted- . during their meeting. Bloomberg, . an Independent who had previously been aligned with both the Democratic . and Republican parties, chose to stay out of the race to replace him . and never fully endorsed any of the candidates. Bill de Blasio become the mayor of New York City following a landslide victory. He is pictured outside a Brooklyn polling station with his wife Chirlane, daughter Chiara and son Dante . Many . assumed he would support Christine Quinn as the two were very close and . she was a front-runner in the Democratic field but de Blasio ended up . gaining more traction by marketing himself as the 'anti-Bloomberg', . criticizing the billionaire mayor for widening the income inequality gap . in New York and promoting police tactics like 'stop and frisk'. De Blasio beat his Republican competitor in a landslide, winning 73 per cent of the vote compared to Joe Lhota's 24 per cent. He will take office on January 1 as the first Democrat mayor in Gracie Mansion since 1989. His poet wife Chirlaine McCray, who has previously written an article about her time as a lesbian before meeting Bill, is politically active and expected to play a major role in the administration. Bloomberg, . who first ran as a Republican and later became an independent, guided . the city through the financial meltdown and the aftermath of 9/11. He is . leaving office after three terms. | Approaching end of his time as longest serving police commissioner .
Felt betrayed by de Blasio and fellow Democratic mayoral hopefuls .
Said hopefuls attacked the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk tactic to gain support . |
164,096 | 6035e7195ce22dc535d30aeae7163e19fc38bb66 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 10:41 EST, 5 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:41 EST, 5 April 2013 . Over half of British men admit to trying to influence their partner’s fashion choices, according to the latest research. And it isn't because they want to boost our style credentials, the majority of these men admit that their reason for doing so was so that other men wouldn’t look at their partner. Respondents were initially asked whether or not they personally liked their partner’s fashion sense and the way they dressed, to which the majority (66 per cent) said that they did, whilst a third (34 per cent) said they did not. Key influences: Over half of men try to influence their partner's fashion choices, and it's because they don't want other men to look at us . When asked whether or not they had ever tried to influence the way their partner dressed, 51 per cent said that they had. Those respondents who admitted that they did try to influence the way their partner dressed were asked to stipulate what situation would cause them to do so, to which a cheeky 71 per cent admitted that it was on nights out when their partner was without them. While 55 per cent said it was during nights out when they were out together and 32 per cent admitted that it was when their partner was going off to work. 19 per cent of respondents claimed that they liked to voice their opinion on their partner’s dress sense ‘day-to-day’, while 11 per cent said it was during special occasions, like for weddings and birthdays. When asked their reasons for interfering with their partner’s clothing choices, a third of men admitted it was to make sure that other men wouldn’t look at their partner, while 25 per cent said it was to make sure that she looked her best and 19 per cent said it was to help her spend less on clothes and other fashion accessories. Even the ever-so-stylish Nicole Kidman has taken fashion advice from her husband and gone as far as to change her outfit based on his advice. She told Grazia Daily: 'I tend to solicit [his] opinion. I’ve actually changed when my husband said something’s not great. Evolving style: Even Nicole Kidman has taken advice from her husband and admits to changing her style since being with him . 'A lot of times, I look in the mirror . and see something different. He likes natural and he likes something . that’s “not so ‘done’ ”, which I would say speaks for a lot of men. 'I’ve definitely changed my style since I’ve been with him as well.' When asked how they would try to influence the way their partner dressed, 88 per cent of men said it tended to be by dropping subtle hints, whilst 57 per cent said they would pick outfits from their partner’s wardrobe for them and 34 per cent said they would go shopping with their partner in order to influence their style choices. But when it's the other way round, men weren't as willing to take style advice with 41 per cent saying they wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of fashion tips from their partner. Mark Pearson, Chairman of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, who carried out the survey, said: 'We thought it would be interesting to ask men whether or not they give their partner fashion advice. 'The twist to the survey was whether or not men gave advice because they truly cared about how their partner looked or if they used it as a form of control. Subtle approach: 34 per cent of men said they would go shopping with their partner in order to influence their style choices . 'What was shocking about the results was how many men admitted that they tried to control their partner’s dress sense all because they were not comfortable with the idea of other men looking at their partner.' He added: 'If you are with someone, you should accept them completely, and this includes their personal fashion style and choices. If your partner wants to go out with her friends, then you should let her dress how she wants!' | 66% of men like partner's style (that means 34% don't)
Most want to influence their partner's look to stop other men looking at them .
Nicole Kidman admits she has changed outfit based on husband's opinion . |
51,193 | 90e167d65fd823a4de0efad624ec726d9d398a15 | (CNN) -- The mother of American hostage Abdul Rahman Kassig has sent a tweet appealing for a response from ISIS to the family's pleas for his life. Paula Kassig of Indianapolis posted the tweet Thursday on behalf of herself and her husband, Ed, saying, "We have tried to contact you directly to plea for the life of our only son, Abdul Rahman Kassig, and have not received any response." She requests "instruction" from the Sunni extremist group, which calls itself the Islamic State. "Please tell us what more we can do so that Abdul Rahman may continue to serve and live his life in accordance with the laws of Islam." Kassig has been held captive since being detained October 2013 on his way to Deir Ezzor, Syria, his family has said. Kassig, whose given name is Peter, converted to Islam while in captivity and started going by Abdul Rahman Kassig. Video killings . ISIS has sought to sow terror by releasing videos showing the killings of four captives -- American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning. In the video showing Henning's killing, released October 3, the terrorists threatened to kill Kassig. That prompted a plea from his parents, who had maintained silence about his capture since he was taken hostage. "We ask everyone around the world to pray for the Henning family, for our son, and for the release of all innocent people being held hostage in the Middle East and around the globe," the family said then. In the days after ISIS threatened Kassig, his parents pleaded with his captors to show mercy and free him. They released a YouTube video imploring them to "use their power to let our son go." 'How can we reach you?' His mother previously asked for information about her son in a tweet addressed to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. "I am an old woman, and Abdul Rahman is my only child," she wrote. "My husband and I are on our own, with no help from the government. We would like to talk to you. How can we reach you?" Kassig served with the U.S. Army in Iraq and returned to the Middle East as a medical worker. "We each get one life and that's it. We get one shot at this and we don't get any do-overs, and for me, it was time to put up or shut up," he said in a 2012 interview with CNN. He joined the Army in 2006, deployed to Iraq the next year and was honorably discharged for medical reasons after a brief tour. He returned to the United States, got married, then divorced and eventually decided to help victims of war in the Middle East. Kassig founded a nonprofit group to provide first-response humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees, his family has said. He ran it from a base in Turkey in 2013. "I am not a doctor. I am not a nurse," he said in the 2012 interview. "But I am a guy who can clean up bandages, help clean up patients, swap out bandages, help run IVs, make people's quality of life a little bit better. This is something for me that has meaning, that has purpose." | Paula Kassig asks ISIS to respond to the family's plea for her son's life .
"Please tell us what more we can do," she says via Twitter .
Her son converted to Islam in captivity and took the name Abdul Rahman Kassig .
He was threatened at the end of a video showing the killing of UK hostage Alan Henning . |
208,750 | 9a4e35f56658bc2cd3e4f778b628df1ccdf241a4 | By . James Chapman . The coalition is overseeing the biggest reduction in Britain’s vast public sector workforce for half a century, and will have slashed one in five jobs by the time austerity is due to come to an end, a report says today. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) says employment by the state will fall by 1.1 million, or 19 per cent, by 2018-19 compared with when George Osborne entered the Treasury in 2010. But in a significant endorsement of the Government’s plan to rebalance the economy in favour of the private sector, it concludes that a ‘buoyant’ jobs market means that thus far firms in in every region have created more positions than public employment has fallen. The share of the workforce employment by the state is already at its lowest level for at least 40 years, with 5.4 million employees or just under 20 per cent, the IFS says. Further planned cuts will mean the figure falling to just 14.8 per cent, a ‘dramatic change’ in the nature of the UK labour market. When Labour lost the 2010 general election, the public sector employed about 6.1 million workers, with their pay bill accounting for well over half of day-to-day Government spending. Critics accuse Gordon Brown of seeking to create a ‘client’ state, with more and more people dependent on the Government for employment or benefits. Today’s report says if the forecast of a 1.1 million fall in public sector employment by 2018-19 is delivered, it would dwarf the fall of 350,000 seen in the 1990s and more than undo the increase of over 600,000 seen under Labour during the 2000s. However, it warns of significant challenges to the Government’s plans – saying savage cutbacks in other areas will be required if it maintains existing protections for the NHS and schools. Already 57 per cent of public sector workers are employed in these two sectors, up from 42 per cent in 1991. This proportion could reach over 70 per cent by 2018 if education and health continue to protected from future workforce cuts. The report says delivering the planned cuts without reducing the numbers working in health and education will be ‘very challenging’. If there continue to be reductions to the education and NHS workforces between now and 2018, the rest of the government workforce will have to shrink by 40 per cent, from 2.2 to 1.3 million. Even if the education and the NHS workforces were reduced by 200,000 over the next five years - a fall of six per cent - the reductions in other areas of general government employment would still need to be about 30 per cent. The report also says that women now make up two-thirds of the public sector workforce, a proportion which will continue to grow - mainly since women are more likely than men to work in areas where the budget is being protected from cuts, such as health and education. It also reveals a dramatic variation in the dependence of different regions and countries of the UK on the public sector for jobs. If there continue to be reductions to the education and NHS workforces between now and 2018, the rest of the government workforce will have to shrink by 40 per cent, from 2.2 to 1.3 million. In inner London, 23 per cent of people are employed by the state, compared to 34 per cent in Merseyside and 36 per cent in Tyne and Wear. The public sector workforce is also still dominant in areas of rural Wales and Scotland, and the smallest in areas of rural England and the M4 corridor. Jonathan Cribb, research economist at IFS and an author of the report, said: ‘The public sector workforce grew by over 600,000 over the 2000s. 'Even so the scale of the reductions expected over the next few years looks challenging. If delivered, the 1.1 million drop in general government employment… between 2010–11 and 2018–19 would be almost three times larger than the previous drop during the early 1990s. ‘The workforce is a useful prism through which to look at the effects of cutting total spending whilst protecting the NHS and schools budgets from cuts. 'With limited falls in the health and education workforces the number of public sector workers in other areas could fall by 30-40% over the next five years.’ | Institute for Fiscal Studies says from 2010-19 state jobs will fall by 19% .
Buoyant jobs market means private sector is creating more positions .
57% of public sector workers are in schools and the NHS . |
210,534 | 9ca8268ef7e4ae8dda34ca820efae4d5aa725c6f | The bodies of nearly 800 babies are believed to have been interred in a concrete tank beside a former home for unmarried mothers. The dead babies are thought to have been secretly buried beside a home for single mothers and their children in County Galway, Ireland, over a period of 36 years. It is suspected that 796 children were interred on unconsecrated ground without headstones or coffins next to the home run by the Bon Secours nuns in Tuam between 1925 and 1961. Newly unearthed reports show that they suffered malnutrition and neglect, which caused the deaths of many, while others died of measles, convulsions, TB, gastroenteritis and pneumonia. Scandal: Ireland's historic adoption scandal was compounded by the recent discovery of a mass grave at Tuam . The babies were usually buried in a plain shroud without a coffin in a plot that had housed a water tank attached to the workhouse that preceded the mother and child home. No memorial was erected to the dead children and the grave was left unmarked. The site is now surrounded by a housing estate. But a missing persons' report just filed to Irish police, gardai, means that the burial site may now be excavated. A relative of one boy who lived there, William Joseph Dolan, has made a formal complaint to gardai after she failed to find his death certificate, despite records in the home stating that he had died. A source close to the investigation said: 'No one knows the total number of babies in the grave. There are 796 death records but they are only the ones we know of. 'God knows who else is in the grave. It's been lying there for years and no one knows the full extent or total of bodies down there.' The existence of the grave was uncovered by local woman Catherine Corless, who compiled the records of 796 babies who died at the home. She has established a group called the Children's Home Graveyard Committee to erect a memorial. She said: 'People who had relations there are the most interested. They are delighted something is being done. Horror: The scandal of the babies in the mass grave was discovered by local historian, Catherine Corless . 'When I was doing the research, someone mentioned there was a graveyard there for babies but I found out there was more to it than that.' With the help of the Births and Deaths Registrar in Galway, Mrs Corless researched all children whose place of death was marked 'Children's Home, Tuam'. Galway County Council has all the cemetery books for Mayo and Galway, and with the help of the archivist there, Mrs Corless cross-checked the grave records. She said: 'There was just one child who was buried in a family plot in the graveyard in Tuam. That's how I am certain there are 796 children in the mass grave. These girls were run out of their family home and never taken back, so why would they take the babies back to bury them, either?' Bridget Dolan: Her two sons were placed in the Mother and Baby home at Tuam and both are recorded as having died there . The records state that a young single mother called Bridget Dolan from Clonfert, Co Galway, gave birth to two boys who were placed in the home. John Desmond Dolan was born on 22 February 1946 weighing 8lb 9oz. His birth was recorded as 'normal' but he died from measles on 11 June 1947. His brother, William Joseph Dolan, was born on 21 May 1950 and was said to have died the following year, but there is no death certificate for William. His relative, who asked not to be named, said: 'I just want to know what happened to him. He may have passed on, yet there is no death certificate. I believe he might have been fostered out, and then moved to the US. 'He could still be alive, or he's with his brother in the grave. I want to find out.' A local health board inspection report carried out in 1944 reveals the conditions the children and their mothers lived in. It reveals that in April that year, 271 children were listed as living there with 61 single mothers, a total of 333 - way over its capacity of 243. One 13-month-old boy was described as a 'miserable, emaciated child with voracious appetite and no control over bodily functions and probably mentally defective'. In the same room was a 'delicate' ten-month-old baby who was a 'child of itinerants', while one five-year-old child was described as having 'hands growing near shoulders'. Another 31 infants in the same room were described as 'poor babies, emaciated and not thriving'. The majority were aged between three weeks and 13 months and were 'fragile, pot-bellied and emaciated'. The oldest child who died there was Sheila Tuohy, aged nine, in 1934. One of the youngest was Thomas Duffy, aged two days. Teresa Kelly, the chairman of the Children's Home Graveyard Committee, said an excavation was long overdue. 'It's an awful story,' she said. 'It's a mass grave. Many of the babies were malnourished. We want to make sure those children's identities are acknowledged. They had names, they were human beings, not animals.' The grave was discovered in the 1970s by 12-year-old friends, Barry Sweeney and Francis Hopkins. Mr Sweeney said: 'It was a concrete slab and we used to play there but there was always something hollow underneath it so we decided to bust it open and it was full to the brim of skeletons. 'The priest came over and blessed it. I don't know what they did with it after that. You could see all the skulls.' The home, which closed in 1961, was one of several such establishments - Catholic and Protestant - for 'fallen women' across Ireland which had astonishingly high infant mortality rates. Sean Ross Abbey in Tipperary was another: in the first year after it opened in 1930, 60 babies died out of a total of 120. Those who survived, meanwhile, were often sold abroad to childless couples. At a memorial service at the site of the home yesterday, it emerged that women who gave birth at Sean Ross and other homes plan to file missing persons reports in a bid to track down their children. Grim: More than 2000 children were sent to families in America by nuns during the 1950s and 60s . Tragic: Many of the so-called fallen women to give birth at the homes had their children taken without consent . Adoption: Between 40,000 and 60,000 children were given up for adoption by nuns during the 50s and 60s . Philomena Lee, whose three-year-old son, Anthony, was handed over by nuns at Sean Ross to an American family 60 years ago, was among those at the memorial service. She said: 'It's not about getting angry, it's about doing what's right and it's about opening all the files.' And Mrs Lee, whose story was made into the Oscar-nominated film, Philomena, added: 'Maybe the State never thought the mass graves would be found out about. They seem to be wanting to push it under the carpet, but it needs to be told.' She said: 'I don't know how many bodies of mothers and children are in graves all over the country, . 'I'm shocked at the latest news of the mass grave [at Tuam] - it's appalling and shouldn't be hidden.' Children in the playroom at Sean Ross Abbey: Such homes for 'fallen women' and their children existed across Ireland . Cribs and playpens: The homes were run by nuns, both from the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches . The mothers of children given up for adoption by nuns are now calling for more information about their babies . An 85-year-old woman who survived the children's home in Tuam has told of the miserable conditions at the home, where she was placed in 1932. The woman, who gave her name only as Mary, and now lives in the west of Ireland, spent four years in the home before being placed with a foster family. She said: 'I remember going into the home when I was about four. There was a massive hall in it and it was full of young kids running round and they were dirty and cold. 'There were well over 100 children in there and there were three or four nuns who minded us. 'The building was very old and we were let out the odd time, but at night the place was absolutely freezing with big stone walls. 'When we were eating it was in this big long hall and they gave us all this soup out of a big pot, which I remember very well. It was rotten to taste, but it was better than starving.' Mary recalled that the children were 'rarely washed', and often wore the same clothes for weeks at a time. She said: 'We were filthy dirty. I remember one time when I soiled myself, the nuns ducked me down into a big cold bath and I never liked nuns after that.' | Hundreds of babies and toddlers believed to be buried in Tuam, Co Galway .
The site lies next to a former home for single mothers and their children .
The children's home was run by Bon Secours nuns between 1925 and 1961 .
Children were malnourished and neglected, which caused many of deaths .
They also died of TB, pneumonia, measles, convulsions and gastroenteritis .
Relative of one missing child has filed complaint with local police, the gardai . |
108,736 | 1836047ea7020d992c313925c248fb3973f7db2a | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 20:34 EST, 18 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:07 EST, 19 May 2013 . A California doctor who duped patients out of more than $1 million after claiming her herbal supplements could cure cancer has been jailed for 14 years. Christine Daniel charged patients up to $100,000 for six months of treatment, which she claimed could also cure diabetes and multiple sclerosis. 'Daniel robbed victims of more than money – she also stole their hopes and dreams for a cure,' U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. said after the doctor was sentenced. Fraud: Dr Christine Daniel has been jailed after conning patients out of money for her herbal cancer cure . The 58-year-old was also ordered to pay back nearly $1.3 million, by U.S. District Judge Robert Timlin, who sentenced her over four counts of mail and wire fraud, six counts of tax evasion and one count of witness tampering. The doctor and Pentecostal minister claimed her natural cancer treatment had a 60 to 80 per cent chance of success for advanced stages of the disease. Claims that the supplements were natural and blended specifically for individual patients were found to be false in court. It actually contained sunscreen preservative, beef extract flavoring and other ingredients that would not have any effect on cancer or other diseases, expert testimony proved. Some of the Los Angeles doctor's patients died from complications after taking her supplement, including Paula Middlebrooks, who was charged nearly $60,000, the court was told. After five months Daniel claimed Ms Middlebrooks was free of cancer, and threw her a party. However, the Georgia woman's breast cancer had spread and she died soon after. Debra Harris, whose sister Barbara died after being treated by Daniel, submitted a letter to the court saying: 'I live with the guilt that I should have seen that none of what she was going through was helping her, but instead was hurting her.' It wasn't only Daniel's patients who were convinced they could be cured, Ms Harris said. Their families 'wanted to believe it just as bad,' The Washington Post reported. Another case highlighted during the trial was that of a 22-year-old woman who was suffering from neck lymphoma. Although her condition could be cured, the woman died because Daniel recommended that she should avoid having radiation or chemotherapy. Callous: From her Los Angeles clinic Daniel would prescribe her supplement and advise against chemotherapy . 'Daniel is responsible for a shockingly cold-hearted fraud that has brought her a richly deserved federal prison sentence,' Mr Birotte said in a statement published by the Huffington Post. The court heard from 28 former patients and family members of cancer sufferers who had died. Some told the court they were advised to avoid chemotherapy and to not take pain killers while being treated by Daniel. This led to some spending the last few months of their lives in agony, Cal Coast News reported. Daniel was also accused of trying to influence at least two witnesses at her trial, including a former patient. And, in an attempt to make her clinic, which operated under names including Sonrise Wellness Center, appear as a non-profit organization, Daniel told patients to classify medical service payments as donations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Johns said in court documents that Daniels had 'a merciless and callous indifference to the suffering of her patients and their family members'. He added: 'It is unlikely that our federal criminal justice system will see the like of defendant Christine Daniel again.' | California doctor robbed patients of 'hopes and dreams of cure'
Herbal cure found to contain beef extract and sunscreen preservative . |
205,071 | 9575f5653c90039d76c93735b8fb215294fcb2fe | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:44 EST, 14 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:53 EST, 16 April 2012 . A Secret Service agent brought disgrace to his agency in an argument with a prostitute over just $47, causing the biggest public relations debatable in the security team's history. Eleven agents were recalled to Washington last week after nearly all of them allegedly brought prostitutes back to their rooms at a luxury hotel in Colombia. The team was in the country to scout out the security situation ahead of President Barack Obama's trip there for the Summit of the Americas this weekend. But the agents - who have now been placed on leave - reportedly capped off a week of heavy drinking at the beachfront Hotel Caribe in Cartagena by cavorting with prostitutes. Luxury retreat: The 11 recalled Secret Service Agents were staying at the Hotel Caribe in Cartagena, Colombia . Security breach: Experts say the agents' behavior could have endangered the president, though the White House says that was never the case . The partying was exposed when one of the . women caused a commotion after an agent refused to pay her. Local . police and hotel security were called, and though the agent in question . initially said that he did not need to pay the woman $47, he eventually . forked it over. Five U.S. military personnel, who were working with the Secret Service, could also . be involved in misconduct and have been confined to their rooms and ordered not to have contact with others. They . face possible disciplinary charges. Rep Peter King, who was briefed on the . incident, said 11 agents, many of them married, were in the team that . was recalled to the U.S. - instead of 12 as originally reported - and . that 'close to' all of them were involved. Mr King said he was told that anyone visiting the hotel overnight was required to leave identification at the front desk and leave the hotel by 7am. When a woman failed to do so, it raised questions among hotel staff and police, who investigated. They found the woman with the agent in the hotel room and a dispute arose over whether the agent should have paid her. Mr King said he was told that the agent did eventually pay the woman. The incident was reported to the U.S. embassy, prompting further investigation. In the field: The agents were in Colombia the week before President Obama's arrival to the Summit of the Americas . Beachfront property: The Hotel Caribe is a luxury resort that costs about $160 to $200 per night . During their week-long stay at the five-star hotel in Cartagena, the agents were seen drinking heavily, according to waiters there. A number of the White House staff and traveling press corps . were also staying at the hotel. The White House said Mr Obama had been briefed about the incidents but would not comment on his reaction. 'The President does have full confidence in the United States Secret Service,' presidential spokesman Jay Carney said when asked. Mr Carney insisted the matter was more a distraction for the media than Mr Obama. But Secret Service assistant director Paul Morrissey said in a statement: 'We regret any distraction from the Summit of the Americas this situation has caused.' The Washington Post reported that Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations related to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes. The association represents federal law enforcement officers, including the Secret Service. President Barack Obama (blue shirt) surrounded by Secret Service agents during a visit to the Port of Tampa, Florida on his way to the Summit of the Americas in Colombia . Security: Police patrol the waters surrounding the convention centre in Cartagena where the Summit is held . Ronald Kessler, a former Post . reporter and the author of a book about the Secret Service, told the . newspaper that he had learned that among the agents involved, several are married. Although prostitution is legal in . parts of Colombia, the Secret Service is said to consider solicitation . inappropriate behaviour for its agents. Colombia . has become known as 'the Thailand of Latin America' for its loose laws . on prostitution and the easy availability of sex workers. The incident threatened to overshadow Mr Obama's economic and trade agenda at the Summit of the Americas and embarrass the U.S. Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan would not confirm that prostitution was involved, saying, 'The Secret Service takes all allegations of misconduct seriously.' 'These personnel changes will not affect the comprehensive security plan . that has been prepared in advance of the President’s trip,' said Mr Donovan of the conference in the Colombian port city attended by Obama and more than 30 world leaders. He said the allegations of misconduct were related to activity before the president's arrival on Friday night. Greeting: Mr Obama shakes hands with Colombia's president Juan Manuel Santos at the start of the summit . Mr Obama was attending a leaders' dinner on Friday night at Cartagena's historic Spanish fortress. He was due to attend summit meetings with regional leaders on Saturday and Sunday. Those involved had been sent back to their permanent place of duty and were being replaced by other agency personnel, Donovan said. The matter was turned over to the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility, which handles the agency's internal affairs. On the steamy streets of Cartagena, a resort city with a teeming prostitution trade, there was condemnation for the Secret Service agents for what residents saw as abusing their station and dishonoring their country. Edwin Yepes, a souvenir vendor, said: 'They are supposed to come here and set an example. We are an inferior culture, and so it's better if they don't come than if they damage our image of them.' | Several of the 11 men sent home are married; two are supervisors .
All the agents have been suspended pending investigation .
The misconduct is believed to have occurred before the President's arrival in Colombia for the Summit of the Americas .
Hotel employee claimed that the men were drinking heavily .
Five U.S. military personnel confined to quarters over the incident . |
193,736 | 86caff2013c0d2d53170d8698778a0a9d4e07450 | Luis Suarez is hopeful he will be fit to face England at the World Cup after undergoing keyhole surgery on his knee. Uruguay chiefs allege that the Liverpool striker sustained the injury on the final day of the Barclays Premier League season against Newcastle. The 27-year-old gave his nation a scare as he was rushed to hospital for an operation. Stricken: Suarez had to be wheeled out of hospital on Thursday night after his operation . In the spotlight: The Liverpool striker is mobbed by fans as he leaves the hospital . Shock: The news of Suarez's injury came as a big surprise on Thursday morning . Although it is uncertain he will . recover in time for Uruguay’s Group D opener against Costa Rica on June . 14 at the Estadio Castelao, Suarez is convinced he can be fit in time . for the tournament. ‘Thank you all for the support,’ he told La Ovacion in his native Uruguay. ‘I’ll work quietly and very hard in the coming days to be 100 per cent and help my team-mates.’ The . news will come as a relief to the South American nation, who reached . the semi-finals at the last World Cup in South Africa four years ago. Suarez’s mother Sandra Diaz was pleased her son’s surgery was a success. She said: ‘The surgery is over and thank God everything went well. What Luis had wasn’t as serious as we thought.’ Familiar face: Suarez is still a chance to play against his Liverpool team-mates when Uruguay take on England . Media scrum: Press wait outside the hospital where Suarez was being treated on Thursday . Hope of a nation: Uruguay's World Cup chances depend heavily on Suarez . But Uruguay FA president Wilmar Valdez suggested if Suarez’s recovery went to plan he could return to training in just over a fortnight. ‘We know the surgery was a success and that the injury is not serious. We have to wait and see how he recovers,’ he told Uruguayan newspaper La Ovacion. ‘We had very little time to react and without knowing the extent of the injury, we didn’t want to raise the alarm to the public. ‘These . are injuries that, considering Suarez’s fitness and if the recovery is . good, will not take long for him to return to play. ‘We have to calculate if he will arrive for the first, second of third (group game at the World Cup). ‘We know that normally the recovery period, if all goes well, is around 15 days to return to training. ‘We all know what Luis represents to the national team and more so, considering the great form he was in. Looking up: It was initially thought certain that Suarez would miss the World Cup . ‘Considering how valuable he is to the national team, it is a big concern for us.’ Suarez, who was named the Professional . Footballers’ Association and Football Writers’ Association player of . the year after scoring 31 league goals, is his country’s all-time . leading scorer with 39 in 77 appearances. He . picked up the injury in training and, following the meniscus surgery, . the worst case scenario for this type of injury is 16 weeks on the . sidelines. Suarez’s sister . Giovanna said her brother began feeling an uncomfortable pain during his . last Premier League game and it returned during his first day of . training with the Uruguayan national team on Wednesday. Year to remember: Suarez scored an incredible 31 goals in 33 Premier League games last season . However, she believes the Liverpool star will be ready for the World Cup. ‘The problem is that these days he won’t be able to play, and will only be able to do physiotherapy,’ she said. ‘He underwent a magnetic resonance and it came out that he had to undergo surgery. It was that quick.’ On . the injury, an Uruguay FA official said: ‘It was all unexpected. The . latest information is that we are deciding what to do, but there are . increased possibilities (involving surgery). Optimistic: Suarez's family are confident he will make the World Cup . ‘I can’t tell you anything more. The AUF (Uruguay Federation) will announce it officially on Thursday morning.’ Suarez was checked over by medical staff on Wednesday after picking up the knock in training just three weeks before the tournament starts in Brazil. With the final 23-man World Cup squad needed to be ratified on June 2, it leaves Uruguay with very little wriggle room. Any decision to include Suarez - not match fit - would still represent a sizeable risk. Plenty to ponder: Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez will want to give Suarez as long as possible . They won’t be encouraged to know that Fernando Torres underwent meniscus surgery prior to the 2010 World Cup in April and didn’t play his first game for seven weeks. Should Suarez be out for longer, it would heavily impact on Liverpool’s start to the next campaign. The Reds are aware of the injury but haven’t been officially informed. The 27-year-old arrived in Montevideo for training on Tuesday morning, feeling discomfort in a session with Oscar Tabarez’s squad on Wednesday but continuing before encountering the major problem later in the evening. | Luis Suarez thanks fans for their support after undergoing knee surgery .
The Uruguay and Liverpool striker is hopeful of being fit for the World Cup .
Suarez's family are optimistic he will recover in time to face England . |
85,602 | f2c9d3d8f0622e67574f386197b92570730fa61c | Even while recovering from the removal of a cyst from his foot last month, Kei Nishikori was so desperate to be on a tennis court that his joint coach, Dante Bottini, had to improvise. ‘He was sitting on a collapsible chair on the court because he couldn’t run and I was feeding him balls to hit for an hour,’ recalled Bottini after his charge had beaten Novak Djokovic to make tonight’s US Open final. Such dedication is why 24-year-old Japanese Nishikori is poised to become a superstar of Asian sport, and why he has long gone by the not entirely original nickname of Special Kei. Something special: Kei Nishikori, 24, has long gone by the not entirely original nickname of Special Kei . Preparation: Nishikori, the Japanese No 10 seed, practices in New York ahead of the US Open final . Ten years after arriving as a homesick boy at the renowned Nick Bollettieri/IMG Academy in Florida, he is in his first Grand Slam final and will start as favourite against the comparatively towering Marin Cilic. It is the first Grand Slam men’s final in nearly nine years not to feature one of the so-called ‘Big Four’ of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. But neither of the two surprise finalists would have been top of the list to depose the established order. Cilic, 25, has spent most of his career on the periphery of the top 10, while the fear around Nishikori, the son of an engineer and a piano teacher, is that he is not physically equipped to make the very top. At 5ft 10in and weighing less than 11 stone his body has often failed to cope with the physical aspect of the modern game, although his natural talent has never been in question. He has always possessed an outstanding backhand and won his first ATP Tour title at Delray Beach as an 18-year-old. Subsequently the questions have not just surrounded his physique but his mentality, particularly when it came to facing the best players. Over the past week he has answered all of that with consecutive five-set wins over Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka, followed by Saturday’s semi-final against Djokovic, who he outlasted over four sets in brutal heat and humidity. Coming of age: Nishikori's beaten Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic en route to the final . Brad Gilbert, who formed part of his coaching set-up in 2011, describes him as ‘very quiet and shy’. His faltering mastery of English may have been a part of that, and Gilbert would email him tactical instructions for matches, rather than talk to him. The missing ingredient appears to have been the addition of French Open winner Michael Chang to his team, part of the trend set by Murray when he hired Ivan Lendl. Like Lendl, Chang has managed to get through to his charge in a way that did not happen before. ‘We get on great,’ said Chang. ‘With myself being Chinese and Kei Japanese there are cultural differences but also similarities because we are both Asian. If we are going out to eat we don’t have to say “Do you want Asian food?” It has been easy for us to adapt to one another.’ Nishikori missed several tournaments last month due to the cyst, but Chang believes that this has proved to be a blessing in disguise. ‘It wasn’t the best preparation but after three weeks off he arrived fresh and hungry. Some guys have a great summer but by the time the Open comes around they are tired. Support network: Nishikori has shone since Michael Chang took over as his coach . ‘I told him if he could get past the first two rounds anything could happen. I keep reminding him he has beaten everyone here, and not to be satisfied with what he has achieved already.’ Chang was a terrific fighter with lightning foot speed. Nishikori is also quick but his natural timing gives him more potent weapons than his coach ever had, despite his relative lack of size. It has led him to become easily the best player ever from Japan, which has always produced good female players but struggled much more on the men’s side. Their previous best of the modern era was Shuzo Matsuoka in the nineties, who is perhaps best remembered for suffering a spectacular bout of cramp that led to the rules being changed about on-court treatment. Nishikori would become the first Japanese man to win a tennis Major, and the commercial possibilities of that would be almost limitless. Either way, tennis is going to get its least predictable men’s Grand Slam champion since Juan Martin del Potro upset Federer at Flushing Meadows five years ago. Federer was phlegmatic after his straight-sets defeat by the hugely impressive Cilic, but this was a golden opportunity missed for him to add to his 17 Grand Slams. Nishikori has a 5-2 record over Cilic and has beaten him twice this year. Yet the Croatian has improved significantly and is an outstanding mover for his height, meaning that the Japanese can only be considered a marginal favourite. No pressure: Although towering over his opponent, Marin Cilic goes into the final as the underdog . Giant: 6ft 6in Cilic beat Roger Federer in straight sets to win his place in the final . KEI NISHIKORI . First round v Wayne Odesnik . 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 . Second round v Pablo Andujar . 6-4, 6-1, retired . Third round v Leonardo Mayer . 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 . Fourth round v (5) Milos Raonic . 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-4 . Quarter-final v (3) Stanislas Wawrinka . 3-6 7-5 7-6 (9-7) 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 . Semi-final v Novak Djokovic . 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 . MARIN CILIC . 1st round v Marcos Baghdatis . 6-3, 3-1 retired . 2nd round v Illya Marchenko . 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, 6-4 . 3rd round v (18) Kevin Anderson . 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 . 4th round v (26) Giles Simon . 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 . Quarter-final v (6) T. Berdych . 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (6-4) Semi-final v (2) Roger Federer . 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 . FINAL: Monday, September 8 . 9.30pm, Sky Sports 3 . | Kei Nishikori meets Marin Cilic in the US Open singles final on Monday .
The Japanese 24-year-old is poised to become a superstar of Asian sport .
Nishikori is appearing in his first Grand Slam final at Flushing Meadows .
It's the first Grand Slam men’s final in nearly nine years not to feature one of the Big Four of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray . |
268,112 | e739b92d88bfc1fd7a6b8028706d769af5a4d307 | By . John Stevens . PUBLISHED: . 07:19 EST, 3 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:46 EST, 3 December 2013 . Emil Metodiev was allowed into the UK despite having a string of convictions for theft and burglary . A Bulgarian with a string of convictions in his homeland has been jailed for breaking into a home just nine days after coming to the UK. Emil Metodiev was caught after being chased by a homeowner who found him stealing a handbag, cash, war medals, mobile phones and jewellery. It is thought the 32-year-old, jailed for theft at least four times in Bulgaria, came to Britain with the sole intention of committing crime. Metodiev arrived here on October 22 after leaving his wife and the clothes shop they ran in the capital city, Sofia. Nine days later, Denise Toms, 55, woke up to find the downstairs of her home in Southend, Essex, had been ransacked. Her son Adam, 19, saw Metodiev fleeing through the back garden and chased after him wearing just his underpants, before police officers were able to arrest the Bulgarian. Appearing at Basildon Crown Court, Metodiev, who had pleaded guilty to one count of burglary at an earlier hearing, was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He will be deported at the end of his sentence. Richard Kelly, prosecuting, told how Metodiev had arrived in the UK from his home country by train. He said: ‘He had only been in the UK for a few days and had no independent means of income. It is not unreasonable to conclude that the reason he came to the UK was to commit crime.’ The court heard a partial record of Metodiev’s offences in Bulgaria, which included seven separate convictions for theft and larceny between 2002 and 2007. The home (pictured), which he targeted at 7am on October 31, is owned by Trevor Toms, 62 . He was jailed at least four times for . theft, fined once and also given a three-year prevention order. Despite . these convictions, Metodiev was allowed to enter the UK because EU law . states that previous criminal convictions do not constitute automatic . grounds for restricting the right to move freely within the bloc. Bulgarians and Romanians gained the right to visa-free travel to the UK . in 2007, when their countries joined the EU. Metodiev . told the court he had caught the 11pm train to Southend on the night of . the burglary because he wanted to be by the seaside. He had earlier . been staying at a hotel in London, but claimed he had run out of money . because a business associate had failed to repay a debt. After walking around for several hours he decided to burgle the £325,000 detached home owned by Mrs Toms and her husband Trevor. The Bulgarian burglar was caught after being pursued by homeowner Trevor Toms (right), 62, and his 19-year-old son, Adam (left), who chased the crook across gardens in only his underwear . Recorder . Matthew Lowe praised Adam Toms for his bravery in pursuing Metodiev. He said: ‘It is unlikely that without the brave actions of Mr Toms you . would ever had been caught.’ Last night council worker Mr Toms, 62, who . works for the council, revealed the family’s surprise at hearing . Metodiev’s long list of previous convictions. He . told the Mail: ‘We fear we may have been targeted as I do not believe . his story that he came to Southend because he wanted to be by the . seaside. ‘If people want to . come to Britain to earn a living then I think that is great – . unfortunately there will always be a handful who want to exploit the . system.’ He added: ‘It does seem like he came over with the express intention of taking people’s property.’ There . are a number of reasons why UK Border Agency staff can reject a . convicted criminal’s entry into the country, according to official . guidance. One of the given reasons is if the person is a ‘persistent offender who shows a particular disregard for the law’. In addition, a criminal who has been sentenced to four years or more in prison can always be turned away. Meanwhile, . those who have been convicted to a spell of imprisonment lasting . between 12 months and four years can be rejected entry unless a period . of ten years has passed since the end of their sentence. People . who have been convicted to a period of less than a year can be turned . away unless a period of five years has passed since the end of the . sentence. | Emil Metodiev, 32, was caught with items from burglary in Essex .
Jailed to 16 months after pleading guilty at Basildon Crown Court .
Claimed he just wanted to be by the seaside but had run out of money .
Was caught after being chased by teenager in his underwear . |
193,633 | 86ab9ba9929e22a1c5ffe159fe86566acf37ef68 | Manila, Philippines (CNN) -- The son of a Philippines provincial governor is voluntarily turning himself in for questioning in the massacre of at least 57 unarmed civilians, a CNN affiliate reported Thursday. Andal Ampatuan Jr. -- who is the mayor of Datu Unsay and the son of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan -- has agreed to face questioning, reported Patricia Evangelista of ABS-CBN. Ampatuan was not identified by authorities as a suspect in the killings in the southern Philippines, though victims' survivors and local media reports had done so. Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo "is enraged by these barbaric acts," spokesman Cerge Remonde said. "She has literally thrown the full force of the law and has mobilized the security and police forces of the state to go after the perpetrators." Philippines authorities had disbanded a paramilitary force in the southern Philippines suspected of playing a role in the massacre, the country's state-run media reported Wednesday. Remonde said the deaths were the result of a political clan war, not Muslim secessionism in that troubled region of the country. "So far as this case is concerned, this is a limited clan political rivalry, which has been going on for some time now," Remonde said. The death toll grew Wednesday after 11 more bodies were recovered from a rural area of Mindanao and buried. Arroyo has declared Wednesday a national day of mourning. Arroyo's government is under intense pressure to find those responsible for planning and carrying out the abduction and killing of the group of about 60 politicians, lawyers and journalists -- and reportedly some bystanders. Suspicion has fallen on the Ampatuan family, key allies of the Arroyo administration in the Maguindanao region of the southern Mindanao province. Ampatuan family members have not commented on the slaying allegations. Remonde appeared to blame the Ampatuan clan, adding: "There is, however, a move now by the administration party to expel the suspected clan." Those killed include the wife and two sisters of a local politician who plans to run for the spot vacated next year by Maguindanao's governor, Andal Ampatuan. While the investigation is ongoing, a spokesman for the country's national police has said that Andal Ampatuan Jr. has been linked to the crime, according to local media reports. "According to the initial reports, those who were abducted and murdered at Saniag were initially stopped by a group led by the mayor of Datu Unsay," National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina said, according to ABS-CBN News. The massacre is the worst politically motivated violence in recent Philippines history. On Monday morning, in daylight, a group of about 100 gunmen stopped a convoy carrying supporters and family members of local politician Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu, witnesses and officials say. Mangudadatu had sent his wife and sisters to file paperwork allowing him to run for governor of Maguindanao in May after he had been threatened and told not to file the papers himself. He said the threats came from allies of Governor Ampatuan. The number of people kidnapped and killed was still unclear, as recovery continued at the mass grave site in Maguindanao. A car traveling behind the convoy was mistaken for being a part of the politician's contingent, a local official told the Philippines GMA News Network. The car was instead heading to a hospital, according to Tom Robles, head of the Tacurong City Employees Union, who spoke to GMA News. The driver and four passengers -- including a government employee who had suffered a mild stroke and his wife -- were rounded up and killed along with the members of the convoy ahead of them, Robles said. A police official confirmed that the car and the bodies of three of the passengers were among those recovered at the grave site, GMA reported. The state-run Philippines News Agency said the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD (Christian, Muslim, Democrats) was to meet Wednesday to discuss whether to remove the Ampatuan clan members in Mindanao from the party as a result of the killings. "In our opinion, they were not able to fulfill their obligations to the party," said former Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro, Lakas-Kampi-CMD national president and the party's standard bearer in the 2010 elections, in a radio interview, according to PNA. Ampatuans hold leadership positions in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, including governor of the region, governor of Maguindanao and mayor of Datu Unsay. "Like many others, I am appalled and outraged by it, and I join the rising chorus of indignation against it," Arroyo said. "This is not a simple election feud between opposing clans; this is a supreme act of inhumanity that is a blight on our nation. The perpetrators will not escape justice. The law will haunt them until they are caught." | NEW: Authorities did not identify Ampatuan as a suspect .
Datu Unsay mayor led group that initially stopped civilians, police cite reports as saying .
Ampatuans hold leadership positions in Mindanao .
Authorities disband paramilitary force in the southern Philippines . |
223,708 | ada5eefd56b34fe1110a0d5596e79d41d1ce0380 | HIV self-testing kits could soon be for sale in the UK. A change in UK law means that from Sunday it will be legal to sell the home testing kits. However, it is unlikely that any will be seen on the shelves until late this year or early next year. From Sunday it will be legal to sell HIV self-testing kits in the UK. Image shows the HIV virus in human tissue . This is because none have currently been approved for sale in the UK or the EU. Currently, people can take HIV tests at home but they have to send a saliva, or blood, sample to a lab which will give them their results after the sample has been analysed. The change in the law means people will be able to buy tests that give them an immediate result that they can read themselves. The tests work by analysing saliva samples that people take with a swab and are easily read from the test kits by people with no medical knowledge or training. The law was changed in an attempt to ensure more people who are HIV positive are diagnosed and that they are diagnosed early. This is important because about 25 per cent of HIV positive people in the UK do not know they are HIV positive and these are the people most likely to pass on the infection. It is also important to ensure people are diagnosed as early as possible to make treatment as effective as it can be. Michael Brady, Medical Director at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: ‘We welcome this change in the law, which will give people another choice about how and where they test for HIV. Currently, if people want to be tested for HIV they have to go to a doctor or a nurse. Alternatively they can take a blood or saliva sample at home and send it to a lab for analysis . ‘The success of our HIV postal testing scheme has shown that many people who have never tested before, or who have been putting off a visit to the clinic, are willing to test at home. ‘With HIV transmission in the UK largely driven by the 22,000 people who remain undiagnosed, anything that provides them with another option to test and access effective treatment is welcome. ‘It is vital that HIV self-testing kits offer high quality information, including how to obtain practical and emotional support and how to quickly access specialist HIV services. ‘We will be working closely with manufacturers to ensure that any kit that comes to market meets the very best standards of patient information.’ | From Sunday it will be legal to sell HIV self-testing kits in the UK .
They are unlikely to be available until late 2014 or early 2015 .
This is because there are currently none approved for sale in the UK . |
127,049 | 3038ff315d267e88920a287e158386983880dd46 | Vice President Joe Biden has become well known for his love of close talking, and he was at it again on Tuesday. Biden was at the swearing in ceremony of new Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and as Carter delivered his speech, Biden could be seen in the background with his arms on the shoulders of the man's wife, Stephanie, and whispering into her ear. Now, many conservative commentators are criticizing Biden for his frequent nuzzling of women right in front of the cameras. Scroll down for videos . Joe Biden got very hands on with Stephanie Carter on Tuesday at her husband Ash's swearing-in ceremony . Vice President Biden leans in to say something to 12-year-old Maggie Coons, next to her father, Senator Chris Coons, in January . Biden gets close with a woman while visiting patrons over lunch at Cruisers Diner in Seaman, Ohio . Biden is seen here in 2012 whispering to Olympic gold medal swimmer Katie Ledecky, who was just 15 years old at the time . 'Just once, I'd like to see a husband in this situation knock Joe Biden out,' wrote Brad Thor, an author who makes frequent appearances on Fox News. He then added; 'If Joe Biden did this to my wife, SHE'D knock him out. I'd have to take a number and wait my turn...' Finally, he said; 'ISIS? Ashton Carter can't even fight off Joe Biden...' Radio personality Mark Simone said; 'Creepy Joe Biden strikes again, hanging onto Ashton Carter's wife (and whispering things) at Carter's swearing-in.' 'Not sure why a creep like @VP is not shunned by civil society,' said Daily beast columnist Stuart Stevens. Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin was far more brief, labeling him an 'a**clown.' Biden surprised a table of women at Smokey Row Coffee Shop in Des Moines, Iowa, just last week . Then-Senator Biden was spotted whispering in the ear of Irish President Mary McAleese after a meeting on Capitol Hill in 2000 . Biden nuzzeled up to then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at an event in the White House in 2009 . Biden was spotted whispering to Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff in just last month when he attended the swearing-in ceremony for her second term . Biden found himself in the same situation back in January, when many felt he got to close to 12-year-old Maggie Coons during her father's swearing in ceremony. Delaware Senator Chris Coons then had to explain that his daughter did not find the Vice President 'creepy,' and that he had known her for years. There was also the time Biden got close to a lady while hanging with a group of bikers in Ohio in September 2012, with the men in the group exchanging glances as Biden gave the woman what appeared to be a shoulder massage. Biden is also not afraid to get close to political leaders either, having been seen whispering into nthe ears of women like Hillary Clinton, President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, and President Mary McAleese of Ireland. The vice president’s office declined to comment about Tuesday's whisper. | Vice President Joe Biden was seen getting very handsy with Stephanie Carter as her husband Ash was sworn in as Defense Secretary Tuesday .
Biden is a serial offender when it comes to close talking, and has no problem doing it in front of the cameras .
In January he was seen whispering into the ear of 12-year-old Maggie Coons as her father was sworn in .
Senator Chris Coons later had to explain his family has known the Bidens for years .
Biden has also been seen doing the same thing to political leaders, including Hillary Clinton and the presidents of Brazil and Ireland .
'If Joe Biden did this to my wife, SHE'D knock him out. I'd have to take a number and wait my turn,' said frequent Fox News guest Brad Thor . |
190,179 | 823c48b370e8392bba8e0ff9a06223feab02c59c | (CNN) -- An oil tanker bound for the United States was hijacked off Somalia with a crew of 28 aboard, maritime authorities said. The M/V Maran Centaurus was commandeered about 600 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles, on its way to New Orleans, Louisiana, according to the Maritime Security Center. The crew consists of 16 Filipinos, nine Greeks, two Ukrainians and a Romanian, said the security agency, which is run by the European naval force. The 300,000-ton tanker, which started out from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was seized Sunday. It had changed course westward, toward Harardhere or Hobyo, along Somali's central-western coast. Somali pirates have turned high-seas kidnappings into a lucrative business. Pirates have captured more than 50 ships this year off Somalia and are currently holding 12, including the fishing vessel Alakrana, Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon said recently. Attacks in the region have significantly increased this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau, which monitors shipping crimes. But successful attacks have gone down as a result of a strong presence of international monitors. The first nine months of this year have seen more pirate attacks than all of last year, the bureau reported on October 21. From January 1 through September 30, pirates worldwide mounted 306 attacks, compared with 293 in all of 2008, it said. More than half of this year's attacks were carried out by suspected Somali pirates off the east coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, a major shipping route between Yemen and Somalia. | M/V Maran Centaurus commandeered about 600 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles .
300,000-ton tanker, which started out from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was seized Sunday .
The crew consists of 16 Filipinos, nine Greeks, two Ukrainians and a Romanian . |
197,755 | 8bf68f5e70b5949ecac4fbab29834a76ecd6bc36 | By . Nick Enoch . Roland Holman, 55, insisted he smothered his 76-year-old mother Myrna (above) in her bed because she 'asked him to end it' A man who suffocated his cancer-stricken mother with a pillow dialled 999 shortly afterwards and sobbed: 'My mum has had cancer and I've just stopped everything and I've killed her. Can you please come round and put me away?' Roland Holman, 55, insisted he smothered his 76-year-old mother Myrna in her bed because she 'asked him to end it'. Today, Holman, of Plaistow, east London, was jailed for 18 months, having earlier pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Mrs Holman was suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer and had been given 12 weeks to live. Her son, a former shop steward, was alone with her at her home, also in Plaistow, on June 1 last year. At 5.09pm, Holman made the 999 call, adding: 'She [his mother] asked me to put an end to it and I did. 'I killed my mum, I suffocated her, she wanted me to do it.' When police arrived at the house, they found Holman in tears, sitting beside his mother's lifeless body clutching her 'pale white hand' under the covers. He later said to police: 'She told me she didn't want to be here anymore. I did it. I did it. 'I don't drink, I don't smoke - I just killed my mum. My family took turns looking after her, it was my turn - she was very ill. 'She wanted to go to the toilet and I lifted her to the commode but it was too late. 'There was blood and mess all over the place. She looked at me and asked me to do it for her. I lifted her back onto the bed and put the pillow over her. She didn't even struggle. 'I loved her, I would have done anything for her.' Speaking at the Old Bailey, Judge . Richard Marks said: 'It is clear that at the time of her death, your . mother was gravely ill and had a short time left to live. 'You . and other members of the family were taking it in turns looking after . her and I have no doubt that seeing the rapid deterioration of her . condition along with her pain and distress must have been deeply . upsetting for you all. 'It is against that background and to . put an end to her suffering that you brought an end to her life by . suffocating her with a pillow. 'I'm prepared to accept that you believed that is what she wanted when you acted as you did. Speaking after the hearing, Roland Holman's brother, David (pictured above, today), said: 'It's disgusting that someone can make a 999 call saying they have just killed their mother and get away with it' 'One consequence of what you did is she was not able to die surrounded by her family by whom she was clearly greatly loved and none of them had the opportunity of saying goodbye to her - all of that she no doubt would have wanted. 'There is no doubt many people believe that euthanasia should be legalised but that is not the position and what you did was unlawful and wrong. 'The matter is too serious for any outcome other than one of an immediate custodial sentence.' Holman was charged with his mother's murder on June 2 last year and later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Psychiatrists accept that he was suffering from a depressive illness which would have diminished his responsibility at the time of the incident. Prosecutor Max Hill QC said: 'It was the defendant's understanding that his mother wanted him to relieve her from suffering and he felt overwhelmed and helpless trying to care for her. 'There's no evidence that the deceased asked anyone to end her life so we cannot accept there is any likelihood she made such a request to the defendant. James Scoby QC defending, said: 'Roland Holman above anybody understands the sanctity of life. 'He had been suffering from depression for about three years before the incident and was suffering from an abnormality of mind at the time of this desperate act. 'He expects the key to be thrown away. Seeing your mother die in front of your eyes is crushing and that is why he acted on impulse the way he did. 'He accepts he has denied her family the chance for them to say goodbye properly.' Holman, also of Plaistow, has already served around seven and a half months and is due to be released within a few weeks. Speaking after the hearing, his brother, David Holman, said: 'It's disgusting that someone can make a 999 call saying they have just killed their mother and get away with it. 'He is a good guy and did it only to help my mum but that judge has given him a pat on the back and let him go free. 'I never had the chance to sit with mum and hold her hand. 'I said to him that morning, "If you can't cope, I won't go". 'Why did he have to stick a pillow over her head?' Judge Marks said he hoped that in time David 'feels able to forgive his brother'. | Roland Holman insisted he smothered his mother, Myrna, 76, because she 'asked him to end it'
Holman, of Plaistow, east London, was jailed today for 18 months .
His brother, David Holman, said: 'It's .
disgusting that someone can make a 999 call saying they have just killed .
their mother and get away with it' |
227,984 | b3351f31170d61a4a94b958b62c3ba0b254212eb | By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 09:03 EST, 2 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:38 EST, 3 January 2014 . Discovery: Patrick Karegeya, pictured, was found dead in a hotel room, South African police said today . A key opponent of a despotic African president has been found strangled in a hotel room after predicting he would one day be assassinated. The body of Rwandan politician Patrick Karegeya, 54, was discovered in Johannesburg on Wednesday. Karegeya, Rwanda’s former spy chief, fled the country after clashing with autocratic president Paul Kagame – whose country is given £16million in aid every year by Britain. In 2012, Karegeya, pictured above, said he expected to be killed because he knew the regime’s ‘dark secrets’. South African intelligence sources claimed his drink had been spiked with poison to make his death look like suicide. But they added that the killer seemed to have bungled the job and had to strangle him. He had lived with his wife and three children in South Africa for six years, thwarting Kagame’s attempts to extradite him for ‘threatening state security’. Karegeya's body was discovered on New Year's Day on a bed at hotel and apartment complex Michelangelo Towers - where he had checked in three days earlier. His neck was swollen and a bloody towel and rope were found in the room's safe, South African police said. The opposition Rwanda National Congress, many of whose senior members are also living in exile, described Karegeya's death as an assassination. 'By killing its opponents, the criminal regime in Kigali seeks to intimidate and silence the Rwandan people into submission,' it said. A spokesperson for the Rwandan presidency declined to comment and it was not possible to reach Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo or spokespeople at the Rwandan embassy in Pretoria. Paul Ramakolo, a spokesman for South Africa's Hawks, an elite crime fighting unit, confirmed Karegeya had been killed. He said: 'We will check if it was as a result of strangulation or what could be the factor.' Scroll down for video . Discovery: The former head of Rwanda's external intelligence service was found in the Michelangelo Towers Suites, Johannesburg (pictured) Plot: Patrick Karegeya allegedly plotted a coup against Rwandan President Paul Kagame - pictured with Prime Minister David Cameron . Rwanda's ambassador to South Africa, Vincent Karega, earlier told local radio SAFM he was not aware of details of the killing. 'We encourage the authorities to really look into the matter so that we know exactly what happened,' he said. The alleged coup against President Paul Kagame was thought to have been planned by Karegeya and Rwandan army chief Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa - who was also exiled to South Africa. Nyamwasa was shot in the stomach in 2010 as he drove into the driveway of his upmarket Johannesburg home. Ally: General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa who was allegedly planning a coup with Patrick Karegeya . He survived what his family said was an assassination attempt ordered by Kagame. Both Nyamwasa and Karegeya fought alongside Kagame in Rwanda's 1994 war, which halted the genocide by ethnic Hutu militia who had killed 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in just three months. In 2011, South Africa declined a Rwandan request to extradite Nyamwasa to his homeland. He was also wanted in Spain and France for killings in the 1990s. Also in 2011, a Rwandan military court sentenced Karegeya, Nyamwasa and two other exiled officers to 20 years in prison for threatening state security after they were tried in absentia. | Patrick Karegeya, 53, found dead in Johannesburg hotel room .
Bloody towel and rope found in safe in the room, police confirmed today .
Had once headed Rwanda's military intelligence but fled to South Africa after allegedly plotting a coup against President Paul Kagame . |
36,004 | 6633bbf9c243cc4ad1359d3c0f8bce0717874cf2 | Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) -- As violence raged on Thursday in central Kiev, 21-year-old volunteer medic Olyesa Zhukovska was providing first aid to wounded protesters when she was struck in the neck by a sniper's bullet. "I'm dying," she tweeted as blood gushed from her throat. Even as her prediction proved wrong, her tweet was immortalized as it ricocheted across the Internet. Two days later, from a hospital bed, she recalled the moment when she was struck. "I heard a loud bang," she told CNN. "At first, I thought it was a grenade, but then my friend said, 'You have been hit by a sniper; you are bleeding.' Both our hands were full of blood." The bullet had pierced her neck, somehow missing vital vessels, but doing serious damage nonetheless. "It is very hard for me to speak and it hurts to eat," she said weakly. "I'm starting to walk again; I lost a lot of blood." At the time she was shot, Zhukovska was on a front line in the battle between opposition and security forces trying to help the wounded. She was lucky. Dozens of other demonstrators who were defending the barricades in Independence Square were killed on Thursday, nearly a third of them by snipers. The location had been transformed Saturday into a memorial. At the hospital, Zhukovska's parents were by her side on Saturday, offering succor even as their daughter's spirit remained defiant. "We are waiting for new elections," she said weakly. "We want a different president, a different government and a better situation in Ukraine." Zhukovska said she was glad her tweet had reached so many people; her parents were glad it proved wrong. CNN's Tom Watkins contributed to this story . | "I'm dying," 21-year-old medic tweets .
Olyesa Zhukovska was shot in the neck by a sniper .
A weak voice, still defiant: "We are waiting for new elections" |
20,988 | 3b91be79a6f3cd6c88e8f66c6da4cae5beb196b2 | (CNN) -- Go to any provincial city in China -- small hayseed towns where the population barely nudges three million people -- and you'd be forgiven for thinking the national youth pastimes, after smoking, are online gaming and flirting. "I like the personality tests and I like chatting with people, but I haven't been brave enough to meet anyone yet," says Nolan Lee from Guiyang in China's central Guizhou province. The 20-year-old student says she uses social media more than she cares to admit. "I still use [microblogging website] Weibo for a lot of things but new things like Pengpeng come up all the time -- this one is pretty good actually. If I shake my mobile, it finds new people for me to meet and to compete with. "I like the fact that it uses traditional Chinese games like truth or dare -- you can think up things that will be funny or embarrass the other person. It's fun." Launched in June, Pengpeng is a new mobile phone app that combines games and online chat. The Beijing-based start-up launched with $4.2 million in seed funding and since then has gone from strength to strength. Even outside China, it has proved sticky, recently hitting the number two position in Malaysia. For Andy Tian, the brains behind Pengpeng, elbowing a space into China's crowded and ferociously competitive social networking space requires financial backing but, more than this, it demands a keen eye for how young subscribers are using the net. "We have four million users which makes it one of the fastest growing mobile apps in China," Tian told CNN. "More than 90% of the users were born after 1990 so they're below the age of 24. "These people are the most active on social networks in China." Throwing a good party . Pengpeng uses location-based technology that allows users to meet strangers through playing games. As well as the usual Facebook-style feed and group chat, the app hosts quizzes, competitive games, horoscopes and the staple of teenagers everywhere on the net: personality tests. "A lot of social networks out there enable you to meet someone and just start chatting [and] sharing pictures," said Tian. "That's great but the next generation should be able to interact in a much more fun way." Tian likens Pengpeng to throwing a good party. "We see mobile social apps as something like an amusement park -- you come and you're always playing with other people; you meet them in a 'no pressure' way," he says. "If you throw a party with good music, good drinks and good food, if you have a good theme -- maybe it's 1920s and everyone wears a Fedora hat -- then everyone has a good time. "But if you throw a singles' party just to find the member of the opposite sex of your dreams, then it's not going to be very much fun. "We are creating all the amusements -- all the food and the drink -- and marrying it to a social platform. It might seem to be pretty obvious but no one has thought of it before." Strong growth . While Facebook still dominates the social media landscape globally with 1.32 billion monthly active users (MAU), its Chinese rivals are starting to close the gap. Qzone, which runs the massively popular QQ instant messaging service, is second on the list with 645 million MAU. Other Chinese sites such as Wechat, or Weixin as it is known in Chinese, have gained as many as 438 million MAU in a short few years, stealing a march in terms of numbers on sites like Twitter. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have been locked out of the Chinese market since 2009, leaving the field open to homegrown social media sites such as Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo. While some say the ban is motivated by a need to censor the web in China, most analysts believe that protectionism for its own domestic versions of YouTube - namely Tudou and Youku - has been behind the move. Nevertheless, the progress of Chinese social media is keenly monitored in the West where companies such as Facebook and Google hope to one day re-enter the market. "Pengpeng is just one of many of these new startups -- but these are up against very big companies. They're only getting a small slice of the pie," says analyst Xiaofeng Wang of Forrester. "The most popular social platform used to be Weibo -- which combines elements of Facebook and Twitter -- but mobile messaging apps are now the most popular apps like Wechat from Tencent." But she says the growth of anonymous social networking platforms are now the latest development in China -- not unsurprising in the light of the strict controls the government places on online debates. "Sites such as UMi and Mimi are gaining more and more users -- it won't become mainstream however," Wang says. "When it's anonymous, users are more willing to share information. Users may have nicknames, but behind those nicknames are real social connections, friends and colleagues." Fittingly, UMi literally translates as "no secrets" while Mimi means "secrets". As for Pengpeng, users are as anonymous or as open as they want to be. "So far, I haven't been bothered to meet anyone off any of the games," says Lee. "But who knows, one day I might put on some make up and a nice dress," she jokes. | Pengpeng uses location-based technology to allow users to meet strangers through playing games .
Founder Andy Tian says Pengpeng has four million users and is one of the fastest growing apps in China .
The Beijing-based startup launched with $ 4.2 million in seed funding earlier this year .
Social media in China is seeing the rise of sites that allow users to post anonymously . |
210,184 | 9c3246b09b265fa359fc06b89f068838e08708db | (CNN) -- "The Simpsons" co-creator Sam Simon is facing terminal illness the best way he knows how: with a sense of humor and a generous heart. It was two years ago that Simon, 59, was told that he had colon cancer and had just three to six months to live. "They showed me my scans and said, these are the scans of a dead man," Simon recalled in an interview with NBC's Maria Shriver. "I said, 'Is it curable?' And the doctor goes, 'We don't use that word.' " Though his doctor couldn't cure him, he could work to keep Simon alive. "And he's done a remarkable job of it," Simon said. "I feel great. I've never been happier." Some of that happiness comes from being "surrounded by people that love me and take care of me and would do anything for me," Simon said. "That's called happiness." But part of his peace comes from his philanthropy. When Simon learned of his diagnosis, he made a promise to give away his fortune. He never did say how much he's made over his many years in Hollywood, working on "The Simpsons" in addition to hits like "Taxi" and "Cheers." But what is clear is that however much he has, he wants it to go toward animal welfare and to feed the hungry. "Ingrid Newkirk, who is the founder of PETA and one of the most influential people in my life ... she came up with an almost therapy for me, where we planned and are still planning a series of animal liberations and actions that I get to participate in and enjoy and have something to look forward to at the same time," Simon said. There's also his philanthropic organization, the Sam Simon Foundation, which aids animals and has a "feeding families program that feeds 400 families a day in Los Angeles." His passion for these causes comes from a responsibility he feels, Simon explained, "to speak for those who can't speak for themselves." Simon was honest about how difficult his diagnosis has been -- "cancer is a horrible disease, (and) I am struggling with it," he told Shriver -- but he added that it's also been a lesson. "It has been a fight; it's been an adventure; it's been an education," Simon said. "It's been the most amazing experience of my life." | "The Simpsons" co-creator was told he had three to six months to live .
Now, he's still fighting and devoted to giving back .
Simon: Cancer has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life . |
53,837 | 98a99052ee37a6f79e1522279fb377c90901329f | By . James Chapman . and Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 19:58 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:32 EST, 27 February 2014 . Plans to tear up the official definition of child poverty will be put on ice today following a Government row. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith proposed that factors such as family breakdown and debt should be included in a new measure of children’s life chances. But senior colleagues are understood to have warned that the move would leave the Government open to charges of deliberately changing the goalposts in an attempt to mask the alleged impact of its austerity policies. Clash: Lib Dem sources said plans by Iain Duncan Smith (left) to change the definition of child poverty were blocked by George Osborne (right) amid fears it would lay the Government open to claims of 'goalpost-shifting' Lib Dem sources insisted they had been prepared to back the plan – but claimed it had been blocked by Chancellor George Osborne. One well-placed source said the reform was now ‘on hold’ and there is now unlikely to be any significant changes to measuring child poverty before the next election in 2015. The current measure – 60 per cent of median earnings – was made law under Labour. The minimum wage will rise to £6.50 an hour – below the hike to £7 suggested by the Chancellor – it emerged yesterday. The Low Pay Commission instead recommended a 3 per cent increase, up 19p on the current rate of £6.31, from October. The independent advisory group held out the prospect of further above-inflation increases this year, but there appears little chance of the rate reaching £7 by 2015/16, as George Osborne hinted last month. Sources said it was unlikely the Government would overrule the commission to impose a bigger than recommended rise. A Conservative spokesman said the rise ‘would be welcome news – a real-terms increase for millions of people for the first time in over five years plus the prospect of more above-inflation increases to come’. In January, the Chancellor said he backed a dramatic increase in the £6.31 rate, delighting Tory MPs but alarming business leaders, who insisted it should not be raised by more than inflation. Mr Osborne said low-paid workers should now ‘enjoy the fruits’ of the economic recovery. But Labour accused him of ‘misleading and empty rhetoric’. In a further rebuke to the Chancellor, a source close to Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable said it was ‘unhelpful for politicians to speculate about what the minimum wage should be’, insisting it should be left to the independent expert body. David Cameron, Mr Osborne and Mr Duncan Smith have now agreed that reform would be ‘complex’ and further work would be needed to ensure any new system was ‘robust’. The Government is thought to be preparing various measures to help the poorest in society in a riposte to Church leaders, who last week criticised its welfare reforms. They are likely to include moves to reduce energy and water bills, an expansion of free school transport and boosting of credit unions. Despite a £170billion increase in welfare spending, Labour failed to meet its aim of halving child poverty by 2010/11. In 2012, Mr Duncan Smith argued Labour’s definition of child poverty – based purely on family income – was perverse when other factors can be just as critical in determining children’s life chances. He suggested broader ways of calculating child poverty – including whether their parents are in work, educational failure, family breakdown, problem debt and poor health. The Work and Pensions Secretary says the Government’s new universal credit, which will replace all out-of-work benefits from next year, will ensure the vast majority of children will be lifted out of poverty if at least one parent works 35 hours a week at the minimum wage, or 24 hours if they are a lone parent. Rachel Reeves, Labour’s work and pensions spokesman, said: ‘Any attempt to change the way poverty is measured won’t do anything to help the children whose lives are being damaged by the rise in poverty we are seeing under this Government.’ A Whitehall source said Mr Duncan Smith remained committed to finding a more comprehensive definition of poverty but acknowledged there was no agreement on exactly what it should include: ‘There is a lot of work going on about this and that will continue, but it has become clear that there is no simple answer.’ Instead, Mr Duncan Smith will today publish a detailed consultation on a new child poverty strategy, spelling out action on unemployment, family breakdown and drug addiction, as well as reaffirming the Government’s commitment to ending child poverty by 2020. Labour work and pensions spokesman Rachel Reeves said: 'Any attempt to change the way poverty is measured won't do anything to help the children whose lives are being damaged... under this Government' | Iain Duncan Smith planned to include factors like family breakdown or debt .
But critics could have accused Government of moving the goalposts to mask the impact of its austerity policies, senior Conservatives warned .
Current measure is 60 per cent or less of median earnings in Britain . |
27,610 | 4e3df9a40dd0fec9f47e7cfdbbdc3c7ae3967664 | By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 10:52 EST, 25 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:54 EST, 26 October 2012 . Recovery: Scarlett, pictured with her mother Samantha Roberts, survived after her father Richard Straw jumped in front of a train with her in his arms . A father who jumped in front of a train with his three-year-old daughter in his arms was devastated after discovering his partner had cheated on him with his best friend, an inquest heard yesterday. Richard Straw, 28, was holding Scarlett as he leapt into the path of an express train. He was killed instantly, but Scarlett was found on the trackside with terrible injuries. She is now four and has made a full recovery. The inquest was told that Mr Straw had discovered Scarlett’s mother Samantha Roberts, 27, had been seeing his best friend, Lee Bacon, behind his back. A week before he died, Mr Straw had been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to Mr Bacon’s home. He was distraught at the idea of anyone else ‘being Scarlett’s dad’, the inquest in Doncaster was told. The couple, who had been together for five years, had split up a month before Mr Straw’s death in July last year, with Miss Roberts leaving the family home. She had been seeing Mr Bacon since the April, when her relationship with Mr Straw, a warehouseman, was falling apart. The inquest heard they had rowed over his gambling and drinking. Miss Roberts told the hearing Mr Straw had ‘found out properly’ about her relationship with Mr Bacon, 30, the day before he killed himself. He had acted aggressively, she said, but had calmed down by the next morning, when he arrived unannounced to take Scarlett for lunch and a trip to the park. ‘He seemed happy,’ she said. ‘He said to Scarlett to say goodbye to mummy and tell her you love her.’ But she grew worried when they failed to return, and went to Mr Straw’s house, where she found abusive graffiti scrawled on the walls. One message read ‘you always wanted me dead’ and another said: ‘Mummy I love you goodbye. Miracle: Scarlett Straw, pictured after treatment on her left leg, was found barely alive on the trackside after the train hit her, but she has gone on to make a full recovery . A third, referring to Scarlett, said: ‘Get your own family, she’s mine.’ Miss Roberts then received a phone call from the police to tell her about the train incident. The inquest was told father-of-two Mr . Straw died from multiple injuries when he was hit by the Leeds-bound . express train on the East Coast main line near Doncaster at around . 12.30pm. Driver David Dobson said he saw a man run from undergrowth at the side of the track as he neared a crossing. ‘He looked straight at me and seemed to speed up. I could see he was carrying a girl. Injuries: Scarlett's cheekbone was fractured, one arm was broken and one leg was smashed by the blow, which also left her with a huge wound on the back of her head. But she survived after 45 days in hospital . ‘She was being carried on his left hip and had her arms around his neck and her head on his left shoulder. It was apparent he intended to jump straight in front of the train.’ Recording a suicide verdict, coroner . Nicola Mundy said: ‘It’s clear from the notes he left he simply couldn’t . accept the break-up of the relationship. 'This was a very deliberate act.’ At the scene: In a further chilling twist, it emerged Mr Straw had scrawled abusive graffiti over the walls of his former family home, including the words, 'good bye Sammy, good bye mummy' Determined: The train driver said Mr Straw was running as if 'he was running from some starting blocks' and as he saw the train he seemed to speed up . | Richard Straw, 28, died when he was hit by the train but his daughter .
Scarlett, three, was thrown clear .
Inquest hears he split with girl’s mother Samantha Roberts after he found she was in new relationship with his friend .
Graffiti on walls of their .
house read: 'You always wanted me dead' and .
'mummy I love you, goodbye'
The train driver said Mr Straw was running as if 'he was running from .
some starting blocks' and as he saw the train he seemed to speed up . |
167,094 | 6418cb1c8410c9192587134816827db4d98b3214 | By . Dan Bloom . PUBLISHED: . 12:39 EST, 15 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:20 EST, 15 January 2014 . Blown away: Shocked Jessica Parsons had to leave a pub when a bouncer thought she had taken cocaine . Pub staff kicked out two women who blew their noses - because they thought they were using cocaine. Nursery worker Jessica Parsons, 23, refused to let the common cold stop her from enjoying a night out with two friends at a pub in Cheam, Surrey. But when she and one of her friends blew their noses in the toilet, they were accused of taking Class A drugs. A female bouncer confronted them when they left their cubicles and ordered them to leave. Shocked Miss Parsons says she will never return to the pub, which she has been visiting since she was 18. The incident happened on Saturday night at the Harrow Inn, where staff have defended their actions. Miss Parsons said: 'It was about half nine and we went to the toilet. Because we both had colds we both blew our noses while we were in there. We weren’t in the same cubicle or anything like that. 'As we left, one of the female bouncers pulled us back and said "come with us". 'They said there was a drug problem and that they heard us sniffing drugs in there. 'I told them I blew my nose because I have a cold and laughed because I thought it was a joke - I don’t even smoke, let alone do cocaine! 'We both have respectable jobs and we just wanted to go out for a quiet drink. I work in a school, there is no way I would risk that. 'I asked them to call the police but they wouldn’t and they just told us to leave, so we had to go and leave a bottle of wine we’d just bought on the table.' Miss Parsons said she has been going to the pub regularly since she was 18, but now plans never to return. Not to be sniffed at: Miss Parsons, pictured, said she and her friend had to leave a bottle of wine behind . A manager at the pub, who declined to give his full name asking only to be identified as Sam, said: 'We have a high rate of drugs issues in the area and our place is one of the red alert places. 'We have three door staff who will deal with situations when there is the slightest suspicion. If, in this case, we have made a mistake then it would be the first time. 'We are a lively pub so in terms of security we can’t be too careful.' However, the two women did not let the incident bring their evening to a halt. After being kicked out, they continued the night at All Bar One in nearby Sutton. | Jessica Parsons, 23, was with two friends at Harrow Inn in Cheam, Surrey .
Bouncers heard her and a friend blowing their noses - and kicked them out .
She plans not to return saying: 'I don’t even smoke, let alone do cocaine!'
Manager: 'We're a lively pub so in terms of security we can’t be too careful' |
10,182 | 1ce662db10fe8b2ef3761a43fd1b618be796e37f | (Ars Technica) -- These days, it seems, it's not enough for a digital device to just play games. To keep up with the smartphones and tablet computers of the world, any game system needs to at least nod in the direction of cloud-based and social networking "apps" that are all the rage with the kiddies. Sony's PlayStation Vita has now done exactly that, launching free downloadable Netflix, Twitter and Flickr apps in conjunction with the system's official debut Wednesday (though pre-orderers have had the system for a week now). Your very first encounter with two of these apps foreshadows the occasionally awkward experience to come. When you first load up Twitter or Flickr on your Vita, you're asked to click a button that opens up a web browser where you can log in to the service. Then you're expected to write down a confirmation code and navigate back to the original app to confirm your credentials. It's a minor, one-time annoyance, but it makes the Netflix app's integrated login prompt seem futuristic by comparison. CNN Tech: Hands-on with the new PlayStation Vita . Netflix . Netflix is probably the most useful of the apps in the Vita's initial batch. Even if you already have the streaming video service on a host of other devices (and you probably do), the Vita's large, crisp screen provides a pleasant portable viewing experience without being quite as large or cumbersome as an iPad or laptop (not to mention an HDTV). The Vita's 960 x 544 resolution isn't quite "HD," but high-definition content still looks pretty good, provided you have the bandwidth to view it (warning to 3G users: Netflix will eat up your data allowance incredibly quickly). This is the only Vita app so far that makes use of the system's face buttons as well as the touch screen, letting you fast forward and rewind with the analog stick or pause with the X button. You can also use the touch screen to flick through a timeline of screengrabs from the video, which is quite pleasant. My only real complaint about the interface is the odd inability to scroll through the front page of recommendations with quick flicks -- instead you have to awkwardly tap on-screen buttons to move up and down the rows. Twitter . The Vita's Twitter app, dubbed LiveTweet, provides all the basic functionality you'd expect from the service and then some. It's easy to scroll through your timeline, @replies or direct messages with responsive flick scrolling and a familiar pull-down-to-refresh option. You can easily search through tweets by keyword or hashtag and even view a series of @replies through a handy conversation view. Writing tweets is relatively painless using the Vita's big on-screen keyboard, though I found myself often missing the space bar when I was typing quickly. But LiveTweet is somewhat annoying to use if you, like me, primarily use Twitter as a way to scan for interesting links posted by interesting friends. Clicking a link from LiveTweet loads up the Vita's somewhat limited web browser, which takes a few seconds to warm up and then load the page. Once you come back to LiveTweet, the app has often lost your place in browsing the tweetstream, which means you have to wait a few seconds for everything to load again and then waste time scrolling to find your place. It's also hard to imagine where Twitter for the Vita is going to find its niche. If you're on the computer, you likely have a better Twitter app just a click away. If you're away from the computer, you're more likely to have a Twitter-capable smartphone that's handier to carry around than the massive Vita, which easily dominates any pocket it fits in. Still, if you need to tell the world about your Super Stardust Delta high score right now, you're only a few taps away from doing so on the Vita. Flickr . Flickr rounds out the Vita's initial round of apps, with quite possibly the nicest interface of the bunch. Rows of easy-to-scroll-through thumbnail images provide quick access to you photostream, favorites, contacts, saved searches and even suggestions for interesting Flickr members to browse through. There's also a nice batch upload option that doesn't even require leaving the main menu, though why you'd want to upload many photos from the Vita's low-quality camera is a mystery (the service might be more useful for uploading screenshots, though, which I did while composing writing this very piece). It only takes a couple of taps to go from a tiny thumbnail to a beautiful, full-screen image that you can easily pan and zoom around with the multitouch screen. It is somewhat annoying, though, that you can only view caption and tag information when the image is an unzoomed, compact square on the right side of the screen -- some sort of transparent overlay option would have been nice. It's also a bit odd that there's no option to download photos to your Vita to use as home screen wallpapers, though you can use the Vita's screenshot function to approximate this feature. So far, the Vita's nongaming apps feel more like nice extras than crucial selling points for the system. They work better as a proof-of-concept for the potential nongaming uses of the Vita's excellent touchscreen than as tools you're likely to fully integrate into your digital life. Here's hoping Sony relaxes its tight hold on the PlayStation Network marketplace to let more app makers play around with the system's potential outside of games. COPYRIGHT 2011 ARSTECHNICA.COM . | The PS Vita is primarily a gaming device but also runs apps for Netflix, Twitter and other services .
The Vita screen's resolution isn't quite "HD," but high-definition content still looks good .
You can easily search through tweets with a handy conversation view .
Flickr has a nice interface with quick access to photostream, favorites and contacts . |
105,195 | 13b053792ef381a03c6270ba46c948da627f1736 | Nico Rosberg proved he is unwilling to allow Lewis Hamilton to ride roughshod all over him by turning in a dominant day of practice ahead of Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix. After emerging from a controversial race in Belgium where he and Mercedes team-mate Hamilton collided with a season-high 29-point lead, Rosberg has been on the receiving end of a backlash from the Briton. Five successive victories have allowed Hamilton to turn the tables on Rosberg and open up a 24-point cushion to the German with two grands prix remaining, at Interlagos on Sunday and Abu Dhabi on November 23. Lewis Hamilton, winner at the last five races, takes a trip off track as he aimed to reel in Nico Rosberg . Lewis Hamilton finished behind Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in both practice sessions on Friday . 1. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:12.123 . 2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:12.336 . 3. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1:12.696 . 4. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1:12.956 . 5. Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:13.035 . 6. Felipe Massa Williams 1:13.099 . 7. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:13.122 . 8. Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1:13.254 . 9. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:13.333 . 10. Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1:13.479 . 11. Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:13.497 . 12. Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:13.714 . 13. Nico Huelkenberg Force India 1:13.882 . 14. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:13.902 . 15. Adrian Sutil Sauber 1:14.204 . 16. Jenson Button McLaren 1:14.209 . 17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:17.171 . 18. Sergio Perez Force India . Rosberg, however, showed he is far from finished as he topped the timesheet at the end of both 90-minute sessions, initially on the medium-compound tyre in the morning and then soft rubber in the afternoon. Rosberg's best time of the day was a one minute 12.123secs for one of the most-renowned circuits in F1, with Hamilton just over two tenths of a second adrift - the same for both sessions. For once, it was Kimi Raikkonen in his Ferrari - rather than team-mate Fernando Alonso as has often been the case - emerging the best of the rest, with the Finn just over half a second adrift. As for Alonso, his session came to a premature end when his car burst into flames after he had pulled off the circuit, initially with smoke billowing from the rear of his car. Alonso finished down in seventh come the conclusion to the day, 0.999secs off of Rosberg's pace. In between the Ferrari duo were Daniel Ricciardo in his Red Bull and Williams pair Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa, the latter on home soil and finishing 0.976secs adrift. Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat was next up, followed by Sebastian Vettel in his Red Bull and McLaren's Kevin Magnussen to round out the top 10. Jenson Button took to the track for the second practice session after failing to post a competitive time in FP1 . Rosberg, 24 points adrift of Mercedes team-mate Hamilton, set the pace in both sessions on Friday . Sebastian Vettel (right) and Hamilton jostle for track position during the second practice session . As for Jenson Button, the veteran was down in 16th in his McLaren, just over two seconds back following a frustrating day. In FP1 Button suffered an ERS (energy recovery store) failure at the end of his installation lap that kept him in the garage for the rest of the session. If Button thought he had problems, though, then he perhaps spared a thought for Force India's Sergio Perez who failed to turn a wheel in anger all day. In giving way to Daniel Juncadella in FP1, the Spaniard crashed the car to such an extent that repairs were impossible in order to allow Perez to get out on track in FP2. | Rosberg fastest in both sessions ahead of Mercedes team-mate Hamilton .
The German is bidding to overturn a 24-point deficit with two races left .
Kimi Raikkonen was third fastest with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo fourth .
Fernando Alonso's Ferrari caught fire and the session was red flagged . |
220,666 | a9a4b17ba45d2036b7ec667d8746441975bb3455 | Many of Britain's biggest stars of stage and screen admit they struggle to understand Shakespeare because of the way they were taught the Bard's plays at school. Sir Michael Gambon, the star of the Harry Potter films, admits he is 'frightened' by England's national poet, while Mark Rylance, the former artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, says he sometimes shares that 'familiar feeling of giving up at a Shakespeare play'. The stars vent their frustration in a new BBC Four documentary, Muse Of Fire. Sir Michael, who has played Othello, Macbeth and Coriolanus, said: 'I am very frightened of it (Shakespeare), although I know there is nothing to be frightened of.' Zoe Wanamaker, who has starred in a string of Shakespeare productions at the National Theatre, said she found some of Shakespeare's words 'incomprehensible' Other stars admit they struggle to understand the concept of the iambic pentameter, which is supposed to unlock Shakespeare's language by helping actors understand the rhythm of the words. Zoe Wanamaker, who has starred in a string of Shakespeare productions at the National Theatre, said she found some of Shakespeare's words 'incomprehensible', adding: 'I don't know really what iambic pentameter is. Somebody has to tell me.' Christopher Eccleston, who played Iago in a BBC adaptation of Othello, said: 'I have never had a formal lesson in iambic pentameter. I don't understand it.' Eccleston added: 'My introduction to Shakespeare was in the fifth year of my secondary comprehensive school. You should not give kids Shakespeare straight away. 'You should give them drama and the ones who are really passionate about it will end up finding Shakespeare themselves because he is the greatest-ever playwright.' Even Ralph Fiennes, who directed a film adaptation of Coriolanus, admits he struggled with Shakespeare. He said: 'I got E for English at A-level. I didn't know how to answer a complex question about King Lear.' Muse Of Fire will be shown on BBC Four at 10pm on Thursday. | Zoe Wanamaker: 'I don't know really what iambic pentameter is'
Sir Michael Gambon admits he is 'frightened' by England's national poet .
Mark Rylance gets the 'familiar feeling of giving up at a Shakespeare play' |
278,051 | f4385cdfa5f118dce44caba9d31637417febc1ca | By . Darren Boyle . Former London's Burning star John Alford said his life was destroyed by the Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood who promised him a role in a Robert De Niro movie in exchange for drugs. The star, who was earning £120,000-a-year on the hit ITV show, was jailed for nine months in April 1999 after an investigation by the News of the World. Following his release from prison, Alford found it difficult to secure new acting roles because of his conviction. Scroll down for video . Actor John Alford lost his £120,000-a-year job playing Bily Ray on London's Burning after the 1997 sting . Alford, pictured leaving Pentonville Prison in London, was jailed for nine months in April 1999 after the case . He was later banned for 16 months in January 2006 for drink-driving after a crash in Islington, North London in April 2005 . Now Alford hopes, following the acquittal of Tulisa Contostavlos on cocaine charges, his own conviction from 1999 could be overturned due to the unreliable nature of Mahmood's evidence. At the time of his conviction, Alford, 41, was one of the highest profile actors in Britain playing baby-faced fireman Billy Ray on London's Burning. The show was watched by up to 18 million viewers a week, but once the story emerged, ITV sacked the actor. He told The Sunday People: 'The fake sheikh ruined my life. When I heard Tulisa had walked free I was so pleased her nightmare was over. 'But I've been living my own nightmare for 17 years. I'm just glad people are finally raising concerns about the way this man operates.' He added: 'I was wrong to sort out the deal and I've been paying for it ever since. If it wasn't for Mahmood there would have been no drug deal. I wasn't a drug dealer, I was an actor. But after the court case, that was it - I couldn't get work.' Alford said was 'so pleased' when he heard Tulisa, pictured, had been cleared after a judge questioned Mazher Mahmood's evidence: 'I'm just glad people are finally raising concerns about the way this man operates' Alford, pictured, is now planning a comeback in a football comedy called 'What's the Score?' After his release from prison, Alford, pictured working on a central London building site, has struggled to secure acting roles claiming that the Fake Sheikh ruined his life luring him with offers of Hollywood . The father-of-two revealed that since his conviction other actors and producers would threaten to pull out of projects if his name was involved. However, he is currently planning an on-screen comeback in a football comedy called 'What's The Score?' Alford claimed he was convinced Mahmood was a real sheikh called Mohammed Al-Kareen because he was wearing an expensive Rolex watch and was travelling around in Rolls Royce. Alford said he hoped the acquittal of Tulisa could lead to his case being reviewed over Mahmood's tactics claiming he had been set up by the sting . He said he had been invited to the meeting with the Fake Sheikh at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1997. Alford was offered the chance to attend the celebrity opening of a nightclub in Dubai - where he would get the chance to meet Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone and possibly work with them in future. During this meeting, Mahmood asked whether Alford would be able to supply some cocaine and cannabis on his behalf. Judge Stephen Robbins at Snaresbrook Crown Court told Alford: 'You were undoubtedly motivated by the desire to earn even more money than you were earning as a successful actor, believing you would be opening a night-club in Dubai. 'There was a strong element of entrapment but you willingly went along with the idea. 'You had plenty of opportunity when you left to fetch these drugs to distance yourself from it.' Judge Robbins said he had to take into account Alford's previous cocaine use where he spent up to £500 a time on the drug. During the trial, Mahmood told the court that he had heard from an unnamed showbiz contact that Alford was regularly dealing cocaine at parties and at his home. Alford said while he had previously used cocaine, he had never dealt it before meeting the Fake Sheikh. Alford received a nine month sentence for supplying two grammes of cocaine and a two month concurrent sentence for providing 12 grammes of cannabis. He was also ordered to pay £3,000 towards the prosecution's costs. The actor was filmed by three hidden cameras when he returned to the hotel room with the drugs, including three wraps of cocaine and a small slab of cannabis resin. His QC David Etherington said Alford had been the victim of a 'professional sting' designed to 'ruin and publicly humiliate him'. Alford, pictured, was later convicted of drink driving in January 2006 after crashing his car in Islington, London . | John Alford lost his £120,000-a-year TV job after the 1997 Fake Sheikh sting .
Alford, 41, supplied cocaine and cannabis to Mazher Mahmood at a meeting .
He said Mahmood tricked him with the prospect of working with De Niro .
Alford now believes after Tulisa's court victory he could now be cleared .
He has worked as a builder and a minicab driver since prison release .
However, he was banned from driving in 2006 after a drink-driving crash . |
156,884 | 56db39a49629ad97b3ab2dcbbddd14663dbbec68 | Ashley Rhodes-Courter was three when her childhood came to an abrupt end. The daughter of a struggling teenage mother, her life had been blighted by fecklessness and her parent's regular brushes with the law. But when social services stepped in to take the little girl and her younger brother Luke away, she found herself shuttling between foster homes while her mother fought to prevent her children from being adopted. After more than a decade of living with carers, including several convicted criminals, she was finally adopted and, now 29, says she is furious that it wasn't allowed to happen sooner. Scroll down for video . New life: Ashley Rhodes-Courter is now married and an adoptive mother-of-one as well as a foster parent . Adoption: After spending a decade shuttling between foster homes, she wants to see more adoptions . Ms Rhodes-Courter has also told of how she was left 'demoralised' by her experiences and says more needs to be done to vet carers, pointing out that she herself was made to live, in one instance, with a convicted paedophile. 'I moved 14 different times during the nearly 10 years I was in foster care,' she says angrily, speaking from her Florida home. 'Most of my homes were overcrowded and almost 25 per cent of my foster parents were, or became, convicted criminals. Needless to say, I was not placed in the most desirable of circumstances. 'While in care I was beaten, went hungry, and was generally neglected. Luckily, I was the kind of kid that learned how to stay out of trouble. 'But many of the other children were not as lucky. My brother was almost killed in one foster home and the abuse stories I heard from my foster brothers and sisters are almost unspeakable.' Although adopted in 1998 by the kindly Courter family, she remains furious about what happened to her and says that adoption should be made easier - and should happen sooner. 'I should not have been in foster care for as long as I was,' she says. 'They should have done more to place me with a suitable relative, or I should have been available for adoption much, much sooner. 'Instead, the courts kept giving my mother more and more time to get her act together until a volunteer advocate for my case came forward and convinced the courts to terminate my mother's rights. 'But by that time, I was already nine years old and had nearly grown up in the system.' Difficult: In 10 years, Ashley lived in 14 homes with carers that included convicted criminals and a paedophile . The author of a successful 2008 memoir, Three Little Words, Ms Rhodes-Courter has also thrown herself into campaigning for the rights of children in care and says better vetting for would-be foster carers is essential. 'All children should be protected,' says the foster mother of 20 and adoptive mother of one. 'In the United States, every citizen can report child abuse. 'That abuse will be investigated by law enforcement and if it is found that the child is not safe in their home, the child will be removed.' But although police are quick to intervene in abuse cases, what follows afterwards can leave the child even more damaged than before. 'In most cases, foster families would be the better than a group home since they are supposed to be more "normal",' she explains. 'Children that grow up in group homes or facilities can become institutionalised and have difficulty functioning in the real world as teens or adults. 'But the reality is that many children end up bouncing home to home, relatives are not always located or searched for properly and sometimes they go back to their families only to return to foster care again. 'I think the Government need to support child welfare initiatives and make sure we get help for foster parents, social workers, and agencies with a view to keeping children and families safe.' Video courtesy of University of Southern California . Happy ending: Ashley with her adoptive parents Phil and Gay, her husband and their small children . But it is finding a way to get more children out of care homes and into loving adoptive families that remains her overwhelming passion and she cites her own appalling upbringing as a good example of why change is needed. 'Finding a forever family was scary for me at first,' she admits. 'Most people think adoption is a happy occasion but I was terrified that it was too good to be true and that it would fall apart. 'I had seen so many kids be "un-adopted" and sent back into foster care. I had been rejected by so many foster families and I didn't expect this home to be any different.' Despite her fears, her adoption by Phil and Gay Coulter - both of whom are on the receiving end of a paean of praise in her memoir - proved to be the making of her. 'I think my life would be very different if I had never been adopted,' she says, frankly. 'I always loved school and had a drive to succeed but they introduced me to a world that I never would have known. 'I like to think I would have made good choices but my life would have been infinitely harder and probably not as successful. 'Simply having stability and not having to worry about where I would sleep, whether eat, and knowing I was safe allowed me to thrive. For the first time in my life I got to travel, have slumber parties with friends, and participate in school activities. 'Children who do not find families often become homeless, teen parents, have abusive relationships, or get arrested and don't lead productive lives. That easily could have been me.' | Ashley Rhodes-Courter spent a decade shuttling between foster families .
One was abusive while others included convicted criminals and a paedophile .
Now 29 and a mother-of-one, she is calling for adoption to be made a priority .
Her feckless teen mother blocked her adoption for more than 10 years .
Now friends with her mother, she is convinced adoption was the right thing .
Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes Courter, £6.99, is published by Ebury . |
282,122 | f96eeb8c1bfd41f3732a62c6b7ade65a1133ed89 | Take a White House state dinner and multiply it by 50. The result is the most elaborate and unusual dinner of President Barack Obama's administration, a one-of-a-kind affair put on Tuesday night for a one-of-a-kind gathering of several dozen leaders from countries across Africa. The leaders are attending a three-day conference organized by the White House and aimed at boosting U.S. ties to the continent. Obama wasted little time highlighting his own personal connection to Africa during a brief toast. Scroll down for video . 'I stand before you as the son of a man from Africa': President Barack Obama offers a toast at a dinner for the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit, on the South Lawn of the White House on August 5 . Note-worthy: Award-winning singer Lionel Richie provided the after-dinner entertainment, singing hits such as Easy and playing the piano . Guests at the summit dined on chilled spiced tomato soup and socca crisps, which are made of chick peas; chopped farm-stand vegetable salad using produce from the first lady's garden; and grilled dry-aged Wagyu beef served with chermoula, a marinade used in North African cooking, sweet potatoes and coconut milk. Dessert was cappuccino fudge cake dressed with papaya scented with vanilla from Madagascar. American wines were also on the menu. Guests were shuttled down to a massive tent erected on the South Lawn because the White House, as big as it is, does not have any rooms large enough that can hold the more-than-400 invited guests. ‘I stand before you as the president of the United States, a proud American. I also stand before you as the son of a man from Africa,’ Obama said drawing applause. ‘The blood of Africa runs through our family, so for us, the bonds between our countries, our continents are deeply personal.’ He warmly recalled family visits to Kenya before he became president, as well as stops at historic sites in Ghana, Senegal and South Africa with his family while in office. And he offered a toast to ‘the new Africa, the Africa that is rising and so full of promise.’ Award-winning singer Lionel Richie provided the after-dinner entertainment. ‘Tonight, we are going to have a party,’ Richie said as he took the stage and quoted from the lyrics to All Night Long, one of his top hits. He then played the piano and eased the audience into what he said would be a short party by opening with Easy, another one of his hits. Among the African leaders who arrived at the White House one at a time over the course of 90 minutes were President Salva Kiir of South Sudan, the world's newest country, and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa. Kiir wore a cowboy hat and waved dramatically to the media. Egypt's ambassador and Libya's foreign affairs minister also attended. Next to last to arrive was Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has pleaded innocent to murder and other charges for his alleged role in organizing violence that left more than 1,000 people dead after Kenya's 2007 elections. The case is before an international criminal court, and Obama pointedly skipped visiting Kenya when he toured Africa with his family last summer. President of The Gambia Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh and first lady Zineb Jammeh arrive for the dinner, hosted by President Barack Obama . Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore and spouse Chantal Compaore arrive at the North Portico of the White House for the state dinner . Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, who last month visited Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone, attended along with numerous other Obama administration officials, members of the delegations accompanying the African leaders, U.S. lawmakers and business leaders. There was political, Hollywood and athletic star power in the crowd, too. Former President Jimmy Carter, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and de Blasio's predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, a sponsor of a U.S.-Africa business forum where Obama spoke earlier Tuesday, mingled with guests before dinner. Also expected were actors Chiwetel Ejiofor, star of the Academy Award-winning drama 12 Years A Slave, and Robert De Niro, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and Meb Keflezighi, the Eritrean-born American winner of this year's Boston Marathon. Cameroon President Paul Biya and spouse Chantal Biya arrive at the White House . After greeting Obama and first lady Michelle Obama inside the White House, guests boarded chartered trolley cars for a ride to the South Lawn. Mrs. Obama wore a cream-colored dress by Prabal Gurung, one of her favorite designers, with cut-outs in both the front and the back and her hair swept up into a bun. The menu featured a largely American-style dinner with hints of Africa sprinkled throughout each of the four courses. Guests dined on chilled spiced tomato soup and socca crisps, which are made of chick peas; chopped farm-stand vegetable salad using produce from the first lady's garden; and grilled dry-aged Wagyu beef served with chermoula, a marinade used in North African cooking, sweet potatoes and coconut milk. VIPs: Rwanda President Paul Kagame and daughter Ange Ingabire Kagame (left) and King Mswati III and wife Inkhosikati La Mbikiza of Swaziland (right) arrive . Malawi President Peter Mutharika arrives at the White House - one of some 400 guests who attended the state dinner on the South Lawn . Phandu Skelemani, minister for foreign affairs of Botswana, waves as he is greeted by U.S. Chief of Protocol Peter A. Selfridge . The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn (left) and his spouse Roman Tesfaye are saluted as they arrive . Ikililou Dhoinine, President of the Union of the Comoros and his wife Hadidja Abubakar Ikililou Dhoinine . Dessert was cappuccino fudge cake dressed with papaya scented with vanilla from Madagascar. American wines were also on the menu. Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, meanwhile, are coming together for the second time in just over a year to promote U.S. ties to Africa. They're also deepening the personal ties between two first ladies from different generations and opposing political parties. The current and former first ladies are headlining a daylong program Wednesday in Washington for the spouses of the African leaders who are attending the summit. In a reprise of an event Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Bush held last summer in Tanzania, the women will share their experiences in the high-profile role of first lady. The joint appearance will also put on rare public display the warm relationship Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Bush have developed since the White House changed hands. First lady Michelle Obama takes her seat after toasting guests following President Barack Obama's toast . Pitch perfect: Inside the tent where President Barack Obama hosted the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit . Secretary of State John Kerry (left) talks with former President Jimmy Carter before President Barack Obama offers a toast . New York Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to guests before President Obama's speech . | President Barack Obama is hosting a three-day conference aimed at boosting America's ties with Africa .
During a toast President Obama wasted little time highlighting his own personal connection to Africa .
The 400-odd guests were shuttled down to a massive tent erected on the South Lawn for dinner .
Award-winning singer Lionel Richie provided the after-dinner entertainment, belting out hits and playing the piano . |
21,348 | 3c9af03adf95ea38732681fe12a573198eb01dd2 | (CNN) -- Giant jellyfish descend on the Sea of Japan, causing untold devastation to coastal villages and leaving a trail of destruction and human misery behind. A diver attaches a sensor to a Nomura's jellyfish off the coast of northern Japan in October 2005. Sounds like a great sci-fi flick. But it's not. It's real and a nightmare for Japanese fishermen. The massive sea creatures, called Nomura's jellyfish, can grow 6 feet (1.83 meters) in diameter and weigh more than 450 pounds (204 kilos). Scientists think they originate in the Yellow Sea and in Chinese waters. For the third year since 2005, ocean currents are transporting them into the Sea of Japan. Monty Graham, a marine biologist at Alabama's Dauphin Island Sea Lab, said the jellyfish grow to an enormous size as they are transported by ocean currents. He said they stay together in packs and as they drift northward, they get caught in fishermen's nets. The giant jellyfish are one of about 200 species of coastal jellyfish or large jellyfish that exist around the world. But Nomura's stands out because of its enormous size. "The sheer size of them, individually, makes them fairly spectacular," Graham said. Spectacular, perhaps, to scientists, but perilous to villagers along the Japanese coast who have seen the destructive habits of these colossal creatures in the past. They had giant-jellyfish invasions in 2005 and 2007, and because they've recently been spotted in the Sea of Japan, they're bracing for another, potentially harmful wave this summer. The jellyfish destroy fishermen's nets, getting trapped in them, tearing holes and ruining catches. Fishermen often use expensive mazelike nets that stretch for hundreds of kilometers. When swarms of giant jellyfish tear them, the result is devastating. "Communities of fishermen and these fishing villages own these nets," Graham said. "When these nets get wiped out, it actually has this economic devastation for an entire community." The good news is that previous attacks have prompted Japan to put in place a warning system for fishermen. While they still risk losing a big catch, they can, at least, save their pricey nets from the invasion of the giant jellyfish. It's not clear why waves of Nomura's jellyfish have made it to the Sea of Japan in recent years. Some have speculated that overfishing, pollution or rising ocean temperatures may have depleted the kinds of fish that prey on Nomura's jellyfish in the polyp stage. However, no one is certain, Graham said. | Nomura's jellyfish seen in Sea of Japan for third year since 2005 .
Species can grow 6 feet (1.83 meters) in diameter, 450 pounds (204 kilos)
Tears in expensive nets can devastate communities . |
284,700 | fce23106a0edaea76107f6ee0c36cf3860c410c9 | By . Victoria Wellman . PUBLISHED: . 09:52 EST, 30 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:57 EST, 30 July 2012 . Georgia flesh-eating victim, Aimee Copeland's recovery is coming on, according to her father, who blogged yesterday that his daughter is already able to do 200 sit-ups in seven minutes, thanks to a gruelling rehabilitation training. Andy Copeland's pride was evident as he told how Aimee, 24, also completes a programme of 400 leg lifts in the same amount of time as well as 'planks' and 'sideplanks'. To keep her fighting spirit in check, her physical therapist make Aimee say a complete sentence with each repetition, one her father says is usually something along the lines of: 'My therapist is a sadist.' The long road: Aimee Copeland smiles bravely as she is transported to the rehabilitation clinic on July 2nd where is already able to do 200 crunches in seven minutes thanks to a dedicated physical therapist . The truth, he revealed in a lighthearted blog entry, is that Aimee loves the physical therapist at her east Georgia rehab clinic and is already stronger than a lot of people. Andy wrote: 'At this point I have to pause and ask a simple question. How many of you can do two hundred crunches in seven minutes?' The student's incredible recovery comes after just weeks after she was finally released from Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Augusta's Doctor's Hospital. Aimee, a humanist psychology student from Snelville, had been recovering there after a zip-lining accident on May 1st left a rare flesh-eating bacteria known as necrotizing fasciitis, wreaking havoc on her body. Pensive: According to Andy's blog, Aimee is made to say complete sentences after each repetition during her sessions which include crunches, leg-lifts and other abdominal strengthening exercises . Sticking together: Andy and Donna Copeland have been building an 'Aimee wing' at their Snelville, Georgia home as Aimee gets stronger in preparation for her prosthetic limbs . Doctors amputated one of her legs, a foot and most of both hands to stop the deadly bacteria from spreading and during the six week stint, Aimee drifted in and out of consciousness and on and off life support as doctors laboured tirelessly to overcome the disease. Now that she has been moved to the rehabilitation clinic, her father says her determination is relentless and has already vetoed his plans to drive her around in a wheelchair friendly van when she returns home. Fun times: Aimee is determined to return to life as normal and was outraged by her father's suggestion that he chauffeur her around in a wheelchair friendly vehicle . Hippie chic: Old photographs of Aimee show an energetic and active young student who will no doubt be relying on the $150,000 prosthetic limbs he parents are hoping to afford to give her the freedom she enjoyed before . According to his blog post, Aimee's reaction on learning about his new automotive purchase was: 'No way! I am not going to be chauffeured around town like a handicapped person.' Without relaying his concerns about his daughter's future driving career to Aimee herself, proud father Andy wrote: 'The simple fact is that between her ears, Aimee is 100%. She knows that she can accomplish anything she wants and that lacking the hands or feet to accomplish such tasks is only a minor inconvenience.' Road trip: Though Andy joked that his daughter was a terrible driver even when she did have all her limbs, his tone turned more serious as he wondered how how she thinks she could drive with her disability . Both he and his wife, Donna, have been hard at work building what they call 'an Aimee wing' onto their home to make sure her life can return to normal as soon as possible and she can get on with studying for her master's degree. The extension will include a bedroom, fitness room, sunroom and study and will be accessed by a special lift built by concerned volunteers. In the meantime, the Copelands have also been trying to raise the funding to buy their brave daughter the $150,000 prosthetic limbs that she hopes will allow her to live as independently and actively as before her horrifying ordeal. | The gruelling programme also includes leg-lifts and 'plank' exercises .
Aimee refuses to ride in the wheelchair-friendly van bought by her father . |
276,704 | f2769a11be45b1e21f7c2779a968d5634c05bc54 | (CNN) -- Sometimes it seems like Barack Obama rules the Internet. President Obama speaks during a town hall meeting on health care in August. The president's Twitter feed is hugely popular, with more than 2 million followers. Funny White House photos of the first family wearing 3-D glasses went viral after the White House posted them to Flickr. And he's the first president who commonly addresses the nation on YouTube. Many pundits have argued Obama's mastery of online social networks and his image as a BlackBerry-addicted, tech-hip person helped win him the U.S. presidency in January. So if the Obama Administration is so Internet savvy, what's happening with health care? As the country's messy debate about health care reform continues, some online observers are starting to wonder if Obama has lost his grip on Internet discourse. They're also wondering if it's possible for any one person -- no matter how powerful -- to control public dialogue on a medium like the Internet, where conversations are driven by millions of users instead of TV pundits and heads of state. The health care fight is the first time the U.S. has had a major policy debate where all sides are represented and haggling openly online, said Joe Trippi, author of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything." Obama's success at mobilizing grass-roots support through online networks has inspired Republicans and interests groups to do the same, he said. That may give the impression that Obama is losing control of his online base, but it really means more people are conversing online, he said. "You're definitely seeing a diversity of voices and a diversity of opinions [online] that I think is due to Obama's success," said Trippi, a longtime Democratic campaign strategist. "It's the great awakening. People realized they need to do that too." Partly because of the vastness of opinion and discussion online, it's difficult for the Obama administration, or any single group, to control the health care debate, said David All, founder of TechRepublican.com. All said Democrats have made a number of "online gaffes" that have drawn attention away from their talking points. He said there is "so much noise" in the health care debate online that the party's missteps are overshadowing its message. For example, the White House raised privacy concerns after it asked people to send the administration e-mails and online writings that spread misinformation about health care reform, he said. Still, Obama remains active on many social networks -- from Twitter to Facebook to the video-sharing site Vimeo. And some people say he's still doing a fine job at being an up-to-date online communicator. Mark Milian, a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times who has written about Obama and social media, said Obama's online communications fell off when he first took office. But he says the president has rebounded online during the health care debate and is doing a good job of reaching constituents through that medium. But that doesn't mean he's the only one talking online. In trying to get their message across, administration officials have "just as good a shot as some 20-year-old college student from Chicago," he said. "It's just they have more people behind that issue. They have a greater pull." Some have criticized the online community and Internet spin-masters for creating, and spreading, disinformation about proposals for health care reform. On the whole, though, the Internet conversation about the subject is healthy in part because so much information is available, said Bill Adair, editor of PolitiFact.com, a nonpartisan site that fact-checks political statements. "People have access now to more information than ever before and that's generally a very positive thing," he said. "Although the Internet can be used to spread a lot of false things, it's also never been easier for journalists like myself to debunk these things, you know? So on balance, the reality is we just have a whole new dimension to the national discussion on any topic and that has positives and negatives." He encouraged people to check out statements made by bloggers, Twitter users or e-mailers before considering them fact. Prevailing images of the recent health care debate have been of constituents screaming at their legislators in a series of town hall meetings held around the county. Bernhard Drax, who has reported on health care meetings in the virtual world of Second Life, said conversations online have the potential to be much more civil and productive than those real-world town halls. "Social media could drown them out with reason, with substance," he said. "My idealistic view is that social media in general, including virtual worlds, can drown out that angry shouting." Daniel Palestrant, CEO of Sermo, an online social network for doctors, said Internet discussions tend to be ahead of those in the real world. Tort reform, he said, wouldn't be in the public conversation if not for the fact that people can bring up that issue up on the Web. He added that medical associations claim to represent physicians but often don't portray the nuances of peoples' views. The Internet lets people speak for themselves, he said. Trippi, the campaign consultant, said the shouting matches at health care town halls expose the limitations of online discourse today. But he said online debates and discussions will play increasingly important roles in public policy discussions. "All these new tools are still just in their infancy and they're still being used to a large extent just like everything else is used," he said. "But I don't think that will hold. I think you're starting to see people actually talking to each other." | Some say the Obama administration may be losing its Internet savvy .
Others argue that more interest groups are online now, resulting in more noise .
Author says health care is first policy issue to be debated online in big way .
Journalist says more information is better, but that people should check facts . |
14,473 | 290a680fcc5a09200a8bdce94127464b2fa71ca2 | (CNN)It was meant as a joke, but Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein inadvertently cut to the chase with the perception hanging over world football as it wrestles with the decision as to re-elect FIFA president Sepp Blatter or opt for a new beginning. "Do we have any football questions?" quipped the Jordanian, as he launched his bid to become head of an organization whose reputation has taken a bit battering in recent years. Yes, there was last year's World Cup, which garnered plenty of plaudits, but invariably when FIFA's name crops up it's to do with the rights and wrongs of its decision to award the next two competitions to Russia and Qatar. So as a light dusting of snow slowly melted outside a swanky London hotel, Prince Ali turned up the heat on the current head of world football. "I think the main point is to have a new culture" Ali told CNN in an interview after he addressed the media for the first time since announcing his intention to run. "It's about not having the game controlled by people's personal opinions or the whims of the president. It needs to be inclusive for all." At the moment a spirit of inclusion is not altogether apparent in FIFA's corridors of power, with ethics investigator Michael Garcia resigning in December to protest the handling of his own report into Qatar and Russia's successful bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The string of controversies have put FIFA's internal politics at the front and center of the presidential race. Prince Ali spoke of a "culture of intimidation" within FIFA, with some national associations fearing retribution if they back any other candidate other than Blatter, though he didn't provide specific examples. FIFA declined to comment when contacted by CNN over Prince Ali's "intimidation" reference. A vice president of the Asian Football Confederation, Jordan was the only country from that continent to lend its backing to Ali, who relied on England, the United States, Belarus, Georgia and Malta to complete his bid. His campaign is being masterminded by Vero Communications Ltd, a public relations company that also has a wider communications brief working with UEFA, the European confederation within FIFA. "I've tried as much as I can to reform it from within... having seen what's happened I'm not going to allow another four years of this," Prince Ali said of FIFA's internal workings. As well as Blatter, Prince Ali is up against former Portugal captain -- and 2001's FIFA World Player of the Year -- Luis Figo, who says he who was convinced to stand after FIFA's handling of the Garcia report. Also running is the head of Dutch soccer, Michael van Praag, 67, who has openly called for Blatter to stand down, taking it upon himself to restore what he sees as a lack of trustworthiness in the organization. If elected, the 39-year-old Prince Ali could become the first Muslim to lead FIFA in its 101-year history. He previously led calls for FIFA to lift its ban on the hijab that was preventing many Muslim women from following their football dreams. "I've been a huge supporter of the women's game -- across the world," he said. "It's the biggest growth area in football right now. It needs to be taken much more seriously, and I'm willing and committed to doing so." Prince Ali was also keen to stress his commitment to ridding football of any form of prejudice. "I think that there should be no discrimination in football in any way, shape or form," he added. Whilst the Jordanian prince is out and proud about his intentions, this may not be enough to challenge Blatter's 16-year dynasty. In the meantime Ali had better get used to talking politics, as it seems football is off the agenda. | FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein speaks about organization's culture of intimidation'
He's up against Luis Figo, Michael van Praag and current FIFA president Sep Blatter .
The Jordanian prince could be the first Muslim to run FIFA in its 101-year history . |
11,512 | 20bcea2fbf50fbf0c5b27bafea688524164e2918 | (CNN) -- HTC's new flagship smartphone, the One, is an impressive bit of hardware and a big step forward for the company in three significant ways. The One is a top-notch, beautifully designed handset packed with the best specs and a ton of compelling features. It also runs a unique, fresh take on Google's Android operating system. And it's available in exactly the same configuration across the three major U.S. carriers. This is the phone that could close the gap between HTC's flagship and those from Apple and Samsung. We spent a couple of hours with the One before its big unveiling in New York today, and were thoroughly impressed by the luxurious materials used on the handset, the expert build quality holding it all together, and a slew of thoughtfully crafted software features. Although the phone carries the branding established last year with the One X, One S, and other HTC phones, the One amounts to a reboot of the company's vision for Android. The One X, HTC's previous flagship, won critical praise, but as an AT&T exclusive it failed to generate the sales the company had hoped for. "We think about the One X and we think 'Wow, it was big, and it was one of the best phones we've ever done,'" Scott Croyle, HTC's vice president of design, said. "But if I were to compare it to, say, other stuff that was out there, I wouldn't say it was a step-change different." The company set out to build a phone that could surpass, not just meet, the performance and quality of the Apple iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy SIII. So it put a huge effort into nailing the Sense user interface, packing the phone with the best tech and broadening its reach across carriers. Sense 4, the previous generation of HTC's Android customization, has been thrown out. Every aspect of Sense has been rethought and redesigned. The result is a slick, clean user interface, full of artful icons that match the flat, understated look Google has been trying to push with its own stock version of Android. And there's a focus in the new Sense on making things that users commonly do easier and more intuitive — such as sifting through social media and news apps, or snapping photos and video. "I think we came to this recognition that, 'Wow, there are these two other companies that are going to spend a lot more money than HTC,'" Croyle said. "This is the reality of the business. They have much deeper pockets and they can carpet bomb the industry and they have a tremendous amount of inertia there, particularly with Apple in the U.S. So, for the One, we really had to get it right, we really had to just go for it." While it's easy to see the chamfered edges found on the One and think of the iPhone 5, the One is far from a copycat product. It has a massive — and gorgeous — 4.7-inch 1080p display with a pixel density of 468 pixels per inch. As with nearly every flagship phone out there nowadays, pixels are indiscernible on the One's generous display. Colors look vivid and crisp as well. The touchscreen dominates the front of the One, with aluminum capping each end. Rows of pinholes are machined into each strip of aluminum, serving as pathways for sound coming from a set of dual front-facing speakers. Every phone speaker we've ever heard has sounded like hell. While the One won't replace your Jambox anytime soon, its onboard speakers sound immensely better than anything we've heard from a phone. Inside, the One features a 1.7GHz, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 2GB of RAM, and NFC chip, Bluetooth 4.0 and connectivity to both HSPA and LTE networks. Everything is packed into a sleek, aluminum unibody — shipping in either silver or black — that features a subtly curved back with inlaid antennas. The One weighs 5.04 ounces, and is just 0.36 inches thick. The One will also sports a beefed up camera, with a ton of photo and video features — which are so plentiful we've written a separate story focusing on the One's camera. Along with all new hardware, HTC is using the One to introduce an all new take on Android. Sense 4, HTC's last skin, was among the best versions of Google's mobile OS thanks to its simplicity and gimmick-free implementation. The latest version — now just called Sense — brings users from a lock screen to a new Flipboard-like app called BlinkFeed, which displays a feed of information, stories, photos and video from various sources of your choosing. HTC has worked in integration with a few news outlets, so news stories by topic or by outlet can show up in your BlinkFeed. And the app can be connected to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and other social networks as well. See a news story you're interested in reading? Just tap the tile in your feed and you're taken to a view that shows the story and its accompanying artwork in a presentation that makes reading clean and easy — again, very much like Flipboard, Pocket, Pulse and other "read it later" services. Tap a tweet or post from Facebook you'll be launched into that corresponding social network's Android app. You can even set up BlinkFeed to pipe in your photos and videos. Everything is displayed in reverse chronological order, just like your Twitter timeline, Facebook feed and everything else that's sorted online. While BlinkFeed is a pre-installed app, it's also the default view any One user will see once they unlock their phone. If you want to get to a traditional Android homescreen view — with apps, widgets and folders of apps — just swipe in from the right on BlinkFeed and Android as you know it will appear. "If you want regular Android, it's there," Croyle said. "But, everybody's snacking on information, whether it's from their social networks or some news source that they're just interested in. So [BlinkFeed] really is geared around that recognition of how people are actually using their phones." AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile will sell the One, along with many smaller regional telecom companies. The significance of this can't be overstated. Currently, only Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S III are offered as widely. The iPhone is sold through AT&T, Sprint and Verizion — and it's on it's way to T-Mobile. The S III is sold by all four of the nation's top carriers. All too often, a great phone, like last year's One X, was confined to a limited audience due to carriers wanting exclusive rights to phones. The fact that the One is joining it's biggest rivals in a new paradigm that bucks the idea of exclusive phones is a good thing for HTC — because they get to sell their best device in more places — and consumers — because you have more choice when you go to buy your next phone. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2011 Wired.com. | HTC's One phone could be the one that closes the gap with Apple and Samsung .
The One, unveiled Tuesday, has a massive 4.7-inch touchscreen display .
It's camera ignores sometimes-meaningless megapixel count for "UltraPixels"
The One will be available on AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint . |
174,721 | 6e215fbc29d901e353ee8e0ab006086f624b528c | The Ministry of Defence was forced to buy scrapyard parts to keep its only carrier in service. Today The Mail on Sunday can reveal how, in a frantic effort to refit HMS Illustrious after a fire, MoD officials salvaged parts from her sister ship HMS Ark Royal – the aircraft carrier sold two years ago. To public outcry, the historic vessel was sent to a Turkish scrapyard to be recycled into tin cans. Raiding the lost ark: HMS Ark Royal (pictured) was sent to a Turkish scrapyard to be recycled two years ago . This cost-saving measure left Britain without a single carrier for fixed-wing planes, with HMS Illustrious, which can carry only helicopters, as the Royal Navy’s sole vessel capable of carrying aircraft. A report obtained by this newspaper reveals that following the fire aboard Illustrious, the ship’s officers found they had no parts to replace those destroyed. This led to cash-strapped defence officials making an emergency request to the scrapyard’s owners to search the rusting remains of Ark Royal to find the missing parts. Last night, the MoD refused to say how much it had cost to salvage and airlift these parts to Britain. The MoD was forced to buy scrapyard parts to keep its only carrier in service, HMS Illustrious . But the former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West, said: ‘We should have held on to the Ark for just this sort of situation. ‘Selling her off for scrap was a huge risk. With her sister ship Illustrious remaining in service, she would have been very useful. The Royal Navy has been cut to the bone, with no aircraft carriers and just 19 destroyers and frigates.’ The parts from Ark Royal were due to be fitted to Illustrious following her return to Portsmouth on January 10 after delivering humanitarian aid supplies to victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Illustrious had previously been on anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia. It was during this operation that the fire started on August 13 last year. Afterwards one of the carrier’s officers realised that there were ‘no replacement stores’ for the radio switchboard and its surrounding cabinet. Civil servants confirmed that the same equipment had been fitted to Ark Royal. Both ships belong to the Invincible class of aircraft carriers. The sale of the Ark to Leyal Recycling for £2.9 million in 2011 led former US Defence Secretary Robert Gates to describe the UK as no longer a ‘full partner’ in military operations. Illustrious is to be retired later this year. New aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to enter Royal Navy service in 2020. An MoD spokesman said: ‘While the part was not one that would routinely need replacing, a small fire meant we had to get hold of another one, which we did, paying £57,000 less than we would have done if buying new.’ The MoD refused to say how much it had cost to salvage and airlift these parts to Britain . | The Ministry of Defence was forced to buy parts to keep carrier in service .
HMS Illustrious has to be refitted with parts from HMS Ark Royal after a fire .
HMS Ark Royal was sold two years ago and sent to a Turkish scrapyard . |
178,806 | 737e61b0f5f98763f436b4cbf669b2563bb810c2 | Luis Suarez said there is no cause for concern among Liverpool fans as he denied Barcelona and Real Madrid have priority over bidding for him this summer. Asked about the Spanish giants possible interest in signing him Suarez said: 'As far as I’m aware there is no clause that suggests a priority for any team. 'My head now is focused on the World Cup. Everyone knows there will be media speculation this summer as there always is but I have a contract with Liverpool.' VIDEO Scroll down to watch Suarez talk about speculation surrounding his future . All smiles: Luis Suarez insists Real Madrid and Barcelona don't have options in his Liverpool contract . I don't even look! Suarez said he just turns the page when he sees his name linked with a transfer away . Suarez is used to seeing his name linked with moves away from Anfield, but said he has a foolproof way of avoiding becoming embroiled in any transfer saga. 'I just turn the page,' he added. 'You know what the speculation is like and you try not to take any notice. I know what I want and it is more speculation than reality.' Presented in Barcelona as the new image of betting company 888poker he admitted there had been tears of rage underneath his Liverpool shirt when he walked off the pitch at Selhurst Park knowing the league was gone. 'I had a lot of rage inside me knowing that just a week before we had a great chance to win the league and in that moment it was the realisation that the opportunity had probably gone. 'I just wanted to hide my face and get down the tunnel. We had had such a great season but it wasn’t going to be enough. The key game was against Chelsea. Maybe we lacked a touch of concentration or focus to stop that goal or create a clear chance after it to get the draw and then depend on ourselves. 'I don’t think they would have scored and a draw would have been OK for us. But after losing that game we knew that we were no longer relying on ourselves and that was a big blow psychologically to the team. Needs a bigger trophy cabinet: Suarez won the Barclays Premier League Player of the Season award . Can't believe it! The striker was left in tears as Liverpool drew 3-3 against Crystal Palace last week . Looking ahead positively: Suarez believes Liverpool can clinch the Premier League title next season . 'It’s been a great season. We did all we could do. Every player gave absolutely everything. We would have taken just being in the top four at the end of the season. But then coming so close it was heart-breaking to miss out. 'When we started the season the aim was to finish in the top four but over the course of the season it became clear that we had a chance to win the league. Then you have the disappointment of not doing that but if we look back at that original target then we should be really happy. 'We are back in the Champions League, which is where Liverpool belongs. My season wasn’t bad. The whole team played really well and we gave the fans something to be proud of.' Challenge: Suarez is going head-to-head with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo for European Golden Boot . Suarez can . still win the Golden Boot for most league goals in a European season . and said: 'It’s an honour for me to be fighting for it with the likes of . Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa who has also had an . incredible season.' If . Ronaldo fails to score this weekend the two will finish with the same . number of goals and Suarez would win with a better goals per games . ratio. Asked . if Liverpool’s title chances next season will be improved by their . experience in this campaign he said: 'Well we were first with just a few . weeks left so that will give the younger players great experience going . into next season. Those young players will grow and be even stronger . next time.' | Liverpool striker Suarez says he takes no notice of speculation .
Uruguayan denied Barcelona and Real Madrid clauses in his contract .
Suarez believes Brendan Rodgers' side can win the Premier League . |
129,203 | 32f93fee514a2165c928da46413d0864ba398d1b | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 05:50 EST, 23 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:33 EST, 23 October 2013 . Vine videos are a relatively new phenomenon but the idea of making short moving pictures dates back as far as the early 19th century. In 1829, a Belgian physicist invented the phenakistoscope, or 'spindle viewer' as a toy for his sons. It spun images around an axis making them appear to move when looked at in a mirror. The images depicted traditional scenes, including couples dancing and horses jumping, to more abstract clips such as men diving into the mouths of lions, and now artist Richard Balzer has created digital versions of these stunning animations. Still images were drawn onto a disc . and each image was slightly different, in the same way images are drawn . on the pages of a flip book. This disc was attached to another that had slits cut around it and both were attached to an axis in the centre. The disc with the images on was held . in front of a mirror and was spun around this axis. When looked at in . the mirror, the images appeared to move in circles. The toy was created by blind scientist Joseph Plateau at the same time Austrian Simon von Stampfer designed an identical device called the stroboscope. Still images were drawn onto a disc and each image was slightly different, in the same way images are drawn on the pages of a flip book. This disc was attached to another that had slits cut around it and both were attached to an axis in the centre. The disc with the images on was held in front of a mirror and was spun around this axis. When looked at in the mirror, through the slits, the images appeared to move in circles. The . phenakistoscope was also referred to as the Phantasmascope and . Fantoscope and was ultimately replaced by William George Horner's zoetrope. A zoetrope is different because the images are fitted inside a spinning wheel and users peer through the slits in the side of the toy. This means more than one person can see the moving images for various angles. Although the toy was invented before Queen Victoria took to the throne, it became popular during her reign. Plateau's design was based on the work of Michael Faraday and his 'Faraday's Wheel', which spun two discs in opposite directions to create an electrical charge from a magnetic field. The phenakistoscope toy, pictured left, was . created by blind scientist Joseph Plateau and showed moving images in a . mirror. It was ultimately replaced by the zoetrope, pictured right, that . used the same principles but the images are instead fitted inside a . wheel and can be viewed by multiple people from different angles . It used the principle of 'persistence of motion' in which images are used in such a way to create an illusion of motion. A later, handheld version of Plateau's design was created in which the discs were separated, thus removing the need for a mirror. Examples of scenes, depicted on the original phenakistoscope, include a couple dancing and horses jumping over fences. Others show jesters performing star jumps as red and yellow birds fly near their heads, frogs hopping around a circle of grass blowing in the wind, and magpies bouncing on top of people's heads as the people are showing eating small blue balls. There are also kaleidoscopic phenakistoscopes that use geometric shapes to create a hypnotic effect, and more surreal images of men climbing ladders into the mouth of the Moon, or diving into the mouths of lions. | Phenakistoscope was created in Belgium as a predecessor to the flip book .
Images were spun round an axis in such a way that they appeared to move .
The gif-style results include couples dancing and leaping clowns .
Artist has now turned a selection of these images into mesmerising gifs . |
146,442 | 495f10fa68fdabdc899efa050b9f072408db5b87 | (CNN) -- After seven months of an aerial bombing campaign that helped depose Moammar Gadhafi, NATO said Friday it was ending its mission in Libya next week. The expected announcement from the alliance came a day after the United Nations Security Council rescinded its March mandate for military intervention. "Today, we confirmed the decision taken by the North Atlantic Council a week ago," said NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. "Our operation for Libya will end on October 31. Until then, together with our partners, we will continue to monitor the situation. And if needed, we will continue to respond to threats to civilians. "Libyans have now liberated their country. And they have transformed the region," Rasmussen said. "This is their victory." Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said NATO's mission puts Libya on a path to freedom. But she tempered her remarks with a word of caution. "We're very concerned that, as we move forward, that the authorities make maximum effort to swiftly form an inclusive government that incorporates all aspects of Libyan society, and in which the rights of all Libyan people are fully and thoroughly respected, regardless of their gender, their religion, their region of origin," Rice said after the Security Council vote Thursday. "But for the United States, and, I think, for the United Nations Security Council, this closes what I think history will judge to be a proud chapter in the Security Council's history." British Foreign Secretary William Hague described the Security Council passage of Resolution 2016 as "another significant milestone towards a peaceful, democratic future for Libya. Ending the no-fly zone and the civilian protection provisions demonstrates that Libya has entered a new era." Meanwhile, Gadhafi's relatives plan to file a war crimes complaint with the International Criminal Court against NATO, a lawyer representing the family said Thursday. Members of the family believe NATO's actions led to Gadhafi's death last week, Marcel Ceccaldi said. "All of the events that have taken place since February 2011 and the murder of Gadhafi, all of this means we are totally in our right to call upon the International Criminal Court," Ceccaldi said. The ICC had issued a warrant for Gadhafi's arrest, accusing him of crimes against humanity. It still has warrants out for the arrest of Gadhafi's son, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, and his brother-in-law and intelligence chief, Abdullah al-Sanussi. Questions have been raised about how Gadhafi was killed. Amateur videos showed him alive when captured by the opposition. He died from a shot in the head, officials said, but the circumstances surrounding the shot remain unclear. Ceccaldi said the Gadhafi family's complaint will be filed in the coming days. "Now we will wait and see if the ICC is a judicial system which is independent and impartial," he added. NATO's Libya campaign began in March, after the Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, which imposed a no-fly zone in the country's airspace and authorized member states to take measures to protect civilians. Meanwhile, U.S. officials announced plans to transport 30 seriously wounded Libyan fighters Saturday to U.S. hospitals in Boston and Germany. The National Transitional Council requested the treatment because their wounds can't be treated in Libya, officials said. | NEW: NATO ends its Libya mission Monday .
NEW: The seven-month campaign helped bring an end to Moammar Gadhafi .
Gadhafi's family says it will file a complaint against NATO .
The U.N. Security Council voted to end a mandate authorizing the NATO operation . |
176,996 | 711bdd87cb1b6c1e1611c478cb2ed75092bbabde | By . Ashley Collman . As the death toll in the single most deadly avalanche in Mt Everest history continues to grow, an American climber has written a touching tribute to the Sherpa who saved his life. Jon Reiter of California is currently on his second attempt to summit the world's tallest mountain and was moving up to Camp 1 Friday morning when he heard a 'crack' sound and saw snow and ice come barreling down the mountain. The 49-year-old says his first thought was to get his camera out and film the avalanche, but his quick-thinking Sherpa instead pushed him to safety behind some ice blocks. Life-saver: Jon Reiter of California poses with his Sherpa guide Dawa the day after a deadly avalanche swept the mountain . Deadly force: The avalanche that killed at least thirteen sherpas is pictured as it barrels down Mount Everest . No hope of survival: Rescuers on Mount Everest found the body of a 13th Nepalese guide buried under snow as authorities ruled out hope of finding any more survivors from the deadliest accident ever on the world's highest peak . In a blog post written Saturday, Reiter praises his Sherpa named Dawa, calling him an amazing man whom he has great respect for. 'He's a perfect example of the selfless Sherpa people that we entrust with out lives while on the mountain and who we quickly learn to call of friends [sic]' In the post, he included a picture of Dawa just as the guide was leaving base camp Saturday. 'Dawa is the man who was by my side with the avalanche struck. He's the guy who spent all day yesterday digging his friends and neighbors out of the snow and sending their limp bodies hanging on a cable from the helicopter down to base camp. 'After a long 16 agonizing hours he showed up at my tent, before going to his own, to make sure I was ok,' Reiter wrote. Aftermath: Reiter (right) poses with Marcus Brindle of Melbourne, Australia and Mingma Sherpa (center) on Easter Sunday - two days after the deadly avalanche . Should he stay or go? As of Saturday, Reiter seemed unsure whether he would continue with his attempt to summit Everest . Narrow escape: A Photo of fellow climbers taken by Jon Reiter at the Kumbu Icefall on Mt. Everest a few days before Friday's deadly avalanche . So far 13 bodies have been pulled from the mountain and an additional three people are still missing. All of the dead were Sherpas, native Himalyans who guide foreign climbers up the mountain. Reiter says the tragedy has shaken the Sherpa community on the mountain and that most of them have decided to go home and be with their families for a few days. 'This scene is a lot for us western climbers to take in so I can't imagine what our Sherpa partners are really feeling and thinking as we all witness the worst disaster in Everest history happening in front of our eyes,' he wrote. Reiter also addressed the theories that over-crowing or litter on the mountain caused the devastating avalanche in the area of Everest known as the 'popcorn field'. Reiter maintains that the avalanche was an accident and an act of nature. Mother of Nepalese mountaineer Ang Kaji Sherpa, killed in an avalanche on Mount Everest, cries while she waits for his body at Sherpa Monastery in Katmandu, Nepal, Saturday, April 19, 2014. Rescuers were searching through piles of snow and ice on the slopes of Mount Everest on Saturday for four Sherpa guides who were buried by an avalanche that killed 12 other Nepalese guides in the deadliest disaster on the world's highest peak. The Sherpa people are one of the main ethnic groups in Nepal's alpine region, and many make their living as climbing guides on Everest and other Himalayan peaks. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha) Nepalese mountain rescue workers lifting an injured climber after an avalanche came down on Mt. Everest. Authorities called off the rescue operation for survivors after 13 Nepali climbing guides were killed in an avalanche on Mount Everest, as bad weather closed in . Final resting place: Group of family members of the Nepalese mountaineer carry the body of Ang Kaji Sherpa, who died on Mt. Everest Avalanche upon its arrival at Sherpa Monastry in Kathmandu . The daughter of Mount Everest avalanche victim Ang Kazi Sherpa cries while consoled by a relative as the body is brought to the Sherpa Monastery . 'There were only about 40 of us in the entire icefall and we were spread out,' he writes. 'There was no one waiting for others in order to move up and no congestion anywhere in the icefall. It appeared to be perfect climbing conditions right up until the moment the thunder struck.' And while littering has been a problem on the mountain in the past, Reiter says it couldn't possibly have played a role in Friday's tragedy. 'Excessive trash did not cause this to happen. There is absolutely no garbage that I saw anywhere in the icefall. Actually we should all be proud of how good this place really looks. This was a random act of nature.' Climbers declared a four-day halt to efforts to scale the 8,848-metre (29,029-ft) summit and, while some decided to abandon their mission, others said they would go ahead after talking to their guides. Dangerous: A group of more than a dozen sherpas had gone up on the mountain early Friday morning to fix some ropes that would be used by trekkers later in the day, but one survivor recalled feeling that the route was unstable . Relatives of a Mount Everest avalanche victim grieve as bodies arrive at the Sherpa Monastery in Kathmandu . Relative await news: Seven climbers were rescued, including two airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment. The avalanche hit at a site known as the Khumbu icefall at more than 5,000 m altitude, as the climbers were ascending from the base camp to camp one . As of Saturday, Reiter seemed unsure . of whether he would continue his summit attempt on Everest - fulfilling . his goal of climbing the tallest mountain on every continent. 'Early . this morning I read a comment written about me where the author said, . "I hope he finds what he's looking for up there." I appreciated that . notion because it got me to thinking about what am I looking for, and I . think I have found it whether I see the summit of Everest or not,' Reiter wrote. But Reiter may not have a choice in the matter. His wife Susan Reiter told MailOnline Sunday that the Sherpas are threatening to take down the ladders and ropes up to the summit if the Nepalese government doesn't reward the family's victims benefits. The Sherpas have set a deadline for Tuesday, so that's when Reiter will know if he can attempt a summit or not. If he doesn't make it this year, Mrs Reiter says he's likely to go back and try in 2015. 'I think he will. I mean, he says he won't but that's what he said last year when he had to turn around,' she told MailOnline. When the Nepalese government released this list, only 12 were dead and four were missing. The latest reports have the number of fatalities up to 13 but they have not disclosed who is the new fatality. Name of expedition . NBC Everest Expedition . Adventurist Everest Expedition . AAI Everest Expeditions . AC Everest Expeditions . Jagged Globe Everest Exped. Himalayan Ecstasy Lhotse . Everest Chinese Dream . Name of Trekking Company . Shangrila Nepal Pvt. Ltd. Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks . Shangrila Nepal Pvt. Ltd. Himalayan Guides Nepal Treks . Summit Nepal Trekking . Himalayan Ecstasy Treks . Seven Summit Treks Pvt. Ltd. Names of sherpas . Mingma Nuru Sherpa- dead . Derji Sherpa- dead . Dorjee Khatri- dead . Then Dorjee Sherpa- dead . Phur Temba Sherpa- dead . Ang Tshiri Sherpa- dead . Nima Sherpa- dead . Tenzng Chottar- missing . Phurba Ongyal Sherpa- dead . Lakpa Tenjing Sherpa- dead . Chhring Ongchu Sherpa- dead . Pasang Karma Sherpa- dead . Asman Tamang- dead . Ankaji Sherpa- missing . Pem Tenji Sherpa- missing . AAsh Bahadur Gurung- missing . Gathering information: Dawa Tashi Sherpa (pictured) is one of the guides who was rescued but there were 13 who have now been confirmed dead and three remain missing . Waiting to help: Staffers at Grandy Hospital in Katmandu were ready on the helipad Friday but communication isn't clear between who hired which guide groups who were on the mountain in the avalanche . The Sherpa people are one of the main ethnic groups in Nepal's alpine region, and many make their living as climbing guides on Everest and other Himalayan peaks . Although . relatively low on the mountain, climbers say the icefall is one of the . most dangerous places on Mount Everest. There are, however, no safer . paths along the famous South Col route scaled by Sir Edmund Hillary and . Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Around . 100 climbers and guides had already passed beyond the Khumbu Icefall to . prepare their attempts on the summit. They are safe, but a new path . will have to be made to make it possible to continue the expeditions. The . area is considered particularly dangerous due to its steep slope and . deep crevasses that cut through the snow and ice covering the pass year . round. Sherpas often make . 20-25 round trips to carry kit and supplies to advanced camps, exposing . them to greater risk. The most endangered are the so-called Icefall . Doctors - a team that maintains and fixes the route. Authorities ruled out hope of finding any more survivors from the deadliest accident ever on the world's highest peak . 'It's . always the most dangerous part of the mountain to climb, because the . ice is constantly moving, there are so many crevasses and seracs where . you need to use ladders and ropes to get through the very technical . terrain,' Californian climber Adrian Ballinger, of Alpenglow . Expeditions, told Reuters. It was first major avalanche of this year's climbing season on Everest, which has been scaled by more than 4,000 climbers. The . Sherpa people are one of the main ethnic groups in Nepal's alpine . region, and many make their living as climbing guides on Everest and . other Himalayan peaks. More . than 4,000 climbers have summited Everest since 1953, when it was first . conquered by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Hundreds have died trying. The . worst recorded disaster on Everest had been a fierce blizzard on May . 11, 1996, that caused the deaths of eight climbers, including famed . mountaineer Rob Hall, and was later memorialized in a book, 'Into Thin . Air,' by Jon Krakauer. Six Nepalese guides were killed in an avalanche . in 1970. Earlier this year, . Nepal announced several steps to better manage the heavy flow of . climbers and speed up rescue operations. The steps included the dispatch . of officials and security personnel to the base camp at (5,300 meters) 17,380 feet, where they will stay throughout the spring climbing season, . which ends in May. | Jon Reiter of California was climbing up to Camp 1 Friday morning when the avalanche happened .
He says his first thought was to film the avalanche, but his Sherpa saved his life by pushing him to safety .
There are now 13 people confirmed dead and three missing, an official says .
This is the single deadliest accident on Mount Everest; the deadliest year was 1996 . |
11,233 | 1fef30aab2f712d6b6b6fb22cb00f227cd2a8cfd | They have plagued feet for centuries, but only now have physicists revealed what causes ingrown nails. Experts have come up with the first mathematical formulae that describe how human nails grow. They have discovered that ingrown toenails are caused when the forces holding nails in place, and their rate of growth, become unbalanced. Experts have come up with mathematical formulae that describe how nails grow. These graphs show how the tilt of the nail changes when the adhesive molecules are not working efficiently (C), the probability that a bond is not keeping up with nail growth (D) and a representation of the force generated by a nail (E) Other factors, such as the thickness of the nail, biomechanical stress and the way people trim their nails, influences their chances of getting ingrown nails. The University of Nottingham study solves a long-running mystery about why ingrown nails occur. Nails are made of dead skin cells, which are hardened by a protein called keratin. They grow outwards from the half-moon shaped ‘lunala’ at the base of the nail, but their progress of 0.1 to 0.2mm a day is kept in check by adhesive molecules that ‘stick’ the nail to the finger, Popsci reported. They have discovered that ingrown toenails are caused when the forces holding nails in place, and their rate of growth, become unbalanced. When this happens, a nail becomes wider at the top and curls round into the sensitive flesh to either side of the nail. Big toenails are prone to becoming ingrown because of their shape . Scientists looked at the mechanical stresses and energies associated with the nail, to come up with equations to explain nail growth. They show that when the balance between the nail’s growth stress and adhesive stress is broken – if a nail grows too quickly or slowly, or the number of adhesive structures changes – a residual stress across the entire nail can occur, causing it to change shape over time. The equations demonstrate that residual stress can occur in any fingernail or toenail; however, the stress is greater for nails that are larger in size and have a flatter edge, which explains why ingrown toe nails predominantly occur in the big toe. Experts say that the tiny, microscopic structures, which allow the nail to slide forwards, grow in a ‘ratchet-like’ fashion by continuously binding and unbinding to a nail. If the balance between adhesion and growth becomes unbalanced, the nail changes shape, and can become ingrown or spoon-shaped, according to research published in the journal, Physical Biology. Ingrown nails often occur in children, teenagers and pregnant women, when hormones cause a growth spurt of the nails, which extend into the sensitive flesh alongside them. Cyril Rauch, lead author of the study at the University of Nottingham, said that big toenails are particularly prone to becoming ingrown because of their shape. Scientists say that people should trim their nails in a ‘parabola shape’ to minimise their chance of getting ingrown nails. They warned that poor trimming can tip the fine balance of nails, causing residual stress to occur across the entire nail, making problems like ingrown nails more likely . Their squareness means stress caused by walking is diverted to the tip of the nail, which gets wider to spread the load. The scientist says that people should trim their nails in a ‘parabola shape’ to minimise their chance of getting ingrown nails. Dr Rauch warns that regular poor trimming can tip the fine balance of nails, causing residual stress to occur across the entire nail. ‘We suggest that nail beauty fanatics who trim their nails on a daily basis opt for straight or parabolic edges, as otherwise they may amplify the imbalance of stresses which could lead to a number of serious conditions,’ he says. | Scientists at the University of Nottingham have come up with the first mathematical formulae that describe how human nails grow .
They say ingrown toenails are caused when the forces holding nails in place, and their rate of growth, become unbalanced .
Other factors, such as the thickness of the nail, biomechanical stress and the way people trim their nails, changes the odds of getting ingrown nails .
Experts advise people to trim their nails in a 'parabola shape' |
139,726 | 40ae95d6df5e094f1084fd6077b2cd72b93d350d | Stephen Lawrence: Secret Metropolitan Police unit the Special Demonstration Squad compiled information on the murdered teenager's family . A rogue undercover police unit ‘hoovered up’ a staggering amount of personal details during 40 years of secretive missions, a damning report revealed yesterday. Members of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) compiled information about at least 18 justice campaigns, many made up of relatives fighting for the truth after the deaths of victims from ethnic minorities. But much of the intelligence they gathered was no more than worthless ‘community gossip’. Some Scotland Yard commissioners and their most senior colleagues were ‘possibly negligent’ in their lack of knowledge of the unit’s existence, the report’s author claimed. Yesterday, the chief constable leading the unprecedented inquiry into undercover policing said some top officers would face misconduct proceedings if they were still serving. The undercover officers themselves could face prosecution over illicit sexual affairs they had with targets and their appearances in court under false identities. Mick Creedon, who is conducting the inquiry, known as Operation Herne, criticised senior Metropolitan Police officers as being complacent and ‘possibly negligent’ in their failure to oversee the activities of the SDS. He said: ‘We have spoken to officers who held the rank of commissioner and deputy commissioner along with other very senior officers involved in covert policing and public order and the vast majority of them knew nothing of the existence of SDS. ‘This is astonishing given the suggested pivotal role the SDS played in reporting on violence and extremism and preventing disorder and the question has to be asked about the lack of executive scrutiny, of intrusive senior management and of effective supervision.’ The latest revelations about the controversial unit sparked fresh outrage about the activities of undercover officers. Investigators discovered officers gathered information about the families of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence; Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead by police after being mistaken for a suicide bomber; and mother-of-eight Cherry Groce, whose shooting sparked the Brixton riots in 1985. Some of those targeted said they will consider suing the Met again and one mother said she felt ‘stripped of my dignity’. Mr Creedon said his staff spoke to three former commissioners and an unknown number of their deputies and assistants. He declined to name them, but Lord Blair was in charge when Mr de Menezes was shot dead by police at Stockwell Tube station in 2005. Lord Condon and Lord Stevens occupied the commissioner’s office when the unit was reporting back on private matters involving the Lawrence family. The report found SDS officers improperly gathered and stored information on at least 18 justice campaigns between 1970 and 2005. But Mr Creedon said no documentary evidence or witnesses have been found to substantiate claims that the SDS deliberately targeted grieving families. Investigators found officers gathered information about the families of Cherry Groce, left, whose shooting sparked the Brixton riots, and Jean Charles de Menezes, right, who was killed by police on the Tube in 2004 . Operation Herne was sparked by incendiary claims last year from Peter Francis, a former undercover officer, in the Guardian that a spy was ordered to smear the Lawrence family. But Mr Francis repeatedly refused to be interviewed by Herne investigators, and Mr Creedon said: ‘There is no witness or documentary evidence that supports those allegations.’ He said SDS officers were never directly tasked to infiltrate or inform on families, but were targeting violent factions who wanted to hijack their justice campaigns. Mr Creedon said worthless information of no value to criminal probes was stored, for example details of someone attending a funeral. The Derbyshire chief said such information should have been destroyed, in line with modern laws governing secretive police operations and people’s right to privacy. The undercover police saga is far from over, as prosecutors examine whether officers perverted the course of justice by using false identities in court. There may also be criminal charges arising from sexual relationships between officers and activists. Mr Creedon said his team has another 12 months of work as they scour archives of secret material. Met Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: ‘I regret enormously the distress that has been caused to families.’ | Former senior officers deny knowledge of the Special Demonstration Squad .
Some could have faced misconduct proceedings if they were not retired .
Police insist spies targeted violent factions who wanted to hijack campaigns . |
120,983 | 285de6519a2fb4be39d0728857302a95829275e3 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 06:20 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:17 EST, 17 October 2013 . The mysterious six-sided storm on Saturn’s North Pole has long captivated astronomers. But up until now, images taken of it have been in infrared wavelengths, showing false-colour shades of red, orange and green. Now Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft, which has been orbiting the planet for over nine years, has captured the northern hexagon in its true, incredible colours. Scroll down for video... Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, which has been orbiting Saturn for over nine years, has captured the northern hexagon in true colour . The hexagon is nearly 15,000 miles (25,000 kilometers) across — big enough for nearly four Earths to fit inside. The colour composite below has been created from raw images taken by Cassini from a distance of 379,268 miles away. It shows the strange geometric structure of the hexagon alongside the impressive variation in shades around Saturn’s northern hemisphere. This older, colour composite image - showing false shades - has been created from raw images taken by Cassini from a distance of 379,268 miles away . The mysterious six-sided hexagon on Saturn’s North Pole has long captivated astronomers is thought to be is nearly 15,000 miles (25,000 kilometers) across . The hexagon is made of a band of . upper-atmospheric winds which creates its six-sided shape. A polar . cyclone can be seen at its centre. First seen by Voyagers 1 and 2 over 30 years ago the hexagon it thought to be fixed with Saturn’s rotation. In April, the Cassini spacecraft . provided scientists with the first close-up, visible-light views of a . behemoth hurricane swirling within the hexagon. Thin, . bright clouds at the outer edge of the hurricane were estimated to be . travelling at around 330 mph (150 meters per second). The hexagon is made of a band of upper-atmospheric winds which creates its six-sided shape. A polar cyclone can be seen at its centre. First seen by Voyagers 1 and 2 over 30 years ago the hexagon it thought to be fixed with Saturn’s rotation. In April, the Cassini spacecraft provided scientists with the first close-up, visible-light views of a behemoth hurricane swirling within the hexagon. Thin, bright clouds at the outer edge of the hurricane were estimated to be travelling at around 330 mph (150 meters per second). 'We did a double take when we saw this vortex because it looks so much like a hurricane on Earth,' said Andrew Ingersoll, a Cassini imaging team member at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. 'But there it is at Saturn, on a much larger scale, and it is somehow getting by on the small amounts of water vapor in Saturn's hydrogen atmosphere.' This spectacular, vertigo inducing, false-color image from NASA's Cassini mission highlights the storms at Saturn's north pole . Scientists are now studying the hurricane to gain insight into hurricanes on Earth, which feed off warm ocean water. Although there is no body of water close to these clouds high in Saturn's atmosphere, learning how these Saturnian storms use water vapor could tell scientists more about how terrestrial hurricanes are generated and sustained. Both a terrestrial hurricane and Saturn's north polar vortex have a central eye with no clouds or very low clouds. Other similar features include high clouds forming an eye wall, other high clouds spiraling around the eye, and a counter-clockwise spin in the northern hemisphere. A major difference between the hurricanes is that the one on Saturn is much bigger than its counterparts on Earth and spins surprisingly fast. At Saturn, the wind in the eye wall blows more than four times faster than hurricane-force winds on Earth. | Hexagon shape is created by a band of upper-atmospheric winds on Saturn .
Images, up until now, have shown it in false-colour infrared wavelengths .
In April, the Cassini spacecraft provided scientists with the first close-up views of a behemoth hurricane swirling within it . |
150,486 | 4e8eb04df0b230449ee4080fb0780cfc79719ca8 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 07:31 EST, 24 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:37 EST, 24 December 2013 . A woman has been caught on CCTV allegedly stealing a Christmas tree from a care home. Police are searching for the 'callous' woman who was captured on camera walking into sheltered accommodation for vulnerable adults in Camberwell, south-east London. She was caught on CCTV on the evening of December 16 after she had pretended to be visiting someone who did not know her. Scroll down for video . CCTV footage of a woman police are trying to identify after she was captured on CCTV stealing a Christmas tree from a care home in Camberwell, London . Shortly afterwards she left with the tree, which had decorated the entrance to the home after being donated by a member of staff. Southwark Police are now trying to identify the woman. Police are searching for the woman after shewas captured on camera walking into sheltered accommodation for vulnerable adults in Camberwell, south-east London . She was caught on CCTV on the evening of December 16 and pretended to be visiting someone who did not know her . Shortly afterwards she left with the tree, which had decorated the entrance to the home after being donated by a member of staff . Anyone who is able to identify the woman or has any information is asked to contact police . Police constable Lorna Clark said: 'This is a particularly callous crime especially at this time of year involving some of our more vulnerable members of society.' Anyone who is able to identify the woman or has any information is asked to contact police on 02087212446 or 101 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. | Tree taken from home for vulnerable adults in south-east London .
Woman had pretended to be visiting someone who did not know her .
Police now trying to the 'callous' woman and have asked for public help . |
240,543 | c363d414f3a3f82185c504a820fda0f9cc24d885 | (CNN) -- New Yorkers feasted on the stories when the news broke in 2006: Brooke Astor, a socialite and megaphilanthropist with Alzheimer's, had allegedly been swindled of millions and mistreated by her own son. Brooke Astor and grandson Philip Marshall outside her New York country estate, Holly Hill, in 2001 or 2002. Anthony "Tony" Marshall, her only child, was indicted on criminal charges including grand larceny, possession of stolen property, forgery and conspiracy. Jury selection for the criminal trial was scheduled to begin Monday. But co-defendant Francis Morrissey's attorney filed an 11th-hour motion to sever his client's trial from Marshall's. The motion was denied late Friday, and a new trial date has been set for March 2. Morrissey, Marshall's former lawyer, faces charges including forgery and scheming to defraud. A lawyer representing Marshall, Fred Hafetz, would say only that there would be "no plea" and that he hopes his client will "be vindicated." Watch author Meryl Gordon discuss the case » . The trial is likely to resuscitate the tabloid feeding frenzy, which has fostered headlines such as "Bad heir day," "Mrs. Astor's disaster" and "DA's kick in the Astor." It's not the way those closest to Astor want to remember her. And the disclosures expected to spill forth from the witness stand aren't the type that Astor, who died in August 2007 at 105, would want shared in public. "She would have been mortified," said Vartan Gregorian, a longtime friend and president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. "She was very private." Through her late husband's Vincent Astor Foundation, Astor was credited with giving New York, where the Astors made their fortune, about $200 million. And although she felt it was expected of her to be proper and elegant, Gregorian said, her wealth didn't define her. Talk of money, real estate and other people's misfortunes were off-limits at her dinner parties, he said. "She was not ostentatious. ... She was very funny, very witty and very caring." When a would-be robber accosted her, she foiled the holdup attempt with this response: " 'Excuse me. My name is Mrs. Astor. I don't think we've been properly introduced,' " Gregorian remembered with a laugh. For 23 years, Linda Gillies directed the Astor Foundation and witnessed her hands-on approach to doing good -- not just for her "crown jewels," which included the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library, but also for lower-profile programs. Astor was often quoted as saying, "Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around." But for her, again, it wasn't just about the money. Betty Cooper Wallerstein, a community organizer who benefited from Astor's help in saving 2,500 low-income apartments on Manhattan's Upper East Side, described Astor as being equally comfortable mingling with tenants as she was in high society. She remembered attending Astor's 90th birthday party and being struck by the diversity of the crowd waiting to get inside. Around her were elected officials, the social elite, big names such as Henry Kissinger as well as Astor's staff members and activists such as herself. "She was as lovely to me as she was to the dignitaries who were there," Wallerstein said. "It was such a beautiful and democratic line." Many close friends and staff members would not speak to CNN, as they will be testifying in the trial or will be involved in a later suit to contest Astor's will, which her son is said to have changed. But those who did speak were quick to share memories they'll always hold dear. The tears came quickly when Carmine Fasciani, 73, remembered Astor. The one-time police detective sergeant, whom Astor always called Sergeant, said he handled security and later served as the full-time head of staff at Holly Hill, Astor's New York country estate. He was employed by her for three decades, up until he had a stroke eight years ago. But his status as employee hardly described their relationship. "She was my friend. She was a good lady," he said, his voice cracking and his words slightly slurred because of the stroke. "She said, 'I love you' ... and I loved her." He built the gazebo where Astor watched sunsets and brought her the pink roses she loved. She took him to see a house that she knew he'd fall for and helped secure a good price. When Astor lost part of a finger breaking up a dog fight, she called on Fasciani to fly in to be by her side. And two years after his stroke, he sought Astor's approval, which she gave with a wink and a nod, before marrying his wife, Marilyn, who helped speak for Fasciani by phone from Florida. But working for Astor had its distractions, said Alicia Johnson, who was head of staff at her Maine estate, Cove End, for about 12 years. "We had the Irish maid fighting with the French maid, the English butler fighting with the cook from Jamaica," Johnson said, laughing at the memories. "Mrs. Astor was a peach. The problem was everyone else." In Johnson's Maine closet, there are still items Astor insisted she take, including a dress Astor "hauled out" for her to wear when she announced that she was getting married in 2000. "It was a size two, and I was a size 12," she said. Employees stayed with Astor for years, until her son reportedly fired most all of them. But the loyalty of Steve Hamor and his two sons stands out. Hamor, 65, was her groundskeeper in Maine for 42 years. Hamor's son Scott, who with his brother also would grow up to work on the grounds, spent his childhood running around the estate as if it was his own playground. As a teen, he remembered "Mrs. A" beckoning him from mowing a lawn to say hello and introduce him to Barbara Walters. Astor wanted to send him and his brother to university. They refused. But when Scott found himself in his mid-20s, going through a divorce and with custody of two boys, he accepted her assistance -- and insistence -- in helping him settle into a new apartment. "She was always wanting to know how you were doing and what she could do for you," said Scott, 42, who now works on Maine property owned by David Rockefeller. Concern that not enough was being done for her is what drove Philip Marshall, defendant Tony Marshall's son, to file a petition for guardianship for his grandmother in 2006, alleging, in the words of his lawyer, "elder abuse" by his father. The intention was nothing more than to ensure that she was cared for, removing control by his father and transferring care to Astor's dear friend Annette de la Renta. Though he wouldn't discuss the details that prompted his actions -- "I won't survive this conversation if I do," he said -- the successful petition mentioned her sleeping in torn nightgowns on a urine-stained couch and eating bland leftovers. "To the rest of the world, she was Brooke Astor. To us, she was our grandmother," said Marshall, 55, who grew up in Vermont with his twin brother, Alec, and was not "of the New York world." The practicing Tibetan Buddhist, who is a professor of historic preservation at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, never anticipated the findings that led to his father's indictment and said he merely wanted to "provide my grandmother with the care, comfort and dignity she deserved." | Criminal trial of late socialite Brooke Astor's son begins soon .
Tony Marshall is accused of swindling millions while mom had Alzheimer's .
Former staff members, friends and grandson remember who she was to them .
Astor, New York legend whose foundation gave $200 million to city, died at 105 . |
33,097 | 5e0af8294a269d4e6cedb75e76c1bdd99d25d141 | London (CNN) -- Hopes that this weekend's Japanese election will deliver a major policy shift towards delivering higher growth and inflation have given the country's financial markets a long-overdue shot in the arm. Stock markets have rallied, up 10% on the month to their highest levels since April. The yen, which was recently within touching distance of its post-war high, causing agony for Japan's manufacturers, has eased to eight-month lows. And Japan's long-term interest rates have fallen to their lowest levels since 2003. Optimism hangs on the electoral rhetoric of LDP leader Shinzo Abe, odds-on to be Japan's next prime minister. Exasperated by Japan's two lost decades and persistent deflation, Abe has demanded aggressive action from Japan's central bank, calling for it to generate 2% inflation and do whatever necessary -- including buying an "unlimited" amount of government bonds -- to hit that target. And harking back to days gone by, Abe has called for new budgetary stimulus too, including extra public works spending. But could an Abe-led government really snap Japan out of its seemingly interminable economic malaise? Of course, campaigning and governing are two very different things. And, given the perilous state of Japan's public finances, the next government will have precious little room for maneuver to boost public investment. Dangerous waters: Behind the islands dispute . Indeed, it will have countless unpalatable budgetary decisions to make, not least making the social security system affordable given Japan's rapidly aging population. So, in practice, fiscal policy is unlikely to be able to provide meaningful stimulus over the term of the next government. That means that the onus will be on monetary policy to boost growth and inflation. Following rebuttals from present Bank of Japan Governor Shirakawa, Abe recently toned down his attacks on the central bank. But the LDP manifesto maintained Abe's commitment to a 2% inflation target, with legislative action to be considered to force the Bank of Japan's hand if it does not co-operate. Of course, whether an LDP-led government can amend laws related to the central bank, or will in large part depend on the election outcome. But even if Abe secures a comfortable majority in the Lower House, given its lack of control of the Upper House, it might struggle to secure the working majorities it will need in the Diet to pass legislation comfortably. Certainly, a government reliant on a number of parties to pass legislation may mean that complicated reforms to shake up the Bank of Japan are likely to remain more of a threat than a reality. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Chris Scicluna. | Former PM Shinzo Abe is campaigning on joint monetary and fiscal stimulus to end persistent deflation .
Abe has threatened legislative action if the Central Bank of Japan doesn't commit to a 2% inflation target .
Given political constraints, Abe is unlikely to secure the working majorities needed to pass such legislation, Scicluna writes . |
203,903 | 93fb38e870d52361414d70345e0027522385a87c | Multiple tornadoes pummeled a region in northeast Nebraska Monday, killing one and causing damage that was still being assessed as the sun went down. And the severe weather is not letting up. A tornado watch remains in place until early Tuesday morning. One city, Pilger, has been closed to all but emergency personnel, the state's emergency management agency said Monday night. Severe weather in the area caused damage in at least four towns -- Pilger, Wisner, Stanton and Pender, according to the governor's office. Are you there? Share your photos and videos if it is safe . At least 15 patients were transported to Faith Regional Health Services for treatment, and "many more" were expected to arrive, hospital spokeswoman Jacque Genovese said. Officials were assessing the damage, trying to determine how many are injured and how much damage has been done. "We're still digging people out," said Sanford Goshorn, the emergency manager in Stanton County, where Pilger and Stanton are located. Wisner is in Cuming County, and Pender in Thurston County. In the immediate aftermath of the tornadoes, it was unclear how many touched down in this corner of Nebraska. But at least two major tornadoes touched down at the same time, CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers said. The two tornadoes -- side by side and straddling a road -- were a menacing sight. The state emergency management agency reported "severe damage" across the affected counties. "We are still in a response mode in these communities," emergency management operations officer Earl Imler said. "We are collecting damage reports from local officials on the ground." Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman issued a state of emergency, putting the National Guard on standby. According to the governor's office, the reported fatality happened when a tornado picked up a car and dropped it. The National Weather Service also issued a tornado emergency warning for the town of Burwell, located in Garfield County, where a confirmed "large, violent and extremely dangerous tornado" was sighted. The storm included hail and residents in its path were urged to take immediate cover. Damage from the storm also reached the area of the Nebraska-Iowa border. "We've had reports of brief touchdowns as the storms near Sioux City, Iowa," said National Weather Service Meteorologist Todd Heitkamp said. "We've had widespread wind and flooding damage due to the series of storms that have been ongoing today. We've had reports of up to 4 inches of rain within an hour in the tri-state area (South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa). The main thing is widespread tree damage." North Dakota tornado strikes oil field camp, destroys 12 RVs . Mid-Atlantic braves huge hail, pounding rains and powerful winds . | Multiple tornadoes struck an area of northeast Nebraska .
Damage in at least four towns, the governor's office says .
Officials are still assessing the damage .
One death has been reported . |
221,044 | aa255b37ec6bfbc51498fcadf0ff94fd5c7438ad | By . Sam Creighton . The government has abandoned plans to hold a vote on repealing the controversial hunting ban before the next election. Despite the coalition agreement pledging that MPs would be allowed a free vote on the highly-strung issue, senior Conservatives have decided there is no point holding a vote before the election as most MPs support the status quo. However, The Times reports that David Cameron has been issued a stern warning by countryside groups that rural communities will be less inclined to support the Conservative's election campaign if a promise to repeal the ban is not included in the Tory manifesto. Fox hunting has been banned since 2004 and the Tories have now dropped their pledge to reverse this decision before the next election . Some pro-hunting groups already feel let-down by the Conservatives, who promised to lift the ban in their 2010 manifesto. However, others accept that waiting until a vote is more likely to pass is the right move. Simon Hart, Tory MP for Carmarthen West, who is also on the board of the Countryside Alliance, told The Times he would not 'shed too many tears' over the decision to drop the vote. He said: 'I would much rather vote on the real thing when we think we have got the numbers to alter the outcome. The manifesto has got to be clear and unequivocal [about repealing the act].' The Hunting Act is one of the most controversial measures of Tony Blair's premiership and he has since expressed regret and pushing it through the Commons . Abandoning the vote has avoided another potential bust-up in the Coalition, as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that even if the vote went ahead and the majority of MPs favoured lifting the ban, the Liberal Democrats would not agree to scrap the Act. The Hunting Act was introduced by Tony Blair in 2004 and has proved to be one of the most controversial domestic measures of his premiership. Mr Blair has since expressed his regret at pushing the legislation through. | Senior Tories drop pledge to hold vote despite it being signed off in coalition agreement .
They believe it is unlikely to pass if held before next year's election .
Rural groups are demanding Tories include pledge in next manifesto . |
285,675 | fe2cb3b74c5aeb502416bfdc36de1587eb273942 | Carl Froch knocked out bitter rival George Groves with a lethal right hand in the eighth round, then set his sights on a title defence in Las Vegas next. There was talk of Froch hanging up his gloves after this hugely anticipated rematch with Groves, but straight after victory – which put to bed any of the question marks from the controversial stoppage of Groves in their last bout – he was already talking of fighting on. 'I'd love to box in Las Vegas,' Froch, 36, declared. 'It ticks a special box for me. I've fought in America a few times but Vegas is the fight capital and it's something I've never done. VIDEO Scroll down for Froch: I don't know what I could be offered to top that . Champion: Carl Froch says he dreams of a fight in Las Vegas after he beat George Groves at Wembley . Out: The IBF and WBA world super-middleweight champion floored Groves in the eighth round at Wembley . 'I will never top fighting at Wembley in front of 80,000. My kids will look back on this, they'll say that was my daddy and he defended world title. This evening will never be topped. 'But I'd like to fight in vegas. The opponent? Who knows? I'll leave that up to Rob McCracken. 'I have defended my world title 13 times on the spin. I am amongst the elite. And I showed that against Groves. 'The finish showed why I mix it with the elite and how hard it is to get to that level.' The finish was incredible. Groves was arguably ahead on points in the fight until the eighth round when Froch landed one of the punches of his career. He first padded Groves's right cheek with a left jab then hurled his right fist with unstoppable fury to take the Londoner out. Painful: Froch fought Andre Ward in New Jersey back in 2011 . Groves buckled and his left leg bent awkwardly underneath. The referee did not even need to count him out. 'I had been working on that right hand for three months,' Froch added. 'This was tactical. We had a game plan and it was executed perfectly.' James DeGale is now the mandatory challenger after defeating Brandon Gonzales, but Froch will take a break before deciding who to face next. Groves, who suffered the second defeat of his young career, vowed to come back and keep fighting. 'I'd love to come again,' the 26-year-old said. 'I think I was ahead on the score card until that point. 'I'll be pushing hard to get my world title fight and maybe if Carl is still boxing it'll be Carl again. 'I'm young enough and I will come again, I will learn and improve. 'I made a mistake, a silly mistake, left my chin open. We want to be perfect, all the imperfections need to be perfected.' Fairytale stuff: 36-year-old Froch may be targetting a last hurrah in Las Vegas . | 36-year-old Froch said he wants his next fight to be in Las Vegas .
Says it would 'tick a special box' for him .
Froch beat Groves with huge punch in eighth round at Wembley . |
99,237 | 0bd2c21810b70bfccb2aefc2df0fe8a5fc4302be | (CNN) -- In the U.S. Senate, where power extends from seniority and most politicians pride themselves on longevity, Daryl Chappelle has humbly outlasted them all. Retiring Thursday after 41 years, the Senate subway car operator has served longer than any current member of the Senate and all but two members of the House. Longevity that is hard to grasp . Chappelle came to the Senate, not long out of high school, in 1972. First a worker with the night labor division, he then moved into his second and final job as a subway driver/mechanic. Ever since, the 62-year-old's office has been a single swivel seat inside a small open-air jostling train cab. His task has been to carry senators back and forth from the Capitol to their office buildings. By one estimate, Chappelle has made the trip 130,000 times. The longevity is hard to grasp, from an era where many Americans expected to work in a single place for 30 or 40 years. The Watergate scandal. The Cold War. The Clinton era. September 11th. Chappelle has worked in the Capitol during every historic event the nation has seen since the time of Richard Nixon. When he began, the Berlin Wall was barely a decade old and Afghanistan still had a king. And in all that time, Chappelle never once stepped onto the Senate floor. Until Thursday. 41 years, then first steps onto the Senate floor . "That was incredible," the bespectacled man beamed as he told CNN about the trip two floors above the subway, into the much more majestic Senate chamber. "That was really special. I don't know how else to describe it. Incredible," he said. Top leaders from the Republican and Democratic parties took to the floor to recognize Chappelle, the man who had almost no power except for what he was able to do with the few minutes American leaders sat on his train. What he did was smile. "He has a smile the covers his whole face," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a tribute on the Senate floor. That smile has made Chappelle a bit of a legend in the echoing, sterile Capitol Hill halls. He wears it for the crankiest of politicians and on the longest of overnight sessions. "He's the happiest guy you ever met," followed Reid's adversary, Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell. "He has a genius for lifting people's spirits." McConnell relayed the story of one of his staffers who on her first, nervous day on the Hill, asked Chappelle for directions. The subway operator gave them to the young woman and then, McConnell recounted, he said something simple that she never forgot in the overstressed workplace: "Everything will be alright." Lines outside his subway car . The job of subway driver is monotonous. Shuttling back and forth, back and forth, underground for the one-to-two-block distance between buildings. Responding to a buzzer that senators can sound when they are in a particular hurry. It is the kind of job and Chappelle is the kind of worker that both parties talk about in vague rhetoric all the time. But Thursday, Chappelle took in very specific congratulations from the powerful and nearly-powerful all day long. Small lines formed as senators, staffers and visitors stood by his subway car to shake his hand and offer goodbye hugs. Dozens of reporters signed a card for him. (Disclosure: including this reporter.) "Congress may not have a high approval rating these days," McConnell said as Chappelle sat in the chamber listening, "but nobody who ever has had the pleasure of riding Daryl's train can leave without feeling a little bit better about this place." | There is a small subway service that runs under the Capitol .
Daryl Chappelle has been a driver for 41 years and now he's retiring .
He's been around since the Nixon years, and has outlasted just about everybody .
He stepped onto the Senate floor for the first time on Thursday, where senators paid a tribute . |
16,989 | 301fefdf7912e0a25bc330a6b76acd2c9adddbd7 | (CNN) -- The only sound Christian Myers heard in his classroom at Arapahoe High School was the constant buzz of vibrating cell phones -- calls from panicked parents trying to reach their children. The sophomore and his fellow classmates were hunkered down in a corner of a darkened room. Minutes earlier, they had heard the sound of gunshots. That was followed by a dire warning from a teacher. "He just yelled, 'Lockdown!'" Myers, a sophomore, told CNN on Friday. "He goes 'Do what would you do in a lockdown drill. This is not a drill.''' 'It was a shotgun' It was just after 12:30 p.m. Friday at Arapahoe High School with its student population of more than 2,200 in Centennial, Colorado, when the shooting began. Some students were on lunch break at the open campus; others were still in classes. Janitor Fabian Llerenas was on the north side of the building when he saw a student running "side-to-side, kinda military style." The student was carrying something. Llernas did a double take. "It was a shotgun," he told CNN affiliate KUSA. "So right away, I got on the radio to alert everyone on the staff," he said. "...And that's when I heard the shots." 'A really loud bang' One minute, ninth-grader Whitney Riley was getting ready to retrieve her computer from her locker at Arapahoe High School. The next minute, she was running. "We were having fun and laughing and then, all of a sudden, we heard a really loud bang," the 15-year-old told CNN. "My teacher asked what it was and then we heard two more and we all just got up and screamed and ran into a sprinkler system room." Inside the windowless room were five students and two teachers. "We were shaking, we were crying, we were freaking out," Riley said. "I had a girl biting my arm." They soon heard people yelling, and walkie-talkies crackling, and then they heard police asking someone to drop the gun, put the gun down, and hold his arms up, she said. She did not hear another gunshot, though the people doing the talking could have moved farther away, she said. Soon, they heard police ordering them out. Three shots . Eric Waugh was in his physics class when he and his classmates heard a bang. Initially, the teacher opened the door, he said. The teacher and students "initially thought it might be an explosion from a chemistry class." Then, they heard a gunshot. And then another. And then another. The teacher locked the door and turned off the lights. "He yelled at us to go and get in the corner, and we were in the corner in two seconds," Waugh said. Later, SWAT officers came to the classroom door. The students filed out in single file, their arms above their heads, he said. "We never thought this would happen at our school," Waugh said. 'Are you OK?' Myers, the sophomore, and his fellow classmates were sitting in the dark when he started to think about his twin brother, Austin. He knew his brother should be in class. Even so, he was worried about him. "Are you OK?" Myers texted. There was no answer. He texted again: "You doing OK?" Still, there was no reply. Myers was overwhelmed with fear. Was his brother one of those who had been shot? He tried several more times to raise his brother by text message to no avail. Then he sent a text message to a friend, who he knew had a class with his brother. Have you seen my brother? Myers asked. The answer: "Austin never showed up to class today." Panicked and in tears, Myers reached out to his father by text message: Dad, Austin is missing. Moments later, his father responded: Austin stayed home today. He wasn't feeling good this morning. CNN's Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper contributed to this report. | The shooting at Arapahoe High School in Centennial began just after 12:30 p.m.
Janitor Fabian Llerenas saw a student armed with a shotgun, running military-style .
"We were shaking. We were crying," 9th-grader Whitney Riley said .
Eric Waugh and his classmate thought initially it was an explosion in a chemistry class . |
199,563 | 8e55bc9eb13823f2e3dbd05798fbcc826696484c | A giant portrait of a young man's face made entirely from dirt and sand has taken over Washington's National Mall. The striking artwork, which can apparently be seen from space, is a staggering six acres in size and required 2,500 tons of sand and 800 tons of topsoil in materials. Cuban-American artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada created the piece as a compilation of American faces after photographing 30 young men on the National Mall this year. Scroll down for videos . Cuban-American artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada created the piece as a compilation of American faces after photographing 30 young men on the National Mall this year . The piece is entitled 'Out of Many, One,' the English translation of E pluribus unum from the U.S. seal. It is the first such public artwork commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery. The artwork can be viewed from the Washington Monument or visitors can walk along the portrait’s features. At ground level, the artist said it's like a zen garden. Rodriguez-Gerada said he set out to create one of millions of possible faces of America, and he felt young men between the ages of 18 and 25 need to be embraced. The artwork does not represent a particular race, he said, but was a compilation of faces that were black, brown and white. 'Diversity is the backbone that makes this country great,' he said. 'This is a great way of celebrating that.' The striking artwork, which can apparently be seen from space, is a staggering six acres in size and required 2,500 tons of sand and 800 tons of topsoil in materials . The artist used GPS technology to mark 10,000 points with tiny pegs on an empty field and then linked them with twine to create precise lines for the portrait made of dirt. Rodriguez-Gerada has created similar pieces in the past in Amsterdam, Belfast and Barcelona, including an image of President Barack Obama. The soil and sand - all of which was donated - will eventually be reused to improve the National Mall's turf, park officials said. By November, the portrait will start to disappear. 'A lot of my work is ephemeral,' Rodriguez-Gerada said, 'because I want to talk about living in the moment.' The piece is entitled 'Out of Many, One,' the translation of E pluribus unum from the US seal. It is the first such artwork commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery . | The six-acre artwork of a young man's face is called 'Out of Many, One' and can be seen from space .
Cuban-American artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada created the piece as a compilation of male American faces .
Portrait does not represent a particular race but is a compilation of faces that were black, brown and white .
The artwork will start to disappear by November and soil and sand will be reused to improve the National Mall's turf . |
107,856 | 170b7bc7cfbbe38edd9d775055c9918955f19893 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 10:25 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:04 EST, 24 June 2013 . A mother-of-two feared she would go blind when her face dramatically ballooned after she used Piz Buin sun cream. Joanna Stockton, 36, claims the lotion should be pulled from the shelves because her face swelled so much her eyes could not open following a severe allergic reaction. Her problems started within 48 hours of using the Piz Buin cream on holiday with her family, which left her blind in one eye. Frightened: Joanna Stockton says Piz Buin made her face swell up like this, leaving her unable to see out of one eye . She was in Majorca with her husband and two young children aged five and three, and had to have steroid injections to bring the swelling under control. Mrs Stockton, from Stansted, Essex, said she was terrified she would go completely blind and had to stay inside for a week until the swelling went down. 'It was incredibly frightening. I bought the sun cream as a health product to protect my skin, but it actually made it worse,' she said. 'I applied the lotion on the first day of my holiday and when I woke the next morning there were red itchy bumps over my arms and legs, a bit like a nettle rash. 'The rash got worse and worse and a day later my head was so swollen my eyes had become slits, it was horrendous.' Mrs Stockton said she had an anti-histamine to try and control the swelling, but it had no effect and by tea time that day one eye had completely closed. 'My whole face was throbbing and I was frightened I would go completely blind,' she said. 'I lost all the features on my face and couldn't smile or move my mouth properly.' Getting better: The 36-year-old had to have steroid injections to bring the swelling under control in Spain . Before: Joanna with one of her children, before she put the cream on her face in Majorca . The emergency doctor visited her apartment and gave her two steroid injections and a course of steroid creams and after three days the swelling started to go down. Last week, Piz Buin sun cream featured on . the BBC's Watchdog show after producers were inundated with . health complaints about it. Leading . dermatologist Dr Ian White, of St John's Institute of Dermatology in . London, said two of the cream's ingredients could be the reason . for the severe reactions he had seen. He . said his organisation had demanded urgent action into the safety of one . of the chemicals used in Piz Buin, C30-38 Olefin/Isopropyl Maleate MA . Copolymer, two years ago. He . also claimed that one in 10 of the patients he now sees were allergic . to another active ingredient in the cream - Methylisothiazolinone. But she was left with cuts all over her face where her skin had been swollen and stretched. 'It completely ruined my holiday as we were only there for a week. I was in a lot of pain and had to stay inside out of the sun,' she said. 'To make matters worse, when I got back home my whole face peeled as if I'd had sun burn and I was left with really dry skin. 'I used the sun lotion on the children too and I'm just so relieved they didn't have the same reaction.' Mrs Stockton, who was on holiday earlier this month, was offered a refund by Johnson & Johnson, the makers of the sun lotion, which she claims was to blame for her allergic reaction. But she says she wants to see the product pulled from the shelves. Yesterday Marie Goldie, 37, of Glasgow, who was on holiday with her partner and two teenage children in Tenerife, Spain, was taken to hospital days after she started using Piz Buin 1 Day Long. Doctors at a hospital in Playa de las Américas feared the catering worker’s reaction was so bad she would require an emergency operation - but steroid injections eventually brought it under control. Allergic reaction: Marie Goldie, 37, of Glasgow, . who was on holiday with her partner and two teenage children in . Tenerife, Spain, was taken to hospital days after she started using Piz . Buin 1 Day Long . Last week, the sun cream featured on the BBC's Watchdog show after producers were inundated with health complaints about it. 'If it was just me that had suffered an allergic reaction it would be one thing, but it was featured on Watchdog and lots of people had complained about getting a rash,' she said. 'I think the company should take responsibility and re-test the product.' A spokesman for Johnson & Johnson said today: 'The makers of PIZ BUIN have provided consumers with a range of high quality, safe and effective sun protection products for more than 65 years. 'We aim to provide products that meet consumer needs and expectations and we sympathise with anyone who experiences a skin reaction and recommend they consult their doctor for advice. 'The safety of our products is our first priority, and is backed by a strict and rigorous safety policy. All ingredients in our products are reviewed by experts and all our final formulations are assessed for both safety and efficacy, including the potential for skin irritation and toxicity caused by sun exposure'. | Joanna Stockton's eyes closed up after she used Piz Buin in Majorca .
'My face was throbbing and I was frightened I'd go completely blind,' she said .
Yesterday a Glasgow woman also said her face ballooned after using brand .
BBC's Watchdog says it has been inundated with health complaints . |
0 | 0001d1afc246a7964130f43ae940af6bc6c57f01 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 14:11 EST, 25 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:36 EST, 25 October 2013 . The bishop of the Fargo Catholic Diocese in North Dakota has exposed potentially hundreds of church members in Fargo, Grand Forks and Jamestown to the hepatitis A virus in late September and early October. The state Health Department has issued an advisory of exposure for anyone who attended five churches and took communion. Bishop John Folda (pictured) of the Fargo Catholic Diocese in North Dakota has exposed potentially hundreds of church members in Fargo, Grand Forks and Jamestown to the hepatitis A . State Immunization Program Manager Molly Howell says the risk is low, but officials feel it's important to alert people to the possible exposure. The diocese announced on Monday that Bishop John Folda is taking time off after being diagnosed with hepatitis A. The diocese says he contracted the infection through contaminated food while attending a conference for newly ordained bishops in Italy last month. Symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal discomfort. Fargo Catholic Diocese in North Dakota (pictured) is where the bishop is located . | Bishop John Folda, of North Dakota, is taking time off after being diagnosed .
He contracted the infection through contaminated food in Italy .
Church members in Fargo, Grand Forks and Jamestown could have been exposed . |
52,523 | 94d41bb16a01b894d26c5a496fede58c300b8c23 | Rupert Murdoch's media empire will not face prosecution in the US over the phone-hacking scandal. In statements filed with US regulators, Murdoch's News Corp and 21st Century Fox each said the the Justice Department would not be pursuing charges. Using identical language, the two statements said the Justice Department 'has completed its investigation of voicemail interception and payments to public officials in London and is declining to prosecute' either firm. News Corp executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch, seen here on October 31, 2013, split his empire into two entities following a phone-hacking scandal . Andy Coulson, pictured, the former editor of the newspaper was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of intercepting voicemail . The scandal which erupted in 2011 led to the closure of Murdoch's News of the World after revelations that the tabloid had accessed the voice mails of a murdered schoolgirl, Milly Dowler. In the wake of the scandal and the subsequent investigations in Britain, Murdoch split his empire into two entities -- News Corp focusing on newspapers and publishing, and 21st Century Fox specializing in TV and film. The scandal has led to tens of millions of dollars in legal costs for the companies, including damages paid to victims. Murdoch's British media units have faced intense pressure following revelations that the hacking extended to celebrities including Prince William and Prince Harry, and actors Jude Law and Sienna Miller. Andy Coulson, the former British newspaper editor and one-time communications chief of Prime Minister David Cameron, served less than five months of an 18-month prison sentence after he was found guilty of conspiring to intercept voicemails. But Former Murdoch protege Rebekah Brooks, another key editor for the media group, was cleared of the charges last June. News Corp. operates The Sun and the Times of London, along with the US-based Wall Street Journal and newspapers in Australia.. Murdoch's 21st Century Fox includes the well-known Hollywood Fox studio and television operations and owns a stake in the Sky satellite broadcaster. | Justice department completed its investigation into Murdoch's empire .
News Corp and 21st Century Fox say they will not face prosecution in US .
Scandal erupted in 2011 and led to closure of News of the World .
Led to tens of millions of dollars in legal costs and damages to victims . |
120,997 | 286184fc442c0fefb7f08aec3095da712f2f1c82 | (CNN) -- Dee Caffari did not seem born for a life on the high seas. One of the greatest female sailors on the planet clearly did not take after her mother Barbara, whose fear of water is so strong she will not even take a shower. So when Caffari announced she was quitting her job as a school teacher to pursue a career sailing some of the roughest oceans on the globe, unsurprisingly it sent shock waves through her mother. "It's a bit beyond her as she's scared stiff of water, to the extent she won't shower as she doesn't like the sensation of water running over her," says Caffari of her mother. "She has an understanding of what I do but, in genetics terms, I clearly have taken after my father." Last week, Caffari set out from Cape Town with a course for Abu Dhabi and the 6,125 nautical miles in between as part of the all-female Team SCA on what will be her fifth yachting voyage around the world, this time in the Volvo Ocean Race. Caffari is the first woman to have sailed single-handed, non-stop around the world in both directions. "I never dreamt this would happen, I never dreamt I'd once sail around the world," admits Caffari, who was teaching physical education to 11 to 18-year-olds and loved the job, meaning she had no great urgency to leave. Her first voyages on water were on a boat on the Thames with her father, Peter who, in many ways, was the inspiration for her change of career -- the 41-year-old quit her job not long after his death 15 years ago. "It's strange because I loved my job and had a lot of fun but I had a craving as an adventurer and to travel," says Caffari of her job teaching from a classroom on England's south coast where she regularly saw sailing boast pass by in the distance. Water sports were the immediate calling -- first windsurfing and then scuba diving before she finally settled on her sport of choice, sailing, which she had, at least, done at university as part of her degree. "I remember thinking 'this is something I could do'," she recalls. "I told my Mum I was going to take a break from teaching to go sailing and you should have seen her face. It was a picture -- her face just fell. I tried to reassure her by telling her I could go back to it if things didn't work out but thankfully they did. "Now the only time I go back to school is to give talks, to hopefully inspire people and give them the confidence to dream." As for Mum, her outlook has considerably shifted to one of pride, although still laced with a modicum of bemusement due to her own discomfort in water. For Caffari, leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race will be her first of the race. The last of the 14-strong team to sign a contract in March, she sat out the opening leg, with only 12 competitors allowed on board to race at any one time. It is perhaps befitting for this latecomer to professional sailing to be a latecomer to this latest venture. She expects to add a fresh gusto to her teammates and is very clear what her role will be on board, one she hopes to keep right until the race finish next year. "I think I'm the Mum of the group, a combination of experience with this being my fifth time around the world but also the fact I'm the oldest in the group," she says. "I'm hopefully the level-headed one so they can look to me for confidence, particularly as for many this will be their first time in the Southern Ocean. "It's shell shock when you first go down there, it's the race's first big weather system and you realize how big the waves are and how cold it can be. But this is what I signed up for, this is the good stuff, when it's blowing 40 knots and icy -- that's fabulous." Despite her positive outlook, like many other competitors in the race she too has her fears, in particular one of heights and another of fish, both of which she has to tackle head-on. She recalls her time in the 2005 Aviva Challenge race when she was stuck up the mast of her boat for three hours being flung around like a rag doll or having to squeamishly scoop up flying fish that have landed aboard her vessel during the Vendee Globe. But she has a remarkable aptitude for dealing with the harsh nature of the ocean from just 50 minutes sleep at a time during the Vendee Globe to being pumped up on painkillers after suffering a badly swollen knee but having to plough on in the race. Plus there is the issue of solitude -- at one point during her solo circumnavigation, the closest human beings to her were the astronauts on the International Space Station. On this journey, Team SCA currently lie in fourth place overall, defying critics who argued that an all-female team could not match their male counterparts in such a rigorous race. "The sport itself is still pretty male dominated," she explains, "but I think it's beginning to change that it doesn't matter whether you're male or female. We're all in the same boat doing the same stuff in the same conditions. Hopefully we're breaking down the stereotypes and I believe our peers see us as proper competitors. "We used to be called the girls but that's changed, now we're all referred to as Team SCA. I like that, it shows we're being taken seriously." This race is one of the few big outings left on Caffari's to-do list. It also doubles up as another chance to feed her wanderlust and travel the globe again. "You could say that round-the-world sailing is a drug," she says. "When you're not on the water, you're pining to be back there. It's just no two days are ever the same. It's a fabulous place to be. The day I stop enjoying it is the day I stop." On the eve of the competition starting for her, the great granddaughter of a Sicilian sea captain -- the only family maritime history she knows of -- she talked excitedly about getting out there, chomping at the bit to get going. She is well-versed to the potential dangers but argues that "the more miles you do, the more confident you are." She is relishing the intensity and camaraderie of the team, a far cry from her solo venture. She wants to bring fresh arms, fresh legs and a fresh mind to Team SCA. In her case, mum's the word. Read more: Superyacht movies: Droned at sea . | Britain's Dee Caffari is one of the world's great sailors .
The 41-year-old introduced to sailing by late father, but mother has water phobia .
She was first woman to sail non-stop, single-handed around globe in both directions .
Caffari currently heading all-female crew in Volvo Ocean round-the-world race . |
150,626 | 4ebab537dbb69499f292668a306a44ccfa8a40bf | Our most common male ancestor, ‘Adam’, has finally got his original birthdate – and its 9,000 years earlier than scientists believed. UK researchers claim that ‘Adam’ walked the earth 209,000 years ago, contradicting a recent study that suggested the Y chromosome predated humanity. Their findings puts 'Adam' within the timeframe of his other half 'Eve', the genetic maternal ancestor of mankind. Our most common male ancestor walked the earth 209,000 years ago - earlier than scientists commonly thought - according to new research from the University of Sheffield . The study, conducted by Dr Eran Elhaik from the University of Sheffield and Dr Dan Graur from the University of Houston, claims to put ‘Adam’ in his rightful place in evolutionary history. The team dated ‘Adam’ using existing genetic data. To calculate the age of the Y chromosome they multiplied data on the average age that fathers have their first child with the number of mutations of they uncovered. The team dated 'Adam' using conventional biological models to identify private, derived gene mutations on this lineage . Results . of a separate study announced in August last year suggest that Adam and . Eve lived in Africa at the same time - but probably never met. It . was previously believed that ‘Y-chromosomal Adam’ and ‘Mitochondrial . Eve’ - the most recent common ancestors to males and females - lived at . completely different times. But . a study of 69 men from around the world found ‘Y-chromosomal Adam’ walked the Earth between 120,000 and 156,000 years ago, much earlier . than previously believed. It places him nearer to Eve who was around 99,000 to 148,000 years ago the analysis found. The researchers at Stanford University, California, say it is ‘extremely unlikely’ they were exact contemporaries. Initial estimates for the male MRCA ranged from between 50,000 to 115,000 years ago. Geneticist . Professor Carlos Bustamante, of Stanford University, California, said: . 'Previous research has indicated the male most recent common ancestor . (MRCA) lived much more recently than the female MRCA. But now our . research shows there is no discrepancy.' They then divided this figure by the mutation rate of the Y chromosome – or how many years it took on average for the mutation to appear. ‘Of course, we can manipulate each one of these variables to make a finding look younger or older,’ Dr Elhaik told MailOnline. ‘In our paper, we showed the previous study manipulated all these variable to predate the Y chromosome.’ ‘We can say with some certainty that modern humans emerged in Africa a little over 200,000 years ago,’ he added. ‘It is obvious that modern humans did not interbreed with hominins living over 500,000 years ago. It is also clear that there was no single “Adam” and “Eve” but rather groups of “Adams” and “Eves” living side by side and wandering together in our world.’ A study at Arizona University claimed the human Y chromosome originated in a different species through interbreeding which dates 'Adam' to be twice as old . A study at Arizona University claimed the human Y chromosome originated from a different species through interbreeding which dates 'Adam' to be twice as old. Dr Elhaik added: ‘We have shown that the University of Arizona study lacks any scientific merit. ‘In fact, their hypothesis creates a sort of “space-time paradox” whereby the most ancient individual belonging to Homo sapiens species has not yet been born. ‘If we take the numerical results from previous studies seriously we can conclude that the past may be altered by the mother of “Adam” deciding not to conceive him in the future, thus, bringing a retroactive end to our species. ‘Think of the movie Back to the Future, when Marty was worried that his parents would not meet and as a result he wouldn't be born - it's the same idea. ‘The question to what extend did our humans forbearers interbreed with their closest relatives is one of the hottest questions in anthropology that remains open.’ | To calculate age of the Y chromosome, researchers multiplied data on age fathers have their first child .
with the number of mutations they uncovered .
They then divided this figure by the mutation rate of the Y chromosome .
Their findings suggest that 'Adam' lived in the same time frame as 'Eve'
Earlier study at Arizona University claimed Y chromosome originated in a different species through .
interbreeding and dated 'Adam' to be twice as old . |
185,750 | 7c99a754cd3e44a544dbf2b48c4391e0d06fbe35 | Tony the Tourist: Tony Blair enjoys the nightlife in Saint Tropez, France, on Saturday before heading to Sardinia . He boasted recently of having ‘toiled over years’ to bring peace to the Middle East – and wrote of his concern at the ‘living nightmare’ in Syria. But if Tony Blair was toiling in his role as Special Envoy to the long-troubled region last week, it is apparently nice work if you can get it. While western governments reacted with fury to claims of a chemical weapons attack in Damascus and made moves towards launching air strikes on Syrian regime forces, the ex-Prime Minister was spotted in some of the most glamorous locations in the Mediterranean. Mr Blair’s busy schedule at the back end of last week involved visiting several ‘super-yachts’ worth in excess of £100million – apparently three of them in the space of three days. Scroll down for video . He is officially the Special Envoy for the Middle East on behalf of the Quartet – the United Nations, European Union, United Sates and Russia – with a brief to help broker peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. But his role might be expected to see him take a wider interest in the region, and indeed the latest post on his official website – ‘There is hope amid the turmoil of the Middle East’. It is dated August 4 – makes several references to Syria, where the chemical attack was first reported on Wednesday. But a day later, on Thursday, Mr Blair jetted into Sardinia on a private jet, and was whisked away to dine at a restaurant in the glamorous resort of Porto Rotondo. Mr Blair, 60, is familiar with this idyllic spot, having famously visited with wife Cherie in 2004 for a free holiday at the 27-bedroom villa of since-disgraced Italian premier and billionaire Silvio Berlusconi. That jolly was much remarked on at the time – both because Labour MPs were appalled at their leader accepting hospitality from such a sleazy Right-wing host, and the fact Berlusconi sported a ridiculous bandana during their public appearances, to conceal the aftermath of a hair transplant. On his latest visit Mr Blair enjoyed the hospitality of a different billionaire. For after his evening meal last Thursday, he stepped on to a swish motor launch and was ferried out to board a magnificent 377ft super-yacht, the Pelorus, the 16th-largest gin palace in the world. Previously owned by Russian billionaire . and Chelsea football club-owner Roman Abramovich, it was given to his . ex-wife Irina two years ago as part of their £200million divorce . settlement. Special delivery: Tony Blair arrives in Sardinia, via private jet, to have 'meetings with various people,' according to his spokesman . All aboard: Mr Blair spent Thursday evening on the Pelorus, owned by U.S. music mogul David Geffen, worth over £150million . It is now owned by American music mogul David Geffen, 70, one of the few people in the world with enough money to pay the 46 crew the yacht needs – and to hand over the £150million-plus the pleasure craft reportedly cost him. Remarkably, the Pelorus is Mr Geffen’s easy-to-berth runaround – his main yacht is the 453ft Rising Sun. News of Mr Blair’s enthusiasm for the billionaire’s yachts emerged a year ago, when it was reported that he had been seen on board one of them off Corfu. And on his latest stay on board a Geffen craft, Mr Blair seems to have taken the opportunity to visit an even bigger yacht – as onlookers last Thursday saw it draw alongside the Topaz, at 483ft the sixth largest in the world. Out with the lads: Blair leaves Les Palmiers restaurant on Pampelonne Beach, Saint Tropez to board 167ft yach Crazy Me, whose owner is not yet known . No worries: The former Prime Minister appeared to have other things on his mind as reports came from Damascus about chemical weapons attacks . Tony Blair today demanded that Britain and the United States launch military action in Syria. The . former Prime Minister compared the violent Ashar al-Assad regime and . its murdering of its own citizens with chemical weapons to the 'dark . days of Saddam'. Mr Blair, who took Britain to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, said this morning that it is 'time we took sides'. 'People . wince at the thought of intervention. But contemplate the future . consequence of inaction and shudder,' he wrote in The Times. This morning David Cameron returned early from his Cornish holiday to consider whether to recall Parliament. MPs are demanding a binding vote over plans to launch missile strikes on Syria without the backing of the United Nations. Mr Blair urged the Government to ignore 'the impulse to stay clear of turmoil'. 'I . understand every impulse to stay clear of the turmoil, to watch but not . to intervene, to ratchet up language but not to engage in the hard, . even harsh business of changing reality on the ground. 'But we have collectively to understand the consequences of wringing our hands instead of putting them to work.' Owned by the royal family of the United Arab Emirates, it is valued at a colossal £340million, has eight decks, and even a choice of swimming pools. Pleasant though his surroundings were, Mr . Blair soon moved on. And on Saturday he was spotted in the perennial . playground of the international playboy, St Tropez. On land he was surrounded by a team of ever-watchful security guards, but seemed to relax when back on the ocean wave, this time on a motorised launch of the new hi-tech super-yacht Crazy Me. Mr Blair had been on Pampelonne beach, where fashion tycoon Sir Philip Green was throwing a party at the Bar D’O for guests including Simon Cowell. The former premier was not a guest, instead dining at the Les Palmier restaurant, but clearly had bigger fish to fry – for he had a broad grin as he was whisked away by four smartly uniformed crew on a launch from his third super-yacht of the weekend. Crazy Me is 167ft long and crafted entirely from aluminium with ‘an aggressive and unique profile’. She boasts both a master suite and a VIP stateroom, and has a glass-bottomed swimming pool on the upper deck. Only recently completed, she was delivered to her mystery owner in June. Last night a spokesman for Mr Blair refused to discuss who he had been visiting or what he had been doing on the series of super-yachts in the Mediterranean while the Syrian crisis unfolded. The tight-lipped spokesman would add only that ‘he was having meetings with various people’. | Tony Blair jetted to the Med as news broke of chemical attacks .
Middle East 'Special Envoy' visited Saint Tropez and luxury yachts .
Blair was 'having meetings with various people,' spokesman said . |
134,671 | 3a2ac544d6eecb6ca3ee66811711ee5c36e8d091 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:27 EST, 2 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:25 EST, 2 September 2013 . A man who legally changed his name to Santa Claus was called to sit on a New York murder trial jury last week, and like a good citizen he showed up. The Copiague man who once went by Frank Pascuzzi didn’t have to decide if the defendant was naughty or nice, though, because the case was quickly dismissed. Pascuzzi spends every winter working as St. Nick, but wore a conservative shirt and jeans to the Suffolk County Courthouse and insists it wasn’t his status as Father Christmas that got him out of the civic headache. Did he take his sleigh? Santa Claus, nee Frank Pascuzzi, was called to serve on the jury of a Long Island murder case last week . ‘It wasn’t just because I was Santa Claus I got off — everyone else got off, too,’ Mr. Claus told the New York Post. That’s not always the case. Sometimes being Kris Kringle pays off. Last year, Claus was questioned by a police officer after accidentally rear-ending another vehicle with his truck. But instead of a ticket, the cop just wanted a photo op. Not today: Claus was ready to do his civic duty, but the Suffolk County, new York murder case was dismissed . 'Am I on the naughty or nice list?': Claus has the driver's license to prove his name and says courthouse employees wanted to know if they'd be getting gifts this year . ‘He looked at my license and says, “Are you kidding me?”’ Claus said. “I said, ‘Look, here’s my credit card.”’ They took pictures together along with the fake reindeer Claus keeps in his pickup for these sorts of occasions. The Long Islander legally changed his name to Santa Claus in February and has the license to prove it, which caused a small commotion at the courthouse. Always a hit: Claus is always a hit at Christmas time, but he's asked to pose for photos year round . Yuletide: The father of four even has a son who was born on Christmas. It earned him the middle name Yule . ‘When I got there, the police were like, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?”’ the 54-year-old told The Post. ‘My reply was, “If you have to ask, you already know.”’ Claus and his wife Betty have four children and one of them was even born on Christmas day, which earned him the middle name Yule. He is an unabashed Christmas lover. ‘It’s tons of fun!’ he told the Post. ‘Everyone wants to talk to me. Everybody wants to be my friend.’ 'Everybody wants to be my friend!': Claus has not regrets about the name change. Here he greets Star Trek: Enterprise and Quantum Leap star Scott Bakula . | 'It wasn’t just because I was Santa Claus I got off': The man born Frank Pascuzzi was sent home along with the rest of the jury when the case was dismissed .
Pascuzzi legally changed his name in February 2012 and works as a Santa Claus in Long Island every Christmas . |
273,848 | eebab5fd63cc6d8b16336559223a4570229ee2e1 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 08:16 EST, 13 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:20 EST, 13 February 2013 . The discovery of a vital ingredient for fertiliser under the North York Moors has prompted a 'gold rush' as people race to invest in a company that plans to mine it. A massive deposit of polyhalite – a mineral which contains potash, essential for fertiliser - has sparked thousands of people snapping up shares in the Sirius Minerals, which plans to mine the reserve. In January the firm applied for planning permission to construct the pithead in the North York Moors National Park, a conservation area. The potash mine has promised new jobs, but some locals fear the development will destroy the tranquility of the park . The firm maintains it is the only place it could be done, and would not be intrusive as barely any of the machinery will be seen, according to the Financial Times. They say the shaft will be underground, and have chosen an area ion high ground with a forest plantation to shield it and not ruin the view. The £1.1bn project is expected to create 1,000 jobs and there are 4,225 shareholders in Yorkshire and Teesside - which together own nine per cent of Sirius, according to the newspaper. Since December thousands of shares have been bought by people eager to cash in on the mucky mine of th emineral. The North York Moors, near Whitby, has a rich reserve of potash - an essential mineral for fertiliser . The park's local HSBC bank has had customers regularly coming in to purchase shares in the Aim-listed company, such is the eagerness to profit from the discovery. The project includes a 27-mile (43km) underground pipeline to transport the potash ore from North Yorkshire to Teesside. The company said the pipeline was the most environmentally acceptable solution for moving the ore, as it will significantly cut the amount of traffic transporting the deposit. The name stems from 'pot ash', the process used before the industrial revolution of soaking plant ashes in a pot to draw out potassium carbonate, that was left in a white ash. Potash is the common term for fertiliser forms of the element potassium (K). The mineral is the 7th most common element in the earth's crust and is an essential ingredient for fertiliser. Chris Fraser, managing director and chief executive of Sirius Minerals, said the project would create 'significant new jobs' and improve local skills 'for generations to come'. But some neighbours are dismayed at the plans, saying the mine will destroy the tranquility of the beautiful area, the BBC reported. The moors are renowned for their stunning, peaceful character, and tourism jobs are vital for the area's economy. The National Park Authority plans to hold public meetings as part of a consultation process, and a decision on the proposal is expected in May. The authority said it would assess the potential economic benefits and the environmental impacts of the mine before reaching any decision. | Investors race to snap up shares in company that wants to mine reserve .
Potash, found in North York Moors, is essential ingredient for fertiliser . |
189,914 | 81e7a0f5c6e618b2fe3dcf4b65fa591511db5249 | By . Rebecca Camber . Last updated at 12:35 AM on 9th February 2012 . Scotland Yard declared war on gangs yesterday as it emerged they are responsible for half of London’s shootings and one in seven rapes. Police said 4,800 gangsters were to blame for almost a quarter of the capital’s serious violence, a sixth of all robberies, 16 per cent of the drug trade and 20 per cent of stabbings. The figures came as the Met unveiled a £60million taskforce to crack down on the problem. Raid: Metropolitan Police officers prepare to enter an address in east London this morning as they launch a crackdown on gang members . New Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe is expanding the existing Trident squad, increasing its remit from probing shootings in the black community to all gangs. The force is also doubling the number of officers dedicated to gang crime from 450 to 1,000. Police are aware of 435 ‘crews’ operating in London, but only 250 are criminally active. Of those, 62 are categorised as posing a risk of ‘high harm’ and are estimated to be behind two thirds of gang-related offences. According to the crime figures, 480 rapes or 14 per cent of the 3,431 sex attacks in London every year are carried out by known gang members. Crackdown: Scotland Yard have almost doubled the number of officers tackling gang crime. This morning they carried out 144 raids across the capital . Raid: A police officer emerges from a house in east London which was raided by the Metropolitan Police this morning . Crackdown: Mayor Boris Johnson with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe in Trafalgar Square today as Scotland Yard launch their new Gang Crime Command . They also account for 22 per cent of serious violence, 20 per cent of stabbings and 247 out of the 547 shootings during 2011. More than 6,200 personal robberies and 40 per cent of all commercial premises and ‘cash in transit’ thefts can also be traced back to the 4,800 criminals. And they have been blamed for 26 per cent of aggravated burglary and 12 per cent of residential burglaries, which is equivalent to 7,650 break-ins a year. Some of the criminals responsible are as young as 14, with a third of those shot aged under 19. Do not cross: Mr Johnson and Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe launch the Trident Gang Crime Command which marks what senior officers have described as a 'step change' in the way the force tackles gangs . Statistics show that 84 per cent of gang members are under 24 and two-thirds of those are black males. Detectives believe the number of girls joining gangs is rising, although they only represent 5 per cent of offenders. Between 2008 and 2010, the victims of London shootings hailed from 53 different countries. Yesterday, as officers arrested 213 suspects in a series of raids, the Met announced it would be working with the UK Border Agency to deport any foreign gang members. The Commissioner pledged to use ‘all tactics, if legal and ethical’, to tackle the problem. His new squad will draw officers from other specialist units, including the Flying Squad and homicide. Mr Hogan-Howe said: ‘This is a step change in how we tackle gang crime in London. It will allow us to identify and relentlessly pursue the most harmful gangs and gang members. ‘We want to prevent young people getting involved in gang offending so we and other agencies are offering ways out to support young people. ‘However, those who refuse our offer of help will be pursued and brought to justice.’ Gang victim: Agnes Sina-Inakoju who was buying a takeaway pizza when she was killed . The brother of a schoolgirl gunned down in a takeaway has urged gang members to help prevent more deaths by coming forward with information. Agnes Sina-Inakoju, 16, who dreamed of going to Oxford University, was the innocent victim of a gang feud. She was going to buy pizza from a takeaway in Hoxton, east London, in April 2010 when she was killed. Leon Dunkley and Mohammed Smoured, members of the London . Fields gang, decided to target the shop believing members of the rival . Hoxton Boys would be there. Instead, she was shot dead. Her brother Abiola Adesina, 33, said: . 'In movies the bad things always catch up with the bad guys. They live . life fine for a few years. People in gangs should be asked whether they . want this. 'Do they want to live fine for a few years and then be destroyed for the rest of their life or killed? 'Do they actually think about their friends, their family, their parents? Do they know what effect that will have on them? 'Children learn their boundaries as they grow. They will do things once and, if you don’t stop them, they’ll do it again.' Describing the moment he found out . about his sister’s death, Mr Adesina said: 'I was watching TV and I . heard on the news that someone had been shot in Hoxton and the first . thing that came into my head was "oh my god, that was very close to my . house". Convicted: Leon Dunkley (left) and Mohammed Smoured who were jailed for life for the murder of Agnes Sina-Inakoju . 'There were no pictures or names ... then a few minutes later someone called me and said, "I’m sorry about your sister". 'My mum hadn’t called me to tell me the news straight away. We were told she was going to be fine.' Agnes, who would have turned 18 this September, was taken to hospital but died two days later. Last year, gunman Dunkley, 22, and . look-out Smoured, 21, were jailed for life with minimum terms of 32 . years each for her murder. A third gang member was spared jail after he gave key evidence against the killers. Judge Peter Beaumont, the Recorder of . London, said that in the 'exceptional' circumstances he would instead . make a three-year youth rehabilitation order despite the youngster . admitting gun and drug offences. He said if jurors had not believed the witness’s evidence 'those men would not be serving the sentences that they are today'. Crime scene: The takeaway in Hoxton, east London, where the 16-year-old was killed . | 158 arrests as 1,300 officers are involved in gang raids across the capital .
Gang members are stuck on a 'conveyer belt of crime', says Met Police Assistant Commissioner .
Half a kilo of heroin, crack cocaine and cash are seized .
1,000 officers dedicated to tackling gang crime, they announce today .
250 active gangs across London with some members aged as young as 14 . |
275,391 | f0c54be75fbdc8ba754ebcac252dd16228250fa4 | By . Ted Thornhill . A person with access to a gun is three times more likely to commit suicide and nearly twice as likely to be a murder victim as someone who does not have access, a new study warns. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, drew the conclusion after analysing 15 studies about the relationship between gun ownership and violence. Men and women, they found, are affected in different ways. A University of California study has shown that having a gun in the home can greatly increase murder and suicide rates . When firearms were accessible, men were nearly four times more likely to commit suicide than when firearms were not accessible, while women were almost three times more likely to be victims of homicide. Gun ownership in America is higher than anywhere else in the world and firearms cause an estimated 31,000 deaths each year. Lead researcher and U.S. Army veteran Dr Andrew Anglemyer believes that the more access to weapons people have, the more violent society becomes. Gun ownership in the U.S. is higher than any other country in the world . He said: ‘Our analysis shows that having access to firearms is a significant risk factor for men committing suicide and for women being victims of homicide. Since empirical data suggest that most victims of homicide know their assailants, the higher risk for women strongly indicates domestic violence.’ Firearms play a significant role in both suicide and homicide, accounting for slightly more than half of all suicide deaths and two-thirds of homicide deaths, according to 2009 data from the 16-state National Violent Death Reporting System, which is run by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 75 per cent of suicides occur in the victims' homes, and a similar percentage of female homicide victims die in their homes. The figure is about 45 per cent for men. All but two of the studies were done in the United States and the results of the UCSF study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. David Hemenway of the Harvard School of Public Health, in an Annals editorial accompanying the feature on the study, underlined the dangers of having a gun in the home. He wrote: ‘Why having a gun in the home would substantially increase the risk for being murdered by a person who is not a family member is uncertain, and Anglemyer and colleagues do not provide an explanation. ‘Obtaining a firearm not only endangers those living in the home but also imposes substantial costs on the community.’ There are 31,000 deaths from firearms a year in the U.S (pictured is a gun shop in Kennewick, Washington) The Smith & Wesson's new monster handgun . The study on gun violence was released shortly after Smith & Wesson unveiled its new monster handgun - the so-called 'Backpack Cannon'. It's a .460-caliber revolver clearly built for those looking to tap into their inner Clint Eastwood or Hellboy. Smith & Wesson claim that it's the ideal gun for carrying around in your backpack and is a great addition to a hunting party that's targeting wild pigs or boar. And useful for fending off 'critters big enough to eat you'. The new gun, unveiled at the annual SHOT show in Las Vegas, costs $1,200. | UCSF researchers looked at 15 studies on gun ownership and violence .
Men and women are affected by gun access in different ways, they found .
Men are four times more likely to commit suicide if they have firearms access .
Women are three times more likely to be murder victims if guns can be found . |
102,375 | 0fec8f834bb85b96dc7c5f845fa4189877a4c782 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:01 EST, 5 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:50 EST, 13 April 2013 . Authorities investigating the death . of a Texas district attorney arrested a former justice of the peace and . charged him on Saturday with making a 'terroristic threat' after . searching his home. Eric Williams, 46, was admitted to the Kaufman County Jail early Saturday morning, jail records show. Bond was set at $1 million for the terroristic threat charge and at $1 million each for two charges of insufficient bond. Officials have not named Williams as a . suspect in the March 30 shooting deaths of District Attorney Mike . McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, or in the late January death of . assistant DA Mark Hasse, who was fatally shot as he was leaving work in . Kaufman, about 30 miles southeast of Dallas. But federal and local authorities searched Williams' home Friday as part of an investigation into the McLellands' deaths. The district attorney's office . prosecuted Williams, and he was convicted in March 2012 of burglary of a . building and theft by a public servant. Williams, who was sentenced to two months of probation, lost his justice of the peace position as a result of the conviction. Spokesmen for the FBI and the Kaufman . County Sheriff's Office confirmed Friday they were executing a search . warrant but declined to provide details. The sheriff's office said the . warrant's underlying affidavit was ordered sealed by a judge. Williams' attorney, David Sergi, . released a statement Friday saying his client 'has cooperated with law . enforcement and vigorously denies any and all allegations.' 'He wishes simply to get on with his life and hopes that the perpetrators are brought to justice,' Sergi said. Earlier this month, Williams said he . voluntarily submitted to a gun residue test and turned over his . cellphone after authorities contacted him while investigating the deaths . of the McLellands. Authorities have released little . information about the case except to say they continue to follow leads, . including possible ties to a white supremacist gang. One month before Hasse's death, the . Texas Department of Public Safety issued a warning to authorities . statewide that the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas could retaliate for an . October indictment that targeted some of its leaders. McLelland's office . was involved in that investigation. Newly obtained surveillance footage shows Kaufman County, Texas, district attorney Mike McLelland shopping for guns only hours before he was assassinated. The footage was captured by security cameras at a Forney, Texas, gun shop at about 1:30 p.m last Friday. The next day, both McLelland and his wife Cynthia were found murdered in their house. Scroll down for video . Security footage captures the DA going to look at guns only a day before he and his wife, Cynthia, were found dead . McLelland often carried a gun but was interested in weapons for his staff . Store owner O'Neill Kidwill said McLelland often stopped in to chat and look at guns . Store owner O'Neill Kidwill told CBS News McLelland was more worried about his coworker's safety than his own. 'I was showing him one of the revolvers,' Kidwill said. 'I asked him if he was ever in fear of his life, he said no. He was more worried about his coworkers.' Precautions: Assistant DA Mark Hasse was shot dead on January 31 . McLelland asked for recommendations for guns to give his employees, who were terrified by the January murder of assistant district attorney Mark Hasse. McLelland himself seemed calm. 'He . didn't seem like anything was going to happen to him. He was . invincible. He was happy,' Kidwill said. 'Everything was good in his . world.' The men talked for about 30 minutes as McLelland shopped. Kidwill said he recommended 38-caliber revolvers and bulletproof vests for his staff. He also recommended that McLelland wear a vest himself. However after CBS released its interview, Kidwill took to Facebook to clarify that McLelland was a regular in the gun shop and was not there out of fear. 'Mike came in once or twice a week to be around other gun . enthusiast/hobbyists because that’s what he was, and to be around good . friends to swap war stories and just talk,' Kidwill wrote. 'He never talked about what he . knew about his assistants murder. He was confident the killer would . face justice. And we very much hope they do.I have also been misquoted . by saying mike took to carrying his 38 after marks murder. Truth is mike . has always carried his gun, it’s his job.' Kidwill was one of hundreds who attended the McLellands' service, along with dozens of law enforcement officers and . public officials, including Texas Governor Rick Perry. According to CNN, an affidavit on Thursday revealed further details of the investigations into the couple's deaths. Friends . reportedly found the bodies of the DA and his wife after going to their . home on Saturday evening, having not heard from them in almost 24 . hours. They were found with multiple gunshot wounds. Fears: District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia were gunned down at their ranch-style bungalow on Saturday . Police . have requested phone records for the McLellands for the last two months . to see if more can be discovered about the days leading up to the fatal . attack. At their funeral service on Thursday, Mr and Mrs McLelland shared a single, flag-draped casket inside the suburban church. McLelland had addressed many of the . same people two months earlier, after the slaying of Mark Hasse, one of . his prosecutors. Hasse was gunned down near the Kaufman County . courthouse while going to work. The deaths are feared to be planned attacks by violent white supremacist gang, the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. McLelland . was pivotal in the prosecution of a senior member of the Aryan . Brotherhood of Texas last year who received two life terms following a . shoot out. No arrests have been made in either case. The reward for information leading to a conviction has been doubled to $200,000. Days after the bodies were discovered, assistant DA Jay Hileman sent a short email to the defense team today saying that he was stepping down for security reasons. Honored: An image of Kaufman County DA Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia is unveiled beside their coffin at a memorial service in Mesquite, Texas . He is being replaced by another . Department of Justice prosecutor from Washington D.C. who will . travel to Houston to join the high-profile case. That individual will join attorney . David Karpel from the DOJ's gang unit in prosecuting . the large racketeering case, according to Dallasnews.com. McLelland told The Associated Press shortly before his death that . he was warning his employees that they needed to be more cautious as . well. 'The people in my . line of work are going to have to get better at it,' he said of dealing . with the danger, 'because they're going to need it more in the future'. Several people on Thursday remembered that spirit of persistence and defiance. Standing . in front of the casket, Foreman told the audience they had a . responsibility not to let fear stop them from fighting to do right . thing. She said she . believed her mother and stepfather had prepared her for this moment, . when she and her siblings must go on without them. 'The right thing is never easy,' said Christina Foreman, one of the five children the couple shared. 'And he knew that. And he stood up anyway.' Watch video here . | Eric Williams, 46, has been arrested in relation to the murders of DA Mike McLelland and wife Cynthia at Texas home last month .
Officials have charged him with making a 'terroristic threat', but he hasn't been named a suspect . |
180,868 | 76273ff7be966f1d5936fdaf2973cd7cba11e00c | (CNN) -- Europe's women hold a slender advantage over the U.S. team at the midway point of The 2013 Solheim Cup at the Colorado Golf Club on Saturday. The European team started the day 5-3 ahead after winning the opening day foursomes 3-1 and sharing the points in the afternoon four-balls. But the U.S. fought back in Saturday morning's foursomes to leave the match finely poised at 6.5 points to 5.5. It had looked as if the match was slipping away from the home side early on Saturday as Swedish pair Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall's recorded a sensational 2&1 win over Morgan Pressel and Jessica Korda in the opening match. Europe left it late to strike, but when they did it was decisive. Hedwell's birdie at the 16th put Europe one up before Nordqvist closed out the match in incredible style, breaking American hearts with a hole-in-one at the 180-yard par three 17th. "It's an unbelievable feeling. They played tough but we holed the putts and it is amazing to finish that way. It was a perfectly struck seven iron," Nordqvist said, www.ladieseuropeantour.com reported. The hammer blow left the U.S. trailing 6-3, but Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer immediately restored some hope with a hard fought one-hole victory over Azahara Munoz and Karine Icher. Another half point was gained soon after when the match between Brittany Lincicome and Lizette Salas and Catriona Matthew and Caroline Masson finished all-square. All eyes turned to the final match where Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang claimed a vital 2&1 win over European pairing Suzann Pettersen and Beatriz Recari. Midway through the afternoon fourballs, Europe hold the advantage in three matches with the U.S. up in one. | Europe lead U.S. 6.5 points to 5.5 at the midway point in the Solheim Cup .
U.S. claim two wins and a half in Saturday morning foursomes .
Anna Nordqvist records a hole-in-one at 17th to seal point for Europe in opening foursome . |
154,201 | 534ac64875c726002296aab40a79459c16e9828e | The infatuated accomplice of serial killer Joanna Dennehy has launched an appeal against his life sentence. Gary Stretch, who is 7ft 3inches tall, was jailed for a minimum of 19 years after being convicted of helping Dennehy murder three men in a gruesome ten-day killing spree. The 48-year-old - whose real name Gary Richards - shouted 'thank you very much' when he was sentenced in February this year for two counts of attempted murder and preventing the burial of Dennehy's victims. Gary Stretch, 48 (left) - the infatuated accomplice of serial killer Joanna Dennehy (right) - is appealing against his sentence, after being jailed for two counts of attempted murder and preventing burial of Dennehy's victims . Dennehy (pictured) was handed a whole-life prison term - only the third ever to be given to a woman - after murdering three men in a ten-day spree . But Stretch, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, has now launched an appeal against the length of his sentence, for the second time. Dennehy, 31, who pleaded guilty to the murders, was handed a whole-life prison term - only the third ever to be given to a woman. After the trial, it emerged Stretch had sent Dennehy twisted letters from his cell, calling her his 'devil in the flesh' and describing sex with her as 'a dream never to come true'. He also praised her 'bloodthirsty' leanings and 'dirty and dark mind', as they both awaited sentence for their heinous crimes. Stretch even signed off the letters with 'Your biggest supporter!' 'Undertaker' and 'Hubby 4 Lifey'. During the trial, prosecutors said Dennehy 'cast a spell' over her alleged accomplices and some of her victims as she killed 'for fun'. The bodies of Dennehy's victims - including John Chapman (left) and Kevin Lee (right) - were found in ditches in East Anglia in March and April last year . Dennehy also stabbed Lukasz Slaboszewski (pictured) to death, before going on to repeatedly stab two other dog walkers in Hereford, who both survived . Stretch was described as a 'nodding dog' to Dennehy who was said to be 'a sadistic serial killer with a fearsome personality'. Throughout the trial, Stretch claimed he had acted under 'duress' and in fear of what Dennehy might do to him. He also refused to give evidence during his trial at Cambridge Crown Court. But he was convicted after a trial in which jurors saw CCTV images of him walking hand-in-hand with Dennehy through a motorway service station. The bodies of Dennehy's victims - Lukasz Slaboszewski, Kevin Lee and John Chapman - were found dumped in ditches in East Anglia in March and April last year. Dennehy's brutal murders sparked a nationwide manhunt for her and Stretch. Officers also combed several pieces of land to try and find the pair's victims (pictured) After the killings, Dennehy and Stretch drove to Hereford where she selected two other men - Robin Bereza and John Rogers - at random. She repeatedly stabbed the dog walkers in the street but both survived. Dennehy pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, two of attempted murder and three of preventing the lawful and decent burials of her three victims. Two other accomplices were also jailed. Robert Moore, 56, was jailed for three years after he admitted sheltering Dennehy and Leslie Layton, 36, was jailed for 14 years for preventing the burials of her victims. Stretch's appeal case is due to be heard tomorrow. | 7ft 3in Gary Stretch, 48, was jailed for two counts of attempted murder .
He was also found guilty of preventing the burial of Dennehy's three victims .
Defence claimed Stretch - real name Gary Richards - acted under duress .
But he signed letters to Dennehy with 'Hubby' and 'Your biggest supporter'
Dennehy, 31, was handed a whole life jail term for her ten-day killing spree .
The victims' bodies were found dumped in ditches around East Anglia .
The hearing, due tomorrow, is second time Stretch has appealed sentence . |
56,473 | a006030891b1410e9dc09d398549186f0fde8ba8 | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 05:49 EST, 16 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:32 EST, 16 April 2012 . Jailed: Peter Chen was driving at up to twice the speed limit when he hit Ray Tutton in the early hours of Christmas Eve last year . A gambling addict who mowed down and killed a father-of-three while racing to a casino has been jailed for more than three years. Peter Chen’s car struck pedestrian Ray Tutton with such force that he was tossed through the air like a ‘bin bag’ and landed more than 30metres away. Chen, 40, had been doing up to 60mph in a 30mph zone and was rushing back to a casino, having had to return home to get more money during a night of gambling. Mr Tutton, 46, and his wife Liz, 47, were walking home from a night out at a pub in Poole, Dorset, when the collision happened in the early hours of Christmas Eve last year. Mrs Tutton later told police how her husband was slightly in front of her on a pedestrian crossing before he was flung through the air in a split second. She said at first she thought the object in the air was a bin bag before she realised what had happened. Mr Tutton’s lifeless body came to rest 33metres further down the road, Bournemouth Crown Court heard. A passing paramedic stopped to help the elevator engineer but he died shortly afterwards in hospital. Two men drove past Chen’s Nissan Micra . car and turned around to follow it when they saw both the damage to its . front and the accident scene. Mike Coombes and Jamie Lindsay, both nightclub bouncers, eventually caught up with Chen and blocked his car in before police arrived and arrested him. Victim: Ray Tutton and his wife Liz (left) were walking home from a night out at a pub in Poole, Dorset, when the collision happened . Chen, a chef, told officers he had been to a casino, spent his money and gone back home to get more funds. Marton Booth, prosecuting, said: 'He was in a rush to get back to the casino to gamble further; he told police he was anxious to get there. 'When asked what speed he had been travelling at when he collided with Mr Tutton, Chen replied that he was driving at between 50 and 60mph in a 30mph zone. 'Mr Tutton was slightly in front of his wife and she has described seeing headlights in the distance. 'In a split second her husband was no longer there. 'She saw what she thought was a bin liner in the air and then she realised it was the body of her husband, about 33metres away from the crossing.' Tribute: Flowers left at the crash scene in Poole . Chen, a Malaysian national, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. Jailing Chen for three years and four months, Judge Samuel Wiggs told him: 'You were in such a hurry to get back to the casino that, on a road you must have been familiar with, you completely failed to see the light was red. 'You took the life of a hard-working family man and it doesn’t need me to go through the anguish that will have caused those close to him. 'They had no idea that the happy evening was going to turn out so tragically - you were responsible for that.' After the case Mrs Tutton said no length of prison sentence would have been enough for her. She said: 'It doesn’t seem like a long time but even if the maximum sentence of 14 years had been imposed it wouldn’t have been enough. Nothing will bring Ray back. 'In some ways it would have been more understandable if it had been a teenager who had been drinking; not a 40-year-old man who was stone-cold sober and all because of his gambling habit.' | Ray Tutton, 46, was walking through Poole, Dorset, in the early hours of the morning when he was run over . |
8,509 | 18050b369b54f991c9293b4ee10ff344e407ac21 | Two men who had their convictions for the 1995 murder of a taxi driver overturned have finally been released. Eric Glisson and Cathy Watkins spent 17 years in a New York Jail, wrongly convicted for murdering livery cab driver Baith . Diop. Bronx Supreme Court Judge Denis Boyle exonerated the pair in October after hearing that gang members had confessed to the murder, and yesterday the pair finally had their ankle monitors removed. Glisson and Watkins are . among five people convicted in the murder of livery cab driver Baith . Diop, who was gunned down on January 19, 1995, amid a rash of taxi . driver murders around New York City. Imprisoned: Eric Glisson (pictured right, with his lawyer Peter Cross), was convicted in the 1995 killing of a livery cab driver in New York City . Three others who were also convicted . of the crime in 1997 - Devon Ayers, Michael Cosme and Carlos Perez - are . waiting to hear if their convictions will be convicted. However they will remain in jail over Christmas and New Year, pending their hearing on January 2. Press . accounts had described how, according to police, the Senegalese . immigrant begged for his life before being shot in the back and neck. Ballistics showed that he was shot with two .38-caliber handguns that . were never recovered. Fighting for freedom: Glisson wrote to federal prosecutors saying he'd heard the murder was the work of a gang called Sex, Money and Murder . Rather . than treat the crime as a fatal holdup, New York Police Department . detectives and prosecutors linked it to a complex conspiracy by a band . of drug dealers involved in the execution-style killing of FedEx . executive Denise Raymond two days earlier. Investigators . alleged that Diop was killed as part of a related scheme to steal a . pile of drug money that one of his passengers was carrying that night. At the first of two trials, three men were convicted in both the killing of Denise Raymond and Diop. At the second, a jury found Glisson and Watkins guilty in the cabbie homicide. All received lengthy sentences. Glisson's . lawyer said that as the years passed, his client exhausted all his . appeals before writing a letter to federal prosecutors. In it, he said . he had heard that the cabbie killing was the work of a gang called Sex, . Money and Murder, or SMM. The . letter, though addressed to a prosecutor who had left the office, by . coincidence made its way into the hands of John O’Malley - a former . Bronx homicide detective familiar with SMM, the New York Times reported. The names of Gilbert Vega and Jose . Rodriguez, two SMM members, rang a bell for O'Malley. Both men had . confessed to killing a Bronx cab driver in late 1994 or early 1995 – an . admission that couldn't be corroborated at the time. Vega and Rodriguez confessed after becoming cooperators in 2003. The . investigator re-interviewed the two men. They described again how they . were riding in a cab together when they decided to rob the driver. When . he put up a fight, they shot him and jumped out of the car without . knowing whether he was dead. Earlier . this month, Glisson and Watkins filed court papers to have their . convictions thrown out. Their next court hearing is scheduled for . October 19. 'Deep down, I . feel like the justice system failed me,' Glisson said in an interview . earlier this year. 'But you just have to try to move on.' Jailed: Glisson has been behind bars at Sing Sing prison for 17 years; it is now thought he was wrongfully convicted of murder . | Eric Glisson and Cathy Watkins were convicted for the 1995 murder of cab driver Baith Diop .
Judge throws out murder conviction - but keeps prisoners in jail over Christmas for related charges . |
211,887 | 9e6429f671a3a39416bc313778e9b5a259172988 | By . Ashley Clements . Follow @@Ashley_Clements . Andrea Pirlo refused to deny interest from Tottenham before conceding he wanted to stay at Juventus where he 'can win'. Tottenham had been reported to be showing an interest in Pirlo, who they had hoped would become a free agent, but the Italian has now signed a two-year contract with the Old Lady. Speaking at Italy's World Cup press conference, Pirlo said: 'Past interest from Tottenham Hotspur? I don’t know if Italian football is better than English football, but it was my choice to continue with Juventus, which is a place where I’m comfortable and where I can win.' VIDEO: Scroll down to see Italy star Pirlo doing tricks in training ahead of England clash . Snub: Andrea Pirlo (left) refused to deny that a move to Tottenham was on the cards . Talking tactics: Pirlo chats with Mario Balotelli and Italy's head coach Cesare Prandelli . Since leaving AC Milan in 2011, the 35-year-old midfielder has inspired Juventus to three successive Serie A titles and his performance has been rewarded with an extended contract. Known as an exceptional free-kick exponent, Pirlo scored six goals last season for the club. 'A beacon in the centre of the field and a torment for our opponents, with Pirlo pulling the strings Juve have racked up three consecutive league titles and added two Italian Super Cups,' Juventus said on their club website. 'For 131 games Andrea Pirlo has been the fulcrum of the side, the intersection through which every move passes. 'In three years, he's played his team mates through on goal 30 times, touching the ball at least once for every minute he's spent on the pitch (11,551 balls played versus his 11,344 minutes in action), with a pass completion rate of over 90 percent. 'Numbers that would read like science fiction for anyone else, but for the Professor, it's simply par for the course. And the lesson's not over yet..." The 2006 World Cup winner will again be Italy coach Cesare Prandelli's mainstay in Brazil as they seek to progress from Group D, which also contains Uruguay, England and Costa Rica.Italy open their World Cup campaign against England at Manaus on Saturday. Danger man: Pirlo was a thorn in England's side at Euro 2012 . Final fling: The 35-year-old will retire from international football after the 2014 World Cup . All smiles: Pirlo jokes around with Balotelli in training on Wednesday . Chasing shadows: England players couldn't get near Pirlo in Kiev . | Andrea Pirlo hints at offer from Tottenham .
Italian midfielder has signed new two-year contract with Juventus .
35-year-old will retire from international football after World Cup . |
206,066 | 96bff5ccb0579172f20bcbe42124a5d04270774f | Officials investigating the victimisation of NHS whistleblowers have been deluged by comments from thousands of concerned staff. They were meant to publish their findings two months ago but have repeatedly had to push back the date because so many people have got in touch. The review is being overseen by the leading barrister Sir Robert Francis QC, who produced two reports into the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal. Officials investigating the victimisation of NHS whistleblowers have been deluged by comments from thousands of concerned staff - pictured is Professor Joseph Meirion Thomas who was put on two weeks’ gardening leave by the Royal Marsden Hospital in London after writing two critical articles about the NHS . So far, the review team has received 17,500 online responses and 600 by post – although some individuals may have got in touch more than once. Meanwhile, a critical report by MPs on the Health Select Committee warns that despite some improvements, many staff are still too scared to raise concerns and have been put off by the experiences of others. The report concludes: ‘The treatment of whistleblowers is a stain on the reputation of the NHS and has led to unwarranted, inexcusable pain for the courageous individuals affected.’ The Mail has long campaigned for the protection of whistleblowers and earlier this month revealed how a senior cancer doctor had been gagged by his hospital. Professor Joseph Meirion Thomas was put on two weeks’ gardening leave by the Royal Marsden Hospital in London after writing two critical articles about the NHS. The review into whistleblowing was ordered by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt last summer over concerns that many NHS staff were still too afraid to speak out. The review into whistleblowing was ordered by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) over concerns that many NHS staff were still too afraid to speak out - officials have since been 'deluged' by comments from staff . Often those who implicate more senior colleagues when they raise concerns of poor care are bullied, disciplined or forced out of their job. Conservative MP Dr Sarah Wollaston, chairman of the Health Select Committee, said: ‘We’re not saying that everyone who raises concerns in the NHS suffers harm as a result. But there have been a number of high profile cases where that has happened. ‘There is evidence that for those professionals thinking of raising concerns, the fear of how that might impact on their career is still acting as a deterrent in coming forward. The system needs to continue to change.’ MPs also wants to make it easier for patients and families to complain by setting up a ‘one-stop’ helpline and website. Dr Kim Holt, a paediatrician who raised the alarm at the clinic which failed to spot abuse of Baby P, said: ‘The treatment of some staff has undermined patient safety, as there is a lack of trust in the system. ‘People have lost faith that they will be properly supported and protected – fear is pervasive.’ Two years ago Mr Hunt promised to make it easier for staff to raise concerns by launching a whistleblowing helpline and pledging to end gagging orders. These are payments made to employees to keep them quiet when they are dismissed from hospitals after speaking out. The review is overseen by the barrister who produced two reports into the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal . Last year the Mail highlighted the case of cardiologist Dr Raj Mattu, whose NHS trust had spent £10million trying to silence him after he warned of patients dying on overcrowded wards. He was suspended from Coventry’s Walgrave Hospital in 2000 and later sacked but finally vindicated in April when a judge ruled he had been unfairly treated. Yesterday Mr Hunt said: ‘We want to make the NHS the safest healthcare system in the world and we know that listening to patients and staff is absolutely vital to improve care.’ ÷A whistleblower paramedic who was banned from two hospitals after warning that patients were being treated in corridors has had the restriction lifted. Stuart Gardner was told by managers that he was ‘not welcome’ at either hospital after stating that conditions at Worcestershire Royal Hospital were the worst he had seen in 26 years. He told the BBC that at one point there were 18 patients queued up on trolleys. Yesterday Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospitals, the Royal in Worcester and Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, backed down. It said in a statement: ‘Unison and the Trust have agreed that the Trust does not have the authority to exclude an individual paramedic from its premises and the paramedic has received an apology for the suggestion that he should be excluded.’ Final embrace: Lisa Mpongwana, 27, and her husband Mthuthuzeli, 38, after she made the decision to switch off his life-support machine - she claims he would still be alive if there had not been an ambulance delay . This harrowing picture shows the pain of a wife with her dying husband after he waited more than five hours for an ambulance. Lisa Mpongwana, 27, and her husband Mthuthuzeli, 38, are locked in a final embrace after she made the heart-breaking decision to switch off his life-support machine. He died from meningitis after falling unconscious in an ambulance which arrived at his home over five hours after his wife first called the emergency services. Mrs Mpongwana claims he would still be alive today without the delay. She said she first called 111 between 10.30pm and 11pm on January 5 after her husband began showing flu-like symptoms earlier that day. The operator was concerned and said a blue lights ambulance would be sent. However, nothing happened until 1.18am when a lone paramedic arrived in a car and then called for an ambulance. But the ambulance did not arrive until 4.30am, by which point Mr Mpongwana was fading and became unresponsive during the journey to the Bristol Royal Infirmary. Mrs Mpongwana spent the morning of January 7 in the arms of her husband before giving her consent for his life-support machine to be switched off. She decided to release the photograph – taken by a relative at the hospital – to raise awareness of meningitis. Mrs Mpongwana said: ‘People need to see the hurt I went through.’ South Western Ambulance Service has apologised for the hold-up blaming it on a ‘very busy time’. | Officials investigating victimisation of NHS whistleblowers have been deluged by comments from thousands of concerned staff .
Findings meant to be published two months ago but date was pushed back .
Review team has received 17,500 online responses and 600 by post .
Critical report by MPs on the Health Select Committee warns that despite some improvements, many staff are still too scared to raise concerns . |
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