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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Airport screeners are giving additional scrutiny to remote-controlled toys because terrorists could use them to trigger explosive devices, the Transportation Security Administration said Monday. The TSA suggests travelers place remote-controlled toys in checked luggage. The TSA stopped short of banning the toys in carry-on bags but suggested travelers place them in checked luggage. "Travelers may encounter additional screening when bringing remote control devices in carry-on baggage," the TSA said. In addition, anyone carrying such toys, including children, may have to go through secondary screening. The change was not prompted by any specific intelligence, the TSA said. Instead, it was made in response to July's National Intelligence Estimate, which concluded the United States will face "a persistent and evolving terrorist threat" in the coming years, and also by generalized threats that noted the use of remote-control toys as detonators. Authorities allege one of two students arrested in South Carolina in August posted a video on YouTube demonstrating how to use a remote-controlled toy to trigger a bomb. The arrested men -- Ahmed Mohamed, 26, and Youssef Megahed, 21 -- are Egyptian nationals. Mohamed allegedly told authorities he made the videotape about remote bomb detonation to help people in Arab countries fight infidels. In a statement on the TSA's Web site, Administrator Kip Hawley said, "We work very closely with law enforcement and intelligence communities about possible methods of attack and it appears that terrorists may have an interest to use these remote-control toys as a means to initiate these devices in a terrorist attack." Hawley added, "We want to let passengers know that if they see some different security screening related to remote control devices, they know why we're doing it." A TSA spokesman said the agency is publicizing the heightened scrutiny because it wants to be transparent with the public and let terrorists know "we're on to them." E-mail to a friend . | TSA: Remote-controlled toys could be used to trigger explosive devices . Travelers encouraged to place them in checked luggage . Additional screening not prompted by any specific intelligence, agency says . | bfa7b6a473f0d0d3a48ece8783a222a3a0d101d3 |
(CNN) -- Henry Cavill hasn't slipped into his "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" cape yet, but this is a start. On Monday, the Internet got its first look at Cavill as Clark Kent in the "Man of Steel" sequel courtesy of the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund. The U.K.-based organization works with current and retired Royal Marines and their families with a mission of giving them a better way of life, and British actor Cavill is one of the charity's big supporters. In the photo shared by RMCTF, Cavill's seen on the "Batman v Superman" set wearing the kind of straitlaced suit and tie that Superman's alter-ego, Clark Kent, would favor. (And since he's standing next to a director's chair bearing the name "Clark," the presumption is that Cavill appears dressed in character as the Daily Planet reporter.) There isn't much else to fill fans in on what director Zack Snyder is cooking up for his 2016 release, but we already know that the movie is filming in some disparate locations: Warner Bros. confirmed in May that production on "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" will take place in Detroit, Michigan, as well as various international locales. In addition to Cavill, "Batman v Superman" also stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jeremy Irons as Alfred and Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. "Man of Steel" stars Laurence Fishburne and Amy Adams will reprise their roles of Perry White and Lois Lane, respectively. Written by Chris Terrio, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is slated to arrive on May 6, 2016. | The RMCTF tweeted a photo of Henry Cavill as Clark Kent . The British actor is a supporter of the RMCTF . Cavill will co-star with Ben Affleck in the 2016 movie . | 14580e0ef7fb6792b7047ca9023577adb0e5e49e |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:04 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:48 EST, 18 November 2013 . A midwife used a plastic spoon to induce a pregnant woman to go into labour, despite there being no complications with the labour, a misconduct hearing was told today. Patience Adams allegedly decided to use the plastic cutlery to speed up the birth minutes after a colleague prevented her using a needle, it was said. The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard, that Adams also failed to get the patient’s consent for the unorthodox procedure at King’s College Hospital NHS Trust. A midwife used a plastic spoon to induce a pregnant woman to go into labour, despite there being no complications with the labour, a Nursing and Midwifery Council misconduct hearing was told today . Charlotte Eadie, for the NMC, said the woman, known only as patient A, was a Madarin speaker with little English. 'In an interview meeting she (Adams) said she had no difficulty communicating with patient A and that her husband was translating’ ‘At times she had to use sign language.’ The panel heard that Adams tried to induce labour at around 12.30am on 8 May 2011. ‘An artificial rupture of membranes was carried out, this was despite the fact that labour was normal and there was no concerns regarding the welfare of the child,’ said Miss Eadie. There is no record in the medical notes to show why Adams chose to begin this procedure, the panel heard. Miss Eadie said that Alison Taylor, a midwife who was also present at some stages throughout the labour, was ‘concerned’. Adams allegedly asked Miss Taylor to fetch a green needle, which would never be used for this procedure, and Adams then unsheathed it, it was said. She then began to start an internal procedure. Miss Taylor asked Adams why she was not using her fingers for the procedure and that she offered to fetch another midwife. ‘The registrant resheathed the needle and handed it back to Miss Taylor who then disposed of it,’ said Miss Eadie. The council heard, that Adams also failed to get the patient's consent for the unorthodox procedure at King's College Hospital NHS Trust . ‘Miss Taylor was then called away, and around ten to 15 minutes later observed the registrant coming out of the kitchen with a plastic spoon.’ Miss Eadie told the panel that the spoon ‘presented a risk of infection for using a non sterile object and a risk to the child due to the sharp end.’ Adams, who is present and represented at the hearing in central London, faces a string of allegations relating to the incident on 8 May 2011 while she was employed by Kings College Hospital NHS Trust. She admits that she did not offer the patient access to a translator and that she used a plastic spoon to perform the artificial rupture of membranes. She also admits an allegation that she did not record foetal observations, including the heart rate and summary of care and that she carried out two internal examinations without medical reason for doing so. But Adams denies attempting to use a needle to perform the artificial rupture of membranes and that she performed the procedure without discussing it with the patient or obtaining her consent. If she is found guilty of misconduct, she could face being struck off the register. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Patience Adams allegedly decided to use plastic cutlery to speed up birth . Nursing and Midwifery Council heard Adams failed to get patient’s consent . The council heard that there were no complications with the labour . | 09f39cf3f61ba30735d629f77e823f611ee4dcf3 |
A top High Street fashion chain yesterday claimed two labels sewn into summer dresses saying 'sweatshops conditions' and 'exhausting hours' were hoaxes. Primark were under-fire after claims the labels were a 'cry for help' from workers making the cut-price fashion. But bosses at the chain say the two matching hand-made labels were put on dresses made thousands of miles apart - one in Romania and one in India. Rebecca Gallagher, left, and Rebecca Jones, right, both bought their summer fashion garments from the Primark store in their native Swansea spending £10 on the dress and top containing the hoax labels . A investigation by Primark found that one of the garments has been made in Romania and the second was manufactured in India leading them to conclude that both labels were hoaxes, most likely attached in the UK . Two women shoppers were shocked at finding the hand-made labels sewn into bargain tops bought from the same Primark store in Swansea city centre. Rebecca Gallagher, 25, spotted a label reading: 'Forced to work exhausting hours' next to the washing instruction of her bargain top. And a second shopper Rebecca Jones, 21, revealed how she found another label reading: 'Degrading sweatshop conditions'. The two women - who do not know each other - bought their £10 summer clothes from the same Primark store. Both Miss Gallagher and Miss Jones purchased their £10 garments in the Primark store in Swansea . A Primark spokesman said: 'Nobody should be in any doubt that Primark places the utmost importance on the well-being of workers in its supply chain. 'Primark would not sell clothes unless we are satisfied that they were made in accordance with our Code of Conduct. 'It is for this reason that we take all allegations of breaches of our Code extremely seriously from any sources.' The company - who say workers in our supply chain to make contact 'confidentially' - launched an investigation into the labels. The spokesman said: 'Our investigation has led us to the conclusion that it is more likely than not, to have been a hoax carried out in the UK. 'The labels are clearly from the same source. 'It is almost impossible to imagine circumstances in which such similar labels could have been sewn onto the garments at the factory where they were made. 'They were made by different suppliers, in different factories, on different continents, one in Romania and the other in India, thousands of miles apart. 'However, both garments carrying the hoax labels, were bought from our Swansea store in 2013. 'It may be no more than a coincidence that an exhibition of labels of a similar kind was held in Swansea, also in 2013. 'Visitors were encouraged to sew labels, using similar wording and appearance to the hoax labels, onto clothing.' Primark say it is continuing to investigate the discovery of a note in a pair of cropped trousers in Northern Ireland, with investigations being carried out in the UK and China. It comes after the discount fashion retailers have been criticised over working conditions of workers abroad - but Primark insists it has a strict code of ethics. Miss Gallagher said she would never wear the multi-coloured dress ever again after spotting the label . Miss Jones said having spotted the label she know spends time thinking how her clothes have been made . Miss Jones, of Porthcawl, said: 'I was really shocked when I saw the label saying it was degrading sweatshop conditions. 'I used to shop a lot at Primark but not so much now. The label has made me think about how my clothes are made. 'I have no idea who made the label or how it go it there - but it does make you think.' Fellow shopper Miss Gallagher, 25, spotted the handmade label sewn into the multi-coloured dress from discount store Primark. She had vowed never to wear it again because of the fear it was made by a tired worker toiling in a foreign sweatshop. Miss Gallagher, of Swansea, said: 'I was amazed when I checked for the washing instructions and spotted this label. 'It was stitched by hand to say “Forced to work exhausting hours” and sewn in with the other normal labels. 'To be honest I’ve never really thought much about how the clothes are made. But this really made me think about how we get our cheap fashion.' 'I dread to think that my summer top may be made by some exhausted persontoiling away for hours in some sweatshop abroad.' Primark’s ethics came under fire in 2011 after the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh killed 1,000 workers, 580 of whom were employed by a Primark supplier. The company recently announced it will pay out compensation to workers who were injured and the families of workers who died in the collapse. The high street chain assured that it has 'a code of conduct in place, to ensure products are made in good working conditions and all employees are treated fairly'. | Primark investigation discovers garments were made in Romania and India . The labels were stitched into garments sold in the same Swansea store . Primark claims hoax labels probably stitched into the garments in the UK . | 5a15324816adb471d2b3c83f3d97c8262a4ba628 |
(CNN) -- He's one of the poster boys of the London Olympics, which is being staged a few miles down the road from where he grew up, and soccer star David Beckham has confirmed to CNN he will have a role in Friday's glittering opening ceremony. The L.A. Galaxy midfielder, who has also played for Real Madrid and Manchester United, has played a pivotal role in bringing the Games to his hometown but was controversially omitted from Team GB's football squad last month. Beckham was on hand to welcome the Olympic torch to the English capital from Athens before it embarked on a 70-day tour around the UK but has ruled out the possibility of lighting the flame inside the Stadium, saying that honor should be bestowed upon a person who has competed at the Games. The 37-year-old told CNN World Sport that he would play a cameo role in Friday's ceremony to officially open the Olympics, which is due to be watched by billions around the globe, but was tight lipped when asked what his part in film director Danny Boyle's show would entail. The 10 strangest Olympic sports . "No, I'm not allowed to," he said. "But it's exciting, I'm excited to be part of such a huge occasion for our country and for everybody involved in these Games. "It's exciting to have the Olympic Games in the East End of London and for myself to be part of that, I'm very honored." Beckham confirmed that his role would not include children, animals or footballs, but when asked if a flame might be involved he replied: "I think I might have one." The former England star, who has 115 caps for his country, was part of London's bid team that won the right to stage the biggest sporting spectacle on earth back in 2005 and has worked closely with Games organizers since. Beckham was born in Leytonstone, just three miles from the site of the Olympic Stadium, and said anticipation was building as London prepares to present to the world an event that has been seven long years in the planning. "It was seven years when this whole process started and being part of bringing the Games to a part of London where I grew up, its exciting to see everything come together," he added. "I was at the stadium yesterday -- I've not been there for a few months -- and to see the change that has happened and also to see the change that's happened around the area, it's really incredible. "You can feel the atmosphere building around the stadium now, it's great to see the athletes arrive and the interest become bigger." Beckham had been preparing to participate in the Games, as one of three players over the age of 23 allowed in Team GB's football squad, but he was controversially left out by coach Stuart Pearce. Though he missed out on competing, Beckham says he will try and take his family to as many events as possible, despite trying to juggle his commitments back in America with the Galaxy. He also implored the whole of the United Kingdom to get behind their athletes as they attempt to thrive under the pressure of performing in front of what is sure to be a partisan home crowd. "I'm interested in all the GB athletes," he said. "I think it's important for us to support every one of them. It's such a huge sporting occasion -- we've got so much talent in our country it's exciting to have so much on display. "Obviously, I've got a busy week but there will be a few events I'm hoping to get to and take my kids down to so it will be fun, hopefully." Since Beckham left Manchester United in 2003 he has been based away from the UK, winning a Spanish League title in the last of his four seasons with Real Madrid before moving to the Galaxy in 2007. And though he says his family have been warmly welcomed by the public in the United States since they made the move across the Atlantic, there is no doubt who the Beckham household will be rooting for to win more medals. "Oh no, (my family's) loyalty obviously lies with Team GB but they'll still be supporting the U.S. team because we've lived there now for six years, we've been bought in by the American public and people in L.A." Beckham faces a hectic schedule during the Games, none more so than this week where he will return to the States from London to play for the MLS All-Stars against European Champions League winners Chelsea before jetting back for Friday's opening ceremony. But it is a price he is willing to pay to be involved in both showpiece occasions. "It is what it is," he said. "It's my life, I wouldn't change it or swap it for anything. Obviously, I didn't think I was going to be able to make the MLS All-Stars game but fortunately I can fly over, fly in and fly out. "It's exciting because I'm very proud to be involved in the All-Star game and to be picked again this year. Coming up against Chelsea, the European Cup winners, it's an exciting thing to be involved in." One of his commitments in the build up to the Games was to attend an event with former world heavyweight boxing champion, and Olympic gold medallist, Muhammad Ali, a man he regards as one of the greatest sportsmen of all time. "I don't think there is a bigger sporting icon in the history of sport than Muhammad Ali," he explained. "He stood for so many amazing things and did so many amazing things, his whole career and his whole life was about survival whether it was boxing, whether it was his life in general, whether it was outside of the ring, it was always about survival and for me he's the most amazing sportsman I've ever met." | David Beckham tells CNN he will have a role in the opening ceremony of the Olympics . The soccer star says his role in Friday's glittering ceremony will involve a flame . Beckham played a crucial part in securing the Olympic Games for London . The 37-year-old says he wants Team USA to do well in the Games as well as Team GB . | 2160595150d1f191125cf1d2fc0831fd04cd220d |
(CNN) -- If you are reading this on a tablet, smart phone or computer monitor, then you may be holding a product of forced labor. Verité's two-year study of labor conditions in electronics manufacturing in Malaysia has found that one in three foreign workers surveyed was in a condition of forced labor. Because many of the most recognizable brands source components of their products from Malaysia, almost any device you purchase may have come in contact with modern-day slavery. Many customers have never heard the stories that most of the migrant workers living in Malaysia can recite by heart. One such story goes like this. In 2011, a Nepali man named Bishal (not his real name) applied for a job with a Malaysian electronics company. He was told he could only be employed if he first paid a $1,266 fee -- about double the average annual income in Nepal. Since Bishal didn't have savings, he borrowed the funds from a moneylender at a monthly interest rate of 5%, using his family land as collateral. After calculating the promised monthly salary, he was confident he would be able to pay back the loan and save money to send home for his family. When he arrived in Malaysia, Bishal was faced with additional fees and realized he'd been deceived about his salary. After purchasing food and transport, he had about $90 left over each month to pay down the loan and send home to his family. This will be Bishal's reality for the two years that he estimates it will take him to pay off his loan. The debt isn't the only thing keeping Bishal in Malaysia. He was also forced to surrender his passport to his Malaysian employment manager. He cannot leave. He is a modern-day slave. And he is not alone. For the past two years, Verité has met with workers in the Malaysian electronics sector, collecting 500 of their stories. These laborers work long hours in poor conditions to produce the components for the electronic devices bought and sold on the U.S. and European markets. Many of them become heavily indebted to obtain their jobs, and then work between one and two years in conditions of virtual debt bondage to pay off their recruitment fees. The workers we spoke with are often stuck in the supply chains of major brands that you would instantly recognize. Electronics is Malaysia's leading manufacturing industry and a key driver of the economy, contributing to 33% of exports and generating 27% of all jobs in 2013. Many companies from the U.S., Europe, and Asia use Malaysia as their manufacturing base. Foreign investment in the industry is extremely high, with 87% (roughly $2.6 billion) originating from foreign sources in 2013. Businesses and consumers worldwide share in the shame of Malaysia's forced labor problem. This new and conclusive evidence of forced labor ought to disturb major electronics companies that outsource their production to Malaysia. As stewards of international trade with the ability to influence global policy and affect consumer behavior, these companies have the power and responsibility to push for meaningful reforms and combat forced labor in the countries that supply their products. While the factors underlying modern-day slavery in Malaysia are complex, the solutions are at hand. First and foremost, multinational companies must implement strict policies to ensure that workers in their supply chains have not paid fees to get jobs and that they have easy access to their identity documents throughout their employment. To do this, multinational companies must extend their current social assessments to include inquiries about worker debt and passport retention. They must ensure that recruiters reimburse any illegal fees they have collected from workers. Companies must also conduct due diligence on the business practices of recruiters who find, place or otherwise manage workers in their suppliers' facilities. Forced labor is prohibited by the internal codes of conduct of virtually all multinationals, yet it is common in the supply chains of the most sophisticated businesses in the world. No multinational company intentionally relies on exploitation as part of its business model, yet many overlook forced labor practices that would shock their consumers. Some companies have addressed the problem, including by strictly limiting fees and even reimbursing workers for overcharges. But it's clear that we need a much larger, industry-wide effort. It's time that multinational electronics companies took strict, comprehensive and measurable steps to put forced labor in Malaysia and other countries out of business. | Workers are being lured to work in factories producing electronic goods but have to pay a fee to secure the job. After that they are in debt and have to work to pay it off, sometimes being forced to surrender travel documents. Malaysia is a major manufacturer of electronics but supply chains are not properly regulated, says Dan Viederman of Verité. He wants all companies to end forced labor in their supply chains. | c72affd9dbf13cc716f73a879de95685457e7383 |
By . Wills Robinson for MailOnline . Every day, thousands of people are joining are uploading videos of their attempt at the ice bucket challenge to join the social media craze. But with so many clips dominating Facebook feeds, users are thinking of ways to stand out. So when mechanic Colin Meyrick received his nomination, he decided to ditch the ice - and instead opted for engine oil. Scroll down for video . Different method: Colin Meyrick, 46, from Llanhilleth, Wales, agreed to have 30 litres of engine oil poured over him at Cooper Car Sales in Ystrad Mynach, in a bid to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support . The 46-year-old from Llanhilleth, South Wales, agreed to have 30 litres of the liquid poured over his head on one condition - all the money raised would go to a cancer charity in memory of his late mother. Within hours of thinking up the idea in the pub, Mr Meyrick and his colleagues at Coopers Car Sales in Ystrad Mynach had already raised more than £1,000. Garage owner Lewis Phillips said: 'We were in the pub talking about the craze and Colin made a throwaway comment that he'd do it with car oil. 'I said to him 'I'll give you £300 if you do it' and he said he would, as long as the money goes to Macmillan Cancer Support. 'His mum Maver Meyrick passed away earlier this year after a long-term battle with cancer so he wanted to raise money for that cause. 'We already had £700 by the time we left the first pub, Redz in Bargoed, as there was an 18th birthday party in the back room. Soaked: Mr Meyrick jokingly said he would use engine oil instead of ice at the pub, with his friends jumping on the idea. Within hours they had already raised more than £1,000 . 'On the same night we moved on to the Neuadd Wen in Aberbargoed, the Railway Inn in Abertillery and the Top Hotel in Llanhilleth. By the time we got home we'd already raised £1,100 in sponsorship.' The total amount raised has now topped £1,200 and representatives from Macmillan will be visiting the garage on Monday to collect the cash. Mr Phillips added: 'The sponsorship support was phenomenal, everyone wanted to donate. Colin spends most of the day covered in oil anyway so it wasn't that different for him after the challenge. 'He took it in good spirits and was back in the pub again within the hour. He's chuffed to have raised that much money. 'We are so grateful for the support and would particularly like to thank Bodyshine Repair Centre, TG Car Sales, Albion Repair Centre and Pengam Partmart.' | Colin Meyrick, from Llanhilleth, Wales, had 30 litres of oil poured on him . Co-workers covered the 46-year-old at Cooper Car Sales, Ystrad Mynach . His colleagues agreed they would all donate in memory of his late mother . Within hours he had raised more than £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support . Had the idea for the stunt while with a group of friends in a pub . | 8fadf9f17be9a9a2b74f1a26c43633f75daa1b0e |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- The parole hearing for one of killer Charles Manson's followers, Bruce Davis, was continued Wednesday to an undetermined date after Davis became sick, a corrections spokesman said. "The hearing started but ended early because the inmate fell ill and had to leave for treatment," Jeffrey Callison, press secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told CNN. Two years ago, a California panel granted parole to Davis, but it was overturned by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, officials said. Judge to "Tex" Watson: Police can have tape recordings . Davis, 69, is serving a life sentence for the 1969 first-degree murders of music teacher Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald "Shorty" Shea. In Davis' last parole hearing, in 2010, the board said that Davis had not been disciplined since 1980 and participated in all available education, vocation and self-help programs. Davis is one of several imprisoned followers of Manson, 77, who is serving a life sentence for nine murders. Manson led his "family" in a deadly spree in 1969, whose victims included eight-months-pregnant actress Sharon Tate. Manson was denied parole for the 12th time in March. Manson, whose gruesome killings inspired the best-selling book "Helter Skelter," will be up for parole again 15 years from now, when he would be 92. Debra Tate, the sister of Sharon Tate, attended Wednesday's parole board hearing for Davis, but she told CNN that the hearing never started. The hearing was slated to start at 10:30 a.m. PT (1:30 p.m. ET), but Davis' defense attorney alerted the parole panel at 2:15 p.m. PT that Davis was ill, and the lawyer sought a postponement. "Davis allegedly fainted for no apparent reason," Tate told CNN. "Honestly, in my opinion, this was a ploy to help (Davis') defense attorney since he didn't want to deal with witnesses." Tate said that if Davis and his defense team are planning to schedule a new hearing to avoid victim statements, "that will happen over my cold, dead body," Tate said. Tate said she attends most parole hearing for imprisoned Manson "family" members. Wednesday's hearing was held at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, where Davis is incarcerated, 193 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. "The public needs to know this man is very dangerous now as he was in 1969," Tate told CNN before the hearing. She also attended Manson's parole hearing and objected to Manson's parole. CNN's Kelly Andersen contributed to this report. | Bruce Davis, 69, becomes ill, and his parole hearing is rescheduled . Davis is serving a life sentence for two first-degree murders in 1969 . Illness is a defense "ploy" to avoid witnesses, sister of victim Sharon Tate tells CNN . Davis won parole in 2010, but then-Gov. Schwarzenegger overturned it . | f16e240caeb0a752deae8fd18a6b435be0c1d376 |
By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 03:30 EST, 17 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:52 EST, 17 July 2013 . Royal baby fever may have gripped much of Britain and indeed the rest of the world, but as one American interviewer found out, not everyone is in a frenzy of anticipation. When CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour asked Margaret Rhodes, the Queen's first cousin and close friend, if she was excited about the baby, her answer took the journalist by surprise. 'Not terribly,' admitted the 88-year-old, hooting with laughter. Scroll down for video . British sangfroid: The Queen's first cousin, 88-year-old Margaret Rhodes, says she is 'not terribly' excited about the impending birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby . 'Heir to the throne? History?' An incredulous Christiane Amanpour reacts to Mrs Rhodes' confession . Why on earth not? asked the incredulous Amanpour. Mrs Rhodes, who grew up with the Queen . and was present at the Queen Mother's deathbed in 2002, sighed: 'Well . you know, everybody has babies. And it's lovely. But I don't get . wildly excited about it.' 'Heir to the throne?' prompted Amanpour. 'History?' Eventually, possibly more to move on to more interesting topics than anything else, Mrs Rhodes conceded: 'Yes, all right. I'm prepared to be excited.' The US TV host asked Mrs Rhodes, the youngest daughter of the 16th Lord Elphinstone and his wife Mary Bowes-Lyon, sister of the Queen Mother, what sort of life the baby, which will be third in line to the throne, would have. Mrs Rhodes said she hoped it would have 'just a jolly, happy, ordinary child's . life', something she said the Royal Family managed with the then Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. She added: 'The king and queen in those days made an . enormous effort to give -- to keep their childhood sort of sacrosanct. I . mean, it was just a time for learning and enjoying. 'And I think that . they have succeeded awfully well.' Watch the CNN interview in full here . Mrs Rhodes, who lived at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace during World War Two, while she worked for MI6, went on to staunchly defend the Queen over criticism about the way she reacted to Princess Diana's death in 1997, staying up in Balmoral rather than returning to the capital. She said: 'I think it was an eminently sensible decision personally because what was the point -- we've got two grieving children with you, William and Harry, whose mother's just died unexpectedly. 'And to go to London and sit in Buckingham Palace with nothing to do, nothing to do except sit and think about your mother or look out of the window at the crowds, I mean, what help was that for the boys?' Asked by the interviewer whether she talked to the monarch about the aftermath, mother-of-four Mrs Rhodes said: 'No. No. And I've . never talked to her about it. I mean there are some things that one sort . of keeps off, really. Expectant parents: Mrs Rhodes says she hopes the new baby will have a 'jolly, happy, ordinary' childhood . Margaret Elphinstone married the writer Denys Gravenor Rhodes in 1950 - Princess Margaret was bridesmaid . Mrs Rhodes, who lives in the Garden House in Windsor Great Park, given to her by the Queen 32 years ago, said the Queen often comes to have a drink with her after attending the chapel in the park. She said: 'She quite often does. She comes in after prayers for . half an hour and just has a nice little drink and a chat. She also described how her cousin fell in love with her 'incredibly good-looking' future husband when she was just 13 and he 17, saying: 'I think that in the way 13-year olds do, she fell in love with a very, very handsome young man.' Mrs Rhodes was a bridesmaid at their wedding in 1947, three years before her own wedding. Mrs Rhodes admits that when she heard her aunt and uncle were to become the Queen and King of England, her reaction could have been more sophisticated. She said: 'I can remember to this day that I . shamingly hopped around the dance floor, saying, "My uncle's now king," which was a very shaming thing to do, but I did it.' Margaret Elphinstone with her future husband Denys Rhodes - they went on to have four children . After the death of her husband, Denys Rhodes, Mrs Rhodes became a Woman of the Bedchamber to her aunt, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, a position she held until the latter's death. She told Amanpour how she wept when watching the film, The King’s Speech, about her uncle, King George VI. She said: 'I cried in the film, it was so well done. And I think it did show the difficulties he surmounted. And there was one moment where he was making the king say a whole lot of frightfully rude words... 'And I did say something to the Queen about that, and she said she'd never heard her father use bad language at all. So whether that was true or not, I don't know.' Row upon row of ladders mark each photographer's pitch outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's, Paddington, where the royal baby will be born . Counting down: Mother-of-four Mrs Rhodes says she is 'not terribly' excited as 'everybody has babies' Journalists are cursing the hot sun as they wait in soaring temperatures outside the hospital in the press pen . Mrs Rhodes, whose autobiography The Final Curtsey tells how she had to ensure the Queen Mother never ran out of gin and Dubonnet, champagne or chocolate eclairs, had some words of approbation for the Duchess of Cambridge, saying 'She's doing very, very well.' She added: 'I think she's got a way with her . that's going to be very appealing. And I think that she won't sort of . vie for coverage with... which Diana perhaps did a little bit.' After a fortnight spent waiting in the press pen outside St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, journalists are running out of ways to kill the time. They grabbed their spot and marked it up two weeks ago, and now there is little to do but wait in the sunshine. One US news anchor, NBC's Natalie Morales, has taken to knitting to pass the time outside the private Lindo wing where the Duchess of Cambridge is expected to give birth. Morales, 41, a mother of two boys who in her spare time competes in triathlons, is knitting a pair of pale blue bootees for the baby. If she has to wait much longer, she can knit a pink pair as well. American NBC news anchor Natalie Morales knits to pass the time outside the Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital . | Margaret Rhodes, 88, stuns CNN host Christiane Amanpour with admission . She also defends Queen staying in Scotland after Diana's death in 1997 . The monarch's first cousin and close friend lives in Windsor Great Park . Confidante of the Queen, who often joins her for Sunday drink after church . She was a Woman of the Bedchamber to the Queen Mother until her death . | 51fd289f5ae38b1e528342c5019456dc07125c61 |
Sacked: Former Greenwich tourism chief Neil McCollum joked about crime in the borough . A tourism boss who slated an area he was paid £60,000 a year to promote has been sacked after a three month probe into his comments. Neil McCollum was head of tourism for the London borough of Greenwich and responsible for the area's Olympic welcome strategy when he branded a nearby district 'unsafe' in a Twitter rant earlier this year. His internet comments caused an outcry and despite having them removed from his account a blogger spread them sparking outrage. Mr McCollum tweeted: 'Guest appearance in Woolwich today. Wonder if it has changed. 'Mental note: Make sure wallet is not visible!' The area is understood to have issues with low-level crime and has undergone several redevelopments. Residents in the South East London borough quickly complained about Mr McCollum's jibe and the message was removed from his Twitter account. After a three-month investigation, Greenwich Council chiefs have now dismissed Mr McCollum from his post. Incriminating: Mr McCollum's facetious Twitter message, which backfired . Mr McCollum, who lives in Whitstable, Kent, had also been in charge of Greenwich's Olympic welcome strategy. Greenwich is hosting equestrian and shooting events next year. Several residents backed the council's decision with messages posted on the internet. One wrote: 'Regardless of the truth that Woolwich has a crime problem, his job was to paint the whole borough in the best possible light and in that he failed.' But others criticised the council. One message said: 'He's an idiot for posting every thought that pops into his head on Twitter but what he said is correct.' Another added: 'This shows how we allow political correctness to take priority over honesty and common sense.' Greenwich council confirmed a tourism officer had been dismissed. Redevelopment: Woolwich has suffered with low-level crime in the past but it is being modernised . A council spokesman said he had lost his job for 'breaching our code of conduct and bringing the authority into disrepute.' The spokesman added: 'The reason for this dismissal is that the individual brought the council into disrepute and breached the council’s rules of conduct. 'The individual has the right to appeal against this decision.' Mr McCollum was previously tourism manager for Canterbury City Council. | Twitter rant branding district 'unsafe' sparked outrage . Residents back Greenwich council dismissal decision . | eae0eeeb78faf4e7dcf497efed3aa7a6ebb509b8 |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- When the curtain rises on the 64th Primetime Emmys Sunday night, viewers can expect "genuinely weird stuff" from host Jimmy Kimmel and perhaps TV award show history made by "Mad Men." With 26 statuettes to be handed out, the three-hour ABC-TV broadcast from the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles should be packed with hastened acceptance speeches, but at least some drama. "Mad Men" has dominated the best drama category in its four seasons and could set a record with a fifth-straight win this year, but Showtime's psychological thriller "Homeland," which just started a second season, and AMC's "Breaking Bad" may stand in its way. "Downton Abbey," last year's best miniseries or movie winner, is competing for best drama series this year, along with HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" and "Game of Thrones." While "Mad Men" was the most nominated show last year, with 19 nods, and this year, with 17, the AMC series has yet to win an acting Emmy. It has four chances Sunday to change that, including Jon Hamm's fifth best drama actor nomination for his role as ad exec Don Draper. Emmy snubs: What the Academy got right and wrong . "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston, who beat Hamm in his first three seasons, is nominated again, along with Michael C. Hall, nominated a fifth straight year for the title role in Showtime's "Dexter," second-year nominee Steve Buscemi for playing Nucky Thompson on HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," PBS' "Downton Abbey" star Hugh Bonneville and Damian Lewis for Showtime's "Homeland." "Mad Men" actress Elisabeth Moss, whose work as Peggy Olson has earned three nominations but no trophies, is contending for best actress in a drama against last year's winner Julianna Margulies from CBS' "The Good Wife," "Homeland's" Claire Danes, Glenn Close of DirecTV's "Damages," Michelle Dockery from "Downton Abbey" and Kathy Bates, who plays Harriet Korn in ABC's "Harry's Law." Bates, who recently revealed she had a double mastectomy because of breast cancer, will also present an Emmy category Sunday night. She was given the best guest actress in a comedy for playing the ghost of Charlie Sheen's character in CBS' "Two and a Half Men." It was presented at the Emmy's creative arts ceremony last week. ABC's "Modern Family," the country's highest-rated sitcom, will try to repeat its domination of the Emmy's comedy categories. Last year's show seemed like the "Modern Family" awards at times, with the series taking home five trophies. CBS's "The Big Bang Theory," HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," NBC's "30 Rock," and HBO's "Veep" are challenging "Modern Family" for the best comedy series Emmy, which the ABC show has won for the last two seasons. "The Big Bang Theory's" Jim Parsons, who won best comedy series actor last year, is lined up against "30 Rock's" Alec Baldwin and Jon Cryer of "Two And A Half Men" again this year. Other nominees include Larry David, who plays himself in "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Don Cheadle for Showtime's "House Of Lies" and Louis C.K. for FX Networks' "Louie." The best comedy series actress competition includes Melissa McCarthy, who won a year ago for the CBS sitcom "Mike & Molly," two-time winner Tina Fey for "30 Rock," Lena Dunham for HBO's "Girls," Zooey Deschanel for FOX's "New Girl," Edie Falco from Showtime's "Nurse Jackie," NBC's "Parks And Recreation" star Amy Poehler, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for "Veep." 'Mad Men' leads Emmy nominations . The reality show competition has lacked competitiveness over the past decade, with CBS's "The Amazing Race" finishing first eight of the last nine years. Still, ABC's "Dancing With The Stars," Lifetime's "Project Runway," "So You Think You Can Dance" from FOX, Bravo's "Top Chef" and NBC's " The Voice" will try. "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" has won best variety show for nine years in a row, but this year it has a new competitor, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live." But Kimmel may not spend much time thinking about his chances, since he'll have his hands full hosting the Emmy broadcast. Kimmel told CNN the Emmy producers have given him a lot of creative freedom to make the show entertaining. "I pitched them a number of ideas and they're letting me do some genuinely weird stuff on the show," he said. "I really appreciate it, and I'm kind of surprised to how open they've been. There will be a couple of things that have never been done for sure that I think will surprise people in the best possible way." Ricky Gervais, who provided plenty of surprises as host of the Golden Globes, will take the Emmy stage as a presenter Sunday. Michael J. Fox, whose acting career continues 21 years after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, will also present. Fox was nominated for best guest actor in both the comedy and drama series categories, but lost. CNN's Abbey Goodman contributed to this report. | "Mad Men" could set a record with a fifth straight win for best drama series . While it's the most nominated show, the AMC series has yet to win an acting Emmy . ABC's "Modern Family" will try to repeat its domination of the comedy category . Kathy Bates, who recently revealed she had a double mastectomy, will present . | f080abbbdb72f3ec55803a5141bc85ecf573c62d |
If you’re planning a holiday it turns out you shouldn’t treat Sunday as a day of rest. New research from the Airlines Reporting Corp (ARC) suggests that the lowest fares are found on Sundays, regardless of the domestic or international destination. During the traditional Monday through Friday work week, tickets purchased on Tuesday were the best bargains. New research from the Airlines Reporting Corp (ARC) suggests that the lowest fares are found on Sundays . During the traditional Monday through Friday work week, Tuesday had the best bargains . This graph shows the average ticket price and advanced purchase days for US domestic flights . The findings were part of a study into nearly 130 million ticket purchases – worth an estimated £58bn ($98bn) – between January 2013 and July of this year. However, it only looked at tickets purchased from travel agents and satellite ticket printing offices, and did not include tickets purchased directly from airlines - a practice used by most consumers. With over six million US domestic flights purchased on Sundays during that 19-month period, the average price for a round-trip ticket amounted to £267 ($432). The average cost for a return flight to an international destination was £593 ($958) with over two million tickets purchased on Sundays. The findings were part of a study into nearly 130 million ticket purchases from January 2013 to July of this year . This chart shows the average ticket price and advanced purchase days for international flights . Sunday: £267 ($432) Monday: £311 ($503) Tuesday: £308 ($497) Wednesday: £308 ($498) Thursday: £310 ($501) Friday: £311 ($502) Saturday: £272 ($439) Sunday: £593 ($958) Monday: £859 ($1,387) Tuesday: £865 ($1,396) Wednesday: £873 ($1,409) Thursday: £890 ($1,437) Friday: £939 ($1,515) Saturday: £619 ($1,000) To get the best deals, travellers should plan in advance. ARC’s study revealed that the best deals for US domestic routes were found eight weeks before the date of departure, while the lowest fares for international destinations were found 24 weeks in advance. An ARC study conducted in 2012 found that the least expensive domestic tickets were purchased six weeks prior to departure. Chuck Thackston, managing director of enterprise information management at ARC, said: ‘This latest study by ARC is significant because it reveals that not only have the lowest airfares shifted from six to eight weeks out for domestic travel, but the savings are markedly greater on a percentage basis. The best deals for US domestic routes were found eight weeks before the date of departure . ‘It was also interesting to see that the data showed the least expensive tickets were purchased on a Sunday as opposed to Tuesday, which is a common belief.’ But he recommends people shop around and check prices every day as the best deals may not always be offered on a Sunday or Tuesday. ‘Air ticket pricing is dynamic and ARC isn't advising anyone to purchase tickets only at these times during the sales cycle as there is no guarantee they will receive the lowest price; it is just what the data pattern indicates during the study period.’ | Airlines Reporting Corp study analysed nearly 130 million ticket purchases . But the study did not include tickets purchased directly from airlines . Sunday offered the lowest fares regardless of the destination . Tuesday had the best bargains during the traditional work week . For international flights travellers should book 24 weeks in advance . | bbb6c916aa0912befd1ff9baa92c961b05c98a47 |
Russell Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who helped lead a 1973 uprising against the U.S. government and appeared in several Hollywood films, has died. He was 72. Means died early Monday at his ranch in South Dakota, Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman Donna Solomon said. Means announced in August 2011 that he had developed inoperable throat cancer and was forgoing mainstream medical treatments in favor of traditional American Indian remedies and alternative treatments away from his home on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Farewell: American Indian activist Russell Means (in October 2011) has died at his home in South Dakota . 'Our dad and husband now walks among our ancestors,' his family wrote on his website. 'He began his journey to the spirit world at 4:44 am, with the Morning Star, at his home and ranch in Porcupine.' Means led AIM's armed occupation of the South Dakota town of Wounded Knee, a 71-day siege that included several gun battles with federal officers. AIM was founded in the late 1960s to protest the U.S. government's treatment of Native Americans and demand the government honor its treaties with Indian tribes. Means told the AP in 2011 that before AIM, there had been no advocate on a national or international scale for American Indians and that Native Americans were ashamed of their heritage. 'No one except Hollywood stars and very rich Texans wore Indian jewelry,' Means said. 'That's all changed.' He was often embroiled in controversy, partly because of AIM's alleged involvement in a 1975 killing. Strong: In 1974, he challenged Oglala Sioux Tribal President Richard . Wilson in a reservation election. He laughs after hearing that Wilson said he will give AIM 10 days to get off the reservation after he is . reelected 'or else' Outspoken: Means, pictured in 1989, helped bring the grievances of Native Americans to national and global attention in the 1970s before going on to become a Hollywood actor . Activist: Means, who led an uprising against the government in South Dakota in 1973, is pictured being arrested by Denver police in 2000 for blocking the March for Italian Pride Columbus Day parade . But Means was also known for his role in the movie The Last of the Mohicans and his unsuccessful run for the Libertarian nomination for president in 1988. Paul DeMain, publisher of Indian Country Today, there plenty of Indian activists existed before AIM, but the group became the 'radical media gorilla'. 'If someone needed help, you called on the American Indian Movement and they showed up and caused all kind of ruckus and looked beautiful on a 20-minute clip on TV that night,' DeMain said. Means said he felt his most important accomplishment was the founding of the Republic of Lakotah and the 're-establishment of our freedom to be responsible' as a sovereign nation inside the borders of the United States. His efforts to have his proposed country recognized by the international community continued at the United Nations, he said, even as it was ignored by tribal governments closer to home, including his own Oglala Sioux Tribe. Movie star: Means is pictured left in the Last Of The Mohicans with Daniel Day-Lewis, centre . High profile: Means, pictured left beside Eric Schweig and Daniel Day-Lewis, played chief Chingachgook . But others may remember him for his former organization's connection to the killing of Annie Mae Aquash, whose death remains synonymous with AIM and its often violent clashes with federal agents in the 1970s. Authorities believe three AIM members shot and killed Aquash on the Pine Ridge reservation on the orders of someone in AIM's leadership because they suspected she was an FBI informant. Two activists - Arlo Looking Cloud and John Graham - were eventually convicted of murder. The third has never been charged. Means blamed Vernon Bellecourt, another AIM leader, for ordering Aquash's killing. Bellecourt denied the allegations in a 2004 interview, four years before he died. Also in 1975, murder charges were filed against Means and Dick Marshall, an AIM member, in the shooting death of Martin Montileaux at the Longbranch Saloon. Marshall served 24 years in prison. Means was acquitted. Career: Means, pictured left in The Last of the Mohicans and right in April, also played roles in Natural Born Killers and the animated film Pocahontas, among others. In 1995, he released an autobiography . Remembered: Means, pictured in April 2012, died early on Monday at his ranch in South Dakota . But Means always considered himself a Libertarian and couldn't believe that anyone would want to identify as either a Republican or a Democrat. 'It's just unconscionable that America has become so stupid,' he said. His acting career began in 1992, when he portrayed Chingachgook alongside Daniel Day-Lewis' Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans. He also appeared in the 1994 film Natural Born Killers, voiced Chief Powhatan in the 1995 animated film Pocahontas and guest starred in 2004 on the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. Means recounted his life in the book Where White Men Fear to Tread. He admitted to his frailties and evils but also acknowledged his successes. 'I tell the truth, and I expose myself as a weak, misguided, misdirected, dysfunctional human being I used to be,' he said. | Means led uprising against the government in South Dakota in 1973 . Helped bring grievances of Native Americans to national and global attention . Went on to feature in Natural Born Killers and Curb Your Enthusiasm . | 2b5f894033caa7b05791fa9ca772fb5f06ee66cf |
By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 16:57 EST, 13 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:58 EST, 13 March 2014 . Furor is building in Los Angeles over video of BMX riders hopping over homeless people on Skid Row. A video shot last month showing pro BMX riders Brandon Begin, Jeff Cadger and David Grant bunny hopping sleeping homeless people in the seedy neighborhood has upset many, and so has the video poster’s lack of remorse of the shocking footage. Bike store owner Adam Grandmaison initially apologized on Facebook to anyone offended by the video, but has since gone on multiple rants against those offended and even written a column saying the footage is good for the sport. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Shocking: BMX riders used Skid Row homeless as props for stunts in a video shot last month . Up and over: This homeless person watches helplessly as a BMX rider bunny hops over his legs . The fifteen second video posted February 26 to Facebook shows the trio bunny hopping over the legs of destitute people in LA’s drug-addled Skid Row. Multiple riders are shown even doing tricks in the air over the people while treating them as worthless props. ‘This is just a matter of not having value for another human being,’ Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson Deon Joseph told NBC Los Angeles. The LAPD has not brought any criminal charges against the riders because it does not believe any laws were broken, a department source told CBS Los Angeles, but others were still outraged over the video. ‘Homeless people should be treated with respect and they’re not furniture,’ a person told NBC LA. Defiant: Store owner Adam Grandmaison (left) has defended store-sponsored rider Brandon Begin (right) and the video, even calling it good for the sport of BMX . Demeaning: One person complained to local media saying the homeless are people and 'not furniture' Dynamic duo: Jeff Cadger (left) and David Grant (right) were both shown bunny hopping homeless . ‘That’s not right, it’s not right,’ a homeless person told the station. ‘It’s exploitation of the homeless people,’ said another. Grandmaison’s initial apology to Facebook drew derision from many who pointed out that he refused to delete the post. ‘Then remove the video... [what the f**k] is wrong with you?’ Asked A.J. Herrera. 'Unacceptable: Many people spoke out against the video posting on the BMX store's Facebook page . 'Take it down': Others called for the video to be removed . Infamous: Skid Row has long been home to homeless and drug addicts . ‘Good for you for saying that you don’t condone it... now take down the video,’ said Yosi Sergant. Others called the original post on the bike store’s Facebook page was ‘a horrible display of inhumanity’ and ‘unacceptable.’ Multiple people called it disrespectful. Grandmaison told CBS LA that if he has ‘to take a little flack for something that’s controversial in order for people to realize there is a big BMX scene out in LA, [he] can deal with it.’ Those comments came after he told NBC LA that he didn’t see why people were offended by the video. ‘All’s well that ends well, I guess, you know, because nobody did get hurt,’ he added. He also wrote in a skating magazine that ‘maybe, just maybe, some little kid will see that video and get motivated to ride down the street and bunnyhop over some s**t, human or not,’ according to multiple reports. Begin is sponsored by the store on whose Facebook page the video was posted, according to reports. The store's owner initially tried to deny anyone involved with the store had anything to do with the video . Neither of the three riders has publicly commented on the video, they were not able to be reached by MailOnline. | The video shot last month shows three professional BMX riders bunny hopping over homeless people . Backlash against the stunts, done in Los Angeles' infamous Skid Row, has been furious . Police have condemned the footage but do no plan to press any charges . | 128f3c8c1669a16b1f08f07ec02f36bcff617362 |
CAVITE CITY, Philippines (CNN) -- At 16, Rhandolf Fajardo reflects on his former life as a gang member. Efren Peñaflorida's Dynamic Teen Company offers Filipino youth an alternative to gangs through education. "My gang mates were the most influential thing in my life," says Fajardo, who joined a gang when he was in sixth grade. "We were pressured to join." He's not alone. In the Philippines, teenage membership in urban gangs has surged to an estimated 130,000 in the past 10 years, according to the Preda Foundation, a local human rights charity. "I thought I'd get stuck in that situation and that my life would never improve," recalls Fajardo. "I would probably be in jail right now, most likely a drug addict -- if I hadn't met Efren." Efren Peñaflorida, 28, also was bullied by gangs in high school. Today, he offers Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education. Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year . "Gang members are groomed in the slums as early as 9 years old," says Peñaflorida. "They are all victims of poverty." For the past 12 years, Peñaflorida and his team of teen volunteers have taught basic reading and writing to children living on the streets. Their main tool: A pushcart classroom. Stocked with books, pens, tables and chairs, his Dynamic Teen Company recreates a school setting in unconventional locations such as the cemetery and municipal trash dump. Peñaflorida knows firsthand the adversity faced by these children. Born into a poor family, he lived in a shanty near the city dump site. But he says he refused to allow his circumstances to define his future. "Instead of being discouraged, I promised myself that I would pursue education," he recalls. "I will strive hard; I will do my best." In high school, Peñaflorida faced a new set of challenges. Gang activity was rampant; they terrorized the student body, vandalized the school and inducted members by forcing them to rape young girls, he says. "I felt the social discrimination. I was afraid to walk down the street." Peñaflorida remembers standing up to a gang leader, refusing to join his gang. That confrontation proved fateful. At 16, he and his friends "got the idea to divert teenagers like us to be productive," he says. He created the Dynamic Teen Company to offer his classmates an outlet to lift up themselves and their community. For Peñaflorida, that meant returning to the slums of his childhood to give kids the education he felt they deserved. "They need education to be successful in life. It's just giving them what others gave to me," he says. Today, children ranging from ages 2 to 14 flock to the pushcart every Saturday to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and English from Peñaflorida and his trained teen volunteers. Watch Peñaflorida and his group in action with their push cart classroom » . "Our volunteers serve as an inspiration to other children," he says. The group also runs a hygiene clinic, where children can get a bath and learn how to brush their teeth. Since 1997, an estimated 10,000 members have helped teach more than 1,500 children living in the slums. The organization supports its efforts by making and selling crafts and collecting items to recycle. Take a look at the slums where Peñaflorida and his group spend their Saturdays » . Through his group, Peñaflorida has successfully mentored former gang members, addicts and dropouts, seeing potential where others see problems. "Before, I really didn't care for my life," says Michael Advincula, who started doing drugs when he was 7. "But then Efren patiently dug me from where I was buried. It was Efren who pushed me to get my life together." Watch Advincula describe how he met Peñaflorida in the slums » . Today, Advincula is a senior in high school and one of the group's volunteers. Peñaflorida hopes to expand the pushcart to other areas, giving more children the chance to learn and stay out of gangs. "I always tell my volunteers that you are the change that you dream and I am the change that I dream. And collectively we are the change that this world needs to be." Want to get involved? Check out the Dynamic Teen Company and see how to help. | Efren Peñaflorida was bullied by gangs in high school in the Philippines . Now his Dynamic Teen Company offers an alternative to gangs through education . Since 1997, some 10,000 members have taught more than 1,500 children in slums . Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year at CNN.com/Heroes . | 77fdb05b5dcd10ec899df6ddfc4b3122026a548d |
Sainsbury's has recalled 500g packets of So Organic Sultanas bought over the past five months . Sainsbury's has recalled thousands of bags of sultanas after tests showed some packets were infected with potentially fatal salmonella. The supermarket giant, which has more than 1,000 stores in the UK, yesterday sent out emails to customers who had bought 500g packets of Sainsbury's Organic Sultanas over the past five months. Father-of-two Chris Dennis, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said he was sent an email by Sainsbury's yesterday after he bought a bag of the affected sultanas earlier this month. He said: 'If Sainsbury's didn't have my email from online shopping, how would they have known to contact me? 'I have a young daughter and son who adore sultanas and you'd think that by buying organic, you would be doing the best for your children. 'Luckily we hadn't opened the packet yet, so we know we are safe, but what about all the thousands of people who have had them in their cupboards for the past five months and don't know about the salmonella scare?' The email sent to Mr Dennis, 38, from Sainsbury's reads: 'We understand from our records that you have bought Sainsbury's Organic Sultanas 500g in the last five months. 'During routine testing it has come to our attention that a low level incidence of Salmonella has been found in this product. 'The safety of our customers is extremely important to us and as a precautionary measure, we are asking all customers who have bought this product not to consume it and to return it to their nearest Sainsbury's store where they will receive a full refund. Customers who have bought the sultanas have been advised not to consume them and to return them to their nearest Sainsbury's store for a refund . Anyone can get salmonella, but young children, the elderly and people whose immune systems are not working properly have a greater risk of becoming severely ill. Symptoms include watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever. These symptoms usually last for four to seven days and clear up without treatment, but if you become seriously ill you may need to be treated for dehydration (fluid loss) caused by the illness. Transmission occurs by eating contaminated food, mainly of animal origin, or by faecal contamination from an infected person or animal. 'I can confirm that we have removed all the affected products from our stores and no other products are affected in this way. 'If you have any questions please call our Careline on 0800 636 262. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.' The Public Health England website states: "Anyone can get salmonella, but young children, the elderly and people whose immune systems are not working properly have a greater risk of becoming severely ill. 'Symptoms include watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes vomiting and fever. 'These symptoms usually last for four to seven days and clear up without treatment, but if you become seriously ill you may need to be treated for dehydration (fluid loss) caused by the illness. 'Transmission occurs by eating contaminated food, mainly of animal origin, or by faecal contamination from an infected person or animal.' | Affects 500g packs of Organic Sultanas bought in past five months . Routine testing revealed 'low level incidence' of salmonella . Customers advised not to eat the product and return it for full refund . | 52dcb8a2681ed1e856b110a56fac701e9ee4596e |
(CNN) -- Michelle Obama gave an impassioned speech before the International Olympics Committee. President Obama traveled overseas -- in the middle of debates over health care and Afghanistan -- to make his personal pitch to bring the 2016 Olympics to his hometown. President Obama personally appealed to IOC members for the 2016 summer Olympic Games to be in Chicago. But despite their efforts, the Obamas will come home empty-handed as Chicago's dreams of hosting the Games evaporated in the first round. The news stunned those awaiting the announcement, many of whom thought the battle was between Chicago, Illinois, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio also beat out Madrid, Spain, and Tokyo, Japan, to host the games. Although the White House says the trip was the right thing to do, some Republicans say it will have some consequences for the president. "Other than people who like to cheer, 'We're No. 4! We're No. 4!' I don't know how this is anything but really embarrassing," Republican strategist Rich Galen said, adding that Obama's failed pitch will probably be the joke on Capitol Hill for weeks to come. "Given the last two months starting with the August recess and all of the issues that surrounded that, I think that the White House staff, the senior staff needs to get together somewhere and figure out how they are going to fix this, because they are in a deep slump," he said. Upon returning to the White House on Friday, Obama expressed no regret about his trip, saying it is "always a worthwhile endeavor to promote and boost the United States." "One of the things that I think is most valuable about sports is that you can play a great game and still not win," the president said. "Although I wish that we had come back with better news from Copenhagen, I could not be prouder of my hometown of Chicago." White House senior adviser David Axelrod said that although the results were "disappointing," Obama did the best he could. "The president made, I think, a very strong appeal, and it didn't work out. But it was well worth the effort. Any time this president has a chance to go and promote the interests of this country and promote the interests of a city or a state within this country on something of this magnitude, he's going to take that opportunity," he said. Axelrod said Obama's appeal wasn't strong enough to overcome the "internal currents," pointing out that former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch was among those leading the bid to bring the games to Madrid. "I think there were other things that played there that we simply couldn't overcome, and that's life. Life goes on," he said. U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, a Chicago Democrat, said the loss is "kind of heartbreaking. ... A tremendous amount of effort has been put into trying to win the bid." It wasn't a mistake for Obama to make the trip, Davis said. "I think the president did what we would expect him to do, and that is show leadership," he said. Obama spent just four hours in Copenhagen and flew back before the announcement was made. The president also met with his commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, aboard Air Force One, following up on a Wednesday meeting with his national security team on how to proceed on the war, the White House said. Before his trip, critics questioned whether Obama should leave the country to make his pitch, given his already full plate. "Listen, I think it's a great idea to promote Chicago, but he's the president of the United States, not the mayor of Chicago," House Minority Leader John Boehner said, Politico reported. "And the problems we have here at home affect all Americans, and that's where his attention ought to be." Last month, when the Obamas hosted an event on the White House lawn to rally support for Chicago's bid, Obama was against making the trip. "I would make the case in Copenhagen personally, if I weren't so firmly committed to making -- making real the promise of quality, affordable health care for every American," the president said. But the administration had little choice but to raise the stakes, White House officials said, given that the other competitors all were sending their heads of state to Copenhagen. CNN senior political correspondent Candy Crowley said Obama's failure to bring the Games to Chicago won't cause any enduring political damage. "It opens him to criticism and it makes it difficult for him for a while. But will it mean NATO isn't going to send more troops to Afghanistan because he didn't get the Olympics? No. Does it mean that any Republican or Democrat will change their mind on health care? No. "He's going to be in a lot bigger trouble if he doesn't deliver on health care, believe me," she said. | NEW: "I could not be prouder of my hometown of Chicago," Obama says . "I don't know how this is anything but really embarrassing," GOP strategist says . Critics had questioned whether Obama should make trip, given his full plate . Chicago eliminated in first round; Rio de Janeiro wins . | 71d9c38a87a93fabbe14b2dca7c33b867985ec69 |
(CNN) -- First came the stuff that floats on the surface and is pushed by wind: Buoys, a soccer ball, flotation devices. And, most notably, a rust-stained unmanned fishing trawler in Alaskan waters. Communities in Alaska, Hawaii, the West Coast and Canada are preparing for the main event from debris pushed offshore by last year's massive Japanese earthquake and tsunami. About 70% of the debris sank, according to Japanese government estimates. No one knows how much of the remaining 1.5 million tons of debris is still floating in the Pacific Ocean. But U.S. and state officials say that some items washing ashore may be from the disaster, which took place 13 months ago and nearly 5,000 miles away. Thousands of people were killed. "Our models show the outer edge of the debris is at the West Coast and Alaska now," Nancy Wallace, program director and division chief of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Debris Program, said Wednesday. The bulk of the debris is north of Hawaii, slowly moving east. In Washington state, there have been reports of lumber, lightbulbs and fishing items reaching land. Their source has not been confirmed. Officials can't rule out they came from the tsunami, according to Curt Hart, communications manager at the the state's Department of Ecology. A volunteer helping in a beach cleanup this weekend along the Washington coast said she found items that appeared to include Japanese writing, according to CNN Seattle affiliate KING. That doesn't prove they were part of the tsunami debris, officials caution. NOAA said there is no current "debris field." Rather, items, large and small, are scattered over a huge swath of the North Pacific and may make landfall intermittently. Residents are being told to expect reports of debris to increase and continue over the next couple of years. What might they see? For starters, building materials, fishing nets and gear, plastic, barrels and hazardous materials. Federal, state and local officials held a workshop in Ocean Shores, Washington, on Wednesday, to discuss strategies for handling additional debris. The workshop followed a round of meetings in Washington communities. "I think my folks have heard a little bit of everything at these meetings," said Tim Church, communications director for the Washington State Department of Health. "The great majority who have come have been low-key about it." Some people have asked whether any bodies will come ashore. That's not expected. The top concern is whether radioactive material from the Fukushima nuclear power plant will make landfall. NOAA has said that scenario is highly unlikely. "We do not expect to see anything to wash up from Japan with elevated levels of radiation," said Church. "At the same time, we fully appreciate the concern of people. If you spend a lot of time on the coast, if you see the news coverage, you want to see you are safe." A beach cleanup this past weekend along the Washington shore included checks with radiation-detecting equipment, according to Church. "There just had not been anything so far." No single government agency is in charge of patrolling and cleaning beaches; hence the planning and public information campaign. "We are poised ... with a well-coordinated response," said Hart of the state ecology department. "We are going to see items from the tsunami on our beaches." Of concern for his agency is the potential for oil or chemical drums or fuel cylinders to come ashore. That risk could increase as the region sees normal stormy weather kick up later this year, according to Hart. The U.S. Coast Guard is focusing on pollution threats and any impediments to navigation, according to Lt. Regina Caffrey, a public affairs officer in Washington state. Lynne Talley, a physical oceanographer with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, said the debris was initially carried on the swift Kuroshio current, but slowed as it joined another current west of Hawaii. "It is now scattered over 4,000 miles in one direction and 1,000 miles in another area," Talley said. "The front edge of it has gotten here and the whole cloud should arrive at the end of another year." To better pinpoint the debris and update models, NOAA has turned to satellite images and reports from commercial shipping lines, according to Wallace of the marine debris program. "It is extremely spread out, and if you were sailing through it you would not see much," said Talley. Earlier this month, the U.S. Coast Guard opened fire on the drifting 200-foot trawler 180 miles southwest of Sitka, Alaska, after it determined the "unmanned, unlit, unmarked vessel" posed a hazard to mariners and the marine environment. It was a dramatic end for the Japanese squid trawler. It was bound for a scrap yard before becoming part of the debris. The soccer ball that recently washed up on a remote Alaskan beach apparently belonged to a teenager from a Japanese city devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. Misaki Murakami, a 16-year-old high school student, said he has "no doubt" that the ball is his after hearing that his name was among the characters written on it, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported. NOAA blogs about the soccer ball . Ocean debris is nothing new, but "If you look at it over a long time, it is worse now than it has been," said Wallace. Plastic does not degrade, nor does fishing gear made of synthetic materials. "Derelict fishing gear used to be made of ropes and would break down quicker," she said. Even with models and technology, predicting exactly where debris will come ashore is far from an exact science. "We can only forecast a few days into the future, because of wind and current," Wallace said. "We expect there to be an upswing in debris on the shore. The interesting thing is we don't know where it's going to be, and we think it is going to be spread out." She cautioned against overreaction. "We don't want people to cancel their beach vacation (thinking) it will be inundated with beach debris," said Wallace. Still, agencies want to be prepared, and officials understand concerns. "This is a really human tragedy that happened in Japan," said Wallace. "It captured the media and public's sympathy. Afterward, you saw the videos of what was washed" out into the sea. CNN's Jethro Mullen and Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report. | Last year's earthquake and tsunami sent tons of debris into Pacific Ocean . A portion of that headed east for Alaska, Hawaii, West Coast . Officials are receiving reports of items coming ashore . It's difficult to predict exactly the path . | 4e8a5bffb7bbb35c5db6cf480550e7d19c78b907 |
(CNN) -- The outward signs of recovery were everywhere Monday across the Northeast nearly two weeks after Superstorm Sandy struck: Power restored to tens of thousands, bridges and tunnels reopened, and limited train and ferry service up and running. "After two weeks of the recovery phase, we've achieved a new normal for life in post-Hurricane Sandy New Jersey," Gov. Chris Christie said of his state. Nearly everyone in the state has power back, nearly all schools are reopening, and gasoline rationing can end in the state, he said. Ad-hoc army of volunteers feeds those still-powerless after Sandy . But, as officials in the stricken region emphasize, signs of struggle remain. In New York state alone, Sandy inflicted about a $30 billion "economic loss," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. For many, that loss and heartache is as fresh as it was when Sandy came ashore. People are still clearing debris from their homes, standing watch among ruins to ward off looters, and putting on layers of clothing to battle the cold. Some have been crying in each other's arms as they face the devastation. Gas rationing continues in New York City and Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties. Christie said it will take time to restore necessary services for those who live on New Jersey's barrier islands, because so much infrastructure was destroyed. "Our resilience has always been our biggest strength," Christie said. He said he has seen a lot of pain and tears across the state. But, he added, those suffering losses also say, "We're rebuilding. We're coming back." The death toll from Sandy is at least 113 across several states, with 43 of those fatalities in New York City, according to New York's chief medical examiner. Authorities discovered the body of a 66-year-old man who appeared to have drowned in his home on hard-hit Staten Island, while a 77-year-old man from the battered beachside community of Far Rockaway in Queens died of injuries he suffered when he fell down a flight of stairs. Not long after the superstorm, more than 8.6 million people were without power, the U.S. Department of Energy said. As of Sunday morning, that was down to about 160,000 customers. Map: See images of destruction, recovery across the East Coast . In Baldwin Harbor, on New York's Long Island, Paul Walters used a flashlight to survey the storm debris pulled from his home and those of his neighbors: Damaged mattresses, boxes of books and papers, and destroyed floor lamps. But it is the ongoing power outage that has proved most frustrating for Walters, who told CNN affiliate WCBS in New York late Sunday that he was "frustrated, emotionally drained" by the experience. Bundled up in a heavy jacket and knit cap, Walters joined hundreds over the weekend in Baldwin Harbor to protest a Long Island Power Authority requirement that every home undergo an inspection before power was returned. The ruling drew the ire of residents, who are battling the cold while trying to clean up their homes. Some residents took to the streets in areas of the Nassau County community with handmade signs. Others chanted: "Help the harbor. Turn on the power." Under fire by residents and officials, the Long Island Power Authority rescinded its inspection order. But it did little to curb anger among residents who believe they have been without power unnecessarily. "It's ridiculous," Marilyn Cashdan told WCBS. "The governor should fire them all." Cuomo, New York's governor, said for about 58,000 customers in the Rockaways, Long Island and Brooklyn, it's not just a matter of utilities doing their normal restoration work. For them, repairs must be done in and around their homes for electricity to return. "If you don't have your power back, it probably means power can't be restored to your home at this time," he said Monday afternoon. Opinion: Rebuilding after Sandy is too big a risk . LIPA said Monday it has restored service to more than 97% of customers whose homes and business can safely receive power. Over 10,000 linemen and tree trim crews remain at work, meanwhile, for those still in the dark. Another utility Con Edison announced its last New York City customers affected got their power back overnight, while all Westchester County customers had electricity back by Monday. "The 1 million restorations do not include approximately 16,300 customers in flood-ravaged areas of Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island," Con Edison said. "Those customers cannot get electrical service until their own internal equipment is repaired, tested and certified by an electrician as ready for service," the company said on its website. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano visited New York City on Sunday. Though she praised the response to the storm, she recognized that much work remains to be done. "This is going to be here for the long term. And we are here for the long term as well," she said. More than 369,000 people in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut have registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will total more than $455 million, FEMA said. In his weekly radio address Sunday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg detailed the city's relief and rebuilding efforts, including the Rapid Repairs program, which sends teams of inspectors, electricians, carpenters and contractors building-to-building to identify repairs needed, help building owners make repairs and get them reimbursed by the federal government for repair work. In that vein, the mayor signed an emergency order Monday waiving all city application and permit fees for those doing Sandy-related repairs. Plus, those buildings with "significant structural damage" that will need to be demolished, altered or rebuilt "will have their repair work fees waived and all fees for electrical and plumbing repair work ... waived." Bloomberg, along with the city council speaker and city comptroller, later Monday announced a a $500 million "emergency capital spending plan to make critical repairs to public schools and public hospitals." This comes after the city authorized $134 million for projects like fixing the Battery Park Overpass, repairing ferry terminals, conducting electrical and water line inspections and removing debris. CNN's James O'Toole, Susan Candiotti and Dominique Dodley contributed to this report. | NEW: New York City OK's $500 million for repairs at city schools and hospitals . New York's governor estimates Sandy's economic loss to his state at $30 billion . He says repairs must be made to thousands of residences for power to return . The death toll from Superstorm Sandy has risen to 113 in the United States, officials say . | bfc753792cedcd876c1922e20ea31ae9faf33026 |
Average flaccid penis length is 3-4 inches; Jonah's is 8 inches . Has people stop him in the street and has received offers from porn industry . Was stopped at security for fear he was carrying a bomb in his pants . Jonah Falcon is something of a celebrity in his home city of New York for one very big reason: he is the owner of the world's largest penis. Measuring eight inches when flaccid and an impressive 13.5 inches when erect, the 41-year-old's XL asset hit the headlines recently when the huge bulge in his trousers caused a security alert at San Francisco airport. Today the well-endowed American told This Morning that the experience was nothing new for him and that he doesn't see his over-sized appendage as anything special anymore. Scroll down for video . Proud owner: 41-year-old Jonah Falcon is the proud owner of the world's largest penis, measuring in at 13.5 inches . He said: 'I was amused. What was the worst that was going to happen? Would I have to pull it out for them? 'I have been doing that all my life. It was more annoying that I had a two hour delay.' Jonah, who is 5ft 9 and has size ten feet, realised from a young age that he was different from the other boys. The average length of a flaccid male organ measures in at 3-4 inches; Jonah's is double that at a staggering 8 inches in length. How big? Holly and Phillip struggle to get their heads around the size of Jonah's penis on the show . Depending on temperature, his penis can grow up to 13.5 inches when erect, something that has often taken his friends by surprise. He said: 'I went to a mostly Jewish school, and I was the only one who was uncircumsised so I always thought that was what my classmates were fascinated by.' Attention seeker: Jonah enjoys wearing tight cycling shorts to draw attention to his golden package . It wasn't under the age of nineteen that Jonah began putting his proud parts to the test. 'I was pretty promiscuous. I am an actor and an only child so very much a show-off. 'At baseball camp, people made a big deal out of it so then I just went hog wild,' he said. Up until the age of 25, Jonah was ruled by his surprisingly large penis, sleeping with lots of men and women: 'I was trying to boost my own self-esteem and when I learnt that then I crashed and got burnt out, gaining weight I stopped caring.' When it comes to relationships, Jonah, who has been single since 1996, finds that the women who stick around the longest are the older, more experienced one's. 'They have been on that road before, they have evolved beyond sex and are looking for something beyond that.' he said. And as for his sex life, he insists there are no complications. 'I am extremely into foreplay. 'I am a performer, when the other person gets excited and enjoys then I am happy. 'I do have to be turned on, patience is the key, don't expect me to get up immediately,' he said. And his hidden 'talent' has sparked worldwide curiosity: celebrities often call to ask him about it and Jonah has received lots of offers to join the porn industry which he continues to decline: 'I can't perform in public, I wear tight jeans but I won't do anything in front of other people.' Above average: The average flaccid penis is 3-4 inches, and Jonah's measures in at a staggering 8 inches . He often has people stopping him in the street, but admits that's because he enjoys wrapping his penis around his leg and wearing tight cycling shorts to make it all the more prominent. And whilst Jonah has received a lot of attention, he is worried that it may actually have a negative effect. 'I worry that it might cost me work. As an actor, do you think I'd ever work for Disney? 'I do these shows because I enjoy talking and I fancy myself as very intelligent but in back of my head I think what am I doing this for? 'There's a very fine line between exploitation and prostitution and I concern myself with that; I think I have been on the right side.' Perplexed: Holly looks baffled as Jonah attempts to demonstrate how big his penis is with his forearm . But former lothario Jonah isn't worried about finding long lasting love. 'Having things come easy has made me lazy. I have just started putting effort in. 'I am moving forward and may be older, but it's better late than never, I feel like a teenager that is suddenly becoming adult.' And asked would he change anything about himself and his headline grabbing trouser department he insists absolutely not. 'This is me. When I look down on myself I don't see anything special but I still enjoy having something special, everyone does.' | Average flaccid penis length is 3-4 inches; Jonah's is 8 inches . Has people stop him in the street and has received offers from porn industry . Was stopped at security for fear he was carrying a bomb in his pants . | 63dec7e8e335a44caac4586f61397d09bbef0ea0 |
Floyd Mayweather told regulators on Wednesday that the 'reality' TV show promoting Marcos Maidana fight was almost completely made up. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the boxer had lost touch with reality days later too. The 37-year-old posted an instagram picture of himself lying in bed, listening to music alongside a million dollars' worth of cash. Floyd Mayweather posted an instagram picture with a million dollars and wants to sell a lifestyle . Mayweather with his attorney Shane Emerick appeared before the Nevada Athletic Commission . After beating Maidana, Mayweather admitted that his reality TV show was nearly all made up . Talking of the Maidana bout, Mayweather said: 'I don't want to just sell a fight. I want to sell a lifestyle.' Called before Nevada boxing regulators on Tuesday to explain what went on in the Showtime All Access shows aired earlier this month before his rematch with Maidana, Mayweather said it was all just made-up entertainment to sell the fight. It worked, he said, bringing in enough of an audience for him to sell more pay-per-views for a fight in which he was guaranteed a $32 million payday. 'It wasn't real marijuana,' Mayweather said. 'It's all about entertainment.' VIDEO Mayweather outclasses Maidana to retain title . | Floyd Mayweather posted a picture on instagram with loads of cash . Mayweather said his TV show before Maidana fight was nearly all made up . He guarenteed himself $32million dollars from his last bout with Maidana . | 37320c68fe2917798e7104b329f5d71e33adff66 |
(CNN) -- President Barack Obama cares, the White House insisted Tuesday in asking Congress for $3.7 billion in emergency funds to better respond to the flood of immigrants illegally crossing the border into Texas. No he doesn't, say Republicans who note Obama doesn't plan to visit the border area when he travels to Texas -- the epicenter of the immigrant influx -- on Wednesday for a trip that includes a meeting with Gov. Rick Perry. Amid the political sniping, many of the tens of thousands of young Hispanic immigrants who have illegally crossed the border into Texas this year remain in limbo while waiting to be processed and possibly sent back to their home countries. The surge of undocumented youths from Central America has overwhelmed federal facilities and revived the debate over an immigration policy overhaul, one of the most partisan issues in the already overheated political climate of an election year. U.S. authorities estimate that between 60,000 to 80,000 children without parents will cross the border this year in what the White House is calling an "immediate humanitarian crisis." Obama administration officials blame the immigrant influx on dire conditions in countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador that cause people to send their children on dangerous journeys to the United States with smugglers who falsely promise the kids won't get deported. Critics, however, say the administration invited the problem by halting deportations of some young immigrants who came to the country illegally in past years. Funding request . Obama's emergency funding request is just over 10% of the $30 billion in proposed border security funding included in the Senate-passed immigration reform bill that House Republican leaders have stalled. A breakdown of the request, which requires approval from the deeply divided Congress, shows a broad approach by the administration to a problem that the critics say should have been anticipated. It seeks $1.6 billion for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to bolster customs and border efforts as well as cracking down on smugglers, and $300 million for the State Department to help Mexico and Central American governments counter what officials called "misinformation" by smugglers about what immigrants will face on the journey to the U.S. border and once they arrive. A main goal is to speed up the processing of arriving young immigrants to send back those who lack legal status. For most, the likely outcome will be a return home, White House officials told reporters on a conference call. Obama's funding request also seeks $1.8 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services to provide appropriate care for unaccompanied children crossing the border. The officials said that money would allow the government to meet its legal and moral obligations for such youngsters now being crammed in overcrowded facilities in several states while awaiting processing. On Tuesday, the Pentagon said it was processing requests from HHS to house more minors and Defense Department spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said the matter was still under discussion. But U.S. officials told CNN's Barbara Starr the requests cover about 5,000 new beds at military facilities. There currently is space for about 3,600 children. The current arrangement is to use military facilities for up to 120 days. Kirby wouldn't speculate whether the time frame would be extended, although he said it's something that would be discussed. "Urgent situation" In addition, the emergency funding request for the rest of fiscal year 2014, which ends on September 30, seeks an additional $615 million to ensure necessary money to fight wildfires -- an issue separate from the immigration matter. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the "urgent situation" that the emergency appropriation request would address should usurp any talk of making budget cuts elsewhere to offset the cost. "With an emergency request like this, traditionally Congress has not sought to bog down that process in a search for offsets," he told reporters on Tuesday. The administration also will seek more leeway under existing law to speed up the processing of the undocumented newcomers who are overcrowding holding facilities and sparking protests in communities intended as temporary destinations. In particular, it wants Congress to make it easier for the Department of Homeland Security to deport new immigrants who lack legal standing to remain in the country, which would ease a growing backlog of cases resulting from the influx, Earnest said. "What we are seeing along the Southwest border is a spike in illegal migration from a handful of Central American countries," he added. "And what we would like is for the secretary of homeland security to exercise some greater discretion after the due process rights of those individuals has been acknowledged and respected." Partisan divide . It was unclear how much cooperation Obama would get from congressional Republicans. A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner said the request would be considered, but noted it lacked a component sought by the Republican leader. "The speaker still supports deploying the National Guard to provide humanitarian support in the affected areas - which this proposal does not address," said Michael Steel. On the Senate side, Republicans argued for changing a 2008 law signed by GOP President George W. Bush that requires deportation hearings before sending back children from non-bordering countries. They blame the process for a backlog created by the surge in unaccompanied minors from Central America entering the United States illegally from Mexico. "I don't think we can solve the problem unless we revisit" the law, said conservative Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Democrats, however, want to keep the law intact to ensure that any children who deserve asylum get due process in the form of a full hearing. "I'm not inclined to support any policy change that ultimately undermines existing law and would violate the right of someone who is actually a legitimate refugee," said Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, a Democrat of Cuban descent who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Each child should be able to make their case as to why they qualify. Many will be sent back but others will qualify." No border visit . Obama has come under criticism from Republicans and some Democrats for not planning to visit the border area during his Texas trip, which will include a Democratic Party fundraising event. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a possible GOP presidential nominee in 2016, called the situation similar to the much-disparaged federal response to Hurricane Katrina by the Bush administration. "For him to go to Texas and spend two days shaking down donors and never even getting near the border mess he helped create would be like flying into New Orleans in the highest waters of Katrina to eat Creole cooking, but never getting near the 9th Ward, the Superdome, or the Convention Center where thousands languished in squalor," Huckabee said. Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas questioned if the border problem would harm the President in the same way the Katrina response tarnished his predecessor, telling Fox News: "I hope this does not become Obama's 'Katrina moment.'" The White House officials on Tuesday's conference call repeatedly emphasized that Obama regarded the immigration crisis as "an urgent humanitarian situation." Political squabble . Obama's trip to Texas set off a political squabble, with Perry refusing to greet the President at the airport and instead calling for a meeting to discuss the immigration crisis. In response, Obama invited Perry to a meeting in Dallas with faith leaders and local officials, according to a letter written by senior adviser Valerie Jarrett. Perry, who is seeking to re-establish his national credentials after a disastrous bid for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, said Tuesday he looked forward to meeting with Obama. Previously, Perry has said he "readily" welcomes any federal emergency funds, but also has asked that Texas be reimbursed for more than $500 million the state has spent on border security over the past decade. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said Sunday the administration will take steps to fix the nation's broken immigration system, even without the help of Congress. That's the same message Obama has given in response to the refusal by House Republicans to take up a Senate-passed immigration reform bill. 5 things you need to know about the immigration crisis . What Obama can and can't do on immigration . CNN's Greg Clary, Deirdre Walsh, Ted Barrett and Mariano Castillo contributed to this report, which was written by Tom Cohen in Washington. | NEW: To no one's surprise, Congress is divided on how to proceed . President Obama travels to Texas on Wednesday . Gov. Perry will meet with Obama, wants him to visit the border . NEW: CNN reports about 5,000 new beds sought to temporarily house immigrant children . | 26d8145590eb6869967b21de431f171b0f663e8d |
(CNN) -- A charity that raised close to $27 million to help animals worldwide spent nearly all of that money on fund-raising expenses paid to a direct-mail company. In addition, CNN found that the charity, SPCA International, misrepresented one of its programs called "Baghdad Pups" on its tax filings and hired an officer for that program with a questionable background. In 2010, SPCA International owed $8.4 million to Quadriga Art LLC and its affiliated company, Brickmill Marketing Services, according to publicly available Internal Revenue Service 990 tax records. Quadriga Art is one of the world's largest direct-mail providers to charities and nonprofits. It is the same fund-raiser hired by two veterans charities that spent tens of millions of dollars for its services -- triggering a Senate investigation last month into whether one of the charities should retain its tax-exempt status. That charity, Washington-based Disabled Veterans National Foundation, collected nearly $56 million in donations over the past three years yet paid Quadriga Art more than $60 million in fees, according to a CNN investigation into the charity's tax records. The other veterans charity, National Veterans Foundation, raised more than $22 million in donations over the past three years to help veterans yet spent about $18.2 million to pay Quadriga Art, according to IRS 990 forms. The animal charity SPCA International is still in debt to Quadriga Art, according to a spokeswoman for the direct-mail firm, adding that's part of the charity's "aggressive strategy" to build a broad donor base. "That resulted in an expected high cost in the beginning of their acquisition program," said the spokeswoman, who declined to be named. She called SPCA International's efforts a "successful strategy." Business tactics questioned . There's no question that a charity needs to spend money to raise money, according to Bob Ottenhoff, president of the charity watchdog group GuideStar. But he said that SPCA International's tax records raise "a number of red flags." "No. 1, there is an enormous amount of money going into fund-raising," Ottenhoff said. "It's not unusual for a nonprofit to fund-raise. In fact they need to fund-raise. But this organization has an enormous amount of fund-raising costs, certainly relative to the amount of money being spent." Of the $14 million raised in 2010, SPCA International reports it spent less than 0.5% -- about $60,000 -- in small cash grants to animal shelters across the United States. It also said it spent about $450,000 -- about 3% of the total raised in 2010 -- to bring back animals from Iraq and Afghanistan as part of its "Baghdad Pups" program. On its website and its tax filings, SPCA International describes "Baghdad Pups" as a program that "helps U.S. troops safely transport home the companion animals they befriend in the war zone." Yet the charity admitted that only 26 of the nearly 500 animals transported to the United States from Iraq and Afghanistan were actually service animals. The rest were stray animals, said Stephanie Scott, the charity's communications director. And those 26 service animals were not attached to military K-9 units but belonged to Reed Inc., a private contractor that built roads in Iraq and Afghanistan. To highlight the work of the "Baghdad Pups" program, spokeswoman Terri Crisp appeared on CNN's sister network, HLN, last year with "Ivy" and "Nugget," two former bomb-sniffing dogs she said were abandoned. "As the military pulls out and there's not as great a need to have these dogs, there's a surplus," Crisp told HLN. "These contractors don't know what to do with them so these are the dogs that are falling through the cracks and they need homes desperately." She said it's "unthinkable" that the military contractors do not return the dogs back to their countries of origin. "And that's why SPCA International is trying to put a spotlight on this so these dogs are not overlooked," Crisp said. But a spokesman for Reed, the contractor that employed the dogs, told CNN that the animals had been given secure new homes out of the war zone in Kurdistan and that Crisp had suddenly shown up "out of the blue" asking to take them to the United States. When asked about those comments, SPCA International spokeswoman Scott told CNN the charity had "not heard that from Reed before" and said the dogs had been removed from "an uncaring environment in Iraq." Questions raised about charity's management . It is not the first time questions have been raised about Crisp or charities with which she has been involved. Crisp once headed a California-based animal rescue charity, Noah's Wish, that reached a settlement agreement in 2007 with the state of California. The California attorney general investigated whether contributions for "rescuing and caring for the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina" were used for that purpose. In that settlement agreement from the summer of 2007, Crisp agreed not to "serve as an officer, director or trustee or in any position having the duties or responsibilities of an officer, director or trustee, with any non-profit organization for a period of five (5) years from the date of the execution of this Settlement Agreement." Yet in a filing with the North Carolina secretary of state's office last year, SPCA International named Crisp in its list of officers and directors. Crisp did not admit any wrongdoing in the California settlement, but the charity agreed to return $4 million in donations to California officials out of the $8 million raised by Noah's Wish. When asked about the settlement agreement, SPCA International's Scott said, "We do not believe Terri Crisp is in violation of her settlement agreement in her capacity working for SPCA International." Pierre Barnoti, who founded U.S.-based SPCA International in 2006, also has a questionable record as a charity manager. Three years after he founded SPCA International and became its president, Barnoti was fired as the Montreal SPCA's president after leaving the Canadian charity deeply in debt to Quadriga Art, according to Nicholas Gilman, Montreal SPCA's executive director. Gilman said that the Montreal SPCA still owes Quadriga Art nearly $2 million and that the American fund-raising company has a lien on the Montreal organization's headquarters building. Barnoti told CNN he is fighting his dismissal and, when asked why he was fired, he responded, "It's not finished yet so there's no point in discussing something that still is ongoing." He also defended Crisp, saying, "She is there under the bullets trying to save dogs and cats and bringing them back to the American soldiers who befriended them." Watch Anderson Cooper . 360° weeknights 8pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here. | SPCA International raised nearly $27 million to help animals worldwide, tax records show . Nearly all of that money was spent on fund-raising expenses, records show . The charity also misrepresented its "Baghdad Pups" program . It said the program resettled soldiers' companion animals, but most were strays . | 2e877795fa55ff49c20e7b2ad81b5c896025b011 |
From Granny Smith and Golden Delicious to Brownlees Russet and Wadhurst Pippin, if you like apples then Paul Barnett is your man. He has 250 varieties available to pick – and astonishingly, they’re all growing on just one tree. The horticulturist has spent 24 years meticulously developing the tree in his back garden in Chidham, near Chichester, West Sussex, grafting on new varieties every winter. Apple turnover: Paul Barnett in the apple tree in his garden in Chidham, near Chichester, West Sussex, on which two hundred and fifty different apple varieties grow . Laden: Paul has grafted 250 varieties on the 'family tree' over the past two decades . Fruitful: There are 6,000 apple varieties worldwide and over 2,000 different types kept at the National Fruit Collection in Kent . The tree’s fruits now include rare cooking apples such as the Withington Fillbasket, which originated in 1883, and Eady’s Magnum, from 1908, as well as more recognisable favourites. Mr Barnett, 40, said yesterday: ‘I started working at a nursery with acres of land and around 90 varieties of apple trees in rows. ‘I wanted to grow my own trees but I didn’t have the area to plant that number so I started a “family tree” where I can have all the different varieties in a smaller amount of space. I add to it each year by budding in the summer and grafting in the winter.’ For budding, a bud is cut from another apple tree and inserted into the bark of Mr Barnett’s tree, while grafting involves the same process but usually with a small branch carrying more than one bud. Over time the buds and branches grow to become part of the main tree and eventually produce even more varieties of apple. Mr Barnett added: ‘The tree has cooking, eating and cider apples on it but I normally only get a few of each variety of apple each year. It’s great to see all the different colours and sized apples on the tree this time of year.’ He has had to prop up some of the branches with planks because of the sheer weight of the fruit growing on the tree, which stands some 20ft high. He will gather his unique harvest next month, when they are at their juiciest, and show them at horticultural fairs. Core structure: Paul has been grafting different kinds of apple onto the one tree, shown here, since 1989 . Mr Barnett said: ‘My favourite eating apple is Winter Gem because it has a really nice flavour. It’s crunchy, crisp and sweet.’ He said that he adds to his collection either by buying fruit from the home of the National Fruit Collection in Kent – which has about 2,200 of the 6,000 known varieties – or swapping them with other apple enthusiasts. He said: ‘It’s really important for people to know what kind of apples they are growing, to know when they should be picking, eating and storing them. ‘There have been some varieties which have been lost over time. I don’t want to see any disappear. You don’t know what will happen in the future with global warming or pesticides. ‘You may need to crossbreed apples with older varieties to make them resistant to such things. ‘That’s why every type of apple is worth preserving.’ Fruit of his labours: Paul Barnett adds to his collection either by buying them in from the home of the National Fruit Collection or swapping them with other enthusiasts . Mr Barnett also has nine smaller family trees growing plums, pears, cherries and apples. He said: ‘My family have always been into horticulture, so it’s in my genes. My parents help me pick and tend to my garden. ‘My great-grandfather was particularly good with fruits so I have always grown up with people passionate about gardening.’ Last week it was predicted that this autumn’s harvest of apples will be one of the biggest and best tasting ever. British apples are some of the sweetest and most colourful for years, according to Richard Capper, of Stocks Farm in Suckley, Worcestershire. ‘The good weather and summer heat has upped the sugar levels in the fruit,’ said Mr Capper, who expects to gather in almost 2,000 tons of the fruit from his orchards. Gala, Bramley and Braeburn apples from the farm’s 100 acres will be sold to all the major supermarkets after they have been gathered by a team of 36 pickers over ten days. | Paul Barnett has been growing his 'family tree' for over 20 years . It is jam-packed with apples of all shapes, colours and sizes including rare cooking apples dating back to 1883 . | 41b0cc5a59460d1d6c1727b8f7bde5f6061fa190 |
Stevie May struck a sweet solo goal to shoot Sheffield Wednesday up the Championship table and keep Birmingham in the relegation mire. The Scotland Under-21 striker picked the ball up in the left channel, dribbled into the area and drove a low shot past Darren Randolph at his near post to seal all three points in the 67th minute. Substitute Jeremy Helan added a second with a minute to go, slotting home from the penalty spot after Chris Maguire’s centre. Jeremy Helan scores the Sheffield Wednesday's second goal of the game at St Andrews to seal the win for the Owls . Jeremy Helan (right) celebrates after his goal at St Andrews after Stevie May got the opener . Birmingham City's David Davis (left) and Sheffield Wednesday's Giles Coke (right) battle for the ball . Birmingham (4-4-2): Randolph 6.5; Eardley 5 (Spector 16’ 6.5), Edgar 6.5, Robinson 6.5, Grounds 6; Cotterill 7, Caddis 7, Davis 6.5 (Gleeson 79’ 5), Shea 6.5 (Gray 55’ 5.5); Thomas 6, Donaldson 6 . Booked: Robinson, Edgar . Lee Clark 6 . Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-1-1): Westwood 7; Palmer 7, Lees 7, Loovens 7, Mattock 6.5; Maguire 7, Semedo 6.5, Coke 6 (Drenthe 63’ 6), Maghoma 6.5; May (Helan 81’) 7.5; Nuhiu 6.5 (Madine 74’ 6) Booked: Nuhiu . Stuart Gray 7 . Referee: James Adcock 5.5 . Man of the match: May . Attendance: 14,085 . The goals sent Stuart Gray’s side into seventh and extended Birmingham’s winless run to five Championship matches. Lee Clarke’s side had started the game with purpose and created an excellent chance within four minutes. David Davis strode forward and whipped a pass to Wes Thomas, who backheeled the ball to a stop on the edge of the area to set up Clayton Donaldson. But he sent his shot high over the bar. Wednesday responded and could have taken the lead had Atdhe Nuhiu volleyed Maguire’s cross on target rather than just wide. It was almost too sweet a connection by the Austrian, already with four goals this campaign. Clarke’s side continued to make most of the running though, producing good openings only to fluff their finishes. Paul Robinson headed David Cotterill’s corner wide and then Cotterill curled a super cross onto the head of Thomas only for the striker to miss badly. Brek Shea, on loan from Stoke, cracked a shot into the side-netting. Blues players look dejected as Stevie May opens the scoring for Sheffield Wednesday . Sheffield Wednesday manager Stuart Gray cannot believe his luck as the post is struck . Owls defender Glenn Loovens (left) shrugs Blues' Paul Caddis off the ball . Caddis (left) chases after Giles Coke (right) as Birmingham suffered defeat to Sheffield Wednesday . Soon after Paul Caddis thought he had scored a goal of real quality from 25 yards, letting fly a missile of a shot that looked in until it hurtled against the post. Thomas was then put through by Robinson but Kieren Westwood was out quickly to smoother his finish. Birmingham looked vulnerable on the counter attack however, and within five minutes of the restart twice went close to conceding the opening goal. Jacques Maghoma led a swift breakaway from a Birmingham corner and fed Maguire, who swept a shot from the edge of the area just wide. Maghoma then hit the outside of the left post when following up Liam Palmer’s low shot that was edged away from goal by the fingertips of Randolph. The pressure mounts on Lee Clark as his side has failed to win in their last five games . Birmingham City manager Lee Clark barks instructs at St. Andrews . Referee James Adcock curiously booked Nuhiu for catching the ball with May down injured – there was to be no Paolo Di Canio-style aggrandisement here – but the 21-year-old picked himself off the turf to claim the decisive goal. The £800,000 summer signing from St Johnstone collected the ball on the wing and with Birmingham’s defence backtracking advanced into the area before finishing confidently past Randolph. It was Wednesday’s first goal in 247 minutes after two games failing to find the net. Birmingham pressed for an equaliser and captain Robinson was denied by a superb block in the six-yard area. But Wednesday made the game certain in the 89th minute when Helan, who had come on for May eight minutes earlier, converted Maguire’s cross with a controlled finish. | Stevie May and Jérémy Hélan scored for the Owls at St Andrews . The loss takes Birmingham's record to five games without a win . Owls sneak up to seventh with the away win . Lee Clark's side managed just one attempt on target in the whole game . | 4fdcd78591fc0fc46c92969889f373f9c5105a26 |
It became as certain as death and taxes that England's finest would be embarrassed, dismantled and have their backsides handed to them on a silver platter in Europe this week. But the race to find a place at European football's top table back at home continues. Just once in the Barclays Premier League's 22-year history has it been as tight between third and seventh by February 28, and not even Arsene Wenger – the top four guru himself – can call this one. Five clubs. Two places. Arsenal, Manchester United, Southampton, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are on 48, 47, 46, 45 and 44 points respectively and, like Bruce Forsyth preached on Play Your Cards Right, it’s points that make prizes. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (left) and Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal (right) are in the running . Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (left) and Southampton's Ronald Koeman (right) are fighting for a place . Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is bringing up the rear in the race to qualify for Europe . A game-by-game graph that shows how the race for Champions League qualification is hotting up . And Arsenal are silently racking them up. Finishing in the top four has, in some cruel corners, been labelled The Wenger Trophy. Yet true to form they have crept to third while the rest scrap among themselves. Arsenal last finished outside the top four in 1996 and, if the remaining 12 fixtures in the Premier League are anything to go by, then Wenger can expect same old, same old. On paper they have the easiest run-in, if there is such a thing. Arsenal have to play just three of the seven teams at the top of the Premier League, while Manchester United face five. It could spell make or break for those two when, on May 16, they meet for the penultimate weekend of the season at Old Trafford. Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney and his team-mates have a tough task on their hands to qualify . Ander Herrera, Robin van Persie and Rooney (from left to right) pictured during their defeat by Swansea City . Manchester United have their work cut out for them if they are to qualify for the Champions League, as they face five of the current top seven before the season's end on May 24. MAR 15 - Tottenham Hotspur (h) MAR 22 - Liverpool (a) APR 12 - Manchester City (h) APR 18 - Chelsea (a) MAY 16 - Arsenal (h) Santi Cazorla and his Arsenal team-mates appear to have the best run-in when the fixtures are broken down . Yet Southampton – the club that were priced at 6/1 pre-season to be relegated, having lost Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Calum Chambers, Rickie Lambert, chairman Nicola Cortese and manager Mauricio Pochettino – will want to have a say. Four years ago this very weekend, Southampton were scrapping in League One, losing 1-0 against Walsall in front of a 4,684 attendance. From the third tier to the first; from Bovril to champagne; from Walsall to, just maybe, Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, Paris? They have never finished in the top four of the Premier League, but last did so in Division One in 1984. Arsenal, meanwhile, did so last year, as did Liverpool. Manchester United two years ago, and Tottenham three. Southampton need only to maintain the momentum that kept them inside the top four for 18 weeks this season – more than Manchester United (15), Arsenal (5), Tottenham (1) and Liverpool (1). Ronald Koeman’s team are the romantic option to be among Europe’s elite. Yet in February they lost against Liverpool, were held by West Ham, beaten by Swansea City and can’t ride on the coattails of their early-season form for much longer. Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring against Southampton as Liverpool beat the top four pretenders 2-0 . Liverpool saw off Southampton 2-0 as Ronald Koeman's men suffered a dip in form throughout February . Liverpool's incredible Premier League form in 2015 has seen them become top four contenders again . Southampton need to maintain the momentum that kept them inside the top four for 18 weeks this season . Form comes as easily as it goes. Liverpool – unbeaten in 10 Premier League matches – are a vastly different prospect to the team that surrendered at the Bernabeu on November 4. It took them five years to return to the most prestigious European stage, only to end in a 1-0 defeat by Real Madrid and a 2-1 loss against Chelsea in the Premier League four days later. It took cojones from Brendan Rodgers to field a weakened team against Cristiano Ronaldo et al, and the ends did not justify the means. Yet a miniature head-to-head table between the five clubs chasing Champions League qualification, shown below, puts Liverpool (13 points) ahead of Manchester United (10), Tottenham (8), Southampton (6), and Arsenal (5). A head-to-head table between the five clubs chasing Champions League qualification puts Liverpool top . Liverpool are fighting Southampton and three other clubs to qualify for next season's Champions League . And it’s not the first time they’ve been in a tight corner. The only other occasion the gap between third and seventh was so close was in February 2001. Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool in third were just three points from Leicester City in seventh. Yet even then, they were two games clear of the clubs around them, having been pre-occupied between February 15 and 25 by the FA Cup fifth round, two UEFA Cup fourth round legs, and the League Cup final. Liverpool won all three of those tournaments as Houllier delivered the treble, and a baby-faced, shaven-headed Steven Gerrard was crowned PFA Young Player of the Year. They finished third, going to show the distractions of other competitions and a daunting fixture list doesn’t always shatter domestic form. Fourteen years on, the Liverpool captain may settle for fourth and a few tears on his farewell for LA, whether that is at Stoke on May 24 or Wembley in the FA Cup final on May 30. But their old nemesis Manchester United could, potentially, ruin both. Louis van Gaal's team are live on television six times before the end of April – more than Liverpool (5), Arsenal (4), Tottenham (4) and Southampton (2) – but that could suit those more inclined to schadenfreude. They're fourth, but have been winning ugly, and most supporters sensed their 2-1 defeat by Swansea last week was coming. With games against Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal before the curtain comes down in May, their fate is in their own hands. Gary Neville is 'concerned', Paul Scholes deems them 'miserable', but again, points make prizes, no matter how you get them. If only those at White Hart Lane could have even a smidgen of the same consistency. Steven Gerrard was crowned PFA Young Player of the Year in 2001 - the last time it was so tight in the table . Manchester United's Teddy Sheringham and Liverpool's Gerrard pose with their awards in 2001 . Liverpool manager Rodgers fielded a weakened side at the Bernabeu in November and lost 1-0 . Tottenham, led by a manager that abandoned St Mary’s in favour of a more likely European candidate in north London, have been hard done by when it comes to the top four. They qualified in 2010, reaching the quarter-finals against Real Madrid, before the heartbreak of 2012. Chelsea were crowned European champions that year, meaning Tottenham missed out on Champions League football. In 2013, too, they missed out by a single point to north London rivals Arsenal. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, can become a familiar feeling. They can beat Chelsea 5-3 yet lose 2-1 against Stoke. See off Arsenal 2-1 but crumble 2-1 at Crystal Palace. There or thereabouts; almost, but not quite; inconsistent. Pochettino's Tottenham remain in the running for Champions League qualification but can be inconsistent . Tottenham joined the race for the top four with help with in-form striker Harry Kane (centre) None of the five sides going for those two spots have European distractions now, with Liverpool and Spurs exiting the Europa League on Thursday. There is always next year to try again, and the race goes on domestically. So, come May 24, there is the guarantee that each of Wenger, Van Gaal, Koeman, Rodgers and Pochettino will either be reflecting on a job well done, or cursing what-ifs and maybes. For now, with four points between them and 12 weeks remaining, no amount of statistics can determine what order it will finish, no matter how hard we try. It’s open season and the chase is on. | Four points separate Arsenal in third and Tottenham Hotspur in seventh . Just once in Premier League history has it been as tight by February (2001) Manchester United still have to play five of the current top seven clubs . Liverpool top the head-to-head table with 13 points from six matches . Southampton have never finished in the top four of the Premier League . Four years ago on Sunday, Southampton lost 1-0 against Walsall in League One in front of a 4,684 attendance at the Bescot Stadium . The Saints were in the top four for 18 weeks this season but are now fifth . Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham were among England's finest embarrassed in the Champions League and Europa League this week . | cc4c83e623d3698f19fc85af7c9de55c8b436216 |
Two Saudi men are facing jail after they were convicted of deliberately driving over a stray dog ten times until it was dead - and filming the despicable act of cruelty. In the footage, which quickly went viral on social media, one of the men is seen driving a 4x4 vehicle in an unspecified desert area in Saudi Arabia while the second videos the clip. The dog had been standing in the road when the car driver deliberately smashed into it. Clearly still alive, but obviously crippled and unable to escape, it was then repeatedly run over. Despicable: A frame from the video showing a young Saudi man repeatedly running over a dog in the desert . The video clip - which is too distressing to republish here on MailOnline - provoked a furious reaction. The pair were arrested after people who saw it urged authorities to take action. It also sparked a campaign for the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA), responsible for the conservation and development of wildlife, to develop strong laws that would lead to harsher penalties for anyone who tortures animals. The campaign to bring the men to justice was also backed by several key legal figures who said that it was not only inhumane but also against the teachings of Islam. 'This animal is a God's creation and its torture is a violation of the Islamic teachings,' said one of the participants in a social media group. Another added: 'Islam recommends merciful treatment of animals.' 'Violation of Islamic teachings': The video went viral on social media, where commenters slammed it as a deeply immoral act and urged authorities to take action against the pair . The court adjourned before sentencing and the pair face either jail or a fine of up to £90,000. Jabir Al-Shehri of the Ministry of Agriculture said the two young men had clearly breached the terms of the the unified code of merciful treatment of animals adopted by all Gulf states. Al-Shehri said the vehicle's number plate, which was clearly visible in the clip, was an important lead that helped security forces to arrest the culprits, who have not been named. | Online commenters call it 'a violation of the Islamic teachings' on animals . Furious reaction to the video spurred authorities into taking action . The pair face either jail or a fine of up to £90,000 for the animal cruelty . | 651761224d0077ec3b749c25427fdcee5a13a502 |
London (CNN) -- He may be one of the most sought-after painters you have never heard of, but Emil Filla's name is doing the rounds of newsrooms and international art-loss registers following an audacious theft of his works from a collection in the Czech Republic. Four oil paintings by the Czech Cubist artist, who lived from 1882 until 1953, were stolen on November 18 from a collection at a castle in Peruc, northwest of Prague. The works, which date from the 1920s to the 1940s, are estimated to be worth between 50 million and 80 million Czech crowns (approximately $2.6 million and $4.2 million) according to the Art Newspaper. A spokesperson for the Art Loss Register, an international database of stolen and missing works of art and antiquities, confirmed the works were still registered as stolen on their database. Chris Marinello, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Art Loss Register, said that if any of the paintings were offered to the register's subscribing auction houses, they would be notified immediately. "Either they are recovered relatively quickly or they will go underground and won't resurface for years," he said. The theft comes as interest in Filla's work is rising both in the Czech Republic and abroad. In November, a painting by the artist dating from 1911 and entitled "Utesitel" ("Comforter" in English) was sold at an auction in Prague for 12 million Czech crowns (approximately $640,000), according to Galerie Art Praha, which staged the auction. A spokesperson for the gallery told CNN Filla is undoubtedly "a major figure" in avant-garde European painting, having exhibited across Europe and even in the U.S. between World Wars I and II, but has not had much exposure over the last 50 years. All that is changing, according to Czech art historian Vojtech Lahoda. "Even though there are more collectors of Filla from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, there are more and more foreign collectors (interested in his work)," he said. The reason may be down to his famous contemporaries, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque and Guillaume Apollinaire, whom Filla knew when he lived in Paris before World War I and who inspired him to adopt their Cubist style. According to Lahoda, his work presents "the other face of Cubism, something that is very parallel (to French Cubism) but also different," and therefore increasingly sought-after by collectors of work from that style and period. "It's very difficult to buy the original Cubist works of Picasso and Braque from the 1910s but you can still buy Filla's works from those years," said Lahoda. Though he cannot say whether the theft of Filla's paintings from the collection in Peruc is related to his recent upswing in popularity, Lahoda believes it may have been an opportunistic heist, with the thieves taking advantage of the collection's reportedly limited security. "The Peruc case is a very strange one, because the paintings that were stolen are known, they were published in catalogs and journals, so I would say they are publicly unsellable," he said, echoing Marinello's fears they may go underground. Works by the artist are currently on display as part of an exhibition on Czech Modernism at the Gallery of Visual Art in Ostrava, Czech Republic, entitled "Black Suns: Reverse Side of Modernity 1927--1945." "If you want a good collection of Czech modern art from the 1920s and 30s, you can't miss (Filla)," said Lahoda. | Paintings by Czech artist Emil Filla stolen in audacious theft from collection near Prague . Four works worth between $2 million and $4 million taken from castle at Peruc . Painter's popularity is growing among local and international art collectors. Filla was once a contemporary of Picasso and Braque, exhibited across Europe and in U.S. | 5e90e48ae7ac0b4c1d20ee663625fdfaaf555bc4 |
By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 06:40 EST, 21 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:22 EST, 21 January 2013 . A rich Roman nobleman's face has been recreated 2,000 years after he died in a British fortress - and scientists say he looked like a cross between Richard Burton and Sylvester Stallone. Archaeologists believed the mystery Roman may have been wealthy and had possibly retired from the Army when he died aged about 40. The skeleton in a stone coffin was unearthed near Newport, South Wales, not far from the Roman fortress at Caerleon. Scroll down for video . Scientists have recreated the face of a 2,000 rich nobleman using technology to rebuild his face . Visitors to the exhibit showing off the reconstructed face say it bears a striking similarities to Richard Burton (left) and Sylvester Stallone (right) Experts used the same technology as police to discover how the face belonging to a murder victim's skull would look. They first scanned the skull to create a digital model of the Roman's face. Conservationist Penny Hill then began . the painstaking work of creating a portrait using materials and . techniques employed by Roman artists. Experts used the same technology as police to discover how the face belonging to a murder victim's skull would look. But this is the first time the technology has been used on someone who lived 2,000 years ago. The finished portrait shows dark-haired handsome man - likened to filmstar Sylvester Stallone and actor Richard Burton. The skeleton is on display at the National Roman Legion Museum in Caerleon - with his modern day image. Museum manager Dai Price said: 'It's great to be able to put a face to the skull we've had on display. 'We are confident the image is as true to life as it can possibly be.' The remains which date from AD200 were found by builders working on Newport University Campus 18 years ago. But scientists have now scanned the skull to create a digital model of the Roman's face. The 2,000 year old skull which was used to recreate the face, which is on display next to the portrait . Conservationist Penny Hill then began the painstaking work of creating a portrait using materials and techniques employed by Roman artists. The portrait was unveiled at a special ceremony at the museum which is on the site of the Roman fortress in the village of Caerleon. Mr Price said: 'There was a tremendous reaction to the portrait. 'Everyone was fascinated by the face and wanted to get close up. The Roman Amphitheater at Caerleon in Wales, the most complete in Britain . Wales was the furthest outpost of the Roman Empire. In AD 75, the Romans built a fortress at Caerleon that would guard the region for over 200 years. Built in 1850, Caerleon was one of only three permanent fortresses in Roman Britain. The Ruins include the most complete amphitheatre in Britain and the only remains of a Roman Legionary barracks on view anywhere in Europe. The fortress itself was a playing-card shape, covering 50 acres of land. It contains presented Fortress Baths, and the only remains of a Roman Legionary Barracks on view anywhere in Europe. The barrack blocks are long, narrow L-shaped buildings. 'We have a lot of wonderful objects in our collection but people are really interested in other people. 'I think it's because of the human connection. 'There is something in our natural make-up that allows us to connect to other human beings.' Staff at the museum are now carrying out DNA tests on the skeleton to discover more about the mystery Roman citizen. Visitor Michelle Leyton, 24, said: 'It is amazing to think this man was living 2,000 years ago - and that he looks a bit like a cross between Richard Burton and Sylvester Stallone. 'Richard Burton played a Roman in Anthony and Cleopatra - and of course Stallone has the Italian blood.' Visitors say the ancient roman looked like a cross between Sylvester Stallone and Richard Burton . The Roman man's skeleton in a stone coffin was unearthed near Newport, South Wales, not far from the Roman fortress at Caerleon, and is now on display nearby . Scientists carried out isotype analysis on the enamel of one of the skeleton's teeth. That revealed the man in the coffin had spent his childhood years, between the age of five and eight, lived in Wales. Curatorial officer Dr Mark Lewis said the man was living at a time when the Caerleon Roman fortress was at its height - having been established for 125 years. It would have been supplying the legion, serving up to 6,000 soldiers. Dr Lewis said: 'The fact that the man had been buried rather than cremated as most of the people were at that time was a clue to the fact he was probably well off,' he said. 'What we can learn from the latest evidence is that he may have been a very wealthy merchant who may have been supplying the fortress. 'He may have been high up in the administration of the fortress. 'He may have even served in the army and come home to Wales for retirement.' The remains which date from AD200 were found by builders working on Newport University Campus 18 years ago . | Wealthy Roman nobleman's face has been recreated 2,000 years after he died in a British fortress . Skeleton in a stone coffin was unearthed near Newport, South Wales, not far from the Roman fortress at Caerleon . | 344639655857b20a93746abf16fdeba989217695 |
By . Nick Pisa . PUBLISHED: . 14:11 EST, 31 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:11 EST, 1 August 2012 . Probe: Barclays Bank was at the centre of fresh police investigation today after documents and emails were seized from the offices of its Italian HQ. Its headquarters in London are pictured . Barclays Bank was at the centre of fresh police investigation today after documents and emails were seized from the offices of its Italian headquarters. The raids were ordered by prosecutors and took place just before the start of the business day as stunned employees arrived for work to find officers stationed outside the main entrance. Officials said the raid was part of a probe into the possible manipulation of Euribor, the euro-priced counterpart of scandal-hit Libor interbank lending rates. According to sources close to the investigation, records of emails and other documents detailing exchanges of information between Barclays in Milan and London were being looked at. The raid was led by Trani based prosecutor Michele Ruggiero, known for similar probes and sweeps on the three big New York-based ratings agencies - Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch. The raid was part of a probe announced on July 20, which came on the heels of accusations from consumer groups Adusbef and Federconsumatori. The groups called on prosecutors in a number of Italian cities to investigate a slew of foreign banks, starting with Barclays, for manipulating the Euribor interbank interest rate. The Italian consumer groups are up in arms after US authorities - the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) - ordered Barclays to pay a $200-million fine for 'attempted manipulation of and false reporting concerning LIBOR and Euribor benchmark interest rates' at the end of June. Adusbef and Federconsumatori demanded a criminal investigation of not only Barclays, but also of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group, by prosecutors in Rome, Milan, Trani and other cities. However, no action has yet been taken by prosecutors against the other banks. Gone: The Libor scandal prompted the resignation of Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond, pictured . The Italian consumer groups claim the banks caused an estimated 2.9 billion euros in damages to 2.5 million families in Italy, and said a class action suit may be filed on their behalf. In a statement the prosecutor's office in Trani confirmed the raid on the 'Milan offices of the British bank Barclays' adding that 'numerous documents and emails have been taken away as part of the investigation into the Euribor rate which had a negative affect on the mortgages paid by Italians.' Both consumer groups claim that the manipulation of the Euribor rates could have affected as many as 2.5 million families, costing them a total of three billion Euros. Barclays was fined a record £290million over its involvement in the rigging . of Libor, the inter-bank lending rate, which involved the manipulation of key interest rates by the bank. The scandal began with a devastating dossier, published by the Financial Services Authority last month, about the ruthless tactics used by rogue traders at Barclays to fiddle Libor. The 44-page report reveals extraordinary emails showing how traders promised to celebrate together with champagne and cappuccinos if they managed to pull off the con. In one email, a trader at a different bank wrote to ‘Trader G’ at Barclays: ‘Dude. I owe you big time! Come over one day after work and I’m opening a bottle of Bollinger.’ The Libor scandal prompted the resignation of Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond. Barclays Bank declined to comment on the raid in Milan. | The raids took place just before the start of the business day as stunned . employees arrived for work . Raid is part of a . probe into the possible manipulation of Euribor, the euro-priced . counterpart of Libor . Exchanges . of information between Barclays in Milan and London being looked . at, say sources . | 8e5f2176b3d71c415b0aa3be5c13b639f9171217 |
By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 09:48 EST, 28 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:41 EST, 29 December 2012 . Hundreds of thousands of Britons living in Spain or with holiday homes there risk being the worst hit as property prices continue to plummet. Analysts warn values could slump by another 50 per cent in the crisis-hit nation, with the biggest falls in coastal areas full of apartments and villas owned by those from the UK. The slide threatens to be so bad that swathes of half-built or unsold holiday homes along the Mediterranean coast will simply have to be demolished as no-one wants them, even at rock-bottom prices. Hit: Costa Malaga has always been a popular destination for British tourists but house prices are falling rapidly . Plummet: House prices in Marbella have already fallen 50 per cent . The warning came from RR de Acuna . & Asociados, one of the country’s leading economic consultancies. It . predicts the relentless gloom could stretch more than a decade – even . up to 15 years – with falls of up to 50 per cent along the coast where . around 400,000 Britons live or own homes. Group vice-president Fernando Rodriguez de Acuna said: ‘The market is broken. ‘In places like Castellon [near . Valencia], where over-development was mad, banks are not financing . anything and there is a high prob- ability these properties will never . be sold. They will have to be knocked down. Spanish bank Santander slashed house prices by 60 per cent to clear backlog . 800,000 houses are still on the market . 250,000 are currently being built . 300,000 homes have been foreclosed . House prices in some areas not expected to recover for 15 years . Houses in Marbella already fall 50 per cent . ‘Banks are offering huge discounts . and nobody is calling. Marbella has already fallen by 50 per cent and . prices are going down and down.’ The firm’s latest analysis suggests the total decline from peak to trough could end up at 75 per cent in some areas. The downturn has blighted the . retirement of Valerie Burch, from Brixham, Devon, who planned to sell . her seafront duplex apartment in Caleta de Velez, east of Malaga. It was worth £180,000 in 2008 but has . dropped by a third to £120,000 by September. The 72-year-old said: ‘I am . devastated. I was thinking of selling this year to help me in my . retirement but I would never recoup my investment.’ Mr Rodriguez de Acuna said there were . almost two million properties waiting to be sold, with ‘no progress at . all’ over the last five years to clear up the backlog. He expects the crisis to also hit the . capital Madrid and major cities like Barcelona, with prices down 30 per . cent and no pick-up until 2018. ‘There are 800,000 used homes on the market,’ he added. ‘Developers are sitting on a further 700,000 completed units. Another 300,000 have been foreclosed . and 150,000 are in foreclosure proceedings, and there are another . 250,000 still under construction. It’s crazy.’ Spain was booming until the credit crunch of 2008, with hundreds of thousands of properties built every year. But the country has been one of the . worst hit by the eurozone crisis and has a shrinking economy with a . jobless rate of more than 26 per cent. | Up to 2million properties languishing on the market that cannot be sold . 400,000 Britons either live in Spain or own a holiday home . Experts warn house prices may not begin to recover for up to 15 years . | b44b4461dcb71029aba917810fb34412e60a6f7b |
(CNN) -- As Sen. John McCain prepares to promote free trade during a high-profile trip to Colombia and Mexico, a poll out Tuesday suggests the issue may be a political hurdle as the general election campaign heats up. Sen. John McCain's free trade stance could pose a problem in November, according to a new poll. According to the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, 51 percent of Americans view foreign trade as a threat to the economy -- the first time in a CNN poll that a majority of Americans report holding negative views on free trade. That compares with only 35 percent of Americans who felt free trade posed a threat to the economy in 2000, and 48 percent who felt it was a threat in 2006. Now, only four in 10 Americans say free trade presents an opportunity for economic growth, a sentiment that clearly makes the issue a challenge for McCain, especially in the crucial Rust Belt states most affected by the loss of manufacturing jobs over the last decade. "It's possible that John McCain's decision to highlight his free trade position may wind up losing him some votes among Americans who feel threatened economically by competition from other countries," CNN polling director Keating Holland said. "Recent polls in states like Pennsylvania and Michigan have shown McCain well behind Barack Obama. Calling attention to his stand on an issue like trade may be a part of the problems he apparently faces in those Midwestern states." The poll also shows that some of the key voting blocs McCain is courting are most against free trade. Women, older Americans and lower-income voters report feeling the biggest threat from unfettered trade. Many of these voters were particularly receptive to Sen. Hillary Clinton in key states during the Democratic primary as she increasingly developed an anti-trade stance. The survey results come as McCain, who is a strong supporter of the North American Free Trade Agreement, heads to Colombia and Mexico to promote the advantages off a free trade policy and economic cooperation. He made a similar trip to Canada earlier this month. Campaigning Monday through Pennsylvania -- one of the crucial political battleground states most affected by the loss of manufacturing jobs -- the presumptive Republican presidential nominee acknowledged many voters disagree with him on the issue. "I understand it's very tough. But for me to give up my advocacy of free trade would be a betrayal of trust," he told reporters Tuesday. "And the most precious commodity I have with the American people is that they trust me." In another challenge for McCain, the new CNN survey indicates Americans continue to rank the economy as the most important issue in deciding their vote for president. Nearly six in 10 voters say the country's poor economic conditions will be extremely important -- ranking the economy as the No. 1 issue in this campaign out of 15 issues tested in the poll. That finding represents a clear change from the beginning of this year, when the war in Iraq and the economy were tied as the top campaign issues. Now, the economy is eight points ahead of Iraq -- a fact that could pose a threat to McCain, who has admitted he is more comfortable discussing foreign policy issues than economic ones. Rising gas prices are also among voters' concerns, with nearly 50 percent saying the issue will play an important role in their vote for president. That number is just behind those that say the economy and Iraq are important, a clear sign that higher prices for gasoline are the primary reason for voters' economic worries, though not the only one. "It also means that a significant number of voters are concerned about other economic woes, like the stock market or unemployment, rather than gas prices," Holland said. "Unless there is a noticeable upturn in the country's economy between now and November, this election is likely to be dominated by economic concerns." The poll, conducted June 26-29, surveyed 906 registered voters and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. | New CNN/Opinion Research Corp. Poll released Tuesday . It suggests the free trade issue may pose a problem for McCain . Poll: 51 percent of Americans view foreign trade as a threat to the economy . | c9dc6693df5fa392aa05075a830aa5b768e602c8 |
(CNN) -- Some cried and others cheered in emotional scenes as pro-democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi addressed thousands of Burmese migrants Wednesday on the outskirts of the Thai capital Bangkok. It's the first time the Myanmar opposition leader has been outside the country, also known as Burma, in more than two decades after a long period of detention by the ruling military junta. Burmese migrant workers dream of return home . Several thousand people gathered to hear her speak, many of whom had spent years living in exile to escape poverty and the country's oppressive regime. From a balcony high above the crowd, Suu Kyi said that the onus was on the government of Myanmar and Burmese people everywhere to build a new country to encourage their return. "Everybody has a responsibility. They too [Burmese workers] have a responsibility and we too have a responsibility to create the kind of country to which all our people can return, whenever they wish too." The peaceful freedom fighter . Suu Kyi addressed the inequalities experienced by Burmese migrants in Thailand, who rights workers say are treated as cheap labor and second class citizens. "The laws of this land which do provide protection for workers are not always observed by everybody concerned. This is due to two things," Suu Kyi said. "One, of course, we need to educate our workers as to their rights, by what kind of legal means there are for defending their rights because whatever we negotiate with our host government we want to do it in a harmonious way. Of course we will also be asking for help and support from the local authorities," she said. Onlookers waved flags and photos of the pro-democracy campaigner and her father General Aung San, a revolutionary who was assassinated six months before Myanmar's independence from British rule. Some climbed onto rooftops for clearer view of Suu Kyi, whose National League of Democracy party won a number of seats in Parliament in April in the country's first free and fair vote in decades. Before her arrival, Burmese migrants spoke of their desire for jobs within the country which has been ruled by a military junta since a bloodless coup in 1962. "I want to hear good news from her. I want to hear about the independence of Burma and democracy and that there are jobs available," said San Nyo, a Burmese migrant from Daw who has been living in Thailand for three years. Another, Myint Swe, a vendor who has lived in Thailand with his wife and three children for 12 years, told CNN: "I love Suu Kyi. This is a very happy moment. I want her to say we can come home and have jobs." "It is tough living in Thailand. We get a lot of pressure from Thai police and passport control," he added. Within the last two years, Myanmar's leadership has eased repressive controls on the country, allowing opposition parties to take part in the most recent elections. Suu Kyi's visit to Bangkok comes ahead of a longer trip to Europe next month during which she will make a series of key addresses, including the acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize that she was prevented from collecting in 1991 because she was in detention. CNN's Pamela Boykoff contributed to this report. | Aung San Suu Kyi addresses crowds outside a Burmese migrants' center in Thailand . Myanmar opposition leader is on her first trip outside the country in more than 20 years . Onlookers climbed onto rooftops ahead of her speech in Mahachai, southwest of Bangkok . Suu Kyi told them she would try her best to look after migrant workers' rights . | e3b8d5bc8cccabd8cc42cbdfa47e4c76d49dfb9d |
WINNER, South Dakota (CNN) -- Neal Wanless, a down-on-his luck cowboy before winning a $232 million Powerball jackpot last month, was always known for his big heart even when he barely had a dime to his name. Neal Wanless, winner of the $232 million lottery in South Dakota, shown here in a high school yearbook. Now, with his good fortune, neighbors and former teachers worry that he might be easily separated from his new-found money, although he doesn't seem to be around to give any of it away. "I just hope he doesn't get inundated," his former English teacher Deana Brodkorb told CNN. "He's just such a nice guy and I hope he doesn't get suckered." Flip through the yearbook at Todd County High School and the portrait emerges of the "good kid" that teachers and classmates remember. Wanless ran cross-country, played in the band and graduated second in his class -- the 2004 Salutatorian. Diane Linster, his math teacher, remembers Wanless coming early to school and staying late to pump up his grades. "Just a very humble, kind and considerate kid," Linster said. Watch friends and neighbors describe the lucky cowboy » . Chris Leneaugh, once an assistant cross-county coach, remembers a dedication to running that propelled Wanless from the middle of the pack to near the front of the team by his senior year. "Neal never gave up trying," Leneaugh said. "That's what I liked about him, his dedication." The yearbook also tells the tale of a hat-wearing rancher who was one of a few white students in a school filled with Native Americans -- Lakota Sioux from the Rosebud Indian Reservation. "Oh man, he was always cowboyed up," said former classmate Mike Prue. "We are all Natives around here and there he was with his Wrangler shirt and jeans. He really stuck out." Prue and his buddy Steve Plank said Wanless would help them with their homework, despite the differences. The story of the Wanless family is the story of a family doing muscle-aching work just to scratch out a living. It's the story of a family that needed a break. Wanless and his parents had recently moved into a camper on their ranch, after losing their home to foreclosure, according to neighbor Erv Figert. A sign with chipped off green lettering sits in the grass at the entrance to the Wanless property. "There was a sign out there that said 'the ranch that God built,' " said Joe Prue, father of Mike Prue. "And for a while there you thought, where was God when everything was coming apart. And now, maybe God helped them." Neighbors say they have not seen anyone come or go from the Wanless Ranch after Neal briefly emerged at a press conference last week to accept a giant-sized check from the May 27 drawing. For now, the gate to the Wanless ranch is held tight by a new lock, linking a rusted-brown chain. Rumors travel through the green fields of South Dakota faster than the Internet. Talk is cheap with millions of dollars to loosen the tongues. Many believe the Wanless family is going to buy a place up north, maybe by Pierre, but the cowboy with the big heart isn't talking. "That grin you saw on his face on television (when Wanless accepted the check) is always there," said Linster. "He always looked like he was probably up to something." Now he has the money to do something about it. | Neal Wanless from South Dakota won $232 million in lottery . Former teacher: "He's just such a nice guy and I hope he doesn't get suckered" Neighbors, teachers call winner "dedicated," "humble, kind and considerate" | 676c7f573f38300866746d7e4433ff071e3cafed |
(CNN) -- Ever since it was discovered in 2004, graphene has been hailed as a natural wonder of the materials world destined to transform our lives in the 21st century. Graphene's amazing properties excite and confound in equal measure. How can something one million times thinner than a human hair be 300 times stronger than steel and 1,000 times more conductive than silicon? CNN Labs asked the head of MIT's graphene research department, Tomas Palacios, to explain why graphene is such a special material and what we can expect it to do for us in the future. CNN: What is graphene? Tomas Palacios (TP): Graphene is a one-atom thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice. This special atomic arrangement gives graphene truly unique properties. For example electrical currents in graphene move faster than in any other material we know of. Watch: The secret to making better batteries . Heat can also move in graphene very fast and it is the best thermal conductor that we have. On top of this, graphene is the thinnest material in the world as well as the strongest, much stronger than steel and, of course, much lighter. Finally, because it is only one atom thick, it is perfectly transparent and flexible. CNN: What applications will it have? TP: The very first application where graphene is going to be used is probably as a replacement for (the relatively expensive metal) indium selenide in solar cells. After that, I think we will see a new array of communication devices that don't just use graphene but which also use other two-dimensional materials. Products such as cell phones will be integrated into the likes of the clothes, pieces of paper and in windows. Another direction is transparent displays. Basically we are going to have electronic displays embedded almost everywhere, in the windows, in our glasses, in the walls, everywhere. To do this we need very thin materials that are also transparent and graphene could be that material. CNN: When will products containing graphene be available? TP: It depends on the specific application. I believe that the use of graphene in solar cells, displays and so on is probably going to be in the marketplace in a couple of years. More complex applications such as computers or cell phones will probably take longer, maybe within five and ten years. CNN: What challenges remain for researchers? TP: One important challenge facing graphene is the way the material is developed. Graphene was isolated for the first time using the Scotch Tape technique (where ever thinner strips are peeled off a block of graphite using sticky tape) and the quantities we can make in large areas still lag behind this method. There has been a lot of work to try and enhance the manufacturability of graphene and there are a few techniques that look very promising but they are not completely mature yet. The second challenge is that graphene is a material that is only one atom thick. Anything that you do to it is going to impact its properties. We still need to understand better how to fabricate graphene devices and how to be gentle enough not to (break) the formula. CNN: Are production methods improving? Recently, Samsung Electronics has demonstrated a single layer of graphene which is 30 inches in diameter. So in just a few years we have gone from micro-meter sized flakes all the way to 30 inches. The ambition is that one day graphene will be fabricated in the same way that you print newspapers -- in a roll to roll process using the same kind of equipment. This will change the entire economics of the electronics industry. CNN: Are there any other materials like graphene? TP: Graphene was the first two-dimensional material to be discovered, but it is not the only one. Now there are more than 10 materials that are all two-dimensional with complimentary properties that could be integrated with graphene to provide extra functionality. Boron nitride for example is also one-atom thick and instead of being a conductor it is an insulator (of heat), the best insulator we know. If you go to three atoms thick we have another material called molybdenum disulfide which is a semi-conductor, like silicon, but lighter and stronger. These materials can then be combined in order to fabricate completely new material structures that don't exist in nature. I think that that is a very powerful proposition. CNN: When will graphene-based products hit main street? TP: If you look at how long it traditionally takes new materials to make an impact in the market, it typically takes around 20 years. We need to be patient but things seem to be moving faster than with other materials. I think the next couple of years will see quite significant improvements in the growth techniques and synthesis of two-dimensional materials. At a basic research level we are going to see an emphasis on trying to understand what happens when you stack these materials one on top of the other. That is going to enable a lot of new understanding which will enable completely new devices. I am completely convinced that graphene is going to end up changing our lives. Exactly how, I don't know and I don't think anyone can know for sure but there is nothing thinner, stronger or more suitable to conduct electricity and that has to be useful for many important things. | Graphene is the world's first two-dimensional material to be discovered . No material is stronger, thinner or more conductive than graphene . MIT professor Tomas Palacios says graphene will change all our lives . Numerous applications for graphene in fields of computing, energy and medicine . | 1d8e9bcad2fd2ac39cebac511ecc0a94817ac01a |
An array of high-profile international cricketers — including disgraced former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent — will be called to a London court next year to give evidence in the Chris Cairns perjury case. Cairns learned on Thursday he will face charges — which The Mail on Sunday understands will be formally laid on September 25 — over allegations he lied in court after being accused of being involved in match-fixing by former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi. The Indian businessman, whose lawyers are understood to be preparing a case against Cairns, paid about £90,000 in damages to Cairns in 2012 after Modi failed to prove claims that the former New Zealand and Nottinghamshire all-rounder was involved in fixing matches. Former Kiwis allrounder Chris Cairns was named in an ICC investigation into match fixing in December . Chris Cairns took over 200 Test wickets for New Zealand during a career that spanned 15 years . But evidence given to the Metropolitan Police by Vincent, who has been banned for life after admitting fixing matches included a County Championship game between Sussex and Kent in 2011, has led to Cairns’s evidence being called in question and left perjury charges imminent. A number of his former team-mates, including Vincent and current New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, will be called to give evidence against Cairns if, as expected, the trial goes ahead in London next May. Earlier this year, McCullum gave evidence to the ICC’s anti-corruption unit in which he claimed he was approached by a former top player, dubbed ‘Player X’, who asked him to fix matches. Cairns publicly acknowledged he believed McCullum was referring to him but has repeatedly denied match-fixing. The Mail on Sunday has learned the following players will be called to give evidence at the trial: Andre Adams, Shane Bond, Nathan Astle, Stephen Fleming, Chris Harris, Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori and Chris Harris. The strong all-rounder racked up over 8000 international runs during his career, just 50 short of 5000 in ODIs . The charges related to a libel action brought against former IPL chief Lalit Modi . Chris Cairns now expects to be charged with perjury in Britain after being questioned by police in May . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Chris Cairns expects charges to be laid later this month . 'I have nothing to hide', says player who wants to clear his name . Charges related to libel action against former IPL boss Lalit Modi . | a801df0e4bf9f0a280a45478e5666517550edf20 |
By . Kerry Mcqueeney . PUBLISHED: . 05:46 EST, 15 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:30 EST, 15 October 2012 . A judge has rejected requests to delay the trial of five Guantanamo prisoners accused of plotting the September 11 attacks because of a rat and mould infestation in their defence lawyers' offices. U.S. attempts to move forward the military tribunal proceedings have been thwarted for months by scheduling conflicts, religious observances, an Internet outage and a tropical storm. And the latest request to postpone proceedings relate to offices assigned to the defendants' lawyers at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba. They claim conditions in the 1940s buildings are making them sick. Scroll down for video . On trial: Ramzi Binalshibh, left, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, right, are among the five detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay accused of masterminding the 9/11 terrorist attacks . Poor conditions: The detainees' defence lawyers say the environment in the office assigned to them at Guantanamo (pictured) is making them ill . A week of pretrial hearings was due to begin at the base on Monday morning for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the hijacked plane attacks that killed 2,976 people in the United States in 2001, and four alleged al Qaeda conspirators accused of providing money and other support for the hijackers. After an aborted attempt to try them at Guantanamo in 2008, the five were arraigned on revised charges during a chaotic 13-hour hearing in May that was marked by defiant outbursts from the defendants. There have been no hearings in the case since then. A hearing tentatively set for June was delayed because one of Mohammed's defence lawyers, a civilian death penalty expert, had to attend the execution of a client in an unrelated case. A July session was postponed to allow the defendants to observe the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast during daylight hours. Hearings set for August were delayed when an Internet outage left the lawyers unable to access their electronic legal documents, and then cancelled altogether as Tropical Storm Isaac approached. It doused the base but caused no damage. A sketch by a courtroom artists shows Walid bin Attash, left, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, right, attending a military hearing at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba . Court sketch: Another drawing shows (from left to right) Mustafa al Hawsawi, Ammar al Baluchi, Ramzi bin al Shibh, Walid Bin Attash and Khalik Sheikh Mohammad praying at their arraignment at the military court . In late September, the work space . used by the defence lawyers was shut down because it was infested with . mold, rat droppings and at least one decaying rat carcass. Cheryl . Bormann, a civilian lawyer for defendant Walid Bin Attash, said: 'My . eyes burn. I lose breath. Al of us suffer some sort of symptoms.' They asked for a delay, saying that without their work area they did not have resources to prepare for the hearings. However the judge, Army Colonel James Pohl, ordered a clean-up but ruled on October 5 that there would be no further postponement. The building has since been certified as safe by the base hospital's Industrial Hygiene Department, though some of the lawyers said it was still toxic and are working from a cramped high-security trailer inside the court complex rather than return to that building. Many buildings at the humid and tropical base are kept uncomfortably cold to keep the mould and vermin at bay. Defence lawyers want the judge to abolish a process treating as a top national secret any discussion of what happened to the defendants before being sent to Guantanamo in 2006 (pictured) The chief prosecutor, Army Brigadier General Mark Martins, acknowledged to journalists on Sunday evening that the tribunals were taking place in a 'relatively austere setting', but added: 'Justice is not determined by the plushness of the surroundings.' Many of the issues the court will address during this week's hearing pertain to secrecy issues. Defence lawyers want the judge to abolish a 'presumptive classification' process that treats as a top national secret any discussion of what happened to the defendants during interrogations in secret CIA prisons before being sent to Guantanamo in 2006. The judge will also hear news organisations' request to limit closing of the courtroom for secret sessions, and be asked to decide whether the U.S. Constitution governs the tribunals being held at the U.S. base in south east Cuba. In addition to Mohammed and bin Attash, defendants Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa al Hawsawi, are charged with conspiring with al Qaeda, attacking civilians and civilian targets, murder in violation of the laws of war, destruction of property, hijacking and terrorism. All five could face the death penalty if convicted. VIDEO: Accused September 11 masterminds to appear in court for a pre-trial hearing . | Lawyers defending detainees claims conditions in their assigned offices at the U.S. naval base in Cuba are making them sick . Judge orders a clean-up of the site but ruled there will be no further postponement of the military tribunal proceedings . | 7602cf9fb871c4fd5807b76c12edd6c393b292ae |
When Nicola Cortese left Southampton in January some of the players took to social media to express their disappointment. The departure of some of those players seemed inevitable. Similarly, Mauricio Pochettino’s exit was a certainty and sure enough that happened. Saints have been a success story since Alan Pardew left them at the wrong end of League One just over four years ago. So for a well-loved chief executive, a manager, and so many good players to leave the club in the space of a few months constituted a meltdown. My main philosophy in life has been applied by Southampton Football Cllub. It’s not the setbacks that are important – it’s how you respond to them. Victor Wanyama (centre) is congratulated by his Southampton team-mates after scoring against Swansea . Southampton manager Ronald Koeman (second left) watches his side beat Swansea 1-0 at the Liberty . And the response at St Mary’s has been brilliant. They paid a huge amount for Fraser Forster, but he has set about the task of proving himself in the Premier League superbly. Money spent on Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic reflects well on the club’s scouting system, the appointment of Ronald Koeman isn’t the cheap anonymous option some clubs take, and there is still a commitment to youth – academy product James Ward-Prowse has featured in every game this season, while fellow youngsters Matt Targett and Sam McQueen were on the bench on Saturday. Quietly, with zero spotlight on her, Southampton owner Katharina Liebherr has gone about the business of continuing her late father’s commitment to the club. Southampton owner Katharina Liebherr has the final say on everything that happens at the club . Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski can only look on as Wanyama scores to put Southampton ahead . Southampton's Steven Davis celebrates with Wanyama after the final whistle on Saturday . The Southampton FC website states that she is the ultimate controlling party of St Mary’s Football Group Ltd. In other words Ms Liebherr has the final say on everything that happens at the club. She has sailed them through the choppy waters of massive change and led them out the other side. So far so good for Saints, let’s see how the season works out. In an era of egomaniacs buying football clubs, picking teams for managers, and earning a fortune out of our clubs, Katharina Liebherr deserves a huge amount of credit. She’s not only preserving the legacy of her father, she is making a lot of Southampton fans very happy. Not bad for a lady who reportedly doesn’t have a great passion for football. | The response at St Mary's to the summer's outgoings has been brilliant . The appointment of Ronald Koeman as manager is not the cheap anonymous appointment that some clubs take . Katharina Liebeherr has sailed the Saints through the choppy waters of massive change . | ccf6eac0b92d13bc094e8c4b9aa6fafa0a161a23 |
Somewhere in this performance was a message from Brendan Rodgers and this Liverpool team. It was defiant and even dizzying at times. In a week when just about every bad statistic going has been used to bash Rodgers around the head, Liverpool are Capital One Cup semi-finalists. This performance, played at breakneck speed and designed to blow Eddie Howe’s tactical strategy into the English channel, was a reminder that Liverpool can still put teams away. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sportsmail's Big Match Stats and Brendan Rodgers . Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling arrives in the Bournemouth box to head home his side's opening goal of the evening . Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc dives to his right to try and keep out Sterling's header but he couldn't get close to it . Sterling runs off to celebrate his first goal of the night as Liverpool secured their place in the Capital One Cup semi-finals . Midfielder Jordan Henderson (third from right) puts his arm around Sterling after setting up the 20-year-old for the opening goal . Bournemouth: Boruc 6, Francis 6, Elphick 5, Cargill 5.5, Smith 6, Ritchie 6.5, Gosling 5.5, O'Kane 5.5 (Pitman 81), Stanislas 5 (Fraser 54mins, 6), Wilson 5.5, Kermorgant 5 (Arter 53, 6) Subs not used: Camp, Cook, Daniels, MacDonald . Goals: Gosling 57 . Manager: Eddie Howe 5 . Liverpool: Jones 7, Toure 7, Skrtel 7, Lovren 7 (Sakho 45, 7), Henderson 7, Gerrard 7 (Borini 90), Lucas 7, Markovic 7.5, Coutinho 7.5 (Can 74), Lallana 7, Sterling 8 . Subs not used: Lambert, Moreno, Manquillo, Mignolet . Goals: Sterling 20 & 51, Markovic 27 . Manager: Brendan Rodgers 7.5 . MOTM: Sterling . Referee: Mark Clattenburg 8 . Attendance: 11,347 . The next test comes by so quickly, when Arsenal travel to Anfield on Sunday, but for once we have to give this team 24 hours to reflect on a place in the last four. It is the least they deserve. Soon enough they will be under the spotlight again, but this was a gutsy display and at least temporarily lifted the gloom that has enveloped this club. They were 3-0 up, thanks to the two goals dutifully put away by Raheem Sterling and the sweetest cushioned volley by Lazar Markovic, before Bournemouth really knew what had happened to them. They are Championship leaders for a reason, but Rodgers and his team had ripped them apart here before Dan Gosling got on the scoresheet with a fortunate goal. Brad Jones’ clumsy mistake provoked inevitable scrutiny over the decision to promote the Australian over Simon Mignolet, but that was not the story of Dean Court. Instead it is the powers of recovery of those in yellow, the ability to put the 3-0 savaging at Old Trafford behind them to run out convincing winners here. Take Steven Gerrard, for example. Here he had presence, was full of purpose in his running and looked something like his old self again alongside Lucas Leiva and Jordan Henderson. Long may it continue. Liverpool were superior in every department, working over this aspirational south-coast side with a ruthless blend of finishing and determination. There were a staggering 51 passes in the build up to Sterling’s opener, a head-turning move that left Bournemouth’s defence utterly bewildered. Such was the speed it was hard to keep up, but eventually Lazar Markovic swung a cross in from the left for Jordan Henderson to head back across Artur Boruc’s goal. This time Sterling, who was denied three times by Manchester United keeper David de Gea in Sunday’s defeat, applied the finishing touch with a deft header. That was a team move, the ethos that Rodgers has been trying to promote at Anfield during a wretched run that has already brought them seven league defeats. What a lesson for Howe, the young Bournemouth manager in charge of a team that put eight past Birmingham City at St Andrew’s earlier in the season and scored five in their victory over Cardiff last Saturday. Summer signing Lazar Markovic sweeps the ball into the bottom corner of Boruc's net to make it to 2-0 to Liverpool . Markovic's well-placed effort nestles into the bottom corner as Boruc, on loan from Southampton, looks on helplessly . Liverpool's players celebrate with Markovic as Bournemouth's players trudge back up the pitch to take kick-off . Sterling weaves his way through Bournemouth's defence on his way to scoring his second goal of the night . Former QPR youngster Sterling unleashes a low shot to give Liverpool a comfortable three-goal lead early in the second half . England forward Sterling runs off to celebrate giving Liverpool a 3-0 lead against their Championship opponents . Raheem Sterling finished off a stunning 51-pass move to give Liverpool the lead against Bournemouth - click here for more in our Match Zone . Callum Wilson knows he should have put Bournemouth ahead, tricking his way into the Liverpool area in the opening minutes before he rolled his effort well wide Jones’ post. After that, this Bournemouth team simply invited Liverpool to put pressure on them in every area of this rain-soaked playing surface. Adam Smith, Eunan O’Kane, Junior Stanislas and Matt Ritchie did some decent things in patches, but this game was played by Liverpool at full pelt. It seemed as though they had scores to settle. There was a whiff of controversy about the second because some dopey fool in the Bournemouth crowd who blew a whistle, causing captain Tommy Elphick to check his defensive run when Coutinho was about to shoot. From the rebound Markovic was perfectly placed just inside the penalty area to cushion a side volley into the net. Rodgers is persisting with this three-man defence. He is short of a controlling influence in there, but they have plenty of muscle with Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren protecting Jones. They eased off occasionally, allowing Yann Kermogrant the chance to pull a goal back for Bournemouth immediately after Markovic’s strike. He missed and you felt then that this would not be one of those famous midweek Cup nights. Bournemouth midfielder Dan Gosling scores his side's only goal of the night after a brave run into Liverpool's penalty area . Former Everton youngster Gosling watches his effort beat Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones and hit the back of the net . Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson skips through Liverpool's out-of-form defence early on in the first half . Former Coventry forward Wilson reacts after missing a good opportunity to give his side the lead against Liverpool . Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has his shirt tugged by Bournemouth's O'Kane during a lively opening period . There was no let up from Liverpool. They operated at a different level and whenever Bournemouth’s defence drifted off, Sterling was there to take advantage. He scored his second in the 51st minute, rinsing Elphick inside the penalty area before his cute touch lost Boruc at the far post. There was a brief moment when this raucous crowd could finally get on their feet, roaring their approval when Gosling, a former Everton midfielder, pulled a goal back for Bournemouth. It was an error of judgment by Jones, the man entrusted with the gloves after Rodgers revealed on Sunday that he would be first choice for the foreseeable future. Even after Gosling hit the post with another chance, there was the sense that not even Liverpool could throw this away. Reaching a semi-final of the Capital One Cup, particularly after last Tuesday’s ignominious exit from the Champions League, feels like progress. Remarkably, a season of transition could still end with a trophy. Bournemouth defender Bailey Cargill (left) connects with a header under pressure from Liverpool's Martin Skrtel . Sterling somehow misses a chance to complete his hat-trick after a smart flick from team-mate Adam Lallana . Midfield duo Eunan O'Kane (left) and Philippe Coutinho tussle for the ball under the floodlights at the Goldsands Stadium . Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe (right) greets Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers ahead of kick-off on Wednesday night . VIDEO We showed character to progress - Rodgers . | Raheem Sterling rounded off a brilliant 51-pass move to give Liverpool the lead after 20 minutes . Lazar Markovic doubled the Reds' lead with a fine finish seven minutes after Sterling's header . Sterling grabbed his second goal of the night after 51 minutes after latching onto a ball from Adam Lallana . Former Everton midfielder Dan Gosling scored a solo effort for the Championship side on 57 minutes . Liverpool will face Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup . | 3f0bdf7643f5bd310fc28bf2202e0bf838e31747 |
(CNN) -- "Out of an abundance of caution," American Airlines said Tuesday it would inspect 47 Boeing 757 airplanes after seats on two of the company's jetliners came loose. A Boeing 757 from Boston to Miami carrying 175 passengers diverted to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on Saturday when three seats in row 12 came loose shortly after takeoff. A second American Boeing 757 returned to JFK on Monday morning after a similar seat issue was discovered. "Originally, American planned to evaluate the seats on eight Boeing 757 airplanes, but out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to proactively evaluate a total of 47 Boeing 757 airplanes that have the same model Main Cabin seats with a common locking mechanism," company spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said in a statement. "American's internal investigation has focused on one of three types of Main Cabin seats on the 757s and how the rows of these three seats fit into the track that is used to secure the rows to the floor of the airplanes. Our maintenance and engineering teams have discovered that the root cause is a saddle clamp improperly installed on the foot of the row leg," she said. The clamps were used on 47 of the company's 102 Boeing 757 airplanes. So far, American Airlines has inspected 36 planes and found that six -- including the two involved in the recent diversions -- had seats that were not properly secured. Not all of the seats were loose, the company said, but they had the potential to become so. Eleven aircraft still need to be inspected. Huguely said the seats issue does not appear to be connected to any one work group or maintenance facility, and apologized for any inconvenience to customers. "Safety is -- and always will be -- American's top concern," the spokeswoman said. The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into the incidents of loose seats, which are the latest in a string of woes for American Airlines. Earlier Tuesday, an American Airlines flight from Chicago to London made an unscheduled landing at Shannon Airport in Ireland after a passenger reported a smoky odor, an airline spokesman said. American Airlines Flight 98, a Boeing 777-200 carrying 246 passengers and 14 crew members, was diverted as a precaution, airline spokesman Ian Bradley told CNN. An inspection revealed that the odor was coming from an overhead fan that had overheated, he said. Niall Maloney, head of operations for Shannon Airport, said such technical diversions are not uncommon. Who wants to fly American Airlines? The airline has also been beset recently by labor troubles, delays and flight cancellations. American, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late last year, persuaded a judge to throw out its contract with the pilots union last month. Since then, the pilots have been engaging in what the airline calls a slowdown that has caused the number of flights that are delayed and canceled to skyrocket. More than 1,000 American flights have been canceled and 12,000 delayed in the past month alone. Airline management has blamed the situation on pilots filing what it claims are frivolous reports about aircraft problems. The pilots union has denied management's assertion. Late Tuesday, a spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association said it would resume contract negotiations with the airline. Tom Hoban said talks could start as early as Wednesday. A company spokesman similarly said that negotiations are set to resume this week. Meanwhile, Robert Gless, deputy director of the Air Transport Division of the Transport Workers Union of America, dismissed the notion that the problems with loose seats were linked to labor issues as "without any basis in fact." Seat installation work is largely carried out by outside contractors, rather than maintenance personnel employed by the airline, he said in a statement. "Problems related to seats are less likely a labor problem, but rather a management issue related to outsourcing work to third-party facilities," he said. American Airlines plans to increase its use of outside maintenance facilities, including in China and other overseas locations, as it seeks to exit bankruptcy, he added. Seats come loose on two American Airlines flights . CNN's Stephanie Halasz, Saskya Vandoorne, Sherri Maksin, Nick Valencia and Joe Sutton contributed to this report. | NEW: Contract negotiations between the company, pilots are expected to resume this week . The company says it found six planes with seats that were not properly secured . American Airlines is evaluating the planes "out of abundance of caution" The airline company has suffered a series of problems in recent months . | 0c7858974e5b8dfe777470504301b59cbeeec855 |
Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland (CNN) -- Senior Airman Aaron Becker repairs medical equipment at a clinic for wounded soldiers at Andrews Air Force Base. Co-workers say he is always giving to others, but they also say Becker's a friend in need. A colleague recently submitted his name to a nonprofit military support group to help his family get around. The nomination paid off Monday as Becker and his wife, Mercy, were handed the keys to a late-model SUV, just in time to get ready for their baby, a girl expected in June. The donation comes from the group Operation Homefront, which generates and allocates financial support and other assistance for military families. The couple lives in military housing near the base in the Maryland suburbs outside of Washington, where getting around without a car isn't all that easy. "There are things you have to do that aren't on the base," Becker said, "so it's needed. Even getting my wife to her appointments at the hospital and everything else, it's something that, at seven months pregnant, she doesn't really want to walk all the way to the hospital." Jim Knotts, president of Operation Homefront, said the vehicle came from a government contractor fleet service, which donated it with plenty of mileage remaining to do someone else some good. Becker and his wife rose to the top of the beneficiary list after officials pointed to his efforts maintaining the medical equipment used to treat wounded warriors coming home from battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq. Knotts said, "In this case, this is a great example of an airman who is just doing a superb job for his country. He and his wife just starting out, they're gonna have their first baby, they don't have a vehicle, they live just off the base, so they need the vehicle to take care of the baby." | Pair lives outside of Washington, where getting around without a car isn't easy . Colleague submitted airman's name to a military support group . Operation Homefront provides financial help and other assistance for military families . Couple is expecting, and "they need the vehicle to take care of the baby," group president says . | a2767aef7fc8d6ce8687f0e2a5a339331eff5133 |
America has been stunned after allegations of rape were made against Bill Cosby, pictured . The silence was excruciating. Bill Cosby and Camille, his wife of 50 years, were sitting in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, surrounded by valuable works of African art from their private collection, lent for an exhibition. Moments earlier, the veteran American TV star had been basking in adulation. His generosity had been praised in Saturday’s interview for National Public Radio, America’s equivalent of Radio 4. Then the conversation took an ugly turn. ‘This question gives me no pleasure,’ began presenter Scott Simon, before asking Cosby about ‘serious accusations raised against you in recent days’. He didn’t need to spell out what they were. America has been stunned as several women have come forward to accuse Cosby of drugging and raping them in a series of incidents over several decades. Some allegedly took place when his sitcom The Cosby Show ruled U.S. TV and its star was held up as a model of wholesome family values. After a pause for 77-year-old Cosby to respond, Simon said: ‘You’re shaking your head . . . I have to ask the question — do you have a response to those charges?’ Simon tried twice more — and there were two more significant pauses — before he gave up and thanked the couple. Only Mrs Cosby, with whom the star has five children, thanked Simon in return. More was to come. On Tuesday, model and reality TV star Janice Dickinson accused Cosby of raping her, claiming she was attacked after a dinner at a Californian resort in 1982. Dickinson, 59, said Cosby gave her a pill and a glass of wine after she complained of stomach pains. The last thing she recalled before passing out, she alleged, was ‘Bill Cosby in a patchwork robe, dropping his robe and getting on top of me. And I remember a lot of pain’. Cosby’s lawyer has denied the allegations, calling her story ‘a complete lie’. But a day after Dickinson spoke out, Therese Serignese became the seventh woman to say publicly that Cosby sexually assaulted her. She said she was a starstruck 19-year-old when he chatted her up in a Las Vegas hotel, before giving her powerful tranquiliser pills. She alleged she came round to find they were having sex and accused him of ‘using his fame and power to come after people’s innocence’. Janice Dickinson, pictured, is one of the latest celebrities to claim to have been drugged and raped by Cosby . Last night, the wife of Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno became the latest to publicly accuse Cosby of sexual assault. Carla Ferrigno claimed he grabbed her and forcibly kissed her when she was a teenager at his house after a double date in 1967, before she pushed him off. Millions of shocked fans and admirers are now watching the rapid disintegration of the reputation of the man once dubbed ‘America’s Dad’. Famous supporters, such as actress Whoopi Goldberg, have leapt to Cosby’s defence, but broadcasters are running scared. NBC has scrapped plans to make a new family sitcom featuring the comic and the internet streaming service Netflix has ‘postponed’ a comedy special starring him. The idea that such a prominent black role model, who tours the country lecturing African Americans on the importance of family, has feet of clay is almost too painful to contemplate in a racially divided America. Praised by presidents and courted by corporations, Cosby became indistinguishable from the man he played on The Cosby Show — Dr Cliff Huxtable, the loving patriarch of a middle-class family in New York. Cosby played Dr Cliff Huxtable in The Cosby Show between 1984 and 1992 on the NBC network . The NBC show, then the most popular on U.S. TV, ran from 1984 to 1992. In Britain, it was one of Channel 4’s most popular shows, ground-breaking in portraying black people in a happy family that was affluent and successful. That many Americans are hearing for the first time there may be a sinister side to Bill Cosby is testament, say some, to the power of his PR machine and the reluctance of the establishment to criticise him. For many of these accusations were first made nearly ten years ago. How could this have happened? One possible explanation lies in the way that interviewer Scott Simon was then hounded on social media for ‘ambushing’ Cosby. Many might wonder if it’s ever wrong to bring up repeated accusations of rape but, astonishingly, they have been barely mentioned over the years. Cosby has always rejected the claims against him, and has never been charged over them — let alone convicted. A new authorised biography didn’t refer to the allegations once, and nor did its review in the liberal New York Times, which praised it as ‘wonderfully thorough’. The same glaring omission was repeated in Cosby’s recent TV interviews to mark the upcoming 30th anniversary of The Cosby Show. Chatshow host Stephen Colbert instead gushed: ‘I’m going to say something controversial. I think you’re great.’ Several US journalists have said that editors spiked stories which addressed alleged sexual abuse . Even when, a few years ago, Cosby was promoting a campaign for better behaviour in the black community, interviewers including Oprah Winfrey didn’t deign to mention the subject. In recent days, several U.S. journalists admitted their attempts to publicise the allegations were spiked by editors who were, as one put it, ‘horrified at the prospect of taking down’ a ‘beloved figure and civil rights pioneer’. Footage has also emerged of an interview Cosby gave a few days ago, before the latest claims, to the Associated Press news agency, in which the star tried to shame the reporter for daring to bring up the allegations. ‘I don’t talk about it,’ he said. Some have suggested that fear of being labelled racist may have protected him. ‘I recognise Bill Cosby as a comedic genius, and black people — with good reason — don’t throw away our geniuses,’ said black academic Brittney Cooper. ‘Far too often, racism becomes an excuse for us not to confront sexism.’ If that was the case, it is no longer. Another alleged victim, Joan Tarshis — a former publicist to reggae star Bob Marley — also revealed herself this week. She says she was 19 when Cosby sexually assaulted her twice in 1969, while supposedly helping her get on in the industry. The first time, Ms Tarshis says she woke up on his couch after he had given her a drink. Cosby had raped her, she says, but her parents idolised the star and, ‘ashamed’, she kept quiet. On the second occasion, she claims she felt very dizzy after he gave her a drink and later awoke naked in his hotel suite bed. The accusers’ stories about being drugged and attacked are eerily similar. So too are their claims that they were ignored by the entertainment industry and discouraged from contacting the police. Ironically, the allegations have only gained traction because another popular African-American comic, Hannibal Buress, called Cosby a rapist in his act last month. Cosby’s publicist has said the star would not dignify ‘decade-old, discredited’ claims with a response. But sceptics challenged his claim that they were ‘discredited’. They were first made in 2005 by Andrea Constand, a university basketball star whom Cosby was mentoring. She said he had given her ‘herbal’ pills to ease her anxiety. Having drugged her, Cosby then molested her, she claimed. One alleged victim claimed Cosby, pictured, claimed he was 'scouting for talent' when he attacked her . Authorities chose not to file criminal charges. This week, Bruce Castor, the former prosecutor who investigated Cosby, said he had thought the star was ‘probably guilty’ but there had been insufficient evidence. But Constand went ahead with a civil lawsuit and 13 more women agreed to testify as anonymous witnesses, citing similar accusations. Cosby, who claimed his relationship with Constand had been consensual, settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in 2006. But three of the women who had agreed to testify soon came forward. Tamara Green, a California lawyer, said she had been assaulted in the Seventies, but only spoke out when she realised she wouldn’t be alone. She alleged she was a 19-year-old model when Cosby, whom she knew socially, gave her pills which he said would sort out a cold. When he offered to put her to bed, she said, she tried to fight him off but passed out. Cosby said he didn’t know her. Another former young model, Beth Ferrier, claimed she had a relationship with Cosby in the mid-Eighties which ended after he drugged her coffee and she awoke in a car with her clothes in disarray. The third woman, Barbara Bowman, had been an aspiring 17-year-old actress when her agent told her Cosby was ‘scouting for young talent’. She alleged the star had been a ‘monster’ who pinned her by her neck as he unbuckled his belt. Her thought, she has said, was: ‘Who’s gonna believe this? He was a powerful man. He was like the President.’ Cosby’s defenders insist the women are trying to cash in on his money and fame. Whoopi Goldberg has questioned why Ms Bowman didn’t go to police or get a hospital to confirm she had been raped. The U.S. statute of limitations on the alleged assaults ran out long ago, meaning Cosby cannot be tried or sued in any court. These women insist they have nothing to gain other than what they see as long-delayed justice. | Bill Cosby was quizzed about abuse allegations on National Public Radio . Presenter Scott Simon said the question gave him 'no pleasure' Cosby was asked about 'serious allegations raised in recent day' The star shook his head and refused to answer the question . TV star Janice Dickenson accused Cosby of attacking her in 1982 . Eight women have come forward alleging they were abused by Cosby . Scroll down for video . | f13362e9ee16c5d0384d3a2d38ecad3e901a2e9a |
An 80-year-old man was Tasered, handcuffed and finally restrained on a stretcher after allegedly firing nine shots at police over a dispute with his daily newspaper. Joseph Smith reportedly called 911 and threatened to kill himself and the dispatcher because he had 'some beef' with The Philadelphia Inquirer following the loss of his money in stocks. When around 50 police and SWAT officers arrived at his apartment in Upper Darby, Philadelphia, the OAP screamed from his third-floor window: 'I'm not leaving without shooting!', it is claimed. Restrained: Joseph Smith, 80, was Tasered, handcuffed and finally restrained on a stretcher after allegedly firing nine shots at police on Wednesday evening. Above, Smith is placed an ambulance via stretcher . Over the next three hours, he allegedly fired nine rounds toward police in the building's courtyard, before threatening to shoot down a news helicopter flying over the scene in Providence Road. Minutes later, police launched tear gas into Smith's window, before throwing a stun grenade into his apartment and storming the room, Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood told The Inquirer. There, they reportedly discovered the pensioner crouched on all fours with a 9mm gun in his head. Despite dropping the pistol, Smith allegedly lashed out at six officers who tried to detain him, persisting even when he was struck twice with a Taser. Angry reader: Smith (pictured in his mugshot) reportedly called 911 and threatened to kill himself and the dispatcher because he had a 'beef' with The Philadelphia Inquirer following the loss of his money in stocks . Scene: When around 50 police officers arrived at the Lansdowne Towers Apartment Complex (pictured) in Philadelphia, the OAP allegedly screamed from his third-floor window: 'I'm not leaving without shooting!' But two sets of handcuffs and a stretcher later, he was eventually transported out of the property at the Lansdowne Towers Apartment Complex, situated near Industrial Park Drive. 'He's one nasty senior citizen,' Supt Chitwood said following the incident at 7.45pm on Wednesday. 'When we tried to negotiate with him, he would scream all types of things.' Supt Chitwood added that none of his officers had been struck by the fired bullets. Following the alleged attack, police reportedly recovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition - along with the 9mm gun and a .22-caliber rifle - from Smith's apartment. Motivation: Following the alleged attack, police recovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition - along with two guns - from Smith's apartment. Above, the suspect was apparently angry with The Philadelphia Inquirer . During an interview with officers, the pensioner's family claimed that he had not slept for four days, Supt Chitwood said. It remains unclear whether Smith was intoxicated at the time. 'Let me tell you something: The way he was acting and how strong he was, he had to be on something, but I don't know for sure,' Supt Chitwood said. Smith is currently in custody at Delaware County Prison, according to the Delaware County Daily Times. He is likely to be charged with aggravated assault, firearms crimes and other charges. | Joseph Smith, 80, 'fired nine shots at police from his apartment window' When officers tried to arrest him, he then reportedly lashed out at them . Finally detained after being Tasered, handcuffed and fixed to a stretcher . 'He's a nasty senior citizen,' police said following Wednesday's incident . Smith allegedly had 'beef' with The Philadelphia Inquirer following the loss of his money in stocks; he remains in custody at Delaware County Prison . | 59d7c6308523d3348178c208579dcc9dec1e6f0e |
(CNN) -- A state trial judge on Monday blocked New York City's plan for a maximum 16 ounce size for a high-sugar beverage. The ban would have included sodas, energy drinks, fruit drinks and sweetened teas. But it would have excluded alcoholic beverages and drinks that are more than 50% milk, such as lattes. The ban would have applied to restaurants, movie theaters, stadiums and mobile food carts. But it would not have applied to supermarkets and convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal was met with fierce opposition by the industry and public outrage at the loss of "liberty," the so-called "nanny state" run amok. Beyond all the hype, the industry's vociferous arguments, now adopted by a trial court, are badly flawed. In fact, the Board of Health has the power, indeed the responsibility, to regulate sugary drinks for the sake of city residents, particularly the poor. News: Mississippi governor reviews 'Anti-Bloomberg' bill . Would the ban work? Nearly six out of 10 New York City residents are overweight or obese, as are nearly four out of 10 schoolchildren. This cannot be acceptable to our society, knowing that obesity is such a powerful risk factor for diabetes, cancer and heart disease. No one would disagree that government should act, but how? There is no single solution, but many ideas that would work in combination. One of those solutions is to control portion size and sugar consumption. Why? First, the ever-expanding portions (think "supersized") are one of the major causes of obesity. When portion sizes are smaller, individuals eat less but feel full. This works, even if a person can take an additional portion. (Most won't because they are satiated, and it at least makes them think about what they are consuming.) Second, sugar is high in calories, promotes fat storage in the body and is addictive, so people want more. The so-called "war on sugar" is not a culture war, it is a public health imperative backed by science. Opposing view: 'Anti-Bloomberg' bill stops overregulation . So, there is good reason to believe New York's portion control would work. But why does the city have to prove that it works beyond any doubt? Those who cry "nanny state" in response to almost any modern public health measure (think food, alcohol, firearms, distracted driving) demand a standard of proof that lawmakers don't have to meet in any other field. When a law is passed to increase jobs, spur the economy or subsidize a corporate sector (oil, for example), we don't insist that lawmakers prove it works. At least public health officials rely on science and try to craft rules that have a chance of working—if not in isolation, then in combination with other obesity control measures such as food labeling, calorie disclosures, trans fat restrictions and access to affordable fruits and vegetables in schools and poor neighborhoods. Is the ban consistent? The industry stoked the fires of public discontent with its campaign against the "inconsistencies" in the soda ban. Why doesn't the ban apply to milky drinks, why can 7-Eleven sell large sugary drinks, and why not ban refills? Justice Milton Tingling Jr. bought both industry arguments: It won't work and it is inconsistent. He went so far as to call the ban "fraught with arbitrary and capricious consequences" and filled with loopholes. Again, we find a double standard. Bloomberg did what every other politician does: balance public health and safety with realpolitik. Consider one of the judge's major arguments: balancing public health and economic considerations is "impermissible." This judicial reasoning makes no sense. If policy makers could not balance economic consequences, virtually every law in America would be flawed. There is another huge problem with this argument. It assumes that unless public health does everything, it can do nothing. The whole art of politics is compromise. The mayor gets a lot of what he seeks to fight obesity, but not everything. Does the Board of Health have the power? Admittedly, the soda ban would have been better coming from the city's elected legislature, the City Council. But the Board of Health has authority to act in cases where there is an imminent threat to health. Doesn't the epidemic of obesity count as an imminent threat, with its devastating impact on health, quality of life and mortality? In any event, the Board of Health has authority over the food supply and chronic disease, which is exactly what it has used in this case. Members of the Board of Health, moreover, are experts in public health, entitled to a degree of deference. The fact that the proposal originated in the mayor's office does not diminish the board's authority and duty to protect the public's health. Many health proposals arise from the executive branch, notably the Affordable Care Act. Should industry have an outsized influence on public health policy? The fingerprints of the food and restaurant industries, with their clear economic conflicts of interest, are all over the public and judicial campaign to block the soda ban. Industry undertook a multimillion-dollar campaign, flying banners over the city and plastering ads over the subways. They immediately filed suit and hired the most elite law firms. Rather than recognize the public health effects of large sugary drinks, they chose to fight, reminiscent of Big Tobacco. What is worse, the public (and now a judge) fell for the industry's manipulations. Most New Yorkers oppose the portion ban, while politicians in other states are scrambling to show their disapproval. Mississippi is about to pass a law forbidding portion control. Imagine that in a state with the highest obesity rate in America! We are used to fierce lobbying for personal gain in America, but that doesn't mean we should be duped by industry propaganda. Is a portion limit really such an assault on freedom? It doesn't stop anyone from buying soda. If consumers really want, they can buy several smaller drinks. It doesn't stop companies from giving refills. There is really no great burden posed on individuals, only a little nudge in the right direction. At the same time, it could make meaningful changes in the drinking habits of New Yorkers. Why is the industry fighting this so fiercely? Because when it is shown to be successful in New York, it will be emulated in major cities in America and worldwide. Isn't that exactly what we need to stem the tide of obesity? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Lawrence O. Gostin. | A New York state judge blocks the city's plan to limit the size of sugary drinks . Lawrence Gostin: A portion limit is not an attack on freedom; people can still buy soda . He says like Big Tobacco, industry has spent millions to fight this effort to combat obesity . Gostin: The Board of Health has the power to regulate sugary drinks; portion control can work . | 16f25923a023286e5b443db5235e5f51819d91d5 |
An impromptu midnight fishing trip in Florida has turned up an extraordinary catch. And the fishermen captured the moment on video. Dustin Richter said it took him and his pals over two hours to wrangle a rare 11-foot long, 500-pound sawfish into shore at Boynton Beach Inlet on Sunday morning. 'Catching a fish like that is like once in a lifetime,' Richter told ABC. Scroll down for video . What a catch: Dustin Richter (front left) and his friends caught an enormous sawfish in Boynton Beach, Florida, on Sunday morning . Spending over two hours trying to reel the animal to shore, the boys managed to get some of it on camera . Dustin Richter said they knew they had to let the sawfish go once they got it close enough to shore . Although the group let the sawfish go, they kept one thing - a tooth that came off its snout during the reeling . But it almost didn't happen. Richet and his friends had planned to have a poker night, before making a last-minute decision for a late-night fishing session. 'About an hour after putting our lines out we were about to leave,' Richter said. 'But something started clicking, the reel started going off, and it felt about four or five feet. 'It got to the light and we saw the fish and saw it was a sawfish - we were amazed. 'It was 11 feet long and the bill was about 4 feet long.' Richter said it is extremely rare to see a sawfish, let alone catch one. 'It's just one of those prehistoric-looking animals,' he said. 'If you see them you're lucky to see them and if you catch them you're even luckier.' A sawfish is a shark-like fish with a long, thin snout covered in razor-sharp teeth that resembles a saw. They not considered a danger to humans . The group had planned to play poker, before making a last-minute decision to go fishing, when they caught the sawfish . They of course let the animal go. The sawfish is a shark-like fish with a long, thin snout covered in razor-sharp teeth that resembles a saw. Despite their sinister aesthetic, sawfish aren't a direct threat to humans. They use their 'saw'” to capture and kill prey - mostly smaller fish, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Sawfish are an endangered species and are usually found in shallow, coastal waters. ABC US News | ABC International News . | Group of men managed to catch a sawfish early Sunday morning in Boynton Beach, Florida . It measured about 11-feet long, with a 4-foot snout . Sawfish are endangered and the men let it go . They are not considered dangerous to humans . | ea066a963f1ff04a7322acf913d2f2ed0c833293 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:01 EST, 26 November 2013 . Patirck Cau will pay $250,000 as part of a plea deal and could face up to five years in prison . A former United Airlines flight attendant who made phony bomb threats against jetliners has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. Patrick Cau, who also uses the name Patrick Kaiser, was sentenced on Monday by a federal judge in Los Angeles. Cau pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of false information and hoaxes. In the plea agreement, Cau said he used pay phones in several cities to make eight threats against United flights between October 2012 and January. The German national who now lives in Dallas was also ordered to pay more than $300,000 to United and to Los Angeles police as restitution because flights were delayed, canceled, evacuated or searched. At least six of the eight calls were made in relation to flights from Los Angeles to London. United Airlines lost $268,000 in canceled and delayed flights due to the bogus threats. He now faces a prison sentence of up to five years and has agreed to pay $304,495 as part of his plea deal. American Airlines were training Patrick Cau to be a flight attendant when they discovered his history of making bomb threats to a rival airline . Mr . Cau passed American Airlines' background check when he was hired. He . was later discovered to use the name Patrick Kaiser, which was used on . the 'no fly' list. He was removed from the American Airlines' training programme in Fort Worth, Texas in May. United Airlines confirmed that he was . previously employed by the company, but could not provide further . details as to why his employment ended. Mr Cau is said to have made eight calls saying there were bomb on United Airlines planes. The company lost $268,000 in cancelled and delayed flights due to the threats . | Patrick Cau, 40 made 911 calls about fake bombs over three months . Was put on 'no fly' list under a different name and recruited by American Airlines . Faces a prison sentence of 18 months in jail and will pay $304,000 to United Airlines and $8,000 to the LAPD as part of his plea deal . | f0f4182299ba9f8eb55973ff969ac82c17e6c0fd |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- About 20 years ago, 9-year-old Cameron Kocher fired a rifle out of a window of his home in upstate Pennsylvania and hit his 7-year-old neighbor, who was riding on a snowmobile, and killed her. The prosecutor decided to try the 9-year-old as an adult. When the charge is murder, Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that has no lower age limit for trying children as adults. The district attorney argued that Cameron had lied when asked about the shooting -- and lying is something that adults do. The trial judge subsequently agreed to keep Cameron's case in adult court. The boy had seemed normal, the judge said, so there was nothing for the juvenile justice system to treat. Cameron had also dozed during pretrial motions, which showed "a lack of remorse." Cameron stayed home on bail -- which is available to "adults" -- while his case was argued in appellate courts. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was placed on probation. He received no treatment and had no further involvement with the justice system. Jump ahead 20 years, to the Western Pennsylvania prosecution of Jordan Brown, who was 11 when he was charged as an adult with shooting to death his father's pregnant fiancée. Jordan's attorneys have asked the trial judge to remand his case to juvenile court. The judge has taken the motion under advisement. It should be an easy decision. There are common-sense reasons to keep Jordan in the juvenile system. Ask any parents of an 11-year-old if they think their child is really just a small adult! If Jordan is adjudicated delinquent, the juvenile justice system can keep him until his 21st birthday. That is an extraordinary amount of time for an 11-year-old. It is certainly long enough to serve the needs of public protection, and enough time to rehabilitate a child. Indeed, studies routinely show that in these cases, the juvenile justice system protects the public better than the criminal justice system. If common sense isn't enough, examine the recent science on adolescent development. In the early part of the decade, researchers for the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice found that teenagers are less blameworthy than adults, and that their capacities change significantly over the course of adolescence. The researchers found what many of us were trying to say years earlier about Cameron Kocher: that at the age of 9, he simply couldn't process information and plan a crime like an adult. The MacArthur Foundation Research Network recognized that legal sanctions for misbehavior should not be based only on the harm a youth causes, but on the youth's culpability. Most people would agree. Every day, different defendants receive different sentences even if they caused the same harm. This is because defendants differ in culpability, or blameworthiness. At no other time are these differences more pronounced than during adolescence, when youths struggle with their immaturity, undeveloped decision-making abilities, impulsiveness, lack of future orientation and susceptibility to negative peer pressure. Recent brain imaging technology reinforces the adolescent development literature. From the prefrontal cortex to the limbic area, the teenage brain is undergoing dramatic changes during adolescence in ways that affect teens' ability to reason, to weigh consequences for their decisions and to delay gratification long enough to make careful short- and long-term choices. In their 2008 book "Rethinking Juvenile Justice," MacArthur researchers Dr. Laurence Steinberg and Elizabeth Scott concluded that young people under age 15 should never be tried as adults. Steinberg and Scott make clear that mitigation because of youth -- the fact that teens are less blameworthy than adults -- is not the same as an excuse. That is, trying youths in juvenile court is not the same as absolving them of responsibility. Ten years under juvenile court supervision, for an 11-year-old, is a very long time. The point is that while youths should be punished for their crimes, it should be done in a developmentally appropriate way. Any parent would know that it makes little sense to punish a 10-year-old the same as a 17-year-old. Another finding of the MacArthur Research Network was that young adolescents are not competent enough to be defendants. Young teens lack the skills to consult with their lawyers and shape trial strategy. Think of Cameron Kocher, who couldn't even stay awake for his pretrial motions. Imagine Jordan Brown, now all of 12 years old, advising his lawyer on approaches to cross-examining witnesses, or discussing the pros and cons of pleading guilty. It is in society's enlightened self-interest to keep young teens in the juvenile justice system, where public safety concerns can be addressed and young offenders can be held accountable and be rehabilitated. This is common sense. An 11-year-old is not an adult and should never be treated like one. The opinions in the commentary are solely those of Robert Schwartz. The Juvenile Law Center, which he heads, filed a friend of the court brief in Cameron Kocher's case in 1989 and is not involved in the Jordan Brown case. | Robert Schwartz tells of 9-year-old tried as adult; he was put on probation, received no treatment . Schwartz: Jordan Brown should not be tried as an adult for crime committed at 11 . Writes: Kids incompetent to be tried as adults; trying them as juveniles not excusing crime . It's in society's enlightened self-interest, Schwartz says, to try youngsters in juvenile court . | a46bd75e207d34166ffb8048ca110efebc8c987b |
This is the incredible moment a baby elephant was flown in the back of a four-seater plane to escape from poachers who slaughtered its entire family. The young orphan, named Max, was rescued after 100 other elephants, including its relatives, were killed by poachers between Chad and Cameroon in Central Africa. It was squeezed into the back of the small aircraft alongside Gary Roberts, an American nurse and missionary, before being flown to Mr Roberts's house for medical treatment. Scroll down for video . Incredible rescue: This baby elephant was flown in the back of a four-seater plane to escape from poachers . Taking a back seat: The orphan, named Max, was rescued after 100 other elephants, including its relatives, were killed by poachers between Chad and Cameroon in Central Africa. Above, it sits in the back of the plane . Footage shows the 353lb elephant waving its trunk around as it sits in the plane, before gripping a bottle of water in its jaws. At one point, the animal can even be seen repeatedly throwing its trunk over Mr Roberts's shoulder as he strokes it affectionately on the head. 'With an animal that size, you can feel its weight shifting in the aircraft,' Mr Roberts later told BBC News. Unfortunately, Max died just a few days after his ordeal in March 2013 as a result of his traumatic experience and the cow's milk he was fed in a village before being rescued. Can't sit still: Footage shows the 353lb baby elephant waving its trunk around as it sits in the small aircraft . Weighty: 'With an animal that size, you can feel its weight shifting in the aircraft,' Mr Roberts told BBC News . 'Massacre': The poachers killed 100 elephants between Chad and Cameroon (pictured) in Central Africa . Although the footage was captured at the time of the rescue last year, it has only recently surfaced online. Social media users have deemed the video 'heartbreaking' with many condemning the poachers for their 'massacre' of the baby elephants' family. One wrote: 'A sad story of genuine humans giving it all to try and save the only survivor of poachers' massacre.' Another added: 'How sad that the elephant died after all that effort.' Captured on video: Although the footage was captured in March 2013, it has only recently surfaced online . Squeezed in: Social media users have deemed the video 'heartbreaking' with many condemning the poachers' 'massacre' of the baby elephants' family. One wrote: 'How sad that the elephant died after all that effort' | Orphan, named Max, was rescued by Gary Roberts and other missionaries . Poachers had slaughtered its family between Chad and Cameroon in Africa . It was squeezed into back of small plane, before being flown for treatment . Despite its rescue, it died just days later as result of traumatic experience . | d8c64ae2a4fdc272b22d2154ebabc8a0fd7bd339 |
(CNN) -- In my book, Physics of the Future, I make scores of predictions for this century, based on interviews with over 300 of the world's top scientists, who are inventing the future in their labs. Here are some top game-changing predictions that they make: . Fusion and space-based power . Because cheap oil will eventually run out and because burning fossil fuels drives global warming, new forms of energy are desperately needed. Within a decade, solar/wind/renewable technologies will drop in price and be competitive with oil, due to the rising cost of fossil fuels. But by 2019, fusion power becomes a major player. That is when the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) becomes operational in southern France. Costing over $10 billion dollars, it is a crash project designed from the start to generate more energy than it consumes. Rather than burning uranium (which creates vast amounts of nuclear waste and the danger of meltdowns) fusion reactors cleanly burn hydrogen, which is found in sea water. Fusion is the energy source which powers the sun, the stars, and the universe. A decade after that, commercial fusion power plants may proliferate around the world, thereby solving the energy crisis and global warming. Clean, safe, and renewable, fusion power promises to energize our economy by mid century. Space elevator . Hollywood dreams of colonizing the universe have been stunted by a simple four-letter word: C-O-S-T. It costs $10,000 per pound to just put you in near Earth orbit over the planet. That is your weight in solid gold. To put you on the Moon costs roughly $100,000 per pound. And to put you on Mars costs roughly $1,000,000 per pound, or your weight in diamonds. But late in the 21st century, a new game changer might be possible -- the space elevator, in which you simply push the "up" button and then the elevator climbs effortlessly into outer space, like Jack and the Beanstalk. Like a ball spinning on string, it does not fall to the Earth because of centrifugal force. Here is where nanotechnology comes in. The strongest substance known to science, stronger than diamonds, is graphene, made of a single atomic layer of carbon atoms. It is strong enough to support a space elevator without breaking. (It is so strong you can balance an elephant on a pencil, which then rests on a layer of graphene, and the graphene sheet will not tear). Read more: Car the size of a molecule . At present, we can only produce tiny, millimeter-sized portions of this pure carbon, but in the future, if we can solve the technical question of creating miles of this substance, then this technology may eventually open up outer space, so that we become a true space-faring civilization. Stop the aging process . For millennia, kings and queens have sought the Fountain of Youth without success. We still don't have it, but biotechnology may eventually allow us to stop and maybe reverse the aging process. After centuries of confusion, we now know what aging is: the build-up of errors, at the molecular, genetic, and cellular level. But it is possible to create error-correcting mechanisms which might reverse this process. At present, for example, we can double the life span of most organisms, from yeast cells, to spiders and insects, rats and mice, rabbits, dogs and cats, and now primates. Eventually, a combination of several therapies (e.g. gene therapy, caloric restriction, telomerase, sirtuins, etc.) may allow us to unlock the aging process. Already, about 60 genes have been isolated where aging seems to be concentrated. In the future, when everyone has their personal genome on a disk, we will use computers to scan millions of genomes of young people, then the genomes of the elderly, and then simply subtract. In this way, we will isolate the genes involved in aging. (For example, we are 98.5% genetically identical to a chimpanzee. But we live twice as long. So, among a handful of genes are the ones which have doubled our life span.) Our grandchildren may have the option of reaching the age of 30, and then stopping at that age for many decades to come. Intelligent machines . Artificial intelligence has proven to be more difficult than scientists originally thought back in the 1950s, when it was predicted that we would have mechanical maids, butlers, and companions by 2000. At present, our most advanced robot has the intelligence of a cockroach, barely able to recognize and navigate among simple objects in a room. But in the coming decades, great progress will inevitably take place. Our robots will eventually become as smart as a mouse, then a dog or a cat, and finally a monkey. The robotics industry may eventually become larger than the automobile industry today. Read more: The future of warfare . No one knows when a robot will approach human intelligence, but I suspect it will be late in the 21st century. Will they be dangerous? Possibly. So I suggest we put a chip in their brain to shut them off if they have murderous thoughts. But once robots surpass us in intelligence, will we wind up in the evolutionary dust bin, surpassed by our own creations? Some suspect they might put us in zoos, and throw peanuts and make us dance behind bars. This may leave open one last option: merge with our creations. This may not sound as preposterous as it first appears. And there are perks involved with merging with our robotic creations, such as immortality and perfect, superhuman bodies. The replicator . The Holy Grail of nanotechnology is the replicator, a device which can create anything from almost nothing. In science fiction, it is a chamber where you put in the raw materials, and then ask for anything you want, whether it be dinner, a computer, or jewelry. The key to creating the replicator is the "nanobot," a robot the size of a molecule which can cut and rearrange molecular bonds, turning junk into valuable commodities, atom for atom. At first, this seems impossible. But actually Mother Nature has already created a nanobot. It is called a ribosome, and can cleanly cut and paste molecules together like a master welder. This allows nature to take hamburgers and French fries and then convert them into a baby in nine months. However, it may take a century to master the intricate art of reshaping matter from almost nothing. But when it happens, we will be able to take a rabbit out of a hat, literally, and change civilization in the process. Hunger and poverty may be banished if everyone had a replicator. This could open up a Golden Age for humanity. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michio Kaku. | Michio Kaku is professor of theoretical physics at City University of New York . He has spoken to scientists who predicted future technologies . Biotechnology may eventually allow us to stop the aging process, says Kaku . Nuclear fusion power could become a major player by mid-century, he says . | 1fc6d696a39b30101e156ff36f0aed6aa0a19f82 |
America's race shootings have caused months of unrest across the country - and now an artist has imagined the Simpsons joining the protests in memory of the victims. In a series called 'I Can't Breathe', Italian artist AleXsandro Palombo has turned the usually yellow cartoon family black in memory of Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and all the other victims. In a series of shocking images, Chief Wiggum chases Bart waving a baton, then aims a gun at the ten-year-old, who is clearly holding a toy gun, at point-blank range. Bart is then pictured face down and apparently dead in front of a giant billboard showing the police chief with a smoking gun and the words: 'Cops Never Sleep'. Scroll down for video . Cops never sleep: An artist has drawn the Simpsons as a black family in memory of America's race shootings. Pictured, Chief Wiggum points a gun at Bart, left, and right, he is seen face down and apparently dead reflecting the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice . Stop racism: The police chief chases Bart with a baton, left, and right, a black Homer and Marge demand justice for the death of their son . The pictures eerily reflect the death of Tamar Rice last month, a 12-year-old who was playing with a pellet gun last month. He was shot by a Cleveland police officer at a park on November 22 and died the following day. Mr Palombo also echoes the death of Eric Garner - with Chief Wiggum depicted holding a black character in a chokehold and then appears on the news alongside presenter Kent Brockman discussing the incident. Mr Garner died in Staten Island, New York, when officer Daniel Pantaleo put him in an apparent chokehold, despite reports he had said: 'I can't breathe' - words which have now become a prominent feature in protests. Mr Palombo told MailOnline: 'With this art series I wanted to denounce the current social situation, the unbelievable racial facts of recent times. 'The images from the suffocation of Eric Garner are horrible, uncivilized. This is a crazy and an unacceptable violence.' He added: 'We are experiencing a dangerous social regression and if America does not react to the rampant racism it will no longer be the country of freedom and dreams, but the country of oppression and injustice.' 'Crazy and unacceptable': Echoing the death of Eric Garner, the police chief holds a black cartoon character in a chokehold and right, discusses the incident with news anchor Kent Brockman . I Can't Breathe: Left, black Homer wants to 'stop racism' and right, the words which have become prominent in real-life protests are waved by Simpsons characters, while Homer brandishes Chief Wiggum's head . Other pictures show Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and other characters from the show are seen waving placards to 'stop racism' - reflecting the chaos that engulfed Ferguson, Missouri after the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. The family also pose in front of the Statue of Liberty, whose face is covered with a Ku Klux Klan hood, with their mouths covered. Mr Palombo is well-known for his satirical artwork to promote causes he believes. Last month, he depicted demale cartoon characters as victims of domestic violence to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and also re-imagined Disney princesses as breast cancer survivors to promote awareness of the disease. Mr Palombo told MailOnline: 'With this art series I wanted to denounce the current social situation, the unbelievable racial facts of recent times' Is my child safe? The fear of many parents of black youngsters in America is portrayed with an image of the Statue of Liberty in a Klu Klux Klan hood and right, a police officer with a gun and in a hood worn by members of the hate group escorts a sad-looking Bart . | In a series called 'I Can't Breathe', Italian artist AleXsandro Palombo has turned the yellow cartoon family black . Reflecting the death of Tamir Rice, Chief Wiggum aims a gun at Bart, who is clearly holding a toy gun, at point-blank range . Another echoes the death of Eric Garner with the police holding a black cartoon character in a chokehold . The artist told MailOnline he created the series in memory of the victims, adding: 'I wanted to denounce the current social situation, the unbelievable racial facts of recent times' | c29bd1dd3c66373e17f6dcfe4abec47f48e31e24 |
By . Chris Greenwood . and Arthur Martin . and Lucy Osborne . A man has been accused of murdering two vulnerable pensioners who lived 120 miles apart. Leo Barnes, 32, is suspected of killing 80-year-old Cynthia Beamond and Philip Silverstone, 67. The bodies of the victims, who are not related, were found within 24 hours of each other in the West Midlands and London. In the dock: Chantelle Moran-Stokes appeared in court alongside her boyfriend Leo Barnes . Yesterday, Barnes appeared before magistrates accused of double murder. In the dock alongside him was his girlfriend, Chantelle Moran-Stokes, 24, who is accused of murdering Mrs Beamond. The . glamorous blonde sat just a foot from her partner but stared straight . ahead without acknowledging him during the brief hearing. Friends . said Barnes is well-known for driving a Porsche and for his love of . powerful cars. Murder: The body of Cynthia Beamond, 80, left, was found hidden inside her house in Halesowen on Sunday and Moran-Stokes, right, is accused of taking part . He has posted numerous pictures of garishly-painted . supercars on his Facebook, alongside images of luxury brands and London . landmarks. His girlfriend has posted dozens of pictures of herself online posing with friends at Birmingham nightclubs. The . police investigation began when worried family members reported Mrs . Beamond missing in Halesowen, West Midlands, last Friday. The grandmother-of-two’s battered body was eventually discovered concealed inside the semi-detached property on Sunday evening. Crime scene: Police at the house in Juliet Road, Halesowen, West Midlands, where the body of Cynthia Beamond was found . A post mortem examination found the widow, who has two daughters, died from head injuries inflicted during a vicious attack. Mrs . Beamond’s T-registration Vauxhall Astra was later found abandoned in . the Druids Heath area of Birmingham after a tip-off from a member of the . public. Meanwhile, police . in London found Mr Silverstone’s body at his flat in Belsize Park, North . West London, on Monday morning after being alerted by relatives. The . former market trader had suffered a number of stab wounds at Spencer . House, which is in a warden-controlled block for the elderly. Investigators believe he was murdered around midnight on Saturday. They . originally arrested his second wife Mary, who is in poor health and in a . wheelchair, but quickly released her without charge. She is more than . 15 years older than him. Killing: Barnes is also accused of murdering Philip Silverstone in Belsize Park, north London on Monday . Detectives . are investigating whether Mrs Silverstone witnessed the murder of her . husband of 36 years in their top-floor flat at the four-storey Georgian . townhouse. Neighbours described Mr Silverstone as a ‘gentle’ man and a ‘Del Boy character’, who was devoted to his wife. Barnes, a father-of-one, and Moran-Stokes were arrested on Sunday morning by West Midlands Police murder squad detectives. Barnes was questioned over the London murder on Tuesday evening after Metropolitan Police detectives discovered a link. According to housing records, he is a former neighbour of Mr Silverstone and lived in the same block for several years. The unusual circumstances have led West Midlands Police and the Met to form a joint investigation. Self-employed Barnes, of Balsall Heath, Birmingham, appeared at Dudley Magistrates’ Court yesterday. Wearing a black T-shirt, he refused to give or confirm his name, address and date of birth to the court clerk. Moran-Stokes, . of Darlaston, West Midlands, spoke only to confirm her name, address . and date of birth during the five-minute hearing. The pair were remanded in custody and ordered to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court today. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Leo Barnes charged with two murders with 24 hours, 120 miles apart . Cynthia Beamond and Philip Silverstone died in the Midlands and London . Chantelle Moran-Stokes accused of helping to murder Mrs Beamond . | 5994cdc706e23a5493bef01f0501330353075e0c |
By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 04:35 EST, 5 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:39 EST, 5 October 2012 . While America's Curiosity rover has excelled at sending back pictures of rocks on the Martian surface, Europe has not been left behind - as these stunning images of the Martian landscape show. On 8 June, the high-resolution stereo camera on Mars Express captured a region within the 1800 km-wide and 5 km-deep Argyre basin, which was created by a gigantic impact in the planet’s early history. It reveals the astonishing beauty of the red planet, with mountains frosted in carbon dioxide, and vast craters in an area researchers have dubbed the 'island of silver' due to the frost topped peaks. The Argyre and Hooke Craters on mars, with a frosting of carbon dioxide clearly visible in the top right of the image, taken from the Mars Express spacecraft. The area covered by the new images . After Hellas, the Argyre impact basin is the second largest on the Red Planet. The name stems from the Greek word ‘argyros’ (silver) and Argyre was . an ‘island of silver’ in Greek and Roman mythology. Giovanni . Schiaparelli, the famed Italian astronomer, gave the name to this bright . region on Mars in his detailed 1877 map. At the centre of the larger impact basin is a flat region known as Argyre Planitia. The . Mars Express images in this release all show a portion of the northern . part of this area, with a large portion of each image dominated by the . western half of the 138 km-wide Hooke Crater, named after the British . physicist and astronomer Robert Hooke. Most . of Argyre Planitia has been shaped by wind, glacial and lacustrine . (lake-based) processes, creating the smoother appearance of the . landscape surrounding Hooke Crater. Inside Hooke Crater itself, . researchers say prevailing wind activity has formed dunes and helped to create linear . erosion, clearly seen in the images. The most striking feature of this image release, shown clearly in . the first image at the top of the page, is the icing sugar-like covering . of the surface to the south (left) of the image. This is frost, but . made of carbon dioxide, not water. Carbon dioxide ice is commonly . seen on the surface of Mars, and has long been thought to form only at . ground level, freezing out of the atmosphere as frost, which is most . likely the case here. The lowlands to the south of Hooke and regions . within the crater are covered by a thin ice layer, the images show. However, it is . lacking on the inner north-facing crater wall. ESA scientists believe it was probably melted . there by the Sun, as indicated by the timing of the image. Taken at . around 4:30 in the local afternoon and during the southern hemisphere’s . mid-winter, the Sun would have been just over 20 degrees above the . horizon. It should then have been able to melt ice on the steeper . north-facing slopes, but would probably not have had enough time to warm . and melt any on low-lying horizontal surfaces. A colour-coded plan view showing the difference between the elevation of the hills to the right of the image and the depth of the Argyre Planitia region as well as Hooke Crater itself. The western half of the 138 km-wide Hooke Crater, with wind formed dunes at its heart, while to the left of the crater, the ice-covered plains of Argyre Planitia are coated with a thin dusting of frozen carbon dioxide. 3D images of the same area, which need anaglyph glasses with red¿green or red¿blue filters to be viewed correctly. | Incredible images captured by the European Space Agency Mars Express craft . Reveal the majesty of the Martian area first named in 1877 by Italian astronomer Giovanni . Schiaparelli . | b1fadf90fed9739d72e98b56727e471e070b85b3 |
A gay activist carrying a bag of Chick-fil-A items opened fire in the headquarters of a conservative lobbying unit, wounding a security guard, police said. At approximately 10.45 a.m. the man, identified as 28-year-old Floyd Corkins II, walked into the Family Research Council's (FRC) headquarters in Washington, DC's Chinatown area, made a statement, produced a gun and then shot a security guard who tried to stop him. Corkins had been volunteering at a community center dedicated to gay, lesbian and transgendered people. The guard was rushed to hospital while witnesses said that when the man was disarmed, the suspect said, 'Don't shoot me, it was not about you, it was what this place stands for.' Scroll down for video . Under arrest: Police say Floyd Corkins II, walked into the Family Research Council's headquarters in Washington, DC's Chinatown area with Chick-fil-A items and shot a guard . Local and federal investigators work to gather evidence after a security guard was shot in the arm at the headquarters of the Family Research Council August 15, 2012 in Washington, DC. David Mariner, the executive director of The DC Center for the LGBT Community, confirmed Corkins had been volunteering at the center for about the past 6 months. Mariner described Corkins as 'kind, gentle and unassuming.' While police have not yet stated what motivated Corkins, a coalition of 25 gay rights groups released a statement through GLAAD condemning the shooting. 'The motivation and circumstances behind today's tragedy are still unknown, but regardless of what emerges as the reason for this shooting, we utterly reject and condemn such violence. Local and federal investigators work to gather evidence after a security guard was shot in the arm at the headquarters of the Family Research Council August 15, 2012 in Washington, DC. 'We wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim of this terrible incident,' the statement read.' The Family Research Council is a . right-wing, conservative lobbying organisation that is against abortion, . euthanasia and same-sex marriages. 'The . police are investigating this incident,' said FRC President Tony . Perkins in a statement. 'Our first concern is with our colleague who was . shot today. Our concern is for him and his family.' The council was also recently in the news when Mr. Perkins defended Chick-fil-A chief executive Dan Cathy's public comments that were perceived as critical of gay marriage. Cathy, the president of the . multimillion-dollar empire said in an interview with the conservative . paper Baptist Press last month that his company is ‘very much supportive . of the family,’ but only when it involves heterosexual couples. Anti-gay: Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy's comments against gay marriage have caused a huge amount of criticism from consumers . Protests: Eduardo Cisneros, left, and Luke Montgomery, centre, kiss in front of a Chick-fil-A in Hollywood as Christian activist Alicia Daberkow, right, reads the bible in one of many demonstrations outside its restaurants . 'Well, guilty as charged,' Cathy . responded when asked about Chick-fil-A’s backing of ‘traditional’ families with a husband and wife. His comments sparked outrage among gay and lesbian groups across the country, with many holding protests and 'kiss-ins' at Chick-fil-A restaurants. Perkins later spoke out in support of Cathy, saying: 'All . Chick-fil-A did was refuse to be bullied by the politically correct . crowd.' Local and federal investigators work to gather evidence after a security guard was shot in the arm at the headquarters of the Family Research Council . The former president of the Family Research Council and former . Republican presidential candidate, Gary Bauer also said at the time: 'The values of the Family . Research Council - pro-life and pro-family - are shared by millions of . Americans of many backgrounds, and should not make anyone a target of . violence.' Anger: Protesters rally outside a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Little Rock, Arkansas . Sources have . told NBC 4's Jackie Bensen that the gunman had two 15 round ammunition . clips with him and was carrying Chick-fil-A sandwiches in his backpack . too. 'He opened fire on the security guard,' said MPD Police Chief Cathy Lanier. 'The . security guard was struck, is right now receiving treatment and is in . stable condition. The security guard and others wrestled the suspect . down to the ground and he is in custody.' It is thought that the security guard was shot in the arm and was conscious and breathing when he was taken to hospital. 'The security guard here is a hero, as far as I’m concerned,' said Chief Lanier. 'He did his job. The person never made it past the front.' According to Fox News, the suspect 'made statements regarding their policies and then opened fire with a gun striking a security guard.' As they began their investigation, federal authorities began treating the incident as a case of domestic terrorism. 'We don't know enough about him or . his circumstances to determine what his connection is to this group, . (The FRC) or his mental state, or what he was doing or thinking of . doing,' said James McJunkin, the head of the FBI's Washington Field . Office. Mitt Romney made a statement after hearing of the gunman entering the building. Washington Police and FBI agents gather outside the Family Research Council in Washington, after a security guard at the lobbying group had been shot in the arm . Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier meets with reporters to explain where the police are in their investigation . 'I am appalled by the shooting today at the offices of the Family Research Council in our nation’s capital,' he said. 'There . is no place for such violence in our society. My prayers go out to the . wounded security guard and his family, as well as all the people at the . Family Research Council whose sense of security has been shattered by . today’s horrific events.' 'So we're going to try to sort this all out, pull the evidence together, do all the interviews we can.' The shooting took place at the Family Research Council's 801 G Street headquarters and in the aftermath of the shooting the suspect was brought in by the FBI for questioning. Authorities have not released to the public information about the type of weapon the suspect was using, or if the security guard was armed. | The Family Research Council was designated a 'hate group' by the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2010 . Gunman identified as Floyd Corkins, 28, who volunteers at a nearby LGBT center . Chick-fil-A is a prominent donator of funds to the Family Research Council . Unidentified gunman entered into the Family Research Council's headquarters carrying Chick-fil-A posters and chicken sandwiches . | f6018d11efb490bddf328d933ba1929b75377cb4 |
The ice served in six out of ten of Britain’s most popular high street restaurants contains more bacteria than the water found in their toilets, an investigation by The Mail on Sunday has found. Scientific tests have shown that ice from branches of McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, Cafe Rouge and Nando’s all had higher levels of bacteria than samples of water taken from their lavatory bowls. Experts say it could be due to them being cleaned more often than the ice machines. None of the samples found presented an immediate health danger, but four contained such high levels of microbes the restaurants should be considered a ‘hygiene risk’, according to a Government-accredited laboratory. 'Poor hygeine': Ice served in six out of ten of Britain's most popular high street restaurants contains more bacteria than the water found in their toilets. Reporter Ben Ellery pictured in Basigstoke, Hants., with samples from Burger King . The samples from McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and Nando’s all suggested ‘poor hygiene’ over their ice, the laboratory said. In the cases of Nando’s and Burger King, the levels of bacteria in ice were more than double than that which the scientists said they expect to see in drinking water. For the tests, staff were asked to provide a sample of ice in a sterile bag. A sample of water in the restaurant toilet was also taken by an accredited environmental health practitioner. The samples, obtained from branches of ten chains in Basingstoke, Hampshire, were then couriered in a fridge to Microtech Services Wessex in Bournemouth, Dorset, for testing. NANDO'S More bacteria in ice than toilets. Tests on ice water at 22C: 2,100 organisms. Toilet water: 1,300 organisms. BURGER KING More bacteria in ice than toilets. Ice bacteria at 37C: 260 organisms. Toilet water: Within drinking water regulations. McDONALD'S More bacteria in ice than toilets. Ice bacteria at 22C: 1,400 organisms. Toilet water at 37C: 260 organisms. KFC More bacteria in ice than toilets. Tests on ice water at 22C: 1,100 organisms. Toilet water: Less than 1. CAFE ROUGE More bacteria in ice than toilets, but not above laboratory’s hygiene guidelines. Toilet water: Less than 1. STARBUCKS More bacteria in ice than toilets but within laboratory hygiene guidelines. PIZZA HUT Bacteria in ice at 22C: 430 organisms. Toilet water exceeded drinking water standards. PIZZA EXPRESS Bacteria in ice insignificant. Toilet water: 3,200 organisms at 22C, highest in study. GOURMET BURGER KITCHEN Bacteria in ice insignificant. Toilet water: Within bacteria count guidelines. WAGAMAMA Ice bacteria at both temperatures less than 10 organisms. Toilet water at 37C: 160 organisms.All per ML . Experts said the samples from McDonald’s, KFC, and Nando’s showed that contamination was likely to have been caused by ‘environmental issues’, such as a dirty ice machine. The Burger King result suggested the cause was human contamination, likely to be from a staff member failing to wash their hands. The results have prompted some of the chains to review their cleaning procedures, although two companies disputed the findings. Dr Melody Greenwood, a former laboratory director for the Health Protection Agency, said the results show restaurants need to ensure staff are properly trained to handle ice. ‘This is a warning,’ she said. ‘It is easy to forget ice can carry bacteria because they think it is too cold for germs, but that is far from the truth. Nasty bugs such as E.coli can lurk in ice machines. In some cases, such as Nando’s, we found double the amount of bacteria we would expect to find [in drinking water]. This is caused by things such as a failure to clean machines and scoops used by staff.’ The samples were tested for pathogens and their total bacteria counts at 22C and 37C. Higher counts at 37C are often associated with contamination by human or animal contact, such as meat in the kitchen. Raised 22C counts are usually due to environmental organisms and can indicate a failure to clean ice machines. At 22C, Nando’s had the highest bacterial levels. The laboratory’s guidelines recommend no more than 1,000 organisms per ml of liquid. Nando’s had 2,100, McDonald’s 1,400, and KFC 1,100. At 37C, guidelines state that levels exceeding 100 organisms per ml show evidence of poor hygiene. Burger King was the only one to surpass the limit, with 260 organisms. Scientists say there is a satisfactory level of bacteria that can be higher than that found in toilet water. The ice quality at Starbucks and Cafe Rouge fell into this category. A Burger King spokesman said: ‘We are working with the franchisee to investigate the situation.’ A spokesperson for the franchisee that operates the KFC said: ‘We have retrained staff on procedures as a precaution.’ At Cafe Rouge a spokesman said: ‘We take such issues very seriously and have immediately taken actions to review the ice-making process at this restaurant.’ Tested: Ice from branches of McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, Cafe Rouge and Nando's all had higher levels of bacteria than samples of water taken from their lavatory bowls . And a McDonald’s spokesman said: ‘The ice tested contained low levels of common bacteria considered acceptable and safe for consumption.’ Starbucks said the ice sample had inadvertently been contaminated by staff when they opened the sterile bag. A spokesman said: ‘CCTV footage confirms that it was contaminated before it was tested.’ A Nando’s spokesman said: ‘We challenge these results and do not accept that they demonstrate any failings.’ | McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, Cafe Rouge and Nandos tested . Ice from branches had higher levels of bacteria in ice than toilet samples . Experts say it could be down to toilets cleaned more often than ice machines . Four samples contained enough microbes to be 'hygiene risk' | 54e517d312bc937abef6428916b2bea88921a431 |
A terrified 14-year-old girl has happened upon the body of her dead mother who was killed by her stepfather in a murder-suicide case in Phoenix this week. The incident occurred at a luxury home inside a gated community north of the city on Tuesday. The deceased, Jennifer and Blaine Palmer, both 52, were only divorced on Monday. The teenager had returned home from school about 4pm when she discovered the body of her stepfather in a bedroom with a gun nearby. Scene: The murder-suicide occurred Tuesday inside this home in a gated community in north Phoenix . Tragic: The victim has been identified as Jennifer Palmer, whose daughter found the bodies about 4pm. The suspect has been identified as Blaine Palmer, who was found dead in the bedroom with a gun nearby . 'She was backing out of the home not knowing what was wrong and discovered her mother shot in the garage,' Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump told CBS 5. The body of Jennifer Palmer was found shot to death in the drivers seat of a car that had multiple bullet holes in it. Neighbors told police that they heard gunshots around 7.30am, leading police to believe the murder-suicide occurred in the morning. A suicide note was also found inside the home. Under investigation: Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump said a suicide note has found inside the home . The gated community is located near 67th Avenue and Jomax Road in Phoenix. Neighbors described the couple as 'good people'. Sgt. Trump said that Blaine Palmer was expected to move out of the home within a few days. The 14-year-old is now in the care of her biological father. | Murder-suicide occurred Tuesday inside a gated community in north Phoenix . Jennifer Palmer was shot dead in a car in the garage, with multiple bullet marks in the vehicle . Blaine Palmer shot himself in the bedroom . Couple had divorced on Monday and Blaine was expected to move out . Bodies discovered by Jennifer's daughter after school . | 1c63d67126c65dc31d50e7294dc39b8142d92e4b |
By . Dan Bloom . Mystery: Marvin Clark was believed to be 75 when he vanished in 1926 near Portland, Oregon . Experts could soon solve the mystery of a 75-year-old man who vanished on a trip to see his daughter in 1926 - making him America's second-oldest missing person case. Marvin A Clark's fate was unknown until loggers stumbled upon a skeleton with a single shot to the skull next to a rusty revolver in the woods, 60 years after his death. Experts now believe the skeleton belonged to Mr Clark, who vanished near Portland, Oregon, and have found three direct descendants with a DNA match. But because the remains were so disintegrated, they need one final piece in the puzzle - another relative of Mr Clark's mother. Incredibly Mr Clark is still listed as an active case on the National Missing Persons Database. That makes his entry - describing him as more than 150 years old, 5ft 8in and walking with a cane - the second-oldest in the country. The only older case is that of Elijah Cravens, an Oklahoma farmer who set off to a meeting on horseback in 1902 but never arrived. Unlike the case of Mr Cravens, however, Mr Clark's disappearance was well-documented at the time. He left the home he shared with his wife to visit his daughter Sidney McDougall, 10 miles away, but did not arrive. His panicked daughter offered a $100 reward ($1,400 in today's money) and ran an appeal in the local newspaper, where he was described as well-known and well-liked. The newspaper . said he had been traced to a terminal in downtown Portland and police across the Pacific Northwest were put on the lookout for him. But despite a wealth of information on Mr Clark, who had partial paralysis on the . right side, a 'halting gait' and couldn't use his right arm, no trace of him was found. Cold case: A photograph of Marvin Clark and an unidentified woman, possibly his wife. His is the second-oldest missing person case in the U.S., beaten only by an Oklahoma farmer who vanished on horseback in 1902 . Appeal: A $100 reward was offered for information on Mr Clark's whereabouts. It is believed he may have taken his own life. Pictured are stories that ran in The Oregonian on November 3, 1926 (left) and November 11, 1926 . That was until May 10, 1986. Loggers . were clearing an isolated section of Portland when they discovered the remains of a . mystery man who had been dead for at least half a century. Near . the skeleton, investigators found an 1888 nickel, a 1919 penny, a . pocket watch, leather shoes, wire-rimmed glasses, a Fraternal Order of . Eagles pocket knife and four tokens with the inscription D&P. A . historian told The Oregonian in 1986 that those where likely tavern . tokens, which were awarded in card games and could be used to buy food . or alcohol. Police also . found a corroded revolver, and an expended .32-caliber bullet. A single . shot had entered the skull at the temple. Medical examiners, who . said it was the oldest case they ever had, ruled the unknown man's . death a suicide and most people assumed the man's identity would not be found. Do you recognise this? A photo which it is believed shows the home of Marvin Clark in Tigard, Oregon . But a few days later, a woman called Dorothy Willoughby came forward and said it might be her grandfather, Mr Clark. She said he had once been the town marshal for Linnton, a small area near the secluded ravine where the body was found. Her hunch, however, was not enough to solve the disappearance and she died in 1991. The case receded again for two decades until Dr Nici Vance, from the Oregon state medical examiner's office, found the file on the suicide and began investigating. Using technology not available before, experts re-examined the remains and created a more detailed DNA profile. With the help of volunteers, it was matched to three of Mr Clark's great-great-grandchildren, all from the paternal line. The match was a weak one, however, partly because of the age and disintegration of the remains. That means another descendant of his mother is needed to fully confirm the skeleton's identity. The mystery deepens: Claims that remains found in the woods near Portland could have been those of Mr Clark were revealed in local newspaper The Oregonian on May 26, 1986. The skull was found with a bullet hole . Ms Vance said: 'There's an association there, but it's not strong at this point. 'They're looking for a maternal link, someone on his mother's side, and following that lineage to shore it up and make the statistics a little better. 'There might have been an item of jewelry . that was found with that person that could trigger a memory of a family . member.' 'We've got somebody that we're looking at right now, so hopefully pretty soon we will be able to determine if the remains that were found were actually Marvin's' - Janet Franson, National Missing Persons Database . Janet Franson, a retired homicide detective who works for the missing persons database, revealed one maternal relative has already come forward as a result of this week's media coverage. 'We've got somebody that we're looking at right now,' she told MailOnline. 'So hopefully pretty soon we will be able to determine if the remains that were found were actually Marvin's.' The missing people database is funded by the National Institute of Justice and consists of nearly 10,000 cases. Among the other oldest cases are two-year-old Mary Moroney, who disappeared in 1930 in Chicago, and 22-year-old hiker Joseph Halpern, who vanished in the Rocky Mountain National Park in 1933. There is one major stumbling block in the case of Mr Clark, however. Reports on the skeleton from 1986 put the age of the deceased at between 35 and 55 - even though Mr Clark was 75 when he died. That means even if more relatives are found, Mr Clark's fate could remain a mystery for many more years to come. | Marvin A Clark was 75 when he disappeared on a trip to Portland, Oregon . Then in 1986, loggers found a skeleton in the woods with a 1919 penny . There was a corroded revolver beside the body and single shot to the skull . Since then DNA analysts have been trying to find Clark's descendants . They found three direct relatives, but need someone from maternal line . MailOnline can reveal a maternal relative has come forward in last few days . | 057c8649f5503affa31824515379b1d569e8a848 |
(CNN) -- World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is looking forward to facing his rival Roger Federer in the second of two charity exhibition matches, having raised $2.6 million on Tuesday night. Nadal suffered a 4-6 6-3 6-3 defeat to his second-ranked Swiss opponent in their opening clash in Zurich. The contest was dubbed the "Match for Africa" and raised funds for the Roger Federer Foundation ahead of Wednesday's rematch in the Spanish capital Madrid. "It'll be very exciting for me and very emotional for me also," Spaniard Nadal told the ATP World Tour website. Blog: Is Nadal's battered body his biggest threat? "We never played together in Switzerland before but in Madrid it's going to be the third time. We're going to be 1-1, he beat me in 2009, and I beat him in 2010, so it's going to be a decisive moment." The proceeds from Wednesday's "Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children" match will go to the 23-year-old Nadal's charity. Sixteen-time grand slam champion Federer said winning Tuesday's three-set event was not as important as the money it raised. "The focus is just solely on two players and one match," Federer said after the match. "There was quite a pressure going into a match like this, but at the end of the day, it's so not important who won the match tonight. "It was a match for Africa, this money is going to go to a good cause -- for my foundation, for kids in Africa -- so I'm so proud and so happy that we all made it work, so thanks again to everybody." Wednesday's head-to-head will take place at the Manzanares Park Tennis Center, home of the Madrid Masters event. | World's top tennis duo will play the second of two exhibition matches on Wednesday . Swiss No. 2 Roger Federer won the first match in Zurich 4-6 6-3 6-3 on Tuesday . The two matches are taking place to raise funds for the players' charities . Proceeds from Wednesday's match in Madrid will go to Rafael Nadal's foundation . | aca7585a706fc9ecc1c29327b7e3247463a971eb |
Hippos are not usually known for their subtlety but this hulking beast appears to be using stealth techniques while he sets his sights on his prey. The large mammal submerged itself before seemingly gliding gracefully head first out of the water. For a moment, its large head appeared camouflaged in the brown water and even looked more like a stalking crocodile than a cumbersome hippo. Making a wake: The hippo glides through the water, its head just above the surface, as a small wake forms on either side of it at the Chobe National Park in Botswana . Coming up: The surface of the water begins to bubble-up as the hippo spots a boat full of tourists and decides to take a closer look . In the event, its 'prey' was a nearby boat full of sight-seers which quickly made off when the skipper finally spotted the creature from the deep. Tourist Deena Sveinsson, a commercial airline pilot, had her camera at hand and managed to capture the moment which happened on the Chobe River in the Chobe National Park in Botswana. Deena, from Colorado, said there was about 30 hippos around in the water about 7am and all but one were busy either playing with each other or sleeping. Ms Sveinsson said: 'Although we were not very close this particular hippo felt we were and began chasing our boat. Eerily close: The hippo's ears can be seen just above the water line as it proceeds towards the boat while about 30 other hippos amuse themselves nearby . Breaking mad: The hippo appears out of the water, but not before the tourist boat driver guided his vessel and his passengers well out of harms way . 'Sensing this our driver drove the boat away as fast as he could as death by hippo is the number one cause of death in the African Wild. 'Nobody else on the boat caught on that we were being chased and I happened to turn around quickly to see it and snapped these photos.' When she looked over the pictures Ms Sveinsson said she was surprised at how graceful the hippo looked. She said: 'I realised that the one of him looking very graceful in the water was very special as it showed hippos in a different way, one that was not yawning or spitting.' | As about 30 hippos played with each other and enjoyed a quiet morning snooze on the Chobe River in Botswana . One of them spotted a tourist boat and went into stealth-mode, appearing above the water's surface like a crocodile . A tourist on board said the hippo chased their boat 'very gracefully', as the skipper sped them to safety . | 55d751c483388ca95a3333e033b3eb40ab796658 |
U.S. investigators are stepping up the pace of a corruption investigation into senior leaders of FIFA, even as the world soccer body is giving itself a clean bill of health, according to U.S. law enforcement officials. The FIFA ethics committee announced Thursday that it was closing its investigation into alleged corruption in the 2018 and 2022 bidding process that awarded the World Cup to Russia and Qatar, respectively. FIFA said its investigation found no corruption and has no reason to reopen the bidding process. Related: FIFA embroiled in World Cup civil war . But the FBI, which is leading the U.S. probe, isn't ready to do the same. Investigators are moving ahead with their probe, which could result in charges against senior FIFA officials, the U.S. law enforcement officials said. FBI agents based in New York are moving ahead with their 3-year-old investigation, which will likely benefit from the findings of a former U.S. prosecutor, Michael Garcia, who was hired by FIFA to do an internal probe. The FBI plans to seek access to Garcia's report, which FIFA hasn't yet released. The FBI declined to offer an official comment. Garcia on Thursday distanced himself from the FIFA ethics announcement, saying: "Today's decision by the Chairman of the Adjudicatory Chamber contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions detailed in the Investigatory Chamber's report. I intend to appeal this decision to the FIFA Appeal Committee." A U.S. law enforcement official said the probe is looking at a variety of alleged corruption issues, including the 2018 and 2022 bidding process. The FBI investigation includes the cooperation of a former top FIFA official who has provided documents and recordings of meetings with colleagues, law enforcement officials said. Related: U.S. lawsuit targets FIFA rules on player concussions . The New York Daily news, which reported on the cooperation of former FIFA official Chuck Blazer, quoted Blazer as saying: "I just can't talk about that." FIFA has long been dogged by allegations of corruption. In 2011, the FIFA banned for life Mohamed bin Hammam, a Qatari member of its top governing body, for ethics violations. The organization says it is planning unspecific improvements in the way it conducts World Cup bids. Photos: Soccer-crazy Qatar ramping up for World Cup . | FIFA was cleared of corruption allegations by an internal investigation conducted by an American . But the FBI has intensified its own investigation of international soccer's governing body . The investigation centers on whether corruption led to the selection of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup . | 1814eb4d74ad49d0be9df913c92dc41166f44b04 |
Eckernfoerde, Germany (CNN) -- It is almost totally silent, radiates virtually no heat and is constructed entirely from non-magnetic metals. Meet the U212A -- an ultra-advanced non-nuclear sub developed by German naval shipyard Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft, who claim it to be "the peak of German submarine technology." And few would argue. The super-stealth vessel is the first of its kind to be powered by a revolutionary hydrogen fuel cell that lets it cruise the deep blue without giving off noise or exhaust heat. That's important, because according to Bernd Arjes, a captain in the German Navy, silence keeps submariners alive. "We operate in coastal waters around Europe and this submarine is specially designed for finding submarines. If you want to find other submarines of course you have to be quiet," he said. With this latest technology, he added, "the boat is virtually undetectable." But being indistinguishable is not the only thing that sets the U212A apart. Unlike conventional subs, which need air to combust diesel, the fuel cell doesn't require oxygen to operate. This means it can remain submerged for many weeks -- holding its breath many times longer than its gas-guzzling cousins. You'd expect a boat like this to pack a punch, and you'd be right. The 212A is armed with 12 heavyweight wire guided torpedoes, each capable of destroying a war ship or disabling an aircraft carrier. "An aircraft carrier might not break with one torpedo but probably gets hit at the rudder or something. And then he probably can't maneuver into the wind to use his aircraft," said Arjes. Germany, which has no nuclear weapons or nuclear-powered ships of its own, is the world's third largest exporter of defense goods. HDW began developing the technology for the U212A in 1994, with the first vessels reaching market in 2003. Export editions have already been sold to the navies of Greece, Portugal and South Korea. But sub-aquatic sailors around the world should think twice before getting too excited over this new toy. With a high degree of self-automation, the sub requires only a small crew and there is extraordinarily little in the way of creature comforts for those few on board. And so it seems that even with all this state-of-the-art technology, a submariners life still remains one of confined living quarters and shared bunks. | The U212A is an ultra-advanced non-nuclear sub developed for the German Navy . Powered by a revolutionary hydrogen fuel cell, it is almost totally silent . Without the need for combustible fuel, the sub can remain submerged for weeks at time . | 73bbab3d7828521a10c6622f9cc96042f60e8d5e |
By . Tara Brady . Paedophile broadcaster Stuart Hall will not give evidence from the witness box in defence of sex assault allegations . Paedophile broadcaster Stuart Hall will not give evidence from the witness box in defence of sex assault allegations, a jury has been told. Hall, 84, has pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court to 20 allegations of rape and indecent assault between 1976 and 1981 against two young girls. The complainants came forward after he was jailed last year for a string of historical indecent assaults against 13 young girls. Following the end of the prosecution case, Crispin Aylett QC, defending Hall, said: 'I am not intending to call the defendant to give evidence.' It is said the former It’s A Knockout presenter groomed his victims and plied them with alcohol before he raped them. One of the complainants, Girl B, said Hall raped her when she was aged 12 at a stables and went on to rape her at various locations, including at two BBC studios, when she was 14 and 15. The other alleged victim, Girl A, said she was raped on numerous occasions at the same Manchester studios at Piccadilly and Oxford Road when she was aged between 14 and 16. Hall said the alleged rape at the stables did not take place, while other sexual contact was consensual. He has admitted to indecently assaulting Girl B when she was aged 13. Earlier, the jury heard that Hall told police he was 'surprised' when confronted with fresh sexual assault allegations made by two women. He added it was 'of serious concern' that they had 'waited nearly 12 months' to make their claims, which he denied. The first complainant, Girl A, contacted a firm of solicitors on June 5 last year - a month after it entered the public domain that Hall had pleaded guilty to 14 offences involving 13 young girls. Two days later she contacted police and went on to make a witness statement on August 7 last year.Girl B was asked by police in December 2012 - when Hall was initially arrested in the first investigation - whether she would make a witness statement in relation to a complainant but she said she did not want to become involved. Last October, Hall was brought from prison and interviewed about the new allegations . Girl B made her first contact with the police over her own allegations on July 12 last year, the jury was told. She gave video recorded interviews in the days that followed. Last October, Hall was brought from prison and interviewed about the new allegations. After he was formally cautioned, Hall’s solicitor read out a statement on his behalf in which the defendant said he had accepted legal advice not to answer any questions put to him regarding the accusations. In his statement, Hall said he had known both complainants for a number of years. He went on: “I am surprised by the nature of their allegations and I deny them. 'I am concerned that they have been made only after I pleaded guilty to a number of offences and then was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. 'It is only now at the end of October that I am being interviewed about these allegations. 'In relation to (Girl B), (Girl B) spoke to the police in December 2012 before I was charged with the offence in relation to (victim from first court case) and at that time declined to assist the police. 'Thereafter (Girl B) offered her support to me.' Hall, 84, has pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court to 20 allegations of rape and indecent assault between 1976 and 1981 against two young girls . He added that it should be noted that Girl A had approached a firm of personal injury solicitors before going to the police. Hall continued: 'I am now approaching my 84th birthday and my health understandably continues to deteriorate. 'It is of serious concern that these two complainants have waited nearly 12 months after I was arrested (December 2012) to make their allegation and in the light of extensive media coverage I do not think it possible to have a fair trial.' Hall was jailed last year for 15 months after he admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls, aged from nine to 17 . He was subsequently charged and made no comment. Hall was jailed last year for 15 months after he admitted indecently assaulting 13 girls, aged from nine to 17. The sentence was increased to 30 months by the Court of Appeal after the Attorney General argued it was 'unduly lenient'. A psychologist, instructed by the defence, said it was possible that Girl B’s memory of being raped in the stables was 'confabulated' in that the event did not happen. The jury heard that therapy or dreams could produce false memories. Dr Ian Anderson said: 'The person who has the memory has a honest belief that it is true.' He said a confabulated memory could not be disentangled from a genuine one without 'external reference'. He explained that might be done with a photograph, a video recording or if a number of witnesses said an event did not occur. Girl B told a therapist that she had a 'recurring dream' about the alleged rape but said it was a memory of an incident that she knew had happened. Dr Anderson agreed with Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, that it was also possible that the recurring dream was “a product” of the trauma of being raped at the age of 12. Next the jury heard a statement from Jean Tetlow, a production secretary, who worked at the BBC in Manchester with Hall during the relevant period. She said she had never known him to drink alcohol before broadcasting or other professional commitments. She added she had never seen anything inappropriate in his dressing rooms at Piccadilly or Oxford Road. Ms Tetlow said she did not recall seeing Girl A at the BBC studios. She did remember being introduced to Girl B at Oxford Road but stated 'there was nothing in her demeanour or attitude to indicate there was anything untoward happening with her and Stuart'. Ms Tetlow said she would have raised the matter with Hall or a senior colleague if she had. She added she always found Hall 'respectful' in her company and again would have made any concerns about him known to bosses if she had any. The trial continues tomorrow. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Hall has pleaded not guilty to 20 allegations of rape and indecent assault . The allegations took place between 1976 and 1981 against two young girls . Complainants came forward after he was jailed last year . Alleged the former presenter plied them with alcohol before he raped them . | 5d6fd51bfc10323e697310838c8c997a05f16a0e |
By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 04:22 EST, 29 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:50 EST, 30 March 2013 . Marilyn Monroe's handwritten letter is expected to sell for more than £30,000 . Marilyn Monroe wrote of her despair and that she believed she was going 'crazy' in a letter to her acting mentor. The star, who died from an overdose of barbiturates, told acting coach Lee Strasberg about the struggles in front of the camera. The handwritten letter is expected to sell for up to £33,000 and is part of a collection of rare historical documents that are being sold in an online auction. Among the lots are a series of heartfelt missives from General Dwight D. Eisenhower to his wife Mamie during the Second World War and a typed letter from John Lennon to Paul McCartney. Monroe's undated letter was written on Hotel Bel-Air letterhead stationery. She wrote: 'My will is weak but I can't stand anything. I sound crazy but I think I'm going crazy. 'It's just that I get before a camera and . my concentration and everything I'm trying to learn leaves me. Then I . feel like I'm not existing in the human race at all.' The letter will go on sale in the May 30 auction for between £20,000 and £30,000. Monroe turned to Strasberg, known as the 'father of method acting in America' at the height of her career to broaden her range. Marilyn Monroe wrote of her despair and how she felt she was going 'crazy' in this letter to mentor Lee Strasberg . Marilyn Monroe turned to acting coach Lee Strasberg to broaden her range . Her letter is among 250 documents . being sold by an anonymous American collector. Selected items will be . exhibited April 8-16 at Douglas Elliman's Madison Avenue art gallery. The . 58 Eisenhower letters, handwritten between 1942 and 1945, range from . news of the war to the Allied commander's devotion to his wife, Mamie. They are believed to be among the largest group of Eisenhower letters to . survive intact and could bring up to £80,000 said Joseph Maddalena, . whose Profiles in History is auctioning the items. Also included is a typed, undated draft letter from John Lennon to Linda and Paul McCartney that reflects the deep animosity between the two Beatles around the time of the foursome's formal 1971 breakup. The letters from John Lennon to Paul and Linda McCartney reveal the animosity between the two Beatles shortly after the band broke up . The typed draft letter from John Lennon to Linda and Paul McCartney shows the deep animosity between the two Beatles around the time of the foursome's breakup . The two-page letter is unsigned and . contains corrections. A photographic logo on the stationery shows Lennon . and his wife Yoko Ono within a circle with their lips almost touching. In the letter, addressed to Paul and his wife Linda, he wrote: 'Do you really think most of today's art came about because of the Beatles? I don't believe you're that insane - Paul - do you believe that? When you stop believing it you might wake up!' It is expected to fetch up to £40,000. Other highlights in the sale include two large photo albums that Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini exchanged prior to War World II. Mr Maddalena said: 'When Mussolini and Hitler visited . each other before the war, they would each have their photographers . document their trips. The letters between General Dwight D. Eisenhower and wife Mamie, pictured together in 1945, are expected to sell for £79,000 . The letters show General Eisenhower's devotion to his wife while stationed in Europe . 'They really documented the . regalia, the flags, the uniforms, tanks and all the pomp and . circumstance, and them speaking and reviewing the troops.' The leather-bound albums, containing hundreds of images, have a pre-sale estimate of up to £33,000. The sale is the second of several planned online auctions of the anonymous collector's artifacts. The entire collection contains 3,000 items. | The letter to mentor Lee Strasberg reveals her struggles in front of camera . She wrote that she feels 'like I'm not existing in the human race at all' Among collection of rare historical documents going on sale . Hundreds of letters from General Eisenhower to wife during the Second World War and from John Lennon to Paul McCartney will also be auctioned . | 1e9299900a56f37a9a907ceffeba88f89b4ba321 |
By . Jennifer Newton . and Daily Mail Reporter . Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn, who claims that listeners prefer to hear men's voices on the radio . Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn has claimed listeners prefer to hear male voices on the radio and that there are too too many women in presenting slots. His comments come after earlier this week it was announced BBC Radio 5 Live were to replace long-time presenters Victoria Derbyshire and Shelagh Fogarty, while Adrian Chiles, Peter Allen and Dan Walker were to join. This is despite the BBC Trust warning the station two years ago that it must do more to attract a ‘more even balance’ of listeners but only one hour a week at 5 Live will now be solely anchored by a woman. But the 71-year-old broadcaster defended the BBC's decision saying he believes there are 'quite a lot of women' on the radio. He told the Daily Mirror: 'During the day women have always preferred the voices of men. I have no idea why. 'There is nothing to stop women coming into broadcasting. 'There are loads on BBC Radio 2. If you look at the news channels, they are all women. I don't think there are enough men on.' The BBC also said that three out of seven of their daytime presenters were female and that they would continue to be 'champions of strong female voices on the radio'. Last Saturday, Blackburn had to stand in to provide cover when Graham Norton failed to turn up to present his morning show on BBC Radio 2. Norton, 51, who is paid £2.3million by the BBC, had been pictured the night before partying with celebrities including Nigella Lawson and Elizabeth Hurley. But Blackburn, who presents a show after Norton’s, said: ‘I think he overslept and thought it was Friday. It was something like that. I am always very early so I was there to stand in.’ Long standing presenters Victoria Derbyshire, left, and Shelagh Fogarty, right, who are both to leave Radio 5 Live . The Irish star's production team had to struggle on with the three-hour programme when he didn't make the 10am start. However, Norton seems to have recovered quickly, as he was seen walking his dogs in the early afternoon. The evening before the show he attended a party with TV chef Nigella Lawson . Maria McErlane, the co-presenter of the programme's Grill Graham problem spot, ended up carrying much of show on her own. Last Saturday, Mr Blackburn had to stand in to provide cover when Graham Norton, pictured, failed to turn up to present his morning show on BBC Radio 2 . McErlane said on-air: 'Fear not, Graham isn't taking hormones. It's Maria McErlane, his old mucker. 'I'm standing in because I fear he has been delayed slightly. But fear not he will be here.' Anxious fans only found out the Eurovision Song Contest presenter had 'been up all night being sick' two hours into the show. The failure to explain Norton's absence led to speculation online that the 51-year-old had gone to Glastonbury or last week's Gay Pride in London. A Radio Five Live female presenter, who is to leave her afternoon show has defended the BBC against gender bias. Shelagh Fogarty, a former co-presenter of 5 Live's breakfast show with Nicky Campbell said it shouldn't be the case that a job held by a woman should then be filled by another woman. Fogarty, 48, said she would spend the summer ‘exploring a number of opportunities, before deciding what’s next’. The broadcaster, who had been with 5 Live for 15 years told The Guardian: 'I don't think it would be a good thing if every time a controller made a decision he or she said it must be a woman. 'Would they have been right to choose a woman just so it looked right, even though they didn't feel that woman was right for the job? 'I really don't feel affronted, as a feminist, that every job a woman has isn't then filled by another woman. | Presenter claims listeners prefer the voices of men on the radio . Says he doesn't think there are enough male presenters . Comes as two female presenters are to be replaced at BBC Radio 5 Live . Said he stepped in to present Graham Norton's show last week as Irish star had 'overslept' | 1feac222cbdcc15ddc83d96c8b4df1879ace6415 |
(CNN) -- Sherri Shepherd is ready for a new "view." In Monday's pre-recorded episode of ABC's "The View," Shepherd was both optimistic and emotional. "The View" co-host announced in June she would be leaving the show after seven seasons. In her final farewell, which Sherri admitted was loaded in the teleprompter, Shepherd got ahead of the headlines and joked about the state of her personal life. With son Jeffrey sitting by her side, Shepherd said, "When I joined the view seven years ago Jeffrey was 2 years old and I was going through a very public divorce. Now my son is 9 years old and I'm going through another very public divorce. Let's just say I'm happy that Barbara Walters and Bill Geddes were better at picking co-hosts for this show than I was at choosing my husbands." On a more positive note, Shepherd emphasized that her time on the show was "a dream come true." "I'm so extremely and profoundly grateful. This has been one of the best seven years of my life," Shepherd reflected. "I didn't want to take this job. ... I have to say my boss Barbara Walters pushed me. I cried in my dressing room for three years saying, 'What am I doing on this table? I don't know what I'm doing!' " "Look, this table is just not going to be the same without you," said co-host Whoopi Goldberg. Goldberg is the only current host who will return for Season 18, but she will be joined by returning host Rosie O'Donnell. It won't be long until fans can see Sherri back in the spotlight. Shepherd will make her Broadway debut as Cinderella's wicked stepmother come September. A new, retooled season of "The View" begins in September. | Sherri Shepherd said an emotional goodbye to "The View" She co-hosted the daytime talk show for the last seven years . Shepherd will next appear on Broadway in "Cinderella" | edfed95a9b9e44f99767956da7cfd8831072db39 |
This stunning set of pictures shows an intense battle between a seal and octopus - in which the seal emerges as the winner by gulping the octopus down in one. The hungry seal spots the octopus and decides that it would make a great breakfast, so goes in for the killer move. But the little octopus puts up a fight by wriggling about and wrapping its clingy tentacles around the seal's face. Scroll down for video . Sea-ing is believing: A stunning set of pictures shows an intense battle between a seal and octopus - in which the seal emerges as the winner by gulping the octopus down in one . Hungry: The seal spots the octopus and decides that it would make a great breakfast, so goes in for the killer move . The little octopus put up a fight by wriggling about and wrapping its clingy tentacles around the seal's face - but it was all in vain . After a long struggle, the big seal got the better of the sea animal and gulped him down in one. These spectacular photos were taken by photographer Andrew Lee whilst he visited the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach, California, USA. The 53-year-old, from California, visited the area before sunrise and only intended to picture pelicans diving for smelts. However, Andrew was stunned at around 8am when he saw a lone seal making its way into the Bolsa Chica inlet from the ocean - causing a 'chaotic atmosphere' among the birds. All the pelicans flew off into the distance and Andrew decided to photograph the seal. When the excitement calmed down Andrew decided to gamble on one more shot of the seal before he set off. He said: 'As the activities at the bridge winded down, I walked towards my car to go home. Then I decided to take a chance and walked west towards the gate. Tactic: The seal flung the octopus around to kill it as it was proving too difficult to swallow while it was alive and struggling . The epic battle played out off Huntington Beach in California, as stunned photographer Andrew Lee looked on . The seal caused a huge commotion as it desperately tried to swallow the defiant octopus . Photographer Mr Lee explained that the seal eventually had to kill the octopus before gulping it down in one . Water sight: The seal is finally getting to grips with its slippery prey, which put up a brave fight . Mr Lee said that he felt extremely privileged to witness the 'extraordinary' aquatic battle, which he said lasted 'quite a while' 'I was hoping to catch the seal there hunting instead of going out back to the ocean. I was not disappointed, as I walked closer to the gate, I could see the seal's head bobbing up and down near the inlet. 'I could see that the seal was diving down then surfacing, again and again, as if he was fighting with something. 'It turned out it was an octopus that the seal just caught. 'The octopus wrapped himself tightly around the seal's face: his eight tentacles completely covered the seal's nose and mouth - I thought I was seeing some kind of sea monster. 'The epic battle lasted a while as the seal tried desperately to position the octopus to swallow. 'The octopus, to his credit, fought hard not to be beaten (and eaten), clinging and wrapping his tenacious tentacles with big suckers around the seal. I had never witnessed anything like this before. 'The seal continually dived then surfaced then dived again in an effort to dislodge the octopus. He finally succeeded and was able to grab hold of one of the octopus's tentacles. Gloating: Mr Lee said that the seal appeared to go on a victory parade around the inlet after it swallowed the octopus . 'As if punishing or toying with the octopus, the seal shook his head vigorously left and right then right and left, flinging the octopus around him liked a frisbee. It was a sight to behold. 'The seal then flipped the octopus high in the air and tried to swallow him. But the octopus proved that he was not such an easy prey. 'The mouth of the seal was filled with the slippery octopus, with all of his eight tentacles spread out. 'The seal could not swallow the octopus so he spat him out and then started tenderizing his meal again by flinging his lunch back and forth, back and forth. 'After several attempts, the seal was able to kill the octopus. 'In the grand finale, the seal triumphantly tossed the now deceased rival in the air, opened his mouth wide, and in one gulf, swallowed the octopus. 'He then swam around the gate inlet several times as if he was in a victory parade. 'I was left speechless and very excited to be lucky enough to witness such an extraordinary event.' | A photographer spoke of his amazement after seeing a seal engaged in an epic battle with a defiant octopus . The extraordinary tussle took place at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach, California, in the US . The little octopus put up a fight by wriggling about and wrapping its clingy tentacles around the seal's face . | b9721c98f5e9b13e267f9917757cd5656476267e |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . An Indiana police officer was found shot to death in his patrol car on Sunday on what coincidentally was the Operation Desert Storm veteran's 47th birthday. The Lake County Sheriff's Office says it has taken three young men into custody in connection with the apparent murder of Gary police Officer Jeffrey Brady Westerfield, one of those men has been referred to by officers as 'a person of interest.' Westerfield's body was found slumped in the driver's seat of his patrol car about 5:45 a.m. Sunday by a person driving near the intersection of Gary's 26th and Van Buren streets. The motorist noticed that the patrol car's lights were on as it sat parked on the side of the road. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Gary Officer Jeffrey Westerfield, a father of four, was found fatally shot in his patrol car Sunday morning . Response: Authorities say Westerfield had responded to a call earlier in the morning that could be related to his death . Engaged: Westerfield and his fiancee, Denise Cather (pictured right), planned to get married in August . Police say the officer had responded to a call in the area, but wouldn't say what that call was related to. 'At this time we are not in a position to elaborate on that,' Gary Mayor Karen Freeman Wilson tells ABC 7. However, Gary Police Chief Wade Ingram said at a morning news conference that Westerfield's death might be related to a call the officer answered earlier that morning. 'We don't think it was a traffic stop,' the chief said. 'It may have . stemmed from something earlier... We do have several leads.' Just hours later, at about 9 a.m., tactical teams as wells as state, local and federal law enforcement officials surrounded a house just a block-and-a-half from the intersection where Westerfield's body was found. The entire area was shut down for nearly six hours, according to ABC 7. At 3 p.m., the tactical teams moved on the house alongside an armored vehicle. SWAT: Members of the the tactical team raided a nearby house with a tank hours after the officer's body was found . When authorities emerged from the house, they had taken three of its occupants into custody. One of those arrested may have had a gunshot wound, but authorities say they were met with no resistance when they took the three men into custody. 'They're being taken into custody for interrogation,' said Lake County Sheriff John Buncich. 'More for you in a little bit.' Westerfield was a beloved member of the community. He had served in the military during Operation Desert Storm and had three daughters. He had been a police officer for 19 years. Westerfield's fiancee, Denise Cather, wants justice for the man she planned to marry less than two months from the day his body was discovered. 'I want the man or the kids or whoever it is…I want them caught,' Cather told WGN. 'I want them to look at me in the eye and tell me why they killed my fiance.' Suspects: Police arrested three men found in this house, one of whom police have described as a person of interest . Heartbroken: Cather says she and Westerfield had planned to go out to dinner for his birthday and then ride their motorcycles to a lake . The heartbroken fiancee went on to talk about Westerfield's big heart. 'My oldest daughter, he took her as his own, too. He took my . grandchildren as his own. He was a fantastic man,' Cather said. 'He . was wonderful he had a heart of gold. He’d help anybody -- . all they had to do was call.' The couple had known each other for 20 years and had been engaged for two. They planned to get married on August 24. 'We were in the middle of moving; we just bought a house,' Cather said. She says they had planned to go out to dinner for his birthday and then ride their motorcycles to the lake. 'We’d . go out there, have ice cream and look at the water,' she said. Cather says she was informed of her fiance's death shortly after she got out of bed. She also says she never liked his job. 'Wake up, look out your window, and see six squad cars outside your . house? You pretty much know what happened,' Cather said. 'That’s a way . to wake up right? 'This is senseless...I just lost my best friend,' she continued. Heart of gold: Cather says Westerfield had a kind heart and would do anything for anyone . More details about the officer's death are expected to be revealed Monday. This is the first time in six years that a law enforcement official had been killed in the line of duty in Gary, a once-booming steel town that is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. As industry began to move out of Gary, so did much of its population - the city's population has dropped 55-percent since its peak of about 178,000 people in 1960. The town best known as the home of Michael Jackson and his musical family has been ravaged by crime in recent years, as industry continues to abandon the city. According to a 2013 article by NWITimes.com, as of October 10, of that year, the city's homicide rate was 53 per capita (the rate per 100,000 residents). That equals one homicide for every 1,900 residents. To put that into perspective, the website compares that to Hammond, Indiana, which has roughly the same size population as Gary. Hammond had a homicide rate of eight per capita. | Gary, Indiana, police Officer Jeffrey Westerfield was found fatally shot in his patrol car early Sunday morning . Police say he had been responding to a call just prior to the discovery of his body . It was Westerfield's 47th birthday . A SWAT team later raided a nearby home and arrested three men inside . At least one of the men is considered a person of interest in the death of Westerfield . Westerfield is a father of four and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm . He and his fiance had planned to get married in August . | 4248c3ed58bbcfc45b0c70ff5e33b45a96d62ae6 |
(CNN) -- Sonia, a single mother with HIV in Brazil, travels four hours to reach a government-run health facility that provides her with free drug treatment. Brazil's response to the HIV/AIDS fight has been widely praised and adopted as a model around the world. The journey is long, she told CNN, but it's a small price to pay for the government-provided drugs that have helped keep her out of the hospital for the past 11 years. Sonia is just one of the many Brazilians who have benefited from the country's novel approach to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Brazil jolted the global health community in 1996 when it began guaranteeing free anti-retroviral treatment to HIV/AIDS patients. For Sonia, government-funded treatment comes in the form of 20 pills. Taken daily, the anti-retroviral medicine has helped keep her HIV at bay. Coupled with government-supported prevention efforts and aggressive public awareness campaigns, the so-called Brazilian response has been hailed as a model for developing countries. Watch a report on Brazil's pioneering response to HIV/AIDS » . Prevention campaigns, which often take the forms of candid public awareness ads with slogans like "Be good in bed, use a condom," have resulted in widespread knowledge of HIV. According to a recent study conducted by the country's Ministry of Health, Brazil boasts one of the highest rates of knowledge globally when it comes to HIV avoidance and transmittal. Brazil was "the first country to realize there is no separation between prevention and treatment," Mauro Schechter, professor of infectious diseases at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told CNN. Schechter, who has studied the HIV/AIDS epidemic since 1989, said it took the rest of the global health community some 15 years to realize that the two go hand-in-hand. Other countries that have adopted the Brazilian model » . The comprehensive response has extended the lives of tens of thousands of Brazilians and saved the government billions, researchers estimate. A recent study published by researchers from Brown University and the Harvard School of Public Health said that Brazil has saved $1 billion alone by producing its own generic versions of HIV/AIDS medicines and negotiating discounts for imported drugs. Those drug savings come on top of the estimated $2 billion the program has saved Brazil in hospital costs between 1996 and 2004. Brazil's efforts to reverse the tide of the AIDS epidemic have become the object of admiration in the global health community, but the trailblazer is encountering new challenges. When Brazil decided to guarantee free anti-retrovirals, there were 10,000 people being treated and it was organized as a program to treat a small amount of people for a limited amount of time, according to Schechter. Patients are living longer and oftentimes able to get their disease under control, thanks to combination therapies, better known as drug cocktails. But that means they also require drug treatment for a longer period of time. Furthermore, as HIV has evolved from an acute illness into a chronic disease, patients have also become vulnerable to other health risks and medical conditions. Valdileia Veloso is the director of the Institute of Clinical Research at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a public health research institution in Rio de Janeiro. She told CNN patients are presenting with complications of chronic HIV and AIDS, which requires new treatment. "It's a new challenge for us," she said. Heart disease is one of the big problems that doctors are encountering. While there's a system in place to prevent people from dying from HIV, preventable causes like heart conditions are causing deaths. "These people are dying from preventable causes," Schechter told CNN. While Brazil has shown that providing universal access to treatment can be achieved, it needs to modify its approach to treat the evolving disease, he said. "If the epidemic changes face, you need to adapt." | Brazil has been hailed as a leader in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic . Government started offering free anti-retroviral treatment to its citizens in 1996 . As more people live longer with HIV/AIDS, Brazil faces new challenges . Patients of the chronic illness susceptible to new health risks, doctors say . | 9f8e9484106abe3a94454843fc843258b219d0b3 |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly half of all Americans are worried about the collapse of a bridge somewhere in the United States, yet nearly two-thirds reject higher taxes to inspect and fix them, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Thursday. The collapse of a bridge in Minnesota has put America's infrastructure on the political agenda. In the poll, 52 percent were either "very worried" or "somewhat worried" about a bridge collapsing. Forty-seven percent were either "not too worried" or "not worried at all." One percent had no opinion. But only one in three Americans are concerned that a bridge that they drive across regularly will collapse, while 69 percent are not worried. In an effect called BIMBY -- "Better In My Back Yard" -- that is common in polling, CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said people often feel that situations locally are better than the national averages. The new numbers come eight days after an interstate highway bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed into the Mississippi River. At least five people were killed in the collapse. Despite the concerns, only one-third of those polled favor increasing the tax on gas to pay for bridge inspections and repairs. The federal program to inspect and repair bridges is funded mostly by the federal tax on gasoline. Sixty-five percent of those questioned were against raising that tax. "Polls sometimes show that the public is willing to accept higher taxes to pay for popular projects, but not in this case," Holland said. "With the price of gasoline hovering around $3, it may not be surprising that Americans don't want to pay any more at the pump, even though they worry about bridge safety." Several members of the House Transportation Committee are calling for the tax hike in the wake of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis last week. Congressman James Oberstar, D-Minnesota, on Wednesday said he would introduce legislation for bridge repair funding and increased inspections. He says a 5-cent increase in the gas tax would pay for the proposed three-year program by generating $8.5 billion a year. Citing 74,000 bridges rated by the federal government as "structurally deficient," Oberstar told reporters "we cannot wait for another tragedy. We must, and we will, act decisively." At a news conference Thursday morning at the White House, President Bush dismissed raising the federal gasoline tax, at least until Congress changes the way it spends highway money. "It's an interesting question, about how Congress spends and prioritizes highway money," the president said. "My suggestion would be that they revisit the process by which they spend gasoline money in the first place." "If bridges are a priority, let's make sure we set that priority first and foremost, before we raise taxes," Bush said. The poll involved telephone interviews with 1,029 American adults conducted August 6-8, 2007. The poll's margin of error was plus-or-minus 3 percentage points E-mail to a friend . CNN's Steve Brusk contributed to this report. | Fifty-two percent of Americans worried that a bridge will collapse in the U.S. One-third feel a bridge they drive over regularly will collapse . Nearly two-thirds reject higher gas taxes to inspect or repair bridges . | f71f55cf5d926863620cc0a5dc3fff4cdf203ab8 |
Richard Harman will lambast the hypocrisy of critics who ‘lecture’ top fee-paying schools even though they benefited from a private education themselves or chose one for their children . Scroll down for video . Private schools are under attack from the ‘politics of envy’ and ‘class war dinosaurs’, a leading headmaster warns today. Richard Harman will lambast the hypocrisy of critics who ‘lecture’ top fee-paying schools even though they benefited from a private education themselves or chose one for their children. In a keynote speech, he will claim that private schools are being made ‘scapegoats’ for society’s problems instead of recognised for the ‘general good’ they do. He will argue that many of those in power are ‘embarrassed’ to be seen talking to independent school heads, preferring to threaten them with more state control or the loss of their historic charitable status. Mr Harman, head of £32,850-a-year Uppingham School and chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, representing 260 top private schools, will use his speech today to respond to attacks on private education. It follows claims from Ofsted head Sir Michael Wilshaw that private schools are ‘bastions of privilege’ which should do more to justify their charitable status and tax breaks. Addressing HMC’s annual conference in South Wales, Mr Harman will tell critics: ‘It is time to stop scapegoating and start celebrating our schools and their contribution. Stop using them as lazy shorthand for the social ills of our country.’ He will say that making school type ‘a proxy for advantage’ does little apart from stirring up ‘the politics of envy’. Referring to the fact that many of those in power were privately educated, he will say: ‘Don’t lecture us... especially when many of you who do so, have yourselves benefited from or use the service we provide. Hypocrisy is out of tune with the times.’ Around 7 per cent of the UK population is privately educated but in Westminster this figure is much higher. A 2010 study showed 54 per cent of Tory MPs went to a fee paying school, as well as 40 per cent of Lib Dems and 15 per cent of Labour MPs. Independent schools have ‘centuries of expertise to offer’, Mr Harman will say but ‘too often those in power are embarrassed to be seen talking with us, preferring instead to threaten us with the loss of charitable status or more state control. ‘Contrary to what some dinosaurs from the class war era would have you believe, we are not a drain on national resources; we add significant value to UK plc.’ Mr Harman will also point out that private schools are now more ethnically diverse than state schools and have forged many links with the state sector. ‘When it comes to social mobility we are part of the solution, not the root of the problem,’ he will say. n Mixed-sex schools are the best way for children to be taught, according to Sir Michael Wilshaw. He said that a mixed-school setting is far more ‘congenial’ and prepares children for work: ‘Girls and boys mix socially in the workplace. They should be educated together too.’ | Uppingham Head Richard Harman will defend private schools today . Speaking at Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference . Harman is chairman of the conference, representing 260 private schools . Will claim private schools being made ‘scapegoats’ for society’s problems . Will say many in power ‘embarrassed’ to be seen talking to school heads . Around 7 per cent of the UK population is privately educated . But in Westminster, this figure is much higher, even for labour MPs . | 4cf60091df65c265e979519198f8aeaea5bb4aac |
By . Richard Hartley-parkinson . PUBLISHED: . 07:40 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:13 EST, 28 March 2013 . This is the incredible haul of luxury goods amassed by a secretary who stole £320,000 from her boss - including 32 pairs of designer shoes and Tiffany jewellery. Helen Hart, 46, from Illogan, Cornwall, blew the cash on a champagne lifestyle including expensive cars, diamonds and £8,000 hotel stays. She told her boss she had inherited the fortune from a gangland uncle who was friends with the Kray Twins. More than 30 pairs of shoes will form part of an online auction of designer items seized from fraudster Helen Hart . Gucci jewellery will start at just £1 in the auction which will take place on Monday . Brands of shoes include those from designers Jimmy Choo, Prada, and Russell and Bromley . But in reality she was milking the . accounts at Cornish engineering firm PDP Green Consulting and left the . company facing an unpaid £271,000 tax bill in May 2011. Police spent the next year unravelling the trail of missing money before charging Hart with multiple counts of fraud, theft and deception. Helen Hart was jailed for four years for stealing £320,000 from the company where she worked . She . was jailed for four years earlier this month at Truro Crown Court after . previously admitting 25 separate charges spanning October 2005 to May . 2012. Now Devon and Cornwall Police are selling off items confiscated from Hart after her arrest. They include 32 pairs of designer shoes from Jimmy Choo, Prada, and Russell and Bromley, as well as lavish jewellery from the likes of Gucci, Harrods and Tiffany & Co. Many of the 71 items, which all have a starting price of £1, will be sold for a fraction of their high street price before the auction on the Bumblebee Auctions website finishes on Monday. A spokesman from Devon and Cornwall Police’s financial investigation unit at Truro said: 'Confiscation of assets is part of the sentencing process. Helen Hart lived an affluent lifestyle which included buying expensive items for her personal use. 'She should not be allowed to benefit from the proceeds of her crimes and this process helps that be the case. We work hard to ensure that the proceeds of crime are taken from criminals. 'Legislation means in certain cases we can go back six years to calculate what a person has earned from their illegal lifestyle.' Hart’s lavish spending included £5,990 for a return trip to Paris, £7,816 on a hotel stay in Devon and £4,752 on tickets and hospitality for a Premier League football match. She also spent £31,368 on renovation work at her home and £46,500 on a Mercedes along with buying a Porsche Boxster, Range Rover and a BMW X5. Hart bought jewellery from high-end retailers such as Gucci, Harrords and Tiffany & Co. Hart's thefts from PDP Green Consulting left the firm with a £271,000 tax bill . Guilty: Helen Hart, pictured left, admitted used money from the company owned by Philip Desmonde, pictured right with his wife Susanne, . A further £2,000 was spent on a kitchen, £4,985 on 48 bottles of fine wine and other sums frittered away on designer shopping sprees. She blew much of the money on seducing toyboy lovers including student Adam Cope, 20, whom she promised to buy a Lamborghini before being caught. Devon and Cornwall Police’s financial investigation unit has confiscated more than £350,000 since April last year. The spokesman added: 'We are proud that the confiscation amount either goes to the victim or, if there is no victim, then a proportion of the confiscation money goes back into the local community. We strive to ensure that crime does not pay.' | Brands of shoes include Gucci, Prada and Jimmy Choo . Helen Hart bought luxury goods after stealing cash from her employers . Luxury items will be sold during an online auction on Monday . | 85fb7b633829091aecf0c52838999ef98bb282e4 |
(CNN) -- A wide-eyed, open-mouthed model of a dinosaur hatchling, the theft of which apparently was captured by surveillance cameras, is safely back in its nest at a North Carolina museum exhibit. Police said the statue was inside a bag left Wednesday night near a rear service entrance at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. Museum officials estimated the value of the 12- to 14-inch-long model at $10,000. Logan Todd Ritchey, 21, and Alyssa Ann Lavacca, 21, turned themselves in Thursday morning, according to the North Carolina State Capitol Police. They have been charged with two felony counts of theft or destruction of property of museums. In surveillance images taken Monday, a male in striped shorts is seen climbing over a low glass barrier into a museum exhibit and bending down. He then hops back out over the barrier and puts something in a large, multicolored purse carried by a female accomplice. Security guards discovered the replica was missing the next day. Police also suspect the pair in a similarly odd theft of items at the North Carolina Museum of History. Inventory missing from that museum included a prop cabbage head, a prop corn cob and prop doilies, along with a real medicine bottle, said Jackson Marshall, associate director of the history museum. They were later found at the sciences museum, Marshall said. Police said the suspects have been cooperative in the investigation. "I doubt these two individuals realized the seriousness of tampering with artifacts and exhibits in a public museum," said State Capitol Police Chief Glen Allen. | Baby dinosaur replica at N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences is valued at about $10,000 . Two people are shown in surveillance images apparently taking the replica from its exhibit . The two are also suspected of taking prop veggies and doilies from history museum . The items missing from the history museum are found at the sciences museum . | b7142861c8529ef7b724fd025eea2478685725fe |
By . Jenny Hope Medical Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 19:01 EST, 3 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:01 EST, 3 March 2013 . A drug can prolong the lives of patients with advanced bowel cancer by six weeks. Patients taking the medication lived an average of 13.5 months compared to 12 months if given a placebo. Zaltrap, which cuts off the blood supply to tumours, has now been licensed for use in the late stages of the disease. It will be offered to people who have not responded to chemotherapy. Prolonging lives: Cancer patients on Zaltrap lived an average 13.5 months compared to 12 months on a placebo . Mark Flannagan, CEO of Beating Bowel Cancer, said: 'This is excellent news. We welcome any treatment which gives new hope to and improves the prospects of patients living with metastatic colorectal cancer in the UK. ' Results from the study of 1,266 patients also found those given the drug also had an improvement in the time they lived before their cancer progressed - 6.9 months compared with 4.7 months for those on a placebo. At 30 months the improvement in survival was almost double for Zaltrap, with survival rates of 22 per cent compared with 12.0 per cent for placebo. Almost 40,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year in the UK, with around 5,000 having advanced disease. 'Excellent news': Beating Bowel Cancer CEO Mark Flannagan said he welcomes any treatment which gives people hope . Professor David Ferry, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said patients would be eligible for the drug if previous chemotherapy had failed. He said the advance in survival was significant, particularly as the drug worked in a different way from existing agents. Zaltrap is an angiogenesis inhibitor which works by cutting off the blood supply to tumours. Prof Ferry said 'Between a third and a half of patients get prolonged benefit and it is well tolerated, with few side effects.' A course of treatment costs around £6,000 and the drug has yet to be assessed for approval on the NHS by the drug rationing watchdog Nice (National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence). Protests by cancer doctors in the US last autumn led to a price cut by French drugmakers Sanofi. Prof Ferry said 'I'm optimistic that Nice will find its cost-benefit ratio acceptable and give patients a new option.' Dr Rob Glynne-Jones, Macmillan Lead Clinician in Gastro-Intestinal Cancer, at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, said advanced bowel cancer was a difficult disease to treat. He said 'The goal in recent years has been to develop more targeted therapies which aim for high efficacy but with reduced side effects. 'Zaltrap is a novel agent which has produced results that extend life in the later stages of colorectal cancer and has the potential to significantly impact survival rates in the future.' | Patients on Zaltrap lived 13.5 months compared to 12 months with a placebo . Zaltrap will be offered to patients who have not responded to chemotherapy . At 30 months, survival rates were almost double for those on the drug . It also improves the time patients lived before their cancer progressed . Beating Bowel Cancer CEO hails the findings as 'excellent news' | 771a2854dd7589678276f0938b0e372ec9708ef6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Taking up tango classes is the perfect way to rid yourself of anxiety, stress or depression, a new study shows. Just two weeks of lessons in the South American dance led to significant improvements in mood, researchers found. In a study published in the journal Music and Medicine, academics in Australia have shown that dancing the tango has significant health benefits for people experiencing mood disorders. Healthy: The study, published in the journal Music and Medicine, showed that dancing the tango has significant health benefits for people experiencing mood disorders . The authors wrote: ‘Participants showed significant reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Satisfaction with life and self-efficacy were significantly increased. ‘At one-month follow-up, depression, anxiety, and stress levels remained reduced. A brief programme of tango dance was shown to be an effective strategy in alleviating mood disorders.’ The team at the University of New England in New South Wales and Australian National University in Canberra recruited 41 people with complaints of stress, anxiety and depression. Mood: The team at the University of New England in New South Wales and Australian National University in Canberra recruited 41 people with complaints of stress, anxiety and depression . The participants were aged from 18 to 73, mainly well-educated and 80 per cent were female. Clinical assessments were made to classify their symptoms as extremely severe, severe, moderate, mild or normal. Twenty participants then took eight tango sessions of 90 minutes each over a two-week period, while the 21 in the control group were put on a waiting list for classes. The assessments were conducted again at the end of the two weeks. Most tango participants showed clinically significant improvement in at least one area, whereas those on a waiting list were stable or became worse. Dancers also reported less insomnia and better general life satisfaction. One month later all 41 people were asked to complete the survey again and the results showed the tango’s benefits in reducing anxiety, stress and depression still remained. The benefits for insomnia and general life satisfaction did not, however, suggest longer courses might be needed for sustained effects in these areas. The authors said tango requires 'a strong connection' with a partner, synchronisation and improvisation. They said study feedback 'indicated that this activity helped the participants to focus on the present moment and mentally switch off from their feelings of stress and distress'. Another recent study, also by Australia’s University of New England and published in the British Journal of Visual Impairment, found that dancing the tango reduced depression, boosted self-esteem and improved balance in people with age-related macular degeneration. | Australian academics said the dance has significant health benefits . University of New England team recruited 41 people with complaints of stress, anxiety and depression . Study found 'satisfaction with life and self-efficacy significantly increased' | 71bf5fcad74011952fb3324636f4ae638464ea07 |
By . Sally Lee . Family and friends are almost certain that the discovery of human remains, made about a week ago, are of Australian hiker Matt Allpress. The 23-year-old Perth man had been reported missing in Nepal's Annapurna region after he failed to board his flight to Sydney on November 14 following a solo 10-day trek. A Facebook page set up by Mr Allpress' family and friends said on Friday that his parents had gone to the Pokhara police station in Nepal on Wednesday, where they confirmed that the clothing and personal items found with some human remains belonged to their son. Parents of 23-year-old Perth man Matt Allpress confirmed on Wednesday that the clothing and personal items found along with human remains belong to their son . On Thursday, Margaret and Mark Allpress took the remains of what the family believes 'is almost certainly Matthew' to a Kathmandu hospital for official identification. They also hope the cause of his death will be determined. More... Hundreds of sheep 'acting like heroin addicts' bash themselves to death after getting high on toxic plant . Shot dog who lost a leg, an impaled duck and the cat speared by an arrow: Sickening injuries of animals mistreated in Western Australia . Part of the remains, along with samples of his parents' DNA, will be sent to Melbourne for additional testing. Nepal police are planning to do further searches in the area where he was found to try and locate his backpack which is currently unaccounted for. Mr Allpress was reported missing six months ago after failing to return from a solo 10-day hiking trek in Nepal . MailOnline reported earlier in the week that human remains were located on Saturday by two local Nepalese people foraging in the mountains above Sikles, about one hour off the main track. Police located several personal items belonging to Mr Allpress including his ATM card, 120 Nepalese rupees, a jacket, pocket diary and iPhone. Until recently, Mr Allpress' friends and family remained optimistic of finding him alive, creating a social media campaign to help locate him. Almost $10,000 was raised in December to help continue to fund the aerial and land search. Family and friends updated follower on Friday via the Facebook page 'Find Matt' The search has been focused on Nepal's Annapurna region where Mr Allpress was trekking . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Parents of Matt Allpress arrive in Nepal and attend the Pokhara police station on Wednesday . They confirmed that clothing and personal items found with human remains belong to their son . Margaret and Mark Allpress took the remains to Kathmandu hospital for official identification on Thursday . The discovery was by local Nepalese people on Saturday in the mountains . | 72d5a9af88159eca5a57e4e5268c19633541c645 |
By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 07:46 EST, 25 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 25 June 2013 . Killer: Marshall Lee Gore, 49, has been granted a last minute stay of execution in Miami . A murderer on Death Row in Florida has been granted a stay of execution just one hour before he was supposed to receive a lethal injection - after his lawyers claimed he is insane. Marshall Lee Gore, 49, a former escort service owner who strangled and stabbed exotic dancer Robyn Novick to death in 1988, was supposed to be put to death in Miami at 6pm on Monday. He has also been convicted of a second murder. But a federal appeals court temporarily halted the execution at the last minute and a court date has been set for Thursday for his lawyers to explore the possibility that he is insane. The stay came after Gore enjoyed his . 'last' meal of a rib-eye steak and a Coca-Cola. He did not touch his . side of a baked potato, the Miami Herald reported. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in Atlanta, said it would try to settle the matter before July 1, the newspaper added. Gore's attorneys have previously argued that he is mentally ill, and one lawyer claimed he was 'mentally deranged' and not responsible for his actions. During his trials, he had frequent verbal outbursts, laughed out loud and even howled. He has also contended that the date of his scheduled execution, June 24, 2013, adds up to 666 and that he is a target of 'Satan Worshippers who have threatened that date by mail for years'. But Gore has no significant history of mental illness and last month a panel of psychiatrists found that he was mentally sound. Death Row: He was supposed to die by lethal injection in the death chamber at Florida State Prison, pictured, but a court of appeals granted him a temporary stay as his lawyers said he is insane . They said that Gore claimed that the 'Illuminati' wanted him dead to sell his organs - a story they say he made up to manipulate the judicial process. 'This fantastic, imaginative scenario was patently a fabrication designed . to mislead the panel and avoid responsibility for his past actions,' the panel told the governor. Relatives of Novick, who had traveled from Ohio to witness the execution, were devastated, the Herald reported. The family of Susan Marie Roark, another of Gore's victims, was also present. 'They're upset,' said retired Lt. Neal Nydam, who was with the Roark family. 'This has been going on for 25 years. They're trying to find closure and it's not going to happen today.' Gore first kidnapped a stripper named Tina in March 1988, raped her, slit her throat and hit her across the head with a rock before leaving her to die in a rural area. But she survived and managed to alert police. Gore had also stolen her car - and her two-year-old son in the back seat. He was later found alive locked in a cabinet of an abandoned home in Georgia. While officers were searching for the boy, they found Novick's body. The 30-year-old had met Gore while working as a dancer in North Miami-Dade. Crimes: He killed two women in 1988 and raped another before kidnapping her two-year-old son . Gore was tracked down to Kentucky. When he was found, he had Tina's woman's bank and credit cards in his jacket pocket, according to court documents. Police also identified him as the person . who killed Roark. She had last been seen with Gore before vanishing in . April 1988. Her body was found off a rural forest road. Upon questioning about all three crimes and shown pictures of Novick's body, police said his eyes filled with tears and he said: 'If I did this, I deserve the death penalty.' Gore initially denied knowing any of the women, according to police. But he later testified that all three women worked for him at his escort service. In 1995, he was found guilty of Novick's murder and sent to Death Row. Gov. Scott signed the death warrant last month. His death would have been the state's third execution of the month. | Former escort service owner Marshall Lee Gore, 49, killed two women in 1988 and kidnapped, raped and stabbed another . He was to be put to death on Monday for the murders of one of his victims . But an appeals court halted the execution at the last minute . Court date scheduled for next week to settle whether or not he is insane . | 447d7dc43d5edbf7feb4dc2fb56c8e640485774d |
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:55 EST, 3 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:48 EST, 3 December 2013 . The government should tell people to use electric blankets to stay warm this winter, a former Tory frontbencher has suggested. Baroness Rawlings urged ministers to launch a campaign extolling the benefits of electric blankets as ‘the answer to many of the government’s aims’. She argued they are green, use little electricity and help to make homes for efficient. Warmth: Ministers should launch a campaign telling people to use electric blankets, a former government frontbencher has suggested . It follows Downing Street advising people to wear jumpers if they get cold, before later insisting it would not tell people how to stay warm. The government yesterday revealed plans to cut green levies by £50 on the average bill to counter claims it was failing to act on soaring costs. The Big Six energy firms have agreed to pass on the reduction or freeze bills until 20915, provided wholesale costs do not rise. But there are still warnings that with average bills still more than £1,400, many people will be forced to choose between heating and eating. Baroness Rawlings, a former Tory MEP and government whip, said electric blankets are green and efficient . Responding to the government’s announcement on bills, Baroness Rawlings said she backed measures to make homes more efficient. But she added: ‘Have the Government considered, as a simple, practical measure, encouraging people to use electric blankets?’ Baroness Rawlings, a former MEP and government whip, added: ‘They are the answer to many of the Government’s aims. They are very green as they use little electricity and they reduce the need for so much heating in the home. ‘They also make the home very energy efficient - that is, they cost less - which is what the Government seem to have as an aim.’ However, ministers are nervous of doing anything that risks looking like they are telling people how to avoid the cold. Energy minister Baroness Verma sidestepped the question on electric blankets, telling the House of Lords: ‘As with all measures, we need to be able to ensure that people are kept warm and safe and that they are not paying over the odds for energy. ‘There are measures in the Statement and measures that we are already undertaking that will help energy efficiency and help consumers to reduce their bills.’ Energy bills will still be higher than last winter, even after the government agreed cuts to controversial green levies which will save customers £50. Most of the Big Six had already announced rise of more than £100 this winter, before ministers moved to reduce the impact of government schemes designed to help the poor and vulnerable insulate their homes. Yesterday British Gas said it will cut bills by £53 in January, SSE bills will fall by £50, while EDF said it would hold prices until 2015, but ministers admitted prices could still rise again. Checking the bill: Details of handouts of up to £1,000 for homeowners to spend on energy-saving measures have been revealed (file picture) The Government is cutting the cost of the energy company obligation (ECO), an insulation scheme delivered by major energy suppliers, in a move that should shave £30-£35 off bills, on average, next year. The Department of Energy and Climate Change also announced it is establishing a rebate, saving the average customer £12 on their bill for the next two years. Electricity companies will also take voluntary action to reduce network costs in 2014-15, funding a one-off reduction of around £5 on electricity bills. In addition, energy firms will be given two years longer to hit targets on the insulation of homes, enabling costs to consumers to be spread out. Wrapped up: Downing Street denied that David Cameron was urging people to wear a jumper . It is notoriously difficult for a politician to tell people how to do something as simple as keeping warm. The risk is that even stating the obvious like putting on an extra layer leaves ministers, especially wealthy ones, of being out of touch. In October a Downing Street spokesman said people struggling to pay soaring heating bills should 'consider' putting on a jumper. After Labour leader Ed Miliband accused David Cameron of changing policy 'from "hug a hoodie" to "wear a hoodie", Number 10 rowed back. A spokesman said it was 'entirely false to suggest the PM would advise people they should wear jumpers to stay warm'. Energy Secretary Ed Davey also admitted he did not know what temperature is own thermostat is set at at home because 'my wife tends to take care of that'. But he went on: 'I am sure people wear jumpers. I wear jumpers at home.' Sarah Newton, deputy chairman of the Tory party, produced an energy-saving guide for constituents telling them to shut their curtains. In the 28-page guide, the Falmouth and Truro MP said: 'Close your Curtains: As the days grow shorter as winter approaches, closing your curtains at dusk helps to stop heat escaping through windows. 'This is a simple and free way of reducing wasted energy and your energy bills.' And just yesterday a power boss sparked uproar by saying the amount of electricity families in Britain use is a ‘luxury’. The extraordinary claim by Chris Train, a senior director of the National Grid, coincided with energy companies refusing to rule out more price rises. Mr Train warned that providing ‘the luxury of electricity that we desire’ would mean customers paying billions more to upgrade the power network. | Ex-Tory frontbencher Baroness Rawlings calls for new campaign . Tells ministers electric blankets are green and energy efficient . It comes as the government strikes deal with Big Six on cutting bills . British Gas will roll back this winter's price rise by £53 by January . SSE promises a £50 reduction by the end of March next year . Npower says it will reduce bills and then freeze charges until 2015 . Ministers admit that prices could still rise again if wholesale costs go up . | f2ae8125bfb0bfb95cb760a242c33d3890690db7 |
Although victory rolls and ankle length skirts may seem a little dated to many women in their twenties, for one it is a way of life. Holly Foster, 22, prides herself on her lady-like attire, adopting the style of women in 1950s, which has recently seen her crowned Miss Vintage UK. However, her floral prints and pearls are more than just a style statement as Holly says dressing this way - and 'not like Miley Cyrus' - is the only way to demand real respect from men. Scroll down for video. Holly Foster dresses in an entirely vintage style wardrobe and shuns modern day provocative dressing . Encouraging her peers to lengthen their skirts - the fashion enthusiast has controversially claimed girls today were often left 'vulnerable' because of their provocative clothing - and are led to believe they will achieve fame and fortune like the controversial singer by not wearing much. Holly, from Welling, Kent, even suggests that women who dress in a more revealing manner could encourage unwanted attention. Holly said: 'Girls my age will go out on the town in skimpy - largely unflattering - clothing and they are surprised when they are not treated with respect. Holly says that by dressing in this fashion young women can provoke a better reaction from men . Holly lives by the motto 'dress like a lady and be treated like a lady' 'If you dress like a lady you will be treated like a lady. A short skirt or perhaps more a see-through top, encourages a man to come and take advantage, it encourages unwanted attention.' Holly added that she had witnessed it in action when she has been on nights out with friends. 'I go to nightclubs like other girls my age and when I do I'm always struck by the same thing. 'You walk into a room all the guys are looking at you, just up and down like you're a piece of meat and I think if girls had longer skirts they would feel more confident and safe. The 22-year-old was recently crowned Miss Vintage UK (pictured here) and says her role model is Dita Von Teese . Controversial: Holly says dressing like Miley Cyrus attracts the wrong sort of attention . 'I think there is a certain element of responsibility that comes with designing clothes and an element of responsibility when it comes to wearing them.' Holly recommends converting to her strict dress regime in order 'to be treated like a lady.' 'I think if girls dressed more demurely they would find they would be treated more as adults particularly and treated like ladies. 'If you compare a modern day woman with a vintage 1950s lady, the difference is just that - she's a lady.' Despite her admiration of the burlesque stripper Holly shuns Miley Cyrus and says her provocative dress is a bad influence on young girls . Holly says that modern media is to blame for negative teenage body image and if young women were to embrace the 50s silhouette there would be less body confidence issues . The 22-year-old was quick to add that although she would never wish any harm on women because of the way they dress she believes they should be wary. 'I don't believe anyone under any circumstances anyone should be taken advantage of, however when it comes to clothes young women have to take responsibility for their look if they do not wish to be left in a vulnerable position. Holly blames current pop stars for their influence on young stars with her being particularly unimpressed by one chart topper. Favouring the style of Audrey Hepburn she added: 'I think Miley Cyrus in particular who is always in the news for wearing very little just gives the wrong image to young girls. 'It tells her young fans that being naked means success and she is influencing them to wear very little in the hope of fame and fortune.' Holly's penchant for retro outfits has become more of an obsession over the years and she admits to spending her entire maintenace loan at uni on skirts, cardigans and cotton gloves . Holly didn't start her vintage transformation until she was 17 and said before she discovered the retro styles she had felt awkward in high street fashions . Despite her shunning of the scantily clad, Holly's idol may come as a slight surprise and slightly contradictory in the form of a Burlesque stripper. However, Holly claims this kind of nudity is slightly more tasteful. 'I think Dita Von Teese has got it absolutely right, though she is incredibly sexy and a burlesque dancer she dresses like a lady, she leaves something to the imagination - she looks classic.' Holly's vintage influence began at an early age. Growing up with her grandparents, Holly would watch endless old movies from the 1940s and 1950s and soon became a big fan of the musical Grease. Holly first became fascinated with all things 50s while watching the movie Grease as a child . The Miss Vintage UK winner controversially added that she believed that revealing clothing 'encourages a man to come and take advantage' But it wasn't until she joined a musical theatre course when she was 17 she had the confidence to undergo her vintage make over - first purchasing a 1960s crimplene dress in a charity shop. While studying at university of Norwich, Holly admits that her habit soon became an obsession blowing her 'entire maintenance loan' at vintage fairs becoming addicted with cardigans, cotton gloves and long circle skirts. Now she will only wear 'granny style' clothing and has spent more than £2,000 creating her pin-up 1950s collection. Holly says that not everyone is as keen on her vintage look with her mum dubbing her outfits 'granny style' Obsessed with homing the perfect look and collecting precious items, Holly hopes to purchase a Lilli Ann suit worth up to £3,000 which she describes as the 'Ferrari of the vintage world.' But Holly wasn't always so confident in her appearance, and says that before discovering retro styles she had struggled to accept her body growing up and blamed feeling awkward in 'ill fitting high street fashion'. The blogger, who works in retail, believes if women were encouraged to dress for their shape rather than fashioned on the 'straight up and down Primark mannequins' less teens would suffer from body image issues as she did. 'I definitely feel in the recent years we've seen more coverage of why its irresponsible for magazines to print stick thin models. Holly has now spent almost £2000 funding her habit . 'It encourages girls to want to try and emulate that kind of figure without considering the consequences - it results in anorexia, girls looking gaunt.' Holly added that the contemporary media obviously played a large part in influencing young women and vintage influences had been more realistic. 'What is really interesting is when you look at vintage magazines the 1950s really embraces all shapes and sizes because young women were told how to dress for their shape. 'Someone like Audrey Hepburn was very slim but it was never about that it was about her fabulous style. 'Today in our fashion magazines, the fashion industry uses tiny models as clothes horses in baggy tops and tight jeans and young girls are left disappointed when they look fat or ill shaped in their clothes. 'If more girls dressed for their figures, they embraced the fifties outlook on fashion I believe we would have less eating disorders, less girls being so desperate to be skinny. 'Young people would concentrate on wanting to look nice rather than being as thin as possible. It would be about the clothes and not about the size of them.' Last August she was crowned Miss Vintage UK for ability to put together 'the perfect 1950s outfit' and now models within the Vintage community. 'I think I love the vintage community because it embraces more than just wardrobe, everyone is very respectful and well mannered. It has old fashioned values which has been lost in our society today.' Although Holly hopes to inspire others to join her way of dressing she admits that her friends and family are not entirely on board. 'I have friends who dress 'normal' and they accept me for the way I am. They find it funny sometimes but I suppose its each to their own. 'My mum struggles with it sometimes because I don't dress like her friends daughters she will describe them as my 'granny dresses' but overall my family are supportive of my look.' As for gaining respect from men Holly says that she receives a very positive reaction from the opposite sex. 'Men I meet tell me I look attractive because I leave a little something to the imagination and I find older people will often come up to me and say "I used to wear that"' | Holly Foster, 22, was recently crowned Miss Vintage UK . She says that her way of dressing encourages the right reaction from men . She controversially adds that dressing in a revealing manner 'encourages a man to come and take advantage' | d732b628d5e634a3ff7a073b331745af00ec42d8 |
By . Jack Doyle . Have you ever picked up your suitcase from the airport carousel and had the feeling that someone’s had a sneaky peek inside? According to an official report, you could be right. It seems that airport officials are rummaging through passengers’ luggage without telling them. Officials are allowed to search baggage before it is placed on the carousel. One third of searches turn up suspect items, but the other two thirds of cases are repacked and the passenger is not told about the search . Under little-known powers designed to stop drugs, weapons and other contraband entering the country, customs staff can search bags at ports and airports without informing the owner. But border staff have been discovered carrying out the searches without proper authorisation. Some officials said they would read confidential legal and medical documents if they found them in luggage – despite it being against the law. Officials can require passengers to open their luggage if they are stopped while walking through the customs channel. These searches take place in front of the passenger, who can see when items are being opened. But covert luggage searches are carried out on inbound flights after items are taken off planes but before they are placed on the carousel for passengers to collect. Details of the searches emerged in a report published yesterday by the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, John Vine. From April to September last year hundreds of searches were carried out at regional airports across Britain. It means that every year thousands such searches will take place in our airports. In around one in three cases officials found suspect items, but in the remainder the luggage was simply repacked and returned to the passenger, who remained unaware it had ever been inspected. Mr Vine found a worrying lack of consistent rules on how such searches should be conducted across airports. His inspection found covert searches took place at Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Luton and Manchester airports. Figures for searches at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted were not included. At Luton staff were conducting searches without seeking approval from managers, who were required by law to sign off on all searches. Record keeping was so sloppy at Edinburgh, Luton and Manchester that in half the notebooks Mr Vine examined there was no record of who authorised the search. Staff were also found not to be recording why searches were needed. The report said: ‘Staff at Edinburgh told us they would be content to examine material they considered to be confidential during a ... baggage examination. 'Examples of confidential material discussed during staff focus groups included passengers’ personal medical records and legally privileged correspondence.’ Home Office rules state that any searches of confidential personal material need approval by a senior manager and the Surveillance Commissioner. Mr Vine said it was a ‘cause for concern’ that there was no staff guidance on what to do when sensitive personal material was discovered. He called for urgent updated guidance for staff on how the powers should be used. A report found that staff at Luton airport were not seeking managers' approval for searches, required under the law, and were also not recording why a search was needed . ‘The power to examine passenger’s bags without their knowledge requires authorisation and justification. It is an intrusive power, but one that is necessary to protect UK border security,’ he said. ‘The Home Office also needs to ensure that its staff are operating to consistent national standards: Standards that are fully supported by current, easily accessible and detailed guidance.’ Emma Carr, of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said: ‘It is not acceptable for luggage to be searched without a proper process being followed and records being kept. ‘The Border Force has totally failed to protect people’s privacy and if they are incapable of putting adequate safeguards in place then the Home Office should step in and do it for them.’ The Border Force said it accepted the report’s recommendations. A spokesman added: ‘The searching of baggage, including when the owner is not present, is a legal and proportionate response to ensuring that illegal goods are prevented from entering the UK and to protect revenue. ‘The independent chief inspector recognises that border staff are using these powers proportionately and with high levels of success and identified occasions where their standard of work was “exceptional”. 'This report shows that we are making the right changes and significantly improving performance.’ | Officials are allowed to search bags before they go on baggage carousel . Two thirds of searchers turn up nothing and owners are never told . Staff also found not seeking proper authorisation before searching bags . Edinburgh staff said they would examine confidential medical records . | edd3837ce70682e0d29ead07d80938ea8132c3cc |
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Lindsay Lohan faces new criminal charges in California, filed just hours after the actress was arrested in New York in connection with an alleged early morning fight at a nightclub. Lohan's latest legal troubles could send her back to jail because she is on probation for a necklace theft conviction. Lohan's convoluted path through the criminal courts system and her struggle with drugs and alcohol has taken her to court 19 times and to five rehab facilities for a total of 250 days since January 2007. Lohan, 26, was arrested at a Manhattan nightclub after an alleged fight about 4 a.m. Thursday, the New York Police Department said. Lohan may have hit another woman at the Avenue Lounge, police said. Authorities declined to say whether she faced charges. "Once again, Lindsay Lohan is a victim of someone trying to capture their 15 minutes of fame," Lohan's New York lawyer, Mark Heller, told CNN. "From my initial investigation, I am completely confident that this case will be concluded favorably and that Lindsay will be totally exonerated." 'Liz & Dick' producer talks the risky business of hiring Lindsay Lohan . Across the country in Santa Monica, California, the city attorney filed four charges against Lohan Thursday morning in connection with a car crash last summer. She is accused of giving false information to a police officer, obstructing or resisting a police officer in performance of his duty and reckless driving, according to the city attorney's office. While these charges are all misdemeanors and would not alone normally result in jail time, the Los Angeles city attorney, who successfully prosecuted the actress for stealing a necklace in 2011, could ask a judge to revoke her probation. A decision by the Los Angeles city attorney could come as soon as Friday, spokesman Frank Mateljan said. While it would likely be several days before the prosecutor gets confirmation of Lohan's New York arrest, the Santa Monica charges filed Thursday should reach the Los Angeles city attorney's office sooner. The timing of a decision on seeking a revocation of Lohan's probation for the shoplifting conviction depends on the workload in the prosecutor's office, Mateljan said. The Santa Monica charges stem from a car crash last June while Lohan was on her way to the set for the filming of "Liz & Dick," the Lifetime movie that aired this week. She is accused of telling police her assistant was driving the Porsche, while witnesses told investigators they saw Lohan behind the wheel. "During the subsequent investigation, information was developed that Lohan was the driver of the Porsche when the accident occurred," the Santa Monica prosecutor said in a statement to CNN. Lohan: Keep me on set, it's safer that way . CNN's Carolyn Sung and Marina Carver contributed to this report . | NEW: She's "a victim of someone trying to capture their 15 minutes of fame," lawyer says . Santa Monica prosecutor accuses Lohan of lying to police after wreck . L.A. prosecutor may decide soon on whether to try to revoke probation . Lohan is arrested at a Manhattan nightclub after an alleged fight early Thursday . | edee736e95cd966bb7cd2318ad01c29c1585fef3 |
By . Chris Greenwood . and Ryan Kisiel . PUBLISHED: . 05:24 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:07 EST, 23 May 2013 . More than 30 years later, images of the dead soldiers and their horses lying on the ground in Hyde Park remain seared on the national consciousness. Yesterday a man stood in the dock accused of carrying out the bombing, one of the IRA's most notorious mainland attacks. John Downey, 61, was charged with slaughtering four members of the Blues and Royals, part of the Household Cavalry, as they rode from their barracks to the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Scroll down for video . Aftermath: Sefton the horse pictured before he left for a new home he gives a kiss to trooper Michael Pedersen . Hearing: A police convoy carrying the 61-year-old arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court . In the dock: A 61-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of four soldiers in the 1982 Hyde Park bomb. John Anthony Downey is pictured arriving at court in a police escorted van . Accused: The short hearing took place at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Downey spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address . He was dramatically arrested at . Gatwick airport on Sunday after leaving his remote bolthole in an Irish . village to go on holiday. As well as the four soldiers, seven . horses died and 50 people were injured in the attack in July 1982. One . of the horses, Sefton, suffered 38 wounds after being peppered with . shrapnel, but survived. Less than two hours later, a second explosion in a Regents Park bandstand killed seven Royal Green Jackets bandsmen. It is understood that Scotland Yard . knew of Downey's movements and set up an operation to arrest him at . Gatwick as he arrived on a flight from the Irish Republic. Some relatives of the soldiers who . died in Hyde Park – Roy Bright, Dennis Daly, Simon Tipper and Geoffrey . Young – were contacted by police several weeks ago to warn them of . 'developments' in the case. Yesterday Nichola Wyatt, the widow of Lieutenant Daly, said the bombing 'devastated the lives of everybody involved'. Attack: A man has been charged with the murders of four soldiers in the IRA's 1982 Hyde Park bombing. The car-mounted nail bomb . detonated on South Carriage Drive killing four soldiers and seven horses . Damage: This image shows a car which was wrecked following the huge explosion . She added: 'Although people have moved . on in different ways, the feeling of loss never goes away and the . arrest of John Downey will not change that. His arrest after such a long . period of time has come as something of a shock.' Downey was charged . yesterday with murdering the four soldiers and 'intending to cause an . explosion likely to endanger life'. The allegations only relate to the . Hyde Park bomb. He was flanked by two prison officers when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday. In a soft Irish accent, grey-haired Downey spoke only to confirm his name and address before surveying the packed courtroom. He sat in the dock in an open-necked . shirt and grey pullover and ran his hands through his scruffy beard. District Judge Quentin Purdy remanded Downey in custody for a bail . hearing at the Old Bailey tomorrow. Downey has been living in a bungalow . in Creeslough, County Donegal. One neighbour said: 'He bought the house a . few years ago and has been living there with his wife and two children, . who must be in their late 20s or early 30s. 'He was big into horses and may have kept some at a stables. He kept a low profile but people knew of his background. Horrific: The bodies of dead horses, covered by blankets, lay on the ground after an IRA bomb explosion . Awful: This picture shows the chaotic scenes following the bombing . Michael Pedersen, a former cavalryman who survived the IRA bomb, knifed his two young children to death before killing himself. He is pictured right with Sefton the horse injured in the IRA bombing . Michael Pedersen at the Horse of the Year Show . with Sefton, the Household Cavalry horse badly injured in the IRA . bombing incident in Hyde Park . 'He was living openly, under his own . name. All we know is that he left on Sunday to go on holiday. That is . the last we saw of him.' Downey has been repeatedly named as a . prime suspect for the bombing. He played cat and mouse with the . authorities as the Irish government refused to extradite him, citing . questions over the quality of police evidence. Scotland Yard issued an . identikit picture of him, in which he had thick dark hair. Downey . eventually settled in the village of Ballyshannon, in County Donegal, . where he lived openly and was tracked down by several newspapers in the . 1980s. Hurt: Soldiers injured in the bombing are pictured following the attack . Surviving Sefton is given a big kiss on arrival to the army vets centre following the blast . Three of the cavalrymen were killed in . Hyde Park and the fourth died three days later. The nail bomb was . hidden inside a blue Austin car parked along a route regularly used by . the Household Cavalry. The other soldiers in the procession were badly . wounded and shrapnel and nails also sprayed a crowd of tourists who had . gathered to watch. Sefton, the horse that survived, went . on to become a TV star. Last year in a tragic postscript, Michael . Pedersen, who was riding Sefton at the time of the bombing and later . appeared on TV with him, killed himself and his two young children. Pedersen, 51, is said to have been . involved in an angry break-up from the children's mother a few weeks . before he stabbed his son and daughter to death. It remains to be seen . whether the Good Friday Agreement, which led to the early release of . many IRA terrorists, will apply to Downey if he is convicted. In 1987, Gilbert 'Danny' McNamee, an . electrician from Northern Ireland, was charged with making the Hyde Park . bomb and jailed for 25 years. He served 12 years before being freed . under the terms of the Good Friday peace deal. In 1998 his conviction was quashed at the High Court. | John Anthony Downey, 61, is accused of being responsible for car bomb . Explosion killed four members of the Royal Household Cavalry . They were travelling from their barracks to Buckingham Palace . | 07a444a2e84d4ca10e4f06f4e8341d6800d0f335 |
How soon is too soon? And do you really love someone after three months (Cheryl Cole)? They're the three most significant words in the English language. Deliver them at the right time to the right person and the first time they're said out loud calls for champagne. Blurt them out at the wrong time to the wrong person and you need a stiff drink for totally different reasons. It's the ultimate embarrassment. Scroll down for video . Tracey says that it isn't really possible to fall in love after three months as you are not yet aware of any of their flaws . Most of us have a justifiable phobia about being the first to say the 'L' word. Why? Because we don't know what the hell we'd do if our partner doesn't say it back. There is only one correct response to 'I love you' and that's 'I love you too.' So, what if they say, 'That's nice. Anyway, as I was saying . . .'? Or look at you with pity and say, 'Listen, you're awfully sweet but . . .'? Timing is everything. Say 'I love you' too soon and you not only look desperate, you instantly lose power and dignity. Leave it too late and you risk missing that magic moment which could launch you both onto the next relationship stage. So how do you judge when it's appropriate to let the cat out of the bag and someone into your heart? Tracey says you should wait until you're bursting to tell someone you love them . Only you can truly answer that one, but these are some things you might like to think about: . Make sure you both speak the same language . Your 'I love you,' might mean, 'I think this is special, let's give it a go.' His interpretation might be, 'When's the wedding?' If you think your partner will overreact, tack something on the end like, 'Don't panic – I'm not about to propose. I'm just telling you how I feel.' Wait until you're absolutely bursting . Like, you'll internally combust if you don't say it right now. You're 100 per cent convinced you mean it. You don't love someone after three dates . When I was 12, a kid at my school came up to me and delivered a message. 'See that guy over there?' he said, pointing to a kid from my English class. 'Well, that's Brad and he sent me over here to tell you he loves you and wants to go steady.' 'Okay,' I said. Brad and I went steady for a whole week. We didn't speak once though we did sit together outside E-block for a full five minutes and looked at our feet. True love? At 12, yes. But if you're over 18, I think not. Telling someone you love them on the second date or second week is ridiculous. It's daft – and that's what they'll think you are if you do it. To avoid a false reply, Tracey says you should never say 'I love you' before or after sex . You don't really love someone after three months . The fact is, the first time anyone says, 'I love you,' they usually don't.Not really. True love takes years to develop (take note, Cheryl Cole) and if you're lucky, it's always growing. You look back and think, I really thought I loved them when I said it back then but it's nothing compared to how I feel now. That's not to say you can't feel 'in love' after three months of heavy dating, and it probably is acceptable to trot it out then. But for absolute maximum impact, I'd wait six. I know - hard core - but if someone says, 'I love you,' after you've dated for six months, they've thought long and hard about it. Saying, 'I love you,' when you're in the infatuated part of the relationship is easy: you aren't aware of any faults. Saying it when you've got a pretty good idea of what you're letting yourself in for is far more of a compliment. An ex of mine told me he loved me for the first time when I stumbled back to bed after throwing up for the sixtieth time that night because of food poisoning. Call me strange but I was far more complimented than if he'd said it across the candlelit dinner table earlier that evening, when both of us were tarted up and looking fabulous, totally unaware I was about to swallow a dodgy oyster. Sneaky ways to say it . The coward's way of saying it first is to say, 'I think I'm falling in love with you.' If they look at you in horror, you can always say, 'Don't panic, I know it's just casual with us. I was only kidding . . .' or, 'That's why I've decided to break it off – you don't feel the same way.' Another less traumatic option is to pop it at the very, very end of a conversation when you can disappear immediately after saying it. Like just before you walk through the doors to catch a plane or at the end of a phone call. Dropping the 'I' off it also makes it less heavy. 'Love you' is what you say to your mum. Again, if they look uncomfortable, you can always add, 'As a friend, of course.' If you're unsure of whether it's reciprocated, try putting something after it. 'I love it when you do that', 'I love it when we spend time together.' 'Saying, I love you, when you're in the infatuated part of the relationship is easy: you aren't aware of any faults' If they look wide-eyed and gaze at you hopefully, it's safe to say the big three words solo. Don't ask them . Never ever follow up, 'I love you,' with, 'Do you love me?' If they do, they'll tell you immediately. If they don't, they're forced to say something like, 'Gee. Uhhh. I guess so.' Dignity demolished. Don't do it with sex . Don't say it just before (especially before) or after sex – you won't be able to trust their reply. Some people will say anything to get laid, and if it's afterward, feel forced to say, 'I do too,' because they've just had sex with you, for God's sake. Few of us are courageous enough to ravage someone then say, 'Actually, it was just the sex I wanted.' Even if it was, they'll mumble something appropriate just to be polite. Want more relationship advice? Tracey's books deliver practical advice with a healthy dose of humour . | Saying 'I love you' can make or break a relationship . Here Tracey Cox advises on when it is best to confess your feelings . Tracey says that no one (including Cheryl Cole) falls in love in 3 months . | e29a218a082c997d2134be9d5f91a929d7976da7 |
The attack occurred at the family's home in Hesperia, California last Sunday afternoon involving police take-home K9 Jango (right) - the dog handled for two years by the child's father, Michael Mastaler, (left) an officer for the Rialto Police Department . A four-year-old boy had his leg amputated after he was severely injured in an attack by his father's police dog. Hunter Mastaler, as named in local reports, had his left leg amputated a few inches below the knee following damage to the arteries and veins, and will receive a prosthetic leg. The attack occurred at the family's home in Hesperia, California last Sunday afternoon involving police take-home K9 Jango - the dog handled for two years by the child's father, Michael Mastaler, an officer for the Rialto Police Department. Neighbors said they heard the boy screaming when the attack happened on February 8 around 4.30pm. Mr Mastaler had been away for two days when he returned home and let six-year-old Jango out of his kennel, and into the backyard before going upstairs, according to the Victorville Daily Press. While he was in the shower, Hunter, who was left watching TV and playing games, wandered into the backyard after somehow making his way through the sliding glass door, and was attacked by the Belgian Malinois. The boy's mother had been out running errands and he was looking for her when he made his way outside, according to Police Captain Randy DeAnda. When neighbors heard screaming coming from the Mastalers' backyard, one broke through the wooden fence and another pulled Hunter from the dog's mouth. Shannon Houlemard, whose husband Jeff, broke down the fence said they ran over after her sons heard screaming from down the road. Four-year-old Hunter Mastaler (above), as named in local reports, had his left leg amputated a few inches below the knee following damage to the arteries and veins, and will receive a prosthetic leg. When neighbors heard screaming coming from the Mastalers' backyard, one broke through the wooden fence and another pulled Hunter from the dog's mouth. One neighbor said he kicked the dog but it would not let go so he had to pull the animal's mouth open . She said: 'There was a neighbor over there first who was just trying to hit the dog over the fence with a pole or something, but my husband knocked the fence over, and another kid who is a freshman in high school actually pulled (the boy) from the dog's mouth.' During Mr Houlemard's attempts to break down the fence he said he gave it his all. 'I hit (the fence) with all I had, fell and busted my shoulder, but I ran right through it,' he said. 'I kicked the dog, but it still didn't let him go, so I whipped him around and pulled the (dog's) mouth open. '(A neighborhood teen) pulled the boy out of the dog's mouth. (The boy's leg) was already facing the wrong direction. The attack was probably going on for at least two minutes before he was pulled out. It was so traumatic.' Anthony, 14, who pulled Hunter from Jango's mouth said he was not scared, according to CBS Los Angeles. He said: 'It was more of his life, you know, he’s a little boy. He has more to live.' Anthony (above), 14, who pulled Hunter from Jango's mouth said he was not scared during the rescue attempt . Jango will not be returning to the family's home (pictured above) and has been placed with Hesperia Animal Control in a ten-day quarantine . After neighbors banged on windows and rang the doorbell to alert Mr Mastaler, he eventually came out and got Jango under control before placing him in his cage. As they waited for the ambulance to arrive at the scene, the Houlemards waited with Hunter, sang the alphabet and counted to keep him alert. Mr Houlemard said he did not believe the incident happened as a result of negligence. '(Mastaler) was hitting himself in the head, (saying), 'What the hell?' Like he had no idea how it happened,' he said. 'He was beating himself up over it and I was just telling him to help his son, and talk to him.' The young boy was airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center where he has received treatment since last Sunday. The results following the police department's investigation will determine the the dog's fate . According to Police Captain Randy DeAnda, he said that the department thinks the bite was 'accidental' and that it was a very 'tragic accident' A GoFundMe page, which has named Hunter and the Mastaler family, has said that Hunter's recovery will continue even once he leaves hospital. Jango will not be returning to the family's home and has been placed with Hesperia Animal Control in a ten-day quarantine. The results following the police department's investigation will determine the the dog's fate. DeAnda said that it is common procedure for police dogs to live with their handlers, and that under supervision of the handler, the dogs do bond with families. He said that the department thinks the bite was 'accidental' and that it was a very 'tragic accident'. Hunter's Relief Fund has already received $3,550 in donations since it was created today. | Hunter Mastaler, as named in local reports, had his left leg amputated a few inches below the knee . He had damaged arteries and veins and will receive prosthetic leg . Jango, a Belgian Malinois handled by father Michael Mastaler, attacked boy at family's home in Hesperia, California . Dog is in ten-day quarantine with animal control and will not return to family's home . | 9aabfd5edb0593c2268518740a2c04ce07fc91a8 |
The rapper who shot his VH1 star wife and then turned the gun on himself while FaceTiming boxing champ Floyd Mayweather had flown into a rage over her alleged fling with a singer known as 'Mr Steal Your Girl'. Earl Hayes, a friend and associate of Mayweather Jr., shot wife Stephanie Moseley, a dancer who starred in the show Hit The Floor, over her alleged infidelity with singer Trey Songz. Hayes is believed to have shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself at a high-end L.A. apartment complex, according to police sources. Stephanie Moseley, a dancer and actress in the VH1 drama series Hit The Floor and rapper Earl Hayes were found dead at a high-end L.A. apartment complex in an apparent murder-suicide on Monday . Boxer Mayweather, left, is reported to have been a witness to the deaths as Hayes had called him in a rage over his wife's infidelity. Hayes was once signed to Floyd Mayweather's record label and the couple often partied with the boxing champ . Sources connected with Hayes told TMZ that roughly two years ago the rapper separated from Stephanie because of her alleged affair with Songz. Trey Songz earned the nickname 'Mr Steal Your Girl' from a song on his sixth album Trigga . The couple reconciled, but a source told the news site that Hayes 'was crushed and never got over it'. He is said to have continuously brought up the affair and accused his wife of having multiple flings with various other entertainers. Hours after the news of the deaths broke, on Monday night Songz tweeted: 'R.I.P babygirl. Once an angel on earth, now watching over us from Heaven. You'll b missed but never forgotten. Love.' Grammy-nominated Songz - real name Tremaine Aldon Neverson - earned the nickname 'Mr Steal Your Girl' from his songs that talk about his various conquests and brag about stealing other men's girlfriends. He also has a song called I Invented Sex and will be supporting Nicki Minaj on her European tour next year. TMZ reported that Mayweather was a witness to the murder-suicide and heard everything after Hayes called him in a rage over his wife's alleged infidelity. When the rapper said he was going to kill his wife, Mayweather pleaded with him not to - but to no avail. LAPD raced to the Palazzo East apartments at 7:30 a.m. after residents heard a woman screaming and up to 10 gunshots, a police spokesperson said. A SWAT team was forced to knock down the door of the apartment and once inside found a back bedroom door closed. When they sought to go into the room, they heard two more gunshots, police said. 'I suddenly heard screaming,' neighbor Charles Segal told NBC 'and then the screaming stopped and the next minute cops all over.' Hours after the news of the deaths broke, Songz posted a message that appeared to be aimed at Moseley . Hayes' friend Burrel Wilks said the married couple had been in the process of breaking up . LAPD raced to the Palazzo East apartments at 7:30 a.m. after residents heard a woman screaming and up to 10 gunshots . Burrel Wilks, Hayes' life coach and close friend, described the married couple as longtime partners who were in the process of breaking up, reports KTLA. 'I've had sit downs with both of them so whatever happened behind those doors we'll never know, but I heard out of her own mouth, he never raised a hand on her so this is kind of stunning,' he said. Moseley played 'Devil Girl/Arelly' in Hit The Floor, the VH1 drama series about an NBA Cheerleading team called the Los Angeles Devil Girls. She had also appeared in movies including The Twlight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Mirror Mirror and Sparkle and as a backing dancer for singers including Janet Jackson, Chris Brown and Britney Spears. On Monday, Chris Brown posted a tribute to Moseley on Instagram. 'RIP baby girl. Danced with me on tour and was always the coolest person. My prayers go out to you and HAZE family,' he wrote. Rapper Hayes was once signed to Mayweather's record label Philthy Rich Records and the couple regularly partied with the boxing champ. Moseley had performed as a backing dancer for Chris Brown and on Monday he posted a tribute to her on his Instagram account . Hayes is believed to have shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself as officers entered their apartment . | Stephanie Moseley was a dancer and actress on VH1 series Hit The Floor . Husband Earl Hayes was a rapper once signed to boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr's record label Philthy Rich Records . The couple were found dead at a high-end L.A. apartment complex in an apparent murder-suicide on Monday morning . Hayes is reported to have flown into a rage over his wife's alleged fling with singer Trey Songz . SWAT team broke down the door after residents heard a woman screaming and up to 10 gunshots fired . Hayes is believed to have shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself as officers entered the apartment . Boxer Mayweather is reported to have been a witness to the deaths as Hayes had called him in a rage over his wife's infidelity . | bb1ec1f0c519a565b1ead2372eebcdc684a7a6fb |
A grandmother and two tiny children were car-jacked in a terrifying roadside robbery after three thieves climbed into their car and stole the vehicle. The woman and her grandchildren - described as a baby boy and a three-year-old girl - had just pulled up at road work traffic lights when the trio of men, all dressed in black, pulled open the doors of the Vauxhall Astra. The men then yanked out the car seats with the children still strapped in and dumped them and the youngsters on the roadside. A grandmother and two tiny children were car-jacked in a terrifying robbery on Farm Road (pictured), in Maidenhead, after three thieves climbed into their car and stole the vehicle . The 77-year-old woman was then ordered out of the car and all three men clambered in and sped off. Just minutes earlier the same men had crashed another stolen car into a tree and had unsuccessfully tried to hijack a workman's van. The drama happened in darkness in Maidenhead, Berkshire last night after the men arrived at a house in the town's Highway Avenue in a Skoda car they had earlier stolen in London. Police said that they broke into a house in the road but were disturbed by the occupants and returned to the Skoda which then sped off. However, the driver lost control as he tried to accelerate out of sight and crashed the car into a tree in nearby Birdwood Road. A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said that all three men abandoned the stolen Skoda and ran towards Farm Road in Maidenhead. 'The offenders then tried to steal a van but were chased off by workmen,' said the spokesman. The gang of thieves had already crashed a car into a tree in nearby Birdwood Road, pictured . 'A female driver was travelling along Farm Road, when she stopped briefly at a set of traffic lights next to roadworks. 'The three men entered the car and forced the occupants, the woman and the two young children she was with, to exit the vehicle with the children still in their car seats. 'The victim and the children were helped by people from nearby public house who took them in and called the police.' Neither the grandmother nor the children - who all live in Maidenhead - were injured in the incident although the woman was said to have been very badly shaken by the experience. The spokesman said that the three men were white and were dressed in black clothing. 'The car, a silver Astra, has not yet been located,' she added. Investigating officer Detective constable Reese Williams from Maidenhead local CID said: 'The victims of these incidents, particularly the robbery, were obviously left very shaken by what happened to them last night. 'There would have been a lot of people in the area at this time and, although we have already spoken to a number of witnesses, we would like to hear from you if you were in the area and saw anything which may be connected. 'If you saw a silver Astra leaving the scene, or have located this car, then please contact us immediately,' he added. | Three thieves climbed into the car at traffic lights in Maidenhead, Berkshire . Men yanked out car seats with children still strapped in leaving them on the roadside . The grandmother was ordered out of the vehicle before the gang sped off . Minutes earlier men had crashed another car they had stolen into a tree . The gang had also unsuccessfully tried to hijack a workman's van . | 2d09f8307c3a0c07b938cfbdf26c1375a967fc3c |
By . Anthony Bond . The family of former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher are rallying around his furious wife following reports the rock star fathered a love child, it emerged today. The 40-year-old singer allegedly has a seven-month-old daughter called Emma following a . long-running affair with U.S. showbusiness writer Liza Ghorbani. Claims about the lovechild have reportedly left Gallagher's wife Nicole Appleton furious, leading to her allegedly banning him from returning home. Support: The family of former Oasis front-man Liam Gallagher are rallying around his furious wife following reports the rock star fathered a love child, it emerged today. The singer, pictured, performs with his band Beady Eye at Benicassim in Spain last night . Angry: Claims about the lovechild have reportedly left Gallagher's wife Nicole Appleton furious. She has allegedly banned him from returning home . As reported by the Daily Mirror today, Gallagher's family yesterday rallied around his 38-year-old wife after the allegations emerged. One relative said: 'Liam has only got himself to blame - he's just too wild. I said he should never have got married.' It was claimed yesterday that Gallagher . told Miss Ghorbani that the baby girl . 'is beautiful' and has his 'rock star genes'. The enigmatic frontman bragged about his musical DNA to his alleged former lover, according to reports in the United States. Scroll down for video . 'Livid': Miss Appleton, left, and Gallagher have a 12-year-old son. They were married in 2008. It has been claimed his affair with Miss Ghorbani began after she profiled him for the New York Times . Last year Gallagher bought a . £1.6million apartment in Manhattan, close to Central Park and not far . from where Emma is being raised. Gallagher . has said the baby is 'a beautiful . child because she has “rock star genes”’, the New York Post claimed. It alleged Gallagher’s relationship with Miss Ghorbani ended only after Emma was born. Unmarried Miss Ghorbani, 39, has told . friends their affair ended and then resumed again, according to another . newspaper, the New York Daily News. Happier times: Liam Gallagher is pictured with his wife Nicole Appleton, who he married five years ago . It . quoted a friend as saying: ‘It went on until she told him she was . pregnant. He cut it off. He was so paranoid his wife would find out.’ Their . trysts are alleged to have began after the music journalist met the singer . in 2010 and wrote a glowing interview for the New York Times, entitled A . Night Out With Liam Gallagher. It . was also claimed that since the allegations were made, his furious . wife, All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, is said to be livid. A friend said: ‘Nicole has told Liam not to come home, at least not for a few weeks, and is furious.’ A . spokesman for Mr Gallagher told MailOnline yesterday that his lawyers were . still taking action against the New York Post and would not be . commenting further. There has been no sign of Miss Appleton, 38, at the couple’s £2.7million five-bedroom townhouse in Hampstead, North London. Gallagher, . 40, is in Spain, where he appeared unfazed as he downed cocktails yesterday. He . was drinking a mystery brunette in a black bikini, who stroked . his head as they lay beside a hotel pool in Ibiza. Starting . at 11.30am, the former Oasis frontman drank more than a dozen mojitos . and several tequila shots as he laughed and joked with friends. The previous night his new band Beady Eye had performed at the Ibiza Rocks festival. Afterwards . he was said to have looked ‘happy and relaxed’ as he mingled with . female fans and posed for photographs at Pikes Hotel, a favourite . celebrity haunt in San Antonio, and danced topless on his room balcony, . which overlooks the bar, until 2.30am. Gallagher flew to Alicante yesterday to play at the Benicassim festival. He has . made no public comment on what his spokesman says is ‘gossip’. Gallagher has taken steps to prevent . the story spreading, instructing London law firm Harbottle & Lewis . to write warning letters to newspapers making inquiries about the . singer’s reaction to the claims. He is also reported to have hired a . lawyer in New York to defend himself against a paternity suit brought by . Miss Ghorbani at the Manhattan Family Court. Ready to rock: Liam Gallagher after his band Beady Eye's gig in Ibiza on Wednesday. He has been told not to come home by his wife - for now... She . is alleged to be seeking £2million. After paying for the medical costs . of the birth herself, Miss Ghorbani began the legal action and arranged . a DNA test for her baby. Gallagher’s . lawyers are taking unspecified ‘action’ against the New York Post for . naming him as the father, but on Thursday it made further claims. A . source told the newspaper: ‘Liza met Liam when she interviewed him and . they began an affair [which] continued until around three months after . the birth of the child. He ended the relationship when she told him she . was suing him for child support. Simpering: The glowing New York Times profile of Gallagher written by . Miss Ghorbani describing how the British singer 'turned heads' at the . Ritz-Carlton . ‘Liza isn’t after millions of dollars, she is simply seeking child support and no amount has yet been set. If they don’t settle on a figure, the case will go to a public trial.’ Miss Ghorbani, who specialises in . interviewing rock stars, is said to be staying with her parents at their £500,000 house in . McLean, Virginia. Her mother Sylvia, 63 – who was born in Lancashire and moved to America aged 19 – declined to comment. She is a teacher at a local school, while her husband, Iranian-born Daryoush, 65, runs his own mobile home business. Friends claim that Gallagher left it to another family member to break the news of the love child allegations to his mother. A source said: ‘They thought Liam should have done it himself. ‘His family have also advised Liam to see a top lawyer for the court case – and to consult a top divorce lawyer as well. ‘They . are concerned for Liam. They say he’s “chaos” and that they are worried . that he won’t stop his partying lifestyle until he makes himself ill.’ Friends of Canadian-born Miss Appleton . say she never suspected her husband of cheating on her, despite his . history – he already has three children by three women. Two of those . were born during marriage. On stage: Gallagher performed with his band Beady Eye at a hotel in Ibiza this week, just hours after the identity of his alleged love child's mother was revealed an ocean away . Gallagher married his first wife, actress Patsy Kensit, in 1997. But only a couple of months later he fathered a child with singer Lisa Moorish. Their daughter Molly is now 15. Gallagher and Miss Kensit had a son, Lennon, now 13, in 1999. In 2001, Gallagher had another son, Gene, now 12, with Miss Appleton, whom he married in 2008. In the same year, Gallagher boasted he was a ‘top dad’ who had turned his back on a rock’n’roll lifestyle to be there for his family. The singer revealed he had never intended to become a father but insisted: ‘Once you get your missus pregnant, you’ve got to step up to the plate.’ | Relative says 'Liam only has himself to blame' Singer allegedly has lovechild with U.S. journalist Liza Ghorbani . His wife of five years Nicole Appleton 'is furious', claims friend . He performed with his band Beady Eye at Benicassim in Spain last night . New York Post claims Gallagher 'admitted the child is his' Showbiz journalist has allegedly filed a $2million paternity lawsuit . | c6d461945eb3e21c4b2a87e3e94ca9a3053567fe |
It's a classic newsroom blunder which appears to have slipped through the cracks. The Age has incorrectly printed a photo of 'Legally Brown' comedy star Nazeem Hussain in its entertainment column today with the caption: 'Waleed Aly joins The Project'. The awkward mix up was spotted by the stand-up comedian, of Sri Lankan descent, who lightheartedly tweeted on Thursday morning: 'Well, we are kinda the same person...' It has since gained more than 500 retweets, sparking comments such as: 'Brown people all look alike', 'Un-freaking-believable' and 'demonstrates why tv needs more non-white face'. This follows last week's announcement that Aly secured a new role as the new co-host of Channel Ten's news program The Project. Scroll down for video . The Age incorrectly printed a photo of 'Legally Brown' comedy star Nazeem Hussain, who's of Sri Lankan decent, in its entertainment column with the caption: 'Waleed Aly joins The Project' Stand up comedian Nazeem Hussain (left) and reporter Waleed Aly (right) It was announced last week that Waleed Aly will be co-hosting The Project next year . Aly, born and raised in Melbourne to Egyptian parents, is a frequent commentator on Australian Muslim affairs and has often spoken on the topic several times on ABC political show, Q&A. He is also a regular contributor for The Age. When searching his name on the Melbourne-based newspaper's website, alongside his correct head-shot it states Aly 'writes fortnightly for The Age'. The lawyer, 36, is no stranger on The Project and will be joining existing co-hosts Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar on the panel next year. He will succeed Rove, who will leave the show after a pre-determined six month stint this month. The lawyer (left) is no stranger on the show and will be joining existing co-hosts Carrie Bickmore (middle) and Peter Helliar (right) on the panel next year . Aly will succeed Rove (left), who will leave the show after a pre-determined six month stint this month . The 36-year-old (left) has a political background and is a commentator on Australian Muslim affairs . Aly appeared once a week on the program as a guest this year, but speculation was rife that he would take over from Rove after the end of his ABC roles this month on shows including The Big Idea. It will also be an Australian first for TV as Aly becomes the first Muslim to co-host a major prime time television show. Ironically, his so-called lookalike - Nazeem Hussain - is the creator and star of Australian television show 'Legally Brown' which presents a comedic take on life as a Muslim in Australia. The 27-year-old is also a presenter on triple j radio. Aly will start his new role on The Project from January 26. | It was announced last week Waleed Aly will be co-hosting The Project next year . The lawyer, of Egyptian decent, will succeed Rove and will join Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar on the panel . But The Age mistook the 36-year-old for Aussie comedian Nazeem Hussain of Sri Lankan heritage . Hussain tweeted the error, saying: 'Well, we are kinda the same person...' Aly becomes the first Muslim to co-host a major prime time television show . | 054999c5dcb01f0bdeb67bb9839d515906a85879 |
By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 02:46 EST, 1 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:34 EST, 1 October 2012 . He has transported holidaymakers along Great Yarmouth seafront for 25 years, but now a horse-drawn carriage owner faces losing his business because he doesn't have a driving licence. Fred England, 43, has operated on the historic beachfront in Norfolk since 1987 as part of a family tradition. But Mr England is now set to lose his licence as council officials have suddenly realised . they should not be authorising him to drive his four-wheel . carriage because he does not have a car licence. Local legacy: Fred England, 43, has proudly carried excited visitors along the historic seafront in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, since 1987 . Mr England, whose horse is called Sam, went to Great Yarmouth Borough Council last week to submit a licence renewal application, as he has done regularly for a quarter of a century. But he was told he needed a motor vehicle driving licence, which he has never had. He now faces an agonising wait over his working future with the final decision being taken by the council's licensing committee later this week. Jeopardy: Council officials have suddenly realised they should not be authorising him to drive his pretty four-wheel carriage because he does not have a car licence . The horseman said his grandfather, father and three brothers have all pulled tourists in carriages along the seafront since the Second World War. Mr England of Great Yarmouth, said: 'They reckon I am not covered on the insurance. 'I have been doing this safely for 25 years - why all this all of a sudden now? 'In Blackpool there are eight guys who have been given special Grandfather Rights. 'They can ride without a licence as their family have been doing it for so long. 'Where are my Grandfather Rights?' Defiant: The horseman said his grandfather, father and three brothers have all pulled thrilled tourists in carriages along the seafront since the Second World War . A Court of Appeal case in 1998 ruled that a person-drawn vehicle was within the definition of a 'Hackney Carriage' ' a black cab. As a result it became law that both horse-drawn and person-drawn vehicles were licensable under Hackney Carriage legislation. That means a landau rider must hold both a Hackney Carriage driver's licence and DVLA licence. Linda Mockford, licensing manager at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: 'It just recently came to light that it's a matter of law, whereas before we did not require it. 'It was just a case of officers not being aware it was the law. 'It came to light because somebody else was trying to apply for a licence. 'We made it policy for brand new applications a few years ago. 'Now I know I have to rectify it. We have checked and found that we were potentially in breach.' She insisted: 'We cannot do anything but refuse it - we are getting legal advice and I have advised him to do the same. 'If there was something I could do for him I would,' she added. 'I will speak to him face to face - he deserves that after having been a landau driver for 25 years.' But defiant Mr England retorted: 'As far as I am concerned this is their mistake, not mine.' | Fred England, 43, has proudly carried visitors along the historic seafront in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, since 1987 as part of a family tradition . Great Yarmouth Borough Council suddenly realised because Mr England does not have a car licence he's not authorised to drive four-wheel carriage . | 2b565e12c8f406984524a5ed1ae7630fd7d5fd5b |
Furious pensioners branded the launch of the Government's much-heralded bonds for over-65s a 'shambles' The launch of the Government's much-heralded pensioner bonds was in chaos yesterday when a sales hotline and website went into meltdown within minutes. Huge demand for the high-interest investments for the over-65s caused the National Savings and Investments (NS&I) site to crash. Frustrated callers also found that a helpline was constantly engaged, with no queuing system or call back service. Experts last night claimed bosses had wildly underestimated demand for the bonds despite months of planning, while furious pensioners branded the launch a 'shambles'. Telling savers not to panic, NS&I insisted the fixed-rate bonds would not sell out – saying it would be several months before sales reach the Treasury's £10billion limit. But financial experts said they could go within weeks or even days, warning it could be a case of 'blink and you'll miss them'. Susan Hannums, at comparison website Savingschampion.co.uk, said: 'Experts have been warning NS&I for months that demand for the long awaited pensioner bonds would be high. 'However, it seems these warnings have been ignored with insufficient measures to cope with demand. 'This is causing pensioners to panic that the bonds will sell out before they get a chance to apply.' The Treasury launched the eagerly-awaited bonds in a bid to help older people suffering from record-low interest rates on savings accounts. A one-year bond offers a 2.8 per cent interest rate – almost double the typically rate on the high street. Despite the problems, savers had taken out some £270million worth of bonds in 26,000 separate transactions by 3.30pm yesterday. But the figures suggest that if demand remains steady the bonds could sell out within five weeks. If pensioners continue to deposit an average of about £10,400 each, then about one million of Britain's 11 million over-65s would benefit from the bonds before they run out. Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said as few as 500,000 savers would be able to get their hands on the bonds if everyone used their maximum allowance. Sylvia Waycot, of Moneyfacts.co.uk, said: 'This bond is going to be gone in days if not sooner.' Experts claimed bosses had wildly underestimated demand for the bonds despite months of planning . Yesterday, complaints flooded in from angry savers fearing they would miss out because of the problems on launch day. Mike Harvey, from Ealing, west London, spent five hours trying to get through before giving up. The 65-year-old former surveyor said: 'It's been a total joke.It's been so badly managed I'm going to give up.' Robert Coulsom, 79, from north Wales, branded the service 'a total shambles' after also waiting five hours to get through. Former nurse Susan Smith, 67, from Lincoln, accused NS&I of 'woeful' behaviour, adding: 'I can't believe it's got the government backing it and it still falls apart on day one.' n Savers should be allowed to 'roll up' their unused ISA allocation and use it later for one-off financial windfalls such as house sales and inheritance, a think-tank will say today. Policy Exchange says people should be given more flexibility to build up their tax-free savings pots during the course of a lifetime and called for the creation of a 'Bonus ISA'. | Launch of the Government's much-heralded pensioner bonds was in chaos . Huge demand for high-interest investments for the over-65s caused National Savings and Investments site to crash . Frustrated callers also found that a helpline was constantly engaged . Experts claimed bosses had wildly underestimated demand for the bonds . | e194a8f1779e38f51e5b864f6b2af5b9240c799d |
(CNN) -- The swollen Missouri River washed over and punched through levees in northwestern Missouri early Sunday, spurring authorities to urge about 250 nearby residents to leave their homes. The river breached levees at two points overnight and overtopped them at two others near Corning, Missouri, about 100 miles north of Kansas City, the Holt County Sheriff's Department reported. Most residents had already cleared out due to voluntary evacuation calls, but authorities went door-to-door early Sunday to order nearly 30 people who remained to leave, the agency told CNN. Upriver, evacuation advisories went out for 200 to 250 people in the town of Watson and other areas west of Interstate 29, said Mark Manchester, the deputy emergency management director in Atchison County. Water was sloshing over the levees "at a pretty good clip" Sunday morning and had already topped the county's previous record mark, set in 1993, he said. "We're in uncharted waters here," Manchester said. The Missouri was more than 11.5 feet over flood stage at nearby Brownville, according to National Weather Service data. And across the state line in Hamburg, Iowa, where two levees failed last week, the river was expected to crest at 10 feet over flood stage in the coming days, Fremont County Emergency Management chief Mike Crecelius said. Crecelius said the river has been over flood stage since late April, and that forecasters are projecting river flows of 150,000 cubic feet (1.1 million gallons) per second through August. "They're not designed for this amount of pressure for this length of time," Crecelius said. "They've never been tested like this." Heavy rainfall in Montana and North Dakota, combined with melting snow from the Rocky Mountains, have sent the Missouri surging downstream, according to the National Weather Service. The 6 to 12 inches of rainfall in the upper Missouri basin in the past few weeks is nearly a normal year's worth, and runoff from the mountain snowpack is 140% of normal, the agency says. CNN's Matt Smith and Divina Mims contributed to this report. | NEW: Official raises concern about projected high water flows . About 250 people are affected by the latest orders and advisories . A local official in northwestern Missouri says the river has already topped a 1993 record . | 8dcdefc38d302e6436dc7c58586022d8742ef555 |
By . Lizzie Edmonds . A man is suing the legal team behind his failed MMR compensation bid - alleging the lawyers pursued a 'hopeless' claim while making millions in legal aid. Matthew McCafferty, 23, of Falkirk, Scotland, developed autism three years after being injected with the vaccine. However, the claim was subsequently dropped after flawed research suggesting there was a link between the jab and autism was discredited. He and his family are now taking legal action against Hodge Jones & Allen solicitors saying the case they raised was issued out of time, raised false hopes and had no chance of succeeding. A man is suing his former legal team from Hodge Jones Allen, pictured, for pursuing a 'hopeless' MMR compensation bid. He says the firm's lawyers issued the claim out of time and raised false hopes of his family receiving payment . Mr McCafferty also alleges the firm litigated 'a hopeless claim funded by legal aid' by which they profited. The family are expected to ask for £50,000 in compensation, it was reported today. The firm - which was established by Sir Henry Egar Garfield Hodge, the late husband of Labour MP Margaret Hodge - denies it was negligent. According to his current firm, Mr McCafferty is the first to instruct action - but they have been in contact with several other families believing they too are entitled to compensation. Thousands of families had instructed legal action following Andrew Wakefield's 1998 research claiming there was a link between MMR and autism came to light. However, by 2001 concerns over the research had surfaced - with the doctor resigning from the Royal Free Hospital that year saying his 'research was unpopular.' By 2003, the research, which was published in The Lancet, was widely discredited. As legal aid was subsequently withdrawn, a majority of claims were dropped. Wakefield was eventually struck off the British Medical Register in 2010. The group action is thought to have raised a £15 million legal aid bill - £9.7 million of which is believed to have gone to solicitors and barristers. Michael Shaw, Mr McCafferty's lawyer of Carter Moore solicitors in Manchester, said today: 'Serious professional obligations rest on both solicitors and counsel who act in legally-aided cases to ensure that the Legal Services Commission is kept informed of the state of the case, and that unmeritorious cases do not continue to receive support. 'Litigation and legal liability depend on evidence - not belief, assumption, hope, or wishful thinking. 'There has not been peer reviewed published evidence to support the hypothesis that MMR vaccine causes autism - the published evidence refutes the link. 'The MMR litigation has cost millions in legal aid for lawyers and experts - but not a penny has been obtained in compensation for any claimant.' Mr . McCafferty is seeking damages to 'include compensation, . distress, expense and inconvenience of engaging in hopeless litigation.' The firm was part set up by Henry Hodge - the late husband of Labour MP Margaret Hodge (both pictured) The firm denies it was negligent in the issuing of proceedings or the timing of the case. A spokesperson for Hodge Jones & Allen said: 'The suggestion that Hodge Jones & Allen would knowingly run a hopeless case is nonsense and completely contrary to our principles and ethics. 'The MMR case was typical of many group litigation cases which were funded by legal aid at that time. Allegations were made that the MMR vaccine caused autism and other conditions. The link was supported by Dr Andrew Wakefield who was the expert retained on the case. 'In such cases where the merits of the case were not clear cut, the Legal Aid Board would typically fund the case for generic investigations to be carried out by specialist solicitors (and members of the Multi Party Actions panel) subject to approved cost limits and regular reports on progress. 'Legal aid was therefore granted for the MMR case to be investigated. The certificate was initially granted to Dawbarns of Kings Lynn. The conducting solicitor Richard Barr moved to our firm in April 1998 and the certificate was transferred to Hodge Jones & Allen. 'Richard Barr then moved on to Alexander Harris and the MMR certificate was transferred to them in June 1999. We had no further role in the generic investigations after this date. Eventually, the Legal Aid Board decided to withdraw funding. Firm evidence on causation was not forthcoming and the cost risks were considered to be too high. You will be aware that Andrew Wakefield was discredited and eventually struck off by the GMC. 'In the case of McCafferty, we issued proceedings to protect his claim as there is a 10 year limitation period. This is a normal precaution. We do not accept that the case was issued out of time. However, whether or not it was issued out time is irrelevant as it was eventually decided that the case could not be sustained due to lack of causation evidence and funding was withdrawn. Thousands of families had their compensation bids stopped after research by Andrew Wakefield, pictured, suggesting a link between MMR and autism, was discredited . 'No new evidence has come to light since which supports any link between the MMR vaccine and autism . Therefore, Mr McCafferty has not lost the chance of winning compensation for the administration of the vaccine, because we now know that the claim could not succeed. 'To suggest that we took legal aid funds to investigate the case knowing it was hopeless in 1998 and 1999 is completely untrue. At the time, the merits of the case were not clear. A link between the vaccine and autism was strongly asserted by the families and Dr Wakefield and in view of the large number of cases and the seriousness of the condition, it was right for investigations to be carried out. The Legal Aid Board were happy to fund these investigations .' Today, Mr McCafferty's mother Iris Porter described how her son is now 'severely autistic' and lives life to a strictly regimented routine. The 56-year-old said the family had been put under an immense amount of stress after discovering they may not get compensation. She said: 'It has been really, really stressful and to find out that even if it had been successful we might not have got compensation. 'Finding out Matthew had autism was really hard - we were just devastated. But getting a diagnosis was a relief, I felt like it was my fault. 'We put our trust in those lawyers, that they were going to do the right thing and we put our life into their hands. 'They made us think there was a case to fight and that we could win, there were so many people who joined the action, they made us think we stood a chance. 'It was a hard time and I want justice for Matthew, he was a happy healthy baby and then his life suddenly changed. 'I can't work because I'm Matthew's carer, after he left school he went to stay in a transition placement - they didn't want him to come home because they felt he was used to being in that environment. 'But it was really hard having my child away from me - it broke my heart. He eventually came home after he was hurt by another service user, it was really hard for me. I would walk down to work everyday and burst into tears. 'And it's hard because I know I won't be here forever and that is one of my biggest worries - what happens to him when I'm not here.' In 1998, a medical paper was published in The Lancet. In it, it was claimed that colitis and autism spectrum disorders could be caused by the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The research led to a significant drop in young people getting the vaccine - leading to an increase in all three medical conditions. According to statistics released by the Health Protection Agency, the . percentage of MMR uptake in the UK fell from 88.3 per cent in 1998 to a . low of 79.9 per cent in 2003. Group action - called the MMR Litigation - had its status as group action granted in 1999. Six years later, in 2007, the High Court judge Justice Keith stopped the group action following the withdrawal of legal aid by the legal services commission. All but two claims were discontinued. A pressure group called JABS (Justice, Awareness, Basic Support) was established to represent families wishing to pursue compensation. £15 million in public legal aid funding was spent on the litigation, of which £9.7 million went to solicitors and barristers, and £4.3 million to expert witnesses. In following years, numerous troubling facts were revealed about the investigation. The Sunday Times reported that Andrew Wakefield had manipulated figures and had several conflicts of interest in the research. It was in part retracted in 2004 - with a full retraction instated in 2010. Wakefield was also struck off the medical register that year. | Matthew McCafferty, 23, developed autism three years after having MMR jab . Is now launching legal action against former solicitors Hodge Jones & Allen . Says firm began a 'hopeless claim funded by legal aid' by which they profited . Current firm says they're in talks with more families wishing to take action . | 75e39e56adbf85f88965ca145abd21b444c9672d |
By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 14:50 EST, 27 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:01 EST, 27 September 2012 . Three men who brutally beat a female family member because they thought she had been possessed by a demon have been convicted of assault. Asma Hussain was tied to a bed, covered with holy water and beaten continually for almost eight hours after her husband, son and son-in-law became convinced she had the devil in her. A Muslim preacher was brought in to perform an exorcism ritual during which Mrs Hussain was held down and beaten with a cane. Assault: The victim's son-in-law Muhammed Aziz (left) was also found guilty of taking part in the attack while a judge advised a jury not to convict her daughter Salma, 22, (right) who had also faced charges . The husband Ahmed Hussain, 60, of . Poplar, son Mohammed Kayes Hussain, 28, of Wapping, and son-in-law . Muhammed Aziz, 21, of Bethnal Green, all east London, will be sentenced . next month. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that on January 7 last year Mrs Hussain’s niece visited her home after being told she was ill. Mohammed Kayes Hussain told her she had been possessed by a demon, a Yard spokesman said. A short time later a neighbour arrived and saw Mohammed Kayes Hussain and Aziz holding Mrs Hussain down. Mohammed Kayes Hussain was pouring . water from a bottle over her face. The neighbour was told Mrs Hussain . had the devil inside her and they were trying to get rid of it. Later that day the husband of Mrs . Hussain’s niece went to the address and saw an imam reading from the . Koran and sprinkling holy water on Mrs Hussain. After an hour of prayer the imam . began hitting Mrs Hussain on the back with a walking stick, causing her . to scream and cry out in pain. Family: The victim's son, Mohammed Kayes Hussain (right) was also convicted, while the jury was advised to find her daughter-in-law Halima Khatun (left) not guilty . Mrs Hussain’s brother later visited the address having been told Mrs Hussain was unwell. She said she had been hit - she was . bruised and had blood running from her nose - and her son said she was . possessed. The imam was again pouring holy water on her and striking her . with the walking stick. The alarm was raised after another daughter of Mrs Hussain visited and called paramedics. Mrs Hussain had been suffering from . stress as a result of caring for her husband, and this was interpreted . by the family as her being possessed, the spokesman said. Detective Inspector Cliff Jones, from . Tower Hamlets police, said: 'The victim’s family apparently believed . she had been possessed by demons which needed to be removed. 'This was a violent attack on a . defenceless woman at the hands of the people she should have been most . able to trust. It is right and proper that police carried out a full . investigation and the courts have today convicted those involved in the . incident. 'What happened to this victim was domestic violence. Snaresbrook Crown Court (pictured) heard how a Muslim preacher was brought in to perform an exorcism ritual during which Mrs Hussain was held down and beaten with a cane . 'Despite extensive enquiries, the . imam concerned has not yet been traced. Anyone with information as to . his identity should call the community safety unit at Limehouse on 020 . 7275 4756 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' Mrs Hussain’s daughter Salma Hussain, . 22, of Barnsley Street, and daughter-in-law Halima Khatun, 28, of . Farthing Fields, were directed by the judge to be found not guilty . during the trial. Those convicted will be sentenced on October 18. | Asma Hussain was beaten continually for eight hours after her husband, son and son-in-law became convinced she was possessed . Her husband 'summoned local Muslim preacher to carry out ceremony and encouraged him to hit his wife harder' | 122cab07e7e91e8dc60d71da79c789254170f33f |
By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 05:59 EST, 23 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:07 EST, 24 September 2013 . From Elisabeth Moss' monochrome gown to Christina Hendricks' typically glamorous all-black ensemble, this year's EMMYs was a vintage night for style fans - particularly those with a penchant for Mad Men. But for every Alyson Hannigan (uncharacteristically getting it spot on in purple Marchesa), there was a Lena Dunham showing off her tattoos in an unflattering gown. FEMAIL rounds up the fashion winners and losers from last night. Winners: Mad Men stars Christina Hendricks and Elisabeth Moss triumphed on the fashion front at the EMMYs . WINNERS . Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss looked wonderful in a on-trend monochrome gown with a daring textured skirt, which she teamed with newly blond locks and crimson lips. Also looking good was her Mad Men co-star Christina Hendricks whose curvaceous figure was set off beautifully by her classic black gown. Claire Danes, a big winner on the night, also took home a host of fashion plaudits thanks to her daring Armani Prive couture gown. Teamed with a crimson pout, low key jewels and a perfectly-groomed faux-bob, Danes offered a masterclass in red carpet dressing. Helen McCrory, wife of Dane's co-star Damien Lewis, was another who made red carpet dressing look easy courtesy of an elegant cream gown that showed off her toned arms and was accessorised with aplomb. Perfect: Zooey Deschanel stayed true to her quirky style while Christina Hendricks' gown flattered her curves . Beautiful: Kerry Washington in lavishly embroidered Marchesa . Glamour: January Jones made minimal work beautifully for her . Ruffled: Actress Julia Bowen was chic in Zac Posen . Looking good: Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss looked lovely in monochrome while Kelly Osbourne was pretty in red . Chic: Julianna Marguiles looked sensational in white while Rose Byrne daringly bared her toned midriff . Masterclass: Alison Hannigan was pretty in purple while Helen McCrory pulled off a difficult dress with aplomb . Elegant: Claire Danes won over the fashion crowd as well as TV fans with her Armani Prive dress . Another winner was Zooey Deschanel who stayed true to her style roots in a quirky sky blue dress by J Mendel. Complete with a huge, whimsical bow and split to the thigh, Deschanel's dress was a gamble that paid off in style. Minimal jewellery and a tiny box clutch completed the look without distracting attention from the show-stopping dress. January Jones and Kerry Washington, both in nude lace, channelled old-fashioned Hollywood glamour, particularly Washington whose lavishly embroidered Marchesa dress looked (and probably cost) a million dollars. Rose Byrne was elegant in pale pink floor-sweeping skirt and cropped shell top that offered a glimpse of her toned midriff. Other winners included Kelly Osbourne, who looked wonderful in crimson, Alyson Hannigan, who was pretty in purple, and Juliana Marguiles who was pretty in a monochrome strapless gown. LOSERS . Leading the losers was Girls actress Lena Dunham, who sported an unflattering floral tented frock by Prada that didn't fit properly and jarred with the tattoos covering her shoulders. Fellow Girls star Zosia Mamet also failed to impress fashion critics, plumping for a splotch-print gown that included a curious tiny leather bust patch. Tats not good! Lena's tattoos clashed with the pretty floral print and the shape did nothing for her figure . Equally baffling was Heidi Klum's choice of a maroon sequinned gown that managed to make her look a little frumpy and squat - no mean feat on a supermodel. Another who got it wrong was Game of Thrones star Lena Headey whose transparent black dress did absolutely nothing for her figure. Carrie Underwood was another star whose dress was sheer horror - compounded by the sickly green hue that left her looking sallow. Michelle Dockery's two-tone Prada gown also left critics confused, although the claret colour did provide a striking counterpoint to her pale complexion. While Dockery's dress divided opinion, there was no confusion over Paula Abdul. Her hideous gold lame dress left her looking like an extra from Star Wars. Lena, Zosia, Paula: it might be time to sack that stylist. Controversial: Michelle Dockery's Prada dress has divided opinion . Unflattering: Heidi Klum in a maroon sequinned dress . Ageing: Kaley Cuoco's claret gown made her look sallow . Ghastly: Zosia Mamet's dress included an odd leather bust patch while Paula Abdul's dress was truly dire . Sheer hell: Julianne Hough and Lena Headey experimented with see-through but it didn't pay off . Share what you think . The comments below have not been moderated. SPEAKTHETRUTH, . Portland, . 3 hours ago . Ugh. Dress wears girl. DMG118, . Belfast, Ireland, . 3 hours ago . That Christina Hendricks person's body drives me crazy; that's a woman right there! jay wold, . basingstoke, United Kingdom, . 6 hours ago . Why is Lena wearing a bedspread? Joan., . Yorkshire., United Kingdom, . 6 hours ago . ... where is Carrie Underwood then? I want to see the dress you described. This article is by Ruth STYLES (probably Liz Jones using a pseudonym). bingybongo, . uk, . 6 hours ago . lenas tatts are just rank!!! Kate, . Warrington, . 6 hours ago . How is Rose Byrne in the winners?! She looks so washed out with that unflattering hair colour and dated make up, the dress is ok but she seems to be desperately sucking herself in and the colour isn't great on her. Kaley Cuoco doesn't look even slightly sallow out that colour is lovely on her! BooBoo, . Toronto, Canada, . 7 hours ago . I loved Claire Dane's dress the most but somehow it doesn't look very good on her. It seems like the straps are too long or something? It's gorgeous from the back, though. Louisa-Jane, . London, . 9 hours ago . The Good, the bad and the downright ugly. Kelly Osbourne looks like an all-in wrestler in that frock. Fat arms and tattoos - not a good look. Purple hair completes the Halloween picture. The dress is okay though. Barbieasakid, . Halifax, . 13 hours ago . Erm....agree with most of them but is it just me or did they put Kaley Cuoco on the wrong list? overandout, . nowhereland, . 13 hours ago . Lena Dunham is far more interested in showing off her vulgar tatts than her other taste disaster, the dress. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. | Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks both triumphed . But Lena Denham's unflattering Prada frock clashed with her tattoos . Alyson Hannigan, Helen McCrory and January Jones all impressed . Zosia Mamet, Paula Abdul and Lena Headey among fashion flops . | e17305833274f0d3f310e0ebfd0f07b97daf8da4 |
London (CNN) -- The body found on Queen Elizabeth II's estate in Sandringham last week was a 17-year-old who had been missing since August, police said Sunday. DNA tests helped detectives identified the woman as Alisa Dmitrijeva, Norfolk police said in a statement. Police had been offering a £5000 reward for information leading to the missing teen. Police have not said what caused her death, but said detectives are "investigating the murder." In interviews with British newspapers last week, her family said they had immigrated from Latvia. Investigators were alerted last Sunday to the human remains, found by a member of the public near the village of Anmer, in the English county of Norfolk. Police are investigating activities that occurred around the site between the end of August and the end of September, Detective Chief Inspector Jes Fry said in a statement. "We would like to identify people who may have worked in that area or were involved in organizing or running any specific events that may have taken place," he said. The body had been at the site between one and four months, the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team said last week. Sandringham House, at the heart of the rural estate, is where the royal family traditionally gathers to celebrate Christmas. It's been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862, and is one of two private residences used by the queen. Part of the estate is a 600-acre country park open to the public. CNN's Laura Smith-Spark contributed to this report. | NEW: Police say they are investigating activities at the site last year . NEW: DNA tests help detectives identify the victim . 17-year-old Alisa Dmitrijeva was reported missing in August, police say . | 9fa86df6a9debde719c6619d2eed9d23fd6c7340 |
(CNN) -- Chopping breadcrumbs by flashlight. Cooking turkeys on the grill. Watching Netflix on phones. Many New Englanders were without power -- but this was nothing new for the state. Tens of thousands spent Thanksgiving just as others did in New England when it was first observed in the 17th century: without electricity. In New Hampshire, more than 133,000 customers were still without power overnight into Friday. "They're saying it will be a multiday event," said Fallon Reed, the assistant operations chief for the New Hampshire Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. In Maine, there were as many as 110,000 customers without electricity on Thanksgiving morning, but milder Turkey Day temperatures allowed for workers to cut that number down by more than two thirds by night's end: Central Maine Power Co. reported that less than 32,000 customers had no power, while Emera, the state's second-largest utility company, reported that less than 1,000 customers without electricity after a Wednesday nor'easter dumped more than a foot of snow across a dozen Maine cities, WMTW reported. "Heavy, wet snow brought down power lines and tree limbs interrupting service to thousands of people throughout Maine," Emera posted on its website. "Crews will remain in the field through the overnight hours and into Friday until all customers are fully restored." Despite the setback, the heartiest of New Englanders wouldn't let the lack of electricity prevent them from enjoying the heartiest of meals. Lots of Mainers took to Twitter either to poke fun at or moan about the weather. Most showed remarkable resilience and seemed reluctant to let the weather ruin their turkey day. "Power is out at parents house in Maine, so my mom is chopping breadcrumbs with a flashlight," Brooklyn copy editor Kelly Gordon tweeted. She later told CNN that the meal turned out perfectly. "My mom would never let no lights (or) no heat keep her from Thanksgiving prep work," she said. CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin and Teri Genova contributed to this report. | New Hampshire hardest hit by outages: more than 133,000 still without power Friday . More than 100,000 in Maine had now power for Thanksgiving . One Mainer tweeted, "My mom is chopping breadcrumbs with a flashlight" | 25faf742750bcacca71e5c3031509d0da6744c95 |
Washington (CNN) -- The campaign to feed the world's poor will get some much needed star power Friday when Bono, co-founder of the global advocacy organization ONE, arrives to rally leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations to take action. While the crisis in the eurozone will no doubt top the agenda when the G8 leaders gather Friday for a two-day summit, the talks will also tackle the issue of food security and ways to feed a growing world population. At their annual summit in L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009, leaders pledged to provide $20 billion to fight hunger in the developing world over three years. Since then, U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have embraced food security as a signature foreign policy issue, working to support farmers in Africa and other developing countries to improve agriculture. Now, those 2009 commitments are set to expire. In an age of shrinking aid budgets with fewer resources available, donor governments can't solve the problem of world hunger alone. Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, said in an interview that major gains have been made in reducing hunger in most of the world, with the exception of sub-Saharan Africa. While he said the private sector has been interested in developing the African market, companies have been reluctant because of corruption and a lack of infrastructure. "They had the sense leaders are not committed," Shah said of the private sector. Since L'Aquila, 30 African governments have developed internationally endorsed plans for investment in food security and agricultural development. Their commitment to policy reforms to create a better climate for investors, Shah said, has created an interest in investing, with a focus on small farms. "These policy reform commitments are unlocking the potential of agriculture to explode and ending the perception of Africa," Shah said. "African leaders are replacing the vision of hunger with growth and opportunity." Before a G8 session at the summit on food security with the leaders of Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana and Tanzania, Bono will join Obama, Clinton and other leaders in government, business, nonprofits and academia to discuss goals for eradicating world hunger . Obama will address the symposium in Washington of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, where administration officials say he will unveil a new G8 food security "alliance" to advance global agricultural development in Africa that includes the private sector and other key players. "We have recognized that it is eight to 10 times more expensive to feed people when they are in crisis than it does to help farmers feed themselves and build better resources," Shah said. "If we can be innovative in the private sector, we can have much better outcomes." Over the last several months, Shah said, the effort has secured more than $3 billion in concrete private investment commitments, almost half of which came from African companies. On Friday, Shah said, 35 companies are expected to make additional commitments for projects ranging from manufacturing fertilizer plants and building storage facilities to providing mobile phones to help farmers use mobile banking and other services to cut out middlemen and become part of a cash economy. "Historically, the private sector has not been as active in the agriculture space as it should be, but that is starting to change" said Ben Leo, global policy director of the ONE Campaign. "There is enormous potential when you have donor countries and the private sector working with African government in support of these country plans. That is where magic can happen." Advocacy groups hope the G8 will shift its focus from money to meeting concrete goals on hunger and nutrition, including lifting 50 million people out of poverty and preventing stunted development of 15 million children over the next 10 years. While praising the efforts of the private sector and recognizing the potential multiplier effect, some advocacy groups voice concern that without the involvement of nongovernmental organizations, the resources will not reach the poorest who are most in need. Sam Worthington, the head of InterAction, an alliance of U.S.-based relief and development groups, says the focus should be on small plots of land for farmers to feed their families and have disposable income to participate in the local economy. "Africa is becoming a big new market. How that market is developed will make a big difference in the lives of its poorest farmers," he said. "You will need multinational companies to drive the development of the market, but you will need just as much the voice of local groups providing checks and balances to help ensure the market is supporting the needs of local shareholders." | Europe's crisis will top G8 meeting agenda Friday, but talks will also focus on world hunger . As commitments expire, donor governments won't be able to solve hunger problem alone . 30 African governments have food security, agricultural development investment plans . They have created an interest in investing, with a focus on small farms, USAID official says . | eaff11d82b25eb2670d94c8a4c3c40a21251a8be |
By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 09:39 EST, 5 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:39 EST, 5 April 2012 . Boyfriend: Matthew Puccio is said to have stabbed Miss Sacco, placed a bag over her head and suffocated her at home on or around March 22 . The man accused of stabbing his . on-again, off-again girlfriend, suffocating her and dismembering her . body told a newspaper she begged him to kill her and forced a knife he . held into her own torso. Matthew Puccio, 25, of Urbana, Ohio, is charged with murder in the death of 21-year-old Jessica Sacco. He told the Dayton Daily News from jail on Wednesday that he plans to plead guilty and deserves death. Puccio says the couple argued in . their apartment the night before her March 22 death and she asked him to . 'slash her throat, slash her wrists, do something'. Two other couples are accused of watching Puccio murder his girlfriend and then help him dispose of her remains. They had just recently moved in with them after meeting on the Internet, police said last night. Some of Jessica's body parts were . found abandoned in a bathtub at the property last Friday, the rest were . discovered 90miles away in Kentucky. Puccio stabbed Miss Sacco, placed a bag over her head and suffocated her at home on around March 22, police believe. Watching the killing and helping dispose of some of the remains were flatmates Andrew Forney, 26, and his wife Kandis Forney, 25, both of Fenton, Michigan, along with a third couple from Urbana, it is alleged. Victim: Jessica Sacco, 21, was stabbed, suffocated and dismembered at her home in Urbana, Ohio. her boyfriend said she begged him to kill her . Miss Sacco's body was found after a pedestrian alerted a police officer in a patrol car eight days later on March 30. Urbana Police Chief Matt Lingrell said last night that Puccio and Miss Sacco had met the Forneys on the Internet, but he would not be more specific. Chief Lingrell said the couples had known each other only a short time before the Forneys moved into the Urbana apartment about a month ago. He said it was not clear how Puccio and Miss Sacco knew the third couple - Christopher Wright, 37, and Sharon Cook, 25, also from Urbana - but all five suspects were only recently acquainted. He said: 'They're just loose friends.' Tragic: Miss Sacco's remains were not found until eight days after she was believed to have been killed . It is alleged the Forneys, Wright and . Cook were in the apartment when Miss Sacco was killed but failed to . intervene. Puccio and Andrew Forney then moved Miss Sacco's body to the . bathtub and dismembered it. Miss Sacco, who once took classes at a local college, had been in Urbana for about a year after moving there from California, while Puccio had only been in the city for a few months. Both were unemployed. Miss Sacco probably died of suffocation, Champaign County coroner Joshua Richards said. A single stab wound to her upper abdomen did not penetrate vital organs. Arrested: Husband-and-wife flatmates Andrew and Kandis Forney are accused of failing to intervene during the killing and then helping Puccio dispose of Miss Sacco's body . Team-work: A third couple, Sharon Cook, 25, and Christopher Wright, 37, have also been charged with failing to intervene during the killing and helping to cover it up . Puccio and the Forneys were arrested . in 80miles away in Hamilton, Ohio, over the weekend and were being . transferred back to Urbana to face charges there. Puccio was arrested on charges of murder, assault, corpse abuse and tampering with evidence. Andrew . Forney was charged with corpse abuse, obstructing justice, tampering . with evidence and complicity to tamper with evidence; Kandis Forney was . charged with complicity to tamper with evidence and obstructing justice. Wright . and Cook were arrested on charges including corpse abuse and tampering . with evidence. They were arraigned by video in Urbana Municipal Court . yesterday, and bail was set at $50,000 each. | Remains of Jessica Sacco, 21, found in her Urbana, Ohio, home on Friday . Other body parts found 90miles away . Matthew Puccio said she asked him to 'slash her throat, slash her wrists, do something' the night before she died . | ccbb96887f303a54ea929d6fa24e083b167a588a |
By . Corey Charlton for MailOnline . Football could become a much more literal term if a group of U.S. soccer moms have their way. A lawsuit filed against Fifa by the group argues the governing body hasn't done enough to protect players from the medical risks of heading the ball. The group behind the lawsuit are parents of young players, who claim their children are at risk of long term injury due to repeated heading of the ball and concussion. The lawsuit wants Fifa to enact new laws which include temporary subs when a player suffers a head injury . The lawsuit argues for changes in the Laws of the Game - the sport's governing rules - that include limiting the number of headers for players under 17 and including temporary substitutions when a player suffers a head injury. Cited in the lawsuit as an example is the injury suffered by German midfielder Christoph Kramer, who continued playing for 14 minutes in the World Cup final after suffering a nasty collision. He later admitted he could not remember the entire first half of the game. The lawsuit accuses Fifa of being 'careless and negligent' in its duty to provide players with proper protection from concussion. It states: 'There is an epidemic of concussion injuries in soccer at all levels around the world, including in the United States, from youth to professionals, from elite players to children playing for the first time, women and men, girls and boys. The lawsuit cites the example of Christoph Kramer in the World Cup final. The Germany midfielder played on for 14 minutes after a collision before he collapsed and was substituted . 'Fifa presides over this epidemic, and is one of its primary causes.' Earlier this month Dr Michael Grey, a motor neuro-science expert at the University of Birmingham, called for children to be completed banned from heading the ball. The expert said the impact of the brain against the skull causes damage and children’s neck muscles are not developed enough to handle the shock of impact. Former Irish international Kevin Kilbane told the Daily Telegraph: 'Football is a contact sport and you are putting your body on the line, so of course there are risks. 'I'm not sure exactly how they would count the number of headers anyway.' | Lawsuit filed against Fifa states it has been negligent in protecting players . Group of US soccer moms want heading the ball by under-17 players limited . Also want temporary substitutions when a players suffers a head injury . | 12a3593243f313f4faf830a4d2164b4eb9f72189 |
Five policemen were killed and 12 more wounded when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest at the the entrance to a concert hall in Chechnya yesterday. The suicide bomber was wearing a police uniform and presented police credentials as he tried to go through metal detectors set up outside the concert hall in Grozny, the capital. When police moved to stop him, he detonated the explosives. No civilians were reported wounded. Scroll down for video . Dead bodies of police officers who prevented a terrorist attack lie on the floor in Grozny, Chechnya, yesterday . The five policemen were killed when they went to check on an individual who was acting suspiciously . Despite two separatist wars in the 1990s and a festering Islamic insurgency, Chechnya has seen a period of relative calm under the rule of Moscow-backed Ramzan Kadyrov, and suicide bombings have been fewer in recent years. The concert hall where the attack was launched was due to host festivities planned to celebrate Grozny's city day holiday, which is also Mr Kadyrov's birthday. 'Police officers who were manning metal detectors at the entrance of the concert hall noticed a suspicious young man,' a local police officer told RIA news agency. 'When the police officers decided to check the individual, the man blew himself up.' The attacker was identified as Opti Mudarov, a 19-year-old resident of Grozny, BBC News reports. He reportedly disappeared two months ago, breaking contact with his family. The concert hall attacked was due to host festivities celebrating Grozny's city day holiday . Police cover the bodies of their colleagues. Right, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov . Following the Chechen separatist wars in 1994-96 and 1999-2000, an insurgency spread across the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus, fuelled by anger over corruption and alleged rights abuses. Yesterday's attack was the first major act of violence since the death of insurgent leader Doku Umarov who was killed in a clampdown during Russia's hosting of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, on the western edge of the Caucasus Mountains. Mr Kadyrov, who has been threatened personally by the insurgents, who call themselves the Caucasus Emirate, has vowed to wipe out the militants. But he has faced criticism from human rights groups for torture and disappearances of those suspected of being linked to the insurgency. He calls the accusations an attempt to blacken his name. The last suicide bombings in Russia took place late last year in Volgograd, a city north of the volatile Caucasus region. The last suicide bombing in Grozny was in 2012 and killed at least four soldiers. In Kabardino-Balkaria, nearly 125 miles west of Chechnya, security officials also killed two militants on Sunday, Russian state TV said. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Attacker intended to disrupt festivities planned for Grozny's city day . He's ID'd as 19-year-old Grozny man who went missing two months ago . Bombing is first major attack since killing of Islamist insurgent leader . | 29a2ed029e236832819c7e23bccbfcf01e43aaf0 |
A futuristic trimaran yacht designed by London-based architect Dr Margot Krasojevic will operate 100 per cent self-sufficiently with power generated by solar panels on the wingsail and cost an estimated £9-£10million. The Fresnel Hydrofoil Trimaran, set for construction starting April this year, has been designed for Holden Manz wine estate in Franschoek, South Africa. Dr Krasojevic, who splits her time between London, Beijing and Belgrade, says the clients are racing fans, but will also use the yacht for cruising. The boat’s most striking feature is a carbon fibre sail frame that curves around to form part of the hull, with a retractable Kevlar sail. The wing sail features solar panels that collect the sun's rays, helped by fresnel lens and holographic film on the outrigger that project further rays on the panels. The Fresnel Hydrofoil Trimaran is a solar-powered, perpetual motion yacht designed by Dr Margot Krasojevic . The sail's frame is a mechanical structure similar to an airplane wing made of carbon fibre with a retractable Kevlar sail . The yacht has a folding wingsail that allows a more efficient lift to drag ratio . 'The fresnel lens and holographic film clad outrigger has never been used before as a means of running off concentrated solar power along with the form of the main hull, which acts as one unit,' Dr Krasojevic tells MailOnline. 'The wingsail (the main rigid sail) wraps into the main body of the hull so it is a continuous surface which, as a result of the motorised mast, can change the shape of the sail allowing it to catch more wind. This also hasn’t been done before.' When there is sun and no wind, the solar cells can be turned upwards to catch rays while when there’s wind it harnesses the best of both forms of energy. The double section vacuum bonded PVC-constructed outrigger hulls are detachable from the main hull . 'The trimaran harnesses wind, solar and kinetic energy to run the motors as and when necessary,' says Dr Krasojevic . When in monohull mode, a set of fold-out hydrofoils can be deployed to lift the main hull out of the water, reducing water resistance by up to 80 per cent and creating a faster and smoother ride. ‘The yacht attempts to run self sufficiently,’ Dr Krasojevic says. ‘The smart materials and vacuum formed PVcU cladding is currently being tested for solar efficiency with the aim of starting build in April 2015. ‘The boat transforms from racing multihull Trimaran to a cruise boat for leisure it harnesses renewable energy to run its motors. When in monohull mode a set of fold-out hydrofoils can be deployed to lift the main hull out of the water . The outrigger hulls are lined with Fresnel lenses and holographic film that focus the light back onto the sandwiched solar cells . The wingsail with rotatable solar cells and Kevlar-carbon fibre composite can be configured to best harness nature's energy . ‘The next stage of the design attempt to use kinetic movement to contribute to running the yacht as well as recycling the carbon fibre materials to reduce the environmental damage caused during curing.’ Unique, green energy-harnessing innovations are Dr Krasojevic’s specialty with other projects including a floating wine bar in Paris that harnesses natural light and boasts etched glass to resemble a bottle of bubbles. She’s also designed a ‘jetway hotel’ that can be wheeled up to the door of a private jet so the owner need not leave the airfield for short stays and a vertical prison in the middle of the ocean that produces hydroelectricity with its own waterfall. | The Fresnel Hydrofoil Trimaran has been designed by architect Dr Margot Krasojevic . The self-sufficient craft for racing and cruising commissioned by Holden Manz wine estate . Solar panels on the wingsail will help power technology on the craft . | 961aad0c2efda9dcdfde1cd9d563f9b6f845b647 |
(CNN) -- Residents along the Gulf Coast continue to get pounded by heavy winds and unrelenting rain from Tropical Depression Isaac, an eerie reminder of Hurricane Katrina, which pummeled the Gulf Coast seven years ago. Hurricane safety when the lights go out . Relief organizations are on the ground, providing food and shelter for those displaced from their homes. "We're still very much in the middle of a major storm," said Daphne Hart, a Red Cross spokeswoman. "The flooding is a huge concern." The Red Cross has deployed 2,400 disaster workers from Florida to Texas. On Wednesday night, more than 4,700 people spent the night in one of 80 shelters open across seven states. "We have nearly 200 emergency response vehicles that have been prepositioned in safe areas along the Gulf Coast," Hart said. "And as soon as it's safe to do so, those vehicles as well as disaster assessment teams will be canvassing the area, trying to determine what the needs are. "It could be anything from serving people hot meals as they're in their home trying to clean up, distributing clean-up kits with items such as rakes, shovels, gloves and trash bags, and just trying to get people back on their feet." To assist the Red Cross in its efforts, you can donate by visiting the website, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10 donation. If you or a loved one are in one of the affected areas, you can also let people know you are safe by registering on the Red Cross' Safe and Well page. The Salvation Army is building up emergency response teams and supplies in affected areas along the Gulf Coast. It has 24 mobile feeding units and a 54-foot field kitchen that can provide up to 31,000 meals. The organization has already provided 3,000 meals, 20,000 drinks and counseling to those in need. Keep a hurricane preparation checklist . Along with providing food and water for storm victims, the Salvation Army will be on hand to assist in long-term recovery. "Once the storm passes, folks are going to need to get back into their homes. They're going to need to start the long journey of repairing and replacing the damage that's been done by the storm," said Maj. Terry Ray, Mississippi Gulf Coast area commander. "The Salvation Army comes in with cleaning kits and supplies. "During that time, the Salvation Army mobile kitchens will continue to roll out. We'll do it as long as people need us. We will continue to feed and roll out cleaning supplies and materials so people can get back to where they were before the disaster hit." If you would like to help those affected by this disaster, you can visit the website, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or text the word "STORM" to 80888 to make a $10 donation that will show up on your next phone bill. Operation Blessing International is assessing the damage in Plaquemines Parish and will be serving hot meals to people in St. Bernard Parish. Their mobile command center includes a mobile kitchen, two construction trailers full of equipment, and tools and clean-up supplies for more than 100 volunteers. The organization will be asking for volunteers once the storm passes to aid in relief efforts including debris removal and roof repair. If you would like to volunteer, visit the website or call 757-374-0944 for more information. AmeriCares has delivered family emergency kits and cleaning supplies to Mississippi families affected by the storm. The relief supplies include household cleaning kits, mops and family emergency kits, which contain tote bags stocked with soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and other personal care items. The kits are being distributed by the Salvation Army in Gulfport. To help AmeriCares with its disaster response, visit the website to make a donation or sign up to be a volunteer. Direct Relief International has distributed ready-to-use hurricane preparedness packs to 20 clinics in the path of the storm. The packs contain enough medicine and medical supplies to treat up to 100 people for three to five days. Its Emergency Response Team is closely monitoring the storm, and more than 85 health clinics in five states have been contacted about their medical supply needs. Visit the website to assist in relief efforts. Links, tips and resources for hurricane preparation . Operation USA is providing emergency aid to the New Orleans area and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The organization is assessing shelter, food, clothing and other needs. To help, visit the website, call 1-800-678-7255 or text "AID" to 50555 to donate $10 to disaster relief efforts. | Tropical Depression Isaac has dumped up to 20 inches of rain in some areas . Close to a million people are without power in four states . Relief organizations are on the ground, and there are ways you can help . | 05c06c13f8b2053e4b0e909c61f5797aed3ea73c |
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