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BILOXI, Mississippi (CNN) -- It's been almost three years since Hurricane Katrina cut a merciless path of destruction across the U.S. Gulf Coast, killing more than 1,800 people and displacing tens of thousands more. Cameron Sinclair on site in Biloxi, Mississippi -- one of many rebuilding projects that Architecture for Humanity is overseeing. The coastal resort of Biloxi was among the hardest hit; hurricane-force winds leveled homes, stripped branches from trees and created a trail of devastation that rendered the popular Casino town virtually uninhabitable. Three years on, homes are still being rebuilt to house people who were forced to seek shelter wherever they could. For some, that's meant spending years living in cramped conditions in caravans until they could afford to rebuild. Cameron Sinclair, Co-founder of Architecture for Humanity, is leading a project to rehouse residents of Biloxi affected by the storm. On July 9, he'll be taking part in a Principal Voices debate on Design for Good: How can clever design conserve precious resources and lead to a greener way of life? CNN caught up with Cameron Sinclair in Biloxi and started by asking him what the difference is between design and design for good? Cameron Sinclair: Design is about creating spaces for people to enjoy and of course, creating moments where you elevate the spirit, but design for good is figuring out a program that not only creates better spaces, but creates jobs, creates new industry and really kind of raises the conversation about how we rebuild. CNN: How many countries are you working in and what are you doing? CS: We are currently in about 26 countries and we have around about 4000 volunteer architects and designers globally. We are working on a whole range of projects whether it be bringing health services into remote Nepal or working on a chocolate factory in the Amazon which is actually a conservation project, or doing low income housing in Cape town, South Africa, so we're pretty global in our reach. CNN: You have worked all over the world, Iran, Africa, and Asia. When you think of people's living conditions, are you surprised that Americans don't realize how tough people have it in their own country? Have you seen things in the U.S., for example, that are worse than in so-called developing countries? CS: Yeah, I mean people find it kind of shocking when I talk about this. You know, there are places in rural America, especially in places like the reservations, we've done a lot of work with Hopi and Navajo and we're about to start work with the Iroquois where I look at the housing stock and it is far worse then I've seen in somewhere like South Africa or you know, in Ghana. You know, Americans are unbelievably open, welcoming and helpful, they donate to everybody. But quite often we don't look at the reality of our own lives. The fact that we have a crumbling school system, that our healthcare in this country is just diabolical, the support for nurses and teachers is just out of control and I look at all these facilities that are happening in the U.S. and I begin to question. This is supposed to be the most powerful place in the world but we can't build a decent school for our kids so you know there is a reality check that needs to happen. CNN: When you look at the big picture of the problems the world is facing, what solutions can you see that cities and their designs can offer when it comes to global issues such as global warming? CS: What worries me the most is you have all these global issues that are out there, whether its lack of education or lack of healthcare or climate change, and people think they are separate compartmentalized issues, but they're all interweaved so that when we're working on structures, we're thinking about how can we make the building energy efficient. How can we make the design open, allowing access to everybody so that you're hitting on all these things. We're working in neighborhoods where sustainability is a matter of life or death for people so climate change is an issue for us, but we may not be putting solar panels on the side of the building we just may be looking at creating a way of getting clean water into the village and that mechanism is important. CNN: How vital is sustainability? CS: It's very vital. I mean, we've never pushed ourselves as a green organization. We've never done that kind of branding, you know, of great green buildings but all our architects and all our designers in the field realize that they have to have an element of sustainability because communities can't maintain things they can't afford and if its not sustainable both materialistic and also financially then the building will be underutilized so it's a waste of everybody's time. If you build something that is out of the reach of the community, then they can't own it. There's no empowerment in taking over that structure. CNN: How do you see your role in all of this? CS: The main thing is, I'm not the architect on this. We have architecture firms in a 100 countries right now, who are working on projects and as a way, we're working as a bridge, so architecture humanity bridges that kind of leg between the community, the design and the funding, so we have to bring in all the funding. We have to make sure that we have the legal and financial constraints in place and understood that the designers are committed to the process so in a way we're acting as that mediator between all those different stake holders. CNN: I'm curious how on a personal level it has impacted your life, I mean you came out of college or university and basically went straight into this. It is your life in a way. CS: Yeah, no. I mean, this really has become my life and a lot of other people that work with me, it's their life but we haven't become financially rich but we've become rich in many other ways. Just in the last month some of the communities that we have sat down and had dinner with and talked about their lives and the things their hopeful about is incredibly inspiring. It's what keeps us going. CNN: So it's not a job, is it? CS: No, I don't think anyone could live if they just had a job. A career is a job you love, right? That's what a career should be. If you're in a job that you hate, you should quit. That's the way I look at it. I'm in a job that I love so I'm going to make it my career. Do you have a question for our panelists? If so, click on the "Sound Off" box below or fill out the form on www.cnn.com/pv. | Cameron Sinclair is taking part in Principles Voices debate on July 9 . Sinclair helping rebuild Biloxi three years after it was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina . Architecture for Humanity operates in 26 countries and has about 4000 volunteers . | ed8eca7b3775f418734341a1ca423e40cdd0c16c |
Britain was last night reported to be in talks with Germany over a secret deal to help their car industry in return for support for our banks. Representatives of David Cameron and Chancellor Angela Merkel have been discussing a German plan to delay the introduction of caps on carbon dioxide emissions that could harm BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. In return, the UK wants help to protect the banking sector, which is lobbying to reduce the impact of Brussels regulations. Friendly: Representatives of both Cameron and Chancellor Merkel have been discussing a plan to delay caps on carbon dioxide emissions which could harm car makers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz . Barclays Bank Headquarters, London, The UK stands to gain better protection for its banking sector . Officials have suggested measures including the disclosure of the tax that banks pay in every country, and changes to regulations proposed by the European Commission for the hedge fund industry. And Britain also wants German help to protect taxpayers from having to contribute to a fund to help ailing eurozone banks. Last night Lib Dem sources told The Times that the proposed deal also included a request for help with Britain’s attempt to overturn an EU cap on bank bonuses, which would limit them to 200 per cent of salary. A government source confirmed that it involved trading support for the banking sector in return for helping German car companies. However, the source denied that there was a specific link to bank bonuses as this issue was no longer in EU politicians’ hands. George Osborne wants to strike down plans for the cap on bonuses, which takes effect in the new year. Last month, Britain launched a challenge to the cap in the European Court of Justice, but a ruling could take two years. One Lib Dem MEP involved in the negotiations over the carbon dioxide cap suggested that, by seeking to support Germany, Britain could end up penalising its own car industry. Chris Davies, a member of the European Parliament’s negotiating team on the issue, said: ‘Giving priority to the interests of German luxury carmakers may help David Cameron benefit the bankers who can afford to buy them, but it doesn’t help British drivers or carmakers here.’ | Germany wants to delay the introduction of caps on carbon dioxide emissions that could harm BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi . UK wants help to protect the banking sector, which is lobbying to reduce the impact of Brussels regulations . | 1781feab7bc22dedd65a4d578cec877975f9e299 |
(CNN) -- I was out roaming the streets of east London with a group of friends back in 2007 when we stumbled across this sweaty hipster club tucked between an old church and a bank. It wasn't a very large space, holding maybe a couple of hundred people, but what it lacked in size was more than made up in the energy coming from the predominantly white, eclectic crowd on the dance floor. The music was a continuous flow of everything from '80s house music to current hip hop and I had just enough beers in me to join the raucous crowd in singing the words of each song at the top of my lungs. From Inner City's "Big Fun" to House of Pain's "Jump Around," it seemed with each track, the crowd grew louder and louder. Then Kanye West's "Gold Digger" came on. For those of you who don't remember the chorus, allow me to refresh your memory: . "Now I ain't sayin' she's a gold digger . But she ain't messin' with no broke niggas" I've never sobered up so quickly before in my life. There I was, one of maybe a handful of black people in a crowded, dark room with hundreds of drunk white people yelling the N-word. Now obviously I never felt I was in any real danger. And even as the crowd repeated the word over and over and over again, not once did I think anyone around me meant anything malicious by it. Still, I became angry ... I just wasn't sure at whom. I thought, "What is it with white people and that word?" But then I also had to ask myself, "What is it with black people and that word?" After all, at least on that night, Kanye was the one who brought it up. Last week Dr. Laura Schlessinger used the word repeatedly on her radio show in a discussion with a caller. The knee jerk reaction to her rant is to demand she be fired. That was also the response to Don Imus' on-air racial slur back in 2007, and Rush Limbaugh's racially charged comment in 2003, and of course who can forget Jimmy The Greek for sort of getting the ball rolling in 1988. I believe Schlessinger and the others deserve the repercussions their actions have drawn, but I am frustrated that as a nation we continue to interpret the censure of such people as progress while ignoring some of the uncomfortable truths nestled inside their racist diatribes. It is in dissecting these uncomfortable truths that we get to the actual social progress, not with the cosmetic firings that make us all feel better for a moment. For example, I know there is a contingent of black people who claim our usage of the N-word is done so affectionately that's why it's OK for us to use it and not whites. I don't believe it's OK for anyone to use the word because of its undeniable link to one of the country's most brutal and disgusting periods. It was a word used to intimidate and belittle. Any attempt to alter its meaning through some warped sense of exclusivity is not only misguided, but disrespectful to the blood of both blacks and whites that was spilled in the name of racial equality. Yes, between friends it could hold a different connotation. But I would argue there is very little affection in Kanye using the word in a song, and that our continual injection of the word into pop culture is not only hypocritical but unintentionally gives white hipsters in London, Sydney, New York or any other city where a song like "Gold Digger" can be heard, permission to say it. The substantive question, the one that could lead to a better understanding, isn't who is saying the N-word, but why. Now, if a white person said something like that, they could be labeled a racist. Me? Someone out there is calling me an Uncle Tom right now. And it's this sophomoric labeling that keeps us locked in a hamster wheel. It's hard for me to believe that Schlessinger's remarks were rooted in a genuine yearning to promote honest dialogue about race --more like a belligerent attempt to shock, likely out of her own frustrations. How could a white person who has been in media as long as she has be ignorant of the ramifications of uttering the N-word on air? But she was right about one thing: Culturally neither blacks nor whites have the courage to talk honestly across color lines. We still act as if "colorblindness" can be achieved without addressing the nuances of race in a country with a complicated history such as ours. So, politically we coin euphemisms like "inner city" and "real Americans" as if no one knows what's really being said. We draw lines in the sand on topics such as the N-word and we're quick to assign harsh names to anyone who tries to cross that line, because bullying is much easier than listening. I know, I know, we have a black president, that's got to mean something, right? Yes, it does. But also keep in mind the nation has also seen a dramatic increase in hate group membership and we have a new political movement with racist organizers woven into the early stages of its fabric since the election of that black president. This language isn't helping. There is still a lot of work to be done and quite frankly the rebuke of Schlessinger does very little in addressing that work. Just as dismissing Imus, Limbaugh et al has done little. Public gaffes like these need to move beyond reactionary name-calling and firings and toward the kind of conversations that can only happen when we remove the muzzle of fear. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson. | LZ Granderson says he was at a club of mainly white people singing along to hip hop music . He was shocked when they all began shouting the n-word along with Kanye West song . "What is it with white people and that word?" he asks, but then notes that Kanye brought it up . Writer: Word too freighted and hurtful to be tossed around by Dr. Laura or anyone else . | 85f96992a66be5b96074fc1da61bcbe8904d1cbe |
(CNN) -- As scenic drives go, the Monaco Grand Prix is not a bad one. Squeezed into a two-mile circuit looping around the streets of Monte Carlo are views of the world-famous casino, five-star hotels, A-list celebrities and a splash of the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The principality on the French Riviera covers less than a square mile -- just half the size of New York's Central Park -- but its legendary grand prix weekend packs a sensual punch despite its diminutive size. "It's special," two-time Monaco Grand Prix winner Mark Webber tells CNN. "You've got the ocean, the background of the cliffs ... If they can't build a nice bit of road in Monaco, where can they do it?" It's an unparalleled experience that stimulates all five senses for all involved. Sight . From the open cockpit of an F1 car, hitting top speeds of 176 mph, the 22 drivers who line up for Sunday's race have a unique perspective on Monaco. "Starting the lap you see the apartments, the five and six-storey buildings around the outside of the track," explains Webber, who finished his F1 career with world champions Red Bull Racing last season. "You drive very close to the Casino, the top of the Hotel de Paris then, when you come along the harbor, you know there's water on the left and boats. "The drivers do see things from a very different perspective -- if you went around the track sitting on a little skateboard then that is the same height we're at in the F1 cars. You know all these sights are there but you don't see much of them." The squeezed crowd on the sidelines gets closer to the racing action than at any other F1 circuit in the world, and the Monaco GP is almost as famous for people-spotting as it is for the racing spectacle. The four-day weekend attracts a 200,000-strong crowd as racing fans, royals and the rich and famous mingle in Monte Carlo, peering from their pews on hotel balconies and yachts, grandstands and roadsides. Smell . Stirling Moss, a three-time race winner in Monaco between 1956 and 1961, remembered cheekily waving at female fans as he drove around the principality. "When I won there in 2012 I could literally see the crowd standing up out of their seats in the last few laps," recalls Webber. "Another classic thing about Monaco for me was recognizing some of the photographers as they're standing inside the barriers taking photos. "There's been quite a few scenarios when you actually spot someone you know! On other tracks you don't see that." Hearing . Racing around Monte Carlo's elegant, legendary circuit is not just a visual sensation -- the magic of Monaco piques each of the five senses. "You might get a bit of the salt water," says Webber, pondering whether there was a particular scent in the Monaco air. "I actually always thought it was cooler through the harbor section of the lap because you got a bit of a sea breeze -- but maybe that was a driver clutching at straws on a hot race day! "The echo in the tunnel is also very unique. The tunnel is quite low so the cars used to be very loud through there." Touch . When it comes to the business of the race weekend -- points and podiums -- it is a racing driver's instinct for feeling that is the sense that counts the most. An F1 car may have high-tech sensors on every corner funneling information back to the engineering boffins on the pit wall, but no machine can understand what it feels like to grapple with the exacting streets of Monaco from the seat of the world's fastest racing cars. "When you're driving you feel it in your butt, hips and back," reveals the 37-year-old Webber, who put his body through 217 grands prix before moving to endurance racing in Porsche sports cars in 2014. "You also pick up sensations through your hands on the steering wheel. "You're constantly putting information in the library in terms of sensation, grip level and how close you can go to the barriers. "When you get out of the car after a couple of fast qualifying laps in Monaco, your heart rate is probably as high as anywhere it's ever going to be and you're sweating a bit more. "You know what's at stake, any small error and you're going to pay a big, big price." Over the last six decades of the F1 world championship, there have been layout changes to Monaco's street circuit but the precipitous, narrow racing roads remain largely unchanged. The odd drain cover and fence might have been replaced but, unlike the purpose-built racing circuits in Bahrain and Texas, there are no runoff areas or pace-slowing pools of gravel traps. If a driver loses concentration, he can find himself in the wall or following Albert Ascari's fabled 1955 dip into the Mediterranean. Even the fearless Ayrton Senna -- who won the Monaco GP a record six times -- admitted to reeling in his racing instincts around Monte Carlo. The Brazilian, who was killed in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, famously spoke of entering a trance-like state as he attacked the Monaco track. "I felt the circuit was no longer really a circuit ... I suddenly realized that I was over the level that I considered reasonable," Senna said after dominating qualifying at the 1988 Monaco GP, though he spun out late in the actual race while leading. "I think every racing driver can try to relate to what he was talking about," Webber says. "He did some laps round there which were two seconds clear of the field, which is unheard of. "But at Monaco, more so than anywhere, the most important thing is the next corner, so all of your energy and concentration to get the car on the limit through the next corner is incredible. "It's going to drive you to that narrower focus point that Ayrton touched on a lot around there, because that's what the track demands. "Physically Monaco is not that draining but mentally it is massive." Taste . Each year, the ability to master the senses in Monaco rewards one driver with the sweetest sensation of them all -- quaffing champagne from the top step of the podium. "I'm not big into the red carpet stuff," Webber says with a dose of his down-to-earth Australian understatement. "But Monaco is up there for us as drivers and as race teams. "You have the victory champagne on the race track, which is brilliant. We spray the champagne over the mechanics, whoever's in sight. Generally we try to spray the police but they're a bit serious so we give them a nudge. "Then we spray the car and the track. It's how it should be, in my opinion. A lot of traditional things have been lost but Monaco still has those in abundance. "To win in Monaco is certainly worth a few victories. There are a few guys who'd like to have that one -- and it's certainly a proud moment for me." The Monaco Grand Prix remains one of the most challenging races for any driver but, odd as it may seem, the F1 cockpit offers a form of escapism. With charity football matches and fashion shows to attend, not to mention catching a skiff from one side of the harbor to the other, the drivers are in danger of sensory overload. "The first thing that hits you at Monaco compared to other tracks is how claustrophobic it is," adds Webber, who chose not to join peers such as Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in making Monaco his home. "It is a bit of a zoo because it's such a small area and you have so many people there. "There are some quiet areas. On a Friday I always went for a ride on my bike and got away from Monaco altogether. "It's difficult to explain to people who haven't been there, but you've got to have tried pretty hard to get away from the chaos." It may be the slowest, shortest, smallest grand prix of the year, but when it comes to epicurean delights and distraction Monaco remains F1's crown jewel. Interactive: Experience the thrills of Monaco . | Monaco is the only F1 race in motorsport's prestigious "Triple Crown" Two-time winner Mark Webber says fans are so close drivers can see familiar faces . Australian says drivers feel the track in "butt, hips and back" at Monte Carlo . "It is a bit of a zoo," says Webber of showpiece race, which attracts rich and famous . | ab29086425efd9586caca0812ff6c6a2c7b0e4a8 |
Siobhan Koralewski, 30, was given 18 months over the ill-treatment of four patients at Roundstone Care Residential Home in Filey, North Yorkshire . A care home boss branded a female 'Darth Vader' for turning the lives of dementia sufferers into a 'nightmare' was today jailed for 18 months. Sentencing Siobhan Koralewski, 30, Judge Howard Crowson warned that patients mistreated in care homes were becoming Britain's 'voiceless victims'. Ms Koralewski was last month found guilty of five counts of neglect and ill-treatment of four patients in the Roundstone Care Home in Filey, North Yorkshire, where she worked as a senior carer. Ms Koralewski bit one 88-year-old man between the legs and pulled a 'wedgie' on another patient in the care home which promised specialist treatment for dementia sufferers. Judge Crowson said her behaviour towards the various patients had been 'disgraceful, demeaning and persistent'. He hoped conditions of her release would prevent her working in the care industry ever again. Judge Crowson added he was concerned there are still no guidelines for dealing with those who betray the trust of relatives and abuse vulnerable people in care. He said to determine his sentence he had to rely on previous cases where care workers had been jailed for abuse - which involved 'short lived' ill-treatment of patients. Judge Crowson told Ms Koralewski: 'It seems to me your behaviour exceeded any of these cases.' He added: 'These victims are essentially voiceless.' The mistreatment came to light after Ms Koralewski's brother, Jeremy, had raised the alarm over the mistreatment at Roundstone Care Home where he worked as a cook. Judge Crowson told Durham Crown Court: 'He bravely informed against his mother and sister and destroyed his parents' dream of running a care home to do the right thing.' Ms Koralewski's mother, Margaret, 67, was also accused of the ill-treatment of the four patients but was cleared of all five charges. During her original trial at Teesside Crown Court, a jury heard how dementia sufferers were mocked, humiliated, and physically abused by Siobhan Koralewski in 2012. In one case, the court heard she decided to 'take revenge' on Kenneth Pinkney, 88,for striking her 67-year-old mother, Margaret, and breaking her shoulder. She ripped her top off and danced around him in a vest 'waving her breasts in his face' before hauling him out his chair and biting him between the legs, the jury heard. Later, Ms Koralewski forced Mr Pinkney in the passenger seat of her car and drove him to Cross Lane Psychiatric Hospital in Scarborough. She had fastened his seatbelt tight and had the window fully open so he got cold. Ms Koralewski then kneed him in the back of the legs to force him to walk in front of horrified nurses. She often forced another dementia sufferer, Elizabeth Hall, 59, to down a cocktail of the dregs of her daily tea. Siobhan Koralewski (pictured to the right), accompanied by her mother Margaret, 67, at Durham Crown Court today. Margaret was also accused of mistreating the four patients but was later cleared of all the charges . Siobhan Koralewski, 30, was found guilty of subjecting dementia patients to physical abuse at care home . When Ms Hall screamed in protest, Ms Koralewski put a hand over her mouth and told her to 'shut up' before pulling a 'wedgie' on her to force her to move. Ms Koralewski then pushed Ms Hall along the floor hard with her foot to the patient's bedroom door. On another occasion, she stuffed toilet paper she found in her trousers in Ms Hall's mouth to make her shut up. In another act of ill-treament, Ms Koralewski walked a trembling stroke victim Harold Waller, 91, by using her knee to move him while she held him up. Ms Koralewski was also seen dragging Joan Normington, 92, out of her chair and 'frogmarching' the patient to her room. Jeremy Koralewski, right, with his partner Jennifer Price, has revealed he has lost everything since reporting his sister for her cruelty to patients at the family-run care home where he worked as a chef . Margaret Koralewski had acquired Roundstone Care Home with her husband Raymond in 2004. Their daughter Siobhan worked there as a senior carer and deputy manager. In a statement read out in court by Amanda Marshall, whose father Kenneth Pinkney was ill-treated by Ms Koralewski, she said she only learned about his mistreatment after his funeral. Ms Marshall told Durham Crown Court: 'The nature of the abuse will stay with me all my life - especially since he was moved into that home to keep him safe and out of danger because they were dementia champions.' Margaret Koralewski, 67, was cleared of all four charges against her but has cut contact with son . Another victim statement by Miss Hall's sister, Bessie Grainger, said the decision to place her into care had been 'agonising'. After learning how her mother was mistreated in Roundstone Care Home, which has since closed, she said she was still tormented by guilt. Ms Hall is now resident in another home. Ms Grainger said: 'We have struggled to come to terms with what Elizabeth has suffered. The trauma in unimaginable.' She added: 'I desperately want this to be a nightmare which never happened.' Siobhan and Margaret had both denied a total of nine charges involving ill-treating the four residents. Siobhan was found guilty on five counts at Teesside Crown Court last month. Margaret was cleared of all four charges against her and appeared in court on crutches yesterday following a fall to see her daughter sentenced at Durham Crown Court. There was applause from the victims' families who packed the public gallery as Ms Koralewski was led away. Mrs Grainger shouted 'thank you your lordship'. Ms Hall's niece, Jan Thompson, 50, said outside the court: 'She is an animal.' Another niece, Julie Harrison, 57, added: 'Elizabeth was brought up by a loving family and this woman has ruined it all. 'We have been to hell and back.' Det Sgt Mike Moorhouse, who was involved in the police investigation, said: 'She was a Darth Vader-type character within the home to residents and staff who were not in favour with her. 'She was quite a menacing character. This menacing conduct spilled over into assaults and degrading behaviour towards the residents. He praised the whistle-blowers - Jeremy and his partner Jennifer Price, who was a care worker. Det Sgt Moorhouse added: 'It's important to acknowledge their bravery and courage. It was at great cost to themselves personally that they ensured the safety and welfare of the residents.' Paul Newcome, defending Ms Koralewski, told the court: 'My client worked as a carer for seven years before there was any difficulty. 'During that time we would submit she was completely devoted to the residents and committed many acts of kindness to those residents apart from their daily care.' In November 2012, police went to the Roundstone Care Home and arrested both Siobhan and Margaret. Both denied a total of nine charges over the ill-treatment of patients. Margaret was cleared of all the charges. During the seven-day trial in Teesside Crown Court, Siobhan showed no emotion - and continued to chew gum in the dock both before and after the jury found her guilty on five counts. Det Sgt Mike Moorhouse said after the verdicts: 'The evidence suggests she was a Darth Vader-type character within the home to residents and staff who were not in favour with her. 'She was quite a menacing character. This menacing conduct spilled over into assaults and degrading behaviour towards the residents.' He praised the whistle-blowers - Siobhan's brother Jeremy, who worked as a cook at the home, and his partner Jennifer Price, who was a care worker. Both lost their jobs and ended up at loggerheads with the Koralewski family after raising the alarm. Det Sgt Moorhouse added: 'It's important to acknowledge their bravery and courage. It was at great cost to themselves personally that they ensured the safety and welfare of the residents.' | Siobhan Koralewski, 30, given 18 months for mistreatment of four patients . Terrorised her victims at the Roundstone Care Home in North Yorkshire . Court heard how she 'waved her breasts' in a dementia sufferer's face . Also bit the 88-year-old man between legs and hauled him out of his chair . Judge Howard Crowson told court they were Britain's 'voiceless victims' Said the treatment of patients was 'disgraceful, demeaning and persistent' Niece of one woman terrorised said 'we have been to hell and back' | 23226b100b47a920e44a150af3be98d6e1eb868a |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:02 EST, 23 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:04 EST, 23 February 2014 . A former fast food waiter is suing Hardee’s restaurant chain, claiming his supervisor pressured him into a sexual relationship and fired him when he ended it. Gerald Anderson alleged manager Danielle Dahlenburg hired him in August . 2012 and subjected him to 'unwanted sexual advances, requests for . sexual favors and sexual touching', according to . court documents filed on February 5. The South Dakota man claims he had sex with Dahlenburg for at least two months because she led him to believe it was a job requirement. Lawsuit: Former fast food waiter Gerald Anderson is suing the Hardee's restaurant chain, claiming his supervisor forced him into a sexual relationship and fired him when he ended . Legal position: Anderson's attorney, Sarah Baron Houy (pictured), claims Dahlenburg acted illegally when she allegedly preyed on Anderson . 'When she hired him, Dahlenburg told . plaintiff that if he 'applied' himself and worked with her 'on and off . the clock' he could advance to a management position,' the suit alleges. 'Dahlenburg led plaintiff to believe that his submission to her sexual . advances was a condition of his employment and that he would be fired, . or otherwise retaliated against, if he did not acquiesce.' Anderson's . suit claims that he ended the relationship in October 2012 and was sacked about a week later. His attorney, Sarah Baron Houy, claims the manager's . behavior was illegal under federal and state employment law. 'The . primary allegation that we have here is that his employment was . conditioned upon his participation in a sexual relationship with his . supervisor and that constitutes unlawful employment discrimination,' she told Rapid City Journal. Anderson first took his claims against the Northland Restaurant Group, operating as Hardee's, to state and federal fair employment agencies, claiming the business violated anti-discrimination laws. The agencies said he had a right to sue. Anderson is seeking unspecified punitive . and compensatory damages for lost wages, benefits, attorney fees and . other costs due to 'humiliation and embarrassment'. It is not clear if Dahlenburg, who is not named as a defendant in the suit, still works at the chain. Houy said Hardee's has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit. | Gerald Anderson is suing the Hardee’s restaurant chain for discrimination . He claims his supervisor, Danielle Dahlenburg, convinced him that having sex with her was a condition of his job . He claims he was fired in October 2012 a week after he ended the relationship . Hardee's has not yet filed a response to the February 5 lawsuit . | 5e63df1edaff7702d0fad7ce95c41cf2ba735e2c |
By . Kate Lyons . When Kelly and Corey, a young couple from Dee Why in Sydney's northern beaches, missed out on a property at auction on Saturday, Kelly broke down. 'It was hugely disappointing,' said Matt Hunt, the real estate agent selling the property who has been trying to help the couple find a house for the last two years. Mr Hunt said the home was 'an entry-level home' in North Narrabeen, and sold for just $1,000 more than Kelly and Corey could afford. Scroll down for video . Kelly and Corey, a young Sydney couple, had been searching for a house to buy for two years when they narrowly missed out on this North Narrabeen property . 'They left the auction here in tears. She was upset, they started walking out and Corey was rubbing her back, she was rubbing her eyes,' Mr Hunt told Daily Mail Australia. Kelly and Corey, who have not been able to find a property in two years, represent a generation of first-home buyers struggling to make their way into an increasingly difficult Australian property market. 'We are seeing a lot of disappointment,' said Mr Hunt. A Senate Inquiry into Affordable Housing, taking place tomorrow in Canberra, is investigating the difficulties presented by the conditions of the current property market. In November 2013, the proportion of first-home buyers purchasing property dipped to the lowest historical level, with only 12.3 percent of all owner-occupied properties bought by first-time buyers. The drop was most pronounced in New South Wales, where the proportion of first-home buyers dropped from 19.2 percent in 2011 to 7.5 percent in 2013. Average loan sizes taken out by first home buyers has increased 3.2 percent in the last year, to $302,233, according to the most recent data from the Real Estate Institute Australia's Housing Affordability Report. Mat and Lexi Hill have been searching for a house since last September and are considering long-term renting because of the high house prices . Mr and Ms Hill attended an auction on Saturday in Sydney's west that was attended by 30 registered bidders and went for more than $300,000 above the advertised price . Lexi and Mat Hill, both 29, have been looking to purchase their first home in Sydney since last September and because of the steep prices, are now facing the prospect of renting long-term, until house prices drop. 'We're looking in suburbs that are or should be affordable,' Ms Hill told Daily Mail Australia. 'We're looking out west, we're not looking in the inner west or the eastern suburbs.' 'Be big and bold, get in early. There's no benefit to holding back at all, some people think it's best to bid on the second hammer and frustrate the other buyers, but the winning formula seems to be the people who get in early,' said Matt Hunt from First National Rod Jones. 'Things will get to the point where the bids go up by $500 and $1,000. People won't continue to keep going if they think they're up against a strong contender. 'Sort out a budget and leave a buffer zone. Buyers are going to have a number they think [the property] is worthy, they should always have a five percent buffer zone if they can afford it. 'Nothing in this market is going to go at a discounted rate. What you feel is market value is where you should come in [with your first bid]… Coming in at market value can throw off the other buyer.' Despite this, Ms Hill said houses are going for hundreds of thousands of dollars above their market value. Last Saturday, Mr and Ms Hill attended an auction for a house in Wentworthville in Sydney's west that was advertised in the mid- $700,000s, with the RP Data property report listing the maximum value for the property as $865,000. 'The opening bid at the auction was $900,000,' said Ms Hill. 'There were about 30 registered bidders there, but there were only four active bidders after that. Everyone was in shock. 'It sold for $1.031 million, it's crazy.' Ms Hill said experiences like this one were 'shattering', particularly because the couple, who married in April, are ready to settle down. 'But you can't get too attached and that's hard because you want to and you want to settle down and make it your little nest.' Given the state of the property market, she and her husband are considering long-term renting and other forms of investment. 'We may just have to rent somewhere else but we're not going to be bullied by the market into over-investing and not getting value for money,' she said. 'We're going to find something that's affordable.' | A Senate Inquiry into Housing Affordability begins in Canberra tomorrow . The proportion of first-home buyers purchasing properties dropped to a historic low last November of just 12.3 percent . Young couples talk of being 'shattered' by the difficulties of getting into the property market . | 08b688aa47dc1740334db2a5fa7cb413d3bd9aa1 |
Allegations: Dave Lee Travis leaving Southwark Crown Court after being accused of assaulting nearly a dozen women over three decades . Dave Lee Travis was accused yesterday of sexually assaulting a teenager in front of the cameras on Top of the Pops during 30 years of abuse. The former Radio 1 DJ was branded a sexual predator who used his celebrity status to target vulnerable young women. He preyed on his victims at radio studios, corporate events, a hotel, a Christmas pantomime and in his trailer at an open air concert and university gig, it was claimed. Other evidence that will be put before the jury includes that of a carnival princess groped in 1973 after being told ‘what Dave wanted was what Dave got’ at a hospital radio launch. The 68-year-old was an ‘opportunist’ who crept up on unsuspecting women and plunged his hand into their underwear or grabbed their breasts, the court heard. Many of the ‘disgusted’ women, often in junior roles or at the fledgling stage of sought-after careers in media, were too scared to speak out. But they came forward years later after watching him ‘profess his blameless character’ on TV within hours of two victims making claims against him in the Daily Mail. In one of the most extraordinary allegations, Travis was accused of assaulting a 19-year-old as he filmed an episode of Top of the Pops in 1978. A short clip of the star introducing a novelty song by the Smurfs was shown to the jury at Southwark Crown Court. Prosecutors claim the DJ put his hand up the skirt and touched the bottom of a pretty teenager during the introduction. The girl was ‘angry and upset’ but when she returned home to watch the show with her best friend the assault had been edited out. Leaving: The former DJ at the end of the first day of evidence in his indecent assault trial . Prosecutor Miranda Moore QC said women ‘from all parts of the UK’ had come forward to complain about his behaviour. ‘These . crimes are alleged to have taken place in a work environment,’ she told . the jury. ‘They all show a propensity towards young women who are . vulnerable and he is an opportunist and he takes the opportunity when it . presents itself.’ The case involves 11 women who claim Travis – real name David Patrick Griffin – indecently assaulted them between 1976 and 2008. Trial: DJ Dave Lee Travis arrives at Southwark Crown Court for the start of his trial on 12 charges of indecent assault and one of sexual assault . The . grey-haired and bespectacled DJ, wearing a hearing aid, snorted and . shook his head as the allegations were made against him. He told police . the charges against him are ‘degrading’ and accused the women of being . fantasists who can ‘smell money’. In . one interview he told officers he had many offers from women but was a . happily married man, adding: ‘If you live in a sweet shop you don’t eat . sweets.’ The jury heard the . youngest victim, a 15-year-old farmer’s daughter, was indecently . assaulted after Travis invited her to his trailer at a Showaddywaddy . concert in June 1978. The ‘naïve’ girl ran into Travis who told her ‘I . love big boobs’ before allegedly ‘flicking’ her nipples, pulling up her . top and kissing her chest. ‘She . had no means of escape and started to scream, cry and shout and her . thoughts were that he was going to rape her,’ Mrs Moore said. ‘She was . terrified.’ The woman told no one until 34 years later when Travis was caught in the middle of a media storm. Claims: Travis has been accused of assaulting young women while working as a DJ and acting in pantomime . More . than 12 years later the DJ was accused of assaulting an assistant as he . played the role of evil wizard Abanazar in Aladdin, in Crawley, West . Sussex. The jury heard he pinned the woman against the door of his . dressing room, forcing his hand down the front of her jogging bottoms. She . escaped by managing to slightly open the door as one of the Chuckle . Brothers comedy duo, who were also in the pantomime, passed by. The . first attack allegedly took place in 1976 or 1977 when Travis ground . his groin against an 18-year-old BBC archivist while playing a ‘smoochy’ song on air. Travis is also . accused of ‘jiggling’ the breasts of a 24-year-old BBC colleague as she . was introducing Woman’s Hour some time between 1981 and 1983. Plea: Travis denies all the charges against him, which date between 1976 and 2008 . The . victim did not report what happened as she felt ‘nothing would be done . about it’ as he was a ‘major DJ and she just wanted to keep her job’, . the jury was told. The next . alleged attack was at Nottingham Polytechnic when Travis attended a . student union event between January 1983 and March 1984. The victim, . then 19, claims he pinned her to the door of his campervan as he kissed . her, attempting to put his tongue in her mouth. In 1983 or 1984, Travis . is accused of assaulting a receptionist in his room at a hotel in Bude, . Cornwall, as he toured the country with Radio 1. He . allegedly molested a British Airways worker in the early 1990s, . pressing himself against her while dancing the lambada and putting his . hand up her skirt. Media: Potential jurors have been warned not to pay any attention to the public interest in the case . Travis is . accused of groping two women while working at Chiltern FM for three . years until 2003. One eventually snapped when he pushed his hand up her . skirt, screaming, ‘Don’t touch me – you are a pervert,’ the court heard. A . young woman from a national newspaper, sent to Travis’s Buckinghamshire . mansion in 2008 to interview him, accuses him of placing both hands on . her chest for a few seconds. Travis denies 13 counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault. The case continues. Hearing: Travis pictured leaving the court yesterday after a pre-trial hearing in his assault case . Heyday: Travis pictured in the 1970s when he was at the height of his fame as a DJ and presenter . The comedian, 71, was quizzed about the fresh claims at a police station in Warwickshire. He was first arrested in November 2012 and then in April 2013 over further allegations. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Former Radio 1 DJ faces 14 charges dating between 1976 and 2008 . One assault is alleged to have taken place while 'opportunistic' Travis was opening a hospital radio station . Jury hears Travis touched 15-year-old's breast at Showaddywaddy concert . When Travis, 68, was playing an 'evil wizard' in a pantomime he 'attacked a theatre worker but stopped when a Chuckle Brother walked past' DJ 'groped student he'd told to keep watch and called her "securi-titty"' | 257d639a11fada13f490cdecceef55c7e2702222 |
By . Beth Stebner . UPDATED: . 13:35 EST, 6 June 2012 . A tragic photo of the family that perished in a horrific Christmas Day fire shows a happy father with his three daughters smiling and laughing in front of the Statue of Liberty days before the girls and their grandparents were killed. Matthew Badger is seen holding the family dog - a tiny poodle named Pippi - surrounded by his three beautiful daughters, Lily, 10, and seven-year-old twins Sarah and Grace. All of them look cheerful and excited for upcoming holiday as they smiled for the camera, but four days later, the only person in the photograph who would be alive is Mr Badger. Last family photo: Matthew Badger with his daughters (left to right) Grace, Sarah and Lily, are pictured for the last time together in front of the Statue of Liberty, four days before the fire that claimed their lives . House of horror: Madonna Badger's home as it is demolished. Fire fighters were unable to save her three daughters and their grandparents from the flames . Homeowner Madonna Badger, 45, and her boyfriend Michael Borcina, 52, survived the blaze of her upscale Connecticut home. Ms Badger’s parents, Lomer Johnson, 71, and his wife Pauline, 69, perished, as did her three daughters. Mr and Ms Badger are divorcing, and Mr Badger was not in the home at the time of the fire. The victims died from smoke inhalation, except for Mr Johnson, who fell through the roof as he tried to rescue one of his granddaughters. A funeral service will be held in New York next week for three girls. Dominic Carella, vice president of the Frank Campbell Funeral Home, says a private wake will be held Wednesday at the funeral home in Manhattan. A funeral service open to the public will be held at 10.30am Thursday at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan for ten-year-old Lily Badger and seven-year-old twins Grace and Sarah Badger. A private service will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx for all five victims. Ms Carella says funeral plans for the grandparents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson, are still being worked on. Authorities say embers in a bag of discarded fireplace ashes started the blaze. Eerie: Neighbours look on as Madonna Badger's home is demolished. Fire fighters were unable to save her three daughters and their grandparents from the Christmas Day blaze . Their unwavering . voices show the solid determination among the 46 fire fighters . dispatched to the Stamford, Connecticut home to quell the flames . ravaging the Victorian mansion. Despite . arriving on the scene just six minutes after neighbours desperately . called 911, firemen were able to save just two of the home's seven . residents. The eerie fire service recordings track the escalating danger and fear as the house burned to the ground. ‘We got victims trapped on the second floor,’ one fireman says. ‘We're going to rescue mode with the ladder ... heavy fire in the back of the building. We got a report from one of the victims there's people in that window.' ‘All right, but we're gonna need some protection up here, we got to get this line here. We can't stay here,’ another tells a supervisor, who responds: ‘I hear ya, but we got to get in there though.’ Grief: Friends and neighbours pay their respects and leave bouquets and cards outside the destroyed house . Pain: Firefighter Nick Tamburro pays respects outside the destroyed home in Stamford, Connecticut. Many of the fire fighters dispatched to the scene are undergoing counseling to deal with the horrifying memories . But later, a fire official is heard calling off the search to protect the crew. ‘Unit four, be advised number one floor looking up the two floors are compromised right through.’The deputy chief adds: ‘All units inside, back out! back out!’ A number of the fire fights have undergone counselling after the horrific event. Some told NBC News they are unable to stop thinking about what they saw. Assistant Fire Chief Peter Brown, who has worked with the department for 25 years, told the New York Daily News: 'The one thing they can't get out of their minds is her screaming. That voice will stay with them for as long as they live.' Floral bouquets, stuffed animals, and . candles have been left outside the now torn-down home by . passers-by and others wishing to express their condolences. Victims: Lomer and Pauline Johnson and their grandchildren, from left, Lily, Grace, Sarah and Morgan - who was not in the house - perished in the 5 a.m. fire . Bereaved: Madonna Badger's estranged husband Matthew Badger, pictured, was the father of the three children who died in the fire. He was in New York at the time of the tragedy . Stamford fire officials said Tuesday that embers in a bag of discarded . fireplace ashes started the fire . The . house should not have even been occupied, fire and city officials have . said, as fire alarms did not appear to have been activated, and the . property did not have an inspection certificate. Mr . Borcina had tried to take the girls downstairs to safety but, in panic, . they fled from the flames upstairs, where they perished. Two of the girls were found on the . second floor; their other sister died just feet from escaping through a window. Mr Johnson had tried to save one of his granddaughters, but fell through the weakened roof and died. As Mrs Badger was taken away by fire fighters, witnesses heard her say: 'My whole life is in there.' Fashion executive Michelle Kessler-Sanders, one of Madonna Badger's closest friends, said the bereaved mother was comforted by her close circle of friends from the industry. Remembered: Stamford firefighters lay a wreath in a memorial area outside Madonna Badger's home . Gone: The house, which was built in the 1890s, has been entirely demolished . 'It's so awful,' Kessler-Sanders said. 'But here's what I know about Madonna Badger: she is the strongest . woman I've ever known in my life, throughout our 20-year friendship. 'There has been an enormous outpouring for Madonna. You can't possibly . say anything to comfort a person in this time. Loss: Lomer Johnson, pictured with his wife and granddaughters at a previous Christmas, worked as a Saks Fifth Avenue Santa on his final day alive . 'You just have to be there . and sit with her. Be there so she knows she's not alone. 'She is being cared for by the right people, close friends. She is not alone.' Mrs Badger's boyfriend, . Mr Borcina, also uttered words of hope before he left the hospital where he . was being treated for smoke inhalation. 'We’re going to be OK,' the contractor, 52, said. 'We’re just trying to stay positive.' Campbell Badger said his brother . Matthew Badger was devoted to his three daughters and added that the family is . appreciative of the outpouring of public sympathy. ‘Matthew is devastated,’ Mr Badger . told the Associated Press Wednesday. ‘He’s doing as best as can be . expected under the circumstances.’ Family members have also paid tribute to the Johnsons, who would have celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary on Monday. Mr Johnson had worked in his 'dream job' as a Saks Fifth Avenue Santa Claus the day before he died. 'That’s all he ever wanted to be,' a family member told the New York Times. 'He stopped shaving the day he retired.' 'It . is a terrible, terrible day for the city of Stamford,' Mayor Michael . Pavia told reporters at a news briefing at the scene of the fire. 'There probably has not been a worse Christmas day in the city of Stamford.' Funeral services for the five victims will be held in New York City next week. A service is planned at the Campbell Funeral Chapel on the Upper East Side, Manhattan. Tragic: Embers in a bag of discarded fireplace ashes put outside the house started the fire, officials said . Fire: A neighbour was woken up in the early hours by screaming and saw the house was engulfed in flames . See below for video of firefighter's recordings . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | Matthew Badger seen pictured with three daughters days before they died in Christmas Day fire . Private wake for three girls scheduled Wednesday; public funeral to be held Thursday in Manhattan church . Funerals for girls' grandparents still being arranged . | fd2deacaa33ef4d5ee001e2071b97eb1daad0b32 |
FIFA pledged Friday to reform its governance structure after the corruption scandals which rocked football's world governing body last year. Proposed changes to its ethics committee, which will be split into two entities, one to investigate allegations and another to rule on them, were hailed as "historic" by FIFA president Sepp Blatter after being approved by the executive committee. They will still need to be endorsed by FIFA's 2012 Congress in Budapest, Hungary in May. FIFA was responding to a report of the Independent Governance Committee (IGC), chaired by Swiss professor Mark Pieth and made public Friday. It was commissioned after Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam was banned from the game for life after being found guilty of corruption for trying to buy votes in the FIFA presidential election with $40,000 cash inducements to Caribbean football officials. The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively won by Russia and Qatar, also came under scrutiny after allegations of improper conduct. Pieth and the eight-strong ICG group branded as "unsatisfactory" FIFA's past handling of the corruption allegations. "Existing procedures are insufficient to meet the challenges of a major global sport governing body," the ICG found. It went on "This has led to unsatisfactory reactions to persistent allegations. "In some instances, allegations were insufficiently investigated and where sanctions were imposed, they are at times insufficient and clearly unconvincing." Blatter told a press conference in Zurich Friday that his organization recognized the need for change. "The executive committee unanimously agreed to this new approach in our efforts for more transparency and integrity," he said. "The new ethics committee will have the possibility to initiate investigation in the case of credible allegations." But Grant Wahl, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, who unsuccessfully tried to challenge Blatter in the FIFA presidential elections last year, told CNN that while the 76-year-old Swiss remained at the helm there would be doubts about the implementation of the proposed changes. "Sepp Blatter came to power 14 years ago through an election where he had the support of executive members who are now disgraced so he has very little credibility in preaching for reform," he said. Wahl was also disappointed that the ICG had stopped short of calling for further investigation into the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup host countries. "My big concern is that there is no recommendation to do a forensic investigation into 2018 and 2022 bidding process because it was clearly not satisfactory in many people's eyes," he said. Wahl also doubted FIFA would implement the ICG recommendation to limit the terms of FIFA president and executive committee members to two terms of four years. "Term limits are a really important change, it would keep some of these dinosaurs from sitting on the committee for years and years," he said. FIFA also agreed Friday to co-opt its entire executive committee onto the organizing body of the 2014 World Cup after concerns that preparations in Brazil have fallen behind schedule. 2010 World Cup chief South African Danny Jordaan has also been named as an adviser along with Alexei Sorokin, who is overseeing the 2018 tournament in Russia. A FIFA statement said: "To underline the significance of the FIFA World Cup for world football's governing body, the complete FIFA executive committee is now, for the first time, part of this decision-making forum which is responsible for monitoring and organizing each edition of FIFA's flagship event." | FIFA proposes changes to its ethics committee after 2011 corruption scandals . Independent report criticizes 'unsatisfactory' response to allegations of wrongdoing . FIFA president Sepp Blatter hails 'historic' reforms . FIFA critic Grant Wahl wanted probe into 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process . | 34c6354eafad9491271d02e89b4770d01ff2cdb9 |
A Sudanese woman sentenced to death for marrying a Christian was forced to give birth with her legs chained, it has been revealed today. Meriam Ibrahim was shackled as her baby daughter was born in jail in Sudan where she is awaiting execution for marrying a Christian U.S. citizen. Amid the joy of seeing his child for . the first time, her husband Daniel Wani has spoken of his anger at the treatment she received during labour. Proud: Father Daniel Wani, a U.S. citizen, from Manchester, New Hampshire, holds Maya for the first time after being allowed to visit to his wife, Meriam Ibrahim, who was sentenced to death for marrying him, a Christian . Cruel: . Martin, above, is pictured with his father on the heartbreaking visit. His family claim he is American because . his father has been granted U.S. citizenship. He is being held with Meriam because the authorities claim he is a Muslim and will not release him into the care of a Christian . Mr Wani told The Telegraph: 'They kept a chain on her legs. She is very unhappy about that.' He said that he had initially been refused permission to see his daughter, but authorities eventually let him in to the prison - and his wife was momentarily freed from her chains. Mr Daniel Wani was then able to hold his daughter Maya for . the first time after she was born five days early in the hospital wing at Omdurman Federal Women’s Prison in North Khartoum yesterday. Meriam has spent the past four months shackled to the floor in a disease-ridden jail after being sentenced to death by hanging earlier this month for converting from Islam to Christianity and marrying a Christian man. Her lawyer Mohaned Mustafa Elnour said the couple are 'happy and proud' of their new arrival and that it has brought a momentary ray of light to an otherwise bleak and desperate situation. Mr Elnour: 'This is a special moment for them. Daniel is delighted that he is able to see his new daughter so soon. 'The family are taking some time to enjoy the birth before they return to fighting the injustice of Meriam's sentence.' Daniel, a 27-year-old biochemist who lives in Manchester, New Hampshire, also got the chance to hold his 20-month-old son Martin, who is being held in the barbaric prison with his mother. The photo is especially poignant as Meriam will never see her beautiful daughter grow up. She is set to hang sometime in the next two years as the authorities said she will be executed when she has finished weaning Maya. And before the birth, Meriam made the defiant claim that she would rather die than give up her faith. In a heart-wrenching conversation with her husband during a rare prison visit, Meriam told him: 'If they want to execute me then they should go ahead and do it because I’m not going to change my faith.’ Loving: Meriam and Daniel married in Sudan. Daniel left New Hampshire to visit her in Sudan and arrange for his wife and son to join him in America when she was arrested . An . Islamic Sharia judge said she could be spared the death penalty if she . publicly renounced her faith and becomes a Muslim once more. Meriam . insists she has always been a Christian and told her husband she could . not 'pretend to be a Muslim' just to spare her life. She told him: 'I refuse to change. I am not giving up Christianity just so that I can live. 'I know I could stay alive by becoming a Muslim and I would be able to look after our family, but I need to be true to myself.’ Daniel revealed his wife’s defiant stance during an . exclusive interview with MailOnline at his modest home in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. Sitting . beneath glamorous photographs of his wife taken at their wedding in . December 2011, he said: 'My wife is very, very strong. She is stronger . than me. 'When they . sentenced her to death I broke down and tears were streaming down my . eyes. Our lawyers were passing me tissues. But she stayed strong. 'She . did not flinch when she was sentenced. It was amazing to see, . particularly because she is the one facing the death penalty.’ Daniel . was in Khartoum trying to arrange for Meriam and their 20-month-old son, . Martin, to live with him in the US when his wife was arrested in . September. She was three weeks pregnant with their second child. The authorities will not release Martin into the care of his father because they claim he is a Muslim too. Bleak: The Omdurman Women's Jail in Khartoum, Sudan where Meriam Ibrahim is being held. It is overcrowded and riven with disease . She . spends much of her time shackled to the floor, is not receiving much nutrition in her food and is rarely allowed outside. Both she and her bewildered son have contracted various illnesses because of the poor sanitation at the jail. A . report by Human Rights Watch claims the prison is 'beset with . overcrowding’ and suffers from 'poor sanitation, disease and the deaths . of many children living with their mothers’. Daniel, who is originally from South Sudan, but is now a naturalized American, was initially refused permission to visit her. Daniel told MailOnline: 'They say the . marriage is void. Now, even my wife is no longer my wife. And my son is . not mine and my new daughter is not mine. They say I am a stranger to . them. 'I know my wife puts . on a brave face but I can tell that she is in quite a bit of pain. She . doesn’t get to leave the room for weeks. 'She . has suffered medical complications while in jail, but no one knows the . full extent of what they are because she is in prison. It’s a difficult . time. To see her walking in chains is difficult.’ Daniel, . who is wheelchair-bound because he suffers from muscular dystrophy, . cuts a forlorn figure as he wheels himself around his empty house. His . child’s bed lies unused, as does a child-sized toothbrush. Daniel keeps . himself busy by studying the regular barrage of paperwork that his . legal team send him. Like many in Sudan, both Daniel and his wife’s childhood were blighted by civil war. Daniel managed to escape the brutal conflict in 1998 when he travelled to America with his brother Gabriel. The . biochemist returned to Sudan to marry Meriam at a Christian service in a . chapel which was attended by around 500 people in December 2011. Most who were at the wedding ceremony could vouch for the pair being committed Christians, defence lawyers say. But witnesses who were willing to give evidence on her behalf were barred from testifying because they were Christian. She even produced a marriage certificate identifying herself as a Christian. Despite . this, the judge determined that because her father was a Muslim, even . though he abandoned the family while they were living in a refugee camp . in the South East of Sudan when she was six, she too was a Muslim who . had broken the law by leaving Islam. But . her mother, who is now dead, brought her up as Christian. Her mother . was born in Ethiopia to Christian parents, but fled to Sudan because of . famine, and chose to raise her daughter in the same religion. Meriam was arrested in mid-September, three weeks after her second child was conceived. At . first the couple dismissed the allegations against them as trivial, but . when the case grew more serious Daniel went to the American Embassy in . Khartoum for help. 'I . thought this would be the one place which would help me, but they told . me they didn’t have time to do anything,’ Daniel said. 'I was upset . because now that I am American citizen I thought they would help me. 'I . was threatened. They said “well your wife isn’t American, so we can’t . help”. I felt disgusted. My home is in America and still they won’t . help. It’s getting uglier and it’s not going in the right direction.’ Mr Wani said the State Department asked him to provide DNA evidence proving that Martin was his biological son. Rotten . care: Martin is given a drink by prison guards. Daniel is desperate to . be allowed to take him home and is fiercely critical of the U.S. Embassy . for failing to help them and Martin in particular, who is American . He . added: 'I have provided wedding documents and the baby’s birth . certificate, but this is clearly not enough. It’s very upsetting that . they don’t believe me. 'They want me to take a DNA sample in Khartoum, then send it to the US for testing. It’s as if they don’t believe a word I say.’ The Sharia court has postponed her sentence, to give her time to recover from childbirth and to wean the new baby. Her . lawyer, Mohaned Mustafa Elnour, a Muslim, has received death threats . for defending her but has already lodged an appeal. If he does not . succeed at the Appeal Court, he will take the case to Sudan’s Supreme . Court. Mr . Elnour said the case hinges around the testimony of two men who claim . to be her brothers, and one woman who claims to be her mother. In . court they claimed that she had disappeared from the family home in a . small village in the east of Sudan and then discovered her living in . Khartoum, married to a Christian man. But . the lawyer said all three witnesses have proven to be liars because . their evidence to the court has been highly contradictory. He . suggested that the trio are making up their story in an attempt to . claim ownership of Meriam’s flourishing general store in a shopping mall . on the outskirts of Khartoum. Mr . Elnour added: 'We can prove that Meriam’s mother died in 2012 and that . the two others are definite fraudsters. But the court is not interested . in our evidence.’ A petition calling for her release had last week reached more than 661,000. | Meriam Ibrahim's legs were chained as she gave birth in Sudanese jail . The 27-year-old gave birth five days early after months shackled to floor . Father, U.S. citizen Daniel Wani, pictured with hours-old girl in barbaric jail in Khartoum . He was initially refused entry to jail but was eventually allowed in with lawyer . Doctor was sentenced to death for converting from . Islam to Christianity after marrying, Daniel, a Christian who lives in New Hampshire . She will never see him grow up as she refuses to renounce Christianity . Lawyer told MailOnline: 'The family are taking time to enjoy the birth before they fight injustice' | 4c488fb632a91badd0f3dd8a06a25ff309919282 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 08:26 EST, 30 December 2011 . One in ten under-25s think Elvis Presley or Paul McCartney wrote the words instead of Robert Burns, pictured . It happens every year. We get 12 months to learn the lyrics – but hardly anyone bothers. Now three-quarters admit they will mime or make up the words when the clock strikes midnight tomorrow . . . and the time comes for Auld Lang Syne. A poll found that some 37 per cent do not know a single line of Robert Burns’s piece, written in 1788. Its provenance is equally mysterious to some, especially when it comes to the younger revellers. One in ten under-25s think Elvis Presley or Paul McCartney wrote the words – whatever they may be. In terms of tactics, 37 per cent of all those surveyed said they hum loudly when their musical knowledge lets them down. Others prefer a more physical performance: a fifth attempt to prevent people from discovering their ignorance by distracting them with some vigorous arm-shaking while linking limbs during the seasonal sing-song. Almost two-thirds were also stumped over the meaning of the song’s title, which roughly translates as ‘Times Gone By’. Now three-quarters of respondents to a poll admitted they will mime or make up the words when the time comes to sing Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve . The survey, to mark the release of Warner Bros’ ensemble comedy New Year’s Eve, found 10 per cent typically gaze upwards through the duration of the song to avoid being detected. A cowardly 5 per cent actually leave the room altogether. Rather fittingly, the most commonly misremembered lyric was: ‘Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?’ Some scamps replace the line with: ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot, and something else that rhymes.’ In total, 2,105 adults responded to the poll commissioned to promote the Hollywood film, which features a string of stars including Halle Berry, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron and Sarah Jessica Parker. Meanwhile, many people's celebrations are being adapted to deal with their financial worries, a survey has found. More people are planning a big night in than the traditional big night out this New Year’s Eve, with many revellers staying indoors due to concerns about cash. But this does not actualyl make for a cheaper evening, according to the Post Office Home Insurance New Year survey. Nearly three quarters of people (74 per cent) will stay in this year, it found, up from 72 per cent who were planning to stay in last year and 55 per cent in 2007. Money and cost are an important factor in deciding how to see in the New Year, with 14 per cent of people citing this as the main reason behind their plans. But those choosing to party at home are set to spend an average of £95 on food and alcohol - amounting to double the £48 average spend for those planning on heading out to celebrate. Post Office head of home insurance, Gerry Barrett, said: 'New Year’s Eve can end up being a costly night, and as our research shows bizarrely, it can be even more costly for those who plan to stay in.' Mr Barrett said the survey of 2,016 UK adults showed people look set to be emulating diners in Channel 4 programme Come Dine With Me. He said: 'Come Dine With Me fever is apparently gripping the nation as more people than ever plan to stay at home or hold dinner parties, but many hosts could see their bills mount up as they look to impress their friends.' While the lyrics for Auld Lang Syne are attributed to Robert Burns, it is likely that he merely adapted the words of an old ballad. Burns apparently sent a copy of the song to the Scots Musical Museum with the remark: 'The following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man.' The poet also wrote a letter to Mrs Agnes Dunlop, attaching his version of Auld Lang Syne, in which he comments: 'Light be the turf on breast of the heaven-inspired poet who composed this glorious fragment! There is more of the fire of native genius in it than in half a dozen of modern English Bacchanalians.' Some say the famous chorus actually dates from the middle of the 16th century, if not before . The phrase 'Auld Lang Syne' is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton (1570–1638), Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), and James Watson (1711) as well as older folk songs predating Burns. Contemporary Scottish poet Matthew Fitt uses the phrase 'In the days of auld lang syne' as the equivalent of 'Once upon a time...' in his retelling of fairy tales. But for those who need to brush up for the big night... Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! CHORUS . For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne. And to really impress here are verses two to five... And surely ye'll be your pint stowp!And surely I'll be mine!And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet,For auld lang syne.We twa hae run about the braes,And pou'd the gowans fine;But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,Sin' auld lang syne.We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,Frae morning sun till dine;But seas between us braid hae roar'dSin' auld lang syne.And there's a hand, my trusty fere!And gie's a hand o' thine!And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught,For auld lang syne. | Poll found that some 37 per cent do not know a single line of Robert Burns’s piece, written in 1788 . And many will be singing it at home this year as more and more opt for a night in on New Year's Eve . | 43a686dd9260c8812eea1f8b7830c9b02f742359 |
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was booed today by the newest members of the New York Police Department as he delivered a speech at the academy graduation ceremony. Several boos could be heard at Madison Square Garden as de Blasio took the podium in front of 884 newly-minted cops. At least one cadet could be heard shouting 'traitor!' the New York Post reports. Then, when de Blasio remarked that the new officers would be confronted with problems they didn't make, someone from the crowd shouted, 'You created them!' The heckler was met with applause and cheering. Scroll down for video . Booed: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was heckled and booed as he spoke at the NYPD academy graduation ceremony at Madison Square Garden . Mayor de Blasio ignored the boos and thanked the new recruits for their service to the city of New York . The incident shows that mistrust has taken hold even among the NYPD's newest officers. On Saturday, hundreds of cops turned their backs on de Blasio as he spoke at the funeral for Officer Rafael Ramos, one of two NYPD cops gunned down by a fanatic who was enraged about recent police brutality cases - including the death of Staten Island resident Eric Garner. The Mayor has come in for sharp criticism from the police union after expressing sympathy for protesters who took to the streets in the wake of a grand jury's failure to indict the NYPD cop who allegedly put Garner in a chokehold. In a speech following the grand jury decision, de Blasio, whose children are half-black, recounted how he told his teenage son Dante how to deal with the police and that he might be discriminated against by the NYPD. Patrolman's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said de Blasio had 'blood on his hands' in the death of Ramos and his partner Officer Wenjian Liu, who were assassinated on December 20 as they sat in their squad car in Brooklyn. At least one of the new NYPD academy graduate shouted 'traitor!' as the mayor took the podium in front of 884 newly minted cops . Tense: The Mayor (left) and NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton (second from left) stood on stage with police union president Patrick Lunch (second from right) - who has said de Blasio has 'blood on his hands' Thousands of friends and family members filled Madison Square Garden - along with the nearly 900 recruits . Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said on Sunday that the strife between de Blasio and the rank-and-file officers is likely to last 'for some time.' City Hall and the Patrolman's Benevolent Association are in the midst of rancorous contract negotiations that are set to go to arbitration - further exacerbating the strife. The Mayor and Lynch - his most outspoken critic - came face-to-face on Monday when they posed together for a photo for an award that the PBA gives out for the top squad sergeant from the graduating class. Lynch's son Kevin is among the graduating class. | Low boos could be heard as Bill de Blasio took the podium in front of the NYPD's 884 newest officers on Monday . When de Blasio said officers will confront problems that they didn't create, one of the graduates yelled 'you created them!' The heckler was met with cheering . | 439d6e52accdf7377258446795571866a70e39ae |
Barcelona have confirmed that new £15million signing Thomas Vermaelen is still carrying a hamstring injury and will have to wait before he starts training with his new team. The 28-year-old was presented at the Nou Camp on Sunday after completing his move from Arsenal to the Catalan side and admitted he was not yet 100 per cent fit after getting injured during Belgium's 1-0 win over Russia in the World Cup, which meant the defender played just 29 minutes of football in Brazil. The former Arsenal captain added he hoped to 'start from zero' after missing most of last season with the Gunners due to a series of injuries but joins Barca as an injured player. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Thomas Vermaelen's Barcelona unveiling at the Nou Camp . New setting: Thomas Vermaelen is still injured after joining from Arsenal, Barcelona have confirmed . Thank you: The 28-year-old took to Instagram to thank everyone involved with Arsenal . Highlight: The Belgian defender lifts the FA Cup, ending a nine-year trophy drought for Arsenal . A statement from Barcelona said: 'Thomas Vermaelen injured his right hamstring during the World Cup in June. The player will undergo physiotherapy, and the evolution of the injury will determine when he returns to training.' Meanwhile, Vermaelen has used his Instagram account to thank the Arsenal fans for their support after leaving the club. 'After 5 years at Arsenal - and the last 2 years a proud captain too - it's time for me to move on.' he wrote. 'The club, the team, the fans, the manager, the staff and other employees, you all made me feel at home at both the training ground and the Emirates Stadium. 'It was a wonderful time and I feel blessed I've had the opportunity to be a part of such a great club. There have been so many wonderful games and experiences, with lifting the FA Cup as an absolute highlight. 'I would like to thank you all for your support, it was a huge honour to be a Gunner!' Strong relationship: Vermaelen passes the cup to Wenger, who praised his attitude throughout last season . Reign in Spain: Vermaelen spent five years at Emirates Stadium before switching to the Nou Camp . Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger returned the sentiment after Arsenal's Community Shield win over Manchester City, praising his former captain's attitude. The Arsenal boss said: 'Vermaelen behaved outstandingly last year - I am grateful for him and I wish him very well.' | Centre-back fell out of favour last season and left for Barcelona . Belgian defender says he was a proud captain and feels blessed to have been a part of the club in Instagram post . Lifting the FA Cup last season described as 'an absolute highlight' | 19b47c7985de4d77126694933e2a4d6fbbed251e |
(Mashable) -- The United States no longer owns the world's fastest supercomputer. A computer called Tianhe-1A, unveiled on Wednesday at a conference in Beijing, China, can run calculations faster than the previous speed leader, a computer at a U.S. lab in Tennessee. The new computer set a performance record by crunching 2.507 petaflops of data at once. The previous leader, a computer called Cray XT5 Jaguar and located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, completed 1.75 petaflop calculations. Analysts say the new record underscores China's place as a global tech leader. According to Nvidia, the computer technology company, the world's fastest computer will be operated as an open access system and will be used for large scale scientific computations. Supercomputers, which essentially are many computers strung and networked together, fill entire rooms and even small warehouses. They are often used to processes huge amounts of scientific data. Climate models, for example, are run using the supercomputing power that's found in U.S. national labs. © 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | Tianhe-1A unveiled Wednesday at HPC China 2010 in Beijing . Supercomputer has a performance record of 2.507 petaflops . Tianhe-1A designed by the National University of Defense Technology . System cost $88 million and its 103 cabinets weigh 155 tons . | 7ac86a413a0af870237b2ce125f3a2c3b4ebb2ad |
By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 10:10 EST, 25 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:04 EST, 25 October 2012 . For Rebecca Edmonds, the Air Force was her life. After raised as a military kid, joining her school's Reserve Officers' Training Corps or ROTC and earning a full-ride Air Force scholarship to Marquette University, enlisting to serve her country was a dream. What she didn't expect was that weeks before commissioned as a second lieutenant, with her own father in uniform proudly swearing her in, she'd become pregnant. Scroll down for video . Proudest day: Pictured beside her father Capt Tony Edmonds in one of her proudest moments, Rebecca Edmonds graduated from Marquette University last year on full scholarship from the Air Force . Secret: It was at this ceremony the enrolling second lieutenant held a dangerous secret from her soon-to-be commanding officers, she was 13 weeks pregnant . 'It was very special,' Ms Edmonds recalled to CNN of her college graduation ceremony in July of 2011 having completed a degree in nursing. 'I was so happy that [my parents] had an opportunity to come out and be a part of that ceremony and have him administer the oath of office to me as an active-duty officer,' she said of her father, Capt Tony Edmonds. But when sitting down for one of her final counselling sessions with an officer before her commission, it was then her excitement turned to nervousness. She had only just found out she was 13 weeks pregnant and no one outside of her immediate family and her boyfriend knew. Fearful: With the military having been in her life from the start, following in her father's footsteps before joining ROTC, as seen centre, Ms Edmonds was scared to tell others of her pregnancy for fear of it ruining her dreams . Uncertainty: When an officer allegedly warned that if she became pregnant it would end badly, she said she felt trapped, though already knew she would never have an abortion . Shock: Ms Edmonds says she was shocked to hear that she had three options of getting married, giving her child to adoption or having an abortion, the last option she said only dictated in private to her . 'He says, "I don't know what would happen to a cadet if she were to become pregnant. But I don't think it would be good. So just don't get pregnant,"' Ms Edmonds recalled of their conversation. 'He said that word for word to me. At . that point, I thought, "OK, I don't think I have to tell anybody this,” she said, describing herself from then on rather 'scared.' - Ms Edmonds of her officer . Moving forward, Ms Edmonds said she completed all of her physical and academic requirements. Being a Catholic, she said abortion was never an option for her. Instead she began planning her move to Virginia to begin her service. Once six months in, however, she felt she had to tell someone. With her news, first expressed as no . issue by her immediate commanders, she was accused of committing fraud . for having not reported changes in her medical status, 'for example, . pregnancy,' as her ROTC contract signed in 2007 read. She was disenrolled. Kicked out: Six months into her pregnancy with this little boy, Ms Edmonds revealed her news to her officers in effect dis-enrolling her while accusing her of fraud for having not reported it before . Fighting: Ms Edmonds, seen today holding her 10-month-old boy beside her boyfriend, says that she is fighting her removal under a military rule that refuses to enlist single mothers . Claiming to have questioned her officer who warned her of her ejection from the Air Force, she asked: 'Had I terminated the pregnancy before my commissioning, would I have been able to commission at that point?' According to Ms Edmonds: 'He said, "well, technically, yes." A spokesman for the Air Force to CNN denied knowing of that conversation taking place.' Any such counselling would have been inappropriate and I have seen no evidence of any such discussion,' Maj. Joel Harper wrote to CNN. 'However, Ms. Edmonds' case is under review by the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records.' Debt to pay: Now having a $92,000 debt from student loans, her Air Force scholarship taken away, Ms Edmonds works as a pediatric nurse . Appealing to her congressman and hiring an attorney, Ms Edmonds learned that if she weren't a single mother before her commissioning, the Air Force's decision would have been far more lenient toward her. As military readiness goes, single parents don't have flexibility to serve in all times of need, they stated. '...she would have been able to commission if she were not a single parent, for example, if she were married, or had given the child up for adoption,' Air Force Colonel Kelly Goggin wrote to ms Edmonds' congressman. Needed at home: The Air Force has said that single moms are not eligible for enrollment because of their inability to be ready in time of need . Mistake: She says that having her son Dominic, pictured, was never a mistake but hopes the military soon realizes that they are making one themselves . Today, working as a paediatric nurse, Ms Edmonds owes the military $92,000 for her tuition but says she's paying it in increments of $100 a month, with interest. While the Air Force had been her life before, and to a large degree still is, she says it's now her 10-month old son, Dominic whom she says was never a mistake. Still though she hopes like the recent changes allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the U.S. military, change will come or even be considered for her one day. ‘I believe a woman has the right to choose life, go on to serve and reach [her] full potential, including being an officer in the Air Force,’ Ms Edmonds told CNN. Watch the video here: . | Rebecca Edmonds was stripped of her $92,000 tuition and disenrolled as an Air Force second lietenant after found six months pregnant . Air Force accused the now mother of fraud having failed to notify them of her pregnancy . Military said single parents don't have flexibility to serve in all times of need making her ineligible . | f9546735f484fd03f0887455baf9dd61327d7d7c |
HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Yue Minjun acknowledges that "Execution," inspired by the bloody Tiananmen crackdown in 1989, is the most politically sensitive of his work. A section of Yue Minjun's "Execution," which the artist shows how human conflict is worth laughing at . But while Tiananmen served as the catalyst, the oil painting should not be seen as depicting what happened at Tiananmen, the Beijing-based artist said this week through a translator in a phone interview. Billed by Sotheby's as "among the most historically important paintings of the Chinese avant-garde ever to appear at auction," "Execution" had been tucked away from sight until now. Its owner bought it from a gallery in Hong Kong a decade ago under condition that the painting not be shown in public because of its subject matter, according to Sotheby's. On Friday, it went on auction in London, a highlight in a contemporary arts sale that also included Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Untitled (Head)," Mark Rothko's "Untitled (Blue Divided by Blue)", Andy Warhol's "Jackie," Francis Bacon's "Studies of Isabel Rawsthorne," and Damien Hirst's "Adenosine." "Execution" would become the most expensive work of Chinese contemporary art at auction, selling for 2.9 million British pounds ($5.9 million). It eclipsed Yue's previous record, set in June when his "The Pope" sold for nearly 2.15 million British pounds ($4.37 million). The sale of "Execution" also comes on the same week another Yue piece, "The Massacre at Chios," sold for nearly $4.1 million at a Sotheby's auction of contemporary Chinese art in Hong Kong. Stretching across "Execution" is a long red building, suggesting Tiananmen's gate outside the Forbidden City. Is the painting of Tiananmen? "I want the audience not to think of one thing or one place or one event," he said from his Beijing home. "The whole world's the background." The red building, he explains, is simply something that's familiar to him as a Chinese artist. "As I said, the viewer should not link this painting to Tiananmen. But Tiananmen is the catalyst for conceiving of this painting." The background may make people think of Tiananmen because he is a Chinese artist. "But it should not be," he said. Yue painted "Execution" in a month -- in 1995. However, "it took me quite a long time for me to put the idea together." The big picture, he said, "it's on the whole world's human conflict that is worth laughing about." Drawing references to Francisco de Goya's "The Third of May, 1808: The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid" and Edouard Manet's "The Execution of the Emperor Maximilien of Mexico," the painting depicts a mock execution. Manet, it must be pointed out, modeled his painting after Goya's; and Yue's "Execution" mirrors both of those -- but with his trademark grinning clones, all likenesses of Yue himself. And the men in the position of being shot are shown in their underwear. "People feel freedom, most themselves, at home in their underpants," Yue said. And whereas in Goya's painting, the man's hands are up in resistance, the men's hands in "Execution" are down. "They are not fearing death," Yue said. "The laughs illustrate my deep feelings," he said. The viewer will feel happiness but also fear toward the future and the unknown, a universal sentiment, he said. "One might be very happy now but always unsure of what's going to happen next. "I think Chinese and the world have similar feelings in this respect," he said. As for the main figures that dominate the right-half of the painting, they assume the position of holding the guns, but without the guns themselves. "In my painting, they're pretending to hold guns, as if playing a game." The man on the far right, holding one hand to his chest and another by his waist, is a direct reference to the man on the far right-hand side of Manet's painting: In that, he is cocking a gun. Yue disagrees with the notion that his paintings are a veiled criticism of his government or of Chinese society, and he does not believe that this work will bring him trouble. "I think the painting expresses my feelings. It's not a criticism," he said, describing himself as not having strong political leanings. "I was trying to express my confusion over what I see." The world has similar problems, he said. Yue said he does not agree with being tagged a "Cynical Realist," a term coined by leading art critic Li Xianting to describe China's post-Tiananmen generation of disillusioned artists. At the same time, he doesn't concern himself about what people call him, he said. That his painting has political undertones is inevitable, he said. "I cannot recall any event that has shaped my political views, but politics is everywhere in Chinese life, like the meal you eat every day," he said. Of China, he said, "I think it is full of hope, but there are a lot of difficulties, too. China has a long cultural history and also faces a lot of problems right now. Right now, people are not satisfied, but we can find our way out." Yue sold "Execution" to Hong Kong art dealer Manfred Schoeni shortly after painting it. "It sold for about $5,000," Yue said. "Probably not any cent would come back to me," he said of the millions his paintings now garner at auctions. Now 45, Yue said he learned about other artists through reading books after 1978, when China had begun to open itself up under new leader Deng Xiaoping's "Open Door policy." The decade-long Cultural Revolution that had preceded made reading books an impossibility. And what is the meaning behind the cloned figures that bear his likeness in all his paintings? "Because I want to be famous." | NEW: "Execution" sold for $5.9 million, a record for contemporary Chinese art . Yue: Tiananmen was catalyst for "Execution," but painting does not depict it . The big picture is, the world's human conflict is worth laughing at, Yue says . Owner tucked painting away from public view for a decade . | bda5ab9fa624063f0c82f598f84126b453b62fc3 |
(CNN) -- In designing modern and sustainable buildings in the United Arab Emirates, architects are taking cues from an ancient Arabic design tradition. A high-tech shading system running up the facade of the Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi was inspired by "mashrabiya," latticed screens commonly seen in Islamic architecture that diffuse sunlight and keep buildings cool without blocking light. "Not allowing the sun to land directly on the skin of the building, causing overheating and glare, was a very simple concept," said Abdulmajid Karanouh, the buildings' architect. "And that's why using the mashrabiya, inspired from the past and inspired by nature, was a no brainer." Wrapping around most of the 25-story buildings' sides, the screens are arranged as an array of repeating geometric patterns and are computer-controlled to respond to the sun's movement, unfolding like an umbrella when the sun hits them. The screens fold closed and the automated mechanism shuts off each day after the sun goes down. The north sides of the buildings never receive direct sunlight and are left unshaded by the screens. In Abu Dhabi, solar rays can heat the outside surface of windows up to 90 degrees Celsius, (200 degrees Fahrenheit). By shielding the glass from the sun, the screens keep the buildings cool, reduce glare and let in diffused natural light. Using this method, the buildings require less artificial lighting and 50% less air conditioning. With the desert sun beating down on the cities in the Gulf, solar energy is an important environmental factor in its cities. But desert dust and sand make photovoltaic panels less practical than one would expect in this part of the world. Karanouh says even a thin layer of dust can reduce the efficiency of solar panels by nearly half, and proper maintenance means regular cleaning using water jets pumping fresh water, a scarcity in an arid country like the United Arab Emirates. "You might find that you are spending so much energy to desalinate the water and get it to where it needs to be and then clean the panels, you'll find out that that energy may equate or even exceed the energy that you get out of the photovoltaic panels," he said. In Qatar, the Doha Tower, a striking cylindrical building, was designed along the same lines; it is covered entirely in a latticed screen that uses a multi-layered pattern constructed of aluminum and glass. Both structures were named as best buildings of 2012 by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats, which recognizes sustainable architecture. The United Arab Emirates is not normally thought of as a leader in combating climate change -- it has one of the highest levels of carbon dioxide emissions per capita in the world, according to the World Bank -- but Abu Dhabi has in recent years drawn attention for its innovative renewable energy building projects. Most notable is Masdar City, its much-hyped, planned city that is still being constructed, It was originally slated as being a carbon neutral area but now aims for environmental sustainability. The area has green features like a 10 megawatt solar power plant and a 45-meter-tall wind tower that helps regulate air temperatures in the public square by controlling air movement. | In the United Arab Emirates, architects are taking cues from an ancient Arabic design tradition. A shading system on the facade of the Al Bahar Towers was inspired by latticed screens. The screens are computer-controlled to respond to the sun's movement. Doha Tower in Qatar, a striking cylindrical building, was designed along the same lines. | 4989275c8dbb0d6b6c18d5005b7cfb5b925822a7 |
(CNN) -- Flooding described by India's prime minister as the worst in recent times, has left at least 95 people dead and almost 2 million others homeless in the country's remote Assam state. The Brahmaputra river overflowed during monsoon rains over the past week, flooding more than 2,000 villages and destroying homes in the northeast of the country, officials said. Most of the dead were swept away by the fast-flowing water, while 16 were reported to have been buried by landslides caused by the heavy rains. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told journalists Monday that almost half a million people were living in relief camps, and the remaining of the displaced were staying with relatives or living in the open, using tarpaulin sheets for shelter. Sabir Ali, who lives in one of the affected villages, had to move his family to higher ground with only what they could carry. "I am stuck. How will I survive? I've been forced to move to railways tracks with my children," he told CNN-IBN. But water levels have begun to recede, and thousands have returned to damaged homes. A report issued on Tuesday lowered the number of evacuees to 370,000. Assam's State Disaster Management Authority reported that at least 14 people are missing. The agency reported that flooding had begun as early as June 24 in some areas and affected all of Assam's 27 districts. It is considered the worst flooding the state has seen since 2004. Assam's river island of Majuli experienced its worst flooding since 1950. Prime Minister Singh and Sonia Gandhi of India's ruling Congress party flew over the flooded areas to survey the damage. Singh announced that an initial 5 billion rupees (US$90 million) would be given in emergency funds to help with recovery efforts. "I have witnessed the extensive damage that the floods have caused. The people of Assam are facing one of the worst floods in recent times," Singh said in a prepared statement. After his tour of the affected districts, Singh said military helicopters were dropping food packets and drinking water to marooned people, and soldiers were using speedboats to rescue villages from rooftops. "Once we have completed rescue and relief operation, our focus will shift to restoration of the damaged infrastructure," Singh said. Large swaths of cropland have been affected by the flooding, and a railway line has been severely damaged by landslides. Every year the monsoon dumps heavy rains across India, and every year it claims lives. The total number of deaths throughout India attributed to monsoon season this year has reached 236. Minnesota, Wisconsin residents cope with deadly flooding . | At least 95 people dead, almost 2 million others forced from their homes . Indian state of Assam in the northeast is the most affected area . It is considered the worst flooding since 2004 . Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has committed $90 million for relief effort . | 0aff20e6341628f50c5062e19493ab734044a390 |
By . Lucy Crossley . Tributes have been paid to popular BBC presenter Komla Dumor who died suddenly at his home in London. The broadcaster said Mr Dumor, who presented BBC World News and Focus On Africa, had died at his home yesterday, at the age of 41. One of Ghana's best known journalists, Mr Dumor joined the BBC in 2007 after a decade of working in broadcast journalism in his native Ghana, where he had won the Ghana Journalist of the Year award. Respected: Journalist Komla Dumor, who presented BBC World News and Focus On Africa, had died at his London home yesterday, at the age of 41 . Mr Dumor, who was born in Accra, Ghana, in 1972 hosted Network Africa for the BBC World Service between 2007 and 2009 before joining The World Today programme. In 2009 he became the first host of Africa Business Report on BBC World News. Earlier this year he was named one of New African's 100 most influential Africans in 2013. 'Komla's many friends and colleagues across Africa and the world will be as devastated as we are by this shocking news,' said Director of BBC Global News, Peter Horrocks. 'Komla was a leading light of African journalism - committed to telling the story of Africa as it really is. Africa's energy and enthusiasm seemed to shine through every story Komla told. He will be deeply missed. 'The sympathies of all his colleagues at the BBC are with his family and friends.' BBC Director of News, James Harding, said: 'It is hard to believe that Komla is no longer with us because, in every way, he was larger than life. 'He had such an infectious enthusiasm for life, for Africa, for the story. He was an inspiring journalist, both on screen and off it. 'He played a singular role in transforming the coverage of Africa, not only for the BBC but across broadcasting. And he brought a depth of understanding, a great deal of courage, a joyous charm and boundless charisma to his work. Tributes: Mr Dumor was described as a 'leading light of African journalism' by Director of BBC Global News, Peter Horrocks . 'He was adored by the people who worked with him and we will miss him deeply. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.' BBC Radio 4 Today presenter . Mishal Husain also paid tribute to Mr Dumor, taking to twitter to describe him as'one of our brightest and best'. 'Our BBC family tonight mourns loss of one of our brightest & best - . Komla Dumor. Big heart, big personality, brilliant broadcaster,' she . wrote. 'Komla developed his own unique on air style, seamlessly moved . between TV and radio & influenced Africa coverage across the BBC.' It has been reported that Mr Dumor suffered a heart attack. During his wide-reaching career, Mr Dumor interviewed a number of high-profile guests including Kofi Annan and Bill Gates, while last month he covered the funeral of former South African President, Nelson Mandela. In his review of 2013, Mr Dumor said the passing of Mandela was 'one of the moments that will stay with me,' according to the BBC. 'Covering the funeral for me will always be a special moment. I will look back on it with a sense of sadness. But also with gratitude. I feel lucky to have been a witness to that part of the Mandela story.' | Komla Dumor, 41, is believed to have died from a heart attack . Journalist presented BBC World News and Focus On Africa . Presented was named as one of the 100 most influential Africans . Described in tributes as a 'leading light of African journalism' | 1e580b79c5a1001bf565608c0f3e4432e86d745e |
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie -- a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate -- finally broke his silence on President Barack Obama's decision to normalize relations with Cuba in a letter to the President issued on Sunday. Christie urged Obama to demand Cuba hand over Joanne Chesimard, an American fugitive who escaped from prison after she was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper. Christie also joined the chorus of Republicans who oppose Obama's decision to re-establish ties with Cuba without substantial political reforms. Chesimard, now known as Assata Shakur, was a member of the militant group the Black Liberation Army and gained political asylum in Cuba, where she lives freely. Chesimard is on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list, with a $1 million reward for information leading to her capture. Who is Assata Shakur? "Despite my profound disagreement with this decision, I believe there is an opportunity for Cuba and its government to show the American people it is serious about change," Christie wrote to Obama, according to a copy of the letter Christie's office provided. "If, as you assert, Cuba is serious about embracing democratic principles then this action would be an essential first step." Christie added that he was "very disappointed" that Chesimard's return was not already one of the conditions of normalizing relations in Obama's deal with Cuban President Raul Castro. "The family of her victims, like so many of those who have, and continue to suffer under the Castro regime, deserve this basic decency before further steps toward Cuba are taken by this government," Christie wrote. Senate Republicans, including Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio, have already vowed to do everything they can to prevent or blunt the impact of Obama's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba. The pair -- members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee -- pledged to tie up funds for a planned embassy and to prevent Obama's nominee for ambassador to win confirmation. | New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on Sunday he does not support the President's decision to normalize relations with Cuba . Christie did send a letter to Obama asking he press Cuba to hand over a wanted fugitive, however . | 16893ca8bc398826fee162cdecb29362d5acb704 |
(CNN) -- Mexican authorities are offering a $1.2 million (15 million pesos) reward for information on 14 children who may have been taken from orphanages by child traffickers, according to a release from the attorney general of Mexico. The attorney general also is offering about $400,000 (5 million pesos) in the search for three people in the "Casitas del Sur" case, a statement said Friday. The children disappeared in February 2009 from the Casitas del Sur orphanage in Mexico City and from homes in Nuevo Laredo and Quintana Roo, the statement said. CNN's Claudia Dominguez contributed to this report. | Fourteen children disappeared at Mexican orphanages . Three people are being sought in the case . | ffefbc619dc82ec0bcd8a7943c3f5acec326dc92 |
By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 12:17 PM on 17th July 2011 . It seems the ‘Butcher of Brooklyn’ almost succeeded in kidnapping another boy just three doors away from his home. Levi Aron, 35, of Brooklyn, New York, has admitted suffocating eight-year-old Leiby Kletzky with a bath towel in his apartment. Now his neighbour Zisa Berkowitz alleges that he tried to kidnap her young son but she scared him off by screaming. Arraigned: Levi Aron appears in court charged with killing eight-year-old Leiby after he allegedly admitted it . Neighbours: Levi Aron and his neighbour Zisa Berkowitz both lived on this street in Brooklyn, New York . Police have already spoken to Ms . Berkowitz and she told the New York Post that the story is ‘true’ and . she is going through ‘a lot of trauma’. Levi Aron's ex-wife Diana Diunov, 38, has labelled him as a 'cold sociopath' and said he should not be allowed to claim insanity. Diunov, who is in jail herself for wire fraud, told the New York Post her former husband had mental problems but was 'very nice' to her. She even suggested he might have killed Leiby in order to become famous - deciding to 'try his luck' after watching the Casey Anthony case. The alleged incident happened in the last two years and was reportedly in addition to another failed kidnap attempt around a week before the Leiby murder. The news came as his ex-wife Diana . Diunov, 38, labelled him as a 'cold sociopath' and said he should not be . allowed to claim insanity. Aron allegedly stalked another . 11-year-old boy in Borough Park, Brooklyn, with the same car he used to . kidnap Leiby, sources told The Daily. The boy was allegedly walking home when he saw Aron’s car and thought it looked suspicious so he ran home to tell his parents. Aron is currently in the . Bellevue Hospital prison ward while he undergoes a psychiatric . evaluation and has not been allowed visitors. Horrific: Levi Aron, right, is being held after police found the dismembered body of eight-year-old Leiby, left . Leiby’s parents meanwhile are . continuing the traditional Jewish mourning period for seven days known . as ‘shiva’, reported the New York Post. The family have also issued a . statement expressing their thanks to everyone who has helped them, . ‘physically, emotionally and spiritually’. It was claimed yesterday that Aron . has a history of sexual deviance and abuse, according to a protective . order filed by another former wife. In court: Levi Aron appeared in court earlier this week following the horrific murder of little Leiby . She alleged he was physically abusive . and once crept up on her while she was sleeping to touch her . inappropriately - even though they had already separated. The frightening episode followed a . phone call, during which he warned Debbie Kivel that 'if she did not . have sexual relations with him, then he would kill himself, period.' Aron has been charged with murder and admitted killing the boy to officials, according to law enforcement sources. | Allegations came as Levi Aron is labelled 'cold sociopath' by jailed ex-wife . Diana Diunov claims he wanted fame and Casey Anthony case inspired him . | 6ae7df0baa99471d8e0f65540d6eb55079c133b0 |
Beijing, China (CNN)As New Year's Eve messages go, Xi Jinping's speech on national television was almost pitch-perfect. Highlighting continued economic growth and rising living standard in 2014, the Chinese president -- entering the third year into his expected decade-long reign -- said he wanted to "click the 'like' button" for the country's 1.3 billion citizens, whose "support for officials at all levels" made such achievements possible. Xi -- who also heads the ruling Communist Party as well as the world's largest standing army -- promised deeper reform and the rule of law in the coming year, comparing them to "a bird's two wings." The 10-minute prerecorded address ended on an appeal for world peace. While he hit all the right notes, Xi saved the most dramatic metaphors for his massive anti-corruption campaign. The 61-year-old leader, considered China's most powerful in decades, reiterated his "zero-tolerance" stance, vowing to keep "waving high the sword against corruption" and "fastening the cage of regulations." For a nation still largely ruled from behind closed doors, however, official pronouncements after a series of year-end leadership meetings have offered better clues on Xi's ambitions and priorities in 2015. Corruption fight . In the last week of December, Xi presided over the gathering of the 25-member Politburo, the Communist Party's elite decision-making body. "Organizing cliques within the Party to run personal businesses is absolutely not tolerated," read a statement issued after the meeting, while acknowledging the challenges in the ongoing fight against corruption, a lightning rod for mass discontent. The past year has certainly seen Xi break some powerful cliques involving an intricate web of officials, cronies and tycoons as well as billions of dollars worth of bribes and deals. He took down former domestic security czar Zhou Yongkang, likely soon to become the most senior Chinese official ever to face corruption charges; General Xu Caihou, once the military's second-in-command; and Ling Jihua, a top aide to ex-President Hu Jintao. State media have touted them as the three biggest "tigers" caught in Xi's now two-year-old anti-graft campaign, with a stated goal of targeting both "tigers and flies" -- high- and low-ranking officials. While applauded by many ordinary citizens, Xi's ever-wider dragnet has also attracted increasing scrutiny. "The question remains to be whether Xi is taking a page from Chairman Mao," said longtime political analyst Willy Lam with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, noting the three fallen leaders were all considered to be Xi's political opponents. "Starting with Mao, corruption has been used to take down enemies of the more powerful faction." For the sake of stability within the Party, Lam predicted a moratorium on the hunt for "big tigers" -- anyone in the rank of a Politburo member and above -- in the next few years. READ MORE: Swatting flies? Beijing's fight to root out corruption . Sustainable development . Other observers even detect the anti-corruption campaign's ominous effect on the economy, the world's second largest. "China's economic success had relied on some very capable people, who also happened to be corrupt because of the system," said economist Mao Yushi, one of the country's leading liberal voices. He pointed to the example of former railway minister Liu Zhijun, who was often credited with turning the country's high-speed rail network from nonexistent to the world's largest in a few years. Liu received a suspended death sentence in 2013 for corruption and abuse of power. "Now we're getting rid of all of them," Mao added. "The new reality is that officials don't want kickbacks but also feel no incentive to get anything done." During a three-day economic policy meeting in early December, Xi and other top officials acknowledged the prospect of slower growth in 2015 -- probably still at an enviable rate of 7%, though, according to most analysts. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to more sustainable development, including more "green" growth -- shortly before promulgating the country's toughest environmental laws in 25 years. "The central government finally has the political will to address environmental issues thanks to public awareness of the smog problem," said Ma Jun, a leading environmentalist who directs the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing. Welcoming the new law, Ma voiced his lingering concern: "Weak enforcement has long been a big problem in China." READ MORE: Xi Jinping's push to add 'chilli pepper' to China's anti-corruption drive . Master of the nation . "The rule of law" has become an unlikely catchphrase in state media since late October, when the Communist leadership made it the theme of a major meeting, and declared the importance of upholding the Constitution that enshrines the respect for human rights. "Only if the Communist Party rules the country in line with the law, will people's rights as the master of the nation be realized," read a communiqué released after the gathering known as the Fourth Plenum. "It's the rule of law with Chinese characteristics," said Lam, the Hong Kong analyst, before pointing to the Communist Party agency in charge of corruption probes. "The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is a powerful example of the Party operating outside the law -- the way it conducts its investigations." The existence of a secretive process -- based on Party regulations instead of laws -- faced by accused Communist officials has come to light in recent years, amid reports of suspicious deaths of detainees in Party investigators' custody. Several victims' families have told CNN and other media that their loved ones were subject to lengthy detention and torture for refusing to admit wrongdoings. "When the authorities don't play by the rules, nobody has freedom from fear -- I know I don't," said Mo Shaoping, a prominent Beijing lawyer known for defending politically sensitive cases involving dissidents and activists. His current clients include Gao Yu, a veteran journalist accused of leaking state secrets, and Pu Zhiqiang, a famous human rights lawyer who may soon face subversion charges. Both were detained by police last year around the time of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. "I feel obligated to take these cases despite greater government pressure and personal risk," Mo said. "The rule of law is reflected in individual cases -- that's why every case matters." READ MORE: The Xi Jinping cipher: Reformer or a 'dictator?' Art serving socialism . Lawyers are not the only group feeling the squeeze from the authorities. One of the hottest topics across Chinese cyberspace so far in 2015 has been the case of vanishing cleavage in a hit television show called "The Empress of China." Reflecting aesthetics in seventh century Tang dynasty, the historical drama -- depicting the life of the only woman who ruled China in her own right -- had featured ample female bosoms before being suddenly pulled off air in late December. When the series returned to air on New Year's Day, viewers nationwide noticed crudely edited scenes, in which women were only shown in close-up shots to avoid revealing their chests. The show's creators probably should have seen this coming, though, after Xi addressed a delegation of actors, dancers and writers in Beijing last October. Underscoring the need for art to serve socialism and foster correct worldviews, the president told the artists not to pursue commercial success at the expense of producing work with moral values. "Popularity should not necessitate vulgarity," Xi said. "Pure sensual entertainment does not equate spiritual elation." "Anybody associated with thought work or ideology or the image of China -- everything is being squeezed or tightened or limited," said Jeremy Goldkorn, a leading commentator on China's media landscape. "I think this is connected to Xi's idea of the new normal," he added. "These things are going to go on, not just a cyclical campaign -- whether it's anti-corruption or tightening up on media, ideological issues." Already, signs were plenty throughout last year: universities and state-run think tanks warned to toe the Party line in their teaching and research, civil rights groups forced to cancel most public events, and Google's popular Gmail service completely blocked in China. All the worrying developments have only confirmed some observers' grim view on Xi's signature political campaign. "Fighting corruption is necessary," offered economist Mao. "But it's a complex issue related to income, education, freedom of speech and the rule of law. Without fundamental changes in these areas, the campaign won't succeed in the long run." "There were expectations that once he consolidated power, he would launch far-reaching reforms -- but the past two years has not been encouraging," said analyst Lam. "The big question in 2015 is: How will Xi use his new-found supreme power?" READ MORE: Xi Jinping's success so far: Taking control by following Deng Xiaoping . | Chinese president Xi Jinping's New Year speech highlighted economic growth and rising living standards in 2014 . 2014 has seen Xi take down 3 top officials in China's fight against corruption: Zhou Yongkang, Xu Caihou and Liu Zhijun . He's also taking aim at "vulgar" art and entertainment, with cleavage censored in a hit TV show. Xi and other top officials acknowledged the prospect of slower economic growth in 2015 . | a7f511d08764aa094e3da03a60ca76e2cc304def |
(CNN) -- To look at, Lake Kivu seems, well, innocent. Situated on Rwanda's western border, it is both a prominent food source in the country, and -- increasingly -- a tourist hotspot. Hotels have rushed to set up along the coast to cater to the influx of visitors, no doubt lured in by the lake's idyllic beach setting. "The lake is very important to tourism," says Innocent Twagirumukiza, founder of Green Hills Ecotours. "When people finish visiting mountain gorillas, or other national parks around Rwanda, this is a good place to come and relax," he adds. What these tourists may not know, however, is that because of the area's volcanoes and anaerobic bacteria in the water, Lake Kivu is a storehouse for 60 billion cubic meters of methane gas, and susceptible to underwater eruptions. It is one of three "exploding lakes" in the world. Though these types of eruptions, known as overturns, can potentially pose a risk to the local community (in 1986, a similar lake in Cameroon released a bubble of CO2 that killed 1,746 people), Lake Kivu is safe, thanks in part to the efforts of the Rwandan government. "I don't use [the term "exploding lake"]. It's just a lake that has methane gas and needs degassing," says Olivier Ntirushwa, the manager at Kibuye Power Plant in northwest Rwanda. Not only does the "degassing" keep the lake safe, it provides electricity for the region. In 2008, Rwanda launched a pilot project to extract methane gas from the lake and use it as a power source. "This is a source of power, a source of energy that's free. It's our lake, so why not use it like that?" says Ntirushwa. Currently, only 20% of Rwandan homes have power, and Ntirushwa estimates it will take at least 1,000 megawatts to power the country by 2020. While the project is still in the early stages (the plant currently extracts a mere 2.4 megawatts of power), Ntirushwa sees an enormous amount of potential. "This lake has the power to produce up to 800 megawatts. We only do 2.4, so imagine how much is left," he says. The methane resides 250 meters underneath the lake, and to extract it, engineers lower a pipe to just about the layer of dissolved gas. Once captured, the gas is purified and dried. Overall, it's a cheap method for creating electricity. "It's a very rewarding job, because it's the first time [it's been done]. It's a new technology, and the people of Rwanda are very excited about it. Being a pioneer, being the first doing this, it gives some us respect." | Rwanda's Lake Kivu is becoming a tourism hotspot . It is one of three 'exploding lakes' in the world . Underwater levels of methane and carbon dioxide could make the lake lethal . Rwanda has defused the lake by using the methane for power . | 2220ad6258c01d47836ce24a0ee9bb20d7576e38 |
Range-R: At least 50 U.S. law enforcement agencies now have access to radar devices that enable them to effectively see into people’s homes and determine if anyone is inside . At least 50 U.S. law enforcement agencies now have access to radar devices that enable them to effectively see into people’s homes and determine if anyone is inside. Although the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and others have had the technology for more than two years, it only come to light during a federal appeals court hearing in Denver last month. During the case it emerged that officers had used the Range-R device before they entered a house to arrest a man wanted for violating his parole. The judges in the case expressed alarm that agents had used the technology without a search warrant in line with the U.S. Supreme Court's advice. ‘The government's warrantless use of such a powerful tool to search inside homes poses grave Fourth Amendment questions,’ said the judges. The use of the technology adds to growing concerns about government surveillance and also raises legal and privacy issues. Federal officials claim the tool is critical for keeping officers safe if they need to storm buildings or rescue hostages, but civil liberties groups aren’t convinced. ‘The idea that the government can send signals through the wall of your house to figure out what's inside is problematic,’ Christopher Soghoian, the American Civil Liberties Union's principal technologist, told USA Today. ‘Technologies that allow the police to look inside of a home are among the intrusive tools that police have.’ The device the Marshals Service and others are using, known as the Range-R, shows whether it has detected movement on the other side of a wall and, if so, how far away it is . Federal contract records show the Marshals Service began buying the radars in 2012, and has spent $180,000 on them. The device the Marshals Service and others are using - known as the Range-R - detects movement on the other side of a wall and also how far away it is. L-3 Communications, which makes the device, estimates it has sold about 200 Range-Rs to 50 law enforcement agencies at a cost of approximately $6,000 each. The radar was first designed for use in Iraq and Afghanistan and is the latest example of battlefield technology finding its way home to civilian policing. The radar was first designed for use in Iraq and Afghanistan and is the latest example of battlefield technology finding its way home to civilian policing . | At least 50 U.S. law enforcement agencies now have access to radar devices that enable them to effectively see into people's homes . The technology has been available for more than two years, but only come to light during a federal appeals court hearing in Denver last month . The use of the technology adds to growing concerns about government surveillance and also raises legal and privacy issues . | 45ef9b04b849d40341ea0c73f24a8fbfefbdc00a |
(CNN)American skier Lindsey Vonn clinched World Cup victory number 62 Sunday, equaling the all-time record which has stood for 35 years . In foggy conditions and on soft snow in the women's downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Vonn recorded a time of 1 minute 39.61 seconds, beating Austria's Elisabeth Goergl by 0.32 seconds. The victory tied Vonn with Austria's Annemarie Moser-Proell's, who set the benchmark between 1970 and 1980. "I was a little bit nervous in the start", the 30-year-old said in an interview with the International Ski Federation website. "I thought I skied really well on Friday, but it was tough conditions and I wasn't able to be on top of the podium. Today was kind of the same, the snow was soft but at least it was sunny. I just tried to keep my feet underneath me and not to push the skis against the snow too much and it worked out." The victory marks an incredible comeback for Vonn, who had been out with a serious knee injury for 18 months. In a desperate attempt to get fit for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Vonn aggravated her knee and needed a second operation. Much of the talk since her comeback has concerned the World Cup record, which has proved something of a distraction. "Every time I'm in the starting gate I'm trying to win, whether it's 60, 61, 62 or whatever it is, I just try to ski my best," she said. "So it was more frustrating just talking about this record in the media. But for me, mentally, it was the same as any other race. Now I'm happy we can stop talking about it." Although few will actually stop talking about it. Vonn now has the chance to hold the record outright, with 63 wins, in Monday's super-G. "I've surprised myself how far I come," Vonn told CNN after her victory. "I'm really excited for another race tomorrow. Hopefully I can break the record tomorrow. I love what I do. I want to win as many races as possible. I have a lot more to give the sport." The was one last question to ask: had she spoken to her boyfriend, Tiger Woods? "Yeah I talked to him and he said he's really proud of me," she confirmed. "He was watching with his daughter early in the morning. I was sad he wasn't here but he's training. He's a professional athlete too." Tina Maze, the overall leader, took fifth place and increased her lead in the standings. | Lindsey Vonn equals World Cup win record in Italy. Clinched win number 62 in the downhill. Can brfeak the 35-year record in the super-G Monday. | 47861207a28717d1d99212fdf195fd3e4bb2a469 |
(CNN) -- Marilyn Edge was supposed to turn over her son and daughter to her ex-husband in Georgia. Instead, police allege, she fled with the children to Southern California and killed them. On Saturday night, the bodies of the children -- Jaelen, 13, and Faith, 10 -- were found in a hotel in Santa Ana, California. Edge, 42, was apprehended Saturday night after apparently trying to commit suicide by crashing her car at a Home Depot parking lot in a nearby town, police said. Authorities in Orange County have charged Edge with the children's murder. She was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday in Santa Ana to enter a plea to the charges but her arraignment was delayed -- with her attorney agreeing to the delay -- until October 25. Her ex-husband, Mark Edge, is hospitalized at the VA hospital in Decatur, Georgia, his attorney Marian Weeks said. The former couple had been fighting a years-long custody battle over the children. Weeks told CNN affiliate WSB that Marilyn Edge had abruptly left court last week after a judge's custody ruling did not go in her favor. Under the order, she was meant to hand the two children over to her ex-husband at Cobb County Police Headquarters in Georgia. "When Judge Leonard was giving his order on Wednesday afternoon, she got up and left the courtroom in the middle of it, so that was the ultimate message to Judge Leonard: 'I'm not going to listen to what you have to say.'" said Weeks. Weeks said she expressed suspicions to her client that Marilyn Edge might flee. "I'd even said to him I thought she'd take the kids to California because she'd lived in California in the past," she said. "But neither of us thought she'd kill the children." Marilyn Edge, from Scottsdale, Arizona, has been charged with two felony counts of special circumstance murder in the deaths of the two children, the Orange County District Attorney said. If convicted, she faces a minimum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. The special circumstances cited by prosecutors include committing multiple murders and murder by poisoning. CNN's Amanda Watts contributed to this report. | NEW: Arraignment is postponed until October for Marilyn Edge, facing felony murder charges . Her two children were found dead in a California hotel over the weekend . Her ex-husband's lawyer says she had been ordered to turn over the children last week . Edge was apprehended after apparently trying to commit suicide on Saturday night . | 072d1828c0bfe26e9cb12b17dad58ecd6295af92 |
By . Peter Campbell . PUBLISHED: . 19:46 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:20 EST, 28 January 2013 . Online: Internet retailer Amazon has made £14billion in worldwide sales in just three months - with one tenth of that coming from UK shoppers . Amazon is set to announce record Christmas trading as it continues to ‘lay waste’ to the beleaguered high street. In just three months the internet store made £14billion in worldwide sales – with one tenth of that from UK shoppers. But Amazon has been under attack for avoiding millions of pounds in taxes. Critics say this enables the company to slash prices and undercut rivals. An estimated 17,500 high street jobs are at risk after 1,400 stores closed down over the Christmas period. And industry experts warn more retail failures could see one in five shops boarded up. Household names including HMV, Jessops, Blockbuster and Comet have all collapsed into administration during the past two months. Yet Amazon’s expected sales rise is an increase of almost a third compared with 2011. Waterstone’s founder Tim Waterstone previously said Amazon had a ‘rude, contemptuous, arrogant and subversive’ attitude to competitors. And John Lewis boss Andy Street has called for a ‘level playing field’ to stop it ‘out-trading’ rivals. Amazon was also dubbed ‘immoral’ for avoiding tax by funnelling revenue to Luxembourg. In 2011, the most recent year where figures are available, Amazon paid just £1.8million despite raking in sales of £3.35billion in the UK – a figure the firm tried to keep secret until it was exposed by MPs. Forecasts from Morgan Stanley, one of Wall Street’s largest banks, show the company is expected to report global sales of more than £14billion between October and December, compared with £10billion the year before. For the full 12 months Amazon is forecast to have made almost £40billion. That is projected to rise to £86billion in 2015. ‘Amazon is uniquely positioned to be a disruptive force to the traditional retail channel for years to come,’ said analyst RJ Hottovy from US brokers Morningstar. He added: ‘Amazon has played a prominent role in the structural shift away from bricks-and-mortar retail and it may lay waste to several other retailers in the years to come. In trouble: HMV, which is currently in administration with some 4,500 jobs at risk, was the latest in a long line of entertainment and electronics stores which have collapsed since the financial crash in 2009 . ‘Without the cost burden of physical retail stores, Amazon can price below traditional rivals and drive recurring traffic online.’ Since launching, Amazon has expanded from selling books to include DVDs, CDs, household appliances, garden tools and even car parts. Sales of cheap CDs and DVDs helped hasten the decline of HMV, which is currently in administration with some 4,500 jobs at risk. The group was the latest in a long line of entertainment and electronics stores which have collapsed since the financial crash in 2009, including Woolworths – once the UK’s biggest seller of DVDs. A further 4,190 jobs were endangered when video rental service Blockbuster collapsed earlier this month. Endangered: More than 4,000 jobs were also put at risk when video rental service Blockbuster collapsed earlier this month . | Amazon set to announce record Christmas sales as high street struggles . Internet store made £14billion in worldwide sales in just three months . Amazon has come under attack though for avoiding millions of pounds in tax . | 79376f3d4484a8beed0fb818e194ef86b1573854 |
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- A bomb appearing to target police officers exploded Thursday in an Istanbul neighborhood near the ruling Justice and Development Party headquarters in the city, authorities said. The blast left 15 officers and one civilian injured, Istanbul's police chief, Huseyin Capkin, said. It occurred in the Sutluce neighborhood in Beyoglu district. "It seems the explosion was done by remote control, as a police van with 21 policemen in it was passing by," Capkin told reporters on the scene. "Their conditions are all good," Capkin said. "There is no one in a life-threatening condition." Istanbul Gov. Huseyin Avni Mutlu said the bomb was mounted on a motorcycle that was left by the side of the road. He said plastic explosive was used. "We do not have clear information about the perpetrators," he said, promising an investigation and vowing that such attacks could not harm Istanbul's security. The headquarters of Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, MUSIAD, is near the scene of the blast. A spokesman for the association, Sadi Dinleyici, told CNN Turk television that the explosion shook their building and they were initially afraid it was hit by a bomb. Turkey has experienced bomb attacks in the past conducted by various groups, including Kurdish separatist organizations, extreme leftists and al Qaeda-related radical Islamists. | NEW: 16 injured people are in "good" condition, police say . A plastic explosive mounted on a motorcycle explodes as a police van passes, officials say . Gov. Huseyin Avni Mutlu says authorities don't know who is responsible . | aaabb2427d86e5e15ff6b7db4dbb5e461046294f |
New York Police Department detectives have a 50-year-old murder case on their hands after the medical examiner ruled an elderly Brooklyn man's death to be due to a stabbing from the 1950s. Antonio Ciccarello passed away at the age of 97 in September, more than five decades after being stabbed in the stomach in the Lower East Side on his way to work. The New York Daily News reports the family was shocked when their father turned up in the morgue, instead of a funeral home, with his death ruled a homicide. Death: Antonio Ciccarello died at 97, more than five decades after being stabbed in the stomach in the Lower East Side on his way to work, and the medical examiner has ruled it a murder . 'It was way out of left field for me,' said his daughter Mary Paloglou, 57, who thought the hernia that finally killed her father was caused by strain inflicted on the job as a porter. But the medical examiner said the hernia was lasting damage resulting from Ciccarello being blindsided with a knife on the streets of New York. Paloglou said she'd heard stories about how her father was stabbed, when she was around three, but had no idea the extent of the attack. In the 1950s, an unknown assailant jumped Ciccarello on the street. He got away from his attacker and went to the hospital after the pain became unbearable, only then learning he'd been stabbed. Doctors left a scar on his stomach after performing an operation on him to fix any internal bleeding the stabbing may have caused. The internal injuries he suffered eventually led to his death half a century later, according to the city medical examiner. Passed away: Ciccarello refused an operation on his hernia last year because he was worried he wouldn't survive the surgery in his advanced age . His daughter said he never reported the attack to police since he didn't know the identity of the perpetrator, and that the person who committed the assault is now likely passed away as well. 'It could of been a bum in the street,' said Paloglou. 'It was just a random act. He wasn't robbed.' Ciccarello refused an operation on the hernia last year because he was worried he wouldn't survive the surgery in his advanced age. 'We were afraid that he was going to die on the table,' said Paloglou. | Antonio Ciccarello died last September from a hernia . The medical examiner ruled the hernia was caused by a stabbing committed in the late 1950s . His 57-year-old daughter Mary Paloglou knew her father had been stabbed, but thought the hernia was caused by strain from his job as a porter . | effcd2e7bd8c67dcd530a57bf2b76fbfa355f65f |
Death crash: Illegal immigrant Iqbal Singh, 39, was driving without a licence when he killed father-of-four Malcolm Anderson in a motorway accident . An illegal immigrant who escaped before he could be deported went on to cause the death of a father after falling asleep at the wheel. Indian-born Iqbal Singh, 39, absconded after being refused permanent leave to remain in the UK following his arrival in 2000. He was driving a van without a licence or insurance when he crashed into father-of-four Malcolm Anderson’s car on the M6 last December. Yesterday the electrician’s widow told of her anger after the illegal driver was jailed for just two years over the crash which also left her and son Jason, 13, badly hurt. Deborah Anderson, 50, said: ‘Singh will walk free in a few months while we have been given a life sentence. ‘Armed robbers sometimes get life because they use weapons. The van driven by Singh was the weapon used to kill my husband.’ Singh admitted causing Mr Anderson’s death by careless driving and faced a maximum five-year jail term when he appeared at Warwick Crown Court for sentencing earlier this week. But Judge Michael Cullum reduced the sentence to credit Singh for his early guilty plea over the crash, which happened when the Andersons were returning home to Stechford, Birmingham, in convoy after a family wedding. Warwick Crown Court heard Singh swerved to avoid a car carrying their three daughters, Sarah, 23, Emma, 20 and Michelle, 18, but hit Mr Anderson’s Ford Escort. The car careered into a concrete post and overturned. Mr Anderson died of a heart attack at the scene. Mrs Anderson, who was cut free from the wreckage, had a punctured lung and cracked ribs. Jason suffered a broken nose, a damaged ankle and bruises on his lung. Singh, from Birmingham but of no fixed address, was uninjured in the incident on the northbound carriageway of the M6 near Coventry. He said he had either shut his eyes for a second or taken his eyes off the road. Final picture: Malcolm Anderson (right) at a relative's wedding hours before he was killed. He is pictured with (from left to right) his wife Deborah, daughter Sarah, 23, niece Laura Langbird who was getting married and daughters Emma, 20, and Michelle, 18. His son Jason, then 13, is also pictured (front) Talbir Singh, defending, said Singh had expressed his remorse in letters to the judge and Mr Anderson’s family. Singh was originally charged with causing death by dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge on Monday. He also admitted causing death while unlicensed and uninsured. Deborah and Malcolm on their wedding day in 1984. Deborah, 50, and their son Jason, were in the car and were both badly hurt in the crash with Deborah spending four days in hospital . Gail Adams, UK Border Agency regional director, said: ‘Iqbal Singh did not enter the UK illegally. He was given limited leave to remain when he entered in 2000 and then applied for permanent leave to remain which was rejected. But before he could be removed he absconded.’ Singh will be deported to India at the end of his jail term. Injured: Deborah (centre) and her son Jason (right) were also hurt in the collision on the M6 near Coventry. Mrs Anderson is pictured here with her daughter Sarah . | Malcom Anderson's widow says: 'He should swing for his crime because he is a murderer' Iqbal Singh, 39, gave police false name after crash because he was on the run from the UK Border Agency . He will be deported at the end of his sentence . Singh pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving . He suffered heart attack after M6 crash and died at the scene . | 05bf434e8fa8f28cae17dc0510f7e442c86dbbe7 |
Shoplifter Danny from Channel 4 documentary Benefits Street . Channel 4 was facing a police probe last night over a documentary featuring a thief showing how to shoplift. Detectives are considering whether to investigate the criminal activities seen in the programme on welfare claimants. The prolific shoplifter explains how to dodge security alarms and how to remove security tags from designer clothes without causing damage. More than 200 complaints were made to Channel 4 and the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom after Benefits Street aired on Monday night. Residents in a deprived Birmingham road were filmed making false welfare claims and growing cannabis in their homes. John O’Shea, a Labour councillor in the city, said: ‘Channel 4 appear to have aided and abetted shoplifting in Birmingham.’ Superintendent Danny Long, of West Midlands Police, said: ‘We have been inundated with comments from members of the public, many of whom are concerned about elements of the show which showed criminal activity. ‘We are assessing whether the content of the programme can assist us as part of any investigations or indeed whether any new inquiries should be launched in light of the material that has been broadcast.’ The programme explores day-to-day life in James Turner Street, Winson Green, where, it is claimed, as many as 90 per cent of people claim benefits. Shoplifter ‘Danny’ is seen brandishing a cardboard shopping bag which he has lined with a Primark paper bag covered in foil to stop security alarms going off inside stores. Another resident, called ‘Fungi’, is seen going into a Premier Inn hotel where he picks up four magazines and tries to hawk them for £2.50 each, calling them ‘his Big Issue’. Patrol: Police were on James Turner Street in Birmingham today as it emerged that officers will review whether there should be arrests after what was shown on the programme . Inquiries: An officer knocks at a door on 'Benefits Street', where it is believed 90 per cent are unemployed and survive on benefits . In trouble: On last night's show a man called Danny discussed stealing jackets from a shop in the Bullring shopping centre and was later arrested . Cameras follow him making a sale to a . woman in a smart black sports car. Evidently fooled, she gives him £3 . and tells him to keep the change. He makes £12. Danny . later returns from a shopping centre having apparently stolen five . jackets which he claims he can sell for £250. On the bus home, he shows . viewers how to remove the security tags without damaging the clothes. Fungi . beams: ‘This guy is one of the best shoplifters I have ever met in my . life. This is James Turner street, this is how we’ve got to earn our . money.’ After making £200 in an afternoon, Danny then calls a drug dealer to order ‘two bags and a shot’. Another . resident, Dee Roberts, 32, says: ‘If there’s somebody around and . they’re going to sell you a £120 pair of jeans for a tenner you aren’t . going to say no are you, do you know what I mean, it’s like their way of . living.’ Accusations: People on the street say the Channel 4 show has manipulated them and made their area look like a slum . Criticism: Residents say they mistakenly believed the show was about the strength of the community on James Turner Street, but producers say they simply filmed what they saw, which appears to include criminality . Yesterday it . emerged the jobless youth worker was arrested last summer on suspicion . of possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply. She has not been . charged and protests her innocence. Her home was among four James Turner Street properties searched by police on June 14. Police . said a number of bullets were recovered from one property while a haul . of illegal substances, believed to be cocaine and cannabis, and a large . amount of cash were also seized. During . the programme, a man wearing a black tracksuit, gloves and a full face . mask is seen tending a number of cannabis plants. He says: ‘Basically . everyone does something on the side when they’re on benefits, it can be . from selling tobacco to going shoplifting.’ A . young couple who live on the street, Mark and Becky, told the . film-makers they had all their benefits stopped because of fraudulent . claims. Mark said at one point they were picking up £1,500 a month for them and their two young children. ‘Me and Becky, to tell you the truth, we were doing benefit fraud and was picking up easily £1,500 a month,’ he said. Raids: Police say they seized a number of bullets from one property while a 'substantial' haul of substances, believed to be cocaine and cannabis, and a large amount of cash were also seized from the street . ‘They . stopped everything. I can see why people go out robbing and do time . inside, it pays to be inside – there’s nothing out here.’ Upset: People who live on James Turner Street, including Dee Roberts and friend Charlene Wilson (right), are unhappy about how they are being portrayed . Channel 4 said it had received around 100 complaints and Ofcom is thought to have received a similar number. Viewers . were concerned about how crime and benefits claimants were portrayed in . the programme, which had an audience of 4.3million. The . broadcaster said the series, filmed over more than a year, was a ‘fair . reflection of the reality of life on a street where the majority of . households receive benefits’. On . the alleged criminal activity, it said: ‘The production crew were . filming in a purely observational capacity – at no stage was criminal . behaviour encouraged or condoned. ‘All . contributors were briefed that if they carried out criminal activity on . camera this could result in criminal investigations after broadcast.’ Channel 4 insisted the programme-makers were careful not to show viewers how to commit crime. Ofcom said it would assess the complaints it received. Yesterday residents featured in the documentary claimed they had been ‘turned over’ by Channel 4. Polish-born . Anna Korzen, 28, has lived on the street for four years with her two . children. She rakes in £900 a month in tax credits, child benefit and . housing benefit. Miss Korzen said: ‘Everyone on the street is so angry, so am I. We have been made to look like tramps.’ The programme also prompted abusive messages and death threats on Twitter, aimed at the programme’s participants. One person tweeted: ‘Set fire to £Benefits Street.’ The . British Retail Consortium said in a statement: ‘Shoplifting is far from . victimless: it affects shops and staff, impacts directly on communities . and can encourage wider criminal activity.’ Not impressed: Mark Thomas, 23 and Becky Howe, 23, say producers of Channel 4's Benefits Street have made residents look like 'slums' Shoplifter Danny from Channel 4 documentary Benefits Street . 'Danny' – thought to be Danny Smith – was the catalyst for most of the complaints to the police. The qualified gym instructor was shown lining a paper shopping bag with tin foil to stop store alarms from sounding during a shoplifting spree. ‘Fill it up with a £2,000 coat or whatever you ****ing want, you’ll walk out of the shop and you’re coming out with no alarms going off’, he said. Smith, a father of three who admitted being too lazy to work, went shoplifting just days after being released from prison. Although cameras did not record him taking any goods, he was filmed afterwards boasting about his haul of five designer jackets – which he then sold for £200. His criminal record stretches to around 200 offences. He has been convicted 80 times since the age of 12. Subject to an Asbo banning him from Birmingham city centre, he was arrested after venturing back to the shops on another thieving mission. He was also verbally abusive to the police and community support officers who picked him up. The programme ended with Danny vanishing after apparently stealing cannabis plants a neighbour was growing in a spare bedroom. Deirdre Kelly – or ‘White Dee’ – boasted of being the ‘mother of the street’ in the first episode. She was filmed advising neighbour ‘Black Dee’ not to panic when she was served with an eviction notice. And she told an alcoholic neighbour threatened with having his benefits suspended that she ignored a similar letter ‘and they were still paid’. Deirdre Kelly ¿ or 'White Dee' ¿ boasted of being the 'mother of the street¿ in the first episode' Viewers were told the 42-year-old was struggling to bring up two children on benefits and there was no sign of a partner. However, her Facebook page, which is littered with photographs of family holidays and outings to pop concerts, states she is ‘in a relationship’. Although of Irish extraction, Miss Kelly has lived in Birmingham since childhood. She revels in her ‘mother of the street’ image – even using an email address which starts ‘momma_d’. She claimed people were now growing drugs in their spare bedrooms to fund or – as she put it ‘accommodate’ – the bedroom tax. When challenged by the Daily Mail she said her remarks had been made in jest. Dee Roberts, who has not worked for six years, complained that she was duped into appearing in the programme . Dee Roberts, who has not worked for six years, complained that she was duped into appearing in the programme. The 32-year-old – known as ‘Black Dee’ – said residents thought that the show was about a close working class community, but had instead been portrayed as ‘complete scum’. She is on bail in connection with at least two offences. Roberts was arrested on suspicion of possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply following a summer raid. Yesterday police swooped on her home after she failed to answer bail in relation to a ‘racially aggravated incident’ on the road in August. She was filmed turning to Miss Kelly for support after being threatened with eviction for non-payment of rent, addressing her namesake as ‘mother’. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Benefits Street features the lives of several jobless living in Birmingham . West Midlands Police admit they are reviewing footage for crimes . Star Dee Roberts was held after drugs raid on street last year . 'I'm innocent and have not been charged with anything,' she said . Force founds bullets, cocaine, cannabis and cash in various houses . 90% of those in the 137-house street said to claim one or more benefit . 'Manipulated' residents complain series has made area 'look like slums' 4.3m saw it making it most watched Channel 4 show for more than a year . Ofcom receives complaints about the portrayal of criminality by show . | 3d7e6aa7c0ad64a3af3f61ae73ec68aa0d23c486 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Despite outspoken critics, including Sarah Michelle Geller, who said they would cancel their Vogue subscriptions after Anna Wintour put Kim Kardashian and Kayne West on the cover, it seems the issue is flying off newsstands. According to the New York Post, the controversial April issue is set to sell around 400,000 copies. Comparatively, Beyonce's cover sold more than 355,000 copies and Michelle Obama's cover sold nearly 300,000. A Vogue spokesperson, however, said the magazine 'never comments on sales figures'. Vogue's controversial April issue is set to sell around 400,000 copies. Comparatively, Beyonce's cover sold more than 355,000 copies and Michelle Obama's cover sold nearly 300,000 . The successful sales, so far, comes after weeks of critism from Vogue fans, including actress Sarah Michelle Gellar tweeted: 'Well……I guess I’m canceling my Vogue subscription. Who is with me???' Her boycott was retweeted more than 8,000 times and favorited by more than 11,000 people. Vogue’s Facebook page was also inundated with hundreds of disaproving messages. 'I’m done with Vogue. Subscription cancelled sick to death of Kanye and Kim used to be high fashion, your standards have been highly compromised!!!!!!' wrote one commenter. Meanwhile, the . message 'Anna Wintour…. it’s time to step down…' received more than 100 likes. Vogue’s website also coped similarly angry notes. 'I have always purchased Vogue, ever since I was a teenager and I felt like I could always rely on Vogue to inspire me and educate on a number of levels,' wrote one woman. 'I don’t buy tabloids for a reason because I don’t look up to or find inspiration in people with no talent and even less morals. Wow, RIP Vogue. The last bastion of style has fallen today. I’ll miss you.' Unable to suspend their disbelief, some fans suggested that the cover could be an April Fool’s joke, but the only one laughing now -- most probably with glee -- is Anna Wintour. Clearly anticipating the controversy the cover would incite, Ms Wintour wrote in her Editor’s Letter: 'As for the cover, my opinion is that it is both charming and touching, and it was, I should add, entirely our idea to do it. 'You may have read that Kanye begged me to put his fiancee on Vogue‘s cover. He did nothing of the sort. The gossip might make better reading, but the simple fact of the matter is that it isn’t true,' she wrote. But there are many people who are skeptical about the cover's success: 'Could Kimye be buying thousands of copies themselves?' they ask. | Anna WIntour was criticized for putting the couple on the cover, but it seems her decision has paid off . | 2ae798ed50bb0fec7051d49c8517abacac153be7 |
Brendan Rodgers has rubbished claims by West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce that Liverpool succumbed to defeat to Aston Villa due to complacency by insisting the Reds are 'allergic' to such a thing. The Anfielders surprisingly fell to a 1-0 home loss against Villa last weekend and Hammers manager Allardyce suggested Liverpool had taken their opponents lightly because they were instead focusing on facing Ludogorets in the Champions League in mid-week. But Rodgers, whose side will aim to bounce back with a win at Upton Park on Saturday, insists nothing could be further from the truth. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers (left) has hit back at claims from Sam Allardyce (right) that his side lost 1-0 at Anfield against Aston Villa last week due to 'complacency', saying they are 'allergic' to that at the club . Jordan Henderson (right) and the rest of the Liverpool squad look dejected after the Aston Villa defeat . Mario Balotelli (left) and Raheem Sterling (right) train at Melwood ahead of this weekend's West Ham match . When asked if there was any truth in what Allardyce had said, Rodgers responded: 'No, not at all. We are allergic to complacency here. 'It was that - we're not good enough to be complacent yet. The fact is that Villa played well, as simple as that. 'There are a lot of experts in the game and I am consistently being told how to play, how to work - but we will always find ways to win.' Gabby Agbonlahor (centre) runs off in celebration after bagging the winner for Aston Villa at Anfield . Rodgers (centre) watches on during Liverpool training ahead of the trip to West Ham United on Saturday . The Liverpool squad train at Melwood on Thursday as they look to bounce back from defeat to Aston Villa . | Brendan Rodgers hits back at Sam Allardyce's claims of complacency . West Ham United boss said Liverpool had taken Aston Villa lightly . Liverpool lost 1-0 against Villa at Anfield in Premier League last weekend . Rodgers says his Liverpool side are 'allergic to complacency' West Ham host Liverpool at Upton Park in Premier League on Saturday . | 24c4ea4b91fd9fb083f27b421ecf4f314eb17af5 |
By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 15:23 EST, 22 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:26 EST, 22 November 2012 . A coat hanger factory worker suffered serious injuries to her neck and throat that almost resulted in her death when her hair and scarf became entangled in the chain and drive of a conveyor. Kelly Nield, 24, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, suffered the injuries in April 2009 at a Mainetti factory in Holywell, Flintshire, which manufactures and recycles coat hangers for supermarkets, a court heard. Miss Nield’s ponytail hair became entangled in the inadequately guarded conveyor on which she was working. She suffered a fractured finger and the loss of her hair, which was pulled from her head. Hanger manufacturer: Kelly Nield, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, suffered the injuries in April 2009 at the Mainetti factory in Holywell, Flintshire, a court heard. The company's website is pictured . The factory employs 200 people at its Welsh base and admitted four charges brought by the Health and Safety Executive following what prosecutor Simon Parrington described as a ‘horrific accident’. The company failed to provide proper instruction, failed to prevent access to dangerous machinery parts and failed to provide an emergency stop button, he told Flintshire Magistrates’ Court. Agency worker Miss Nield had been provided with some training but it did not cover the dangers of working with conveyors, the court heard. She was sorting, de-labelling and packing coat hangers. Workers were said to devise their own systems to prevent blockages on the conveyor - and on her first day on the line, she tried to rectify a blockage. But as she bent down her scarf got entangled. ‘She was in a state of great distress as she tried to free herself with her left hand but to no avail,’ Mr Parrington said. ‘Her little finger was trapped, fractured and almost severed.’ Treatment: Emergency services were called and Miss Nield was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, Cheshire, where she remained for three months and underwent a number of operations . She shouted for help and was eventually . freed when a co-worker ran to and pushed the main ‘off’ button. Her hair . had been torn from her head when she was trapped. 'She was in great distress as she tried to free herself with her left hand but to no avail. Her little finger was trapped, fractured and almost severed' Simon Parrington, prosecuting . Emergency services were called and she was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, Cheshire, where she remained for three months and underwent a number of operations. Her injuries included a crushed and twisted larynx, scarring of the oesophagus and trachea, scarring of the epiglottis, loss of hair, fracturing to her left little finger and other major injuries. The injuries had left her with continuing disabilities which still affected her daily life. Mr Parrington said that the risk of entrapment with conveyors and moving parts were well known and each year there were fatal and serious injury accidents. The accident was entirely foreseeable and avoidable, he added. Conveyor: She shouted for help and was eventually freed when a co-worker ran to and pushed the main 'off' button. Her hair had been torn from her head when she was trapped (file picture) ‘Miss Nield is now scarred for life,’ he said. ‘Although this incident had the potential to kill Miss Nield, serious injury rather than death resulted from the company’s breaches of regulations.’ The serious and life-changing injuries, and the potential harm to other workers, were aggravating features, he said. 'Miss Nield is now scarred for life. Although this incident had the potential to kill Miss Nield, serious injury rather than death resulted from the company’s breaches of regulations' Simon Parrington, prosecuting . Kevin Elliott, defending, handed in a basis of plea at Flintshire Magistrates’ Court at Mold. But District Judge Andrew Shaw said that without hearing the mitigation, he had decided that the maximum penalty of £20,000 available in the magistrates’ court was insufficient. The company would be committed for sentence to the crown court next month, he said. Failure to adequately guard the conveyor or to provide an emergency stop had been ‘desperately serious’ breaches, the judge said. He described the consequences to the victim as ‘utterly appalling’. | Kelly Nield, of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, suffered the injuries in April 2009 . Incident at Mainetti factory which manufactures and recycles coat hangers . Ponytail trapped in inadequately guarded conveyor and hair was pulled off . | 6bfcc249de31350e00b4d78abbd8a28d74ce76b1 |
LONDON, England -- "Ocean Emerald" is a superyacht with added wow-factor. Her startling appearance has made sure of that and in real life she is every bit as dramatic as she appears in these photographs. "Ocean Emerald" is the second time Lord Foster has designed a superyacht. We were among the guests invited to the superyacht's official launching in La Spezia, in northern Italy, when her celebrity designer and his team walked down the red carpet to cast his eyes upon his latest masterpiece. Lord Foster of Thameside is no stranger to eye-catching and dramatic design. His architectural firm Norman Foster + Partners is responsible for iconic London landmarks such as 30 St Mary Axe, better known as the Gherkin, and the Millennium Bridge. Foster is the master of the curved line. Imagine for a moment a photograph of the Gherkin split in two lengthwise and laid flat, recall the sweeping curves of the Millennium Bridge and you will see how he has managed to combine the drama of those two creations into what is arguably the most visually stunning superyacht of the year. Ocean Emerald is not the first of Foster's forays into the world of superyacht design. It was he who drew the lines for the Lürssen-built Izanami, a 58-metre yacht now called Ronin and owned by Larry Ellison. Launched in 1993, she is also a head-turner. Design and external appearance aside, Ocean Emerald is different from every other 41-metre superyacht in that she is not to be the sole property of any one owner. This perhaps is one of the reasons for her radical look as she is designed to appeal to those who are new to the concept of superyacht ownership. Unlike the traditional form of ownership, where one person, sometimes through an anonymous corporation, is the owner of all 64 shares of the yacht, the shares in Ocean Emerald are split either into eight or sixteen parts. These fractions -- one-eighth or one-sixteenth -- of Ocean Emerald have been sold to different individuals by the London-based company YachtPlus. When engaged to design the yacht, the Foster team were initially told to work within the confines of an existing hull designed by yacht builders Intermarine, part of Rodriquez Cantieri Navale. But after discussions, Rodriquez has produced a new 41-metre hull three metres longer than the original concept. Walking around Ocean Emerald, it is clear that Foster has taken all the traditional rules of yacht design, torn them up and started again. The public rooms benefit from abundant natural light, which floods in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, in addition to the copious artificial lights. Coupled with the use of pale-coloured woods, soft furnishings and white high-gloss, wipe-clean surfaces they create a wonderfully bright, modern feel. Unusually for a motor yacht, the natural teak decking extends right the way through from the aft deck to the saloon, ensuring a seamless visual transition between the outside and inside spaces. To join the Ownership Lifestyle Programme will cost an initial payment of €1.875 million. This buys you a one eighth share of the yacht and guarantees 30 nights per year on board -- ten nights peak season in the Mediterranean, ten nights peak season in the Caribbean, and two five-night cultural tours such as sightseeing, shopping, golf, Formula 1, vineyard visits and museums. Each year there will be an annual service charge of €200,000 to cover overheads, including marine and hotel operations, permanent crew, mooring and berthing fees, year-round maintenance and mechanical upkeep, marine and port charges and cruise itineraries management. Lord Foster said: "With my team we have given a new emphasis to such issues as quality and quantity of space, outdoor terraces, light and views. Our commission is for the total design concept of the fleet, with an eye on beauty, function and luxury, down to the smallest detail. We believe that there is great potential in the concept of luxury cruisers to think afresh such issues as views, light, privacy and the quality of spaces -- both inside and outdoors." The concept of fractional ownership is fast becoming acknowledged as a logical way forward for those wishing to enjoy high-end luxury products without the massive capital investement required. Foster himself owns one of the shares and is very much looking forward to experiencing what it is like to step into the shoes of a superyacht owner. It may only be for a fraction of the time but it is also, as he so eloquently puts it, only for a fraction of the price. Subscribe to SuperYachtWorld . COPYRIGHT © 2009 IPC MEDIA LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED . | Famous architect Norman Foster has designed a new superyacht . "Ocean Emerald" has a top speed of 17.5 knots . It will be co-owned by investors laying down an initial $2.6 million payment . | cb8b3b296fae11e8de576f72b72b22e948cbd00b |
In private, even the stylish former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis admitted to tiring of the all-black attire long considered chic in New York City. Writing to Bill Hamilton, then the design director at Carolina Herrera, Onassis once wrote: 'I just love this suit and will wear it everywhere as I am SO sick of everyone constantly in black. Like Mediterranean villages where everyone is in mourning for 20 years.' The handwritten note - accompanied by her own sketch of a suit with a single-breasted jacket - is among a few dozen pieces of Onassis' personal correspondence making a rare appearance at auction on Saturday in Florida. Scroll down for video . First lady in red: 'I am SO sick of everyone constantly in black,' Jackie Kennedy Onassis once wrote to Bill Hamilton, design director at Carolina Herrera. Pictured, Onassis in a red Christian Dior two-piece in 1962 . Rico Baca, auctioneer and co-owner of Palm Beach Modern Auctions said that the notes about clothes and furniture she was buying show the human side of the widow of President John Kennedy and tycoon Aristotle Onassis. 'In these notes you get a sense of how someone famous can make the average person comfortable,' said Mr Baca, who is preparing the personal correspondence for auction on Saturday. 'She really did go out of her way to make people feel appreciated.' Mostly written on her signature blue stationery, all the notes end with Onassis giving thanks for the work Mr Hamilton and interior designer Richard Keith Langham did for her from the mid-80s until her death in 1994. Under the hammer: A selection of Onassis' personal notes and photos, written between the 80s and early 90s (pictured), will be up for auction in Florida on Saturday . Exhibit A: Rico Baca, auctioneer and co-owner of Palm Beach Modern Auctions, points to photos of Onassis taken by Bob Davidoff, who spent decades as the Kennedy family's photographer . Prep: Mumbi O'Brien, with Palm Beach Modern Auctions, lays out handwritten notes and drawings into 30 lots for the upcoming auction . Some notes offer Onassis' polite yet firm opinions on shoulder pads, the shape of a jacket, slim pant legs and the weight of chairs. Mr Hamilton remembers how Onassis would arrive for fittings with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich wrapped in aluminum foil in her handbag, ready to work through lunch to get the details right. 'To get the point across she would do drawings of ideas she wanted, from a canopy bed to a jacket. 'We spent a lot of time selecting fabrics,' Mr Hamilton said. 'She knew when she went out she had to look perfect.' Master of color: Onassis, pictured in a mint green Oleg Cassini number in 1962 (left) and sporting pink shoulder-pads in 1989 (right) Impeccable: The former first lady wearing a yellow dress designed by Carolina Herrera in 1961 (left) and a ruffled black gown in 1979 . Other notes simply express Onassis' appreciation for work done by designers she considered friends. 'I hope life gives you back all the nice things that you put into it for other people,' she wrote Mr Langham on the back of a postcard of the Louvre in Paris. Among the correspondence to Mr Langham is a copy of a book about Onassis' restoration of the White House when she was first lady. 'What fun it would have been to work with you then,' Onassis said in an accompanying note. The auction will also include photographs by Bob Davidoff, who spent decades as the Kennedy family's photographer in Palm Beach, Mr Baca said. The black-and-white prints show Onassis' classic yet trendsetting style in tailored pants, big sunglasses and simple yet elegant shift dresses. Mr Baca expects bidding for each of the 30 lots of correspondence and photographs to start from $800 to $1,200. | A selection of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' personal notes and photos will be up for auction in Florida on Saturday . Palm Beach Modern Auctions expects bidding for each of the 30 lots to start from $800 to $1,200 . Mostly written on the former first lady's signature blue stationery, the notes are dated between the 80s and early 90s . | 83938517206d44e8cb76735f632a23aec00e1b51 |
Mr Cusick, from Horsham in West Sussex, died last week aged 84 . By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 07:25 EST, 28 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 28 February 2013 . The inspiration behind one of science fiction's most fearsome characters was a simple chimney pot, it has today been claimed. BBC designer Raymond Cusick is believed to have created Doctor Who's most evil nemesis- the Daleks - after seeing the futuristic flue atop a girls school. According to residents close to the High School for Girls, Gloucester - where the chimney sits - it is common knowledge. The inspiration behind one of science fiction's most fearsome characters Dr Who's Daleks - was a simple chimney pot, it has today been claimed . During his time with the BBC he created the ultimate villains - a race of mutants that move around in tank-like armoured machines . A spokeswoman at the school told the Sun: 'Whoever was working on Doctor Who saw it on top of the school.' City . councillor Seb Field also confirmed it had been well known locally, . saying: 'Residents told me all about it a couple of years ago.' Mr . Cusick, from Horsham in West Sussex, died last week aged 84. He is said . to have been inspired during a visit to Gloucester in the 1960s. During . his time with the BBC he created the ultimate villains - a race of . mutants that move around in tank-like armoured machines. Until . now it had been believed Mr Cusick had found inspiration for the robots . from a pepper pot during a lunch with Dr Who's special effects expert . Bill Roberts. Raymond Cusick with the Daleks in 1964. Mr Cusick, from Horsham in West Sussex, died last week aged 84. He is said to have been inspired during a visit to Gloucester in the 1960s . It had previously been believed Mr Cusick had found inspiration for the robots . from a pepper pot during a lunch with Dr Who's special effects expert . Bill Roberts . During his time with the BBC he created Dr Who's ultimate villains - a race of mutants that move around in tank-like armoured machines . Mr Cusick told a BBC documentary that he picked up a pepper pot and moved it around the table, telling Mr Roberts: 'It's going to move like that - no visible means.' Despite the success of his creation, Mr Cusick admitted that they did not work well from the beginning. He said that on set when they moved over bumpy pavements 'they rattled like an old biscuit tin', so he had to add extra pneumatic wheels to stabilise them. Alongside their catchphrase 'exterminate', the gliding movement became one of the Daleks' sinister defining features. Dr Who is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. | BBC designer Raymond Cusick 'inspired by chimney on Gloucester school' Residents say it has been common knowledge for years . Mr Cusick, from Horsham in West Sussex, died last week aged 84 . | 736daf650ded90cd38cd92cfdc8df9c9bdfd3a4a |
By . Kate Lyons . Andrew Jeffrey Flanagan was sentenced to four years in jail in Texas for a string of offences . The executive whose false CV caused Myer to hire him in a senior position also fooled several other leading Australian retailers who met with him about jobs. Andrew Jeffrey Flanagan, was fired from Myer on Monday, on his first day as general manager of strategy and business development after the company discovered he had lied on his resume. He claimed he had held the position of managing director and vice-president of Asia Pacific for Inditex, the Spanish company that owns popular fashion chain, Zara. However, Inditex contacted Myer on Monday, just hours after Mr Flanagan started work at the company, to inform Myer that Mr Flanagan had never worked for them. It has since been revealed by the Quest Personnel, the recruitment company that introduced Mr Flanagan to Myer, that several other retailers met with him on the strength of his falsified resume. 'Mr Flanagan was interviewed at length by several leading retailers, all of whom were interested in employing him,' Lorrain Tribe, managing director of Quest told MailOnline. Mr Flanagan was interviewed by the recruitment company several times and transcripts of those interviews were sent to Myer. Quest also conducted reference checks, contacting local and overseas referees. It is unclear how Mr Flanagan fooled Myer, Quest and the other companies interested in employing him. The Australian Financial Review reported that Mr Flanagan seems to be from Searcy in Arkansas and to currently live in Melbourne. Myer hired Mr Flanagan as general manager of strategy and business development and he began working for the company on Monday, but was fired before the end of the day . Myer CEO Bernie Brooks was not the only one to be fooled, several other companies considered Mr Flanagan for roles at their companies on the basis of his falsified resume . Last night Mr Flanagan resigned from a volunteer position assisting the board of the Nunawading Swimming Club in Melbourne's east. His nine-year-old son Christopher swims at the club and Club CEO Gary Barclay said Mr Flanagan was 'just a regular dad'. 'His son swims here, in October last year he put his hand up to volunteer to help us with the strategic plan,' he said. 'He's volunteered his time, he's helped out with the club. He put his hand out to help in a specific role.' Mr Barclay said that Mr Flanagan's resignation was his decision. 'We wouldn't have asked him to step down. He called within half an hour of us becoming aware of [Mr Flanagan getting fired from Myer]. There wasn't time to have a conversation.' | Andrew Flanagan was fired on his first day in a senior role at Myer . Fabricated his CV, claiming he worked at a senior position at Zara . Other companies also considered employing him, it has been revealed . | f9ff7d36829e0bab45405584132e52be8e6db99d |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:14 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:43 EST, 24 June 2013 . A six-year-old girl was plucked to safety by firefighters after nearly throttling herself when she fell through the railings of her balcony in southern China. Qing Yuan Tai trapped her head between two steel bars that would have choked her if she'd lost a precarious toe-hold on a support bracket. Frantic neighbours in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, dialed 999 while they tried to stop the girl being strangled or breaking her neck. Painful: Qing Yuan Tai trapped her head between two steel bars that would have choked her if she'd lost a precarious toe-hold on a support bracket . Frantic: Neighbours in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, dialed 999 while they tried to stop the girl being strangled or breaking her neck . Firefighters used powerful jacking equipment to force the bars apart and pull the terrified girl to safety. 'She was frightened and in a lot of pain. If she'd slipped or lost her grip with her feet she would have been dead pretty quickly,' said a spokesman. Lucky escape: In the end, Firefighters used powerful jacking equipment to force the bars apart and pull the terrified girl to safety . | Qing Yuan Tai trapped her head between steel bars in Wenzhou, China . If she'd fallen through she'd have fallen 50ft, if not she'd have been hanged . Neighbours dialed fire brigade when they saw she was being strangled . Firefighters used powerful jacking equipment to force the bars apart . | 2fe6f894f9661d2006258bb2b8f9c42c0cfe68a5 |
By . Lee Moran . Last updated at 12:47 PM on 19th August 2011 . The beautiful game has become even more enticing - after a Spanish football team produced its own zombie porn film. La Liga's Getafe has struggled in recent years to fill its 17,000 seater Madrid stadium, with one of the lowest attendance records in the division. And so bosses have come up with a novel plan to populate their Coliseum Alfonso Pérez - by encouraging fans to watch a club-produced erotic movie whilst at sperm donation clinics. Scroll down to see the advert... Enticing: These zombies star in a film which is trying to boost the fan base of Madrid football club Getafe . They hope their passion will transfer to produce a plethora of supporters which will prop up the club for years to come. 'We are few and we have to be more. We have to move a mass of fans to seed the world with Getafe supporters,' said the film's creator Angel Torres. But rather than being a seedy sideline for the football club, Zombies Calientes del Getafe (Hot Zombies of Getafe) is in fact part of a new publicity campaign to try and boost its fan base. The advert, which has appeared on Spanish national television, tells the story of a Getafe sperm donor who, when he gets to the clinic, is given the filthy film. At the start of the film, this Getafe supporter is seen looking around the Madrid club's empty stadium . 'This shows us a problem: We are few' - says the video trying to get more supporters for Getafe . 'The solution is simple,' the narrator says. 'It's within you. We talk about donating sperm. The more donors, the better. 'To make sure we get the best supporter, we have made the first Getafe porn movie.' It cuts to half-naked zombies rolling around on beds who say how important it is to get Getafe back on track. The footage then goes back to the donor who, with a steely determination, marches down a corridor with fellow fans, into an individual cubicle, to complete his mission. The solution is simple: Getafe says it has 'made' its own erotic movie to make sure donors produce supporters . Struggling: Getafe have found it difficult to fill its Coliseum Alfonso Perez in recent years . Tussle: Real Madrid's Ricardo Carvalho duels with Getafe's Nicolas Fedor Miku during a La Liga match in May 2011 . Club marketing director José Antonio Cuétara told radio show Pasión Franja: 'We are a small city surrounded by a great capital of the world, and so we face an extraordinary crisis.' Club / Capacity / Season holders . Barcelona - 110,000 - 75,000 . Real Madrid - 81,178 - 68,670 . Atletico Madrid - 54,851 - 47,000 . Getafe - 17,000 - 9,000 . He said the controversial advert had received a 'largely positive' response and that season ticket sales had soared to 9,000 since its broadcast. Creator Angel Torres added: 'We wanted to relay reality, because we all come to the stadium when we can, and it's true that there are many season ticket holders but it's never full.' It is not the first time Getafe have resorted to viral marketing in a bid to boost its fan base. In 2009 Burger King's new sponsorship deal with the side saw the chain's logo splashed on the front of their shirts and a picture of the 'Burger King' on the inside, too. It meant goalscorers could wear a mask during elaborate celebrations - Ravanelli-style. Getafe's stadium is the third largest in the Spanish capital. Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu holds 80,000, and rivals Atletico's Vicente Calerón has room for 55,000. Stunt: Getafe's 2009 shirt (left) and in celebration mode (right) | Getafe hopes passion of supporters will breathe life into new generation of Azulones . | a65cf30f5accab140c5a34a53c7adea01a084b37 |
While Sam Warburton was watching his beloved Tottenham take on Arsenal at White Hart Lane, Rhys Webb was tearing through the Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes on his quad bike. The morning after last week’s defeat by England was, according to the Wales scrum half, not the time to lock oneself away in the house. Webb admitted that he faced questions about the result from passers-by and the 26-year-old is determined to provide answers with a backs-to-the-wall performance against Scotland on Sunday afternoon. Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb scored their a try in their Six Nations opening match at home to England . ‘Everyone is entitled to their opinion,’ said Webb. ‘But I don’t take too much notice. The Welsh public probably think we are no good any more, but there you are. We’ll be back.’ The dunes just outside Bridgend have a history with downbeat Welsh rugby players. Adam Jones carried out lone fitness training on ‘The Big Dipper’ - the highest dune in Europe - when he was without a club last summer, while JPR Williams and Steve Ovett also used to run along the sands in a previous era. ‘I took my quad bike and did a few doughnuts,’ said Webb. ‘I went out and about and I watched my local team play.' 'At the end of the day it is a game; it is a game of rugby. We’ve lost and obviously we’re bitterly disappointed with that, but personally I didn’t want to keep myself in the house, I wanted to get out. You take it on the chin.’ If previous results provide any indication, Wales should reverse their fortunes at Murrayfield on Sunday. Webb (front) was ultimately on the losing team though as England rallied from behind to win 21-16 . They have won their last seven meetings with Scotland, including a 51-3 thrashing at the Millennium Stadium last year. The Scots, however, are revitalised under new coach Vern Cotter. There were reasons for optimism after their attacking performance against France last week, while Wales courted criticism for their showing against England. Warren Gatland’s players failed to involve their strike runners and the Kiwi will be demanding more initiative on Sunday. ‘Some of the boys were probably a bit lazy at the weekend; not getting up off the floor quick enough and areas like that,’ said Webb. ‘We had six or seven guys - forwards - on the deck and international rugby is all about numbers on your feet; trying to create something. I just felt as a nine, and Dan Biggar was the same, that we didn’t have anything to work with. Webb (centre left) believes he and his team-mates will be back following their setback . 'Every time we got the ball we seemed to be trying to get out of danger. This week is about not being afraid to shift it and have a go. Focus has been about getting the boys up off the floor and working hard.’ Wales were nullified up front and struggled to provide a platform to attack from the set-piece against the English. Scotland do not offer the same levels of power in the scrum, however they will look to target Warren Gatland’s side at the line-out. Wales training has been at full-throttle at the Vale of Glamorgan and the breakdown is another area to improve. ‘England had a big pack and we didn’t deal with the threats coming over the ball,’ said Webb. ‘There was one passage of play where George Ford, who was probably the smallest guy on the pitch, disrupted our ruck when we had a big dent in the phase. Webb (centre) is hoping Wales put in a better display when they travel to Scotland in Sunday's match . 'He had no licence to slow that down. He should have been cleaned out. It’s about forwards scanning to see whether they need to go to these rucks or whether they can get on their bike and be a threat out wide.’ With the World Cup looming, the Welsh game plan will come under more scrutiny if it fails to fire this afternoon. But Gatland’s group have a tendency to perform when the chips are down, and Webb is hoping to be stopped for the right reasons on his next trip to Merthyr Mawr. ‘Everybody is against us having lost to England,’ said Webb. ‘We want to do well not just for ourselves and our families, but for the nation as well. We need to repay our fans this week.’ | Wales travel to Scotland in the Six Nations on Sunday afternoon . Wales lost 21-16 at home to England in the Six Nations curtain-raiser . Rhys Webb scored the opening try of the Millennium Stadium encounter . | 38db680baa71b679bee46fe40475b2b95b6dd5cc |
(CNN) -- [Breaking news update, Sunday, 3:20 a.m.] . People were crying out for help from underneath debris early Sunday after a landslide in Washington state, said City of Arlington fire Capt. Brandon Asher. Rescuers are trying to forge through the wreckage to get to them. [Original story, Saturday, 11:49 pm.] . 3 killed, 3 critically injured in Washington state landslide . (CNN) -- A devastating landslide Saturday killed three people, cut off a small town and a river and prompted an evacuation notice for fear of a potentially "catastrophic flood event," authorities in Washington state said. The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said, in addition to those dead, seven adults and a 6-month-old boy were rescued and sent to local hospitals. One of those hospitals, Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, reported that five patients had been airlifted there and were in its care. Three of those -- including the baby, a 58-year-old man and an 81-year-old man -- were in critical condition Saturday night, according to spokeswoman Susan Gregg. At least six houses were destroyed in the landslide, though the sheriff's office noted they are still assessing exactly how many structures have been affected. The first reports of the landslide came in around 10:45 a.m. (1:45 p.m. ET) along State Road 530, the sheriff's office said. Photos provided by the Washington State Patrol show floodwaters and sprawling debris covering a rural patch of that two-lane road, framed by woodlands and snow-capped mountains. CNN first learned of the landslide via Twitter. Groundwater saturation tied to heavy rainfall in the area over the past month was blamed for the landslide, which authorities say measured at least 45 yards wide. Because it blocked SR 530, the landslide cut off Darrington, a town of about 1,350 people located 75 miles northeast of Seattle and within close proximity to Round Mountain, Whitehorse Mountain and White Chuck Mountain. Part of the Stillaguamish River also was blocked. Residents got reverse 911 calls warning them of "flooding upstream from the slide, as well as the possibility of a downstream flooding should there be a catastrophic breach by the river," said Shari Ireton, a sheriff's spokeswoman. The county later said "we strongly recommend" that those living in the north fork of the Stillaguamish River flood plain, from Oso to Stanwood, to "evacuate your home immediately." "We are working on establishing shelters for those who have nowhere to go," county spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said in a statement. "Until then, people should get to higher ground as soon as possible. "Nightfall is approaching, and we do not want to take any chances." Gov. Jay Inslee expressed dismay later Saturday about the "tragedy in Oso," the remote community of about 180 people 15 miles west of Darrington. "On behalf of all Washingtonians, my condolences to the families who lost loved ones in (the) mudslide today," Inslee tweeted. A number of agencies have responded, including the state transportation and emergency management departments, the U.S. Navy and fire departments across Snohomish County. Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters and state troopers heard calls for help, trooper Mark Francis said. The Snohomish sheriff warned people to stay clear of trestles or bridges or anywhere near the Stillaguamish River downstream of the slide. "Water could break through at any moment," the sheriff's office tweeted. CNN's Michael Martinez and AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report. | NEW: 5 airlifted to one Seattle hospital, including a baby and 2 men in critical condition . Floodwaters and trees close a portion of State Road 530 . At least 6 homes are destroyed; the road and a river are blocked . Locals are urged to evacuate for fear of a "catastrophic flood event" | 9a5aaffca91d1a25e4be0f03b9789cf5db4858f8 |
(CNN) -- The first 3D-printed toy plane will soon jet off to the stratosphere. The rocket-powered airplane will reach an altitude of between 25 and 30 kilometers (15 to 18 miles) -- three times higher than the cruising height of commercial airplanes. "Without doubt, this is the most complicated amateur high-altitude mission ever undertaken," said Lester Haines, head of the Register's Special Projects Bureau that is behind the project. The components of the airplane have been designed by postgraduate students at the University of Southampton and produced using a 3D printer. "We don't know quite what will happen when the big day arrives, but one thing's for sure -- it's going to be quite a show," Heines, who also holds the Guinness World Record for the highest launch of a paper aeroplane, added. It took the team four years, thousands of volunteer hours, and $60,000 from crowdfunding, to complete the "Lohan." The nickname is short for "Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator" and, its inventors say, a reference to the Hollywood star Lindsey Lohan. The rocket will launch from the Virgin Galactic spaceport in New Mexico later this year. A helium-filled meteorological balloon will lift the spaceplane to around 20 kilometers above the ground. Once it reaches that altitude, a rocket motor will fire and push the plane up to 25 kilometers. "Its going to be doing some very smart things; collecting data from numerous sources, making decisions in real time, to form its trajectory and landing," said Guy Lipscombe from database software firm EXASOL, which sponsored the project. Once at the right altitude, the plane will switch to autopilot and glide back to earth, guided by a built-in GPS navigation system. At the end of its journey, the spaceplane will crash to the ground -- as it has no landing gear. | A 3D printed model airplane will reach between 25 and 30 kilometers . The airplane will launch from the Virgin Galactic spaceport in New Mexico . It will be lifted by a helium-filled balloon and then powered by a rocket engine . | bf276056f91c0a935de38b765f5cc96a565633b1 |
The last time Rafael Nadal came back from a long-term layoff, he enjoyed one of the finest seasons of an outstanding career -- reaching nine consecutive finals on his return from a knee injury, and winning both the French and U.S. Open grand slams in 2013. On Tuesday, the Spaniard took to the court for the first time in three months and looked as though he had never been away as he blitzed past Frenchman Richard Gasquet at the China Open. Needing just 78 minutes to win 6-4 6-0 in the opening round, the world No. 2 appeared to feel no effects of the right wrist injury he suffered while practicing at home in Mallorca in late July. "In general, I have to be happy the way that I played," Nadal, a 14-time grand slam winner, told the official ATP Tour website. "After three months without a match, winning against a good player like Richard is a very positive comeback for me. I think I played solid, no mistakes." Nadal, who presented Li Na with a bouquet of flowers as China said goodbye to its biggest tennis star on Tuesday, had not played since his surprise fourth round defeat by Australian Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon on July 1. His problematic wrist meant he was unable to defend his title at this month's U.S. Open, where Croatia's Marin Cilic emerged as a surprise winner. "More important than winning or losing is spending time on court. That's the key for me at the moment: spending time on court, playing matches," said Nadal. "At least I am going to play two matches minimum here. That's a positive thing. I'm going to try my best to play three." The 28-year-old has returned to action even though he says his wrist is not quite 100% healed. Nadal has a decent record in Beijing -- having won the China Open in 2005 and Olympic gold in 2008. Last year, he finished runner-up as Novak Djokovic won his fourth China Open title. The Serb took his record in Beijing to 20-0 when beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 6-1 as Djokovic played his first match since being stunned by Japan's Kei Nishikori in the U.S. Open semifinal. | Rafael Nadal beats Richard Gasquet at the China Open on his return from injury . Spaniard had been out for three months with a right wrist injury . World No. 2 was unable to defend his U.S. Open title during his layoff . | d457b8bfb9572ed6977fd284e77807ba25098679 |
Disgraced Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte has been arrested in Mexico in a major police raid . Disgraced Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte has been arrested in Mexico in a major police raid, after he failed to attend a London court hearing over a £17million debt. Two international arrest warrants have been issued for the 43-year-old businessman in connection with the sale of Rangers Football Club in 2011. Whyte, who is understood to have been living in the central American country for several months, failed to turn up at the Royal Courts of Justice on November 20, where he was due to appear in a case brought by London-based ticketing agency Ticketus. The firm gave Whyte almost £27 million to help him buy Rangers when he took control of the club in 2011, with the agreement that Ticketus would be paid back from the revenue from ticket sales. But Rangers went into administration in February the following year, and Ticketus went to court, alleging that Whyte had had deliberately misled them ahead of entering into their agreement. Whyte disputed the agency' claims, but in April 2013 a High Court ruled against him prior to a trial after Ticketus argued that he had 'no real prospect' of mounting a successful defence. He was ordered to pay £17.6 million. Mr Justice Newey charged Whyte with contempt of court after he failed to appear for the London hearing last week, with a custodial order of 28 days attached to the warrant. The Motherwell-born financier had previously vowed to surrender to police and assist officers investigating the Rangers takeover, saying: ‘I will return to Britain at the beginning of December and hand myself in for questioning.’ Following the hearing a spokeswoman for Ticketus said: ‘Today’s court hearing is part of Ticketus’ continued activity to enforce its judgement of April 2013 for damages of £17.7million plus interest and costs against Craig Whyte as it looks to recover funds for its investors. ‘This reflects the total amount Ticketus invested through the ticket purchase agreement it entered into with Rangers Football Club under Craig Whyte’s ownership. Motherwell-born financier Craig Whyte, who who is understood to have been living in Mexico for several months, has been issued with two arrest warrants in connection with the sale of Rangers in 2011 . ‘Ticketus confirms that the court today issued a warrant for Craig Whyte’s arrest, having previously issued a suspended committal order on 29 September returnable today after finding Craig Whyte to be guilty of contempt of court.’ A separate second arrest warrant was issued by the Crown Office in Scotland on charges of fraud in connection with his purchase of the club from Sir David Murray in 2011. Four men appeared in court earlier this month charged with fraudulent activity linked to the sale of the club three years ago. Gary Withey, 50, David Whitehouse, 49, Paul Clark, 50, and David Grier, 53, were granted bail following a hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Rangers Football Club went into administration in February 2012, owing substantial amounts in tax . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Two international arrest warrants were issued for the 43-year-old financier . Both relate to 2011 sale of Rangers before club went into administration . Whyte was due in court over a case brought by ticketing agency Ticketus . Judge charged him with contempt of court, with custodial order of 28 days . Second arrest warrant issued by Scotland Crown Office on fraud charges . | 99ed463a72cab812e9542152f573aba66d25c497 |
By . Lydia Warren, Hayley Peterson and Katie Davies . PUBLISHED: . 13:26 EST, 18 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:58 EST, 18 May 2013 . The gunman who held hostage 21-year-old Hofstra University student, Andrea Rebello, who later died in the police gun battle has been identified by police as Dalton Smith - a known criminal who was wanted for absconding parole for robbery. Police revealed the identity of Smith, 30, of Hempstead, today and revealed a warrant was put out for his arrest on April 25. He had been found guilty of robbery in the 1st degree and had an extensive criminal background going back to 1999 with multiple convictions for theft and assault. Robbery: Dalton Smith was today identified by police as the man who was carrying out a robbery on a sorority house in Uniondale when Andrea Rebello was shot dead . He also spent time in prison and was convicted again for handling contraband goods while behind bars. He was shot by police on Friday after what appears to be an attempted robbery on Rebello, her twin and their friends. Reports say the man shot Andrea Rebello as she pleaded for her life. The 30-year-old followed the sisters, Jessica and Andrea, Jessica's boyfriend John Kourtessiss and another student called Shannon Thomas back to the girls' California Avenue sorority house from the popular student bar, McHebes, according to the New York Post. The gunman reportedly targeted the students after seeing them spending large amounts of money in the drinking spot to celebrate the end of the school term. Around 2.20am he allegedly peered through the window in his ski mask and knocked on the door before forcing himself in and taking the group hostage. Raiding the home he shouted: 'I saw you at the bar drinking. I know you have more money than this!', according to police sources quoted in the Post report. He made the twins remain but told Thomas to leave and withdraw money from an ATM machine - warning her he would shoot her friends if she tried anything. While away from the home she called 911. As police arrived neighbors said they heard blood-curdling screams and what sounded like a woman pleading for her life. Victoria Dehel, who lives four doors down told the New York Times that she heard shouting. At first is sounded like 'a bunch of drunk college students,' she told the Times. 'And then the screaming just got worse and worse and worse. And then we heard thuds, like five bangs,' she said. Dehel said she and her boyfriend stepped onto their porch and they could hear what sounded like a woman pleading for her life, just as police cars raced down the street. 'I turned to my boyfriend and I said, 'I think someone just got murdered'. It was awful,' she said. '[Police] drew their weapons and went inside,' neighbor Frank Pugliese, 19 told the Post. “She was pleading for her life. You could tell she was scared. It . was a surreal moment . . . She was pleading — her voice was trembling . and she yelled, ‘No, no!’ ” Victim: Andrea Rebello (right), has been shot dead by a masked intruder during an invasion of the home she shares with her twin sister Jessica (left). The suspect was also shot dead at the scene . Loss: The twins reportedly lived at the home just a block from campus with more of their sorority sisters . Horror: It is unknown at this time whether Rebello's twin sister witnessed the killing, but police confirmed that her sister had remained in the home while another girl was allowed outside . Smith is believed to have held them on the second floor. Thomas told the 911 dispatcher that he had a silver handgun pointed . at her friend's head in a bedroom, NBC reported. The dispatcher passed the information to police and less than a minute later, Nassau . County police officers reached the home. When they arrived, shots went off. A law enforcement source told the New York Post it appeared the suspect killed Rebello and the police then killed him but this timetable of events was still being verified. 'We . don't know [the suspect's] motive at this time but it appears to be a . robbery,' Chief Rick Capece said in a press conference on Friday. Anthony Kourtessiss said his son was being questioned by police last night and Jessica was 'inconsolable'. 'It’s a terrible situation,' he told the newspaper. '[Jessica] was very upset, inconsolable right now.' Scene: Officers guard the area leading to the white house, background, where the shooting broke out . Scene: She was home with two other girls and a male when the break in took place around 2.30am . Rebello was a member of the Beta Sigma Phi . sorority and lived with six of her sorority sisters at the home, including her sister. Students . flocked to Twitter to express their grief at the killing, with many . writing 'R.I.P' messages to Andrea and sending her twin sister their . best wishes and prayers. A private vigil was held at the Hofstra Student Center last night and it was announced today that her funeral will take place on Wednesday. Rebello's father, Fernando, was too distraught to discuss the incident outside the family's home in Tarrytown, New York, yesterday. 'It's my daughter, my baby daughter,' the landscaping company chief told the Journal News outside the home he shares with wife Nella. 'She was so beautiful. I'm so confused. 'I don't know what to do,' he added. Her godmother told the newspaper: 'It's just too tragic'. Andrea was . a junior at Hofstra studying Public Relations and Sociology and had attended Sleepy Hollow High School alongside her sister. 'I'm 100% Portuguese and have an identical twin sister so I guess that makes me kind of unique?' she wrote on her blog. Principal Carol Conklin-Spillane said the girls were 'a set' and Andrea was devoted to her family who are close to other members of the Portuguese community in the area. 'She had a devotion to family and sense of purpose and of opportunity,' she said. Photographs . on her Facebook page show the girl as a popular student who enjoyed . hanging out with friends and her twin sister, while her blog documents . her cooking hobby. Neighbors said their house had a vegetable garden and the twins would sometimes drop off the produce. 'They brought me some vegetables from their garden. They’re very nice people. They’d do anything for you,' Harris Bank told the New York Post. Her funeral will be held at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Sleepy Hollow and will be officiated by the Rev. Osvaldo Franklin, of Our Lady of Fatima in Yonkers, who gave the twins their first communion. He said they helped with Mass for several years after that. Sisters: Jessica and Andrea Rebello, pictured, remained in the home while another girl was allowed out to collect money from an ATM. The girl called police immediately and they arrived minutes later . Popular: Photographs on Facebook show Andrea, a junior at Hofstra, enjoying nights out with friends . Break in: Police said that the masked, armed intruder knocked on the front door before forcing his way inside the home and holding the friends, including Andrea (left), hostage . Distraught: Hofstra University students gather near the house where the girl and an armed intruder were killed . Sadness: The suspect and the girl were both shot after police arrived at the Long Island home . Authorities said Andrea's twin sister is now with their family. On Friday morning, Hofstra University . President Stuart Rabinowitz released a statement condemning the shooting . as a 'senseless act of violence'. 'The Nassau County Police have . notified us that early this morning a Hofstra student was killed during a . tragic crime which took place in a rental house off campus,' the . statement read. 'The police investigation is ongoing, . and we do not yet know all of the relevant details. What we do know is . that a young member of the Hofstra family has been taken from us in a . senseless act of violence.' Home: The victim lived at the home which is just a block from the university campus with sorority sisters . Campus: The private university, on Long Island in New York, has nearly 13,000 students . Friday was the last day of exams . for students at the university and graduation is being held on Sunday, . but Rabinowitz added that the ceremonies would go ahead as scheduled. 'The accomplishments of our graduates . must be recognized, and together our community will heal and find the . strength to move forward,' he said. Hofstra University is a private . college on Long Island, New York. Nearly 13,000 students attend the . university, which is about 25 miles east of New York City. | Andrea Rebello, a junior at Hofstra, was shot dead at 2.20am on Friday in her Uniondale sorority house . A masked male intruder, today named as Dalton Smith, was also shot dead . The victim's twin, Jessica, was also held hostage along with her boyfriend . Police were alerted when their friend Shannon Thomas was allowed out to get cash from an ATM and immediately called the authorities . Smith allegedly shot Rebello as police arrived at the property . Smith had three previous convictions for robbery and one for assault, there was a warrant out for his arrest after he absconded parole in April . | d546c75573aa3c76cd39c3fb1edcabace17c7728 |
(CNN) -- Anthony Shadid, who won two Pulitzer Prizes for his reporting from Iraq, died Thursday while reporting in eastern Syria, apparently of an asthma attack, The New York Times said. He was 43. Tyler Hicks, a Times photographer who was with Shadid, carried his body over the border to Turkey. Hicks said Shadid, who was carrying medication for his asthma, displayed symptoms Thursday morning, when they joined guides on horseback for the trip out of the country. The animals may have triggered the asthma, Hicks said. He had suffered an asthma attack the week before, when they entered the country and met with guides on horseback, Hicks told The Times. The Syrian government, which limits international journalists' access to the country, had not been told by The Times that Shadid was there, the newspaper said. He had been inside Syria for a week collecting information for a story on the Syrian resistance, it added. Shadid, who was fluent in Arabic, had covered the Middle East for nearly 20 years as a reporter for The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Associated Press. "I was afraid of bullets and bombs before and to find out that he died of an asthma attack was a shock," Shadid's father, Buddy, told CNN. "The world lost an amazing journalist and I lost a beloved son." "Anthony Shadid was one of the finest and most courageous journalists of our time," said Mark Whitaker, executive vice president and managing editor of CNN Worldwide, who worked at the Washington Post with Shadid before the late journalist went to The New York Times. "All of us at CNN mourn his loss and grieve for his colleagues and loved ones." Shadid had been working on a book about his family's ancestral home in Lebanon. He traveled there after years of covering conflict to rebuild his grandmother's home, according to his website. "He found a story of hope, healing, but perhaps most powerfully, loss, in a Middle East whose future rests in understanding its past," it said. The book, "House of Stone," is to be published next month by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. He wrote two other books, "Legacy of the Prophet: Despots, Democrats and the New Politics of Islam" and "Night Draws Near: Iraq's People in the Shadow of America's War." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was a follower of Shadid's work. "I also want to extend on behalf of myself and our government our sympathies to the family of Anthony Shadid and to The New York Times for his untimely death," she said. "He was somebody I always turned to and read very carefully ... he had his pulse on what was happening." In an interview last December on NPR's "Fresh Air," Shadid recalled entering without a visa the Syria ruled by President Bashar al-Assad. Anthony Shadid: A reporter's storyteller . "I've done things that maybe I wouldn't have done in hindsight, and this maybe would have been one of them," he said. "It was scarier than I thought it would be. I had had a bad experience in Libya earlier in the year, [but] I did feel that Syria was so important, and that story wouldn't be told otherwise, that it was worth taking risks for. But the repercussions of getting caught were pretty dire." After several days in Hama, he crossed safely back across the border. "I don't think I'd ever seen something like what I saw in Syria," he said. "You're dealing with a government that's shown very little restraint in killing its own people to put down an uprising. ... And I got to spend a lot of time with [the activists] because I spent a lot of time in safe houses. And it reminded me of an old story in Islamic history, when the Muslim armies are crossing to Gibraltar. And the general who was leading them burned the ships after they crossed into Spain. And the idea was there was no turning back. And that story, I felt, resonated [with] almost every conversation I had." He did not always emerge unhurt from his reporting. In 2002, while working for The Boston Globe, he was shot in the shoulder in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Last year, Shadid and Hicks and two other Times journalists, Stephen Farrell and Lynsey Addario, were arrested by pro-government militias in Libya and held for almost a week, during which all were physically abused. Their driver, Mohammad Shaglouf, died. In its 2004 citation, the Pulitzer Board praised "his extraordinary ability to capture, at personal peril, the voices and emotions of Iraqis as their country was invaded, their leader toppled and their way of life upended." In 2010, the board praised "his rich, beautifully written series on Iraq as the United States departs and its people and leaders struggle to deal with the legacy of war and to shape the nation's future." His last story for The Times, on Libya, ran on February 9. At 1,600 words, it was long, which was typical for him, the newspaper said. "It was splashed on the front page of the newspaper and the home page of the Web site, nytimes.com, which was also typical," it said. Overheard on CNN.com: Remembering Shadid . "Anthony died as he lived — determined to bear witness to the transformation sweeping the Middle East and to testify to the suffering of people caught between government oppression and opposition forces," wrote Jill Abramson, executive editor of the Times, in an email to the newspaper's staff. Survivors include his wife and two children, his parents, a brother and a sister. People we've lost in 2012: The lives they lived . | Anthony Shadid had reported from the Middle East for nearly two decades . He appears to have died of an asthma attack, the newspaper says . He was the winner of two Pulitzer Prizes . | bcf04e59b9560ffbef19d2f05264ef6005e641d9 |
(CNN) -- Despite a recall, millions of people may continue taking a generic form of Lipitor that might contain specks of glass. Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals issued the recall at the retail level November 9, directing pharmacies not to dispense contaminated lots of the drug, but gave no directions to patients who have the drug at home. It's made for a confusing situation for patients taking Ranbaxy's atorvastatin, the generic form of Lipitor. Cholesterol drug recalled over glass concerns . "Patients are sandwiched between two groups who are being less than helpful: the FDA and Ranbaxy," said Lisa Gill, editor of prescription drugs at Consumer Reports. A Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman couldn't explain why the recall didn't direct consumers to stop taking the drug even though patients might have received the contaminated pills. The spokeswoman, Sarah Clark-Lynn, referred questions about the recall to Ranbaxy, which issued a one-paragraph statement on its website and did not return phone calls and e-mails from CNN. The statement said that "select batches" of the medicine may contain "small glass particles approximately less than 1mm in size" and that the recall was being conducted "out of an abundance of caution." It did not give consumers guidance about what to do with supplies of the drug at home. "In my recent memory, there has never been anything like this," Gill said. "It makes my palms sweat just thinking about it." Advice to patients . Between 3 million and 4 million people take Ranbaxy's atorvastatin, according to Ross Muken, senior managing director at ISI Group. The company has over a 40% share of the generic Lipitor market. One major pharmacy, Express Scripts, is telling patients it will not exchange Ranbaxy atorvastatin for another brand, according to Brian Henry, vice president of corporate communications for Express Scripts. "Ranbaxy, in conjunction with the FDA, has determined there are no safety concerns associated with continued use of atorvastatin in the patients' possession," a recorded message tells consumers who call Express Scripts. Pharmacists at several CVS pharmacies said it was all right to keep taking already-filled prescriptions of Ranbaxy atorvastatin, but the company would exchange it for another brand at a customer's request. Consumer Reports is advising consumers to take potentially contaminated medicine back to the pharmacy and request another brand, Gill said. A company with a history . Ranbaxy, India's largest pharmaceutical company and the 12th largest generics maker in the world, has had quality problems in the past. The FDA has accused the company of "a pattern of systemic fraudulent conduct," including taking shortcuts in crucial quality tests. So widespread and grave was the misbehavior that in 2008 the FDA barred Ranbaxy from importing 30 drugs into the United States. Previously on CNN.com: Lipitor loses patent, goes generic . | The drug maker issued a recall for atorvastatin, but gave no directions to users . Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals and the FDA "are being less than helpful," an observer says . Express Scripts and CVS locations are telling patients it's OK to take the pills . | 187807956a28f047deb4790239d52dfb97174cf8 |
A Phoenix man inspired to create an all-terrain wheelchair so his disabled wife could go on camping trips has teamed up with the NFL to gift veterans his so-called 'Tankchair'. Inventor Brad Soden was left distraught ten years ago when his wife Liz broke down in tears because she couldn't travel with their five kids to the country and resolved to solve the problem not just for her, but for others in the same situation. Despite having no formal engineering training, Sodden created the first tankchair in his own garage using caterpillar tracks instead of wheels, so that driver could traverse most types of terrain, including low lying water and even snow. Scroll Down for Video . Revolutionary: Brad Soden with two versions of his 'Tankchair' which retails for up to $15,000 and has brought joy to hundreds of wounded and disabled veterans . 'When you're in a wheelchair, it’s not just your problem,' said Soden to AZFamily. 'It’s a family problem because the family has to deal with it.' 'My poor wife. She tried to keep going and the wheelchair kept getting stuck,' he said. 'Our kids trying to push her, and get her going, and she started crying, said go on without me, and I just found that unacceptable.' His first attempt at a modified wheelchair for his wife was based on an off-road cart, but he abandoned this because they would not be allowed at the majority of campgrounds nationwide because of their noise and restrictions on gas. Devoted husband: Brad was determined to allow his wife Liz to be able to come camping along with their five children . His father-in-law was the one who gave him inspiration when he asked, 'Wouldn't it be cool if you could put tracks on that like a tank?' Soden, who had prior military experience as an infantryman who worked on tracked vehicles, used trial and error before his first genuine prototype was presented to his wife. 'The 10 million jumbo watt smile she had on her face when she came back from her hike was worth every minute I spent in the garage putting it together,' said Soden to KTAR. Since then, Tankchair has expanded to improve the design of his invention with the help of Arizona firm, NPC Robotics and began selling the chairs. He noticed that a large majority of his clients for his customized chairs were injured servicemen and women. Celebrity backers: Bill O'Reilly with Brad and Liz (left) and Brad with Pearl Jam lead singer, Eddie Vedder . Relief: Each chair is customized to the user's specifications and cost upwards of $15,000 and are all assembled in Brad Soden's own garage . Each tankchair is built to order and costs around $15,000 and many of the parts are assembled by Soden in his own garage. According to the Washington Post he has built versions that incorporate a fishing rod and a text-to-speech system for one man who was unable to speak. Another version was built for a cop complete with an LED Incapacitator, which induces vomiting in suspects by flashing a pulsating light at them. 'The best part about building that one,' he said to the Washington Post, 'was that it helped the injured client, who was a cop, get back being a cop again.' Joy: This veteran has taken delivery of his own 'Tankchair' and is now getting ready for his test-drive . All weather terrain: The beauty of the tank chair is the ability to traverse all manner of outdoor environments . Inspiration: Brad was consulted by the makers of the Pixar smash hit movie Wall-E . So original was his idea that Soden was approached by the makers of the Pixar film Wall-E, who wanted his help in directing their artists to get the correct feel for the titular hero. And over the next few weeks, Soden will be traveling the country delivering five new tankchairs to veterans backed by an NFl Hall of Famers initiative to get more disabled servicemen and women the chairs. Since his wife's accident 15-years-ago, Soden has developed his chair to the point where he is testing a new model that could be capable of traveling up to 30 mph. He calls it the Speedster according to the Washington Post, likening it to a Ferrari, whereas he calls the tankchair a 'truck'. 'For the longest time, we’ve been used to wheelchairs that limit people,' said Soden to the Washington Post. 'For me, it’s about changing the way people think about where you can go and what you can do with them.' | Phoenix ex-serviceman Brad Soden built first prototype 10-years-ago . Wanted his wife, Liz, to accompany him and five children on camping trips . His customized tankchairs now sell for $15,000 to veterans across the US . Was approached by movie studio Pixar to advise on Oscar winning Wall-E . | ada7ab787b209c9bc6cc4f560fb87fb5912bfbd6 |
By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 04:02 EST, 30 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:44 EST, 30 November 2012 . China's new prime minister is the man behind one of the biggest medical scandals of all time. In the 1990s between 50,000 and 300,000 people were mistakenly infected with HIV in Henan province and Li Keqiang, the man who led the cover-up is now China's new leader. Mr Li was governor of the area in 1998 when people contracted HIV . from state-sponsored blood-buying rings with unhygienic practices. Hypocrisy: Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang presides over a State Council AIDS Working Committee, in Beijing on Monday. Mr Li was governor of Henan province in 1998 when people contracted HIV from state-sponsored blood-buying rings with unhygienic practices . Activists have urged Li to acknowledge the government's responsibility . for the disaster and provide compensation, with little success. There are no official figures because . the Chinese government has never admitted or apologised for what . happened but now Mr Li is desperately trying to rectify his shadowy . past. Earlier this week Li shook hands with Aids victims on Chinese television and promised to . let NGOs play a more active role in battling the disease. The stigma against people with HIV runs especially deep in China, from . being unofficially barred from government jobs to being expelled from . school. Tough talk: During a meeting Monday with a dozen activist groups Li said health facilities that discriminate against people with HIV would be severely punished. An estimated 780,000 people have HIV in China . In China, hospitals routinely reject people with HIV for surgery out of . fear of exposure to the virus or harm to their reputations. But last Friday, following Mr Li's orders, the health ministry banned hospitals from turning away infected patients. During a meeting Monday with a dozen activist groups, he said such . discrimination would be severely punished, according to Li Hu. After years . of denying AIDS was a problem in China, the country has significantly . improved care for patients, but the lingering stigma sets back those . advances. One of those infected was Wang Pinghe who was just 12-yearsold when he had a chest operation and was contracted HIV. He did not realise he was ill but suffered fevers which last for weeks and some mornings he found he could not even open his eyes. After leaving school, he worked in factories and then dug irrigation systems in western China. Now aged 28, Mr Wang was diagnosed with full-blown Aids in May. 'My parents cried for four days. I am their only son,' he told The Telegraph. Mr Wang wants the tumor in his liver removed before it becomes life-threatening. But the 28-year-old Chinese villager knows it will be hard to find a hospital that will do the operation because of his diease. Lasting legacy: 28-year-old HIV patient Wang Pinghe shows bottles of medicine pills he has been taking. He was infected when he was just 12-years-old . 'In my hometown, not a single hospital is willing to operate on people infected with HIV,' said Wang, who traveled to Beijing from Runan county in the central province of Henan to try to draw the attention of central authorities to the issue by speaking to the foreign media. 'This is not discrimination by one single person but by an entire country.' Now, as more people rail against the myriad inequalities that plague Chinese society, people with HIV are becoming increasingly willing to assert their right to fair treatment. One man recently claimed the spotlight by altering his medical records to hide his HIV-positive condition so he could get surgery for lung cancer. The man, who went by the pseudonym Xiaofeng, told state media he had been turned away by two hospitals. His story sparked a firestorm of criticism directed at both the hospitals for rejecting him and thepatient for exposing medical staff to risks they were not aware of. [caption . 'Xiaofeng was smart. When he felt that his life was in danger, he found a way to save himself,' said Li Hu, a Tianjin-based activist who helped Xiaofeng and later publicized the case online. 'But this way isn't good for anyone, be it the patient or medical workers. Now the question is: Can we find a way that is favorable for everyone?' China has made significant strides in tackling the epidemic, with the AIDS mortality rate falling 64 percent from 2002 to last year. The government last year increased HIV treatment by 50 percent — reaching three-quarters of the adults and children who require it, according UNAIDS. An estimated 780,000 people have HIV in China. There has been an increasing trend of cases transmitted through sex rather than intravenously, with sex workers and gay men considered most at risk, said Guy Taylor, a communications officer for UNAIDS. Treatment: With improved access to lifesaving drugs, people with HIV in China are living longer, which means more are seeking treatment for other ailments . About 70,000 new cases were reported in the first 10 months of this year, largely through sexual transmission, as compared with about 93,000 for all of last year, the Health Ministry announced this week at a news conference ahead of World AIDS Day on Saturday. With improved access to lifesaving drugs, people with HIV in China are living longer, which means more are seeking treatment for other ailments. Chinese law bars medical facilities from refusing to treat people with HIV, but activists say discrimination continues because the law spells out no serious punishments. Many patients cannot afford the time and expense of taking hospitals to court. The China Alliance of People Living with HIV/AIDS, a Beijing-based network, said that a survey last year found dozens of patients being turned away by facilities throughout the country — in some cases even leading to deaths. 'I feel that if a doctor refuses to treat a patient who is HIV positive, it is a crime akin to murder,' said the group's coordinator, Meng Lin, who recounted being denied a CT scan by a Beijing doctor in September, after he told him he had AIDS. Dr. Wu Zunyou, who leads the government's HIV/AIDS center, said he believes attitudes will change. He said Chinese health workers report about 700 cases of accidental contact with the every year and none have resulted in infections. He welcomed the public debate the Tianjin case triggered. 'The debate causes medical workers to think about the issue and health facilities to improve their management, so there should be fewer chances for such things to happen in the future,' Wu said. | Henan Li was governor of Henan province in 1998 when people contracted HIV from state-sponsored blood-buying rings with unhygienic practices . The stigma against people with HIV runs especially deep in China, from being unofficially barred from government jobs to being expelled from school . Hospitals routinely reject people with HIV for surgery out of fear of exposure . An estimated 780,000 people have HIV in China . | 2e89ba5e436fd0070c0d5e3c3f1b3b5a2136218e |
By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 12:01 EST, 25 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:01 EST, 25 April 2012 . Behind bars: Adam Khan Ahmadzai was at the very heart of the looting and rioting in Croydon last August, according to the Attorney General . A riot ringleader who was at the heart of last year’s Croydon disorder had his sentence of four years detention nearly doubled today because it was too lenient. Adam Khan Ahmadzai, 20, attacked police, robbed, pillaged and looted during a shocking orgy of ‘mayhem and carnage’ during last August’s mass disorder. He was given 48 months in a young offender institution when he appeared at Inner London Crown Court in January. But Attorney General Dominic Grieve . referred the case to the Court of Appeal on the basis that the total . sentence imposed for offences of violent disorder, robbery, burglary and . criminal damage on the evening of August 8, 2011 was unduly lenient. Today, . the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, sitting with Mr Justice Openshaw and . Mr Justice Irwin, agreed and said it should be increased to seven . years. Lord Judge said: ‘These were offences of great seriousness.’ The . Attorney General, who presented the case to the court, said later: . ‘Adam Khan Ahmadzai was at the very heart of the looting and rioting in . Croydon last August. ‘Consider . the extraordinary list of crimes that he committed: he led an attack on . a police line; robbed a bus driver who he had forced to halt; armed . himself and ransacked a shop, forcing the petrified owners to flee, only . to rob them moments later in a hijack of their van; repeatedly attacked . and mugged a terrified man at a cash machine, acting as if pushing a . gun into his neck; led a gang into a supermarket, looting and . vandalising; and finally directed his group into a betting shop, . destroying a fruit machine and looting the office behind the counter. Lives at risk: Images from the rioting in Croydon became iconic of the mass violence and crime committed across London . 'Mayhem and carnage': Adam Khan Ahmadzai, 20, led an attack on a police line; robbed a bus driver who he had forced to halt; armed himself and ransacked a shop during an orgy of criminality which left Croydon devastated . ‘For this catalogue of mayhem and . carnage he received a four-year sentence. I’m very pleased that the . Court of Appeal has today quashed that sentence and replaced it with one . of seven years.’ CPS London . chief crown prosecutor Alison Saunders said: ‘We referred this case to . the Attorney General as one that had attracted a sentence which was . unduly lenient. 'Unduly lenient': Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC took action to increase Ahmadzai's sentence because it was too lenient . ‘I welcome the strong message that the Court of Appeal has now sent out as a result of this ruling. ‘Adam . Khan Ahmadzai was a ringleader during the riots in Croydon and his . conviction for 10 offences committed that night shows the extent of his . criminality. ‘His offences . were amongst the most serious which CPS London has prosecuted in . relation to the summer riots and this increased sentence reflects that.’ Ahmadzai, . of Feltham, west London, buried his head in his hands as he sat in the . dock of the court while Lord Judge recounted the ordeal of a convenience . shop owner, who was beaten up in front of his wife and and saw his . business ransacked. When the couple tried to escape in their van, they were both pulled out of the vehicle and a knife was held to his stomach. Lord . Judge said the man had moved into Croydon to make a fresh start and . build a new life in the community, and that was beginning to happen . before the riots. But what . had happened had affected him more than he ever thought possible, so he . had pulled out of the business and was now unemployed and in great . financial difficulty. This offence on its own was of the ‘greatest possible seriousness’, he added. Ahmadzai, who used a brick, a wooden and a . metal pole, a hammer and a waste bin as weapons, had pleaded guilty in . the context of his identification on CCTV footage and from blood found . on the cash machine. Wrecked: Croydon saw some of the fiercest violence and disorder during the London riots, with an entire row of shops and buildings on London Road, Croydon, gutted after widespread looting and arson . The judges went on to dismiss an . appeal against a five-and-a- half-year prison sentence imposed on . 23-year-old Zac Challinor for offences of arson, burglary and violent . disorder in the riots in Manchester on August 9 last year. Challinor, . of Wythensawe, Manchester, was part of mob violence which left 49 . police officers injured and resulted in a BBC Radio Manchester van being . torched in Salford Shopping City, causing £60,000 damage. Confronted with CCTV footage, he admitted his guilt and expressed disgust at what he had done. Rejecting . the appeal, Mr Justice Openshaw said the sentence handed down at . Manchester Crown Court in January was severe, as intended to be, but not . manifestly excessive. Blaze: While Adam Khan Ahmadzai led a rampage through Croydon, emergency services found themselves overstretched by the scale of the disorder . | Adam Khan Ahmadzai, 20, led an orgy of violence and criminality including hijacking, burglary, looting, mugging over a few hours in Croydon . Britain's top judge extends his jail term from just 48 months in a young offender institution to seven years in prison . | 6b15e6a2fab8208a5e51740e4ff571a7543cb5e2 |
The naked Florida man who chewed off the face of another man last month in a zombie-like cannibal attack used marijuana but not "bath salts" as police had suspected, authorities said Wednesday. Rudy Eugene, 31, was killed by a police officer after Eugene's 18-minute attack on a homeless man. His body didn't show "any other street drugs, alcohol or prescription drugs, or any adulterants found in street drugs," according to the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department. "The department has also sought the assistance of an outside forensic toxicology reference laboratory, which has confirmed the absence of 'bath salts,' synthetic marijuana and LSD," the statement said. A video of last month's incident shows Eugene coming across 65-year-old Ronald Poppo on a sidewalk along Miami's MacArthur Causeway, stripping clothes off him and eventually chewing on his face. Police said Poppo lost 75% of his face in the attack. Armando Aguilar, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, told CNN affiliate WPLG last month that he suspected Eugene was under the influence of "bath salts," a drug that contains synthetic stimulants that can "cause chest pains, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia and delusions," according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Eugene's mother said last month that her son was "a nice kid" who could have been subdued with a Taser rather than gunfire. "He was a good kid. He gave me a nice card on Mother's Day. Everyone says he was a zombie. He was no zombie. That was my son," the mother, who asked that her name not be revealed, told CNN affiliate WFOR. Chicago greenlights citations for marijuana instead of arrests . Opinion: Marijuana law creates criminals . | Rudy Eugene, 31, was killed by police after he chewed off the face of a homeless man . His body contained marijuana but no other drugs, the coroner's office says . Police had suspected Eugene was under the influence of "bath salts" The absence of "bath salts" is also confirmed by an outside lab, coroner says . | 6dc88f36ea281e0f6d068418ece0ef94f11797cd |
When Jakki Ballan started putting on weight as a teenager, her well-meaning GP suggested that she swap her favourite full-fat Coke for the lower-calorie diet version. She duly slimmed down, but soon developed an astonishing obsession with the fizzy drink which has seen her spend as much as £150,000 over the last three decades. At one stage the single mother of five would finish up to 50 cans a day – more than three per waking hour. Jakki Ballan says she is addicted to Diet Coke and drinks about 10 litres a day. This is the amount she drinks every week . She was consuming more than 28 pints of Diet Coke every day, the equivalent of double her own body weight a week. Miss . Ballan, who quit her job at a dry cleaners 16 years ago to go on maternity leave, found her habit was also financially draining – costing her . around £500 a month at her worst. And while she has tried to tackle her addiction she still gets through the equivalent of 30 cans a day. At one point, her 30-year dependence became so severe she was spending £500 a month on the drink . Yesterday . at her home in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the 42-year-old pleaded for . help, saying: ‘This addiction is taking over my life. I won’t do the . school run unless I have at least two bottles in my bag. ‘I’ve only got one bottle in the house so I’m feeling quite panicky. I’m sweating, shaking and pacing up and down. ‘I’ve reached a point where this has got to stop.’ Ms Ballan is now seeking medical treatment, including hypnotherapy, to conquer overcome her addiction after suffering hallucinations as a result of consuming so much . Miss . Ballan said she suffers constant headaches and recently began . experiencing hallucinations which she blames on the drink. ‘I see . strange things like oranges flying across the room,’ she said. ‘I dread . to think what my insides look like.’ Miss . Ballan recently visited her GP, but he told her there was nothing he . could do. But Dr Sarah Schenker, a dietitian for the British Dietetic . Association, urged her to try cognitive behavioural therapy – as she . said the phosphoric acid contained in the drink would eventually damage . her bones. She added: . ‘This woman is suffering cravings that are influencing her life. Diet . Coke is part of her routine and the reward system in her brain may be . responding to it.’ She also suffers from constant headaches and has recently started to experience hallucinations, which she puts down to her dependence on Diet Coke . Ms Ballan says she panics if she doesn't have access to a constant supply of the fizzy drink . 'Drinking Diet Coke has become part of her routine and the reward system in her brain may be responding to it. 'Fizzy drinks contain phosphorous, which is not harmful in small doses. But if it's consumed in very large doses it can be bad for bone health. It's this lasting damage that is worrying. "But my biggest concern is that if this woman is filling herself up on Diet Coke she will not be eating a balanced diet and giving her body the nutrients it needs. 'There are things she can do to break the habit. In this case, her perception is everything, so I would suggest Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. 'This is often used for people with eating disorders, and could help her change her behaviour and learn to cope without Diet Coke.' Ms Ballan has now vowed to seek help from a hypnotherapist to help change her behaviour and wants to warn others about the dangers of fizzy drinks. She said: 'To anyone who drinks quite a lot of fizzy drinks already, I'd urge them to be very aware of the potential extreme impact it can have on your life, like it has on mine.' Low-calorie fizzy drinks like Diet Coke can aid weight loss, but the chemicals used to make them can still cause health problems. Phosphoric acid is listed in the ingredients of Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max, as well as many own-brand colas. But while a certain amount of phosphorous is vital to bone and tooth health, scientists say excessive consumption raises the risk of developing brittle bones. The drinks also contain caffeine which in large quantities can stop the body from absorbing iron. And some experts have linked Diet Coke’s sweetening ingredient, aspartame, with premature birth and even cancer, although the EU food watchdog last year rejected the claims. | At one point, Jakki Ballan, 42, was drinking more than three cans an hour . Drinks up to 10 litres a day and panics if she doesn't have constant supply . Has suffered hallucinations as a result of consuming so much of the drink . Stay-at-home mother spends around £6,000 a year on her Diet Coke habit . | d98a6b74f3dc99e1a6218ef9ead0d5daab9afb29 |
By . Rebecca Camber . PUBLISHED: . 18:56 EST, 23 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:03 EST, 23 August 2012 . The killers of Stephen Lawrence were refused leave to appeal against their convictions yesterday. David Norris, 35, and Gary Dobson, 36, claimed their six-week trial at the Old Bailey which resulted in unanimous guilty verdicts was unfair. But a judge rejected their written applications at the Court of Appeal. They were given life sentences in January for the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.Dobson was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years and two months, while Norris was given a minimum of 14 years and three months. David Norris, left, and Gary Dobson were found guilty of Stephen Lawrence's 1993 murder in January . Stephen Lawrence's killers will consider their next legal moves to challenge their murder convictions . The verdicts were a victory for the Daily Mail, which for 15 years has campaigned for justice for the Lawrence family. Norris subsequently launched an appeal on the basis that the use of a surveillance video in evidence was prejudicial. In the video, shot 20 months after Stephen’s 1993 murder, Norris was secretly filmed telling friends he wanted to torture and kill black people. In an appalling rant recorded by a police surveillance camera, Norris boasted he would ‘skin a black ****’ and ‘blow their two arms and legs off’. Then, he said, he would tell them: ‘Go on, you can swim home now.’ Norris’s legal team argued that the video was highly prejudicial because it did not prove he was involved in Stephen’s murder and should not have been admitted as evidence. The video also showed Dobson using violent, racist language. Over a period of 17 days in December 1994, detectives heard him frequently use racist terms to describe black and Asian people, jurors heard. Dobson was seen in one clip recalling a time he threatened a black colleague with a knife. Lawyers for Norris also objected to the way the prosecution presented the scientific evidence during the trial. The breakthrough in the investigation came when a cold-case team of forensic scientists were called in. They found tiny traces of blood, hair and fibres on clothing seized from the pair’s homes. The defence claimed this was the result of contamination, but that was rejected by the jury. Dobson and Norris were the first people convicted over the knife attack on A-level student Stephen, 18, by a group of white youths near a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London, in April 1993. Yesterday Norris’s legal team indicated that this was just the first round of their efforts to challenge the convictions. His lawyers will now consider whether to renew the application before judges sitting at the Appeal Court. He said: ‘We will obviously give very serious consideration to the judge’s response to the legal application and decide whether to renew it orally.’ | David Norris and Gary Dobson claimed their Old Bailey trial was unfair . Norris's legal team says this was just the first round of their efforts to challenge the convictions . | fd812a37f001b6ef99c649561e7dae891c795202 |
By . David Mccormack . and Hanna Flint . As the hype intensifies around the latest Star Wars movie, director J.J. Abrams has announced an opportunity for one lucky person - and a friend - to appear in the saga’s next adventure. The director, who is currently filming in Abu Dhabi, appeared in a specially recorded film which was unveiled on Good Morning America on Wednesday. The competition is part of an initiative called Star Wars: Force For Change that will raise funds and awareness for the United Nations Children's Fund's (UNICEF) Innovation Labs project to help benefit the world's most vulnerable children. Scroll down for video . As the hype intensifies around the latest Star Wars movie, director J.J. Abrams has announced an opportunity for one lucky person - and a friend - to appear in the saga¿s next adventure . The video starts with Abrams talking about how excited he is to be making the movie before explaining what the winner can expect to receive. The competition offers one lucky person - and a friend - the opportunity to visit Pinewood Studios in London and visit the set as Abrams' VIP guests. They will have the opportunity to meet members of the cast and will be transformed by the film's makeup and costume teams, most likely into alien extras, and will appear in a scene. As Abrams explains how the competition works, fans get a special glimpse at a new creature who may be appearing in the movie. As Abrams explains how the competition works, fans get a special glimpse at a new creature who may be appearing in the movie . The director and the alien exchange puzzled glances before Abrams returns to explaining how the competition works. It is being run by Omaze.com a charity auction site which allows anyone to enter for just $10. There are various levels of contribution to the campaign and for each level, participants will receive a special Star Wars-themed item. The deadline to enter is 11:59 p.m. PT on July 18. To enter visit: Star . Disney, which now owns the iconic film franchise, has committed $1 million toward the Force For Change initiative and via this exciting competition they hope to raise a lot more. 'The Star Wars fans are some of the most passionate and committed folks around the globe,' said Abrams. 'We're thrilled to offer a chance to come behind the scenes as our VIP guests and be in Star Wars: Episode VII. Video: Watch J.J. Abrams announce competition to appear in Star Wars: Episode VII . The force is strong in this one: J.J. Abrams begins filming for Star Wars Episode VII in Abu Dhabi . First time: J.J. has never shot a movie outside of the US . 'We're . even more excited that by participating in this campaign, Star Wars fans . will be helping children around the world through our collaboration . with UNICEF Innovation Labs and projects.' Also on Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates finally acknowledged that it is standing in for one corner of George Lucas' galaxy far, far away. Abu . Dhabi's government-backed twofour54 media hub confirmed that the next . installment of Star Wars is currently filming in the Middle Eastern . emirate. It was the first official word from the Gulf nation that . filming had begun. Emirati officials previously had refused to confirm or comment on filming, despite Abram’s production company, Bad Robot, tweeting the news last Friday. Using the hashtag ‘#dayone’, a picture of the first film clapperboard was shared for the internet to go wild about. Taking the production to Abu Dhabi marks a move away from the original desert locations used in the first six Star Wars installments. For Episodes I-VI, various spots in Tunisia were used the most to film sandy scenes, including the region of Tatooine, which George Lucas decided to name Luke Skywalker's home planet after. Additional footage was later shot in the Death Valley National Park. Cast: The line-up for the new film was announced on Twitter with a picture of all the actors, old and new, reading through the script with J.J. At the . Tunisian government's request, the set for Anakin Skywalker's (Darth . Vader) hometown in the Tatooine desert, Mos Espa, stil remains in the . Sahara desert. Now . in Abu Dhabi, a ‘whole world’ has reportedly been built in one of its . salt lakes, according to local media outlet The National. A ‘shuttle-like’ craft as well as several jet-powered buggies have also been spotted in the area not to mention a ‘large tower’ and a ‘big, centuries-old-looking market’. Images obtained by Abu Dhabi's The National show a giant marquee with crew members wheeling bits of set and props in and out ahead of the first day of production. It will soon move to a studio far, far away as the majority of the movie will be filmed at Pinewood, where the newly announced cast first got together to read through the script. Props: The National reports that jet-powered buggies have been spotted in the filming location in Abu Dhabi, which could be similar to these speedy vehicles ridden by Leia and Luke in the earlier films . Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher . (Princess Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Anthony Daniels (C3PO), . Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Kenny Baker (R2-D2) have returned to the . franchise, but Abrams has still made room for some fresh faces. British actors John Boyega (Attack The Block) and Daisy Ridley (Mr. Selfridge) join Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) and Dohmnall Gleeson (Frank) in the film. Performance capture king Andy Serkis will bring his precious talent to a number of roles and veteran screen actor Max von Sydow (The Exorcist) has also signed on. Abrams previously said: ‘We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. Before: The planet Tatooine was brought to life in Tunisia for the first six instalments . ‘It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.’ It is the first time the Emmy Award-winning director has shot a movie outside of the US, having already cemented his name along some directing greats after helming the blockbuster reboot of Star Trek. Star Wars Episode VII, which has a screenplay written by the director and Lawrence Kasban, opens worldwide on December 18, 2015. | Director J.J. Abrams has announced an opportunity for one lucky person - and a friend - to appear in the saga's next adventure . The winner will get to visit the movie set in Pinewood Studios, London, meet the cast and appear in one scene . The competition is being run by a charity auction website which allows anyone to enter by bidding at least $10 . The money raised will go towards Star Wars: Force For Change, a charity initiative to help the world's most vulnerable children . Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled to open worldwide on Dec 18, 2015 . | c4380742fab87f59033f142f0786a672bf49082d |
Hong Kong (CNN) -- Call it an amazing example of entrepreneurship or a daring play of deceit. After a U.S.-based "critical infrastructure" company discovered in 2012 its computer systems were being accessed from China, its security personnel caught the culprit ultimately responsible: Not a hacker from the Middle Kingdom but one of the company's own employees sitting right at his desk in the United States. The software developer is simply referred to as "Bob," according to a case study by the U.S. telecommunications firm Verizon Business. Bob was an "inoffensive and quiet" programmer in his mid-40's, according to his employee profile, with "a relatively long tenure with the company" and "someone you wouldn't look at twice in an elevator." Those innocuous traits led investigators to initially believe the computer access from China using Bob's credentials was unauthorized -- and that some form of malware was sidestepping strong two-factor authentication that included a token RSA key fob under Bob's name. Investigators then discovered Bob had "physically FedExed his RSA token to China so that the third-party contractor could log-in under his credentials during the workday," wrote Andrew Valentine, a senior forensic investigator for Verizon. Bob had hired a programming firm in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang to do his work. His helpers half a world away worked overnight on a schedule imitating an average 9-to-5 workday in the United States. He paid them one-fifth of his six-figure salary, according to Verizon. And over the past several years, Bob received excellent performance reviews of his "clean, well written" coding. He had even been noted as "the best developer in the building." A forensic image of Bob's workstation revealed his true work habits and typical day: . 9:00 a.m. -- Get to work, surf Reddit, watch cat videos . 11:30 a.m. -- Lunch . 1:00 p.m. -- Ebay . 2:00 p.m or so -- Facebook and LinkedIn . 4:30 p.m. -- Send end-of-day e-mail update to management . 5:00 p.m. -- Go home . The Verizon investigation suggested Bob's entrepreneurial outsourcing spirit stretched across several companies in his area -- netting him several hundred thousand dollars a year as he paid out about $50,000 a year to his China-based ghost writers, according to hundreds of PDF invoices also discovered on his work computer. Verizon's Valentine told CNN via e-mail that Bob "was in fact terminated at the conclusion of the investigation." Presumably Bob's Chinese helpers were as well. | U.S.-based company discovered its computer systems were being accessed from China . Company's own employee gave access to Chinese programmers he personally outsourced . Employee, known as "Bob", seen as "someone you wouldn't look at twice in an elevator" "Bob" earned several hundred thousand dollars a year, paying Chinese firm $50,000 a year . | 0571232be4a8197d2e396e139b3f0e21446fcbe3 |
Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- A second person survived a massacre in which 72 migrants from Central and South America were killed last week in northern Mexico, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and Mexican officials said. A man from Ecuador was previously thought to be the only survivor. That man, identified as Luis Freddy Lala Pomavilla, said someone else also lived through the mass shooting, Correa said at a news conference late Tuesday night upon his return to Ecuador from a trip to Haiti. Correa did not provide details other than to say the second survivor came from Honduras. "We don't want to put him in danger," Correa said. Viviana Macias, a spokeswoman for the Mexican attorney general's office, confirmed Wednesday that a second person had survived the attack. The attorney general's office said authorities had not revealed news of the second survivor in order to protect the person's safety. For the same reason, officials said Wednesday, they will not reveal the person's identity. The attorney general's office said in a release Wednesday afternoon that the survivor is being held and protected as a witness and has given officials "relevant information to identify those presumed to be responsible." The agency has been in touch with authorities in Honduras, the release said. Lala Pomavilla, the Ecuadorian survivor, was returned to his homeland late Sunday. The young man was wounded in the attack and said he survived by playing dead. He later walked several miles to a military roadblock near the town of San Fernando in Tamaulipas state, less than 100 miles from the U.S. border. Officials are investigating whether members of the Zetas drug cartel were responsible for the deaths. The bodies of the 72 victims are being returned to their homelands, which include Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Brazil. Mexican officials returned the remains of 16 migrants to Honduras on Wednesday. A live broadcast on CNN affiliate Televicentro showed six-man honor guards wheeling the bodies one by one off a transport aircraft. Bereaved relatives and friends cried and held each other as the gray caskets glided by slowly, guided solemnly by soldiers in dress uniforms and red-plumed hats. The caskets, each adorned with a bouquet of flowers on top, were placed under a large tent on the tarmac at the air force airport in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. "Repatriation," said the Televicentro banner imposed over the bottom of the TV image. "What started as a search for the American dream ended in a mortal nightmare." After the 16 caskets were gathered in the tent, a Roman Catholic priest prayed over them. "Don't lose your faith in God," he told those gathered there before he sprinkled holy water on each of the caskets. Honduran President Porfirio Lobo also addressed the crowd, merely reading the names of the 16 victims before walking back to his spot in a line of dignitaries. Some family members were brought up to have a word with Lobo, who hugged them and spoke quietly with them. The caskets were released to the families after the ceremony, and at one point Lobo went to where a man with a gray New York Yankees cap was sobbing as he leaned on a coffin. Lobo patted the man on the shoulder and reached out to a woman standing next to him. The victims will be taken to their hometowns for burial. CNN's Jose Antonio Flores, Krupskaia Alis and Arthur Brice contributed to this report. | The second survivor is a migrant from Honduras, officials say . The only previously known survivor was from Ecuador . That survivor said someone else also had lived, the Ecuadorian president said . The bodies of 16 victims were returned to Honduras on Wednesday, Mexico said . | 775b5f2d789831303525f4a2bb3961e703b73611 |
A man from Oregon shot his wife two days before Thanksgiving, after learning she was having an affair with his brother. He then turned the gun on himself but failed to kill himself. Raymond Johnson, 38, shot himself in the chest after learning of the devastating news that his wife, Rebekah Johnson, 32, was seeing his brother on the side. The shooting took place outside the couples home in Oregon City. Troubled times: Raymond Joseph Johnson allegedly shot dead his wife Rebekah Johnson in the driveway of their Oregon home after he found out she had been having an affair with his brother for six months . Mrs Johnson, 32, died in hospital the next day. Mr Johnson is being held on bail at the Clackamas County Jail on a murder charge. A trial is scheduled for next year. Court documents show the couple's 17-year-old nephew found the couple laying wounded in their driveway. The teen removed the .38 caliber Taurus revolver away from his uncle's hand and took out the ammunition. The couple's two young children, aged five and seven, were inside the home when the shooting happened. Warning signs? Raymond Johnson's father died two days before the shooting and family members had noticed that he had been 'behaving strangely' Oregon Live say that the family had been undergoing a turbulent time after Raymond Johnson's father died two days before the shooting. During the days following the death it became known that Mr Johnson's brother was sleeping with his wife and had been having an affair for six months but the family only got know of the details on the day of the shooting. Mrs Johnson and the nephew discovered a handgun was missing from the gun safe soon after returning to the couple's home, . After going outside to speak with her husband she was shot in the front yard. According to the affidavit the nephew was in an upstairs bedroom when he heard the commotion outside. He heard his aunt yell, 'No,' before a gunshot rang out. Seconds later, a second gunshot occurred and Mr Johnson fell to the ground. Neighborhood shock: Police seized eight rifles and backpack with ammunition, as well as the revolver, from the Johnsons' home . In the months prior to the deadly shooting, it had been noticed that Mr Johnson had been 'behaving strangely'. Family members had put it down to the fact he was on constant pain medication after a car accident last year and the after-effects of a brain tumor from when he was 20. Police seized eight rifles and backpack with ammunition, as well as the revolver, from the Johnsons' home, according to the search warrant. Raymond Johnson also had bullets in his pants pockets. The incident was one of four fatal shootings involving married couples in Clackamas County since November. Mr Johnson is now in jail awaiting his murder trial which will take place in January 2016. | An Oregon City man shot his wife, then himself after learning that she had an affair with his brother, . Raymond Johnson, 38, survived the self-inflicted wound to his chest and is being held without bail at the Clackamas County Jail on a murder charge . Rebekah Johnson, 32, died the following day . A trial is scheduled for January next year . | b616138f051725e897ddaaf3f23bef4aa1d56224 |
By . Ashley Collman for MailOnline . The parents of executed journalist James Foley have revealed they shared their grief with 'kind and dear' Pope Francis when he called them at home from The Vatican on Thursday. Diane and John Foley said the pontiff word's were a huge comfort to them as they struggle to deal with the aftermath of their son's barbaric death, which was broadcast to the world by his ISIS captors on Tuesday. While they did not divulge what they and Pope Francis spoke about during their telephone call, the Foleys said they were thankful he called as he deals with his own personal loss after his two small nephews and their mother died in a car crash in Argentina this week. Thankful: John and Diane Foley said that Pope Francis was a huge comfort to them when he called on Thursday to offer them prayers for the loss of their son, James Foley . 'Pope Francis was so dear because he is grieving himself having just lost three members of his family and his nephew is critically ill,' said Diane Foley during an appearance with her husband on the Today show. 'In the midst of his tremendous grief he took the time to call and our whole family was there and my brother-in-law spoke in Spanish to him and he was just so kind.' Having called the family after the global revulsion sparked by the butchering of James Foley, the Pope's phone call left the staunchly Catholic Foleys 'deeply moved and grateful'. 'He offered us his personal prayer and we felt very comforted and supported in that regard,' said John Foley about his talk with Pope Francis. The Foley's took the phone call around 3pm on Thursday at home in New Hampshire and spoke through a translator for around 20 minutes. 'He was very compassionate, very loving,' said the family priest Father Marc Montminy, of St. Michael's Church in Exeter, New Hampshire. Pope Francis called the family of executed American photojournalist James Foley to console them on their loss. He called the Foleys at their home in New Hampshire Thursday afternoon. Pictured above at the Vatican on Wednesday, August 20 . The Pope told John and Diane Foley that they were in his prayers . The Foleys have been in mourning since Tuesday, when a video was posted online showing the gruesome beheading of their son by affiliates of terrorist-group ISIS. James Foley had been missing for two years, after he was kidnapped while reporting in Syria. On Wednesday, his grieving parents gave a press conference outside their Rochester, New Hampshire home, where a yellow ribbon was hung on the front door. 'We are very proud of Jim. He was a courageous, fearless journalist. The best of America,' Diane Foley said. 'He was driven by the (Syrian) people's deep desire for freedom and their suffering.' | The Pope called John and Diane Foley Thursday afternoon at their home in New Hampshire . Told family they were in his prayers and they were 'deeply moved and grateful' 'Huge comfort, because Pope Francis like Jesus, loves, like Jim. He understood Jim's heart.' | 33681be9b9fda65ce62c98243fb77173e2f0e173 |
(CNN) -- A new social media campaign hopes to harness the power of celebrities and a Bob Marley song to help bring awareness to the thousands suffering from the famine in the Horn of Africa. The "I'm Gonna Be Your Friend" campaign, which kicks off Tuesday, is named for a line in Marley's 1973 song "High Tide Or Low Tide." It uses the song as the soundtrack to a short film on the East African crisis directed by award-winning director Kevin MacDonald. Among MacDonald's movies is the critically acclaimed "Last King of Scotland." Prominent celebrities -- such as Eminem, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears -- have pledged to promote the film by posting it on their Facebook pages or offering links on their Twitter feeds. The video is also on sale, with proceeds going to Save The Children. "With over 150 global stars already signed up and more joining by the hour, the combined total of their fans and followers on the social networks is over 700 hundred million people," the campaign said. "This huge number will not only help raise awareness of the scale of the crisis but also vital funds for those suffering in the region." Twelve million people are facing a hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. Somalia has been hardest hit. "Not one child should be denied food nor water. Not one child should suffer. Along with Save the Children, we must stand up together as friends to put a stop to this, to feed our children and to save their lives," said Rita Marley, Marley's wife. | The campaign is named for a line in the Marley song "Hide Tide Or Low Tide" Artists like Eminem and Lady Gaga have pledged to promote the film . Proceeds will go to aid group Save the Children to help famine victims . | 659142bcf609a2606d5cabd5b7b5cca12b7fe15d |
(CNN) -- At least 38 people have died in mudslides on the Portuguese island of Madeira, which was hit by heavy downpours overnight, an official told CNN on Saturday. Pedro Barbosa, the vice president of the Civil Protection Agency in Madeira, told CNN that an unknown number of people were missing -- perhaps dozens, he said. The mudslides and flooding caused substantial damage to roads and homes in the capital, Funchal, and in Ribeira Brava, which are both on the southern portion of the Atlantic island, which lies about 600 miles southwest of Portugal, Barbosa said. Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates and Interior Minister Rui Pereira arrived on the island on Saturday, according to CNN affiliate Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP). Socrates told RTP that "the situation is under control" and the government is offering all its support to regional authorities. The country's president, Cavaco Silva, expressed his condolences to the people of Madeira in a televised statement and promised to do everything to help "during this difficult time." Pedro Ramos of Dr. Nelio Mendonca Hospital in Funchal, told CNN that 68 wounded people were hospitalized from the mudslides and flooding. Three were critical, he said. The vice president of Madeira's regional government had tallied 68 victims with injuries, according to the official Lusa news agency. The floodwaters overturned cars and knocked down trees, Barbosa said. Authorities have evacuated hundreds of people to military and civil protection facilities in Funchal, he said. Search and rescue teams have been reinforced, but haven't been able to reach every area, according to the Civil Protection Agency. The Portuguese military has dispatched five teams to help with search and rescue efforts, it announced on its Web site. The military is also ready to shelter up to 130 people where 50 people are already staying, it said. Barbosa said weather conditions have substantially improved, with the rains winding down. Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal, is a popular resort destination. There have been no reports of any dead or missing tourists. CNN's Umaro Djau contributed to this report. | NEW: Portuguese military has dispatched five teams to help with search and rescue efforts . NEW: Weather has substantially improved, civil protection official says . Madeira hit by heavy downpours overnight, triggering mudslide that killed at least 38 . Unknown number of people, perhaps dozens, are missing, official tells CNN . | 315807c18d851e3c83dad870ff88fddc2a0d3902 |
(CNN) -- Liverpool dumped Manchester United out of the English FA Cup with a dramatic late winner from Dirk Kuyt at Anfield on Saturday. In their first meeting since the Luis Suarez/Patrice Evra race row erupted in October last year, it was Liverpool who gained the early advantage as Daniel Agger headed home from a corner in the 21st minute. But United, who dominated possession in the first half, were back on level terms before the break as Park Ji-sung fired low past Jose Reina in the 39th minute. A scrappy second half ensued with neither side looking likely to score before Kuyt latched on to a flick from Andy Carroll to drill home an 88th-minute winner in front of a delirious Kop. The result capped a fine week for the Merseyside club as they eliminated both the blue and red sides of Manchester from English football's domestic cup competitions. Chelsea kept their hopes of winning a seventh FA Cup alive with a 1-0 win at local rivals Queens Park Rangers -- a Juan Mata penalty in the 62nd minute proving decisive. In the other all-Premier League ties, Bolton Wanderers came from behind to beat Swansea City 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium. Luke Moore put the visitors ahead in the 43rd minute only to see former Swansea player Darren Pratley equalize moments later. Bolton's winner came from Chris Eagles 10 minutes into the second period. West Bromwich Albion couldn't make the most of home advantage though, losing 2-1 to Norwich City. Grant Holt put the Canaries in front in the 34th minute with Marc Antoine-Fortune equalizing early on in the second half. But Simeon Jackson made sure of Norwich having their name in the fifth round draw with a goal five minutes from the end. Newcastle United won't be in the draw for the next round as they were beaten 1-0 by Championship side Brighton -- a Mike Williamson own goal in the 76th minute sending Gus Poyet's team through. Goals from Cameron Jerome and Robert Huth ensured last year's finalists, Stoke City do progress to the next round as they beat Derby County 2-0. In an all-Championship division tie, Millwall drew with Southampton, while a League One clash saw Stevenage beat Notts County 1-0. Championship side Hull City were sent crashing out by Division Two side Crawley Town -- Matt Tubbs getting the deciding goal in the 57th minute. Blackpool -- another Championship side -- drew 1-1 with League One's Sheffield Wednesday. Birmingham City enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 win over Sheffield United, while Leicester City beat Swindon Town 2-0. | Late winner from Dirk Kuyt sees Merseyside club progress to fifth round of historic English cup competition . EPL giants Chelsea also progress with 1-0 win over Queens park Rangers . Norwich City beat West Brom 2-1; Bolton Wanderers beat Swansea City by same margin . | e70d4875989cc17222679c39f51b82a893562f7c |
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 23:56 EST, 17 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:51 EST, 18 November 2013 . It was a badge of honour sold by was hero Sapper James Angel to feed his family. But now a long-lost gallantry medal has been rightfully returned to his relatives - who had no idea it existed until his great-granddaughter's school project triggered the investigation. Elizabeth Turner, nine, asked her grandmother Sheila Scott for help with her homework on World War Two and was told about a late relative who fought in Europe. With great risk to his own life, Sapper Angel drew enemy fire away from his comrades by engaging them with his Bren gun . It prompted Mrs Scott and husband Nigel . to carry out some research on the internet about Mr Angel, a modest man . who rarely spoke about his experiences of war. Such was his humble attitude, he failed to tell anyone that he had won the Military Medal for his incredibly heroic action. Sapper Angel put himself in the line of fire when Allied soldiers were pinned down by Germans as they tried to cross the Rhine in Germany in March 1945. Elizabeth Turner with her great-grandfather's Military Medal . With great risk to his own life, he . drew enemy fire away from his comrades by engaging them with his Bren . gun and allowed the British to locate and silence the Germans. It is believed that after the war Mr Angel sold his Military Medal to help provide for his seven children. They not only uncovered her father's citation for the award published in the London Gazette in 1945 but they also managed to trace the whereabouts of the gong. It was being offered for sale by an internet dealer in militaria. Mrs Scott immediately contacted them and arranged to buy the medal that was for sale for £1,900. It has now been reunited with Mr Angel's other campaign medals the family still have. Mrs Scott, 61, from Wimborne, Dorset, said: 'Elizabeth was doing a school project on the war and she came to us because she thought we might be able to help her. 'We told her about my father and her granddad began doing some searching online and we came across my father's recommendation in the London Gazette in 1945. 'My father was a very quiet man who provided for his family and never spoke about the war. The family knew he once had a special medal but didn't know anything else about it. Elizabeth asked her grandmother Sheila Scott for help with her homework on World War Two and was told about James Angel . 'I think he sold it to help feed us . when we were all small. I was one of seven brothers and sisters and life . was pretty hard for us, so I understand. 'I . was quite shell-shocked when I found out what he did and then to . actually find the medal still in existence was something else. 'My father could have had the initials MM after his name all his life but he never mentioned it. 'I felt that I owed it to my father to . buy it back. I have all his other medals and it is very special and . quite emotional to have them all complete again.' Mr . Angel enlisted with the Royal Engineers in 1940 at the age of 33 and . was evacuated from Le Havre, France, in June that year when the Allies . were being overrun by the Germans. After the war Mr Angel sold his Military Medal to help provide for his seven children . The MM has now been reunited with Mr Angel's other campaign medals the family still have . He was posted to the Bomb Disposal . Company in Colchester, Essex, and returned to France after D-Day in No . 279 Field Company, Royal Engineers. He saw action across France, Belgium and Holland as the Allies fought their way across the Rhine and into Germany. On March 25, 1945 he was a Bren gunner in a reconnaissance car at a bridge on the River Issel in Wesel, Germany. His recommendation for the Military Medal was signed in the field by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. Modest hero James Angel at his daughter Sheila's wedding in 1973. Mrs Scott has arranged to buy back her father's medal . The Military Medal is the third highest award for gallantry and is only bettered by the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Victoria Cross . It stated: 'When the leading infantry came under fire, Sapper Angel engaged the enemy and drew their fire thus assisting the infantry to locate and silence them. 'Later when the infantry were hard pressed by counter-attacks, Sapper Angel moved out in his recce. car in full view of the enemy and by engaging them with his Bren gun forced them to go to ground. 'Throughout the action Sapper Angel displayed complete disregard for his own safety.' The Military Medal is the third highest award for gallantry and is only bettered by the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Victoria Cross. Elizabeth is a year four pupil at Sandford St Martin's Primary School in Wareham. Her mum Angela, 38 said: 'Elizabeth was talking to my mother about her father being in the war and that's what started the research for this special medal. 'Elizabeth has been able to take in the citation document and photographs into school to show other children. 'It has been useful and important for children to see things like Montgomery's signature and find out who he was. 'A really important piece of family history has been uncovered with the help of this project.' | Sapper James Angel put himself in the line of fire when Allied soldiers were pinned down by Germans as they tried to cross the Rhine in 1945 . Mr Angel sold his Military Medal to help provide for his seven children . Hero was a modest man who rarely spoke about his experiences of war . Great-granddaughter's school project led to investigation about him . Now medal has been brought back and returned to family . The Military Medal is the third highest award for gallantry and is only bettered by the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Victoria Cross . | 74af6555b19acb9a248f9938af0e7be43844e558 |
(CNN) -- I came to America as a transfer student in the fall of 2004. I did three years of computer engineering in India and then transferred to Purdue University Calumet. On July 2, 2005, just a month before graduation, a guy who lived on the first floor of my apartment building set fire to his place. He wrapped his baby in a blanket, put the baby in a car seat, put the car seat in the closet and then poured gasoline over the apartment with his baby and wife still in it. He then set the whole place on fire and left. The fire started at 4:30 a.m. My roommate and I could not jump out with the balcony and windows engulfed in flames. As my roommate fell unconscious in front of me, I started running down the stairs and passed out. A firefighter found my body and pulled me out. As the paramedics were taking me to the hospital, I heard one say, "This guy is 95% burned; he doesn't have a chance." At that moment, I thought about my family and how I came to America to get good education, and now I didn't have a chance to live. I was soon unconscious and later woke up in the University of Chicago burn unit after four months in an induced coma. The man's wife, his baby and my best friend and roommate, Prabhat Singhal, died in the fire. After seven months in Chicago, I was transferred to Wishard Health Services in Indianapolis for my rehabilitation. I don't have any family in America so I lived in a nursing home. I stayed there for 2½ years while I went through reconstructive surgeries to regain range of motion in my arms. For more than five years, I went through an intense therapy program. I wore a face mask for three years and pressure garments on my entire body; I wore dynamic splints on my hands, wrists and elbows to increase range of motion, daily dressing changes to my wounds and performing hourly exercises to restore function in all of my joints. I wanted to get an MBA so I studied in my extra time. I scheduled my Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, exam and got a six-hour pass from the nursing home to take the test. I scored 700 on my GMAT and got accepted into the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Evening MBA program in Indianapolis. I wanted to go to a part-time program since I didn't know how much of a course load I would be able to take. Everyone gets their acceptance letter mailed to his home; I got my letter mailed to the nursing home. My doctors did everything they could to help me regain range of motion in my arms. Even after 54 surgeries, I am still very limited. I don't have any finger movement in my left hand and very limited finger movement in my right hand. I type with one finger. I rely on various adaptive equipments to perform my activities of daily living. This horrific crime not only left me with disabilities but also interfered with my visa. I have not seen most of my family in India since the accident seven years ago, because I am still waiting on a green card. My sister has been denied a visa four times in trying to visit me. I have been able to come out of this tragedy because of the values that my parents instilled in me and the help from my occupational therapist. My parents taught me the value of education, hard work and perseverance. They taught me to be content in life no matter what the circumstances. They taught me that "we can always find someone who is in worse condition than we are in. So be thankful for what you have." I call my occupational therapist, Shannon Hendricks, my guardian angel. God sent her into my life when I was in the deepest and darkest pit of my life. She took me to church every Sunday while I stayed in the nursing home, which brought some normalcy into my life. Today, I can live independently because of her hard work. After 3½ years, I graduated with my MBA on May 13. I am now seeking a job in finance. To give back to the community, I volunteered in the Wishard therapy department between many of my surgeries. I still visit the Wishard burn unit and talk to other burn patients about my experience. I also lecture at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis to occupational therapy students about all the adaptive equipment I use to live independently. I have had some wonderful people in my life who have helped me in my journey. I plan to do the same for other people. | Manoj Rana, a native of India, nearly died in an apartment fire after coming to study in the U.S. Rana underwent 54 surgeries and five years of an intense therapy program . He credits his parents and his occupational therapist for his recovery and survival . He graduated with his MBA this month and is looking for a job in finance . | ddc6ad0a3cf66daacd0e928e565f2106e3ec6dec |
By . Stuart Woledge . PUBLISHED: . 05:50 EST, 24 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:07 EST, 24 July 2013 . 'Creepy': Those who knew prime suspect Taylor Holder have described a socially awkward teenager with a love of weapons . The prime suspect in the murder of little Alanna Gallagher was 'weird and creepy' with a violent past, according to those who knew him. Classmates of 17-year-old Tyler Holder, who remains in a critical condition after being shot in the head by police, have described how the socially awkward teenager had a love of weapons, carried knives, and would crack sick jokes about rape. Holder opened fire on police yesterday when they arrived to arrest him, hitting officer Charles Lodatto in the groin. Mikayla Dawson, 16, remembered him as an 'angry person' from their days at Wayside Middle School. She said: 'He was the kid that you were always . really nice to because you didn’t know if he was going to come shoot up . the school.' Police have now confirmed neighbours have described Holder to them as a 'troublemaker' and that . he had been involved in 'criminal mischief' in the area. One neighbour even claimed to have seen a gray tarpaulin in Holder's back garden two or three months ago, similar to that covering Alanna, 6, when she was found dead just yards from her home on Babbling Brook Drive. Lauren Allen, 15, recalled a confrontation between her older brother and Holder a few years ago after a rare snowfall, when Holder destroyed a snowman her brother had built. In retaliation,Lauren’s brother threw a snowball at Holder, who 'just turned around and pulled out his pocket knife'. Lauren added: 'He was weird and creepy, and he’s been violent in the past.' Tragic: Six-year-old Alanna Gallagher was found bound and gagged. The youngster had been raped. Right, Charles Lodotto, who he opened fire on hitting the officer in the groin . Boyfriend: Patricia Hustede banned Holder from her home after he started dating her daughter, Cassie . Cassie Hustede dated Holder until earlier this year. The 20-year-old is currently being held in Tarrant County jail on a burglary charge, but her mother, Patricia, said that she had concerns about Holder from the beginning. 'I said to Cassie, "There’s something bad about him, keep him away from my house".' She explained Holder would visit the house even after Cassie had gone to jail to see how she was doing. She added: 'He fooled me. It just freaks me out that I allowed him in my house, around my kids and my grandkids.' Weapons: Holder was said to have carried knives and pulled one on a teenage boy after destroying his snowman, according to one source . The probable cause affidavit for Holder’s arrest, obtained by WFAA-TV (Channel 8), offers new details about the suffering inflicted upon Alanna, who went missing on July 1. The little girl, who was known for riding on her purple scooter in search of playmates, had been brutally raped. Her partially clothed body was found by 14-year-old Owen . Whiddon bound and wrapped in a grey tarpaulin in the middle of a street about a mile from her home later in the day of her disappearance. Genetic evidence was matched through DNA tests to a sample that Holder voluntarily provided to police earlier this month, the documents say. Belt: A DNA sample taken by police of Holder matched DNA found on Alanna's body and on a belt found at the scene . His DNA was also found on the buckle of a belt used to wrap Alanna’s body in the tarp. Four Wal-Mart bags were taped over the girl’s head with red duct tape secured around her neck. Her wrists and ankles were bound with the same tape and her body and clothes were wet with an unknown liquid. Police later found what is believed to be the same kind of duct tape in rubbish bags outside the home Holder shared with his mother just two doors from where Alanna lived with her family. Originally, Saginaw Police had said they had no specific suspects, but the affidavit suggests Holder was under suspicion almost immediately. Within hours of Alanna’s body being found officers reported seeing Tyler Holder 'pacing up and down the sidewalk', the affidavit says. Residents informed police Holder had told them that it was Alanna’s body that had been found, even before the authorities had revealed the identity of the victim. The next day, as officers searched the Gallagher home, Holder was seen standing across the street watching. Holder was questioned early in the investigation and told police on the day of Alanna's death he woke up about 2pm, watched television and went to apply for jobs, having recently been made unemployed by Sonic. The affidavit reads: 'Holder stated that he had no contact with Alanna Gallagher and that she had never been in his house,' Holder also denied having a tarpaulin in his back garden. But video surveillance obtained from the north and south ends of Babbling Brook Drive did not show Holder driving his vehicle that day as he had said. When they analysed his mobile phone, they found pictures of him with a garden hose in a sexual position. During an interview, Holder had admitted that he had sex with other men. On July 5, officers took a DNA sample from his mouth and were notified on Saturday it matched evidence found on Alanna's body. At about 9am on Tuesday, officers arrived Holder's home in unmarked cars. Neighbours heard them pounding on the door shortly before multiple shots rang out. Lodatto was shot in the groin, and the bullet hit an artery and broke into pieces. Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson said he was recovering from his injuries, although he had a long road ahead of him. Heartbreaking: The arrest comes after Alanna's body was found tied and partially naked with a bag over her head under this tarp in the street. A 14-year-old boy came across her body . Holder was shot in the head when another officer opened fire. He was taken John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. Holder's mother Kim was contacted on Tuesday evening. When asked about the condition of her son, she replied 'not so good'. Her lawyer Lance Evans later added: 'Mrs Holder is in shock and is extremely worried about the condition of her son, as any mother would be. 'I ask that the Holder family’s request for privacy be honored as they come to grips with today’s events.' Alanna's family claim they have been targeted in the aftermath of the horrific incident. 'The three of us': A Facebook image shows Alanna's parents, Laura . and Karl (left) Gallagher with Miles McDaniel (right), who are in a . polyamorous relationship . Alanna lived with her siblings, their . parents Laura and Karl Gallagher, and a second male, Miles McDaniel, who . was in a polyamorous relationship with her parents. Police . have said that the Gallaghers and McDaniel were home while Alanna . played outside alone. They are not sure when she was abducted from the . neighborhood. Although her body was discovered at about 7.30pm, her father did not report her missing until two hours later. Last week, a memorial set up for the . little girl outside her home was set on fire along with the family's car. Saginaw Police Chief Roger Macon added that officers were not judging the parents' polyamorous relationship. Coping: Neighbors set up a makeshift . memorial on the curb but it was torched along with the . family's car . | Classmates avoided Tyler Holder fearing he would 'shoot-up' their school . DNA matching troubled teenager was found at the gruesome scene . Holder, 17, remains in a critical condition having been shot in the head . He was known locally as 'troublemaker' and involved in 'criminal' activity . | 4546c2e67e640b5e5724a7ecdd95792fb713b00e |
Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Five people arrested after street disturbances erupted in Tehran during the recent Ashura holy day could face the death penalty, an Iranian semi-official news agency reported Thursday. The Iran Labor News Agency reported that the five will be tried for Moharebe, or waging war against God -- a charge that could be punishable by execution. ILNA attributed the information in its report to the Iranian judiciary. The case will be tried "soon" with defense lawyers and a prosecutor-general representative present at proceedings. "Confessions of the accused and the investigations of the authorities" will be considered, ILNA said. Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi, prosecutor for the Public and Revolution Courts, had stressed that people who created disturbances on the Shiite Muslim holy day of Ashura "by setting fire to public property and other similar crimes" were engaging in acts "tantamount to Moharebe," ILNA said. In-depth coverage of the protests in Iran . "The judiciary will severely confront those people based on the law," the report said. Anti-government demonstrations began after the disputed June 12 presidential vote, which re-elected hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over main opposition candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi. But late December marked the deadliest clashes since the initial protests broke out this summer. At least seven people were killed and hundreds arrested, witnesses said, as they took to the streets on Ashura, which occurred on December 27. The Iranian government has denied that its security forces killed anyone and has blamed reformists for the violence. At times, video has shown protesters apparently turning on security forces. | ILNA reports five protesters will be tried for waging war against God . The charge, called "Moharebe" carries possible death penalty . The case will be tried "soon," according to Iranian press . Witnesses said at least seven people were killed and hundreds arrested during protests on December 27 . | 39088d700fcb5cd7d4763809578ed8a9c0267132 |
(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy has won the Deutsche Bank Championship by one stroke after shooting a final round 67 at the TPC Boston on Monday. The Northern Irishman finished on 20-under par, one stroke in front of overnight leader Louis Oosthuizen, who fired a final round 71. The victory takes McIlroy's career tally of PGA Tour victories to five, three of which have come this season. Tiger Woods finished third on 18-under par thanks to a final round 66 with Phil Mickelson (66) and Dustin Johnson (70) tied for fourth on 14 under. McIlroy, who regained the world No.1 spot with victory in last month's U.S.PGA Championship, surged to the top of the leaderboard early on in his final round, firing five birdies on the opening nine. It was a lead he never relinquished, despite the best efforts of Woods and, in particular, Oosthuizen -- the South African had a chance to force a playoff on the final green, but missed his birdie putt. The win sees McIlroy replace American Nick Watney at the top of the FedExCup points standings while in finishing third, Woods passed another milestone in his remarkable career. The 14-time major winner picked up $544,000, helping him become the first player to surpass $100 million in PGA Tour earnings. | Northern Irishman shoots a final round 67 to claim a one stroke victory . Overnight leader, Louis Ooshuizen finishes second; Tiger Woods two shots back in third . Woods becomes first player to earn $100 million on the PGA Tour . | bd12f60ee110d07f7a1fa5323c7a1a0956c8ba67 |
A couple donned Santa costumes during their wedding ceremony before being waved off in a sleigh. Terminally-ill Harry Paul, 56, and Margaret Steward, 65, were joined by more than 50 guests in fancy dress outfits, including Snow White, elves and snowmen, at their party. The best man was dressed as a Christmas cracker, while two elf maidens were the bridesmaids and the seven dwarves even made an appearance. The happy couple: Mr Paul and Miss Steward donned their Christmas costumes for their wedding at Shire Hall Register Office, in Cambridge . Special day: The newly-weds were joined by guests dressed as carton characters and other seasonal figures for their party . The children dressed as a Christmas pudding and little elves with the family's dogs Marley, seven, and Layla, one, were Santa's helper and snowman outfits. Other guests dressed in costumes included Minnie and Mickey Mouse and the Stig from BBC's Top Gear. The extravaganza, which included children dressed as a Christmas pudding and little elves, was organised by Mr Paul's sister Anna Webster, 52, on a shoestring. The mother-of-two transformed her home in Willingham, Cambridgeshire, into a winter wonderland before the couple, who married on Saturday, left for honeymoon in a sleigh. Mrs Webster said: 'It was absolutely fantastic and we all had a great time. 'My brother and Maggie said it was a day they will never forget.' Fancy dress: The best man was dressed as a cracker while Mickey and Minnie Mouse also turned up to their celebration . Mr Paul, from Cambridge, added: 'It all seemed to have just snowballed from a quiet wedding to a Christmas theme - but I am up for a laugh.' Margaret and Harry, who have been together for eight years, met at a Christmas party on Boxing Day. Harry suffers from incurable disease sapho - a painful rare bone disorder which forced him to retire six years ago. The couple married at Shire Hall Register Office in Cambridge and are honeymooning in a static home at the bottom of Mrs Webster's garden. | Terminally-ill Harry Paul and Margaret Steward wed in fancy dress . Guests also turned out in a range of costumes at the Cambridgeshire event . The happy couple waved goodbye to guests as they rode off on a sleigh . | b388d293d424e65d1eba5c52234c1937ec3b496e |
By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 07:51 EST, 30 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:19 EST, 30 August 2012 . Police have been hunting down boozy drivers . The number of drink drivers caught behind the wheel by police has soared in the last two years - with officers catching one boozy motorist who was just 14. The youth was among almost a dozen underage drivers suspected of drinking and driving over the past two years, along with eight 16-year-olds and two teens aged 15. Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed the 14-year-old boy was stopped in 2010 by West Midlands Police. Meanwhile the oldest driver who faced prosecution for being under the influence of alcohol was 85. The force charged 3,094 people with drink-driving last year - 409 more than the 2010 figure of 2,685. The figures emerged after the force recorded a 19 per cent jump in the number of people failing breath tests during a month-long summer crackdown. Inspector Greg Jennings, who led the campaign, said: 'Drivers are putting themselves at risk of losing their licence, large fines and imprisonment as well as the guilt and shame of ruining the lives of others. 'The only safe level of alcohol to drive with is zero. 'Drinking any alcohol consumption will impair your ability to drive.' Police say there has been a worrying rise in the amount of underage drink drivers who are getting behind the wheel when they have had too much to drink (posed by models) Road safety campaigners said they were 'deeply concerned' at the rise in young drink drivers. Alice Granville, of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: 'It’s deeply concerning that there have been a number of recent drink-drive incidents involving minors in the West Midlands. 'Underage offenders need to be educated on the effects of drink driving and the dangers of being reckless behind the wheel.' Britain’s youngest drink driver was caught in 2005 in Thatcham, Berkshire, when police pulled over a swerving Vauxhall Corsa on Christmas day to find a 12-year-old girl at the wheel. Earlier this week it was revealed that businessman Arthur Kibble was selling controversial pills which claimed to help drivers beat police breath tests. He was condemned for marketing what safety campaigners called the 'dangerous and stupid' Alcopal tablets. | West Midlands police force charged 3,094 people with drink-driving last year - 409 more than the 2010 figure of 2,685 . | 93ed6b4df88dd52a382f07ff051139c6de115d4f |
Once a humble wellington boot brand loved by country bumpkins, Hunter has risen to become the footwear of choice for A-listers - and it's all thanks to one man. Alasdhair Willis, better known to some as Mr Stella McCartney, took the helm as creative director 18 months ago and since then he has given the brand a huge overhaul, introduced trend-led outerwear and ensured his show is one of fashion week's hottest tickets. As Hunter celebrates the official opening of its first global flagship store at 83 Regent Street in London today, FEMAIL caught up with the brains behind the brand. Scroll down for video . The main man: Alasdhair Willis, pictured at Buckingham Palace with his wife and fashion designer Stella McCartney, has given Hunter a huge revamp and chatted to FEMAIL about his plans for the British brand . 'The opening of the Hunter Flagship Store is a massive statement for the brand,' explained Willis, 44. 'It demonstrates our commitment to growing the business and maximising the incredible opportunity this great British brand has.' And Willis certainly made a statement with the opening event, which saw 28 dancers take over the London street to perform Singin' In The Rain. Paying tribute to the British capital, the performers arrived in one of the city's iconic red buses - all sporting coats and boots from the latest Hunter Original collection. Country in the city: The Regent Street store has been designed to resemble a barn and aims to pays homage to the British countryside within an urban setting . Dramatic scenes: The opening event saw 28 dancers take over the iconic London shopping street with a production inspired by Singin’ in the Rain . Just to ensure all eyes were definitely on the store, a free-runner scaled down the side before the production climaxed with a torrent of water spraying down onto Regent Street. Inside, the store - which looks a little like a souped-up hay barn - the decor pays homage to the British countryside. Seating areas resemble the traditional farmhouse boot room, with boots displayed against a backdrop of box hedging and green tiles. Willis, like his wife a fan of all things high-tech, also oversaw the installation of a five-metre LED screen that cuts through both floors and plays fashion shows and ad campaigns on a loop. How fitting: The event was inspired by Gene Kelly's famous performance and Hunter's heritage of protecting from the weather and all terrains . Making a scene: A freerunner scaled the side of the new store before the production climaxed with a torrent of water spraying down onto Regent Street . The grass is greener: Seating areas resemble the traditional boot room and the collection is displayed against a backdrop of box hedging . 'The design of the store references some classic architectural features and materials that you might traditionally associate with the countryside or the outdoors, but they have been reinvented into an urban context,' he explained. Fresh from an evening spent having dinner with George Clooney and his new wife, Amal Alamuddin, the 44-year-old told of his plans to ensure that city shoppers get a truly rural shopping experience. 'The result of this is that you really experience the merging of the countryside and the city under one roof;' he enthuses. 'It is these two worlds coming together that represent what the new Hunter brand is all about.' Branching out: It's not just about the traditional boot anymore as Hunter expands its offering with outerwear, knitwear and accessories . The new store is an extension of the successful relaunch of the brand, which last appeared on the catwalk in front of a front row that included Rita Ora, Anna Wintour and Sir Paul McCartney. Among the highlights were striking khaki coats with vibrant yellow and turquoise pockets and super-cool colour block outerwear. 'Hunter as a brand experience has always been about much more than just the Wellington boot,' explained the man behind the re-brand. 'Hunter has always represented emotion, fun, adventure and ultimately memorable experiences. The introduction of the new categories such as outerwear is an obvious and next step for the brand to express the much-loved brand spirit.' Top designer he might be, but Willis is, at heart, a family man, as the presence of Nancy Shevell, Sir Paul McCartney, and wife Stella McCartney on the sidelines of the SS/15 show made plain. 'The show was a great success for many reasons,' he mused. 'It demonstrated clearly that Hunter can be just as relevant as a spring / summer brand as it is for the winter months. 'It also clearly expressed the spirit of the brand in an authentic and highly memorable way and lastly it was very well recieved by both the press and the buyers, which is of course key. 'The support of friends and family is always important - it makes what is a very stressful event much more enjoyable.' What a crowd: (L to R) Stella McCartney, Nancy Shevell, Sir Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, Rita Ora and Jamie Campbell Bower attend the Hunter Original SS15 show . Speaking about the future, he added: 'The brand has undergone a massive transformation in the last 20 months and the ambitions for 2015 are no different. 'One of the key events in 2015 will be the launch of Hunter Field, which will be the brand’s more technical outdoor collection. 'Hunter Field will offer footwear and outwear to the guy and girl who wants to look amazing in the wilds of the great outdoors, but also need the assurance that the product will perform at the highest level in this environment.' Founded in 1856, Hunter is a British heritage brand that holds two Royal Warrants of Appointment to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Nevertheless, Willis has another queen in mind - the Queen of London's fashion scene to be precise - when it comes to pinpointing the ultimate Hunter woman. 'It would have to be the queen of the Wellington boot, Kate Moss,' said Willis. 'I can’t think of anyone that wears it better.' Fashionable pair: He says the support of friends and family is always important and makes what is a very stressful event much more enjoyable . | Alasdhair Willis became Hunter creative director last year . He opened the global flagship on London's Regent Street today . Willis introduced outerwear and knitwear lines to the brand . He says Kate Moss is an icon and looks great in wellies . | 6cf8b3818baed346ae93c8d4fad7a8f536487d54 |
The explosion of a nine kilogram gas bottle claimed a man's life and destroyed the lives of all other occupants as an entire unit block burnt to the ground in northern NSW. Firefighters could not save the five-unit building on Owen St in Ballina which went up in flames at about 7.30pm on Friday night - completely gutting three of the apartments. The body of 47-year-old Michael Richard Karel was discovered by a fire crew near the back door of his ground-floor flat once the inferno was extinguished. Scroll down for video . The explosion of a nine kilogram gas bottle claimed a man's life and devastated the lives of all other occupants as an entire unit block burnt to the ground in northern NSW . Firefighters could not save the five-unit building on Owen St in Ballina which went up in flames at about 7.30pm on Friday night - completely gutting three of the apartments . Mr Karel had recently purchased the unit and only moved up the coast from Sydney about a month ago, The Northern Star reported. Resident Susannah Poole, who was watching TV in her unit on the second floor at the time of the explosion, lost everything in the fire within a matter of minutes of her lucky escape. 'I don't even have any underwear. I have nothing; everything I owned was in that place,' Ms Poole told The Northern Star. 'Just to have your whole life wiped out in one night where you don't own a single thing ... I should be grateful that I'm alive; but I am in shock.' Next door neighbour Julie Panshon, who was sitting in her back garden at the time, compared the sound to that of a bomb. 'The middle unit had just exploded - it took hold so quickly,' she said. Susannah Poole standing in front of the unit block that she once called home . Ms Poole, who cut her feet on broken glass while running down the stairs to escape the blaze, survived with only the clothes on her back, but it was the possessions she couldn't replace that were the most distressing for her. 'My parents are both deceased, and I had items that they'd given me and that hurts more than anything,' she said. She is eternally grateful for the support of her friends who are holding a fundraiser to help Ms Poole kickstart a new life. Inspector Nicole Bruce said there were no suspicious circumstances linked to the cause of the blaze, which has left the building structurally unsound, but the cause of the gas bottle igniting was not yet known. The remains of the building is expected to be demolished as asbestos is now exposed throughout the site. | A nine kilogram gas bottle exploded causing a unit block to burn down . Michael Richard Karel, 47, was killed in the blaze at Ballina, northern NSW . All other occupants of the building have been left homeless . Police rule out foul play and the building is expected to be demolished . | f9f5218f2208cf894cb3c9bc8373684234bc2c53 |
She's long been a fan of sailing, famously beating husband Prince William during a race around Auckland Harbour during the Royal Tour Down Under. Now Kensington Palace has announced that the Duchess of Cambridge has become royal patron of a new sailing charity, The 1851 Trust, which aims to help bring the America's Cup home. In a statement released by the palace, the Duchess spoke of her love of sailing and said she hoped the trust would inspire a new generation to take up the sport. Scroll down for video . Fan: The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured here during a visit to Auckland, has long been a fan of sailing . Kate, who has not been seen in public since August due to severe morning sickness, said: 'I am delighted to be royal patron of The 1851 Trust. “I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed sailing from a young age and I know it is a great way of providing young people with the opportunity to develop skills and confidence. 'It is a hugely exciting time for sailing as the British challenger bids to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain. 'I am looking forward to being part of this journey and I hope that through The 1851 Trust we can engage and inspire a new generation into sailing along the way.' The 1851 Trust is the charitable arm of the British challenger’s bid to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain and is supported by Ben Ainslie Racing. Eyes on the prize: With Sir Ben Ainslie, she helped launch Britain's bid for America's Cup glory . Leading the charge: Sir Ben Ainslie - and team mate Matt Cornwell (left) - is spearheading the bid for victory . It will work with young people under 25 years old to encourage them to become involved in sailing and the marine industry. Known affectionately as the 'Auld Mug', the America's Cup was first offered as a prize by Queen Victoria in 1851, who volunteered to present it to the winner of a sailing race around the Isle of Wight. After a schooner named America from New York took the trophy, which was made especially for the race by jewellers Garrard, the cup was renamed in its honour, and both cup and race have carried the moniker ever since. A two-yacht race, the America's Cup is fought between the previous year's winner - known as the 'defender' - and a challenger, which is usually the best boat from a series of run-off rounds. Sailing fan: The Duchess with Sir Ben Ainslie during the launch of Britain's America's Cup bid in June . Victory: The Duchess last showed off her sailing skills when she beat Prince William during a trip to Auckland . The real deal: The race took place in two yachts used for New Zealand's own America's Cup bid . But while Britannia might rule the waves in other respects, a British team is yet to take the trophy which, despite having been won by Swiss and Australian teams in the past, has for the most part been doggedly defended by the Americans - among them last year's winner, San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club - throughout its 132-year history. That, however, is something the Duchess of Cambridge and Sir Ben hope to change, and hope, given enough sponsorship, to assemble a race-winning boat and the sailors to crew it over the next three years. Sir Ben Ainslie, who is also a patron of the 1851 Trust, spoke of his excitement about the challenge ahead and what it could mean for the marine industry. 'We’re really excited about what the Trust can do,' he said. 'We are dependent on the oceans and the marine industry needs to become a leader in environmental stewardship, and in finding solutions. 'Young people are the key, there are great opportunities in the marine industry, and we want to open those opportunities up to as many people as possible – the more talent you have working on a problem, the better the solutions will be.' It might be named for the new world, but the America's Cup has very British origins. First offered by Queen Victoria in 1851, the inaugural America's Cup race was run around the Isle of Wight. After a boat from New York named America triumphed, the cup was renamed and teams from the US have dominated the winner's roll call of honour ever since. However, all that could be about to change if the Duchess of Cambridge and Sur Ben Ainslie get their way. With the 2017 event in their sights, the pair plan to put together and train a winning team and hope to have the cup back in Britain within three years. | The Duchess has become patron of the 1851 Trust, it has been announced . Trust aims to promote sailing and bring the America's Cup home to the UK . Kate joined Sir Ben Ainslie in June for the launch of UK's America's Cup bid . She has long been a fan of sailing and beat Prince William in Auckland race . | 21f6b3c0e3b5294ec251b6e10fdec1c4c5d938c8 |
By . Reuters Reporter . and Mailonline Reporter . More than 200 pet rats were removed from an Ohio apartment after their owner was evicted. Animal control officers who rescued the rodents on Thursday said some were in cages while . others roamed free and were living in holes in the walls and inside a . mattress. They said the smell was 'awful'. The rodents' owner, John, contacted the Humane . Society of Greater Dayton after he was evicted from his Kettering studio and could no longer care for them. Scroll down for video . Feral: More than 200 pet rats were rescued from a Kettering apartment in suburban Dayton, Ohio on Thursday . Rescuer: Sheila Marquis, an animal officer from Humane Society of Greater Dayton, worked with a team to remove more than 200 pet rats from an awful-smelling Ohio apartment . 'They make great pets for children. They are very durable and they are very sweet and very nice; however, you don’t want to have 200 of them,' animal officer Sheila Marquis told Dayton Daily News. 'What becomes a problem is, you have one or two and with small pocket pets like that, if you don’t spay and neuter, they breed quite rapidly.' Marquis said the rats begin breeding at three-months-old and have . litters of 13 or more several times a year. She said no charges are expected because the owner reached out for help and the rodents were well cared for. The owner's neighbor Darryl Tucker said the man loved his pets. 'And you know, he just chose to raise rats. He’s real close to his rats, he can tell you anything about them,' he said. Breed rapidly: Humane Society of Greater Dayton said there might even be as many as 300 of the rats . | Humane Society of Greater Dayton rescued more than 200 rats on Thursday . The owner, John, called animal control for help after being evicted . The rodents will be put up for adoption . | cf26128d55b4f9ff548be8322ac97e2db6d8ea6b |
(CNN) -- If the U.S. military were to intervene in an increasingly chaotic Libya, it would most likely be part of a NATO action in which Libyan bloodshed has reached a humanitarian crisis, analysts said Thursday. As reports emerged Thursday about deadly clashes between leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces and anti-government protesters in the town of Zawiya near Tunisia, analysts highlighted how Gadhafi has already pledged to fight a rebellion to martyrdom. Military intervention "is something which I hope doesn't happen, but it looks as though at some point that it should happen," said Simon Henderson, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "What's an acceptable number of civilian deaths? I don't know. Choose your figure," Henderson said. "At the very least, instead of having a casualty list certainly in the hundreds, possibly in the thousands, we don't want a casualty list numbering in the tens of thousands, or 100,000 or so." After 10 days of protest, Gadhafi has lost control of the eastern portion of a country he has ruled for 42 years, and analysts portrayed him as a dictator desperately clinging to power. Members of his government have defected, and in a sign of growing international pressure, Switzerland ordered Thursday that Gadhafi's assets be frozen. "You've got to assume the worst about Moammar Gadhafi," Nicholas Burns, a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and former under secretary of state between 2005 and 2008, told CNN. "With his back to the wall, he's going to go out in a blaze of vicious attacks." North Atlantic Treaty Organization defense chiefs ought to be holding discussions about "not taking action but preparation" for the Libyan crisis, said Robert Kagan, a Mideast expert who worked in the State Department under President Ronald Reagan. "I don't think anyone is talking about immediate military actions now," Kagan told CNN, especially as 167 U.S. citizens are waiting on a ferry to leave Libya. U.S. officials have said all options were under consideration, including sanctions and enforcement of a no-fly zone, to try to keep the Libyan government from attacking protesters. Ibrahim Sharqieh, deputy director of Brookings Doha Center in Qatar, interpreted that statement as indicating that military force remains a possibility. "In my opinion, it's still premature to talk about U.S. military intervention in Libya at this point, but we should not eliminate it completely," Sharqieh said. Meanwhile, the Department of State recommended Thursday that the 6,000 or so Americans in Libya "depart immediately due to the potential for ongoing unrest." Libya's disintegration, the latest Middle East uprising that has already toppled autocracies in nearby Tunisia and Egypt, poses greater impacts to Europe than the United States, analysts said. Africa's largest oil producer, Libya exports 1.5 million barrels a day, mostly to Europe, which relies on the country for 10% of its energy needs, analysts said. Meanwhile, refugees fleeing Libyan violence are expected to land in such European countries as Italy, analysts said. On Thursday, President Barack Obama spoke with the leaders of France, Italy and the United Kingdom on coordinating an international response to the crisis in Libya, the White House said. In separate phone conversations with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama "expressed his deep concern with the Libyan government's use of violence, which violates international norms and every standard of human decency, and discussed appropriate and effective ways for the international community to immediately respond," the White House statement said. While some critics say the Obama administration has been slow to react to Libya, the statement said Thursday's discussions were to "coordinate our urgent efforts to respond to developments and ensure that there is appropriate accountability." "The leaders discussed the range of options that both the United States and European countries are preparing to hold the Libyan government accountable for its actions, as well as planning for humanitarian assistance," the White House statement said. Complicating any consideration of military intervention is how American and European armed forces have been strained from repeated deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq for almost 10 years, analysts said. Libya's factions and tribalism would make an intervention perilous, said Nathan Hughes, director of military analysis for the global intelligence firm Stratfor of Austin, Texas. "It's not clear what a post-Gadhafi Libya looks like," Hughes said. "It's a very messy situation. It would be a very difficult situation to jump into militarily. "There are no geographical boundaries. There are soft demographic, cultural and tribal boundaries. To get enmeshed in that without understanding the local culture ... it would be a pretty tough spot to put troops in," Hughes added. "Once the writing is on the wall that Gadhafi is going to go likely to go, the incentive for the various tribal factions and other factions within Libya is to maneuver to make sure they have a place in whatever comes next." Were NATO to send armed forces into Libya, the rest of the Arab world wouldn't protest much, the analysts said. "I don't think they would have any problem with this. I would suspect that the Arab world would support this," Sharqieh said. Added Henderson: "On day one, they would probably think it's a good idea. On day two, come back and ask...me." | Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has pledged to fight the rebellion to martyrdom . Analysts say U.S. military intervention is a remote thought for now . But if bloodshed spirals out of control, U.S. may be likely to join a NATO intervention . | 709cd0e0bf735882e45b27f55bbf4cc693a88f0e |
Argentina left for Brazil on Monday trying to temper the sky-high expectations that have taken hold among some media, fans and even national football officials. The hundreds of Argentine fans who cheered the team on as it left Buenos Aires in a chartered jet have good reason to be confident. Argentina has a more close-knit team than when it got crushed by Germany in the quarterfinals four years ago, and 10 goals in qualifying helped star forward Lionel Messi shake off his reputation of underachieving for the national team. . Scroll down for videos... Keep calm and carry on: Lionel Messi has tried to play down Argentina's expectations of winning in Brazil . Send off: Argentina supporters follow the team bus as it takes the players to the airport in Buenos Aries . High fliers: Even the airplane transporting the players to Brazil is decorated with triumphant images . But the country's full potential is hard to assess because they haven't played a major football power since losing to Uruguay in their final World Cup qualifier in October. 'It's great that people are excited, but we're taking it step by step. We know the World Cup is difficult and anything can happen,' Messi said after Argentina beat Slovenia 2-0 in its last warm-up game. Ahead of the team's arrival, an Argentine federation official had a greeting put up on the gate of the team base in Belo Horizonte saying 'Welcome future champions.' He acknowledged that some players, including Messi, weren't thrilled by the triumphalism, and the sign was quickly removed. Clowning about: Argentina fans wearing jester hats vie for a position to see off their heroes . Hair raising! A young Argentina fan waits to say goodbye to the bus taking the players to the airport . After the Slovenia match Messi brushed off a TV reporter who asked whether he should bring a flag saying 'Argentina campeon' to Brazil. 'You bring what you want, we're taking it easy,' Messi said. Among the other title favorites, Germany have tested their strength in friendlies against England, Chile and Cameroon - all World Cup teams - and defending champion Spain took on three-time world champions Italy in March. Meanwhile, Argentina booked dress rehearsals this year against Romania, Trinidad and Tobago and Slovenia, none of which made it to the World Cup. Lowly opposition: Argentina haven't tested themselves against strong nations in the the World Cup warm-up . High fliers! Ezequiel Lavezzi posted a group selfie of Argentina stars on their plane to Brazil . Argentina didn't concede a goal in those games, easing some concerns about their defence, but they don't say much about how the team will measure up against stronger adversaries. Argentina were drawn in what looks like one of the least competitive groups, with Nigeria, Iran and World Cup debutant Bosnia-Herzegovina. It's widely assumed that the Albiceleste will breeze through the group, though coach Alejandro Sabella won't be drawn into speculating about potential opponents in the next phase. 'I can't do futurology. We didn't end up in the most difficult group. But we're playing against physically strong teams,' Sabella said Saturday. 'We'll try to advance from the group phase, and if we do, get there with our players in good condition.' . | Lionel Messi has attempted to cool Argentina expectations of wining the World Cup in Brazil . Hundreds of Argentinians crowded the streets to see the team bus transport players to the airport . Officials removed a banner at the team's camp in Belo Horizonte that read 'Welcome future champions' Messi scored 10 goals in qualification but Argentina haven't tested themselves against world class opposition in warm-up games . | 789098b00848ad182c84445e492617bc36d09be0 |
(CNN) -- It's no longer enough to have smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs and smart cars. Now a tech company is bringing artificial intelligence to lingerie. Researchers at Microsoft have developed a prototype of a "smart bra" embedded with physiological sensors that seek to monitor a woman's heart activity to track her emotional moods and combat overeating. The sensors can signal the wearer's smartphone, which then flash a warning message to help her step away from the fridge and make better diet decisions. The company says it has no plans to make the bra into a commercial product, however. So -- why a bra, exactly? "First, we needed a form factor that would be comfortable when worn for long durations," said scientists in a research paper published online. "The bra form factor was ideal because it allowed us to collect (electrocardiogram data) near the heart." Research has shown that many people reach for calorie-rich foods like doughnuts when they're feeling stressed, bored, discouraged or on edge. There's a reason it's called comfort food. For the research paper, scientists from Microsoft, the University of Rochester and the University of Southampton in the UK interviewed women who said that interventions -- being alerted to their emotional states -- helped them identify triggers for binge eating. Bionic fashion: Wearable tech will turn man into machine by 2015 . The researchers then conducted a study in which four women wore the sensors in their bras for four days to monitor their vital signs. An electrocardiogram (EKG) sensor under the arm measured their heart rate, while an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor tracked their perspiration. The researchers determined the bra was mostly effective in detecting its wearer's emotional changes. But the sensors needed to be recharged every three to four hours, which limited how long the bra could be worn. And more research would be needed before a smart brassiere -- Microsoft's Secret, anyone? -- ever became a viable product. A Microsoft spokesperson downplayed the bra's significance in an e-mail to CNN. "The bra sensing system is just one instance of a class of work from a group of Microsoft researchers that is focused on the broader topic of affective computing, or designing devices and services that are sensitive to people's moods and react accordingly," the spokesperson said. "While we will continue our research in affective computing, Microsoft has no plans to develop a bra with sensors." What about a similar undergarment for men? Researchers didn't rule it out. "We will continue to explore how to build a robust, real-world system that stands up to everyday challenges with regards to battery life, comfortability, and being suitable for both men and women," the researchers said in the paper. Reaction to the bra on Twitter ranged from amusement to annoyance. "Anyone else offended that Microsoft is devoting its tech research to a bra designed to prevent women from overeating?" tweeted a Seattle woman whose Twitter handle is @cunningminx. Added Rachel Happe of Boston, "If nothing else convinces you we need more women in tech, this should. No, I don't want someone hacking my bra..." The wave of wearable computers . | Researchers developed a bra prototype with sensors to monitor a woman's emotional state . The bra could send alerts to the wearer's phone to combat overeating . NEW: Microsoft says it has no plans to make the bra into a commercial product . | 9f2a5bde763ae76162cdc5be53cf2f6d1ba8e069 |
(CNN)We're used to seeing police dashboard videos of speeders, car accidents or worse. But the Dover Police Department in Delaware is turning the camera on its force to show that police are human, too -- and sometimes they just want to shake, shake, shake, shake, shake. A dashcam video of Dover Police Master Cpl. Jeff Davis cruising in his police vehicle and grooving to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" was an instant hit on Friday. The video was shared nearly 2,000 times in less than 24 hours from the department's Facebook page and drew positive feedback from around the world. The goal of the video is to show a different side of police to counter negative perceptions of law enforcement, Dover Police Cpl. Mark Hoffman said. "We're trying to humanize police officers. People tend to look at us as robots with uniforms and gun belts so we wanted to a show a lighter side of our force," he said. "I think it's important for people to see police in that light." The video was shot as part of the Dover Police Department's social media community outreach. To celebrate reaching 10,000 Facebook followers, the department launched a series called "Dash Cam Confessionals," debuting with Davis's rendition of "Shake It Off." Hoffman suggested "Shake It Off" and Davis was more than happy to oblige. He already knew the words, thanks to his 10-year-old daughter, a Taylor Swift fan. "When you drive around in a car all the time listening to Taylor Swift you get to know all the words and like her songs," the 19-year veteran of the force told CNN. In the video, Davis appears to pause periodically for passing vehicles. In reality, the video was shot in two takes in a secluded parking lot in Dover. "It was fun thing, a nice thing to do with everything that's going on with police. With all the negative publicity it's nice to show a positive side of police," he said. Judging by the response so far, he thinks it's working. "I think people are liking the fact of seeing police in a different view." | Dover Police Department says goal of video is to show human side of police . One officer shows how to "Shake It Off" | 4e3df9a40dd0fec9f47e7cfdbbdc3c7ae3967664 |
By . Associated Press . Authorities called off the search for three ranchers today, who disappeared after a huge mudslide in a remote part of western Colorado. Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey said the slide remained too unstable to continue looking for the men, identified as Clancy Nichols, 51, a county road and bridge employee; Danny Nichols, 24, Clancy Nichols' son; and Wes Hawkins, 46. The three men were checking on problems with an irrigation ditch caused by an initial slide Sunday when a second, much larger slide hit. Authorities say the slide is a half-mile long and about three miles long. Scroll down for video . Wreckage: Hundreds of trees are knocked down where a massive mudslide happened near Collbran, Colorado . Damage: the aftermath of the Mesa County mudslide is seen from a plane on Monday nearly Collbran, Colorado . Hilkey said another slide is still possible. 'We're . not able to do what we would like to do,' the sheriff said. 'What we . would like to do is have every inch of this covered with people if we . could. But we don't want to create any more of a tragedy than we already . have.' The three men - a county road worker, his son and another man - were all from the close-knit town of Collbran. They volunteered to investigate when a rancher noticed his irrigation ditch stopped running. The smaller mudslide was found to be to blame for the water cutoff. When the men went to check on the damage, a huge chunk of the ridge sheared off, likely overwhelming them. Hilkey has said the slide was most likely triggered by runoff from Grand Mesa following two days of strong rain. Three people are missing after a massive mudslide on Grand Mesa, pictured, in western Colorado . No . structures or roads were affected in the remote area, about an hour . east of Grand Junction. A drone was used to try to detect heat sources . from the missing near the edge of Grand Mesa, one of the world's highest . flat topped mountains. The . Mesa County Sheriff's Office identified the missing men and Clancy . Nichols' brother, Bill, says he's holding out hope they survived the . slide. 'We're praying for . their safety', he told KUSA-TV. 'We're praying for the safe return of . the family members of Wes' family and for Clancy and Danny to come . back.' Hawkins' cousin, Bill . Clark, said yesterday he went along with Clancy and Danny Nichols to . check on why an irrigation ditch had stopped flowing because he works . for an area water district. He said he has a family and young children. Clark, . who visited the canyon where the slide struck, said it was completely . filled with mud. He said the slide struck with so much force that some . also spilled over into the neighboring draw. 'I've never seen so much earth move like that in my life,' he said. From . a distance of about 10 miles, the slide looked like a funnel, narrowing . into a culvert below. It cut a giant channel through trees. The creek . that once gradually flowed down the ridge now spurted down like a . waterfall. Roads in the area, where some cattle grazed, were muddy from . rain. Like a freight train: The mudslide came down just to the east of Grand Junction in Colorado on Sunday evening . 'How in the devil could this happen?' said Collbran resident Lloyd Power, gazing out at the slide. While . the surrounding area is popular place for fishing, hiking and camping, . the slide hit on land with an access gate that isn't open to the public. No one else is believed missing and no homes were damaged. Energy . companies were monitoring oil and gas wells in the area, part of the . productive Piceance Basin, but so far the mud has only come up to the . edge of one pad operated by Occidental Petroleum Corp. The three wells . there have been shut down, said David Ludlam, executive director of the . West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association, a trade group. Hilkey . said he'd received a telephone call from authorities in Washington . state, where a March 22 landslide swept a square mile of dirt, sand and . silt through a neighborhood in Oso, about an hour northeast of Seattle. That slide leveled homes and killed at least 43 people. The . Mesa County sheriff's department estimated the slide is about 4 miles . long, 2 miles wide and about 250 feet deep in many places. 'This slide is unbelievably big,' Mesa County Lt. Phil Stratton said. The site is in a . rural part of the county and there were no reports of any structures . damaged or major roads affected, McCammon said. A . unified incident command was established between Plateau Valley . Fire Department and the Mesa sheriff, to handle the slide and search for . the people possibly caught in it. Authorities said the heavy rains that fell over the weekend contributed to the slide. | Clancy Nichols, 51, a county road and bridge employee, his son Danny, 24, and Wes Hawkins, 46, have been missing since Sunday . Believed to have been swept away in a mudslide on Sunday evening . Mesa County sheriff said slide remained too unstable to continue looking . | 0a1c5b0562184ee2835e0b809fa91a31c7ebf04c |
So, Justin Bieber has done something stupid again. This time, he made the headlines by allegedly smoking pot on a chartered airplane and being rude and verbally abusive to the crew on a flight to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. Is he just another rich teen idol blowing off a little testosterone? Sure. But seriously, his bad behavior is getting a bit out of control. For those who may never have flown aboard a charter, think of it like a bigger, swankier limousine where the passengers in the back are pretty much free to do whatever they want. In a regular airplane, the line in the sand is a bit clearer when it comes to passenger conduct. Unruly behavior is not tolerated on airlines like Delta or American Airlines. Get rowdy and obnoxious enough and most captains would tell the passengers they were landing the airplane at the nearest airport if they didn't calm down. On the chartered airplane that carried Bieber, his father and 10 friends, the flight attendant was verbally abused so much so that she took refuge near the cockpit, according to a police report. The report also said that the captain asked the Beiber entourage more than once to stop smoking marijuana, but those demands were ignored. Worried that the intoxicating fumes would eventually make their way to the cockpit, the pilots donned their emergency oxygen masks. Luckily, all went well and the airplane landed safely. In the great rulebook of flying, this easily qualifies as interference with the flight crew. However, even though the plane was met by Customs agents and the police upon landing, and the cabin still smelled like marijuana, none of the crew members wanted to press charges. Who has the resources to sue a pop star who can hire the best lawyer money can buy? Bieber got off easy in this incident. But it could have been a disaster. What if the crew of the chartered jet, trying to be nice to this unruly bunch of well-paying customers, hadn't put on the oxygen masks? What if the fumes had gotten them high before they put on those masks? Instead of a bunch of crazies arguing with the flight crew, you could have a flight crew impaired as well. Imagine a now-impaired flight crew approaching some of the busiest airspace in the world. Could they have managed to get the airplane down on the ground in one piece? Maybe. But maybe not, because when you're impaired your thinking is off. Or, what if one of the passengers, already high as a kite, had wandered up front and distracted the pilots (chartered planes don't usually have the same secure doors as airliners) ... just enough that they missed an important radio call or failed to notice another nearby airplane? If you were on an airliner headed for Newark or LaGuardia, how would you feel knowing the guys in some nearby business jet are loopy? Or imagine if the airplane had slid off the runway during landing, or sailed through the airport fence because the crew wasn't really in control? The profit the charter company made carrying the Bieber entourage would not even cover the attorney's fees in a lawsuit. The flight attendant on the flight said she'd never fly with these passengers again, and good for her. The charter company should never carry the Bieber entourage again, either, because these people don't belong in an airplane where they can hurt someone else. Most captains I know would have put the safety of the crew, the passengers and the people on the ground above everything else. Should any company fly Bieber after this? I hope not, but a wealthy pop star usually gets his way. | Justin Bieber and his entourage smoked pot a charter plane, says police report . Robert Mark: Bieber has been getting in trouble lately, but this is getting out of line . He says smoking marijuana on a flight could potentially have serious consequences . Mark: Thank goodness the pilots landed safely, but Bieber's behavior was risky . | 9e6d4dcbc0840bdd171b6efab010736ee492fb31 |
(CNN) -- Lighthouse keeper J.A. Eckerman was the last person to see World War II Soviet submarine S-2 before it sank in January 1940 between Sweden and Finland. A team of Swedish and Finnish divers had been searching for the Soviet submarine S-2 since 1999. As the submarine dove near the island of Market, northwest of Aland, Eckerman heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rise from the water. The long-lost wreck was missing for 69 years until a team of Swedish and Finnish divers -- including Eckerman's grandson Ingvald -- discovered it this year. What remains of the sub was found between the Swedish coast and the Finnish island of Aland, northeast of Stockholm, in late February, the divers announced Tuesday. The submarine was very badly damaged by the explosion, said Marten Zetterstrom, one of the divers. The front gun is still there, and a torpedo is still in one of the tubes, but about 20 meters (about 65 feet) of the vessel is missing. The search had been going on for nearly 10 years, the divers said in a news release. The sub had a crew of 46 and four passengers when it sank. Sweden and Finland claim credit for sinking the submarine with mines. Russia has contacted Swedish and Finnish authorities to clarify what caused the submarine to sink, the divers said. Finland was at war with the Soviet Union at the time the sub sank. A deal between Germany and the Soviets had put the Nordic nation within the Soviet "sphere of influence," and Soviet troops had invaded Finland late in 1939. The fighting was mostly confined to Finland's eastern border. Just two months after the submarine's sinking, a temporary peace agreement was reached. Sweden remained neutral in World War II. CNN's Per Nyberg contributed to this report. | Lighthouse watchman last saw it 69 years ago before it sank near island of Market . The Soviet submarine S-2 had a crew of 46 and four passengers when it sank . Remains found between Swedish coast and Finnish island of Aland in February . Sweden and Finland claim credit for sinking the submarine with mines . | d7df2f2899b96121c33526df5c1274065a4f9c7f |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than two-thirds of African-Americans believe Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision for race relations has been fulfilled, a CNN poll found -- a figure up sharply from a survey in early 2008. Martin Luther King Jr. waves to supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. The CNN-Opinion Research Corp. survey was released Monday, a federal holiday honoring the slain civil rights leader and a day before Barack Obama is to be sworn in as the first black U.S. president. The poll found 69 percent of blacks said King's vision has been fulfilled in the more than 45 years since his 1963 "I have a dream" speech -- roughly double the 34 percent who agreed with that assessment in a similar poll taken last March. But whites remain less optimistic, the survey found. "Whites don't feel the same way -- a majority of them say that the country has not yet fulfilled King's vision," CNN polling director Keating Holland said. However, the number of whites saying the dream has been fulfilled has also gone up since March, from 35 percent to 46 percent. In the 1963 speech, delivered to a civil rights rally on the Mall in Washington, King said: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Watch Obama speak at Lincoln Memorial on Sunday » . "Has that dream been fulfilled? With the election of Barack Obama, two thirds of African-Americans believe it has," CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider said. "Most blacks and whites went to bed on election night saying, 'I never thought I'd live to see the day.' That's what the nation is celebrating on this King holiday: We have lived to see the day," Schneider said. Watch Schneider's analysis of pre-inauguration polls » . What about the Voting Rights Act, one of the signature achievements of the civil rights movement, which will be reviewed by the Supreme Court later this year? Two-thirds of blacks questioned in the poll say the U.S. still needs the Voting Rights Act today, but white respondents are split down the middle over whether that law is still necessary. In November, a majority of black respondents said that Obama's victory signaled a new era in race relations. The poll suggests that a majority today no longer feels that way, although most blacks predict some improvement on racial issues. "In the immediate aftermath of Barack Obama's victory in November, African-Americans were cautiously optimistic about the future of race relations in the U.S., but some of that optimism has faded since that time," Holland added. In November, a majority of blacks for the first time believed that the U.S. would eventually find a solution to its racial problems; now a majority of blacks believe that race relations will always be a problem in this country. Blacks do believe that the Obama presidency will be good for them -- 61 percent say that the quality of life for African-Americans will improve over the next four years. Optimism for a new era has also dropped among whites. "We saw a burst of enthusiasm about race relations immediately after Obama's election. The initial excitement has cooled a bit. But most blacks and whites still foresee some improvement in race relations," Schneider said. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted January 12-15. Pollsters questioned 1,245 adult Americans, including 798 whites and 332 blacks, by telephone. The survey's sampling error is 3 percentage points for the overall sample and 4.5 percentage points for the breakdowns by race. | 69 percent of blacks polled say Martin Luther King Jr's vision realized . Slim majority of whites say King's vision not fulfilled . King gave his "I have a dream" speech in 1963 . | ca28fe668220bcf180ab799577df06e877fea7ac |
(CNN) -- Ivory Coast's president declared three days of national mourning and promised a speedy investigation into the New Year's Day stampede that killed 60 people, most of them women and children. "The president of the republic offers his saddest condolences to the families and close relations of the victims and ensures them of his compassion in those painful circumstances," President Alassane Ouattara's office said in a statement issued Tuesday night. Ouattara went to the scene of the disaster and has ordered the government to take care of the injured, his office said. "He also asked an investigation to be carried out as soon as possible to determine the circumstances and causes of this stampede," the statement said. The horror unfolded about 1 a.m. after a New Year's Eve fireworks show in Abidjan, the West African country's largest city and former capital. The dead included 26 children, 28 women and six men, Youth Minister Alain Lobognon reported via Twitter. Read more: Death toll from stampede at Angola stadium vigil rises . Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko said the tragedy happened as hundreds of people were trying to go home after the fireworks display ended in Plateau, the city's central business district. The crush was near a stadium, Bakayoko said, adding that the proper security measures were in place during the fireworks show. In addition to the deaths, Bakayoko said, another 49 people were injured, two seriously. Many of the victims were trampled on or suffocated by the surging crowd, a senior fire official said on national television. Rescue workers were at the scene two hours later but could not save the victims, the official AIP news agency said. AIP had reported earlier that all the victims were all children, ranging in age from eight to 15. A police official in Abidjan told CNN that most of the victims were young people who wanted to join in the celebration while their elders stayed at home. The stampede occurred in an area of narrow streets, according to the official, who did not want to be named as he is not authorized to talk to the media. He said the parents of those involved were at the hospitals and were being assisted by state authorities. Before the night's events took a deadly turn, AIP reported that thousands of people had poured into the streets to join the celebration, seen by some as symbolizing the nation's return to peace. Nearly 5,000 extra personnel were deployed to ensure people's security, the news agency said, most of them in the Plateau area. Ivory Coast suffered months of violence following disputed presidential elections in November 2010. Laurent Gbagbo, then the incumbent president, refused to step down after Ouattara was declared the winner. Gbagbo was arrested five months later and is now awaiting trial at The Hague, in the Netherlands, accused of crimes against humanity for the civil unrest and deaths. The International Criminal Court also wants Ivory Coast to hand over his wife, Simone Gbagbo, to face allegations of crimes against humanity. The West African nation is home to around 22 million people, according to the CIA World Factbook. CNN's Laura Smith-Spark and Stephanie Halasz reported from London; and journalist Gemma Parellada from Abidjan. | NEW: Ouattara vows speedy probe into stampede that kills 60 . Another 49 people are injured, Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko says . Youth minister says 26 of the dead are children and 28 are women . West African nation is home to about 22 million people . | d1b71853429bdd242290d8dc730ff2de0f93f3af |
By . Jill Reilly . UPDATED: . 04:34 EST, 28 February 2012 . Hakim Berkani, 44, was hailed a hero after revealing that wardens are forced to issue 10 tickets a day . A brave traffic warden who exposed the secret quotas enforced by parking bosses has been awarded £20,000 for unfair dismissal. Hakim Berkani, 44, was hailed a hero after revealing that wardens are forced to issue 10 tickets a day - but he was told he will not be able to get his old job back as it would be returning him to ‘the lions’ den’. Details of the Kensington and Chelsea quota policy emerged at a tribunal which ruled he was wrongly sacked for opposing contractor NSL, which has deals in boroughs across the capital, including Westminster. The judgement found Mr Berkani was sacked because of his opposition to the secret quota. It also found his managers sacked him under trumped up charges. Mr Berkani had wanted his former job back but today the tribunal ruled 'trust and confidence' between the parties had eroded to an extent where that would be impossible. Instead they awarded £20,000 pay out including three months wages for future losses. Employment Tribunal judge Jeremy Burns said the managers he was in conflict with would still be his supervisors and re-hiring him would send him back to the 'lions’ den'. A traffic warden for Kensington & Chelsea council, where Mr Berkani (not pictured here) had worked for more than three years when he was sacked . He said: 'We did find the claimant opposed the quota system, the operation of which put pressure on the civil enforcement officers to issue tickets. 'We found that it was this situation which led to the deterioration between the claimant and his managers. 'His managers are still in the same position and if he were to be re-instated they would still have their daggers drawn. They do not accept the rulings of the tribunal and it would be like sending him back to the lion’s den. The father-of-two, from Wandsworth, . was sacked for gross misconduct last February, following three years’ service, after tipping off a driver set to be given a ticket by another . warden. At the previous tribunal hearing in . Holborn, judge Jeremy Burns ruled that Mr Berkani was unfairly dismissed . for his 'opposition to the respondent’s clandestine quote system' and . his GMB trade union activities. Mr Burns said the former warden was an intelligent man who spoke a number of languages and should find suitable employment within three months. The contractor NSL said 'trust and confidence' between Mr Berkani and his employer had 'broken down to the core' and re-hiring him would be an 'untenable situation'. But Mr Berkani said the company did not want to hire him because a quota system was still in place. He said: 'I believe the practices are still in place and they believe my presence there would impact the productivity and the issuing of tickets.' NSL head of Human Resource director Janet Daley refused to answer any questions regarding whether if the contractor still operated a secret quota system. But the contractor has repeatedly denied the existence of a secret quota.Under questioning from Alasdair Seton-Marsden, acting for Mr Berkani, Mrs Daley refused to comment if NSL still operated quotas. She said: 'I refuse to answer any questions on a quota system.' She said managers at other depots in London would resign if Mr Berkani was redeployed there. Mr Berkani said he had been blacklisted from other parking contractors’ employers. He said: 'I applied for many jobs with other contractors and local councils but never got a reply. 'I was blacklisted.' He told the tribunal he had applied for more than 200 jobs since being sacked from NSL last February but had been unable to obtain suitable work. He said: 'I will work anywhere I am just desperate for a job. But there are no jobs out there and whenever I apply there are 50 or more applicants for one job. 'I wanted to work as a public servant and do a duty for the public. That dream job was taken away when they unfairly sacked me.' Outside court Mr Berkani said he was disappointed he would not return to work patrolling the streets of Kensington and Chelsea. He said: 'I’m very disappointed because I believe that justice has not been done. My job was worth more to me than any amount of money. 'It was judged that I was sacked unfairly and yet NSL punished for their actions.' The tribunal found that three NSL bosses - Andrew Davison, Stephen Rowlands and Andy Dunbar - had tried to 'frame' Mr Berkani on trumped-up charges. | Hakim Berkani, was hailed a hero . after revealing that wardens are forced to issue 10 tickets a day . But was told he will not be able to get his old job back as it would be . returning him to ‘the lions’ den' | a5b31100c16daf9fa94da4e6659f15f2c0cced26 |
By . Rachel Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 16:00 EST, 25 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:00 EST, 25 August 2012 . More Britons than ever suffer from long-term skin conditions – the most common being acne, rosacea, eczema and seborrheic dermatitis, and sometimes all four at the same time. While not life-threatening in themselves, the psychological damage can be underestimated. Last week, it was reported that Vicky Norfolk, 31, took her own life after developing rosacea – a vascular condition that causes facial flushing and spots. Yet many doctors still view these as minor complaints, which can make getting suitable treatment a challenge. Acne, commonly associated with teenagers, is on the rise among adults – 12 per cent of women and three per cent of men over 25 have the condition. Actress Cameron Diaz, 39, has learned how to best manage her outbreaks of adult acne, right . Celebrity sufferers include Hollywood actress Cameron Diaz, 39, Victoria Beckham, 38, and Katy Perry, 27, who skilfully disguise the outbreaks. But in most cases, there are effective ways to manage if not cure symptoms. Here, Dr Nick Lowe, director of the Cranley Clinic for Dermatology in London, Dr Adam Friedmann, a consultant dermatologist at The Whittington Hospital, North London, and cosmetic dermatologist Dr Samantha Bunting, who runs a clinic on Harley Street, explain the best options available. Acne occurs when glands in the skin produce too much of an oily substance called sebum. This blocks hair follicles, encouraging bacteria to grow, leading to infection. TREATMENT: DermaSweep. HOW IT WORKS: DermaSweep microdermabrasion scrubs the skin with a brush while sucking up dead skin cells. A treatment, such as salicylic acid that helps to increase skin cell turnover, can be applied simultaneously, ensuring it penetrates deep into the dermis. Suction and pressure of brushes should be adjusted according to individual needs and more force is applied with each treatment. DRAWBACKS: Must be tailored to individual needs and is not suitable for those with very inflamed acne. COST: £185 per session (four to six sessions needed), drnicklowe.com. TREATMENT Differin. HOW IT WORKS: Gel or cream contains a form of Vitamin A called adapalene. ‘Adapalene reduces the growth of surface . skin cells that can block pores and helps unblock pores and sebaceous . glands,’ says Dr Lowe. ‘This reduces the formation of blackheads and spots.’ DRAWBACKS: Increases skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. Very drying, so moisturisers must be used. COST: On NHS prescription; and on private prescription from £15. TREATMENT: Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion. HOW IT WORKS: ‘This contains very few ingredients, which means it’s less likely to cause a reaction than other moisturisers,’ says Dr Bunting. ‘Many people who suffer with acne think they do not need a moisturiser but often their skin is dehydrated and a non-pore-blocking one such as this is ideal.’ DRAWBACKS: May not be emollient enough for those with severe eczema. COST: £7.85 (236ml), pharmacy2u.co.uk. Cetaphil and Aveeno Bath Powder are both recommended treatments for Eczema . The chronic condition of atopic eczema causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked. The exact cause is unknown but it usually occurs in allergy sufferers. Most develop the condition in childhood although in more than half of cases, it clears up by 11 years old, and in 65 per cent by 16. Most sufferers are mildly affected but some have cracked, bleeding skin, prone to infection. TREATMENT: Aveeno Bath Powder. HOW IT WORKS: ‘It is really important to keep the skin moisturised in eczema patients and the main constituent of this cleanser is colloidal oatmeal, which helps maintain the skin’s natural barrier and pH levels,’ says Dr Lowe. ‘Oat proteins leave a protective barrier on the skin, which helps keep skin moisturised, too.’ DRAWBACKS: The smell of colloidal oatmeal can be offputting for some patients. COST: 10x50g sachets, £10.25, chemistdirect.co.uk. Sunlight Therapy is available on the NHS and helps boost Vitamin D levels . TREATMENT: Sunlight Therapy. HOW IT WORKS: ‘This can be very helpful for those with severe eczema,’ says Dr Friedmann. A recent study suggests Vitamin D may play a role. Vitamin D is linked to the production of a peptide or skin protein called cathelicidin, a substance that protects skin from viruses, bacteria and fungi. DRAWBACKS: Overexposure to sun can cause skin cancer. COST: Available on NHS; from £1,398 for a six-week private course, clearskin.uk.com . TREATMENT: Eumovate cream. HOW IT WORKS: ‘This contains clobetasone butyrate, a type of topical steroid,’ says Dr Bunting. ‘It helps to break the itch-scratch cycle and should be used with an emollient [moisturiser] to help calm the inflamed patches of skin. I refer to this kind of cream as a “bad day” cream – you should use it only when really necessary and under medical supervision.’ DRAWBACKS: Only apply to the face if GP or dermatologist advises – because it thins the skin and may cause hypersensitivity. COST: 15g, £6.39, boots.com. A form of eczema, caused by an overgrowth or sensitivity to a yeast called malessizia, seborrheic dermatitis is a common condition. It causes flaky, white scales and affects the head, particularly eyebrows, ears, scalp and chest. Those who suffer with eczema during childhood are more likely to develop it. TREATMENT: Protopic. HOW IT WORKS: ‘Also known as tacrolimus, this ointment is a topical immunomodulator that helps to suppress inflammation,’ says Dr Friedmann. ‘It behaves like a steroid but with none of the potential side effects such as thinning of the skin.’ DRAWBACKS: It can sting slightly. Use with a broad-spectrum sunscreen because it makes the skin more vulnerable to UV light. COST: £26.50 on private prescription. TREATMENT: Nizoral shampoo. HOW IT WORKS: ‘This contains ketoconazole, which is anti-fungal,’ says Dr Friedmann. ‘For those who suffer with the condition on their face, I advise they let the suds drip from the scalp onto the affected areas on the face and leave for two minutes.’ DRAWBACKS: Can dry hair out so use with conditioner. ‘Do not be tempted to use coal tar shampoos as an alternative,’ says Dr Lowe, ‘as they contain carcinogenic chemicals which are banned in the United States.’ COST: 60ml, £4.39, chemistdirect.co.uk. TREATMENT: Elidel. HOW IT WORKS: . ‘The active ingredient in this is pimecrolimus, a type of medicine . known as a skin-selective inflammatory cytokine inhibitor,’ says Dr . Bunting. ‘Put simply, this means that it helps reduce inflammation.’ DRAWBACKS: Works by suppressing the immune system and there is a concern that long-term use may increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Patients should avoid strong UV light as the medication can react, damaging the skin. Not to be used during pregnancy. COST: On private prescription from £25. Affects one in ten Britons, causing flushing and, in serious cases, facial swelling. It may begin as a tendency to flush but can develop into long-lasting redness and spots. The exact cause is unknown but triggers may include genetics, blood-vessel abnormalities, bacteria and a mite that usually lives harmlessly on the skin. TREATMENT: Rozex Cream. HOW IT WORKS: ‘This contains the active ingredient metronidazole, which is an antibiotic,’ says Dr Friedmann. DRAWBACKS: Not yet tested on pregnant women so those planning pregnancy should avoid it. The only topical treatment known to be safe during pregnancy is erythromycin gel. COST: On NHS prescription; from £5.90 on private prescription. TREATMENT: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). HOW IT WORKS: Red-thread veins soak up light energy from IPL, encouraging the body to reabsorb veins thus eliminating them. IPL also stimulates new collagen and strengthens small blood vessels. DRAWBACKS: ‘This is useful for those with broken capillaries but it must be administered by a qualified physician,’ says Dr Bunting. ‘Too high a burst of energy can cause permanent skin discolouration.’ COST: From £190 a session (five sessions needed), the-dermatology-centre.co.uk. Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL, is used to treat Rosacea as well as Roaccutane, available on prescription . TREATMENT: Roaccutane. HOW IT WORKS: ‘This drug contains isotretoinin, a form of Vitamin A, and was originally developed for acne but it can be used in low doses for rosacea, too,’ says Dr Friedmann. ‘There is a lot of scaremongering surrounding Roaccutane but under a dermatologist’s supervision you should have no problems, although it is usual to experience some form of eczema when you use it.’ DRAWBACKS: A last resort for sufferers and it must be used under strict medical guidance. Skin becomes extremely dry and side effects include depression and temporary hair loss. COST: On NHS and private prescription from £25.50. by Dr Ellie Cannon . As . a GP, I take the skin conditions covered here very seriously. I have . seen first-hand the devastating effects even a moderately severe skin . condition can have on a person’s self-esteem and mental health: having a . visible long-term health problem is a huge emotional burden. Problematic . skin can influence every aspect of a person’s life – from what clothes . to wear to life-changing decisions related to relationships and . careers. But the impact of . skin problems is becoming increasingly recognised by the NHS: London’s . Royal Free Hospital’s psoriasis team now includes a psychologist as well . as dermatologists. This holistic approach represents a shift in . understanding of the often distressing condition. Anyone . suffering with skin troubles should see their GP first. Many of the . treatments mentioned can be prescribed by a GP. Counselling or . psychology may also be provided through the practice. | More people than ever suffer from rosacea, acne and eczema . One in ten Brits suffer form Rosacea . 12 per cent of women suffer from adult acne . Celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and Katy Perry have to disguise their breakouts on the red carpet . | 6c11483e517d17b118aabd79c98f000f87a4db6a |
(CNN) -- Harvard University moved Thursday to allow ROTC programs to set up on campus, after years of restricting the U.S. military's access because of its "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, school barred Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs from being based on its campus 40 years ago, at the height of the Vietnam War. For more than a decade, university leaders -- among them, former law school dean and current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan -- have cited the military's policy prohibiting gays and lesbians from serving openly as the chief rationale for continuing the ban. Harvard President Drew Faust cited the recent decision to overturn that policy as the genesis for the university's new tact. She will sign an agreement Friday with Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to re-establish a home for ROTC on campus, the school announced in a press release. "Our renewed relationship affirms the vital role that the members of our armed forces play in serving the nation and securing our freedoms, while also affirming inclusion and opportunity as powerful American ideals," Faust said in the statement. The full, formal recognition will take effect once repeal of the so-called "don't ask, don't tell" law, which had made it against military policy for homosexuals to serve openly, is complete this summer, according to the release. Harvard will appoint a director for the Navy ROTC program and take over direct financial responsibility for the cost of students to participate in the program. Congress voted to repeal the policy in December, setting off a three-part process. Last month, for instance, all four branches of the U.S. military began training required as part of the repeal. The university is setting up a committee, to be chaired by professor Kevin "Kit" Parker, a U.S. Army Reserve captain who served three tours in Afghanistan, to look into a host of issues, including bringing other military branches back onto campus. Harvard was one of the first six educational institutions, in 1926, to host Naval ROTC programs, the Navy noted in a release. Once the change goes into effect, active-duty Navy and Marines personnel will meet on campus with students participating in the ROTC program. "(Navy) ROTC's return to Harvard is good for the university, good for the military, and good for the country," said Mabus, in a statement from the Navy. "With exposure comes understanding, and through understanding comes strength." Harvard's own policy regarding ROTC on campus was the subject of national attention eight months ago, when Kagan -- who was then a nominee for the high court -- came under criticism by Republican senators who complained that she actively tried to block military recruiters from Harvard Law School when she was dean. Kagan and the White House strongly defended her actions, saying that while she opposed the military's policy, Kagan never kept recruiters off the university. Four months after taking the job as Harvard's dean, in October 2003, Kagan sent a campus-wide email to students saying that to give recruiters equal access to the campus "causes me deep distress. I abhor the military's discriminatory recruitment policy." She called the "don't ask, don't tell" policy "a profound wrong -- a moral injustice of the first order." CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report. | NEW: The Navy secretary calls the move "good for the university, good for the military" Harvard's president and the Navy secretary will sign a deal to return ROTC to campus . The school had banned ROTC, in part due to opposition to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy . Change will take effect this summer, once the repeal is implemented by the military . | c9cb8413f077f7fec4a1bdcdb3cd3e1c05588088 |
By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 09:06 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:14 EST, 10 January 2014 . A bracelet and app that together observe a person's habits and measures their sun exposure could help make sunburn a thing of the past . Even the most avid wearers of sunscreen have been caught out by the sun and have got a nasty sunburn at some point. But now a bracelet that observes a person’s habits and measures their sun exposure could help make the painful condition a thing of the past. Connected to a smartphone app, the ‘June’ bracelet will send an alert to a sun worshipper to tell them how to avoid becoming too exposed to skin damaging rays. The bracelet, which has yet to go on sale, is aimed at women who want to monitor their sun exposure and has a ‘jewel’ made up of UV sensors. It was launched at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and will be available in the second quarter of this year in the U.S. for a price of $99, although UK availability and price has yet to be announced. It will connect to a smartphone app so it can tell the wearer of the bracelet when to apply more sunscreen and put on a hat, based on personal information that they have entered, such as their skin type. ‘Discover when and how to protect from UV rays, avoid sun damage and prevent premature skin ageing,’ the company says on its website. Connected to a smartphone app, the 'June' bracelet will send an alert to a sun worshiper to tell them how to avoid becoming too exposed to skin damaging rays and avoid getting sunburnt . The $99 app gives tailored sun protection advice based on a . person’s habits and skin type, including tips on how to maintain healthy skin. It notifies the wearer of the bracelet when they need to apply SPF, wear a hat or put on . sunglasses. The bracelet measures . sun exposure in realtime and observes the habits of the user. The app, which is produced by Netamo, a firm known for making weather stations, is able to monitor UV sensitivity in realtime as well as tracking sun exposure throughout the day. It will calculate the maximum safe sun exposure for a day and afterwards, tell users when the sun was at its most intense. While other sun care monitoring wearable devices are available, the company claims that June is the first of its kind as it doubles as a fashion item and was designed by a jewellery expert. Made of alloy metal, the jewel sensor comes in three colours - gold, platinum and gunmetal - and can be worn as a brooch as well as attached to a silicone or leather strap that comes with it. The bracelet (pictured) will be sold in the U.S. this spring. It will connect to a smartphone app so it can tell the wearer when to apply more sunscreen and put on a hat, based on personal information that they have entered, such as their skin type . | June bracelet was launched at the Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas . It measures a person's sun exposure and sends alerts to an app, advising the wearer of the bracelet when to put on a hat and apply extra sunscreen . It will go on sale in the U.S. in the spring but UK availability and prices have yet to be announced . | d7ed9762c5993e90ec42e3fd33d756571d33cdaa |
By . Brian Barwick . Uruguay v England in Sao Paulo, two teams still without a point, but both determined to go out and make one. And for in-form ITV? It was about putting their best foot forward for a peak-time World Cup showdown that should turn out to be the most watched TV programme of the year so far. Adrian Chiles was joined in their Rio studio by Lee Dixon, former England manager, Glenn Hoddle and Gus Poyet. Missing, and missed by his colleagues and the viewers alike, was Ian Wright who had rushed back to the UK following a disturbing break-in at his family home on Tuesday evening. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Townsend with the Adidas Brazuca World Cup ball . Star man: Andros Townsend provided a good presence pitchside for ITV as England lost 2-1 to Uruguay . Primetime: Andros Townsend was placed pitchside by ITV at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo . On site at the Arena Corinthians, ITV were fielding a pair of Townsends, Andros and Andy. Pitchside was Andros, the ‘come from nowhere’ man who helped steer England to Brazil before injury curtailed his World Cup chances, whilst his namesake Andy was in that most current of hot seats, as England match co-commentator to the experienced Clive Tyldesley. It is a role that he has done many times but scrutiny on performance would seem to have been ratcheted up in recent days with Phil Neville’s difficult BBC debut. Neville’s BBC team-mates Danny Murphy and Martin Keown, informed and confident, have impressed in co-commentary. Good to see the engaging Martin O’Neill joining ITV’s World Cup coverage and immediately adding that sense of curiosity and conflict that he so clearly enjoys. Verbally sparring with Patrick Vieira before like everybody else raving at Tim Cahill’s wonder goal for Australia. Missing: Ian Wright's presence was missed but Gus Poyet deputised for the ITV regular . It has also been refreshing to hear both Rio Ferdinand and Neil Lennon express a fan’s wonderment at being ‘privileged’ to be inside the famous Maracana. And often an unnecessary diversion, in this World Cup the inspired choice of crowd shots has added genuine colour and carnival to the TV viewer’s experience. They’d be spoilt for choice again in Sao Paulo. ITV opened the programme with the news we all feared - and expected. Suarez in, not 100 per cent, but on the pitch. And that drove the opening thoughts of the experts. Barmy army: Crowd shots have added carnival and colour to the viewing experience of this World Cup . How fit is fit? How dangerous is dangerous? Andros Townsend still thought fit or nearly fit he was a barrel load of trouble: 'He could nutmeg a mermaid.' 'This is knock-out football and no mistake,' Adrian Chiles offered. Not absolutely true but you knew what he meant. And we all felt it. And in a memorable sequence England players spoke directly to camera of what it meant to them to play for their country. Simple, touching and genuine. ‘You’re not supposed to enjoy watching England in the World Cup, you know that by now.’ Tyldesley and Townsend, Andy, that is, both seasoned England watchers, were off and running. England started well, a Rooney free-kick went close countered with a shot from Rodriguez. ‘A good spell for England’ Tyldesley offered a little later and it was nearly capped with a goal from Rooney. Then in the 39th minute Suarez scores a brilliant header. Fit or not fit, he knows where the goal is. ‘It just had to be Luis Suarez.’ We sort of knew it would be, and Suarez's second - the winner - just confirmed that. Heartbreaker: Luis Suarez gave Uruguay the lead in the first half in the Corinthians Arena . Big moment: Rooney equalises for England in a period of sustained pressure against Uruguay . Killer blow: But Suarez stole the show with Uruguay's winner after a Steven Gerrard error late on . | ITV repeated their good form with the year's most watched TV programme . Andy Townsend was under scrutiny after criticism of Phil Neville . England lose out 2-1 with two goals from Liverpool's Luis Suarez . | fd71c64eba9a35e3bf6bf25e5532d627e05d8413 |
(CNN) -- Jessica Rees was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 11, and she and her parents would drive to the hospital every day to receive outpatient treatment. "One day we were leaving, and she just simply asked us, 'When do all the other kids come home?'" said her father, Erik. When Jessica found out that many of them would have to stay at the hospital, she wanted to help "make them happier, because I know they're going through a lot, too," she said. So she started making JoyJars -- containers full of toys, stickers, crayons, anything that might brighten a child's day. "She was really particular about what would go in the jars," said her mother, Stacey. "It had to be something cool, it couldn't be cheap or flimsy." Jessica created 3,000 JoyJars before she passed away this January. But her parents are carrying on her legacy. By the end of 2012, more than 50,000 JoyJars will have been delivered to young cancer patients through the Jessie Rees Foundation. "It's what she started, and it's what we'll continue to do," Stacey Rees said. Jessica was one of three "Young Wonders" honored this year at "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute." "What makes Jessie a Young Wonder is that she cared," her dad said. "And in the midst of a world that says focus on yourself, it's all about you, she said, 'No, it's not.' " Watch Jessica's story . Donate to her cause . Will Lourcey . When Will Lourcey was 6 years old, he asked his parents why a man was holding up a sign that said, "Need a meal." His parents explained homelessness and hunger to him, and Will felt compelled to do something about it. Soon, he came up with FROGs -- Friends Reaching Our Goals -- an organization in which he and his friends find fun ways to raise money to fight hunger. From running a lemonade stand to having businesses sponsor kids in sporting events, Will has raised more than $20,000 for his local food bank in Texas and, in turn, provided more than 75,000 meals to people in need. "When you see somebody who gets so engaged and gets so much of the community engaged, it's an endorsement of the battle that we fight to end hunger," said food bank director Bo Soderbergh. In his quest to spread awareness for his cause, Will has spoken before the Fort Worth City Council, worked with the former mayor of Fort Worth and written for the White House blog. But Will is not resting on his laurels: He has his sights set on not only eradicating hunger in his hometown, but throughout Texas, the United States and the world. Watch Will's story . Donate to his cause . Cassandra Lin . Cassandra Lin is changing the world one french fry at a time. Four years ago, at the age of 10, she decided she wanted to do something for the environment and help the less fortunate in her Rhode Island community. She gathered her friends and created Project TGIF -- Turning Grease Into Fuel. The organization collects used cooking oil from restaurants and homes, refines it and then distributes a percentage of it to families who can't afford to heat their homes. So far, Cassandra and her team have collected 130,000 gallons of used cooking oil and donated $81,000 for the purchase of biofuel. This has amounted to 21,000 gallons of BioHeat distributed to 210 homes. These efforts have also offset 2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from the environment. Last year, the group helped draft legislation that makes it mandatory for all businesses in Rhode Island to recycle their used cooking oil. The bill went into effect January 1. "I was trying to talk about biodiesel and just could not get anywhere with it," said Caswell Cooke, a town councilor in Westerly, Rhode Island. "And (Cassandra) came along and did it, to get restaurants to recycle their grease. ... The fact that it was coming from kids made it hit home a lot harder. 'The child shall lead them' sort of thing." Cassandra's next goal is for the program to be implemented throughout New England. Watch Cassandra's story . Donate to her cause . | Three youngsters were honored this month along with the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012 . Jessica Rees made special "JoyJars" to bring happiness to young cancer patients . Will Lourcey and his friends are finding fun ways to raise money to fight hunger . Cassandra Lin's group collects used cooking oil and uses it to help people heat their homes . | c711243636492b6b18ed7530c17a151d549d80a4 |
(Parenting) -- With my 3-year-old twins in tow, I navigated several steep flights of subway stairs, managed four train transfers, and arrived safely at the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. I took photos of them in front of the giant Apatosaurus skeleton and imparted (probably erroneous, but who cares?) facts about the Jurassic era. I am the best. Mother. Ever! To top off the special day, I decided to treat them to an educational toy at the gift shop. My son Theo wanted an astronaut, so I brought him to the space display and let him choose between three astronaut-themed items (I'm so smart to give my preschooler a sense of control by offering him a choice!). "No, astronaut!" he began to whine. "This is an astronaut," I said brightly, pointing to one of the helmeted play figures. "No!" He then slapped all the items out of my hand and began screaming. Ten minutes later, after Theo had stomped on a dozen packages of freeze-dried ice cream, I tucked one boy under each arm and staggered out. I am the worst mother ever, I said to myself, embarrassed, drained, and near tears. 5 Tantrum Stoppers That Actually Work . Turns out, the scene at the museum was not all my fault, and it doesn't mean my boy is "bad," either. Michael Potegal, Ph.D., a pediatric neuropsychologist at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, has spent the latest part of his professional career studying tantrums and how and why young children have such brutally emotional explosions. And what has he learned in that time? That their outbursts are as normal a biological response to anger and frustration as a yawn is to fatigue. So normal, in fact, that you can make a science out of the progression of a tantrum and predict one down to the second. Kids from about 18 months to 4 years are simply hardwired to misbehave, he says. And that means "nurture" (i.e., you) isn't always to blame. 8 Discipline Mistakes Parents Make . The mush behind the madness: Your tot's noggin . Let's take a quick tour of the human brain, stopping at a little blob of gray matter behind the eyebrows called the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This is the part of the brain that regulates emotion and controls social behavior. It's also the last area of the brain to develop; it has only just begun to mature at age 4. That immaturity -- as difficult as it makes parenting a toddler or a preschooler -- may serve an important developmental role in the acquisition of language (the most significant social tool humans have), says a new report out of the University of Pennsylvania. The authors posit that the underdeveloped PFC is what allows young children to master a new language much more easily than adults. Simply put, our kids' more disagreeable behavior may be an evolutionary trade-off for the sake of human communication. How Gross is It? Your Germiest Situations Analyzed . Okay, so they've got these mushy brain parts that make them prone to outbursts and irrational displays of emotion, but there's another factor at play in the toddler/preschooler's often difficult behavior: stress. "Kids this age think magically, not logically," explains Gina Mireault, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Johnson State College, in Vermont. "Events that are ordinary to us are confusing and scary to them. They don't understand that the bathtub drain won't swallow them or that their uncle can't really snatch their nose." And if you're not sure whether or not a simple bath will end in your demise, needless to say, you're going to feel pretty confused and prone to anxiety -- on a daily basis. How to Say Goodbye to Mom Guilt . This feeling of heightened arousal causes our bodies to release cortisol, known as the "fight or flight" hormone. Maybe it should be called "tantrum juice:" Cortisol increases blood pressure, speeds up breathing rates, and may lead to confused or unclear thinking (sound like anyone you know?). This anxiety is developmentally typical in moderation, but chronic anxiety or stress -- Is my stuffed Tigger going to come alive and eat me? -- is not; it can turn kids into virtual bundles of kindling primed to ignite at the slightest provocation. How to handle a tasmanian tot . The next time your child has an episode, Potegal recommends asking yourself "What function does this inappropriate behavior serve?" If your tyke is looking for attention or a "tangible" (toy, food, or other treat), the best response is to ignore the behavior and maintain your own emotional composure. My friend Mana Heydarpour of New York City learned this lesson the hard way: When she told her strong-willed 3-year-old, Ella, that she couldn't watch her favorite TV show, she screamed, "I don't like you! I'm so disappointed with you!" "It made my blood boil so much that I couldn't help yelling back at her," Heydarpour says. As a result, Ella's fit lasted for half an hour. Potegal calls this the Anger Trap. "If you get just as mad and irrational as your child, it's like throwing gas on a fire," he says. How to Be a Take Charge Mom . But he warns of another trap, too: the Sadness Trap. "When you comfort a child in the middle of a tantrum, you reinforce the behavior. Instead, say 'I'm sorry you're upset. When you calm down, I'll give you a hug and we can talk about what happened.'" This way, you offer support and sympathy while still showing your tot how to regulate his emotions. "Since that meltdown, I've learned to say 'I'm not talking to you while you're behaving like this,'" Heydarpour says. "Ella composes herself so much faster when I manage to do that." But the above strategy doesn't apply to an "escape" tantrum: a child going bonkers because he doesn't want to do whatever it is you want him to (clean up, sit at the table, etc.). In this case, ignoring him gives him what he wants: You're no longer demanding that he wear his coat, or whatever it is that needs to be done. Putting him in a time-out chair doesn't work, either, since that's time he's not putting on his jacket. "Every second he's not complying, he's winning," says Potegal. Instead, tell your kid that if he doesn't get dressed in five seconds, you're going to put your hands on his and do it together. If your tiny rebel makes no move after the five seconds are up, which he won't at first, take his hands in yours and gently force the coat on. "It's not meant to be pleasant," admits Potegal, but it should never include physical harm. If your child begins to slap or bite you, continue putting the coat on and then put him in time-out (or take away a privilege, if that's your standard discipline tactic). That way, your child sees he still has to wear the coat (so his protests were ineffective) and now has an additional consequence for his unacceptable behavior. Toddlers are a literal force of nature who confound even the most calm and prepared. But there's a silver lining to these flop-and-flail-filled years: Just as kids can quickly slip into anger and sadness, so can they slip out of them. The average tantrum lasts about three minutes, according to Potegal's research. That's why, shortly after a tantrum, your kid is back to playing as if nothing happened, while you're still quaking from the event a half hour later. His immature PFC (that mushy part responsible for social cues) allows him to move on without dwelling on past hurts. "Toddlers can transition from sad to happy and from angry to calm incredibly easily," says Potegal. So enjoy that post-freak-out cuddle, and gird yourself for the next round. The life of a tantrum . A minute-by-minute breakdown of what happens when your tot blows his top. 0 SEC. Uh-oh. Grocery-store meltdown in aisle 3. 30 SEC. Foot stomping by this point means it will be a short one. 90 SEC. Screaming and kicking: His anger has reached its peak. 3.5 MIN. And just like that, it's over. He's now looking for comfort. 6 MIN. Wow. He's acting like nothing ever happened. 10 MIN. If his fits always last this long, talk to your doc. Get 2 FREE YEARS of Parenting magazine - Subscribe Now!! Copyright 2011 The Parenting Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. | The average tantrum lasts about three minutes, according to Potegal's research . You can predict a tantrum down to the second . Kids from about 18 months to 4 years are simply hardwired to misbehave . | f88a86607ab8ee16cc12ca9f7ae654d616da89e3 |
New York (CNN) -- The Indian diplomat whose arrest and strip search in New York City ignited a diplomatic spat between nations has filed a motion seeking the dismissal of the charges, her attorney said Wednesday. The diplomat, Devyani Khobragade, left the U.S. last week amid federal charges that she lied on a visa application for her housekeeper. A dismissal of the charges against her would allow her to reenter the United States, where her husband and two daughters reside, said her attorney, Daniel Arshack. A hearing is set for January 31. A motion filed in federal court Tuesday asked that the case be thrown out, saying the court "does not have jurisdiction over the Defendant due to the Defendant's diplomatic status which provides her absolute immunity from criminal prosecution in the United States. "Because Dr. Khobragade was cloaked in diplomatic immunity at the time of her arrest on December 12, 2013, as well as the time of the filing of the subsequent indictment on January 9, 2014 (on which she was not re-arrested or arraigned), she cannot be prosecuted thus necessitating a dismissal of the indictment and proceeding," the motion said. U.S. prosecutors accused Khobragade of lying in a visa application about how much she paid her housekeeper. She was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on one count of visa fraud and one count of making false statements. The Indian government denied a request by the State Department to waive Khobragade's diplomatic immunity so she can answer the charges, U.S. and Indian officials said. The immunity was granted after her controversial arrest. Khobragade arrived at the New Delhi airport Friday, according to an Indian official who was not authorized to speak to the media. Khobragade told CNN, through an intermediary, that the charges against her "are false and baseless." "I look forward to demonstrating that to all of you," she said through the intermediary. Khobragade "affirmed her determination to ensure that the episode would not leave a lasting impact on her family, in particular, her children, who are still in the United States," the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said. New Delhi is demanding that Washington apologize and have the charges dropped. Amid the tensions over the case, the United States announced that it will withdraw one official from its embassy in New Delhi. Federal prosecutors allege Khobragade promised in the visa application, under which her housekeeper moved from India to the United States, to pay her at least the minimum wage in New York, and to require she work no more than 40 hours per week. They allege that Khobragade then had the housekeeper, Sangeeta Richard, sign a second contract, which set her pay far below the minimum wage and required that she work much longer hours. "I would like to tell other domestic workers who are suffering as I did -- you have rights and do not let anyone exploit you," Richard said in a statement released Thursday. Mix of Cold War legacy and politics? Diplomatic status . Khobragade's lawyers have repeatedly said the diplomat is not guilty and is entitled to diplomatic immunity. Khobragade "did not make any false statements and she paid her domestic worker what she was entitled to be paid," her attorney said. Richard fled the diplomat's home last summer, and Khobragade started legal proceedings against her and her husband in the Indian courts. Richard has been granted permission to remain in the United States. Arshack, Khobragade's attorney, said the diplomat and her legal team were pleased that the State Department had done "the right thing" Thursday by recognizing her diplomatic status. U.S. officials had previously said Khobragade was entitled to consular immunity, which is less broad than diplomatic immunity and covers only actions carried out under official duties. Khobragade was India's deputy consul general for political, economic, commercial and women's affairs. But after her arrest, Indian officials appointed her as counselor at the country's permanent mission to the United Nations in New York. Through that post, she was accorded "the privileges and immunities of a diplomatic envoy," the ministry said. Two senior U.S. officials said that the State Department had no choice but to grant Khobragade full diplomatic immunity once she was accredited to the United Nations because she did not pose a national security threat, which is the only reason for which, in very rare cases, immunity is denied. When India refused the U.S. request to waive the immunity so that she could face the charges against her, she had to leave the country, the officials said. Debate: Arrest, strip-search of Indian diplomat 'barbaric?' Arrest and search . India has expressed outrage about the arrest of Khobragade, who was handcuffed and strip-searched by federal agents on December 12 after a complaint filed by Richard. Some observers have suggested that Indian officials' protests and repeated demands for an apology are driven by political concerns. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed "regret" about the situation last month, but stopped short of saying authorities had done anything wrong. U.S. law enforcement officials have said that Khobragade's strip search was standard procedure and that she received a number of privileges not usually accorded to defendants. During the spat, Indian authorities removed concrete barriers from outside the U.S. Embassy and took away American diplomats' identification cards. That was followed recently by an order that the United States shut down "commercial activities" at a recreational facility at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. The U.S. Embassy should halt the activities at the property by Thursday, an Indian external affairs official said last week. The property houses a bowling alley, swimming pool and gym. CNN's Jethro Mullen and Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report. | Devyani Khobragade returned India last week . She was indicted on federal counts of visa fraud and making false statements . The former deputy consul general was strip-searched after her arrest . | ff7e66e2215a9f6d5bd6a1de100879b455a07fbb |
With star summer signings Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas still on a beach after the World Cup, it was left to Chelsea’s young charges to take care of their first pre-season friendly at Wycombe. Aided by stalwarts John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic, the young Blues side stormed to a 5-0 win with many of the younger charges impressing. Here, Sportsmail looks at some of the starlets on display Jose Mourinho may be running the rule over to supplement his first-team set-up. VIDEO Scroll down to watch new signing Kurt Zouma's first Chelsea interview . Watchful eye: The performances of some of Chelsea's youngsters will have given Mourinho food for thought . PATRICK BAMFORD . Bamford lit up the lower leagues last season, at MK Dons in League One before spending the second half of the campaign notching up a good record at Championship side Nottingham Forest.Wearing Chelsea’s yellow No 9 shirt, Bamford started at Wycombe and broke the deadlock in the first half. His goal showed off his main asset – a well-taken, instinctive first-time finish from Ake’s cross from the byline – everything Chelsea’s goal-shy strikers were missing last season. Bamford’s display wasn’t limited to opening the scoring, however, as he was soon in his own penalty area saving a certain equaliser with a goal-line clearance. The Blues are famously light up front – new signing Diego Costa excepted – with Fernando Torres continuing to disappoint and Romelu Lukaku looking for opportunities elsewhere, so it is actually possible Bamford could have some role to play in the first team this season. However, to continue his steady development with more game-time, a Premier League loan could be the way forward. Impress there and the sky’s the limit. Potential: Patrick Bamford celebrates putting Chelsea ahead in their pre-season opener . KURT Zouma . Jose Mourinho splashed £12million on the French under-21 defender in January, but this was his first outing in Chelsea colours, having been loaned straight back to St. Etienne. Zouma came on mid-way through the first half for the injured Todd Kane at right-back, not his normal position. He made attempts to offer width by bombing up Wycombe’s unguarded flank, occasionally showing a rashness of touch that match fitness will no doubt sharpen. The 19-year-old looked far more assured once moved to centre-half next to John Terry. Showing awareness, calmness and the no-nonsense physical style that became his trademark in the French league, the defender will have impressed the travelling support. With David Luiz out of the picture and last season’s back-up Tomas Kalas famed out on loan, Zouma now has every chance of cementing a squad place as Chelsea’s third-choice centre-half. Dominant: Kurt Zouma looked comfortable at the back for Chelsea during their easy win . IZZY BROWN . Chelsea snapped up the 17-year-old from West Brom last year and the striker – a regular for England under-17s – impressed in the Blues youth academy last season. Brown entered the fray in the second half at Adams Park, and immediately made his mark by deftly turning diminutive left-back Jay da Silva’s cross into the top corner to double Chelsea’s lead. After John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic showed their experience by putting the game out of Wycombe’s reach, Brown completed the rout with the goal of the night – a first-time right-footed thunderbolt from outside the area. Brown’s impressive technique and physicality should see him a success in the English game, but at just 17 perhaps a loan move beckons for his development this campaign. Youthful quality: Izzy Brown is congratulated after scoring to double Chelsea's lead at Adams Park . JEREMIE BOGA . Chelsea took control of the game at Wycombe in the second half, with four of the five goals coming once the experienced Terry, Ivanovic and Matic came on. However, it wasn’t those Blues stalwarts that most caught the eye. Although Brown’s two goals grabbed the headlines, 17-year-old Boga became the team’s playmaking fulcrum, with Chelsea’s attacking movement going through him. Considered one of the brightest prospects in the Cobham academy and consistently playing above his age group, Boga won’t be troubling the first team this season but may look to cement his role as one of the key players for Chelsea’s trophy-laden under-21 side. Impressive: Jeremie Boga had a hand in a couple of goals at Adams Park as Chelsea won 5-0 . MARCO VAN GINKEL . The Dutch midfielder cruelly had a promising campaign last season cut short thanks to a cruciate ligament injury in the Capital One Cup at Swindon. This his first first-team appearance since then, Van Ginkel took control of midfield in his first half role, showing the wide array of passing that impressed fans on his arrival at the club last summer. On the fringe of the Holland national side, Van Ginkel has work to do if he is to muscle his way into the reckoning in an ever-more competitive Chelsea midfield. Van Ginkel is capable of sitting in a central ‘two’ in Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1 formation, a position possibly not suited to the more attacking Cesc Fabregas. If being able to be called upon to sit alongside Nemanja Matic can become a unique selling point then Van Ginkel can be a vital squad player for the Blues this season – if not a loan move beckons. VIDEO Chelsea agree fee for Filipe Luis . | A number of Chelsea's promising youngsters grabbed their chance to impress Mourinho during the comfortable victory on Wednesday . Bamford, Zouma, Brown and Jeremie Boga excelled in the 5-0 win . Summer signings Costa and Fabregas have not joined the squad for pre-season yet, following their World Cup exploits with Spain . Chelsea are hopeful some of their academy players will make the step up to the first-team squad over the coming season . | 6aca56829238211fed9b5c1a4d97adbe8eb98be6 |
By . Joel Christie . PUBLISHED: . 16:01 EST, 17 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:24 EST, 17 February 2014 . Three men are finally behind bars in Georgia for allegedly raping, shooting and setting fire to a woman on New Years Day. Miraculously, the 36-year-old victim survived the vicious attack. Joey Garron, 28, Robert Johnson and Ketorie Glover - both 23 — were systematically arrested in Columbus over the weekend, according to The Ledger-Enquirer. All three were charged with aggravated assault, rape, kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated sodomy, arson first degree, hijacking a motor vehicle and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Scroll down for video . Robert Johnson, 23, was the first to be arrested by police on Thursday in Columbus, Georgia. He has been charged with a litany of crimes including rape, kidnap, aggravated sodomy and arson . Joey Garron, 28 (left), was arrested Friday and Ketorie Glover, 23 (right) was arrested. All three have been charged with the same crimes. Glover was additionally charged with possession of a firearm by a felon . A police investigation found the woman had been at a New Years Eve party at a house located on Garden Drive. Outside the house she became engaged in a spirited rap contest with some men, according to The Ledger. At some point the exchange became heated and one of the men produced a handgun and forced the woman inside her own vehicle. Two other men, one of whom was also armed, joined them in the car. The woman was driven to a vacant lot located at 988 Farr Rd. Police allege the trio then sexually assaulted her. The woman's vehicle and the woman were doused with gasoline and set on fire. She was also shot several times. The 36-year-old victim was found here, close to death, about 7.40am on January 2, 2014 . The victim had suffered several gunshot wounds when she was found but miraculously was still alive . Police say the men left the victim in the field, firing shots at her as they walked away. The woman was found bleeding and screaming for help about 7.40am New Years Day in a wooded area. She was transported to Midtown Medical Center in a critical condition and has since had extensive medical treatment. Johnson was arrested on Thursday, Garron on Friday and Glover on Saturday. Columbus police Sgt. Lance Deaton told The Ledger-Enquirer that it had been a long investigation and it wasn't over. 'It was not just one thing that led us to the suspects,' he said. 'There's still more to do.' All three have been remanded without bail. WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather . | Victim was allegedly kidnapped from a house party in Columbus, Georgia, on New Year's Eve . Police say she started an impromptu rap contest with some men out front . She was allegedly forced at gunpoint into her own car and driven to a wooded area . There she was allegedly raped, assaulted, shot, doused with gasoline and set on fire . She was found in a critical condition and survived . Joey Garron, 28, Robert Johnson and Ketorie Glover - both 23 — have now been charged with a litany of offenses . | 142c157b56b66802bfed47615da904464d73d810 |
Men who wonder how good they are in bed and want to find out if their partner actually faked that orgasm can now find out the truth - all thanks to modern technology. Applying a device to monitor their performance may sound like something of a passion killer but the makers promise it will improve the wearer's sexual prowess. Bondara, a British online retailer of intimate toys, are developing the product which they've called a 'SexFit'. Need help in the bedroom? A new app can monitor a man's performance and then tell them what rhythm to stick to (posed by models) It states: 'The SexFit is worn on the male genitalia and once connected to the mobile app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, records key statistics and uses vibrations to set a recommended pace. 'Users can track how well they are keeping to the pre-programmable 'training' sessions through LED lights at the top of the tracker. When the centre light is lit, the user is hitting peak performance and matching the rhythm set by the training programme. Too many lights and the user will need to slow down and not enough lights will advise them to pick up the pace.' It added that users will be able to use a button on the gadget to adjust the speed of their 'training session' during their 'workout'. Once recovered, the men can then embrace their inner geeks by logging on to the free accompanying SexFit app for a full appraisal of their performance. Attach before 'working out': The device called a 'SexFit' lights up and has speed controls . They will be able to find out how many calories they burnt between the sheets and their number of thrusts per minute. Those without inhibitions can ever share and compare their results on social media - although most of your friends and family would probably prefer it if you didn't. Speaking about the prototype, Louise Bagley, head buyer for Bondara said: 'The digital health and quantified-self craze has started to infiltrate all aspects of our lives. Too much information: The app even allows you to share your results on social media . 'Our device is a natural fit alongside the influx of these personal health trackers and with the added benefit of improving an individuals sex life, we expect it to be a huge hit when it becomes available. 'With over half of all couples in the UK using a sex toy, this is a massive market driven by innovation. 'That's why we've invested in developing the next evolution of toys, which we hope will bring joy to millions of couples who want to upgrade their intimacy.' The product is expected to go on sale Spring 2015. | The 'SexFit' should be worn on male genitalia during intercourse . Connects to mobile app via Bluetooth or wifi . Tells user what rhythm to stick to and when they've hit 'peak performance' After their 'work out' men can assess their results . Information given will include calories burnt and thrusts per minute . Results can even be shared on social media . | 76b5b27ca8d8847910ec6815b0063ad2e420fbd3 |
By . Matt West . PUBLISHED: . 03:44 EST, 15 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:32 EST, 18 June 2013 . The British people are weary of becoming involved in another lengthy conflict overseas . after more than a decade of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the . Defence Secretary said today. In what . will be considered a direct challenge to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor over any . possible military deployment to Syria, Phillip Hammond said Afghanistan . had become Britain’s Vietnam. The Defence Secretary's remarks came . while on a visit to the main British base at Camp Bastion in the Helmand . province of Afghanistan. Vietnam effect: Phillip Hammond has warned Afghanistan has become for the British what Vietnam was for America . His remarks also come amid heightened tensions over the . Middle East between the West and Russia, as the US prepares to arm rebel fighters after it . confirmed the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons on its own people. Mr Cameron has resisted greater . involvement in the Syrian conflict for the last two years partly over . fears of comparison with ex-PM Tony Blair, who took Britain into Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq two years later . The Prime Minister will use the G8 . Summit in Northern Ireland to talk to US President Barrack . Obama about how best to arm rebels in the country who have been trying . to topple the regime of Bashar al Assad for the past two years. Cuts row: Phillip Hammond has warned further cuts to the Ministry of Defence's budget will hurt Britain's operation effectiveness . He has already held preliminary . discussions by video conference with Mr Obama, the French President . Francois Hollande , German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime . Minister Enrico Letta, a Downing Street spokesman confirmed this . morning. ‘Three days before a working dinner on . foreign policy, they discussed the situation in Syria and how G8 . countries should all agree to work on together a political transition to . end the conflict,’ Downing Street said. Britain has been engaged in almost continuous conflict in the Middle Eat since the 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001. Since then, 444 British Service personnel have died in the Afghanistan and thousands more have been seriously injured. 'I suspect that the British people - and . not just the British people - will be wary of enduring engagements on . this kind of scale for perhaps quite a long while in the future,' Mr . Hammond said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. 'You might call it the Vietnam . phenomenon - when an engagement turns out to be longer and more costly . than originally envisaged, there is often a public reaction to that.' Mr Hammond added the true lesson from . Afghanistan may be that a prolonged military commitment could have been . avoided if the West had been prepared to intervene earlier before al . Qaida launched its attack on the Twin Towers. 'We ourselves have learned the lesson . that earlier, smaller scale intervention may often avoid the need for . more massive intervention later, and if we are in a mood for beating . ourselves up, perhaps we should have foreseen the consequences of what . was happening in Afghanistan before 9/11,' he said. 'Perhaps we should have been more . forward leaning in the West collectively in intervening to try and head . off what was happening here before it happened.' Combat fatigue: the Defence Secretary warned this weekend that the British people had become weary of the UK's involvement in overseas operations . On patrol: British soldiers have been involved in active operations in Afghanistan for 12 years . Earlier this week Mr Cameron raised the prospect of weapons falling into terrorist hands. ‘Elements affiliated to al-Qaeda in the . region have attempted to acquire chemical weapons for probable use in . Syria,’ the Prime Minister said. Britain is currently providing . ‘non-lethal’ equipment to the Syrian rebels but Foreign Secretary . William Hague has, with the support of France, been working had to lift a . European Union arms embargo. US confirmation of British and French . reports that the Syrian army was using chemical weapons against the . rebels has increased the prospect of weapons being passed to the rebels. Mr Hague said earlier this week the West 'must do more’ to put pressure on the . Assad regime to reach a peaceful settlement with the rebels and stop the . bloodshed which the UN says has so far cost in excess of 93,000 lives. The Defence Secretary’s comments also . come at a time when he is being asked to make even more cuts to his . department as part of the Chancellor’s comprehensive spending review. His is one of the few departments yet to have agree cuts at part of the . review. Last month Mr Hammond publicly warned any further cuts to his . department would come at a cost to Britain’s military capability. Under current . budget cuts Army personnel will have been cut by a fifth to 82,000, their . lowest level since the end of the 19th century. | British people weary of role in long wars overseas, Defence Secretary says . Remarks come as Syria tops the agenda at this week's G8 Summit . Ministry of Defence still to agree to budget cuts with Chancellor . | 1f445f90dec877d57a771ab9a6c6432d4daf6645 |
Ed Balls has said George Osborne risks permanently damaging the economy . By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:43 EST, 29 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:33 EST, 29 July 2012 . Chancellor George Osborne has been accused of permanently damaging the economy. The UK could suffer a triple dip recession next year . Britain could suffer a triple dip recession next year because of the ongoing Eurozone crisis. Leading economists have warned a Greek exit from the EU could plunge the UK into financial chaos next Spring, following a brief recovery from the Olympics. The triple dip would be unprecedented and could threaten Britain's AAA credit rating. The news will no doubt pile more pressure on Chancellor George Osborne who has been criticised for making too many cutbacks and crippling Britain's ailing economy. Azad Zangana, from leading investment company Shroders, said he believed the country's GDP would increase by 0.5 per cent in the current quarter. He predicted it would continue to grow until March before two consecutive quarters of negative growth, he said to the Sunday Times. The growth predictions come following the shocking 0.7 per cent decline in the country's GDP which was announced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week. Michael Saunders from Citigroup said he believed the GDP would only grow by 0.3 per cent in 2013 and confirmed the risk of a triple dip recession. 'My guess is that for the next few quarters, after a technical bounce in the third quarter, the economy will be roughly flat, which I would describe as a disastrously bad outcome compared with previous cycles,' he said. These GDP figures show how the economy has changed since 2007 . Vince Cable, left, is being invited to create a new national consensus on the economy by shadow chancellor Ed Balls. It is hoped the move will drive a wedge between him and George Osborne, right . Meanwhile shadow chancellor Ed Balls said Mr Osborne's refusal to change the Coalition's budget meant he risked permanently damaging Britain's economy. He said in an interview with the Independent on Sunday that Mr Osborne's . Ed Balls has said George Osborne risks permanently damaging the British economy . approach of a 'sit on your hands strategy' was dangerous and would leave families and businesses paying a 'long-term price'. Mr Balls also said it was wrong for the Government to sit and hope that the Olympics would save the country from recession. 'As the IMF (International Monetary Fund) said last week, the long-term impact on the underlying strength of the British economy will be more young people unemployed and businesses investing in other parts of the world,' he said. 'All of those things add up to an economy which ends up permanently weaker, not just temporarily weaker.' He also appealed to business secretary Vince Cable to join him in creating a new way forward for the economy. Mr Balls invited the Lib Dem to joine him in a 'new national consensus' which would put Britain on the right track because its what the 'country needs and deserves'. 'I would love there to be a new national consensus on the right way forward, and I would love the Lib Dems to want to be part of that.' The move will no doubt drive a wedge between defecting Lib Dems and the government. Concerns for the Eurozone crisis have also deepened following rumours that Spain is considering asking for a £235 billion bailout. However, officials have denied the reports. | Ed Balls has said George Osborne risks permanently damaging the economy . | 73338a6d579bd95935dbc86a1146921141774efe |
When you stop off at a service station on a motorway, you hardly expect five-star facilities. In fact the experience can often be somewhat traumatic. But one tourist was very pleasantly surprised when he called in at a Shell garage in Bohol, the Philippines. In fact, the toilets at this very unusual gas station were so top-notch that model and writer Jason Godfrey declared them better than his whole apartment. The model films himself to present the bizarre toilet to viewers and uploaded it to his Facebook page, before posting it on YouTube - where it has received nearly two million views. Introducing the unexpected find, Jason explains: 'I'm at a Shell station and I want to take you to a toilet here because the toilet at this Shell station is ridiculous.' He adds: 'I never make videos really and post them but I had to make a video about this and it's about a toilet. Whatever.' Jason Godfrey filmed a tour of the toilet as he couldn't believe the level of luxury at a gas station . The toilet looks more like a lounge, with magazines, books and framed pictures on the walls . Walking in through the unassuming door, Jason pans around the toilet to show mahogany panelling, table lamps, low lighting, bookshelves stacked with magazines and even shells and model boats on a mantlepiece. Jason goes on to say: 'This is the shell toilet. Look at it! 'And I can't capture the smell but it's super menthol in here.' As the camera shows the details of the bathroom - which looks more like a relaxing lounge - Jason adds: 'This toilet is better than my room, it's better than my entire toilet actually.' Ornaments on the mantlepiece, toiletries and a huge mirror complete the look in the bathroom . And in case you were in any doubt, Jason shows that it is indeed a real toilet . He ends his update with the advice: 'So if you're looking for a toilet anywhere then try to find this Shell station. Crazy.' Viewers posted comments about their surprise that such a clean gas station toilet could exist. Mark Stewart said: 'I would totally go to that shell station. This is how you treat your customers right.' Therese Eklund added: 'haha I thought that he was gonna show us the complete OPPOSITE, like a seriously dirty small toilet with a broken seat and poop on the walls or something LOL!' | Jason Godfrey was travelling in the Philippines when he stopped at station . Filmed a tour of toilet to prove how luxurious it is . From outside, the bathroom looks like any other service station offering . | fdce9c51fb8f549d6b513f0f8129ca56f48748f3 |
Buenos Aires, Argentina (CNN) -- Soccer has long been a bloody business in Argentina, but 2010 has proved particularly violent with five deaths linked to the so-called "beautiful game." Among the dead were two former bosses of hooligan gangs -- known locally as Barra Brava -- associated with clubs in the northern city of Rosario, but the most high-profile was policeman Sergio Rodriguez. Rodriguez was shot in the head as he tried to separate fighting fans of Estudiantes and Argentinos Juniors in the city of La Plata, according to Telam, the official Argentine government news agency. A solution has long been sought to end the bloodshed that for years has plagued Argentina's terraces, but when news emerged of a scheme to offer up to 500 of the country's most notorious hooligans free trips to the World Cup in South Africa, it was met with widespread criticism. When the government was implicated, that criticism turned to disbelief. The idea was the brainchild of a non-government organization called Hinchadas Unidas Argentinas (Argentine Fans United) who claimed the scheme would reduce violence by bringing fans together. The link with the government was seemingly given credence when prominent HUA figure Marcelo Mallo -- a man who previously campaigned for former Argentina president Nestor Kirchner, the husband of current incumbent Cristina -- claimed fans from the barra could become "tools at the government's disposal" through their activity with the NGO. Despite the appearance of banners calling for the re-election of Cristina Kirchner at prominent matches, the government steadfastly denied involvement by telling CNN there is "no connection whatsoever." However, prominent pressure group Salvemos al Futbol (Let's Save Football) -- a fans organization committed to increasing transparency and reducing violence in the game -- is convinced the government and the HUA are entwined. Mallo has been keeping a low profile after suggesting the HUA's offer of World Cup trips had a political motivation. But Emiliano Tagliarino, a spokesman for HUA, and a member of the Huracan barra told CNN: "At one point we wanted to get close to the Kirchner government, but they didn't want to have anything to do with us. Politics doesn't interest us. I'm not looking to get elected. What interests us is stopping violence in football. "Marcelo Mallo is not involved in every aspect of our organization. He is not there in the stands with us at the stadiums every week. He helps us with the legal side of things; he helped us secure our office. But the people who are in charge of HUA are us -- the fans like me." Pablo Paladino, Undersecretary of the Argentina National Department of Football Security, was unequivocal when he spoke to CNN. "There is absolutely no connection whatsoever between the hooligans and the state," he said. "The Argentine government has never even considered the idea of sending members of the Argentine Fans United (HUA) to the World Cup in South Africa. "I consider it impossible that any group except the government be in charge of guaranteeing security at football matches here. "I really don't see how this group [HUA] can claim to be working to stopping violence when we see some of their members causing problems at the stadiums every week. What they say they want to do is one thing, but what we see them doing every weekend is different." Mallo originally claimed that up to 500 football fans could benefit from the paid-for trips, but HUA now says between 80 and 100 fans are going and that "each is paying his own way." The confusion is a familiar scenario according to Monica Nizzardo, president of Salvemos al Futbol. She told CNN that her group was "very concerned" about HUA. "The Argentinean government has given them a place in their political structure. One of HUA's leaders has been quite clear about that. "The hooligans have always been involved in trouble at World Cups in various host countries. Why would we believe they'll behave now? They don't even do that here -- despite the pact they signed to get the trip in the first place. "We are working with the relevant governmental organizations -- but unfortunately it doesn't really seem that there is a strong political will to tackle violence in football." Paladino disagrees and says the government is now implementing "technology" that will allow it to better identify those who misbehave at football matches. He also pointed out that the government cannot employ the same measures to prevent known hooligans from traveling abroad for matches as countries like the UK can. He explained: "In Argentina, the only way we can legally prevent a hooligan from traveling to South Africa is if a judge orders him detained or if he is already involved in a legal proceeding. But we don't have the authority to take away the passports of hooligans." One person who has been enlisted by the government to help tackle the problem is behavioral scientist Otto Adang, chair of public order management for the Dutch Police academy. He has been working in Argentina for six years, but admits the complex nature of Argentinean football violence makes it a difficult beast to tame. He told CNN: "We have to look at all the links -- the links between politicians and clubs and fans. Other interests are the money that is involved and the links that exist between different parties involved, which make the problem in Argentina much more complex. Argentina needs a tailor-made solution because it is a unique problem." Adang did express his concerns over HUA's proposed World Cup deal, though. "It doesn't sound like a very good idea at all," he said. | Argentine hooligans are being offered free trips to the World Cup in South Africa . The deal is through an NGO who want a reduction in football violence in return . Argentina's government has been linked but strenuously denies any involvement . Pro-government banners have been visible at recent games in Argentina . | 4fc603643672bc1e0f95031b57b60a667fa0372e |
By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:20 EST, 12 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:42 EST, 12 December 2013 . Brave: Police constable Andrew Reid, 49, was kidnapped and pistol-whipped on duty but stabbed himself through the heart two weeks after retiring, an inquest heard . A policeman who was taken hostage and pistol-whipped on duty 20 years ago stabbed himself through the heart just two weeks after retirement, an inquest heard. PC Andrew Reid's suicide was linked to depression and came almost 20 years after he was kidnapped. He suffered serious injuries and needed eye surgery but still completed 31 years of distinguished service with Thames Valley Police. But two weeks after his retirement he was found lying in a pool of blood, having stabbed himself four times, once in the heart. The coroner heard that Pc Reid had suffered 'psychological and physical injuries' by having to undergo surgery to his damaged right eye after being pistol-whipped in 1995. The 49-year-old was found dead his shocked mother Yolanda in the home they shared together in May. The former Thames Valley Police officer, based in Oxford, had inflicted the stab wounds with a kitchen knife and was pronounced dead at the scene. No suicide note was ever found, the hearing was told. Pathologist Dr Nicholas Hunt took the coroner through his understanding of the background to the case at the inquest in Oxford. 'Before carrying out the post-mortem examination I was given information on the background from the police,' he said. 'At 8.14am on May 21, Yolanda Reid, aged 75 years, had called both 999 and her GP surgery,' he said. 'During the call to the GP surgery she said her son was laying in a pool of blood and asked what she should do. 'Paramedics were shown into a utility area near the kitchen. He was found on his right side with his knees in a bent position. 'There was a large amount of blood on the floor and blood staining on the wall. The rear door was secured and there was no sign of forced entry. 'Inquires at his GP surgery showed he may have suffered depression after an incident when he was taken hostage while on duty in 1995. He had been taken anti-depressant drugs for some time.' Excellence: PC Andrew Reid completed 31 years of distinguished service with Thames Valley Police , based in Oxford, pictured . Dr Hunt added: 'The injuries were in two groups. Firstly the injuries caused by a sharp object and secondly the blunt injuries. 'There were four stab injuries. One penetrated the heart. The other the aorta. Three were deep, one was superficial. 'There were also 12 pin-prick stab injuries. Tragedy: PC Reid was found dead by his mother, having stabbed himself through the heart after suffering depression . 'He died as a result of stab wounds. Whilst there were injuries entirely consistent with self-infliction.' Detective Sergeant Simon Hannam, an officer involved in the case, attended the death scene. In a statement to the inquest he said: 'When I arrived I could see no signs of a disturbance. The deceased was lying on his side with his feet towards the kitchen door and there was a large amount of blood in the area of the floor. 'His clothes were heavily bloodstained. 'He was dressed like he was going for a run or a cycle ride. There was no sign of blood in the rear garden. 'There was no evidence of any third party involvement.' Det. Sgt. Hannam added: 'He was a serving police officer until he retired two weeks ago of 31 years service. 'On February 6 1995 he was a victim of a hostage situation in which he was pistol-whipped and received physical and psychological injuries. 'His GP Dr Mervin Dunlop spoke of him having depression for more 20 years, which ties into the 1995 incident. 'He was taken to hospital in relation to that incident. 'He suffered severe swelling to his right eye, which required surgery. 'In April of that year a meeting was arranged with Pc Reid for the person invoilved wanting to apologise. This meeting was refused.' Assistant Oxfordshire Coroner Nick Graham said: 'The report shows some very brave actions of Mr Reid, who was carrying out his duty.' The coroner ruled that Mr Reid, of Headington, Oxford, who was never married and had no children, died as a result of a suicide on May 21, 2013. Recording his verdict, the coroner said: 'On the basis of the evidence I have heard I feel that I can reach a conclusion that Mr Reid took his own life given the nature of the injuries, the lack of any third party involvement, no foul play and a history of depression.' His family declined to comment after the hearing. For confidential support contact Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or click here. | Thames Valley PC Andrew Reid found dead by his mother in pool of blood . Inquest hears he served force with distinction for 31 years until retirement . In 1995 he was kidnapped and beaten, suffering eye injury and depression . Coroner records suicide verdict at inquest into his death . | e19cfd7dc87cec92162ce1dfed62c6f129c192b8 |
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