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Ronaldo left Madrid wearing a pair of sunglasses but he's unlikely to need them during his stay in Liverpool. Temperatures on Merseyside are set to reach just 12 degrees on Wednesday, with rain forecast around three hours before kick-off at Anfield as the tail-end of Hurricane Gonzalo hits Britain. Cristiano Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team-mates braved stormy conditions during a training session at Anfield on Tuesday evening. The Portugal international was well prepared for the adverse weather and wore a snood on his head as cover for the duration of the session. Ronaldo and Co take on Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday night looking to record their third consecutive win in Group B after victories away at Ludogorets and at home to Basle last time out. The La Liga side were pictured leaving Liverpool's Hilton hotel opposite the city's famous Albert Dock in the afternoon before heading to Anfield later in the day. Cristiano Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team-mates braved adverse weather during Tuesday's training session . Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team-mates trained at Anfield ahead of Wednesday's clash with Liverpool . The former Man United star is used to English weather but still looked uncomfortable as the rain poured down . Ronaldo pulls his snood over his head during Real Madrid's training session on Tuesday evening . Ronaldo gives a thumbs up to his fans who waited to catch a glimpse of the frontman outside the Hilton hotel . Earlier in the day, Real Madrid's players had looked in relaxed mood as they flew out to Liverpool to continue the defence of their Champions League crown. Dressed in Real's club suit and a pair of aviator sunglasses, Ronaldo will go into Wednesday's fixture hoping to continue his extraordinary run of goalscoring form. The former Manchester United forward has already netted 15 times in La Liga this season and twice in the Champions League, helping Los Blancos' pursuit of domestic and European glory. He also scored two in the Super Cup win. Cristiano Ronaldo makes his way off Real Madrid's plane after arriving at Liverpool John Lennon Airport . Goalkeeper Iker Casillas (left) and Isco (right) both look set to start against Liverpool on Wednesday night . Sami Khedira (left) and Javier Hernandez (right) walk towards Real's team coach after their flight . Midfielders (from left to right) James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric arrive on Merseyside . Manager Carlo Ancelotti (left) and defender Pepe (right) step off of Real Madrid's private plane . VIDEO Liverpool host Real in European epic . Although he was dressed in the same suit as his team-mates, Ronaldo stood out from the crowd with his choice of bag on arrival in Liverpool. The 29-year-old was pictured wearing a blue MCM Stark Spike backpack, which retails at around £1,020. The fashionable bag is made with pebble lamb skin and comes with 24k gold-plated gunmetal studs. If you have a spare grand lying about, this charming accessory is available from both Harrods and Selfridges. As well as Hernandez, Ronaldo's team-mates Karim Benzema and Sami Khedira were also pictured wandering to Real's plane, while midfielders Luka Modric and James Rodriguez posed for a snap during the flight. Modric looked particularly windswept coming down the steps in Liverpool as the La Liga side safely touched down at John Lennon Airport a couple of hours later before making their way on to a coach and heading off to the Hilton hotel in the city centre. One player missing from Real's travelling party was Gareth Bale, who has been ruled out of Wednesday's game after suffering a muscular injury in his buttock. The Welshman was an unused substitute as Ancelotti's men thrashed Levante 5-0 on Saturday, with their goals coming from Ronaldo (two), Isco, Hernandez and Rodriguez. Real will train at Anfield on Tuesday evening before Ancelotti and former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa speak to the press at 6:30pm. Like MailOnline Sport's Facebook page. Ronaldo holds onto his MCM Stark - Spike bag, which costs around £600, as he boards Real's coach . Ronaldo has previously worn a personalised CR7 Portugal backpack made by MCM . Ronaldo (right) with Real team-mates and staff (from left) Javier Hernandez, Luka Modric, Fernando Hierro, Paul Clement, Alvaro Arbeloa and Carlo Ancelotti on the shuttle bus from Madrid Airport to the plane . They pose on the Tarmac before boarding the plane to Merseyside for the Champions League clash . Hernandez (left) and Ronaldo (right) share a joke as Real Madrid arrive at Madrid airport . Midfielders Modric (left) and James Rodriguez (right) give thumbs up to the camera while on Real's plane . Coach Fernando Hierro (left) and midfielder Sami Khedira (right) chat as they make their way into the airport . France striker Karim Benzema should be fit to face Liverpool after missing last weekend's win against Levante . Gareth Bale will miss Wednesday's game through injury after being left on the bench against Levante . | Real Madrid face Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening . Carlo Ancelotti's side flew out ahead of crucial Champions League fixture . Cristiano Ronaldo and Javier Hernandez among those pictured arriving . Gareth Bale has not travelled after suffering a muscle injury . Ronaldo and his Real team-mates trained as rain battered down on Anfield . | 1d157f6bcb5a36966c6719581a1ba23de8deb7ba |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:48 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:13 EST, 13 January 2014 . This is the moment a baker lost both his legs as the shop front of his bakery came crashing down on him. Josiah Pereira dos Santos, 48, was crushed by the facade of his own shop in Goiania, Brazil, on Saturday morning. Security cameras inside the shop show Mr dos Santos standing outside the bakery. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Unaware: Josiah Pereira dos Santos stands outside his bakery in Goiania, Brazil . But seconds later the structure suddenly collapses landing on the man. A colleague rushes to help Mr dos Santos who is lying injured on the pavement. Mr dos Santos was taken to the Emergency Hospital of Goiânia where he had part of both legs amputated. Goiânia is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Goiás. The shop front falls down trapping the baker before he had time to escape . Agony: Security cameras inside the shop captured Mr dos Santos being hit by the shop front . A colleague rushes to help Mr dos Santos but he had both legs amputated shortly after he was taken to hospital . | Josiah Pereira dos Santos, 48, was crushed by the facade of his own shop . Security cameras show Mr dos Santos standing outside the bakery . But seconds later the structure suddenly collapses landing on the man . | 0a27003458d20a02f5d662ca450733b96a807496 |
As a successful TV chef, you might expect Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to urge you to eat more. But the presenter of Channel 4’s River Cottage series has turned to fasting to offset his Christmas ‘gluttony’, he said yesterday. He has become the latest supporter of ‘intermittent fasting’, heralded as the biggest diet revolution since the Atkins. Dieters eat normally for five days a week but dramatically reduce their food intake on the other two days. Weight loss: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has already lost 8lbs since embarking on the 'intermittent fasting' diet . Slimming down: Fearnley-Whittingstall looks vastly different from his former, more portly, self . Fearnley-Whittingstall, 48, admitted he struggled to stick to his own River Cottage lifestyle of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, writing: ‘At the turn of the year, like so many, I consumed way too much meat, cheese, cream, sugar and alcohol. ‘And despite a garden bursting with brussel sprouts, kale and winter . salads, and a weekly delivery of organic apples, oranges, clementines . and bananas, I know I didn’t eat nearly enough fruit and veg to offset . the gluttony.’ He said he had started intermittent fasting on New Year’s Day, meaning he has gone through six days of fasting, and had lost 8lb. The chef limited his food intake on fast days to a 250-calorie breakfast and a 350-calorie supper and drank black and herbal teas during the day to stave off hunger pangs. The chef said despite having a garden full of vegetables he indulged in dairy, meat and alcohol . Supporters claim that fasting can help dieters to lose weight, live . longer and delay diseases including dementia, diabetes and some cancers. The regime supposedly mimics the lifestyles of our ancestors, when . humans had to hunt for food and did not eat high-energy foods such as . meat, fat and sugar on a daily basis. Writing in the Guardian, Fearnley-Whittingstall said our modern-day . favourites like burgers and chocolate brownies were ‘delicious, but . insane’. He said: ‘These compound meals, too often glued together with . synthesised products our bodies don’t even recognise as food, curdle and . rot in our stomachs, giving us varying degrees of nausea, acid reflux, . gaseousness and cramp, and pushing our stressed digestive systems to the . absolute limit. ‘No wonder we’re bloating like dead whales and dropping like flies. ‘Of course, I realise that all my books and television shows are largely complicit with this disastrous approach to eating. ‘I like to think I am at the healthier, more natural end of the spectrum . - in fact, my professional self-respect is predicated on that. ‘But I think it would be unwise not to acknowledge that even the “River . Cottage diet” - rich as it ought to be in fresh vegetables and fruit - . is open to abuse. And I should know: I abuse it often enough.’ The book The Fast Diet by Dr Michael Mosley tells you to eat normally for five days a week – up to 2,000 calories a day for woman and 2,500 for men. On the other two, women limit their food intake to 500 calories a day and men 600. Supporters claim the regime is easier to stick to than a traditional diet, and research has found links between fasting and the body’s ability to repair itself. Dr Mosley, who presented a BBC2 Horizon programme on the subject last year, lost a stone in six weeks and cut his body fat by a quarter. Critics question whether extreme calorie restriction is healthy and warn that fasting can be addictive. Fearnley-Whittingstall said he felt ‘lean and sharp’ but questioned whether he would continue to fast regularly. He said: ‘I’ve lost eight pounds already, and I find the whole thing rather exhilarating. I feel I might just be part of a health revolution. ‘But is it really sustainable, for me or for significant numbers of others? Can I honestly say I’m backing myself to be fasting regularly a year from now? ‘I very much want the answer to be yes. Then I look at the rowing machine propped up in the corner of the kids’ playroom. This time last year I was pounding it for 2,000 metres twice a week. It didn’t last past the first chocolate egg.’ | The chef has already lost 8lbs since starting starting diet at New Year . Dieters on 'intermittent fast' dramatically reduce calorie intake twice a week . Fearnley-Whittingstall said he feels 'lean and sharp' since starting diet . | cc8522c79af51b0f467137c62f2e614ec572b807 |
London, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, announced Tuesday the birth of their fourth child, a baby girl. The baby was born by Caesarean section at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, southwestern England, at midday. She had been due next month. The baby weighed 2.75 kilograms (6 pounds, 1 ounce), and both the baby and mother are "doing very well," Cameron's office at Downing Street said in a statement. The child had been expected in September. The Camerons already have two young children, Arthur and Nancy. Their oldest child, Ivan, was severely disabled and died last year at age 6. Samantha Cameron was visibly pregnant during the campaign that brought her husband to power in May. She scaled back her hours as creative director at luxury brand Smythson after the election. "It was very exciting, we were on holiday, thought we were going to get through the holiday and then have a baby, and then it just seemed to kick off a bit quickly," Cameron told reporters outside the hospital after the birth. "Samantha woke up this morning and thought she was having contractions and it was all beginning to get going, so we thought we would come to the hospital just to get everything checked out, and then things sort of sped up and it all happened very, very quickly and the baby popped out at about 12 o'clock." He added: "It was a bit of a shock. We're absolutely thrilled. She is an unbelievably beautiful girl and I'm a very proud dad and both baby and mum seem to be doing very well, so it's really exciting." | David and Samantha Cameron announced the birth Tuesday . The girl weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce . The baby had been expected in September . | bad926687f949102b2f6e0db7af2461e4f2f3b50 |
(CNN) -- A member of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot -- convicted last summer after a protest performance inside a Moscow cathedral -- had her parole bid rejected Friday when a judge said she'd broken prison rules and never expressed regret, state news reported. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova's lawyer argued that she should be freed because she has a small child, hadn't had conflicts with other inmates and would have a job once she was freed, reported RAPSI, an official news agency focused on legal matters. But the judge in Mordovia, in central Russia, sided with prosecutors and took into account Tolokonnikova's behavior at a penal colony in Perm, about 1,000 kilometers (700 miles) east of Moscow. "She had not always observed the rules of conduct," the judge ruled according to another state news agency, RIA Novosti. "She has two disciplinary penalties not yet removed from her record." Irina Khrunova, Tolokonnikova's lawyer, told state news that her client will appeal Friday's ruling. Tolokonnikova and another band member, Maria Alyokhina, both in their 20s, were sentenced in August for performing a song critical of President Vladimir Putin in one of the Russian Orthodox Church's most important cathedrals. Yekaterina Samutsevich, a third member of the band, was sentenced at the same time. But she was freed from prison last October. Footage of the brief but provocative protest action in February 2012 attracted worldwide attention after it was posted online. It showed the band members, their faces shrouded by balaclavas, screaming "Mother Mary, please drive Putin away" inside Christ Savior Cathedral, outraging many of the Russia church's faithful . The three women, who were arrested shortly after the act, were all convicted of hooliganism. Two other members of the all-female group have fled Russia. Human rights activists and celebrities alike rallied around Pussy Riot -- and railed at Russian authorities for going after women who, they said, were expressing their political views -- following the band members' arrest. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, for example, both issued reports earlier this year sharply criticizing Russia's record on freedom of expression. The heavy clampdown on government critics and activists, the groups said, has increased since Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency -- which happened a few months after the Pussy Riot protest act. Putin subsequently denied his government employs "Stalinist elements" -- which he equated to a "personality cult and mass violation of law, reprisals, prison camps." "But that doesn't mean we should have no discipline, no law and order -- and all people in Russia should be equal before the law." That includes the women in Pussy Riot, Putin said. "No one puts anyone in prison for political reasons, for their political views. They get punished for violating the law. Everybody should observe the law." CNN's Joseph Netto contributed to this report. | Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one of 3 arrested Pussy Riot members, had asked for parole . State news: A judge denies it, saying she broke prison rules and hasn't expressed regret . Pussy Riot staged a performance protesting Russia's leaders in 2012 in a Moscow church . Activists have decried the arrest and conviction of the punk band's members . | e7d757df3dd3225b01af9e80d0e2e36d22a4592d |
Crystal Palace have stolen ahead of West Bromwich Albion in the pursuit of Shola Ameobi. Alan Pardew is keen to link up with the striker he knows from his Newcastle United days and bolster his attacking options. West Brom were the first club to offer a deal to Ameobi, a free agent, but Palace are believed to have presented better terms. Shola Ameobi is closing in on a return to the Premier League with Crystal Palace . The former Newcastle striker left Turkish club Gaziantep in December . The 33-year-old, seen as a player capable of making an impact from the bench in Palace’s fight against relegation, would sign on a short-term basis until the end of the season. Ameobi scored 79 goals in 397 appearances for Newcastle before leaving St James’ Park last season after 14 years of service. The former Magpies forward moved to Gaziantep in August but left in December. Palace boss Alan Pardew (right) is keen to link up with the striker he knows from his Newcastle United days . | Shola Ameobi has been a free agent since leaving Gaziantep in December . West Brom were the first club to offer a deal to Ameobi . But Palace are believed to have presented better terms . Palace are looking to sign Ameobi on a short-term deal . Ameobi scored 79 goals in 397 appearances for Newcastle . | e7de36fd3359d1d96db471008231d0b6a9b73511 |
By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 05:20 EST, 1 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:29 EST, 2 January 2013 . More than one in four Britons have the early signs of liver disease, according to the British Liver Trust . A booze-free January is not enough to repair the liver and keep it healthy, leading experts have warned. Aside from the fact that many of us simply resume old habits once the month is over, a fatty diet and sedentary lifestyle can be just as damaging, they say. A roadshow carried out by The British Liver Trust charity last year found that 28 per cent of people tested were showing the early signs of liver disease. If left undetected however, these . early signs could lead to permanent liver damage. Liver disease, now the fifth biggest killer in the UK, has increased in the past year as British culture continues to embrace the daily consumption of alcohol and unhealthy food choices, combined with a sedentary lifestyle, the trust said. With no early warning signs, and tolerance levels varying genetically, liver testing is critical to identify early signs of damage so people can make lifestyle changes to save their lives. The charity is calling on the Government to make . early liver screening available to everyone at risk in a bid to save one . million lives a year. It believes GPs should ask their patients more lifestyle questions and offer a simple liver function test, as they do for patients with suspected high blood pressure. The charity made its plea as it launched its second Love Your Liver awareness campaign, to be led by a nationwide roadshow of 'pop-up' liver health clinics. The trust's chief executive, Andrew Langford, said: 'Last year the Love Your Liver Roadshow found that one in four people tested were showing the early signs of liver disease. Caught at this early stage, lifestyle changes allow the liver to repair itself. 'Having an alcoholic drink every night, over-indulging in rich food too frequently and not making time for regular exercise are major contributing factors for liver disease.' A key issue is that many people don't realise that regardless of alcohol intake, a lack of exercise and a fatty diet can also cause cirrhosis and liver cancer . He told The Guardian: 'In the last five years, we have seen a real decrease in the age of death from liver disease. It used to be in the 60s, now it is 58, and by 2020 we would expect it to be about 50 if it follows this trajectory. Ten years ago, it was very unusual to see a 30-year-old in a liver unit awaiting a transplant. Now it is not uncommon.' One key problem is that many of us don't realise that regardless of alcohol intake, a lack of exercise and a fatty diet can also cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. These two factors also cause fat to build up in the liver. Mr Langford added: 'It is a myth that cirrhosis is always caused by alcohol. 'As everyone is affected differently, and symptoms are almost unrecognisable until the damage is beyond repair, the Government needs to take action to help people understand the damage they are doing. 'It's not about a quick fix in January, to repair the liver and keep it healthy, people need to follow our three-step plan all-year round: 1) Take two to three days off alcohol every week; 2) get regular exercise; 3) cut down on sugar and fat. 'Our Love Your Liver campaign offers free screenings to the public at a series of pop-up liver health clinics, offering free FibroScan tests which help identify the early warning signs and practical advice about how to love your liver. 'However, we can only reach a very small group of people and we're appealing for the Government to do more.' The campaign can be followed via www.loveyourliver.org.uk www.facebook.com/britishlivertrust and Twitter @livertrust . | 28 per cent of people tested by the British Liver Trust were showing the early signs of liver damage . Liver disease is now the fifth biggest killer in the UK, due to alcohol, fatty diets and sedentary lifestyles . Charity is calling for early liver screening to be made available to all those at risk, in a bid to save one million lives a year . | 703f56d00375cb5e8a8a04342e16943a2bd3bab6 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . The body of a Florida restaurant owner has been found six days after he disappeared while diving into the Ganges to save a holiday-maker. Hector Rolotti, who ran the popular Novecento chain, which has four restaurants in Miami, had been on a yoga retreat in India with his wife, Mora Barber, when he was swept away. The 47-year-old was one of six people who jumped into the river on Monday, after seeing a member of the retreat crying out for help. Found: The body of Hector Rolotti, pictured with wife Mora, has been found six days after he was swept away . For a week search teams had searched sections of the river near Rishikesh, where Rolotti was last seen, in the hope of finding him. Success: Rolotti opened the the first of many restaurants at the age of 24 . Because the father-of-three was physically fit, family and friends had held out a glimmer of hope that he had somehow survived, after being pulled under by the strong current. On Saturday, his restaurant group released a statement saying the Argentinian-born restaurateur's body had been found. 'It is with great sadness that Novecento . Group informs that the body of founding parter Hector Rolotti was found . in the Ganges River,' the statement, published in the Miami Herald, said. 'The body . was found intact due to the low temperatures of the Ganges this time of . year. He was found by a group of locals who then alerted the authorities . and search team.' Rolotti and his wife had been on a yoga retreat, which they attended every year. The . couple had been in India for about a week, and were due to return this . weekend. Instead, Rolotii will now be cremated before his ashes are . returned to Miami and Argentina. Friends and colleagues paid tribute to Rolotti at the weekend, remembering him as 'a tireless entrepreneur and family man, always concerned about his children, wife and parents'. A customer at one of his Florida restaurants commented on his efforts to save a friend, telling CBS Miami: 'I think it’s heroic and very inspirational and hopefully his journey in the afterlife is taking him somewhere else pleasant.' A statement from the restaurant read: 'Hector’s great . achievement with Novecento was much more than a restaurant chain, it is a . meeting point for friends and communities.' Retreat: Rolotti and his wife had been on a yoga holiday along the Ganges, when one of their friends fell in . Rolotti was just 24 when he opened his first Novecento restaurant in SoHo. He had left Argentina for New York and, by 1991 had founded the first of many successful establishments. His philosophy behind what made a great restaurant, he told Argentinian newspaper La Voz del Interior, was to create a place where 'people can meet friends or do business'. 'Just providing food doesn’t make it. You have to offer more, you have to set up places people want to meet,' he said. Rolotti went on to open 13 branches of his restaurant, including four in Miami, two in Mexico, five in Argentina, and one in Uruguay. | Hector Rolotti and his wife Mora had been on vacation when he was swept away . Father-of-three from Miami was found six days after being pulled under . Argentinian-born restaurateur ran the popular Novecento chain . | 6b13d8679bd2e76be2aac20c6813646e82bafd30 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter and Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:31 EST, 21 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:05 EST, 24 April 2012 . One former U.S service member alleges she was raped by a fellow cadet and then forced to take out her attacker’s trash as punishment for reporting the assault to the military school. Another service member claims she was raped twice by two fellow students at the Naval Academy in Annapolis and then made to drop out after she told an army counselor about the attacks. These women are the latest in a string of former and current U.S service members who are suing military officials for systematically ignoring a 'staggering' number of sexual assaults. Naval Academy in Annapolis: Two women who said they were raped while attending U.S. military academies sued military officials on Friday, accusing them of failing to address widespread problems of sexual assault at the elite schools . Lawsuit: Leah Marquet, a former cadet at the Military Academy in West Point, said she was pressured by upperclassmen to get drunk and raped by a fellow student while she was intoxicated . In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, Leah Marquet, 20, and Anne Kendzior, 22, said the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and the Army's United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, tolerate sexual assault and discourage victims of attacks from reporting them. 'Both institutions systematically and repeatedly ignore rampant sexual harassment,' the lawsuit filed by the two women stated. 'Both institutions have a history of failing to prosecute and punish those students found to have sexually assaulted and raped their fellow students.' In the lawsuit, Marquet, a former West Point cadet, said she was pressured by upperclassmen to get drunk and raped by a fellow student while she was intoxicated. After she reported the assault, other students taunted her, the lawsuit said, and the school punished her for reporting the incident by forcing her to take out her alleged rapist’s trash. Systematic: Eight former and current U.S service members are suing military officials for systematically ignoring a 'staggering' number of sexual assaults (file photo) She quit West Point after becoming suicidal, the documents claimed. Kendzior, . who entered the Naval Academy in 2008, said she was raped twice by two . different fellow students, both times while she was drunk. Kendzior accused the Naval Academy of forcing her to leave after she reported the rapes to an academy counselor. The . suit accused former Defense Secretary Robert Gates and four other . military officials of failing to implement steps to fight sexual . assaults at the schools. The suit seeks an unspecified amount of monetary damages. U.S. Navy Commander William Marks, a Naval Academy spokesman, declined comment on the lawsuit itself, but said the academy takes every report of alleged sexual assault 'extremely seriously' and that its 'sexual assault response and advocacy program is among the strongest in the nation.' Claims: Former Marine Corps officer Ariana Klay claims she was raped at the U.S. Marine Barracks in Washington D.C., one of the most prestigious bases in the country . Fighter: Ariana Klay served a tour in Iraq before returning to Annapolis, where the rape occurred at the hand of her superior officer . Dress: After speaking publicly, Ms Klay was harassed by other Marines saying she 'asked for it' because she wore makeup and occasionally running shorts . Officials at West Point said they . could not comment on pending litigation, but that the school takes . sexual harassment issues 'very seriously.' 'Every . unrestricted report of sexual assault is thoroughly investigated, the . results of the investigation are reviewed by legal experts and . appropriate action taken,' said Lt. Col. Sherri K. Reed, the academy's . spokesperson. Officials at the Pentagon had no immediate comment on the lawsuit. Last month, eight other women filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington saying they were raped, assaulted or sexually harassed while in the military, and were retaliated against when they complained. Victim: Lt Elle Helmer (seen in both photos above) said she was raped at Annapolis in 2006 . Lt Ariana Klay and Lt Elle Helmer both claim they were raped at the U.S. Marine Barracks in Washington D.C., one of the most prestigious bases in the country. They said that in addition to being raped with little or no justice following the alleged incidents, their fellow Marines ridiculed them for being ‘sluts’ and ‘walking mattresses.’ The latest lawsuit was filed less than a week after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced new steps to curb thousands of sexual assaults a year within the military. | Leah Marquet, 20, and Anne Kendzior, 22, are suing military officials for 'systematically' ignoring sexual assaults . Last month eight other female service members filed a lawsuit saying they were raped or abused . | 4128cfbb632c3f96827cbed7becb81bca6ca558c |
(CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's claim that terrorists "can run but they can't hide" following two operations in Africa over the weekend is a reminder that America's military is increasingly active on the continent. It also raises questions about the international legality of such operations, and their long-term impact, especially in weak African states. In some cases U.S. military engagements in Africa have already caused further instability rather than reducing the risks for international peace and security? Read more: Should U.S. fear Boko Haram? The U.S. Army's Delta force seizure of alleged al Qaeda leader Abu Anas al Libi, who was born Nazih Abd al Hamid al Ruqhay, in Libya is significant for U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. A few months ago, President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush attended a memorial service in Dar es Salaam on the anniversary of the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed more than 220 people. Al-Libi was allegedly the mastermind behind these bombings and has been one of the U.S.'s wanted men for the last 15 years. A second U.S. military operation by Navy Seals in Somalia was aimed at capturing Islamist militant leader said to be Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, who also goes by Ahmed Abdi Godane, the leader of Al-Shabaab, the group that claimed responsibility for last month's attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Kenya. The operation was aborted under heavy armed fire during their amphibious assault. Analysis: Al-Shabaab breaks new ground . The Somalia operation is a reminder of how technically difficult such operations are and how accurate U.S. intelligence needs to be. Such operations though fit into a bigger picture of U.S. and Western counter-terrorism strategy in Africa, and how these poorly governed, fragile states provide havens and laboratories for terrorism franchises. Listening to the difficulties that the U.S. Navy Seals encountered in Somalia, reminded me that October 3, marked 20 years since 18 U.S. soldiers and hundreds of Somalis died in a battle that saw two Black Hawk helicopters shot down over Mogadishu. This was seen at the time as one of the worst disasters in American military history. The result in 1993 was that U.S. and international community left Somalia to its own fate -- which over two decades has brought it back into the front-line of international counter-terrorism efforts. While the outcome in 1993 was disengagement, U.S. engagement policy under President George W. Bush in Somalia to remove the Islamic Courts Union in late 2006 resulted in deepened radicalization and the rise of Al-Shabaab. Similarly Western policy toward Libya in 2011, interpreting a narrow civilian protection U.N. mandate for pushing for regime change resulted in the instability of Libya today, and the knock-on effects in the Sahel, including the radical Islamists capturing northern Mali until a French intervention loosened their hold on power earlier in 2013. Counter-terrorism policies live on the edge of international law: extrajudicial killings by drones or proxy hit squads are clearly contentious and extraordinary renditions -- suspect-grabbing operations -- are unlawful. Known extraordinary renditions in Africa have occurred in many African countries, including Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Morocco, Mauritania, Tanzania, Somalia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Obama administration has not publically stated if such operations continue. Today the U.S. military brief congress with maps showing an arc of instability by Islamist terrorists from Somalia and the Gulf of Aden across the Sahel and Sahara to the Atlantic Ocean and Mauritania. Analysis: What's behind Nigeria's wave of violence? The mistake would be to regard this as a homogeneous threat. Boko Haram in Nigeria is very different from Al-Shabaab, which is different from AQIM. What is similar is that all these groups thrive in weakened and poorly governed states but the solutions are much more costly and long term: institution building, good governance and job creation. Building up professional and accountable African militaries is only part of the solution and Western efforts in Somalia in support of the continental body the African Union have had success in combatting Al-Shabaab and significantly weakening them, despite the Westgate attack in Kenya. It is though also pursuing policies that do not cause greater harm and radicalize further, as U.S. strategy toward Somalia in 2006 did and arguably US, French and British policy did toward Libya in 2011. If we are to advocate good governance, and rule of law as the ultimate remedies, we should more assiduously find ways of ensuring our policies are values-led, rather than by interests. Not forgetting the lessons learned from Somalia and Libya about the unintended consequences of non-intervention and intervention is important if international efforts to counter terrorism in Africa in the long term are to be successful. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Alex Vines. | Counter-terrorism policies live on the edge of international law, Alex Vines writes . U.S. raids in Africa show that America's military is increasingly active on the continent . Building up professional, accountable militaries is only part of the solution, Vines says . | 0d8f8bad4680a1ab57197f60923e8cf71c748d6f |
Erica Ginnetti, 34, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in a Pennsylvania court to institutional sexual assault and disseminating sexually explicit materials to a minor . A high school math teacher from Pennsylvania has admitted having sex with a 17-year-old student and sending him inappropriate text messages and videos. Erica Ginnetti, a married mom-of-three from Philadelphia, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Montgomery County court to institutional sexual assault and disseminating sexually explicit materials to a minor. The 34-year-old remains free on bail and faces a possible maximum of seven to 14 years in prison when she is sentenced. She was fired by Lower Moreland Township School District after her arrest in January. According to investigators, the math and calculus teacher first approached the victim in May 2013 when she chaperoned the senior prom and invited him to come work out at her gym. A few days later the 17-year-old responded to Ginnetti with a text message, and the two began communicating on a daily basis. The criminal complaint against Ginnetti says that over the next several months, she sent the minor sexually explicit text messages, photos depicting her wearing bikini, a thong and other underwear, and videos showing the woman undressing suggestively and performing a sexual act on herself, according to The Bucks County Courier Times. Ginnetti, pictured above with her husband, first approached her victim in May 2013 when she chaperoned the senior prom and invited him to come work out at her gym . According to officials, the illicit relationship culminated in July 2013 when Ginnetti and the student met for coffee in Starbucks and then drove to an industrial park to have sex in her car. She then allegedly dropped her paramour back at the coffee shop and told him not to tell anyone about the encounter. Authorities say the investigation began after they received a tip-off that students had been overheard discussing X-rated pictures showing a minor and Ginnetti doing 'sexual things.' When police questioned the 17-year-old boy, he came clean about the affair and Ginnetti then also confessed to having a relationship with the student, police said. Watch the full report on CBS Philly here. The 34-year-old, pictured above after her arrest in January, remains free on bail and faces a possible maximum of seven to 14 years in prison when she is sentenced . Two months after Ginnetti first met her 17-year-old victim at his prom in May 2013 they drove to an industrial park and had sex in her car . ‘I would say that she treated her relationship with this student as she would have treated a relationship with an adult with whom she was involved,’ Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman told The Mercury News in January. Police said they found several texts the lovers had exchanged discussing their July outing and one mentioning ‘a used condom that had been left in Ginnetti’s vehicle,’ according to the criminal complaint. On the night of the alleged tryst, after he returned home, the student told police he got a text from Ginnetti asking him to ‘do it again.’ As part of her $50,000 bail condition in January, Ginnetti was forbidden from having unsupervised contact with any minors except for her own children, ages 8, 11 and 14. She also had to surrender her passport, and the authorities have been keeping track of her using a GPS device. As part of her $50,000 bail condition in January, Ginnetti was forbidden from having unsupervised contact with any minors except for her own children - aged 8, 11 and 14 . | Maths teacher Erica Ginnetti, 34, pleaded guilty in a Pennsylvania court on Tuesday to having sex with a 17-year-old student . She first approached her victim in May 2013 when she chaperoned the senior prom and invited him to come work out at her gym . Two months later they met at Starbucks and drove to an industrial park to have sex in her car . The 34-year-old remains free on bail and faces a possible maximum of seven to 14 years in prison when she is sentenced . | a7afe7ce54ceaffbf8ddd2cbb78e52e442420b09 |
'It may surprise some of you to know this is not the first time I've sung on board a ship,' Mr Gordon Sumner - aka rock god Sting - declared to an enraptured audience on the Queen Mary 2. 'One of my first-ever jobs as a professional musician was on SS Oriana. 'In the early 1970s I sang every night, until the ship's purser told me I could no longer sing as I was upsetting some of the lady passengers. So the drummer ended up singing instead. That purser's sorry now, I tell you!' An Englishman in the port: Sting poses next to the Queen Mary 2 ahead of his recent appearance on board . I was one of the privileged passengers to enjoy an hour-long audience with Sting in the liner's Royal Court Theatre. We were docked in the Big Apple - and never had the rock star's 'Englishman in New York' sounded so appropriate. It may indeed also surprise readers to know that an audience with Sting is now par for the course - or par for the cruise - when it comes to on-board entertainment across Cunard's magnificent fleet. That's especially true on QM2, with her stunning 1,150-capacity theatre that rivals the best on Broadway. Although Sting's performance was a one-off to showcase songs from his new Broadway musical, The Last Ship (plus a few classic crowd-pleasers for good measure), the gig was a good example of the calibre of on-board entertainment now offered. You won't find any of those old cruise-line staples - obscure jazz artists, opera singers and tribute acts - on Cunard's fleet today. You're more likely to encounter music legends such as Rod Stewart, Lenny Kravitz, Carly Simon and Midge Ure. Rapper Kid Rock has done a gig on one of the ships. In August this year, to celebrate QM2's tenth anniversary, Grammy Award-winning James Taylor performed twice in the Royal Court during an eight-day Transatlantic crossing. Taylor's association with the ship began five years ago after he discovered the benefits of her sizeable hold. Having been forced to delay a European tour after his band's equipment was waylaid on a container ship, Taylor realised he could enjoy the leisurely pace of travel on QM2 safely accompanied by his instruments. 'It's a fascinating way to vacation,' Taylor said. 'There's something romantic about departing on a boat and seeing the water, and actually experiencing every nautical mile. 'It sort of makes a connection to another time and place.' Of course, Cunard's liners have been attracting stars for many decades: photos showing Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor and Charlie Chaplin - to name but a few - enjoying Cunard cruises are proudly displayed on QM2. The nice thing for today's stars is that the nature of the passengers on Cunard cruises tends to mean they are largely left to their own devices and are not hounded for autographs or 'selfies'. And it's not just A-list stars from the music world who are signing up to perform at sea. QM2 has also been playing host to big names from Hollywood including Tilda Swinton, actor Jason Schwartzman, and directors Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola. Next year, Cunard will celebrate its 175th anniversary - meaning there'll be more stars than ever adorning the fabulous fleet. Cunard (www.cunard.co.uk, 0843 374 0000) offers seven- and eight-night Atlantic crossings on Queen Mary 2 between May and October 2015. Prices from £1,299 for a voyage from Southampton to New York, including return flight and transfers. | Top cruise ship Queen Mary 2 regularly plays host to major celebrities . Sting recently played an intimate show when the liner stopped in New York . Other major music artists, including Kid Rock, have also played on board . | 4921a234e2494276a7ecd7a59c2decd71dcfc638 |
Margaret Thatcher once faced a diplomatic row about roses. The incident, which saw the UK mediate between Germany and Japan over who could name a rose after her, stretches for more than 40 pages in her 1984 files. The Tory leader was asked by the German Central Horticultural Association if it could name a flower in her honour. Scroll down for video . Margaret Thatcher ended up at the heart of a row between Germany and Japan, who had an ongoing dispute over who should be allowed to name a rose after her. Details of the incident spans 40 pages in her 1984 files . In a speech to delegates who had travelled for a 'proper tea' at Downing Street, she remarked that she was 'deeply touched by the honour'. Mrs Thatcher added: 'A blue rose would be too much to expect. '(I am) Delighted however to note that according to the grower, Mr Kordes, the rose is robust, stands strong on stems, and is very long-lasting.' But she had forgotten that in 1978 she gave permission for a Margaret Thatcher rose to be created by Japanese firm Takatori. The story of the German rose made international headlines and Mr Takatori wrote to the Prime Minister in complaint. Amid threats of legal action, a young diplomat named Peter Ricketts, now Ambassador to France, concluded that, although legally the German's may have done nothing wrong, they had acted disingenuously. After a drawn-out series of memos, it was eventually decided that the Japanese should be appeased. Personal papers found in Thatcher's 1984 files show the correspondence sent during the 'rose' dispute . A response was sent, reading: 'The two roses are different in appearance, but if an error has been made, the prime minister very much hopes that it can be satisfactorily and easily resolved. 'We can understand your concern, and would like to assure Mr Takatori of our high regard for the masterpiece he named.' The matter was quietly dropped but not without occupying hours of the prime minister's time. Historian Chris Collins, from the Margaret Thatcher Foundation, said: 'It goes to show that Yes Minister really happened. 'It took up a lot of time but all they could really do was grin and bear it. 'Perhaps what's most surprising is they were utterly humourless about the whole thing.' She even cancelled her hairdo . Calm and unflappable in a crisis, Thatcher showed resilience worthy of her reputation as the Iron Lady when the Brighton hotel bomb struck, the files reveal. She was so focused on continuing as normal that she even remembered to personally write to a hairdresser after cancelling an appointment in the aftermath. She had taken the difficult decision that the Conservative Party conference must go on in spite of the atrocity, which killed five people and injured 31 on October 12, 1984. Among the dead were two high-profile Tories, and Mrs Thatcher herself narrowly escaped injury, but she refused to allow the tragic event to get to her. In the aftermath of the horrific IRA bombing in Brighton on October 12, 1984, the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (above) still managed to remember to call her stylist and cancel an upcoming hair appointment . She carried on as usual the following day, attending meetings and meeting ministers but she did allow less essential appointments to slip. The files, newly released by the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust, show that she instructed a secretary to cancel a hair appointment with Ruffles Hair Salon in Hove, East Sussex. But not content with this courtesy, Thatcher wrote a personal note to thank hairdresser William Thorne for his work earlier in the week. She added: 'I was very pleased with the way you did my hair, and the fact that it lasted so well through Friday was the real test.' According to Mrs Thatcher's appointments diary, her dressmaker, Daphne Scrimgeour, had been due to visit her at Chequers the following day but this was also cancelled. The phrase 'lunch at Chequers' is rubbed out, suggesting she also cancelled a meal with friends. It was not until she attended a church service on the following Monday that she was seen to publicly weep, saying on television: 'This is the day I was not meant to see.' The letters sent from Downing Street confirm Mrs Thatcher's hair appointment for the 1984 Tory conference . Newly-released letters sent from Downing Street reveal how Thatcher wrote to her stylist, William Thorne, apologising that she had to cancel in the wake of the IRA Brighton bombing and offering to pay him anyway . Historian Chris Collins, from the Margaret Thatcher Foundation, said: 'Her reaction was partly out of necessity and her instinct to carry on. 'I think she would have also been comforted by returning to her usual schedule. 'But also it was a natural human reaction - I'm sure many of us are familiar with the phenomenon of being in a car crash and not realising the harm that's been done until later.' She was inundated with hundreds of letters from world leaders, political rivals and friends. Mr Collins said: 'The number of her responses is so abundant and the touch so personal, we can see that she must have spent many hours of her time the following week handling that correspondence.' In one of the personal letters, her private secretary John Coles said: 'We shall remember - not the bomb or the ruined building - but your courage, calm and nobility in the aftermath. 'I can imagine how much shock and sorrow you had to overcome to show those qualities so splendidly. You turned evil into inspiration.' | Margaret Thatcher once at heart of row over who could name rose after her . Incident was mentioned in more than 40 pages of her 1984 personal papers . Germany and Japan bickered over who could name bloom after former PM . | a5a131f3562fba282a5c688b148715c51017fa4f |
By . Daniel Bates . PUBLISHED: . 16:27 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:16 EST, 29 January 2013 . The District Attorney who refused to prosecute JonBenet Ramsey's parents did so because he was 'too scared' to put them on trial, it was claimed today. Alex Hunter did not indict John and Patsy Ramsey because he was 'in over his head', said Donald Davis, who co-authored one of the most authoritative books about what happened. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Davis said that Mr Hunter was 'embarrassed' at the prospect of losing one of the most high profile cases in recent memory - so decided not to go forward with it instead. Cold case: John and Patsy Ramsey, the parents of murdered beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, were indicted by a grand jury over her death, but prosecutors refused to press charges, it has been revealed . Unsolved: Six-year-old JonBenet was found bludgeoned and strangled to death in the basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado, on Christmas Day in 1996 . Mr Davis co-wrote ‘JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation’ with Steve Thomas, one of the detectives in Boulder, Colorado who investigated JonBenet's death. He was speaking out after it emerged that back in 1999 a Colorado grand jury voted to indict the Ramseys on charges of child abuse resulting in death, a felony that can carry up to 48 years in prison. JonBenet, six, was found bludgeoned and strangled to death in the basement of her home in Boulder on Boxing Day in 1996. Sources, including members of the grand jury, told the Boulder Daily Camera that Mr Hunter refused to sign the indictment vote and never publicly revealed its decision. As a result Mr and Mrs Ramsey remained suspects until finally being exonerated in 2008. No-one has ever been convicted. Mr Davis’s comments threaten to re-open wounds that have barely begun to heal despite the passage of 14 years. Experts: Mr Davis co-wrote ‘JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation’ with Steve Thomas, one of the detectives in Boulder, Colorado who investigated JonBenet's death . He has never spoken publically about Mr Hunter but said that ‘this would be about the way I would expect it to finally come down’. He told MailOnline: ‘Mr Hunter was scared. He was in over his head. ‘He didn’t want to take these people into the courtroom. He was embarrassed they might be set free.' Mr Davis said that Mr Hunter was ‘known as Mr Plea Bargain around here (Boulder).’ He said: ‘He wasn’t ready for anything beyond that’. Mr Davis’s book with former cop Steve Thomas was arguably the most sensational about the entire case. Mr Thomas quit the investigation in 1998 and wrote a scathing letter about Mr Hunter which he made public and explained in depth in the book. His resignation letter reads: ‘It is difficult to imagine a more compelling situation for the appointment of an entirely independent prosecution team to be introduced into this matter, who would oversee an attempt at righting this case’. Mr Davis said that Mr Thomas is now ‘living quietly with his wife and a little girl’. He said: ‘He doesn’t want anything to do with this. He feels that a huge injustice was done. I agree with him’. 'Last picture': JonBenet with her mother, apparently on the morning of her death. Her parents remained suspects in the murder until finally being exonerated in 2008 . Horrific: JonBenet was found with her wrists tied above her head and duct tape over her mouth . In a sign of how strong feelings are on the other side, a lawyer for Mr Ramsey, whose wife died of ovarian cancer in 2006, said that Mr Hunter and his staff were actually courageous for what they did. Attorney Bryan Morgan said: 'If what you report actually happened, then there were some very professional and brave people in Alex’s office.' Hunter, who left office in 2001 after 28 years as Boulder County's district attorney, has declined to discuss the grand jury's actions. In 1999 when he announced the end of investigation, he said: 'I and my prosecution task force believe we do not have sufficient evidence to warrant a filing of charges against anyone who has been investigated at this time.' It is unclear whether Mr Hunter was required to sign the indictment. However, one expert told the Daily Camera that in her opinion proper legal procedure would have been to sign the document and file it with the court before going to open court to dismiss the charges. Defending accusations: Patsy and John Ramsey hold a picture of their daughter during a press conference in 2000 where they released the results of an independent lie detector test, which revealed they had no knowledge of who killed their daughter . In a statement Mr Hunter told the Daily Camera: 'Colorado statutes, the ethical canons which govern the practice of law, and the Boulder District Court's oaths, instructions and orders in the JonBenet Ramsey grand jury proceedings, are well established and absolutely clear with respect to the various participants' legal obligations, duties and responsibilities, including the inviolate secrecy of the proceedings and the differing burdens of proof applicable to jurors and prosecutors. 'As the duly elected district attorney at the time and as an officer of the court then and now, I must respectfully decline further comment.' It was on Christmas Day of 1996 that the Ramseys received a ransom note saying that JonBenet had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding $118,000 - the amount of a bonus Mr Ramsey had recently received - or else she would be beheaded. It was not long before her body was found in the basement of the house. Her wrists were tied above her head, and she had duct tape over her mouth. An autopsy report revealed that she had been strangled and bludgeoned to death. Within hours, the Ramseys themselves became the chief suspects of the investigation and police were later criticised for losing focus of the crime scene and other leads by concentrating on the family - including JonBenet's brother Burke - instead of following up other leads. Basement case: This 1996 police video shows the basement hours after JonBenet's body was discovered . For the next 12 years, the blame for their daughter's death - who was given the name Little Miss Sunshine - lay largely on their shoulders as they fought to clear their name and find the real killer. Eventually, Mr Hunter’s office completely cleared the Ramseys of any wrongdoing in their daughter’s slaying and issued an apology in 2008. Since then, Mr Ramsey has kept the memory of his daughter alive, despite losing his reputation, a thriving business and his wife. Christmas Day, 1996: Parents of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey receive a ransom note demanding $118,000 . Boxing Day, 1996: JonBenet found bludgeoned to death in the basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado . Boulder Police quickly placed her parents,John and Patsy Ramsey, under an 'umbrella of suspicion' but they were never formally named as suspects . Detectives were later criticised for losing focus of the crime scene and other leads by concentrating on the family . 2003: DNA taken from the victim's clothes suggests the family were not involved . 2006: Patsy Ramsey dies of ovarian cancer . August 2006: Former teacher John Mark Karr reportedly confesses to the murder while being held on child pornography charges. But no murder charge brought after his DNA found not to match that on JonBenet's body . 2008: Boulder district attorney's office clears parents of any wrongdoing and issues apology . February 2009: Boulder Police Department takes the case back from the district attorney to reopen the investigation . He eventually found happiness through his relationship with fashion designer Jan Rousseaux, who he married at a private ceremony in Charlevoix, Michigan, in July 2011. Last year, a former detective officially broke his silence over the investigation, saying that overlooked clues like cobwebs and a child's toy could prove important in finding the killer in the high-profile cold case. In his self-published book, Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet Ramsey?, Jim Kolar revealed thousands of pages worth of investigations and police reports. He said he wanted the truth to be out in the public domain, and has a theory that a children’s toy could be responsible for the marks on JonBenet’s back. Mr Ramsey told police in 1996 that an intruder broke through a window in the basement. But in macabre police video that shows the basement hours after JonBenet was found dead, Koler pointed out that there are wispy cobwebs, moving ever so slightly. Koler speculates that an intruder would have brushed away the cobwebs upon entering the Ramsey’s residence and thus JonBenet’s killer would have already been inside the house. Under suspicion: The Ramseys arrive at their attorney's office in August 2000 to answer questions about the death of their daughter . Among those whose lives have never been the same after the JonBenet Ramsey case is retired Boulder chief of police, Tom Koby. He told MailOnline that he would still ‘like to justice because this case was never solved’. Mr Koby said whilst there’s ‘nothing to prevent this case from going to trial’ he has faith in the current Boulder District Attorney to make the right call. He said: 'The bottom line is this case is now as it was then. ‘There have been no charges in the case. My hope is that (Boulder) District Attorney Stanley Garnett, who is a very capable District Attorney, will one day be able to do that (file charges). ‘The Ramsey case is one of a number of homicides that become unsolved. Thirty per cent of homicides in America are not resolved. This is no different.’ Calls to Mr Hunter’s home in Boulder, Colorado went unreturned. MailOnline reached out to Mr Ramsey’s former lawyer L. Lin Wood but he has not called back. The Boulder District Attorney’s office declined to comment. | JonBenet, 6, found bludgeoned to death at home on Christmas Day, 1996 . Parents remained suspects before finally being exonerated of crime in 2008 . Now sources reveal grand jury voted in 1999 to indict them on charges of child abuse resulting in death . But district attorney refused to sign vote and never revealed the result . Donald Davis, who wrote an authoritative book with a detective involved, tells MailOnline he thinks the DA was 'in over his head' and embarrassed the parents would be set free' | 04be58c6e8de90d0a03e6587f7064a69a7747c77 |
Washington (CNN) -- Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 made drastic changes in altitude and direction after disappearing from civilian radar, U.S. officials told CNN on Friday, raising questions for investigators about just who was at the controls of the commercial jetliner that went missing one week ago with 239 people on board. The more the United States learns about the flight's pattern, "the more difficult to write off" the idea that some type of human intervention was involved, one of the officials familiar with the investigation said. The revelation comes as CNN has learned that a classified analysis of electronic and satellite data suggests the flight likely crashed either in the Bay of Bengal or elsewhere in the Indian Ocean. The analysis conducted by the United States and Malaysian governments may have narrowed the search area for the jetliner that vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, leaving little trace of where it went or why. The analysis used radar data and satellite pings to calculate that the plane diverted to the west, across the Malayan peninsula, and then either flew in a northwest direction toward the Bay of Bengal or southwest into the Indian Ocean. The theory builds on earlier revelations by U.S. officials that an automated reporting system on the airliner was pinging satellites for up to five hours after its last reported contact with air traffic controllers. Inmarsat, a satellite communications company, confirmed to CNN that automated signals were registered on its network. Taken together, the data point toward speculation of a dark scenario in which someone took control of the plane for some unknown purpose, perhaps terrorism. That theory is buoyed by word from a senior U.S. official familiar with the investigation that the Malaysia Airlines plane made several significant altitude changes and altered its course more than once after losing contact with flight towers. The jetliner was flying "a strange path," the official said on condition of anonymity. The details of the radar readings were first reported by The New York Times on Friday. Malaysian military radar showed the plane climbing to 45,000 feet soon after disappearing from civilian radar screens and then dropping to 23,000 feet before climbing again, the official said. The question of what happened to the jetliner has turned into one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history, befuddling industry experts and government officials. Suggestions have ranged from a catastrophic explosion to sabotage to hijacking to pilot suicide. The sabotage theory got a boost Friday from The Wall Street Journal, which reported investigators increasingly suspect the plane's communications systems were manually switched off. Investigators are trying to determine whether the satellite communications system that pinged for hours stopped functioning because "something catastrophic happened or someone switched off" the system, the newspaper reported, citing an unnamed person familiar with the jet's last known position. The pings stopped at a point over the Indian Ocean, while the jetliner was flying at a normal cruising altitude, according to the newspaper. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: What we know and don't know . Movie-plot theory . Then there's the theory that maybe Flight 370 landed in a remote Indian Ocean island chain. The suggestion -- and it's only that at this point -- is based on analysis of radar data revealed Friday by Reuters suggesting that the plane wasn't just blindly flying northwest from Malaysia. Reuters, citing unidentified sources familiar with the investigation, reported that whoever was piloting the vanished jet was following navigational waypoints that would have taken the plane over the Andaman Islands. The radar data don't show the plane over the Andaman Islands, but only on a known route that would take it there, Reuters cited its sources as saying. The movie-plot theory seems more complicated and unlikely than one in which the plane -- its flight crew perhaps incapacitated -- simply flew on until it ran out of fuel or faced some other problem. But it's one that law enforcement has to check out, former FBI Assistant Director James Kallstrom said. Timeline of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 . Aviation experts say it's possible, if highly unlikely, that someone could have hijacked and landed the giant Boeing 777 undetected. The international airport in Port Blair, the regional capital of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, has a runway that is long enough to accommodate a 777, according to publicly available data. But the region is highly militarized because of its strategic importance to India, Indian officials with knowledge of the operation tell CNN, making it an unlikely target for pirates trying to sneak in an enormous airplane with a wingspan of more than 200 feet. Denis Giles, editor of the Andaman Chronicle newspaper, says there's just nowhere to land such a big plane in his archipelago without attracting notice. "There is no chance, no such chance, that any aircraft of this size can come towards Andaman and Nicobar Islands and land," he said. The Malaysian government said Friday that it can't confirm the report. And a senior U.S. official offered a conflicting account Thursday, telling CNN that "there is probably a significant likelihood" the plane is on the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Among the things being considered is whether lithium batteries in the cargo hold, which have been blamed in previous crashes, played a role in the disappearance, according to U.S. officials briefed on the latest developments in the investigation. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release details to the media. If the batteries being carried on the plane caused a fire, it still doesn't fully explain other anomalies with Flight 370, the officials say. What is a transponder? Details of the search . Malaysian officials, who are coordinating the search, said Friday that the hunt for the plane was spreading deeper into both the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. India has deployed assets from its navy, coast guard and air force to the south Andaman Sea to take part in the search, the country's Ministry of Defense said Friday. Indian search teams are combing large areas of the archipelago. Two aircraft are searching land and coastal areas of the island chain from north to south, an Indian military spokesman said Friday, and two coast guard ships have been diverted to search along the islands' east coast. Indian officials are also including part of the Bay of Bengal in their search, officials said. As of Friday, 57 ships and 48 aircraft from 13 countries were involved in the search, Hishammuddin Hussein, the minister in charge of defense and transportation, said at a news briefing. China, which said it would be extending its search, said crews have searched more than 27,000 square miles (about 70,000 square kilometers) of the South China Sea without finding anything. On Friday, the United States sent the destroyer USS Kidd to scout the Indian Ocean as the search expands into that body of water. "I, like most of the world, really have never seen anything like this," Cmdr. William Marks of the U.S. 7th Fleet said of the scale of the search. "It's pretty incredible." "It's a completely new game now," he said. "We went from a chess board to a football field." Malaysia Airlines: The pilots of the missing plane . Other developments . • "Seafloor event": Chinese researchers say they recorded a "seafloor event" in waters around Malaysia and Vietnam about an hour and a half after the missing plane's last known contact. The event was recorded in a non-seismic region about 116 kilometers (72 miles) northeast of the plane's last confirmed location, the University of Science and Technology of China said. "Judging from the time and location of the two events, the seafloor event may have been caused by MH370 crashing into the sea," said a statement posted on the university's website. However, U.S. Geological Survey earthquake scientist Harley Benz said Friday that the event appeared to be consistent with a naturally occurring 2.7-magnitude earthquake. • Malaysian response: Authorities continued to defend their response to the crash. "A normal investigation becomes narrower with time, I understand, as new information focuses the search," Hussein said. "But this is not a normal investigation. In this case, the information we have forces us to look further and further afield." However, Bob Francis, a former National Transportation Safety Board official, is one of several experts who have questioned how Malaysian authorities have handled the situation. "The Malaysians are not doing a superb job of running this investigation," he said. "And they apparently give you some information, and then they withhold information. How much are they relying on and listening to the Europeans and the NTSB who are there with more expertise? I don't know, but I think you know we've got a mixture of a very strange situation that happens to be in an environment, a regulatory environment, that really isn't capable or isn't running an investigation the way it should be run." How you can help find the plane . Barbara Starr reported from Washington, Chelsea J. Carter wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Jethro Mullen, Michael Pearson, Evan Perez, Jim Sciutto, Mike M. Ahlers, Pamela Brown, Aaron Cooper, Brian Walker, Harmeet Shah Singh and Karen Chiu contributed to this report. | Report: Investigators suspect communications were manually switched off . More investigators learn, "the more difficult to write off" human intervention, official says . Malaysian military radar shows drastic altitude changes, an official says . A classified analysis calculates the flight crashed into the Indian Ocean, CNN learns . | 2d209af068db24892c800272d04906736d835c20 |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday it has approved a new vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza. Agriflu, made by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, is not intended to protect against the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu. The vaccine was approved using an accelerated approval process, the FDA said. Novartis demonstrated that the vaccine induces levels of antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza, but it still needs to conduct further studies. Agriflu, for ages 18 and older, is administered as a single injection in the upper arm and is available in single-dose, prefilled syringes, according to the FDA. Novartis produces another licensed vaccine for seasonal influenza, Fluvirin, approved for ages 4 and older. Although no vaccine is 100 percent effective in preventing disease, vaccination is the key to flu prevention, according to the FDA. Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff said Agriflu is made in Siena, Italy, with eggs, and it has been available in Europe under the brand name Aggripal. This approval, he said, will add to future seasonal vaccine supplies. | Agriflu, made by Novartis, is not intended to protect against the H1N1 virus . The vaccine was approved using an accelerated approval process, the FDA said . Vaccine induces antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza . | 5bd6ed12cad6a9e6f7b03a7a93842cbdbf7139b8 |
By . Jonathan O'Callaghan . Will the next amazing technology to explore the solar system and beyond be an advanced telescope, a high-speed mission to Neptune, or something else entirely? With that question in mind, Nasa has selected 12 advanced proposals for further study in the first phase of its 2014 Nasa Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) programme. The goal of NIAC is to turn science fiction into science fact through pioneering technology development - and the ideas will now be given funding to try and bring them to fruition. Scroll down for video . Nasa has revealed 12 concepts for future space travel and cosmic science as part of its Nasa Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) programme. This includes a proposal to snag an asteroid with a net to prep it for further study (illustration shown) The selected proposals cover a wide range of imaginative concepts, including a submarine to explore the methane lakes of Titan and a concept to safely capture a tumbling asteroid. It is hoped the seedling investments may provide the breakthrough technologies needed to support Nasa’s plans for exploration beyond low-Earth orbit, into deep space, and even on to Mars. These initial 12 proposals will be studied for nine months before Nasa then selects which ideas to study for a further two years. 'The latest NIAC selections include a number of exciting concepts for planetary exploration,' said Michael Gazarik, NASA's associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington. 'We are working with innovators around the nation to transform the future of aerospace, while also focusing our investments on concepts to address challenges of current interests both in space and here on Earth.' The proposals range from exploration concepts for use within our solar system to new techniques to advance existing experimental technologies. Illustrated here is a proposal to send an autonomous submarine into Titan's largest sea, Kraken Mare, to see what is 'underwater' Nasa's Space Technology Mission Directorate chose this year's proposals based on their potential to transform future aerospace missions. All of them plan to do this by enabling either entirely new missions or breakthroughs in future aerospace capabilities that could accelerate progress toward Nasa's goals. NIAC Phase I awards are approximately £60,000 ($100,000), providing awardees the funding needed to conduct a nine-month initial definition and analysis study of their concepts. If the basic feasibility studies are successful, proposers can apply for Phase II awards, which provide up to £300,000 ($500,000) for two more years of concept development. Titan Submarine: Exploring the Depths of KrakenA . proposal for a submarine to explore Titan’s largest northern sea, . Kraken Mare. The craft would autonomously carry out detailed scientific . investigations under the surface of the methane sea. Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (Herts)A propellant-less propulsion concept for deep space . missions. Herts is like an electric solar sail - it is an array of . wires extending out up to 20 miles (30km) from a rotating . spacecraft that would gather energy from the sun. It would be capable of . reaching speeds more than 430 miles (700km) per second - and at top speed could . travel from the sun to Neptune in a year. Swarm Flyby GravimetryA method for working out the gravity and mass of small solar system bodies (such as asteroids and comets) using a swarm of small, low-cost probes (illustration below). The Aragoscope: Ultra-High Resolution Optics at Low CostA giant disc that could boost the viewing power of space telescopes by up to a factor of 1,000. Exploration Architecture with Quantum Inertial Gravimetry and In-Situ ChipSat SensorsSpacecraft-on-a-chip . systems, ChipSats, would be deployed on other planets or moons such as . Europa to perform science at reduced time and risk (illustration to the right). 3D Photocatalytic Air Processor for Dramatic Reduction of Life Support Mass & ComplexityA device to be used on manned spacecraft that could turn light from the sun into oxygen. Wrangler: Capture and De-Spin of Asteroids and Space DebrisThis nanosatellite-scale sub-satellite, called the Weightless Rendezvous And Net Grapple to Limit Excess Rotation (Wrangler) System, will capture and de-spin a space object such as an asteroid using a large ‘net’, in tandem with a tether deployer and winch mechanism. Titan Aerial Daughtercraft A small rotorcraft weighing under 10kg (22lbs), not too dissimilar to small portable quadracopter drones on Earth, that would be deployed on Titan by a balloon to acquire close-up, high resolution imagery and mapping data of the surface. Using the Hottest Particles in the Universe to Probe Icy Solar System WorldsA method to measure the ice depth on outer planet moons such as Europa, Ganymede and Enceladus using experimental techniques adapted from high-energy physics (illustration below). Periscope: Periapsis Subsurface Cave Optical ExplorerA proposed method to map subsurface structure on the moon using a ‘seeing-around-the-corner’ imaging technique adapted from periscopes. Mars Ecopoiesis Test BedA . device for studying the survival of terrestrial life forms on the . surface of Mars. It would take life from Earth and see if it can live on . the red planet as a precursor to one day terraforming Mars. Comet Hitchhiker: Harvesting Kinetic Energy from Small Bodies to Enable Fast and Low-Cost Deep Space ExplorationA tethered spacecraft that hitches rides on comets to tour the solar system. This would be done by firing a ‘harpoon’ with a tether attached that would reel the spacecraft in, like a sort of cosmic fishing rod (illustration below). One of the most interesting proposals is the Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (Herts), illustrated here. This would use electrically biased wires to harness the energy of the sun and accelerate to speeds of more than 430 miles (700 kilometres) a second, enough to travel from the sun to neptune in just a year . 'The 2014 NIAC Phase I candidates were outstanding, which made final selections decisions particularly difficult,' said NIAC Program Executive Jay Falker. 'So we considered various kinds of potential benefit and risk, and developed this portfolio to really push boundaries and explore new approaches, which is what makes NIAC unique.' The visionary, long-term concepts for technological advancements were assessed based on their potential value to future agency space missions and operational needs. The projects are chosen through a peer-review process that evaluates their potential, technical approach, as well as benefits, for study in a timely manner. But although many of the concepts are promising they are only that, concepts, and are still many years from implementation. Robotic drones might be gaining popularity on Earth, but one proposal suggests we could also deploy them on Titan. These could be used to cover vast expanses of the surface and return a lot of useful science, including not only images of the surface but also mapping data for future missions . | Nasa has unveiled proposals for next-gen exploration tech in Washington . The Nasa Innovative Advanced Concepts programme picked 12 missions . These will each receive $100,000 of funding for study over 18 months . Concepts include a proposal to send a submarine to Titan's biggest sea . Another is a spacecraft that could travel from the sun to Neptune in a year . | ddf70dc6ee89bb5a33bf9c7db42c5e2f8efd4c52 |
(CNN) -- Taryn Lopez doesn't think it got too terribly cold during the two days she was stranded on Alaska's Mount Mageik volcano. "I think about 28 degrees was the lowest we saw -- but then the temperature gauge was frozen," she said Saturday evening from King Salmon, Alaska. Thanks to sleeping bags, waterproof gear and emergency supplies, Lopez, a fellow researcher and a pilot survived unharmed in their iced-over helicopter from Wednesday until a rescue chopper scooped them up Friday. Pilot Sam Egli took John Paskievitch, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, and Lopez, a post-doctoral researcher, about 6,500 feet up the volcano on Wednesday. The researchers were picking up instruments to save them from the upcoming winter. Their work is aimed at learning how seismic readings are linked to the underlying causes of earthquakes. Some volcanic earthquakes quakes are caused by moving magma, water or gas, Lopez said. Knowing which substance is moving could help assess the risk of eruptions, she said. The trio took advantage of a break in the weather Wednesday to land at their highest instrument site on Mageik. "There were blue skies when we landed," she said. But within half an hour, Egli told the researchers he was concerned about ice on the rotors. "We grabbed our stuff and got in the helicopter," Lopez said, but even in the few minutes that took visibility became too poor for takeoff. Egli could call for help by satellite phone and radio, but the weather prevented a rescue attempt on Wednesday. On Thursday, rescuers circled overhead but could not land. Meanwhile, the three stayed in sleeping bags inside the helicopter except to answer nature's calls and shoot a flare at the request of the rescuers. There was enough food and water on board. "Even though it wasn't that cold, it was pretty foul when you were outside," Lopez said. Lopez, 33, grew up in Rochester, Minnesota, and has spent time on mountains in Russia and Alaska, so she was prepared for the cold. But she was grateful for Paskievitch and Egli's decades of experience in the field. "I felt really luck to be with those people," Lopez said. "I know they kept us all alive." She also praised the Alaska Air National Guard, which rescued her. "It was such a relief hearing them up there even when they couldn't get in," she said. Paskievitch wasn't available to talk Saturday -- because he was back out on the mountain. Lopez said he hoped to check on the condition of the helicopter, where the researchers had to leave their instruments. | NEW: Rescued researcher describes two days in sleeping bags inside chopper . NEW: Research aimed at improving assessment of risks of eruption . Trio stranded 6,500 feet up Mount Mageik . They had emergency provisions and were rescued unharmed . | 097854d6610d2bbdd1a79c4428b8042b6b385015 |
By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 10:29 EST, 20 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:38 EST, 21 June 2013 . This is the sickening squalor left behind at a once-loved family home by tenants from hell. A couple and their five children lived in this stomach-churning filth - sharing it with up to 14 mastiff dogs. Occupants Louisa and Joe Roylance were eventually kicked out of the house in Gosberton Risegate, Lincolnshire, owing £7,000 in unpaid rent after legal action by owners Midge Clayton and partner Richard Douville. Squalor: The home of Midge and Dick Clayton after it was vacated by their tenants, leaving £8,000 in damage . Horror: The Claytons in front of the family home they built. The tenants left with arrears of £7,000 . Staggering: Five children and 14 large dogs lived in these bleak conditions . Unhygienic: The kitchen was filled with discarded food containers and the house had no hot water . The house stank of dog faeces and urine and rotting food, detectable from outside . They found five years' worth of mess and £8,000 in damage inside their house. The air was filled with the sickening stench of dog faeces, urine and rotting food and hundreds of flies were swarming in the kitchen. Two of the four bedrooms had been turned into kennels and dog mess was caked on the walls and floor. Vile: The fridge was smeared in dirt and rotting food . Other rooms were torn apart and black bags filled with rubbish and dirty clothes were left piled in heaps four feet high. Outside, the rear garden was filled with waste from the big Dogue de Bordeaux mastiffs and the front had been turned into a tip . Miss Clayton, a mother-of-three who is recovering from breast cancer, said: 'I've cried buckets. 'When we built this home it was lovely. 'Our children are heartbroken - we had such good times here. We thought we were letting it to another family with children who would love it, too. 'But they have destroyed it. I can't believe people live like this.' Miss Clayton, 61, a palliative care nurse, and Mr Douville built the house in 2001 as their family home. They tried to sell it five years ago when Midge underwent a knee replacement and needed to move into a bungalow. The couple priced it at £270,000 but it failed to sell and they decided to rent it out instead. They imposed a limit of four dogs on the tenancy agreement as the utility room had already been fitted out for their own dogs. Joe Roylance, 55, and his 35-year-old wife moved into the property in 2008 with their four daughters aged between eight and their mid-teens and a teenaged son. But in January this year Miss Clayton and Mr Douville discovered they had 14 dogs living there and started trying to get them out. The Roylances refused to pay their rent and whenever Midge and Richard called they refused to see them or made themselves scarce. Nauseating: One of the 14 mastiff's food bowls, left filled with mouldy food . Kennel: Even the cupboard under the stairs appears to have been converted into living space for the dogs . Trashed: The extensive damage will cost £8,000 to fix. Even the insides of cupboards and drawers were caked with filth . Grime: Filthy clothes were strewn all over the house . The couple started a six-month legal battle that cost them £2,000 which resulted in a possession order in April. They got the nightmare family out a month later. Miss Clayton said: 'We've had people come and look at the house, step inside and come back out again and throw up on the lawn because of the smell. 'The irony is we are dog people and we know how difficult it is to rent a property with pets. 'We told them they could have four dogs as there were kennels in the back. 'We advertised the house in a dog magazine and we were completely taken advantage of. They destroyed our home. 'We never dreamed it was their intention to breed dogs - at one point there were 14 here.' Bin bags were filled to the brim and then simply left on the carpet . Smeared: The front door and exterior walls were covered in mud, probably from the dogs . Discarded: A torn and stained mattress in a bedroom . A dismantled bed and what appears to be sawdust in one of the rooms . Mr Douville, 60, a taxi driver, questioned how the house was able to get into such a state as social services visited the property during the Roylances' stay. He said: 'What we can't understand is how the children lived in this house. I was disturbed to see the dogs lived there, let alone their kids. 'In all those months we were in contact with social services trying to get them out of the house they must have been living in pure squalor. 'We could never see inside because they had the curtains closed so when we finally gained access I was horrified. The smell, the dirt - it clings to your skin. Mess: The garden covered in dog faces and plastic sheeting. It is believed the dogs were being bred there . The front of the house was also strewn with waste, including a tyre and cardboard boxes full of rubbish . 'In the bathroom the clothes were piled up four foot high and in the utility room it was 18 inches deep in rubbish and dirt. I have literally been shoveling it out of the house. 'The kitchen is destroyed and chewed by dogs and the carpets are ruined. 'The boiler hasn't been serviced or used since 2010 so they were living without hot water and heating for all that time - no wonder it is in such a state.' He added: 'I can't believe social services went in and thought the place fit to live in. 'They paid rent up until January so we never thought it was a problem. When we saw Louisa out and about she would look presentable. 'Unbelievably social services said I was intimidating the children by going around and asking for rent money. 'I don't know how they said that with a straight face - what is intimidating is the Third-World squalor they have been living among.' Richard and Midge, who have seven grandchildren, now fear they might be forced to sell their own bungalow to repair the damage. | Tenants caused £8,000 in damage to the Lincolnshire property . Dog faeces was caked into floor and walls . Two rooms were turned into kennels and others filled with rotting waste . Eviction battle cost owners Midge Clayton and Richard Douville £2,000 . 'The smell, the dirt - it clings to your skin' said Mr Douville . | 2ab9070ab6b11f495f9e22d22103ae0c21de56e6 |
(CNN) -- The national conversation over Trayvon Martin's killing is loud and intense. In some places, it's also vile and violent. The case -- in which a Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer killed the unarmed black teen in Sanford, Florida, on February 26 -- has sparked a national controversy. It has also stoked extremist views, particularly on the Internet, experts say. George Zimmerman said he shot Martin in self-defense after the teen attacked him. Martin's family has disputed that. Investigators have not charged Zimmerman. The Southern Poverty Law Center, the civil rights group that fights bigotry, said the case has stirred up "extremists on both sides of the racial divide." A visitor to the website of one white supremacist group, for example, left a comment calling Martin "a punk negroe who messed with the wrong guy." Meanwhile, the New Black Panther Party has offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who "captures" Zimmerman, an offer that Martin's family has condemned. The Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights, which fights bigotry, said that "white nationalists are trying to inject their poison" into the case, too, portraying the teen as a "scary black man who deserved what he got." "They have defamed Martin, concocted false allegations and amplified racial stereotypes of young black men -- in effect, putting the victim on trial in the court of public opinion," the group said. Mark Potok, an expert on extremists for the Southern Poverty Law Center, says white supremacist attitudes often emerge during such hot-button controversies. "You see this every time there really is something like this," an attempt to portray victims as perpetrators and this slain 17-year-old as a "gangster thug," he said. The incident has created a "mob mentality," according to a commentary from William Bennett, a CNN contributor who served as secretary of education under President Reagan. "The facts are confounding and inconclusive. But the tendency in the first days by some, including Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and an angry chorus of followers, was to rush to judgment with little regard for fairness, due process, or respect for the terrible death of a young man," Bennett said. He noted that film director Spike Lee tweeted what he thought was Zimmerman's home address. It turned out to be the wrong address, though, and it "resulted in an older couple fleeing from their home and fearing for their lives after threats and crowds outside their residence." Lee apologized to the couple and said he would pay the couple's cost of leaving their home. Lester Spence, an assistant professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University, said he's not surprised to hear about hate speech sprouting up. He said the Internet intensifies it. "As soon as something like this happens, bloggers focus on it. People that follow them share that content," he said. He said the hate shows up in comments under stories and essays on the Web -- comments that almost always aren't signed by the writers. "People will say what they want to say under the cover of anonymity," he said. "Go to almost any website that deals with this issue," Spence said. If there are no filters, the hate pours through, he said. Kelly McBride, senior faculty member for ethics at Poynter Institute, a nonprofit school for journalists in St. Petersburg, Florida, said she isn't surprised that extremist talk has emerged in this case. "There have always been people who believe racist things and those people have existed on a continuum," she said. Hate speech involving immigration and sexual orientation also ripples across the Web. People who don't pay "super close attention to these issues may not notice the hate speech on a regular basis," she said. "The Internet affords people anonymity and insulation," she said. Potok said the Martin case reminds him of what happened with Shirley Sherrod, the black Agriculture Department employee who was engulfed in controversy two years ago. Late blogger Andrew Breitbart posted an edited and incomplete video of a speech by Sherrod, making her appear to say she discriminated against a white farmer looking for assistance. Sherrod resigned. A full version of the speech, however, showed that Sherrod had assisted the farmer. The department later offered Sherrod her job back when it was clear she had been misrepresented. Potok noted that she was briefly portrayed as anti-white and was briefly demonized. He compared the slams at Sherrod to the doubt cast on Martin's character. | "Extremists on both sides" are stirred up, the Southern Poverty Law Center says . The New Black Panther Party offers a reward for George Zimmerman's capture . One group says "white nationalists are trying to inject their poison" into the case . Anonymous Internet comments fan the flames, experts say . | 60ea2c12dbb19cf3f3948103505acadfcd950670 |
By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 10:45 EST, 25 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:01 EST, 25 July 2013 . A Swedish politician who wanted to show his new tattoo to followers on a social media site accidentally revealed far more than he intended. Lars Ohly, former leader of Sweden's Left Party, and supporter of Liverpool Football Club, posted a picture of the liver bird tattooed on his leg. What he failed to notice was that his genitals were visible in the background. Accident: Swedish MP Lars Ohly accidentally posted a picture of his genitals on Instagram while trying to show off his Liverpool FC tattoo . Mr Ohly, 56, quickly removed the picture after posting it on Instagram, but couldn't stop the avalanche of comments in social media. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, of the rival Moderate Party joked: 'Congratulations - finally, after all these years you have made a genuine public breakthrough.' Mr Ohly made light of the embarrassment and said he would be more careful when he posts online. 'Ha, ha, I accidentally posted a picture . on Instagram that showed more than intended,' he said, according to the . AFP. 'Now corrected.' Fan Mr Ohly quickly removed the picture after posting it on Instagram, but couldn't stop the avalanche of comments in social media . Support: Liverpool's Luis Suarez owalks a lap to thank fans after their win in the 2013 pre-season tour match of Liverpool FC against Melbourne Victory at the MCG in Melbourne earlier this week . In an interview with website The Local, Mr Ohly proved to be unashamed and said 'It's not very embarrassing really,' adding that he's had 'lots of nice reactions'. After the incident he wrote on his Twitter account: 'Summer's wonderful. The willy picture is today's hot topic. Completely by accident, though. The future will see a more thorough uploading review process.' He later wrote: 'Oh, how many new followers I've got on Instagram today (and how disappointed they're going to be).' | Lars Ohly, 56, is the former leader of Sweden's . Left Party . Posted a picture . of the liver bird tattooed on his leg . Mr Ohly said the photo 'showed more than intended' | 3a43098b71e6b2962e23ec721dfb6b46713c1e0d |
By . Jennifer Newton . The Asiana Airlines flight that crashed in San Francisco in July killing three people was going dangerously slowly, a new document reveals. Asiana Airlines said in a report to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that the flight crew failed to maintain a minimum air speed during its final approach. The South Korean airline also blamed what it called 'inadequate warning systems' for alerting the crew that the auto-throttle had stopped maintaining the set air speed. The Asiana Airlines flight that crashed at San Francisco International Airport, was probably caused by the pilots flying dangerously slowly . Asiana Airlines has blamed the design of the auto-throttle for the crash, an issue that had been raised previously . It suggested the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing Co, modify the low speed alert system on its planes. Immediately after the July 6, 2013 crash at San Francisco International Airport, Asiana Airlines said there appeared to be no mechanical problem with the aircraft. But in its latest document the airline blamed the design of the auto-throttle, an issue that had been raised previously. However, in its submission to the NTSB, Boeing said 'there were numerous cues' that the aircraft's speed was slowing dangerously and it placed the blame for the crash squarely on the pilots. Three people were killed in the crash, with one of the victims, a 16-year-old girl, apparently surviving being ejected onto the tarmac, only to be run over by a fire truck . The aircraft manufacturer said: 'This accident occurred due to the flight crew's failure to monitor and control air speed, thrust level and glide path on short final approach. 'This accident would have been avoided had the flight crew followed procedures and initiated a timely go-around as the approach became increasingly unstable.' The crash killed three people and injured more than 180 and was the first fatal commercial plane crash in the United States since February 2009. One of the victims, a 16-year-old girl, apparently survived being ejected onto the tarmac, only to be run over by a fire truck. But aircraft manufacturer Boeing said 'there were numerous cues' that the aircraft's speed was slowing dangerously . The co-pilot, who was training the pilot flying the plane, thought the auto-throttle on the Boeing 777 jet might not have been operating, the documents showed. The pilot flying the plane said he wasn't sure whether the auto-throttle was maintaining speed, according to the documents. The low, slow landing caused the plane's tail to hit a seawall short of the runway. The plane spun 330 degrees as it broke apart and caught fire, strewing wreckage along the runway. The NTSB opened an investigative hearing into the causes of the crash in December and has been examining concerns about the auto-throttle. | Airline says 'inadequate' warning system failed to alert pilots to slow speed . The auto-throttle design has been blamed by Asiana, an issue previously raised . Three people were killed and 180 injured in last year's crash in San Francisco . Boeing say 'there were numerous cues' that the aircraft's speed was slowing . | 8426379a9d386cecb9f201a584a1c381e6c20de4 |
West Brom will step up their interest in Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher following his failure to move to West Ham. Fletcher can commute from his Cheshire home, Joleon Lescott makes the same journey down the M6, and head coach Tony Pulis is keen to do business, preferably a deal until the end of the season with an option. Fletcher, 30, was poised to sign for the Upton Park club after travelling to London on Friday to undergo a medical and discuss terms. Darren Fletcher's move to West Ham fell through as the Londoners wanted to make it a loan . West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis (above) is keen to sign up Fletcher until the end of the season . However, after further talks, West Ham then tried to make the transfer a loan rather than a permanent deal and Fletcher and United pulled the plug. United had agreed to let Fletcher go on a free transfer. Manager Louis Van Gaal said: 'I thought Darren was going to sign a contract but at the end they look for a loan and that was not the agreement. 'When you allow your player to go to London for the medical, there is no problem. At the end there is no agreement, it is strange.' Louis van Gaal confirmed after the Leicester win that Fletcher's move had collapsed . Fletcher challenges for possession with Yeovil's Joseph Edwards during the FA Cup tie earlier this month . Fletcher was due to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal worth around £60,000 a week. Rumours circulated that there were concerns over his fitness but Fletcher is cured of his ulcerative colitis condition after surgery last year and United confirmed that he is one of only four players to have a 100 per cent attendance record for club training sessions this season. Fletcher has made 342 appearances for Manchester United but the Scotland international has started just five times during Van Gaal's reign. | Darren Fletcher looked set to join West Ham from Manchester United . The move fell through when the Hammers tried to make the transfer a loan . United had agreed to let Fletcher go on a free transfer . CLICK HERE for all the latest transfer news with our live updates . | e19e17ec9799342bbac0ff417e5871b1060c3d6e |
By . Matt Barlow and Neil Ashton . PUBLISHED: . 16:27 EST, 24 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:09 EST, 25 January 2013 . Chelsea hope new TV camera angles will help Eden Hazard escape with a three-match ban after his fracas with Swansea ball boy Charlie Morgan. As the FA’s disciplinary chiefs examined the evidence - with a decision expected on Friday on whether Hazard will receive an extended ban - the focus sharpened on Morgan’s role in the ugly episode. South Wales Police had been reluctant to become involved, but their hand was forced after three members of the public made complaints about the Chelsea winger’s tussle with Morgan at the Liberty Stadium. Flashpoint: Chelsea's Eden Hazard clashed with the teenage ball boy who is lying on the ball . Grabbed: Hazard reaches for the football as the ball boy writhes on the ground . VIDEO: See Eden Hazard's apology to Chelsea TV immediately after the match . The 17-year-old student is the son of . Martin Morgan - a Swansea director, the club’s biggest shareholder and, . with a £42million fortune, one of the financial forces behind their . rise to the Barclays Premier League. Not surprisingly, the Welsh club have . decided to take no action against Morgan Jnr, who retreated to the . family’s £1.5m mansion in Carmarthenshire yesterday. As he did, many . people inside football took Hazard’s side and criticised the teenager, . who had boasted on Twitter before the Capital One Cup semi-final second . leg how he was an expert at wasting time. ‘The king of all ball boys is back making his final appearance #needed #for #timewasting’ he posted. His Twitter page also contains . photographs of a millionaire lifestyle which includes first-class air . travel, broken champagne bottles, designer labels and staggering bar . bills. It all supports the notion he may be . the richest ball boy in the Barclays Premier League, the heir to a . family fortune built on a travel business and boutique hotels who is . even wealthier than many of the players. Morgan has worked as a Swansea ball . boy since he was 12 and said he had been called up by his father for . Wednesday’s game because some of the regulars could not make it to the . game because of the snow. The ball came his way with 10 minutes . to go and with Swansea still holding their 2-0 advantage from the first . leg. He refused to hand it back to Hazard, rolling on to the ball and . smothering it with his body until Hazard kicked it clear. Anger: Swansea's Ashley Williams (centre) is held back as he tries to confront Eden Hazard (off camera) Sending off: Chelsea's Eden Hazard (#17) receives a red card from referee Chris Foy for violent conduct . Chelsea claim another ball boy had . appeared to be wasting time 10 minutes earlier. Hazard was again close . to the action and remonstrated with the referee. The FA’s disciplinary team spent . yesterday studying replays of the incident from different camera angles, . including one which appears to show Hazard made fairly clean contact . with the ball. Footage shown at the time, together with the dramatic . reaction of the teenager, suggested Hazard had administered a hefty boot . to Morgan’s ribs on the way to the ball. Helping hand: Chelsea's Demba Ba (right) checks on the ball boy after he had clashed with Eden Hazard . Boast: The 17-year-old earlier wrote on Twitter that he was 'needed for timewasting' Former Chelsea and Scotland winger Pat . Nevin branded Morgan’s actions ‘disgraceful and unacceptably brattish’, . and claimed the ball boy was ‘acting’ when he claimed to be hurt. ‘He’s . only got one job and that’s to give the ball back,’ Nevin told BBC . Radio 5 Live. ‘And what does he do? He keeps the ball.’ Fulham manager Martin Jol said he . would have done the same as Hazard. ‘I can see why he did it,’ said the . Dutchman. ‘The boy shouldn’t lie on the ball and play rugby with it.’ Wealthy: Charlie Morgan (left), the ball boy who . was kicked by Eden Hazard during a League Cup game last night, is the . son of multi-millionaire businessman Martin Morgan (right) Property: The self-made tycoon is the owner of the luxury Morgans hotel in Swansea, pictured . Boasting: Charlie posted a picture of a broken . bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne on his Twitter page, as well as one . of torn-up betting slips . Many professional footballers tweeted . in support of the Chelsea player, with Michael Owen assailing Morgan’s . reaction as ‘scandalous’. Rather than basking in the glory of . reaching their first major final after beating the European champions, . Swansea were on the defensive yesterday. Vice-chairman Leigh Dineen . said: ‘We don’t line up the ball boys and ask them to waste time. 'The . boy went to pick up the ball and he fell over. He didn’t hold on to the . ball for a minute. It happened over about 20 seconds. Travelling in style: Charlie put up this picture of himself in Virgin Atlantic's upper class . Destination: The teenager on holiday in Las Vegas, in another picture he posted to Twitter . 'Had it been 2-0 to . Chelsea, I don’t think Hazard would have been anywhere near the ball. But I don’t think Hazard deliberately went to kick him.’ Swansea first-team coach Alan Curtis added: ‘We never gave them instructions to slow the game down. It’s never been the case.’ Hazard was sent off by referee Chris . Foy for violent conduct, which will carry an automatic three-match ban, . ruling the winger out of games against Brentford, Reading and Newcastle. Pricey: A photo of the Louis Vuitton store in Las Vegas which Charlie put on Twitter . Shared: The teenager retweeted someone else's . £120,000 receipt with the caption, 'This is huge time', and also let his . friends know about the good weather at his holiday destination . Chelsea do not intend to appeal but the FA can opt to pass the case on . to an independent commission if they suspect three matches is . insufficient punishment. They were also gathering evidence from . the match officials and South Wales Police, and spoke to officials at . Swansea to ascertain the ball boy’s version of events. Chelsea hope the video, together with . Hazard’s public apology immediately after the game and his previous . record of good behaviour, can bring the case down on their side. In pain: Morgan (second right) is ushered away from the sidelines following the incident with Hazard . Morgan was invited into the visitors’ dressing room after the game and spoke to Hazard. They apologised to . each other, according to Chelsea’s interim manager Rafa Benitez. The . ball boy and Swansea agreed they would not lodge a police complaint but . the local force had three complaints from the public which they are . obliged to follow. Chelsea, meanwhile, will discipline . Hazard according to their internal procedure and within the PFA limit of . two weeks’ wages, which would be a maximum of £340,000. Striker: Eden Hazard is pictured earlier in the match (left) and winning an award in Paris in May 2011 (right) It was headline . news in his native Belgium. He became the most expensive Belgian . footballer ever when he moved from Lille to Chelsea for £32m last year . and was in touch with friends at home yesterday to insist he had done . nothing wrong. It is not his first brush with . controversy. He was widely criticised when he was substituted after 60 . minutes in a Euro 2012 qualifier against Turkey. Hazard stormed straight . down the tunnel and was later filmed eating a hamburger nearby when the . game was still going on. Hurt: The ballboy (centre) is ushered away from the sidelines following the incident with Eden Hazard . Should Eden Hazard face long ban for ball boy kick? This did nothing for his popularity . but he does not have a reputation for a violent temper. Those who . followed his career in France insisted the ball-boy incident was totally . out of character yet there was a warning from the Belgian FA. Their chief executive Steven Martens . said: ‘It is unfortunate and not something we are proud of. No football . authority or person interested in football likes to see acts of violence . or lack of respect. It might have happened in the heat of the fire but . professionals are expected to be able to control themselves. ‘I’m convinced Eden will realise that. He is more than intelligent enough to understand that this is going to . be a lesson learned for him.’ | 17-year-old is accused of acting . Chelsea think video will clear Eden Hazard . Police called in to investigate fracas . Former Chelsea star Pat Nevin calls Charlie Morgan 'disgraceful' Morgan is heir to £42m Swansea director's fortune . Claims ball boys were under orders to help Swansea rubbished by club . FA investigating the incident, but PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor does not believe Hazard should face additional punishment . | 52f3cd883d7e8d48ad74a23a6b24c6134ba5c158 |
(CNN) -- Democracy campaigners in Bahrain and politicians around the world are calling for this Sunday's Formula 1 race in the Gulf state to be canceled as violent clashes continue between activists and authorities. What are the issues around the controversy, and how are the sport and its fans reacting? Why are there calls for this weekend's Grand Prix in Bahrain to be scrapped? Opposition groups in Bahrain as well as politicians, rights groups and many F1 fans around the world want Sunday's Grand Prix -- which could be watched by a global audience of more than 500 million -- to be canceled while the Gulf state braces itself for more violent demonstrations after months of political unrest. Protesters see the race as a publicity stunt by the country's rulers to make the nation seem more unified than it actually is. The Bahrain Grand Prix was canceled last year amid a Shiite-led uprising against the Sunni monarchy and a government crackdown in which dozens were killed and hundreds detained. Nabeel Rajab, an opposition protester, said the demonstrators were not against the Formula One race itself. "We are just against the government or the oppressive ruling elite using that as PR," Rajab said. In Britain, where many F1 teams are based, opposition leader Ed Miliband said: "Sport and politics generally shouldn't mix, but ... what kind of signal does it send to the world when this grand prix is going ahead, given the concerns there are, given the violence we have seen in Bahrain, given the continuing issues around human rights? "I don't think it's the right decision to let this grand prix go ahead and I think the government needs to weigh in and express its view." And opposition politician Yvette Cooper urged British F1 stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton to pull out of the race. "It shouldn't go ahead, I don't think British drivers should go. I think the Formula 1 should not go ahead in Bahrain," Cooper told the BBC. But UK Prime Minister David Cameron refused to join the calls, insisting it was a matter for the F1 authorities whether the race went ahead. "It is important that peaceful protests are allowed to go ahead," he said. Why are protests now taking place in Bahrain? Shiite opposition groups in the Sunni-ruled kingdom say they want equality, and have posted calls on social networking sites for daily protests during the Grand Prix weekend, to focus media attention on their demands. The government has sought to ban protests in the capital Manama but that has failed to prevent violent clashes in the capital between demonstrators and authorities, who are accused of heavy-handed tactics. The government has condemned violence on all sides -- saying that any police officers found guilty of heavy-handed tactics would be held to account and that protesters should behave in a civil manner as well. An Amnesty International report this week says promised reforms in Bahrain are inadequate and fail to provide justice for victims of human rights violations. Protesters are also demanding the release of jailed activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been on hunger strike for more than 70 days. Al-Khawaja, 52, was arrested in April 2011 for his role in anti-government protests that began a month earlier with demands for political reform and greater freedoms for Shiites. In June, Bahrain found him and seven other Shiite opposition activists guilty of plotting to overthrow the country's royal family. The government also stands accused of punishing its own national sporting heroes and accusing them of being traitors. International and local human rights groups say three players in the Bahraini national soccer squad were arrested last year, along with more than 150 sportsmen, women and administrators. It is unclear how many remain in jail. The authorities maintain they were part of illegal, violent protests. Could protesters disrupt the race or threaten spectators? This is the big question. Protesters have vowed to protest near the Sakhir circuit, which is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Manama, but witnesses there say there is a heavy police presence on the road between the track and the airport. The unrest makes hosting the race precarious because the racers must pass through some areas where clashes have occurred to get to the circuit, which is in the desert. On Thursday protesters burned tyres, briefly blocking several main roads leading to Sakhir. A Molotov cocktail exploded late Wednesday near a car carrying members of one F1 team, Force India, during clashes between protesters and security forces. No one was reported injured in the incident. The incident prompted a team member and a contractor to return home despite reassurances by officials that Bahrain is safe. Bahrain has refused to extend visas of non-sports reporting crews from CNN and other news organizations, saying they cannot stay for the race. What do F1 drivers and the sport's governing body say? Formula One's governing body, the FIA, decided last week the race should go ahead, after weeks of speculation. The governing body said its president traveled to Bahrain in November and met "decision-makers and opinion formers, including elected Shiite members of parliament. All expressed their wish for the Grand Prix to go ahead in 2012," it said. Drivers have attempted to distance themselves from the violence. Romain Grosjean of France-based Team Lotus said his team was preparing for the event "as well as we can." "As you say, we can't ignore the situation. But in another way, I hope the race may make a clear vision and help the situation and I think the Grand Prix will be nice," he told reporters in Bahrain. Reigning champion Sebastian Vettel brushed off any concerns about safety, saying: "I heard about the issue at Force India. "Generally in the paddock (staging area for the cars) it seems to be no problem," he told the Press Association. "Outside of the paddock maybe there is a risk, but I think there is a risk everywhere we go." Seven-times title winner Michael Schumacher initially insisted he did not want to get involved before saying: "I just want to say one thing which is I don't want to mix the sport with politics. I'm here for the sport." How much is the race worth to Bahrain and to F1 itself? Bahrain pays $64 million to host the Grand Prix but the island kingdom it is estimated to receive several times that amount -- up to $800 million -- from tourism and other economic benefits. Of more importance is the issue of prestige that the race could bring. "Bahrain is no different from the other Persian Gulf states in using high profile sporting events like tennis and golf tournaments to raise their own international prestige," James Montague, a journalist who has written about sport in the Middle East and is the author of "When Friday Comes: Football in the War Zone," told CNN. "Qatar winning the bid to host the 2022 World Cup finals is a case in point. The F1 grand prix has been instrumental in raising Bahrain's international profile far higher than a small island with a population of around 1 million people could expect. "The idea that sport and politics should be separated is worse than a myth. It's disingenuous. The royal family of Bahrain secured the F1 GP with wider economic and political aims in mind. They are even promoting the race within Bahrain as a potentially unifying force for the kingdom. They say that politics has no role in sport but separating sport from the political realities of any society is as impossible as separating politics and art, or music." Have there been protests against F1 races held in other countries accused of human rights abuses? No. Last week's race in China took place without any calls for it to be cancelled despite concerns about human rights in that country. The same could be said for races in Russia and Singapore. The only serious protests in the history of Formula One -- a multi-billion dollar sport and industry -- were before the South Africa Grand Prix at Kayalami in 1985 against the apartheid regime. Despite a boycott of South African teams in other leading sports at the time, the event still took place, but was cancelled the following year and only resumed in 1992. How have F1 fans reacted? Many fans of the sport have reacted with disgust, with countless posts on Twitter saying that they would refuse to even watch the race on television in protest. Ed Foster, a writer for British magazine Motorsport, told CNN: "We did a poll on our website recently and the response was instant. We simply wrote 'Should F1 go to Bahrain? Yes or no?' and hundreds of people got back to us straight away. "I think only one said that we should. It's pretty clear speaking to people that a lot of the fans have decided to not watch the race out of principle." It remains unclear how F1 fans will react to calls to boycott the race -- either at the track or watching on TV. But one news agency, the UK's Press Association, reported there were few spectators in the main grandstand at Sakhir to watch Friday's practice session. | Democracy campaigners in Bahrain want Sunday's F1 race in the Gulf state to be canceled . Protesters see race as publicity stunt by country's rulers to make nation seem more unified . Shiite opposition groups in the Sunni-ruled kingdom want equality and human rights reforms . Motorsport's governing body say race should go ahead; drivers brush off safety concerns . | 6d51a7dad1ede597c6421088e7ecbc5605165775 |
By . Robert Hardman . PUBLISHED: . 17:50 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 4 December 2012 . While the world – and especially the bookies – enjoy the traditional speculation over the sex and name of any impending royal arrival, the future third in line to the throne has already made royal and constitutional history. For he or she will be the first addition to the new-look, non-sexist line of succession which will govern the Crown for evermore. In short, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first-born will trump all subsequent siblings, even if she is a princess who is followed by a string of younger brothers. Happy couple: Kate and William's baby will be third in line to the throne and has already made royal and constitutional history . Changes: Last year, David Cameron decided that the time had come to tackle the status quo and change the rules of succession . Last year, David Cameron decided that the time had come to tackle the status quo and change the rules of succession. It was never going to be straightforward. For any change could even lead to meddling with such fundamental constitutional humdingers as the Act of Union. And that is not the only reason that Mr Cameron’s predecessors have flinched from doing anything about this. Other monarchies have already changed their succession laws. In Sweden, famously, the toddler Princess Victoria was suddenly promoted to Crown Princess ahead of her infant brother who had actually been born Crown Prince. But things have always been more complicated in Britain because the Queen is Sovereign of 15 other countries, from Canada to Tuvalu. Any change had to require simultaneous unanimity from all of them. Once William had made his marriage vows, however, it was clear that this had the potential to become a more pressing issue. So, Mr Cameron decided to act while he had the prime ministers of all 16 nations in the room at last year’s Commonwealth summit in Perth. They all signed a ‘heads of agreement’ which means that the new system is now acknowledged and already applies de facto. However, it still needs to become law (or become de iure, as lawyers like to say). Britain must legislate first so that all the other 15 parliaments can follow suit but Westminster still needs a document of ‘formal consent’ from all 15 individual governments before it can proceed. So, the pressure is now on two politicians to get on with it. One is Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime . Minister and the man in charge of the ‘political and constitutional . reform agenda’. He will be responsible for steering a new Succession . Bill through Westminster. The . other is John Key, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, who has been . charged with rounding up all the necessary ‘formal consents’ from the . other realms. Last night, a . Cabinet Office spokesman said that no timetable was in place but Mr . Clegg already has the necessary Bill drafted and ready for Parliament as . soon as Mr Key gives him the go-ahead. The process is still fraught with political implications. Under pressure: The Deputy Prime Minister is in charge of the 'political and constitutional reform agenda' MPs with Scottish nationalist or republican leanings may see it as a welcome opportunity to enjoy some political mischief and slap down some awkward amendments. John Key has been charged with rounding up all the necessary 'formal consents' from the other realms . Among the peerage, there will, no doubt, be many sisters and daughters of hereditary dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons who feel that the time has come to amend the inherent sexism in Britain’s aristocracy. The loudest complaints, however, will come from those who point out that the British laws of succession continue to discriminate on religious grounds because the monarch is barred both from being a Roman Catholic – although the new rules will allow him or her to marry one. It is at that point that ancient legislation like the Act of Union could be examined. In the past ten years, Tory, Labour and Lib Dem MPs have all attempted to introduce Private Members’ Bills to change this aspect of the succession; the most recent was last year. It seems likely that some MPs will want, at the very least, to extract a commitment from the Government to end what they regard as all sectarianism at the heart of the British constitution. Mr Clegg has his work cut out. The Queen, as ever, will abide by the will of Parliament. Meanwhile, there are other priorities for the duke and duchess – and the unborn HRH Prince or Princess X of Cambridge. Such as: When are the builders going to finish their new married quarters at Kensington Palace? | The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first-born will trump subsequent siblings - even if she is a girl and they are boys . | 7568c1c5a75060096622ebb84e6f08d71d683538 |
A senior teacher is being made redundant in Dundee after councillors refused to reduce their drinks budget by £44,000. Norma Seith is set to lose her post at the Menzieshill Young Mum's Unit (YMU) - which helps teenage mothers stay in education. Ms Seith is principal teacher and manager of the organisation, which provides support to young 'fragile' women who 'have seen their lives become very, complicated'. Scroll down for video . Teacher Norma Seith is set to lose her post at the Menzieshill Young Mum's Unit in Dundee after councillors refused to reduce their drinks budget by £44,000 . The SNP administration has refused to cut their drinks budget despite the alternative being the removal of Ms Seith from her post. More than 1,000 people have now signed a petition urging the council to reverse their decision and opposition groups rallied round the unit today, proposing a series of alternative savings, The Courier reports. Derek Scott, the Conservative member for Broughty Ferry, suggested slashing food and refreshment for councillors, alcohol purchases and hospitality budgets. He claimed that by saving £44,000 in the entertainment allowance, the council could afford to employ the principal teacher at the YMU. However, his motion was defeated by SNP members who pushed ahead with their proposals — and Labour councillors who declined to vote. Clare McGraw, whose daughter uses the YMU, told members at today's meeting that the unit was crucial in helping those who become pregnant while in education. She said: 'Any changes to the YMU should be done with care and attention, given the crucial support it provides. Protesters who signed a 1,000-strong petition calling for the council to reverse their decision rallied outside the school today . '(Education convener) Stewart Hunter has already said to me that the planning could have been better. 'The principal teacher has been there for 24 years and is essential as a relationship with those involved in the unit. This amounts to a dismantling of the YMU.' SNP finance spokesman Councillor Willie Sawers said: 'This is the ninth year in a row that the council tax has been frozen in Dundee. 'Within the savings proposed for council services, we have made absolutely every effort we can to protect the quality of the services we provide.' On their website, the YMU says it 'caters for the extra needs of pregnant schoolgirls and young mothers with their babies from across the city. 'The unit is staffed by a Principal Teacher, supported by a designated YMU support worker and two qualified Early Years Practitioners.' Ms Seith was unavailable for comment today. Speaking to the Evening Telegraph last month, the teacher spoke of the crucial work that the YMU do in helping young mothers. She said: 'The emphasis is on continuing the girls' education. But there's also input from us on parenting skills, nutrition and many other aspects of motherhood. 'And whilst some girls have been around other children — brothers, sisters, cousins — others are terrified at the prospect of being a mum.' | SNP administration voted to retain alcohol budget over saving senior role . Means principal teacher at Young Mum's Unit (YMU) in Dundee will lose job . Norma Seith currently paid £44,000 to manage the unit for pregnant teens . More than 1,000 people signed petition urging council to reverse decision . | fe5b7b185862213d855a997246bffc1f7023ad32 |
When Angus the spaniel decided to go for his winter walkies yesterday, he soon found himself up to his neck in deep trouble. His chilly surprise came as he nosedived off a wooden table and was buried in snow. The drift was clearly deeper than the clumsy canine had predicted and it took some seconds for him to emerge and shake off the icy experience. Scroll down for video . Here we go: Brave Angus takes a leap off a tabletop in Llyn Brenig, North Wales, where blizzards left a thick blanket of snow that carpeted the ground within a matter of hours . Surprise: But the clumsy canine came a cropper when he was unaware of the depth of the drift and plummeted face first into the snow . Not a hot dog: The cocker spaniel was quick to get back on his feet and well on his way as he continued his walk in the winter wonderland . The cocker spaniel was pictured in Llyn Brenig, North Wales, where blizzards left a thick blanket of snow within a matter of hours and caused severe delays on roads and motorways across the nation. Britain is set to face yet more travel problems this week, with sleet and snowstorms expected to last until Tuesday. The grim weather comes after ‘thundersnow’ storms battered large parts of northern England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland last week. The weather brought chaos to much of Britain yesterday with winds gusting up to 60mph in Scotland causing blizzard conditions and heavy snow in the north and on higher ground in the south. Forecast: Temperatures are set to drop over the next few days, as a cold front moves across Britain from north to south, bringing snow and sleet behind it . There was severe disruption on motorways and major roads, with an accident on the M11 to Stansted leaving many frustrated motorists having to walk from the motorway to the airport to get their flights. Emergency services were on full alert as treacherous driving conditions continued to plague the North West and Scotland – leaving many stranded motorists abandoning their cars. And temperatures are set to plunge as low as –6C overnight tonight in some parts as a cold front moves across Britain from north to south, bringing snow and sleet behind it. | Angus goes face first into the snow when he takes a leap off a tabletop . Blizzards across Britain left thick blanket of snow causing traffic delays . More sleet and snowstorms on the way and expected to last until Tuesday . | 716b9ec5f3ad50c65de67dae862ea56e57e637df |
It promises to be some wedding. Carolyn Bourne, 60, launched the first salvo by sending her future daughter-in-law an email criticising her ‘staggering uncouthness and lack of grace’. Yesterday the father of bride-to-be Heidi Withers hit back, branding Mrs Bourne a ‘snotty Miss Fancy Pants’. In the stinging repost, Alan Withers, . 64, said the renowned horticulturist ‘has her head stuck so far up her . own a*** she doesn’t know whether to speak or f**t.’ Family-to-be at war: Alan Withers (left) has said his family call Carolyn Bourne (right) 'Miss Fancy-Pants' and say they do not like her 'snotty' attitude saying 'she thought she was better than us' Heidi Withers still wants to marry Freddie Bourne, pictured today, despite his step-mother's ranting email . And although Mrs Bourne appears fastidious about social mores, it emerged yesterday that she may have become pregnant some months before her first marriage in 1974, according to public records. She is also now on her third marriage. The astonishing war of words began after . Miss Withers, 28, and her fiancé Freddie Bourne, 29, spent the weekend . at the home of his father Edward and stepmother Carolyn in April. Incensed by her future daughter-in-law’s . apparent lack of manners, Mrs Bourne sent her an email listing all her . faults. She then sent it twice more to ensure it arrived. In the attack she told Miss Withers she should attend a finishing school in ‘utmost haste’ to get rid of her ‘bad manners’. She went on to describe her as ‘an ideal candidate for the Ladette to Lady television series’. Happy couple: Heidi Withers and her fiancé Freddie Bourne are reeling after the venomous message sent by Mrs Bourne bemoaning Heidi's manners . Stunned Miss Withers, a PA for a London recruitment firm, sent it on to a select group of friends. However, the email was forwarded to others and has now been read by millions on the internet. Speaking from the £450,000 family home in Ledbury, Herefordshire, Mr Withers, 64, said he would never forgive Mrs Bourne for sending the email. ‘Heidi was very upset and the two of them obviously don’t see eye to eye,’ he added. ‘I met Carolyn and her husband Edward for dinner at a pub in London last year. ‘Edward was a jovial chap but Carolyn was quite snotty. She had a look about her which made us think she thought she was better than us. She kept talking about her five horses and how it made her part of the Queen’s set. Sitting outside their home in Dawlish, Devon, yesterday when the Bournes said they were 'well aware' of the criticism by Heidi's father . ‘Ever since that meeting we call her . Miss Fancy Pants. I don’t care if she apologises. You can’t take back . what has been said once it’s said.’ In the email, Mrs Bourne accused Miss . Withers of poor table manners, insulting the family in public and . failing to send a handwritten card to say thank you after her stay. She even said her behaviour had left their pet dog Bomber ‘profoundly upset, depressed and anxious’. Freddie . Bourne is getting married to Miss Withers in an £18,000 ceremony in the . great hall of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire in October. Mrs Bourne . told Miss Withers that her decision to get married in a castle smacks . of ‘brash, celebrity style behaviour’. She went on to criticise Miss Withers’ parents for failing to ‘contribute very much’ money towards the wedding. Mr Withers said: ‘The reason we have been unable to contribute as much money was because we both lost our jobs. I doubt Carolyn was aware of that when she sent the email. We were unceremoniously got rid of without warning in January and have been searching for jobs ever since.’ His wife Sylvia, 60, has since found work as a matron in a care home but he is still looking for work. ‘I have no desire to meet Carolyn or Edward again before or after the wedding,’ Mr Withers added. ‘They don’t know us and we don’t know them. Of course at the wedding we will shake hands and toast Heidi and Freddie.’ The young couple met three years ago through mutual friends and soon became close, enjoying a trip to America in 2009. They live in a flat with a shihtzu dog called Whisky in the affluent district of Parsons Green in South-west London. Freddie has an office nearby where he runs an online bike shop. A source close to the couple said: ‘It’s not going to be a Jordan wedding with all that kind of pumpkin carriages and tack. They are middle-class people with middle-class respectabilities. ‘It’s not like they’re taking over the entire castle in some vulgar show of excess. There’s a great hall that’s available and that’s where they’re having it. ‘They wanted to have as much of a . dream wedding as possible. They heard about Berkeley Castle and it was . available to book, so why not? It’s such a lovely setting.’ The . source added: ‘Freddie is an absolutely charming guy and Heidi is an . absolute sweetie. I’ve never heard a bad word said about either of them. None of their friends can believe what’s been said about Heidi. ‘Rude . and unpleasant are the last things you’d say about her. The view of . people who know them is that the problem lies with the mother in law.’ Enlarge . Mrs Bourne, 60, sent the e-mail to after she was less than impressed with her etiquette when she visited her Devon home in April . The couple declined to comment on the row yesterday. Mrs Bourne and her husband Edward confirmed they were ‘well aware’ of the criticism by Heidi’s father but still planned to go to the wedding. When asked if she thought it may be awkward, Mrs Bourne laughed: ‘We will see.’ It is high time someone explained to you about good manners. Yours are obvious by their absence and I feel sorry for you. Unfortunately . for Freddie, he has fallen in love with you and Freddie being Freddie, I . gather it is not easy to reason with him or yet encourage him to . consider how he might be able to help you. It may just be possible to . get through to you though. I do hope so. If . you want to be accepted by the wider Bourne family I suggest you take . some guidance from experts with utmost haste. There are plenty of . finishing schools around. Please, . for your own good, for Freddie’s sake and for your future involvement . with the Bourne family, do something as soon as possible. Here are a few examples of your lack of manners: . I . understand your parents are unable to contribute very much towards the . cost of your wedding. (There is nothing wrong with that except that . convention is such that one might presume they would have saved over the . years for their daughters’ marriages.) If . this is the case, it would be most ladylike and gracious to lower your . sights and have a modest wedding as befits both your incomes. | Carolyn Bourne told Heidi Withers she was 'an ideal candidate for Ladette to Lady television series' She sends vitriolic email three times in a day and tells bride-to-be she needs 'guidance from experts' Heidi's shocked father hits back and says he will never forgive Carolyn for abusing his daughter . He says Carolyn was snotty on the day he first met her . | 24a7475213ab0632cccf7bdef70445112d9e5ea1 |
New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- A highly anticipated test designed to measure pressure within BP's ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well finally began Thursday, and for the first time in nearly three months, oil stopped flowing into the Gulf. The move was lauded by a variety of officials as a positive step, accompanied by a strong note of caution that the cutoff was simply part of the test, as BP and government experts try to assess how the well is holding up. The test got under way after two days of delays, first as government scientists scrutinized testing procedures and then as BP replaced a leaking piece of equipment known as a choke line. The data are being particularly closely scrutinized at six-hour intervals. Higher pressure readings mean the well is containing the oil, while lower pressure means some is leaking out. The "well integrity" test could end after one of the six-hour periods, if the results are disappointing. But it could go on for 48 hours. The longer it goes, the better indications are that the well is holding with a custom-made sealing cap. BP cautioned that the oil cutoff, while welcomed, isn't lilkely to go beyond the 48 hours. Valves are expected to open after that to resume siphoning oil to two ships on the surface, the Q4000 and Helix Producer, as government and BP officials assess the data and decide what to do next. Two more ships are due to join them in coming weeks, bringing containment capacity to 80,000 barrels of oil a day, more than high-end estimates of how much oil had been leaking. "It felt very good to see no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico," BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells said in a briefing. He said company officials are "obviously very encouraged" but they are "trying to maintain a strict focus" on remembering the whole purpose of the test, which is to gather data and decide how to proceed. "I don't want to create a false sense of excitement," he said. "We want to move forward and make the right decisions." And BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said on CNN's "Situation Room" that while no leaks were apparent, "It's way to early to celebrate." Retired Adm.Thad Allen, who is overseeing the government's response to the spill, said in a statement it "remains likely" that sending the oil to containment ships will be the avenue officials decide to pursue after the test, until the ultimate solution is readied -- sealing the well by pumping mud and cement through one of two relief wells being drilled. The wells are expected to be completed in August. The second one serves as a backup to the first. In some earlier briefings, Allen had been mentioned the possibility of leaving the cap closed, after the test. Allen said experts also will examine options for shutting off the well again temporarily, if there's a hurricane. Meanwhile, from state and local officials around the Gulf region, there were warnings that the cleanup from the spill could take years. "Hallelujah. It's a step in the right direction," said Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, who's been outspoken about the damaged caused by the spill. But he noted, "My goodness. This have taken us three months. We've been hurt, and hurt badly." Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindall said in a statement he was "cautiously optimistic" as the test proceeds. But he said, "Work to revitalize our coast won't be done until our waters and our shores are completely clean and our wildlife, our communities and our coastal industries are 100 percent restored." Florida Governor Charlie Crist sounded a similar note, stating, "While I am pleased that oil no longer is flowing freely into the Gulf of Mexico, there is more work to do to help families, businesses and communities on the Gulf Coast as they recover from this disaster." BP's stock jumped on word that the oil flow had been cut off, as part of the test. The stock rose $2.74 a share, more than 7 percent, to close at $38.92. Earlier this month, it traded below $30 a share. The oil stopped flowing shortly before 2:25 p.m. CT, according to Wells. And a series of cameras some 5,000 feet below the surface clearly showed the halt -- a far different scene from the images day after day of a relentless flow. The stacking cap, lowered in place earlier this week, has never been deployed at such depths or under such conditions and, therefore, there were no guarantees on how well it would contain the oil, BP said. In the test, BP closed off -- one by one -- the valves on the cap system through which oil could escape. If at any time the pressure is deemed too low -- meaning that oil is escaping through another source in the breached well -- the testing would stop, according to Allen. Allen compared low pressure in the well to a leaky garden hose that dribbles out water with your thumb pressed hard on the nozzle, Allen said. The catastrophe in the Gulf began when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and triggering the relentless spill. Allen said the cap was not designed to permanently shut in the well -- it was meant to move to a four-vessel containment system and assure redundancy in the event of a hurricane. But he had said in earlier briefings there could be a huge side benefit if the oil can be contained -- a "twofer," as he called it. As for the relief wells, BP pumped drilling mud into them to mitigate risks during the pressure testing. Oil recovery was also stopped Wednesday ahead of the integrity test but resumed while BP was fixing the problem with the leaking choke line. It was stopped again with the testing under way. | NEW: Thad Allen says it "remains likely" oil will be sent to surface ships, after test . Florida, Louisiana governors caution that much cleanup work remains . BP says there is no oil flowing into Gulf for first time in months . Cutoff in flow is part of the key "well integrity" pressure test . | b4d7ddfa5e9a66dfb8670d82149cd8f0705b9d06 |
(CNN) -- A 60-foot-long whale that was discovered still breathing on a New York beach Wednesday morning is likely to die overnight, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Biologists have been closely monitoring the status of the whale since its discovery early Wednesday morning. Late Wednesday, the whale was still alive but it was "emaciated and in poor physical condition so there is nothing that can be done to save the whale," NOAA spokesperson Allison McHale told CNN. NOAA is hoping "nature will take its course" and the whale will die overnight. If the whale is still alive by Thursday morning, NOAA plans to euthanize the whale "humanely," according to McHale. The whale was first spotted by a passer-by on a morning stroll. The passer-by called 911. "We thought it was dead when we arrived, but then it started moving," Nick Ecock of Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department told CNN Wednesday. Ecock and fellow members of the fire department discovered the whale at 11 a.m. near Beach 216th Street and Palmer Place, on the north side of the Breezy Point neighborhood, a town still reeling from the damages of Superstorm Sandy. The whale was found half in the water and half in the sand, according to New York Police Department Officer James Duffy. The whale was alive but looked injured, Duffy added. "We are keeping it wet and dousing it with water to keep it breathing," Duffy said. Ecock said that when biologists from Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research on Long Island arrived at mid-afternoon, they determined the mammal was a male Fin whale, the second largest species of whale. "It doesn't look like its going to make it. It's cut up from all the shells," Ecock said. He added that the whale was emaciated-looking, and a biologist on the scene indicated the whale might have been sick for a while. "It's stuck in (water) five feet deep at most," Ecock said. Ecock said he hoped that a four-foot sea surge expected Wednesday night due to inclement weather would help foster the whale's return to the wild. The Point Breeze Volunteer Fire Department posted pictures of the whale on social media. NOAA plans to perform a necropsy after the whale's death to determine the cause of the whale's condition. | NEW: NOAA is hoping "nature will take its course," with the whale likely to die overnight . "It's stuck in (water) five feet deep at most," firefighter says . The whale is alive but looks injured, New York Police Department officer says . "We are keeping it wet and dousing it with water to keep it breathing," he says . | b9e8f53c10c6c54e22d31cb0df0221f8fc88c14c |
American Apparel has issued a new ethics code which demands employees who are 'casually dating' or involved in 'committed romantic relationships' inform human resources to seek approval. The new code, which is four times the length of the previous version, was introduced in order to help 'prevent sexual harassment in the workplace', and comes less than a month after the retailer's founder Dov Charney was fired as a consultant over allegations of such offenses. 'No management-level employee may make sexual advances, welcome or unwelcome, toward any subordinate,' the code states, adding that 'company personnel should never engage in any public displays of affection in the workplace.' Scroll down for video . Cracking down: The new code has been introduced to 'prevent sexual harassment in the workplace', and comes after the retailer's founder Dov Charney (pictured) was fired over allegations of such offenses . The lengthy new code states that romantic relationships between employees should be disclosed to American Apparel's human resources department to be assessed for potential 'concern.' It also forbids 'favoritism' and includes a 'fair treatment of employees' section, which specifically bans 'discriminatory slurs' related to sexism and racism. American Apparel's controversial former-CEO Mr Charney, who founded the company in 1998, was terminated as chairman last June after the company compiled a long list of his alleged offenses; including sexual harassment, misuse of company funds, and racist comments. He stayed on in a consultant role but was fired from that position in December. Longtime fashion executive Paula Schneider has joined the company as CEO. Strict: The lengthy new code states that romantic relationships between employees should be disclosed to American Apparel's human resources department to be assessed for potential 'concern' Last month, Mr Charney claimed to be almost broke and reduced to crashing on a friend's couch in New York after being ousted from his company. As CEO, he earned an $800,000 annual salary, but recently told Bloomberg that he only has $100,000 left in the bank. He remains the company's largest shareholder, but doesn't have control of his 43per cent stake because of an agreement with hedge fund Standard General. Mr Charney said he felt betrayed by the hedge fund that had given him a loan in July so he could boost his ownership of the company he had founded. Mr Charney turned to the firm for help when he was ousted as CEO the previous month. 'I gave them my entire life's work and they agreed to put me back in,' he stated. 'But instead they used this investigation to fire me. They betrayed me. I gave them my heart.' Standard General disagrees with Mr Charney's version of events and released the following statement: . 'We supported the independent, third-party and very thorough investigation into the allegations against Mr Charney, and respect the Board of Directors' decision to terminate him based on the results of that investigation.' Despite what has happened, Mr Charney has said he plans to keep fighting and is 'suing everyone' with what little funds he has left. The Montreal-born Mr Charney has famously been the subject of lawsuits that allege he had inappropriate sexual conduct with female employees. He has admitted he had consensual sexual relationships with workers. In 2011, a former employee accused Mr Charney of keeping her as a teenage sex slave, fearing she could lose her job otherwise. She also sued American Apparel and its directors for failing to stop him from acting as a 'sexual predator.' Moving on: Longtime fashion executive Paula Schneider (left, in 2004), formerly of Warnaco, Gores Group and BCBG Max Azria, started as the retailer's new CEO this week . In 2012, Mr Charney once again came under fire when Michael Bumblis, a former store manager in Malibu, California, accused the CEO of rubbing dirt in his face and choking him. Mr Charney also allegedly called the man 'a wannabe Jew' and used a derogatory term for homosexuals. Mr Bumblis was later fired from his job. The company has suffered financially. It has recorded annual losses since 2010 and reported three quarterly losses last year. Its stock dropped 53per cent in 2014. Ms Schneider, who officially started as CEO on January 5, has been a senior executive at retail and clothing companies including Warnaco, Gores Group and BCBG Max Azria. She said in a statement that she hopes to 'make American Apparel a better company, while staying true to its core values of quality and creativity and preserving its sweatshop-free, Made in USA manufacturing philosophy.' | American Apparel's conversational former CEO Dov Charney was terminated last June over allegations including sexual harassment and racism . He stands accused of using one employee as a 'teenage sex slave' and calling another 'a wannabe Jew' Despite this, Mr Charney stayed on in a consultant role but was fired from that position in December . The new code of ethics - which has been instated to help 'prevent sexual harassment' - is four times the length of its previous version . It forbids 'welcome or unwelcome sexual advances' and 'public displays of affection' Employees involved in romantic relationships must inform human resources - and may then be redistributed . Longtime fashion executive Paula Schneider commenced her role as American Apparel's new CEO on Monday . | c7a5b3ee4415d6db016abdfc95471c5754afba34 |
Iain Duncan Smith’s officials have attacked a Church-backed campaign that claims his benefit changes are forcing people to go to food banks. In a striking billboard advert that says ‘Britain Isn’t Eating’, the charity Church Action on Poverty uses the famous image from the Conservatives’ 1979 election poster, ‘Labour Isn’t Working’. The highly political charity poster features the same long line of people used to illustrate dole queues under Jim Callaghan’s ailing government, but this time places them outside a food bank. Provocative: A Church advertising campaign blames benefits changes for more people visiting food banks . Copycat: The Church handout echoes the Tory election poster famously designed by Saatchi and Saatchi . It reads: ‘Thousands are going hungry because of benefit changes. Call for urgent action.’ But a spokesman for Mr Duncan Smith’s Department for Work and Pensions said there was ‘no robust evidence’ welfare reforms are linked to increased use of food banks. The charity, supported by the Church of England and other churches, says on its website that half a million people used aid from food banks this year. Iain Duncan Smith's department has said there is no evidence that welfare changes are behind increased use of food banks . It claims ‘the single most common reason for people to need food aid is that their benefits have been changed, delayed or stopped’. The figures appear to come from the Trussell Trust, which runs 400 food banks in Britain. Its chairman, Chris Mould, has been accused by Mr Duncan Smith of ‘scaremongering’ and ‘political messaging’ by claiming the use of them is linked to welfare reforms. In a letter leaked yesterday the Work and Pensions Secretary rejected the idea, writing: ‘I strongly refute this claim and would politely ask you to stop scaremongering in this way. ‘I understand that a feature of your business model must require you to continuously achieve publicity, but I’m concerned that you are now seeking to do this by making your political opposition to welfare reform overtly clear.’ He told Mr Mould that the DWP’s record in processing welfare claims had improved under the Coalition and would do further when Universal Credit – the merging of six benefits into one payment – is up and running. The DWP says 92 per cent of benefits are processed on time, compared with 86 per cent in 2009-10 under the last government. Labour MPs have repeatedly used increases in the number of food banks as evidence of a ‘cost of living crisis’. But a DWP spokesman said that if three new food banks are opening every week, as the Trussell Trust says, then ‘it’s not surprising more people are using them’. He added: ‘Our welfare reforms will improve the lives of some of the poorest families in our communities with Universal Credit making three million households better off – the majority of these from the bottom two fifths of the income scale.’ Charity Church Action on Poverty claims that the single biggest reason given by people for visiting food banks is that their benefits have either been cut or stopped . Tory MP Mark Pritchard wrote on Twitter last night: ‘If some parts of the Church of England preached a little more gospel and a little less politics – perhaps [the] Church would be in a better place.’ For the launch of the Britain Isn’t Eating campaign, Church Action on Poverty said on its website: ‘The explosion in food poverty and the use of food banks is a national disgrace. It undermines the UK’s commitment to ensuring all its citizens have access to food – one of the most basic human rights.’ A Church of England spokesman said the charity was independent but shared some personnel, adding: ‘There are more than 400 food banks up and down the country … many supported or run by local churches … Supporting those in need is a core gospel value for Christians.’ Mr Mould denied that his organisation was politically motivated and said Mr Duncan Smith has refused to meet him to discuss the issue. Sir Tony Baldry, Tory MP for Banbury, said a survey this year found 62 per cent of food bank users did so because of low income, 42 per cent because of benefit changes and 35 per cent as a result of benefit delays. | Charity Church Action on Poverty has created the billboard . Features the design of Saatchi an Saatchi's famous Tory election poster . Slogan Labour Isn't Working replaced with Britain Isn't Eating . Advert blames benefit reforms for more people using food banks . Iain Duncan Smith has labelled the campaign 'scaremongering' | bc3c2ffda9cca8328c030931d05bac8b73b2a9ee |
A Manhattan judge approved a millionaire investor's request for a restraining order against his 'volatile and unpredictable' younger girlfriend in Family Court on Friday. The motion to grant former hedge fund manager Brad Zipper, 50, a two-year protective order against 29-year-old former flame Nicole Raef was the finale to a legal ordeal with several dark twists. Though saying both parties had a problem with 'credibility,' Justice Mary Bednar eventually sided with Zipper, who claimed in court his girlfriend was prone to violent fits and once threatened him with a kitchen knife. 'Sad day': A Manhattan judge approved private investor Brad Zipper's investor's request for a two-year extension of a restraining order against girlfriend Nicole Raef . The New York Post reports that Zipper's fashion consultant girlfriend allegedly picked up a 5-inch blade in the $6million townhouse where they lived during an argument last September 4. She reportedly changed her mind and grabbed a 10-inch knife after judging the first to be too small, according to Zipper's testimony. 'She was screeching at the top of her lungs. She had a blade of significant size, and I was scared,' he said. 'She was coming at me, then I was scared she was going to kill herself.' The investor even brought the two knives to court last week, and was allowed to enter them into evidence after Raef admitted she waved the knives as a joke. The couple's tumultuous relationship became public back in November, when Raef told the Post she'd found herself homeless after being served with a protection order at Zipper's Hamptons estate. 'I was 100 percent shocked,' she told the paper, saying she'd had to pawn a pair of diamond earrings to afford legal counsel. 'We’d been arguing, but we’d worked things out.' Farewell: The Post reports that 29-year-old Raef left the courtroom upset after the judge ruled she'd committed harassment, menacing and criminal mischief, focusing on an issue where she brandished knifes at Zipper . Evidence: Zipper brought the knives in question to court, which were entered into evidence after Raef admitted she'd waved them jokingly . Zipper told the court then that the restraining order was the only way he could end an abusive relationship that he'd 'attempted to break up several times and somehow was convinced not to.' 'I laid in the same bed with her' on September 5, Zipper said after being asked by Raef's attorney, Brett Kimmel, and though he could not recall if they had sex then, Raef claims they did. In documents filed for the original restraining order, Zipper described coming home to find his oven on fire and Raef passed out in the guest room one night in 2012. 'When she woke up, she was delirious and didn’t even remember driving and getting into an accident with my car that night,' the documents stated. He also claimed Raef threw wine bottles at his head during a party over the summer, and tossed thousands of dollars worth of his possessions into the pool at his summer home. The relationship with the former head of Zinc Capital Management came with luxurious perks, such as ski trips to Aspen and beach getaways in St Barts, along with access to a $1.7million home in Southampton. But Raef also alleged he'd been pushing prescription pills on her, saying she felt pressured to take the anxiety and depression medication Ativan by Zipper. 'There’s times when he’s made me feel worthless or completely desperate, and I did take it, as he encouraged me to and stood there with his hand out,' she said in court. The trial also brought an admission from Zipper that he had taken illegal drugs at least 20 times over 4 years with Raef, according to the Post. In court on Friday, Zipper's lawyer, Marcy Katz, made mention of prescription pills, when talking about an email exchange where Raef apologized for breaking a door and said she took a Xanax afterwards. Granting the two-year extension for the protective order, Judge Bednar said she found issues regarding the 'credibility' of both parties, but took the threat at knifepoint seriously. 'Certainly a nine-inch chef’s knife being waved at someone . . . with a threat to commit suicide . . . gives someone cause for concern for their own physical safety,' Bednar said. She found that Raef committed harassment, menacing and criminal mischief and urged her to seek mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment. 'She believes she is the victim here and I believe that this is what the evidence established,' said Kimmel after the decision was handed down. 'All Nicole could do was try to defend herself,' Kimmel said about the claims of abuse and harassment. 'The bar in these types of cases is set very, very low.' Leaving the courtroom, Zipper's only comment was to say 'It’s just a sad day.' | Former hedge fund executive Brad Zipper, 50, filed a protective order against his girlfriend in November . Fashion consultant Nicole Raef, 29, had allegedly threatened Zipper with a knife in September, reportedly only one of a series of violent incidents . It emerged in court that Zipper had tried to break up with Raef then, but was lured back with makeup sex . A Family Court judge approved a two-year extension on the restraining order against Raef, though she said both sides had 'credibility' problems . | a1ea56fe60d5c2ecfa00dcbed0b05e4b44306a96 |
It is pointless asking Steven Gerrard where it all goes wrong. Gerrard is where it all goes wrong. Not just in this tournament, not just with the odd mistake of a player raging against the dying of the light, but from the very start, from his earliest days as an international footballer. All those times when we looked and wondered what happened to the Gerrard we knew, the one in the red shirt, a hero of the modern game. That was it going wrong. That was it right there. VIDEO Scroll down for Steven Gerrard: The World Cup has left me a broken man . Ruined: Steven Gerrard has retired from international football following failure at the 2014 World Cup . Stepping away: The 34-year-old has called time on his England career after 114 caps . Name Gerrard’s greatest performance for Liverpool. It is impossible to stop at one. The second half of the 2005 Champions League final; the FA Cup final in 2006; that Champions League tie against Olympiacos in 2004; the 3-0 win over Everton in 2012; Napoli in the Europa League in 2010; as a 21-year-old against Manchester United in 2001. Anfield regulars would not stop there. They could add another 50, maybe 100. Southampton, New Year’s Day, 2001; Marseille in 2008. Games that Liverpool would not have won without Gerrard, the pumping heartbeat. Now do the same with Gerrard and England. Several of those who have seen each one of his 113 appearances tried it yesterday. There was a consensus on Andorra away in 2007 under Steve McClaren. And not a whole lot else. He was very good when England beat Germany 5-1 in Munich, but so were a lot of players. There was a friendly against Hungary immediately after the 2010 World Cup, when he stopped the Fabio Capello backlash reaching its shrill crescendo. And he was most consistent in the qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup, albeit in a starting position on the left, which he hated. Glorious: Many Gerrard displays for Liverpool, particularly in Istanbul in 2005, have been outstanding . Irregular: There have been fewer great displays for England, with the best arguably against Andorra in 2007 . Yet Gerrard’s malaise is England malaise. Just as the national team is less than the sum of its parts, so his century of England appearances do not amount to his best 10, maybe his best five, for Liverpool. Gerrard, an admirable individual of great honesty and often given to brutal self-analysis, admits as much. On the occasion of his 100th cap, he said he had played six or seven good games for England. That was harsh. It is generally agreed Gerrard has frequently hit a standard that justifies his inclusion. Only very recently has his place in the team been questioned, and never by Roy Hodgson. He has asked Gerrard to stay as captain, and he will consider his future in the coming weeks. Yet it is impossible to divorce Gerrard’s legacy as a player from the decade or so of underachievement from what was a highly promising England group. ‘If we can’t make this one a player, we might as well give up,’ Sir Alex Ferguson once said, viewing the young Ryan Giggs. Looking back on Gerrard’s international career, it would appear the England machine has failed even that simple challenge. It has taken one of the greatest England footballers of this, or any, generation, one of the most talented players in the world, the midfielder Luis Suarez says is the greatest he has played with, and somehow reduced him to mediocrity. Tortured: England captain Gerrard looked injured mentally when he faced the press on Sunday . Flattered to deceive: Wayne Rooney is another player who fails to replicate club form for his country . It is as if someone has pulled the plug on The Beatles, chucked a blanket over Gainsborough, brought the curtain down on Larry Olivier. This is one of the finest footballers we will ever see. And we’re harking back to a golden hour against Andorra. Gerrard looked pained on Sunday. Injured, mentally more than physically. He picked at the back of his leg until he drew blood, and his face was wrinkled so intensely a bicycle could have been parked in one of the furrows on his brow. He recalled the afternoon after the night before, flicking around on his hotel television, back and forth, checking on Italy’s game with Costa Rica in the hope there might be one last lifeline. It wasn’t to be. Gerrard gave the impression he half expected as much. ‘There was a small, tiny glimmer, but that made the pain even worse when the game was gone,’ he said. ‘It was a desperate position to be in. 'To me, that’s not good enough, to be relying on others, when you’ve got the talented players we have in this squad. 'The margins are smaller now from where we were two years ago but, sitting here, we’re bitterly disappointed. It’s killing me not to have any positives to speak about.’ VIDEO Gerrard to take time over retirement decision . Fighting back: England manager Roy Hodgson (right) wants Gerrard (left) to remain as his captain . Dead rubber: England and Gerrard trained ahead of the Costa Rica match on Tuesday . England are all about accentuating the positives in Brazil, but it seems so empty in the wake of the poorest performance at a World Cup since 1958. The margins are small, was yesterday’s mantra. Yet in three hours of football, England have not been ahead in a match, once. The group of death myth has also been exploded. No group of death is won by Costa Rica, as seems likely here. Italy were not world-beaters. Uruguay truly are Luis Suarez plus 10 others. In Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, England will face a Costa Rica team that would not merit a second glance from many Premier League clubs - even, in Joel Campbell’s case, the one that holds his registration, Arsenal. It was hoped this game would be the comfortable victory that confirmed English progress, after tussles with Italy and Uruguay. Instead, it is a desperate attempt at saving face. England have never lost every match at a World Cup, and a draw would merely confirm Costa Rica’s place as winners of Group D. Either outcome would be a savage denouement for Hodgson. And a win? It would be scant consolation. This, then, is the proverbial kick into nothing. ‘The last couple of days have been grim,’ Gerrard conceded. ‘It’s a tough moment. In my head, I’ve got a mixture of emotions: frustration, pain. Dejected: Too often have we seen the sight of Gerrard crouched in despair after an England match . Consoled: Gerrard (left) is hugged by Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez (right) after the Uruguay defeat . 'The season for Liverpool ended badly for me and the team. I was coming out of that, trying to put it to bed, trying to get some positivity back through the World Cup. This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen. ‘I have to try to grieve, get away with the family and away from international football, and then make a decision on my future. 'It would be wrong for me to make that decision now. I will consider it long and hard, speak to people who will guide me. I’ve put everyone before myself. I’ve done that all the way through. This time I’ve got to make the decision that is best for me. I’ve told Roy I’ll need three weeks to clear my head. ‘It’s difficult to put into words. When you’re an England player, the captain, a fan and you’ve worked so hard to get into this position, for it to backfire over a few days, it’s a tough place to be. I’m not going to share blame or responsibility. I’ve got to take it on the chin.’ When England’s underachievement was put before Hodgson, the England manager had little in the ways of tangible answers. All alone: Hodgson's position has come under question following England's elimination in Brazil . Endemic: England's problems run far deeper than anyone imagined they did before Brazil 2014 . ‘Costa Rica were the team who were going to finish bottom of the group,’ he said. ‘Yet they’ll win it and might end up winning all three games. But if you can become a good team, maybe you can survive without necessarily having world-class players. ‘Look at their team. Their players weren’t regarded as world-class before the tournament, and maybe not after it, but they’ve had success together. Maybe there is something for us to learn from that.’ It sounded like clutching at straws, the idea a new England can be formed, minus its marquee names and elite performers. Is this really where we go from here, the acceptance that while we might fail to make an international footballer out of a truly exceptional player in Gerrard, we might succeed with an inferior model? There is no logic in that, no reason. If the path from here involves alchemy, the problems are greater than we have imagined. Deep down they all know it, too. | Gerrard has never been able to replicate his Liverpool displays for England . He has had countless memorable games for Liverpool down the years . In his 113 international appearances, he has far fewer for England . Andorra away in 2007 arguably his finest performance in Three Lions shirt . Gerrard in the national team is less than the sum of his parts . He looked injured mentally on Sunday following the Uruguay defeat . England's problems are far greater then any of us ever imagined before . | a33cc1a50f748d090ed0f56ea7663081c51f7da5 |
By . Corey Charlton for MailOnline . Robert Toney failed to provide basic life-saving treatment to the baby when he arrived at the scene . A paramedic who failed to give adequate emergency care to a new-born baby boy that was blue and ‘looked dead’ was suspended for a year today. Robert Toney raced to an address in Plymouth, Devon, after receiving an emergency call about a woman in labour. But when he arrived he made no attempt to give the baby oxygen despite the fact that he was struggling to breathe, the Health and Care Professions Council heard. Fellow paramedic Sheryl Hanks attended the scene shortly after Toney when the emergency call was made at 7.13am. She said: ‘I immediately thought that baby was not breathing adequately enough - it looked a horrible colour and actually, in all honesty, it looked dead. ‘The baby was laid on towels with its arms up in the air above its head, not wrapped just with an open towel underneath it.’ Mrs Hanks explained the baby was in ‘serious respiratory distress, almost on the stage of death’ when she arrived. She said Toney failed to provide basic life-saving ventilation oxygenation and that the standard of care given was inadequate. Toney had worked for the South West Ambulance Service NHS Trust for 28 years. He blew on the baby’s face and rubbed him with towels but did not use a resuscitation kit because he said he did not have the right equipment. The baby improved on the journey to the hospital and recovered at Derriford General Hospital on arrival. Toney was found to have provided inadequate care to the new-born baby, in that he did oxygenate or deliver ventiliations. The panel also found that Toney did not seek urgent assistance or make his bosses aware of the baby’s condition. HCPC panel chairman Brian Wroe said: ‘The panel is satisfied that the registrant expressed real and genuine remorse as he wanted to see the family after the event to see if the baby was alright. The baby boy improved during his ambulance journey and recovered at Derriford General Hospital in Plymouth . ‘But the panel is of the view that the registrant has a limited insight into his failings, demonstrated by his admissions. ‘However, he does not fully accept that he has failed to act promptly in a time critical situation. ‘He has failed to demonstrate that he has reflected on the situation, has learned how things went wrong and how he would address such a situation differently in the future. ‘The trust had identified a college based assessment day in respect of paediatric care, the need for a reflective log and the need to be assessed by a tutor in terms of leadership before the registrant could return to being part of a crew. ‘The registrant failed to take up any of these suggestions and has instead decided that he no longer wishes to practise. ‘Although he is no longer operating as a paramedic, he remains employed on an ad hoc basis as an Emergency Care Assistant. ‘He has taken early retirement and said that he wished to avoid stress, wanted to give new paramedics an opportunity and wished to devote his time to family. Toney was suspended from the profession for 12 months. | Robert Toney failed to give the baby life saving oxygenation when he arrived . Instead he blew on its face and rubbed him with towels, tribunal heard . He was today suspended from the profession for 12 months . | c0d0eecda63e553f389ef551ed12aad14206ed1c |
By . Rachel Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 06:10 EST, 8 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 8 July 2013 . Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos said simple play can build a child's self-esteem . Young children should return to old-fashioned games such as hide-and-seek and hopscotch to beat worries over their body image, a leading expert has claimed. Independent psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos said her research has shown that children as young as five had anxieties over the way they look. She said a return to traditional outdoor games such as tag and rounders would give youngsters more confidence in their own bodies for the future and fulfill the so-called Olympic Legacy. Active play also gives less sporty children the confidence to beat anxieties, she said. Dr Papadopoulos' report, entitled Physical Activity and Body Image, found that play is just as important as sport in getting children to participate in physical activity. It said that children who have body confidence concerns are more likely to be anxious about taking part in formal sports. However, parents who engage their children in regular physical activity, such as active play, from an early age, help them to develop increased self-esteem and emotional resilience. She said both of these are important factors in developing a better body image and making children better able to cope with the external messages about body image - such as advertising campaigns - that they are bombarded with as they grow up. Speaking at the launch of the Make Time 2 Play campaign, organised by the British Toy & Hobby Association, Dr . Papadopoulos added that recent studies had found that a quarter of . seven-year-old girls have tried to lose weight at least once and one third of young boys aged eight to 12 are dieting. She said: 'A return to old fashioned . games which involve physical activity can only be good for getting rid . of worries about body image among children. Dr Papadopoulos said a return to traditional outdoor games like hopscotch would give youngsters more confidence in their own bodies for the future and fulfill the so-called Olympic Legacy . 'Youngsters who are active and having fun are more likely to develop a positive outlook on physical activity. 'For those that shy away from sport there are lots of other activities that can get children active without engaging in traditional team sports. 'Building a den, going on a nature trail or treasure hunt or even just playing tag can be great starter activities to get children active before leading on to more gentle sports style activities like rounders or playing with a ball. The key thing is to keep it fun.' The Make Time 2 Play campaign states . that play is vitally important not just to children's physical . development but to their emotional health too. | Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos said her research had shown that simple games helped prevent and treat anxiety in children as young as five . Her report said play can be just as important as sport in getting . children to participate in physical activity . Studies have shown that 25% . of 7-year-old girls have dieted at least once and that over 30% of young boys aged 8 to 12 are dieting to lose weight . | 50cd5a5d7a3058d13ccea764e440039ef161ccc1 |
With its front wall slipping into the garden, and its crumbling interior open to the elements, it looks like a disaster waiting to happen. But this derelict house has become a treasured feature of a seaside town after an artist transformed it into a unique art by making it look like the facade has slipped into the front garden. Part of the upper floor of the four-storey property is exposed as curving bricks, windows and a door below give the illusion that the front of the house is sliding away. Standards are slipping: Thanet District Council gave the artist permission to use the empty property to . realise his self-initiated £100,000 project . The house has become something of a tourist attraction since it was unveiled . Artist Alex Chinneck, 28, started the £100,000 project, called 'From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes', at the end of August and has recently completed it in Margate, Kent. The mid-19th century house, which was compulsorily purchased by Thanet District Council after being empty for 11 years, will be brought back into use at the end of the year-long public art exhibition. Ten companies donated their materials, manufacturing capabilities and professional services to build the sliding facade in Godwin Road in the Cliftonville area of the resort. Mr Chinneck, who lives in Hackney, east London, said: 'This idea was completely self-initiated. Initially I wanted to do it in London and I wrote to various people to try to get it off the ground. 'I was offered a huge number of properties, including a multi-storey car park, but I then decided I wanted to do it in Margate because I was excited by the arrival of the Turner Contemporary art gallery.' Artist Alex Chinneck, 28, started the £100,000 project, called 'From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes', at the end of August . Ten companies donated their materials, manufacturing capabilities and professional services to build the sliding facade in Godwin Road . He added: 'I was aware of this idea that people have a choice whether or not they go through the doors of an art gallery, and often they don't because they feel intimidated, so I think public art is important. 'I wanted to create something that captured humour, illusion and would be accessible to people from all types of different backgrounds. The response has been very positive.' Last year, Mr Chinneck installed more than 1,200 pieces of glass across the facade of a factory in Hackney to create the illusion that its 312 windows had been identically smashed and cracked. Clive Hart, leader of Thanet District Council, said: 'This kind of innovative art will encourage and attract people from all over the world to Thanet, which is a very exciting prospect for us.' | Mid-19th century house was compulsorily purchased by Thanet District Council after being empty for 11 years . Derelict four-storey Margate house will be brought back into use at the end of the year-long public art exhibition . Part of the upper floor is exposed as curving bricks, windows and a door below give the illusion that the front of the house is sliding away . | 96c880af02c1c8801150052fbf76164f81845e90 |
By . Janet Tappin Coelho . PUBLISHED: . 14:51 EST, 1 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:00 EST, 1 October 2013 . Four would-be cowboys have brought the wild-west to Brazil with their brazen robberies on horseback. The underage buckaroos, said to be between 13 and 16 years old, were caught on security cameras mugging two terrified women of their purses and shopping in the town of Fortaleza, north east Brazi . The two elderly victims, who have just come out of the supermarket with their shopping bags, are seen cowering on the pavement and trying to run backwards as a horse trots around the corner with an accomplice running on foot behind. Approach: The robbers turn up on their horses and come across an elderly woman standing in the doorway . Reaction: Another women follows out of the door and they spot the teenagers trotting towards them . As the women panic they drop their shopping and, while one manages to escape, the horse-back rider traps the other using his horse to herd her to the wall. Petrified, the woman gives up her goods, shoving the bags into the outstretched arms of the bandit and runs for her life. The side-kick gathers up the loot, leaving much of it behind on the floor, then the scramble is on to saddle-up and get-away with the booty. But first attempts to make a ‘giddy-up’ escape are comical, as the accomplice is a bit of a handicap. He clumsily clambers onto the horse, slipping off several times and nearly dismounts the rider off the bronco. Raising an arm as if they've won the Epsom Derby, the horsemen make their get-away at a slow canter. Run! One of the women manages to escape by scrambling across the pavement to the other side of the road . Panic: One of the women drops their bags on the pavement and one of the thieves reaches down to pick it up . Tussle: The remaining woman tries to save her shopping but the robber has a stronger grasp . Minutes earlier, the security cameras had captured the start of the incident, showing the would-be posse of four buffalo bills on two mules plodding menacingly towards the two female shoppers. Deyse Herbster, a housewife, who lives nearby saw the hold-up and said: 'I thought it was a joke at first with the boys on their horses just approaching the women for a laugh. But when I heard the women scream for help I realised it was serious.' According to locals, this is not the first time that the brazen bandits have attacked passers-by. Going: The robbers begin their getaway, but have left some of the stolen shopping lying on the pavement . Gone: The robbers gallop down the road with the stolen handbags . 'This has been happening for a while and they still haven’t been caught,' said one local, who didn’t want to be named. 'I hardly go out anymore because I’m so afraid,' said housewife, Tassila Maria Menezes de Castro. 'When I do go out, I can’t see a horse without feeling scared.' Police say they are still looking to roundup the culprits. Fortaleza’s military police officer, Francisco Luciano Coelho said: 'You can be sure that once we identify who they are they will be put in jail. Some of the town's residents have, however, found the episodes somewhat funny and are now calling the shopping ‘rustlers’ junior Zorro bandits. | The four would-be cowboys were said to be between 13 and 16 years old . They mugged two elderly women, stealing their purses and shopping . Victims seen cowering on the streets of Fortaleza, north east Brazil . Locals say it is not the first time these brazen attackers have struck . But some have referred to the bandits as junior Zorros . | be342f3070356ff35f975a8a96b5f71a37519bad |
Zola Tongo, 34, who is serving an 18-year term, was giving evidence in the trial of Shrien Dewani, who is accused of arranging the murder of his wife . The taxi driver who is in jail for the murder of newlywed Anni Dewani in South Africa claims he fitted child locks on his car to prevent her escaping, a South African court has been told. Zola Tongo, 34, who is serving an 18-year term, was giving evidence in the trial of Shrien Dewani, a bisexual entrepreneur from Westbury-on-Trym, near Bristol. Dewani has pleaded not guilty to murder, kidnap, robbery with aggravating circumstances, conspiracy to commit these crimes and defeating the ends of justice at Western Cape High Court in Cape Town. Dewani claims the couple were hijacked as Tongo was driving them through Gugulethu township in his minibus on November 13. He was released unharmed and Anni was driven away. She was found shot dead in the abandoned minibus the next morning. It is alleged he arranged the murder of his wife through Tonga. The information concerning the child locks, which prevent a passenger in the rear of the car from leaving, was not in Tongo's original statement, and the driver told the court he had only just remembered it. Dewani's defence lawyer Francois van Zyl said: 'You engaged the child locks.' Tongo said: 'Correct' Van Zyl added: 'That means the accused wouldn't be able to get out.' Tongo added: 'Correct. But I knew they (the gunmen) would do nothing to the accused person.' The court also heard it was 'strange' the taxi driver did not ask Dewani when he would be paid for killing the businessman's wife. Van Zyl had tried to find out what arrangements Tongo allegedly made with his client regarding a 5,000 rand (£283) payment for Anni Dewani's murder on Saturday November 13 2010. Dewani (pictured left in court) was released unharmed and Anni was driven away. She was found shot dead in the abandoned minibus the next morning . According to the prosecution, Dewani's secret gay life and the reputation of his family motivated him to order the contract killing of his new bride, Anni, 28, pictured above, during their honeymoon to South Africa . Tongo said during cross-examination he and Dewani spoke about his commission the day the couple landed in Cape Town, and was told the murder needed to happen the next day. He said he could not remember discussing how he would be paid, which Mr Van Zyl said he found strange because Tongo had described the payment as important. He added he did not know how long Dewani would be in the country. Mr van Zyl said: 'For all you knew, he could have left Cape Town on Sunday morning. You made no arrangements with him as to when and how you would be paid.' After more questions, it was revealed Tongo did not ask about the alleged commission when he and Dewani were sitting together at the Cape Grace Hotel on Sunday morning, hours before Anni's body was found. Tongo said he did not ask because the hotel was busy. The information concerning the child locks, which prevent a passenger in the rear of the car (pictured) from leaving, was apparently not in Tongo's original statement . Mr van Zyl asked Tongo if he tried to get in contact with Dewani before he left the country the following Tuesday. Tongo said he did not. Mr van Zyl said it was only through coincidence that the pair spoke, when Tongo phoned a police officer to complain about journalists bothering him. Tongo did not realise Dewani was in the officer's company. Dewani asked the officer if he could speak to Tongo over the phone. Asked again why Tongo did not try to get hold of Dewani, he eventually said he did not have his contact number. When it was pointed out to him that nothing prevented him from phoning Dewani's hotel, Tongo said he had not thought of that. The prosecution alleges Dewani conspired with others to stage the hijacking in return for 15,000 rand (£847). Anni Dewani's body was found in Tongo's abandoned shuttle taxi in Khayelitsha on Sunday November 14, 2010. Middleman Monde Mbolombo, a hotel receptionist, was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for testifying against his accomplices. Xolile Mngeni is serving life in jail for firing the shot that killed Anni, but died in prison from a brain tumour on October 18. Mziwamadoda Qwabe is serving a 25-year jail term. | Zola Tongo, 34, was giving evidence in trial of Shrien Dewani in Cape Town . Says he installed locks to stop murder victim Anni Dewani from escaping . The 28-year-old's body was found in Tongo's abandoned shuttle taxi . | 72967ec5791a72ddb6af432d3fbcdc7aa569d7a2 |
CLICK HERE for all the stats from the Cherries' Capital One Cup win over the Baggies on Tuesday night . It's what you might term an upset, though you suspect Alan Irvine can’t have been too devastated. Not when he made 10 changes to the side he fielded in his most recent Barclays Premier League fixture. A cheer for the plucky underdog, then? Not quite. Bournemouth made the same number of changes. What a strange state of affairs, when a last-16 cup tie can’t draw full enthusiasm from either club. More so when each manager would have been entitled to believe they had a good shot at a quarter-final place. That fate ultimately belongs to Bournemouth, who have reached the last eight of the Capital One Cup for the first time in their history. Bournemouth's Eunan O'Kane celebrates scoring the opening goal against West Bromwich-Albion in the Capital One Cup . Irishman O'Kane side foots his shot into the back of the net to give his Championship side the lead against their top flight opponents . BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Camp 6.5; Smith 6, Elphick 6.5, Cargill 6, Harte 6; Stanislas 6.5, O’Kane 7.5, Gosling 6, Fraser 6.5 (Francis 77min, 6); Kermorgant 6 (Macdonald 88), Rantie 7 (Wilson 70, 7). Subs not used: Flahavan, Daniels, Pitman, Richie. Booked: Harte, O’Kane. WEST BROM (4-3-1-2): Myhill 6.5; Gamboa 6.5, Dawson 5.5, McAuley 6, Davidson 6; Mulumbu 6.5, Baird 5.5, O’Neil 5.5 . (Sessegnon 63, 5.5); Blanco 6 (Berahino 75); Anichebe 5.5, Ideye 5.5 (Samaras 55, 5.5). Subs not used: Foster, Wisdom, Gardner, Roofe. Booked: Dawson, Mulumbu. Man of the match: Eunan O’Kane. Referee: Paul Tierney 6.5. The manner of the finale was suitably dramatic. Eunan O’Kane had seemingly done enough to put Bournemouth through with a strike early in the second half, only for Georgios Samaras to level with a shot that deflected heavily off Tommy Elphick. That appeared to be that for a side that has achieved so much in recent years, but then it got a little sweeter when, within seconds of the restart, substitute Callum Wilson scored the winner. What drama. It might even make this competition attractive to Bournemouth. Of course, it will need to be balanced against those priorities in the Championship, in which they are currently sitting an impressive fourth after a scarcely believable 8-0 win away at Birmingham at the weekend. Eddie Howe only retained Tommy Elphick from that team; Irvine kept Craig Dawson from the 11 who started in the draw against Crystal Palace. As it transpired, the opportunity of game time brought decent performances from players of both sides. Within two minutes, Yann Kermorgant lashed a shot from distance that Boaz Myhill saved and moments later Craig Dawson was forced to haul down Tokelo Rantie to prevent a breakaway. The fact Youssouf Mulumbu committed a similar offence later in the half said plenty about Rantie’s pace on the counter, which was evidently Bournemouth’s main ploy. At the other end, West Brom threatened without looking dangerous. Scoring hasn’ t been a problem for them in the Premier League – a tally of 12 that stands up to scrutiny against their rivals in the bottom half - but for a time here they looked ponderous. West Brom's Sebastian Blanco (right) beats Dan Gosling during their fourth round clash at Goldsands Stadium on Tuesday . Substitute Giorgios Samaras doesn't celebrate after his cross leads to an own goal equaliser for West Brom . Tommy Elphick was unlucky to have crept Samaras's cross past Cherries keeper Lee Camp . Nothing too blatant at set-pieces. C . raig Dawson and Gareth McAuley were both happy to get close at corners for West Brom, but nothing especially untoward. When Christian Gamboa crossed from the right, Liam O’Neil slipped his marker but barely connected with his header. Victor Anichebe also played in Brown Ideye, but the £10million striker shot straight at Lee Camp. They started the second half with a shade more incision, Sebastian Blanco sidestepping a challenge and dipping a shot narrowly over the bar from the edge of the area. But by the 49th minute they were behind. Considering they came into the fixture with a single away win this season and only one draw, perhaps it should not have been a surprise. Junior Stanislas made the goal, surging at a backline that kept on retreating. He reached the edge of the area unchallenged and slipped a pass left to O’Kane, who shot across Myhill and inside the far post. Ryan Fraser then came close to making it 2-0. The winger’s pace caused West Brom problems most of the night but his finishing let him down when Adam Smith found space on the right and drilled a low cross towards the penalty spot. Fraser controlled with his back to goal, but in shooting on the turn miscued horribly. Samaras levelled after 85 minutes with a heavily deflected shot from the left, but substitute Wilson hit the winner seconds later. Howe threw his hands in the air. He has overseen a special time at Bournemouth. He took the club into the Championship in his first season at the club and consolidated their status by finishing 10th in the last campaign. At the weekend, they obliterated Birmingham and sit in the play-off places. Now they are in a hat with only seven other numbers. Not bad for a second string from the second tier. The Cherries hit back straight away though through Callum Wilson for his 11th goal of the season . Wilson's strike, the second for the Cherries, puts his side through to the League Cup quarter-finals for the first time . Wilson claps after his goal that ensured Bournemouth followed their 8-0 win over Birmingham with a Premier League scalp . Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe (left) celebrates the upset win with matchwinner Callum Wilson (right) Cristian Gamboa shows his disappointment as West Brom are ousted from the Capital One Cup . | Eunan O'Kane gave Bournemouth the lead against West Brom in the 49th minute . Substitute Georgios Samaras's cross deflected off Tommy Elphick for an own goal equaliser . But Callum Wilson, also a substitute, struck back almost immediately for the hosts to reclaim the lead . Both sides made 10 changes each to their respective line-ups from the weekend's games . Bournemouth had beaten Birmingham 8-0 in the Championship three days ago . | 48288f87520dd94e5c3ebd60b4eb8a8e9ae12f31 |
By . Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 10:57 EST, 3 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:34 EST, 4 September 2013 . Aviation fans are in for a treat as a 450-seater jumbo jet has been converted into a unique hotel - letting guests sleep on a Boeing 747. The unique Jumbo Stay hostel has a selection of 27 cabins to choose from, with some en-suite and all with Wi-Fi and flatscreen TVs. For frequent flyers it might not exactly be their cup of tea, in fact far from it, but for aeroplane enthusiasts, it could be the next big buzz. Scroll down for video . Jumbo Stay: For those who have never had a Jumbo experience, they can now book a cheap night in a converted jet in Sweden for as little as £42 a night . Guests can even stay in the luxurious cockpit suite, which has panoramic views of the airport in Arlanda, near Stockholm, Sweden. The plane - which now remains grounded - can also be used for conferences and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for guests to come and visit. The owner and the man behind Jumbo Stay is Swedish business man Oscar Divs, who bought the 1976 Boeing 747-200 and converted it into the hostel. The grounded Boeing 747 is now a fixed hostel at Arlanda airport, near Stockholm, where gusts can even pay to stay in the cockpit suite . The rooms are all kitted out with flatscreen TVs, WiFi and en-suites . Unusual: The unique Jumbo Stay hostel has a selection of 27 cabins to choose from with rooms having elevated views of the airport . Open for business: The 1976 Jumbo is now a fixed hostel feature at the Arlanda airport near Stockholm, in Sweden . Oscar said: 'I was getting ready to expand my hostel business in 2006 when I heard about an old wreck of an aircraft for sale at Arlanda. 'Since I had for a long time wanted to establish my business at Arlanda I didn't hesitate for a second when this opportunity struck.' The airplane, a decommissioned jumbo jet built in 1976, was last operated by Transjet, a Swedish airline that went bankrupt in 2002 . Hostel owner Oscar Divs bought the 1976 Boeing 747-200 and converted it into the hostel as he was looking to expand his business . The unique style of accommodation is likely to appeal to aviation enthusiasts, but perhaps not frequent flyers . Mr Divs said the opportunity to buy the Jumbo came at exactly the right time: 'Since I had for a long time wanted to establish my business at Arlanda I didn't hesitate for a second when this opportunity struck' Cosy: Guests have the same hotel luxuries as standard accommodation, including en-suites, flatscreen TVs and WiFi . Guests have a hefty flight of stairs to climb if they want to stay in the Jumbo, climbing to entrances either at the front or the back of the plane . The prices at the Jumbo hostel range from 50 euros - around £42 - for a shared single sex dorm to almost 200 euros - £170 - a night for the exclusive pilot's suite. The airplane, a decommissioned jumbo jet built in 1976, was last operated by Transjet, a Swedish airline that went bankrupt in 2002. Guests will recognise the jet as one of the most popular planes for holiday travel, and the owner promises guest will have an experience like no other in this novelty hostel. Transformation: Much work has gone into converting the decommissioned Jumbo from a passenger plane to a comfortable hostel with places to kick back and relax . Some parts of the aeroplane still resemble the traditional Boeing 747 interior . | Hostel owner Oscar Divs bought the decommissioned Boeing 747 in 2006 . Plane is now a fixed hostel at Arlanda airport, near Stockholm . Prices start from £42 per night and include en-suite, WiFi and flatscreen TV . | 41f0e04f2801b852ab38e24ef239e7bdbf62544a |
By . Leslie Larson . PUBLISHED: . 13:01 EST, 17 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:24 EST, 17 September 2012 . A nine-year-old Brooklynite is fed up with street fashion and wants people to start covering their assets. Amor 'Lilman' Arteaga and his father, Juan, penned a catchy rap titled 'Pull Ya Pants Up' to vent their frustration at the sagging back-sides they are subjected to seeing on the streets of their neighborhood in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The father-son duo even got Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz to add his voice to their pleas, with the local politician appearing in their YouTube video and declaring every day 'Pull Ya Pants Up' day in the New York City borough. Scroll down for video. Up, up, up: Flatbush resident Amor Lilman (left) joins Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz (right) to encourage constituents to pull their pants up . In a nearly four minute YouTube music video, reminiscent of Willow Smith's 'Whip Your Hair' single, the rising star jumps around Brooklyn pointing out fashion offenders displaying their derrieres and voicing his annoyance at seeing pants improperly secured. 'I'm tired of seeing all these dirty underwears when I am walking down the street. Pull 'em up!' he shouts. 'Think that you swaggin' cause your pants saggin' - Pull ya pants up. Pull ya pants up,' he adds, as he shows his disgust as men with lowered shorts stroll by. Arteaga, who is a fourth grade student . at PS 92 school in Brooklyn, told the New York Daily . News he thinks 'it's disrespectful showing your butt off.' Up is cool: Amor 'Lilman' raps about the pros of keeping your pants properly secured, as his young fans agree in the background . Not a good look: Nine-year-old rapper Amor 'Lilman' goes after the fashion offenders in his music video . 'I’m always seeing boys, girls, rappers, singers - everyone is sagging out.' The young songster says he was inspired to pen a tune with a 'pull your pants up' theme because when he was a seven-year-old kid, he got in trouble with his father when he pants were sagging low one day when he ran around on the playground. So the father-son duo joined forces to pen the catchy tune and they spent most of the summer coming up with the music video. The inspiration to incorporate Marty Markowitz came from a family friend, who urged Juan to bring his talented son to meet the local politician. Follow my lead: The pint-sized performer shows off his fashion prowess in the video, as he lifts his arms to demonstrate what people should be doing with their trousers . Dream big: Amor says he wants to be a star but is committed to keeping his message positive . They did meet and Mr Markowitz invited Amor to perform at the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series earlier this year, when he debuted his song 'Pull Ya Pants Up.' Juan Arteaga, 37, said he is really happy that his son's talent is being appreciated. 'I am so proud. I couldn't do what he is doing when I was that age,' his father said. Though Amor is still young, he has his heart set on performing and making it big. He wants to see his song get some radio play and dreams about seeing the rap music video appear on BET's '106 & Park' countdown show. Swing low: Justin Bieber, left, (at a 2011 NBA game) is among the stars who often wears his pants low, much to the delight of his adoring fans. The trend has been ridiculed but continues to be followed . The youngster also says he wants to keep the message of his music positive. 'Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be a star. I didn't want to go through all this nonsense of cursing. I wanted to be positive with my raps,' he told the News. For his next project, he has his eye on gun violence. 'There’s too many shootings. Even little people like me are getting killed. I see a lot of different things on the news. We gotta stop the killings,' he said. | Amor 'Lilman' Arteaga was scolded by his father for letting his back-side hang out of his trousers . Father and son duo penned a tune to correct the fashion faux pas rampant in Flatbush, Brooklyn . Nine-year-old boy stars in music video, rapping instructions to keep pants in the locked and upright position . Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz even lends a word of support . | dd7735f6b6e1a176cf9e153dcd537f1196dd0874 |
Divorce can be a turbulent time, so why not do it in extreme comfort? That's the big sell behind Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa, a luxury resort in upstate New York's, latest venture. Previously renowned for putting on lavish weddings the hotel and spa has turned it's attention to quick splits with $5,000 (£3,000) weekend divorce packages. For that amount you and your soon-to-be ex husband can make a weekend of it with access to the baths and spa, tennis, hiking, swimming, golf courses and ice skating, in between trips to your attorney. Excess baggage? Gideon Putnam Resort and Spa in Saratoga Springs in New York will take care of it . Sound like a nice way to break-up? The 'Divorce Hotel' has only two criteria: you must be a US citizen and agree to use the attorneys and mediators provided by the hotel. A jolly on the golf course this ain't - you have to be fully committed to your forthcoming divorce. Over the weekend guests work with mediators to finalise the sticky details into a signed agreement and, if they choose, the whole process can be filmed as part of a new reality show made by A. Smith and Co., the production company behind Gordon Ramsay’s 'Kitchen Nightmares'. Visit the hotel's Roosevelt Baths for sanctuary from your other half before you make the break . Program founder Jim Halfens told the New York Post, 'Practically, they are divorced after signing on Sunday.' 'After signing, all work is done and we send it to a judge who only puts a stamp on it to make it official.' Halfens, who already runs similar projects in his native Netherlands, expects to start up his services at the end of September. Rob Sgarlata, a hotel representative, stated, 'They want people to get into an environment that minimizes the stress of the situation and that's exactly what we offer.' Couples check into separate rooms and use a shared suite for 'mediation' talks . He added, 'We welcome all kinds of guests.' Problems could arise when weddings and divorces are held at the same time but Sgarlata says the hotel will keep the milestones separate. 'We would be sensitive to having them in different parts of the hotel,' he said. | Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa in New York charges couples £5,000 for stay . Guests have the option of being filmed during the process for reality show . In between consulting attorney parties play golf, swim and enjoy massages . | fc0311c15e620eab236d7c7452a5d7e789de2fb3 |
Britons are 'pre-toxing' in the run-up to Christmas so that they can indulge more come December, with people hoping to lose an average of half a stone in the festive run-up. A new study also shows Brits rate looking good at the office Christmas party more important than a first date or a new job. However, post Christmas, we don't show the commitment needed to follow through with their regime. People in UK are hoping to lose an average of half a stone in festive run-up, with 47 per cent are starting their healthy 'pre-tox' fitness regime in next week in preparation for extra-eating over Christmas . In a poll conducted on 2,000 UK adults, half questioned revealed that they are 'pre-toxing', but only a third admitted they expect to see their diet and fitness regime through to the New Year. 47 per cent of us are starting our healthy 'pre-tox' fitness regime in the next week, with almost a quarter revealing the motivation was looking good at their office Christmas party. Instead of just relying on some old-fashioned jogging and calorie-counting, thousands have turned to new technology in an effort to beat the bulge. Nearly a fifth of those questioned admitted to using wearable technology or juicing machines to stay on track. Almost a quarter said motivation is looking good at their Christmas party . Data from Currys PC World supports the pre-tox trend and shows a 20% increase in sales of its juicers and 27% increase in its wearable products per week. The survey showed that women take pre-Christmas slimming down more seriously, with men only thinking about shaping up for Christmas towards the end of November, two weeks after women begin their weight loss effort. 80 per cent of people believe that they put on weight during the Christmas period, with some putting on as much as 8lb from over-eating. 80 per cent of people believe that they put on weight during the Christmas period, with some putting on as much as 8lb from over-eating . Celebrity fitness and nutrition expert, Lucy Wyndham-Read, said: 'It's always hard to think healthy at Christmas. 'As the work life balance gets harder for many of us, some of the latest health and fitness gadgets can give us a helping hand. 'My clients regularly turn to their Philips Avances or Tom Tom Runners to make exercise and healthy living a little more exciting.' 1. Walking a little faster is a great way to burn off some extra calories. Aim to walk at a speed of 4 miles per hour, as this helps you burn fat. 2. In the office, set a timer on a watch or your phone and every 20 minutes, simply stand up and move if even for a few seconds. After 20 minutes of sitting the body starts to slow down the amount of calories you burn, so just move every 20 minutes to keep it fully active. 3. Ditch the biscuit tin and swap for a smoothie and save calories and get your vitamins at the same time. 4. Every day, challenge yourself to burn off an extra 100 calories over the build up to Christmas, this way you can have banked and be in credit by at least 2,400 calories. 5. Skipping for 10 minutes can burn up to 135 calories and at the same time sculpts and tones your lower body. 6. Keep your body fuller for longer by adding in some oats to your smoothies, throwing these into your blender will help stabilise your blood sugar levels so you will be less tempted to snack on the mince pies in the office. 7. Taking the stairs take two at a time, this works your thighs and butt harder and avoid using the hand rail as then you contract your abs more for balance. 8. Music is a great motivator, so create a new playlist and name it 'My Pre-tox Christmas Playlist' then listen to this when you work out. 9. Keep your workout gear on the radiator as this way you are more likely to slip into it and head out in the winter for a quick workout. 10. Apply the two D's which are simply 'determination' and 'discipline' and you will get you the desired results. Just make sure you stay on track with your pre-tox of smoothies and exercise. Ben Lovett, Currys PC World spokesperson, added: 'Brits are becoming more health conscious than ever and the beauty of juicers and wearable products is that they are easy to use on a daily basis. 'The 'Jawbone Up' for example provides new and immediate insights into how you sleep, move and eat, which will help you make smarter choices. 'Then the NutriBullet comes with a single-serve cup so you can drink your juice on the go.' | People in UK are hoping to lose an average of half a stone in festive run-up . 47 per cent are starting their healthy 'pre-tox' fitness regime in next week . Almost a quarter said motivation is looking good at office Christmas party . | 577f134eab80a0bf6f046d733ac6e3c3af16bd59 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 09:53 EST, 7 November 2011 . Convert: Bellfield, who sources claim has turned to Islam, was given a second life term in June for killing schoolgirl Milly Dowler . The killer of schoolgirl Milly Dowler has changed his name and is converting to Islam in jail, it has been claimed. Levi Bellfield, 43, is now called Mohammed, only eats halal meat and prays to Allah five times a day at Wakefield Prison. The triple murderer is serving a second whole life sentence for killing Milly, 13, at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002. He was already in jail for murdering Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2003 and Amelie Delagrange, 22, as well as attempting to murder Kate Sheedy, 18, in 2004. Staff at Wakefield prison, in West Yorkshire, believe Bellfield has only changed his faith to gain special treatment at the jail. It is also thought he may have made the lifestyle change to impress the Muslim extremists who have given him a hard time while he has been incarcerated there. A prison insider told the Daily Mirror: 'His diet must be cooked to halal guidelines. It is generally accepted the food is better. 'Bellfield is doing this for better meals and a cushier life. He has the right to pray five times a day so it gives him a break. 'Some staff think he may have become a Muslim to impress the extremists he had trouble with.' Staff at Wakefield Prison are reported to have said that Bellfield has only changed his faith to get special treatment . Bellfield, who is 6ft tall and weighs around 18 stone, has repeatedly complained about his personal security. Sources at the prison suggested earlier this year that Bellfield spends the majority of his time in his cell surrounded by legal papers and books because of fears he will be attacked. It emerged in August that the serial killer could be in line for a compensation payout of up to £30,000 after suffering cuts and bruises in a prison attack. Bellfield is waiting to cash in on a minor assault which took place before he went on trial for the murder of Milly. After his conviction, Milly’s mother Sally said she hoped he would be dealt with in prison with the ‘same brutality’ he used against his victims. Bellfield was already in jail for murdering Amelie Delagrange, 22 . (left), and Marsha McDonnell, 19 (centre) when he was convicted of . killing Milly Dowler, 13 (right) She said: ‘The length the system goes to protect his human rights seems so unfair compared to what we as a family have had to endure.’ But within weeks of being sent back to Wakefield Prison, it emerged the killer had issued civil proceedings against the Government. He suffered minor injuries to his face and mouth when he was attacked by an inmate armed with a makeshift weapon outside one of the prison’s bathrooms last September. | Serial killer 'becomes Muslim for better meals and a cushier life' | af02339f0df4f5136f5dda066734cb604eded790 |
Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- The tug-of-war between the two men who claim the presidency of the Ivory Coast intensified Wednesday. Soro Guillaume, who was picked by Alassane Ouattara to be prime minister in his government, said on Wednesday that the international community should use force to remove incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo from power. The country's Independent Electoral Commission said Ouattara won a November 28 runoff election, but its Constitutional Council invalidated those results and declared Gbagbo the winner. The United Nations, the African Union and other international and regional bodies recognize Ouattara as the victor, but Gbagbo has declined to step down. A United Nations credentialing commission added pressure by approving on Wednesday a diplomatic maneuver that would further isolate the government of Gbagbo. The commission agreed to back a new ambassador to the body appointed by Ouattara. U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley on Wednesday said that the United States and other countries were discussing with African nations the possibility of augmenting the existing U.N. force in the Ivory Coast. However, he said it was unclear what a U.S. contribution could look like, whether it be forces of logistical support or something more indirect. Right now, these are just ideas, Crowley said. The World Bank on Wednesday said it has halted lending and disbursing funds to the Ivory Coast and that the agency's office in the West African country has been closed. The agency said it and the African Development Bank have backed the AU and the Economic Community of West African States "in sending the message to Gbagbo that he lost the elections and he needs to step down." "A peaceful and rapid resolution is critical" for Ivorians and the region, the bank said. Meanwhile, France has become the latest Western country to warn its citizens of danger in the Ivory Coast. French citizens in the West African nation should leave if possible, a government spokesman, Francois Baroin, said Wednesday. The United States and United Kingdom also have warned their citizens of possible violence in the Ivory Coast, where up to 50 people are said to have been killed amid a political stalemate after a disputed presidential election. The U.S. State Department ordered nonemergency personnel and family members this week to leave the country. It also warned U.S. citizens against traveling to the Ivory Coast, a former French colony of about 19 million people. The UK Foreign Office also had advised British citizens to avoid travel to the Ivory Coast and, for those already there, to leave the country unless they "have a pressing reason to remain." On Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the country risks a return to civil war . "In the past week, there has been an alarming increase in the use of intimidation by elements of the national security forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo against the civilian population, and in particular against supporters of President-elect Ouattara," he said. "The tactics include abductions and killings and the propagation of hate speech through the state broadcasting corporation," he continued. "There is a real risk of a return to civil war." Gbagbo struck a defiant tone in a Tuesday speech, declaring, "I am the president." He stressed he is the legitimate winner of the election, but said he would be willing to welcome an international committee to review the results to avoid any further violence. "I don't want any more bloodshed. I don't want any more war," he said. U.N. peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy referred to Gbagbo's remarks when he spoke to reporters in New York. "Mr. Gbagbo has been very clear. He wants no violence, no more blood," Le Roy said. "So all the forces loyal to him should stop immediately provocation, instigating violence, violation of human rights and provoking" U.N. peacekeepers in the country. Le Roy said Gbagbo's allies have been handing out rifles to members of a "Young Patriots" group, and mercenaries from Liberia and Angola have been hired "to provoke" civilians and U.N. peacekeepers. Amnesty International, citing eyewitnesses, has said that it has heard an increasing number of stories of people arrested or otherwise taken by gunmen, often with the cooperation of security forces. "It is clear that more and more people are being illegally detained by security forces or armed militiamen, and we fear that many of them may have been killed or have disappeared," Salvatore Sagues, Amnesty International's West Africa researcher, said in a written statement. The U.N. Security Council has extended its peacekeepers' mission in Ivory Coast through June 30, despite an expulsion order by Gbagbo. The Gbagbo government accuses the United Nations of providing military and logistical support to former rebels who are backers of Ouattara -- a charge Ban denied. CNN's Aliza Kassim and Eric Agnero contributed to this report. | NEW: U.N. commission agrees to back Ouattara-picked ambassador . Augmenting the U.N. force in Ivory Coast is being discussed . Ouattara-appointed PM calls for "military leverage" against Gbagbo . The World Bank has halted lending to Ivory Coast . | 6523e0e44d52be11580ffda69990677cd51626d7 |
Sarah Cullen, 25, was found guilty of shaking Cash Bell to death in Omaha in February 2013 . A former nanny convicted of killing a baby that was in her care has been sentenced to 70 years to life in prison. Sarah Cullen, 25, was found guilty of shaking Cash Bell to death in Omaha in February 2013. Investigators say Cullen gave different accounts of how the baby was injured. She will be eligible for parole after she serves 35 years and sobbed in court as she addressed Cash’s parents. 'If there's anything I could do to take the pain away and bring it on myself I would,' Cullen said. 'I'm so sorry I'll never forgive myself and never expect anyone else to either.' The jury was not able to hear about Cullen's previous abuse of children while at previous day care jobs, but the judge was allowed to use the information for sentencing purposes. Cash's mother, Ashley Bell, asked the judge to send Cullen to prison for life. 'A person capable of committing cold blooded murder and isn't phased doesn't deserve to get out of prison,' Bell explained in court, reported KMTV. 'We held our baby as he died in our arms. She’s completely heartless.' It took an Omaha jury four hours . to convict Cullen of child abuse resulting in death in the . February 2013 killing of Ashley and Christopher Bell's infant son, Cash. On February 28, 2013, reported the Omaha World Herald, . Christopher Bell and his wife, Ashley, left for work leaving their . perfectly healthy, cooing and giggling son in their baby sitter's care . as usual. Cash Bell (left), died in Omaha in February 2013. Sarah Cullen, 25, (right) was found guilty of shaking him to death. Investigators say Cullen gave different accounts of how the baby was injured . The . Bells told investigators at Douglas County Sheriff's Office that at . about 9.15am, Mr Bell had returned to the Southwest Omaha home to pick up . a check book he had left behind. In . the report he recalled how he had noticed his son lying face down in a . Pack-N-Play with labored breathing and so had rolled the baby onto his . back. Not wanting to disturb him, he had not picked him up. Ms Cullen did scoop up the sleeping . baby, however, and stepped out the front door holding him as Mr Bell pulled out of the driveway to leave. Soon after her employer's departure, . Ms Cullen claims she became worried about the baby's breathing and . called her boyfriend in a panic. By the time he arrived at the house, . she had already administered CPR unsuccessfully and the pair rushed to the . emergency room. Despite a helicopter transfer to Children's Hospital & Medical Center, Cash was unable to recover. Five days later, the infant died from what the autopsy report later described as head fractures resulting in brain hemorrhage. Ashley Bell walks into an Omaha courtroom with her husband, Christopher, by her side in March . Cash's mother, Ashley Bell, asked the judge to send Cullen to prison for life . The . Bells told investigators at Douglas County Sheriff's Office that at . about 9.15am, Mr Bell had returned to the Southwest Omaha home to pick up . a check book he had left behind. The infant's blood vessels burst and blood pooled in his eyes. He was blind and likely deaf. When the Bells were notified . by the doctors that their son had suffered irreparable brain damage, . they made the heart-rending decision to take him off the ventilator. 'A . person capable of committing cold blooded murder and isn't phased . doesn't deserve to get out of prison' Cash Bell's mother Ashley . Over the course of several . interviews, . Ms Cullen gave Chief Deputy Marty Bilek and his team, three divergent . accounts of how Cash might have been injured to such an extent. Initially, . she claimed ignorance and suggested that he may have hit his head when . she took him to say goodbye to Mr Bell. Later she blamed the fracture on . a fall from his baby swing. Finally, she admitted that at around 8am she had tripped on the stairs and Cash had dropped onto the tile floor. In . the course of the trial, it has emerged that the Bells hired Cullen not . knowing that she had been fired from a day care center for being too . rough with the children. Cullen’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender Matt Miller, insisted that his client's actions were accidental. At . one point, Miller drew shocked gasps from the audience when he . suggested that Christopher Bell harmed his son when he turned him over . on his stomach. Omaha World Herald reported that before . the hearing was adjourned, one of the jurors approached Judge Mark . Ashford with an unusual request: could they talk to Mr and Mrs Bell? After . getting the go-ahead from the presiding judge, the four female members . of the panel came up to the Bells and embraced them one by one. ‘We’re so grateful,’ Ashley Bell said as she gave each juror a hug. | Sarah Cullen, 25, was found guilty of shaking Cash Bell to death . The four-month-old baby died in Omaha in February 2013 . Cullen sentenced to 70 years in prison . | 43806bcb0889b9a222d5eebe7dd00ebd13ef50ca |
The United States once had Islamic State of . Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in custody at a detention facility in Iraq, but president Barack Obama let him go, it was revealed on Friday. Al Baghdadi was among the prisoners released in 2009 from the U.S.'s now-closed Camp Bucca near Umm Qasr in Iraq. But now five years later he is leading the army of ruthless . extremists bearing down on Baghdad who want to turn the country into an . Islamist state by blazing a bloody trail through towns and cities, executing . Iraqi soldiers, beheading police officers and gunning down innocent civilians. Scroll down for video . These are the only two known photos of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He is seen here on the left as a prisoner half a decade ago and on the right more recently as the shadowy head of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL, also known as ISIS . This uundated handout picture of jihadi leader of The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, also known as Abu Du'a, was provided by the Department of State. The U.S. government has a $10 million bounty out for the al Qaeda leader . It is unclear why the U.S. let the merciless al Qaeda leader slip away, however, one theory proposed by The Telegraph . is that al Baghadadi was granted amnesty along with thousands of other . detainees because the U.S. was preparing to pull out of Iraq. The United States began withdrawing troops from Iraq in 2010,and Camp Bucca closed in 2011 along with the United States' other military facilities as President Obama declared that the War in Iraq had come to an end. Another possible explanation is that al Baghadadi did not become a jihadist until after his release from Camp Bucca. The story of how Baghadadi ended up in U.S. custody in the first place and later came to be the leader of a violent terrorist group is the stuff of legend. It is said by some that al Baghadadi was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was picked up by the U.S. military, a farmer who got caught up in a massive sweep. It was at Camp Bucca that he was radicalized and became a follower of Osama Bin Laden. Another version of the story is that al Baghadadi, who also goes by the alias of Abu Duaa, was an Islamic fundamentalist before the U.S. invaded Iraq and he became a leader in al Qaeda's network before he was arrested and detained by American forces in 2005. 'Abu Duaa was connected to the intimidation, torture and murder of local . civilians in Qaim,' according to a 2005 U.S. intelligence report. 'He would kidnap individuals . or entire families, accuse them, pronounce sentence and then publicly . execute them.' Crazed: Jihadists are carrying out summary executions on civilians, soldiers and police officers including this police major after taking control of large swathes of Iraq . Shock and awe: An ISIS propaganda video shows militants blindfolding a Sunni police major in his home before cutting off his head . Barbaric: This picture of the police officer's decapitated head resting on his legs was tweeted with the message: 'This is our ball. It is made of skin#WorldCup' The U.S. now has a $10 million warrant out out of the brute, who is accused of . bombing a mosque in Baghadad in 2011 and killing former Sunni lawmaker . Khalid al-Fahdawl. Al . Baghadadi's use of aliases has made him a difficult man to pin down. The terrorist organizer rarely shows his face - even to his followers. There are only two known pictures of him in existence, and one is from before he was released from prison. 'We either arrested or killed a man of that name about half a dozen times, he . is like a wraith who keeps reappearing, and I am not sure where fact and . fiction meet,' Lieutenant-General Sir Graeme Lamb, a former British . special forces commander, told The Telegraph. 'There are those who want to promote the idea that this man is invincible, . when it may actually be several people using the same nom de guerre.' Al Baghadadi and his troops had already taken key cities of Fallujah and Ramadi in Iraq earlier this year and have conquered the Iraqi cities of Tikrit and Mosul within the last several days. They are now on the war path to Iraq's capitol city Baghadad. The terrorist group's sudden rise in Iraq has taken the United States mostly by surprise. President Obama famously said in October of 2011 that the American soldiers leaving Iraq would come home 'with their heads held high, proud of their success. 'That is how America’s military efforts in Iraq will end.' President Obama reiterated on Friday that, 'We will not be sending us troops back into combat in Iraq' Faced with the real possibility that Iraq's capitol could fall into the hands of terrorists, President Obama is now rethinking America's military engagement in Iraq. The president said on Thursday that he would consider launching air strikes on al Baghadadi and his followers. 'What . we've seen over the last couple of days indicates Iraq’s going to need . more help' from the United States and other nations, Obama said yesterday from the . Oval Office. 'I . don't rule out anything,' he said, 'because we do have a stake in making . sure that these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in Iraq – . or Syria, for that matter.' In . his daily briefing with reporters, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney clarified that president Obama was specifically referring to airstrikes. 'We're not considering boots on the ground,' he said. On the warpath to Baghdad: A graphic showing the town and cities captured by ISIS over the last few days . Up in arms: Members of Iraqi security forces chant slogans in Baghdad Sunni Islamist militants pressed towards the capital . Sabre-rattling: An Islamic militant issues a call to arms, saying: 'Declare Allah the Greatest! Allah is the Greatest!' in a video released by ISIS . President Obama reiterated on Friday that, 'We will not be sending us troops back . into combat in Iraq.' Obama said the U.S. would not get involved at all militarily until Iraqi President Nouri al-Maliki and other members of the government demonstrate that they can put aside their secretarian differences and work toward unifying the country. 'Ultimately it's up to Iraqis to solve their problems,' Obama said. Volunteers who have joined the Iraqi Army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants, who have taken over Mosul and other Northern provinces, gesture from an army truck . Kurdish Peshmerga forces seize the control of Kirkuk where Iraqi army forces and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant clashed . The news that the U.S. may have played a role in the rise of the new Osama bin Laden comes just a week after President Obama released five Taliban commanders in exchange for a U.S. solider being held hostage by the terrorist network. Lawmakers immediately questioned the logic of the president's decision, saying that the move could end up backfiring on the U.S. if the five fighters return to the battlefield in Afghanistan once their mandatory one-year stay in Qatar comes to a close. They are especially concerned given the president's announcement just days before their release that he plans to withdraw the majority of America's troops in Afghanistan by the end of this year. Already one, of the Taliban 5 have vowed to return to Afghanistan to fight American soldiers there once he is able. 'I wouldn't be doing it if I thought that it was contrary to American national security,' the president said at the time. | WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT . The U.S. once had Islamic State of . Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS) leader . Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in custody at a detention facility in Iraq, it was revealed Friday . Al Baghdadi was among the prisoners released in 2009 from the U.S.'s now-closed Camp Bucca near Umm Qasr in Iraq . It is . unclear why the U.S. let the merciless al Qaeda leader slip away . Al . Baghadadi and his troops took the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and . Ramadi earlier this year and conquered Tikrit and Mosul within the last several days . They are now bearing down on Baghdad, burning down everything that stands in their way and carrying out executions on Iraqi civilians, soldiers and police officers . ISIS posted an image today of an officer's decapitated . head tweeted with sickening message: 'This is our ball. It's . made of skin #WorldCup' | 7800c33700f8eb61fda27dab558fa7355d1333d4 |
(CNN) -- What do you get when you cross thousands of plastic water bottles with an adventure-loving entrepreneur? A boat, of course, designed to carry a team of scientists, adventurers and artists halfway around the world. Sounds like an interesting proposition? It clearly did to David de Rothschild, one of the youngest members of the famous banking dynasty, who has taken it upon himself to show the world how pervasive the global plastic waste problem has become. De Rothschild wants the public to start viewing waste as a resource, particularly plastic. To underscore his message, he and collaborators designed a boat made almost entirely of plastic bottles and recycled plastic. Later this month de Rothschild and the crew will begin a planned 11,000-mile (17,700-kilometer) voyage from the U.S. city of San Francisco to Sydney, Australia. The crew hopes to accomplish the voyage in 100 days. Almost four years in the making, the result of de Rothschild's environmental vision is a 60-foot catamaran-style boat named The Plastiki. Builders of the boat say it weighs in at 12 tons, with only 10 percent of the vessel made from new materials. Constructed mainly from 12,500 reclaimed plastic water bottles designed to keep Plastiki afloat, the main frame is made from self-reinforcing polyethylene terephthalate (srPET), a recyclable plastic material, and the sail has been hand-made using recycled PET cloth. Explore the technology of the Plastiki . Leaders of the voyage say the boat will be powered by renewable energy such as solar panels, wind turbines and bicycle generators. And crew members even plan to grow their own food aboard the boat with the help of a vertical garden attached to the mast. Put all this together, de Rothschild told CNN, and you get a boat which, its builders claim, is "infinitely recyclable." "The idea is to put no kind of pollution back into the atmosphere or into our oceans for that matter, so everything on the boat will be composted. Everything will be recycled. Even the vessel is going to end up being recycled when we finish," de Rothschild told CNN in a recent interview. The Plastiki's name is wordplay off the "Kon-Tiki," a balsa raft made famous by Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl, who in 1947 sailed the vessel from Peru to the Polynesian islands. Learn more about the Kon-Tiki's historic voyage . Two of Heyerdahl's grandchildren, Olav Heyerdahl and Josian Heyerdahl, will be aboard during various legs of the Plastiki voyage. The former is familiar with some of the terrain, having previously replicated his grandfather's expedition using the original log books and diary used by Heyerdahl, and taking the opportunity to track changes in the Pacific's environmental conditions. Meet the Plastiki crew . The Plastiki's journey will spotlight current environmental issues. En route to Australia, Plastiki will sail through the infamous North Pacific Gyre, now home to "The Great Garbage Patch," named due to the high levels of waste that have been drawn there by ocean currents. Estimated to be around the size of Texas, this contaminated area of ocean has by some estimates more plastic than food for marine life. "I was astounded to hear that that there are places in our oceans where the ratio between plastic and plankton is 6-to-1," de Rothschild told CNN, referring to the area. Opinion: The reason for the Plastiki voyage . Expedition organizers say the boat will sail past the Midway Atoll en route to Australia. Its scheduled stops -- in places such as the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Kiribati -- will be symbolic too, allowing the team to raise awareness of places that are particularly vulnerable to changing environmental conditions, such as rising sea levels. The journey is expected to take the crew through the "Doldrums" -- equatorial regions in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans known for unpredictable weather patterns that include listless winds that can trap sailing vessels. Other questions remain. The New York Times recently pointed out that if the vessel breaks apart in the ocean it could send thousands of plastic bottles into the ocean. But Plastiki's skipper, British sailor Jo Royle says she is confident the team will be able to navigate their way to their final destination. "We cannot look at other boats for reference, but we wouldn't leave unless we're completely confident we'll make it," she told CNN. Whether the boat completes its journey remains to be seen, but de Rothschild is resolved about the importance of his mission, regardless of the outcome. "Even if Plastiki gets damaged or does not make it, the message will still be there," de Rothschild told CNN. "The idea is to put no kind of pollution back into the atmosphere, or into our oceans." CNN.com will be keeping close track of the entire voyage, offering insights each week on the Plastiki's progress. Don't forget to check back each week to see how Plastiki is progressing. | Boat made primarily from recycled plastic bottles set to sail Pacific Ocean . Organizers of voyage aim to spotlight dumping of plastics, other pollutants . Solar panels, wind turbines, recumbent bicycles will power the vessel . | 3d4261c8a588a5cb6ef4cfdb11f5c876736318c9 |
A Chicago man confessed to killing his girlfriend's mother, whose body was found last month in a suitcase outside a hotel in Indonesia, police in Bali tell CNN. The girlfriend also confessed to being involved and trying to get rid of her mother's body, police say. Heather Mack, 19, and Tommy Schaefer, 21, have been detained as suspects in the death of Mack's mother, Sheila von Weise Mack, and "it appears that the motive for the killing was because she was against Schaefer's relationship with Heather," Bali police spokesman Hery Wiyanto told CNN. Formal charges are pending, as the investigation continues. What exactly happened in room 317 of the St. Regis Bali Resort and the exact role Heather Mack has is still under investigation, said Denpasar police Chief Djoko Hari Utomo. Evidence includes surveillance video of an argument between the couple and the victim at the hotel and of the two suspects entering and exiting the hotel room, according to Wiyanto. The badly beaten body of Sheila Mack, 61, was wrapped in a blood-stained bed sheet and placed in a large hard-sided suitcase, Indonesian authorities said. The young couple allegedly put the suitcase in the trunk of a taxi outside the hotel on August 12 and went back into the hotel, telling the cab driver that they would be back, authorities said. After a lengthy wait, the cab driver noticed blood and contacted police. Authorities at the South Kuta station in Bali opened the case and found the body, police said. The daughter and her boyfriend were later found at another hotel about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the St. Regis. The couple's St. Regis room was "very messy," with clothes still inside, authorities said. The couple initially told police they had been taken captive at the resort by an armed gang, whose members killed Sheila Mack, but they escaped, CNN affiliate Trans TV reported. | Heather Mack, 19, and Tommy Schaefer, 21, of Chicago area confess, police say . They had been charged in the death of Mack's mother, Sheila von Weise Mack . Motive was how mother "was against Schaefer's relationship with Heather," police say . Daughter was at the killing scene when her mother was killed, police say . | 90ef647d7db4b42165f8456c6b8b0318a7bcf980 |
(CNN) -- Authorities in Vietnam have arrested the former chief executive officer of Jetstar Pacific Airlines and are preventing two airline executives from leaving the country, Vietnamese and Australian officials said. The former chief executive, Luong Hoai Nam, faces prosecution for "lack of responsibility causing serious consequences," said a spokeswoman for the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry, Nguyen Phuong Nga. Vietnamese authorities are investigating the airline's chief operating officer, Daniela Marsilli, and its financial officer, Tristan Freeman, Jetstar Pacific said. They are not allowing Marsilli and Freeman to leave Vietnam, the airline said. Jetstar Pacific is partly owned by Qantas Airlines of Australia. The Australian Embassy in Hanoi is seeking details about why the employees are being prevented from leaving Vietnam, according to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The airline suffered heavy financial losses, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said, and investigators are trying to determine the responsibility of members of the airline's executive board and managing board. Marsilli and Freeman are members of the airline's managing board and must "make themselves present in Vietnam to respond to the requests from Vietnam's legal authorities in a timely manner," the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said . -- CNN's Pamela Boykoff, Eugina Huang and Eunice Yoon contributed to this report . | Jetstar Pacific is partly owned by Qantas Airlines of Australia . Airline: Vietnamese authorities not allowing airline's CEO, financial officer to leave . Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says ex-CEO faces prosecution . | 39d3e4f7004ae72df219e2a0349e2ff18f665263 |
Nigel Pearson is set to escape punishment from the Football Association despite appearing to put his hands around the neck of Crystal Palace midfielder Jame McArthur. The Leicester City boss was involved in an extraordinary clash with the Palace midfielder in the dying minutes of the Foxes' 1-0 home defeat on Saturday. However, FA rules dictate that English football's governing body can only act upon the incident if it is mentioned in the referee's match report - but the official saw the incident and took no action at the time. Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson (left) appears to put his hands towards the neck of James McArthur . McArthur (centre) slides into Pearson after he is upended by Leicester midfielder Marc Albrighton . McArthur (right) tries to walk away from Pearson, who keeps his hand grasped on to the shirt . Palace midfielder McArthur pulls away, trying to move from Pearson, who keeps a hold . Pearson (left) appears to smile and laugh as McArthur stays down with Alan Pardew (right) looking on . McArthur laughs and smiles as Pearson appears to put his arms around the throat of the midfielder . Therefore match referee Lee Mason, who came across to the touchline once fourth official Peter Bankes have calmed the situation down, is unlikely to include the incident in his match report - preventing the FA from taking any disciplinary action. Also, on Sports Lobster, McArthur himself played down the significance of the incident. The Palace midfielder explained: 'Situation with me and Nigel Pearson is getting blown out of proportion.' Pearson has already been given a one-match ban by the FA and a £10,000 fine this season for telling a supporter to 'f*** off and die'. During his side's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at the King Power Stadium at the beginning of December, Pearson was filmed shouting at the fan before being charged by the Football Association. Pearson (left) appears to put his hands around the throat of Crystal Palace midfielder McArthur . McArthur (left) tries to walk away from Pearson (centre) as the fourth official has words . The fourth official (centre) intervenes as McArthur (right) and Pearson clash on the touchline . Pearson (centre) keeps having words with McArthur (left) as the fourth official urges for calm . However, on Saturday, the Leicester City manager was accidentally upended as Leicester's Marc Albrighton and McArthur collided - leading to the incident on the touchline. Pearson laughingly put his hands round McArthur’s throat then helped him to his feet but then refused to let go of his shirt. ‘He said something to me,’ revealed Pearson, who tried and failed to sign McArthur last summer. ‘I don't have to reveal anything do I. I think I'm more than capable of looking after myself. ‘Listen, I've got a lot of respect for lad, I think he's a good player. Pearson shouts instructions at his Foxes side during the 1-0 loss against Palace on Saturday . Pearson (centre) helps McArthur (left) back to his feet following the incident at the King Power Stadium . 'Clearly you know what happened in the summer with the possibility of him coming here. ‘I'm as disappointed as how he was with how things possibly panned. ‘But that's nothing to do with me or the player - it's the other football club which was involved in it who take absolute responsibility for anything that wasn't quite right. ‘And a certain manager who opened his trap when he should have kept his mouth shut. I have absolutely no problem today at all with the lad. I think he's a good player. He's a likeable lad, good for him.’ McArthur (right) tries to pull away from Leicester boss Pearson on Saturday . | Leicester City lost 1-0 against Crystal Palace at the King Power Stadium . Foxes boss Nigel Pearson and James McArthur clashed on touchline . In the 86th minute Pearson appeared to put his hands on McArthur's throat . He appeared to keep hands around McArthur's throat for several seconds . But Pearson set to escape punishment as referee Lee Mason saw incident . FA can only get involved if Mason includes incident in his match report . | 31e41ed869d82ac4f9e824f674f3872266f756d7 |
(CNN) -- The Justice Department is preparing to sue Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, known internationally as "America's toughest sheriff," saying talks between the two sides have fallen through. The Obama administration and Arpaio's Maricopa County Sheriff's Office had been in the midst of settlement talks, after the Justice Department accused it of systematically discriminating against Latinos. As part of the settlement, the department wanted Arpaio to allow an independent monitor to oversee reforms at his office. The Justice Department called it a "key, non-negotiable requirement." The two sides were scheduled to meet Wednesday, but Arpaio called off the meeting at the last minute, the Justice Department said. "We believe that you are wasting time and not negotiating in good faith," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Roy Austin Jr. in a letter to Arpaio's legal counsel. It added: "MCSO's refusal to engage in good faith negotiations requires us to prepare for civil action." Arpaio shot back, saying he would not "surrender" his officer to the federal government. "Appointment of an outside monitor essentially usurps the powers and duties of an elected Sheriff and transfers them to a person or group of persons selected by the federal government," he said in a statement Tuesday. "And so to the Obama administration, who is attempting to strong arm me into submission only for its political gain, I say, 'This will not happen, not on my watch!'" A federal Department of Justice investigation into Arpaio's office made public in December described "a pervasive culture of discriminatory bias against Latinos at MCSO that reaches the highest levels of the agency." Arpaio dismissed the allegations as a politically-driven "witch hunt." He pointed out how President Barack Obama opposed Arizona's controversial anti-immigration law and how the president mentioned Arpaio as the person pushing the law, the sheriff said. "By the way, I don't want to say it's all politics, but everyone I'm talking about happens to be Democrats," said Arpaio, a Republican. Arpaio added: "Don't come to use me as a whipping boy for a national, international problem." The 22-page Justice Department letter alleged the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office committed federal and constitutional violations. Detention officers in Arpaio's jail invoked offensive slurs and profanities against Hispanics, calling them "wetbacks," "Mexican bitches," and "stupid Mexicans," the letter said. "Sheriff Arpaio's own actions have helped nurture MCSO's culture of bias," said the letter, written to the Maricopa County attorney. For example, the sheriff apparently endorsed one constituent's letter asking for a "round-up" at one Phoenix street corner of "dark-skin(ned)" people: Arpaio told a member of his command staff in a note to "(h)ave someone handle this," the Justice Department said. Jack MacIntyre, Arpaio's deputy chief, described the Justice Department's allegations as "a sneak attack by the federal government on the citizens of Arizona." The Justice Department also said it is reviewing allegations that the sheriff's office did not investigate " a large number of sex crimes. " The sheriff's office has acknowledged to federal authorities that 432 cases of sexual assault and child molestation were not properly investigated over a three-year period ending in 2007, and many of the victims apparently were Latinos, the Justice Department said. The federal findings also alleged discriminatory policing practices by Arpaio's officers including "unlawful stops, detentions and arrests of Latinos," according to a Justice Department statement. It also noted that the sheriff's office has discriminated against "Latino inmates with limited English by punishing them and denying critical services." It further blamed the office for allowing "specialized units to engage in unconstitutional practices" and for a lack of oversight and deputy training. The initial federal inquiry began in June 2008 and reviewed tens of thousands of pages of documents and more than 400 interviews, including current and former inmates as well as office personnel. Authorities notified the sheriff's office of a formal investigation a year later, a statement said. Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez said the sheriff's office initially failed to cooperate with investigators, prompting federal authorities to take the "virtually unprecedented step" of filing a lawsuit in 2010. He noted the investigation had uncovered startling levels of racial profiling against Latino drivers, ranging between four and nine times higher than against non-Latino motorists. Perez added that an independent reviewer involved in the probe described it as "the most egregious racial profiling in the United States" he had ever seen. | The two sides had been in the midst of settlement talks . The Justice Department wanted Arpaio to allow an independent monitor . Arpaio: "This will not happen, not on my watch!" The government alleges the sheriff's office has committed constitutional violations . | 97c289461aace68b258e378f9a26d6e2ccfc14fc |
By . Daily Mail . PUBLISHED: . 20:57 EST, 11 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:58 EST, 11 November 2012 . A baby being taken home from a maternity hospital was killed by a roadside bomb yesterday. The child’s mother and four other members of the family also died in the blast which happened in the Khost province of Afghanistan. Officials said the child had been born just hours earlier. The family was leaving a maternity hospital in a pick-up truck when the bomb exploded, said a statement from the office of the provincial governor. Blast: Civilians bear the brunt of the violence in the war in Afghanistan (library image) 'A pregnant woman was taken by her family to a hospital last night at 10pm, and they were making their way home in the morning with their newly born baby when the bomb hit,' said Zarmaeed Mokhlis, governor of Khost's Sabari district. In southern Helmand, a roadside bomb also killed three and wounded two members of one family on their way to a wedding, hospital officials in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah said. Roadside bombs are by far the deadliest weapon deployed by Taliban . insurgents in the war against NATO and the government of President Hamid . Karzai, and they have become grimly more powerful over recent years. A Taliban spokesman said the group was aware of the Khost incident, but could not confirm or deny involvement. Civilians bear the brunt of the violence in the war in Afghanistan, now in its 11th year. Last year, the number of civilians killed rose for the fifth straight year to more than 3,000, according to the United Nations. Terror: The Taliban could not confirm or deny its involvement in the Khost bombing . | The child's mother and four other members of the family also died in the blast in Khost province . A roadside bomb . also killed three and wounded two members of one family on their way to a . wedding in southern Helmand . | 995c807ba5b86ad8ba64369ca55735036b404c34 |
New York (CNN) -- Pakistan's foreign minister expressed disappointment Friday over what he called "a very harsh sentence" for a Pakistani scientist convicted of attempting to kill Americans in Afghanistan. A federal judge issued Thursday the 86-year sentence for Aafia Siddiqui, who was convicted by a jury in February on seven charges, including attempted murder and armed assault on U.S. officers. "I think she has not been given the benefit of the doubt," Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi told CNN Friday. "But she does have a right to appeal. I'm sure her family and the government will consult and will think of going with the appeal." Qureshi said the sentence has sparked reaction in Pakistan, where "people have protested, people have demonstrated. Many people feel that she is innocent and she was framed and she should have got a fairer chance." He added, however, that Pakistanis "also understand the government did its best, and we have our limitations. There is due process of law and we have to stay within the process of law. But there is a disappointment and that has been expressed on the streets of Pakistan." He spoke to CNN while in New York to attend sessions at the United Nations. "I'm disappointed at the sentence," he said. "I think it's a very harsh sentence." Prosecutors said Siddiqui picked up a rifle and shot at two FBI special agents, a U.S. Army warrant officer, an Army captain and military interpreters while she was being held unrestrained at an Afghan facility on July 18, 2008. The agents returned fire, shooting her in the abdomen. Siddiqui was extradited to the United States in August 2008, after the shooting incident. At her sentencing Thursday morning, the 38-year-old MIT graduate shook her head in defiance and wagged her finger in a "no" gesture as U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman laid out the case against her. But Siddiqui was more subdued when Berman allowed her to speak before the packed courtroom filled with family, spectators and foreign and national press. Clad in a khaki suit and a hijab that covered most of her face, Siddiqui repeatedly asked her Muslim supporters to not "get emotional." "I don't want any violence in my name," Siddiqui said of the demonstrations in Pakistan, where her case has become a cause celebre. "If you do anything for me, please educate people about Islam because people don't understand that it is a religion of mercy." CNN's Becky Anderson and Kiran Khalid contributed to this report. | Aafia Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in prison . She was convicted in February of attempting to kill Americans . Pakistan's foreign minister calls the sentence "very harsh" | 7a792ecb2b3c885ddec95402fcb6383a727d84d4 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . Shock and joy are the best two words to describe 11-year-old Logan Fairbanks' reaction to learning he'll soon be a big brother. The only child from Hartford, Michigan thought he may stay the only child as his parents struggled to conceive years after they became parents for the first time at just 18. When the good news finally came for his mom and dad, his photographer father Josh decided he'd preserve the moment Logan's dream came true just as he'd done for years for friends and customers. Scroll down for video... Heartwarming: Touching video captures 11-year-old Logan Fairbanks' shock and joy the moment he learns he's going to be a big brother . 'Big hearted': The Michigan youngster believed he may never become a big brother, which is something he'd always wanted . Josh Fairbanks has often experimented with using video to capture the moment pregnant couples learn the sex of their baby or when an engagement is revealed. 'This was finally my chance to do one for my family,' Fairbanks, who lives in the small town of Hartford, Michigan, told TODAY.com. The tricky part was getting the moment to happen. To pull it off, Josh and his wife Michelle--who had Logan just after graduating from high school--had the son they describe as the 'big-hearted, big brother' type, read a list they made of what he's excited to do this coming summer. He said he's looking forward to baseball season and seeing the Detroit Lions play and to taking a family trip to Myrtle Beach. Tears of joy: Logan's confusion and shock quickly turn to tears of joy as the news that he's gotten his wish to be a big brother finally starts to sink in . 'I thought it would sink in a little quicker,' joked his dad Josh Fairbanks . Oh, and there was one last thing for him to read on the list. 'There is one more thing I am going to do this year,' he read. 'I am going to be a big brother.' If he'd been holding a microphone, he would have dropped it. 'I thought it would sink in a little quicker,' Josh said. 'I thought he’d be ecstatic right away.' The video Josh took quickly became popular, however. In just a day, it neared a million views on Vimeo. Instead, Logan stared wide-eyed at the camera with his mouth agape. Then he looked off-camera for some verification. After he got it. his shock turned to tearful joy. 'Smile,' suggested his dad from behind the lens. Logan did just that. Working on it: Eventually his tears of joy turned to just plain joy . There ya go! Logan's was born to his parents jsut after they graduated from high school. Now 29, they are finally having their second child. His father suggested to his crying son that he try to smile and he did just that . | Photographer Josh Fairbanks of Hartford, Michigan caught his son Logan on camera as he struggled to believe he'll be a big brother . The heartwarming footage quickly racked up an astonishing 800,000 views on Vimeo in just a day . | 75f485694248f93e4a7255e28a24dac5c24bb7ca |
Roy Hodgson insists he is happy with the fitness of all members of his squad apart from Phil Jones, and admits John Stones will replace the Manchester United man if he is not 100 per cent by the start of the tournament. The Everton defender has been named on the standby list for Brazil, and with Jones recovering from a shoulder injury, he could still make his debut at the World Cup. The chosen ones: Roy Hodgson has announced his 23-man squad for the World Cup in Brazil . Worry: Hodgson admits there are still question marks over Phil Jones' fitness . Big decisions: Roy Hodgson addresses the media after announcing his 23-man squad . Hodgson opted for Frank Lampard, Luke Shaw and Rickie Lambert in the 23-man team, with his side facing Italy in Manaus June 14. 'The only player that poses a question for us is Phil jones,' said.' He had his operation last week. Everything points to the fact it is a three-week injury. That's why we have taken Flanagan and Stones if Jones isn't fully fit.' Hodgson says he is grateful for Ashley Cole's maturity and graciousness at being left out of the squad, admiting it was an extremely tough decision to make. Named: England World Cup team for Brazil 2014 . In and out: John Stones will replace Phil Jones if the Manchester United man is not fully fit . 'It was an unbelievably hard decision to make because he is a player we appreciate. The emerging Shaw has captured the headlines with his form and ability. 'It was a decision I had to take. It was hard to make the call so I'm grateful at his maturity and graciousness. 'Everyone knows what Cole can do, circumstances will prove whether it was right. I've gone for Luke.' Hodgson has opted for youth in Brazil, . as well as choosing the experienced Frank Lampard, who has played at . two World Cups previously. Changing of the guard: Luke Shaw will go to the World Cup ahead of long-time left back Cole . 'The . only way you get experience is by getting the opportunity,' Hodgson . added. 'I still feel the balance is quite good so it would be wrong to . focus on the players who are inexperienced.' When asked if England will win the World Cup, Hodgson said: 'Yes I believe that otherwise what's the point. I'm certain all the top managers saying they can win it, why should we be different. But the players have to show their talent. We are right to have some optimism and we are trying to feed of that. 'There will be certain people who are regulars but so much has happened since we qualified. Those who were fringe players might not be now, which is how it should be. 'We have options and a lot of possibilities particularly for the front six positions. The back five is maybe easier to read.' Finished: Ashley Cole, who has 107 England caps, has retired from international football . | Roy Hodgson reveals 23 man squad for World Cup finals in Brazil . Manager admits John Stones will replace Phil Jones if he is not fit . Hodgson: 'It was unbelievably hard leaving Ashley Cole out' Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Ben Foster, Joe Hart . Defenders: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling . Midfielders: Ross Barkley, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshere . Strikers: Rickie Lambert, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck . Standby list: John Ruddy, Jon Flanagan, John Stones, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Jermain Defoe, Andy Carroll . | 076b9ca4d9760825e51410c4a33f1dbcb365dbf0 |
By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 05:32 EST, 6 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:32 EST, 6 December 2013 . An Indian man who allegedly murdered and dismembered his French wife in their Mumbai flat did it in a fit of rage after she refused to give him money to spend on his mistress, police say. Girish Kote allegedly beat his wife Madhuwanti to death after a row sparked when she refused to give him 20,000 rupees (£200) to spend on a girlfriend who worked in a nearby bar. Mumbai police say he has confessed to murdering the French national and cutting her body into three parts, which he wrapped in plastic and stored in their kitchen and bedroom. 'Confession': Police say showroom salesman Girish Kote told them he beat his wife to death and chopped up her body after they rowed when he asked her for 20,0000 rupees (£200) to spend on his girlfriend . Victim: The body of Kote's wife, Madhuwanti, above, was found in pieces in the couple's fridge and bedroom . Khote is alleged to have told . investigators that he had been having an affair with a woman who worked . in a beer bar and used to ask his wife for money to spend on his . mistress. But on Tuesday . afternoon, the day of the murder, it is believed that Madhumanti refused . to give him any more money and threatened to return to France, taking . their two-and-a-half-year-old child with her. Realising . all the property and bank accounts were in his wife's name and he would . lose everything if she left, Khote began hitting her and smothering her . until she was dead, police said. An . officer from Mira Road police station, north Mumbai, told NDTV: 'In a . panic, Khote called up his cousin and left for a nearby mall, leaving . Madhumanti's body in the bedroom.' Khote . is said to have bought knives, cotton, detergent and duct tape, before . returning home to slice up his wife's body and pack the pieces into . bags, two of which he stuffed in the refrigerator. He . kept a third segment in the bedroom of their apartment. Scene: The couple's flat on the 14th floor of Nakshatra Towers high-rise in Bhayandar, was searched by police . On guard: Police outside the couple's apartment block. Khote is said to have bought knives, cotton, detergent and duct tape, before returning home to slice up his wife's body and pack the pieces into bags . Anger: Locals react to news of the shocking case by running towards the door of the apartment block . According to . police, Kote was only arrested after he tried to call a taxi driver to . help him move the body parts. It is alleged that he called a driver who he was familiar with and told him what he had done. But . instead of agreeing to move the body, the driver called police who . rushed to the 14th-floor flat in Nakshatra Towers high-rise in the Bhayandar . and arrested the showroom salesman. According . to local sources, the couple had frequent fights over money. Police say . Khote has confessed to the crime, saying he only intended to beat her, . not kill her. | Girish Kote allegedly beat his wife to death before dismembering her body . Police say he confessed to killing her after they rowed over money . He is said to have asked her for cash to spend on his girlfriend . | 8c11797f582407a805c40168b8d20ff2ae8af3ef |
By . Graeme Yorke . Luis Suarez's transfer to Barcelona is being held up because Chile star Alexis Sanchez - his proposed replacement - is a wanted man across Europe. Liverpool would like Sanchez in part-exchange for Suarez. But Sanchez is being courted by Arsenal as well as Juventus and would prefer those clubs to Anfield. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Barcelona fans discuss the potential signing of Luis Suarez . Haggling: Liverpool want £75million up front for striker Luis Suarez but Barcelona are resisting this . On the move: Barcelona hope to tie up a deal for Suarez but want payments to be staggered . Controversy: Suarez's World Cup ended in disgrace when he was banned for four months after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini . VIDEO Suarez to Barca talks open . Barca want the winger to consider Liverpool's offer because it would help them land Suarez at a reduced price but the decision rests with the player. Catalan TV stations reported that a fee of £75million was agreed with Suarez handed a five year deal that would make him their fourth highest paid player behind Lionel Messi, Neymar and Andres Iniesta. Liverpool are continuing to negotiate though and want to establish whether there is a chance of signing Sanchez. In action: Suarez is appealing his four-month footballl-wide ban . Support: Suarez shows his appreciation to the hundreds of fans who camped outside his mother's house . Wanted man: Liverpool want Alexis Sanchez from Barca but face competition from Arsenal and Juventus . Arsenal remain favourites for Sanchez but Manchester City and United have also expressed interest. Sanchez is flying from Santiago, Chile to . Barcelona to discuss the offers on the table. An announcement on Suarez is imminent with Barcelona hoping to break the news officially on Sunday. Suarez could make a swift return to . England with Barcelona due for pre-season training at the FA's St . George's Park on July 28, although Suarez will not be able to train . under the restrictions of his four month ban. | Suarez will leave Liverpool for Barcelona after the clubs agreed £75m fee . Spanish side want Sanchez to be makeweight in deal for Suarez . Arsenal and Juventus also interested in signing Chile winger . | ea2d019db5e4b7e6c43898a19b0c1979593eeb17 |
By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 09:28 EST, 3 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:44 EST, 3 May 2013 . A group of wealthy car enthusiasts bored with Lamborghinis and Ferraris have teamed up to build their own ultimate supercar - a road legal Batmobile. The men, who call themselves Team Galag, regularly compete in the infamous Gumball 3000 rally where the rich drive across Europe in the world's most exotic cars. But this year they have decided to take part in a road legal replica of the legendary Tumbler driven by Christian Bale in the Dark Knight trilogy. The ultimate supercar: The road legal £1 million Batmobile Tumbler replica which will be taking part in the Gumball 3000 rally . To the Batmobile: A group of anonymous and very wealthy car enthusiasts who call themselves Team Galag jointly funded the building of the car . Car-pow: The Tumbler car features in the Dark Knight trilogy starring Christian Bale, pictured, as Batman . The car, built in Florida by Parker Brothers, is understood to have cost around £1 million and will be unveiled in London later this month. After being shown off in the capital, the Tumbler will head off to Copenhagen, Denmark, for the start of the 3,000 mile rally. Team Galag is made up of a number of anonymous car enthusiasts aged between 21 and 34, hailing from the UK, Germany, America and Saudi Arabia. One member said: 'The main reason behind doing the Tumbler was that we wanted to bring back a little originality and fun to the Gumball 3000, something it was always known for. 'We wanted to capture the spirit of movies and cartoons such as Cannonball and Wacky Races, while keeping with the cool and rock and roll image of the rally. In action: The Tumbler replica has a 6.2-litre V8 engine and can reach a top speed of 100mph . On tour: The road legal Batmobile Tumbler replica will be unveiled in London later this month before heading to Denmark to take part in the race . 'Gumball 3000 has had just about every Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini built over the past 30 years participate. 'Car number 74 is not your regular supercar, it is none other than the Batmobile Tumbler from the Dark Knight movies. 'Who cares that it weighs 2.5 tonnes and is wider than a truck, it is certain to turn heads and blow eardrums all the way from Copenhagen to Monte Carlo.' It has been built as a near-exact replica of the Tumbler, which was driven by Batman in the Dark Knight trilogy. The vehicle has a 6.2-litre V8 engine, which develops around 400bhp - giving the machine a top speed of 100mph. Anticipation: The replica has not been seen on the road yet and is believed to be first of its kind . Exclusive club: The members of Team Galag are aged between 21 and 34 and come from the UK, Germany, America and Saudi Arabia . Heavy load: The road legal Batmobile Tumbler replica is wider than the average truck and weighs 2.5 tonnes . Gumball 3000, which is run out of West London-based by Maximillion Cooper, kicks off in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 18. The entrants will then drive to Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Riga, Warsaw, Krakow and Vienna before ending the rally in Monaco in time for the F1 grand prix. A spokesperson for Gumball 3000 said: 'This is the most ambitious vehicle ever built for Gumball 3000. 'Team Galag, who have built the Tumbler, are regular Gumballers and this year decided to push boundaries further than ever before. 'The response to the Tumbler has been overwhelming, having not released the spec or been seen on the road yet. Stay tuned to this year's rally to see it in action.' In the making: The replica of the Tumbler Batmobile which featured in the Dark Knight trilogy was built in Florida by Parker Brothers . Early stages: The vehicle is virtually identical to the incredible machine driven by Christian Bale as Batman . Centre of attention: The Batmobile Tumbler replica will be a star attraction at the 3,000 mile rally . | The car weighs 2.5 tonnes, has a 6.2-litre V8 engine and can reach 100mph . It will take part in the exotic car rally Gumball 3000 later this month . | aa9298fe8b4ab884a3ce124f54d293eb81588e6c |
Washington (CNN) -- Several veterans and conservative bloggers are taking issue with President Barack Obama choosing not to attend the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Vice President Joe Biden is attending in his place. "Arlington is a place of tremendous symbolism," said Paul Rieckhoff, founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "On Monday, it's where the eyes of our entire nation will be focused," said Rieckhoff, "and unfortunately, the president and his family won't be there to stand with us." After his Friday trip to the Louisiana coast to check on the oil spill, the president will go to Chicago, Illinois, with his family to spend time with friends. Obama will mark the Monday holiday with remarks at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, about an hour outside of Chicago. "President Obama has a deep respect and appreciation for our service members and veterans, clearly seen in his administration's policies, priorities and actions," said Nick Shapiro, White House assistant press secretary. A conservative blogger disagrees. On Redstate.com, Erick Erickson writes, "going to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns has ... everything to do with a Commander in Chief who seems to not like the military showing some basic respect to the men and women, alive and dead, who have actually kept us free." Erickson is also an analyst for CNN. But some vets groups say it's all right if the president misses this one, noting that he attended wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington last year. Jay Agg, communications director for AMVETS, a veterans service organization, said "this really is a nonissue," calling a lot of the outrage "politically motivated." "It really does seem odd to me that such a big deal is being made out of this because he is going to a national cemetery to observe the holiday in Illinois. Bush sent Cheney to a Veterans Day event in DC," Agg said. Obama's absence from Memorial Day services at Arlington will not be unprecedented, but in recent years, it has been a common practice to attend. President Bill Clinton went every year of his presidency, and President George W. Bush went each year except for the year he was in Europe to commemorate the D-Day anniversary. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush did not attend regularly. "AMVETS recognizes and appreciates the fact that the president has done a lot for veterans," Agg said. "He's behind the largest increase to the VA budget in history and has signed a number of critical pieces of legislation that benefit vets, including the post-9/11 GI bill, and more recently, caregiver legislation," he said. "We're in middle of two wars," argues Rieckhoff, of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "There will be hundreds of children there who have lost parents. Every major veterans group will be there. He should be there with his family." "We understand that President Obama is a very busy man. He has things like the oil spill and the economy to worry about," American Legion spokesman Marty Callaghan told CNN. "Obviously, it is always a good thing for our commander in chief to be in the nation's capital for Memorial Day," he said. "But other presidents have not always been here, including the first President Bush and President Reagan." "We feel like he is going to be here in spirit," Callaghan said. "He is our commander in chief." | Obama to mark holiday at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery outside Chicago . Vice president to attend Arlington National ceremony in Obama's place . Blogger says absence from Arlington shows lack of respect for veterans . But some veterans groups say absence is OK, citing that of other presidents . | 388eebf5c04311ff2121dca803e3663d4df0f73c |
Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Eight people were killed and 17 were injured Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated followed by a suicide bomber's explosion, according to police and medical officials. The attacks targeted people leaving al-Mustafa Shiite mosque after night-time prayers in al-Furat neighborhood in western Baghdad, according to the sources . More than 16 suspects have been arrested by security police, sources told CNN. Al-Furat, a predominantly Shiite neighborhood, is just two miles from Baghdad International Airport. During a televised address earlier Wednesday Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki declared an amnesty for all Sunni tribesmen who fought against the government, with the exception of those involved in the killing of Iraqi forces. Al-Maliki also said he hoped that members of Iraq's parliament would be able to choose a president and prime minister in their next session. After much anticipation over how it would address the country's turmoil, Iraq's new parliament on Tuesday postponed its first session until next week, citing a lack of a quorum. The political uncertainty comes as Iraqi forces battle Sunni extremist militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. "We are going to postpone because of an urgent matter," the speaker of the parliament said Tuesday. He did not say what the urgent matter was, and it was not immediately clear what happened. The newly elected parliament convened with 255 out of 328 elected officials attending, which was enough for a legal quorum, the speaker said. But when 90 failed to return after a morning break, there were not enough members to continue. Many had expected al-Maliki to call for the formation of a new government Tuesday, . Al-Maliki and his Shiite-dominated government have been under pressure from Western and Arab diplomats to be more inclusive of members of Iraq's Sunni minority, who say they have been marginalized and cut out of the political process by the government. When ISIS fighters swept into northern Iraq, seizing the city of Mosul, reports emerged of some Sunnis either joining the militants or doing nothing to fight them. Under Iraq's constitution, the parliament has 75 days from when it convenes to pick a prime minister. Lawmakers are under pressure to move faster, but the political body has had trouble moving swiftly in the past. The last time parliament met to pick a prime minister, it took nearly 10 months. Opinion: Will al Qaeda fight ISIS Islamic state? More warplanes arrive . Five more Russian-made Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets have been delivered to Iraq, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Tuesday. The delivery brought to 10 the number of war planes Russia has delivered so far and the ministry said it is expecting a total of 25 under a contract agreed to by Moscow and Baghdad. The announcement follows a comment by al-Maliki that militant advances might have been avoided if Iraq had proper air power in the form of fighter jets that Iraq has been trying to get from the United States. "I'll be frank and say that we were deluded when we signed the contract" with the United States, al-Maliki told the BBC in the interview last week, which was released Friday. Iraq has now turned to Russia and Belarus to buy fighter jets, he said. "God willing, within one week, this force will be effective and will destroy the terrorists' dens," he said. Kirkuk annexation condemned . In his weekly address, al-Maliki said the priority was to improve the security situation in the country, even as the political process moves forward. "Security should be the first and foremost on our agendas," he said. He thanked Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, for his call for volunteers to pick up arms to defend the country against ISIS and said a new government department would handle their mobilization. Thousands of people, predominantly Shiites, have answered the call, raising concerns among Sunnis about the rise of Shiite militias. Announcing the amnesty for tribesmen who have not killed Iraqi forces, al-Maliki said, "I welcome them back to the fold and to rejoin their brethren in other Iraqi tribes." He also strongly rejected the Kurdish regional government's effective annexation of the disputed oil-rich city of Kirkuk and other areas in northern Iraq, saying it was unacceptable. He called on the Kurdish leaders not to take advantage of the state's current weakness to advance their own specific agendas. Any attempt to hold a referendum on the move is invalid because there is no provision in the constitution for self-determination, al-Maliki added. The Prime Minister did not say how he planned to address the move. Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani announced Friday that the disputed areas, including Kirkuk, were henceforth part of the Kurdish autonomous region, after the Iraqi central government failed to hold a long-awaited referendum. Last month, the Iraqi army withdrew from Kirkuk and Kurdish Peshmerga forces took control of the city and small villages in the areas as ISIS carried out its lightning offensive. The move by the Kurds will probably complicate efforts to get Iraqi lawmakers to form a new government representing all three major population groups -- Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds. U.S.: Iraqi military probably would fight for Baghdad . Emboldened by the weakened Iraqi government's struggle to mount an effective response to their advance, ISIS extremists declared over the weekend that they had set up a caliphate -- or Islamic state -- spanning large areas of Iraq and Syria. Iraqi military units around Baghdad are likely to stand and fight if ISIS militants attack the city, preliminary reports from U.S. military advisers in Iraq and U.S. intelligence personnel concluded, according to a senior U.S. official. The U.S. assessment comes as intelligence also shows that Iranian Quds forces are increasing their efforts to train Shiite militias in and around Baghdad and in southern Iraq. This assessment that Iraqi forces will fight for Baghdad is crucial to the U.S. need to keep Baghdad International Airport secure. The official says 300 American troops there now, along with several Apache helicopters, could not on their own secure the airport, crucial if an evacuation was needed, and it would require the Iraqis to devote a large number of their troops to the effort. Iraq's military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, told a news conference in Baghdad on Wednesday that the current military situation was going in favor of the country's security forces. Atta said Iraqi forces have gained more ground from ISIS militants, many of whom have been killed or arrested. In Salaheddin province, Iraqi forces have secured all the roads leading to the city of Tikrit, Atta said, and have retaken control of a military base formerly known as Camp Speicher on the outskirts the city, the hometown of ex-leader Saddam Hussein. Meanwhile, in Anbar province, they have killed 24 militants and arrested 11, among them a known ISIS leader and several of his aides, he said. CNN cannot independently confirm his claims or reports of casualties. Police officials in Samarra, in Salaheddin province, told CNN that the Iraqi air force struck several areas in the town of al-Shirqat, about 280 kilometers (170 miles) north of Baghdad on Wednesday. At least 17 people were killed, including seven members of one family, while nine others were injured, officials said. It was not immediately clear what the Iraqi air force was targeting. Clashes at cleric's office . In unrelated violence, at least three people were killed Tuesday night when Iraqi security forces clashed with supporters of a radical Shiite cleric, police and health officials said. Officials said Iraqi forces raided the offices of cleric Mahmoud al-Hassani al-Sarkhi in Karbala and clashed with his supporters. Nine people were wounded, and one military Humvee was set on fire, police said. The fighting continued Wednesday, an employee at a shrine and a resident of Karbala told CNN. Helicopters fired a number of times on the Saif Saad neighborhood, not far from the city's famed holy shrines, on Tuesday night, they said. The aircraft again hovered over the area Wednesday, as the city was placed on high alert and the streets remained empty of civilians. Iraqi security forces have boosted security around the shrines and at the main entrances to Karbala. Al-Sarkhi last Friday told supporters that Americans are responsible for what is happening in Iraq, according to his official website. He also blamed the bloodshed on the call by al-Sistani for volunteers to join Iraq's forces in the fight against the ISIS militants. In 2006, the cleric's supporters attacked the Iranian Consulate in Basra, about 300 miles (500 kilometers) south of Baghdad. Protesters were incensed about insulting remarks made about the cleric on an Iranian TV program. They threw stones and set fire to a building at the consulate. Saving the shrines of Karbala . Russia sends 5 fighter jets to Iraq, al-Maliki criticizes U.S. The return of Muqtada al-Sadr? CNN's Chelsea J Carter reported from Baghdad and Mohammed Tawfeeq from Atlanta, while Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali, Diane Ruggiero and Holly Yan contributed to this report. | NEW: A suicide bomber, IED kill 8, injured 17 in Shiite neighborhood . Nuri al-Maliki declares amnesty for tribe members, except those who have killed Iraqi forces . Iraq gets 5 Russian-made fighter jets and is expecting more . Military spokesman says Iraqi forces are making gains against ISIS militants . | 0437d4abdd58f8760bf2e708c744e16e6caff9ed |
A 30-year-old Princeton graduate, who allegedly shot dead his multimillionaire hedge-funder father, was upset that his weekly allowance had been cut back, according to published reports. Tommy Gilbert Jr, a former pupil of Manhattan's most prestigious private schools, was being questioned by police on Monday after 70-year-old Thomas Gilbert Sr, founder of $200 million hedge fund Wainscott Capital, was found with a gunshot wound to the head. A source told the New York Daily News that Mr Gilbert Sr had cut back Tommy's weekly allowance to $300 and threatened to stop paying his rent. Gilbert Jr lives in a one-bedroom apartment in Chelsea where, according to listings, guarantors were accepted on the $2,400-a-month rent. Scroll down for video . Hedge fund founder Thomas Gilbert, 70, (right) was allegedly shot in the head and killed by his son, Princeton graduate Tommy Gilbert (left) after the father cut the 30-year-old's allowance, according to published reports . Police remove a body bag from the luxury Manhattan apartment building late on Sunday where a multimillionaire hedge-funder was found with a gunshot wound to the head . The NYPD broke down the door of Gilbert Jr's West 18th St ground-floor apartment (pictured) to arrest him on Sunday. According to published news reports, Gilbert Jr had his allowance cut back by his father who was paying his $2,400-a-month rent . The Ivy Leaguer, who was a regular fixture at Manhattan's black-tie benefits with society beauties on his arm, reportedly slipped past the doorman and into his parents' building shortly before the attack at 3.30pm on Sunday. According to The New York Post, Gilbert Jr went to his parents' eighth-floor apartment and asked his mother to leave to get him a sandwich. The father and son were discussing 'differences in their relationship', according to The Wall Street Journal. Gilbert Sr's wife Shelley, 67, found her husband dead in the bedroom within minutes of the alleged attack and called 911, police said. According to a Daily News report, he had the gun on his chest in an alleged attempt to make it look like suicide. Gilbert Jr was then seen walking out of the building in Manhattan's Turtle Bay area covering his face with a hoodie around 3.35pm, the New York Daily News reported. The 30-year-old was found in his ground-floor apartment at 10.30pm on Sunday, after he fled from his parents' home in midtown, multiple media outlets claimed, citing police sources. Police have detained Gilbert Jr (pictured left in August; right at a concert in Central Park in 2012) after he allegedly barged into his father's bedroom with a gun. He was arrested on Sunday night at his home in Chelsea . Tommy Gilbert Jr, pictured in March 2014, with fellow Princeton graduate Arielle Patrick, at the School of American Ballet's winter ball in New York . Gilbert Jr is reportedly being held at the NYPD's 17th precinct in midtown Manhattan after being arrested on Sunday night at his home . Police recovered a Glock 22 .40-caliber handgun from the scene. At 10.30pm on Sunday, Gilbert Jr was arrested without incident at his apartment after NYPD officers dressed in riot gear, chopped down the door and found him hiding inside. He was taken to the 17th precinct in midtown. Gilbert Jr was being questioned and has not been named a suspect, according to the NYPD. Police have not ruled out the possibility of suicide prior to a report from the city's medical examiner. Shelley Gilbert, 67, made the 911 call after finding her husband with a gunshot wound to the head . The NYPD have not released details of a potential motive. A spokesperson told Daily Mail Online on Monday that the investigation was ongoing. Gilbert Jr had a lawyer and was refusing to speak to detectives. He was expected to be charged, The New York Post reported on Monday. Thomas Gilbert Sr started Wainscott Capital in 2011, growing the fund to a value of $200 million. He attended Princeton and Harvard Business School before a 40-year career on Wall Street. According to Wainscott Capital's website, he had extensive knowledge of the stock market, private equity, real estate and the fixed income market. His son, Tommy Gilbert Jr, attended The Buckley school on Manhattan's Upper East Side from kindergarten until eighth grade. Tuition costs around $35,000 a year. Noteable alumni of the school include actor James Harder, philanthropist David Rockefeller Jr and Robert Wagner, former deputy mayor of New York. He then went on to the $50,000-a-year Deerfield Academy in Western Massachusetts, which counts the King of Jordan and Prince of Jordan among its alumni. After graduating from Deerfield in 2003, Gilbert Jr accepted a place at Princeton University where he graduated in 2009. A friend told Daily Mail Online on Monday: 'He was a really nice person. He was smart, athletic and he went to Princeton. 'He took some leave of absences from Princeton which is why it took him so long to graduate. He must have been really angry to do something so out-of-character.' A classmate, who attended Deerfield with Gilbert Jr, also said: 'Tommy was my classmate. This story is an incomprehensible tragedy. My heart goes out to the entire Gilbert family.' Details of Gilbert Jr's profession remain unclear but he was photographed on multiple occasions at black-tie society events. The 30-year-old was pictured in March 2014 at the School of American Ballet's winter ball with Arielle Patrick, a 2012 Princeton grad, child of Manhattan private schools and now a PR director, who sources told the Daily Mail Online that he had dated. Miss Patrick refused to confirm whether the pair had dated on Monday. A fellow Princeton graduate told Daily Mail Online that Gilbert Jr was a 'highly disturbed individual'. Another friend told Today that 30-year-old Gilbert Jr had become 'volatile' in recent years. Friends in the 30-year-old's circle told Daily Mail Online that he loved surfing, was 'handsome and nice' but extremely quiet and never talked. Investigators escort a woman, believed to be the victim's wife, from the family's Manhattan home on Sunday . The family property is a $6,000-a-month rental apartment at 20 Beekman Place on 50th Street, a few blocks north of the United Nations on the east side of Manhattan. The building's porter told the New York Daily News that Gilbert Sr was 'friendly, very nice' and a 'gentleman'. According to the paper, the son was spotted slipping past the doorman wearing a hoodie shortly before the attack. 'I immediately got a bad vibe,' the doorman told police, according to the Daily News. 'The kid got into the elevator before I got the chance to pick up the telephone.' A neighbor, named as Bernard, said: 'Five minutes later he comes running out covering his face with a hoodie.' Gilbert Sr also owns a $10 million property in the Hamptons which is listed for sale at $11.5million. The 2.5 acre property has five bedrooms, four baths, a heated pool and screened in porch and sits in one of the area's most exclusive enclaves. Police surrounded the family property, a $6,000-a-month rental, in midtown Manhattan on Sunday . Police reports said the alleged fatal attack took place at the family apartment (pictured left) on the east side of Manhattan. investigators with evidence bags enter the Gilbert family home in Manhattan on Sunday (right) Thomas Gilbert Sr, 70, was found with a gunshot wound to the head at 3.30pm in his Beekman Place home on the east side of Manhattan. His son was arrested seven hours later after barricading himself in his home on West 18th Street . Wainscott Capital avoided losses which plagued other hedge funds in October last year, gaining 1.65 per cent that month. In an interview with FINalternatives, Gilbert Sr attributed the success to their moderate risk profile. 'We’re not trying to beat all of the biotech funds, we’re basically trying to avoid drawdowns,' he said. Named in the annual Who's Who In America list for five years running (1999-2004), Gilbert Sr started his career with a seven-year stint at Loeb Partners Corporation as managing director. Thomas Gilbert Sr owned this $10 million property in the Hamptons, which has since been sold . The 30-year-old went to Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts (pictured left), which counts the King of Jordan as an alumnus after studying at the prestigious Buckley school in New York City (right) | Thomas Gilbert, 70, was allegedly shot in the head by Thomas Gilbert Jr, 30, at his $6,000-a-month Manhattan home, according to police sources . Gilbert Sr founded $200million hedge fund Wainscott Capital in 2011 . Father and son were discussing 'differences in their relationship' before shooting, according to reports . It is believed that the 30-year-old sent his mother out to get him a sandwich so she would not be in the home at the time, according to reports . A friend told Daily Mail Online: 'He must have been really angry about something to do something so out of character' Gilbert Jr, who attended $50,000-a-year school, arrested on Sunday night after barricading himself in his Chelsea apartment . NYPD have not named Gilbert Jr as a suspect and have not ruled out the possibility of suicide . | 9aff0cb67836f97254552c7e7803a8d008d2bb66 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:57 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:57 EST, 20 March 2013 . Lance Armstrong kicked back with Willie Nelson last night, clearly making the most of his time since admitting that he won numerous cycling titles with the help of doping and performance-enhancing drugs. The disgraced athlete shared with his Twitter followers that he had met the country crooner and his wife Annie Nelson for dinner last night in Texas. The cyclist is on an apparent PR blitz as he tries to rebuild his image following his notorious confession to Oprah Winfrey back in January. Bros: Lance Armstrong poses with country music legend Willie Nelson in a photo posted to Twitter on Tuesday night . Armstrong posted a photo from the friendly meeting, saying: 'Fun dinner with Annie and @willienelson. Lost my #mellow hat to Willie tho. Great man, great friend, great Texan.' The 'mellow' hat worn by Nelson in the photo is emblazoned with the logo for Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop in Austin, Texas, which is owned by Armstrong. Speculation has grown about whether Armstrong will face charges relating to his history of doping. He is also waiting for a number of things to resolve themselves - one federal investigation did not result in charges - but there are two more that are forthcoming. Armstrong has been sued by former teammate Floyd Landis and he is reportedly being investigated by the FBI for witness tampering, obstruction of justice and intimidation. Dallas-based production company SCA Promotions is suing for $12million in bonuses and the Sunday Times of London wants $1.5m back it paid him in a libel settlement. Singer and the cyclist: Nelson and Armstrong have both faced legal mishaps involving drugs . Nelson is also no stranger in legal issues relating to drugs, as he's been arrested numerous times for marijuana possession. He openly lobbies for legalization of cannabis. A week ago, Armstrong looked eager to get back into the public eye at Mastro's restaurant in Beverly Hills, days after it was reported that two films about his life are currently in development. The restaurant is a known celebrity hangout that's always teaming with paparazzo. Perhaps that was Armstrong's goal, as he happily agreed to take photos with young fans who stopped him outside. TMZ has reported that Armstrong was asked about the two biopics - one by J.J. Abrams for Paramount and another by Jay Roach for Warner Bros. - but he would not comment. Photo op: Armstrong looked eager to get back into the public eye at Mastro's restaurant in Beverly Hills last week, days after it was reported that two films about his life are currently in development . Earlier this month, Armstrong stirred controversy when he claimed in a magazine interview that the public will forgive him for being one of the most notorious drug cheats in the history of sports - just like they did Bill Clinton for his affair while in office. Armstrong said that he saw the former president's rehabilitation as a model for his own, and he'll be back on top in a decade. Speaking to Texas Monthly, he said: 'Ultimately, people forgive and forget and remember the good stuff you did. 'Is it hard to do? Yeah. But Clinton did it - he loves to work, he loves people, he loves to hustle. ‘He's . a hero of mine. He's a tough guy, he's smart, surrounded himself with . good people. And ten years later, he's president of the world. It can be . done.' Confession: Armstrong revealed in a January interview with Oprah Winfrey that he did take performance enhancing drugs to secure his Tour de France wins . | Infamous drugs cheat dined with the country star in Texas on Tuesday night . Cyclist currently in PR blitz as two movies about his life are currently in development . | df21030e4356da25c84b5bc9592a41a49174ee68 |
Peter Moores has described Andrew Flintoff’s prospective comeback for Lancashire this week as a 'sensitive issue' which must be handled correctly. Moores was Lancashire coach until a few weeks ago, when England asked him back - and for the vast majority of his time at Old Trafford, 2005 and 2009 Ashes hero Flintoff appeared to be permanently retired because of injury. But at the age of 36, the all-rounder has agreed a new deal with Lancashire and is set for a probable return to action in Friday night’s NatWest T20 Blast Roses match at home to Yorkshire. Comeback: England's 2005 and 2009 Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff is aiming to make a Twenty20 return . High five: Flintoff played for St Annes, Lancashire, before his possible return for the county against Yorkshire . Cautious: England head coach Peter Moores believes Flintoff's possible return is a 'sensitive issue' Merited: The ex-Lancashire head coach thinks Flintoff should only play if it benefits the team . The snag is perhaps, however, that his employers somehow have to find room for him in a team which has won each of its last four Twenty20 matches. Moores said: 'It’s a sensitive issue with the players that are there. 'That’s got to be handled right. It’s a challenge, I think... a fit, strong, playing-well Andrew Flintoff is going to add to any side. 'Coming back from retirement, they’ve got to make the assessment to where that’s at - against what they’ve got in their current staff. 'To know that, you’d have to be on the inside - watching people practise and play and decide that it’s not too much of a distraction, it’s going to work.' Glory days: Flintoff won the Ashes in 2005 and 2009 (pictured) before injury forced retirement . Pace: The fast bowler took three wickets in his comeback match for St Annes last week . Asked if it might be a conundrum for Lancashire to fit Flintoff into their team, Moores said: 'You’d think so. 'It’s got to be a cricketing decision. 'They are playing really good cricket at the moment, so definitely you’d think it would be a tough side to get into. 'You pick the best side to play for Lancashire. That’s what the supporters are going to watch, and that’s what’s the most important thing.' | Moores believes the situation must be handled correctly . The England head coach left Lancashire just a few weeks ago . Flintoff is likely to make a return in the T20 Blast match against Yorkshire . Lancashire have won each of their last four Twenty20s without Flintoff . Moores says it must be a 'cricketing decision' to pick the 'best side' | 1d313cb044b87c3a3178fe608427c9ed1d3c82f4 |
By . Kathryn Blundell . PUBLISHED: . 17:47 EST, 16 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:42 EST, 16 February 2014 . The Baftas last night saw an impressive array of leading ladies squeezed into the slinkiest of designer dresses. Many looked as though they’d been dieting for months to iron out the creases. But, as I’ve discovered, looks can be deceiving. A revolutionary treatment that looks like a cling film body wrap claims to trim or ‘melt’ up to six inches of fat from your bottom, hips and tummy within an hour. Too good to be true? Most possibly. But as a busy mother, I’m up for giving anything a go. Since having my son Mckenzie, six, I’ve yo-yo’d from a size 14 back to a ten — my pre-baby size. It's a wrap: Kathryn Blundell lost an impressive five inches after her unusual treatment . Today, I’m a large size 12 after an over-indulgent winter. It makes me unhappy — I have a dressing room full of beautiful dresses I can’t wear. So, with renewed motivation, I find myself in the hands of Vicky Kerrigan, a beauty therapist who performs the Shrinking Violet treatment. I wince when I hear the price — £55 just to be wrapped in cling film? But it’s far cheaper than liposuction and I’m desperate to get into a nice frock for the weekend, plus the treatment is available nationwide in spa and beauty clinics. It involves applying an oil-based solution to exfoliated skin, then being wrapped tightly in a heat-inducing cling film-type material for an hour. As well as reducing fat, the makers claim it can also improve the look of cellulite and stretchmarks. How? Well, apparently the mix of essential oils used in the solution includes juniper, lavender and cypress. They aid phosphatidylcholine — a chemical substance that triggers lipolysis, the process of breaking down certain fats from cells so they can be processed by the liver. The treatment is popular with women who are looking to get into a tight frock for a special event. Vicky says all her clients have lost at least some fat. Indeed, one apparently lost an astonishing 14 in after just three treatments. It starts with a three-day liver cleanse, where alcohol, caffeine and fatty and processed foods are forbidden. One could be forgiven for wondering whether it’s this diet, rather than the wrap, that gives the ‘miraculous’ results. Beyonce shocked and amazed everyone earlier this year after losing weight but keeping her curves through a specific exercise programme created by her personal trainer . But the theory is that as the liver will need to process the fat released from cells during the treatment, it needs to be in as good a shape as possible. The more fat your liver can deal with, the more inches you’ll lose, I’m told. I also have to up my water intake — according to Vicky, if I’m dehydrated, cells could retain fluid, which make it unlikely that I’ll see any results. I have to stick with this strict diet plan for three days after the treatment as the fat loss will continue. On the day of the treatment, Vicky measures 13 points on my body including my upper arms, waist and calves. I then lie face-down on the bed while she massages in the oily solution, starting with my legs before moving up to the arms. Oiled up, it’s time to wrap. I feel a bit like a marinated chicken waiting to be cooked. I stand up so Vicky can wrap me up using her giant roll of film. This is said to create a barrier around the treatment area. The heat from being wrapped in the film also helps open your pores so the oil is fully absorbed. While I look and feel as though I’ve been wrapped in bog-standard supermarket cling film, the wrap is actually made from a plant-based material. It’s tight, but not uncomfortably so. I itch a little, which is normal. I can see why this treatment might not be suitable for people who suffer with claustrophobia. Transformed: Josie Gibson lost 6 stone in a year and has since released work out DVDs and a book . I’m then covered with a light plastic sheet and fluffy duvet. It all begins to feel rather relaxing. Surely sweating out water must be the secret, as with some other wraps? ‘No, you might be warm, but I make sure you don’t sweat. In fact, we want you to keep drinking before, during and after the treatment to help your liver,’ says Vicky. True to her word, she checks my temperature throughout and constantly offers me sips of water. At the end of the hour, the duvet is peeled back and I’m cut free from the wrap. Now it’s time to be measured again. Startlingly, I’ve lost 0.2 in off each calf and my arms, 0.4 in off my waist and 1 in off my hips. My tummy and — bizarrely — my right knee have stayed the same, though my left knee has dropped 0.2 in. I’ve lost 0.6 in from each upper thigh, and 0.4 in each for the lower thighs. That’s almost 5 in in total, which is at the upper end of the average loss. I’m elated! And my skin looks and feels great. The trick is to see if the inch loss continues, so I measure myself again 24, 36 and 60 hours later, trying to be as accurate as possible. Cling film was invented as a waterproof coating for planes in World War II . While I expect my measurements to go back to normal virtually immediately, I’m delighted to find that after 60 hours there is still a difference compared to before the cling film wrap. I’ve still lost 1.2 in off my hips, 0.6 in off my lower thighs and 0.2 in off my upper thighs — a total loss of 2 in. A few more days later and those inches still haven’t gone back on. I can’t help but think this is the perfect quick-fix weight-loss trick, ideal to get into that tight party dress for the weekend. Not bad for an hour in bed! For more information, go to london-eob.co.uk . | Kathryn paid £55 to be wrapped in a cling film-type material for an hour . Originally a large size 12 after over-eating at Christmas . Lost over an inch on her hips through this 'Shrinking Violet' treatment . | 75a8a96c5eebd62e387dd1cc8d91c47136023f86 |
A relic hunter dubbed 'Indiana Bones' has lifted the lid on a macabre collection of 400-year-old jewel-encrusted skeletons unearthed in churches across Europe. Art historian Paul Koudounaris hunted down and photographed dozens of gruesome skeletons in some of the world's most secretive religious establishments. Incredibly, some of the skeletons, said to be the remains of early Christian martyrs, were even found hidden away in lock-ups and containers. St Valerius in Weyarn: Art historian Paul Koudounaris hunted down and photographed dozens of gruesome skeletons in some of the world's most secretive religious establishments . St Albertus and St Felix: Incredibly, some of the skeletons, said to be the remains of early Christian martyrs, were even found hidden away in lock-ups and containers . They are now the subject of a new book, which sheds light on the forgotten ornamented relics for the first time. Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in towns around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican. They were sent to Catholic churches and religious houses to replace the relics destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s. St Benedictus: Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in towns around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican . Spooky: St Deodatus in Rheinau, Switzerland (left) and St Valentinus in Waldsassen (right). The skeletons were sent to Catholic churches and religious houses to replace the relics destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s . St Getreu in Ursberg, Germany: Mistaken for the remains of early Christian martyrs, the morbid relics, known as the Catacomb Saints, became shrines reminding of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife . Mistaken for the remains of early Christian martyrs, the morbid relics, known as the Catacomb Saints, became shrines reminding of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife. They were also symbols of the Catholic Church's newly found strength in previously Protestant areas. Each one was painstakingly decorated in thousands of pounds worth of gold, silver and gems by devoted followers before being displayed in church niches. Some took up to five years to decorate. St Friedrich at the Benedictine abbey in Melk, Austria: They were also symbols of the Catholic Church's newly found strength in previously Protestant areas . Long dead: The hand of St Valentin in Bad Schussenreid, Germany (left) and St Munditia, in the church of St Peter in Munich (right). By the 19th century they had become morbid reminders of an embarrassing past and many were stripped of their honours and discarded . They were renamed as saints, although none of them qualified for the title under the strict rules of the Catholic church which require saints to have been canonised. But by the 19th century they had become morbid reminders of an embarrassing past and many were stripped of their honours and discarded. Mr Koudounaris' new book, Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs, is the first time the skeletons have appeared in print. Mr Koudounaris, from Los Angeles, said: 'I was working on another book looking into charnel houses when I came across the existence of these skeletons. 'As I discovered more about them I had this feeling that it was my duty to tell their fascinating story. Lounging louche: aSt Vincentus' ribs are exposed beneath a web of golden leaves In Stams, Austria. Mr Koudounaris' new book, Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs, is the first time the skeletons have appeared in print . Adorned: St Luciana (right) arrived at the convent in Heiligkreuztal, Germany and was prepared for display by the nuns in Ennetach. The identity of the skull on the left is unknown . 'After they were found in the Roman . catacombs the Vatican authorities would sign certificates identifying . them as martyrs then they put the bones in boxes and sent them . northwards. 'The skeletons would then be dressed and decorated in jewels, gold and silver, mostly by nuns. 'They . had to be handled by those who had taken a sacred vow to the church - . these were believed to be martyrs and they couldn't have just anyone . handling them. 'They were symbols of the faith triamphant and were made saints in the municipalities. 'One . of the reasons they were so important was not for their spiritual . merit, which was pretty dubious, but for their social importance. 'They . were thought to be miraculous and really solidified people's bond with a . town. This reaffirmed the prestige of the town itself.' He added: 'It's impossible to put a modern-day value on the skeletons.' Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs is published by Thames and Hudson and costs 18.95 pounds. | Art historian Paul Koudounaris hunted them down in secret Catholic vaults . Said to be remains of Catholic martyrs dug up from Roman catacombs . They were sent to churches to replace relics destroyed in Reformation . Some took up to five years to decorate in gold, silver and gemstones . But none were actually canonised, so many have been stripped of honours . | 29717d3c13c4517ff8d72432f6b42c13ae4f0973 |
Gulfport, Mississippi (CNN) -- Gulf Coast states have seen drops in tourism linked to the BP oil spill in the Gulf, though it has not caused any beaches to close, tourism officials told CNN Wednesday. More worrisome than the people who call to cancel are those who don't call to book their trip in the first place, said Kathy Torian, a spokeswoman for Visit Florida, the state's tourism bureau. Hoteliers have a shot at dissuading worried would-be vacationers who call to cancel, she said. But they are unable to have any effect on those who opt not to book travel to the state in the first place, she said. The stakes are high. Tourism in Florida is a $65 billion industry that employs more than a million people, Rep. Corinne Brown, D-Florida, told the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Wednesday. Complete coverage of Gulf Coast oil spill . "And so we are devastated," she said. "People are canceling. They're not coming to the hotels. They're canceling, not coming to Florida. So we're in lock-down devastation." Florida has $2.5 million in its coffers for use in advertising and is making plans to use the $25 million promised this week by BP, Torian said. Louisiana's coastal area, known more for sport fishing than for beachgoing, is also suffering. Gov. Bobby Jindal toured part of Louisiana's vast coastal marsh Wednesday and found thick, oily sludge encroaching on the fragile ecosystem. "We saw some heavy oil stranded in the wetlands. The oil is no longer just a projection or miles from our shore. The oil is here. It is on our shores and in our marsh," Jindal said at a news conference after the airboat tour in Plaquemines Parish. According to NOAA, about 35 miles of Louisiana shoreline has been affected by oil. The annual Seafood Festival in the town of Jean Lafitte the last weekend in July has been canceled so resources can be concentrated on the oil, CNN affiliate WWLTV reported. On Grand Isle, the annual Tarpon Rodeo is still on for July, but could be called off, local officials told WWLTV. Several other fishing rodeos have been canceled. The good news is that the state on Wednesday reopened three oyster beds and parts of two others that have not been affected by the oil, the station reported. The Louisiana Office of Tourism website assures visitors and potential visitors that there is no need to change travel plans, as the spill risk lies mostly east of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 75 percent of coastal fishing waters are west of there. BP promised $15 million apiece to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to help the states attract visitors. Alabama tourism spokeswoman Edith Parten said her state has seen a small number of cancellations, but it has launched a $1.5 million ad campaign that it plans to supplement with BP's money. "I think we are getting word out with the tourism campaign," she said. In Mississippi, about half of the people who had made vacation plans along the state's coast before the April 20 spill have canceled them, said Ken Montana, president of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Tourism Commission. And it gets worse, he said. "What's happening is we are not getting the phone calls to book," he said. "It's almost come to an 80 percent reduction in calls for future bookings." The tourism commission has spent $600,000 of its own money for an advertising campaign set to begin Monday "to let people know we are open," he said. He predicted the state would begin using money from BP -- which he credited for moving quickly -- starting next week. But he bemoaned the image that the disaster has conjured among many. "The perception is that everybody has oil on the beach and we are all closed up," he said. "No beaches are closed, period." All the state waters are open and open to all activities, he stressed. For some, the ripple effects of the spill have yet to hit shore. Bob Mahoney, owner of Mary Mahoney's Old French House in Biloxi, Mississippi, said business at his seafood restaurant located 150 yards from the high-tide mark is pretty good. "The truth of the matter is it hasn't affected me yet," he said. "I don't think it has." But he has already seen the price for shrimp shoot up from $4.75 per pound last year to $6.75. At about 500 pounds per week, that adds up, he said. And, the 63-year-old restaurateur said, "If the stuff starts starts hitting our beaches, I'm sure we'll be affected." Whatever happens, though, he vowed to stay put. "I ain't leaving Biloxi," said Mahoney, whose mother in 1964 founded the restaurant, which has survived other challenges. After Hurricane Katrina filled it with eight feet of water in 2005, he and other relatives rebuilt it in 55 days, he said. Asked Wednesday in the congressional hearing how he planned to address the long-term issue of the psychological impact on the area -- the fact that people might not visit the Gulf Coast or eat its seafood because they fear contamination -- Lamar McKay, president and chairman of BP America, was stumped. In testimony to the House committee, he told Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R-Louisiana, "I don't have a specific answer for that, but I do want to let you know that our intent is to stand behind what we're saying, and it doesn't end when the cleanup ends." CNN's Aaron Cooper, Tom Watkins and Jim Kavanagh contributed to this story. | Some Louisiana seafood festivals canceled to concentrate on cleanup . Florida, Alabama, Mississippi officials report cancellations, drop in bookings . BP has offered money to the states to help them promote tourism . Biloxi restaurateur who bounced back from Katrina vows he'll survive oil spill effects, too . | 1b32e8a86a739b24c805c7628edac38b796cd688 |
Psychiatric injury: Former police officer John Pike is seeking worker's compensation after the controversial incident . The former police officer who sparked worldwide outrage when he pepper-sprayed students during an Occupy protest at the University of California, Davis, is now appealing for worker's compensation. John Pike claims he suffered psychiatric injury from the November 2011 confrontation and its aftermath. After he was seen on video casually spraying an orange cloud of pepper spray at the heads of protesters, his personal information was released by hackers and he received numerous threats. Pike has a settlement conference set . for Aug. 13 in Sacramento, according to the state Department of . Industrial Relations' website. He was fired in July 2012, eight months after a task force investigation found that his action was unwarranted. Online . videos of him and another officer casually dousing demonstrators with . pepper spray went viral, sparking outrage at UC Davis leaders. The images became a rallying symbol for the Occupy Wall Street movement. Hacking group Anonymous posted Pike's information online. This included his home address, phone number and email address. A computer-generated voice in the video, posted in November 2011, said: 'Dear Officer John Pike. Your information is now public domain.' Disgust: Pike pepper-sprayed the peacefully seated students caused worldwide outrage and became a symbol of the Occupy movement . It was then removed because was deeemed 'a violation of YouTube's policy prohibiting hate speech.' Anonymous has threatened or claimed credit for attacks on numerous media organizations, including Fox News - but was the first time the hacking group targeted an individual. The group said: 'We have no problem targeting police and releasing their information even if it puts them at risk. We want them to experience just a taste of the brutality and misery they serve us on an everyday basis.' Pike received scores of threats that led an Alameda County Court judge to rule against releasing the names of other officers at the scene. The hackers' video concluded: 'Expect our full wrath. Anonymous seeks to avenge all protesters. We are going to make you squeal like a pig.' Brutal: Followed Pike's actions that left the students' faces covered in pepper spray Anonymous leaked his details online and he received numerous threats . This week, a state appeals court ruled news organizations are entitled to know the names of a dozen University of California police officers who were interviewed about the use of pepper spray on demonstrators at UC Davis. The Los Angeles Times and The Sacramento Bee are seeking the officers' identities, which were redacted from two reports on the incident. In the aftermath, the University of California agreed to pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit filed by demonstrators and the chief of the UC Davis police department resigned. | Former police officer John Pike caused anger after pepper-spraying peaceful students at Occupy Wall Street protest in 2011 . His personal details were released by hacking group Anonymous in video message that concluded: 'We are going to make you squeal like a pig' Pike received numerous threats and now is seeking compensation for psychiatric injury . | 7ba4a03eba9d4ebd44b101528ce27a58ffe0d1bf |
Campaigner: Actress Angelina Jolie . When celebrities lend their names to a good cause, it rarely fails to attract some welcome publicity. The trouble is, the main beneficiaries are usually the stars themselves, according to a study by British academics. And while only a cynic would suggest they are motivated by anything more than a selfless desire to help others, their efforts do little to make people remember the charity they are supporting. Instead, the study found, appearing altruistic makes stars such as Angelina Jolie, Robbie Williams and Emma Watson more popular. Two thirds of people could not link any celebrity with a list of seven well-known charities and aid organisations that they supported, the research found. And most who donate do so because of personal or family connections to the issues, not because of the stars supporting them. Many charities and aid groups now rely heavily on celebrities to help promote their cause. Miss Jolie is the face of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, which campaigns to combat rape in conflicts. Harry Potter actress Miss Watson was recently appointed a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and Williams helped launch Soccer Aid, which raises funds for Unicef. But the research concluded that even though celebrities are doing it for the right reasons, they ‘often do better’ out of the attention than their causes. Professor Dan Brockington, of the University of Manchester, and Professor Spencer Henson, of Sussex University, said: ‘Our survey found that while awareness of major NGO brands was high, awareness of celebrity advocates for those brands was low.’ The seven organisations mentioned in the survey of 2,000 people included Christian Aid, Action Aid, Amnesty International and the Red Cross. Jane Cooper, of Unicef UK, said: ‘Celebrities have a unique ability to reach millions of people, many of whom may not normally be engaged.’ Singer Robbie Williams has several charitable achievements under his belt, including helping launch Soccer Aid which raises funds for Unicef . | Study found that celebrities who do charity 'often do better' out of attention . Stars like Angelina Jolie and Robbie Williams more popular for charity work . Survey carried out by University of Manchester and Sussex University . | e29413596624016517e41423f9bc97dd4ba79d0c |
By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 06:40 EST, 14 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:54 EST, 14 August 2013 . Bizarre: Nathan Meunch arrives at Shrewsbury Crown Court with a paper bag over his head despite being pictured at an earlier hearing . Two fraudsters who tried to pass off ice cubes as iPads but were rumbled when they melted have been spared jail. Nathan Meunch, 29, and Nigel Bennett, 39, walked into a post office with a parcel claiming they were posting iPads. But in fact they had stuffed the package with ice cubes before sending it via Special Delivery on May 14 last year. They hoped to log an insurance claim with Royal Mail claiming £2,500 of iPads had been mislaid. But the pair were unaware the soggy parcel had burst behind the counter at the post office in Whitchurch, Shropshire. Staff became suspicious when they noticed wet patches on Meunch's jacket and alerted Royal Mail investigators. Meunch, of Leegomery, Telford, was found guilty of fraud following a trial. He turned up at court on Friday wearing a bizarre paper bag disguise just weeks after posing for pictures at an earlier hearing. Meanwhile Bennett, of Stirchley, West Midlands, pleaded guilty to the same charge. Both men received a 12-month community order and 150 hours of unpaid work. They were also ordered to pay £500 towards prosecution costs within six months. Recorder Mr Christopher Hotten QC told them: 'You, Mr Bennett, accept responsibility for the idea of this offence. 'You were short of money and you wanted to make some money. 'You prepared a package containing ice cubes which was represented to contain iPad screens. 'You, Mr Meunch, took it to the post office and dispatched it and it was you who submitted a compensation claim. 'The plan was unsuccessful. The ice melted and the post office were quite well aware within an hour that this was a scam.' Rumbled: Nathan Meunch (left) and Nigel Bennett (right) tried to pass off ice cubes as iPads . During the trial the court heard the parcel had 'disintegrated' in front of shocked postal workers. Counter clerk Elaine Sloane, told the court how she served Meunch, on May 14, 2012 and noticed damp spots on his jacket. She said: 'I just happened to say to the gentleman is it raining outside and he said yes but it seemed strange to me because I could see from where I was sitting it didn't look like it was raining.' 'I asked him what was inside and he said iPads. 'About an hour later, a colleague noticed a puddle of water beneath the Special Delivery pile. 'We had a little look and you could see all ice in there. 'He had sent it as iPads and I couldn't believe it was all this water and the box was disintegrating.' Denis Desmond, defending Bennett, said: 'The reason he did this was he was running a music hall and could not raise the money to rent the venue. 'He hatched this not just unsuccessful but rather pathetic plan.' The court heard in 2008 Bennett, an engineer, was jailed for three years for possession with intent to supply ecstasy. | Nathan Meunch and Nigel Bennett claimed they were posting iPads . In fact they had stuffed the package with ice cubes . Tried lodging an insurance claim worth £2,500 when 'iPads' never arrived . But their plan was foiled when the soggy parcel burst behind the counter . Both men received a 12-month community order and 150 hours unpaid work . | 4e225faa80f442292632a31f32e9184205341b7c |
A Pennsylvania teenager has been charged with murder after he allegedly shot a classmate then posed for a selfie with the victim's body and sent the image to a friend. Maxwell Morton, 16, has been charged with first-degree murder in the case of 16-year-old Ryan Mangan, who died of a single gunshot wound to the face, and was discovered by his mother in her home last Wednesday. A picture was sent to one of Morton's friends on Snapchat showing him posing in front of Mangan's body which was slumped over in a chair, said police. Morton has also been charged one count of possession of a firearm by a minor, according to WPXI. Maxwell Morton (right), 16, has been charged in the murder case of Ryan Mangan (left), 16, after Mangan was found with a single gunshot wound to the face. Morton has been charged with first-degree murder, criminal homicide and one count of possession of a firearm by a minor . Morton was identified by police after he sent a selfie on Snapchat of himself posing with Mangan's (above) body . Mangan, a junior at Jeannette High School where Morton was also a student, was found dead around 6pm on February 4 by his mother, Rebecca Murtland. Investigators at the scene found a 9mm shell casing but a handgun was not discovered. The day after Mangan was found, a mother of one of Morton's friends told police her son received a selfie on SnapChat of the victim who was sitting in a chair with a wound to his face, according to the Post-Gazette. Morton's friend saved the image before it deleted itself, as SnapChat lets users send images that are removed from the recipient's phone after a few seconds. The friend's mother also said her son received messages from Morton that said: 'I told you I cleaned up the shells' and 'Ryan was not the last one'. The teen was discovered by his mother in her home (above) last Wednesday evening . Mangan was a junior in high school at Jeannette High School and has been described as a fun-loving guy by friends . Following a search at Morton's home, he confessed to shooting Mangan after police found a 9mm handgun hidden under the basement steps that matched the shell casing found at the scene of the murder, according to Triblive. Morton's phone will be examined for any other evidence and police are continuing to look for a motive in the shooting. Mangan's friends have gathered to comfort each other as they mourn his loss, and described him as a fun-loving guy who was goofy and funny. His friend Taylor Wiltrout said she just wants justice served in the case. She said: 'That would be the most important thing. That's what he would want. He would want all of us to continue on and go on like he's still here and do what we planned on doing.' A funeral mass is scheduled for Mangan on Monday at 10am in Sacred Heart Church, and he will be laid to rest during a private burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Morton is being held in a juvenile detention center without bail and is set to face a preliminary hearing on February 19. Mangan's close friend Taylor Wiltrout (above) said that he would want friends to continue on like he is still here . | Maxwell Morton from Pennsylvania has been accused of shooting Ryan Mangan . Mother of Morton's friend told police her son received Snapchat image of him with victim - message had Maxwell written across it . He admitted to shooting Mangan after police found 9mm handgun hidden in his house . Both teens were juniors at Jeannette High School . Morton was also charged with first-degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a minor . | 4af313475782bf63945a609254395b7d59be437c |
(CNN) -- It has been nearly a year since Haiti held elections, but it was not until late Tuesday night that the troubled nation finally was able to form a new government. Garry Conille, a United Nations development specialist and aide to Bill Clinton, was ratified by the Haitian Senate after debate that lasted more than seven hours. President Michel Martelly, who took office in May, congratulated his new prime minister, saying that the installation of new leadership was a step forward in implementing change in Haiti. Martelly's two former prime ministerial nominations -- businessman Daniel Rouzier and lawyer Bernard Gousse -- were rejected by the Senate. The inability to form a working government had raised concerns about Haiti's ability to move forward after a devastating earthquake in January 2010. However, Conille was welcomed in many corners as someone knowledgeable on development challenges and someone who had experience in working with the global community. Conille, 45, a gynecologist, earned a master's degree in health administration from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He worked for the United Nations Development Program and was a protege of economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University. "You need someone like Garry Conille who understands the international community because this is a country which depends on the largesse of the international community," said Garry Pierre-Pierre, editor and publisher of the New York-based newspaper The Haitian Times. Most recently, Conille served as chief of staff for former President Clinton, the special U.N. envoy in Haiti. In that role, he was involved in international aid delivery to Haiti. Martelly and Conille have a tough road ahead. Critics say post-quake progress in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, has not been swift enough. Thousands of people remain displaced from their homes, many still in vulnerable makeshift camps. The new government has to take on recovery. Pierre-Pierre said it will be important for Haiti to choose a finance minister who has experience in the private sector, whose partnership with the government will be key to Haiti's future. "I just hope (Conille) is able to bring in someone who is as high-powered in the financial world as he is the development world," Pierre-Pierre said. "Too often in Haiti, we have loaded the government with good bureaucrats (and) not enough people with private sector experience." | Senators ratified Garry Conille as Haiti's next prime minister . President Michel Martelly had failed to get his first two choices approved . Conille is a development expert who served as an aide to Bill Clinton . The new government must lead post-earthquake recovery efforts . | 2d27fa5c03ed625427c7f8d8855a52bc8cca9875 |
With her ribs visible beside her slender arms, anorexic 21-year-old Holly Griffiths looks barely able to carry herself, let alone a growing child. Incredibly, however, she is eight months pregnant, her tiny frame hiding an almost fully-formed baby. Pictures of the young woman, who weighs just 8st 1lb and is 5ft 7in tall, have emerged as she battles to put on weight to keep her unborn child healthy. Holly Griffiths, 21, has battled anorexia since she was a child. She managed to give birth to a healthy baby boy called Dylan (pictured) when she was 19 and now is pregnant with a little girl she has named Isla . Miss Griffiths has struggled with . eating problems for 13 years but has already given birth to one healthy . child, a son called Dylan, now two, despite also risking his life in . pregnancy to keep herself thin. Normally, pregnant women are expected . to consume about 2,000 calories a day but Miss Griffiths makes do with . between 800 and 1,200, eating one slice of toast for breakfast, salad . for lunch, and plain pasta for dinner. She has to see a high-risk maternity . doctor, but a 4D scan of the child, who she has named Isla, shows she . currently looks healthy. Despite being 32 weeks pregnant Miss Griffiths does not look as if she is pregnant at all. She is trying to put on as much weight as possible for her baby before she is induced in three weeks . Holly is carrying a girl that she has named Isla (pictured here in her 20-week scan). Doctors says the baby is doing well and is healthy despite her mother's low weight . A 32-week scan shows Isla's face as she grows into a healthy baby. Miss Griffiths says she is eating energy-rich snacks such as nuts and smoothies to put on weight and provide nutirnts for her baby girl . ‘I know I have to eat for the baby, . but it’s hard to push the voices away that are telling me I’m fat,’ said . Miss Griffiths from Greenwich, South London, who is engaged to the . child’s father, gym manager Harrison Bogbanovs, 24. ‘When I first . discovered I was pregnant I was terrified of having to gain weight . again. ‘I suffered terrible morning sickness which caused my weight to drop, triggering my anorexia . 'I had thoughts of purging but didn’t . need to, my body was reacting in its own way. This made eating a lot . easier, because I would just vomit it up anyway.’ When Miss Griffiths was pregnant with Dylan she was so thin that one of her ribs cracked as the baby grew. Miss Griffiths (pictured, left, age six) developed anorexia when she was eight after ballet classes put pressure on her to lose weight. She has fought the condition for years and has gained a healthy weight for short periods of time. In summer last year she relapsed (right) and plummeted to seven stone despite being 5'7" She was induced at 37 weeks and gave birth after a labour of only ten minutes. Dylan weighed 5lb 10oz and, to her . relief, was healthy. ‘I was so lucky he was OK,’ she said. ‘I felt so . guilty I had put his life at risk.’ Miss Griffiths was eight when she . started battling with her weight. She blames her condition on the . pressure to look skinny in a leotard while taking ballet classes. By 12 she had been admitted to a children’s psychiatric clinic weighing just 5st 5lb – about 3st underweight. Miss Griffiths admits that when she was told that she was pregnant with her first child Dylan she was terrified. She said she should have been over the moon but was upset she would not longer be able to control her weight . Miss Griffiths (pictured with fiance Harrison Bogbanovs after the birth of Dylan) was so small that when Dylan was in her womb he cracked her rib and started to crush her lungs. Because of this she was induced at 37 weeks . Now, at 34 weeks pregnant, she is . determined to gain 3lb before she gives birth to Isla. It is planned . that she will be induced in three weeks. ‘Thankfully my baby girl is a healthy size and the doctors are happy with my progress,’ she added. ‘I’m desperate to recover so I can teach my kids a healthy way to approach food. 'I couldn’t bear it if they had body issues like me, so I’m continuing to fight the voices in my head and get better for them.’ Dylan was born a healthy, but slightly low, 5lb 10oz and has suffered no ill effects after his mother carried him while battling an eating disorder. Miss Griffiths hopes the same will happen with daughter Isla . Mother Liz Griffiths (right) has helped her daughter throughout her long battle with anorexia. When Miss Griffiths was diagnosed age 13, she helped ensure she stuck to meal plans to help her gain weight . Miss Griffiths is pictured looking a slightly healthier weight while on holiday with her partner Harrison and baby Dylan. Miss Griffiths goes into periods of remission but is prone to relapses. Partner Harrison (pictured left with Miss Griffiths and son Dylan at Christmans 2011 and at son Dylan's birthday in June this year) has been supportive of Miss Griffith's problems throughout their relationship . Miss Griffiths has recorded her pregnancy with photographs. She is pictured 20 weeks pregnant (left) and then three weeks later (right). The anorexic mother is pictured with a very small bump forming when she is 25 weeks pregnant (left). At 32 weeks (right) a slightly larger bump can be seen, but it is still much smaller than most expectant mothers . Miss Griffiths is hoping that she can overcome her eating disorder to ensure that her children to not develop the same relationship with food as they grow older . Miss Griffiths, is pictured here at 32 weeks. She is trying to put weight on to ensure that baby Ilsa is born at a healthy weight when she is induced on Monday . | Holly Griffiths, 21, has suffered with anorexia since she was eight years old . She was induced at 37 weeks while pregnant with first baby, Dylan, now 2, because she was so thin he cracked her rib and began to crush her lungs . Dylan was born weighing a healthy 5lb 10oz and luckily he has suffered no ill effects of being carried by an anorexic mother . Ms Griffiths is now 34 weeks pregnant with a baby girl named Isla, and is desperate to overcome illness to give birth to another healthy baby . | a6c97fe0d6e1192b05ed7a05412e702582b53359 |
(CNN) -- Actor Jeremy London escaped from armed carjackers who kidnapped him along a Palm Springs, California, roadside last week, police said. London said the kidnappers forced him to "use illegal drugs," according to a Palm Springs Police statement. London, 37, is known for his television work, including five seasons as Griffin Holbrook on the hit series "Party of Five." The actor told police that "several men" approached him as he was changing a flat tire on Friday, according to the the police statement. After they helped change the tire, London offered them a ride home, police said. "A short time later, he was held at gunpoint in the vehicle by one of the occupants," police said. "The gunman forced London to drive to various locations throughout the city, purchase alcohol and use illicit drugs." London eventually escaped the vehicle and called police, they said. Police said they found London's vehicle in a residential area of Palm Springs and they arrested one suspect later that day. Brian Adams, a 26-year-old Palm Springs man, was charged with kidnapping, possession of stolen property, and vehicle theft and carjacking in connection with this case, police said. London talked to People magazine earlier this year about his battle with a prescription drug addiction, which he said sent him to rehab last year. London began his professional acting career playing Nathan Bedford in TV's "I'll Fly Away," a role he won in 1991 after his twin brother, Jason London, turned it down. He was also a regular in "7th Heaven" as Chandler Hampton, starting in 2002. CNN's Jack Hannah contributed to this report. | Police: Jeremy London said his kidnappers had helped him fix a flat tire . Armed men forced actor to buy alcohol and "use illegal drugs," police said . He escaped and called police, who found his vehicle in a residential area . A 26-year-old Palm Springs, California, man was arrested later that day . | 4aead74e93869a377012a0e0a34603fc0343ba0e |
By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 04:02 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:58 EST, 7 January 2013 . Leeroy Reed was released on bail until the end of the month . A star of MTV's reality television show The Valleys has been arrested on suspicion of rape. Leeroy Reed, 21, was arrested at around 9am on New Year's Day following an allegation of a sex assault at a hotel in Croydon, South London, the night before. He had appeared at Shooshh nightclub in Croydon on New Year's Eve. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'We were called at 9.30am to reports of an allegation of rape at a Croydon hotel earlier that day. 'It's being investigated by officers from our Sapphire team. 'He was taken to a south London police station and subsequently bailed to return on a date in late January.' He was bailed until the end of the month. His agent said he expects the case to be dropped, according to the Daily Mirror. An MTV spokesman told the paper: 'We take allegations like these very seriously and will continue to follow any investigation very closely.' The Valleys launched in September last year and follows 11 people plucked from their rural homes to share a house in Cardiff. Aspiring urban music star Reed, from Bridgend, said he wanted to be Wales' next big urban sensation and claims to have slept with over 100 women. In the show he is regularly shown flirting with women in the shared house and while out clubbing. The Valleys, pictured, launched on MTV last year and follows 11 people from rural communities set up in a house in Cardiff . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Leeroy Reed, 21, was arrested on New Year's Day following the allegation . The Metropolitan Police said he has been released on bail . | 9cd79b110f7907ba14b139c87f7f55c44abca95f |
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Rival dissident army officers are claiming to lead the increasingly armed rebellion within Syria, exposing rifts within the opposition. In an interview by telephone with CNN, Maj. Mahar Naimi introduced himself as a spokesman for the "Higher Military Council," a newly formed organization that now claimed to lead armed defectors within Syria. "This council represents the people fighting in Syria," Naimi said. He added that the council was led by Gen. Mustafa Sheikh, an officer who defected from the Syrian military. But Naimi's claim was quickly rejected by another defecting officer, Col. Riad al Assad, who spent much of the last year claiming to lead a "Free Syrian Army" of rebel soldiers from a refugee camp on the Turkish border with Syria. "This man represents himself," Assad said in reference to Sheikh. "He has nothing to do with the Free Syrian Army ... those people are representing themselves and do not represent the revolution and the Free Syrian Army. They don't represent anybody." Assad spoke to CNN by telephone from the Turkish border region. "This is a conflict for leadership, which happens in all organizations and political parties," explained a Turkish diplomat, who spoke to CNN following diplomatic protocol on condition of anonymity. World seeks next step as deaths mount . The diplomat confirmed that more than a month ago, Sheikh had come to the same refugee camp in Turkey that housed Assad. The diplomat added that the general had tried to assume command over the colonel. It is not clear how much command and control any of the exiled officers have over defecting troops and other armed opposition groups inside Syria. But another former army officer based in Istanbul told CNN neither the Higher Military Council nor Assad's Free Syrian Army represented a rebel faction currently battling government forces in the besieged city of Homs. Ancient city in the cross hairs . "We are not working under the control of the Free Syrian Army or the Higher Military Council, we are independent," said Lt. Bassim Khaled, who claimed to represent the rebel "Al Faroukh Battalion" in Homs from his places of refuge in Istanbul. During the more than 10 months since the uprising began in Syria, competing civilian exiles have also claimed leadership of the revolution. Some Western diplomats working closely with opposition groups have privately expressed frustration with dissidents' lack of unity, even as the death toll continues to rise within Syria. The human toll of unrest in Syria . "A natural reaction for people who have been brutalized for so long is depression and grandiosity," said Andrew Tabler, author of "In the Lion's Den" and a Syria specialist with the Washington Institute of Near East Policy. "It is also confounded by the fact that Syria is made up of various sects and ethnicities." Bassem Imadi, a former Syrian ambassador who now works out of the Istanbul offices of the opposition Syrian National Council, argued that after decades of dictatorship, party politics were still a new concept for many of his countrymen. "Look at it like [political] parties being formed for the first time right now," he said. "One day they will come together." | Various officers say they are the lead opposition . "Higher Military Council," "Free Syrian Army" are two of the rebel groups . A third says it represents rebels battling government forces in the besieged city of Homs . | 3ca526ea378ba31fc85400bb08f69be587536fae |
Ched Evan's mother Helen Roberts has praised Judy Finnigan after the TV presenter made controversial comments that the footballer's rape was not 'violent' The mother of Ched Evans eagerly backed Judy Finnigan’s ‘level-headed’ claim that his offence was ‘not violent’. Helen Roberts, who has consistently defended her son’s name, also took to Twitter to highlight vitriolic comments by other users about Evans’ victim. Mrs Roberts posted a remark on Twitter on Monday, which appeared to be deleted later, praising Miss Finnigan and criticising her fellow Loose Women presenter Ruth Langsford. She wrote: ‘Judy Finnigan thank you for being level-headed and not joining the hysteria. Ruth Langsford was trying to achieve. She was totally biased #chedevans.’ She also retweeted comments likely to be seen as questioning whether the ordeal of Evans’ victim – who suffered vicious slurs on social media following the former Sheffield United footballer’s conviction – actually constituted rape. One user whose comments Mrs Roberts quoted several times on her Twitter account is a female Sheffield United supporter, who wrote: ‘[The victim] didn’t suffer, she said she couldn’t remember. 'This is so frustrating.’ She retweeted a comment from another user, which said: ‘[Judy Finnigan] has got it right #JusticeForChed. Many men in prison after joint night of pleasure.’ Earlier in the week, Mrs Roberts had directed her anger at women’s rights campaigner Jean Hatchet, who set up the online petition calling for Evans to be barred from returning to football when he is released from prison. Mrs Roberts wrote: ‘So a non-existent “woman” has got thousands of people to sign a petition against something that she read in the paper might happen #getalife.’ Later Mrs Roberts wrote: ‘She hates men until she needs them to sign her false petition. Sign as long as you don’t look at her.’ Rapist: Footballer Ched Evans is due to be released within days. He attacked the woman in a hotel room in 2011 . She also highlighted an attack on the campaigner by another Twitter user, which said: ‘When you lose sight of real feminism and become a man-hater like Hatchet, you become the oppressor you once fought against.’ Another comment retweeted by Mrs Roberts seemed to show support for her belief that her son’s conviction was wrong, saying: ‘Wow, apart from Ruth, the panellists were so level-headed. Shame they weren’t on the jury!’ A Sheffield United fan commented: ‘Massive respect to Judy Finnigan for giving her genuine opinion on the Ched Evans case #JusticeForChed’ Later Mrs Roberts posted: ‘There is nothing better to keep you going then receiving support and kind words from people that you have never met. #appreciated.’ Some Twitter users called for Miss Finnigan to be fired, but ITV said she will still appear on the show next week. Yesterday Mrs Roberts declined to comment at her £250,000 detached house in the seaside town of Rhyl in North Wales. | Helen Roberts has consistently defended her son’s name . Ched Evans jailed after raping a woman in a hotel room in 2011 . Ms Roberts blasted women's campaigner Jean Hatchet . Ms Hatchet has started a petition to prevent the player's return to football . | 2ac512a9456c93e908712287f25f9720c5ef7d3b |
By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . Britain's top heart doctor has called for statins to be sold over the counter, saying that not taking them is a ‘disaster’. Sir Magdi Yacoub told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that everyone over 40 should take the cholesterol-lowering drugs daily. His call comes after claims that statins caused harmful side effects in 20 per cent of users were withdrawn by their authors after articles appeared in the British Medical Journal. The UK's top heart surgeon, Sir Magdi Yacoub, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that everyone over 40 should take cholesterol-lowering drugs daily . Sir Magdi, who was awarded an honour of merit in the most recent new year's honours list, said: ‘Not to take statins is a disaster. 'The risk benefit ratio is massively in favour. 'Doctors don’t even have to prescribe them, there is a move that people can buy them themselves.’ The leading medical journal overstated the dangers of taking statins and said the drugs cause side effects in one in five patients. It is feared the articles could discourage patients from taking the life-saving medicines, which are prescribed to millions in the UK. The journal recently blamed internal and external reviewers for failing to pick up the mistakes and pledged an independent investigation to determine whether the articles should be retracted completely. Prof. Sir Magdi Yacoub (second right) with his wife Lady Marianne Yacoub (second left) and daughters Sophie (left) and Lisa (rigt) after receiving his knighthood at Buckingham Palace in 1991 . The UK is the top prescriber of statins in Europe, and second only to Australia in the developed world. More than a million prescriptions for the cholesterol-busting drugs are written each week in England, compared with a few thousand in 1981. Doctors used to prescribe statins only to patients with a 30 per cent risk of a heart attack within the next decade, but this was cut to a 20 per cent risk in 2005. Under guidance being proposed, the threshold would be lowered to 10 per cent. | Sir Magdi Yacoub called for drug to be sold over the counter . The call comes after claims statins caused harmful side effects . He told BBC Radio 4 all over-40s should take the drug daily . | f6c91cbc27975102a473df0dc7aeead4fe919f27 |
The sister of Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf, who is fighting in Syria with Islamic State forces, has condemned her brother's actions as 'abhorrent'. This week Sharrouf's older sister Damour Sharrouf and her husband Ahmed Alwash are again under scrutiny over their business Bisotel Rieh, located in Lakemba in Sydney's west. The Fairfax Media reported that proceedings have commenced against the remittance firm, after it was suspended late last month amid accusations it was funneling money overseas to fund terrorism in the Middle East. Scroll down for video . Khaled Sharrouf's (right) sister Damour has described her brother's actions as 'abhorrent' and 'repugnant to Australian law and values' The nation's financial intelligence unit, Austrac, announced the suspension following information that as much as $20 million had been sent to Turkey and Lebanon. On Thursday Bisotel Rieh released a statement confirming the Austrac investigations and the links to Sharrouf, who made headlines when he posted a shocking picture of his young son brandishing a severed head earlier this year. 'Bisotel acknowledges that Ms Sharrouf's brother, Khaled Sharrouf, is a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation and has in recent months engaged in shocking behaviour that is repugnant to Australian law and values, and that Ms Sharrouf herself finds abhorrent,' the statement read in part, according to Fairfax. Ms Sharrouf's and her husband Ahmed Alwash's business Bisotel Rieh (pictured) had action launched against it after it was accused of funding terrorism . It also revealed: issues within the company had been identified by Austrac in relation to: 'existing systems, practices and procedures for managing the risk that it may, inadvertently or not, facilitate terrorism funding'. Bisotel Rieh, which means magic carpet, also said their registration had not been cancelled and denied there were any allegations that the company, Ms Sharrouf or Mr Alwash financed any terrorism operations nor provided any money to Khaled Sharrouf. Sharrouf is one of the 60 Australians believed to be fighting for Islamist groups in the Middle East, and drew international condemnation after he posted a revolting image of his son brandishing a decapitated head on social media in August. The nation's financial intelligence unit, Austrac, announced the suspension of Bisotel following information that as much as $20 million had been sent to Turkey and Lebanon . He fled to Syria via Malaysia using his brother's passport. The picture was captioned: 'that's my boy!' While about 60 Australians are fighting in Iraq and Syria with groups such as Islamic State, another 100 are believed to be providing support from Australia. Earlier this month the sister of another Australian terrorist, Mohamed Elomar, was stopped at Sydney airport trying to board a flight to Dubai with her two children. The woman, who was not named, was questioned before she was released, but was not allowed to leave Australia. Sharouff is one of at least 60 Australians fighting alongside Islamic State militants in the Middle East . | The sister of Khaled Sharrouf has said her brother's actions are repugnant to Australian law and values . Her business, Bisotel Rieh, is under investigation accused of funding terrorism in the Middle East . The remittance firm was suspected last month, and proceedings against it commenced on Thursday . Sharrouf is one of about 60 Australians believed to be fighting with Islamic State militants overseas . | a57b75c79e6fdc7ada374ca6762ab2a3943a671d |
A man slashed an eight-year-old boy to death and severely injured two others today in China's latest random 'slasher' attack. The man slashed the three children with a knife while they were walking home from school for a noon break in Luojia village. A suspect who was released from jail in April attacked the children in the eastern province of Jiangxi and then fled to a nearby mountain, the official Xinhua news agency reported. An eight-year-old boy was slashed to death and two classmates injured in the latest violent attack on China's children. Picture posed by models . 'They were almost home when it happened,' said Han Li, a propaganda official for Yiyang county in the southeastern province of Jiangxi. He added police were searching for the man, but the motive for the attack was not immediately clear. China has seen many high-profile slashing attacks targeting schools over the past ten years by culprits often identified as being mentally ill or angry at society. In September, a man fatally stabbed four children as they were walking to their elementary school in the southern province of Guangxi. The man was later found having killed himself, media reports said. A spokesman said police are searching for the suspect, whose motive remains unclear . Also in September, a 40-year-old man stabbed students and teachers with a fruit knife at an elementary school in the central province of Hubei, killing three children and injuring six other people before jumping to his death. And in May 2010, an attacker hacked seven children and one teacher to death and wounded 20 other people in a rampage at a kindergarten in northwest China. At the time, it was the fifth in a string of savage assaults at the country's schools in the space of just three months. Many of the attacks have been carried out by adults with no connection to the schools, with authorities saying the assailants suffered from mental illness or were lashing out at society because of some personal grievance. These attacks have prompted waves of tightened security but little in the way of lasting policy changes. Some cities including Beijing require ID and registration for the purchase of some kinds of knives. Several communities have temporarily stepped up security in response to the latest murders, including the confiscation of knives at the gates of school compounds and in the surrounding community. Many schoolchildren are also now receiving self-defence training. | The man attacked three children as they were walking home from school . Police are searching for the man, but the motive for the attack is not clear . China has seen a string of high-profile slashing attacks in the past few years . Last month, a man fatally stabbed four schoolchildren in Guangxi . Also in September, another man stabbed students and teachers, killing three . | 3a2106ce02f9d7e6326913937f2faf98c8ab1a06 |
By . Julian Robinson . Former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton has defied her neighbours and cut down two 'iconic' trees outside her mansion - despite being warned felling them would be 'vandalism'. The 57-year-old actress came under fire after she obtained a licence to fell the towering Cypress trees as part of a major renovation of her £900,000 home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Ms Fullerton says she is just following guidance from council officers who said the 70-year-old trees are unsafe. Workmen cut down cypress trees outside the new home of former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire . Fiona Fullerton and Roger Moore in A View To A Kill, the fourteenth Bond film . But neighbours believe they should be saved and have accused the Strictly Come Dancing star of putting profit before the community. The huge trees have now been cut down. Sarah Knightly Brown - who has lived alongside the star's home for 30 years - dubbed the trees 'iconic'. She said: 'The greenery of this area is what makes it so special. 'If you look at this road, the old trees are so important to the way it looks. Felling them will change the whole atmosphere. 'A lot of residents feel very strongly about this. We don't want these trees to go. They are iconic and have been there ever since I moved in. 'I think it is a shame for the area, it will look very different without those trees. 'We will notice it more in winter because they were evergreens which came into their own at that time of year. Before: The Cypress trees as they once looked outside the new home of former Bond girl Fiona Fullerton in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire . After: Workmen have now cut down the trees, even though a neighbour called them 'iconic' 'I just hope they plant something else there in their place.' Peter Swales, chairman of Cheltenham Bridge Club who also lives alongside the property, added: 'Felling these trees basically amounts to vandalism. 'It's just property developers making some cash without a care for the community.' Miss Fullerton and husband Neil Shackell bought St John's Lodge, which had formerly been used as an architect's office, at Easter last year. The Grade II listed property was marketed with an asking price of £895,000. After . submitting plans to turn it back into a six-bed home they were visited . by a tree preservation officer who told them the trees were unsafe. Fiona Fullerton's neighbour Sarah Knightly, pictured, called the trees 'iconic' and that 'the greenery of this area is what makes it so special' Fiona Fullerton, right, and husband Neil Shackell bought St John's Lodge, which had formerly been used as an architect's office, at Easter last year. Pictured left, workmen fell trees outside the property which is being renovated . 'The . tree preservation officer actually asked us if we were going to take . down the trees because they were inappropriate for the area,' Ms . Fullerton said. 'We also took advice from three different tree surgeons and one of the trees is old and unsafe. 'We are just doing what we have been directed to do. 'The trees will be replaced with Holm oaks, fitting in with the ones across the road. If neighbours have any concerns we are happy to talk to them about it.' The former Bond girl, who starred as a KGB spy in 1985 film A View to a Kill alongside Roger Moore, has released books on how to renovate properties to increase their value. But she flatly denied this project was about making a quick buck. She added: 'It's going to be our home. It has been used as offices for the last 60 years but we are bringing it back to residential use. It's a beautiful house.' Fiona Fullerton says the felling came following guidance from council officers who said the 70-year-old trees were unsafe . Lindsey Mulraine, tree officer at Cheltenham Borough Council, said the authority had decided the cypress trees were not worth keeping. 'It is a shame to lose these two trees, but it was felt they were not worthy of a preservation order,' she said. 'We did publicise the proposed works and no objections were received. 'It is felt the trees have reached the end of their useful life but we do hope the applicant continues with intentions to replace them with Holm oaks.' | Fiona Fullerton had trees felled despite neighbours calling it 'vandalism' The 57-year-old actress said she was following guidance from council . Former Bond girl is renovating £900,000 house in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire . Cypress trees, described as 'iconic' by neighbour, have now been cut down . | 8f1c711f925e89d3fa395cf06abefdb5aa61d81d |
Despite no solid proof of its existence ever being found, it is one of Britain’s most feared animals. But newly-unearthed records have revealed a six-month Government investigation into the Beast of Bodmin Moor proved it was far from a monster – and, rather, just a large pussycat. The probe in 1995 into the Cornish ‘beast’ and other unknown animals reported to have been roaming Britain found there was no 'verifiable evidence' of exotic cats loose in the UK. Scroll down for video . Previous 'sighting': In July, there was an alleged sighting of the Beast of Bodmin Moor when a teenager taking photographs in fields near his home in Cornwall spotted 'something run across the field' Feared animal: The Beast of Bodmin Moor was first ‘spotted’ in 1983, and there have since been at least 60 reported sightings - including this one . A group of experts found the 'beast' was actually a black cat about 12in (30cm) tall, after spending £84,000 in today’s money looking at photographs and videos, as well as staging reconstructions. Sheffield Hallam University journalism professor David Clarke - an expert on contemporary myths - found the findings in a file at the Public Record Office, reported The Sun journalist Paul Sims. The 'beast' was first ‘spotted’ in 1983, and there have since been at least 60 reported sightings. But the report in 1995 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food declared it a phantom. Found in 1995: A skull with large fangs and what was thought to be the remains of a big cat were found in the River Fowey near the moor by a boy . However the researchers also concluded that they had been unable to prove that big cats were 'not present'. But shortly after the report was published, a skull with large fangs and what was thought to be the remains of a big cat were found in the River Fowey near the moor by a boy aged 14. The skull was sent to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, central London, for verification - where it was found it was a genuine skull from a young male leopard. They also found that the cat had not died in Britain. In fact, the skull had been imported as part of a leopard-skin rug. Then in 1998 a 20-second video was released and said by some experts as the best evidence yet that big cats had roamed the moor. In July, MailOnline reported a recent alleged sighting of the 'beast' when a teenager taking photographs in fields near his home in Cornwall spotted ‘something run across the field’. Henry Warren, 19, said at the time that the animal was ‘absolutely massive and was hopping up and down like a large cat - there's no way it was a fox or a dog’. Mr Warren managed to take several frames before the animal disappeared into undergrowth in the field at Gwinear, just a few miles from remote Bodmin Moor where the 'beast' is said to roam. | £84,000 probe into Cornish 'beast' 19 years ago found it was a 12in cat . Experts looked at photographs and videos and staged reconstructions . Beast first 'spotted' in 1983, with at least 60 reported sightings since . | 67d349232a48674a3bd44b53adeeba21799b62db |
A baby girl who suffers from a rare condition that caused her head to swell to nearly double its size is recovering in hospital today after receiving life-saving surgery. Following a series of preliminary procedures last week, 15-month-old Roona Begum, who was born with hydrocephalus, received a major operation at a hospital in Delhi, India, this morning. Surgeons at the private hospital run by the Fortis Healthcare group, offered to treat Roona for free after pictures emerged of her living with the condition in a village in rural state of Tripura. Scroll down for video . Roona Begum, a 15-month-old girl who suffers from a rare condition which caused her head to swell to twice its size is prepared for surgery at a hospital on the outskirts of New Delhi . Success: Doctors said the procedure went 'perfectly' and that the results were 'better than expected' Improved: 15-month old Roona, who was suffering from a buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to swelling has had life-saving surgery and the size of her head has reduced . Operation: So far doctors have reduced the swelling around 18-month-old Roona's head by nine inches . One surgeon Sandeep Vaishya told the AFP news agency: 'The surgery went perfectly, much better than expected. After Roona's plight appeared in a number of publications, including MailOnline, a charity came forward to offer help. Norwegian students, Jonas Borchgrevink and Nathalie Krantz, started an online campaign that raised $52,000 to help fund any further care needed. The Fortis Foundation flew the . poverty-stricken family from their rural village to the hospital in Gurgaon two weeks ago. Worried parents: Mother Fatima Khatoon, 24, and 19-year-old father Abdul Rehman . Waiting: Parents Fatima and Abdul at the private hospital near New Delhi where their daughter is being treatedia. New hope: Roona begum will undergo surgery to drain fluid from her brain tomorrow after a charity stepped in to help her . Doctors have already said that the . youngster is lucky to be alive, with most sufferers of the condition not . surviving beyond a year old. Speaking before the procedure was carried out, Dr . Sandeep Vaishya, Director of Neurosurgery at Fortis Memorial Research . Institute, who is treating Roona, said: 'I was surprised when I saw the . baby for the first time. Even though I had seen her pictures, I wasn't . expecting the head to be so big. 'Her head measures 94 cm, in similar cases the average measurement is around 50-60 cm. Getting help: Dr Sandeep Vaishya, from the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, examines Roona Begum, who was born with hydrocephalus . Countdown: Abdul and Fatima sit by their daughter's bedside in hospital ahead of the life-saving surgery . Treatment: Roona is being treated at a private hospital after the Fortis Foundation offered to help . 'It is swollen to an extent that she . is not able to close her eyes completely. We have an opthamologist . looking at her eyes, so that there are no complications there. 'We . are hopeful that she will make a complete recovery. The challenge is to . drain her brain fluid in a gradual manner, so as the brain gets used to . it.' Fatima said: 'When she was born, I wondered why do children of poor people like us suffer this fate? Loving: Fatima Khatoon attempts to comfort her young daughter as she rests in her hospital bed . Poorly: Doctors say that Roona is lucky to be alive as sufferers of the condition normally do not live beyond a year . 'Why is fate cruel to us? Why do rich people who can afford to cure their kids never get diseases like this? 'Before she was born, I went to a doctor twice. Once when I was one month pregnant and than when I was six months pregnant. We did not have money to go more often. 'She was born through a Caesarian operation and the doctor told us we had to take her out of Agartala to get her treated. But we did not have any money at all.' But the devastated mother revealed some family members had been less than supportive. Fatima added: 'When she is better, I hope my in-laws accept her. And she can have the love she deserves from her grandparents.' Roona's father Abdul, 19, added: 'Even though our neighbours come and play with her, my parents have refused to acknowledge her existence, since she was born.' Abdul, who earns the equivalent of just £1.82 a day as a labourer thanked those who had helped Roona. He said: 'I cannot find work every day. Its hard enough to earn for food, so her treatment would have been impossible had it not been for the press and hospital people who have helped us.' | Roona Begum suffers from a severe case of hydrocephalus . Doctors drain fluid from her brain and say surgery went 'perfectly' Kind-hearted students raise $52,000 to help fund any further care . | 224d9f33af4acf2daa5398ac2d0ff77db7debdf9 |
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:27 EST, 18 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:00 EST, 18 September 2013 . An Ohio man who confessed in an online . video to causing a fatal wrong-way crash after a night of heavy drinking today changed his plea to guilty. Matthew Cordle, 22, pleaded guilty . to aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol at a hearing in . Franklin County Court. He faces two to eight-and-a-half years in prison at sentencing, . which was set for October 10. Cordle, who lives in Powell, a Columbus . suburb, said little during Wednesday's hearing, simply replying, 'Yes, . your honor', as the judge asked him a series of questions. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Guilty: Attorney Martin Midian, left, talks with Matthew Cordle in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday, September 18, 2013 . Hearing: Judge David W. Fais questions Matthew Cordle, not seen, about the night of the fatal accident when Vincent Canzani was killed in a DUI crash . Victim: Vincent Canzani was 61 at the time of . his death (pictured recently at right) and previously served in the Navy . (seen in his uniform in an undated photo at left) He wanted to plead guilty to make good . on his pledge to accept responsibility for the crash, according to his . lawyers. They did not ask for him to be released on bond before . sentencing, and a judge revoked his bond. In a three-and-a-half minute video posted two weeks . ago, Cordle admitted he killed a man from another Columbus suburb and . said he 'made a mistake' when he decided to drive that night. 'My name is Matthew Cordle, and on June . 22, 2013, I hit and killed Vincent Canzani,' he says somberly. 'This . video will act as my confession.' He had entered a preliminary plea of not . guilty last week in a procedural move, but the judge didn't allow . Cordle to go ahead with it, saying his lawyers didn't follow court . procedures for first appearances. Franklin County Judge Julie Lynch also . alleged the attorneys balked at coming before her because she wouldn't . promise a specific sentence, something they deny. Lynch took Cordle's not guilty plea in a . brief hearing the next day and set a combined $255,000 bond. Cordle . appeared Wednesday before veteran Franklin County Judge David Fais. After last week's hearing, Canzani's . daughter told a TV station the attention the case has gotten is forcing . her to relive what happened. Angela Canzani told WCMH-TV in Columbus . that people seem to forget a person died. Video confession: The 3.5 minute video starts out with his face blurred and voice altered as he explains how he was driving drunk when he killed someone . Moment of truth: Matthew Cordle identifies himself when the effects are taken away and says that he will plead guilty to any charges that he faces stemming from the June 22 accident . His pledge: Cordle, 22, said that he was fully aware of the legal implications of making the video . The video was filmed on September 3, and the . version posted on YouTube has been viewed more than 2 million times. It begins with Cordle's face blurred as he describes how he has . struggled with depression and was simply trying to have a good time with . friends going 'from bar to bar' the night of the accident. He then . describes how he ended up driving into oncoming traffic on Interstate . 670. Cordle's face becomes clear as he reveals his name and confesses to . killing Canzani. He ends the video by pleading with viewers not to drink and drive. 'I can't bring Mr. Canzani back, and I can't erase what I've . done, but you can still be saved. Your victims can still be saved,' Cordle . says. Then a message appears on the darkened screen: 'Make the promise to never . drink and drive.' The victim's daughter spoke out against Cordle, saying that the reason he made the confession publicly was so that he could try to get a lighter prison sentence. Angela Canzani believes Matthew Cordle, who says he hit and killed Vincent Canzani, 61, on June 22 in, was ‘totally misleading’ with his confession because he was already suspected of the crime. ‘There was a traffic cam. There was a . third car involved,’ Canzani told NBC News. ‘So people are kind of . looking at this like he’s just coming out of nowhere…Like he’s some hero . or something.’ But on Friday, the . ex-wife of Mr Canzini told MailOnline she 'applauded' the decision of . Cordle - who now faces criminal charges brought by the county prosecutor. Cordle . says in the video he 'made a mistake' when he decided to drive his . truck home after 'drinking heavily' and hit the other car, killing Mr . Canzani, of suburban Columbus. An obituary for Mr Canzani says that he served as a missile technician for a submarine from 1980 to 1986. Since leaving the Navy, he flourished . as 'a gifted photographer' and was survived by two daughters and three . great grandchildren. The video was released in conjunction with a not-for-profit start up called Because I Said I Would, which is focused around having individuals make commitments to themselves and their goals using index cards. A fan: Cleveland kidnap victim Gina DeJesus posed for a picture with the group's shirt after the founder met with her mother . Its website says that it aims to become a 'a social movement dedicated to bettering humanity through the power of a promise'. The organization was founded by Alex Sheen who was inspired by his father, who died of lung cancer last September. At his father's funeral, they handed out promise cards in tribute to how his father always kept his promises. In a message that was posted on the group's website when the confession video was published, Mr Sheen says that Mr Cordle was the one to reach out to him via Facebook message about the hit-and-run. 'After getting to know Matt, I can say with confidence that he truly regrets his decision that night. He describes the guilt he has as “insurmountable,”' Mr Sheen wrote in the post. 'Against all legal advice, Matthew decided to make this video and release it prior to any charges being filed against him. His goal is to raise awareness about the terrible consequences that drunk driving can have on innocent people.' Cordle's confession is not the only high-profile action the group has been involved with. After the three young women were . discovered in Ariel Castro's Cleveland home, Mr Sheen was moved to . launch a ten-day walking campaign across the state in their honor. Movement: The group's founder, Alex Sheen (seen closest to the camera) was inspired to go on a 10-day state-wide walk to raise awareness for sexual abuse victims after DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight were found . Big finish: He ended the walk by being greeted by Gina DeJesus' mother at the site of the 'House of Horrors', which is just six miles away from where Sheen lives . He said that he lives six miles away from the now-razed 'House of Horrors' and was moved by the girls' perseverance. He used the walk as a way to raise awareness about sexual assault, and at the end, he was greeted by Gina DeJesus' mother. Mr Sheen gave her a number of t-shirts with the organization's name printed on them, and in return, she later sent him a picture of Gina wearing the shirt. | Matthew Cordle, 22, admitted to killing Vincent Canzani, 61, during a June drunken hit-and-run accident in Ohio in a video posted on YouTube . He pleaded not guilty last week and changed it today . Will be sentenced on October 10 . | 29f95e2e281cdf7e58cb8b5c7485275e8cb88d41 |
By . Rajvir Rai . Follow @@R_Rai . Argentina may have got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start against Bosnia on Monday but it appears not everyone was impressed. Sead Kolasinac own goal gave Argentina the perfect start after three minutes before they scored arguably one of the best goals of the tournament - an incisive passing move that was deftly finished off by Lionel Messi for his first goal at a World Cup. Despite the positive result, one Brazilian paper was still fairly damning about their performance. Bold: Brazil newspaper slam Argentina's performance in their victory over Bosnia on Monday . Rio-based paper Lance boldly declared: 'Is that all you've got? Argentina play badly and need an own goal to beat Bosnia. Oh, and Messi scored a goal'. Brazil and Argentina are, of course, great rivals so Lance's stance may be slightly biased, but there's no denying Argentina were not at their vintage best against Bosnia. That being said, however, Argentina - along with Brazil - are many people's tips to make it all the way to the final and surely will improve as the tournament progresses. But the question is, will Lance come to regret their front page on July 13. | Argentina beat Bosnia 2-1 on Monday with Lionel Messi scoring the second . Rio de Janeiro based paper Lance however remain unimpressed with the Argentinians despite World Cup 2014 opener win . | d0d83af023b320abf658105d71a641e4ef6e5271 |
Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2017/18 season. The 24-year-old playmaker's existing contract was due to expire next year, but he has now committed himself to the recently promoted Foxes. Drinkwater, who joined the Midlands club from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee in January 2012, played a key part in Leicester's promotion to the Premier League, with his performances seeing him named in the PFA's Championship team of the season, along with team-mates Kasper Schmeichel and Wes Morgan. Passion: Drinkwater has been in fine form for Leicester as they secured promotion to the Premier League . He told the club's official website: 'I'm absolutely delighted to commit my future to Leicester City. 'The club and the manager have shown a lot of faith in me since I joined and I've never enjoyed my football more than I did last season. 'It's an exciting time for the club, going back into the Premier League. We've worked extremely hard to get there and I'm really looking forward to being part of the journey in the next four seasons as we look to establish the club back in the top flight.' Celebration: Drinkwater is set for four more years at the King Power Stadium after signing his new deal . | Midfielder's contract was set to run out next year . Drinkwater has been rewarded for his brilliant Championship performances . Leicester are aiming to establish themselves in the top flight next season . | d2dee7de0c0d7bb13c322f0f350ff1009bf18193 |
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans to return to work next week after being treated for a blood clot in her head. The 65-year-old spent three days at New . York-Presbyterian Hospital receiving treatment for the condition and was discharged late on Wednesday. State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said on Thursday that Clinton is resting at home but is speaking with senior staff and is 'sounding terrific, upbeat and raring to go.' Secretary Clinton is looking forward to returning to her Washington office next week, though no date of arrival was specified. For the time being, doctors have advised Clinton to avoid international travel. Scroll down for video . All smiles: Bill and Chelsea Clinton both grin as they escort Hillary, 65, from the hospital, wearing dark sunglasses and a warm coat to brave the New York winter chill . Family: Hillary Clinton holds her daughter's hand as she emerges from the hospital on Wednesday after three days . On the mend: Hillary Clinton (left) leaves New York Presbyterian Hospital with husband, Bill (top right), and daughter, Chelsea (center) in New York. Her doctors expect she will make a full recovery . Support: Holding tightly to her daughter's hand, the secretary of state exited the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Her spokesman confirmed she was discharged this evening . The Secretary of State is already resuming some of her duties and is in . contact with her staff in the Beltway as she recuperates at the Clinton home in Chappaqua, New York. 'She's looking forward to getting back to the office,' Nuland said at a press briefing on Thursday. 'She is very much planning to do so next week.' During the press call, the spokesman also said that Clinton plans 'at some point' to appear before Congress to testify on the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya. 'She is committed to testifying, and we are working with the committees on an appropriate set of dates,' Nuland said. The Secretary of State's illness has prevented her from appearing before the committee in Washington, which was become a point of contention among detractors. As Clinton recuperates, her family has been on hand to offer support. Her daughter Chelsea assured . supporters late on Wednesday that her mother was on the road to recovery . and would soon bounce back to her normal schedule. On Wednesday, a . beaming Bill Clinton and a smiling Chelsea emerged with the family . matriarch outside the Manhattan hospital, which marked Hillary Clinton's . first public appearance since December 7. Finally leaving: Hillary Clinton was alone in the car with her security team when she finally left New York-Presbyterian Hospital after being formally discharged on Wednesday . Rest: The Secretary of State is expected to make a full recovery and will rest at home while doing so . Secretary Clinton, dressed in a dark . fur-lined coat and sunglasses, held tightly to her daughter's hand as . she walked down the steps outside the hospital on West 168th Street in . Manhattan yesterday. Wearing a black puffy coat to brave . the chilly New York temperatures, Chelsea appeared self-assured as her . mother leaned on her for support. There was initially confusion on Wednesday afternoon about whether . Secretary Clinton's appearance outside the hospital meant that she had been discharged but later in the evening, the Clinton's daughter confirmed that her mother had indeed been released. 'Grateful my Mom discharged from the . hospital & is heading home. Even more grateful her medical team . confident she'll make a full recovery,' she tweeted. 'Thank . you to the doctors, nurses & staff at New York Presbyterian . Hospital Columbia University Medical Center for taking great care of my . Mom.' After the family's . appearance Wednesday afternoon, Secretary Clinton was driven to a medical facility across . the street where she is believed to have undergone various medical . tests. She returned to the hospital a half hour later and then . later on Wednesday was driven alone from the hospital . It is thought that Clinton is recovering at the . family's house in the upscale New York suburb of Chappaqua. Recovering: Hillary Clinton was driven . to a medical facility across the street from the hospital on Wednesday for tests and then officially discharged . Back to work: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton grins widely as she is driven away from New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She is already actively engaging with her staff, a spokesperson said . The Clintons . bought the home, located only a 40-minute drive outside of Manhattan, . in 1999 and have used it as their primary residence for much of the last . decade. Local media in the quiet community reported that police were attempting to keep the press away from the sprawling home. A New Castle Police Officer said that . members of the media are not allowed to park on the road that leads to . the Clinton home, according to the Chappaqua-Mount Kisco Patch. 'Please let her recover as quickly as possible but without paparazzi,' one local resident Nora Mackenzie commented on the local news website. A State Department spokesman had said on Wednesday that Clinton was already getting back to work on paperwork and was engaging with her staff in Washington, who have been charged with handling U.S. foreign policy in her absence. 'She's been quite active on the phone with all of us,' State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland said, adding that she has been in regular phone contact with her foreign counterparts. A-okay: Former President Bill Clinton grins as he leaves New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday just hours before his wife Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was formally discharged . Home to rest: The Clintons purchased this home in the New York suburb of Chappaqua in 1999 for $1.7million . Her short public appearance on . Wednesday seemed to signal that she was ready to get back to work . following an unspecified recovery period, though some detractors . suggested her health condition could keep her out of the running for a . rumored presidential bid in 2016. Others . scoffed that perhaps the outgoing Secretary of State was using her . health scare to avoid facing a Congressional inquiry on State Department . security failures in the September 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in . Benghazi. She was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after an MRI revealed the . clot. According to BuzzFeed, a hospital source said that she received treatment in a VIP wing on the hospital's ninth floor. Her doctors announced that she was . being treated for the condition on Monday, causing alarm over the . secretary's health following a concussion she suffered from a fall on . December 9. In the . Monday statement, Dr. Lisa Bardack, of the Mt. Kisco Medical Group, and . Dr. Gigi El-Bayoumi, from George Washington University, said the clot . 'did not result in a stroke, or neurological damage.' Despite . the assurances, people became alarmed when a photo emerged of Chelsea Clinton looking distraught and anxious as she visited her mother at . the hospital on Monday. Early on: Chelsea Clinton looked distressed on Monday while visiting her mother (pictured) but by Wednesday the 32-year-old appeared more upbeat as she supported her mother . Chelsea, who is married to investment banker Marc Mezvinsky and lives in the Madison Square Park neighborhood of Manhattan, is extremely close to her family. In a Vogue profile of Chelsea, who entered the limelight in 1993 when her father became president, a friend of the Clinton's only child said the loss of her maternal grandmother, Dorothy Rodham, last year came as a devastating blow. Her childhood friend, Nicole Fox, said in August 2012 that death of her mother's mother 'was the hardest thing I’ve ever seen Chelsea . go through. She was really destroyed by it.' But after the pained expression on Monday, Chelsea Clinton displayed more optimism in a New Year's Day message. 'Wishing . all a healthy & happy 2013,' Chelsea Clinton tweeted on Tuesday. 'Grateful to be starting the new year with my family.' Relief: Chelsea tweeted that her mother was formally discharged on Wednesday evening . Health scare: Hillary Clinton's doctors discovered the clot during a follow-up exam on Sunday and confirmed it was in her head on Monday . Clinton also thanked the public via Twitter for their support for her mother. 'Thank you to all for sending good thoughts my Mom's way,' she wrote. 'Grateful to all her doctors & that she'll make a full recovery!' Chelsea Clinton has always enjoyed a close relationship with her parents and is increasingly becoming a political force in her own right. She was a fixture during her mother's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and has not been shying away from the spotlight with speaking engagements, her gig as a correspondent for NBC and her political advocacy for LGBT issues. But for now, the poised and glamorous scholar is committed to being by her mother's side. Grateful: Chelsea tweeted from her mother's bedside on New Year's Day . Optimism: Chelsea also thanked the public via Twitter for their support while her mother is hospitalized . Former President Bill Clinton had also been spotted driving to and from his . wife's side at New York-Presbyterian Hospital during his wife's stay at the hospital. In . the Monday statement announcing Clinton's condition, doctors assured . the public that it was not a life-threatening condition and said she had . suffered no brain damage or stroke. 'In all other aspects of her recovery, the Secretary is making . excellent progress and we are confident she will make a full recovery. She is in good spirits, engaging with her doctors, her family, and her . staff,' Doctors Lisa Bardack and Gigi El-Bayoumi said in a statement. A clot occurs when a blockage builds . up, either from partial thrombus (coagulated blood) or an outside . compression. When the vein becomes blocked, the coagulated blood may . extend to veins draining the area, which could lead to a lack of oxygen . and tissue death. The condition was discovered during an MRI but leading up to the discovery. | Hillary Clinton, 65, left New York-Presbyterian Hospital looking relaxed with daughter Chelsea and husband Bill by her side on Wednesday . After three days of treatment for blood clot in vein behind her ear, her medical team reports that she is making 'good progress on all fronts' Secretary Clinton was admitted to New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday after a follow-up exam found a blood clot in her head . Is now recovering at family's Chappaqua home outside of Manhattan . Expects to return to her Washington office next week . Doctors have advised her to avoid international travel for now . | 479d8a1d5d3ed643c948f9eb5c60b469eedfe70e |
(CNN) -- Is it ever acceptable to stand by and let people drown? European leaders seem to think so; in fact it's their new policy. This week Mare Nostrum, the search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea deployed to help those who get into difficulty while trying to reach the safety of Europe, is due to end. Since it began last year, the Italian naval operation has rescued 150,000 people from death at sea. Tragically, it has also pulled 3,343 bodies from the waves. The Italians have now decided that Mare Nostrum is too costly to bear alone and have asked the rest of Europe for help. But the other European governments have declined, finding it politically expedient to turn their backs on the mothers, fathers and children drowning in the Mediterranean. After all, they're someone else's family; some other country's problem. Mare Nostrum will be replaced by Operation Triton, run by EU border agency Frontex, from November 1. Frontex has said the exclusive focus of Triton will be on border control. There will be no search and rescue function. The justification is a classic example of self-serving doublespeak, disingenuously expressed by the UK Foreign Office Minister Baroness Anelay earlier this month when she told Britain's parliament: "We do not support planned search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. "We believe that they create an unintended 'pull factor', encouraging more migrants to attempt the dangerous sea crossing and thereby leading to more tragic and unnecessary deaths." The British Government's contention that search and rescue operations are a pull factor is an affront to basic humanity: The suggestion is that if we allow people to drown at sea, it will deter others from setting sail. This is macabre logic. Do liver transplants encourage people to drink more alcohol? Do seatbelts encourage dangerous driving? The argument is as flawed as it is chilling. The current increase in boat journeys across the Mediterranean began after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in Libya, and reached a peak last summer, when Mare Nostrum was established as a response. People weren't embarking then because they expected to be rescued, and it's not why they're embarking now. Our leaders act as if oblivious to the fact that the world is in the grip of the greatest refugee crisis since World War II. Over 50 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced, with the Syrian conflict alone spawning more than 3 million refugees. Those fleeing atrocities will not stop seeking safety in Europe if we stop throwing them life rings. Putting your life in the hands of unscrupulous people smugglers and boarding a rickety, overcrowded boat in Libya will remain a rational decision if your country is in flames and you're scared for your life. The perversity of the European Union's inhumane stance is further exposed by the fact that many of those who set sail from North Africa are granted refugee status in EU if they arrive safely, as the majority are Syrians, Eritreans or Somalis. We know these people are likely to need our protection, so why do we make them undertake a deadly journey before we provide it? The answer is not higher walls around Fortress Europe -- it is to provide more safe and legal channels for people to access protection. People are forced to risk their lives in order to reach safety because they have no other choice. We must provide them with alternatives, and there are plenty of options. We could loosen restrictions on family reunification, establish temporary humanitarian admission programs and offer protected entry visas. Or we could heed the UNHCR's call for European countries to accept more refugees for resettlement. The majority of the world's refugees who flee persecution and conflict are unable to travel far beyond the borders of their home country. Developing countries host 86% of the world's refugees, with thousands forced to live in refugee camps for years. A resettlement place is a lifeline. It offers the chance of sleeping in a real bed; of ensuring children have a decent education; of accessing running water; of hope. UNHCR estimates that, today, 691,000 refugees around the world are in urgent need of resettlement. These people will never be able to go home, and are unable to rebuild their lives in the poor countries to which they have fled. Currently, the number of resettlement places offered by EU countries is pitiful: emergency programs aside, only 5,500 resettlement places are available annually. The UK's contribution is a meager 750. EU leaders must not close their eyes or turn their backs to this refugee crisis. More can and should be done to help. Pulling up the drawbridge to Fortress Europe will only consign more desperate, scared people to death by drowning, with their bodies washing up on the beaches of Southern Europe. READ MORE: 40,000 migrant deaths since 2000: Report . READ MORE: 'Laughing' traffickers ram boat, kill 500 . READ MORE: Italy's navy rescues 6,000 migrants in four days . | Italy's search and rescue operation for migrants crossing Mediterranean Sea to end . Politicians claim it encourages more people to try and make their way to Europe by sea . Refugee advocate Maurice Wren insists their "argument is as flawed as it is chilling" "Those fleeing atrocities will not stop seeking safety in Europe if we stop throwing them life rings" | a8598b04db8c75d3d51380b0bdd48e8638549246 |
New York (CNN) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio bit into some unexpected publicity recently when he was photographed politely eating pizza -- with a knife and fork. At a Staten Island pizzeria, no less. Now, the act that sent the Internet into a frenzy with chatter about what most New Yorkers scorn as a serious food flub portends to deliver some dough -- as in money -- to charity. Goodfella's Pizzeria co-owner Marc Cosentino says he will auction off the infamous fork that de Blasio used in a charity fundraiser. After the mayor and his entourage went their way following a Friday stop at Goodfella's, Cosentino decided it would be a good idea to hold on to the notorious fork. A retired NYPD sergeant, Cosentino baked up the idea to store the fork in an evidence bag and put it on display at the bar. "You can't imagine all the people that come in that want to look at the fork and take pictures of it," Cosentino told CNN on Wednesday. Dubbed by some with tongues firmly in cheek as the new mayor's "pizzagate," the ensuing publicity has prompted multiple charities to reach out to Cosentino in hopes of getting a piece of the pie. When asked how much he thinks the renowned utensil would sell for, Cosentino referred to a previous charity benefit in 2013 for New York's hungry when a dozen "cronuts" -- half-croissant and half-doughnut pastries -- reportedly were auctioned for $14,000. "I think we can beat that," Cosentino proudly said. As for the mayor with manners, his office released a statement to CNN giving the idea of a charity auction an extra topping. "We hope they include the knife to raise even more funds," the statement said. Will de Blasio be welcomed back in Goodfella's Pizzeria following what some consider a pizza faux pas? "Absolutely! He was a total gentleman," Cosentino declared. "As long as people are eating pizza it's okay with me." Snowstorm an early test for Bill de Blasio . | To the "gates" of political lore, add one for NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio: pizzagate . The new mayor was photographed chowing down in a pizzeria, using a knife and fork . Now the pizzeria owner wants to auction the infamous fork for charity . De Blasio's office is all for it: "We hope they include the knife to raise even more funds" | 7d5beba2c3da843daacf92cd275ffa59fa331db8 |
New York (CNN) -- An Egyptian executive accused of sexually abusing an employee at a luxury hotel in New York pleaded guilty Friday to sex abuse in the third degree and will also face a $5 million lawsuit tied to the case, his attorney said. Mahmoud Abdel-Salam Omar, 74, the chairman of a salt company who once headed an Egyptian bank, had originally been charged with sexual abuse, unlawful imprisonment, forcible touching and harassment. He was sentenced to five days' community service, which Omar has already completed. He must also submit his DNA to the state database, said Joan Vollero, a representative for the Manhattan district attorney. "He pled guilty in order to get back to his family in Egypt," said Omar's attorney, Lori Cohen. "What he pled guilty to is less serious than jumping a turnstile in New York." Omar had initially pleaded not guilty, attorney Lori Cohen said. The incident took place at New York's Pierre hotel on May 29, 15 days after Dominique Strauss-Kahn, then head of the International Monetary Fund, was accused of sexually assaulting and trying to rape a housekeeping employee at another New York luxury hotel. Omar has not made any public statements. The accuser told police the attack took place when the employee went to Omar's room to drop off tissues he had requested. His trial had been set to begin August 23. | Mahmoud Abdel-Salam Omar was sentenced to five days' community service . He's already completed that service . He must also submit his DNA to the state database . The incident occurred soon after Dominique Strauss-Kahn was accused . | ed9c82180a09e101a5c5fc661e346820713dd131 |
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Music producer Phil Spector was sentenced Friday to the maximum sentence of 19 years to life for the murder six years ago of actress Lana Clarkson. Phil Spector's first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial as jurors said they couldn't reach a verdict. That means Spector, 69, would be 88 before he would be eligible for parole. Slumped, stone-faced and wearing a dark suit and bright red tie, he sat silently throughout his sentencing by Judge Larry Paul Fidler. Spector's lawyer gave a $17,000 check to Donna Clarkson, the victim's mother, to pay for her funeral expenses -- part of the court-ordered sentence. "All of our plans together are destroyed," the mother said, reading a statement on behalf of her family. "Now, I can only visit her at the cemetery." Fidler denied a motion for a new trial by defense attorney Doron Weinberg, who said he would file an appeal. "The evidence did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty for the simple reason [that] he did not kill Lana Clarkson," Weinberg said. Watch Spector receive his sentence » . "Obviously, he's not very happy," Spector's wife, Rachelle, told reporters about her husband. "I'm going to stand by him and get him out of that awful place so he can come home where he belongs." Clarkson, 40, was found dead -- slumped in a chair in the foyer of Spector's Alhambra, California, mansion with a gunshot wound through the roof of her mouth -- in February 2003. View a timeline of the case » . Spector's trial, which began in October, ended last month when jurors deliberated for 30 hours and then announced a guilty verdict on the second-degree murder charge. Fidler had ruled jurors also could consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. Spector's first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial as jurors said they couldn't reach a verdict after 15 days of deliberations. Jurors then were deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction. Fidler declined to allow Spector to remain free on bail pending sentencing, citing Spector's years-long "pattern of violence" involving firearms. "This was not an isolated incident," Fidler said, noting Spector's two firearms-related convictions from the 1970s. "The taking of an innocent human life, it doesn't get any more serious than that." In closing arguments at the retrial, prosecutor Truc Do called Spector "a very dangerous man" who "has a history of playing Russian roulette with women -- six women. Lana just happened to be the sixth." Weinberg argued that the prosecution's case hinged on circumstantial evidence. He said the possibility that Clarkson committed suicide could not be ruled out. Do pointed out to jurors, however, that Clarkson had bought new shoes on the day of her death -- something he said a suicidal woman would not have done. A female juror who declined to be identified told reporters the jurors considered all the evidence and testimony to reach their verdict. "This entire jury took this so seriously," she said with tears in her eyes, before adding that "it's tough to be in a jury," because another person's life is in the jury's hands. Clarkson starred in the 1985 B-movie "Barbarian Queen" and appeared in many other films, including "Deathstalker," "Blind Date," "Scarface," "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and the spoof "Amazon Women on the Moon." She was working as a VIP hostess at Hollywood's House of Blues at the time of her death. In the 2007 trial, Spector's attorneys argued that Clarkson was depressed over a recent breakup and grabbed a .38-caliber pistol to kill herself while at Spector's home. But prosecution witnesses painted Spector as a gun-toting menace. Five women took the stand and testified that he had threatened them with firearms. His driver testified that he heard a loud noise and saw the producer leave the home, pistol in hand, saying, "I think I killed somebody." Spector's professional trademark was the "Wall of Sound," the layering of instrumental tracks and percussion that underpinned a string of hits on his Philles label -- named for Spector and his business partner, Lester Sill -- in the early 1960s. The roaring arrangements were the heart of what he called "little symphonies for the kids" -- among them No. 1 hits like the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" and the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'." Spector co-produced the Beatles' final album, "Let It Be," and worked with ex-Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon on solo projects after the group broke up. His recording of Harrison's 1971 benefit concert for war relief in Bangladesh won the 1972 Grammy award for album of the year. That was one of two Grammy Awards won by Spector, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. He stayed out of the public eye for two decades before his 2003 arrest in Clarkson's death. | NEW: Music producer sentenced for 2003 slaying of Lana Clarkson . Actress was found shot dead in foyer of Spector's California mansion . Defense argued it was a suicide; first trial ended in a mistrial . Grammy-winning Spector, 69, was inducted in 1989 to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . | e994f9be3bd0a08c936d5a0adea27a3e1e6f4c24 |
The latest triumph for British engineering – Mercedes’ clinching of the Formula One world constructors’ championship – will earn each of the team’s 700 staff a bonus of at least £10,000 each. Everyone from the cleaners up to the superstar drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, will be rewarded after Mercedes’ blitz to glory at last Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix. It is the first time Mercedes have won the constructors’ title, and they did it in great style with nine one-two finishes and victories in 13 of the 16 grands prix, just shy of McLaren’s 1988 record. Mercedes trio Lewis Hamilton (right), executive director Paddy Lowe (centre) and Nico Rosberg (left) All of Mercedes' staff will receive a bonus fee believed to be in the region of £10,000 . Hamilton is currently top of the drivers' world championship standings ahead of his Mercedes team-mate . 1. Mercedes - 565 . 2. Red Bull - 342 . 3. Williams - 216 . 4. Ferrari - 188 . 5. McLaren - 143 . 6. Force India - 123 . 7. Toro Rosso - 29 . 8. Lotus - 8 . 9. Marussia - 2 . 10. Sauber - 0 . 11. Caterham - 0 . Their nearest challengers Red Bull, who also paid their staff £10,000 when they won the championship, are out of contention with three races remaining. Although the base rate for the Mercedes staff is £10,000, it is understood that figure could be even greater for some of the workforce. Exactly how much more they pocket will be determined at an annual review in the new year. The total prize fund for winning the title is a massive £40million. Much of the total amount will be ploughed into the budget for future years. Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda addressed the team's employees at their Brackley headquarters on Monday with Hamilton and Rosberg, who are in direct competition for the drivers' prize, expected to visit the factory on Tuesday for a breakfast of champions - a bacon sandwich. Mercedes’ win is another example of Britain’s engineering hegemony in Formula One. Most of the teams are based in the ‘motorsport valley’ in the Midlands. So the Mercedes bonuses represent a near annual boom time for the area's bathroom, kitchen and carpet fitters. As well as the design of the winning car being carried out at Brackley, their supreme engine is manufactured at Brixworth under the direction of Englishman Andy Cowell. The team was put together by Ross Brawn before he left as part of an ugly coup d’etat at the end of last season. The debt they owe Brawn is considerable. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff (right) has lavished praise on former team principal Ross Brawn . No wonder Wolff paid a fulsome tribute to him. ‘I have to pinch myself sometimes that we are part of the Mercedes history. We won the first constructors' title for Mercedes-Benz, ever,' he said. ‘I feel proud and honoured to be part of the team. The foundations of the team were built by Ross, he played such an important role in the team. 'The steps that were done in 2012, the people that joined in 2012, we're important, and since then we were on an upward slope.’ However, Wolff’s words could be thought slightly hollow. It was he who controversially forced Brawn out, having bought his way into the team. Technical chief Paddy Lowe was also drafted in behind Brawn's back. Brawn left Mercedes at the end of the 2013 Formula One season but his influence is still evident . Brawn, who turns 60 next month, is lost to Formula One, and indulging his love of fishing, though he has been invited to the team's Christmas party. The focus in the final rounds in America, Brazil and Abu Dhabi is now on a straight fight between Hamilton and Rosberg. Just 17 points separate the pair – next to nothing with the points at the last race on November 23 counting double. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, who was seventh in Russia, is 92 points behind Hamilton. So big a gulf is that that his boss Christian Horner has conceded his chances are close to zero. 'Daniel would have to win all three remaining grands prix and the Mercedes drivers not finish,’ said Horner. ‘It is just between Lewis and Nico now.’ | Mercedes clinched Formula One world constructors' championship on Sunday . Everyone from the cleaners up to the superstar drivers will be rewarded . Nearest challengers Red Bull are out of contention with three races left . | 2452fe7fb65f4e36d4a1cda4e82e68f26a69a205 |
By . Ian Drury, Defence Correspondent . The families of three Red Caps murdered by a mob in Iraq ditched a controversial lawyer amid claims he was also representing their alleged killers. Relatives of corporals Simon Miller and Russell Aston and Lance Corporal Thomas Keys dropped Phil Shiner over concerns he had a ‘disgusting’ conflict of interest. Mr Shiner’s Public Interest Lawyers is representing Iraqi families at the £22million Al Sweady Inquiry into claims that British soldiers tortured and abused detainees in 2004. Claims that detainees were executed have been dropped. The Red Cap families believe some of those taking legal action were ‘directly or indirectly responsible’ for the deaths of the Royal Military Policemen a year earlier. The families of three Red Caps - Corporals Simon Miller (left) and Russell Aston and Lance Corporal Thomas Keys (right) - murdered by a mob in Iraq in 2003 have sacked a controversial lawyer Phil Shiner amid claims he is representing their alleged killers in a separate case . Last night John Miller, 63, the father of Cpl Miller, said: ‘I believe there is a conflict of interest involving Phil Shiner because both cases are inextricably linked. We feel betrayed by him. ‘It is disgraceful, utterly disgusting, that he would try to represent us while having the Iraqis on his books who I believe are the main antagonists. ‘The families have been brought over to London, had flights paid for, put up in hotels, and making legal claims here. I believe they are, or know, the murderers of the Royal Military Policemen.’ Cpl Aston, 30, Cpl Miller, 21, and L/Cpl Keys, 20, plus Corporal Paul Long, 24, Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell, 41 and Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde, 23, were slaughtered in Majar al Kabir, near Basra, in 2003. They were cornered by hundreds of locals at a police station and then executed. Their killers have never been brought to justice. The inquest into their deaths heard evidence that the soldiers had too little ammunition, old radios and no satellite phone when they were ambushed. The relatives first had contact with Mr Shiner in 2011. Out of frustration at questions over their loved ones’ deaths not being answered satisfactorily by the MoD, four families accepted his offer to fight their case. Only one relative, Patricia Long – mother of Cpl Long – was granted legal aid. But after learning that the lawyer was also involved in the Al Sweady case, three families backed out. Phil Shiner is representing a number of Iraqi civilians who claim to have been abused and tortured by members of the British military . Mr Shiner, 57, has made his name pursuing British soldiers through the courts over alleged war crimes in Iraq. He has represented alleged victims of abuses by troops, including relatives of Baha Mousa, who died in 2003 in British custody. He was awarded the title Human Rights Lawyer of the Year in 2004. On his firm’s website, his profile reads: ‘Phil is a committed socialist and the roots of his career as a lawyer are firmly planted in the law centre movement of the 1980s.’ He was the prime mover behind the Al Sweady hearing into allegations that troops executed 20 or more prisoners and mistreated nine others near Basra in 2004. The Iraqis had alleged troops from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders took bloody revenge at a camp and detention facility for the massacre of the six Royal Military policemen. The claims were strenuously denied by the MoD, which insisted the men were insurgents killed in battle. Last month, the allegations were sensationally dropped at the year-long war crimes hearing after lawyers said that there was no evidence they were killed in cold blood. Birmingham-based Public Interest Lawyers is still representing another 1,500 Iraqis who claim they are the victims of British abuse. The firm has already been paid millions from the public purse, including around £3million in legal aid for the Al Sweady Inquiry. In an email to Mr Miller, Mr Shiner denied any conflict of interest. He said: ‘For obvious reasons, I did the most careful conflict of interest checking process before I agreed to take on Pat Long’s case. ‘That is required by the rules but was even more important in the very obviously sensitive circumstances of Pat’s case. I can assure you that that exercise has been conducted and that there is no conflict of interest.’ He was not available for comment yesterday. The Solicitors Regulation Authority code of conduct states: ‘If there is a conflict, or a significant risk of a conflict, between two or more current clients, you must not act for all or both of them unless the matter falls within the scope of the limited exceptions.’ A legal source told the Mail that because the Red Caps and Al Sweady cases were separate, it was unlikely a conflict of interest would occur, even though there were links. | Corporals Simon Miller and Russell Aston were killed alongside Lance Corporal Thomas Keys in Majar al Kabir near Basra in 2003 . They were cornered by hundreds of locals at a police station and executed . Corporal Paul Long, Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell and Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde were also slaughtered . Their killers have never been brought to justice . Four families hired solicitor Phil Shiner to fight their case and get answers . But it has emerged he is representing Iraqi families at the £22million Al Sweady Inquiry into claims British soldiers tortured detainees in 2004 . Three families have sacked Mr Shiner believing some of those taking legal action are responsible or involved in the deaths of the Red Caps . | 952fca171e0e871fa51c3d610f64609f702dbd99 |
Newcomers to Northern Territory roads might be surprised to find themselves overtaking BIGNOSE, tailgating YOLO, or feeling inferior to ADONIS. Cars just have more personality in the NT, and one woman was so taken with the personalised number plates that she has collected a gallery of almost 10,000 and published a book displaying some of the best. Number Plate Stories of the NT was launched in Darwin on Wednesday by Irish-born Vivien Joseph, who moved to the top end in 2011 after a redundancy and immediately began tracking the plates. Scroll down for video . One of almost 10,000 personalised plates in the Northern Territory documented by author Vivien Joseph . Ms Joseph has launched her book, Number Plate Stories of the NT, after spending three years documenting the wildly popular form of self-expression . 'It was the first thing that caught my attention. It's one of the most loveable things about the NT,' Ms Joseph said. Personalised plates in the NT only cost about $178, a fraction of the $500 or so they cost in other states. Ms Joseph thinks affordability is a key factor, as well as the quirky, non-conformist attitude of Territorians. 'The stories are always surprising,' she said. Many plates are references to family in-jokes and nicknames, such as the multi-generational plates of the Butt family: Dad is HEDBUTT, Mum is MYBUTT and their son is, simply, BUTT. Personalised plates in the NT only cost about $178, a fraction of the $500 or so they cost in other states . Ms Joseph thinks the quirky, non-conformist attitude of Territorians is a another key factor in the popularity of the plates . A reference to a central joke in the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy . Businesses also exploit the advertising potential: Look no further than SMILEDR the dentist, HITMAN the pest controller, or POOGURU the plumber. Even the NT Police are on the bandwagon, with WATCHNU. Ms Joseph has spotted ASUWISH, from a Princess Bride fanatic, and BADNANA, whose grandchildren bought her the plates after she snuck alcohol into an Elton John concert. Deciphering the plates has become a fun way to pass what are often long stretches in the car. There's the coffee-loving CAFIEND and the resigned YESDARL. You might see the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy fan who reminds motorists of the ultimate answer to all questions in the universe with LIFE 42. Businesses also exploit the advertising potential, such as this plumbing company . This is an example of a local pest controller . Deciphering the plates has become a fun way to pass what are often long stretches in the car. Vivien Joseph thinks affordability is a key factor in the popularity of the plates, as well as the quirky, non-conformist attitude of Territorians . There are the ultra-macho, such as PWRFUL, GOTNADS, and REDBALL, a ute which proudly dangles a set of red plastic testicles. There's the pink Hyundai TICKLED, and the red Suzuki jeep PUNKROK, which incongruously bears a Team Edward Twilight sticker. Cruising the streets of Darwin, one might be exhorted to COPTHAT, COMEON, CRANKIT, JAMIT, or be charmed by FULISIK and BOGAN. 'Is it that when you move up here you become a bit bolder, a bit more creative? Is it that the spirit of things up here makes you feel freer to do things that are more fun? I don't know,' said Ms Joseph, aka PL8LADY. You can check the official website here . | Vivien Joseph collected a gallery of almost 10,000 number plates . The plates only cost $178, while they cost $500 or so in other states . The plates are based on nicknames, family jokes and business advertising . Ms Joseph said the plates are a a sign of the quirky attitude of Territorians . | 567b2cb99747a37a65783b562a882b4e2b1e51e0 |
Two high school students died on their way home from a movie theater in after a faulty exhaust pipe leaked carbon monoxide into their car. Carly Marie Imbierowicz, 16, and Daulton David Pointek, 17, were found dead early Saturday morning in a parked car near Cochranville, Pennsylvania. A preliminary toxicology report found that both teens died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but there is no indication of suspicious activities or suicide. Tragedy: Carly Marie Imbierowicz, 16, was found dead in a car with her friend Daulton David Pointek, 17, after a faulty exhaust pipe had leaked deadly carbon monoxide into the vehicle . The teenagers had visited a cinema with friends in nearby Downingtown on Friday night, and Mr Pointek was driving Ms Imbierowicz home, Pennsylvania State Police Avondale have said. The pair, both students at Octorara High School, pulled over by the roadside, where their bodies were discovered by a passerby on Saturday morning. Life lost: 'Sports fan' Daulton David Pointek . Family has described Ms Imbierowicz as a 'talented athlete' who played for the varsity field hockey team as well as the school's volleyball, softball and powderpuff football teams. An obituary published by a local funeral home also notes that she was the junior class vice-president, vice-president of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), volunteered at a local hospital and was a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol . Mr Pointek has also been described as an athlete who participated in golf, baseball and basketball at Octorara High School and loved sports and cars. 'It hit our community hard but it united us. We're hoping it goes back to normal but nothing is going to be normal,' fellow student Hannah Keenan told WPVI-TV. 'I saw her [Ms Imbierowicz] that Friday night because her mom had just gotten surgery and I was dropping food off. 'We said our goodbyes but I didn't think that would be our final goodbye.' 'It was definitely something we never expected to happen,' Octorara High School principal Scott Rohrer added. 'The odds are just astronomical, I just can't imagine. It's really difficult to comprehend.' The police investigation is ongoing. The Carly Imbierowicz Family Fund's gofundme page . | Carly Marie Imbierowicz, 16, and Daulton David Pointek, 17, found dead . Pair died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to leaking exhaust pipe . The teenagers had been on their way home from a movie on Friday . | 30ff1b5bc9f2d676ec347e34465325ea6d42a04c |
By . John Hall . There can't be many things more out of step with a wet, miserable February than the explosion of heat, humidity and spectacular colour you'll find in an orchid house. But as these stunning images show, spending time among these exotic flowers might be the perfect antidote to the cold and rainy weather outside. The images were taken at the Princess of Wales Conservatory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as part of a new exhibition titled 'Orchids: A Plant Hunter's Paradise', which is set to run until March. Colour: Horticulturalist Ellie Biondi arranges plants in the new 'Orchids' exhibition in the Princess of Wales Conservatory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Rare: Horticulturalist Jess Lee admires the Phalaenopsis hybrid 'Diamond Sky' at the 'Orchids' exhibition . Stunning: The 'Orchids' exhibition runs from February 8, 2014 until March 9 and features over 6,500 hybrid orchids which have taken a team of 20 horticulturalists four weeks to build . Variety: Jess Lee admires a Phalaenopsis Kimono in the new exhibition (right), although there are 6,500 other types of orchid in the exhibition (left) As part of the exhibition, visitors will be transported into a tropical rainforest full of horticultural displays of intense exotic colour, sounds and scents. Visitors are encouraged to explore a . hidden world of orchids and tropical plants as they are taken on a . journey through time, retracing the footsteps of the intrepid Victorian . plant-hunters, right through to their modern-day counterparts at Kew . Gardens. Orchids are some of the most valuable . plants in the world, hunted by botanists for centuries and long desired, . collected and admired for their beauty, rarity, and symbolism. Ellie Biondi arranges orchids for the exhibition. The flowers are some of the most valuable plants in the world and have been hunted by botanists for centuries . Humid: As part of the exhibition, visitors will be transported into a tropical rainforest full of horticultural displays of intense exotic colour, sounds and scents . Vibrant: Visitors are encouraged to explore a hidden world of orchids and tropical plants as they are taken on a journey through time . The images were taken at the Princess of Wales Conservatory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as part of a new exhibition titled 'Orchids: A Plant Hunter's Paradise', which is set to run until March . Opening tomorrow, the display at Kew Gardens will include a cascade of Vanda orchids, drapes of tropical flowers, and a replica plant-hunter’s camp in the pond area, dotted with wardian cases and floating canoes bulging with plants destined for distant lands, echoing Kew’s history in this area. A team of scientists will also be on hand every . Wednesday and Sunday until the exhibition closes on March 9 to give visitors an insight into how certain . species have been brought back from the brink of extinction using . micro-propagation techniques. There can't be many things more out of step with a wet, miserable February than the explosion of heat, humidity and spectacular colour you find in an orchid house . Opening tomorrow, the display will include a cascade of Vanda orchids and drapes of tropical flowers . A team of scientists will also be on hand every Wednesday and Sunday until the exhibition closes on March 9 to speak to visitors . Phil Griffiths, Kew’s Glasshouse Displays Coordinator says: 'The orchids have to be ordered and planted at just the right moment for just the right amount of time to catch them at their peak. 'The intensity of their colours, as well as the speed of their life-cycle, will depend on the level of light the glasshouse gets in February, and obviously this varies year-on-year,' he added. Mr Griffiths went on to say: 'Our challenge is to keep the glasshouse looking magical for a month and while we humans may not like the cold, controversially, the best weather for the plants longevity is crisp and dull with no sun.' | New exhibition at Kew Gardens will feature 6,500 varieties of the rare flower . Enclosure took a team of 20 horticulturalists more than four weeks to build . | 110eb94977468da5521fa8ee01916cde90c123ac |
Former Manchester City manager Joe Royle has backed Manuel Pellegrini's assessment that their late return from Abu Dhabi had little to do with their shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Middlesbrough. The Premier League champions were humbled 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium by the Championship outfit, who progressed thanks to goals from Patrick Bamford and Garcia Kike. City spent the five days prior to Saturday's fourth-round tie at a warm-weather training camp in the United Arab Emirates. A dejected Manuel Pellegrini (right) reacts next to Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka . The team only returned to Manchester on Friday evening and questions were quickly asked about the wisdom of the venture. Manager Pellegrini denied post-match that City's travel arrangements were a factor in the reverse, an opinion shared by Royle, who managed the club between 1998 and 2001. "I honestly don't think it makes a lot of difference," Royle told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme. Karanka celebrates with Grant Leadbitter after the FA Cup Fourth Round match victory over City . "Players will have trained out there and the way players travel, they are hardly put away in steerage at the back, they go first class anywhere. "I don't think there is any great merit in that, there will be a number of teams that have gone away and won games when they returned. "It's quite a regular thing, so not too much at all in that." City return to league action next weekend when they face leaders Chelsea, who were also knocked out of the cup after losing to League one side Bradford at Stamford Bridge, and Royle believes it will be a vital match in their quest to retain the title. Patrick Bamford celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the game against Manchester City . Garcia Kike of Middlesbrough celebrates with team-mates after scoring his team's second goal . "I thought that the signing of (Wilfried) Bony would give them a stimulus but he's away at the moment and can't make an impact at all," Royle added. "We don't know how Chelsea will respond. I think (Chelsea boss Jose) Mourinho will be on their case. "I still think City have the stronger squad, but it is hard to peg back five points now on Chelsea." Middlesbrough players celebrate their shock 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium . | Premier League champions were beaten 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium . Patrick Bamford and Garcia Kike scored the goals for Middlesbrough . Manuel Pellegrini claims result had nothing to do with Abu Dhabi return . The Citizens spent five days there prior to Saturday's FA Cup game . | dede855a9f7515935b2b8c81f9153a44c3ff21ff |
Olympic Stadium, London (CNN) -- The 2012 London Olympics has been an awe-inspiring event -- with daily doses of drama, guts and glory -- but its zenith was always going to be the showdown of the gladiators of pace that is the men's 100 meters final. Of all Olympic disciplines there are none as original, pure and spectacular as this hallowed contest. Original: Because the first 13 ancient Games consisted only of the "stadion" discipline, the short-distance sprint race that ran the length of the stadium in Olympia. Pure: Because every person on the planet, barring disability, can relate to running as fast as their legs will carry them; everyone knows in some way their own limits in this capacity and, consequently, respecting the audacity of the world's finest and fastest athletes over the distance is an easy connection to make. Spectacular: Because there is no moment in the sporting world that has such intensity of drama. Bolt sprints to Olympic gold . The superhuman nature of its combatants connects with the human psyche in a primal and magnetic way, and has transfixed populations from ancient times to modern. Thousands of lucky souls in attendance at London's packed-to-the-rafters Olympic Stadium were witness to the latest chapter of this thousand-year narrative and in Usain Bolt witnessed arguably its greatest character add to his legend. Another two billion were estimated to be watching the feat live on television screens worldwide. Hindsight would always see the hero prevail, but much was in doubt ahead of the race. True, Bolt was the reigning Olympic champion of 2008, but the 25-year-old's aura of invincibility had taken major blows since he shattered the world record in Berlin in 2009. Concerns pervaded over Bolt's form and fitness; worries that escalated when he lost to his training partner and rival Yohan Blake in Jamaica's trials barely a month before the Games. Olympic blog: Day 9 action as it happened . There was a scrutiny associated with Bolt's every move that no other athlete had to contend with either. Relentless interviews followed endless commercial commitments. His actions may still have conveyed a man who was carefree and confident, but this was a young man who was well versed with the energy-sapping rigors of celebrity on a grand scale. But the task of the champion is to overcome. The first indications of the marvel that was to happen came in the semifinal heats, where Bolt cruised to victory by covering the yardage in little over 10 seconds and seemingly without breaking from second gear. There was a nonchalant swagger to the way qualification was assured. Ahead of the final itself there was no one cooler than the 1.96 meter tall Jamaican. While 80,000 people collectively fidgeted, fretted and fussed in anticipation of the main event, Bolt remained immune to the pressure. He jested as the myriad of TV cameras honed on his expressions, gesticulating how fast he would run with two rapidly moving index and middle fingers. He shrugged and he smiled. The runners were called to their marks, forming a line of the fleet-footed finest. Many champions in their own right: Gay, Gatlin and Ryan from America; Blake, Powell and Thompson from the Caribbean. Then silence. The pilgrims of the London coliseum were called on to endure a claustrophobic wait by large video screens that said: "Quiet please." "Set! ..." A lone helicopter broke the noiseless air, hovering miles in the distance. Collective breath was held. BANG!! Eight heads rose in a line on the track as a wave of sound and flash photography exploded around the stadium before crashing on to the most scrutinized piece of land on the planet like a tsunami. Bolt's reaction time was typically slow, with Gatlin, Blake and Gay faster out of the blocks, but the legs in lane seven were starting to drive. At 20 meters the head was up and the long stride was reeling in the lost ground; by 50, Bolt had drawn level, arms now pumping like pistons, torso bucking in time. The heat was on. The line of sprinters in alternate lanes of red and yellow (USA in red, Jamaica in yellow) squeezed every sinew to keep up with the new pacemaker. Bolt relaxed, elongated his stride and left the rest in his wake. When he crossed the line after 9.63 seconds he was a good meter ahead of the field. The time -- the second fastest in history -- was a new Olympic record and Bolt had achieved what only Carl Lewis had before: to have won gold medals twice in the event. He had beaten three other athletes who ran under 9.8 seconds (9.85 was the world record up until 2008), making it the fastest 100m podium of all time. Usain Bolt: The man whose name sounds preordained by the Gods, a real-life superman, the greatest sprint showman that ever lived, the world-record holder and the newly crowned double Olympic champion. The king still reigns, and he'll be running the 200m in a few days time... | Men's 100 meter sprint the most original, pure, spectacular Olympic event . Reigning Olympic champion Usain Bolt confirms his position as world's fastest man . Jamaican covered the distance in 9.63 seconds, a new Olympic record . Three other athletes ran under 9.8 seconds creating the fastest podium ever . | 8a67311a58c7db771083fabb39118deed9957ecd |
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