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1586d5c0dd8ccba132e8272aa1ef6cbbaf12849a | A Muslim community leader who had the Sydney cafe gunman at his house for lunch and dinner claims he was not capable of plotting and executing this week's deadly siege or his controversial activities over the past several years without help. Self-styled Sheikh Man Horan Monis held 18 people hostage for more than 16 hours at the Lindt cafe in Martin Place, a siege that ended in a hail of gunfire early Tuesday that left two hostages and the gunman dead. Some commentators this week labelled the crazed gunman a 'lone wolf'. But Jamal Daoud, a Muslim activist who had dealings with Monis over several months in 2010, told Daily Mail Australia that Monis could not have been acting without some form of assistance. 'I don't think that he was acting alone. I don't. I really don't,' Mr Daoud said, adding he believed Monis would not have been capable of conducting the siege plan in complete secrecy without support or training from someone here or overseas. Mr Daoud did not have any direct knowledge of any assistance to Monis. Scroll down for video . This pictures shows Muslim community activist Jamal Daoud with the man who he was shocked would one day become a 'violent terrorist' - self-styled Sheikh Man Horan Monis, the gunman who held eighteen people hostage for more than sixteen hours in Sydney this week until he was gunned down by police. This picture was taken at a large celebration for the birth of Daoud's first son . Fanatic: Man Haron Monis in the second half of 2010. Mr Daoud says he cut all ties with the self-proclaimed sheik . Protest: Man Horan Monis is pictured here attending a rally alongside various members of the Social Justice Network and people of other affiliations . Moment of terror: Hostages are forced to hold the Islamic Shahada flag in the window of the Lindt chocolate cafe . Free at last: Lindt cafe worker and hostage Elly Chen bolts for freedom on Monday afternoon. She was one of five hostages who managed to escape before it came to a bloody end around 2am on Tuesday . Mr Daoud questioned how Monis was capable of executing his abusive letter-writing campaign to the families of deceased Australian Defence Force personnel in 2008 - which he and his wife Amirah Droudis were later convicted for. He also said he believed Monis would not have been able to publish inflammatory videos on his personal website - logistically or technically - several years ago. In the YouTube clips, a woman who appears to be his wife, praised the Bali bombings and September 11 terrorist attacks. 'My understanding and the people who knew him said he is not capable of doing this himself - because they [would] need a lot of help or support,' Mr Daoud said. There is no connection known between Ms Droudis and the siege. Mr Daoud first met Monis at a rally to protest the visit of Israeli Vice-President Silvan Shalom to Australia on December 3, 2009, where the self-styled Sheikh - an Iranian refugee who arrived in the country in 1996 - introduced himself as a 'peace activist'. Monis handed Mr Daoud his business card and said he hoped they would participate in future protest actions together. They did just that, participating in various demonstrations, including about the detention of asylum seekers at Villawood, in Sydney's west. But their relationship did not last for long, Mr Daoud said: 'Our contact did not last more than a few months.' Their final encounter at a Ramadan dinner hosted at Mr Daoud's home for disadvantaged members of the community. Mr Daoud's organisation, the Social Justice Network, cut ties with Monis around that time following the publication of the videos featuring the woman believed to be Ms Droudis. In one video, the woman said: 'I regret to say I am a terrorist. I admit and formally confess that for many years I have been a terrorist, but I'll try not to be anymore.' 'Amirah': In a series of videos on Man Horan Monis' website, a woman believed to be his partner Amirah Droudis celebrated the Bali bombings, Holocaust and September 11 terrorist attacks . The Social Justice Network cut ties with Monis in late 2010 following his bizarre behaviour and the publication of various videos, including one wear a woman believed to be his wife Amirah (pictured) called herself a terrorist. Many members of the Social Justice Network are who hold terrorism 'strongly in contempt', Mr Daoud said . Mr Daoud said, 'We wanted to tell her, this is not Islam'. He added that there were questions over how Monis met his wife - who used to work as a hairdresser and partied in Kings Cross bars but later converted to Islam and became an apparent follower of Monis. Members of the Mr Daoud's group - which protest over matters such as the treatment asylum seekers and Palestine - also doubted Monis' sanity and refused to be part of his own bizarre protest plans, including a demonstration in which he shackled himself to Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court over charges relating to his letter-writing campaign. Mr Daoud said Monis constantly refused to answer his questions about whether he was receiving any support in his letter-writing or video campaigns. 'We could not keep any clue about what's going on in his mind or his plans,' he said. Mr Daoud was unable to name individuals who could have been acting in concert with Monis this week, or over the past several years. A New South Wales police spokeswoman declined to comment on Mr Daoud's claims, saying their investigation is ongoing. On Tuesday, police executed a search warrant on the home of Amirah Droudis - where Monis spent much time - carting away several bags of material and documents. Wife: Amirah Droudis is pictured here arriving at Campsie Police Station following dramatic raids on her home in Belmore, in Sydney's outer west, on Tuesday . Raid: Police officers from the Critical Incident Unit seized several documents from Ms Droudis' home in Belmore on Tuesday . Ominous warning: Man Horan Monis was not on government terror watchlists at the time of the siege . Both the Federal and NSW governments are examining various aspects of Monis' activities in Australia, including how he obtained political asylum in Australia, how he acquired the sawn-off shot gun he used in Monday's siege and his interactions with various government agencies. Mr Daoud told Daily Mail Australia he and his wife were floored to find out Monis was responsible for the siege. He would only hear of him again when investigators examining the alleged murder of Monis' ex-wife, Noleen Hayson Pal, contacted him for information earlier this year. 'We were shocked, me and my wife,' he said. 'We were shocked and we could not believe that he was able to do this. 'This is why we think he was receiving some intensive brainwashing and training, of how to hide things, you know. 'We are thinking he is not acting alone because someone was planning this very secretive mission for the last few years. 'Somebody planned this very carefully you know. Everything was kept very secret. He was able to reach his targets and execute his final mission.' Police said during the siege that the gunman's motives were unclear, and that it appeared that he was acting alone. It later emerged that one of his few demands was to have a flag of the Islamic State militant group brought to him. This two storey brick house in the south-western Sydney suburb of Green Valley was Monis's home on and off for eight years . A two storey brick house in the south-western Sydney suburb of Green Valley was Monis's home on and off for eight years until his former wife Noleen finally forbade him to visit. The house, where Noleen Pal's parents, Ashok and Marian Pal, live, has a granny flat in the backyard where Monis lived full time with Ms Pal. After their relationship foundered he continued to visit. According to court documents, Monis was staying two days a week until Ms Pal told him, on June 18 2011, not to come back. Monis' stayed in an external flat at the back of the house, where his ex-wife's parents, Ashok and Marian Pal, still live . Ms Pal at one point left Sydney and travelled to stay with her godfather, Ayyat Khalik, in San Francisco. Mr Khalik has told San Francisco TV station Eye 5 KPix that Ms Pal sought refuge for about a month before returning to Sydney, after which she was murdered, in April 2013. On Thursday, as Mrs Pal sheltered inside the Green Valley house, police told Daily Mail Australia the family was still 'very frightened' following Monday's siege. | Muslim community leader claims Man Horan Monis could not have been acting alone .
Jamal Daoud said Monis was not capable of plotting and executing this week's deadly siege without help .
'I don't think he was alone. I don't. I really don't,' Mr Daoud told Daily Mail Australia in an interview . |
1586fc5aa4c7523d52811565ef41aba1ef56d84d | Three Al Jazeera journalists detained for a month are among 20 people referred to Egypt's criminal court to face trial, Egyptian state media reported Wednesday. Four of the 20 defendants are foreigners: Australian Al Jazeera correspondent Peter Greste, two unidentified Englishmen and one unnamed Dutchman, state media said. The foreign nationals face charges "of collaborating with the Egyptians (defendants) and providing them with information, equipment and money, as well as broadcasting false information and rumors to convince the international community that Egypt was undergoing a civil war." The remaining 16 defendants are Egyptians, who face charges "including belonging to a terrorist organization, harming national unity and social peace, and using terrorism as a means to their goals." Egyptian authorities arrested Greste, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed of Al Jazeera English on December 29. They have been held since. Egyptian authorities say the journalists held illegal meetings with the Muslim Brotherhood, which was declared a terrorist group in December. Mohamed Fadel Fahmy's brother, Adel Fahmy, told CNN that his brother's lawyer had confirmed he was among the defendants named in a statement by Egyptian prosecutors. "It's a big blow. We didn't think things would turn out this way, especially after all the evidence that came out against the accusations," Adel Fahmy said. "We thought things were getting better, but this is taking us back to square one -- even worse." Brother: 'We're praying and we're hoping' Adel Fahmy said the family was trying to stay strong. "You have to always keep the hope. We're praying and we're hoping that this is just a tough period that will pass." He said the family was particularly worried about Mohamed Fadel Fahmy because even Greste, as a foreign citizen in detention, was not getting any protection. He added, "We have to stay positive. It's completely crazy and the situation in the country is making things worse -- the bombings, the assassinations. The government is trying to save face, but they're making things worse. They're not thinking rationally." Greste wrote in a letter released by Al Jazeera on Saturday that his detention was an attack on media freedoms. "How do you accurately and fairly report on Egypt's ongoing political struggle without talking to everyone involved?" he wrote. The network did not say how it obtained the letter from Greste, who has previously worked for CNN, Reuters and the BBC. Fahmy worked for CNN and The New York Times before joining Al Jazeera. Mohamed is a Cairo-based producer for the Qatar-based network. Western leaders, human rights groups and journalists have repeatedly called on Egypt to release the men, saying their arrests were a violation of human rights and media freedoms. | Prosecutors say three detained Al Jazeera journalists are among 20 people to face trial .
Peter Greste, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and Baher Mohamed have been in jail for a month .
They are accused of holding illegal meetings with the banned Muslim Brotherhood .
16 of the defendants are Egyptian; charges they face include belonging to terror group . |
1587bb9c4aba6ee43af23cd10a6c23b895dade33 | Friendly and attentive waiters are a key ingredient in the running of a successful restaurant. And now more and more robots are replacing humans by providing a reliable waitressing service in Chinese restaurants and hotels. One such new restaurant in Jiangsu Province, China, is staffed by 15 droids that not only carry food to a diner’s table, but help cook it too. Meals on wheels: A new restaurant in Jiangsu Province, China, is staffed by 15 droids (pictured left and right) that not only carry food to a diner’s table, but help cook it too . Scroll down for video . They can carry trays of food steadily to diners. The droids can also perform repetitive arm motions to 'cook'. Some of them can talk to restaurant goers using 40 different phrases. Other restaurants and hotels have singing robots and receptionists. While they cost around 50,000 Yuan ($8,100 or £4,843) they do not need to be paid a salary, and they can work for up to eight years. The futuristic employees greet customers, deliver food and help with cooking in the kitchen, according to local media - and if they encounter a rude customer, there is no chance of them spitting in the food. Some of the robots can manage polite conversation, as well as greeting customers with 40 different phrases. Just like with humans, the energy-intensive job takes its toll on the robots, which are expected to offer between five and eight years’ service. Each one costs around 50,000 Yuan ($8,100 or £4,843) each. Droid delicacies: Another robot restaurant that has been serving food for over a year, where the droids have cooked dumplings (pictured) and noodles for guests, is in Harbin, Heilongjiang province . A real drive-thru: Robot waiters follow tracks painted on the floor to carry food to tables from the kitchen, where they collect dishes prepared by a robotic chef that are placed on a conveyor belt . Another robot restaurant that has been serving dumplings and noodles cooked by droids for over a year, was set up in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. When a diner walks into this restaurant, an usher robot extends its mechanical arm to the side and says 'Earth person hello. Welcome to the Robot Restaurant.' Robot waiters follow tracks painted on the floor to carry food to tables from the kitchen. They collect dishes prepared by a robotic chef that are placed on a conveyor belt. There is even a singing robot to serenade diners. Mechanical master chef: Customers at the restaurant watch a robot prepare their food . Attention please: The Pengheng Space Capsules Hotel in Shenzhen, has robotic receptionists and droid doormen as well as mechanical waiters . Similar robots are also taking over smalll tasks in hotels. The Pengheng Space Capsules Hotel in Shenzhen, has robotic receptionists and droid doormen as well as mechanical waiters. Because the robots are not paid a salary, a stay at the hotel is cheap at the equivalent of £6.80 per night. You have to get past him first: Because the robots are not paid a salary, stay at the hotel (pictured) is cheap, at the equivalent of £6.80 ($11) per night. A robot doorman is pictured waiting outside the hotel . An increasing number of hotels and restaurants in China are now using robots to perform tasks . | A restaurant in Jiangsu Province, China, is staffed by 15 droids .
They can cook food, as well as carry it to diners' tables .
Futuristic employees greet customers and can make conversation .
They each cost 50,000 Yuan (£4,843) each but don't need to be paid a salary .
Robots are also working in other restaurants and hotels in the country . |
1589624a180218c033b154b19b49105921543348 | Protesters knocked down a statue of Vladimir Lenin on Sunday as outrage mounted over the Ukrainian government's push for closer ties with Russia. A crowd of cheering protesters chanted "Good job" after the statue fell in Kiev's Bessarabska Square. Some pounded the monument with hammers, leaving pieces of the statue scattered on the ground. Only parts of the Soviet hero's legs remained at the base. A man waving a Ukrainian flag stood atop the pedestal beside them. Police said they were investigating but did not know know who had toppled the monument. Ukraine's government news agency said a lawmaker with the nationalist Svoboda party claimed responsibility for the incident. "This is the end of Soviet occupation," the party's Twitter account said. "End of (the) regime of shame and humiliation." Numerous statues of Lenin, one of the leaders of the 1917 Russian Revolution, have been removed from Kiev in recent years. The Communist Party decried the attack on the statue Sunday. "Destroying the Lenin monument in Kiev is not just an act of vandalism," party leader Petro Symonenko said, according to a post on the party's official website. "It is a sign that organizers of the protests are not for the European values, but rather for hate, fear and destruction of the state of Ukraine." The toppling of the statue on Sunday came as 100,000 protesters took to the streets of Kiev, according to police estimates, piling more pressure on Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych after he turned away from integration with Europe. Kiev suspended talks with the European Union last month, angering many Ukrainians who say an EU agreement would have opened borders to trade and set the stage for modernization and inclusion. The subsequent protests that have rattled the eastern European country are the biggest in Ukraine since the so-called Orange Revolution nine years ago, a populist movement that toppled the government. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Yanukovych on Sunday and told the Ukrainian president that he had "grave concern" about the situation, urging authorities not to resort to violence. Yanukovych told the U.N. chief that "consultations would be initiated to defuse the situation," the United Nations said. Opposition leaders, who failed to force the government's resignation in a vote of no confidence in parliament last week, are counting on their supporters to voice their discontent. Demonstrators flocked to the capital's Independence Square, many camping out in freezing weather as they demanded the government's ouster as well as early presidential and parliamentary elections. Russia calls for 'stability and order' Others rallied outside the cabinet office, the presidential office and other government offices -- in some cases blocking the buildings and preventing employees from working. Tens of thousands of anti-government activists met at noon in Kiev for a rally organizers hailed as the "1 Million March," hoping it would swell to 1 million people as the day went on. Ukrainian opposition leaders said close to half a million people were out on the streets. Police put the figure at 100,000. The crowd waved Ukrainian and EU flags and chanted slogans such as "Ukraine is Europe." Some held pictures of Yanukovych's jailed chief political opponent, Yulia Tymoshenko. In statements posted on her official website, Tymoshenko called on supporters to keep up their demands. "I believe that you are strong, inspired and not retreat," wrote the former prime minister, who ended a 12-day hunger strike last week, according to the Batkivschyna opposition party. "Be prepared for the fact that the struggle will be long and difficult, instant victory impossible. But professional and well-planned, your joint struggle has a chance to finish the victory." Opposition demands . Demonstrators held a similar rally December 1. The daily protests have mainly been peaceful, but there has also been some violence, drawing condemnation from Western governments. The crowds often swell in size in the evenings as people leave work and join the protests. In speeches at the rallies, protest leaders have called for the government's resignation, the release of protesters arrested during clashes in Kiev, and the punishment of those responsible for using violence against demonstrators. "I appeal to the whole Ukraine, its East and West. The whole Ukraine must rise and declare a strike to this power in all cities and towns from tomorrow," said boxer Vitaly Klitschko, an opposition leader, in a statement on the website of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform party. Opinion: Why Ukraine's future lies with the EU, not Russia . Ukraine, Russian presidents meet . Against the backdrop of the anti-government protests, Yanukovych met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. The Ukrainian President traveled to China last week and had a work meeting with his Russian counterpart on the way back. "The two Presidents discussed current bilateral relations and preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission in Moscow," an official statement from Putin's office said. One of the main reasons for Yanukovych's decision to backpedal on the EU talks is Russia's threat of trade sanctions and gas bill hikes. Yanukovych was also under pressure by the EU to free Tymoshenko. The Orange Revolution that swept him from office in 2004, when he was prime minister, also swept Tymoshenko to power. Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 after being convicted of abuse of authority over a natural gas deal negotiated with Russia in 2009. The United States and Europe see the punishment as politically motivated. The battle over Ukraine: Towards a new geopolitical game . | "This is the end of Soviet occupation," nationalist party says .
The Communist Party says attacking the statue shows "hate, fear and destruction"
Crowds chant "Good job" after statue of Soviet hero falls .
Kiev suspended talks with the European Union last month . |
158a1654460091703263755cf9f2809bf3326535 | Using shovels, heavy machinery and their bare hands, rescue workers scrambled through piles of rubble to find survivors Monday after a deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastated parts of eastern Turkey. The death toll has risen to 279, with another 1,300 injured, Turkey's semi-official Anatolian news agency reported, citing the country's disaster management authority. Some 970 buildings are demolished. There have been conflicting reports about the number of dead, however. Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin said Monday that as many as 264 people were dead, while Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay put the death toll at 239. It was difficult to tally the number of injured, Health Minister Recep Akdag said, because many were being treated and released. The military was assisting with search-and-rescue efforts, Atalay said. Numerous aftershocks -- the largest a magnitude 6.0 -- rattled eastern Turkey, one of the nation's poorest areas. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 55 buildings collapsed in Ercis on the north shore of Lake Van. The Turkish Red Crescent said about 25 apartment buildings and a student dormitory collapsed in the town. A health services building also collapsed, along with part of a hospital, CNN sister network CNN Turk reported. The injured were being treated in the hospital's garden. "People are really scared," CNN Turk reporter Nevsin Mengu said from Van. "The survivors are now trying to survive the cold weather." Rescuers and survivors contended with near-freezing temperatures early Monday. Some people collected wood from collapsed buildings to burn for warmth, Mengu said. She said many residents are not returning to their houses, opting instead to sleep on rooftops or in the streets. It was not clear whether their homes were uninhabitable or they were just too frightened. Electricity and natural gas were off in most of the city, but Atalay said officials hope to restore power in Van and Ercis by Monday night. Trucks carrying medical aid and food were seen driving into Van. But rescue teams had not reached some of the smaller villages in the area, Mengu said. One man, stuck in the fetal position under a large piece of debris, was visible only through a small hole in the rubble. The man appeared weak and exhausted after rescuers pulled him out, his clothes torn. At one point, rescue workers halted operations to try to hear whether anyone was knocking for help. Are you there? Submit your pictures or video . The Red Crescent called for rescue workers, machinery and drinking water. A crisis center was set up by the country's Health Ministry in the Turkish capital of Ankara. By Monday, more than 2,300 emergency personnel were in the region, Atalay said. Tents and rescue teams have come from as far away as Iran and Azerbaijan. The crisis center said Sunday that 29 surrounding towns had sent help and medical helicopters were taking the injured for treatment in other provinces. Thirty-seven patients were taken to Ankara, Atalay said Monday. Two tent hospitals were being set up in Ercis on Sunday, and two cargo planes were dispatched from the capital carrying medical teams and aid. Erdogan and Akdag arrived in the area Sunday, according to the Ministry of Health's crisis center. Israel offered Turkey "any help it may require" after the earthquake, Defense Minister Ehud Barak's office said. Israel and Turkey, once close allies, saw a deterioration in relations in a dispute over an Israeli naval commando raid on the Gaza-bound ship Mavi Marmara, in which nine Turkish activists were killed. A spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the country, while grateful for offers of aid, is prepared to handle the disaster on its own. Turkey is "no stranger to having these seismic events," but Sunday's quake is considered major, CNN Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf said. A magnitude-7.6 earthquake in Izmit, Turkey, killed more than 17,000 people in 1999, according to the United States Geological Survey. A magnitude-7.2 tremor in Duzce the same year killed 894 people, the agency reported. Sunday's major quake struck at 1:41 p.m. local time and was centered about 12 miles from Van, the agency said. | The death toll has risen to 279, Anatolian news agency reports .
970 buildings were destroyed, government officials say .
Authorities hope to restore power to the quake-hit areas by Monday night .
More than 2,000 emergency personnel are on the ground . |
158a20fafbcee228e5f673af54fc183652d050f6 | By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 13:22 EST, 3 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:41 EST, 3 October 2012 . Her last words before she was shot to death by her daughter's boyfriend were: 'I'm not dead yet', prompting the gunman to return and shoot her again - this time fatally. The lone survivor of the shooting rampage Candice Moten, from San Antonio, testified against her former boyfriend yesterday, telling the court he shot dead her mother, sister and unborn child after they accused him of slashing their car tires. She told jurors she watched as 32-year-old James Morrison gunned down her family outside their apartment in April 2009 after the couple had been arguing. Scroll down for video . Survivor: Candice Moten told jurors she watched 32-year-old James Morrison gun down her mother and younger sister outside their apartment in April 2009 . Mother: Laura Moten, 46, yelled out 'I'm not dead yet' prompting the gunman to return and shoot her again fatally . Sister: Krystle Moten, 23, also died in the shooting rampage at their San Antonio home in April 2010 . Accused: Morrison's lawyers claim he acted in self defense, fearing for his own life because the women each weighed more than 240 pounds and were aggressive and violent . Candice - who was five months pregnant at the time - was shot in the abdomen. She survived, but her unborn child did not. Candice, left, denied that she and sister Krystle, right, and mother Laura were violent and aggressive towards Morrison . She said Morrison came to their home to slash their tires and when they came out to confront him he pulled out a gun and started firing at them. 'He shot us, period, and then (my mom) yelled . out, "I'm not dead yet" and he came back and shot more,' Candice Moten told the jury. 'He shot more . after she yelled at him.' Morrison's defense lawyers say he acted in self defense. They have argued he feared for his own life because each of the three women weigh 240 pounds and were being aggressive and violent towards them. Attorney Joel Perez pointed out that is client is only 5' 8" tall and at the time weighed only 160 pounds. The . three women were described as the aggressors to the court, according to MySanAntonio.com and the jury were told Morrison only opened fire to . fend the women off after a struggle. He is charged with capital murder in the shooting deaths of Laura Moten, 46, Krystle Moten, 23, and Candice's unborn child who she later named Angel. Candice was in hospital a week before she learned that her three family members were dead. Morrison was not the father of the unborn child. He could face the death penalty or life in prison if convicted. Perez quizzed Candice about the sworn testimony she gave earlier to the court. Damage: The argument started after Morrison slashed the tires of the vehicles in the driveway . April 2010: Candice Moten was shot in the abdomen, she survived but her unborn child did not . She told the jury she and her then-boyfriend had been arguing all night and that he had been drinking vodka and beer right before the shooting. It was while she was on the phone to 911 about the tire slashing incident that he shot at her. He then shot her sister and mother as they tried to escape, she testified. Perez told the court the three women charged him all at once and his client started shooting because he was trying to get away. Under cross-examination, Candice denied this but acknowledged that she, her mother and sister could be violent. She later downplayed this, saying her mother and sister were 'verbally violent', according to mysanantonio.com. The trial continues. | Lone survivor Candice Moten testified against ex-boyfriend James Morrison .
Said he shot her - killing her unborn child - before killing her sister and mother .
His lawyer said he acted in self defense because the three women were 240 pounds and he at the time was only 160 . |
158b001394f1406ac5549c4064fce8d472ef3fcd | By . Hamish Mackay . Alvaro Negredo insists he is happy at Manchester City and has no desire to quit the Premier League champions. The 28-year-old has been consistently liked with a move back to Spain amid suggestions that he has struggled to adapt to life in the north of England. But now the Spaniard, nicknamed 'The Beast', has dismissed such speculation. 'I don’t want to leave City,' he told CityTV, 'I’m very happy and very settled here. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Negredo's spectacular scissor-kick in training . Capital One Cup: Negredo won the first trophy available to him during his time at Man City . 'I had a difficult end to the season and that’s why there has been a lot of talking but I’ve been very happy here from the first day I arrived.' After a blistering first half to the season that saw the Spain international become a favourite among City fans, the striker picked up a muscle injury that derailed his season. Edin Dzeko capitalised on his absence as the former Sevilla man continued to struggle with form and fitness, so much so that he failed to make Spain's World Cup squad. Beast: Negredo throws himself in to a challenge with Wigan's Ivan Ramis . Floored: After picking up an injury in December Negredo struggled to regain his place in the side . Struggle: Negredo found it difficult to regain his place after Dzeko hit form . VIDEO Negredo's first goal for City . With Atletico Madrid losing Diego Costa to Chelsea, the Spanish champions were keen on bringing Negredo to the Vicente Calderon. However, that now looks unlikely. When asked whether he was missing life in Spain, Negredo replied: 'No. Maybe a bit more on the personal side than when we talk about football but I don’t cry easily. 'I am sensible but I have to love that person a lot to feel homesick.' | Alvaro Negredo claims he is happy at Man City .
The Spanish striker has been linked with a move away due to homesickness .
Negredo lost his place in Manchester City's team to Edin Dzeko last season .
Atletico Madrid are looking for a striker after selling Diego Costa to Chelsea . |
158c2b1dc37066aaa205e6e7f359fbe323447bd4 | Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama on Tuesday signed the most sweeping overhaul of America's food safety system since 1938. The legislation gives the federal Food and Drug Administration the authority to impose new rules to prevent contamination and allows the agency to order, rather than simply suggest, the recall of tainted foods. It also authorizes the creation of a food tracking system to quickly pinpoint the source of outbreaks. The legislation requires producers to assess ways in which their products could be contaminated and to take steps to prevent such problems. It also requires importers to verify the safety of all foods they bring into the country. The result will be a fundamental shift in the FDA's approach to food safety from reacting to foodborne illness outbreaks to preventing contamination in the first place, agency Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a telephone briefing on the bill Monday that the legislation will give the FDA power for the first tiime to require proven, science-based policies that will reduce contamination of food grown and produced both in the United States and abroad. Most food safety experts agree that the legislation will ultimately make breakfast, lunch and dinner safer for Americans. But the most immediate impact may be higher food prices, said Craig Hedberg, a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. "In the near term, we may see some of the cost of implementing this bill passed on to consumers," he said. That may be the most tangible aspect of the legislation for most people, Hedberg said. While the legislation will help improve safety practices, most of its work will be invisible to consumers, who likely will notice few changes in food packaging or retailing, Hedberg said. "I think it will mostly be operating behind the scenes," Hedberg said. "And if it stays behind the scenes, that may be a good thing." Any impacts consumers might notice are likely to be felt no sooner than three years from now, Hedburg predicted, when FDA regulators finish writing rules required by the legislation and begin implementing them. And that is only if the FDA gets the money needed to implement the bill's many provisions from a divided Congress already set to argue over reducing the ballooning federal budget deficit. The Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill's provision would increase net government spending on food safety by $1.4 billion over five years. Hamburg told reporters Monday that she is optimistic Congress will provide the necessary resources to implement the bill's key provisions. Here's what to eventually expect from the new bill: . -- Swifter food recalls. Under the bill, the FDA will have to give companies a chance to recall an unsafe food, but if they refuse to act, the agency will be allowed to issue a recall on its own. Most food producers work well with the FDA, eager to protect the public and their own brands, Hamburg told reporters Monday. But there have been some instances where regulators had to apply pressure from states or even the courts to get companies to agree to a recall, she said. The new power to issue direct recalls will eliminate those problems, she said. The legislation also makes it easier for regulators to stop potentially tainted foods from moving through distribution channels or even shut down a food processing facility that's the suspected source of contaminated food, according to the FDA. The agency will also be required to improve its ability to track food as it moves around the supply chain, making it easier to trace an outbreak back to its source. -- More information. The legislation requires the FDA to create a searchable database on its website naming each product under recall and the status of the recall. -- More food inspections. The bill requires the FDA to inspect high-risk food processing facilities at least once in the next five years and every three years after that. The FDA also is required to inspect 600 overseas facilities in the next year, and double the number of those inspections annually for the next five years. The legislation requires all imported foods to meet FDA food-safety standards. About 15 percent of the U.S. food supply, including 60 percent of fresh fruits and vegetables and 80 percent of seafood, is imported, according to the FDA. --Greater responsibility for food producers. The bill requires producers to evaluate hazards to their products posed by people, animals and the environment, create measures to prevent contamination and to develop written food safety plans. It also requires the FDA to develop scientific standards for producers to use in the safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables. Advocates argued the legislation, pushed through in the waning days of a lame duck Congress in December, was much needed to protect the food supply against intentional tampering and reduce the incidence of foodborne illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated recently that one out of every six Americans gets sick from foodborne illnesses each year, and 3,000 die. Some consumer and food safety advocates have argued the legislation does not give the FDA enough enforcement authority, such as the ability to file criminal charges against procuders who knowingly distribute contaminated products. But most experts support the new legislation. "Everyone who eats will benefit from this historic legislation," Michael Jacobson, executive director of Center for Science in the Public Interest, said in a statement following congressional approval of the legislation in December. "FDA will have new tools to help ensure that America's food supply is safer, causing fewer illnesses and deaths." The bill is widely considered to be the most significant overhaul in U.S. government oversight of the food supply since the 1938 passage of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. That legislation established authority for government inspection of food processing facilities and authorized standards for food quality, labeling and food additives. Among other things, It's also the law that gives most food colorings their name. Its approval was spurred by a 1937 crisis in which 107 people died from ingesting a medical ingredient, according to the FDA. CNN's Deirdre Walsh, Tom Cohen and Saundra Young contributed to this report. | NEW: President Obama signs the food safety bill .
The bill allows for greater governmental regulation of the U.S. food system .
The Food and Drug Administration will be able to issue direct recalls of foods .
The bill includes the biggest overhaul of the food safety system since 1938 . |
158d971eed0620519842ce4ca2a21f079303354b | (CNN) -- North Korea is sending an onslaught of faxes to South Korea, blaming its neighbor for tensions over a disputed island, an official said Wednesday. Earlier this month, faxes started arriving at South Korean companies, South Korean Unification Ministry deputy spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said Wednesday. The faxes blame South Korea for the November 23 artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island. Four South Koreans, two military personnel and two civilians, died when North Korea hit the island with artillery. "Responsibility for the attack lies with the South," states the fax, according to Lee. "Groups in the South should rise up against the South Korean government." The ministry says 15 companies, consisting of two religious groups, seven trade companies, five civic groups and one media organization, reported they had received the fax. The first report of a fax came in on December 8, according to Lee. The ministry estimates that 50 to 80 companies likely received the messages, but have not reported them yet to the government. Most of the companies that received faxes had prior contact with North Korea through inter-Korean events or business operations, Lee said. All of the reported faxes were in the same format and none of them included updated information about the recent and ongoing South Korean drills, the ministry said. The faxes represent a rise in what's known in the Korean Peninsula as the propaganda war. It's taken various forms over the years, including a Christmas tree this week that left Seoul bracing for a possible backlash. South Korea lit up a major Christmas tree in an area bordering North Korea despite concerns that it may become the target of a military attack from Pyongyang. Pyongyang dismantled the tree in 2004 after the countries agreed to halt cross-border propaganda. The tree is clearly visible from North Korea. Last March, shortly after the South Korean Cheonan warship sunk, killing 46 sailors, Seoul restarted propaganda broadcasts aimed at turning North Koreans against Pyongyang. Seoul did not, however, re-installing loudspeakers at the border, after North Korea threatened to blow up the speakers. Local nonprofits started launching giant balloons packed with anti-Pyongyang fliers, small AM/FM radios, and DVDs of news broadcasts. Seoul views one of its most powerful tools in hurting the Kim regime is to inform the citizens of the hermit kingdom with news from the outside world. The propaganda war before the two countries has taken various forms, including a Christmas tree this week that left Seoul bracing for a possible backlash. | Faxes start arriving at South Korean companies this month .
They blame South Korea for a November 23 artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island .
Most companies that received faxes had prior contact with North Korea . |
158f61d1d1bc7e0625768232edacb692c751c3da | (CNN) -- South Africa has named Caster Semenya, the women's world 800 meter champion, in their squad for the 2010 Commonwealth Games which will take place in New Delhi, India. The selection -- which was confirmed on the official website of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) -- follows Semenya taking three wins from all three of her recent comeback races following her return to the track in July. Prior to this, the 19-year-old had been forced into an 11-month hiatus from competition after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) banned her following a urine sample test which revealed high levels of testosterone. The event will mark Semenya's first participation in international competition since her ban was lifted following gender tests. "I'm very happy to see the return of Caster Semenya to duty for South Africa. We have observed her progress closely since the IAAF cleared her to run and it's good to hear her say that she's focusing all her efforts on the Commonwealth. "The fact that she's unbeaten in her three races thus far and has improved her time on each occasion is good news for our medal effort in New Delhi," SASCOC president Gideon Sam told the website. Semenya clocked a time of 1:59.90 at the ISTAF meeting in Berlin at the weekend which, though four seconds short of her 1:55.45 personal best, was enough to draw criticism from fellow runners. Diane Cummins of Canada, Great Britain's Jemma Simpson and Elisa Cusma Piccione of Italy all questioned whether should be allowed to continue to compete in the sport. Cummins -- who finished eighth in race Semenya won on Sunday's race -- told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph the sport's governing body needed to think again. "Unfortunately for Caster, she's grown up in an environment that is complicated not just for her but for human science. Basically, is she man, is she lady? What constitutes male, what constitutes female?" Cummins added: "Even if she is a female, she's on the very fringe of the normal athlete female biological composition from what I understand of hormone testing. So, from that perspective, most of us just feel that we are literally running against a man." Michael Seme, Semenya's coach, told reporters that the negative comments would not affect his runner. "It's up to them to say and do what they want to. For us we don't say anything. As long as the organizers of these meetings invite us, there is no problem," he said. The Commonwealth Games take place in the Indian capital from 3-14 October. Elsewhere, German sportswear manufacturer Puma annouced on their website they had completed a record sponsorship deal with 100 and 200 meter world record holder Usain Bolt. The Jamaican sprinter -- who has his own clothing line with the company --renewed his contract which Puma described as "by far the largest ever given to a track and field athlete" and which puts "Bolt among the top-earners across all sports." | South Africa has named Caster Semenya in their squad for the 2010 Commonwealth Games .
The women's world 800 meter champion returned from a IAAF ban in July .
Fellow athletes have criticized the 19-year-old's return despite gender tests . |
158f624bc5983a88b175c51ddda6e5569333d4d9 | Investigators sifting through the wreckage of a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane that crashed in Afghanistan on April 29 have found that several of the straps used to tie down the 16-ton MRAP fighting vehicles broke after takeoff. This has led to speculation that the massive armored vehicles shifted shortly after the civilian cargo plane took off from Bagram air base, sending it careering out of control. Seven American crew members, all civilian employees of National Air Cargo, were killed in the crash. A passing motorist captured dramatic video of the plane plummeting to Earth on a dashboard camera. Scroll down for video . Secured: A Boeing 747-400 like the model that crashed on April 29 in Afghanistan can carry five 16-ton MRAP armored vehicles tied down with chains and heavy nylon straps . Something's wrong: The plane, described as a cargo flight, then starts to twist and quickly . Crash: The Taliban claimed that it shot down the aircraft, a claim NATO denies . ABC News reports that crash investigators believe that some of the heavy-duty nylon straps holding the Oshkosh M-ATV MRAP vehicles in place aboard the plane snapped shortly after it took off. If the heavy cargo shifted dramatically as the pilots tried to climb, the crew would have been helpless to control the aircraft, aviation experts told ABC. The last words the pilots radioed out was 'weight.' It is unknown how many of the vehicles the 747-400 was carrying, though the maximum load that model airliner can carry is five. The Aviation Herald reported that the crew of the plane reported that a load shift caused the plane to stall moments before the crash. The crewmen killed were: Pilots Brad Hasler of Trenton, Michigan, and Jeremy Lipka of Brooklyn, Michigan; first officers Jamie Brokaw of Monroe, Michigan, and . Rinku Summan of Canton, Michigan; maintenance crewmen Gary Stockdale of . Romulus, Michigan, and Timothy Garrett of Louisville, Kentucky; and loadmaster Michael Sheets of Ypsilanti, Michigan. Casualties: All seven crewmembers aboard the cargo plane were killed in the crash . Explosion: The terrifying crash sent flames shooting into the sky . Hasler married his longtime . girlfriend just two weeks before his death. The couple had a 2-year-old . child and another on the way, his . brother said. The brother, Bill Hasler, told WDIV-TV: 'If I could trade places with him so that he could be with his family, I would in a heartbeat.' In a statement to NBC News, . Bill Hasler added: 'Brad was a wonderful father to two young children, a . beloved husband to a wife who is expecting another child, a loving son, . and the most loyal and supportive brother I could have ever asked for. 'His influence in the lives of all of us who loved him is immeasurable, and our grief is indescribable.' The station reported that fellow crewmember Sheets was engaged, and was to get married later this year. In . a statement to WDIV, Mr Sheets' family said: 'While there were inherent . risks involved in his position, Michael assumed these risks to provide . for his family. 'Michael was a loving and devoted son and brother.' It . was revealed last night that Stockdale had predicted he would die in . ball of flames, and believed that flying was a huge risk, his older . brother said. Heavy truck: The Oshkosh M-ATV MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle was designed to offer troops more armor than Humvees . Tragic: Plane crash victim Michael Sheets was engaged to be married . Stockdale, 55, said: 'He always said it was dangerous,' NBC reported. 'He would always say, "You either will die in a car crash or a ball of flame in a plane".' A horrifying dashcam video captured the Boeing 747-400 appearing to take off normally as it gained altitude. But suddenly, the plane appears to stall, twisting and dropping rapidly before crashing to the ground in a fireball. In a statement, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the crash, but NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said there were no reports of insurgent activity in or around the base, which is one of the largest in the country and located about 25 miles north of Kabul. National Airlines president, Glen . Joerger, said in a statement: 'Safety is always our top priority at . National Airlines. This is a devastating loss for our family and we'll . work diligently with authorities to find the cause. Mourned: First Officer Jaime Brokaw, left, and load master Michael Sheets, both of Michigan, are two of the seven Americans killed when the private cargo plane went down in Afghanistan . Navigator: Rinku Summan was one of the two first officers on the flight. According to reports, the plane went down after the cargo load shifted on takeoff . Just married: Brad Hasler, a pilot who was killed in the tragic plane crash in Afghanistan, is pictured with his new wife Robin in this wedding photo from two weeks ago . 'Most importantly, our thoughts and prayers are with our crewmembers and their families.' The . Afghanistan Ministry of Transportation and Commercial Aviation is . leading the investigation. The NTSB has also sent officials to assist in . the probe. One of Brokaw's friends described him as a skilled navigator with significant flight experience. 'He . was a very good person and very smart person,' Chris Connerton told The . Associated Press Tuesday by telephone from Rochester, Minnesota. Connerton credited Brokaw with helping . get him through flight school, as well as a harrowing flight two years . ago from Toledo, Ohio, to an international flight expo in Lakeland, . Florida, Connerton said ice had built up on the plane to the point that . he could no longer get it to climb. 'If it wasn't for Jamie's navigation . and know-how ... we wouldn't have made it,' Connerton said. 'I don't . know that I would have had the capacity to handle the situation on my . own.' Brokaw leaves behind a wife and young step-daughter. Gary Stockdale, 51, from Romulus, Michigan, was a member of the maintenance crew . Jeremy . Lipka's stepfather Dave Buttman said that his stepson had toured Iraq . and Afghanistan and escaped near-fatal incidents, but continued to serve . his country. He said: . 'Basically, you're taking your chances flying in there and he was just . happy to be one of the pilots to do it,' NBC reported. Hasler was a high school hockey star who lived in a tidy neighborhood in the suburbs outside Detroit. The . district governor for Bagram, Abdul Shukor, described the plane as . having reached an altitude of about 1,312 feet before suddenly 'falling . out of the sky,' he said, citing witness accounts. Coalition forces said that the official cause of the crash is under investigation, but it is believed that the plane's cargo - which included mostly military vehicles - moved as the flight took off, causing it to spin out of control. Bad weather is also being weighed as a possible cause. | Six crew members identified as Michigan residents - Jamie Brokaw, Rinku Summan, Gary Stockdale, Michael Sheets, Brad Hasler and Jeremy Lipka .
Mr Hasler was married just two weeks ago - and had a baby on the way; Sheets was engaged and due to marry later this year .
Seventh victim, Timothy Garrett, was from Kentucky .
Taliban claimed responsibility for crash outside Bagram Airfield, but military says no insurgent activity was reported in area at the time .
Plane was owned by private company National Air Cargo . |
158fa5965db6dbd8b1b144b9fc678e4149c0738a | Brenda Leyland was accused of trolling Madeleine McCann's parents on Twitter . An inquest into the death of a woman accused of trolling Madeleine McCann's parents has been adjourned after a post-mortem examination yesterday failed to establish a cause of death. An inquest at Leicester Coroner's Court was told the post-mortem examination conducted yesterday had failed to establish the cause of 63-year-old Brenda Leyland's death. A few days earlier she had been confronted by Sky News reporter Martin Brunt about trolling the McCanns on Twitter. During the exchange, Mrs Leyland initially refused to speak but then replied: ‘I’m entitled to do that.’ Opening the inquest, Leicester Coroner Catherine Mason was told there was no evidence of foul play or third party involvement in the death. Police Sergeant Kevin Taylor told the coroner he was informed that Mrs Leyland was dead after being sent to the Marriott Hotel in Enderby. The officer said: 'At the scene I was joined by another officer and a county ambulance first responder unit. 'I was then informed by the paramedic and the other officer that there was a deceased female within the room.' Sgt Taylor added that officers were awaiting the results of additional post-mortem tests and were still undertaking inquiries into the death. Adjourning the inquest until December 18, Mrs Mason said: 'It's quite clear from the evidence before me that I am not in a position to conclude (the inquest) today. 'The cause of death is still not known and police inquiries are rightly ongoing. 'Therefore, with the sergeant still tasked to complete the police inquiries and the pathologist still to provide a cause of death, I am adjourning the inquest.' Officers from Leicestershire Police, who are not treating the death as suspicious, were alerted to the discovery of Ms Leyland's body at 1.42pm on Saturday. Mrs Leyland, from Burton Overy, Leicestershire, is reported to have posted thousands of messages on Twitter attacking the McCanns, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared in Portugal in 2007. The 63-year-old tweeted that she ‘hated’ Kate and Gerry McCann and launched online diatribes about their behaviour in the aftermath of their daughter’s disappearance. But unlike other ‘internet trolls’, she did not appear to have made threats against the couple. The Marriot Hotel in Enderby, where Mrs Leyland's body was found by police on Saturday afternoon . Mrs Leyland lived in the town of Burton Overy (pictured). Her home is not pictured here . Ofcom received 60 complaints about the Sky News report, which did not name Mrs Leyland but referred to her by her Twitter name @sweepyface. A spokesman for the broadcasting regulator said: ‘It’s important to stress that we’ve not reached a view as to whether an investigation will take place.’ Sky News said in a statement: ‘We were saddened to hear of the death of Brenda Leyland. It would be inappropriate to speculate or comment further at this time.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Brenda Leyland died on Saturday after she was found at hotel near home .
But post-mortem examination failed to establish the cause of her death .
She was alleged to have been one of the trolls sending McCann family tweets .
Mrs Leyland said to have used handle @sweepyface in her online postings .
She was confronted at her home by reporters over the tweets last week .
Mother-of-two initially refused to speak, then said: 'I'm entitled to do that'
Inquest into death adjourned until test results and police inquires finish . |
1590ecb8eeb546a27fdc1a057b933d4654593c16 | By . Dominic King . Follow @@DominicKing_DM . Brendan Rodgers has confirmed he will sign a new long-term deal this summer as he prepares to lock horns with the man who advised him to join Liverpool. Though Rodgers has put all discussions about his future on hold to prevent distractions during Liverpool's title charge, he has revealed it is now simply a case of 'when' rather than 'if' he puts pen-to-paper. It has long been the intentions of Liverpool's owners to reward Rodgers, who has 12 months plus the option for another year on his current contract, but the manager's first priority is stopping Jose Mourinho. Red leader: Brendan Rodgers is ready to sign a new contract to stay at Liverpool . Selection policy: The Liverpool boss revealed that Jose Mourinho (R) advised him to choose the Reds . Rodgers and the Chelsea manager remain . close friends but, as Liverpool home in on their date with destiny, all . acquaintances will be shelved. Nothing is going to disturb Rodgers' focus in what is their biggest domestic fixture for 25 years. 'There . is nothing really (planned) until the end of the season,' said Rodgers, . discussing his future. 'But there is no doubt that, at some point, we . will agree another deal. I am sure of that.' With . each passing week over the last 18 months, Liverpool's decision to . recruit Rodgers has looked increasingly shrewd as they have been . transformed from perennial underachievers to potential champions. And . for that Fenway Sports Group owe Mourinho a small debt of gratitude: . Rodgers was being courted by Tottenham as well as Liverpool but, after . an exchange of text messages, Mourinho nodded his protege in the . direction of Anfield. Who's the boss? Liverpool are five points clear at the top of the Premier League with three games to play . 'Jose . told me to take the job and what a great club Liverpool was,' Rodgers . revealed. 'I had spoken to him on it, he encouraged me about the sheer . scale of the club. I was talking to him about a choice I maybe had, he . knows the size of this. 'It . is a friendship (we have). It has been a continual relationship since . 2004. We have just kept in contact. I have got on with my life and work . and that's it. He's been supportive of me wherever I have been even, in . my time here. 'We might be considered a rival but I know that if they didn’t win the league he would want us to win it.' But . is their relationship strong enough to withstand rivalry? Liverpool and . Chelsea antagonise each other and the increase in tensions stem from . Mourinho's first spell in England, when the clubs played each other 15 . times in three years. Helping hand: Mourinho has been supportive of Rodgers ever since the pair worked together at Chelsea . 'I . understand the history because I was on the opposite side,' said . Rodgers. 'In that period maybe it was made to be the managers (Mourinho . and Rafa Benitez) and that was the rivalry, but I am a different person . and man. 'I only concentrate . on things I can control which is the players and my club. I will always . fight for the club however that may be. I am sure it will be a . brilliant atmosphere because of the past but more important how we are . doing now.' There is little . doubt Anfield will, as Rodgers says, be "in bloom" for this game, a . swirling mass of scarves, flags and banners. Liverpool have not been . this close to to the title since 1990 and the locals are trying to lift . them over the line. Sign of the times: Liverpool fans can feel the title returning to Anfield for the first time since 1990 . Cauldron: Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson knows the atmosphere will be intense at Anfield . It will . be another afternoon when the noise is pumped up to mind-scrambling . levels and Glen Johnson, who was on the Chelsea bench in 2005 during the . fabled Champions League semi-final, has explained the influence Anfield . can have. 'I’ve seen it . from both sides and I remember the atmosphere that night,' said Johnson. 'Of course I didn’t enjoy it at the time but looking back, that is what . you play football for, to be involved in those nights. Whether . I was playing for Liverpool or not, I could appreciate the support. It . definitely takes a bit out of you when you are the away team. When the . atmosphere is that intense, it does give you that extra 10 per cent 'I’m . pretty sure the fans will be like they were against Man City and now we . have to follow up with the same result. If we play like we did that . day, we can beat anyone.' | Brendan Rodgers will sign a new contract at Liverpool .
The manager had put talk about a new deal on hold .
Rodgers will lock horns with Jose Mourinho at Anfield on Sunday . |
159288fbac124008e4e1393ab3b1ef9be065aa78 | (CNN) -- Meriem Ben Salah's 2-month-old will never know his mother's Tunisia. He won't play in a neighborhood where government minders are lurking and watching. He won't have to praise and thank the president before giving a book report. He won't fear talking about politics, afraid that he'll say something the regime doesn't like. "My son represents the new Tunisia," Ben Salah, a Tunisian native, recently told CNN. "I will tell him what I had to do and what I grew up with and he'll understand that now there is no fear. Fear left with Ben Ali. May he and that fear never come back." A year ago, the 28-year-old posted an iReport about what it was like to grow up in Tunisia under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. As she wrote, Tunisia was in the throws of a historic revolution, a movement that would spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The movement, known as the Arab Spring, was born in Tunisia with a street vendor's self-immolation last year on December 17. Mohamed Bouazizi was reportedly pushed to such extraordinary ends after a municipal official and her aides were alleged to have harassed and humiliated him, and confiscated his goods. Tunisians viewed Bouazizi's act to be the ultimate protest against corruption in Ben Ali's government that they blamed for high unemployment and a lack of speech and political freedom. Throngs of Tunisians took to the streets demanding the ouster of Ben Ali who became president in 1987. Following the 28-day Tunisian revolt that toppled Ben Ali, revolt spread in other countries: Egypt and the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. The civil war in Libya and death of Moammar Gadhafi. Continued protests in countries such as Yemen and Bahrain. And a series of bloody demonstrations in Syria. WHO'S GONE AND WHO'S HOLDING ONTO POWER? "To know that the Arab Spring started in Tunisia is just something that warms my heart. It fills me with a love of my country that I thought I would not feel because it was so hard there for many years," Salah says. "I am so glad that tyrant is gone." Ben Ali resigned and fled to Saudi Arabia in middle January 2011. A Tunisian military court in late November sentenced him in absentia to five years in prison for his role in a 1991 case in which 17 servicemen were accused of plotting a coup against his regime, the state-run Tunisian News Agency reported. Salah will travel to Tunisia with her baby in late December to celebrate. Salah has been pursuing a doctorate in mechanical engineering in California, and wasn't in Tunisia for the protests. But she communicated frequently on the phone and over Skype with her parents during the demonstrations. Her family lives in the same town where she was raised, in Le Kram, a 15-minute drive from the presidential palace near Tunis, the capital. She recalled to CNN this week the thrilling phone and Skype conversations she had with her family when the protests were happening. "The first conversation with my family -- we talked for so long because we were so excited," she recalls. "We were just shouting, a lot of relatives jumping in to say something. It was odd because there were curfews in Le Kram and Tunis, and my parents were telling me that the neighbors were protecting their houses because the police weren't working. But no one was stealing or hurting each other." Salah's father would occasionally interrupt during the calls, afraid that their conversations were being monitored by the government. "He would say, 'Let's not talk. Maybe this is dangerous. We shouldn't,'" she remembers. "And yes, it was scary a little but we were all too excited. It was joy, relief, no fear at all." Salah said her friends and family say that when Ben Ali was ousted, change occurred almost immediately. They were small and slow changes in the way people lived, but they were deeply meaningful. "My family would say that they heard people talking in the streets and before you just didn't talk to anyone because you didn't want to be overheard saying something against Ben Ali," she says. "Now you can go to a coffee shop and hear people for the first time talking politics. They just talk and talk politics even if they don't understand it because they are so excited to have this freedom." Salah's own family enjoyed these new political freedoms. During the October election in Tunisia, she supported one party while her parents supported another and they often talked openly about their different opinions. In December, Tunisia's new president, Moncef Marzouki, was sworn in. The veteran human rights activist, who had been imprisoned during Ben Ali's regime, was elected by an Islamist-dominated parliament, the Constituent Assembly. "For people in the West, they may not understand what a big deal that is," Salah says. "Tunisians understand it and that's what really matters. It will take time to live in freedom and to have democracy. I can't wait for my son to understand that one day." | On December 17, 2010, a street vendor set himself on fire to protest government .
Mohamed Bouazizi's act sparked a revolution in Tunisia .
Those demonstrations toppled Tunisia's leader, and prompted Arab Spring . |
1592ce31f17ca9b89837381f9053f7e411a35204 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 03:23 EST, 23 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:09 EST, 23 May 2013 . A video has emerged of terrifying moment a tornado hit an elementary school in Oklahoma. As they huddle in a bathroom, teachers can be heard trying to reassure their terrified students as the twister tears up Briarwood Elementary, one of schools hit by Monday's twister. The clip starts with teacher Robin Dziedzic filming in a pitch black bathroom with her students as they try to seek shelter. Horrifying: As they huddle in a bathroom, teachers can be heard trying to reassure their terrified students as they twister tears up Briarwood Elementary, one of two Oklahoma City-area schools hit by Monday's twister . Mayhem: The school corridor after being ripped apart by the twister - no-one at the school was killed . Dawning: A classroom which less than an hour before was in pristine condition is now wrecked . The only source of light is from a bulb in the corner of the room. Mrs Dziedzic, a fifth grade teacher, can be heard trying to reassure the terrified students telling them: 'It's almost over, it's almost over.' A student cries out 'I hate this' as the 200pmh winds swirl outside the tiny room. 'Keep your heads down,' instructs one of the teachers as the air pushes down on the students. Carnage: The first site Robin Dziedzic sees after emerging from the pitch black bathroom . Transformation: Dazed students wander the corridor, shocked at the change in the school . Obliterated: As the teachers and students emerge from the school, the full scale of the devastation can be seen . Dazed: Shocked and teary students stand outside the school as the carnage in revealed . Reunited: Mrs Dziedzic finds her son Sam, a first grader, who also attended the school . As the full force of the tornado rips through the school, cries of terror and screams can be heard from the students. The video, filmed on a cellphone, . then shows the students emerging from the darkness and seeing for the . first time the full scale of devastation. The school corridor is strewn with . debris, mud and insulator foam and the dazed students can be seen walking around . the building in horror. Mrs Dziedzic, evidently in shock, can just be heard repeating 'Oh my god, oh my god.' Devastated: Robin Dziedzic surveys the scene in shock as she revisits the school . Destruction: Robin Dziedzic walks down the tornado-damaged corridor- the bathroom she sheltered in is behind the wall . Poignant: Robin Dziedzic opens the door to her bathroom which saved the life of her and her students . The footage then cuts to outside the school where the land is completely obliterated. Terrified students gather in the land outside as Mrs Dziedzic searches for her two children who are also at the school- her son Sam, a first grader and daughter Mairi, a fourth grader. Sam finds her in the crowd and her husband, who arrives at the scene tracks down Mairi - the pair hug in a sobbing embrace. ABC News took Mrs Dziedzic back to revisit the ravaged school for the first time. She was emotional pointed out the . first grade classroom where her son's teacher lay on top of him to keep . him and other students safe. She walked down the corridor- one of . the only walls still standing in the school - to revisit the bathroom . which provided shelter for her and the students. No-one at the school was hurt, although Mrs Dziedzic is now dealing the agony of losing colleagues and young children at the other elementary school hit by the EF-5 tornado. | Students and teachers huddle in a bathroom in pitch black .
Teachers .
can be heard trying to reassure their terrified students .
Children scream out in fear as the twister tears up Briarwood Elementary . |
1593ed6397e1607a30373a515110b653e8f2ab9d | Gavin Henson booted an 18-point haul as Bath moved up to second in the Premiership with a 33-23 win over struggling London Irish at the Madejski Stadium. The visitors' pack was the dominant force throughout as Irish conceded numerous penalties, especially when under pressure in the scrums. However behind the scrum, Bath were poor with none of their England candidates furthering their cause for inclusion in next week's game against Australia. Bath scored three tries from Henry Thomas, Chris Cook and a penalty try award, with Henson kicking four penalties and three conversions. For the battling Irish, David Paice and James Short scored tries with Shane Geraghty kicking three penalties and two conversions. Gavin Henson scored 18 points as Bath defeated London Irish 33-23 . The victory takes Bath up to second place in the Aviva Premiership . Kyle Eastmond and Semesi Rokoduguni were both released by England to be included in the Bath line-up. Eastmond partnered fellow England hopeful, Jonathan Joseph in the centre whilst former Irish flanker, Matt Garvey, was selected for his first start of the season. After last week's heavy defeat at Sale, Irish recalled Geraghty, Scott Steele and Conor Gilsenan to start but they suffered a big blow when skipper, George Skivington, was a late withdrawal with a minor shoulder injury. Dave Lyons replaced him with Geraghty taking over the captaincy. Irish briefly overcame this setback by taking a third minute lead when Geraghty fired over an excellent long-range penalty before Henson responded with a similar effort for the visitors. The first 15 minutes were poor as both sides bombarded each other with kicks, with no attempt being made to create anything. Not surprisingly, the next two scoring opportunities came from penalty kicks with both Geraghty and Henson missing their chance. An Irish scrum infringement saw Henson kick Bath into the lead before Eastmond was penalised for not releasing. To compound his error he argued with the referee and conceded a further 10 metres, but despite making Geraghty's kick easier, it was still off target. Kyle Eastmond (left) was released by England to turn out for Bath . Chris Cook (right) sprints in to score a try for Bath against London Irish . Cook (front) somersaults in for a try as Shane Geraghty tries to intercept . Bath almost scored the first try of the game when a clever kick ahead from Henson saw Joseph denied as the centre failed to scoop up the ball when only five metres away from the home line. It was 6-3 to Bath at the end of the first quarter and it was they who were becoming increasingly dominant. Irish were conceding regularly penalties and went further behind when Henson kicked his third penalty after home prop, Halani Aulika was sin-binned for coming into the side of a ruck. Bath suffered an injury blow when their prop, Nathan Catt, was led off with an arm injury to be replaced by Nick Auterac. Auterac joined the scrum and immediately helped his side secure a penalty try award which Henson converted. Aulika returned from the bin in time to see Geraghty kick his second penalty leaving Irish trailing 16-6 at the interval. Within two minutes of the restart, Bath looked to have sealed the game when Thomas brushed aside some terrible Irish tackling to run over 25 metres to score an excellent solo try which Henson converted. However a spirited Irish responded with 10 points of their own when Paice forced his way over from close range for a try, which Geraghty converted before adding a penalty. Scott Steele (centre) of London Irish passes from the scrum during the Aviva Premiership match . Tom Guest (centre) sets up an attack as London Irish chase the game against Bath . Bath's Semesa Rokoduguni (centre) evades Halani Aulika of London Irish . Irish had much the better of the third quarter as Bath made a number of unenforced errors but it was the visitors who picked up the next score when Henson kicked his fourth penalty after another scrummage offence. When Irish conceded another scrum penalty, Bath declined a kickable penalty in favour of an attacking line-out but it proved to be the wrong option as it was easily defended by the hosts. With 11 minutes remaining, Bath replacement, Cook, saw a gap to run 25 metres for the crucial try, which Henson converted. Dominic Day was sin-binned for Bath which allowed Irish to stage a late rally with Short picking up their second try for Geraghty to convert to bring his tally to 13 points. | Bath moved into second place in the Aviva Premiership with victory over London Irish at the Madejski Stadium .
Gavin Henson kicked 18-points with four penalties and three conversions .
Henry Thomas and Chris Cook scored tries for the visitors . |
159711055ece9842887e823f15f0a7ac9d5dc02c | By . James Rush . Rory McIlroy has announced he will represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil when golf makes its return to the Games for the first time since 1904. The 25-year-old, who would be eligible to play for either Great Britain or Ireland, had considered not playing at all to avoid upsetting people. But he has now said he has made his decision ahead of this week's Irish Open at Fota Island. Rory McIlroy (pictured on Sunday) has announced he will represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil . 'I’ve been thinking about it a lot,' he told a pre-tournament press conference. 'I don’t know whether it’s been because the World Cup has been in Brazil and I’ve been thinking a couple of years down the line. 'Thinking about all the times that I played as an amateur for Ireland and as a boy and everything, I think for me it’s the right decision to play for Ireland in 2016.' The Northern Irish golfer is Catholic by birth, but is not believed to be particularly religious, and comes from the predominantly Protestant Holywood area of Belfast. He has previously spoken of being in an 'extremely sensitive and difficult position' over the decision, releasing an open letter on his Twitter account in September 2012 in response to quotes attributed to him which said he felt 'more British than Irish'. Asked if he had been 'torn' on the issue, the former world number one said today: 'More worried about what other people would think, rather than me. But you’ve got to do what’s right for yourself and what you feel most comfortable with, and ultimately that was the decision that I made. McIlroy (pictured last month), who would be eligible to play for either Great Britain or Ireland, had considered not playing at all to avoid upsetting people . 'I was always very proud to put on the . Irish uniform and play as an amateur and as a boy, and I would be very . proud to do it again. 'Just . because now that I’m playing golf for money and I’m a professional, I’m . supposed to have this choice or this decision to make, where if you . look at the rugby players, you look at cricketers or hockey players, . they view Ireland as one, the same as we do in golf. 'I don’t think there’s any point to change that or go against that just because it’s a different event or it’s the Olympics. 'I’ve had a lot of time on my own the last few weeks and just been thinking about it a lot. It’s something that’s been quite important to me and something that I needed to make some sort of decision or some sort of stand on it. Changes: McIroy's decision to represent Ireland comes just weeks after he announced he had broken off his engagement to tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, 23 (right) 'Just weighing up everything, and thinking back about the times that I played for Ireland and won the European Team championship with Ireland, won a lot of great amateur titles representing Ireland, I just thought why change that? Basically it’s just a continuation of what I’ve always done.' McIroy's decision to represent Ireland comes just weeks after he announced he had broken off his engagement to tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, 23, saying he had realised he was not prepared for 'all that marriage entails'. The couple, who were together for three years, had been due to marry in November and had sent out their wedding invitiations the weekend before McIroy ended their relationship. 'The problem is mine,' he said. 'The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realise that I wasn't ready. 'I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we've had. Everyone has been through break-ups and it's obviously very, very difficult.' | Rory McIlroy had considered not playing at all to avoid upsetting people .
But he said he has now made his decision ahead of this week's Irish Open .
Golf will makes its return to the Games in 2016 for the first time since 1904 .
Northern Irish golfer is Catholic by birth, but grew up in Protestant area .
Decision comes weeks after he ended relationship with Caroline Wozniacki . |
159823979faa41165677d85e6415cc4e7b45cfa4 | By . Sophie Jane Evans for MailOnline . It is just four days until the major golf contest between the U.S. and Europe gets underway. So, Rickie Fowler has decided to show his support for America in the 2014 Ryder Cup - by shaving the letters 'USA' into his hair. The 25-year-old golfer, who is making his second appearance in the biennial competition, proudly showed off his new haircut during practice today. He took off his cap to reveal 'USA' shaved into the hair behind his right ear, before pointing out the patriotic design to photographers. Scroll down for videos . New haircut: Rickie Fowler has shown his support for America in the Ryder Cup - by shaving 'USA' into his hair . Proud: The 25-year-old golfer, who is making his second appearance in the biennial competition this week, took off his cap at practice today, before pointing out his new patriotic hairstyle (left and right) to photographers . Fowler, from Murrieta, California, arrived at Edinburgh Airport with the U.S. team this morning, with captain Tom Watson giving a thumbs-up as he stepped off the plane. Watson later gave his thoughts on Fowler's haircut as he sat alongside his European counterpart Paul McGinley at the captains' press conference at Gleneagles. He told the conference: 'I thought it was great, terrific. It brings a light spirit to the team. 'I wouldn't be surprised if, heck, even Ted Bishop [the 60-year-old president of the PGA of America] puts 'USA' on the side of his head if it means we are going to win.' Shaved: Fowler, from Murrieta, California, posted this photo of his haircut on the social network site Twitter . Training: The golfer is seen practicing on the driving range ahead of the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles this week . Ready to hit: American golf captain Tom Watson said of Fowler's new haircut: 'I thought it was great, terrific' Home skipper McGinley, from Dublin, agreed, saying: 'That's brilliant. I think the guy is so passionate about his country that he will go and do that for the Ryder Cup.' Fowler, who is an almost entirely self-taught golfer, was ranked the number one amateur in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008. Europe have won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups. Led by world number one Rory McIlroy, they are the favorites to triumph again in the 40th edition at Gleneagles. Yesterday, McIllroy said winning the international competition would be 'the icing on the cake' of an incredible year for him. Arrival: Fowler (third right) arrived at Edinburgh Airport with the U.S. team today, with Watson (far right) giving a thumbs-up as he stepped off the plane. Their rivals, Europe, have won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups . Passionate: Home skipper McGinley, from Dublin, agreed with Watson's opinion on the golfer's haircut, saying: 'That's brilliant. I think the guy is so passionate about his country that he will go and do that for the Ryder Cup' The golfer, who heads to Gleneagles with his European team-mates this week, has won four tournaments in the last five months, including the Open and the US PGA Championship. He told Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday programme: 'Personally for me it would just be the icing on the cake of what's already a fantastic year. 'It feels like everyone involved is just so passionate about it, and even the public get so much more passionate about it than the majors or individual tournaments. Fowler (pictured) is a nearly entirely self-taught golfer, formerly ranked the number one amateur in the world . Rival: Led by world number one Rory McIlroy (pictured), Europe are the favourites to triumph again in the Ryder Cup. Yesterday, McIllroy said winning the contest would be 'the icing on the cake' of an incredible year . 'So it's great to be a part of; I've been a part of two winning European teams and obviously would love to make that a third this week.' McIlroy helped Europe lift the cup in 2010 and 2012 and the 25-year-old revealed they were the best experiences of his career as he was able to celebrate victory as part of a team. The Ryder Cup, the biggest grudge match in golf, gets underway on Friday morning with four fourball encounters. | Rickie Fowler, 25, showed off his new haircut during golf practice today .
Took off his cap to reveal letters 'USA' shaved into hair behind right ear .
Golfer is making his second appearance in biennial Ryder Cup this week .
He touched down at Edinburgh Airport with the U.S. team this morning .
Captain Tom Watson said his haircut brought 'a light spirit to the team'
Europe are favorites to triumph in the 40th edition of Cup at Gleneagles .
Rory McIllroy said winning would be the 'icing on cake' of incredible year . |
15984fafc750e80e866cfe589545c3f72ebfdbdc | (CNN) -- An explosion of an apparent land mine that drifted from North Korea killed one fisherman and injured another, police said Sunday. The injured man is still hospitalized with serious injuries to his arms and hands, Yeoncheon County Police told CNN. Investigators have found 19 wooden box land mines washed up on the riverside so far, police said. Heavy downpours in North Korea may have washed the land mines ashore, the South Korean state-run Yonhap news agency reported, citing the South Korean Army. The military is searching all streams that connect with North Korea, Yonhap said, and has issued warnings to people in the area after investigators found "scores" of the mines, designed to go off when opened. The explosion occurred just before 11:00 p.m. Saturday (10:00 a.m. ET) in a border city 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of Seoul. State media reported Saturday that South Korean investigators had found eight land mines made by North Korea near the border between the two countries. A fisherman on Jumun Island alerted authorities after stumbling upon a landmine in a wooden box, Yonhap said, citing a spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. Searchers found seven other mines on Jumum and two other islands in the Yellow Sea, as well as three empty wooden boxes, Yonhap said. It was unclear how the land mines were identified. According to Yonhap, military officials said the mines may have drifted away from North Korea. Jumun Island is just below the sea border between the two countries, Yonhap said. CNN's Brian Walker contributed to this report. | A fisherman is dead after an apparent land mine explosion .
The mine is one of "scores" South Korean military officials say drifted from North Korea .
Heavy downpours may have washed them ashore .
State media says searches of islands in the Yellow Sea revealed eight landmines . |
1598a6299fc7b2060db01eca243a947c7232d720 | (Mashable) -- A 56-page document from Microsoft, dating back to mid-2010, reveals company plans for an "Xbox 720" gaming console. The recently leaked document has been removed since its discovery. Notable features include Xbox SmartGlass, Blu-ray support, 3-D glasses, cloud-based gaming and an improved Kinect system. If the Xbox 720 described in the document is true, Microsoft's next-generation entertainment console could change the future of gaming. The console will be loaded with a 1080p output with full 3D support, according to The Verge. The image above shows what the follow-up to the Xbox 360 might look like. The sleek black Xbox 720 portrayed in the documents will seemingly be the only entertainment device you'll need. Microsoft's goal is to sell 100 million units at around $299 each in 2013. New Kinect 2 hardware will incorporate better voice recognition, hardware processing and stereo imaging. The documents also showcase plans for the "Fortaleza" Kinect glasses — which will be sold separately. The glasses will be able to connect to Wi-Fi and incorporate augmented reality into gaming. It's marked for a 2014 debut. See the original article on Mashable.com. © 2013 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved. | A leaked 56-page document from Microsoft reveals plans for an "Xbox 720" system .
The document, which dates back to mid-2010, has been removed since its discovery .
Notable features include Xbox SmartGlass, Blu-ray support and cloud-based gaming .
Microsoft's goal is to sell 100 million units at around $299 each in 2013 . |
1599a32d50caab99d254233fc0bbf7938ccfb25e | Sir Donald Sinden, pictured receiving his knighthood at Buckingham Palace in 1997, has died aged 90 . Theatre, TV and film actor Sir Donald Sinden has died aged 90 after years battling cancer. Sir Donald made his name on stage as a Shakespearean actor and also had more than 70 credits for film and TV productions since the late 1940s to now. He had been battling prostate cancer over several years and his death, just weeks before his 91st birthday, at his home in Romney Marsh, Kent, has been described as a 'huge loss' by his family. His son, actor and film director Marc Sinden, said in a statement: 'My father has finished dying. He suffered for a few years from prostate cancer which slowly spread. 'Even though his death was expected, it is still a huge loss to his family and we, his brother, his son, his four grandchildren and great-grandchild will all miss his humour and knowledge and we would all like to share our appreciation for the Pilgrims Hospice and the carers that looked after him and us with such dignity, consideration and care until the end.' Sir Donald trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and made his film debut in 1953 with The Cruel Sea, later going on to perform with the Royal Shakespeare Company in leading roles such as King Lear and Malvolio in Twelfth Night. But for all his classical roles and theatrical prowess, many will remember him for TV sitcoms such as Two's Company and Never The Twain, as well as a running spoof in satirical puppet show Spitting Image which poked fun at his wonderfully rich voice. The actor was born in Plymouth on 9 October, 1923, the son of a country chemist. He had fully intended to pursue a career as an architect and surveyor. However, he was spotted in an amateur theatrical production in the Brighton Little Theatre and in 1942 was asked to join the Charles F Smith Company, which entertained the troops. Sir Donald had himself been turned down for naval service because of asthma. After brief training in a drama school, he quickly established himself as a stage performer, particularly in Shakespearean roles. He joined the Shakespearean Memorial Theatre Company in the 1940s and in the 1960s he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), starring in their productions of King Lear and Othello. The star, pictured last year left and right in 1975, was born in Plymouth, and started his career on the stage in roles such as King Lear before finding further fame on TV and film . For some years he alternated between the RSC and modern comedy, making his screen debut in the film classic, The Cruel Sea in 1953 as naval officer Lockhart, and thereafter became a suave leading man in British films during the rest of that decade. He also starred in screen hits Doctor In The House and Doctor at Large. As his film appearances became less frequent, Sir Donald worked steadily in the theatre, primarily with the RSC. Sir Donald has his arm round Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe in 2007, and proved an inspiration to many other actors . Theatrical knights: Sir Donald with fellow actor Sir Ian McKellen at the Lyceum Theatre, London . Here's to us! In the 1970s, he appeared as an unflappable butler alongside U.S. actress Elaine Stritch, who died earlier this year, in the TV series Two's Company . Best of enemies: He also starred alongside Windsor Davies in Never The Twain, playing neighbours and business rivals who hated each other but were brought together when their children got married . In 1970, he played Sir William Harcourt Courtly in the RSC's revival of Dion Boucicault's London Assurance. He also appeared in Terence Rattigan's double bill, In Praise Of Love (1973) and as Dr Stockman in Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy Of The People at Chichester in 1975. In 1982 he starred in Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, while in 1990, he gave a solo appearance as Oscar Wilde. Sir Donald was also a regular on the small screen. Treading the boards: Sir Donald played the title role in The Scarlet Pimpernel in 1968, just one of the many roles he played on stage . In the 1970s, he appeared as an unflappable English butler alongside U.S. actress Elaine Stritch, who died earlier this year, playing a brash American, in the TV series Two's Company. And he played for further laughs alongside Windsor Davies in Never The Twain, playing neighbours and business rivals who despised each other but found themselves tied by family when their children married. The programme was a mainstay of ITV schedules and ran for 11 series. Sir Donald also played Sir Joseph Channing, a senior appeal court judge in the popular BBC series Judge John Deed. His other TV credits include The Canterville Ghost (1997), The Treasure Seekers (1996), All's Well That End's Well (1981), as well as a memorable guest-starring turn in the cult 1960s drama The Prisoner. He appeared, too, in numerous radio productions and guested on TV shows such as Blankety Blank and Open House, as well as providing the instantly recognisable voice-overs for many TV commercials. In his later years, Sir Donald appeared in a brief cameo role in the 2012 film Run For Your Wife, adapted from the popular theatrical farce, which was a box office flop. In 1948, he married Diana Mahony who died a decade ago. They had two sons, one of whom Jeremy - also an actor – tragically died from lung cancer in 1996, while the other, Marc, is a director and producer. He was awarded a CBE in 1979 and was granted a knighthood in 1997 for his services to drama. His son Marc, who has his own production company, added: 'He bravely continued presenting our Sky Arts documentary series Great West End Theatres in spite of a minor stroke, until it became just too difficult for him and at his insistence his illness was kept from all but the closest friends. 'It had been an ambition of his to get as many of his wonderful theatrical memories and anecdotes down on film to share with people, in and outside of our profession, who may have never heard his extraordinary tales of a hugely long career. Video courtesy of University of Leicester . Sir Donald Sinden enjoys a chat with the Duke of Edinburgh in February 2012, when he was already unwell . 'Not many knew, for instance, that he was the last person living to have known Oscar Wilde's lover Lord Alfred Douglas (Bosie) and was one of only two people to attend his funeral. 'The breadth of his friendships, his love of serendipity and his hugely varied and very successful career as a Rank Organisation movie star, West End and television star and award-laden Shakespearean actor was probably unique in our business. 'He worked out that he only had a total of five weeks unemployment between 1942 and 2008, which was probably a record in itself. Another record he held from 1949 until 2013 was at the Haymarket Theatre in his beloved West End of London, where he gave more consecutive performances in one play than any other actor since it was built in 1820. Sir Donald Sinden with his late wife Diana, who died in 2004, boarding a flight in 1956. The couple were married for 56 years . Dame Judi Dench poses with the actor at an airport in 1970, at the height of his fame . Norman Wisdom makes Sir Donald laugh in 1997. The actor died at home in Kent . Mr Sinden said plans for a memorial service were under way. 'We hope that you will respect our feelings at this miserable time and grant us the privacy we would like. The venue and date for a memorial service will be announced later,' he said. Sir Roger Moore was among those paying tribute on Twitter, calling him 'a wonderful actor'. The two worked together on 1975 film That Lucky Touch. ‘Sad to wake up to news another mate has left us,’ the former James Bond star said. ‘Awful week.’ And comedian Miranda Hart wrote: ‘Another loss. Sir Donald Sinden. I like to think his beyond wonderful voice is dramatically booming around a heavenly realm.’ Magician Paul Daniels also paid tribute, saying the actor was ‘a truly nice gentleman with a wonderful sense of humour.’ | Shakespearean actor also appeared in 70 film and TV projects in his career .
His son Marc reveals that he had battled prostate cancer for several years .
'My father has finished dying. Even though his death was expected, it is still a huge loss to his family,' he said . |
159a880945651a2992cd41c39e78d084167bf072 | London, England (CNN) -- British Airways cabin crew members went on strike Saturday, leaving thousands of would-be passengers' travel plans during the next two weeks in disarray. The strike came after British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh and the joint general secretary of the Unite union, Tony Woodley, emerged Friday from a meeting and announced the effort to avert the walkout had failed. "This company does not want to negotiate," Woodley said of British Airways. "This company wants ultimately to go to war with my members and the union." Walsh said he "deeply regrets" the inconvenience the strikes will cause to passengers but said the company will still try to operate as many flights as possible. "I am disappointed the union has not been able to see the sense of the proposal we tabled today," Walsh said. Advice for passengers . British Airways posted lists on its Web site of flights that it plans to operate during the walkout. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he "believes that this strike is in no one's interest and will cause unacceptable inconvenience to passengers. He urges the strike be called off immediately" and the two sides return to bargaining. In addition to the three-day strike beginning Saturday, Unite has decided to strike for four more days beginning March 27. Unite represents 95 percent of BA's 15,000 cabin crew members, but not all of them plan to strike. The airline has unveiled an ambitious contingency plan to get as many passengers as possible to their destinations. Walsh said he hopes that by leasing aircraft and using replacement workers, BA will be able to deliver about two-thirds of its customers to their planned destinations during the strikes. In a full-page ad in British newspapers Friday, Walsh said a "significant number" of cabin crews don't support the strike and will continue to work, supported by volunteers from across the airline. The airline said it has also made agreements with more than 60 other carriers to rebook customers free of charge if their British Airways flights are canceled during the strike period. Will a strike by British Airways affect you? But in a posting on its Web site, Unite called the schedule "an accomplished work of fantasy." The industrial action is over planned changes to the way cabin crews operate, which British Airways says will save the carrier more than 60 million pounds ($90 million) a year. Unite has said the plans call for working hours to be extended and crew staffing levels to be cut, changes that it has said will damage customer service and the BA brand. "Unite believes the new contractual changes are an attempt to force staff to pay the price for management failings with the company wringing more and more out of fewer and fewer staff who will be paid less," the union said in a posting on its Web site. A cabin crew member's starting salary is 11,000 pounds ($16,500), Unite said. Unite said that BA management submitted a formal offer to the union last week, but the offer failed to address union concerns about crew numbers and service delivery. That prompted Unite officials to announce the strike dates. BA then rescinded its offer. British Airways submitted a new offer Friday, but Woodley said it reduced the amount of pay that had been in last week's offer. iReport: Are you caught up in the strike? A sticking point in negotiations was reportedly how BA could be compensated for the 27 million pound ($40.5 million) loss it had already incurred through canceled tickets before the talks broke down. Walsh said he told Unite that the expense must be recovered, so the financial value of Friday's offer was "not as attractive" as last week's. The new offer, however, would have secured long-term pay protection for all existing crew, "new opportunities" for BA crew at London's Gatwick airport, and modernization of its industrial relations, he said. Any BA workers who go on strike now risk losing permanently their travel perks, such as free and heavily discounted travel. "We said to them that we will not continue to provide valuable perks and benefits to people who seek to inflict serious and ongoing damage to our business," Walsh said. "It wasn't a threat. When we said that those traveling concessions will be withdrawn, that's exactly what we meant, and that's exactly what will happen." Should BA staff lose travel perks? Unite said BA cabin crews offered changes to pay and work practices that would have saved the company more than 100 million pounds ($150 million), but that their offer was rejected. The airline's management said the proposed changes would have saved the airline less money than management's planned changes. CNN's Richard Quest contributed to this report. | NEW: British Airways posts lists on its Web site of flights it plans to operate .
Besides three-day strike, Unite to strike for four more days beginning March 27 .
Unite: Plans call for longer working hours, cut staff .
BA chief: Contingency plan will try to get customers to destinations . |
159a924e4ae1aed2af718e6ae0bad0b32bed9fd6 | Puddle of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin may have missed a Denver show if it wasn't for one die hard fan who bailed the post-grunge singer out of jail. Scantlin was arrested after being spotted running behind the baggage carousel and 'out of the secured area through an alarmed door' at the Denver International Airport. The band was in town for a show at a venue called Casselman's. Puddle of Mudd frontman Wes Scantlin may have missed a Denver show if it wasn't for one die hard fan who bailed the post-grunge singer out of jail . Scantlin was arrested after being spotted running behind the baggage carousel and 'out of the secured area through an alarmed door' at the Denver International Airport. 9 News reports that the airport area is marked with signs that read 'do not ride carousel' and 'keep out.' He was taken into custody shortly after. Though bailed out and traveling straight from jail to the venue, Scantlin was still hours late to the stage. 'Those of you that stayed, I hope you love Puddle of Mudd [be]cause we will NEVER book them again,' wrote angry promoter Rock Panther on Facebook after the show. Scantlin wrote a post of his own on the band's Facebook early Saturday morning seemingly in response to the incident. Scantlin has not yet been formally charged . 'I'm here Denver! Thanks for your patience! – Wes xo' He has yet to be formally charged. This is not his first run in with authorities. In 2013, he was arrested for reportedly vandalizing a neighbor's patio with a chainsaw. | Scantlin was arrested after being spotted running behind the baggage carousel and 'out of the secured area through an alarmed door' at the Denver International Airport .
The band was in town for a show at a venue called Casselman's and went on hours late .
Enraged promoter vows to 'never' book band again . |
159af00204927188e9d316e75cdfc4532df4a81e | (CNN) -- The U.S. Justice Department said Monday it is suing Puerto Rico's police department for discrimination, alleging a female officer suffered three years of harassment for her race, color and religion. The allegations are the latest in a series of claims against the commonwealth's troubled police force, and they follow an agreement last week between the Justice Department and Puerto Rico to reform the island's 17,000-strong force. The suit alleges the PRPD, the nation's second-largest police department, subjected officer Yolanda Carrasquillo to verbal harassment from 2007 to 2010, violating Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It says a civilian co-worker "regularly used racial and other offensive slurs directed towards Carrasquillo, and other black or dark-skinned employees, that disparaged her race, color and Christian faith." The verbal abuse happened daily and was often in front of police supervisors, the suit says. Carrasquillo made numerous complaints to her supervisors, but the department never took any meaningful steps to stop the harassment or discipline the person responsible, the Justice Department said. The department failed to follow its own anti-harassment policy that requires supervisors to prevent and stop discriminatory behavior after they become aware of it, the suit says. CNN reached the spokeswoman for the police department's superintendent, who said she would call back if he was able to make a comment. There was no reply by late Monday. The Justice Department's lawsuit seeks monetary damages for Carrasquillo and asks the PRPD to develop and implement policies that would prevent employees from being subjected to harassment on the basis of race, color or religion. Carrasquillo originally filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which referred the matter to the Justice Department. "Public employers should set an example for others by upholding the law and taking prompt and effective action to stop discriminatory harassment," said Jocelyn Samuels, the principal deputy assistant attorney general for the department's Civil Rights Division. Last week, the Justice Department and Puerto Rico signed a major civil rights agreement to fix a pattern of police misconduct by the PRPD, mostly relating to the department's interaction with the public. It is pending final approval by a federal judge. The pact covers 11 core areas including use of force, searches and seizures, equal protection, civilian complaints, training and supervision. An earlier Justice Department investigation uncovered evidence that officers failed to adequately investigate sexual assault and domestic violence allegations. Journalist Dania Alexandrino in Puerto Rico and CNN's Carol Cratty in Washington contributed to this report. | The suit says the PRPD discriminated against a female officer for 3 years .
It says a co-worker used slurs disparaging her race, color, and religion .
The Justice Department seeks monetary damages and corrective action .
The department and Puerto Rico signed a deal last week to reform the troubled force . |
159ba240e6b34872f633212df71462cfdf23c506 | (CNN) -- Napoli has had a two-point deduction for match-fixing overturned following a successful appeal. The Serie A club was hit with the punishment following former goalkeeper Matteo Gianello's admission that he attempted to fix the club's game with Sampdoria in 2010. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) judged that Napoli were "objectively responsible" for Gianello's actions. Napoli hit with match-fixing related points deduction . The FIGC also handed out six-month bans to defenders Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava for failing to report the approach, although both have had their suspensions lifted following the ruling. Napoli will now pay a $67,000 fine, while Gianello has had his ban reduced from 39 months to 21. The restoration of those two points also means Napoli are now joint second alongside Lazio in Serie A and just three points behind leaders Juventus. A statement from the FIGC Thursday said: "The two-point penalty deduction has been annulled and Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava have been acquitted. "Napoli will now pay a fine of 50,000 euros. "There are acquittals for Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava, while the disqualification of Matteo Gianello has been reduced from three years and three months to one year and nine months. "These are the decisions of the Federal Court of Justice following appeals against the judgments made by the Naples branch of the disciplinary committee on match-fixing." Soccer players' union FIFPro to launch match-fixing hotline . The news came as a welcome relief for defender Cannavaro, who said he head been through "hell" since the original verdict was announced on December 18. He told the club's official website: "It's an immense feeling of joy and I'm still crying with the emotion. It was a terrible month, hell. Now this is a release. "I was in a really bad way. I won't be able to forget what I went through this month. I thank all those who were close to me. "I want to thank the club for all that they did, the coach and my team-mates that have consoled me every day." Grava was also in an emotional state at a press conference following the announcement. How can football tackle match fixing? "When I heard from Paolo, we both started to cry with joy. It's the end of a nightmare," the 35-year-old said. "It seemed like a nightmare from which I could not wake up. I'm feeling great joy and I am happy that justice has been done." Head coach Walter Mazzarri felt the club had been vindicated for their stance and heaped praise on the duo. He said: "First of all I am very happy for Paolo and Gianluca, two exceptionally honourable lads who were victims of a great injustice. "I'm happy with the league table. We deserved those points because we earned them on the field. It would have been another great injustice if they had been stolen." Juventus coach Conte has ban reduced to four months . The intense fight against match-fixing and illegal betting, which is known as 'Calcioscommesse', saw Siena deducted six points before the start of the season. Former Siena coach Antonio Conte, now in charge of Juventus, was handed a six-month ban for his failure to report attempts to fix matches in Serie B during the 2010-11 season. The ban was subsequently reduced to four months on appeal. . | Napoli has won it's appeal against the two point deduction for match-fixing .
Players Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava both have six-month bans overturned .
Former goalkeeper Matteo Gianello admitted he attempted to fix the club's game with Sampdoria in 2010.
Club must pay $67,000 following decision of the court . |
159bb282b3a3fd56612da381a580da12525c70f0 | Do you wake up with bundles of energy, feeling healthy and ready to tackle the day? Well you’re on your own if so, because most people only rate themselves as being 61 per cent well on an average day. Across the country, people in Southampton feel the healthiest – rating themselves as 67 per cent well on average, with Cardiff residents feeling least well at just 54 per cent. The map shows how well people feel on an average day around the country. People in Southhampton, Glasgow and Belfast feel healthiest, at 67 per cent, 65 per cent and 65 per cent respectively - while those in Cardiff and Liverpool are the least well - rating themselves at 54 per cent and 58 per cent well . Nearly all of us (91 per cent) admit to lying about feeling 'fine' when we are really less than 100 per cent. Just one in 30 people said they felt 100 per cent on the day they were questioned. But the average person waits nearly two weeks before they see a health professional. The poll, by LloydsPharmacy found 30 per cent of respondents turn to their GP in the first instance if they have a health concern, 18 per cent rely on the internet and just six per cent would go to a pharmacy first. Five per cent of 25 - 34 year olds say they end up in A&E every couple of weeks. On average we wait 11 days to speak to a health professional about an upset stomach and five days for chest pains – including those with cardiovascular disease. But struggling on despite nasty symptoms could prove dangerous. The research found people with asthma wait nine days before seeking help for wheezing, even though this could be a symptom of an asthma attack. The biggest reason for putting off seeking help for a health problem is being worried about wasting other people's time. Nearly all of us (91 per cent) admit to lying about feeling 'fine' when we are really less than 100 per cent . | Most of people only rate themselves as 61% well on an average day .
People in Southampton feel healthiest, rating themselves as 67% well .
Cardiff residents are the glummest, rating themselves at just 54% well .
Majority of people lie about feeling fine when they are less than 100% . |
159bcbd5f242a01a8521fd94b4a694db5aef1b0e | Surrounded by grinning, bikini-clad girls, Richard Stabler looks as though he is having the time of his life as an expatriate in Dubai. But the high-flying British executive is about to be forced to swap the yacht for a prison cell – after falling foul of the country’s strict Islamic laws. Company director Stabler, 33, has been sentenced to seven months in a Dubai jail and deportation thanks to an alcohol-fuelled argument that saw him streak naked through his apartment block. Company director Richard Stabler, 33, who had been guzzling drinks at a pre-Christmas knees-up at the five star Le Meridien Mina Seyahi hotel when he got drunk and rowdy . Stabler started arguing with his friends, in a row that continued when the group got back to his upmarket beachside apartment on the Palm Jumeirah, the manmade island shaped like a palm tree . The . businessman had polished off eight glasses of rum during a . pre-Christmas knees-up at the five-star Le Meridien Mina Seyahi hotel . when he started to fight with some of his friends. The . row continued when the group got back to his upmarket beachside . apartment on the Palm Jumeirah – a manmade island shaped like a palm . tree – and Stabler stripped off in what a court was later told was a . ‘naked protest’. A security . guard from his building, who gave evidence at Dubai’s Court of . Misdemeanours, said: ‘He was making noise and arguing with the other . security guards when I came. ‘I . called our control room to contact police and then followed him to the . second floor where I found that he had taken off his underwear and stood . there in the brightly lit corridor, completely naked.’ The . guard claimed that Stabler – nicknamed ‘The Stabiliser’ by his friends . – went on to walk through the apartment’s reception area wearing only . his underwear. When the . guard tried to calm him down, Stabler pushed him to one side and ran up . the stairs, where he proceeded to ‘cause chaos’, according to witnesses. Stabler – who has been running a recruitment agency for four years – was then said to have . tried to hide behind a gate. The 33-year-old British man has been jailed for running naked through the corridors of a building on the Palm Jumeirah (file picture) The tourist was drinking at Le Meridien Mina Sey hotel (pictured) before returning to his accommodation on the Palm Jumeirah . He was eventually persuaded to come out and get dressed by police officers who arrived to arrest him half an hour later. The . court heard Stabler told police at the time: ‘I had eight glasses of . rum and then left the hotel. I went to my building and then I can’t . remember anything. I can’t remember if I stood naked or not.’ But he denied running through the corridor naked at his court hearing last week. His . lawyer Salha Khalifa said: ‘He was inside his apartment when police . knocked on the door and was wearing white shorts.’ Stabler pleaded . guilty to drinking alcohol without a licence but denied committing an . indecent act in public. Stabler had been arguing with the security guards for a while before he suddenly decided to take off his remaining clothes, causing him to be arrested . Stabler moved to Dubai in 2009 and has been co-running his company for nearly four years . He was not in court yesterday for the judgment, which was handed down as a written verdict from judge Adeel Abdelfatteh Jabreel. While . he managed to avoid the maximum penalty of three years in jail, the . judge decided to sentence him to six months in jail for indecency and . one month for drinking – a warning to British expatriates to observe the . United Arab Emirates’ Islamic laws. Drinking alcohol carries a maximum . jail term of up to six months, although judges recently have opted to . issue fines. Stabler studied . at Rawlett Community Sports College in Staffordshire and has a degree . in biological sciences from Manchester Metropolitan University. He will be deported as soon as he has completed his sentence. | British tourist accused of being drunk and running naked through building .
Richard Stabler, 33, entered reception in only his underwear .
Stripped off in a 'naked protest' and was arrested in Dubai hotel .
He has admitted drinking alcohol but denies committing an indecent act .
Richard Stabler was later cleared of all charges on appeal. |
159de91a73ba7cb3b040b8c6a1f4f03a2e151ba5 | By . Alex Finnis for MailOnline . Speaker John Bercow has come under fire for his choice of Carol Mills for Clerk of the House . Commons Speaker John Bercow will tomorrow face MPs for the first time since a row erupted over his recommended candidate for the post of clerk of the House. He will reportedly make a statement in the chamber amid growing disquiet among critics of the choice of Australian Carol Mills, who is currently head of the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) in Canberra. Members have voiced concerns about her lack of knowledge of Westminster procedures and believe she is too inexperienced for the prestigious £200,000-a-year position, which combines the clerk's duties as a key constitutional adviser with the role of Commons chief executive. She has been dubbed the 'Canberra caterer' because her responsibilities at the Australian senate are said to include managing kitchens and cleaning. In an effort to defuse the row, Mr Bercow, who is expected to visit Australia next month, has indicated he wants to split the functions into two jobs, but the suggestion has failed to appease the critics led by Tory Jesse Norman. The Hereford and South Herefordshire MP has submitted a motion calling for Parliament to be given the opportunity to scrutinise the appointment. It has since been signed by 84 members from across the political spectrum, including three former foreign secretaries, a former deputy leader of the Labour party and six former ministers. All three deputy speakers are also understood to be against the choice of Ms Mills. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Norman said: 'So far there has not been any indication that Parliament will be given a say on this matter. Nor has the appointment of Ms Mills been withdrawn. 'Canberra caterer': Carol Mills' appointment has been criticised by MPs from all parties, led by Jesse Noman . 'Instead it has been proposed that the role of clerk should be split and a new chief executive (presumably Ms Mills) be appointed as well. 'This effectively concedes that Ms Mills is not qualified to be clerk. But instead of dropping her and starting again, it puts the cart before the horse and proposes an on-the-hoof restructuring of the House, all it seems, in order to accommodate her appointment. 'Not only that - it proposes a new role of chief executive at a probable cost of £150,000- £200,000.' Carol Mills is the current Department of Parliamentary Services secretary in Canberra, Australia, a service department that supports the work of the Federal Parliament and is the principal support agency for Parliament House. It works closely with the Department of the Senate and Department of the House of Representatives to support the operations of the Parliament and its Committees, has around 800 staff and an annual budget of around $120 million. She is the former director general of Communities NSW and the Department of Arts, Sport and Recreation. He condemned the appointment process as 'flawed', because key people such as deputy speaker Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle had not been included. He also criticised the use of head hunters, adding: 'It is far from clear how they could have recommended a candidate who was, and remains, under investigation in Australia for maladministration.' Mr Norman warned that if allowed to drag on the affair could damage the office of Speaker and, in turn, the Commons. He added: 'We must hope he will move swiftly to end that appointment [in his statement tomorrow], reaffirm the importance of due process in the selection of public officials and put the wider issue of clerkship before a special committee elected by MPs.' Former deputy speaker Nigel Evans added on the Sky News Murnaghan programme that the real issue was whether Mr Bercow would have the 'guts' to stand up and tell the House Ms Mills was no longer the appointee. He went on: 'It has transpired that while she is very good at administration apparently she knows nothing about the constitution and wouldn't know what Erskine May is for instance, which is the bible of the chamber. MP Jesse Norman, who is leading the attack on Bercow's choice of Mills . 'In the meantime the Speaker has said why don't we split the job. Well, if we split the job which may have some sense may not, don't you re-open the appointment panel again to have a look? 'The real issue is whether John is going to have the guts tomorrow to stand up in Parliament and say Carol Mills is no longer the appointee of a position that really now doesn't exist. We need a panel to be set up to look at the job, what sort of job it is first and once we have sorted out what the job is then we can look at the candidates.' Meanwhile, an influential committee of members will meet tomorrow to discuss the Speaker's expected statement. Bernard Jenkin, chairman of the public administration select committee, said he would be arguing for a pre-appointment hearing with Ms Mills if she is to be appointed to either the post of clerk or chief executive due to the need for scrutiny. Ms Mills was recommended for the role earlier this month following an open recruitment process with a selection panel led by the Speaker. Mr Bercow is believed to be keen to bring in an outsider to press ahead with modernisation of the House, rather than promoting deputy clerk David Natzler. Downing Street has insisted the new clerk must have the backing of MPs.The Prime Minister is responsible for passing the recommendation to the Queen to be finalised. A spokeswoman for the Speaker told the Mail on Sunday: 'The Speaker is keen to listen to the views of MPs.' She said his visit to Australia was planned a year ago and added that Commonwealth visits to meet other speakers were an 'important element' of his job. The Clerk of the House is the impartial main political adviser to the House, and adviser on all its procedure and business. They often appear before Select and Joint Committees to examine Parliamentary and constitutional matters. They sit at the Table of the House, and wear court dress, with a barrister's wig and silk robes. The Clerks of the table are consulted by the Chair, Ministers, Whips, and MPs on any matter that may arise in the conduct of a sitting. They also act as the Chief Executive of the House of Commons Service, which is made up of 2,000 people, and chairs the Management Board. The current Clerk is Sir Robert Rogers, who has held the position since October 1, 2011, and was knighted the following year. On April 30, he announced he intended to retire at the end of August, after four decades in the House. | Commons Speaker will make statement in the chamber tomorrow .
Selected Australian Carol Mills, head of the Department of Parliamentary Services in Canberra .
MPs have voiced concerns over her lack of knowledge of Westminster .
Tory MP Jesse Norman leads the critics of Bercow's choice . |
159e2fe9c845d604832bb3c6de4c1ff9d3b3a51b | The potentially massive impact of fracking on house prices was revealed yesterday – with one woman saying the value of her home has been cut by £535,000. Dianne Westgarth told how the price of her five-bedroom house had plummeted by over 70 per cent as a result of a proposed fracking site nearby. In 2012, the property – which comes with two-and-a-half acres of land – was valued at £725,000. Dianne Westgarth said the price of her five-bedroom house on the Fylde peninsula in Lancashire - just 300 yards from a site where a drilling firm wants to start fracking - had dropped by 70 per cent . ‘The new valuation came in at £190,000,’ she said. ‘Two other estate agents said they would rather not even comment, because the possibility of fracking meant they couldn’t actually say if it was worth anything at all.’ The divorced 53-year-old wants to downsize in preparation for her sons, aged 17 and 21, finishing their education. Her house is on the Fylde peninsula in Lancashire – just 300 yards from a site where drilling firm Cuadrilla wants to start fracking. ‘I’m directing all my efforts at ensuring the site near my home doesn’t get permission,’ she added. ‘Currently, my house is worth next to nothing.’ She spoke out as it emerged that the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) – which values properties for council tax – had admitted that commercial activities such as fracking could cause their estimates to be downgraded. ‘If you have a wind farm or other development built near your house it can have a significant impact on the value of your property,’ a spokesman told The Sunday Times. ‘Fracking is not widespread yet but if a new site had a knock-on effect on the value of the house then it could also affect the council tax banding.’ Supporters of shale drilling claim it could revolutionise Britain’s energy supply, with trillions of cubic feet of gas said to lie beneath Lancashire. But the detrimental effect experienced by Mrs Westgarth has been echoed elsewhere. James Nisbet, who lives near another potential drilling site near Blackpool, said a would-be purchaser pulled out of buying his £375,000 house after hearing about the plan. Cuadrilla wants to start fracking on the nearby site. Supports claim it could revolutionise Britain's energy supply, but several homeowners are feeling the detrimental effects of the proposals . ‘I’ve been a Conservative voter since I was 18,’ he said. ‘I’m now 60 but it’s the last time I will vote Conservative because they have sold Lancashire down the swanny with no regard for people’s health and well-being.’ Similar fears have been expressed further south at Fernhurst in West Sussex, where another fracking proposal has been lodged. Chris Hebert, of Hamptons estate agency in nearby Haslemere, said: ‘If someone’s got something going on 24/7, people will not buy their house.’ The revelations come just weeks after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was accused of a fracking ‘cover-up’ after it censored a key report on the topic no less than 63 times in 13 pages. The chapter examining the effect of drilling on house prices had three sections redacted – although it did acknowledge a study which found the value of properties near a well in Texas had fallen by up to 14 per cent. However both the VOA and the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) yesterday insisted there was no evidence to link fracking with falling house prices. ‘There is no evidence that house prices have been affected in over half a century of oil and gas exploration in the UK or evidence that this would be the case with shale,’ a spokesman for the DECC said. ‘This Government believes that shale has a positive part to play in our future energy mix, providing energy security, driving growth and creating jobs.’ A spokesman for VOA said: ‘Every case is different and each... value change is assessed on its own merits.' | Dianna Westgarth said the price of her house had dropped by 70 per cent .
Her home is 300 yards from potential fracking site on Flyde peninsula, Lancs .
Valuation Office Agency said fracking could make council tax estimates lower .
Homeowners across country seeing drop in prices due to proposed sites . |
159f16cafd1f033ed3960405ae34cf82332c7ddb | Internet trolls who poisonously mock sportsmen behind a screen of anonymity take note - you're not as safe as you think you are. Ex-footballer turned boxer Curtis Woodhouse was so incensed by the vitriolic comments he received from one Twitter user he offered a cash reward for the man's address and drove to confront him on his doorstep. The 32-year-old ex-Birmingham City and Hull City centre, who took up boxing at 26, lost his English light welterweight crown to Shayne Singleton on a controversial points decision last week. Counter punch: Boxer Curtis Woodhouse tracked down an internet troll who posted vitriolic comments after he lost his title after offering his followers a cash reward for an address . He was enraged when he was branded a 'disgrace', a 'waste of s****' and was urged to retire by Sheffield-based user Jimmyob88, so Woodhouse offered £1,000 to anyone who could help him find him. A Twitter follower supplied him with an address and the sportsman, from Driffield, near Bridlington, kept his 18,000 Twitter followers updated yesterday as he drove 70 miles to 'give him a right pasting'. 'Just on my way to Sheffield to have a little chat with a old friend, get the kettle on', he wrote. Ill-advised: Jimmyob88's tweets that landed him in hot water with the light welterweight boxer . Uh-oh: Mr Woodhouse announces his arrival on the troll's street. Sensibly, the troll refused to come out and talk to him . Fighter: Curtis Woodhouse battles with Frankie Gavin in 2011 . Woodhouse later tweeted a picture of a street sign said to be the road on which the target of his anger lived. 'Right Jimbob im here,' he wrote. 'Someone tell me what number he lives at or do I have to knock on every door #it'sshowtime.' Woodhouse keeps his Twitter followers up to date with his journey . Realising his perilous plight, Jimmyob88 tried to make amends. 'I am sorry it's getting a bit out of hand,' he tweeted. 'I am in the wrong. I accept that.' Backtracking frantically, he claimed he thought Woodhouse would take the abuse 'as a joke', calling it a 'bit of harmless fun'. Woodhouse, unable to find his prey, finally admitted defeat and went home. 'Jimmyob88 never came out to play so I'm going,' he tweeted. 'Maybe a bit daft what I did today but sometimes enough is enough.' And Woodhouse later appeared to have seen the funny side, writing: "Just found out you can block people. Could have let me know earlier, I could have saved 20 quid in petrol.' Among many cheering on Woodhouse was footballer Joey Barton, no stranger to abuse on Twitter: 'Brilliant mate. You're my hero. Wish someone had a hidden camera in his room right now.' Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis also applauded Woodhouse for his antics, tweeting: 'Ha! I LOVE this story about @woodhousecurtis paying a visit to a #keyboardwarrior on Twitter.' The boxer played 48 times for Birmingham City between 2001 and 2003 after signing from Sheffield United in a £1million deal. He is also former England under-21 international. Woodhouse (right) in his playing days, pictured with former Manchester United player David Beckham . | Curtis Woodhouse got fed up of abuse and decided to do something about it .
He offered a £1,000 reward for his tormentor's address .
Twitter users helped him out and he drove 70 miles to confront the troll . |
15a13baf6de6429301ef73a916c171bb411ba497 | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 08:10 EST, 7 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:02 EST, 7 September 2013 . The Pope has written to the Russian President urging him to tell President Obama and other world leaders at the G20 summit to oppose a strike in Syria. The letter was the latest in a series of moves by Pope Francis to prevent involvement in Syria's bloody civil war. He has sent tweets condemning a potential war and declared today a day of fasting and prayer for peace in the war-torn country, according to Time. Pray for peace: Pope Francis takes part in a vigil after writing to G20 leaders as he calls for a peaceful resolution in Syria . In his letter to Putin and other G20 leaders he wrote: 'I make a heartfelt appeal for them to help find ways to overcome the conflicting positions and to lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution.' 'Let there be a renewed commitment to seek, with courage and determination, a peaceful solution through dialogue and negotiation of the parties, unanimously supported by the international community.' The Pope's push for a peaceful resolution was echoed by the Catholic Church in the U.S. as Cardinal Dolan and American bishops wrote to Congressmen calling on them to vote against military intervention. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also wrote to President Obama, saying the Pope had 'made it clear that a military attack will be counterproductive, . will exacerbate an already deadly situation, and will have unintended . negative consequences'. Defense: The Pope has used Twitter to call for world leaders to find an alternative to war . The Pope has also taken to Twitter to push for a peaceful resolution after the Syrian regime was blamed for a chemical weapons attack that killed more than 1,400 people. He started the week with a tweet on Monday that read: 'War never again! Never again war!', followed by: 'How much suffering, how much devastation, how much pain has the use of arms carried in its wake.' On Tuesday, he tweeted: 'We want in our society, torn . apart by divisions and conflict, that peace break out!'. This was followed by: 'With . utmost firmness I condemn the use of chemical weapons.' On Thursday, the 76-year-old's message was: 'With all my strength, I ask each party in the . conflict not to close themselves in solely on their own interests. #prayforpeace.' He has also set aside Saturday, the birth of Mary, as a day of fasting and pray for peace in Syria. A vigil will be held in St Peter's Square from 7pm to midnight. Vigil: Crowds gather in St Peter's Square at the Vatican to pray for peace in Syria . Devastation: Syrians sift through rubble after a car bomb in Raqqa province on August 29 . Deadly: A man weeps over the body of a relative killed in a chemical weapons attack in Syria . Concern for the Christian minority in Syria also led to a meeting between the Vatican's foreign minister and world ambassadors, to discuss the dangers of extremists opposing Assad's regime, according to the Catholic Sun. The Vatican adheres to just war theory, which means military action must meet a strict set of criteria, including damage by the aggressor being lasting and 'the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated'. The Pope's view on Syria follows his predecessors' reactions to conflict. Pope Benedict opposed intervention in Libya, Pope John Paul spoke out against the Iraq war and, during the Panama invasion, Manuel Noriega took refuge in the Vatican embassy. | Vatican sends tweets and prepares prayer vigil and day of fasting .
Military action would be 'futile' Pope Francis writes to Russian President . |
15a14c2797e7bc017f2dcc0cb29443036572582e | Oxford, England (CNN) -- WikiLeaks.org, the website that released secret video of a U.S. airstrike in Iraq that killed a dozen civilians, is "getting an enormous quantity of whistle-blower disclosures of high caliber," the site's founder, Julian Assange, said Friday in a rare public appearance here. Speaking at the TED Global conference, Assange said that "we are overwhelmed by our growth" and the site can't keep up with the volume of the new material because it doesn't have enough people to verify it. He later told reporters that "there are many things which are very explosive." Assange said the organization gets material from whistle-blowers in a variety of ways -- including via postal mail -- vets it, releases it to the public and then defends itself against "the regular political or legal attack." He said the organization rarely knows the identity of the source of the leak. "If we find out at some stage, we destroy that information as soon as possible," he said. Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, 22, of Potomac, Maryland, has been charged with eight violations of the U.S. Criminal Code for allegedly illegally transferring classified data, including the video that wound up on WikiLeaks. He has been accused of "wrongfully introducing a classified video of a military operation filmed at or near Baghdad, Iraq" around July 12, 2007, "onto his personal computer, a non-secure information system." Assange said at a news conference that Manning "is a political prisoner being held in the nation of Kuwait, effectively keeping him away from the press and effective legal representation." He said WikiLeaks is providing legal assistance to Manning without saying if he was the source of the video. "Obviously, we cannot pick and choose," said Assange, adding that the site has to defend everyone who faces serious charges as a result of material posted on WikiLeaks. The video shows aerial footage of an attack by a U.S. Apache helicopter that killed civilians, including two journalists from the Reuters news service. WikiLeaks posted it in April. The site said the video "clearly shows the unprovoked slaying of a wounded Reuters employee and his rescuers." Asked to respond to Assange's assertion that Manning is a "political prisoner," Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan told CNN that Manning is "accused of committing serious offenses. He has been charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and will be processed by normal procedures through the military justice system." U.S. military authorities have warned that the publication of classified documents on WikiLeaks could aid in the planning of terrorist attacks and harm national security. At the Oxford event, Assange said, "Remember the people in Baghdad, the people in Iraq, the people in Afghanistan, they don't need to see the video. They see it every day." He said the site's hope is that such video "will change the perception of the people who are paying" for the war. Assange denied reports that WikiLeaks had received hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. cables in addition to the Iraq video. He said the site would have released the cables if it had received them. Assange said some information, including a patient's medical records, should legitimately be kept secret. But he said WikiLeaks's practice of revealing information from whistle-blowers follows the traditions of journalism. The fact that governments and organizations spend money to keep this information secret, Assange said, is a good indication that releasing the information can achieve reform. The 39-year-old Assange, who has gray hair swept back behind his ears, noted that WikiLeaks operates in several countries, including Iceland and Sweden, where, he said, laws give protection to the disclosures made on the site. He said he had to cancel three public appearances in the United States, including one at the June conference of Investigative Reporters and Editors in Las Vegas, Nevada, because of "unreasonable" statements by U.S. officials in private that they "may not follow the rule of law" in dealing with him. "I received advice from figures like [investigative reporter] Sy Hersh to exercise caution," Assange said, adding that U.S. officials have now adopted a "reasonable" attitude in private. Assange was interviewed by Chris Anderson, curator of TED, the nonprofit that ran the conference. He asked the audience for a show of hands as to whether he was a hero or a "dangerous troublemaker." The vast majority signaled that they viewed him as a hero. CNN's Mike Mount and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report. | NEW: Pentagon says Pfc. Bradley E. Manning is accused of "serious offenses"
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange: Site getting a number of whistle-blower disclosures .
Assange: Manning is a "political prisoner"
Assange says he has canceled U.S. appearances due to security concerns . |
15a27b001214859077320695921de930bd193f14 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 11:29 EST, 11 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:58 EST, 11 January 2013 . Guilty: Ashley Gill-Webb, 34, pictured today, who got into the Olympic Stadium without a ticket then threw a beer bottle at competitors lining up for the men's 100m final has been found guilty of public disorder . A man who got into the Olympic Stadium without a ticket then threw a beer bottle at competitors lining up for the men's 100m final has been found guilty of public disorder. Ashley Gill-Webb, 34, hurled abuse at Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt then threw a plastic beer bottle on to the track before the race on August 5. Gill-Webb, from South Milford, near Leeds, was today found guilty at Stratford Magistrates' Court, east London, of public disorder. Gill-Webb, who suffers from bipolar affective disorder, pushed his way to the front of an exclusive seating area at the stadium and started shouting: 'Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an a***hole,' Stratford Magistrates' Court heard last week. He then threw the plastic beer bottle as the race - which Bolt won in 9.63 seconds - started on August 5 last year. The 34-year-old was confronted by Dutch judo champion Edith Bosch, then escorted from the stadium and arrested. The court heard that he used an old ticket to get into the Olympic Park, and then the stadium. Police never found a ticket on him. Gill-Webb was suffering from a manic episode at the time, with an urge to be 'involved' in the Olympics, the court heard. His lawyers argued that his mental state meant he could not have intended to cause harassment, alarm or distress, but the Crown said that, although he was unwell, he knew what he was doing. The court heard that Gill-Webb pushed his way to the front of the exclusive seating area after getting into the stadium. Prosecutor Neil King described him . mingling with members of the Dutch Olympic team, but his 'shouting and . jostling', then throwing the bottle, led to a confrontation with . Ms Bosch. In a statement, she described how he pushed past her to get to the front of the seating. Scroll down to watch . Foolish: The bottle can be seen landing on the track yards from Usain Bolt, far left, after being thrown by Gill-Webb, circled top . Disorder: Gill-Webb threw the bottle, which can be seen bottom centre of this image, onto the track at the start of the Men's 100m Final . 'He was shouting specifically at Usain Bolt. Things like 'Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an arsehole',' she said. 'He repeated these taunts over and over - it went on and on for about two minutes.' She saw Gill-Webb move his arm behind his head, then forwards in a throwing motion, then saw the bottle hit the track, she said. Ms Bosch confronted him, saying 'Dude, are you crazy?' 'He was trying to walk away so I pushed him hard to stop him,' she said. 'I was angry with what he had done, which was so disrespectful.' Restrained: Gill-Webb is pictured being detained by security after he threw a bottle onto the track just before the men's 100-metre final at the London 2012 Olympic Games . Abusive: Gill-Webb, who suffers from bipolar affective disorder, pushed his way to the front of an exclusive seating area at the stadium and started shouting at Usain Bolt . Other witnesses saw Gill-Webb shouting at finalists including Bolt, fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake, and US sprinter Justin Gatlin. Student Farzin Mirshahi heard him yell: 'Believe in Blake, no Usain' while her brother, Kiya Mirshahi, heard: 'Usain, no, Justin, you are a druggie, believe in Blake, no Usain, no.' After the incident, Gill-Webb - who the court heard has since lost his job - was escorted from the stadium and then arrested. His behaviour in police custody was said to be 'somewhat unusual', and he told officers that he was Scottish actor Alan Cumming, signing a statement with the star's name. Gill-Webb, who did not give evidence during his trial, originally denied throwing the bottle, but his DNA was later found on it. He later said he could not remember the incident. Guilty: Ashley Gill-Webb, left, is pictured leaving the court earlier in his trial . Champion: Despite the bottle and the abuse he suffered, Jamaica's Usain Bolt still went on to win the 100m final . Summing up his case, prosecutor Neil King said video footage showed Gill-Webb looking left and right, 'shuffling' behind other people, then surreptitiously throwing the bottle, suggesting he knew what he was doing was wrong, and clearly had intent. But Rhiannon Crimmins, defending, said Gill-Webb was mentally ill at the time and the video just showed a man behaving 'oddly'. Finding Gill-Webb guilty of both charges, District Judge William Ashworth said today: 'The video, in my view, clearly shows Mr Gill-Webb checking to see if he is under observation before taking the risk of throwing the bottle. 'I am sure that he was at that point weighing up the chances of being caught.' He said Gill-Webb's actions were 'rational and wrong' and intended to cause harassment, alarm and distress. Gill-Webb is due to be sentenced next month. | Ashley Gill-Webb, 34, hurled abuse at Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt .
He then threw a plastic beer bottle on to the track before the race .
Gill-Webb was today found guilty of public disorder . |
15a27e67e3d662c399d68d7809172f5e9ba53dac | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Ted Stevens, indicted Tuesday on seven counts of making false statements on Senate financial disclosure forms, has a long history in the Senate. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was charged Tuesday with making false statements on financial disclosure forms. And in the last few years, the Alaska Republican has been a poster boy for congressional spending critics. In 2005, legislation backed by Stevens to build a so-called "bridge to nowhere" became a lightning rod for those critics. The proposal called for construction of a $223 million bridge to connect Alaska's Gravina Island -- population 50 -- to the mainland. The allocation was backed by Stevens and Alaska Rep. Don Young, then the powerful GOP chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Congress later rescinded the earmarked funding for the bridge. The project also drew the ire of Sen. John McCain, now the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, who has long chastised Congress for wasteful spending. He has cited the "bridge to nowhere" in several campaign speeches this year. During the primaries, McCain said politicians' pet projects could have played a role in the Minnesota bridge collapse in early 2007. "Maybe if we had done it right, maybe some of that money would have gone to inspect those bridges and other bridges around the country," McCain said in Ankeny, Iowa, on August 4, 2007. "Maybe the 200,000 people who cross that bridge every day would have been safer than spending ... your tax dollars on a bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it." While the Arizona senator has long fought earmarks, he never specifically went after the "bridge to nowhere," and he was absent for key votes on its funding, according to FactCheck.org. Stevens, 84, is the oldest Republican senator and second in age only to Sen. Robert Byrd, the 90-year-old Democrat from West Virginia. Stevens is up for re-election in 2008. The former chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee has represented Alaska in Washington since 1968 and is renowned for his prowess in steering federal funds to his vast, sparsely populated state. Stevens is the Senate's president pro tempore emeritus; co-chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee; vice chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and ranking member of the Disaster Recovery Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee. "During World War II, he joined the Army Air Corps and flew support missions for the Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force. Stevens was awarded numerous medals for his service, including the Distinguished Flying Cross," according to his Senate Web site. After the war, Stevens attended and graduated from both UCLA and Harvard Law School, and later practiced law in Alaska. He later moved to Washington to work in President Dwight Eisenhower's White House. After his stint in the White House, Stevens moved back to Alaska and ran for state representative. He was elected to the Alaska House in 1964. Four years later, Stevens was appointed to the U.S. Senate. In 1970, he was elected to finish his term in a special election mandated by state law, according to Stevens' Web site. He has since been re-elected six times. | Ted Stevens of Alaska is the oldest serving GOP U.S. senator .
He drew criticism over his proposed 'bridge to nowhere' legislation .
Stevens' career in public service spans more than six decades .
He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II . |
15a3b1a7f928c8c7377a95aad1c9004cd243e853 | (CNN) -- A drug that presents a new way to knock out cancer cells was approved Friday to treat patients with a certain type of late-stage metastatic breast cancer. The drug, referred to as T-DM1 during clinical research, will now be known by the brand name Kadcyla, the Food and Drug Administration said in its approval announcement. It's a new therapy for women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Kadcyla is a combination of the targeted drug trastuzumab -- better known by the brand name Herceptin -- and a powerful chemotherapy drug called DM1. It's designed to work when Herceptin alone can no longer keep cancer in check. DM1 is too toxic to deliver directly into a patient's bloodstream, like other chemotherapy drugs. The Herceptin part of the new drug homes in on cancer cells, sparing other healthy cells, and delivers DM1 into the cell. "Kadcyla delivers the drug to the cancer site to shrink the tumor, slow disease progression and prolong survival," said Dr. Richard Pazdur, director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement. The drug is the fourth approved to target the HER2 protein. Genentech, the company that developed the drug, is working to get it to patients "imminently," said spokesman Susan Willson. "As soon as humanly possible, but within two weeks at the outside." Kadcyla will cost about $9,800 monthly, which Willson said is "similar to the cost of other treatment regimens in this line of therapy." The estimated cost of a course of Kadcyla -- 9½ months -- is about $94,000. But "we want to ensure that people who are eligible for this medicine have access to it," Willson said. Genentech plans to initiate patient assistance programs for the drug to help those who might not be able to afford it; those without health insurance or those who have reached the lifetime limit set by their insurance companies may qualify to receive Kadcyla for free. Experimental drug offers new way to battle certain breast cancer . Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, according to the National Cancer Institute and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HER2 is a protein involved in normal cell growth. It's found in increased amounts on some types of cancer cells. In HER2-positive breast cancers, the increased amount of the protein contributes to cancer call growth and survival. Nearly 20% of breast cancers have increased amounts of HER2. Researchers announced the results of a large three-year clinical trial of Kadcyla in June, saying they were optimistic about it. One significant benefit, according to lead study author Dr. Kimberly Blackwell of Duke University, is the lack of significant side effects and a better quality of life for patients on the drug. Patients participating in the trial, she said, were the first group for whom officials worried about fixing their hair for media interviews. It's important to note, however, that Kadcyla is not the same as Herceptin and could cause serious side effects including liver problems and heart problems such as congestive heart failure or even death. It also can cause life-threatening birth defects, meaning pregnant women should not take it. The FDA's approval of the drug comes with the requirement that the prescribing information comes with a boxed warning alerting patients about the possibility of these side effects. However, the potential risks may be acceptable to women who have no other options, said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society. Kadcyla, known as an "antibody-drug conjugate," represents "a completely new way" to treat HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer, said Dr. Hal Barron, chief medical officer and head of global product development for Genentech. An antibody-drug conjugate is described by the company as "a new kind of targeted medicine that can attach to certain types of cells and deliver chemotherapy directly to them." "We currently have more than 25 antibody-drug conjugates in our pipeline and hope this promising approach will help us deliver more medicines to fight other cancers in the future," Barron said in a statement. CNN's Miriam Falco contributed to this report. | The drug, Kadcyla, presents a new way to knock out cancer cells .
It's meant for some patients with a certain type of metastatic breast cancer .
The drug should be available to patients within two weeks . |
15a4ed5e8628b9546de69195a3b9cb35a418ffc0 | Gaffe-prone Vice President Joe Biden has learned a thing or two during his 64 months in the Obama administration, including the need to avoid broadcasting F-bombs like the one he let loose on Mar 23, 2010. That was the day the president triumphantly announced the signing of the Affordable Care Act. But Biden unwittingly stole the spotlight by introducing Obama, embracing him and saying – loudly enough for the podium microphone to capture it – 'This is a big f***ing deal.' '[A] piece of advice about that "BFD" stuff: . Assume every microphone is on,' Biden told a crowd gathered on Monday at the starting line of the annual Ride 2 Recovery Memorial Challenge, a cycling event that raises money for wounded-veterans charities. Scroll down for video of the infamous moment . I didn't mean it: Biden insisted he never intentionally called the Obamacare signing 'a big f***ing deal,' but his words looking intentional on network video feeds . Gaffer-in-chief: Biden's famous moments have included asking a wheelchair-bound local politician to stand up and acknowledge applause,and saying of the 2009 federal stimulus that there was 'a 30% chance we're going to get it wrong' Riders travel 325 miles from Washington, D.C. to Virginia Beach every year on Memorial Day for the event. 'I just want . you to know, I didn't intentionally say that,' he added, according to CNN. 'I actually turned and I said, "Mr. President," and I whispered in his ear. Unfortunately, I was looking in the direction of one guy who could actually read lips — not a joke. Because no one picked it up at the time and one of the reporters read lips.' 'Thank God my mother was . gone or I'd have been one dead vice president.' His words, however, were clearly audible and went out on every broadcast network covering the event. The Associated Press reported at the time that 'Biden appeared to be offering that perspective to Obama privately.' Moments later, then-White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs tweeted, 'And yes, Mr. Vice President, you're right.' A Ride 2 Recovery coordinator who introduced Biden playfully warned the crowd that 'for those of you who don't know, Joe is famous for some of his one liners.' 'There was a bill signing at the White House ... and he said it was a "big f-ing deal." And that was a quote ... If I may say, sir, Ride to Recovery is a big f-ing deal.' The introduction also included the prediction . that 'at some point in the future Joe is going to run for president . again.' In response, Biden was seen making a dramatic sign of the cross on his body. Biden's mouth often out-runs his brain, as he proved in 2010 with an open microphone and an F-bomb . Goofball: Biden mugged for a camera with Obama to launch his Instagram account, but was better-known for saying that in his home state of Delaware, 'you cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking.' The vice president, who is mulling a White House run in 2016, also mentioned the controversy swirling around the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which is accused of using phony off-the-books waiting lists to mask its failure to provide timely health care to battle-tested servicemen and women. 'That is a sacred obligation, and we’re behind right now,' the he conceded. 'The VA is having problems, and we’ve got to get to the bottom of it.' 'This is a long-term commitment this nation has to make,' Biden said, 'so it seems to me on this day we as Americans have to recommit ourselves not just with words but with deeds.' | Biden told Memorial Day charity bike riders that they he learned his lesson from the F-bomb he uttered on live television in 2010 .
'Assume every microphone is on,' he said, recalling his 'This is a big f***ing deal' gaffe after the Obamacare bill signing .
'Thank God my mother was gone or I'd have been one dead vice president' he said .
When he was introduced by a man who noted that he planned to run for president, Biden made the sign of the cross . |
15a52a7b8f156a3e8a876f751c4d097c8db38990 | By . Chris Wheeler . Martin Demichelis and Manchester City didn't appear to be feeling the weight of expectation as the Argentine and his team-mates prepared for their crucial derby clash. And City manager Manuel Pellegrini underlined the confidence coursing City by claiming that his team ‘expect’ to win the Old Trafford derby on Tuesday night. For the first time in the modern era, City go to Manchester United as favourites with Pellegrini’s team 12 points ahead of their neighbours with two games in hand. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Manuel Pellegrini and David Moyes look ahead to the derby . Ready? Martin Demichelis stretches during training at Manchester City's training base . Sitting pretty: Alvaro Negredo (right) and Matija Nastasic (left) undergo training drills . Asked if it will be a unique occasion . because City are expected to win at Old Trafford for the third time in a . row, he said: ‘We also expect to go and win.’ He . added: ‘Not because Manchester United have had a difficult season we . are going to go there and win, but if we play a good game tomorrow we . will have a good chance to win it.’ However, . Pellegrini played down City’s tag as favourites and insisted that . maintaining his club’s title challenge is more important than securing . bragging rights over their neighbours. He . added: ‘We know it’s a derby, of course, but for our target we must add . three points. We don’t just need to win tomorrow and lose the next . game. We need to be consistent from now until the end of the season. ‘I . know we must go game by game. We don’t know how many points we must add . from now until the end of the season. It is important to try to win . tomorrow and then after Arsenal on Saturday, we will see how many points . we need. ‘That is why for . our team all the games have the same importance because they have three . points, but a derby has a special importance because we know the fans . enjoy winning against Manchester United. ‘The . players are very motivated to try and win the title. It has been a very . close Premier League from the beginning of the season and until the . last match it will be the same way. ‘One . of the positive things of being eliminated from other competitions is . that we are just focusing on the Premier League. We don’t have problem . physically or mentally, we are just trying to fight for the title. Roll up, roll up: City's stars are the picture of focus as the ball is put into the box . Chilling: James Milner (left), Negredo and Joe Hart warm down indoors at Carrington . ‘But . I don’t think we are favourites in any game. That is why football is . the most popular sport because you never know who will win. There are so . many things that can change a score that you don’t know about. We are . in a good moment. Tomorrow we are playing against a big team in their . own stadium so I don’t think we are favourites.’ Pellegrini’s . first derby ended in a thumping 4-1 win at the Etihad in September that . added to the problems David Moyes has encountered as Sir Alex . Ferguson’s successor. However, . the City boss warned that United’s progress to the Champions League . quarter-finals proves that they are still a force to be reckoned with. Rolling on: City's stars look relaxed on exercise bikes before the big match . Main men: Playmaker Samir Nasri (left) and Fernandinho look up for the mammoth clash at United . ‘It . will be a very difficult game,’ said Pellegrini. ‘Maybe Manchester . United have a difficult season but they are a very good team, one of the . two English teams that stays in Champions League so we must make sure . we have a very good game if we want to win. ‘It . is not my duty to analyse what David Moyes has done in his season at . Manchester United. I think that everyone know it was very difficult for . him to replace Sir Alex Ferguson but I don’t analyse what he is doing.’ Out in the sunshine: David Silva (left), Jack Rodwell and Nasri head outdoors for training . Pumped: Aleksandar Kolarov (right) changes shirts as Vincent Kompany returns to City's defence . City . skipper Vincent Kompany will return from suspension to lead his side . out at Old Trafford and Edin Dzeko is available again after missing . Saturday’s 5-0 win over Fulham through illness. However, as expected, . Sergio Aguero and Matija Nastasic have been ruled out through injury. | Manuel Pellegrini confirms Sergio Aguero and Matija Nastasic are out .
City boss aims to win and admits David Moyes has had 'difficult season'
Chilean denies that Blues are favourites against Manchester United . |
15a5591ab4a5740efede45dbcfb485c1a290139d | PUBLISHED: . 09:00 EST, 30 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:50 EST, 30 January 2013 . Hungry space explorers need to act fast when they get the urge for a snack, if this NASA footage is anything to go by. The video clip captured on board the International Space Station reveals what happens when a tin of mixed nuts is opened in zero gravity. As astronaut Chris Hadfield partially peels back the foil lid, the nuts can be seen floating around inside the tin ready to escape. Scroll down for video . A very light snack: The nuts can be seen floating around inside the tin in the video clip captured in zero gravity on board the International Space Station . The . flight engineer quickly replaces the foil over the tin to prevent the . jostling almonds, cashews and peanuts from drifting in all directions on the giant floating laboratory. But not before one pesky nut escapes the tin, which Commander Hadfield manages to cling on to. Commander Hadfield recently began a . five month stint on board the International Space Station, and is due to . become the first Canadian to take overall control of the station in . March. The social . media-savvy astronaut regularly tweets about his adventures hundreds of . miles above the earth, and has more than 280,000 Twitter followers. Snack time: Flight commander Chris Hadfield, who is living on the International Space Station, removes the lid and peels back the foil covering on the tin of mixed nuts . Zero gravity: The peanuts, cashews and almonds can be seen moving around inside the tin, ready to float away in different directions . Saved for later: The astronaut replaces the foil covering over the nuts to prevent losing the snack altogether - but not before one tiny peanut floats out of the tin . Weightless: Commander Hadfield is due to become the first Canadian to take command of the International Space Station in March . Meanwhile Commander Chris Hadfield, 53, has posted hundreds of breathtaking images on his Twitter account since joining the crew as part of Expedition 34 just a few weeks ago. As . well as San Francisco's famous landmark, Commander Hadfield - who has . described the shifting view of the earth from windows of the space . station as 'a perpetual magnet' - has snapped the bright lights of . Manhattan at night, the 'endless' golden beaches of Australia, a vivid . blue river snaking through Brazilian farmland, and 'cauliflower' clouds . sitting over the Amazon rainforest. Flight engineer: Chris Hadfield at work on board the International Space Station, which is in orbit around 250 miles above the surface of the earth . Out of this world: The Golden Gate Bridge is visible from space in this incredible shot of San Francisco Bay taken by astronaut Chris Hadfield . The city that never sleeps: Mr Hadfield, the flight engineer on Expedition 34, also tweeted this image of the shining lights of New York City at night from his perch on board the International Space Station . Disaster: The astronaut shared this view of flood hit Bundaberg, Australia, adding 'Keep safe and dry down there' All in a row: Commander Hadfield joked that this view of eight clouds perfectly aligned made it look as though planet earth was sending smoke signals . Patterns: The astronaut tweeted this picture of patterns on the ocean as seen from space, adding the caption 'Water has structure - we just aren't normally in a place to see it' Home sweet home: The Canadian astronaut, who was born in Ontario, posted this picture of the view of Quebec City lit up at night . Arid: A dry Australian river as seen from the International Space Station, Commander Hadfield's home for five months . Earth's splendour: This view of the Australian outback would have inspired the abstract artist Jackson Pollock, Commander Hadfield said . Contrast: Commander Hadfield posted this shot of a vivid blue river snaking through Brazilian farmland on his Twitter page . Down under from up above: The astronaut tweeted this shot of what he described as the 'endless beaches of Australia', adding 'That's where I'd go for Australia Day!' 'Mysterious, beautiful and surreal': The astronaut was struck by the sight of Venezuelan mountains shrouded in misty clouds . African landscapes: The flight commander, who was launched into space on the Soyuz capsule just before Christmas, tweeted this picture of sunlight glinting on Lake Nasser, Egypt . Smoke: The astronaut tweeted this 'angry-looking' smoke cloud spotted over Western Australia, where bush fires have been raging . | Video clip shows nuts floating around inside tin as foil lid is peeled back .
Astronaut hastily replaces foil lid, but not before one nut manages to escape .
Commander Chris Hadfield is living on the International Space Station . |
15a56fce3ee76aa9b0d7cb115b3b454d376ee6b0 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:33 EST, 8 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:27 EST, 8 October 2013 . Two tonnes of contaminated meat may have been making its way into the food chain every day from an illegal food processing plant, it has been revealed. Caterers were urged to destroy any meat bought from West Yorkshire Lamb, Beef and Poultry Ltd in Bradford, West Yorkshire, last month after it was raided by the Food Standards Agency, Bradford Council environmental health officers and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. Seized poultry was condemned and an Emergency Prohibition Notice was served for the premises to remain closed until it met legal hygiene requirements. Two tonnes of contaminated meat could have been making its way into the food chain every day, it has been revealed, following an investigation into an illegal food processing plant . Caterers were last month urged to destroy any meat bought from West Yorkshire Lamb, Beed and Poulty Ltd in Bradford, West Yorkshire . Images of the seized meat show hundreds of pieces of chicken stacked in boxes and crates at the site. The meat appears to have been wrapped in blue plastic before being packed up in the cardboard boxes and plastic crates. Pieces of meat can also be seen on the floor of the factory, whose owner is still at large. Five suspected illegal workers were arrested after they were discovered by immigration officers, leaving the business facing a £50,000 fine. A 19-year-old Pakistani man has been removed from the country. The others remain in detention while steps are taken to remove them from the country, a Home Office spokesman said. Ian Bairstow, Bradford Council's Strategic Director for Environment, Sport and Sustainability, said: 'Two tonnes of poultry was seized and destroyed before it got into the food chain. Poultry seized from the site was condemned and an Emergency Prohibition Notice was served for the premises to remain closed until it met legal hygiene requirements . 'The company was operating from Monday to Friday so we estimate that it was supplying this amount each day. 'Investigations . are continuing to identify and locate the operator of the business to . discover the full extent of its operations. 'None of the meat previously sold from the factory was returned to the council.' Five suspected illegal workers were arrested after they were discovered by immigration officers at the site . | Caterers were urged to destroy meat bought from food processing plant .
Seized poultry was condemned and site in Bradford has been closed .
Business also faces £50,000 fine after five suspected illegal workers found . |
15a5fa6cd44828c396f3d3a13d3a20040c717fae | Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell maintained his brilliant form at Sheshan International to remain in command at the halfway stage of the £5.4milllion WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai. McDowell, who won all three of his matches in Europe's victory over the United States in September, carded a second successive 67 to lie 10 under par, three shots ahead of Gleneagles team-mate Ian Poulter. The 35-year-old Northern Irishman fired five birdies and no bogeys and has now played his last 11 rounds at the venue in 49 under par after finishing third in 2011 and again 12 months ago. Graeme McDowell hits his tee-shot on the third hole during the second round of the WGC-HSBC Champions . The Northern Irishman leads the prestigious tournament by three shots at the halfway stage . McDowell putts on the 18th green, where he made par, at the Sheshan International Golf Club on Friday . Poulter, who was runner-up to Dustin Johnson last year and won the title when it was staged at Mission Hills in 2012, birdied four of his last five holes to match McDowell's 67. And double Masters champion Bubba Watson went one better with birdies at all five of the closing stretch in his 67 to finish six under alongside Japan's Hiroshi Iwata, whose 65 was the best score of the week so far. McDowell won the US Open in 2010 but has yet to win one of the WGC events and told Sky Sports 4: 'It would be very special. The WGC's are a special tier of events, there's no doubt about that and this has always been one I had my eye on. This one and Doral (venue for the WGC-Cadillac Championship) are the two golf courses I feel I perform well on. Ian Poulter is making a rare appearance this year at the top of the leaderboard after two good rounds . American Ryder Cup star Bubba Watson enjoyed a stunning run of birdies to close his round . 'But this is a world-class field. They are bunching up behind me and I have to get out there tomorrow and keep the pedal down and position myself for Sunday and give myself a sniff on the back nine.' Asked to explain his remarkable scoring at Sheshan, McDowell added: 'I think it's the fact you don't have to hit it a long way, you have to be accurate and I like these greens. I read them well here, this course is always so well presented and I just enjoy playing it. 'I didn't play as well as I did yesterday. I missed a lot more fairways, which is a big key on this golf course. You must find fairways to have a chance out there. I got lucky a couple of times and I made some good saves. 'It wasn't my best ball-striking round but I hung in there and I'm right where I want to be going into the weekend.' In contrast, Poulter was delighted with his performance in his second tournament with new Titleist clubs as he looked to put an injury-plagued campaign behind him. Hiroshi Iwata of Japan plays his second shot on the picturesque eighth hole during the second round . Jonas Blixt of Sweden plays out of trouble after hitting into the trees alongside the eighth hole . Sergio Garcia's partner Katharina Boehm watches . 'It was great. I played very, very solid,' said Poulter, who has slipped to 44th in the world rankings. 'Probably the best I've played all year, which is very exciting. 'It was a little frustrating the first 13 holes that I was missing chances, but four birdies in the last five holes, chances started to go in at the end, and I'm very happy. 'I played with Graeme in the last round last year and he likes this golf course and played well, and I've had success around here as well. So if you're within six shots, then you've got a great chance on Sunday.' Watson was just level par for his round after 13 holes but produced a brilliant finish with five birdies in a row, which included using his four wood to 'chip' in from the fringe on the 17th after a more orthodox chip in on the previous hole. 'It was a struggle,' said the left-hander, who finished eighth last year. 'I hit some good shots but couldn't make some putts. Hit some bad shots and made some putts. And then to finish that strong, it was a great round of golf, or great last five holes I guess you could say. 'It's kind of like where I was last year. I was hanging around right there going into the weekend so I look forward to the challenge. Hopefully I can play a little better this time on the weekend.' World No 2 Adam Scott had closed to within one of McDowell with four birdies in his first six holes, but ran up a quadruple-bogey nine on the eighth after a wild hook into the trees ended in an unplayable position and his fifth shot was stymied by a large rock in front of the green. The former Masters champion also double-bogeyed the ninth and dropped another shot on the 11th, but eagled the 14th and birdied the 16th in an eventful 72 that left him eight off the lead on two under. | Graeme McDowell leads HSBC Champions by three shots .
Northern Irishman shot second round of 67 to sit on 10 under par .
Ryder Cup team-mate Ian Poulter is three shots back in second place .
Bubba Watson on seven under after incredible birdie run and two chip-ins . |
15a641335ac57225d84423173485f8985ae50ada | Radio DJ and TV presenter Chris Evans has been pictured for the first time since revealing that he is is in the middle of a prostate cancer scare. The father-of-three, 48, told millions of listeners about his plight on the Chris Evans Breakfast show yesterday. He spoke after The Who drummer Kenney Jones - who has overcome the disease and now campaigns for the cause - had been a guest reader on the show's regular On This Day slot. Radio DJ and TV presenter Chris Evans, 48, has been pictured for the first time since revealing that he is is in the middle of a prostate cancer scare . Evans, pictured above backstage during BBC One’s The One Show, said that he had 'completely changed my tune on this over the last couple of years' and encouraged anyone 'worried about anything' to see a doctor . Evans last night took to Twitter where he acknowledged he didn't know how serious the scare was but also downplayed the threat saying he might just be suffering from a urinary infection . Evans said he was prompted to see a doctor after not being able to stop 'peeing' since Christmas. He told his listeners: ‘Thank you once again to Kenney Jones, of The Who who was diagnosed with prostate cancer a couple of years ago and since recovery has been a fundraiser and supporter of Prostate Cancer UK. ‘Prostate cancer, and colon cancer of course, are one of the most survivable forms of cancer there is, if caught early enough. It not, one of the least. It's a fine line between life and death, happiness and tragedy. ‘And I've got to say I'm in the middle of a prostate issue right now! I couldn't stop. I have not been able to stop since Christmas - peeing - or wanting to go. So I've gone to the doctor. Evans said he was prompted to see a doctor after not being able to stop 'peeing' since Christmas . Evans said hew had 'scared myself half to death' by going on the internet and looking up the condition . ‘I've done all the internet stuff that you shouldn't do, I've gone on the internet, scared myself half to death, then gone to see the doctor. And we really should do it the other way round. However I'm in the middle of the tests.’ Last night Evans took to Twitter thanking his fans for their support and downplaying the scare. He wrote: Getting lots of concerned messages about me and my prostate. Probably more likely a urine infection or irritable bladder. But always best to check. That's the message.' During Evans' radio show, traffic presenter Lynn Bowles told the star: 'You seem ok about that.’ Evans replied: ‘Well, you've got to be. I've completely changed my tune on this over the last couple of years. So there you go. If you are worried about anything just go and sort yourself out - if not for you, for your family.’ Evans is married to golfer Natasha Shishmanian, with whom he has two young sons, Noah, five, and Eli, 18 months . Evans is also co-host on BBC One’s The One Show, pictued above, on Friday evenings . The presenter added that he had previously been put off the traditional test for prostate cancer, adding: ‘I was scared of them. I'm a bloke remember.’ Evans is married to golfer Natasha Shishmanian, with whom he has two young sons, Noah, five, and Eli, 18 months. His morning radio show commands more than 9.9 million listeners while his TV commitments including acting as co-host on BBC One’s The One Show on Friday evenings. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with over 40,000 new cases diagnosed every year. The disease, which usually affects men over 50, often develops slowly, so there may be no signs a man has it for many years. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits below the bladder in men. Its main function is to produce a white fluid that is mixed with the sperm produced by the testicles, to create semen. The gland is shaped like a doughnut with a hole in the middle. Through this hole runs the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. The problem is that the prostate often grows with age, squashing the urethra and obstructing the flow when a man urinates. This can be a sign of an enlarged prostate, which is not usually a serious threat to health. However the following symptoms can also be a sign of prostate cancer. These include: . Needing to urinate more frequently, often during the night . Needing to rush to the toilet . Difficulty in starting to pee . Straining or taking a long time while urinating . Weak flow or feeling that the bladder has not emptied fully . | Evans said that he had not been able to stop 'peeing' since Christmas .
And had 'scared myself half to death' by looking up the condition online .
He thanked The Who's Kenney Jones for prompting him to get checked .
Last night Evans downplayed the scare saying it might be a urine infection . |
15a6c308ce5f7f33733353e2eb12a2a93ad6eee3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:04 EST, 30 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:33 EST, 1 August 2013 . The college student forgotten in a holding cell for five days without food or water, took a $4.1 million settlement from the Justice Department his lawyer announced Tuesday. 24-year-old University of California, San Diego student Daniel Chong was arrested on April 21, 2012 as part of a major drug bust. He was taken to county jail and subsequently forgotten in a cell for five days - starving and hallucinating. Scroll down for video . Payout: The college student who was taken to county jail and subsequently forgotten for five days, settled with the Department of Justice Tuesday for $4million . Torture: Mr Chong endured five days forgotten in the cell, drinking his own urine and hallucinating . “It was an accident,” Mr Chong said in a news conference on Tuesday attended by KPBS, “a really bad, horrible accident.” Mr Chong's attorney Eugene Iredale said that the Justice Department is still trying to figure out how Mr Chong slipped from their notice, but the inspector general still has no answers. The DEA did not have a system in place at the time on how to treat detainees, but has since installed camera in each of the cells and holds daily inspections. “What happened to Daniel should never happen to any human being on the face of the planet,' Mr Ireland said in the press conference. 'The government has recognized the profound suffering that Daniel underwent,' he said. Mr Iredale said that no one has been disciplined for the drug bust, and that no criminal charges will be filed. The student originally planned to sue for $20million. Mr Chong said he is in good health back UC San Diego studying engineering. The engineering student was swept up as one of nine suspects in an April 21 drug raid that netted 18,000 ecstasy pills, other drugs and weapons. Left alone: Mr Chong was arrested on April 21 as part of a drug bust, but was told he was going to be released . Seven suspects were taken to county . jail, and another was released, but Mr Chong was somehow left behind, said Amy Roderick, a . spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration. 'Each suspect was interviewed in separate interview rooms, and frequently moved around between rooms and cells,' Ms Roderick said. 'The individual in question was accidentally left in one of the cells.' Mr Chong said federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents told him he would be let go. One agent even promised to drive him home from the DEA field office in Kearny Mesa, he said. Instead, he was returned to a holding cell to await release. Mr Chong said he could hear the muffled voices of agents outside his five-by-10-foot windowless cell and the door of the next cell being opened and closed. Righting the wrong: Mr Chong originally sued for $20million . He kicked and screamed as loud as he could, but apparently, his cries for help went unheard. 'I had to recycle my own urine,' he said. 'I had to do what I had to do to survive.' During the ordeal, he lost 15 pounds, according to NBC. He said at one point, the lights shut . off and he was left in the dark inside the five-by-10-foot windowless . cell. He began to hallucinate. 'I was completely insane,' he said. 'It’s impossible to describe hallucinations like these.' Mr Chong also said that he bit into his glasses to break them and tried . to use a shard to scratch 'Sorry Mom' into his arm, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. When he was found on April 25, he was taken to a hospital and treated for cramps, dehydration and a perforated lung - the result of ingesting the broken glass. 'When they opened the door, one of them said `Here's the water you've been asking for,' Mr Chong said. 'But I was pretty out of it at the time.' Mr Chong also ingested a white powder DEA agents said was left in the cell accidentally and later identified as methamphetamine. It took him nearly five days at Sharp hospital to recover, he said. | Daniel Chong, 24, was arrested on April 21 in a drug bust and taken to county jail for questioning .
He held in a holding cell and forgotten for five days, during which he consumed his own urine .
Mr Chong's lawyer announced Tuesday that he had settled out of court for $4.1million . |
15a71016e5bd1127476c516aa84b2317ff44c1d9 | By . Laura Pullman . PUBLISHED: . 09:35 EST, 2 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:23 EST, 2 July 2012 . The prime minister of Qatar has been revealed as the mystery buyer who spent almost $100 million to purchase New York City’s most expensive penthouse. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani brought . the luxurious two-story apartment spread over 10,923 square feet in the . One57 building back in May. Furthermore, the billionaire sheikh, who has two wives and 15 children, is reportedly also in discussions about buying four separate, full-floor condos in the exclusive Midtown building, which would bring the total cost to an incredible $250 million. Revealed: The prime minister of Qatar has been revealed as the mystery buyer who spent almost $100 million to purchase New York City's most expensive penthouse back in May . Loss: The sheik called off a deal to purchase a $100million penthouse in the not-yet-completed One57 building, complete with 10,923 square feet and breathtaking views of the city skyline . The One57 building’s developer, Extell’s . Gary Barnett, confirmed on May 18 that the apartment had been brought but would . only say that a ‘very nice family’ had snapped it up. Mr Barnett said previously that the . buyer, now known to be Al-Thani, was also looking at buying the Winter Garden unit - a duplex featuring a . solarium totaling 13,500ft and another floor to create a 20,000 square . feet space. If he does make these further purchases that will likely more than double his spending - bringing it up to a staggering $250 million. Al-Thani laid down between $90million and $100million for the penthouse after his $31.5 million bid for a couple of Fifth Avenue apartments, owned by the late copper heiress Huguette Clark, was rejected. And he brought the One57 penthouse before he could even see it completed, as the building is currently in development and only due to be finished next year. The astronomical fee of the penthouse apartment eclipses the . $88million forked out by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev on a . penthouse for his daughter last winter at 15 Central Park West. The view: When completed, the towering One57 building will provide unparalleled views of Central Park . No doubt the owners will be able to afford good window treatments if they want to block out the incredible lights visible from the master bedroom in order to sleep . The One57 building is across the street from Carnegie Hall and a stone’s throw from Central Park. The penthouse, on the 89th and 90th . floors, boasts a ‘grand salon’, at least five bedrooms, four fireplaces, . floor-to-ceiling windows and a large mezzanine, the New York Post . reported. As well as staggering views over the Manhattan skyline and beyond, the property also features impressive 23-foot ceilings. Al-Thani shelled out on the Midtown penthouse after his bid for two Fifth Avenue apartments, owned by the famously reclusive Huguette Clark, was refused. 'He decided to buy the One57 penthouse after the Huguette Clark rejection,' a source told the New York Post. Despite offering $500,000 over the asking price, the powerful PM’s bid . was refused with the building’s co-op board even refusing the . sheikh an interview. Rejected: Al-Thani initially hoped to buy a couple of Fifth Avenue apartments, owned by the late copper heiress Huguette Clark, for $31.5 million but his bid was rejected by the co-op board . It is thought the board stonewalled his offer after it was revealed he planned to knock the two eight floor apartments into one. It was also reported that al-Thani's huge family – . and the entourage of staff who travel with them – also caused concerns . for the co-op board. Other reasons cited for the rejection . were concerns about where his money was coming from and the fact that . the Sheikh is a foreign head of state with diplomatic immunity. Situated on 157 West 57th street One57 will become the tallest residential building in the city when it . is finished next year. High above the rest: Residents in the penthouse of the shimmering glass tower will look down on their neighbors . Reaching for the skies: Construction is expected to finally be finished in 2013. When finished the building the building will appear as at right . | The property in Midtown's One57 building was purchased by 'mystery buyer' in May .
The Qatari PM brought the two story apartment for between $90-$100m .
He's discussing buying four separate condos for a further $100-$150m .
His earlier $31.5m bid for two Fifth Avenue apartments belonging to the late copper heiress, Huguette Clark, was rejected . |
15a8d0b15cf8543cff8a2cd8ab02f144b9c63ee2 | A North Texas woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison after earlier testifying that she helped her husband gun down a district attorney, his wife and a top assistant in a revenge plot. Kim Williams appeared in court two weeks after her husband, Eric Williams, was sentenced to death for one of the three killings. She testified during Eric Williams' sentencing hearing that she was a 'willing participant,' driving the getaway car after the January 2013 shooting of prosecutor Mark Hasse and helping hide weapons after the March 2013 shootings of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia. Scroll down for video . Guilty: Kim Williams pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison after earlier testifying that she helped her husband gun down a district attorney, his wife and a top assistant in a revenge plot (file photo) Investigators have said the couple sought to avenge Eric Williams' 2012 prosecution for stealing county-owned equipment. He was a justice of the peace at the time and the conviction cost him his job and law license. At her brief court appearance Tuesday, Kim Williams was sentenced immediately after pleading guilty to first-degree murder. She also gave up her right to appeal. She pleaded guilty in the death of Hasse. Her husband, from whom she's now estranged, was convicted Dec. 4 of killing Cynthia McLelland. Nathan Foreman, Cynthia McLelland's son, thanked Kim Williams in court for testifying and providing prosecutors with information. 'I'm not sure closure is the right word, but it was riveting listening to your testimony,' he told her. 'These murders have torn apart my family and Mark Hasse's family,' he said. 'And I'm sure that it's been equally tough on your family.' Victims: Prosecutor Mark Hasse (left) was shot in January 2013. Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia (seen together on the right) were shot in March 2013 . Convicted: Eric WIlliams (seen here in a file photo) was convicted on December 4 for killing Cynthia McLelland, the wife of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, and sentenced to death . J.R. McLelland, the son of Mike McLelland, later told her, 'You had too many opportunities to stop it and you didn't do that.' During the trial of Eric Williams, prosecutors presented evidence that he paid a friend to rent a storage unit where he kept more than 30 guns, police tactical gear and the getaway car. A 'masked assassin,' whom prosecutors identified as Williams, approached Hasse as he walked to work and the two shoved each other. They said Hasse pleaded and yelled 'I'm sorry' before he was repeatedly shot. Two months later Williams stormed into the McLellands' rural home east of Dallas and shot each more than a dozen times, according to evidence at his trial. During the punishment phase, Kim Williams testified for more than two hours about her role in the plot. 'His anger was my anger,' she said. | Kim Williams pleaded guilty Tuesday to murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison .
She appeared in court two weeks after her husband, Eric Williams, was sentenced to death for one of three killings .
During her husband's sentencing hearing, she testified she was a 'willing participant' and drove the getaway car after the January 2013 shooting of prosecutor Mark Hasse .
Williams also testified that she helped hide weapons after the March 20134 shootings of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia .
Investigators have said the couple sought to avenge Eric Williams' 2012 prosecution for stealing county-owned equipment .
He was a justice of the peace at the time and the conviction cost him his job and law license . |
15a8d5419a477a0d9c46a654de26c21ea029738a | By . Rob Waugh . Last updated at 11:06 AM on 8th December 2011 . Apple's iPhone is already a 'games console' for many of its users - the average iPhone owner plays games for 14.7 hours a month, according to a Nielsen study. But a new app will ensure they have more to play than Angry Birds. The key? The 3D, hi-def games - including hits such as Assassin's Creed: Revelations - aren't actually playing ON your phone or tablet's slow processor - they're playing elsewhere, and the video streams to iPad, iPhone or Android devices courtesy of the new Onlive app. The new Onlive app allows users to play games that iPad's processor simply wouldn't be capable of such as Lego: Batman - streaming the video from high-powered servers, and adding touch controls to the 'console quality' games . The app adds an 'overlay' of touch controls to console games, making them easier to use on iPad . The app itself is free - but a subscription of £6.99 buys you access to a library of 150 games. Renting a game for three days costs £3.99. 'Buying' a game outright costs similar prices to what it would cost in the shops - for instance Assassin's Creed: Revelation is £39.99. The app comes with two free games - the crime thriller L.A. Noire, and Lego Batman. So far, 25 games have been adapted for touchscreen controls. Current PC and console hits such as Assassin's Creed Revelations are available either for a one-off payment or via a subcription of £6.99 a month . Even when 'renting' games via the app, the app counts up your rentals and once you've 'paid' for the game, you keep it . There are 500 million mobile devices in the U.S. and UK capable of using the app. In the UK, the service only works over wi-fi. In the U.S., 4G mobiles will also be able to use the service. L.A. Noire from Rockstar Games and family titles like LEGO: Batman will be given free to anyone who downloads the OnLive app. There is also an upcoming wireless controller (£39.99/$49.99) which works with many tablets and phones - overcoming one of gaming's major hurdles on the platforms, the fact that touchscreen controls rarely work on action games. Only 25 games have been optimised for touchscreen control so far - but you can buy a £39.99 controller which works with most phones and tablets . 'Today marks a major milestone: OnLive is now delivering the latest, console-class, top-tier games—literally to your fingertips—on mobile tablets and phones for instant on-demand play anywhere, anytime,' said Steve Perlman, OnLive Founder and CEO. 'Through the free OnLive app, tablet and smartphone gamers can play top console and PC titles like Assassins Creed: Revelations and L.A. Noire—one of the most highly acclaimed, graphically sophisticated games to date—with exclusive OnLive Cloud Touch controls or with the new mobile-compatible OnLive Wireless Controller. 'Tablets and smartphones, the fastest-growing consumer product categories in history, are now capable of running the hottest, highest-end games. Gaming and mobile devices will never be the same.' There are 500 million devices in the U.S. and the UK capable of running the free app . Most of the nearly 200 games in OnLive's growing library, including recent top-tier releases like Batman: Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Lord of the Rings: War in the North, are immediately playable on virtually any device with the OnLive Wireless Controller, which automatically find wireless connection for any tablet, smartphone, PC, Mac, TV or Blu-ray player. 'As always, any game purchased on one OnLive app device (TV, PC, Mac or mobile device) can be played instantly on any other OnLive app device with full cloud save game data intact, allowing users to start play on one device, and continue playing on any other device, whenever and wherever they want. OnLive’s cross-platform capability extends to multiplayer gaming, enabling, for example, a tablet gamer to play with TV, PC, Mac and smartphone gamers,' said a spokeserson. | Free app gives access to library of 150 high-end console games .
Subscription of £6.99 a month .
Games 'stream' to iPad, iPhone or Android tablets .
Works via wi-fi to create far better graphics than any tablet or smartphone - as the processing happens on servers 'in the cloud'
App available on Android now, currently being approved by Apple . |
15a92b46ded383347b2c792c787a411c8cc07efd | Two weeks after Creed frontman Scott Stapp was placed on psych hold for 72 hours after telling cops he hears voices that say his son will be killed by ISIS, his estranged wife Jaclyn is trying to get him committed again - for 60 days. Jaclyn claims Scott is trying to detox with no help, and that he is 'deep into drugs, including amphetamines, steroids, weed, coke, PCP, Ketamine and others. She believes that he will harm himself or others if not treated according to TMZ. Scroll down for video . Dispute: Jaclyn Stapp (above) says her estranged husband Scott is trying to kick drugs with no help, and that he should be on a 60 day psych hold . 'I went two days without eating and I ended up in an emergency room': Creed frontman Scott Stapp revealed he was broke and homeless in a desperate, 16-minute Facebook video posted Wednesday . Cryptic: He also posted a message to Facebook on Friday saying it was his 'last statement' The revelation comes two days after it emerged that Jaclyn, his wife of eight years, former Miss New York, filed for divorce last month, claiming the former millionaire threatened to kill her and their two children - and that he has guns to do so. In fresh legal documents she also alleges that Stapp called their child's school warning of an ISIS attack on November 10. She said he was driven to believe biological weapons and Satan were coming to Florida. Stapp wrote rather cryptically on Facebook Friday, 'I'm going to step back and let God control everything from here on. I should have continued to do that before I allowed my hurt, frustration, and emotions take control and post those videos. All I can say is that the truth will set you (me) free, and I'm holding on to Jeremiah 29:11 and Isaiah 44:8.' 'This is a test of faith, and I will NEVER give up or lose my faith. No matter what. This will be my last statement until after justice is served. Love to you all my friends.' Stapp, who was once worth $10 million, recorded a desperate, 16-minute Facebook video last Friday insisting he is 'as sober as can be'. In the recording he revealed he is now broke, homeless, and living in a Holiday Inn. According to Mrs Stapp, the father-of-three sent a text message that read: 'Florida is not safe. Biological weapons on the way. U have to leave with kids and meet me in Atlanta.' Another said: 'I'm coming to get you Satan and children. No mercy. You know how this ends. God created you and now God is ending you.' Stapp denies allegations of drug abuse, insisting he's as 'sober as can be'. On Wednesday he took to Facebook lambasting the claims, revealed in the Miami Herald. He said 'all hell broke loose' after an audit of his record company and personal accounts found 'people have stolen money from me'. Admitted to followers that he is now homeless, he explained: 'Right now I'm living in a Holiday Inn by the grace of God, because there's been a couple weeks where I had to sleep in my truck. 'I had no money not even for gas or food. I went two days without eating because I had no money and I ended up in an emergency room.' The Grammy winner sold an estimated 53 million records worldwide with his neo-grunge band in their nineties heyday. The 41-year-old rocker admitted: 'Right now I'm living in a Holiday Inn by the grace of god, because there's been a couple weeks where I had to sleep in my truck' (stock shot) Fall from grace: The Grammy winner - whose net worth was once $10M - sold an estimated 53 million records worldwide with his neo-grunge band in their nineties heyday (pictured in April) 'The IRS has frozen my bank accounts two or three times': Two months ago, the IRS audited Scott and he claimed 'someone' used his passwords to transfer all the money out of his bank accounts (pictured last year) Broken marriage: The Slow Suicide singer insisted he was 'sober as can be' despite his estranged wife Jaclyn's claims he was using amphetamines, crystal meth, and steroids in her divorce paperwork (pictured last year) Not their first legal battle: After apologizing to Jaclyn for assaulting her with an Orangina bottle following his arrest in 2007, she dropped the charges . 'I want you to know your dad is sober - no drugs no alcohol!' In the video, the Dying to Live crooner pleads his sobriety to his children - Jagger, 16, Milan, 7, and Daniel, 4 (pictured in August) But 15 years after the release of hit single With Arms Wide Open, Stapp is 'completely penniless'. 'During the course of that audit a lot of things were uncovered. A lot of money was stolen from me or royalties not paid,' he said. 'There's people who have taken advantage and stolen money from me, and they're trying to discredit me, slander me, and I've even been threatened that if I went public like I'm doing right now, that any impropriety I've done in the past, that these individuals can get their hands to humiliate and embarrass me and try to ruin my credibility.' He added: 'The IRS has frozen my bank accounts two or three times to leave me completely penniless. 'I don't even understand that, why all this is happening at the same time. When I called to find out why, they said, "Oh we had an address mix-up, it was a clerical error, so we'll return your funds in nine to 10 months." I don't understand how that's fair America.' The comment was an apparent response to his estranged wife Jaclyn Nesheiwat, who claimed he was using amphetamines, crystal meth, and steroids in her divorce paperwork. It comes seven years after the Dying To Live singer openly apologizing to Jaclyn for assaulting her with an Orangina bottle following his arrest in 2007. She dropped the charges. Seeking legal representation: The Break Out belter announced he was looking for 'an honest, good attorney that's ready to fight and take it all the way to the top' 'We haven't spoken with Scott since the last tour': Meanwhile, Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti said this month that no one in the four-piece Florida band has spoken to Scott since their comeback tour in 2012 . Horrible hiatus: Stapp hasn't released any solo material since his second studio album Proof of Life a year ago (pictured in 2012) In his home video, Stapp pleads his sobriety to his children - Jagger, 16, Milán, 7, and Daniel, 4. 'They've been through a lot over the years, especially my son Jagger,' Stapp said. 'These rumors going around right now are hurting him very bad...I want you to know Jagger, your dad is sober - no drugs no alcohol. This is a vicious attack because people we know, and at the record company, and outside that have stolen a lot of money.' He announced he was looking for 'an honest, good attorney that's ready to fight and take it all the way to the top.' Meanwhile, Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti told TeamRock.com this month that no one in the four-piece Florida band has spoken to Scott since their comeback tour in 2012. Stapp hasn't released any solo material since his second studio album Proof of Life a year ago. | Jaclyn Stapp, the estranged wife of Creed frontman Scott Stapp, wants him placed on a 60-day psych hold as he tried to kick drugs .
Scott, 41, was just 'placed on psych hold for 72 hours after police found him drugged and rambling on Florida roadside'
Jaclyn, his wife of 8 years, has filed divorce papers claiming drugs drove him to believe Satan and biological weapons were in Florida .
The papers state he 'texted Jaclyn saying he planned to kill her and kids'
He told Facebook fans he is 'homeless, penniless, living in Holiday Inn'
Stapp was once worth $10m, his hit song With Arms Wide Open came out just 15 years ago . |
15a972640bbfe260244871363fda761b7b72d6ca | (CNN) -- UPDATE: High school football coach Bud Walpole was offered his job back, effective Thursday, CNN affiliate WCBD reported. The school district superintendent invited him back Wednesday only after Walpole submitted a written commitment to focus more on diversity and sensitivity training, according to a statement. A high school football coach in Charleston, South Carolina, was fired after he permitted a post-game celebratory ritual involving a watermelon that some say is racist. After a parent reported the "watermelon ritual" to the school board, the Charleston County School District launched an investigation and ultimately fired Academic Magnet High School coach Bud Walpole, according to CNN affiliate WCSC. "Players would gather in a circle and smash the watermelon while others were either standing in a group or locking arms and making chanting sounds described as, 'Ooh, ooh, ooh,'" school district Superintendent Nancy McGinley said, describing the noises as "monkey sounds." The watermelon was decorated with caricatures drawn with Sharpie markers, she added. Dot Scott, president of the Charleston branch of the NAACP, said the organization supported the school's decision to fire Walpole. Scott thanked the superintendent at a Wednesday press conference "for her swift attention to an inappropriate and racially insensitive ritual performed by the football team." The school district has not yet responded to CNN's request for comment. A number of parents and students, however, are standing in support of Walpole, who coached at the school for 10 years. More than 4,000 people have signed a petition to reinstate the ousted coach, as of Wednesday afternoon. Some say they don't see the ritual as racist. "I just don't understand why the school district is concerned this is an issue," Connie Biggs, the president of Academic Magnet's Booster Club told WCSC. "Is it because it's a watermelon? If it had been a pumpkin or a cantaloupe would that have been a different reaction from the district." Harry Griffin, a junior at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, said he has known Walpole for six years and considers the coach a man of integrity. Griffin played for Walpole's high school team as a fullback and nose guard. CNN first learned of this story through an iReport Griffin uploaded. "Coach Walpole was fired because his team had a harmless tradition that was made to seem prejudiced," Griffin wrote in a CNN iReport. "They had a post-game ritual of smashing a watermelon and eating it after every victory. A parent on an opposing team deemed this act as racist and the school board decided to interrogate the players." Some parents are taking issue with how the investigation was conducted and how students were questioned about the ritual. "The school district is not telling us what they said to these kids," Biggs said. "They're giving us two questions that they say that they asked but these interviews have lasted 10-20 minutes apiece, so I'm really unclear how two questions could take that long." Griffin called Walpole's firing an injustice. "I want to help my coach get his integrity back," Griffin said. "You can ask anyone that has ever met Bud Walpole if he has ever said or done anything that would cause you to think he was racist. Nobody would ever say such a thing." | High school football coach fired after controversial "watermelon ritual"
Players would smash a watermelon and make "monkey sounds" after games .
Local NAACP supported the school's decision to fire Bud Walpole .
Former football player Harry Griffin shared this story with CNN iReport . |
15aa767e7c290335df0a82e0c070d7ee8839c639 | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is already developing into a genuine star at Arsenal, and the England midfielder is now looking to legends of the game to improve his play. Oxlade-Chamberlain, the only Gunners player to feature in all of the club's 25 games this season, has been a shining light in a disappointing start for Arsene Wenger's side. And the 21-year-old attributes his improvement to the experience of watching some of the great players, including club legend Thierry Henry. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has played all of Arsenal's 25 first-team fixtures this season, largely in midfield . The 21-year-old is beginning to adapt his game to a central role, learning from legends in the process . Thierry Henry returned to Arsenal in 2012 when Oxlade-Chamberlain had just joined from Southampton . Arsenal's record goalscorer played alongside Oxlade-Chamberlain during his return to the club in 2012, and the Englishman believes he learned a lot about the game from working with the World Cup winner. Henry gave the young man 'endless amounts of advice', but it was by watching him train the Oxlade-Chamberlain picked up the most. 'You know when you see typical Henry, coming in from the left and you think "He is just going to open up here and curl it in the bottom corner and score like he always does",' he told The Telegraph. The 21-year-old says training with Henry taught him a lot as a young player looking to improve his game . Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates with Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck after Arsenal score at Anfield . 'What I remember is when he missed one of those chances in training. I've never seen anyone be so angry with himself and disappointed. 'The first thing he would says was "Titi, come on!" It was just to himself out loud. It made you realise why he used to score them constantly.' With Henry having retired, and set for a possible coaching role at Arsenal, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been watching other stars of European football to improve his game. As the England international moves inside into a central midfield role he has been studying the likes of Andres Iniesta, Steven Gerrard and Blaise Matuidi, but it is Holland legend Wesley Sneijder who seems to have particularly caught his eye. Wesley Sneijder is among the midfield stars of European football that Oxlade-Chamberlain has been watching . The Arsenal star described Sneijder as 'one of the best', and says he would love to have a similar career . 'I think he is one of the world's best,' said Oxlade-Chabmerlain. 'He doesn't play as deep but he finds really good pockets in midfield, he turns and, whether he is going to shoot, pass or run with the ball, he causes problems. 'I would love to get to there, to have the career that he has had. Players like that you watch.' | Arsenal star trained alongside Thierry Henry for short spell in 2012 .
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he learned a lot from club's record scorer .
Oxlade-Chamberlain is adapting his game to a central midfield role .
He is modelling his game on top players, including 'world's best' Sneijder . |
15aa7ec983082b37ef2ca5f0b629d0c261f91b16 | Candles lit up the plaza of a central Arizona courthouse yesterday as hundreds gathered to hear Eric Mueller offer a heart wrenching tribute to his sister Kayla, who died last month after being taken hostage by ISIS militants. The 26-year-old aid worker's death earlier this month was confirmed by her family and U.S. officials following her capture by the jihadis in Syria in August 2013. Before the crowd, her brother offered a poignant message to his sister when he told her: 'You can rest in peace knowing you have changed the world.' Mr Mueller encouraged those in attendance to live as his best friend and sister had, by reaching out to others who were suffering. Kayla Mueller's brother Eric Mueller gives a heartfelt tribute to his beloved sister during the vigil . Miss Mueller's parents Carl and Marsha hold a candle each during the emotional vigil in their hometown . Tonya Castillo (left) comforts her daughter Tiffany Reid during the memorial service in Prescott, Arizona . Candice Fabrie (left) and Cindy Craig embrace beside a memorial book signing and canned goods collection organised in Miss Mueller's name . Miss Mueller's father Carl (right) is hugged by a friend of his daughter after she was killed while being held captive by ISIS militants . Friends said 26-year-old Kayla Mueller (pictured left and right) was tireless in her efforts to improve others' lives and said she represented the best of humanity . In the first public comments he has made since her death, he said: 'Only now will you be able to see how much you truly did for this world by looking down on it. You can rest in peace knowing you have changed the world,' USA Today reported. He went on to implore the crowd to help those who are struggling - a belief his sister had dedicated her life to. 'If you see someone struggling, see somebody upset, go give them a hug. It will make the community stronger. That's all it's going to do.' His father, Carl Mueller, stood up immediately after his son finished speaking and hugged him tightly at the bottom of the stage. Friends, family and strangers wore pink ribbons on their shirts as they listened to speakers reflect on her life and work. Strangers and friends dropped off cards and wrote messages for a scrapbook, calling her an angel and saying she represented the best of humanity. Miss Mueller's friends set up tables to accept canned goods and money for the needy, saying that was what she would have wanted. 'She was a saint,' said Rebecca Dunn, who attended high school with her. 'I'm hoping someone can take on her legacy. There was nothing she couldn't do.' Kayla's brother Eric Garner (pictured) pictured as he reads a poem about his sister to the gathered crowd . Miss Mueller's father Carl got up to embrace his son moments after he finished his speech. Here Carl is pictured beside his wife Marsha . Two mourners look on solemnly at the memorial service, where those attending were encouraged to donate a can of food for the needy . Churches and community groups in her hometown of Prescott, the former territorial capital of Arizona, organized the candlelight memorial. As it opened, a live band sang 'He Who Began A Good Work in You,' a song that Miss Mueller's mother, Marsha, used to sing to her as a child. Her family sat in the front row, clasping hands and wiping tears from their eyes. In the crowd, people raised their hands, closed their eyes and sang along. Pastor Ron Merrell said he was hopeful the community that gathered would give hope and love to Miss Mueller's family, and bring light into darkness - 'something that Kayla Mueller was good at.' From Prescott, she helped raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, and she volunteered for the overnight shift at a women's shelter. Her father Carl holds a candle during the ceremony. Friends and family described Miss Mueller as an angel . Two mourners attend the candlelight vigil in Miss Mueller's hometown of Prescott, where she had once helped raise awareness of HIV and AIDs and volunteered for overnight shifts at a women's shelter . Former Arizona Secretary of the State Ken Bennett holds a candle during the heartbreaking memorial service . She protested genocide in Darfur while she attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. She also traveled to the Palestinian territories, Israel, India and France. ISIS claimed she died in a Jordanian airstrike, but the Pentagon has rejected that, saying it doesn't know how she was killed. Kathleen Day, a campus minister at the university, recalled the time when Miss Mueller taught anger-management skills to women in the county jail. She said Miss Mueller was learning and teaching about how to experience God in the midst of prison well before she was held captive for 18 months in Syria. | Kayla Mueller, 26, was killed last month while held hostage by ISIS militants .
The international aid worker's death has been confirmed by U.S. officials .
Yesterday friends and family gathered for an emotional candlelight vigil .
Her brother Eric told the crowd his sister was his first, and best friend .
His message to his sister was: 'May God keep you from any more harm' |
15abae574f00b9cfd556af69b1c23ca9ce82e125 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 09:38 EST, 6 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:56 EST, 6 August 2013 . A DVD cover for a film about an Aboriginal girl group has been labelled 'racist and sexist' for relegating its female stars to the background to give Irish actor Chris O'Dowd centre stage. The original DVD cover for The Sapphires features the four singers in prominent positions, with O'Dowd - who plays the group's manager - at the back. But on the U.S. version of the DVD, O'Dowd takes centre stage while The Sapphires fade into an entirely blue background. Spot the difference: On the Australian DVD cover, left, the Sapphires take centre stage, but in the U.S. version, seen right, Chris O'Dowd dominates the cover while the Aboriginal singers fade into a blue background . The drastic change saw a petition launched against the 'whitewashed and gender-washed' cover for the film - which is based on a true story - on social media, a report in The Telegraph said. Lucy Manne, who started the online petition, said: 'The Sapphires is a wonderful film about four Aboriginal women battling against racism and sexism in the entertainment industry of the 1960s. 'That's why so many of us were . disappointed to see a whitewashed and gender-washed cover that . reinforces the problems The Sapphires worked so hard to overcome.' Blogger MaryAnn Johanson agreed, writing on flickfilosopher.com: 'The women are Aborigines. They are black black black black blackety-black black. Not blue. 'Oh, and they're women.' More than 10,000 people put their names to the petition, and U.S. distributor Anchor Bay Entertainment has now apologised for the cover. The real-life members of The Sapphires had also written to the U.S. civil rights group the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People to ask it to add its support to the campaign. The letter on behalf of Laurel Robinson, Lois Peeler and their cousins Beverley Briggs and Naomi Mayers said: 'As . I'm sure you can appreciate, the treatment of people of colour in . Australia mirrored much of the trauma to which people in the United . States were subjected. 'That trauma – and much of that treatment – remains alive and well in Australia today, as I know it does in the United States.' 'Disappointed': The Sapphires tells the tale of four Aboriginal women battling against racism and sexism in the entertainment industry in the 1960s . Anchor Bay issued a statement which said it 'regrets any unintentional upset', adding that 'new cover art is being considered for future replenishment orders'. On the Australian DVD the names of . the lead actresses; Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens and . Miranda Tapsell, were given equal billing along with O'Dowd. On the U.S. cover, only Chris O'Dowd's name appears. According to the report O'Dowd, who was catapulted into the A-list by his role in smash hit comedy Bridesmaids, is said to have tweeted that the U.S. cover was 'misleading, it's ill-judged, insensitive and . everything the film wasn't'. His tweet is then said to have been deleted. | Film based on true-life story of an Aboriginal girl group in the 1960s .
Original DVD cover gave prominent role to film's female stars .
U.S. version places Irish supporting actor Chris O'Dowd at forefront . |
15abd3cd1080bd4952f2d5a82f0c05495e596c4d | Women do not want to 'have it all' in life, they just want what men have, Miriam Clegg has claimed. The high-flying lawyer, married to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, insisted she wanted to be able to combine a successful professional life with having a family. Mrs Clegg said she makes sure her husband does his share of the chores, with one of them making sure they are at home every evening for their three sons. Miriam Clegg insisted she does not want to 'have it all', but wants to be able to combine a successful career with family life . Mrs Clegg attended an 'Inspiring Women in Scotland' event at New College in Kirkintilloch, Lanarkshire as her husband hosted his party conference in Glasgow . In a surprise intervention at the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow, Mrs Clegg spoke about how she juggles her career with raising her children, Antonio, Alberto and Miguel. With a successful career in her own right as a lawyer, marriage to the Deputy Prime Minister and three young children, Mrs Clegg, 46, is often seen as living proof that women are able to 'have it all'. But speaking to Sky News, she made clear that the decision to choose Mr Clegg as her husband and father of her children was more important to her than any lifestyle aspirations. And she said she had been fortunate to be able 'naturally' to find a way to share household chores and childcare duties with her politician husband. Spanish-born Mrs Clegg was speaking during a visit to a Glasgow college to address female students as part of the Inspiring Women campaign to enable girls to meet successful women from all walks of life who can act as role models. Asked whether she was able to provide the girls with an example of how women can 'have it all', Mrs Clegg told Sky News: 'I never understand what people mean when they say 'having it all'. I personally have never wanted to 'have it all' as a general aim. I just want to have what men have. 'Lots of men have a successful professional life - or what looks like success to them - and they fit it together with a family and that is what I want to have. 'There will be other women who don't want that. It is different for different women and different men. 'But childcare is an issue, obviously. And I think that, as (Facebook chief operating officer) Sheryl Sandberg said, the most important decision of your life is who you decide to have children with.' Mrs Clegg said she makes sure her husband Nick does his share of the household chores, and they try to make sure one of them is at home each evening for their sons . Nick and Miriam Clegg visited Castehill Primary School in Glasgow . Nick Clegg has looked to his wife Miriam to help the Lib Dems in the 'fight of our lives' to stay in power. The Lib Dem leader admitted his party faces a tough battle to cling to office after the general election in May, but insisted he would set out red lines for entering a new coalition with either the Tories or Labour. Asked if he would rather get into bed with David Cameron or Ed Miliband in a new power-sharing deal, Mr Clegg joked 'it's Miriam every single time', as he was joined by his wife for a photo opportunity in a school yesterday. She made clear that the Deputy Prime Minister was ready to share housework with her, and said they tried to ensure that at least one of them was home with the children every evening. 'There are lots of couples who share more and more (housework), there are lots of men now who are fully engaged with raising the children,' she said. 'If you look across society and across different countries, certainly in the Western world, women still get a very big proportion of the chores at home and I certainly know lots of women who before they leave to go to work have done half a day's work at home, and when they get home there is the other half to do. 'That doesn't happen to me. It is not an issue for people like you and I who can get help. It is an issue for those who can't get help, who don't have the money or circumstances to get help. Asked whether she had worked out in advance with her husband what compromises they would have to make to combine two high-flying careers with a family life, she said: 'Life is all about compromises. 'There is always a certain equilibrium and in my case, we found it naturally, but I do understand that there are people who plan. I'm just not very good with plans. 'We tend to share it very naturally. We make a point of one of us being home most evenings and on the whole we manage.' Mrs Clegg said she had not suffered from open sexism in her professional life, and felt it was important to give girls the self-confidence to aim high in the world of work. 'I think we have made a lot of progress, but there is still a little bit more progress to make,' she said. 'I think it is good for the girls to see the many options that are available for them. 'I haven't come across open discrimination against me. In terms of a little hidden sexism, I think there are lots of women who do face that.' Mrs Clegg yesterday joined her husband on a visit to Castlehill Primary School, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire . Mrs Clegg said that when speaking to young women around the UK, 'something I have really noticed that I don't see so much from boys is we get lots of questions about self-confidence'. She added: 'I wonder if there is something a little bit specific to girls there, and in particular in relation to certain subjects - science subjects. 'I do think it is important to celebrate female achievement and aiming high as part of the lesson we want to give to the girls that aiming high is as good for girls as it is for boys.' Asked if she would give her sons different advice to that which she offers girls, Mrs Clegg said: 'Not necessarily. I go on with my boys about how you have to make an effort and everything really depends on you. 'If you really want to summarise what I hope that at the end of the whole educational process they would retain, I hope it is that.' Unlike her husband, she was seen wearing only two different outfits yesterday. Mrs Clegg chose jeans, shoes from Zara and a red printed top from Spanish brand Dolores Promesas for a visit to a school. She later changed into a beige dress and bright orange shoes for her husband's question-and-answer session. | High-flying lawyer talks about combining a career with family life .
Wife of Deputy PM Nick Clegg insists they both do their share of the chores .
Says the most important decision of your life is who you have children with . |
15ac0abc5e67a4171c4cb706a873bdc3786eb362 | By . Bianca London . The World Cup is just around the corner but it seems that the England team are making headlines for more than just their football skills. Joe Hart was unveiled as the new face of Hugo Boss fragrance, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard acted as clothes horses for M&S and now the team's midfielder is getting in on the action. Adam Lallana has been unveiled as the new - and first ever - face of French Connection's pre-fall line for men. Scroll down for video . New signing: England midfielder Adam Lallana has just been unveiled as the new face of French Connection . Described by the brand as the 'poster boy for the 2014 World Cup', the launch of pre-fall aims to celebrate the invigoration of the menswear line with cleaner shapes, quality tailoring and luxurious outerwear, with a little help from 26-year-old Adam. The collection is full of classic styles that are designed to look like they've been raided from your father's wardrobe and re-worked and updated for a more youthful look. Cool new direction: French Connection say they've reworked classic styles with a modern update and a little help from Adam . Finding fame: French Connection say Adam, who was voted Player Of The Year, is one to watch and will be grabbing headlines over the World Cup in Brazil this summer . Reflection: The brand say that as a player, his mix of spectacular skill and hard work is a contemporary combination while off the pitch his devotion to his family and low-key lifestyle is almost old school - much like their clothes . The new collection sees French . Connection source fabrics from some of Italy’s most premium mills used . by luxury fashion houses all over the world. 'This focus on the quality . of textiles gives a sense of richness as tweeds, cashmeres, meltons and . lambswools combine in a collection of heritage pieces recontextualised . for the modern world,' said a spokesperson for the brand. 'Adam too reflects this - as a player, his mix of . spectacular skill and hard work is a contemporary combination while off . the pitch his devotion to his family and low-key lifestyle is almost old . school and something from a bygone age in football.' Adam most certainly is a family man. He went as far as to wed his fiancee, formerly 25-year-old Emily . Jubb, six months early to avoid his wedding clashing with the World Cup. The . Southampton captain, who fathers their one-year-old son Arthur, was . meant to walk down the aisle today but married his girlfriend of seven . years in a £500 ceremony at Poole Register Office in Dorset on Christmas . Eve. A source told The Sun: 'Emily totally understands. She knows it's a fantastic opportunity to play in a World Cup. Family man: The Southampton captain fathers a one-year-old son Arthur with his new wife Emily . 'Adam . wanted to get married but has a very hectic schedule during the season . and didn't have time between the season ending and the call-up for . Brazil. 'He'd booked the wedding not even thinking about Brazil - he never expected to be in contention.' Adam has shot to fame in the sports world and won Southampton's Player of The Year last week. A spokesperson for the brand added: 'As a key player in the mix to make Roy Hodgson’s England World Cup squad in Brazil, Adam is one of the country’s most exciting footballing talents; combined with his dedication, drive and commitment to his profession and his duties as a father, French Connection feels Adam is the perfect brand fit and a key ambassador for the pre-fall launch.' Wedding bells: Adam Lallana went . as far as to wed his fiancee Emily six months early to avoid his wedding . clashing with the World Cup . In action: Adam, who plays for Southampton, is a key player in the mix to make Roy Hodgson's England World Cup squad in Brazil . | Adam, 26, plays for Southampton and just been selected for World Cup team .
French Connection chose him to model first-ever pre-fall men's range .
Say he is committed athlete and family man, which fits brand .
Moved wedding to wed fiancee before World Cup . |
15ac295f15243e437348904fe221a626fa0a29fe | New footage has emerged of one of the directors of the Kony 2012 video running along a busy street naked while cursing and ranting about the devil. Invisible Children co-founder Jason Russell was taken away by San . Diego police responding to complaints about him cursing, potentially . masturbating and hitting the pavement while naked at an . intersection. After fighting off criticism of the . Kony 2012 video following its instant popularity- 82 million people have watched the film about the Ugandan war criminal - Mr Russell's public breakdown will likely cause more . problems for the controversial charity. Scroll down for video . Disturbed: Kony 2012 co-founder Jason Russell was caught having his public meltdown on camera . Well, hello: A confused onlooker watches as Russell proceeds to talk to himself about the devil and curse . TMZ released a close-range video of . Mr Russell pacing back and forth along a busy San Diego sidewalk, . shouting: 'You're the devil.' He is shown talking to himself, cursing, clapping and waving his hands. He was allegedly being held in a 5150 . psychiatric ward in San Diego and should be released today. The Kony film has prompted a response from the Prime . Minister of Uganda, saying that the warlord at the heart of the video is . not in his country. Breakdown: Jason Russell was hospitalized for exhaustion after behaving bizarrely in the streets while naked . Naked meltdown: Kony 2012 video director Jason Russell caught acting strangely on the Streets on San Diego . Arrested: Jason Russell, director of the 'Kony 2012' video, was allegedly seen wandering the streets drunk . Adopting the social media strategies . that helped the charity, Invisible Children, create an internet . sensation with their Kony 2012 video, Ugandan prime minister Amama . Mbabazi said that the charity's video gives a 'false impression' and . that Joseph Kony is no longer in the country. 'The . Kony 2012 campaign fails to make one crucial point clear. Joseph Kony . is not in Uganda,' Mr Mbabazi said in a nine-minute video posted on . YouTube. The Prime Minister insisted that the Kony 2012 video did not represent the current situation in the east African nation. Mbabazi said Uganda was on Kony's trail but said they did not 'need a slick video on YouTube... to take notice.' Taking another page out of Invisible Children's playbook, Mr Mbabazi Tweeted his message at celebrities to attract attention. He wrote a very similar message to a . handful of stars: 'As PM of Uganda I invite you to visit the Pearl of . Africa & see the peace that exists in our wonderful country . #KonyisntinUganda'. Among the recipients were Rhianna, Stephen Colbert, Taylor Swift, Ryan Seacrest, Tim Tebow and Rush Limbaugh. Mr Russell, 33, was calm and . co-operative when apprehended by police, according to NBC San Diego, but . seemed to be under the influence of alcohol. Danica has denied that her husband has any substance abuse or drinking problems. The Prime Minister insisted that the Kony 2012 video did not represent the current situation in the east African nation and that Uganda was on Kony's trail but said they did not 'need a slick video on YouTube... to take notice . Spreading the word: Ugandan prime minister Amama Mbabasi Tweeted his message at celebrities . Although he was not charged with a . crime, officials decided that he should be committed to hospital for . medical treatment following the incident. 'During the evaluation we learned that we probably needed to take care of him,' a police spokesman said. 'So officers detained him and transferred him to a local medical facility for further evaluation and treatment.' Ben Keesey, chief executive of . Invisible Children, the charity set up in 2004 by Mr Russell and two . friends, issued a statement of support for his colleague. Campaigner: Mr Russell on a trip to Africa, where he was first inspired to set up the charity Invisible Children . 'Jason Russell was unfortunately . hospitalised yesterday suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and . malnutrition,' he said. 'The past two weeks have taken a . severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially, and that toll . manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday. 'We will always love and support Jason, and we ask that you give his entire family privacy during this difficult time.' The charity, which aims to raise . awareness of the atrocities committed by the Lord's Resistance Army in . Uganda, sprang to worldwide fame last week after releasing an online . video entitled 'Kony 2012'. Activist: The campaigner giving an impassioned talk about his work . Target: Mr Russell's video is aimed at Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony . The 30-minute film, directed by Mr . Russell, documents the activities of LRA leader Joseph Kony, notorious . for his reign of terror in central Africa and particularly his use of . child soldiers. However, critics claim that the film over-simplifies a complex conflict and diverts attention from more pressing causes. Father-of-two Mr Russell is an . evangelical Christian who is described by Invisible Children as 'our . grand storyteller and dreamer'. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE . | Jason Russell, co-founder of the charity Invisible Children, was being held in a psychiatric ward after reportedly masturbating and running naked through the streets .
His wife Danica has blamed his breakdown on the attention and personal criticism the YouTube film has generated .
Ugandan government released YouTube response - dismissing the 'slick' video and saying militant leader Joseph Kony was no longer in the country . |
15acf57c3061354f717ea1c74b3001ee76fe00b5 | Apple's new iPad Air Plus will boast a 12.2 inch screen and four speakers to allow stereo sound however it is placed, it has been claimed. The new gadget is expected to be revealed next year, with some reports even claiming a larger 12.9inch screen. It will also feature a new, much faster A9 processor, according to Japanese magazine Mac Fan. Scroll down for video . The iPad Air Plus is expected to have a 12.2inch screen, dwarfing the iPad Mini with its 7.9inch screen (left) and iPad air (right) with a 9.7 inch screen. The report claims that the new iPad will include a 12.2-inch display, new A9 processor, four speakers to offer stereo sound in any orientation, and arrive sometime between April and June of next year. Bloomberg and others reported that Apple was planning on releasing the device sometime in early 2015, while a recent report from The Wall Street Journal claimed Apple had postponed mass production of the larger iPad from December 2014 into next year as suppliers struggled to meet demand for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch. The latest rumors from the supply chain point to delays that will see mass production of the larger iPad start sometime in Q1 or Q2 of next year. The new larger iPad is expected to look like the recently launched iPad Air, with rounded corners, . The designs show the gadget is just 7mm thick. The new largter iPad is expected to look like the recently launched iPad Air (pictured), with rounded corners,The designs show the gadget is just 7mm thick. Latest rumors for the device claimed iPad Pro would sport a smaller 12.2-inch display and a profile of 7mm, which lines up with the drawings published in the latest Mac Fan issue today. Several reports have pointed to a yet to be announced iPad that will reportedly include a display measuring somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-inches, however reports have claimed various sizes ranging from 12 inches to 12.9 inches. It comes just weeks after claims that the large screen size of the iPhone 56 plus was impacting on iPad usage. The release of Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus means there is now only a 2.4-inch difference between the size of the phablet’s screen, and the display on its iPad mini. Pocket studied more than two million articles and videos opened using its app, and compared the before-and-after behaviour of iPhone and iPad users. People with an iPhone 5S use their phone 55% of the time, but this increases to 72% for the iPhone 6 and 80% for the iPhone 6 Plus - both at the detriment of the iPad . And figures suggest this similarity could cause serious problems for Apple’s tablet range. Analysis has revealed that as phones become larger, more people use them for watching videos or reading - making their tablets almost redundant. In fact, the research found that people who recently upgraded to an iPhone 6 Plus use their tablets 36 per cent less than before. The research was carried out by Pocket - an app that lets users save webpages, videos and other content for reading later. It analysed more than two million articles and videos that were opened using the app, and compared the before and after behaviour in people who previously owned an iPhone 5, 5C and 5S and those who now own an iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. It also looked at the use of tablets by the same people. ‘The bigger your phone’s screen, the more time you’ll spend reading and watching on it,’ explained the researchers in a blog post. ‘In fact, the bigger your phone’s screen, the more you’ll read and watch as a whole.’ It discovered that users who upgraded to an iPhone 6 now view content on their phones 72 per cent of the time, up from 55 per cent when they owned on a smaller screen. Pocket also saw users with both an iPhone and an iPad watched significantly more content as soon as they upgraded to an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Those with the iPhone 6 (centre) opened 33% more articles and videos inside Pocket than they did with a 5S (left), and those with a 6 Plus (right) opened 65% more items than before . The iPhone 6 accounted for 68 per cent of all sales through September and into early October, while its larger model took between 23 and 24 per cent. Apple's cheaper iPhone 5S and 5C handsets made up the rest of the sales. Following last year's launch, the 5S and 5C accounted for 84 per cent of total iPhone sales in the first 30 days - proving the 6 range is more popular. The skew is being blamed on reports that stocks of the iPhone 6 Plus are lower because Apple is struggling to complete orders. Recent figures from Pocket also found that two-and-a-half more Pocket users are opting for an iPhone 6 as opposed to a 6 Plus. And iPhone 6 Plus consume content on their phones 80 per cent of the time - the same ratio of phone to tablet reading as seen on Android. Pocket also saw that users with both an iPhone and an iPad watched significantly more content as soon as they upgraded to an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Those with the iPhone 6 now open 33 per cent more articles and videos inside Pocket than they did with a 5 or 5S, and those with the 6 Plus open 65 per cent more items than they did with a smaller phone. Users with an iPhone 6 now read on their tablets 19 per cent less during the week, and 27 per cent less over the weekend. While those with a 6 Plus are on their tablets 31 per cent less during the week and 36 per cent less over the weekend. ‘That being said, there remains one place where tablets still hold reign: your nightstand,’ added the researchers. ‘Regardless of which iPhone they have, users still reach for their iPads around 9pm for some late-night, bedtime reading.’ But, a larger screen does make it less portable and Pocket noticed that people with an iPhone 6 Plus read 22 per cent less on their morning commutes than those with a smaller model. Recent figures from Pocket also found that two-and-a-half more Pocket users are opting for an iPhone 6 as opposed to a 6 Plus. ‘This tells us that, at least for now, convenience and portability trump a better, and bigger, entertainment and reading experience.’ | Japanese magazine claims to have found designs for the gadget .
Comes and study reveals iPhone 6 users use phone more than iPad . |
15ad19fec63aa007cd87da44a1abe3812297abc8 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 17:37 EST, 17 January 2012 . Itzcoatl Ocampo, 23, is the primary suspect in the deaths of four homeless men in Southern California. His father said his son came back a changed man after serving in Iraq . As prosecutors prepare to file murder charges against a Marine veteran in the stabbing of four homeless men, it has emerged that Itzcoati Ocampo was once a caring, charitable man until the horrors of Iraq 'killed the person he was'. The 23-year-old was arrested on Friday after being chased down by a group of bystanders following the brutal stabbing of Vietnam veteran John Berry outside an Orange County fast food restaurant - the fourth vicious stabbing in as many weeks. As Ocampo is held on psychological watch at the Orange County jail in Santa Ana, his family and friends have revealed the ex-Marine was once a caring man who helped the very people he is accused of murdering. 'I saw him so many times giving the last money he had in his pocket ... to the homeless, to the people that (are) asking for some help. ... My son's always been a role model,' his father Refugio Ocampo said in a video interview posted on Orange County Register website. His son is now accused in . the stabbing deaths of James Patrick . McGillivray, 53, who was killed in Placentia on December 20, Lloyd . Middaugh, . 42, who was found in Anaheim on December 28, Paulus Smit, 57, who was . found in Yorba Linda two days later and recently John Berry, 64, who was . stabbed to death in Anaheim on Friday. It was only when he returned from serving in Iraq - where he was assigned to meet and inspect the wounded when they were flown in from combat zones en . route to the hospital - that he starting showing a darker side, became paranoid and delusional and struggled to find his way as a civilian. Scroll down for video . Worried: Refugio Ocampo, the father of the 23-year-old son who is the prime suspect in the killings of four homeless men, is himself homeless and said the Iraq war killed the man his son used to be . Service: A relative holds a photograph of Itzcoatl posing proudly in his Marines uniform. He is said to have become paranoid and delusional after his deployment . Photos of homeless men killed in Orange County are displayed during a news conference in Santa Ana today as the DA file murder charges against former Marine Itzcoati Ocampo . Ocampo's father Refugio Ocampo, 49, said his son was a changed man after his deployment to the war zone in 2008. 'They killed the person he was. And that's the only possibility I can think of that he would do something like that.' His brother Mixcoatl Ocampo, 17, told the LA Times his brother sank into a depression and often suffered from hallucinations. He said: 'He was always paranoid. He would search the closet and bathrooms of the home for . bombs. I would tell him to stop being crazy.' The teen also revealed his brother had been applying for jobs everywhere but would never get hired and soon stopped even trying. His father said things turned even worse when a close friend of his from the Marines died in Afghanistan in 2010. 'Once he received the news he was never the same. He said terrible things are going to . happen. The end of the world is coming. He started searching for hidden . things that weren't there, like guns and knives,' his father, 49, said. Normal young man: Itzcoatl Ocampo's family have released these images of the young man, showing him in happier times . The victims: From left, James McGillivray was stabbed outside a shopping centre on December 20; Lloyd Middaugh was found stabbed on a riverbed on December 28; and Paulus Cornelius Smit was found stabbed outside a library on December 30 . Locations: Police in Orange County, California said a serial killer was responsible for the first . three killings in December. They are investigating if the fourth, which happened on Friday, is connected . Cautious: Homeless people in Orange County were put on alert by police and advocates concerned that they're the target of a serial killer who has already slain three homeless men . Like the men his son is accused of preying . on, Mr Ocampo is homeless after losing his job as a warehouse manager. He ended up living . under a bridge before finding shelter in the cab of a broken-down truck . he is helping repair. Just days before he was arrested, Itzcoatl Ocampo visited his father, . warning him of the danger of being on the streets and showing him a . picture of one of the victims. 'He was very worried about me,' Mr Ocampo said. 'I told him, "Don't worry. I'm a survivor. Nothing will happen to . me".' Anaheim Police Chief John Welter has . said investigators are confident they have the man responsible for the . murders. They are expected to hold a press conference later today. Ocampo lived with his mother and . other relatives in the suburbs. His mother, who speaks little English, . tearfully brought her son's Marine Corps dress uniform out of a closet . and showed photos, citations and medals from his military service. The son followed a friend into the . Marine Corps right out of high school in 2006 instead of going to . college as his father had hoped. His family described a physical . condition Itzcoatl suffered in which his hands shook and he suffered . headaches. Medical treatments helped until he started drinking heavily, . they said. A neighbour who is a Vietnam veteran . he and Ocampo's father both tried to push the 23-year-old to get . treatment at a veteran's hospital, but he refused. Shrine: Several people pay their respects at a makeshift memorial site where a homeless man was killed in Anaheim, California last week . Clues: An image from surveillance video at a California strip mall shows James McGillivray before his death . All of the victims died as a result . of frenzied and brutal stabbings, with each man suffering at least 40 . lacerations to their body. Police hunted the serial killer for . weeks as he continued to prey on the destitute and needy, leaving the . entire homeless community in state of fear. Police have yet to . establish a motive for the senseless killings. Fellow Marine Robert Hays,who met . Ocampo at basic training in San Diego in 2006, told the Los Angeles . Times he thought the 23-year-old was 'motivated and gung-ho'. But he admits he noticed a vast change in him after his deployment. He told the paper: 'He came back totally changed. It was almost like he didn't care anymore. He'd get fidgety, he'd . start shaking, spacing out. You'd see him staring off.' Jesus Balbuena, who was Ocampo's roommate at . Camp Pendleton after his return from Iraq, said he would 'wake . up screaming at the top of his lungs twice a week. He would have . flashbacks' and would often weep as he talked about his family's demise into financial hardship. When he left active duty in 2010 he . was devastated to find that his father - who studied law in Mexico - was . homeless and living under a bridge. FBI: Special agent William O'Leary announcing the arrest of Itzcoatl Ocampo. They are expected to charge him with the murders of four men today . The Veterans Administration had diagnosed him with psychological problems. Bonnie Tisdale, who acted as Ocampo's . supervisor at Camp Pendleton, told the Times he was a punctual and reliable . Marine. 'Regardless of what he's been accused of, I trust him with my . life,' the 27-year-old, of Vista, said. 'He's a veteran who did not get the . help he needed. 'It's traumatising over there and it . is difficult for Marines to come and ask for psychological help. Whether . he's proven innocent or guilty, he is our brother. We are his family.' Mr Ocampo said he has repeatedly attempted to visit his son at the Orange County jail but has been turned away. ' They won't let us see him, even though the whole world is against him.' He also said investigators . came to him on Friday night and showed him surveillance photos from a . crime scene, but he did not recognize his son as the person in the . images. 'If he did it, it wasn't right, obviously. But there's something wrong with him,' he said. A community remembers: Megan Munoz, 13, adds a message to a spontaneous memorial to John Berry, on the spot where the homeless veteran was murdered behind a Carl's Jr. restaurant in Anaheim . Staying informed: Julia Adams, right, and Megan Munoz, both 13, read an article about the killings . While Refugio Ocampo lives away from . his family, they remain close. He saw his children every day, and his . wife brings food to the parking lot where the truck is located in the . city of Fullerton. He and his two sons went to get haircuts together . just a day before the arrest, the father said. Refugio Ocampo, who said he was . educated as a lawyer in Mexico, immigrated with his wife and Itzcoatl in . 1988 and became a U.S. citizen. He described building a successful life . in which he became a warehouse manager and bought a home in Yorba . Linda. In the past few years he lost his job, ran out of savings, lost . his house and separated from his wife. Standing near the truck where he . sleeps, the father fought back tears as he described the changes he saw . in his son in the year since returning home. 'Before, he had the initiative to do things, the desire. But after the military, he didn't have any of that,' he said. That was far from the son who in high school was a polite and motivated student, he said. A school friend, Brian Doyle, . portrayed Itzcoatl Ocampo as a fun-loving teen who liked to hit on girls . when he joined the military. After he was discharged and returned home . he became isolated and trusted no one, said Doyle, 23. Doyle had difficulty describing the change he saw in his friend from high school. 'He went from being a tall, geeky kid, really fun-loving...,' he said, trailing off. Doyle said he once offered his friend . a self-help book based on Eastern philosophy that he had found useful . but Itzcoatl Ocampo rejected it. Search: Police in Los Angeles, California have arrested a man in connection with the murder of a homeless man on Friday night. Witnesses chased the suspect as he fled a car park and led police to him . See below for video . View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com. | Murder charges to be filed today against Itzcoati Ocampo .
Family said deployment in Iraq 'killed the man he used to be'
Before arrest, was known to dedicate his life to the homeless . |
15adc4ceb07a618a4018c51b935b77efb16265a9 | Director James Cameron, a self-proclaimed perfectionist, has made only one change in the re-release of his 1997 blockbuster, Titanic – and it’s all thanks to one man. American astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson was on Cameron’s case for more than a decade trying to have a historically accurate night sky - spoiler alert - in the scenes after the Titanic sank. After several encounters, Dr Tyson got his wish, but first, Cameron challenged Dr Tyson to send him the exact constellation map for the sky around 4:20am on April 15, 1912. The sky's the limit: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, right, convinced Titanic director James Cameron, left, to make the night sky historically accurate in the film's 3D release . That sinking feeling: Dr Tyson said the sky seen during the night of April 15, 1912, was mirrored and incorrect . Dr Tyson, who directs the Rose Centre for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, was happy to oblige; he sent Cameron a detailed map of the stars that night, saying astronomy is an easy thing to track. He knew something was erroneous when he first watched the film. He told MailOnline: ‘Normally, I don’t concern myself with director’s errors. But the film was marketed how historically accurate the film was – they observed the state rooms and the china patterns. He put the effort into making the period piece.’ Dr Tyson added: ‘Clearly, you wouldn’t put Leonardo DiCaprio in striped bell bottoms – and you shouldn’t do that with the night sky.’ He said the star placement in the sky was the wrong sky, and used a mirror reflection to fill in the other half. Historically, he said, the sky ‘was cloudless and moonless – we have software you can run that just unwinds the star patterns – you get the right time and the right date, the sky is a very predictable thing, and what birthed our understanding of physics.’ Up she goes: Kate Winslet's character Rose looked up into a historically inaccurate sky in the scene after the Titanic sinks and she and Jack are huddled in the wreckage - the most inaccurate scene, according to Dr Tyson . What Rose saw: Though difficult to see, the left-hand portion of the original sky was a mirror image of the right, and furthermore, was not accurate to begin with; Dr Tyson added that it was cloudless the night of April 15 . What Rose should see: Dr Tyson said Rose should have seen the Big Dipper, bottom and centre, as well as The Milky Way, which crosses the upper half, based on the coordinates where the Titanic sank . The Harvard-educated astrophysicist sent Cameron a letter, and heard no response. He then had two personal encounters with the Avatar director, in which he voiced his complaint – one at a NASA committee dinner and another at magazine awards dinner. Cameron first told Dr Tyson that the night sky was completed in post-production. Dr Tyson told MailOnline that composing the night sky the way it appeared in the 1997 film was 'not only wrong but lazy.' He calculated what the sky would have looked like around 4:20am on April 15, 1912 by using the approximate latitude and longitude where the ship went down in the North Atlantic. Using that data, he was able to render what the night sky would have actually looked like. On that night, the sky was cloudless and moonless. He said: 'We have software you can run that just unwinds the star patterns - if you get the right time and the right date, the sky is a very predictable thing, and what birthed our understanding of physics.' ‘I really wanted him to grovel and ask forgiveness,’ Dr Tyson joked,’ but the mature side of me nodded and I didn’t say anything else.’ Dr Tyson composed Cameron a letter requesting the mistake be rectified, but got no response.It was only years later that the two of them happened to be at a dinner together at the Hayden Planetarium in New York. As the night progressed, Dr Tyson mustered the courage to talk to Cameron, saying: ‘Jim, my issue here is not that the sky was wrong, it was that you got everything else right.’ He said Cameron then told him: ‘Last I checked, Titanic has grossed $1.3billion. Imagine how much more money the film would have grossed if I would have gotten the sky correct.’ In response to the comment, Cameron told UK magazine Culture that he did, in fact, make the one change. He said: ‘Neil deGrasse Tyson sent me quite a snarky email saying that, at that time of year, in that position in the Atlantic in 1912, when Rose is lying on the piece of driftwood and staring up at the stars, that is not the star field she would have seen. ‘And with my reputation as a perfectionist, I should have known that and I should have put the right star field in.’ Dr Tyson said his tenacity finally paid off, saying that he was ‘nipping at his heels’ for ten years. The new 3D version of Titanic – complete with the astronomically correct night sky – will be out later this week. Stars align: James Cameron first told Dr Tyson that the stars were added in post-production . | Harvard-trained astrophysicist Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson said Rose looks up at wrong night sky in famous scene .
After several attempts, Cameron said he'd change it if Tyson provided correct configuration . |
15ae5e0b56ccd048a8b2e12be7f00ecf61cd9c92 | The Detroit Lions have landed at Gatwick Airport ahead of their clash with the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley on Sunday. Sunday's game is the second of three NFL fixtures being played at Wembley in 2014. In front of a 83,436 crowd at the London stadium, the Miami Dolphins trounced Oakland Raiders 38-14. The Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars will fight it out at Wembley on November 9th. Atlanta Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora describes returning to his city of birth for the latest International Series contest at Wembley as a 'dream come true'. The Detroit Lions have touched down at Gatwich Airport ahead of their clash with the Atlanta Falcons . Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slway makes his way to the team coach . Slay was in good spirits as his side look forward to playing in front of 80,000 fans at Wembley . Umenyiora, who was born in London, will line up for the Falcons against the Detroit Lions on Sunday in front of over 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. The 32-year-old spent his early years in England before his parents moved to Nigeria and then to Alabama in the United States. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh makes his way to the team bus . Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldewell cuts a cool figure making his way through Gatwick Airport . Now in his 12th season in the NFL, Umenyiora has won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants and appeared in two Pro Bowls. The defensive end moved to the Falcons in 2013 having spent a decade with the Giants and he appeared in the first International Series contest at Wembley against the Miami Dolphins in 2007 - which New York won 13-10. He said: 'It's my second time coming back to England and it is a dream come true for me. I hadn't been back to London at all when I left and it had been over 20 years. Coming back in 2007 was a great experience for me. 'All I can remember about England was the weather and the rain because I was seven when I left.' The Falcons will be making their first trip to England for an International Series contest as they take on the Lions in the first ever lunchtime kick-off at Wembley. The Falcons landed at Gatwick Airport on Monday morning and will practice at Arsenal's Colney base this week ahead of their game against the Lions on Sunday. | Miami Dolphins defeated Oakland Raiders 38-14 in front of 83,436 people at Wembley in September .
Dallas Cowboys will play Jacksonville Jaguars in London in November .
Atlanta Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora describes returning to his city of birth for Wembley match as a 'dream come true'.
Atlanta Falcons landed in London on Monday morning and will practice at Arsenal's Colney base this week . |
15aeafafbf97b55fea2653871ccdd2b59576417b | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 13:53 EST, 15 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:13 EST, 15 August 2013 . Skeletal remains found in the Arizona desert could be those of a 19-year-old student who went missing in June, police said. More than 100 officers combed the sparse desert in Apache Junction, near Tempe, where the body was discovered by a property owner on August 6. Because the remains were so decomposed, authorities have only confirmed they believe it could be college student Adrienne Salinas today. Missing: Police believe a body found in the desert could be college student Adrienne Salinas . Miss Salinas went missing in the early hours of June 15 as she headed to her boyfriend's home after the couple rowed at a party. She had called for a cab at about 4am but when the driver turned up, she was already gone, according to Fox 10. When the body was found near Highway 88, detectives checked missing persons databases to see if there would be a match. Miss Salinas was the only listed in the area. Similarities between Miss Salinas and the body were noted, although police did not highlight what they were. They are now waiting for DNA results to confirm if the remains are hers. Her family were notified that a body had been found last week. Miss Salinas' father, Rick Salinas, told 3TV he was heartbroken and 'too sick' for words. He declined to say anything more about the possibility that his daughter might be dead. Search: More than 100 officers began combing the area near Apache Junction where the remains were found . Questions: The body was found off Route 88 but police do not know if it was dumped there or had washed away . Tests: Authorities are awaiting the results of DNA to see if the remains belong to Adrienne . Mr Salinas had raised the alarm after dropping round to see his daughter on June 16 and finding her door unlocked. He said he had been concerned when she failed to call him on Father's Day, according to HLN. More than 100 officers from the FBI and Tempe Police used rakes to search the area around where the body was found at 5am to cover as much ground as possible before the 110F midday temperatures. 'The area where the remains were located has been searched several times since the recovery, but today investigators from multiple agencies will search an even larger area, much of it consisting of rough terrain,'Tempe police sergeant Mike Pooley told 3TV. 'We're looking for any kind of clues that might help us solve this case.' Police have said they suspect foul play, but they do not know if the body was dumped in the desert or washed there in a recent flood. Concern: Adrienne with her father Rick, who reported her missing when she failed to call on Father's Day . Vigil: Family and friends have been trying to help find Adrienne . Miss Salinas was last seen by her housemates . in the early hours of June 15. They had held a party, at which the . teenager and her boyfriend had argued. She was seen leaving her apartment with a small bag after 3am and at 3.45am a witness reported seeing her car being driven erratically. It was later found abandoned, with two flat tires. According to cell phone records, the 19-year-old called for a cab and made several missed calls to her boyfriend, Francisco Arteaga, at about 4am. Her last message to him read: 'I'm coming overt [sic]'. It was sent at 4..43am shortly before her phone went dead. Shortly after she went missing Mr Arteaga told CBS5: 'It's impossible not to think about her. There's never been a week where I haven't seen her. It's been three weeks now. It's scary.' Her father added: 'It's impossible for her to have just vanished into thin air. Somebody knows something. And, we're just pleading with that person, that someone, to just come forward.' Gone: The 19-year-old college student was last seen on June 15 . Both the cab driver, who said Miss Salinas was gone before he arrived to pick her up at a garage, and her boyfriend have been cleared as suspects. However, police said if the remains turn out to Miss Salinas they will go back and interview everyone again. 'Nothing is off the table as we speak right now,' Sergeant Pooley said. | More than 100 officers search Apache Junction for evidence .
Adrienne Salinas was last seen by her housemates on June 15 .
Family reported her missing after she failed to call home on Father's Day .
Police waiting for DNA results to confirm if body is teenager . |
15afaf144a8b865b2d3ca6cdbe9771b2575f6301 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) -- During London Mayor Boris Johnson's recent visit to Dubai on an investment promotion trip, he jokingly declared that he is "mayor of the eighth emirate." Though uttered in typical self-deprecating jest, the mayor of the world's greatest city proclaiming that London is a mere province of the United Arab Emirates is revealing about how Dubai's fortunes have revived since the punishing real estate crash and debt restructuring following the financial crisis. With the UK economy slumping so severely that the IMF has recommended it reconsider its austerity policy, Johnson has to look abroad to maintain London's economic dynamism. He particularly appealed to the UAE's sovereign wealth funds (such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala) to invest in London's underground subway upgrades (not that Emiratis are regulars on the Tube, since they often ship their supercharged Italian sports cars to London for the summer months). Thirty years ago, when I was a child growing up in the UAE, Dubai's highlights were a cheap revolving restaurant in the creek district of Deira and the modest gold souk of nearby Sharjah. But a revolutionary transformation was also just under way under the visionary leadership of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum, and subsequently carried forward by his third son Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who currently rules Dubai while also serving as prime minister and vice president of the UAE. More from Parag Khanna: Is Brazil ready to take sporting center stage? Decades of heavy infrastructure investment built what is today one of the world's busiest ports at Jebel Ali, and the world's most transited airport. At any hour of the day, Dubai's Terminal 3 is the single most cosmopolitan building in the world, with every conceivable nationality transiting, visiting, or settling. The Dubai Mall, located at the base of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, was visited 65 million times in 2012, more than any other monument in the world. The increasingly populous and built-up corridor connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai have inspired many to refer to this core axis as "Abu Dubai," the unofficial capital of the entire Middle East. In time, all seven emirates -- and all the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries -- will be linked by a coastal high-speed rail network. Led by the largest economy of Saudi Arabia, the GCC collectively deserves a place in any conversation about the "BRICS." Huge real estate projects, central geography, and reconciliation with its fraternal capital Abu Dhabi made Dubai resilient to the crisis in ways almost every global analyst missed. Those who erroneously wrote gloating "Dubai is finished" headlines are derisively referred to here as "the haters." Ironically, they come from the same places -- Europe and America -- that now send officials and out-of-work executives desperately seeking investment and jobs in the UAE. Would you rather be in Athens right now? In his penetrating new book "The History of Future Cities," author Daniel Brook matter-of-factly declares Dubai as the center of the world. But he also sketches a portrait of a place that is not just a city, but an idea, and a dream. In one generation, Dubai has graduated from a village that people just fly over, to an instant city in the desert, to a destination for migrant workers and expatriates, to a world financial center and demographic microcosm of the planet. Just a couple of years after its economic crisis it feels like the center of the world again. In the traditional but affluent beachfront district of Jumeirah, the aesthetic matches the geography of being halfway between Europe and India: patisseries next to sari shops. An even further concentric circle of cultures is represented: Burger King and Chinese massage parlors. More from Khanna: Evolution, not revolution, in Myanmar . Geography plays a major role in Dubai's rebound. The UAE's largest trading partners are China and India. Indians are the second largest investors in the all-important property market (behind Emiratis); they flock here as the most convenient meeting point for far-flung diaspora families. Like anyone else, they also enjoy functioning infrastructure; hence the saying that Dubai is India's best-run city. (If only Dubai were still administered by the British Raj, when its currency was the rupee.) Dubai has also become a crucial outpost for China, with more than 2,000 Chinese companies registered in the UAE. While many have visited the sprawling Dragon Mart complex where low-cost Chinese goods are sold wholesale, an estimated 180,000 Chinese people reside in the country, including senior figures for state-run banks who negotiate joint investment opportunities in Africa with Western companies. The Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) is their neutral meeting ground, offering a one-stop shop for legal, financial, accounting and other services. The UAE also wisely plays a neutral game of multi-alignment with the superpowers: major arms deals with the U.S., massive energy exports to China, and billions in investment from Europe. Whether or not China is able to avoid the "Malacca trap" by building pipeline and railways across Central Asia to the Middle East, it will still need Dubai as its hub for its growing reach into the Middle East and Africa. Last week's third consecutive government-sponsored Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) in Dubai featured businessmen and officials from 114 emerging markets, showing how the city is the most convenient meeting point for the globe-spanning webs of commerce forming across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. With its location at the intersection of three continents, Dubai captures not only the shift in economic power from West to East, but also the rise of the South. Forty percent of the world's population lives on the Indian Ocean rim, and Dubai is the financial crossroads for their growing trade and financial relationships. Dubai is increasingly the hub for companies investing across Africa, and home to domestic powerhouses like Dubai Ports World, which is operating ports from Djibouti to Senegal, and Emirates Airlines, the only airline capable of flying non-stop from Dubai to every major city in the world. When you fly on Emirates Airlines, the pilots need several full breaths to list the languages spoken by the staff, usually including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Afrikaans, Bulgarian and half-dozen others. In his forthcoming book Start-up Rising, veteran tech entrepreneur Chris Schroeder points out that Dubai is effectively the commercial capital for companies looking to gain access to about 300 million Arab consumers. According to Standard Chartered Bank, the UAE itself has the highest rate of mobile penetration in the world, with 176 phones per 100 people. Smart phone penetration is expected to grow to 50% in Egypt in the next five years. Schroeder argues that Western VCs need to be greater risk takers, the way UAE-based ones already are. Abraaj, the largest private equity fund in the Middle East, has investments in 43 countries from Peru to Pakistan. Only at conferences in Dubai does one find billboards advertising Pakistan as "vibrant," and find investors talking about the "huge opportunities" there. Perhaps the greatest geopolitical risk to the region is also what will become the UAE's next big opportunity: Iran. It is unlikely that Iran will spend the rest of the decade as an isolated pariah. Whether by war or diplomacy, with or without nuclear weapons, the giant Persian nation in the region's heart will be open for business. The smuggling business that has thrived for decades between Dubai and Iran will graduate to Dubai becoming the full-blown staging point for all parties involved in Iran's economic rehabilitation. With such strong, unchallenged and popular leadership, the UAE has wound up a beneficiary of the Arab Spring. Free of the troubles of Egypt, Syria, and other Arab states, "Dubai is where you come to forget you're in the Middle East," according to one commentator. Just as it benefited in the 1970s and '80s from Lebanon's descent into civil war, the UAE is now absorbing an estimated 15,000 Arabs a month from Iraq and Syria, but also Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The best and the brightest -- and wealthiest -- are hedging their bets, fed-up with civil war or democracy. While the country is relatively open, tolerant and progressive, its freedoms come at a price. Human Rights Watch has recently reported on crackdowns of free speech, closure of Western NGO affiliates, intimidation and imprisonment of dissidents, continued human trafficking, and poor protection of foreign worker rights. And as in countries in West and East, security cameras are now ubiquitous, reminding of the underlying securitization that enables the peaceful daily order. Even as these issues receive growing scrutiny, Dubai is undeniably the deserving favorite to host the World Expo 2020 (the winner will be announced in November). The UAE biggest long-term challenge is demographic. The UAE and Qatar are unique in the world as nations whose indigenous populations are all but disappearing relative to the influx of foreigners. The country's population has tripled in just the past decade to over ten million people, yet Emiratis make up less than 10% of the entire population. The prominent academic Abdulkhaleq Abdulla is a provocative and thoughtful embodiment of the dilemma the UAE's success has brought about: on the one hand, he praises his country's spectacular modernization, but he has also sounded the alarm that Emirati identity is being extinguished, his tribe becoming extinct. At the same time, though Dubai has by far the highest foreign-born population rate in the world, it is not quite the melting pot New York is. To achieve that level of permanent, inter-ethnic integration, the UAE will have to transform itself from post-modern feudalism to an innovative stakeholdership model in which foreigners are accorded long-term residency rights, and both citizens and foreigners have meaningful rights as well as responsibilities. If it does so, it can be a role model for dozens of other cities that are becoming multi-ethnic global hubs. That is exactly what the world expects from the city at its center. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Parag Khanna. | Dubai's fortunes have revived since real estate crash and debt restructuring .
In a generation, Dubai has graduated from village to global financial center, demographic microcosm .
City has become crucial outpost for China; 2,000 Chinese companies registered there .
Country is open and tolerant; Parag Khanna says freedom of expression has suffered . |
15b03d681752277ec81e09e42b930fe0de412412 | By . Bianca London . One is the most iconic supermodel of all time, while the other is quickly rising up the ranks. And now Cara Delevingne, widely cited as the new Kate Moss, has opened up about her friend. To celebrate the launch of the Kate . Moss x Topshop collection, the high street mecca has collaborated with . NOWNESS to create eight short films, offering fashion fans an . unprecedented glimpse into the supermodel's world - and this week's star is Cara. Scroll down for video . Look who it is! Cara Delevingne is the latest star of a short fashion film to promote Kate Moss' soon-to-launch Topshop collection . Through . a series of interviews with Kate’s friends and fashion network, all of . whom she believes have influenced her career and make her who she is, an . intimate portrait is created of Kate and her world. Cara, 21, can be seen laying on a bed as she reveals: 'I was never into fashion that much when I was a kid, ever! I was such a tomboy but Kate Moss, I just knew exactly who she was, of course. 'She was the face, she was the icon.' Cara, who is known in the industry for her tomboy style, said of her shopping habits through the ages: 'I just used to wear superhero clothes. I think it was when I got to thirteen, we just used to save all our pocket money and go to Topshop. Icon: Reclining casually on her bed, Cara reveals how everyone wanted to look like Kate Moss as they were growing up, describing her as an 'icon' Oh, Cara! In typical crazy Cara style, the supermodel, who is currently in Shanghai with Suki Waterhouse, can be seen doing flips on the bed . 'Then we'd go back to school and everyone would be wearing the same thing.' Speaking about Kate's collaboration with the store, Cara, who has modelled for Topshop herself, said: 'As soon as I heard that she was working with Topshop, I knew it was perfect. 'London brand and London girl - THE London girl - coming together. I knew she'd bring something to make it "her". 'Everyone wanted to dress like Kate and she bought that to the collection and has let everyone have that style that she has, which is just incredible.' Wild child: Cara can be seen swinging around and hanging off a bar as she explains how she used to dress like a tomboy growing up . Close: Cara and Kate recently teamed up for a Burberry fragrance campaign - their first together - and are often seen our partying . Cara, who is currently in Shanghai with Suki Waterhouse, brings her quirky edge to the film, which sees her doing somersaults on her bed. Each of the fashion films aim to reflect a different side of Kate, with her A-list friends sharing their favourite Moss moments. Radio . One's breakfast show host Nick Grimshaw talks of the best advice Kate’s . ever given him, Charlotte Tilbury muses over Kate’s iconic style, . Amanda Harlech remembers a favourite outfit of Kate’s and Beth Ditto gives . away Kate’s best model pose. Shot by acclaimed London-based American artist Leigh Johnson, two films are being aired weekly on Topshop.com in the four weeks running up to the Kate Moss Topshop launch on April 30. The model's SS14 . collection is full of Seventies-style pieces, including fringed suede . jackets, jump suits and maxi dresses. There are also embroidered smock-tops, silk blouses and graphic print kaftans on offer, going on sale in high street stores globally and online. Seventies chic: Kate models a fringed suede jacket, left, and a sparkly disco fringed dress from her new collection for Topshop . Vintage vibe: The collection includes maxi dresses for evening and day wear with many items inspired by Kate's own wardrobe . Kate is said to have taken . inspiration from her own wardrobe, which, despite her status as a . supermodel, isn't just full of designer labels. She's also a fan of . scouring the rails of second-hand stores. A weave waistcoat, suede shorts and a . deep blue fringed jacket are all in keeping with the Seventies vibe. The latter is said to be inspired by a jacket the 40-year-old has worn . to three Rolling Stones concerts which she refers to as her 'gig . jacket'. As well as . channelling a vintage look, she was also keen to reflect her laidback . style. There are baggy pyjama trousers glammed up through the use of printed satin . material and cool kaftans perfect for hitting the . beach in over the summer. Print kaftans and blouses are a wardrobe staple for jetsetter Kate, while a girl can't have enough LBDs . For evening wear, there are sexy frilled flapper-style dresses and long numbers that flash a hint of thigh. Meanwhile there are also some tailored pieces, including tuxes and trouser suits and summery floral printed shirts. While much of the collection will be sold at affordable prices, one dress is a more pricey £600. The high price tag is to reflect the handiwork that went into creating the densely hand-beaded dress. Kate first collaborated with Topshop in 2007 before taking a break to work on other projects. The Kate Moss collection will be sold globally in all Topshop stores and . online at Topshop.com, NET-A-PORTER.COM, Nordstrom stores and . Nordstrom.com from 30 April. | Cara is star of short fashion film to promote Kate's Topshop collection .
Discusses Kate as 'icon' and how 'perfect' collaboration with Topshop is .
Kate's range lands in stores on April 30 .
Cara currently in Shanghai with Suki Waterhouse . |
15b13f50d41dd8fe6151c125cbdfbac95c33efd9 | The 10 golden rules to help avoid dementia have been unveiled by British scientists. From popping a fish oil pill to enjoying a glass of red wine, the simple everyday lifestyle changes can cut the risk of the disease by more than half, they say. Another recommendation is ballroom dancing - because having to remember the steps boosts brain function, say the experts. Taking up ballroom dancing or playing suduko are among the 10 simple lifestyle changes that can help stave off dementia, Scottish researchers say . Factor in eating well, exercise and enjoying life and you can significantly reduce your risk, say the experts from the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre. They devised the 10 easy rules a a way to try and keep the debilitating symptoms of the disease. There are 800,000 people with dementia in the UK, and one in three people over 65 will die from the degenerative disease. And earlier this year, U.S. researchers warned that dementia rates will tripe by 2050 if we continue to live unhealthy lifestyles. Taking vitamins such as B6 and E . Take fish oils . Drink green tea . Drink the odd glass of red wine . Don’t get drunk . Take some physical activity . Enjoy a rich and stimulating environment . Keep your brain active . Dance . Don’t worry about life . Commenting on the 10 lifestyle recommendations, Professor June Andrews, from the University of Stirling, told the Daily Express: 'This is meant to be a cheerful list of positive things we can all do to help ourselves. They are not going to do any harm and there is research evidence that they can all help. 'We know we cannot affect the final outcome. When people are told they have dementia and it cannot be treated, that gives them the feeling there is nothing they can do. 'But if people are on that journey, the message is to live as well as you can and this list can help them do that.' Just last week, Boston researchers found that a rigorous walk could hold the key to slowing the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s in later life. A natural chemical produced by the body during exercise could one day be given as an injection to inhibit the diseases, the researchers said. The protein, called FNDC5, is produced by muscular exertion and is released into the bloodstream as a hormone called irisin. And Swedish research published earlier this month found that stress in middle age . could increase the risk of suffering dementia in later life. Some studies also show that eating fish oils, such as omega fatty acids, can slow the progress of Alzheimer's . They found conditions such as Alzheimer’s may be linked to the amount of stress experienced up to four decades earlier. Professor Andrews added that certain vitamins such as B6 and E have been shown to cut the risk of Alzheimer's. A regular glass of wine can also appears to have benefits, but the researchers point out that binge drinking has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. Drinking a regular glass of wine also has benefits but the group . warns against getting drunk, as the number of young people with dementia . caused by heavy drinking is increasing. Some studies also show that eating fish oils, such as omega fatty acids, can slow the progress of Alzheimer’s. | The simple everyday lifestyle changes can cut the risk of the disease by more than half, say Scottish scientists .
Drinking green tea and taking fish oils are among other recommendations .
Dementia rates are set to triple by 2050 because of our unhealthy lifestyles, previous research has warned . |
15b13f885c68bdbef93114d930b7ee6bc38d7fb6 | (EW.com) -- Harvey Weinstein never met a ratings controversy that he couldn't massage into a publicity campaign. He did it in the '90s, when he turned up the heat on the teensploitation psychodrama "Kids," all because the film received a rating of NC-17 (which it probably deserved). He did it two years ago, when the downbeat-sexy "Blue Valentine" got slapped with the same scarlet letter (which it didn't deserve at all). But in the case of "Bully," Weinstein isn't just mounting a PR blitz -- he's fighting the good fight. The movie is a sensitive and eye-opening documentary about the epidemic of bullying in American public schools. It's a film that would do well to be seen by as many teenagers as possible, and Weinstein had wanted to show it in schools. Yet "Bully" received an R rating, all because the F-word is used in it a handful of times. The Weinstein Co. has now decided to release "Bully" unrated. This doesn't solve the problem, since some theaters refuse to show unrated movies. So the very audience that Bully was made for still might have a hard time getting near it. Weinstein hired David Boies and Ted Olson, the attorneys who helped overturn California's Proposition 8, to take on the Motion Picture Association of America. The MPAA, with its famously fusty, punitive, and -- some would say -- arbitrary ratings system, defended the R rating for "Bully," stating that it wouldn't be fair to make an exception just because of the movie's good intentions. I agree that they shouldn't just make an exception: They should do a heck of a lot more. That the MPAA is content to keep a film as humane and as deeply unsensational as "Bully" away from most of the adolescents whose lives it could possibly help is a folly and outrage. "Bully," directed by Lee Hirsch, takes a sympathetic, insightful look at five anguished kids from suburban and rural communities around the country and how the bullying that they've endured has shaped their lives. Tyler, 17 years old, was so mocked by his peers that he hanged himself. Alex, 12, born prematurely (at just 26 weeks), is a sweet, smart kid singled out because of his "fish face." He has been slammed into lockers, sat on during bus rides, called "b****" and "f*****" -- and after all that, it was only really clear how bad the problem was when he stopped complaining. (Being bullied had become his only reality.) Kelby, a 16-year-old lesbian, suffered abuse to the point that she tried to commit suicide three times. Why are these kids targeted? Some of it is based on looks and prejudice, but much of it represents nothing more -- or less -- than the ostracization of those who are lonely or shy. They're viewed as "outsiders," and then vilified for it. "Bully" is a portrait of good kids reduced to shells of themselves by a climate of toxic hate and fear. There's only one thing missing from the movie, and that's an in-depth look at the bullies themselves. We're forced to guess at what has made them into junior sadists. My own conjecture is that their almost complete lack of empathy represents the channeling of a larger current of intolerance now at loose in the culture -- the kind you see increasingly in politics, not to mention all over the Internet. Arguments against the ratings system have, of course, been made many times before: by directors, producers, and film critics -- and, in 2006, by Kirby Dick in his documentary "This Film Is Not Yet Rated," which opened the door on the MPAA's antiquated maze of codes and restrictions. As Dick powerfully argued, what's fundamentally broken about the MPAA isn't the system so much as the thinking behind the judgments. The ratings-board members, swathed in their shadow of anonymity, insist on a nearly Victorian double standard for sex and violence: Anything associated with the former (like the word "f---") is treated as taboo, whereas horror and action films that feature over-the-top violence routinely get a PG-13. This outdated distinction may be a reflection of "American values," but that does not make it right. And the fact that the board tends to go easier on big-budget blockbusters may be the shoddiest double standard of all. It's an indication that too many questionable agendas are guiding these judgments. A film like "Bully" makes it clear that there's something deeply wrong with this picture. For this is an urgent and moral movie; there shouldn't be a puritanical roadblock standing between it and its audience. As long as the MPAA is issuing its cavalier decrees, though, they're the ones acting like bullies. "Bully": B+ . See the full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "Bully" received an R rating because the F-word is used in it a handful of times .
Director Lee Hirsch takes a sympathetic, insightful look at five anguished kids .
It's a portrait of good kids reduced to shells of themselves by a climate of hate and fear . |
15b180dfe14a3aeb67f2f687bac8d03e370c3a50 | Elaborate funeral plans have been set in motion in South Africa following the death of the country’s revered first black president Nelson Mandela. The memorial, expected to last ten days, will be an unparalleled event in South Africa’s history, drawing a plethora of foreign dignitaries of every stripe, royals and a smattering of celebrities. South African President Jacob Zuma ordered the nation's flags to be flown at half-mast beginning today and to remain that way until after Mandela's funeral, which he announced would be held next Sunday. Scroll down for videos . Iconic funeral: Anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela will lie in state for several days next week before a massive funeral service that will draw numerous heads of state and celebrities . The public will have a chance to say goodbye to their beloved father figure during a memorial service at the Johannesburg soccer stadium (above) that hosted the 2010 World Cup . Fitting location: Mandela's body is expected to lie in state in the Union Buildings in Pretoria (above) where he was inaugurated as President . Soldiers guard Mandela's home in Qunu, where he will be laid to rest in accordance with his final wishes at a service on Sunday, December 15 . Hours after his death last night, a black SUV-type vehicle containing Mandela's coffin, draped in South Africa's flag, pulled away from Mandela's home after midnight, escorted by military motorcycle outriders, to take the body to a military morgue in Pretoria, the capital. Desmond Tutu, a long-time friend of Mr Mandela and former archbishop of Cape Town is expected to hold the service, which will be attended by all living US presidents, past and present. The White House said last night that President Barack Obama is expected to travel to South Africa to bid farewell to Mandela along with numerous other world leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron. Counting himself among the millions influenced by Nelson Mandela, President Obama mourned the death of the anti-apartheid hero with whom he shares the distinction of being his nation's first black president. 'He no longer belongs to us. He belongs to the ages,' Obama said in a somber appearance at the White House. Several celebrities who had personal ties to the late great leader, such as Oprah Winfrey and U2 frontman Bono, are also expected to attend the service. Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will be joined on Air Force One next week by former president George Bush . Former President Bill Clinton is also set to attend the state funeral and will be joined by Hilary Clinton . Nelson Mandela's unifying force will be evident in the guest list at his funeral which will include black and white world leaders, TV stars and musicians. U.S. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle and their daughters will be joined by all past living U.S. presidents, including Bill Clinton, who knew Mr Mandela well. Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince Charles are believed to be in line to attend. Several celebrities who had personal ties to the late great leader, such as Oprah Winfrey and U2 frontman Bono, are also expected to attend the service. Desmond Tutu, a long-time friend of Mr Mandela and former archbishop of Cape Town is expected to hold the service. Preparations for funeral are expected to bring the country of 53 million to a virtual standstill. The . sheer number of dignitaries, including numerous heads of state, is sure . to spell a logistical nightmare for the South African government, which . will be tasked with providing air-tight security during the solemn . event. According to several sources involved in planning the state funeral, the 10-day occasion will combine both Western traditions and those of Mandela's native clan, the Thembu. At some stage during days one to four, Thembu elders are expected to gather for a first ceremony called 'the closing of the eyes' either at his home or in the mortuary. After the ceremony, it is believed his body will be embalmed at the mortuary, thought to be a military hospital in Pretoria. No formal public events are expected to take place until day five, December 10, when mourners will have a chance to say goodbye to their beloved father figure during a service at the 94,000-capacity Johannesburg soccer stadium that hosted the 2010 World Cup. It is not clear whether Mandela's casket will be taken there. On days six to eight, December 11 to 13, the anti-apartheid hero's body is earmarked to lie in state in a glass-topped coffin at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was inaugurated as president on May 10, 1994. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who met with then-94-year-old Mandela last August, will also journey to South Africa . Representing Britain: Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, seen with Mandela at a photo shoot for his 90th birthday in London, will pay their respects . On day nine, plans have been made for . a military aircraft to fly Mr Mandela to Mthatha, the main town in the . South African province of Eastern Cape. His . casket will then be taken by the military on a gun carriage to Qunu, . his home village, where the former leader spent his childhood years. To . mark the formal passing of responsibility to his family, the South . African flag that is expected to drape his coffin will be replaced by a . traditional Xhosa blanket. Later, ANC leaders, local chiefs and Mandela's family are expected to gather for a private night vigil. On . the final day, Mandela will finally be laid to rest in the grounds of . his family home in Qunu, where thousands of people, including heads of . state will gather for the state funeral. Giving thanks: All living former US leaders, including George W. Bush, pictured meeting Mandela in 2001, have been invited . Royal representation: The British Royal family, including the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will fly to South Africa to honour Mandela . Mr Mandela often spoke with great love of his first home where his family members, including his children who predeceased him, rest. The family plot is located just a few yards from the home he shared with his mother as a child and the one which he built following his release from Victor Verster Prison. He loved Qunu 'in the unconditional way a child loves his first home' and spent holidays and special occasions here. Star-studded event: The memorial service is expected to draw many celebrities who had a personal relationship with Mandela, including Oprah Winfrey pictured here in 2002 . Friends: U2 front man Bono, with Mandela at his Johannesburg home in 2002, is thought to have been invited . The protocol for the funeral . preparations was drawn up more than a year ago, around the time when Mr . Mandela's health took a turn for the worse, and it may be altered in the . coming days. Mourners . will be able to share their thoughts about Mandela’s passing in . condolence books that will be made available in all foreign missions, . the Nelson Mandela Foundation headquarters and other institutions, . according to The Guardian, which has obtained a copy of the protocol. It . has also been reported that the South African Government is in talks . with the BBC team that filmed the Royal Wedding in 2011 to get help with . the world wide broadcast of the funeral of a global icon. Guests at the funeral will include Mr Obama, the first lady and their daughters. Bill and Hillary Clinton, who knew Mr Mandela well, are also expected to make an appearance. The scale and significance of the planned funeral is already being compared to the 2005 service for Pope John Paul II, which was attended by 2million people, among them five kings and 70 presidents. Days one to four (Today to December 9): According to sources involved in planning the state funeral, the 10-day occasion will combine both Western traditions and those of Mandela's native clan, the Thembu. Thembu elders expected to gather for a first ceremony called . 'the closing of the eyes' either at his home or in the mortuary. After the ceremony, it is believed his body will be embalmed at the mortuary, thought to be a military hospital in Pretoria. Day five: . No formal public events are expected to take place the fifth day when . mourners will have a chance to say goodbye to their beloved father . figure during a service at the Johannesburg soccer stadium that hosted . the 2010 World Cup. It is not clear whether Mandela's casket will be taken there. Days six to eight: . The anti-apartheid hero's body is earmarked to lie in state at the . Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was inaugurated as president on . May 10, 1994. Day nine: . Plans have been made for a military aircraft to fly Mr Mandela to . Mthatha, the main town in the South African province of Eastern Cape. His . casket will then be taken by the military on a gun carriage to Qunu, . his home village, where the former leader spent his childhood years. To . mark the formal passing of responsibility to his family, the South . African flag that is expected to drap his coffin will be replaced by a . traditional Xhosa blanket. Later, ANC leaders, local chiefs and Mandela's family are expected to gather for a private night vigil. Day ten (Sunday, December 15): . Mandela will finally be laid to rest in the grounds of his family home . in Qunu, where thousands of people, including heads of state will gather . for the state funeral. | President Jacob Zuma ordered nation's flags to be flown at half-mast .
President Obama will travel to South Africa and the first family likely to join .
Public memorial service will be held at Johannesburg soccer stadium .
Mandela will lie in state in glass-topped coffin in Pretoria for service .
Mr Mandela will be laid to his final rest in his hometown of Qunu . |
15b1e7921715216e7c58a081f3f82ad123a9eb00 | Being married could be the key to a longer life - by improving your chances of surviving middle age, claim scientists. People who never married were almost three times as likely to die early than those who had been in a stable marriage throughout their adult life US researchers found. The new research suggests for the first time that not having a spouse in midlife increases the risk of dying during those years. Marital bliss? A spouse could help you navigate middle age . Being single after 40, or losing a partner without marrying again, increased the risk of early death during middle age and cut the chances of getting to 60. Even when personality and risky behaviours such as smoking and drinking were accounted for, married people were still 2.3 times more likely to survive. The new study was carried out by Dr Ilene Siegler and colleagues from the department of behavioural sciences at Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina. She said ‘In sum, having a partner during middle age is protective. ‘Being single or losing a partner without replacement are the situations that increase mortality risk during middle age and decrease the probability that one will survive to be elderly. ‘New research on chronic loneliness may provide a partial explanation for our findings’ she added. Dr Siegler said living to a ripe old age is expected, particularly for people who reach the age of 40, which makes it important to understand why some people do not survive to become elderly. Getting and remaining married has long been associated with better survival, especially for men, but the impact on the risk of dying in middle age has not been previously researched, she said. In a new study, researchers analysed data for 4,802 individuals who took part in the University of North Carolina Alumni Heart Study (UNCAHS) - an ongoing study of individuals born in the 1940s. Those taking part were aged around 40 at the start of the study, and were in their late 50s by its conclusion. They completed four questionnaires at regular intervals. The researchers recorded stability and change in patterns of marital and non-marital status during midlife, and looked at the effect of personality traits during the late teens, socioeconomic status and health risk behaviours. Altogether 238 deaths were reported during the study, including 32 women. Researchers found those who had never married by midlife were at highest risk of death. Previous research has found marriage can help people to survive heart bypasses and lower the risk of Alzheimer's . They were 2.84 times as likely to die early than those who had been in a stable marriage throughout their adult life. Being single, or losing a partner without replacement, increased the risk of early death during middle age by three quarters and reduced the likelihood of surviving to be elderly. Personality and poor lifestyle factors in middle age such as smoking, drinking and taking no exercise slightly reduced the benefits of marriage. The study is published online in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine. Being married has a positive effect on lifestyle, say experts, although it does not fully account for the health benefits. Happily married people are more likely to eat more healthily, have more friends and encourage each other to take care of themselves. Being lonely and without companionship may have a bigger effect on single people in middle age, they suggest. A recent huge study carried out in seven European countries found married people enjoy better mental and physical health, and are up to 15 per cent less likely to die prematurely. Meanwhile U.S researchers have found heart . bypass patients with supportive spouses are more than three times as . likely to still be alive 15 years later than those who have never tied . the knot. Plus a Swedish study shows being married protects you against Alzheimer’s in later life, with people who have a partner in middle age at half the risk of developing dementia as those who live alone. Getting divorced and becoming widowed in mid-life raised the risk three-fold. Other work has shown that married people have a better chance of surviving cancer than those who are separated or divorced and tend to live longer than singletons. | Being single after 40 cuts your chances of reaching 60 .
Loneliness may have a negative effect on health .
Follows Swedish study that found marriage could protect against Alzheimer's . |
15b1fc230b5bad6a283b96cdbea4f943fe9e90c5 | The artists behind the First World War poppy memorial in London are in line for gongs in the Queen's new years honours list, it has been revealed. Paul Cummins and Tom Piper have been nominated by ministers for their work in creating Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London, it has been reported. The pair are most likely to be appointed OBEs for services to the arts after nearly five million people flocked to view the stunning exhibit in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday. Paul Cummins (left) and Tom Piper (right) have been nominated by ministers for their work in creating Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London, it has been reported . The pair are most likely to be appointed OBEs after nearly five million people flocked to view the stunning exhibit in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday . It is understood that the award was approved by the arts and media honours committee, the Sunday Times reports. The newspaper quotes a senior Whitehall source as saying: ' They have both been recommended for honours. It will happen in the new year list.' The ceramic flowers were designed by Mr Cummins, who revealed how the project was inspired by an unknown soldier from his home town. Tom Piper, a theatrical designer with the Royal Shakespeare Company, helped devise the exhibit and was instrumental in creating two of its key elements, the Weeping Willow - a cascade of poppies which spills from a window of the castle - and the Wave - which swirls out of the moat to form an arch over the entrance to the Tower. The artwork, marking the centenary of the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, captured the public imagination and was visited by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh (pictured) The team began producing the flowers - each of which took three days to make - at an 8,000ft factory in Derby in January . Each of the 888,246 poppies, which filled the moat of the Tower for Remembrance Day, represented a British or Commonwealth casualty of the First World War . Theses two features will remain at the Tower until later this month and will then go on tour around the country until 2018, when they will be gifted to the Imperial War Museums in London and Manchester. The team began producing the flowers - each of which took three days to make - at an 8,000ft factory in Derby in January. Each of the 888,246 poppies, which filled the moat of the Tower for Remembrance Day, represented a British or Commonwealth casualty of the First World War. The artwork, marking the centenary of the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, captured the public imagination and was visited by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, as well as Princes William and Harry. Artist: Mr Cummins, seen handing the final flower to Harry, said the project was 'the biggest thing I have ever done' Final salute: Thousands visited the moat to see the last poppy put in place by 13-year-old army cadet Harry Hayes . The artwork, marking the centenary of the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, captured the public imagination . Thousands flocked to the Tower of London on a daily basis in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday . An army of volunteers has already begun removing the poppies after what was a once-in-a-lifetime installation. Previously, Mr Cummins has said: ‘I read through wills of First World War soldiers and came across one man who said everyone he knew had been killed. He wrote of “blood swept lands and seas of red, where angels dare to tread”. It read like a poem and it just seemed to fit.’ The artist, who is studying for a PhD at Derby University, added: ‘This is the biggest thing I have done. I am amazed that people have taken it to heart.’ | Paul Cummins designed the ceramic poppies used in the stunning exhibit .
Tom Piper created Weeping Willow and Wave elements of the installation .
Both could be appointed OBEs in new year honours list, it has been reported .
Up to five million visited Tower of London ahead of Remembrance Sunday . |
15b24baf15477a3f0852651d154d38ea2b20860f | (CNN) -- In 1979, Jarreth Merz, then a young boy in Ghana, saw the dramatic results of a military coup. Watching on an old black and white television set, he and a group of his friends witnessed one of the nation's generals being blindfolded and shot to death by a firing squad. Shortly afterward, his family fled the instability of Ghana and returned to his native Switzerland. But Africa stayed with Merz, who told his story at the TED Global conference in Edinburgh, UK, in July. He grew up to become an actor and found that he was increasingly being cast as a violent African or a terrorist. "How many terrorists could I possibly play before turning into one myself?" "I had become ashamed of the other, the African in me." After 28 years, Merz returned to Ghana to film the nation's 2008 presidential election and, as it turned out, to learn more about himself. "I realized that, when I'd left the country, free and fair elections in a democratic environment were a dream. And now that I'd returned, that dream had become reality, though a fragile reality." In the first round of voting in Ghana, no candidate attained the 50% of the vote needed to gain the presidency, and an inconclusive runoff was held. People began questioning whether the elections were being manipulated. Merz said there was gunfire and he saw discouraging signs of a possible breakdown in civil order. "And my heart sank, because I thought, here we are again. Here is another proof that the African is not capable of governing himself. And not only that, I am documenting it -- documenting my own cultural shortcomings." But rather than erupt in violence, the crowd started chanting "We want peace," and eventually, after new voting, a winner was certified and power was transferred peacefully, Merz said. "Ghana taught me to look at people differently and to look at myself differently. And yes, we Africans can." In his film, "An African Election," Merz told CNN in an interview, "The political system, the democratic system, is tested to the utmost." The lesson: "You don't have to rebel. You have the freedom to choose, and with that choice comes a responsibility." | As a boy, Jarreth Merz witnessed violent coup in Ghana .
His family left for Europe, but he returned in 2008 to film Ghana's election .
After close vote and a runoff, a winner was declared and power transferred .
Merz: Election helped show that democracy is viable in Africa . |
15b2b00d202753329ff0247dbe7cd5353ef173cc | By . Amy Ziniak for Daily Mail Australia . In a bid to lure new customers, Foxtel are set to slash its prices in November, while existing customers will be rewarded with extra benefits, free of charge. In a big incentive, the pay TV operator will slash the price of its entry level and cable subscriptions to half, set to cost new customers just $25 per month. Plans have also been unveiled to give existing customers better bang for their buck, with a range of extra channels and free content. FOXTEL have announced big changes to its pricing structure in a bid to lure new customers with a $25 a month plan. Existing customers will also reap the benefits of extra channels and more content, all free of charge . Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein says the new pricing structure will maximise the availability of its services for new subscribers. 'We know that many Australians are aware of the amazing content and technology that Foxtel offers but feel that the price is not right for their budget', he said. 'A $25 entry point that gives access to over 40 popular channels in our Entertainment Pack will cause millions of people to have another look at Foxtel'. The Entertainment Pack will include many of the most popular channel brands such as FOX8, Lifestyle, TVHiTS, ARENA, MTV, National Geographic, Universal, TCM and more as well as access to Foxtel’s iQ set top boxes. The key bonuses for existing customers will include some pay per view movies at no extra cost for those who take the premium movies and drama access and for those who don't have it access to the premium drama channel, Showcase - the home of HBO. 'From securing the best programming possible to providing innovative services like Foxtel Go and Look Back, we’re serious about going the extra mile', said Mr Freudenstein. In addition, Foxtel has announced plans to strengthen its High-Definition offering across all of its premium content packs by adding nine new HD channels including sports, movies and drama bringing Foxtel’s total HD channel count to 36. In a big incentive, pay TV operator, Foxtel will slash the price of its entry level and cable subscriptions to half, set to cost new customers just $25 per month. While existing customers get more benefits free of charge . As part of its new pricing structure, they'll be a revamp of premium tiers which include offering the Sports Pack for just $25 per month. There'll also be new technology, the new set top box, the iQ3, is currently in its final field trials. 'iQ3 will be the most advanced set-top box available and will provide a revolutionary new way to enjoy the best that Foxtel has to offer', Mr Freudenstein said. 'The changes we are announcing today constitute a defining moment in Australian media'. 'With amazing bonuses for current customers, new pricing designed to make Foxtel more accessible and with iQ3 and Triple-Play just around the corner, the time has never been better to take advantage of this golden age of television through Foxtel'. The changes come as Foxtel face a host of other new competitors. The free to air TV industry launched its Freeview Plus service this week, which allow viewers to watch catch-up services from free-to-air channels using TV and an internet connection. While Nine Entertainment Co and Fairfax Media also recently confirmed a $100 million joint venture partnership on the new subscription video on-demand service, StreamCo. Foxtel has reported that it directly employs around 2,500 people and is subscribed to 2.6 million homes. | FOXTEL set to slash prices for new customers to just $25 per month .
Existing customers will be given a range of extra channels and free content .
New customers will get access to over 40 channels in entertainment pack .
'We're serious about going the extra mile', said FOXTEL CEO Richard Freudenstein .
FOXTEL face a variety of new competition : Freeview Plus and SteamCo .
Foxtel directly employs around 2,500 people and is subscribed to 2.6 million homes . |
15b365448cd7c228dcb5ffe308dd7838e81b7ecc | Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes striker Diego Costa can now put his injury problems behind him and will be back in prime condition when the Premier League resumes after the international break. The Spain international has been plagued by hamstring and pelvic injuries since joining from Atletico Madrid for £32million but that has not stopped him scoring 10 goals already, including the winner in the 2-1 victory against Liverpool on Saturday. Costa has been left out of the national squad for a Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus next week and a friendly against Germany three days later. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is delighted striker Diego Costa is being rested by the Spain national team . Costa scored the winner in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday . Costa has been troubled with a hamstring problem all season, but Mourinho feels the rest will be a big help . By the time the league campaign resumes at home to West Brom on November 22, Mourinho expects his star man to be firing on all cylinders. 'I think Spain made a fantastic decision not just for us but for them,' he said. 'He has 15 days to get to the top of his game and when they need him they will get a good Diego not a bad one. 'Maybe the injury was good because it stopped him. When he became injured he had time to recover, step-by-step, and at this moment he is in a good condition.' Mourinho also hopes the international break will give midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Ramires time to recover from hamstring and abductor problems respectively after risking them at Anfield. 'I need to give credit to them - they both played injured, risked everything to play,' he added. Mourinho said Ramires (left) and Cesc Fabregas (right) both played against Liverpool with injuries . 'Fabregas gambled and I gambled. He can join up with Spain but he will be back (as he is not fit).' Unbeaten Chelsea maintained their four-point lead at the top of the table with a ninth win in 11 matches and stretched a remarkable 15 points ahead of Liverpool, runners-up last season. The Reds were not realistically expected to contend this campaign but even without them in the running, Mourinho knows there is plenty to be done before his team can even entertain thoughts of the title. 'If this was the Spanish, Portuguese or German league where you have two teams competing to be champion, if you leave one team 15 points behind you are almost there but this is England and every match is difficult,' he added. 'It is not about Liverpool, there is Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Southampton. 'We are in a good situation, we have already played the four matches in Liverpool and Manchester, four very difficult matches away, but it is the beginning of November so there is a long way to go.' Emre Can (above) put Liverpool 1-0 up against Chelsea with his first goal for the club in the ninth minute . Gary Cahill (above) equalised five minutes later with a goal that needed confirming through goal-line technology . If Chelsea have a long way to go, Liverpool's task is even more onerous as a fifth defeat of the season - and third in a week after reverses at Newcastle and Real Madrid - leaves manager Brendan Rodgers with some difficult questions to ask himself and his players. The decision to rest key players in Madrid, making seven changes, did not pay off in terms of a result against Chelsea. 'Obviously there is pressure on when you don't get the result but I can only refocus now and it is important we get back to winning ways after the international break,' said the Reds boss. 'It is a difficult moment for us as we're not getting the results and it has been a tough week really. 'Our focus is getting into that top four with the considerable change we have and we still have a big possibility to do that.' Brendan Rodgers looks on as his Liverpool team lose for the third time in their last three games . With little goal threat to trouble the leaders, the return of striker Daniel Sturridge, who has not been seen in a red shirt since August 31 because of thigh and calf injuries, cannot come soon enough. He is expected to be ready for the trip to Crystal Palace on November 23. 'The break comes at a good time for us. We are hoping to get one or two injuries back after that and then we have to look to get on a run,' added Rodgers. 'It has been a long time now (without Sturridge). We are hoping he can now get to work because he hasn't trained with the team at all in the time off. Daniel Sturridge missed Saturday's game through injury and Rodgers hopes his return will improve Liverpool . 'Hopefully over the course of the next couple of weeks he can be out there training and we will have him back, which will be important as he has had a big impact for us.' Emre Can's first goal for the club since his £10million summer move from Bayer Leverkusen gave Liverpool the ideal start - with the aid of a huge deflection off Gary Cahill but the Chelsea defender got himself back in credit by bundling the ball over at a corner for the equaliser, which required the assistance of the goal decision system. Costa displayed his clinical best with a sweet first-time strike to drill home Cesar Azpilicueta's cross, although Liverpool had a fair shout for a penalty ignored late on when the ball appeared to strike Cahill's arm. | Striker Diego Costa has been hampered by a hamstring issue this season .
Jose Mourinho hopes the 15-day break he has will allow him to overcome it .
Brendan Rodgers feels Daniel Sturridge's return is essential for Liverpool . |
15b5df6afb192272cfb8086010b41e0772d44f27 | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 05:11 EST, 6 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:51 EST, 6 October 2012 . They were once vital industrial routes used to supply coal to Britain's biggest mines and home to hundreds of workers. But now relegated to leisure use, a unique collection of photos of Britain's canals give a rare insight into lives of the last generation to work the inland waterways. The new exhibition, An Inland Voyage, at the London Canal Museum includes pictures from the late 1940s and early 1950s before the use of the waterways changed forever. Working life on the canals: Nellie Stokes steering a butty down the Oxford canal . River children: Four children aboard the Little Marvel canal boat when the inland waterways were still a vital industrial link . Water girl: Joyce Hambridge making the most of some good weather sunbathing on the prow . The pictures by Coventry factory worker turned photographer Robert Longden taken at Hawkesbury Junction in Warwickshire, where the Oxford and Coventry canals meet, have been restored and curated by his great grandson Stephen Pochin. His unique photographic archive conveys an intimate social history of a working life now long gone. In the late 1940s, the area around Hawkesbury was dominated by heavy industry with six massive cooling towers visible along the skyline. On a voyage: A group of children stand by a barge used to transport coal to London . Home sweet home: Hawkesbury Junction in Warwickshire, where the Oxford and Coventry canals meet, with a power station in the background . Working life: The Oxford canal was the main coal supply route from Wyken Colliery and pit heads in the area . The Oxford canal provided the main coal supply route to London from Wyken Colliery and nearby pit heads around Hawkesbury Village and Exhall. Longden became president of the Coventry Photographic Society and won several awards for his work. Today, his archive is considered to be of unique social and historical importance. The exhibition runs until February next year. Smile: A smartly-dressed woman poses for the camera on a canal boat . Back in time: A young girl stands surrounded by pots laid out on old newspaper . | Pictures of Hawkesbury Junction in Warwickshire in the 1940s and 1950s taken by Coventry factory worker turned .
photographer Robert Longden .
Exhibition of the images are now displayed at the London Canal Museum . |
15b6da75e1c70f9f4814dd95f8c490759d3a09eb | (CNN) -- What most of us take for granted, assuming you are reading this page, has become an obsession for our next member of Be the Change, who is from the U.S. At 26, Jennifer Staple has already proven herself a caring and accomplished individual. Graduation from Yale University, for most over-achievers, marks the launch of a stellar career in business, politics, law or medicine. But Jennifer has put her pursuit of a medical degree at Stanford University on hold as she works to better the lives of others. It's really quite simple. Jennifer believes everyone should be able to see, regardless of their ability to pay for something as basic as sunglasses, eyeglasses, or even sight-restoring surgery. "It's so satisfying and so gratifying to be able to hear the patients and their stories when they have their sight restored," Jennifer said. This compassion followed her to Yale University, where as a sophomore she founded what is now an international non-profit organization -- Unite For Sight. Jennifer and her army of volunteers (more than 4,000 at last count), have provided vision screening and education to some 500,000 people, free of charge. More than 9,500 people who lost their sight to cataracts and other eye disease have had their vision restored through surgeries provided by Unite for Sight volunteers. They hope to push that number to 12,000 by year's end. It is that moment when patients open their eyes and can see again that touches Jennifer. Check out her photo gallery or link to her website and see for yourself. While Jennifer's efforts began in her hometown, they have expanded and today Unite for Sight is hard at work in North America and roughly 10 additional countries. Jennifer will travel to Ghana and India in the coming months, as well as writing a blog about her work at home. With all this dedication to others, I asked her if she ever feels like she missed out on being a kid, or an irresponsible college student, to which she replied, "nothing is more gratifying than being able to run the organization's programs and help so many people throughout the world." That's vintage Jennifer -- her work is truly inspiring. E-mail to a friend . | Jennifer Staple will report on her experiences in Ghana and India .
At university she founded the non-profit organization Unite For Sight .
She will lead a trip to take her charitable work overseas . |
15b7e9c00596be3e1013ed4319e3f6158e932a00 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 07:27 EST, 8 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:52 EST, 8 March 2013 . A father-of-four from Chepstow in south Wales has become a real-life man who would be king after he was crowned 'King Bazza' to head a tribe in India. English-born Barry Watson, 60, has been given the lofty title by the Yanadi tribe, from Andhra Pradesh, India, who have named a new village after him - Barrypuram. The charity worker and father-of-four, who runs social media company Let Us Be Social, helped rescue the villagers from life on a rubbish tip. Barry Watson, from Chepstow, has become a real-life man who would be king after he was crowned King Bazza to head a tribe in India . Mr Watson, who runs social media company Let Us Be Social, helped rescue the villagers from life on a rubbish tip . He paid £20,000 for land for farmers to construct 31 huts with lighting, install water pumps, a chicken farm, a school and church. The fascinating project began by chance, when ex-insurance broker Mr Watson met Julie Davies, who runs her own Indian village support charity in memory of her 16-year-old daughter, at a meeting. In the 1975 film The Man Who Would be King starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine - Connery's character Danny is crowned leader of a fictional tribe on the Indian sub-continent in a case of mistaken identity. Things soon turn sour however when Danny is found out and killed but unlike the film Barry's 'royal' reign is having a happier ending. He said: 'I love my name King Bazza, I am their guard. I wanted to give them a better life without the trappings of Western civilization, keeping their own cultures. 'On the tip they had nothing, their life expectancy was only about 40.' Mr Watson was inspired by the Elizabeth-Ann charity, so he travelled with the Davies family overseas to see how he could help. The 60-year-old has been given the lofty title by the Yanadi tribe, from Andhra Pradesh, India, who have named a new village after him . Mr Watson is now trying to make the village sustainable, training 16 women to sew for a business and making the buildings more permanent out of stone . As the entrepreneur felt as they were doing an amazing job in Burlavaripalem, he discovered another sector of the community, the Yanadi tribe, could benefit from similar work. Mr Watson founded his charity Help the Village in 2009, a branch of Elizabeth-Ann, and raised funds partly from a trip in Mini cars to France the year after. Since then, the father to twins Kate and Zola, 29, Zak, 23 and Luke, 19, has achieved notable milestones in building the village. Mr Watson, pictured here with members of the community, founded his charity Help the Village in 2009 . Mr Watson, at his home in Chepstow, south Wales, with a picture of the Indian tribe . King Bazza on his way to Barrypuram, where the villagers he rescued from a rubbish tip now live . Two months ago, he and 15 others flew to Chennai and rode on rickshaws to Barrypuram, raising £10,000 for locals. The Chepstow businessman is now tasked with making the village sustainable, training 16 women to sew for a business and making the buildings more permanent out of stone. He said: 'India is like Marmite, you love it or hate it. I love the chaos, it's totally different to anything else I have done. Once it's in your blood you have to go back.' Local children the Yanadi in the village in Andhra Pradesh, India . Villagers lived in small huts like this before Barry Watson raised money for construction . Children play on a swing surrounded by rubbish at their former home . Mr Watson said his Indian odyssey actually began in the 1970s when he used take 'hippie' friends to Kathmandu, Nepal, aged 21 as a 'public school idiot' in his own words. Mr Watson said: 'I first went to India as a public school idiot who didn't have a job and saw an advert for overland drivers wanted to go to India, so I applied and they said "you're going in a week". 'Three years later I came home and vowed I would never return to India until I had a real purpose to go back for. Things turned sour for Sean Connery's character Danny in the 1975 film The Man Who Would Be King . 'Forty years later that purpose happened, when I met a fantastic woman called Julie Davies and she wanted me to go to India with her. When I saw what she had done with one village I told her I wanted to do the same.' Mr Watson said when he first met the Yanadi tribe he was told he was expected. He said: 'They said there was an ancient prophecy one day a white man would come and build them a village. 'It really was I was like Sean Connery and the man who would be king, when I said I was going to build them a village, about half believed me and half didn't.' 'The main man behind all this has been Vinay Kumar who has been able to make everything happen, I couldn't have done it without him.' Mr Watson, who lives with wife Shirley, 47, said in November and December they were returning to the village again to continue the good work. He said: 'We have no aspirations to be a national charity, we just want to help this village, my wife was not too sure at first and said she wouldn't go back after the first visit. 'But now she's coming in December, once you've been to India it's in your blood.' | Englishman Barry Watson given title by Yanadi tribe, from Andhra Pradesh .
The 60-year-old paid £20,000 for land for farmers to .
construct new village .
It has 31 huts with lighting, water pumps, a .
school and church . |
15b8d972fa1a9192dfb6049a5737a592e403aceb | By . Candace Sutton for Daily Mail Australia . Wearing a picture of his twin brother pinned to a red rose and draped over his heart, Bradley Morcombe married his schoolgirl sweetheart Anna Martin in a church ceremony before family and friends. Bradley's twin brother, Daniel Morcombe was abducted and murdered on Queensland's Sunshine Coast ten years ago in what became Australia's highest profile missing child case which was only resolved earlier this year. Bradley, 24, and his older brother, Dean, who took on the role of best man in place of the honour that would have gone to Daniel, both wore roses in their lapels and pictures of Daniel. Scroll down for video . Happy day: Anna Martin carries red roses on her wedding day to Bradley Morcombe on the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland. The red theme was a nod to the campaign to find Bradley's twin brother, Daniel, who was missing for eight years after he was abducted and murdered in December 2003. Bradley, who is wearing a picture of Daniel pinned over his heart, said before the wedding that Daniel would be 'looking down from heaven' on the lucky couple . Watching over them: With a photograph of his late twin brother pinned below a red rose over his heart, Bradley Morcombe smiles for for the camera with a friend, centre, and his bride, Anna Martin (left) following their wedding in Queensland. Bradley's family campaigned for years to find Daniel, whose remains were uncovered in 2011, laid to rest in 2012 and his murderer convicted and jailed for life in March this year . Where's the twin: Bride-to-be Anna Martin approaches the altar for her marriage to sweetheart Bradley Morcombe on the Sunshine Coast. While Bruce Morcombe, father of Bradley and his slain twin brother, Daniel, said in people's minds they would be asking 'where's the twin', he said it would be a happy family occasions and "Brad and Anna's day' to be celebrated by family and friends . She's his misssus: A radiant bride Anna Martin and her new husband, Bradley Morcombe, walk back down the aisle after saying their wedding vows. Prior to the wedding, the new Mrs Morcombe paid tribute on Facebook to Bradley - whose twin brother, Daniel was the victim of one of Australia's most high profile child abduction and murder cases. She wrote, 'Love isn't always rosy, but true love is never giving up on the tougher times. 6 years together and we have definitely had our fair share of biff ups, disagreements and tears. On the upper hand, we have given each other the best times, helped each other and grown together. He is a once in a life time kinda boy and I'm gonna be his Mrs in a week' Cheeky boys: Bradley Morcombe (left) and twin brother Daniel as young boys. In 2003 at the age of 13, Daniel, was abducted and murdered although his family did not know what had happened to him until his remains were uncovered in 2011 after a long police investigation and the family was able to lay him to rest. Bradley said of his twin this year, there had not been a day since that he hadn't thought of him . The colour red - which came to symbolise Daniel, because of the last t-shirt he wore before he was abducted and in the long years while parents, Denise and Bruce, searched for their boy - was the theme of the wedding. Bride Anna Martin carried a bouquet of red roses and her bridesmaids wore long red strapless dresses and also carried red flowers. Ms Martin, 25, wore a slim-fitting white dress with a lace bodice and peplum, floor length train and veil. Bradley Morcombe had paid tribute in the lead-up to his wedding to Ms Martin, saying Daniel would 'looking down from heaven' on the ceremony. Success story: The hands of newly wedded couple Anna Martin and Bradley Morcombe are pictured. Bradley's father, Bruce Morcombe, said that in the years following the disappearance and abduction murder of Bradley's twin brother, Daniel, it had been of utmost importance both to find Daniel's remains and to keep his family together. He said he has watched on proudly as older son Dean and Bradley have passed their life milestones. 'They both have good jobs, a steady girlfriend and they've purchased houses,' he said . Always in his heart: Bradley Morcombe (right) pictured on his wedding day, wearing a photograph of his beloved late twin brother Daniel (pictured, left above) pinned to a red rose over his heart. 'He is with us all the time, every single day,' Bradley said earlier this year. 'He's still part of the family. He'll always be my brother and I'll always miss him, no matter what happens in the future' Beautiful tribute: In a card to his new wife Anna Martin, Bradley Morcombe wrote a touching tribute. In a photograph of the card posted on Facebook by the new Mrs Morcombe can be seen his words, 'I've always dreamt of having you as my wife. Today my dream comes true. You're the most beautiful girl' Bradley, Daniel and Ms Martin all attended Siena Catholic College in south-east Queensland before Daniel disappeared while waiting for a bus at Woombye on the Sunshine Coast as he planned to go Christmas shopping, on December 7, 2003. His remains were only discovered in August 2011, after years of searching in which the Morcombes refused to give up searching for their son and 'bringing him home'. Bruce Morcombe told Daily Mail Australia earlier this month that as important as it had been 'bringing Daniel home, he had been determined over the last decade not to let the tragedy tear his family apart, as well as helping his other two sons to live productive and happy lives. A week before the wedding, Ms Martin posted a tribute to her husband-to-be Bradley, saying, 'Love isn't always rosy, but true love is never giving up on the tougher times. 6 years together and we have definitely had our fair share of biff ups, disagreements and tears. On the upper hand, we have given each other the best times, helped each other and grown together. He is a once in a life time kinda boy and I'm gonna be his Mrs in a week'. Driving force: Denies and Bruce Morcombe (pictured with their book earlier this month) said as well as finding the remains of their lost son Daniel, it had been of paramount importance to keep their family together under the strains and pressures , which he hoped to impart to other families suffering tragedy and loss. Their book 'Where is Daniel? The Family's Story' written with Lindsay Simpson and published by Pan MacMillan, is available from bookshops . The wedding was officiated by celebrant and the former policewoman Julie Elliott who acted as the special family liaison officer for the Morcombes in the years while Daniel was missing. The ceremony has come after a tumultuous year for the family, with the trial and conviction of Brett Peter Cowan for Daniel's abduction and murder; Cowan was jailed for life in March this year. On August 2, Denise and Bruce Morcombe launched their book, 'Where is Daniel? The Family's story', published by Pan MacMillan, which Mr Mrocombe said was part inside story and partly a guide for families who had experienced traumatic life events. 'If the Morcombes can stay together, well so can others,' he said. 'The book ... is very much a survival of the Morcombe family, so that out experience will benefit other families.'It was very much a concerted decision [for us] to be strong. You are very much aware through media reports how a significant life event almost always results in the family exploding.'The wedding we hope will be a very positive and happy family event. 'In the back of everyone's minds, there is where is Daniel, where is the twin? But it is Brad and Anna's day.' On her wedding day, the bride posted the following message on her Facebook page, 'Bradley Morcombe you amaze me every single day. I love you, I can't wait much longer to see your cute little possum face xxx', followed after the ceremony by a photo of the groom with the words, 'Proud as punch to have me as his mrs'. The couple has gone on honeymoon to French Polynesia, posting happy messages about their time away. Earlier this year, Bradley Morcombe told Australian Women's Weekly there had not been a day since that he hadn't thought of his brother. 'He is with us all the time, every single day,' Bradley said. 'He's still part of the family. He'll always be my brother and I'll always miss him, no matter what happens in the future.' In a card to his new wife, a photo of which is posted on Facebook, Brad Morcombe writes, 'I've always dreamt of having you as my wife. Today my dream comes true. You're the most beautiful girl.' | Bradley Morcombe has worn a photo of his twin brother Daniel over his heart for his wedding to sweetheart, Anna Martin .
Bradley and older brother Dean both wore pendant photos of Daniel, who was abducted and murdered in December 2003 .
Red roses were a theme at the happy family ceremony, symbolising the colour which represents the Daniel Morcombe Trust .
Daniel, 13, disappeared while wearing a red t-shirt on his way to Xmas shopping .
The wedding tops off an important year for the Morcombes with the jailing of Daniel's killer and publication of the parents' book .
Bride Anna Martin paid tribute to Bradley, 'true love is never giving up in the tough times'
Bradley wrote 'I've always dreamt of having you as my wife. Today my dream comes true beautiful girl' |
15b9a3ecca34869d4132d6ec3afc01b0170b74c6 | By . Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 23:13 EST, 8 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:21 EST, 9 May 2012 . Rush Limbaugh’s parent company lost millions of dollars in revenue after the controversy following the right wing radio host’s referral to a college student as a ‘slut,’ Cumulus Media CEO Lew Dickey said. Mr Dickey noted in a quarterly call with financial advisers that the snafu ‘hit us pretty hard. He added that the loss was around ‘a couple of million bucks in the first quarter and a couple of million bucks in quarter two.’ Hole in the purse? Cumulus Media CEO Lew Dickey, left, said the company lost 'a couple of million bucks' in revenue after Rush Limbaugh, right, called a college student a 'slut' Spoof: Saturday Night Live poked fun at advertiser's scrambling to pull out, and their 'replacement' with not-so-desirable sponsors . Limbaugh brought about a storm of backlash after he referred to Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke as a ‘slut’ and a ‘prostitute’ after she testified in Washington that birth control should be covered by health insurance companies. Following the incident, dozens of advertisers pulled their content. In the end, nearly 100 sponsors withdrew their support, according to liberal watchdog group Media Matters. Limbaugh insisted during the controversy that more advertisers were filling the gaps, the New York Daily News reported. The incident was famously lampooned by Saturday Night Live’s Taran Killam, who played Limbaugh as he announced some of his new advertisers, including the Syria Tourism Board and Sherman’s Imitation Mayonnaise.’ Beginning: The drama began when Limbaugh called Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a 'slut' Only 38 stations that air Limbaugh’s program are owned by Cumulus – the rest of the more than 600 stations are owned by Clear Channel Media. According to Media Matters, the latter media group saw their first quarter revenues increase by six per cent to $571.5million. Conservative website The Right Sphere waved off possible implications of Mr Dickey’s announcement, calling the loss in revenue the equivalence of a ‘rounding error.’ Limbaugh was also in the news today for launching a site in rebuttal to the progressive women’s group, the National Organisation for Women. Bodacious: Limbaugh announced Tuesday the launch of 'Rush Babes for America' The new association, dubbed the National Organisation for Rush Babes, is ‘dedicated to the millions of conservative women who know what they believe in: family, American Values, and not being told by Faux Feminist Groups how to think.’ Limbaugh said on his program Tuesday that NOW has one main problem: ‘The flaw…is thinking that they speak for women. 'If there was ever a group that speaks for an almost infinitesimal minority of women, it’s them,' he said, according to Politico. Media Matters’ creator Angelo Carusone fired back, saying that it’s a ‘telling coincidence that Limbaugh launched “Rush Babes for America” on the same day that one of his affiliate providers reported millions in losses direction attributable to Limbaugh’s show.’ | Cumulus Media CEO said company lost 'couple of million bucks' in both first and second quarter .
Media group estimates that around 100 advertisers pulled out after Limbaugh called law student a 'slut' |
15b9ee671b7477bd239c76e068b662ccd17cd3df | By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 10:32 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:01 EST, 4 January 2014 . Guilty: Kirsty Cox wept as she was jailed for two years for fraud totalling £450,000 . It seemed like an impossibly good deal. But when word spread about new iPads being sold at cut-price rates, dozens of buyers paid up in advance. Unfortunately, it was indeed too good to be true. Customers ended up £1.1million out of pocket after being tricked into believing businesswoman Kirsty Cox, 37, could deliver thousands of discounted tablets before Christmas. By the time the mother-of-two was arrested, a mob had gathered outside her house demanding the iPads they had paid for. Feelings were running so high she was kept in custody for her own safety. Yesterday, Cox wept as she was jailed for two years at Teesside Crown Court after admitting a £450,000 fraud. Passing sentence, Judge George Moorhouse said her actions had caused misery, especially to ‘young children who were expecting presents which never arrived’. Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said Cox conned people into thinking she could provide iPads cheaply by claiming she had a number of legitimate sources. Buyers believed they would get £50 to £100 off the retail price. Cox told some people that a contact in the Armed Forces could source duty-free tablets from Dubai and others that a company she knew was selling them off cheaply as they had been on the shelves for 90 days. The 37-year-old told customers she could get her hands on cut-price iPads. After initially fulfilling orders, the word spread and Cox faced an influx of orders, which she failed to honour. By the time she was arrested in December 2012 crowds of angry customers had gathered outside her home . She took payment up front and was able . to fulfil initial orders. As word spread, impressed customers made . orders for friends, family and colleagues. The court heard Cox spent . £1.52million on full-price iPads at PC World, but had to sell them on at . a loss. As time went by, . she was unable to fulfil many orders and pressure mounted. Individual . victims lost between £400 and £232,000 in the scam between August and . December 2012. One . unidentified victim feared losing his businesses and home in the . fall-out, the court heard. A woman cancelled her own wedding to try to . pay back the people she had taken money from to give to Cox. Cox admitted four counts of fraud at Teesside Crown Court. Judge Moorhouse said her offending had caused 'misery' to many people in the run up to Christmas, leaving them without the presents they believed they had purchased for loved ones . Paul . Cleasby, defending, described her business model as ‘ludicrous and . frankly bizarre’ and claimed she made no money from the venture. ‘There . was no planning, there was no sophistication,’ he said. ‘It seems to . have been a snowball effect which quickly turned to an avalanche.’ Cox, described as a ‘well-presented’ woman, used her ‘niceness’ to win people’s trust. Her . business partner Neil Hathaway, who ran a successful communications . firm, said that she had also traded on his good name. The court heard . his company lost £40,000 as a result of the scam. ‘I am shocked by the . extent of the deception and I am hurt,’ he said. Cox, . of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, told police she was unable to . deliver 4,000 iPads ordered by customers, saying: ‘I have made some . very, very, very bad business decisions.’ Mr Cleasby added: ‘There was no exit strategy. The business model was doomed from the outset.’ | Kirsty Cox tricked people into thinking she could get hold of cheap iPads .
But after taking their money she failed to deliver the goods .
37-year-old admitted four counts of fraud totalling £450,000 .
Prosecutor told court Cox's customers had lost more than £1.1million .
Judge told the mother-of-two she had caused 'misery' to her victims .
Cox wept as she was sentenced to two years in prison . |
15ba20a16a85af58f49a43c326e5a93605806bcb | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 9:06 PM on 26th February 2012 . A couple were married at a gas station pump with police officers as witnesses after the groom was arrested on the way to his wedding. Police pounced on Caleb Rogers, 28, with their weapons drawn after he was found at a gas station on Thursday. Rogers had violated his parole. After he was put in handcuffs, Rogers told police that he had been en route to tie the knot with his fiancee in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Wedded bliss: Caleb Rogers, 28, was arrested for violating his parole in Albuquerque, New Mexico while on the way to his own wedding . The officers decided to show some leniency and allow the ceremony to go ahead - but on the forecourt. Police turned into wedding planners and set everything up for the couple, calling in a Justice of the Peace. Albuquerque . Police Department Officer Mark Aragon told KOAT: 'Obviously . they had the compassion to go ahead and allow the ceremony, but we were . also safe about it. He was under arrest and handcuffed. He added: 'I guess you could call it a love story.' Slick operation: The wanted man and his fiancee were married on the forecourt by a Justice of the Peace after arresting officers arranged it . However the honeymoon was off - Rogers was wanted for violating his parole and was being held without bond. He has a long criminal history mostly involving drugs and charges including kidnapping, aggravated battery and extortion. Rogers had been due to attend a parole meeting last Wednesday but didn't show up. He claims it was because he wanted to get married. Official say that he skipped the appointment because of a mandatory drugs test. | Caleb Rogers, 28, said vows in handcuffs . |
15bac2216541c0f9cfc2d734973c82ef08294cdf | These shocking pictures show the terrible injuries inflicted on a nurse when two muggers punched, stamped on and kicked her as she waited for a bus outside a hospital. Lorna Hobson, 65, believed she was going to die as she was beaten on her way home from work. As she lay screaming in agony opposite Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital the two young men ran off – only to return to continue the attack before finally making off with her bag. Nurse Lorna Hobson, pictured left before the attack, was left with horrific injuries, pictured right, after she was attacked by two male muggers as she made her way home from work at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital . Mrs Hobson has been left so shocked that she says she will probably never work in nursing again. ‘It was obvious I was a nurse,’ said Mrs Hobson, who was left with injuries all over her body including deep bruises on her face and across her ribs. Now: Mrs Hobson is still recovering from the attack nearly two weeks later . ‘I feel angry they didn’t see my . uniform. I was wearing a big coat with NHS written on it but that didn’t . make any difference to these two men. They didn’t have any respect for . me or my uniform. ‘I . just find it so hard to comprehend and why did they have to beat me so . badly? I am still in a lot of pain and I am still traumatised. I still . can’t believe it happened to me.’ The health care assistant for the hospital’s evening and night service was attacked on December 28 at around 10pm after she had finished a four-hour shift. Mrs Hobson, a married mother of three with five grandchildren who has been in nursing for 22 years, said: ‘We’d had a lovely evening, we had cut up the Christmas cake and had a nice time. I was really happy when I left.’ She then walked from the hospital to the bus stop outside to wait for the number 87 to take her home. ‘I walked down the path to the bus stop and I stood inside the bus shelter, which is brightly lit,’ she said. ‘I noticed two youths across the road. They passed me and they must have come up behind me.‘One of them said something about the time. I remember looking at my watch and then they jumped on me and grabbed my bag. I screamed and they punched me full in the face. Scene of the crime: Mrs Hobson was attacked by the two men as she waited at this bus stop to get home after finishing her shift at a nearby hospital . Mrs Hobson had just completed a four hour evening shift working as a health care assistant at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital . ‘They dragged me out of the shelter and up a gravel path nearby. I was screaming. It was dark and I couldn’t see anything. I just remember screaming and the kicks, the punches and the stamping.’ Still scared: Mrs Hobson said it is unlikely she will return to work after the incident . Mrs Hobson said the robbers left, possibly because they had been disturbed, but then came back to continue the assault. ‘I remember lying on the ground and thinking, “They’ve gone, I’m safe and I’m alive” – but then I saw them coming back and they started it all over again. ‘I thought it was going to be the end and they were going to kill me.’ The thugs finally stopped the beating when they were spotted by a woman passer-by and fled with Mrs Hobson’s shoulder bag, which had her purse containing £60 and her house keys in it, along with medical paperwork. The passer-by helped Mrs Hobson to her feet and took her to her own casualty department. ‘After all that, it’s all a bit of a blur,’ she said. ‘I remember thinking, “I hope my patients’ notes are safe.” ‘I don’t feel I hate the people who hurt me, but for 22 years I have been a nurse and I have avoided anything happening to me. 'I doubt very much that I will be going back to work.’ The youths were described as 16 to 20, 6ft tall, skinny and dark-skinned. One was wearing grey jogging bottoms and a dark top. | Lorna Hobson, 65, was attacked near Sheffield's Northern General Hospital .
Her two attackers ran off before returning to steal her handbag .
The health care assistant is still recovering from the assault on Dec 28 . |
15bc1130591f9b8dfbea09b9f3ac0eec9c97fab4 | By . Mark Duell . ITV is set to increase the number of black, Asian and ethnic minority actors on its drama shows by introducing quotas, it was claimed today. The US-style diversity system would give guaranteed roles to an agreed number of minority actors, and will reportedly be announced later this month by ITV television director Peter Fincham. It comes after ITV drama director Steve November branded the all-white casts on some of the channel’s most-watched shows including Mr Selfridge and Doc Martin as ‘frankly dull’. All-white: The US-style diversity 'quota' system would see an agreed number of minority actors guaranteed roles. The cast of ITV period drama Mr Selfridge are pictured . No black actors: ITV medical drama Doc Martin, with Men Behaving Badly star Martin Clunes pictured centre . A campaign supported by British ethnic minority stars including David Harewood, Meera Syal and Lenny Henry has called on more to be done to get non-white actors into the TV industry. And an ITV source told the Sunday Mirror: ‘There is going to be a real push here to get more black and Asian people on some of the biggest shows on the channel.’ BBC Director-General Tony Hall said last month that the Corporation would set up a new £2.1million 'diversity creative talent fund' to help 'fast-track' shows by ethnic minority talent onto the screen. He also announced that the BBC would create a series of development programmes aimed at encouraging future commissioners and executives from ethnic minority backgrounds. Changes: A campaign supported by British ethnic minority stars including Lenny Henry (left) and David Harewood (right) has called on more to be done to get non-white actors into the TV industry . Diversity push: Some shows like Downton Abbey have managed to introduce black faces in later series . However, earlier this month British actor Ricky Whittle - a former star of Hollyoaks and contestant on Strictly Come Dancing - said he believes UK television is ahead of the US in terms of diversity. 'There is going to be a real push here to get more black and Asian people on some of the biggest shows on the channel' ITV source . The 32-year-old Manchester-born star is in the cast of hit new US drama The 100 but said he feels ‘typecast’ by the roles he is being offered across the Atlantic since moving to Los Angeles. His comments come in the wake of claims that the reverse is true, with some British black actors saying they were finding more opportunities in the US than at home. Harewood has said in the past how he has struggled to find roles at home despite drawing acclaim and an enhanced public profile for his appearances in US drama Homeland. Changes: The quota will reportedly be announced this month by ITV television director Peter Fincham (pictured) Today, he told the Sunday Mirror: ‘Quota is not an ugly word. We have to look at the concept, look at the American model, see how it worked and encourage - maybe even by law - the employment of a specific number of Bame (black and minority ethnic) actors to start pushing those people through.’ 'Quota is not an ugly word. We have to look at the concept, look at the American model, see how it worked' David Harewood . Last month Henry told MPs that Britain had been ‘haemorrhaging’ talent to the US because of the mistaken belief over in the UK that ethnic minority actors do not have enough star power. The acting chairman of the BBC Trust - the corporation's governing body - has also recently said that it should do more to 'provide an authentic portrayal' of modern Britain . Diane Coyle, who is in the running to replace Lord Patten as head of the trust, admitted its flagship soap EastEnders is 'almost twice' as white as the real East London. The ITV press office did not immediately return a request for comment from MailOnline today. | US-style 'quota' system would give minority actors guaranteed roles .
Some of ITV's top shows including Mr Selfridge have 'all-white casts'
David Harewood and Lenny Henry want more done on TV diversity . |
15be0cc5495bf2e1e9fe0d0ffc62dec41ad8b997 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:19 EST, 12 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:19 EST, 12 April 2013 . Authorities are reopening the case of a teen who hanged herself after she was allegedly raped and bullied for months. The police force's Nova Scotia office said it had received new and credible information in the case of 17-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons, whose family said she was photographed while being sexually assaulted in 2011 and bullied after the photo went viral online. Her death on Sunday has been compared to similar cases in the United States, including a 15-year-old California girl who killed herself after her family says she was sexually assaulted by friends and a photo surfaced online. Victim: Rehtaeh hanged herself on April 4 after a constant campaign of bullying on the Internet and in real life that lasted a staggering 17 months even though she switched schools and moved house . Police had concluded there were no grounds to charge anyone in the Canadian case after an initial yearlong investigation, but the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Halifax now say a person who provided new information is willing to verify who the suspects are and cooperate with investigators. The reopening of the case comes after police were publicly criticized for their handling of the case. Tragic: Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, killed herself after allegedly being gang-raped and then bullied . Corporal Scott MacRae said he could not provide any details about who the source is or what the new information is. He would not say whether they were a witness and said it's too early to speculate if there will be charges. 'We're certainly encouraged by this,' he said. MacRae said Parson's family had been informed, and they 'welcome the re-opening of the file.' The Nova Scotia government came under criticism after Justice Minister Ross Landry initially ruled out the possibility of reviewing how the RCMP handled allegations that Parsons was sexually assaulted. Landry changed course this week, saying he had asked senior officials for options to review how the Mounties and the Public Prosecution Service concluded they could not file charges. A group reported to be the cyber-activist hackers Anonymous released a statement Friday saying it has seen 'several public statements' from one of the alleged rapists acknowledging that he had sex with Parsons while she was intoxicated and that she threw up during the assault. The group had earlier vowed to release the names of four males investigated in the alleged sexual assault if police did not reopen its investigation. Speaking to MailOnline, the victim's . mother, Leah Parsons revealed that the boy who allegedly raped her . daughter then circulated . the picture of the assault has admitted to her that he sent it to his . friends because he was just ‘bragging’. Questions: The girl's mother wonders what more could have been done for Rehtaeh while she was still alive . Grieving: Rehtaeh, with her father Glen Canning, said that his daughter died 'struggling to live' He also denied being a rapist even . though the photo shows him smiling as he has sex with Rehtaeh, who was . 15 at the time, whilst she drunkenly vomits out of window. Photos of the incident were circulated around her school, prompting her to drop out and switch schools in hopes that the bullying would stop. A funeral service for Parsons is scheduled for Saturday. | Rehtaeh Parsons 'was raped by four classmates when she was 15'
They 'took a photo of the attack and circulated it around the school'
Photo shows 'rapist smiling as he has sex with Rehtaeh while she drunkenly vomits out of window'
Police investigated but did not press charges due to insufficient evidence .
Now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are reopening the case . |
15be4b7a90796d5f3fdd40cb7ef61d0129c0ac50 | Drug addicts should be given free heroin and not be regarded as criminals, one of the country’s most senior police officers said last night. Mike Barton said addicts deserve support and police could not ‘arrest our way out of the problem’. Outspoken: Mike Barton's campaign for drug reform has been widely critcised. He says police can not ‘arrest our way out of the problem’ Durham's Chief Constable advocated giving registered addicts the drug and letting them take it under supervision in a ‘consumption room’. Writing for the Huffington Post website, he said: ‘Their entrapment in criminal justice is a waste of police time and the state’s money and dissuades addicts from revealing themselves for treatment for fear of criminal consequences. 'Police should continue to tackle drug dealers.’ The comments are the latest salvo in his campaign for drug reform, which has been widely criticised. Reform: Durham's Chief Constable advocated giving registered addicts the drug and letting them take it under supervision in a ‘consumption room’ | Chief Constable Mike Barton advocates giving registered addicts the drug .
Believes users deserve support and police can't ‘arrest way out of problem'
Cop says addicts should take drug under supervision in a special room .
Durham chief constable's drug reform campaign has been widely criticised . |
15c0670e79554c910da5dd59817b4755eacfe406 | By . Emily Crane . Safety levels at three Australian airports run by military air traffic controllers has come under fire after a former Qantas chief pilot called on the government to investigate why their safety records were poorer than those of civilian counterparts. Chris Manning, who was Qantas' chief pilot from 2002-08, has called for a three person independent inquiry to examine why Darwin, Townsville and Newcastle airports are at higher risk of experiencing mid-air collisions, the Australian reports. The three airports, while not unsafe, have a higher number of 'loss of separation' incidents, which means passenger planes pass too close to each other, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau report. Scroll down for video . Former Qantas chief pilot Chris Manning has called for an independent inquiry into safety levels at three Australian airports run by military air traffic controllers . 'There should be no difference in the level of safety at all towered aerodromes that civil aircraft use,' Mr Manning told the newspaper. The report, released in October last year, found that military controllers were involved in 36 percent of loss of separation occurrences between 2008-12, even though they were responsible for controlling only 25 percent of aircraft movements. 'Most of these loss of separation occurrences were contributed to by air traffic controller actions,' the ATSB report found. 'This may be a result of the nature of aircraft operations and airspace constraints at some military airports, leading to reduced use and effectiveness of strategic separation defences, thereby placing more responsibility for separating aircraft directly onto the controllers.' Newcastle Airport is one of three run by military air traffic controllers because they are adjacent to military bases . Darwin, Townsville and Newcastle airports are all next to military bases, which means military air traffic controllers are responsible for controlling civil air traffic too. 'I find it difficult to believe that a ATSB report that highlights safety issues has received scant attention - makes you wonder why they bother doing a report if there's no obvious desire to address the real problems raised,' Mr Manning said. He has also called on the government to subject Australia's military air traffic controllers to the same safety auditing the Civil Aviation Safety Authority conducts on its civilian counterparts. The three airports, while not unsafe, have a higher number of 'loss of separation' incidents, which means passenger planes pass too close to each other . | Chris Manning has called for an inquiry to investigate why safety records of military air traffic controllers is poorer than civilian counterparts .
Darwin, Townsville and Newcastle airports are at a higher risk of mid-air collisions, according to safety bureau figures .
Mr Manning, who was Qantas' chief pilot from 2002-08, says there should be no difference between safety levels . |
15c129fd8f981fbbde040629b3dd5c67f08252ec | By . Jessica Satherley . UPDATED: . 13:49 EST, 11 November 2011 . Three gang members faced jail today after being found guilty of possessing a sub-machine gun and its ammunition, which was found stashed near a children's playground. The . Sterling 9mm weapon, which fires 500 rounds a minute, and a . balaclava, were discovered on the Pembury Estate in . east London by a Hackney Gangs Unit. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the police officers . were cycling past the play park, an area known as a hang-out for the . Pembury Boys gang, when there was a commotion and around ten men dispersed. The weapon: The Sterling Parabellum 9mm sub-machine gun was found on the Pembury Estate in east London by a Hackney Gangs Unit . The suspicious officers searched the area and found the weapon wrapped in a plastic bag. Not far from the scene, they found bullets, a kitchen knife and a balaclava, also in a plastic bag. Fingerprints belonging to the defendants were found on the bags. Tyrell Goather, 21,and Helal Miah, . 17, were sentenced to a combined eight years in prison, while Philip . Johnson, 18, was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order at . Snaresbrook Crown Court for possession. Found guilty: Helal Miah (left) was sentenced to three years in jail and Tyrell Goather (right) was sentenced to five years in prison . They are all believed to be ‘younger’ members of the notorious Pembury Boys gang, whose turf war with the rival London Fields Gang was the inspiration for Channel 4 drama Top Boy about East London gangs. Goather was also key witness in the murder trial of Shaquille Smith, who was stabbed as he sat in a park near London Fields in 2008. Jailing the defendants, Judge Wendy Joseph said: ‘There have been many incidents in London in recent years when young people have been killed or maimed and innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Philip Johnson was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order . ‘This was a British Army issue sub-machine gun capable of being fired repeatedly. It was in a children's playground on a heavily populated estate. It was near to live ammunition that could be fired from it. ‘It is obvious that a gun to be used to threaten only does not require ammunition.’ A hat and bike belonging to Miah were dumped near to the weapon. The gun was linked to two non-fatal shootings in south London in 2009 after undergoing police testing. Both Miah and Goather denied the charges and gave alternative explanations as to why their DNA was found on the weapon and bullets, but their accounts were rejected by a jury. Johnson, who is homeless after his gang activity put his family in danger, admitted looking after the bullets for ‘around half an hour’ while he was staying with a friend. Describing the offence as one of ‘significant gravity’ Judge Joseph said: ‘I know it is not easy to grow up on such an estate where there are others encouraging people to join activities that are not legal. ‘But yours is a story of why no young person should join a gang.’ Sentencing Goather, whose testimony jailed the murderers of his friend Shaquille, she added: ‘You of all people should have known better than to associate himself with those who obtain weapons.’ The men are all believed to be members of the Pembury Boys gang, whose turf war with the rival London Fields Gang was the inspiration for Channel 4 drama Top Boy (Top Boy actors pictured) Goather was convicted of possession of an offensive weapon and possession of ammunition and sentenced to five years in prison. Miah, who can be named after the judge lifted reporting restrictions, was convicted of the same offences and sentenced to three years in prison. Johnson, who admitted possession of ammunition, was found not guilty of possession of an offensive weapon and was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order due to the six months he had served in custody on remand. Detectives from the borough’s Operation Bantam gun crime unit later linked the weapon to the three through DNA evidence and analysis of phones. Police believe they were left in charge of the weapon for the ‘older’ members of the Pembury gang. | They are believed to be members of the Pembury Boys, whose turf war inspired TV show Top Boy .
Sterling gun can fire 500 rounds a minute . |
15c14d4d734cd465fb8af2d9b37f646c15669055 | Pauline Cafferkey (pictured) faces disciplinary action over claims she concealed being unwell when she returned from Africa . The nurse who became the first Briton to be diagnosed with ebola in the UK faces disciplinary action over claims she concealed being unwell when she returned from Africa. Pauline Cafferkey, who spent almost a month in an isolation unit in London earlier this year while her life hung in the balance, is one of five medics being investigated. Their ‘fitness to practise’ is being assessed by regulators. According to one unsubstantiated report, a temperature test showed that Ms Cafferkey was over the limit – and others present were aware of it – but the result was not reported. In theory, if any of the five are judged to have broken professional standards, they could be ‘struck off’. However, bearing in mind the nature of their lifesaving efforts in Africa, they are more likely to receive a slap on the wrist if they fail to clear their names. It is understood the investigation centres on claims that signs of Ms Cafferkey’s illness were ignored before she flew back from Sierra Leone to Scotland, potentially placing fellow passengers at risk. The inquiries are an embarrassment for the UK, given the plaudits the country received for the work of British medical staff in the ebola-hit area. The nurse, who had spent three weeks working for Save The Children at an ebola treatment centre, was diagnosed with the virus on her return to Glasgow in December. According to reports at the time, she had complained of feeling ill when she landed at Heathrow from Sierra Leone, but despite having her temperature tested seven times she was cleared to fly on to Scotland. When Ms Cafferkey, 39, became feverish, she was transferred by RAF Hercules back to London to be treated at the Royal Free Hospital. After being treated with blood plasma from an ebola survivor and an experimental new drug, she made a full recovery. Now Ms Cafferkey and two other nurses are being investigated by their governing body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, while two doctors in their party are subject to a General Medical Council probe. The investigation was launched after Department of Health officials carried out a review of the screening process at Heathrow for the 30 NHS staff who flew back from the affected region with Ms Cafferkey. Drama: Ms Cafferkey recovered after being flown from Glasgow (pictured) to London for treatment . An interim hearing to decide whether Ms Cafferkey should be placed on restricted duties could be held within days: the Nursing and Midwifery Council can bar or suspend nurses from the profession because of misconduct or incompetence, or on grounds of ‘character’ or poor health. Officials were forced to trace more than 200 passengers who had sat close to Ms Cafferkey during her journey from Sierra Leone. A Save The Children review concluded that she probably contracted the virus by wearing a visor as part of her protective equipment instead of goggles. At the time, the charity’s chief executive, Justin Forsyth, said: ‘Lessons have already been learned and as a result of the findings we have further tightened our protocols and procedures.’ Dr Martin Deahl, who sat next to Ms Cafferkey on the flight to the UK, said screening procedures at Heathrow were ‘shambolic’. Last night, the nursing council and GMC confirmed they were investigating allegations about the conduct of three nurses and two doctors. A spokesman for Ms Cafferkey said last night: ‘Since she returned from Sierra Leone, Ms Cafferkey has fully co-operated with all investigations being undertaken by the relevant bodies and she will continue to do so. 'These are ongoing and it would therefore be inappropriate for her to make any public comment at the present time.’ | Pauline Cafferkey became first Briton to be diagnosed with ebola in the UK .
The nurse spent almost a month in isolation unit in London earlier this year .
Faces disciplinary action over claims she concealed being unwell on return from Africa .
The 39-year-old is one of five medics being investigated, it has emerged .
Spokesman for Ms Cafferkey says she has fully co-operated with all investigations . |
15c1bd18fef5458c5d1413564df19c3af6b94ce1 | (CNN) -- The 5-year-olds in Janet Vollmer's kindergarten class heard the noise: Pop. Pop. Pop. What was that noise? They looked to Vollmer for answers. They were too young to understand what it meant when they heard the gunfire Friday outside their classroom door at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. They never heard of Columbine. They didn't know anything about Virginia Tech. These children, at that tender age, couldn't comprehend the kind of carnage created by a mass shooting -- the same kind of shooting that by the end of the day would make their school the scene of the second worst school shooting in U.S. history. Shooting triggers 'mind battle' for Columbine victims . Outside Vollmer's classroom, a heavily armed gunman wearing black fatigues and a military vest was taking aim at children and educators. In a few minutes, 20 children and six educators were dead. Eighteen of the pupils -- between the ages of 5 and 10 -- died where they fell, investigators say. Two more were pronounced dead at an area hospital. Inside the classroom, Vollmer's job -- as it has been nearly every day for 18 years -- was to keep the children calm, focused on the task at hand. "You could hear what sounded like pops, gunshots," she told CNN late Friday. Timeline: Worst mass shootings in U.S. The children had been through emergency lockdown drills at the schools. So when Vollmer locked the doors and put the blinds down they knew what to do, "go over in the safe area" in the back of the classroom. There, Vollmer read to the children. Still the children knew something was not right. "It didn't seem a natural thing to them," she said. When they asked questions about what was happening, Vollmer and her teaching aides told them: "We're not really sure, but we're going to be safe, because we're sitting over here and we're all together." First-grade teacher Kaitlin Roig heard what sounded like the rapid firing of an assault rifle. "I knew something was wrong," she told ABC "World News" anchor Diane Sawyer. She herded the 14 children, ages 6 and 7, into the class bathroom. She helped some climb onto the toilet so they could all fit in the tiny room. Then she locked the door. "I just told them we have to be absolutely quiet," Roig told Sawyer. As the minutes ticked by, the children asked Roig if the could "go see if anyone is out there." No, she told them. What really makes schools safer? "If they started crying, I would take their face and tell them, 'It's going to be OK.' I wanted that to be the last thing they heard, not the gunfire in the hall." In a nearby classroom, 8-year-old Alexis Wasik didn't know what was going on. She, too, heard the shots. But it wasn't until she heard the sirens wail that she and her classmates put it together: A shooting at the school. "Everybody was crying," she told CNN. Alexis and her classmates huddled together in the back of the classroom. "We heard an ambulance and police officer come and everyone was a little scared, crying, and I felt actually a little sick and like I was going to throw up," she later told ABC's Sawyer. "Kids were crying, not really like screaming, but they were all huddling together." Back in Vollmer's classroom, she was concentrating on her job "to keep them safe." There was no announcement over the school's loudspeaker to announce an emergency, a routine occurrence during emergency drills. "My instinct was that it wasn't good," Vollmer said. School shooting: Shattering the sense of safety . What Vollmer didn't know was that the principal, Dawn Hochsprung, and school psychologist Mary Sherlach had been shot and killed. Soon police officers were banging on Vollmer's classroom door. The kindergartners were told to line up and cover their eyes as they were led by police out of the school to a nearby firehouse, Vollmer said. Police also evacuated Roig and her students to the firehouse. Somewhere in the school building, authorities later said, was the gunman's body. Police believe he committed suicide, turning a gun on himself. Also in the building, the bodies of classmates and faculty. As reports of the shooting made their way around town, frantic parents descended on a nearby firehouse where the children had been taken. "Why? Why?" one woman wailed as she walked up a wooded roadway leading from the school. Inside the firehouse, Vollmer's kindergartners were beginning to understand something terrible had happened. "They saw other people upset," Vollmer said. "We just held them close until their parents came." A parents' promise: I will keep you safe . Alexis also ended up at the firehouse. There, she was reunited with her mother. "It just doesn't seem real," Alexis' mother told WABC. "It feels like a nightmare. You drop your kids at school, hugs and kisses, have a good day, I'll see you later and see you at the end of the day and you never know, in 20 minutes from now what's going to happen." People are sharing their concern and sadness over the Newtown school shooting. What are your thoughts? Share them with CNN iReport. CNN's Greg Botelho and Jason Hanna contributed to this report. | Teacher Janet Vollmer read out loud to students to calm them during the shooting .
"You could hear what sounded like pops, gunshots," she told CNN .
Twenty children and six educators were killed in the shooting, authorities say .
The gunman appears to have committed suicide, police say . |
15c20324e900c89290a2702370521fcb64101d7f | WASHINGTON -- You can blame it on out-of-towners. In January, passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 had to be rescued out of the Hudson River after a bird strike. Smithsonian Institution scientists say it was migratory Canada geese -- and not resident Canada geese -- that caused US Airways Flight 1549 to ditch in New York's Hudson River on January 15. More specifically, it was at least two female and one male geese flying at approximately 2,900 feet that got sucked into the two engines of the Airbus A320, disabling both engines and causing one of the more spectacular water landings in aviation history. All 155 people safely evacuated the jet. Officials knew almost from the start that Canada geese were responsible for the incident, both because of Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger's radio report and because few other types of birds flock at that altitude in the mid-Atlantic. But on Monday, the eve of a three-day National Transportation Safety Board hearing into the crash, the Smithsonian announced that sophisticated scientific techniques allowed them to conclude that the Flight 1549 birds were Canada geese from Labrador, Canada, and were significantly different from geese in New York City. Museum scientists said molecular study of feathers found in the engines leads them to believe the birds had probably nested in Labrador in the summer of 2008 and migrated to the New York region for the winter. On the day of the crash, Smithsonian wildlife biologist Peter Marra said, the ground was covered with snow, and the flock was probably on a short flight south looking for clear ground or water on which to forage for food. Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are "essentially flying cows," Marra said, given their unrelenting quest for food. The migratory birds are among the largest species of bird in North America, with an estimated weight of about 8 pounds each. The determination that the birds were the 8-pound variety and not the 4-pound Brant geese is likely to comfort jet engine designers, since the engines are designed to survive strikes from 4-pound birds. But the finding also is likely to raise questions about whether engine requirements should be more robust to survive strikes from 8-pound birds. Bird strikes remain one of the most intractable problems facing aviation. There were more than 7,400 bird strikes in the United States in 2007, including 110 that caused substantial damage to aircraft. But the Federal Aviation Administration estimates that only 20 percent of strikes are reported. Airports attempt to manage local populations of birds by harassing them, typically by creating loud noises that scare the birds away, or by killing birds. But migratory birds require other approaches, such as monitoring their movements and improved radar. Smithsonian scientists say it is important to study bird migration patterns to prevent future collisions. Carla Dove of the Smithsonian's Feather Identification Lab says the Smithsonian has been conducting bird strike identifications for the FAA and the military for more than 50 years. Shortly after the US Airways Flight 1549 incident, the museum got its first feather from a U.S. Department of Agriculture biologist working with the NTSB. In all, the museum got several batches of remains, some from an engine that remained under water three days, and the rest from an engine on the Hudson River bottom for nine days. At the Smithsonian's Conservation Institute labs in Suitland, Maryland, scientists examined isotopes in the feathers. The stable-hydrogen isotope values in feathers can serve as geographic markers since they reflect the types of vegetation in the bird's diet at the time it grew new feathers, Marra said. The feather samples were compared to a reference library of 620,000 specimen at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois, the Smithsonian said. The finding, published today in "Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment," concluded the geese were from the Labrador area. "Although these geese were [migratory], we do not believe that these individuals were actually migrating north to return to breeding areas. Instead, we hypothesize that these birds were undertaking a short-distance movement on their wintering grounds in response to freezing temperatures and snow cover, in an effort to find open water and food, a behavior commonly found in species of birds wintering at temperate latitudes," the report says. At the time of the US Airways bird strike, the flock was in the upper limits of their flying abilities, the Smithsonian said. About "3,000 feet is pretty much their limit," Dove said. The highest known bird strike came when a jet in Africa hit a vulture at 37,000 feet, she said. Marra and Dove said "billions" of birds threaten aviation. Consequently, more research needs to be done on radar capable of detecting birds, more information is needed on migratory patterns and scientists need to integrate weather patterns into models that can predict bird movements, they said. | Feather samples lead Smithsonian Institution to migratory Canadian geese .
Birds probably nested in Canada's Labrador area and migrated to New York .
Smithsonian has been conducting bird strike IDs for FAA , military for decades .
Species weighs about 8 pounds, while plane engines built to handle 4-pound birds . |
15c38d317181925b251e01ffbd723bd93815e754 | Amazing footage of a migrating humpback whale caught on a GoPro camera off the coast of Sydney has emerged. Tourist Michael Theis captured the moments the chilled out creature peered out of the water to say hello to the wildlife lovers while he was on a tour with Whale Watching Sydney. The excited boatload of people had their cameras at the ready as the amazing creature spent half an hour with the tour on Monday afternoon. The incredible footage was caught by tourist Michael Theis on a Whale Watching Sydney tour on Monday . The boat was about nine miles off shore when the friendly whale spent half an hour floating in the sun catching up on some rays after days of unseasonable weather, it was the wettest August in 16 years. Richard Ford, manager of Whale Watching Sydney told Daily Mail Australia: 'We do daily tours and from this time of year till December we normally see quite a lot of whales because they are migrating south back towards the Antarctic. 'We go out of the harbour and off the coast twice a day and it is quite usual for them to be that inquisitive. The migrating humpback whale caught on a GoPro camera off the coast of Sydney . This was the moment the friendly whale came out to play with the onlookers off the coast of Sydney . 'They go north to breed and give birth and on the way back they are much more relaxed. 'When they are going north they are are focussed. On the way back they have to make sure the babies are strong going south because they will encounter killer whales' he said. Mr Ford, who has owned the company with his brother Will since 2000, added: 'It is called a mugging when they come up to the boat like this. Mr Ford said: 'We go out of the harbour and off the coast twice a day and it is quite usual for them to be that inquisitive' The whales are much more relaxed on their journey back to the Antarctic after giving birth . 'It gave our passengers a special afternoon and you can hear that in the footage, they were amazed.' 'We still have whales off the coast of Sydney for another three months until early December with mothers and their newborn calves making an appearance in the next four weeks or so. 'It's been a record year with about 20,000 whales on this migration from the Antarctic and about 2000 calves born as they increase their numbers by about 10 per cent each year' he added. | The relaxed migrating whale was heading south back towards to the Antarctic for feeding after mating season at the Great Barrier reef .
Tourist Michael Theis caught the footage on a high definition underwater GoPro camera while he was on board a tour .
It's been a record year with around 20,000 whales on this migration route and 2000 calves being born . |
15c65dfd2db58d368a048e25ed61178cb82ba413 | A man has been arrested after an attempt was made to steal a statue of Eric Morecambe, the late comedian. Police were called to Marine Road Central in Morecambe at about noon today following reports that the statue had been damaged. Lancashire Constabulary said it is thought that someone attempted to cut through one of the legs of the statue. Scroll down for video . The statue of Eric Morecambe was sawn off at the ankle as someone attempted to steal it . The council has now removed the statue and the area has been fenced off. The statue is a popular tourist attraction with many posing for photographs next to it in the Bring Me Sunshine pose. The statue of comedy legend Eric Morecambe before it was vandalised this morning . Mark Cullinan, the chief executive of Lancaster City Council, told the Morecambe Visitor: 'When we got to the site it was clear someone had sawed through most of Eric's leg and then left him like that. When we inspected it we knew we couldn't repair it at the site. 'We're removing him in a van and taking him to a safe and secure place, and will work with the sculptor to get him back as soon as possible. 'Already we've seen some anger from tourists and local people, and I think the general feeling is one of disbelief.' Graham Ibbeson, the sculptor of the statue, called it a 'moronic act'. Cllr Tracy Brown, from Morecambe Town Council, said: 'We have a very large supportive community trying to move Morecambe forward with carnivals, festivals and creative ideas. 'People put hours of voluntary time into lifting this town to a better future. We have been let down by this disrespectful act to our community.' The statue of Eric Morecambe faced towards the town where the comic was born and away from the sea . Her Majesty the Queen unveils the statue on the promenade at Morecambe on July 23, 1999 . It was awarded a Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor this year due to outstanding feedback from the website's users. The vandalism of the statue prompted a swift response on Twitter. The British Comedy Society tweeted: 'We're very distressed to hear this news. What an awful thing to have happened.' The official Morecambe FC Twitter feed said: 'Unbelievable that the Eric Morecambe statue has been vandalised. Let's get him back where he belongs. #Legend', while Morecambe and Lunesdale MP David Morris tweeted: 'Awful news of vandalism of the Eric Morecambe statue. I hope that the council can get the statue back up on the promenade where it belongs.' Only the statue's standing foot remains after the rest of it was placed face down in the back of a council van and driven away for repairs. A 32-year-old man from Morecambe has been arrested on suspicion of attempted theft and remains in custody. It was John Eric Bartholomew's mother Sadie who pushed her son into showbusiness when he was a youngster and Sadie who linked him up with young Ernest Wiseman, six months his senior in 1941. Apart from war service the two were together as a double act until Eric's death in 1984. The duo – now Morecambe & Wise – learned their trade in the music halls up and down the country until radio and TV beckoned. Their first television show, Running Wild in 1954, was not a success and one critic even wrote 'Definition of the week: TV set—the box in which they buried Morecambe and Wise.' The duo's famous dance was based on one performed by Groucho Marx in the film Horse Feathers . Seven years later at ITV they launched Two of a Kind with writers Dick Hills and Sid Green. In 1968, they were signed to the BBC where after one series Hills & Green left and the boys hired Eddie Braben to write their shows. It was Braben who introduced their 'personalities' with Ernie a miser with short fat hairy legs, and the 'plays wot [he] wrote'. He also had them sharing a bed. Eric was concerned that people might think they were a gay couple, hence he always smoked a pipe in the bedroom scenes. Braben silenced his criticism by pointing out if it was good enough for Laurel & Hardy to share a bed, it would be good enough for Morecambe & Wise. Braben along with producer John Ammonds and choreographer Ernest Maxin (who succeeded Ammonds as producer) made the duo the best-loved comedy pairing of the Seventies. It was a huge honour for celebrities to appear on The Morecambe & Wise Show, especially the Christmas special and among them were Dame Flora Robson, Penelope Keith, Laurence Olivier, Sir John Mills, Vanessa Redgrave, Eric Porter, Sir Harold Wilson, Angela Rippon, Dame Shirley Bassey, Ian Carmichael, Fenella Fielding, André Previn ('Mr Preview'), Peter Cushing (who in a running joke would keep turning up to complain that he had not been paid for an earlier appearance) and Frank Finlay as well as Glenda Jackson (as Cleopatra: 'All men are fools. And what makes them so is having beauty like what I have got...'). Eric Morecambe never liked the bed scenes with Ernie Wise, lest viewers thought them a gay couple . In 1976, they were both awarded the OBE. Their theme tune was Bring Me Sunshine and their famous dance was based on one performed by Groucho Marx in the film Horse Feathers. Eric suffered from heart trouble and had his first coronary on November 8, 1968 when he was 42. Although he recovered, it was always feared he would have another and thus it was on May 28, 1984, two weeks after his 58th birthday, he died after taking part in a show hosted by his close friend and comedian Stan Stennett at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. Ernie Wise died in 1999. On July 23, 1999 the Queen unveiled the statue of Eric on the promenade at Morecambe. | Police called at noon today following reports the statue had been vandalised .
Statue taken away and area around Marine Road Central in Morecambe fenced off; just one foot remains .
A 32-year-old man from Morecambe arrested on suspicion of attempted theft . |
15c721e058549f59aeef1f772c61bbc7174c6dcf | Luis Suarez claims to be loving life at Liverpool and has no thoughts of leaving Anfield. The Uruguay star has enjoyed a superb season for the Reds, scoring 31 goals and winning both the Professional Footballers' Association and Football Writers' player of the year awards. That came after a hugely controversial summer last year, when Suarez - serving a ban after biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic - tried to force a move away. Superstar: Luis Suarez has no intention of leaving Liverpool this summer after a fine season . Talk of exit: The striker is reportedly interesting La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona . Now transfer speculation has started again but Suarez, who earlier this week denied a clause allowing him to move to one of Europe's biggest clubs had been inserted into a contract signed in December, has been quick to distance himself from the rumours. The 27-year-old, who is reportedly of interest to Real Madrid, told Sky Sports News: 'I signed the contract because I love it here and I'm so happy here. If you're not happy here you don't sign any contract. 'Liverpool's team for me is one of the best in the world because nobody here in the dressing room thinks I am better than another and the people here inside Melwood work very well. 'I love it here and this mentality I like because maybe in some other dressing rooms I am bigger than you and another bigger, it's difficult for the team-mates to play together on the pitch in something like that.' Happy: Suarez only signed his new contract earlier this season and says he loves the club . Rewarded: The Uruguayan won the PFA Player of the Year, with Eden Hazard winning Young Player of the Year . | Luis Suarez says he loves Liverpool and won't be leaving this summer .
Real Madrid and Barcelona linked with the striker .
Suarez signed new contract earlier this season . |
15c8018bc518420ca1972dc076c4dc8723bd9c19 | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 08:54 EST, 11 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:20 EST, 11 February 2013 . A family has been reunited with their two missing cocker spaniels after actress and model Liz Hurley lent her support to their Twitter appeal. Matt and Laura Goodwin feared their beloved pets Ben and Muddles had been taken by dog-nappers after they vanished from their farm. The couple of St Breward, Cornwall, were terrified the 20-month-old brother and sister had been stolen to order amid a recent surge in thefts of black spaniels. Oliie Goodwin, 6, and his sister Tilly, 3, have been reunited with their two missing cocker spaniels after actress and model Liz Hurley boosted with their Twitter appeal . Cocker spaniels have become a popular choice for families looking for dogs, after the Duchess of Cambridge was seen with her pet dog Lupo. Mr Goodwin launched a social media campaign to find them and his search got an unexpected boost when celebrity spaniel owner Hurley saw the appeal on Twitter and urged her 376,000 followers to help. And just six days after their disappearance the puppies were spotted huddling for warmth on the roadside six miles from their home. Passing motorists recognised them from Liz Hurley's web appeal and reunited the starving pets with their ecstatic owners. Ms Hurley has several dogs, including Mia, a spaniel. Mrs Goodwin, 36, an accountant, said she felt 'honoured' that the pet lover urged her huge Twitter following to help find the family's missing puppies. She said: 'Our children have poured two months of pure love into those two dogs and the thought of them losing their best friends drove us on. 'Frankly, I was prepared to shamelessly exploit any connections we could find. I trawled for celebrities with spaniels and up came Liz Hurley. Spaniel owner Hurley saw the appeal on Twitter and urged her 376,000 followers to help. Just six days after their disappearance the puppies were spotted huddling for warmth on the roadside six miles from their home . Passing motorists recognised them from Liz Hurley's web appeal and reunited the starving pets with their ecstatic owners . 'She doesn't do a lot of retweeting, but as soon as Matt messaged her and gave her a link to the website, she could see that this was a genuine, heartfelt campaign. 'We were really honoured and grateful that she retweeted our message.' The couple had told their children 'white lies' while they searched for the animals, who ran off during a storm on January 28. After an initial search of the area and an advert in the local paper failed to find the two pets, Matt began spreading the news on Facebook and Twitter. The search soon went viral when Hurley, 47 - owner of a black spaniel named Mia - saw Mr Goodwin's appeal. She tweeted: '2 lost Spaniels missing since 28th around stbreward cornwall, please help us find them.' Their search was also bolstered by dozens of local volunteers - including the police and the Army. Mr Goodwin said: 'Camelford police kindly started the ball rolling by posting a message on their Facebook site. Twitter then allowed us the opportunity to speak directly with more people. 'We set the dogs up with a website to give more pictures and keep everyone up to date with any news. Mrs Goodwin, 36, an accountant, said she felt 'honoured' that pet lover Liz urged her huge Twitter following to help find the family's missing puppies because the children had poured 'two months of love into them' 'In the meantime we were searching and visiting places that we thought the dogs could have been and contacting local post offices, schools, pubs, shops and businesses. 'We spoke to anyone we saw, especially dog walkers. We saw the Army training and they agreed to keep an eye out and Bodmin Airfield and their pilots were also looking. 'There is big business in working dogs being stolen. We knew the dogs had run off, as time went on without news there was always the concern they might have been picked up and sold on quickly. 'Our biggest fear was that we would never know what had happened. It was really heart-warming, everybody got involved and people cared enough to share. 'A kind couple had hold of them by the side of the road then another car pulled up. The second couple exchanged all their details and proved their address and ensured our dogs got back to us.' The dogs have been checked over by vets and are now back home following the ordeal. Mrs Goodwin added: 'The dogs had lost two kilos, the were very weak and vulnerable. Hadthese people not stopped this story might have had a very different ending. 'The vet has given them a clean bill of health and they are back at home now, totally whacked from their ordeal but making a slow recovery. The children are just thrilled to have them back.' Pauline Reed, of Kevelek Gundogs in nearby St Austell, Cornwall, said the couple's fears about dog-nappers were well founded. She said: 'They are being stolen for money but also for breeding and even as bait for dog fighting. There are very well-organised gangs out there.' | Matt and Laura Goodwin feared their beloved pets Ben and Muddles had been stolen .
The couple launched an online appeal for the safe return of their dogs .
It was given unexpected boost when spaniel owner Hurley saw the appeal on Twitter and urged her .
376,000 followers to help . |
15c834099acd6069d23de11d423218b8e061237c | For David Moyes, the best, most suitable job in football is about to pass by. While Moyes considers taking a sabbatical following his dismal spell at Manchester United, Roy Keane is likely to land the manager’s role at Celtic. That would have been perfect for Moyes, who is still to win a trophy despite 10 fine years in charge at Everton. Missed opportunity: The Celtic job would have been the perfect way for David Moyes to rebuild his reputation . Baggage drop: Roy Keane will resurrect his own stalling managerial career in Glasgow . He could hardly fail as Celtic manager in Scotland, and could then return to England with a record of success, minus the millstone of his brief time at Manchester United. It certainly worked for Martin O’Neill, who did the ‘Double’ twice at Celtic, reached the final of the UEFA Cup — and was installed at Aston Villa in the days when owner Randy Lerner was new and ambitious. If Moyes’s next job is in the Premier League, he arrives with considerable baggage. He could have dumped that in Glasgow, as Keane will do now. Trophy haul: Martin O'Neill won three SPL titles with Celtic and then got the Aston Villa job . Exit: Neil Lennon left Celtic Park after winning three league titles in five seasons . | David Moyes should have taken the vacant Celtic job .
It would have been the perfect place to resurrect his tarnished reputation .
Republic of Ireland assistant Roy Keane likely to land the job . |
15c85881b7961b316f4395a0654322b10e95ee9b | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 00:34 EST, 2 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:38 EST, 2 September 2013 . The National Security Agency's spy program targeted the communications of the Brazilian and Mexican presidents, and in the case of Mexico's leader accessed the content of emails before he was elected, the U.S. journalist who obtained secret documents from NSA leaker Edward Snowden said Sunday. Journalist Glenn Greenwald, who lives in Rio de Janeiro, told Globo's news program 'Fantastico' that a document dated June 2012 shows that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's emails were being read. The document's date is a month before Pena Nieto was elected. The document on which Greenwald based the report includes communications from Pena Nieto indicating who he would like to name to some government posts among other information. It's not clear if the spying continues. Hacked: The emails of Enrique Pena Nieto, the President of Mexico were apparently looked at by the NSA . Listening in: Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff's emails and online chats were also monitored according to the latest documents . Whistle-blower: The new documents are just the latest in a series of leaks by former NSA analyst Edward Snowden . As for Brazil's leader, the June 2012 document 'doesn't include any of Dilma's specific intercepted messages, the way it does for Nieto,' Greenwald told The Associated Press in an email. 'But it is clear in several ways that her communications were intercepted, including the use of DNI Presenter, which is a program used by NSA to open and read emails and online chats.' The U.S. targeting mapped out the aides with whom Rousseff communicated and went a level further by tracking patterns of how those aides communicated with one another and also third parties, according to the document. Calls to Rousseff's office and a spokeswoman were not answered. Messages sent to a spokesman for Nena Pieto weren't immediately returned. Mexico's Foreign Ministry said had no comment. Brazilian Justice Minister Eduardo Cardozo told the newspaper O Globo that 'if the facts of the report are confirmed, they would be considered very serious and would constitute a clear violation of Brazil's sovereignty.' Making waves: The latest revelations were revealed by Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald interviewed on a Brazilian news program . 'This is completely outside the standard of confidence expected of a strategic partnership, as the U.S. and Brazil have,' he added. In July, Greenwald co-wrote articles in O Globo that said documents leaked by Snowden indicate Brazil was the largest target in Latin America for the NSA program, which collected data on billions of emails and calls flowing through Brazil. The Brazilian government denounced the NSA activities outlined in the earlier reports. Greenwald reported then that the NSA collected the data through an undefined association between U.S. and Brazilian telecommunications companies. He said he could not verify which Brazilian companies were involved or if they were aware their links were being used to collect the data. Greenwald began writing stories based on material leaked by Snowden in May, mostly for the Guardian newspaper in Britain. Before news of the NSA program broke, the White House announced that Rousseff would be honored with a state dinner in October during a trip to the U.S., the only such full state dinner scheduled this year for a foreign leader. The move highlighted the U.S. desire to build on improved relations since Rousseff took the presidency on Jan. 1, 2011. Rousseff's office said last week that there were no plans to scrap the state dinner because of the NSA program. Detained: Last month, British authorities used anti-terrorism powers yesterday to detain Mr Miranda, the partner of Mr Greenwald, who has close links to Edward Snowden . Outrage: Journalist Glenn Greenwald said that the detaining of his partner at London Heathrow Airport was an attempt to 'intimidate' following his reporting of Edward Snowden's NSA leaks . The latest revelations were sure to increase tensions, coming on the heels of last month's detention of Greenwald's domestic partner, Brazilian citizen David Miranda, who was held for nearly nine hours at London's Heathrow airport. British authorities stopped him as he was transiting through the airport, citing their ability to do so under anti-terrorism legislation. The U.S. government was notified beforehand that Miranda was to be stopped as he returned home to Brazil after visiting Germany, where he met with Laura Poitras, a U.S. filmmaker who works with Greenwald on the NSA stories. Miranda had some of the pair's NSA documents leaked by Snowden on memory disks. Last week, senior British national security adviser Oliver Robbins offered a sweeping view of the government concerns about those documents before Britain's High Court, saying the 58,000 classified British documents were "highly likely" to describe techniques used in counter-terrorism operations and could reveal the identities of British intelligence officers abroad. Guardian Editor-in-Chief Alan Rusbridger dismissed the statement as containing 'unsubstantiated and inaccurate claims,' and questioned the danger, arguing that the government had done little to address the issue before Miranda's detention. After Miranda's detention, Greenwald promised he was going 'to write much more aggressively than before' about government snooping . | More secret documents released from NSA leaker Edward Snowden .
Journalist Glenn Greenwald made revelations on Brazilian TV show .
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's emails were being read .
Brazil's leader Dilma Rousseff's emails were also being looked at . |
15c98bec0d7e09e8eea3a9ce914ffd368c5fc66f | By . Lyle Brennan . PUBLISHED: . 13:08 EST, 5 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:12 EST, 5 April 2012 . A police chase gone wrong has left a 25-year-old woman with 'potentially life-changing injuries' after a patrol car smashed into her hatchback early this morning. Two officers were also injured when their Ford S-Max collided with two vehicles in Danbury, Essex, at 6.39am. They were tailing a green Fiat Stilo estate which had been reported stolen from Suffolk when they hit a blue VW Beetle and a blue Toyota Aygo on the A414, Maldon Road. Destroyed: The wreckage of a Toyota Aygo stands where a high speed police chase through Danbury, Essex, ended in a multiple collision this morning . Response: Paramedics attend to one of the three people hurt in this morning's crash. The 25-year-old woman driving the Toyota was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries . Essex Police said the woman driving the Aygo was airlifted to a London hospital. Both police officers were taken to Broomfield Hospital in Essex. It is not thought that any of their injuries are life threatening. A police spokeswoman said the Fiat Stilo stopped nearby and the two people inside ran off. Two hours later, a 21-year-old was arrested in Danbury on suspicion of stealing a motor vehicle and is being questioned by detectives. Aftermath: The woman's Toyota blocks the road next to a VW Beetle also involved in the smash. The Beetle's driver was not hurt but is said to have been 'badly shaken' Investigation: A team at the crash scene document the site where a total of five cars including two civilian vehicles were damaged. Two people later abandoned the stolen car that officers were chasing . Police later confirmed the driver of the Aygo, from Maldon, Essex, suffered serious, 'potentially life-changing' injuries. An Essex Police spokesman said: 'All the thoughts of every police officer concerned are with her and her family.' The driver of the VW Beetle was 'badly shaken' but did not require hospital treatment. Police said the crash is being investigated and officers have appealed for witnesses to come forward. Chief Superintendent Tim Stokes said: 'Only specially trained police officers are able to carry out pursuits of other vehicles. 'Any decision to authorise a pursuit must be a reasonable and proportionate response to the crime or other issue and proper procedures must be followed, including proper command and control.' Crumpled: A police Ford S-Max lies damaged after the collision. Essex Police said they are holding a 21-year-old in connection with the stolen car that officers had been pursuing . | Essex Police holding a 21-year-old on suspicion of stealing a car in Suffolk . |
15ca0c0261289b3c25e87e72b6d4491cd11501f2 | Lewis Hamilton is adamant his situation and mindset have not changed now he is again leading the Formula One World Championship. So long the hunter over the course of the current campaign, Hamilton is back in front for only the second time this season in the wake of the events in Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix. After bitter rival and Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg retired after 14 laps following a wiring loom failure in the steering column of his car, Hamilton went on to take the chequered flag. Lewis Hamilton dominated in Singapore to take a lead in the championship over teammate Nico Rosberg . The 29-year-old now has a three-point lead going into the final five races of the season, starting with next weekend's race in Japan, and followed swiftly a week later by the inaugural Russian Grand Prix. But despite the man now being hunted, Hamilton said: 'Nothing changes. 'I have believed, since the time I started training for this season, that I can win the world championship this year. 'And with a great car like this, even with some of the difficulties I've had, you know you are still within shooting range. 'You have to keep that positivity, belief and hope - hope is one of the most powerful things in the world - and I carry that with me each weekend. The Brit says he was always positive and won't change his mindset now he leads the way . 'I haven't lost that vision or that dream, that's still there, and I didn't leave Singapore thinking the title is more of a possibility. 'In my mind I'm still hunting for it and I've got to go just as hard, if not harder, over these final races. I've just got to keep going.' After winning the last two races from pole position, Hamilton would appear to have momentum on his side. But given Mercedes' unreliability of late, he is also aware of how quickly a situation can turn. 'Momentum is not something I generally talk about because it can be snatched away,' added Hamilton. Hamilton may have the momentum but Rosberg has shown how quickly it can all change over a season . 'Look at Nico. He had momentum from good results, and then one DNF (did not finish) and it was snatched away. 'I've also had that, so you just have to take it one race at a time. 'But I'm happy I've been at my best, getting the (recent) pole positions, maximising all the races. 'I now want to make sure these last five races - if I never do any more races in my life - are as good. They have to be the ones.' | Hamilton won in Singapore to move top of championship standings .
British driver 'still hunting' despite being out in front .
Hamilton says momentum can change very quickly but he will be positive . |
15ca63cf7178906ddff9eb804f7cbf94efd9292f | By . Jessica Satherley . Last updated at 10:20 AM on 18th November 2011 . Aidan McSweeney, 18, sustained multiple injuries when he fell from the rooftop in the suspected accident . A teenager climbed scaffolding while high on meow meow and plunged to his death, an inquest heard. Aidan McSweeney, 18, sustained multiple injuries when he fell from the rooftop after taking drug mephedrone. The clever teenager had recently moved out of the family village home in Towcester, Northamptonshire, after his A-levels to live with friends in town. His distraught mother Lynne Bucinikas, 54, described her son as a ‘sensitive’ boy who became a victim of peer pressure. Away from home he lived in an environment where drugs like mephedrone were readily available which he took to ‘fit in’. Lynne, who runs a landscape gardening business, yesterday sent a stark warning to other parents. She said: ‘I think it's appalling that so many youngsters died before it was made illegal. Even now you can find it and other manufactured drugs like it online. ‘It's become socially acceptable to take at parties and I want parents to realise how freely available these drugs are to young people. ‘My son was a sensitive and intelligent boy but he wanted to fit in, you wouldn't realise the danger if everyone is doing it. ‘He moved out to live with his friends. We live in a quiet village so it allowed him to go out, I was happy for him to enjoy himself. ‘I think he took the drugs to feel accepted by his peers, he always wanted to be the entertainer at parties. ‘Before he died we heard that he had not slept for three days on this drug. We were told that other times he woke up in unfamiliar places with no idea how he got there.’ Aidan moved out of his family home in Towcester, which he shared with his mother and sister Catlin, 17, to a flat in Northampton. Grieving family: Lynne Bucinkas and her 17 year old daughter Caitlyn from Paulerspury, near Northampton, say Aidan became the victim of peer pressure . He had finished his A-Levels and was deciding whether to take a year out or accept his place at Coventry University to read politics. Aidan died in hospital just eight hours after he plunged to the pavement near his flat at 2.25am, on July 19, last year. He had climbed up onto scaffolding and fell from the roof in what Lynne believes was a drug-fuelled prank. Traces of mephedrone, which was made illegal just three months earlier in April 2010, were found in his system. The heartbroken mother spoke out after a coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death at his inquest at Northampton Coroners Court. Lynne blasted a young man who was known to hold drug fuelled parties at the time of her son’s death and was later convicted of dealing. She said: ‘We know that Aidan was seen going to this dealers house about four hours before he died but he denied selling Aidan drugs. ‘He was the same age as Aidan and held parties for youngsters where drugs were available. ‘He made so much money from selling to impressionable kids. He avoided police detection because he wasn't your typical drug dealer. ‘He was geeky looking, from an affluent family and drove a nice car. ‘Aidan saw this dealer as a friend but he was just an evil predator who got kids hooked on drugs. ‘We know Aidan took mephedrone before his death and I am convinced that if he hadn't he would be here now.’ | Aidan McSweeney had not slept for three days before his death, while on the drug, his mother said .
She said her son wanted to fit in with his peers .
Aidan's mother believed he climbed the scaffolding during a drug-fuelled prank . |
15ca817009a2903e9284c8994b41c3caab3dca68 | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 04:25 EST, 11 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:26 EST, 11 April 2013 . Feeding the horses is a wholesome activity but might need an adults-only warning in future after a pensioner came across two X-rated carrots in one bag. Pam Wilson, 65, discovered the rude vegetables that look like a naked man and woman in a bag of vegetables. Ms Wilson said she was left in fits of giggles after digging out 'Mr Carrot' from the bag last week. Saucy: The suggestive carrots were discovered by Pam Wilson as she fed her friend's horses . Mr and Mrs Carrot: One looks like a man's lower half while the other resembles a woman with her legs crossed . The carrot appendage resembles a man's lower half complete with his 'meat and two veg'. Ms Wilson then reached into the bag and found 'Mrs Carrot'. The retired home tutor said she laughed even more when she picked up the vegetable that looks like woman with her legs crossed. Ms Wilson, from Louth, Lincolnshire, said: 'I thought it was quite humorous when I pulled out the male-looking carrot. 'But I couldn't believe my eyes when I picked a Mrs Carrot to go with him.' Ms Wilson amused herself by taking pictures of the carrot couple. Some even included Mr Carrot giving a rose to his beloved. Humorous: Pam Wilson arrange the carrot couple in a range of positions before feeding them to the horses . But, sadly for the vegetables, their shape did not spare them their fate for very long. She said: 'I took some pictures of them arranging them into different positions and then I fed them to the horses. 'I didn't see the point in keeping them they weren't my carrots - they were for the horses. 'And they seemed to quite enjoy them. Everybody I have shown since thinks they are hilarious. 'It's a little bit naughty - but you've got to have a giggle haven't you.' | Pam Wilson, 65, from Louth, found the X-rated carrots in the same bag .
Retired home tutor laughed when she found Mr and Mrs Carrot .
She took pictures of the carrot couple before feeding them to the horses . |
15ca9d3a50ee16c699256bfb1c27680c2e3b5b42 | (CNN) -- The buzzword in gaming at Mobile World Congress was definitely "quad-core," and that's likely to become an even hotter topic when Apple is expected to unveil its iPad 3 device next week in San Francisco. Game developers are pushing the very concept of portable gaming on tablets and smartphones at a breakneck rate thanks to quad-core processors such as NVIDIA's Tegra 3. "Quad-core processors offer much faster performance for graphics-intensive activities such as high-definition video playback and high-end gaming as well as enabling the phone to handle multitasking with less effect on the user experience," said Daniel Gleeson, a research analyst for IHS Screen Digest. "This will make the smartphone a more compelling consumer experience, delivering PC-like performance. It also will increase the disruption that high-end smartphones will cause to adjacent products, such as handheld games consoles." Microsoft exec: Quad-core arms race is 'ridiculous' While Sony holds the lead in deep, portable gaming for those who pick up the PlayStation Vita device, game experiences for smartphones and tablets are quickly becoming more immersive. And at the moment, quad-core technology is the reason for that. Of course, Moore's Law will catapult portable devices forward quickly. Tegra 4 is already on the horizon. "These games didn't come to Tegra 3 by accident," said Hassan Anjum, Tegra campaign manager at NVIDIA. "We've been working with these leading mobile game developers for over six years to hone and refine their wares. Tegra 3, with four performance processing cores, in addition to its fifth battery saver core, and a 12-core GeForce GPU, is putting console games on notice." Here are five quad-core games showcased at the mobile tech event in Barcelona, Spain, that are worth looking out for when they go mobile later this year. These games already look console-quality. And they can even be played with a traditional game controller on an HDTV when you're not on the go. "Hamilton's Great Adventure THD" (FatShark) -- It's perhaps the best example of a console-quality game gone portable since this literally started as a downloadable PC and PlayStation 3 cooperative puzzle game. Players control adventurer Ernest Hamilton and his bird Sasha (separately offline on one tablet) as they explore 60 levels filled with puzzles. What's most impressive about this nice blend of action and mazes are the visuals, which bring an assortment of rich interactive environments such as jungles and deserts to life in 3-D. "Dark Kingdom THD" (GOGN Entertainment) -- Action role-playing games have defined console gaming from the early days. Developed in South Korea, this game promises a rich experience that will immerse players for days and weeks. Players assume the role of King Keizelic's son and embark on an epic quest to find the lost leader. Along the way, gamers will battle huge bosses in settings that feature destructible environments. Of course, like any good role-playing game, players can hone their character through upgrade by collecting spirit and rune stones. The visually impressive game comes to life through technology such as PhysX destructible objects and gorgeous water effects. "Golden Arrow THD" (November Software) -- This game is your traditional hack-and-slash fantasy action game. The title harkens back to the old Sega Genesis game, "Golden Axe," although this is a completely original title. "Golden Arrow" lets players join up and take on assorted enemies together as they traverse landscapes ripe with cutting-edge special effects. The developer is making this game a showcase for tablets, from the intuitive touch controls to the high-end features such as high dynamic range lighting, lens flares, enhanced explosions and fire effects. What all of this translates to is a mobile experience that looks beautiful, although the frenetic pace of weapons-clashing won't leave much time for sightseeing. There's also head-to-head gameplay for added replay value. "Eden to GREEEEN" (iNiS) -- First there was "Plants vs. Zombies." Now the foliage is taking on alien monster trucks. In this colorful action strategy game from developer iNiS, players will battle an assortment of four-wheeled machines that have invaded Eden. Running on Unreal Engine 3, the same technology that powers Epic Games' "Gears of War 3" on Xbox 360, this game makes use of visual effects such as explosions, smoke, fire and real-time cloud shadows to bring Eden to life. The action is fast and furious as players control assorted flowers and foliage against attacking machines, which are after the Euphoria that breathes life into the planet. Going green has never been so addictive. "Zombie Driver THD" (Exor Studios) -- Zombies remain a hot genre for gaming, and this overhead-perspective horror game puts players behind the wheel of one of 13 different vehicles, including a firetruck and a bulldozer. These modes of transport can be upgraded with everything from flamethrowers to mini-guns. While mowing down the undead is part of the gameplay, other objectives include rescuing people who hide throughout the virtual world, transporting cargo and defending targets. Giant mutant bosses spice things up in this fast-paced arcade game, which features a dynamic combo system. This game looks as good as its PC predecessor thanks to all the Tegra 3 bells and whistles. PhysX brings the destruction to life in an assortment of challenging modes, including a 31-mission Story mode and an arena-based Slaughter mode. | "Hamilton's Great Adventure THD" is example of a console-quality game gone portable .
"Dark Kingdom THD" was developed in South Korea and promises a rich experience .
"Zombie Driver THD" puts players behind the wheel of one of 13 different vehicles . |
15cbb43741b87c063325a75ab3a00788c055b989 | Martin Keown has accused Erik Lamela of being self-indulgent after his spectacular rabona goal against Astera Tripoli in the Europa League. Lamela scored what some experts have called one of the finest goals ever seen at White Hart Lane. Lamela wrapped his left foot around his right leg to score with a rabona strike from the edge of the box - a goal any of the greats to don the lilywhite shirt would have been proud of. Erik Lamela scores a rabona goal that is unlikely to ever be forgotten at White Hart Lane . Lamela completed a fine move with an unorthodox finish during Tottenham's Europa League clash . Lamela hopes the wonder strike can kick start his Tottenham career after a struggling start . And while Keown acknowledged the technique required to score a goal like that, he questioned what would have happened if he mistimed it. 'Fantastic skill,’ the former Arsenal defender and now Sportsmail columnist told the BBC’s Football Focus. Sportsmail columnist Martin Keown was not so impressed by the Argentine's 'self-indulgence' Harry Kane scored a hat-trick that was almost forgotten amid Lamela's strike . But he added: 'I think that's a major self-indulgence to do something like that. 'If it comes off then great but if it doesn't... And if you're watching him play regularly he does overplay a little bit. 'But when he gets the balance right there's definitely a special player there.' | Erik Lamela scored a 'rabona' in Europa League clash with Astera Tripoli .
Spurs fans are unlikely to ever forget the strike at White Hart Lane .
Martin Keown has criticised the Argentine for being self-indulgent . |
15cd44bde9381387d8d8840f74cb48d60f1bacce | (CNN) -- Tour de France legend Laurent Fignon has died from cancer in a Paris hospital aged just 50. Fignon won the Tour in 1983 and 1984 but was perhaps most famous for the 1989 contest, when he was beaten by Greg Lemond by only eight seconds -- the smallest winning margin in the history of the race. The Frenchman actually held the lead going into the final stage time-trial into Paris, but he let his advantage slip to allow American Lemond to snatch victory in the most dramatic finish ever seen. As well as his two Tour victories, Fignon won nine stages and held the leader's yellow jersey for 22 days. His other big race successes included two wins in the Milan-San Remo one-day classic and two stage wins in both the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta Espana. Fignon was a colorful character on and off the bike, famous for his flowing blond hair and glasses, and was also regarded as an anti-establishment figure. In his autobiography, "We Were Young and Carefree", Fignon admitted taking amphetamines and cortisone during his career but did not establish a direct link with his cancer. "In those days everyone was doing it," he explained in his book. "But it is impossible to know to what extent doping harms you. "Whether those who lived through 1998, when a lot of extreme things happened, will get cancer after 10 or 20 years, I really can't say." Meanwhile, tributes for Fignon have poured in from the world of cycling. Defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador led the tributes on his Twitter page, saying: "Today we lost a great champion, Laurent Fignon, after a hard struggle. It was a privilege to share some time with him in Paris. Rest in peace. Lance Armstrong, who himself battled cancer before becoming the greatest Tour de France champion of all time, said on his official website: "I awoke today to the terrible news that my dear friend and legendary cyclist Laurent Fignon has passed away. "I will never forget the early 90's when I first turned pro, of course terrified of the older guys. Laurent was always a friendly face with words of advice. He was a special man to me, to cycling, and to all of France. Laurent, we will all miss you." And fellow-American Lemond, whose name will always be linked with Fignon after their epic 1989 duel, echoed those sentiments. "I will miss Laurent Fignon as a great person and competitor. A truly sad day for everyone whose lives he touched." In later life, Fignon became a consultant for French television and commentated on the Tour de France in 2009 and 2010 despite the treatment he was receiving. | Tour de France legend Laurent Fignon has died from cancer in a Paris hospital .
The 50-year-old won the Tour de France twice in the 1980s and was second in 1989 .
Fignon lost the 1989 Tour to Greg Lemond by eight seconds, the smallest-margin ever . |
15cf60acbec2633dd2c405fcd27bcbedaac87d32 | By . Steven Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 13:09 EST, 11 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:24 EST, 11 March 2014 . A City fund manager who fathered a child during an affair and lied to the courts about his wealth to reduce his paternity payments cannot be named, a judge ruled yesterday. The financial chief executive sold a company abroad for £111,000 and hid the profit from the family courts for more than three years. The attempt to cover up his wealth was exposed after the mother of his son found evidence of the lie and wanted his dishonesty made public, the High Court heard yesterday. A High Court judge has ruled that the details of a man who lied about his wealth to the courts should not be given to the police, Crown Prosecution Service or to the City regulator . But a judge ruled that the man’s name . and details of his cheating should not be given to the police or the . City regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority. His identity and that of his former girlfriend and child should be kept secret from the public, Mr Justice Bodey ordered. Although . the City case ‘came close to the line’, it would not be in the public . interest for the cheating fund manager – who is such a leading figure in . his field that he has assisted Prime Minister David Cameron in . furthering British business interests abroad – to be threatened with the . ruin of his career, or prosecuted for perjury, the judge said. The . City chief had ‘lied about his resources’ because ‘he did not wish to . have to pay the mother for the benefit of his child any more than he . could possibly avoid’, Mr Justice Bodey said. The . judge added: ‘This is in no way at all to excuse his conduct, which was . inexcusable, greedy, and unfair; but it is to put what he did in its . context.’ The City boss, . who is now 42, had a ‘relatively brief’ relationship with a ‘successful . professional’, now aged 40, which ended in 2007. While . the woman thought the affair was ‘an intense relationship’, the fund . manager thought it was ‘not quite a one-night stand, but very close to . it’. When the woman . became pregnant, the man told her to have an abortion. When she asked . for support, he denied he was the father and called for DNA testing. He has shown no interest in having regular contact with his son, who was called John in the courts. John . was awarded a settlement of £250,000, and his mother £40,000 for his . care. She then had to pay costs for a series of failed appeals. The . fund manager – who has since married – said that if his lies were . disclosed, ‘there is a grave risk it would spell his financial ruin’. After . the man’s real income was revealed, the courts awarded the mother a . further £80,000 and ordered him to pay £29,500 of her legal costs. Mr . Justice Bodey said it was not the role of the family court to . ‘proactively disclose information which might be of interest to outside . agencies, such as the police, the Revenue, regulatory bodies or . employers’. Mr Justice Bodey (pictured) said it would not be in the public interest for the cheating fund manager to be exposed to the ruin of his career . However, the mother persuaded a journalist abroad to make inquiries into the father's dealings. Evidence was turned up that a business had been sold, in a country called by the court 'Anonland', in 2009. In 2012 the father assured the courts he knew nothing about the sale and had made no money from it. Mr Justice Bodey said that in a hearing in December 2012, confronted by email evidence of his involvement, 'it was at this point only that he put his hands up and admitted that his case up until then had been false.' The mother, who is now training to be a barrister, told the High Court that the father's identity should be made known to police, regulators and the public because there is a public interest in the prosecution of crime, including perjury and perverting the course of justice. She said that it was in the public interest that regulators should be told, because the father was 'in a position of responsibility holding investors' funds and it is only right that the Financial Conduct Authority should investigate,' and that the disclosure of his behaviour 'would deter would-be liars from lying' in the courts. The mother said there would be no effect on John if the father was prosecuted, because he had no contact with his father. Children, she said, do not shield people from the consequences of their criminality. The father - who has since married and has two young children with his wife - said that if his lies were disclosed 'there is a grave risk it would spell his financial ruin'. He said this would harm John because it would mean the loss of support from his father. He said he had 'put his hands up', apologised and given evidence about the £111,000 undisclosed profit. The father said the mother had a single-minded determination to bring him down, and 'the family courts deal routinely with cases of high emotion, bitterness and recrimination which is particular to the relationship between the parties, and which leads people to do discreditable things like lying, which they would not do in other spheres of their life'. Since the father's real income has been revealed, the courts have awarded the mother a further £80,000 and ordered the father to pay £29,500 of her legal costs. Mr Justice Bodey said it was not the role of the family court 'proactively to disclose information which might be of interest to outside agencies, such as the police, the Revenue, regulatory bodies or employers. 'Given the number of skeletons which come out of cupboards in family proceedings, where would it end?', the judge asked. | Financial chief executive quietly sold a company abroad for £111,000 and then hid the profit from the family courts for more than three years .
He lied to avoid having to pay more to support his son by an ex-girlfriend .
But a High Court judge has ruled that his name and details of his cheating should not be given to the police, CPS or the City regulator . |
15d048caf8122a1d80125a3b20a1a2c99a5a182a | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- In some parts of the South, Friday's rare snowfall didn't pack the punch anticipated, but it still forced the closure of schools and the cancellation of flights. Cities put emergency crews to work throughout much of the region while state offices and schools were shut down. An estimated 8 inches fell in De Kalb in eastern Mississippi, while 200 miles south in metro Biloxi, snow fell but didn't stick, the National Weather Service reported. "We had flurries for about five minutes where I am, that's it," said John DeMiller, owner of the Petit Bois Grocery in Biloxi. DeMiller's 10th-grade daughter stayed home from school Friday after the Mississippi Department of Education closed all schools due to inclement weather. DeMiller hadn't expected much snow, and when schools were closed in his town without accumulations, he was flabbergasted. "I'm going, 'they just lost their mind,' " he said. Share your winter weather photos, stories . Just north of metro Biloxi, though, 1-2 inches fell and black ice could pose a problem as wind chills drop, National Weather Service forecaster Phil Grigsby said. Officials in Georgia were bracing for enough snow to paralyze parts of the state. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which canceled hundreds of flights, had reported 4 inches of snow, National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Darbe said. Numerous accidents have been attributed to the dangerous conditions, he said. Temperatures were to fall to the mid- to upper-20s in the Atlanta area after the snow tapered off sometime between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, he said. Traffic accidents were expected to increase as slush turned to ice late Friday, he said. The clear skies already over parts of western Alabama are expected to move into Georgia later this weekend, Darbe said. In Louisiana, Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis announced state government offices were closed in 42 parishes. Earlier in the day, iReporter Susan Sharman in Bastrop, Louisiana, said she couldn't believe snow was falling over her town. "I haven't seen snow like this in Bastrop in over eight years," she said. Metro Baton Rouge, Louisiana, saw about an inch of snow on its streets, while the rest of the area got 1 to 3 inches, Grigsby said. But Mardi Gras revelers don't have much to worry about. The very early morning snow shouldn't interfere with parades Friday evening, he said. Windchills in the 30s, however, mean paradegoers need to bundle up before the fun. Drivers should also be wary of any black ice that may form on bridges and overpasses, he said. Yasamie Richardson of Alabama Emergency Management said conditions could be "very, very dangerous," in her state and the likelihood of power outages was "very great." She said authorities were encouraging people to prepare for the possibility of losing electricity. "My husband and I haven't seen snow since we were stationed in Massachusetts and my children have never seen it," Sara Johnson in Wilmer, Alabama, said in a CNN iReport as the first flakes began to fall Friday morning. The weather system pounded parts of Texas on Thursday, leaving a record 12.5 inches in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The National Weather Service said the 24-hour total in the area topped the previous record of 12.1 inches set in 1964. "For the DFW Metroplex this is amazing," said iReporter Brent Dow. See Dow's photo of a Texas-size snowman . West of Dallas, in Irving, Texas, Michael Whiteside was awakened at 2:45 a.m. Friday "to the sound of my patio roof collapsing from the weight" of the snow, he said in a CNN iReport. At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, where American and American Eagle canceled about 230 flights, officials were working to ramp up departures Friday. An Airport spokesman said Friday afternoon that most flights were running on time. There was some relief in sight for the South. Warmer weather was melting the snow Friday in Dallas, and temperatures in the 40s were expected to move through the rest of the region over the weekend. The Southern states were getting a smaller dose of what their Northeastern and mid-Atlantic counterparts have experienced this week. That area is digging out from a pair of record-setting blizzards. The first storm dumped more than 30 inches of snow in some places last weekend, while the latest part of the one-two punch dropped 22.5 inches on Baltimore, Maryland; 15.8 inches on Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and about 10 inches on Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia; Central Park in New York; and Atlantic City, New Jersey, the National Weather Service said. Records for total snowfall for the season have been set at Dulles International Airport west of Washington, with 72 inches; Philadelphia, with 70.3; Baltimore, with 70.1; Reagan Washington National Airport, with 55.6; and Atlantic City, with 48.7, according to the weather service. CNN's Dan Gilgoff and Khadijah Rentas contributed to this report. | NEW: Caution advised overnight because lower temperatures may freeze roads .
"This is amazing," CNN iReporter says of snowfall in Dallas-Fort Worth area .
Flights canceled in Atlanta; Dallas-Fort Worth gets 12.5'' of snow, a 24-hour record .
Are you snowed in? Send us your iReports to tell how you're staying warm and digging out . |
15d08d23699db60593477f38c3bcbf775186349f | (CNN)Not one, but two alligators have been found just a few miles apart in the Los Angeles area this week. On Thursday, Los Angeles Animal Services responded to a home with an eviction notice only to find an abandoned alligator in the backyard -- about six miles from where another alligator was found Monday. The 2½-foot-long American alligator found Thursday was in a large aquarium, a news release from the agency said. American alligators are primarily found in the Southeastern United States, around Florida and Louisiana, according to National Geographic. That's a long way from Southern California. "It is illegal to keep wildlife without a permit in the City of Los Angeles," according to LA Animal Services. The owners were not home at the time, and authorities are looking to talk to them. The alligator is being held at the West Valley Animal Shelter in conjunction with the Los Angeles Zoo, which is looking after the alligator's health. The case is unrelated to Jaxson, a 8-foot-long, 37-year-old alligator that was found Monday at a house where the residents said Jaxson had been their pet for nearly four decades. "You cannot own a reptile, or wildlife for that matter, like this, in the city of Los Angeles without having a proper permit," Mark Sanchez of Los Angeles Animal Services said of the Jaxson case. Criminal investigations are being performed in both cases, but authorities have not said what charges the alligators' owners might face. | On Monday, authorities found an 8-foot-long alligator at an LA home .
Another was found in the backyard of a different home Thursday . |
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