id stringlengths 40 40 | article stringlengths 48 15.9k | highlights stringlengths 14 7.39k |
|---|---|---|
0fec797996635ac2ccef119a433a6a2efc799927 | For more than a year the Sudanese government has been bombing and spreading terror in the country's South Kordofan state, surgically cleansing the land of the Nuba people. The government of Sudan argues it is fighting a rebellion led by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement that engineered the secession of South Sudan. Khartoum still struggles to stomach the victory of the Southerners, brought about partly by the large number of Nuba fighters who -- after decades of marginalization and political exclusion -- joined forces with the Sudan People's Liberation Army. Accordingly, Khartoum treats the Nuba people as the enemy within -- a foe whose independent spirit has never been tamed . The cost: half a million people have been displaced or severely affected by the conflict, according to the U.N.'s Humanitarian Affairs office. The most recent rash of bombings is the second time in 20 years that the Nuba people have been targets of the same Khartoum leaders -- President Omar al-Bashir and Governor Ahmed Haroun. Both men are internationally indicted war criminals, although both deny the charges. See also: Evidence of cluster munitions in Sudan . Haroun engineered attacks against the Nuba in the 90s, refined his deadly tactics in Darfur in 2004, and is now back pursuing his murderous agenda against the Nuba with even greater efficiency. I traveled to Sudan bear witness, as a journalist and a Rwandan, to a people under siege, at the war-torn border between the two Sudans, one of the most isolated regions on earth. Smuggled into the Nuba Mountains, an area closed to the world, I filmed local activists documenting the attacks being perpetrated by the Khartoum regime. Despite being bombed several times a day since June 2011, the activists remain nonviolent. Armed with cameras and the hope for a better tomorrow, they relentlessly scour their homeland collecting the testimonies, pictures and evidence to build up a case against their aggressors: their government. Our team traveled to a number of villages up to 20 km from the front line. During my time in the region I experienced bombings as regimented as prison meals. We were attacked an average of three times a day. We were filming as the scale of atrocities unfolded with excruciating precision: the bombs falling, the people hiding in caves for safety, the destruction of villages, the casualties. Every day, we experienced hunger, fear, abandonment, exhaustion and unspeakable harshness, like the Nuba people do. At a moment's notice, we jumped in and out of foxholes and crawled in caves like they do to survive. Cramped, hot and terrified, we have seen and smelled the death of children, pregnant women and the elderly; the destruction of villages, crops, schools, water pumps, mosques, churches and hospitals. In the making of "Erasing the Nuba" we were bombed 19 times and lived to tell the story of resilience of a people harassed daily by landmines and rockets, in a region transformed into ghost towns, craters and ruins. See also: U.N. seeks probe into possible war crimes in South Kordofan . A lingering smell of death and growing despair ushered us out of the Nuba Mountains. Almost 63,000 Nuba have fled to the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan. There I saw a people left to fend for themselves, a people that know they have no friends, yet determined to face their destiny with the only thing they have left: dignity. In Yida, I attended a WFP-sponsored food distribution and saw how a 3kg ration of USAID-produced sorghum was distributed for each family to eat until the uncertain next round of food supply. In Yida, a mother begged me to take home with me her three-month-old baby, whom she had delivered squatted down under a tree on a rainy afternoon. I sat with Yida's oldest resident, a 101-year-old man who journeyed on donkey back for eight days to be reunited with one of his sons. The poor man was so disoriented that he had stopped eating and talking for days at a time. His family feared that leaving him alone might drive him to commit suicide. In Yida I watched children sitting on the branches of a tree to follow a mathematics class as the open-air "classroom" was packed. It struck me to see how one adult volunteer could teach a class of children, without the use of a blackboard and chalk. There is no such thing as pens or notebooks for the thousands of children in need of an education at Yida. See also: Sudan violence amounts to war crimes . Dreams for domestic reconciliation exhausted after two decades, the Nuba are holding onto the belief that "the hearts of the international community" woven into the fabric of our shared humanity "will hear their cries." They say they have been sacrificed at the altar of peace agreements between North and South Sudan and they feel cheated by the world's inaction. "Erasing the Nuba" has captured the spirit of the Nuba people of Sudan, a minority bowed but not broken -- not by the daily hellish rain of bombs and rockets, nor by the world's complicit silence. But for how much longer can they prevail -- hostages of Khartoum and us, the international community? A group of people and their way of life is being destroyed. Why are the Nuba, the heirs of a civilization that once stretched from Cairo to Lake Victoria, asked to shake hands with Haroun, and his murderous gang of "Butchers of Khartoum"? Would one have asked European nations to make peace with Hitler? They have been forced to crawl in caves like beasts, survive on leaves and berries only to be told of a "Sudan Fatigue." Unlike Assad in Syria -- bad as he is -- only one current head of state in the world is indicted officially by a due legal process: al-Bashir. Yet many in the world are advocating the removal of Assad. Mountains of grudges and greed fuel this conflict, where humanitarian assistance is used as a pawn on the chessboard of peace negotiations. Beneath the surface, jumbles of players -- local and foreign -- are waging a merciless war against each other for the political, economic and military control of the two Sudans. There can be no peace, no security, no stability, no settlement to this conflict as long as the blood of the Nuba children, women, men and communities will be spilled. My family falling victim to the Rwandan genocides that started in 1994, and a commitment to uphold the vow made by those touched by genocide the world over to "never forget," inspired me to bring their story to light. "Erasing the Nuba" is my testimony, as a Rwandan and a journalist, to ensure these people are never referred to in the past tense. Find out more about "Erasing the Nuba" on Twitter and Facebook. | Sudanese government has been bombing South Kordofan for more than a year .
Documentary shows the plight of Nuba people in Sudan .
Filmmaker Yoletta Nyange says she was bombed 19 times while making the film .
'Nuba people being destroyed,' says Nyange . |
0fef8231f022e2c3e9df5ea3ab887a7af1a8b44e | Luis Suarez told FIFA's disciplinary panel that he did not deliberately bite Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup. Meanwhile, football's international governing body have been formally informed of an appeal against Suarez's ban. The Uruguay football federation will now have a further seven days to prepare the paperwork for the appeal. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Spirit of Suarez lives on as Uruguay fans wear Luis masks . Accident? Luis Suarez told FIFA he did not deliberately bite Giorgio Chiellini but fell on top of him . Big miss: FIFA have been formally informed of Uruguay's appeal against Suarez's ban . About time: Suarez has delayed his apology to Chiellini but has promised he will never behave like that again . FIFA's head of media Delia Fischer told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro: 'We have received a declaration that they are planning to appeal. They informed us of their intention to appeal yesterday (Friday) evening. 'The reasons for the appeal must now be given in writing within a deadline of seven days after the three days has expired.' Last Wednesday, Suarez wrote a letter to the FIFA panel and said: 'In no way it happened how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite.' 'After the impact ... I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent,' Suarez wrote in his submission to the panel which met on Wednesday, one day after Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 in a decisive group-stage match. 'At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth,' Suarez said. However, the seven-man panel dismissed the argument. Painful: Suarez fell to the ground and held his teeth straight after the encounter with centre back Chiellini . FIFA suggested the punishment was so hefty because Suarez failed to show any hint of remorse for his actions. 'At no time did the player show any kind of remorse or admit to any violation of FIFA rules and therefore showed no awareness of having committed any infraction,' a FIFA document said, as reported by Brazilian newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo. 'The minimum punishment was not sufficient to have the necessary dissuasive effect. 'Previous bans did not have an effect.' Evidence: Chiellini looked outraged as he showed the referee the apparent point of impact on his shoulder . Suarez took to Twitter on Saturday to thank his supporters and said: 'Hi all, I write this post to give thanks to the outpouring of support and love I am receiving. 'Both myself and my family really appreciate it. Thank you very much for being by my side and I want all my colleagues today to know we support seleccion for the match against Colombia.' The bite was 'deliberate, intentional and without provocation,' the ruling stated in paragraph 26 of the panel's conclusions. Suarez was banned from all football activities for four months and suspended for Uruguay's next nine fixtures. He was also fined. The panel, chaired by former Switzerland international Claudio Sulser, included members from the Cook Islands, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Panama, South Africa and Singapore. The ruling confirmed that referee Marco Rodriguez of Mexico acknowledged in his match report that he missed Suarez's bite. So did his two assistants and the fourth official. 'I haven't seen the incident because the ball was in another sector of the pitch,' Rodriguez wrote in paragraph 4 of his witness submission in the 11-page document. On Saturday, Uruguay's WAGs posed with banners showing messages of support for the Liverpool frontman who has now returned to his home country. Show of support: Uruguay's WAGs have given their backing to Luis Suarez following the striker's ban . Message for his followers: Suarez took to Twitter to thank his fans for the messages of support they'd sent . Thumbs up: Suarez gestures to fans from the balcony of his home after returning to Uruguay . Rapturous reception: Suarez was joined by his children as he greeted the army of fans who had gathered . | Luis Suarez told FIFA panel he did not deliberately bite Giorgio Chiellini .
Uruguay frontman claimed he fell on top of Italy defender .
Suarez hit with a nine-game international ban and four-month suspension from all football .
FIFA have been formally informed of an appeal against the ban and Uruguay will have a further seven days to prepare paperwork .
FIFA suggest punishment was hefty because Suarez did not 'show any kind of remorse or admit to any violation' |
0fefa48612cd3d96d990b72a278fd025c584ad4c | Tattooing or piercing your pet will become a crime in New York after new laws were introduced to ban the 'cruel' practice. While people can choose the pain of tattoos or piercings to satisfy their own 'aesthetic predilections,' companion animals don't have that luxury said Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, who sponsored the legislation. 'It's simply cruel,' added the Manhattan Democrat, after the law was signed in Monday by governor Andrew Cuomo. It will take effect in 120 days. The new laws were introduced after this picture of a Pit-bull mix called Zion was posted on Instagram by Brooklyn artist Alexander Avgerakis under the moniker 'Mistah Metro'. Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, who sponsored the legislation called animal tattoos 'cruel' 'This is animal abuse, pure and simple,' Cuomo said after inking in the new law which will see penalties for violations range up to 15 days in jail and fines of up to $250, according to staff at his office. Rosenthal's chief of staff Lauren Schuster said support grew this year after a Brooklyn tattoo artist posted a photograph of his tattooed dog online in March. 'My dog is cooler than yours,' bragged Alexander Avgerakis, who uses the moniker 'Mistah Metro', when he posted a picture of his poor pit-bull mix, called Zion, on his Instagram account. 'She had her spleen removed yesterday, and the vet let me tattoo her while she was under (anaesthetic),' he wrote next to the image of his zonked out pooch, which has since been deleted. Inked onto a shaven area on the dog's shoulder, the heart tattoo was inked with the names Alex and Mel. At the time, a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association said they had policies against tattoos because, 'it's not good for the dog.' Those views were backed up by Teresa Chagrin, an animal care and control specialist for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) who said that tattoos caused pain to the animals. Tattooing and piercing animals violates existing laws against animal cruelty in all 50 states, she said, adding that it wasn't immediately aware if other states that clarified their laws like New York did. After posting the picture, Avgerakis explained his dog had just had to have her spleen removed and was still under anaesthetic when the tattoo was done. But the American Veterinary Medical Association said they had policies against tattoos because, 'it's not good for the dog' Avgerakis later removed the post. Anyone attempting to tattoo or pierce their dog in New York will face penalties which range up to 15 days in jail and fines of up to $250, according to staff at governor Andrew Cuomo's office . However, Schuster said she thought Pennsylvania was the first state to introduce similar laws, following the 2011 case of a woman who was piercing kittens and selling them on the internet as 'gothic. Similar legislation was introduced this summer in New Jersey. The New York law will however, exempt markings done under a veterinarian's supervision for a medical reason or identification. Rosenthal said that's intended, for example, for pets like her cat, which was spayed by a vet and given a little green mark to indicate that. Any identification tattoos should include only numbers and letters allotted for a tattoo identification registry. The law also does not apply to ear tags on rabbits and guinea pigs. | Support for the new law grew after image of tattoo on pet's shoulder .
Dog was under anaesthetic after having surgery when tattoo was done .
Tattooist Alexander Avgerakis posted image using 'Mistah Metro' moniker .
American Veterinary Medical Association said it was not good for the dog .
New law will see fines of up to $250 and jail time .
Signing them in governor Andrew Cuomo called tattoos 'animal abuse' |
0ff0299121aa9d1f0ddbe1fb0e9abb797c81b8ff | (CNN) -- Two New Jersey state troopers who led an unauthorized high-speed escort of a caravan of sports cars last year agreed Monday to resign, according to the New Jersey attorney general's office. Sgt. 1st Class Nadir Nassry, 47, who led the March 30, 2012, caravan of exotic cars down a state highway to Atlantic City, pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree charge of falsifying or tampering with records. Nassry admitted that he used black electrical tape to change the numbers on the license plates of his troop car to conceal his participation in the escort, authorities said. Ss many as 30 high-performance cars including Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris reportedly reached speeds of more than 100 miles an hour during the highway run. Drivers were members of a sports car club, according to the state attorney general's office. Under a plea agreement, the state will recommend that Nassry, a 26-year veteran of the New Jersey State Police, be sentenced to a term of probation, forfeit his job with the state police and be permanently barred from any law enforcement position or public employment in New Jersey. Nassry will be sentenced April 29 according to the New Jersey attorney general's office. A second trooper who assisted in the escort, Joseph Ventrella, 29, agreed to waive indictment and be charged by accusation with fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records, according to the attorney general's office. Ventrella will apply for a state intervention program. If completed, the charges will be dropped. The agreement means he did not plead guilty to the charge, but he has forfeited his job with the state police and will be permanently barred from any law enforcement position in New Jersey, said the attorney general's office. "These troopers violated those standards and betrayed the public's trust, undermining public safety and the reputation of the force. They are justly paying a high price for their poor judgment. Both men have ended their law enforcement careers, and one will have a felony record for the rest of his life," said New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa. Attorneys for Nassry and Ventrella did not immediately return calls for comment. | The caravan included Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris .
Speeds reportedly topped 100 mph .
Two New Jersey troopers who provided an unauthorized escort for the caravan agree to resign .
"They are justly paying a high price for their poor judgment," says NJ attorney general . |
0ff06ca06498bc971576332f08a29d05e71e0961 | (Travel + Leisure) -- Hungry travelers are seeking authentic culinary experiences at home and abroad. Steaming bamboo baskets of plump soup dumplings arrive at your table. You could be in Shanghai, China, or even San Francisco's Chinatown. But one thing is for sure: With one taste of their delicate hand-rolled skins and rich, savory broth, you're hooked. Especially when you look around and realize that you're the only out-of-towner in the room. To celebrate the distinct pleasure of being an insider wherever you may be, CNN and Travel + Leisure are joining forces for the delicious multi-platform series "100 Places to Eat Like a Local." We will be gathering our intel through iReports, canvassing our network of correspondents and chefs across the globe, and gathering on-the-ground dispatches from CNN reporters. This series will look to the food-obsessed everywhere for their recommendations on their favorite uniquely local spots -- trattorias, noodle carts, clam shacks, taco stands, izakayas, coffee houses, patisseries -- whether in their home towns or farther afield. According to a 2009 World Food Travel Association study of 11,000 self-identified culinary travelers in 37 countries, "authentic" and "localist" dining experiences rank as top travel motivators -- and the organization predicts those factors rate even higher today. More than ever, food-minded travelers are following the old adage "When in Rome ..." (or Memphis, or Moscow, or Melbourne), and seeking out "only in" dining experiences they can't get at home. Be it an off-the-beaten-path ribs joint in Memphis or a croissant quest in Paris, there's a measurable return to what's real -- those places and dishes that locals and travelers alike obsess over. Beyond giving a destination a distinct flavor, these places are often also a source of hometown pride -- and with good reason. Whether you're ordering a char-grilled kathi roll at Khan Chacha, a beloved local institution in New Delhi since 1968, or an overstuffed lobster roll laced with lemony mayo at off-the-radar Holbrooks Lobster Wharf in Harpswell, Maine, you are sure to find happy residents -- and a few in-the-know travelers, too. We want to hear from you. Share you favorite local finds with iReport. Some of the best submissions will be featured in an upcoming issue of Travel + Leisure magazine. | CNN and Travel + Leisure partner to Eat Like a Local .
We want your recommendations for where to get the taste of a place .
Share your picks with iReport for possible inclusion in upcoming stories . |
0ff479e6759e231ab9a8e1c186381a8f9e2ffec9 | John Carver says he will not allow Newcastle's season to 'drift away' after being appointed head coach until the end of the season. Carver was handed the reins at St James' Park until the end of the season on Monday, starting with Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Hull. Eleventh-placed Newcastle have lost their last three games and failed to win in four as the 50-year-old former assistant manager seeks his first victory at the helm since succeeding Alan Pardew earlier this month. Newly-appointed Newcastle boss John Carver is determined to not let his side's season 'drift away' 'I'm delighted to have got the job until the end of the season,' Carver told nufc.co.uk. 'Everyone knows I love this club and my goals are simple - to finish as high as we can in the Premier League and get as many points as we can. 'Everybody on the outside is talking about our season petering away but I am not going to allow that to happen. Carver will be hoping he can pick up his first win at the helm when his side travel to Hull City on Saturday . 'Those who are saying that don't know me, don't know the people around me and don't know this group of players. 'We're much more professional than that. We can't afford to let the season drift away and I won't allow it to happen. 'I'm too demanding and I won't allow anyone to slacken off between now and the end of May.' Carver (left) and Peter Beardsley (right) with Callum Roberts (centre) after he signed his professional contract . Carver will work alongside Steve Stone and Dave Watson, the latter having stepped up from looking after the Magpies' Under-18 side, and says he plans to spend as much time on the training ground as he did when he was Pardew's assistant. 'I love being on the training pitch and the role of the head coach is to be hands-on out here,' Carver said. 'When you are a manager you have to manage the football club, but the role has changed and it gives me maximum time on the training ground, coaching the players. Alan Pardew (right) left the North-East club in December to become the new Crystal Palace manager . 'What I have done is given Steve (Stone) and Dave (Watson) more responsibility because they are very good at what they do, and it is important that you delegate to those who are talented. 'But when it comes to the meat of the session, it is my responsibility to prepare the team for the final 16 games. 'The players have been really positive and have responded. 'Even though we haven't won a game yet, I think we've played some nice stuff in spells. 'Ultimately though, it is about scoring goals and winning games so that needs to change. Top scorer Papiss Cisse could return for Newcastle after Senegal went out of the Africa Cup of Nations . 'We've done plenty of work on that on the training pitch and hopefully that little bit of luck we need will fall our way this weekend.' Carver's hopes of a first victory in charge could be boosted by the return of top scorer Papiss Cisse following Senegal's early exit from the Africa Nations Cup on Tuesday. Senegal's 2-0 defeat to Algeria saw them crash out at the group stage and nine-goal Cisse, who scored twice in a 2-2 home draw with Hull in September, could now be available for the trip to the KC Stadium. Hull City boss Steve Bruce, who was linked with the Newcastle job, will want to stop Carver getting his first win . | John Carver says that Newcastle United's season will not drift away .
The 50-year-old was put in charge until the end of the season .
Carver has yet to win a game while in charge at his boyhood club .
Newcastle could be boosted by the return of Papiss Cisse for Hull City .
Follow all the latest Newcastle United news here . |
0ff4be6950731f52bd5e7a1874599d234a7e3b6f | PUBLISHED: . 09:35 EST, 12 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:33 EST, 12 September 2013 . Nasa has narrowed down the hunt for an asteroid that it can capture and put it into orbit around the moon. The space agency said it has found three suitable asteroids, one of which it hopes it can put into lunar orbit using a robotic space lasso. Once in orbit, astronauts will be able to visit the space rock using the Orion spacecraft by as early as 2021. The space agency said it has identified three asteroids, one of which it hopes it can put into lunar orbit using a robotic space lasso. This artist's rendering shows what capturing an asteroid could look like . The asteroids are all between seven and 10m in size, but further tests will need to be conducted to determine their suitability, said scientists at a conference in San Diego, California. ‘We have two to three which we will characterise in the next year and if all goes well... those will be valid candidates that could be certified targets,’ said Paul Chodas, senior scientist at the Nasa Near-Earth Object Program Office. The mission hopes to gather useful information that will help protect the Earth from a potential hazardous asteroid collision, as well as the technology to enable for future human missions to deep space. Once in orbit, astronauts will be able to visit the space rock using the Orion spacecraft by as early as 2021 . NASA would find an asteroid which is between seven and 10m wide. They would then tow or push it towards Earth so that it ends up in a stable orbit near the moon. In . 2021 astronauts would then use an Orion capsule - a manned spacecraft - . to land on the asteroid and bring back soil and rock samples for . analysis. This asteroid would also, probably in the 2030s, be used as a stop-off point for astronauts on their way to Mars. Last month, the latest version of the plan was revealed in an animation. Exact details on how Nasa plans to pluck an asteroid out of its trajectory are not yet known, but the rendering shows it is captured and held inside what looks like a giant plastic bag. The mission involves astronauts making the journey to their captive space rock by hitching a ride on the next-generation Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. Though it bares a striking resemblance to the earlier Apollo Spacecraft, Orion can hold more crew and is far-more advanced, said Nasa. Up to four people can be shuttled to the asteroid, compared to the maximum three in Apollo, in a trip that utilises both solar power and the Moon’s gravitational pull to power the spacecraft, according to the video. After the Orion and the asteroid are attached, the astronauts take a spacewalk to the captured object . Once the Orion docks with the remote-operated asteroid capture device, the crew performs a spacewalk that sees them climb almost the length of the conjoined vehicles to an exposed section of the asteroid they take photos of and scoop samples from, the video shows. After the mission is complete, Orion returns to Earth on the same path it journeyed out on, loop around the moon included, and splashes down in an ocean – likely the Pacific – 10 days later, as seen in the video. The project, which envisions that astronauts could visit such an asteroid as early as 2021, is included in President Obama's £11.5 billion spending plan for the U.S. space agency for the 2014 tax year. It is intended as an expansion of existing initiatives to find asteroids that may be on a collision course with Earth, and as part of preparations for a human expedition to Mars in the 2030s. ‘This mission allows us to better develop our technology and systems to explore farther than we've ever been before - to an asteroid and to Mars - places that humanity has dreamed about … but has had no hope of ever attaining,’ Nasa administrator Charles Bolden said. Using a combination of solar power and gravity-aided thrust, the Orion will make the 10 day trip to the asteroid . ‘We're on the threshold of being able to tell my kids and my grandkids that we're almost there.’ Interest in potentially threatening asteroids sky-rocketed after a small asteroid exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia on February 15, shattering windows and damaging buildings. About 1,500 people were injured by flying glass and debris. The same day another larger asteroid passed about 17,200 miles from Earth - closer than the television and communication satellites that ring the planet. The incidents had created an imperative ‘to develop techniques and technology that will help deter or to keep an asteroid or other type of body from impacting Earth,’ Mr Bolden said. ‘One of the serendipitous results from this [asteroid-retrieval] flight we hope will be the demonstration of a capability to move an asteroid, to deflect it ever so slightly.’ Mr Obama is also requesting £535 million to support efforts to develop commercial space taxis in hopes of breaking Russia's monopoly on crew transportation to the space station by 2017. | Nasa plans to send a 7-10m asteroid into lunar orbit within the next decade .
Mission will gather data to protect the Earth from an asteroid collision .
Astronauts will be able to visit the chosen asteroid by as early as 2021 .
Agency working on rocket and deep-space capsule capable of doing this . |
0ff4d44f42e1e0af5f8a485debdce8966fb4ae55 | By . Matthew Blake . Brace yourself, Rodney... Brace yourself! These two handymen have more than a little touch of glass... as they polish a giant chandelier in Vienna. The pair climbed onto the giant candelabrum at City Hall in the Austrian capital in scenes that echo a famous 1982 sketch from hit Brit sitcom Only Fools and Horses. But luckily for them it wasn't 'international year of the wallybrain' - as Del Boy astutely puts it - and they managed to clean the ceiling fixture breaking nothing more than a sweat. A glass act: These two handymen have more than a little touch of glass... as they polish a giant chandelier in Vienna . Brace yourself, Rodney! The scene echoed a famous sketch from hit Brit sitcom Only Fools and Horses in which Rodney (left), played by Nicholas Lyndhurst, and Del Boy (right), played by David Jason, unsuccessfully attempt to clead a pair of priceless Louis XIV chandeliers . Things did not, however work out so happily for Del Boy and Rodney in the 1982 episode of Only Fools and Horses that sees the hapless pair - played by David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst - attempt to polish a chandelier in a country house. During a trip out to the countryside Kent to buy a consignment of musical china cats which play the song 'How much is that doggie in the window?', Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad find themselves in the inadvertent employ of a wealthy aristocrat who hires them to clean two priceless Louis XIV chandeliers. Year of the wallybrain? But luckily for them it wasn't 'international year of the wallybrain' - as Del Boy so astutely puts it . High up: The chandelier hangs above Vienna City Hall's Council Chamber, where members of the City Council and Diet convene . Pros: The pair expertly shimmied across the ceiling fixture with apparent ease as they cleaned it without breaking more than a sweat . Striking: According to the City Hall's website, the 'most striking feature of this 14-metre-high room is a huge chandelier in the historicist style, with a diameter of five metres and 213 lights. It was cast in one piece, weighs 3,200 kilogrammes and can be entered by maintenance personnel to change the lamps' Frescoes: The coffered ceiling of high-grade larch and spruce wood is decorated with 22-carat gold-leaf rosettes while, drectly below the ceiling, a series of frescoes depicts events from the history of Austria and Vienna . When they arrive to perform the job, Del Boy sends Grandad upstairs to unscrew the holding bolt for one of the chandeliers while he and Rodney climb up step ladders with a blanket ready to catch it when it falls. Unbeknownst to them, however, Grandad is unscrewing the wrong chandelier and, sure enough, as they brace themselves to catch the antique above them, the other one crashes to the floor, shattering in pieces. According to the City Hall's website, the 'most striking feature of this 14-metre-high room is a huge chandelier in the historicist style, with a diameter of five metres and 213 lights. It was cast in one piece, weighs 3,200kg and can be entered by maintenance personnel to change the lamps.' | The handymen were tasked with cleaning the 3,200kg chandelier that hangs in Council Chamber of Vienna's City Hall .
The pair shimmied across the ceiling fixture with apparent ease as they cleaned it breaking little more than a sweat .
Echoes a famous sketch from hit Brit sitcom Only Fools and Horses, starring David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst .
In the 1982 episode, Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad are hired by wealthy aristocrat to clean two Louis XIV chandeliers .
But the hapless trio manage to unscrew the wrong one, sending it crashing to the floor and shattering in pieces . |
0ff5f05fcb783a337016d6d7d1e0c1748beb75f0 | Alyssa Bustamante was 15 when she killed Elizabeth Olten in 2009 . She wrote: 'As soon as you get over the "ohmygawd I . can't do this" feeling, it's pretty enjoyable... Kay, I gotta go to church now' Olten's mother called killer 'not even human' at hearing on Monday . A Missouri teenager who admitted stabbing, strangling and slitting the throat of a young neighbor girl wrote in her journal on the night of the killing that it was an 'ahmazing' and 'pretty enjoyable' experience – then headed off to church with a laugh. The words written by Alyssa Bustamante were read aloud in court Monday as part of a sentencing hearing to determine whether she should get life in prison or as little as ten years for the October 2009 murder of her neighbor, 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten, in a small town west of Jefferson City. Bustamante, 18, sat silently – occasionally glancing at those testifying about her, often looking down or to the side – as law enforcement officers, attorneys and forensics experts read aloud her inner most thoughts that she had recorded as a 15-year-old high school sophomore. Alyssa Bustamante (left), then 15, told . authorities she had strangled, stabbed and buried her nine-year-old . neighbor Elizabeth Olten (right) because she wanted to know what it felt . like to kill . The most poignant part of Monday's testimony came when a handwriting expert described how he was able to see through the blue ink that Bustamante had used in an attempt to cover up her original journal entry on the night of Elizabeth's murder. He then read the entry aloud in court: . 'I strangled them and slit their throat . and stabbed them now they're dead... It was ahmazing.' -Alyssa Bustamante's diary entry . 'I just f***ing killed someone. I strangled them and slit their throat and stabbed them now they're dead. I don't know how to feel atm [at the moment]. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the "ohmygawd I can't do this" feeling, it's pretty enjoyable. I'm kinda nervous and shaky though right now. Kay, I gotta go to church now...lol.' The journal entry was presented to the judge not long after Elizabeth's mother and other relatives pleaded with Cole County Circuit Judge Pat Joyce to impose the maximum sentence. Bustamante pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action last month and faces at most a sentence of life in prison with a chance for parole. The least she could get is 10 years. Elizabeth's mother, Patty Preiss, described her daughter as 'happy, little girl,' when she left her home about 5 p.m. after begging to go play with Bustamante's younger sister. Preiss said she told Elizabeth to be back for dinner at 6 p.m. but never saw her again. Bustamante, who was active on social networking . sites and had the above photos on Facebook. She previously attempted . suicide and was a cutter. Defense attorneys highlighted her troubled childhood as part of their argument about why she . should receive leniency . 'So much has been lost at the hands of this evil monster,' Preiss tearfully said, with Bustamante sitting several feet away. 'Elizabeth was given a death sentence and we were given a life sentence.' With Bustamante looking at her, Preiss said: 'I hate her, I hate everything about her.' The judge cut off her testimony when she described Bustamante as 'not even human.' FBI agents seized the journal from Bustamante's bedroom during a search of her family's home the day after Elizabeth went missing as hundreds of volunteers scoured the rural area around St. Martin's. 'I hate her, I hate everything about her... [She's] not even human.' -Victim's mother Patty Preiss . Bustamante suggested to FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol officials that the girl had probably been kidnapped and that whoever had done so deserved to be convicted. At one point, law enforcement officers discovered a hole in the ground in the shape of a shallow grave near Bustamante's home. They testified that Bustamante acknowledged digging it but said she just liked to dig holes. It was only later that Elizabeth's body was found concealed under leaves in another grave in the woods behind the Bustamante home. The victim's mother called the teen, seen here in 2009, 'less than human' at the sentencing hearing . At a hearing in 2009, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. David Rice testified that the teenager told him 'she wanted to know what it felt like' to kill someone. Defense attorneys Monday highlighted Bustamante's troubled childhood as part of their argument about why she should receive leniency. They referred to numerous references in her journal in the two months before the murder, describing her suicidal feelings and the urge to hurt herself and others. At one point Bustamante had written that she intended to burn down a house and kill all the occupants, but she never followed through with that. On Oct. 14, one week before Elizabeth's slaying, Bustamante had written that she was unable to use her cell phone because the charger had died, which meant she couldn't talk to anyone about the depression and rage she was feeling. 'If I don't talk about it, I bottle it up, and when I explode someone's going to die,' she wrote in a journal that was read to the court by her defense attorney, Charlie Moreland. Prosecutors said Bustamante plotted Elizabeth's death, even digging two holes to be used as graves, then attended school for about a week while waiting for the right time to kill. Hundreds of volunteers searched for two days for Elizabeth before her body was found. Juvenile . justice officials testified at an earlier hearing that Bustamante had attempted to commit . suicide in 2007 and had been receiving mental health treatment for . depression and cutting herself. On a now-defunct YouTube page in her name, one of Bustamante's hobbies were listed as 'killing people'. A few weeks before the murder she tweeted: 'This is all I want in life; a reason for all this pain.' | Alyssa Bustamante was 15 when she killed Elizabeth Olten in 2009 .
She wrote: 'As soon as you get over the "ohmygawd I .
can't do this" feeling, it's pretty enjoyable... Kay, I gotta go to church now'
Olten's mother called killer 'not even human' at hearing on Monday . |
0ff62fade44801cc39e865f5fcb0b68b7e771e32 | (CNN) -- The founder of the shuttered file-sharing site Megaupload appeared in a New Zealand court Monday, as the U.S. Department of Justice seeks to extradite him and other company officials on criminal charges. But his lawyer insisted his client is innocent. The U.S. authorities shut down Megaupload last week and announced indictments against seven people connected to the site, accusing them of operating an "international organized criminal enterprise responsible for massive worldwide online piracy of copyrighted works." Four of those charged were arrested in New Zealand at the request of the U.S. government. They included Kim Dotcom, the site's founder, who is also known as Kim Schmitz. The New Zealand police detained Dotcom, a German citizen, on Friday after a dramatic raid on his luxury mansion in the affluent North Shore area of Auckland, the country's largest city. In a packed court on Monday, Dotcom's lawyer, Paul Davison, argued that his client was innocent and should be granted bail. "Mr. Dotcom emphatically denies any criminal misconduct or wrongdoing and denies the existence of any 'mega-conspiracy,'" Davison said in the North Shore District Court. But the New Zealand government prosecutors, acting on behalf of the U.S. authorities, argued that Dotcom's bail request should be denied because he presented an "extreme" flight risk. Dotcom is a resident of both New Zealand and Hong Kong. Anne Toohey, the prosecuting lawyer, said Dotcom had chartered private planes, helicopters and yachts in the past. "This kind of access to private transportation is a significant issue in terms of flight," she told the court. Megaupload, which traffic-tracking service Alexa ranked as the world's 72nd most visited website before it was taken down, allowed users to share and download files -- many of which were copyrighted works made available for download without permission, according to the U.S. authorities. They said the operation had generated more than $175 million in illegal profits through advertising revenue and the sale of premium memberships. Authorities have seized the company's servers and domain names and frozen $50 million in assets. Among the company's assets were 18 luxury vehicles seized by the New Zealand police in the raid on Dotcom's mansion, including several top-end Mercedes, a Rolls Royce Phantom and a 1959 pink Cadillac. Davison said that without access to his assets or travel documents, Dotcom did not present a realistic flight risk. He also noted that his client wanted to stay in New Zealand with his pregnant wife and children. He criticized the "aggressive" approach taken by the police and prosecutors in accusing and detaining Dotcom, saying it had "amplified the nature and gravity of this alleged offending beyond any reality." He suggested it had created "a real misunderstanding and misconception of the business of Megaupload." The judge at the hearing reserved his decision on the bail request for Dotcom and the other Megaupload officials -- Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk -- until Tuesday or Wednesday. Despite the charges against him, Dotcom appeared "really calm" in court, said Emma Brannam, a reporter for TV3 New Zealand, who attended the proceedings. He remained quiet during the hearing and didn't turn to look at the dozens of Megaupload supporters who were watching from the public gallery, she said. | The U.S. shut down Megaupload and announced indictments against seven people .
The site's founder, Kim Dotcom, and three others appear before a New Zealand court .
Dotcom's lawyer says his client denies the charges, criticizing the authorities' approach .
Prosecutors say Dotcom presents an "extreme" flight risk and should not be granted bail . |
0ff6baf254b5866143724b503af2c80ad4bee684 | David Cameron and George Osborne are set to break a promise to publish their tax returns before the election. The Prime Minister had insisted he was 'relaxed' about the idea, insisting it was 'legitimate' for voters to ask if politicians paid the right tax. Mr Osborne, who first floated the idea in the Cabinet, has now admitted there are 'no plans' for it to go ahead. David Cameron had insisted he was 'relaxed' about the idea of publishing his tax returns but Chancellor George Osborne now says there are 'no plans' to do so. Mr Cameron and other members of the coalition have faced intense pressure to say whether they benefited from a decision in the 2012 Budget to reduce the top rate of tax from 50p to 45p. Two years ago Downing Street said senior Tories were willing to publish their tax returns, but stressed the election was a long way off. Now, with four months until polling day, the plan has been shelved. But last night Mr Osborne told the Sunday Times: 'There are genuine issues around taxpayer confidentiality and how it would work in practice. 'You see it as a feature of some American campaigns but I think there would be quite a lot of practical difficulties. There are no plans at this point. The income I receive is publicly declared.' In 2012 Mr Cameron, who earns £142,500 a year, was said to be 'very happy' for the information to be released but the move would be unprecedented for a sitting prime minister. In April 2013 government ministers in France began releasing details of their financial records in the wake of a tax fraud scandal involving a close ally of President Francois Hollande. Two years ago Downing Street said senior Tories were willing to publish their tax returns, but stressed the election was a long way off . Aides to Mr Cameron insisted again that he remained 'relaxed' about the idea but were unable to give any information on progress made in putting his tax records into the public domain. They insisted the idea had not been shelved, but there were still two years until the general election in May 2015. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats said in 2012 they would not be opposed to publishing tax details. Andy Silvester of the Taxpayers' Alliance, told the paper: 'Politicians must keep their word if they are to be trusted, so having said they would publish their returns, those in the highest offices should do just that.' Margaret Hodge, Labour chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, said: 'My view is that they should stick to what they said they would do.' | The PM has said he was 'relaxed' about the idea of publishing tax returns .
He said it was 'legitimate' for voters to ask if politicians paid the right tax .
UK was expected to copy US where records are released before elections .
Now the Chancellor says there are 'no plans' to release the information .
Critics say they should 'stick to what they said they would do' |
0ff6ddf804ba7b4060fbfacf531e5b8f455b6f8c | (CNN) -- Thierry Henry could face FIFA disciplinary action over his handball which helped France to qualify for the finals of the 2010 World Cup at the expense of Ireland. FIFA president Sepp Blatter told reporters in Cape Town that the Barcelona striker's "blatant unfair play" could land him in hot water. "The FIFA disciplinary committee will open an investigation ... concerning the behavior of the player Thierry Henry," he said. "It was blatant unfair play and was seen all around the world. I don't know the outcome of the disciplinary committee, let them make the decision. "Fair play must be maintained in our game." Blatter was speaking after an extraordinary meeting of the FIFA executive committee, which was convened to consider the refereeing controversy in the France - Ireland match, incidents surrounding the Algeria - Egypt playoff tie and matchfixing in Europe. It had been widely trailed that the FIFA executive would sanction the use of two extra officials behind both goal lines in World Cup. But Blatter said that the finals in South Africa was too soon to introduce the system which has been used in the second-tier European club tournament this year. "The experiments with the Europa League shall go on into the knockout stages next year but it has been decided, for the World Cup 2010, there is no change in the refereeing: one referee, two assistants and a fourth official." He went on to say that there would be further investigation into both video technology and additional referees. "We shall have a look at technology or additional persons and this shall be done by a committee but not the referees committee alone, it will be done by the football, technical and medical committees, too," he added. Ireland were denied a place in the finals by a goal that should have been disallowed because Henry used his hand to control the ball before setting up William Gallas to score the aggregate decider in the second leg in the Stade de France. Ireland subsequently launched two appeals, the first for the match to be replayed, the second for them to be added to the line-up for the finals as the 33rd team. Both have been rejected, but Blatter was forced to apologize to the Irish for making public their supposedly private bid to be included as an extra team. Blatter put their request into the public domain in light-hearted comments made in Johannesburg, which left Irish football officials infuriated and insulted. "I would like to express my regrets for the wrong interpretation of what I said. I regret what I have created and I'm sorry to the Ireland football confederation for these headlines going around the world," he said. "It's a pity I communicated in this way. Sorry again." | Thierry Henry face disciplinary action over his handball in World Cup playoff match .
FIFA president Sepp Blatter says their disciplinary committee will investigate .
FIFA rules out use of extra officials or video technology at the finals .
Blatter apologizes to Irish officials for comments made over their request to be 33rd team . |
0ff72f1ada99c1bba0b0df7ec59583b062eee3e2 | Visitors to the Missouri State Fair have revealed their disgust over a stunt involving a rodeo clown dressed as President Obama. At the fair, paid in part by tax dollars, an announcer tried to whip the crowd up into a frenzy, asking who wanted to see President Obama 'run down by a bull'. The stunt on Saturday has raised fresh concerns about how ridiculing President Obama is nothing more than thinly veiled racism. Scroll down for video . Anger: A rodeo clown dressed as Obama has angered visitors to Missouri State Fair . One of the other rodeo clowns wobbled the lips of the Obama mask, and the man wearing it was forced to run after a bull gave chase, according to a man who witnessed the event. A couple who had taken a foreign exchange student to the fair to show them American life said they left in disgust after seeing the offensive stunt, according to the Kansas City Star. According to the paper, a Facebook post by Perry Beam said: 'The announcer wanted to know if anyone would like to see Obama run down by a bull. The crowd went wild.' He added that the announcer repeated the question, getting 'louder each time, whipping the audience into a lather'. Senator Claire McCaskill called the event shameful and unacceptable, according to CBS St Louis. 'The young Missourians who witnessed this stunt learned exactly the wrong lesson about political discourse - that somehow it’s ever acceptable to, in a public event, disrespect, taunt, and joke about harming the President of our great nation,' Ms McCaskill said. The Jackson County Democratic Party also issued a statement that called the rodeo 'a show as ugly any you could see.' 'Encouraging physical harm to the President, whatever the party, is not acceptable and should not be tolerated,' the statement read. Anti-Obama sentiment is high in rural Missouri, where the President lost 60-40 per cent to Mitt Romney in the 2012 election. Outcry: Many people took to Twitter to condemn the rodeo act . However, the rodeo clown dressed as . Obama was considered by many to be a joke too far, especially . considering the fair, which sells itself as being suitable for people of . all ages, is said to have received about $400,000 from Missouri tax . payers. Jeff Mazur, executive director at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, was one of many people who took to social media to condemn the event. 'I like rodeos, I like funnel cake. I like the MO State Fair. Barely-veiled racism, anti-Americanism and violence fantasies ruin them,' he said on Twiiter. His comments were backed by several Republicans, including Jeremy LaFaver, who said he would no longer be taking his family to the state fair. St Louis treasurer Tishaura Jones tweeted on Sunday: 'Racism rears its ugly head at MO State Fair ... the fair needs to do a better job welcoming ALL Missourians.' According to CBS St Louis, she added: 'Since November 2008, racism has been masked under the guise of "anti-Obama sentiment".' State Republican Gail McCann Beatty said she was angered and disgusted by 'the blatant racism', adding: 'This is an embarrassment to the People of Missouri.' Caleb Rowden, another Republican, added on Twitter: 'I don’t agree w/ this Prez on . many things. But he is deserving of respect and shouldn’t be the object . of political stunts. Out of line!' Boycott: The stunt led to some families and politicians saying they will stop visiting the fair . Several people have taken to the state fair's Facebook page to state their disgust at the rodeo show, saying it was disrespectful and claiming they would boycott the fair next year. A spokesman for Missouri State Fair told Mail Online: . 'The performance by one of the rodeo clowns at Saturday’s event was . inappropriate and disrespectful, and does not reflect the opinions or . standards of the Missouri State Fair.' Kari Mergen added: 'We strive to be a family friendly event and regret that Saturday’s rodeo badly missed that mark.' | Stunt condemned as racist and demeaning by families who witnessed it .
Republicans join calls to boycott taxpayer-funded event for being anti-American . |
0ff739d2fe3db810c0335f30d8501bda7db13603 | Mahmoud Hussein has been left fighting for his life in hospital after a vicious thug attack near his home . A Palestinian refugee who fled the violence of the West Bank for a new life in Britain has been left fighting for his life after a vicious brick attack near his home. Mahmoud Hussein, 46, had left his flat in Stechford, Birmingham, to make a trip to a nearby chemists to pick up a prescription when he was brutally assaulted outside shops. The father-of-five, who got a job at Land Rover after moving to the UK eight years ago, suffered a head injury, fractured jaw, a fracture above his right eye and a serious injury to his knee. He had to undergo brain surgery and has been in a coma since the attack two weeks ago while his distraught wife, Eman Tahaineh, 38, keeps a bedside vigil at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. She said: 'It's very difficult, I'm counting the hours and minutes until he wakes up.' The couple, who have been married for 15 years, have four children - the oldest is their 14-year-old son Anas, followed by their only daughter Roua, 11, then Malik, seven and Muhammed, four, and the couple's youngest child is baby Ibrahim, who is just nine-months-old. Police are yet to make any arrests over the attack on the maths graduate, who had previously reported concerns over anti-social behaviour, including drug taking, near his home. Mr Hussein's brother-in-law, Nadel Arif, 48, said he had no enemies and was a hard-working father. 'He spent most of his time teaching his children, teaching them mathematics, he's got hundreds of notebooks,' he said. 'He told me his children are the most valuable thing he had and he was every day concerned about them. The children ask every day about him and we have said "he's just a little bit sick". 'His 14-year-old is still unaware about what could happen. He tells his mother, "I don't like you to see me crying".' Mr Arif said his sister is afraid for the future and suspects a group of men seen taking drugs at the block where the family lives were behind the attack on December 20. He told how Mr Hussein had reported problems to the police numerous times over the past last three years, but he said there were never any arrests. Mr Hussein, pictured before the attack, has previously reported anti-social behaviour relating to drug taking at the block of flats he shares with his wife and five children in Birmingham . The junction between Church Lane and Stud Lane in Birmingham where Mr Hussein was attacked with a brick . 'I know my brother-in-law, he is a peaceful man. From his house to his work he has no enemies at all,' he said. 'I've reported to the police there are no enemies, only one enemy.' Officers have said it could be one person behind the attack and are keen to speak to a man, white and aged in his 20s, who was wearing a blue coat. Mr Hussein has been married for 15 years and has four young sons and a daughter . Detective Inspector Nick Dale, based in Chelmsley Wood, said: 'The level of violence shocked not only the family but officers dealing with it. 'We suspect that members of the community will know who committed this offence. 'If that's the case then it's likely people are keeping that information and keeping the individual away from police attention. 'This is an appeal that anybody with any information about who has done this and where they are, comes forward and speaks to police about it. 'We don't know what the motivation for it is, it seems to be an assault that came out of the blue.' DI Dale added: 'We are aware of concerns raised by residents of anti-social behaviour with youths gathering at the block of flats, causing a nuisance and taking drugs. 'These concerns were being looked at by the local neighbourhood team which is working with residents to resolve the issue. 'Our records show there have been eight calls made to us by Mr Hussein since 2012 relating to concerns of drug taking at the flats. 'The serious assault on Mr Hussein was not near his home address but some distance away whilst he was on a shopping trip; there is nothing to suggest the anti-social behaviour is linked to the assault though clearly it does form part of our enquiries.' Mr Hussein remains in a critical care unit, where his condition is stable and police are keen to speak to anyone with information - call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. | Mahmoud Hussein was walking to chemists near his home in Birmingham .
He was attacked with a brick outside shops and suffered serious injuries .
Father-of-five's wife is keeping a bedside vigil at Queen Elizabeth Hospital .
He had previously reported concerns over anti-social behaviour near flats .
Police are yet to make an arrest and are appealing for more information . |
0ff7a0cfdd1dba5917509fd04adf39526ab7f90c | By . Chris Wheeler . Louis van Gaal will tell his players face-to-face if they have no future at Manchester United after the club’s US tour to give them time to negotiate a move away from Old Trafford. Anderson, Nani, Javier Hernandez, Shinji Kagawa and Marouane Fellaini are among the big names in danger of being jettisoned before the transfer deadline but, typically, Van Gaal will not shirk the responsibility of breaking the news. ‘I shall make judgements after this tour,’ he said. ‘I have let all the players play and I know now more than before the tour. VIDEO: Scroll down to watch Louis van Gaal supervising United training . Circuit training: Louis van Gaal sits and watches on as his Manchester United players are put through their paces in Miami ahead of Monday night's International Champions Cup final against Liverpool . Close watch: Van Gaal inspected every aspect of the training session in minute detail as United get in top shape for the coming season . Deep in thought: Ryan Giggs observes the squad as they trained at the Sun Life Stadium . Test of strength: Wayne Rooney lifts weights as part of the training circuit . Lift: Ashley Young, who has been impressive on United's American tour so far, takes his turn on the weight training . Not so little pea: Javier Hernandez takes part in the strength and conditioning exercises. He scored United's third goal against Real Madrid on Saturday . Barking the orders: Van Gaal watches as his assistant Albert Stuivenberg bellows out instructions to the players . Proving a point: Van Gaal criticised Luke Shaw's fitness levels earlier in the tour but the new signing is keen to impress . Tied up: United's goalkeepers Sam Johnstone (left), Anders Lindegaard (middle) and David de Gea take part in resistance training at the Sun Life Stadium in the Florida city . Best foot forward: Johnstone strides out while attached to an elastic band held by team-mate Shinji Kagawa . Obstacle course: Goalkeeper Ben Amos slaloms between a line of red cones as United warmed up for the clash with rivals Liverpool that will conclude their American tour . Slalom: Shinji Kagawa takes his turn on the cones as United continued their pre-season preparations with a round of circuit training . Hooked up: United fans in Miami were allowed access to the stadium to watch their heroes train . All smiles: Ashley Young joins team-mates Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck for Manchester United training . Plenty to ponder: Louis van Gaal will tell his unwanted players that they are free to find another club . VIDEO Van Gaal happy with squad . Taking a swing: Van Gaal practising his baseball (or golf) technique during the training session . Away it goes: Van Gaal's imaginary baseball swing goes for a home run . Exhausted: United's players looked a little bit worse for wear after the intense training session ended . Breather: United take a rest during the practice session as Van Gaal (left) watches on . Warm-up: Darren Fletcher, who has captained the side on two occasions during the tour, goes for a jog . Star men: Wayne Rooney (left) and Juan Mata (right) train in Miami ahead of the Liverpool clash . ‘Now also it is a little bit soon to judge but in football you have to judge. You have to give the player a chance to make a transfer when I see that his prospects to play are not so high. ‘You have to say it in advance because it’s too late after August 31. I will tell payers after the tour but to them not to you.’ Van Gaal was speaking at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami ahead of the International Champions Cup final against old rivals Liverpool on Monday. Hernandez scored in the win against Real Madrid on Saturday that sent United through but it does not seem to have made much of an impression on his manager. Having a good time: Two United fans cheer on their team during the Guinness International Champions Cup . United's hero: Ashley Young struck twice to help his side beat European champions Real Madrid . ‘I think the striker has the biggest chance to score so that it is not the reason why a player plays,’ Van Gaal added. ‘We are playing like team and the team scores. I don’t make individual evaluations because we are playing with a team not individual players.’ Responding to comments by Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers that he will find the competitive nature of the Premier League very different to working at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich where the league is dominated by one or two clubs, Van Gaal replied: ‘That’s why I’m here. 'OK, maybe he is right because I have to experience that but I was also in Spain and in my first year and I won three titles, in Germany I won two titles. If I win one here we will all be happy. Up in the air: Wilfried Zaha (left), Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez all face uncertain futures at United . Not ready: Robin Van Perise (left) faces a race against time to be fit for the Premier League opener . The United boss will try to give many of his players 90 minutes against Liverpool as they step up their preparations. He has not ruled out the possibility of Robin van Persie featuring in the first game of the season at home to Swansea even though the striker has made a late return to training with other World Cup players Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj. ‘They have already trained,’ said Van Gaal. ‘I sent them to train with a special group. They could reach the first match, not against Valencia (in a friendly). That depends on the individual because each one is different. ‘You have seen on this tour for example that Ashley Young already played 90 minutes and Darren Fletcher two matches of 90 minutes but not others. There is a difference between players and I have to see if they can do it or not. ‘I have to look at Robin van Persie if he is coming back or it. But if you have three weeks holiday and only four days training before Valencia you are not fit enough. For the first game in the Premier League it’s possible but I don’t think so.’ VIDEO: Anders Lindegaard catches footballs in the bag after training . | Louis van Gaal will tell his unwanted players they can leave after the tour .
Manchester United take on Liverpool in Miami on Monday .
Wilfried Zaha, Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez could all leave club . |
0ff9ca9f01dcf043244afec470946422fc95f36e | Blow out the scented candle and ditch the aerosol spray can. Now there’s a deodorising toilet seat that claims to eliminate embarrassing bathroom odours. The ‘Purefresh’ seat has a hidden fan that sucks in air and pushes it through an odour-eating carbon filter, before adding a more pleasant scent. Scroll down for video . How to loo-se a nasty smell: A toilet that with a deodorising seat claims to eliminate embarrassing bathroom odours. The ‘Purefresh’ seat has a hidden fan that sucks in air and pushes it through an odour-eating carbon filter (pictured), before adding a more pleasant scent . Jerry Bougher, Product Manager at Kohler Co in Wisconsin, explained that the idea’s to attack smells ‘where the action is’. He said: ‘In terms of odour, everyone's experienced it’ - the nasty experience of walking into a smelly bathroom, or leaving an embarrassing smell behind. The $90 (£58) seat turns on automatically when someone sits down and the built in fan hums quietly as it filters out any nasty smells, the company says. The air flows over a scent pack similar to to mask any unwanted odours. The device is powered by two ‘D’ batteries which last around six months, along with the filter, while the scent packs have to be replaced monthly. The $90 (£58) seat (illustrated) turns on automatically when someone sits down and the built in fan hums quietly as it filters out any nasty smells, the company says. The air flows over a scent pack similar to air fresheners to mask any unwanted odours (pictured middle right) and a light can be turned on (bottom right) The toilet seat is powered by two ‘D’ batteries which last around six months, along with the fliter, while the scent packs have to be replaced monthly to keep bad smells (illustrated with a stock image) at bay . The Purefresh toilet seat is designed to neutralise and mask unpleasant smells as quickly as possible. A battery-powered fan draws air through a deodorising carbon filter, which is integrated into the seat. It hums quietly as it moves the air over a scent pack, which fragrances the neutralised air with a more pleasant aroma such as fresh laundry or 'avocado spa'. The carbon filter lasts for up to six months, while the scent packs must be refreshed monthly. The seat also contains two LED light settings to help people find their way to the toilet in the dark. A light illuminates the toilet tank when the lid is down, but once it is lifted up, it lights up the bowl. Josh Pantel, 27, has a Purefresh seat in the Middleton home he bought three months ago with his girlfriend, who works for Kohler. ‘If you have a visitor or someone at your place, it makes them feel more comfortable using the restroom,’ he says. The seat has a light to illuminate the bowl when lifted to make it easier for people to use in the night. Kohler is not the first US company to make a no-smell seat. San Francisco-based Brondell introduced one in 2006 but pulled it from the market about three years ago because the manufacturing costs were high and demand ‘wasn't where we had hoped it would be,’ according to the company's president, Steve Scheer. His company now includes deodorising technology similar to Kohler's on its $600 (£382) Swash 1000 bidet seats. ‘Personally, I kind of view (deodorising) more as an extra than as a core reason to buy the product,’ Mr Scheer said, before conceding that the market for specialty toilet seats is growing. Kohler also makes heated seats and versions that glow so people can find their way to a toilet in the dark. | Purefresh’ seat has a hidden fan that sucks in air and pushes it through an odour-eating carbon filter, before adding a more pleasant scent .
The $90 (£58) seat turns on automatically when someone sits down .
Company that makes it in Wisconsin claims it attacks smells 'where the action is' and makes guests feel more comfortable using a bathroom . |
0ffa518b01c20938df74a4915f76253bf55234a6 | A 6-day-old Wisconsin baby who vanished from a home early Thursday has been found safe at an Iowa gas station, authorities said Friday. The U.S. attorney in Madison, Wisconsin, has filed charges of kidnapping against Kristen R. Smith, in the case of 6-day-old Kayden Powell, who was found at an Iowa gas station Friday after going missing from the child's Wisconsin home early Thursday. Smith took Kayden Powellt from a home in Wisconsin and transported the the infant across state lines to Iowa, the federal complaint against her claims. An officer found Kayden Powell Friday morning. The child was swaddled in blankets inside a tote bag at a West Branch, Iowa, gas station, according to Town of Beloit, Wisconsin, police Chief Steven Kopp. "Despite frigid temperatures, Kayden was found alive, and appears to be doing very well," Kopp said. "In the words of EMS officials, he is in excellent health." The baby was found outside the building, according to G.B. Jones, acting special agent in charge of the Milwaukee office of the FBI. "We're all very, very fortunate that this baby is alive," Jones said. Smith was jailed Thursday in Iowa on an unrelated fraud warrant out of Texas after police investigating Kayden's disappearance contacted her on her cell phone and asked her to report to a nearby police station, authorities said. When police searched her car, they found baby clothes, but no sign of the infant, Kopp said Thursday. Kayden's mother is 18-year-old Brianna Marshall. Smith reportedly said at the home that she was Marshall's half-sister and that she, Marshall and the baby's father would be moving to Colorado, according to CNN affiliate WKOW. Authorities searched feverishly along the travel route back to Colorado after discovering the baby was missing, Jones said. "We did have troopers, deputy sheriffs and police officers out all night checking every conceivable place along that route," Jones said. | A woman has been charged with kidnapping in case .
Baby found safe and in "excellent health," police say .
She is in an Iowa jail on an unrelated charge .
Kayden was just 5 days old when he disappeared early Thursday . |
0ffaa1262885ee846ab3b2e2b564a00b7641bfae | James Franco has admitted today that he did try to pick up a Scottish schoolgirl using Instagram after his embarrassing attempts to woo her went viral earlier in the week. The Spiderman star, 35, said he had shown 'bad judgment' for chatting up Lucy Clode, 17, from Dollar in Clackmannanshire, after she went to watch him in Of Mice And Men on Broadway in New York. After she shared a photo on Instagram a ‘flirty’ exchange of messages followed, in which he asked her age, if she had a boyfriend and if he should 'rent a room'. The teenager, a pupil at the exclusive independent school Dollar Academy, shared screengrabs,which included two pictures Franco sent of himself to verify she was not speaking with an imposter. 'I'm embarrassed and I guess I'm just a model of how social media is tricky,' the actor said on Friday morning, debunking theories that the exchange had been either an April Fool's Day prank or part of a viral campaign for his latest film . Scroll down for video . Coming clean: James Franco admitted that he did try contacting her on Instagram and asked her to meet him at a hotel only to find out that she was a 17-years-old schoolgirl . Meeting: Lucy shared this photo on Instagram with James in the background outside the Broadway theatre he had performed in, sparking the flirting . Franco did not address the fact that the object of his internet affection was half his age, but he was the one to bring up the incident on 'Live with Kelly and Michael' and said that he did not expect the conversation to be shared. 'It's the way that people meet each other . today, but what I've learned- I guess because I'm new to it- is you . don't know who's on the other end,' he said. 'You get a feel for them, you don't know who you're talking to. 'I used bad judgement and I learned my lesson.' Franco's admission this morning gave the controversy credibility after many initially thought it was a delayed April Fool's prank or some bizarre form of viral marketing for his upcoming film where Franco, playing a teacher, strikes up a sexual relationship with his teenage student, played by Emma Roberts. During the Friday morning talk show appearance, however, Franco said that it was just his way of trying to meet a young woman. 'Unfortunately in my position, not only do I have to go through the embarrassing rituals of meeting someone, but if I do that, then it gets published for the world so it's doubly embarrassing,' he said. What's going on here?: Schoolgirl Lucy Clode, 17, has claimed James Franco tried to meet up with her in a series of Instagram and text messages . Striking up conversation: James allegedly started chatting to Lucy after meeting her outside the the theatre where he was performing Of Mice And Men on Broadway . Not wasting any time: The actor appears to start asking Lucy how old she is and whether she has a boyfriend . Miss . Clode, who attends prestigious independent school Dollar Academy in . Clackmannanshire, reached for her mobile and took some pictures of the star, and then turned the lens on herself and took some ‘selfies’ with the . 35-year-old box office hit in the background. It . is understood that Franco spotted Miss Clode taking the photos and . shouted to her that she should put the photographs on the online . picture-sharing site Instagram and ‘tag’ him so he would be alerted to . them. In . the Instagram screengrabs, Franco works fast to . establish where Miss Clode is from and how long she will be in New York. He . then seems to fire off three questions in quick succession: ‘You’re . 18?’ ‘Who are you with?’ and ‘Do you have a bf (boyfriend)?’ Making a move: The alleged messages show James asking Lucy if he should 'rent a room' in her hotel and attempts to convince her it is really him . 'Don't tell': The teen asks the star to send her a photo of himself holding a piece of paper with her name on, which he apparently does . Miss Clode replies: ‘Nearly 18, my mum and not if you’re around.’ Franco then asks exactly when her birthday is and where she is staying in New York. The . conversation then appeared to switch to text message, and Franco asks . ‘Can I see you? You’re single? What’s the hotel? Should I rent a room?’ When . Miss Clode, from Dollar, voices concerns the conversation could be an . April Fool by an imposter, Franco posts a picture of himself to prove it . is genuine. The sensible teen then decides: ‘I’ll come back when I’m 18.’ Franco responds: ‘If you don’t want to meet text me when you do.’ The . screenshots of the conversation have taken Twitter and US gossip sites . by storm – although it is unclear whether they are genuine or not, and . fans claimed they could just be a publicity stunt. 'Why are you thirsty for underage ones?': James tweeted this after the news broke but later deleted it . Publicity stunt?: Lucy shared this photo in Times Square on Instagram. James' alleged actions could be to promote his new movie Palo Alto, in which he plays a soccer coach who seduces his 14-year-old babysitter . 'Not if you're around': Lucy, who also posted this photo of herself and her mother, apparently told James she was 'nearly 18' and that it didn't matter whether or not she had a boyfriend . It . is worth noting that Franco’s next film is the story of a high school . teacher who is dating one of his pupils – and several eagle-eyed online . commentators last night floated the suggestion that the exchange with . Miss Clode could be a sophisticated joke. One . man who has come out of the story very well is Miss Clode’s boyfriend . Brodie Dickson – an 18-year-old fellow Dollar Academy pupil who seemed . pleased to have beaten Franco in the love stakes. During . a conversation with a friend posted on Instagram, Miss Clode said: . 'James Franco asked me to meet him alone Romy! It was really him and I . rejected him!! [what] am I doing?!' She then added: 'I am going to regret this for years - it's given me a confidence boost though lol.' The . age of consent in New York is 17, so even if the exchange is genuine, . Franco is not doing anything wrong in the eyes of the law – but his . actions drew criticism from fans last night. | On Friday James Franco admitted he tried to meet teen he connected with on Instagram .
Actor asked Lucy Clode of Scotland, 17, her age and if she had a boyfriend .
Student at prestigious Dollar Academy asked star to send proof it was him .
Star then posted two selfies, including one with her name written on note .
Also asked her in message later published online: 'Should I rent a room?'
'I'm embarrassed. I'm just a model of how social media is tricky,' he said on Friday's Live with Kelly and Michael .
Many thought it was a late April Fool's joke or bizarre marketing campaign for his upcoming film where he plays a teacher who has a sexual relationship with one of his teenage students . |
0ffbd20d09a654f4fb0dad236017aad6a429ae1a | (CNN)The police chief in Ferguson, Missouri, is expected to step down as part of the effort by city officials to reform the police department, according to government officials familiar with the ongoing discussions between local, state and federal officials. But Chief Thomas Jackson and the city's mayor say the reports aren't true. Under the proposed plan, after Jackson leaves, city leadership would ask the St. Louis County police chief to take over management of Ferguson's police force. The announcement could come as soon as next week. It would be one step in what local officials hope will help reduce tensions in the city as the public awaits a decision on whether the St. Louis County grand jury will bring charges against Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. "The animosity that existed in Ferguson were way before Mike Brown's shooting, justified or not. So, unfortunately, the leadership in the police department has to change," said CNN legal analyst Mark O' Mara. "And if he's sort of a sacrificial lamb to get this started, it's going to have to be. Ferguson's going to have to more forward. And it doesn't seem they can move forward with this police chief in place." Jackson said Tuesday he is not being pushed out. "Nobody in my chain of command has asked me to resign, nor have I been terminated," he said on the phone to CNN. And Ferguson Mayor James Knowles said there is no plan in place for the police chief to step down. When asked whether the federal government was pressuring the city to force out the police chief, he told CNN: "People have been saying that for months, I mean for him to step down. But we've stood by him this entire time. So there is no change on that." The St. Louis suburb drew national attention after protests erupted following Wilson's shooting of Brown, an 18-year-old unarmed African-American. Wilson, who is white, hasn't been charged in the case, though a grand jury is hearing evidence that could lead to an indictment. CNN analyst Michael Smerconish think Jackson's removal, if true, is indication that the grand jury may decide not to indict the officer. "To me this is all calibrated and intended to take the temperature down of the community," Smerconish said. "I'm absolutely convinced we're headed for no indictment in this case. Jackson had faced criticism over his department's handling of the Brown shooting and the protests in its aftermath. Last month, weeks after the Justice Department announced it was investigating Ferguson police, Jackson told CNN he would not step down despite calls for his ouster. "I've talked to a lot of people who have initially called for that and then changed their mind after having meetings and discussions about moving forward," he said. "Realistically, I'm going to stay here and see this through." Speaking about his job and the fallout over the Brown shooting, he said, "This is mine, and I'm taking ownership of it." Justice Department investigators are looking at the Ferguson Police Department's use of force, analyzing stops, searches and arrests and examining the treatment of individuals detained at Ferguson's city jail, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has said. That complicates plans expressed by some officials who want to dissolve the entire Ferguson Police Department and turn over law enforcement to county police. In an interview with CNN last week, Holder said the Justice Department was looking at the leadership of the Police Department as part of its ongoing investigation of the department's practices. "We have an ongoing -- having a practice investigation into the Ferguson Police Department. And we're looking at a whole variety of things, including the leadership of that department, the practices that the department engages in, the nature of the interaction between the department and the community that it is supposed to serve," Holder said. "So I think it's a little premature for me at this point to comment on the leadership of the Ferguson Police Department. That is certainly something that we are looking at." Last month, Jackson released a video apology he said was directed at Brown's parents and the peaceful demonstrators who took to Ferguson's streets to protest the teen's death. "The right of the people to peacefully assemble is what the police are here to protect. If anyone who was peacefully exercising that right is upset and angry, I feel responsible and I'm sorry," he said. He also acknowledged that the incident had sparked a larger conversation about societal issues. "Overnight I went from being a small-town police chief to being part of a conversation about racism, equality and the role of policing in that conversation. As chief of police, I want to be part of that conversation. I also want to be part of the solution," he said. He conceded that Ferguson and the surrounding areas have "much work to do." "For any mistakes I've made, I take full responsibility. It's an honor to serve the city of Ferguson and the people who live there. I look forward to working with you in the future to solve our problems, and once again, I deeply apologize to the Brown family," he said. Later that day, he waded into the crowd at a protest and apologized again. Some people seemed satisfied by his apologies. But not everyone was anxious to hear from him. One man shouted into a bullhorn: "If you are not resigning tonight, go home." Complete coverage on Ferguson shooting and protests . CNN's Sara Sidner, Meridith Edwards, Eliott C. McLaughlin, Ana Cabrera and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report. | Asked whether there's a plan for police chief to step down, Ferguson mayor says no .
Jackson has faced criticism over his department's handling of the Michael Brown case .
He apologized last month but said he would not resign . |
0ffc96773f598d415036b1a17797863483a091c6 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 08:29 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:14 EST, 10 January 2013 . The body of a missing 14-year-old school girl, who was the niece of an NYPD sergeant, has been found naked and burnt in a nature reserve. Shaniesha Forbes, of East Flatbush, New York City, was last seen on Friday. On Sunday, a passerby discovered her naked, burned and partially buried body in the sand in Gravesend, four miles from her home. Scroll down for video . Dead: The body of a missing 14-year-old school girl Shaniesha Forbes has been found naked and burnt in a nature reserve . Shaniesha had run away from home at least once before her disappearance, according to sources. The body of the Academy for Young Writers freshman was found near the remnants of a bonfire and some beer, police . sources told The New York Post. More... 'I don't want to die': Haunting final cries into the darkness of teenage boys as they froze to death in icy lake as rescuers searched in vain . EXCLUSIVE - 'There are days when Mom finds her crying': Revealed, the torment of 16-year-old Ohio rape victim who 'just wants ordeal to be over' Her legs, arms and hands were burned, but investigators . said they do not believe the fire killed her because there was no smoke . in her lungs. Grim: On Sunday, a passerby discovered her naked, burned and partially buried body in the sand in Gravesend, four miles from her home . Cause of death: An autopsy was inconclusive, the medical examiner¿s office said on Monday, and the cause of death is still being investigated . An autopsy was inconclusive, the medical examiner’s office said on Monday, and the cause of death is still being investigated. 'I want someone to please speak up,' said Shaniesha’s sister, Shanah Forbes, reported New York Daily News. 'She didn’t deserve this.' An unidentified law enforcement source told the Post that the deceased girl was the niece of an NYPD sergeant. The schoolgirl's friends said she had recently suffered at the hands of school bullies. 'Almost every day in science class, they would ask her the same questions . . . like why she would wear the same weave over and over again,' her friend Tanasha Searls, 14, told the newspaper. 'I felt it was wrong for them to do. She was a really sweet person.' Another friend, Jonathan Ho, 16, said the teenager, who vanished on her way to school, had a boyfriend and had relationship troubles. | Shaniesha Forbes vanished after leaving her New York home last Friday .
Burnt body was found near the remnants of a bonfire and some beer .
Do not believe the fire killed her because there was no smoke in her lungs . |
0ffee7c5b09108a087b01366cd634577186b9567 | By . Sean O'hare . PUBLISHED: . 08:13 EST, 30 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:03 EST, 30 November 2012 . Cheat: Havering Council worker, Cheema, 23, abused his position to fraudulently claim benefits . A crooked benefits adviser teamed up with his mother to cheat the council where he worked out of £30,000 in housing and council tax benefits, using insider knowledge of the welfare system. Havering Council worker Manjit Singh Cheema, 23, and his mother Balbir Kaur, 46, both of Romford, Essex, were spared jail after admitting fraud by abuse of position. Since 2009, Kaur claimed £29,500 as a single mother, while she and her two young children shared a home with a man and her elder son, Cheema. Following a tip-off in 2011, investigating officers discovered that the house was co-owned by Cheema and the other male occupant, and arrested mother and son in November that year. Cheema, whose job was to answer housing . and council tax queries, told council bosses he lived at another house and failed to tell them he was his mother's landlord. Judge William Graham told Cheema and . Kaur: 'This is serious, not only as it is a fraud of public funds, but . as it makes the situation for genuine claimants more difficult'. An examination of Kaur's fraudulent claim forms revealed it was . Cheema who had filled them in. The investigation discovered that a deposit of £60,000 had been paid on the £210,000 house in Romford, with monthly mortgage payments taken from Cheema's account. The deposit was described in the mortgage agreement as a family gift. Judge William Graham told Cheema and . Kaur: 'This is serious, not only as it is a fraud of public funds, but . as it makes the situation for genuine claimants more difficult.' Councillor Roger Ramsey of Havering Council . said: 'They were acting as if they wanted to help the poorest people in . our society, when really the fraud meant they were stealing from their . pockets. 'Our benefits . system is meant for the most vulnerable members of our community so . anyone taking advantage should be well aware that we will do our utmost . to find you, take you to court and get our money back. Basildon Crown Court sentenced them yesterday to nine months in jail suspended for 18 months, and ordered them to do 150 hours of unpaid work. Havering council said it would pursue them both for the return of the money they stole. Scene of the crime: Collier Row Road, Romford, where Cheema, 23, owned a house and secretly acted as landlord to his mother, Kaur, 46, who claimed £29,500 in benefits from Havering Council . | Mother and son team lied while they lived together in house owned by him .
Basildon Crown Court sentenced them to 150 hours of unpaid work . |
10004efdcaf28ea532f93916632b5924876cdf89 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 11:27 EST, 12 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:58 EST, 12 April 2013 . Anger has broken out among Jewish groups in Poland over plans to build a memorial to non Jews who risked their lives to save those trapped inside the Warsaw ghetto. Under the plans, the memorial to Polish 'righteous' gentiles will be located in the heart of what used to be the Warsaw ghetto. However, this has angered the Jewish community in Poland who claim it would infringe on the memory of murdered jews. Controversy: Anger has broken out among Jewish groups in Poland over plans to build a memorial to non Jews at the site of former Warsaw ghetto. In this picture, a group of Jews are escorted from the Warsaw Ghetto . Although the Jewish community do not dispute the reasons behind the monument, it feels it should be placed on the edge of the site. According to the Telegraph, Poland's Centre for Holocaust Research wrote in an open letter: 'Poland is a large country so there is plenty of capacity for a monument to the Righteous, but let the Warsaw Ghetto remain an inviolate area dedicated to the memory of murdered Jews.' Unhappy: For many, the efforts of Christian Poles who risked their lives to smuggle weapons into the Warsaw ghetto and to get prisoners out have been sidelined . For . many, the efforts of Christian Poles who risked their lives to smuggle . weapons into the Warsaw Ghetto and to get prisoners out have been . sidelined. The Warsaw Ghetto was established in the Polish capital in 1940, while the country was being occupied by Nazi Germany. All 400,000 Jews living in the city, which was then a major centre of Jewish culture, were ordered to live in the area, which was surrounded by a 10ft wall. Even though the Ghetto housed 30 per cent of Warsaw's population, it occupied just one-fortieth of the city's area, leading to unbearably cramped conditions. The area was plagued with disease and starvation, causing the deaths of thousands - but the worst horrors came between July and September 1942, when more than 250,000 residents were sent to the Treblinka camp, where nearly all were murdered by the Nazis. In January 1943, German soldiers started another round of deportations, but this time the Jewish residents fought back. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising briefly succeeded in stopping the deportations, but later that year was brutally put down. 56,000 Jews were killed or deported in retribution. They feel . more attention has been placed on Jewish insurgents who launched a . battle against Nazi rule in 1943 knowing that they faced death. They . battled for a month during the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and inspired jews . all around the world. But those behind the plans for the monument feel the efforts of the Christian Poles should be given a greater recognition. Doctor . August Grabski, from Warsaw's Jewish Historical Institute, said: 'What . we have here is almost a competitive bidding between the Polish and . Jewish communities over the scale of their martyrdom in the Second World . War'. The dispute comes days before Poland prepares to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It is not the first time a statue has cause outrage and disturbed sensitivities surrounding the Warsaw Ghetto. In November last year, a modern artist caused huge . controversy after placing a statue of Adolf Hitler praying on his knees . in the former Warsaw Ghetto. The statue by Italian artist Maurizio . Cattelan, entitled 'HIM', attracted a large number of visitors. The work was visible only from a distance, and the artist has not said what he intends viewers to read into Hitler's pose. Organisers of the exhibition of which . the statue was a part said its point was to make people reflect on the . nature of evil - but some were angered by its placement in such a . sensitive site. | Memorial to Polish 'righteous' gentiles would be in heart of former ghetto .
Jewish community claim it would infringe on memory of murdered jews . |
1000ebf0e605575525f12cc0940db80a80216274 | By . Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 10:24 EST, 19 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:42 EST, 19 February 2013 . A widow who lost her husband to cancer three years ago is now fighting a battle with Hallmark to create end-of-life sympathy cards. Activist and artist Regina Holliday has been petitioning for the immensely popular card company to create a line of hospice cards that are meant to say goodbye to friends, loved ones, and acquaintances. Though the greeting card company has plenty of ‘Get Well Soon’ cards and sympathy cards if the worst should happen, there are no cards specifically designed for someone in terminal care. Last respects: Artist and activist Regina Holliday, pictured, is trying to get Hallmark to create a series of cards meant for hospice patients . Available options now: Two current options from Hallmark's 'Get Well Soon' section, neither of which Mrs Holliday believes appropriate for a person who is terminally ill . Speaking to MailOnline from her home in Washington, Mrs Holliday said that she hopes to change the way the card giant looks at end of life, saying that the flow of cards to her husband Fred stopped as soon as he was moved into hospice care for his terminal liver cancer. Fear of the unknown: Mrs Holliday says thatnot knowing what to say or how to say it stops many people from sending cards to people in hospice care . ‘When my husband Fred and I were in rehab, we had all these great cards saying fight the good fight, you can do it, cheering you on, thinking you could actually have an effect on cancer.’ But when Mr Holliday’s cancer worsened and he was moved to hospice, the flow of well-wishes and cards stopped abruptly. ‘People didn’t know what to say,’ the mother of two explained. ‘Some people would send “Thinking of You” and a few sent “Our Deepest Sympathy” cards. My husband actually chortled and said, “I’m not dead yet!”’ Mr Holliday passed away from cancer on June 17, 2009. Mrs Holliday, who worked several years at a retail store that sold greeting cards, said she started working on the idea when her husband was still alive. Adding a row of cards clearly labled as ‘end of life,’ she said, will show people there’s an option for that difficult time in life, and start a dialogue on how to say goodbye to loved ones. ‘People are scared to say goodbye. And because they’re so scared, they don’t do it,’ she said. Mrs Holliday wrote on her blog that Hallmark did not recognize the word ‘hospice’ or ‘end of life’ in its search engine, instead pointing out a card for a Bat Mitzvah. According to ABC News, Mrs Holliday tried for a year to get in touch with company representatives to address End of Life cards. Loss: Fred Holliday was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and passed away in 2009 in hospice care . Options: In response to Mrs Holliday's request, Hallmark offered a series of cards like these; the widow points out that the card on the right still doesn't have the right message . In her latest effort, she created the Change.org petition, which has more than 3,200 supporters. Finally, Hallmark introduced nine greeting cards specifically for people in hospice care. One card features a curly script with the words ‘Caring thoughts are with you’ on the cover. Inside, the card reads: ‘Nothing can ease the difficulty of what is happening in your life, but every day – you are wished a little peace of mind.’ Another more twee card shows an illustrated sheep with the accompanying text: ‘I’m not sure what to do, I’m not sure what to say… But one things’ for sure – I promise to pray!’ 'I began advocacy before Fred died. He . saw this beginning and he's incredibly proud. He got to see that and I . know he’d be so happy.' Another one reads: ‘Cancer is tough, but you are tougher!’ Mrs Holliday told MailOnline that while this is a step in the right direction, the message is still off, especially to patients who are not religious or who simply will not win the battle against the disease. ‘If you’re going to talk about win and lose, cancer just won,’ she said, adding that people may mean well with their words of encouragement, they may not be the words a very ill person wants to hear. Family: Mr Holliday pictured in hospital with their two sons, now seven and 14; she says he would be proud of the work she's doing . Hallmark spokesperson Linda Odell told MailOnline that while it is true the company doesn't carry cards 'that specifically say "hospice," we do have quite a few that address the need Mrs Holliday has quite accurately expressed tp provide support and care for people at the end of life.' She added that many of Hallmark's cards can be personalized 'if the suggested message is not quite what the individual is looking for.' The company also wrote in a recent news release that they have ‘nearly 100 cards to help people share words of support for a range of life situations, including cancer treatment, terminal illness, grief support, recovery/rehab, and other difficult times, as well as cards for caregivers.’ The new line of hospice care cards will be appearing in Hallmark Gold Crown stores throughout the year. ‘I began advocacy before Fred died. He saw this beginning and he’s incredibly proud. He got to see that and I know he’d be so happy. ‘Before we hit hospice, it was the worst part of our lives, and I’m so glad that I can do this for him,’ she said. | Artist and activist Regina Holliday lost husband Fred to cancer in 2009 .
Said that flow of cards stopped when he was moved from rehabilitation to hospice care .
Wants Hallmark to create line of End of Life cards to allow people to express sympathy and to give closure to friends and family . |
10012ce8d0d7cf071007f8a5f4800952ba1e874a | The full extent of George Osborne’s stealth tax raid on pensioners was laid bare yesterday. Around 700,000 people turning 65 next year will be hit the hardest – losing £323 annually with the end of age-related income allowances. In all, the ‘granny tax’ will take £3.5billion from the pockets of more than 4.4million pensioners. Senior Tories have denounced it privately as the Chancellor’s biggest blunder. Burden: Around 700,000 people turning 65 next year will be hit the hardest - losing £323 annually with the end of age-related income allowances . The new rules are so arbitrary that some OAPs will lose far more than others born a day before them. Ros Altmann of Saga said: ‘Middle-class pensioners are outraged. My inbox is full of angry emails from those who did save for their future but are now hit. ‘The message of this Budget is, don’t bother to save for the future and if you’re too old to work any more you don’t count.’ The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the Chancellor should have given advance notice of his plan to freeze the £10,500 tax-free allowance for the over-65s. Lord Tebbit described it as an assault on pensioners who have put money aside. ‘The freezing and gradual abolition of the age-related tax allowance is an error,’ said the Tory grandee. ‘It hurts those who have saved enough for modest pensions. It is unfair and lousy politics.’ Part of the justification for the move was the promise of a more generous state pension of around £140 a week. But this is not expected to be introduced until 2016 – and even then only for those who hit pension age at the time. That means that those who retired between these dates would lose both a higher allowance and the better pension – a double attack on their incomes. This will affect around 2.8million pensioners – 700,000 a year for four years. Existing pensioners are likely to be forced to see out their days living on the current state pension which, from April, will pay £107.45 a week. Senior Tories have denounced the so-called Granny Tax privately as the Chancellor's biggest blunder . The IFS found that all pensioners with incomes of between £10,800 and £26,200 turning 65 next year would lose out on £323 as a result of the Budget. They will be part of the 4.4million to be punished, with average losses of £83. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said: ‘The most unfair part of George Osborne’s tax raid on pensioners is the effect on people turning 65 next year. ‘How can it be right that someone born a day too late loses over £300 with little advance warning? Just as on his botched changes to child benefit, the Chancellor has simply not thought through the effect of his policies on ordinary people.' The poorest pensioners are not affected since they do not pay income tax and the richest pensioners do not get the allowance in any case. In Wednesday’s Budget statement, the Chancellor said no one would be out of pocket as a result of his changes since the tax allowance for the over-65s would be frozen rather than cut. He boasted that it was an attempt to simplify the tax system. But Paul Johnson of the IFS said Mr Osborne ‘should have avoided dressing up what is clearly a tax increase as merely a simplification’. He suggested that, for the change to be presented as a reform rather than a tax hike, it should have been delayed until personal allowances reach £10,000 – expected to happen in 2014 or 2015. But in a rare boost for the Chancellor, the IFS said there was a justification for making cuts on pensioners because they had done better than younger people from the Government’s austerity measures. Mr Johnson said: ‘Our analysis shows that they have lost considerably less from recent tax and benefit changes than any other demographic group. And over the past decade and more pensioner incomes have risen faster than those of the working age population. ‘This looks like a relatively modest tax increase on a group hitherto well sheltered from tax and benefit changes.’ David Cameron dismissed claims that pensioners were going to be hit, calling it a ‘fair Budget for all our people’. Speaking to reporters in Bradford, the Prime Minister pointed to the future increases in the state pension. ‘The first thing is that every granny around the country is going to be benefiting from the biggest ever increase in the pension that comes in in April – an extra £5.30 a week. ‘And at the same time, the Budget also delivered a tax cut for 24million people in our country, and also we’ve now taken 2million of the lowest paid people out of tax altogether. It’s a good Budget for our economy and it’s a fair Budget for all our people.’ A Treasury spokesman said: ‘This is an important simplification. It’s sensible to have a single tax-free personal allowance for everyone. ‘The poorest half of pensioners will still pay no tax in 2013/14 and nobody will pay more tax in cash terms than they do today. ‘Compared to the plans the Government inherited, an existing pensioner with a full basic state pension will gain more from the triple lock in each of the next three years than they will lose from the age-related allowances freeze.’ Mr Cable said the major feature of yesterday’s Budget was the large increase in the personal tax allowance to £9,205 from April 2013. He said: ‘We are giving people the freedom to choose how to spend their own money, not taking it from them and then giving it back in a complex, means-tested system of tax credits.’ And defending the changes to pensioners’ tax allowances, Mr Cable said the Budget was transferring £1.7billion to pensioners –against £360million taken away by the allowances changes. He said pensioners on lower incomes would benefit from the growing personal tax allowances under the simplified system, while increases in the basic state pension would give cash in real terms. The Business Secretary said: ‘There is a small group of people, frankly my contemporaries, who have high retirement income and considerable asset wealth and it is right in principle they should pay a bit more. There is a group of people who are not wealthy, on not particularly high income, and who could be affected to a limited extent as a result of inflation eroding the value of the allowances. Those people will benefit enormously from the increase in the basic pension.’ Mr Cable accused Labour of failing to fix the state pension system, ensuring the value of the pension fell back further and further from incomes. Mr Osborne stuck to a previous promise to increase the allowance to £10,500 for those aged 65, and £10,660 for the oldest pensioners. This meant the over-65s appeared to be gaining an extra tax break. But what he didn’t make clear was that by freezing allowances after this, any pensioner who already pays tax will get only 80p for every £1 increase in their pension. This is because the amount they can earn tax free will not change and, as a result, every extra pound in income above the allowance is taxed at the basic rate of 20 per cent. | Around 700,000 people turning 65 next year will be hit the hardest .
The tax will take £3.5billion from more than 4.4million pensioners .
Senior Tories say the move is the Chancellor's biggest blunder . |
1001b9f76e52740f3a8e2f64b6922a72c43996d4 | A woman who ballooned to size 38 has lost more than 20 stone after getting so fat she was forced to give up riding her beloved horse Rocky. As a teenager Faith Riley, now 42, was a slim size 10 and loved riding horses, competing in eventing, cross-country and shows every weekend. But her weight soared to 33 stone after an adverse reaction to contraceptive injections led to crippling depression and agoraphobia. By the time she was in her thirties, Miss Riley had to give up horse riding altogether. Scroll down for video . Faith Riley, 42, of Warrington, lost 20 stone after realising she was too heavy to ride her horse Rocky . Miss Riley's weight ballooned to 33st (left) after an adverse reaction to contraceptive injections led to depression and agoraphobia, but she managed to slim down to a size 14 (right) through exercising . As a teenager, Miss Riley was a slim size 10 who loved horse riding and competed in shows at weekends . She could no longer work in her job as a cleaner and a horse riding instructor, and hardly ever left the house. After making a firm decision to lose weight, she turned to her horse Rocky to inspire the motivation to exercise. Mrs Riley, of Warrington, said: 'I cut out all the junk food from my diet and decided to get back out there again.' Miss Riley was prescribed contraceptive injections when she was 23 after the pill caused her to experience extreme nausea and migraines. She said: 'In my late teens I was a size 10 but the injection caused me to put on four stone in one month. 'I was horrified. The doctor, who suggested my weight gain was simply down to my diet, sent me to a nutritionist, but I knew I hadn't been eating lots of chocolate or junk food. BEFORE . Breakfast: Nothing . Lunch: Chips, peas, gravy and an energy drink . Dinner: Lasagne with garlic bread . Snacks: Crisps and chocolate . AFTER . Breakfast: Bran flakes . Lunch: Ham salad sandwich . Dinner: Grilled chicken and vegetables . Snacks: None . 'After a year of visiting the nutritionist the doctor agreed the injection had been a cause of my weight gain after all. 'By then, I'd stopped taking the injection, but it was already too late. 'My weight had reached the point where I felt I couldn't do anything about it. 'I became extremely depressed and couldn't face leaving the house. 'I had to give up work and couldn't even bare to see friends.' Over the next decade Miss Riley, who was also diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis - a condition which causes painful periods and abdominal pain, when she was 26. She saw her weight increase to the point where she had to stop riding. She said: 'When I topped 30 stone I had to stop riding. Rocky would have been able to carry me because he was strong, but I was terrified that I would be too much of a burden to him. 'I thought it would have been cruel to ride him so although I was heartbroken I decided to stop riding.' In 2006 Miss Riley attempted suicide. But after reaching her lowest point, following the breakdown of a relationship, she made a lasting decision. She said: 'I was 33 stone and wearing size 38 clothing. 'I spent some time on my own before I decided to get back to being me - the person I was before I became overweight and depressed. 'I knew it would be extremely difficult but I aimed to get back to the size 10 I once was.' Miss Riley (left and right after losing weight) used to gorge on chips, peas and gravy for lunch as well as constantly snacking on crisps and chocolate . Sadly Miss Riley's horse Rocky, who inspired her weight loss, passed away, but she is determined to stay slim . Miss Riley turned to her faithful four-legged companion, Rocky, for the push she needed to make her lifestyle change happen. She said: 'I knew Rocky would always love to go out with me. Although I couldn't ride him, I knew that spending time with him would always be useful to me. 'I put his bridle on and led him along the road for a walk every morning and every evening, without fail, for months. 'Sometimes motorists would pass and make horrible comments, but I didn't care because I knew I was trying my best and making a difference. Now Miss Riley is light enough to sit on a horse . 'I was determined to shed the weight to get back to riding Rocky properly. 'I also completely changed my diet, getting rid of all the high-fat, high cholesterol food and replacing it with high-fibre and healthier options.' Before beginning her weight loss regime, Miss Riley ate nothing for breakfast, followed by chips, peas and gravy with energy drinks for lunch. Her evening meal was commonly lasagne with garlic bread and she snacked constantly on chocolates and packets of crisps. As part of her healthy-eating regime, Miss Riley began the day with a bowl of bran flakes, followed by a ham salad sandwich for lunch. Her transformed dinners include grilled chicken and vegetables and the 42-year-old has rid her diet of snacks. Today, Miss Riley weighs 12st 8lb and wears size 14 clothing. She has been with her current partner, gardener Paul Bigg, 31, for two years. She said: 'I met Paul when I was still a size 20, and I'm happy to say I've lost even more weight since then. I'm very confident in myself now. 'I know I'll never go back to the bad old days of being overweight and depressed.' Although Rocky died while Miss Riley was on her weight loss journey, she is now looking forward to getting back in the saddle. She said: 'I'm now light enough to sit on a horse and ride without any concerns. I'm currently recovering from knee surgery but as soon as I'm healed I'll be back out riding as regularly as I ever was. 'I have Rocky to thank my weight loss. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am today, and goodness knows what state I'd be in. I owe him everything.' | Faith Riley, 42, weighed 33st after suffering depression and agoraphobia .
She became too heavy to go horse riding - her favourite hobby .
Gave up her jobs as a cleaner and a horse riding instructor .
Said she barely left the house and couldn't bear to see friends .
Her horse Rocky gave her the inspiration to exercise and she shed 20 stone . |
1002a03a04c0522a0a8db6374e9075124ed013c9 | A host of stars from past and present have had their famous faces carved into festive Jack O Lanterns for an annual Halloween festival. The Rise of the Jack O Lanterns display showcases more than 5,000 elaborately-carved pumpkins, which are available to view at sites in Los Angeles and New York. And while the designs vary from the wicked to the wonderful, it is the celebrity faces which prove the most popular year on year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Kardashian clan feature heavily in this year’s celebration, with Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kylie, Kendall, matriarch Kris and even brother Rob receiving the festive treatment ahead of Halloween on Friday. Star power: The faces of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian decorate the pumpkins at this year's Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns . Old Hollywood: Movie legends such as Marilyn Monroe were also part of the celebrity mix . Old Hollywood greats including Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Rooney and Shirley Temple also feature; as well as a number of musicians from Michael Jackson and Elvis to Shakira and Katy Perry. The festival also pays tribute to the stars who have passed away in the last year. Beloved comedian Robin Williams, who died in August of a suspected suicide, actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who died of a drug overdose in February, and comedienne Joan Rivers, who died just last month, are all immortalized in the display. Famous face: Ms Kardashian's husband, Kanye West, is also rendered in a pumpkin carving . All in the family: The Kardashians were very much in pumpkin vogue this year, with re-creations of matriarch Kris Jenner and other members of the clan . Bright eyes: Kourtney Kardashian's winning smile was captured in her pumpkin portrait . The origins of Jack o'Lantern carving as a practice are uncertain, but it's a widely held belief that the tradition started in Ireland during the 19th Century. In an age populated by devout Christians, and when superstitions ran rampant, carved pumpkins were sometimes set on windowsills around All Saints' Day to ward off evil spirits. Nowadays, pumpkin carving is a tradition firmly woven into the American culture of Halloween, with the average American's spending $66 per person one the occasion, according to the National Retail Federation. Sister, sister: Khloe Kardashian's pretty pout and long locks were also re-created in her design . Model behavior: Kendall Jenner has a fresh-faced glow in her pumpkin design . Kid sister: The youngest family member, Kylie Jenner, gets a pretty portrait too . Brotherly love: Rob Kardashian rounds out the famous siblings' portraits . Cream of the crop: Ellen DeGeneres's short hairstyle and friendly face were nicely rendered for the annual festival, which showcases more than 5,000 elaborately carved pumpkins at sites in Los Angeles and New York . California love: Late rapper Tupac Shakur's signature bandana is included in his portrait . Love me tender: Rock legend Elvis Presley's famous face is recognizable in pumpkin form . Pumpkins don't lie: Shakira was also honored with a portrait at the festival, where fans flock to see the spooky creations of professional artists and sculptors . I'm the one who carves: Bryan Cranston's Breaking Bad character, Walter White, was also featured on a pumpkin . Talk show legend: Oprah Winfrey's widely recognizable face can be seen on another gourd . Funny face: Audrey Hepburn is one of the Hollywood greats to be included in the exhibit . Critical mass: Celebrated film journalist Roger Ebert, who died in 2013, looks thoughtful in his picture . Curly top: Shirley Temple, who died in February, was remembered as a dimpled child star in her pumpkin . Can we talk: Beloved comedienne Joan Rivers, who died just last month, received a pumpkin tribute . Through a new lens: Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in February, is remembered with a pumpkin portrait . About face: Mickey Rooney's bright smile as a young actor is rendered in orange . Pumpkin haze: Music legend Jimi Hendrix's pumpkin hits the right notes . Carve it: Michael Jackson's face appears brightly lit in his pumpkin design . Waiting for tonight: Jennifer Lopez is re-created in a sultry Jack o'lantern portrait . Carve it like Beckham: David Beckham's handsome looks are celebrated with a dapper pumpkin portrait . Wide array: It wasn't just entertainment personalities included - South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was also carved into a pumpkin . It's all in the eyes: Big Bang Theory and Blossom star Mayim Bialik's glasses are perfectly reproduced . Companion piece: A portrait of Ms Bialik's Big Bang Theory co-star Jim Parsons accompanies hers . Ball drop: Perennial New Year's Rockin' Eve host Dick Clark, who died in 2012, is included with a special prop . | Kim Kardashian, Marilyn Monroe and Ellen DeGeneres will light up the night at the Rise of the Jack O Lanterns festival .
Visitors will get the chance to see more than 5,000 specially-carved creations . |
100360139747b9c987ff9a0bea2a56593d6f9419 | This is the moment terrified safari tourists were attacked in their jeep by a two-and-a-half tonne giraffe. The 13ft giant chased and barged the vehicle through two miles of South African savannah - in scenes reminiscent of the T-Rex in the film Jurassic Park. Giraffe attacks are rare and this male is thought to be suffering from an 'hormonal imbalance'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Fear: One of the tourists appears terrified as the angry bull giraffe can be seen chasing them in the background . Attack: The giraffe is believed to be suffering a hormonal imbalance which triggered the unusual outburst . Terror: At first the giraffe had only seem intrigued by the tourists but then began charging at their vehicle . On the charge: The giraffe kicked off a wing mirror from one of the vehicles during its rampage . Cameraman Rainer Schimpf, who captured the dramatic footage, said: 'There was laughter; then tension; then fear. The giraffe saw the game vehicle miles away and started walking to it, intimidating the passengers. 'Once the guests started feeling uncomfortable, the driver took off. The giraffe followed curiously at first rather than aggressively trying to look people in the eyes. 'Once he caught up with the car in a gallop the giraffe kicked at the driver and knocked off the right wing-mirror of the Toyota Land Cruiser. Scared: No one was injured during the giraffe attack but the tourists were left a little shaken . Hold on for dear life: A tourist clings on as the driver tries to speed away from the chasing giraffe . Prehistoric: The chase was reminiscent of the scenes involving the T-Rex in the film Jurassic Park . 'The driver, who was unhurt, stopped and backed up. The laughter and fun was gone then and we tried to escape - but the giraffe followed in a full gallop uphill until we reached the fence." The two-and-a-half tonne giraffe is well-known in the park for its odd behaviour but had never attacked humans before. The relieved passengers - which included German tourist Silke Ptaszynski, South Africans Sarene Carter and Mavis Carter, and driver Trevor - were left shaken but able to laugh about their experience back at camp. | 13ft male gave chase during tour of South African savannah .
Ran after 4X4s for two miles and kicked out at driver smashing wing mirror .
No one injured although tourists left badly shaken by incident .
'Hormonal imbalance' thought to be behind unusual outburst . |
1003e93230a72ea9f602e54547eaf55bf06ce1dd | By . Daniel Bates . PUBLISHED: . 09:30 EST, 30 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:07 EST, 31 August 2012 . She . was married to the boss of Google and appeared to have the world at her feet. But . Wendy Schmidt has revealed that her time with estranged husband Eric actually . left her feeling like little more than a ‘piece of luggage’. In . an interview she claimed that following him around on his private jet reduced . her to the status of an expensive bag. She . was unhappy and said that even her husband would not want her to feel that way . - so they starting living largely separate lives but without getting divorced . Wendy Schmidt attends Global Green Awards 2011 in Santa Monica, California: Mrs Schmidt has described life with her estranged husband Eric Schmidt as like being a piece of luggage . Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google Inc. (left) and his wife Wendy (right) rarely see each other and the last time was over the July 4th holiday on Nantucket . Mrs . Schmidt, 57, now spends her time on Nantucket, the millionaire’s playground off . the coast of Massachusetts, where she has carved a niche out for herself . as a philanthropist. Meanwhile . her husband, who is worth $6.9 billion, remains in Silicon Valley as Google’s . executive chairman where he has been linked to other women. The marriage has been the source of speculation for years. It . was also recently reported that Mr Schmidt, 56, was selling 2.4million shares . in his company to prepare for a divorce that could cost him up to $1.5billion, . the second most expensive in history. Speaking . to the New York Times, Mrs Schmidt said that things were so cool between the . couple that Mr Schmidt only ‘flies in and out’ of Nantucket for occasional . visits, the last being over the Fourth of July weekend.. They . also recently attended the opening of ‘Bring It On: The Musical’ in Manhattan. Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, (left) and Eric Schmidt at a 2006 announcement of a Google/Apple collaboration . She . said: ‘Some couples are very much in each others' space all the time. ‘It . is that kind of relationship. In our case, we are both busy. ‘I . think it’s nonsense and, between us, if we know what is going on in our lives . and we are happy, that kind of stuff is part of his being in the public eye’. She . also however gave a rare insight into how wrong things went in the early days . of their marriage . She . said: ‘I would feel like a piece of luggage. And he wouldn’t want me to feel . that way.’ Mrs . Schmidt, who has a master’s in journalism from Berkeley, has remained on . Nantucket as it is where she and Mr Schmidt used to holiday before buying . property on the island. Since . 2007 she has struck out on her own as a philanthropist and founded ReMain . Nantucket to preserve the downtown area. She . has also sponsored everything from sailing races to a bakery to ice pop businesses and . church concerts, spending $3.5million on a liquor store and $3.2million on a . book shop. MONTECITO, The Montecito mansion in California, reportedly owned by Eric Schmidt where Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries married in 2011 . Meanwhile . in California Mr Schmidt has been linked to other women. It . was back in the late 1970s that he met his wife at Berkeley when was a doctoral . student in computer science and they married in 1980. They . have two grown up children together, Sophie and Alison. Mr . Schmidt stepped down as chief executive and chairman of Google after 10 years . in the role last April and was given a $100million parting gift. If . the divorce goes through then Schmidt’s property empire would be among the . assets up for division including his $20million mansion with four acres of land . in Montecito in California he bought from US TV show host Ellen Degeneres in . 2007. Eric Schmidt's $72.3million super yacht Oasis, which is said to be one of the highest spec yachts in the world with its own gym and pool that can be converted into a disco . The . site has landscaped gardens, a tennis court, a swimming pool and spa, a 5,000 . square foot main house with four bedrooms and six bathrooms. It . was also where Kim Kardashian married basketball star Kris . Humphries. Another of his properties is the mansion in Atherton, near Google's . Silicon Valley headquarters which is worth $3.7million and has five bedrooms . with neighbours who include actress Shirley Temple. He . also owns the the $72.3million super yacht Oasis which is said to be one of the . highest spec yachts in the world with its own gym and pool that can be . converted into a disco. Approached . by the New York Times Mr Schmidt refused to comment about his personal life. He . said: ‘I don’t think that is an appropriate question. ‘We . don’t comment on that, rumours’. | Mrs .
Schmidt, 57, lives on Nantucket, the millionaire’s playground off .
the coast of Massachusetts .
Husband Eric Schmidt currently lives in Silicon Valley .
It has been reported that Eric Schmidt is preparing for a divorce which could cost him up to $1.5 billion - the second most expensive in history . |
10044cd6e285e45b300f28ff17e4fef353d3166e | Hong Kong (CNN) -- Two days after Hong Kong's chief executive relented to protesters' demands to drop a controversial Chinese education requirement, pro-democracy legislators Monday got a boost from a majority turnout at the polls. More than 1.8 million people -- or 53% of registered voters -- turned out at the polls Sunday, and pan-democrats won more directly elected seats than the pro-Beijing camp, as well as three of the five so-called super seats. However, pro-Beijing legislators still maintained their dominance at the Legislative Council, thanks to infighting among the pan-democratic factions -- and a system that combines direct and indirect voting via special interest groups. Under Hong Kong's political system, 35 seats are elected directly by the public ("geographic constituencies") and 35 by groups based on professions ("functional constituencies"), most of which lean pro-Beijing. In a new complex "one person-two votes" arrangement, voters can cast ballots not just within their geographic constituency but also for a list of candidates vying in a "super lawmaker" functional constituency. With 27 -- or more than a third -- of the 70 seats won Monday, pan-democrats will still wield veto power and can block constitutional changes. The election comes on the heels of a 10-day hunger strike to protest "Moral and National Education," a curriculum that critics likened to "brainwashing" with Chinese propaganda. On Saturday, Chief Executive C.Y. Leung said the decision to teach it would be left to schools. While the emotionally charged education issue led to higher turnout at the polls, the pro-Beijing camp benefited from split votes among the pan-democrats, thanks to bitterness within the coalition over 2010 electoral reforms, one political observer said. Read about the curriculum issue that sparked protests . The radical People Power group had called on supporters to cast blank ballots as a form of protest against pan-democratic parties that sided with the government on the reform package, arguing that it stymied Hong Kong's path to a full democracy, according to the South China Morning Post. By noon Monday local time, Albert Ho had resigned as leader of the Democratic Party after a poor showing in the elections, even though he was among the lists of candidates that won "super lawmaker" seats. "Pro-democracy voters went for parties that didn't have that kind of bitterness between them," said Michael DeGolyer, a professor of government at Hong Kong Baptist University and director of the Hong Kong Transition Project. Among the beneficiaries in the elections were the Civic Party and the new Labor Party, which represent the interests of labor, unionists and populists committed to social programs, he said. "I don't think we'll have progress on the pro-democracy front for a while," DeGolyer said. He predicted that Leung may find himself trying to build capital with legislators who are more welfare-oriented and with voters fed up with corruption scandals that dogged his predecessor, Donald Tsang. The elections are the fifth since Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed over to China in 1997 and became a special administrative region under a "one country, two systems" model. CNN's Tim Schwarz contributed to this report. | More than a majority of voters turn out at polls .
With more than a third of seats won, pan-democrats still hold veto power .
Election comes a day after Hong Kong dropped national education requirement .
Pro-Beijing camp benefited from infighting among pan-democrats, professor says . |
10049e3d65ebe37ab013ce51ec185b32aa514105 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:08 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:56 EST, 28 January 2013 . A defamation case involving two of Tampa Bay's best known DJs has taken a bizarre turn after one of the shock jock's attorneys was arrested for DUI - in what he claims was set up by the other side. Charles Campbell is representing Todd 'MJ' Schnitt, who is suing on-air rival Bubba 'The Love Sponge' Clem for comments he made about him and his wife while on the radio. On Wednesday night, Campbell was stopped by police near the Malio's Prime Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida and was arrested after he refused to take a blood alcohol test. The 64-year-old had met 30-year-old Melissa Personius, who turned out to work as a paralegal for Clem's legal team, at the restaurant and they had drinks together. Scroll down for video . 'Honey trap': Paralegal Melissa Personius, pictured in court on Friday, was accused of buying drinks for a rival attorney and then calling the police to have him arrested for DUI . Police testified in court on Friday that a member of Clem's defense team called them to have Campbell arrested for DUI, ABC News reported. 'She lied to Mr. Campbell when... asked where she worked,' fellow Schnitt attorney Jonathan Ellis said in court Friday morning, as the team asked for a mistrial. 'She bought him drinks, she specifically, we believe, . asked him to move her car and we believe that she or had somebody else . call Tampa police to have Mr. Campbell pulled over.' Schnitt's lawyers said the other side . could have achieved a legal advantage because Campbell had left his briefcase . with important documents in the paralegal's car when he was stopped by police. Arrest: Charles Campbell, left, met Personius, who has had her own DUI arrests, right, at a restaurant . Scene: She allegedly bought him drinks at this Tampa Steakhouse before asking him to move her car . Personius, who has worked for the firm representing Clem for five years, said in court Friday that she had not opened the briefcase. She repeatedly invoked her right to remain silent while on the stand, and would not say whether the firm sent her to the bar or whether she was told to buy Campbell drinks while there. Personius has her own criminal record that includes a DUI arrest in 2009 and an arrest in 2011 for driving with a revoked license, WTSP reported. The trial is expected to resume as normal on Monday, as it enters its third week. Schnitt and his wife Michelle are suing Clem claiming he made 'false, highly . offensive and defamatory' statements about them on air. Court: The arrest comes after Campbell's clients, DJ Todd Schnitt and his wife Michelle, are suing fellow Florida DJ . Bubba the Love Sponge Clem (pictured) for defamation after comments he made on-air . Claims: Incidents include when Clem called former Assistant State Attorney Michelle Schnitt, right, who often appeared on her husband's, left, show, a 'whore . The spat began when Clem accused Schnitt of accepting favours and gifts from businesses in exchange for plugs on the air. He then accused Mrs Schnitt, a former assistant state attorney, of conspiring with State Attorney Mark Ober to bring animal cruelty charges against him after in 20001 after he presided over the slaughter and barbecue of a wild boar on-air. Although Clem was later acquitted of animal cruelty, he vowed revenge against the Schnitts for being prosecuted. Last week, Clem said the accusations and name-calling were all just an act and that he only attacked the Schnitt's alter ego, MJ Kelli. Controversial: Bubba The Love Sponge Clem, pictured returned to the radio in 2008 after a hiatus . Defense: Clem said the comments were directed at MJ the radio personality (pictured), not the man . The campaign, Clem's attorney, Joseph Diaco, told jurors, 'was juvenile, offensive, maybe even disgusting, but wasn't personal'. He was backed up by Brent Hatley, a 'Bubba' executive . producer and cast member, who said: 'MJ Kelli is not a real person. It's a character. Just like Arnold Schwarzenegger is not the terminator.' In the suit, the Schnitts claim Clem took a battle for ratings too . far, encouraging his fans, known as Bubba's Army, to target . the Schnitts, reported the Tampa Bay Online. He told how he was . with his children at WestShore Plaza in 2008 when a man walked up to . him in the food court and yelled obscene comments and how a similar incident happened later at a restaurant. He said that eggs were thrown at his house with a note reading 'Bubba army Rulesssssss!!!!!!' Obsessed: Hulk Hogan (pictured with ex-wife Linda) made a sex tape with . Heather Clem, pictured right with her former husband and the Hulk's best . friend Bubba The Love Sponge . On tapes heard by the jurors the voice of Bubba the Love Sponge said 'Fight back. … Be a man. I'm calling your wife a whore.' When discussing why Mrs Schnitt was called a whore, Clem's former co-host Matt 'Spiceboy' Loyd said it was 'just a general term to try to stir it up' and was not to accuse her of being promiscuous. The past few months have been difficult for Clem as in October Hulk Hogan settled his lawsuit against him. The wrestler has dropped charges against his former best friend over his leaked sex tape, but is still suing Bubba's ex-wife Heather Clem - who stars in the saucy video alongside Hulk - and website host Gawker Media for allegedly violating his privacy. See below for video . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. | Charles Campbell, 64, is representing Todd 'MJ' Schnitt who is suing Bubba 'The Love Sponge' Clem for comments he made about him and his wife .
Campbell arrested 'after young paralegal for Clem's side bought him drinks' |
1006dc662feced5996c0140238894bb15685f310 | (CNN) -- From songs to poems to sayings on the side of coffee cups, everyone tries to define love in words. Liz Kelly donated her kidney to her fiance after he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. But often, it's the extraordinary actions we take in the name of love that really define it. Liz Kelly's fiance, Matt House, needed a kidney after he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. In order to get him to the top of the donor list, Kelly signed up to donate hers. At first, she never dreamed she would actually be a match, but it turned out she was. The Springfield, Massachusetts, couple (he's 31, she's 29) spoke with CNN's Nicole Lapin about whether Kelly thought fate played a hand in finding him a donor match. The following is an edited transcript of the interview: . Nicole Lapin: Liz, I didn't know about the donor process, until we started talking to you guys. The donor process works whereby a friend or a family member can donate a kidney to get Matt higher on the list, so you decided that you were going to do that. Why did you decide to do that? Watch Nicole Lapin's interview with Liz Kelly and Matt House » . Liz Kelly: It was pretty much a no-brainer, I think. His sister was actually going to donate at first. But she didn't work out for health reasons. It's obviously better to have, you know, a family member donate a kidney, too. But since that wasn't going to work out, his stepfather stepped in because they were the same blood type. And that ended up not working out either. He had some heart issues and some other health issues. So, I said, you know what, I'll just donate to the list. And that's what I was intending on doing. And then I found out that we were actually a match, and it was amazing. Lapin: It was amazing, I'm sure, to get that phone call, because you did it just so that you could get higher on the list. A lot of people on our Web site are fascinated by your story, guys. [A viewer] has a question for you right now, Liz: Have you ever had any surgeries before this one? If not, how did your prepare yourself for this? Kelly: No. This was my first surgery, so that definitely made me very nervous. That was the definitely scariest part for me, just not knowing what to expect. But, Matt has been through several surgeries before. So I know I had him in my corner. And I looked up a lot online. I found out a lot of great information online. So that's definitely how I prepared. Lapin: And [another viewer] has a question in for Matt, actually: Were you scared that perhaps your body might reject Liz's kidney or were you always confident that the surgery would be a success? Matt House: I think I was pretty confident with her being the same blood type or us matching is pretty phenomenal, so I didn't expect it to reject it anyway. Maybe after the surgery if I would have a little pain down there or something like that, I would get a little nervous and think that it was going to reject, that there's something wrong. But that would just pass. It was me just being a little overanxious, I guess, but not really, no. I was pretty confident everything would go well overall. We're both pretty healthy for the most part. And being the same blood type was just you know really great, so it worked out good. So, I wasn't really worried at all. Lapin: Fate, some may say? House: Yeah, yeah, definitely. Lapin: Yours is a lot bigger. You're a little girl, but you happen to have a kidney that is perfect for Matt. Do you think it was meant to be? Kelly: I do. I definitely do. People tell me that all the time. When they told us that we were a match, I was very surprised at first, but then I thought about it a little more. Of course we were a match. How could we not be a match? | Liz Kelly offered to donate kidney to move her ill fiance higher on donor list .
Matt House had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure .
House's family members were unable to donate because of health reasons .
After recuperation is over, the Massachusetts couple plans to marry by summer . |
1006e8e0a0ac590663632569a8b5a08e01af4a1e | (CNN) -- Investigators probably will have to use dental records to identify some of the eight people who were killed in a wreck involving a church bus and two other vehicles in eastern Tennessee, a Tennessee Highway Patrol official said Thursday. Some of the bodies in Wednesday's crash were burned or otherwise made unrecognizable, hindering authorities' ability to notify all of the victims' families about the deaths, highway patrol Sgt. Bill Miller said. "The crash is so horrific ... it's probably the worst that I have seen in my career ... and I've worked in several, several counties in my" 17 years on the job, Miller said. More from CNN affiliate WBIR . The bus, owned by a North Carolina church, was carrying a group of seniors on their way back home from a religious conference when one of its tires malfunctioned, sending the bus across a median on Interstate 40 and crashing into an SUV and a tractor-trailer, authorities said. Church bus was carrying seniors home from a jubilee . Eight people were killed: Six on the eastbound bus; one of three occupants of the SUV, and the tractor-trailer driver, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said. Two of the 14 other people who were hospitalized after the wreck had been released by Thursday morning, said Travis Brickey, a representative of the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Two people were in critical condition; seven were in serious condition, and three were in stable condition, Brickey said. None of the victims' names was released. The church group -- about 18 people including the driver, Miller said -- was returning to the Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville, North Carolina, after attending the 17th annual Fall Jubilee conference in Gatlinburg. Indiana bus crash kills pastor, pregnant wife, chaperone on teen trip . The group of senior citizens was called "Young at Heart," said Rick Cruz, the church's pastor. Twelve of the hospitalized victims -- including the two in critical condition -- are church members, Cruz said Thursday morning. "It's been a very long night for all of us here," Cruz told reporters. "We are thankful for all the prayers and support that we've been receiving." More from CNN affiliate WHNS . The wreck happened about 2 p.m. Wednesday in Jefferson County, about 40 miles east of Knoxville, the Tennessee Department of Safety said. Miller said it wasn't clear exactly what happened to the bus tire, other than it malfunctioned or failed in some way. The bus swerved across a grassy median and struck the SUV before hitting the tractor-trailer, he said. The bus came to rest on its side, pinning some of its occupants, he said. More from CNN affiliate WATE . Video from the site showed smoke rising from the tractor-trailer. Some people walked out of the bus on their own, but emergency personnel had to extricate others, Miller said. "This was such a horrific crash that determining if seat belts were used or not ... may be extremely difficult to impossible to determine," he said. Miller said it's too early to know whether charges will be filed in connection with the wreck. More from CNN affiliate WVLT . Girls injured when school bus overturns in Kansas . Six dead after bus, train collide in Ottawa . CNN's Andrew Spencer and Rich Phillips contributed to this report. | NEW: Two of the 14 people hospitalized have been released .
Eight killed, 14 others injured in three-vehicle wreck on I-40 .
North Carolina church bus carried seniors returning from Tennessee jubilee .
Police: Tire failed and bus crossed the median, striking an SUV and a tractor-trailer . |
10071f03f22f102472c345ed575864f4bb4b60ba | (CNN) -- Who inspired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to throw a million bucks at South Dakota? A country singing troubadour candidate who plays guitar, drives a minivan and makes a GOP tracker the star of his latest web ad. Meet Rick Weiland, the Democratic hopeful who's trailing former Republican Governor Mike Rounds in a four-way race that also includes former Republican Senator Larry Pressler, running as an Independent and Gordon Howie, also an independent. The ad features Weiland performing a modified version of the song "Wagon Wheel," which was originally written by Bob Dylan and later made popular by the band Old Crow Medicine Show. The original song's chorus "rock me momma like a wagon wheel" resonates well with both pop and country music fans. Weiland, who has been turning popular music into campaign ads since the start of his campaign, was looking for a song that would connect more with millennials. "I was driving around one day and that song came on" Weiland said. He then thought, "Well, that's gonna work." When Weiland first started making music videos into campaign ads, he admitted it that it takes a lot of courage. "We were a little concerned because no one had done it before," he said, "but we figured, what the heck, let's just keep coming up with good songs. It's been a lot of fun." Wieland has also turned music into a family tradition, performing in a band with his two daughters, his brother and nephew called the "Take It Back Band." They perform regularly throughout South Dakota and even hold music festival events called "Rick-Stock," which is an obvious take on the famous Woodstock festival. Weiland started combing music and politics in 1997 when he was a Regional Director for FEMA under the Cinton administration. "We actually wrote some great FEMA songs," he said while reflecting on his time traveling with his former FEMA colleague and friend David DeCourcy. With years of experience playing and traveling on the road, it's safe to say Weiland took this latest musical endeavor to a new level, modifying the lyrics to fit his campaign message. He plays the guitar while singing his own chorus, "So I'm runnin' for the Senate but I ain't a big wheel, don't have an army, just my automobile." Weiland might not be running a $9 million campaign like his Republican opponent Mike Rounds aims to raise, but he does have a new million-dollar bump to sing about. The DSCC will spend $1 million on the race, mostly for television ads and to support field operations, Bloomberg Politics first reported. "The DSCC obviously must think I can win," he said. "After slugging on my own here for more than a year and half with very little money, I haven't spent all my time fundraising, I've spent my money going to town to town and people are going to vote someone who has earned the privilege to represent them, not someone who is trying to buy their way in." But it looks like the money won't help Weiland produce another "Wagon Wheel" style ad, with the funds expected to flood airwaves with attack ads hitting GOP nominee Rounds. That's something groups have already done, with ads attacking Rounds over his alleged involvement in a visa program scandal in the state. Those types of ads will likely help Weiland, but could also be a boon for Pressler, the independent who surged into second place in a SurveyUSA poll released Wednesday. Weiland is now trailing both Rounds and Pressler by seven and four points, respectively, according to the poll. And the poll indicates Pressler is mostly pulling votes away from Weiland. The investment in attack ads, rather than pro-Weilland ads suggests Democrats are confident either a Weiland or Pressler victory will help them keep control of the Senate. Bloomberg Politics reported that Democrats are confident Pressler, who endorsed Obama in 2008 and 2012, would caucus with Democrats if elected to the Senate, though Pressler has not said who he would side with. It wouldn't be the first time this year Democrats have pinned their hopes on an Independent candidate polling better than his Democratic counterpart. In Kansas, Democrats pulled their nominee out of the race to bolster businessman Greg Orman's bid to unseat Republican Sen. Pat Roberts. Orman also has not said who he would caucus with, though Republicans have tried to paint him as "Obama's candidate for the Senate." Pressler also won't get a chance to reproduce his style of advertising, one of which played up a popular Hollywood movie. Pressler's campaign even bought air time during the Oscars to play up the fact that he turned down a bribe in the Abscam scandal depicted in the movie "American Hustle." As for Weiland, he's going to keep on campaigning on the ground, and keep on singing. He revealed he has one more campaign music video to release before the Nov. 4 election. It's going to be a modified Johnny Cash classic, but instead of "I Walk The Line" it'll be called "I Draw The Line" and will go after one of Weiland's campaign staples, getting big money out of politics. Also, here is the Old Crow Medicine Show's version of "Wagon Wheel." . CNN's Jeremy Diamond contributed to this report. | Rick Weiland is the Democratic hopeful in South Dakota's Senate race.
He rewrites popular songs for his campaign videos, including "Wagon Wheel."
Weiland is one of four Senate hopefuls in the race.
He's got another video on the way before the Nov. 4 election. |
100751ad3bd28658bb3a42292f34bfb062650c89 | By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 09:35 EST, 31 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:56 EST, 31 December 2013 . A man was seriously hurt when he jumped off a canal bridge for charity - but missed the water and hit a towpath. Lewis Elliott, 25, was reportedly jumping of the 20ft bridge on the Leeds to Liverpool Canal to raise money for charity on Christmas Eve. But as he climbed over the barrier, wearing just his underwear, he slipped - missing the water and hitting the towpath. Police today said the man from Blackburn, Lancashire was drunk at the time. Fall: Lewis Elliott, 25, fell from a bridge over the Leeds Liverpool Canal and landed on the towpath, pictured. Customers in a nearby pub were concerned for his safety and even offered him money not to jump . Customers in the nearby Canal Street pub, where Mr Elliott is said to be a regular, were reportedly concerned for his safety before the jump. Some claim they offered to give him money not to climb over the edge. Mr Elliott is said to be having treatment for head and chest injuries in the Royal Preston Hospital. It is believed he was trying to raise money for a charity that has helped his sick son. His uncle, Lee Tanner, said: 'He was walking into the middle to jump into the canal and he slipped. 'Lewis banged his head and knocked himself out. I just hope he gets better soon.' Stephen Oliver, 51, was walking over the Kings Bridge Street bridge when he witnessed the incident. He said: 'I saw this guy run up the small cobbled street from The Navigation pub and he only had boxer shorts and shoes on. 'He ran past me and grabbed the barrier and jumped over, but I think he might have caught his foot on the edge. 'Serious injuries': The man - who police say was 'drunk' at the time - was taken to Royal Preston Hospital with head and chest injuries after the incident on Christmas Eve . 'I heard a thump and started panicking, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.I ran over and looked down and just saw him lying on his front with his head to the side. 'Then more people came from the pub and were standing with him and someone was calling 999. 'He was lying like that for about an hour and I stayed because I wanted to see if he was okay, until the air ambulance arrived. 'Even if he had landed in the water he could have seriously hurt himself or caught hypothermia.' A Lancashire Police spokeswoman said there would be no further police involvement in the fall. She said: 'According to the report we received, the man attempted to jump off the bridge and into the canal due to drunkenness, but missed the water. 'He was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital with serious head injuries and was said to be stable. There were no suspicious circumstances.' A spokesman for the North West Air Ambulance said: 'We attended the incident after a report that a man had jumped from about 15ft. He was seriously injured and we flew him to Royal Preston Hospital. 'He was as stable as he could be under the circumstances.' | Lewis Elliott, 25, reportedly jumped off 20ft canal to raise money for charity .
Slipped as he climbed the barrier in just his underwear and fell on towpath .
He was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital with serious injuries .
Police say the father was 'drunk' during the accident on Christmas Eve .
Drinkers at nearby pub said they offered him money NOT to complete jump . |
1008fea6d8460559370f75430b2da2fe8053d311 | Venice, Italy (CNN) -- George Clooney, the man long considered one of Hollywood's most eligible bachelors, followed up his private wedding to British human rights attorney Amal Alamuddin with a civil ceremony in Venice, Italy, on Monday. Clooney, 53, and Alamuddin, 36, arrived at Venice's city hall -- the Ca' Farsetti palazzo -- in a water taxi appropriately named "Amore," or "Love." Venetian authorities stopped pedestrian and boat traffic in the area for the ceremony. Clooney wore a gray suit and dark tie, while Alamuddin was dressed in flowing cream trousers, a cream top with a blue border and a wide-brimmed matching hat. The couple spent about 10 minutes inside the venue before boating to their hotel, with well-wishers lining the canal. Rai, Italian state television, later reported that they had left Venice on a private jet, heading for London -- leaving "Amore" free for other visitors to the city. Private ceremony . Celebrities, paparazzi and the world's media congregated in Venice for Clooney and Alamuddin's widely anticipated nuptials. Their private ceremony on Saturday was marked with a star-studded bash at the Aman Canal Grande Venice resort, housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Papadopoli. Clooney also arrived by motorboat to that ceremony, waving to the sound of "George, auguri!" as Venetians offered their best wishes. Plenty of paparazzi, cameramen and photographers were on the docks facing the Aman Canal Grande. Others were going up and down the Grand Canal on taxi boats. The first celebrity guests to arrive were also caught on camera in the city famed for romance, notably actor Matt Damon, American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and supermodel Cindy Crawford. "I guess this is, as Dean Martin put it, 'That's Amore,' the land of love," said a tourist visiting Venice from Canada, referring to the late crooner's signature song. "Yes, my heart is broken but I'm excited," his partner said with a smile. The actor and his then-fiancee were also photographed Friday cruising the sun-dappled canals of Venice ahead of their big day. Why Venice? Clooney revealed earlier this month at a celebrity charity event in Tuscany, Italy, that he and Alamuddin would be tying the knot in Venice. According to People magazine, Clooney was receiving a humanitarian award at the black-tie gala, and said during his acceptance speech, "I met my lovely bride-to-be here in Italy, whom I will be marrying, in a couple of weeks, in Venice, of all places." Since they became engaged in the spring, Clooney and Alamuddin have been largely protective of their relationship. When a Daily Mail report claimed that Clooney and his Lebanese future mother-in-law, Baria Alamuddin, were at odds, Clooney blasted the publication with a first-person piece in USA Today, and then refused to accept the Daily Mail's subsequent apology. Laura Smith-Spark reported from London and Erin McLaughlin and Livia Borghese reported from Venice for this article. | Actor George Clooney legally marries lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice .
The civil ceremony follows the couple's private wedding n the Italian city on Saturday .
A-listers and paparazzi converge on Venice for Clooney's wedding celebrations .
Clooney and Alamuddin travel the canals on a boat named "Amore" -- or Love . |
1009da3e92b235253efa60a28e16b1a170aafa61 | Labour and disability charities are facing a growing public backlash for making a ‘disgusting spectacle’ of remarks by a Government minister about minimum pay for disabled workers. Shadow Cabinet minister Angela Eagle looked shocked as a BBC Question Time audience turned on her when she demanded that welfare reform minister Lord Freud should resign or be sacked. She insisted the peer had been ‘offensive’ in remarks secretly recorded by a Labour official at a fringe meeting of last month’s Conservative Party conference. Scroll down for video . Shadow Cabinet minister Angela Eagle on Question Time when she demanded Lord Freud be sacked . Lord Freud was responding to a councillor with a severely disabled daughter who suggested that people with mental health problems may be unable to work because employers are unwilling to pay them the statutory minimum. Lord Freud suggested that some disabled workers were seen as ‘not worth’ the £6.50 minimum wage and mused on whether the Government might be able to top up their wages to enable more to get into workplaces. Labour leader Ed Miliband ambushed David Cameron with a transcript of the recording at Prime Minister’s Questions this week, also insisting the minister should be sacked. He has remained in his job after apologising, but Miss Eagle insisted on Thursday night: ‘I do think he should resign. I think what he said… has caused a great deal of offence to disabled people. ‘There are 50 per cent of people with disabilities who are not in work at the moment. The answer to that isn’t to somehow weaken the minimum wage and make them work for less than the minimum wage.’ Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on the programme it was clear Lord Freud had been talking about the state ‘topping up’ the incomes of disabled people. Lord Freud suggested that some disabled workers were seen as ‘not worth’ the £6.50 minimum wage . One audience member agreed: ‘I think Angela Eagle is being extremely disingenuous. I think we all knew what he meant, even though he said it clumsily.’ Another person in the audience in Newbury, Berkshire, told Miss Eagle: ‘What you are doing is hypocritical point scoring and it’s disgusting.’ A young woman said: ‘I just wanted to see whether you [Eagle] would use this as a political football and you have done – thanks Angela.’ Yesterday a Conservative MP also defended Lord Freud, insisting that the minimum wage was having a detrimental impact on disabled people’s chances of finding work. Jackie Doyle-Price, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said the way Lord Freud’s remarks had been twisted by Labour and parts of the charitable sector was ‘frankly disgusting’. It emerged the charity Mencap, which has led criticism of Lord Freud, itself warned an estimated 1,000 people with severe learning disabilities had part-time jobs or had their working hours cut as a direct result of the national minimum wage. In 2000, it called for an urgent revision of the rules to enable ‘low output work’ to be exempted from the rules. It now says the system to support disabled people into work has been transformed in the last 15 years and debate has moved on, ‘as has our position’. Conservative MP Henry Smith said: ‘Certain charities have seemed quick to make political attacks on what is a very serious and complex issue. Charities should not be acting as mouthpieces for Labour’s political point scoring.’ Former Tory chairman Lord Tebbit, whose wife Margaret was badly disabled in the Brighton bomb, said the attacks on Lord Freud were a ‘disgusting spectacle’. ‘What Lord Freud was being asked about was whether there are handicapped people who cannot produce enough to justify in purely economic terms a wage of £6 an hour. My wife was capable of earning her pay as an experienced nurse until the sadistic criminals of IRA/Sinn Fein crippled her. She is worth no less today, but she could not justify a pay rate of £6 an hour. Lord Freud was mulling over how to help such people.’ Labour's Department for Trade and Industry published guidance in 2003 on when and where it might be acceptable to pay disabled people far less than the minimum wage. The department, then run by Patricia Hewitt, said the minimum wage applied to all workers – able-bodied or disabled. However, disabled people could be exempted from the minimum wage when they did work-related activity for therapeutic reasons, with no contractual obligation to work. The guidance gave various examples of when that could apply, after the Government consulted with organisations including Scope, Mencap and the TUC. It gave the example of a farm where people develop social skills through involvement in agriculture, horticulture, caring for animals and training. Other examples included a charity running a workshop for people with mental health problems, which it suggested, could pay them as little as £4 per day. A third example was a trust running a facility for mental health outpatients which does activities such as packing and assembly. They could be paid varying amounts up to just £20 per week. | Shadow Cabinet minister Angela Eagle appeared on BBC Question Time .
Audience turned on her after she demanded resignation of Lord Freud .
Welfare minister was recorded speaking at Conservative Party Conference .
Suggested some disabled workers ‘not worth’ the £6.50 minimum wage .
Miss Eagle insisted peer had been 'offensive' in last month's remarks . |
100a6426d2ceee64c24856f2cd1b69eb8968e1ad | (CNN) -- Back when Facebook only had millions of users instead of a billion, before Timeline and the bungled IPO and outrage over privacy issues, people "poked" each other on the social network. The poke, which is still around but rarely used, is a minimalistic form of communication -- the digital equivalent of a head nod or wink. Now the social network has expanded the poke into a standalone iOS app, which was released on Friday. The simple free app, called Facebook Poke, allows you to send fleeting messages, pokes, photos and 10-second videos to Facebook friends. The messages expire after a set period of time, from 1 to 10 seconds, and cannot be retrieved by either party again. This makes the app perfect for sending salacious images without leaving a trail. "With the Poke app, you can poke or send a message, photo, or video to Facebook friends to share what you're up to in a lightweight way," says Facebook in a blog post announcing the new app. When you open the app, you can choose from a set of icons at the bottom of the screen to send a poke, type a 120-character message, open the camera to snap a picture (you cannot choose an existing photo from your camera roll, but you can add fun doodles or text on top of the picture you do take), or shoot a 10-second video. Decide how long you want the other person to see your message or photo (1, 3, 5 or 10 seconds), add a location if you like, then choose one or more of your Facebook friends from the list and hit send. To view a message, tap and hold until the little countdown clock in the corner runs down, and the message is gone forever. You can see a list of who send you messages, but not view them again. The app Poke shamelessly imitates is Snapchat, a photo and video-sharing service that has surged in popularity over the past year year. It's no mystery why Facebook is jumping on the temporary message bandwagon. Snapchat says it has millions of users who send around 50 million messages a day. It is also popular with the highly valuable younger age group, though it doesn't currently have ads or any other way of making money off of its service. The Facebook Poke app is also ad-free for the time being. The allure of self-destructing messages is that they are unlikely to be seen by anyone other than the recipient, or to resurface during a campaign for public office. Snapchat has earned a reputation as a tool for sending risqué photos, though its also handy for funny or silly images for friends. Because of the private nature of these messages, the apps have built-in safeguards. The only way to keep a copy of a photo on these apps is to take a screenshot with your phone. Both Poke and Snapchat warn the sender when the recipient has grabbed a screenshot of their message. Facebook seems keenly aware of how the Poke app will be used by most people. "If you ever see something you're uncomfortable with, you can click the gear menu and report it," says the company in the post. In the app's help center there are instructions for what to do when someone takes a screenshot against your will. That section helpfully links to a post on what to do when an adult is making you uncomfortable, and another on what to do when someone requests nude photos. The app is Facebook's fifth iOS app, joining the main Facebook app, Facebook Messenger and Facebook Camera. | Facebook has released a new, free app for iOS called Facebook Poke .
It lets users discreetly send messages, photos and videos that are deleted in a few seconds .
The Poke app is inspired by the Snapchat app, which is often used to send sexual images . |
100b2cab211514722ddd074015a0d02fea78aab7 | By . Belinda Robinson . Wanted: This is the unnamed man wanted in connection with the beheading of a swan at 18-acre Bennett's Lake in Hildenborough, Kent . A man is wanted by police on suspicion of beheading a swan and stuffing it in his bag at a picturesque lake. The unnamed man seen wearing a red jacket, was seen stuffing the lifeless body of a swan into his red and black rucksack at 18-acre Bennett’s Lake in Hildenborough, Kent. It's not known why the man took the swan, but some locals have speculated that he may have wanted it for his dinner. The amateur photographer who took the picture of the man allegedly stealing the swan last week, passed it onto his friend, wildlife lover Steve Robinson - who immediately handed it in to Kent Police for further investigation. Mr Robinson said: 'This b****** is killing swans in the Tonbridge area, here he is after putting one in his bag.' Mr Robinson said his friend was fishing at the popular lake when he spotted the man apparently attack the swan on March 18, at around 4pm, cutting its head off at the bottom of the neck so it would fit into his rucksack. The onlooker rushed over to tell the man to stop, but it was too late and the swan had already been decapitated and slung into the rucksack. The man then ran off when he realised that someone had spotted him. Kent Police have launched an investigation, but said no arrests have been made. A spokesman told Mail Online: 'Kent Police is investigating a report that a man decapitated a swan in Tonbridge. 'The incident is believed to have taken place at Bennetts Lake on Powder Mills, between 4pm and 4.30pm, on Tuesday 18 March. Enquiries are ongoing but no arrests have been made. 'The offender is described as aged 20-30 and 5ft 8ins tall. He was wearing a red and black jacket, blue tracksuit bottoms with three black stripes and grey trainers. Carrying a red and black bag.' Incident: Police confirm that the swan was taken from Bennetts Lake on Powder Mills Kent (pictured) All swans in Britain are the property . of Queen Elizabeth II, who owns all mute swans. In a law dating back to . the 12th century, swans have been owned by the Royal household who once . considered them a delicacy. The swans were marked by a . royal Swan Marker, a job still in existence, but it now focuses on offering advise to various . organisations about the welfare of swans and . vandalism against the bird. Twitter user Angel Love wrote: 'Swans belong to the Queen, he’ll be imprisoned when he’s caught.' | A man is wanted by police for beheading a swan at a lake in Hildenbough, Kent .
The man was seen wearing a red jacket as he stuffed the swan into his bag and fled the scene .
Kent Police have appealed to members of the public to come forward if they have any further information on the horrific incident . |
100b90c24a9b478128c6f0e1bca731008fac23df | An Alaskan judge has denied Levi Johnson split custody of his child with Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol. The tumultuous relationship between the former vice presidential candidate's daughter and her former fiancé has landed their son Tripp in Bristol's care for much of his life, but Johnston wanted to change that. Johnston, 23, filed to have equal custody of the now-4-year-old boy but that petition was thrown out by Judge Gregory Heath- who was appointed to the bench by Sarah Palin when she was governor in 2009- who mandated that Tripp remain in the primary custody of his mother Bristol, 23. Staying with mom: Bristol Palin retains full custody of her son Tripp, seen here together in June during the filming of their Lifetime reality show . Status quo: In October, Levi Johnston (right) filed to change their previous custody agreement, in which Bristol (left) retained full custody and he had visitation rights . According to Radar Online, Johnston filed the custody claim in October and Palin fired back with claims that he was $67,000 behind in child support payments. The 'mama grizzly' herself waded into the fight when she called him a 'deadbeat dad' when asked about the custody battle in November. Johnston could have filed an opposition to his ex-fiancée’s claims, but he never put it through the legal process and asked for an extension- but not until after the due date had passed. This ruling means that Johnston will only see his son for temporary periods of time, which is the same program that has been in place since the couple split. Mama Grizzly: Sarah Palin (seen with Bristol in May 2011) came to her daughters defense when the custody battle started, saying that Johnston was a 'deadbeat dad' as he was $67,000 behind in child support payments . At the time, they put on a united front and agreed to co-parent their baby boy, but with the understanding that Bristol would have primary custody. 'Levi and I are turning a new page here as co-parents to this wonderful boy, and putting aside the past because doing so is in Tripp's best interest,' Bristol said to Good Morning America in June 2010. Weeks later, the couple announced that they were back together which was timed with a cover photo shoot for Us Weekly with the threesome wearing matching white outfits and posing on an Alaskan mountain top. 'I really thought we were over,' Levi said at the time. New couple: Johnston is now married to Sunny Oglesby, the mother of his second child Breeze Beretta . The Palin past: Bristol and Levi welcomed their son, Tripp, in December 2008, and were together at the time . That truly is the case now, however, as Levi has since had another child and married his new girlfriend. Johnston's daughter Breeze Beretta was born in September 2012 and he married the girl's mother Summer Oglesby that October. Levi, who famously posed for Playgirl immediately after he and Palin called off their engagement following the 2008 presidential election, is now working as an electrician. | Judge ruled in Bristol Palin's favor and kept the couple's custody agreement as stands .
Means she keeps full custody and Johnson has visitation rights .
Johnston filed to get equal custody in October and Palin shot back by saying he was late on nearly $67,000 in child support payments .
Her mother Sarah Palin called him a 'deadbeat dad'
He is now married to the mother of his second child . |
100c9659387304e067bf0f737f38ceed862f7ecd | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:33 EST, 24 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:33 EST, 24 February 2014 . Hidden away on street corners or lined up next to bank branches, cash machines never grab a passer-by's attention, unless they need to withdraw money. However, ATM's in Sydney may earn a few more side glances, as they have received glamorous makeovers. The redesign by bank ANZ, was commissioned in time for the Australian city's world famous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras . Glitter: The cash machines around Sydney have been given a makeover to celebrate Mari Gras . Fluffy: The holes-in-the-walls have been adorned with different textures and materials to celebrate the LGBT culture in the Australian city . Denim trim: Artists who were commissioned to design the machines added some fashion influences . A group of artists were commissioned by the company to . transform ten of the bank’s hole-in-the-walls into GAYTMs. The end . result is a spectacular array of colours, patterns and fabrics. Despite the fashionable overhauls, the bank has been forced to defend itself after a it was criticsed for profiting from civil rights issues. Mark . Hand, Chairman of ANZ Australia’s Diversity Council and the brains behind . the operation, told news.com.au: 'We create a customer base that . represents a diverse constituency. 'If you want to be a big, successful company in Australia there’s no way you can be as successful as you want to be if you pushed 10 per cent of the population aside. 'That to me just doesn’t make any sense, we have to make sure that we do things that appeal to every section of society.' Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) is the non-for-profit member-based organisation that organises the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade and Festival as well as number of other events throughout the year. Condemnation: The bank has had to defend itself after being criticsed for profiting from civil rights issues . Shop front: Most of the cash machines are outside ANZ branches. The festival finishes next month . Normal: Cash machines without the makeover have a bland pattern . | Bank ANZ commissioned artists to redesign the machines around the city .
Celebrates diversity and equality during the world-renowned celebration .
Company have had to defend themselves after being criticised for profiting from civil rights issues . |
100d229fe5e0ad34b0cac1111bcfa542f3fbf92d | Every weekend around the UK, in spacious private houses and mansions, champagne flows, music throbs and guests are bathed in soft gentle light. These aren't A-list events but the latest generation of 'posh orgies', according to a new Channel 4 documentary, Sex Party Secrets airing tonight. Welcome to the world of the sexual elite where the proclivities detailed in erotic novels like Fifty Shades Of Grey aren't just the stuff of fiction. Scroll down for video . A new generation of orgies is springing up in which young, professional couples join invite-only sex events . Forget tales of wife-swapping in Suburbia, these bashes are for young, attractive and professional couples seeking extra thrills in a sophisticated setting. They take place in expensive townhouses, sprawling West Country mansions or even on yachts or villas in Ibiza. Forget Christian Grey's red room of pain, at Pure Pleasure Parties in Spain's clubbing capital, there's a 'human jigsaw room', consisting of a 'giant bed where it's all happening', says organiser Louise. Guests must pass a strict vetting procedure and are largely, young, professional with impeccable grooming habits - if there is a dress code it would involve having Brazilian bikini waxes. Chris Reynolds Gordon runs Heaven Circle, which organises exclusive orgies where the guest list is as strict as any private members club. While thousands of people apply to join there are only 90 members. He says: 'It's becoming way more open, I don't want to use the word trendy, but it's quite the thing to do at the moment.' Sexual safety is paramount at these events and condoms - in various sizes - are laid on for guests . 'You say to your friends, by the way me and my girlfriend went off and did that. They will probably say "oh that's weird we do the same thing"' Asked why he started creating his own events he says, 'I've been to other parties and I thought I can do better than this.' He admits he didn't want middle aged people people at his parties. 'We've had actors, actresses, models to nurses lawyers, teachers, old school mates even.' One event featured in the programme is held in a £30million London townhouse complete with a hot tub and stuccoed 18th-century stone staircase. Anonymous party-goers talking to the camera wear Venetian masks but even they can't disguise the women's cut glass accents and model cheekbones. The men show off muscled torsos, shaved chests and hipster haircuts. Another organiser Jon Blue looks like a fashion designer with his bleached hair, dapper headgear and waspish sense of humour. Instead he runs invite-only orgies, set in beautiful country piles where clinches take place in four-poster beds and on vast manicured lawns. He says: 'Here we have VIP room where we have the lovely food and champagne for people who have paid a little extra.' 'This is someone's home which is obviously different to hiring a venue like a club because you have to have a little more respect.' Increasing numbers of couples are spicing up their sex lives at controlled events filled with people like them . 'They're lovely owners, very chilled and enjoying the whole spectacle.' 'The idea is that we will have lots of flamboyant spectacle creatures, the theme is mythology, so we're going to have a mermaid in the pool and a unicorn.' 'Basically we open up the house and the play rooms are open and hopefully by that stage we've got their juices flowing and their passion built up and there's a collective arousal.' Mr Blue's goal is to create an entirely new, exotic environment in which to spice up their sex lives either with each other or a variety of partners. 'Most people don't have to have sex on a bed, you could have it on a couch, the corner of a couch, there's plenty of bed space. But the idea of my parties is it’s more a beautiful party, where there's sex possible.' Meanwhile Pure Pleasure Parties take the old fashioned orgy into the rarified environment of private villas and yachts in Ibiza. The events are so popular they're attended by up to 250 people. Louise, the tanned, up-front woman behind the adults-only business says, 'We have parties in yachts as well as villa parties and mansion parties. For the ones in Ibiza you have a 15-strong dance show. 'The things that are different about my parties are that they really are for the elite. The phones are taken off people on the door. There is no chance of being filmed at these parties whatever your position you are safe and secure.' She says: 'We are not born to be with one partner for all our life. Come to a party, live out your fantasies together or let your guy go off and do what a man needs to do.' Dressing up in strappy heels, sexy underwear with trimmed and waxed bikini lines is de rigeur at these events . Sandy and Poppy, first timers at a Heaven Circle, described the thrill of being accepted to the select group as being 'awesome'. On arrival at the event's chic six-bedroom town house, the pair sipped Champagne and watched 'an orgy with five couples all on the same bed all having sex in several different positions.' Another married couple Charlotte and Frank are sex party regulars. She says: 'My husband likes to see me having fun with other men.' Frank adds: 'I just get extremely turned on because I know what the other chap is feeling. When we come back afterwards we are just buzzing and bouncing off the walls from the evening that's just happened.' 'On the way back from a party we usually have to stop on route and get in the back of the car and have some fun. We have sex again on the way home.' Books like Fifty Shades Of Grey have helped bring alternative sexual practices into the mainstream . | Private event with 60 couples took place in £30million London townhouse .
Ibiza parties have a Human Jigsaw room where guests pile on a giant bed .
Event organisers appear on Channel 4 documentary Sex Party Secrets . |
100f36b099d3980c0050b47670c15bd0be0e3d0e | By . Alex Greg for MailOnline . The IRS wants a bite out of Silicon Valley's free lunches, which the agency says are a fringe benefit and therefore taxable. Tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Twitter are known for their freebies - including lavish free lunch offerings for members of staff. The IRS has informed tech giants that the free gourmet grub could be subject to a tax of up to 30 per cent of the meal's 'fair market value.' No lunch tax breaks: The IRS has listed 'employer-provided meals' as a top priority for the next fiscal year . Facebook perks: Employees at tech companies such as Facebook have meals provided to them free of charge which the IRS says should be considered part of their taxable income . According to the Wall Street Journal, the IRS is scrutinizing the tax filings of companies during routine audits and seeking back-taxes on employee meals. Google reportedly serves 50,000 meals per day in its 120 cafes worldwide. Facebook has several free restaurants at its Menlo Park, California location. Twitter has coffee bars, four different types of kombucha tea and huge cafeterias serving everything from oysters to burgers. The IRS and the Treasury Department listed 'employer-provided meals' as one of their top priorities for the next fiscal year, an issue on which they are currently 'seeking guidance.' If free meals are classed as income, employees would be liable to pay tax on it, but it's more likely that the IRS will seek back-taxes from the companies themselves. Moving forward, companies would have to add the value of the free food each employee consumes when calculating their withholding tax. Hashtag lunch: One of the many areas of the Twitter cafeteria that offer various types of food free to employees . Feed the fire: Google restaurants and cafeterias around the world serve about 50,000 free meals a day . However, the argument isn't clear-cut. Meals are exempt from taxes if the companies can prove they are 'non-compensatory' and a 'convenience to the employer.' Proving that 'reasonable lunch breaks aren't feasible' is also a legitimate way to claim exemption. Tech workers are concerned at the possibility of being taxed for their free meals and snacks. 'You start doing that, well then, do you start taxing free coffee as well?' Nathan Grady, a front-end engineer at Weebly, told Fortune. 'It just doesn’t make sense.' A Wall Street Journal analysis estimates that if a meal's 'fair market value' is between $8 and $10, a Google employee who consumes two meals a day at work could be liable to be taxed on an extra $4,000 to $5,000 per year. Larger companies like Facebook and Google could offset the tax on the employee by supplementing their annual wage while maintaining the free lunches. However, smaller tech companies may have to scrap free meals altogether. Free meals are considered an essential employee perk in Silicon Valley, the provision of which is a major recruitment tool. The Journal reports that rather than pay the tax or pass it on to their employees big tech companies are likely to fight it out with the IRS in court. | The IRS wants to tax Silicon Valley tech companies' free lunches .
The agency has listed 'employer-provided meals' as one of its top priorities for the next fiscal year .
It says free meals for tech company employees should be classed as a taxable fringe benefit .
Tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Google all provide gourmet meals for their staff .
The agency would likely seek back-taxes from the companies themselves and tax employees going forward . |
1011a2ac819c1a1ec51c16a625e63b0603ce9780 | By . Rachel Ellis . PUBLISHED: . 08:09 EST, 20 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:32 EST, 20 April 2012 . A couple who were told it would be ‘virtually impossible’ for them to conceive have had a baby with the help of a pioneering IVF technique – an incubator with built-in CCTV. Gemma and Simon Potter spent four years trying for a child before tests revealed that surgery Mr Potter had as a child had left him with a very low sperm count. The ‘heartbroken’ couple turned to IVF – and a revolutionary device called the Embryoscope, which increases the chances of pregnancy by up to 50 per cent. First in line: Gemma and Simon Potter said the incubator may have helped them conceive on their first IVF cycle . The £100,000 machine, which looks like a microwave, mimics conditions in the womb to provide the perfect controlled environment for fertilisation. The development of the embryos is monitored via CCTV, stopping the laboratory staff from having to remove them from the incubator to check on their progress, which can have a detrimental effect. Mrs Potter, 27, said: ‘When the chance of having a family is ripped away from you, it is the worst thing imaginable. ‘We were heartbroken and felt such a failure. We had got married, bought our first house and now wanted a family.’ Fortunately, the couple’s first cycle of IVF in July, paid for by the NHS, was a success. Their daughter Isabella arrived three weeks ago weighing 6lb 2oz – one of the first babies to be born as a result of the new technique. Mrs Potter, a trainee teacher from Wigan, added: ‘We feel so privileged to be Isabella’s mum and dad. Modern technology: Embryologist Natalie Bowman looks at the time-lapse video created by the Embryoscope . The odds were stacked against us and we really feared it would never happen. 'But amazingly it worked first time and we are sure this new machine helped. She beat the odds and is our little miracle.' Mrs Potter and her husband, 33, a software engineer, had treatment at CARE in Manchester, which is the first fertility clinic in the UK to use the Embryoscope. The machine, which was developed by Danish company Unisense and recently gained approval from the American Food and Drug Administration for clinical use in the U.S., has a built-in microscope and camera system to allow round-the-clock monitoring of the embryos. Embryologist Samantha Duffy with baby Isabella: The Care clinic says the facility has boosted their pregnancy success rate by 44 per cent . Each one can be tracked until it is ready to be put into the mother’s womb, between three and five days after fertilisation. Alison Campbell, head of embryology at CARE, said: 'Currently, assessment of embryos in IVF is limited to brief snapshot glimpses at defined time points, usually one per day involving removal from the incubator. 'With the Embryoscope, images are taken every few minutes and viewed as time-lapse video by the embryologists until the point of embryo transfer without removing them from incubation, usually three or five days later. 'The ability to study these images in a closed system allows us to select the most viable embryo for transfer into the patient, and exclude embryos that are not ideal for implantation.' In Mr and Mrs Potter’s case, only two of the six embryos created were deemed suitable for implantation. Research presented at the Association of Clinical Embryologists conference in Leeds earlier this year showed that the Embryoscope increases the chances of pregnancy by an average of 44 per cent compared with a standard incubator. | Another 74 women are pregnant thanks to the Embryoscope used at a Manchester clinic . |
1011edba7e02ad60044dcd0d8aeebb0309f6fae0 | By . Claire Bates . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 24 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:19 EST, 24 December 2012 . Meeting Father Christmas is a wonderful experience for any child, but it was extra special for teenager Courtney and her little brother Lucas. For the 13-year-old from Southampton had saved her younger sibling's life just months before. Courtney Lanfear, had looked in on three-year-old Lucas as he had been suffering from a cold when she noticed his cot was shaking. She realised he had experienced a seizure and was no longer breathing. Thankfully she had recently attended a first-aid course and sprang into action. Meeting Father Christmas: Courtney (centre) performed CPR on Lucas (left) after he stopped breathing . Christmas joy: Courtney said she thought all children should have first-aid training . Her quick actions and cool-head meant she was able to revive the three-year-old before the paramedics had even arrived. Her mother Kim, 31, said: 'Courtney called me upstairs where Lucas was cold and blue. ‘When I saw he wasn’t breathing I panicked, I didn’t know what to do. However, Courtney remained calm and started CPR straight away, as she had been trained.' Courtney, who had completed a St John's Ambulance course, said she had felt calm during the half-an-hour ordeal. 'I had too much to do at the time to be frightened. While I was doing it, I just remembered my training and got on with it,' she told Mail Online. 'It was after it was all over that I started to panic. I think I . realised what could have gone wrong but very luckily I did all the right . things and the result was fantastic.' Life-saver: Courtney (right) shows how she performed chest compressions, which saved little Lucas (left) Lucas enjoys decorating the Christmas tree. He was back to normal a few days after his ordeal . Courtney performed mouth-mouth and chest compression on Lucas for 20 minutes before he started to breathe again on his own. The ambulance arrived five minutes later. 'The paramedics said as they came through the door that Courtney had done their job for them,' Kim said. 'I am very, very proud of her.' Courtney, whose story is now featuring in a St John's Ambulance video, said: 'My training saved my brother’s life and I think every child should know the basic first aid skills.' The paramedics took Lucas to hospital to check him over but he was back to his normal boisterous self a couple of days later. Doctors later told the family that . Lucas' seizure in August had probably been triggered by a rise in temperature . caused by a chest infection. The family are now looking forward to Christmas and life has very much returned to normal. Courtney said: 'I love Lucas to bits . but he is a typical three-year-old and is always trying to get into my . things, which is very irritating!' | Courtney, 13, realised her three-year-old brother had experienced a seizure and had stopped breathing .
Her mother Kim said Courtney calmly performed CPR while she had panicked .
Courtney managed to revive Lucas after 20 minutes of chest compression and mouth-to-mouth . |
101309778895e6ca14fca581352735a07b9fc6f7 | Kate's £245 shoes are by Stuart Weitzman for Russell & Bromley . The Duchess teamed them with a matching £245 clutch by the same brand . Official £10 Team GB scarf comes from Next . Her favourite £500 Smythe blazer completed the look . By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:29 EST, 31 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:39 EST, 1 August 2012 . Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have dropped in on the British Olympic team's official residence to wish them good luck and to admire the bronze medal won by swimmer Rebecca Adlington. Yesterday's royal visit caught dozens of athletes by surprise. Adlington, who has a passion for fashion, told the duchess she loved her navy wedges - and couldn't help gushing about them afterward. Just dropping in: The Duchess of Cambridge laughs as she talks with Great Britain swimmer Rebecca Adlington during a visit to the Team GB accommodation flats in the Athletes Village at the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London . 'I just love her shoes. They're much nicer than the sports gear we're wearing this week,' said Adlington, who took bronze in the 400m freestyle. Kate's cork-heeled £245 wedges were from high street brand Russell & Bromley, and earlier in the day the Duchess was spotted using the matching £245 clutch bag at cousin Zara's equestrian event. Her patriotic neck scarf was a bit more of a bargain, just £10 from Next. The red, white and blue accessory is an official Team GB scarf and all profits made are chanelled back into the team. In the navy: Kate chooses matching accessories from the Stuart Weitzman for Russell & Bromley range . The £245 spring/summer wedges from Russell & Bromley feature a 4 inch cork platform . As an ambassador for Team GB Kate has . worn the scarf several times already in the run up to the games, and . the Union Jack colour scheme complemented her nautical themed outfit . perfectly. William and Harry, both wearing white Olympics shirts, toured the quarters for the women's handball players. Kate's Team GB scarf is available from Next in small (£5) or large (£10) sizes and all profits go back in to the team . Harry joked that his brother didn't know the rules, but William said he'd been reading up on the sport. The royals were at the Games yesterday with the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Cornwall to see Zara Philips and her teammates in the equestrian eventing final. The Queen’s granddaughter and her teammates narrowly lost out on the first British gold of the London Olympics and had to settle for silver. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, also talked to Rebecca Adlington and the other athletes . Prince Harry holds a Kangaroo given to him by Australian athletes as he walks with the Duchess of Cambridge (left) and the royal couple (right) Bronze medallist Rebecca Adlington couldn't help gushing about the Duchess of Cambridge's fashion sense . Proud of you cousin: The Royals cheers on their cousin as her mistake goes unpunished and Team GB take silver . | Kate's £245 shoes are by Stuart Weitzman for Russell & Bromley .
The Duchess teamed them with a matching £245 clutch by the same brand .
Official £10 Team GB scarf comes from Next .
Her favourite £500 Smythe blazer completed the look . |
10132b6fae0cffdc7f5ec2a7b2f2bbd5ec83288b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 12:00 AM on 3rd February 2012 . Malaria is killing almost twice as many people around the world than was previously thought, a study has shown. More than 40 per cent of the victims are older children and adults, challenging the belief that the vast majority of deaths occur among the under-fives. The infectious disease claimed 1.2 million lives worldwide in 2010, according to the new research. A mosquito feeding on human blood: Malaria is a disease caused by parasites transmitted by infected mosquitoes . This is nearly twice the number cited in a report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) published last year. The scientists, led by Dr Christopher Murray, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, US, analysed all available data on malaria mortality from 1980 to 2010. Their findings, published in The Lancet medical journal, showed consistently higher death tolls than those in the 2011 World Malaria Report. For children younger than five in Africa, death estimates were 1.3 times higher. For children and adults in Africa they were 8.1 times higher, and for individuals of all ages outside Africa they were 1.8 times higher. Worldwide, 433,000 more people over the age of five had been killed by malaria than WHO estimates suggested. 'You learn in medical school that people exposed to malaria as children develop immunity and rarely die from malaria as adults,' said Dr Murray. 'What we have found in hospital records, death records, surveys and other sources shows that just is not the case.' The better news was that after peaking in 2004 at 1.8 million, the number of fatal malaria cases had fallen each year. Between 2007 and 2010 they had seen an annual decline of more than seven per cent. The trend was chiefly due to health initiatives driven by major aid organisations such as the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, said the researchers. 'We have seen a huge increase in both funding and in policy attention given to malaria over the past decade, and it's having a real impact,' said co-author Dr Alan Lopez, from the University of Queensland in Australia. 'Reliably demonstrating just how big an impact is important to drive further investments in malaria control programmes. This makes it even more critical for us to generate accurate estimates for all deaths, not just in young children and not just in sub-Saharan Africa.' With the larger number of deaths, the goal of reducing malaria mortality to zero by 2015 might be unrealistic, the researchers pointed out. They wrote: 'We estimated that if decreases from the peak year of 2004 continue, malaria mortality will decrease to less than 100,000 deaths only after 2020.' | U.S study found malaria death rate twice the number cited by World Health Organisation . |
1013d3fda7f266a4569ab06448ac9511ebd8e3ce | There were almost 600 convictions for cruelty or neglect of horses, donkeys and ponies last year, two-and-a-half times more than in 2011, the RSPCA said. The animal welfare charity investigated almost 3,000 more complaints of animal cruelty and neglect in 2013 than in 2012, although overall convictions were down on the previous year, new figures showed. But there were 585 convictions for cruelty or neglect involving horses, donkeys and ponies last year, up from 500 in 2012 and an increase of 154 per cent on 2011's figure of 230, when the RSPCA warned of an equine crisis. There were 585 convictions for cruelty or neglect involving horses, donkeys and ponies last year . Cases included Bluey, a young mare who was found in an emaciated condition with her dead foal lying nearby, and Molly, a piebald filly who was emaciated and collapsed when she was found, but who after intensive care went on to win reserve champion in the Rescue Horse of the Year Championship at Equifest 2013. In total, there were 3,961 convictions in 2013, down from 4,168 in 2012. The number of individuals convicted also fell last year, from 1,552 in 2012 to 1,371, the charity's Prosecutions Annual Report showed. Dogs are still the most likely animal to be involved in cruelty cases, with 2,505 convictions related to dogs, a slight decrease on 2012's figure of 2,568. Dogs are still the most likely animal to be involved in cruelty cases (file photo) There were convictions in cases such as Rocky, a cross breed who was shot in the head five times, hit with a shovel and left to die in a ditch - although he miraculously survived - and shih-tzu Florence who was so badly neglected her paws fell off. Other cases investigated by the RSPCA included dogs being set on wild animals and a shar pei dog called Ruby who was kicked, punched and dragged along a pavement before she died. The RSPCA investigated 153,770 complaints of cruelty last year, an increase from 150,833 the previous year. David Bowles, the head of external affairs at the RSPCA, said: "Whilst we are heartened that the numbers of people convicted of cruelty have decreased, the fact that we are investigating more and more complaints shows that there is still a culture of cruelty out there. "Nothing illustrates this like the massive increase in equine-related convictions. "This is due mainly to irresponsible owners who have let their animals breed indiscriminately, together with an economic downturn which has seen feed prices go up and horses going for just a few pounds at market. "As a result, horses have been left to suffer without food and vet treatment." The RSPCA rescued an increased number of horses in 2013, up from 1,275 in 2012 to 1,797 last year. The charity also rescued 17,665 dogs. Mr Bowles added that although there had been fewer convictions relating to dogs, the charity was still rescuing more and more. The RSPCA rehomed 55,323 animals last year, it said. | 585 convictions for cruelty or neglect involved horses, donkeys and ponies last year .
Dogs are still the most likely animal to be involved in cruelty cases .
RSPCA rehomed 55,323 animals last year . |
1013d8d66d90024a11c777ad8beec0d5391d8e27 | Athens, Greece (CNN) -- Greece's Prime Minister George Papandreou announced Wednesday that a government reshuffle will take place Thursday, after which he will seek a vote of confidence in parliament. The planned reshuffle represents an attempt to win support for additional austerity measures intended to help the economy weather the current crisis, measures that sparked debate Wednesday in parliament as demonstrators protested outside. Papandreou faces strong opposition from his own party over the measures, with one member of parliament defecting and another saying that he would vote for them. After Papandreou's announcement of the reshuffle in a brief televised statement, the main opposition called for an early election. The Greek parliament has opened debate on the austerity measures, seen by some economists as essential to Greece's meeting the terms of its international creditors. Papandreou said the formation of a unity government requires agreement from all opposition parties on the cuts and privatizations agreed to in an international bailout Greece undertook slightly more than a year ago. Papandreou's reshuffle comes amid mounting opposition and the defection of one of his party's parliament members over the austerity program. The main opposition party, New Democracy, has repeatedly demanded that Papandreou quit and that a cross-party coalition renegotiate the terms of the bailout package. The government's popularity has plunged recently, and anti-government protests turned violent Wednesday, as demonstrators threw gasoline bombs at the Ministry of Finance and police fired tear gas at protesters, police said. Tens of thousands of protesters had vowed to form a human shield around the parliament to prevent lawmakers from debating new austerity measures Wednesday afternoon. "This is a joke. It is all a joke," protester Christos Miliadakis, 35, said of the government plans. "When will we be able to get out of this vicious circle? My wife lost her job. I had a 12% pay cut as a result of the first bailout. The new measures want to cut another 20% of jobs in the public sector," he said. "So if no one has money and we are just more in debt, who is going to drive the economy? We will live like slaves paying all our lives." Architecture student Maria Iliadi, 23, said that, for people like her, "the future in this country has been erased. There will be no big public projects, and no one will be building for a long time. Sometimes, finishing my degree seems totally pointless." About 25,000 demonstrators were on the streets of the capital by the middle of the day, police said. Two police officers and four civilians were slightly injured, and 12 people were arrested, they said. Labor unions were holding a 24-hour strike to protest the measures and planned to march to Parliament to join forces with the protesters. The strike has brought public services to a grinding halt and kept most transport networks at a standstill, although flights have not been affected. Rallies also were scheduled to take place in other Greek cities. On June 9, the Cabinet approved a tough five-year plan for 2011-15 and introduced a bill in Parliament to put the measures into effect. The government has said that the passage of these additional measures is essential to Greece's securing the fifth portion of a 110 billion euro ($158 billion) bailout package that Greece signed with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to prevent the country from defaulting on its debts. Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou has said the country hopes to secure a second bailout deal this month. The search for a second bailout comes after it became evident that Greece is extremely unlikely to raise capital from private markets in 2012 due to the prohibitively high interest rates it would face. Papaconstantinou has also indicated that European Union members may support calls to get the private sector involved. Despite the harsh austerity measures that the Greek government has imposed, it is failing to close its budget deficit as quickly as many had hoped. The country is in recession amid its fiscal restructuring program. The finance minister has defended the five-year austerity plan, saying it is needed to keep Greece solvent. The new measures will include a number of additional taxes and an additional 20% cut in public-sector jobs. Protesters have been gathering outside Parliament for more than three weeks as part of an ongoing peaceful demonstration against austerity measures, with some camping in the square facing Parliament. They call themselves "The Indignants," a grass-roots movement that takes its name from the Spanish campaign of "Los Indignados," who have been holding similar mobilizations against austerity across Spain. The Indignants issued a statement saying it would keep going until the politicians and technocrats it blames for what is happening in Greece "go away." The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's on Monday cut Greece's rating to just two notches above default, among the lowest in the world. The agency has said a default on some debt appears "increasingly likely." Unemployment in Greece skyrocketed to more than 16% in May, a 40% rise since last year. The European Commission has said Greece's economy was expected to shrink by 3.5% this year. Papandreou has pledged to continue with the changes no matter the political cost. He has said that the alternative, a default, "would be a catastrophe." The five-year austerity plan is expected to face a vote in Parliament in before the end of the month. | Prime Minister George Papandreou will seek a vote of confidence Thursday .
At least 25,000 turn out to keep lawmakers from debating budget-cutting measures .
The protests against the austerity turn violent, with gasoline bombs and tear gas .
Greece is getting international help to deal with its budget deficit . |
1014350e6fa6fd4d49a72fb8557958e1fef7ffd5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . The grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, who currently is running for governor in Georgia, implied Monday that should he become the next governor of the Peach State he will not put an end to state license plates that feature the Confederate flag. Since 2003, Georgia has offered a license plate backed by the group Sons of Confederate Veterans that prominently displays the 'stars and bars.' In February, the group redesigned the plates to make the flag stand out even more, which outraged civil rights groups. During an appearance on MSNBC's The Daily Rundown, Democratic Georgia state Senator Jason Carter said Georgians have the right to display the plates, and that he wouldn't - and likely couldn't - do anything to stop the state from doing so. Big footsteps to follow: Jason Carter (right) is running for governor of Georgia, an office once held by his grandfather, former President Jimmy Carter . Stars and Bars: Carter says he wouldn't get rid of specialty plates featuring the Confederate Flag . When asked if he would put a stop to the plates if he's elected governor, Carter says 'I don't know that we could block it, frankly.' He went on to say that he would rather people focus their attention on the role Georgia played in the civil rights movement. 'I would like to see us focus on that great legacy we have of Dr. King and Joseph Lowery and Andy Young,' Carter said. For some, the Confederate flag has come to represent their history and southern . heritage. For others, it has come to represent one of the darkest, most . shameful periods in U.S. history, as it was the flag flown by the pro-slavery Confederate Army during the U.S. Civil War. Hate: Opponents of the flag say it represents racism and hate and has no business in contemporary Georgia . Carter's opponent, Republican Governor Nathan Deal, also says he wouldn't stop the state from issuing the plates. When asked in February whether he worried the issue might hurt Georgia's reputation, Deal told a local television station that he doesn't think it's something Georgians should be worrying about. 'Hopefully, those who take offense at it will look at the fact that it is a part of a cultural heritage of our state,' Deal said during an appearance on WXIA. Opponents of the plate are outraged that the state is sanctioning something that they believe represents racism and hate. No argument here: Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, Carter's opponent, also says he wouldn't do anything to block the plates . Democratic state Representative Tyrone Brooks successfully led the push to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the Georgia state flag more than a decade ago. He says that the Legislature probably couldn't do much to ban the license plates, noting that it likely could only write a law that would ban specialty plates altogether, not specifically banning the Sons of Confederate Veterans tag. However, he says, the plate is an administrative matter, and is something for the governor and Georgia Revenue Commissioner Douglas MacGinnitie would have to deal with. Brooks says he's urged them to consider doing away with the plates. 'If the American Nazi Party applied for one of those, would we grant one? Absolutely no,' Brooks told FirstCoastNews.com in February. | Jason Carter says people have the right to display specialty plates that feature the Confederate Flag .
The plates are back by the group Sons of Confederate Veterans .
Opponents of the plates say they represent racism and hate .
Carter's opponent, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, also says he won't get rid of the plates . |
1014599c2200fa4359a9b23d431ef5f18dc44465 | By . Sam Webb . Nigeria's military knows where the more than 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram are but has ruled out using force to rescue them, the state news agency quoted Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Alex Badeh as saying on Monday. 'The good news for the parents of the girls is that we know where they are, but we cannot tell you,' Badeh was quoted as saying. 'But where they are held, can we go there with force? We can't kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back.' Scroll down for video . A still taken from a video by Nigeria's Boko Haram terrorist network shows the missing girls. A top Nigerian military official says the authorities know where the girls are, but cannot move in over fears for their safety . More than 200 girls were snatched from their school five weeks ago by Boko Haram, a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda. The girls have been tracked to three camps in the north of Nigeria, near Lake Chad, 200 miles from where they were abducted, senior officials told a Nigerian newspaper on Friday. 150 people were killed in bomb and gun attacks by the militants across the country last week. On Tuesday night a double car bombing in a market in the central city of Jos killed at least 130 civilians, while two days later another 48 died when militants stormed and burned settlements near Chibok. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau offered to trade the girls for the release of prisoners, which was declined by the Nigerian government . Boko Haram released a video two weeks ago showing some of the abducted girls in veils and reciting from the Qu’ran, and claimed they had converted to Islam. Their leader Abubakar Shekau offered to trade the girls for the release of prisoners, which was declined by the Nigerian government. Boko Haram's leaders had been threatening to sell the girls as brides for as little as £12, or force them to work in the sex trade if their demands were not met. Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan . and his government are confronting national and international outrage at . their failure to rescue the abducted girls. Thousands . have been killed in the five-year-old Islamic uprising that aims to turn . Nigeria into an Islamic state, though the country's population is almost . equally divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominantly . Christian south. | Top Nigerian military official says they cannot attempt a rescue operation .
'We can't kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back,' he said .
Pressure is growing on Nigerian government to bring the girls home safely . |
1014b33683407493f443474a45dd984cc6397413 | Two men in a helicopter have saved a birthing southern right whale in Western Australia from an imminent shark attack- and luckily, one of the men on board was able to photograph the extraordinary sequence of events . On Wednesday, tourism operator Sean Blocksidge was flying on a helicopter with his friend, helicopter pilot Brett Campany, taking aerial photographs off the coast of Cowaramup Bay, south of the Margaret River in Western Australia. From a great height, they first spotted the calving whale - and almost immediately after, a predator shark heading straight for the helpless mammal in the shallows. 'As we flew by the Wilyabrup cliffs about 1500 feet in the air, Brett and I spotted something. It looked like a really big fish from that high up! On closer inspection, we realised that it was a Southern Right Whale giving birth,' Mr Blocksidge told Daily Mail Australia. Scroll down for video . A story in photographs: From 1500 feet, Sean Blocksidge and Brett Campany spotted what looked like 'a really big fish' (photographed from the helicopter, pictured bottom right) close to shore off the coast of Cowaramup Bay. The friends soon realised that they had found a southern right whale giving birth to her calf. Brett Campany dropped the helicopter down to herd the shark back out to deeper water and away from a calving southern right whale off the coast of Cowaramup Bay . 'We get more than 30,000 whales migrating along the west coast at peak season every year. We see whales all the time, you'll see at least one a day. 'So you get to understand whale behaviour. I'd seen a whale calving quite recently so I knew what was happening when I saw the whale on Wednesday. You could tell that she was giving birth because they come close to shore and have certain mannerisms.They come close to the water's surface and arch their backs.' It was then that the pair spotted the bronze whaler shark and with only seconds to react, took it upon themselves to prevent the inevitable tragedy. Whilst watching the pregnant whale in the shallows, Mr Campany spotted a four-metre shark (pictured) in the distance, heading straight for the whale . 'We could see a shark moving down the beach. You could tell, it was coming quite quickly. It was massive, about four metres long and heading straight for the southern right. 'We only had seconds to think about it. There was no time, but we had to do something.' 'I mean, I'm all for letting nature do it's thing. We wouldn't normally interfere at all but it would be too sad if we left the shark to attack the brand new calf right after the poor mother gave birth.' Mr Campany dropped the helicopter down and closed in on the shark, to chase it away from the vulnerable calving whale and towards deeper waters. Throughout the whole ordeal, Mr Blocksidge kept taking photographs - a courageous task considering his chopper door was open the entire time. 'It was pretty cool to see what the helicopter could do. We turned sideways at one point when we were directly over the shark. I'd left my door open while I took photographs to get a better shot, so I was pretty nervous when I was hanging sideways directly over the shark with nothing between us!' 'It all happened so quickly but I just tried to keep clicking to get some photos. The shark high-tailed it out of there very quickly, he got a pretty big fright, I think,' Mr Blocksidge said. Brett Campany dropped the helicopter down to herd the shark back out to deeper water and away from the calving southern right whale. Sean Blocksidge tried to take photographs - a courageous task, with his door open and the helicopter on its side while they hovered over the shark . 'We couldn't believe what was happening, things just kept popping up before our eyes, it didn't seem real!' said Mr Blocksidge. 'We were near Williaborough beach and landed on the sand to give the whale plenty of space, because we didn't want to disturb her. We didn't want to stress the poor whale while she gave birth, but we were keeping an eye on her to make sure she was okay. Mr Campany landed the helicopter on the sand once the shark had been herded away from the whale and out to deeper water. From a safe distance, the men both watched the whale in the shallows . 'A pod of about 20 dolphins arrived to circle the birthing whale, it was really quite amazing - like the call of nature. We decided to fly off before the whale gave birth because we knew she was safe. The dolphins made a ring around her to protect her. 'We had a laugh and said well, we can leave because we know the dolphins are here to manage the maternity ward for the night!' said Mr Blocksidge. 'It was just amazing - nature at work. It's something you never forget.' 'It was like nature's call!' Mr Blockside and Mr Campany were amazed when a pod of around 20 dolphins arrived, encircling the expectant mother whale to protect her. The men left, assured the whale was safe with the dolphins there to 'manage the maternity ward.' 'It was like nature's call!' Mr Blockside and Mr Campany were amazed when a pod of around 20 dolphins arrived, encircling the expectant mother whale to protect her. The men left, assured the whale was safe with the dolphins there to 'manage the maternity ward.' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in r eprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. | Two men in a helicopter saved a calving whale when they used the chopper to chase away an approaching shark .
Sean Blocksidge was able to photograph the extraordinary sequence of events from the helicopter .
The incredible event took place off coast of Cowarmup Bay, south of the Margaret River in Western Australia .
After the shark was chased away, 20 dolphins arrived to protect the southern right whale, 'it was like nature's call' |
101503258a2103b00b9094dab2df79b38c885e6c | (CNN) -- Robert Kubica's Lotus-Renault team said Monday that the F1 star was "much better" after undergoing emergency surgery in an Italian hospital following his crash while competing in a motor rally. The 26-year-old Pole spent the night in an induced coma after a seven-hour operation to repair multiple fractures to his right arm and hand. Kubica required several transfusions during the procedure to stabilize his condition after losing a lot of blood following the high-speed accident. But in a statement on the team's official website, they said that Kubica had been briefly woken by doctors at the Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure and was able to talk to his relatives. "He was also able to move his fingers, which is an encouraging sign for the rest of the recovery process," it said. Dr. Mario Igor Rosello, the specialist who operated on Kubica, claimed the lack of swelling or infection on his right forearm was also a "good sign" but added it will be "several days before it is known if the operation is 100 per cent successful." Kubica badly hurt in rallying crash . Kubica suffered multiple fractures to his right arm and leg after hitting a guard rail when he lost control of his Skoda Fabia during the Ronde de Andorra rally in Italy. With the first race of the new Formula One season in Bahrain next month, his Lotus Renault team defended Kubica's decision to take part in a rally so close to the start of the season. "He loves rallying," team boss Eric Boullier told Italian news agency Ansa. "We knew the risks and so did he. We didn't want a robot or a corporate man for a driver. It was agreed." Kubica finished 2010 in eighth position and was due to start his fifth campaign as a first-choice driver, but there are now doubts as to whether the former Sauber driver will be fit to play any part in the 2011 campaign. When asked about the length of time it could take for 2008 Canadian Grand Prix winner to recover, Rossello is reported by the BBC to have said, "One year. One year is the best provision." Kubica also suffered fractures to his shoulder and elbow and Lotus Renault said the hospital would decide over the next few days if further operations were necessary on these injuries. Support has been offered from throughout the close-knit world of F1 for the only Polish driver to have ever driven at this level, including a specially-designed "Twibbon" on the social-networking site Twitter. McLaren's 2009 world champion Jenson Button tweeted, "Shocking news about Robert Kubica. I wish him a speedy recovery." Another driver to offer his sympathies was Williams' veteran Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who used his Twitter blog to say, "I would like to ask you for your best wishes to Kubica," and "we all like him and he deserves all the best." If Kubica is unable to take to the grid for the start of the season, Lotus Renault may choose to promote one of their two reserve drivers. The team's two options are Bruno Senna, who raced for HRT in 2010, and Frenchman Romain Grosjean. The 2011 Formula One season is set to get underway at Bahrain's International Circuit on March 13. | NEW: Lotus-Renault say Robert Kubica "much better" after his rally crash .
Kubica required seven-hour emergency operation to his right hand and arm .
Surgeon claims it will be several days before it is known if surgery fully successful .
His team defend the Pole's decision to race in a motor rally . |
1016c24dc970b12b0cc2aff122bb5e44d751d2fd | Six months since affair with biographer was revealed . Former general easing back into public life with charity work . Petraeus will also become a visiting professor at NY school . Just six months after resigning as director of the CIA, David Petraeus is returning to the public eye. Once a national hero for saving the United States from humiliation during his 2007-2008 stint as the commander of coalition forces in Iraq, Petraeus resigned as CIA director in disgrace in November after revealing an affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell. The affair that doomed his career in government began when Broadwell was researching and writing a book titled 'All In: The Education of General David Petraeus,' which Rolling Stone referred to as 'slobberific' and 'so one-sided that it is almost supernaturally dull.' Scroll down for video... Out in public: Petraeus worked out on Venice Beach with veterans last month . Laying low: David Petraeus resigned from the Central Intelligence Agency in November . Petraeus resigned as CIA director after the FBI learned of his affair with Broadwell. In what is being seen as a return to public life, Petraeus will serve as a visiting . professor of public policy at CUNY's Macaulay Honors College. His . employment begins on the 1st August. Mr. Petraeus, a highly decorated . four-star general who commanded the coalition forces in Afghanistan and . Iraq, is far better known for his accomplishments on foreign . battlefields than for his time in classrooms, but he graduated in the . top 5 percent of his class at the United States Military Academy. There is a long, bipartisan tradition in American politics of sexual indiscretion followed by redemption. Recently a number of former high-profile individuals have been attempting to make a comeback. There’s Mark Sanford, running for Congress in South Carolina after an affair during his term as governor. There’s also former N.Y. congressman Anthony Weiner, best known for the lewd tweets he sent, who has been testing the waters recently as a candidate for mayor of New York. He is even back on Twitter. Petraeus will likely have the easiest time of the three. He was a widely respected general whose affair may have hurt his family and his career, but he did not lie about it and resigned immediately when it came to light. According to Buzzfeed people around Petraeus say he's been thinking hard about how to manage his comeback, his image, and his new role outside national security. Petraeus has always been famous both for his intelligence and for his ability to manage the press, and he has signaled that he has thought hard about his predicament. Petraeus met Broadwell when she was a graduate student at Harvard University and working on a dissertation about him . Still together: David Petraeus stands alongside his wife Holly during his swearing in ceremony as the new CIA Director in September 2011. The couple are still married . Although Petraeus is better known for his accomplishments the battlefield, he graduated in the top five percent of his class at military academy . Last month he made a speech at the University of Southern California where he apologized to those he'd hurt with his affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell. 'I join you keenly aware that I am regarded in a different light now than I was a year ago,' he said. 'I know that I can never fully assuage the pain that I inflicted on those closest to me and on a number of others,' Petraeus said, according to news reports. 'I can, however, try to move forward in a manner that is consistent with the values to which I subscribed before slipping my moorings and, as best as possible, to make amends to those I have hurt and let down' He has signaled he’s ready to move on: 'One learns after all that life doesn't stop with such a mistake. It can and must go on.' He is also dealing with a lingering investigation as to whether he inappropriately shared secret documents with Broadwell. FBI agents reportedly visited his home earlier this month. The former Iraq and Afghanistan commander is showing savviness on mounting a return to public life. He has chosen to work with a charity that helps American veterans reintegrate into daily life. All for charity: CIA director David Petraeus¿ new gig . The former four-star general and fitness freak is even offering a chance to get sweaty with him for the price of a sandwich. It’s all in the name of charity and for the price of a $10 raffle ticket. 'You and a friend have the chance to see whether General Petraeus can kick your butt in a 5K,' notes a description for an upcoming event benefiting veterans’ group The Mission Continues. After the run with Petraeus — around the National Mall in Washington, there’s a session of 'mental' exercises 'discussing military strategy over a well-deserved coffee.' No doubt, there will be plenty to talk about. | Six months since affair with biographer was revealed .
Former general easing back into public life with charity work .
Petraeus will also become a visiting professor at NY school . |
1016e887689b7c328736b82fac02475d6a848fd1 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 04:50 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:23 EST, 10 January 2013 . Expensive: Temporary council worker Mike Boyle is raking in a whopping £779 a day at cash-strapped Southend Council in Essex . A temporary council worker is raking in a whopping £779 a day - earning more than both his own chief executive and the Prime Minister. Mike Boyle has been the interim head of adult commissioning at cash-strapped Southend Council in Essex since 2010. He remains in post today despite the council claiming it only recruits temporary staff as a stop-gap for vacancies or during periods of reorganisation. It emerged last week that senior stand-ins at Southend as well as Basildon and Essex County . Council cost £8million-a-year. In 2011/12, Mr Boyle would have been paid a staggering £187,154.40 based on his daily rate for 48 weeks - significantly more than council chief executive Rob Tinlin, who was on a basic salary of £148,881, and David Cameron, who is on £145,500. Mr Boyle, who works five days a week, was even on a higher rate than his current £779-a-day when he worked for the authority briefly in 2007, before he was drafted back three years later. Council leader Nigel Holdcroft said Mr Boyle was in post because the authority had been unable to find a permanent head of adult commissioning since 2010. Mr Tinlin said: 'When the post became vacant again 2010, we were unable to recruit to this position so Mike returned to fill the post in the interim, from June 2010 at a reduced rate of pay. 'Over the period Mike has been acting for the council, this and other posts have been filled on temporary arrangements to facilitate service reviews and a review of the senior management structure.' Southend Council would not say what Mr Boyle's original daily rate was before it was scaled back, but a slice of it will be paid to a recruitment agency, who provided My Boyle. Temporary: Mr Boyle has been the interim head of adult commissioning at cash-strapped Southend Council, Essex, since 2010 . Opposition leaders have called on the council to make better use of its money particularly as its budget is set to be slashed by the Government later this year while unions say 90 jobs are at risk. Martin Terry, leader of the opposition independent party, said: 'We are looking at more cuts this year and when you set that against the backdrop of these huge salaries it makes me angry. 'The council should be looking at training and using some of their existing staff to temporary fill in rather than bringing in staff at a ridiculous cost to the taxpayer.' Graham Longley, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in Southend, said: 'Interim staff is quite acceptable providing they are temporary and once they go beyond what is a reasonable timeframe for a temporary member of staff, they should not be in post. 'I'm surprised no-one has picked up on the fact that Mr Boyle has been in his role so long in terms of his temporary contract.' Interim members of staff are not entitled to pensions or holiday and sick pay, and Southend Council claims that it has reduced its numbers of temporary staff over the past few years. The council says Mr Boyle has played a major role in shaping council policy during his time in Southend. Since returning to the authority in 2010, he has taken the lead in a number of projects which have taken months and even years to reach fruition. Pricey: It emerged last week that Essex County Council, pictured, employed 162 interim staff costing £7.2million . Nigel Holdcroft, leader of Southend Council, defended the authority. He said: 'When we employ interims they have always been for a good reason, either because we have been unable to find a suitable appointment or where we anticipate that there is likely to be a reconstructuring of areas of the council. 'Councils are under financial pressure and on occasion it's in the financial best interests to fill a post with an interim because it gives us greater flexibility. 'We can only appoint somebody full-time if we can find the right person to fill the role and we are confident that role is going to be retained in any future organisation. 'We go through great lengths to ensure the number of interim staff is kept to an absolute minimum and when they are appointed it is for a good reason and that reason is discussed by senior staff at the council.' At Basildon Council, one executive director who remains in a job is . paid £565-a-day and was among seven other staff who earned more than . £300 a day. They were all hired through agencies. One interim executive director has been in post since August 2011 and is not due to leave until April 2013. In total, Basildon Council spent £501,000 on temporary staff in 2011-12, . while Southend's seven temporary employees cost a total of £330,000. Essex County Council, which has cut almost 1,000 workers since 2009, . employed 162 interim staff costing £7.2million. Two of the temps were . paid more than £900-a-day. Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the Taxpayer's Alliance, said last week: ‘Taxpayers will be shocked that local authorities in the county are spending so much money on interim staff. ‘Temporary staff may be needed sometimes to fill roles in the short term, but these figures suggest they are being used for far longer than that by local authorities which is an enormous waste of money. ‘Councils need to explain why these staff were needed or to take action to deliver better value for our money.’ Mr Boyle has declined to comment. | Mike Boyle has been in his role at Southend Council since 2010 .
But council claims it only recruits temporary staff as a stop-gap .
Mr Boyle would have earned £187,154.40 last year based on his daily rate . |
101741edf475c5240d21bafe33643b60d3418fc6 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Conservative columnist and former CNN "Crossfire" co-host Robert Novak has died after a yearlong battle with cancer, his family said Tuesday. He was 78. Robert Novak was a syndicated columnist who was a regular on CNN for 25 years. Novak died at home, over a year after doctors diagnosed him with a malignant brain tumor in August 2008. He was dubbed "The Prince of Darkness" by friends for his pessimistic persona, and he used the nickname as the title of his 2007 memoir. However, Sam Feist, CNN's political director, said the dour visage masked a "warm-hearted guy" who "cared a lot about the people who worked for him." Watch how Novak will be remembered » . "If you were a friend of Bob Novak's, you couldn't have a better friend," Feist said. Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide, said the network was saddened by the death of "a journalist of the old school, hard-working, practical and passionate about our profession." "From its earliest days and for some 25 years, Bob shared generously with CNN and with CNN viewers his authority, credibility, humor and towering presence," Walton said in a statement. "We're grateful to have worked alongside him and send our respect and sympathy to his family." Novak was a veteran columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and a regular commentator for CNN for 25 years, beginning when the network launched in 1980. For most of that time, he was a co-host of the political debate program "Crossfire." But he also hosted a show with his longtime column co-author, Rowland Evans, and appeared as a panelist on shows like "The Capital Gang" and on PBS' "The McLaughlin Group." Novak got his first newspaper job in 1948, when he was still in high school. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said Novak had "the kind of keen insight that can only be gained through years and years of dedication to a craft." "He was a Washington institution who could turn an idea into the most discussed story around kitchen tables, congressional offices, the White House and everywhere in between," McConnell said in a written statement. Novak served in the Army during the Korean War before turning to the news business, eventually starting his column with Evans at the now-defunct New York Herald-Tribune in 1963. In 2003, he found himself at the center of the scandal over the exposure of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, when he published a column revealing her CIA status days after her husband challenged a key Bush administration justification for the invasion of Iraq. While staunchly conservative, Novak opposed the invasion and was frequently critical of the Bush administration. He cooperated with prosecutors and was not charged in the leak case. The scandal ultimately led to the conviction of Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators probing the leak. Novak later testified that the leak began with then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and was confirmed by Karl Rove, who was then President George W. Bush's top political adviser. Both men cooperated with the investigation, and neither was charged. iReport.com: Share memories of Novak . Novak was born to a Jewish family in Joliet, Illinois, on the outskirts of Chicago, but later became a devout Roman Catholic. He took up skydiving in his early 70s and was a passionate sports fan. He also once appeared as an extra in a Washington opera production. In an editorial published with news of Novak's death, the Sun-Times said Novak's columns "were marked by his determination to dig out new information." "He combined that with sharp analysis, insightful commentary and passion about the issues facing the nation to emerge as a brawling contestant in the great national debates of his era," the newspaper said. Veteran Democratic consultant and on-air sparring partner James Carville said Novak "had the best sources in the Republican Party," making his weekly column a must-read for political insiders. "What you saw on television was an ideological guy, a fire-breathing right-wing guy," Carville said. But Novak "still had the sort of ethos of the reporter." Novak left the network in 2005 after an on-air blowup with Carville, who had been needling him over the CIA leak case. CNN suspended Novak, who apologized for using the word "bullsh*t" on air, and he resigned at the end of the year. "I want to thank CNN for making this network available to me for 25 years," he said at the time. "Never censored me once, ever, and I said some outrageous things. And it was a wonderful opportunity for me." | NEW: CNN chief calls him "old school, hard-working, practical and passionate"
Robert Novak got his first newspaper job in 1948, when he was in high school .
The conservative syndicated columnist formerly co-hosted CNN's "Crossfire" show .
Novak was at center of scandal caused by outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame . |
101742e883ac0ed5bccb35692c10310a3f107505 | By . Daniel Martin . PUBLISHED: . 12:13 EST, 31 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:29 EST, 31 October 2013 . Stateside: Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said it was 'unacceptable' that British black actors have to go to the USA to find success . The portrayal of black Britons on . screen suggests they can only be successful in sport, music or . entertainment – and not in business or the law, a senior Labour . frontbencher claimed yesterday. Chuka Umunna, the party’s business . spokesman condemned the ‘lazy stereotypes’ that mean too many strong . black role models are ‘ignored’. Mr Umunna also said it was . ‘unacceptable’ that British black actors could not achieve mainstream . success in the UK without first breaking America. In a speech to mark Black History . Month, Mr Umunna criticised the lack of black role models across the . professions. He said: ‘If young black people can’t see people who look . like them editing our newspapers, sitting on the Supreme Court or . running our great British companies, how can we give them the hope that . if they work hard, they can make it too? ‘You see, shining a light on our role models is crucial because too many of them are ignored.’ And he said one of the reasons for . this was that ‘the broadcast and film media have a tendency to . stereotype black people: to present an image of black British people . that suggests we can succeed in sport, entertainment and music, but not . necessarily in other fields’. Mr Umunna, seen as a rising Labour . star, also raised the issue of many black British actors having to . leave the UK for the US to get better roles. He said: ‘Too many in the British film . and television industries simply don’t cast black British actors in . certain roles that fall outside those stereotypes. ‘It’s often only after they’ve made it . big in the States that black British actors get more – and more varied – . roles here. 'That is unacceptable and has got to change. As a society, . we cannot allow people to default to lazy stereotypes.’ Breakthrough: Hackney's Idris Elba secured the lead in BBC hit Luther after playing a drugs baron in U.S. drama The Wire . His comments come after National . Theatre performer David Harewood encouraged ‘young Black British actors . to get to America if they have ambition’. He said it was a fact that . aspiring actors would have to follow the lead of Adrian Lester, Idris . Elba and himself by crossing the Atlantic in search of success. Mr Elba, from Hackney in East London, . landed the lead in BBC drama Luther only after establishing himself by . playing a drugs baron in US TV series The Wire. Mr Harewood secured a role in Homeland . after sending producers an audition tape, while Mr Lester – who starred . in Hustle – has expressed his frustration with the process of securing . lead roles. Struggle: Adrian Lester (left), who starred in the BBC's Hustle, headed for America in search of more lead roles while David Harewood, who has bemoaned the lack of roles in the UK, played David Estes in U.S. hit Homeland . In his speech, Mr Umunna said: ‘As a . non-white person in Britain today, you’re twice as likely to be . unemployed as a white person. If you are a young black graduate, you’ll . earn on average only three quarters of what a white graduate earns. ‘If you have an African-sounding . surname, you need to send about twice as many job applications as those . with traditional English names – not even to get a job – but just to get . an interview.’ He added: ‘And I’m being generous . here. I haven’t gone into the over-representation of black people in the . criminal justice and mental health systems – or the disproportionate . numbers of young black Caribbean boys, say, being excluded in our . schools.’ | Chuka Umunna condemns assumptions about black role models .
Shadow business secretary slams 'unacceptable' media attitudes .
He says it is wrong British actors must go to U.S. for mainstream success .
Hackney's Idris Elba landed Luther after starring in HBO hit The Wire . |
1017b93d918c9db0067b77eb0a0555037123cb94 | Ancient Greece's Venus de Milo, Michaelangelo's David and Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring are all set to appear in a blockbuster show in east London today. For these reproductions of classic artworks have all been made out of Lego blocks by American artist Nathan Sawaya. He has brought his his exhibition of Lego sculptures to the UK for the first time after it has been seen by millions of people around the world. Tearing his art out: Nathan Sawaya stands with his sculpture 'Yellow' at the Art of Brick Exhibition in London . Faithful reproduction: Sawaya's interpretation of Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring . Trippy: In this sculpture entitled 'Computer' a hand reaches eerily out from the screen to use the keyboard . Sawaya's giant colourful statues of skulls, bodies bursting open, dinosaurs and faithful interpretations of classical works have already been seen in New York, Shanghai and Singapore. Now the former corporate lawyer is showing more than 75 of his artworks in the exhibition The Art Of The Brick which will open, appropriately enough, in Brick Lane in east London on Friday. More than a million Lego bricks have been assembled into his figures, which include one of his most familiar images in which a human chest is prized apart, with blocks spilling out. It took Sawaya almost 4,200 hours to produce his collection, which includes a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton which is made up of 80,000 bricks. Organisers expect the exhibition, due to continue at The Old Truman Brewery venue until January 4 of next year, to be a huge draw. Conceptual: The former corporate lawyer is showing more than 75 of his artworks in the exhibition The Art Of The Brick which will open, appropriately enough, in Brick Lane in east London on Friday . 'Augustus': More than a million Lego bricks have been assembled into his figures . 'Everlasting': Sawaya's giant colourful statues of skulls, bodies bursting open, dinosaurs and faithful interpretations of classical works have already been seen in New York, Shanghai and Singapore . 'Yellow Facemask, Red Facemask and Blue Facemask': Sawaya spent nearly 4,200 hours making his collection . 'Swimmer': Sawaya says he enjoys working in a medium that everyone can relate to . Contrived and creative: The exhibition is a mixture of Lego recreations of classic works, such as Michaelangelo's David, left, and Sawaya's own work, such as the one shown right . Sawaya has said of his use of Lego: 'Everyone can relate to it since it is a toy that many children have at home. I want to elevate this simple plaything to a place it has never been before. 'I also appreciate the cleanliness of the medium. The right angles. The distinct lines. 'Up close, the shape of the brick is distinctive. But from a distance, those right angles and distinct lines change to curves.' Carol Stenberg of promoter ExhibiTours said: 'He has taken everyone's favourite iconic toy bricks and has elevated them to an art form that inspires people of all ages. 'Nathan's sculptures are truly amazing and excite the imaginations of everyone who sees them.' | Nathan Sawaya's work already shown in New York, Shanghai and Singapore .
From Friday 75 of his sculptures will be exhibited at the Old Truman Brewery .
It took the artist 4,200 hours to produce his remarkable collection . |
101877b5cae1386fad0a31077e90db3879083c9b | (CNN) -- Rescuers combed through mangled wreckage early Sunday searching for survivors after two passenger trains collided in southern Poland, leaving at least 16 dead. An American citizen was among the dead, said a spokesman with the U.S. Consulate in Krakow. In addition to the fatalities, the collision Saturday night injured at least 60 others, according to the Polish State Fire Brigade. Authorities are "almost sure there will be no living persons inside the wreckage," said Marcin Kopczynski, the duty officer. "We are using dogs to see if there are any living persons inside but no signs yet." A firefighter described the rescue operation at the crash site in Szczekociny as complicated. "The damage (to) the wagons is huge. We have contact with victims. We approach very cautiously," firefighter Jaroslaw Wojtasik told CNN's Polish affiliate TVN. More than 100 passengers who were not injured were evacuated to Warsaw, authorities said. CNN's Joyce Joseph contributed to this report. | NEW: A U.S. citizen is among the dead, consulate confirms .
NEW: Finding more survivors is unlikely, duty officer says .
At least 60 people are injured .
The rescue operation is complicated, a firefighter says . |
1019066942464c49aaf820c1f6f496b30a96d409 | American model Sean O'Pry is continuing to make waves this side of the pond thanks to his latest smouldering campaign for Next. The 25-year-old from Kennesaw, Georgia, who is the world's top earning male model according to Forbes, is back for a third season with the High Street label. Dressed in stylish Spring '15 looks, he's pictured strolling down the palm tree-lined streets of LA, on the beach and in a studio. Scroll down for video . Sean is pictured strolling down the palm-tree lined streets of LA in Next suits coming in at £40 for trousers and £60 for a jacket . Next's latest menswear range features sharp, affordable tailoring, casual weekend jumpers and chinos, plus street-wear parkas and shoes. The accomplished star is modelling the brand's third seasonal range, after making headlines with the SS14 and AW14 styles. He recently worked closely with pop princess Taylor Swift in her video for her number one hit, Blank Space. In the clip, he plays Taylor's love interest and they share a steamy kiss. And his portrayal of her lover won him a whole new fan base, as well as worldwide recognition. Despite getting close to the singer Sean's reportedly dating Australian Home and Away actress, Jessica McNamee, 28. 'They met through mutual friends during the summer. She fell for him hard,' a source has told magazine US Weekly. 'It's going well, everybody likes him. He has a good sense of humor on top of those looks,' the insider is also quoted saying. The High Street label is certainly a more accessible brand for Sean, and his work with it has exposed him to a wider audience . However, Sean's rep has denied the genetically blessed pair are an item, saying the reports are 'not true' and that they 'are just good friends'. Last month, when asked about his relationship status and if he was single, the smouldering music video star told E! News: 'I plead the Fifth. The less people know the better.' He also appeared in Madonna's 2012 video for Girl Gone Wild, but the hunk is better known for his role as in Taylor's film clip for Blank Space, which received more than 100 million views on YouTube. The accomplished star is modelling the brand's third seasonal range, after making headlines with the SS14 and AW14 styles . He's now modelling Next's latest menswear range features casual weekend jumpers and chinos, plus street-wear style parkas and shoes . Sean has been making a name for himself as a model after being scouted through MySpace in 2006, while he was just 17. He has been hard at work lever since, landing major ad campaigns for high end designers like Versace, D&G, Marc Jacobs, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Jil Sander and Viktor & Rolf. Branching out into the British High Street could be a smart move on behalf of Sean's management. David Gandy went from D&G to M&S, and he's now a household name who models and designs for the trusted store. He has lent his face and opinion to prestigious British brands - even writing articles for UK publications like Vogue, GQ and the Telegraph - and remains a leading face in the world of male modelling. According to Forbes magazine, it's estimated that Sean, managed by VNY Model Management, earned £940,000 ($1.5 million) in 2013 making him the world's highest paid male model. In a recent interview Sean, a man's man, said he likes to golf and restore cars in his spare time. Sean has been making a name for himself as a model after being scouted through MySpace in 2006, while he was just 17 . He has been hard at work lever since, landing major ad campaigns for high end designers and the High Street alike . In a recent interview, man's man Sean said that he likes to golf and restore cars in his spare time . Sean featured in Taylor Swift's video (l) and with brunette Jessica McNamee (r). Sources say they are dating but his rep denies the rumours . | Sean, 25, from Kennesaw, Georgia, models Next's seasonal offering for third season in a row .
He's pictured in suits and summer menswear for the brand's Spring '15 campaign .
World's highest earning male model boasts long list of clients such as Calvin Klein, Gap, D&G and Viktor & Rolf .
Plays Taylor Swift's love interest in Blank Space video, but it reportedly dating Aussie atress Jessica McNamee . |
1019b1166aaf86000cdd95830300d5529407f22a | They were supposed to be getting a good view of the sea during a walk along the Newquay coastline. But three intrepid tourists got into difficulty when they failed to remember the tide was coming in. The trio were left stranded and desperately calling for help as the water started to come in around the rock they were standing on. Scroll down for video . Three walkers had to be rescued by a lifeboat crew after they became stuck on a rock as they walked along the beach near Newquay and had lost track of time and were unaware the tide was coming in, trapping them . A lifeboat crew rescued them just minutes before the rock became completely submerged because of the incoming tide. The lifeboat was dispatched to rescue the walkers after attempts to pluck them from the rock using a harness had to be abandoned because parts of the cliff started to give way. 'The timing was perfect, within minutes of them being rescued the area they were standing was completely underwater,' said Chris Charlton, who witnessed the dramatic rescue. 'Once they got into the lifeboat it was so rough the boat nearly tipped over with them all inside. 'It's a popular walking spot but unfortunately people don't think about the times of the tides and they get caught. 'It is really not that far from where those poor surfers drowned a few weeks ago, people need to be aware of how dangerous the sea can be. Rescuers had to abandon efforts to save the trio using a harness because rock and shale started to crumble . The trio were left surrounded by sea as the tide started to come in at Whipsiderry beach and Watergate Bay . A lifeboat was dispatched to save the trio before the rock they had been on was completely submerged . 'Thankfully these three people were all rescued safely, but they were within minutes of it being a totally different kettle of fish.' The two men and a woman had become trapped on a rock as they walked along Whipsiderry beach and Watergate Bay near Newquay. It is thought they became stranded after losing track of time and the incoming tide. Witnesses said the lifeboat looked like it would tip over several times as the crew tried to rescue the walkers . The three people were taken to safety by the lifeboat crew who battled the incoming tides to rescue them . The Coastguard was called out at about 3pm last Sunday after it received reports of the stranded trio. When attempts to rescue them from above failed as rocks and shale started to give way, the RNLI was called. Two rigid-inflatable boats (RIB) were sent to the scene to try and remove the walkers by sea. The three had reportedly lost track of time and were unaware of the tides while out exploring the coast . Earlier attempts to rescue the three walkers had to be abandoned after shale and rock started to crumble . The Newquay inshore lifeboat and the Newquay and Padstow Coastguard crew attended. A spokesman from the UK Coastguard said: 'When going on the beach or the coast we ask people to please make sure they check the tide times and have an exit strategy.' Whipsiderry beach is just three miles from Mawgan Porth, where three surfers died as they tried to rescue teens caught in a rip tide last month. | Three walkers had been exploring the coastline near Newquay, Cornwall .
But they lost track of time and were cut off by incoming tides .
They called for help but attempts to rescue them using a harness failed because rocks and shale above Whipsiderry beach started to crumble .
Lifeboats had to be sent and rescued two men and a woman from a rock .
Dramatic rescue took place minutes before the rock was submerged . |
1019da8890171f0f3739ed3836218038aa552d2c | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 14:31 EST, 14 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 15:56 EST, 14 February 2014 . A four-year-old California boy has survived being thrown 20 feet from his car seat with just minor scrapes in what his mother has called a 'miracle.' Elisa Miranda and the boy's father were driving along the Interstate 5 in Anaheim around 8:15pm Thursday when he lost control while swerving to avoid tire tread on the road and hit a concrete wall. Miranda's son Angel was thrown through the shattered back window of the SUV and landed 20 feet away in a tiny clump of vegetation - the only cushioned spot nearby. Sleeping Angel: The little boy rests in hospital after being thrown from 20 feet from a car . '[There was] a bed of ice plant there, and anywhere north of that or south of that it's all concrete,' California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer Troy Christensen told KTLA. 'One in a million. It's something that you go through your whole career and never see,' he said. Miranda says that after their car came to a stop she turned around and realized her son was not in the backseat. 'Miracle': Elisa Miranda says her son must have an angel watching over him after landing on the one cushioned spot in a sea of concrete . 'I was screaming "Angel, Angel where's my son?"' she told KTLA. 'I was scared that my son would be dead.' Angel was ejected from the car, flying 20 feet through the air before landing in a lone soft patch of ice plants by the side of the road. Accident: Angel's father was driving the family in their SUV when he swerved to avoid tire tread on the road and lost control . Miranda told KTLA that her son had been buckled into a booster chair. CHP is investigating if the device was fitted properly. Angel was treated for minor cuts and scrapes at the UC-Irvine Medical Center and released Friday. His mother says the only way to describe his survival is that is is a 'miracle.' 'He has a big angel next to him,' she said. | A four-year-old boy was thrown 20 from the back seat of his family's SUV onto a highway .
Angel managed to land in a patch of ice plant, the only greenery in a sea of concrete .
Police say if the boy had landed anywhere else he likely would have died .
The boy's father had swerved to avoid tire tread and lost control of the car, hitting a wall .
Angel's mother Elisa Miranda says her son's survival is a 'miracle' |
1019f078d40ee75cd1c27827c3c4d5736d1767b3 | Sierra Nevada Corp said there were 'serious questions and inconsistencies in the source selection process' Work on a pair of U.S. commercial spaceships to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station will be delayed after a losing contender protested the Nasa awards. Sierra Nevada Corp, which lost out with its plans, said there were 'serious questions and inconsistencies in the source selection process'. It has now launched a legal complaint - which Nasa admits will delay the entire project. Scroll down for video . Space race: Elon Musk unveils his Dragon V2 shuttle which is capable of launching up to seven astronauts into orbit. Nasa revealed today it is one of two craft selected to begin shuttling astronauts to the International space Station in 2017. The CST-100 spacecraft will at first be used to take astronauts to the ISS, pictured. However, Boeing also envisages a future where it is used to transport astronauts to private spacecraft such as Bigelow Aerospace's inflatable habitats, which will be launched in the future . Sierra Nevada Corporation is constructing what some regard as the true successor to the Space Shuttle. Known . as the Dream Chaser (test vehicle pictured below), this ‘mini-shuttle’ of sorts will launch upright . on top of a rocket, taking a crew of seven into orbit before gliding . back to Earth at the end of its mission. The U.S. space agency awarded contracts worth up to $6.8 billion to Boeing and privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, to finish designs, build, test and ultimately fly crews to the station, a $100 billion research laboratory that orbits about 260 miles (418 km) above Earth. The awards, announced on Sept. 16, culminate a four-year program to restore U.S.-based human spaceflight services following the retirement of the space shuttles in 2011.Since then, NASA has been dependent on Russia to fly station crewmembers, a service that currently costs the United States about $70 million per seat. In addition to Boeing and SpaceX, privately owned Sierra Nevada Corp bid to continue development of its Dream Chaser spaceplane under NASA’s so-called “Commercial Crew” program. The contracts include up to six operational missions. Boeing’s award is for $4.2 billion. SpaceX offered to do the work for $2.6 billion. On Friday, Colorado-based Sierra Nevada formally protested the awards, saying its proposal would cost $900 million less than Boeing’s. 'NASA’s own Source Selection Statement and debrief indicate that there are serious questions and inconsistencies in the source selection process. SNC, therefore, feels that there is no alternative but to institute a legal challenge,' the company said in a statement. Dream Chaser . The protest, filed with the Government Accountability Office, will temporarily keep NASA from moving forward with the next phase of its Commercial Crew program, NASA's Bolden told Reuters. NASA has 30 days to respond to Sierra Nevada’s challenge. GAO is expected to issue its ruling by Jan. 5, 2015. Bolden was in Toronto for the opening of the week-long International Astronautical Congress. The long awaited $6.8bn deal to replace the Space Shuttle and end reliance on Russia's Soyuz craft was revealed at the Kennedy Space Center, where launches will take place from 2017. Boeing's design would be launched into space using the Atlas 5 rocket built by the United Launch Alliance, a venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corp. It will take crews of seven people to the ISS and other destinations . That rocket uses a Russian-built RD-180 engine, which has also triggered some concerns given tensions with Russia. 'From day one, the Obama Administration made clear that the greatest nation on Earth should not be dependent on other nations to get into space,' Nasa Administrator Charlie Bolden said at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 'Thanks to the leadership of President Obama, the hard work of our NASA and industry teams, and support from Congress, today we are one step closer to launching our astronauts from U.S. soil on American spacecraft and ending the nation’s sole reliance on Russia by 2017. 'Turning over low-Earth orbit transportation to private industry will also allow NASA to focus on an even more ambitious mission – sending humans to Mars.' The two Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts are designed to complete the NASA certification for human space transportation systems capable of carrying people into orbit. Once certification is complete, NASA plans to use these systems to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station and return them safely to Earth. 'Today we don't know who will be the first commander - but we know is will be a major achievement for our nation,' said Golden. Under the deal, Boeing will be given $4.2bn and SpaceX $2.6bn. Nasa hopes it will spur private development in space. 'Ideally several years from now there will be other laboraties where people will be going - that's the vision of a commercial space industry,' said Golden. The contracts include at least one crewed flight test per company with at least one NASA astronaut aboard to verify the fully integrated rocket and spacecraft system can launch, maneuver in orbit, and dock to the space station, as well as validate all its systems perform as expected. Once each company’s test program has been completed successfully and its system achieves NASA certification, each contractor will conduct at least two, and as many as six, crewed missions to the space station. These spacecraft also will serve as a lifeboat for astronauts aboard the station. "We are excited to see our industry partners close in on operational flights to the International Space Station, an extraordinary feat industry and the NASA family began just four years ago," said Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "This space agency has long been a technology innovator, and now we also can say we are an American business innovator, spurring job creation and opening up new markets to the private sector. 'The agency and our partners have many important steps to finish, but we have shown we can do the tough work required and excel in ways few would dare to hope.' The companies will own and operate the crew transportation systems and be able to sell human space transportation services to other customers in addition to NASA, thereby reducing the costs for all customers. the craft will replace the Space Shuttle following its retirement. The final shuttle mission was completed with the landing of Atlantis on July 21, 2011, bringing about the end of the 30-year Space Shuttle program. Earlier this year Boeing took a major step forward in its bid to replace the space shuttle. The aerospace giant completed a key review of its design for a new commercial venture to fly astronauts to the International Space Station. The multibillion-dollar program has taken on new urgency in recent months, given escalating tensions with Russia over its annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine. John Mulholland, vice president and program manager for Boeing's commercial space exploration programs, said the company faced some difficult challenges as it developed its design, but got 'excellent' feedback from Nasa during the review last month. Boeing's CST will take crews of seven people to the ISS and other destinations from 2017, it was revealed today. 'From a technical standpoint, the review went very well,' he said. 'To the best of my knowledge we’re the only CCiCAP competitor that actually was able to complete all of the milestones in the period of performance,' he said. Mulholland said, measured in mass, the Boeing design for the cargo module was 96-percent complete at the time of the review, while its design for the crew module was 85-percent complete, two metrics that underscored the maturity of the design. He said the critical design review marked a major step for the Boeing program. 'You've got to be able to stand up at that review and show the analysis and tests that demonstrate that you're going to be able to meet those requirements,' he said. Boeing remains confident it could complete work on the new spacecraft in time to begin flight tests in 2017, Mulholland said. Boeing's design would be launched into space using the Atlas 5 rocket built by the United Launch Alliance, a venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin Corp. That rocket uses a Russian-built RD-180 engine, which has also triggered some concerns given tensions with Russia. He said the module was designed from the beginning to be compatible with other launch vehicles, if necessary, although that would still entail some modification of the interface between the spacecraft and the launcher. Since the Space Shuttle was retired in July 2011, the US has relied on Russia to get its astronauts into orbit. But through their Commercial Crew Program, Nasa has been busy funding the development of a new breed of spacecraft. Next generation: SpaceX says the shuttle will provide a less expensive way to connect to the Space Station . Boeing has unveiled a mockup of the interior of their new Crew Space Transportation (CST-100) vehicle that will be used to astronauts into space in the coming years. The capsule is funded by Nasa as part of their programme to develop private spacecraft . Boeing’s vision for the future of human spaceflight is the Crew Space Transportation (CST-100). They unveiled the new commercial interior . of its CST-100 next-generation manned space . capsule, showing how people other than Nasa astronauts may one day . travel to space. This is the first time they have made the design of the interior public. Boeing and partner Bigelow Aerospace highlighted the future commercial interior of the capsule it is developing for Nasa, while Bigelow showcased a full-scale model of its BA 330 inflatable space habitat that astronauts could one day live in. 'We are moving into a truly commercial space market and we have to consider our potential customers - beyond Nasa - and what they need in a future commercial spacecraft interior,' said Chris Ferguson, former Space Shuttle Atlantis commander and current Boeing director of Crew and Mission Operations for the Commercial Crew Program. Engineers from across Boeing leveraged the company's decades of experience in commercial and government aerospace to design the capsule's interior. The capsule, interior view of a prototype pictured, will be able to seat a crew of seven and it will also be able to take cargo into orbit. It is in direct competition with SpaceX's manned Dragon capsule and Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser space plane, all of which are vying to be the first private company to take humans into space . 'Boeing's teams have been designing award-winning and innovative interiors for our airplanes since the dawn of commercial aviation,' said Rachelle Ornan, regional director of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. 'Designing the next-generation interior for commercial space is a natural progression. A familiar daytime blue sky scene helps passengers maintain their connection with Earth.' | Sierra Nevada Corp said there were 'serious questions and inconsistencies in the source selection process'
Boeing's Crew Space Transportation (CST-100) and SpaceX's Dragon awarded contracts to built spacecraft to launch in 2017 . |
1019fe77c072086edb78d367d89e89722f65698f | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 04:03 EST, 30 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:18 EST, 30 December 2012 . The leaders of three of England's biggest cities have warned government cuts will lead to the 'break up of civil society' with chaos on the streets . Council leaders of Newcastle, Liverpool and Sheffield, where Nick Clegg . is an MP, called for the government to halt cuts that they say . unfairly penalise the north over the south, before 'crime and . community tensions erupt'. There are also signs of a backlash from rural authorities, mostly Conservative-led, who claim that the shires are losing out disproportionately under the Government's cuts. The leaders of three of England's biggest cities have warned government cuts will lead to chaos on the streets, such as that seen in London during the riots of 2011 . David Cameron and George Osborne announced in the Autumn Statement that councils must find a further 2 per cent of savings in 2014/15, on top of the 27 per cent cuts announced in 2010. The Labour leaders of Newcastle, Liverpool and Sheffield - where Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is an MP - wrote to The Observer accusing Whitehall of 'Dickensian' views. 'Rising crime, increasing community tension and more problems on our streets will contribute to the break-up of civil society if we do not turn back' they write. 'The one nation Tory brand of conservatism recognised the duty of government to help the country's most deprived in the belief that economic and social responsibility benefited us all. 'The unfairness of the Government's cuts is in danger of creating a deeply divided nation. We urge them to stop what they are doing now and listen to our warnings before the forces of social unrest start to smoulder.' Separately, The Sunday Telegraph reported that more than 120 rural councils were weighing up a judicial review of the spending settlement for local authorities because it was 'grossly unfair' and would hit services in remote areas. George Osborne announced in the Autumn Statement that councils must find a further 2 per cent of savings in 2014/15 . Roger Begy, leader of Conservative-controlled Rutland Council and chairman of a new campaign called 'Sparse', said: 'Rural authorities for the last 10 to 12 years have been seriously under funded in relation to urban areas. 'For the last 18 months we have been working with the Government reviewing the (spending) formula that takes into account deprivation. Now that has been ignored completely and all the promises ministers made have disappeared. We are going to have to do something. 'This is totally unfair and is going to crucify a lot of rural areas. People are going to be isolated.' Communities Secretary Eric Pickles prompted warnings of further reductions in services when he announced this month that English councils would have their spending power reduced by 1.7 per cent next year. Mr Pickles claimed the settlement represented a 'bargain' for local authorities, adding that the Government would offer support for the third year so that council taxes could be frozen. A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: 'Councils must keep doing their bit to tackle the inherited budget deficit because they account for a quarter of all public spending and still get through over £114 billion of taxpayers money each year. 'The local government settlement is a fair deal arming councils with an average spending power of £2,240 per household. It is fair to the north and south, and fair for rural and urban areas. 'Councils can protect frontline services and save the taxpayer billions in cash if they share back office services, tap into their healthy reserves and cut out the non jobs and waste. 'Councils that fail to do these things are letting down their hard working residents.' The council leaders – all from Labour-run cities – have also accused the government of increasing the 'north south divide' through a scheme called the New Homes Bonus. It sees local authorities all fund a bonus pot that rewards local authorities where new homes are built. They say it is sucking money from the north as developers build more homes in the south because of the bigger demand and the higher prices that they command. Figures from public services union Unison reveal that all the top 10 gainers from the scheme in cash terms were in the south while all top 10 net losers were in the north. | Council leaders of Newcastle, Liverpool and Sheffield have warned 'crime and community tensions will erupt'
They say the cuts are 'in danger of creating a deeply divided nation'
Authorities have been told they need to find further 2 per cent of savings in 2014/15 . |
101a47c503dbd9611f763de74964bde3e8ae69ac | By . Alex Greig . Five Wisconsin teenagers have been arrested and face charges of first-degree attempted murder for the beating and stabbing of two 19-year-olds. Sergio Rivera, 17, Royce Bressette, 17, Cory Mayer, 17, Tyler Brickham-VanVorce, 17, and a 16-year-old boy were all arrested in relation to a violent encounter at a party in Howard. The incident is believed to be caused by a dispute between rival gangs. Write caption here . Facing charges: Tyler Brickham-VanVorce (left), 17, and Royce Bressette (right), 17, were involved in the beating and stabbing of two other teens . Underage: Cory Mayer (left), 17, and Sergio Rivera (right), 17, and their co-accused may be involved in a gang . The five boys were at the party on February 8 in a house on the 800 block of Sunridge Court. There were both adults and minors at the party, as well as drugs and alcohol. According to Journal Sentinel, there was a fight at the party before a group of individuals, including the five suspects, left the property. They later returned and in the fight . that ensued, 19-year-old Dillon Winnekens of Suamico was struck in the . head with a blunt object and 19-year-old Richard Lafave of Oconto Falls . was stabbed in the back multiple times, according to ABC2. The two were treated at St Mary's Hospital in Green Bay around 12:30pm on February 8th. Victims: Richard LaFave (left) and Dillon Winnekens (right) were admitted to hospital after the fight . Scene of the crime: The alleged attempted murders happened on this Howard street . Doctors alerted police to the incident and the five were arrest for party to the crime of attempted first-degree intentional homicide. According to his arrest record, Winnekens has previously been apprehended on child abuse, robbery and battery charges. In a recent Facebook post, he alluded to joining a gang, posting a song by Almight Latin Kings and uploaded by GangBangCapitol, adding, 'This is the only song i have heard all day cant get it out of my head i cant wait to be one of my bros [sic].' He also posted graphic images of the head wounds he sustained in the fight, held together with metal pins. The 17-year-olds are expected to be charged today. | Sergio Rivera, 17, Royce Bressette, 17, Cory Mayer, 17, Tyler Brickham-VanVorce, 17,and a 16-year-old face charges of first-degree attempted murder .
19-year-olds Dillon Winnkens and Richard LaFave were beaten and stabbed at a Howard, Wisconsin party .
The five teens left the party after a fight only to return for retribution later .
Police were alerted to the incident by doctors who treated Winnekins for head wounds and LaFave for several stab wounds in his back .
Police believe the fight may have been related to gang activity . |
101a7743432a007242b6d19ef52ff89eb02950e2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:52 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:20 EST, 19 October 2013 . A boy aged just 12 could have carried out a string of sex attacks around a university campus, police said. They have released a computerised image, above, of the young suspect, which they said made the incidents ‘even more shocking’. Officers are linking the assaults in the last month near the University of Manchester. The first two took place within 15 minutes of each other on September 21. Greater Manchester Police have released an image of a 12-year-old boy who may be responsible for a string of sex attacks around a university campus . Appeal: Greater Manchester Police have asked for information about the attacks . A 27-year-old was grabbed before she screamed and scared the offender off. Then an Asian boy made lewd comments to a 21-year-old woman as she left a library before attacking her. In the third attack, on October 5, a 32-year-old was approached by two Asian boys and assaulted by one. Detective Constable Pam Collins said the attacker also made violent threats to the women. Detective Constable Pam Collins from Longsight Police Station said: 'After speaking to the women, we have managed to complete an evofit of the offender. As you can see from the image he looks fairly young which makes these assaults even more shocking. 'After each woman has told the offender to go away he has followed this up with violent threats so we are keen to find this individual as soon as possible. 'I would ask anyone who either recognises the image, witnessed any of the assaults or may have fallen victim to this person to call us.' Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 4223 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. | Computerised image of suspect released .
String of assaults near to University of Manchester .
27-year-old, 21-year-old and 32-year-old attacked in last month . |
101b39315f5c22294e4dece5bd5f8088ece91f1c | President Barack Obama and other world leaders have decided to end Russia's role in the group of leading industrialized nations, the White House said Monday. The move to suspend Russia's membership in the G8 is the latest direct response from major countries allied against Russia's annexation of Crimea. "International law prohibits the acquisition of part or all of another state's territory through coercion or force," the statement said. "To do so violates the principles upon which the international system is built. We condemn the illegal referendum held in Crimea in violation of Ukraine's constitution. "We also strongly condemn Russia's illegal attempt to annex Crimea in contravention of international law and specific international obligations." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier in the day that being kicked out of G8 would be no big deal. "G8 is an informal organization that does not give out any membership cards and, by its definition, cannot remove anyone," he said during a news conference. " All the economic and financial questions are decided in G20, and G8 has the purpose of existence as the forum of dialogue between the leading Western countries and Russia." Lavrov added that Russia was "not attached to this format and we don't see a great misfortune if it will not gather. Maybe, for a year or two, it will be an experiment for us to see how we live without it." Ukraine orders Crimea troop withdrawal . In a nod to political and economic reforms, the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Italy added Russia to their group in 1998 -- transforming it from the G7 to the G8. An aide to British Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed to CNN that a group summit initially planned for June in Sochi, Russia, where the Winter Olympics were just held, is now off. The United States and its allies in Europe are "united in imposing a cost on Russia for its actions so far," Obama said earlier in the Netherlands where he attended a nuclear security summit with other world leaders. Western powers have imposed sanctions and other penalties against specific people in Russia close to President Vladimir Putin. A senior Obama administration official, not speaking for full attribution, said Obama and other leaders agreed that further steps to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin could include sanctions on energy, banking and defense sectors -- all areas where Europe is deeply engaged economically with Russia. Those additional sanctions could be prompted if Russia further escalates its incursion into Ukraine, which the official defined as sending troops beyond Crimea into the southern or eastern parts of the country. Violence in the contested peninsula could also trigger further sanctions. While the official said further penetration of Ukraine by Russian troops remains the most immediate source of concern for the United States, other potential land grabs also worry the United States and its allies. NATO has expressed concern Russia could attempt to reclaim a region of Moldova with Russian sympathies. Can Obama's European trip re-assert U.S. global leadership? Obama has said a military incursion in Ukraine is off the table, and his advisers are hesitant to even frame the crisis in Ukraine as a bad '80s flashback -- Obama in one corner, Putin in the other. It's not "Rocky IV," as Secretary of State John Kerry said. White House officials don't care to publicly muse about Putin's intentions. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said the Russian President's actions speak for themselves. The White House emphasis throughout the Russian occupation of Crimea has been "de-escalation." Asked whether the United States will provide military aid to Ukraine's woefully underfunded armed forces, administration officials cautioned that such assistance could inflame tensions. "Our focus has been and remains on the economic and diplomatic instruments at this point," Rice said. "Our interest is not in seeing the situation escalate and devolve into hot conflict." Lavrov met with Kerry on Monday and said Russia's action in Crimea was necessary. "It was the necessity to protect Russians who live there and who lived there for centuries," he said in the news conference. "And when our partners compare Crimea to Kosovo, because in Kosovo a lot of blood was shed then its independence was proclaimed. So we have a question then: Is it necessary for the blood to be shed in Crimea to agree on the right of the people in Crimea for self-determination?" While Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the United States are stepping up their calls to provide Ukraine with light arms and other military aid, administration officials have argued that sanctions put in place so far must be given time to take hold. With an estimated 20,000 Russian troops on Ukraine's border, the question is whether Obama's use of soft power will deter Putin. With little resistance, the Russian President could easily move into eastern Ukraine even as Obama seeks to isolate Moscow in meetings with European allies. It's a possibility not lost on senior administration officials. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican, argued the Russian leader is likely eying more opportunities in the coming days. "(Putin) has put all the military units he would need to move into Ukraine on its eastern border and is doing exercises. We see him moving forces in the south in a position where they could take the southern region over to Moldova," Rogers said on NBC's "Meet the Press." There are other approaches. Obama's former ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, urged the administration to intensify its policy of isolating Putin. "Mr. Putin's Russia has no real allies. We must keep it that way," McFaul wrote in an op-ed in the New York Times. What does Putin want next? | Industrialized powers acted to penalize Russia over Crimea .
Obama in the Netherlands says the U.S. and European allies united in imposing costs on Russia .
Russian foreign minister downplays effect of losing G8 membership .
U.S. will concentrate on diplomatic, economic moves against Moscow . |
101b82f50f0766b6bbdaee60c4d1382424c276d1 | Washington (CNN)New allegations have emerged from the man described as the 20th 9/11 hijacker, alleging members of the Saudi royal family supported al Qaeda. Zacarias Moussaoui, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to six terror-related charges, makes the allegations in a sworn statement contained in a brief submitted Tuesday as part of an ongoing civil case by the families of 9/11 victims. In the late 1990s, Moussaoui says, he was tasked by Osama bin Laden to create a digital database cataloging al Qaeda's donors. Every day for two or three months, he says, he entered names of the group's donors into a Toshiba computer, along with how much they gave. Moussaoui, who has been in U.S. custody for more than 13 years, said the list featured high-profile people, including several members of the Saudi Royal family, whom he named in his testimony. They include Prince Turki al-Faisal Al Saud, former director-general of Saudi Arabia's Foreign Intelligence Service and ambassador to the United States. Moussaoui, a French national, said he was chosen for the database job because of his education and ability to speak English. "Shaykh Osama wanted to keep a record who give money ... who is to be listened to or who contribute to -- to the jihad," he said in sometimes stuttered answers. CNN cannot independently confirm the claims Moussaoui makes in his new testimony, which was made under oath as part of a brief filed in opposition to a motion to dismiss a case against Saudi Arabia for its alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks. Unlike a deposition, Moussaoui was not subjected to cross-examination by the defendants' lawyers. Moussaoui's credibility has been called into question before. And though Saudi Arabia's role in the attacks has long been a topic of suspicion, the 9/11 Commission's report, released in 2004, concluded there was no evidence the Saudi government funded al Qaeda. See also: ISIS captors 'didn't even have the Quran' "It does not appear that any government other than the Taliban financially supported al Qaeda before 9/11, although some governments may have contained al Qaeda sympathizers who turned a blind eye to al Qaeda's fund-raising activities," the report said. "Saudi Arabia has long been considered the primary source of al Qaeda funding, but we have found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organization." Still, the report noted in parentheses, "This conclusion does not exclude the likelihood that charities with significant Saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al Qaeda." In a statement reacting to these latest allegations, the Saudi Embassy in Washington said, "There is no evidence to support Moussaoui's claim. The Sept. 11 attack has been the most intensely investigated crime in history and the findings show no involvement by the Saudi government or Saudi officials." The Saudi statement also referred to the assessment of the 9/11 Commission. "Moussaoui is a deranged criminal whose own lawyers presented evidence that he was mentally incompetent. His words have no credibility," the statement said. "(Moussaoui's) goal in making these statements only serves to get attention for himself and try to do what he could not do through acts of terrorism -- to undermine Saudi-U.S. relations." Moussaoui's new sworn statements were taken in October at a supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, where he has been held since his life sentence was handed down in 2006. Related: Saudi dilemma: How to spot potential terrorists . In them, Moussaoui goes on to say he met with members of the Saudi royal family in person more than once in Saudi Arabia, in order to hand-deliver letters to and from al Qaeda's notorious leader. "I was introduced as the messenger for Shaykh Osama bin Laden," Moussaoui told attorneys on Oct. 21. "Did they treat you well during the [first] visit?" the lawyer asked. "Extremely well," Moussaoui said. Moussaoui said he traveled on private jets and in limousines. His meetings took place in luxury hotels and even Saudi palaces. He was also given money for travel expenses at the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad, which he considered a bribe, he said. Furthermore, Moussaoui said his primary point of contact with the royal family was Prince Turki al-Faisal Al Saud, and that Turki introduced him to other prominent members of the family, including another former Saudi ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin Sultan. Tuesday's court filing also included statements by three members of the 9/11 Commission, former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, and former Sens. Bob Graham and Bob Kerrey. Their statements do not support the specific claims Moussaoui makes, but do say that further investigation of Saudi government involvement is necessary. "I am convinced that there was a direct line between at least some of the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11th attacks and the government of Saudi Arabia," Graham wrote. Kerrey told CNN on Friday that while he can't verify Moussaoui's specific allegations, he does believe the new information highlights the need for further investigation. "It deepens suspicions that everything about Saudi involvement is not as well-known as it should be," he said. But this suspicion of the Saudi government is not shared by all. Robert Jordan, who was U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2001 to 2003, told CNN he "was given no hint whatsoever of direct Saudi leadership involvement -- any financing or any planning -- for these attacks." Jordan said he was regularly in touch with Robert Mueller and George Tenet, who led the FBI and CIA, respectively, and felt assured over the course of their investigation that allegations against the Saudi government were without merit. "A lot of it was my own questioning," said Jordan." 'Are you sure? Have you made certain that none of the people we're dealing with now at the senior level had anything to do with these attacks or with supporting the terrorists who financed and orchestrated them?' And I was routinely and universally given the information that they felt comfortable at least at the senior level they hadn't." See also: Why Obama says fight with ISIS isn't a religious war . Moussaoui has made incriminating claims about the Saudi government before. Last November, he said that Saudi Embassy officials were involved in a plot to shoot down Air Force One "to assassinate Bill Clinton and/or Hillary Clinton." He also said at that time that he had met with a Saudi prince and princess in early 2001 when he was taking flying lessons in Norman, Oklahoma, and that she "gave me money." Lawyers for the Saudi government denied those claims, saying pointedly, "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had no role in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001." And the Saudis are not the only ones who have refuted Moussaoui's account of the 9/11 plot. In 2006, Osama bin Laden released an audiotape in which he denied Moussaoui's assertion that he was supposed to strike the White House with a 747 on September 11, 2001. "I am the one in charge of the 19 brothers," bin Laden said, referring to the 19 known hijackers, "and I never assigned brother Zacarias to be with them in that mission." Many -- if not all -- of Moussaoui's statements over the years have been called into question. During his 2006 sentencing trial, an expert witness testified that Moussaoui suffered from delusional paranoid schizophrenia. He was prone to loud and disruptive outbursts during that trial, and guards testified he would sometimes make irrational claims to them. He has also asked for certain concessions in exchange for testimony, such as a warmer cell in a different unit of the supermax prison. Beyond his claims about the donor database, Moussaoui also says in this latest sworn statement that he was involved in a series of other plots against U.S. targets. Specifically, he says he was given explosives training to attack the U.S. Embassy in London with a truck bomb. "I conducted a trial test of explosives for bomb of 750 kilogram of ammonium nitrate," he said. "The plot was agreed with Shaykh Osama bin Laden." Moussaoui said his team in that plot included Richard Reid, known as "the shoe bomber," who Moussaoui previously said was supposed to take part in the 9/11 attacks -- allegations that Reid has denied. The plot against the embassy in London was eventually canceled, Moussaoui said, and he was sent to Malaysia to explore the possibility of attacking the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. That plot was also canceled, Moussaoui told his attorneys, so he went to the U.S. to look into attacking Air Force One -- the plot he first revealed in November. "My plan was not to launch the attack," he insisted in the statement. "It was only to see the feasibility of the attack." CNN's Jennifer Rizzo, Deborah Feyerick and Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report. | Zacarias Moussaoui says members of the Saudi royal family supported al Qaeda .
The so-called 20th hijacker in the 9/11 terrorist attacks makes allegations in a brief that's part of a case by 9/11 victims' families .
Moussaoui, who's been in U.S. custody for more than 13 years, has had his credibility questioned before . |
101ba8ef5101a8072b20f233522a8ce4a3ffd395 | Jailed: Lee Wilkinson, who was jailed for 11 months at Newcastle Crown Court after biting off the finger of Michael Dent during a nativity play at Harton Primary School in South Shields, Tyne and Wear . A man bit off the tip of a love rival's finger at a children's nativity play after a long-running feud. Father-of-three Lee Wilkinson, 40, attacked Michael Dent during the festive performance after Mr Dent had an affair with the attacker's wife while he was working away from home. When the men saw each other at Harton Primary School, South Shields, they became embroiled in an angry verbal confrontation. A fight broke out, during which Mr Dent, 33, put his hand in Wilkinson's mouth, who then 'bit hard' on the finger. Wilkinson was sentenced to 11 months in prison at Newcastle Crown Court, after the judge said that he had 'used his mouth as a weapon'. The court heard how Wilkinson had been working offshore when Mr Dent started a relationship with his wife, Louise. When the relationship 'became serious', Wilkinson separated from his wife, which resulted in a 'large amount . of animosity and hostility'. The pair had already fought each other on two previous occasions. Bridie Smurtwaite, prosecuting, said: 'They both attended the school, with Mr Dent arriving in the queue behind the defendant. She told the court how scientific expert Mr Cooper had believed ‘this injury must have required severe force.’ His report went on to say how ‘the injuries caused were consistent with the jaws going up and down on the tip of the victim’s finger and one of them would have had to pull with some force to cause the tip to have become separated from the rest of the finger’. Wilkinson, from South Shields, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and a separate public order offence relating to a run-in between the two men on Christmas Eve in 2011, at an earlier hearing. Affair: The court heard how Mr Dent, pictured, and Wilkinson had fought on two previous occasions after Dent began a relationship with Wilkinson's wife . Miss Smurthwaite told the court how the pair had previously fought on two earlier occasions, and Dent was cautioned by police at both times. She said: 'On the first occasion, on 19 November 2010, Dent had been at his ex-wife’s house, when he saw Wilkinson in the conservatory. 'He believed that he heard Wilkinson talking about him so he went into the conservatory and assaulted him. On the second occasion in August 2011, Dent attacked Wilkinson outside the Glitterball night club in South Shields as he began to walk home. The pair fought in the street and after police were called, Dent was again cautioned for assaulting Wilkinson. In a statement taken by police, Dent said: 'I’m worried about bumping into him in the street. I would have to claim compensation as I am a full time scaffolder and will be unable to work for some time. 'It has caused a great deal of upset for my children.' Tom Moran, defending, said: 'The background to these two men goes back a long way. While working as a taxi driver in February 2008, he was assaulted by a passenger who was not prosecuted. 'He had to have plastic surgery to the inside of his mouth after it was prized open during the attack. 'After being unable to work for some time he then took on a job in the North Sea, which sees him work all year round and means he is often away for up to three weeks at a time. Weapon: Judge Simon Hickey, sitting at Newcastle Crown Court, pictured, told Wilkinson that he had 'used his mouth as a weapon' 'During one of the occasions he was away, his wife Louise, who he has three children with, started a relationship with Mr Dent. 'This was a relationship that became serious and the two separated and she set up home with Mr Dent. Judge Simon Hickey sentenced Wilkinson to 11 months imprisonment, 10 months for unlawful wounding and one month for a public order offence. The judge said he had taken into account Wilkinson’s early pleas, the two earlier offences for which Dent had been cautioned for, his clear work ethic, and for the fact Dent was having an affair with his wife. Judge Hickey told Wilkinson: 'You were both attending a nativity play at a local school. 'You both moved, as can be seen for the footage, into the foyer away from the children and I saw females of all ages in the area where you started to scuffle. 'It’s reassuring to see that you do not have any previous convictions for violence, you were a man of good character previous to this matter. 'The victim was spared any reliving of this offence as you pleaded guilty immediately. It was while you were away at sea to provide for your children that this man began an affair with your wife. 'It is in my judgement that if someone loses the tip of their finger, they will have the reminder of this throughout the rest of their life. 'It must be remembered that in this case you used your mouth as a weapon.' | Lee Wilkinson, 40, and Michael Dent, 33, involved in long-running feud .
Mr Dent began an affair with the attacker's wife while he worked offshore .
Wilkinson was sentenced to 11 months in jail at Newcastle Crown Court .
Judge told him that he had 'used his mouth as a weapon' |
101c28f4ee391b63073da2d6ec66faaf26b00d10 | Opposition: Rowan Williams said a new marriage law for gay couples would amount to forcing unwanted change on the rest of the nation . The law has no right to legalise same-sex marriage, the Archbishop of Canterbury declared yesterday. Dr Rowan Williams said a new marriage law for gay couples would amount to forcing unwanted change on the rest of the nation. He also said it would be wrong to legalise assisted dying because of the threat it would pose to the vulnerable and because it would go against the beliefs of most people. In a key speech on human rights, the head of the Anglican Church put his weight behind other leading clergy who have launched a powerful campaign to prevent David Cameron from going ahead with his plan to allow the full rights of marriage to same-sex couples. Dr Williams’s predecessor in Lambeth Palace, Lord Carey, notably told the Mail last week that same-sex marriage laws would be ‘one of the greatest political power grabs in history’. Dr Williams’s statement means the Prime Minister now knows he will face opposition from the liberal-minded leadership of the Church of England – as well as its determined traditionalists – if he continues on the track towards legalised gay marriage. The Archbishop said human rights law ‘falls short of a legal charter to promote change in institutions’. Dr Williams added: ‘If it is said that a failure to legalise assisted suicide – or same-sex marriage – perpetuates stigma or marginalisation for some people, the reply must be, I believe, that issues like stigma and marginalisation have to be addressed at the level of culture rather than law.’ Defiance: David Cameron declared that he was in favour of same sex marriages last Autumn . The Archbishop indicated to MPs earlier this week that CofE churches would never be used to solemnise gay marriages and Anglican officials underlined that the Church says marriage must remain a union between a man and a woman. Dr Williams’s intervention in the argument yesterday, in a speech to a World Council of Churches gathering in Geneva, echoed, in typically mild academic language, the sentiments expressed by Lord Carey. The Archbishop has long been a personal supporter of gay rights and his lecture yesterday insisted Christians must accept that gay equality laws are here to stay. But he has also listened to the concerns of traditional Christian believers since he began his career at Lambeth Palace in 2003 by refusing to allow an openly gay cleric to take a post as a CofE bishop. His remarks yesterday came after Coalition ministers insisted they would go ahead with a same-sex marriage law whatever the churches say. Equality minister Lynne Featherstone said last week the churches did not own marriage law. She added a same-sex marriage law would be ‘about the underlying principles of family, society and personal freedoms’. Mr Cameron declared for same-sex marriage last autumn, saying: ‘Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other. ‘I don’t support gay marriage in spite of being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I am a Conservative.’ A consultation document on how a gay marriage law would work is due out shortly. Dr Williams said in his speech that same-sex marriage law was wrong because it tried to impose cultural change. He added human rights language could be ‘confused and artificial’ when it strayed from protecting the vulnerable. It could become ‘an alien culture, pressing the imperatives of universal equality over all local custom and affinity’. | Archbishop also says wrong to legalise assisted dying because of threat to the vulnerable .
Dr Rowan Williams told MPs that C of E churches would never be used to solemnise gay marriages . |
101f5a1fa1d852c34f0a49e2c54bd871bbb9ccc3 | By . Phillip Quinn . and Colin Young . PUBLISHED: . 13:26 EST, 2 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:50 EST, 2 March 2014 . Should Alan Pardew remain in charge of Newcastle? Martin O'Neill feels under-fire . Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew owes a debt of gratitude to Irish . midfielder David Meyler for turning the other cheek in Saturday's . headbutt horror at Hull. The Republic of Ireland boss hailed Meyler's responsible reaction to the weekend's biggest talking point. 'A . lot of players may have reacted differently to David, that's what I . think. I think Alan Pardew will be pleased that it was Meyler that he . was dealing with,' said O'Neill. VIDEO Scroll down to see Alan Pardew and Steve Bruce's comments after the headbutt . What was he thinking? Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew headbutts Hull City player David Meyler . Lucky man: Martin O'Neill said Pardew should owe a debt of gratitude that it was Meyler involved . Clashing point: David Meyler had to restrained by fellow player Hull City player Ahmed Elmohamady . Anger: Meyler was seen pushing Pardew as the pair clashed when a stray ball went out of play . 'I think David did very, very well for the Newcastle manager. Other players may have gone down. 'His . own club manager Steve (Bruce) made reference to that. 'I know David and . I think overall he did very, very well,' he . added. Pressed for his . personal view on Pardew's actions, O'Neill said: 'I think if you don't . mind I'll probably steer clear of that. 'It didn't . look good.' Meyler, who . played for the Ireland boss at Sunderland, is not the sort of character to allow . Saturday's incident affect him, according to O'Neill. 'I . don't think that sort of thing will bother him. It doesn't seem as if . he has stepped out of line in any way, not at all,' he said. Pardew was left clinging to his job . as Newcastle manager after the club fined him £100,000 and reprimanded . him for the headbutt during an astonishing touchline . bust-up. Clash: Pardew reacted in unprecedented fashion to being barged by the Ireland international . Scuffle: The incident started after Meyler pushed Pardew out of the way with the ball rolling towards him . Newcastle United are disappointed with the actions of its manager Alan Pardew this afternoon (Saturday, 1st March). His behaviour was unacceptable and is not the behaviour we expect from the manager of Newcastle United. It . is most disappointing that this incident has taken the focus away from . what was a fantastic performance by the team and an excellent result . away from home which leaves the club in eighth place in the Barclays . Premier League. Sadly, . the headlines tomorrow will not be focused on the result or the efforts . of the players, but instead on the actions of our manager. Alan . unreservedly apologised immediately following the game to the player, . to Hull City Football Club and its fans, and to the fans of Newcastle . United. We have held . discussions this evening with Alan who has offered his sincere apologies . to the Club and it is clear he deeply regrets his actions. Alan has . accepted a formal warning from the Club in relation to his behaviour . today and also a Club fine of £100,000. The Club is now drawing a line under this matter and will be making no further comment. The Newcastle manager was ordered to . the stands in disgrace by referee Kevin Friend. Then, after his side’s . 4-1 victory, Pardew expressed his regret and said sorry for his actions. Hours later he was fined £100,000 by his club and formally reprimanded for ‘unacceptable behaviour’. But . two of Newcastle’s past heroes, striker Alan Shearer and ex-manager . Graeme Souness, publicly branded Pardew’s position at the club untenable . and insisted United owner Mike Ashley had every right to . tear up the 52-year-old’s contract, which has six years to run. While . his team celebrated victory, Pardew, who has a history of touchline . confrontations with opposition managers, said: ‘I tried to ease him . [Meyler] away and I put my head in a forward motion. You just can’t do . that. I apologised to him, to everyone at Hull and in particular to my . own fans. ‘It was a . heat-of-the-moment thing. I just wanted to get the guy away from me but . it was a forward motion and you can’t do that. I am not stupid enough to . think there’s going to be no punishment. I just have to accept it.’ That . punishment is almost certain to be considerable. The FA are taking the . incident very seriously and Pardew faces a significant ban — quite . possibly to the end of the season. Off you go: Pardew is sent to the stands by referee Kevin Friend . Opinionated: Alan Shearer, who managed Newcastle in 2009, slammed Pardew for his headbutt . Bittersweet: Souness also laid into Pardew for his actions as Newcastle ran out 4-1 winners . From above: Pardew (centre) looks on from the stands as Newcastle secured a 4-1 win . Sportsmail's Graham Poll . calls Pardew foolish for his headbutt on David Meyler, but insists more . needs to be done about the referee's control in the technical area. Click here to read more . FA chairman Greg Dyke said: ‘It looks serious and we will investigate.’ Shearer, who played more than 300 times for Newcastle, called Pardew’s position at the club untenable. ‘What on earth can Alan Pardew say to his players when they misbehave?’ added Shearer. ‘I have never seen anything like that before, ever. ‘Frankly I wouldn’t be surprised, and I don’t think anybody will be surprised at all, if Alan Pardew were to resign over this. ‘Even if he doesn’t want to resign, the club might be saying to him, “We might be doing you a favour — you resign rather than us sack you”, because that will have to be in his thinking also.’ Souness added: ‘That is a sackable offence. I’ve been frustrated and upset by a number of things, but I’ve never gone down that road.' November 2006: Pardew had earlier in the year criticised Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for failing to field an English player in the Champions League match against Real Madrid and matters came to a head in West Ham's 1-0 win over Arsenal. Then West Ham boss Pardew's enthusiastic celebrations appeared to irritate Wenger, who claimed he was 'provoked in a disrespectful way', with the pair having to be kept apart by the fourth official. On this occasion, it was the Gunners boss who was fined by the Football Association, with Pardew cleared of all charges. March 2012: In a Tyne-Wear derby, it perhaps comes as no surprise that the tension boiled over, with Pardew, now Newcastle boss, clashing with Martin O'Neill following his celebration to Shola Ameobi's late equaliser in a heated match. Both managers pledged afterwards to keep their emotions in check in future. August 2012: Pardew came under severe criticism and then afterwards labelled his behaviour 'ridiculous' when he shoved linesman Peter Kirkup in the Magpies' season opener against Tottenham after disagreeing with the official's decision to award Spurs a throw-in. Pardew once again apologised for his actions but the Football Association took a dim view and hit him with a two-match touchline ban and a £20,000 fine. January 2014: Pardew became involved in another touchline row, less than a month after having heated words with Southampton boss Pochettino, with Manchester City manager Pellegrini. Television cameras clearly showed the Newcastle boss launching an expletive-laden volley at the Chilean. Pardew was spared punishment but said later: 'It was a heat of the moment thing, words we always have as managers, to a degree. I've apologised and I'm fortunate that he's accepted that.' | Alan Pardew fined £100,000 by Newcastle after headbutting Hull City's David Meyler .
The 52-year-old was sent to the stands and faces an FA charge .
Pardew apologised, saying it was 'a heat-of-the-moment thing'
Martin O'Neill said he was lucky the victim was Meyler . |
101ffb2a2fa10e859b61f722f02181ecbaa1949c | (CNN) -- Less than an hour before her mastectomy was scheduled to begin, Eve Wallinga's surgeon gave her the bad news: Because of unforeseen complications, doctors wouldn't be able to reconstruct a new breast for her immediately after removing her cancerous breast as planned. She was told she'd have to wait another day for the plastic surgery. According to one expert, the median time from breast cancer diagnosis to surgery is two weeks: "way too fast." Wallinga wept openly; she'd dreaded waking up from surgery without a breast, and now she had no choice. "I was devastated," says the 53-year-old writer from St. Cloud, Minnesota, whose breast cancer was diagnosed three years ago. "I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me." Today Wallinga considers that delay one of the luckiest moments of her life. She says it gave her the time to investigate other procedures to reconstruct her breast besides the two her surgeon had recommended. With that time, she ultimately made a very different decision. Wallinga's experience highlights an emerging issue in breast cancer care: With so many choices to make -- Mastectomy or lumpectomy? What type of reconstruction? To get chemotherapy or not? -- there's concern women aren't being properly informed about all the treatment options available to them. "People are typically presented with 'Here's how it's going to go,' " says Nancy Nixon, director of the Contact Center at the Breast Cancer Network of Strength, which receives more than 45,000 calls a year from people with breast cancer and their families and friends. "Once we explain to them there are other options, the callers say, 'Oh, I didn't even know that was available.' " According to a recent report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 70 percent of breast cancer patients who are eligible for breast reconstruction procedures were not informed of the reconstructive options available to them. Nixon says sometimes doctors' hectic schedules prevent them from laying out all the options. Other times, she thinks a doctor might fail to mention or discourage a procedure if he or she doesn't have the training to perform it. Wallinga's surgeon recommended two reconstruction techniques, both of which she says could have possibly harmed healthy tissue and muscle. Disappointed, but thinking she had no other choice, she agreed to one of them. Then the delay that had initially so upset Wallinga provided her the chance to look into other options. "It gave me the extra time to seek out objective information with a clearer head," she says. "I read books and surfed the Internet and looked at studies and before and after photos and researched surgeons' credentials." Three months after her mastectomy, Wallinga chose a relatively new procedure she says had been discouraged by her original surgeon, but one that she feels was less invasive, less painful and a better choice for her. Now she counsels women on Internet breast cancer chat boards to investigate all options on their own. "I hear over and over again from women who are not told the whole story," she says. "It really angers me." To get the whole story about your options, breast cancer experts recommend that first of all, you try to slow down the process. Watch more on breast cancer and treatment options » . The median time from breast cancer diagnosis to surgery is two weeks, according to Dr. Steven Katz, professor in the departments of medicine and health management and policy at the University of Michigan Health System. "That's way too fast," he says. "Breast cancer is not a medical emergency. You have a period of time, certainly weeks, to make decisions." Katz tells patients to weigh all options and get second opinions. "Make no decisions in the first visit to the doctor. Let me repeat: Make no decisions in the first visit," he says. The sometimes hasty journey from diagnosis to surgery is often initiated by the patients themselves, says Dr. Jennifer Griggs, a breast oncologist at the University of Michigan. "Many women have the reaction, 'Get this cancer out before it kills me!' They don't realize it's been there for years," she says. Sometimes even doctors make this mistake, says Griggs, who is also director of the university's Breast Cancer Survivorship Program. "I had two patients who were physicians and they jumped the queue and had their mastectomies very quickly," she remembers. "They didn't wait for all the tests to come back, and when they did, the tests showed these women could have kept their breasts, but they had that operating room booked." Griggs also recommends going beyond your surgeon, who is often the first person a patient consults, for advice. For example, she says too many times women will take a surgeon's advice not to have chemotherapy, without meeting with a medical oncologist, who specializes in chemotherapy. "You really need a multidisciplinary team. Big academic centers have them, but if your hospital doesn't, create one of your own," she advises. CNN's Sharisse Scineaux contributed to this report. | Women aren't getting all breast cancer treatment options, some advocates say .
Expert: Weigh all options; get second opinion; make no decisions in the first visit .
There's time to explore options: "Breast cancer is not a medical emergency"
Organizations like Breast Cancer Network of Strength can help educate patients . |
1021abd6214bf129ccc75e4eb1cc77f8693e9417 | By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 13:54 EST, 17 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:20 EST, 18 June 2012 . High price: Former estate agent Benjamin Evans has been ordered to do 130 hours community service and pay £530 in fines for displaying a fake parking ticket in an attempt to evade paying an £8 daily charge . A former estate agent who stacked up £1,000 in parking fines attempted to cheat the system by displaying a fake ticket on his car, a court was told. Frustrated with having to pay to park his BMW Benjamin Evans designed a false ticket in an attempt to evade paying the daily £8 charge. But a savvy traffic warden in Southampton, Hampshire, spotted discrepancies between the ticket Evans was displaying and the standard issue ticket. The failed parking tariff dodge has proved expensive for the 27-year-old who has been ordered to pay £530 costs and carry out 130 hours of community service after being found guilty of offences under the Fraud Act. Giving evidence during his trial at Southampton Magistrates Court , Evans further tried to avoid taking the blame by insisting he knew nothing about the spoof ticket. Instead he accused a former work colleague and friend, called Jonathan Bailey, of the fraud. Evans said he drove Bailey to . their joint place of work every day and in return for his lift Bailey . paid for the parking tickets. But it transpired no one had been able to trace Bailey and Evans was accused of making him up. Southampton City Council lawyer . Francisca Da Costa said Evans had 'invented a fictional character' to . take the blame when trying to get 'a freebie'. The court heard how Evans, from Romsey, in Hampshire, was caught out on August 29 last year by warden Christopher Meadows. Mr Meadows became suspicious after spotting that the ticket on Evan's dashboard had part of its serial number hidden by a 10 pence coin. He noticed the shading on the city council logo was different to that on genuine tickets and that the number '3' appeared more curved than usual. The edges of the fake - which declared he had 'paid' for ten hours parking - were also rough, unlike genuine tickets. Deciding something was wrong the warden slapped a fixed penalty notice on the vehicle. Evans, who was working for estate agents Your Move at the time, saw the warden from his office nearby and confronted him. But . when the warden asked Evans to open the car door to show him the ticket . the estate agent refused and walked away, telling Mr Meadows to 'get a . proper job'. Scene of the crime: Evans claimed his friend and colleague Jonathan Bailey took responsibility for paying for parking tickets in return for getting a lift into work. After further investigations, it was revealed that no ticket to the value of £8 had been bought from any of the machines servicing that car park. Enforcement officers repeatedly contacted Evans to provide his ticket but he failed to produce it and just sent an email complaining about the treatment he had received from Mr Meadows. Evans, who has three previous convictions for making off without payment, admitted one count of failing to give information which would identify the owner of the car. He was also found guilty of a second charge of displaying a false parking ticket. Sentencing him, chairman of the bench Susan Williams told Evans she did not believe his evidence. | Fine dodger accused of inventing fictional character to .
take the blame .
Estate agent had created false ticket to avoid paying daily £8 parking charge .
BMW driver has been ordered to pay £530 costs and carry out 130 hours of community service . |
1021bfef22debe3564b02f93e6302ab497e8208f | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 11:51 EST, 25 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:39 EST, 25 September 2013 . A state house staffer who left his loaded handgun in the men's bathroom at the Capitol building is facing calls for his resignation. Dave Evans, a legislative assistant . to Republican House Speaker Tim Jones, left the loaded 9mm pistol on top of a . toilet paper dispenser in a men’s bathroom in the Missouri State Capitol . last Friday. Another House staffer found the gun and reported it to police. A gun safety group today called for Evans to be fired after he left the gun in the basement bathroom in Jefferson City, Missouri. Danger: Dave Evans (left), a legislative assistant to House Speaker Tim Jones (pictured right), left a loaded handgun in a bathroom at the State Capitol building in Missouri on Friday . A gun safety group is calling for a Missouri House staffer to be fired after he left a loaded handgun unattended in a Capitol bathroom in Jefferson Ci . Rebecca Morgan, spokeswoman for the Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said: 'Any child could’ve found that gun, or someone could’ve found it and resold it.' According to the police report, Evans has a concealed-carry permit. Police returned the gun to him, and no charges were filed. A 2011 law allows legislative staff with concealed-carry permits to bring firearms into the Capitol. Tom Smith, Jones’ chief of staff, said in a statement on Tuesday that Evans will take a gun safety course in the next few weeks as a result of the incident. 'He is extremely remorseful about this unfortunate incident and willing to take full accountability for his mistake,' Mr Smith said. Ms Morgan said the Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action has asked Jones to issue an apology and to fire Evans. The . organization is also calling schools and asking them to cancel their . planned field trips to the Capitol, which houses the Missouri State . Museum. Dave Evans, left a Kahr CM9 9 mm gun, in a public bathroom stall at the Capitol building in Missouri (stock image) The museum received more than 470,000 visitors last year, according to its website. Of those, 30,000 were children on guided tours, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Morgan said that just as mothers call their children’s friends’ houses before play dates to make sure all firearms are secured, parents and schools should be aware of safety risks within the Capitol building. 'My son is supposed to go later in the school year, and I don’t feel safe sending him to the Capitol,' she said. The Moms Demand Action group hopes its effort will help change the 2011 concealed-carry law. 'If (Evans) can have his fully loaded, ready-to-shoot, unattended gun in a restroom and there’s no law against it, the law needs to change,' Morgan said. She said the organization received no direct response from the Capitol. Moms Demand Action describes itself as a grassroots organization that formed nationwide after the December 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. 'It’s just a crying shame,' Morgan said of the unattended gun. 'It’s our responsibility as parents and as legislators to make sure that it doesn’t take losing a child’s life to change this law.' | Dave Evans, legislative assistant .
to Republican House Speaker Tim Jones, left a loaded 9mm pistol in a stall at Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri .
The .
Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America called for his resignation, saying: .
'Any child could’ve found that gun, or someone could’ve found it and .
resold it' |
1022a657b2946a79277ebe191b4ebd91307025d9 | He was best known for battling the Daleks as one of the best-loved Doctor Whos. But now it has been revealed that Jon Pertwee was a real-life secret agent years before he donned the Time Lord’s cape. The actor, who died in 1996 aged 76, was a senior intelligence agent during the Second World War and reported directly to Winston Churchill. He was also recommended for another role by James Bond creator Ian Fleming – and proved to be an expert in using a range of 007-like gadgets, including a smoking pipe that fired bullets and handkerchiefs containing secret maps. Actor Jon Pertwee, pictured left in the Navy, was a senior secret intelligence agent during World War II before he became well-known for playing Doctor Who, pictured right . The revelations – in a long-lost tape-recorded interview – confirm that Pertwee’s wartime activities were as remarkable as his acting career, which saw him play the third incarnation of the Doctor between 1970 and 1974. Pertwee said he kept silent about the nature of his covert role with the Naval Intelligence Division for decades for fear of breaching the Official Secrets Act. On the tape he says: ‘The team I worked with, the brothers in intelligence, were an amazing collection of characters. TV favourite: Jon Pertwee battled Daleks and aliens as Doctor Who for four years . ‘There was a huge range of talents all being used to better protect the security of the nation, often in very surprising ways. ‘I did all sorts. Teaching commandos how to use escapology equipment, compasses in brass buttons, secret maps in white cotton handkerchiefs, pipes you could smoke that also fired a .22 bullet. All sorts of incredible things. It suited me perfectly as I have always loved gadgets. ‘I used to attend meetings where Churchill would be at the end of the table and he would be smoking his cigars. At the end of the meeting, I used to collect the butts and sell them on to the Americans for a few dollars. ‘I don’t remember much of my first meeting with Churchill except he gave me some priceless advice. He told me to always watch people, that there was a lot you could learn about someone’s character from the little actions they make – which was great advice for an actor.’ Pertwee also worked alongside Ian Fleming during his spell with Naval Intelligence. He recalled: ‘One day Fleming sent me for an interview for a job. They wanted a good French speaker. ‘I thought the job was going to be liaison with the Free French. I did not fancy that at all, so I deliberately messed up the interview, pretending I could not understand what they were saying at times and throwing in the most inappropriate answers. ‘Afterwards, when Fleming got the report back, he said they did not want me and how badly I had done. I confessed I had done it on purpose because I did not want to work with de Gaulle’s mob. ‘He told me I was a blithering idiot because the interview was a chance to be our man in Tahiti.’ Before taking up his clandestine role, Pertwee narrowly avoided death on the battlecruiser Hood, sunk by the Bismarck in 1941. Jon Pertwee, pictured as Doctor Who with Nicholas Courtney who played Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, made the revelations in a long-lost interview . He recalled: ‘I was on HMS Hood and I got called to the captain’s cabin. I was told I had passed the captain’s test and I was now a fully fledged officer cadet. I had 20 minutes to pack before being transferred back to Pompey barracks for training. ‘It saved my life. Of the 1,418 crew, only three survived.’ Pertwee’s many obituaries all referred to his wartime service in the Navy, but made no mention of his top-secret role. He gave the interview in 1994 to two young reporters, Matt Adams and David Southwell. They are lifelong Doctor Who fans – and decided this year’s 50th anniversary of the show was the ideal time to publish his revelations in Doctor Who Magazine. Mr Southwell, now an author, said: ‘Eighteen years ago the opportunity arose to exploit our positions with a local paper to wangle an interview at the home of one of our childhood heroes. ‘We have gone on to quiz Oscar-winners and meet Prime Ministers, but no interview was ever more demanding than coming face-to-face with our Doctor.’ Jon Pertwee, pictured as the Doctor with Elisabeth Sladen, said he got to use all sorts of 'incredible equipment' | Actor was .
an intelligence agent in WWII and reported to Winston Churchill .
Revelations were made in a long-lost tape-recorded interview .
The complete interview is being published over two editions by Doctor Who Magazine. |
10235f5f16af770f5ff4bd80fc5e362a1d6088a6 | By . Meghan Keneally . Left: Sakita Covington, 38, left four children under the age of 4 alone in her apartment when she went to go get one of her sons from school . A babysitter has been arrested after a 4-year-old girl she was meant to be watching died when left unattended in the sitter's apartment. Naira Bennett was found trapped in a folding futon and rushed to a Newark, New Jersey hospital but pronounced dead hours later after doctors were unable to revive her. The babysitter, Sakita Covington, has been taken into police custody and charged with child endangerment and aggravated assault. Naira was one of four children that Covington, 38, left alone in her apartment in a housing complex on Wednesday morning. All of the children were under the age of four. The Star-Ledger reports that Covington asked a friend who lived in the same complex to watch the children while she rushed out to pick up one of her sons from school but the neighbor told her that she would not be able to until later. 'When I got upstairs the baby was in the futon,' the friend told ABC7 without revealing her name. 'I don't know what happened. I wasn't there.' One of the other children was another one of Covington's sons. The three children who were with Naira at the time were unharmed. An autopsy is being performed which will determine the official cause of death and give more clues as to what happened. Arrested: Covington, seen in a headscarf, has been charged with child endangerment and aggravated assault . Police were called to the apartment at 10.45am on Wednesday and shew as transported to University Hospital. Naira was not officially declared dead until 7pm that evening. It is unclear where the surviving children are currently but Covington is in police custody. Naira's mother does not face any charges in connection to her daughter's death. Dangerous: The incident happened in Covington's apartment in a Newark housing complex called Bradley Court (pictured), where a number of drug busts and shootings have taken place in the past . Covington's apartment is in Bradley Court, a housing complex that has a history of drug busts and violence, including an incident last year where someone opened fire and killed a mother of four. 'I think it's very stupid to do that because anything could've happened and look what happened,' Covington's neighbor Iesha Wiggins told ABC7. | Naira Bennett, 4, got stuck in a folding futon in her babysitter's apartment .
Sakita Covington, 38, had left the apartment to go pick up one of her sons from school on Wednesday morning .
Naira was in the apartment with three other children- all under the age of 4- and one of them was another one of Covington's sons .
Covington apparently asked a neighbor to watch the children when she ran out but that woman said she wouldn't be able to get there in time .
Covington now faces child endangerment and aggravated assault charges . |
10237f951ceba257a431ce2f2a69ac265365690d | (CNN) -- Thousands of green card applicants will no longer "age out" and have to go to the back of the line if they turn 21 during the protracted U.S. immigration process, an appeals court has ruled in a defeat for the federal government. Wednesday's narrow 6-5 decision, from the San Francisco-based U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, reverses earlier court rulings. The decision affects "tens of thousands of families" -- specifically, the unmarried sons and daughters of those who waited for years as a parent sought a visa in the United States -- said Carl Shusterman, a lawyer representing the victors in the case. "After 10 years and a lawsuit that's gone on for years, these families are finally going to be back together," Shusterman said. The ruling applies to those who were under 21 when their families came to the United States after being sponsored by a relative who is a U.S. citizen. Subsequently, their father or mother applied for a visa, at which time their children could be in line to receive a "derivative visa." Such visas are available only to spouses and unmarried children under 21. So what happens when, as they are waiting for their status to be resolved -- often for years -- these children become 21 and older? The federal government argued that, once those in the former group "age out," they should start again in a new phase in the process, with no credit for the time they waited originally for the derivative visa. This has been the case for years. People applying for green cards often wait through administrative delays for their petitions to be processed, as well as often longer periods waiting for one of a limited number of visas to become available. The current wait time for those seeking a green card in the F2B category -- for unmarried sons or daughters of a lawful permanent resident -- for Mexico, for instance, is about 20 years, according to this month's Visa Bulletin published by the U.S. State Department. Congress stepped into the fray in 2002 with the passage of the Child Status Protection Act. Among other provisions, it stated that "the alien's petition shall automatically be converted to the appropriate category and the alien shall retain the original priority date issued upon receipt of the original petition." In other words, people don't lose their place in line after they turn 21. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has contended in court that this legislation was unclear about to whom this language applies -- contending, for instance, that it is relevant for some groups but not those unmarried children who had been in line for derivative visas. Furthermore, the agency argued that changing the equation will unfairly affect those already waiting for a limited number of visas, by effectively skipping ahead of them (and making them wait longer). The judges' majority opinion, however, states that Congress' intent in passing the Child Status Protection Act was "to extend automatic conversion and priority date retention to all family-sponsored derivative beneficiaries." Furthermore, they find complaints that changes will produce unnecessary and unreasonable problems for the Citizenship and Immigration Services are not valid. "The plain language of the CSPA is not impracticable," the judges said. "It is the agency's task to resolve ... complications, not the courts." The Department of Justice did not respond immediately Thursday when asked for comment on the case. Shusterman speculated another recent federal court decision out of Texas that followed much the same reasoning as Wednesday's ruling may have had "a tremendous" impact in the 9th Circuit's reversal. "I'm thrilled. We've been fighting this for three or four years and not winning," Shusterman said. In other cases, he contends, the federal government "always credits for the time you stood in line." But not all agreed with Wednesday's ruling. Dan Stein, the president for the Federation for American Immigrant Reform, contends that if Congress "had wanted indefinite eligibility regardless of age, they would have raised the overall number of visas in the category to prevent further increases in the backlog." "The court is substituting its judgment for that of expert administrative agencies, making the system even more dysfunctional," Stein said in a statement to CNN. "Immigration is a civil benefit, and either you are under 21 or you are not." | 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, by a 6-5 vote, reverses an earlier immigration ruling .
Sons and daughters once in line for "derivative visas" won't lose their place after turning 21 .
"These families are finally going to be back together," a victorious lawyer says .
"Immigration reform" advocate says ruling makes the "system even more dysfunctional" |
1023cc802b8535d4d08cfb44b92e8db01f267666 | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 07:31 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:13 EST, 3 January 2014 . Two friends who served together during the Second World War have been reunited 70 years later after a chance encounter revealed they were living just 12 miles from each other. Bessie Thomas and Millie Titshall were radar operators for the WAAF when they were both teenagers, and became close friends serving at a station in Inverness. However, they lost touch towards the end of the war - and although they tried to contact each other during the following decades, they never managed to get in touch. But when Mrs Thomas, 89, from Consett in . County Durham, was reading her local newspaper she noticed an appeal . for information about a former RAF base in Norfolk. Together again: Bessie Thomas, left, and Miggie Titshall, right, have been reunited after 70 years . Friends: The pair - then known as Bessie Shackley, left, and Mildred Greener, right - pictured during the war . Although she did not know that base, she made contact with the enthusiast who placed the advert on the off-chance that some of her former colleagues might have served there. She was particularly keen to find her old friend Mildred Greener - but when she was given a phone number for Millie Titshall, who she was told lived near her, she had no idea they were the same person. Mrs Thomas called the number and asked, 'Do you know of a Mildred Greener?' - only to be told, 'That's me!' The day of the pair's first conversation happened to be Mrs Titshall's 90th birthday, and came 70 years after they had last seen each other. The two women, then aged just 17 and 18, first met at RAF Snaith in Yorkshire after volunteering for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Coincidence: The woman realised that they lived just 12 miles apart in Co Durham thanks to a newspaper ad . They were transferred together to radar operations in Inverness, but lost contact when they moved to different parts of the country. The younger woman, then known as Bessie Shackley, met her future husband Larry Thomas while they were both being de-mobbed at the end of the war. Mildred Greener also changed her surname when she married, and started calling herself Millie because other relatives shared her first name. Mrs Thomas was so keen to trace her friend that she once called every number listed under 'Greener' in her local phonebook. When the pair - now both widowed - finally made contact again, Mrs Thomas was so excited she immediately travelled to Mrs Tindall's Chester-le-Street home via bus and taxi. Memories: The pair have enjoyed reminiscing about their wartime experiences with the WAAF . Her first sight of her old friend was of her waiting on the street outside her house. 'I think I could have walked past her on the street, but she's still lovely and thin,' Mrs Thomas said. Once the pair started talking about their time in the WAAF, they could not stop reminding each other of all their unusual experiences. Both vividly remembered typing out messages on rice paper, which would be given to pilots so they could recognise beacon signals and then eat their instructions if they were captured. Mrs Thomas said: 'Millie told me, "I used to eat it!" as we didn't get sweets very much - they were rationed - and I said, "That's what I used to do!"' Hard at work: A group of other WAAF workers pictured during the war working at a radar station . They also recalled circling the perimeter of the airfield, attaching metallic strips to planes in order to interfere with enemy radar. 'Mildred would get taken around in a van as she was smaller than me and couldn't reach up - and I had to cycle,' Mrs Thomas said. Her daughter Marilyn, who was present during a second meeting between the pair, said they were soon laughing so much that they appeared to be shaking in photographs. The two old friends now intend to keep in regular contact - and Mrs Thomas is keen to get in touch with other former colleagues too. | Bessie Thomas, 89, and Millie Titshall, 90, served together as teenagers .
The close friends lost touch after the war and never saw each other again .
But Mrs Thomas responded to a newspaper ad appealing for information .
She didn't recognise Mrs Titshall's name because she has since married - but it soon emerged the pair lived 12 miles apart in County Durham . |
102446525be518ed509beff9d0936fe6d22d5bfb | By . Jill Reilly . Last updated at 10:17 PM on 17th December 2011 . Covered with his . favourite cuddly toys, the tiny coffin of 17-month-old Gabriel Leblonk - . the youngest victim of the grenade and gun massacre in Belgium - is . wheeled out following a moving funeral ceremony. Tragic Gabriel was shot while in his mother Olivia's arms by crazed gunman . Nordine Amrani who launched the appalling attack on Christmas shopping crowds in . Liege's busy Place Saint Lambert. The 32-year-old convicted criminal, . who was due to marry his long-term girlfriend, used grenades and a . semi-automatic rifle to cause carnage in the Belgian city before turning . a revolver on himself. Harrowing moment: Cuddly toys sit on the tiny coffin coffin of 17 . month-old-Gabriel Leblond, the youngest victim of the shooting and . grenade attack in Liege, Belgium, as it is wheeled out after the . funeral ceremony today . Tragic: Baby Gabriel died at just 17 months after being shot in the back of the head while in his mother's arms . Distraught Olivia . described the terrible moment when she first realised her son had been . shot and how he was finally baptised after doctors had battled for 10 . hours to save his life. She had gone shopping to the Christmas market on Tuesday morning with husband Romuald and their son. She said: 'Romuald . handed me the baby when I got off the bus. So I had him in my arms when . I heard a sound of gunfire followed by flash of light like lightning. 'I looked at my child and his eyes returned my look. I screamed. He had been wounded in the back of the head. She then said: 'My child's eyes were rolled back.' The bullet, from a military style-assault rifle was lodged in her baby’s head near the neck. 'They . could not remove it, it was too risky. They told me he had an hour . left. I warned the family. Everyone came to say goodbye,' she said. Quiet dignity: A silent march took place in Liege to pay tribute to the victims of the attack. Four people were killed and more than 120 were injured in the rampage . Yesterday as Belgium continued its struggle to come to terms . with the killings, thousands took to the streets to join a silent march . and memorial service. Defence . lawyer Jean-Francois Dister said Amrani, a Belgian from a Moroccan . background, was on parole and was due to answer a summons about . allegedly ‘sexually molesting’ a young woman. He is thought to have attacked the unnamed victim after driving alongside her in his van. Its number plate was captured by CCTV. Tragic: Friends and relatives of 15-year-old victim Mehdi Belhadj carry his coffin outside Liege's Bressoux mosque . Five people were killed and at least 130 people wounded when Nourdine Amrani began the attack on a crowded market square . ‘What worried him most was to be . jailed again. According to my client it was a set-up by people who . wanted to harm him. Mr Amrani had a grudge against the law. 'He thought he had been wrongfully convicted.’ After . Tuesday’s attack, the bag Amrani used to carry his haul of weapons was . found to still contain several loaded magazines, as well as a number of . live grenades. An . enquiry has been launched into why he had not been under closer . supervision while on bail after early release from a sentence of nearly . five years. Devastated: The attack brought horror to Belgium's fifth largest city, with crowds of shoppers, many of them children, screaming and running in panic as grenades exploded and shots rang out . United: Crowds took to the streets to show their grief for the victims of the attack . One of Amrani’s numerous previous convictions was for rape, for which he had been given a two-year suspended sentence in 2003. If convicted again for a sex crime, he would have had to serve it. This would have also meant his girlfriend, a nurse called Perrin Balon, finding out about the sex allegations against him. ‘He feared being returned to prison,’said Mr Dister. ‘He called me twice on Monday afternoon and on Tuesday morning about it. Grieving: The mother (C) and father (R) of Gabriel Leblond after the funeral ceremony for 17 months old, one of the victims of the attack . His weapons were confiscated because . of his other criminal offences, yet he managed to obtain a FAL Belgian . assault rifle, grenades and other weapons soon after his release in . October 2010. Belgian’s . notoriously liberal criminal justice system is already facing questions . as to why, in October 2010, the killer had been released from prison . three years early after being convicted of firearms and drug offences. In . 2008 he had been found guilty of keeping 10 complete firearms, and an . astonishing 9,500 gun parts in his flat, along with 2,800 cannabis . plants nearby. On . Tuesday morning, Amrani is thought to have tried to rape the woman . cleaner in his flat, where police had found an arsenal of weapons . including a rocket launcher, AK47 and Kalashnikov. Police said he killed her 'with a . bullet to her head' and then dumped her body in a lock-up shed where he . was growing cannabis plants. Killer: Amrani's lawyer said he carried out the attack because he feared being sent to back to prison for a sex crime. He then left money for Ms Balon, with a note that said: 'Good luck! I love you.' A . police source said: 'The cleaner had been working in a neighbour's . home. It appears that Amrani had invited her into his own flat to . discuss the possibility of cleaning his flat. 'There were signs of a struggle, and it may be that Amrani had tried to rape her. 'Whatever happened, she was undoubtedly his first murder victim on Tuesday morning.' Cedric Visart Bocarme, the Belgian . Attorney General, confirmed that the woman 'would have been murdered by . the killer just before he went to Place Saint-Lambert'. The attack brought horror to Belgium's . fifth largest city, with crowds of shoppers, many of them children, . screaming and running in panic as grenades exploded and shots rang out. Looking: Police pictured searching through Nordine Amrani's apartment . Abdelhadi Amrani, another lawyer who worked for the killer but is not related, said he had grown up in foster homes after being orphaned as a child. ‘I remember a man deeply marked by the loss of his parents,’ said Ms Amrani. ‘He lost his father and mother very early. He was marked by fate. ‘I would add he was a very smart boy, gifted. 'Nordine often spoke of his desire to start a family. He was to be married to a nurse in Liege.’ Commenting on Amrani’s background, Ms Amrani said: ‘He did not feel at all Moroccan. He did not speak a word of Arabic, and was not Muslim. What he said is that he felt like a Belgian. Stopped in his tracks: A body, thought to be gunman Nordine Amrani, lies on the pavement close to a gun and full clips of ammunition. ‘He was crazy about weapons, but as a collector. 'He felt he had not had much luck in life and felt unfairly treated by the courts. 'This was the fed-up cry of a tormented soul – he was estranged from justice, and against society.’ A 17-month-old baby boy called Gabriel became the fourth victim after dying in hospital late on Tuesday night despite undergoing hours of emergency treatment. Gabriel was in the arms of his mother when he was hit by a bullet in the back of the head. The child and his parents were at the bus stop just below the walkway from where Amrani opened fire. Amrani had been due to attend a police interview in the late morning but never showed up. Instead he left his apartment armed with a Belgian-made FN- FAL automatic rifle, a handgun and up to a dozen grenades carried in a backpack. He drove the five-minute journey from his 1930s apartment building the Residence Belvedere and parked his white van in Place St Lambert. He walked on to a raised walkway above a bus stop where lunchtime shoppers were thronging for the opening of a Christmas market. From his 15ft high vantage point he lobbed three hand grenades towards a busy bus shelter before opening fire on the crowd. A 15-year-old boy died instantly while the baby of 17 months and a 17-year-old boy succumbed to their injuries in hospital. | 17-month-old Gabriel Leblonk was shot while in his mother's arms . |
1025a5b60b59cde1d38c68dd11642efc3929f47d | By . Ryan Lipman For Daily Mail Australia . Northern Territory policeman Garry Smith has been making people laugh on Facebook . Although he cops some flack from his mates, it's all part of the job for Northern Territory policeman Garry Smith, who has earned himself a legion of fans on social media. Senior Sergeant Smith uses the Northern Territory Police Force Facebook page to keep the public up to date with police-related information by using humour when appropriate and signing off with his signature 'boom boom' dad jokes. His jokes include: 'What snakes are found on police cars? Windshield vipers', and result in hundreds of likes, comments and shares. 'Some of the jokes are pretty ordinary,' Mr Smith told Daily Mail Australia. 'But as one person commented, by entwining humour into the posts, people feel compelled to read to the end, where I infamously like to place a witty 'boom boom' joke, as a reward for their attention,' he said. Sgt Smith said he was fine with his jokes being defined as dad humour and that Facebook was a great medium for getting important messages across to a large audience quickly. 'It's also a way to educate and connect with the public and using humour is one of the best ways to do that.' he said. 'I will not incorporate humour into a serious incident or whereby we want people to respond with accurate and timely information. 'Policing can be a tough occupation and I am trying to simply humanise the funny side of it.' Mr Smith said his humour was inspired by unusual or quirky events, such as an officer who found a small snake earlier this month . With more than 36,000 likes on the Northern Territory Police Force page, the reaction to his jokes is overwhelmingly positive, Mr Smith said. 'A vast majority of likers on our Facebook page are very supportive of the NT police force and going off the number of likes, shares and comments we receive to some of the more funny posts, it appears most people appreciate a more light-hearted approach to what is a very serious job,' he said. Sgt Smith said while he only applied humour when appropriate, it allowed him to humanise the work the police do. 'If I can educate people, making them realise police are only human, than I consider this an extra bonus,' he said. The officer regularly finishes off his Facebook posts with a dad joke . His signature boom boom attracts hundreds of comments, likes and shares . Mr Smith said he only incorporates humour when appropriate and it allows him to humanise the work the Northern Territory police do . Despite his popularity, Sgt Smith said he does not consider himself Facebook famous and is surprised by the reaction he gets. 'I really enjoy the opportunity to inject a bit of fun into the lighter side of our job,' he said. 'I'm certainly not after recognition. This is all about us - the NT police force and the at times, challenging job that we do.' Yet some of the feedback has included marriage proposals and being called the funniest man in the Northern Territory. 'Garry Smith you're a champion. best way to get a message across is how you do it. Great stuff,' Scott Sims commented on one of the posts. Sarah Bretherton wrote that she loves the 'dad jokes' at the end of the police officer's posts. He said the notoriety was becoming coming in his everyday life. 'There is a lot of good-humoured banter thrown around between my colleagues, family and friends following some of the posts,' he said. 'I do 'cop' a bit of flack but it's all in good fun.' Mr Smith said he had no problem with his humour being labelled as dad jokes . His fans regularly comment about how much they appreciate Mr Smith's unique form of joking . His posts have even earned him the title of the Northern Territory's funniest man by one fan . After an absence on Facebook, people were quick to welcome him back when they recognised the tone of the posts . 'Most people like it and some cringe however it’s all about us - the NT Police.' When looking for inspiration, Sgt Smith said quirky or unusual incidents were best, such a police officer who found a small snake earlier this month. 'Police are here to keep people safe and I take this as an opportunity to remind people of that and that we are human too,' he said. 'I do what I do for the goodness of our organisation. I love my job and will do anything I can to support the NT police force, whilst attempting to make a larger audience aware of our existence. 'We are a small police force covering vast distances and challenges and slowly but surely we are being noticed on a larger and national scale.' Mr Smith said he does cop some flack for his daggy jokes from his friends and colleagues . He said Facebook was a great tool for communicating important information with larges numbers of people quickly . Mr Smith said the Northern Territory police cover vast distances but are recognised at a national scale . Yet it was a serious post that hit a chord with the Facebook audience, Sgt Smith said. 'One of the more recent posts wasn't humour related, in fact it was almost tragic, however by taking a personal approach, it seems to reach more people,' he said. 'This post was in relation to a crash between a sedan and a truck on 31 July, which could easily have claimed the life of two small children, if it weren’t for the parents correctly fitting two safety capsules.' As always, Sgt Smith had a joke for Daily Mail Australia. 'And finally – what does a cat like to eat on a hot summer's day? A mice cream cone – Boom boom.' The Northern Territory Police Force Facebook page has more than 36,000 likes . Mr Smith said a more serious post was one of his most popular . Many of the reactions to the police officer's jokes are equally as funny . | NT police officer Garry Smith updates the force's Facebook page .
He incorporates humour and dad jokes into his posts where appropriate .
His posts attract hundreds of comments, likes and shares .
Sgt Smith said Facebook was a great tool for getting information to the public . |
10265b4a9c573d339b282589a4daa0981170aea8 | A woman who died after being overcome by fumes as she slept in her car between her four jobs had been desperately saving money to support a former boyfriend she met online and his three children. The body of 32-year-old Maria Fernandes was found in her car in Elizabeth, New Jersey in August, after she became overcome by a deadly mixture of carbon monoxide and fumes from an overturned gasoline container. She worked four jobs, including two shifts at separate Dunkin Donuts and she apparently left her car running while she tried to rest while going between her jobs. Richard Culhane the ex-boyfriend of Miss Fernandes, who he met online, pictured with his sons Dorian, left, and Jareth, right, during her funeral service earlier this year. Miss Fernandes had been working to support Mr Culhane and his children . Friends and family leave flowers on the casket during a funeral service for Maria Fernandes, 32, in Linden, N.J. Now it has emerged that in 2012, Miss Fernandes met former boyfriend, Richard Culhane online and persuaded him to move from New York to Newark after he lost his job in construction. Mr Culhane says she found him an apartment and paid his first month's rent before the pair moved in together. And when they did begin to live together she would pick up the $600 a month rent, nearly double the price of her previous accommodation. Mr Culhane adds that she then bought a tent and explained that it was for a homeless man she saw near work. She even bought suits for him and his three sons from a previous marriage when Mr Culhane's mother died for the funeral. It has now emerged that Miss Fernandes was paying the rent for her ex-boyfriend Richard Culhane after meeting him online . In 2011, the couple's landlord filed eviction papers when Miss Fernandes fell behind with the rent, although she was able to work out a restitution plan. He said a state youth protection worker told him that if he wanted custody he needed a bigger apartment. He and Miss Fernandes then found a three-bedroom for $1,100 a month and she took on a second job — supplementing pay from a bakery with earnings at a Dunkin' Donuts — to cover bills, he said. When she quit the bakery, she picked up hours at a second Dunkin' Donuts and then a third. Co-workers said all her jobs paid at or just above the minimum wage — which New Jersey raised by $1 earlier this year to $8.25 an hour. Maria Fernandes, left, pictured with new boyfriend Glen Carter, who she started a relationship with earlier this year and his daughter Hannah Wilson on a trip to Pennsylvania. The picture was taken just three weeks before her death . Miss Fernandez, pictured in 2001, worked four jobs, including two shifts at separate Dunkin Donuts . 'I told her over and over, 'Quit one. You're working too much,' Mr Culhane said. 'But she said, 'No, I'm used to it now.'' The couple eventually split up in 2013 but even then she continued to buy toys for the children and often stopped by with video games for them. 'Before she left, she was paying almost all of it,' Mr Culhane said of the couple's bills. 'She was like, 'I'll take care of you,' he said. Earlier this year, Miss Fernandes entered a new relationship after creating a profile on a dating website, Gothscene.com calling herself 'Clueless.' Her self-description as an animal lover interested in the supernatural and nostalgic for the 1980s caught the eye of Glen Carter, a 33-year-old Army veteran working at a Pennsylvania company that builds animal rescue vehicles. 'We were on the phone constantly from day one,' Mr Carter said. 'I wasn't expecting, you know, to have any serious relationship with her. It's just I was talking to her and the more I talked, the more we connected.' As the summer began, they agreed to be a couple. Mr Carter, in the process of a divorce and having trouble making alimony payments, said he encouraged Miss Fernandes to visit and consider moving to Pennsylvania. But the idea was cemented when Miss Fernandes took three days off from work in early August and they met for the first time, taking Mr Carter's daughter Hannah to Hersheypark. However, after returning to Newark, she continued to keep up her busy working life. But three weeks after the trip, and after finishing work, Miss Fernandes tilted back the driver's seat, leaving the engine running, the windows up and the doors locked, to catch up on much-needed sleep but she never woke up. Miss Fernandes was found near this Wawa shop with her car's engine still running and a strong chemical odor filling the air . She was found with the windows and the doors to the vehicle shut, and when emergency workers burst in they reported a chemical odor. Hazmat was called to the scene upon determining Fernandes was dead. The Star-Ledger notes that Miss Fernandes was only one of tens of thousands of New Jersey workers employed at multiple jobs. 'These are folks who would like to work full-time but they can't find jobs,' Carl Van Horn, director of John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, told reporters. 'They wind up in these circumstances in which they are exhausted. More commonly it creates just an enormous amount of stress.' At least 7.5 million people nationwide are working multiple jobs, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. For those who lost their jobs in the recession of 2008, many now working multiple positions still make less than their full-time wages and with little or no benefits. 'The average person who lost their job took a 10 per cent pay cut, (after returning to the workforce),' Van Horn said. | Maria Fernandes, 32, of Newark, was allegedly overcome by mixture of carbon monoxide and fumes from an overturned gas can .
Fernandes kept extra gas in the car because she sometimes ran out .
Police say it appears she just pulled over for a nap as she desperately tried to make ends meet .
Has emerged that she had met a boyfriend online and was supporting him and his children . |
102734997e63393b3de0dcadee3d76bbf868af81 | An eight-year-old boy has tragically died just two days before Christmas after being injured on a building site in Sydney’s south-west. On Tuesday at 1.30pm New South Wales Police were called to a construction site on George Road at Leppington, following reports a young boy had been knocked unconscious. Initial reports suggest the boy was playing on a pile of concrete slabs, when some of the slabs slipped and fell on top of him. Scroll down for video . Police and emergency services attended the location and treated the unconscious eight-year-old boy . Police cordon off the area on the construction site where the accident took place . An emergency services helicopter prepares to bring the injured boy to hospital . The tragic accident took place at a construction site on George Road at Leppington . Police and emergency services attended the location, where a church is currently being built, and immediately started treating the unconscious eight-year-old. The boy was rushed to Liverpool Hospital, however he was pronounced dead a short time later. Police will now prepare a report for the coroner. The young boy was playing at a construction site when he was knocked unconscious after concrete slabs fell on him . A church is being built on the construction site where the boy had been playing . | Police were called to a construction site on George Road at Leppington .
Initial reports say the boy was playing on a pile of concrete slabs, when some of the slabs slipped and fell on top of him .
A church is being built on the site where the accident happened .
The boy was rushed to Liverpool Hospital, however he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards . |
10284dd9906fedd14e2f0788acfd2bb7b448413c | A 29-year-old father-of-three has died in a skydiving accident in Southern California. Jason Granger, from Yuma, Arizona, was killed just before noon on Friday after he made a hard landing, according to the coroner's report. Police in the city of Perris responded at around 11:20 a.m. to reports of an air emergency at the popular skydiving site of Perris Valley airport. They arrived to find Granger, an Army skydiver who trained other jumpers, suffering serious injuries after a parachuting accident. Tragic: Jason Granger, pictured with his family, from Yuma, Arizona, was killed just before noon on Friday after he made a hard landing, according to the coroner's report . Paramedics rushed the man to Menifee Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:17 p.m. Perris Valley Skydiving general manager Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld told the Press Enterprise the man was coming in for a landing when he made a turn at low altitude. Such turns increase a jumper's speed and are prohibited below 300 feet at that drop zone for that reason, Brodsky-Chenfeld said. He said he didn't know Granger's elevation when he turned, but it was very low. Injuries: Granger, pictured left and right, was an Army skydiver who trained other jumpers . Sad: Paramedics rushed the man to Menifee Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:17 p.m. 'We're not sure why he made that turn,' Brodsky-Chenfeld told the newspaper. He added that the cause of the crash had nothing to do with equipment failure, weather conditions or collisions. The man was jumping by himself, not with the military, and was not training any other jumpers at the time, he said. Brodsky-Chenfeld said he had brought a family member to Perris Valley on Friday but in the fatal fall hew as jumping alone. Army man: Granger, pictured with his sons, was jumping by himself, not with the military, and was not training any other jumpers at the time, he said . Dangerous: There have been at least 15 deaths at the Perris Valley Airport skydiving facility, pictured, in the past 13 years . The man's identity and further details on the accident were released Saturday. There have been at least 15 deaths at the Perris Valley Airport skydiving facility in the past 13 years, according to the Press-Enterprise. Though after a rash of major accidents in 2011 and 2012, it has been a mostly quiet year for skydiving injuries at the national mecca for the sport about 75 miles southeast of Los Angeles. A U.S. Marine died in an accident near the same airport in February. A 62-year-old skydiver died in Lake Elsinore in May. He was part of a group of skydivers who were attempting a multiple-person maneuver when he became entangled in a parachute and was unable to free himself. Granger's family outside the emergency room when they learned he had died but declined to speak to the press. | Jason Granger, from Yuma, Arizona, was killed just before noon on Friday after he made a hard landing, according to the coroner's report .
Police in the city of Perris responded at around 11:20 a.m. to reports of an air emergency at the popular skydiving site of Perris Valley airport, in southern California .
They arrived to find Granger, an Army skydiver who trained other jumpers, suffering serious injuries after a parachuting accident .
He died later at hospital . |
102981ed11436f2bad955a0579024c01f1dd851a | By . Lydia Warren for MailOnline . A 12-year-old girl who underwent life-saving gastric sleeve surgery after gaining more than 150lbs following brain tumor surgery has returned to school 50lbs lighter. Alexis Shapiro, who now enjoys activities including swimming again, told NBC News that she feels 'reborn' and grinned for pictures ahead of her first day back in a classroom in almost two years. But while she has shed 50lbs and reversed her diabetes, there are still struggles; she has a hormone condition that must be treated by a drug injection minutes after symptoms appear to avoid a coma. The pre-teen, from Cibolo, Texas was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 2011 and surgery to remove the mass disturbed her metabolism and left her body unable to regulate energy or appetite. Back to school: Alexis Shapiro, 12, smiles ahead of her first day of sixth grade on Monday. It comes five months after she underwent gastric surgery to curb her weight gain following a rare brain tumor . Still smiling: When asked how her first day back to schoolwent, Alexis gave a thumbs up and a thumbs down to show that it was fine, her Facebook page explained - but she was still smiling . Alexis, previously a happy and healthy girl of normal weight, gained 151lbs in the space of two years thanks to hypothalamic obesity. She developed type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related problems. Her parents Jenny and Ian, learned that their insurance did not cover bariatric surgery, so they set up an online crowdfunding campaign and raised more than $86,000 to cover medical costs. Alexis went under the knife on March 21. Due to complications, what should have been a gastric bypass had to be changed to a gastric sleeve surgery at the last minute. The sleeve gastrecomy saw her stomach permanently reduced to 25 per cent of its original size. According to her doctors, without the surgery Alexis would have continued putting on 2lbs a week and eventually become immobile despite a strict daily regimen comprised of diet and exercise. If her condition was left untreated, Alexis soon would have tipped the scales at whopping 400lbs. Before surgery: She put on more than 150lbs following surgery for the brain tumor. Her parents, Jenny and Ian, turned to the internet when their insurance refused to cover the gastric surgery for Alexis . Fighter: She is pictured ahead of the surgery in March. Since getting the gastric sleeve, she has lost 50 lbs . All smiles: Alexis is pictured before she was diagnosed with the life-changing rare brain tumor . But three months after the surgery, her mother revealed Alexis' type 2 diabetes was 'pretty much gone'. At 203lbs, Alexis was also suffering form an enlarged liver, but now the large organ is substantially smaller and her blood chemicals are at normal level. On Monday, when she returned to class, a school nurse stood by with a walkie-talkie and her emergency medicine in case her hormone condition sparked an 'adrenal crisis', NBC reported. The adrenal insufficiency is a side effect of the brain tumor and she also takes oral drugs to manage it. But when a crisis is on its way, she starts to get a headache, vomits and has low blood sugar. If symptoms were to show, she would need a dose of Solu-Cortef within 30 minutes. If she does not get it, her organs will begin shutting down, her mother said. Back in charge: Alexis is now swimming and playing like she did before and her mother says she has more confidence. She is pictured right in a swimsuit - which had been one of the little girl's aims . Jenny Shapiro said her daughter's return to school was both exciting and nerve-racking. 'It's... a huge step in the right direction, but it's just so hard to let go,' her mother Jenny told NBC. 'I'm her security blanket. I've always been with her so I've learned her symptoms.' But shesaid that not only is Alexis more physically capable, she is also returning to her happy, confident self. She recalled a recent conversation that 'melted my heart'. Her daughter told her: 'You know what? I used to see this fat little, chubby girl (in the reflection). I looked in the mirror and I saw somebody pretty. I like that girl.' | Alexis Shapiro was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 2011 and the treatment left her with a condition called hypothalamic obesity .
She gained 150lbs in two years and her parents managed to raise enough money for gastric surgery after an online fundraising campaign .
In March, she underwent the surgery and is now 50lbs lighter .
On Monday, she returned to school for the first time in nearly two years . |
1029cf31ff07b353aebefee18c268c5e5cd009aa | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 17:39 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:54 EST, 23 August 2013 . Over 40 Army Reservists were injured Friday afternoon in a bus wreck just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. One soldier is in critical condition and 40 others were injured when their bus overturned Friday afternoon just before 3pm in Mooresville, NC. The Army Reserve soldiers were on their way home from training, according to reports. A female soldier in critical condition was reportedly airlifted to a local hospital. Toppled: A bus carrying more than 40 Army Reserve soldiers overturned Friday in North Carolina . The bus slowed at an intersection to turn right, but somehow slid to the right and off the road, causing it to turn on its side, according to NBC Charlotte. The wreck left 41 of the 45 people on-board the bus with injuries, with 27 being transported to local hospitals, WBTV reported. The remaining 14 were treated for minor injuries on the scene. Always on-call: Soldiers could be seen unloading gear from the toppled bus just minutes after the wreck . Returning home: The soldiers aboard the bus were returning home from training . Video of the scene from local media showed soldiers amazingly unloading baggage from the overturned bus just minutes after the accident. One lucky soldier was met by family on the scene and could be seen dramatically running to and embracing them. The bus was owned by a local tour company, which WBTV said was fully cooperating with investigators. Safe and sound: This soldier was met on the scene by family . The bus was the only vehicle involved in the crash, the driver was not injured, according to NBC Charlotte. Officials told the station that charges are pending the outcome of the investigation. The identity of the critically injured soldier has not yet been released. It is not yet known if alcohol or drugs were involved. | 41 soldiers were injured when the bus overturned in a Charlotte, NC suburb .
The critically injured female soldier was airlifted to a local hospital .
27 injured soldiers were also taken to local hospitals . |
102a175d0ff999a617e6e13864564a3c8a7f2359 | By . Sarah Griffiths . An American scientist claims that your personality might determine whether you like spicy food like chillis . An American scientist claims that your personality might determine whether you like spicy food. Pennsylvania State University's research examined the link between peoples' personality types and whether they were fans of food packed full of hot spices such as chilli. It found that people who seek adventure and intense sensations like spicy food more than those who avoid risky situations. Nadia Byrnes, a doctoral candidate at the university, conducted a study of 184 non-smoking participants between the ages of 18 and 45 without any known issues that would compromise their ability to taste. The group of people were primarily Caucasian and around 63 per cent were female. She assessed the group using the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS) test. This test looks at the personality trait of 'sensation-seeking'. This trait is defined as seeking out 'novel and intense stimulation' regardless of the risks involved. People who score above the mean AISS score are considered more open to risks and new experiences, while those scoring below the mean are considered less open to those things. The subjects were then given 25 micrometers of capsaicin, the active component of chili peppers, and asked to rate how much they liked a spicy meal as the burn from the capsaicin increased in intensity. Those in the group who fell below the mean AISS rapidly disliked the meal as the burn increased. Pennsylvania State University's research examined the link between peoples' personality types and whether they were fans of food packed full of hot spices including chill, which is found in lots of curries (pictured) People who were above the mean AISS had a consistently liked the meal even as the burn increased. Those in the mean group liked the meal less as the burn increased, but not nearly as rapidly as those below the mean. Ms Byrnes said: 'Theoretically, we know that burn intensity and liking are linear related. The more irritating a compound or food gets, the less people should like it. 'But that's not always the case.' She presented her findings at the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting and food expo. People were given 25 micrometers of capsaicin, the active component of chili peppers, and asked to rate how much they liked a spicy meal as the burn from the capsaicin increased in intensity. The research found that people who actively seek adventure and intense sensations, like spicy food more than those who avoid risky situations . At the same event, Dr Shane McDonald, principal flavor chemist at Kalsec, discussed the addition of 'tingling' spices to foods. The practice is not very prevalent in the U.S. diet outside of carbonation. He said that 'Ma La,' a traditional Szechuan cuisine that combines chili peppers for their heat and Szechuan peppers for their tingle, shows promise for American food manufacturers. The combination of the two sensates enhances the tingling while reducing the heat, which could make certain traditionally spicy foods more appealing to consumers, he said. | An American scientist claims that your personality might determine whether you like spicy food like chillis .
Pennsylvania State University's research examined the link between personality types and the love of hot food .
People who are more open to risks and seek new experiences are more likely to be partial to a hot curry . |
102a36f34581eaf00ec71fa41e6796e209536bf6 | Washington (CNN) -- Close to 20 inches of snow piled up at the nation's capital as a blizzard pounded mid-Atlantic states Saturday, cutting power to hundreds of thousands in the region in what the president referred to as "Snowmaggedon." Snow was falling from southern Indiana eastward to New York City, Washington, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the New Jersey coast. President Obama kept to his busy Washington schedule amid the swirling flakes, and ditched "the Beast" -- his souped-up Cadillac limousine -- for an armored, four-wheel drive Chevy Suburban capable of trudging through the several inches of snow. Despite plowing and shoveling, the continuous snow made for a slippery White House driveway. Before the 15-vehicle presidential motorcade pulled out of the driveway headed to the Capital Hilton for Obama's speech to democrats, one of the emergency vehicles lost traction and slid into an SUV. No one was in the car at the time. Flights canceled, highway crews mobilized . About 19.5 inches of snow fell at American University in Washington over two days, and was on track to possibly break a record. The capital received 28 inches of snow in the "Knickerbocker Storm" of January 27-28, 1922. The blizzard has left hundreds of thousands of customers from Virginia to Pennsylvania without power, utility companies said. As of 12 p.m., Dominion Virginia Power had restored electricity to 101,000 of 207,000 customers who were without power Saturday morning, the company said. In Maryland and Washington, more than 104,000 Pepco customers were in the dark, the utility company said. The majority, or 81,324, live in Montgomery County, Maryland, and 9,587 live in Washington, according to Pepco. In Philadelphia, a reported 26.7 inches had fallen at the airport by 1 p.m., the National Weather Service said. "We are getting absolutely clobbered this morning with snow," said Steven Steingard, a lawyer who lives in suburban Philadelphia. "We have about a foot already and they say it will continue for 10 to 12 hours more." The storm also may produce a record snowfall for Baltimore, which has 21 inches of snow so far, according to the National Weather Service. Virginia snowman is taller than a house . In College Park, Maryland, snow-laden power lines drooped onto branches, causing power failures. One city resident, Ben Hampton, told CNN he could could hear electrical transformers popping. Annapolis, Maryland, had 18 inches of snow by Saturday. State officials at the briefing said 2,400 pieces of equipment were trying to clear highways. The state also was relying on 300 National Guard members to help with ongoing weather trouble. Check on traffic and road conditions . More than 750 personnel are clearing roads in Washington, Mayor Adrian Fenty said. But the heavy, wet snow has even trapped some plows, Washington Department of Transportation director Gabe Klein said. Flights were canceled at Washington-Baltimore area's three main airports and at Philadelphia International Airport. Amtrak has canceled many trains in and out of Washington, and Greyhound has been halted until 1 p.m. Sunday, Klein said. Check on flight delays . On Friday, a weather-related accident in Virginia's Wythe County left two dead, state police said. A father and son stopped on a shoulder to help injured occupants of a disabled vehicle. Minutes later, a tractor-trailer jackknifed and struck their van while trying to avoid hitting the disabled car. The father and son died at the scene, state police said. Virginia state police said the accident was one of many crashes and disabled cars reported. Winter storm warnings were in effect from southern Indiana eastward to New York City and south to North Carolina, with blizzard warnings for Washington, Delaware and the New Jersey coast. Are you snowed in? Share photos and videos . Delaware Gov. Jack Markell declared a state of emergency Friday night and ordered all vehicles off the roads by 10 p.m. ET. Forecasters were predicting that the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland, west of the nation's capital, would receive the most snow -- possibly 3 feet. CNN's Greg Morrison, Suzanne Malveaux and Angela Fritz contributed to this report. | NEW: Hundreds of thousands without electricity from Virginia to Pennsylvania .
NEW: Flights canceled at Washington-Baltimore area airports, as wells as Philadelphia's .
NEW: 26.7 inches reported at the Philadelphia, airport by 1 p.m.
Delta joins Southwest, Amtrak in canceling services in the affected region . |
102a6c16a53594766e90370398bea69f4001fb53 | By . Lydia Warren . The three-year-old son of a missing teacher told investigators that he hasn't seen her since her live-in boyfriend 'kicked mommy's butt and made her cry', it has emerged. The boy was interviewed by investigators looking for his mother, 31-year-old Bianca Tanner, who vanished on June 7 after moving in with her boyfriend, Angelo Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'Mommy got a spanking with the belt,' the little boy told police during an interview after she vanished, according to warrants shared with WSOCTV. 'Angelo kicked mommy’s butt and made her cry.' He added: 'Angelo is mean to mommy and hurt mommy in the face,' the warrant states. Missing: Bianca Turner, 31, vanished on June 7 after a row with her boyfriend, he told authorities . Smith reported her missing on June 8 - just days before she was about to start a new job with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools - and said they had got into an argument over a text message. He said that, following the row, she left the apartment drunk and carrying a bag with her. On Thursday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe said they were now treating the case as a homicide investigation because some witnesses had not been truthful, WSOCTV reported. In addition, Tanner's ex-husband told police they share a joint bank account and said there has been no activity on the debit card linked to the account. Witness: Her three-year-old son told authorities that the boyfriend hit her with a belt and hurt her face . The search warrant added that police are looking for a belt or paddle, cellphones, clothes worn by Tanner during an assault, evidence of blood, hairs and other bodily fluids, the channel reported. During a search, police did find a Dell laptop, a white Apple iPhone, two notebooks, a black zipper pouch with an empty magazine, a Captain Morgan bottle, two torn photographs from the trash inside and a gold-post earring and the back in the trash, the warrant revealed. Detectives added that Smith had began deleting information from his phone before an interview with police, during which they were going to check the device, the warrant said. Smith also had an outstanding warrant for domestic battery out of Arkansas after his then-girlfriend reported that he 'threw her onto the bed and covered her face, both mouth and nose, with his hand, smothering her', investigators said. Apartment: Tanner moved in with her boyfriend to this Charlotte apartment just 2 weeks before she vanished . Search: Investigators say they are treating it as a homicide case but have not yet named any suspects . But Smith has not been named a suspect in the case. Despite police saying they believed she was killed, friends and family are not giving up - and posted fliers around the town and knocked on doors in the search for information. 'It’s just tearing us apart,' her sister, Cerise Richardson, told reporters, the Charlotte Observer reported. 'Every night, her son is crying for her. He wants his mommy.' Tanner had moved to Charlotte in late May from Greensboro, where she taught second grade at Reedy Fork Elementary School. She was also working on a doctoral degree in education administration. See below for video . | Bianca Tanner, 31, has not been seen since June 7 and police in Charlotte, North Carolina said they are now treating the case as a homicide .
Her boyfriend, Angelo Smith, told detectives they had a fight when she was drunk and she left with a bag .
Investigators said Smith, who has not been named as a suspect, deleted messages from his phone before he went for a police interview .
Her son told investigators he spanked her with a belt and hurt her face . |
102b6faaeeb46cbeb00182dc5761eeae68b3973b | (CNN) -- England have qualified for the Euro 2012 finals, but they had troubled striker Wayne Rooney sent off, and squandered a two-goal lead, to draw 2-2 in Montenegro on Friday. Fabio Capello's side only needed a point to seal their place from Group G and looked in complete control when Ashley Young headed home Theo Walcott's cross, before Young turned provider to set up Darren Bent with an easy finish. However, Montenegro pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time with a deflected Elsad Zverotic effort, before Rooney was shown a straight red card in the second half for kicking out at defender Miodrag Dzudovic. And the home side took advantage of their man advantage to snatch a last-gasp draw when Andrija Delibasic headed home Stefan Savic's far post cross. The result secured England's qualification with 18 points from their completed eight matches, but it has come at a cost with Rooney -- who had to contend with his father and uncle being arrested earlier in the week over a betting fraud allegation -- now being suspended for at least the first match of the finals tournament. It proved to be an important equalizer for Montenegro, who have secured second spot and a place in the play-offs on 12 points. Switzerland lost 2-0 in Wales in the other group match to end their hopes of reaching the finals via the play-offs. Russia moved a step closer to sealing qualification with a vital 1-0 Group B success in Slovakia. CSKA Moscow midfielder Alan Dzagoev scored the only goal with 20 minutes remaining, as Russia moved top of the group with 20 points. They will ensure qualification if they draw with group minnows Andorra in their final match, while Slovakia's defeat means they cannot now qualify via the play-offs. Republic of Ireland won 2-0 in Andorra, thanks to goals from Kevin Doyle and Aidan McGeady, and lie second on 18 points, one ahead of Armenia who thrashed Macedonia 4-1 in Yerevan. Ireland and Armenia will meet in the final group game in Dublin, with Ireland just needing a draw to secure a play-off place. In Group E, Sweden secured their place in the play-offs with a 2-1 victory at rivals Finland in Helsinki. Two players who ply their trade in England, Sunderland's Sebatian Larsson and Martin Olsson of Blackburn put the visitors in the ascendancy and their held on for victory despite Joona Toivio pulling a goal back for the home side. In the other group match, a goal five minutes before half-time from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar gave the already-qualified Netherlands a 1-0 home win over Moldova in Rotterdam. That means the Dutch maintain their 100% record in the group with nine wins out of nine. They lie on 27 points, six ahead of Sweden who must travel to the Netherlands in their final group game. Hungary are a further three points behind in third and can draw level on points with Sweden, but the Swedes are certain of a play-off place courtesy of a greater head-to-head record. Germany also maintained their perfect nine from nine record with a superb 3-1 Group A victory over Turkey in Istanbul. In-form Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez opened the scoring with his 13th goal of the season and club team-mate Thomas Mueller added a second after being set-up by Mario Goetze. Hakan Balta pulled a goal back for Turkey with 10 minutes remaining but Bastian Schweinsteiger converted a late penalty, after Gokhan Gonul had fouled Mueller, to seal the win. The win puts Germany on 27 points, a massive 12 points ahead of Belgium, who have leapfrogged Turkey into second place after defeating Kazakhstan 4-1 in Brussels. However, Turkey are just a point behind Belgium and are still favorites to claim the play-off place as they entertain Azerbaijan in their final match, while Belgium have to win in Germany to clinch second spot. Austria will finish fourth in the group after they won 4-1 in Azerbaijan on Friday. Holders Spain are the other team to remain 100% after beating the Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague for a seventh consecutive Group I success. First-half goals from Juan Mata and Xabi Alonso proved enough for the European and world champions, who now have 21 points with one match remaining. Second place is still up for grabs with the Czechs two points ahead of Scotland, who play in Liechtenstein on Saturday. A Scottish win will put them a point ahead with one match remaining, but that match is in Spain, while the Czechs have to travel to Lithuania needing to better the Scottish result. Northern Ireland's faint hopes of reaching the play-offs from Group C are over after they slumped to a 2-1 home defeat against Estonia. Steve Davis put the Irish ahead in the first half, but two late second half goals from Konstantin Vassiljev gave the visitors victory. The other group match saw Serbia draw 1-1 with already-qualified Italy in Belgrade. Claudio Marchisio took advantage of a long kick from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to put the Italians ahead but defender Branislav Ivanovic restored parity before half-time. Italy have won the group and lie on 23 points with one match remaining. Estonia are second on 16 points, one point ahead of Serbia, but the Estonians have now played all their matches and Serbia will snatch that spot with a final match victory in Slovenia. Group D all hinges on the final group game between France and Bosnia in Paris, after both nations won on Friday. Bosnia thumped Luxembourg 5-0 in Zenica, while Florent Malouda, Loic Remy and Anthony Reveillere scored the goals that saw France defeat Albania 3-0 at home. It leaves France on 20 points, one ahead of Bosnia, with a final match draw enough to send France through and put Bosnia into the play-offs. Romania and Belarus drew 2-2 in the other group match and the pair are joint third on 13 points, but Belarus have finished their matches now and Romania will end up third if they draw their final match against Albania. There was a significant result in Group F, where 2004 champions Greece beat Croatia 2-0 in Athens. Late goals from Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas gave the home side a victory that makes them favorites to qualify for the finals. Greece are two points clear of Croatia and will qualify with a final match draw in Georgia, while Croatia need a victory at home to Latvia to have any hope of avoiding the play-offs. Friday's other match saw Latvia defeat Malta 2-0. Meanwhile, Group H is now a straight fight between Portugal and Denmark, to see which nation qualifies automatically with the other going into the play-offs. Manchester United winger Nani scored twice in Portugal's 5-3 win over Iceland on Friday, while a double from Dennis Rommedahl helped the Danes thrash Cyprus 4-1. Both teams are level on 16 points at the top of the table, but Portugal lead on the head-to-head. The pair face each other in Denmark on Tuesday, with the winners qualifying for the finals. | England qualify for the Euro 2012 finals after a 2-2 Group G draw in Montenegro .
Wayne Rooney is sent off and will now miss at least the opening match of the finals .
Spain, Netherlands and Germany all win to remain 100 per cent in qualification .
Russia and Greece edge close to sealing qualification with vital victories on Friday . |
102b8aa53d65b3229eb804c39c788cb020375a29 | Chinatown is the bustling heart of downtown Manhattan and with an estimated population of 100,000 literally piled on top of each other in century old tenements, it is also the most crowded. Bordered by the every-shrinking Little Italy and the fabulously wealthy Tribeca and SoHo neighborhoods, Chinatown is a throwback to the cramped, wilder days of New York City at the turn of the 20th century. Rootless members of the Chinese diaspora make their way to the Big Apple to find work in the bustling metropolis, but with little money, no job protection and no guaranteed income, the invisible workforce finds accommodation where they can. Cramped: One of the last lodging houses in New York City, 81 Bowery was home for a generation of immigrant Chinese laborers who work at construction sites and kitchens in Chinatown. Last March, dozens of individuals sharing the fourth-floor - each occupying a 64-square-foot cubicle - were evicted . Photographer Annie Ling has spent the past four years documenting the different aspects of life in Chinatown, observing family life and those less fortunate who struggle inside rent-regulated Single Room Occupancy (SRO) buildings such as the legendary 81 Bowery. Cramped into one floor on one building on the infamous Manhattan thoroughfare photographer Jacob Riis called the 'great democratic highway of the city', 81 Bowery provided Ling with a glimpse of the reality of life in Chinatown. Before it was dramatically shut-down in a flurry of controversy in March 2013, the SROs of 81 Bowery provided cubicles on average 64 square foot from $200 a month, or $9 a month - cash in hand. Cramped family meal time: Workers share a late supper together in cubicle #4 . Searing New York heat: Often on hot summer nights, residents relaxed and took naps on the fire escape to cool down . Exit is that way: The residents found themselves evicted on one night by the City of New York in March 2013 . There, like a modern-day Riis, Ling found dozens of people, mostly immigrants, aged anywhere from 18 to 88-years-old, crammed into small rooms, sharing bathrooms. However, for the proud people who called it home, there was no shame. Indeed, some had lived there and other such SRO buildings in Chinatown for nearly three decades. They would cook together, watch Chinese opera on television together and lend money to each other in support of their attempt at the American Dream. Annie Ling's project is entitled 'A Floating Population' and went on display as part of an exhibition that explores, 'the connection between people and lived spaces within this neighborhood' at The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) in New York. Communal: Chen Yin Zhen prepares to turn in for the night. Because the cubicles were without their own ceilings, there was very little privacy at the lodge . Mr. Chu, an immigrant laborer from China, once lived in cubicle #4 in 81 Bowery. Like many immigrant laborers, he lives on very little and sends most of his earnings back to his wife and children back in China . The March eviction was not popular in the city, especially when it was revealed the complaint that sparked it came from someone in Arizona, after they watched CNN piece on 81 Bowery. Resident, Chen Xiukang, 62, was despondent on losing his home. 'We were like a family,' said Chen Xiukang, 62, a cook at a Chinese restaurant to The New York Times. 'We help each other. We rely on one another.' In the aftermath, the city tried to help those who could prove legal documents that they were residents help in the form of temporary housing. Simple: The hallways on the fourth floor of 81 Bowery was a place where its residents shared stories, dried their laundry and played card games . Sad: Some of the elderly who resided at 81 Bowery, have no options. They live there, because it¿s what they can afford . The others were left to ask friends and relatives for help. The Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV), is still trying to rehome some of those turfed-out and briefly led a campaign to reopen 81 Bowery, which ultimately failed. Asked why a housing situation that would seem unpalatable to most New Yorkers is being so fiercely fought over, Ling said that for some, it is all they have. 'They struggle to operate outside of Chinatown because of language and cultural barriers,' she says. Indeed, for Ling, this project is personal. Her Chinatown tenement burned down in 2008, leaving her homeless for a year and her photographs have helped illuminate an oft-ignored situation. | Four-year photographic project reveals the abject poverty that some in Manhattan's famous Chinatown live in .
Annie Ling was inspired by the loss of her own Chinatown home in 2009 to a fire .
Traveled the tenements of the downtown Manhattan district - especially the infamous 81 Bowery .
Nearly 30 migrant workers shared homes which on average measured 64 square feet on one floor of the building .
They paid up from $9 a night or $200 a month - but were controversially evicted in March 2013 . |
102ccb6e57ddce08016c0b389efb83e1eb98959d | Residents in a seaside town had to be evacuated after a traditionally built cob cottage collapsed during renovation work yesterday. One wall of the mud and straw-built terraced house fell into the street in Dawlish, Devon, as scaffolding surrounding it buckled and fell. Emergency services were called but despite the scale of the damage, no-one was injured in the incident which happened at 4pm yesterday. The traditionally-built cob cottage in Dawlish, Devon, buckled and collapsed into the street yesterday afternoon . The narrow street in the seaside wall was rendered impassable after the side of the terraced house fell away . How it looked before: The cob cottages in Dawlish have typically thick walls - they're often 24 inches thick . It emerged today that builders had been working to repair a crack in the front wall of the house, which is home to a couple in their 30s with children, who were out at the time. Jason Sandland, an architectural surveyor who lives in the street near the town centre, said: 'The scaffolding twisted and collapsed onto the road. 'Luckily there was no-one on the street, which is usually quite busy.' He added: 'Cob is usually a good material for building but it can dry out if covered with the wrong render.' Emergency services attended after a neighbour called 999. A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said: 'There was no one in the building or on the scaffolding at the time which was very lucky.' The cob cottage in Dawlish is the second such building to collapse in under a week - last Thursday a 400-year-old cob cottage up the coast in East Budleigh, Devon, buckled. In that incident, the owner's father described how he fled to safety minutes before the ancient property fell to the floor. John Timms said he was in his son's house in the he heard 'cracking noises' that got louder and louder. 'The noises became louder so I got out,' he said. 'Then around 20 minutes later the roof and walls came down, as if in slow motion. 'The cob just failed.' Scene of the collapse: Engineers from Teignbridge Council assess the damage from a cherry-picker . Two builders who were working in the East Budleigh property at the time also escaped before the cream cottage crumpled. Mr Timms, whose family have been offered accommodation by friends following the incident, said: 'Until we can get inside we won't know what's left intact and what isn't. 'It could have been a lot worse - we're just so thankful that no-one was hurt or worse.' The word cob comes from an old English word meaning round lump, and hands are still used to mix together the various materials to form cob when it's used in house-building today. Most often found in Wales and the south west in Britain, cob houses and farm buildings date back to the 14th century, and are usually made of a mix of natural building materials including clay, earth, straw, sand and water. Known for being fireproof, cheap to build, and relative flexibility in areas of seismic activity, cob buildings typically have 24-inch thick walls which insulate the building during winter and keep it cool during the summer, with deep-set windows and doors. Poor people in Tudor times often built themselves homes out of cob, as it was cheaper than the timber framed homes of the period. Their homes were often one-roomed cottages, topped by a thatched roof, with a beaten earth floor. While it is similar to adobe, cob is different because it can be used in cold and wet climates - its porosity lends itself to cool damp climates. | Traditionally built cob cottage in Dawlish, Devon, collapsed at 4pm yesterday .
Scaffolding on the terraced house near the town centre also fell into street .
No-one was hurt but it was second such incident in Devon in less than week .
On 4 September 400-year-old cob cottage collapsed in nearby East Budleigh .
Owner's father and two builders fled, and watched as cob cottage crumpled .
John Timms said: 'I heard cracking noises which became louder so I got out'
Cob is natural, fireproof housebuilding material using clay, earth and straw . |
102d9b18344c158f1d069b9ddf17096f420a34df | Russian president Vladimir Putin met the . Pope today - amid claims he is planning to name scandal-mired Silvio . Berlusconi as Russia's ambassador to the Vatican. The pair have defended each other through thick and thin, so the move is hardly surprising for the ever-controversial pair. The Russian president has attended the Italian’s infamous bunga bunga parties while Mr Putin reciprocated with holidays at his dacha on the Black Sea. Friends: It has been claimed Vladimir Putin, left, who met the Pope in Rome's Vatican City, reportedly wants to make disgraced Silvio Berlusconi, right, a Russian ambassador - giving him diplomatic immunity . Pope Francis shakes hand with Russian President Vladimir Putin as they exchange gifts during the private audience at the Vatican City . They have attended extreme fighting events together and Mr Putin even has a bed named after him at the 77-year-old billionaire’s mansion. Now their unlikely bond has taken a new turn, with Mr Putin said to be poised to make the former Italian prime minister the Russian envoy to the Vatican. Such a move would confer diplomatic immunity on Berlusconi – and an escape from his latest legal woes courtesy of his old pal in the Kremlin. After being convicted of tax fraud, the politician is this week facing expulsion from the Italian parliament, a move that would strip him of some legal protection. Putin is on a two-day visit in Italy. He will also meet with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and Premier Enrico Letta . In September the Pope wrote directly to Putin imploring him to co-operate with other international leaders to help the people of Syria . The three-time premier had hoped for a last minute pardon but Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has made it clear that this is not on his agenda. He is also appealing against a conviction for sex with underage prostitute Ruby ‘the heart-stealer’, and faces a new trial for an alleged £2.5million bribe to a senator. As well as legal immunity, the post would give Berlusconi a diplomatic passport, allowing him to visit his luxury overseas properties – something he has been denied since his old passport was cancelled by the authorities. Putin kisses the gift he presented to Pope Francis during the private audience at the Vatican City . Although the two have clashed over Syria, they agree that outside military intervention will escalate the civil war . Former KGB agent Mr Putin was last night arriving in Rome to meet Pope Francis and Italian ministers but he is also scheduled to meet Berlusconi. A political source told an Italian newspaper: ‘Putin’s idea is clear: he plans to nominate Berlusconi as ambassador to the Holy See, a strategy that would save him from persecution by the judiciary.’ Mr Putin held private talks with Pope Francis about the Syrian conflict, months after the Pope sent him an angry letter criticising the G20's failure to provide more aid. In . September the Pope wrote directly to Putin imploring him to co-operate . with other international leaders to help the people of Syria. Cosy: Berlusconi and Putin are firm friends, despite both being controversial figures on the world stage . Friends: The pair during a mid-air meeting in April 2004. Since then Berlusconi has been given several jail terms . So far the reports that Putin, left, could make Berlusconi, right, a Russian ambassador are unconfirmed . Pope Francis and Putin did agree on one thing, however - they were both against the British and U.S. push for military intervention. Putin refused to take sides in the conflict, while the Pope said it was important that the violence did not escalate. But the pair differ publicly in several areas including on gay rights. While the Pope has reportedly taken a softer line, Putin has cracked down on gay rights and criminalised protests in favour. And there is a long-running religious feud between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox church, which have been at loggerheads since the fall of the Soviet Union. Russian church figures have accused the Vatican of trying to convert their worshippers to make them Catholic. | Putin will hold fiery discussion of Syria with Pope Francis .
Italian media have reported Putin could grant special status to Berlusconi .
Former PM has been handed several jail terms and faces another trial . |
102dcd32159249a18553715862037bc4c28e3610 | By . Francesca Infante . PUBLISHED: . 06:12 EST, 16 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:49 EST, 16 April 2013 . High pay: Site manager Mr Wootton was paid in excess of £50,000 by Ravenscroft School in Essex . A primary school is paying its caretaker £50,000 a year – double the wage of a newly qualified teacher. The caretaker, named only as Mr Wootton, receives a basic salary of £38,000. But the school has topped that up with an extra £14,500 for overtime and groundsmen duties which he carries out. By contrast qualified primary school teachers in the same area can expect to start on just £25,117. Despite education budget cuts, Mr Wootton has been enjoying the same generous basic salary for the past five years in his role as 'site manager', it was revealed yesterday. His pay is £13,000 more than the amount set aside for special educational needs at the school, Ravenscroft in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, according to its budget for 2010-11. Clacton MP Douglas Carswell yesterday strongly criticised the huge pay package and called on the school's management to 'get a grip'. Tory Mr Carswell, who has been governor at a neighbouring school, said it was unheard of for a caretaker to be paid so much and said it showed a 'weakness' of leadership. 'I think the senior management team need to get a grip,' he said. 'This money should be spent on special needs and maths teachers. 'Most mums and dads will ask how can it possibly be right that a large sum of money is going on a caretaker rather than on raising standards or literacy. 'There has been a weakness in senior management at the school for several years. This school is screaming out to be made into an academy.' Mr Wootton joined the school 31 years ago after leaving the Royal Navy. High pay: Local MP Douglas Carswell says senior management at the school must 'get a grip' It is the responsibility of the . school governors to hire caretakers and decide their pay. A spokesman . for the school defended the payments, claiming it was cheaper to top up . the caretaker's salary for his extra duties and information and . communications technology work than it would be to bring in an outside . contractor. He said: 'The site manager has been in post at the school since 1982. Since 2007 he has not received any pay increases. 'In addition to his basic pay, the . site manager also receives overtime pay which incorporates delivery of . the grounds contract and ICT support. 'It is better value for money for the . site manager to provide this service rather than using an external . provider or employing more staff.' Essex County Council said the salary . had been set by the governors but an outside body had now been appointed . to run the school's finances. 'The governing body of Ravenscroft . School has recently been replaced by an interim executive board as part . of a programme of improvement developed by the county council,' he said. 'Part of the remit of the IEB is to . review current staffing costs established by the previous governors and a . meeting has been planned this month to discuss this.'A primary school caretaker is being paid £50,000 a year - which is nearly double many teachers' salaries. | Mr Wooton receives £38,000 basic salary topped up with £14,500 extra pay .
It is £13,000 more than is set aside by school for special educational needs .
Ravenscroft School in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, has been strongly criticised .
He has been on same pay since 2007 and MP says school must 'get a grip'
Primary school teachers in the same can expect to start on just £25,117 . |
102e5dba7396a186fc5427a150bd512a8440ae11 | Roberto Mancini will coach Inter Milan for the first time since 2008 in Sunday's derby with AC Milan. The 49-year-old, who won three successive Serie A titles with the club during his four years in charge, replaced Walter Mazzarri during the international break with the Nerazzurri having won just four of their 11 league games this season. 'I never thought of returning but I believe in this project,' Mancini said to the Italian media. 'I don't have a magical wand and only through hard work will we be able to return to win. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Roberto Mancini returned to manage Inter Milan during the international break after first leaving in 2008 . The Italian is back and raring to go following his return to the club where he won three successive titles . 'I have been away for six years coaching abroad, in the Premier League and in Turkey, so I will need a bit of time. 'Inter is a top club and I'm happy to return even though when you go back to a place where you have done a good job, you have everything to lose.' The former Manchester City manager, who signed a contract until June 2017, added: 'To start with AC Milan is not going to be easy. 'We have a quality team, that has room for improvement but we need to do so quickly.' Inter are ninth in the standings, 12 points adrift of league leaders Juventus while Milan are one point above them and looking to halt a four-match winless run. Mancini puts Inter player Mauro Icardi (right) through his paces during a training session on Thursday . Mancini replaced Walter Mazzarri after he won just four of his first 11 games in Serie A this season . Elsewhere, Juve go into Saturday's match at Lazio holding a three-point lead over Roma and riding a three-match winning streak in all competitions. The Turin giants travel to Rome boasting the best attack and defence in the competition, with 25 goals scored and just four conceded. Roma take on strugglers Atalanta in Bergamo on Saturday looking to keep up the pace with Juve. The Giallorossi beat Torino 3-0 last time out to bounce back from their second loss in Serie A - a 2-0 reverse at Napoli. Napoli are third and hold the last Champions League qualifying spot heading into Sunday's home game against Cagliari. They have won their last two league games and are four points adrift of Roma. Mancini hands out directions to his players Icardi (centre) and Dani Osvaldo (right) during the session . The Italian head coach gestures while chatting to central midfielder Yann M'Vila (right) VIDEO Mancini will return to Inter greatness - Milito . Fourth-place Sampdoria travel to relegation-threatened Cesena having to do without suspended captain Angelo Palombo. Fiorentina suffered a blow ahead of Sunday's match at Hellas Verona when defender Manuel Pasqual was ruled out of action for a month with a right adductor injury. The Viola captain got hurt during Italy's 1-1 against Croatia in last weekend's Euro 2016 qualifier. Genoa are riding a six-match unbeaten run heading into their home match against Palermo on Monday. The good run of form has lifted Gian Piero Gasperini's side to sixth place, level on 19 points with Lazio, who are fifth. Mancini having a quiet word in the ear of Italian forward Osvaldo during the session this week . Mancini in discussions with his fitness coach at Inter Milan Ivan Carminati (right) ahead of the AC Milan clash . Sassuolo are unbeaten in their last five games heading into Sunday's clash at Torino. The Emilia-Romagna outfit has climbed into 12th place, level on 12 points with 13th-place Toro. Chievo will be hoping to build on their 2-1 triumph over Cesena, a result that halted an eight-match winless run, when they take on Udinese at the Friuli stadium. Bottom-side Parma have lost nine of their opening 11 games, including a 7-0 humiliation at the hands of Juve in the previous round. The Gialloblu, coached by Roberto Donadoni, square off against Empoli at the Tardini stadium looking for their third win of the campaign. | Roberto Mancini returns to Inter Milan dug out for first time since 2008 .
First game is the Milan derby against fierce rivals AC on Sunday .
He replaced former incumbent Walter Mazzarri during international break .
Mancini admits that he 'never thought of returning' to Inter Milan . |
102eb8311fc40d22bd42ad73d4db290c70c19bc5 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 03:32 EST, 21 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:15 EST, 21 March 2013 . It sounds like a scene from an episode of the popular and long-running cartoon The Simpsons. A defendant called Bart Simpson, appearing in court in front of a judge called Mr Burns. However, this isn't a fictional case but a real-life trial which took place at Warwick Crown Court this week. Bizarre: A defendant called Bart Simpson, appearing in court in front of a judge called Mr Burns at Warwick Crown Court . Company Director Barton Simpson, 56, stood trial in front of Mr Recorder Burns at Warwick Crown Court on Monday. He was spared jail after admitting that he carried a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver in his luggage while catching a flight at Birmingham airport in May last year. Mr Burns sentenced Simpson to a 12-month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work and ordered him to pay £800 costs. The defendant was flying to Croatia when he put his bag through an X-ray machine which detected the weapon. He told police the gun, which he inherited from his father, was a 'curio' and that he had forgotten it was in his holdall. Stars: Bart Simpson and Mr Burns are long-running characters in The Simpsons . Andrew Wilkins, prosecuting, said . Simpson normally kept the revolver at his home in Eccleshall, . Staffordshire and realised his mistake almost immediately. 'He put his hands to his face and hesitated before he then went through the personal metal detector,' the lawyer said. 'The reason he said he had it with . him, and there is no reason to disagree, was that he was having work . done on his flat while he was travelling and did not want it to come . into the hands of the decorator.' Mr Wilkins said Simpson had intended . to leave the gun locked in his car, but he was distracted because of . circumstances including the deaths of a friend and of his son, a serving . soldier. Mr Burns told Simpson: 'It was a very stupid thing you did. You must be punished for it, but I think you can be dealt with by way of a community order.' A court worker said: 'It's a bizarre . coincidence that Bart Simpson is actually on trial in front of Mr Burns . but it'll proceed as any other criminal case would. 'There were some eyebrows raised when the court list was published.' The fictional Bart Simpson is the main character in the popular, long-running animated television series The Simpsons. He is the eldest child and only son of Homer and Marge. Charles Montgomery 'Monty' Burns, often referred to as Mr Burns, is the evil owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. He is the boss of Bart's father Homer. | Barton Simpson appears before Mr Recorder Burns .
Admitted taking an antique gun into an airport . |
102f8ba542afeb9b87e367bc423822528277e728 | Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki have formed a blossoming friendship over the past few months. Williams was waiting at the finish line as Wozniacki ran the New York Marathon before attending a fashion awards ceremony the following day. They were also seen watching the New York Knicks in action. Serena Williams (left) and Caroline Wozniacki (second right) have been enjoying some time poolside . WIlliams (left) and Wozniacki (right) are on a holiday in the Bahamas at the moment . Wozniacki (right) posted a picture of herself and Williams enjoying time off from the tennis court via Instagram . Wozniacki posted a picture of herself enjoying a cold drink in the sun whilst holidaying in the Bahamas . Williams posted this picture of herself on Instagram on Sunday . Wozniacki also posted her own bikini snap in the sun on Instagram . Wozniacki has clearly been enjoying herself, regularly posting photo updates via Instagram . And now, the pair have recently been pictured enjoying an end of season break in the Bahamas. Wozniacki, of Denmark, competed in the New York marathon in an impressive time of three hours and 26 minutes at the beginning of November. And her colleague and friend Williams was waiting to greet her as she crossed the finish line. Wozniacki, who posted another picture on Instagram before the race, raised over $81,000 for charity by completing the marathon. Wozniacki seemed excited for the New York marathon, and posted this photo on Instagram post beforehand . Wozniacki (left) poses alongside WIlliams after completing the New York marathon . The Danish tennis star impressively completed the marathon in under three-and-a-half hours . Williams congratulates her friend Wozniacki moments after completing the New York marathon . Wozniacki barely had time to recover from her running exploits by the time they were next spotted out together, as the pair were in attendance for a fashion event at Spring Studios. They were even photographed with fashion designer Stella McCartney. But their antics did not stop there, as they were soon out and about in New York again, watching the New York Nicks play at Madison Square Gardens. Wozniacki and Williams went to a fashion event the day after Wozniacki had run the London marathon . Wozniacki (left) and WIlliams (right) posed for a picture alongside designer Stella McCartney (centre) Wozniacki and Williams were then seen watching The New York Nicks play at Madison Square Gardens . The pair were seen laughing and joking throughout the match, as they made yet another public appearance . Their presence did not bring any luck for the Nicks, though, as they were beaten 98-83 by the Washington Wizards. Wozniacki and Williams have been enjoying themselves in the past couple of weeks, and where tennis's new blossoming friendship will show up after holidaying in the Bahamas remains to be seen. | Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki form a blossoming friendship .
The pair have been spotted at fashion shows and sporting events already .
Now the tennis duo are enjoying a holiday together in the Bahamas . |
1030dd7980e272731d8c00fe26563e1ed2f23a30 | (CNN) -- As leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa convene in Durban, the term "BRICS" used to describe these rapidly growing economies is so last year; today everyone is talking about the "CIVETS." Made up of Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa -- these nations, some with sizable populations and others with a wealth of natural resources, could be the economic boomers of the next decade, according to John Bowler, director of Country Risk Service at the Economist Intelligence Unit. Although unlikely to rival the economic might of India and China or the resources of Russia and Brazil, this motley crew of emerging markets make the CIVETS the next band of countries to profit from a shift in global power. Bowler highlights oil-rich Indonesia as a growth story for the next decade in particular. With low levels of public debt and a population of more than 200 million people, the Southeast Asian nation posted growth of 6% in 2012, at a time when economic giants such as China and India slowed. "Indonesia is a low-cost location so it's attracting investment that would have previously gone into China but because of wage demands that investment is going into Indonesia," he said. Bowler also noted that Egypt has high growth potential despite trying to secure a critical $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. The country is mired in political turmoil following the outbreak of the Arab Spring two years ago, with Egyptian opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei labelling the North African nation a "failed state" as the country remains divided over controversial President Mohamed Morsy. "Eventually Egypt will modernize and follow the kind of path that Turkey has in reconciling its issues in society," Bowler added. Other members of the CIVETS -- Colombia, Turkey and Vietnam -- all saw growth of more than 3% for 2012, according to IMF data, well above the U.S., U.K., Germany and the debt-ridden "PIGS" of Europe; Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain. Bowler told CNN: "Turkey is an exciting emerging market and Colombia will continue to do well over the coming decade with good demographics and rich, diverse resources even though it has had problems with militia." One other country that may take the world by surprise is Myanmar, also known as Burma. The IMF is forecasting rapid growth of 6.3% this year for Myanmar, as the country emerges from decades of military repression. Bowler said that Myanmar, despite the recent unrest, will attract a large amount of foreign investment and is rich in gem stone and base metal resources. But Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill, the man who coined the BRICS term in 2001, said any club including China is going to be very difficult to match. He said the world's second-largest economy, in tandem with India, Russia, Brazil and South Africa, is still the big story for at least the next 10 years. O'Neill added: "China creates another Cyprus every week, creates another South Africa every four months, has created another India in the past two years ... by the end of the decade the BRICS will have at least 25% of global GDP." Leaders of the five economic powerhouses are in South Africa to thrash out a deal on a BRICS development bank, which will fund infrastructure ventures in developing nations; a venture that could be "hugely significant" for Africa, according to O'Neill. China, in particular, is seeking to increase its investments in the resource-rich continent. This week, newly installed President Xi Jinping made his first state visit to Africa, signing a $10 billion agreement to build a major port and industrial hub in Tanzania. "It [the bank] is effectively going to replace what the World Bank's purpose has been for the BRIC countries and their friends," said O'Neill. O'Neill, who is set to step down from his role at Goldman Sachs later this year, forecasts that by 2035 the BRIC nations will be as big as the leading industrialized nations of the G7. | EIU's John Bowler sees Indonesia and Myanmar as burgeoning economies .
Goldman Sachs' O'Neill said any club including China is going to be very difficult to match .
BRICS leaders meet in South Africa to make deal on development bank . |
1035065d4bf5f3c904c13c81868042cd9ad53876 | A man locked in a battle with his energy supplier has gone without gas or electricity for three years because he refuses to pay for his meter to be fixed. Chris Guest, 50, has refused to pay Eon £70 to fix the device, which they installed in 2010, and has been left without power ever since. Mr Guest has been forced to read by torchlight, go without heating and hot water, and survives on corned beef sandwiches because he is unable to cook. In the dark: Chris Guest has been without electricity or gas for three years following a row with his energy firm . The former advert writer, who cannot work because he has gout, has also resorted to using his mother's washing machine and charging his phone at other people's houses. After three years living in miserable conditions, he has finally decided to speak out having reached the end of his tether. He said: 'I can't cook, I have a mobile phone I charge at other people's houses just so I can listen to the radio and at night it's pitch black. 'My mum didn't even know. She's 84 and I didn't want her to worry.' Mr Guest fell out with Eon over a bill in 2010. To resolve the problem, the firm entered his house while he was out and installed a prepayment meter using legal powers granted by the Warrant of Entry Act. Out in the cold: Mr Guest's landlord has urged him to work with Eon to resolve the matter . Warrant: In 2010 Mr Guest received a letter from Eon (left) informing him the firm had entered his house to install a meter. A month later he received another letter (right) querying why he had not topped his meter up . Blasted: Mr Guest has branded energy company Eon 'greedy' after he was hit with the bill . Mr Guest claims they reached a stalemate around Christmas 2010, after he finally paid off an outstanding £500 bill. He claims he then found that the meter was not working and Eon wanted another £70 to repair it, which he refused to pay. Jobless: Mr Guest does not currently work because he suffers from gout . Eon decline to comment on the dispute, but confirmed that Mr Guest has not used any electricity for three years. The company says they have tried to resolve the issue with. A spokesman said: 'With regard to Mr Guest's case, a prepayment meter was installed in May 2010 due to a considerable balance which had built up on the account. 'His last payment was made in 2005 for £1.97 and Mr Guest has been provided with a prepayment key to use to top up his electricity meter with credit. 'We have tried many times since then to resolve this matter, however energy used needs to be energy that is paid for.' Mr Guest's landlord, Green Vale Homes, . confirmed that he was unable to use his boiler without an electricity . supply and has urged him to come to an agreement with Eon. Frances Clarke, head of Green Vale Homes, which is responsible for maintaining Mr Guest's boiler said: 'We are aware Mr Guest has had a dispute with his energy suppliers. 'We would urge him to resolve these disputes as soon as possible so we can carry out a full check on his heating system. 'The boiler won't work without an electricity supply and an inactive system is more prone to leaks, especially in cold weather as the pipes expand and contract, so we hope we can avoid this. Hot topic: Mr Guest has been without heat or hot water and has to take his washing to his mother's house . Survival: Dinner time has been bland affairs for the past three years, with Mr Guest forced to eat sandwiches . Chores: Tasks such as vacuuming, that most people take for granted, cannot be carried out by Mr Guest . | Chris Guest has been surviving on corned beef sandwiches .
He has to read by torchlight and has no heating or hot water .
Eon entered his home using legal powers in 2010 and installed a meter .
He claims the meter broke and refuses to pay the £70 charge to repair it . |
1036f846053458daee669aac7c0cd8b2b26fc0b4 | (CNN) -- A New York Times article has reported that the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have launched airstrikes in Libya against militias, without coordinating with their ally, the United States of America. Both Egypt and the United Arab Emirates continue to deny that they were responsible for the strikes, while American officials insist otherwise. Yet, political cover could have been fairly easily provided if Egypt and the UAE had wanted to strike with less fallout. Allegations they carried out the strikes come against backdrop of international concern over radical Islamism in Iraq and Syria, which have led to U.S. airstrikes already, in co-ordination with the Iraqi government. Some of the Libyan Islamist militias openly express sympathy for ISIS counterparts in Iraq and Syria, and a newly elected Libyan government already calling for at least some kind of international intervention to restore order, although they've stopped short of openly calling for military strikes. Any airstrikes, however, taking place without the consent of the national government of a country, could only be described as violating state sovereignty. Of course, the Libyan state has been characterized as close to, if not already in the throes of, complete failure for the last three years. The Gadhafi regime over three decades ensured there was no state to speak of, but only institutions closely associated with him and his coterie. When he fell, the revolutionary forces had the awesome challenge of building a state where there had been none -- and in the past three years, they have been unable to succeed in accomplishing that fundamental goal. In the midst of that void, different groups have tried to acquire as much power on Libyan territory as possible. It is difficult to describe the differences in simple terms -- there are regional and tribal divides, as well as support for Islamist militants and conservative, non-secularist but also non-Islamist, opposition to them. Secularist groups, unlike in Tunisia, for example, do not particularly exist in Libya -- Libyan society at large is tremendously religiously conservative. Some of that conservatism expresses itself in support for Islamist groups that range from the Libyan chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood, and more extreme groupings like Ansar al-Sharia who have articulated sympathy for ISIS. Representatives of non-Islamist groups swept recent parliamentary elections, which indicate they have substantially more popularity than the pro-Islamist camp at present. Unfortunately, both Islamists and non-Islamists alike have given rise to militias, which only deepens the difficulty for taking Libya through its transition to democracy. The void of a popularly supported state has also made it easier for outside powers to engage in Libyan affairs. From early on in the Libyan uprising, Qatar and Turkey have built alliances and provided support for particular groupings within the country -- and the Emiratis and others did the same. Three years on, the country remains tremendously unstable -- but it now exists in a region where a truly radical Islamist movement has shown itself capable, if only temporarily, taking control of swathes of Iraq and Syria. The fears of a similar movement taking over Libya are genuinely felt in Cairo, Abu Dhabi and elsewhere in the region -- and after the U.S. engaged so openly in striking against a radical Islamist movement in Iraq, it would perhaps be unsurprising if others in the region had felt they were within their rights to do the same in Libya. There is another aspect, however, to American involvement in the region. On the one hand, American airstrikes in Iraq may have emboldened advocates of a more interventionist approach in Libya. On the other hand, American non-involvement in Syria, which arguably contributed to the rise of ISIS, may have done the same -- providing support for the narrative that if you leave radical Islamists alone, they're likely to develop into far more powerful actors as ISIS has become. U.S. influence . The rising of the stakes of the conflict in Libya may not necessarily signal a waning of American influence -- if Washington wanted to engage more forcefully in the region, either unilaterally and multilaterally, it possesses enough political capital in the region to do so. In the absence of political will to proceed in that fashion, others will step into the vacuum -- and others have. Since at least 2012, Qatar and Turkey have consistently supported Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and their allies in countries like Egypt, Libya, Syria and elsewhere. The UAE and Saudi led the charge in supporting non-Islamist groups, although at times there was common cause, such as against Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. They were joined by Egypt after the military removal of Mohamed Morsy in 2013, and most other Arab governments after that point seem to have either tacitly or openly joined the non-Islamist axis. Much of this has less to do with ideology than it appears, and more to do with the fear of any type of change from the status quo that could devolve into mass instability. At present, that fear is most associated with Islamist movements. Mideast polarization . What needs to happen in Libya is perhaps what needs to happen, in another fashion, across the Middle East. The polarization of the region into these two camps has taken place at the worst of times -- when the region is facing some of its greatest challenges in decades. The polarization between these two sides has repercussions and consequences, which are likely to take a very deep toll in countries like Libya, but also elsewhere, in terms of blood and chaos. It has never been more important than for these two camps to work together, as much as possible, to support Libya's newly elected government, and to use their combined influence and capital to reinforce a political process in Libya that does not rely on the use of arms. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be likely in the interim -- and it will be the Libyan people, who have already suffered so much in the past three years, who will pay the price. The effects of Gadhafi's rule still haunt them. | The New York Times reports the UAE and Egypt launched air strikes in Libya .
Egypt, the UAE deny the reports, but the U.S. says it understands they did strike .
Amid the threat of ISIS, some regional powers fear extremists in Libya, says H.A. Hellyer .
Libyans are caught between supporters of Islamist groups, those who fear them, he says . |
10373e0ea2d7822975bebf45d37946775abce2b8 | (CNN) -- Arizona police are looking for an Iraqi man who they allege ran down his daughter and her friend because he believed his daughter had become "too Westernized." Police say they're looking for Faleh Hassan Almaleki, who they say struck two people with a vehicle Tuesday. Peoria, Arizona, police said Wednesday that Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, struck his 20-year-old daughter, Noor Faleh Almaleki, and her friend Amal Edan Khalaf with a vehicle he was driving in a parking lot Tuesday afternoon. Faleh Hassan Almaleki was angry with his daughter "as she had become too 'Westernized' and was not living according to [the family's] traditional Iraq[i] values," Peoria police said in a statement released Wednesday. Noor Faleh Almaleki is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to the statement. Khalaf, 43, received injuries that are not life-threatening but is still in the hospital, police said. Noor Faleh Almaleki lives with Khalaf, police said but did not elaborate on how the two women knew each other. Faleh Hassan Almaleki was last seen in a gray or silver Jeep Grand Cherokee, police said. No further details were immediately available. Peoria is about 13 miles northwest of Phoenix. | Police: Man struck daughter, her friend with vehicle on Tuesday in Arizona .
Man thought daughter, 20, wasn't living according to family's Iraqi values, police say .
Woman has life-threatening injuries, police say .
Police seek Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48 . |
1037a4edd6dfa4f4b3f483ac2b03040305c94447 | Barcelona midfielder Xavi admits his playing days are over and says he would relish the chance to follow the example of Pep Guardiola by one day coaching the Catalan giants. Xavi replaced Guardiola on the pitch as Barca's midfield playmaker having been promoted to the first team by then coach Louis van Gaal and now he has admitted he would jump at the opportunity to coach at the Nou Camp. 'Hopefully I can (follow Guardiola) and even more so in my home here,' the 34-year-old told El Pais. Barcelona ace Xavi has revealed he has aspirations to follow former boss Pep Guardiola into coaching . The 34-year-old is starting to plan for life after football and has admitted his 'playing days are numbered' Bayern Munich coach Guardiola took over the reins at Barcelona in 2008 and won three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues in four years while making tiki-taka famous. 'My playing days are numbered, that is clear. I can feel it in my body as it is difficult for me to recover and I need to measure how much effort I am putting in,' said Xavi. 'I don't have the same sharpness to play every three days any more.' Xavi has been a key player in a golden generation for Barcelona and Spain but he says it was not easy at the start being compared to Guardiola. 'Everyone was saying I was going to be the new hero and it was tough. This made a difference to me as it meant I went out trying to be my own person while everyone else said I was the new Guardiola,' he said. Xavi has revealed Spain boss Vicente del Bsque persuaded him to play at the 2014 World Cup . 'You grow up quickly as footballers as you are being judged all the time. It is life, and it is the case from when you are young.' Xavi retired from international football after Spain's disappointing group stage exit at this year's World Cup and says he had planned to go after La Roja won back-to-back European titles in 2012 until coach Vicente del Bosque changed his mind. 'I told him, "I am not enjoying it as much now, it is time for someone else," but he said, "Come on are you depressed?'' explained Xavi. 'I told him I had thought about it a lot but he said I was very important. After what happened in Brazil though, if I had known, I would have retired then. It is still true that I have enjoyed the last two years a lot though.' | Xavi has aspirations to one day coach Catalan giants Barcelona .
Pep Guardiola won three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues during his time as a manager at the Nou Camp .
Xavi revealed Vicente del Bosque convinced him to play at the World Cup . |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.