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187e20e96c08a9785efdeb904328956659abb67c | Despite ISIS wanting to introduce its own currency the terrorist group is offering to pay a cash reward for anyone who captures a Western spy - in American dollars. In a leaflet circulated via ISIS's social media accounts, the group offered to pay $5,000 to anyone who captures 'an agent of the crusaders' or provides information that leads to them finding a spy working for the West. The leaflet, published yesterday, is being disseminated in Syria's Aleppo province. Despite ISIS wanting to introduce its own currency the terrorist group is offering to pay a cash reward for anyone who captures a Western spy - in American dollars; the leaflet above offering the payment has been circulated via the terrorist group's media accounts . The leaflet reads that it is 'imperative for every Muslim' to help ISIS catch Western spies . According to Vocative.com the leaflet reads: 'The crusaders and the Arab dictators are using agents and spies to plant electronic chips in places of the Mujahideen, in order to bomb them with the crusaders' coalition airstrikes. 'Persecuting and bringing agents in is imperative for every Muslim.' The website reports that the latest ploy by ISIS could be motivated by the success of several recent U.S. led airstrikes, including one that almost killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in the town of al-Qaim, on the border between Iraq and Syria. Earlier this month Mail Online revealed that ISIS wanted to introduce its own Islamic currency as part of its attempts to solidify its makeshift caliphate. Militants were said to want to bring back the original dinar, which is an ancient currency from early Islam, and religious figures in Mosul and Iraq’s Nineveh province have apparently announced its return in mosques. The currency known as the dinar, which once consisted purely of gold and silver coins, is today used by a variety of countries, but the coins are created from different materials to the originals. However, the jihadi group is understood to be planning to return to the original gold and silver coins, which were first introduced during the Caliphate of Uthman in 634 CE. The original Islamic dinar was a gold coin which was the weight of gold equivalent to 4.3 grams. Its silver counterpart, known as the Islamic dirham, was a silver coin equal in weight to 3 grams of silver. The latest ploy by ISIS could be motivated by the success of several recent U.S. led airstrikes, including one that almost killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, seen above, in the town of al-Qaim . Militants were said to want to bring back the original dinar, which is an ancient currency from early Islam, and religious figures in Mosul and Iraq’s Nineveh province have apparently announced its return in mosques . Both were round in shape and one side of the coin was typically stamped with an Islamic message, while the other featured the date of minting and the country’s ruler. While ISIS has yet to confirm the introduction of its currency, social media is awash with claims that leading religious figures announced the plans during recent prayers in Mosul and Nineveh province. It is believed ISIS wants to use the independent currency in areas it controls as part of its war on the West. The currency, which could be introduced within the next few weeks, will involve changing from regular dinars and Lira to golden dinars and silver dirhams. Last month, it emerged that ISIS is making about $1million a day from black market oil sales alone. The group extracts oil from territory captured across Syria and Iraq, and sells it to smugglers. David Cohen, who leads the Treasury Department's effort to undermine the Islamic State's finances, said the extremists also get several million dollars a month from wealthy donors, extortion rackets and other criminal activities, such as robbing banks. In addition, he said the group has taken in at least $20million in ransom payments this year from kidnappings. | ISIS said it was 'imperative for every Muslim' to help them catch spies .
The ploy follows several successful U.S-led airstrikes on the group .
And comes as they try and bring back the original dinar as their currency . |
187e755aded3d80c27e34d725a76e28ce2d20b8e | (Mental Floss) -- It's a lot more difficult than you might think to find good parents in fiction: Perhaps unsurprisingly, a lot of fiction deals either with the lack of a parent -- being a cardinal rule of children's fiction to ditch the parents -- or a parent's complete unsuitability for the role. But there are a few out there, parents who make you think, "Gee, I wish my parents were like that." Here's our totally comprehensive, really scientific overview of good parenting in fiction: . 1. Atticus Finch -- "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee . The widowed father of Jem and Scout, Atticus Finch is one of the great heroes of American literature. Steering his young children along the path of moral rectitude is hard in the Jim Crow South, and when Atticus, a lawyer, unsuccessfully defends an innocent black man from charges that he raped a white woman, it becomes even more difficult. But his own belief in rightness, morality, and good, even in the face of an unfair world, is communicated to his kids -- and to the world. His impact on the legal profession, especially in the South, was also profound: The Atticus Finch Society, part of the Alabama Law Foundation, was founded to serve the legal needs of the poor and named after a fictional lawyer who "epitomizes the type of professional, and person, lawyers strive to be." 2. Alex and Kate Murry -- "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle . Tesseracts are real and Meg and Charles Murry's scientist father has disappeared into one -- it's up to these two brilliant but socially awkward children to save him. When it was published in 1962, "A Wrinkle in Time" was a sci-fi gift to all those nerdy kids out there for whom "Star Trek" hadn't been invented yet. And the Murry parents -- beautiful and smart microbiologist Kate and tesseract physicist Alex -- made being scientists seem so cool. Who wouldn't want parents like that? 3. The Weasleys -- "Harry Potter" series by JK Rowling . Harry Potter wanted them to adopt him -- and we wouldn't mind either. Though Harry was already remarkably well-adjusted for a child who'd been forced to sleep in the spider-filled cupboard under the stairs, his friendship with Ron Weasley and his family showed him what a loving family really looked like. Mom Molly Weasley was kind, fiercely protective of her children -- her battle with Bellatrix Lestrange in the final book was immensely satisfying -- and knits a mean jumper. Dad Arthur Weasley was slightly bumbling, loves Muggle stuff, and still a kid at heart. Best of all, they loved each other as much as they loved their children. Mental Floss: 10 things you might not know about Harry Potter . 4. Marmee -- "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott . Marmee is the glue that holds the "Little Women" together through the Civil War and their father's long absence. Kind and charitable, she's their moral compass, their comfort in troubled times. Without her, the four girls, Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth, are lost. 5. Mr. and Mrs. Little -- "Stuart Little" by EB White . Interspecies procreation is typically cause for concern, but not for Mr. and Mrs. Little. When their son, Stuart, was born a mouse, the kind, though perhaps a bit dense, Littles treated him just like any other member of the family. A member of the family who had a long tail, whiskers, slept in a cigarette box and could climb up lamp cords. 6. Ma and Pa Ingalls -- "Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder . Though Laura Ingalls Wilder's stories of growing up in the Indian Territory, now Kansas, in the mid to late 19th century are actually autobiographical, the books tend to be found in the children's fiction part of the bookstore, so they make the list. Pa was a true pioneer with a serious case of wanderlust: He could build a house by hand and skin a rabbit, but still remained a gentleman, kind, courteous and upstanding. Ma Ingalls, a true pioneer's wife, instructed her children to treat others with care. 7. Mr. and Mrs. Quimby -- "Ramona" series by Beverly Cleary . Ramona Quimby, age 8, is a bit of a handful. Her imagination -- and she's got lots of it -- often gets her into situations, like the time she went to school with her pajamas under her clothes because she was pretending to be a fireman. Or the time she put her doll in the oven. Or the time she squeezed an entire tube of toothpaste into the sink. Her parents, Bob and Dorothy, meanwhile, are real parents, who have to deal with real things like quitting smoking, having children young, getting laid off, and 8-year-olds who accidentally dye themselves blue. And they even get in fights, like real parents do. But throughout it all, they manage to remain patient and affectionate with their children; they're not perfect, but they're pretty good. 8. Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert -- "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery . When brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert of the Green Gables farm decide to adopt a boy from a Nova Scotia orphanage to help out around the farm, they weren't expecting Anne. Anne (with an 'e', of course, since it's ever so much more distinguished) was a redheaded 11-year-old, covered in freckles and though extremely clever, sometimes a bit too imaginative, definitely melodramatic and possessing an almost magnetic attraction to getting into scrapes. Shy Matthew immediately loves Anne, enchanted by her incessant chatter and her creativity, while Marilla, strict and somewhat prim, takes awhile to warm up. But when she does, her devotion to Anne is unparalleled and she keeps the sometimes flighty redhead on firm ground. Mental Floss: All about Anne (of Green Gables) 9. Baloo the Bear, Bagheera the Blank Panther, and the wolves -- "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling . After they save him from becoming tiger Shere Khan's meal, Father Wolf and Mother Wolf raise the hairless man-cub Mowgli as one of their own. But it's up to Baloo the sleepy bear and Bagheera the panther to teach the boy the Law of the Jungle -- thereby becoming the coolest godparents in the world. 10. The Gilbreths -- "Cheaper By The Dozen" by Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr., and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey . So, the Gilbreths were actual people, not fiction, and this charming book, published in 1948, is a biography written by their children. But -- and we mean this as a compliment -- the parents are so lovely as to almost seem made up. Frank Gilbreth and his wife, Lillian, are world-famous efficiency experts whose studies in time and motion changed the way people worked. If Frank had his way, it would have also changed the way people raised children, especially after their incredible fecundity produced 12 children. Having an even dozen children meant that the Gilbreths could apply some of their expertise in their Montclair, New Jersey, home. Hilarity ensues, as does an overwhelming sense of warmth and happiness. The two children wrote a follow up book, "Belles on Their Toes," recounting what happened after Frank's death in 1924, which left Lillian with house full of children, the youngest just 2 years old, and a business to run. Mother Lillian manages to keep it all together, with good humor and warmth, and the book manages to stay away from the maudlin. Mental Floss: 22 fictional characters whose names you don't know . For more mental_floss articles, visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright, Mental Floss LLC. All rights reserved. | Good parents in fiction are often hard to find .
Some fictional parents, like Atticus Finch, teach their children an important lesson .
Mr. and Mrs. Quimby from "Ramona" are patient, loving and imperfect, like real parents .
"Jungle Book" has unconventional, but loyal, parents and godparents . |
187efc0cabb0fc1e604e4f41f18f81cd05d47ed3 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 11:06 EST, 25 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:26 EST, 25 March 2013 . Members of a gang who abused shoppers, threatened staff and chased children before ripping phones and iPads off walls in 42 stores across London have been jailed for a total of 11 years. CCTV footage from one attack on their £500,000 crime spree shows a mother sprinting to protect her terrified son as the eight men swamped and then burgled a Carphone Warehouse. On each occasion the criminals caused 'total mayhem' when they stormed high street shops to wrench high-value items from the walls in a series of violent 'steaming' raids. In scenes reminiscent of the recent London Riots, phones and tablet computers worth a total . of £143,000 were ripped out by the thieves, while the attacks caused more than £50,000 . worth of damage. Scroll down for video . Terrifying: The gang are shown here dragging electronics from the walls of this Carphone Warehouse in a New Year's Eve raid last year . Aftermath: As they sprint for the door the trail of destruction the criminals left behind shows the violence and speed of their attacks . Violence: As the gang terrorise another store a mother is shown sweeping her young son away from them (bottom right) as they go on the rampage . The criminals, some of whom were just 14, . used the 'steaming' technique, where they rob shops or mug individuals by . swamping them and threatening them with violence. The clean-up operation after the raids, which forced some stores to close temporarily, resulted in Carphone Warehouse losing a total of more than £500,000, the court heard. Passing sentence, Judge Peter Testar said: 'This conspiracy to burgle consists of a series of offences in which a number of young men rushed into branches of Carphone Warehouse and simply grabbed whatever they were able to and ran away. 'In some cases, efforts were made to . disguise appearances, but in many cases the attitude of those who . committed these offences was brazen. 'Those . who have joined the conspiracy have applied themselves to a criminal . operation of which the overall effect was very great. 'The targeting of particular premises and the mob handed means of offending indicates greater harm. 'The success (of the conspiracy) depended on force of numbers and shock. 'Many staff and customers were very frightened. 'In . one incident, a small child found himself, much to his terror and that . of his parents, being surrounded by the marauding group. 'Most of the events saw participation by more than those who have admitted responsibility for them.' Sentenced: (Top L - Bottom R) Ugo Wilson, Jahreau Shepherd, Emmanuel Kakala, and Perry Hedges were part of the gang that raided 40 stores in a £500,000 crime spree across London . Judge Testar also praised the 'good old fashioned police work' involved in bringing the gang to justice. The 'steaming' spree took place between July 1, 2012 and January 11 this year, prosecutor Edward Lucas told the court. 'The . defendants had a total disregard for the presence of customers, old or . young, when they were embarking on their criminal enterprise. 'They were always mob handed and caused total chaos. Children were pushed out of the way and forced to run away. 'These . young men, of various ages, with the youngest being just 14 at the time . of the ending, targeted Carphone Warehouses through the London and . Greater London area. 'In . groups of three or more, they went into the premises, mostly during the . afternoon, and literally ripped telephones from their displays. 'The . shops were operating as normal and the staff were on duty at the time . serving customers, and of course they were terrified by what occurred. 'Children can be seen running for cover to their parents.' Horror: The frozen child is shown in the bottom right of the screen as the criminals pull electronics from the walls around him . Fear: A mother then tears across to protect the young boy from the marauding gang . Shocked shoppers who happened to get in the way of the enterprise were simply told to stand aside or else. 'There was a menace, don't mess with us, if you get in the way there is going to be trouble,' said Mr Lucas. 'The . staff say they were extremely shocked and frightened by what occurred. They were not only frightened for themselves but also for their . customers. 'The . psychological effect cannot be minimised and the reality is that the . consequences (for shop staff and' customers) have been profound. More thugs who took part in the raids remain at large and none of the goods have been recovered. 'The . fact of the matter is the crimes themselves seem to have occurred . within the context of the individuals really not caring who is in the . shop at the time. 'They went in to steal and caused total mayhem,' added Mr Lucas. Jahreau . Shepherd, 22, who was on licence for robbery at the time of the . attacks, was jailed for four years, while Ugo Wilson, 21, was given a . 27-month prison term. Ryan . Hopkins, 18, was handed a 12-month detention and training order, while . Perry Hedges, also 18, was locked up for 26 months in a young offenders' institute. Emanuel Kakala, 18, was handed a suspended 18-month prison sentence and was also ordered to complete 80 hours unpaid work. Samuel . Warnes, 20, was also spared jail with an 18 month prison sentence . suspended for 24 months. He was also ordered to complete 150 hours . unpaid work. All six admitted their part in the plot, together with two juveniles, aged 15 and 16, who cannot be named. They were each handed 10-month and 18-month detention and training orders respectively. Shepherd, . of Kennington, southeast London; Kakala, of South Norwood; Hedges, of . Surbiton, Surrey; Ryan Hopkins, of Ickenham, Middlesex; Wilson, of . Hendon, northwest London; and Warnes, of Morden, Surrey, all admitted a . single count of conspiracy to burgle. The two youths, from Clapham and Southfields, southwest London, admitted the same charge. | The thieves have been jailed for a total of 11 years for the violent burglaries .
They sprinted into shops across London and ripped electronics from walls .
'They were always mob handed and caused total chaos,' judge says . |
187fb5713b461232393e8f4565f71c37d88aa638 | The 32-year-old best friend of Katherine Jenkins whose eight-year battle with cancer inspired thousands of others coping with serious illness has died. Polly Noble was first diagnosed with cancer at 24 and said she wanted her plight to 'inspire others to have a happier and healthier life'. Her family told today how 'beautiful and vivacious' Polly lost her brave fight with the disease on Sunday after her latest scan revealed her condition had worsened. Scroll down for video . Rest in peace: Heartbroken Katherine Jenkins paid tribute to her best friend Polly Noble(L) after she passed away following a eight year battle with cervical cancer . Brave: Polly was first diagnosed with cancer at 24, then again at 28, fighting it for eight years until her tragic death . From the day she was diagnosed, Miss Noble had worked to 'cure herself' through positive thinking and healthy living. Her mother Georgie Noble, 63, said today: 'She . was a beautiful, vivacious person who worked hard to put her message . across. I don't . think she realised just how many people's lives she touched.' Speaking of her last days, Mr Noble added: 'It got to the stage a couple of weeks ago where they said the chemo isn't working. - Polly Noble's 'mission statement' written after she was diagnosed with cancer . 'A . scan showed she had six tumours in her liver, one being 7cm wide and . she didn't have those in December. It was such a shock, we didn't . realise she had it that badly.' She . died on Sunday surrounded by her family, who said she was pleased to . have met her nine-week-old nephew, Freddie, before she passed away. 'In her last few days she was unable to . catch up on the sleep she desperately needed. The illness had taken its . toll and sadly she passed away later that afternoon at home,' her mother added. One of Miss Noble's final messages on Twitter included the Winston . Churchill quote: ‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage . to continue that counts.' Polly was treated for cervical cancer in 2005 and revealed the diagnosis to her best friend Katherine Jenkins over the phone while she was on tour. The . pair had become close after meeting as struggling singers in 2001 and . Katherine always maintained Polly was . the ‘true star’, not her. After initial treatment of her cancer in 2005, she discovered a lump on her neck in 2010 and, despite undergoing radiotherapy to treat that, she then discovered she had cancerous cells in her lungs. Friends: Miss Noble and Katherine together last year. Katherine said of her friend: 'Polly has never had a "poor me" mentality. She's fought her cancer head-on, completely overhauling her diet and lifestyle' Close: Speaking of their friendship, Miss Noble said: 'We are both ambitious and driven, but at the same time we're chilled. That is why we understand what makes each other tick' Final messages: Polly wrote on Facebook and Twitter last week that showing 'courage to continue' in adversity was more important than success or failure . Message: Friend Gethin Jones, the former boyfriend of Katherine Jenkins, paid tribute to 'beautiful' and 'inspirational' Polly . Much loved: Sports presenter Jake Humphrey spoke of how Polly had continued to inspire others, even in her final days . Katherine went online to pay . tribute to Miss Noble yesterday, posting a picture of herself and Polly . with the caption: ‘Heartbroken. Rest in Peace my darling friend’. Speaking to You Magazine last year, Katherine said: ‘She didn’t look or sound ill – it was just unbelievable. 'And of course the word cancer frightens the life out of me because I had watched my father die of lung cancer when I was 15'. She added: ‘But he had been nearly 70, and Polly was just 24. She was too young; she had too much to live for.’ Jenkins' former boyfriend Gethin Jones tweeted: 'Reading beautiful messages . about the inspirational @Pollynoble. She touched so many. Grateful to . have spent some wonderful times with her'. But . the cancer diagnosis meant her 'life turned upside down' and after . surviving several long stays in hospital, where three litres of water . were drained from her chest, and she suffered a major blood clot, she . wanted to 'cure herself' of cancer. She . wrote on her blog: 'Throughout all of it, I have been able to maintain a . positive outlook, belief and faith that I will overcome cancer, once . and for all. In fact, I do it everyday as an active participant in my . healing journey. Girls day out: Polly and Katherine, who met before the singer became famous, at a polo match in 2010 . Family fun: Katherine (top) and Polly (right) with friends and family during a trip to the park . 'This . means that I live consciously in all areas of my life, creating a . balanced and healthy existence, which allows me to move forward and live . my dream life, despite living with cancer. 'When . I got ill, I wished I had taken better care of myself. I wished I had . known more about the things in everyday life that were harming me'. Katherine Jenkins was there to support her friend as she went through surgery before having chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Initally, the treatment worked and Polly was able to move back to London where she lived cancer free for three years. However, in 2010, she found a lump in her neck that turned out to be a secondary tumour. Katherine . recalled the moment she found out as she said: ‘This time her . oncologist told her that although she could have more treatment, the . cancer was ultimately incurable. ‘She called me from the hospital with the news. Neither of us cried. We were too stunned.’ Miss Noble . co-authored a book, The Cancer Journey, which was published in 2011, . giving advice for others on how to cope with the disease. Determined . to live life to the full, she also posted a touching video on . YouTube in 2012 of all the things she had done that year. Speaking last year, Miss Noble said: 'I lost my long dark hair as a result of my treatment, and normally, when I go out or have my picture taken, I reach for one of my wigs. But Katherine has been telling me that I am gorgeous just as I am' Best friends: The singer posted a picture of herself and her friend on Twitter on Monday with the caption, 'Heartbroken. Rest in Peace my darling friend' Party girls: Katherine and Polly together in 2012, after Katherine wrote the foreword to a book co-authored by her friend . The . video told of her holiday in Dubai with Katherine, a trip to Brazil and . her joy at being an Olympic torch-bearer in Bexley, south east London. But . the short film also documented her continued treatment for cancer, . describing how she needed three litres of fluid drained from her chest . and how she bought a pink wig after undergoing chemotherapy. Below the video, she posted the message: 'No matter what challenges you face, you can overcome them, I promise.' Katherine was inspired by her best friend’s strength as she said: ‘Polly has turned her own experiences into an incredibly positive force. 'The book she has co-written on coping with cancer is just what I wish I had been able to turn to when my father became ill. 'She has also trained as a holistic health coach, become a nutrition guru and developed her own website on healthy living.’ Katherine shared another picture of the pair on Instagram with the caption: 'Heartbroken - Sleep now with the angels'. *Polly backed the YES TO LIFE charity, which supports people with the disease by combining both alternative medicine and standard treatments. Inspirational: After being diagnosed with the disease, Miss Noble dedicated her life to helping others in a similar situation . For you dad: Katherine Jenkins ran the 2013 Virgin London Marathon in honour of her father, who also passed away following his battle with cancer . Cervical cancer is a rare form of cancer that develops at the entrance to the womb. It is most common in sexually active women aged between 25 and 45 but because of routine screening in the UK it is usually picked up in the pre-cancerous stage. It often has no symptoms in the early stages but the most common symptom is unusual bleeding, especially after sex or between periods. It is recommended that all women between the ages of 25 and 49 are screened for cervical cancer every three years. The NHS scrapped routine smears for under-25s in 2003 over concerns they could do more harm than good. But the family of aspiring model Sophie Jones (right), who died of the disease after after being refused a smear test - say they should be given to all young women who have symptoms, regardless of age. Sophie, 19, was told she was too young to have a smear test when she complained of crippling stomach pains last February. Her family's campaign – Sophie’s Choice – is backed by MPs and 225,000 signatures and calls for the minimum age for automatic tests to be cut to 16. A spokesman for the Department of Health said: 'The issue was last debated in Parliament in 2009, but the best independent evidence still shows that routine screening of women under 25 does more harm than good. ‘Cervical cancer in women under 25s is extremely rare. In 2011, there were 47 cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 and no deaths.' Of all of the women with cervical cancer, about 83 per cent live for at least a year after diagnosis, 67 per cent live for at least five years and 63 per cent live for at least 10 years. | Lifestyle coach Polly Noble, 32, died after a long battle with cervical cancer .
First diagnosed at 24, she tried to inspire others to have 'magnificent lives'
Her 'heartbroken' best friend Katherine Jenkins revealed she had died .
Pair first met as struggling singers and Jenkins says she was 'true star'
'Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage .
to continue that counts', Polly tweeted last week .
Friends and those inspired by Polly's battle paid tribute to her life today .
Died surrounded by family on Sunday after latest scan showed disease had spread . |
18800e1636ba5d785cbb19efb0a2e88a82ec88cd | By . Pa Reporter . Norwich defender Martin Olsson has been handed a further three-game ban by the Football Association after he admitted a charge of improper conduct. The 26-year-old Sweden international appeared to push referee Simon Hooper when he was sent off during the 1-0 defeat by Wolves at Molineux on August 10. The three-match ban is in addition to the one already served for the red card itself, which was the result of two bookings. Flashpoint: Martin Olsson attempted to stop referee Simon Hooper producing his red card on the hour mark . Off: Olsson being red-carded during the Championship opener between Norwich and Wolves . Olsson missed Saturday's 3-0 win over 10-man Watford at Carrow Road and, after the club confirmed they will not appeal the decision, he will also sit out Tuesday's visit of Blackburn, the trip to rivals Ipswich on Saturday and next Tuesday's home Capital One Cup second-round tie against Crawley. An FA statement read: 'Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Norwich City's Martin Olsson has been suspended for three matches commencing with immediate effect, subject to any appeal. 'Olsson, who was also fined £3,000, admitted an FA misconduct charge in relation to an incident which occurred during the game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday 10 August 2014. 'The charge was that Olsson's action in making physical contact with the Referee immediately prior to being shown a red card and for his behaviour as he left the field of play amounted to improper conduct, which occurred outside the jurisdiction of the Match Officials.' | Martin Olsson was sent off during Norwich's game with Wolves .
Swedish defender appeared to push referee Simon Hooper as he left .
Olsson has been banned for an additional three games . |
1880693e1a76699e924f07db581ddbbf55ab2216 | The suspected ringleader of the deadly terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, will remain jailed until trial, a federal magistrate ruled on Wednesday. Ahmed Abu Khatallah appeared at a brief detention hearing in federal court in Washington where he's accused of providing material support to terrorists. Court documents released on the eve of the hearing allege he "conspired to participate and then participated" in the September 11, 2012, attack on the American outpost in eastern Libya that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. He previously pleaded not guilty to the charge that carries a maximum life prison sentence. More are charges are possible. Abu Khatallah, who is thought to be in his early 40s, was captured earlier this month in Libya and transferred to the United States last weekend. Authorities contend that he's a senior leader of Ansar al Sharia, whose members were among several militias that participated in the two-pronged armed assault. Assailants armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades first blasted through the main diplomatic mission before setting it ablaze, the court papers said. Stevens and State Department information officer Sean Smith died there. A coordinated mortar assault on a nearby annex killed security officers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. "The defendant's participation in the attack was motivated by his extremist ideology," prosecutors said in the documents, which also alleged that Abu Khatallah "voiced concern and opposition to the presence of an American facility in Benghazi" days prior to the attack. Obama under fire over Benghazi suspect . Arguing for his continued detention, prosecutors said that Abu Khatallah, since the attack, "has continued to make efforts to target American personnel and property" and "discuss with others his deadly and destructive intentions," prosecutors said. But defense lawyers contend the Justice Department hasn't provided evidence to support the case. CNN's Pamela Brown asked lead prosecutor Michael DiLorenzo about the claims from Abu Khatallah's camp regarding pre-trial discovery. He responded that prosecutors would try the case in court. The Benghazi attack has become a political flashpoint with Republicans, especially, questioning security protections beforehand, the U.S. response during the assault, and the Obama administration's slow-to-evolve public explanation of what transpired. GOP members also are scrutinizing how Hillary Clinton handled the matter. She oversaw U.S. diplomacy at the time as secretary of state, and questions about her responses and decisionmaking endure as she considers a run for president. Benghazi attack timeline . Benghazi mastermind captured without a single shot fired . | Brief detention hearing held in federal court in Washington .
Ahmed Abu Khatallah was captured this month in Libya and transferred to the U.S.
He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of providing support to terrorists .
The defense claims that prosecutors are not backing up their allegations . |
1880747ae836c2d458bab7e5613e344bc0f6c98d | (EW.com) -- A couple of high-profile openers couldn't force the animals of "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" into their cages. The animated comedy topped the box office once again this weekend, while "Rock of Ages" and "That's My Boy" delivered majorly disappointing debuts. Dreamworks' $145 million effort "Madagascar 3" roared a second time following its $60.3 million start. The CG-animated film dipped 41 percent to $35.5 million this frame. That's better than the second weekend decline of its predecessor, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," which fell by 45 percent and had earned a slightly softer $116.9 million at the same point in its run. "Madagascar 3" has grossed $120.5 million over ten days, and is headed to a $180 million finish domestically. Worldwide, the 3-D film has grossed a robust $278 million, and will likely finish near $600 million. Ridley Scott's "Alien" prequel "Prometheus" finished in second place for its second weekend, despite dropping by a hefty 60 percent to $20.2 million. Fox's $130 million sci-fi thriller has earned $88.9 million since invading theaters 10 days ago, and it may struggle to match it production budget domestically. Thankfully, the conversation-spurring flick has found $92.7 million overseas, giving it a worldwide total of $181.6 million. Although many prognosticators expected "Rock of Ages" to vie for the number one spot this weekend, the hair-metal Broadway adaptation couldn't convince audiences to join the mosh pit. Ages dropped like a rock, earning an abysmal $15.1 million in its debut — far less than comparative Broadway adaptations like "Mamma Mia!", which began with $27.8 million in 2008 and "Hairspray" (also directed by "Rock of Ages'" helmer Adam Shankman), which started with $27.5 million in 2007. Warner Bros. says the film cost $65 million to produce, and there's little chance it can match its production budget domestically after audiences, which skewed heavily female and decisively older, issued the film a mediocre "B" CinemaScore grade, suggesting that it won't benefit from word-of-mouth. Some are claiming that Rock of Ages' awful debut is a sign that Tom Cruise, who plays rocker Stacee Jaxx, may have lost his Midas touch at the box office. While the A-list star appeared heavily in ads for the film, in all actuality, he only serves as a minor character, and the musical is so far outside his action/drama wheelhouse that it's not a totally apt criticism. If there's a star to blame here (and, to be clear, I'm not sure there is — I'd bet the amateur look and sound of the movie is what kept audiences away), it's lead actress Julianne Hough, whose first three music-and-dance features since leaving "Dancing with the Stars" have all been relative box office disappointments. "Burlesque" found just $39.4 million in 2010, and "Footloose" achieved only $51.8 million last year — not a terrible result given its $24 million budget, but far below expectations. Hough may be Hollywood's go-to starlet for dance-heavy roles, but she's not yet a legitimate box office draw, and her "Rock of Ages" co-lead, Diego Boneta, certainly is not either. In fourth, Universal's $170 million tentpole "Snow White and the Huntsman" dipped just 40 percent (following a 59 percent decline last weekend) to $13.8 million in its third weekend. The Kristen Stewart/Charlize Theron showdown has earned $122.6 million so far (and another $124.6 million internationally) and seems headed for a finish of about $145 million domestically and $325 million worldwide. Whether those grosses are fair enough to justify the "Snow White" sequel reportedly in the works seems doubtful. Rounding out the top five is Adam Sandler's latest, "That's My Boy," which, despite the presence of Saturday Night Live favorite Andy Samberg, earned only $13 million over Father's Day weekend. That's about half of what Sandler's last comedy, the Razzie-festooned "Jack and Jill," earned in its debut ($25 million), and his smallest opening for a traditional live-action comedy since "Happy Gilmore's" $8.6 million bow in 1996. "That's My Boy" received a discouraging "B-" CinemaScore grade from audiences (which were 54 percent male), with patrons under 18 giving the raunchy title an "A-" and those 50 and up issuing it a "D-." If "That's My Boy" didn't carry an R-rating, perhaps more enthusiastic youngsters would have turned out over the weekend. The failure of "That's My Boy," which cost Sony about $70 million, marks a pivotal moment in Sandler's career. For years, he reigned as the most consistent box office draw in Hollywood. Though his comedies — like "Mr. Deeds" (which earned $126.3 million), "Click" ($137.4 million), and "Grown Ups" ($162 million) — were usually critical misfires, they almost always opened in the $30-40 million range (or higher), and reaped major profits. It's not just that Sandler was starring in these films, either — he executive produced each of his 12 comedies that has earned over $100 million domestically. As a business-oriented filmmaker, no one could knock Sandler. But something changed with the release of Jack and Jill in late 2011. Critics utterly savaged the cross-dressing comedy, and audiences who had been willing to laugh at the silly antics of Sandler's amateur man-baby characters decided they had had enough. Jack and Jill became the star's first live-action comedy (I'm not including dramedies "Funny People," "Punch Drunk Love," or "Spanglish" — none of which Sandler produced) to miss the $100 million mark since 2000′s Little Nicky, and Jack and Jill finished with a weak $74.2 million. "That's My Boy" will be lucky to earn even half that amount. It seems that Sandler (and his longtime studio partner Sony) may need to rethink their strategy moving forward. His formula worked wonders at the box office for 15 years, but Sandler's shine is wearing off, and many of his formerly faithful paying customers are no longer amused. Elsewhere on the chart, "Men in Black 3" took in another $10 million and passed the $150 million mark. After four weekends, the $230 million production (though unceasing rumors suggest the budget was much higher) has earned $152.6 million domestically and $544.3 million worldwide. In limited release, Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" continued its remarkable run. Following an expansion from 96 to 178 theaters, the indie ticked up 40 percent to $2.2 million, giving it a per theater average of $12,253 — the strongest at the box office. After four weekends, Moonrise has found an impressive $6.8 million, and it's got lots of life left in it. 1. Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted -- $35.5 million . 2. Prometheus -- $20.2 million . 3. Rock of Ages -- $15.1 million . 4. Snow White and the Huntsman -- $13.8 million . 4. That's My Boy -- $13.0 million . See the full story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Dreamworks' $145 million effort "Madagascar 3" had a $60.3 million start .
Worldwide, the 3-D film has grossed $278 million .
Some claim "Rock of Ages" debut is a sign Tom Cruise may have lost his Midas touch . |
1880e341295df6a32b9224767ebf45b01724b824 | A mother has won a restraining order against her 'childish' next-door neighbour after a bitter 18-month dispute over wheelie bins culminated in him being arrested for allegedly attacking her. Joanne Dowling, 42, of Aberdare, south Wales, became locked in a bin battle with neighbour Gary Jones, 58, after claiming he blocked her parking space with his garbage. Heated words escalated after Jones smeared grease over Ms Dowling's bin handles before later allegedly lunging at her in her own home. Garbage wars: Trainee solicitor Joanne Dowling, 42, of Aberdare, south Wales, became embroiled in a bitter dispute with next-door neighbour Gary Jones (R), 58, over their wheelie bins . According to trainee solicitor Ms Dowling, she had initially politely requested her next-door neighbour refrain from leaving his rubbish in front of her property. After tensions mounted between the pair, Jones began to coat the handles of her wheelie bins with thick grease, preventing her from opening the lid to dispose of her garbage on collection days. The extraordinary row came to a head when Ms Dowling opened her bin one day and found it was full of her neighbour's rubbish. Jones and his family had filled it with leftover party decorations and half a birthday cake and when Ms Dowling found it, she flung it on to her neighbour's doorstep in anger. She was then confronted by her neighbour's screaming daughters and later, a furious Jones banged on her door and allegedly lunged at her when she opened it, pushing her on to her sofa. The father was arrested and ordered to appear in court - where he was banned from having any contact with Ms Dowling for three years. Sparked row: The 18-month dispute began when Ms Dowling complained that Jones was blocking her parking space with his wheelie bin . Extreme measures: Jones smeared grease (L) over Ms Dowling's bin handles to prevent her from being able to open the lid. The row came to a head when she tossed a half-eaten birthday cake on his doorstep (R) Ms Dowling said: 'Every day when I got home from work the neighbours would have deliberately obstructed my parking spot with their bin. 'We live on a very narrow street so everyone keeps their wheelie bin tight to the front of their house but for some reason next door liked to keep their bin on my side. 'They objected to me moving it out of the way and started to smear builders grease on the handle so I wouldn't touch it. 'They also wrote signs warning me not to touch their bin. It was so childish.' When she attempted to move the bin out of the way her neighbours claimed she was tampering with their property. Describing the birthday cake incident, she added: 'I'd had enough by this point so I grabbed the cake out of the bin and plonked it on the neighbour's door step. 'But the next thing I knew Gary's daughters were out of the house and screaming at me. Screaming confrontation: After dumping the half-eaten birthday cake on Jones' doorstep, Ms Dowling claimed she was angrily confronted by his daughters. Jones pictured with daughter Paige, above . 'I couldn't believe there was so much grief coming my way over our bins so I went home.' The next day Jones, 58 knocked on her front door. She anticipated that he was calling by to apologise and opened the door to greet him but he lunged at her - shouting and swearing. She said: 'I opened the door and he burst in and grabbed me by the top. He yelled and swore at me and shoved me onto the sofa. 'Luckily my boyfriend was home and he's a big bloke - there's no way Gary would have argued with him.' Following the altercation Ms Dowling called the police and Jones was charged with a public order offence. Restraining order: The mother had Jones arrested after he allegedly attacked her in her own home, grabbing her by the top and pushing her on to a sofa . At Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court he was given a fine of £360 plus a ten-week community order. He was also made the subject of a three-year restraining order not to contact Ms Dowling, her partner or children, and not to attend her property. Gareth Walters, defending, said that what had started as a 'petty dispute' between two neighbours had led to an 'out-of-control' situation. At Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court, above, Jones was given a fine of £360 plus a ten-week community order . | Joanne Dowling, of south Wales, got stuck in bin battle with neighbour, 58 .
After politely complaining, mother, 42, was hit by series of 'childish' pranks .
Row came to head when Gary Jones dumped half-eaten cake in her bin .
After she tossed it on his doorstep he burst into her home and attacked her .
Father is banned from contacting Ms Dowling and her family for three years . |
1881c94541588d2b872a12a7343590bfcdee6f01 | The vice chairman of the Federal Election Commission told CNN on Monday he has seen numerous undisclosed e-mails between FEC staffers and the Internal Revenue Service that raise new questions about potential improper contact between two federal agencies in the alleged targeting of conservative political groups. Don McGahn, a Republican FEC commissioner, said an investigator from his agency contacted Lois Lerner, the IRS employee at the center of the political storm now engulfing that agency. He said the contact was made to discuss the status of one such conservative political advocacy group, the American Future Fund. Shortly after Lerner was contacted, the IRS sent a questionnaire to the American Future Fund, McGahn added. "Who's the dog and who's the tail (in this case)? Who knows," McGahn said. But "dealing with Lois Lerner is probably out of the ordinary." The answers, McGahn stressed, "could be benign (or) could be more sinister." Darrell Issa, IRS escalate fight over investigation . McGahn, who did not provide a timeline of events, said FEC commissioners had not given their staffers permission to reach out to the IRS on the matter, which is generally required for such inquiries. The e-mails McGahn described to CNN are exactly what Republican congressional investigators are asking IRS and FEC officials to turn over to Congress as part of its investigation. Ellen L. Weintraub, the Democratic chairwoman of the FEC, said she does not know about the e-mails between the FEC investigator and Lerner to which McGahn is referring. "If there was any evidence or targeting based on ideology, that would be extremely serious, but I have not seen any evidence of that," she said. "I am not aware of requesting or receiving any confidential taxpayer information. I am not aware of any requests for anything that wasn't publicly available." Last week, congressional Republicans disclosed several e-mails between Lerner, the former head of the IRS division handling tax exempt organizations, and an unnamed FEC attorney inquiring about the status of the American Future Fund and another conservative outfit, the American Issues Project. The e-mails were first uncovered by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Michigan, who sent a letter last week to acting IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel requesting additional details regarding exchanges between Lerner and the FEC. Obama to nominate restructuring specialist to head IRS . The e-mails that congressional Republicans released only reference and request publicly available information on the two groups. McGahn told CNN, however, that the additional e-mails he has seen do not clearly state whether the FEC was only seeking public data. Asking for private data would most likely be a violation of federal law. McGahn was not able to specify whether contact was initiated by Lerner or the FEC, which regulates political speech and handles numerous complaints every election cycle about alleged violations of its campaign rules and regulations. Contacted by CNN on Monday, the IRS emphasized that the agency "takes its obligation to protect confidential taxpayer information very seriously." An IRS spokeswoman noted that the agency is prohibited from discussing information contained in specific tax returns. Republicans -- led by House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa -- insist that after President Barack Obama's 2008 election, the IRS started intentionally targeting conservative outfits seeking tax-exempt status. The prospect of potential FEC involvement raises the prospect of a broader federal targeting effort. Democrats argue there is nothing sinister and that the contact is nothing more than requests for information that is already in the public domain. Still, Republicans question why FEC staffers would bother contacting Lerner -- herself a former FEC employee -- for information already publicly available. Lerner made headlines after she invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when called before the House Oversight Committee in May to testify on the controversy. "Things seemed weird to me" after examining the undisclosed e-mails, McGahn told CNN. "The FEC has not had a good track record with calling balls and strikes. They've been criticized for not playing fair." If nothing else, he added, this "creates the appearance that people are being selectively targeted. And that's something that should never happen." American Future Fund founder Nick Ryan argued in a written statement last week that the publicly released correspondence between the IRS and the FEC "indicates questionable behavior." "We will cooperate with (the) ongoing investigations to root out the bad actors in the politically driven, out-of-control bureaucracy the IRS and the government has become." For their part, Democrats have dismissed the latest revelations and insist groups on both the left and the right were improperly scrutinized as part of a clumsy administration of vague election-related tax laws. "House Republicans are doing everything they can to distract attention from their inability to focus on jobs and the economy," said Josh Drobnyk, a spokesman for Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee, which is also investigating the alleged targeting. "Republicans are throwing mud against the wall with the hope that some will stick." To date, Republican-led IRS investigations of tea party targeting have uncovered no evidence any of it was directed by Obama political officials. IRS interviews show no political bias, Democrats say . | Democratic chief of FEC says she doesn't know about the e-mails .
Top FEC Republican discusses additional e-mails between IRS and FEC .
Don McGahn: FEC staffer improperly contacted Lois Lerner of IRS about conservative group .
Republicans ask if FEC revelations indicate a broader targeting of conservatives . |
18820f6e4313015bce803fcdbaa977dd16e1a1a6 | (CNN) -- "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only," Coco Chanel once said. "Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening". And what is happening, now that everyone is a smartphone owner, is that fashion and technology, traditionally uncomfortable bedfellows, are coming together like never before. Fashion editors were invited to the launch of the brand new Apple Watch, showing how much the ground has shifted. Google has teamed up with sunglasses brand Luxottica, which makes Ray Bans and Persol, to design a new range of its Glass wear. And Natalie Massenet, Net A Porter's founder and chair of the British Fashion Council, declared she wanted London to be "the most tech-savvy fashion capital in the world," as she launched London Fashion Week with Google. "Innovation is hugely important for brands to showcase," said Matthew Drinkwater, head of the fashion innovation agency at London College of Fashion. "There's recognition that the technology industry needs to engage with fashion lifestyle. All physical stores, not just premium brands, need to create a full experience for customers." Drinkwater worked with Nokia on the first digital skirt made from mobile phones and with Microsoft on the first wireless charging trousers. He added: "The brand has to live online and offline." Burberry, which has more than 17 million likes on Facebook, is one luxury brand that has fully embraced fashion tech. Burberry, the British fashion house, is a pioneer in fashion technology. It has integrated the physical and digital in its flagship stores in London, Hong Kong and Chicago. Mirrors become screens showcasing catwalk images. There are about 100 screens and 500 speakers. There are no cash tills (like Apple stores) and you pay on devices. You can even experience weather -- simulated rain showers/sounds of thunder -- just to remind you why you might need a Burberry trench coat. They've rolled out the augmented technology with intelligent mirrors to show the outfit you're trying as if you were the star of a catwalk show. Luxury retailers have been early adopters of new technology and are more advanced in the field than high street retailers, with greater focus on enhancing the in-store experience with video and microchips in clothing for shoppers to interact with. Angela Ahrendts, the former CEO of Burberry who oversaw its digital revolution, was subsequently poached by Apple to help run their stores and develop new products. Although the average town's main chains have been slower to embrace fashion technology, there are signs of change. Stores have begun to embrace "showrooming," where people examine the merchandise but purchase later online, often at lower cost, as an opportunity to engage. Topshop put digital at the heart of its London Fashion Week show by inviting influential bloggers to curate, for example. Chains are also embracing innovation through augmented reality software. Using camera-equipped mobile devices, apps can take detailed personal measurements to ensure clothes will be a perfect fit. The company Fits.me, founded in 2010, is a leading provider of virtual fitting room solutions. Clothes are photographed on robotic mannequins, allowing shoppers to try items on virtually. It means shoppers can try on every size with a few clicks and then choose the best fit. James Gambrell, chief executive of the start-up, explained: "I'm a big online shopper and like many men I don't like to try on clothes. Instead of doing that thing where you buy three sizes we decided to try 3D modeling with robots. "We have become better online than in stores. Online tech in retail can track where people go on the site. Such innovation needs to move back to the physical store." The firm, Holition, has combined a fabric that changed color in the presence of certain pollutants and a sensor that detected the color change and uploaded the results to the cloud to produce a prototype garment that monitored air quality in Paris. Nike and Adidas have been looking at embedding sensors that connect to smartphones to give a more complete picture of someone's training regime or real-time health. Even Ralph Lauren, which is seen as a more traditional brand, has launched a polo shirt that records the wearer's biometric data. For companies like these, the goal is to create technical clothing that can passively monitor your health and activity without the wearer having to think about it or carry around additional technology. The forthcoming Apple Watch and iPhone 6 launch promised a new era for wearable technology. "For the first time fashion is not just an add-on for technology. In the past a bag with a pouch for a phone was the extent of it," said Rachel Arthur, from trend forecaster WGSN. "Now there's a partnership with fashion labels. With technology getting smaller, there's no reason that it won't be embedded in collections and accessories." But others are more skeptical about wearables. Marc Curtis, head of innovation labs at digital agency TMW, said: "Strictly speaking, ever since Casio launched their CA 53W calculator watch, we've been stealthily trying to combine our technology with our clothes, our watches, our hats, even our shoes. "Arguably, Apple have not created anything unique in terms of technical innovation. However, they have placed mobile, contactless payments at the heart of their new devices." Curtis is more excited by the potential of smart fabrics, cloths that can be embedded with sensors and microprocessors that can communicate with mobile phones to process information such as the wearers' heart rate or temperature. And that is potentially the future of fashion technology: seamless, subtle and intuitive. Read more: Wearable tech that will turn man into machine by 2015 . Watch: Ralph Lauren's new tech threads . Read more: Is your wearable tech helping you - or watching you? | Fashion technology is beginning to enter the mainstream .
Brands like Burberry and Ralph Lauren are integrating new tech in stores and clothing .
Wearables, including smart fabrics, are the future of this unconventional marriage . |
18823ffe4e7d30056229c6b0c3b71f9c72c1d2e1 | By . Jennifer Smith . Molhem Barakat, 17, was killed while taking photographs of rebel fighters and regime forces as they battled over a hospital in Aleppo . A teenage photographer whose images of war-torn Syria were circulated around the world has been killed while covering a conflict at a hospital. Molhem Barakat died on Friday as he took photographs of rebel fighters and Government forces battling over the Kindi Hospital in Aleppo, which had allegedly been turned into a regime barracks. The 17-year-old, who worked for news agency Reuters on a freelance basis, took dozens of photographs capturing the city's unrelenting violence. His portfolio is equally weighted with images depicting civilian life in the divided city. The teenager had been sending images to Reuters since May, with many of his photographs being published around the world. According . to his Facebook profile, Molhem was originally from Istanbul but went . to school in the city before starting work as a freelance photographer. Social media has been inundated with tributes praising the aspiring photographer's bravery. Many, written in Arabic, bless the teen whose work is described as 'inspiring'. Journalists . from around the world have expressed shock and sadness at the news, . with thousands retweeting Reuters' announcement of the youngster's . death. The conflict . raged on in the country's largest city today as Syrian aircraft shelled . residential areas with explosives-filled barrels, killing dozens of . people. The raid, which . is widely condemned as unlawful, was particularly deadly in three . opposition districts where at least 44 were killed including six . children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Hundreds of people have been killed in . the past week as regime aircraft dropped TNT-filled barrels on the . country's one-time commercial hub. The teenager originally from Istanbul covered the conflict in Aleppo where he went to school and worked as a freelance photographer . The teenager's portfolio depicts the unrelenting violence in the war-torn country where as many as 126,000 civilians have been killed . Molhem Barakat had been working for the news agency Reuters on a freelance basis since May . Molhem Barakat joins the hundreds of thousands of civilians and fighters to have been slain as the conflict in Aleppo rages on . Some of the young photographer's work has been published around the world in reports of the country's ongoing conflict . Today the violence raged on in Aleppo, the country's largest city, after regime aircraft dropped TNT-filled barrels on residential areas . The young photographer's portfolio is equally weighted with images depicting civilian life in the divided city . A Free Syrian Army fighter rests near his weapons in Aleppo on December 2 . A member of the Liwaa al-Sultan Mrad brigade operating under the Free Syrian Army holds his weapon as he looks into the sky in the city's Bustan al-Bashasha district . Free Syrian Army fighters hold their fire as they stand next to a mannequin to attract the gaze of regime snipers in the Sheikh Maksoud district of the city . The . Observatory claimed those in Hanano, Ahmadiyeh and Haydariyeh were . worse affected with the death toll expected to rise further. Director, Rami Abdel Rahman, said . President Bashar al-Assad's regime 'is trying to turn people in . opposition areas against the rebels. 'It is killing and forcing people to flee in order to secure that goal'. Among targets were two schools in rebel-held areas of the city. Aleppo's opposition Provincial Council . said schools would be closed for a week as a result of the 'systematic, . deliberate bombing' at hand. Elsewhere, a car bombing in the . Shiite village of Omm al-Amd in the central province of Homs claimed the . lives of eight people including six children, state media reported. A Free Syrian Army fighter lights a bomb for another before firing it in the direction of regime forces in Karm al-Jabal on December 7 . Residents inspect damage in front of blood stains left by what activists claim was an airstrike with explosive barrels the Al-Shaar area of Aleppo . The young photographer was one of thousands relied upon by the foreign press to gain a realistic picture of the situation in Syria . His work on the frontline has been described as 'brave' and 'inspiring' by Facebook and Twitter users paying tribute to the teen . At least 126,000 have been killed since 2011 when tensions between civilians and President Assad's government rose . Residents search for survivors at a damaged site after the area was attacked with what locals describe as explosive-filled barrels in Takeek Al-Bab . Aleppo, once the country's commercial hub, has been reduced to a city of rubble according to eye-witnesses . A Free Syrian Army fighter runs for cover past piled sandbags to avoid regime snipers in Aleppo on November 29 . Schools in rebel-held areas of the city have been closed after two were struck by Syrian aircraft this week . The aftermath of an air raid in Al-Shaar on December 17 when Syrian regime aircraft allegedly dropped TNT-filled barrels on rebel-held parts of the city . Children play in the street in the Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood of Aleppo on December 18 . The . Observatory, a Britain-based group which relies on activists and other . witnesses inside Syria, reported a higher death toll of at least 12, . including five children. An estimated 126,000 people have been killed in the conflict since 2011. | Molhem Barakat was killed while taking photographs of conflict at a hospital in Aleppo .
The 17-year-old had photographs published around the world after working for global news agency Reuters .
His portfolio depicts unrelenting violence and civilian life in Syria's largest city .
Schools in rebel-held parts of city closed after regime aircraft dropped explosive-filled barrels on residential areas . |
188259882ec1cc0ec3e04adf0698ea345c25aa9d | Contractors who helped develop the embattled HealthCare.gov website blame each other and the government, but not themselves, in testimony prepared for Thursday's first congressional hearing on the problems engulfing the online enrollment system. House Energy and Commerce Committee members will grill officials from CGI Federal, Optum/QSSI, Equifax Workforce Solutions and Serco at the hearing to examine technological problems faced by people trying to buy health insurance under President Barack Obama's signature reforms. Complaints of inability to log in, lengthy delays, incorrect information relayed to insurance companies and other problems have plagued the website since it opened to much fanfare on October 1. White House video makes HealthCare.gov issues seem simple . In the first detailed account of what happened, the prepared testimony describes a convoluted system of multiple companies designing parts of the website under oversight of the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. According to the advance statements, the system had been tested as required but still buckled under an unanticipated flood of visitors when it opened. Cheryl Campbell, senior vice president at CGI Federal, will tell the panel that testing of the site met industry standards and "passed eight required technical reviews prior to going live on October 1," according to her prepared testimony. Sebelius on the spot in Obamacare website fiasco . "Unfortunately, in systems this complex with so many concurrent users, it is not unusual to discover problems that need to be addressed once the software goes into a live production environment," Campbell's advance testimony says. "This is true regardless of the level of formal end-to-end performance testing -- no amount of testing within reasonable time limits can adequately replicate a live environment of this nature," she added. Campbell blames initial problems on the "enterprise identity management" function known as EIDM that serves as the entry portal to the website. The EIDM tool designed by another contractor, which Campbell's advance testimony doesn't name, "created a bottleneck that prevented the vast majority of users from accessing" Healthcare.gov when it opened, according to Campbell. Gupta: 5 surprises from Sebelius interview . However, Andrew Slavitt of Optum, which designed the EIDM tool, says in his prepared testimony that an unexpected high volume of people registered at the start and overwhelmed the entry portal and other aspects of the website. He puts the blame on the government, saying: "It appears that one of the reasons for the high concurrent volume at the registration system was a late decision requiring consumers to register for an account before they could browse for insurance products." "This may have driven higher simultaneous usage of the registration system that wouldn't have occurred if consumers could 'window shop' anonymously," Slavitt's testimony says, adding that the EIDM tool was able to process the high volumes with low to zero error rates by October 8. A third contractor, Equifax Workplace Solutions, says its role providing "real time verification of income and employment" information submitted by applicants has worked properly, according to the advance testimony by its corporate counsel, Lynn Spellecy. Equifax conducted "multiple load and stress tests" that showed it could process up to 120,000 verification requests per hour or more, which it estimated as more than any peak period would demand, Spellecy's testimony says. Insurers pledge to help solve website problems . Campbell also says in her prepared testimony that improvements to the EIDM tool have allowed more users to proceed to the website's main function of providing a range of choices and information on available subsidies for them to choose health insurance required by law. "More individuals have enrolled in qualified insurance plans; however, the increased number of transactions ... have caused system performance issues (such as slow response times or data assurance issues) that now need to be addressed through tuning, optimization and application improvements," her testimony says. The White House and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius make the same argument, saying the initial problems in accessing the website have eased. Sebelius: Website problems blindsided President . Sebelius has brought in tech experts from Silicon Valley and elsewhere to work with the contractors on eliminating problems, with acting Office of Management and Budget Director Jeff Zients overseeing the effort. "The work of constantly improving the website will continue day by day," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday. "A week from now, it's going to be better than it is today." The Energy and Commerce Committee isn't the only one probing Obamacare in light of its issues. So, too, is the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The latter sent an eight-page letter Wednesday night to 11 contracting firms involved in putting together HealthCare.gov giving them two days to provide documents, meeting lists and all communications with the Obama administration on the project, committee spokeswoman Caitlin Carroll said. The fact all three committees are in the same chamber -- which is led by Republicans -- is likely no coincidence. The GOP has and continues to be staunchly opposed to Obamacare, even trying unsuccessfully to make defunding or delaying it requirement before it would fund the government. The White House has been pushing back against not just Republicans, but some Democrats who have urged an extension of the open enrollment period beyond March 31 and/or a delay in penalties for those who don't sign up for insurance on time because of the website issues. The Obama administration is moving to clarify confusion on when people need to sign up for health care, and it has plans to issue new guidelines to this point soon. Still, Health and Human Services spokeswoman Joanne Peters insisted "the individual mandate timing" -- i.e. the requirement for a person to have insurance by March -- "has not changed. ... It was true this morning. It is true tonight." Pelosi pushes back on extending Obamacare deadline . | A third House committee is investigating the HealthCare.gov website issues .
A House committee holds the first hearing on website problems Thursday .
Developers blame each other and the government, but not themselves .
A problem with the entry portal clogged up the system when it opened, they say . |
1882918f4cb0aafe04f98f966e714b5de3565dcf | Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Nearly 130 people were killed and more than 400 wounded early Tuesday when a string of five suicide car bombings hit government buildings, a neighborhood and a commercial district in Baghdad, Iraqi authorities said. Iraq's Finance and Labor ministries and a courthouse were the targets of three of the terror attacks, which shattered a two-month period of relative calm in the capital. By evening, Interior Ministry officials put the toll at 127 dead and 448 wounded, the worst since twin car bombings killed and wounded hundreds of people in late October. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the attacks were aimed at undermining Iraq's upcoming elections, now set for March after a lengthy impasse in the country's parliament. "The timing of these cowardly terrorist attacks in Baghdad today, after the success of Iraqi Parliament in overcoming the last obstacle in the election procedures, shows that the enemies of Iraq and its people are aiming to create chaos in the country and prevent any progress in the political process and to disrupt the procedures of the coming elections," he said. The first of the vehicles blew up in southern Baghdad's Dora district at about 10 a.m. (2 a.m. ET), followed by four more car bombs about half an hour later. Three of the explosions struck at the heart of the Iraqi capital, detonating a few minutes apart. One hit the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, while another hit the new site of the Ministry of Finance near al-Qashla Square. The ministry's former building was destroyed in a bombing in August. Another bomb exploded in the busy commercial district of Nahdha, and the fifth bomb blew up outside the Karkh Civil Court in western Baghdad's Mansour district. The sounds of sporadic gunfire and emergency sirens could be heard immediately following the attacks, and smoke from the blasts billowed into the morning sky. Suicide bombers carried out the five attacks, Brig. Gen. Qassim Atta, a spokesman for the Baghdad Operations Command, told CNN. At the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks and offered his "heartfelt condolences" to the families of those killed, according to a statement from his office. "The Secretary-General appeals to the people of Iraq to remain steadfast in the face of these attacks and to continue their determined efforts to achieve national reconciliation," the statement said. "The United Nations remains committed to supporting them." And the human rights group Amnesty International said there was "absolutely no justification" for the bombings, noting that indiscriminate attacks on civilians are war crimes under international law. Suicide bombers were also blamed for the two bombings October 25 in Baghdad, which killed 160 people and wounded 540. Those bombs detonated in quick succession at mid-morning on a Sunday, the first day of the workweek in Iraq, in the Salhiya district of central Baghdad. The location was close to the Foreign Ministry. Government officials, including Baghdad's governor, questioned how the bombers were able to penetrate the area's security, which was supposed to have been improved in the months leading up to the attacks. Authorities subsequently detained more than 60 people responsible for security in the district where the bombings took place. And Tuesday's attacks sparked debate among Iraqi lawmakers about the capability of the country's security forces. Noor Aldeen al-Haiali, a member of Iraq's parliament from the country's largest Sunni Arab party, said al-Maliki's government "failed in taking the measures to protect the targeted Iraqi citizens, who are shocked and getting slaughtered on a daily basis." Ali al-Adeeb, a senior member of the prime minister's Dawa party, said security has improved in recent years. But Kurdish lawmaker Mahmood Othman told CNN that more attacks could be possible "because the people against the political process, against the elections and against stability in Iraq" will try to disrupt the elections. And he said stepped-up security measures won't be enough to deter them. "There should be some political stability, political reform, reconciliation," he said. "These are also very, very important to provide security." CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report. | Four car bombs explode in central Baghdad, killing nearly 130 and wounding hundreds .
First of the vehicles blew up in southern Baghdad's Dora district .
Three other car bombs struck at heart of Iraqi capital, detonating a few minutes apart .
Fifth bomb blows up outside the Karkh Civil Court in western Baghdad's Mansour district . |
1882947c3577ed1e591fb4ed0273b2cfaa4423d3 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 13:03 EST, 4 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:04 EST, 4 September 2013 . Researchers have discovered a protein that they claim is the missing link to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. They found that blocking this protein with an existing drug can restore memory in mice with brain damage that mimics the disease. The findings could offer hope of developing drugs to slow the degenerative illness. Alzheimer's causes a decrease in the size of the brain, shown here by the enlarged ventricle cavities (white, at centre of brain) and the widened pale blue regions. Researchers now believe they have found the 'missing link' that triggers the disease . 'What is very exciting is that of all the links in this molecular chain, this is the protein that may be most easily targeted by drugs,' said the study’s senior author Stephen Strittmatter at Yale School of Medicine. The study offers hope of developing drugs to slow the degenerative illness . 'This gives us strong hope that we can find a drug that will work to lessen the burden of Alzheimer’s.' During Alzheimer's disease protein 'plaques' develop in the structure of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells. People with Alzheimer's also have a shortage of some important chemicals in their brain involved with the transmission of messages within the brain. Scientists have already provided a partial molecular map of how Alzheimer’s disease destroys brain cells. In earlier work, Professor Strittmatter’s lab showed that the amyloid-beta peptides, which are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, couple with prion proteins. By an unknown process, the coupling activates a molecular messenger called Fyn. The new findings, published in the journal Neuron, reveals the missing link in the chain, a protein within the cell membrane called metabotropic glutamate receptor 5, or mGluR5. When the protein is blocked by a drug similar to one being developed for Fragile X syndrome, the deficits in memory, learning, and synapse density were restored in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s. Prof Strittmatter stressed that new drugs may have to be designed to precisely target the amyloid-prion disruption of mGluR5 in human cases of Alzheimer’s and said his lab is exploring new ways to achieve this. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, currently affecting around 496,000 people in the UK. | Blocking the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 protein may repair memory .
Tests have shown that it restores learning in mouse model of Alzheimer's .
Findings could help develop drugs to slow the degenerative illness . |
188464d37ce66c5573a984b70c817fbbc2d9ae31 | A woman who lost her pet rabbit was left sickened after the animal was apparently filmed being tortured to death by thieves in an online video. Rebecca Atkinson's white lionhead rabbit, Percy, is believed to have been stolen from its hutch in Seaham, County Durham this weekend. The whereabouts of the rabbit remained a mystery until Mrs Atkinson went online and saw a video which she says shows her pet being tortured to death. The video appears to show three young men in the bath with a rabbit thought to be family pet Percy . The video, . which was posted on Sunday morning just hours after the rabbit . disappeared, showed three young men naked in a bath with a white rabbit . matching that belonging to Mrs Atkinson. She claims the video then went on to show it being set alight and thrown out of a window. Mrs . Atkinson's husband, Anthony, said: 'We only thought that Percy was . stolen so we reported it to the police but we never even imagined that . someone could do something like this to her. 'When . she received a message showing her what happened to the Percy we were . gobsmacked. It's disgusting and sick, what ever goes through people's . minds? Ms Atkinson's daughter Jessica has told of her shock at the apparent theft and killing . 'To . torture an animal in that way and throw it out of the window is . inhumane, we can't stop thinking about how much she would have suffered. 'We are all heartbroken. Rebecca and the kids cried all night and haven't slept.' Mrs . Atkinson, 31, had only bought Percy three weeks ago with her male rabbit . companion, Ken, for her children Jessica Lennox, 14, Aaron Lennox, 10 . and Brynn Atkinson, four. Percy . has left behind five 11-day-old babies who are now left without a . mother. Rebecca and her husband are currently hand feeding them. Mrs Atkinson's daughter Jessica . said: 'We are having to look after the babies ourselves now. I've named . them all, it's so upsetting that their mum has been taken away. 'Ken has become really restless now, he knows something is wrong. I just can't believe anyone could be so cruel. 'I want to keep some of the babies as a reminder but we aren't sure if we believe that they will be safe here.' The . family were told about the video by friends who had seen it after it . was posted on a social media site in the early hours of Sunday morning. They . could not bear to watch the horrific scenes themselves, but have been . shown a screen grab of their pet in the bath, and the nature of the . torture has been described to them. The image has shocked hundreds of social media users who went online to show their disgust. One . user, Rachel McNicholas, wrote: 'Vile vile vile. Even worse are the 59 . people that's liked it. Hope its been reported to police.' Jackie Johnson also said: 'This is disgusting they need punishing, the poor animal, disgraceful behaviour.' Pet rabbit, Percy, was stolen from a hutch behind the family home in Seaham, County Durham . Jules Stringer added: 'Am heartbroken reading this it's absolutely sick, how can anyone do something like this to a poor animal?' Two men, aged 19 and 20 and a teen, aged 17, have been arrested and bailed over the incident and another 16-year-old remains in custody. A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: 'Police are investigating the theft and subsequent death of a white lionhead rabbit. 'The rabbit is believed to have been stolen from its hutch sometime between Friday evening June 27 and Saturday morning June 28. 'Anyone who has any information regarding this incident is urged to contact Durham Constabulary.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Family pet stolen from hutch near family home in Seaham, County Durham .
Owners then told of online video showing 'torture and killing of animal'
Film sparks outrage online with website users branding it 'vile'
Two men and two teenagers arrested after family alert police . |
1884de5f375a4881bf96494aa8845173a925ef55 | By . Stuart Woledge and Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 12:40 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:44 EST, 2 August 2013 . A Chinese man has been left with horrific burns after he fainted and fell onto the scorching ground which started to melt his skin. These pictures show Yang Hao lying on a hospital bed in Changsha in central China's Hunan province after he was diagnosed with heatstroke. The painful burn marks on his back were caused after he fainted and hit the scalding ground. Painful: This picture shows the horrific injuries sustained by Yang Hao after he fainted by a roadside and was badly burnt on his back whilst lying on the scalding ground during China's record-breaking heatwave . Sore: Mr Hao has been diagnosed with heatstroke after temperatures in China reached an astonishing 41C . Much of China is in the grip of a summer heatwave with temperatures reaching 42C in some parts of the country. It has been so hot that people have been seen grilling shrimp on manhole covers while there have been reports of eggs hatching without incubators and a highway billboard has mysteriously caught fire by itself. The heat wave - the worst in at least 140 years in some parts - has left dozens of people dead and pushed thermometers above 40C (104F) in at least 40 cities and counties, mostly in the south and east of the country. Authorities have declared the heat a . 'level 2' weather emergency for the first time. The category is usually . reserved for typhoons and flooding. Shrimply amazing: A child demonstrates how raw shrimp and an egg are fried in a pan on a manhole cover on a hot summer day in China's eastern province of Shandong . Outside a shopping centre in the financial hub of Shanhai, 17-year-old student Xu Sichen said: 'It is just hot - like in a food steamer.' Her friend He Jiali, also 17, complained that her mobile phone had turned into a 'grenade'. 'I'm so worried that the phone will explode while I'm using it,' she said. Extreme heat began hitting Shanghai and several eastern and southern provinces in early July and is expected to grip much of China until mid-August. At least 10 people have died of heat . stroke in the city over the past month, including a 64-year-old . Taiwanese sailor, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Shell shocked: These newly born chicks hatched from a box of eggs in Zhengzhou, Hunan province, such were the searing temperatures . Hatching: The temperatures have been ripe for incubating eggs, which have grown into fully fledged chicks . Chicken tonight: This dog shows a little too much interest in the newly hatched chicks as he licks his lips . Wu Guiyun, 50, who has a part-time job making food deliveries in Shanghai, said she has been trying to linger inside air-conditioned offices for as long as possible whenever she brings in a takeout order. She said: 'It's so hot that I can hardly breathe.' The highest temperature overall was recorded in the eastern city of Fenghua, which recorded its historic high of 42.7C (108.9F) on July 24. On Tuesday, the director of the China Meteorological Administration activated a 'level 2' emergency response to the persistent heat wave. Well watered: This gardener tends to his vegetable patch on the top of an office building in Nanchang, Jiangxi province The 1,000sqm field grows more than 10 kinds of vegetables, providing food for the staff canteen . This level requires around-the-clock staffing, the establishment of an emergency command centre and frequent briefings. Some Chinese in heat-stricken cities have been cooking shrimps, eggs and bacon in skillets placed directly on manhole covers or on pavements that have heated up to 60C (140F). In one photo displayed prominently in the China Daily newspaper, a boy tended to shrimps and an egg in a pan over a manhole cover in eastern Chinese city of Jinan. In the port city of Ningbo in Zhejiang province, glass has cracked in the heat, vehicles have self-combusted, and a highway billboard caught fire by itself, sending up black smoke in the air, according to China Central Television. The broadcaster said the heat might have shorted an electrical circuit on the billboard. In the southern province of Hunan, a housewife grabbed several eggs stored at room temperature only to find half-hatched chicks, state media reported. A joke making the rounds: 'The only difference between me and barbequed meat is a little bit of cumin.' Pressure: A lightning bolt streaks across the sky above a replica of the Eiffel Tower at the Tianducheng development in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province . | Yang Hao left with severe burn marks on his back .
China declares level 2 emergency as temperatures hit record 42.7C .
Woman cracks eggs to make meal, only to find chicks incubating inside .
Chinese TV says cars have self-combusted and a billboard burst into flames .
Heatwave set to continue in the south and east for at least two more weeks . |
18855b3e16ecfffac3b599939a9e0ca9c4e80857 | Washington (CNN) -- The ongoing radioactivity releases from damaged nuclear reactors in Japan after last week's historic earthquake are creating "one of the most challenging humanitarian operations ever conducted," according to Cmdr. Jeff Davis, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet in Japan. Davis said Tuesday that for the second time, U.S. helicopter crews have been exposed to elevated, albeit low, levels of radiation during flights near Japan's nuclear reactors. In addition, the Navy is moving three incoming ships to a new location because of "radiological and navigation hazards" at their intended destination on the eastern coast of Honshu, according to Davis. Just as in an incident on Sunday, the crew members were stripped of contaminated clothing, scrubbed down with soap and water and tested. In all cases, they no longer tested positive for radiation exposure. On Sunday, tests detected low levels of radioactivity on 17 U.S. Navy helicopter crew members when they returned to the USS Ronald Reagan after conducting disaster relief missions in Japan, the military said Monday. No further contamination was detected after the crew members washed with soap and water, the Navy said. Nevertheless, the U.S. 7th Fleet has temporarily repositioned its ships and planes away from the damaged multi-unit Fukushima nuclear plant. The Navy, however, noted that the most radiation that ship personnel could have received was less than they would receive in a month of exposure to natural radiation sources, such as the rocks, soil and sun. "This will continue to happen," Davis said. He did not know how many personnel tested positive for radiological contamination in the second incident nor what ships they were on. Most of the nine U.S. Navy warships now operating off Japan are involved in helicopter operations. For example, the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group flew 29 sorties on Tuesday and delivered 17 tons of supplies, including food, water and blankets. The USS Tortuga is transporting 300 Japan Ground Self Defense Force personnel and 90 vehicles. Officials expect that air crew members will continue to be exposed to increased low levels of radiation, so the Navy is telling helicopter crews to keep their sleeves rolled down and keep cabin windows closed when possible. And some air crew members, Davis said, have been given potassium iodide pills. The iodide protects a person's thyroid gland from the effects of radioactivity and can reduce the threat of thyroid cancer. U.S. Navy spokesman Capt. Danny Hernandez said the iodide pills were given as a "precautionary measure only." The U.S. Army's Camp Zama, about 25 miles outside Tokyo, is also taking steps in light of the potential radiation threat. According to messages posted on U.S. Army - Japan's official Facebook page, health officials have been taking "environmental radiation readings every 3 hrs" since Monday. "All readings taken to date have indicated absolutely no health risk to our community," the message read. Nonetheless, the message noted that readings showed "negligible levels" that require the implementation of "mitigating measures," including limiting outdoor activities, leaving windows closed and keeping children inside for playtime and school recess. The radiation exposure appears limited to Navy personnel. Representatives for the Marines and Air Force said they have not seen reports of anyone in their services testing positive for exposure. The Navy has three ships with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit on their way to Japan. They are expected to arrive on March 17. Out of concern about radiation, those ships, the USS Essex, USS Harpers Ferry and USS Germantown, will now position in the Sea of Japan on the west coast of Honshu, rather than the east coast, to aid in disaster relief. | Second incident occurs where helicopter crew tests positive for low-level radiation .
"This will continue to happen," spokesman says .
Most U.S. Navy vessels off Japan involved in helicopter relief operations . |
1885e1b3458a51ce73782d4453875fac38efe61b | London Underground services were expected to return to normal this morning after huge delays and disruption caused by a 48-hour strike over ticket office closures. Fresh talks will be held today to try to resolve the bitter dispute which sparked the strike. The walkout by members of the RMT and TSSA unions officially ended at 9pm last night, but a further 48-hour stoppage is planned from next Tuesday evening if there is no deal at the talks. Some commuters claimed at around 11pm last night that some stations on the network were still closed - two hours after the strike officially ended. However, Transport for London had earlier warned that services would still be disrupted after 9pm yesterday, and had urged people not to 'leave it too late to travel'. On board: London Mayor Boris Johnson takes the tube on the District Line to Southfields, during the second day of a 48-hour shut down of some of the network due to industrial action over the closing of ticket offices . Packed platform: Commuters wait to board a limited-service Tube train at Victoria station in Central London . Union officials will meet London Underground (LU) under the chairmanship of the conciliation service Acas after several days of previous talks failed to end the dispute. LU said more trains ran to more destinations and more stations yesterday than on Wednesday, but passengers still faced disruption to Tube services, and long queues at bus stations and on roads. Journeys on the capital's Barclays bicycle hire scheme were up by 50 per cent for the second day, although wet and windy weather persuaded many people to work from home. LU managing director Mike Brown, who had urged the unions to bring forward the meeting, said he was grateful for the ‘patience’ shown by passengers. The unions have been urging London mayor Boris Johnson to meet them to discuss the closures, which will see the loss of 950 jobs. Val Shawcross, Labour's transport spokeswoman on the London Assembly, has written to the mayor urging him to launch a full public consultation on the plans to cut jobs and close all ticket offices. Getting in: Commuters arrive at King's Cross Underground station during the Tube workers' strike yesterday . Chaotic scenes: Commuters wait to board buses at King's Cross station during the Tube strike yesterday . Aerial view: A Metropolitan Police helicopter photograph of a congested Trafalgar Square during rush hour . ‘The mayor and TfL must hold a public consultation on the plans to cut station staff and close all Tube ticket offices. Londoner Tom Dixon, who lives near Hyde Park Corner Underground station, called MailOnline to lament that he was expecting his local station to be open last night - but it was still shut at 11pm. He said that he also walked to Knightsbridge at about the same time - and that was also closed, adding: ‘The whole thing is that they're not going to start operating trains until this morning. ‘When the strike is officially over and things are back to normal, everyone expects that things will have been running for the last few hours of the (previous) day. This is the ordinary public screwed.’ And journalist Alex Clark sent a tweet to Transport for London at 11.52pm saying: 'Can you say why we were told Tube would reopen at 9pm Thurs? Many stations still closed. Better for passengers to be clear.' Her sentiments were echoed by Twitter user Patrick 'sunpat', who asked TfL in a message at 10.51pm: 'Why when the strike finished at 9pm are there still Tube stations closed?' A TfL spokesman had said on Twitter last night just before 8pm: 'Strike is scheduled to end around 9pm but services will still be disrupted. Please don't leave it too late to travel.' ‘There are some interesting ideas in . TfL's plans and modernisation is needed, but Londoners should be given . the chance to have their say and improve them. ‘No one has a monopoly on good ideas and Boris should be willing to listen to what the public have to say. ‘The unions have raised legitimate concerns over passenger safety and how more vulnerable Tube users will be affected by the changes.’ The mayor has refused to meet the unions unless they call off the industrial action. RMT leader Bob Crow said: ‘Our negotiators are geared up and ready to enter the exploratory talks.’ TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said it was time for the mayor to ‘get serious’, claiming that 70 per cent of the network was at a standstill yesterday. ‘We want no more stunts or PR baloney from Boris. No more talk of a secret army of volunteers marching to London's rescue. ‘We want serious and detailed talks on our genuine fears for the safety and security of passengers and staff under these far-reaching plans. ‘If that happens, I believe we can reach a settlement that will avoid next week's 48-hour walkout.’ TfL said almost three out of four Tube stations were open yesterday, with services running on nine out of 11 lines, although trains were not stopping at some stations. There were no services on the Circle or Waterloo & City lines, and nothing through the central area of the Piccadilly line. Keeping order: A police officer helps commuters to board buses at King's Cross station during the strike . Piling on: Commuters board a limited-service London Underground Victoria Line train at Victoria station . Crowds: Commuters wait to board a Victoria line Tube train at King's Cross Underground station during strikes . Mr Johnson said: ‘I understand how frustrating this has been for many Londoners and I'd like to thank them for their patience and stoicism during this completely unnecessary strike. Thousands of Metropolitan Police civilian staff plan to strike for two days next week, coinciding with the next Tube walkout, in a separate row over pay. Members of the Public and Commercial Services union will stop work on Wednesday and Thursday in protest at the imposition of a 1 per cent wage rise. General secretary Mark Serwotka said: 'It ought to bring shame on the Met Police that staff who help to keep London safe are being driven into the arms of loan sharks because of low pay. 'The Met Police is not short of money and does not have to ape the Government's politically motivated pay policies that have fuelled the longest decline in wages on record.' ‘I am grateful to the London Underground . staff who rejected this pointless action and worked, and to the hundreds . of volunteers who are helping passengers through the day. ‘I'm . pleased that having failed repeatedly to engage in constructive talks . around TfL's modernisation plans, the unions have agreed to sit down . with TfL at Acas. ‘Rather than hurting hard-working Londoners and hard-pressed small businesses, they should have been talking to TfL this week. That the unions won't negotiate until after the strike is over tomorrow says a lot about their failure to engage. ‘If, as they claimed yesterday, Mr Crow and Mr Cortes are happy to embrace modernisation, new technology and change, then what on earth are they doing on strike when these changes do just that and involve no compulsory redundancies?’ | Fresh talks today to try to resolve bitter dispute which sparked the strike .
Walkout by members of RMT and TSSA unions ended at 9pm last night .
Further 48-hour stoppage planned from next Tuesday evening if no deal .
Journeys on Barclays bicycle hire scheme up by 50% again yesterday .
But wet and windy weather persuaded many people to work from home .
Customers complained last night that stations were still shut after 9pm . |
18888fef1ff1e94fddf5666333dcc8d728846255 | (CNN) -- Outrage over the possibility that a Van Gogh, Bruegel, or any other treasure at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) could be sold to pay down the city's debts prompted a Michigan state senator to propose legislation to protect the masterpieces. Under the bill presented Wednesday by Sen. Randy Richardville, any art museum in the state must adhere to a code of ethics set forth by the American Alliance of Museums, which prohibits the sale of pieces unless the money is directed to improving the museum's collection. The DIA has a similar policy with the city, but the government's emergency manager has the power to cancel or modify it. The bill came about after Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr asked the DIA for an inventory list so that its 60,000 pieces could be appraised. The move sparked alarm among residents and museum administrators that the DIA's collection would be sold to settle the city's massive $15.8 billion debt. "They basically let us know that the collection was not off the table," said museum director Graham Beal. Gov. Rick Snyder in March declared a financial emergency exists in Detroit and announced the appointment of Orr to get the city back on solid footing. Although Detroit owns the art displayed in the DIA, Richardville's bill would provide an extra layer of protection, so that if the city were to file for bankruptcy, none of its art could be sold to satisfy creditors. "We're talking about cultural influence for the city of Detroit. It's a part of the community and part of what makes Detroit, Detroit," said Richardville. "It shouldn't be sold for monetary use." Bill Nowling, a spokesman for Orr, told CNN that any concern for the art being sold is premature and that the request for an inventory list is simply a precaution. "There is no plan on the table to sell any asset of the city. The emergency manager continues to look at all options that will help solve the financial crisis the city faces," Nowling wrote in an e-mail. Nowling conceded that while the city has not made any plans to sell assets, "it is possible that the city's creditors could demand the city use its assets to settle its debts." Beal maintains that DIA's collection is among the top six in the Western Hemisphere. While he could not specify a value, Beal said it would likely be in the billions of dollars. To sell off its pieces would mean dismantling a collection that has set precedents in the United States, he contends. "It would be a tragic irony -- the first U.S. museum to acquire a Van Gogh in 1922 and then 90 years later, we sell it? It's terrible." The news that the DIA's collection may face dismantling prompted response from other museum directors across the country, including Thomas Campbell, director and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Even in the darkest days of New York City's economic woes, the "cultural treasures closely identified with [New York] ... were never considered an asset that might be cashed in during a crunch," Campbell said in a statement. "I am sure that many museum directors around the country would join me in condemning the Detroit emergency manager's consideration. Art for the public is not interim, fungible, or liquid," Campbell said. Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh is flatly against any such move, arguing that selling a masterpiece to pay bills does not address the city's long-term needs. "If we sell art, it's a one-time fix. We sell that Van Gogh for $30 million, it's a one-time fix. We didn't fix the structural problem," said Pugh. Laura Bartell, a bankruptcy law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, said she believes Orr is just doing his job and that it would be irresponsible for him not to consider what assets Detroit has and what they are worth. "I don't think anyone argues that Detroit does not have the legal authority to sell something that Detroit owns. It's a question of whether Detroit will -- and if Detroit should," said Bartell. Gov. Snyder has been working with Orr to try to ward off the city's bankruptcy and the sale of the DIA's art. However, Snyder admitted that he is not legally empowered to declare the collection hands-off. Beal said he will do anything in his power to protect the art from any kind of depletion. "We will defend. We will do everything we can to defend the integrity of this collection," he said. The DIA was founded in 1885 and houses more than 100 galleries, a lecture and recital hall, an art reference library, and a state-of-the-art conservation laboratory, according to the museum's website. CNN's Poppy Harlow and Sheila Steffen contributed to this report. | Detroit is in deep debt .
Officials ask for inventory of art collection in museum .
That's raised outcry from those worried about possible sale .
Spokesman for emergency manager says sale not planned . |
18896e4a80d773c3a40c854e9c080942dbfa413c | An expanded Violence Against Women Act won bipartisan approval on Thursday from the U.S. House after Republicans failed to pass their own proposal due to a party split on an issue important to women and minority groups. The measure now goes to President Barack Obama, who said in a statement that it was "an important step towards making sure no one in America is forced to live in fear." "I look forward to signing it into law as soon as it hits my desk," Obama said. TIME photos: A portrait of domestic violence . Thursday's votes reflected an emerging political reality in the GOP-led House, with a minority of Republicans joining Democrats to pass legislation that has broad public support, including from increasingly influential demographics such as Hispanic Americans. By a vote of 166-257, the GOP version of the Violence Against Women Act failed to win a majority after almost 90 minutes of debate. The House then voted 286-138 to pass the Senate version, with 87 Republicans joining all 199 Democrats to provide majority support. Originally passed in 1994 and reauthorized since, the act provides support for organizations that serve domestic violence victims. Criminal prosecutions of abusers are generally the responsibility of local authorities, but the act stiffened sentences for stalking under federal law. Supporters credit the act with sharply reducing the number of lives lost to domestic violence over the past two decades. Last year, the House and Senate were unable to compromise on another extension of the act, with Republicans opposing Democratic attempts to specify inclusion of native Americans, undocumented immigrants and lesbian, transgender and bisexual women. Opinion: The plague of violence against women . However, exit polls showed Obama won strong support among women, Latino voters and gay and lesbian voters in the November election that also strengthened the Democratic majority in the Senate and weakened the Republican majority in the House. Republicans then changed their stance and agreed to bring up the measure in the new Congress as long as they could offer their own version. The Republican proposal deleted provisions from the Senate measure that gave tribal authorities jurisdiction to prosecute cases on Indian reservations, specifically targeted discrimination of LGBT victims, and allowed undocumented immigrant survivors of domestic violence to seek legal status. In debate before Thursday's votes, Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, said the Senate version includes legal precedents of expanded sovereignty that could be subject to court challenge. Opinion: Rubio missed the year of the woman . "Please consider the damage we have done if a court overturns this act and its protection all because we wanted a good slogan instead of a good law," Cramer said. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and others repeatedly questioned why Republicans would seek to weaken a measure that received strong bipartisan support in a 78-22 Senate vote earlier this year. A majority of Senate Republicans backed the act, along with every woman senator regardless of party, Pelosi noted. "It's really hard to explain why, what eyes the Republicans are looking through, that they do not see the folly of their ways in the legislation they are proposing," Pelosi said. Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, herself a rape victim, paraphrased the question of rights activist Sojourner Truth, a 19th century escaped slave and civil rights advocate. "Ain't they women?" Moore shouted in reference to native American, undocumented immigrant and LGBT women. In response, Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington challenged Democratic claims that the GOP version excluded any women, saying it was all-inclusive. A global push to end violence with song and dance . House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia said the goal was to "make sure all women are safe," and he described the Republican version as an attempt to "improve on" what the Senate sent over. However, Pelosi noted that hundreds of advocacy groups supported the Senate version as the best way forward. "This is a remarkable day because we have clarity between the two proposals," she said, noting one had support from both parties in the Senate and the president while the other was opposed by "almost everybody who has anything to do with the issue of violence against women." The final vote on Thursday followed the same pattern as votes on other legislation at the end of the previous Congress, including the agreement to avoid some impacts of the fiscal cliff. A divide between conservative and more moderate Republicans prevented House GOP leaders from being able to pass their proposed fiscal cliff legislation at the end of the year. Under public pressure ratcheted up by Obama, the House ended up approving a Democratic proposal that raised taxes on the nation's top income earners, a key campaign theme in the November election opposed by the GOP. The measure passed with backing from most or all Democrats and dozens of Republicans. Such a dynamic signals the continuing inability of House Speaker John Boehner to marshal his GOP members on some of the most contentious issues coming up, such as deficit reduction and immigration reform. Boehner risks his standing as a party leader if he continues conceding on measures that become law without majority support from House Republicans, which also would fuel continuing unrest by conservatives who traditionally comprise the GOP base. Domestic violence bill vote critical test of more inclusive GOP . According to advocacy groups, the Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act approved Tuesday strengthens protections of particular groups of women at particular risk. For example, one in three native women will be raped in their lifetime, according to the Indian Law Resource Center. Three in five will be physically assaulted, and native women also are killed at a rate 10 times the national average, the center said. The National Congress of American Indians addressed the issue in a December 20 letter to Cantor. Beyond vomiting, how to prevent rape . It described situations in which beatings and rapes by non-native men were declined for prosecution at a federal level and returned to a tribal court as a misdemeanor. Federal law currently prohibits tribal courts from imposing a jail sentence of more than a year, so they generally do not prosecute felonies. In many instances, such cases are dismissed altogether and a defendant can walk free until a grand jury indictment can be obtained. "The federal criminal justice system is simply not equipped to handle local crimes, and this is the primary reason that tribes seek local control over these crimes that are plaguing our communities," the letter said. On undocumented immigrants, Human Rights Watch has found that immigrant farm workers are especially at risk for domestic abuse and argued provisions in the Senate bill "would go some way toward fixing the problem." Those in the LGBT community are another high-risk group that will be affected by the Violence Against Women Act. They experience violence at the same rate as heterosexuals but are less likely to report it. When they do, many are denied services. About 45% of LGBT victims were turned away when they sought help from a domestic violence shelter and nearly 55% of those who sought protection orders were denied them, according to the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women. Opinion: GOP House's inaction on VAWA shows bigotry . Vice President Joe Biden, who helped spearhead the original Violence Against Women Act in 1994 when he was a U.S. senator, said Thursday that domestic violence dropped by 64% since then. "I am pleased that this progress will continue, with new tools for cops and prosecutors to hold abusers and rapists accountable, and more support for all victims of these crimes," Biden said in a statement. | The measure now goes to President Obama to be signed into law .
House Republicans struggle again with an issue important to women, minorities .
The House rejects the GOP measure before approving the Senate version .
The legislation extends and expands the act that supporters credit with saving lives . |
1889e0d55f1e2c634b3206fccf6eb751c570eeb6 | (CNN) -- Holders Brazil were knocked out of the Copa America Sunday, after a woeful penalty shoot-out display against Paraguay in Argentina. The star-studded Brazilians missed all four of their spot-kicks as Paraguay went on to win 2-0 and earn a place in the last four of the competition. A disappointing match ended goal-less, as both sides finished with 10 men on the pitch after Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva and Uruguay's Antolin Alcaraz were dismissed following an altercation in extra time. Brazil dominated much of the possession but lacked a cutting edge, despite fielding an attack-minded line-up led by Robinho, Alexandre Pato, and Neymar. Neymar was particularly profligate in front of goal, twice missing golden opportunities in the first half. The first chance came on seven minutes when his volley from close range dipped over the bar; while the second saw him blaze wide on the half-hour mark, after Ganso's pass found him unmarked on the right-hand side of goal. Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar was also in inspired form, showing particularly good reflexes late on to deny Milan's Pato as he raced through one-on-one. After the match Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino admitted his side, which last won the competition in 1979, were fortunate to beat the much-fancied Brazilians. "Brazil should probably have won it over the 90 minutes," he told reporters, in quotes carried by Agence France-Presse. His goalkeeper Villar agreed. "It really took it out of us playing Brazil -- they dominated almost the whole match. But the team kept its shape and kept its concentration and those factors took us through." Meanwhile Brazil's coach Mano Menezes was keen to look ahead to his team's future challenges. "When you lose you know you made some mistakes," he told AFP. "But this happens in football and we have to live with it. The object has always been to get a strong team together for the World Cup in 2014." The shocks continued in the second quarterfinal played Sunday as Venezuela beat Chile 2-1. Oswaldo Vizcarrondo put Venezuela ahead on 34 minutes, but Humberto Suazo equalized for Chile midway through the second half. Chile pushed for victory, but as extra time loomed it was Gabriel Cichero who gave Venezuela a semifinal clash with Paraguay. | Star-studded Brazil missed all four of their spot-kicks as Paraguay went on to win 2-0 .
Both sides were reduced to 10 men after Lucas Leiva and Antolin Alcaraz were dismissed .
Paraguay, who last won the Copa America in 1979, will now face Venezuela .
Venezula shocked Chile 2-1 in last quarterfinal with Gabriel Cichero scoring late winner . |
188c87c8f8bd9abf024087c8814a88aa18a98917 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:41 EST, 27 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:07 EST, 27 May 2013 . Guilty: Nurse Roger Dean, 37, has admitted killing 11 elderly residents of the nursing home where he worked . A nurse has pleaded guilty to murdering 11 elderly people by setting fire to the Sydney nursing home where he worked. Roger Dean also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to another eight residents injured by the blaze in 2011. The 37-year-old registered nurse was on duty when he set the fire and later appeared on television describing his efforts to rescue trapped people at the nursing home in the suburb of Quakers Hill. He made his pleas in New South Wales state Supreme Court on Monday. His sentencing hearing starts on Thursday. He potentially faces life imprisonment. Police had questioned him at the home hours before the blaze over theft allegations. He has already pleaded guilty to stealing prescription drugs from the home. After the fire, Dean told journalists he had braved the smoke to rescue those trapped inside as the home's 88 residents were evacuated. He said: 'I just quickly did what I could to get everyone out.' Detectives said two fires broke out in separate wings of the nursing home in the early hours. Dean had been helping police with their investigation before he was charged. Speaking at the scene, NSW fire commissioner Greg Mullins said fire was 'a firefighter's worst nightmare'. Arson: The nurse started the fire at Quakers Hill Nursing Home in Sydney . Casualties: A man is taken away from the scene of the fire in 2011 . He said: 'Turning up to a nursing home with elderly people who can't get themselves out of harm's way... 'Firefighters could not see their hands in front of their faces in the . thick smoke so you can imagine what it was like for the elderly trying . to escape.' He said that firefighters had crawled . into the building through the thick smoke, reaching up to feel into beds . to establish if there was anyone there who they could rescue. 'Nightmare': Many of the home's 88 elderly residents struggled to get themselves out through thick smoke . Sentencing: Dean faces up to life in prison after admitting the killings . The Reverend Dave Hilliard, the senior . state police chaplain, praised two young police officers who were among . the first to enter the burning building and rescue residents. 'They're young and being asked to do some extraordinary things beyond their years,' he said. 'I'm blown away by them.' There was no sprinkler system in the nursing home as they are not required under state laws. The fire was Sydney's worst nursing home disaster since 16 elderly residents died in a blaze in suburban Sylvania Heights in 1981. | Roger Dean, 37, set fire to Quakers Hill Nursing Home in a Sydney suburb .
11 elderly residents died and eight had serious injuries caused by the blaze . |
188dbf5cc5b6a79b33040758b178254067083a9f | Daniel Perry, 17, took his own life after a Filipino cybersex gang threatened to send compromising images of him to his family and friends . Chilling 'sextortion' emails which urged a teenager to 'commit suicide now' after falling victim to online blackmailers have emerged for the first time since he threw himself off a bridge. Daniel Perry, 17, from Fife, took his own life in July last year after a Filipino cybersex gang threatened to send compromising images of him to his family and friends unless he paid them. He was encouraged into a sexual encounter via webcam before the sick criminals threatened to make the video public. His death prompted a large-scale police inquiry and at least 58 Filipino suspects were arrested in May this year after investigators traced online activity. At least three of those, Archie Tolin, 20, Jomar Palacio, 23, and Vincent Bravo, 22, are believed to have been directly involved in blackmailing Mr Perry. A BBC investigation has claimed that the Dunfermline teenager received a message from his blackmailers saying: 'I will make you suffer.' The 17-year-old begged them not to release the video footage but detectives claim the suspects replied: 'Commit suicide now.' Later, they sent a chilling message asking: 'Are you dead yet?' A BBC team traced two of the men suspected of being directly involved in Mr Perry's death. Jomar Palacio, who lives in a run-down area of Manila, said: 'I do not know him, I did not get any money, I did not do anything wrong to him, that's all.' Another suspect, Vincent Bravo, now works as a waiter in a strip club and lives in a city south of Manila. 'I didn't do it, I don't know anything about it. They have no hard evidence against us,' he told the BBC. 'I send my condolences to [the Perry family], but I wasn't the one who did it. I feel sorry because he left behind a family which loves him.' All three men will go on trial in Manila but Scots authorities want to extradite them to face trial here. Scroll down for video . He was encouraged into a sexual encounter via webcam before the sick criminals threatened to make the video public . Suspect Jomar Palacio (right) was shown a picture of Daniel Perry by the BBC, but he denied any wrongdoing . Superintendent Gilbert Sosa, director of the Filipino Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), said: 'They will first have to be tried in the Philippines and other legal actions might follow.' More than 260 computers, phones and pornographic materials and other evidence was seized in the Philippines by 15 police teams . Philippine National Police chief Allan Purisima said the syndicate would secretly record the victims after tricking them into exposing their bodies or having cybersex. They would then threaten to send the video to their relatives and friends unless they paid anything from $500 (£292) to $2,000 (£1,100) he said. Another suspect, Vincent Bravo, said he wasn't responsible and there was no hard evidence against him . Mr Perry's death led to a large-scale international investigation - which saw 58 Filipinos arrested in May . It is thought scammers use stolen footage of pretty American girls and sophisticated computer software to interact with their target. Speaking earlier this year, Mr Perry's mother Gill Aiton said: 'I don't want any parent to ever go through what I been through. I miss him every day. 'His tormentors were pure evil. I want them to be brought back here and those responsible for his death. 'I want to look them in the eye and ask why they chose to target a 17-year-old bairn with his whole life in front of him. 'There was a long time when I couldn't mention his name without bursting into tears. I thought I would go mad with grief. 'I wish I could tell Daniel how much I love and miss him. Why did he feel that he couldn't tell his mum and dad, or his foster parent? He must have been so scared.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Daniel Perry, 17, was tricked by extortionists posing as women online .
Filipino gang said they would make graphic images public unless he paid .
He threw himself off Forth Bridge after they sent him chilling emails .
One urged him to 'commit suicide' and another asked 'are you dead yet?'
Two of the suspects have been tracked down and denied wrongdoing . |
188fb732462a54f5d6e578f3d78cce0ca37ee02f | (CNN) -- The government of China announced Friday that it plans to increase its defense budget by 12.7%, according to Xinhua news agency. Li Zhaoxing, a former foreign minister for the Chinese government, made the announcement at the Fourth Session of the 11th National People's Congress, the news service reported. Li is the spokesman for the session, according to Xinhua. The planned increase in China's defense budget would mark the second hike in military spending in as many years, according to the government. In 2010, China increased its defense budget by 7.5% from the previous year, Li said. In 2011, China plans to increase defense spending by 67.6 billion yuan to a total of 601 billion yuan, according to Li. The sum is the equivalent of $91 billion U.S., he said. The planned budget increase does not reflect a change in the nation's military aspirations, Li said. "The limited military strength of China is solely for safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and would not pose a threat to any country," Li said, according to Xinhua. "The government has always tried to limit military spending and it has set the defense spending at a reasonable level." The government plans to use more of its defense budget to improve its armament, training and human resource development as well as raise living standards for China's armed forces, he said. The government is not under-reporting the amount of money it plans to spend on defense, he said . "There is no such thing as a so-called hidden military expenditure in China. And the budget is subject to auditing from the government and military." China's ratio of defense spending to gross domestic product is less than many countries, Li said. That includes the United States, which Li said, is spending $725 billion in 2011, the news service reported. | China announces 12.7% hike in defense budget, according to Xinhua news agency .
The draft defense budget is up 67.6 billion yuan from 2010, report says .
Defense spending accounts for 6% of nation's total budget, report says . |
18906845070eb2b151ff2f32af793923d0f1ebdc | By . Alex Horlock . PUBLISHED: . 02:33 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:36 EST, 4 March 2014 . Daniele de Rossi has been omitted from Italy's squad to face Spain in a friendly for punching opponent Mauro Icardi during Roma's Serie A feisty clash with Inter Milan. As the pair waited for a ball to arrive in the penalty area, De Rossi swung a right arm from behind Icardi, planting one flush on the Argentina forward's jaw. The vicious incident wasn't picked up by referee Mauro Bergonzi, but was captured by television cameras and the 30-year-old midfielder has since been dropped by Italy for a breach of manager Cesare Prandelli's ethical code. Ouch: Daniele De Rossi lands a punch on Inter Milan opponent Maura Icardi during the Serie A clash . Rocked: As Icardi waits for the ball, De Rossi lands flush on his chin . Fiery: De Rossi's conduct went unnoticed but he was handed a retrospective three-game ban . Buffon (Juventus), Perin (Genoa), Sirigu (Paris St Germain); Abate, Astori (Cagliari), Barzagli (Juventus), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Criscito (Zenit), De Sciglio, Maggio (Napoli), Paletta (Parma); Candreva (Lazio), Giaccherini (Sunderland), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (AC Milan), Thiago Motta (PSG), Parolo (Parma), Pirlo (Juventus), Verratti (PSG), Cerci (Torino), Destro (Roma), Gilardino (Genoa), Immobile (Torino), Insigne (Napoli), Osvaldo (Juventus) Roma talisman De Rossi's problems worsened as he was handed a retrospective three-game ban, after the Lega deemed the punch to be 'deliberate'. The sanction, which rules De Rossi out of crunch clashes against Napoli, Udinese and Chievo, is likely to hinder Roma's chances of catching leaders Juventus, who hold an 11-point lead at the top after beating Milan 2-0 on Sunday. Remarkably, De Rossi's wasn't the only punching incident during the heated goalless draw. Inter's Juan Jesus was also handed a three-game domestic ban for punching Roma counterpart Alessio Romagnoli. Prandelli, who was at the unveiling of Italy's new strip in Malpensa . Among Italy's squad are Southampton bad boy currently on loan at Juve Dani Osvaldo and Sunderland's Emanuele Giaccherini, who started Sunday's Capital One Cup final against Manchester City on the bench. Hard line: Cesare Prandelli (left) decided not to select De Rossi for breaching a code of ethics . New look: From left, Italy stars Marco Verratti, Mattia Perin, Andrea Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini, Davide Astori, Prandelli and Gianluigi Buffon unveil the country's new kit on Monday . You as well! Inter's Juan Jesus (left) was also banned for punching Alessio Romagnoli . Underhand: Juan planted a left uppercut into the ribs of the Roma man, who writhed in pain afterwards . | Daniele de Rossi gets three-game ban for 'deliberate' punch on Inter forward .
Inter Milan defender Juan Jesus also banned retrospectively for punching .
Cesare Prandelli's Italy squad without De Rossi and Mario Balotelli . |
1893009f99240ef59b6972df4b5d7f3204dc2d18 | By . Jaymi Mccann . PUBLISHED: . 11:27 EST, 20 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:45 EST, 20 June 2013 . A two-month-old Namibian boy has undergone dramatic surgery after being born with four legs. Andrew Palismwe, of Caprivi, is responding well to treatment after undergoing a nine-hour operation to remove two legs at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. The baby is now recovering at the Windhoek Central Hospital in Namibia, reported The Namibian. Surgery: Andrew Palismwe is responding well to treatment after undergoing a nine-hour operation to remove two legs at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa . He was born with two extra limbs below his stomach on April 6. The condition is thought to be a result of a twin that does not fully develop. Windhoek Central Hospital neonatologist Dr Clarissa Pieper said: ‘This is a situation where identical twins are attached together as a result of a twin embryo that does not fully split, but forms two babies growing into each other. In this case, the other baby never fully developed.’ Andrew's mother Ruthy Mutanimiye said at the hospital that her son had ‘quickly responded to medication’ after a day in intensive care. She also spoke of her relief that her child received the operation that she could not afford. Treatment: Andrew is recovering well from his surgery at the Windhoek Central Hospital in Namibia (pictured) The Namibian government paid for the surgery through a fund that assists state patients with no access to private medical care. Ester Paulus, a spokesman for Namibia's Ministry of Health and Social Services, said: ‘The fund was established to assist patients who do not have the means to undergo private treatment. 'We attend to every application with urgency, and currently, there are no pending application forms.’ She refused to disclose the cost of Andrew’s operation, saying: ‘No amount of money can be measured with saving a life.' | Andrew Palismwe is recovering at Windhoek Central Hospital in Namibia .
Baby boy was born with two extra limbs below his stomach on April 6 .
Condition is thought to be a result of a twin that does not fully develop .
Operation at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town . |
18933602467ef24ec33d5dab2592cc4b3c377142 | By . Associated Press . and Daily Mail Reporter . The mommy blogger who is accused of fatally poisoning her 5-year-old son with salt is on suicide watch in a New York jail while she awaits trial. At a hearing on Wednesday, Lacey Spears' lawyer asked the public to 'keep and open mind' about the charges. Spears 'looks forward to her day in court and the opportunity to challenge the allegations,' attorney Stephen Riebling said after a brief court session. 'We continue to trust the people will keep an open mind and not judge Lacey or the facts of this case based on what's been reported,' he said. 'The defense of this case will be focused on the relevant facts, not fiction.' Scroll down for video . Lacey Spears (pictured here in May) is 'devastated' by her son's death and is currently on suicide watch, her lawyer revealed . He would not elaborate. Spears, 26, was not in court on Wednesday. Riebling would not comment on how she is doing behind bars except to say that she is 'devastated' by her son's death. A sister, Rebecca Spears, was in court but would not comment afterward. Lacey Spears, of Scottsville, Kentucky, pleaded not guilty last month on charges of depraved murder and manslaughter in the death of Garnett-Paul Spears. The boy died in January at the Westchester Medical Center when, prosecutors say, his sodium levels rose to an extremely dangerous level with no medical explanation. Spears, then living in Chestnut Ridge, New York, was sharing her son's hospital room - he had been brought there after suffering seizures - and doctors thought she might be harming him. Prosecutors believe she administered sodium through a feeding tube in his stomach. Garnett-Paul Spears died in a New York hospital from unexplained sodium poisoning. Prosecutors say his mother slipped it into his feeding tube . Spears, who is originally from Decatur, Alabama, for years had chronicled on social media what she said were the boy's various medical crises. The depraved murder charge alleges extreme recklessness rather than intentional killing. It carries the same maximum sentence, 25 years to life in prison. Spears' lawyers have not yet filed the paperwork that would be required if they plan to offer a psychiatric defense. They would not comment Wednesday on whether that was being contemplated. Acting state Supreme Court Judge Robert Neary gave the defense until September to file motions. He set October 13 for the next court date. | Lacey Spears is accused of depraved murder in the death of 5-year-old Garrett-Paul Spears .
She chronicled her son's illnesses on social media .
Her lawyer says she is 'devastated' by her son's death, but did nothing wrong . |
1894a75855491d8e17e8e293f0753812bf646a5a | It may not be the obvious choice when looking for a hands-free way to use your phone, but a company in the Netherlands has developed an e-cigarette that can make and receive calls. Created by Netherlands-based firm Supersmoker, the e-cigarette is the world’s first electronic smoking device to wirelessly connect to smartphones and tablets. The Supersmoker Bluetooth has a built-in speaker and microphone and, when connected to a device, can also be used to stream music. Scroll down for video . Supersmoker claims the Bluetooth version of its e-cigarette, pictured, is the world's first electronic smoking device to double up as a mobile phone. When wirelessly connected to any Bluetooth device, pictured, the e-cigarette makes and receives calls and can play music . The Supersmoker Bluetooth (pictured right) has a . built-in microphone fitted to the back of the e-cigarette’s battery, . while its speaker is fitted in the middle coil. When . someone calls the connected phone, Supersmoker users answer it by pressing the . middle button - holding the speaker to their ear and the microphone near . their mouth. The device can also be used to stream . music from any connected Bluetooth device, including phones and tablets, but also smart radios, and more. Under the battery of the Supersmoker Bluetooth are three buttons. To activate the e-cigarette's built-in Bluetooth, the middle button is pressed until the battery makes a noise and vibrates. It can then be paired with any Bluetooth-enabled device. The Supersmoker Bluetooth's built-in microphone is fitted to the back of the e-cigarette’s battery, while its speaker is fitted in the middle coil. When someone calls the connected phone, Supersmoker users can answer it by pressing the middle button - holding the speaker to their ear and the microphone near their mouth. To end the call, users must press the middle button again. The . device can also be used to stream music from the connected smartphone . or tablet, and volume buttons are located on the bottom of the . e-cigarette either side of the Bluetooth button. The . e-cigarette also comes with a ‘sucker’ and keychain meaning it can be . stuck, or hung up, in any location when listening to music. Under the battery of the Supersmoker Bluetooth, there are three buttons, pictured. To activate the device's built-in Bluetooth, the middle button is pressed until the battery makes a noise and vibrates. It can then be paired with any Bluetooth-enabled device . The device costs €79.95 (£65.72) and can be shipped internationally. Supersmoker said: ‘At Supersmoker we are always striving to make your e-smoking experience more enjoyable, that’s why we created the Supersmoker Bluetooth. ‘With the Supersmoker Bluetooth we are changing the face of the e-smoking lifestyle with cutting edge design.' | The Supersmoker Bluetooth has a built-in speaker and microphone .
It connects wirelessly to Bluetooth devices including phones and tablets .
Users can use the e-cigarette to make and receive calls, and listen to music .
The device costs €79.95 (£65.72) and is sold by a Netherlands-based firm . |
18960ee998b98dac967f965521879a06320b4ccc | It's a breathtaking scenario. Hundreds of petrol-heads roaring across some of South America's most stunning landscapes in a grueling two-week endurance race where the competitors are at the mercy of treacherous terrain. The Dakar Rally's 465 competitors speed through the daunting sand dunes of Atacama desert one day, and traverse the snow-capped Andes mountain range the next in a 9,000-kilometer coast-to-coast marathon taking in Argentina, Chile and, this year, Peru. But environmentalists are worried about the effect the event -- which attracts millions of spectators -- has on a continent that is home to a wealth of fragile ecosystems. Argentine ecological group FUNAM has accused officials of failing to conduct the necessary environmental impact assessments before ratifying the route of the race, which ends on Sunday. "The first issue to be analyzed is regulation," FUNAM president Dr. Raul Montenegro told CNN. "In Argentina, for the last rally, a lot of regulations were not accomplished by the race organizers and even local government. "The environmental impact assessment is mandatory, and these kind of things were never presented and accomplished." However, race director Etienne Lavigne insists the Dakar is only staged in areas where it has permission to go. "Where we are going to go with the Dakar, we are authorized to go," Lavigne told CNN. "That means we work all the year with all the administration in each country to get permission to go where it's possible to go. "The Dakar is like a cocktail. Which means you need to put in a lot of ingredients. Every year we chose the best places for the best sport in the event. "This year, with three countries, we have a fantastic route with a lot of different landscapes, very different every day. A level of difficulty is very important every day. With the three countries, we are really in the best position to have the best route for the 2012 edition." But Montenegro counters that this desire to find the most dramatic and challenging landscapes is taking the rally into terrains which are not ready for the barrage of vehicles -- which come in four categories: cars, motorbikes, quadbikes and trucks.. "Most of the adventure of the Dakar is to use natural landscapes and scenery," Montenegro said. "Our region, Argentina, Chile and now Peru, are really not prepared for this kind of event, especially environments which have very fragile ecosystems." The Dakar, first staged in 1979, is named after the Senegalese capital which once served as its finishing point. Competitors would set off from the French capital of Paris, in the shadow of the iconic Eiffel Tower, and make tracks through north Africa to Senegal and, for the victorious few, racing immortality. A test of courage, stamina, strength and skill, the Dakar relocated to South America in 2009 after the murder of a French family in Mauritania, combined with terrorist threats made against the race, forced the cancellation of the previous year's event. The continental switch has forced competitors to adapt to new sets of laws and regulations in South America, a transition that has thrown up several problems, according to Montenegro. He and his team took many photos during last year's installment that claim to show drivers breaking traffic laws on local roads when traveling between stages of the race. "During the 2011 rally, it was clear the people taking part in the competition in Argentina violated (traffic laws). Not during the competition itself, but during connections between stages," he said. "We took more than 180 pictures showing these infractions. They put families in danger because at the time it was the holiday season in Cordoba." Lavigne insists the Dakar is committed to doing all it can to ensure race entrants obey local laws during the rally. "We work with all the authorities, the police," he said. "They need to respect the law. We are increasing the level of control with the full support of all the police authorities in the three countries." Organizers have sent the images captured by Montenegro and his colleagues to the 2012 entrants as examples of how not to drive on local roads. Despite the controversy surrounding the Dakar, it would seem the rally is a hit with local fans. The event's official website claimed that last year five million spectators across two countries turned out -- 3.5 million in Argentina and 1.5 million in Chile. And Lavigne revealed that three more nations want to follow Peru and join the race. "We can imagine including a new country in the next route in 2013. At the moment it's a bit early to speak about it, but we are working on some projects including a new country," he said. "We have good potential there (in South America) with a lot of propositions from other countries like Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia." The race's official website claims that "entering the Dakar is, in a certain way, like climbing Everest, sailing round the globe or rowing round the world." Regardless of the political and environmental issues surrounding the rally, the racers who are crowned winners in Buenos Aires on Sunday will have achieved an unforgettable feat. | The 33rd edition of the Dakar Rally will come to a conclusion on Sunday .
The South American endurance event has attracted the ire of environmental groups .
It has been held in Argentina and Chile since 2009, with Peru added this year .
Organizers say the grueling two-week race may expand to other countries . |
1896a2adc41dadf40230437d069b981fe418d6c2 | (CNN) -- I was living in Syria when the statues of Saddam Hussein in neighboring Iraq came toppling down. Saddam, who had arrogantly had his name inscribed on bricks at the ancient city of Babylon, did not expect his rule to end so abruptly, so humiliatingly. And at the University of Damascus, students told me that they expected Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to fall soon, too. They were not alone. With 250,000 U.S. troops amassed in Iraq in 2003, George W. Bush's White House had contemplated rolling American tanks into the Syrian capital. The Middle East was to be reshaped in the image of American democracy. But events in Iraq, Afghanistan, and North Korea distracted the Pentagon, and the "democratic domino theory" did not come to pass. Ten years after Iraq, did the war give birth to the Arab Spring? Yes, the Iraq War had indirect connections to the Arab uprisings that swept the Middle East and northern Africa in 2011. For one, the fall of Saddam must have psychologically empowered Arab opposition activists who saw that a Ba'thist dictator and his sons could be removed from power. FULL COVERAGE: The Iraq War, 10 years on . But it is a mistake to suggest that Arabs across the region were directly inspired by the fall of Saddam -- if that were true, they would have risen a decade ago. Why wait until 2011? The answer is that other, more direct developments led to the ongoing Arab revolutions. First, in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 atrocities, Arab governments used the ensuing "war on terror" to quell domestic dissent. When opposition Islamist parties questioned the legitimacy of Arab dictators, they were portrayed as al Qaeda sympathizers to the West, and their imprisonment in Cairo or Riyadh or Tripoli didn't raise international eyebrows. The violence of radical Islamists failed to topple strongmen in Egypt and Syria in the 1960s and 1980s. And once again, from 2001 to 2011, government repression of less radical, nonviolent Islamists signalled to a younger generation of Arabs that Islamism could not overthrow autocratic regimes. WATCH NOW: Iraq's phantom WMD . Second, as the "war on terror" unfolded, Islamists continued to fail in their decades-long pursuit to gain political office, and the widespread corruption and nepotism of regimes in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt sunk deeper, US support for Arab dictatorships also came into question. Then U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice put it best in June 2005: "For 60 years, my country, the United States, pursued stability at the expense of democracy in this region here in the Middle East, and we achieved neither." These were not just empty words. The U.S. government identified civil society organizations and financially supported NGOs through the "democracy promotion" agenda. During the Bush administration, annual funding for these programs exceeded the total amount spent on such programs in the entire decade to 2001, according to the 2009 budget report from the Project on Middle East Democracy. Funding for the mostly secular democracy activists was bolstered by the training provided for them in use of social media in mobilizing people. The invention and popularity of Facebook and Twitter helped young Arabs bypass communications controlled by their dictators. Even if this U.S.-funded training in creating political parties, electioneering, communication and media training only reached a small portion of the population, is it any wonder that English-speaking, elite, urban Arabs took to Facebook and Twitter to help overthrow dictators? Yes, there were local grievances and the uprisings were homegrown. The Arab uprisings belong to the Arab youth. But they were also responding by using modern technology to amplify the mood music of Western belief that Arabs too could create free societies. They were not an exception. WATCH: Lingering effects of war on Iraqis . Why else were Arab protesters' attention focused on the Obama White House as they demanded the president call on Mubarak to depart? As Turkey pressured the White House to oppose Mubarak, Saudi Arabia pressured Obama to support Mubarak -- and in that way the uprisings revolved to some degree around the messages sent from the U.S. government. The Arab Spring was going to happen with or without Saddam Hussein, but it would not have happened had it not been for the attacks of September 11. In fact, in many ways the Iraq War has prevented more from being done to aid the uprisings, hindering global resolve in attending to the killing fields of the full-blown civil war in Syria. OPINION: Media's failure on Iraq still stings . It is the ghost of Iraq that prevents the U.S. from leading attempts to topple the brutal Assad regime in Damascus. Regime change has consequences, as we learned in Iraq. There will be no new commitments to "nation build" again, or re-train police and security forces in a far off Arab land. The sectarianism, tribalism, Jihadism, border skirmishes and threat of chemical weapons use in Syria reminds U.S. policymakers of the American and Arab blood and treasure sacrificed in Iraq. And to what avail? The ongoing loss of life in Syria is a direct result of U.S. foreign policy blunders in Iraq. Syrians are the victims of America's Iraq adventure. So as we ponder the last decade and current Arab uprisings, let us not gloat about the "success" of Iraq. Iraq is not a success. It is now an ally of Iran, home to a prime minister who persecutes his own political opposition, and unashamedly supports the Assad regime in Syria. Egyptians, Yemenis, Libyans, and Tunisians were not inspired by America in Iraq. The opinions expressed in this opinion piece are solely those of Ed Husain. | Husain: Fall of Saddam Hussein pyschologically empowered Arab opposition .
Other, more direct developments had greater effect on Arab Spring .
Iraq War has prevented more from being done to aid Arab Spring, especially in Syria . |
189705e95b14f7bb4c4f210b561f8a95d48e5e07 | By . Associated Press . More than 100 years after dinosaurs were first displayed on the National Mall, T. Rex - the king - is joining the Smithsonian collection after a 2,000-mile journey from Montana. Paleontologists and curators unveiled parts of a nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton Tuesday, including its jaw with teeth as big as bananas, at the National Museum of Natural History. FedEx delivered the dinosaur bones in a special truck carrying 16 carefully packed crates that were kept at room temperature for the four-day trip. Scroll down for video . Unveiling: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Director Kirk Johnson, left, and Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, commanding general of the Army Corps of Engineers, unveil the fossilized bones of a Tyrannosaurus rex during a ceremony at the museum in Washington . Long trip: The Tyrannosaurus rex is joining the dinosaur fossil collection on the National Mall on Tuesday after a more than 2,000-mile journey from Montana . Quite the find: The original fossilized bones of this T. rex arrived at the museum Tuesday and will be reassembled for display . Fossils: In 1988 the Wankels discovered the fossilized bones while hiking in a rugged section of a federal wildlife refuge in eastern Montana. Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest land carnivores of all time . Boxed-in: A crate containing the fossilized jaw bone of The Nation's T. rex The crate, is one of 16, containing the remains of The Nations T. rex, . A large leg bone and the T. rex teeth . drew 'ahs' as Museum Director Kirk Johnson told a crowd that the . skeleton ranks as one of the top five T. rex skeletons discovered . because it's about 85 percent complete. 'It lay in the ground much as it had died on the shores of a stream in Montana just over 66 million years ago,' Johnson said. It was discovered in 1988 on federal land in Montana and is one of about half a dozen nearly complete T. rex skeletons that have been uncovered. The prize fossils have been tough to acquire. The Smithsonian set out to buy one at auction in 1997 but was outbid for that T. rex named Sue. She went to Chicago's Field Museum for $7.6 million. Almost 30 years: The dineosaur was discovered by a Montana rancher near Fort Peck Reservoir in 1988 which is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers. The Nations T. rex is on loan to the Natural History Museum for 50 years . Delicate: The fossilized bones of a 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex are encased in plaster and held in padded crates after being shipped from Montana . Monumental: For the first time since its dinosaur hall opened in 1911, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History will have a nearly complete T. rex skeleton . Special delivery: FedEx is delivering the dinosaur bones in a truck carrying 16 carefully packed crates . Enormous: Montana State University Administrative Director of Palentology Pat Leiggi rests his hands on the fossilized right femur of a 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex . Large: Formerly known as the Wankel T. rex, the nearly-complete dinosaur fossil was discovered in 1988 in eastern Montana and will be the centerpiece of the museum's new 31,000-square-foot fossil hall, which will open in 2019 . Now the Smithsonian's specimen could become the most prominent with its new home in one of the world's most-visited museums. About 7 million people visit the natural history museum each year, and it offers free admission. Kathy Wankel, a Montana rancher who discovered the bones in 1998 during a camping trip, said she initially spotted about 3 inches of bone sticking out of the ground and dug out a small arm bone. She said she's proud to see the fossil in a national museum. 'We were so thrilled we had found a bone; we called that a mega find,' she said at the museum. 'But I think now this is a mega find.' Paleontologists from the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Mont., excavated the fossil, and it's been housed there for the past 25 years. At the Smithsonian, the skeleton will be mounted upright for the first time. Many people think of the T. rex as the ultimate dinosaur, and it's the first thing they want to see, paleontology curator Hans Sues said. Its name is a combination of Greek and Latin meaning "king of the tyrant lizards," and it was one of the largest predators to live on land. 'In some ways, I think of it as the most American of all dinosaurs: this big, huge animal that was dominating its ecosystem,' Sues said. Kirk Johnson(2nd-L), Sant Director of the National Museum of Natural History and Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, commanding general and chief of engineers of the US Army Corps of Engineers look into a crate containing the fossilized bones of The Nation's T. rex . Logged: 3-D scanning specialist Jonathan Blundell uses a hand-held scanner while making images of the fossilized metatarsal of a 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex during a preview of the dinosaur fossils . Star attraction: The seven-ton skeleton of a dinosaur that may have been an opportunistic eater rather than a stone-cold killer is to be mounted at the Smithsonian Institution in an exhibit that will open in 2019 and is expected to attract 8 million visitors a year . Bone by bone: The so-called Wankel T.rex - named after Kathy Wankel who discovered it - was about 18-years-old when it died and is considered second for extensiveness and preservation . Finders: In 1988 Montana ranchers Kathy Wankel (L) and her husband Tom Wankel discovered the fossilized bones of a 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex while hiking in a rugged section of a federal wildlife refuge in eastern Montana . Scientists want to learn more about how T. rex related to other animals and what its short arms were used for. Visitors can get their first look over the next six months as curators unpack, examine and 3D scan the skeleton. But it will take five years for the museum to overhaul its dinosaur hall, with the T. rex mounted as the centerpiece of a $48 million gallery devoted to the history of life on Earth. It's slated to open in 2019. While pieces of the exhibition have been updated over time, this will be the first comprehensive reimagining of the dinosaur hall, Johnson said. 'There's so many things that have happened in science in the last 100 years that this will be a great new hall,' he said. The T. rex is on a 50-year loan from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the Smithsonian that could be extended. Washington's current 103-year-old dinosaur hall closes April 27 for renovations. A temporary dinosaur exhibit will open later this year. Happy times: From left to right, Kirk Johnson, Sant director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, poses with Montana ranchers Kathy and Tom Wankel, Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, commanding general and chief of engineers of the US Army Corps of Engineers . Quite the catch: The loan of the T.rex to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is on par with the museum's 1929 acquisition of the priceless Hope diamond . The real deal: The Smithsonian until now has only displayed a cast of a T.rex but not the real thing . Unveiling: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Director Kirk Johnson (L) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick unveil the fossilized right femur of a 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex during a preview at the museum April 15, 2014 in Washington, DC. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The nearly-complete dinosaur fossil was discovered in 1988 in Montana .
T. Rex will be the centerpiece of the museum's new 31,000-square-foot fossil hall, which will open in 2019 .
For the first time since its dinosaur hall opened in 1911, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History will have a T. rex skeleton . |
189741815e1d4a8e3c9425d7ea0ff6ef6953989b | Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos claims his side are underdogs for this weekend's Champions League final against Atletico Madrid following the Rojiblancos' Primera Division success. Real head into the match having won the European Cup a record nine times in their history and been runners-up on a further three occasions, whereas the only time Atletico have previously got this far was in 1974 when they lost to Bayern Munich. Real have also dominated the head-to-head record between the clubs in recent times, and were unbeaten against their arch-rivals for 13 years up until last season's Copa del Rey final, which Atletico won 2-1. Ready to go: Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric train ahead of the Champions League final . Training hard: Cristiano Ronaldo should be fit to play in the final . Good news: Ronaldo gives the thumbs up to the cameras . Atletico followed that up with a 1-0 league win at the Bernabeu in September, but since that match Real have won two of three meetings between the two while drawing the other. However, despite those records, Ramos believes it is Aletico who are favourites to lift the title in Lisbon this weekend after they pipped Barcelona and Real to the Primera Divison - their first since 1996. 'We are up against a great team in Atletico Madrid who, from my point of view, are the favourites,' the Spain international said on Tuesday. Good feeling: Gareth Bale is expected to play in the final . Letting it slip: Ramos and Madrid saw the title slide away . 'They are the deserved current league champions and deserve credit for reaching the Champions League final. 'But that doesn't mean they are going to be the champions of the Champions League.' Real may have won the competition a record amount of times but they have not been crowned champions since 2002 - something they are desperate to change this weekend. Ramos added: 'The final is for the fans. It's a competition which after so many years really excites both us and the fans. 'It's going to be a very hard-fought final. We're expecting a very physical match which will be won by whoever commits the fewest mistakes.'Â . | Atletico pipped rivals to La Liga title .
Madrid teams go head to head in Lisbon in the Champions League final .
Ramos believes Atletico start as favourites . |
18975fb353e4df176bf4d4da8fcc76af90de5aee | Buyers: Sol Campbell, 40, and his wife Fiona, 34 snapped up the six-storey townhouse in Chelsea . Having threatened to leave the country over Labour’s proposed mansion tax, it was perhaps of little surprise when Sol Campbell put his Chelsea townhouse up for sale. Far more surprising was the identity of the purchaser of the former football star’s £20million property – himself. The six-storey home on the banks of the Thames was bought by company H Wall Ltd, which the former England international, 40, jointly owns with his wife, interior designer Fiona Barratt-Campbell, 34. It was first listed for sale in October last year for £25million. The sale included a mews property, where the couple’s housekeeper lives, which is joined to the main home by a tunnel. Campbell, who has a number of other properties, including a Northumberland mansion, put the Chelsea house on the market just weeks after he blasted the Labour Party’s mansion tax policy, which he described as a ‘cheap and easy way to extract money from individuals who have done well.’ Land Registry documents suggest the sale was registered on December 5 last year, a day after higher stamp duty levies came into effect. It is possible the sale took place shortly before it was registered, in which case it may have avoided the greatly increased charges. Companies House documents reveal that the Chelsea house was registered to company NE Properties Ltd. However, Campbell had a mortgage on the house and he has widely referred to it as his own. He does not appear to have any other connection to NE Properties. He has also submitted several planning applications for the house, stretching back over a decade. He let it during the 2012 Olympics for £75,000 per week and, speaking at the time, Mrs Barratt-Campbell told The Telegraph: ‘It has an amazing entertaining space on the first floor, with views of the river and Albert Bridge, which is beautiful when it is lit up at night. We have a garden, a mews house – where our housekeeper and family live and which is connected to the main house by a tunnel under the garden, so it is completely secure.’ The property also boasts its own lift and gym. It has six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a drawing room, library and a 45ft garden. It was renovated in 2008, with Mrs Barratt-Campbell designing the interior. She is the granddaughter of Sir Lawrie Barratt, who founded Barratt Homes. Criticising the mansion tax last year, Campbell told the BBC: ‘Over the years I have spent millions in income tax and stamp duty but I am being punished for investing in a property portfolio. I see this as a tax on aspiration.’ Prestigious: The property, pictured, boasts its own lift and has a tunnel to the housekeeper's mews home . View: The six-bedroom home, which also offers a 45ft garden, is on the banks of the Thames, pictured . Ed Miliband claims his flagship policy will raise £1.2billion a year. Those in homes worth between £2million and £3million will pay an extra £3,000 a year in tax. Labour has said those in even more expensive homes will pay still more. Former Arsenal and Tottenham defender Campbell told The Times last month: ‘With a mansion tax, you’re taxing me for being prudent. ‘You’ve got death taxes already. If Labour gets in, I’d leave. I’d have to say, “Sorry, I want to ship out”.’ He reiterated the opinion in a series of angry tweets in September last year. He wrote to his 33,000 followers: ‘MansionTax? Why should we except this? @uklabour are the grim reaper of business entrepreneurs or anyone that has done well!’ Last night tax experts said the complex ownership arrangements made it difficult to work out what the financial benefit for Campbell of selling the Chelsea property to his own company would be. Because Labour has not yet detailed its mansion tax plans it was also unclear how the sale might affect Campbell’s possible bill under the proposed levy. | Campbell threatened to leave country over Labour's proposed mansion tax .
So it was of little surprise when 40-year-old put his townhouse on market .
More surprising was that the former footballer bought property himself . |
18977474f70de8af0414c4c2433ca8bcd1d29493 | (CNN) -- Just within the past week, a disturbing video released by the hacktivist group Knight Sec exposed details surrounding the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in Steubenville, Ohio; more protests erupted over the horrific gang rape of a young woman in India; and the final sessions of the 112th Congress did not reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Whether it's here in the United States, or in other parts of the world, violence against women persists and justice often falls through the cracks. The Steubenville rape case has come back into the spotlight due in large part to online activists who felt that it wasn't being taken seriously. While the case against two teenage football players is being investigated, with a trial set for February, we as a society must do all we can to end sexual violence against women. The video footage and messages that surfaced on social media, which appear to depict the sexual abuse of a girl, highlight horrible attitudes and unacceptable behaviors toward women. One thing is clear: Those "bystanders" who were present on the night of the alleged rape bear a responsibility. Why didn't any one of them assist her or respond to what was happening? And while three members of the football team have come forward to testify in the case, more should have. The "code of silence" that is often found among athletes, fraternities and other similar groups must be addressed. We call upon our athletic teams and coaches to speak up because they can play an important role in prevention. Coaches can educate young men about the need to treat women with respect, encourage healthy relationships with the opposite sex, and promote non-misogynist behavior. We must ensure that young men see sexual violence against women as despicable and do all they can to stop it. According to a recent national survey, 1 in 5 women in the U.S. reported having been raped. Most rapes are perpetrated by someone the victim knows. Victimization can start early in life. We still live in a culture where young women are not given a voice and victims of sexual violence are sometimes not believed. Opinion: Why don't some boys see it as rape? The Ohio incident has sparked outrage since it first was reported. Advocates and community members were glad that the case was turned over to special prosecutors in the Office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to avoid potential conflicts of interest. When Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Rachel Dissell took up the story in September, it inspired people who had been sexually assaulted to come forward about their own experiences. These people know that they were no longer alone. Fewer than half of Ohio's 88 counties have rape crisis services available for individuals who have been sexually assaulted, and many existing programs lack the adequate resources to provide needed prevention and community outreach to address the myths about sexual violence and promote a culture that supports rape survivors. In Steubenville, there is no prevention funding to address sexual violence. As for survivors, how can they seek justice and healing if they have little support and resources available? We call upon House Speaker John Boehner -- who's from Ohio -- to help us end sexual violence. Opinion: End culture of rape in 2013 . The Violence Against Women Act includes provisions for engaging men and boys as allies to ending sexual violence, providing bystander intervention and prevention in high schools and on college campuses. Contact your Congress member and encourage him or her to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Survivors and communities across Ohio and the nation deserve your support. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Katie Hanna and Monika Johnson Hostler. | Katie Hanna, Monika Johnson Hostler: In the U.S. or abroad, violence against women persists .
They say there's often a "code of silence" among athletes and fraternities .
Hanna, Hostler: Athletic teams, coaches should educate boys about respecting women . |
18978ae701cefe71806d75e68b84f612411ab4d7 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:17 EST, 29 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 30 December 2012 . Former England captain and television commentator Tony Greig has died in Sydney at the age of 66 . Former England cricket captain and television commentator Tony Greig has died of a heart attack at the age of 66. The South African-born all-rounder was diagnosed with lung cancer two months ago. Greig played 58 Tests for England - 14 of them as skipper - before quitting the team to join Australian tycoon Kerry Packer's breakaway World Series. He was initially diagnosed with . bronchitis seven months ago, but underwent surgery last month after . further tests showed a lesion at the base of his right lung. Greig died at around 1:45pm local time today after being rushed from his home to Sydney's St Vincent's . Hospital earlier, according to Australian broadcaster Channel Nine, for whom Greig worked. He was quoted as having told Channel Nine colleagues last month: 'It's . not good. The truth is I've got lung cancer. Now it's a case of what . they can do.' The BBC . reported that in October he tweeted: 'Thanks to all of you who have sent . me good wishes for a recovery. With your prayers and the help of my . family I will give it my best shot.' On Christmas Day he posted the . message: 'Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year . to you all. Would love to be at Test but son Tom and I will be tuned . in?' A Channel Nine statement read: 'Beloved Tony Greig, former England cricket captain, has passed away today at the age of 66. Scroll down for video . All-rounder: Greig scored 3,599 Test runs at an average of 40.43 and was also more than handy with the ball, claiming 141 wickets at an average of 32.20 . Job well done: Greig, then captain of England, relaxes with a pint after a Test match at Old Trafford in 1972 . Leaders: Deposed England cricket captain Tony Greig (right) and his successor, Mike Brearley, during practice prior to the 1st ODI against Australia at Old Trafford in Manchester on 22nd June 1977 . 'Tony Greig is a name synonymous with . Australian cricket - from his playing days as the English captain we . loved to hate, to his senior role in the revolution of World Series . Cricket, his infamous car keys in the pitch reports and more than three . decades of colourful and expert commentary. 'To his family and friends we pass on our best wishes.' Meeting of minds: Greig chats with Pakistan cricketer of the sixties Saeed Ahmed in the United Arab Emirates in 1997 . Memorabilia: Greig studies the ball used by Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh when he became the first Indian to take a hat-trick in Test cricket at an auction in Bangalore in 2003 . Controversial times: Greig as captain of the World Series Cricket World XI in the 1979 Supertest Grand Final match with Australia in Sydney . Greig scored 3,599 Test runs at an average of 40.43 and was also more than handy with the ball, claiming 141 wickets at an average of 32.20. Greig, a right-handed middle-order batsman and medium-fast seamer, made his Test debut for England against Australia in 1972, and captained the national team from 1975-1977 after succeeding Mike Denness as skipper. He lived in Sydney from the late 1970s and commentated for Channel Nine for 33 years. England opener, Nick Compton: 'Sad day - RIP Tony Greig a fantastic player and a good man, loved his commentary was one of the best! Cricket world will miss u.' Legendary Aussie fast bowler, Brett Lee: 'OMG Poor Tony Greig. I feel so sad and shocked right now. Can't believe it.' England wicketkeeper, Matt Prior: 'Can't believe one of my heroes Tony Greig has passed away. One of the greatest voices in cricket and will be sorely missed. #RIPGreigy.' England all-rounder, Luke Wright: 'Gutted to hear that Tony Greig has passed away. A legend on and off the field. Our thoughts are with his family and friends #RIPGreigy.' Australia captain Michael Clarke on www.cricket.com.au: 'I was only speaking with Tony a couple of days ago so news of his passing is absolutely devastating. "Tony has a long and decorated history with international cricket both as a player and commentator and cricket will be much poorer for his loss. "Personally, he has also been a great mentor for me, providing great advice through the good times and the bad.' Former Australian paceman Glen McGrath: My thoughts are with Tony Greig's family today. RIP Tony Greig' Long-serving Nine Network cricket commentator and former Australia captain Richie Benaud recalled Greig's 'fearless' reaction to the English public following his decision to join the Packer team in 1977.'There was an enormous amount of pressure on him,' Benaud told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'He was captain of England at the time and played against Australia at Lord's. The English people turned against him. 'He wasn't just a fearless cricketer but a fearless thinker as well. He would not just jump in boots first, but it wouldn't matter how much pressure it put on him, he would stick with it.' Former Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee told the same publication: 'Tony was a tough opponent who took on all opposition with aggression and a determination to win. 'We will not forget the way he stirred the viewers in a similar vein to the way he did to opposition teams.' ICC chief executive David Richardson: 'This is extremely sad news for cricket and the ICC send their condolences to Tony's family and in particular his wife Vivian. 'Tony played a significant part in shaping modern cricket as a player in the 1970s and then provided millions of cricket lovers with a unique insight as a thoughtful and knowledgeable commentator - primarily for the Nine Network in Australia. 'I met with him on several occasions during the recent ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka where he was a senior commentator for our broadcast partner ESS. 'He was also a regular visitor to the ICC offices in Dubai when commentating for Ten Sports. 'I am sure that I will not be alone in saying that he and his wise words will be missed by cricketers, administrators and spectators around the world. 'His figures in Test matches show that he was one of the leading all-rounders of his generation with a batting average of above 40 and a bowling average around 32.' | South African-born star was diagnosed with lung cancer two months ago .
He told colleagues, 'It's not good, it's a case of what they can do'
Greig played for England in 58 tests before quitting to join breakaway series . |
18984b5575a226d1d391be2b3788a0ccb794011e | Jerusalem (CNN) -- A day after thousands of Israeli demonstrators demanded an end to rules that make ultra-Orthodox Jews exempt from the draft, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the nation's approach to military service must change. "The existing situation cannot continue. Neither the army, the economy nor society can continue on the current path," Netanyahu said at the start of his weekly Cabinet meeting. The prime minister named a new team to draw up a law that would "share the burden" of military service, which is required for most Israelis when they reach the age of 18. The existing law provides an exemption for Arabs and ultra-Orthodox Jews. The issue has been a controversial political topic for months for Netanyahu, but time is running out. Israel's Supreme Court has ruled that the law, which exempts tens of thousands of Israelis from service, must be replaced by August 1. Such a move is sorely needed, according to thousands of protesters who marched on the streets of Tel Aviv Saturday night. Holding banners reading, "Service for all" and "We are not suckers," they demanded a universal military draft. More than 20,000 people turned out to protest, Israeli Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Netanyahu acknowledged the demonstration Sunday. "I completely understand the demand of those who serve and their families," he said. Ultra-Orthodox students have been exempt from service through historical political agreements since Israel's establishment in 1948. Community leaders have said ultra-Orthodox men should spend their time studying the Torah at religious institutes rather than defending their country in uniforms. Both ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arab Israeli citizens are exempt from military service. They can choose to volunteer or participate in civil service programs within their communities, but the vast majority of both groups do not participate in those programs. The issue is a sensitive one for Netanyahu and his Likud paty, which has traditionally relied on ultra-Orthodox parties as natural coalition partners. But his government has showed some signs of shifting toward the center. In April, Netanyahu beefed up his political dominance when he formed a coalition government with the centrist Kadima faction, bringing the number of his coalition partners to 92 in the 120-seat Knesset. On Sunday, the Likud party approved most of the recommendations of a government committee, which had suggested changing the draft law to include ultra-Orthodox Jews. But the party said in a statement that the principle of service for all should apply to Israel's Arab population as well. Should the Likud go ahead with its reform efforts and force thousands of Yeshiva students to join the Israeli Defense Forces, it could risk losing some of its longstanding partners. A lawmaker from one ultra-Orthodox party criticized Netanyahu Sunday for pushing the changes, and warned that the prime minister's political alliances could be at risk. "To my regret, Netanyahu does not understand that the demonstrators look to cut off the partnerships between us," Moshe Gafni of the Yahadut Hatorah party told Israel's army radio. "If this will be the case, Netanyahu will lose his power." But the prime minister told his Cabinet Sunday that keeping the current system was not an option. The previous government committee created to tackle the thorny issue dissolved due to disagreements within its members. A new government team will draft the details of a proposed law that will be more equitable, Netanyahu said. Knesset lawmakers will have the final say. "We are facing a historic move, a dramatic increase in the participation of the ultra-Orthodox and Arab publics in bearing the burden" Netanyahu said. "Such an increase has started, it is welcome, it is important -- but it is not enough. We want to bring about a dramatic increase in the rate of participation." That means those who don't comply with the country's draft law should be punished, Zohara Berger-Tzur of the Israeli Forum for Equal Service told CNN. "We demand service for all at the age of 18 and personal sanctions against those who evade duty," she said. "The new draft must comply with these demands." Gaza truce gets off to a shaky start . Evacuation of 150 West Bank settlers begins . Militant Palestinian group behind Israel attack, Egypt official says . | "The existing situation cannot continue," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says .
More than 20,000 demonstrators demand reforms to military draft rules .
The controversial topic is a thorny political issue for Netanyahu's government .
A government committee will draw up a proposed new law, he says . |
18987c2adcb92cf136c13c970a4d9a818ec12eec | Most little girls would be absolutely thrilled at the prospect of having a baby sister. But this feisty two-year-old was none too pleased to learn that her newborn sibling was on the way home - and she certainly wasn't shy to show it. The adorable girl, named Piper, was filmed by her father launching into an incredible temper tantrum and steadfastly refusing to have anything to do with her sister. Scroll down for video . The father is heard asking 'Hey Piper do you like your baby sister?', to which he gets the curt response 'No!' As Piper slams her dummy up against a door and stamps her feet in defiance her father asks 'Do you want to give your baby sister a hug?' Again he gets a firm 'no!' The father then changes tactic asking Piper to come over and give him a hug. But this goes down even worse and the little girl slumps to the ground kicking her legs in fury. The video has since gone viral picking up over 400,000 views on YouTube in just three days. Not happy: Two-year-old Piper was none too pleased to learn her newborn baby sister was on the way home . Feisty: The toddler kicked and stamped before slumping to the floor in defiance . The little girl ends up in a heap on the floor after refusing to have anything to do with her newborn sister . | Two-year-old's temper tantrum racks up 400,000 internet hits in three days .
Young Piper does not seem impressed that her new sister is coming home .
Video captured by Piper's father who asks Piper about her sister . |
189946270fe1f64ee02f2877679c075b5645c0bb | It took 36 minutes for the first email to arrive. As the shockwaves from Rio de Janeiro were still reverberating, bookmakers began pumping out their blunt messages. Assessing how much of an impact Luis Suarez's suspension would have on Liverpool's ambitions for the new Barclays Premier League campaign, the words in the subject box from odds compilers had no ambiguity. 'Reds pushed out for title glory,' they proclaimed. They were delivering a calculated summary of where Liverpool stand without Suarez: not credible contenders. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Suarez bite Chiellini and Bakkal while at Ajax in 2010 . Good times: Luis Suarez was the Premier League Player of the Year last season but Liverpool could now sell . Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool's ambitious manager, would rail against that view. When it has been put to him in the past that his side were over-reliant on Suarez, he could list statistics and highlights to show why it wasn't just about this maverick soul from Salto. He had a point, too. When Suarez served a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in April 2013, Liverpool won seven times in all competitions, drew two and lost one. They were not short of goals, either, particularly from Daniel Sturridge. The reality, however, is different. Suarez transforms Liverpool. His presence scrambles the minds of opponents, inspires those around him and last season he gave supporters that priceless belief that, no matter what, he would score and Liverpool would win. Do not underestimate his worth. Happy days: Suarez celebrates winning the golden boot with his daughter Delfina and wife Sofia . As it stands now, Suarez will miss the . first nine Premier League matches and in the corresponding fixtures last . year, his influence was enough to secure Rodgers 10 extra points - the . difference, effectively, between finishing second and fourth. Suarez brings out the best in Liverpool but what is best for Liverpool now should not include Suarez. That might sound contradictory, given what his 31 goals helped achieve in 2013-14, but if he remains on Merseyside while serving his ban, he will cast a heavy, uncomfortable cloud. Shame: The Uruguay forward has been banned for four months after biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup . Say he is still a Liverpool player in October. With some tricky assignments - such as trips to Manchester City and Spurs, as well as the Merseyside derby - Liverpool could find themselves outside the top four, particularly if their Champions League schedule is complicated. Questions to Rodgers then become about whether Liverpool can keep a player of his ability if they are not challenging for the honours he craves. Missing out: Suarez narrowly missed out on the title last season and could now be on his way to Barcelona . Put simply, Rodgers doesn't need it any more. The topic dominated last summer when Suarez was trying to engineer a move to Arsenal and Suarez's future was fast becoming an issue once more this month before his notoriety in Natal. Rodgers is trying to build Liverpool up into a position where they will not be one-season wonders; he wants the verve and the style and the winning sprees of last season's efforts to become normal. Having Suarez would obviously enhance their prospects but Suarez keeps letting Rodgers down. Tough times: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has been let down by Suarez . VIDEO Suarez hands Liverpool problem . Liverpool did everything they could to help Suarez last season, from letting him bring his newborn son, Benjamin, on to the pitch before a game last October to making him captain in Steven Gerrard's absence and ensuring Dr Steve Peters' counsel was available to him at all times. In the main, it worked, but these latest events show he cannot be trusted. As Jamie Carragher said in Sportsmail on Thursday, controversy will be just around the corner, waiting to trip Liverpool up - so now is the time for ruthlessness. If Rodgers is going to create a title-winning team, he needs reliability and stability as well as talent. He is not afraid to make big decisions - one of his first acts as Liverpool manager was to send £35million Andy Carroll out to West Ham on loan - but the biggest is looming. Challenge: Rodgers showed with Andy Carroll that he is willing to make big decisions . Privately Rodgers may feel Suarez has reached the point where he causes more harm than good. If that is the case, a deal with Barcelona - who have not been put off by events in Brazil - should be done and the money used to make Liverpool stronger. Should he be able to do that, life without Suarez need not be as bleak as the bookmakers forecast. | As it stands now, Suarez will miss the .
first nine Premier League matches of next season .
If the striker remains on Merseyside while serving his four-month ban, he will cast a heavy cloud .
Brendan Rodgers needs reliability and stability as well as talent to create title-winning team . |
18998df2cc2db359644e74c08f4502376900c628 | Letters containing the conclusions of the Chilcot Inquiry have been sent to the main participants, including Tony Blair, the Daily Mail understands . Letters containing the detailed conclusions of the public inquiry into the Iraq War have been sent to the main participants, the Daily Mail understands. The revelation will increase speculation that the conclusions of the long-delayed inquiry could be made public in the coming months. Tony Blair and Jack Straw are among those thought to have received letters in recent weeks warning them of any criticisms to be made by Sir John Chilcot. Whitehall sources have told the Mail the letters were sent out ‘some time ago’. In May David Cameron said he expected the report to be published ‘before the end of the year’. He added: ‘The public wants to see the answers of the inquiry and I think we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer.’ But just four weeks of the Parliamentary term remain – making it unlikely that it will be published before MPs recess for Christmas. By law, anyone who will face criticism of a public inquiry must be sent a letter warning them of the contents. They are then permitted to challenge any negative findings. These so-called ‘Maxwellisation’ letters are the result of a court challenge by Robert Maxwell who overturned the verdict of a critical report in 1969. Legal wrangling between participants who want to challenge any personal criticisms contained in the report could cause further delay. Senior Labour figures will fear the publication of the inquiry’s conclusions in the run up to the election, knowing it will remind the public of the divisive conflict and re-open old wounds within the party. First launched by Gordon Brown in July 2009, the Chilcot inquiry began its hearings in November that year and finished taking formal evidence in 2011. But lengthy delays were caused by arguments between Sir John Chilcot, the inquiry’s chairman and the US and British governments over the publication of correspondence between Mr Blair and President George W Bush. Earlier this year there were claims of a whitewash after Sir John confirmed his long-awaited report would publish only ‘the gist’ and some quotes of Mr Blair’s messages to Mr Bush. The US president’s replies will not be published in any form. Sir John said this was vital in order for people to understand the inquiry’s conclusions. Families of servicemen killed in the Iraq conflict condemned the decision not to publish the documents in full. The report has been hit with delays because of arguments over whether correspondence between Blair and President George Bush should be included in full . They said it meant they might never learn the full truth about the decision to go to war. Earlier this year Mr Blair insisted he was not the reason for the delay in publishing the report. The former prime minister said he resented suggestions that he was holding it up. He said the ‘sooner it is published the better’. ‘I have got as much interest as anyone in seeing the inquiry publish its findings and then being able to go out and frankly restate my case and defend my position,’ Mr Blair said. Figures released in recent weeks show the cost of the inquiry is set to top £11million. Senior figures, including Mr Blair, are expected to have their legal bills for the inquiry paid by the taxpayer. Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, a critic of the war, said the report should be published ‘as soon as possible’. ‘This has gone on long enough. People have a right to know when they vote in May about the roles of those involved in taking Britain to war.’ ‘People may argue it is political to publish it before May, but I would argue it would be political not to do so.’ A spokesman for the Chilcot inquiry declined to comment. A spokesman for Mr Blair’s office said: ‘No comment’. Mr Straw could not be reached for comment. | Tony Blair is thought to have seen the findings of the Iraq War Inquiry .
Chilcot report has faced long delays but could be published in new year .
David Cameron previously said report would be published in 2014 .
Former Home Secretary Jack Straw is also thought to have seen findings .
Whitehall source says the letters were sent out 'some time ago' |
1899d42840083ddc351aeec39b76992d28e0bb6a | (CNN) -- Second seed Kim Clijsters suffered her earliest French Open exit in 11 years as she crashed out in the second round on Thursday. The Belgian, seeking to win the clay-court grand slam event for the first time, failed to capitalize on two match-points as she was eliminated by unheralded Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus. Former world No. 1 Clijsters was 5-2 ahead in the second set, but her 20-year-old opponent fought back to win 3-6 7-5 6-1 on center court. The 114th-ranked Rus, whose only previous match against a top-10 player was a three-set defeat by Maria Sharapova in Madrid this year, earned a clash with Russian 25th seed Maria Kirilenko. Rafael Nadal: Anatomy of a champion . The result means that Caroline Wozniacki will retain the No. 1 ranking, no matter her performance in Paris. The 20-year-old Dane moved into the third round with a nervous 6-3 7-6 (8-6) win over Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak on Wednesday and next faces 28th seed Daniela Hantuchova. Clijsters returned to Roland Garros for the first time since losing in the 2006 semifinals, with her preparations hampered by a two-month injury layoff. She comfortably won her opening match against Anastasia Yakimova of Belarus, but the 27-year-old failed to finish off a player who had never before got past the second round of a grand slam tournament. "I'm still trying to figure it out," Clijsters, who lost in the first round of her French Open debut in 2000, told the WTA Tour website. "I started doubting a little bit. That's definitely the wrong attitude to have, especially for me on clay. "She obviously started building up more confidence, playing a lot better and putting me on my back foot all the time. I couldn't really play my aggressive tennis anymore in that third set." Clijsters insisted that she had recovered from the shoulder, wrist and ankle injuries that had sidelined her since March. "My ankle feels fine, that had absolutely nothing to do with it. If I felt like I wasn't as ready as I would have liked to be, I wouldn't have come here," the four-time grand slam winner said. "Physically everything was fine. If I wasn't feeling I was able to play tough matches, I wouldn't have made the decision to come to Roland Garros. I'm not going to sit here and say maybe I shouldn't have come here. That's the attitude of a real loser, I think. I gave it the best I had with the abilities I had." With the Williams sisters ruled out by long-term injuries, and four-time Paris champion Justin Henin retired for a second time, Clijsters was one of the favorites to take the title. Her exit is a boost to the chances of former No. 1 Sharapova, who survived a scare against 17-year-old world number 188 Caroline Garcia, who was playing in only her second tour level event. The seventh-seeded Russian was a set and 4-1 down but recovered to triumph 3-6 6-4 6-0. Afterwards she told reporters: "She played unbelievable and the conditions were really tough." Fourth seed Victoria Azarenka, from Belarus, took just 57 minutes to beat Pauline Parmentier 6-0 6-1. Chinese sixth seed Li Na moved into the third round with a 6-4 7-5 win over Spanish qualifier Silvia Soler-Espinosa. The Australian Open runner-up will next take on Romania's Sorana Cirstea, who knocked out 27th-seeded compatriot Alexandra Dulgheru 6-2 7-5. Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova eased to a 6-4 6-1 win over China's Zheng Jie to set up a clash with American Vania King. Polish 12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat India's Sania Mirza 6-2 6-4, and could face Sharapova in the last 16 if she gets past Belgian No. 21 Yanina Wickmayer. | World No. 2 Kim Clijsters beaten by 114th-ranked Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus .
The 20-year-old saves two match-points to earn third-round clash with Maria Kirilenko .
Maria Sharapova survives a scare against 17-year-old Caroline Garcia .
Australian Open runner-up Li Na reaches third round along with Petra Kvitova . |
189a1d5b1c578b1446d18e4587d6d572d1bcf72e | By . Lucy Buckland . Last updated at 9:05 AM on 13th December 2011 . Jobseeker: Bob Jewers has been rejected from 400 jobs in the last year . A teenager who applied for more than 400 jobs in a year only received four letters of reply and one offer of a job interview. From pot washer to McDonald's manager Bob Jewers, who has 11 GCSEs, has been turned down for every job he applied for. The 19-year-old from Darlington, County Durham, said his life was 'hell' and has accused the government of 'wasting an entire generation'. Mr Jewers said he was forced to abandon a college course after the government scrapped the Education Maintenance Allowance because he couldn’t afford the bus fare. He immediately started applying for engineering apprenticeships. But after being repeatedly turned down, and having to move back in with his mother, he widened his search. Mr Jewers, who has 11 GCSEs at B and C grades and three AS Levels, then applied for a series of management apprenticeships. He contacted McDonald's, but, having thought he would be offered an interview, he was surprised when he was rejected. 'I've applied for everything that I know with a bit of training I could do. I'm now applying that I know that I could do, that I'd like to think anyone could do', he said. 'I'm gong for the sort of jobs that I was told were entry level at school.' He has also applied for standard kitchen and counter positions at various fast food outlets, all of which turned him down. And the former college student says . that employers do not tend to respond to applications, leaving . applicants in the dark as to the reason why they were unsuccessful. Difficult: Bob Jewers said living on Job Seekers' allowance has been tough, especially since he wants to work . Mr . Jewers said: 'I don't think people realise that it's not as if you apply . for a job then after a week you get a letter for X, Y or Z saying you . didn't this job because of this, they don't reply. 'I don't think they realise that people are going through a really hard time looking for work. They just think that this person isn't suitable, so we don't need to speak to them.' Mr Jewers describes the past 11-and-a-half months as 'hell' as he is left wondering when he will be put out of his misery and be given a job. He said: 'It's the fact that I don't know when it's going to end. When I became unemployed in January, if I was told then that by May I would have a job, I could have got through those five months because I knew when it would end. 'But I don't know when this is going to end, it's like the past year I've done nothing and I've got nowhere, my life's been on hold.' Mr Jewers said: 'Living on Job Seekers’ Allowance of £53.45 a week is very difficult. I was living with my brother, but I’ve had to move back in with my mum and dad because I couldn’t afford it. 'I want to work, I want to pay tax, I want to feel as though I am contributing to a strong, cohesive British society.' 'I find it almost slanderous that the mass media in this country has portrayed me, and the one million young unemployed people as feckless, work-shy and downright lazy.' | Bob Jewers, 19, turned down for every job, including working at McDonald's . |
189a5c44c1566b58acfaa6e4096a611e918e5b9f | (CNN) -- Liverpool new boy Joe Cole was sent off for the first time in his professional career in a 1-1 draw against Arsenal in their English Premier League opener on Sunday at Anfield. Despite being down to 10 men, Liverpool took a 46th minute lead through David Ngog, but were denied victory by a Pepe Reina own goal in injury time. Cole, who joined Liverpool after being released by champions Chelsea, was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny just before half-time of the heavyweight encounter. Referee Martin Atkinson had no hesitation in giving Cole his marching orders as Koscielny, a summer capture by Arsene Wenger from Lorient, appeared to be seriously injured by the scything challenge. But he came out for the second half to ironic cheers from the home fans, who had the last laugh when Koscielny was himself sent off for a second yellow card on the stroke of the final whistle. Arsenal had the better of a cagey first half and with Liverpool down to 10 men were expected to take advantage, but fell behind straight after the break. Javier Mascherano, who is set to leave Liverpool, played in Ngog who crashed the ball past Manuel Almunia at his near post and high into the net. Liverpool fans were cheered by the second half appearance of substitute Fernando Torres, but he had few glimpses of goal as Arsenal pressed for an equalizer. Thomas Vermaelen headed wide and substitute Tomas Rosicky forced Reina into a brilliant fingertip save. But soon afterwards the Spanish international was shaking his head after an uncharacteristic error gifted Arsenal their equalizer. Under challenge from Marouane Chamakh, Reina dropped the ball but appeared to have got away with his mistake until the ball hit the post and he fumbled the rebound, allowing it to cross the line. There was still time for Steven Gerrard to force Almunia into a fine save from a free kick and for Koscielny to be booked twice, the second for deliberate handball, to be shown a late, late red. New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson told Sky Sports that he was a "little bit disappointed," that his team had not held out for three points but hailed his side's resilience. "It was a remarkable performance to have come so close to victory after playing all of the second half with 10 men," he added. | Liverpool and Arsenal draw 1-1 in English Premier League opener at Anfield .
Liverpool's Joe Cole sent off just before halftime for foul on Laurent Koscielny .
Koscielny also sees red deep into injury time at the end of the match .
David Ngog puts Liverpool ahead but Pepe Reina own goal rescues Arsenal . |
189adce83c527882929108c234073a943b342676 | By . Mike Jaccarino . PUBLISHED: . 12:55 EST, 5 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:19 EST, 5 January 2013 . Mitt Romney garnered the same percentage of the popular vote he remarked represented the woebegone portion of the American electorate who will never 'take personal responsibility and care for their (own) lives.' In a bit of electoral irony, the Associated Press calculated the Republican presidential nominee amassed 47.2 per cent of the full presidential vote, or 48 per cent when considering only him and Obama. Oops: Romney said during the campaign 47 per cent of America people would never vote for him because they were entitlement-obsessed people who didn't care about lower taxes . He said what? Romney remarked of the 47 per cent who would never vote for him, 'My job is not to worry about those people' Oveheard: Romney's remark, which many think torpedoed his changes on Election Day, was caught by a hidden camera . Romney had presaged that the Democratic incumbent would - in fact- be the candidate to cull that particular percentage, when he told a cabal of fat cat donors that nearly half of America would never vote for him - or his policies. 'And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax' That 47 per cent of the American electorate, he said, represent those, 'who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. 'That that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax.' 'My job is not to worry about those people,” Romney said in the vexing video. “I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.' Some believe Romney's biting rejoinder, captured on a hidden camera and later posted to the Internet, torpedoed his bid for the presidency. Romney's remark regarding 47 per cent of Americans was captured during a closed-door Florida fundraiser for fat cat donors . Romney later reportedly said he was speaking 'off the cuff' and replying to a question when he issued the acerbic address . He apparently made the unfortunate remarks at a closed-door Florida fundraiser while on the campaign trail during the summer, or well before November's Election Day. Romney later reportedly said he was speaking 'off the cuff' and replying to a question when he issued the acerbic address. 'It’s a question and answer, as I recall, about the process of the campaign and how I’m going to get the 51 or 52 per cent I need, and I point out it’s by focusing on those folks that are neither in [Obama's] camp nor in my camp,' Romney said. Close shave: Obama, for his part, notched 51.03 per cent of the popular vote in the 2012 U.S. presidential election . 'I recognize that among those that pay . no tax, approximately 47 percent of Americans, I’m not likely to be . highly successful with the message of lowering taxes. 'That’s not as attractive to those who don’t pay income taxes as it is to those who do,' Romney reportedly said in explanation. 'And likewise those who are reliant on government are not as attracted to my message of slimming down the size of government. And so I then focus on those individuals who I believe are most likely to be able to be pulled into my camp and help me win the 51 or 50.1 percent that I need to become the next President.' Obama, for his part, recorded 51.03 per cent of the popular vote. | Romney was overheard saying 47 per cent of Americans would never vote for him because such government-reliant 'victims' didn't care about lower taxes . |
189b20f04b45801d00db1f6fb44420f3a4bacf73 | Britain’s floods crisis could get worse before it gets better, David Cameron warned today as he urged the whole country to ‘pull together’. The Prime Minister dramatically cancelled a planned visit to Israel next week to remain in charge of the government’s response to more storms forecast in the next few days. Vowing that ‘money is no object’ in the relief effort, he promised new help to homeowners, businesses and farmers 'to piece their lives back together again'. It came as Royal Bank of Scotland became the first lender to offer a three-month mortgage 'holiday' to homeowners facing huge repair bills after being flooded. David Cameron, pictured with resident Ray Connerlley on a flooded Guildford Street in Staines-upon-Thames, warned things could get worse before they get better . The Prime Minister insisted that the armed forces would remain on standby to deal with future emergencies caused by forecast storms . More than 1,500 members of Britain's armed forces have been put on standby to help communities wrecked by flooding, with 1,000 people forced to leave their homes in the South West and Thames Valley. With 16 severe flood warnings, 133 flood warnings and 225 flood alerts still in force, with 1.5in of rain expected by Friday night. In a rare press conference in Downing Street, Mr Cameron said: ‘"There is absolutely no sign of this threat abating, and with further rain and strong winds forecast throughout the week, things may get worse before they get better.' More than 80,000 people have signed the Mail's petition to the Prime Minister calling for him to 'divert some of the £11billion a year spent on overseas aid to ease the suffering of British flood victims, and to build and maintain flood defences to prevent a repetition of this crisis'. Flooded homeowners and businesses will be offered grants to build new flood defences, with companies also able to defer paying tax bills. Dunkirk spirit: Volunteers help to fill and stack sandbags to help bolster flood defences at Burrowbridge in Somerset . There are 16 severe flood warnings, 133 flood warnings and 225 flood alerts still in force, with 1.5in of rain expected by Friday night . The Prime Minister stressed that the focus must be on the flood defences, repairs and maintenance needed now, but there will be a time for lessons to be learned about mistakes made . Servicemen from Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset helped build a flood defence barrier around several properties in the Northmoor area . The airmen were deployed under the guidance of Taunton-based Bravo Company 40 Commando Royal Marines to assist the relief effort . A volunteer delivers a sandbag to a property inundated with floodwater in Wraysbury, Berkshire . Emergency services help to evacuate a disabled resident in the village of Dachet in Berkshire . David Cameron pledged a major package of help for people affected by floods as he urged the country to 'pull together'. It included: . HOMEOWNERS . Grants worth several thousand pounds to build in better flood protection as they repair their properties . Insurance companies told to 'pay up the money fast' BUSINESSES . A tax deferral scheme for businesses affected by the floods to give them longer to pay their taxes . Grants to help them improve flood defences . FARMERS . Up to £10 milliion to help them recover from the devastation to their livelihoods . But Mr Cameron insisted: ‘Money is no object in this relief effort. Where money is needed it will be spent. We will take whatever steps necessary.’ He vowed to continue to lead the national response by chairing meetings of the government’s emergency committee Cobra. ‘I am cancelling my visit to the Middle East next week,’ he added, after aides feared he would look like he had abandoned British families to fly abroad. Mr Cameron revealed the military will play a bigger role, and by tonight there will be 1,600 servicemen and women deployed with ‘thousands more now available’. Major General Patrick Sanders, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff, is now co-ordinating the military effort. The forces will work with the emergency services’ gold and silver commanders to ‘provide assistance and assurance to members of the public including by reinforcing sandbags and flood defences, getting medical assistance to the sick and inform and checking on a helping any other vulnerable people’, Mr Cameron added. ‘I urge everyone in those affected areas to keep listening to the warnings and to work with the emergency services, the military and who is working to keep people safe.’ A new Cabinet committee dealing with the clear-up will meet for the first time on Thursday, chaired by Mr Cameron. His warning came as the Environment Agency (EA) said rises in the level of the River Thames were set to cause more disruption for flood-hit areas. Around 1,000 properties have been reported as flooded in the past week, including 800 along the Thames. Environment Agency senior flood adviser Kate Marks warned it was 'increasingly likely' that there would also be problems along the River Severn and River Wye. The . Prime Minister stressed that the focus must be on the flood defences, . repairs and maintenance needed now, but there will be a time for lessons . to be learned about mistakes made. He repeatedly refused to be drawn on the future of under-fire Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith. Red and amber: More than 350 flood warnings and alerts have been issued by the Environment Agency in the South East, South West and the Midlands . A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue service special vehicle is towed after it gets stuck while driving through flooding in Burrowbridge, Somerset . Royal Bank of Scotland is offering three-month mortgage repayment holidays to customers with flooded homes. The group, which includes NatWest, said it would unveil full details of the scheme tomorrow together with contact numbers for customers to get in touch. It said it would also send specialist business support teams to affected areas in coming weeks to help small businesses with short-term financial problems as they carry out repairs and suffer lost trading income. The group, which is 80 per cent owned by the taxpayer, said the moves were in addition to a £250 million RBS/NatWest UK Storm Business Fund announced last month. Mr Cameron added: ‘There are lessons . to be learned from this experience and those lessons will be learned. Right now my focus is on the response. ‘It will be a long haul and it will require a stepped up national effort with the whole country pulling together. A major package of help will be announced this week for homeowners, business and farmers. Insurance . companies will be told to ‘get out there’ so people can make claims to . repair and redecorate homes devastated by flood waters. Businesses hit by storms and floods will be able to defer paying tax bills while they get back on their feet. Residential and business areas will also be offered more help to secure and improve flood defences. And a £10million fund will be created for farmers to recover from the floods. But today there were warnings that small . businesses at risk of flooding could face 'exorbitant' insurance costs . unless a Government-backed scheme is extended to cover them. Labour leader Ed Miliband, who found himself out of his depth during a visit to floods in Wraysbury, called for the government to ensure homes get early payouts from insurance firms . Conservative peer Lord Moynihan said under the current system - a statement of principles agreed between the Government and insurers - businesses employing up to 49 people were covered. He said the proposed new scheme contained in the Water Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, only covered households and 'micro businesses'. It came after Labour leader Ed Miliband urged the Government to put pressure on insurance companies so that victims of the floods do not have to wait for payouts. Mr Miliband said ministers had to act to ensure there was no repeat of the 'foot-dragging' that firms engaged in after the riots in 2011. He said: 'Thousands of families have already been forced to abandon their homes and are now living with friends or family. 'They rightly want to know that this difficult experience isn't going to be compounded by months or years of delay in receiving the insurance pay-outs that will enable a home to be made habitable as soon as possible.' | Prime Minister cancels visit to Israel next week to remain in charge .
Warns the relief effort will take many weeks and the UK must pull together .
Vows that 'money is no object' as 80,000 back Mail's call to raid aid budget .
16 severe flood warnings, 133 flood warnings and 225 flood alerts in force .
Grants for homeowners and businesses to improve flood defences .
Companies hit by floods will be given time to defer paying tax bills .
New £10million fund for farmers to help to 'piece their lives back together' |
189b7cc765f78ebb8478bee665a255d04063c4cd | (CNN) -- Officials at Princeton University were to meet over the weekend to decide whether to offer students a vaccine against meningitis after seven cases of the potentially fatal disease occurred on campus. "We will be discussing it with our trustees this weekend," school spokesman Martin Mbugua said Friday. The world's sole meningococcal vaccine that targets meningitis group B is called Bexsero and is manufactured by Novartis. Though it is approved in Europe and Australia, it has not been approved for use in the United States. "We have filed an Investigational New Drug application for our MenB vaccine in the U.S., but have not yet come to an agreement on a pathway to licensure for this vaccine with regulatory authorities," Novartis spokeswoman Elizabeth Power told CNN Saturday in an e-mail. Still, company officials have been coordinating with officials at Princeton, the Centers for Disease Control and the state Department of Public Health about getting a vaccine to the school, she said. "We took the step to allow the option to vaccinate the students, but the decision to do so has not been made yet," CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds told CNN on Friday. Group B meningitis is a strain of the bacterial form of the disease that is rare in the United States. Symptoms can include stiff neck, headache, fever, vomiting, rashes, sensitivity to light and confusion. Untreated, the disease can lead to complications such as hearing impairment, brain damage, limb amputations and death. It is treated with antibiotics. What is meningitis? "Usually, when you see this kind of meningitis on the campus, it's meningitis C," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University, in a telephone interview with CNN. "This is very, very unusual." Schaffner added that, in the United States, Group B meningitis typically strikes infants, and only rarely adolescents and young adults. Though the mechanism needed for health officials to administer an unapproved vaccine in the United States is "very elaborate," it would be justified in this case, he said. "If I were around the table with the board of trustees, I would be gently encouraging them to do this." Princeton's first reported case developed in a student who had returned to the campus after spring recess in March, according to the state health department. Two months later, after six students and one visitor had contracted the disease, an outbreak was declared. All have recovered except for the last case, a male student who remains hospitalized after being diagnosed on November 8. No common link has been identified among the cases, New Jersey health officials said. CDC: Bacterial meningitis explainer . Meningitis can spread via the exchange of saliva and other respiratory secretions through kissing, coughing, sharing drinks and living in close quarters, such as in dormitories, according to the health department. The bacteria can reside for months in the back of the throat before causing symptoms, Schaffner said. But the disease is not wholly understood. Cases of meningococcal disease in general -- including Group B -- have dropped in recent years to the lowest levels since the 1930s. "Nobody knows why," he said. And cases sometimes occur more frequently in Oregon. "We've never understood that either." The New Jersey outbreak is also puzzling. "Why this is occurring is not clear, but the trick everybody is working on is how to stop it, how to prevent further cases," he said. If the board decides to offer the vaccine, as many as 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students at the school could be offered the vaccine. Meningitis vaccines urged before NYC Pride events . CNN's Miriam Falco contributed to this report . | Seven cases of meningitis have been reported on the New Jersey campus .
University officials to discuss offering vaccine .
Feds OK use of vaccine not approved in the United States . |
189c07101274de9b93da19cb0bc8c5138bb9103d | By . Caroline Graham and Amy Oliver . PUBLISHED: . 17:21 EST, 16 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:21 EST, 16 March 2013 . Back in the UK: John Cleese and his wife Jennifer Wade . It has 300 days of sunshine a year, drips with glamour and has been a tax-free haven for 130 years. Which is why comedy legend John Cleese must have celebrated when, last year, he won permission to become one of Monaco’s 32,000 pampered citizens. Faced with crippling alimony bills, the move looked like a financial blessing for Cleese, 73, and his fourth wife Jennifer Wade, 42. But now the couple have surprised everyone by giving up their Monaco home and returning – at some speed – to London. What’s more, the pair are conducting an online fire sale of the furniture and artworks left behind in the principality. Cleese might be glad of the additional funds as, financially, the timing of his about-turn couldn’t be worse. By leaving Monaco before the start of the new tax year, he is liable to pay an entire year’s tax to the Inland Revenue, the very thing he was said to be keen to avoid. So why the sudden change of heart? One friend told The Mail on Sunday: ‘John went to Monaco for tax reasons but the truth is he was very lonely. In London, he has a tight network of friends who love and support him. His French isn’t very good and he found it hard to plug into the culture.’ The plush apartment the couple shared in Monte Carlo’s exclusive Carré d’Or area has already been re-let, meaning Cleese and his wife must have the place clear by April 1. Which is presumably why they are now selling designer furniture and ‘select pieces’ from their art collection there. The items, listed on a hastily put-together advert which appeared on the Monaco Life website last week, are being sold at ‘deeply discounted prices’. They include a mahogany dining table and set of ice-blue velvet covered chairs for €3,000 (£2,632) by Hollywood designer Christopher Guy, as well as a garish pearl-white sofa, also by Guy, and a Le Corbusier-style, pony-skin chaise longue, both for €3,000. Last week, Cleese was seen on the . King’s Road near the luxurious home he bought for £1.45million in 2010. Publisher Random House have granted Cleese an extension on the memoirs . he is writing, now due out next year. After initially struggling, he is said to be finding it easier to write with friends around him. One major source of Cleese’s woes is wife number three, Alyce Faye Eichelberger. Following a 19-month court battle in America, he was told to pay £8million in cash and assets to Eichelberger, plus £612,000 a year for the next seven years, despite the couple having no children together. The ruling is thought to have reduced his fortune to around £10million. The former Monty Python star also had to sell the couple’s ocean-front California home, his beloved 14.6-acre ranch in Santa Barbara, an apartment in New York and a mews flat in London. The crippling divorce costs saw Cleese head out on the road last year with his stand-up comedy Alimony tour. Friends were hopeful that in marrying Ms Wade, in Mustique on August 2 last year, he had turned a corner, yet are concerned he’s now feeling the strain of his work load. A source said one reason for the couple’s return is that Jennifer, a keen swimmer, found the Monaco home’s communal pool too small. A spokesman for Mr Cleese said: ‘John and Jennifer are delighted to call London home once again and look forward to spending many happy years together in their favourite city.’ | Cleese's move back to UK will make him liable to pay a year's tax .
A friend said he was 'lonely and found it hard to plug into the culture .
Items listed on a website are being sold at 'deeply discounted prices'
They include a mahogany dining table and set of ice-blue velvet chairs . |
189d9415836938c00baa34ab087069b10a4d2d78 | Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- In the wake of Hurricane Tomas, cholera has reached the congested capital of Port-au-Prince, where as many as 73 people have come down with the potentially deadly infection. Dehydration is one of its tell-tale signs. In a camp in Cabaret, just east of Port-au-Prince, children lie on cots as life-sustaining fluids are pumped intravenously into their bodies. The cholera outbreak in Haiti has now killed 583 people and another 9,123 people have been hospitalized, according to Gabriel Timothe, director general of Haiti's Ministry of Health. Medical personnel fear rising waters over the banks of Haiti's Arbonite River, which they say is a source of contamination, have increased the risk of a wider rate of infections. "We're doing everything we can to mitigate [the] spread," Dr. Jon K. Andrus, deputy director of the Pan American Health Organization, said during a press conference on Tuesday. Health officials had braced for problems after Tomas, fearing the hurricane that battered the Caribbean nation over the weekend could worsen the cholera outbreak. On Monday, Dr. Toni Eyssallenne of Hospital Bernard Mevs confirmed the first case of cholera -- in a 3-year-old boy -- to originate and manifest entirely in Port-au-Prince. Two more cases were confirmed Tuesday by Eyssallenne. A 41-year-old woman who contracted the disease has not traveled in a year, the official said. A 33-year-old who lives in a tent city uses a communal water source. She, too, did not bring the infection into the city. Previous cases had been centered in Haiti's Artibonite and Central Plateau regions, including the city of St. Marc, north of the nation's capital. Until Monday, health officials said that those being treated for cholera in Port-au-Prince all contracted the disease elsewhere. The young Port-au-Prince boy lived in a tent city across the street from a place that sells macaroni, and he had not traveled in over a year, and he hadn't had any contact with people from St. Marc or the Artibonite region, Eyssallenne said. After suffering from nausea and diarrhea, the boy was treated and released from the hospital after his condition improved. Hurricane Tomas' trek past Haiti killed 20 people and injured another 36, a Communications Ministry official said Monday. Seven people were missing and 5,954 were homeless, the official said. Health officials fear that the water dumped by the storm will worsen the outbreak. The concern is that overflow from latrines and septic tanks could contaminate the supply of fresh drinking water and contribute to the spread of the bacteria. In the capital, the canals were not overflowing, said American Red Cross spokeswoman Andrea Koppel. But that was not the case in cities west of the capital, which bore the brunt of Hurricane Tomas, she said. Still, even Port-au-Prince looks and smells like a dump -- a caldron of water, garbage and human waste. "We get used to it," said one resident. Ten months after a magnitude-7 earthquake laid waste to much of the nation, people compete with animals scavenging through the ubiquitous dumps for scraps of food. "The quick solution is management," said Environment Minister Jean Marie Claude Germain. "Management meaning that you have a structure in place, but the structure was not conceived with the slums in mind." But most of the residents of Port-au-Prince live in slums. "We're working on it," Germain said. "We will work with the private sector." CNN's Paula Newton contributed to this story. | NEW: Two more Port-au-Prince cases confirmed .
The official death toll from cholera in Haiti is 583 .
More than 9,000 cases have been confirmed .
As many as 73 people have come down with cholera in Port-au-Prince . |
189f1927f8d2156d840579c46d2fc32974ece90f | A New York City teacher got so frustrated with the rowdy students at the back of her classroom that she fantasized out loud about stabbing them. Investigators heard that Jacqueline Baffoni, 32, kept a knife for slicing fruit in her desk drawer. When her eighth-grade children wouldn't stop talking, Ms Baffoni said: 'I feel like stabbing some of these kids - I have a knife here.' The teacher had been warned just a day earlier that her probation period might not be extended at the Collaborative Academy of Science Technology and Language Arts on Manhattan's Lower East Side, and she was fired in June 2012. Exasperation: Jacqueline Baffoni (left) joked she would stab her eight-grade students with a fruit knife . The New York Post reported that Ms Baffoni made the comments during last school year. The incident came just after receiving written notification that the school was considering 'discontinuing' her probation. Another teacher at the school told the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI) that this warning 'might have prompted' Ms Baffoni's outburst. It is as yet unclear why her probation was under threat - Ms Baffoni had been teaching at the school since 2009, but lost her job before the investigation could take place in mid-October last year. A second student told the SCI that the teacher reacted to students' bad behavior by saying: 'I have a knife in this room, and I wish I could stab them!' Ms Baffoni sent an email to the Post defending herself from what she describes as 'false allegations' and 'slanderous rumors.' She claims she was highly dedicated to her students and that: 'I would never wish to cause harm to any of my children.' 'Slanderous rumors': Ms Baffoni describes the reports as 'false allegations' Indeed, Ms Baffoni had used the website Donors Choose to raise over $400 worth of books for her students. During these efforts she spoke proudly of her children, claiming: 'Many teachers may tell this tall tale, but I really do teach the best students in New York City!' Tracy Wu, a former flatmate of Ms Baffoni, who is also a teacher, told the Post that this outburst was most likely due to her friend just venting her exasperation. 'I can understand her saying something like that in the heat of the moment while being stressed out,' said Ms Wu. 'She is incredibly dedicated to her job and to her kids - probably more than she should be,' Wu added. 'For some of the kids’ birthdays, she holds barbecues... and she spends her own money on them. She really makes them feel like family.' | Jacqueline Baffoni, 32, kept a knife for slicing fruit in her desk drawer at Manhattan school .
When eighth-grade students wouldn't stop talking, Baffoni said: 'I feel like stabbing some of these kids - I have a knife here.'
Ms Baffoni sacked in June 2012 . |
189f92bd5e36e4f6afd6f2be563585d49fce2ed9 | As images of the terrifying hostage crisis in a cafe in central Sydney were broadcast around the nation, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the government does not know the gunman's motivations and urged Australians to go about their lives as usual. At least thirteen people - possibly more - are being held hostage in the Lindt cafe in Martin Place, in central Sydney, with shocked and sobbing victims seen holding an Islamic flag against the windows of the popular chocolate store. As heavily armed police swarmed the streets, buildings went into lock-down across the CBD and even the city's iconic Opera House was evacuated, Mr Abbott urged Australians to go about their lives as usual. 'The whole point is to scare people out of being themselves': Prime Minister Tony Abbott has called on Australians to continue to go about their usual lives . Terror in Martin Place: Armed AFP and NSW police officers have taken to the streets with heavy assault weaponry . City in lockdown: A woman, pictured, was assisted as thousands of people were evacuated from their offices in Martin Place, in the city's centre, and the surrounding area . Fearful workers: Lindt chocolate staff were pictured pinned against the window of their store, holding up an Islamic flag . Crisis: There have been varying reports about the number of hostages being held by the armed gunman . 'We don't yet know the motivation of the perpetrator,' he said. 'We don't know if the motivation is politically motivated although obviously there are some signs it could be.' 'The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves,' he said. Mr Abbott continued: 'Australia is a peaceful, open and generous society. 'Nothing should ever change that and that's why I would urge all Australians today to go about their business as usual. The Prime Minister said the National Security Committee - which includes the Foreign Minister, Treasurer and Attorney-General - has today met in Canberra. He revealed he has been constantly briefed by with Australian Federal Police commissioner Andrew Colvin, New South Wales police commissioner Andrew Scipione and the state premier, Mike Baird. Map: The Lindt chocolate cafe is located in Martin Place - the city's legal, business and media heart . Guns: The hostage crisis began when a woman made a report to police around 9:40am this morning . Thousands evacuated: As many as a dozen workers and customers at the Lindt cafe are being held prisoner . But while the crisis will make many Australians fearful, Mr Abbott said everyone should keep their thoughts and prayers of the victims of the crisis. 'This is a very disturbing incident and I can understand the concerns and anxiety of the Australian people at a time like this. 'Our thoughts and prayers must go out to the individuals in this,' he said. 'I can think of almost nothing more distressing and terrifying than to be caught up in this situation.' Opposition Leader Bill Shorten today said he had offered Mr Abbott his full support. He said: 'Australians can be assured that we are one when it comes to keeping Australians safe.' The government will this afternoon go ahead with the release of its MYEFO (Mid Year Economic Forecast and Outlook) report. | Prime Minister Tony Abbott urges Australians to go about their normal lives .
He said all of our thoughts and prayers should be with the victims .
The government is in the dark about the militant's motivations .
'The whole point is to scare people out of being themselves,' he said . |
189f9b8eef9e1a4d09cb6add4e63ae3553bf724d | After reported lost for nearly 50 years, Pablo Picasso's masterpiece Seated Woman with Red Hat has been unearthed in the storage of an Indiana museum. Described as sparkling 'like a jewel,' the long-lost piece was discovered after an auction house in New York inquired about the art work's gifting to the Evansville Museum in 1963. At the time of its donation it was not believed to have been an actual work by Picasso, despite its signature, and so never saw the museum's walls. Found: Pablo Picasso's Seated Woman with Red Hat has been unearthed from the Evansville Museum in Indiana after reported lost for nearly 50 years . 'When the Evansville Museum received the gift, associated documentation indicated that the piece was created by an artist named “Gemmaux”,' the museum said in a release this week. 'Gemmaux,' the plural of 'gemmail,' they explained, is an artist's technique of layering glass while adding a clear liquid enamel across before firing it up. This technique was rare for Picasso who only produced 50 or more during his study at a studio in France, the Evansville museum said. Upon researching Picasso's previous gemmaux pieces earlier this year, auction house Guernsey's in New York inquired upon the museum's while seeing it labelled as such after its gift from international designer Raymond Loewy. It was that inquisitive Guernsy's member who recognized the astonishing value in their Evansville museum’s masterpiece. 'It was undoubtedly a unique set of circumstances that uncovered this treasure within our museum,' said the museum's executive director John Streetman in a release. Missed chance: The artwork was gifted to the museum, pictured, in 1963 but misidentified in their catalog by the donor causing it to never hang once on their walls . He described it as 'extraordinary,' and said 'it sparkles like a jewel.' The museum noted at the time that Picasso’s signature does appear on the artwork's top right-hand corner, placing its mention in its cataloguing. Despite such a legendary find stashed right beneath their nose, the museum announced on Monday their plans, with heavy hearts, to take it to auction. 'Now that we have a full understanding of the requirements and additional expenses to display, secure, preserve and insure the piece, it is clear those additional costs would place a prohibitive financial burden on the museum,' said R Steven Krohn, president of the museum's board of trustees in a statement. 'It is in the best interest of the Evansville Museum to sell this work of art.' Guernsey’s will conduct a private selling of the art work with the auction house not releasing an estimation of its upcoming sale. Still one of the world’s reigning top artists, Picasso's Garcon a la Pipe, painted when he was aged 24, is one of the most expensive works of art having been sold for $104 million (£58 million) in 2004. In 2006 his Dora Maar au Chat sold for $95.2 million, the second-highest amount ever paid for a painting at auction, auction house Sotheby's said at the time. | Picasso artwork was mislabeled when gifted to museum in 1963 causing it to never see the museum's walls .
Piece's authenticity discovered by New York auction house who inquired about their piece labeled as by a faux-artist named 'Gemmaux' - a type of glass medium . |
18a0ee988a90f9b4c823bc9f466faa337a09e5ac | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:46 EST, 7 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:59 EST, 7 May 2013 . Raul Sanchez Fuentes Villota can be sent back to Spain despite claiming he had previously been tortured there . A suspected terrorist who spent 17 years on the run can be sent back to Spain despite claiming he had previously been tortured with pencils there, a court ruled today. Raul Sanchez Fuentes Villota, 46, allegedly a member of the separatist group ETA, is wanted over charges linked to a foiled car bomb attack on a police officer in June 1991. He skipped bail in 1995 and was arrested in Liverpool in November last year after a European Arrest Warrant was made in the Spanish courts. He told a hearing last month he was tortured while being held in 'incommunicado' detention by Spanish police in 1991, including having pencils placed between his fingers and squeezed to inflict pain on his hands. His barrister argued at that hearing that the British courts could not be confident that Spain would deal with the torture allegations properly. But District Judge Nicholas Evans, sitting at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, said Spain was a 'trusted extradition partner' and a decision on whether any evidence had been obtained by torture should be left to a court there. He also questioned whether ill-treatment suffered by Fuentes could be deemed "torture". Ordering Fuentes be extradited, District Judge Evans said: 'I'm persuaded by such evidence that I have heard that it is more likely than not the requested person (Fuentes) suffered the pencil treatment. 'I'm not persuaded he was tortured.' Fuentes is wanted in Spain to face allegations of membership of a terrorist organisation (ETA), an attack in conjunction with attempted murder, possession of guns and possession of explosives. He skipped bail in 1995 and was arrested in Liverpool in November last year after a European Arrest Warrant was made in the Spanish courts . He was initially arrested in 1991 on suspicion of attempting to place explosives in a police officer's car and possession of a firearm. He was released on bail in June 1995 but went missing two months later. It is not known how long he was living in Liverpool. He appeared via videolink for today's hearing. Wearing a blue polo shirt and glasses he displayed no emotion when the judge ordered his extradition. He has seven days to lodge an appeal. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Raul Sanchez Fuentes Villota, 46, allegedly member of separatist group ETA .
Wanted over link to a foiled car bomb attack on a police officer in June 1991 .
He claimed he was tortured with pencils by Spanish police in 1991 .
But judge has said he is 'not persuaded he was tortured' |
18a1d8bacc951d050f31aaf2c54fc9eec286ef0f | Brazil thought its nightmare was over -- but perhaps it's only just beginning. After the humiliation of being obliterated by Germany, those who had dreamed of a Brazilian World Cup triumph might have thought they would be left alone to quietly lick their words or perhaps console themselves with a sombre walk along the shores of the Copacabana. Alas, such a luxury will not be afforded to them -- not now at least. Instead neighbors Argentina will launch an invasion of Rio Sunday hoping to start their own party in its arch rival's back yard. This was the result which Brazil feared -- the scenario it never wanted to face, to have Argentina, its oldest foe, walk out at the Maracana on Sunday just 90 minutes away becoming world champions. While Brazil had leaked goals in its shambolic defeat by Germany, Argentina displayed true grit and then calm under pressure in a penalty shootout to book its place in the World Cup final for the first time in 24 years -- the fifth in its history. Don't bother telling those with their faces painted blue and white that was a tepid and insipid encounter. They're probably still jumping up and down with joy -- while celebrating Argentinian Independence Day like never before. "I'm very happy because we reached the final and now we will see what we can do," Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella told reporters. "We will give everything as usual, with humility, work and 100% effort." A goalless 120 minutes was enough to bore most to tears but when Maxi Rodriguez struck the decisive penalty kick to win the shootout 4-2, the march to Rio began and Brazil closed its eyes. For the third time, Argentina will play Germany in the final having won in 1986 and lost in 1990 -- but regardless of the opposition, it will surely need to improve on this performance. Lionel Messi, the man who has inspired Argentina on so many occasions, was almost anonymous but he was not the only one to disappear. This game was a case of going from the sublime to the ridiculous as the sequel to Germany's dominant display over Brazil was temporarily forgotten as these two sides served up one of the poorest offerings of the tournament. It was dire -- so dire you had to keep pinching yourself that this was actually a World Cup semifinal. For all the talent on the field, the inability to keep possession, deliver a cross or even manage a simple pass proved beyond those on show. Often such games are classed as 'intriguing', 'tactical' or 'chess like' but none of those descriptions fitted -- file this under dreadful and error-strewn. Neither side deserved to win and penalties looked the most likely outcome from the offset -- a stark contrast to Germany's 7-1 thrashing of Brazil on Tuesday. While the goals flowed like Caipirinhas in the bars of Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo provided a far more sober affair. Tight, tense and turgid in the first half, both sides struggled to create a chance of note with space at a premium. Messi, so often Argentina's leading light, fizzed a free kick at goal which Jasper Cillessen did well to save, while Ezequiel Garay's header flew just over the crossbar as the South American side briefly threatened. Messi, making his 92nd international appearance, found himself accompanied by Nigel de Jong each and every time he moved, touched the ball or dared to breathe. Previously ruled out of the tournament with a groin injury only to make a miraculous recovery in time for the contest, De Jong gave the Dutch the bite in midfield which it had missed in the quarterfinal victory over Costa Rica. But while the Dutch side was relatively untroubled in defense, it rarely threatened going forward with Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie almost anonymous. Robben, one of the outstanding players of the tournament, touched the ball just six times in the opening 45 minutes as Argentina, and Javier Mascherano in particular, kept the flying Dutchman quiet. If anybody had hoped that the fare might improve after the interval they were left sorely disappointed. Passes went astray, possession was squandered with both teams failing to provide any trace of quality in the final third. And yet with the contest at 90 minutes, the Dutch had the opportunity to win the tie in the most dramatic fashion as they attempted to reach a second successive final. Wesley Sneijder, anonymous for much of the evening, produced a fine flick to release Robben but the Bayern Munich man dallied and allowed Mascherano time to recover and block his effort. With neither side able to muster a goal, the tie moved into extra time with the Dutch appearing the more threatening. Robben's low effort forced Sergio Romero into a routine save in an otherwise unremarkable opening 15 minutes of extra time. Argentina, impotent for much of the contest with Messi superbly marshalled by the Dutch defense, rarely looked capable of finding a winner. But with five minutes of the tie remaining, it created its best chance of the contest when Maxi Rodriguez played in Rodrigo Palacio, but his header was easily dealt with by Cillessen. Penalties ensued somewhat inevitably and it was Argentina which held its nerve with goalkeeper Romero the hero. The Dutch, which had defeated Costa Rica on penalties in the previous round following the introduction of substitute goalkeeper Tim Krul, floundered under the pressure. Ron Vlaar, one of the game's outstanding performers, was thwarted by Romero, who also saved from Sneijder. In the end it was left to Rodriguez to fire Argentina into the final and get the party started -- a party which Brazil isn't invited to and one it hoped it would never have to see. | Argentina defeats the Netherlands 4-2 on penalties .
Contest finished goalless after 120 minutes .
First World Cup semifinal to finish goalless .
Germany awaits in Sunday's final . |
18a33bd15af9836c6c6024641cb912e8b9777149 | By . Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor . Gammon joints, parmesan and coffee may not sound like the kind of essentials that would drive the desperate to theft. But they are now among the items most frequently stolen from the high street – as middle Britain goes shoplifting to maintain its lifestyle. The problem of food theft is becoming so serious that many supermarkets are introducing electronic security tags to deter thieves from pinching products such as turkey and steak. Targets: Gammon joints and Nescafe Gold Blend coffee are among the items most frequently stolen from the high street - as middle Britain goes shoplifting to maintain its lifestyle . According to the latest Global Retail Theft Barometer, the total cost of retail theft has hit £3.4billion, or £124.60 per household – which is passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. And the goods most likely to be stolen include gammon joints, frozen chicken breasts, beef joints, bacon, gourmet cheese such as brie or parmesan, Nescafe Gold Blend coffee and wines and spirits, particularly Glen’s Vodka. One Tesco store has even found it necessary to put manuka honey, which can sell for as much as £20 a jar, into large plastic security boxes to deter the sticky-fingered thieves of Cambridge. In the health and beauty section, razor . blades, mascara, lipsticks, perfume, skin care, sun protection, hair . straighteners, electric toothbrushes and sports nutrition are at the top . of the thief’s wish list. Popular: The goods mostly likely to be targeted also include parmesan cheese, left, Glen's vodka and wine . DIY and home improvement stores, meanwhile, are most likely to lose power tools, cables, batteries and door locks. The theft barometer report, compiled by analysts Euromonitor and funded by retail security firm Checkpoint Systems, said: ‘A key observation from the grocery retailers interviewed was an increase in food theft … including items such as fresh meat, owing to the weak economy.’ Russell Holland of Checkpoint Systems . said: ‘We know that, due to the recession, people are stealing out of . need for food, but you also have a Middle England group of people who . have not had a bonus or pay rise but still want to maintain their . lifestyle. ‘Really, there is no longer a typical person described as a shoplifter, they can come from all walks of life. You can see the profile of people involved by looking at the products that are being stolen.’ Marks & Spencer now routinely puts electronic security tags on its turkey crowns ahead of Christmas, while Tesco and Sainsbury’s have given store managers authority to tag the birds if their outlet is in a theft hot spot. The tags are designed to set off an alarm if a shopper tries to leave without paying. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre for Retail Research in Nottingham, said: ‘More people are stealing and they are stealing more.’ | Chicken breasts, beef joints and Glen's vodka also frequently targeted .
Many supermarkets are introducing electronic tags to deter thieves .
'More people are stealing and they are stealing more,' says expert . |
18a35c09c4553aeacf3293cf8855428db93ad0c1 | The Pope has confirmed he will visit both New York and Washington DC as part of a trip to the U.S. later this year. The Vatican had previously announced that the Pontiff would visit Philadelphia to participate in a massive rally for Catholic families in September. But speaking to reporters on a plane returning to Rome at the end of a trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines yesterday, Francis said he would be visiting the two cities for the first time since becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church. Scroll down for video . Pope Francis addressing journalists on the papal plane on his way back to Rome after visiting Manila as part of a week long trip to Asia. Here he confirmed he would be visiting Washington and New York later this year . The itinerary for the trip is yet to be finalised but it is expected that he could visit the White House and address Congress as well as speak at the United Nations in New York. It is also believed he could give a mass in Madison Square Garden and visit Ground Zero. However, it has been confirmed that when in the U.S. capital he will take part in a ceremony to cannonise Junipero Serra, an 18th century Spanish Franciscan priest. There had been speculation that the Pope could have included a stop in California as part of his U.S. visit, especially as Serra founded missions in the state. But the 79-year-old said: 'I would like to go to California for the canonisation of Junipero, but I think there is the problem of time. It requires two more days.' He then said that the sainthood ceremony would take place at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception instead. Serra was born on the Spanish island of Majorca in 1713, went to the Americas in the middle of the 18th century and led one of the first Franciscan missions in California. He arrived in San Diego in 1769 and spent most of the rest of his life there before dying at a mission in Carmel near Monterey in 1784. Meanwhile the city of Philadelphia has already begun preparations for the Pontiff's visit in September, which will coincide at the end of the week long World Meeting of Families. There had been speculation that Pope Francis was set to visit California but he told journalists on the flight that there wouldn't be enough time . It is expected that 1.5 million people could turn out for an open air Mass on the steps of the city's main art museum and that the crowd could fill a one-and-a-half mile stretch of parkway along the Schuylkill River. Francis also disclosed proposed trips to Africa, in particular the Central African Republic and Uganda, which would most likely take place at the end of 2015 to avoid the rainy seasons. There are also plans to visit Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile, most likely in July. He also confirmed he hoped to visit Argentina, Chile and Uruguay in 2016 — and Peru at some point. The announcement of his travel plans comes after the pope addressed a record six million Catholics in Manila on Sunday as his Asian pilgrimage drew to a close. On the flight back to the Vatican, he also spoke of how Catholics 'shouldn't breed like rabbits' and should instead practice 'responsible parenting'. While firmly upholding church teaching banning contraception, Francis said there are plenty of church-approved ways to regulate births. But he said most importantly, no outside institution should impose its views on regulating family size, blasting what he called the 'ideological colonization' of the developing world. Pope Francis, pictured yesterday as he departed Villamor Airbase in Manila, says Catholics do not have to breed 'like rabbits' African bishops, in particular, have long complained about how progressive Western ideas about birth control and gay rights are increasingly being imposed on the developing world by groups, institutions or individual nations, often as a condition for development aid. He said: 'Every people deserves to conserve its identity without being ideologically colonized.' The Pope's comments, taken together with his defence of the Catholic Church's ban on artificial contraception during the trip, could be a signal that a more conservative side to the pope is emerging. | Pope Francis has confirmed he is set to visit New York and Washington .
Trip will be part of his U.S. tour where he will also stop off in Philadelphia .
In Washington he will take part in a sainthood ceremony for Spanish priest .
It is expected he will visit the White House as well as address Congress .
There's speculation he will say a mass at Madison Square Garden .
In Philadelphia 1.5million people are expected to attend a rally . |
18a4ee509dd69618a19873c4dfe1c4880a5ee7af | Washington (CNN) -- Latinos in the United States are divided over a host of issues, including what to do about unauthorized immigrants, a reflection of the national political controversy over illegal immigration, a national study released Thursday finds. Slightly more than half of the nation's Hispanics say illegal immigrants should pay a small fine but not be deported, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center. Another 28 percent of the Latino respondents to the Pew poll say unauthorized immigrants should not be punished. On the other side, 13 percent say they should be deported. Explainer: Illegal immigration 101 . Latinos also are feeling increased concerns about discrimination, again the result of the national controversy over illegal immigration, the survey found. This year, 61 percent of Latinos say discrimination is a "major problem," an increase from the 54 percent who categorized it that way in 2007, Pew said. "Asked to state the most important factor leading to discrimination, a plurality of 36 percent now cites immigration status, up from a minority of 23 percent who said the same in 2007," the report states. "Back then, a plurality of respondents -- 46 percent -- identified language skills as the biggest cause of discrimination against Hispanics." In addition, the Pew report says, Latinos are divided about the impact of illegal immigration on Hispanics living in the United States. "Roughly equal shares say the impact has been positive (29 percent), negative (31 percent) or made no difference (30 percent)," the report says. "This mixed judgment stands in sharp contrast to views that Latinos expressed on this subject in 2007. Back then, fully half (50 percent) of Latinos said the impact was positive, while just 20 percent said it was negative." The latest survey also finds that Latinos are divided over whether immigrant and native-born Hispanics are working together to achieve common political goals. About half (45 percent) say they are and about half (46 percent) say they are not. Both the native born (who comprise 47 percent of the adult Latino population) and the foreign born (who comprise 53 percent) are roughly equally divided on their perceptions of political solidarity, Pew said. "The native born and foreign born have different views on many topics explored in the survey," the report says. "For example, seven in 10 (70 percent) foreign-born Latinos say discrimination against Hispanics is a major problem preventing Latinos from succeeding in America. Less than half (49 percent) of the native born agree. "And when it comes to their views of immigrants, fewer than seven in 10 native-born Hispanics say immigrants strengthen the country, while 85 percent of immigrant Hispanics say the same." Although the survey found differences of opinion among Latinos, it also revealed areas of broad agreement. For example, Pew said, 86 percent of Latinos support providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants if they pass background checks, pay a fine and have jobs. That level of support surpasses the 68 percent of the general public who favor such a path to citizenship, Pew said. Among Latinos, 82 percent of the native born and 90 percent of the foreign born say they support providing that path. Latinos also are united in their opposition to Arizona's SB 1070, a controversial law enacted this year that authorizes police to check the immigration status of anyone who is being investigated for another suspected crime. According to Pew, 79 percent of Latinos oppose the measure, most of which has been stayed pending a lawsuit by the federal government. The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found this year that the general population supports the law by a 2-to-1 ratio. With regard to rising concerns about a backlash triggered by illegal immigration, the Pew survey found no increase over past years in the percentage of Latinos who report that they or someone they know have been targets of discrimination or have been stopped by authorities and asked about their immigration status. About one-third of all Latinos (34 percent) say they, a member of their family or a close friend have experienced discrimination in the past five years because of their race or ethnic group, Pew said. That amount is largely unchanged from 2009, when it stood at 32 percent. Perhaps even more significantly, only 5 percent said they had been stopped by police or other authorities and asked about their immigration status, down from 9 percent in 2008. Despite the immigration controversy, Pew also found that Latinos are more satisfied this year with the direction of the United States. Thirty-six percent said they are satisfied, a significant increase over the 25 percent who said the same thing in 2008. By contrast, the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press in a late summer survey found 25 percent of the general public satisfied with the country's direction. Latinos also remain as upbeat about their lives as they were three years ago, Pew said, with 24 percent rating it as "excellent" and 45 percent as "good." About 80 percent on the nation's estimated 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants are of Hispanic origin. Latinos are the nation's largest minority. The 47 million Hispanics in the United States make up nearly 15 percent of the nation's population. About 38 percent of the nation's Latinos are immigrants. Of those, about 19 percent are unauthorized. The study results come from a new national survey of 1,375 Latino adults conducted by land line and cellular telephones in English and Spanish from August 17 through September 19, Pew said. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points for the full sample and larger for subgroups. The Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research organization that does not take positions on policy issues. It is part of the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan institute based in Washington that is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, a Philadelphia-based public charity. | The divisions come from the national political row over illegal immigration, Pew says .
Latinos also feel heightened concerns over discrimination based on immigration status .
But Latinos also share areas of broad agreement, such as their opposition to SB 1070 .
The survey of 1,375 Latinos was conducted in August and September . |
18a732b4759a70051e51315aa1ea665621d96a3f | For astronauts struggling to get up in the morning, it could be a welcome relief. Researchers say they have perfect a zero gravity espresso cup that can deliver the perfect shot in orbit. It uses a series of channels to simulate the pouring needed to create the perfect drink. Scroll down for video . six of the 3D-printed cups are scheduled to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2015 aboard a SpaceX rocket. Micro-gravity conditions inhibit the production of 'crema,' the defining feature of a decent espresso shot. A shot of espresso is composed of a complex, low-density colloid of emulsified oils. The earth's gravitational pull causes these oils to rise to the surface producing the aromatic foam enjoyed by coffee aficionados across the globe. Created by the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland State University, six of the 3D-printed cups are scheduled to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2015 aboard a SpaceX rocket. 'Its geometry is the 'smart' part, which provides the fluids-control system without requiring pumps or centrifugal forces,' said Drew Wollman, who developed the system . 'The shape of the container can passively drive fluids to desired locations without moving parts—exploiting the passive forces of wetting and surface tension.' The new design makes possible the enjoyment of espresso and other drinks in the low-gravity environments of spacecraft. It is the second such innovation to be announced by PSU, following the zero-gravity coffee cup unveiled last summer. Without the pull of gravity, fluids behave very differently than on earth. Instead of 'pouring,' a liquid retains a more globular shape held together by its own surface tension. This phenomenon complicates even the most basic of maneuvers such as drinking a cup of coffee. A series of channels simulates pouring needed to create the perfect shot . The 3D-printed espresso cup is designed to cheat low-gravity by channeling liquid along a specifically-calculated contour in the vessel to exploit capillary forces that simulate the action of pouring. Micro-gravity conditions inhibit the production of 'crema,' the defining feature of a decent espresso shot. A shot of espresso is composed of a complex, low-density colloid of emulsified oils. The earth's gravitational pull causes these oils to rise to the surface producing the aromatic foam enjoyed by coffee aficionados across the globe. Experiments related to the development of the zero-gravity cups have been officially dubbed the Capillary Beverage Experiment by NASA. The cup was unveiled at the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics Meeting in San Francisco. 'I thoroughly enjoy involving college and high school students in research,' said Weislogel. 'It's also enjoyable to see how the low-gravity work supported by NASA and performed at PSU using the Dryden Drop Tower has developed--spawning a company, patenting IP, designing advanced systems for spacecraft, and now hoping to benefit the daily routine of astronauts aboard the ISS—with a simple drinking cup of all things.' Experiments related to the development of the zero-gravity cups have been officially dubbed the Capillary Beverage Experiment by NASA. Related tests to be performed onboard ISS next year include simple drinks such as clear juices, to complex drinks such as cocoa and peach mango smoothies. Last year one Italian astronaut took an ISSpresso machine with her to perk up the crew. An Italian astronaut is bringing an ISSpresso machine (pictured) with her to the ISS. It is the first coffee machine able to work in micro gravity, where the principles that regulate the fluid dynamics of liquids and mixtures are very different from those typical on Earth . The ISSpresso machine uses a normal Lavazza coffee capsule, which is posted in the top of the machine. Water is aspirated and pressurised in a unique electrical system and is then heated. The granules mix with the hot water and the coffee is piped into a pouch, which is securely fastened to the machine using a 'rapid coupling/uncoupling system.' Astronauts drink the coffee straight from the pouch using a straw. Air Force Captain Samantha Cristoforetti is set to be not only be the first Italian woman to go into space, but also the first astronaut in history to drink an authentic espresso in orbit. She was blasted to the space research laboratory in November, together with the drinks machine. as part of The Futura Mission. It will be the second long-term mission of the Italian Space Agency (ISA) aboard the space station. Coffee company Lavazza worked with engineering firm and space food specialists Argotec, as well as the, ISA to build a coffee machine to bring Italian espresso to the ISS. It is befittingly called ISSpresso, and is the first coffee machine able to work in micro gravity on the ISS, where the principles that regulate the fluid dynamics of liquids and mixtures are very different from those typical on Earth. The prototype machine is currently being tested. It uses a 'capsule system' to fill plastic pouches with espresso and other hot drinks such as tea. The machine can also be used to rehydrate food. The prototype machine is currently being tested. It uses a 'capsule system' to fill plastic pouches (pictured) with espresso and other hot drinks such as tea. The machine can also be used to rehydrate food . Air Force Captain Samantha Cristoforetti, could not only be the first Italian woman to go into space, but also the first astronaut in history to drink an authentic Italian espresso in orbit. The drinks will be made using this specially-designed machine. A typical model weighs 29lbs (13kg), but this model weighs around 44lbs (20kg) In order to handle liquids at high pressure and high temperature in a space environment, the plastic tubing inside the normal coffee machines has been replaced with a steel tubes designed to withstand pressure of more than 400 bar. The ISSpresso machine uses a standard coffee capsule, which is posted in the top of the machine. Water is aspirated and pressurised in a unique electrical system and is then heated. The granules mix with the hot water and the coffee is piped into a pouch, which is securely fastened to the machine using a 'rapid coupling/uncoupling system.' Astronauts drink the coffee straight from the pouch using a straw. The machine is much heavier than a normal model, which typically weighs 29lbs (13kg). The space-bound machine weighs around 44lbs (20kg) because there are backups of all the critical components, for safety reasons, and in accordance with the specifications agreed upon with the ISA. Hovering up to 270 miles (435 km) above the Earth, the International Space Station (pictured) is a long way from home and astronauts have reported missing creature comforts such as coffee and beer . 'ISSpresso represents a technologically high-value project which, besides increasing the variety of flavour in the astronauts' menu, will help improve our understanding of the principles of fluid dynamics and conditions in microgravity,' its makers said. 'Italian coffee is a beverage without borders and we have been thinking about taking the espresso into space for some time,' said Giuseppe Lavazza, vice president of Lavazza. Ten years ago the company produced artwork designed to look like its coffee was in space, and 'today we are in a position to overcome the limits of weightlessness and enjoy a good espresso ... on board the International Space Station,' he continued. David Avino, managing director of Argotec added that the firm is also taking care of the European astronauts' training and nutrition. 'Food provides an important psychological support and being able to enjoy a good Italian espresso may be just the right way to finish off the menu designed especially for each astronaut, helping him or her to feel closer to home.' | Series of channels simulates pouring needed to create the perfect shot .
Six 3D-printed cups are scheduled to fly to the International Space Station .
Will blast off in February 2015 aboard a SpaceX rocket .
Team already has a coffee machine on board to make hot drinks . |
18a7f0bb25e97072f17326393c98410d7fae59ef | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 05:28 EST, 14 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:12 EST, 15 August 2013 . The UK’s first cat DNA database has been set up to help solve criminal investigations – after cat hair was successfully used to trap a killer. The database, which currently holds records of 152 pets’ DNA, was started after hairs were found on the dismembered body of David Guy. Mr Guy’s torso was discovered in July 2012 wrapped in a curtain containing eight cat hairs. Breakthrough: David Hilder, left, has been convicted for manslaughter after hairs from his pet cat were discovered on the dismembered torso of David Guy, right . Genetic tests suggested they could belong to Tinker, a cat owned by a suspect called David Hilder. Hampshire police sent the hairs to California for analysis where scientists examined the cat’s DNA. The results confirmed that Tinker had the same rare genetic code as the hairs found on the body. Scientists were able to prove that . the variety was unusual, by showing that none of the 493 randomly . sampled animals in a US cat database shared the same type of DNA. To help strengthen their case in . court, police were keen to know if the result would also be rare in the . UK. They tracked down Dr Jon Wetton – who had created a similar database . of UK dogs while working with the Forensic Science Service. Dr Wetton said: ‘Hampshire police . wanted to know the evidential strength of the match. I explained that . could only be determined with reference to a database of UK cats – which . did not exist at the time.’ The team were able to get 152 samples . from a company that analyses blood samples for vets. Only three of the . samples matched the hairs from the crime scene. This confirmed that the DNA type was also rare in the UK, making it easier to prove that the hairs came from the suspect’s cat. The evidence was presented at . Winchester Crown Court as part of the prosecution case that successfully . convicted Hilder of manslaughter. Dr Wetton said: ‘This is the first . time cat DNA has been used in a UK criminal trial. We now hope to . publish the database so it can be used in future crime investigations. 'This could be a real boon for forensic science, as the 10 million cats in the UK are unwittingly tagging the clothes and furnishings in more than a quarter of households.' Grim: Mr Guy's body was found wrapped in a curtain on a beach in Southsea in July last year. This picture shows detectives carrying out a fingertip search of the beach . Although the U.S and Canada have used cat hair in crime cases . before, the findings have never been collated in one database. Dr Wetton said: 'Having produced a similar database for dogs during my previous . employment with the forensic science service, we proposed creating a cat . database from scratch. 'Within each cat hair are two types of DNA, individual-specific "nuclear . DNA" detectable in the roots of some larger hairs, and "mitochondrial . DNA" which is shared by all maternally-related individuals and can be . found even in the finest hair shafts. 'Animal DNA offers a way of linking people to places and items through the transfer of their pets’ hairs.' Fellow researcher Barbara Ottolini said: 'The police were lucky in this case, as most mitochondrial types are common when tested with the technique we used here. 'We would like to use cutting-edge DNA sequencing methods to identify further variation in cat mitochondrial DNA to maximise the discriminating power of the evidence.' | David Guy's body parts found wrapped in a curtain on a beach in Southsea .
Forensic scientists discovered the curtain had eight cat hairs on it .
They then used UK's first cat DNA database to analyse hairs .
It found the cat hairs belonged to Tinker which was owned by David Hilder .
Hilder was last month jailed for life for manslaughter . |
18a887f1c68b102d2bba5a95c3852334a619b09c | Washington (CNN) -- Congress will miss President Obama's deadline to enact health care reform by the end of the year, a key Democratic senator said Tuesday. Illinois' Dick Durbin, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, said he hopes, at best, to pass the Senate's version of a health care bill by that time. If the Senate manages to pass a bill, a congressional conference committee would need to merge the House and Senate proposals into a consensus version requiring final approval from each chamber before moving to Obama's desk to be signed into law. Durbin's assessment came as former President Clinton made a rare visit to Capitol Hill to discuss the health care issue with Senate Democrats. Clinton tried but ultimately failed to pass a health care overhaul in the early 1990s. The failure is considered one of the reasons for the GOP takeover of Congress in the 1994 midterm elections. "Whatever their differences are, I just urged them to resolve their differences and pass a bill," Clinton said on Capitol Hill. "I also believe, you know, people hired us to come to work in places like this to solve problems and stand up and do it." Clinton told the senators that they had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to push through a reform package that is crucial to the country's long-term economic health. "He made a strong case for getting it done this year," said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon. "He is brilliant," said Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota. "He is able to penetrate through the fog of policy and politics better than any person I've heard." Durbin blamed the shifting timeline on a slower-than-expected cost analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on legislation being crafted under Reid's direction. He also cited an uncertain schedule for floor debate. Durbin said he hopes debate in the full Senate will begin before Thanksgiving. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid himself has signaled uncertainty over whether the fractious Senate could meet Obama's goal of passing a bill this year. Among the many obstacles Reid is facing is whether to include a government-run public option. The majority leader has proposed including an option that would give states until 2014 to decide whether to opt out. But several Democratic moderates -- as well as Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, the lone Senate Republican to vote for reform -- have expressed deep reservations over the idea. Reid has little room to compromise and maneuver. He would need the support of every Senate Democrat and Connecticut independent Joe Lieberman -- an opponent of the public option -- to get the 60 votes necessary to cut off a likely GOP filibuster. Lieberman has faced a backlash from Democrats and liberal protesters over his threat to filibuster any bill that included a public option. On Tuesday, police arrested six demonstrators in Lieberman's Capitol Hill office after a group protesting his views on health care legislation refused to leave. Lieberman was not there at the time. A group calling itself the Mobilization for Health Care for All littered the floor and hallway with symbolic "money" and said that campaign donations to Lieberman by the insurance industry have affected his judgment of health care legislation. The group is upset that Lieberman refuses to support the public option, which they believe would reduce the number of people without health care insurance. Democrats. meanwhile, could resort to reconciliation -- a budgetary maneuver that would require only a simple majority in the 100-vote chamber -- but such a move would add complications to the legislative process and further erode what is already a poisonous political atmosphere. Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate, however, have reached agreement on a broad range of changes that could affect every American's coverage. Among other things, they have agreed to subsidize insurance for a family of four making up to roughly $88,000 annually, or 400 percent of the federal poverty level. They've also agreed to expand Medicaid and create health insurance exchanges to make it easier for small businesses, the self-employed and the unemployed to pool resources and purchase less expensive coverage. They'd also limit total out-of-pocket expenses and prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions. Insurers would also be barred from charging higher premiums based on a person's gender or medical history. CNN's Ted Barrett, Dana Bash, Paul Courson, Jill Dougherty, Brianna Keilar and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report. | Dick Durbin hopes to have Senate version of bill passed by end of year .
President Clinton makes Capitol Hill visit to talk about health care reform .
Senate majority leader has expressed doubts about passing legislation .
Public option remains major obstacle to reform measure . |
18a96e128945f5bab4316cf62951b272ec9b4a24 | New Delhi (CNN) -- Flooding in southern India in the wake of a tropical cyclone has killed 25 people in the past few days and driven tens of thousands of others from their homes, authorities said Tuesday. The severe weather has caused flooding affecting 5,250 square kilometers (2,000 square miles) of agricultural land in the state of Andhra Pradesh, according to Vinod Kumar, an official at the state's disaster management department. Cyclone Nilam roared into India's southeastern coast last week, killing at least 15 people in the state of Tamil Nadu and running a large oil tanker aground on the shore near Chennai. The storm had already been drenching coastal areas with rain as it loitered over the sea north of Sri Lanka before it made landfall. It brought more than a month's rainfall in just a few of days, according to CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera. The "high impact, long duration" nature of the downpours "overwhelmed the rivers and streams" and led to the disastrous flooding, Cabrera said. About 70,000 people in Andhra Pradesh, which is north of Tamil Nadu, have been relocated to temporary shelters, Kumar said Tuesday. The flooding has killed 25 people in the state, he said. The full extent of the damage to crops won't be known until after the flood waters recede, according to authorities. Tropical cyclones tend to occur in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea during the April-to-June and September-to-November periods. A violent tropical storm killed at least 23 people in southeastern Bangladesh last month. And a powerful cyclone that hit India and Bangladesh in May 2009 killed at least 180 people. CNN's Jethro Mullen in Hong Kong contributed to this report. | About 70,000 people are in temporary shelters because of the floods .
Heavy rain from a tropical storm overwhelmed the water system .
The flooding has killed 25 people in the state of Andhra Pradesh .
It has also affected thousands of square kilometers of crops . |
18a9a3e16870c6f241f31af226aa96ef302d2f80 | (CNN) -- Good news: We're not going to war in Syria, at least not right away. Bad news: We're headed to a battle inside Congress that will pose its own grave threat to the U.S. and world economy. The most conservative Republicans in Congress are threatening to force default on the nation's obligations unless the president agrees to defund Obamacare. Less conservative Republicans prefer a milder version of the threat: not default, but merely shutting down the government. Either way, the country plunges into crisis -- a crisis Republicans must eventually lose, as they have lost every previous round of this same game. It's way past time for Republicans to find a better way. These doomed all-or-nothing battles over Obamacare perversely strengthen President Obama. As Republicans exhaust themselves in grand debates, Obamacare fastens itself ever more tightly upon the country and the states. Obamacare offers large benefits to many Americans, and benefits once extended are very difficult to remove. That should have been the lesson of 2012, and unless Republicans get wiser, it'll be the repeat lesson of 2016. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. A core feature of Obama's health plan will go into effect in bare weeks -- and all the law's flaws continue unaddressed. The Republican challenge is to protect the country from those flaws, by concentrating on the reforms that matter most: . 1) Control Obamacare's costs; . 2) Share Obamacare's burdens more widely. Take No. 1 first. America used to have two health care cost problems: the cost of the health care system to the total economy, and the cost of health care programs to government budgets. Those two costs were related, but distinct. One example: Before Obamacare, a proposal to raise the Medicare qualification age to 67 would have saved the government money, without changing any real economic costs. As Obamacare goes into effect, those two costs merge into one. Raise the Medicare age to 67, and Medicare's costs may fall -- but other program costs will rise. An increase in health care costs anywhere will flow directly into an increase in government health care spending. If Republicans want to control the cost of government, they have to change their thinking from "cut government budgets" to "reform health care delivery." To date, U.S. health care markets have done a poor job of controlling health care costs. That hasn't been a failure Republicans worried much about -- but they had better start, because if markets continue to fail, the alternatives will be ever more voracious health care costs or direct government control. Now problem No. 2: burden-sharing. Obamacare purports to finance itself with taxes only on upper-income Americans. The revenues from these taxes will be inadequate just as a matter of arithmetic. Worse, this mode of finance corrodes all political incentive for cost control. Not many voters will deprive themselves of a benefit to save somebody else money. If Obamacare is to be part of America's future -- which is how the betting must run today -- this program that claims to benefit all should be paid for by all, as Social Security and Medicare are paid for by all. Back in 2010, Democrats desperate for Republican support would happily have accepted a broader tax mechanism. Today, of course, they have less incentive to deal. Their voters do well out of Obamacare; the costs are borne by those Americans most likely to vote Republican. But there are revenue measures Democrats would value even more highly than they value taxes on the affluent: carbon taxes, for example. A Republican plan to tax work and investment less and to tax carbon more -- and to use such taxes to support health care costs -- would appeal to Democrats, and would unite both Democrats and Republicans in a shared commitment to health care cost control. These are real-world political tradeoffs. They are less exciting than the grand drama of repeal-or-bust. But repeal-or-bust is much more likely to produce a bust than a repeal. More productive is the challenge of reforming Obamacare so that the nation can live with its costs -- and so that all equitably shoulder their share of its burdens. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum. | David Frum: GOP effort to defund Obama's health plan is going nowhere .
He says it makes more sense to focus on the key flaws of Obamacare .
Republicans should push to make sure the plan has cost-control features, he says .
He says it makes sense to broaden funding so most Americans pay for it . |
18aad8dfea4b2f3c64d057af7d5cdda14bf13042 | (CNN) -- A very nice married couple from Canada struck up a conversation in a restaurant where we were having dinner. At one point the husband said that, earlier in his life, he had played with some buddies in a rock band. The name of the band, he said, was the Rock-Olas. "Like the jukebox," I said. "Of course," he said. Rock-Ola jukeboxes were gorgeous; they were icons of the early days of rock and roll. "Where do you think those jukeboxes got their name?" I asked him. He assumed the same thing most people always assumed: "Rock-Ola" was a combination of "rock and roll" and "Victrola," the storied brand of early phonograph-record players. "Nope," I said. I had always thought the same thing. But then, years ago, I spoke with the founder of Rock-Ola. His name was David C. Rockola. The whole thing was a total coincidence. Even before he started manufacturing jukeboxes, he had put the hyphen between the two parts of his name when he was selling coin-operated machines. He just wanted customers to be able to pronounce his name -- and the company's -- correctly. The couple to whom I told the story laughed, and later it occurred to me that many products we take for granted -- products so famous that they and their names are synonymous -- once started out nameless. There was the thing -- the product -- and then there was a need to call it something. Take Snickers, the candy bar. When you hear "Snickers," you immediately see the candy, almost taste it. But how did it become Snickers? Well, the Mars family, who introduced the candy bar, had a favorite horse they owned. Snickers. So when they needed to call the candy bar something... Cheerios -- the cereal? It was originally named Cheerioats, because of its main ingredient. But there was a problem -- a competitor was producing an oat cereal with a similar name. Thus: Cheerios. It hasn't done badly. How about Q-tips? Everyone knows what they are, but what does the name mean? A man named Leo Gerstenzang, in the 1920s, saw his wife applying cotton swabs to toothpicks. This gave him the idea to come up with a pre-made cotton swab for use with infants. The product's original name -- intended to connote gentle care of happy newborns (this was in a different American era, with a different lexicon) -- was Baby Gays. But that didn't adequately describe the product, so it was changed to Q-tips. Q for quality; tips for the cotton swab at either end. What about Conway Twitty, the late singer? (I know we're getting a little far afield here -- Twitty was a person, not a product -- but he was terrific, and his name begs the question.) He was Harold Jenkins in the 1950s, trying to make it big in the recording industry, and finding that "Harold Jenkins" didn't exactly translate to thrills and excitement. So the story went, he and his manager took a map of the United States and put their fingers on it. On Arkansas and Texas, to be precise. Conway, Arkansas. Twitty, Texas. Soon his records were enormous hits in Rock-Ola jukeboxes from coast to coast. Next up: Weejuns, the classic penny loafers made by the G. H. Bass shoe company. You know those shoes on sight. But the name? It refers to a similar kind of shoe that was worn by Norwegian farmers. Norwegians: Weejuns, for short. You still along for the ride? Let's pull over to the Holiday Inn. One of the most recognizable brands on the planet. When Kemmons Wilson first came up with the idea for standardized, affordable highway motels, he didn't have a name for it. His architect, Eddie Bluestein, as an in-joke, wrote, across the bottom of his diagrams, "Holiday Inn," after the Bing Crosby movie about a country lodge. Some joke. Wilson liked the sound, which turned out to be a spectacular business decision. Haagen-Dazs? A made-up combination of make-believe words to make a brand of ice cream sound Scandinavian and inviting. The words mean nothing at all. Except huge profits. Popsicles, on the other hand, started out as Epsicles, named for their inventor, Frank Epperson. When he applied for a patent, the product was officially titled the Epsicle ice pop. His children, though, called this confection dreamed up by their dad -- their pop -- a Popsicle. Pop's sicle. Taco Bell? In California after World War II, a fellow named Glen Bell decided to sell hamburgers from a stand. He called his store Bell's Burgers. He had some competitors nearby: a couple of brothers with their own stand. Last name McDonald. The brothers had a splendid hamburger product. Bell arrived at the conclusion that, when it came to burgers, he probably could not outcook and outsell McDonald's. So he chose another food specialty: tacos. He tried a few names before settling on a variation of Bell's Burgers, altered to connote Mexican cuisine: Taco Bell. Space is growing short here, and there's probably an outside chance that somewhere in the world today there is more important news than this. Quickly: . Nehi soda pop. The founder wanted customers to understand that his soda pop came in tall bottles, offering good value for the money. Knee-high bottles, to be hyperbolic. In marketing, hyperbolic is good. Thus: Nehi. May we slip just one more in? Dairy Queen. Its founder, John F. McCullough, liked to proudly proclaim to all who would listen that the cow was "the queen of the dairy business." As a parting note, let's give the last word to David Rockola himself. He died in 1993; when I spoke with him, six years earlier, he was 90. I told him that it must be really cool to be able to have a jukebox in his home -- especially one with his name on it. No, he said. No jukebox in the Rockola home: . "I had speakers installed in the ceilings of every room, and I had the wiring put in. But at the last minute, Mrs. Rockola said no. She said, 'You get enough of jukeboxes at the factory. We don't need one here.' " The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene. | Bob Greene learned the story behind Rock-ola jukeboxes' name; got curious about others .
He found Snickers candy was named after a favorite horse of the Mars family .
He learned how Conway Twitty picked a new name because the real one wasn't as exciting .
Greene: First there are products, then they need names; and behind them some good stories . |
18ab1f261c40eeede23038b324d6ee92c2962424 | (CNN) -- The U.S. drone strike that killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American cleric who was born in New Mexico and who would go on to become an al-Qaeda leader in Yemen, did not silence his siren call to jihad. That fact was underlined Thursday by the indictment against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who together with his brother, Tamerlan, allegedly carried out the deadly Boston Marathon bombing on April 15. Some time before the Boston bombings, Dzhokhar downloaded a digital copy of a book for which Awlaki, who died in 2011, had written the foreword. The book directed Muslims not to give allegiance to countries such as the United States that have invaded Muslim lands. Four days after the Boston bombings, surrounded by police and fearing death while hiding in a boat in Watertown, Massachusetts, Dzhokhar wrote messages that seemed to echo Awlaki's ideas such as "The U.S. government is killing our innocent civilians" and "We Muslims are one body; you hurt one, you hurt us all." The Tsernaevs are only the tip of Awlaki's influence on American militants. According to a count by the New America Foundation, 24 "homegrown" violent jihadist extremists in the United States who have been indicted or convicted of terrorism or have been killed while engaged in violent jihad since 2001 read Awlaki's propaganda or maintained contact with him. This accounts for around one in five of all jihadist extremists indicted, convicted or killed since Awlaki's influence was cited for the first time in court documents in 2007, when his name turned up among the literature being read by members of a plot to attack the Ft. Dix military base in southern New Jersey. From the grave, terrorist inspires a new generation . Awlaki first came to the attention of the FBI while he was living in San Diego where he had come into contact with two of the 9/11 hijackers in 2000. The FBI investigated those connections but was unable to discover if Awlaki had any nefarious connections to the hijackers. Awlaki was working as an imam in Virginia in 2002. He then traveled to the United Kingdom and then to Yemen where his family was from. In 2007, after a spell in a Yemeni jail that he blamed on the United States, Awlaki became more radicalized and he adopted an increasingly strident anti-American tone in his sermons, which were widely distributed on the Internet. Soon Awlaki joined up with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. His role at first was as a spiritual adviser. But he became more involved in operations over time. For instance, he played a central role in the recruitment of the Nigerian "underwear bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to blow up Northwest Flight 253 over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009, court documents showed. Since Awlaki's death in the 2011 drone strike, other militants have continued to be influenced by Awlaki's propaganda. Quazi Nafis, a 21-year old Bangladeshi on a student visa, was arrested in 2012 for plotting to bomb the New York Federal Reserve. Nafis told a government informant that Awlaki's ideas had influenced him. In December 2012, Randy Wilson and Mohammad Abukhdair were arrested in Georgia while attempting to travel to fight for al Shabaab, the al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia. According to the indictment Abukhdair provided an informant with compact discs containing lectures by Awlaki, and Wilson watched Awlaki's videos. It is not surprising that Awlaki's influence has not disappeared following his death. Awlaki's role in the radicalization of homegrown extremists was not primarily that of directing and facilitating operations. Only four U.S.-based extremists maintained contact with Awlaki rather than simply reading or watching his propaganda, according to the New America Foundation count. Authorities say Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, accused of murder in the 2009 Fort Hood, Texas, shooting spree that killed 13 people, communicated with Awlaki by e-mail prior to the attack. He also followed Awlaki's publications very closely. However, a commission conducted after the attack to review the FBI's failure to prevent the shooting found no evidence that Awlaki directed Hasan's attack. Awlaki also is said to have played an important role in the radicalization of Zachary Chesser, a Virginia resident who planned to join al Shabaab. According to a report by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Chesser rapidly radicalized after his conversion to Islam in the summer of 2008 and was heavily influenced by Awlaki. Chesser began to post his writings on Awlaki's blog and began an e-mail correspondence with him, authorities have said. Chesser decided to join al Shabaab's struggle in Somalia because of Awlaki's teachings on jihad, according to the congressional report. Chesser was arrested as he was about to fly to Africa from New York City in July 2010. Looking to the future, the role of Awlaki's propaganda as a driver of homegrown extremism will largely be determined by whether the materials he produced before he died remain relevant and easily available on the many websites that distribute his lectures. The Boston bombings remind us that at least as of now, Awlaki continues to exert his influence even from beyond the grave. | Anwar al-Awlaki was killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2011, but continues to influence jihadists .
Peter Bergen notes that the cleric's influence was clear in Boston Marathon indictment .
Other terrorism cases in the U.S. bear imprint of Awlaki's statements, Bergen says .
Bergen: Will others sympathetic to al Qaeda continue to spread his teachings? |
18ab7a561b479b38e20c9bb52ee675d339de215a | By . Martin Ziegler, Press Association . England will play four prestige friendlies against world champions Germany, Spain, Italy and France over the next two years. Football Association general secretary Alex Horne said the friendlies against teams who have won four out of last five World Cups had been arranged in the run-up to Euro 2016 but the dates have yet to be confirmed. Horne also admitted there will be a record low turn-out for an England game at the new Wembley when Norway come next week for a friendly. Champions: England will play World Champions Germany as part of their build-up to Euro 2016 . Repeat: Roy Hodgson's men will also face Italy, who beat the Three Lions 2-1 during the World Cup in Brazil . Speaking after a UEFA meeting in Monaco, Horne said: 'We have got a set of friendlies to go with the qualifiers right through to March 2016 all arranged. 'We will be playing the bigger European countries - it makes more sense to prepare for a European tournament by playing European opposition so we have put less of an emphasis on non-Europeans over the next two years. 'Home and away we will be playing France, Spain, Italy and Germany.' England will play Norway with only the lower tier of Wembley occupied by fans due to low ticket sales. Horne added: 'We are expecting 35-40,000. It will be the lowest crowd we have had at Wembley, the average England gate is 79,000 so it is disappointing. Chance to lead: England's new captain Wayne Rooney will have the opportunity to play against top opposition . Tought tests: Roy Hodgson's men will prepare for the next major tournaments by facing Europe's best sides . 'We have got some work to do, we have to rebuild a squad which is Roy Hodgson's department, and we have got to rebuild some trust with the supporters. 'We have got incredible loyal supporters, we had 5,000 who went to Brazil and were disappointed, and we are working hard on what we can give them, what content, what what price we can give them to make them feel part of the England experience. Loyal support: The fans who followed England to Brazil were magnificent but were not matched by the players . 'We have relaunched our England supporters club, we are aiming to get half a million members and ultimately attract a brand new audience to fill 70,000 general admission seats five times a year.' Horne said the low ticket sales should not cause any financial problems for the FA. 'We didn't budget for a big crowd for this game. It's traditionally a difficult sell,' he said. 'We will be a little bit down on budget but not a lot and I'm pretty confident it won't cause us any difficulties.' | England will play four European powerhouses in the next two years .
FA organise friendlies against four of the previous five World Cup winners .
England friendly against Norway on Wednesday will be less than half full .
But FA denies low attendance will lead to financial troubles . |
18ab9d6effd7427bf91c82db63190e9e9e1672a1 | By . Helen Minsky and Richard Kay . PUBLISHED: . 17:04 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:26 EST, 18 September 2012 . Power couple: Former Labour culture secretary Tessa Jowell with her tax lawyer husband David Mills . She separated from her husband after he was accused of taking a bribe from Silvio Berlusconi – but yesterday Dame Tessa Jowell admitted that the couple were reconciled. The former Labour culture secretary and her wealthy tax lawyer husband David Mills parted in 2006. Although they never divorced, the former marital home in Kentish Town, north London, was sold. Dame Tessa moved to a swish new home in Highgate while Mills remained in their country spread in Warwickshire. Breaking her silence about her marital woes for the first time, Dame Tessa, 65, said that parting from Mills, her second husband, broke her heart. And she robustly denied suggestions that she had ditched her marriage for the sake of her career in government. In a radio interview she said: ‘What mother is prepared to look her children in the eye and say: “We are splitting up. But, you know what? It’s not real.”’ Her decision to speak out publicly about the split comes just days after she announced she was standing down from frontline politics with her departure from the shadow cabinet. She received a damehood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. An old friend of the Labour MP said: ‘It seems unlikely that the two events were not connected. I’m sure she wants to unburden herself now that she’s going to become more of a private citizen.’ Explaining the background to the split, when Mills found himself engulfed in Italian bribery allegations, Dame Tessa told Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour: ‘He reached the view that life was intolerable while we were together and, as he put it to me: “You’re my problem, I’m you’re problem” and we separated. It broke my heart.’ Of their new life, she said: ‘David has his house in the country and I have my house. We see each other regularly and we have time together which I really treasure as a family. We have reached a state of stability which I never thought possible.’ Influential: Tessa Jowell, pictured with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and her husband both shared successful careers and high-profile contacts . Controversial: Lawyer David Mills was accused of taking a bribe from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi . The couple have been spotted walking hand in hand near Mills’ country home. Dame Tessa and Mills were often portrayed as the epitome of a successful New Labour couple. A . high-flying minister and a wealthy international lawyer, they shared . successful careers and contacts at the highest levels, both in politics . and business. They were close to Tony Blair. But . following weeks of unwelcome media interest in Mills’ business links to . former Italian prime minister Berlusconi, the couple separated. Mills was found guilty of accepting a £350,000 bribe in return for providing false testimony for Berlusconi in two corruption trials concerning the Italian’s time as a businessman. The conviction was later thrown out on a technicality. Key role: Tessa Jowell, pictured nest to the chairman of the London 2012 Olympic committee Sebastian Coe, right, the then Mayor of London Ken Livingsone and chief exec of IOL, helped bring the Olympics to London . Continued support: Tessa Jowell, pictured with Prince Harry, Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge and Mayor of the Olympic Village Sir Charles Allen, continued on the Olympic project even after Labour lost the election . In her interview Dame Tessa also . re-affirmed her belief in Mills, who is now semi-retired and writing . novels, saying: ‘My husband never took a bribe, never acted in any kind . of corrupt way as subsequent judgments have made clear. He was . effectively exonerated.’ When . challenged by presenter Jane Garvey that he had actually been heavily . fined by the Italian courts, she replied: ‘The byzantine nature of . Italian justice is something that is very hard to explain.' Loving couple: Tessa Jowell admitted that separating from David Mills broke her heart . Dame . Tessa was one of the key figures in bringing the Olympic Games to . London at the time her husband was protesting his innocence. She . remained close to the project even after Labour lost the 2010 election. While not subjected to the boos that . greeted Chancellor George Osborne during the Paralympics, she was met by . groans from the crowd when she presented medals. Describing why they separated she . said: ‘We had three very difficult years before [the accusations] and . three very difficult years after that.’ Last night Mills said: ‘I never comment on my private life but whatever Tessa has said is true.’ In . a statement in 2009 after her husband was found guilty of accepting the . bribe, Dame Tessa said: ‘This is a terrible blow to David and, although . we are separated, I have never doubted his innocence.’ She . was dragged into her husband’s controversial financial affairs in 2006 . when it emerged that she had signed papers for a loan secured on their . London home – which was subsequently paid off with the help of the . alleged bribe. The . couple announced their split days later after it emerged that Mills had . used his wife’s Cabinet position and his friendship with Mr Blair to . fight the corruption allegations in a letter to financial authorities in . Dubai. She insisted that she did not know about the money until four years later. An . inquiry by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell found that she should . have declared the payment but Mr Blair, who was then still prime . minister, cleared her of any wrongdoing. | Former Labour culture secretary Tessa Jowell split up with her tax lawyer husband David Mills in 2006 .
Mills was found guilty of accepting a .
£350,000 bribe but conviction was later thrown out on a technicality .
Dame Tessa revealed the pair have reunited during a radio interview . |
18abbf24dc2ec2aeb1ff2ab2ed907eaa2ff934fb | By . Jason Groves, Political Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 19:31 EST, 16 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:31 EST, 16 May 2013 . David Cameron has pledged to support women who stay at home and raise children . David Cameron has pledged to support women who stay at home to raise children, fuelling hopes that he will act on his promise to recognise marriage in the tax system. The Prime Minister has come under fire from stay-at-home mothers after excluding them from new childcare plans. He was also criticised for stopping child benefit for families living off a single salary at a lower income level than those with two wage earners. But he denied ministers were trying to force mothers back to work. Mr Cameron also signalled that he was preparing to dilute controversial plans to increase the number of children a childminder can look after, following opposition from his Lib Dem deputy Nick Clegg. The Prime Minister said he did not agree with Business Secretary Vince Cable that there was ‘prejudice’ against stay-at-home mothers. He added: ‘I support the choices mums make. If they want to work we should support that, and if they want to stay at home we should support that. The idea is not to dictate to people what they should do, but to support the choices they make. ‘There are lots of things we do that help stay-at-home mums. The support we’re giving for nursery education is a good example.’ His words will encourage Tory MPs and ministers who are lobbying him to fulfil his promise to create a marriage tax break. Speculation is mounting that George Osborne may bring in a modest tax break in his autumn statement. But some Tories believe it will come too late to take effect before the next election in 2015. The Prime Minister also suggested he was willing to compromise over the Coalition’s childcare plans after Mr Clegg withdrew his support at the last moment. Ministers were planning to relax the rules on the number of children childminders and nursery staff can care for. But in a late change of heart this month, Mr Clegg said he had serious concerns about the plans, which would allow nursery staff to look after six two-year-olds. Nick Clegg withdrew his support for the Coalition's childcare plans at the last moment following a call in to his LBC Radio by campaigner Laura Perrins . Laura Perrins told Clegg many families felt discriminated against by a £1,200 tax break . This enraged Education Secretary Michael . Gove, who accused Mr Clegg of blocking the plans to bolster his . position as Lib Dem leader. Mr Clegg’s U-turn followed an embarrassing phone-in on his LBC radio show in March, when he was harangued by barrister and mother-of-two Laura Perrins. The 32-year-old, who gave up her legal career to look after her children, told him many traditional families felt discriminated against by the announcement that working parents only would receive a tax break of up to £1,200 per year to cover soaring childcare costs. Mrs Perrins, from the group Mothers At Home Matter, said ministers viewed her choice as ‘worthless’. Yesterday, Mr Cameron said it was pointless getting frustrated with Mr Clegg’s change of tack, adding: ‘Trying to get quality affordable childcare is a priority for the Government. The proposals we put forward had a lot of merit. ‘Clearly there now needs to be a discussion in the Coalition about how best to go forward. ‘There’s no point getting too frustrated. We’ll find a way forward that I hope will be good for people who want affordable childcare.’ From September, the ratio for under-ones had been due to rise from three per adult to four. Each adult would also be able to look after six two-year-olds instead of four. The ratio for three-year-olds would remain unchanged. Tory sources claim this would cut nursery costs by around £1,300 a year without compromising quality. But the plans were criticised by childminders and mothers. | Prime Minister under fire from stay-at-home mothers over childcare plans .
Denied ministers were trying to force mothers back to work .
Hinted he was preparing to dilute controversial childminder plans .
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg withdrew support for increasing number of children a childminder can look after . |
18ac89c25bbe894e69f9ade6ed5acc3adbef7d17 | By . James Gordon . A father from Southern California is fighting for the right to adopt his own son who was apparently secretly put up for adoption by the baby's mother. Preston King, 19, says his constitutional rights were taken away from him when his ex-girlfriend, and mother to his child, decided she could no longer support raising a child on her own. Advocates that support his cause have launched a Facebook page and website to try and garner support for and persuade lawmakers to give him the chance to be the father he believes he deserves. Scroll down for video... Short and sweet: On the day baby Wyatt was born, he was only allowed to spend fifteen minutes with the newborn before he was handed over to his adoptive parents . Bring Wyatt Home: Preston King says he had his son given away for adoption without his consent. He is currently fighting for his rights to his own child . Writing on his Facebook page, Mr King says he loved the baby's mom 'as much as a 18 year old in high school could', but no matter how much effort he put into the relationship, things didn't work out. When he was told that he was going to become a daddy for the first time, he says he took the responsibility of his impending fatherhood seriously and took on a second job, . He maintains he attended every doctors appointment and even though things were not always easy with his then girlfriend, he bought her clothes for her ever-expanding belly. He wanted the baby's mom to be as calm and relaxed as possible. Mr King says he pampered her as much as money would allow with mani pedi's, nice dinners, day trips and overnight trips to the beach. As the relationship began to fall, Mr King decided to move out on his own and rented an apartment for his ex and future baby a month before graduating high school. Miscarriage of justice: The judge in Preston's case determined that because he was not married to the mother he was not considered the presumed father . Hello and goodbye: Preston breaks down in tears on the day of Wyatt's birth as he realise he has just a few moments left before the newborn is taken away from him . He bought baby furniture and decorative items to make the place feel homely. During the summer he was informed that his ex was planning to give their baby away at birth for adoption with or without his consent. He was even contacted by someone at an adoption agency via text message trying to coax him into meeting the people she hand selected. Mr King made it clear that he wanted to raise his child to raise as his own and was dead against placing him up for adoption. The morning after he was told the news, Preston headed to the Orange County courthouse to file papers to establish paternity. Daddy's boy: Preston King says the judge in his custody battle did not take into account that he worked two jobs and even rented an apartment for the baby's birth mother and her child . Before the child was born, Mr King claims he went to court several times in order to prevent the baby from going home with adoptive parents. It made no difference. Baby Wyatt was born on September 7, 2013 and was sent home with his adoptive parents. Mr King was denied the opportunity to sign a declaration declaring he was the father and was refused the opportunity of being placed on the birth certificate at the hospital. Given just 15 minutes alone with his son the day he was born, baby Wyatt was handed over to foster parents within hours of the birth. One moment in time: Preston King shares another brief moment with his son, Wyatt. The baby is living with foster parents . The baby's mother did nothing to stop the baby being given away once her mind was made up and claimed that Preston was never there for her emotionally, mentally or financially. Mr King is adamant that he is the biological father and that a DNA test would confirm it. He has vowed to continue to fight until Wyatt is home in his arms. Supporters of his position saya father shouldn’t have to fight strangers in court for the right to parent his own child. An online petition has been set up to push for a change in California state law to prevent so-called 'unethical' adoptions from taking place in the future. | Preston King had his son given away for adoption without his consent .
He is currently fighting for his rights to adopt his own child .
A judge determined because he was not married to the mother that he was not considered the presumed father .
Currently he is appealing the decision with the Orange County Justice Courts . |
18adba6e3a4816d9b5b714f5d2c061096545b704 | In Harry Potter the young wizard's life is changed forever when he receives hundreds of letters inviting him to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So when a young Potter fan suffering from leukaemia was asked what would she wish for on her sixth birthday, she had an idea. Oliwia Gandecka, from Zielona Gora, Poland, told her parents it would be really exciting if she could be sent lots of letters just like Harry. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Smiling: The brave cancer sufferer was stunned after receiving one million cards for her birthday . The Birthday Card for Oliwia campaign . was launched and people across the world were so touched by Oliwia's . story she received not one but more than one million cards as well as . gifts on her birthday on October 26. The child even received a special message from Pope Francis. Her parents turned to social media to start the campaign. Marta . Jagiello, friend of the family, said: 'After talking to her mother we . found that this was her greatest wish, so we started a campaign on . Facebook and on Harry Potter forums. Special birthday: Oliwia Gandecka with bags of cards and gifts sent to her by people from around the world after an appeal from her parents to make her dream come true . Delighted: The six-year-old wanted to be just like Harry Potter on her sixth birthday who received lots of letters inviting him to Hogwarts . Loving: Oliwia Gandecka with her sister opening a card on her sixth birthday . Excited: Oliwia Gandecka never thought her dream to receive lots of birthday cards would come true . 'Her big dream is to get a very large number of birthday cards. Just one card would have been enough to see her smile, but she was grinning from ear to ear when she saw all the well wishes she got from all over the world.' Within a week more than a million cards had arrived at her house and there are still more arriving. 'We had a problem keeping this a secret from her because there were so many. Touching: Oliwia Gandecka with friends and family walking up a staircase lined with birthday cards for her . A dream come true: Oliwia Gandecka holds two cards but she's got a million to get through . A birthday to remember: The six-year-old girl received more than a million birthday cards . 'The postman was having problems delivering them, and we had to ask neighbours and friends to store some of them,' said mum Natasza. 'You can imagine her delight when she saw them all on her birthday,' she added. | Oliwia Gandecka's wish was to receive lots of cards on her birthday .
The six-year-old was inspired by a scene in Harry Potter .
Her parents set up the Birthday Card for Oliwia campaign .
On October 26 more than a million cards was delivered to the child . |
18af2fb13c74de0fda1707f0f79665d7c273b599 | (CNN) -- A chorus of "oohs," "ahs" and "I want ones" sounded from Taiwan Monday as the first giant panda to be born on the island, the six-month-old cub Yuan Zai, was unveiled to the public at Taipei Zoo. Conceived via artificial insemination, the bear was delivered on July 7 last year. Around 10,000 people lined up to see Yuan Zai Monday, the zoo said, some arriving hours before opening time. Hundreds watched Yuan Zai's first appearance as she showed off her climbing skills on logs and trees, before crawling off to nap with her mother. Visitors are to be capped at just under 20,000 people a day. Panda fever . The birth of Yuan Zai, which means both "child of Yuan Yuan" and "rice ball," sparked panda fever on Taiwan. The bear already has her own YouTube channel, documenting her cutest moments. Yuan Zai is expected to generate NT$500 million ($16.6 million) through commercial opportunities within the next six months, the Taipei City government said. The cub's mother, Yuan Yuan, and her mate, Tuan Tuan, were given to Taiwan by China in 2008. Their names combined mean "reunion" in Chinese. | First giant panda born on Taiwan unveiled to public at six months old .
10,000 visitors queue to catch glimpse of baby bear Yuan Zai .
Panda species, endemic to Sichuan province, is endangered in wild . |
18af62793bf6b88ce3127a8ecf166a147d8e5999 | Police fear two young girls who fled Austria are inspiring other teenagers to join Islamic State ranks after they successfully fled the country saying they were going to Syria. Samra Kesinovic was aged just 16 and her friend Sabina Selimovic 15 when the two vanished this year from their homes in the Austrian capital Vienna. Soon afterwards they posted images of themselves branding Kalashnikov rifles, and in some cases surrounded by armed men. Now police have raised concerns they are inspiring their contemporaries after two other teenage girls were caught attempting to flee the country to join ISIS ranks. Left is Samra Kesinovic, 16, who is thought to have fled to Syria to join the Islamic State. On the right is 15-year-old Sabina Selimovic who went with her . Samra Kesinovic and Sabina Selimovic in a photo they posted online. Police now fear the two are inspiring other girls to flee to Syria to take up holy war . Austrian media warned several weeks ago that the girls had become the public face for the call to jihad. These fears now appear to have been validated with the Austrian Interior Ministry confirming two other girls from Vienna had attempted to flee to take up the call for holy war. Little information was given about them apart from the fact that one was 16 and the other was 14 and their parents were apparently from Iraq. Police are now hoping to find out how they became radicalised, and whether anybody had helped them plan their trip to Syria which was apparently set to take place via Turkey - following the same route as the other two girls. The pair were caught when the mother of a third friend who was supposed to be travelling with them became suspicious about the amount of luggage her daughter was packing. Samra Kesinovic and Sabina Selimovic in another photo they posted online, sometime after they fled Austria . Sabina, pictured beside jihadists wielding Kalashnikov rifles, somewhere in Syria or Iraq . It's not known if they group were in contact with Samra and Selimovic, who - despite the fact they are being hunted by Interpol - have remained missing. However, social media updates posted by the two show them dressed in traditional Muslim clothing and in some instances, standing beside men holding guns. As many as 130 people from Austria are now believed to be fighting as jihadists abroad. More than half of Austrian's jihadists originally come from the Caucasus region and have a valid residence permit in Austria. Meanwhile, two Salafists were intercepted in a German border town on the way to Syria via Austria. Austrian Interior Ministry spokesman Alexander Marakovits said they were noticing an increasing problem with youngsters wanting to leave the country for the same reason. He said: 'If we can catch them before they leave we have the chance to work with their parents and other institutions to bring the youngsters out of the sphere of influence that prompted them to act in this way the first place. 'Once they have left the country, even if they then changed their minds, it is then almost impossible to get them back.' | Two teenage girls vanished from their homes in Austrian capital Vienna .
Interpol believe the two, aged 16 and 15, were tricked into going to Syria .
Police now concerned they may be inspiring other girls to join holy war .
Two other girls of the same age caught attempting to flee the country . |
18afd11bb49d8355f13c9c71c44681320972b337 | The fate of Syria's Western-backed opposition hangs on a knife edge in the northern part of the war-torn country -- and with radical Sunni militants and regime forces closing in on them from all sides, time may be running out. At least six villages north of Syria's largest city of Aleppo fell Wednesday to militants from ISIS, according to AFP. The jihadist group has seized large swathes of land in Iraq and consolidated control over considerable territory in northeastern Syria in the past year. ISIS fighters are now just 30 miles from the rebel-controlled northern suburbs of Aleppo and within striking distance of key opposition positions leading to the Turkish border. The situation for the opposition may be even worse inside Aleppo city, where forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are gaining ground after a brutal months-long campaign against opposition forces. With the radical Sunni fighters bearing down on them from the north, and troops loyal to President Assad retaking Aleppo neighborhood by neighborhood from the south and west, Syria's beleaguered rebels are facing an existential threat. Since November 2013, the Syrian government has executed a concerted offensive on opposition-controlled areas of Aleppo city. Intensive and horrifically destructive barrel bombs have flattened the urban environment in which opposition insurgents had thrived, and forced thousands of civilians to flee. The military has followed air bombardment with methodical but effective ground incursions that, over time, have enabled it to re-capture territory and force a rebel retreat to the city's northern districts. As such, the opposition is now in its weakest position in Aleppo city since mid-2012. ISIS burst onto the scene in Syria in April 2013 and by December it had successfully established an expansive territorial presence across northern Syria, including in Aleppo governorate. But a sustained rebel offensive in January of this year forced ISIS to withdraw from the northwestern governorates of Latakia and Idlib and much of Aleppo, with the exception of three main towns in Aleppo's northeast: Al-Bab, Manbij and Jarablus. The rebels in Aleppo fighting to topple Assad and beat back ISIS' advance have long been a melting pot of different groups, including various Free Syrian Army (FSA) units, the al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, and the Islamic Front (IF). While core moderate FSA-linked factions benefitted from an influx of Western support in late 2013 to facilitate their anti-ISIS offensive in January, this support has since dwindled. A principal Aleppo-based beneficiary of this support, Jaish al-Mujahideen, has since become a shadow of its former self. The U.S. has leaned heavily on Gulf states to reduce their support of Islamist and Salafist groups in Syria, which has damaged the IF's capacity to operate as a unified and effective coalition. In Aleppo specifically, IF's main group, Liwa al-Tawhid, has also suffered from debilitating internal divisions and defections. At the same time, the Assad regime's advances in Aleppo city and elsewhere have induced Jabhat al-Nusra -- a long-time ally of Syria's opposition, until recently -- to shift much of its resources west into Idlib governorate. As such, the principal defenders of areas of Aleppo still under opposition control today are a wide array of moderate FSA factions, some of whom still receive limited military support from the West, and members of the fading IF, most of whom are from the Aleppo area. These groups have borne the brunt of fighting ISIS while also facing a sustained Syrian military assault. Both of these offensives have combined to leave Aleppo critically vulnerable. But although regime advances in Aleppo city are extremely significant, the most immediate threat comes from ISIS and its rapid advance north of the city. Controlling Dabiq, one of the villages that AFP reported was seized Wednesday, is already extremely symbolic for ISIS, whose official magazine is named after the town for its role in the hadith -- the teachings, deeds, and sayings of the Prophet Mohammed -- as the site of a major battle before the end of the world. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who founded ISIS' precursor group, once said the capture of Dabiq would represent the first step towards conquering "Constantinople" and "Rome." With those villages in hand, ISIS now seems likely to move forward on two primary fronts -- northwest towards Sawran and eventually Azaz and southwest to Liwa al-Tawhid's stronghold in Marea. If ISIS moves on Sawran and then captured Azaz, it will cut rebels off from a critical supply line into Turkey via Bab al-Salamah and could arguably spell the end for an effective opposition in Aleppo. Losing Marea to ISIS would prove a crippling blow for Liwa al-Tawhid, whose founder and former leader Abdulqader Saleh was from the town. It would likely enable ISIS to continue towards Anadan and Hreitan, immediately north of opposition-controlled districts of Aleppo city, and cut off any remaining rebel forces there. Eventually, this would also open a route towards the former ISIS towns of Darat Izza and Al-Dana to the west in Idlib governorate, where ISIS could threaten what would then be the last remaining border crossing with Turkey at Bab al-Hawa. Late on Wednesday, while mosques in Marea issued calls for a general mobilization to defend against the expected ISIS assault, civilians and rebels stockpiled food and supplies in the case of a siege, according to people I spoke to in the town. What will ISIS do if, as now seems inevitable, it captures these towns? The group has named their Aleppo offensive "Operation Revenge for the Women's Purity," a reference to allegations made by ISIS fighters that opposition groups had kidnapped and raped their wives during the anti-ISIS push in January. Such accusations would therefore seem likely to engender brutal acts of ISIS retribution in the coming days. There's no escaping the fact that the opposition's prospects in Aleppo look grim. While a 9-month-old U.S.-led strategy of uniting and arming core elements of the moderate opposition has demonstrated success in Idlib, it is far from certain that Aleppo can be saved. Moreover, if ISIS was eventually to succeed in threatening, or worse cutting off, both the Bab al-Salamah and Bab al-Hawa crossings with Turkey, the sustainability of a powerful moderate opposition in northern Syria would face an existential threat. The fate of Aleppo in the coming days, therefore, carries with it the future of Syria's military opposition in its fight against the Assad regime and an ever-expanding ISIS. | ISIS fighters reportedly seize villages just 30 miles from Aleppo, Syria's largest city .
Rebels fighting to topple Assad surrounded by ISIS on one side, and regime forces on the other .
Charles Lister says beleaguered Syrian opposition in Aleppo faces being wiped out . |
18b00f4fad7d98305ad49d38a142d4e8e36a614b | The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is readying an advertising blitz in the New Hampshire Senate race with a new television spot starring Mitt Romney, sources familiar with the ad buy told CNN. The chamber is launching the ad Friday on behalf of Republican Senate nominee Scott Brown, who trails Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen by anywhere from 2 to 10 points, according to recent polls. New Hampshire is familiar turf for Romney, who convincingly won the state's first-in-the-nation presidential primary in 2012 and campaigned with Brown in Stratham earlier this summer. The former GOP presidential nominee -- who has starred in a series of chamber-produced ads this cycle in support of business-backed Republican candidates -- is seen in the commercial seated on a sofa, tieless, talking straight to camera. "There's one candidate who won't take orders from the White House and will buck his own party to do what's right for New Hampshire," Romney says. "That's my friend, Scott Brown." In addition to the Romney spot, the Chamber of Commerce is set to unleash more New Hampshire ad spending in coming weeks, the sources said. The business lobby, which is currently running the most aggressive political program in its 102-year history, is wrapping up its largest advertising buy of the election cycle this week. Company men: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce flexes new political muscle . On top of the New Hampshire ad spree, the Chamber of Commerce is set to air ads Friday in Arizona's 2nd Congressional District and Colorado's 6th District, two of the country's most competitive House races. Earlier in the week, the Chamber of Commerce went live with its second TV ads in the North Carolina and Colorado Senate campaigns, also on behalf of GOP candidates. | Chamber to blitz New Hampshire with new Scott Brown ad starring Mitt Romney .
Romney won convincingly in 2012 Republican presidential primary .
Polls show Brown behind incumbent Jeanne Shaheen from 2 to 10 points . |
18b02f7d9b901dd03cc43d1d29867616b25a08aa | (CNN) -- It's a correction more than 160 years in the making. In its Tuesday edition, The New York Times published a correction for an article that ran on January 20, 1853. The newspaper has Hollywood and Twitter to thank for bringing the error to light. The Times explained that the article in question told the story of Solomon Northup, a free African-American man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Northup's memoir, "12 Years a Slave," was turned into a movie that won the best picture Oscar at this year's Academy Awards on Sunday. Opinion: Why you should see '12 Years a Slave' The problem was that the 1853 article spelled Northup's name wrong, in two different ways. It appeared as Northrop in the body of the article and Northrup in the headline. As the Oscars focused attention on "12 Years a Slave," a Twitter user unearthed the old article from The Times archives, and it spread quickly on social media. "The errors came to light on Monday after a Twitter user pointed out the article in The Times archives," the correction said. One of the Twitter users who spotted the mistake is Rebecca Skloot, the author of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." After the correction ran, Skloot tweeted, "The irony, of course, is that I'm a terrible speller and proofreader." 150 years later, paper retracts editorial panning Gettysburg Address . | The article, published more than 160 years ago, misspelled Solomon Northup's name .
The New York Times issues a correction, saying a Twitter user pointed out the article .
Northup's memoir, "12 Years a Slave," won best picture at this year's Oscars . |
18b0bf820bbf541b5af4f2ba7ad5357e128be212 | By . Ryan Lipman . An Australian tennis player who allegedly threatened to post nude photos of his ex-girlfriend online has been charged in the U.S. with aggravated stalking. Mark Terry Henderson was once part of one of the world's top-60 doubles team and was ranked Australia's top-ranked tennis junior in 1999, before going on to play at two U.S. universities and coach at Northwestern and Western Michigan universities. For about five years, Henderson, 32, had been in an on-and-off again relationship with a 29-year-old Chicago woman when she ended the relationship in February, reported The Sydney Morning Herald. Mark Terry Henderson, pictured, was charged in the U.S. after he stalked and threatened his ex-girlfriend . Despite having returned to Australia to live in Brisbane, for months the former tennis star allegedly harassed his ex-girl friend with emails, texts and phone calls, including threatening her life, prosecutors alleged. Prosecutors said Henderson even sent a collage made up of naked photos of his former partner to her and threatened to post it on the internet if she refused to send him more naked photos. But even after police in Australia and Chicago contacted him about the harassment, Henderson continued his behaviour. Police in Chicago and Australia contacted him, but he allegedly continued the harassment. Henderson was previously ranked Australia's top junior tennis player and went on to enjoy a career coaching at U.S. universities . On May 6, Henderson left Australia bound for Chicago and was found by police the following day sitting outside his ex-girlfriend's parents house, it has been alleged. On a nearby street later that day, the Australian man approached the woman and again threatened her life before she ran to her car and locked her self inside, prosecutors said. Henderson tried opening all of the car's door handles, but the woman successfully escaped and call police, prosecutors said. Following the incident, Henderson fled to Tennessee, was arrested and extradited back to Chicago on Thursday. A judge granted him $US500,000 ($A540,980) bail if he surrendered his passport, stopped using social media and required to be GPS monitored. Henderson told the judge on Saturday that he wanted the Australian consulate notified of his arrest. He returns to court on Tuesday, reported the Chicago Tribune. | Australian man charged with stalking his ex-girlfriend in the U.S.
Mark Terry Henderson threatened to post naked photos of the woman online .
He returned to Australian after the break up .
Henderson went back the U.S. in May and approached the woman .
He was later arrested and released on bail . |
18b0c31a1d8c0bc3f7070814c2fcc59d0dbc7025 | Chris Martin was honest to the point of bluntness. After a full Scotland debut he instantly wanted to forget, the Derby striker is simply left hoping he gets another chance to prove his worth. Martin had made four previous substitute appearances in dark blue before an ankle injury to Steven Fletcher opened the way for him to start against England on Tuesday night. The stage was set at Celtic Park — the ground his father Gerry used to visit as a fan — for the 26-year-old to properly announce his arrival. Ultimately, though, his individual display was emblematic of the collective ease with which Gordon Strachan’s side were swept aside in a 3-1 defeat. Chris Martin admitted he and Scotland struggled against England during Tuesday night's 3-1 defeat . Martin was utterly dominated by Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling, lasting just 45 minutes before Strachan withdrew him at half-time. His big night wasn’t supposed to be like this. Lamenting the loss of his club form when it truly mattered, the Suffolk-born forward knows he has to radically improve to threaten Fletcher’s spot at the apex of the national side. ‘It was a tough 45 minutes, both individually and as a team,’ admitted Martin. ‘We struggled a little bit. ‘Personally, I didn’t get hold of the ball and it is important that I learn from it. It was my first taste of starting at this sort of level against a very good side in England with some very good players. ‘I have to review it and see where I went wrong. That is all I can do. I am disappointed with myself. That is one of the worst games I have played for a long time. ‘I think I am better than that. I don’t want to be remembered for that game and I hope I get another chance to prove I am better than that and I will have to bide my time and wait and see.’ Martin keeps his eyes on the ball and manages to hold off the challenge of England defender Gary Cahill . A four-month shutdown for Scotland means Martin will have to wait until at least March, when Gibraltar visit on Euro 2016 business. Starring for Derby in the interim is all he can do. ‘Most players are probably their own biggest critics because that is how you improve as a person and player,’ added Martin. ‘Everyone has to do that. This was a big game for me against players performing week in, week out in the Champions League and that is a big step-up from what I am used to in the Championship with Derby. It is a great learning curve for me.’ Strachan’s decision to substitute Martin delivered a public verdict on his performance, but the former Norwich man admitted he had no complaints. ‘The manager wanted to win the game and felt he needed to change the team,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to take any offence to being taken off. He trusted me to start me but I obviously didn’t do enough to stay on the pitch. That’ s quite simple. ‘The manager wanted to change it to try to get back into the game. I respect that. ‘I’m not sure if I’ll speak to the manager in the months ahead. What I have to do is knuckle down and play well for Derby so I can get called up again. ‘Overall, the better team won. England played better than us and created more chances. We didn’t play as well as we have done, which is disappointing because it would have been nice to see how we matched up to them.’ Martin, pictured against Chris Smalling, admits he needs to knuckle down for Derby over the coming months . The ease with which England sampled success on their first trip north in 15 years provided a comedown after the ecstasy of Friday night’s 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifier victory over the Republic of Ireland. ‘You have to have the feeling that we won the game that mattered most,’ admitted Martin. ‘That’s not just because we lost this one and everyone wants to look back. ‘We won the big game against Ireland, where we picked up three points. But don’t get me wrong, we are all very disappointed with the performance tonight. We want to be better than that.’ Those feelings were echoed by captain Scott Brown, who insisted Scotland could not use the immense effort invested against the Irish as mitigation for last night’s display. ‘We got a good few days recovery in,’ said Brown. ‘That was no excuse. There are no excuses. ‘We just didn’t do enough on the ball or create chances. We didn’t put England under pressure. I feel like we let ourselves down. ‘We know we are a lot better than that and can play better. We know we have much more to offer. Martin expertly brings the ball down but only lasted until half-time before being replaced by Darren Fletcher . ‘We are aware we have let ourselves and the fans down. More than 100,000 have turned up in these two games and it was another great atmosphere. ‘The biggest problem is we know we can compete. We showed it at Wembley last year. It wasn’t a case of us underestimating England. ‘They are a great side. They have a squad full of world-class players, playing in the Premier League every week. But so do we, so there are no excuses.’ Once that anguish fades, Brown admitted he would happily accept a 2015 that displayed the same progress as the current year. ‘It’s been a great year but next year is even more important,’ he added. ‘We have got to try to maintain this level in 2015 and keep trying to get the wins to stay up the table. ‘It’s not a case of it being a reality check. We have really kicked on. ‘There is always going to be a stumble here or there and, thankfully, it came in a friendly match.’ | Chris Martin was substituted at half-time during Scotland's defeat to England on Tuesday evening .
Clash at Celtic Park was Martin's first start in a Scotland shirt .
Gordon Strachan's side lost 3-1 as Wayne Rooney scored a brace . |
18b23fc7e486851b895af63ce62e04ac145d2ad6 | By . Amanda Williams . and Luke Salkeld . Sunshine and blue skies warmed up large parts of Britain at the weekend, attracting picnickers, beachgoers – and even a minke whale. The massive mammal was spotted splashing away off the coast of Cornwall, eight miles south of Falmouth harbour, by holidaymakers on a wildlife cruise.Minke whales are usually only seen near the English coast once the waters warm up, when they stay near the surface to breed. A spokesman from AK Wildlife Cruises said: 'A magnificent minke whale appeared, and we were absolutely delighted to be able to record the first Cornish whale of 2014. Sighting: A minke whale (pictured) was seen off the coast of Cornwall, eight miles south of Falmouth today . Sun seekers relax on the beach in Brighton, Sussex today as temperatures topped 17 degrees . Sun seekers made their way to beaches and parks, eager to make the most of the warm weather . Children enjoy donkey rides on the beach at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The UK is expecting the high temperatures to continue for the Easter period . 'The beautiful minke was feeding at . speed, surging through the swell and at one point reached over ten . knots, which is an absolutely incredible pace.' Meanwhile on dry land, cuckoos and nightingales were both in full voice – a strong sign that summer appears to be on its way. Sunseekers . today made their way to beaches and parks, eager to make the most of . the warm weather to kick off the Easter holidays. Forecasters say . temperatures are expected to hit around 19C in the south east over the . coming days - well above the average of 13C. Today's . conditions made for a balmy 34th London Marathon - as crowd favourite . Mo Farah came home in eighth place for his course debut. Unbroken sunshine and barely a breath of wind meant the 11C recorded at the start of the race in Greenwich at 10am felt considerably warmer, as racers began the arduous 26.2 mile course through the capital. A Met Office spokesman said most places across the country had seen decent spells of bright sunshine. Charlotte Adderly, 5, builds sand castles on her birthday with her sister Sophie, 2, on the beach at Weston-super-Mare . A man flies a kite on the beach at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The Met office said the sunny weather is expected to last until at least mid week . People enjoy the warm weather on the promenade at Weston-super-Mare. England and Wales will see the best of sunshine, forecasters say . Sunseekers made their way to beaches and parks, eager to make the most of the warm weather . The Hatts children play with their dog Dougal in a sea of bluebells in Clanfield, Hampshire that are flourishing due to the warm weather. Britains are set to bask in high temperatures of up to 19C - well above average for April . Forecasters say today will be dry, with some long spells of strong spring sunshine . Dog walkers made the most of the sunshine in Chiswick, West London, as Britain woke up to the bright spring weather . He said: 'The best of the weather will . be contained to England and Wales, with temperatures expected to reach . around 19 C, well above the average of around 13 C for mid April. 'Then . by Saturday we are likely to see a break in the settled, warm weather, . and it will become a little bit more Spring like with outbreaks of light . rain. 'A there will be more cloud, B there will be slightly lower temperatures, and C a little bit more rain. Tom Humberstone, 12, from Guildford runs with his dog along a sunny West Wittering beach, West Sussex, this morning . Lauren Warnes, 6, from Putney enjoys a day out on a sunny West Wittering beach, West Sussex, this morning . 'It won't be terrible, but it will be a slight downturn in the otherwise clement conditions.' Families rounded off the weekend with trip to the beach in Brighton and Weston Super Mare. The . Spring weather which has brought on fields of bright yellow rape seed . plants is the best news ever for amateur bee keeper Ollie Lintott, 35, . who has 20 hives of Buckhurst bees in a field alongside acres of the . rape seed in Witley, Surrey. The forestry worker plans to harvest a bumper crop of honey thanks to the farmer who lets him keep the hives in his field. Tomorrow is also set to be a sunny one - with maximum temperatures of around 16 degrees . A steam train powers through the Cambridgeshire countryside. The sunshine is expected to continue until around Thursday, when a scattering of rain is predicted . People enjoy the morning sunshine at Chiswick House in West London today . The warm weather has brought blooms of bluebells out in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire . The Spring weather which has brought on fields of bright yellow rape seed plants is the best news ever for amateur bee keeper Ollie Lintott, 35, who has 20 hives of Buckhurst bees in a field alongside acres of the rape seed in Witley, Surrey . The forestry worker plans to harvest a bumper crop of honey thanks to the farmer who lets him keep the hives in his field . Human achievement: Runners gather at The Mall after competing in the London Marathon . Impressive sight: Six miles into the course, the runners loop around the Cutty Sark, the famous tea clipper built in 1869 . Nice day: Balmy temperatures greeted the celebrities and charity fundraisers among the 36,000 people competing in the Marathon today . | Sunseekers made their way to beaches and parks, eager to make most of warm weather to kick off Easter holidays .
Temperatures are expected to hit around 19C in south east over coming days - well above average of 13C .
But Britons have been advised to make the most of it while they can, as rain is predicted to hit by next weekend . |
18b2c1f6bc809fd30b87c77bcaaefcfbf2e1379d | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 4:05 PM on 15th September 2011 . Roller girl: Stacey Blitsch is fighting for the right to share information about ex boyfriends . When they felt betrayed by their former lover, two women allegedly went online to warn other women to stay well away. And while the posts have led to them being dragged into court, sued for defamation, the angry women are still not holding back - now fighting for the 'free speech' to let the world know how they were treated. Former 'roller jam' television star Stacey Blitsch and Amanda Ryncarz defended their actions yesterday, backed by a celebrity lawyer. Attorney Matthew Couloutte Jr. claims the two women posted defamatory insults about him on a website. One anonymous post claimed: 'Our relationship didn't last long, as I figured him out pretty quickly, but for others, BE FOREWARNED, HE'S SCUM! RUN FAR AWAY!' Miss Blitsch, who has a son with the lawyer, claims she did not write any posts, while Miss Ryncarz argues her comments were truthful and should be covered by free speech. 'I do beliecve that women should have a legal right to share information with each other, if they feel they have been betrayed in a relationship,' she said. Celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred took the opportunity yesterday to back the two. launching a stinging attack on men, claiming they are more likely to cheat in relationships than women. Scroll down for videos . Attack: Celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, centre, defending Stacey Blitsch, left, and Amanda Ryncarz, right, claimed men are more likely to cheat than women . Allred spoke in New York City and . slammed a law that prevents people from suing their ex-lovers for . breaking a promise to tie the knot. She . was announcing the defence of the two clients who were sued by the same . ex-boyfriend for allegedly defaming him on a gossip website. 'We believe that men are more likely to lie and cheat in their relationships with women than vice-versa,’ the famous lawyer said in a TMZ video. 'We all know who is generally the victim of a lie or cheating - (although) not always, there are women who cheat. 'Often the men in a relationship have more money, they have more power (and) they have more resources of every kind.’ Ms Allred claims the ‘Heart Balm’ laws may be gender-neutral, but have an ‘adverse impact' on women because men are more likely to cheat. Online posts: One woman Ms Allred is defending is Amanda Ryncarz, 26, who allegedly defamed her ex-lover Matthew Couloute - who is also a lawyer . Putting up a fight: Lawyer Matthew Couloute is suing former roller derby star Stacey Blitsch, 35, who is the mother of his young son . One woman she is defending is Amanda Ryncarz, 26, who allegedly defamed her ex-lover Matthew Couloute - who is also a lawyer. 'We believe that men are more likely . to lie and cheat in their relationships with women than vice-versa' Celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred . ‘I posted on Liarscheatersrus.com because I wanted to warn other women in order to protect them from what I suffered,’ Ms Ryncarz said. A post on the website read: ‘He is very, very manipulating, he's an attorney so he's great at lying and covering it up without batting an eye' Unhappy: Mr Couloute's lawyer Louis Zayas said the two women have no right to defame his client or interfere with his 'ability to make a living' Mr Couloute is also suing another lover - former roller derby star Stacey Blitsch, 35, who is the mother of his young son, reported WABC. 'Often the men in a relationship have more money, they have more power, they have more resources of every kind' Celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred . ‘I am here because I want people to know the truth and I am asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit filed against me,’ Ms Blitsch said. But Mr Couloute's lawyer Louis Zayas said the two women both have no right to defame his client or interfere with his ‘ability to make a living’. Mr Couloute's lawsuit claims the online post is false and has severely impacted his ability to maintain and secure clients, reported WABC. See video here . video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player . | Gloria Allred was holding press conference in New York .
Lawyer is annoyed at ‘Heart Balm’ laws favouring men .
She was defending Stacey Blitsch and Amanda Ryncarz .
Both sued by ex-lover for allegedly defaming him online . |
18b3490026eb24f76123b12a0b30f706226e02f7 | Convicted rapist Ched Evans will be offered a day job by his fiancee's millionaire father if his return to football is blocked, it emerged today. Last week the 25-year-old was offered the chance to train with his former club Sheffield United after he was released from jail last month, having served half his five-year rape sentence. But the decision sparked a huge backlash from a series of high-profile supporters, including Jessica Ennis-Hill and presenter Charlie Webster, who quit as club patron. Evans was expected to start playing football again last Tuesday, but is yet to turn up. Scroll down for video . Support: The father of Natasha Massey,left, Ched Evans' fiancee, will offer him a job if his football comeback fails, it has emerged . Out and about: Evans took the rubbish out at home before going for a run as he again failed to go training with Sheffield United today . It has since been reported that the club may not offer the Welsh international a new contract because he is considered 'toxic'. The millionaire father of Evans' fiancee Natasha Massey will offer him a role at his empire, which includes high-end jewellers and a staff rewards business, if his football comeback fails, the Mirror said. A source told the paper that Karl Massey said there would always be a job for Evans at one of his firms. They added: 'He believes 100 per cent in Ched's innocence, otherwise he wouldn't sanction him still dating his daughter or have given them his blessing to marry.' It has been reported that Mr Massey, 50, has paid for a PR campaign which protests Evans' innocence. He is also said to have hired lawyers to present new evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in a bid to overturn his conviction. Meanwhile Sheffield United have admitted they are 'appalled' by the abuse being aimed at people who have criticised the club's decision to allow convicted rapist Evans back to training. Twitter abuse was aimed at Olympic heptathlon champion and local hero Jessica Ennis-Hill, who said that to allow Evans back into the Blades squad would 'completely contradict' her beliefs of being a role model to young people. She asked for her name to removed from a stand at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane ground if the club takes back Evans. 'I believe being a role model to young people is a huge honour and those in positions of influence in communities should respect the role they play in young people's lives and set a good example,' she said. 'If Evans was to be re-signed by the club, it would completely contradict these beliefs.' Jessica Ennis-Hill, 27, has received rape threats on Twitter after she said she wanted her name removed from a stand at Sheffield United if Ched Evans is re-signed by the club . Last week the 25-year-old returned to training with his former club Sheffield United after he was released from jail last month, having served half his five-year rape sentence . Within hours she was taunted with several sick tweets including one saying: 'I hope he (Evans) rapes her.' The League One club have pledged to work with South Yorkshire Police who are investigating the abuse. People who send this kind of abuse on social media or when chanting at grounds should not feel safe to make these personal attacks, the club said. Ennis-Hill, a United fan, had a stand at Bramall Lane named in her honour after she won gold at the London 2012 Olympics. Campaigners against sexual violence have criticised the club's decision to allow Evans, 25, to train with the team. TV presenter Charlie Webster, Sixties pop star Dave Berry and Sheffield businesswoman Lindsay Graham have all resigned as patrons of the club since Evans returned to training. Wales international Evans was jailed in April 2012 for raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel room in Rhyl, North Wales. The striker denied raping the woman, saying the sex was consensual, but he was found guilty by a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court. TV presenter Charlie Webster, left , has resigned from her role as Sheffield United patron, followed by Lindsay Graham, right, after the club decided to allow convicted rapist Ched Evans to train . Backlash: There has been huge support for a campaign to stop Evans returning to his former club, and other believe as he has only served half his five-year sentence a ban should last for at least that period . He was released from prison last month after serving half of the five-year sentence. An appeal against his conviction was rejected by three judges at the Court of Appeal in 2012. His case is due to be looked at by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. After his release, Evans put a video on his website protesting his innocence and vowing to clear his name. South Yorkshire Police said on Friday: 'South Yorkshire Police can confirm they are investigating reports of abusive tweets. Officers are making efforts to contact the individual concerned, but have launched an investigation into the posts.' | Evans, 25, is allowed to start training with his former club Sheffield United .
Released from jail in October having served half five-year rape sentence .
He is engaged to Natasha Massey, whose father has reportedly offered Evans a job at his empire of businesses if footballing comeback fails .
Karl Massey reportedly said 'always be a job for Evans at one of his firms' |
18b35184cbc3bdc89ef3f6bb169882f22ebecdbc | Editor's Note: The staff at CNN.com has recently been intrigued by the journalism of VICE, an independent media company and Web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network. The reports, which are produced solely by VICE, reflect a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process. We believe this unique reporting approach is worthy of sharing with our CNN.com readers. Brooklyn, New York (VBS.TV) -- Back in the mid-zeroes, I remember reading a lot of stories about a buildup of trash in the Pacific Ocean so massive that it had formed a floating island of waste the size of Texas. Its colorful nickname was the Great Eastern Garbage Patch, and what was even more mind-boggling than the purported scale was that pretty much the only places you could dig up any substantial info about it were in minor oceanographic and environmental publications. You also couldn't find a photo of it to save your life. It was like Garbage Brigadoon. Anyhoo, the idea that one of the biggest environmental disasters of our age had been going on outside nearly everyone's awareness piqued our curiosity, so we decided to head out there (the middle of the ocean) and see it for ourselves. The Garbage Patch is located at a natural collecting point at the center of a set of revolving currents called the North Pacific Gyre. The middle of the Gyre is more of a meteorological phenomenon than an actual place: a consistent high-pressure zone north of the Hawaiian Islands that, combined with the extremely weak currents, helps keep the ocean surface as placid as lake water. Flotsam has been sucked into this area from the encircling currents for as long as the Pacific's existed, but up until the last century this process ended with the refuse safely biodegrading and being reabsorbed into the food chain as nutrients. With the advent of plastics, however, the Garbage Patch has transformed from a fertile feeding ground to the oceanic equivalent of a desert. And a particularly crap-strewn desert at that. See the rest of TOXIC: Garbage Island . We chartered a trip through the middle of the mess with Capt. Charles Moore of the Oceanographic Research Vessel Alguita. Capt. Moore is credited with discovering the Patch in its present, trash-choked state, and at the time was one of the few people studying the extent and effect of the pollution. Our voyage into the center of the Gyre took eight days of round-the-clock sailing on a 50-foot catamaran with a crew of six (including VBS's three-man filming team). Personal tensions mounted. Humor got strange. By the time we got to the beginning of the Patch, anticipation and cabin fever had conspired to make our expectations of "Garbage Island" unreasonably high, but what we found still managed to surpass them. To the naked eye it looked no different from any other part of the ocean, except that every few minutes something really strange would float by. For instance, one time it was a hard hat with Korean writing on it. Another time it was a motorcycle tire. Another time it was a child's life preserver with a cartoonish shark bite taken out of the side. Once it was an enormous telephone-pole-shaped thing that could have easily wrecked our ship if we'd been on a slightly different course. Here we were in one of the most remote stretches of water in the world -- thousands of miles from land, hadn't seen another ship in days -- and everywhere around us was civilization's detritus. It would have been some consolation to think that the Garbage Patch was simply the result of careless sailors, but researchers estimate up to 80 percent of the trash originates on land. That not only meant that the shampoo bottle or birthday balloon we scooped up had most likely spent years traveling around the currents of the Gyre before ending up in our path, but that there were countless others in the middle of the same journey. It was a colossal bring-down. Then we started taking some samples of the water, and that's when we realized things were even worse than we thought. Watch what the water samples showed . | VBS travels to a spot in the Pacific where a massive pool of trash churns with the current .
Non-biodegradable bits of plastic make up much of the so-called "chemical soup"
VBS reporter says water sample tests were "worse than we thought" |
18b385f95072199770277439ce050be202786eca | (CNN) -- First it was the airlines, now it's the turn of hotels to take the budget concept into the mainstream. Demand is surging for cheaper hotel rooms, not just from thrifty tourists but also from business travelers in search of value. And budget brands are responding to the demand with ambitious expansion plans. Not just for backpackers: easyGroup opened its first budget hotel in 2005 targeting short-stay tourists. Other brands are improving the . service to woo business travelers. According to recent research from market analyst Mintel, the UK budget hotel market increased by 38 percent between 2002 and 2006, to reach £1 billion. This growth was three times that of the overall UK hotel market. And while top-end establishments prepare for a decline as consumer spending falls, budget hotels are determined they are recession resilient. Research from Melvin Gold Consulting for Travelodge last year predicted the budget sector will grow by a further 10 percent in the next five years. By 2027 it will account for over a quarter of the total supply of hotels in the UK with almost 850,000 rooms. In the U.S., budget hotels already account for 33 percent of the supply and 24 percent in France, says the report. Premier Inn, the 500-strong UK budget chain (that added 2,500 rooms to its portfolio last year and plans to add another 3,500 this year) is now taking the budget model further afield. In March the chain, owned by Whitbread, will unveil a hotel in Dubai and it is currently scouring India for sites. The boom in budget hotels has been greatest in China. Here both businessmen and tourists, foreign and domestic, are relishing the arrival of rooms that cost less than $50 a night. There are nearly 100 economic hotel chain brands in China, over 1,000 budget hotels with over 100,000 rooms. Brands are both local and from overseas including Accor's Ibis and Wyndham Hotel Group's Super 8. More budget rooms are likely to emerge this year in the build-up to the Olympic Games in Beijing in August. Home Inns, the largest budget hotel chain in mainland China, has built 400 hotels in just five years. They plan to grow this to more than 1,000 hotels in three to four years in cities across China as well as further afield in Asia. In Europe, Richard Cope, senior travel analyst at Mintel said the arrival of boutique and lifestyle brands such as The Big Sleep, the Hoxton Hotel and base2stay raised the game of the sector by providing an affordable but luxurious alternative. New capsule hotels such as Yotel and nitenite also helped boost the market, he added. The increased interest from business travelers in value from hotels has been a further boost. According to a recent study by TRI/BDRC business travelers spent 1.5 million nights in budget hotels in the UK in 2006, up from 0.93 million in 2000 and only 0.38 million in 1994. In the U.S., 74 percent of travel managers that responded to a Runzheimer International survey last year said their business travelers now frequently use economy-type hotels. And although first-class properties continue to be used most often, economy-type hotel use is up 31 percent from the previous four years. Electronics firm, Royal Philips Electronics spends about $134 million globally on hotels every year. Currently three per cent of this is with budget chains, including Accor's Ibis and Holiday Inn Express. This may sound small, says Roman Asboth, Philips' senior sourcing specialist for hotels, but it adds up to an impressive $3.7 million every year. And that figure is rising, he adds. Travelers choosing the budget option, says Asboth, are not just from lower down the organizational ranks. Managers and even executives conscious of cost are also making the switch. As Asboth says, it all comes down to a perception of value. "Travelers come back from a trip to New York having paid more than $300 for a lousy room that hasn't been renovated in ages and they don't see the worth. But they come back from a Holiday Inn Express, which is brand new, and they are more than happy." Phillips is also making increased use of serviced guest apartments -- particularly in countries such as India -- that offer the same level of quality as a four or five star property for a budget price. Sally Rademaker, travel sourcing manager, sub-Saharan Africa at Ericsson says while budget may not be an option in Africa, where they pay a premium for security at top end hotels, the communications firm is considering budget options in Europe and the United States where quality is better. "Of course business travelers would prefer to stay in a five or four star hotel given the choice," she acknowledges. "But if the reasons given are good enough, and we choose somewhere where the standard is acceptable and it is in a good location, then they accept it." Gerard Tempest, marketing director at Premier Inn believes budget hotels offer a genuine alternative to mid-market hotels with the same convenience and quality but at better value. "Every guest bedroom gets refurbished every 24 months which is extremely frequent compared to the wider hotel industry," says Tempest. Premier Inn is also refurbishing rooms to a higher quality than some mid-market chains, he says. Following the acquisition of a chain of mid-market hotels last year, they invested a further $10 million to meet their "budget" standards. All desks and chairs in rooms are ergonomically designed, desks are cleared of clutter and Wifi is available in every hotel. Some Premier Inns also feature meeting space for business travelers as well as branches of Costa Coffee also owned by parent company Whitbread. "Business customers are responding well to these and using them as meeting places," says Tempest. So with recession looming could this be the end of Egyptian sheets and luxury saunas for business travelers? Perhaps not, but in cities where rates continue to increase even for poorest quality rooms, the budget option may not be as bad as all that. E-mail to a friend . | Growth of budget hotels has been three times that of overall hotel market .
Demand is strong among tourists and business travelers in Europe U.S. and China .
Boutique budget brands have helped raise the profile of the economical option . |
18b4174f100806432a62f0afbd96818aba14a724 | Gang leader Tavon 'Bulldog' White (pictured), described a culture of corruption inside Baltimore City Detention Center . A Violent gang had such control over a notorious jail that they had a Minister for Education and Minister for Finance, a court heard. Gang leader, Tavon 'Bulldog' White, described a culture of corruption inside the centuries-old Baltimore City Detention Center, led by a group that had its own language and laws and authorities. The Black Guerilla Family's hierarchy even included a 'minister of education' who quizzed members on gang literature and a 'minister of finance' who managed the profits sent by cellphones from behind bars, the court was told. White testified that the gang controlled life in the jail and that he directed guards motivated by sex and money to smuggle in drugs and cellphones and facilitate attacks on inmates who challenged his authority. The gang's smuggling schemes even fund the bail that frees gang members who can't pay to get sprung from jail, he testified this week. Gang leaders, not guards, were the ultimate authority inside the jail, he said. 'We're about to go into a strange place, an upside-down world where inmates ran the prison and correctional officers took directions from the gang leader,' prosecutor Robert Harding told jurors in opening statements. White described a gang-run economy made possible by official corruption. White was once the government's primary target, but has since become the prosecutors' most valuable asset, providing information that led to a 160-count indictment against 44 people. He is testifying against the few who did not plead guilty: five corrections officers, one kitchen worker and two inmates on trial in federal court in Baltimore. White, who impregnated four of the guards while in the jail on an attempted murder charge, said he never forced a guard to participate. 'I didn't have to,' White said. 'I had my children's mothers, and plenty of other guards willing to do it for money.' The vast majority of the Baltimore jail's guards are women. One guard who had a child with White had 'Tavon' tattooed on her wrist. Another who had two of his children tattooed 'Tavon' on her neck. The Black Guerilla Family had such control over Baltimore City Detention Center (pictured) that they had a Minister for Education and Minister for Finance, a court heard . Defense attorneys have tried to discredit White's testimony by drawing attention to his plea deal with prosecutors, which could potentially result in reduced time in prison. The Black Guerilla Family has a national presence but is particularly strong in Maryland, where many guards and inmates come from the same impoverished communities. And inside the Baltimore jail, there was plenty of money to be made, White said. According to one search warrant, graffiti painted on a jail wall named 14 guards willing to have sex with inmates for $150 a tryst, including two of the women White impregnated. White told jurors that his gang enforced its monopoly by having the minister of finance collect a 10 percent tax on any contraband smuggled in by unaffiliated inmates. The gang also decided which inmates guards could choose to be 'working men,' taking jobs as janitors, launderers or kitchen workers that provided more mobility and access, the court heard. Drugs and cellphones would be hidden inside walls and ceilings, he said. Inmates paid guards by arranging for cash to change hands outside or by texting codes on their cellphones to draw on prepaid debit cards. Gang members enlisted guards to carry parcels to inmates on other floors or wings of the crowded jail, and the proceeds 'went into a finance bank,' White explained. 'It went towards funding BGF members in whatever they may need. If a member came in who was indigent, we could provide money in their account for commissary, or paying bail. 'We'd take the money out of the finance account and give it to someone responsible and they would pay the bail,' White testified. Tavon White testified that gang leaders, not guards, were the ultimate authority inside Baltimore City Detention Center in Baltimore . White said one of the guards on trial, Travis Paylor, eagerly made deals to pick up packages of drugs on the street and smuggle them inside. Paylor then delivered a menu of illegal goods to inmates for set prices, White said. 'I spoke to him every day he was at work,' White told the jury. 'Most times it was a package deal: one item for $300, three items for $500. Could be 50 Percocets, an ounce of marijuana, a cellphone, or a cellphone and two cans of tobacco -- any three items.' White said another defendant, guard Ashley Newton, allowed the gang to stab an inmate accused of killing a gang member outside. Cellphones were so widely available, White said, that he was able to call a fellow inmate on a smuggled phone from a 'lockup' where he had been sent as punishment for having yet another phone in his cell. White testified that he personally saw one defendant, kitchen worker Michelle McNair, smuggle tobacco in between her thighs. Earlier, Wendell M. 'Pete' France, an operations director for the state's prisons, described guards carrying contraband inside their lunches and in other ways that defied pat-down searches. 'If they are secreted in a body cavity you aren't going to find them,' France testified. White, now serving a 20-year sentence for attempted murder at a location his attorneys will not disclose, was asked about the gang's 'constitutions' which include 'Once you pledge you take it to the grave,' and 'We do not participate in snitching or working with the police.' White said the rules apply to defendant Michelle Ricks, a former guard who he said joined the gang and even recited their oath to him. Judge J. Frederick Motz then interrupted, asking White directly: 'Those rules also apply to you, correct?' White laughed and shifted in his seat, saying 'yeah.' White's lawyer, Gary Proctor, said there was no way back for his client, who pleaded guilty to both state and federal charges during the probe and is hoping cooperation will mean less prison time. 'He didn't just burn his BGF bridges, he napalmed them,' Proctor said. | Black Guerilla Family created positions at Baltimore City Detention Center, court told .
Leader Tavon 'Bulldog' White testifies that the gang controlled life in jail .
Claimed gang leaders, not guards, were the ultimate authority inside facility .
Five corrections officers, one kitchen worker and two inmates are on trial in corruption case .
White was at the jail while awaiting a trial over an attempted murder charge .
He has since pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in state prison . |
18b50e52f58ca95712c022c460395efe5252f86e | According to the most recent NHS statistics, almost two thirds of British people are now overweight or obese and as a result, demand for gastric bypass surgery has shot up. But surgery doesn't always provide the hoped-for outcome and as Sarah, the 25-year-old star of Channel 4 documentary, My Baggy Body, knows only too well, it can create problems of its own. Sarah, and co-stars Gregg and Pauline, all suffer from the same embarrassing affliction - rolls of over-stretched empty skin that's failed to snap back and has left them feeling ashamed of their bodies. Miserable: Sarah, 25, was left with mounds of excess skin after losing 9st following a gastric bvpass . It's all the more galling for Gregg, 30, a school dinner chef, because unlike the other two, his dramatic 12st weight loss was the result of sheer hard work. 'It was my fault,' he says of his morbidly obese former frame. 'I can't walk past a fridge without going in it. 'If I'd got a gastric band, I wouldn't have learned anything. It feels like cheating. It took a lot of hard, hard graft [to slim down]. 'I was waking up to go swimming and do a mile in the pool, going to work and then going to the gym at night.' Three years after he first joined Weight Watchers and hit the gym, Gregg finally achieved the healthy weight he'd been hoping for but says he's been unable to move on with his life because of the huge amount of baggy skin he was left with. Ruined: Gregg says that his rolls of excess skin have hindered him in his quest for true love . Risk: Although gastric bands will reduce bodyweight, they can also leave baggy skin behind . Surgery: Gregg has since had his baggy skin removed after taking a second job and saving up . 'In my head, it was get slim, get a girlfriend, settle down - all the things normal people have,' he explains. But the excess skin has proved a hindrance - and he blames it for the end of his last relationship, a six week fling that collapsed after he plucked up the courage to show her his baggy body. 'That's the only thing I can think of,' he adds. 'It's the body that put her off.' Sarah, who lost nine stone after having gastric bypass surgery, tells a similar story and confesses to being reluctant to marry her fiance Ed while encumbered with pounds of excess skin. 'I still feel fat and that's because I have tyres, that are not tyres of fat anymore, but tyres of skin,' she explains. She adds: 'I've got a gorgeous family, I've got Ed, I've got my daughter Erin... The only thing that's not beautiful is me.' To get rid of it, both Gregg and Sarah applied for NHS-funded surgery. But with only one in 10 requests accepted, both were denied - in Sarah's case because she still needs to lose another two stone to be eligible. Although Sarah has opted for therapy in a bid to come to terms with her extra skin, Gregg has chosen a different route. After being denied surgery on the NHS, he took a second job at a local Conservative Club and tackled a sponsored assault course and 12 mile run in a bid to raise £8,000 for a full body lift. 'All parents don't want their kids to . suffer, they want them to be happy, healthy,' explains Gregg's father Simon. 'We're the same with ours.' Gruesome: Pauline, who used to have a 2st 4lb lump of skin named 'Fred' also appears on the documentary . Seven weeks after surgery, Gregg is healed and ready to start his search for love. 'All my negative thoughts about my body are going,' he explains. 'I'm looking forward to going out and meeting people, ladies in particular! He adds: 'Everyone fears rejection - no one likes getting shot down - but I've given everything to give me and my body a chance.' My Baggy Body, tonight at 10pm on Channel 4 . | My Baggy Body follows three slimmers left with excess skin .
Two have had operations, while Gregg, 30, spent three years on a diet .
Between them, they have lost 43st but all have pounds of baggy skin . |
18b5dcac48e040d1b1008d21446ed37cf130a8e4 | London, England (CNN) -- Police say they arrested a total of 153 people when students protested against planned hikes in university tuition. Police said that after the protest was scheduled to end Tuesday at 2 p.m., a large group of protesters still congregated at Trafalgar Square. "As a result a group of around 150-200 people who still refused to leave were contained by police in Trafalgar Square. Despite repeated requests to disperse, this group remained," London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement late Tuesday. Authorities said 139 of the 153 were arrested for breach of the peace. Others were charged with violent disorder, common assault, obstructing police and criminal damage. iReport: Student protestors demonstrate in London . The protesters say they are angry at government plans to remove the current annual cap of 3,000 pounds (about $4,700) on university tuition and allow schools to charge as much as 9,000 pounds (about $14,200). The change is part of the government's plan to cut its massive budget deficit. Defenders of the plan say universities will not necessarily charge the maximum they're allowed to, and the government has said students will not need to pay back the fees until they earn at least 21,000 pounds (about $32,600) a year. That threshold is currently 15,000 pounds (about $23,300) a year. CNN's Carol Jordan contributed to this report. | Some arrested after being asked to leave Trafalgar Square .
The students are upset at planned hikes in university tuition .
The change is part of a government plan to cut a massive deficit . |
18b794c0303fb0d120845bea703f215059c8bad6 | United Nations (CNN) -- South Korea has formally asked the U.N. Security Council for action over what it says was North Korea's sinking of one of its warships in March, the Mexico U.N. mission said. A letter from South Korea arrived in the offices of Mexico, which holds the current council presidency. Ambassador Claude Heller, Security Council president from Mexico, said Korea delivered a letter requesting the body take action. He said the letter will be circulated to council members and the council will respond appropriately after consulting with other members. South Korea investigated the incident and says a North Korean mini-sub fired torpedoes at the Cheonan naval ship and killed 46 people. North Korea denies it attacked the vessel and called the probe a farce. South Korea President Lee Myung-bak, who announced the move in Singapore at a security conference, said North Korea "must admit its wrongdoing. It must pledge to never again engage in such reprehensible action." "If we think that after a while North Korea's action will be condoned and that stability on the Korean Peninsula will somehow be maintained then we would be foolling ourselves because North Korea would once again resort back to attacking others." | South Korea formally asks the U.N. Security Council for action over warship sinking .
It says a North Korean mini-sub fired torpedoes at the ship and killed 46 people . |
18be58b9246339a983f07f134a444d92aa5a606b | Heavy metal fans have been warned that headbanging can be bad for you after a Motorhead fan suffered a blood clot on his brain after performing the 'violent and rhythmic' movement at a concert. The 50-year-old German fan developed the potentially fatal condition after getting carried away at one of the hardcore British rock band's concerts. It is the fourth documented case of subdural haematoma linked to headbanging - one of which proved fatal. Headbanger: A 50-year-old German fan suffered a blood clot on his brain after headbanging while watching Motorhead, fronted by Lemmy, play . Specialists treated the fan at the Hannover Medical School two weeks after he started suffering a constant, worsening headache that affected his entire head. A CT scan confirmed that the man had a suffered a subdural haematoma, a clot caused by blood leaking into the space between the skull and the brain, on his right side. Surgeons successfully removed the clot via a hole drilled into the skull, and fortunately he was able to make a full recovery. Subdural haematomas are most often caused by blows to the head, but the patient could not recall suffering such an injury. However, a month before attending hospital he had been to a Motorhead concert where he joined other fans headbanging to the fast and furious music performed by frontman Ian Fraser Kilmister, aka Lemmy, and his bandmates. Medical attention: Specialists treated the fan at the Hannover Medical School two weeks after he started suffering a constant, worsening headache that affected his entire head . 'Our patient had no history of head trauma so we assume that headbanging, with its brisk forward and backward acceleration and deceleration forces, led to rupturing of bridging veins causing haemorrhage into the subdural space,' said doctors writing in The Lancet medical journal. A review of the medical literature revealed three previous cases where headbanging led to blood clots. One, an acute haematoma, resulted in sudden death. Other conditions attributed to headbanging have included a torn carotid artery, whiplash injury, fractured neck, and air in the chest cavity. The doctors defined headbanging as 'a contemporary dance form consisting of abrupt flexion-extension movements of the head to the rhythm of rock music, most commonly seen in the heavy metal genre'. Motorhead were one of the pioneers of 'speed metal', marked by fast tempos of more than 200 beats per minute. The surgeons, led by Dr Ariyan Pirayesh Islamian, ended their report by paying the band a veiled compliment. 'This case serves as evidence in support of Motorhead's reputation as one of the most hardcore rock'n'roll acts on earth, if nothing else because of their contagious speed drive and the hazardous potential for headbanging fans to suffer brain injury,' they wrote. | German fan, 50, developed condition after one of the band's concerts .
It is the fourth recorded case of subdural haematoma linked to headbanging .
Fan suffered a constant worsening headache for two weeks after gig .
Surgeons in Hannover removed the clot by drilling into his brain . |
18bf19541a8c1febf7d360919308095450ab35f3 | By . Alex Gore . PUBLISHED: . 10:52 EST, 21 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:29 EST, 21 January 2013 . Abuse: Denise Godefroid, 63, has been banned from speaking to her elderly Irish neighbors following a 14-year campaign of harassment . A woman who racially abused her elderly Irish neighbours and their grandchildren during a 14-year campaign of harassment has been banned from speaking to the couple. Denise Godefroid repeatedly yelled at Veronica and James Hagans to go back to Ireland and, on one occasion, screamed at them to keep 'those bloody Irish children' quiet. A court heard the 63-year-old also called the couple 'f****** stupid Irish', banged loudly on their wall while making whale noises at 3am, and peered into their bedroom from her adjoining balcony. Southwark Crown Court was told Mrs Hagan has been so badly affected by Godefroid's behaviour that she does not leave the flat on her own - even to just put the rubbish out in the corridor. Judge Stephen Robbins today issued Godefroid with an indefinite restraining order preventing direct or indirect contact with the Hagans. She was also given a two year community order and ordered to keep to a six-month long curfew between 9pm and 7am at her home in Pimlico, central London. Prosecutor James Fletcher said that Mr and Mrs Hagans moved in next door to Godefroid at the Joseph Conrad House flats in 1997. He said: 'Since they moved in, over that period there have been a number of antisocial and nuisance type behaviours from the defendant towards Mrs Hagans and her husband. 'This included the defendant knocking loudly on wall in the early hours of the morning, at 3am, and singing or making whale noises, peering into their bedroom from an adjoining balcony and being verbally abusive. 'On at least two occasions the Crown has advanced evidence the harassment was racially aggravated. 'Mrs Hagans is Irish and on one occasion the defendant made comments such as 'You f****** stupid Irish. What did you come here for? Why are you in this country? 'On another occasion the defendant started swearing at Mr and Mrs Hagans' grandchildren saying 'Those bloody Irish children. Keep those f****** children quiet and get back to Ireland you f****** Irish. Neighbours: Mr and Mrs Hagans moved next door to Godefroid at Joseph Conrad House in 1997 . 'Mrs Hagan has been badly affected by the behaviour to the point that she felt that she could not leave the flat on her own, even to go out in the corridor to put the rubbish out.' Godefroid had admitted a charge of racially aggravated harassment on or before June 9 last year. She denied a second charge of racially aggravated harassment putting another in fear of violence and the offence was ordered to lie on file. During today's sentencing hearing defence counsel Lance Murray said Godefroid wished to change her plea from guilty to not guilty. Curfew: Godefroid was told she must remain in her Westminster home in London between 9pm and 7am . He told the court Godefroid, who has been diagnosed as suffering with mixed personality disorder, agoraphobia, dementia and panic attacks, among other issues, had pleaded guilty because she 'if she proceeded with a trial it would kill her'. He said: 'At one point we had my client on the floor on her knees so upset with the idea that the following day there would be a trial. 'She however insisted she was not guilty of the offence she had been charged with and she simply wanted it to go away.' Judge Robbins ruled that it was 'not in the interests of justice' to allow Godefroid to change her plea. Antisocial: Prosecutors told Southwark Crown Court that Godefroid knocked loudly on the couple's wall at 3am . | Denise Godefroid, 63, screamed that the couple were 'f****** stupid Irish'
She yelled at them to keep 'those bloody Irish' grandchildren quiet .
The couple were also barracked with heckles to go back to Ireland .
Godefroid banged loudly on the wall while making whale noises at 3am .
Elderly woman too afraid to leave the flat alone, even just to put the bins out . |
18c0057842a3f85c1b73a81017281e9b47ff152a | Serena Williams has sparked an intense backlash after she suggested the 16-year-old victim in the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case was asking to be assaulted. The world Number 1 tennis star made the astonishing indictment in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, which was posted online on Tuesday. In the article, Williams said the victim 'shouldn't have put herself in that position' and described her as 'lucky.' Some are already labeling the 31-year-old's remarks the most controversial of her career. Apology: Serena Williams had sparked an intense backlash after she appeared to make an astonishing indictment of the victim in the Steubenville rape case . Outrage: Serena Williams, pictured on Tuesday at Burberry Menswear Spring/Summer 2014 fashion show in London, has sparked outrage with her controversial comments . 'Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don't know,' she told the magazine. 'I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk . like that, your parents should teach you—don't take drinks from other . people.' 'She's 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn't remember? It could have been much worse. She's lucky. Obviously I don't know, maybe she wasn't a virgin, but she shouldn't have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that's different.' High school football players Trent Mays and Ma'Lik Richmond were each sentenced to a year in juvenile detention in March for raping the intoxicated teen. The two friends were caught after other students who watched the assault laughed and joked about the horrific crime in an online video. Williams' jaw-dropping remarks to Rolling Stone prompted a wave of criticism on Twitter on Tuesday. Shocking: Williams said the 16-year-old victim, pictured, 'shouldn't have put herself in that position' Sentenced: Trent Mays, left, and Ma'lik Richmond were sentenced to juvenile detention in March . One user, Jamil Smith, tweeted: 'Pro tip for @serenawilliams or others discussing rape: if "I'm not blaming the girl, but…" exits your mouth, stop there. There is no "but."' A female Titter user, Sabrina Siddiqui, wrote 'Disappointing that powerful woman like Serena Williams, who many young girls look up to, blames the victim.' Meanwhile, Kate R tweeted: 'Seems Serena Williams needs a muzzle. Or compassion for a teenage rape victim? Either or...' and a user called JB wrote: 'Hopefully Serena Williams realises her mess & fixes it. So many women look up to her.' The tennis superstar, who recently won the French Open, put her foot in her mouth in the past. At the 2011 U.S. Open, she was fined for verbally abusing a lineswoman. More recently, the younger Williams sister had a verbal tit for tat with American tennis player Sloane Stephens after the up-and-coming player denied Williams was her mentor, adding that she had never reached out to her. In response, Williams tweeted 'I made you' to Stephens. She was also slammed for doing a Crip Walk synonymous with a dangerous gang in California after she won the Olympic gold in London. | Tennis Number 1 made the astonishing indictment of the 16-year-old victim in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine .
Williams said: 'I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk like that...'
High school football players Trent Mays .
and Ma'Lik Richmond were each sentenced to a year in juvenile jail in .
March for rape .
Remarks angered fans who took to Twitter to blast Williams as a role model . |
18c07e12ab82c113057a5e4e706bc395e8fa9436 | Twelve months ago, Ayoze Perez was playing Spanish second-tier football in front of just 10,000 short-sleeved supporters on the holiday island of Tenerife. Life was good; he was turning out for his hometown club and his friends and family were in the stands to enjoy his breakthrough season. Twelve months on and the 21-year-old is a Premier League regular playing in front of 52,000 at St James’ Park, some 2,500 miles from his Canary Island nest. Ayoze Perez (left) has already received heavy praise from his manager at Newcastle, Alan Pardew . The Newcastle team celebrate with Perez after he scored the winning goal against Liverpool at St James' Life, however, is even better; he is scoring goals as part of a winning team – his audacious back-heel at West Brom ‘the best I have ever scored’ – and earning plaudits aplenty, from his Newcastle manager Alan Pardew to club legend Alan Shearer. But the surrounds are very different. Gone are the balmy winters which would welcome late-night tapas and trips to the beach. Instead, Friday night sees Perez and his brother, Samuel, don their coats and head to Kingston Park to watch Newcastle Falcons rugby team, even picking up fish and chips on their way home. One thing which the drop in temperature has not dulled, however, is Perez’s goalscoring instinct. Sixteen for Tenerife last term has been followed by three from as many starts for the Magpies. It’s little wonder that his fish-and-chip paper has been carrying his name in recent weeks. ‘I’ve settled in much quicker than I ever imagined I would,’ says Perez, who headed the decisive goal at Spurs, nicked the winner against Liverpool and added his goal-of-the-season contender at The Hawthorns. Perez spreads his arms wide in celebration after scoring at The Hawthorns against West Brom . The Spain U21 international (second left) has a shot blocked by Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Rob Green . ‘Being in Newcastle is a very different way of life to Tenerife. For a start the climate is very different. ‘The city itself is beautiful and I really love being here and I’m trying different traditions. I have been to the rugby and have even tried fish and chips. Yes, I do feel the cold and I have been told by a lot of people that this is nothing and there is much more to come. ‘But I have lots of coats and jumpers ready and I am happy to adapt. It won’t be a problem.’ Nothing, it seems, is a problem for the Spain Under-21 striker at present, on or off the pitch. Pardew says Perez is ‘a nice, bright boy and low maintenance to manage’ while labelling him ‘a fearless predator’ on the field. In the wake of his £1.6million arrival in June, however, Pardew suggested this would be a season of adaptation for the rookie, who spoke very little English. As it is, with Papiss Cisse struggling for fitness and others out of form, Perez is leading the line in a side which has won six on the spin. Perez takes the applause of the Newcastle faithful as he leaves the pitch at St James' Park . Perez takes on QPR defender Richard Dunne during Newcastle's Premier League match on November 22 . ‘I am a bit surprised at how quickly I have adapted (on the pitch) and how well things are going, but I have never questioned whether I would be a success because being confident is a really important part of being a footballer,’ adds Perez, who enjoyed his best game yet during Saturday’s 1-0 win over QPR which lifted Newcastle to fifth. ‘I know my own ability and what I can achieve. I know I am smaller than a lot of players and that I have to improve physically, but I enjoy going to the gym and training on my own because I can see the benefits of it further down the line. ‘I am aware I still have a lot to improve on, but the most important thing is that Newcastle are at the right end of the table and if I can play my part in that I will be very satisfied.’ This, then, is still very much the start of Perez’s story, although he admits the narrative is gathering pace. Indeed, two months ago he was playing for United’s under-21s against Carlisle. ‘Things have changed quite a lot for me in just a few weeks,’ he reflects. ‘The Tottenham game was a great opportunity for me. Making the team was a great honour and I knew I had to grab that chance with both hands. ‘To score was a dream come true - and I don’t score with too many headers. ‘In the past, I have only scored one or two so if you had told me my first Premier League goal would be a header, I would not have believed it. ‘Then to score the winner against Liverpool was amazing. This is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. I will always remember that game and what the goal meant, the celebrations with the fans and the noise inside the stadium. ‘Whatever happens for the rest of my career and in my life, that will live with me forever.’ With Perez, you get the impression the best is yet to come. | Ayoze Perez was playing second-tier Spanish football 12 months ago .
Now he is a Premier League regular playing in front of 52,000 at Newcastle .
The 21-year-old admits he has settled in much quicker than he expected .
Perez says he already has memories he will cherish for the rest of his life . |
18c1592862161d194866a5ff1440b8ac4d279ced | Hillary Clinton suggested Tuesday that President Barack . Obama bears no responsibility for his decision to pull American troops out of . Iraq at the end of 2011, a decision that created a power vacuum now filled by a . vicious Islamist terror group. 'In retrospect, that was a mistake by the Iraqi government,' she said during a town hall on CNN. Clinton was referring to the two governments' failure to . sign a mutual Status of Forces Agreement, a document that would have kept . American servicemen and women in Iraq as a stabilizing force after 2011. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki reportedly balked on a . U.S. proposal because it would have included legal immunity for American troops . who broke local laws. Scroll down for video . Not our fault; Clinton said the decision to yank American troops out of Iraq, taken while she was secretary of state, belonged to Iraq itself, not to the U.S. Clinton, who is on the fence about running for president in 2016, fielded questions moderated by CNN's Christiane Amanpour while wearing a Ralph Lauren suit . ISIS has seized American-made tanks and weapons along its push toward Baghdad -- materiel transferred to the Iraqi army before Obama ordered a troop pullout in 2011 . Iraq has descended into chaos in recent weeks, with an al-Qaeda-related Islamist terror group calling itself the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) seizing cities and presiding over mass executions of Iraqi soldiers. The group, formerly called Al-Qaeda in Iraq, aims to institute an Islamic 'caliphate' – a nation that transcends the borders of existing countries – held together by strict Shariah law. The United States has sent warships and aircraft carriers into the Persian Gulf in the last week while Obama decides whether to engage ISIS with airstrikes. The White House said Monday that Obama had sent 275 troops into Baghdad to protect the evacuation of embassy personnel and assets while they are moved far away from the fighting. On Tuesday ISIS reached within 60 miles of Iraq's capital city. Much of their advance has come with the help of American arms, tanks, rockets and other war materiel, seized as Iraqi army regulars and reserves fled. Clinton left the Obama administration in early 2013, but . spoke like a policymaker who is still in charge of American foreign policy during Tuesday's live event. The maybe-presidential-candidate assured her audience of . nearly 200 hand-picked people at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. that 'we are . certainly not putting American soldiers at risk. No boots on the ground.' Clinton entered the stage for the event, moderated by CNN's . Christiane Amanpour, to wild applause, hoots and hollers and an extended . ovation. She quickly acknowledged the carnival-like atomsphere of . her cable-TV coming out event, boasting that her friends in the Middle East . were having a 'watch party.' Commenting on Monday's capture of Abu Khattalah, an accused . ringleader of the September 11, 2012 attack on America's diplomatic station in . Benghazi, Libya, she said she was 'very pleased.' 'This is another indication ... that the United States has . an unwavering commitment to bring to justice those who are responsible for . attacks on Americans,' Clinton said. And commenting on the nearly two years that have passed, in . which Khattalah openly operated in Libya and gave media interviews while . wipping strawberry frappes in cafes, she insisted that no one in the federal . government slow-walked the Benghazi investigation. 'It took more than ten years to being Osama Bin Laden to . Justice,' Clinton said. Pushback: Iraqi Shiite volunteers are now fighting against jihadi militants near Baghdad, hoping to stop ISIS from capturing more of their country . The quick march: ISIS has already captured the red-shaded areas in this map of Iraq and surrounding countries . Clinton gave prominent mention to a State Department . Accountability Review Board report which seemed to clear her of wrongdoing . related to the Benghazi facilities' lack of security on the eleventh . anniversary of the first 9/11 terror attacks. That investigation, however, has come under fire for failing . to interview Clinton. She said she feels the pain of the mothers and family . members of the four Americans who died in the Benghazi conflagration, caused by . the Islamist terror group Ansar al-Shariah. 'I can see why she and others are inconsolable,' Clinton . said. But 'we need to be in dangerous places ... We're doing the . best we can to find out what happened.' 'There's a lot we don’t know,' she said. 'Now that we have Khattalah in custody, hopefully we will . learn more from his perspective.' The U.S. government, she assured viewers, wants to know . 'what the motivations of the leaders, of the attackers, happened to be.' Clinton has been widely criticized for claiming in the early . days after the attack that a spontaneous mob angered by an anti-Islam video . attacked the Benghazi compound, and not a premeditated terrorist group. No one asked her about that awkward chapter. | During a CNN broadcast, former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton said President Obama isn't to blame for the lack of a US military presence in Iraq .
It's Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's fault, she said, for failing to sign a Status of Forces Agreement with the White House .
Obama reportedly didn't make the agreement a priority because he aimed to pull out of Iraq in order to fulfill a campaign pledge .
America's troop withdrawal created a power vacuum now filled by ISIS, a vicious Islamist group responsible for mass killings .
The organization has conquered northern Iraqi cities and aims to establish a transnational 'state' in parts of Syria and Iraq, governed by Shariah law . |
18c1be3840fa426fb8dbf25ef7205cb82d648003 | By . James Black . PUBLISHED: . 13:48 EST, 23 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:48 EST, 23 November 2012 . William Peto, 90, outside Exeter Crown Court after receiving his lifetime ban from driving . A 90-year-old driver has been told he must never drive again after a pedestrian lost part of her leg when his car mounted a pavement and mowed her down. Wealthy pensioner William Peto was trying to make a U-turn in the centre of a market town when his built up shoe jammed between the accelerator and brake and his car shot along the pavement at more than 20 mph. He hit 24-year-year-old shopper Laura Reddy who suffered horrific injuries and needed emergency surgery to amputate the bottom of one leg. Her older sister Nadine Marchant leapt to safety with less serious injuries and then used her belt as a tourniquet to save Laura's life by staunching the bleeding from her leg. Peto, of Lapford, Devon, admitted careless driving and was fined £2,500 with £100 costs and disqualified from driving for two years by Judge Erik Salomonsen at Exeter Crown Court. The judge invoked rarely used powers under the Road Traffic Act to extend the ban indefinitely on the grounds that Peto's age and infirmity render him a danger to the public. The Judge told him: 'This accident had the most dreadful consequences. 'It was mundane in that you were performing a perfectly normal procedure but your foot seems to have got caught on the pedal and you hit the kerb and went out of control. 'The circumstances may be mundane but the consequences were catastrophic. 'You collided with two pedestrians on the pavement and both suffered significant injuries. Miss Reddy suffered the most dreadful injuries which will impact upon her for the rest of her life. 'So far as she and her sister are concerned, I have read their victim impact statements and nobody could fail to be moved by the suffering the accident has visited upon them. 'Nothing can compensate them for those injuries and it is not what this court has to deal with today in financial or other terms. It is impossible to do justice to the injuries. 'All I can do is deliver a penalty for the manner of the driving and this court's powers of punishment are limited to a fine and a discretionary disqualification. 'I am told these events have affected you emotionally as well. You are a man of good character and I have no doubt you would not have wished what occurred. 'It is clear to me you must never drive again. The nature of your health means you may be a danger to the public if you do.' After finishing his sentencing the Judge asked Peto if he had understood what he had said. He replied: 'Very little of it, I'm afraid.' The judge told him his lawyer would explain. Mr Richard Crabb, prosecuting, said the crash happened at the junction of South Street and Southleigh Street in South Molton, Devon, at 3.45 pm on November 11 last year. Peto's automatic Smart car was making a u-turn when he hit the kerb and lost control, riding along the pavement at 20 to 25 mph and hitting the sisters before careering into a telegraph pole. He said: 'The two sisters suddenly became aware of a vehicle approaching them which seemed to be accelerating. They did not have time to move and it took less than a second for it to travel down the pavement and hit them. 'Mrs Marchant was thrown onto the road and suffered minor injuries but Miss Reddy bore the brunt of the impact and was knocked to the ground. 'Catastrophic': Judge Erik Salomonsen at Exeter Crown Court said Mr Peto would be a 'danger to the public' if allowed to keep driving . 'She described being in extreme pain and seeing her lower right leg bone protruding through her boot. She was bleeding profusely and her sister had the presence of mind to apply her belt around the thigh to stop the bleeding.' Laura was taken to two hospitals locally before being moved to a specialist unit at Frenchay in Bristol where the lower part of her leg was amputated. She has had five operations and skin grafts and now suffers from the shortening of one leg. The sisters both made impact statements. Laura said: 'This has been a life changing experience. Not only have I suffered horrific injuries but I and my family have suffered mental torture.' Her sister has needed treatment for post traumatic stress disorder. Mr Lee Bremridge, defending, said Peto was so shocked by the accident he has voluntarily surrendered his licence and has no intention of applying for it again. He said: 'What happened was a dreadful accident. He tried to make a u-turn but his foot got caught between the accelerator and the brake and the car launched itself across the road.' | 24-year-year-old shopper Laura Reddy suffered horrific injuries and needed emergency surgery to amputate the .
bottom of one leg .
Judge invoked rarely used powers under Road Traffic Act to extend the ban indefinitely on the grounds that Peto's age .
Pensioner voluntarily surrendered licence . |
18c21b2126b1439e4e500fce61328952bbcf5533 | Artist Bela Borsodi has created the clever optical illusion by arranging a collection of colorful household objects just so . By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 09:23 EST, 25 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:07 EST, 25 June 2013 . On first impressions this colorful image of household items looks like a clever montage of four separate photos assembled to look like one picture. But look again and you start to see several ‘tells’ throughout the image which shown continuity between the different segments (the blue chair, table lamp, mop handle, etc) that prove it is actually a single photo full of cleverly arranged objects to create the optical illusion of being four separates. The deceptive-looking single shot photo is the work of New York-based artist Bela Borsodi. On first impressions this colorful image looks like a clever montage, but look again and you start to see several 'tells' which shown continuity between the different segments including the blue chair, table lamp and mop handle . Rather than using photoshop or some other post processing technique, he created the image by painstakingly arranging the items via a process of trial and error and looking at the scene through the viewfinder of his camera until the illusion was just right. Through the careful positioning of objects and their edges, Borsodi was able to make a single static scene look like four separate photographs that were placed side-by-side. It was created as the album cover for the band VLP's latest release ‘Terrain.’ ‘I love making things and putting things in an unusual context incorporating various visual languages coming from art and graphic design–eroticism is also a fascination of me that I love exploring,’ said Austrian-born Borsodi. The photo - taken from a slightly different angle - gives some idea of just how painstaking the process was of arranging the items just right to create the optical illusion . Video: Watch how Borsodi constructed this clever optical illusion . | Artist Bela Borsodi has created the clever optical illusion by arranging a collection of colorful household objects just so . |
18c2ae1fafe6f27bc5bb804dc64e12fca5933974 | An engineer who was told by colleagues that he was 'wasting his time' designing the world's first video games console in 1972 has died aged 92. Ralph Baer, who died this week at his home in Manchester, New Hampshire, first considered the possibility of a video games console while working as a television engineer in the 1950s. Over the next ten years, as chief designer for Sanders Associates - which is now part of defence contractor BAE Systems - he started working on his idea. He had his break-through in 1966 while waiting at a bus stop in New York, after which he wrote down a four-page proposal, which he developed into the world's first video games console. Ralph Baer, pictured, invented the world's first video games console in 1972, called the Magnavox Odyssey . His initial design was a simple Brown Box, pictured, with controlled a Table Tennis game on the screen . One eBay seller has offered their Magnavox Odyssey for sale including original box for $20,000 . His Brown Box, which was licensed by Magnavox in the 1970s, was the forerunner for the Magnavox Odyssey, which is acknowledged as the world's first video games console. His invention predated the Atari, and he had a developed a table-tennis game, before the rival system launched their world famous Pong. Mr Baer was born in Germany to a Jewish family and was fortunate enough to leave the country in 1938 to the United States, avoiding the Holocaust. The Magnavox Odyssey was launched in 1972 and was able to play around two dozen games. The games system plugged into the back of the television set featured hand-held controllers which allowed players to direct action on the screen. The company failed to develop a major video games division, but made substantial money from suing companies such as Atari and Nintendo for infringing upon Mr Baer's patents. The Magnavox Odyssey sold 330,000 units between 1972 and 1974. His son, Mark Baer, recalled playing early versions of video games on a small black and white TV perched on a shoe stand. Mr Baer received the National Medal of Technology from President George W. Bush in 2006 and was inducted into the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2010. Mr Baer, pictured, was told by his colleagues that he was 'wasting his time' working on a video game machine . Before inventing the system that became known as the Magnavox Odyssey, Baer said he often was asked by co-workers how the group would make any money from the project. He said in an interview in 2010: 'People thought I was wasting my time and the company's money for that matter. A 1972 Magnavox Odyssey, with all the various attachments, stickers and controllers has been offered for sale on eBay. According to the Califonian seller, the console comes in 'as new' condition. The box has been opened, although there are no signs of ageing or damage. 'There's no way anybody could have predicted how fast this industry would take off.' A version of The Brown Box is now at the American History Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian plans to open a gallery next year with a focus on innovation and is including Mr Baer's workshop. Mr Baer later formed his own consulting business, through which he created or assisted in developing numerous electronic toys and games. In Simon, still in production today, the player has to duplicate an increasingly complicated pattern of lights and sounds. Mark Baer said his father had patients for more than 150 inventions, including a light gun an dtalking cards. He said; 'He had all kinds of ideas. We stepped on the doormat that would talk back to you. He had a great sense of humor. He'd program it, like you can say anything you want, "Welcome to my home," or "Hey, go away!"' Mark Baer said his father was working on new ideas up until recently. Ralph Baer: 'If you have it in your genes, it's almost like breathing,' he said. | Ralph Baer 'invented' the games console while waiting for a bus in 1966 .
His four-page idea was developed into the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972 .
The machine - which sold 330,000 units - had more than a dozen games .
One of the earliest machines is on sale on eBay for $20,000 . |
18c347c9fd34ae17b5bb694fe138aae6b207b7fe | Blood-red tears on their cheeks and stick figures looking out helplessly from behind bars - these touching sketches illustrate the plight of children being held in immigration detention centres across Australia and offshore, and will feature in a human rights inquiry today in Canberra. One of the drawings shows two female figures begging for help while another shows an asylum seeker in a cage as an Australian family look on. The common theme in most of the pictures is sad looking figures looking through bars at a world they have been dreaming of since leaving their home countries. A drawing taken by a child held in immigration detention expressing blood red tears . The drawing strongly expresses the two girls pleading for someone to help them to be released from the detention centre . The child's drawing depicts the contrast between living in a detention centre and the free life that Australians experience . These compelling images, which were used as part of the first stage of the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry into children in detention earlier in the year, have resurfaced as the federal government's medical health provider fronts the inquiry today. The commission's president Dr Gillian Triggs told the Sydney Morning Herald that the International Health and Medical Service had been widely criticised for the treatment of children living in detention centres across Australia and the offshore processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Dr Triggs gave the examples of the girl who could lose her eyesight because she wasn't given glasses for 11 months, and another child who was not given access to a specialist for a spinal deformity for six months. Meanwhile, the Federal Government is still refusing to confirm reports that two boats were intercepted by Australian authorities off Christmas Island on Saturday. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison insisted he would only confirm incidents that involve safety of life at sea. One of the boats is reportedly carrying 153 Tamil asylum seekers, including about 30 children - many of them sick - while the other has 50 people aboard. Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his government was determined to maintain its record of six months without an asylum seeker boat. 'I'm not going to comment on the operational detail of what happens on the water but obviously we have been successful up to now,' he said. 'It's more than six months since a successful people-smuggling venture made it to Australia and that's a record that the government is determined to maintain.' Write caption here . The padlock is symbolic of the trapped feeling that the child is experiencing in the detention centre . The images come as the federal government's medical health provider fronts the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry into children in detention today . Reports of mistreatment at the detention centres include a girl who could lose her eyesight because she wasn't given glasses for 11 months, and another child who was not given access to a specialist for a spinal deformity for six months . An indefinite life behind barbed wire is a reality for the asylum seekers . | Nine heart breaking drawings reveal the sadness that children are feeling in detention centres around Australia and in offshore centres .
They all depict their life behind bars and their longing to be free .
The federal government's medical health provider fronts the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry into children in detention today .
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is still refusing to confirm two boats were intercepted by Australian authorities off Christmas Island on Saturday . |
18c52358d26c47f6bcd99fb96d322ce86405d1ff | When Anoop Kapitan left his home in South Africa to come to the UK in 1970, he had no idea it would be the last time he would see his brother for more than four decades. Anoop moved to Glasgow aged 20 to study at Strathclye University, but just a few years later his elder brother Karan moved to Australia, where he set up an accountancy firm. The pair kept in touch via letter, and then email, but had not seen each other face to face for 44 year until they met in Melbourne in December. Anoop had virtually given up hope of seeing his relative again after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1999, when doctors told him he only had ten years of normal life left. Scroll down for video . Anoop (left) and Karan Kapitan embrace as they meet each other for the first time in 44 years after they both moved away from the family home in South Africa to opposite sides of the world . Anoop studied in Glasgow before settling in Yorkshire, while Karan moved to Melbourne. When Anoop was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1999, he virtually gave up hope of seeing his brother again . Mr Kapitan said: 'My elder brother is in his late seventies now. He emigrated to Australia where he lived his life, and I lived my life in the UK. 'We both led very hectic lives – I travelled a lot with my job as a troubleshooting engineer for a big company, whilst Karan was busy establishing a successful accountancy firm in Melbourne. 'Up until this point, neither of us had the time to reconnect. 'I have travelled to 49 countries around the world including North Thailand and Turkey, so this landmark trip to Australia marked my fiftieth country.' Anoop grew up in his family home in Johannesburg where his parents ran the famous Kapitan's restaurant which was visited by Nelson Mandela and his wife Winnie. Aged 20 he left to study in Glasgow, before settling in Holmfirth, Yorkshire, where he raised a family and now has two children. Anoop and Karan (pictured bottom right, and top centre) grew up in Johannesburg where their parents owned the famous Kapitan's restaurant, frequented by Nelson Mandela and his wife Winnie . Anoop travelled to 49 different countries as part of his job as an engineer, but had never been to Australia until he was reunited with Karan after more than four decades . A few years after he departed South Africa his brother Karan also left the family home, but he went the opposite way, travelling to Melbourne where he started a business. In 1999, while Anoop was only in his Forties, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and given just ten years to live a normal life, so he never expected to see his relative again. But Qatar Airways and Manchester Airport arranged a flight for him to Melborne, where the pair were tearfully reunited in December last year. Anoop added: 'I longed to be with family again. I don't know what kind of man I will find when I get to Australia, but I will do my utmost to win his heart again. 'I was apprehensive before meeting Karan and felt nervous and a bit overwhelmed, but when I saw him standing there at the arrivals gate all my worries just disappeared. 'In the end, we just hugged each other – words weren’t necessary.' | Anoop Kapitan, 64, moved from South Africa to Glasgow in 1970 to study .
He settled in Holmsfirth, Yorkshire, where he raised two children .
Meanwhile brother Karan left home to start accountancy firm in Australia .
Anoop diagnosed with cancer and he thought wouldn't see brother again .
But pair were reunite in Melbourne in December after 44 years apart . |
18c5804526fe5228ce456eae3d0990543d1a71e1 | (CNN) -- It may lack the grace of an airship, or the class of Concorde, but the "Multicopter" has a style all of its own. This somewhat awkward looking vehicle is the work of German company e-volo and a prototype has just made its first manned flight, after completing unmanned trials. With e-volo's Thomas Senkel strapped into the center of its four-limbed frame, it flew for one minute and 30 seconds over a field in Southern Germany, powered by 16 small rotor blades. E-volo says its creation is powered entirely by lithium batteries and can carry a load of around 80kg -- about as much as it weighs. Watch "Multicopter's" first manned flight. While the maiden flight may not have lasted long or covered much distance, it was enough to convince its designers that it has the potential to develop further. "It could go longer," said e-volo's Alexander Zosel. "But for safety we decided before the take off to fly one minutes 30 seconds." "This was a proof of concept, not really safe to fly," he added. "We work on a prototype that we will fly in summer 2012 very safely." The pilot steers the Multicopter using a joystick and, despite looking as though it might be grounded by a strong gust of wind, it is very easy to control, according to Zosel. Although there's plenty of development work left to do, e-volo believes the vehicle could one day be have a variety of uses, including an air taxi. And they say its ability to hover in one place means it has the potential to be used for search and rescue missions. "There are many possible applications," said Zosel. "We see it becoming a widespread form of personal transport." | The German-made "Multicopter" has made its first manned flight .
It is powered by 16 small rotor blades, fueled by lithium batteries .
Creators say finished model could be used as an air taxi . |
18c7afc24df7093b43223df2be507f63416d6fdb | The only complaint Jose Mourinho could possibly have after this astonishingly one-sided contest was the fact that there was so little to complain about. Not a hint of controversy. Not a booking he could blame on a referee. Barely a misplaced pass that might have given him an excuse to criticise one of his players. It was, Mourinho was moved to declare, a perfect performance from his Chelsea side; a ‘perfect game’ with no possible reason to cry conspiracy or point to an ongoing campaign against his team. He could not even moan about Wilfried Bony’s transfer to Manchester City when the absence of the Ivorian striker was clearly to Chelsea’s advantage. Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Oscar fires in the opening goal of the game at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon . Swansea City captain Ashley Williams attempts to block the shot but it evades both him and Lukasz Fabianski and finds the back of the net . Former Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa fires in Chelsea's second goal of the afternoon . Costa slots home his second, and Chelsea's third, goal during the Premier League clash in Wales . Oscar (left) scores his second, and Chelsea's fourth, goal at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon . World Cup-winner Andre Schurrle scored the fifth and final goal of the afternoon with just 10 minutes remaining . Swansea City (4-4-2):Fabianski 5; Tiendalli 4, Fernandez 4, Williams 4.5,Taylor 4.5; Dyer 4 (Barrow 74), Carroll 4, Sigurdsson 5, Routledge 5.5 (Emnes 32, 5.5), Oliveira 4.5 (Fulton 66, 5); Gomis 5. Subs not used: Tremmel, Rangel, Amat, Bartley. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Ivanovic 6.5, Cahill 6, Terry 6, Luis 6, Matic 7, Fabregas 7.5 (Ramires 74, 6), Willian 7.5 (Schurrle 76), Oscar 8.5, Hazard 7; Costa 8 (Remy 74, 6). Subs not used: Courtois, Zouma, Mikel, Salah. Scorers: Oscar (1, 36), Costa (19, 34), Schurrle (79). Man of the match: Oscar . Referee: Jonathan Moss. Att: 20,785. CLICK HERE for our amazing MATCH ZONE feature where you can see goal graphics, heat maps and more. Instead, a stunned Liberty Stadium witnessed Chelsea returning to the campaign that remains Mourinho’s true focus beyond the diversionary tactics of his recent outbursts; the campaign to propel his side back to the summit of the English game. However strong Manchester City might be, Chelsea will be hard to stop on this evidence. This time two first-half goals apiece for Oscar and Diego Costa and a further second-half strike from Andre Schurrle secured three more points, with some quite extraordinary defensive errors contributing to Swansea’s demise. But to suggest simply that Swansea were the architects of their own downfall would be to seriously undervalue just how wonderful a performance this was from the Premier League leaders. Swansea were awful. ‘Horrible’ was how Garry Monk described a first 45 minutes he rated their worst of the season. Costa wheels away in celebration after converting a pass from Spanish playmaker Cesc Fabregas (right) The Chelsea players celebrate during the first half - during which they managed to score a remarkable four goals . Swansea City's players look dejected during a shambolic first-half performance that saw them concede four times . Chelsea's Brazilian-born goal scorers Oscar and Costa celebrate after the fourth goal goes in . Tom Carroll, on loan from Tottenham, tackles Chelsea's Brazilian-born forward Costa during the first half . MINS PLD KM MILES . Swansea City 106.1 65.9 . Tom Carroll 90 12.4 7.7 . Gylfi Sigurdsson 90 11.7 7.3 . Neil Taylor 90 10.6 6.6 . Chelsea 108.4 67.4 . Nemanja Matic 90 11.3 7.0 . Filipe Luis 90 11.1 6.9 . Oscar 90 11.1 6.9 . Mourinho has assembled the Chelsea side we are enjoying this season and right now they are playing as well — and as attractively — as any team in Europe. The manager was invited to praise Costa and Oscar afterwards but he quite rightly pointed to the fact that every player in the side deserved praise. He mentioned John Terry, Filipe Luis and Branislav Ivanovic in response but he could just have easily pointed to the commanding midfield display of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic. The finishing of Oscar and Costa was nevertheless superb. The opening Chelsea goal, scored after just 49 seconds, might have owed much to Gylfi Sigurdsson’s wayward pass — one seemingly intended for Ashley Williams but one that was diverted into the path of Oscar when it struck Tom Carroll — but it remained a marvellous strike. There was the briefest glimpse of a riposte when Sigurdsson sent a shot crashing against the angle of post and crossbar in the second minute but after that Swansea pretty much folded. When Fabregas, so composed and confident alongside the marvellous Matic, executed a delightful one-two with Willian before feeding the ball into Costa, goal number two arrived in the 20th minute. Costa, much like Oscar, produced a fierce, low finish Lukasz Fabianski was powerless to stop. Chelsea were so in control, with Willian seeing one shot bounce off a post and another rebound off the crossbar. But when Federico Fernandez contrived in the 34th minute to knock a back-pass into the path of Costa, the Spaniard extended Chelsea’s lead with another deadly strike. Garry Monk shouts instructions to his players during their capitulation against Chelsea . Man of the match Oscar's heat map from the Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon . Swansea's Nelson Oliveira dribbles with the ball while being closed down by Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic . Swansea captain Williams confronts Costa after an off the ball clash in the second half . For Monk it was clearly proving very painful, Swansea’s manager watching in despair as another goal arrived within two minutes. This time Willian sparked the move with a burst from midfield and a delightful pass out to Costa on the right flank, with Costa then delivering to the ball into the path of a rapidly advancing Oscar and so inviting the Brazilian to smash it home. He did so with ease. It enabled Chelsea to stroll through the second half, even if there was a moment when Costa and Williams threatened to become embroiled in an ugly exchange. But it remained a game without controversy and without much of a fight from the hosts. With one eye on Tuesday’s League Cup encounter at Liverpool, Mourinho eventually made changes. But a fifth Chelsea goal, scored in the 79th minute, still came, with Eden Hazard and Ivanovic inviting Schurrle to compound Swansea’s misery from close range. Rarely has Mourinho seemed more content. Former Shakhtar Donetsk winger Willian tries to protect the ball from Swansea defender Neil Taylor . Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis tumbles to the ground after colliding with midfielder Matic . Former Barcelona and Arsenal midfielder Fabregas is challenged by Oliveira during the second half . Brazilian winger Willian holds off a challenge from Carroll in Wales on Saturday afternoon . Federico Fernandez challenges with Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard during the second half . Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho watches on as his team dismantle Swansea in their Premier League clash . Schurrle (left), goalkeeper Petr Cech (centre) and Filipe Luis (right) after the game . | Brazilian midfielder Oscar opened the scoring for Chelsea in the first minute of play .
Diego Costa then added a second goal for the Blues in the 20th minute and a third in the 34th .
Oscar scored his second, and Chelsea's fourth in the 36th minute to effectively end the match as a contest .
German international Andre Schurrle then completed the rout with a goal in the 79th minute . |
18c9047abc800815205a08df6abe3b2aa54debd2 | San Francisco (CNN) -- Police here have opened an investigation into the search of a man's home by Apple employees, an official said Wednesday. San Francisco police were flooded with inquiries and barraged with criticism after releasing a statement on Friday saying four officers had aided Apple, which sent two of its security officials to search a man's home for a "lost item." At the time of the search last month, Apple declined to file a formal report with the police. Apple did not find the device at the man's home, police said. The item they were looking for was a prototype for the next iPhone that was lost in a bar, according to CNET, making this the second time in as many years that an Apple employee has lost a prototype while out for drinks. CNET reported earlier Wednesday that the police had opened an investigation. Lt. Troy Dangerfield confirmed that police are now investigating the case, but he declined to comment further, citing a policy that prohibits officials from discussing open investigations. "It's not something we can just let pass," Dangerfield said. Police officials said they were unable to confirm until Friday that a search had taken place because those involved did not file paperwork, at Apple's request. Apple had not returned an official's initial request for comment, police spokesman Albie Esparza said last week. The official statement came after police finally conferred with Apple. Apple declined CNN's request for comment on Friday. A man told the publication SF Weekly last week that he consented to a search of his home when the people arrived and identified themselves as police. He reportedly said it wasn't clear that the pair searching his home were Apple employees, not police; he also told the publication he would not have authorized the search if he had known. Misrepresenting oneself as being a police officer is a crime, but police are allowed to mislead suspects, said Rebecca Lonergan, a former federal prosecutor who now teaches at the University of Southern California's law school. | Police launch investigation into the search of a man's house by Apple employees .
An official declined to comment further, citing police policy .
Apple has declined to offer its side of the story . |
18ca1b064d55394be54c247c5315fd36096a5ef0 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 12:46 EST, 4 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:02 EST, 5 June 2013 . The mother of Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev wailed as she heard her son's voice for the first time since he was charged with the deadly attack. The 19-year-old alleged terrorist revealed that he was in no pain and had been eating for a long time, saying: 'They are giving me chicken and rice now, everything's fine.' Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has been allowed . one phone call with her surviving son who remains in a prison hospital . in Massachusetts recovering from gunshot wounds following a shoot-out . with police where his brother Tamerlan, 26, died. It is the first time that the public has . heard the voice of Dzhokhar since he was accused of having detonated bombs in Boston with his brother. Three people died and 264 were injured in the . attack. Emotional: Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's mother Zubeidat broke down as she spoke on the phone with her son in prison . Brief contact: The alleged terrorist has been allowed to call his parents once as he awaits trial in Massachusetts . 'Everything's fine': The voice of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was heard for the first time since he had been charged over the Boston bombings which killed three people . Dzhokhar's voice is calm and quiet as he tells his mother that he has 'plenty of money', claiming supporters opened a bank account in his name and deposited $1,000. The bombing suspect's mother played a recording of the telephone conversation with her teenage son to Channel Four News. In the clip, she tearfully asks if he is in pain, to which he responds: 'No of course not. I'm already eating and have been for a long time.' Zubeidat Tsarnaeva then tells her son that 'we all love you, Muslims and non-Muslims love you'. She later claimed that Dzhokhar told her on the phone that one supporter had opened a bank account for him where $1,000 had been deposited. Tsarnaev, 19, is accused of carrying out the attack in Boston almost two months ago and has been charged in federal court with using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction. He could face the death penalty if convicted. The terror suspect was arrested after a 36-hour manhunt and is currently being held at Devens Federal medical center as he recovers from gunshot wounds, including one to the neck. Weeping: The mother of the alleged bombers weeps as she stares as the phone as she told her son that 'Muslims and non-Muslims loved him' Claims: Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, left, and husband Anzor Tsarnaev said that in their only phone conversation with son Dzhokhar last week, he claimed that supporters were putting funds in a bank account for him . Sticking to her story: Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, mother of the two Boston bombing suspect, continues to claim that her sons have been set up for the attacks . Recovering: Tsarnaev has been allowed one phone call with his parents in Dagestan while he recovers in this Massachusetts prison hospital . His parents have also raised $8,000 from those who support claims that their sons are innocent of the terrorist attacks, the first on U.S. soil since September 11. A 'free Dzhokhar' website has also been set up which draws support from around the world. Elder brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was killed in a shootout with police, and Dzhokhar remains in a prison hospital after being badly wounded. Anzor Tsarnaev, the suspects' father, said last week that he believed his sons to be innocent and that the justice system had failed. He told the AP: 'All I can do is pray to God and hope that one day fairness will win out, our children will be cleared, and we will at least get Dzhokhar back, crippled, but at least alive.' Tragedy: The April 15 bombings at the Boston Marathon killed three people and wounded more than 260 . | Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, has been allowed one phone call with his parents in Dagestan .
He told them he was fine, not to say anything and that he had been 'eating chicken and rice'
Tsarnaev is accused of planting bombs at Boston Marathon on April 15 with brother Tamerlan which killed three people and injured 264 . |
18ca32bc591d3571b2fcf0cf1b02f1d3de850335 | Luis Suarez says he can achieve his dreams at Liverpool, but thinks this season may just be a bit too soon to break the club's 23-year title drought. The Uruguayan striker, 27, also said he owes the club and its fans after they helped him through some 'difficult times' last summer. After being the subject of a £40,000,001 Arsenal bid in the Summer, Suarez has been in red hot form this season, scoring 23 Premier League goals for fourth-placed Liverpool. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Rodgers: We can now concentrate fully on the league . Target: Liverpool star Luis Suarez believes this season may be too soon to end their Premier League drought . New job? Suarez moves the equipment around at Liverpool's training at Melwood on Friday . Finishing practice: And he looks to get the beating of Simon Mignolet and Martin Kelly . Tough loss: Suarez and Liverpool lost to Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend . Anything can happen: Rodgers' side are just four points off the top and have a good run-in of fixtures . Is this season too soon for a Liverpool title triumph? 'I know I can achieve my dreams here. The fans have helped me so much,' Suarez told the Liverpool Echo. 'Everyone knows that I had some difficult times last summer. But they have always supported me and always had confidence in me. I really feel that support in my heart.' Suarez has combined to lethal effect with Daniel Sturridge - who is second in the league scoring charts with 16 - to put the Reds in a great position heading into the final third of the season. Combo: Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have combined to lethal effect this season . Up there: Unbelievably, Liverpool are still in with a real chance of winning their first title since 1990 . Brendan Rodgers' team are just four points off league leading Chelsea, with the Blues, Manchester City and Tottenham all yet to visit Anfield. Suarez insists the teams target is to qualify for the Champions League. 'Can we win the title? I’m not sure,' added Suarez. 'I think this season the Premier League is so difficult. Every team can lose games. Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal have been dropping points.' Rivals: Both Chelsea and Manchester City still have to play at Anfield this season . 'We are very strong at home and we must keep going like this. As the manager said we are a chihuahua! We must just focus on every game. In football you never know what can happen.' 'To be in the Champions League is what we all want. This is our objective – to play in it next season.' Liverpool face Swansea on Sunday. | Luis Suarez says he can 'achieve dreams' at Liverpool .
27-year-old says club and fans helped him through 'difficult times'
But he's 'not sure' if Reds will win title .
But with with rivals all dropping points, 'you never know what can happen' |
18cc01085bb4ad8304b35b198c2545a8fb41d673 | President Obama and Russian leader Vladimir Putin put on an almost comically awkward show of unity for the cameras today as they made virtually no eye contact and grimaced as the other spoke following a bilateral meeting at the G8 Summit. Obama tilted his chair away from the Russian president who fidgeted with his fingers and tapped his feet. Putin slumped down in his seat, leaned heavily on the arm rests and stared into the distance at the scenic backdrop of Lough Erne. The usually effusive Obama, who is never short of hugs for fellow leaders, did not raise a smile, his shoulders hunched and jaw working hard on a piece of gum. Scroll down for video . Distant relations: President Obama looks grim as Russian president Vladimir Putin stares at the floor during a bilateral press conference at the Lough Erne resort near Enniskillen in Northern Ireland on Monday . Frosty: Obama glances away as he discusses the progress made at the meeting between the U.S. and Russia while Putin fidgeted with his hands . Tough calls: Obama and Putin admitted that they did not agree over the their Syrian conflict as the U.S. arms rebel forces and Russian continues to back President Assad . The palpable tension in the room was evident after fraught discussions between the U.S. and Russia on Syria's bloody civil war. Putin told Obama that their positions on Syria do not 'coincide' but they conceded that they have a shared interest in stopping the violence that has ravaged the Middle Eastern country during a two-year-old civil war. Obama acknowledged in the bilateral meeting that they have a 'different perspective' on Syria but he said that both leaders wanted to address the fierce fighting and also wanted to secure chemical weapons in the country. The words rang out hollowly in the press room as both leaders' body language appeared to show that little progress had been made on the brutal civil war which has left more than 90,000 Syrians dead. Hostile: Obama and Putin's tensions were palpable despite the relative emptiness of the room . Direct engagement: The two presidents have a rare moment of eye contact during the meeting at the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland . I'm off! Obama makes a quick getaway while Putin puffs his cheeks and holds his ground following the awkward moment in front of the world's cameras . Obama mostly stared straight ahead while Putin made his remarks, several times closing his eyes or glancing to the side but never looking directly at the president. While Obama spoke, Putin stared into the distance, looked over his shoulder at the scenic view and picked at his fingers. The G8 leaders' joint decision to take a more casual approach and ditch the ties at the summit seemed almost comical when faced with the frosty international relations on show. At times, they mirrored each other's hostile body language. They rounded their shoulders, steepled their fingers and grimaced. Ahead of the tense negotiations, it was reported that Obama and Putin had a stand-off over who would use the gym at the luxury resort - with the U.S. President emerging victorious, according to The Sun. However the Russian leader shrugged off the slight and declared that he would be taking his daily exercise with a macho display of swimming in Lough Erne. Cold shoulder: Obama and Putin failed to cover up the tensions in their political standpoints . The U.S. president said both sides would work to develop talks in Geneva aimed at ending Syria's bloody civil war. With steel in his voice, Obama added: 'We want to try to resolve the issue through political means if possible.' While . Putin has called for negotiated peace talks, he has not urged Syrian . President Bashar Assad to leave power, and he remains one of Assad's . strongest political and military allies. Good talk? Obama and Putin went in for a handshake at the end of the press conference . Shake on it, buddy: Obama and Putin grip hands following the tense display in Northern Ireland . Global tensions: There appeared to be no love lost between Obama and Putin today . The White House did not expect any breakthrough with Putin on Syria during the gathering of the Group of Eight Summit and the meeting further highlighted the rift between the two countries on how to address the fighting in Syria. Obama announced Friday that the U.S. would start sending weaponry, while Britain and France remained concerned that the firepower might end up helping anti-democratic extremists linked to Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. Putin has defended Russia's continuing supply of weapons to Assad's military. Obama's discussions with Putin capped a busy day that included a preview of future negotiations toward a broad trade deal with the European Union and speech in Belfast where he called peace in Northern Ireland a 'blueprint' for those living amid conflict around the world. | Russian and U.S. presidents held bilateral meeting at G8 Summit in Northern Ireland on Monday .
Putin told Obama that their positions on Syria do not 'coincide' |
18cd8d8599ac9eab8a2288a641337a3928f4b711 | By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . Last updated at 9:50 AM on 20th February 2012 . Prince William has played a major role in a rescue mission in the Falklands. William was pictured in the cockpit of his Sea King helicopter after flying a patient to hospital last Monday. Mercy mission: William at the controls of the Sea King helicopter on Monday . The 29-year-old is in the South Atlantic for six weeks as a search-and-rescue pilot. Islander Patrick Watts said: ‘Everyone has been anxious to see William in action. This is the first time he’s been spotted at the controls of a helicopter. ‘He flew an injured person from the military base at Mount Pleasant to the hospital in Stanley. 'The local police came out in some force to keep people away from the chopper once it landed next to the hospital. They have never done that before.’ On duty: Prince William the pilot and his crew prepare for their first sortie of his six week deployment . Ready for action: William's team is on call 24 hours a day . William . – part of a four-man team on call 24 hours a day – is also said to have . taken part in the rescue of seven Vietnamese fishermen who jumped off . their trawler last Sunday to seek asylum. He has also been sighted with other off-duty pilots at a beauty spot called the Frying Pan River carrying a book on the Falklands by Max Hastings. He told a local man he was ‘catching up on the history of the islands’. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on specific rescue sorties. | 29-year-old spotted at controls of helicopter for the first time .
Stationed in South Atlantic for six weeks as a search-and-rescue pilot . |
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