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Weighing about the same as a three-year-old child and containing 12,000 calories this dinner could feed a whole family at Christmas ... but is meant to be for just one person . The seven-kilogramme meal consists of a turkey crown filled with pork and orange stuffing , a whole chicken , whole duck , four Yorkshire puddings and ten each of new potatoes , roast potatoes and pigs in blankets , and equal measures of carrots , sprouts and squash . The # 56 challenge is so gargantuan that the restaurant serving it has drawn up a disclaimer warning those with heart conditions or underlying illnesses about the dangers of such a calorific meal - but if diners can get through the entire thing in an hour they get the whole lot free . The ` largest Christmas dinner in the UK ' : The Real 3-Bird Challenge is the brainchild of Sarah Bird -LRB- pictured -RRB- who runs The Black Bull restaurant in Wakefield , West Yorkshire . A case for Man vs Food : The seven-kilogramme meal is a turkey crown filled with pork and orange stuffing , a whole chicken , duck , Yorkshire puddings and ten each of new potatoes , roast potatoes and pigs in blankets . The Real 3-Bird Challenge is the brainchild of Sarah Bird who runs The Black Bull restaurant in Wakefield , West Yorkshire . The Christmas dinner challenge takes a total of four hours to assemble , prepare and cook , and three chefs to make it . Ms Bird said : ` We have made a meal for four grown men or a Christmas dinner for a whole family but one lucky challenger has got to eat it all in an hour . ` We reckon it adds up to about 12,000 calories . We are making disclaimers because we want to be responsible about this - even if it is a bit of fun in the run up to Christmas . Our disclaimers always state that challenges can only be undertaken by those 18 and above . The Christmas challenge takes a total of four hours to assemble , prepare and cook , and three chefs to make it . The restaurant has had 3,000 likes on Facebook since they posted the picture on their page . The meal , which can feed four grown men , costs # 56 but if diners can finish it in an hour they get it free . The restaurant chain also serves an 80oz steak challenge for # 54 and a whole cake challenge . '' This is the biggest challenge we have done yet and 12,000 calories is obviously several times the recommended daily intake for just one man . We will have the first aid kit on standby , ' Ms Bird continued . Since posting a photo of the gigantic meal , their Facebook page has been inundated with people linking their friends and boasting that they can defeat the platter . Facebook follower Phil Simcox wrote : ` If that 's not promoting obesity I do n't know what is . ' ' I have had a go at it and I did n't even make a dent . We have had 3,000 likes on Facebook since we put it up and have had quite a few people interested or egging their friends on , ' Ms Bird continued . Christmas challenge : The restaurant has issued disclaimers warning those with heart conditions or underlying illnesses about the dangers of such a calorific meal . The restaurant chain also serves an 80oz steak challenge for # 54 and a whole cake challenge . ` Everyone has been sharing the picture and getting their friends on board . It is really exciting . We are stating that you have to order this 24 hours in advance so we have enough time to make it . ` The meat itself adds up to about 100 ounces - it is massive . It weighs about the same as a three-year-old . ' ` If anyone actually manages it they get the whole thing for free . I really want someone to finish it all but I think it might just be a bit big . It would be great to get a professional eater in and see how they handle it . ' ` We just love doing these challenges and we thought it would be great to do a challenge in the run up to Christmas . ' I think we have definitely made the largest Man vs Food Christmas dinner in the UK . I think if anyone manages to finish it they will be put off Christmas dinner for life . ' | Real 3-Bird Challenge served at The Black Bull , Wakefield , West Yorkshire . Dinner weighs 7kg and has turkey , chicken and duck plus all the trimmings . Disclaimer warns those with heart conditions about dangers of the meal . | [[177, 229], [215, 411], [923, 945], [948, 991], [977, 1129], [446, 657], [2934, 3078]] |
As temperatures hovered at around 3C this morning , residents in a north London suburb were waking up to get ready for work . But already gathered in a quiet street in Stanmore , since before the sun had risen and temperatures began to increase , were queues of migrants looking for a day 's work . The large groups of men were seen standing in the road in long queues , hopeful to pick up work from passing builders and tradesmen in white vans who would pay them for an extra pair of hands today . So many have started to gather in the leafy London suburb that the queue had spilled out to in front of Selco warehouse in Honeypot Lane , which appeared to have security guards standing outside to ensure the large groups were kept under control . Groups of migrants are queuing outside a north London warehouse in the hope of picking up a day 's work . Groups have been gathering at the spot from about 6.30 am and there are reports of some approaching local workers directly to ask for work , and others stopping vans to ask if they are needed . They are frequently paid in cash - meaning they often do n't pay tax or National Insurance . Just 19 , Iusti came to the UK four months ago from Botosani in northern Romania . His father died in August , his mother lives in Italy , his sister in Spain and he has a 16-year-old girlfriend , Valentina , back home . Her father works , earning about # 160 a month . He said he came here on his own to earn money . Soon after driving to London in a van with seven other people he found work near Victoria and Pimlico , labouring for three weeks . Work has been sporadic and he now lives with 13 other people in a house on an estate in Queensbury , Harrow , doing occasional jobs in the area as a roofer . Iusti says around 30 or 40 men , Romanians and Romanian gypsies , turn out at around 6am every morning looking for work . Some have been in the UK just a few months and speak little English , and most send money home . In four months he thinks he has been able to find about six weeks ' work . But he has not had any for four days . Despite waiting since 7am today , his British boss had not turned up by lunchtime . ' I get about # 40 , # 60 a day , boss takes about # 300 , # 400 . Cash , no taxes . Three day work , three day no work . Two day work , five day no work . Dozens of men , dressed for the cold weather , were seen gathering in Stanmore from early this morning . A security guard is photographed outside Selco warehouse , where the groups have recently started to gather . ` In Romania is # 100 to # 150 a month , # 10 for one day . Not work every day in Romania . No money in Romania . Problem . I will send money back to Romania . My girlfriend , Valentina , in Romania , I go to see her for Christmas . ' His mother will send him the money so he can drive home , as he can not afford it . Iusti says he is torn over his situation - between being trapped in his home country where there is no work , and being so far away from home and living alone . ' I like it in England , everything is working , I like . Zero money , no like , ' he says . ` It is difficult . Here money , no family . In Romania family , no money . Life here is get food money , smoke money , sleep . ' Last week it emerged that up to 200 men from Romania and Bulgaria were gathering every day between a B&Q store on Honeypot Lane and a bar and restaurant named The Honeypot in a bid to find ` off the books ' jobs . The latest pictures show the queue spilling over to in front of the nearby Selco warehouse . The men start to arrive at about 6.30 am and are hopeful of getting a day 's work which will be off the books . Migrants are being picked up by passing builders and tradesmen who need an extra pair of hands for the day . Men standing there are hopeful that passing builders will pick them up for a day 's work . They have been seen speaking to builders and other passing tradesmen who travel past in vans . However their presence has not been welcomed in the leafy London suburb , with residents saying they felt intimidated by the large number of people hanging around outside their homes . Groups begin to disperse about 2pm after most vans stop coming past . Suresh Varsani , who runs Dillons estate agents in Honeypot Lane , says Eastern European workers have been touting for work outside his shop six days a week for the last year . Around 50 or 60 people gather at Selco and B&Q every morning from 6am , sometimes staying until noon . Up to 200 migrants were seen queuing up for work outside The Honeypot bar in north London last week . He said : ` It even happens when I am driving . They just come up and say , ` job , job ' . It has become a central place for everybody to come for work , and builders are taking them on . I think most of them are cash in hand and it is not right . ` It is an issue and needs to be dealt with . It is not the proper manner for looking for work . I get them hanging around my shop , which I do n't really like . It stops other people coming in and it is not a good impression for people outside my shop . ' The appearance of large groups of men have led to criticism that Britain is becoming a ` honeypot nation ' , with endless low pay caused by the constant supply of cheap labour from eastern Europe . Migrant workers from Poland can double their basic pay by coming to the UK , and new arrivals from Bulgaria are able to increase their pay by up to 250 per cent , according to latest figures from the Open Europe think tank . | Large groups of migrant workers seen queuing in north London suburb . Queues of men spotted last week have spilled over to outside warehouse . Security guards have been seen outside Selco warehouse in Stanmore . Dozens of migrants queue up , hoping to be picked up by passing builders . Romanian teenager said he turns up at 7am every day and sees 30-40 men . He said he can earn up to # 60 a day in cash , so he does n't have to pay tax . | [[299, 368], [499, 556], [502, 506], [520, 635], [747, 852], [2321, 2334], [2368, 2425], [4488, 4589], [4488, 4506], [4517, 4589], [214, 226], [247, 270], [299, 368], [502, 506], [520, 635], [747, 852], [853, 907], [2321, 2334], [2368, 2425], [3239, 3291], [3453, 3545], [3478, 3545], [4488, 4589], [4488, 4506], [4517, 4589], [622, 635], [644, 676], [622, 635], [653, 720], [2426, 2482], [299, 368], [371, 444], [502, 506], [520, 635], [747, 852], [747, 765], [823, 852], [2321, 2334], [2368, 2425], [3658, 3720], [3767, 3857], [3790, 3797], [3803, 3834], [3838, 3857], [4208, 4222], [4275, 4384], [4385, 4454], [4488, 4589], [4488, 4506], [4517, 4589], [1748, 1811], [2321, 2334], [2368, 2425], [3239, 3291], [4208, 4222], [4275, 4384], [4385, 4454]] |
Widnes beat Hull KR to tighten their grip on the final First Utility Super League play-off place in a physical encounter at the Select Security Stadium . Two tries in as many minutes at the beginning of the second half gave the Vikings the confidence to see out the game . First Joe Mellor flew over and then Kevin Brown finished off a brilliant inter-passing move to give the Vikings the edge . The hosts did not have it all their own way though as Hull KR threw everything at them but in the end the visitors did not have the power to deal with the vibrant Vikings , who head into next week 's Tetley 's Challenge Cup semi-final against Castleford in great shape thanks to a 28-10 victory . Clean hitting : Danny Tickle sends a conversion flying over as Widnes comfortably beat Hull KR on Sunday . With only one point separating the two teams beforehand , it was always going to be a tense affair and that was the way the first period played out . The Vikings got their noses in front after ten minutes as Jack Owens latched onto a Brown cross-field kick to put the home side in charge . Hull KR winger Ade Gardner was left in no man 's land as the pinpoint kick caught him napping on the right flank . Owens was on hand to zoom up behind him and over for the first try of the afternoon . Danny Tickle missed the conversion . The Robins thought they had hit back immediately through dangerous Australian stand-off Travis Burns but that effort was ruled out by referee Robert Hicks for an infringement . Rovers were not to be denied , though , as Burns linked up with James Green to send over Kris Keating for a well-worked score . Burns could not add the conversion . Willie Isa then rampaged his way forward and his offload to Rhys Hanbury gave the Vikings full-back some room to manoeuvre and he passed to Danny Galea who sent in Chris Dean for a sweeping Widnes try . Tickle was on target with the conversion to put Widnes 10-4 in front at half-time . It did not stay that way for long after the interval as Widnes stretched their lead to 12 as Mellor finished off a superb break from Dave Allen to romp home under the posts . Tickle added the extras and Denis Betts ' men were well in command . The Vikings came out the traps aggressively and they were in again two minutes later as Dean turned the Robins defence inside out and his timely pass to Owens was enough to create the score for Brown . The Robins put themselves back in it , however , on 50 minutes as powerful back rower Jason Chan burst over to give Burns an easy conversion . The tit-for-tat scoring continued , this time it was Vikings ' centre Stefan Marsh speeding over after good work from Brown and Mellor . Jack Owens was unsuccessful with the touchline conversion . Owens was in action again on the opposite flank after Rhys Hanbury 's terrific solo score . The Robins kept plugging away , with Ben Cockayne going close , but the Vikings held on to extend their cushion in eighth spot to three points . | Widnes look set for a play-off place in the Super League . Jack Owens opened the scoring early on to set them on their way . | [[950, 1056], [1008, 1089]] |
Dean met Emily Goodhand , 28 , in Toronto through friends at a vodka bar . He ` slipped her his room card and his room number after flirting ' She claims they spent the night together in his luxury hotel room . He allegedly told Emily he never had sex with Tori anymore . She claims he bragged about his sex tape with Tori . Emily now feels it was a mistake and she made a bad decision . They seemed to have a blissful marriage filled with kids , reality TV and happy photo ops . But on Tuesday , UsWeekly reported there 's a serious crack in the marriage of Dean McDermott , 47 , and Tori Spelling , 40 . Emily Goodhand , 28 , has alleged the former hunk slept with her after an alcohol-fueled evening in Toronto , Canada on December 6 . ` He was romantic and very complimentary . He was telling me , `` You 're so beautiful , '' ' Emily told the magazine . ` And he told me he and Tori had a sexless marriage . I believed him . ' Reps for Tori and Dean did not return calls to MailOnline . Bombshell : Emily Goodhand , 28 , told the January 6 issue of UsWeekly she slept with Tori 's husband on December 6 in a Toronto hotel room . The one-night-stand allegedly took place after a group of friends met up at Pravda Vodka House in the Canadian city , where Dean was on a promotional tour for his hosting job on the show Chopped Canada . Emily was a friend of a friend and the two were introduced . Her occupation was not disclosed . The father invited the beauty back to the Fairmont Royal York Hotel where they had sex , according to UsWeekly . Too much stress ? : The patriarch , 47 , looked frazzled when he took his wife and four kids to Disney On Ice 's Rockin ' Ever After in LA on December 12 , just six days after his alleged tryst . ` He seemed like a cool guy , ' Emily said . ' I thought he was handsome . ' They became friendly over an eight hour meal at Pravda , sitting side by side . ` We were just having fun and hanging out , ' Emily added . When heading toward the bar at his hotel , ` he was flirting , ' she added , and she explained she was attracted to him because his personality was ` very charming . ' The 5 ' 8 '' looker explained she felt she could ` trust ' him because he opened up to her and was ` talking about his kids and his work . ' No smiles here : The Beverly Hills , 90210 beauty running errands on December 21 . She also said they knew a lot of the same people , ` so we had that in common . ' During drinks at his Fairmont hotel , the 6 ' 3 '' former hunk did not openly flirt with Emily as there were other friends with them . But later the two exchanged phone numbers , then he slipped his card key with his room number into her purse . ` We just looked at each other , ' Emily said . Oversharing : Dean reportedly did n't like it when his TV star spouse spilled their financial issues in her new book Spelling It Like It Is . After slyly leaving with friends and making it seem as if she was going home , Emily instead went to Dean 's hotel room . At first he was n't there but then she texted him and he showed up within seconds . ` He wanted to make me feel good , ' she explained after he flooded her with compliments . ` Then the time for talking was over . ' Emily , who insisted they used protection during their encounter , said Dean gushed about his famous wife . ` He said , `` I love my wife , I love her so much . But she wo n't sleep with me , '' ' Emily recounted . Once a cheater , always a cheater ? : He stepped out on his wife of 12 years , Mary Jo Eustace -LRB- pictured in 2003 -RRB- , when he made 2005 's Mind Over Murder with Tori . She then said she had to go home to get a good night 's sleep and he asked that they ` cuddle ' first . The next day both worked but texted each other . She told him her legs hurt . The next evening - December 7 - she visited the TV star again at the Fairmont Hotel , but this time he had a male pal there . And instead of taking off his clothes , he took out his computer where he showed off photos of Tori and the kids . At one point he even bragged about the sex tape he made with his author spouse . Emily , who has never seen Tori 's hit TV series Beverly Hills , 90210 , said she did not want to see the tape . At 3am they shared a club sandwich and fries then fell asleep . This time there was no hanky panky , just cuddling . ` It felt cool that I had this connection , ' Emily told the weekly . ` Neither one of us said anything about seeing each other again . It was , `` Nice to meet you . Crazy that there was this chemistry . I had a great time , ' she added . Emily is now feeling bad about the hook up . ' I f *** ed up , ' she told UsWeekly . Before the drama : The former actor reportedly told Emily he never had sex with Tori , but in September the married twosome looked happy as they grabbed coffee in Calabasas . Meanwhile , on December 7 Tori - who has sons Liam , aged six , and Finn , 16 months , as well as daughters Stella , aged five , and Hattie , aged two , with Dean - was talking glowingly about Dean . ` We do date night once a week , ' the Lifetime favorite said . ` We 're into public displays of affection . ' The weekly points out that Tori has expressed insecurity about Dean in the past because he left his first wife of 12 years , Mary Jo Eustace -LRB- with whom he had a son and a newly adopted girl -RRB- during their 2005 affair on the movie Mind Over Murder . In 2012 there were reports he cheated with two women which almost led to a split . Later she admitted they were ` fighting a lot . ' Cracks also showed when her book Spelling It Like It Is came out and unveiled their financial troubles . ` Dean felt like it made them look like idiots , ' a source told the magazine . The timing could n't be any worse . They have their new reality show Tori & Dean : Cabin Fever coming out in 2014 on HGTV . She also is starting a new TV series Mystery Girls with 90210 alum Jennie Garth , 41 . She also has her lifestyle web site Torispelling.com to plug . ` Tori is the breadwinner , ' added the source . Maybe they can work it out ? : Tori and Dean are said to be fighting for their marriage amid reports of infidelity on his part . | Dean met Emily Goodhand , 28 , in Toronto through friends at a vodka bar . He ` slipped her his room card and his room number after flirting ' She claims they spent the night together in his luxury hotel room . He allegedly told Emily he never had sex with Tori anymore . She claims he bragged about his sex tape with Tori . Emily now feels it was a mistake and she made a bad decision . | [[0, 28], [31, 41], [606, 620], [623, 625], [628, 713], [1134, 1199], [1181, 1249], [75, 140], [2613, 2679], [143, 210], [154, 210], [606, 620], [623, 625], [628, 713], [1063, 1133], [3781, 3864], [211, 271], [235, 261], [859, 912], [4658, 4674], [4677, 4742], [272, 324], [283, 324], [4022, 4069], [325, 365], [362, 387], [4573, 4612]] |
To underline the quality of the Bayern Munich side , six of their line-up were World Cup winners . Xabi Alonso , a 2010 champion with Spain , supplemented German club-mates Manuel Neuer , Philipp Lahm , Jerome Boateng , Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller who triumphed in Brazil last summer . City defender Martin Demichelis will remember them , he was part of the Argentine side that lost in the final , as was sub Sergio Aguero . Xabi Alonso was one of six World Cup winners in Bayewrn Munich 's starting XI against Manchester City . He may no longer be in situ but this is the sort of week former City Chief Executive Garry Cook dreamed of when he put up provocative ` Welcome to Manchester posters ' and claimed they would be the biggest team in the world . While City went toe-to-toe with mighty Bayern , Wayne Rooney and his United team-mates were on a team-bonding night out in a Manchester restaurant this week , jealously looking out at all the Champions League participants . Thomas Muller felt he should have had a penalty after being tripped when facing an open goal . Manchester City have recently signed up all their big-name stars on long-term contracts - except Joe Hart . But England 's No1 ca n't have done his negotiating position any harm with a performance that suggested he 's back to his very best . Two saves in particular from Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze were world-class . Quite a difference from a year ago when he was blamed for City 's home defeat against the same opposition and dropped soon after . Joe Hart performed admirably against Bayern Munich , pulling off a string of impressive saves . Manuel Pellegrini , serving his last game of a touchline ban , watched on from the posh seats in the Allianz Arena next to Academy Director Brian Marwood , without the help of an abacus . Last season the Chilean suffered his most embarrassing moment as City manager in Munich when he confessed he had n't realised a 4-2 City win would have left them as group winners to avoid a knockout tie against Barcelona , At 3-2 up , Pellegrini made a defensive substitution by sending on Jack Rodwell for Edin Dzeko . With Manuel Pellegrini serving a touchline ban , his assistant Ruben Cousillas took his place on the bench . City 's executives Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano are unabashed Pep Guardiola fans , keeping a close eye on his tactics and dreaming he may one day be lured to The Etihad . It was interesting to see how Guardiola has developed from his Barcelona days . Robert Lewandowski led the line instead of a false number nine and Louis van Gaal would kill for wing-backs like Rafinha and Juan Bernat . City 's executives Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano are unabashed fans of Bayern manager Pep Guardiola . For all the quality on show , there was a fair amount of rough-and-tumble too . Thomas Muller was physically fended off by Bacary Sagna in the first minute , Edin Dzeko hurt his back as things got fierce in the trenches . If it sets a Champions League trend , how much will City regret sending their `` Beast '' Alvaro Negredo out on loan to comply with FPP regulations and an enforced Champions League squad . Manchester City and Bayern Munich are full of quality , but physicality played a significant role in the match . | Xabi Alonso one of six World Cup winners in Bayern Munich starting XI . Manchester City playing in Champions League , unlike rivals United . Joe Hart 's performance will help his contract negotiations . Manuel Pellegrini was serving touchline ban . Manchester City might regret selling Alvaro Negredo . | [[53, 98], [427, 530], [1623, 1640], [1643, 1683], [2131, 2177]] |
Novak Djokovic is the man of the moment down under after securing his fifth Australian Open title in Melbourne . The World No 1 defeated Scot Andy Murray 7-6 , 6-7 , 6-3 , 6-0 on Sunday to secure his eighth Grand Slam crown and has now set his sights on the French Open , the only major to currently elude him . The Serbian posed for photographers with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne to toast his success with a glass of champagne . Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic kisses the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup by the Yarra River . Novak Djokovic won his fifth Australian Open title on Sunday after beating British No 1 Andy Murray . Djokovic smiles holding the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne . Novak Djokovic has joined an illustrious list of Andre Agassi , Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl in winning his eighth grand slam title in the Australian Open . However the World No 1 has already set his sights on becoming just the eighth player to win all four of the game 's biggest tournaments by claiming a first French Open in Paris . ` It 's incredible to be able to win eight , ' said Djokovic . ' I still feel as a 27-year-old I have years to come . Hopefully if I stay healthy and have this disciplined professionalism and commitment to everyday rituals and things I have been doing the last few years , I think I have a fair chance to get myself in another position to win a grand slam or two or three . Djokovic appeared for a photoshoot on Monday having secured his fifth Australian Open crown in Melbourne . Murray congratulates 2015 Australian Open champion Djokovic after their grueling four-set match . ` At this point I am happy with where I am in my life and to be able to join the elite group of players like Agassi and Lendl who won eight grand slams is quite remarkable and I am very proud of it . ` Most of the players will tell you it 's important to have the mindset that keeps you in the present moment and once something is done you move on and try to focus on the next one and try not to think too much in advance or in the past , because that allows you to work and reset your ambitions and your goals . ` But I think you have to be honest and say you think about the amount of grand slams you won and tournaments you won and what your place in history is . I definitely have that in the back of my mind and I am very pleased with my accomplishments so far . ' The Serbian sprays a celebratory bottle of champagne into the Yarra river having won another Grand Slam . The 27-year-old offered the photographers some of his champagne during a shoot on Monday . Djokovic has lost twice to nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the final , last year and 2012 , acknowledging the Spaniard will be the clear favourite in May . ' I was n't too far from winning a title both times when I lost to Rafa but it 's a grand slam on the slowest surface that is physically the most demanding one . ` That 's something that makes it more difficult in terms of winning against Nadal , he has lost only one match in his entire career which is probably the most impressive record in tennis history of all time . ` It 's very important -LRB- winning the French Open -RRB- but if I do n't succeed in doing that in my career it 's not the end of the world , but I am definitely going to keep on trying . I have been very very close and that allows me to believe I can make that final step and that 's something that keeps me going . ' Murray shouts out in frustration after losing a point during the first set tiebreak in Melbourne on Sunday . Andy Murray had plenty of chances but eventually succumbed to a relentless Djokovic , who won his fifth Australian Open in as many finals . Despite appearing to struggle physically , which Murray admitted after the brutal contest that he was distracted by the Serbian 's antics , Djokovic prevailed in emphatic fashion by winning 12 of the last 13 games , leaving Murray defeated for a fourth time in the Melbourne show piece . Djokovic has sympathy for his Melbourne final opponent but points to the legendary competition in Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for why they have failed to land more Grand Slam titles . Djokovic lifts his trophy after wining a remarkable fifth title in his fifth final in Australia on Sunday . ` He is there and if he won a couple more matches he would have maybe five grand slams now and it would be a different story , ' Djokovic added . ` On the other hand I could as well maybe have won a few more . But this is the generation we are in . There are four players that are incredibly good and very few points decide the winner . ' I believe they -LRB- Federer and Nadal -RRB- made me a better player and also Andy ; they made me understand what I need to do to improve my game to get on the level where they are . ` You can maybe think if I was in another era I would be in double figures already , but everything happens for a reason . I am sure Andy is disappointed not to win a few more grand slams but he is also a better player as a consequence of being a rival of the other three guys . ' | Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 7-6 , 6-7 , 6-3 , 6-0 on Sunday . World No 1 Djokovic 's fifth Australian Open title in his fifth final . The Serbian has now won eight Grand Slam titles in his career . | [[113, 157], [581, 682], [581, 586], [642, 682], [0, 112], [29, 39], [51, 112], [581, 682], [1519, 1603], [3703, 3724], [3731, 3780], [4256, 4363], [4256, 4264], [4282, 4363], [186, 223], [1811, 1827], [1832, 1853], [2472, 2483], [2530, 2577]] |
Beleaguered Labour leader Ed Miliband asked former Home Secretary Alan Johnson to return to the shadow cabinet -- but was turned down . Mr Johnson said he was approached by the Labour leader earlier this year but turned down the offer of a new frontline role . ` Ed said to me a few months ago ' I suppose you 're not interested in coming back ? ' I said ` No ' . Former home secretary Alan Johnson has revealed that he was sounded out by Ed Miliband about a possible return to Labour 's top team . Mr Johnson has previously ruled himself out as a contender for the Labour leadership , despite pressure from MPs who believe they would stand a much better chance in next year 's general election if he replaced Mr Miliband . He insisted the party could win in May , despite Mr Miliband 's dismal poll ratings , and said he had told the Labour leader he would be happy ` to go round the country , campaigning , talking to parties ' during the election . But Mr Johnson , in an interview with Alastair Campbell for GQ magazine , indicated he could even be tempted back to the frontbench if Labour succeeded in regaining power . ` Disgracefully - and it is disgraceful because I wo n't have done the heavy lifting - then I would be more interested . But I am not gagging for it , ' he said . Since standing down as shadow chancellor in 2011 after discovering his wife was having an affair with his police protection officer , Mr Johnson has carved out a successful second career as a writer , penning two best-selling volumes of his autobiography . He said he had been surprised when Mr Miliband offered him the post of shadow chancellor after becoming leader in 2010 and admitted that he had not enjoyed the job . ` I was glad to get out . I took it because I thought , what an extraordinary gesture , that he wants me there . I was not associated with him -LRB- Mr Miliband -RRB- , I 'm very much a Blairite , I had not been planning to go on the front bench . But my heart was n't in it , ' he said . ` I was not up for it . I did it for seven months but I did n't like the job . ' Ed Miliband , giving a speech in Glasgow last week , was under pressure from MPs concerned about the party 's poor polling - many of whom wanted Mr Johnson to replace him as Labour leader . Mr Johnson expressed exasperation that Labour had not been more effective in attacking Chancellor George Osborne over the economy and urged Mr Miliband to make ` a couple of big speeches ... just taking the whole thing apart ' . ` If I feel frustrated about anything it is about not holding George Osborne to account , because his flagship policy was to clear the deficit in one term . He has totally failed , ' he said . | Labour veteran asked by Mr Miliband this year but turned down the offer . Mr Johnson has ruled himself out as a contender for the Labour leadership . But said he would be prepared to serve in Cabinet if Labour win election . | [[0, 110], [0, 37], [118, 135], [136, 208], [364, 498], [417, 467], [499, 583]] |
Paul Chambers , 28 , pictured left with comedian Al Murray , was fined # 385 and ordered to pay # 600 costs at Doncaster Magistrates ' Court in May 2010 but it has been overturned . Telling jokes about blowing up an airport is not a crime , the Lord Chief Justice ruled yesterday . In a landmark High Court ruling , Lord Judge overturned the conviction of a frustrated airline passenger who tweeted that he meant to blow up the airport . Paul Chambers , 28 , had been convicted of sending a menacing message even though he broadcast his joke in his own name and no one at Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster took it seriously . The Crown Prosecution Service took him to court under the 2003 Communications Act , and Doncaster magistrates told him to pay # 600 costs , a # 385 fine and # 15 victim surcharge . The conviction in May 2010 was later upheld by a Crown Court judge . But yesterday the Lord Chief Justice said a joke could not by definition be menacing : ` If the persons who receive and read it , or may reasonably be expected to receive it , or read it , would brush it aside as a silly joke , or a joke in bad taste ... it would be a contradiction in terms to describe it as a message of a menacing character . ' The ruling was hailed as a victory for free speech and a rebuke to over-zealous police and lawyers . Mr Chambers , from Corby , Northamptonshire , lost his job as an administration manager after he was convicted and said he had become unemployable because of the prosecution . He sent his tweet when snow shut the airport in January 2010 . It said : ` Robin Hood Airport is closed . You 've got a week and a bit to get your s *** together otherwise I am blowing the airport sky high !! ' He said after the ruling : ` It 's a very big decision for people doing what human beings do -- telling a joke sometimes , even if it 's a bad one . ' The judges noted there was no evidence before the Crown Court to suggest any of the followers of the ` tweet ' , or anyone else who may have seen it posted on Mr Chambers ' timeline , found it to be of a menacing character or , at a time when the threat of terrorism was real , even minimally alarming . In fact , nothing was done about it by anyone until five days later when the duty manager responsible for security at the airport , while off duty at home , found it . Offence : The tweet by Paul Chambers that he was originally convicted over . Frustration : Mr Chambers said he sent the tweet as he was annoyed that Robin Hood Airport in South Yorkshire was closed by snow in January 2010 . Robert Smith QC , for the Crown Prosecution Service -LRB- CPS -RRB- , had said that , on any view , Mr Chambers , of Corby , Northamptonshire , a man of previous good character who worked as an administration and finance supervisor , was ` very foolish ' to do what he did . He said the question was , by whose standards and by what members of society would such a message be viewed as a joke , given that those who had access to it would probably not have any knowledge of the circumstances which led to it being sent ? Stephen Fry welcomed the ` complete vindication and victory ' for Mr Chambers following today 's ruling . The broadcaster and comedian , who stood alongside Mr Chambers during an earlier appeal hearing , took to Twitter to congratulate him and his legal team . The star , who is taking a break from the social networking site , wrote : ` Pops head up quickly : complete vindication and victory for Paul Chambers in twitterjoketrial . Well done DavidAllenGreen and team . Bye ! ' Stephen Fry , a prominent Twitter user , tweeted at the time that he would be happy to pay Chambers ' fine . Fellow comedian Al Murray , who was in court for the ruling , wrote on Twitter ` He 's won '' , before adding : ` Colossal relief here in court . Short and sweet . ' In the ruling , Lord Judge said the 2003 Act , which came into force before Twitter was invented , did not create ` some newly-minted interference with the first of President Roosevelt 's essential freedoms - freedom of speech and expression . ` Satirical , or iconoclastic , or rude comment , the expression of unpopular or unfashionable opinion about serious or trivial matters , banter or humour , even if distasteful to some or painful to those subjected to it should and no doubt will continue at their customary level , quite undiminished by this legislation . ` Given the submissions by Mr Cooper , we should perhaps add that for those who have the inclination to use Twitter for the purpose , Shakespeare can be quoted unbowdlerised , and with Edgar , at the end of King Lear , they are free to speak not what they ought to say , but what they feel . ' ` The more one reflected on it , ' he added , ` the clearer it became that the message did not represent a terrorist threat , or any other form of threat , but was a ` conversation piece ' for Mr Chambers ' followers . It was not sent to anyone at the airport or anyone responsible for airport security , or any form of public security . The language and punctuation were inconsistent with the writer intending it to be , or to be taken as , a serious warning . There was no urgent response to it from the airport and police action was ` not exactly hurried ' . Celebrity support : Stephen Fry welcomed the ` complete vindication and victory ' for Mr Chambers on Twitter . Lord Judge said that , while proper respect must be paid to the Crown Court 's finding , that did not address the unbroken pattern of evidence to be derived from the responses of those who read the message , and no weight appeared to have been given to the lack of urgency which characterised the approach of the authorities . Outside court , Mr Chambers said that as a result of the prosecution he had lost two jobs and become ` unemployable ' . ` It 's been two-and-a-half years . At the moment I 'm just feeling relieved . The Lord Chief Justice just seemed to get it . ' He added : ` It 's an important decision as far as social networks are concerned and as far as Twitter is concerned . It has established that there has to be an action that is menacing and is intended to be menacing . It 's a very big decision for people doing what human beings do - telling a joke sometimes , even if it 's a bad one . ' Comedian Murray , who arrived to lend his support , said the case had been ` ridiculous ' . ` In 100 years there will be an operetta about this - about how ridiculous we were at the start of the 21st century . I 'm a big fan of absurdity but this is taking the biscuit . ' He added : ` Paul was doing what we all do sometimes in the heat of the moment . ' | Paul Chambers posted the tweet in a moment of frustration after Robin Hood Airport was closed by snow in 2010 . Magistrates fined him # 385 saying the tweet was ` clearly menacing ' and that airport staff were concerned about it . Today judges said there was no evidence that any followers who saw the tweet found it to be menacing or alarming . Celebrity backers including Stephen Fry welcome the ` complete vindication and victory ' | [[1499, 1561], [1522, 1561], [1572, 1604], [2441, 2556], [0, 18], [61, 76], [438, 451], [454, 456], [459, 507], [438, 451], [478, 512], [1861, 1922], [3078, 3183], [5275, 5365]] |
Ray Rice wasted no time celebrating his NFL reinstatement and headed to Manhattan nightclubs just hours after winning his appeal , photographs have revealed . The former Ravens running back was spotted at Bounce Sporting Club on Saturday evening , where he was happy to chat with people and give out autographs , according to TMZ . Sources told the website that he was also joined by his wife Janay , whom he knocked out in an Atlantic City casino in February , but she did not appear in any of the images . TMZ added that people at the club noted that Rice was not drinking . He swore off hard liquor after revealing that the vicious attack unfolded on an alcohol-fueled night . Night out : Ray Rice is pictured left as he enjoys a night of clubbing with friends in Manhattan on Saturday . Rice 's one-punch knockout of his then fiancée put his NFL career in jeopardy and thrust the issue of domestic abuse into the national spotlight . The first video of the fight that went viral in February showed Rice calmly pulling an unconscious Palmer from the elevator and he was suspended for two games . But after TMZ obtained a second video taken inside the elevator - which showed Rice knocking her out - he was released by the Ravens and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him indefinitely from the league . However , an independent arbitrator on Friday said that Rice , in essence , was sanctioned twice for the same crime and ruled he was free to sign with any National Football League team . Making friends : Another image shows the football player pictured with a couple on Saturday night . The NFL said it accepted the decision , spokesman Greg Aiello said . ` Ray Rice is a free agent and has been eligible to be signed by an NFL team since he was released by the Ravens , ' he said . ` Based on Judge Jones ' decision , he will be eligible to play upon signing a new contract . ' In a statement , Rice said : ' I would like to thank Judge Barbara Jones , the NFL Players Association , my attorneys , agents , advisers , family , friends and fans - but most importantly , my wife Janay . ' I made an inexcusable mistake and accept full responsibility for my actions . I am thankful that there was a proper appeals process in place to address this issue . I will continue working hard to improve myself and be the best husband , father and friend , while giving back to my community and helping others to learn from my mistakes . ' In an interview with the Today show , Janay Rice stood up for her husband and insisted that he had never hit her prior to their fight in the New Jersey casino elevator . Shocking : Rice was suspended by the NFL for only two games following the one-punch knockout of his then-fiancée in an elevator at the New Jersey casino in February . CCTV captured the attack . By his side : Despite the vicious attack , Janay and Ray Rice -LRB- pictured in November -RRB- married in March . Painful : Janay Rice wipes away a tear on the Today show on Monday as she recounts how angry she was after a video emerged showing her now-husband knocking her out cold in an elevator in February . ` There 's no way , ' she said in the interview that aired on Monday . ` He knows what he would have to deal with . I 'm not going to sit there in silence and let something happen to me and , God forbid , in front of my child . ' After the incident , she said that she initially thought she was ` done ' with Rice - but her ` heart ' told her to stay with him because it was not like him . ` Everybody makes mistakes , ' she said . ` You would think that we lived in a country of people who have never made a mistake , who 've never sinned ever in their life . ' While Rice is now free to join any club , it remains unclear if any team will sign the 27-year-old , three-time Pro Bowl running back . | Ray Rice was pictured partying with friends on Saturday night . On Friday , a judge ruled that Rice was free to sign with any NFL team after he was sanctioned twice for attacking Janay in an elevator in February . | [[0, 8], [62, 128], [159, 245], [692, 700], [713, 790], [1516, 1598], [1322, 1498], [1668, 1678], [1699, 1744], [1668, 1678], [1717, 1780], [2620, 2777], [3686, 3719]] |
Penny Mordaunt , a Navy reservist , said ` c ** k ' six times and ` lay ' or ` laid ' five times in a debate purportedly about the welfare of poultry . A Tory MP was criticised yesterday for making a speech riddled with innuendo in the House of Commons following a dare from friends in the Royal Navy . Penny Mordaunt , a Navy reservist , said ` c ** k ' six times and ` lay ' or ` laid ' five times in a debate purportedly about the welfare of poultry . It came during the Easter Adjournment debate , by long tradition a time for more lighthearted and off-beat topics . But while the Portsmouth North MP clearly intended her speech to be humorous , many felt she went too far . Yesterday the Mail on Sunday revealed that she was dared to say the rude words by Royal Marines at a mess dinner . She later contacted them to tell them that she had met the challenge . Miss Mordaunt , a contestant on ITV 's diving show Splash ! this year , was accused of trivialising Parliament . Labour MP Kate Hoey said : ` She should realise that the House of Commons is not a TV reality show . The public expects debates in the Chamber to be on matters of serious concern . It is sad that she has misused it in this way -- it sets a bad precedent . ' Thousands criticised her speech online , but Miss Mordaunt 's colleagues rallied around her . George Hollingbery , a neighbouring Tory MP , said : ` She is an absolutely cracking MP who does a huge amount in her local area . ` She is a character . The House of Commons is full of characters and it 's a better place for it . ' Hampshire councillor John Wall wrote on Twitter : ` Good to have a member of Parliament and minister with a sense of humour . ' Scroll down for video . Miss Mordaunt , a contestant on ITV 's diving show Splash ! this year , was accused of trivialising Parliament . Miss Mordaunt , pictured above appearing on ITV 's Daybreak , freely disclosed the story behind the address at the Spectator Magazine 's awards dinner last week . Miss Mordaunt gave the speech in March 2013 , before she was made a communities minister . Other topics in the end-of-term session included e-cigarettes and thanks for Commons staff . She freely disclosed the story behind the address at the Spectator Magazine 's awards dinner last week . She said : ` Some of my Marine training officers at Dartmouth thought it would be a good idea to break my ladylike persona by getting me to yell rude words during the most gruelling part of our training . They failed , but during our mess dinner at the end of the course , I was fined for a misdemeanour . ` The fine was to say a particular word , an abbreviation of cockerel , several times in a speech on the floor of the Commons , and mention all the names of the officers present . ' Her speech , which was recorded in Hansard , the official record of the Commons , and broadcast on TV , began : ` The cause of hen and cock welfare is one raised with me by many constituents . ` One imagines several hens and a single proud cockerel , but one strutting coxcomb will lead to many chicks and what is to become of the male contingent with not a layer among them ? I encourage people to ... think carefully about a coop for a cockerel . ' It concluded : ` Let us have no cock-ups on hen welfare . ' | Penny Mordaunt said ` c ** k ' six times and ` lay ' or ` laid ' five times in a debate . Was speaking about the welfare of poultry in Easter Adjournment debate . Portsmouth North MP had been dared d to say the words by Royal Marines . Thousands criticised speech online , but her colleagues rallied around her . | [[0, 14], [36, 78], [77, 83], [86, 108], [152, 302], [152, 161], [187, 264], [303, 317], [339, 381], [380, 386], [389, 411], [455, 499], [152, 302], [232, 302], [679, 793], [722, 793], [1236, 1274], [1281, 1329]] |
Revolution ? Customers can find out about their ancestry by spitting into a tube and paying # 125 . A test to tell if you are at risk from Alzheimer 's disease and dozens of other conditions goes on sale in Britain today costing # 125 . The test uses a saliva sample to provide more than 100 pieces of genetic information including whether users are more likely than normal to suffer Parkinson 's , some cancers or baldness . It can also predict whether they like coffee or hate Brussels sprouts , which type of exercise is likely to suit them best and give information about a person 's ancestry . The test , already available in the US , is being marketed online by 23andMe , a firm part-funded by Google . A customer spits into a tube , seals it and sends it back to 23andMe 's labs for analysis . Four to six weeks later , they receive a detailed report in the post written in everyday language . It will tell them , for instance , whether their risk of Alzheimer 's disease is higher or lower than average . 23andMe -- run by Anne Wojcicki , wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin -- says its ` mission is to ensure that individuals can personally access , understand and benefit from the human genome ' . It says that armed with the information , people can take better care of their health . For instance , the print-out may give someone the impetus they need to give up smoking or it could mean they undergo regular health checks so that an illness can be caught -- and treated early . Genetic tests are already available in Britain but generally provide less information and are more expensive . However , critics say the science behind such analysis is not is not advanced enough to provide worthwhile results . This could lead to some people being falsely reassured , others worrying unnecessarily or facing higher insurance premiums and the NHS being put under added pressure . Genome : Tests on DNA are also available in Britain , but provide less information and are more expensive . The firm has been banned from providing some information from the tests to customers in the US over fears it would lead to people seeking out treatment they do not need . The US health watchdog , the Food and Drug Administration , was particularly concerned about information provided on one gene , BRCA , that raises the odds of breast and ovarian cancer . It said : ` For instance , if the BRCA-related risk assessment for breast or ovarian cancer reports a false positive , it could lead a patient to undergo prophylactic surgery , chemoprevention , intensive screening , or other morbidity-inducing actions , while a false negative could result in a failure to recognise an actual risk that may exist . ' There are also concerns that someone told they have a higher risk of an incurable condition such as Alzheimer 's may take a fatalistic approach and stop looking after their health . Mark Thomas of UCL said : ` For better or worse , genetic testing companies are here to stay ' Professor Sally Hodgson , an expert in cancer genetics from St George 's Hospital in South London , said DNA analysis is ` very open to misunderstanding ' . She warned that the results could cause ` undue and inappropriate anxiety ' and said that valuable NHS time could be taken up by people requesting further tests . Mark Thomas , professor of evolutionary genetics at University College London , said : ` For better or worse , direct-to-the-consumer genetic testing companies are here to stay . ` One could argue the rights and wrongs of such companies existing , but I suspect that ship has sailed . 23andMe have enormous resources and leading scientists on their advisory board . ` Nonetheless , it is important that independent scientists and government bodies remain vigilant to ensure that such companies produce scientifically accurate , responsibly formatted and non-alarmist reports to their customers . ' 23andMe already has some British users and says most find the information ` extremely valuable ' . Only 4 per cent have made an appointment with their doctor based on the results or asked for further tests . The firm says it has spoken to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to ensure its test complies with UK regulations . | Test is part-funded by Google and is already widely available in the U.S. Customers spit in tube , send it to lab and receive report a month later . It claims to judge what type of exercise is best and give ancestry details . But critics say such analysis is not advanced enough to be worthwhile . | [[599, 637], [640, 675], [678, 689], [690, 708], [13, 99], [13, 22], [57, 99], [709, 737], [740, 748], [709, 737], [753, 800], [479, 495], [521, 598], [1614, 1720]] |
Three men were arrested after their hot tub threesome turned violent during an argument over who gets paid more for escorting . Austin Adams , 18 , and Michael Gordon , 33 , met 21-year-old Douglas Tench at a gay club in Spartanburg , South Carolina , on Saturday night before inviting him to the home where Gordon was dog-sitting . The trio were ` kissing and touching each other ' in the hot tub at 1.30 am when Tench stated he earned more from escort services than Adams - prompting Adams to lash out . Violent threesome : Austin Adams , 18 , -LRB- left -RRB- kicked and punched Douglas Tench , 21 , -LRB- right -RRB- after he claimed he earned more than Adams for his escorting services . Tench was forced to run across the street and call 911 . Adams started kicking and punching Tench , who eventually managed to run from the property to another across the street . He called a friend who called 911 , The Smoking Gun reported . Police arrested and ticketed Adams for common assault after he admitted he ` lost control ' . Also charged : Michael Gordon , 33 , and Tench were charged with providing alcohol to a minor . According to the police report , which consistently refers to the hot tub as a ` hot tube ' , the three men had been drinking at the bar before Tench was invited to join Gordon and Adams . Gordon and Tench were both ticketed for giving alcohol to a minor . They were all taken to the county jail and booked . | Austin Adams and Michael Gordon met Douglas Tench in a South Carolina gay bar , invited him to their hot tub . Adams , 18 , lashed out at Tench , 21 , for saying he gets paid more to escort . Gordon , 33 , tried to separate the pair as Adams punched and kicked Tench . Tench managed to escape from hot tub , ran across the road , called 911 . | [[128, 166], [174, 232], [1217, 1313], [76, 87], [102, 127], [398, 505], [750, 790], [693, 749], [693, 698], [710, 749], [776, 790], [797, 871], [882, 890], [895, 905]] |
A young woman was so desperate to find the father of her unborn son that she posted an ad on Gumtree with unexpected vitriolic responses from total strangers . Bianca Fazey , 24 , had a one night stand with a man in Perth , Western Australia on April 23 this year and surprisingly discovered she was pregnant after being told in 2011 that she was unlikely to ever become a mum when she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome . For five months , Bianca frantically searched for the father but had no luck as she only knew his first name and what suburb he lived in . ' I was at my wits end , ' she told Daily Mail Australia . ' I tried finding him for months and felt pressured by a friend who was adamant I do n't give up despite exhausting all avenues . ' Scroll down for video . Bianca Fazey posted a Gumtree ad in an attempt to find her unborn son 's father . Bianca 's ad received a barrage of hateful remarks from complete strangers . This was when Bianca , who was so stressed that she was losing sleep , decided to post an ad on Gumtree which created a barrage of hateful responses prompting her to take to take it down . ' I stupidly put it up thinking no one would even see it but who knows what will happen , maybe I will get lucky , ' she said . ` Unfortunately all I got was lots of judgement and idiots messaging me telling me they would be the father or pretending to be Jeremy . ' The most offensive messages were from people saying that Bianca , who is due in mid January , should have opted for a termination . ` When it was shared on the LAD bible page a lot of people made single-minded comments aimed at me , no one mentioned the guy was equally a part of me getting pregnant , ' she said . ` Sometimes I want to be like one of those people on Maury Povich screaming back at the audience because they have no clue what they 're booing about ! ' Bianca was forced to take down the post but has no regrets about deciding to have the baby . Bianca -LRB- pictured before being pregnant -RRB- never thought she could have children as she suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome . Bianca was n't exactly shocked to be called names like a ` sl ** ' but it got out of control when one person lashed out saying ` kill it ' . ` It was sad to see people saying I should get an abortion , those were the only comments that hurt . ' ` Society is still hating on women who choose to keep pregnancy outside of a relationship , ' she said . ' I was more mad at the amount of women -LRB- mums included -RRB- saying I should n't go through with it . ' But Bianca has risen above the horrendous backlash and ca n't wait to meet her little man when he enters the world in two months . ` All I can say is I chose to go ahead with the pregnancy because I did n't think I could have children , ' she said . ` Even though I knew this guy had disappeared I did n't want to give up my chance and I 'm so grateful I did n't . ' Bianca is due in mid January and ca n't wait to meet her little man when he enters the world in two months . Despite the fall-out from the ad - Bianca has the loving support of the people who matter most - her family and friends . ` It has changed my life and made me a happier healthier person , ' she said . ' I could n't be happier , I am looking forward to holding my little guy and raising him in a loving stable environment . ' She is also looking forward to getting back into shape . ` Excited to hold him and excited to start getting back in shape ! ' she said . ' I hate that I 'm so limited physically . ' Bianca still hopes the father will come forward and become an integral part of his son 's life . ' I do hope that I can find him and let him know , he can make his own choice , ' she said . ` But more for the sake of the kid , when he asks questions or wants to find him I want to be prepared . ' She still hopes the father will come forward and become an integral part of his son 's life . | Bianca Fazey had a one night stand with a man in Perth on April 23 . The 24-year-old discovered she was pregnant and tried to find the father . In a desperate attempt , Bianca posted an ad on Gumtree . She only knew his name was Jeremy and lived in the suburb of Morley . Described as ' 5,7 ish ' , aged in his 20s , with brown hair and brown eyes . She added he was a ` very friendly and lovely gentleman ' Bianca deleted the ad after some quite disturbing responses . | [[160, 172], [180, 221], [0, 67], [433, 448], [451, 493], [823, 825], [834, 868], [73, 116], [787, 833], [1017, 1049], [433, 448], [451, 469], [498, 557], [1077, 1134]] |
For 22 years , police searched for the identity of ` Baby Hope ' - the 4-year-old girl sexually assaulted , murdered , then stuffed in a picnic cooler and tossed on the side of a road . In all that time , no one ever came to claim her . She was burned in a grave without a name , paid for by the detectives working her case . But on Monday the girl 's mother spoke , saying that she was ` devastated ' to learn that her daughter Anjelica Castillo was Baby Hope . She told reporters that no one could understand her pain and that she only wanted justice for little Anjelica . Margarita Castillo , however , would not say why she never reported her daughter missing or why no one from her family ever came forward during the high-profile search for Baby Hope 's next-of-kin . Vindicated : . Anjelica Castillo , seen right in an age-progression sketch and left in a . sketch released in 1991 . The third photo is of the cooler which the . child was found inside . This is the Queens apartment where Baby Hope 's mother , Margarita Castillo , lives . She refused to open her door to speak to reporters about her daughter on Monday . RIP : The tombstone of Anjelica ` Baby Hope ' Castillo in the Bronx finally has her real name on it . The grave was visited by dozens of well-wishers on Sunday . Margarita spoke out from her apartment in Elmhurst , Queens , for the first time since being identified by NYPD detectives as Baby Hope 's mother . She refused to open the door for reporters , but could be heard sobbing as she described learning that Baby Hope was her missing child . ` We are too emotional to talk right now because of everything we are going through . You would n't understand my pain , ' Margarita Castillo said . ` We are just waiting for justice . We are not going to have peace . You ca n't even describe a punishment . ' The mother of ten , who has children by three different men , is an illegal immigrant . Some neighbors say she did n't come forward because she feared deportation . Others do n't buy that explanation . ` Killer ' : Conrado Juarez being walked from the NYPD Cold Case Precinct in Brooklyn , on Saturday . Juarez allegedly confessed to the rape and murder of the long-unidentified ` Baby Hope ' In custody : Juarez , 52 , was arraigned on Saturday at Manhattan Criminal Court for the alleged murder of 4-year-old Anjelica Castillo , nicknamed ` Baby Hope ' , in New York . ' I do n't believe that . I do n't believe that 's true . They look like they are very aware . They 're educated so I do n't believe it , ' neighbor Omar Delarosa told WABC-TV . NYPD detectives arrested Conrado Juarez , 52 , a cousin of Anjelica , this weekend after a break in the notorious cold case . Juarez confessed to tying the girl to a table then sexually assaulting her and smothering her with a pillow when she would n't stop screaming . The attack occurred at his sister 's house in the Bronx . When his sister , who died years later , found out , she demanded that Juarez dispose of the body . He confessed to stuffing her in a blue cooler and dumping her along the Henry Hudson Parkway . She was found by construction workers on July 23 , 1991 . A law enforcement official told NBC 4 . New York that Margarita Castillo claims Anjelica 's father took her and several of her daughters to live with family members . He then returned to his native Mexico . Margarita is said to claim she lived in fear of the baby 's father . and was afraid to go to police after her daughter disappeared . It was not until she was reunited with all of her children years later that she realized Anjelica was gone , she says . | Baby Hope , whose name has been revealed as Anjelica Castillo , was tortured in the time leading up to her murder . The child had been starved , sexually abused and suffocated to death . Conrado . Juarez , 52 , has been arrested for the crime . He told police he killed his 4-year-old cousin Anjelica and dumped her body inside a picnic cooler in the woods . She was never reported missing and no one came forward with any leads as to her identity . Juarez claimed his sister brought the cooler for him to dispose of the girl . On Sunday dozens of people came to her grave to pay homage to the child who was killed in 1991 . | [[389, 399], [402, 462], [67, 105], [2749, 2800], [2229, 2239], [2242, 2248], [2251, 2253], [2256, 2342], [119, 150], [3013, 3107], [186, 202], [205, 236], [575, 593], [606, 773], [1231, 1290]] |
The inquiry into Establishment child abuse could take up to four years to complete , its new chairman has revealed . Lowell Goddard , a High Court judge in New Zealand , said leading the probe was the ` biggest challenge ' she has ever faced as she set out plans to start in April . The inquiry has already lost two potential heads , Baroness Butler-Sloss and Dame Fiona Woolf , who stood aside amid concerns over their establishment links . Lowell Goddard , a High Court judge in New Zealand , said leading the probe could last up to four years . Home Secretary Theresa May was forced to scour the globe to find a chairman for the inquiry , after fears leading figures in the UK would be seen as too close to the Establishment . Giving evidence to MPs , Judge Goddard , the third chair-designate of the Statutory Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse , told the Home Affairs Select Committee she was reluctant to set a timescale for the inquiry as this stage . But she said it had been indicated when she took the job that it could take ` three years , possibly into a fourth ' . She added : ` Given the breadth of the subject matter and the timespan involved , that does not seem inordinate . ` It is a long time but what will be important , in my view , is to carefully scope the inquiry to see how it should be managed and to inform along the way of the progress of the inquiry and perhaps to set milestones for interim reports . ' Mrs May has insisted she is confident that thorough checks have been carried out to ensure there are no conflicts of interest that could undermine her appointment . Mrs Goddard , arriving at Parliament to give evidence to MPs , said the inquiry was her biggest ever challenger . Labour MP Keith Vaz , the committee chairman , asked Judge Goddard : ` Would you regard yourself as being part of the establishment ? ' She replied : ` We do n't have such a thing in my country and I did have to ask carefully what is meant by it so that I did understand what I was being asked to disclose . ` My understanding is do I have any links into any institution or any person relevant to the subject matter of the inquiry ? And no , I do n't . ' Judge Goddard said she arrived in the UK yesterday and had already met the Home Secretary and sex abuse survivor groups . She told the committee she will step down from her full-time job as a judge in New Zealand and relocate to the UK for the duration of the inquiry , although she has yet to be awarded a work permit . Her husband will join her in the UK as often as he can , but her grown up children will remain in New Zealand . ` It is the biggest challenge I have faced yet , ' she told MPs . The Home Office received more than 150 nominations from survivors , their representatives , MPs and members of the public , Mrs May said . The Foreign Office was also tasked with combing the Commonwealth to identify any suitable candidates from abroad . It will be a new statutory inquiry , and not a Royal Commission as some victims had hoped . With a legal status set out under the 2005 Inquiries Act , it will have the power to compel witnesses to give evidence . New inquiry chairman Justice Lowell Goddard . Ministers scoured the globe in search of a suitable chairman for the child abuse inquiry , after two previous appointees resigned over links to the British Establishment . The Foreign Office approached all Commonwealth countries , and the decision was made to appoint Justice Lowell Goddard , a serving High Court judge in New Zealand . The 66-year-old helped to establish the HELP Clinic for sexual abuse victims , and helped to change the way New Zealand police dealt with abuse cases . In 2007 she was appointed chairman of the Independent Police Conduct Authority . During her tenure the authority released a report on the outcome of its inquiry into police handling of child abuse cases , which had begun in August 2009 . She has also served as an independent expert to the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture . Home Secretary Theresa May said : ` She is an outstanding candidate with experience in challenging authority in this field , having led with distinction an inquiry into police handling of child abuse cases in New Zealand . ' Married to QC John Hodson , Miss Goddard has three step-children , and one daughter from her first marriage . She breeds and races horses . Last week Mrs May announced the original inquiry would be axed and replaced with a new panel . She conceded that not every victim would be happy with what she announced today . But she told MPs : ` Let me be clear . I am now more determined than ever to expose the people behind these despicable crimes and the people in institutions that knew about abuse but did n't act , that failed to help when it was their duty , sometimes their very purpose to do so . ` And the people and institutions that in some cases positively covered up evidence of abuse . ` What we have seen so far in Rotherham , Oxford , Greater Manchester and elsewhere is only the tip of the iceberg . ` With every passing day , with every new revelation , it is clear that sexual abuse of child has taken and is taking place on a scale that we still can not fully comprehend . ' She said the authorities had ` let down too many ' victims over many years , telling MPs : ' I can not stand here and say there has been no cover-up . ' At the time she said the inquiry will take longer than 12 months , but must not be allow to ` go on endlessly ' , Mrs May added . She will urge Miss Goddard to set a date to publish a report , to prevent a repeat of the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war which has not been published after six years . The inquiry has been dogged with problems since it was first announced by Mrs May last summer . The panel of experts was created to examine evidence that successive governments , charities , political parties , the NHS , the BBC and the Church failed to protect children from paedophiles . But it has failed to make any significant progress after losing not one but two chairman . The first person appointed to lead the inquiry was Baroness Butler-Sloss , who stood down in July last year amid questions over the role played by her late brother , Lord Havers , who was attorney general in the 1980s . Her replacement Dame Fiona Woolf then resigned following a barrage of criticism over her ` Establishment links ' , most notably in relation to former home secretary Leon Brittan , who died last month . Before his death , Lord Brittan had been seen as a key witness to give evidence to the inquiry over a dossier he received from MP Geoffrey Dickens in 1983 , documenting the alleged involvement of VIP figures in a child sex ring . The Government 's inquiry into historical child abuse has been plagued with controversy since it was established last year . Here are the key events : . Monday July 7 : Home Secretary Theresa May announces she will establish an independent inquiry under an expert panel to examine the handling of allegations of paedophilia by state institutions as well as bodies such as the BBC , churches and political parties . It will be chaired by ` an appropriately senior and experienced figure ' , she tells the House of Commons . Tuesday July 8 : Baroness Butler-Sloss is named as the chairwoman but questions are raised about the choice as her brother , Sir Michael Havers , was in the Cabinet in the 1980s as attorney general . Leon Brittan , who died last month , had been seen as a key witness likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry . Saturday July 12 : Claims emerge that Baroness Butler-Sloss once refused to go public about a bishop implicated in a scandal . She is reported to have told a victim of alleged abuse she did not want to include their claims in a review of how the Church of England dealt with two paedophile priests because she ` cared about the Church ' and ` the press would love a bishop ' . Monday July 14 : Downing Street announces that Baroness Butler-Sloss has decided to quit . Friday September 5 : The Lord Mayor of the City of London , Fiona Woolf , a former president of the Law Society of England and Wales , is named as the new chairman . Sunday September 7 : The Mail on Sunday reveals links between Mrs Woolf and Lord Brittan , who was likely to be called to give evidence to the inquiry over a dossier he received from Mr Dickens in 1983 , documenting the alleged involvement of VIP figures in a child sex ring . Labour MP Simon Danczuk , who has led the campaign for an inquiry , says Mrs Woolf 's position would be ` untenable ' if she was close to the Brittans . Monday September 8 : Downing Street says Prime Minister David Cameron continues to have ` strong support ' for the appointment . Tuesday October 21 : Mrs May insists she has confidence in the inquiry chairwoman after Mrs Woolf gives details of her links to Lord Brittan . Mrs Woolf insists there is nothing in the encounters that would stop her chairing the wide-ranging probe . Giving evidence later to the Home Affairs Select Committee , Mrs Woolf insists she has ` gone the extra distance ' to declare every possible issue to reassure victims and does not have a ` close association ' with the former Cabinet minister . Wednesday October 22 : As pressure mounts on Mrs Woolf to stand down , a photograph surfaces showing her chatting to Lady Brittan at a prize-giving in October 2013 - she had previously stated that she had had ` no social contact with Lord and Lady Brittan since April 23 2013 ' . Friday October 31 : Mrs Woolf quits down as head of the inquiry , after victims ' representatives issued a unanimous call for her to be replaced . Monday November 3 : Mrs May apologies to survivors during a Commons statement and says she will meet survivors before appointing a new chair . Tuesday November 11 : A key review into the Home Office 's handling of allegations finds there is no evidence of organised attempts to conceal child abuse . It came after it emerged the department ` lost or destroyed ' 114 files between 1979 and 1999 . Thursday December 4 : A number of alleged victims write to Mrs May saying they will withdraw from the inquiry unless the Government makes major changes to it . Sunday December 21 : Survivors say they welcome an indication from the Home Secretary that the inquiry will be given statutory powers , including the ability to compel witnesses to give evidence . Wednesday January 21 : Leon Brittan dies as the age of 75 . Wednesday February 4 : Mrs May is expected to announce the new chair and her possible plans for a new format of the inquiry , which could potentially involve scrapping the existing panel and replacing it with a more powerful body . | Lowell Goddard , a High Court judge in New Zealand , to lead the probe . She said leading inquiry it was the ` biggest challenge ' she has ever faced . She tells MPs she hopes work will begin in April , but could last years . Last week Theresa May halted inquiry which was first announced in July . Followed resignation of two previous chairman over Establishment links . | [[3407, 3466], [3444, 3466], [3471, 3512], [117, 131], [170, 222], [183, 241], [197, 220], [223, 226], [231, 282], [1595, 1606], [1658, 1708], [2599, 2643], [0, 82], [223, 235], [242, 282], [197, 220], [223, 226], [231, 282], [2648, 2662], [4556, 4568], [5377, 5441], [7201, 7233], [4375, 4469], [4393, 4437], [5678, 5773], [5726, 5773], [283, 376], [360, 376], [383, 441], [3273, 3347], [5968, 6058], [5972, 5974], [5986, 6058], [6279, 6389]] |
The Chancellor insists there will be no political tax breaks because Britain must ` stay the course to prosperity ' George Osborne has ruled out any traditional pre-election giveaways in this week 's Autumn Statement . The Chancellor insists there will be no political tax breaks because Britain must ` stay the course to prosperity ' . ` What you 're going to see is me avoiding the mistakes of Labour chancellors before elections with unfunded giveaways that lead to economic problems after the election , ' he said . A report out today warns that the Government will have to borrow # 9billion more than expected this year as tax receipts disappoint . This means the Chancellor will not be able to deliver the budget surplus he has promised until 2019-20 -- a year late . And it casts doubt on his plans for # 7billion of tax cuts for the middle classes after the election . ` The improvement in the public finances is in danger of not just stalling but going into reverse , ' says Marin Beck in the report for the Ernst & Young Item Club . ` With the fiscal cupboard bare , the Chancellor will have little room for manoeuvre . ' Mr Osborne can expect a boost from the Office for Budget Responsibility this week with an upward revision of economic growth forecasts . But the Item Club warns ` that 's where the good news is likely to end ' as subdued wage growth and the big increase in the tax free allowance to # 10,500 hits tax receipts . Borrowing hit a record high of # 153billion in 2009-10 as the last Labour government lost control of the public finances in the Great Recession . The deficit fell to # 97.5 billion last year but progress has stalled and the Government borrowed # 64.1 billion in the first seven months of this fiscal year . That is # 3.7 billion more than in the equivalent period of 2013-14 . The increase in borrowing means the Chancellor will struggle to meet his target of cutting the deficit by another # 11billion this year -- with the Item Club expecting it to come in at # 95.5 billion . ` With just five months to go it appears virtually impossible for the Government to achieve the OBR 's current forecast for borrowing in 2014-15 , ' Mr Beck said . Labour leader Ed Miliband will today claim that the Tories ' failure to tackle what he calls a cost-of-living crisis has helped cost the Exchequer # 116.5 billion since 2010 . Labour leader Ed Miliband will today claim that the Tories ' failure to tackle what he calls a cost-of-living crisis has helped cost the Exchequer # 116.5 billion since 2010 . The price tag -- equivalent to almost # 4,000 for every taxpayer -- is based on new research from the House of Commons Library being published by Labour . Depressed pay combined with soaring housing costs and the failure to tackle the causes of increased welfare bills , means tax receipts have fallen short by # 66 billion , national insurance contributions are # 25.5 billion lower than expected and spending on social security is # 25billion higher than planned . ` For all the Government 's boasts about a belated economic recovery , there are millions of families still caught in the most prolonged cost-of-living crisis for a century . For them this is a joyless and payless recovery , ' Mr Miliband will say . But Mr Osborne told the BBC : ` We 've created more jobs in this country under this government than the rest of Europe put together . ` We 've had the fastest fall in unemployment in this country 's history . So those are real outcomes for real people . ` We should n't face this false choice of either bankrupting the country or having decent public services . ' | Chancellor says Britain must ` stay the course to prosperity ' Government warned they will have to borrow # 9billion more than expected . Ed Miliband claims Tories ' have failed to tackle ` cost-of-living crisis ' | [[0, 3], [23, 113], [219, 222], [242, 332], [520, 653], [545, 624], [2187, 2223], [2230, 2362], [2187, 2212], [2224, 2362], [2363, 2399], [2406, 2538], [2363, 2388], [2400, 2538]] |
An artisan chocolate shop serving Irn Bru eclairs , Cranachan Truffles and Horlicks Ganache has been named one of the best in Europe . Oban Chocolate Co. , based in Corran Esplanade in the Scottish west coast town of Oban , made the list of the 10 most delicious chocolate shops in Europe . The shop 's chocolatiers create new flavours every month , inventing unusual and ` weird ' chocolates to sit alongside classic choices . Oban Chocolate Co. based in Corran Esplanade in the Scottish west coast town made the list of the 10 most delicious chocolate shops in Europe . The chocolatiers is run by Helen -LRB- pictured -RRB- and Stewart Mackechnie . The shop offers unique creations such as an Irn Bru eclairs -LRB- pictured -RRB- and Cranachan truffles . Berlin-based travel site GoEuro compiled the list with Oban Chocolate Co. the only British shop to gain the honour . The company was founded by husband and wife team Helen and Stewart Mackechnie in 2003 . Mrs Mackechnie , 35 said : ' I ca n't believe it . ` It is a lovely feeling , just because we started from absolutely nothing . It will be our 11th birthday next month . ` We got a really good response on Facebook , we got a lot of congratulations from customers . ' A visit to the Margaret River Chocolate Company in Perth , Western Australia inspired the couple to start their own business . Oban Chocolate Co. also sells classics like coffee creams , chocolate lollipops and fresh cream truffles . 1 . Oban Chocolate Co , Scotland . 2 . Goldhelm , Germany . 3 . The Chocolat Line , Belgium . 4 . Sweet Sisters , Netherlands . 5 . Chocolates Valor , Spain . 6 . Guido Gobino , Italy . 7 . Francois Pralus , France . 8 . Zotter Schokofabrik , Austria . 9 . Chocolateria Delícia , Portugal . 10 . E.Wedel Chocolate Lounge , Poland . ` It was a case of `` that looks like a good idea - that could work in Oban '' , ' Mrs Mackechnie continued . ` It 's so nice to create a business that makes people happy . ` The locals are fantastic at supporting us over the winter -LSB- when -RSB- we close down in January for a month or so . ' As well as offering unique creations such as an Irn Bru eclairs , Cranachan truffles and Horlicks ganache the chocolate shops also sells classics like coffee creams , chocolate lollipops and fresh cream truffles . ` We make over 50 kinds of chocolate , inventing a new one every month . There are quite a few we have been making for the 11 years - its good to have a balance of unusual and weird and classic chocolates , ' Mrs Mackechnie said . Visitors to the chocolate shop can also watch staff handcraft every single one of their chocolate delights . | Oban Chocolate Co. appeared on travel site GoEuro 's top ten list . Owners Helen and Stewart Mackechnie started chocolatiers in 2003 . Artisan creations include Cranachan Truffles and Horlicks Ganache . | [[0, 25], [52, 134], [135, 153], [224, 290], [428, 446], [505, 571], [757, 873], [572, 650], [874, 961], [0, 25], [52, 134], [651, 756], [692, 756], [2103, 2197]] |
Meeting Santa Claus is supposed to inspire a joyous time for festivities and present swapping with the family . But judging by the looks on these children 's faces they 're more likely to have a nightmare before Christmas . He 's known as the kindly old man who always puts a smile on kids ' faces whether they see him in the chimney , tucking into milk and biscuits , leaving presents under the tree or , as is more likely , down at the shopping mall . But when the parents of these children took their little ones to meet Father Christmas they had the fright of their lives sitting on the knee of ghoulish , gloved and sinister-looking Santas . Judging by the looks on these children 's faces they 're more likely to have a nightmare before Christmas . A surge of photographs showing frightening Father Christmases throughout the years have emerged on social media . The hilarious pictures have been posted online as parents around the country look for a Santa to take their children to in the run up to Christmas , showing how a wholesome , loveable character can easily look scary and disturb little children . Many of the wailing youngsters were probably wishing Father Christmas really did n't exist , as the one they 're sitting with looks better placed in a horror film than meeting and greeting kids at a shopping centre . Some are wearing strange masks while others have wild hair and beards which make them look like they have been pulled through a hedge backwards . The images show how a wholesome , loveable character can easily look scary and disturb little children . The stare or grimace on the faces of some of the St. Nicks are enough to send a shiver down the bravest of spines . Many of the children sitting on their knees look worried , with some even bursting into tears and screaming for their parents . Some of the photographs go as fat back as the early 1900s , proving that Santa has always been a tricky one to pull off . They might make you think twice about taking your little ones down to the local grotto ! Ever had a scary Santa moment ? Send us your name , location and picture to [email protected] . One too many ? Santa looks hard done by -LRB- l -RRB- while another St. Nick has a sinister grin -LRB- r -RRB- . The plastic faces are what make many of these Father Christmasses so terrifying . A couple of worries youngsters sit with a wide-awake Santa Claus -LRB- l -RRB- while another looks weary -LRB- r -RRB- . What appears to be a pair of roller-skating Disney mice shake hands with a Father Christmas in PVC boots . The ghost of Christmas past ? A ghoulish Santa from days gone by -LRB- l -RRB- and a red-faced , windswept St. Nick . Father Christmas ' face is almost indistinguishable , as he sits with a nun , a clown and some children . An adult woman seems to be able to keep it together as she sits with a scary Santa -LRB- l -RRB- and a little one ca n't see what all the fuss is about . The most terrifying of all ? A skinny Santa with dark bags under his eyes and a scraggly beard holds a child on a horse . Past it ? An exhausted-looking Santa with a little girl -LRB- l -RRB- and a sweet Father Christmas is not so scary -LRB- r -RRB- . | From screaming children to petrified faces , the images show how children react to meeting scary Father Christmas . Pictures have been shared online as parents look for the ideal Santa to take their children to meet . Show men dressed up in masks or with wild hair as children are pictured looking horrified . | [[766, 837], [755, 868], [869, 891], [1018, 1114], [1478, 1582], [869, 945], [955, 1015], [116, 163], [647, 694], [1332, 1401]] |
She made her name by giving outspoken advice on what not to wear . But now Susannah Constantine is the one being criticised -- over some very controversial accessories brandished by her young daughter . Keen hunter Miss Constantine shared a picture of ten-year-old Cece proudly clutching a dead duck and with her face smeared with blood to mark her first kill . The little girl is also shown holding guns and taking part in hunts in a series of photos dating back almost a year and published on her and her mother 's public Instagram profiles . The photographs are accompanied by captions such as ` First duck ' and ` No food left after Christmas . Cece off to save the day ' . Scroll down for video . Her first kill : With blood smeared across her face , a smiling Cece , 10 , poses with the dead duck . Taking aim : Cece , holding a gun with sister Esme , 13 , in a picture that was posted recently on Instagram . But Miss Constantine has been condemned by animal rights campaigners , who claimed the pictures call into question her abilities as a mother and branded the decision to let a child hunt ` depressing ' , ` irresponsible ' and ` dangerous ' . Miss Constantine -- who found fame alongside Trinny Woodall as one half of television fashion advisers Trinny and Susannah -- began hunting at the age of seven around the Leicestershire village of Knipton where she grew up . The daughter of a Coldstream Guard , Miss Constantine boarded from the age of 11 at the # 6,950-a-term St Mary 's School in Oxfordshire and was once labelled a ` snob ' by Carol Vorderman . She has dated Viscount Linley and Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan , and is now married to Danish businessman Sten Bertelsen , with whom she has three children -- Joe , 15 , Esme , 13 , and Cece . But the 52-year-old 's privileged background and lifelong passion for hunting has done little to appease her critics , with a spokesman for Animal Aid saying there is ` no justification for putting a weapon into the hands of a child ' . The sentiment was echoed by a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals , who said : ` Susannah 's mothering skills have to be called into question , as she 's evidently failed to convey the most basic lesson of `` Do unto others as you would have them do unto you '' . ' Star duo : Trinny and Susannah made their name by giving outspoken advice on what not to wear . Family : Susannah with husband Sten Bertelsen , with whom she has three children -- Joe , Esme and Cece . Michael Stephenson , of the League Against Cruel Sports , added : ` We believe parents have a responsibility to teach their kids to respect and enjoy wildlife . We do n't believe children should be killing wildlife full stop and have always expressed concern at children being exposed to blood sports . ' Miss Constantine has long been vocal about her love of hunting . In an interview as far back as 1990 , she said : ` I am fit because I hunt every weekend with the Belvoir in Leicestershire , where my parents live and I was brought up ... it is relaxing because when you 're in the saddle you have to concentrate entirely on what you are doing ' . Miss Constantine declined to comment when contacted about the picture of her daughter , saying : ` It was a private day . ' | Keen hunter Susannah Constantine shared picture of daughter Cece . The 10-year-old has her face smeared with blood to mark first kill . The little girl is also shown holding guns and taking part in hunts . Photos dating back almost a year are published on Instagram . | [[203, 269], [309, 361], [719, 753], [362, 451], [445, 477], [863, 875], [881, 915]] |
A Lithuanian builder has appeared in court accused of the double murder of a married couple who were found stabbed to death at their # 750,000 home in Surrey . Viktoras Bruzas , 38 , is accused of murdering Patrick Kettyle , 55 , and his wife Gillian , 54 , who were discovered at the semi-detached property in Fetcham shortly after midnight on Thursday last week . Their deaths sparked a police search for Bruzas , 38 , who was arrested 18 hours later in nearby Oxshott . Lithuanian builder Viktoras Bruzas , 38 , -LRB- left -RRB- has been charged with murder after the bodies of married couple Patrick -LRB- right -RRB- , 55 , and Gillian Kettyle , 54 , were discovered at their Surrey home on Thursday . Bruzas pictured leaving Guildford Crown Court today after appearing charged with two counts of murder . The self-employed builder , from Walton-on-Thames , appeared at Guildford Crown Court today charged with two counts of murder . He had appeared briefly at South East Surrey Magistrates ' Court in Redhill , Surrey , on Saturday , when his case was sent straight to the crown court . With short brown hair and wearing a grey jumper , Bruzas spoke only to confirm his name as he appeared in the dock . Judge Christopher Critchlow , Honorary Recorder of Guildford , transferred the case to the Old Bailey in central London . Bruzas , who was wearing a grey jumper , spoke only to confirm his name during the hearing . Kristina Bruziene , the ex wife of Bruzas , was employed by the couple as a secretary in 2012 . Bruzas , who moved to England in 2008 , was remanded in custody . The next hearing will be at the Central Criminal Court , the Old Bailey , on December 19 . Initial post mortem examinations show the couple died as the result of multiple knife wounds . A weapon was found near their home after detectives began a forensic search of the area . Police say Bruzas and the Kettyle family were known to each . Mr Kettyle had employed Bruzas 's ex-wife , Kristina Bruziene , 37 , as a secretary at his million-pound building and property development firm . He ran the company from his home , while his wife worked as a facilities manager at Cargill Plc in Cobham , Surrey . Bruzas grew up in Kaunas , Lithuania , the country 's second biggest city , 65 miles west of the capital , Vilnius . He married his wife in Lithuania before they moved to the UK in their twenties . The couple settled in Forest Gate , East London , and had their son Richard , who was born in September 2007 . Relatives described the couple as ` really lovely people ' who did not deserve what happened to them . A forensics officer collects a knife in Fetcham , Surrey -LRB- right -RRB- . Forensic officers were in the house -LRB- left -RRB- , where the couple were found . Police said that the deaths had shaken the close community in Fetcham . Above , the house was cordoned off as the police searched the area . Mrs Kettyle 's ex-husband , Andrew Farrow , was devastated at her loss , saying : ` My life and Gill 's had not crossed paths for some time , but it took me years to get over Gill . ' Another man in his 30s who was arrested at a property in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey on Thursday has been released with no further action taken against him , police said . The next hearing will take place on December 19 , in front of Mr Justice Sweeney . Police set up at the scene . Initial post-mortem results show the couple died from stab wounds . Fetcham is a leafy commuter village in Surrey , just south of the M25 . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article . | Viktoras Bruzas , 38 , charged with murders of Patrick and Gillian Kettyle . Pair , in their 50s , died from stab wounds at home in Fetcham last Thursday . Bruzas , from Walton-on-Thames , appeared today at Guildford Crown Court . No plea entered - he was remanded in custody until Old Bailey appearance . | [[37, 91], [160, 175], [178, 242], [707, 810], [707, 713], [759, 810], [875, 938], [72, 91], [101, 123], [75, 91], [107, 159], [234, 237], [253, 257], [262, 365], [1678, 1772], [1716, 1772], [3370, 3437], [3403, 3437], [811, 860], [863, 896], [875, 938], [1210, 1237], [1273, 1331], [1521, 1527], [1561, 1586], [1587, 1658]] |
A felon with a long rap sheet testified Tuesday that a woman paid him $ 5,000 to kill her ex-husband in 2012 during a child custody court case that police said had millions of dollars at stake . The testimony in Hartford Superior Court came on the first day of the trial of 39-year-old Tiffany Stevens , formerly of Bloomfield , who has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder . The felon , John McDaid of Granville , Massachusetts , also testified that Stevens threatened to have him and his children killed if he did n't follow through on the murder-for-hire . First day of her trial : John McDaid told a Connecticut court Tuesday that Tiffany Stevens , 39 , offered him $ 5,000 to kill her ex Eric Stevens in 2012 . Stevens is seen walking with her father Edward Khalily -LRB- right -RRB- on the first day of her trial in Hartford on Tuesday . McDaid , who said he had a criminal record dating back to the 1970s including 22 felony convictions , said he did n't follow through on the plan and instead told Stevens ' ex-husband , who reported it to police . The alleged murder-for-hire plot in 2012 , which was never carried out , occurred as Stevens and her ex-husband were involved in a child custody court case . Police say whoever got custody of the Stevens ' daughter would control a $ 50 million trust fund . For more than a year , Eric and Tiffany Stevens battled over the rights to the eight-year-old girl , and control of a $ 50 million fund that is linked to her custody . McDaid , who said he had a criminal record dating back to the 1970s including 22 felony convictions , said he did n't follow through on the plan and instead told Stevens ' ex-husband , who reported it to police . McDaid said he spent the $ 5,000 on a washer , dryer , clothes for his children and other items while leading Tiffany Stevens to believe he was going to carry out the plot . ` Find somebody . I want him killed , ' McDaid said Tiffany Stevens told him , adding , ' I honestly almost did n't think it was real . ' McDaid said Stevens asked him ` incessantly ' over several months when her ex-husband would be killed and accused him of abusing her . In April 2012 , while McDaid was working as a maintenance man for a wealthy Simsbury couple , he said Tiffany Stevens , who knew the couple , slapped an envelope containing $ 5,000 across his chest and said , ` Get it done . ' McDaid also testified he used a computer audio program to secretly record Stevens talking about the murder-for-hire plot . Her lawyers , Hubert Santos and Trent LaLima , are trying to prevent the purported audiotape of her and McDaid from being used as evidence during the trial . On Tuesday , they raised the possibility that the recording could have been tampered with . Judge Edward J. Mullarkey has yet to rule on their motion . The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday afternoon and last until at least next week . The way they were : Tiffany Stevens , who is free on $ 1 million bail , has custody of her daughter , despite the attempted murder case . Eric Stevens is seeking custody of the girl in family court ; he says he does n't know where his daughter is . Sordid : Simsbury police Sgt. Gregory Samselski testified that Eric Stevens called police in July 2012 to tell them about his ex-wife 's plot and to play the audio recording for them . Samselski said he learned later that whoever won custody of the Stevens ' daughter would control a trust fund said to be worth $ 50 million . Simsbury police Sgt. Gregory Samselski testified that Eric Stevens called police in July 2012 to tell them about his ex-wife 's plot and to play the audio recording for them . Samselski said he learned later that whoever won custody of the Stevens ' daughter would control a trust fund said to be worth $ 50 million . Tiffany Stevens , who is free on $ 1 million bail , has custody of her daughter , despite the attempted murder case . Eric Stevens is seeking custody of the girl in family court ; he says he does n't know where his daughter is . Tiffany Stevens had her long black hair in a ponytail and wore a black blazer and black slacks Tuesday . She arrived at court holding hands with her father , Edward Khalily , a principal of WEGO Chemical & Mineral Co. in Great Neck , New York , and she did not comment . | John McDaid told a Connecticut court Tuesday that Tiffany Stevens , 39 , offered him $ 5,000 to kill her ex Eric Stevens in 2012 . While McDaid was worked as a handyman for a wealthy Simsbury couple , he said Tiffany Stevens handed him $ 5,000 and said , ` Get it done . ' McDaid said he spent the money while leading Tiffany Stevens to believe he was going to carry out the plot . He told authorities Stevens threatened to have McDaid and his children killed if he did n't follow through on the murder-for-hire . | [[0, 142], [195, 301], [562, 584], [587, 657], [637, 652], [660, 717], [1059, 1099], [1132, 1170], [2246, 2261], [2286, 2341], [0, 142], [637, 652], [660, 717], [2160, 2235], [2238, 2240], [2346, 2350], [2355, 2368], [2246, 2261], [2286, 2341], [2353, 2368], [1799, 1870], [378, 387], [438, 561]] |
Met Office releases new figures which show no warming in 15 years . The supposed ` consensus ' on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years . The figures suggest that we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th Century . Based on readings from more than 30,000 measuring stations , the data was issued last week without fanfare by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit . It confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended in 1997 . A painting , dated 1684 , by Abraham Hondius depicts one of many frost fairs on the River Thames during the mini ice age . Meanwhile , leading climate scientists yesterday told The Mail on Sunday that , after emitting unusually high levels of energy throughout the 20th Century , the sun is now heading towards a ` grand minimum ' in its output , threatening cold summers , bitter winters and a shortening of the season available for growing food . Solar output goes through 11-year cycles , with high numbers of sunspots seen at their peak . We are now at what should be the peak of what scientists call ` Cycle 24 ' -- which is why last week 's solar storm resulted in sightings of the aurora borealis further south than usual . But sunspot numbers are running at less than half those seen during cycle peaks in the 20th Century . Analysis by experts at NASA and the University of Arizona -- derived from magnetic-field measurements 120,000 miles beneath the sun 's surface -- suggest that Cycle 25 , whose peak is due in 2022 , will be a great deal weaker still . According to a paper issued last week by the Met Office , there is a 92 per cent chance that both Cycle 25 and those taking place in the following decades will be as weak as , or weaker than , the ` Dalton minimum ' of 1790 to 1830 . In this period , named after the meteorologist John Dalton , average temperatures in parts of Europe fell by 2C . However , it is also possible that the new solar energy slump could be as deep as the ` Maunder minimum ' -LRB- after astronomer Edward Maunder -RRB- , between 1645 and 1715 in the coldest part of the ` Little Ice Age ' when , as well as the Thames frost fairs , the canals of Holland froze solid . Yet , in its paper , the Met Office claimed that the consequences now would be negligible -- because the impact of the sun on climate is far less than man-made carbon dioxide . Although the sun 's output is likely to decrease until 2100 , ` This would only cause a reduction in global temperatures of 0.08 C. ' Peter Stott , one of the authors , said : ` Our findings suggest a reduction of solar activity to levels not seen in hundreds of years would be insufficient to offset the dominant influence of greenhouse gases . ' These findings are fiercely disputed by other solar experts . ` World temperatures may end up a lot cooler than now for 50 years or more , ' said Henrik Svensmark , director of the Center for Sun-Climate Research at Denmark 's National Space Institute . ` It will take a long battle to convince some climate scientists that the sun is important . It may well be that the sun is going to demonstrate this on its own , without the need for their help . ' He pointed out that , in claiming the effect of the solar minimum would be small , the Met Office was relying on the same computer models that are being undermined by the current pause in global-warming . CO2 levels have continued to rise without interruption and , in 2007 , the Met Office claimed that global warming was about to ` come roaring back ' . It said that between 2004 and 2014 there would be an overall increase of 0.3 C . In 2009 , it predicted that at least three of the years 2009 to 2014 would break the previous temperature record set in 1998 . So far there is no sign of any of this happening . But yesterday a Met Office spokesman insisted its models were still valid . ` The ten-year projection remains groundbreaking science . The period for the original projection is not over yet , ' he said . Dr Nicola Scafetta , of Duke University in North Carolina , is the author of several papers that argue the Met Office climate models show there should have been ` steady warming from 2000 until now ' . ` If temperatures continue to stay flat or start to cool again , the divergence between the models and recorded data will eventually become so great that the whole scientific community will question the current theories , ' he said . He believes that as the Met Office model attaches much greater significance to CO2 than to the sun , it was bound to conclude that there would not be cooling . ` The real issue is whether the model itself is accurate , ' Dr Scafetta said . Meanwhile , one of America 's most eminent climate experts , Professor Judith Curry of the Georgia Institute of Technology , said she found the Met Office 's confident prediction of a ` negligible ' impact difficult to understand . ` The responsible thing to do would be to accept the fact that the models may have severe shortcomings when it comes to the influence of the sun , ' said Professor Curry . As for the warming pause , she said that many scientists ` are not surprised ' . She argued it is becoming evident that factors other than CO2 play an important role in rising or falling warmth , such as the 60-year water temperature cycles in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans . ` They have insufficiently been appreciated in terms of global climate , ' said Prof Curry . When both oceans were cold in the past , such as from 1940 to 1970 , the climate cooled . The Pacific cycle ` flipped ' back from warm to cold mode in 2008 and the Atlantic is also thought likely to flip in the next few years . Pal Brekke , senior adviser at the Norwegian Space Centre , said some scientists found the importance of water cycles difficult to accept , because doing so means admitting that the oceans -- not CO2 -- caused much of the global warming between 1970 and 1997 . The same goes for the impact of the sun -- which was highly active for much of the 20th Century . ` Nature is about to carry out a very interesting experiment , ' he said . ` Ten or 15 years from now , we will be able to determine much better whether the warming of the late 20th Century really was caused by man-made CO2 , or by natural variability . ' Meanwhile , since the end of last year , world temperatures have fallen by more than half a degree , as the cold ` La Nina ' effect has re-emerged in the South Pacific . ` We 're now well into the second decade of the pause , ' said Benny Peiser , director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation . ` If we do n't see convincing evidence of global warming by 2015 , it will start to become clear whether the models are bunk . And , if they are , the implications for some scientists could be very serious . ' | Met Office releases new figures which show no warming in 15 years . | [[0, 67], [20, 31], [38, 67], [68, 199], [208, 257]] |
Read the full match report from the Australian Open men 's final in Melbourne . Andy Murray allowed himself to be mugged in this Australian Open final . He knows it , and so does Novak Djokovic . The angry cracking of two rackets back at his chair after a cursory handshake at the net spoke more articulately than the Scot 's more measured reflections after a shattering defeat by his long-time rival . The smashing of his implements was a way of expressing what he felt about getting distracted by Djokovic 's Oscar-contending displays of frailty . Andy Murray loses his cool during the 7-6 , 6-7 , 6-3 , 6-0 defeat to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne . The British No 1 won only 34 per cent of points on his weak second serve in the final . Murray looks on as world No 1 Djokovic gives his winner 's speech . ` I play enough matches to be able to handle that situation better , ' he admitted . But while the wildly undulating physical demeanour of the champion is what will be remembered about this encounter , there were more prosaic reasons for the result . A continuing problem for Murray is his second serve , which still requires a protection order to be slapped on it . He may have varied it better at this event but it is still too vulnerable . Djokovic won 62 per cent of his second serves to Murray 's 34 per cent , but it was 15mph faster . More startlingly , the 83mph average of the Murray second delivery in the final was 10mph slower than Serena Williams and 12mph slower than Maria Sharapova managed in the women 's final . Murray seemed distracted by Djokovic 's requests for medical attention during the game . Murray 's fiancee Kim Sears looks up at the big screen in Melbourne after they notice her choice of top . The former Wimbledon champion takes his frustration out on a pair of rackets . Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has accused Andy Murray of losing the plot . He lacked the same ruthlessness as Djokovic , particularly in the way he allowed himself to become distracted by the drama at the other end of the court as his opponent went through his physical troughs . You see this kind of thing happening more commonly in junior tennis , one player being befuddled by another 's struggles . More profoundly , you have to take your chances when they present themselves against the best . Murray could have won all three sets , having been 4-2 up in the first tiebreak and 2-0 up in the third set , which was the time when the hammer had to come down . Yet in comparing him with Djokovic , we are judging him by stratospheric standards , and that should not be overlooked . Indeed , it is possible that the unfolding story of this year in men 's tennis will be whether anybody can mount a credible challenge to the 27-year-old , whose game is near impenetrable . Djokovic gives Murray a backwards glance as he holds the Australian Open winner 's trophy . The Scot tries not to watch as Djokovic kisses the trophy after his four set victory . Djokovic and his team , including coach Boris Becker -LRB- right -RRB- , celebrate in the locker room . If there is a volunteer for the role it might turn out to be Murray , seeing the improvements that he has come up with since returning from the off-season . Taken as a whole , his form here has been immensely encouraging , a swift turnaround after the shambolic way he ended last year with an embarrassing defeat by Roger Federer and abrupt changes in his coaching team . He played impressively in the lead-up during some competitive exhibitions , and then showed that was no mirage in particularly outstanding performances to beat Grigor Dimitrov and Tomas Berdych . The necessary aggression was there to see . Murray lost his way after winning the second set and going 2-0 up in the third set . Murray screams as he comes up short in the sixth grand slam final of his career . The Scot 's coach Amelie Mauresmo accepts that her charge 's performance was not good enough . While the 6-0 scoreline in Sunday 's final set looks ugly , it was apparent that whoever won the third set could romp away with it . The damage was done then , and that is what will keep Murray awake on the flight back to London . Coach Amelie Mauresmo 's reaction later deserves as much weight as that from scathing BBC commentators such as Pat Cash and John Lloyd . ` It was n't enough , it is not yet enough , ' she said . ` You can see Novak produced his best play at the important moments . Novak served really well -- better than Andy . The two things made the difference . These are two really good weeks compared to the end of last year , but to beat Djokovic , who is superb , it is not yet enough . ` We have already made important progress -- the little things are still to be worked on . There is not a lot of frustration . It is really a step forward . There remains a big one to make and we are going to try to do it . ` The improvement he has made since the end of last year and then the first month and first Grand Slam is really positive . We will all look back on where he has come from to where he is at now . Still there are a few steps to climb before holding a Grand Slam trophy again , but the gap is closing . ' The new rankings will back up that assertion , with Murray up from No 6 to No 4 in the world . He is in familiar company , with the trinity of Djokovic , Nadal and Federer . But after an Australian Open that always had swirling undercurrents of acrimony , Djokovic is in a group of one right now . A security guard carries away a protestor who ran on court during the men 's final . Murray tries to come to terms with defeat in a press conference after the game . Djokovic will take some beating in 2015 after winning the Australian Open for a fifth time . | Andy Murray was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final . British No 1 won only 34 per cent of points on his weak second serve . The Scot 's second delivery was slower than both women finalists Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova . Former pro Pat Cash accused Murray of having a meltdown in Melbourne . | [[650, 737], [1367, 1503], [1488, 1535], [550, 649], [1810, 1889]] |
A women who frequently complained about her loneliness and ill health in letters to her family shut herself in her own freezer to die , it emerged today . The tragedy took place in the French village of Mee-sur-Seine , south of Paris , where the un-named 57-year-old 's lifeless body was found on Monday night . Emergency workers were called to her flat after she had not been seen for several days by family or neighbours . Scroll down for video . The tragedy took place in the French village of Mee-sur-Seine -LRB- pictured -RRB- . After a number of searches , a fireman eventually opened the freezer , to find her corpse curled up inside . ` She shut herself in in order to kill herself , ' a police source told AFP news agency , adding that she had been suffering from ` severe loneliness ' . The source said the woman 's daughter ` had no longer had any news from her mother ' , and that five letters to other family members were found . Police sources said that the woman 's intention was to kill herself . In them , the woman said she was ` suffering from several diseases and from severe loneliness ' . France has one of the highest suicide rates in Europe , with some 220,000 people attempting to take their own lives every year , and around 10,000 succeeding . | Tragedy took place in the French village of Mee-sur-Seine , south of Paris . Unnamed 57-year-old 's lifeless body was found on Monday night . She had not been seen for several days by family or neighbours . For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90 , visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details . | [[155, 216], [449, 516], [236, 311], [312, 424], [354, 424]] |
A teenager from Minneapolis has been charged with supporting the so-called Islamic State after he was arrested while allegedly on his way to join the insurgent group . Abdullahi Yusuf , 18 , was stopped at Minneapolis airport before he could board a plane to Turkey , the country which most wannabe jihadists pass through to reach terror group 's strongholds in Syria . Agents are still looking for 20-year-old Abdi Nur , a contact of Yusuf 's , who left for Istanbul , the Turkish capital , the next day and did n't return . Islamic State fighters : A teenager from Minneapolis has been charged with supporting the terrorist group after he was arrested at an airport allegedly en-route to join their ranks in war-torn Syria . A fighter waves the ISIS flag in Raqqa , Syria : Abdullahi Yusuf , 18 , was stopped at Minneapolis airport before he could board a plane to Turkey , but his alleged accomplice Abdi Nur boarded a plane the next day . Both have been charged with ` conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization , namely , the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant -LRB- ISIL -RRB- , ' said Assistant Attorney General John Carlin . Nur also is charged with providing material support to a foreign terror group . U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said both young men conspired to join the Islamic State ` to engage in a campaign of terror in support of a violent ideology . ' Yusuf , a student at Inver Hills Community College who lives in Inver Grove Heights , a suburb of St Paul , appeared in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis yesterday , after he was first arrested in late May . His attorney argued for his release , noting he had been going to school and work despite knowing for months that he was under investigation . But a magistrate judge ordered him held until a detention hearing Wednesday . Both Yusuf and Nur are Americans of Somali descent . The charges come after FBI officials last summer said they had begun tracking a trickle of Somali-Americans from Minneapolis to Islamic State-held areas in Syria . According to a criminal complaint unsealed yesterday , Nur was a Facebook ` friend ' of Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan , a man also known as Miski who was indicted in Minneapolis in 2009 on charges of being involved with Al Shabaab . The complaint said Hassan remained a fugitive . It said Yusuf , who came to the attention of the FBI after a tip-off from passport office workers , was an ` associate ' of a person identified only as ` H.M. ' , a former Minnesota resident now believed to be fighting in Syria . According to the complaint , a passport specialist noticed Yusuf did n't have a specific itinerary , the name of a hotel or details about a person he claimed he was going to see in Istanbul . The specialist also noticed Yusuf became nervous . He alerted his supervisor , who went to the FBI . Education : Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights , where Yusuf was a student . Arrest : Yusuf was picked up by FBI agents as he tried to board a plane at Minneapolis St Paul Airport . Court documents claim that after the passport office tip-off FBI agents watched Yusuf as he opened a bank account and deposited $ 1,500 that he used to buy a plane ticket to Turkey . On May 28 , the FBI watched as Yusuf 's father drove him to school . About an hour later , Yusuf walked to a mosque , then was picked up in a Volkswagen Jetta that authorities say Nur had been driving in recent days . It is claimed that during the short car journey Yusuf changed clothes while the driver helped him pack items into a duffel bag and backpack , ABC News reports . The car dropped Yusuf to a light rail station from where he made his way to the airport . Agents arrested Yusuf before he was able to board his flight . When they told him they believed he wanted to travel to Syria to join a terrorist group , Yusuf is alleged to have said : ' I never committed no terrorist crimes that you 're accusing me of . ' Authorities tried to find Nur after learning he was connected to the car . But the FBI learned on May 29 that Nur had left Minneapolis that day for Istanbul . The criminal complaint said Nur had become ` much more religious ' in the two months before his departure and spoke about jihad . After he left for Turkey , a witness went to a mosque that Nur attended in Bloomington , a Minneapolis suburb , and confronted several people , according to court documents . Investigators said Nur also had been communicating on Facebook with another Minneapolis man who authorities believe went to Somalia in 2008 to join al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab . Fightback : Iraqi military armored trucks pass next to a building painted in the colors of the Islamic State flag as they take up position after they retook the town of Sa'adiya , north-east of Baghdad . Assistant Attorney General Carlin said : ` More than 16,000 recruits from over 90 countries traveled to Syria to become foreign terrorist fighters with alarming consequences . ' ` This is a global crisis and we will continue our efforts to prevent Americans from joining the fight and to hold accountable those who provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations , ' he added . ` With these two defendants , we have now charged more than 15 individuals with offenses related to the foreign fighter threat in Syria . ' FBI Director James Comey said this month his agency was tracking close to 150 Americans it believe had traveled to Syria . A federal official said authorities believe around a dozen Americans were fighting there with the Islamic State . Yusuf 's parents -- who authorities said did n't know about their son 's plans -- attended Tuesday 's court hearing but declined to speak to The Associated Press . The Islamic State organisation emerged in spring 2013 from the warring groups in Syria 's civil war . The jihadists proclaimed a ` caliphate ' this June after seizing swathes of Iraq and Syria . | Abdullahi Yusuf , 18 , was arrested as he tried to board a flight to Turkey . But agents missed his co-accused Abdi Nur , 20 , who travelled the next day . Both men are charged with conspiracy to support a terrorist organisation . Nur also is charged with providing material support to a terror group . | [[168, 183], [186, 188], [191, 265], [526, 533], [551, 552], [596, 686], [727, 765], [794, 873], [2960, 3057], [3710, 3772], [370, 386], [395, 419], [370, 376], [381, 419], [880, 942], [4046, 4125], [943, 983], [984, 1058], [1178, 1181], [1187, 1257], [0, 88], [526, 548], [551, 631], [984, 1058], [1178, 1181], [1187, 1257]] |
It has been a horrible season for Manchester United and not much better for record signing Juan Mata . The diminutive Spanish playmaker went from Champions League winner and back-to-back player of the year awards at Chelsea to losing his place in the team and being sold to a United side spiralling down the league . It is no surprise , then , that Mata has one eye on next season when he believes his new club , without the demands of European football to distract them , will be well placed to make an immediate return to the top of the pile . For both club and player , he believes , it will be a case of ` what does n't kill you makes you stronger ' . Spanish eyes : Juan Mata sees a way back to top for United . Trophy hunting : Juan Mata presents David de Gea with Manchester United 's Players ' Player of the Year award but next season wants the duo to get their hands on the Premier League trophy . Take it as Red : Mata scores against Norwich in Ryan Giggs ' first match as United 's caretaker manager . Hero worship : Mata -LRB- right -RRB- with Giggs , someone the Spaniard idolised growing up . On his knees : It has been a horrible season for Mata and his new club United . On the scoresheet : Mata has scored five goals since joining United . ` I went through a situation at Chelsea . that I had not been through before in my career , ' he says . ` I was not . playing regularly but I really believe that made me stronger . You can . lose faith in yourself in adversity but I never did . I remained . confident and I never lost sight of my objectives . ' He . believes United can emulate Liverpool who , unfettered by European . football , have lit up this season with their energetic football . ` It . can definitely be an advantage in the league . Of course , I would rather . be playing in the Champions League , but if we take Liverpool as the . example -- you have a team who have fought all the way to the finish . without having played in the Champions League . ' Mata . already has his own Champions League winner 's medal , having planted a . corner on Didier Drobga 's head for the Chelsea equaliser in that . dramatic final in Munich . What he ca n't be sure about is who will lead . the club 's charge next season to get back into the competition . There . is an obvious bond with Ryan Giggs , whom he worshipped as a boy . The . old saying that you should never meet your idols clearly does not apply . in this case . ` I told him when I arrived that he had been my hero . growing up . And he said to me , `` I 'm really happy you 're here . But I 'm a . bit sad too because now I 've only got the second best left foot at the . club . '' ` I told him that was . impossible . He was the player I watched most closely as a kid . I loved . the way he controlled the ball and the touch he had . He was a pure . winger , left-footed , right out on the touchline . He was fast , . unplayable in a one-on-one situation , and he scored goals . Now destiny . has made him my team-mate and my manager . ' Mata . knows Giggs ' reign might not last and is guarded about what the future . might hold . Asked about Louis van Gaal , he says : ` I 've never met him . I . know what kind of history he has , the titles he has won and the kind of . football he is playing with Holland . But I do n't think it 's good to talk . about a coach who is not our manager . ' If . the Dutchman does replace the Welshman , he will become Mata 's seventh . coach in three seasons . So much for English patience and trigger-happy . Spanish club presidents . ` You mean it 's my fault , ' he laughs . Winning smile : Mata beams as he lifts the Europa League trophy in 2013 . Kings of Europe : Mata and Torres lift the Champions League trophy after a penalty shootout in 2012 . How . do the managers compare ? ` -LRB- Andre -RRB- Villas-Boas was the person who brought me to . England and who trusted in me . He 's young , he has ambition and he wants . to play attractive , fun and winning football . I will always be grateful . to him . ` Di Matteo was a . bit like Giggs . He was the ex-player , the assistant coach , who stayed . when Villas-Boas left . And he was a huge success . We won the Champions . League , the FA Cup ... he was fantastic with me and with the whole . group . He got us all together , all committed . ` Then . we won the Europa League -LRB- with Rafa Benitez -RRB- . It was hard for him at . first because of the history he had but I think he did things well . He . was professional and he won a title -- a title that the club had n't won . before . ' Then came Jose . Mourinho . Why did it not work out ? A lack of communication seems key , . although perhaps it was a symptom and not the cause of the problem . Did . he ask Mourinho why he was left out the side ? ` No . I did n't consider it . opportune . ' Did Mourinho ever explain to Mata why he did n't fit ? ` No . Nothing , ' he says . When the talking did begin it was between Chelsea and . United and it culminated in a helicopter flying him to Carrington on . January 25 this year . Season of woe : United have finished outside the top three for the first time in the Premier League era . Season to remember : Luis Suarez and Liverpool have had an excellent season domestically . ` I . will always be grateful to Chelsea , ' he says . ` To the directors , the . owner and the fans , because from the first day to the last they were . fantastic . No communication : Jose Mourinho did not explain to Mata why he was out of the side . ` I wish them the . best , I really do . I have a lot of friends there . Cesar -LRB- Azpilicueta -RRB- , . Fernando -LRB- Torres -RRB- , David -LRB- Luiz -RRB- , Oscar . I talk to Lampard and Terry a . lot too . I was with them for two and a half years and I wish them the . best . ' He is proud of the . open thank you letter he wrote Chelsea fans when he left . ` I did n't do . that just for the sake of my image , it was heartfelt . I wanted to . express what I felt about Chelsea , about the fans , who had always . treated me so well . ' Such a . public display of affection towards rival supporters might have . compromised Mata 's relationship with United fans but most see it as a . measure of the man . He is anxious to start wining trophies in a red . shirt and he says the critics should stop getting so hung up on which . position he plays . ` Obviously , . I do n't consider myself an out-an-out right-winger as such , but it . offers me the chance to come inside on my left foot , and that way I have . a broader field of vision . I have also played on the left with Valencia . and with the national team and I liked it there . The position that I . have played best in is behind the striker . But I think I can play in the . other two as well . ' Mata won international youth honours for Spain with goalkeeper David de Gea and he believes United 's player of the year has the mentality to become an Old Trafford great . ` He has huge . faith in himself , which is a really important virtue , ' Mata says . ` He . does n't let anything affect him . He knows if he has made a mistake but . it never sinks him . He uses it to make sure that he does n't make the . same mistake next time . He 's very calm . Sign of the times : A Chelsea fan holds up a banner praising Mata following his departure to United . ` I 've . spoken to friends about this and they say about Leo Messi : `` It 's as if . he does n't care about anything . '' He scores goals and acts as if it 's . normal . But maybe that 's a good thing . There 's so much pressure and . maybe , if you tell yourself that you have to be brilliant all the time , . when you make a mistake you collapse . Maybe you have to treat it all a . bit more ` normally ' . I think that 's a quality great players have . ' So . can De Gea and Mata win together in the red of United as they have in . the red of Spain ? ` There has been a loss of confidence . Thirteen months . ago , you 'd be losing 3-0 and you 'd win 4-3 at Old Trafford , ' says Mata . ` Now you 're losing 3-0 and it seems impossible . That mentality , that . confidence , has not always been there this season . But I think the . players and the club still have that attitude . The fans do , too . ` I . remember , with Chelsea , it was almost impossible to win here . There are . huge demands at this club . If you do n't win the league one year , you . must win it the next year . Next season we have to demonstrate that the . club has not lost its essence ; has not lost its mentality ; has not lost . its competitiveness ; and it has not lost its identity . ' | Mata believes United can get back to the top with no European distraction . Says ' I never lost my faith in myself ' during tough time at Chelsea . Reveals as a boy he worshipped United caretaker boss Ryan Giggs . Mata will always be grateful to Chelsea and former managers Andre Villas-Boas , Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benitez . Spaniard did not communicate with Jose Mourinho . But Mata is proud of open letter he wrote to Chelsea fans after his departure . Says David de Gea is goalkeeping equivalent of Lionel Messi . United have lost their confidence , but must not lose their ` identity ' | [[671, 716], [1259, 1298], [2307, 2317], [2328, 2349], [3999, 4026], [5272, 5306], [5802, 5822], [5823, 5866], [5845, 5881], [7896, 7935], [8579, 8609]] |
Police described victim Tai Lam , 67 , as a ` defenseless senior citizen ' with disabilities , who weighed less than 100 pounds and stood about 5 feet 5 inches tall . Police have released surveillance footage showing a group of men who they suspect of savagely beating a homeless man to death as he slept in an alley in downtown San Francisco . Tai Lam , 67 , was found dead last Monday in an alley behind buildings near the corner of Montgomery and Sutter streets . He was still inside his sleeping bag . Police described Lam as a ` defenseless senior citizen ' with disabilities , who weighed less than 100 pounds and stood about 5 feet 5 inches tall . He was not robbed , and there was no clear motive in the attack . Police spokesman Albie Esparza has described the incident as ' a vicious , unprovoked attack by these coward suspects . ' Video surveillance shows a man kicking Lam 's sleeping bag . Police said the man and two others returned a short time later to beat him again . ` There was no reason for this , ' said San Francisco Police Lt. Toney Chaplin . ` As far as provocation goes , I do n't know how much provocation you can give someone sleeping in a sleeping bag with your crutches a few feet away from you . ' The attacks happened between 11pm and midnight on Nov. 23 , but Lam 's body was n't discovered until about 7am the next morning . ` He was unable to defend himself . He died alone after suffering these horrendous attacks , '' Chaplin said . Scroll down for video . Police have released surveillance footage showing a group of men who they suspect of savagely beating a homeless man to death as he slept in an alley in downtown San Francisco . The newly released video shows the three persons of interest while they smoked a cigarette on the steps to Crocker Galleria near Montgomery and Post streets , shortly before the assaults . The three young men are wearing hooded sweatshirts and baggy clothing and did not appear to be homeless themselves . They were described as possibly in their late teens to early 20s or 30s . Two of the suspects are believed to be African-American while the third is believed to be Caucasian . One of the African-American males appeared to stand more than 6 feet tall . Police are asking anyone with video surveillance of the area or anyone who may have additional information about the three suspects to contact San Francisco police investigators . The location : The suspects are believed to have found Esparaza sleeping in an alley behind buildings near the corner of Montgomery and Sutter streets in downtown San Francisco . | Tai Lam 's body was found dead inside a sleeping bag in downtown San Francisco last Monday . Police have released footage showing the men they suspect of savagely beating the homeless man to death . The three young men are shown wearing hooded sweatshirts and baggy clothing and did not appear to be homeless themselves . Police described Lam as a ` defenseless senior citizen ' with disabilities , who weighed less than 100 pounds and stood about 5 feet 5 inches tall . | [[345, 352], [355, 466], [167, 231], [228, 231], [241, 283], [261, 292], [1495, 1559], [1556, 1559], [1569, 1611], [1589, 1620], [1673, 1733], [1862, 1931], [1862, 1881], [1936, 1978], [0, 31], [39, 92], [80, 92], [99, 127], [80, 92], [132, 166], [506, 580], [568, 580], [587, 615], [568, 580], [620, 654]] |
A college basketball player battling terminal brain cancer saw her jersey number retired this weekend as she played in one of her final games . Lauren Hill , 19 , who plays for the Mount St. Joseph Division III Cincinnati team , told crowds gathered at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio on Friday night that she was ` speechless ' as the retirement ceremony took place . The 5ft 10in freshman was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer , diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma -LRB- DIPG -RRB- , last year and her mother reported this month that her condition has worsened with memory loss and vertigo kicking in . Scroll down for videos . Lauren Hill , 19 , -LRB- pictured this month during her first NCAA college basketball game -RRB- saw her jersey number retired this weekend in honor of her inspirational fight to continue playing in the face of inoperable cancer . But last week Hill appeared in high spirits as she joined teammates on court . The former prom queen even managed to score her third career basket in the match against Bethany College . A message on her Facebook fundraising page read : ` Legs were not working the best but she got the shot on the first try and was super excited . Made her day . ' Slam dunk : Last Friday Hill appeared in high spirits as she joined teammates - here she is seen with the ball . Shot : The former prom queen scored her third career basket in the match against Bethany College . Taking a tumble : A message on her Facebook fundraising page read : ` Legs were not working the best but she got the shot on the first try and was super excited . Made her day ' A banner with Hill 's No. 22 jersey was unveiled at the half-time point and Lawrenceburg 's mayor declared there would be a Lauren Hill Week in the southeastern Indiana city . ` All this has been amazing and the continued support from everybody , and all the other teams , and the community , ' Hill told the crowd . ` There 's really good people out there , that I 've learned , and I 'm speechless . ' Lawrenceburg girls basketball coach Zane White said those at the school will be inspired by Hill wherever they go . ` It 's an honor to know Lauren and be able to do this for her , ' he said . Struggle : The teenager was a standout backetball player and former prom queen in high school , right . The Layup4Lauren challenge has helped raise more than $ 350,000 in the last few weeks for cancer research . More than 10,000 people attended Hill 's Mount St. Joseph game on November 2 against Hiram College , where she fist fulfilled her dream of playing college basketball and made two layups . Hill wrote on Facebook last Thursday that she is now focused on spending time with her friends and family and limiting the number of interviews she does . She added : ` My body is growing more tired even though I do n't sleep well . My brain just has a hard time turning off . ' | Lauren Hill , 19 , realized her dream of playing college basketball earlier this month for Mount St. Joseph in Ohio . Hill was diagnosed with Diffused Intrinsic Pentene Gleoma , an inoperable brain tumor , and has just weeks to live . More than $ 350,000 has been donated for cancer research and treatment by fundraising carried out in her name . | [[144, 155], [167, 226], [2498, 2511], [2520, 2578], [372, 488], [2305, 2412]] |
Comic-mad couple Dean Williamson and Lorna Foley made their dreams come true at a wacky wedding with a twist . Groom Dean had no excuse for being late as he got to the wedding venue in Liverpool 's historic St George 's Hall in a DeLorean DMC 12 , which was the model used by Michael J Fox in Back To The Future . Then it was back to the reception for a wedding breakfast featuring a Gotham City-themed cake , complete with its own Scalextric racing track and a mini Batmobile . Comic book-obsessed couple , Dean Williamson and Lorna Foley , made their dreams come true at wacky wedding in Liverpool . Pictured : the DeLorean from Back To The Future . Lorna , with the help of her bridesmaids , even made a bouquet and corsages from cut up Batman comics . The pair then entertained their guests racing round the track as Batman and the Joker . Lorna , with the help of her bridesdmaids , even made her floral bouquet and corsages from intricately cut up and folded Batman comics . Lorna , a 33-year-old children 's entertainer , said : ` We feel so lucky with how everything came together and it was a mega fun day . Lorna , a 33-year-old children 's entertainer , loved their theme : ` It was a mega fun day ' The wedding cake was Gotham City-themed , complete with a mini Batmobile and working tiny race track . Lorna insists that the theme was ' a bit of a mish-mash ' and that 's exactly how the couple wanted it . ` The theme was a bit of a mish-mash and that was the plan ... sort of ! ` Dean and I opened the cabaret with a comedy western sketch to the music from ` The Good , The Bad and The Ugly ' where he was a sheriff looking for me as a wanted bandit . ' I made my escape on my green walking circus globe . The intricate cake was the reception 's centrepiece and the couple raced their guests around the cake track . Lorna 's headpiece was as stunning as her bouquet - and even had tiny clocks incorporated into the design . Sealed with a kiss ! The couple posed on either side of the iconic vehicle for a wedding shot to remember . ` We had a group of talented friends from the cabaret scene in Liverpool perform at our evening cabaret - we 're so grateful to them for their performances . ' Dean , 38 , who works for an events company , said : ` Everyone on the buses going past the hall was looking at us in the DeLorean . ` It was an amazing day , just fantastic . ' | Couple incorporated their love of comic books into their wedding day . Groom Dean Williamson made his entrance in a DeLorean DMC 12 car . Bridal bouquet and corsages were crafted from old Batman comic books . And the pair also had a Gotham City cake , complete with mini Batmobile . | [[0, 110], [479, 539], [542, 601], [154, 245], [652, 657], [695, 755], [844, 849], [958, 980], [352, 478], [1211, 1313]] |
Doctors surgeries will be upgraded using a new # 1 billion fund paid for by bank fines , George Osborne announced today . The Chancellor said the cash would pay for a ` permanent improvement in GP services ' and comes on top of an extra # 2 billion injection into the NHS budget set to be formally announced on Wednesday . The funding will allow patients to undergo chemotherapy and dialysis closer to home . Scroll down for video . Chancellor George Osborne will announce an extra # 3billion is to be spent on healthcare in Wednesday 's Autumn statement . The announcement , ahead of Wednesday 's Autumn Statement by the Chancellor , is designed to blunt Labour 's electoral advantage on the NHS . But Labour 's shadow chancellor Ed Balls this morning promised to spend an extra # 2.5 billion on top of the Government 's # 3 billion cash injection . Speaking on the BBC 's Andrew Marr show this morning Mr Osborne insisted that increasing funding for the NHS was only possible because the economy was growing . He said : ` Because we have a strong economy and we 've got the public finances under control , we can afford to put # 2 billion into the front-line of the NHS , across the UK . ' He added : ` Indeed I can tell you we can go further and use those fines that have been paid by the banks for a permanent improvement in GP services . ` This is a down payment on the NHS 's own long-term plan . ' The new money for GPs from bank fines amounts to # 250 million a year for four years . The other # 2 billion comes from # 1.3 billion in new cash from the Treasury -- with # 700 million from Health Department ` reallocated ' to the frontline NHS . Mr Osborne -LRB- right -RRB- speaks with nurse Carron Weekes -LRB- second left -RRB- , accompanied by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt -LRB- left -RRB- and NHS chief Simon Stevens , at the Homerton University Hospital in London today . The Chancellor visited a hospital this morning seeking to counter political attacks on his Conservative party 's handling of the health service six months before an election . Mr Balls said a Conservative plan for # 3 billion injection into the NHS was `` crisis money '' . He said : ` The Conservatives wasted # 3bn on their reorganisation of the NHS . So , this is a typical Tory pattern - a winter crisis and then crisis money coming after it . ` The question is : is this a one off ? Or is this going to be actual long-term investment in the nurses and doctors we need . ` Labour has said we will have a tax on high value properties , # 2.5 bn over and above Tory spending plans for 20,000 more nurses , doctors , care workers too . We will save the NHS . As you can see the Tories are really putting the NHS in danger . ' No 10 is acutely conscious that despite Ed Miliband 's rock-bottom personal ratings , the NHS remains the only policy area in which Labour consistently polls ahead of the Conservatives . The expected announcement in Wednesday 's speech comes after days of behind-the-scenes jostling between the Tories and Liberal Democrats to claim credit for the NHS funding boost , with Liberal Democrat Health Minister Norman Lamb publicly calling for more resources to prevent a ` crash ' in services over the winter . It had previously been rumoured that the NHS boost would amount to only # 1 billion . The Autumn Statement is also expected to contain a number of big budget infrastructure announcements , with priority given to major new roads . Ministers are under orders from No 10 to be photographed next to the projects for use in ` puff ' pieces for local papers . Mr Osborne -LRB- right -RRB- and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls speak on the BBC 's The Andrew Marr Show this morning . Mr Balls told Andrew Marr that Labour would spend # 2.5 billion more than the Tories over the next Parliament . Mr Osborne will claim in the statement -- his last major pre-Election Commons setpiece other than March 's Budget -- that his handling of the economy has enabled him to free up extra resources for the health service . ` You ca n't have a strong NHS without a strong economy to pay for it . If you do n't have a long-term plan for the economy , you do n't have a plan for the future of the NHS , ' he is expected to say , adding : ` We have both . It 's because our economy is growing , and we 've kept a tight control on the finances , that we can do more for the NHS . ' The Chancellor is also planning to make the political point that extra NHS funding should be allied to the more efficient management which he claims would be ensured by a Conservative administration . ` This will support the day - to-day work of our incredible nurses , doctors and other NHS staff ; but it is also a down - payment on the future of our health service . ` This new money will be used to buy the new facilities and services that will help transform the NHS so it becomes more efficient for taxpayers and effective for patients . ' Mr Osborne will also claim credit for the fact that ` the British economy is growing faster than any other major economy in the world ' -- but will also repeat David Cameron 's warning earlier this month about the risks of a new global downturn hitting the UK economy . Labour fought back last night , with Chris Leslie , the party 's Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury , saying : ` This week George Osborne will have to admit that he has broken his promises . ` He has failed to deliver rising living standards and that failure is why he 's also set to break his promise to balance the books by next year . ` We need a plan to save and transform our health service too . Labour will raise an additional # 2.5 billion a year , on top of Tory spending plans , for an extra 20,000 nurses and 8,000 GPs . ' | GP surgeries to be upgraded using a new # 1bn fund paid for by bank fines . Extra funding will be spread over four years after general election . Comes on top of # 2bn budget boost for NHS to be announced this week . Chancellor found cash from budget surpluses across Whitehall . No 10 aware NHS is only policy area in which Miliband 's party tops polls . Expected windfall is part of effort to avert a potential ` crash ' in services . Autumn Statement on Wednesday last finance statement before election . | [[0, 63], [41, 86], [1227, 1229], [1249, 1342], [122, 278], [264, 322], [2798, 2898]] |
They are not considered the most likely friends , but this cheeky dog and elephant seem to have found the perfect playmate in each other . Tourists captured the heartwarming scenes while visiting an elephant nature park in Chiang Mai , Thailand . Onlookers can be heard laughing as the dog barks at the baby elephant as if encouraging it to come and play . The young animal then begins to chase the mutt , which keeps looking back to ensure the game is continuing . As the older elephants look on , unperturbed by the dog 's presence , the two young friends continue playing their game . The two animals appear o have an unlikely friendship as they chase each other round at the elephant park . The dog keeps barking at the elephant as if encourage it to join in the chasing game . At one point the elephant seems to become frustrated by the game , grabbing some grass and tossing it from side to side . But it soon joins back in , following the dog around as it runs in circles , before eventually returning to the family elders . | Heartwarming video was filmed at elephant park in Chiang Mai , Thailand . Onlookers laugh as dog barks at elephant as if encouraging it to play . Young elephant appears frustrated at one point as it ca n't catch dog . | [[139, 233], [247, 295], [247, 256], [270, 316], [247, 256], [323, 356], [695, 781], [695, 702], [739, 781], [782, 816]] |
Hopes for much-needed moisture but fears of mudflows marked California as a Pacific storm headed toward the drought-dry state . Rain was expected to begin falling Tuesday , although the timing of the heaviest downpours was variable , according to the National Weather Service . Storm watches were posted for a large swath of the Sierra Nevada , where a huge amount of the state 's water supply is normally stored as snowpack . Significant accumulations were predicted but not enough to be a drought buster . Weather warning : Denis Carruth collects sand bags to protect his home from possible flooding in Glendora , California , on Monday , December 1 , 2014 . Any delight over the prospect of beneficial precipitation was tempered by concerns about the threat of debris flows from the many areas of California where wildfires have burned away vegetation that would keep soil stable . A weak storm Sunday was enough to block Pacific Coast Highway west of Malibu with a flow of mud from a section of the steep Santa Monica Mountains denuded by a 44-square-mile fire last year . The muck was cleared but debris basins that overflowed were still full and will keep the highway from reopening anytime soon . Flooding expected : California is bracing for the arrival of a new , more powerful Pacific storm following a weekend of scattered rain , showers and snow . Next round : More rain is expected to hit the drought-plagued southern California region on Tuesday , with 1-2 inches falling in the coastal and valley areas , and 2-5 inches in the foothills and mountains . ` We 're going to have to wait until the next storm passes , ' said Patrick Chandler of the California Department of Transportation . Residents placed sandbags to protect properties in foothill cities northeast of Los Angeles , where some communities below steep mountains have long lived with concrete barriers lining streets in hopes of keeping debris flows out of homes . Glendora resident Cory Hansen piled sand bags around his home . The pre-filled bags were stacked on pallets and offered to locals for free with a prove of address . ` Hundreds , hundreds of them , ' he told KABC-TV . ` We do n't know what 's going to happen in the next few days . ' Swirling motion : This NOAA satellite image taken Monday , December 1 , 2014 , at 01:00 AM EST shows a storm that continues to move slowly through the central Pacific . En route : The swirl of clouds is moving eastward toward the coastal western U.S. Voluntary evacuations were also taking place in the city of Glendora with a temporary accommodation center being set up . Rainfall predictions include nearly two inches in Temecula and more than an inch in San Bernardino , Santa Ana , Long Beach , Malibu and downtown Los Angeles . Back-to-back storms are helping some cities in northwest California reach normal rainfall amounts for the year , or even better , but the reservoirs and Sierra snowpack that provide much of the state 's water remain far short of what they should be , after three years of intense drought . Closed : A ten-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu , California was shut down on Sunday after rains caused a rockslide on the highly-trafficked road . Impassable : More than a dozen vehicles became stuck in the debris on the road , but no one was injured . The state Department of Water Resources reported the Sierra snowpack , which counts most for the state 's water supply , was at 24 percent of normal for this time of year . Rain so far , at this early point in California 's wet season , has yet to make much of an impact on the state 's main reservoirs . Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville have less than 50per cent of their usual water level for the start of December , while Folsom Lake stands at 59per cent , said National Weather Service forecaster Eric Kurth . ` The good news is there 's more storms on the way , ' Kurth said . | Rain was expected to begin falling Tuesday . Storm watches were posted for a large swath of the Sierra Nevada . Residents are concerned about debris flows from areas of California where wildfires have burned away vegetation that would keep soil stable . | [[128, 132], [146, 170], [1360, 1364], [1373, 1459], [278, 342], [661, 770], [800, 854], [839, 854], [860, 884]] |
Louis van Gaal has claimed his Manchester United team is ready to tilt the balance of power back towards Old Trafford when they meet neighbours City in Sunday 's derby at the Etihad Stadium . United know that victory against City on Sunday will move them to within a point of their stuttering neighbours and manager Van Gaal claims his team is good enough . Asked to compare the two squads on Friday , the United manager said : ' I am not jealous of the squad of Manchester City . Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal -LRB- left -RRB- enjoys a joke with midfielder Darren Fletcher on Friday . Juan Mata , Michael Carrick , Wayne Rooney , Ander Herrera and Robin van Persie -LRB- left to right -RRB- train . Radamel Falcao is still injured after missing the 1-1 draw with Chelsea and will not be in United 's squad . Marcos Rojo -LRB- left -RRB- and Antonio Valencia could be two of many South Americans involved at the Etihad . 2013-14 - United 0-3 City , City 4-1 United . 2012-13 - United 1-2 City , City 2-3 United . 2011-12 - City 1-0 United , City 2-3 United -LRB- FA Cup -RRB- , United 1-6 City . 2010-11 - City 1-0 United -LRB- FA Cup -RRB- , United 2-1 City , City 0-0 United , . 2009-10 - City 0-1 United , United 3-1 City -LRB- League Cup -RRB- , City 2-1 United -LRB- League Cup -RRB- , United 4-3 City . ' I am proud of my players and that is the most important thing and when we play like a team then we have a big chance to win . Our goal is to win this game . It is possible , we are growing , we are developing ourselves , I think . ` What we have seen of Manchester City in the last matches was not so good . But that was also the case last year , Ryan Giggs has warned me . So you never know . ' With Wayne Rooney back for United on Sunday and City missing playmaker David Silva for a month after damaging knee ligaments in midweek , the visitors would appear to have a chance against a team who have not won for three games . Manchester United captain Rooney has been suspended since his red card against West Ham . The return of Rooney -LRB- left -RRB- to the line-up is likely to mean Mata -LRB- right -RRB- will be dropped to the bench against City . Manuel Pellegrini will be without midfielder David Silva , who was injured against Newcastle in midweek . City defender Pablo Zabaleta said : ` We need to do much better than we have done in the last three games . It is just about three points and winning that game . It means we can get the confidence back and it 's something we need at the moment . We can not drop points because of the race with Chelsea . It 's a really important day for both teams . ' City manager Manuel Pellegrini revealed that his club were never able to consider buying Angel di Maria from Real Madrid in the summer because of the spending restrictions placed on them by UEFA for breaking Financial Fair Play guidelines . Di Maria was offered to City the week before United paid # 60million for him but Pellegrini said : ` We have an important restriction about budget this year . We can not spend the money that United paid for Di Maria . ' Van Gaal urged his players to take the emotion out of the game and avoid red cards . Van Gaal believes his side have a good chance of winning the Manchester derby if they play as a team . Pablo Zabaleta -LRB- right -RRB- , pictured with Angel di Maria and Rojo -LRB- left to right -RRB- at a Premier League Kicks charity event , says City can not drop points against rivals United . City boss Pellegrini has admitted that his club were not in a financial position to bid for Di Maria last summer . Di Maria appeared in a relaxed mood during Manchester United 's training session on Friday . Carrick -LRB- front -RRB- is in contention to play his first game of the season for United after an ankle injury . ` That 's also a main point in our preparation because you know that this is more than an emotional game , ' said United 's boss . ` We do n't want a red card because when it is 11 versus 10 it shall be very difficult to win . ' Meanwhile , Yaya Toure has surprised City fans by not choosing any of their summer recruits as among his five best buys of this season . One he did select has left the club -- Alvaro Negredo -- while another two have become United players . Toure said : ' I think definitely Di Maria and -LSB- James -RSB- Rodriguez . ` Rodriguez was a fantastic one , and , as well , United with the move for -LSB- Radamel -RSB- Falcao , he is a great striker , unbelievable . ' Yaya Toure failed to name a single Manchester City signing when asked about last summer 's best buys . Toure picked Real Madrid star James Rodriguez -LRB- right -RRB- as one of his top five summer signings . The Ivorian spoke highly of Negredo , who left for Valencia , adding : ` He 's had injury problems , but he was brilliant for us last year and I think he 's made a great move . We were sad to see him go because he was one of our top strikers last season . I think we are going to miss him a lot . ' Toure gave a special mention for Liverpool 's Mario Balotelli . ` The fifth one is one of my great friends , Mario Balotelli , like my brother . I hope he is going to do well with Liverpool because he has been involved in a few problems in the past year . But he is becoming more mature and he can control all of that . ' Toure was speaking to Nissan . | Louis van Gaal is looking ahead to his first Manchester derby on Sunday . Wayne Rooney returns from his three-match ban for the clash . Radamel Falcao is injured having missed the draw with Chelsea . The Dutchman admits City have not been good in recent matches . Van Gaal believes his side are capable of winning at the Etihad . United lost the Manchester derby by an aggregate of 7-1 last season . | [[123, 191], [1946, 2035], [708, 779], [1592, 1626], [0, 62], [192, 357], [308, 357], [3178, 3255]] |
The White House struggled on Tuesday to defend Colleen Bell , President Barack Obama 's choice for U.S. ambassador to Hungary . Bell , a top Obama reelection campaign bundler and a producer of the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful , was confirmed today without a single Republican vote in the last window of opportunity for Democrats to approve such ` patronage ' appointments before the GOP takes over the Senate in January . Pressed to explain Bell 's qualifications for the diplomatic position , the president 's spokesman was unable to speak in specifics this afternoon , eventually citing her experience in the private sector as the reason she was selected . Producer Colleen Bell is pictured here in October attending the fifth annual PSLA Autumn Party , sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue , in Culver City , California . Bell , an Obama campaign donor , was named U.S. ambassador to Hungary today . Uhhh : White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest was unable to list a single real reason Bell is qualified to represent the country abroad during his daily press briefing at the White House this afternoon . The president is not technically allowed to use government jobs as rewards for his top donors , and when he was first elected , Obama promised to ` limit ' his own abuse of the privilege . But like every modern president before him , Obama 's frequently engaged in the practice anyway . By the American Foreign Service Association 's count , 41 percent of current U.S. ambassadors were picked for their positions as a political courtesy while 58.6 percent were longtime diplomats . Touching on this today , ABC News ' Jonathan Karl asked White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest , ` what are Colleen Bell 's qualifications for ambassador ? ' ` Was it that she was a soap opera producer , is it that she gave hundreds of thousands of dollars - or helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars - for the Obama reelection campaign ? Why was she chosen ? ' he pondered . Earnest hemmed and hawed before describing Bell as ` somebody who retains the confidence that , well , let me say it this way : Ambassador Bell has the president 's confidence that she will do an excellent job representing the U.S. and maintaining the important relationship the U.S. has with the government and the people of Hungary . ' Not letting it go , Karl asked him ` where does the president get that confidence from ? ' ' I mean , in her confirmation hearing she could n't even name a single strategic interest the U.S. had with Hungary , ' he pointed out . ` Well , she certainly is somebody , again , that is , has had her own distinguished private sector career , ' Earnest responded , to which Karl again pointed out that her only real business experience was work as a soap opera producer . ' Trying again , the White House spokesman she is ` somebody who obviously has succeeded in the business world and she is somebody that the president has confidence will be able to maintain our relationship with the government and the people of Hungary . ' Bell has worked on the Bold and the Beautiful off and on since 1991 in a variety of production positions . She left the show for a decade in 2000 and returned in 2012 as as an associate producer . The next year she was promoted to the producer spot . Today she was approved by the Senate 52-42 to serve as the next ambassador to the fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organization member state , despite the strong objections of Arizona Sen. John McCain . ` We 're about to vote on a totally unqualified individual to be ambassador to a nation which is very important to our national security interest , ' McCain said from the Senate floor . ` Her qualifications are as a producer of the television soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful , contributed 800,000 -LSB- dollars -RSB- to Obama in the last election and bundled more than $ 2.1 million for President Obama 's re-election effort , ' he continued . Political consultant Noah Bryson Mamet was also confirmed as a U.S. ambassador today despite admitting during a confirmation hearing earlier this year that he has never actually been to that country he will now serve as a representative to , Argentina . Arizona Sen. John McCain , pictured here talking to reporters this afternoon after party caucus luncheons at the U.S. Capitol , urged his colleagues today not to confirm Bell . ` Her qualifications are as a producer of the television soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful , ' he said on the Senate floor . ' I am not against political appointees ... I understand how the game is played , ' he said , ` but here we are , a nation -LSB- Hungary -RSB- that is on the verge of ceding its sovereignty to a neo-fascist dictator getting in bed with Vladimir Putin and we 're going to send the producer of The Bold and The Beautiful as the ambassador . Continuing , McCain asked his colleagues to ` put a stop to this foolishness ' by voting no . McCain had grilled Bell during her confirmation hearing on what she would do differently from her predecessor to improve relations with the country . She was unable to articulate an answer before he moved on . Also approved by the Senate today was Noah Mamet , who will serve as the U.S. ambassador to Argentina . Senate Democrats gave him the job by a vote of 50-43 , even though the Democratic fundraiser admitted during his confirmation hearing that he 'd never even been to the South American country . Mamet raised at least half a million dollars for for Obama 's reelection campaign in 2012 , according to the Center for Public Integrity , and was on his national finance committee . After Mamet 's confirmation proceedings earlier this year the American Foreign Service Association , a labor union for career diplomats , trolled both the political operative and Bell by putting out a list of basic skills that all ambassadors should have . ` Now , let 's be clear , someone who is a big donor , but who is also a person with a lot of international experience , that speaks foreign languages -- that person can potentially qualify , ' the group 's president , Robert Silverman , told U.S. News at the time . ` It 's not a disqualifier in and of itself , ' he added , ` but if that 's the only reason that person is being nominated for all we could tell , then that person should not be qualified . ' | Colleen Bell , a Obama campaign bundler and a producer of the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful , was confirmed to the post today . Neither she nor the new U.S. ambassador to Argentina received a single Republican vote . Pressed to explain Bell 's qualifications for her diplomatic position , the president 's spokesman was unable to speak in specifics . All he could say was she ` has the president 's confidence that she will do an excellent job ' | [[128, 132], [237, 264], [3041, 3086], [3292, 3428], [3677, 3744], [4372, 4466], [4756, 4839], [0, 59], [431, 500], [503, 577], [913, 993], [913, 953], [965, 1075], [1700, 1751], [2032, 2040], [2045, 2154]] |
A spectacular new cable car that rotates to give visitors a panoramic views , has been unveiled at a Swiss mountain resport . The Titlis Rotair gondola rotates its way up towards the snow-covered summit of Mount Titlis from the popular resort town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden in central Switzerland . The vehicle transports tourists from the middle station at Stand up to the top of the 9,926 ft high mountain . The Titlis Rotair gondola rotates its way up towards the snow-covered summit of Mount Titlis from the popular resort town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden in central Switzerland . The gondola revolves 360 degrees during the five-minute trip , treating visitors to idyllic panoramic views of steep rock faces , deep crevasses and distant snow-covered mountain peaks . It 's one of only three rotating cable cars in the world , the other two being the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in California and The Table Mountain Cableway in Cape Town , South Africa . The idea for the rotating cable cars for winter and summer tourists at Engelberg was first floated as long ago as 1992 , but was initially rejected by the department for transport as being too fanciful . But now , more than 22-years-later , it has finally been made into reality with the first cars heading up the slopes this week . The gondola revolves 360 degrees during the five-minute trip , treating visitors to idyllic panoramic views of steep rock faces , deep crevasses and distant snow-covered mountain peaks . The idea for the rotating cable cars for winter and summer tourists at Engelberg was first floated as long ago as 1992 , but was initially rejected by the department for transport as being too fanciful . It allows people to experience different views as the cabin slowly rotates as it travels up the mountain . Tourist Martin Meyer , 45 , said : ` I always seem to get stuck in the pit of the cabin with worst view , but with the cabin slowly rotating sometimes you are looking down into the valley , and sometimes up to the mountain ahead . ` And with the great panorama windows there is always something to look at wherever you are standing . The vehicle transports tourists to the top of the 9,926 ft high mountain near the resort town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden in central Switzerland . It 's one of only three rotating cable cars in the world , the other two being the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in California and The Table Mountain Cableway in Cape Town , South Africa . A cable car now running in the Dachstein mountain region in Styria , Austria has an open air viewing platform.Ten people can fit on the viewing platform where they can enjoy views that include several glaciers and more than a dozen peaks over 8,000 ft . ` It makes the journey to the top of the 3000 metre peak much more pleasant and interesting . ' ` The pilot project involved installing temporary much smaller cabins where only the floor in the middle rotated , but was such a success that the new extra large circular cabins with wide panorama view windows have now taken their place . This time the whole cabin rotates once through 360 degrees as it goes up the mountain , turning on the axle where it is connected to the cable . The new project is just the latest in a number of innovative attempts to make cable cars more interesting as competition for visitors increases among Alpine regions . A cable car that is now running in the Dachstein mountain region in Styria , Austria has an open air viewing platform . Ten people can fit on the viewing platform where they can enjoy views that include several glaciers and more than a dozen peaks over 8,000 ft. | The Titlis Rotair gondola travels to the top of Mount Titlis in Switzerland . The gondola revolves 360 degrees during the five-minute trip to the summit . First conceived in 1992 , it is one of only three rotating lifts in the world . It runs from near the town of Engelberg in the Canton of Obwalden , Switzerland . | [[126, 311], [312, 422], [423, 608], [2148, 2305], [0, 75], [78, 125], [126, 311], [423, 608], [609, 669], [1316, 1376], [3083, 3168], [796, 852], [2306, 2362], [126, 311], [423, 608], [2148, 2305]] |
Gobbledygook : Russell Brand , has been recognised for his public speaking and writing - with an award . Russell Brand has finally been granted the recognition he deserves . Yesterday the comedian and self-styled revolutionary was honoured with an award -- for speaking gobbledygook . He won the annual Foot in Mouth prize from the Plain English campiagn , joining the likes of John Prescott and George W Bush . Organisers said Brand -- who has carved a career out of using many , often inflammatory , words when one would do -- was ` out on his own ' in the competition . They added : ` While we admire Russell 's determination to open up a debate about democracy and the dire state of the world , we struggle to make sense of most of his comments . ' The group 's website said that Brand 's ` seemingly endless stream of gibberish , both written and verbal ' had clinched the award . Brand , 39 , who was sacked by MTV for going to work dressed as Osama Bin Laden the day after 9/11 , later hosted Channel 4 's Big Brother 's Big Mouth and wrote memoirs My Booky Wook and Booky Wook 2 . He is worth around # 9million and lives in Shoreditch , East London . This week he backed a protest against rising rents in the city , but got angry with a reporter who asked him what his own home cost . He has taken to railing against the political system -- despite admitting he does not vote -- and has appeared on Newsnight and published a manifesto , Revolution . The Plain English judges singled out this rant from The Guardian : ` I felt very connected to activism -- particularly activism that feels loaded with potential . Not the oppositional activism that seems like there 's a stasis around it -- earnestly sincere , but a monolith . ' Scroll down for video . Confrontation : The award came two days after Brand accused Channel 4 News journalist Paraic O'Brien of being a ` snide ' as he was interviewed while helping to deliver a petition to 10 Downing Streeet . They also enjoyed this interview , from the Financial Times : ` I find -LSB- capitalism -RSB- hard to understand . It obfuscates truth and I think an economic ideology is oppositional to the spiritual ideologies that are what we need to adopt if we 're to save our planet and humankind . ' The Plain English campaign , set up in 1979 to promote clear language , suggested that some of Brand 's ramblings might be ` due to him being more worried about self-promotion than about making sense . ' London Mayor Boris Johnson was named Plain English Communicator for urging clarity in politics , and Golden Bull prizes for ` written tripe ' went to Edinburgh Council , Buckinghamshire County Council , HMRC and BT . On the BBC : Over the last year , Brand has taken to railing against the political system - despite admitting he does not bother to vote - with two appearances on Newsnight -LRB- one pictured above , in October -RRB- . Recipients : Brand joined John Prescott -LRB- left -RRB- and George W Bush -LRB- right -RRB- in winning the Foot in Mouth award . ` Sticking up for clarity in Westminster ' : London Mayor Boris Johnson was named Plain English Communicator for his comments on gobbledygook in politics . On Clashing Cultures : ` This ... indifference seems like nerdish deference contrasted with the belligerent antipathy of the indigenous farm folk , who regard the hippie-dippie interlopers , the denizens of the shimmering tit temples , as one fey step away from transvestites . ' On . On Time : ` People do n't realise that the future is just now , but later . ' On Capitalism : ` The economic arm of the individualism and materialism ideologies that keep us framed in a narrow bandwidth of consciousness prevents us from seeing that we 're all connected . ' | Brand awarded Plain English Campaign 's annual Foot in Mouth award . Self-styled revolutionary , 39 , ` out on his own ' among contenders for title . Provided ' a seemingly endless stream of gibberish , written and verbal ' | [[285, 354], [201, 205], [206, 226], [529, 572], [753, 885], [2583, 2600]] |
An Ebola-infected ISIS terrorist could easily motorboat across Lake Erie and reach Ohio from Canada , according to an American conservative filmmaker who videotaped a fictionalized one-jihadi incursion across Lake Erie and released the footage Monday . ` On the eve of the 9/11 anniversary our man , dressed as an ISIS terrorist was able to cross Lake Eris , walk off a boat into Cleveland , Ohio -- and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , ' guerrilla documentarian James O'Keefe narrates . ` At no point did anyone even question -LSB- him -RSB- or ask him what he was carrying in his suspicious brown duffel bag . ' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Video activist James O'Keefe shows in his latest film how ISIS terrorists could motorboat across lake Erie and land in Cleveland , Ohio without any challenge from US Border Patrol . In his footage , O'Keefe 's play-acting ` terrorist ' brings pretend poison across one of North America 's Great Lakes with the intention of pouring it into Cleveland , Ohio 's water supply . Clad in black from head to toe , O'Keefe 's terrorist character managed to walk off his boat and into downtown Cleveland , and enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a brown duffel bag -- and was never challenged . O'Keefe 's latest online provocation comes at a time when the world 's attention is focused on the self-professed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham -LRB- ISIS -RRB- and Americans are growing increasingly concerned about the danger the group could pose to the US . His video shows a black-clad jihadi with a British accent being ferried across Lake Erie , which separates Ohio from the Canadian province of Ontario . ` The British government says American journalist James Foley 's ISIS assassin was an Englishman , ' O'Keefe says in his narration . ` British intelligence believes more than 500 British citizens have joined ISIS . Brits can enter Canada without a visa ; it 's virtually an open door . ' In the short gonzo documentary , O'Keefe meets up with a ` terrorist ' who has hired a boat to bring him from Ontario to the middle of Lake Erie . The two exchange pleasantries as the pretend jihadi transfers to O'Keefe 's American-piloted craft . ` On August 17 we stole Ebola from a lab in Liberia , ' he says in the script . ` We took he bandages and the bedsheets and then we covered ourselves in it and hoped that we 'd get infected . ` The incubation period is about 21 days , and it 's been about -- 21 days . ' O'Keefe , a confirmed rabble-rousing video activist , last made national noise in August with a video showing how an Islamist terrorist -- dressed as Osama bin Laden , no less -- could wade across the Rio Grande River from Mexico to the U.S. without being detected . ` We went to Texas and saw little border security , ' he told MailOnline on Monday ; ` now we 've discovered there 's even less border security on the Canadian border . ' Charter caption Bob Swinney told O'Keefe that he has never seen US Border Patrol actually patrolling the lake known in Cleveland as ` America 's North Coast ' In the film , a dressed-up Islamist militant character points to the freshwater supply intake that he plans to use as a ricin delivery vehicle . His jihadi character in this latest video also carries with him a container marked ` ricin . ' Playing the part to the hilt , the actor points to a fresh-water intake port that serves the Cleveland , Ohio metropolitan area , and tells O'Keefe , ` The water supply is over there . If we put it in there , it will kill a lot of Americans . ' Staring into the camera , O'Keefe clarifies that the terrorist , his ricin and his Ebola-soaked linens are make-believe -- but warns that ` anyone can cross this border . You could cross in a Jet-Ski if you wanted to . ' ` You could import weapons , you could import whatever you wanted to , because there 's no detection on our borders . ' O'Keefe told MailOnline that ` the only coast guard vessels we saw were tied up at their docks . ' ` One of the boat captains expressed his own concern about border security , ' he said , ` and worried that perhaps the Great Lakes are the soft underbelly of America . ' According to federal law , boaters who cross from Canada to the US must notify the Customs and Border Protection agency , but it 's an open question whether they do -- or even know about the requirement . O'Keefe last made headlines by donning an Osama bin Laden Halloween mask and army fatigues to show how easy it would be for a terrorist to sneak into Texas by wading across the Rio Grande from Mexico . | Conservative filmmaker 's latest provocation shows lax security on America 's northern border . James O'Keefe filmed a play-acting black-clad jihadi with a British accent carrying fake ricin and pretend Ebola across Lake Erie and into Cleveland . He managed to disembark , walk to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame carrying a duffel bag , and enter the building without anyone challenging him . UK citizens can enter Canada without a visa ; James Foley 's executioner was believed to be a Brit . ` The only coast guard vessels we saw were tied up at their docks , ' O'Keefe told MailOnline ; one boat captain said he has never seen Border Patrol on the waters . The right-wing documentarian 's latest work follows an August video that showed ` Osama bin Laden ' sneaking into Texas from Mexico . | [[115, 149], [154, 218], [643, 696], [2727, 2729], [2748, 2774], [115, 149], [154, 218], [701, 771], [825, 839], [842, 914], [1050, 1180], [1499, 1556], [1540, 1587], [359, 439], [493, 616], [1050, 1180], [1050, 1057], [1212, 1234], [1681, 1747], [1866, 1888], [2779, 2807], [2896, 3005], [3881, 3940], [3912, 3932], [3941, 3977], [4480, 4557]] |
Crash : Laura Martin , 28 , has apologized for hitting two little girls with her SUV , but promises she was not drunk . A mother has apologized from behind bars for hitting two little girls with her SUV , but is insisting she was not drunk . Laura Martin , 28 , crashed into the pair at around 9:45 a.m on Saturday as the girls were walking on the sidewalk in Fort Worth , Dallas . Witnesses told the Fort Worth Fire Department that the female driver of the Ford Expedition hit one or more vehicles on a neighborhood street , then turned on the wrong side of the four-lane , divided road . She knocked down a tree and a school zone signal light as well as hitting the pair before stopping after crashing through a brick wall . One of the girls was airlifted to Cook Children 's Medical Center in critical condition with two broken legs , according to authorities . Martin was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital with neck and back injuries and arrested after she was released . The mother-of-three was charged with intoxication assault . ` There 's not a good way to say ` I 'm sorry enough , '' Martin told NBC 5 from the Mansfield City Jail Monday night . Apology : ` There 's not a good way to say ` I 'm sorry enough , '' Martin told NBC 5 from the Mansfield City Jail -LRB- pictured -RRB- . ' I can never make it right . I 'm just so sorry . ' Martin insists she not drunk and had not taken drugs - she says blood samples taken after the accident will prove it . She said the morning of the accident she left her mother 's house following an argument . ' I jumped in the car and we were yelling and screaming at each other and I took off , ' she said . Scene : Martin was driving an SUV the wrong way down a street in Fort Worth , Texas , when she struck two girls and then crashed into a brick wall near a home . Horror : Witnesses said the SUV had hit at least one vehicle on a neighborhood street , and knocked down a tree and a school zone signal light . ' I was not paying attention like I should have been , I should not have been fighting , and I know I was going too fast . ' She said she lost control of her car when she reached for a water bottle and knocked it over . Martin 's bond is set at $ 10,000 . | Laura Martin , 28 , drove her SUV the wrong way down a Texas street . She struck two girls and then crashed into a brick wall near a home . One of the girls is in a critical condition with two broken legs . Martin insists the blood sample taken after crash will show she was n't drunk . Martin 's bond is set at $ 10,000 . | [[382, 572], [1671, 1738], [0, 5], [23, 84], [120, 202], [590, 593], [656, 726], [1754, 1774], [1754, 1757], [1779, 1823], [727, 835], [0, 5], [91, 119], [1354, 1408], [1401, 1472], [2189, 2224]] |
This is the moment a weatherman gets an unexpected surprise on live TV as an excitable dog jumps up to greet him mid-forecast . Ryan Phillips , a meteorologist for NBC 6 South Florida , was giving a post-Thanksgiving summary on Friday when suddenly a large pooch jumped up on the desk in front of him and rolled around . The one-year-old American bulldog named King was meant to be waiting in the sidelines for the ` Pet of the Week ' segment , but had somehow managed to escape . Scroll down for video . Rrreally nice to meet you : This is the moment a weatherman gets an unexpected surprise on live TV as an excitable dog jumps up to greet him mid-forecast . Unplanned : Ryan Phillips , a meteorologist for NBC 6 South Florida , was giving a post-Thanksgiving summary on Friday when suddenly a large pooch jumped up on the desk in front of him and rolled around . TV debut : The one-year-old American bulldog named King was meant to be waiting in the sidelines for the ` Pet of the Week ' segment , but had somehow managed to escape . Footage of the incident shows Phillips trying to continue with his report as King demands some affection . ` Hey King . How are you ? Whoo ! Live TV , ' a shocked Phillips says , as he strokes the animal . He continues with a forced grin on his face : ` How are you buddy ? It 's not your turn yet . ` You have to wait one more segment . Okay , just let me do the weather . You 're stoked . So are we . ' Give me a rub : Footage shows Phillips trying to continue with his report as King demands some affection . Looking for a new home : The pup is currently up for adoption and temporarily living at the Pooches In Pines animal shelter in Florida . Recovering his composure , he adds : ` Alright , let 's just go to the map so we can get him off of here in a graceful fashion . ' The segment then cuts to a screen of text showing the weather headlines . King can be heard whimpering in the background as he 's escorted back to his kennel . Phillips then reappears on-screen without his four-legged friend . He jokes that King was probably attracted to him because he 's got some steak treats hidden in his jacket pocket . The pup is currently up for adoption and temporarily living at the Pooches In Pines animal shelter in Florida . Since , his television debut , the applications have no doubt been flooding in . ` King is adorable ! Hope he gets his forever home really soon ! ' one viewer mused after watching him in action . | Ryan Phillips , a meteorologist for NBC 6 South Florida , was giving a post-Thanksgiving summary on Friday when suddenly a large pooch jumped up . The one-year-old American bulldog named King was meant to be waiting in the sidelines for the ` Pet of the Week ' segment , but had escaped . | [[0, 96], [74, 127], [128, 141], [186, 250], [249, 300], [533, 629], [607, 660], [661, 670], [673, 686], [731, 795], [794, 845], [321, 365], [321, 354], [366, 378], [321, 354], [376, 442], [321, 354], [449, 480], [877, 921], [877, 910], [922, 934], [877, 910], [932, 998], [866, 874], [877, 910], [1005, 1036]] |
Men who are obsessed with porn are to be given the chance to meet the stars of sex films to look at the realities of their lives for a Channel 4 documentary . Three men who are frequent users of pornography will be introduced to women who star in adult movies to see if they are able to distinguish between fantasy and real life . It is part of a new season of programmes for the station looking at the effect that porn is having on the nation and examining a more realistic view of British sex lives . Date My Porn Star will give porn obssessives the chance to date stars of adult movies to look at the realities of their lives . Pictured is a scene from the documentary . The programmes will also include documentaries about the effect on teenagers of being bombarded with sexual imagery and another which will help ordinary women to get more from their own sex lives . In one programme , Date My Porn Star , film-makers will take a trio of sex film fans to look into their views on the stars they meet , and also how the porn industry works . Channel 4 said it wanted to see ` if it is possible for them to relate to the stars as fully-formed people or whether their porn obsession has fundamentally altered their perception of the opposite sex ' . In another programme in the Real Sex Season , called The Week the Women Came , a leading psychosexual therapist Trudy Hannington will try to improve sex lives for women who have struggled to orgasm or have lost their libido . Former Loaded editor Martin Daubney will front another film - Porn On The Teenage Brain - to look at how young people are consuming explicit material and what effect it will have on their lives and how they relate to people . Daubney famously resigned from the lads ' mag after an epiphany about the effect he felt that peddling soft porn was having on a generation . Former Loaded editor Martin Daubney -LRB- pictured -RRB- will front another film to look at how young people are consuming explicit material and what effect it will have on them . And in a documentary called Virgins , young people will discuss the pressures of embarking on a sexual relationship in a world where they are surrounded by images of waxed , enhanced bodies and where porn has become normalised . Ralph Lee , head of factual at Channel 4 said : ` The aim of this season is to get a healthy perspective on sex . ` We live in world where pornography , fantasy and fetish are being considered the norm by many and we want to be very un-British and talk about what really goes on in Britain 's bedrooms . ' | Show investigates if obsessives can distinguish between fantasy and real life . Three men who regularly watch porn will be introduced to stars of adult films . Show is part of new Channel 4 season looking at effect of porn on the nation . | [[247, 330], [0, 88], [159, 234], [503, 588], [872, 888], [891, 908], [911, 994], [331, 387], [399, 443]] |
Stuart Kerner , pictured , is accused of having sex with the teenager in empty classrooms and cleaning cupboards all over their school . A pupil who has accused a married RE teacher of having sex with her is a self-confessed ` liar ' who pretended she was in a car accident , a court today heard . Stuart Kerner , 44 , is accused of having sex with the teenager in empty classrooms and cleaning cupboards all over their school during an 18 month affair . His alleged victim , who can not be named for legal reasons , is a former student at Bexleyheath Academy in south east London . She was 15 when the affair is said to have begun . But today teachers at the school said the pupil was a ` proven liar ' . Librarian Marion King told Inner London Crown Court : ` As she got older she got very cocky and thought everybody fancied her . ` She went around saying `` I can do what I like , I 'm special '' . ' Mrs King told jurors the schoolgirl had pretended to be involved in a car accident to get out of PE classes . She turned up to school with a bandage around her chest in the elaborate charade , the court heard . Teachers eventually discovered from her mother that there had been no accident . Mrs King said : ` She said doctors found a problem with her heart . I said `` Oh my God are you OK ? '' ` She said she could n't do PE anymore . She had bandages all around her chest and said she had a tube put inside . She unwrapped her bandage and had a bloody line around three inches long . ' Mrs King said she was moved to tears by the story , but later discovered it was a lie . She said : ` She came into my office and I said `` What is going on ? '' . ` She said : `` I lie - that 's what I do '' . ` She could n't seem to grasp what she had done . It was shocking to me . ' Mrs King said other pupils joked that the schoolgirl ` stalked ' Kerner . She said : ' I thought Mr Kerner ought to be very wary of her . I think she had a crush on him and I said he needed to be careful because I think she has a massive crush on you . Teachers at Bexleyheath Academy -LRB- pictured -RRB- in south east London told the court the pupil was a ` liar ' ' A couple of students commented on it . They said she is stalking him . I think she is very manipulative . She lied to me . ' When she was contacted by police , Mrs King said she thought the allegations were ` rubbish ' and branded the pupil a ` psychopathic liar ' . She said : ` You have got a girl who is a proven liar saying unbelievable lies . ' I think she 's a very sick girl . I think there is something wrong with her . ' PE teacher Les Ainsworth said the schoolgirl showed ` no remorse ' when she was caught out lying . He said : ` She was an attention seeker . Not only from her peers but from her teachers as well . ' Religious studies teacher Stuart Kerner , pictured with his wife Katy , denies the charges against him . He added : ` When she came into the office I found her manipulative and quite tactile . ' The PE teacher said he was told by two pupils in around May 2012 that the schoolgirl had told people she was having a relationship with Kerner . He chose to have a word with Kerner about the claims , but did not report it higher , jurors heard . Pressed on why he did not take the matter higher , he said : ` My decision at that time was to have a word with Stuart . ' Kerner denies the allegations . The trial continues . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article . | Stuart Kerner accused of having sexual relationship with a former pupil . The girl was 15 when affair said to have begun , a court has been told . But teachers at the school have told trial that the pupil was a ` proven liar ' Court told she pretended to be involved in a car accident to avoid classes . Kerner denies allegations . Trial continues at Inner London Crown Court . | [[0, 13], [16, 136], [137, 273], [455, 473], [517, 582], [276, 297], [583, 633], [599, 633], [1098, 1115], [137, 273], [638, 701], [2033, 2070], [2100, 2144], [2427, 2469], [2442, 2448], [2453, 2496], [137, 273], [276, 297], [905, 987], [973, 1014], [2778, 2803], [2850, 2882], [3342, 3373], [3374, 3395]] |
Clearly not satisfied with the cleaning capability of a normal electric toothbrush , a Japanese teenager has uploaded videos of himself strapping toothbrushes to various weapons . YouTube user tokioFN has uploaded a video showing his attempt to brush his teeth with a toothbrush strapped to an automatic pistol . In other videos uploaded , the boy strapped toothbrushes to a rifle and a gas gun . Goodbye gums : A Japanese teenager who strapped a toothbrush to an automatic pistol nurses his jaw , after testing out his device . Needless to say , no dentistry body will be vouching for the contraption 's effectiveness anytime soon . A spokesperson for the Australia Dental Association has warned of the dangers of such inappropriate behaviour . `` This is reckless behaviour and could result in serious damage to the teeth , gums and palate which may be permanent . '' Taking on the task of human testing himself , it 's highly doubtful the product will ever be hitting store shelves either . Preparing for a deep clean : a Japanese teenager pours toothpaste on to a toothbrush attached to a gun . Taking aim against cavities : the teenager positions the toothbrush gun in preparation for taking the feeling of clean to the extreme . Not meant to hurt that much : The toothbrush gun experiment appears to have failed based on the look of pain on the teenager 's face . | Japanese teenager straps toothbrush to an automatic pistol . Clearly in pain while attempting to demonstrate effectiveness of invention . Has also strapped toothbrushes to a rifle and a gas gun . Dentists fear reckless behaviour will lead to permanent damage . | [[266, 312], [412, 431], [436, 495], [1066, 1098], [1235, 1369], [1265, 1294], [1303, 1369], [83, 179], [313, 328], [340, 396], [412, 431], [436, 495], [1066, 1098], [634, 745], [746, 753], [780, 841]] |
Sophie Lewis , 28 , could be one of the first women in the UK to have a womb transplant . Five women who feared they would never give birth are in line to receive the first womb transplants in Britain as early as next year . They have been selected by Richard Smith , a London consultant gynaecologist . He is now applying for the relevant ethical approval from the Government and hopes to begin the operations as soon as possible . This follows the news that the first woman in the world to have the transplant is now six weeks pregnant . Derya Sert , 22 , who was born without a womb , received the organ from a fatal crash victim in a seven-hour procedure in southern Turkey in 2011 . One of the five British women is 28-year-old Sophie Lewis , who was told at 16 that she could not deliver a baby naturally because she had no uterus . Miss Lewis , from Surbiton , Surrey , suffers from MRKH syndrome -- a condition affecting one in 5,000 women -- which restricts womb development . ` I 'm really , really excited about this , ' she said . ` To be given this opportunity is such an amazing thing that I would go through everything and anything just to have the experience . ` If possible I would like three children but I 'd be happy even with one . I 'd be over the moon . ' She said of the moment when her GP warned she would never be a mother : ` Everyone in school was getting periods and my mum was a bit concerned that I was not . I had a laparoscopy which confirmed I was born without a womb . ` At the age of 16 , I do n't think I really took it in . Obviously I was n't at a stage of wanting children , so it did n't really affect me . As I have got a lot older , people around me are having children and the feeling is a lot stronger . ' Miss Lewis , who works for a credit ratings agency , has been with her 35-year-old partner Tilden Lamb for three years and they now feel ready to have a child together . She said they were reluctant to try to adopt ` as there is so much red tape ' . And although they could have a baby through surrogacy , they are worried that the surrogate mother might change her mind and want to keep the child . Sophie and partner Tilden Lamb had thought about surrogacy or adoption but were put off by the legal process . ` You are putting your trust in . somebody you possibly do n't know for them to carry your child for nine . months and then they finally give birth to the child who they can . legally keep if they want to , ' said Miss Lewis . The transplant operation would involve removing the healthy womb from a dead young woman who was a registered organ donor . It would be overseen by Mr Smith , from . Queen Charlotte 's and Chelsea hospital and Imperial College . He said . the procedure would take four to five hours . ` There are 60 women who have actually approached us wanting a transplant and fall within our eligibility criteria . ' All women wanting a transplant must first undergo IVF to prove their ovaries are capable of producing eggs to make an embryo . There would be no point them . undergoing the major operation only to find they were incapable of . producing a child . Miss Lewis and the other four transplant candidates . will be given immuno-suppressant drugs to stop the body rejecting the . new organ . This will make them more vulnerable to . infections but should not affect the development of the foetus . The . baby will have to be delivered by caesarean section as the new tissue . will not stand up to a natural labour . Doctors also suspect the women will be . at higher risk of complications , including miscarriage or premature . birth . Once the patient has had the desired number of children , the womb . will be removed and the drugs stopped to lessen the risk of infections . Derya Sert was described as a ` medical miracle ' when she received the womb transplant almost two years ago . Since then other women have undergone . the procedure , but Mrs Sert is the first to become pregnant after being . given IVF . Doctors at the Akdeniz University hospital in Antalya have . just announced they have heard the healthy heartbeat of a foetus . The medical team waited for 18 months . before implanting an embryo into the transplanted womb , to give the . pregnancy the greatest possible chance of survival . However , Mrs Sert . still faces a high risk of miscarriage and other complications in the . early stages of pregnancy . | Sophie Lewis , 28 , has rare disease which prevents uterus developing . MRKH syndrome affects one in 5,000 women . Medical breakthrough means she could be among first to have transplant . Doctors in UK hoping to carry out five operations over next year . Wombs will come from multi-organ donors . ` To be able to carry my own children is huge - it 's such a gift , ' she said . | [[0, 12], [15, 61], [688, 745], [718, 747], [752, 818], [839, 865], [877, 903], [907, 947], [90, 139], [152, 224]] |
A cancer doctor treating five-year-old Ashya King admitted the only treatment available on the NHS would leave him with life-long disabilities , his parents revealed yesterday . Brett and Naghmeh King were told conventional radiotherapy would leave their son with ` special needs ' which could be avoided if he received pioneering treatment abroad . Despite that admission , NHS doctors insisted they would go ahead with normal radiotherapy and threatened to have the horrified couple 's parental rights removed if they questioned the decision , the family said . Scroll down for video . Anguish : Brett -LRB- left -RRB- and Naghmeh King -LRB- centre -RRB- say a cancer doctor treating their five-year-old son Ashya -LRB- right -RRB- admitted to them that the only treatment available on the NHS would leave him with life-long disabilities . Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail , Mr and Mrs King said they were forced to take their desperately ill son on the run across Europe to protect him from the devastating side effects of the NHS treatment . The family 's plight shocked the world when the couple were arrested for child cruelty and thrown in jail while Ashya was kept under armed guard , alone in a Spanish hospital . His brothers and sisters were banned from seeing him , and his parents said he was left ` crying like a wounded animal through the night ' in his single bed ward . Now reunited , the family has secured his treatment in a private clinic and say the proton beam therapy -- and their love -- has already produced improvements in his health . Agony : Mr and Mrs King said they were forced to take their desperately ill son on the run across Europe to protect him from the devastating side effects of the NHS treatment . Father : Mr King , 51 , -LRB- pictured with his son -RRB- said he asked about proton beam therapy as an alternative several times , but was told it offered no benefits over normal radiotherapy . In a moving and shocking interview serialised this week in the Mail , they tell how : . · Ashya 's initial operation to remove his brain tumour left him ` like a vegetable with his eyes open ' · His parents had to hold his eyelids shut to allow him to sleep . · His suffering was so shocking his mother questioned if it was right to keep him alive . · Doctors said conventional radiotherapy would cause hearing and growth problems and leave him with special needs . · Medics said the NHS would not fund proton beam therapy despite it offering a better quality of life . · The couple was told the NHS only considered ` survival ' in cancer funding decisions , not the potentially devastating side effects . Mr and Mrs King faced every parent 's nightmare when Ashya was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour after suffering a series of mystery symptoms . He was admitted to Southampton General Hospital for brain surgery and initially the couple were confident doctors were doing everything possible to save their son . Mrs King , 45 , was arrested as she tried to get into an ambulance to accompany her five-year-old son to hospital . But the family 's own research into his condition led them to question the doctors ' insistence that he needed high doses of radiotherapy which would risk massive damage to healthy brain tissue . Mr King , 51 , said he asked about proton beam therapy as an alternative several times , but was told it offered no benefits over normal radiotherapy . One doctor was said to have told him : ` If you continue with these questions your rights to make decisions about Ashya will be taken away from you . ` We will apply to the family court to have your parental rights removed and then we will give him any treatment we want . ' Mr King , a property developer from Southsea , Hampshire , said he then asked a radiologist at the hospital and was told cancer treatment decisions were taken on the basis of ` survival rates ' , not the patient 's quality of life afterwards . The radiologist told him : ` If you 're asking me about quality of life , proton is superior . ` With radiotherapy , your son will get secondary tumours , have hearing problems , growth problems and special needs for the rest of his life . ` Children pay a heavy price for survival under normal radiotherapy . ' Faced with such a grim forecast for their child 's future , Mr and Mrs King said they felt they had no option but to take Ashya to Prague for treatment . When doctors discovered the boy was gone they contacted police , who issued a European arrest warrant for the couple . Two days later the parents were arrested in Spain as they prepared to sell their holiday home to fund Ashya 's treatment . Mrs King , 45 , was arrested as she tried to get into an ambulance to accompany her five-year-old son to hospital and heard police questioning their instructions . Improvements : Now reunited , the family has secured his treatment in a private clinic and say the proton beam therapy -- and their love -- has already produced improvements in his health . One officer was overheard saying : ` What sort of world do we live in where you take a sick child away from his mother ? ' Mr and Mrs King were arrested and thrown into cells in one of Spain 's most notorious prisons for three nights , while Ashya was kept alone and isolated hundreds of miles away . The outcry over the family 's plight led to criticism that police and prosecutors had been too heavy-handed in issuing the European arrest warrant , which was eventually withdrawn . Public anger also prompted a nationwide fundraising effort as people rallied to help the family . Mr King described the emotional moment he was reunited with Ashya , saying : ` I was hugging him . I could feel the pain inside him . Desperation : Mr King with his son in a video the family made explaining why they had taken Ashya from hospital . Treatment : Mr and Mrs King , seen leaving a police station in Malaga for an extradition court hearing , were arrested and thrown into cells in one of Spain 's most notorious prisons for three nights . ` I said , `` Ashya I 'm here now . I 'm never going to leave you . I 'm so sorry for what happened but we 're here . We 're going to be together forever . You do n't have to cry any more . ' Ashya has now begun treatment and the NHS has agreed to pay for his proton beam therapy in the Czech Republic , meaning public donations can be used to help other children . Doctors in Prague say his type of brain tumour has a 70 to 80 per cent survival rate and hope he will make a full recovery . While delighted by his progress , his parents said their enforced separation had ` scarred ' the five-year-old , who now howls in protest if either of them steps away from his bedside . Reunited : Asyha is accompanied by his parents as he arrives at the Motol Hospital in Prague . Treatment : Ashya has now begun treatment and the NHS has agreed to pay for his proton beam therapy in the Czech Republic , meaning public donations can be used to help other children . Southampton General Hospital has denied that its doctors ever threatened to seek a court order to remove the Kings ' rights to make decisions about Ashya 's care . It has defended its decision to recommend standard radiotherapy and chemotherapy and said its treatment plan for Ashya complied with NHS best practice guidelines for cancer care . Despite repeated efforts , nobody at Southampton General Hospital was available for comment last night . | Parents told conventional radiotheraphy would leave son with ` special needs ' NHS doctors ` threatened to have couple 's parental rights removed ' Brett and Naghmeh King say they were forced to take Ashya , 5 , on the run . Family has now secured Ashya 's treatment in a private clinic . They say proton beam therapy has already improved Ashya 's health . | [[178, 279], [734, 841], [2290, 2405], [2290, 2299], [2375, 2405], [4063, 4071], [4101, 4185], [375, 503], [3427, 3449], [7042, 7120], [883, 979], [904, 908], [921, 1051], [1576, 1672], [1597, 1601], [1614, 1744], [4318, 4411], [1408, 1464], [4846, 4904], [1504, 1514], [1518, 1529], [1539, 1567], [1504, 1514], [1522, 1567], [4944, 4954], [4958, 4969], [4979, 5007], [4944, 4954], [4962, 5007]] |
A close mate of murder victim Jill Meagher has unloaded on the Australian justice system and recalled the horror of losing her ` beautiful friend ' in a written tribute nearly eight hundred days after her death . In a White Ribbon blog post , Aoife Lyons , 32 , who moved to Melbourne from Dublin to be with her friend , has told of the surreal time that followed Meagher 's disappearance in September 2012 . An ABC employee , Meagher , 29 , was raped and murdered while walking home from a bar in Brunswick , Melbourne . The attack shocked the Australian community , provoking thousands of Melbourne residents to take to the streets to ` Reclaim the Night ' . Scroll down for video . Best of friends : Aoife Lyons , left , moved to Melbourne from Dublin to be with her mate , Jill Meagher , right , who vanished from Sydney Road , Brunswick on September 21 , 2012 . ` Beautiful friend ' : ABC employee Jill Meagher 's disappearance and death sparked a huge emotional outpouring from the Australian community . Good memories : In her tribute post , Ms Lyons , front , recalled the years the two spent together - ` some hazy and beer-soaked ' , others ` of laughing at the absurd clicking of her high-heels , worn down to the nail ; of her innumerable tales of ludicrous antics ... and so much more ' ` Her picture was everywhere , ' Lyons wrote . ` The story played out on TV like any other story of that sort , but profoundly different , at once distant and intensely personal . ' ` It was a waking nightmare ; I would drink myself to sleep every night , descend into an eight hour blackness , to emerge tired , confused , and almost manic in search of distractions . ` The anger came later . When someone you love has been designated a ` victim ' in such horrific circumstances , it is just one aspect of the surreal smorgasbord that is to follow . ` There 's an intense numbness , interspersed with boundless panic and disbelief . Then the anger . I thought I knew what it was to be angry , but I had never even touched its surface . ' But it was the judicial and parole systems that allowed Meagher 's attacker to walk free prior to the assault that prompted powerful criticism from Lyons . Huge wave of support : Demonstrators took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of Meagher 's murder . Forensic police inspect the site where Ms Meagher 's body was found . ` It would be comic if it were n't so tragic . ` All that stands between women and violent , recidivist sexual offenders is a paper tiger , a check-the-box ` rehabilitation ' and a judicial system and parole structure that is as effective as using a croissant as a toothbrush . ` It does n't get the job done , and it makes a f *** ing mess ' . She added ` the only shred of hope for me is that something positive can be wrenched out of this madness ' , whether that be considered changes to the parole system or ` something worthy of Jill , something creative and joyous ' that could be ` eked out from this mess ' . Ms Lyons , who spoke at Meagher 's funeral along with her husband , Tom , said books , movies and songs often provoked memories of Jill , who she remembered as brassy , self-deprecating , shameless and adventurous . She said the past two years had been a struggle and , ` until quite recently I drank as though I were trying to drown myself , and I was . It is a private , isolating hell ' . ' I hope I will eventually be able to remember the remarkable influence her life had on me , without the poisonous recollections of anger and trauma - these are totally out of step with what Jill was for me , and I resent their imposition ' . You can read Aoife Lyons ' blog post in full here . | Aoife Lyons moved to Melbourne to be with her close mate Jill Meagher . Meagher was raped and murdered in September 2012 . Lyons has opened up about her ` waking nightmare ' in a blog post . She took aim at the judicial and parole systems . ` As effective as using a croissant as a toothbrush ' | [[243, 254], [266, 296], [243, 254], [297, 318], [685, 700], [724, 774], [213, 240], [243, 259], [312, 408], [3628, 3679], [0, 88], [2576, 2592], [2598, 2652]] |
Putting the kitchen knives away and out of reach of our 11-year-old son for fear he would deliberately hurt himself has been , without doubt , our lowest point as parents . But we had no choice . Two months after starting ` big school ' last year our lovely boy , Jack , our previously care-free fourth child , had made an attempt to cut his arm with a large chopping knife . Jack had skipped off to secondary school full of excitement . When your child breaks a leg it 's a blue light into A&E . But when you arrive at a GP surgery to seek help on mental problems , the first response was to tell our child to pull himself together -LRB- file picture -RRB- . But within weeks he had descended into a mental health freefall -- consumed with worry about being late to school and struggling with his homework , he became severely withdrawn and paranoid . He was n't sleeping , and his anxiety was making him physically unwell . My husband and I were not remotely prepared for it . Three months after he tried to cut himself -- and by now nearly halfway through his school year -- Jack was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder -LRB- GAD -RRB- , which means you feel anxious about almost everything . Sufferers also start catastrophising , imagining the worst possible outcome for everything that is bothering them . Indeed for Jack , every problem would morph into something far bigger . Our son is now well on his way to a complete recovery , thanks to cognitive behavioural therapy -LRB- CBT -RRB- . But accessing the specialist help he needed was unbelievably difficult , and if I had n't kept battling his corner , there is no doubt in my mind that by now he would be in hospital . When your child breaks a leg it 's a blue light into A&E . When their asthma gets worse , the doctor will write you a new inhaler prescription . But when you arrive at a GP surgery to seek help on mental problems , the first response -- at least in our case -- was to tell our child to pull himself together . So a crushing report published last month by the Commons Health Select Committee made painfully familiar reading . It is estimated that one in ten children aged five to 16 suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder -- including GAD -- which equates to three children per class . That 's 290,000 children in Britain . The report concluded there were ` serious and deeply ingrained problems ' with mental health services for these young people . You 're telling me . At first , I approached the school , two weeks into Jack 's first term . Doctors often feel woefully unprepared when faced with children in mental health crisis , according to the report from the Commons Health Select Committee . I explained he seemed disproportionately stressed . But responses from staff were feeble : ` Do n't worry , it 's Year Seven , they all feel a bit like this ' and ` We have children here with real problems , just give him time , he 'll settle ' . Although Jack was able to keep it together at school , every day he would come home crying and all the problems would tumble out . ` I do n't like that school , I do n't like my tutor , I 've no one to sit with at break , ' the list was endless . As the weeks went by , he started having trouble sleeping . He would regularly still be awake into the early hours , crying and screaming that he hated life . He began to sleepwalk and lost weight . It was a frightening time for all of us . I felt wretched . Every waking minute of every day my thoughts were centred on Jack . After two months , I took him to see the GP . I could n't get an appointment with my usual doctor , so we saw another GP in the practice . She did n't know our family at all , and had no way of gauging if this behaviour was usual for us . Indeed , doctors often feel woefully unprepared when faced with children in mental health crisis , according to the new report . In a poignant comment , GP Jane Roberts , who is the Royal College of General Practitioners ' clinical champion for youth mental health issues , told the Commons Health Select Committee : ` In a ten-minute consultation it can feel overwhelming to open a Pandora 's box and begin to look at what is troubling a young person ... especially if the options for referral are limited and difficult to access . ' The report 's authors want GPs to receive better training in young people 's mental health , saying everyone has a right to see a professional with sufficient knowledge . Maureen Baker , chairman of the Royal College of GPs , says it has been campaigning to include mandatory placements in mental health care in GP training . The GP we saw initially advised us to give Jack a few more weeks to see if school became more familiar . But a week later Jack came home with his older brother , who announced he could n't cope any more with his sibling 's increasingly erratic behaviour to and from school . He said Jack was constantly checking his bag , checking the time and , on occasions , would try to go back to school at the end of the day to check his homework with the teachers . It 's estimated 290,000 children aged five to 16 suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder . It was as he was telling me this that Jack took a large kitchen knife to his arm . It was a half-hearted attempt and thankfully he did n't actually pierce the skin . My ` lioness protecting her cubs ' instinct kicked in . Through his tears -- and mine -- I calmly told him to put down the knife and hugged him , saying whatever I could think of to comfort him . You will do anything to protect your child , but I knew I was woefully out of my depth . As much as I was saying we would help him , I knew ` the system ' was failing us . That same day , I went to the GP surgery and asked for an appointment then and there . But it was the end of surgery hours and it was only when I quietly refused to leave they agreed to see us . We saw yet another GP , who leaned forward and told Jack all about the patients she had seen that day , who were perhaps more in need of help than him . I told her calmly that our son had dallied with knives and told his brother he wanted to die . The GP -- barely out of med-school -- stayed completely expressionless , not so much as a raised eyebrow . I asked for a referral to child and adolescent mental health services and at first she suggested we wait and see and come back in the New Year -- some four weeks later -- if need be . With tears of frustration now rolling down my cheeks , I again indicated my willingness to camp in the surgery until the referral letter was written . She begrudgingly agreed , though our son still was n't seen -- even as an emergency referral -- until January . The psychiatrist we saw was sympathetic but made a shocking suggestion . If we could afford it we should pay privately for CBT -- Jack could wait to get it on the NHS , but that could take as long as three months . She could see he needed help urgently , but said there was nothing she could do . Chris Leaman , policy manager at the charity YoungMinds , is not surprised by our story . He says last year 77 per cent of clinical commissioning groups , -LRB- the bodies responsible in NHS England for commissioning , planning , agreeing and monitoring health services -RRB- had their budgets cut or frozen for such services . In emergency cases , children can end up in police cells as there are no NHS beds available . We are lucky . We have private medical insurance . But still it was a battle -- at every stage I had to keep chasing , and it was n't until March we had our first appointment with the psychologist who would finally help our son . Jack found it hard -- CBT works on changing your thought processes , which is not easy -- but he is now well on the road to recovery . He found it difficult returning to school this September but his psychologist helped him with strategies so he could cope . We 've been warned by Jack 's therapist that he may always be someone who does n't react well to big change . But how wrong it is that the help he badly needed was not there for him . Please , health provider decision makers , wake up and make child and adolescent mental health issues a bigger priority . Just last week it was revealed seven mental health patients have killed themselves since 2012 while waiting for a bed on a specialist ward . What more will it take before mental healthcare is taken seriously ? It has to be , for all our sakes -- but most of all for those young people who need it . For information see youngminds.org.uk and brentcentre.org.uk . Patsy Bennett is a pseudonym . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article . | Jack became severely withdrawn after staring secondary school . He was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder -LRB- GAD -RRB- . One in ten children aged five to 16 suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder . A Parliamentary report want GPs to receive better training in young people 's mental health . | [[979, 1021], [1075, 1130], [2115, 2238], [5085, 5135], [4297, 4387]] |
Potholes on the roads could be a thing of the past if a futuristic plan to produce self-healing concrete comes to fruition . The concrete would produce bacteria to fill the cracks when the concrete gets damaged . It is one of the innovative schemes outlined in a report on the future of highways by engineering company Arup . The ` self-healing ' concrete would produce bacteria to fill in the cracks when the highway gets damaged -LRB- file picture -RRB- . The report looks at possible trends up to 2050 and also envisages the replacement of conventional road surfaces with solar panels that could charge electric vehicles and melt snow . Temperature-sensitive paint on the roads could generate giant snowflake-shaped warnings to indicate a drop in temperature and icy conditions . Arup predicts that patterns of ownership will change in the coming years , with commuters more likely to purchase access to a vehicle rather than the vehicle itself . The numbers cycling and walking are likely to increase and electric cars could become commonplace , with developments in science dramatically improving performance . Fully automated navigation systems could enable roads to be populated by driverless cars which could change the design and operation of highways , and provide safety and environmental benefits . The report also suggests that improved communications will make cars more ` intelligent ' and ` self-aware ' of traffic levels , speed , weather and potential safety hazards . Arup 's global highways business leader Tony Marshall said : ` While temperature-sensitive paint and solar surfaces may seem far-fetched , the innovations envisioned in this report are already being tested and piloted around the world . ` They will change the way that we approach mobility and freight transport and will provide safer , more reliable and more environmentally friendly highway infrastructure for generations to come . ' He went on : ` Intelligent traffic and control systems will make our roads safer and more sustainable . ' The report also envisages the replacement of conventional road surfaces with solar panels that could and melt snow -LRB- file picture -RRB- . | Self fixing potholes outlined in report on future of highways by Arup . Concrete would make a kind of bacteria to fill the cracks in surface . Engineering company study looks at possible trends up to 2050 . Solar panels that could melt snow and charge vehicles also envisaged . | [[125, 179], [152, 212], [326, 400], [226, 325], [458, 493], [575, 587], [593, 639], [2106, 2118], [2134, 2170]] |
Thousands of EU migrants who are still on the dole after a lengthy stay in Britain could have their benefits taken away under a crackdown to be unveiled today . Up to 4,000 Europeans living here for a year or more will be assessed on whether they have the genuine prospect of finding work . Those who fail will lose their right to Jobseeker 's Allowance . The measures are in addition to David Cameron 's detailed plans to ban EU migrants from claiming benefits including lucrative tax credits until they have worked in this country for four years . Migrant workers gather outside the Honeypot pub in north-west London looking for cash-in-hand work this week . Selco and the neighbouring B&Q have employed a dog handler to keep them away from customers . Yesterday , the Prime Minister 's prospects of securing agreement for the package of changes were given a boost by German Chancellor Angela Merkel , who said the proposals needed to be discussed ` in detail ' . Her comments were seen as an indication she will not try to block the main thrust of Mr Cameron 's proposal . Mrs Merkel told a press conference she was ` pleased ' that Mr Cameron had not attempted to undermine the principle of free movement . ` We are pleased that this was not put into question by the British prime minister , ' she said . ` The proposals that were presented now need to be discussed in detail , ' she added , saying that Germany and the European Commission would have a close look at Cameron 's propositions . Ministers are understood to be due to announce the new crackdown on long-term unemployed migrants today . File picture . However , the Polish government made clear it would veto the proposals unless they are watered down . Many of the beneficiaries of Britain 's generous benefits system are Polish . This week it emerged that Britain now has almost as many Poles as live in Krakow . The country 's Europe Minister Rafal Trzaskowski said protecting the EU 's principle of free movement was an ` absolute red line ' for Poland in any negotiation on a new deal for Britain . Ministers are understood to be due to announce the new crackdown on long-term unemployed migrants today . They believe it can be implemented without EU approval , as it falls within existing law . Living rough : refugees in Calais . A new hostel for migrants hoping to cross the Channel into Britain is to be opened in Calais . The ` cold weather emergency centre ' will be used once temperatures fall below -5 C -LRB- 23F -RRB- in the French port -- and could be ready to open within days . Located in a 40,000 sq ft warehouse , it is fitted with beds and hot showers and will be able to house 1,500 of the estimated 2,000 refugees currently living rough in the area . It will be the first large-scale shelter for Calais migrants since the controversial Sangatte Red Cross hostel was bulldozed in 2002 . Sangatte was used as a stepping stone to Britain by an estimated 18,000 refugees during its six years of operation . Local government official Denis Robin said the new centre , two miles from the ferry port , would be available for use within the ` coming days ' . He added : ` The cold weather plan will provide shelter for all those people left outside when temperatures fall . ` We need a space that can house around 1,500 people , that they can reach on foot , but one that is not in the town centre , because encouraging migrants to remain in the town centre is a sensitive issue in Calais . ' The town is also opening a separate day centre to offer hot food and showers to the most vulnerable migrants , such as women with children and the elderly . The British government has argued that providing beds and showers for migrants will only encourage more to travel to Calais -- hoping to stow away aboard ferries to Dover . But Mr Robin insisted the new shelters were ` humanitarian gestures ' , adding : ` Neither of these centres are in any way new Sangatte-type hostels . ' Tensions have been mounting in the French town due to the influx of migrants fleeing war in the Middle East . Mass brawls between rival gangs left more than 70 people injured during July and August . In October , Home Secretary Theresa May promised to give France # 12million to tighten security in Calais , after 250 migrants stormed the ferry terminal trying to reach Britain . Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart recently blamed the UK 's ` generous ' benefits system for the problems . From January this year EU migrants were given a maximum of six months of JSA claims during which they could look for work . In July , Mr Cameron announced this would be cut to three months . But the rules were not retrospective , meaning some 4,000 EU migrants who have been here since before January do not fall under the six months maximum . Whitehall sources said anyone claiming before the new rules came into force will have their JSA withdrawn unless they have ` very clear job prospects ' . A single market town in the foothills of the Pennines has taken more asylum seekers than all of South East England . New figures show Rochdale houses 680 -- one in 41 of all those in Britain . Yet the entire South East region , among the UK 's most affluent , has received just 441 . Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk said his seat had become a ` magnet for the dispossessed ' . A genuine prospect of work test , applied to their benefit claims , will attempt to work out whether or not they are likely to get a job in the near future . Currently , Jobseeker 's Allowance is paid out at # 72.40 a week for over 25s and # 57.35 a week for under 25s . Meanwhile , Eurosceptic Tory MPs will attempt to embarrass Mr Cameron today with a new demand to seize back powers from Europe over borders and immigration . Twelve backbenchers have signed up to a proposal that would hand Parliament an override on all diktats from Brussels -- and allow Britain to overrule rulings from European judges . The Bill would provide for an effective veto of any law coming out of the European Union with a majority vote in both Houses of Parliament . Bill Cash , the chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee , will publish the UK Parliament -LRB- Sovereignty and Jurisdiction over Borders -RRB- Bill in Parliament today . The timing will annoy the party leadership , who are focused on Chancellor George Osborne 's crunch Autumn Statement . The Bill will not be debated in the House of Commons but could distract from the focus on the economy . Mr Cash said : ` This is absolutely essential , it is needed , it is in the national interest . ' ` The voters ' right to govern themselves through Parliament has served us over the past generations and it is now absolutely essential to reassert that . ` We either accept what the EU is doing or we take a stand . ' | Cameron also wants to ban EU migrants from benefits for four years . It appears Angela Merckel will not try to block his proposals . But Polish government made clear it would veto them . | [[0, 24], [75, 137], [388, 493], [427, 549], [1006, 1075], [1628, 1695], [1655, 1700]] |
Richard Horne rolled back the years with a man-of-the-match performance for Hull as they toppled Super League leaders St Helens to gain their first win in seven matches . The 32-year-old half-back looks set to end his 16-year career with the Black and Whites at the end of the season after being told he will not get a new contract but he showed he still has plenty to offer as he masterminded an impressive 19-12 win for his side at the KC Stadium . Horne , who returned to the side in place of the injured Jordan Rankin , scored their first try and was influential throughout as lowly Hull maintained their recent improvement by claiming a notable scalp . Rolling back the years : Richard Horne inspired Hull to an unlikely win against the Super League leaders . St Helens skipper Paul Wellens scored his 1,000 th point for his club as they battled throughout with a makeshift half-back pair but they can have no complaints over the outcome . Saints , whose only other defeat in their last seven matches was at neighbouring Hull KR , stay top of the table courtesy of Leeds ' surprise home defeat by Bradford and they also lift the Steve Prescott Cup in memory of the former England full-back who played with distinction for both clubs after topping the aggregate score in the two games this season . Saints were the liveliest team in a nervous opening quarter for both teams and took the lead when right winger Tom Makinson scooped up a wayward pass and wrong-footed the Hull defence to score his 22nd try of the season . Mark Percival added the conversion to make it 6-0 but Hull gradually clawed their way back into the contest , largely through the efforts of Horne . The former Great Britain half-back twisted and turned out of a series of attempted tackles to register his side 's first try on 17 minutes and Joe Westerman levelled the scores . Battle : Hull 's Jordan Abdull and Aaron Heremaia get to grips with Jordan Turner at the KC Stadium . That gave the home side just the confidence they needed , while the introduction of heavyweight forward Iafeta Paleaaesina lifted the crowd as he tore into the Saints defence . A clean break by full-back Jamie Shaul came to nothing but Hull maintained the pressure and it paid off six minutes before the break when right winger Tom Lineham forced his way over from dummy half close to the line and Westerman 's second goal made it 12-6 . The half-time hooter came at a good time for St Helens , who were a rejuventated side at the start of the second half largely through the efforts of hooker James Roby . Makinson demonstrated his ever-present threat with a 50-metre break out of defence and , although Shaul pulled off a crucial tackle , Hull 's defence was exposed out wide when loose forward Willie Manu slipped out a superb pass to get skipper Wellens over for his side 's second try , which enabled him to reach 1,000 points for the club . Percival 's second conversion tied the scores but that served to inject fresh enthusiasm into the home ranks . Westerman missed a chance to reclaim the lead for Hull when he put a penalty attempt wide of the target but another probing run from Horne created the position from which prop Mickey Paea proved unstoppable from 10 metres out as he claimed his third try of the season . Westerman was again off target with the goal attempt but Hull forced their visitors into a series of handling errors to keep them pinned inside their own half and Westerman clinched the win with a penalty and a drop goal . | Half-back will retire at end of this season but scored the first try in this win . St Helens captain Paul Wellens scored his 1,000 th point but it was n't enough . This was first win in seven for Hull and Saints first defeat in that period . But St Helens stay top as Leeds also lose surprisingly at home to Bradford . | [[171, 283], [451, 456], [524, 546], [765, 861], [84, 170], [945, 951], [1036, 1110]] |
Germany opened the door for Britain to claw back powers from Brussels yesterday as David Cameron received the red carpet treatment from Angela Merkel . Berlin is prepared to negotiate over whether some issues can be decided by member states rather than the EU , one of her allies said . Michael Meister , a leading member of Mrs Merkel 's Christian Democratic Union party , said Germany was ` open for arguments ' about returning some powers . Welcome : Samantha and David Cameron , Mrs Merkel and husband Joachim Sauer . Talks : The leaders exchange kisses on arrival , left , before taking a stroll around the grounds of German Chancellor Angela Merkel 's government guesthouse , right . Support : David Cameron is accompanied by his wife , Samantha Cameron and their three children to the guest house in Germany . It was a marked change of tone from the . German government , which in recent weeks has sought to downplay the . prospects of any renegotiation of Britain 's terms of EU membership . It came as Mr Cameron , wife Samantha and their three children spent the night at Schloss Meseberg , the German Chancellor 's official country retreat . Mr Cameron and Mrs Merkel held talks about the future of Europe , with the Prime Minister making the case for more reforms . The invitation was a boost for Mr . Cameron , who has called for Britain to negotiate a new deal with the EU . and then hold an in-out referendum on the package by 2017 . Making a case : Cameron is urging Merkel to consider the nuances surrounding Britain 's EU membership . Family affair : The partners of both David Cameron and Angela Merkel chuckle as they join in on the official visit . Well received : David Cameron signs the official guest book as Angela Merkel looks on . Mr Meister indicated that Mrs Merkel is prepared to give some ground on British demands for reform because she is keen for the UK to stay in the EU . He also indicated that Berlin could countenance the end of the EU-wide working time directive and the return of working hours laws to Westminster . Mr Meister said Germany acknowledges the need to examine which powers are held in Brussels and which should not be . ` In some cases we need common . solutions , ' he said . ` We need intensive discussion and we need to see . what could go on European level and what could stay at the national . level . ' He confirmed that Berlin is keen to keep Britain as a key ally . against the protectionist , anti-capitalist economic policies of some . southern European nations . Procedures : Merkel takes her turn to sign the guestbook as David Cameron looks on , left , before taking a stroll in the guest house 's gardens . Walk and talk : Merkel , her husband Joachim Sauer and David Cameron take a stroll inside the guest house 's yard which lies 44 miles north of Berlin . Negotiations : Merkel is keen to keep Britain within the EU and is seen here , on the right , talking with David Cameron whilst walking around the gardens of Schloss Meseberg . ` I think there are a lot of common ideas with the British side and the German side on it , ' he said . Earlier this week , Mr Cameron said . British voters ' support for EU membership was ` wafer-thin ' and that the . EU ` sometimes overreached itself with directives and interventions and . interference ' . He stressed the need for a ` more flexible Europe ' . Andrea Leadsom , of the Fresh Start . Group which wants to renegotiate Britain 's relationship with the EU , . said Mr Cameron will seek a deal . ` I do n't think anybody on the . backbenches or the frontbenches of any party thinks laying down the law . is at all possible or plausible or desirable , ' she said . ` The Foreign Office have not . traditionally been incredibly brave or ambitious in negotiations . I . think David Cameron has been and will continue to be , so I think we are . in a very good place . ' But . Labour foreign affairs spokesman Douglas Alexander said the Prime . Minister 's trip ` simply confirms that months after his speech on Europe . he remains marooned between what Conservative backbenchers demand and . what European leaders will accept ' . Looking forward : David Cameron gestures towards to the skies during his conversation with Angela Merkel , left , whilst on the right is seen to be having a whale of time with his wife , Samantha . Discussions : Angela Merkel looks on as David Cameron goes into some of the details of his plans . Business travel : David and Samantha Cameron walk through the gates of the German Chancellor 's guest house . | David and Samantha Cameron , as well as their three children , are staying at Schloss Meseberg - Angela Merkel 's official country retreat . The two leaders are expected to tentatively discuss Britain 's place within the EU . The invitation is a coup for David Cameron and one more step towards the UK gaining some powers back from Europe . | [[522, 527], [571, 575], [578, 689], [522, 527], [530, 550], [578, 679], [698, 740], [1042, 1098], [0, 79], [28, 96], [1278, 1313]] |
An anti-Islamic organisation has released a Barossa Valley-grown wine , named Hal & Al 's 72 Virgins , to help fund their movement . The Q society , which is selling the sparkling wine in boxes of six for $ 72 , advocates against Islam through various lectures and events which oppose the Muslim faith and Sharia law . Their website claims that Islam is ' a political , legal , financial , social and military doctrine ' that leads to violence and segregation and states that : ` since Islam is not a race or ethnicity , being critical of Islam is not racist ' . An anti-Islamic organisation the Q Society , has released a Barossa Valley grown wine , named Hal & Al 's 72 Virgins as part of a fundraising project . The wine , which references the belief that Muslim martyrs will be rewarded with 72 virgins upon entering paradise , ridicules the Islamic practice of not drinking alcohol . ` Consumption of this Australian wine may prevent you from entering the Islamic Paradise , ' the bottle 's label states . ` However , both the Jewish and Christian paradises remain open as alternative . ' Rather than recognise their beverage as offensive , the group has simply dubbed it a ` conversation starter ' . ' I think it 's a little bit tongue in cheek ... not something that 's meant to be taken too seriously , ' Debbie Robinson , the Q Society 's president told News Limited . The wine , which references the belief that Muslim martyrs will be rewarded with 72 virgins upon entering paradise , ridicules the Islamic practice of not drinking alcohol . ' I do n't find it offensive . Everyone 's an individual . ' Ms Robinson said that the wine had been selling well and that the organisation planned to use the funds raised from the sales to help bring speakers from overseas . These lectures , given by ` non-Muslim scholars of Islam , authors , politicians and civil rights campaigners ' , address the group 's member 's ` concern about the growing impact of Islam and Sharia Law on Australian government , businesses and communities ' . The group also opposes halal certification schemes , which they claim are ` widely imposed on non-Muslims ' through food taxes and employment discrimination in abattoirs . Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Q Society for comment . | The wine is being sold by an anti-Islamic group called the Q society . It claims Islam is not a religion , but ' a political , legal , financial , social and military doctrine ' that leads to violence and segregation . Referencing the belief that martyrs will be rewarded with 72 virgins in paradise , the wine ridicules the Islamic practice of not drinking alcohol . The society 's president denied the bottle 's labelling was offensive , saying it 's ` not something that 's meant to be taken too seriously ' | [[0, 69], [133, 146], [155, 235], [563, 591], [598, 648], [319, 470], [715, 723], [732, 829], [715, 725], [832, 888], [1378, 1386], [1395, 1492], [1378, 1388], [1495, 1551], [1255, 1308], [1331, 1377]] |
Every morning Sportsmail brings you the biggest gossip and headlines on the continent , giving you your early morning fix from the biggest leagues across Europe . The main focus on the continent on Thursday is on the return of the Champions League and how each nation 's teams performed in the opening round of fixtures in Europe 's elite competition . First up , Spanish newspaper AS has made an effort to quash the perceived opinion that # 60million Real Madrid signing James Rodriguez is somehow lazier than his equally-expensive but departed counterpart Angel di Maria . James Rodriguez covered more ground than all Real Madrid players bar Toni Kroos in the 5-1 win over Basle . The paper 's front page headline is ` James works it out ' due to the fact that only Toni Kroos -LRB- 11.4 km -RRB- covered more ground than the Colombian -LRB- 11.3 km -RRB- in the Real side during their 5-1 victory over Basle . James also scored in the win . Marca , meanwhile , leads on ` The 1,000 days that changed Atleti and Spanish football ' . This refers to Diego Simeone 's 1,000 th day in charge of Atletico Madrid and how he has completely changed the face of La Liga . The paper says Simeone has broken the ` duopoly ' of Madrid and Barcelona by claiming five trophies in seven finals to return Atleti back to the Spanish elite . Marca celebrates Diego Simeone 's 1,000 th day in charge of Atletico by saying he ` changed Spanish football ' Mundo Deportivo and Sport focus on Barca 's laboured 1-0 victory over APOEL Nicosia at the Nou Camp . ` Decisive ' is the headline in Mundo as Gerard Pique 's goal gave the Catalans top spot in their Champions League group ahead of Paris Saint-Germain and Ajax . Gerard Pique 's winner for Barcelona against APOEL Nicosia is described as ` decisive ' by Mundo Deportivo . The French newspaper L'Equipe declare Paris Saint-Germain 's 1-1 draw against Ajax in Amsterdam as ` sufficient and insufficient ' on their front cover . Edinson Cavani 's goal had put the Ligue 1 champions in front but the paper bemoans their profligacy in front of goal as they missed numerous chances and allowed the Eredivisie winners to equalise . L'Equipe describes Paris Saint-Germain 's 1-1 draw at Ajax in Amsterdam as ` sufficient and insufficient ' In Italy , Roma are praised for their brilliant 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow as they went top of a tricky group group which contains Bayern Munich and Manchester City . Former Arsenal forward Gervinho netted twice for a side described as ` Mega Roma ' by Corriere dello Sport . La Gazetta dello Sport also declared : ` How beautiful you are , Roma ' . La Gazetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport laud Roma 's brilliant 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow . However , Tuttosport reveals ' A new Tevez ' , after the Juventus striker scored his first Champions League goal since his Manchester United days on Tuesday . The paper claims that Juve coach Massimo Allegri has ` fallen in love ' with Carlos Tevez this season . Tuttosport declare a ` new ' Carlos Tevez for Juventus , who coach Massimo Allegri ` has fallen in love with ' | James Rodriguez covered second-most ground for Real Madrid vs Basle . Only Toni Kroos -LRB- 11.4 km -RRB- ran further than James -LRB- 11.3 km -RRB- on Tuesday . Marca lauds Diego Simeone as having ` changed Spanish football ' Atletico Madrid boss celebrates his 1,000 th day in charge on Thursday . Barcelona 's 1-0 victory over APOEL Nicosia puts them top of group . Gerard Pique 's winner is described as ` decisive ' by Mundo Deportivo . L'Equipe declare PSG 's 1-1 draw with Ajax as ` sufficient and insufficient ' In Italy , Roma are praised for their brilliant 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow . Juventus ' Carlos Tevez is a ` new ' player , according to Tuttosport . | [[683, 874], [1326, 1331], [1395, 1434], [1035, 1108], [1326, 1394], [1437, 1538], [1580, 1659], [1541, 1549], [1552, 1576], [1700, 1808], [1809, 1962], [2162, 2266], [2269, 2277], [2280, 2386], [2733, 2751], [2754, 2765], [2986, 3040]] |
A mother claims to have proof that fairies do exist - after catching one on her home CCTV system . Lucia Cordaro , 37 , is convinced that her security system , set up outside her home in Chester , has captured a clear image of one of the tiny mythical winged creatures flitting past the lens . She said she was getting in to bed when she heard a noisy motorbike revving outside her house . A mother claims to have proof that fairies do exist - after catching one of the mythical winged creatures on her home CCTV system . Lucia Cordaro , 37 , is convinced that her security system , set up outside her home in Chester , has captured a clear image of a tiny fairy flitting past the lens . She later looked at the CCTV footage on her laptop she was shocked to see what she thought was a tiny tinkerbell flying past the camera . After creeping downstairs to investigate the commotion , the mother-of-one heard a bang and thought that somebody had hurled a missile at her window . But when she looked at the CCTV footage on her laptop she was shocked to see what she thought was a tiny tinkerbell flying past the camera . Ms Cordaro , a songwriter , said : ` I 'm quite a logical person but I think seeing is believing . ' She said she had only woken up to see what the noise outside was about . She said : ` It was just after 11pm and I was getting into bed . I live in the end house on my street and I could hear the motorbike on the corner . Ms Cordaro , a songwriter , said : ` I 'm quite a logical person but I think seeing is believing ' ` There was this thump on my living room window and I thought someone had chucked something at the window . I thought ` Ha , gotcha ' because I knew it would be caught on my CCTV . ` When I looked on the camera I thought ` that 's a bit odd ' . ' I thought ` if that 's a butterfly it looks a lot like a fairy ' but I mean , what are the chances ? It 's very strange . ' I was rewinding and rewinding and rewinding but the more I saw it the more I was convinced . ' While some cynics might say the footage could be simply a moth flying past the camera lens , one person is a confirmed believer - her four - year-old son . He immediately spotted the mystical creature and identified it as one of Santa 's little helpers . She said : ` When I showed my four-year-old son he said `` Wow . Do you think he 's going to go back to Father Christmas and tell him I 'm a good boy ? '' ` There was no doubt in his mind . ' | Lucia Cordaro , 37 , is convinced her CCTV has footage of a real fairy . The mother checked camera after hearing loud bang outside home . She claims it captured a clear image of tiny mythical creature flitting past . While some could say it looked like a moth - her son , 4 , is convinced too . | [[0, 98], [0, 8], [16, 98], [99, 112], [120, 293], [390, 521], [390, 398], [406, 521], [522, 535], [543, 687], [303, 389], [826, 880], [883, 913], [1540, 1587], [0, 98], [99, 112], [120, 293], [390, 521], [390, 398], [406, 521], [522, 535], [543, 687], [739, 742], [755, 825], [1031, 1034], [1047, 1117], [2012, 2096], [2099, 2161]] |
Programmes such as Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax have reversed a ` long term decline ' in the relationship between the BBC and the North , says the corporation 's Director of England . But it is perhaps unsurprising Peter Salmon should make these comments , given that his wife Sarah Lancashire is the star of both shows . Salmon , who is in charge of the BBC 's Salford base , has revealed figures showing that ` for the first time in living memory ' people in the North feel better represented than those in the rest of the UK . Scroll down for video . Peter Salmon , who is in charge of the BBC 's Salford base , pictured , claimed the corporation has reconnected with the north of England following the success of Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax . Salmon , right , who earns # 375,000-a-year is married to the star of the two shows , Sarah Lancashire , left . In 2011 , before 3,000 BBC staff began working in MediaCity UK , in Salford , the corporation gave itself an internal score for the portrayal of people in the north of England of 6.30 , compared with 6.48 for the rest of the UK . But numbers released today show the balance has shifted to 6.31 for the north of England and 6.29 for the rest of the UK . The highest score was given to northwest viewers with 6.48 . Speaking at a Broadcast Press Guild event in London , Salmon , who earns a salary of # 375,000 said : ` When we did the big change and the big switch , we said this has got to transform the experience of licence fee payers right across the region . ` So in the last two or three years we 've halved the gap in consumption between the North and the rest of the UK . It used to be 4 percent because the BBC has been traditionally more southern centric broadcaster in terms of consumption . ITV were the kings and queens outside London but in recent years we 've reversed that . ` If we look at things like portrayal approval and things like that , do the people think the BBC reflects their lives , we now see for the first time in living memory people in the north of England feeling on a par to the rest of the UK , if not slightly better represented ' . He put this down to the increase in programmes both set and produced in the region , such as drama Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax , both set in Yorkshire , and Inspector George Gently , set in Northumberland and County Durham . A number of formerly London-based departments , such as sport and children 's programming , moved to Salford three years ago and tent-pole shows such as Blue Peter and Match of the Day are also now produced there . He said that shows such as Last Tango in Halifax , pictured , helped reverse the BBC 's decline in the north . Salmon believes this has thawed even the frostiest of the BBC 's regional relationships . He said : ` In the North East of England , which has always been one of the most chilly places for the BBC , it 's quite remote from London based organisations typically , we 've really begun to reverse years of having a negative relationship either with the power structure in the North East or audiences . We 've done it simply by making a lot more programmes in the Northeast . ' Happy Valley is a crime drama following the Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood , played by Sarah Lancashire , trying to come to terms with the suicide of her daughter . She becomes obsessed with the man who she believes raped her daughter and drove her to suicide . It transpires that the man is also involved in a kidnapping plot . Earlier this year Happy Valley prompted criticism for showing ` gratuitous ' violence in a string of graphic scenes . The lead character - police sergeant Catherine Cawood , played by Sarah Lancashire - was savagely beaten in a basement during one episode . As the show ended , she collapsed in the road , her face covered in blood , leaving viewers guessing whether she had died . The scenes prompted 15 complaints from viewers . It followed a harrowing incident previously in which another policewoman was murdered on a lonely country road . An average of 5.8 million viewers tuned in to Happy Valley 's first four instalments , and most praise its gripping plot and realistic police procedure . But some have expressed concern at its increasingly gruesome twists and graphic depictions of violence against women . Last Tango in Halifax is a romantic comedy series also starring Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid . Alan Buttershaw -LRB- Jacobi -RRB- and Celia Dawson -LRB- Reid -RRB- are both widowed and in their 70s . When their grandsons put them on Facebook , they rediscover their feelings for one another are as intense as they were 60 years ago when they were teenagers . Sarah Lancashire plays Anne Reid 's daughter Caroline in the series . Mr Salmon 's relationship with his common law wife collapsed in 2000 and it emerged that he and Miss Lancashire were an item several months later . Mr Salmon the former controller of BBC1 , left the mother of his three sons , Penny Watt , after falling for the former Coronation Street star . Mr Salmon and Miss Lancashire got to know each other when he worked at Granada Television in Manchester . They have a son together and live in Twickenham , south-west London . | Peter Salmon said the BBC was improving its northern representation . The # 375,000-a-year executive said the BBC had been southern-centric . He said new shows featuring northerners were helping the BBC re-balance . His wife , Sarah Lancashire , stars in two of the hit shows he mentioned . | [[564, 576], [636, 767], [768, 774], [789, 811], [1339, 1345], [1361, 1388], [1659, 1661], [1667, 1781], [564, 576], [636, 767], [2600, 2710], [3109, 3181], [198, 200], [267, 331], [768, 782], [812, 851]] |
Go on Santa , treat yourself . Give the reindeer a break because Mercedes-Benz may have just the perfect present carrying answer -- and in festive red to boot . The company 's new aerodynamically stylish CLA Shooting Brake , was unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show just in time to make its way onto Christmas wish lists . Over here you 'll have to wait for the spring for this sleek mini-estate as UK order books open in January for March deliveries . Scroll down for video . Expect prices from around # 25,500 to about # 43,000 for the pumped-up CLA45 AMG . Expect prices from around # 25,500 to about # 43,000 for the pumped-up CLA45 AMG , which will accelerate from rest to 62mph in 4.7 seconds , thanks to its 360 bhp , 2-litre turbo engine -- the world 's most powerful four-cylinder engine in series production . Mondeo Man is having the last laugh as the latest incarnation of Ford 's family car will depreciate less than a BMW , Audi or Volkswagen , say independent motor trade experts at CAP Automotive . According to its Gold Book , a diesel Mondeo 2.0 TDCi ECOnetic Zetec will hold onto 42.7 per cent of its new list price after three years and 30,000 miles . That compares with 38.3 per cent for a diesel Audi A4 2.0 TDIe SE , 36.8 per cent for a BMW 3 Series 318d SE and 41.6 per cent for a VW Passat 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Tech Executive . And at three years , with 60,000 miles on the clock , a petrol Mondeo 1.5 EcoBoost Zetec will be worth 36.1 per cent of its list price , beating an Audi A4 1.8 T FSI 170 SE , a BMW 320i SE 's and a VW Passat 1.4 TSI 160 Executive . The book also expects the new Mondeo to be worth # 1,750 more after three years than the previous model was at the same age . There 's a fascinating , if jawdropping and wince-making , TV series at the moment looking at the culture , attitudes and language used on TV in the Seventies . Did they really say and wear things like that ? They surely did . I was reminded of this when BMW boss Tim Abbott , president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders -LRB- SMMT -RRB- , spoke at its annual dinner this week . Explaining how production is now on track for levels not seen since the Seventies , he said : ` Production is -- despite the uncertainties -- still forecast to rise to around two million by 2017 , last achieved in 1972 . But it needs a strong European market . ' He noted : ` For those of you who , like me , can remember 1972 , the transformation of our industry -- in products , technology , labour relations and management -- has been remarkable . ` In 1972 , children used to rattle around in the back of cars like nuts in a can . You could n't see where you were going because of all the cigarette smoke and your flared trousers would be caught on the brake pedal . ' Quite . Remember that infectiously catchy -- if slightly irritating -- Korean song that dominated the charts a few years back ? Gangnam Style , by PSY , took its name from the trendy , upmarket Gangnam district of South Korea 's capital , Seoul -- its version of Kensington and Chelsea in West London . Gangnam is also the place where car-maker SsangYong -- Korean for ` two dragons ' -- has its headquarters . And in the New Year it 's hoping to emulate PSY 's success with the launch of a new sports utility vehicle . The five-door Tivoli is pitched to take on the quirky Nissan Juke . It will be launched in Korea in January before a European debut at the Geneva motor show and will arrive here next summer . Expect prices from around # 13,500 and the option of either a 1.6 litre petrol or a 1.6 litre diesel engine . As well as offering lots of interior seating and storage space , it aims to offer driver and passengers easy IT connectivity . SssangYong 's UK sales and marketing director Steve Gray expects it to double the firm 's annual UK sales from 2,000 to 4,000 a year . There 's also a five-year unlimited mileage warranty . FACING FORWARD IS A STEP BACKWARD IN CHILD SAFETY . Millions of parents could be risking their child 's safety because of confusion over car seats , says new research . Millions of parents could be risking their child 's safety because of confusion over car seats , says new research . Seventy-four per cent of parents with children under four said they use a front-facing seat . But this puts them at up to five times greater risk of death or serious injury than if they were seated facing the rear of the car , says a report for Volvo Car UK . It says : ` In the UK , official guidance is to keep children in a rear-facing seat until they are 13kg -LRB- around nine months -RRB- . However , in Sweden the norm is to postpone the change until up to age four . ` In Sweden , not a single child under six died in a car in 2013 and there were just ten serious injuries among child passengers under six . ` Over the same period in the UK , there were 77 deaths and serious injuries among occupants under four -- more than one a week . ' | It was unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show . You 'll have to wait for the spring for this sleek mini-estate . Expect prices from around # 25,500 to about # 43,000 . | [[161, 262], [335, 409], [479, 531], [562, 614]] |
While the Duchess of Cambridge oozed glamour as she gave a ceremonial welcome to the president of Singapore , many could be forgiven for thinking the rest of her family might have been enjoying the benefits of her royal lifestyle . But as Kate , who is around 13 weeks pregnant with her second child with Prince William , rubbed shoulders with fellow royalty in London , her parents and sister were mingling with the public at a remote airport hundreds of miles away . Carole , Michael and Pippa Middleton proved they are not too posh to fly economy class as they boarded an easyJet flight from the Scottish Highlands to London Gatwick yesterday . Scroll down for videos . Pippa Middleton , 31 , and her parents Carole and Michael -LRB- pictured -RRB- were spotted boarding an easyJet flight at Inverness Airport in Scotland while the Duchess of Cambridge greeted the Singapore president in west London . Pippa and her mother Carole -LRB- circled -RRB- could be seen boarding the flight which was destined for London Gatwick . Despite opting to take the budget airliner , the family chose to pay # 12 each for priority boarding . However , while the trio - spotted arriving with hand luggage at Inverness Airport - may have opted for the cheap travel option , they did at least fork out up to # 12 each for priority boarding . With tickets available for as little as # 54 for the 600-mile journey , Pippa , 31 , and her parents shocked onlookers as they waited in the terminal before boarding the budget flight . One passenger on the plane , who asked not to be named , said : ` We saw them wandering around the terminal . ` Inverness is a tiny airport , and there was only one plane on the runway , otherwise I might have thought they were flying in a private jet . They 're rich enough , I suppose . ' I think they had paid to select their seats , which meant they got to board the plane first , and were all sat in a row when I finally made it on the plane . ` They 're practically royalty , but it 's nice to know that they 're not too posh to fly with normal people . ' Onlookers said the Middletons mingled in the terminal before boarding the flight from the Scottish Highlands . It is not the first time Pippa Middleton , 31 , -LRB- right -RRB- and her parents Carole -LRB- left -RRB- and Michael -LRB- right -RRB- have chosen to fly with the budget airline . The family -LRB- pictured at Wimbledon -RRB- flew to Italy on an easyJet plane last September . While the rest of her immediate family were boarding a budget airliner in Scotland , the Duchess of Cambridge attended a ceremonial welcome for the Singapore president in west London with her husband Prince William . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge greeted the president of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife Mary at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington , west London , on the first of a four day state visit to the United Kingdom . After the 80-minute flight , the Middletons got off with their hand luggage and disappeared through the airport . Their journey came while Kate , 32 , entertained Singapore president Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife Mary on their official tour to Britain . The Duchess was joined by her husband Prince William as she greeted the president on behalf of the Queen at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington , west London . Following the state visit , the Duchess - who until yesterday had not been seen in public for more than seven weeks after suffering severe morning sickness - attended a glamorous black tie event at London 's Natural History Museum . The royal took some time for herself at Kensington Palace between the two official engagements before stepping out in the evening to present awards to the winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition at the museum . The Duchess and Sir David Attenborough both attended the awards ceremony in London in what was Kate 's first day of public appearances since Kensington Palace announced she was expecting her second child . The Duchess with Sir David Attenborough and Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year Carlos Perez Naval . The Middletons ' outing on the easyJet flight is not the first time they have flown with a budget airline . In September last year , Pippa flew to Bari airport in Italy , with her parents and brother-in-law , Prince Harry , with the same airline . However , she is more accustomed to luxurious trips abroad and has been spotted in the past jetting off to the likes of the private Caribbean island of Mustique , Verbier in Switzerland , the Austrian ski resort of Lech and India . Her mother Carole has also spent many a time in the skies , having been a British Airways stewardess for several years before going into business and founding the family 's company Party Pieces in 1987 . | Pippa , 31 , and parents Carole and Michael spotted boarding easyJet flight from Inverness to London Gatwick . The trio took hand luggage but also paid an additional fee of up to # 12 to board ahead of other passengers . Flights from Scottish Highlands to Gatwick Airport are available online for as little as # 54 each . On the same day , the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge welcomed Singapore 's president alongside Prince William . | [[513, 517], [535, 647], [673, 824], [905, 925], [947, 986], [905, 925], [967, 1026], [2367, 2462], [2469, 2545], [1072, 1129], [1146, 1257], [1260, 1264], [1278, 1286], [1290, 1326], [48, 107], [831, 904], [2548, 2662], [2680, 2779], [3043, 3047], [3055, 3117], [3123, 3158], [3159, 3196], [3212, 3319]] |
Refugees who claim asylum on the grounds that they are homosexual should not have to undergo tests to prove it , the EU 's top court has ruled . Three men , including a Ugandan and one from a Muslim country , failed to gain asylum when a Dutch court found they had not proved their sexuality . The European Court of Justice says EU states must respect human dignity . Its rulings apply for all EU member states . Refugees who claim asylum on the grounds that they are homosexual should not have to undergo tests to prove it , the EU 's top court has ruled ; pictured above Sub-Saharan migrants celebrate as they try to reach a immigrant holding centre after they jumped the border fence in Melilla , the Spanish enclave in northern Africa . The case involving the trio is significant because this year there has been a surge in the number of sub-Saharan Africans seeking asylum in Europe ; most African countries treat homosexuality as a crime ; desperate migrants are pictured trying to get over a border fence in Morocco . The case involving the trio is significant because this year there has been a surge in the number of sub-Saharan Africans seeking asylum in Europe , the BBC reported . Most African countries treat homosexuality as a crime . In 2011 the UN , EU and human rights activists criticised Czech authorities for using an erection or ` phallometric ' test - a practice dating back to communist times - to determine whether certain asylum seekers were gay . In its latest ruling , the court of justice said that determining a refugee 's sexuality had to be consistent with EU law while also respecting their private and family life . It said evidence of homosexual acts submitted from tests or on film infringed human dignity , even if it was proposed by the asylum seeker . Allowing such evidence could result in it becoming a requirement , the court said . While authorities can ask questions about asylum seekers sexual orientation , they ca n't ask about their sexual practices . While authorities can ask questions about asylum seekers sexual orientation , they ca n't ask about their sexual practices , the court found . In its latest ruling , the court of justice said that determining a refugee 's sexuality had to be consistent with EU law while also respecting their private and family life ; pictured above , immigrants wait in line at a shelter in Crete after arriving on a cargo shop from Turkey . The judges said an asylum seeker 's failure to answer questions about their personal circumstances was not sufficient reason to reject them . Nor was an applicant 's failure to declare his homosexuality from the outset . Treatment of gay , lesbian or bisexual refugees has been highlighted in the UK in recent months following revelations one asylum seeker was asked ` shockingly degrading ' questions . More than 10 per cent of interviews with asylum seekers involved questions of an ` unsatisfactory nature ' , a report in October by the UK independent chief inspector of borders and immigration found . Last year the court of justice ruled that gay asylum seekers who had a genuine fear of imprisonment in African countries could claim refugee status . | EU states must respect human dignity , the European Court of Justice says . Ruling follows a surge in sub-Saharan Africans seeking asylum here . Over 10 per cent of asylum seekers are asked ` unsatisfactory ' questions . | [[111, 144], [294, 367], [329, 367], [524, 555], [792, 862], [1025, 1171], [2830, 2934]] |
Dramatic footage has emerged showing a Norwegian air force pilot being forced into an emergency manoeuvre to avoid a mid-air crash with a Russian fighter jet . In the video , released by Norway 's military , one of its pilots shouts ` What the hell ?! ' before veering away sharply as the Russian MiG-31 flashes into view , just 65 feet from the F-16 . ` The Russian pilot 's behaviour was not quite normal , ' said Norwegian armed forces spokesman Brynjar Stordal about the 26-second film clip released on Sunday . Scroll down for video . Near miss : Footage released by the Norwegian military shows one of its fighter pilots being forced to swerve out of the way of a Russian MiG jet -LRB- bottom right -RRB- which flashes into view just 65 feet from the F-16 . Evasive action : The Norwegian pilot shouts ` What the hell ?! ' before veering away sharply in the latest incident involving hundreds of other recent near misses with aggressive Russian fighter pilots . The incident has added to mounting tensions between Russia and NATO member states in recent months , underlined by claims of other recent near misses with Russian military jets . ` We do n't know if it was a miscalculation or if he deliberately put himself in the path of our F-16 , ' said Stordal , adding that Norway 's armed forces had informed Russia that the incident was ` undesirable ' . The close encounter occurred in international airspace ` north of Norway ' but the armed forces did not say when . Unlike neighbouring non-aligned Sweden , Norway - a NATO member - has not reported any airspace incursions by Russia in recent years and gauges the level of Russian air force activity in the area as ` pretty normal or a little more ' than usual . A Russian MiG fighter plane like the one involved in the near miss with the Norwegian air force jet . Long-standing threat : A picture taken by the Royal Norwegian Airforce in July 2007 shows a Russian strategic bomber Tupolev Tu-95MS being escorted by a Norwegian F-16 while flying in international air space . In the video , released by Norway 's military , one of its pilots shouts ` What the hell ?! ' before veering away sharply as the Russian MiG-31 flashes into view , just 65 feet from the Norwegian F-16 . File picture . So far this year , Norway has scrambled its air force 43 times to identify 69 Russian planes , compared to 41 incidents involving 58 planes in 2013 . NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last month that the alliance had reported 400 intercepts of Russian military flights so far this year - a 50 per cent increase compared to 2013 . He complained that Russian jets flying without sharing their flight plans posed a danger to commercial air traffic . U.S. Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute also revealed ` multiple incidents ' where Russian military aircraft had not filed flight plans nor spoken to civilian air traffic controllers and had turned off transponders that send information about the plane . ` Danger to air traffic ' : NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg -LRB- above -RRB- said last month that the alliance had reported 400 intercepts of Russian military flights so far this year - a 50 per cent increase compared to 2013 . This made the planes virtually invisible to air traffic controllers , he told a news conference . ` These Russian actions are irresponsible , pose a threat to civilian aviation and demonstrate that Russia is flagrantly violating international norms , ' he said . Britain also voiced concern about Russian probing of its air space . In late October , NATO said its aircraft tracked Russian strategic bombers over the Atlantic and Black Sea and sorties of fighters over the Baltic . At sea , too , Russia has been more active , leading one NATO commander to draw comparisons with Cold War behaviour . A squadron of Russian warships entered the English Channel on Friday . | Video shows Russian jet flashing into view just 65ft from Norwegian plane . Norwegian F-16 pilot shouts ` what the hell ?! ' before veering sharply away . Near miss adds to mounting tensions between NATO states and Moscow . NATO reported 400 intercepts of Russian jets this year - up 50 % on 2013 . | [[705, 710], [717, 763], [254, 273], [785, 809], [829, 848], [2131, 2150], [968, 1066], [2405, 2576], [2554, 2595], [2993, 3182], [3160, 3201]] |
The Australian Open , dubbed The Australian sauna championships , saw many casualties following extreme heat at the Melbourne tennis grand slam event earlier this year , with temperatures scorching to over 40 degrees Celsius during a four day sweat-fest . One player hallucinated and fainted , another vomited and suffered severe cramping , while the searing heat also melted water bottles on court and incredibly even melted the soles of one player 's sneakers . Canadian Frank Dancevic hit out at the tournament organisers after he collapsed during his first round match on an outside court , while Ivan Dodig from Croatia said he had wondered if he would die on court . Scroll down for video . Maria Sharapova attempts to cool down with an ice vest during a break in her round two match against Karin Knapp of Italy at the 2014 Australian Open . She says at one point she thought she would faint . Andy Murray takes a drink in intense heat during his round four match against Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan at the 2014 Australian Open . Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil attempts to cool down with ice during a break in his round two match at this year 's Australian Open . And it was n't just reserved for the players , a ball boy fainted during one of the matches while fans had to brave the blistering temps , some without shade . A wave of criticism followed the heat stricken open , surrounding the lack of transparency about when the ` heat policy ' would be implemented which was at the discretion of the umpires . Tournament organisers were also accused of forcing players to perform in ` inhumane ' conditions , which has now led Australian Open organisers to update their ` extreme heat policy ' for next year 's tournament . Firstly there 's the addition of a third retractable-roof stadium on the new-look Margaret Court arena which will weather-proof the court . Secondly , the ` heat policy ' will be updated to ensure conditions are fair for all players . Tennis fans cool off during a heat wave at the tennis on day two of the 2014 Australian Open tennis tournament . The roof of Rod Laver Arena had to be closed due to the extreme heat at this year 's Australian Open . Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the USA pours water on herself during a break as she battles the heat in this year 's tournament . ` The heat policy , as always , will be applied at the Referee 's discretion , ' said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley . ` The decision on implementing the heat policy will take into account the forecast once the ambient temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius , and the Wet Bulb Global Temperature -LRB- WBGT -RRB- reading exceeds 32.5 , ' he said . ` When conditions exceed these levels the Referee is taking into account the forecast and state of play when making his discretionary call . ' ` We 've been gathering data for a number of years now and the forecast process is more sophisticated than ever before . ' ` We believe this update will clarify and streamline the communications process for both players and support staff . ' ` We 've consulted the playing group and this is seen as the fairest way to implement the policy by many of the top players , ' said Mr Tiley . Li Na of China tries to cool down with an ice pack during her match against Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in round three of the this year 's Australian Open . Tennis fans cool off during a heat wave at the tennis on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament this year . The Australian Open has been dubbed the Australian sauna championships , as fans watching a match in 2009 opt for a bit of humour in the hot weather . There will also be other changes for matches in progress that will continue until the end of an even number of games in that set or the completion of a tie break , before play is suspended . ` The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam with three-retractable roof stadiums , so it 's important to update our policies to reflect the new infrastructure and conditions the players compete in , ' Tiley said . While the new updated policy will be in place for the 2015 tournament , it may not even be needed with news that the weather wo n't be as hot as this year 's competition . Meteorologist Bob Leighton says long range forecasts indicated a heat wave was n't expected for next year 's Grand Slam set to start on January 19 . ` At this stage it 's looking like a normal summer , perhaps slightly warmer , with only one day hitting around 40 degrees , and little or no rain forecast , ' said Mr Leighton . | Australian Open organisers have updated their ` extreme heat policy ' for next year 's tournament . There is also the addition of a third retractable roof stadium on Margaret Court arena . The heat policy will take into account the forecast once it exceeds 40 , as well as a humidity and wind reading . At the 2014 tournament players fainted , vomited and suffered severe cramping , a ball boy also fainted . | [[1591, 1614], [1623, 1630], [1635, 1731], [1591, 1614], [1627, 1731], [4033, 4096], [1732, 1834], [2659, 2760], [0, 19], [66, 162], [70, 167], [256, 266], [284, 291], [294, 309], [256, 283], [314, 338], [1217, 1272]] |
Police in Utah arrested an elderly military veteran Tuesday morning following an 11-hour standoff that required the involvement of a SWAT team armed with powdered pepper spray . The suspect , who has not been named , allegedly fired a gun inside a recreational vehicle at around 12.30 am in St. George . Police responded to the mobile home after getting a 911 call about shots fired , but the suspect barricaded himself inside the RV . Tense standoff : A St. George Police officer maintains his position surrounding a trailer home after reports of shots fired on Tuesday in St. George , Utah . Peaceful resolution : St. George police officers take a military veteran into custody after an 11-hour standoff . Trick : Cops had to resort to the use of powdered pepper spray in order to coax the man out of his RV . Smoked out : The elderly man came out of the RV on his own after police launched more pepper spray at his home . The veteran surrendered to police at around 11am after a SWAT team fired powdered pepper spray into the camper . The standoff resulted in the closure of nearby businesses , and people in a motel were told to stay in their rooms . According to the St George Police Department , the suspect fired about six shots inside his RV parked on East St. George Boulevard shortly after midnight . A SWAT team accompanied by crisis negotiators converged on the RV , and officers spent the next 10 hours trying to make contact with the man barricaded inside to coax him out , but to no avail . As time passed and police had not heard anything from the man , they decided to fire powdered pepper spray , known as OC powder , into the trailer to draw him out . The man was seen tossing items out the window and screaming at the cops , ` You are hurting me ! ' reported The Spectrum . How it started : The suspect allegedly fired several shots inside his mobile home , pictured , at around midnight . Closures : Police shut down St George Boulevard and several local businesses during the standoff . At that point , the veteran made contact with the SWAT team outside , but then the communication went silent again , prompting police to launch more pepper spray into the camper . At around 11.15 am , the gray-haired veteran walked out of the RV and was taken into custody without incident . There was no one else inside the man 's mobile home , and no injuries have been reported . If the suspect qualifies , his case will be heard in the veteran judicial court . St George Boulevard was shut down for several hours during the ordeal , along with a nearby Rite Aid pharmacy and a coffee and juice bar . | The suspect came out of his RV in St George after police repeatedly used powdered pepper spray to coax him out . He is suspected of firing a gun inside the camper at around midnight . | [[78, 97], [103, 177], [716, 779], [780, 811], [825, 892], [980, 1037], [1506, 1513], [1570, 1612], [178, 208], [217, 284], [1202, 1310], [1811, 1875], [1811, 1822], [1878, 1886], [1889, 1909]] |
Mayor Bill de Blasio has slammed a group of NYPD officers as ` disrespectful ' for turning their backs to him during a pair of funerals for slain police officers . In his first remarks on the officers ' protests , De Blasio said that the actions were hurtful to the families of the two cops killed in an ambush last month . The public rebuke , he said on Monday , was an offense to the city at large . Police Commissioner William Bratton also condemned their actions . Scroll down for video . ` Direspectful ' : De Blasio today condemned officers who turned their back on him at the funeral of an officer shot dead by a gunman who said he was taking revenge for the death of Eric Garner . Defiant : The mass protest on Sunday came despite an appeal not to from Commissioner Bratton . ' I ca n't understand why ' : De Blasio slammed the back-turning as an offense against the entire city . The mayor , speaking to reporters at 1 Police Plaza , said he appreciated that many officers did not turn their backs . However , he is ` disappointed ' by ` some individual officers ' who did turn their backs . ` They were disrespectful to the families involved , ' de Blasio said . ` They were disrespectful to the families who had lost their loved ones . I ca n't understand why anyone would do such a thing in the context like that . ' The rift between the police unions and de Blasio has created the biggest crisis of his mayoralty . The unions have blamed de Blasio for fostering an anti-NYPD atmosphere they believe contributed to the murders of the officers . Thousands of police turned their backs on Sunday as de Blasio eulogized an officer shot dead with his partner , repeating a stinging display of scorn for the mayor despite entreaties to put anger aside . The show of disrespect came outside the funeral home where Officer Wenjian Liu was remembered as an incarnation of the American dream : a man who had emigrated from China at age 12 and devoted himself to helping others in his adopted country . New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton prepare to depart the wake of slain New York Police Officer Wenjian Liu at the Aievoli Funeral Home in Brooklyn . Honored : Despite moving to name a street in honor of Detectives Rafael Ramos -LRB- left -RRB- and Wenjian Liu -LRB- right -RRB- who were shot to death last month , Bill de Blasio has failed to appease thousands of NYPD officers . His young widow Pei Xia Chen , who married Liu just months earlier , paid a tearful tribute at the funeral , saying she had lost her ` soul mate ' and a ` wonderful husband ' . ` Wenjian will always be in my heart . I love you , I love you forever , ' she told him . ` We spoke about work often and how much respect he had for the law , how he applied the law ... with courtesy , with respect and with the highest professionalism . ' The gesture among officers watching the mayor 's speech on a screen added to tensions between the mayor and rank-and-file police even as he sought to quiet them . ` Let us move forward by strengthening the bonds that unite us , and let us work together to attain peace , ' de Blasio said at the funeral . Last Saturday , the New York City Police Department buried a hero . Tens of thousands of officers from our department and hundreds of other departments came to show respect for detective first grade Rafael Ramos . His family witnessed the kind of love that only his second family in blue could display . But for the last seven days , the city 's and the country 's consciousness of that funeral has focused on an act of disrespect shown by a portion of those tens of thousands of officers . It was not all the officers , and it was not disrespect directed at Detective Ramos . But all the officers were painted by it , and it stole the valor , honor , and attention that rightfully belonged to the memory of Detective Rafael Ramos 's life and sacrifice . That was not that intent , I know . But it was the result . On Sunday , we will gather together again , with the rest of New York City and law-enforcement officials nationwide , to mourn for Detective First Grade Wenjian Liu . We gather to support his parents , his widow , and everyone who is there to remember a life tragically cut short . The assassination of Detectives Liu and Ramos was an attack on us all . As a cop , one who lived and worked through the assassination threats of the 1970s , I understand that emotions are high . I issue no mandates , and I make no threats of discipline . But I remind you that when you don the uniform of this department , you are bound by the tradition , honor , and decency that go with it . | On Monday , Mayor Bill de Blasio made his first remarks about the protests . He said it was disrespectful to the families and an offense to the whole city . Police Commissioner Bill Bratton also condemned the action on Sunday . | [[164, 211], [214, 290], [0, 163], [164, 211], [214, 290], [324, 341], [364, 401], [786, 888], [1103, 1142], [1130, 1151], [1156, 1172], [1175, 1214], [4258, 4329], [402, 437], [443, 468], [699, 783]] |
They emerged as a novel way for the rich and famous to expand their homes , but now ` mega basements ' are set to be outlawed in one of Britain 's wealthiest areas . The London borough of Kensington and Chelsea has become the first local authority in the country to introduce restrictions on controversial subterranean developments . Basement extensions several storeys below the ground have become increasingly popular in some of the capital 's most expensive neighbourhoods as home-owners attempt to increase their living space without infringing strict planning controls . They have led to the creation of what are known as ` iceberg homes ' , with the extra space earmarked to accommodate private cinemas , spas and swimming pools . Scroll down for video . A private pool and adjoining leisure deck in the basement of . the houses at Wycombe Square in Kensington . However , the days of plush ` mega-basements ' may be numbered in the desirable London area . Jon Hunt , founder of the estate agents Foxtons , and Hans Rausing , heir to the Tetra Pak fortune , were said to be among those to have sought permission for basement extensions in the capital in recent years . The trend has gathered pace in the last decade . The likes of Andrew Lloyd Webber , Nicole Kidman and Roman Abramovich have all extended underground . However , doing so comes at a premium . Last August , millionaire hedge fund boss Reade Griffith was order to pay # 800,000 to create a huge two-storey underground basement below his two adjoining Kensington townhouses . He received the unprecedented levy from Kensington and Chelsea Council when he was granted planning permission for the extension , which houses a swimming pool , spa and ` treatment area ' . The basements have drawn repeated complaints from neighbours about noise and dust . File picture . A view overlooking the rear of the property showing work in Kensington , London . File picture . In 2001 there were just 46 planning applications for basement developments in Kensington and Chelsea , rising to 450 last year . The council said they have also increased in size , with two and three-storey basements ` not uncommon ' . They have drawn repeated complaints from neighbouring residents about noise and dust . Now after a two-year process , Kensington and Chelsea council has announced that a Government planning inspector has given the green light to its proposals to curb the scale of subterranean development . Actress Joan Collins hit out at her neighbours ' basements in upmarket Belgravia - many of whom she said hardly even use their homes . Basement extensions will still be permitted but the new rules will restrict how far they can stretch under a garden , limit them to a single storey in most cases and ban developments under listed buildings altogether . Council cabinet member for planning policy Tim Coleridge said : ` Basements have been the single greatest planning concern our residents have expressed to us in living memory . ` Many have experienced years of misery from noise , vibration , dust and construction traffic . ` Two years ago we started drafting a policy to try and strike the right balance between addressing our residents ' concerns and the genuine need for people to expand their homes . ` It has n't been easy and basement developers have aggressively opposed us every step of the way . We are delighted that the inspector agrees that we have got it right while at the same time praising us for our extensive public consultation . ` This ruling is a victory not only for the council but also our residents who have been overwhelmingly supportive of what we have been trying to do . ' The new guidelines are set to be formally adopted at the next full council meeting in January . Actress Joan Collins expressed the outrage of many earlier this year , hitting out at her new neighbours in upmarket Belgravia - many of whom she said hardly even use their homes . The Dynasty actress , 80 , told a residents ' magazine : ` It 's really sad . I find it shocking that people are digging down to put in swimming pools and bowling alleys when they only live here for two or three months of the year . ' Queen guitarist Brian May also took umbrage at building work near his Kensington home . Writing online last month he said : ` Kensington used to be a nice quiet decent place to live ... now it 's becoming a hellhole ' . Well-heeled residents have started to hit back - in June of last year Pamela , Countess Listowel , joined 57 other resident in Camden in lodging an official objection to basement plans on her Victorian street . | Kensington and Chelsea has introduced restrictions on developments . Controversial basements often contain cinemas , pools and even ball rooms . They have soared in popularity for rich residents with limited space . | [[166, 333], [652, 736]] |
Set for stardom : Madeleine Harris was picked from hundreds of hopefuls for a part in Paddington . A British schoolgirl is set for stardom after being plucked from obscurity to play a lead role in the new Paddington film . Madeleine Harris , 13 , of Shepton Mallet , Somerset , was picked from hundreds to play Judy Brown , the daughter of the family who take in the loveable Peruvian bear . The film , based on the Paddington Bear books by Michael Bond , stars big names such as Nicole Kidman , Hugh Bonneville , Julie Walters , Jim Broadbent and Peter Capaldi . It is Madeleine 's movie debut and she had to endure a series of interviews and callbacks before she was given the part . The schoolgirl rubbed shoulders with the stars at the London premier but is now back in classes while the film launches around the world . Madeleine was initially rejected for looking too young but was offered the role a few months later . She said : ` The first thought I had was `` I 've grown ! '' Because I 've always been really small . ' I was really shocked , it still has not really dawned on me I 'm in the film . I 'm only just starting to realise . ' I could n't really give you my favourite part of filming because I loved it all so much , but filming late at night in the Natural History Museum was great . ` It was really quite eerie , you would go into rooms and it would be all dark and you would just see bones and hear the music still playing , it was really creepy but so much fun . ' Madeleine , who studies at Shepton Mallet 's Whitstone School , managed to complete the filming without missing out on her school work . ` It was actually really easy to balance school and filming , ' she added . ` All the teachers at Whitstone are fab and would tell me what I 'd missed and set work . Scroll down for video . Madeleine Harris is pictured left as her character Judy Brown during one of her scenes in the new Paddington film . ` They 've give it to me when I could handle it so I could go away and not worry about it at all . ' I had tutoring on set as well so that made it quite easy to catch up . ` The school were just so good and made it so , so easy for me to manage everything . ' Ian Law , a history teacher at Whitstone School , added : ` She is absolutely brilliant , she takes it all in her stride . ` She was in all last week , despite the film premiering , and has been doing really well in her lessons . The film , based on the Paddington Bear books by Michael Bond , stars big names such as Hugh Bonneville -LRB- pictured back right -RRB- . Madeleine is picture front right . Madeline Harris -LRB- left -RRB- kick started her acting career after meeting Idris Elba -LRB- right -RRB- in London , where she was living while her parents ran a pub . ` She is so laid back about it all and really has n't let it get to her head , she 's a real credit . ' Madeline kick started her acting career after meeting Idris Elba in London , where she was living while her parents ran a pub . The schoolgirl told the star of Luther and The Wire about her passion for acting and he arranged a meeting with his agent where she was immediately signed up . Paddington opened in cinemas last Friday . Although this is Madeleine 's first role on the big screen the teen is no stranger to acting roles . Her first acting job was a part in BBC drama Casualty where she played Izzy Forrester , who caused a car crash . ` It was great fun , ' she said , ` and still one of the funnest jobs I 've done . On my first day I was running across a motorway with cars driving past . ' She has since appeared in television programmes including Mr and Mrs Jones , Man Down , and BBC drama the White Queen . Madeleine said her friends at school had been ` great ' about her acting . ` They 're really funny , ' she said . ' I have some of the older people in the school come up to me as a joke asking me to sign things . ` It 's really funny and a great laugh , everyone 's so great about it . It 's not a big deal really , we do n't tend to talk about it much . ' She added her advice for anyone wanting to be an actor is ` anything is possible ' . ` Do n't give up . If you carry on wanting it then you can achieve it , ' she said . Paddington opened in cinemas last Friday . | Madeleine Harris plucked from obscurity to play lead role in Paddington . The 13-year-old was picked from hundreds of hopefuls to land the part . Plays Judy Brown , the daughter of the family who take in the Peruvian bear . Initially rejected for looking too young but then offered part months later . Madeleine 's first acting job was a part in the BBC hospital drama Casualty . Her career took off after meeting Idris Elba , star of Luther and The Wire . He arranged meeting with his agent and she was immediately signed up . | [[16, 98], [99, 222], [99, 119], [139, 222], [16, 98], [99, 222], [99, 119], [139, 222], [223, 264], [267, 321], [340, 350], [355, 391], [825, 834], [884, 925], [825, 879], [3302, 3355], [3337, 3355], [3362, 3387], [2623, 2690], [2870, 2944], [3083, 3119], [3110, 3119], [3126, 3145], [3110, 3119], [3126, 3129], [3134, 3157]] |
Manchester United go to the Etihad hunting for three points as they take on Manuel Pellegrini 's dishevelled Premier League champions . Here , Sportsmail 's Jamie Redknapp gives his take on where the game could be won and lost . ANGEL DI MARIA v PABLO ZABALETA . I 'll be covering the game for Sky and this is the battle I am most looking forward to watching . It 's an all-Argentine affair and whoever comes out on top will probably end up on the winning side . Di Maria has had two quiet games -- Branislav Ivanovic and Andre Wisdom were very physical and frustrated him . Zabaleta will offer that but will want to take him the other way - he 's one of the best raiding right backs we 've seen in the Premier League . This will be a brilliant contest and absolutely key in deciding the game . Pablo Zabaleta -LRB- left -RRB- and Angel di Maria -LRB- right - Marcos Rojo centre -RRB- will do battle on Sunday afternoon . Argentina Di Maria has lit up the Premier League since moving to Manchester United from Real Madrid . Fellow countryman Zabaleta -LRB- left -RRB- is one of the division 's toughest customers at full back . ROBIN VAN PERSIE v MARTIN DEMICHELIS/ELIAQUIM MANGALA . That goal against Chelsea will give Van Persie confidence and he got good opportunities against one of the meanest defences in the league . He still has a lot to offer but if he gets involved in a physical battle with Vincent Kompany , there will be only one winner . Van Persie needs to target Demichelis/Mangala instead because that 's where he 'll get his success . Robin van Persie 's last-gasp equaliser against Chelsea will give him the confidence to kick on . Eliaquim Mangala has endured a tricky start to life in England after the defender 's summer move from Porto . Manuel Pellegrini may opt for Martin Demichelis -LRB- right -RRB- instead of the struggling Mangala at the back . SERGIO AGUERO v CHRIS SMALLING . Manuel Pellegrini may go with one up front to get more numbers in midfield , but if that one is Sergio Aguero , United are in for a tough afternoon . Aguero played alone at Barcelona last season and as the lone striker against Tottenham two weeks ago he was sensational . United need to get numbers around him because he preys on weak links . Smalling had one of his best ever games for United against Chelsea last week . He 'll need another one on Sunday . Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring for Manchester City as they thumped United at the Etihad last season . Chris Smalling -LRB- pictured being fouled by Oscar -RRB- could be in for a real examining by Aguero at the Etihad . | Angel di Maria is set to be marked by fellow Argentine Pablo Zabaleta . Robin van Persie will be buoyed by his goal against Chelsea . Sergio Aguero could give Chris Smalling a real examining . | [[1024, 1067], [1184, 1241], [1553, 1650], [2470, 2550]] |
His videos show acts of gravity-defying strength so it 's no surprise that Simon Ata has garnered over 14,000 fans on his Facebook page , where he exhibits eye-popping manoeuvres such as vertically bouncing on one hand . The 24-year-old works as a breakdancing teacher in Melbourne , which is where he became inspired to pursue his impressive mode of bodyweight training . Simon Ata works as a breakdancing teacher in Melbourne , which is where he became inspired to pursue his impressive mode of body-weight training . When asked to define his style of training , Simon said it was an amalgamation of different approaches , including gymnastics , breakdancing and calisthenics . ` I started to become passionate about strength and balance moves about six years ago ' he said . ` Breakdancing helped me work out which moves the public appreciate and influenced what I focused on in training . ' When asked to define his style of training , Simon said it was an amalgamation of approaches . ` I 'd probably call it bodyweight strength training , but it 's a combination of gymnastics , breakdancing and calisthenics . ' ` I eat whatever I want and do n't follow any diet routine . My training consists of flips and power moves about three times a week , with some extra bodyweight training . I do n't really train with weights . ' Simon said there are a number of advantages to what he does over conventional weight training . ` You can do it anywhere . You do n't rely on anyone else , it 's just you and the floor . I 've also never had any injuries from this , since you can control the pace and difficulty very well . ' Simon says the advantage of bodyweight training is that you can do it anywhere and you rarely suffer injuries . Simon displays his impressive physique , but he says he does not follow a diet and eats whatever he wants . Simon recommends anyone hoping to learn his impressive style of training get started by watching some YouTube tutorials . ` After that , you can look at joining a local gymnastics club for a more formal approach . Any open gymnastics ' sessions are a great place to start , ' he said . ` From my experience , people who train at these sessions are friendly and happy to lend a helping hand to beginners . ' Images by Just Dave . | Simon Ata , 24 , works as a breakdancing teacher in Melbourne . He started bodyweight strength training about six years ago . Simon does not follow a diet routine and rarely trains with weights . | [[373, 427], [682, 761], [752, 765], [768, 777], [1121, 1179], [1291, 1327], [1780, 1831]] |
For many people the chance to drive a supercar , particularly a rare Ferrari that is one of only around 300 ever made , is a dream . But one driver saw the experience go badly wrong when he apparently lost control of the car and collided with a lamp post . The Ferrari F50 , which is estimated to be worth around # 850,000 , was left with a badly damaged rear . Scroll down for video . The Ferrari F50 is worth an estimated # 850,000 and repairing the car could prove a costly job for its insurers . Repairing it is likely to be expensive and could make the crash Britain 's most expensive involving one car . The Ferrari , which is not understood to have been written off , is thought to be the most valuable car involved in a crash since Rowan Atkinson badly damaged his # 3m McLaren F1 in 2011 . He has since received a # 1m insurance payout for the crash to repair the supercar . The Ferrari F50 is one of 349 of the cars ever made and was produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Italian car manufacturer . The rare Ferrari was left with a badly damaged rear after the driver appeared to lose control at a roundabout . The Ferrari F50 is one of 349 of the cars ever made to celebrate the car company 's 50th anniversary . It is seen by some as an ` F1 car for the road ' and can go from 0 to 60mph in just over three seconds . Seamus O'Brien , 49 , from Leicester , was one of the first people to arrive at the scene of the crash , which took place on Wednesday morning on the A43 in Northamptonshire . The Ferrari F50 is one of 349 of the cars ever made . It has a top speed of 202mph . The car can go from 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds . It has a 4.7-litre V12 engine . Horsepower is 520bhp . The car is estimated to be worth # 850,000 . It was introduced in 1995 . The car has two doors and two seats . Has a removable hard top . The last F50 was produced in Italy in July 1997 . He said : ' I was driving on the A43 near Brackley and saw the Ferrari wrapped around the lamppost . ` There was a chap wearing a Ferrari T-shirt stood besides another chap and another car had put its hazard lights on to block the lane which was 50 yards off the westbound roundabout . ` It looked like a test drive gone wrong and they had clearly come around the roundabout to head towards Silverstone and applied too much power . ` They 're very unforgiving to drive and despite the very dry weather conditions , the driver clearly gave it too much welly and spun the car into the lamppost . ` Nobody was hurt apart from some seriously damaged egos . ' A spokesperson for Northamptonshire Police said : ` We were called at 11.11 am on Wednesday morning to reports a silver Ferrari was involved in a collision with a lamppost . ` The lamppost and the car were damaged , but there were no injuries . ' Rowan Atkinson lost control of his McLaren F1 supercar , leading to repairs on the # 3m car which cost # 1m . Mr Bean actor Rowan Atkinson last year received a # 1m insurance payout to cover repairs after he badly damaged his McLaren F1 supercar in 2011 , breaking his shoulder in the crash . Atkinson lost control of the 240mph car , thought to be worth more than # 3million , in August 2011 . After veering off a slippery section of the A605 near Peterborough , it hit a tree and burst into flames . | Ferrari F50 is one of only 349 made to celebrate company 's 50th birthday . It goes from 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds and has top speed of 202mph . Driver crashed car into lamppost , badly damaging rear of the vehicle . Cost of car means this could be one of the most expensive single crashes . | [[884, 925], [884, 899], [917, 1020], [1133, 1174], [1166, 1235], [1517, 1558], [1236, 1238], [1283, 1340], [1571, 1601], [1602, 1646], [137, 249], [152, 256], [257, 272], [325, 361], [1021, 1089], [1052, 1132], [2405, 2415], [2451, 2483], [2545, 2592], [2595, 2718], [2902, 2930], [2941, 3045], [500, 538], [500, 512], [543, 609], [692, 798]] |
At least 29 people , including 20 women , have been shot dead in Iraq in an apparent attack on a brothel . Gunmen wearing camouflage burst into two apartments in Baghdad yesterday evening before massacring everyone inside , according to police . While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the murders , locals believe the killings were carried out by Shiite militants opposed to prostitution . Gunmen in Baghdad have executed at least 29 people including 20 women in an apparent raid on a brothel . A police officer speaking on condition of anonymity said : ` When we walked up the stairs , we saw a couple of women 's bodies and blood streaming down the stairs . ` We entered a flat and found bodies everywhere , some lying on the sofa , some on the ground , and one woman who apparently had tried to hide in a cupboard in the kitchen shot to death there . ' The attacks happened late on Saturday night at an apartment block in Zayouna , a mixed Sunni and Shiite district of Baghdad . Police believe men using silenced weapons carried out the executions , before scrawling ` this is the fate of any prostitution ' on one of the doors . Officers have now cordoned off the street , with residents reporting that the sole access point to the building has been blocked off . Shiite militias have become more active on the streets of Baghdad since Sunni militants led by jihadist fighters took over large swathes of eastern and northern Iraq a month ago . While nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack , it is thought Shiite militants are behind it . Sunni ISIS fighters have seized most of the country 's north , including all of its borders with Syria , in an attempt to set up a single Islamic state across country lines . The sudden assault by ISIS earlier this year lead marches by Shiite Muslims in Iraq 's capital in a show of defiance . Violence is at its highest level in Iraq in recent years according to the UN , with 2,417 people killed in June , the majority of them civilians , the highest number since 2007 . The latest attacks in Baghdad mirror executions carried out by Shiite militias in May 2013 in the same district , when gunmen attacked brothels and alcohol shops . Seven women and five men were killed on that occasion after gunmen burst into a brothel , while 12 shopkeepers died after militants restrained a nearby police officer before shooting them . The deaths happened in the Zayouna district of Baghdad , the same district where seven women and five men were shot in a similar attack in May last year . | Gunmen dressed in camouflage and using silencers raid brothel in Baghdad . Militants execute at least 29 people including 20 women during the attack . Nobody has claimed attacks but it is believed Shiite militants are behind it . | [[0, 39], [42, 106], [107, 221], [107, 132], [224, 245], [401, 505], [993, 1061], [2200, 2287], [0, 39], [42, 106], [401, 505], [442, 470], [2200, 2287], [252, 307], [310, 400], [1465, 1513], [1516, 1562]] |
It is a view of the Diamond Jubilee concert that you could n't see on television . Photos and comments posted on Twitter by those involved in the celebrations give a unique insight into how the events unfolded behind the scenes . Posting a picture of herself standing next to the Queen , pop singer Cheryl Cole wrote : ` This image will live with me Forever . . I could never have dreamed of this moment . ' Scroll down for video . Royal appointment : Mike Tindall is pictured leaning across his wife Zara Phillips , the Queen 's granddaughter in the Royal Box . The former England captain tweeted that ` BP -LRB- Buckingham Palace -RRB- was looking good ' Proud mum : Sarah Ferguson tweeted that she was ` Sooo pround of my girls smiling broadly , celebrating Granny with the Nation and Eugie with her flag . ' Minutes later she added that Prince Andrew -LSB- picture right -RSB- was looking ` very dashing in his naval uniform ' Happy days : The Queen waves from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as the Royal family watches on during the final day of the Jubilee Celebrations on The Mall in central London . Dressed to impress : Popstar Will.i.am with soldiers outside Buckingham Palace . The singer posted the photo on Twitter with the caption ` Me and my crew ' Starstruck : The Queen meets Aussie pop sensation Kylie Minogue and Lee Thompson from Madness backstage at the Diamond Jubilee concert . One of the more amusing Twitter . exchanges began when Mike Tindall , who is married to the Queen 's . granddaughter Zara Phillips , posted a picture of Buckingham Palace he . took on his phone from the royal box at the concert . His image of the beautifully illuminated palace , posted with the caption ` BP looking good ' , seemed innocent enough . But his England Rugby teammates were . less reserved , with one , Andy Goode , writing : ` Which one is yours and . z 's bedroom window tonight big lad ??!! ' Another friend , seeing that Tindall . was seated just in front of David Cameron , replied : ` U be careful with . that PM guy behind u , reading all ur tweets & texts and being all . judgemental !! ' Winger Mark Cueto added : ` Your pearly whites looking good . on my tele kid ? Must be the HD ?? ' American . pop star Will.i.am , who performed at the concert , had clearly been . enjoying his day at the palace . He tweeted a picture of himself with the . royal guards , with the caption : ` Me and my crew holding down the royal . palace while the people celebrate the #diamondjubilee . ' He then posted a picture of himself wearing one of the guards ' bearskin hats . Stephen Fry , watching the concert from his London home , posted an audio recording of the fireworks , writing that they were ` rattling his windows ' . He was obviously more impressed with the BBC 's TV coverage than he had been on Sunday , when he called it ` mind-numbingly tedious ' . He tweeted : ` You see BBC ? It works so much better with no commentary . ' While the Royal Family , politicians and celebrities enjoyed the concert , Speaker 's wife Sally Bercow was absent from the celebrations . And despite being an ardent anti-monarchist , she took to Twitter to complain that she had n't had a VIP invitation . ` I wish , ' she told one user who asked if she had been invited . ` We get the stuffy , pompous perks mainly ' -- referring to the fact that she and her husband had been invited to join the thanksgiving service yesterday at St Paul 's Cathedral . Later , she said she had reluctantly . agreed to attend because ` if I had n't accompanied Mr B , they 'd bang on . about what a disgraceful , unsupportive wife I am ' . In . response to her comments , one exasperated Twitter user wrote : ` Why . do n't you just shove off and let someone who would appreciate it be . speakers wife then ? ' Mrs . Bercow had already annoyed fellow Twitter users with her comments about . the jubilee , after calling members of the public who had joined the . celebrations ` mindless , flag-waving loons ' . She told followers she was . ` underwhelmed ' by the jubilee celebrations -- while boasting that she had . ` the best view in London ' of them . She . also tweeted that she was ` c ** p at pretending to be ardent monarchist ' and that the best thing about the jubilee was the ` retailer discounts . ' The . Duchess of York wistfully tweeted about the jubilee , which she watched . on TV after not being invited to any of the official celebrations . Sarah , 52 , wrote : ` Sooo proud of my girls smiling broadly , celebrating . Granny with the Nation and Eugie with her flag and both happy smiles . ' Minutes . later , she added : ` Prince Andrew , The Duke of York looking very dashing . in his naval uniform . ` Would love to see more of my girls and their Papa . on the BBC . ' And when . journalist Matthew D'Ancona tweeted that she should have been included . in the celebrations , she was quick to agree . He wrote : ` If Robbie and . Gary can make up , surely it 's time to forgive Fergie ? Mother of two the . Queen 's grandchildren , after all . ' In reply , she wrote : ` Friendship and support is honey to the soul . ` We need more kindness and forgiveness in this world . ' Rocking royalty : Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell meet the Queen at a Diamond Jubilee arts event two weeks ago . Centre stage : The Queen on the incredible stage around the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace next to Will.i.am , Cheryl Cole and Tom Jones . Behind a fan ca n't resist recording the moment for posterity . VIDEO : The Queen meets a host of stars backstage following the Diamond Jubilee Concert . | Former England rugby captain Mike Tindall posts image of Buckinham Palace with the caption ` BP looking good ' Cheryl Cole writes : ` This image will be with me forever ... I could never have dreamed of this moment . Will.i.am tweets : ` Me and my crew holding down the royal . palace while the people celebrate #diamondjubilee . | [[563, 637], [563, 589], [625, 654], [1633, 1680], [1683, 1711], [1695, 1724], [288, 298], [311, 316], [319, 359], [362, 405], [2414, 2446], [2460, 2502]] |
A team of Australian filmmakers have reunited to bring the story of one of the computer screen 's biggest stars to the cinema screen . The viral video of a baby panda sneezing has been reimagined in the upcoming US$ 5.7 million mockumentary , Sneezing Baby Panda . Documentarian duo Lesley Hammond and Jenny Walsh , who in 1999 filmed the original baby panda Chi Chi sneezing at a panda breeding centre in China 's Sichuan province , have reunited to co-direct the film . Impending cute-pocalypse : one of the pandas featured in the upcoming film Sneezing Baby Panda . Sneezing Baby Panda , follows the story of fictional zoologist Marnie Tyler -LRB- Australian actress Amber Clayton -RRB- , who works at Ullamulla Zoo -- where admissions are down and something needs be done to get people through the gates . Enter viral sensation Chi Chi , who could hopefully turn the zoo 's fate around . The film 's co-creators have spent the past 20 years creating television specials for channels including National Geographic , Animal Planet and Australian commercial television channels . The team was given a level of access to China 's panda breeding centres that most Western filmmakers can only dream about . Stealing a quick kiss : Australian actress Amber Clayton kisses a panda in the upcoming film Sneezing Baby Panda . Sadly , Chi Chi 's mother Mao Mao was killed during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake . Sneezing Baby Panda opens limited release in Australia on Thursday May 1st . The film is set for a mainland China release in July . | Original YouTube video has been viewed more than 250 million times . Brought to the big screen by the duo who filmed the original video . Released in Australia on Thursday . | [[0, 134], [1402, 1478]] |
Education Minister Chris Pyne has been told to ` man up ' by the Today Show 's Karl Stefanovic , who blasted ` you ca n't even get your policy through your own people ' . Stefanovic stuck his teeth into Pyne a day after he grilled Prime Minister Tony Abbott about the axed carbon tax and federal budget , saying : ` No one is buying what you are selling , what you are laying down . That is the problem . ' ` The reality here is that the budget position is in a shambles and every day it does get worse , ' he told the PM , as it was revealed Abbott 's popularity has fallen . Pyne appeared on the Today Show to discuss his unpopular Higher Education reforms as the government vowed it will launch a second attempt to pass them despite a Senate defeat on Tuesday . Scroll down for video . Today Show 's Karl Stefanovic told Education Minister Chris Pyne to ` man up ' on Wednesday morning . Education minister Christopher Pyne later gave a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra . When Stefanovic pointed out ` not even your own party has any faith in your arguments for existing reforms , ' Pyne argued : ’75 per cent of the budget is through . ' ` Here 's the issue you ca n't get your own policies through the Senate - and yes it 's hostile - but you ca n't even get it through your own people , ' Karl laughed . ` That 's not right Karl ... I 'm not in the least bit dismayed ... my view is that 's democracy ... this morning I am bouncing back and puting up a new reform bill , ' Pyne said . On Tuesday night Pyne was forced to deny that he ` harassed ' senators in order to get them to support his higher education reforms , insisting that he holds an ` excellent relationship ' with the Senate 's crossbenchers . Pyne commented on the Government 's higher education reform , after it was voted down in the Senate . PUP Senator Glenn Lazarus speaks in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra , Tuesday . Palmer United Party Senator Glenn Lazarus accused the Education Minister of pestering him and others in a statement , saying he 'd been ` inundated with text messages from Christopher Pyne ' despite having never given him his mobile number . But Mr Pyne dismissed the accusations , suggesting that the ` seven or eight ' messages he 'd sent Senator Lazarus were entirely acceptable and telling ABC 's 7.30 Report that he would be ` happy to send him more ' . Asking him about the allegations , Stefanovic jibed : ` He 's a newly minted senator with virtually no experience , he was mocking you . ' Pyne vowed he will bounce back and propose a new version of the Higher Education reforms . He denied he was being blackmailed when Stefeanovic probed him about senators who did not vote for his reforms . ` That 's a matter for Senator Lazarus . I intend to have a great relationship with him , ' Pyne replied . Announcing : ` Today we 'll introduce a new higher education reform bill that picks up a lot of the issues that were raised by the crossbenchers , none by Labor or the Greens they are just saying `` no '' and are not part of the debate at all . ' ` Whose fault is it that the bill was rejected ? , ' Stefanovic asked . ` Well the crossbenchers , the Labors and the Greens did n't vote for it -- four of the crossbenches did ... great reform takes time , there is an inevitability about it because it 's great for our universities and students , ' Pyne said . Stefanovic continued his offence : ` Ultimately you 've got massive dramas getting any bill passed do you think that the senators are holding the country to ransom at the moment -- are they blackmailing the country ? ' The Prime Minister appeared on Channel Nine 's Today show on Tuesday morning and faced a barrage of questions from host Karl Stefanovic over his controversial budget decisions . Avoiding answering the question , Pyne said : ` As I see this , it is round two . As I said to Clive Palmer if it loses the first time it will be like losing the first test of a five test series . ' ` They are blackmailing you in a way though are n't they ? , ' Stefanovic retorted . ` I would n't say that , ' Pyne said . ` I think the PM said something like that yesterday `` this is a form of blackmail '' , ' Stefanovic reasoned . ` I think he was saying ... voting no in the Senate because you ca n't have your way on one particular thing is not the way to negotiate with the government or with anybody , ' Pyne said . Stefanovic finished : ` Why do n't you just double dissolution , man up and get on with it ? ` We 've had a great year , ' Pyne replied . Education Minister Christopher Pyne has denied that he was ` harassing ' Palmer United Party Senator Glenn Lazarus in order to gain his support for his higher education reforms package . The Abbott government will have another go at overhauling universities , defying defeat and bringing a new-look bill before parliament . Pyne will on Wednesday introduce a redrafted bill to deregulate universities , after the Senate knocked back the first attempt on Tuesday . Despite pleading with crossbench senators , the government failed to convince enough to jump on board the policy . The government will have to work on the Palmer United Party , Jacqui Lambie and Nick Xenophon to get the new bill through the Senate early next year . The redrafted bill will include other crossbench amendments that dump plans to increase interest rates on HECS and freeze interest charges while new parents take time out to raise kids . It will also include a scholarship fund targeted towards disadvantaged and rural students . On Tuesday Pyne also made an ironic slip when pronouncing the name of cross bencher Zhenya ` Dio ' Wang while insisting he had an ` excellent relationship ' with him - a mistake that was quickly pointed out by ABC reporter Leigh Sales . ABC journalist Leigh Sales , pointed Mr Pyne 's ironic slip when pronouncing the name of cross bencher Zhenya ` Dio ' Wang . ` Well some people pronounce it Wang , some people pronounce it Wong ; it depends where you are on the spectrum . But if you wish to pick me up on that Leigh , that 's a very small thing and I 'm surprised you 'd bother with it . Never the less , Dio and I are good friends and I will continue to try and get their support , ' he replied to the quip . Clearly put-off by the slip , Mr Pyne then scolded Ms Sales , instructing her to study a bachelor of political science after being asked about the frequency of which he met with the crossbenchers and the quality of the relationships they shared . ' I have met with some of the crossbenchers many , many times -- in fact I 've met with some of them six or seven or eight times , but I 'm not going to go through the day-to-day machinations of how government works , Leigh , ' he said . ` You can go and study that at university if you wish to , in a bachelor of political science . The reality is that I 'm working closely with the cross bench , I secured four of their votes today and I 'll be back at it again tomorrow with a new reform bill . ' | Chris Pyne appeared on the Today Show on Wednesday morning . He announced the government will launch a second attempt to pass education reforms after the senate rejected them on Tuesday . Glenn Lazarus has accused the Minister of ` harassing ' him and other crossbenchers in order to gain their support for higher education reforms . Mr Pyne defended himself by saying Mr Lazarus was the only crossbencher who had refused to meet with him for discussions , forcing him to text . Stefanovic laid into Pyne a day after he blasted Tony Abbott about his unpopular budget . The reforms were rejected by the Senate on Tuesday night with a vote of 33-31 , with Senators Lazarus amongst those who voted against the bill . | [[577, 714], [3618, 3670], [577, 714], [683, 764], [1730, 1789], [1792, 1831], [4745, 4881], [4967, 5021], [1507, 1586], [1553, 1555], [1587, 1638], [1931, 2020], [4558, 4681], [4682, 4744], [1931, 1972], [2049, 2148], [0, 94], [171, 302], [3618, 3636], [3699, 3795], [683, 764], [1730, 1789], [1792, 1831], [4967, 5021]] |
Louis van Gaal believes Manchester City 's poor form gives United a big chance to snatch a win at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday . City have won five of their last six league meetings with United but they go into Sunday 's game on a bad run of form . Manuel Pellegrini 's team stretched their winless streak to three matches on Wednesday when they were knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Newcastle . United boss Louis van Gaal was all smiles during the session as he embarks on his first Manchester derby . Juan Mata , Michael Carrick , Wayne Rooney , Ander Herrera and Robin van Persie -LRB- left to right -RRB- train . Radamel Falcao misses out again having been sidelined for the draw with Chelsea at the Etihad on Sunday . 2013-14 - United 0-3 City , City 4-1 United . 2012-13 - United 1-2 City , City 2-3 United . 2011-12 - City 1-0 United , City 2-3 United -LRB- FA Cup -RRB- , United 1-6 City . 2010-11 - City 1-0 United -LRB- FA Cup -RRB- , United 2-1 City , City 0-0 United , . 2009-10 - City 0-1 United , United 3-1 City -LRB- League Cup -RRB- , City 2-1 United -LRB- League Cup -RRB- , United 4-3 City . And you get the impression Van Gaal thinks City are there for the taking . ` It is not the greatest moment of Manchester City , ' he said . `` What we have seen of Manchester City in the last matches was not so good . ` We have a good feeling about this match . ' It will be the first time Van Gaal has been in the dugout for an all-Manchester match-up and the Dutchman could field up to five derby debutants for the hotly-contested clash . But he is sure they will all understand what the fixture means to the club after a pep talk from assistant manager Ryan Giggs this week . ` Ryan Giggs presented the analysis of Manchester City , and I felt more tension -LRB- about the derby -RRB- with him . It was good to see that , ' Van Gaal said . ` He knows it , he has the experience as a player and now maybe as an assistant manager . ' Rooney joined the rest of his United team-mates at the launch of the club 's sponsorship with Bulova watches and he also wore a Matalan Alphabet scarf in support of Alder Hey Children 's Hospital Charity . Manchester United captain Rooney has been suspended since his red card against West Ham last month . Tensions have run high in the build up to the clash but Van Gaal insists his players must not be overcome by emotion on Sunday afternoon . Wayne Rooney -LRB- United -RRB- - 11 . Joe Hayes -LRB- City -RRB- - 10 . Francis Lee -LRB- City -RRB- - 10 . Bobby Charlton -LRB- United -RRB- - 9 . Colin Bell -LRB- City -RRB- - 8 . Eric Cantona -LRB- United -RRB- - 8 . Brian Kidd -LRB- United and City -RRB- - 8 . Joe Spence -LRB- United -RRB- - 8 . He added : ` We do n't have to accelerate this feeling because it is football and you have to play the game , not only a game with emotion but also in a tactical way . ` For me , I have to analyse and prepare for the games in the same manner -LRB- as the other matches -RRB- . ' Wayne Rooney will start Sunday 's Manchester derby but Van Gaal will once again be without Radamel Falcao , who is still injured . Rooney is back from suspension and fit to captain United against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium after being seen limping at Old Trafford earlier this week . Colombia striker Falcao remains sidelined , however , following the knock he picked up in training a week ago . Carrick -LRB- front -RRB- is in contention to play his first game of the season for United after an ankle injury . Van Gaal told a press conference on Friday afternoon : ` Rooney is fine , he was never injured . ` Maybe he was wearing his shoes too tight . He is my captain and he will start the game . ` Falcao is still injured but -LSB- Antonio -RSB- Valencia is back . ' The United skipper has scored 11 goals against City , the most notable of which came in February 2011 when he put away a spectacular overhead kick to seal a 2-1 win at Old Trafford . ' I have heard that also he has scored a lot of goals against Manchester City , the most of any player , ' said Van Gaal , whose claim is accurate . ' I said that to him to stimulate him but he does n't need that . Angel di Maria appeared in a relaxed mood during Manchester United 's training session on Friday . Marcos Rojo -LRB- left -RRB- and Antonio Valencia could be two of many South Americans involved at the Etihad . The return of Rooney -LRB- left -RRB- to the line-up is likely to mean Mata -LRB- right -RRB- will be dropped to the bench against City . Marouane has had a resurgence in recent weeks , and could start against City on SUnday . ' I am very happy that he can play again and he shall play . ' Van Gaal , looking forward to his first Manchester derby , says it will be the biggest local rivalry that he has managed , and recognises what it means to the city . ` This is the biggest derby that I shall manage . It is one of 38 -LSB- league -RSB- matches we have to play , but for the fans it is unbelievably big as a rivalry and I have felt that also with a lot of the players in the squad , but also especially with Ryan Giggs . ` When he presented the analysis on City , I felt more tension with him . It was good to see . ' One player who could be key to United 's chances is Marouane Fellaini , whose performances over the past two games have seen him back to his best . Van Gaal thinks so too . United attempt to regroup at the Etihad during last year 's 4-1 defeat by their cross-city rivals . Yaya Toure was on song as United were beaten 3-0 by City towards the end of last season . ` He has made a great contribution and also the assist for the -LSB- Chelsea -RSB- goal . ` He has had a lot of time out injured but when he is fit I have played him . He has to continue with that because then I am very pleased . ' United lost their two clashes with City by an aggregate score of 7-1 last term ; 4-1 at the Etihad and 3-0 at Old Trafford under David Moyes . Midfielder David Silva will miss Sunday 's derby after being ruled out for around three weeks with a knee injury . Fellow midfielder Yaya Toure is expected to feature despite being withdrawn during Wednesday 's Capital One Cup loss to Newcastle amid concerns about a groin problem . VIDEO United players match up with City - Robson . | Louis van Gaal is looking ahead to his first Manchester derby on Sunday . Wayne Rooney returns from his three-match ban for the clash . Radamel Falcao is injured having missed the draw with Chelsea . Van Gaal says this will be the biggest derby he has managed . Dutchman also admits Man City have not been good in recent matches . United lost the Manchester derby by an aggregate of 7-1 last season . | [[401, 507], [465, 507], [1391, 1468], [4658, 4666], [4669, 4714], [2157, 2257], [2978, 3028], [3109, 3147], [622, 653], [622, 643], [648, 727], [3069, 3083], [3093, 3108], [4826, 4873], [0, 52], [198, 248], [1259, 1315]] |
Wakefield 's Super League play-off hopes were dealt a body blow after they crashed to a first home defeat under coach James Webster . The Wildcats never recovered from a dismal first half after which they trailed a rampant Huddersfield 32-0 and , although they produced a spirited revival , a 36-18 defeat leaves them four points behind eighth-placed Widnes with four games left of the regular season . Huddersfield , with former England hooker Shaun Lunt in impressive form on his return from a two-month injury lay-off , were dominant from the start , despite the late withdrawal of winger Jodie Broughton and prop Antonio Kaufusi . Easy pickings : The impressive Shaunt Lunt -LRB- centre -RRB- celebrates after scoring in the easy win at Wakefield . Webster was also forced to make a late change , switching Jarrod Sammut from stand-off to full-back in the absence of the injured Richard Mathers , and the Australian experienced mixed fortunes in his new role . He conceded a penalty from the kick-off by putting the ball straight into touch and the visitors scored inside their first set , with half-backs Luke Robinson and Danny Brough working the ball out wide for centre Joe Wardle to touch down for the first of their six tries before the break . Brough disputed referee James Child 's decision to disallow his conversion , after the two touchjudges came to different conclusions over the accuracy of the kick , but it hardly mattered as Huddersfield went on to win at a canter . Lunt made his first impact on nine minutes when his short pass got prop Eorl Crabtree charging over for the Giants ' second try and it was all Huddersfield as winger Jermaine McGillvary was denied by Paul Sykes ' last-ditch tackle and front rower Anthony Mullally was held up over the line . There was no respite for the Wildcats when Mullally went off as a barnstorming run from his replacement Craig Kopczak created the position for Lunt to force his way over from dummy half before taking Lunt 's pass to cross himself . Lunt went off for a well-earned breather on 28 minutes and his replacement , teenager Kruise Leeming , was quickly into the action , taking Robinson 's pass to score his first try of the season after Sammut had dropped Brough 's high kick . Wakefield spent virtually the whole of the first 40 minutes inside their own half and , on a rare foray near the visitors ' line , spilled ball and watched McGillvary sprint 95 metres for an opportunist 18th try of the season . Leading 32-0 at the break , it was always going to be difficult for the Giants to maintain their sparkling form and the Wildcats , boosted by the arrival from the bench of forwards Ali Lauitiiti and Taulima Tautai , enjoyed a good deal more possession to enable them to redeem themselves . Sammut scored one try four minutes into the second half , which he converted , looked to have added another only to be pulled back for a forward pass and was then held up over the line . Wildcats ' pressure eventually told when hooker Paul McShane got stand-off Sykes through a yawning gap in the Huddersfield defence and Sammut kicked his second goal . It was a far more even contest in the second half , with the Giants scoring their only other try through teenager Jake Connor , who switched from the wing to full-back in the absence of Scott Grix for the second half . The Wildcats were well beaten but they had the final say when second rower Danny Kirmond got out an offload that enabled Sammut to score his second try and he also kicked his third goal . | Former England hooker Lunt had been out for two months . Joe Wardle scored the opening try for the visitors . | [[1171, 1254]] |
Child killer Ronald Salazar , who has served a decade of a life sentence for the horrific murder of his sister , has returned to court to be re-sentenced . A child killer who has served a decade of a life sentence for the horrific murder of his sister has returned to court to be re-sentenced , with the possibility he could serve less jail time . Ronald Salazar was just 14 when he raped and strangled his 11-year-old sister before slitting her throat in their South Miami Heights home in 2005 , a court heard . Salazar 's return to court follows a decision by the US Supreme Court in 2012 banning mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for juvenile killers . Salazar told Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ellen Sue Venzer at the re-sentencing that his entire life had been ` messed up ' after his parents abandoned him in El Salvador while they made their way into the United States in 1991 . He claimed he had been left with ` abusive ' relatives until age 10 when his family finally called for him to make the three journey across the Arizona desert and join them in Miami - where they then treated him as an outcast . His parents , Samuel and Nuvia Salazar , did n't attend the proceedings . ' I just wanted them to see everything I had gone through , ' said Salazar , according to the Miami Herald . ' I thought they were going to embrace my pain , that they were going to say , ` I 'm sorry , we left you there that whole time by yourself . ` It was nothing like that . They said they had a rougher life , that I did n't have the right to complain . I felt rejected . ' He began to lash out and was committed to a hospital for a psychological evaluation after threatening to kill himself and his family . Salazar murdered his little sister Marina ` Estefani ' Salazar in July 2005 soon after his release from hospital by cutting her throat from ear-to-ear . He then tried to cover his tracks by wiping the knife clean and making up a story about men storming the house and killer her , the court heard . It took a jury just two hours at his trial in 2009 to convict him after prosecutors produced DNA evidence and a videotaped confession . Salazar had claimed he was insane and suffered a mental breakdown . The court in the trial heard he had hated his parents and killed his sister Estefani as revenge for them leaving him in El Salvador . Salazar -LRB- left -RRB- murdered his little sister Marina ` Estefani ' Salazar -LRB- right -RRB- in July 2005 by strangling her and cutting her throat . This week 's hearing heard that Salazar had been mentally scarred by his parents ' decision to abandon him in El Salvador , where he was sexually abused aged 7 and ran with street gangs , and was not made to feel welcome when he finally joined them . Salazar also claimed his parents told him they had a witch doctor remove a ` voodoo ' spell from his father only to cast it upon him as a baby . In tears , he admitted he felt he did n't deserve a second chance but wanted to prove ` I 'm not that animal . ' However , prosecutor Reid Rubin , pointed out the killer had boasted of the murder in prison and claimed he could still use his gang connections to have his parents killed from behind bars . Salazar raped his sister because he knew he 'd never be with another woman once jailed , the court heard . Salazar said he had no answer to why he raped the 11-year-old . ' I really do wish I had an answer to that question , ' he said . ` There is no reason . She was sweet . She never did anything to me . ' The Supreme Court barred mandatory life prison terms for juveniles after research showed that young people 's brains are more susceptible to impulses and the influence of others . The law allows for judicial ` review ' after 25 years for juveniles serving life for murder but does not apply to cases from before July 1 , 2014 . The 24-year-old 's hearing comes after a decision by the US Supreme Court in 2012 which banned mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for juvenile killers . | Ronald Salazar was convicted of murdering his little sister in 2005 . Then 14 , he raped , strangled and then slit the throat of the 11-year-old . He was sentenced to life in jail for the crimes . A change in the law means that Salazar , now 24 , will be re-sentenced . | [[0, 29], [34, 110], [156, 273], [156, 251], [274, 292], [1724, 1804], [348, 486], [380, 382], [393, 494], [1724, 1804], [1837, 1876], [2494, 2514], [0, 27], [135, 155], [156, 251], [274, 292]] |
Legal past : Hillary Clinton , pictured in 1980 , helped a man accused of child rape get a lighter sentence . In a newly unearthed audio interview Hillary Clinton reveals how she managed to get a plea bargain for a man accused of raping a 12-year-old girl - and shockingly laughs as she indicated she knew he may have been guilty . During the course of the conversation which dates from the early 1980s , Clinton , then 27 , outlines how she used a mistake by the prosecution to get 41-year-old Thomas Alfred Taylor to walk free . Indeed , so cavalier is her attitude to securing the freedom of a man suspected of raping a child that the shocking and candid interview may tarnish her role as an advocate for women and children in the United States . The . recordings which date from 1983-1987 were discovered by the Washington . Free Beacon and are of Clinton recalling her role in the most important . criminal case of her career . This is not the first time that the trial has been written about . In . 2008 at the height of her primary battle with Barack Obama , a Newsday . story focused on Clinton 's deeply controversial strategy of attacking . the credibility of the girl . ` Rodham , . records show , questioned the sixth grader 's honesty and claimed she had . made false accusations in the past . She implied that the girl often . fantasized and sought out ` older men ' like Taylor , according to a July . 1975 affidavit signed ` Hillary D. Rodham ' ` in compact cursive , ' wrote . Newsday . Scroll Down to Listen to the Audio Interview . Difficult case : Hillary Clinton -LRB- seen here in 1975 -RRB- defended Thomas Alfred Taylor , a 41-year-old accused of raping the child after luring her into a car that same year . In 1975 , the year she married Bill , Clinton was the court appointed attorney for Thomas Alfred Taylor . The frontrunner for the 2016 presidential race goes into detail over five hours with Arkansas reporter Roy Reed during the interview , which was intended for an Esquire magazine profile that was never published . Clinton describes Taylor as ` one of those rootless folks ' and claims that the trial was a ` really interesting case . ' Taylor was accused of raping the 12-year-old girl in May , 1975 , in Springdale , Arkansas . The girl was a family friend and Clinton has acknowledged in her past 2003 memoir , Living History , the difficulties the case provided her having just moved to Fayetteville . to run the University of Arkansas ' new legal aid clinic . ` This guy was accused of raping a 12-year-old . Course he claimed that he did n't , and all this stuff , ' says Clinton . However , what is most shocking is the breezy manner in which she discusses her clients crime and the offhand way in which she questions his innocence . ' I had him take a polygraph , which he passed -- which forever destroyed my faith in polygraphs , ' she says with a laugh . Listen to the Audio Interview Here : . Career path : Bill and Hillary in 1969 . In 1975 , the year the couple were married , Clinton represented Thomas Taylor in her first trial as a criminal defense lawyer . Indeed , Clinton laughs during several different parts of the interview - especially when she discusses the forensic lab destroying key evidence - which led to Taylor getting away with the crime . But , Ronald Rotunda , a professor of legal ethics at Chapman University , told the Washington Free Beacon . ` We do n't have to believe the client is innocent ... our job is to represent the client in the best way we can within the bounds of the law . ' However , he did raise the possibility that Clinton may have breached the attorney-client privilege by discussing the case so openly . ` You ca n't do that , ' he said . ` Unless the client says : ` You 're free to tell people that you really think I 'm a scumbag , and the only reason I got a lighter sentence is because you 're a really clever lawyer . ' Taylor was accused of plying the girl with whisky and coke and raping her in his car that evening . Part of the prosecution case against him was the testimony of the girl , two witnesses who saw them together and a ` pair of men 's undershorts taken from the defendant herein . ' Crucially , even though Clinton was attacking the credibility of the girl 's character , it was the underwear that allowed her client to walk free . ` You know , what was sad about it , ' Clinton told Reed , ` was that the prosecutor had evidence , among which was Taylor 's underwear , which was bloody . ' Advocate : Hillary Clinton , former U.S. secretary of state , speaks at the Children 's Defense Fund 's 40th Anniversary Celebration in Washington September 30 , 2013 . However , the crime investigation lab failed to handle the evidence correctly . ` The crime lab took the pair of underpants , neatly cut out the part that they were gon na test , tested it , came back with the result of what kind of blood it was what was mixed in with it -- then sent the pants back with the hole in it to evidence , ' said Clinton . ` Of course the crime lab had thrown away the piece they had cut out . ' Jumping on this error , Clinton had the underwear taken to a renowned New York City forensic expert for confirmation that this evidence was now compromised . ` The story through the grape vine was that if you could get this investigator interested in the case then you had the foremost expert in the world willing to testify , so maybe it came out the way you wanted it to come out , ' she said . ` Well this guy 's ready to come from New York to prevent this miscarriage of justice , ' said a laughing Clinton on the tape describing her conversation with the Arkansas prosecutor . In his opinion there was not enough blood on it to test and this ultimately caused Judge Maupin Cummings to decide that offering Taylor a plea deal would be the best option . Distressed : The victim has accused Clinton , pictured at the Children 's Defense Fund 's 40th anniversary last year , as a hypocrite for calling herself a champion on women 's rights . Accusations : Hillary Clinton , pictured with daughter Chelsea earlier this month . The victim of a sex offender she represented has spoken out about how Clinton treated the case . Taylor , who died in 1992 , pleaded guilty to unlawful fondling of a child and was sentenced to one year in prison , which was reduced to two months for time served . However , her cavalier attitude to the rape case comes just over six months after she was honored by the Children 's Defense Fund at its 40th anniversary soiree last September at the Kennedy Center . And , ironically , the trial was instrumental in Clinton co-founding the first rape crisis hotline in Fayetteville . But not once in the interview with Reed does Clinton mention the hotline she set up or the impact of the case on the 12-year-old girl . The Free Beacon tracked down the victim , now aged 52 , who still lives in Fayettevile . She said that she was divorced and an addict to methamphetamines and was in prison for check forgery to pay for her drugs . She expressed hostility towards Clinton for getting her rapist off and said her life has been miserable since . | Hillary Clinton defended Thomas Alfred Taylor , 41 , in 1975 in Fayettville , Arkansas . Then aged 27 , Clinton found a loophole in the prosecution case and Taylor walked free . Newly unearthed audio interview from the early 1980s has Clinton discussing the case with Arkansas journalist . Recordings throw into question Clinton 's claim to be a champion of women and children 's causes . Taylor died in 1992 and his alleged victim is now a drug addict still in Fayettville , Arkansas . | [[1568, 1607], [1608, 1643], [1733, 1740], [1771, 1838], [2983, 2990], [2993, 3001], [3028, 3111], [110, 279], [353, 369], [376, 402], [1839, 1971], [595, 600], [611, 749], [5981, 6044], [6226, 6232], [6239, 6251]] |
The slow-motion camera can capture some of the most beautiful and amazing sights in the world . Whether it be a shark bursting out of the sea , a bird catching it 's prey mid-flight , or a daredevil thrill-seeker leaping off a building , catching this action in ` slow-mo ' keeps the memory alive . Yet for this youngster , the video-reel might want to be one memory to forget . Eliott Terry makes a vain attempt to protect his face with his hands ... Lining up in the garden for a ` kick around , ' a resulting football booted into his face , and cue the tears , Elliott Terry 's small screen moment is captured perfectly by his father Liam . The action was captured on Sony Experia Z3 , where by using TimeLapse , you capture the sequence at a high frame rate , and then add a slow-motion to the sections you want to . Elliott 's brother Oliver , who takes the offending kick appears to turn to the camera as if to say , ` ready , ' before chipping the ball to his unsuspecting sibling . But this is only going one way - and it 's not good for Elliott . The football cuts through the youngster 's defence quite easily . The slow-motion captures the impact perfectly ; Elliott 's hands come up to his face in a vain effort to protect himself , but it 's too late as the ball lands flush . Oliver , realising he may have inadvertently injured his brother , puts his hand to his mouth in shock . Meanwhile a young girl dressed as a princess , who watched open-mouthed on impact , goes to trap the ball as the game comes to an abrupt halt . Then there 's the expected tears as the game goes horribly wrong . The expression of the young girl dressed as a princess is priceless as she looks on open-mouthed . The video then resumes to normal speed , with the expected tears and crying as the injured party 's fun is over , and he exits stage left . Dad Terry , who lives with his family In Melbourne , Australia , told Mail Online : ' I had got a new phone the day before . They were kicking the ball for 20 minutes before I decided to film and that 's what I got . ' ` He -LRB- Oliver -RRB- was fine as well , he cried for 10 seconds , then I showed him the video and he is happy ! ' | Action captured on Sony Xperia Z3 camera in Melbourne , Australia . Father Liam Terry was testing out the software a day after buying phone . Said that Elliott ` cried for 10 seconds ' , and was then ` happy ' | [[644, 686], [1929, 1969], [2107, 2130]] |
A structure in the heart of Mongolia 's Gobi Desert -- lost for a thousand years and marked on maps as ` The Wall of Genghis Khan ' -- has been revealed as still standing and part of the Great Wall . British researcher William Lindesay , aided by Google Earth , GPS and several other experts , found the new section last Autumn in Ömnögovi Province , a sensitive region 25 miles north of the China-Mongolian border . The Great Wall of China is in fact many different structures built over hundreds of years along different routes by various dynasties - this find is the first time a section has been discovered outside China . Remarkable : This part of the newly discovered Wall was constructed from earth and branches and built in 115 B.C . High life : Here the Wall is routed up and over an ancient volcanic cone and is composed of black blocks of basalt . ` We followed the Wall there for about . 100 kilometres -LRB- 60 miles -RRB- , parallel to Mongolia 's southern border with . China and made some unexpected discoveries in terms of both the Wall 's . condition and its probable age , ' said Lindesay , who was joined on the . expedition by China-Mongolia border region expert Dr.Tjalling Halbertsma . and Mongolian geographer and desert specialist Professor Baasan . Tudevin . ` In one location we found the Wall preserved to a height of around 2.5 metres -LRB- eight feet -RRB- and made up of earth and branches of a desert shrub called saksaul . ' In another location about 15 miles away the team discovered that the same Wall detoured off its flat and straight course and went up and over an ancient volcanic cone . No . one knows for certain how long the Wall actually is , because it 's not . one structure , but many , built by different dynasties , which follow . different routes . However , Lindesay believes there 's well over 30,000 miles of Wall altogether . Some parts of the Wall stand 26-feet high . In places the Wall strides across mountains 3,200-feet above sea level . The Ming dynasty -LRB- 14th to 17th century -RRB- is responsible for building much of what exists today , which measures over 4,000 miles . ` Going over the mountain it was constructed from black blocks of basalt and stands around 1.5 metres -LRB- five feet -RRB- high as a prominent landscape feature , ' said Lindesay , who is one of the world 's leading authorities on the Wall , having spent 25 years studying it . He believes that of all the examples of the Wall of Genghis Khan in Mongolia , these are in the best condition . He said : ` Previously , researchers have seen parts of the so-called Wall of Genghis Khan in different regions of Mongolia where it was found only to exist as a mere mound , barely higher than its surroundings , ' he explained . ` We found a real Wall here , thanks to Google Earth and Professor Baasan 's navigation of our vehicles across 150 km -LRB- 93 miles -RRB- of desert devoid of human activity right to our target . ` We `` followed '' the Wall as a faint line on Google Earth across our computer screens for vast distances and were encouraged by a few stretches that showed dark shadows , which indicated the possibility of the Wall standing higher . ' Despite the name assigned to this part of the Wall , Lindesay does n't believe that Genghis Khan was actually responsible for building it . Wild life : Gazelle tracks beside the Wall of Genghis Khan . Sketch map of Mongolia showing the various Walls of Genghis Khan . He said : ` Genghis Khan was a conquerer , not a defender , and it seems his name is given as a `` brand name '' to various things in Mongolia - so we believe it 's just an honorific name on the Wall . ' Its history , is not straightforward . He said : ` The Wall of Genghis Khan in Ömnogovi appears to be a missing piece of the Han Dynasty Great Wall which was routed through the heart of the Gobi around 115 B.C. . If we look at maps and Google Earth , it 's pretty clear that the Wall on either side of the border was in fact the same structure - the Han Great Wall - in ancient times . Tourist attraction : The Great Wall of China in the Huairou District of Beijing . The Ming Dynasty Great Wall of China : This is the structure that tourists visit most often today that you 'll see on postcards . The Han Dynasty Great Wall structures , which were built between 206BC and 220 AD . ` Now it 's a remnant of the Great Wall marooned outside China . ' Radiocarbon dating , however , revealed that some of the wall must have been rebuilt at various times . ` Sample testing on three pieces carried out in the U.S. proved that the saksaul branches from the Wall were cut during the 12th century - a fact that suggests it was reconstructed at that time - by a later dynasty , ' saidLindesay . Full results of Lindesay 's find appears in China 's March issue of National Geographic Magazine . | Discovered in Mongolia , it 's the first time a part of the wall has been found outside China . British researcher William Lindesay used Google Earth to find the structure . The Great Wall of China is in fact many different structures built by several dynasties over different routes . | [[200, 235], [294, 348], [452, 626], [200, 235], [238, 291], [200, 235], [294, 348], [452, 626], [1706, 1719], [1726, 1730], [1733, 1761]] |
Bonus : Royal Bank of Scotland CEO Stephen Hester was given # 1m by RBS chiefs , despite a catalogue of failures and his decision to axe 3,500 jobs . The boss of state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland was handed an annual bonus of nearly # 1million yesterday . To widespread fury , the board of directors awarded Stephen Hester more than many ordinary workers earn in a lifetime . The bank insists it has shown restraint because its chief executive was ` entitled ' to # 1.5 million . But David Ruffley , a senior Tory on the Treasury select committee , said : ` Mr Hester is already paid a # 1.2 million basic salary , which seems to me generous given that the share price has fallen and RBS has failed to meet its lending targets set by the Chancellor . ` It is therefore totally unacceptable that there should be a bonus of just under # 1million for what in the rest of the private sector would be seen as sub-standard performance . ' John Mann , a Labour MP on the same committee , said : ` It is a reward for failure . Giving him a bonus that just creeps under # 1million is like sticking two fingers up at the taxpayer . The Government should have put their foot down and insisted that he gets nothing . ' The move comes just days after ministers announced a crackdown on executive pay and David Cameron said a seven-figure sum for Mr Hester would be unacceptable . The Prime Minister said rewards for failure made ` people 's blood boil ' when -- in the words of the Bank of England governor -- hard-up Britons were suffering ` a ferocious squeeze ' . Mr Hester 's bonus is the first of many for staff at a bank in the process of laying off 3,500 employees . RBS 's share price , meanwhile , has slumped by 40 per cent , giving the taxpayer a paper loss of billions of pounds . Senior Government sources said they were satisfied Mr Hester 's bonus had been cut and insisted he had to be paid well or be lost to a better-paid job in the private sector . Angry : David Cameron said that the rewards for failure make people 's ` blood boil ' while Labour 's John Mann said that the payment was like ` sticking two fingers up at the taxpayer ' One source said : ` We said it should be smaller than last year and we said it should be under # 1million . It is . Last year , his bonus was # 2.04 million . A senior Treasury source said : ` We said we wanted the bonus to be significantly less and they have bowed to that . ' Sir Philip Hampton , chairman of RBS , said the bonus was fair , adding : ` A safer and more valuable RBS is in the interests of our customers , shareholders and the UK economy . ` We are progressing well toward this goal under the leadership of Stephen Hester . ' Protest : A man wearing a ` fat cat ' suit stands outside Royal Bank of Scotland in London , with a cigar yesterday as the bank met to decide on the bonus . However , the boss of Lloyds Banking Group , which is also partly nationalised , has turned down a bonus which could have been up to # 2.4 million . Antonio Horta-Osorio said his decision was triggered by ` the tough financial circumstances that many people are facing ' , as well as his two-month absence following a severe attack of insomnia . Mr Hester 's bonus will be paid entirely in shares , allocated over the next three years . He has been given 3.6 million , worth a total of # 996,000 last night . Mr Hester will be taxed on his bonus , although the exact size of the tax bill is unclear because there are many different structures a company can use to make a share-based bonus award . Last night , experts said the most likely option is that he will have to pay income tax , currently 50 per cent , when the shares are awarded to him over the next three years . Labour condemned the Government 's failure to get a better deal . Angela Eagle , shadow Commons leader , said : ` The board of RBS is thinking of paying their chief executive in one day more than someone on average earnings would make in a lifetime . We have heard expressions of outrage from the Government benches but the question is : `` What is it going to do about it ? '' Lord Oakeshott , a LibDem peer , said : ` It is time to block the bonus which is a clear reward for his failure to lend . He should certainly not got a penny in bonus . Britain can not grow when one of its biggest banks does not lend . ' David Fleming , national officer at the union Unite , said : ` What planet do Stephen Hester and his banking chums live on ? ' He said the bonus was ` utterly disgusting and offensive to every working person across the country ' . Sir Mervyn King , the Bank of England governor , has also voiced his disapproval of big bonuses at a time of financial hardship . In a speech this week , he said : ` The tragedy of the financial crisis is that those who have suffered most have been those who bear no responsibility for it . ' Criticism : Sir Mervyn King said it would be wrong if rewards go to a small elite earlier this week , while Angela Eagle asked what the Government were doing about it in a speech in the Commons . He added it would be wrong ` if rewards go disproportionately to a small elite , especially one which benefited from the support of taxpayers . ' Royal Bank of Scotland 's share price has fallen almost 40 per cent in the past 12 months to close at 27.67 p last night . The bank fell slightly short of its target for lending to small firms under the government 's Project Merlin initiative to get credit flowing through the economy , . Critics argue the Merlin goals are faulty as they measure banks ' ` capacity ' to lend -- the money they make available in theory . Small firms claim the banks have hiked up loan charges and fees , deterring businesses from taking up the funds . Under the terms of Merlin , RBS and the country 's other four biggest banks pledged to lend small and medium-sized firms # 76billion in 2011 . Between January and September , this should have seen them hand out # 57billion -- and they fell # 1billion short . Lord Oakeshott said RBS , which is 83 per cent state owned following its bail-out in 2008 , was ` the worst culprit by far ' among the banks . RBS earlier this month announced a further 3,500 job losses in its investment banking operation , on top of 2,000 announced previously.The bank has shed around 30,000 staff in the past two years , 22,000 of them in the UK . Chris Leslie , Labour Treasury spokesman , said : ` Nobody doubts that Stephen Hester has done some important things at RBS , but what this award shows is David Cameron 's promises about reining in excessive bonuses at state-owned banks or using shareholder power have proved to be utterly worthless . ` Indeed , anyone who thinks it is acceptable to award a bonus of almost # 1million on top of a basic salary of # 1.2 million in these tough times is desperately out of touch with millions of people who are struggling to make ends meet . ' But George Young , the Leader of the Commons , said : ` The contract which entitles Mr Hester to a bonus was put in place by the last Labour government . ` We have done something which they failed to do . We have limited cash bonuses to # 2,000 at RBS and Lloyds . ` We 've already said the bonus pool at RBS and Lloyds will be lower and more transparent this year than last year . ' | Banks claims it showed ` restraint ' as Stephen Hester was entitled to # 1.5 m . MPs attack decision , with one describing it as like ` sticking two fingers up at the taxpayer ' Bonus will be paid in shares allocated over three years . | [[8, 78], [150, 256], [377, 470], [394, 480], [1020, 1122], [1031, 1101], [1031, 1072], [1081, 1122], [2048, 2140], [3189, 3239], [3189, 3207], [3242, 3279], [3654, 3716]] |
A legal battle has been sparked by plans to auction off the one of Oskar Schindler 's original lists for # 2million . An original version of the document , which saved some 1,200 European Jews from the Nazi gas chambers , has gone up for sale on the website of a U.S. memorabilia dealer . But Erika Rosenberg , an heiress of the Schindlers , says the historic document should be in a museum and is trying to block its sale . Historic : This image , taken from the dealer 's website , shows a page from the list up for sale . Outrage : Erika Rosenberg , an heir of the Schindlers , says the list should be on display in a museum . Quoted in the Daily Mirror , she said : ` Oskar and Emilie died poor and they desired that these documents be displayed in museums . ` It is very sad to to see this list be commercialised for millions of dollars . ` This legal fight is not for money but for social justice . ' Schindler 's List , the inspiration for the 1993 film of the same name , was produced by German industrialists Oskar and Emilie Schindler . They gave jobs in their weapons factories to some 1,200 Jewish workers to save them from Nazi concentration camps . The website of Gary Zimet , the dealer who has arranged the sale , says the ` exceedingly rare ' original copy of the list is ` the only one ever to be on the market ' . The website claims that the list 's ` ironclad ' provenance stems from its links to the family of Yitzhak Stern , Schindler 's Jewish accountant and co-conspirator . It is one of only four versions of the list known , it is claimed , with two housed in Yad Vashem , the holocaust museum in Jerusalem , Israel , and the only other in the U.S. Holocaust Museum . ` This version of the list -LRB- there are seven all told -RRB- is the penultimate , being 14 pages in length and listing 801 names , dated April 18 , 1945 , ' the website says . ' A more poignant and historic World War 2 relic can not be imagined . This is the opportunity of a lifetime to acquire an item of truly incredible magnitude . ' Heroes : Oskar and Emilie Schindler died poor in Argentina after leaving their lives in Germany behind when the war ended . According to the Daily Mirror , a previous auction for the list was suspended in 2010 after a lawsuit was taken out by Ms Rosenberg , 60 . The daughter of Germans who fled to Argentina in 1940 , Ms Rosenberg met Emilie Schindler in Buenos Aires in 1990 . When Mrs Schindler died childless in 2001 , she chose Ms Rosenberg as one of five heiresses . Ms Rosenberg had sought to block the sale of the list on copyright grounds . She lost the legal battle , but now she and her lawyers are investigating the possibility of appealing to an international court . | U.S. memorabilia trader puts document in online sale . ` Poignant relic ' is 14 pages long listing 801 names . | [[118, 153], [222, 288], [1779, 1825]] |
A new study of the tectonic plates that make up Earth has revealed just how tempestuous the east Coast one was . Researchers say massive mountains rising between colliding plates , volcanoes belching lava and giant faults slicing the crust were found as the continent originally formed . Researchers even say an unusual magnetic signal near Florida shows the peninsula stuck to North America 's heel like a piece of old tape about 300 million years ago , when the central and southern Appalachian mountains were built . The Brunswick Magnetic Anomaly is a geological feature that snakes from Alabama across Georgia , and offshore to North Carolina 's Outer Banks . Anomalies in Earth 's magnetic field are caused by structures such as faults , and by the varying magnetic intensities of different rock types - showing just how the continent was formed . For hundreds of millions of years , the southern continents of South America , Africa , Antarctica , Australia , and India were united in the supercontinent Gondwana . While the causes for Gondwana 's fragmentation are still debated , it is clear that the supercontinent first split along along the East African coast in a western and eastern part before separation of South America from Africa took place . Today 's continental margins along the South Atlantic ocean and the subsurface graben structure of the West African Rift system in the African continent , extending from Nigeria northwards to Libya , provide key insights on the processes that shaped present-day Africa and South America . In fact , the rocks beneath Florida suggest the peninsula originally was n't part of North America at all . It 's a fragment of either Africa or South America , sutured onto the southeastern United States near an unusual feature called the Brunswick Magnetic Anomaly , researchers say . ` The repeated cycles of plate tectonics that have led to collision and assembly of large supercontinents and their breakup and formation of new ocean basins have produced continents that are collages of bits and pieces of other continents , ' researchers led by Elias Parker Jr. of the University of Georgia wrote . In many cases , the rocks involved in these collision and pull-apart episodes are still buried deep beneath the Earth 's surface , so geologists must use geophysical measurements to study these features . The new study by Elias Parker Jr. of the University of Georgia examines a prominent swath of lower-than-normal magnetism -- known as the Brunswick Magnetic Anomaly -- that stretches from Alabama through Georgia and off shore to the North Carolina coast . Parker has analyzed the detailed characteristics of the magnetic anomalies from data collected across zones in Georgia and concludes that the Brunswick Magnetic Anomaly has a deeply buried source . The anomalous magnetic signal is consistent with an older tectonic event -- the Alleghanian orogeny that formed the Alleghany-Appalachian Mountains when the supercontinent of Pangea was assembled . Parker 's main conclusion is that the rocks responsible for the Brunswick Magnetic Anomaly mark a major fault-zone that formed as portions of Africa and North America were sheared together roughly 300 million years ago -- and that more extensive evidence for this collision are preserved along this zone . One interesting implication is that perhaps a larger portion of what is now Africa was left behind in the American southeast when Pangea later broke up - including Florida . How South America could have ruled the world : This image shows how the Earth MIGHT have looked if Africa had been split in two . The move would have left a huge ocean south of today 's Sahara desert , creating a South Atlantic and a Saharan Atlantic Ocean . The huge upheavals occured millions of years ago when eastern North America was part of Gondwana and Pangaea , the supercontinents that formed as Earth 's tectonic plates collided , split apart , and then crashed together again before rifting and drifting toward the spots where they 're located today . Australian researchers say the break-up of the supercontinent Gondwana about 130 Million years ago could have lead to a completely different shape of the African and South American continent . They say the move would have left a huge ocean south of today 's Sahara desert , creating a South Atlantic and a Saharan Atlantic Ocean . Geoscientists from the University of Sydney and the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences used sophisticated plate tectonic and three-dimensional numerical modelling to recreate the shift - but with a different twist . The researchers say the shift that left Africa it its present location was almost very different . ` Extension along the South Atlantic and West African rift systems was about to split the African-South American part of Gondwana North-South into nearly equal halves , generating a South Atlantic and a Saharan Atlantic Ocean ' , geoscientist Sascha Brune said . ` In a dramatic plate tectonic twist , however , a competing rift along the present-day Equatorial Atlantic margins , won over the West African rift , causing it to become extinct , avoiding the break-up of the African continent and the formation of a Saharan Atlantic ocean . ' How the Earth looks today : Researchers say a minor change in the twist of a tectonic plate could have led to a very different Africa . The team say their study highlights the importance of rift orientation relative to extension direction as key factor deciding whether an ocean basin opens or an aborted rift basin forms in the continental interior . For hundreds of millions of years , the southern continents of South America , Africa , Antarctica , Australia , and India were united in the supercontinent Gondwana . While the causes for Gondwana 's fragmentation are still debated , it is clear that the supercontinent first split along along the East African coast in a western and eastern part before separation of South America from Africa took place . Today 's continental margins along the South Atlantic ocean and the subsurface graben structure of the West African Rift system in the African continent , extending from Nigeria northwards to Libya , provide key insights on the processes that shaped present-day Africa and South America . The South Atlantic part of this giant rift system evolved into an ocean basin , whereas its northern part along the West African Rift became stuck . The team say their complex numerical models gave a simple explanation : the larger the angle between rift trend and extensional direction , the more force is required to maintain a rift system . The West African rift featured a nearly orthogonal orientation with respect to westward extension which required distinctly more force than its ultimately successful Equatorial Atlantic opponent . | Break-up of the supercontinent Gondwana 130 Million years ago caused major tectonic upheaval . Would have dramatically altered shape of the African and South American continent . | [[3750, 3798], [4054, 4152], [4149, 4246], [5278, 5289], [5294, 5385]] |
Business taxes that have existed since Tudor times could be scrapped . Chancellor George Osborne will today put reform of despised business rates -- and more cheap loans for small firms -- at the centre of his plans to secure the recovery . In an unashamedly pro-enterprise Autumn Statement , the Chancellor will reveal that the tax on commercial property in the UK is to be reviewed , paving the way for a fundamental overhaul . Scroll down for video . Using his loaf : Chancellor George Osborne pictured during a visit to a bakery in Birmingham . Retailers have long been pushing for reform of rates -- which have existed in various forms since 1601 -- to ease the pressure on the high street . Sources suggest that moving away from a charge based on the rateable value of a commercial property to a modern alternative -- such as a sales tax -- is being considered . The smallest businesses could be exempted altogether . Critics of the system say that in the age of internet commerce , it is absurd that company taxes are based on the physical space they use . Business rates are often a firm 's third biggest outgoing , after wages and rent . The British Retail Consortium , the manufacturers ' organisation EEF , the CBI , the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Property Federation -LRB- BPF -RRB- have all urged the Chancellor , who has already slashed rates of corporation tax to improve the UK 's competitiveness , to make the business rates system ` fit for purpose ' . ` Unlike every other tax in the UK , the business rates burden does not fluctuate with the economic cycle , meaning businesses have to pay the same regardless of economic conditions , and this , we argue , must change , ' said Liz Pearce , chief executive of the BPF . As well as announcing a review of business rates , to draw up reforms to be implemented in the 2016 Budget , Mr Osborne will announce an overhaul and extension of the Treasury and Bank of England 's flagship funding scheme for business . Mr Osborne holds a copy of the Autumn Statement during a meeting at 11 Downing St yesterday . The Funding For Lending scheme involves the Bank allowing commercial lenders to borrow funds from it cheaply , so that they can pass this on in the form of cheap loans to firms . The scheme was launched in 2012 with the aim of increasing bank lending by up to # 70billion , and was initially available for both mortgage and business lending . Earlier this year , the Government changed the rules so cheap home loans were no longer supported , given the surging housing market . Today the Chancellor will announce another overhaul , ensuring that cash is targeted only at small and medium-sized firms , and extending the scheme , due to end in January , for another year . He will also pledge an extra # 400million for the British Business Bank , which has so far supported 38,000 businesses . Mr Osborne will claim the two measures will unlock # 1billion of new finance for small and medium-sized firms , and champion the role of business in building the recovery . ` The Government 's long-term economic plan is working , with the Funding for Lending scheme playing a vital role in supporting the recovery , ' the Chancellor said . ` Now that credit conditions for households and large businesses have improved , it is right that we focus the scheme 's firepower on small businesses , which are the lifeblood of our economy . ' In his final Autumn Statement before the General Election , Mr Osborne will tell MPs that Britain ` faces a choice ' . ` Do we squander the economic security we have gained , go back to the disastrous decisions on spending and borrowing and welfare that got us into this mess ? Or do we finish the job -- and go on building the secure economy that works for everyone ? I say : we stay the course . ' Mr Osborne has been forced to rule out traditional pre-election tax giveaways as experts say he will have to admit that wiping out the vast budget deficit will take longer than previously thought . Despite the setback , the Chancellor is expected to say he intends to enshrine in law a promise to wipe out the budget deficit , in a trap for Labour before the election . Hospices are to get VAT refunds worth millions of pounds a year . After a long campaign by the hospice movement , George Osborne will agree today that they should receive an annual grant to cover their VAT costs . Currently , NHS organisations are able to recover VAT on non-business supplies such as catering , laundry , staff training and vehicle and maintenance costs . But hospices do not enjoy the same advantages -- meaning they are unfairly disadvantaged and face large VAT bills . Mr Osborne will say today that the VAT refund is expected to be worth # 4million a year to the sector , though if it is more the bill will still covered . ` Hospice charities provide vital support services for the NHS and its patients and we want to support their work , ' said a government source . Search and Rescue and air ambulance charities are to get VAT refunds and more government cash following lobbying by Prince William . In today 's Autumn Statement , the Chancellor will announce VAT breaks for the sector from April , alongside # 7.5 million extra support for air ambulances . The tax refunds will be worth # 25million over five years . The Duke of Cambridge is said to have been angry at pressure on air-sea rescue services . As a helicopter pilot at RAF Valley in Anglesey , he has helped out with mountain rescue , Coastguard and air ambulance services . David Cameron revealed at Prime Minister 's Questions in 2011 that the Prince had urged him to do more to support the services , many of which are run by charities . Today 's measure will mean all 150 search and rescue and air ambulance charities will be able to apply for VAT refunds on all their search and rescue activities as of April 1 . The Chancellor will call a vote on eradicating the underlying deficit -- highlighting Ed Balls 's plan to borrow throughout the next parliament . He may also cut a new cap on overall welfare spending . Labour has promised to balance the books only on day-to-day spending , and carry on borrowing billions of pounds for housing and infrastructure projects . Mr Balls said last night : ` David Cameron and George Osborne have now failed every test and broken every promise they made on the economy . ` This cost-of-living crisis is why the Chancellor will have to admit he has broken his promise to balance the books by next year . A Labour Autumn Statement would set out a better and fairer plan to deliver a recovery that works for the many and not just a few . ' | Autumn Statement reveals his plans to secure the economic recovery . Chancellor is set to scrap hated business taxes established in Tudor times . He will also ensure more cheap loans are available for small businesses . | [[0, 14], [20, 50], [0, 14], [39, 70], [71, 107], [112, 145], [5113, 5141], [5144, 5209]] |
Alex Song has built a reputation for being a marauding midfielder . West Ham supporters can also get used to his outlandish fashion statements , after their new star posted a photo of his outfit on Instagram . After completing a season-long loan deal , Song is expected to make quite an impression on Hammers supporters . He impressed against Liverpool during their 3-1 win and has not ruled out the possibility of a permanent move to Upton Park . Alex Song shows off his extravagant dress sense on Instagram as he made his way to West Ham training . The West Ham midfielder is expected to make a real impression at Upton Park after completing a loan move . Song has played for Arsenal and familiarised himself with the Premier League as he chased down Sterling . The West Ham star admitted that he was delighted to come face-to-face with his idol Steven Gerrard during the Premier League victory over Liverpool . He spent seven years in London at Arsenal , before leaving in 2012 , and will be keen to stand out once more . West Ham fought off competition to sign Song from Napoli and Galatasaray . | Alex Song signed for West Ham from Barcelona on a season-long loan . The former Arsenal midfielder posted a picture of his outfit on instagram . Song faced his idol Steven Gerrard when West Ham played Liverpool . | [[210, 250], [253, 321], [551, 657], [551, 574], [587, 657], [151, 209], [764, 913]] |
A top QC has lost a costly legal battle over the sale of a # 3.6 million country manor after pulling out of the deal when he discovered the property was riddled with dry rot and rising damp . Leading barrister William Griffiths QC and his wife Angela thought they had found their dream home when they viewed Laughton Manor in Lewes , East Sussex , in 2010 . They exchanged contracts with owner Alan Hardy on April Fools ' Day in 2011 but were hauled before the courts after refusing to pay for the property because they were concerned about rising damp , wet and dry rot and timber decay . They have now lost a lengthy legal battle in London 's High Court and face a # 385,000 bill after a judge ruled they had breached the contract by trying to rescind the agreement . William Griffiths QC and his wife Angela -LRB- together left -RRB- have been successfully sued by Alan Hardy -LRB- right -RRB- after they pulled out of buying Laughton Manor in East Sussex for # 3.6 million after exchanging contracts . Mr and Mrs Griffiths had originally agreed to buy Laughton Manor , in East Sussex -LRB- pictured -RRB- , for # 3.6 million , but later pulled out after receiving the results of a survey which said it was ` riddled with damp and dry rot ' The issue began when Mr Griffiths , 66 , an 'em inent ' planning and property lawyer , and his wife exchanged contracts on the multi-million pound property with bricklaying tycoon Mr Hardy , 56 , before seeking any professional advice on the mansion 's condition . A survey later revealed evidence of penetrating and rising damp , as well as wet and dry rot and signs of timber decay , the High Court heard . In light of the survey , Mr and Mrs Griffiths , who had wanted a home in ` pristine ' condition , refused to stump up the balance of a 10 per cent deposit . However , Mr Hardy and his wife , Juliet , responded by tearing up the contract and refusing to refund the # 150,000 deposit the Griffiths had already paid . The couples ended up in court where Judge Amanda Tipples QC today handed a resounding victory to Mr and Mrs Hardy . The Griffiths not only forfeited their # 150,000 deposit , but were ordered to pay Mr and Mrs Hardy # 235,000 damages for breach of contract . The main reception room at Laughton Manor , which was built in the mid-19th Century by Sir James Duke Bart . Mr and Mrs Griffiths claimed that a survey revealed the 150-year-old property was badly affected by damp . In a final blow to the QC , Judge Tipples found that Mr Griffiths made a better advocate than a witness . Having appeared on his feet in court countless times , the barrister ` found it difficult to simply answer the question put ' . He ` could not resist arguing his case ' from the witness box , the judge said , before adding : ' I prefer the evidence of Mr Hardy to that of Mr Griffiths ' . Mr Griffiths earlier told the court that he ` tended to leave these things to his wife ' . However , he agreed that he was ` much keener ' on Laughton Manor than she was . The couple insisted in court that they had been the victims of ` reckless misrepresentation ' . The master bedroom in the # 3.6 million country manor , in East Sussex , which has a total of 30 rooms . The spacious kitchen of Laughton Manor -LRB- left -RRB- and the marbled floor as you enter the building -LRB- right -RRB- . They claimed devout church-goer Mr Hardy and his 55-year-old wife had gravely misled them about the mansion 's condition . They also complained that Mr and Mrs Hardy had made ` excessive and unreasonable demands ' . The couple also said they had discovered to their ` horror ' that a small but ` extremely significant ' plot of land had been sold off from the grounds . However , Judge Tipples accepted Mr Hardy 's ` careful ' evidence that he had never had the house surveyed and was unaware of any damp problem . Exonerating the Hardys , the judge said they had an ` unconditional right ' to cancel the contract when Mr and Mrs Griffiths failed to pay the balance of the deposit or complete on time . The Hardys were entitled to pocket the deposit , to re-sell the mansion to someone else and to sue the Griffiths for damages , she ruled . The house was on the market for # 4.5 million and Mr and Mrs Griffiths had agreed to buy it for # 3.6 million . The manor also boasts a helicopter pad -LRB- pictured -RRB- as well as gym , cinema , 12 acre garden and staff quarters . A surveyor 's report indicated that there was ` extensive rising damp , dry rot and timber decay ' in the property . Laughton Manor was originally built between 1760 and 1780 although it is unknown how much of the original building remains . It was bought by Sir James Duke Bart , a Lord Mayor and Sheriff of London in the 1840s . He was a close friend of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and admired their summer residence of Osborne House , which also has a similar Italian style tower to Laughton Manor . The Duke 's family lived in the property for more than 70 years and it was sold in 1911 to a private buyer . In 1930 it was bought by the Ministry of Health , who used it as an office until the 1990s . It was then bought over and restored to its former glory by a private owner . Jonathan Seitler QC , for Mr and Mrs Hardy , earlier pointed out that the contract contained a ` common ' clause used in conveyancing , whereby the QC and his wife agreed to accept and pay for the property based on its state of repair at the time of signing . They had viewed the property several times , once with an architect , but had signed the contract on April 1 , 2011 , the day after agreeing the # 3.6 million price . They had done so without first obtaining a survey report , which did not arrive until a month later , the court heard . Mr Seitler added : ` The vendor is a lay person in matters of law ... the purchaser is an eminent QC with property expertise . ` The property was accepted in the physical state it was in at the time of contract and you ca n't go back on that . ` If it is damp , it is accepted with damp ' . The 30-room mansion is set in 12 acres of countryside and its architecture has been compared to that of Queen Victoria 's much-loved summer home , Osborne House on the Isle of Wight . It was built by Queen Victoria 's friend , Sir James Duke Bart , in the mid-19th Century . It is believed that Laughton Manor has since been sold to another purchaser for the same # 3.6 million price tag . Mr Hardy now lives in Lewes with his wife , manages a church , and has business interests valued at # 17m . | William Griffiths QC and his wife exchanged contracts on Laughton Manor . Agreed to buy the property from brick tycoon Alan Hardy for # 3.6 million . Couple did not see a surveyor 's report until after exchanging the contracts . Then tried to rescind the agreement claiming ` reckless misinterpretation ' Judge ruled today that they breached contract and they face # 385,000 bill . | [[1335, 1432], [1076, 1108], [1111, 1128], [1335, 1432], [4234, 4288], [5577, 5580], [5585, 5625], [3010, 3101], [3039, 3101], [590, 603], [609, 681], [590, 594], [660, 706], [688, 769]] |
The latest growth figures are only marginally lower than expected , says Treasurer Joe Hockey . Gross domestic product expanded by just 0.3 per cent in the September quarter , taking growth in the 12 months to September to 2.7 per cent . ` While the September figures are weaker than market expectations , 0.3 per cent is only marginally lower than what we were expecting , ' Mr Hockey said . Scroll down for video . The Australian economy grew at a slower-than-expected pace in the September quarter . Treasurer Joe Hockey -LRB- pictured -RRB- says that a plunge in iron ore and coal prices was to blame . He said the figure for the last year of the Labor government was 1.9 per cent . Mr Hockey said while export volumes in the resources industry had been strong and production had picked up strongly , prices for iron ore and thermal coal had fallen dramatically in recent times . This reflected ` quite starkly ' that the resources sector was switching from significant investment to significant production , he said . Mr Hockey reiterated the government 's determination to push ahead with its economic reform agenda . ` These national accounts confirm that when it comes to the future of Australian economy , complacency is our enemy , ' he said . ` Doing nothing on economic reform is not an option for our country . ' The Treasurer -LRB- pictured -RRB- says that the government will push ahead with economic reform despite the disappointing growth figures . Doing nothing ` is not an option for our country , ' he said . Disposable income has dropped for two quarters in a row . Asked whether parts of the economy now appeared to be in recession , Mr Hockey said : ` No . ' ` Fundamentally we are endeavouring to stabilise the rise in unemployment , ' he said . ` Importantly , we are seeing strong export growth . ' The Treasurer -LRB- pictured -RRB- sits behind Prime Minister Tony Abbott in parliament . Joe Hockey has refuted that parts of the economy are in recession . Mr Hockey said he was taking advice from Treasury on the benefits of the three free trade agreements signed with China , Japan and Korea . ' I have no doubt 2015 will be better and beyond will be better than that , ' he said . The dollar fell to a four-and-a-half year low of 83.92 US cents after the data was released . | Economy grows a disappointing 0.3 per cent in the September quarter . Plunging iron ore and coal prices are to blame . Disposable income has fallen for two quarters in a row . Treasurer Joe Hockey says the government will press ahead with its reform plans . Dollar drops to four-and-a-half year low after the data . | [[96, 173], [246, 303], [417, 502], [448, 461], [462, 502], [503, 606], [555, 606], [687, 883], [805, 883], [1529, 1586], [1023, 1123], [1044, 1123], [1326, 1465], [1366, 1422], [2210, 2273]] |
Colin Williams , 36 , -LRB- pictured -RRB- of Swindon , has been jailed for three and a half years after pleading guilty to theft and fraud - he stole almost a quarter of a million pounds from his clients and employers . An accountant who fiddled his firm 's books and stole more than # 200,000 from his clients and employers has been jailed after pleading guilty to theft and fraud . Colin Williams , 36 , of Russley Close , Peatmoor , in Swindon , treated himself to two or three luxury breaks a year with money he stole from the chartered accountants where he worked . He had not yet unpacked from his latest expensive holiday to Honolulu when police arrested him . Richard Williams , defending , said his client had lost everything as a result of his offending , as his wife and step children left him and he had lost his job and pension . He told Swindon Crown Court : ` He certainly hopes that the firm can survive . He stands before you extremely ashamed and publicly humiliated . ' The court heard Williams , 36 , was employed as a partner by chartered accountants SD Knee in Swindon , Wiltshire , but had lied about his credentials . He had told bosses he was a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation . Williams fiddled the books and stole the fees paid to the firm , cash meant to pay the company 's Corporation tax and stole money given to him by clients to go to the taxman . He also kept money meant for six colleagues ' life insurance , which was part of their pay package . Williams was eventually caught when his boss , Simon Knee , noticed invoices for work he had already done himself . Williams produced doctored bank statements in an attempt to show it was a one-off , but Mr Knee found more discrepancies and called the police . Colin Williams , 36 , of Russley Close , Peatmoor -LRB- pictured -RRB- treated himself to two or three luxury breaks a year with money he stole from his employers and clients at the chartered accountants where he worked . On his LinkedIn account Williams describes himself as an ` experienced UK tax professional ' . His online CV , which still lists him as still working at S D Knee , states he was previously a tax consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers . Williams goes on to claim he started his ` career in tax ' in 1996 after completing a degree in Taxation and Revenue Law at Bournemouth University . His profile adds : ` After working for a mid tier independent firm for many years as a Manager , where he eventually became the Head of Tax Services , Colin was appointed Tax Partner at S D Knee Chartered Accountants in June 2007 . Williams used the money to go on luxury holidays several times a year , including one to Hawaii -LRB- file picture -RRB- . When police officers arrived at Williams ' home he had not even unpacked his bags from a trip to Honolulu . He initially accepted taking just # 34,000 , but detectives uncovered more evidence and eventually discovered he stole a total of # 218,025.87 . Travel agents told investigators that Williams was taking two or three holidays each year . Williams pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and three of fraud . Judge Peter Blair jailed Williams for three and a half years and said : ` As you know , prison follows when people take money of this sort of quantity . ` That has been used on expenditure that has helped sustain a rather more lavish lifestyle than you would have been able to enjoy , particularly to luxuriant , expensive holidays that you were able to take . ' Swindon Crown Court -LRB- pictured -RRB- heard Williams fiddled the books and stole the fees paid to the firm , cash meant to pay the company 's Corporation tax and stole money given to him by clients to go to the taxman . | Colin Williams , 36 , stole more than # 200,000 over a three-year period . He fiddled with books at the chartered accountants where he was a partner . Lied to bosses he was a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation . Stole from firm and clients as well as cash meant to pay corporation tax . Also kept money meant for colleagues ' life insurance as part of their pay . Williams used the money to go on luxury trips abroad three times a year . Life ` destroyed ' since his arrest as his wife and step-children have left him . 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Chancellor George Osborne has flown in the face of mounting rage at Royal Bank of Scotland 's decision to award it boss a # 1million bonus by claiming that it ` could have been worse for the taxpayer ' . To widespread fury , the taxpayer-owned bank awarded its Chief Executive Stephen Hester a bonus worth # 963,000 , more than many ordinary workers earn in a lifetime . While the bank insists it has shown restraint - claiming its chief executive was ` entitled ' to # 1.5 million - the decision has become a lightning rod for public disgust at the culture of rewards for failure . Bonus : Royal Bank of Scotland 's Stephen Hester was given # 1m , despite a catalogue of failures and his decision to axe 3,500 jobs , but the decision was defended by the Chancellor George Osborne , right . Clear criticism is raining down from all corner ; Labour leader Ed Miliband ; London Mayor Boris Johnson ; Bank of England Governor Mervyn King ; Lib Dem Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne , trade unions and taxpayers watchdogs . However , Osborne , speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland , came out in defence of the decision . He excused the Government of blame but then claimed the # 1m award was value for the taxpayer . ` I 've always said that levels of pay across banking and financial services are too high , ' he said . ` But this pay for Stephen Hester - the bonus - was set by the board of RBS under the arrangements that were put in place by the previous government , and of course Stephen Hester was the person brought in to sort out the mess at RBS after it collapsed . ' I think the important point for people to understand is that the alternatives would have been worse for the taxpayer . ` Either there would have been a much larger bonus , of the kind he would have got a few years ago . ` Or the British Government would have had to take over complete ownership of RBS and over-ruled the board , and I think that would have cost the taxpayer more as well . Away days : Osborne 's comments came while speaking at the World Economic Forum , which is taking place in the Swiss ski resort of Davos . ' I understand people 's frustration about levels of pay across the banking sector , but the alternatives , when it came to Stephen Hester 's bonus , would have been worse for the taxpayer . ' RBS , which received a # 45 billion state bailout , has seen its share price slump by 40 per cent , giving the taxpayer a paper loss of billions of pounds . Osborne 's comments come just days after ministers announced a crackdown on executive pay and David Cameron said a seven-figure sum for Mr Hester would be unacceptable . The Prime Minister said rewards for failure made ` people 's blood boil ' when -- in the words of Mervyn King -- hard-up Britons were suffering ' a ferocious squeeze ' . But Cameron has been placed in a very difficult position , not just by Osborne 's inflammatory comments , but also by criticism today which has come from within the coalition government . Speaking on BBC1 's Question Time , Lib Dem Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne said Hester had earned more in three days than a soldier serving on the frontline in Afghanistan would earn in a year . Angry : David Cameron said that the rewards for failure make people 's ` blood boil ' while Lib Dem minister Jeremy Browne , right said Hester had a duty to refuse the bonus , which is more than a soldier earns a year . '' I think he should reflect on that , ' said Mr Browne . ` He . is working for a company which is five sixths owned by us , the . taxpayer , and I think he has to think like a public servant , not like . someone who 's there to line their own pocket . ` He needs to think like a public servant who has a duty to his country , not just his own wealth . ' ` No-one 's forcing him to take this money . He could struggle on with # 1.2 m. ' David Cameron is now facing pressure from within the coalition to back up his rhetoric with action . Labour leader Ed Miliband seized the opportunity today to pressure Cameron , saying that the pay award showed the Prime Minister had failed to live up to his rhetoric on executive pay and shareholder activism . ` It 's a disgraceful failure of leadership by the Prime Minister , ' he said . ` He 's been promising for months action against excessive bonuses , executive pay , and now he 's nodded through a million-pound bonus . Pressuring the PM : Ed Miliband , left , said the pay award was a clear failure of leadership from David Cameron while Boris Johnson said he was ` at a loss ' to explain the size of the bonus . ` He 's also been lecturing shareholders about how they need to be more active in holding executives to account . ` He owns , through the British Government , 83 % of the Royal Bank of Scotland . ` He must now explain , not least to the British people , why he has allowed this to happen . ' London mayor Boris Johnson joined the condemnation , saying he was ` at a loss to justify ' the scale of the payment . Protest : A man wearing a ` fat cat ' suit stands outside Royal Bank of Scotland in London , with a cigar yesterday as the bank met to decide on the bonus . He said he had sympathy for Mr Hester and wanted an end to ` incessant banker-bashing ' . But . he went on : ' I find it absolutely bewildering because RBS occupies the . same status in the economy as Gosbank did in the Soviet Union : it 's a . state-owned bank . ` The idea that this is not in the control of the Government seems to me to be far-fetched . ' Protesters from civic campaign group . Avaaz are due to gather at the RBS headquarters in London later to call . for bonuses to be dropped . Trade union leaders have also vented . their anger at the size of the bonus , pointing out that millions of . public sector workers were facing a pay freeze and lower pensions as . well as job losses . David Fleming , Unite national officer , said : ` What planet does Stephen Hester and his banking chums live on ? ` Taking almost # 1 million from . taxpayers ' pockets as a bonus is utterly disgusting and offensive to . every working person across the country . How can a Royal Bank of . Scotland senior banker who is responsible for sacking over 21,000 . workers be rewarded in this way ? ' TUC general secretary Brendan Barber . said : ` Ordinary people facing the biggest squeeze in their living . standards for decades and businesses desperate for credit will not . understand why Mr Hester should get such a huge bonus . ` The Government has been lecturing . public servants about how they must accept a pay freeze and a big . increase in pension contributions . They seem to have made an exception . for Britain 's best paid civil servant . ' Paul Kenny , general secretary of the . GMB union , said : ' A bonus of nearly a million pounds looks to ordinary . people like he has won the lottery - with a ticket they paid for . ' David Hillman , spokesman for the . Robin Hood Tax campaign , said : ` Curbing Hester 's bonus at state-owned . RBS is a small step in the right direction but nowhere near enough . Criticism : Sir Mervyn King said it would be wrong if rewards go to a small elite earlier this week , while TUC leader Brendan Barber said the Government 's lectures on pay freezes clearly do n't apply to Hester . It is believed any payout to Hester would be in shares rather than cash , and deferred for three years . Senior Government sources said they . were satisfied Mr Hester 's bonus , which was # 2m last year , had been cut and insisted he had to be . paid well or be lost to a better-paid job in the private sector . Gary Greenwood , an analyst at Shore . Capital , agreed and argued that the real test of Hester 's pay is how . much he could earn somewhere else . Sir Philip Hampton , chairman of RBS , . said the bonus was fair , adding : ` A safer and more valuable RBS is in . the interests of our customers , shareholders and the UK economy . ` We are progressing well toward this goal under the leadership of Stephen Hester . ' But Hester 's bonus is just the first of many for staff at a bank in the process of laying off 3,500 employees . The bank fell slightly short of its . target for lending to small firms under the government 's Project Merlin . initiative to get credit flowing through the economy , . Critics argue the Merlin goals are faulty as they measure banks ' ` capacity ' to lend -- the money they make available in theory . Small firms claim the banks have hiked up loan charges and fees , deterring businesses from taking up the funds . Under the terms of Merlin , RBS and . the country 's other four biggest banks pledged to lend small and . medium-sized firms # 76billion in 2011 . Between January and September , . this should have seen them hand out # 57billion -- and they fell # 1billion . short . Lord Oakeshott said RBS , which is 83 . per cent state owned following its bail-out in 2008 , was ` the worst . culprit by far ' among the banks . RBS earlier this month announced a . further 3,500 job losses in its investment banking operation , on top of . 2,000 announced previously . The bank has shed around 30,000 staff in the . past two years , 22,000 of them in the UK . | Chancellor flies in the face of widespread anger over # 1m bonus awarded to RBS boss Steven Hester . Lib Dem Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne said Hester earns more in three days than a soldier serving in Afghanistan would earn in a year . Criticism from inside Coalition puts David Cameron under pressure to act . Ed Miliband claims the award is a clear ` failure of leadership ' from the PM . Boris Johnson says he is ` at a loss ' to explain the size of the bonus . Bank claims it showed ` restraint ' as Stephen Hester was entitled to # 1.5 m . | [[0, 102], [0, 25], [103, 138], [120, 199], [591, 646], [2243, 2277], [3044, 3146], [3137, 3138], [3175, 3209], [3357, 3429], [2935, 2953], [2960, 3007], [3867, 3887], [3895, 3929], [3867, 3880], [3884, 3929], [3968, 4042], [4052, 4178], [3968, 4042], [4052, 4178], [3968, 3993], [4045, 4178], [4181, 4244], [4516, 4590], [4883, 4909], [4936, 4961], [4955, 4972], [4975, 5001], [5255, 5267], [5270, 5302], [377, 496]] |
The high regard in which Phillip Hughes was held by those closest to him was clearly illustrated by a heartfelt tribute on Instagram posted by Kyly Clarke , wife of the opening batsman 's best mate , Michael Clarke . As the cricket community , led by the Australian skipper , converged on Hughes ' home town of Macksville on the New South Wales mid-north coast for the funeral , Kyly Clarke let her emotions run free with the social media message . She said : ` Today will always be remembered as the day we farewelled our friend way too early in life . We miss you now , we will miss you more tomorrow but we will never forget you ! ' Scroll down for video . Kyly Clarke called Phillip Hughes ` my little Italian brother and our tour mate . Our Xmas lunch buddy , a friend we trust , our trivia partner , the guy who never was fussed ! ' Kyly Clarke continued : ` That smile , that laugh , that cheeky little grin , your warmth , your love , the friend you 've been . Our hotel room visits , my extra dinner date , my little Italian brother and our tour mate . Our Xmas lunch buddy , a friend we trust , our trivia night partner , the guy who was never fussed ! She concluded with a resounding message in capitals : ` WE LOVE YOU HUGH DOG , LIFE WO N'T BE THE SAME , HERE 'S TO THE DAY WE SEE YOU AGAIN ! The Clarkes xoxo ' . Kyly Clarke has posted an emotional tribute to Phillip Hughes ahead of the cricketer 's funeral on Wednesday . Michael Clarke is poised to make an emotional farewell to Phillip Hughes by combining a tribute with his pallbearer duties at his best mate 's funeral . Australian Cricket Captain Michael Clarke walks out of the Macksville Recreation Centre as preparations continue for the funeral of Phillip Hughes . Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke -LRB- r -RRB- speaks with Michael Brown , who 's working alongside Cricket Australia officials , ahead of the funeral service for Phillip Hughes . Tributes have been pouring in for Phillip Hughes in all forms over the past week . Shane Warne is among the cricket greats to attend the Phillip Hughes funeral in Macksville and he posted these thoughts on social media ahead of the day . The messages of support have not been restricted to social media . At the Sydney Cricket Ground , where Phillip Hughes played his last innings and where he enjoyed some of his best moments and where he made his first class debut , the memorial outside the member 's entrance continues to grow . The funeral service will be beamed back to the SCG from Macksville , as it will in his adopted home of Adelaide . Family , close friends and Cricket Australia officials have been busy discussing the funeral details for Phillip Hughes on Wednesday morning . Michael Clarke -LRB- r -RRB- will join fellow cricketers and Phillip Hughes ' family members as a pall-bearer at the funeral to be held on Wednesday . Michael Clarke is briefed on security arrangements ahead of Phillip Hughes ' funeral in Macksville . The young man , who made history by scoring a century in each of his first 3 innings in English county cricket at age 20 and whose attack-minded unorthodox approach proved too much for the vaunted South African pace attack in his second test in 2009 when he made back-to-back centuries , will be farewelled by thousands of mourners at his old alma mater , Macksville High School . Michael Clarke is poised to make an emotional farewell to Phillip Hughes by combining a tribute with his pallbearer duties at his best mate 's funeral . He will be joined as a pallbearer by Phillip 's father Greg Hughes , his brother Jason Hughes , fellow cricketers Aaron Finch and Tom Cooper and three close friends from his home town , Mitchell Lonergan , Matthew Day and Corey Ireland . There will be words from his family at the service including his sister Megan who was at the SCG on the day Phillip was fatally injured . The funeral will be attended by sporting greats past and present , the country 's leading politicians , a guard of honour from Australia 's cricketers , a procession through the streets and then a private wake for those closest to Phillip Hughes to be held at the Macksville Ex-Services Club . The #putyourbatsout campaign has been embraced across Australian homes and schools . Here cricket bats are lined up on the front fence at St Patrick 's Primary School on the NSW mid-north coast . Son , brother , friend . The sign and cricket bats in honour of Phillip Hughes , the Australian cricketer who died last week after being struck by a ball while batting . Schoolchildren have made their feelings known across the country , calling Phillip Hughes a ` legend ' There will be a cortege through the streets of Macksville following the funeral for Phillip Hughes . Macksville 's schools have formed an integral part of the tributes to Phillip Hughes . Touching words at St Patrick 's Primary School too - telling the Hughes family that their son and brother ` touched all our lives and was an inspiration ' . | The wife of Australia 's cricket captain took to Instagram to make her feelings known ahead of Phillip Hughes ' funeral on Wednesday . Kyly Clarke called him ` our Xmas lunch buddy , a friend we trust , our trivia partner ' She signed off with ` here 's to the say we see you again ! The Clarkes ' Her husband Michael Clarke will be among the pall-bearers . | [[0, 132], [379, 448], [1327, 1397], [1682, 1739], [2829, 2869], [765, 782], [785, 795], [1094, 1102], [1105, 1108], [2719, 2843]] |
A U.S. congressman has been hailed a hero after saving the live of a passenger of a who had a suspected heart attack at during a flight . Raul Ruiz , who is a trained emergency room doctor , leapt into action when a man was taken ill midway through the journey from Washington DC to Dallas Fort Worth airport . Amazingly , another congressman , Pete Gallego , was also on the flight and helped resuscitate and stabilize the stricken man . Heroics : Raul Ruiz , left , used his medical training , with the help of fellow congressman Pete Gallego , right , to save the life of a passenger , thought to be in his 60s , who collapsed during a flight to Dallas Fort Worth . The Californian Democrat , 41 , with the help of Mr Gallego , 51 , used a defibrillator to restart the heart of the passenger , thought to be in his 60s , and give oxygen . ` I 'm an emergency medicine physician by heart , and my spirit felt alive , I was in my element . I was providing emergency care to somebody who needed it at the time and it felt real good , ' Ruiz told NBC 5 DFW after the plane landed in Dallas . As the mid-air drama unfolded on Thursday evening , Mr Gallego tweeted : ` Medical emergency on flight from DC to TX . Passenger collapses . @Congressmanruiz , an MD , on board . Passenger stabilized . Landing in Raleigh . ` He added in another tweet : ` Hope @Congressmanruiz is on all my flights home ! An emergency room Dr by training , was impressive to see him in action . He saves lives ! ' Drama : Pete Gallego took to twitter to tell followers of the mid-air life-saving efforts of fellow Congressman Raul Ruiz . The flight was diverted to nearby Raleigh airport where the ill passenger was taken to hospital . It is understood he was conscious and talking to medics when he was taken from the plane . Mr Ruiz is the latest congressman to intervene in a medical emergency . According to Politico website , in September 2011 , Phil Roe , R-Tenn. , an obstetrician by trade who served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps , helped revive a man who suffered a heart attack . He performed CPR and used a defibrillator to restart his heart at the Charlotte , N.C. , airport . On Aug. 26 , last year , Andy Harris , a Republican from Maryland , was able to revive a toddler who appeared to have stopped breathing during a seizure . In 1998 , then-Sen . Bill Frist , R-Tenn. , a former heart and lung transplant surgeon , performed lifesaving measures on a gunman who was wounded after killing two on-duty Capitol Police officers . | Raul Ruiz used a defibrillator on the stricken man , thought to be in his 60s . Flight from Washington DC to Dallas was diverted due to mid-air drama . Californian Democrat , 41 , is an emergency room doctor by training . Fellow congressman Pete Gallego , also on the flight , helped with emergency . Passenger was conscious and talking to medics when plan landed . | [[589, 613], [575, 586], [597, 613], [669, 728], [736, 821], [2065, 2067], [2086, 2163], [138, 147], [154, 188], [844, 889], [311, 320], [323, 342], [360, 382], [311, 320], [323, 342], [387, 438], [669, 728], [736, 821], [1710, 1765], [1727, 1773], [1710, 1712], [1727, 1729], [1748, 1800]] |
Police have been accused of ignoring a whistleblower 's warning about a paedophile care home boss - allowing him to carry on abusing boys for an extra ten years . John Allen was yesterday found guilty of committing historical sexual abuse against 18 boys and one girl aged between seven and 15 at his residential care home in Wrexham , north Wales . But today it has emerged that the finance officer at the care home , Des Frost , alerted police as long ago as 1980 after six youngsters complained about Allen 's abuse . Police have been accused of ignoring a whistleblower 's warning about paedophile care home boss , John Allen -LRB- pictured -RRB- - allowing him to carry on abusing boys for an extra ten years . Whistleblower : Des Frost -LRB- pictured -RRB- says he alerted police as long ago as 1980 after six youngsters complained about abuse at the hands of John Allen . Mr Frost said detectives visited him after he reported the matter , but that the claims were dismissed . Allen , now 73 , continued to carry out abuse at the Bryn Alyn care home until the early 1990s - a decade later . Mr Frost , 75 , told Walesonline.co.uk : ` My generation look on the police as very responsible people . I wrongly assumed they would do something about my report . ` I 'm so disappointed nothing was done . If police had acted , 10 years of terrible sexual abuse could have been stopped . I thought they would challenge Allen about this . They did n't . ' Allen was told he must spend at least 11 years behind bars for committing ` grave ' offences against children at the care home he ran in Wrexham . Mr Frost , a married father of four , accused police of failing to prevent ten more years of abuse saying his report to police ` should have sounded alarm bells ' because he was a senior member of staff at the home . Accountant Des Frost alerted police as long ago as 1980 after six youngsters complained about Allen 's abuse at the Bryn Alyn care home -LRB- pictured -RRB- . John Allen pictured in 1971 with children at the Wrexham care home where he abused young boys and girls . John Allen -LRB- pictured -RRB- was told he must spend at least 11 years behind bars for committing ` grave ' offences against children at the care home he ran in Wrexham . The accountant was living over the border in England when he said he told two detectives from Cheshire about his concerns that abuse was taking place and that he was told the allegations would be referred to the neighbouring force . Walesonline quotes Detective Chief Superintendent Wayne Jones , from North Wales Police , as saying : ` All material in relation to any allegations made during that period has been given to the Op Pallial team . ' The website says neither force has been able to comment on any alleged wrongdoing . Cheshire Police said they were unable to find Mr Frost 's report because it pre-dated computer records . A spokesman said that normal procedure would have meant they could presume the matter would have been passed to North Wales Police . The National Crime Agency says it has spoken to Mr Frost . Mold Crown Court heard how Allen 's victims considered him ` untouchable ' over decades of sustained abuse as they had no one to report his behaviour to while under his care . Yesterday , they hugged one another and their families after seeing the sex offender jailed , with one man telling how he felt as though his ` life sentence ' had been lifted . Stephen Fong -LRB- centre -RRB- celebrates outside court after paedophile John Allen was jailed for life . Allen denied all offences during the six week trial to the shock of complainants present at the sentencing . He was given a discretionary life sentence for seven serious sexual assaults and received concurrent terms of 10 years for 23 indecent assaults . One count of gross indecency with a child brought a sentence of two years . He was cleared of two other serious sexual assaults . Allen had already spent six years in jail over abuse in the 1970s and avoided prosecution in 2003 over more alleged attacks when legal proceedings collapsed . In 1995 , after Allen was jailed for the first time , an inquiry was launched to look at the abuse of children in Gwynedd and Clwyd areas . Following its publication in 2000 , more complainants came forward with claims they had been abused by the 73-year-old . But the case was stunted by a Crown Court judge who reportedly ruled that Allen would not receive a fair trial because of the publicity about his previous convictions . In 2012 he was arrested amid fresh allegations and found guilty last week of 33 offences against young boys and one against a girl . | John Allen was jailed for life yesterday over decades of sustained abuse . The 73-year-old ran a care home in Wrexham , north Wales , in the 1970s . His finance officer claims police ignored his warning as long ago as 1980 . Des Frost told detectives about allegations but says claims were dismissed . Says he went to police after six boys complained of being abused by Allen . | [[163, 267], [3437, 3543], [3494, 3543], [259, 333], [1581, 1600], [2236, 2255], [0, 112], [354, 486], [431, 520], [521, 616], [732, 870], [1818, 1917], [0, 112], [354, 486], [521, 616], [879, 944], [956, 983], [1818, 1917], [2314, 2377], [354, 486], [431, 520], [732, 870], [812, 878], [1694, 1729], [1818, 1917], [1880, 1953], [4300, 4348]] |
At a cost of # 222.5 million each , damaging a Boeing 747-8 freight plane is certainly not advised . So it perhaps understandable that the crowds who gathered to watch this particular plane take off were a little shocked to see it rock dramatically from side to side as it left the runway . But rather than losing control of the aircraft , the pilot was actually performing a highly skilled manoeuvre known as a ` wing wave ' . The pilot of the Boeing 747-8F freight plane prepares to perform a skilled manoeuvre known as a ` wing wave ' The ` wing-wave ' , a gentle dip of the plane from one side to another , is generally done by cargo planes to say ` goodbye ' as the aircraft will never again see the home airport where it was made . The move is also performed as a ` thank you ' gesture to staff at the airbase . The footage , which has been uploaded to the ViralVideoUK website , shows the brand new Boeing jet performing the move as it takes of on its maiden voyage . Pilots usually wait until the aircraft has reached 2,000 ft before attempting the stunt . The plane was departing from Paine Field airport in Washington , US . The plane was departing from Paine Field airport in Washington , US -- the airfield which is home to the Boeing Everett Factory where the company 's jets are assembled and made . Cargo planes generally only dip each wing when they have reached 2,000 ft or higher and travelling at a sufficient speed . However , the captain of this plane , made by Boeing for Cargolux Airlines , decided to show off what the aircraft was capable of . The plane straightens up before continuing its journey after leaving Paine Field airport in Washington , USA . Dubbed ` Queen of the Skies ' , it performed the ` wing-wave ' straight after take-off and just yards away from the tarmac . Paine Field is home to the Boeing Everett Factory , one of the world 's largest buildings and the primary assembly location for Boeing 's wide-body 747 , 767 , 777 and 787 aircraft . Cargolux and Nippon Cargo Airlines were the first customers for the 747-8 , placing orders for the freighter in November 2005 . Assembly first began in 2008 , and the first 747-8F was delivered to Cargolux in 2011 . | Pilot performed ` wing wave ' manoeuvre with # 222.5 m Boeing 747-8F jet . Move performed by cargo planes when leaving the airport they were made . Aircraft was taking off on its maiden voyage from Paine Field airport , US . | [[340, 423], [428, 535], [493, 535], [892, 974], [1065, 1127], [1135, 1197], [1569, 1671]] |
The rugby team of West Point military academy has been disbanded and players disciplined over an email chain involving crude sexual references and suggesting a ` hostile team environment or a culture of disrespect towards women . ' Players on the rugby team of the elite New York institution -- a veritable assembly line into the highest echelons of the American military -- shared emails that have now been deemed to be in violation of the Cadet Disciplinary Code . Shared between the entire rugby team be several players , the emails reportedly contained rankings of a sexual nature of female cadets and other women , as well as references to rape , incest , and homosexuality . Marching orders : Elite military academy West Point 's rugby team has been disbanded after an investigation found players had been exchanging lewd emails as part of a culture hostile to women . This , as reported by the Sunday Times June 2 . The Times was also told by a former cadet who was privy to the emails ` there were jokes about putting people in cages ... while being leashed ' and that sexual references were made about a female cadet ` eating a burrito . ' ` The females were referred to as manly , disgusting , sluts and fat , ' said the source . U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke at West Point last weekend during a ceremony in which 14 rugby team members were allowed to graduate . Inside jokes : The emails reportedly contained crude references to rape , incest , and homosexuality and referred to some women as ` manly ' In his address , the secretary referred to sexual harassment as ` debilitating , insidious , and destructive forces ' in the American military that ` must be stamped out . ' A statement from school officials said the implicated cadets were made to complete a supervised ` intense respect rehabilitation program ' involving self-assessments . Chief West Point spokesman Lt. Col. Webster Wright told the Army Times it is undetermined for how long the team will remain disbanded and that the investigation is ` ongoing . ' ` Despite doing some really silly , sophomoric things , they stood up and they accepted full responsibility for this as the leadership of the team . This was unprofessional conduct and not what we would expect from future leaders of the army , ' Webster said . Demotion : The disbanding is indefinite and the more senior players faced punishment as severe as loss of rank . In all , about 60 cadets were punished following the rugby team investigation . In addition to the rehabilitation program , Webster said punishment of the senior players included 120 hours of marching in uniform carrying rifles , demotion , and loss of leave . Though the controversy was not reported until far more recently , the West Point Rugby team 's official Facebook page has read ` Due to unforeseen circumstances , the West Point Rugby team will not be participating in the 2013 CRC 7s tournament in Philadelphia ' since May 20 . Common ? Sixty team members were punished in all , though 14 of the players were allowed to graduate in a ceremony in which U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called sexual harassment a military scourge . | 60 players punished after investigation into email chain showed lewd , inappropriate references to homosexuality , incest , and rape . U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke at the elite military academy 's May 25 convocation , where he called sexual harassment a ` debilitating , insidious , and destructive force in the American military ' | [[69, 108], [94, 142], [525, 680], [772, 874], [1399, 1484], [2419, 2425], [2428, 2498], [1240, 1325], [1525, 1539], [1542, 1667], [3062, 3072], [3082, 3162]] |
Two friends who claim to have captured vision of an Australian Bigfoot say they ` convinced ' the elusive creature to appear on film by offering him a feast of apples . The grainy early-morning video , shot in South Queensland on March 29 , has sent an online community of Bigfoot hunters into a spin after the friends who filmed it claimed the clip is evidence of the mysterious Yowie - a mythical creature rumoured to roam the Aussie bush . Jason Heal and Jason Dunn , self-described ` Yowie searchers ' , posted the vision to their YouTube account on April 5 and dubbed the strange creature with glowing eyes ` The Morning Visitor ' . Proof ? Aussie mates Jason Heal and Jason Dunn say this is evidence of a Yowie in south Queensland . ` We 'd been throwing him a few extra apples since he was willing to appear on camera , ' Jason Heal told MailOnline . ` I 'm somebody who believes in appreciation in life and if he 's showing himself , we appreciate the fact . ` We even left a few apples without the camera and said `` you can have the apples but we do n't get the prize . '' ' He said the Yowie first appeared the Thursday afternoon before their early morning video by waving its ` black hairy arm ' in front of the lens ` to see if it 's going to set the camera off or not ' . Mystery male : The two friends are convinced the Yowie was a male . Mr Heal said he and his partner have spent thousands of dollars hunting Yowies in the Australian bush and described the furry humanoids as ` very intelligent creatures ' . Their video has so far been watched more than 9,000 times . It is just the latest in a string of clips that have garnered the pair more than 1 million views on YouTube and inspired an article on the Cryptozoology News website . ` Even though the creature on the video certainly resembles a sloth , these animals are not native to any region of Australia and they are illegal to have as pets , ' the article reads . Fruit lover : The two Jasons claim they lured the creature onto camera with a bunch of apples . ` The possibility of the video showing a big unidentified ape remains open . ' But readers are not so sure with many voicing their skepticism over the infrared vision , filmed at 3:27 am . ` That 's a really neat-o mask that guy is wearing ! ' said Ira Shlamazel . ` Maybe if you moved the camera a little further away it would n't be so obvious . ' User The Flinx joked : ' 1990 called , they want their hoax back ' . Michael Bachman , editor of Cryptozoology News , told MailOnline : ` At this point we have no idea whether the video is real or a hoax , but it has certainly captivated some viewers . ' Passion : Jason Heal -LRB- left -RRB- and Jason Dunn say they would hunt Yowies ` full-time ' if they could afford it . The mixed opinion has angered the two Jasons who said they have invested time and money in their hunt for evidence of Australia 's answer to the Sasquatch . ` Everyone 's going crazy , saying it 's a hoax , like we 're putting lamps on our head , ' said Mr Heal . ` You give them something real and they all turn around and say it 's fake ... we know they exist , we 've done enough research . ' The duo do have a number of fans online . Paul Davies wrote : ` Excellent capture you guys fair play , all that time out in the bush has certainly paid off . ' Yowies have long been part of Australian folklore , with rumoured sightings dating back to the 18th century . Internet sleuths often swap tales of encounters with the strange ape-like creatures who are said to stroll around the outback . Clues : The friends have traveled ` thousands of kilometres ' in search of the mystery creatures . | Two ` Yowie searchers ' claim to have filmed a strange Bigfoot-like creature . Mysterious beast with glowing eyes dubbed ` The Morning Visitor ' They say they lured ` him ' onto camera using a bunch of apples . Video sparks mixed opinions from online Yowie hunting community . | [[0, 114], [307, 318], [323, 349], [443, 468], [566, 611], [573, 611], [614, 633], [75, 91], [94, 168], [741, 824], [1955, 2036], [169, 199], [236, 318]] |
We 've all been there , you try on a ring and go to remove it only to find that it wo n't budge . Or Maybe your fingers swell , whatever the reason - a stuck ring can cause panic . You 're tugging and tugging and your finger is getting bluer and bluer and before you know it you 're reaching for the margerine . Well put that butter down ! There is a new solution to avoid this rather sticky -LRB- not to mention slimy -RRB- situation and all you need is a piece of string . SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . The simple trick involves using just a pair of pliers and a piece of string , beginning by securing the string under the ring . A video that hit Facebook this week solves the age old problem of removing a ring that has become stuck on a finger with a clean and simple method . In the video a man helps someone remove their ring using only pliers and a piece of string with a clever trick that involves creating a spiral of string for the ring to unwind on . The man begins by using the pliers to get underneath the tight ring and push the string through it so it sits underneath . In the video the man winds the string up the finger in a tight coil -LRB- left . -RRB- Once he reaches the centre of the finger he tucks the loose end of string under the coil -LRB- right -RRB- . He then continues by twisting the string around the finger towards the tip in a tight spiral until the string forms a tight coil from the base to the centre of the finger . He then firmly secures the string at the centre of the finger by tucking the loose end under one of the folds of string . Then returning to the base of the finger , the man takes the start of the string and simply unwinds the tightly wound coil that has been secured to the ring , bringing it clean off the finger . The video has already received 4,795 shares and 8,098 likes on Facebook and it is no surprise what with many of us resorting visiting A&E to have precious rings cut off . This neat trick has had thorough praise from it 's viewers with 278 comments recommending the video . The string is then unwound from the finger starting from the base , the ring will then come clean off the finger . | Incredible new video shows you a simple trick to remove a ring . The procedure involves nothing more than pliers and a piece of string . The video has already received 8,098 likes on Facebook . | [[627, 708], [627, 643], [670, 677], [690, 775], [776, 886], [439, 474], [499, 574], [557, 574], [577, 626], [776, 886], [1765, 1786], [1796, 1818], [1813, 1836]] |
Sometimes the most ambitiously creative projects can deliver the most awe-inspiring results . Ukrainian indie band Brunettes Shoot Blondes said they wanted to produce an animation to compliment their simple track Knock Knock and they produced an innovative video to achieve this . The group produced a simple animation across at least 16 Apple devices which was anything but simple to complete . Protagonists : The two protagonists in the unique animation video are a man with a rabbit head and a woman . Focusing on two characters , the spectacular video shows them crossing between a multitude of Apple devices to tell a love story . Speaking about the number of required takes to capture the footage Brunettes Shoot Blondes said it ` took dozens and then add 50 ' . They have produced a mesmeric animation which features a man with a rabbits head chasing the woman of his dreams through an array of Apple devices . Chase : The man runs after the female continuously throughout the amusing video . The talented group used eight iPhones , five iPads , some iPod shuffles and two Macs to produce and bring the compelling animation to life . The humorous and highly original video was shot on an iPhone . ` We had an idea of graphic elements that would interplay between the gadgets , ' band member Andrew Kovaliov told Dezeen . ` So then we created the characters and started to work on synchronisation of the video fragments downloaded on different devices . ' Animation through devices : The characters move through a myriad of Apple devices during the animation . Stairs : The female character runs down a set of stairs while the man-rabbit character chases her . Following the story of a man chasing his lover through a series of different scenes to try and catch up with her , the animation sees the two characters start off on separate iPhones . They then progress onto iPads , passing through an iShuffle on the way and move on to the two Macs . As the song reaches its conclusion , the two lovers finally meet on the same screen . Car : The unfortunate man-rabbit finds it extremely difficult to keep up with the female character . Happy conclusion : At the end of the video the female character drops into the man 's arms . This was created as a music video for a song by Ukrainian band Brunettes Shoot Blondes . You can see more of their work on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/brunettesshootblondes . For more information on the video visit www.artFido.com/blog or www.artFido.com . | Video was produced by Ukrainian indie band Brunettes Shoot Blondes . The video features graphic elements which interplay between the gadgets . Two protagonists are a man with a rabbits head and girl of his dreams . Male character chases female through eight iPhones , five iPads . | [[94, 224], [2233, 2321], [534, 612], [1224, 1240], [1246, 1281], [411, 504], [788, 808], [815, 849], [835, 881], [534, 612], [562, 635], [926, 999], [1000, 1084], [1490, 1566], [1667, 1750], [1782, 1851], [1852, 1881]] |
A species of African rhino last seen in 2006 is now officially extinct , according to the world 's largest conservation network . The latest review of animals and plants by the International Union for Conservation of Nature found the Western Black rhino has been totally wiped out . Conservationists have blamed poachers and lack of conservation while warning that other rhinos could follow . A black rhino calf born at the Saint Louis Zoo in Saint Louis , Missouri . The IUCF said that the Western Black Rhino of Africa , a species related to these black rhinos , is officially extinct . According to the IUCN , Africa 's Northern White rhino is ` teetering on the brink of extinction ' while Asia 's Javan rhino is ` making its last stand ' The subspecies of the Black rhino - which is classified as ` critically endangered ' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature 's -LRB- IUCN -RRB- Red List of Threatened Species - was last seen in western Africa in 2006 , CNN reported . Simon Stuart , chairman of the IUCN species survival commission , said : ` In the case of the western black rhino and the northern white rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented . ' ` These measures must be strengthened now , specifically managing habitats in order to improve performance , preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction , ' Mr Stuart added . The Western Black rhino was a rare subspecias of the Black rhino , and . was heavily hunted in the beginning of the 20th century . The . population rose again in the 1930s , after preservation actions were . taken , but a decline in protection efforts led to a decline in numbers . A Javan rhino captured on camera in Vietnam 's Cat Tien National Park , the last Javan rhinoceros in Vietnam was found dead in the park in April 2010 . By 1980 the population was estimated in the hundreds and , by 2000 , an estimated 10 survived . In 2006 a survey of the last remaining habitat failed to find any specimens . Poaching , . limited anti-poaching efforts and a failure of courts to hand down . severe sentences to punish poachers are all blamed for the Western Black . rhino 's demise . Only 40 to 60 Javan rhinos now remain in . Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia . They are the last known living . members of the species , with none in captivity . The Northern White rhino , which is ` teetering on the brink of extinction ' , according to the ICUN . Vietnam 's Javan rhino population had . been shrinking for decades as land conversion and a rising local . population threatened the animal 's habitat . The IUCN says conservation efforts have paid off for the southern white rhino subspecies which have seen populations rise from less than 100 at the end of the 19th century to an estimated wild population of 20,000 today . Another success can be seen with the Przewalski 's Horse which was listed as ` extinct in the wild ' in 1996 but now , thanks to a captive breeding program , has an estimated population of 300 . The latest update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species reviews more than 60,000 species , concluding that 25 per cent of mammals on the list are at risk of extinction . Many plants are also under threat , say the IUCN . Populations of Chinese fir , a conifer which was once widespread throughout China and Vietnam , is being threatened by the expansion of intensive agriculture according to the IUCN . A type of yew tree -LRB- taxus contorta -RRB- found in Asia which is used to produce Taxol -LRB- a chemotherapy drug -RRB- has been reclassified from ` vulnerable ' to ` endangered ' on the IUCN Red List , as has the Coco de Mer -- a palm tree found in the Seychelles islands -- which is at risk from fires and illegal harvesting of its kernels . Recent studies of 79 tropical plants in the Indian Ocean archipelago revealed that more than three quarters of them were at risk of extinction . In the oceans , the IUCN reports that five out of eight tuna species are now ` threatened ' or ` near threatened , ' while 26 recently-discovered amphibians have been added to the Red List including the ` blessed poison frog ' -LRB- classified as vulnerable -RRB- while the ` summers ' poison frog ' is endangered . ` This update offers both good and bad news on the status of many species around the world , ' Jane Smart , director of IUCN 's global species program said in a statement . ` We have the knowledge that conservation works if executed in a timely manner , yet , without strong political will in combination with targeted efforts and resources , the wonders of nature and the services it provides can be lost forever . ' | Survey by International Union for Conservation of Nature finds none left . Conservationists have blamed poachers and lack of conservation . The subspecies of the Black rhino last seen alive in western Africa in 2006 . | [[130, 282], [1964, 2041], [283, 392], [1654, 1715], [13, 44], [743, 776], [935, 943], [949, 974], [743, 776], [944, 974]] |
He 's the man made rich by meerkats , and this is how he 's chosen to spend -LRB- some of -RRB- it . Entrepreneur Douw Steyn , 62 , who owns the ComparetheMarket insurance website and is worth # 600million thanks to the meerkat adverts , has built himself a vast palace in his native South Africa . The modestly named Palazzo Steyn , currently being built on a 2,000-acre estate between Johannesburg and Pretoria , is surrounded by a ruined aqueduct from which water plunges into a lake below . Scroll down for video . Palazzo Steyn , built for ComparetheMarket entrepreneur Douw Steyn , 62 , is in an estate outside Johannesburg . Looking more like a ballroom than a garage , this marble-lined basement is for Mr Steyn 's collection of cars . Douw Steyn , 62 , started his insurance firm in Peterborough , Lincolnshire , in 1992 , and its fortunes soared thanks to the meerkat ads which made the animal 's catchphrase , ` Simples ' , a national phenomenon . With seven bedrooms suites , a wine cellar , and a cavernous marble-floored garage with room for 33 cars , Palazzo Steyn is South Africa 's biggest house , dwarfing the sprawling home in KwaZulu-Natal province of the country 's President , Jacob Zuma . There 's also a large swimming pool , two fire pools , and extensive walled gardens laid to lawn at the house , which is also South Africa 's most expensive , having cost around # 14million to build . When asked about the size of the underground garage , the businessman , who is married to charity worker Carolyn , said : ` My home has a basement area that will house my car collection of sport and vintage models . ` This is one of my hobbies and the architects were briefed to design a showroom where the cars can be easily displayed and manoeuvred . ' Mr Steyn 's house lies at the centre of what he hopes will become Steyn City , a luxury country ` lifestyle estate ' . The multi-millionaire , who two years ago bought a ten-bedroom , # 62million mansion in London 's Belgravia , wants to build 11,000 homes , private hospital , two private schools , shops and office parks , alongside woodland and a 26-mile running track around it . The businessman said he designed the estate based on the idea that ` too much time is wasted in cities sitting in traffic and commuting between home , work , schools and the shops ' . Speaking on his Steyn City website , he said : ' I could have invested in a luxury residence in Europe or in the States , but instead I chose to invest in South Africa . This is indicative of the confidence I have in our country and the success of Steyn City . Original style : The house is surrounded by a circular aqueduct from which water plunges into a man-made lake . Carolyn and Douw Steyn , pictured at their wedding in Johannesburg last year , were friends of Nelson Mandela . Palazzo Steyn will be the centrepiece of his brainchild , the 11,000-home Steyn City - a luxury ` lifestyle estate ' The London pad : Mr Steyn bought himself this ten-bedroom house in Belgravia two years ago for # 62million . How the money was made : The success of the meerkat TV adverts meant that Mr Steyn 's fortunes doubled . ' I also long for the quality of life that we are creating for future residents and it therefore made sense for me to be a part of it ... My wife and I are looking forward to entertaining our friends and business partners from all over the world at our new residence , while also exposing them to our magnificent country . ' The estate , which at 900 acres will be nearly five times the size of Monaco , will be 50per cent developed and 50per cent woodland , with pedestrian walkways and cycle and running tracks looping through and around it . Mr Steyn is said to be passionate about the idea that the car ruins environments for people - instead he wants children in Steyn City to grow up playing outside without danger of being run over . There is also a Nicklaus Design 18-hole championship golf course being built on the estate , with completion scheduled for next year , when the homes in Steyn City will first go on the market . It will be open to residents and their guests , and is being built around canyons and an old quarry . This picture shows the fourth hole on the Steyn City Golf Course , which is currently being built for residents . The Steyn City golf course clubhouse will feature a ` growing roof ' planted with vegetation to help it blend in . Mr Steyn , who owns the upmarket Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg , and the Shambala Private Game Reserve in Limpopo , was a close friend of Nelson Mandela , whose widow attended the Steyn wedding last year . It was to Mr Steyn 's Johannesburg home that Mandela went after he was freed from jail in 1990 , and it was there , in the entrepreneur 's home in the smart suburb of Sandhurst , that Mandela finished his autobiography Long Walk To Freedom . The South African insurance boss owes much of his success and wealth to the fictional chief meerkat , Aleksandr Orlov , who spoke in a fake Russian accent and made his ` Simples ' catchphrase a national phenomenon . Worth # 200million when the meerkat adverts first hit British screens in 2009 , his wealth has since more than doubled - impressive for an insurance firm started in Peterborough in 1992 . The entrepreneur was born in Johannesburg and attended university before moving to Britain in 1992 and setting up BGL , parent company of ComparetheMarket . By 2009 he was worth an estimated # 200million , and a year later it had grown to # 320million , since when it has grown yet again . Meanwhile , the company 's value has more than doubled from # 43million in 2008 to # 88million , thanks to the meerkats , while BGL employs 2,400 people at its Cambridgeshire HQ plus offices in Sunderland and Coventry . | Douw Steyn , 62 , is the South African entrepreneur who set up insurance firm ComparetheMarket in Peterborough . Now worth an estimated # 600million , he has built himself a vast mansion in the countryside outside Johannesburg . Palazzo Steyn is the country 's biggest and most expensive house , with seven bedroom suites and marble garage . Now Mr Steyn , who also has a # 62million mansion in London 's Belgravia , is building luxury housing estate around it . His fortune doubled in four years thanks largely to the success of the TV adverts featuring meerkat Alexsandr Orlov . | [[101, 124], [136, 179], [744, 754], [762, 806], [822, 829], [5216, 5267], [101, 124], [184, 235], [101, 124], [228, 298], [519, 532], [593, 631], [677, 743], [1066, 1112], [1312, 1321], [1330, 1368], [2955, 3046], [101, 124], [184, 235], [836, 881], [3072, 3151], [4864, 4955], [5099, 5129], [5160, 5233]] |
A pilot on Russian national airline Aeroflot branded Ukrainians ` filth ' in a cockpit message while flying over the country and is a racist homophobe who calls them ` scum ' and ` killers ' on his open social media websites . In a series of sickening posts , Oleg Bugaev , 30 , repeatedly uses offensive terms to describe the people of the Ukraine , jokes about the MH17 tragedy and a helicopter being shot down . The posts have come to light as tension between the two countries remains high after Russia annexed the southern Crimea peninsula in March and continues to back rebels in eastern Ukraine . Russian Aeroflot pilot Oleg Bugaev claims he was misquoted when he was accused of calling Ukrainians filth during an August flight from Moscow to Vienna . On his open social media websites Bugaev repeatedly refers to Ukrainians as filth , Nazis and scum . He also makes light of the MH17 Malaysian Airlines tragedy which killed 298 people when it was shot down over Ukraine . Bugaev 's ` filth ' outburst stunned passengers on a scheduled passenger flight from Moscow to Vienna in August , which was tweeted by Slovakian diplomat Martin Kaco . Kaco wrote : '' En route by Aeroflot to VIE , captain to passengers : ` We fly over remnants of Ukraine , where Banderovtsi and other filth lives . '' The pilot 's words referred to Stepan Bandera , seen as a fascist by many Russians for colluding with Nazi Germany but a hero by many Ukrainians for seeking an independent state not controlled by Moscow . Aeroflot did not apologise for the outburst but five days after Kaco 's original complaint , they tweeted a reply . ` We 've studied your message , ' they wrote . ` The fact was confirmed . The pilot had no right to express his personal opinion while on duty ... In this case the pilot has violated our internal regulations . We have started the internal investigation . ' Supporting Russian separatists Bugaev wrote : ` Ukrainian invaders , go away from Russian land ' With a delicately placed Nazi swastika , Bugaev posted a cartoon alongside the caption : ` Donetsk is not Kiev ' Bugaev expressed his support for Russian leader Vladimir Putin in yet another anti-Ukrainian post on his social media site . But they have repeatedly declined MailOnline requests to reveal the outcome or whether Bugaev was grounded or disciplined . Using an online forum for flight crew Bugaev , who has been flying with Aeroflot since 2007 , confessed that he was wrong to make the comments but claimed that he had been misquoted . ' I am that very captain who allegedly abused the Ukrainian people , ' he wrote ` My words were flipped 180 degrees . Abuse was added to them and even words I do not know . He added : ' I have discussed it with the management . Of course , I confess it that I was wrong . I violated Aeroflot 's standards by having added that we were flying over the remnants of Ukraine . ' But his seemingly contrite words do not match the vitriol on his own social media account on which he repeatedly uses the word ` filth ' to describe Ukrainians . Next to a picture of an empty grave , Bugaev who is married to 27-year-old Tatiana with whom he has a two-year-old daughter , wrote : ` The only way Bandera filth can get the lands of the south east -LRB- Ukraine -RRB- . ' Bugaev wrote : ` Nobody has ever put Donbass on its knees and no one will do ' Referencing Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko , who made his fortune in the confectionery business , Bugaev calls him a ` chocolate gay ' On another of his hate filled diatribes he declared : ` Bandera scum you are not my brother ' , while next to a picture of a man with a noose he wrote : ` Pray , Bandera , bastard . ' In another post the pilot declares `` No place for Nazis on our land '' showing a map of Novorossiya that imagines Ukraine as a rump landlocked state totally cut off from access to the Azov and Black seas . He also branded Baroness Ashton - the former EU foreign affairs chief - as ` Eurohorse ' while another image declared : ` EuroNazis will not pass ' . Apparently alluding to Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko who made his fortune in chocolate , he wrote : ` Chocolate gay get off Donbass . ' Bugaev with his wife Tatiana , 27 . They have a two-year-old daughter together . A picture of a Russian boot kicking out Ukrainians from the east of their country is captioned : ` Invaders go home . ' Making light of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 tragedy which killed 298 people , including 10 Britons , he blames the Ukrainian forces for the tragedy . ` The tradition of the Ukrainian army is to hit a plane once every 13 years , ' he stated flippantly . Both pro-Russian separatists and the Ukraine have blamed each other for the tragedy . Alongside his tirades also posted pictures showing him on foreign trips in Germany , Dubai , Hurgada , and Luanda in Nigeria . Seeking to explain his anger towards Ukrainians , on the flight crew forum he said was raised in ` beautiful ' Lugansk , a region now substantially separatist hands , less than 50 miles from the Russian border . ` My house in Lugansk where I spent all my childhood with my parents was destroyed by Grad artillery , ' he wrote . ` At the end of July I took my relatives away from Lugansk - two women with a small child , they live with me now and are still recovering . Their husbands stayed there in the -LRB- separatist -RRB- self-defence , to protect their land and houses . ' He added : ` At the border with Novorossiya , in Donetsk town of Rostov region , I met people who were on the run , and I have never seen so much human suffering . These people have lost all they had at once but still they were happy to get out of the hell and to be alive . ' Accepting he went too far in his flight deck remarks , he thanks other pilots ` for your support ' adding : ' I am so pleased to experience our Slavic nation getting together ' . He claimed : ' I was stupid to blurt out too much , but I abused nobody . ' | Oleg Bulaev said his outburst was wrong during the August flight . The Russian national airline is refusing to apologise for the comments . Bulaev 's social media accounts are filled with anti-Ukrainian vitriol . He mocks the MH17 tragedy and blames Ukrainian forces . He claims his childhood home was destroyed by a missile . | [[604, 746], [646, 758], [1504, 1594], [227, 257], [260, 271], [279, 348], [759, 783], [793, 859], [2087, 2211], [2898, 2983], [2955, 2975], [2993, 3055], [295, 304], [311, 383], [260, 271], [351, 396], [860, 862], [868, 918], [4384, 4435], [4485, 4533]] |
With Halloween just weeks away , parents across the country will be no doubt planning to turn a pumpkin or two into Jack O'Lantern to scare would-be trick-or-treaters . But anyone wanting to use this particular vegetable for their frightful plans may want to start carving now . The giant vegetable stands one metre high and weighs more than 1,100 lbs . Ian and Stuart Paton , 51 , who grow flowers for a living , have nurtured . the gigantic vegetable for the past six months in their bid to grow the . largest one for miles around . Toddler Bailey Martin is dwarfed by the giant pumpkin , which weighs 1,100 lbs . Ian , from Pennington , Hampshire , has been growing pumpkins - which are part of the squash family - for 40 years and currently holds the national record for a 1,300 lbs specimen . The gardener has been hard at work all year to overcome the poor weather conditions in his attempt to retain the winning title at the Jubilee Sailing Trust 's pumpkin festival next month . He said : ` This year was not very good because of the weather . We got three good pumpkins after planting out six . ` That 's really important . But there are a couple of other good growers around that we need to watch out for . ' ` Our secret is just very good feeds and keeping them topped up with a balanced diet of waters and fertilisers . Ambition : The growers hope to break the world record next year . Toddler Bailey Martin , one , was pictured having fun climbing over the gigantic gourd - which sits at a staggering one metre high - at their nursery near Lymington , Hampshire . The record for the world 's heaviest pumpkin has been shattered twice in the US in the past five days . On Sunday , organisers at the Topsfield Fair in Rhode Island said Ron Wallace of Greene , Rhode Island , had broken the world record with a pumpkin weighing in at 2,009 lbs . Just a few days earlier , on Thursday last week , a pumpkin grown by Steve Geddes of Boscawen , New Hampshire , weighed in at 1,843.50 lbs . Organisers at the Deerfield Fair in New Hampshire claimed then that Geddes ' gourd had broken the world record . Despite this year 's poor weather , Mr Paton has stated his determination to beat the world record next year . He added : ` We 're going to put the flowers under a shade and put buckets of ice with the plants to keep them nice and cool . ` Because we grow flowers for a living , we have a bit of an advantage . ` We 're definitely going to go after that world record next year - we want to be remembered in the books . ` It 's a costly hobby , keeping a 650sq foot greenhouse going , but its worth it to see the kids ' faces at the show . ' The brothers will be using a small truck and a forklift to carry the pumpkin , plus its 800lbs and 900lbs neighbours , to the show . In previous years , pumpkins have been carved into miniature boats with motors and massive jack-o-lanterns . The pair have said that all money raised will go straight to charity . Some of the UK 's most super-sized vegetables are showcased every year at the UK National Giant Vegetables Championships . The monster veg can be so gigantic that forklift trucks are used to move them into display . A new world-record breaking 18.5 ft parsnip was one of more than 200 vegetables unveiled at the competition in the Somerset town of Shepton Mallet last month . The . root vegetable is an eye-popping 36 times bigger than the standard . parsnip and was lovingly grown by Peter Glazebrook , 68 , from Newark , . Nottinghamshire . The retired chartered surveyor has previously held the world record for a 8lbs 40oz potato . He has also been the double Guinness World Record holder for the heaviest parsnip , at 13lb , and the longest beetroot , at 21ft . The veteran grower 's record-busting reputation is rivalled by Joe Atherton , 56 , from Mansfield Woodhouse , Nottinghamshire . He snapped up the world record for the longest carrot , which he grew to an enormous 19ft 2inches in 2007 . He also held the world record for the heaviest leek , at 6.6 kg , in 2001 . | The pumpkin was grown by twins Ian and Stuart Paton . Ian currently holds the national record for a 1,300 lb specimen . World record recently set at 2,009 lbs by a grower in Rhode Island . | [[279, 298], [325, 353], [616, 619], [735, 797], [1747, 1768], [1777, 1828]] |
They are all iconic Manchester derby moments stripped down to their simplest form . These goals sent one half of the city into ecstasy and the other half into despair and now graphic designer Rick Hincks has re-told them in their mechanical , purest form with his latest collection of prints . After the success of his collection of minimalist World Cup prints , Manchester-based Hincks has released six new artworks ahead of Sunday 's derby clash at the Etihad Stadium . VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Wayne Rooney 's famous Manchester derby overhead kick in 2011 has been immortalised like never before in a unique set of prints by graphic designed Rick Hincks . Rooney 's incredible overhead kick at Old Trafford helped United to the title in 2011 . Vincent Kompany 's bullet header in the April 2012 derby helped City to their first Premier League title . Kompany leaps above the United defence to power home the winner and help City claim the title . The balance of power in the city has shifted in recent years , with City dominating recent Premier League encounters between the two old rivals . Having claimed two of the last three titles , United boss Louis van Gaal has an almighty task wresting back the power base from United 's ` noisy neighbours . ' But both clubs have enjoyed their share of glorious moments down the years and Hincks has recreated some of the most famous . They include Wayne Rooney 's spectacular overhead kick in 2011 , Roy Keane 's winner to cap United 's incredible comeback from two-down at Maine Road in 1993 and Andrei Kanchelskis ' hat-trick goal in the 5-0 thrashing of City at Old Trafford in 1994 . Roy Keane 's goal in November 1993 capped a remarkable Man United turnaround at Maine Road . City striker Shaun Goater pounced on a mistake by Gary Neville to score in the last derby at Maine Road in 2002 . Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal gets his first taste of the derby at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday . Manuel Pellegrini 's City enter Sunday 's contest in shaky form and are three games without a win . And for City fans , there 's Shaun Goater pouncing on Gary Neville 's mistake to score in the last derby at Maine Road in 2002 , Andy Hinchcliffe 's thunderbolt in City 's 5-1 rout in 1989 and Vincent Kompany 's all-important header that tipped the title race City 's way in 2012 . Hincks , a City fan , said : ` The idea to document football moments was just natural , it 's great recreating those moments from peoples favourite team , the moments that get the hairs on the back of your neck going and that buzz of excitement in your stomach . It 's why we love football . ' ` Creating a Manchester derby collection was simply a must . There are so many memorable moments from each side , I could n't just do one or two . After letting people vote via social media we have managed to narrow it down to six , three from each side giving a great mix of eras . ' The prints are available from Rincks ' Online Print Shop as individuals or as discounted packages for each club http://shop.rincks.co.uk/ or on etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/rincks . Andrei Kanchelskis was in sensational form , scoring a hat-trick in United 's 5-0 win back in 1994 . Roy Keane congratulates Andrei Kanchelskis during United 's 5-0 rout in 1994 . Andy Hinchcliffe 's goal was the highlight of City 's 5-1 win over United at Maine Road back in 1989 . | Graphic designer Rick Hincks has released a new set of prints based on classic moments from the Manchester derby down the years . The artworks strip famous goals down to their mechanics . Among them are Wayne Rooney 's overhead kick and Shaun Goater 's famous goal in last derby at Maine Road . City play United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon . | [[9, 83], [171, 240], [294, 471], [502, 649], [633, 663], [9, 83], [171, 240], [502, 649], [664, 751], [1388, 1450], [1734, 1847], [1734, 1752], [1771, 1847], [2077, 2183], [294, 471]] |
Michael Meacher -LRB- pictured -RRB- claimed welfare reforms had left claimants ` forced to steal to survive ' A former Labour minister has urged juries not to convict people for stealing if their benefits have been withdrawn . Michael Meacher , an ex-environment minister , claimed that Iain Duncan Smith 's welfare reforms had left claimants ` forced to steal to survive ' . In an inflammatory newspaper article , he said the policy of removing benefits from those who failed to attend scheduled job interviews was ` crucifying millions of people ' . And he said it would be ` perfectly reasonable ' for jurors to follow the example set by those in the 19th century , who refused to convict desperate food thieves to save them from being hanged . Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps called Mr Meacher 's comments ` ludicrous ' and said they amounted to an amnesty on crime . Mr Meacher , who served in Tony Blair 's government , wrote : ` A million people have been sanctioned by government ministers over the last year , which means they are deprived of all their benefit for often petty infringements such as being five minutes late for a job interview -- and hence have no money for at least four weeks and sometimes three months , forcing them to steal to survive . ` Iain Duncan Smith supervises the sanctioning -- though it 's outsourced to a privatised firm doing his dirty work for him -- while -LSB- Justice Secretary -RSB- Chris Grayling takes care of the imprisonment . ' The MP for Oldham West and Royton added : ` During and after the Napoleonic wars there were up to 200 offences for which a person could be hanged , usually for stealing to keep their family alive . ` The people of this country sitting on the juries finally got round this draconian repression imposed by the ruling class by refusing to convict . That is what juries and magistrates should do now when faced by the stark injustice of the criminal justice system . ' Writing in the far-Left Morning Star newspaper , he accused ministers of ` crucifying millions of people even to the point where they 're denying them food and shelter ' . Asked about his comments on LBC Radio yesterday , he gave examples from his constituency of two people who had their benefits removed for missing job interviews . One said the interview letter had been sent to an old address , and another had told the Department for Work and Pensions he was having an operation that day . Mr Meacher told presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer that people who could not find a job in their area had no to option but to steal . ` That person should never have been put in that position , the authorities should n't have removed benefit , ' he said . Callers to the programme were split on the issue , but some who disagreed had previously received benefits . Mr Meacher blamed Iain Duncan Smith -LRB- left -RRB- , Secretary of State for Work and Pensions , and Chris Grayling -LRB- right -RRB- , the Secretary of State for Justice , for depriving people across Britain . However Mr Shapps said : ` Michael Meacher 's ludicrous comments betray how out of touch the Labour Party are . Labour have opposed every decision we 've taken to get people off benefits and back into work . And now they want an amnesty on crime . Hard-working taxpayers would pay the price . ' A Labour spokesman said that ` the Labour Party does not condone illegal behaviour ' . The Department for Work and Pensions said sanctions were only applied to 6 per cent of claimants . Benefit payments were stopped 853,000 times in the year to June 2014 , a slight fall on the previous year , for failing to attend appointments or rejecting job offers . A spokesman said : ` It 's unhelpful to make these claims without demonstrating any solid evidence . ` Sanctions are a necessary part of the benefits system , but they are used as a last resort in a tiny percentage of cases where people do n't play by the rules . ' He added : ` We also have a well-established system of hardship payments for benefit claimants who have little or no other resources available to them . ' | Ex-minister Michael Meacher urges juries not to convict benefit thieves . He claimed welfare reforms had left claimants ` forced to steal to survive ' But critics slam his ` ludicrous ' idea as creating an amnesty on crime . | [[111, 187], [0, 88], [37, 108], [228, 243], [275, 361], [334, 372], [882, 892], [1242, 1276], [1646, 1687], [2450, 2579], [2502, 2579], [749, 789], [838, 881]] |
A six-year-old boy died on June 3 after creating a noose out of a belt and hanging himself from the freezer door of his family refrigerator -LRB- not pictured -RRB- . A six-year-old boy from Idaho committed suicide by hanging himself in his family 's kitchen , according to police . The . boy , who has not been named , died on June 3 . After a month-long investigation , investigators have ruled his death a suicide , making his the fourth confirmed case of a six-year-old committing suicide in the U.S. since 2007 , according to The Argus Observer . The boy and his seven-year-old sister . were watching television together just before his death , while their . mother and stepfather were showering . The sister later reported that her . brother left the TV room and about 20 minutes later , started making . noise in the kitchen . When she went to check on him , she found his body and screamed for her parents . The parents rushed to the kitchen , called 911 , and started performing CPR until paramedics arrived . When authorities arrived on the scene , both parents were still drenched from the shower and wearing towels . Payette Police Chief Mark Clark told The Argus Observer that he assigned four detectives to investigate the death and they found no sign of foul play . Clark said investigators were unable to determine whether the boy intentionally committed suicide , but that school records and interviews with relatives indicated the child had some anger issues related to his parents ' divorce two years earlier . Lucas Hooker , a Lifeways qualified mental health professional in Oregon and a licensed professional counselor in Idaho , said that situations like this are difficult to comprehend , especially when they involve such a young child . He said if parents are concerned their child is having difficulty adjusting to major life changes or other issues , they can discuss the matter with a pediatrician and get a referral to a mental health provider . Some kids lack the verbal and cognitive ability to properly express their emotions and may ` lash out ' as a result , Hooker said . Signs that a child is having trouble include aggression or other unusual behavior , nightmares , unusual bedwetting or appearing to feel hopeless , Hooker said , and some depressed children may become preoccupied with thoughts of death . ` If a parent 's gut is telling them that something is wrong , they need to follow that , ' Hooker said . ` It 's also important for people to know if there has been a prior suicide in the family or if the child is actually verbalizing suicide to get help . If there 's a family history of suicide , the odds of the child being suicidal jump exponentially . ' If you or anyone you know if considering suicide , call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 . | The boy 's death has been ruled a suicide by investigators . He and his family , who are from Idaho , have not been identified . His seven-year-old sister found him hanging in the kitchen while his mother and stepfather were showering . School records revealed he had anger issues stemming from his parents ' divorce two years earlier . | [[337, 416], [215, 258], [664, 702], [1390, 1476], [1445, 1529]] |
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