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In north London, they perhaps hoped that he would never come back to the Barclays Premier League. At least, if he did, they hoped he would come back home to them at Arsenal. It was never likely, of course. Cesc Fabregas has always craved challenges and those who do so rarely go back, they only look forward. That is why Fabregas left Barcelona for Highbury in the first place. He was only 15. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Cesc Fabregas's brilliant goals in pre-season . Running the show: Cesc Fabregas was Chelsea's star man in the Blues' win over Burnley on Monday night . You're welcome: Fabregas congratulates goalscorer Andre Schurrle having assisted the German . And that, of course, is why Fabregas - 27 now - considered a move to Manchester United last summer and finds himself at the heart of Jose Mourinho’s evolving midfield at Chelsea. They may never forgive him at Arsenal. At Chelsea, meanwhile, they will merely learn to love him if he continues to play as he did here. Of course, it is peculiar to see him in Chelsea blue. We will get used to it soon enough, though, if he produces more moments like the one that lit up the first half at Turf Moor. Pass of the season: Fabregas played forward the perfect ball for Schurrle to score and give Chelsea the lead . The technical levels of our sport continue to improve, despite what the romantics say. Still, though, there are some things only certain players can do, even at this exalted level of the game. Only a tiny percentage of Premier League players, for example, would even have seen Andre Schurrle’s run on the periphery of his vision when the ball was played to Fabregas on the edge of the penalty area midway through the half with the game poised at 1-1. Even fewer could have picked the pass, first time with his right foot, that allowed the German to advance on goal and score. It was a ‘blink and you will miss it’ moment — the kind of pass you will only see a handful of times each season. Fabregas (right) was pretty imperious all night and was certainly helped on his Chelsea league debut by a midfield that provided him with willing runners and angles throughout the game. When you can see things and pass the ball as well as he can, you need moving targets. This is what Fabregas had during his better years at Arsenal and, of course, his time back at Barcelona and with the Spanish national team in recent years. We have all seen him play as a ‘false nine’ for club and country in Spain but he will be glad to know that is not the role Mourinho has in mind for him at Stamford Bridge. Middle man: The Spaniard plays the ball forward under pressure from Burnley midfielder Dean Marney . ‘I know clearly the player he is,’ said Mourinho. ‘In Barcelona he was playing all over. Nine, fake nine, winger but he knows that I know his best position. He gives us what we need in midfield. He brings other people in.’ It may be too early to say this but there did appear to be signs that Chelsea will play a little more expansively over the next nine months than they did previously under Mourinho in either of his two tenures. If they do, Fabregas - anchored at the base of midfield on Monday night - will be key. Here, he pulled strings for the likes of Schurrle and Chelsea’s new centre forward Diego Costa and he was, on the whole, the best player in a pretty impressive Chelsea performance. Skills: Fabregas backheels the ball into Branislav Ivanovic's direction who crossed for Chelsea's opener . Precision: Fabregas played in Schurrle for the second with an exquisite through ball over the top of the defence . Curler: Fabregas sent in a perfect corner which was neatly converted by defender Ivanovic for the third . Certainly a midfield featuring players like Fabregas, Schurrle, Eden Hazard and the Brazilian Oscar seems set up to move the ball with a little more pace and imagination than some we have seen in the past. On Monday night it was a style of football that dazzled Burnley at times. Home manager Sean Dyche will not be too disheartened. The good news, he will have told his players, is that they only have to face Chelsea one more time this season. Burnley’s campaign will not stand or fall on the back of nights like these. Next weekend they go to Swansea and perhaps we will learn a little more about them there. On ‘Our Turf’ — as they have branded it — they scored first and briefly a dream loomed large. Fabregas was the man with the big pin, though, and when he burst the bubble he did so in a way that many people here will remember. Everywhere: Fabregas covered huge masses of the pitch during his first game back in the Premier League . Off the mark: Chelsea's new striker Diego Costa leathers the ball home on his Premier League debut . VIDEO Chelsea are title contenders - Mourinho .
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Chelsea new boy Cesc Fabregas put in man of the match performance against Burnley .
Blues beat newly-promoted Clarets 3-1 in Premier League opener .
Spaniard set up all three of Jose Mourinho's sides goals .
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By . Wills Robinson . Star Wars actor Mark Hamill has arrived in the Republic of Ireland to film scenes for the upcoming Episode VII sporting his beard and greying hair. The 62-year-old, who played Luke Skywalker in the original series, has grown the facial hair for his return to the series which is currently being filmed in County Kerry. He was spotted in between sets outside the Butler Arms Hotel in the village of Waterville which has been taken over by sci-fi fans wanting to catch a glimpse of the cast. New look: Mark Hamill, 62 (left), who last played Luke Skywalker 30 years ago (right), was pictured in County Kerry, Ireland, taking a break from filming Star Wars: Episode VII . A helicopter used for shooting film lands in a field near Portmagee, County Kerry where work on the new Star Wars: Episode VII has begun . The hotel is on the coast, close to the UNESCO Heritage site Skellig Michael, which has been closed to the public for the last three days for filming. Fishing vessels have been told not to sail the island off the coast of County Kerry, so they do not disrupt the cast and crew during production. Hamill revealed last week that he had to grow the beard for the seventh film and described his casting as 'an unexpected gift'. 'I thought even if they did a third trilogy, we couldn't be involved because it's really about the new generation of characters,' he said. Star Wars director JJ Abrams . was pictured outside the Butler Arms Hotel in Waterville, County Kerry where he has been staying while filming . JJ Abrams is pictured taking a break from filming and enjoying the weather on the seafront in Waterville, County Kerry . 'You know we're just there to lend our support and grow contractually obligated beards. It was certainly unexpected. He added: 'I already had a beginning, middle and end. I never thought we'd come back. To go on to those sets that evoked so many memories, it is just astonishing. It just seems like an unexpected gift.' The cast, director JJ Abrams, and the enormous crew, all arrived on the Northern Ireland coast yesterday to begin filming on location. It is understood that at least 12 private boat operators have had their services booked up for the days of the shoot as they ferry transported cast, crew, and equipment over to Skellig in the morning and back again last night. Spotted: He was photographed outside the Butler Arms Hotel in Waterville, County Kerry . Appearance: Hamill revealed his beard during the Guardians of the Galaxy premiere in London last week . All B&Bs and hotels in the area have been booked out for the week as a result. Yesterday, the team behind the shoot clashed with conservationists over their occupation of a remote island. Heritage chiefs and environmentalists have warned about the impact on the rocky outcrop. The steep island, which dramatically rises more than 700 feet out of the Atlantic Ocean, is home to puffins, manx shearwaters and storm petrels as well as Guillemots and Kittiwakes. Film director JJ Adams and actor Mark Hamill - who played Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy - are among the cast and crew on the set of the latest production, Star Wars: Episode VII. John O’Sullivan, of tourist company Skellig Experience, said on Thursday: ‘If the weather is fine, the camera work out there could be stunning. The scenery is spectacular up there. It’s a majestic and mysterious place.' On location: Filming has been taking place on Skellig Michael, a UNESCO Heritage Site off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland . Meanwhile, Harrison Ford has been pictured . walking unaided at Santa Monica Airport in the U.S. as he arrived on . the tarmac to take his Cessna T182T plane for a ride. The . 72-year-old had been using a hands-free iWalk after breaking his left . ankle during filming for Star Wars: Episode 7 in early June. The father-of-five appeared to be back to his best as he walked towards his small plane, however a golf buggy was seen waiting to transport him. Hollywood actor Harrison Ford is pictured six weeks after a broken leg and free of his plaster cast at Santa Monica Airport in the U.S.
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The 62-year-old actor is in Waterville, County Kerry, for filming .
Was pictured outside the Butler Arms Hotel taking a break from shooting .
Hundreds of sci-fi fans have flocked to the area to catch a glimpse of cast .
Hotels and B&Bs near the set are said to be fully booked as a result .
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Less than 72 hours after retaining his UFC light-heavyweight title, Jon Jones checked himself into a treatment centre having tested positive for cocaine. The failed test, which took place a month before his fight with Daniel Cormier in Las Vegas, will have no impact on his status as champion. Cormier was quick to come out in support of his opponent, as was UFC president Dana White along with new sponsor Reebok. But there was a mixed reaction from his fellow fighters who immediately took to Twitter. Jon Jones on his way to beating Daniel Cormier to retain his UFC light-heavyweight title in Las Vegas .
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Jon Jones failed a drugs test on December 4, testing positive for cocaine .
Jones retained his UFC light-heavyweight title by beating Daniel Cormier .
Jones revealed he has checked himself into a treatment centre .
He has been supported by the UFC and president Dana White .
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Minneapolis, Minnesota (CNN) -- Ten minutes ago a woman called me and told me she was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. As I'm standing in the garage, writing her story onto the huge canvas with the others, the only audible sound was my sharpie scraping against the paper, but her voice never stopped spinning in my mind. Telling a story is like an invitation for others to share their stories with you. That's what I discovered at TED when I shared my story about a limitation that held me back from my dream. After delivering my talk, I found myself constantly being stopped by people eager to share their stories, as hearing mine made them reflect on their own struggles, triumphs, hopes and fears. This sharing experience stuck with me, and now two months later, I'm in the midst of receiving thousands of stories through my current art project. I had the idea to crowdsource stories about facing limitations. These stories are written onto the canvas, and collectively they create my current art piece. What started out as connecting with people through a work of art quickly turned into a documentation of our modern culture. If we either rewind or fast forward 1000 years, many of these stories would still be relatable. No matter how individualized our stories are, and no matter how much times have changed, we share the same core human experiences in faith, self-identity, health, addiction, love, loss, etc. TED.com: How I became 100 artists . Here are two stories that have been shared: . "On paper, I have the perfect life. I'm married to a man who loves me more than I deserve, beautiful, healthy children, and a great career. But I'm in love with someone else that I can't be with and it impairs me every day." "I was 14 and my mom and I were in a really bad place. We had just gone through a messy divorce from an abusive marriage. She had also been diagnosed with breast and skin cancer and we were very worried about how we would pay for the medical costs without her job. Our faith was slipping. We were standing in line at a pharmacy, we both had pneumonia. This really nice elderly women was in line behind us and my mom let her go in front of us and the woman introduced herself, and put her hands over us and started praying, right in the middle of the Pharmacy. My mom got a check from the insurance company a few weeks later. A few months after that she was hired at a new job. She is currently in her 8th year of breast cancer remission and her 3rd year of skin cancer remission. My faith has been renewed and we could not be in a better place. My mother is my hero." TED.com: The painter and the pendulum . There are also many stories that encapsulate our society and culture at this very moment -- from the first openly gay couple being able to adopt in Florida, to the innumerable amount of people struggling with obesity, to the increasing number of parents raising autistic children. What stands out to me the most is that given the opportunity for anonymity in this project, many people are brutally honest about how lonely they truly are in their experiences, thinking no one could possibly know what they're going through. TED.com: Arthur Ganson's moving sculpture . Within this wired culture, we've become edited versions of ourselves. We may tweet, "Just got a Pepsi, new bottle design. Sweet!" but we don't say, "I'm sad and alone. I had no one to talk to so I went to the store to chat with the clerk while buying a Pepsi." I can't help but wonder, what's the cost of becoming our "edited" selves instead of our authentic selves? We shouldn't share just gumdrops and butterflies, because the hearty and rocky parts are what help us find our authentic selves. This slice of life, our lives, that are being captured in this piece are still ongoing and developing. What will continue to come out of it? I don't know, but I wait with fascination and a tired writing hand. What's your story? Share it and be part of art at philinthecircle.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Phil Hansen.
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Phil Hansen gave a TED Talk describing how a shake led him to different forms of art .
In new project, people describe their limitations and he writes them onto a huge canvas .
Hansen: A project that began with goal of connecting people is also a portrait of our cultue .
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f5b8ff0a0e231f52872027529c611a3c3000c126
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(CNN) -- Lottery players across the country scrambled to check their tickets late Friday to see if they could be $640 million richer. The winning numbers in the Mega Millions lottery Friday night were 2 4 23 38 46, with a Mega Ball of 23. If there is no winner from Friday, the jackpot would increase to an estimated $975 million, said Athena Hernandez of the D.C. lottery. That drawing would occur Tuesday. The multistate jackpot has grown to become the largest ever offered that could be won by an individual. It has caused long lines at convenience stores and has many dreaming of creative ways to quit their jobs if they get the lucky numbers. "Friday night's Mega Millions drawing will truly be a spectacular event in lottery history and provides an unprecedented opportunity for players to take a chance on a half-billion-dollar dream for just the $1 price of a ticket," Gary Grief, executive director of the Texas Lottery and lead director for the Mega Millions group, said before the drawing. Sales have skyrocketed at Manhattan Tobacco, a New York convenience store, cashier Alex Shanahe said. He said the store has proved to be lucky before, having sold winning tickets of $3 million and $5 million. "The sales have tripled. Everybody wants to win the Mega Millions," Shanahe said. A single winner could claim yearly payments or a one-time cash option of $462 million, Mega Millions spokeswoman Kelly Cripe said. The drawing will be held at 11 p.m. ET Friday, and it can take several hours for lottery officials to determine whether there is a winner and in what state the winning ticket was purchased. The public can buy tickets until 10:45 p.m. ET Friday, but in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, residents can purchase tickets only until 9:50 p.m. Oregon residents can buy tickets until 7 p.m. PT. The Mega Millions lottery is played in 42 states plus the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands, lottery officials say. Mexicans from Ciudad Juarez were crossing the Rio Grande on Friday to buy tickets in El Paso, Texas. "I would divide the money among my children and buy them a house here in El Paso, and we would come from Juarez (to) here to live in peace," said one man. The odds of winning the jackpot are about one in 176 million, which means a person would have a better chance of getting struck by lightning. Richard Lustig, a seven-time lottery winner who has written a book about lottery strategies, said it's good to buy tickets as part of a group, to increase "buying power." And while the urge to take a chance on such a big jackpot may be alluring, Lustig said to guard against getting too enthusiastic. "Don't go crazy with this," he said. "Don't get what's called lottery fever. Do not spend grocery money. Do not spend rent money." Myra Langford, a 70-year-old retired school administrator, said she knows the odds but still bought five tickets. If she wins, Langford said, she will help fix the roof of her church and move out of the cramped Queens apartment she lived in for the past 47 years. "You got to be in it to win it," she said, parroting a commercial. Psychologist Scott Bea told CNN that if a winner is a poor money manager and has been unhappy in life before winning, that's likely to continue. "It solves one problem, but it creates a half-billion others," he said. "You have about no chance at winning this, but it really gets people excited," Bea added. His wife asked him if the couple could spend $10 on lottery tickets. "We could probably flush it down the toilet and have the same outcome, but if it gives you some hope, why not?" Bea said. CNN's Mary Snow, Michael Martinez, Chris Dignam and Devon Sayers contributed to this report.
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NEW: The winning numbers are 46 23 38 4 2, with a Mega Ball of 23 .
Psychologist: "You have about no chance" at winning "but it really gets people excited"
Friday's jackpot is the largest ever that an individual can win .
If there's no winner, the jackpot will rise to about $975 million .
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Editor's note: In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. Here, Anderson Cooper goes to the Congo where he covered the killings of endangered mountain gorillas. Ten mountain gorillas reportedly have been killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last year. NEW YORK (CNN) -- You hear them before you actually see them. Some branches snap just ahead of you. The adult male silverback grunts somewhere off to the side of you. He even pounds his chest. You approach slowly. Mountain gorillas have been used to seeing scientists for decades, but these are wild animals, and you have to be respectful. When you see them, it is shocking. I've been visiting mountain gorillas since I was 17 -- I've probably been about six or seven times -- but each visit is extraordinary. They are among our closest animal relatives, and when you stare into their eyes, you see the spark of intelligence. You know these are individuals, with personalities, thoughts and feelings. Each gorilla group or family is headed by an adult male silverback. They are massive creatures, weighing up to 500 pounds, and are fiercely protective of their brood. Around them baby mountain gorillas tumble and play. They beat their chests just like their father, though the display is far less impressive. If you look closely, you may notice some of the mountain gorillas have lost a hand or a foot. Poachers' snares are a problem, even in a well-protected park in Rwanda I visited. There are about 700 mountain gorillas left in the world, according to Flora and Fauna International, an organization that acts to conserve threatened species and ecosystems, and they live in a lush forest that straddles Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Watch a close-up view of a mountain gorilla » . In Rwanda and Uganda, where they're well-protected, the mountain gorilla populations are thriving. They are major tourist attractions that bring millions of dollars each year to both countries. The real problem right now is in the Democratic Republic of Congo. For the last 10 years, there has been fighting in that country, and in the last year, according to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 10 mountain gorillas have been killed, shot to death. We went to the Congo to find out why those mountain gorillas were murdered. And the answer is we just don't know. Because of the fighting, the mountain gorillas are completely cut off. The rangers who protect them have had to flee the park, and no one's been able to check up on the gorillas. What we do know, and what is so sad, is that these gentle giants trust us. You see it when you sit with them, when they allow you to come so close. They've been taught that man won't hurt them. This year, in the Congo, the gorillas have been lied to. E-mail to a friend .
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Conservation organization says 700 mountain gorillas are left in the world .
Ten mountain gorillas have been killed in the Congo in last year, U.N. agency says .
Mountain gorillas weigh as much as 500 pounds .
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By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 16:58 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:03 EST, 17 March 2014 . Channel 5 has been blasted by Ofcom for broadcasting a Big Brother in which a female contestant was grabbed by the throat and threatened by another housemate. In an episode screened last year, Daley Ojuederie grasped Hazel O'Sullivan's neck and pinned her to a bed after a heated argument. Ojuederie was eventually asked to leave the Big Brother house over his behaviour. Blasted: Ofcom condemned Big Brother for not clearly stating that it was unacceptable for Daley Ojuederie to grasp Hazel O'Sullivan's neck and pin her to a bed at the height of a heated argument on air . The programme was ruled by the broadcasting regulator to have breached rules on offensive content, by featuring the threatening behaviour and the late intervention over the incident. Ojuederie's threats to O'Sullivan came after a row over a duvet when they were shut away from the others in a 'luxury house' as part of a task. During his outburst he told her: 'Let me tell you something, little girl, have some respect for your f****** elder, 'cause if you don't... I'll finish you.' He went on to grab O'Sullivan's throat and pinned her arms down as she lay on her bed, miming headbutting her as he threatened: 'Don't f*** with me, do you understand? Before I nut you one.' He was called to the diary room to explain but was not banished from the show until the next day. Controversy: He insisted he is not a malicious person after viewers reacted to his treatment of Miss O'Sullivan . Ofcom was critical of the decision not to edit the footage to limit the offence to viewers, and the 'lack of clarity' that his conduct was not acceptable. It follows news that the reality shows sparked the most viewer complaints last year - almost 1,500. Ofcom received 166 complaints over the neck-throttling scene within minutes of it being screened. In total, the June series of Big Brother triggered 965 complaints and August's Celebrity Big Brother a further 438. Viewers were outraged by housemate Jemima Slade getting an ‘unjustified' official warning for saying black men are not her type. Last year, Big Brother received the most viewer complaints of any show, with almost 1,500 submitted to Ofcom . Ofcom received 305 complaints in June that Slade, 41, had been 'unfairly accused of racism'. Slade had said: 'I do go for younger guys, generally. I go for darker looking, not black, but darker features, more like Mediterranean.' Big Brother said her language was 'unacceptable and potentially offensive'. A further 244 viewers complained that Gina Rio had bullied fellow housemate Hazel O'Sullivan. Rio shouted at the Irish model: 'You're a pain in the a**e, a homewrecking whore, a dirty a**e skank, an ugly and disgusting cheap little tart.'
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Daley Ojuederie pinned Hazel O'Sullivan on bed after a heated argument .
Programme asked Ojuederie to explain but did not condemn actions on air .
Told to leave but Ofcom blasted 'lack of clarity' that it was unacceptable .
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At six weeks of age, little Nathan, Mal and their sister who is yet to be named, resemble three kittens purring and napping for the majority of the day. But by the end of the year, Ben Britton, 37, expects his current African lion roommates to weigh up to 40 kilograms each and no longer fit on his couch. As the director of Wild Animal Encounters in Western Sydney, Mr Britton has taken on the role of the lions' mother from the day they were born, after their natural mother rejected them. 'They're only just starting to find their feet,' Mr Britton told Daily Mail Australia. Scroll down for video . Ben Britton, 37, the director of Wild Animal Encounters in Western Sydney, is raising three African lion cubs in his lounge room after their mother rejected them after birth . 'They're sleeping around 20-22 hours a day at the moment so they're not very active, they only have short bursts of energy when they're fed which is about four times a day, and then they crash about half an hour after that.' Wild lion numbers are falling at a significant rate across the world, dropping to 26,000 from over half a million in only 100 years. In an effort to promote the magnificent animal's conservation the company, which also spends a quarter of each year working in Botswana, hopes the three cubs become their fury ambassadors and encourage Australians to help in their preservation. Teaming up with National Geographic, Mr Britton is documenting his relationship with the three cubs as they grow up. At only six-weeks-old, weighing no more than six kilograms each and growing at least a kilogram every day, Ben has personally bottle fed them from one-day-old . Mr Britton said the cubs spend up to 22 hours a day sleeping and have short bursts of energy lasting for only half an hour around their meal times before they crash . 'We've just introduced meat into their diet, so they get one meat feed a day and they get extra excited around that time, but by the time the evening news is on they've crashed out on the lounge. 'Yeah - they have already worked out how to get on the lounge. They just take a little run and jump.' But as their weight grows by one kilogram a week, it won't be long before the big cats can no longer find a space on the couch. Before their second birthdays, the two boys - named in memory of Mr Britton's best friend Nathan and his favourite sports player Mal Meninga - will weigh over 150 kilograms each. In their prime, at about four-years-old, each male could potentially weigh over 200 kilograms while their sister will reach about 160 kilograms. Despite her smaller frame Mr Britton says the female cub, who will be named through an online competition later in the year, is developing a strong personality already. Lion numbers across the world have dropped from half a million to only 26,000 in the last 100 years. Mr Britton hopes the cubs will encourage Australians to support the conservation of their species . The 37-year-old said the female 'rules the roost' and bosses her brother around. He described the two male cubs as 'sooks' who preferred to cuddle up to him . 'Lions are a social cat and when you are involved with them for this long you become part of the pride, so they do remember you and want to interact with you and they still want to have that relationship when they are older,' Mr Britton said . 'The girl is the boss, she definitely rules the roost, which doesn't surprise me,' he said. 'So she bosses her brothers around and even though she's the smallest, she's the most confident – you often find that with lions. 'The boys are a bit sooky really, they like their cuddles and to sit with you a bit more which is often the case with male lions even when they're bigger.' 'The great things about lions is they're a social cat and when you are involved with them for this long you become part of the pride, so they do remember you and want to interact with you and they still want to have that relationship when they are older. That’s a special thing you don't get with other cat species.' Even with them starting to find the use of their teeth and claws on household furniture, Mr Britton, whose home on site the zoo has housed and array of animals from kangaroos and wombats to monkeys and crocodiles, says the lions are some of his most welcome house guests. 'The cats sleep so much that it means they're pretty good whereas when you've got a joey it needs to be in a pouch and you have to carry it around with you and clean up the pouch regularly.' Wild Animal Encounters has teamed up with National Geographic to document Mr Britton's relationship with the three cubs as they grow up . The company says their animals' 'lives extend beyond the boundaries of their enclosure' and that they often take them into new environments to enrich their lives . 'Monkeys also want to be with you the whole time and cling to you all day, whereas lioness' would just have the cubs in her den and then go off and do her thing, so compared to the other animals we've had, the lions are the easiest ones by far.' Bringing the animals out of their enclosures and into new environments, including his home, is a regularly practiced thing at the Wild Animal Encounters park. 'Animals have got so much going on in the wild – food, shelter, predators, prey and so on - when they come into captivity we supply and delete a lot of that and the mental side in captivity is hard to match, so we try to enrich their lives as much as we can which includes investigating new areas,' Mr Britton said. 'The big cats for instance get to walk a kilometre a week outrside their enclosure. They get to investigate the frog ponds and chase skinks in the garden. Their lives extend beyond the boundaries of their enclosure.'
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Nathan, Mal and their sister who will be named via an online competition, are six-week-old African lions living in Ben Britton's lounge room .
They were abandoned by their mother after birth before being taken on by the director of Wild Animal Encounters .
Lion numbers across the world have dropped from half a million to only 26,000 in the last 100 years .
Mr Britton hopes the cubs will encourage Australians to support the conservation of their species .
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By . Richard Spillett . A man flew into a rage and stabbed his wife in the back after he woke up with cold feet because she hogged the bedsheets, a court has heard. Retired engineer Derek Miller, 76, is accused of plunging a 10-inch kitchen knife into Galina Miller's shoulder before telling her: 'You will die now.' Court hears that after his wife fled their home, sailing enthusiast Miller phoned the police and told them: 'I have just attempted to kill my wife. She's run away - I have failed.' The attack happened at the couple's seafront home in Broad Street, Old Portsmouth, which Mrs Miller fled in her dressing gown after being stabbed in the back, the city's Crown Court has heard . Portsmouth Crown Court heard Miller was 'resentful' that his wife was gaining independence and was out of the house more often. Mrs Miller, 57, had found a job teaching English to foreign students in Liphook, Hampshire after discovering once-wealthy Miller was £70,000 in debt, jurors heard. The couple's relationship had been 'on the rocks' before the attack, but they had tried to patch things up the previous night. Miller had bought his Russian-born wife chocolates, the 'biggest bunch of flowers he could find', and agreed to cook her dinner. But he is alleged to have become angry the next day when he woke up with cold feet and no covers on them. Prosecutor Rob Welling told the jury: 'That instantly made him angry and aggressive towards Galina.' Mr Miller told Portsmouth Crown Court that Mrs Miller 'goaded him' and he was 'getting rid of frustration' Mr Welling added: 'All the good work that had been done the night before collapsed around them and there was more arguing. 'There was more discussion about the divorce and the defendant said: "So, is this the end now?"' Miller, from Portsmouth, Hants, is then said to have attacked his wife as she collected bin liners from the kitchen. Mr Welling added: 'She became aware of something odd about her shoulder. She turned round and found the defendant there in the kitchen, holding a huge kitchen knife. 'She very quickly learned and became aware that she was bleeding from her shoulder and that she had already been stabbed in the back.' Mr Welling said the knife was 'the biggest in the house' and Mrs Miller had not heard her husband enter the kitchen. He added: 'When she saw the knife he said "you will die now".' Miller, a father of three, told the jury: 'She turned her back and I picked up the knife. I was in a completely different world. I don't know why I did it. 'I did not intend to do it. I did not even know the knife was there. It just happened to be on the bench by the sink... I was in the land of the fairies. It was just getting rid of frustration.' Divorced Mr Miller met his second wife online and one of their first meetings was in Moscow's Red Square . Mrs Miller, still wearing her dressing gown, pushed her husband of 11 years to the floor and escaped after the attack on November 26 last year. Miller, who has no previous convictions, was the first person to dial 999. His emergency call was played to the court. He later told police: 'I'm sorry, it had to be done. She has goaded me for years.' The couple met online in 2002 and later met in Moscow's Red Square. They tied the knot later that year in what was Miller's second marriage. He had been a professional footballer in his youth before training in aeronautical engineering and later becoming an IT salesman. He became wealthy and was able to retire at the age of 50 before moving to Portsmouth in 1999 and joining Portsmouth Sailing Club. The pair travelled extensively before Mrs Miller gained a post-graduate degree at the University of Portsmouth. But Miller complained her work as a teacher left little time for him. The court heard Mrs Miller believed her husband had been looking on the internet for call girls and perhaps going with prostitutes before the attack. He told the court she was also convinced he was having a relationship with a shopworker at Lidl. He said: 'She just did not let it rest. She said: "You are going down to the shop to see your girlfriend again."' Miller denies attempted murder, and the trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Derek Miller accused of stabbing wife before claiming: 'She goaded me'
He was angry after Galina got a job and became independent, court hears .
Alleged attack with 10ins knife came after they tried to mend marriage .
Mrs Miller fled seafront house in Portsmouth in dressing gown, court told .
Miller denies attempted murder and tells jury he was 'in different world'
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(CNN) -- Facebook announced Tuesday that it plans to buy virtual reality firm Oculus VR for $2 billion. It's the latest high-profile acquisition during the for the social network giant during its 10-year existence. Some of those near-50 tech startups have been bought for their technology, others for their talent. Here's how the best of that shopping list has panned out. Oculus VR . Oculus makes a virtual reality headset which covers users' eyes and immerses them in a virtual environment that responds to their head movements. Facebook said its focus is on investing in the product for the future. WhatsApp . In an attempt to dominate messaging online, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for the record sum of $19 billion. The five-year old app had 450 million users at the time of the acquisition in February, adding a million users every day. Face.com . Facebook recognizes people's faces in photos and tags them with their names. The social network acquired a face-recognition technology company which made this possible, Face.com, for between $55 million and $100 million in 2012. Instagram . Facebook bought the photo-sharing network Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 with a combination of cash and stock. "Providing the best photo sharing experience is one reason why so many people love Facebook and we knew it would be worth bringing these two companies together," Mark Zuckerberg said about the purchase. Atlas Advertiser Suite . Atlas Advertiser Suite boosted Facebook's ad sales after it bought the company from Microsoft for between $50 and $100 million in April 2013. The campaign management platform was developed for marketers and agencies. Patents deal . In April 2012, Facebook announced an agreement with Microsoft, which assigned Facebook the right to purchase a portion of a patent portfolio that the PC giant acquired from AOL Inc. Price tag: $550 million in cash. Gowalla . Facebook acquired location sharing service Gowalla for an undisclosed sum in 2011. The purchase enabled Facebook users to share their location more often. Its features were integrated into Facebook's Timeline, which was launched at around the same time. FriendFeed . The social media feed, which pulls in updates from different social networks, became part of Facebook in 2009, when the social network purchased it for $15 million in cash. As part of the agreement, all FriendFeed employees joined Facebook while the company's four founders were given senior roles on Facebook's engineering and product teams. Parakey . When Facebook bought Parakey in 2007 for an undisclosed sum, it was its first big acquisition. Facebook was actually buying the brains behind the startup -- Blake Ross and Joe Hewitt, the co-founders of Mozilla Firefox, an open-source web browser. Ross and Hewitt joined Facebook's team to work on the development of the network. ConnectU . In a deal that inspired the 2010 Oscar-nominated drama "The Social Network," Facebook agreed to acquire ConnectU from the Winklevoss brothers after a court settlement under which Facebook bought the rival networking site for cash and a share in Facebook stock.
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Facebook announced Tuesday that it plans to buy virtual reality firm Oculus VR for $2 billion .
It's the latest high-profile acquisition during the for the social network giant .
Facebook previously bought Instagram, WhatsApp and many other successful startups .
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By . Emma Innes . This is the touching moment the mother of one of Scotland’s youngest surviving babies got to hold her daughter for the first time. Claire Cressey said cuddling and kissing baby Emily - born at 24 weeks - was ‘the best moment of my life’. Ms Cressey, 34, from Coldstream, in the Scottish Borders, enjoyed a precious 20 minutes with her daughter on Mothering Sunday. Claire Cressey held her baby, Emily, for the first time on Sunday. Emily was born at 24 weeks and weighing just 1lb 3oz. Until now, she had been too vulnerable to be held . Emily was so premature that when she was born it would still have been legal for her to be aborted . Emily, who weighed just 1lb 3oz when she was born on February 27, was so premature she could legally have been aborted. But after receiving ‘fantastic’ care at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, she is thriving and now weighs just over 1lb 10oz. The mother-of-four admitted she was physically sick on Sunday morning because she was so worried something might go wrong when Emily was taken out of her incubator. But the planned 10 minute cuddle was stretched to 20 minutes because Emily responded so well to her mother’s touch, maintaining an even heart rate and temperature throughout. A delighted Ms Cressey said: ‘I’ve waited for over a month to be able to hold her and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life. Emily is now a month old and 1lb 10oz. She was briefly able to breathe on her own but now needs ventilation . ‘I cried before the nurse even took her out, it was so emotional, I’ve never experienced anything like it before. ‘She snuggled up to my chest and fell asleep, the nurses kept checking her heartbeat and temperature and they were fine so I got longer with her than expected.’ Ms Cressey added: ‘It was very scary. She is so tiny, she can fit in the palm of your hand. I was scared something might go wrong but she coped really well. ‘Actually holding her was quite a shock because it was only then that I realised just how tiny she is. ‘To me she is perfect and I’m very lucky.’ Baby Emily is being carefully watched and kept in a special incubator. Ms Cressey was able to hold Emily for 20 minutes as she maintained her temperature and heart rate well . Ms Cressey said: 'She snuggled up to my chest and fell asleep, the nurses kept checking her heartbeat and temperature and they were fine so I got longer with her than expected' Her father, Alan Coultas, was not able to visit his daughter on Sunday because the couple could not find anyone to look after their other children. They have to spend more than £110 a week making the 100 mile round trip to the hospital, parking, and paying for childcare. Kind-hearted members of the public are already donating towards the cost of visiting Emily. Ms Cressey said: ‘She came so early that any money we had saved has now been spent. At this moment we are having to choose between petrol and food.’ Ms Cressey arrived at the hospital with just minutes to spare before Emily was born after a four hour labour. Emily's parents have to make a 100 mile round trip to visit her in hospital . Emily's father, Alan, was unable to see her on Sunday as he couldn't find anyone to look after their other children . After the birth, Emily was rushed straight off to the neonatal unit and placed in an incubator. At three-days-old, Emily was able to breathe by herself and doctors put her on a lower dependency CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. But ten days later, she started to struggle so doctors were forced to ventilate her again, a necessity not uncommon with babies born before 29 weeks. The couple have been sharing Emily’s journey on a Facebook page, uploading photographs and daily updates on Emily’s condition, receiving messages of support from all over the world. To donate visit www.gofundme.com/7oejkg .
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Claire Cressey, 34, held baby Emily for the first time yesterday .
Emily was born on February 27 at 24 weeks and weighing just 1lb 3oz .
For the first month of her life, she was too vulnerable to be held .
She is now a month old, weighs 1lb 10oz and is thriving, say doctors .
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As chairman and CEO of DuPont since 1999, Charles (Chad) Holliday is the 18th executive to lead the company in the past two centuries since it was founded. Charles (Chad) Holliday, CEO of DuPont since 1999 . After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee, he joined DuPont as an intern engineer in the summer of 1970 at DuPont's Old Hickory site. In 2004, Holliday was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering and became chairman of the Business Roundtable's Task Force for Environment, Technology and Economy. He is also past chairman of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), The Business Council and the Society of Chemical Industry -- American Section. While chairman of the WBCSD, Holliday co-authored the book "Walking the Talk," which details the business case for sustainable development and corporate responsibility. Today, Chad Holliday is chair of the Board of Directors of Catalyst, chairman of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness and a founding member of the International Business Council. Under Holliday's executive direction, DuPont established the mission to achieve sustainable growth by increasing shareholder and societal value while decreasing the company's environmental footprint. As a result, DuPont has moved from being a chemical company to being a science-based products and services company. (dupont.com)
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DuPont's CEO joined company at Old Hickory site in Texas as engineer in 1970 .
He co-authored book on sustainable development and corporate responsibility .
Has moved DuPont from chemicals to science-based products and services .
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A two-timing carpenter who rose to notoriety after building totem poles for a Princess Diana memorial park has admitted that he crushed his wife with one of his creations so he could start a new life with his mistress. Carl Muggli, 51, entered a guilty plea in an International Falls, Minnesota, court yesterday in the November 2010 death of wife Linda Muggli, who died under the weight of a massive totem pole. Muggli had originally claimed that the 17-foot totem pole fell on his wife by accident while his back was turned . Together: Carl Muggli admitted on Wednesday that he killed wife Linda by dropping a 2,900-pound wooden pole on her as they carved it together at their country home . But his story began to unravel when an anonymous tipster came forward with 'intimate' Facebook messages that Muggle had exchanged with a woman in Alabama in the days before and after his wife's death. In the string of messages, he tells the . mistress - who has only been identified as 'MLG' - that he loved her and wanted to . move in with her. And on the day before the murder, he . wrote to the other woman: 'I want us together to live our lives as we seek... I am yours. We are one!' Other correspondences found on Muggli's computer showed that he was looking to buy or lease a house in Texas to share with the woman. Busted: Carl Muggli was arrested seven months after his wife's death . Police were also skeptical of Muggli's story when their attempts to recreate the 'accident' were unsuccessful. Five times the detectives arranged . the pole in the way that Muggli had said, but they could not get it to . fall in the way that he claimed. They . also found that the totem pole in question had been 'stained or . polyurethane-coated,' implying that there was an attempt to cover up . evidence. After his guilty plea was entered, Muggli's attorney, Charles Hawkins, told Minnesota's Star Tribune newspaper: 'This whole thing is a tragic occurrence... He did not want to put the family, his family or himself through any more misery.' He will be sentenced on February 4. Muggli and his wife, who was 61 when she died, became famous for carving three totem poles that were used in the Indian Village section of Princess Diana's Memorial Children's Park in Kensington Gardens, London. They had been working together on the carvings since 1990 on their property just outside Voyageurs National Park, in Ray, Minnesota. Their totem poles ranged from 16 feet to 50 feet tall. According to a complaint filed by the Koochiching County Attorney, police arrived on the scene to find the giant carving across her chest and blood pouring from underneath her. She was taken to a nearby hospital but died of her injuries on November 26, 2010. In an interview with reporters soon after Muggli claimed: 'The totem we were working on was progressing wonderful. Creative duo: Carl and Linda Muggli had been working together on the carvings since 1990 on their property just outside Voyageurs National Park, in Ray, Minnesota . 'I mean, it was just coming really good, and we were laughing and joking and having a great conversation, just…and then it was over.' Muggli was arrested in Stockdale, . Texas, about seven months after Linda Muggli's death, and was later . extradited back to Minnesota. It is not clear if he was living with his mistress at the time. Their . Native Veterans Totem, honoring American Indians who served in the . military, stands outside the Veterans Administration hospital in . Brockton, Massachusetts. There is also a Muggli totem pole outside Chalet Geronimo in the French Alps. Fame: The Mugglis carved three totem poles used in the Indian Village section of Princess Diana's Memorial Garden in Kensington Gardens, London . Remembered: Princess Diana's Memorial Garden was opened in June 2000 . Carl Muggli's wife Linda Muggli died on November 26 2010. His mistress lived in Alabama and is referred to only as M.L.G. October 23, 2010 – M.L.G. writes via Facebook: 'I love you and want this all even to be the only one within your life and I well Marry you I just do not want problems we can handle this all but we will do it right for all parties. 'You can always reach me as I can you just carefully.' October 25, 2010 Muggli replies: 'In case you forgot, I LOVE YOU.' November 14, 2010 - Muggli receives an email confirmation regarding his registration at the realtystore.com website. November 17, 2010 – Muggli emails Graces Real Estate in Texas: 'Hi, I'm looking for a home in Texas, something could be a fixer, P++++ even. ‘2+ bdrms, in country, few acres. Would like to see what’s available around your area. Please help.' November 19, 2010 – Muggli emails a unidentified individual: ‘Morning sir. I am considering a move to Texas! Thought I'd ask a few folks about property. ‘Would be interested in basic home on a few acres out away from things. Anything like that you know of? May you know someone I could contact? Hope all is well. Getting snow now here. I'm growing into "wuss" from winters.' November 25, 2010 – On the day before Linda Muggli’s death, her husband writes via Facebook to his mistress: 'Friendly reminder.' 'Eveningstar-Bunny-MyWife. 'I love you with all my being. Every move, every though (sic) everything in my life is now for you, US. I want us together to live our lives as we seek. 'With all the Love, Passion, Affection, Emotion that we have. These feeling are directly from my soul. For I am with you. I am yours. 'We are one!' On the same day he emails United Country Real Estate in Texas: 'Hi, I just tried a search on your web site. No results. 'Thought I'd send e-mail. I am looking for a country home on 5 or more acres to rent or lease with option to buy. (my current situation–divorce-will not allow buying) Like a fair home, not fancy. '2+ bed rms. 2 baths garage or outbuildings preferred. Anything you can help me with is appreciated. Happt (sic) Thanksgiving. Carl 218-240-4417.' On November 26 2010 Linda Muggli dies. Two days later on November 28 2010, Muggli wrote to his mistress on Facebook: 'I love you Eveningstar, we'll get through this, I love you, house just got full again, will call soon.' On November 30 at 10am there was a memorial service for Mrs Muggli. But at 2.02pm that day her husband sent M.L.G. a link for property in Palestine, Texas. At 3.30pm that day she replies: ‘Hi Baby, you, U have been nusy (sic), this is good and yes I’ll look, thank U, I'm loving it, all properties good, yes, very good, you well know watch one feel it in your heart, follow your heart as I havebeen doing. 'I love you baby call when can, Hugs and Kisses, holding you tight, I will not let you go, love you my husband.'
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Carl Muggli, 51, pleads guilty to murder charges in death of wife Linda, who was crushed to death by a 17-foot totem pole .
He originally claimed that his Linda's death was accidental .
His story unraveled after cops received tips about 'intimate' Facebook messages to mistress in Alabama .
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Real Madrid have already sent many records tumbling this season - and the campaign has only just reached December. After surpassing a club record of 15 straight victories by beating Malaga 2-1 in November, Carlo Ancelotti's side have since extended the streak to 18 with a 3-0 triumph over Celta Vigo on Saturday. That result was spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo in lethal form with the Portugal captain firing in all three goals to set a La Liga record of 23 hat-tricks. Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) slides in to get a touch on the ball ahead of Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale . But Ronaldo (left centre) still found time to enjoy a joke with his team-mates as they prepared to play Ludogorets in the Champions League . The Real side have already qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League with five wins from five games in Group B . Fabio Coentrao (right centre) laughs next Portuguese compatriot Ronaldo (second right) and Bale (right) Now, Madrid take on Ludogorets in their final Group B match of the Champions League on Tuesday knowing another victory would mean they overtake a Spanish record of consecutive wins set by Frank Rijkaard's Bacelona side in 2005-06. Despite easing to the summit of their group and securing qualification to the knock-out stages after only four games, it appears Ancelotti will not rest his artillery for the final group encounter. Meanwhile, James Rodriguez is a doubt for the Club World Cup after injuring his right leg against Celta Vigo. Madrid said in a statement that the Colombia star 'has been diagnosed with a grade 1 muscle injury' in his right calf. 'Tests showed he has a small injury,' said Ancelotti. 'We don't have much time left before the (Club World Cup) final, but there is a small possibility that he could play the game on December 20.' Ronaldo (left) jogs alongside his team-mate and defender Marcelo in training at the Valdebebas training ground . Goalkeeper Iker Casillas (back centre) stretches before the start of Real training . Real manager Carlo Ancelotti (right) has led his side to 18 straight wins and they are two points clear at the top of the Spanish league . Striker Karim Benzema (second right) and France defender Raphael Varane (right) were also seen preparing for Ludogorets . Bale (centre) takes on Pepe (right) and Nacho Fernandez as the team prepare for their final Champions League group game . Ronaldo (second left) controls the ball as his team-mate try to close him down as part of a training exercise . Toni Kroos warms up before the start of Real training ahead of his side's attempt to reach 19 consecutive wins . Bale (second right) tries to fend off an attempt from Borja Sanchez (second left) to tackle him . Manager Carlo Ancelotti practises his keep-ups while his side step up their preparations for Ludogorets on the training field . VIDEO Having Ronaldo is a bonus after bicentennial goal - Ancelotti . Ronaldo (top centre) dribbles with the ball and tries to take it beyond the sliding challenge of defender Nacho (lower Centre) Jese Rodriguez (left) was also seen in attendance at Real's training session and was pictured warming up alongside Ronaldo (right) Benzema (left) challenges midfielder Kroos (right) for possession of the ball during a training match .
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Real Madrid can pass Barcelona's record of 18 straight wins if they beat Ludogorets on Tuesday .
Carlo Ancelotti's side have already made it through to the last 16 of the Champions League .
Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Iker Casillas all took part in training before the encounter .
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(CNN) -- Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has fought off competition from a clutch of Manchester United players to be named Footballer of the Year in England. Gerrard has proved the driving force for Liverpool this season. The 28-year-old England international topped the poll of journalists ahead of United pair Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney with their teammates Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand rounding out the top five. Gerrard secured 73 votes from a total of 202 with Giggs on 63. The prestigious award has been running since 1948 and been won by some of the greats of the game such as Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore and George Best. The chairman of the football writers' association Steve Bates gave the reasons for his selection. "Steven's performances this season have been of the highest quality," he told Press Association. "His drive and desire have underpinned Liverpool's Premier League title challenge and ensured a tight finish to the season." Gerrard, who was brought up on Merseyside, has been in outstanding form for Liverpool this season in their sustained challenge to Manchester United in the Premier League title race, scoring 15 goals from midfield. His loyalty to his hometown club saw him reject overtures from Chelsea soon after helping Liverpool to their epic Champions League victory over AC Milan in 2005. Gerrard's ultimate ambition in club football is to help the Reds win the English championship for the first time since 1990. He is the first Liverpool player to win the award since John Barnes from that successful side. "I'm delighted but I'm a little bit surprised," the 28-year-old told his club's official Web site. "When you look at the quality of the players there are in this league, it's a great privilege to win this kind of award." Veteran Giggs was named the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year in April and has been in superb form for United in their relentless quest for multiple trophies.
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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is named Footballer of the Year in England .
Manchester United pair Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney are second and third .
Gerrard has scored 23 goals in Liverpool's English title challenge this season .
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By . Cindy Tran For Daily Mail Australia . and Aap . A man has died after plunging from a sixth floor balcony on the NSW Central Coast. Police were called to Crowne Plaza Hotel on Pinetree Lane, Terrigal, after reports of an unconscious man near the pool at 9.30pm on Saturday. The 19-year-old, named as, named as Jarrod Sampson by Nine News, had suffered serious head and internal injuries and was taken to Gosford Hospital by paramedics before being flown to Royal North Short Hospital in Sydney where he later died. It was believed the man fell while celebrating a birthday for one of his parents and was holidaying with a large group of family members, according to Daily Telegraph. Scroll down for video . A man, named Jarrod Sampson, has died after plunging from a sixth floor balcony on the NSW Central Coast . The 19-year-old had suffered serious head and internal injuries but died in hospital . It was believed the man was holidaying with a large group of family members . The man plunged from a sixth floor balcony on the NSW Central Coast . Police said the Blue Mountains local was not staying in the room he fell from . Police Inspector Steve Kentwell said the man hit a hardwood decked area near a swimming pool. He said alcohol and the possibility that the man was attempting to jump in the pool were being looked at as contributing factors and it was unclear exactly how the man fell from the balcony. He was not staying in the room he fell from. He was flown to Royal North Short Hospital in Sydney, where he later died . The 19-year-old man fell while celebrating a birthday for one of his parents . Police say the incident is being treated as a misadventure. Brisbane Water Local Area Command Police have established a crime scene at the hotel, which is being examined by specialist forensic officers. Detectives have commenced inquiries and are speaking with witnesses to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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Police were called to Crowne Plaza hotel after reports of an unconscious man near the pool on Saturday night .
The Blue Mountains man fell while celebrating a birthday for one of his parents .
The 19-year-old, named Jarrod Sampson, had suffered serious head and internal injuries .
He was taken to Gosford Hospital before being flown to Royal North Short Hospital in Sydney, where he later died .
The incident is being treated as a misadventure .
Detectives have commenced inquiries and are speaking with witnesses .
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(CNN) -- Israel pledged to limit the use of munitions containing white phosphorus and make greater efforts to protect civilians during conflicts, in a report this week to the United Nations. The Israeli military was roundly criticized for firing white phosphorus shells over densely populated areas during the Gaza offensive that began in late 2008. White phosphorus ignites and burns, creating white smoke when it is exposed to oxygen. Militaries use it as a smoke screen to protect troops during combat. If it comes in contact with skin, white phosphorus creates an intense and persistent burn. In making the changes, Israel said it had done nothing wrong. "The use of smoke-screening munitions containing phosphorus during the Gaza operation ... was consistent with Israel's obligations under the Law of Armed Conflict," Israel said in the report. Yet, as a result of "the lessons learned" in the aftermath of the Gaza offensive, the report said the Israeli military "is in the process of establishing permanent restrictions on the use of munitions containing white phosphorus in urban areas." In a report entitled "Rain of Fire: Israel's Unlawful Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza" released last year, Human Rights Watch said Israel's firing of white phosphorus shells over densely populated areas during the Gaza offensive "was indiscriminate and is evidence of war crimes." "In Gaza, the Israeli military didn't just use white phosphorus in open areas as a screen for its troops," said Fred Abrahams, a senior emergencies researcher for Human Rights Watch. "It fired white phosphorus repeatedly over densely populated areas, even when its troops weren't in the area and safer smoke shells were available. As a result, civilians needlessly suffered and died." The offensive, called Operation Cast Lead, was launched December 27, 2008 and ended January 17, 2009 with a ceasefire. Of the 1,453 people estimated killed in the conflict, 1,440 were Palestinian, including 431 children and 114 women, a U.N. report said. The 13 Israelis killed included three civilians and six soldiers killed by Hamas, and four soldiers killed by friendly fire, it said.
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White phosphorus is used to create smoke screen for troops .
The element burns when exposed to oxygen and creates an intense burn when it touches the skin .
In promising to limit use of white phosphorus, Israel admitted no wrongdoing .
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By . James Gordon . PUBLISHED: . 09:22 EST, 2 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:58 EST, 2 December 2013 . The Grinch appears to be alive and well in one Californian neighborhood. Residents living in a neighborhood in Orange County are trying to fight off mean-spirited local officials who have demanded they remove their Christmas lights. Trabuco Canyon glistens in the darkness as the street is bound together by a colorful display of interlocking display of Christmas lights that have been hung from house to house. Scroll down for video . Spirit of Christmas: California residents in an Orange County neighborhood say they've been ordered by local officials to take down an interlocking display of Christmas lights that hang from house to house . Community spirit: Around 15-20 homeowners have been told to remove their lights by this Wednesday or face the consequences . Vague: County officials have not explained exactly what 'codes' are being violated and it appears the lights are going to stay put - for now . But Orange County officials have reportedly ordered homeowners in Trabuco Canyon to remove the elaborate display. Some 15-20 homeowners have received a letters from informing the residents that the lights which are anchored on multiple houses and suspended overhead, are an obstruction and a violation of the county code. Jean Pasco from Orange County council explained to MailOnline that the concern was with the lights that had been strung up over the streets and not the individual displays on people's houses. 'The light that hang over the strret could be a hazard. Residents know that they're not supposed to hang lights over a public road. At some point they are dangling dangerously low.' Essentially, officials are worried that the lights are strung up in a flimsy manner and that a storm could potentially bring them down and electrocute someone. Interconnecting: The lights are strung from house to house and create a unique feel to the neighborhood . Lights out: Orange County officials have reportedly ordered homeowners in a Trabuco Canyon neighborhood to remove an elaborate display of Christmas lights . Light fight: The lights are strung from house to house and the country says this is causing an obstruction and is a violation of codes . Bonds: The entire neighborhood come together at holiday time and feel the lights spread the spirit of Christmas around . The intricate display of lights has been a tradition in the neighborhood for at least five years, residents said. 'We’re in violation of a county ordinance that we’re not quite sure of,' said Brian Kopiec to KTLA, who lives in Wagon Wheel. 'When we bought the house, the people that sold it to us told us what a great neighborhood it was, and they actually warned us that this neighborhood goes great at Christmas,' he said. Mr Kopiec says he is unsure if he will take the order to remove the lights seriously. 'I think it’s actually horrible, what they’re doing to us. All the poor kids — they love the lighting display, and it really brings the neighborhood together.' The Christmas crackdown has some saying that Orange County is playing the Grinch to an ongoing ‘War on Christmas.’ Others say the neighbors went several light strings too far in decorating for the holidays. Notice: Brian Kopiec has been given a notice by the county that instructs him to remove his lights by the middle of this week . Lighting-up time: The demand by the county to remove the lights comes three weeks before Christmas Day .
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Orange county neighborhood have a Christmas tradition where the lights are strung from house to house .
Local officials say the lights are an 'obstruction' and a 'violation of code'
Residents ordered to remove lights that stretch across the street by Wednesday .
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(CNN) -- If I had a nickel each time a white guy e-mails or tweets that I have my job because I'm black, I wouldn't need the job, because I'd be rich. This is at the heart of a little talked about secret regarding affirmative action: A lot of black professionals don't like it either. Not because they think the playing field is necessarily leveled, but rather their skills and talents are constantly being slighted by whites who think their jobs were given to them solely because of their race. It's insulting, it's demeaning and there's not a damn thing we can do about it, because as long as race is part of the qualification metric, the perception that the bar was lowered so that we could jump over it will persist. There are voters who think President Obama's success came easy because of affirmative action, overlooking the fact he's brilliant and oh, by the way, he and the first lady were still paying off their student loans 10 years ago. I can tell you from experience, there is nothing "easy" about paying back student loans. Yes, there is an inherent hypocrisy of having such a policy in a post civil-rights world. But it is cynical to think we're a post-racial society just because we have a black president. Should affirmative action still exist? That's not to characterize all that befalls blacks and other minorities as "the man" holding us down, but rather recognizing a freight train doesn't stop the instant the brakes are applied. Racial inequality had been moving full steam ahead for centuries in this country, starting with the attempted genocide of Native Americans. So while our present-day attitudes about race are changed, the byproducts stemming from our past attitudes -- like access to a quality education and the impact of generational poverty -- are still very much at play. Opinion: Keep affirmative action but reform it . Talking about this and other topics related to race doesn't make one a racist. But denying its relevance in everyday life has the potential to hurt everyone. For example, the Florida State Board of Education has recently come under fire because the academic achievement goals it set for minority students appear to be lower than the ones set for white students. By the 2017-18 school year, the board wants to have 88% of white students at or above the grade level benchmark for reading but only 81% of Latinos and 74% of blacks. The reason: the disparity in the current reading level. While 69% of whites reach that mark now, only 53% of Latinos and just 38% of blacks do. That's a problem, not only in terms of students' ability to get into college, but just having a workforce in the state that is literate. So though the percentages of the 2017-18 goals seem biased in favor of whites, the percentage increase seeks to aggressively address a major reading problem plaguing minorities. This isn't racist. This is recognizing that if this racial disparity goes unchecked, it could have debilitating long-term effects on Florida's economy. Some think the word diversity is a euphemism for "anything but white," but I don't. I believe in the diversity of thought, which sometimes can play out racially, but not always. Having people from different geographic locations can introduce different insight and talent to a college campus or workforce, and variations of socioeconomic status bring in diversity as well. But don't be mistaken, race is important. One of the elements of the infamous "47%" video that didn't get talked about a lot was Mitt Romney's joke that if he had Mexican heritage, he'd have "a better shot" at winning the election. That joke was followed by a comment from someone in the crowd who suggested Romney could claim to have some Native American heritage like Elizabeth Warren, to get a leg up. In what socioeconomic metric is there a quantifiable advantage to being Mexican or Native American in this country? The outcry about the push for diversity in the workplace and in college admissions would lead you to believe we're overcompensating for the sins of the past. But look around: Does it really look as if the populations with the highest poverty rate -- blacks, Latinos and Native Americans -- are just cleaning up in the game of life? 5 things to know about affirmative action . True, there are certainly examples of unqualified or incompetent employees being placed in positions they shouldn't be because of flawed decision making from white superiors trying to be compliant with their HR department. However, that's not what affirmative action was designed to do. Take my profession, for example. According to an American Society of News Editors study, minorities make up 12.3% of newspaper staffs and 16.4% of online-only news staffs despite being a third of the general population. Similarly the National Association of Black Journalists released a study last month that found minorities filled 12% of the newsroom managerial positions at 295 stations owned by 19 media conglomerates. So I ask you, if the so-called liberal media struggles to employ diversity that's representative of the people -- and it has affirmative action policies in place -- what makes us think completely removing such initiatives is going to improve the situation? I do not like affirmative action in its current incarnation, and I think a lot of us can agree the flaws need to be addressed. But in this conversation, let's not pretend the reasons why it was created in the first place are no longer around. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.
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LZ Granderson: A lot of black professionals -- like me -- don't like affirmative action .
Why? Because some whites think we got our jobs solely because of our race, he says .
"Some think the word diversity is a euphemism for 'anything but white,' but I don't," he says .
Granderson: The reasons for affirmative action's creation are still with us, so we still need it .
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An Oxford graduate has been jailed for three years in Italy for killing his friend in a 120mph crash while drink-driving. Ryon James Heyn, 26, had sped off from a petrol station without paying shortly before smashing his mother's Mercedes into a truck, killing passenger Stefano Annoni, 35. Pictures of the crash show the car was so badly crumpled, it was barely recognisable. Behind bars: Oxford University graduate Ryon James Heyn has been jailed for three years in Italy for killing his friend in a 120mph crash while drink-driving . Mangled wreck: Heyn, 26, had sped off from a petrol station without paying shortly before smashing his mother's Mercedes (above) into a truck, killing his friend Stefano Annoni . Heyn was jailed for three years and four months for causing the death of his friend after driving over 120mph while under the influence of alcohol and without a proper driving licence. He had been travelling back from Italy to Austria, where he worked, when he stopped at a petrol station near Venice on August 11 this year. But instead of paying for petrol, the pair jumped into the car and sped off. The Mercedes A-class was owned by Heyn's mother and had been taken without permission from his stepfather earlier in the day, the court heard. Heyn was jailed for three years and four months for causing the death of his friend after driving over 120mph while under the influence of alcohol and without a proper driving licence . They had crashed a short while after leaving the petrol station when the car hit a truck. Police were already on the way to arrest the pair after the petrol station manager had raised the alarm. Heyn, who moved to Europe this year and had a home in Lecco, a city in northern Italy, worked for an Austrian company. He was also ordered to pay a fine of 1,400 Euro (£1,108) for drink-driving and refusing a breath test. He was not charged over the theft of petrol after paying compensation to the garage.
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Ryon James Heyn crashed his mother's Mercedes into truck near Venice .
His friend Stefano Annoni, 35, died in horror smash at speeds of 120mph .
Heyn had taken car without permission from his stepfather earlier in day .
He has been jailed for three years and four months by an Italian court .
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Drones have been snooping on people and places from the air for some time, but until now they have largely been unable to reveal aquatic goings on. The HexH2o claims to be a commercial waterproof drone that can land on water so its camera can film what is going on below the waves. The drone’s pilot can control the camera to capture videos of fish or whatever else is living in a sea or lake. Scroll down for video . Revolutionary? The HexH2o claims to be the world’s first commercial waterproof drone that houses a gimbal allowing users to capture footage through its large viewing dome both in the air and underwater (pictured) Engineers at Thailand-based QuadH2O are selling the drone in kit form, as well as in pre-made ‘ready to fly’ form. The drone has six propellers so it’s easily manoeuvrable and has a fibre composite body, making it strong but lightweight. It’s designed to carry the GoPro 3 and 4 camera and has a gimbal to ensure videos are stable when they are shot both above and below water. The 'viewing dome' protecting the camera is made of perspex, while other parts are 3D printed or crafted from carbon. Life below the ocean waves: The drone’s pilot can control the camera to capture videos of fish or whatever else is living in a sea or lake. On the left, the drone is landed on calm water and right, a view is shown from video footage taken from just below the surface of the water . Screwdrivers at the ready! The HexH2o comes in kit form, pictured, and or ready-made. ‘All you need to do it add your chosen flight battery, strap on your GoPro, make a few checks, calibrate your compass and fly,’ the firm said of its more expensive option . Filming: Aerial shots and underwater footage are possible using a gimbal and GoPro3 or 4. Rotors: Six, with fold-able arms. Flight time: Up to 25 minutes. Speed: The drone is fast and agile, to keep up with speed boats and jet skis. Weight: 10.4 lbs (4.7kg) when fully loaded. It's been designed to be a sealed, water-tight unit, with the exception of two 'breather tubes' which allow the barometer to measure outside air pressure. The makers say: ‘You can land and take off from water and even manoeuvre on the water allowing you to capture amazing “underwater” footage before flying away.’ Flight time depends on flight conditions, as well as how the components are set up, but the drone can fly or 'swim' for up to 25 minutes. Fully loaded, the drone weighs 10.4 lbs (4.7kg) and can be controlled using a DJI Naza, which is the most popular flight controller for multirotor drones. The HexH2o pre-order costs were listed at $895 (£588) in kit form and $979 (£644) ready-made, but retail prices will be released next week. ‘All you need to do it add your chosen flight battery, strap on your GoPro, make a few checks, calibrate your compass and fly,’ the firm said of its more expensive option. Fully loaded, the drone (pictured) weighs 10.4 lbs (4.7kg) and can be controlled using a DJI Naza, which is the most popular flight controller for multirotor drones .
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HexH2o claims to be a commercial waterproof drone .
It can take-off and land on calm water to film below the waterline .
Drone's pilot can control a GoPro camera to capture images of fish .
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(CNN) -- There wasn't a cloud in the sky early Friday when Dave Samuels trained his telescopes at the moon, hoping to catch a glimpse of a NASA rocket striking the lunar landscape. The moon, shown shortly before NASA's rockets hit on Friday morning. "We saw nothing," he said. Samuels is vice president of the Fremont Peak Observatory near Monterey, California, which had invited members of the public to watch Friday's NASA mission through its telescopes. The lunar strike happened shortly after 4:30 a.m. on the West Coast (7:30 a.m. ET). NASA had encouraged everyone around the country to host "impact parties," saying the plume of dust generated by the lunar impact would be visible through "mid-sized backyard" telescopes 10 inches or larger. It said the chances of seeing the plume were greater for people living in areas that were still dark. The space agency even posted an interactive map on its Web site so people could find "a public event near you." NASA officials had said the impact of the Centaur upper-stage rocket would result in plumes of dust of more than 250 metric tons. After it hit, the debris was analyzed by a satellite -- launched along with the rocket -- that traveled through the dust cloud before its own impact on the moon. The goal of the $79 million mission was to determine whether there is water on the moon. After the impact, NASA officials called the mission a success, saying the satellite sent back a good amount of data that now will be analyzed. Jennifer Stracener of Vilonia, Arkansas, said she got up early to watch NASA's live telecast of the impact. She was disappointed, and posted her reaction on CNN's iReport.com. "These was no plume, no nothing," she said by phone. "It just kind of blacked out." She said the telecast did not show the rocket's impact clearly. "I was looking for some action -- something happening," she said. "I think a lot of people were, because they [NASA] hyped it up, you know. ... No one saw anything." Stracener woke up her husband and two children to see the lunar crash. She said she wishes she hadn't. Darrick Gray, a high school science teacher near Kansas City, Missouri, had planned to take some of his students to the nearby Powell Observatory to watch the lunar impact through their telescopes -- but they decided to skip the field trip because of bad weather. "This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Gray had said beforehand. Gray -- who is also the director of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City -- said he had hoped the mission would influence his students to think about pursuing careers in science. "Being as we do live here in Missouri, we're away from the hub [of astronomy]," he explained. "We're not in Florida, we're not in Texas, we're not in Silicon Valley -- it's not something they're used to seeing. "So any time you can show them something that's never been done, and they say, 'Oh this is pretty cool,' I think they buy into that." NASA held an all-night party at Ames Research Center -- located just outside San Francisco -- which was directing the mission. There were movies, music, food and guest speakers, and it culminated with a live transmission of the lunar impact. "I would have loved to see, you know, huge amounts of dust flying up and ejecta, but we didn't," said Liza Coe, who attended the Ames event. "I thought it was so neat being able to see just as we got closer and closer to the moon and realizing that that was really happening right now. "It wasn't just a picture of the moon that somebody was putting up." Back at Fremont Peak Observatory, even though most of the 50 people who attended the "impact party" were disappointed, they were good sports about the "failure," Samuels said. Even Samuels, who has been an astronomer since he was 15 years old, said he got a lot out of the viewing party -- which he said was standing-room only. "I don't look at the moon so much because it's always there ... so I got to know the moon's craters better," he said. "And I think the people that attended, some of them that were disappointed, [still] felt like it was worth coming and being part of something that was going on." He said he hopes the event generates more support for the observatory, which is run by volunteers. It is located in Fremont Peak State Park, which is on a list of state parks that could close because of California's recent budget cuts. "We're trying to promote interest in the peak and every single person that came was part of that," he said. "They all learned something." Fremont Peak Observatory has a 30-inch telescope that Samuels described as "the most accessible public telescope in the [San Francisco] Bay area." He said he hoped that the reason they didn't see a plume from the rocket impact wasn't because of "another case where somebody forgot to carry the one" -- a reference to incorrect mathematical computation, which was blamed for the failure of the Mars Surveyor Climate Orbiter mission to Mars in 1999. He suggested that next time, NASA might want to be "a little more careful suggesting people should get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning and haul their kids out there." CNN's John D. Sutter contributed to this report.
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NASA crashes rockets into the moon on Friday to test for lunar water .
The space agency touts the event as an opportunity for amateur astronomers .
Many say the event was a dud; a woman says she saw nothing on NASA TV .
Man says NASA should be more careful before asking people to wake at 4:30 a.m.
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(CNN) -- A New Jersey mother is under arrest, accused of keeping her 10-year-old son chained to a radiator in her bedroom for the past two weeks. Florence Pollard, 31, and her boyfriend, Brian Craig, 29, were arrested Monday and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and criminal restraint, the Camden County Police Department said. Police say the boy managed to escape from the home Monday afternoon. He was spotted by a neighbor, who alerted authorities. When police arrived, the child told them that he was chained in his mother's bedroom day and night as punishment and that he had to sleep uncovered on the floor. He also said that his hands were occasionally restrained by plastic zip ties. Hate crimes alleged in holding of captives in Philly boiler room . "This level of depravity inflicted upon a child is chilling," Chief J. Scott Thomson said in a statement. "We're just thankful that the child had an opportunity to escape and report what has been going on so we could arrest this couple and put a stop to their cruelty." Girl, 3, starved to death; parents charged . The boy and his five siblings -- two sisters and three brothers ranging in age from 11 to 7 months -- were taken into custody by the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency. Pollard and Craig -- who is the father of the 7-month-old -- were remanded to the county jail on $50,000 bond. Authorities are continuing to investigate in Camden County, which is across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. Seattle couple charged with kidnapping, torture of husband's 13-year-old brother .
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Florence Pollard, 31, and her boyfriend, Brian Craig, 29, have been arrested in New Jersey .
She's accused of chaining her son, 10, to her bedroom radiator for past two weeks .
Camden County Police chief: "This level of depravity inflicted upon a child is chilling."
Pollard and Craig remain in jail; she has five other children .
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Former prime minister Gordon Brown last night invoked the memory of his late baby daughter to ‘nail the SNP lie’ that Scotland's health service is at risk of privatisation. Mr Brown was close to tears as he made the personal plea, accusing Alex Salmond of misleading people over the issue, which he described as a ‘Trojan horse’ in the independence referendum debate. The SNP has repeatedly argued that the only way to save the health service from privatisation in Scotland is a Yes vote. Scroll down for video . Emotional: Gordon Brown spoke from the heart as he launched a passionate defence of the NHS . Gordon Brown, his wife Sarah and their children John (left) and Fraser (right), leave Downing Street after he announced his resignation as Prime Minister in 2010 . Addressing activists in Glasgow, Mr Brown's voice wavered slightly as he spoke about his baby daughter Jennifer Jane, who died from a brain haemorrhage in 2002. Mr Brown rarely speaks publicly about his family and is fiercely protective about any of his children appearing in public. The speech yesterday marks Mr Brown's de-facto takeover of the 'No' campaign from his former Chancellor Alistair Darling. Anti-independence campaigners hope the former Prime Minister's continuing respect in Scotland could help convince wavering voters to urge on the side of caution and reject independence. Mr Brown's vitriolic clashes with David Cameron in the run up to the 2010 general election may also help to neutralise the SNP claim that a 'No' vote is a tick in the box for the Tories. As well as invoking the memory of his late daughter, Mr Brown also spoke about how his sight was saved after a rugby accident left him blind in one eye at the age of 16. The Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP said: ‘I love Scotland, I love the NHS. I was born into the NHS, I grew up in the NHS, my family grew up in the NHS. ‘When I lost the sight of my eye and faced the prospect of going blind, my sight was saved by the NHS. ‘When my daughter died it was as the result of not being able, not being able, to do anything to save her life and my respect for the NHS grew as a result of the experience that Sarah and I had. ‘Do you think that I or anybody else who cares about the NHS would stand by and do nothing if we thought the NHS was going to be privatised in Scotland and its funds were going to be cut? Would we stand back and do nothing without a fight? Of course not. ‘We created the NHS, we, not the SNP, built the NHS, we cherished the NHS, in Government we took the pain of a tax rise to double the budget of the NHS. ‘The only people who could put the Scottish Parliament and the health service in Scotland at risk is the SNP, not the Labour Party.’ Mr Brown outlined his plan on devolving more powers to the Scottish parliament at Scottish Labour's Glasgow HQ . Mr Brown, who will speak at 40 events in the days leading up to the referendum on September 18, said it is time to ‘nail the SNP lie’. He said: ‘The NHS cannot be privatised if that's not the will of the Scottish people and the Scottish health service will have the funding that's necessary if that's also the will of the Scottish people. ‘Our proposals for a Scottish Parliament with more powers enhance the prospect for that funding over the next few years, without the disruption, the chaos and uncertainty and the loss that will occur if we break from the United Kingdom.’ The leaders of the three main pro-union parties have come together to pledge more powers for Scotland if it rejects independence. Mr Brown, who set out a proposed timetable for greater autonomy for Holyrood yesterday, said these additional powers would bring ‘faster, fairer, safer and better’ change. The Brown's ten-day-old daughter died in her parents arms three days after suffering a brain haemorrhage. The funeral (pictured) took place at St Bryce Kirk in Kirkcaldy, Scotland on January 11, 2002 . He said: ‘The choice on September 18th is really between two different kinds of change. ‘The change sought by the nationalists - breaking all constitutional connections with our friends, neighbours and family in the rest of the UK - places the dogma of independence over the needs and interests of the Scottish people. ‘But the proposals supported by the pro-devolution parties offer faster change, fairer change, safer change and better change. It is the change that most of us want and change that brings Scotland together. ‘We have now answered the question that the people of Scotland had for us about the certainty of change within the UK. Now it is time for Alex Salmond to answer the huge questions people have about independence.’
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Mr Brown's voice cracked as he spoke about his late baby daughter .
Jennifer, the former PM's first child, died from a brain haemorrhage in 2002 .
SNP claims only way to save Scottish NHS from privatisation is a Yes vote .
Mr Brown said the SNP were the only danger to the NHS, not Westminster .
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By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 12:01 EST, 6 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:14 EST, 6 August 2013 . A little girl has been banned from running around with her friends because a bang to her body could kill her. Simply by tripping and falling to the floor, Lauren Cooper could trigger a huge cyst around her neck to balloon, putting pressure on her internal organs and blocking her airway. The eight-year-old was born with a cystic hygroma - a huge cyst on the side of her face, neck and chest. Lauren Cooper, eight, was born with a cystic hygroma - a huge cyst on the side of her face, neck and chest. It was so big that it forced her tongue out of her mouth . The cyst was so big that it took up the space where her tongue should be, meaning that it could not fit inside her mouth. Although the growth was removed when Lauren was a baby, part of the cyst remains and can balloon and become infected if it is aggravated. Lauren’s mother, Sara Cooper, 40, said: ‘If Lauren has a knock or bang, it can cause swelling which may block her airway. ‘Anything where she might get hit or fall over she can’t do so she cannot play sports and has to constantly be aware of things around her. ‘Even eating peppers or chillies can trigger an attack and it causes her immense pain.’ A cystic hygroma is a collection of fluid-filled sacs, known as cysts, that result from a malformation in the lymphatic system. Every time Lauren's cyst is aggravated, her parents have to take her to hospital for a scan and it can take her up to eight weeks to recover. She is pictured during treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital . Simply by tripping and falling over, Lauren could trigger the huge cyst around her neck to balloon, putting pressure on her internal organs and blocking her airway . A cystic hygroma, as suffered by Lauren, is a collection of fluid-filled sacs, known as cysts, that result from a malformation in the lymphatic system. They most commonly occur on the neck and under the armpits . A cystic hygroma is a collection of fluid-filled sacs, known as cysts, that result from a malformation in the lymphatic system. The lumps can develop anywhere in the body but are most commonly found in the neck and armpits. They form when the lymph vessels fail to develop properly during the first few weeks of pregnancy. The cysts are particularly problematic if they fill with fluid, or if they become infected. They are often surgically removed but can come back after treatment. The lumps can develop anywhere in the body but are most commonly found in the neck and armpits. They form when the lymph vessels fail to form properly during the first few weeks of pregnancy. The cysts are particularly problematic if they fill with fluid or if they become infected. They are often surgically removed but can come back after treatment. Lauren was just 18-months-old when . she underwent major surgery to remove the enormous cyst, which stretched . from her cheekbone down to her chest. The operation involved making an incision right around her neck before pulling the skin back. Lauren (pictured with her mother, Sara Cooper) had most of the cyst removed when she was a baby but some still remains and can cause problems . Her father, Steven Cooper, 42, said: ‘It was a very tough time for us. ‘One of the main risks of the operation was paralysis but there was never really an option. Lauren (pictured with her parents Sara and Steven, and her sister, Jessica) could have been paralysed by the surgery to remove the cyst when she was a toddler . Lauren (pictured with her sister, Jessica, six) had to have further surgery to have her tongue reconstructed because it was still too swollen to fit inside her mouth properly . ‘The cyst affected everything and it was very uncomfortable for her. ‘It leaked fluid and blood through the night and her dressings would constantly need to be changed.’ After regular treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, Lauren was finally allowed back home to Bolton, Greater Manchester. Lauren now faces a daily battle to fight the condition, in the hope that further cysts won't develop . However, her tongue was so swollen that she could not keep it in her mouth and so she required a further operation to reconstruct it. Lauren now faces a daily battle to fight the condition, in the hope that further cysts won’t develop. Her mother said: ‘If she has a bang or gets an infection and we suspect she has a relapse, we have to take her into hospital and wait for a scan. ‘It can take her around eight weeks to recover, and we have to keep going back to monitor her.’
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Lauren Cooper was born with a cystic hygroma - a huge cyst on her face .
Extended from her cheekbone to her chest and caused her tongue to swell .
She had most of the cyst removed when she was 18-months-old .
The remaining part can swell and become infected if aggravated .
If this happens, it can put pressure on her internal organs .
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(CNN)President Barack Obama will renew his push for paid sick days and paid family leave for the millions of American workers who don't have either during a visit to Baltimore on Thursday, according to Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to the President. Jarrett, who used an unconventional outlet to outline Obama's expected announcements -- in a blog for LinkedIn -- said the President will call on Congress to pass the Healthy Families Act, which would allow millions of Americans to earn up to seven days per year of paid sick time. Obama pushes for universal broadband access . "How many Americans have to show up to work when battling an illness even when they know they won't be at their best, it will lengthen their recovery time, and they may likely spread their sickness to others?" wrote Jarrett. "The last thing we should do is add guilt, fear, and financial hardship on working parents as they try to do what's right -- while keeping their job," she added. More than 40% of private sector workers in the U.S. currently don't get paid sick days, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. During a lunch with a group of women in Baltimore, the President will also call on cities and states to pass similar laws at the local level. In 2006, San Francisco became the first city in the nation to guarantee access to earned sick days, and in 2011, Connecticut became the first state to mandate the benefit, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. In the November election, the National Partnership for Women and Families said voters approved paid sick leave ballot measures in Massachusetts, Oakland, California and Montclair and Trenton, New Jersey. Can Obama's community college plan get through Congress? The President will also announce programs to help cities and states provide paid leave to American workers. Currently, under the Family and Medical Leave Act, workers are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave for specific family and medical reasons, such as the birth of a child or caring for an ill parent. Many employers, including the federal government, do not pay for that leave. In his 2015 budget, the President will propose $2.2 billion to reimburse up to five states for three years for their costs associated with implementing a paid leave policy, $35 million in grants to states and $1 million through the Labor Department for feasibility studies around providing paid leave programs, Jarrett told CNN. Last year, the President's budget included $500,000 for feasibility studies, which three states and the District of Columbia used to help craft what will become paid leave programs, she added. At the federal level, the President will also sign a presidential memorandum directing his agencies to allow federal employees to have access to at least six weeks of paid leave when a new child arrives or to care for ill family members, and propose that Congress offer six weeks of paid administrative leave as well, said Jarrett. The push for paid sick days and paid leave stems, in part, from last year's first-ever White House Summit on Working Families, said Jarrett. "The conversation we had that day was only the beginning. It has carried on in the months since then around the country and the President has continued to take action to make progress for families," she said. Jarrett also wrote directly about why the White House chose LinkedIn to reveal the news about the President's push for paid sick and family leave, saying the social networking site was in "the best position to drive change." "This is the world's largest online audience of professionals. And if you're an employer, the folks who are coming to your company's pages will be looking to see if you offer precisely these sorts of policies on your books," wrote Jarrett. "Keep in mind that nearly 1-in-2 working parents has turned down a job because it would not work for their family. Don't let your job be one of those," she said. Opinion: Leisure is the new productivity .
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President Obama to call on Congress to pass paid sick leave for workers .
The President will also announce programs to help cities and states provide paid family leave .
The White House chose LinkedIn to unveil the President's plans .
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By . Claire Ellicott . PUBLISHED: . 04:31 EST, 31 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:45 EST, 1 September 2013 . Winner: Gold medal winner Laura Trott says car drivers aren't always to blame for cyclists being knocked down . In the notoriously vicious car versus cycle debate, you might expect Olympic gold medal winner Laura Trott to be firmly on the side of her fellow pedallers. But the London 2012 star has actually hit out at rogue members of her cycling tribe, saying that they jump lights and weave dangerously through traffic. The double gold medal winner also said that accidents were ‘not always the car’s fault’ and insisted that laws should be brought in to make safety helmets compulsory. She told how her sister, also a professional cyclist, had been knocked off her bike but survived because she was wearing a helmet. Miss Trott, 21, from Essex, said: ‘Cyclists wonder why they get a bad name. I see cyclists jumping in and out of the buses and people wonder why they get hit. ‘It’s not always the car’s fault. Cyclists need to help themselves and should not jump red lights. I would ride in London but I certainly wouldn’t ride like that, you just have to be careful. ‘I can understand going down the outside of traffic but you should obey the rules of the road because we’re all road users.’ Cyclist deaths are at a five-year high nationwide, with 122 people killed last year and more than 3,200 seriously injured in road accidents. The cyclist- who won gold in the Omnium and team pursuit events in the velodrome at the Olympics - said that helmets should be compulsory for cyclists. Warning: Miss Trott says it should be compulsory for cyclists to wear helmets . Life-saver: Laura Trott revealed said a helmet stopped her sister from suffering serious injuries when she was hit by a car in Belgium . She said that the lesson had been drummed into her from a young age by her parents and her sister’s experiences had only proved these lessons right. In 2010, her sister Emma, 23, broke her collarbone and suffered a concussion that was so bad she ‘barely knew who she was’ when a car hit five British cyclists in Belgium. Miss Trott, the chief cycling ambassador for the London Mayor Boris Johnson, believes that her sister’s life was saved by the helmet she wore. She said: ‘When I was 11 I didn’t want to look uncool but my parents wouldn’t let me out unless I was wearing it. ‘I think it should be a legal . requirement to wear a helmet. So many lives have been saved by them and . it saved my sister’s life. She got hit by a car and cut her head open. ‘When . Emma called from hospital she barely even knew who she was, so if she . wasn’t wearing a helmet now, she wouldn’t be here today. ‘For me, putting my helmet on now is a habit and I’ll wear it even if I’m going to the shop for a pint of milk.’ Debate: Cyclists weaving in and out of traffic and jumping red lights are a danger, Miss Trott said . Help themselves: Cyclists need to obey the rules of the road to be safe, the Olympic gold medal winner added . She joins Sir Bradley Wiggins, the four-time Olympic gold medallist and first Briton to win the Tour de France, in calling for helmets to be made compulsory. He previously said: ‘I think certain laws for cyclists need to be passed to protect us more than anything. ‘Making helmets compulsory on the roads, making it illegal to maybe have an iPod in while you’re riding a bike, just little things like that would make a huge difference.’ Miss Trott also hailed a new £913million cycling fund to create a cycle superhighway and bike-friendly paths on accident blackspots in London. She said: ‘It shows we’re becoming a cycling nation and the scheme is needed now. If you don’t do it then London’s roads are going to be filled with cyclists. We need more bike lanes in central London.’
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London 2012 star says accidents 'aren't always the cars fault'
Believes law making helmets compulsory should be brought in .
Reveals how her sister's life was saved by wearing one .
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By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 09:25 EST, 30 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:34 EST, 30 January 2014 . Our teenage years are among the most awkward and self-conscious of our lives, and now scientists may have discovered why. Researchers from Harvard used MRI scans to establish that feelings of embarrassment, awkwardness, and self-awareness are linked to a specific brain response that develops, and peaks, during adolescence. This region directly connects to the part of the brain that influences actions and behaviours, and could also explain why teenagers are so strongly influenced by peer pressure. Researchers from Harvard used MRI scans to establish that feelings of embarrassment, awkwardness, and self-awareness are linked to a specific brain response that develops, and peaks, during adolescence, stock image of teenagers pictured. This explains why adolescent years can be so difficult . Teenagers are more likely to take risks and are naturally inclined to heightened aggression, casual sex and binge-drinking, according to an American study. The report, carried out by psychologist Laurence Steinberg, of Temple University in Philadelphia, supports other research which describes adolescent behaviour as a way for teenagers to cope in a harsh environment. Professor Steinberg: 'Heightened risk-taking during adolescence is likely to be normal, biologically-driven, and, to some extent, inevitable. There is probably very little we can or ought to do.' The researchers made the discovery while studying the affect social evaluation has on brain activity and emotions. Social evaluation is the process of evaluating people based on how they look, act and so on, and being aware of how others evaluate you. Researchers claim that regions of the brain that develop later in life, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), could play a unique role in the way teens, in particular, monitor this type of social evaluation. Specifically, the researchers wanted to discover whether something as simple as being watched, or looked at, played a role in social evaluation among young people. They were also particularly interested to see how the MPFC area of the brain in adolescents connected to the striatum - an area of the brain involved with controlling behaviours and action. The study involved 69 participants, ranging in age from eight to almost 22 years old. Each participant was asked to complete tests that gauged emotional, physiological, and neural responses to social evaluation. The brain region that affects these emotions directly connects to the part of the brain that influences actions and behaviours. Researchers claim this could also explain why teenagers are influenced by peer pressure and rely so heavily on social evaluation and approval from their friends, stock image of teenagers pictured . Researchers told the participants they would be testing a new video camera embedded in to the head coil of a functional MRI scanner, however the camera wasn’t real. The participants watched a screen that told them whether the camera was on, off, or warming up. Researchers used MRI scans, stock image pictured, claim that regions of the brain that develop later in life, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), could play a unique role in social evaluation . They were also told that a same-sex peer of approximately the same age would be watching them via a video feed. The MRI scans revealed that when adolescents thought they were being watched, there was an increase in activity between the MPFC and striatum. Adolescents also reported a heightened state of embarrassment and physiological arousal when asked to self-evaluate how the experiment made them feel. Leah Somerville, lead researcher and assistant professor of psychology at the university, said: ‘Our study identifies adolescence as a unique period of the lifespan in which self-conscious emotion, physiological reactivity, and activity in specific brain areas converge and peak in response to being evaluated by others. ‘We were concerned about whether simply being looked at was a strong enough ‘social evaluation’ to evoke emotional, physiological and neural responses. ‘Our findings suggest that being watched, and to some extent anticipating being watched, were sufficient to elicit self-conscious emotional responses at each level of measurement.’ The findings were published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Professor Somerville and colleagues speculated that the MPFC-striatum pathway may be a route by which social evaluative contexts influence behaviour. The link may provide an initial clue as to why teenagers often engage in riskier behaviours when they’re with their peers.
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Researchers assessed the impact social evaluation has on the brain .
Social evaluation is the process of evaluating people based on set criteria .
Study tracked brain activity when people thought they were being watched .
Activity in the brain was increased and peaked among adolescents .
Researchers believe this heightened level of self-awareness causes the increased feelings of embarrassment and awkwardness in teens .
It could also explain why young people are more affected by peer pressure .
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(CNN) -- As the death toll from Syria's almost year-long uprising continues to climb, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem vowed to defend his country's "independence." "We are not happy to see brothers killing each other. But this is our country. But we will defend our sovereignty and independence," he told reporters. The minister said no one is dying in Syria because of hunger or sickness and that despite the "economic international boycott," his government is providing all necessary services. "Do you think there is a government in this world ... (that cares) about Syrian people welfare more than the Syrian government? I don't see this logic," Moallem said. As day broke on Tuesday, four people were killed across Syria, opposition activists said. At least 144 people were reported killed Monday, including 64 who died in a "horrifying massacre" at a checkpoint in Homs province. Those killed at a checkpoint in the Abel area were attempting to flee shelling in the Baba Amr neighborhood in the city of Homs, said the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of opposition activists. "Reports said security members and thugs kidnapped the women among them," the network said in a statement. Residents found 47 corpses in one area and 17 in a second one, it said. A total of 68 corpses were found in the area, in farmland in western Homs province, said the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, apparently referencing the same incident. The bodies were found after an injured survivor reported the attack, the group said. All the bodies had been either shot or stabbed. In all, 104 people were killed Monday in Homs, an opposition stronghold, according to the LCC. They included four defected soldiers, three woman and three children. The deaths came on a day when Syrian officials announced that the nation's new draft constitution received approval and the European Union imposed new sanctions on the country amid ongoing clashes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said earlier explosions rocked Homs and shelling was occurring in Baba Amr. Twenty people were wounded when a large shell struck an anti-government gathering in Homs, the group said. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar announced that 89.4% of voters approved the draft constitution, and 57.4% of eligible voters cast ballots. President Bashar al-Assad's regime has touted the constitutional referendum as a move toward reform. Syria announced the referendum amid intense international cries to stop the bloodshed and open its regime to change. But analysts and protesters widely describe the effort as a farce, a superficial attempt to pacify al-Assad's critics. "We dismiss it as absolutely cynical. ... Essentially, what he's done here is put a piece of paper that he controls to a vote that he controls so that he can try and maintain control," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said of the referendum and al-Assad. She cited the ongoing violence in such cities as Homs and Hama and asked: "How could you possibly have any kind of a democratic process in conditions like that?" Aid efforts were under way in the midst of the violence. The Syrian Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross entered the province of Hama on Monday to provide aid to civilians, said Simon Schorno, spokesman for the Red Cross. A one-month supply of food, along with blankets and hygiene kits, were distributed to 12,000 people, he said. Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, the Red Cross' head of operations for the Middle East, said a handful of aid workers were also able to go into Baba Amr. "There were four ambulances that entered Baba Amr, belonging to the Syrian Red Crescent. They were loaded with medical goods. They indeed were not able to evacuate the two foreign journalists. I don't have the reasons why. They could evacuate an elderly woman, a pregnant woman with her husband," she said. The two journalists Megevand-Roggo was referencing were British photographer Paul Conroy and French reporter Edith Bouvier. Both were wounded in shelling. Red Cross spokesman Hicham Hassan said aid workers were also not able Monday to recover and evacuate the bodies of two journalists killed in Baba Amr last week. Marie Colvin, an American journalist who worked for London's Sunday Times, was killed in a shelling attack, along with French journalist Remi Ochlik. Colvin's mother, Rosemarie, said Sunday that aid workers have been trying for days to remove her daughter's body. CNN and other media outlets cannot independently verify opposition or government reports because Syria has severely limited access to the country by foreign journalists. But the vast majority of reports from the ground indicate that government forces are massacring citizens in an attempt to wipe out civilians seeking al-Assad's ouster. No attempts at getting al-Assad to stop his regime's crackdown on dissidents have stopped the onslaught. The Council of the European Union agreed Monday on new sanctions regarding Syria after foreign ministers met in Brussels, Belgium, said spokeswoman Susanne Kiefer. Seven ministers of the al-Assad regime will have their EU assets frozen and will be denied entry into the EU, Kiefer said. In addition, assets of the Syrian Central Bank in the EU will be frozen. Legitimate trade will be allowed to continue, she said, but must be authorized first. "Today's decisions will put further pressure on those who are responsible for the ruthless campaign of repression in Syria," Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, said in a statement. "The measures target the regime and its ability to conduct the appalling violence against civilians. As long as the repression continues, the EU will keep imposing sanctions." Elsewhere in Syria on Monday, two people were killed and eight wounded by government shelling on the village of Sarmeen in Idlib province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The shelling began Sunday night, and Syrian troops have entered Sarmeen, said Abu Mustafa al-Sayed, a Syrian opposition and community leader in the town of Binnish, also in Idlib province. The Syrian army has Sarmeen surrounded, and communications with the residents have been cut off, he said. And in Damascus, security forces fired on mourners at a funeral, according to the Local Coordination Committees. Clashes were also occurring in Deir Ezzor, the group said, and 14 students were arrested during a protest at Aleppo University. The opposition network estimates that 9,000 people have been killed since the government launched its crackdown in March. The Syrian government says that more than 2,000 members of its security forces have been killed by "terrorists" during that same period. Asked Monday whether Syria would be referred to the International Criminal Court, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said, "I hope the international community reflects on the conditions of referral. ... It's a difficult issue. Syria is not a participating state, so it's up to the Security Council to address this question. They must therefore continue to gather the elements that would permit an eventual referral." CNN's Jo Shelley, Per Nyberg, Salma Abdelaziz, Jack Maddox, Hamdi Alkshali and Kareem Khadder and journalist Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report.
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NEW: "We will defend our sovereignty and independence," Foreign Minister Moallem says .
NEW: Four people are killed Tuesday, an opposition network says .
Aid workers not able to evacuate wounded and killed journalists in Baba Amr .
U.S. State Department spokeswoman constitutional referendum as "cynical"
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Terror chiefs have instructed militants to target oil tankers passing through the Gibraltar Strait on their way to the west in a bid to wreak havoc on the economy, experts claim. Jihadis have been told to sabotage the journey of thousands of tankers either with explosives or by hijacking cargo ships and run them aground. The plans were revealed in a new al-Qaeda magazine, Resurgence, which also described British oil workers in the Middle East as at risk. Terrorists are reportedly planning to target oil tankers and cargo ships passing through the Gibraltar Strait used by thousands of maritime vessels every year (file image) More than 100,000 ships pass through the Straight between Morocco and Europe every year including an estimated 5,000 oil tankers headed for the West. 'This is not the first time threats have been made to target merchant ships passing through the Strait, a Gibraltar government source told the Sunday Express. Alongside threats to the Rock of Gibraltar, al-Qaeda chiefs will instruct fighters to sabotage tankers at the Strait of Hormuz, between Oman and Iran, and in parts of Egypt. While always a fragile operation, the transportation of oil overseas has become increasingly threatened by terrorists in recent years. The Gibraltar Strait is responsible for the transporting of thousands of gallons of oil to the West . Following the atrocities of September 11, NATO launched Operation Active Endeavour as part of its anti-terrorism mandates. It is not the first time al-Qaeda, whose leader Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces in 2011, has attempted to target oil tankers . Thousands of NATO ships patrol the Gibraltar Strait as well as other 'choke' points in contributing countries to thwart terrorist activity. A statement on the Treaty's website said: 'Keeping the Mediterranean’s busy trade routes open and safe is critical to NATO’s security. 'In terms of energy alone, some 65 per cent of the oil and natural gas consumed in Western Europe pass through the Mediterranean each year, with major pipelines connecting Libya to Italy and Morocco to Spain. 'For this reason, NATO ships are systematically carrying out preparatory route surveys in “choke” points as well as in important passages and harbours throughout the Mediterranean.' Last year Yemeni authorities claimed to have foiled an elaborate plot by the terrorist group to take control of its ports and of the al-Dhaba oil terminal. It came after a suspected US drone killed seven militants in the country last August. Part of their plan reportedly involved jihadis dressing up in Yemeni army uniforms to infiltrate the Canadian-owned al-Dhaba oil terminal, responsible for a significant portion of the country's oil exports. They were also rumoured to have planned to blow up oil pipelines.
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al-Qaeda chiefs have reportedly instructed militants to target Gibraltar Strait .
Thousands of gallons of oil pass through Mediterranean waters every year .
Plot involves blowing up tankers with explosives or running aground cargo .
NATO ships patrol the Strait responsible for 65 per cent of West's oil .
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Islamabad (CNN) -- Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf is back in Pakistan after years of self-imposed exile and is facing a hard time from courts in Pakistan amid a range of charges, including claims he illegally placed senior judges under house arrest during a period of emergency rule he imposed in 2007. Likely to add to his charge sheet, Musharraf recently gave an interview to CNN's Nic Robertson when he admitted that he had given the U.S. permission on a "very few" occasions to strike targets within Pakistan. Musharraf, an army general who overthrew a democratically elected government during a 1999 coup, had previously remained silent about the strikes Washington carried out under his tenure. But Musharraf left power in 2008, so why has he waited until now to speak? One obvious reason is sheer self-interest. Musharraf returned to Pakistan last month after five years of self-imposed exile in London and Dubai. He did so under the false belief that he might still be popular among the people and that he might be able to reclaim power in the upcoming elections. But upon his arrival he found only hostility. Pakistanis may not be happy with the way the country is being run now, but most don't want to see the return of a dictator who brokered secret deals that resulted in the deaths of so many innocent Pakistanis. Open hostility is not all Musharraf has faced, though. The Supreme Court has ordered Musharraf to appear before them on charges of treason, a crime punishable by death in Pakistan. Several lower courts are also considering murder charges against Musharraf for his role in several killings, including that of several seminary students at Islamabad's Red Mosque during a confrontation with security forces in 2007. The Supreme Court has banned Musharraf from leaving the country and his name has been placed on an exit control list. He is currently under house arrest at his ranch compound outside the capital. Musharraf himself believes the claims are politically motivated. It is, therefore, no surprise that Musharraf has chosen now to speak out about U.S. drone strikes. If he can appease the Americans again, perhaps the U.S. administration will once again ride to his rescue. He has given President Barack Obama's administration a much-needed headline of Pakistani support for U.S. drone strikes. But the headline itself is misleading. First, Musharraf's statement involved only a limited number of strikes, those conducted during the administration of President George W. Bush. His consent does not extend beyond those strikes to cover those carried out under Obama, when the intensity of drone strikes escalated dramatically to form the bulk of all drone strikes. Of the 367 drone strikes, only 52 were carried out before President Obama came into office, according to the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ). Under the Obama administration, Pakistan's parliament, in two different sessions, has declared the strikes both illegal and counter-productive. Unlike under Musharraf, the current parliament is democratically elected and speaks with the authority of the constitution behind it. There are also serious questions about whether Musharraf's consent was even valid for the few he supposedly approved. Any consent would have to comply with Pakistan's constitutional laws. The High Court in the Pakistani city of Peshawar considered this question recently. During his oral arguments, the Chief Justice made it clear that the Pakistani constitution protects its citizens' right to life and that no political leader can consent to an abrogation of that right without due process. The reality is drones -- with or without consent -- are a seductive option for the leader of the free world. It is good politics to keep America "safe" by engaging in a war that only lines up body bags on the other side. In this war, the human losses that normally bring an end to war -- like those in Vietnam -- don't exist. Even more seductive is the ability to wage war without oversight. For years, the CIA has refused to tell anyone who it may be killing. We're supposed to have faith in the CIA's good nature and their claims that they are only killing bad guys. In fact the claim drone strikes are killing only al Qaeda simply is not true -- I personally represent more than 100 civilian victims of strikes and they are absolutely not militants. According to nonpartisan public policy group, the New American Foundation, drones strikes have killed at least 1,990 Pakistanis, including hundreds of civilians. Obama campaigned and was elected on a platform of change, one that would end the abuses and torture so prevalent during the early years of the so-called war on terror. More than four years later, the "change" Obama has brought to Pakistan through drones has resulted in more needless deaths, daily suicide attacks, and growing instability. For the average Pakistani, whether a murderous, corrupt dictator consented to this brand of change is irrelevant. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mirza Shahzad Akbar.
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Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf recently returned from exile .
Said U.S. given permission to launch drone strikes on 'very few' occasions .
Akbar: Musharraf will be looking to win support from Washington once more .
But the former military chief is barred from standing in May 11 election .
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f5c35477d141624de4a70df25ce56267f83acaae
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The daughter of former reality show star Will Hayden, who was arrested last month on child molestation charges, is now claiming that she too was sexually abused as a child by her father. Stephanie Hayden, who also starred in the recently cancelled Discovery reality show ‘Sons Of Guns’, is reportedly set to provide information to law enforcement in the coming days to aid in her father’s prosecution. Her decision sparks a dramatic turnaround as she had originally pledged to stand by her father despite his arrest on August 9 for the alleged sexual abuse of her 12-year-old sister. 'There was never any impropriety in our home,' she said at the time. 'He was and is a good father.' Scroll down for video . Stephanie Hayden, left, the daughter of reality show star Will Hayden, right, is now claiming that she too was sexually abused as a child by her father in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . Stephanie is now recanting her original statement and is set to meet with investigators in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to provide specific details of the sexual abuse she allegedly suffered, reports TMZ. ‘After 45 shows and 20 years, this is the first I've heard of it,’ an attorney for her father told TMZ. ‘Her complaints arose only after her income from the show and [gun] shop stopped. She's still Will's daughter, and he loves her.’ Hayden, 49, was initially arrested on August 9 on charges of molestation of a child and a crime against nature. The gun store owner posted $150,000 bond the same day and was released. He told TMZ at the time that his ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of one of his daughters, went to authorities a week ago and accused him of molesting the girl. He said that she did it as revenge for him ending their relationship.Hayden had since married and was bringing up the girl with his new wife. Sons of Guns first aired on the Discovery Channel in 2011 and followed Hayden's life at the helm of a gun store, Red Jacket Firearms . The youngster returned to his home after he was interviewed by Child Protective Services. Hayden was then re-arrested on August 26 and charged with aggravated rape charges involving a child and bail was at $250,000 . According to allegations in an affidavit filed by sheriff's deputies, Hayden began having sex with the child, then 11 years old, in 2013. The latest rape, the report said, happened in July. A guardian of the victim had contacted deputies on August 16. The victim confided to the guardian after Hayden's August 9 arrest, according to the report. Deputies said they met with the child and guardian and took a statement. According to the affidavit, the child told deputies Hayden took her virginity when she was 11 years old and that sex acts happened almost daily thereafter. In the wake of Hayden’s second arrest, Stephanie’s husband Kristafor Ford posted a poem on Facebook in which he accused his wife’s father of molesting her as a child . Stephanie, left, is set to recant her original statement and meet with investigators in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to provide specific details of the sexual abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of her father, right . The report says Hayden coerced the victim into silence with threats of physical abuse. 'Don't tell them nothing because I'm all you've got,' the affidavit says the 49-year-old Hayden told the victim. After her father's initial arrest, Stephanie had defended him on Facebook. 'This was a false allegation and unfortunately that's all it takes,' she wrote. 'My father is a good man, and ALL of his children love him very much and are truly sickened that a person would try to do this to our family. Its not right [sic]. You see the love we have for our family... 'The one thing that really hurts us is that my sister is heartbroken that anyone could think this of her father. Its a nightmare...please stand with us.' But then in the wake of Hayden’s second arrest, Stephanie’s husband Kristafor Ford posted a poem on Facebook in which he accused his wife’s father of molesting her as a child. Stephanie posted to a family member on Facebook that she had given her husband permission to post his poem about being abused - both posts were taken down soon after. 'You fooled with my wife when she was young. Sucking and groping, do you remember what was done? Well she does, and she told me how you made her feel,' he wrote. Stephanie then posted that she had given her husband permission to post it. Both posts were taken down soon after. Sons of Guns first aired on the Discovery Channel in 2011 and followed Hayden's life at the helm of a gun store, Red Jacket Firearms. Episodes often showed him and Stephanie helping customers find weapons, including rifles. Other scenes showed the process of making the guns, images from firing ranges, and ammunition tips. After the arrest, The Discovery Channel cancelled the show, citing ‘the serious and horrific nature of the charges’ against Hayden. Red Jacket Firearms has also legally cut ties with him.
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Reality show star Will Hayden was arrested last month and charged with child molestation of his 12-year-old daughter .
Older daughter Stephanie Hayden now claims that she too was sexually abused as a child by her father in Baton Rouge, Louisiana .
When her father with first arrested she had claimed that he was innocent .
Until recently the pair starred in the Discovery reality show 'Sons Of Guns'
It has been cancelled in the wake of the accusations brought against Will Hayden .
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By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 11:43 EST, 9 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:00 EST, 9 October 2013 . A teenager accused of planning a repeat of the Columbine massacre 'glorified' the leader of the English Defence League (EDL), a court has heard. The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is on trial accused of stockpiling weapons for a terror attack on his former school in Loughborough, East Midlands. His sixth-form college, a local mosque, Loughborough University, a cinema and council offices were also named as potential targets, it is alleged. The teenager, whose identity is hidden in this artistic drawing, idolised Hitler and former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, a court has been told . The Old Bailey was told that the boy told police officers he was 'experimenting' when they uncovered a stockpile of weapons in his bedroom. Jurors at the Old Bailey were shown weapons recovered by Leicestershire police officers, including air rifles, knives, a crossbow and a machete, after they searched his bedroom in February. Officers had been called to his home address following reports the teenager had threatened two schoolboys with a knife, the court heard. After police entered his bedroom, he said 'I carry the knife for my own protection', the jury was told. After handing over two knives kept in two different coats, he added: 'I better give you these. I've been experimenting.' Police recovered a number of weapons including a knife with a Swastika and the words 'blood and honour' inscribed, a machete with a £12.95 price tag attached, three throwing knives, a green ammunition box, a number of air rifles, BB guns, a crossbow and a gun holster, the court heard. A manager of a local clothes store said the defendant spoke about Tommy Robinson, who resigned as EDL leader yesterday . A newspaper cutting on the number of U.S. deaths in the war on the Taliban as well as stories on an alleged racist text by British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin and on gun crime in Liverpool were also shown to the jury. The court has previously heard the teenager allegedly wrote in a Che Guevara notebook emblazoned with Swastikas his plans for The New Columbine. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 in one of America's worst mass shootings. Edward Roe, the manager of the Irish Clothing Company store in Loughborough where the teenager bought military clothing and accessories, said he knew the boy held far-right wing views. In a witness statement read to the Old Bailey jury, Mr Roe said the alleged terror plotter had spoken about former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, who resigned from the far-right group yesterday, and ordered a t-shirt with am 'German SS' badge. 'We had a conversation with regards to the EDL, which I know stands for the English Defence League,' Mr Roe said. 'I believe they incite hatred against different races and creeds, Asians in particular. 'He talked about Tommy Robinson who I have heard of but I don't know who he is,' he continued. 'I didn't want to talk about this kind of thing. I think he was glorifying Tommy Robinson, whoever he was. 'He also tried to order a Death Skull t-shirt. This is a large German SS badge that would be worn on the collar. 'This is not an item that the shop would stock or be associated with. I told him it wasn't something we would stock.' Angela Martin, another manager at the shop, said the defendant had told her in January that he thought it was OK to carry a knife, before adding: 'If I could I would kill someone.' She told the court the teenager had allegedly previously bought a t-shirt with a Taliban slogan and ordered a stab vest. The 17-year-old boy is on trial at the Old Bailey, accused of stockpiling weapons for a terror attack on his former school in Loughborough, East Midlands . The court also heard from a schoolboy . who claimed the defendant threatened him with a knife after a . confrontation outside a shop. In . a police interview played to the court, the boy said the defendant . swore at him and his friend in the street as they threw cans around. After they confronted him, the teenager pulled out a knife, the boy said. 'I thought I was going to die,' he said. 'I wanted to cry.' The boy, who can not be named, said he was 'skimmed' by the weapon as he crouched down to pick up his scooter. 'It looked really sharp,' he told police. 'He was aggressive, he wanted to do it.' The . defendant, who has Asperger's syndrome, denies a charge of possessing . items for the purpose, preparation and instigation of an act of . terrorism. Targets were alleged to include Loughborough University and five other sites in the area . They include nine . partially assembled petrol bombs, a quantity of commercial firework . powder, a quantity of part-assembled pipe bombs, partially constructed . improvised explosive devices (IEDs), quantities of commercial . pyrotechnic fuse cords, a stab proof vest, a gas mask, three 0.22 air . rifles, one Olympic 0.22 blank-firing pistol and a quantity of . ammunition, one 0.22 air pistol, three BB guns, a black military belt . containing air gun pellets and a silver cartridge, and one note book . containing information about the planning and construction of explosive . devices, it is alleged. The . boy also denies one count of possessing a document or record containing . information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an . act of terrorism, and a further count of possessing explosives in the . form of component parts of IEDs. The . teenager and two other 17-year-old boys have already pleaded guilty to . two charges of possessing petrol bombs and component parts of pipe bombs . for the use of explosive devices. The . defendant, dressed in a black T-shirt and wearing glasses, has been . sitting in the dock with an intermediary throughout the court . proceedings. The trial was adjourned until tomorrow. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Old Bailey told boy, 17, spoke to clothes shop manager's about EDL .
Boy told he was 'experimenting' when police found stockpile of weapons .
Air rifles, knives, a crossbow and a machete found in his bedroom .
Boy on trial accused of stockpiling weapons for a terror attack .
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By . Tom Leonard . Rise of the machines: Internet giant Google appears to be assembling an army of robots, such as the Terminator-style Atlas . Just imagine a future in which the word ‘Google’ and the internet giant’s ‘Don’t Be Evil’ motto are emblazoned on factory workers, delivery drivers, soldiers, housekeepers and care home staff. Apart from working for the world’s most powerful internet company, these workers would all have something else in common: they would all be robots. The online search behemoth already dominates our lives to an extent that makes many of us uneasy, with its intrusive global mapping, shameless hoarding of our private data and Google Glass, the spectacle-style computers that will relay everything wearers see back to the company and its advertiser clients. It’s even patenting an electronic throat tattoo that would allow wearers to issue voice commands to their smartphones, tablets and other devices. Many of us don’t need any encouragement to think of the £57 billion California-based multinational as a deeply creepy enterprise. Yet the news that it has been quietly buying up the world’s leading makers of robots and robotic parts has caused some surprise in the technology world. When it emerged that Google has even bought a pioneering military robot-maker, Boston Dynamics, curiosity turned to alarm. There has been talk of android apocalypse and comparisons to Skynet — the evil artificial intelligence system in the Terminator science-fiction films, which tries to blot out humanity with its killer robots. Boston Dynamics certainly makes some scary stuff: animal-like and human-like machines with eerily realistic running, lifting and jumping abilities that could transform a future battlefield. Its creations include BigDog, whose four human-like legs are so nimble that they can stumble and then recover, even on ice or after being kicked hard by a human. When fitted with an arm, BigDog can hurl huge cinderblocks nearly 20ft. Then there’s Cheetah, which can run at 28 mph. That’s faster than Usain Bolt. And Atlas, a 6ft 2in, 24st bipedal robot, looking alarmingly like the terrifying cyborg terminators of the films. It can drive a car, walk on rough ground and is virtually indestructible — still able to balance on one leg even when a wrecking ball is sent crashing into it. As for the humanoid Petman (whose primary purpose is supposedly to test chemical protection clothing), it can charge up stairs and do press-ups. Scroll Down for Video . Obedient: Boston Dynamics Big Dog has been designed to support troops on the battlefield . BigDog's four human-like legs are so nimble that they can stumble and then recover, even on ice or after being kicked hard by a human . Wildcat gallops along like a headless metal horse, carries heavy loads and can obey verbal commands. The little four-wheeled Sand Flea weighs just 11lb but can jump 30ft in the air — high enough to land on the roof of a house. Boston Dynamics’ main customer is the Pentagon’s shadowy technical research arm, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA. The Pentagon says robots could play a crucial role in toxic disaster zones where humans cannot go. What it doesn’t say is that they could also come in pretty handy when it comes to killing people. What, one might ask, could an internet company possibly want with such a nightmarish menagerie? Sceptics have long painted Google as a sinister James Bond-style corporate villain, working secretly towards eventual world domination. Might the conspiracy theorists be onto something? The Boston Dynamics deal — the eighth robot firm Google has bought in the past few months — shows the company is deadly serious about a robot-filled future. Google co-founder Larry Page has long said that it was technology’s job to free humans from drudgery and repetitive tasks. Andy Rubin, Google’s robot chief and . the tech wizard who developed the Android software for mobile phones, . has said that within the decade robots will have replaced Google’s . factory workers and its delivery drivers. Nimble: The Atlas robot negotiates its way along an obstacle course. Google has bought the machine's designers - pioneering military robot-maker, Boston Dynamics . Earlier this year, it hired Ray Kurzweil, an expert on artificial intelligence, as head of engineering. If you didn’t believe that Google only has our best interests at heart, one might feel a little disconcerted by Mr Kurzweil’s delight in comparing the human body to computer software — and finding us woefully inadequate. We are all ‘out of date’ and in need of updating, he has said. He has outlined a future that includes so-called nanobots that augment our immune systems to help fight diseases, improve health and allow people to live longer. Google is also developing a driverless car and says it is investing in a drone delivery programme — as is online mega-retailer Amazon. The latter’s chief executive, Jeff Bezos, recently announced that flying delivery drones will deliver some of its packages within five years. Google co-founder Larry Page has long said that it was technology's job to free humans from drudgery and repetitive tasks . You can see the appeal of beating traffic jams by delivering urgent packages by air — even if the idea does remind you of those Fifties newsreels that predicted a future in which everyone would commute by gyrocopter. But what Google has planned for its army of creeping, crawling and jumping mechanical creatures is harder to gauge. The company, which has untold spare billions it can sink into any ‘blue sky’ project it likes, remains tight-lipped about its plans. (As soon as it buys each robot-maker, the secretive Google closes down the firm’s website.) It has simply said its robotic division is a ‘moonshot’ — a speculative punt. Still, the company’s bosses have dropped a few hints about what they have in mind, and it’s clear that those who initially thought Google simply wanted to replace humans with robots in its factories were wide of the mark. That’s obvious simply from the number and nature of the robot companies it has bought. One designs robotic torsos that can interact with people at home; another makes what it calls ‘human-centred hyper-agility robots’ (meaning they move in a human fashion); another produces a robotic camera system that was used in the making of the space thriller Gravity. Google sees robots as transforming society. It presumably envisions a future in which there are as many robots as there are people. Some scientists are enthusiastic, seeing a revolution that will free humanity from the tedious tasks of modern life — or, with battlefield robots, remove human soldiers from the danger of getting hurt or killed. Others are concerned about the long-term consequences of allowing machines to replace humans wholesale — especially if they are controlled by a company with such a dismal track record on respecting our right to privacy as Google. Professor Illah Nourbasksh, of Carnegie Mellon University, one of the world’s foremost robotics academics, acknowledges that conspiracy theorists see a sci-fi future in which, as one put it, Google’s plans mark the ‘long and dangerous road ... to human extinction’. He says he recently heard the head of a domestic drone company say she fantasises about a future in which a flying drone delivers her a bottle of water at the end of her morning run. Retailer Amazon recently announced that flying delivery drones will deliver some of its packages within five years . But imagine if every jogger has a drone noisily hovering in the air, jostling for position not just with each other but with other robots, such as so-called ‘adbots’, waiting to attract our attention and beam a specially tailored advert at us. Such ‘robot smog’, he writes in The New Yorker, could ‘transform the worst effects of digital devices into real-world annoyances that cannot be silenced or hidden in a pocket’. And don’t expect robots to understand the gestures and tone of voice we use with each other to communicate effectively — because they won’t, he warns. As for who is master of whom, just remember that you may know little about the robot —but it, beaming back images and information to Google’s databases, will know everything about you. One part of the population who, experts predict, will be seeing more and more of robots — whether they like it or not — is the elderly. With too few human carers to look after our expanding older population, robots are seen as one answer. Researchers have already discovered that some types of robots — cuddly ones that look like stuffed toys — make better companions than pets for older people. People wanted to talk to them even more than they did real dogs. Tests in the U.S. have showed pensioners were comfortable with being looked after by robots, delegating tasks such as cleaning and the laundry. They were even willing to let them hand them their medicine. Yet they preferred the human touch when it came to more personal tasks such as bathing and dressing them. Scientists differ over when we can expect this dawn of the robots. But one thing remains certain: it will be sooner than you think.
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Internet giant has been buying up the world's leading makers of robots .
CEO Larry Page wants technology to free humans from repetitive tasks .
Firm describes its new robotic division as a 'moonshot'
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New York (CNN) -- Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was granted bail Thursday after being indicted on charges related to the alleged assault of a maid in his New York hotel Saturday. "It's a great relief to the family to be able to have him with them," defense attorney Bill Taylor said to reporters outside the courtroom. He said his client would spend Thursday night at the jail on Rikers Island before being released Friday. The next court appearance, an arraignment, is slated for June 6. Supreme Court Judge Michael Obus granted the bail on the condition that Strauss-Kahn post $1 million in cash, that he also post a bond for $5 million, that he surrender his travel documents and that he submit to home detention. The announcement came shortly after his indictment on seven criminal charges was announced. They are: two counts of criminal sexual act, two counts of sexual abuse, and one count each of attempt to commit rape, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching. In the charge of criminal sexual act in the first degree, Strauss-Kahn is accused of having "engaged in oral sexual conduct with an individual ... by forcible compulsion," the indictment says. "Under American law, these are extremely serious charges," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance told reporters outside the courtroom. "The defendant was indicted on all the charges presented to the grand jury," he said. Strauss-Kahn resigned from his IMF post on Wednesday. As he entered the courtroom for the bail hearing, he looked at his wife, seated in the front row, and smiled. Strauss-Kahn on Monday had been denied bail, with the criminal court judge saying his attempt to leave the country after the alleged incident made him a flight risk. His lawyer argued Thursday that Strauss-Kahn had been scheduled to leave New York and fly to Paris on Saturday using a ticket he had bought on May 11. Taylor said Strauss-Kahn had called the Sofitel hotel from John F. Kennedy International Airport to locate his cell phone, which he had left in the hotel, then called a second time as his plane was boarding to request that its delivery be hastened. Instead, police at the airport took him into custody. Taylor noted that his client resigned his position as IMF chief on Wednesday, and had surrendered his passport and a U.N.-issued travel document. "In our view, no bail is required," the lawyer said. "He has one interest at this time and that is to clear his name." Taylor added that Strauss-Kahn had agreed to live with his wife in an apartment in Manhattan after his release. Prosecutor John McConnell argued the high-profile economist had no right to bail. "While there is presumption of innocence, the proof is substantial and it is growing every day," he said, adding that the forensic evidence is consistent with an attack and the alleged victim has identified Strauss-Kahn as her attacker. McConnell noted that France does not extradite its own nationals, and said Strauss-Kahn's departure on Saturday from the hotel was in haste, suggesting "something went on in that hotel room." For his part, Obus said he was solely concerned about ensuring Strauss-Kahn returns to face charges. "We don't want his money," he said. "We just want to make sure he comes back. He has resources to live comfortably in his own country." As the hearing recessed, Strauss-Kahn blew his wife a kiss. Meanwhile, Strauss-Kahn's alleged victim, a 32-year-old Guinean maid for the Sofitel hotel, testified before the grand jury on Wednesday, according to an attorney representing her. "If you've had any experience with someone who has been traumatized by sexual assault, reliving it in your mind is hard enough," attorney Jeffrey Shapiro said on CNN's "American Morning" Thursday. "Having to recount it, even to a therapist, is difficult, much less having to talk about it on the record in front of a grand jury. I mean, it's extremely difficult, and nonetheless she's making it through this." The case has set French political circles abuzz, as the international economist was widely considered the French Socialist Party's best hope to unseat President Nicolas Sarkozy in next year's elections. In a statement released Thursday, Sarkozy called Strauss-Kahn's resignation "inevitable" and called for an "open and transparent selection process" for Strauss-Kahn's replacement. In a brief letter to the IMF executive board late Wednesday, Strauss-Kahn proclaimed his innocence. He said he was stepping down to "protect this institution which I have served with honor and devotion, and especially -- especially -- I want to devote all my strength, all my time and all my energy to proving my innocence." "To all, I want to say that I deny with the greatest possible firmness all of the allegations that have been made against me," he said. In his letter, Strauss-Kahn said he felt compelled to resign. "I think at this time first of my wife -- whom I love more than anything -- of my children, of my family, of my friends," he wrote. "I think also of my colleagues at the Fund; together we have accomplished such great things over the last three years and more." While the search begins to replace him, the first deputy managing director, John Lipsky, will lead the fund, the IMF said in a statement. "As acting managing director, John Lipsky will provide able and experienced leadership to the fund at this critical time for the global economy," Geithner said in a statement Thursday. "We want to see an open process that leads to a prompt succession for the fund's new managing director." In statements, South Africa called for a candidate from a developing country to be named as Strauss-Kahn's successor, while Brazil called for establishing criteria and conducting a thorough search. On Thursday, Lipsky urged policy makers to work together to strengthen the global economy. "I deeply regret the circumstances that have made it necessary for me to substitute for the fund's managing director," Lipsky said in a speech at the annual meeting of the Bretton Woods Committee in Washington. Prosecutors allege that a naked Strauss-Kahn, 62, chased the housekeeping employee through his suite and sexually assaulted her. But defense attorney Benjamin Brafman disputed the allegation, saying "forensic evidence, we believe, will not be consistent with a forcible account, and we believe there is a very, very defensible case." Strauss-Kahn allegedly committed the offenses at noon. He checked out of the hotel at 12:28 p.m. and went to a previously scheduled lunch about 12:45 p.m., according to a document supporting his motion to approve bail. The lunch was with one of his daughters, according to a source with knowledge of the case. After lunch, he was driven to John F. Kennedy International Airport and boarded an Air France flight that was scheduled to depart at 4:45 p.m., the bail document says. As he sat in first class awaiting takeoff and a planned meeting the next day with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, followed by a meeting with European finance ministers on Monday in Brussels, his world of power and privilege came crashing down. Police, alerted by hotel staff to the employee's accusations, ordered him off the plane and placed him in custody. Strauss-Kahn was examined for scratches and DNA samples were taken, and investigators searched for other evidence in the suite, including possible bodily fluids from both individuals, a law enforcement official told CNN. He consented to the testing after investigators prepared a search warrant, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The official was not authorized to release the information. Strauss-Kahn became embroiled in sexual controversy soon after joining the IMF in September 2007. He acknowledged reports that he'd had an improper physical relationship with a female employee. But the relationship was consensual, an independent inquiry found, and the IMF's executive board concluded in October 2008 that "there was no harassment, favoritism or any other abuse of authority by the managing director." Nevertheless, the board found "that the incident was regrettable and reflected a serious error of judgment," the IMF said in a written statement. On Thursday, the IMF sent reporters updated standards for staff conduct that were approved May 6. Under the organization's new policy on closer personal relationships in the workplace, a supervisor who has an intimate personal relationship with a subordinate must report that relationship to the ethics adviser, his or her supervisor or the human resources department "to seek resolution of potential conflict of interests and workplace fairness concerns," the new standards say. CNN's Susan Candiotti and Adam Reiss contributed to this report.
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NEW: Strauss-Kahn will spend Thursday night at Rikers Island .
NEW: He is to be released Friday .
The bail conditions include $1 million cash and $5 million bond .
Strauss-Kahn says he felt compelled to resign as chief of the IMF .
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(CNN) -- This Friday, Muslims around the world will bid goodbye to a long month of fasting with three days of feasting and festivities. The faithful usher in the holiday, Eid al-Fitr, with joyous community prayers, acts of charity, visits from far-flung relatives, gift-giving and hearty greetings of "Eid Mubarak," or happy Eid. This year, however, one controversy has cast a pall over the celebrations for many Muslims: a Florida pastor's threats to burn copies of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. "Although the joy of Eid is still there, the sense that we Muslims belong in this society as equals seems to be under threat and there is a somber note in everybody's preparations," said Wasima Reza of Raleigh, North Carolina. She said she will take her children to Eid prayer services so they can feel a sense of community. "I want them to be proud of the fact that they are Muslims and feel that they can practice their religion in their own country, without fear," she said. Ayaz Hyder of Piscataway, New Jersey, is one of many who feel the holiday -- one of the most important in the Islamic calendar -- has been hijacked by whether or not the Rev. Terry Jones, the head of a small church in Gainesville, Florida, will go ahead with his Quran burning plans. "He got what he wanted out of this. His 15 minutes of fame," he said. "I will have more people at my place for Eid this year than this guy has congregants but yet he's still dominating the headlines." Indeed, from Indiana to Indonesia, the planned burning was on many Muslim minds. In Indonesia, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged the United States and United Nations to act as he read a statement from the palace grounds on Eid day Friday. "I am of course aware of the reported cancellation of the deplorable act by Rev. Terry Jones. However, none of us can be complacent until such despicable idea can totally be extinguished," he said. In Afghanistan, sporadic demonstrations broke out Friday, with the largest demonstration in the northern province of Badakhshan where hundreds of Afghans protested outside a NATO base. NATO officials said two people were hurt, but provincial authorities said one person was killed. The holiday bids goodbye to Ramadan -- a month of dawn-to-dusk abstinence from food, drinks and other sensual pleasures. Muslims believe the Quran, the religion's holy book, was revealed to Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan more than 1,400 years ago. Eid is one of two major holidays in Islam, alongside another called Eid al-Adha. The latter commemorates the prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God. The night before Eid, entire communities gather on rooftops, scanning the sky with giddy anticipation to see if they can see the crescent of a new moon. Preparations for the feast begin as soon as it is sighted. In Tawab Qurayshi's home in Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan, the menu includes rice, stew, kabobs and freshly baked Afghan cookies. Like Muslims elsewhere, Qurayshi and his family members don new clothes -- to symbolize a fresh start, he said. The fun continues on the second day with a uniquely Afghan tradition: egg fights. Men, armed with hard-boiled eggs, try to break each others'. The one whose egg cracks receives light-hearted ribbing. It is a joyous time when even the Taliban cease fighting -- a rare respite in a war-ridden country, he said. "The day itself is, and has always been, about yummy foods, new outfits," said Sumi Mehtab of New York. "This whole Quran burning issue casts a negativeness on what should be a totally joyous occasion and I'm annoyed at how dumb people can get." But Ottawa, Canada, native Siffan Rahman wasn't going to let the controversy ruin her holiday. "I turned off the TV because I don't want to hear about it anymore," she said. "Eid should be about celebrating, house-hopping, stuffing our tummies and staying up late with friends. And that's what I'm going to do." CNN's Atia Abawi in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Kathy Quiano in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.
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Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan -- dawn-to-dusk abstinence from food and drinks .
The Quran burning controversy has upset a lot of Muslims this year .
Many, however, say it will not affect the festivities .
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A group of West Bromwich Albion youngsters were on the receiving end of a cracking practical joke on Friday. First-team duo Ben Foster and Craig Gardner pelted the youth players with eggs as they lined up for a team photo at the training ground. England international Foster and his partner-in-crime Gardner hid from their unsuspecting victims before emerging on to a balcony and unleashing their egg-throwing attack. The unsuspecting youngster line up for a team photo at West Brom's training ground . Ben Foster and Craig Gardner emerge and begin throwing eggs at youth team players . The players quickly disperse to avoid being hit by the eggs as the first-team duo unleash their attack . England goalkeeper Foster (above) seemed to find the training ground practical joke hilarious . The England goalkeeper posted a video of the incident on Instagram and took to Twitter to apologise and congratulate his team-mate's accuracy. 'Sorry young lads!! @craiggards8 what a shot!!! #boom #headshot' Foster Tweeted. It is little wonder spirits are high at the Hawthorns at the moment after West Brom recovered from a tough start to life under Alan Irvine by winning three of their last four matches. The Baggies were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Liverpool before the international break, but won the three previous games against Burnley, Hull and Tottenham. Next up for West Brom in the Premier League is Louis van Gaal's Manchester United, where they will be hoping to leave the United players with egg on their faces.
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Ben Foster and Craig Gardner threw eggs at youth team players at training .
The England goalkeeper later apologised for the prank on Twitter .
He also praised team-mate Gardner for his accuracy .
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The French Riviera getaway formerly owned by iconic diva extraordinaire Edith Piaf has been put on the market for £4.5million. The four-bedroom getaway in Grasse on the Côte d'Azur, south-eastern France, boasts a two-bedroom guardian's cottage, two reception rooms, a games room and a library. Piaf bought the property in the 1950s, after the heartbreaking death of the love of her life, married boxer Marcel Cerdan, in 1949, and she lived there until she died from liver cancer in 1963, aged 47. Riviera getaway: The former home of singing icon Edith Piaf has been put on the market for £4.5million . Spacious: The four-bedroom getaway in Grasse on the Côte d'Azur boasts a two-bedroom guardian's cottage and two reception rooms . No regrets: Piaf bought the property in the 1950s and she lived there until she died from liver cancer in 1963, aged just 47 . A spokesperson for Vladi Private Islands who are listing the sale said: 'This is a beautiful stone bastide located in a peaceful setting on the top of a hill yet within easy reach of the villages, towns and beaches of the. 'The property has an interesting history and used to be the home of the famous French singer Edith Piaf. 'Set in extensive grounds with one acre of level lawn in front of the house, the property has three reception rooms and four bedrooms. 'In addition, there are three separate guest suites plus a two bedroom guardian's cottage. In the grounds are a swimming pool and pool house, as well as tennis and boules courts. There is adjoining land of two-and-a-half acres with a building permit available by separate negotiation.' Piaf is widely regarded as a French national treasure and won international acclaim for her haunting songs, such as La Vie en Rose, Non Je Ne . Regrette Rien (No Regrets) and La Foule. Private space: Piaf retreated to the property in the years after the death of the love of her life, Marcel Cerdan, who died in a plane crash on his way to see her in 1949 . Old school style: There are three separate guest suites in addition to the three reception rooms and four bedrooms . Modern life: The kitchen has a modern touch, with an island worktop and bar stools for socialising and eating . Space to play: In the grounds are a swimming pool and pool house, as well as tennis and boules courts .
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Home on the Côte d'Azurm, owned by Edith Piaf, on the market for £4.5million .
The four-bedroom mansion is where Piaf died form liver cancer in 1963, aged 47 .
Mansion boasts a guardian's cottage, two reception rooms, a games room and a library .
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By . Jennifer Smith . A wave of bombings across Iraq have claimed the lives of at least 62 people, it has been confirmed. The coordinated series of blasts included car bombs in Baghdad, an explosion at a market town and a suicide assault in a northern city. The attack took the death toll in the country to 5,000 since April. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Security forces inspect the site of a car bomb attack at a bus station in the Baghdad's Mashtal neighborhood . Police confirmed the strikes occurred in car parks and commercial areas throughout Iraq . Civilians look at the debris of one of the cars which exploded in the attacks in Mashtal, Baghdad, today . In the northern city of . Mosul, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into a group of . soldiers as they were sealing off a street leading to a bank where . troops were receiving salaries killing 14, a police officer said. The local branch of al-Qaida often takes responsibility for the assaults, although there was no immediate claim for today's attacks. The bombings made today the deadliest single-day series of assaults since October 5, when 75 people were killed in violence. People gather at the site of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's Al-Baladiyat District . Two young boys observe the damage done by the car bomb attack in Baghdad's Hurriya neighbourhood . Shocked members of the public inspect the damage caused by a car bomb attack in the Sha'ab neighborhood . Police officers said that the bombs in the capital, placed in parked cars and detonated over a half-hour period, targeted commercial areas and parking lots, killing 42 people. Blasts in the Nahrwan district of the country saw two car bombs exploding simultaneously, killing seven and wounding 15. Two other explosions hit the northern Shaab and southern Abu Dshir neighborhoods, each killing six people, officials said. Dozens were wounded in the blasts for which no group has yet claimed responsibility . At least 62 people have been killed in the attacks which took place throughout the country . Figures suggest a total of eight bombs exploded throughout Shiite-majority areas of Baghdad . Other . blasts hit the neighborhoods of Mashtal, Baladiyat and Ur in eastern . Baghdad, the southwestern Bayaa district and the northern Sab al-Bor and . Hurriyah districts . At least 30 people were wounded, in . the suicide bombing Mosul. Police said gunmen shot dead two off-duty . soldiers in a drive-by shooting. The former insurgent stronghold of Mosul is located about 225 miles north-west of Baghdad. In . the afternoon, a bomb blast killed four people and wounded 11 inside an . outdoor market in the Sunni town of Tarmiyah, 30 miles north of . Baghdad, authorities said. The string of attacks is the latest in what have been some of the most violent months in Baghdad since 2008 . One attack killed six people and injured as many as 15 in northern Shaab, reports suggest . The planned nature of the attacks is considered a favourite of a local Al-Qaeda branch . Such co-ordinated attacks are a favourite tactic of al-Qaida's local branch. It . frequently targets civilians in markets, cafes and commercial streets . in Shiite areas in an attempt to undermine confidence in the government, . as well as members of the security forces. All of the car bombings on Sunday in Baghdad struck Shiite neighborhoods. Seven . medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke . on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to publicly . release the information. In . Mashtal in Baghdad, police and army forces sealed off the scene as . ambulances rushed to pick up the wounded. Pools of blood covered the . pavement. Today's deadly attacks bring the country's death toll to over 5000 since April . The force of the explosion damaged number of cars and shops. At one restaurant, the blast overturned wooden benches and left broken eggs scattered on the ground. In Shaab, a crane lifted away at least 12 charred cars as cleaners swept away debris. Violence has spiked in Iraq since April, when the pace of killing reached levels unseen since 2008. Today's attacks bring the death toll across the country this month to 545, according to an Associated Press count.
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String of attacks blasted Shiite regions including parts of Baghdad .
Bombs went off over half an hour killing up to six at a time .
No group is yet to claim responsibility for the attacks .
Planned strikes are normally associated with Al-Qaeda .
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By . Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 14:01 EST, 22 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:16 EST, 22 September 2012 . Riding on the wave of a serendipitous chart-topping single of Nick Clegg's apology for raising tuition fees, the Liberal Democrats are now selling memorabilia mugs saying 'I'm sorry'. On the official opening day of the Lib Dem conference, in Brighton, the party embraced the spoof remix of leader Nick Clegg's youtube apology, selling mugs branded with his face and what has become the catchy line to the song's chorus. The party leader's videoed apology went viral after satirical website The Poke quickly released a remix of what some feared would be a failed attempt to garner party support. Mugs depicting Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg with the words 'I'm Sorry' on at the Liberal Democrat Annual Conference in Brighton . Opposition to Clegg's tuition fees apology were concerned the video would remind Lib Dem supporters of the party's broken promise, just as it had subsided in their memories. However, the popularity of the catchy 'Autotune remix' has resulted in the sort of sort of publicity that money simply cannot buy. Seizing upon its popularity, the party has wasted no time in creating memorabilia to build on the song's success. After a year in which Lib Dem support has continued to decline, the party is likely to pounce on any opportunity to attract further interest. Will there be T-shirts, caps and key-rings branding Clegg's now infamous chorus: 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, the Liberal Democrats are sorry..' ? The mugs proved popular with party members who arrived in Brighton this weekend for the start of the Liberal Democrats' annual conference . The party's annual conference, which gets going on Sunday, has already attracted media attention after officers were spotted seizing cycles from the seafront as part of a precautionary measure to prevent terrorists from planting so-called bike bombs. The cycles were removed from bike racks just 100 yards from the Brighton Centre where Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will address the conference next week. The Lib Dem leader and other high-ranking ministers are staying at the Grand Hotel, next to the Brighton Centre. Security is tight as the spectre of the 1984 Brighton bombing, where IRA terrorists attempted to kill then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at the Grand Hotel, still looms large. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will try to bolster support for his party this coming week after a year of declining support . Police officers have been removing bicycles locked close to the Brighton Centre in preparation for the conference as they increase security measures .
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Liberal Democrats waste no time in producing memorabilia off the back of publicity from the Nick Clegg tuition fees apology remix .
The party will attempt to bolster its popularity at its annual conference after a year of declining support .
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(CNN) -- Washington's governor has unilaterally imposed a moratorium on capital punishment in his state, saying Tuesday there are "too many doubts" and "too many flaws" raised about its application. In a statement, Gov. Jay Inslee said he is suspending executions while he is in office, meaning he will issue reprieves when any capital cases come to his desk for action. He said his decision comes after a months-long internal review that included input from law enforcement and families of murder victims. Inslee concluded the death penalty was inconsistently applied. "Equal justice under the law is the state's primary responsibility. And in death penalty cases, I'm not convinced equal justice is being served," the first-term Democratic governor said. "The use of the death penalty in this state is unequally applied, sometimes dependent on the budget of the county where the crime occurred." The governor's executive action will not definitively end future use of capital punishment in Washington -- that would take action from the legislature or voters -- nor will death row sentences automatically be commuted or pardons issued. Nine murderers, all men, remain on Washington's death row, at Walla Walla State Penitentiary. Five men have been executed since 1976, when the Supreme Court allowed the practice to resume. Two of the condemned inmates died by hanging, in 1993 and 1994. The last execution in the state was in 2010, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Lethal injection remains the primary method, but a shortage of drugs nationwide has led other states to seek new pharmaceutical sources and methods, or effectively postpone executions. Inslee said his action had nothing to do with mercy. "Let me say clearly that this policy decision is not about the nine men on death row in Walla Walla," he said. "I don't question their guilt or the gravity of their crimes. They get no mercy from me. This action does not commute their sentences or issue any pardons to any offender. But I do not believe their horrific offenses override the problems that exist in our capital punishment system." State law gives Inslee the authority to stop death warrants from being issued. Civil rights groups applauded the move. "This announcement marks an important step forward for Washington, and is a victory for the African-American community. Nowhere are disparities between black and white inmates in criminal justice more apparent than in sentences deciding who lives and who dies," said Gerald Hankerson, the president of the Alaska, Oregon, and Washington State Area Conference of the NAACP. "African-American residents are disproportionately represented on death row, and our state is more likely to impose the death penalty on African-American defendants than white defendants convicted of the same crime." Eighteen states have officially banned capital punishment as a matter of law, including the District of Columbia. Seven others have had a moratorium imposed either by the courts or the governor. Among them was Oregon in 2011. "It is time for Oregon to consider a different approach. I refuse to be a part of this compromised and inequitable system any longer; and I will not allow further executions while I am governor," said John Kitzhaber, a Democrat. Both of Oregon's executions since the Supreme Court allowed the death penalty to resume in 1976 happened during Kitzhaber's first administration as governor, from 1995-2003.
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Gov. Jay Inslee says he is suspending executions while he is in office .
Inslee says the death penalty is inconsistently applied in Washington .
State law gives Inslee the authority to stop death warrants from being issued .
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A Michigan sophomore beamed last night as she faced the bullies who voted her to the homecoming court as a sick joke. After initially planning to skip the celebrations, Whitney Kropp, 16, bravely walked out onto the field during Ogemaw Heights High School's homecoming football game to accept the honour, and more than 1,000 people showed up to support her. 'The kids that are bullying you, do not let them bring you down. Stand up for what you believe in and go with your heart and go with your gut,' Whitney said, shortly after the halftime celebration. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Beaming: Whitney Kropp, pictured right, waits for last night's homecoming ceremony to begin . Wearing a stunning dress with a white . sash, sporting a new hairdo and clutching a bouquet of flowers, the . schoolgirl beamed as her fans, many dressed in her favourite colour, . orange, cheered her on, chanting 'Whit-ney, Whit-ney,' according to the Detroit News. A . pick up truck carried her and the school's class of 2015 male . representative, Josh Awrey, onto the homecoming court where they stood . with representatives from other years, and the homecoming king - a . senior with Downs Syndrome. Whitney was initially thrilled to learn that she had been elected to the homecoming court of her sophomore class two weeks ago. Facing her bullies: Whitney Kropp, left, with male sophomore homecoming representative Josh Awrey, right, stood up to the bullies who pulled the cruel prank on her two weeks ago . Be brave: 'The kids that are bullying you, do not let them bring you down,' Whitney, pictured, said . But . her triumph turned to humiliation when she found out from other . students that her nomination was nothing but a prank by the popular kids . at the school - and she was told that the male student who was elected . with her had withdrawn. She said the prank hit hard and she even considered suicide. But in an impressive show of support, her community rallied around her. Local businesses offered to pay for her homecoming dress and shoes, for her to get her hair done, and even to buy her homecoming dance dinner. A Support Whitney Facebook page has received more than 100,000 likes, after her heartbreaking tale of bullying resonated with hundreds of thousands around the country. However, she said she was still nervous about gracing the court last night. Support: Whitney Kropp, left, is escorted by her father, Jason Kropp to the homecoming game ceremony . Fans: More than 1,000 supporters filled the stadium stands with banners and placards supporting Whitney Kropp . Cheering crowd: The whole town showed up at last night's ceremony to show their support with signs and placards, pictured . 'I had thoughts about not coming (still tonight),' the 16-year-old said after the ceremony. But she was glad she built up the courage and is looking forward to the school's dance tonight. 'I . just thought maybe I won't have fun, but ... I'm having actually a lot . of fun right now. I'm so happy -- this is so much right now for me.' Speaking to CNN before the event, Whitney's mother Bernice Kropp said she was extremely proud of her new, more confident daughter. 'It . is absolutely awesome to see her stand up,' Mrs Kropp said. 'And it's . so cool to see emails... we're getting from parents and other students . from all over the place telling her stories and how it helped them and . it touched them. My daughter is out there as an inspiration to a lot of . people, and it's a really cool thing.' The . suddenly famous teen has received flowers from well-wishers around the . country, and has appeared on NBC's 'Today' and CNN broadcasts. Support: A Support Whitney Facebook page has received more than 100,000 likes, after her heartbreaking tale of bullying resonated with hundreds of thousands around the country . Bullied: Whitney Kropp had been voted to her school's homecoming court but found it was a prank . The family has received offers for book deals and requests to turn the story into a movie. Being cruelly selected to the West Branch high school's homecoming court as a joke prompted student to pick on Whitney both at school and on Facebook, her mother told NBC. Whitney admitted she wasn't one of the popular students at Ogemaw, but didn't think her classmates could stoop so low. Yet the bullying became so relentless that she thought about taking her own life. She told WNEM-TV: 'I had actually . reached a point where I had thought about suicide for how bad this case . was in. I thought I wasn't worthy at Ogemaw Heights at all.' 'I felt like I wasn’t worthy,' she added on the Today show. 'Why even be a part of this community, this world if I’m just going to be tossed around like basically a piece of trash?' But the savage bullying was soon overpowered by a tremendous outpouring of support for the teen. A former student, Jamie Kline set up a Facebook page 'Support Whitney Kropp,' which has shared her story of bullying with more than 100,000 since it was created. 'When we first started doing it, it was obviously meant to hit the Ogemaw Heights community, but once we established that and people started paying attention, we determined the page is here, why not use it for the greater good? Why not work for (combating) bullying in general?' Kline told the Detroit News. Speaking out: Whitney appeared on the Today show to lambast her bullies and reveal how hurt she had been . Kindess: Donations have helped Kropp pay for her dress, hair and make-up for the dance on Saturday night . For the homecoming dance on Saturday night, businesses will buy her dinner, take her photo, fix her hair and nails, and dress her in a gown, shoes and a tiara, the Detroit News reported. Shannon Champagne and another beauty salon worker have offered their services to help. 'It really touched me,' Champagne, a nail tech, said. 'I can't believe that kids can be so mean and ruthless. In high school, everything means everything to you. You don't realize that none of it will matter after you leave.' 'I am in awe, overwhelmed at the amount of support,' Kline, 35, told the News. 'I never expected it to spread as far as it has.' For Whitney, the messages and kind . words from the town and complete strangers thousands of miles away is . enough to drown out the bullies - and she's now looking forward to the . big dance. Bernice Kropp . told WNEM: 'This was something that was really awful, could have ended . awful, and because so many people came together, it just turned right . around.' Hurt: The 16-year-old was . humiliated to learn that she had been elected in a prank by fellow students . Support: Whitney, second from right, is seen with her sister Olivia, mother Bernice and brother Justin . Whitney recounted to the News how she had been sitting in her geometry class on September 13 when the results of the homecoming vote were announced over the school PA system - to the laughter of some of her fellow classmates. Despite her surprise, she had been happy that she had been called, her mother said. 'The first thing is softhearted,' Bernice Kropp said when asked to describe her daughter. 'She's just sweet. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body.' Even when Josh Awrey, a popular football player, quickly withdrew as the other sophomore rep, she was still excited about the news. 'In the Homecoming Court! :)' she wrote on her Facebook page after the announcement. 'Little nervous but this is going to be fun :D' After the backlash, Awrey decided to remain a class rep, even though he said on his Facebook page that he had never wanted to be part of homecoming. 'Im sick of everyone blaming me,' he wrote. 'I had nothing to do with this. I think what they (students) did is rlly rude and immature.'
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Whitney Kropp, 16, elected to homecoming court earlier this month - only to find out it had been a prank by popular students .
Facebook page set up in support of sophomore, and donations pour in for her hair, make-up and a dress for the homecoming dance tonight .
More than 1,000 showed up at homecoming game last night to support her .
'The kids that are bullying you, do not let them bring you down,' Whitney said after ceremony .
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A huge six alarm fire in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco broke out on Tuesday afternoon - sending a huge plume of smoke skywards visible across the city. The raging inferno started at a nine story apartment at around 5 pm and led a wall of the structure to collapse about an hour later. More than 150 firefighters and 90 firetrucks were on the scene battling the blaze. Flames shot 40-feet into the air as scaffolding collapsed amid the intense heat leading to the partial collapse of the huge construction project. Scroll down for video . Raging: Smoke rises from a fire burning in San Francisco, Tuesday, March 11, 2014. The major fire burning in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood sent an enormous plume of black smoke high into the sky . Sighted across the city:The major fire burning in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood sent an enormous plume of black smoke high into the sky . Lucky: There were no initial reports of injuries. The six-alarm fire that began about 5 p.m. was ravaging a high-rise building under construction on the San Francisco Bay waterfront . Huge: Fire-suppression systems had not yet been installed in the building, making the battle against the blaze more difficult, Fire Department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said . At around 6.45 pm the top two floors of the building came crashing down ontop of each other as firefighters kept a safe distance on aerial ladder trucks. Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White told the San Francisco Chronicle that the blaze had been contained and not spread to adjacent buildings or to the surrounding neighborhood. 'This is a great save right here,' said Hayes-White pointing to a building across the street. 'We were able to put up a water curtain. To be able to save this is huge.' Brave: A firefighter battles flames at a construction site in the China Basin area of San Francisco, on Tuesday . Control: A firefighter prepares to spray water on a fire in San Francisco, on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 . Dedication: Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White told The San Francisco Chronicle that firefighters had kept the blaze from spreading to nearby structures . Suppression: The burning building, owned by BRE Properties, was intended to be a residential one, KTVU-TV reported. It was being built by Suffolk Construction, according to the Chronicle . Decimated: The fire torched what was due to become a 360-unit apartment complex . As of 6:45 p.m., firefighters had contained 50 to 60 percent of the blaze, officials said. San Francisco Fire Department Chief Joanne Hayes-White said crews would let the building collapse upon itself . Hayes-White said that as the fire continues into the night the structure is 'likely to come down'. 'It will collapse. The more it burns, the more water we put on it, the more likely it is to fail,' said Hayes-White to the San Francisco Chronicle. She also said that the cause of the fire was not known and that there were no reports of injuries. Construction workers had been present at the site until 4pm - which meant that the reason for the fire had been left for more than an hour to fester and burn. Safe distance: The five-alarm fire broke out just before 5 p.m. in the nine-story building on Fourth Street near China Basin Street, according to the Fire Department . Terrifying: Residents in the area near AT&T Park said they were being told they could not return to their homes . Staring: Residents watching said 'You can feel intense heat across the water. Flames now crumpling steel'. When the fire started, 'it really took off,' the chief said. 'It went up really quickly.' Hundreds of people lined up along China Basin to watch firefighters battle the flames at the construction site that was meant to be a 360 unit apartment complex. The Mission Bay neighborhood is a onetime industrial area that lies along the San Francisco Bay. It is home to a University of California, San Francisco, medical campus and is close to AT&T; Park, the San Francisco Giants stadium.
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A major fire broke out in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood on Tuesday to sent an enormous plume of black smoke high into the sky .
The six-alarm fire began around 5 p.m. in a high-rise building under construction and led a wall of the structure to collapse about an hour later .
More than 150 firefighters were battling the blaze into the evening .
Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White told The San Francisco Chronicle that .
firefighters had kept the blaze from spreading to nearby structures .
No injuries were reported .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:44 EST, 21 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:51 EST, 21 July 2012 . Hundreds of glowing tents have sprung at various sites around the British coast as part of groundbreaking art project for the London 2012 Festival. Peace Camp, which was commissioned by director Deborah Warner in collaboration with True Blood actress Fiona Shaw is a series of installations inspired by the United Nations Olympic Truce, which calls on countries worldwide to lay down their arms for the duration of the Games. Some of the most breathtaking coastal regions in the UK have been chosen for the camps including Cemaes Bay in Anglesey, White Park Bay in County Antrim, Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne in County Londonderry, Dustanburgh Castle in Northumberland, Cuckmere Haven near Seven Sisters in Sussex and Godrevy, Cornwall. Scroll down for video . Happy campers: Dozens of tents emit a beautiful glow at one . of the Peace Camp art installations at White Park Bay on the Northwest Coast, County . Antrim . Peace and love: A couple embrace in the White Park Bay installation. The Olympic Truce is believed to have been first established in ancient Greece so that the Games be held without warring factions seeking to take advantage . The Olympic Truce is believed to have been first established in ancient Greece so that the Games be held without warring factions seeking to take advantage. Visitors to the sites can wander . around the tents while hearing a soundscape of poetry and the natural . environment created by composer Mel Mercier and sound designer John Del' Nero. Alongside the live installations, the . project will also paint an audible portrait of the nation with the . creation of a virtual Peace Camp online. The people of the UK are invited to . nominate and record their favourite love poems and submit their own . messages, creating an online anthology that celebrates our languages, . dialects and accents as well as our rich poetic tradition. There are lots of ways to take part in . Peace Camp: you can suggest your favourite love poem for our online . anthology; upload a personal message, your own poem or an image inspired . by love and help us to create a portrait of love in 2012 that will be . archived by the British Library; or you can join the team and volunteer . at the live event. As well as collaborating with Deborah . Warner on the live installations, Fiona Shaw will be creating the Peace . Camp anthology, an online collection of love poems suggested by the . public in this Olympic year. Visitors to the sites can wander around the tents while hearing a soundscape of poetry and the natural environment created by composer Mel Mercier and sound designer John Del' Nero . White Park Bay is the site of the earliest settlements in Ireland, with evidence of Neolithic man still regularly exposed by the action of the sea . The ancient dunes and chalky grasslands back right up to the beach, making White Park one of the most wildflower-rich coastal sites in all Ireland . White Park Bay is a spectacular beach . forming a white arc curving between two headlands on the North Antrim . Coast. The area is the site of the earliest settlements on the island of . Ireland, with evidence of Neolithic man still regularly exposed by the . action of the sea. The ancient dunes and chalky . grasslands back right up to the beach, making it one of the most . wildflower-rich coastal sites in all Ireland. At the eastern end of the sweeping bay . lie the many rocky volcanic islands that surround Ballintoy harbour, . while the western end leads to the tiny fishing village of Port Braddon. The village is home to St Gobbans, . allegedly the smallest church on the island, although the building was . originally built as a cow shed and used as such until the 1950s. The cows can now be found on the beach . itself, allowed to graze in order to let the wild flowers flourish . without intervention from man. The herd has been brought across the sea . from nearby Rathlin Island, clearly visible from the beach, with the . distant shores of the Scottish islands of Jura and Islay beyond.
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Stunning installation inspired by UN initiative calling on countries to lay down their arms for duration of the Games .
Visitors can wander around the tents to soundscape of poetry and noises from the natural environment .
Event will run until Sunday .
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A grandmother who woke to find an intruder dressed as the Grim Reaper standing in her bedroom ripped off his mask and discovered the man was her neighbour. Widow Sharron Mayers, 54, was fast asleep when she was woken by mystery man dressed as the Grim Reaper in a white mask and long black cape. Grandmother Mrs Mayers tried to sink her teeth into the 6ft 4in intruder - but had taken out her dentures before bed. Don't fear the reaper: Philip Evans, pictured in his scary outfit, left, broke into the home of grandmother Sharron Mayers, right. He received a suspended prison sentence for the prank . A court heard she then bravely pulled the man’s mask off to reveal her neighbour Philip Evans, 35. Mrs Mayers said: 'His arm was inches from my face so I thought: "I’ll bite him". 'But unfortunately I’d taken my false teeth out at bedtime.' Police arrived at Mrs Mayers’ home in Beaumaris, North Wales, to find he had smashed through her front door to give her the fright of her life. Rampage: Evans - pictured outside court - was drunk when he broke into the house . Mrs Mayers suffered minor injuries to her neck and arms and needed counselling and medication. Father-of-four Evans claimed admitted causing actual bodily harm to Mrs Mayers - but blamed it on a drunken prank. She told the court: 'It has cost me £1,000 to move house because I no longer felt safe in my own home. I still can’t sleep a year after it happened.' Trainee plumber Evans, of Beaumaris, was given a 45-week prison sentence at Caernarfon Crown Court. He was ordered to pay Mrs Mayers £750 compensation and made the subject of a five-year restraining order. Judge Peter Heywood told Evans: 'This was a prank which went horribly wrong.' The court ordered Evans’ Grim Reaper outfit to be destroyed. After the cae Mrs Mayers, who lives alone, said: 'I was asleep when I heard heavy footsteps coming up my stairs. 'The bedroom door opened and in the dim light I could see the Grim Reaper standing there. 'I thought my time had come.' Sentenced: Evans was handed suspended prison sentence at Caernafon Crown Court (pictured) Mrs Mayers jumped out of bed but the masked man put his hands around her throat. She said: 'I knew there was a man behind the mask so I reached out and quickly pulled at it to reveal Philip Evans. 'I wish I hadn’t taken my teeth out - he would really have felt my bite.'
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Philip Evans, 35, handed suspended prison sentence for break-in .
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By . Associated Press Reporter and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:03 EST, 18 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:47 EST, 18 March 2013 . Prosecutors have opened the murder trial of a Philadelphia abortion provider by telling jurors he routinely forced women who came to him into labor and then killed their babies. Dr. Kermit Gosnell faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of seven infants allegedly born alive at his clinic. Authorities say he would sever their spines with scissors. A pregnant refugee, Karnamaya Mongar, also died after being given too much anesthesia and pain . medication during a 2009 abortion at his West Philadelphia clinic. Assistant District Attorney Joanne . Pescatore said that evidence would show that . Gosnell, 72, was a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' who 'used and abused . desperate women'. Charged: Dr. Kermit Gosnell, a Philadelphia abortion doctor, is accused of killing seven babies that were born alive. The opening statements in his trial began on Monday . She said he preyed on vulnerable women who were often seeking abortions later than the 24th week, after which abortions are illegal in Pennsylvania. 'The standard practice here was to slay babies,' Pescatore said. 'This is not a case about abortion... This is a case about murder.' Pescatore says the unlicensed, untrained employees who helped carry out the gruesome procedures were equally desperate because they needed work. She says investigators found $250,000 in cash at Gosnell's home in 2010, proof of the money he made from the abortion and pain clinic. But in his own statements, Gosnell's lawyer, Jack McMahon, accused officials of 'an elitist, racist prosecution' against his black client. Death: Karnamaya Mongar, pictured with her husband, died at Dr Gosnell's clinic in 2009 . 'This is a targeted, elitist and . racist prosecution of a doctor who’s done nothing but give (back) to the . poor and the people of West Philadelphia,' McMahon said. 'It’s a . prosecutorial lynching of Dr. Kermit Gosnell.' Gosnell has pleaded not guilty. Eight clinic workers charged with him . have pleaded guilty, including his wife, a beautician accused of . helping him perform stealth third-term abortions on Sundays. Gosnell set out to offer women safe, . legal abortions in the 1970s, but that's far from what drug . investigators say they found inside his West Philadelphia clinic in . 2010. By then, Gosnell had gone years . without health department inspections, perhaps because state officials . preferred a hands-off approach to a political misstep in the abortion . quagmire. Victims: Gosnell is accused of killing Marie Smith, the daughter of Johnnie Mae Smith (pictured), after a botched abortion . The result, according to a grand jury report, is that Gosnell's patients received the equivalent of the back-alley abortions that advocates of legalized abortion had hoped to eradicate. The devastating 2011 grand jury report describes nearly unfathomable conditions: fetal body parts stored in glass jars and staff refrigerators; filthy, blood-stained operating areas; women and teens maimed after Gosnell perforated a uterus or colon. 'Anybody walking into that clinic . should have known immediately that it should have been shut down,' said . Bernard Smalley, a lawyer for the family of Karnamaya Mongar. Philadelphia prosecutors accuse state . and local authorities of turning a blind eye to laws requiring regular . inspections. And they say the occasional complaints that trickled in, . one after an earlier patient death, went nowhere. House of horrors: A grand jury image shows what police claim are bags of body parts at the practice . The case drew national attention and prompted state lawmakers to tighten clinic regulations. Pennsylvania abortion clinics now have to meet the same standards of care required by ambulatory surgical facilities, and other states are also adopting that rule. Planned Parenthood and other providers complain that the cost of updating facilities to meet ambulatory clinic rules can be prohibitive and further restricts women's access to abortions. Pennsylvania already required parental or judicial consent for minors, a 24-hour waiting period and a ban on abortions after 24 weeks gestation. Mongar had fled Bhutan and spent 19 . years in refugee camps, some in Nepal, before arriving in the U.S. in . 2008 with her husband and three children. 'Filthy': Investigators say Gosnell's clinic, the Women's Medical Society, catered to minorities, immigrants and poor women. It was also allegedly the site of unimaginable filth . Scene: A police car is seen outside the the Women's Medical Society in 2011 following Gosnell's arrest . When she discovered she was pregnant, she went to a clinic in Virginia, where she lived, but was referred to Gosnell because she was in her second trimester. She was 19 weeks pregnant when her adult daughter brought her to Gosnell's Women's Medical Center. The thin, 4-foot-11 Mongar, who spoke no English, was allegedly given a lethal dose of Demerol and other drugs before Gosnell, the only licensed doctor on staff, ever arrived. Gosnell earned kudos by returning to the area after medical school, when he could have set up shop in the suburbs. He worked out of a storefront he bought in the run-down Mantua section. But Gosnell came to operate under the radar, relying on unlicensed medical school graduates, untrained clerical staff and even a teen working after school to administer anesthesia and help perform abortions, usually on poor and immigrant women paying a few hundred dollars in cash. We're sorry but reader comments are currently unavailable.
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Dr. Kermit Gosnell's lawyer accused officials of a 'racist prosecution' against his client 'who gave back to the poor people of Philadelphia'
Gosnell, 72, faces the death penalty if convicted of murdering seven infants 'who were born alive at his clinic'
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By . John Drayton . Cristiano Ronaldo's four-year-old son still has no idea who his mother is, and his family have no intention of telling him. Ronaldo's sister, Elma, revealed that Cristiano Jnr, sometimes known as Cristianinho, has stopped asking about his mum after they told him she was dead. The Real Madrid star, 29, had the child with an unknown woman, believed to be a surrogate, in 2010. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Ronaldo have his goal celebration mocked by Gerard Deulofeu . Father and son: Cristiano Ronaldo with Cristianinho in Madrid where the boy lives with his dad and grandmother . Unknown: Cristiano Jnr has not been told the identity of his mother, believed to be a surrogate . Upbringing: Ronaldo's mother Dolores has helped raise the child in the absence of his mum . Elma said: 'Once we told him she was in Heaven, but my brother and mum asked us not to repeat it. 'We say now his mum went traveling. He goes silent, forgets about at and doesn't ask any more.' Cristianinho lives with Ronaldo and his mum Dolores in Spain. She has recently released an official biography in which she said that the footballer insisted: The mum will never be known'. However, Elma added: 'If later on . Cristianinho wants to know who his biological mum is, it will be his . decision and no one’s going to stop it.' Support: Dolores has always played a big part in Ronaldo's life, in Portugal, Manchester and now Madrid . Flying high: Ronaldo posts a picture from a plane as he prepares to rejoin Madrid for the new season . VIDEO Ronaldo in top-form for Portugal .
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Real Madrid star's family told Cristianinho 'she was in Heaven'
Boy's mother's identity unknown, believed to be a surrogate .
Four-year-old is raised by Ronaldo and his mother Dolores .
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Claire Davis, the 17-year-old high school senior shot by a classmate at their Colorado school, died Saturday at the hospital where she was being treated. "It is with unspeakable sadness that we write and say that Claire has passed away from the gunshot wound she received at Arapahoe High School on December 13," her family said in a statement posted on the Facebook account of Littleton Adventist Hospital. "Although we have lost our precious daughter, we will always be grateful for the indelible journey she took us on over the last 17 years -- we were truly blessed to be Claire's parents. The grace, laughter and light she brought to this world will not be extinguished by her death; to the contrary, it will only get stronger." Davis was killed after Karl Pierson, 18, according to police, walked into Arapahoe High School armed with a pump-action shotgun, a machete and a backpack containing three Molotov cocktails, a bandolier of ammunition across his chest. He shot Davis once in the head and fired randomly into school hallways. Police said Pierson was looking for revenge against a librarian, but couldn't find the faculty member and killed himself as a school resource officer closed in. Davis did not know Pierson and was just a random victim, police surmised. She had been in a coma since the shooting. Davis was described as a sweet girl who loved horses and the English boy band One Direction. After friends started a Twitter campaign, the band recorded a 13-second video message and sent it directly to the Davis family, a source close to One Direction told CNN on Thursday. The video shows singer Liam Payne delivering the message as the other four members stand by. The hospital said Davis died at 4:29 p.m. The family's message on Facebook thanked the hospital staff, first responders and law enforcement officers. "Last week was truly a paradox in that we lost our daughter, yet we witnessed the wonderful love that exists in the world through the tremendous outpouring of support we received," the family said. Pierson's parents issued a statement last week. "We cannot begin to understand why Karl did what he did," Barbara and Mark Pierson said. They also offered prayers "for the entire Arapahoe High School community, as we know your lives are forever changed by this horrific event." Hundreds of people attended a vigil for Davis last Saturday. The shooting happened about 10 miles from where Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 students and one teacher in a rampage at Columbine High School in April 1999 before killing themselves.
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Parents of Claire Davis announce her death "with unspeakable sadness"
High school senior was shot December 13 by a classmate, who then killed himself .
Karl Pierson had been seeking revenge against a librarian, police say .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:06 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:08 EST, 9 December 2013 . A headteacher has been criticised after he decided to install CCTV cameras in his secondary school's toilets. Parents have described Neil Houchen's decision to put the cameras in the boys' and girls' toilets as 'disgusting'. Eastwood Academy, in Eastwood, Essex, has installed two cameras as part of a security crackdown on vandals and bullies after graffiti was scrawled in toilets and sinks were filled with toilet paper. Headteacher Neil Houchen (pictured) has been criticised after installing cameras in the boys' and girls' toilets at Eastwood Academy . But one parent, who asked not to be named, said: 'There seems to be some uproar from the students at Eastwood Academy as the school has installed cameras in the boys and girls toilets. 'It really is quite disgusting.' Mr Houchen said it was his 'duty' to enure all areas of the school were safe and secure. He said: 'CCTV cameras have been installed in the girls’ and boys’ toilets. I would like to stress that these cameras face the washbasins and do not face the cubicles. 'The purpose of these cameras is to aid detection of acts of vandalism and/or bullying, which pupils have reported as occurring on an ad hoc basis. 'I see it as my duty to make all areas of the academy site as safe and secure as possible, including toilets. Mr Houchen said it was his 'duty' to enure all areas of the school (pictured) were safe and secure . 'I would like to stress these acts are extremely rare, but I am keen that the opportunity for such feckless misconduct is eradicated.' The headteacher, who took over the school three years ago, denied any pupils had complained to him about the cameras and said those with concerns could air them at the next school council meeting. The school has built a £50,000 staff gym and cafe, expanded its canteen and revamped its reception in the past year. It is updating its security system for the first time in a decade. It has already replaced 15 existing cameras and is installing eight more in previously uncovered areas, including a bike shed that suffered a recent theft, the main playground at the centre of the site and in all its computer rooms. All the main doors and gates in the school have been fitted with with electronic locks, which can be accessed using an electronic key card. Mr Houchen intends to make all doors, including those to classrooms and cupboards, accessible using cards with various levels of authorisation.
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Parent describes decision to install CCTV cameras in toilets as 'disgusting'
Eastwood Academy has said move was part of a security crackdown .
Headteacher said it was his duty to ensure all areas of the site were safe .
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Charged: Yadina Morales is accused of manslaughter after her baby suffocated . A drunk mother killed her two-month-old daughter at her Maryland home on Saturday morning after passing out while breastfeeding. When the baby's father, Dwayne Bryant, tried to wake his girlfriend, Yadina Morales, he found the lifeless body of his daughter trapped under her. The 22-year-old woman, who has been charged with manslaughter, . was apparently so drunk she didn't even realize her child had been rushed to hospital, police said. 'We found that the mother was highly . intoxicated and had actually been breastfeeding the child and passed out . and ultimately smothered the child,' Sheriff Douglas Mullendore told NBC Washington. The . baby was rushed to hospital but it was too late to save her. A post-mortem . examination is now due to be carried out in Baltimore. According to court records, . the baby's father, Mr Bryant, called emergency services who found him . screaming in the car park of the couple's home, Business Insider reported. 'She had no idea what was going on. She . didn't even know EMS had been there and took her child to the hospital,' a police deputy said in court documents. A blood test found Morales, who has two other children, was three times over the legal drink-drive limit. Her boyfriend told police she had been drinking vodka just before the baby started crying. Nursing mothers are advised to not drink while breastfeeding because the level of alcohol in breast milk and the mother's blood is the same. Women are also advised against falling asleep next to newborns because of the risk of suffocation. Drunk: The mother-of-three was so intoxicated she didn't realize her baby had been rushed to hospital, police say . Accusations: Morales is said to have been drinking vodka before breastfeeding her two-month-old baby . Bail: Morales, 22, has been released on $10,000 after allegedly causing the death of her baby girl . Mr Bryant told police he left Morales feeding the baby on the sofa and went to visit friends at a nearby house. When he returned he next morning he moved Morales and found his baby girl under her. She was not breathing, had blood coming from her nose and had turned blue. Morales was taken to hospital as a precaution and later charged with manslaughter, second-degree child abuse and reckless abandonment. She has been released on $10,000 bail. The young mother allegedly told police she remembered having a glass of beer but couldn't say how much alcohol she had consumed, court documents said. Smothered: Yadina Morales passed out while breastfeeding and killed her baby . Horrific: Morales was found passed out on her baby by the child's father .
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Yadina Morales was so drunk she didn't realize infant had been rushed to hospital .
22-year-old was three times over the legal limit for drink-driving when her daughter died .
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By . Mark Prigg . A mysterious Twitter user has posted a series of pictures claiming to be the casing of Apple's iPhone 6. They show handset in various states of competition sporting a bigger screen and a slimmed down, curved design. The images were posted to a mystery Twitter account, with no way to know if they are real. Scroll down for video . Is this the iPhone 6? Images claim to show the handset have been posted to Twitter . The images appear to show a large handset, but with curved edges similar to early iPhone models . According to the latest rumours, there will be three models of iPhone 6: . 4 inch 1136x640 ( 326 ppi ) display for the cheapest iPhone . 4.7 inch 1920x1080 ( 440 ppi ) display for the standard handset, which rumours say could be called the 'iPhone Air' 5.5 inch 2272x1280 ( 510 ppi ) display for the largest 'iPhone Pro' The user, mornray866 does does reveal how he obtained the prototypes - or why many of the shots show them in plastic bags. They are the latest in a long line of images claiming to reveal apple's latest handset - even though Apple itself has refused to comment on any details of the upcoming phone. Rumours claim it will be a a range of handsets with a 4inch, 4.7inch and 5.5inch screen. It was also claimed today the handset will use a new camera module from Sony to boost its front facing camera to improve the quality of selfies. The Japanese firm already supplies nearly all of the CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors for the current iPhone models' rear-mounted main cameras, according to Nikkei. Apple is likely looking to switch to Sony sensors for the secondary camera on the screen side, used for taking self-portraits, it claimed today. Another recent concept by Italian artists Enrico Penello and Ran Avni reveals a host of new features they would like to see included, with a curved glass screen and shows how these devices will be. Introducing the iPhone 6 devices. It shows a curve screen with 'bumps' at the top and bottom, along with an illuminated Touch ID sensor used to recognise fingerprints. The handsets are shown in a white and gold and silver version . The latest rumors claim that Apple will launch three new iPhone models - 4 inch, 4.7 inch, and 5.5 inch. This new concept by Enrico Penello and Ran Avni shows how these devices could look. The pair also outline what they think the screens will be: 'The screens: 4 inch 1136x640 ( 326 ppi ) display for the cheapest iPhone, 4.7 inch 1920x1080 ( 440 ppi ) display for the standard iPhone, 5.5 inch 2272x1280 ( 510 ppi ) display for the largest iPhone. The concepts show a phone made from curved glass with a 'bump' at the top . The latest mockup comes after Taiwanese sources say the camera in the iPhone 6 will get a boost to ten megapixels from its current eight, along with a new lens offering better picture quality. It is also expected to boast a new filter allowing clearer pictures. According to MacRumours, the new filter will replace the hybrid IR filter used on the iPhone 5s with a resin lens filter manufactured by Japanese company JSR. Recent rumours also claim there will be two models, one with a 4.7inch screen, and one with a 5.7inch screen. Apple's latest iPhones: The firm is believed to be preparing to release two new large-screen phones in June . Apple's iPhone 6 is rumoured to come in a slim 'Air' version. Up until August last year, Huawei was the . record-holder for the thinnest phone in the world with its Ascend P6, . at 6.18mm. This was then replaced by the Vivo X3 at just 5.75mm. By comparison, Apple’s current iPhone 5S has a depth of 7.6mm, while the iPad Air is slightly thinner at 7.5mm. Samsung's Galaxy S4 is 7.9mm thick, while the HTC One is 9.3mm. Previous rumours have pointed to a super slim 'iPhone Air' model, which could be the smaller handset. The two new handsets are expected to be revealed at Apple's annual annual developer conference, held in San Francisco in June. It is where the firm traditionally makes new product announcements. If announced, the handsets are expected to go on sale within weeks. Chinese analyst Sun Changxu told Chinese-language website QQ Tech that Apple will launch the follow up to its flagship smartphone in two large screen sizes. According to Sun, the iPhone 6 will come with a 4.7-inch screen, with a display resolution of 1,136 by 640 pixels. The company would then launch a larger 5.7-inch model shortly afterwards. Apple surprised a number of people last year when it unveiled its super-thin iPad Air, and rumours suggest it could be working on making an equally slender version of its iPhone. Concept images have emerged that show Apple's next-generation handset with a super-thin slender chassis. This concept, by Italian-based firm SET Solution, predicts the handset could be 1.5mm at the top and 3mm at the bottom, in order to retain the home button . By comparison, Apple's current iPhone 5S, pictured, has a depth of 7.6mm. This makes it 1.7mm thinner than the iPhone 4S and 1.37mm thinner than the iPhone 5C . Two concept images have emerged that show Apple’s next-generation handset with a slender chassis, as well as a larger 5-inch screen similar to those seen on the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One. The first concept predicts the phone - dubbed the 'iPhone Air' - will be 4.5mm thick, while the second goes a step further showing the device as 1.5mm at the top and 3mm at the bottom. By comparison, Apple’s current iPhone 5S has a depth of 7.6mm, while the iPad Air is slightly thinner at 7.5mm. Up until August last year, Huawei was the record-holder for the thinnest phone in the world with its Ascend P6, at 6.18mm. This was then replaced by the Vivo X3 at just 5.75mm. In order to make the Apple phone super-thin, Fuse Chicken’s concept suggests doing away with the physical home button in place of touchscreen keys. In order to make the Apple phone super-thin, Fuse Chicken's concept - dubbed iPhone Air - suggests doing away with the physical home button in place of touchscreen keys and swipe controls . Apple surprised a number of people last year when it unveiled its super-thin iPad Air, pictured, which was 20% thinner than previous models . SET Solution’s concept, instead, keeps the home button by making the bottom of the phone thicker than the top. It also appears taller than Fuse Chicken’s version in order to fit the larger screen. Apple’s iPhone has one of the smallest screens on the market and many experts predicted the screen on the iPhone 5S would be the first to break the 4-inch mark - but it didn't. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has previously said his firm has kept to smaller screens because they’re easier to use and more comfortable to hold in the hand. However, with main rivals Samsung, HTC and Nokia releasing phones with screens in the 5-inch region, analysts claim Apple may have to increase the size of their designs to appeal to more people. Last November, designer Martin Hajek created a concept demonstrating it was possible to increase the iPhone's screen size, without drastically increasing the size of the handset. In his image, the screen is shown as stretched to reach left and right edges. However, because the bezel would need to be a certain size to avoid the screen being touched by accident, when it’s picked up for example, the usable screen size would be much smaller reduced. According to Forbes journalist Anthony Wing Kosner: 'The only way I could see something that thin working for users, is if the material was flexible as well so it could easily slip into a pocket.' He continued that if Apple was capable of making a phone as thin as the concepts suggest, which would also depend on making the components small and thin enough to fit inside the chassis, it could also pave the way for foldable devices. Up until August last year, Huawei was the record-holder for the thinnest phone in the world with its Ascend P6, at 6.18mm, pictured left. This was then replaced by the Vivo X3 at just 5.75mm, pictured right . Last November, designer Martin Hajek created a concept that demonstrated it was possible to increase the screen size of the iPhone 6, without drastically increasing the size of the handset. In his image, pictured, the screen is stretched to reach left and right edges .
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Images claim to show the finished iPhone 6 .
Reveals bigger screen and thinner, curved design .
Latest claims say front camera will be updated to allow for better selfies .
Shows handset in white and gold versions .
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PURCELLVILLE, Virginia (CNN) -- When the Army flew home the body of Spc. Stephan Mace from Afghanistan, his mother climbed aboard a small jet with the flag-draped coffin for the last leg of his trip. Vanessa Adelson escorted the body of her son, Stephan Mace, on the final leg of the journey from Afghanistan. Vanessa Adelson would not let her 21-year-old son make his final journey home alone. "I brought him into this world, and he was my baby," she said. "I thought it was my responsibility as a mother to bring him home." Mace and seven other soldiers were killed this month in a Taliban attack on their remote outpost in eastern Afghanistan, making it the deadliest battle for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since July 2008. Watch mother prepare to bury son » . All eight were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado. The October 3 battle saw Taliban insurgents at one point surging past the outer perimeter of Forward Operating Base Keating in Afghanistan's Kamdesh district. The battle lasted about 12 hours, with the most ferocious fighting raging for about seven hours. The base, in a valley, is surrounded by ridge lines where the insurgents were able to fire down at U.S. and Afghan troops. The facility had been scheduled to be closed within days, CNN later learned. Three days after the deadly fight, Mace's mother attended the Dignified Transfer of her son, then returned home with him from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Since May, Mace had been on his first deployment in Afghanistan, following a childhood dream of joining the Army. He planned to continue his career in service after his Army stint by joining the Department of Homeland Security or the CIA, his mother said. Instead, he was buried Monday in Arlington National Cemetery. With an escort platoon and band, a horse-drawn caisson arrived with the flag-draped casket at Section 60 in Arlington National Cemetery. It is a section set aside for the casualties of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mace's mother, walking with a military escort, met the procession as pallbearers lifted the casket from the platform to gently bring it graveside. U.S. Army Secretary John McHugh was among the high-ranking officials who delivered condolences to Mace's family and friends gathered for the funeral. Although reporters and TV crews were allowed to cover the ceremony, they were held at a distance where remarks could not easily be heard. The casket team prepared three American flags as part of the ceremony. The flag on the casket was crisply folded and presented to Mace's mother. Two additional flags were presented to his father Larry Mace, and his grandparents, John and Mary Kay Petro. U.S. Army Brig. Gen Reuben Jones kneeled as he handed each flag to Mace's kin, and spent a few moments speaking with them. The dead soldier's brothers, Matthew, Bradley and Christopher, also attended the funeral. A seven-member firing party launched three volleys, a bugler played "Taps," and a bagpiper played "Amazing Grace." Back in Mace's small, tight-knit community in Purcellville, Virginia, many found it hard to believe the solemn military procession through the center of town earlier this month was the last they would ever see of their friend. "If I could describe Stephan, I would picture him flying through the air on a dirt bike living his life on the edge," said Sam Chapman, childhood friend and football buddy. "If more people in this country had the passion and the determination and the courage that Stephan had, it would without a doubt be a better place. He was just a great guy." Watch friends remember him as gridiron tough » . Mace, described as a Moto Cross champion, football player, hunter and all around fun-loving, loyal friend, was the kind of child that coaches and teachers remember. And when his body was brought back to Purcellville, the community turned out in support. Hundreds of people lined the streets, saluting and waving flags as Mace's family brought him home. "It was great to the see the kids and the families stand there and when the motorcade crossed the crest of the hill [into town] it was just silence.... It was holy," said Purcellville Mayor Robert Lazaro. "I think we wanted to say to the Mace family, 'Thank you. We respect what your son has done for us.' " Mace was awarded six medals for his service, including a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. But for his mother, the most precious is the medal of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, that her son wore into battle. She gave him the medal when he was 15 and preparing for a trip to South Africa. Now, after speaking to one of Mace's friends who survived the outpost attack, Adelson knows her son reached for that medal in his last moments. She was told that in his last moments alive, Mace took off his medal and gave it to his fellow soldiers. "That's how Stephan was," Adelson said. "Here this kid is dying, and he was more worried about the other soldiers that he took his St. Christopher off and gave it to them." She has also learned her son lived for about half an hour after sustaining wounds to the chest and leg. Adelson finds this detail comforting. "I'm glad Stephan didn't die right away because he was allowed to give that one gift to his unit and give them the St. Christopher and that he also was able to feel God come to him and take him away," she said. "That he was able to ponder and have a last chance, a last moment, to think about his family and have God take him."
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NEW: Soldier laid to rest Monday at Arlington National Cemetery .
Spc. Stephan Mace was one of eight who died in October 3 battle in Afghanistan .
Vanessa Adelson: "It was my responsibility as a mother to bring him home"
Mace gave his St. Christopher medal to fellow soldiers before he died .
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By . Leesa Smith . and Sally Lee for Daily Mail Australia . and Aap . The owner of a Sydney convenience store which caught fire, killing three people, deliberately planned the explosion with a 'complex' set-up of fuel containers so that he could collect on the insurance pay-out, police will allege. Adeel Khan, who was charged on Tuesday with the murder of three people living upstairs from his Rozelle business, demonstrated 'disregard for human life' as he deliberately set his business ablaze on September 4, court documents claim. Police will allege he deliberately' and 'dishonestly' started the inferno. 'It (is) the belief of police that the accused intentionally set about to destroy his business by fire,' the statement of facts says. 'The intent when doing so was to make a financial claim against his insurance.' Scroll down for video . Adeel Khan, 44, was charged with three counts of murder in hospital over the fire explosion in Rozelle - Sydney's inner west - that killed three people . Emergency services were called to a fire explosion at a convenience store on Darling Street on September 4 . Police will allege Khan knew Bianka O'Brien and her one-year-old son Jude, along with their 27-year-old Chris Noble, who all died in the fire, and he was aware that the building's only entry and exit was via the rear driveway. 'The accused acted to cause the explosion and subsequent fire during early hours of the morning when it could only be expected that the above residents would be at home and at their most vulnerable whilst asleep,' court papers said. 'The very act of setting even a small fire in the circumstances demonstrated the accused disregard for human life.' Court documents say baby Jude woke early on the morning of the fire. His parents comforted him and put him back to sleep. Ms O'Brien later told her husband, John, it smelt as if someone was spray-painting in their driveway. John then decided to go to work early, and left about 3.30am before the explosion erupted about half an hour later. Forensic examiners allegedly found what police described as a 'complex and elaborate set-up' of petrol fuel loads throughout Khan's shop, office and storeroom. Plastic fuel containers were found placed at various points throughout the rubble 'connected by lengths of material cut into strips and tied together', police will allege. One was connected to a rechargeable 6V battery and adjacent from this was 'a number of AA batteries stuck together and joined to the larger battery by lengths of wire.' Reports claim wife Naima Adeel (right) was worried about her husband's (left) unusual disappearance from their home in south-west Sydney at 4am - the morning the shop on Darling Street burnt to the ground . Forensic tests later claim to have detected petrol on Khan's clothes and shoes, and police allege to have found a carbon-fibre breathing mask in the pocket of his trousers. Plastic fuel containers were found inside milk crates similar to those seen via CCTV footage being filled up by Khan at a Croydon Park petrol station just three days before the fire on September 1, it has been alleged. Police found a receipt for 38.82 litres of petrol, and also a further 7.28 litres, during a search warrant of Khan’s home in Greenacre, the report states. Police also claim that Khan's car – a black Rav 4 - was found unlocked with the keys in the ignition in the rear driveway of the shop with a 10 litre fuel container full of petrol. Khan's version of events differ from the police documents as he told officers he was held up by three robbers at 11.30pm the night before the blaze which happened at about 4am. He said one bought a packet of cigarettes while another produced a handgun ordering him to lock up the shop and turn off the lights as a third offender arrived. He told police he was put in the storeroom and his hands were loosely bound by garbage bags, and his eyes were also covered by a bag. During the next four hours Khan said the thieves stole $3,000 in cash from his pocket, his wallet, mobile phone and between $1,500 - $1,700 from the cash register. Then the offenders snacked on sandwiches and drinks from the shop. He said five to ten minutes after the offenders eventually left the store, he fled to his car when the explosion went off. Detectives from NSW Police at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, Sydney's inner west, where Adeel Khan was arrested . A police vehicle parked outside the hospital where Mr Khan was admitted after he was rescued from the fire in Rozelle . However, shortly after the blast, paramedics allege when they questioned Khan to assess his level of consciousness that he repeatedly responded saying : 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it, I'm so sorry.' Emergency workers had to extricate Khan, who was trapped under the commercial drinks fridge, after seeing his hand sticking out from the rubble. Police will allege a cigarette lighter was found nearby. Paperwork seized during the search warrant of Khan's house 'revealed signs of financial distress' detailing a disconnection notice by AGL for being in arrears of $3,435 for a bill which had a due date of August 25, police allege. The police will also claim that Khan told his real estate that he would pay his monthly rent of $8,800 on the day that the fire occurred - although it was due three days before on September 1. The documents state that Khan increased his insurance for the shop's stock and interior in February, and then again in May, to the current value of $225,000. Police claim Khan said his business was in 'direct competition' with the larger IGA supermarket, which was only 60-70 metres away, and also 'surrounding specialty food outlets.' Bianka O'Brien and one-year-old son Jude were killed in the fatal inferno earlier this month . It has also been reported that when the Pakistan Consul visited Khan in hospital, the shop owner said the blast was started by a gas cylinder. Daily Telegraph reports than Mr Khan told the consul member: 'I didn't do anything. I don't know what happened, I am very upset.' 'I have sympathy with the people who lost their lives.' However reports claim his wife was worried about her husband's unusual disappearance from their home in south-west Sydney at 4am - the morning the shop on Darling Street was destroyed in the fatal explosion. A close friend revealed Naima Adeel was concerned when she discovered her husband wasn't at their Greenacre home and tried to reach him on his phone a number of times. Days after the fire rocked the close-knit community, neighbours told media outlets that Mr Khan usually closed his store at midnight and reopened it at 7am. Rozelle businesses say it was unusual for Mr Khan who wasn't often seen behind the counter of his business, to be at the shop that early as it doesn't open until about 7am. But Ms Adeel, who has been questioned by police over the fatal fire at Rozelle, has also dismissed allegations her husband was involved and labelled them as 'rumours'. At a bedside hearing on Tuesday, Khan was charged with 25 offences, including three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of manslaughter. He also faces 17 charges related to property damage including one of setting a fire for a financial gain. He was refused bail and will face Central Local Court on October 21. Chris Noble (pictured), 27, was also killed in the fire explosion which also injured three others, including shop owner Adeel Khan . 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Adeel Khan has been charged with murder at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, Sydney's south-west, on Tuesday morning .
The 44-year-old was charged with 25 offences, including three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of manslaughter .
Rozelle convenience shop owner was charged with setting his store ablaze .
The Greenacre man designed a 'complex' set-up of explosives .
Bianka O'Brien and one-year-old son Jude, along with 27-year-old Chris Noble, died in the fatal inferno on September 4 .
Police allege it was to collect the insurance pay-out .
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Uppers are down and downers are up, according to a new report on American drug use. Between 2006 and 2010, use of cocaine in the U.S. has dropped by half while marijuana use has increased an astonishing 30 per cent. Use of heroin on the other hand has remained fairly stable, while methamphetamine use has been on the decrease since seeing a huge spike at the beginning of the decade. Change of habit: Between 2006 and 2010, cocaine use in the U.S. dropped by half . The new report was published by the White House's Office of National Drug Policy which is affiliated with the RAND Drug Policy Research Center and draws on data between 2000 and 2010. Each year, the National Drug Policy office totals how much Americans spend on cocaine, heroin, marijuana and meth while also estimating the number of chronic users. 'Our analysis shows that Americans likely spent more than one trillion dollars on cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine between 2000 and 2010,' said Beau Kilmer, the study's lead author and co-director of the RAND Drug Police Research Center. That's an average of $100billion a year. The report does not attempt to explain changes in drug use or the impact of drug control strategies. However, the dramatic increase in marijuana use may be attributed to the fact that there was an increase in people who reported daily or near-daily use of weed in recent years. New vice: Meanwhile, marijuana use went up 30 per cent and may be attributed to more users using the substance on a daily or near-daily basis . Data on marijuana use was mostly taken from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health while statistics on the other three drugs comes from the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program (ADAM). Federal funding for ADAM was halted this year, which may mean less-reliable data in the future. 'The ADAM program provided unique insights about those who abused hard drugs and how much they spent on these substances,' said Jonathan Caulkins, a study co-author and the Stever Professor of Operations Research and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. 'It's a tragedy that 2013 was the last year for ADAM. It is such an important data system for understanding drug problems.'
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The spike in marijuana use and decline of cocaine was noted in a report published by the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy .
Heroin use remained stable while a spike in meth use at the beginning of the decade was followed by a steady decline .
The study also found that Americans spent $1trillion on illicit drugs between 2000 and 2010 .
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By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 09:43 EST, 15 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:43 EST, 15 November 2013 . Proving that age really is just a number - and that it is never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle - a new generation of grannies are pushing their bodies to the limit by undertaking the ultimate endurance runs. Shunning more traditional OAP hobbies like knitting and baking, these tenacious older women are putting the youth to shame by competing in extreme ultra-marathons - known to be some of the hardest tests of physical and mental endurance in the world. One such grandmother, 77-year-old Andjelina Andjelic - also known as Serbia's Supergran - regularly runs ultra-marathons of 100 km each. 'I hope I will still be running at the age of 100!' says Andjelina Andjelic who, at 77-years-old runs ultra-marathons of 100 km each . The Belgrade-bomber, as she is known to her friends, only took up running at the age of 55 when she thought that it was time that she 'started to live a little bit more healthily.' Since making that decision she has pounded her way through 100 pairs of trainers and competed in such celebrated urban races as the New York, Rome and London marathons. 'I first started to run 100 metres to see if I even could do that. Then I went for 200, 500 and after a while I participated at race of 5,000 metres', she said. 'Sometimes I have to ask the organisers not to pack up and go home before I cross the finish line. 'I am a bit slower than many, but I always make a point of completing a race. 'The most gruelling I recall was 111 kilometres, but it took me 24 hours', said Andjelina, adding that she runs for health and fun, not for results - although it remains a fact that she has won 35 different medals. 'Some even don't believe it when I say I am a granny", she said. 'I think they expect me to sit at home and knit, or something. Mimi, 51, from Kent, only took up running at 36 but has still managed to break records in the sport, and this weekend will face another grueling challenge as she competes in the 250 km Desert Ultra marathon . The grandmother has previously ran the Badwater ultra marathon in Death Valley twice in a row . 'But there is nothing like the wind in your face and the adrenalin pumping through your body to make you feel good. I hope I will still be running at the age of 100!' Another Supergran who is racing into the the record books is Mimi Anderson, 51, from Kent. The grandmother to Theo, aged five, and Finley, two, only took up running at 36 but has still managed to break records in the sport. Having suffered an eating disorder in her youth for 15 years she says it was taking up running at the age of 36 that gave her the incentive to battle the condition. She has won numerous world records for her endurance feats including the fastest crossing on foot across Ireland (345 miles in three days, 15 hours and nearly 37 minutes) and the furthest distance covered on a treadmill by a female over seven days. This weekend Mimi will compete in the Desert Ultra, a 250km super marathon set in the dry heat of the Namib Desert. The race is self-sufficient meaning Mimi will be carrying all of her kit and equipment for the entire race, which includes a sleeping bag, food, safety equipment and a minimum of 2.5 litres, while running in extreme heat. Despite the monumental task ahead of her, Mimi says on her blog that she is excited about the challenge. 'I can’t tell you how excited I am to have the opportunity to run once again in such a stunning location, with the added bonus of all the wild life we will see; so close sometimes you could almost touch them. 'My pink camera is charging and ready to go! One of the reasons I began running in the first place was to see amazing Countries like Africa,' she says.
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Andjelina Andjelic, 77, took up running aged 55 in a bid to be 'healthier'
Has competed in the New York, Rome and London marathons .
To date has run through 100 pairs of trainers and won 35 medals .
Mimi Anderson, 51, from Kent, started running aged 36 .
She has won numerous world records for her endurance feats .
This weekend she will compete in the 250km Desert Ultra marathon .
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's foreign ministry Wednesday rejected concerns raised by the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief that the country's nuclear weapons "could fall into the hands of an extremist group in Pakistan or in Afghanistan." Mohamed ElBaradei, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief. fears for Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Mohamed ElBaradei's comments to Al-Hayat newspaper were "irresponsible" and "unwarranted," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said at a news briefing on Wednesday. "Pakistan rejects the statement by Dr. ElBaradei, Director General IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), hinting at the possibility of its nuclear weapons falling into the hands of extremists," according to a ministry statement. "As head of the IAEA, which is a U.N. body, he has to be careful about his statements which ought to remain within the parameters of his mandate. "His remarks also ignore the fact that the strategic assets of Pakistan are fully secure and under multilayered safeguards and controls exercised by the National Command Authority." In an interview published in Al-Hayat Tuesday, ElBaradei said that Pakistan's recent political instability makes it more sensitive to susceptible to problems in other Muslim countries. "The effects of any new war in the Middle East and the Islamic world could have repercussions, not only in Iran, but what I fear most is the effect in Pakistan, a nation with many internal problems," ElBaradei said. "I fear a system of chaos or extremist regime in this state, which has 30 or 40 nuclear weapons." Pakistan has been in a state of political upheaval since the country's opposition challenged President Pervez Musharraf's tight grip on power, pushing him to step down as military chief and lift the emergency rule he had imposed in early November. The country further spiraled into chaos after the December 27 assassination of leading opposition figure and former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto. In response to the IAEA director-general's comments, Pakistan's foreign ministry stressed in its statement that ElBaradei, "on several occasions, has been briefed about the structure and control mechanisms put in place to ensure complete safety of our nuclear assets." "Pakistan is a responsible nuclear weapon state. Our nuclear weapons are as secure as that of any other nuclear weapon state. We, therefore, believe statements expressing concern about their safety and security are unwarranted and irresponsible. "Pakistan attaches great importance to IAEA and has extended cooperation and assistance to the Agency on many important issues towards the fulfillment of its mandate. Our civilian nuclear program is under IAEA safeguards and we have always fully complied with IAEA obligations," the ministry said. E-mail to a friend .
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Pakistan rejects fears its nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of extremists .
Mohamed ElBaradei, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief, voiced his worries Tuesday .
ElBaradei: I fear chaos in this state, which has 30 or 40 nuclear weapons .
Pakistan: Our nuclear weapons as secure as those held by other nuclear states .
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Tourists have been evacuated from one of the most iconic bridges in Paris after it began to crumble under the weight of thousands of 'love locks'. A chunk of the Pont des Arts bridge fell away on Sunday night and the police were called to seal off the area which remains closed today. It is a popular custom for tourists to secure a padlock to the bridge branded with their names as a romantic gesture, with Kourtney Kardashian and boyfriend Scott Disick also indulging in the tradition. Scroll down for video . Sealing their love: Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick attached a padlock to the Pont des Arts when they visited Paris with their son Mason . No crossing: A wooden board covers a section of the bridge railing that collapsed under the weight of the padlocks . Dangerous: Police said it was lucky the rail collapsed inwards rather than out into the river below, which is often busy with tourist boats . Kim Kardashian has also been pictured attaching a lock to the bridge when she visited Paris while pregnant. But the weight of the locks is damaging . the metal Ponts des Arts, which was originally completed in 1804 but rebuilt in . the 1980s following damage in the two World Wars. A local French police spokesperson said: 'A metal grille had fallen inwards, rather than into the river. 'If it had landed on a passing boat, the results could have been disastrous. As it happened, nobody was injured. 'The bridge was evacuated, and will now be closed until Monday morning at the earliest.' Celebrity trend: Kourtney, pictured with Scott and son Mason, was captured on camera attaching the lock for TV show Keeping up with the Kardashians . In the family: Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner also stopped at Pont des Arts on a visit to Paris to attach a padlock to the bridge . Vying for space: There are now so many padlocks on the bridge that some tourists have taken to attaching theirs to lampposts too . If follows growing calls for the padlocks - which also blight other major European cities including London - to be banned. It has become common practice for visitors to buy a padlock, attach it to a bridge, and then throw the key into the river, in Paris's case the Seine. The practice has been encouraged by American celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who spent a lot of time dating in Paris before their wedding in Italy last month. The famous Paris bridge is said to offer some of the best views along the Seine . It was first built between 1802 and 1804, under the reign of Napoleon, and is a favourite with artists . Due to damage sustained in WW1 and WW2, the bridge was rebuilt between 1981 and 1984 . The 'love lock' tradition began in Hungary in the early 20th century, based on a tale of a woman who lost her soldier love to another during WW1. Young women started symbolising their love by attaching padlocks to the bridge where the abandoned woman used to meet her lost lover. The padlock tradition took hold in Western Europe in the early 2000s and was popularised by an Italian book I Want You by Federico Moccia, in which a couple adds a padlock to the Ponte Milvio in Rome. In Paris, the ritual began in 2008 on the Pont des Arts but has since extended to the Pont de l’Archevêché near Notre Dame too. Othe bridges encountering problems from a vast quantity of padlocks being affixed are the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Ponte l’Accademia in Venice. A . 'Not Love Locks' campaign was launched in Paris by two Americans in . February, in response to some 700,000 padlocks appearing around the . city. All . bridges have been blighted by the practice, but the Pont des Arts now . looks like two solid walls of metal divided by a wooden walkway. 'It's so out of control,' says Lisa Anselmo, who co-founded the campaign with fellow writer Lisa Taylor Huff. 'People . are climbing up lampposts to clip locks on, hanging over the bridge to . put them on the other side of the rail, risking their lives to attach . one. It's a kind of mania. It's not about romance any more - it's just . about saying 'I did it.' On tour: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has also visited the iconic Ponts des Arts with friends . Protests: A campaign has been started to stop the practice of fixing locks to the bridge - a problem that blights iconic bridges across Europe . Anne . Hidalgo, the Socialist mayor of Paris, has so far resisted calls to take . action over the vandalism, but the bridge collapse could change that. A . spokesman for the City Hall said: 'If the tradition continues to grow . in popularity and causes too much damage to the city's monuments, . solutions will be considered in a bid to address the problem.' The pedestrian Pont des Arts, which . links the Louvre Museum and the Institut de France, is an exact replica . of one designed by Napoleon Bonaparte's architects in 1802. Love locks: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West also attached a padlock to the bridge when they were in Paris . Lookout point: The bridge is famed for its spectacular views along the Seine . The original was damaged by German bombs during both world wars, but a faithful reproduction was built during the 1980s. It was once considered a hugely romantic bridge, enjoying arguably the prettiest views in the city, but many locals argue the padlocks have turned it into a tourist trap.
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Police said it was lucky nobody was injured by the bridge section that fell .
Tourists place padlocks on the bridge to seal their love .
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick have left padlocks at bridge .
Locals are calling for the practice to be banned to protect the bridge .
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upwave is Turner Broadcasting's new lifestyle brand designed to entertain the health into you! Visit upwave.com for more information and follow upwave on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram @upwave. (upwave.com)For one day a year, nearly everyone becomes a football fan. Whether the Super Bowl's draw is the halftime show, the commercials or the game itself doesn't really matter: Party snacks are the true common denominator. The problem for would-be healthy eaters is that Super Bowl snacks are rarely nutritious. Fortunately, there are some easy fixes that'll trim calories and bad fats, allowing you to enjoy the game guilt-free. If only we could cut out the bad play calls just as easily, right? upwave: 4 vegan-friendly Super Bowl snacks . Garlic crab stuffed mushrooms from Meals & Moves . Stuffed mushrooms are a surefire hit at almost any party, Super Bowl or not. Unfortunately, they're often packed with high-fat ingredients like cheese and sausage. For a lighter, fitter take on the classic, try this recipe, which replaces less healthy options with protein-rich Greek yogurt (my new favorite substitute ingredient), low-fat string cheese and lump crab meat. Aside from the delicious flavor, of course, the best thing about these 'shrooms is the fact that eating five will only cost you 79 calories. Score! upwave: 7 ways to lighten up with Greek yogurt . 7-layer bean dip from The Picky Eater . Back in the day, any recipe that featured a layer of sour cream was an instant fave of mine. That's no longer the case, since I've grown older, wiser and less fond of stretchy pants. Of course, traditional seven-layer bean dip is made with stuff like sour cream, full-fat cheese and premade guacamole, and served with processed tortilla chips. This recipe offers a healthy twist on the original with easy, do-it-yourself chips, mashed avocados, veggies and my aforementioned new love, Greek yogurt (mixed with taco seasoning for flavor). Trade up your standard refried beans for nutritionally awesome black beans and you've got a real winner on your plate. Loaded nachos from Living Well Kitchen . Let's face facts here. Most of the time, melted cheese is what turns nachos into a cholesterol-fest. So instead of saturating your tortilla chips with copious amounts of the beloved dairy product, choose alternate toppings for a leaner, more flavorful approach. This super-yummy (not to mention attractive) option uses quality ingredients like lean ground beef or turkey, roma tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, jalapeños and salsa to create an appetizer that'll have your guests doing touchdown-style dances of their own. Of course, if you really love cheesy nachos, you can always sparingly sprinkle the dish with a low-fat variety. upwave: 5 health benefits of cheese . Chipotle chicken sweet potato skins from Half Baked Harvest . A Super Bowl party without potato skins is pretty much a sacrilege. This year, trade regular potatoes for brightly colored sweet potatoes! Although regular spuds certainly have their health benefits, sweet potatoes are lower in calories, higher in fiber and vitamin C and are practically bursting with vitamin A. Mixed with zesty chipotle chicken, sharp low-fat cheddar cheese and various seasonings, this fiber-rich dish will surely become an often-requested specialty. Black bean & quinoa chili from Fit Foodie Finds . Chili is a staple in many homes during the frosty winter months, and its versatile nature makes it a ton of fun to experiment with. This recipe incorporates the current darling of the foodie world -- nutritional superstar quinoa -- along with many traditional chili ingredients, such as black beans, diced tomatoes and various herbs and spices. If you're looking for a leaner, meat-free version of this piping-hot favorite, take this recipe for a spin! Although to chili purists it may seem like a Hail Mary pass, it'll wind up being a tight spiral right into the end zone of yumminess for everyone. upwave: Why quinoa is good for you . Buffalo chicken wings from Snack Girl . Buffalo chicken wings are almost as delicious as they are messy. This fan favorite is usually deep fried, though, making the delicacy chock-full of fat and calories -- about 479 for only three ounces! This fitter option from Snack Girl is only 240 calories for four or five wings, which is plenty to satisfy your craving without killing your diet. The nutritional difference comes via the preparation: These wings are boiled and baked rather than fried. Top them with the sauce of your choice and serve alongside celery for a cool crunch. upwave: For more ideas, see our Super Bowl guide . This article was originally published on upwave.com . 6 healthy Super Bowl snacks . © 2015 upwave, All Rights Reserved.
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Super Bowl snacks are rarely nutritious, but there are some easy fixes .
Make garlic crab stuffed mushrooms with Greek Yogurt and low-fat string cheese .
Trade regular potatoes for sweet potatoes to keep the beloved skins .
You can make chili using black beans and quinoa .
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A Knight Rider fan spent 10 years transforming a his run down car into a replica of Kitt - the car driven by David Hasselhoff in the classic 80s TV show. Scott Bainbridge, 30, spent £18,000 converting an unloved Pontiac Firebird into a car that looks - and sounds - like the hi-tech original. The postman, who fell in love with Kitt when he first saw it on screen as a child, spends three nights a week working on his car - which needed new carpets, wheels and a custom-made dashboard. Scroll down for videos . Ready to ride: Knight Rider fan Scott Bainbridge (pictured with his car) spent 10 years transforming a his run down car into a replica of Kitt - the car driven by David Hasselhoff in the classic 80s TV show . Iconic: David Hasselhoff starred as Michael Knight in Knight Rider. Kitt had numerous special features such as Turbo Boost (which allowed quick bursts of speed or jumping over obstacles), the ability to drive 'himself' Detailed: Mr Bainbridge spent more than £18,000 converting an unloved Pontiac Firebird into a car that looks - and sounds - like the original. Above, the custom-built dashboard inside his car looks like the original . Intelligent: The original Kitt interior. The 'brain' of KITT, essentially a supercomputer on wheels, allowed the car to think, learn, communicate and interact with humans. It was voiced by actor William Daniels in the show . He also carried out extensive welding on the 25-year-old vehicle, and added new wings, new suspension and brake parts. One of the final touches was a coat of black paint. But he insists, his work on the car is still not finished. Mr Bainbridge said: 'Knight Rider is sort of a combination between technology and a cool car, so when you bring those two together I fell in love with it. 'All the lights on the dashboard, the scanner lights and the car they used was a great looking car to begin with so it really won me over.' The reincarnated Pontiac has the full Knight Rider dashboard and has been extensively altered to match the on-screen vehicle. Kitt, which stands for Knight Industries Two Thousand, was voiced by actor Michael Daniels in the original series. Committed: The father-of-two had to install a new engine (seen above) as part of the project. He wants to recreate the car so that it looks like the vehicle seen in the second series of the 80s TV programme . Stripped down: Mr Bainbridge spends at least three nights a week working on his project in his garage in Newcastle. Above, the 25-year-old car is pulled apart before the new engine is added . Passionate: Mr Bainbridge took this photo of the car while he was working on the the wiring, accessories, fuel lines and radiator of his Kitt. The hi-tech vehicle was finished off with a coat of black paint . The vehicle - a supercomputer on wheels - had the ability to drive itself and interact with humans, including its driver, Michael Knight, who was played by David Hasselhoff. Mr Bainbridge, father of two from Newcastle, said he is aiming to recreate the car as it appears in the second series of the original TV show. He said: 'I first got the car back in 2004, and it arrived on a low loader and it was in a very, very sorry state. 'It's taken me ten years to get it from what it was originally to what you see now - the whole interior has to be redone, all new dashboard, new carpets, new wheels, and that's just to get it to look like the Knight Rider car.' Mr Bainbridge's Kitt said that the car attracts a lot of attention wherever he goes. At weekends he takes the vehicle to shows around the country where Knight Rider fans can take pictures with the iconic car. Work to do: Mr Bainbridge said that although to the general public the car (above, on the road) may look perfect - to Knight Rider fans there are many differences between his car and the original Kitt . Attention: Mr Bainbridge said that he gets a lot of attention when he takes his car out on the roads. The enthusiast thinks that it is because the vehicle brings back childhood memories for a whole generation . He said: 'I get quite a lot of thumbs up and people flashing lights on their cars and people taking pictures of me. 'I think it brings back a lot of memories for people when they see Kitt cruising down the road.' But Mr Bainbridge insists he still has a lot of work to do on the car. He said that although to the general public the car may look perfect - to Knight Rider fans there are many differences between his car and the original Kitt. He said: 'All the dashboard needs to come back out soon when I get my new set of electronics - that will take a while. 'There's other bits on the body work that need to get sorted out it so it will probably be getting painted for a third time and I've got new interior panels to put in as well. 'The plastics are a tan colour but mine aren't quite right so I've got a new set which need to go on which will make it look a bit more accurate.'
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Scott Bainbridge spent £18,000 converting 25-year-old car into Kitt replica .
He fell in love with the original when he watched Knight Rider as a child .
Now he spends three nights a week re-creating the car in his garage .
The 30-year-old added new doors and windows and fitted new interior .
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(Rolling Stone) -- Bad news for Black Sabbath fans: Bill Ward will not be playing drums at any of the group's three gigs scheduled this year. In a long message posted on his website, Ward explained that he was simply not able to come to terms with his bandmates. The metal pioneers are playing their first show since 2005 this Saturday evening at their hometown of Birmingham, England -- and Ward claims that he first learned of the gig through an ad on the Internet. The original Sabbath lineup announced last November that they would reunite for a tour and their first album since 1978's "Never Say Die!" Less than two months later, guitarist Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma, prompting Sabbath to cancel the vast majority of their summer tour. Weeks later, Bill Ward announced via a Facebook that he would not participate in the group's reunion until he was presented with a "signable contract." The group vowed to carry on without him and had recently announced a headlining gig at Lollapalooza, as well as a warm-up show in Birmingham this Saturday. In his new letter, Ward says that the group asked him to play drums on three songs during their set at the Download Festival in June, an offer that he refused. On May 9, Ward says, Sabbath asked him to play this Saturday's gig for free without any guarantee that he'd get to perform at the other shows, which he ultimately turned down. Here is the complete text of Ward's letter: . "Dear Sabbath Fans and Fellow Musicians, . I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming Sabbath shows a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won't be playing with Black Sabbath at the Birmingham gig dated May 19, 2012, nor will I be playing at Download on June 10, 2012. Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza on August 3, 2012. It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I'm very, very sorry that it's fallen to this. This statement is even more painstaking to write, as I was particularly excited to play alongside Tony Iommi after the recent treatments he underwent. I wanted that to become a reality. To express my thoughts about you, the Sabbath fans, I'm going to speak to you all through an experience my brother James had recently. My brother Jimmy lives in the U.K. When speaking with him a couple of days ago, he told me that an acquaintance had stopped him on the street and confronted him, 'Is your brother playing Birmingham? What's going on? I waited in line with my son and paid x amount for the concert tickets.' The man's son is a young drummer. He's going to see Sabbath, and he wants to see Bill Ward play drums. Upon hearing this news, I felt horrible. I couldn't help feeling some resentment towards the failure to reach an agreement, the failure to remember where we came from, the failure to be as brothers, as we once were. To be clear, I'm not blaming the other guys or finding any faults with them. I would think it can't be easy for them either, but this situation is just really sad. It's sad that it's come to this. 'This' will surely leave a mark and be unwelcome to the memory. Hopefully 'this' will heal and pass in time. My heart sank when Jimmy told me about this young boy. I know this boy is going to be disappointed, and I don't know how to amend it, other than to put my arms around the boy and tell him I love him. Sabbath fans have a voice and a face, to me you're human, you have families and despair. You have ferocity and emotions and graciousness, and at this moment as far as I'm concerned you are also that young boy in England. I don't know how to amend my part in these failings other than to put my arms around you and say I love you and let you know I'm very, very sorry. Throughout this process, which began over a year ago, I have had to stand up for myself time and time again. I have had to stand up for myself and in doing so realize my actions indirectly, although unintentionally, are upsetting and hurting a lot of you. I know in my heart I couldn't have done these concerts by agreeing the terms suggested. I made a solemn vow after the last European and Ozzfest concerts that I would never again enter into what was, in my opinion, a totally unsatisfactory contract. I have to stand for something, and as painful as it is, I'm doing it. Earlier in April 2012, I'd been asked to participate 'minimally' in the Download festival. I believe I'd been offered no more than three songs to play while another drummer presumably played the rest of the show with Black Sabbath. I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a Sabbath set, while I was to play only three songs. I found out about the Birmingham gig on Monday, April 30 through the Internet ad. I was taken aback somewhat by the date, and the fact it was Birmingham. Knowing the "signable" contract negotiations were at best in shreds, I was upset by the idea that the band was going to play Birmingham and play it assumedly without me. I had no prior knowledge of the date and location, and I felt totally excluded. We contacted the representative for Black Sabbath to see if something could be worked out. In the meantime my drum crew and I, along with our US endorsers, finished all the necessary planning for a swift departure to the UK. There wasn't a whole lot to complete; we'd all been on standby more or less since mid-January 2012. The remaining work in the UK was confirmed done by our European and UK endorsers and we were good to go by Friday, May 4 2012. There were two stress points: firstly, getting an agreement in place, and secondly, getting to England in a timely manner. Jetlag time was taken into account as well as drum practice, a drum practice room in the heart of Birmingham, accommodation, and travel arrangements were all in place to meet with any band rehearsals that may have transpired before the Birmingham show. So far everything that had been arranged was on my dime, but we didn't move ahead without a realistic confirmation. Communications between the representative and my lawyer continued through the weekend of May 5 finalizing on Wednesday, May 9. The offer we received on May 9 was, 'come to the U.K., play for free and see how the first show goes.' I was tempted. Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but 'seeing how the first show goes' left an element of risk which could have affected Download. My ideal thought was to play in full the Birmingham show, in full Download, and in full Lollapalooza. I had notified the representative that May 10 was my cutoff day in order to have good lead-in time for England. On the night of May 9 I asked for a brief letter to be sent to the representative asking to find out if we were at an end. On the morning of Thursday, May 10, I received a reply in the affirmative. After consulting with my advisors and crew a decision was made to let go and stop. I can't prioritize the Sabbath fans making one show more important than the other. I can't do that. All of you are important. It's all the gigs or none at all. I can't come to Birmingham and 'see what happens' knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza. Again, for me, it's all or nothing. I had to say 'no' to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows. Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. Black Sabbath grew up in Birmingham. It's still my hometown and I resent having to arrive at such a difficult choice. Although the statement was made that, 'the door is always open' for me, as explained above, walking through that door is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many complicated issues and unseen and unspoken agendas on hand. I can assure you, my criteria for a "signable" contract is based in mindful principles, respectability, and acknowledgement of my history within the band. I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I'm tolerant of them; I'm frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I'll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesn't win; the fans for an original lineup don't win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did. I didn't want to make this decision, but I have to be honest and transparent. This is the statement I didn't want to write; it's the last thing I wanted to do. But, I have written it, and now it can go into the universe. Since Spring of 2011, I've waited patiently and hopefully for a signable contract, you know the rest. I stand for the boy in the U.K., for the coming drum student, for all the drummers, who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing, I stand with the Sabbath fans chanting 'Bill Ward' and asking 'why?' and I stand with Tony and Geezer and Ozzy. On a final note, even though I'm at an end with the upcoming announced concerts, I will remain with an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate 'signable' terms with Sabbath's representatives in the future. Stay strong. Stay safe. With all my heart and strength, I love you, . Bill Ward" See the full story at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone.
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Bill Ward has declined to play at any of the Black Sabbath's three gigs scheduled this year .
Sabbath asked him to play this Saturday's gig for free without any guarantee .
"I'm very, very sorry that it's fallen to this," Ward said in a statement .
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Jonas Gutierrez could yet be afforded an emotional farewell appearance for Newcastle United after his proposed move to Velez Sarsfield broke down. The 31-year-old – who has twice beaten testicular cancer – returned to Argentina last week for talks with the club where he made his professional debut. But Gutierrez was back on Tyneside on Monday morning after a deal to satisfy all parties failed to materialise. Jonas Gutierrez returned to Newcastle at the end of last year after beating testicular cancer . Gutierrez was thought to be on his way out of the club, but now could be set for an emotional farewell . With his contract set to expire in the summer, the former Real Mallorca winger has spoken of his desire to appear one more time for the Magpies. That dream appeared to have gone when he opened talks with Velez, with whom he had trained following his all-clear from cancer in November. Gutierrez has expressed his wish to play for Newcastle one more time, and that now looks possible again . Jonas Gutierrez beat cancer after a year-long battle against the disease . But Gutierrez will now resume training with the Magpies and his next outing is likely to be for their Under-21 side. Supporters, however, will be hoping to see him in the first-team before his exit in the summer after seven years at St James’ Park.
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Argentinian midfielder was set for move back to first professional club .
But player was unable to agree personal terms with Velez Sarsfield .
Gutierrez, who has twice beaten cancer, set for an emotional farewell .
CLICK HERE for all the latest Newcastle United news .
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(CNN) -- In their first year at Yale Law School, many of the students who would graduate in 1979 were nervous about raising their hands. They often felt intimidated by their professors and complained to one another outside of class. Sonia Sotomayor is pictured in the 1978-79 yearbook of Yale University Law School. But not the confident, outspoken Sonia Sotomayor, classmates recall. "She was always willing to speak up and give her point of view," said classmate Robert Klonoff, now dean of the Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. "I just remember, even back then, thinking that in a group of very, very smart people she was destined to go great places." Sotomayor, who was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, has been described as a studious, outgoing person by classmates from her class at Yale. "At a time when other students were sitting around worrying about workload, she was doing the work," said Stephen Carter, who attended Yale Law School with Sotomayor and now is a professor there. Classmates noted that Sotomayor's background was not typical for a Yale Law student. While many other students had come from wealthy backgrounds and had parents who attended the university, Sotomayor grew up in a housing project in the South Bronx in New York. She then attended Princeton University on a scholarship, graduating summa cum laude in 1976. Her background didn't seem to shake her confidence, classmates said. And she did not use her experience of hardship as leverage in arguments, Carter said. "She would never sit around and say, 'Oh, well, I grew up in a housing project so I know,' " he said. "She didn't feel her background gave her some kind of special trump. She wanted the argument to work. She would tell you why she thought something, and the 'why' never had anything to do with where she came from." Sotomayor's emphasis on opportunities for people of color has been instrumental in Klonoff's own thinking, he said. "As dean, I'm very passionate about diversifying my law faculty and diversifying the student body," he said. "She was very influential in my own thinking on that, on the importance of those values." Sotomayor demonstrates passions for the law and questions of justice, said Susan Sturm, a Columbia Law School professor and classmate of Sotomayor at Yale. The two women still keep in touch, Sturm said. "She's someone who really respects and admires the law as an institution and, within that, the law's capacity to really respond to concerns running the spectrum of people who are currently disadvantaged and those who have responsibilities," Sturm said. Outside of class, Sotomayor served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. Several of her classmates remember a note she published in the journal about whether Puerto Rico would lose its rights to offshore minerals if it became a U.S. state. Carter was impressed by her use of an old doctrine of constitutional law in her analysis -- she looked at its roots, its reasoning, and the best way of crafting exceptions to it. Learn more about Sotomayor's life » . "Her work was thorough, dogged, careful and persuasive; steeped in legal sources and attentive to real-world consequences," said Martha Minow, now a professor at Harvard Law School, in an e-mail. She and Minow were classmates and remain friendly, she said. Sotomayor's later opinions as a judge on the court of appeals reflect some of the same qualities seen in that note, particularly the idea of finding a practical, "in-between" solution to a problem, Carter said. "She looks and she says, 'I understand a lot of people think A, and a lot of people Z, but if you look at this carefully the real answer is somewhere between those,' " he said. "And indeed what she does in finding these in-between answers is she applies a practical sense, the sense of someone who has been a courtroom lawyer." Today, Carter teaches some of Sotomayor's business law opinions in his courses. Her continued emphasis on finding practical solutions is refreshing in a world where public discussions about law are usually about "good guys and bad guys," he said. Learn about the other Supreme Court justices » . "'Good guys and bad guys' is a wretched way to pick judges and it's a wretched way to make law. Thinking about what works practically is a much finer way to make law, and I think that's what you'll find Sonia doing." The choice of Sotomayor for the Supreme Court seemed so appropriate to Klonoff that, upon learning Justice David Souter was stepping down, Klonoff wrote a letter to the President's Council urging that she be nominated. "Given her life experience, I think she's going to have a sensitivity that many others couldn't bring to the job," said Klonoff, who also still keeps in touch with Sotomayor. "This was a master stroke for the president, I think, on so many levels, and not only to have the first Latin-American on the court, but to pick someone with absolutely impeccable credentials and experience, and to have both the trial and appellate experience," Klonoff said. "She's really smart, intellectually brilliant, she's street smart which is a nice thing to be, in my view, if you're a judge," said Rudy Aragon, now an attorney in Miami, Florida, and classmate of Sotomayor. He and Sotomayor were co-chairs of LANA, the Latin, Asian, and Native American student association at the law school. He also said that Sotomayor's mother saved up all her money to buy a set of encyclopedias so her kids could learn. Personally, Sotomayor is "warm, funny, and down-to-earth," said Harvard professor Minow. The judge is a "born teacher" with an attentiveness to detailed facts, she said. "She has never forgotten where she came from, nor how challenging life can be for people struggling to make it in this country," she said.
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Sonia Sotomayor graduated Yale University Law School in 1979 .
She has been described as outgoing and studious by former classmates .
In the Yale Law Review she wrote about Puerto Rico's potential statehood .
Classmate: Sotomayor is a "born teacher" with an attentiveness to detailed facts .
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(CNN) -- A southwest Illinois man accused of strangling his wife and two young sons appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to murder charges, officials said. Christopher Coleman sits in the back of a police car after his arrest Tuesday in the slayings of his wife and two sons. Christopher Coleman, 32, will remain jailed without bond pending a June 10 preliminary hearing, according to the Monroe County, Illinois, district court clerk's office. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Sheri Coleman, 31, and sons Garett, 11, and Gavin, 9. Their bodies were found May 5 in the bedrooms of the Coleman's two-story home in Columbia, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. The three died of strangulation by ligature -- a string, cord or wire -- police said. Coleman was arrested Tuesday at his parents' home in Chester, Illinois. As a police patrol car carrying Coleman arrived at the Monroe County courthouse for Wednesday's hearing, a waiting crowd shouted "murderer" and "baby killer," according to video posted on the Web site of CNN affiliate KSDK. Coleman told police he left the house at 5:43 a.m. the day of the deaths and drove to a gym to work out. Watch report of Coleman's actions after deaths » . "Shortly thereafter, he started calling his house, realized that nobody was answering and on his way back at around 6:50 a.m. is when he made the phone call to the Columbia Police Department, said Maj. Jeff Connor, commander of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Coleman said he was calling the house to make sure the boys were waking up for school, Connor said. Threatening messages were found on the walls inside the home, Connor said, but would not disclose the exact wording. In an article posted on the Major Case Squad's Web site, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper reported the message said something to the effect of, "I told you this would happen." A glove with red spray paint on it was found along Interstate 255, which would have been on Coleman's route to the gym, the newspaper reported. The message in the Coleman home was written in paint of a similar color, the article said. Coleman previously worked in the security department for Joyce Meyer Ministries, an evangelical Christian organization based in suburban St. Louis, said spokesman Roby Walker. Walker told CNN Coleman resigned last week after the two met regarding "a violation of moral conduct." He would not elaborate. The Post-Dispatch cited police sources as saying Coleman had more than one romantic rendezvous with a Florida woman, a friend of his wife, during out-of-town ministry trips. Neither Coleman nor his attorneys have commented on that report, the Post-Dispatch said. Police said Tuesday they did not have a motive for the killings. Joyce Meyer Ministries said in a statement Wednesday that it had learned of the charges against Coleman. "This horrible tragedy has deeply saddened us all and although nothing can compensate for the loss of this beautiful family, our ministry remains fully behind the diligent efforts of the law enforcement community," the statement said.
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NEW: Illinois man held without bond on three counts of first-degree murder .
Chris Coleman pleads not guilty to slayings of wife, two children .
Bodies were found in Southern Illinois home on May 5 .
Coleman claimed he left home for gym before slayings, police say .
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By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 11:18 EST, 30 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:45 EST, 30 April 2013 . A 12-year-old girl who was seriously injured in a car crash that killed her mother as they drove to Thanksgiving celebrations has finally returned home after five months in hospital. Lauren Nevil revealed her amazing recovery as she threw out the first pitch at her little brother's baseball game in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, three days after she left hospital. Her progress is all the more amazing after doctors told her father that she might never walk again. 'She slept in her own bed for the first night in 161 days,' her proud father told The Tennessean after helping support Lauren, who was fitted with an orthopedic boot after losing four toes in the accident. Heading home: Lauren Nevil, 12, left hospital last week, five months after she was injured in a car crash . Astonishing recovery: Lauren throws out the first pitch at her brother's baseball game after leaving hospital . On her first night home, she enjoyed a . sleepover with her cousins before spending the weekend with family - . and even successfully climbing the stairs in her home. 'I was very impressed with the strength she showed,' her father wrote on Facebook. Steve Nevil, his wife Katy and their . two children, Lauren and Will, nine, were driving from their new home in Franklin, . Tennessee to Arlington, Texas for Thanksgiving last year . when they hit by a car. Standing strong: Lauren is walking on her own - although doctors doubted she would again . The . impact sent their vehicle crashing into trees along the highway near . the Texas state line, immediately killing 38-year-old Katy and gravely . injuring Lauren. She was airlifted to hospital, where doctors learned she had suffered a traumatic brain injury, a . broken femur, three broken ribs, a collapsed lung and damage to her foot . that cost her four toes. But amid losing their beloved mother . and wife, the Nevil family has pulled through to show amazing . determination, buoyed by communities in Texas and Tennessee. Throughout his daughter's inspiring recovery, Steve Nevil father has been documenting her progress on a Facebook group, Pray for the Nevils, which now has more than 300,000 followers. He has reported on her numerous surgeries and physical therapy sessions at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, uploading videos and photos of her struggles and her milestones. She . will now have outpatient therapy for more than six hours a day, four . days a week, and will probably need it for several months, The . Tennessean reported. Doctors . are still working to find out how much brain damage she suffered; her . spatial organization was damaged in the crash, leaving her unable to . carry out functions such as tying her shoelaces. For now, she will be taught by her . father and tutors until she is tested in summer to see whether she can . return to school or if she will need to attend a special program. Over her recovery, Steve Nevil, 41, . has shared videos of her sitting up unassisted for the first time, . enjoying a few sips of a cherry-flavoured slushie and opening a . Valentine's gift surrounded by her family and friends. Support: Steve Nevil has been documenting his daughter Lauren's amazing progress after they were in a car crash last Thanksgiving which claimed his wife's life and left Lauren severely injured . Torn apart: Steve, his wife Katy and their children Lauren and Will were on their way to Thanksgiving dinner . There . have also been updates of her medical condition, from operations to her . diet, to how she has slowly but surely regained normal sleeping . patterns and her speech. In one upbeat post, he describes her drinking from the slushie and how everyone in the room at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth anxiously waited for her to react. 'It was kind of an . awkward 10-15 seconds,' he wrote on a video. 'The room was dead silent as we were hoping the . drink would go down fine without incident. 'Then in a very soft, subtle . & sweet voice we hear - "man, that is really good." We all cracked . up laughing and exhaled a sigh of relief! I say YouHooo.' Most recently, he has uploaded signs of her counting down the days until she can leave hospital. Fighter: Lauren suffered a brain injury, a broken femur, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and lost four toes . Best care: She was transported to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth in December . He has also written entries from . his daughter's point of view, painting an emotional picture of her . struggles and excitement at her progress. 'As . of last night, daddy was able to use a "real" toothbrush and "training" toothpaste (that is okay to swallow),' he wrote on January 26 in his . daughter's voice. 'It was so amazing how the smallest things makes the . biggest difference & makes me feel so much better at that particular . time.' In response to the entries, friends, relatives and strangers have posted their own comments of well-wishes and encouragement to the family. Earlier . this year, they held a fundraiser inspired by Lauren's nickname - Lolo . Palooza - and 550 people helped raise $24,000 at the Grease Monkey in . Arlington. Love: In total, she spent 161 days in hospital, where her younger brother and father visited daily . Upbeat: After losing her toes, she has been fitted with an orthopedic foot but also uses a wheelchair . Smiling: The Nevils had only just moved to the area but said the community has rallied around them . 'I hope to keep this going for years . to come because Lauren will need help for a long period of time to heal . with her injuries,' said organizer and family friend MK Davis. Friends have also helped organize fundraising walks in Dallas-Fort Worth and Franklin, where the family has become well known and well-liked. 'You instantly felt like you'd known them . your entire life,' Mark Moorman, a friend of the family, told . ABC. 'They were very welcoming, warm, . loving people.' Katy Nevil's brother, Jimmy Brimson, said the family is encouraged and supported by the community. 'It's mind-blowing to see all of the . cards and notes from people not just in the U.S. but from all over the . world,' he said. 'It's easy to be cynical in today's world, but this . outpouring of love, prayers and support makes you realise that there are . still a whole lot of good people in this world.' Looking forward: Steve said he is now focused on his daughter's recovery and making sure his son does not grow up too quickly following their family's tragedy . Tragic: An alleged drunk driver hit the family's car, forcing it into trees and Katy Nevil, 38, died instantly . Mr Nevil said he believes people have been so generous thanks to his wife's contagious positivity. 'Katy always, always, always, without . question, always helped whoever she could,' he said. 'I truly think that passion she had in her heart . is being reciprocated.' He added to the Star Telegram that he finds it ironic that he is doing so much writing on the Facebook group as his wife, a certified teacher, always handled business or correspondence. He said that he is unsure about his daughter's long-term prognosis, but he's staying positive - as his wife would wish. 'When I'm alone, it's easy to ask, "Why me?"' he said. 'But I know that's not how Katy would see it.' For more information, visit the family's Facebook page.
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Lauren Nevil suffered a traumatic brain injury, a .
broken femur, three broken ribs, a collapsed lung and lost four toes in a car crash last year .
Her mother, Katy Nevil, died when they were hit by a drunk driver .
Lauren's father, brother and the community have rallied around her and celebrated as she finally returned home after 161 days .
Her father has been documenting her recovery on their Facebook page .
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The legal high known as ‘hippy crack’ was used by one in 16 young people, according to new figures. The first data to be released on the use of nitrous oxide reveals more than six per cent, or 350,000 people aged 16-24 year used the drug last year. Better known as laughing gas, it is a regular fixture as a legal party and festival drug and is the second most popular drug among young people. Legal high: Discarded Nitrous Oxide canisters and balloons used for inhaling abandoned in campsites at the Glastonbury Festival . On a downer: Illegal drug use has fallen, particularly for cocaine and ecstasy, latest figures show . Nitrous oxide is inhaled to make people feel euphoric and relaxed - but drug experts warn it can cause death on first time use through suffocation. For the first time the 2012-13 Crime Survey for England and Wales included questions about the use of the drug. It is often sold to recreational users in balloons in nightclubs and at parties. Cheap, seemingly harmless and guaranteeing a night of raucous laughter, so-called 'hippy crack' is increasingly popular with celebrities and their well-heeled young fans alike. Home office minister Jeremy Browne said drug use in England and Wales was at a record low . Even Prince Harry was seen indulging two years ago. The survey also asked participants about herbal high salvia, also known as Mexican magic mint. It found that some 6.1 per cent of . adults aged 16 to 24 had taken nitrous oxide, while 1.1 per cent had . taken salvia in the last year. However overall drug use in England and Wales is at the lowest level since records began. The Home Office reported that around 8.2 per cent of 16 to 59-year-olds used an illicit drug in the last year, compared with 11.1 per cent in 1996. And the proportion of adults who took a class A drug has dropped from 3 per cent in 2011-12 to 2.6 per cent. Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne wrote to summer festival organisers earlier this year highlighting the Government's concerns about the availability of nitrous oxide and asking that they take steps to prevent its sale at events. Today Mr Browne said: ‘Today’s report shows drug usage in England and Wales is at its lowest level since records began. ‘This, coupled with the record number of people leaving drug treatment programmes free from dependency, is really positive news.’ A survey on attitudes also revealed that almost four out of five - or 79 per cent- of respondents thought taking cannabis was unsafe. Two-thirds thought it was never acceptable to take cannabis and the majority said it was unsafe to take heroin, cocaine or ecstasy. A Home Office spokesman said: 'Nitrous . oxide is a legal substance which has a number of legitimate medical and . industrial uses but any suggestion of abuse, particularly by young . people is of concern. '"Like all drugs there are health risks and nitrous oxide should not be experimented with.'
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1 in 16 16-24 year olds used nitrous oxide last year, Home Office says .
Boom in party and festival drug sold in canisters and balloons .
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By . Michael Zennie and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 22:39 EST, 7 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:50 EST, 8 July 2013 . Ten people have died after a chartered air taxi crashed and burst into flames at a remote municipal airport in Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. The crash of the single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 Otter air taxi claimed the lives of the pilot and all nine passengers aboard. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are not sure whether the plane was landing or taking off when it went down at Soldotna Municipal Airport about 11.20am on Sunday. Scroll down for video . Nine passengers and the pilot died when a de Havilland Otter Air Taxi crashed on take off from the Soldotna Airport in the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska . Rediske Air operated several de Havilland DHC-3 Otter single-engine planes (pictured). The plane that crashed was capable of carrying 20 people . This marks the second deadly airplane crash in two days - coming just 25 hours . after an Asiana Airlines jetliner with 291 people aboard crashed and . cart-wheeled off the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Two 16-year-old Chinese students died and more than 180 were injured. Alaska State Troopers said the plane was chartered as an air taxi at the time of the crash. After it plummeted to Earth, the plane caught fire and had to be extinguished by firefighters from Soldotna. For many Alaskans, flying across the . state is common, exposing residents to a litany of hazards including . treacherous mountain passes and volatile weather. Alaska . already has seen several plane crashes this year, including a June 28 . crash that killed a pilot and two passengers on a commercial tour in the . Alaska Range. The plane burst into flames when it crashed and had to be extinguished by firefighters from Soldotna . The National Transportation Safety Board has scrambled a 'go team' to investigate the cause of the crash, which is said to have claimed the life of the owner of Rediske Air, a plane charter company . The Peninsula Clarion newspaper reports . that the plane was being flown by Willy Rediske, the owner of Rediske . Airlines - an air taxi and charter service. In a 2011 story in General Aviation News, Mr Rediske said his father started Rediske Airlines as a charter plane service in 1991. He said he and his sister took over the company in 2001 and grew it into a company with multiple offices and charter plans across the state of Alaska. The NTSB is sending a team to investigate the crash. NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said one local member of the team was at the scene Sunday evening. Soldotna is 64 miles south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula. However, because of the circuitous highway required, the trip by car is nearly 150 miles. The crash occurred about 65 miles from Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula .
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Single-engine de Havilland DHC-3 Otter air taxi caught fire after crashing at Soldotna Airport .
Crash came 25 hours after Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco killed two people and injured 180 .
Pilot is said to be Willy Rediske, owner of the company that operated the plane .
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Two U.S. customs agents were arrested on charges they helped smuggle drugs and other contraband through New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The DEA says two customs officials at JFK International Airport helped smuggle drugs and contraband. Customs supervisor Walter Golembiowski and officer John Ajello face narcotics, bribery and conspiracy charges in the case, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Golembiowski and Ajello regularly solicited and accepted bribes to allow contraband to pass through undetected, the DEA said. Two airport workers and two others were also charged with importing counterfeit goods. Some of those items included Rolex, Cartier and Chanel watches and designer sunglasses, the DEA said. On several occasions, Golembiowski was captured on audio and video taking bribes to aid his co-conspirators in bringing in illegal drugs and counterfeit goods. "Smuggling any kind of illegal commodity raises troubling issues at a time of deep concern over national security," said Michael J. Garcia, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. "The threat is heightened when a government official accepts bribes to help smugglers breach our borders." The arrests came as a result of a lengthy sting operation by a state, local and federal task force. Prosecutors said numerous recorded meetings and phone calls captured the suspects talking about plans to smuggle hashish, ecstasy and other illegal items. The investigation has led to the indictment and prosecution of more than 20 people -- "from distributors to overseas sources of supply" -- and the seizure of more than 600 pounds of imported hashish and other drugs from the United States and France, according to the statement.
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DEA says two agents regularly accepted and solicited bribes .
They and four others allegedly smuggled illegal contraband and drugs .
Investigation has led to the indictment and prosecution of more than 20 people .
Arrests follow a lengthy investigation by state and federal authorities .
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By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 10:35 EST, 4 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:24 EST, 4 October 2012 . Glamorous Dubai already boasts palatial hotels, sweeping desert and its very own city of Atlantis complete with dolphins. Now the opulent emirate is about to gain another tourist attraction - and it may look familiar. The latest development is a $1billion replica of India's Taj Mahal. Scroll down for video . Globetrotting: The Taj Mahal will stand close to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and other wonders of the world . The real thing: Will Dubailand's Taj Arabia be as breathtaking as India's Taj Mahal? Dubai's version of the iconic building will be named the Taj Arabia complex, and will include a 300-room hotel and shops. 'The Taj is made as a monument of love and we hope to promote this in Dubai as a major wedding destination,' said developer Arun Mehra. The Taj Arabia will sit within the extravagant, 107-square-mile Dubailand, which the city hopes will be the 'world's greatest theme park'. It will be divided into six theme worlds and will be twice the size of all the Disneyland and Disney World resorts put together . The Taj will be part of Falcon City, a large plot of land designed to resemble a falcon spreading its wings, which should be finished by around 2014. Magical: Dubailand will be divided into six theme worlds and will be twice the size of all the Disneyland and Disney World resorts put together . High glamour: The project, which is likely to be finished by 2014, will be stuffed with shops, luxury hotels, apartments and restaurants . Futuristic: The Great Dubai Wheel will be one of the biggest in the world, dwarfing the London Eye and offering stunning views over the city . Falcon City will also feature scale reproductions of other wonders of the world including the Great Pyramid in Giza, the . Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Coliseum and the Lighthouse at Alexandria, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Great Wall of China. This being Dubai, the developers point . out, the famous Pyramid 'includes retail and hotel space the ancient Egyptian . architects would never have imagined!' They have even placed a jogging track on one section of the Great Wall of China. London Bridge, Big Ben, St Paul's . Cathedral and Houses of Parliament will also be reproduced in the mind-boggling development, which will be bigger than Birmingham. Grandiose: Dubailand's Falcon City will feature scale reproductions of the Great Pyramid in Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Coliseum and the Eiffel Tower . Vegas plus: The ambitious project was started in 2003 but put on hold in 2008 because of financial issues. It has now resumed . Modern world: The developers claim that Falcon City captures the spirit of ancient civilizations while celebrating the architectural marvels of the world . Tourists will also be able to gape at a version of the Las Vegas strip that will be four times as big as the real thing. The Town of Venice situated on the waterfront is to house waterfront, open-air cafes, gondolas and pedestrian shopping, and luxury apartments for short lets. There will be Tiger Woods-designed golf courses, a Formula 1 race track, luxurious villas and water parks. Billionaire's playground: Falcon City will be located on a 100 acre site in Dubailand, which is intended to be the 'world's greatest theme park' Tourist heaven: Rollercoasters will stand beside the Tiger Woods golf course - but the noise will be blocked from apartments by the 'Great Wall of China' The Pharaohs Theme Park will have multiple white-knuckle rides and roller coasters. When announced in 2003, Dubailand was one of the world's most ambitious leisure development prososal, costing $4.3billion, but plans have been seriously set back global recession and Dubai's financial crisis. The project was put on hold in 2008 but has now resumed. The developers hope Falcon City will evoke the spirit of ancient civilizations for visitors, while celebrating the architectural marvels of the world.
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Taj Arabia will be part of Dubailand - a theme park the size of Birmingham .
The iconic building is to sit alongside other replica wonders of the world including the Great Pyramid and the Great Wall of China .
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Forward Jonathan Walters scored twice and made a late third for Peter Crouch to ease Stoke into the third round of the Capital One Cup as on-loan Chelsea winger Victor Moses enjoyed a promising debut against Portsmouth at the Britannia Stadium. While the prospect of seeing Moses - who had not started a club game since scoring for Liverpool in an FA Cup fourth round tie at Bournemouth in January - for the first time hardly enticed the locals to the game in their droves, there were some encouraging elements to be seen in a 3-0 victory. VIDEO Scroll down for Peter Odemwingie has confidence in all of his Stoke teammates . Breakthrough: Stoke striker Jonathan Walters scores his first goal against Portsmouth . Stoke: Butland, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Muniesa, Adam, Cameron (Sidwell 38), Odemwingie (Shenton 81), Walters, Moses (Arnautovic 64), Crouch. Subs Not Used: Wilson, Diouf, Teixeira, Sorensen. Booked: Adam. Goals: Walters 16,47,Crouch 90. Portsmouth: Jones, Webster (Hollands 64), Whatmough (Robinson 34), Devera, Butler, Ertl, Awford, Holmes, Wallace, Barcham (Storey 71), Taylor. Subs Not Used: Westcarr, Atangana, Brezovan, Close. Att: 10,312 . Ref: Andy D'Urso (Essex). Aside from some threatening runs from the Nigeria international the display by Marc Muniesa at left-back, one of nine changes from Sunday's Premier League draw at Hull, was another positive as was the late debut handed to 16-year-old academy graduate Oliver Shenton. Former Barcelona B defender Muniesa produced some inviting crosses from the flank, one which resulted in Walters' opener and others which could have brought more. But most of the attention was on Moses and how he would perform having been farmed out on loan again by Jose Mourinho. Last season he began his spell at Anfield looking like he had something to prove but quickly faded and by the end was nothing more than a bit-part player. Manager Mark Hughes has promised the 23-year-old he will get much more pitch time under him and on the evidence of his first man-of-the-match performance he is unlikely to have to wait until the next round of this competition for another go. He could have capped his debut with a goal on the hour but fired into the side-netting with only goalkeeper Paul Jones to beat. Acrobatic: Peter Crouch of Stoke City has a shot on goal against Portsmouth . On the run: Stoke City's Victor Moses takes on Nick Awford of Portsmouth . The league cup may be of secondary consequence to Premier League sides but Portsmouth, second in League Two a mere 54 places below their hosts, also seemed less than interested with eight changes of their own. Without the squad depth of their opponents it was always likely to affect them more and the first half saw Stoke create a number of chances - many via the left boot of Muniesa - but convert only one. With Pompey's defence almost obsessed with the aerial threat of Crouch - who could easily have had a hat-trick himself - midfielder Johnny Ertl dropped deep to get a hold of the striker's shirt and Walters slipped in almost unnoticed to turn in Muniesa's cross. Either of Moses or Crouch should have made it 2-0 immediately as the former's shot was parried by Jones who gratefully claimed the rebounded effort. Up for it: Peter Crouch heads at goal in front of a completely empty stand . Chances continued to fall to Walters, Crouch, Moses, Charlie Adam and Robert Huth, the latter denied by Jones who stuck up a hand to and claim the loose ball with the Britannia already celebrating a goal. Two minutes after the break Moses' speed took him clear down the left and his cross presented Walters, who has been linked with a move away from the Britannia Stadium after falling down the pecking order, with the easiest of tap-ins before a charging Jones denied his hat-trick attempt. Pompey's resistance was broken as Crouch twice headed wide via crosses from either flank, Moses fired into side-netting before his debut was ended after 63 minutes and Adam shot straight at the goalkeeper. Stoke's goalkeeper Jack Butland, making only his fifth appearance since joining from Birmingham for £4million in January 2013, tipped over Andy Barcham's shot from a rare Portsmouth attack before Crouch finally got on the scoresheet with a header in the 90th minute. Jed Wallace of Portsmouth moves away from Ryan Shawcross of Stoke City .
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Jonathan Walters scored twice as Stoke booked place in round three of Capital One cup .
Striker Peter Crouch capped victory with injury-time strike .
On-loan Chelsea winger Victor Moses made his debut for Stoke .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:34 EST, 30 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:43 EST, 30 April 2012 . The last wish of dying man has been fulfilled after he was threatened with being kept from his wife of almost 50 years in his final days. Matt Monschein, 71, was told by doctors last month that nothing else could be done for him in the final stages of pancreatic cancer. He was then given the shattering news that he might be restricted in the time he spend with his wife of 46 years, Pat - as she was currently in hospital after having both legs amputated due to complications from diabetes. Holding on: Matt and Pat Monschein were allowed to spend their last days together at a Cleveland Hospital after Mr Monschein was told he was in the end stages of pancreatic cancer . Together through life: The Monscheins have been married for 46 years and have hardly spent any time apart before they both fell ill . The couple, from Lorain, were left devastated by the news that they might not be able to spend their last moments together at Grace Fairview Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio - because it did not offer the hospice care that Mr Monschein needed. Neither could Mrs Monschein be looked after at a hospice because she needs round-the-clock care including dialysis. One of the couple's two sons Mike Monschein told Fox 8: 'He’s going to get a drive-by, see mom two hours, and that’s how you end a 46-year marriage.' He had appealed to local politicians, authorities and media outlets in the hope of bringing his parents back together. The way we were: The couple married after meeting when Matt was serving in the Navy in Newfoundland, Canada . The couple had barely spent any time . apart in almost five decades, since they met while Mr Monschein served . in the Navy in Canada. After being helped by a local . TV station to navigate the bureaucracy, the elderly couple have been allowed to spend what precious time . they have left lying in beds side by side at the hospital. Both remained in the same room but Mr Monschein's condition worsened on Friday. According to cleveland.com, the hospital chaplain renewed their wedding vows. Distraught: The couple's son Mike struggled to keep his emotions in check as he pleaded for help to keep his parents together . Last days: The elderly couple have been allowed to share a room at the Grace Fairview Hospita in Ohio with their beds side by side .
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Matt and Pat Monschein have been married for 46 years .
Mr Monschein, 71, has terminal pancreatic cancer while his wife had both legs amputated after complications from diabetes .
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- A long line of hospital staff wraps around the corridor outside a small conference room in New York to catch a glimpse of the precious cargo. A worker looks at the mummified skull of King Tut in November 2007. Inside are the three frail bodies in open wooden crates causing all the commotion. Another body -- a prince no less -- is a few rooms down in a computer tomography scanner. The bodies are part of the Brooklyn Museum's collection of 11 Egyptian mummies, transported to the North Shore University Hospital to be scanned. The goal: Find out who they are, how they might have died and establish a chronology of advances in ancient Egypt's mummification techniques. The process is not necessarily new. Egyptian mummies have been exposed to radiographic study since 1896 and CT scans, which conducts imaging by sections, for more than two decades. Perhaps the most famous of them, King Tutankhamun (c. 1355-346 B.C.), was scanned in 2005 right outside the vault that holds his sarcophagus. The scan resulted in more than 17,000 images that were analyzed by an international team of radiologists, pathologists and anatomists, led by the world-renowned Zahi Hawass, the secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. The scope and ability of CT scan technology are proving invaluable in learning more about the funeral rituals of ancient Egyptians and the mummies themselves. Whereas conventional X-rays cannot clearly distinguish soft tissue from bone and can see only two planes, CT scanning can differentiate among the various types of bone and soft tissue, and reconstruct three-dimensional images that "show fine detail inside coronary arteries down to 0.6 millimeters" said Amgad Makaryus, director of cardiac CT and magnetic resonance imaging at North Shore, providing a better chance at diagnosis and differentiation among diseases. "CT has proved to be exceptionally well-suited for studying the fragile, wrapped figures of Egyptian mummies, especially those still contained within their decorated plasterlike shells, or cartonnages," according to an article by a team of eight researchers, led by Derek N.H. Notman, published in the American Journal of Roentgenology. CT scanning is fast and non-invasive, Makaryus agrees. A scan of one of the four bodies brought to North Shore quickly revealed that the mummy named Lady Hor was actually a man. The body never had to leave its cartonnage for the procedure. In the case of King Tut, initial X-rays of his mummy decades ago showed fragments of bone inside his skull, causing speculation that he might have been killed by a blow to the back of the head. The scan immediately revealed that his skull was intact; and the team found no other indication of foul play, according to its report. "King Tut is the icon of Egyptian history, but he is only one of thousands of mummies we can study. Through CT scans, we can, in a way, bring the dead back to life," Hawass told National Geographic magazine. In another famous case, a CT scan helped identify the mummy of the Pharaoh Ramses I (1293-1291 B.C.) in 2000. It had been bought from a Canadian museum by the Michael C. Carlos Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Heidi Hoffman, a former radiology resident at Emory now practicing in Chicago, Illinois, and part of the team of scientists who analyzed the pharaoh's body, was able to observe a type of bone erosion, and "coalescence of air cells can be seen in cases of chronic mastoiditis," an inflammatory condition usually due to chronic ear infections. Though easily treatable with antibiotics today, the pharaoh's untreated ear infection could have spread and caused his death. At North Shore, Jesse Chusid, director of Imaging Informatics at the Department of Radiology, said the 64-slice CT scanner takes 0.6 mm-thick sectional scans and combines and magnifies them to provide extraordinary detail. Curators of the Brooklyn Museum reached out to North Shore for the first time in 2007, to scan Demetrios, a 2,000-year-old mummy, before he was to join a traveling exhibit called "To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures From the Brooklyn Museum," opening at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, in October. Demetrios is called a "red shroud mummy" because of unusual red pigment in his linen shroud. Another red shroud mummy is in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California. There, CT scans revealed the remains of a mummified ibis, a bird sacred to Egyptians, wrapped inside. Curators of the Brooklyn Museum wanted to find out whether Demetrios had his own ibis, thought to be a sacrifice to the god Toth, whose head was an ibis. Demetrios did not have one. Still, Dr. Lawrence Boxt of North Shore University Hospital told The New York Times in 2007 that Demetrios either "had an easy life or was carried around a lot. He certainly didn't do much heavy lifting during his lifetime." The same was true for the mummy of the royal prince Count of Thebes, Pa-seba-khai-en-ipet. Edward Bleiberg, curator of Egyptian, classical and ancient Middle Eastern art at the Brooklyn Museum, said initial findings of his scan reaffirmed his high status: A small incision to the side of the abdomen to remove the organs, while carefully leaving the heart in place, then filling the body with embalming liquids -- all indicated a high-quality mummification process. Why the heart? In ancient Egypt, the heart was considered the thinking organ -- the center of the soul and the source of knowledge, Bleiberg said. "The heart knows what a person thinks and feels," he said. "It is supposed to be left in place during mummification so that it could be weighed against the feather of truth in the final judgment." The images produced on the latest mummies at North Shore will have to be studied for months before researchers gain new insight into ancient Egyptian funeral practices. In the meantime, some revelations brought to light by the scans beg more questions yet: Pa-seba-khai-en-ipet seems to have a tube lodged inside him, running from his mouth through his esophagus and into the top of his chest. Bleiberg said he and Makaryus are pretty certain that was not the cause of death, and that it was inserted post-mortem. Purpose? That might be lost to the ages.
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Radiologists at NY hospital analyze Egyptian mummies .
CT testing allow radiologists to study mummies without doing damaging procedures .
Recent CT scan reveals Egyptian mummy named Lady Hor was actually a man .
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By . Paul Donnelley for MailOnline . A prisoner strangled his wife during a visit to the sex cell after she told him that she was leaving him. Ivan Milovanović, 35, is serving three years and ten months in the Penitentiary-Correctional Institution in Niš, southern Serbia for drugs trafficking. He is said to have throttled 29-year-old Bojana Bacević when she told him that she was emigrating, reports the Belgrade-based daily Blic. Ivan Milovanović, 35 and serving three years and ten months behind bars for drugs trafficking, is said to have throttled 29-year-old Bojana Bacević during a conjugal visit when she told him that she was leaving the country . The jail has two 'love rooms', adapted cells where couples can have their conjugal rights for two hours once every two months. 'There are no guards and no CCTV and Milovanović and his wife had used the room several times in the past,' said a prison spokesman. He added that none of the guards nor the prisoner using the other 'love room' heard anything suspicious. 'When guards returned two hours after letting them into the room they found the visitor dead on the bed. 'The prisoner says he lost his temper when his estranged wife told him it would be the last visit,' the spokesman added. Despite having left him Bojana Bacević still visited Ivan Milovanović for sex in the Penitentiary-Correctional Institution in Niš, southern Serbia . Milovanović was in jail for the fourth time, all drug trafficking-related offences. The victim's sister Bobana Radić claimed the couple had already broken up but that she kept seeing him because she felt sorry for him. 'She hated to think of him being lonely and abandoned so she kept going, but she was planning a new life,' she told local media. 'He was a mean, violent man and I think he would have got angry when she broke the news to him,' she added. She also alleged that Milovanović had told her he was going to kill her sister because she would be taking their daughter with him. After the murder, Mrs Radić was asked by social services to take the daughter but was unable because both she and her husband are unemployed and so the child was placed with her grandparents. Bojana Bacević told her estranged husband that she was moving abroad. He could not handle this final rejection even though the couple had already separated and strangled her .
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Ivan Milovanović was serving 46 months behind bars for drugs offences .
His estranged wife Bojana Bacević, 29, visited him in the Penitentiary-Correctional Institution in Niš, southern Serbia .
They met for conjugal visits because she felt sorry for him .
He lost his temper when told it was her last visit and strangled her .
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U.S. airstrikes helped Kurdish and Iraqi forces take control of Mosul Dam on Monday, fighting back ISIS militants who had seized the dam, President Obama told reporters. The stakes were huge for the millions of Iraqis who live downstream from the dam, the largest in the country. "If that dam was breached it could have proven catastrophic, with floods that would have threatened the lives of thousands of civilians and endangered our embassy compound in Baghdad," the President said. The dam has been the center of an intense battle in northern Iraq between the Islamic extremists and Kurdish forces that had been fighting to retake it since Saturday with U.S. air support. "The U.S. military used fighters, bombers, attack and unmanned aircraft to conduct 35 strikes, " said Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby. "We destroyed over 90 targets including a range of vehicles, equipment and fighting positions," he said. Now that the dam is cleared of ISIS militants, Iraqi forces are moving to grow their area of control, the Pentagon said. "This operation demonstrates that Iraqi and Kurdish forces are capable of working together and taking the fight to ISIS," Obama said. "If they continue to do so, they will have the strong support of the United States of America." Taking the fight to ISIS . U.S. airstrikes may not be enough to do the job of ridding Iraq of ISIS forces, said retired Col. Cedric Leighton, a former Air Force intelligence officer. "At the core of the mission is to get rid of ISIS," he said. "The U.S. cannot have a Middle East in which ISIS exists," he said. The brutal attacks of ISIS militants as they took control of towns and villages in northern Iraq forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee. "ISIS tells people to pay or convert," said one Christian man who fled ISIS forces. A Christian village near Mosul Dam is almost deserted. Some of its residents fled just in time to a monastery in the mountains. "We were afraid, terrified they'd call us infidels," a Christian woman there told CNN's Nick Paton Walsh. "My Muslim friend told me to just leave." Now she said she hopes ISIS fighters won't reach the monastery. The U.S. strategy in fighting ISIS is "to take out Isis' leadership, to degrade their operational capabilities, to cut off their financing sources," U.S State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Monday. On several ISIS websites, the group posted a message Monday threatening that "America will disappear from the map soon on the hands of knights of al-Khilafa," a reference to the caliphate ISIS claims it wants to recapture. Water in war . When ISIS militants seized the dam this month, many feared it could be used as a weapon. Built in the early 1980s under former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the dam sits on the Tigris River about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the city of Mosul. It serves as a key source of electricity, irrigation and flood protection. ISIS has a track record of attacking its enemies with water. This year, its fighters opened the gates on the Falluja Dam in central Iraq after seizing it in an effort to stop an Iraqi military advance. The water from the dam flooded a number of villages. "ISIS has already used other smaller dams to gain control of territory, to pressure Sunnis to support them and to punish the Shiites," Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle East Forum, told CNN this month. The 3.2-kilometer-long Mosul Dam holds back as much as 12.5 million cubic meters of water, according to Engineering News-Record, a construction industry website. If the structure were to give way, it would unleash a wall of water tens of feet tall that would race down the Tigris toward Mosul and its 1.7 million inhabitants. It would also bring flooding to major cities farther downstream, including Baghdad. 'Very poor foundation' But even if the militant group doesn't try to destroy the dam, concerns remain about its sturdiness. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report in 2006 said that what made the dam especially dangerous was the risk of internal erosion of its foundations. The structure is built on layers of soil that dissolve or erode in water. The Army Corps said the dam was "constructed on a very poor foundation" that wasn't designed for the conditions. Seepage has plagued the structure since the reservoir behind it was filled, according to a U.S. government report in 2007, and sinkholes have appeared near the structure, suggesting problems beneath the surface. During the American military occupation of Iraq, U.S. authorities spent tens of millions of dollars on short-term repairs on the dam. But with the immense structure now in the midst of a conflict zone, it remains unclear if it will get the maintenance it needs anytime soon.
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U.S. airstrikes destroy 90 targets in Mosul dam fight, Pentagon says .
Ridding Iraq of ISIS forces a must for U.S., expert says .
ISIS threatens "America will disappear from map"
Dam battle shows Kurdish, Iraqi forces can take the fight to ISIS, President Obama says .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:40 EST, 9 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:48 EST, 9 August 2012 . A gold medal-winning Paralympian had his medal hopes at London 2012 ruined when he was knocked down by a hit and run driver while training, a court heard today. Double gold medallist Simon Richardson MBE, 44, was training on a dual carriageway in Bridgend, South Wales, when he was knocked off his cycle by a driver allegedly twice over the drink-drive limit. Mr Richardson was training hard to qualify for the 2012 London games, but his bike was destroyed and he suffered life-threatening spinal and lower body injuries which ruled him out of competition. Hopes dashed: Richardson, 44, pictured after his gold medal win at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, had his hopes of a medal in London ruined after the hit-and-run crash . Farmer Edward Adams, 60, is accused of hitting Mr Richardson while more than double the drink-drive limit - and driving with chronically bad eye-sight. A jury heard today that Adams should not have been driving because his judgement was 'severely impaired'. Prosecutor Jane Rowley told Newport Crown Court today: 'Mr Adams simply drove through him. He collided into the rear of his bicycle with the passenger side of his van. 'Mr Richardson and the bicycle were thrown into the air and he travelled 26m before landing on the grass verge. 'His specialised Beijing Paralympics bike was broken into pieces due to the force of the impact and Mr Richardson suffered serious life threatening injuries. 'Mr Adam’s driving was more than simply careless, it was dangerous and incompetent.' Mr Richardson, of Porthcawl, South Wales, suffered fractures to his spine, sternum and pelvis and was left with deep lacerations to his leg and a perforated bowel. Richardson, who won two golds and a silver at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, had hoped for more glory but is now ruled out of the competition . Injured: Richardson, pictured outside court last year with his wife, suffered life-threatening injuries which ruled him out of competing at the London 2012 Games after being hit by Adams, right . Adams, pictured arriving at a court hearing last year, was allegedly twice over the drink-drive limit and had 'severely impaired judgement' He received an MBE after winning two golds and one silver medal at Beijing in 2008. Mr Richardson was in training for the London Paralympics and had clocked up 250 miles on the country roads near his home. He was 20 miles into his training ride when he was hit from behind by the passing van. But he was left lying on the grass verge as Adams drove away from the scene of the crash and tried to hide the van at his farm near Cowbridge, South Wales. The court heard even with his driving glasses on he could not read a number plate from four metres away - and could only partially read one from two metres. Motorist Gordon Broomfield drove past the cyclist before witnessing the crash in his rear view mirror. He said: 'The visibility was very good and I had no trouble seeing the cyclist from a distance away on the very straight road and passing him. 'When I looked back I saw the white van coming closer to the cyclist. 'I kept waiting to see when it would move out of the way but it just kept on going. He drove through him. 'I was just in disbelief that this all happened.' Mr Broomfield gave police the registration number of the white Peugeot van he had seen as it drove away. Miss Rowley said the van was found later by police helicopter flying over Adams’ farm. Accident: Mr Richardson was 20 miles into his training ride when he was knocked off his specially-made cycle on thos dual carriageway in Bridgend, South Wales, last August . Officers landed nearby - and found Adams in his house with a tumbler of whisky and was double the drink-drive limit. Adams initially denied any knowledge of the crash in August last year - but later admitted he was behind the wheel. Adams told police he was bilnded by the glare from the sun and thought he had 'hit a sheep'. He said: 'There was a bang and I thought: 'Oh my God I have hit a sheep'. But then I thought 'Oh well there are a lot of them around' and so I carried on. 'When I got home I had a couple of whiskys to calm myself down because I was shaking. I didn’t realise I had hit a person. I am very sorry I hit someone.' Adams, of Pentre Meyrick, Vale of Glamorgan, denies one charge of dangerous driving. He has admitted drink-driving and failing to stop after an accident. The trial at Newport Crown Court continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Simon Richardson, 44, suffered life-threatening injuries which ruined his chances of competing .
Driver who hit him, Edward Adams, was allegedly twice over the drink-drive limit and had 'severely impaired' judgement .
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By . Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 10:19 EST, 25 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:26 EST, 25 June 2012 . Arrest: The alleged accomplice of spy Anna Chapman (pictured) was arrested in Holland . An alleged accomplice to former KGB sex-sting spy Anna Chapman has been arrested in Holland after passing on sensitive German government documents. Identified only as Raymond P., aged 60, the man was targeted by the German Federal Prosecutor's Office. German media reported today he passed on some 450 secret files to a couple linked to Chapman who was expelled from America two years ago. He is now in custody and refusing to speak to investigators. News magazine Focus said the man, a Dutch diplomat, gave the paperwork to a couple arrested in the German university city of Marburg in October last year who belonged to the same espionage network as Chapman and were provided with false identity papers by their Moscow controllers. Chapman became known as the 'sexpot spy' because she used her feminine charms to try to entrap targets and gain vital information from them. Born Anna Vasil’yevna Kushchyenko, Miss Chapman adopted her Anglophone surname after marrying British former public schoolboy Alex Chapman - who she claims to have fallen for because he looked like Liam Gallagher. Chapman became known as the 'sexpot spy' because she used her feminine charms to try to entrap targets and gain vital information from them . In a documentary broadcast in April this year FBI counter-intelligence chief Frank Figliuzzi claimed the glamorous Russian agent got close enough to 'disturb' U.S. spy catchers. He said the fear that Miss Chapman was close to seducing a sitting member of the Obama administration spurred agents to swoop on the 10-strong spy ring of which she was a part. Mr Figliuzzi told the Channel 4 documentary the auburn-haired spy got 'closer and closer to higher and higher ranking leadership... she got close enough to disturb us.' Raymond P., say prosecutors, leaked sensitive documents to Andreas and Heidrun Anschlag in Marburg. Both held Austrian passports but are thought to be South American-born. The couple were both arrested in October last year. It is understood they were turned in to the authorities by the same double agent who last year led the FBI to uncover the Chapman ring of ‘deep cover’ Russian spies in the United States. According to the Moscow Times, the Anschlags maintained contact with the US operatives, including the flame-haired Chapman who has become a TV celebrity following her return to Russia in a spy exchange. Heidrun Anschlag was reportedly listening to encrypted radio messages from Moscow when police commandos entered her home.
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Identified only as Raymond P. aged 60, the man was targetted by the German Federal Prosecutor's Office .
German media reported today he passed on some 450 secret files to a couple linked to Chapman .
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An Iraqi oil tanker that disappeared from radar off the coast of Texas last week has suddenly reappeared today - and it's still full of $100million in crude. The United Kalavrvta is at the center of a legal and political battle over Iraq's oil wealth between the Kurdish region in the north of the country and the central government in Baghdad. The tanker vanished from U.S. Coast Guard tracking systems on Thursday and is believed to have shut off its transponder. The ship, which has 1million barrels of crude oil aboard, reappeared on radar on Monday - in almost exactly the same spot where it was when it vanished. It's currently in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area, where large ships that can't fit in the Port of Galveston wait to be unloaded. As the disintegration of Iraq amid mounting violence continues, the semi-autonomous regime in Kurdistan is trying to cash in on Iraq's oil reserves and export its own crude. Oil tanker United Kalavyrta (also known as the United Kalavrvta), which is carrying a cargo of Kurdish crude oil, approaching Galveston, Texas on July 25. The boat disappeared from Coast Guard radar on Thursday . A still image from video taken by a U.S. Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft shows the oil tanker United Kalavyrta sitting in the Gulf of Mexico. It reappeared on radar on Monday . Iraqi Kurdistan has exported at least eight million barrels of oil since May, energy experts told Al Arabiya News. But the increasingly weak regime in Baghdad is trying to keep control of its oil billions and says the Kurdish regime cannot sell the oil in the U.S. The U.S. Coast Guard's AIS ship-tracking system showed no position for the United Kalavrvta on Thursday, which was carrying one million barrels - and was 95 per cent - when it went dark. The tanker was attempting to unload its cargo at sea, off the coast of Texas, after leaving the Turkish port of Ceyhan in June and anchoring near the U.S. port of Galveston in late July. The U.S. Coastguard confirmed to MailOnline today that the last contact the agency had with the United Kalavyrta was when the ship's certificate of compliance was completed on July 27. The vessel's disappearance was thought to be the latest development in a high-stakes dispute between Baghdad and the Kurds over the right to export oil. Several other tankers transporting disputed oil from Iran or Kurdistan have switched off their transponders before unloading their cargo - making their movements extremely difficult to track. A Coast Guard official told MailOnline today that the vessel might have turned off its beacon in the Gulf of Mexico, which it is not supposed to do. Legal dispute: The vessel's disappearance is thought to be the latest development in a high stakes argument between Baghdad and the Kurds over the right to export oil . The tanker Kamari, which had been carrying a partial load of crude oil from Iraqi Kurdistan turned off its satellite transponder on August 17, north of Egypt's Sinai. It reappeared unladen on August 19 about 30 kilometers off the coast of Israel, ship tracking data on Reuters showed last week. It was not possible to determine where the oil had been delivered to or who the buyer was. A spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Natural Resources would not comment on the tanker's temporary disappearance at the time. Reuters reported on July 31 that tanker United Emblem, which was carrying more than 1 million barrels of Kurdish oil, had been offloaded into another tanker in the South China Sea. A senior executive at Marine Management Services confirmed in July that the ship-to-ship transfer involving the United Emblem took place in a 'legitimate operation'. The ship is 'fixed to a legitimate charterer and performing legitimate operations,' said Kostas Georgopoulos, the chartering manager at Marine Management Services . 'The ship is still in international waters,' he added. The agency has a HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft at its disposal which last took images of the oil tanker United Kalavyrta on July 25. Only a few days ago, the partially-full Kamari tanker carrying Kurdish crude oil, disappeared from satellite tracking north of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Two days later, the empty vessel reappeared near Israel. In late July, the tanker United Emblem offloaded part of its cargo of Kurdish crude oil onto another ship in the South China Sea. The evasive behavior is the result of Baghdad wanting to block the Kurds from exporting the oil as they believe they have the exclusive right to do so. The Iraqi government in Baghdad has filed a lawsuit in a U.S. court to reclaim control of the United Kalavrvta cargo and block the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) from delivering its cargo. The suit demonstrates that Baghdad is now stepping up their legal and diplomatic push to block Kurdistan's oil deals, which they view as smuggling. However, the Kurds see such deals as crucial to their own dreams of independence. On Monday, the U.S. court threw out the order saying it lacked jurisdiction to seize the tanker as it disappeared some 60 miles off their coast. But the judge invited Iraq to re-plead its case over the cargo's rightful ownership. The issue is expected to fuel tensions between Washington and Baghdad, as in theory, Iraq can file claims against anyone taking delivery of the oil. A Coast Guard official said the vessel in the Gulf of Mexico might have turned off its beacon, sailed beyond antennas that monitor transponders, or perhaps some antennas might have been taken out of service. However, dozens of vessels were visible on Thursday in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area, where the Kurdish tanker was last seen. The United Kalavrvta's disappearance is now thought to be the latest development in a high-stakes dispute between Baghdad and the Kurds over the right to export oil .
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United Kalavrvta, carrying one million barrels, disappeared in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday .
It reappeared today in the same spot where it was last seen .
Ship was anchored near Texas in preparation to unload its cargo to U.S. when it went dark .
Legal dispute with Iraq and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan means ship was in limbo for a month .
Iraq sees Kurdish oil deals as smuggling and wants to block future exports .
They filed lawsuit in U.S. court to order retrieval of cargo but case rejected .
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By . Lee Moran . PUBLISHED: . 07:34 EST, 13 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:26 EST, 13 December 2012 . Representatives of Radiohead today denied local media reports that the band's guitarist Jonny Greenwood is hiding out in a rural Brazilian hotel to 'wait for the end of the world'. Numerous Brazilian media have claimed the 41-year-old is holed up in a self-sufficient guest-house in rolling countryside near the city of Sao Luiz do Paraitinga, in the state of Sao Paulo, in preparation for December 21. That day marks the end of the Mayan Calendar and is considered by some as the date that will mark the end of the world. Scroll down for video . Brazilian media have reported that Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood is currently waiting for the 'end of the world' in a rural guest-house in Sao Paulo . Owner of the Catuçaba hotel, Frenchman Emmanuel Rengade, said: 'The reason why he's here is to get away, because hotels like this preserve the privacy of the guests and he does not want publicity.' The city's Tourism Minister, Eduardo de Oliveira Coelho, told the Folha de Sao Paulo news website that Greenwood had arrived earlier this month. He also claimed that other band members were expected to join him in the next few days. But management for the band Radiohead, pictured, say Jonny Greenwood is not in Brazil . The presence of the star was confirmed to the publication by both the politician and hotel owner. Coelho added that Greenwood was planning to provide free classes to youth in the city and extend his stay there if the supposed Mayan premonition did not come about. But the band's management, Courtyard management, today insisted that the musician is not even in the country and the reports are completely untrue. Radiohead have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and were ranked number 73 in Rolling Stone's list of The Greatest Artists of All Time in 2005. Both Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien have both been included in Rolling Stone's list of greatest guitarists while Thom Yorke is in their list of greatest singers. In 2009, Rolling Stone readers voted the group the second best artist of the 2000s.
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Local media has claimed Jonny Greenwood, 41, is staying in a self-sufficient guest-house near Sao Luiz do Paraitinga in Sao Paulo .
Radiohead agents say the musician is not even in the country .
Some believe the end of the Mayan Calendar on December 21 heralds the end of the world .
City's tourism minister claimed other band members will be joining him .
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If you are partial to a sneaky spot of e-tail therapy during office hours, you might be relieved to hear you are not alone. A new survey has revealed that the average British worker spends the equivalent of nine days a year shopping on their work computer. New handbag or more paperwork? Many find the allure of a quick online shop is just too tempting to resist. Over the course of the year, workers rack up almost £1,400 in bills during their working hours - around the amount the average Brit earns after tax each month. Control your shopping excitement: 36 per cent say they have been caught shopping at work by their boss and 12 per cent have been given an formal warning about their habit . The study of 2,000 workers, commissioned by cashback and reward site Quidco.com, found employees not only buy new clothes but even booking the occasional holiday during working hours. Others admit to splashing their cash on birthday presents, household appliances and regularly paying their bills while sitting at their desk. It also emerged almost half of workers are planning to spend the equivalent of two working days between now and December 25th doing their Christmas shopping while in the office. Two thirds of the workers polled regularly shop or browse online during their working hours, with 16 per cent admitting to doing it 'all the time'. the research found that workers will spend around 35 minutes a day shopping online in the run up to Christmas . In fact, the average worker spends 18 minutes of each working day - an hour and a half a week - spending their wages instead of earning them. Over the course of a working year, that amounts to the equivalent of nine eight-hour long days. And it doesn't come cheap, with workers splashing out on goods worth an average of £28.88 each week from their office desk - more than £100 a month or £1,386 over a year. For 46 per cent of employees, there are times they spend so much during work time, they effectively cancel out their earnings. The study also revealed that seven in ten immediately log on to have a browse or shop online whenever they are a little quiet at work. Over the course of the year, workers rack up almost £1,400 in bills during their office hours . And 44 per cent start browsing as soon as they switch their computer on in the mornings, with half of workers opening up their favourite shopping site as soon as their boss's back is turned. Thirty-eight per cent even admitted to having days where they have spent most - or even all - of their time shopping instead of working. Boredom is the main reason for hitting the online shops during work time, with another 25 per cent claiming it's the only chance they get to do it. But 15 per cent admit they simply don't want to have to do their work. It doesn't always work out for some though, with 36 per cent saying they have been caught shopping at work by their boss. While most got away with a little comment, more than a third of those were pulled into a meeting to discuss their misuse of company time, while 12 per cent were given a formal warning. 1. Clothes . 2. DVDs . 3. Gadgets . 4. Shoes . 5. Birthday presents . 6. Paid bills . 7. Holidays . 8. Tickets for gigs/sports games . 9. Accessories . 10. Food/drink . 11. Hotels . 12. Computer games . 13. Bags . 14. Household appliances . 15. Music or film downloads . 16. Jewellery . 17. Make-up/beauty products . 18. Furniture . 19. Fancy dress costumes . 20. Computer consoles . Researchers also found that of the 85 per cent of workers who are planning to do at least some of their Christmas shopping online this year, 53 per cent admit they will do so while at work - around 35 minutes a day. And with the average worker planning to start their Christmas shopping on November 15th, that means a total of almost 15 hours - around two working days - will be spent looking for gifts in the run-up to December 25th. A spokesperson for Quidco.com said: 'When you spend the majority of your working day sat at the computer, the temptation to have a quick browse is always there. 'When you are going through a quiet period at work, or perhaps have a task which you are putting off completing, the thought of having a little look at your favourite shopping website can be much more appealing. 'But while many bosses may be happy to let their employees shop online during their lunch hour, they may be a little concerned to see how much of the time they pay their workers for is being used for tasks which aren't strictly work-related. 'And with the Christmas shopping period about to start, managers can expect their workers to be spending even more time browsing or buying while at work than usual.' : .
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Office workers spend average £1,400 during working hours every year .
The average worker spends 18 minutes using up their wages instead of earning them .
Workers planning to spend the equivalent of two days doing their Christmas shopping while in the office between now and December 25th .
But 36 per cent have been caught shopping at work by their boss and 12 per have been given a formal warning .
The study of 2,000 workers was commissioned by cashback site Quidco.com .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Sheriff's deputies who showed up at Elliot Rodger's doorstep last month to check on his mental health hadn't seen online videos in which he threatens suicide and violence even though those recordings were what prompted his parents to call authorities. The officers also failed to check his . apartment - something Rodger later revealed came as a huge relief . because they might have found the cache of weapons he went on to use in . the massacre. Upon . arriving at the apartment, the 22-year-old simply dismissed the . situation as a misunderstanding and the officers left, noting that Rodger was 'polite and timid'. By the time law enforcement did see the videos, it was too late - the well-mannered, if shy, young man that officers concluded after their visit posed no risk had gone on a deadly rampage. Scroll down for videos . Elliot Rodger wrote he was terrified police would stop his horrific plot when they came to check on him a month before his rampage . After police visited his home, Rodger kept at least one gun and ammo nearby at all times in case he needed to fire at police . Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said the sheriff's office 'was not aware of . any videos until after the shooting rampage occurred'. Sheriff Bill Brown has . defended the officers' actions, but the case highlights the challenges . that police face in assessing the mental health of adults, particularly . those with no history of violent breakdowns, institutionalisations or . serious crimes. 'Obviously, . looking back on this, it's a very tragic situation and we certainly wish . that we could turn the clock back and maybe change some things,' Brown . told CBS' 'Face the Nation' on Sunday. 'At the time deputies interacted with him, he was able to convince them that he was OK,' he said. It's . not clear why the deputies did not become aware of the videos. Attorney . Alan Shifman said the Rodger family had called police after being . alarmed by YouTube videos 'regarding suicide and the killing of people' that their son had been posting. A picture of one of Rodger's victims stands in a makeshift memorial in front of the IV Deli where he was killed . A woman places flowers on the lawn of the Alpha Phi sorority house where Rodger shot three women nearby . Students gathered for a candlelight vigil on the University of California Santa Barbara to remember those killed during Rodger's massacre . Two students comfort each other during a candlelight vigil held to honor the victims of the shooting . Doris . Fuller, executive director of the Virginia-based Treatment Advocacy . Center, said California law has provisions that permit emergency . psychiatric evaluations of individuals who pose a serious threat, but . that was never triggered. Rodger's family has disclosed their son was under the care of therapists. 'Once . again, we are grieving over deaths and devastation caused by a young . man who was sending up red flags for danger that failed to produce . intervention in time to avert tragedy,' Fuller said in a statement. 'In this case, the red flags were so big the killer's parents had called police ... and yet the system failed,' she said. Katie Cooper, 22, was shot dead by Rodger during his shooting spree through Santa Barbara . Rodger, . writing in a manifesto, said the police asked whether he had suicidal . thoughts and he was able to convince them he was fine. He . said he was relieved his apartment wasn't searched because deputies . would have uncovered the cache of weapons he used in the rampage in Isla . Vista. He said he opened the door to his apartment talking to a group of sheriff's . deputies, terrified they'd take him to jail before he could carry out . his murderous plans. 'I had the striking and . devastating fear that someone had somehow discovered what I was planning . to do, and reported me for it,' Rodger wrote near the end of a . 137-page biographical manifesto. 'If that was the case, the police would . have searched my room, found all of my guns and weapons, along with my . writings about what I plan to do with them.' He . posted at least 22 YouTube videos. Veronika Weiss, 19, was also gunned down by Rodger after he allegedly failed to break into a sorority house . He wrote in his manifesto that he . uploaded most of his videos in the week leading up to April 26, when he . originally planned to carry out his attacks. He postponed his plan after . catching a cold. 'On the . week leading up to date I set for the Day of Retribution, I uploaded . several videos onto YouTube in order to express my views and feelings to . the world, though I don't plan on uploading my ultimate video until . minutes before the attack, because on that video I will talk about . exactly why I'm doing this,' Rodger wrote. In . the final video posted Friday, he sits in a black BMW in sunset light . and appears to be acting out scripted lines and planned laughs. 'I'll take great pleasure in slaughtering all of you,' the son of a Hollywood director who worked on The Hunger Games says. In . his videos and writings, Rodger voices his contempt for everyone from . his roommates to the human race, reserving special hate for two groups: . the women he says kept him a virgin for all of his 22 years and the men . they chose instead. At least two other people who saw Rodger's videos before Friday compared him to a serial killer, through a message board on a bodybuilding website and the social network Reddit. The rampage played out largely as he sketched it in public postings. He . said he would start by 'silently killing as many people as I can around . Isla Vista by luring them into my apartment through some form of . trickery.' He said he would knock them out with a hammer, and slit their throats. On . Sunday, the sheriff's office identified the final victims as Cheng Yuan . Hong, 20, and George Chen, 19 - both from San Jose - and Weihan Wang, . 20, of Fremont. Hong . and Chen were listed on the lease as Rodger's roommates. Investigators . were trying to determine whether Wang was a roommate or was visiting the . apartment. Around 9.30pm, the shooting rampage began and lasted about 10 minutes. In . the end, he shot and killed three others at random and injured 13 more . either with gunshots or the BMW that he used as a battering ram against . bicyclists and skateboarders. Deputies found three semi-automatic handguns along with 400 unspent rounds in the car. All were purchased legally. It . was a series of social media posts referencing suicide and murder that . triggered their concerns, according to family spokesman Alan Shifman. Upon . arriving at Rodger's apartment, authorities said he dismissed the . situation as a misunderstanding and claimed he had no intention of . hurting himself or anyone else. 'He was articulate. He was polite. He was timid,' Brown said. His behavior also failed to 'meet the criteria for an involuntary hold.' Patty Ritter, 21, from left, Rachel Keever, 22, and Craig Schaffer, 20, stop in front of a makeshift memorial at the Alpha Phi sorority house where two women were killed as part of Friday night's mass shooting . Rodger later wrote that he was terrified the deputies were only moments from discovering his plans. 'If they had demanded . to search my room ... (t)hat would have ended everything,' he wrote. 'For a few . horrible seconds I thought it was all over.' From . then on, he kept at least one gun and a few loaded magazines near him . at all times so that if police did return he could shoot at them and get . away. 'Thankfully, all suspicion of me was dropped after I took down . the videos from Youtube, and the police never came back,' he wrote. 'It was all because of . the videos. I must have expressed too much anger in them,' he added. 'I immediately . took most of them off of Youtube, and planned to re-upload them a few . days before the Day of Retribution.'
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Rodger wrote that he was terrified police would derail his homicidal plot .
Authorities were sent to his residence when family members told local mental health services they were concerned .
Police left without searching when they found the cooperative Rodger 'timid'
Rodger had posted videos online fantasising about murder and suicide .
Online posters who saw videos had compared Rodger to a serial killer .
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By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 05:03 EST, 23 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:24 EST, 23 March 2012 . This amazing stunt has probably been performed by thousands of children playing with their Hot Wheels toys on the living room carpet. But the loop-the-loop trick required a great deal more skill and courage when scaled up to world record proportions and done in a family saloon car. The Lotus L5 car - made by Chinese manufacturer Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co - broke the previous record after successfully completing the nerve-shredding 42ft tall loop. Scroll down for video . Brave: Driver Li Yatao showed nerves of steel as he hit the ramp . Hang in there: The car needed to be travelling fast enough to cling to the 42ft loop-the-loop . Holding on: But if the car went too fast it risked overshooting the ramp and flying off into the air . Brave driver Li . Yatao displayed amazing calmness as he steered the car at more than 50 miles per hour towards the make-shift road during the record attempt in Shanghai, China. The car appears to have had both front . and rear bumpers removed which is done in order to improve ground clearance during the tight loop. A full roll cage was fitted to ensure if disaster were to strike and the car fell during its full height, Yatao, a factory team driver Youngman - the company which recently bid to take over Saab - would have added protection. The stunt had to be maliciously planned. If the car travelled too fast, it risked destabilising the ramp, damaging the car, or even launching the motor off the edge. Too slowly, and the car would not generate enough force to defy gravity. It would plummet to the ground before completing the full loop. Bracing: Driver Li Yata's body was subjected to massive G-forces as he was pressed into the car . Success: Yatao, driving a common family saloon, more usually seen on the school run or being driven to the shops, completes the loop . Nerve-shredding: Yatao beams with delight after breaking the world record for the largest loop-the-loop .
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Chinese driver steers car round dizzying 42ft ramp .
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It seems the message is clear: men should give up control of the wine list, as they are twice as fearful of getting it wrong. Choosing wine is one of the things that makes Britons most anxious – and men are far more uneasy about it than women. One in eight (11.5 per cent) men say what makes them most uncomfortable - even more than spiders - is choosing wine in a restaurant or to go with food at a party. Scroll down for video . The survey by Naked Wines indicated that men are more worried about ordering wine than women are . Incy wincy spider: Unsurprisingly, almost one in six Brits admit to being terrified by the arachnid . Significantly, women are far less perturbed by picking the right wine with only six per cent listing it as the thing that makes them most uncomfortable. In terms of day-to-day events that make us feel uncomfortable, spiders still give us the creeps – almost one in six (16 per cent) of us admit to being scared by them. There are things even more unnerving than spiders and wine but, thankfully, they are not likely to crop up quite as much. Women are far less perturbed by wine choice, with 6% saying it makes them most uncomfortable . Under pressure: Both men and women said that job interviews were scary . Job interviews rank top for both women (28.5 per cent) and men (24.5 per cent). And, in a less formal context, both sexes hate being at a social occasion where they don't know anyone – 25 per cent of women and 22 per cent of men rank this as the situation that makes them most uncomfortable. The research was commissioned by an online wine specialist Naked Wine who surveyed 2,000 people to uncover how scared Brits were of ordering wine. Eamon FitzGerald Managing Director of Naked Wines said: 'As a social business we love delving in to what makes our the public tick. It's unusual our survey showed that men find ordering wine more scary than spiders - but we aim to take the fear out of ordering wine and make it an enjoyable experience for customers.'
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One in eight men say that choosing wine in a restaurant is uncomfortable .
Poll by Naked Wines also revealed that that 16% of us are scared of spiders .
Fear of job interviews ranked the highest in the study .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:20 EST, 6 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:49 EST, 7 March 2013 . A Kenyan presidential candidate has accused Britain of meddling in the country's election process. Uhuru Kenyatta - son of Kenya’s founding president, Jomo - accused the British high commissioner of 'shadowy, suspicious and rather animated involvement' in efforts to get a decision on how rejected ballots should be counted in the overall vote total. Mr Kenyatta’s party also asked the high commissioner, Christian Turner, to explain why British troops attending a six-week training course near Mount Kenya before deploying to Afghanistan, arrived just before the vote. Accusations: Kenya's Deputy Prime Minister and presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta, pictured right casting his ballot at the Mutomo primary school in Kiambu, north of Nairobi, on Monday, has accused Britain of interfering in the election . British high commissioner Christian Turner has been accused of 'animated involvement' in attempts to get a decision on how rejected ballots should be dealt with . On Monday, Kenyans held their first presidential vote since the nation’s disputed election in 2007 spawned violence that killed more than 1,000 people. Prime minister Raila Odinga and Mr Kenyatta are considered the top two contenders. Kenyans were growing increasingly frustrated that the any announcement about who has won had still not happened 48 hours after polls closed. Kenya’s election commission was forced to abandon its electronic tallying system after it broke down. Partial results on Tuesday had shown an early lead for Mr Kenyatta, though his percentage will drop when the rejected votes are counted in the total. On tender hooks: The winner of the presidential election has still not been announced - more than 48 hours after the polls closed . 'Suspicious': Uhuru Kenyatta also asked the high commissioner why British troops on a training course arrived at the same time as the vote . The statement from Mr Kenyatta’s party on Wednesday implied that the British high commissioner pressured the commission to make the decision on the spoiled ballots, thus ensuring a run-off. The Kenyatta statement said his party awaits answers to such questions, and it called on supporters 'and the nation at large' to remain calm and peaceful. The US has warned of 'consequences' if Mr Kenyatta wins because Mr Kenyatta is wanted by the International Criminal Court. The Foreign Office said claims of British interference 'are entirely false and misleading'. Two man race: Prime Minister Raila Odinga, pictured, and Mr kenyatta are considered the top two contenders . The presidential vote is the first since the disputed 2007 election which sparked violence that led to the deaths of more than 1,000 people .
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Kenya has held its first presidential vote since its disputed election in 2007 .
But winner has still not been announced 48 hours after the polls closed .
Uhuru Kenyatta - son of Kenya’s founding president, Jomo - has accused the British high commissioner of interfering .
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britons including Prime Minister Gordon Brown have leapt to the defense of their creaking healthcare service after President Barack Obama's plans for a similar system in the United States were branded "evil" by Republicans. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a heartfelt message of support for the NHS via Twitter. Tens of thousands of people have joined a Twitter group expressing pride in the UK's National Health Service (NHS), which offers free taxpayer-funded medical care to all British residents, while leading politicians have spoken out in support. Republican former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin earlier this week condemned Obama's plans to introduce a public heath insurance scheme as an "evil" move that would result in "death panels" deciding who would live or die. Her criticism has been echoed by fellow Republicans in direct attacks on Britain's NHS. In an article, Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich said British healthcare was run by "Orwellian" bureaucrats who put a price tag on life. Sound off: What do you think of the British healthcare model? The comments caused a storm of protest in the United Kingdom, with Prime Minister Brown wading into the argument via micro-blogging site Twitter, where a conversation chain, "#welovetheNHS", is generating huge online traffic. Britons react to the U.S. healthcare debate » . A posting on the 10 Downing Street Twitter site on Wednesday read: "PM: NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. Thanks for always being there." The message was followed by another, from Brown's wife Sarah, adding: "#welovetheNHS -- more than words can say." Professor Stephen Hawking, author of "A Brief History of Time", also spoke out in favor of the British system, telling the Guardian newspaper that he owes his life to NHS treatment for the neuro-muscular dystrophy he has suffered from for 40 years. "I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS," he said. "I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived." Despite the support, the 51-year-old NHS is regularly the target of criticism at home, with opposition politicians accusing Brown's government of mismanagement resulting in long waiting lists and a "lottery" in deciding who gets life-saving drugs and surgery. Nevertheless, opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron also added his voice to the defense campaign with a posting on his party's Web site. " Millions of people are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS -- including my own family. "One of the wonderful things about living in this country is that the moment you're injured or fall ill -- no matter who you are, where you are from, or how much money you've got -- you know that the NHS will look after you." His statement followed comments from one of his own party members backing the Republican criticism of the NHS. Dan Hannan, a Conservative member of the European Parliament reportedly said in an interview that "he wouldn't wish it on anyone."
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Britons leap to defend National Health Service after U.S. criticism .
Prime Minister Gordon Brown among those expressing pride in system .
NHS offers free health care to all UK residents .
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(CNN) -- Congress is back at work. Republicans and Democrats are gauging how much progress the lame duck session will be able to make in the coming weeks. Americans understandably are rolling their eyes, not expecting much from an institution that has been so dysfunctional over the past few years. Will this be like the productive lame duck session after the last midterm election? In 2010, Congress passed a tax bill, repealed the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy for homosexuals in the military and ratified an arms treaty with Russia. "We're not doomed to endless gridlock," Obama said in praise of Congress then. In the first week of the current lame duck Congress, the House did pass a bill approving construction of the Keystone Pipeline. It's not clear what the Senate will do when it votes Tuesday. And since the measure takes the Keystone decision out of the hands of the Obama administration, the president could decide to veto it. A productive lame duck session? Don't count on it. The same forces that produced a dysfunctional Congress in the past year are fully in place. While there have been times when a lame duck Congress has had a breakthrough, it would take a miracle for this to become one of those moments. Both parties have been dug in for the last year and the political pressure to stand their ground is only going to intensify. Republicans know they will have more leverage to get a better deal with their increased representation starting in January, while Democrats don't want to use their last month with control of the Senate to give away the store. For a brief time, Congress had virtually eliminated the lame duck period. In 1932, Congress passed the 20th Amendment, that switched the start date of Congress from March 4 to January 3, which was ratified by the states the following year. The practice of Congress passing bills after elections had frequently infuriated members of the minority party who believed that their colleagues, some of whom had lost their seats, were making decisions regardless of the democratic will. Most members of Congress assumed that starting the session earlier would do the trick since members would be reluctant to travel long distances just for the few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This was in the era when long-distance travel was not easy. For several decades, the amendment served its function. Other than an emergency situation, such as the onset of the Korean War in 1950, Congress didn't do any business in the period after the election. But that ended later in the century. The advent of cheap airline travel made it easier for legislators to get back and forth quickly. Starting in 1970, and accelerating in 1994, Congress treated the post-election period like a normal time of business. Congress began making some big decisions in the interim period. In 1982, for instance, shortly after Democrats walloped the GOP in the midterm elections, the House voted to award itself a retroactive pay raise. In 1994, after Newt Gingrich and his fellow Republicans had shocked Washington by taking back control of the House and Senate for the first time since 1954, Congress passed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. Four years later, House Republicans inflamed partisan tensions by voting to impeach President Bill Clinton. In 2002, following a brutal midterm election when many Democrats were skewered for being "weak on defense" after 9/11, Congress created the Department of Homeland Security. We certainly shouldn't expect any big breakthroughs in the coming weeks. But as long as members of Congress are back they should try to make some incremental progress, given that the midterms were as much an act of protest against Washington as an act of protest against President Obama. Most important, the departing Congress should try to resolve the routine business that has been ignored. At the top of the list would be passing omnibus spending legislation, rather than continuing resolutions, so that the government does not face a risk of being shut down. It should confirm some executive and judicial branch appointments. Congress must also make sure that important tax cuts, such as credits for energy efficient homes, don't expire. The second goal should be to start working on loophole-closing tax reform. Cleaning up the inequitable and inefficient components of the tax code is something that both parties have been talking about for a long time. While it is unlikely Congress would finish this work during the lame duck period, starting the process would be a great advance. Tax reform is a way to make the tax burden more equitable and to raise more revenue for the government, by closing loopholes without having to raise rates. There is also considerable support in both parties for overhauling the corporate tax code. The third important decision would be to boost funding for the fight against Ebola. The president proposed that Congress authorize $6.2 billion for the effort in Africa as well as the United States. Given all the attention to this issue before the midterm election this would be a natural topic to address. Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee said that even small measures would help "build trust" for the coming year. "You need to have some small victories—or victories—to build trust" But small victories are difficult within the polarized world of Capitol Hill. We shouldn't expect much from Congress. Issues like immigration or climate change will have to be left to the realm of executive power. But sometimes small steps can be the best path toward progress. Let's see what this Congress can do.
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Congress is meeting in lame duck session with some big items to tackle .
Julian Zelizer says past lame duck sessions have proved productive, but this time is different .
He says parties are dug in on major issues and may be reluctant to compromise now .
Zelizer: Congress could get a head start on tax reform that would close loopholes .
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By . Associated Press . Last updated at 6:34 PM on 14th December 2011 . Distinction: Time says its 'Person of the Year' is reshaping global politics . 'The protester' has been named Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' for 2011. The selection was announced today on NBC's Today Show. The magazine cited dissent across the Middle East that spread to Europe and the U.S., and said these protesters are reshaping global politics. The runner-up for the distinction included Admiral William H. McRaven, who organized the raid that led to Osama bin Laden’s death in May. Also considered were Chinese conceptual artist Ali Wei Wei, Wisconsin Rep Paul Ryan and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. An online poll by the Today Show showed overwhelming support for former Apple honcho Steve Jobs and Rep Gabrielle Giffords. Last year, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg was given the honour. Scroll down for video . Movement: From the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street, protests have been a major part of 2011, according to Time magazine . Time's 'Person of the Year' is the person or thing that has most influenced the culture and the news during the past year for good or for ill. It’s . confusing to many that Kate Middleton was snubbed by Time for 'Person . of the Year' in spite of her fairy tale wedding, keen fashion sense and . charitable good deeds. The naming of 'protesters' instead . of names like Rep Gabrielle Giffords, SEAL Team 6, Steve Jobs and . the Duchess of Cambridge has left critics trashing the magazine. Time's Person of the Year' is the . person or thing that has most influenced the culture and the news during . the past year for good or for ill, editors said. The Royal Wedding was watched by about 47 per cent of the world population. As she walked down the aisle on April 29, many were treated to a spectacle not seen since Diana did the same in 1981. Time does, however, feature Middleton in feature piece separate from the 'Person of the Year' piece. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke received the honour in 2009. The 2008 winner was then-President-elect Barack Obama. Speaking of presidents, they often dominate the outcome, from former President George W. Bush to Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy. Other previous non-presidential winners have included Bono, Pope John Paul II, and Amazon.com CEO and founder Jeff Bezos. Controversial winners in the past . have ranged from Adolf Hitler in 1938 to Joseph Stalin, who was named . Person of the Year in 1939 and 1942. Former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the only 'Person of the Year' to win the title three times. Time said it is recognizing protesters because they are 'redefining people power' around the world. Time managing editor Rick Stengel told the Today show; 'There was a lot of consensus among our people. It felt right.' The 'Person of the Year' mention began in 1927, when the magazine named legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh as the first recipient of the honor. Runner-up: Admiral William H. McRaven, the man who organized the raid that took down Osama bin Laden in May, was a close second to 'the protester' Considered: Kate Middleton, who captured the hearts of Americans before the Royal Wedding, was also considered for 'Person of the Year' Controversial: Other 'Person of the Year' winners have included Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, who has won twice . 2011 - The Protester - Those involved in demonstrations from the Arab Spring to the 'Occupy' movement2010 - Mark Zuckerberg - Facebook CEO2009 - Ben Bernanke - Federal Reserve chairman2008 - Barack Obama - Then-president-elect of the United States2007 - Vladimir Putin - Then-president of Russia2006 - You (as a contributor to social media sites like Facebook and YouTube)2005 - The Good Samaritans (Specifically Bono and Bill and Melinda Gates)2004 - George W. Bush - Then-president of the United States2003 - The American Soldier (who was at the time was fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan)2002 - The Whistleblowers (Specifically Cynthia Cooper of WorldCom, Coleen Rowley of the FBI and Sherron Watkins of Enron)2001 - Rudolph Giuliani - Then-mayor of New York City . Watch video here . Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy .
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Selection by magazine beats out runner-up Admiral William H. McRaven .
Kate Middleton, artist Ali Wei Wei and Wisconsin Rep Paul Ryan also considered .
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Lewis Hamilton has ended a four-year relationship with management company XIX Entertainment. Hamilton signed for Simon Fuller's group at the start of 2011 after almost a year of looking after his own affairs following a difficult split with father Anthony early in 2010. The 29-year-old, currently leading the Formula One world championship by 17 points to Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg, is now in search of new management. Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes (above) is fighting for the world title but has left XIX Entertainment after four years . Hamilton (right) said he will decide how he would like to be represented in the future at the end of the year . Asked about the parting of the ways with Fuller, who also handles David Beckham and Sir Bradley Wiggins, along with an array of stars, Hamilton said: "There is not really much to say. "The contract expired and I am going to be doing something different. "I don't know what yet, but I will decide at the end of the year." Fuller played a key role in Hamilton's contract negotiations when he left McLaren for Mercedes towards the end of 2012. Toto Wolff (above) wants Hamilton to remain at Mercedes beyond his deal that expires at the end of next year . Hamilton's three-year deal with Mercedes expires at the end of next year, although there have been indications from motorsport boss Toto Wolff of a desire to retain the Briton. Tentative talks have already started, but been placed on hold whilst Hamilton fights for the world title. It could be either Hamilton will handle any future negotiations himself, or have a new manager in place to take on the situation.
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Lewis Hamilton exits Simon Fuller's company after a four-year relationship .
Fuller played a key role in negotiations to take Hamilton to Mercedes .
Hamilton will decide how he will next be represented at the end of the year .
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Dr. Conrad Murray left the Los Angeles County jail under sheriff's escort, avoiding reporters and Michael Jackson fans waiting for his release early Monday. Murray, who served two years of a four-year sentence for causing Michael Jackson's death, was driven away in a sheriff's car for the "safety and security" of the jail, sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. The handful of Jackson fans gathered outside the jail accused the Los Angeles County sheriff of showing favoritism to Murray by slipping him out of the jail through a back exit, instead of the door where freed prisoners normally leave. Murray, who the sheriff's spokesman described as an exemplary inmate, was kept away from the general inmate population during his two years in the jail. He was also allowed to have liberal use of a telephone inside his cell during his last year. Murray's lawyer told reporters outside the jail that he would try to get his medical licenses reinstated in California, Texas and Nevada so he can resume the medical career interrupted by his conviction on the involuntary manslaughter in 2011. A jury concluded after a two-month trial that Murray's negligence led to Jackson's death from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol. The cardiologist, who was hired to serve as the pop icon's personal doctor for his comeback tour in 2009, told investigators he gave Jackson nightly infusions of propofol to treat his intractable insomnia for two months so he could rest for rehearsals. Prosecutors argued that his negligence included leaving Jackson unmonitored and unattended while the powerful anesthetic was being pumped into his vein through an IV drip. Deputy District Attorney David Walgren, arguing for the maximum four years in jail, said Murray was "playing Russian roulette with Michael Jackson's life every single night," by using propofol to put him to sleep in "a reckless, obscene manner." Murray's lawyers unsuccessfully argued that Jackson self-administered the drug while Murray was out of his bedroom. He remained unremorseful during his two years in jail. "My entire approach may not have been an orthodox approach, but my intentions were good," Murray told CNN's Anderson Cooper interview last April. He said his intentions were to wean Jackson from propofol. He said he succeeded in eliminating propofol from his insomnia treatment three days before Jackson's death. "I explained to Michael that this is an artificial way of considering sleep. It was basically sedation, minimal sedation," he told Cooper. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor imposed the maximum sentence on Murray, even though the doctor was technically eligible for probation. Pastor, in a 30-minute speech explaining his sentence, cited Murray's "pattern of deceit and lies. That pattern was to assist Dr. Murray." Jackson died "not because of an isolated one-off occurrence or incident," Pastor said. "He died because of a totality of circumstances which are directly attributable to Dr. Murray ... because of a series of decisions that Dr. Murray made." Murray, he said, became involved in "a cycle of horrible medicine." Jackson family members and fans have complained that Murray should have been prosecuted for second degree murder -- not manslaughter.
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NEW: Sheriff gives Dr. Murray an escort to avoid media, fans outside of jail .
NEW: Sheriff spokesman calls Murray an "exemplary" inmate .
The cardiologist can't treat patients since his medical licenses are suspended .
Murray remains unremorseful about his treatment of Michael Jackson .
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A British tourist's outdoor romp in the Nevada desert ended in disaster after the excitement triggered a heart attack - landing him with a $250,000 medical bill. Peter Cousins, 55, was travelling the world with his partner Dawn Reed when they stopped to work on a cowboy ranch in the middle of the desert. The pair had been trekking and were miles from civilization when they came across the beautiful natural hot spring and decided to have an outdoor tryst. Scroll down for video . Brit Peter Cousins (right) was staying at a ranch in the Nevada desert Dawn Reed (left) when the pair saw a hot spring and decided to have a romantic tryst . But the romance was shattered when Mr Cousins suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed. Around 60 miles from a phone signal, Ms Reed was forced to run three miles to flag down a trucker. Mr Cousins had to be airlifted to hospital where he underwent a life-saving operation. But the artist, who did not have any travel insurance, was in for another shock when he was presented with a staggering $250,000 medical bill for his five-day stay. If that wasn't bad enough, he was forced to return home and broke up with Dawn, who remained in the US to work. Despite his misfortune, Mr Cousins from Dorset, UK, insists his outdoor quickie was worth it. 'It was the most expensive sex ever,' he added. 'I haven't been able to pay it off and although it's always at the back of my mind, I have no regrets. 'Yes, I will never be able to forget that I owe so much money, but it was worth it for the sex. It's always worth it.' But the tryst ended in disaster when Mr Cousins suffered a heart attacks moments afterwards and had to be airlifted to hospital . Pictured at the Grand Canyon, the pair were 60 miles away from phone signal when Peter collapsed forcing Dawn to run three miles to flag down a trucker . Mr Cousins and his partner of two years Ms Reed were living in Portugal when they embarked on a round-the-world trip in April 2013. After months on the road the pair flew to America and started working as chefs on a cowboy ranch in the middle of the Nevada desert where they discovered the natural springs. Mr Cousins said: 'After we started working there, Dawn and I took a walk around and discovered these beautiful natural hot springs all over the place. 'We always used to sit in them and then one day we thought it would be romantic to make love in the pool. 'When I got up there were pains in my left arm and I just collapsed. 'We were miles from the ranch and even then, there was no phone signal to call anyone. I didn't know if I was going to make it, we were in the middle of nowhere. In hospital, pictured, Mr Cousins had life-saving stent placed in his heart, but after a five-day stay was presented with a staggering $250,000 medical bill . If that wasn't bad enough, he had to return home and broke up with Dawn (who he is pictured with at the ranch in Nevada where they were staying) who had to stay and work in the US . 'It was astounding how remote it was. There was no internet or cellular signal for miles and the nearest town was more than three hours drive away.' Ms Reed had no choice but to leave her partner alone while she flagged down the trucker who called the air ambulance on a satellite phone. Two hours later Mr Cousins was airlifted to hospital and had a life-saving stent placed in his heart. But after a five-day stay in Reno hospital he almost suffered another heart attack when medics hit him with a bill for a quarter of a million dollars - or £165,000. He said: 'When I woke up I was in A and E. Doctors fitted a stent and gave me lots of drugs to keep me alive. I was in there for five days before being discharged. 'As I was leaving the doctors asked me how I planned on paying the bill. I was thinking it would be around $5,000 but couldn't believe it when it all amounted to $250,000.' Happier times: The couple were travelling the world together before the incident . But Mr Cousins (left, in Reno) said his outdoor quickie with Ms Reed (right) was worth it insisting he had 'no regrets' Unable to pay the bill, Mr Cousins travelled back to the UK for further treatment while Dawn stayed on the ranch, and the couple split in October 2014, but remain friends. Mr Cousins is still negotiating with the hospital over the bill. He added: 'I'm just really hoping I will be able to get the debt wiped because it will affect my future. 'If the hospital decide I do have to pay back the full amount, I'll never be able to go to America again. That will hurt. 'Stupidly, I didn't have travel insurance and although I was expecting a big bill I had to do a double take when I saw it was a quarter of a million dollars. 'I was completely gobsmacked. I wasn't working at the time as Dawn and I had been travelling the world, so there was no way I could ever afford that. 'It's bizarre how things have turned out. I would be really upset if this meant I could never enter the country again.'
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Peter Cousins, 55, was travelling the world with then-partner Dawn Reed .
They were in the Nevada desert when they had a spot of outdoor passion .
Peter suffered a heart attack and was airlifted to hospital for an operation .
But after a five-day stay he was presented with a $250,000 medical bill .
To make matters worse he broke up with Dawn and had to return home .
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By . Simon Tomlinson . Perched imperiously on top of a wooden display cabinet, it looks rather like something brought home from the taxidermist.But this eagle was very much alive, swooping into a living room through a set of open patio doors. The bird, a steppe eagle called Storm, landed on the cabinet and then knocked over a selection of ornaments with its 4ft wings and pecked at a bowl of pot-pourri. Scroll down for video . In a flap: Jon Ball from Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue captures an eagle after it flew into retired teacher Wendy Morrell's living room while she was watching television . Easy does it: Bird-of-prey expert John Ball spent 30 minutes coaxing the young eagle, called Storm, off its makeshift perch using a dead chick . Wendy Morrell had just settled down to watch the French Open tennis final when the 18ins tall bird of prey flew through open patio doors and into her lounge in Poole, Dorset. Wendy’s friend Karen Ruddlesden put on a winter jacket and gloves for protection and tried to lure the big bird down. When that failed, the pair placed pieces of ham outside in a bid to tempt it but with no joy. They then phoned a local bird of prey rescue centre and an expert spent 30 minutes coaxing the eagle eagle onto his glove using a dead chick. He then took the young eagle back to the rescue centre where he gave it some food. It was later reunited with its owner . and falconer James Moore who revealed the young bird was called Storm . and was being trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill site. The eagle had been reported missing three days prior to turning up at Wendy’s . house after it was frightened by a loud bang and broke its tethers. Poser: The eagle looks like an ornament as it perches on Wendy Morrell's wooden display cabinet . Flight and fright: Wendy's friend Karen Ruddlesden put on a winter jacket and gloves for protection and tried to lure the bird down and then put ham outside to tempt it outside, but with no joy . Wendy, a retired maths teacher aged in her 50s, said: 'We were about to watch the final of the French Open tennis when this big black thing swooped into the room. 'We have had small birds fly into the patio doors before and I thought it might have happened again but then Karen said "it’s an eagle". 'We couldn’t believe it. Initially there was total panic - our two dogs were in the front room and they both jumped to their feet and started barking. 'We took them into a bedroom and shut the door then went back into the lounge to get a proper look. 'There was the huge eagle, around 18 inches tall, sat on top of the wooden glass cabinet. 'It had knocked over a few ornaments and then started pecking away at a bowl of potpourri. 'We thought about trying to tempt it . back outside and tried putting ham outside but it didn’t work so we . called the police who put us in touch with Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue. 'They . came out quickly and thankfully they were able to get the eagle down . from the top of the cabinet without it damaging anything or getting . hurt.' Coaxing it down: The bird was reunited with its owner and falconer James Moore who revealed the young bird was called Storm and was being trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill site . The Russian Steppe eagle - Aquila nipalensis in Latin - originate from Russia, Mongolia and Romania and winter in Africa and India. They can grow to 2.5ft tall with a wingspan of up to 7ft. They favour open dry habitats, such as the desert or steppes (grassland plains). They feed mostly on carrion, but will also hunt rodents and small mammals as well as small birds. Steppe eagles often prefer to scavenge and are known to steal food from other raptors. Like some other birds, they have a crop (thin-walled, expanding area) in their throats which enables them to store food for several hours before digesting them. Terri Hall, who runs Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue with her husband Jon, said: 'We got a call from a lady yesterday afternoon saying there was a bird of prey sat in her front room. 'We thought it might be a small bird like a sparrowhawk but when we got to her house there was this huge Russian Steppe eagle sat on a cabinet. 'Jon tempted the eagle down onto his glove with a dead chick and we took it back to the rescue centre where we gave it some food. 'Its owner came to pick it up and was very relieved to have it back again. 'He is training it to scare off seagulls at a landfill site where he works and it had broken its tethers after being frightened by a loud bang at the site.' Mr Moore said the eagle was recovering at his home after the ordeal. He said: 'He broke his tethers and flew off. I knew it was only a matter of time until he turned up somewhere but the question was where that would be. 'I'm very pleased to have him back safe and well. He is weathering out and relaxing at home now. 'I have spoken to Wendy and apologised for ruining her tennis match!' Mr Moore is a professional falconer who flies birds of prey at industrial sites to scare off seagulls. He said: 'I have owned Storm for three months now. He was rescued from his previous owners who had not cared for him very well. 'He was in a real state when he came to me but now he's 100 per cent better. 'I have eight falcons which I fly at sites to keep seagulls away and I decided to take Storm to work with me. 'However there is a concrete yard close to the site and a loud bang spooked him.'
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Russian Steppe eagle flew in through patio doors and perched on cabinet .
Shocked homeowner had just settled down to watch French Open tennis .
Her friend tried to lure 18in-tall bird down wearing thick jacket and gloves .
They also put pieces of ham outside in bid to tempt it away, but with no joy .
Bird-of-prey expert was finally called to coax it down using a dead chick .
Storm escaped while being trained to ward off seagulls at a landfill site .
Owner delighted to have him back and apologises for 'ruining' tennis match .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . North Korea has denounced Seth Rogen and James Franco as 'terrorists' in a stern letter to the UN Secretary General over their new comedy which lampoons its leader. The secretive regime lodged a formal protest over The Interview, a farcical story of tabloid journalists hired by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong Un. It stars Rogen and Franco as the two television reporters who turn assassin after landing an interview with Kim in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. Stepping into role: In the film American born Korean actor Randall Park plays Kim Jong-un . The North Korean Foreign Ministry had . previously warned the U.S. of 'stern' and 'merciless' retaliation if it . fails to block the release of the film, which is out on October 14. Now, . in a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, North . Korea's UN envoy Ja Song-Nam says allowing the film to be made and seen . constitutes 'the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as a . war action.' 'The US . authorities should take immediate and appropriate action to ban the . production and distribution of the film, otherwise it will be fully . responsible for encouraging and sponsoring terrorism,' the letter says. North . Korea asked that the letter be circulated as an official document to . members of the UN General Assembly and Security Council for their . consideration. International incident: James Franco and Seth Rogen's latest feature, The Interview, depicts the pair trying to kill the country's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un - and North Korea is not amused . Last month, . North Korea denounced the film as a 'wanton act of terror' and warned of . a 'merciless response' unless it was pulled from distribution. In . a statement carried by North Korea's official KCNA news agency, a . foreign ministry spokesman said the film was the work of 'gangster . moviemakers' and should never be shown. The . 'reckless U.S. provocative insanity' is triggering 'a gust of hatred . and rage' among North Korean people, the spokesman said, adding that its . release would be considered an 'act of war that we will never . tolerate'. Rogen poked fun . at the threat on Twitter, writing: 'People don't usually wanna kill me . for one of my movies until after they've paid 12 bucks for it.' In . the film's trailer, a secret agent played by Lizzy Caplan says Kim must . be stopped as his people believe anything he says including 'that he . speaks to dolphins and doesn't pee or poo.' Special access: James and Seth play talk show host and producer that have been chosen to interview the leader . Kim . Myong-chol, executive director of The Centre for North Korea-US Peace . and an unofficial spokesman for Pyongyang, told the Telegraph its . assassination plot represents America's foreign policy as a whole. 'There is a special irony in this storyline as it shows the desperation of the US government and American society,' he said. 'A . film about the assassination of a foreign leader mirrors what the U.S. has done in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. And let us not forget . who killed [President John F.] Kennedy – Americans.' He added: 'In fact, President Obama should be careful in case the US military wants to kill him as well.' 'The Interview' is not the first Hollywood film to mock a North Korean leader. In . the 2004 satirical action comedy 'Team America,' Kim's father Kim . Jong-Il was portrayed as a speech-impaired, isolated despot.
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North Korea sends letter to Ban Ki Moon accusing U.S. of a 'war action'
It asks for the letter to be made an official document and circulated .
The Interview is a farcical tale of two tabloid journalists' bid to kill Kim .
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Editor's note: You can follow the Bilsons' progress on CNN American Morning 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. through February 4. Mary Bilson tries to contain her autistic daughter Marissa's tantrum, as Marissa's brother Brendan looks on. Seal Beach, CALIFORNIA (CNN) -- The Bilson family is like many other families: three kids, a cat, and a small, lovely home with lots of family photos and carved wooden wall signs with sayings like "Live, Laugh, Love." But step inside their house after 4 p.m. most weekdays and you'll want to cover your ears because of the noise -- the screaming, to be exact. These are not the shouts of sibling rivalry or parental annoyance. This is the high-pitched, ear-shattering sound of a 13-year-old girl. More accurately, it is the sound of a frustrated, irritated, very loud teenager with autism. Marissa, the middle Bilson child, was diagnosed with autism when she was a toddler. Her mother, Mary, a nurse, knew something wasn't right early on, when young Marissa's tantrums were off the charts and seemingly unwarranted. But during the first few years, doctors told Mary Bilson that her daughter was fine and this behavior would eventually pass. They were wrong on both counts. Marissa's behavior has not passed; it has, in fact, become worse. According to Bilson, Marissa and her tantrums rule the household. "I don't want to hear her screaming and tantruming, so we pretty much let her do what she wants," Bilson says. "We" means Mary, her husband, John, and their two other children, Brittany, 15, and 6-year-old Brendan. Keeping the peace means that, when it comes to Marissa, the rules are different. She is allowed unlimited time on the one family computer. She is allowed access to her siblings' rooms and possessions. She is allowed to eat dinner at the computer instead of the family table. Watch part one of the Bilsons' journey » . But before you sit in judgment of the Bilsons, and suggest they just need a firm hand to keep their middle child in line, consider one thing: They are trying to cope with a child with severely impaired social sensibilities. "Do you think people who don't have children with autism know how tough it is to deal with them?" CNN's senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, asked Marissa's mom in a recent interview. "No," Mary Bilson replied. "And I don't see how they could." She's right -- we can't, because many of us have never seen autism in action, day in and day out. Learn more about autism » . Autism is described on the National Institutes of Health Web site as a "developmental disorder that appears in the first three years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism and related disorders affect about one out of every 150 babies born each year. Autism manifests itself in many different ways. Although there are some common threads, like language issues, repetitive movements and difficulties connecting to others, specific behavioral patterns are largely unique to the individual. "Children with autism are all different; they are like snowflakes," explains Dr. Ronald Leaf, co-director of the group Autism Partnership. The one thing that Leaf believes they all have in common is that "they are not expected to do enough." Leaf insists we have set the bar too low for what we think children and adults with autism can do. "They are highly teachable," he says. "You just have to have a good teacher." A good teacher is exactly what Bilson was looking for to help her with Marissa. The family had already tried various programs, starting when Marissa was a toddler -- but nothing completely worked for her. And as Marissa entered her teen years, her behavior grew worse. Mary knew that her daughter needed to be reined in, and it needed to be done now. "She is getting older. She's 13 and her tantrums are louder and longer than they used to be. It's just so inappropriate. It was OK when she was much younger, but now that she's going to be an adult soon, she can't be behaving this way," Bilson says with tired resignation. But what could the Bilsons do? This family doesn't have a lot of extra money, and most programs either aren't covered by insurance or have long waiting lists. The costs are staggering, according to the Web site FightingAutism.org. Families with autistic children can expect to spend $30,000 annually to provide proper medical, educational and other assistance necessary for dealing with an autistic child. Watch part two of the Bilsons' journey » . Enter Autism Partnership, or AP. This group, founded in 1994, offers extensive therapeutic services to children and adults with the disorder. One of its most unique programs is an intensive one-on-one, at-home intervention service that is similar in scope to what happens on the television show "Nanny 911." It's not cheap -- about $2,500 per day, typically for a five-day period (with additional days on an "as needed" basis). Most of AP's work is grounded in a behavior modification technique known as Applied Behavioral Analysis or ABA. Essentially, the method breaks down behavior patterns, rewarding proper behavior while being careful not to encourage improper responses. And that is exactly how AP therapist Rick Schroeder hopes to reshape Marissa Bilson's worst behavior. The group, which met Marissa while working in her school, offered the Bilson family a free week-long intervention with the proviso that CNN be allowed to record the process. The week started off with a day of observation -- a day with lots and lots of screaming and tantrums, that left Schroeder stunned. He had observed Marissa at school where, he says, she was much less demonstrative. But Schroeder is still eager and ready to tackle the challenge. "I think the family is starting to realize something needs to change, and that's very good," he says after his day of observation. "As far as Marissa's behavior goes -- and the level that she is capable of going to -- she's pretty much out of control, for sure."
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CDC: Autism and related disorders affect one out of every 150 children .
Each autistic child is unique in his or her behavior, but there are common threads .
Social skills, communication are common problem areas .
Marissa screams, throws tantrums -- behavior her family hopes to change .
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By . Jennifer Newton For Mailonline . With wide smiles and faces full of hope it is hard to believe that these happy people are living in the squalor of a makeshift shanty town. Grinning for the camera, the children of the Manila slums act like any other youngsters by playing in a paddling pool and even tying rubber bands together to make bracelets. This is even though they are some of the poorest people in the world. Despite being surrounded by squalor in the makeshift shanty town of Tondo in Manila, these children can't help but smile as they play in the street . With no proper bathroom, the children of the slums take a bath in an inflatable paddling pool in the middle of the street . A young girl collects rubber bands and ties them together to make a bracelet and necklace, resembling the recent loom band craze . A little boy laughs out loud as he is washed in the alley of the Tondo slum in Manila, as others line up behind him to use the water . The images of the playful children were taken by Belgian photographer Sebastien Cuvelier on a trip to the Philippines, where he visisted four slums named Divisoria, Payatas, Quiapo and Tondo, as well as Singkamas in Makati City over a two month period. The 38-year-old, who now lives in Luxembourg City said: 'I wanted to show everyday life in slums around Manila, where people seem to be happy despite the terrible living conditions. 'The people were incredibly welcoming. Not one smile was forced. No one was ashamed of where they lived. Their dignity was impressive. 'The first time inside any slum is always very shocking; you can't believe your eyes. 'But it was very important for me not to look at them with pity or compassion. A little boy smiles for the camera after being pictured by Belgian photographer Sebastien Cuvelier, while sitting next to a dumping site in Payatas, Manila . A young girl has a face of joy after taking an impromptu shower under a leaking drain pipe during a storm in Singkamas in Makati City . Photographer Mr Cuvelier said: 'The people were incredibly welcoming. Not one smile was forced. No one was ashamed of where they lived' 'I had to act unimpressed and show that I was on the same level as them, even though I was white and had a camera. 'The Filipino people are amazing and always manage to see the positive side of things, which I find incredibly moving.' Mr Cuvelier visited around 30 homes to offer an insight into the reality of life for civilians living in the slums. He added: 'Seeing people live on a dump site was shocking. 'You can imagine the smell and the amount of insects when there are acres of trash lying around you in the scorching sun. 'The people there spend their days sorting through the trash, trying to find anything of value, mostly metal. Three brothers look happy as they play under the watchful eye of their mother in the Divisoria slum, which is littered with rubbish . A young girl smiles at passers-by who walk past her makeshift house built next to a dump in Payatas . A man and his son pose outside their makeshift house in Divisoria, Manila, one of four slums that Mr Cuvelier visited on his two month trip to the Philippines . With poverty widespread many people live in makeshift homes. This family live in a cramped room built under a canal bridge in Quiapo, Manila . 'And there, in the middle of the dumping site, was a sign that said 'room 4 rent' I still cannot believe that anyone would actually ask for rent money in such a terrible area, but it is the case in all slums I have visited. 'There is a picture I took, which shows a sole tree in the middle of a sea of trash. 'If this tree could grow there, anything can happen. To me, the tree represents hope for these people.' The photographer was able to visit the slums while working as a volunteer for a Manila-based French NGO called the Virlanie Foundation. He explained: 'I was introduced to the Virlanie contact in each slum I went to. A man proudly carries his grand-daughter outside of his shack built over a canal near Divisoria while being pictured by Mr Cuvelier . Mr Cuvelier visited around 30 homes to offer an insight into the reality of life for civilians living in the slums including the shack of this married couple . This cheerful old man peeks his head out of his shack, which is plastered in graffiti and political posters in Tondo . 'The NGO reaches out to a wide number of families there so it is very well respected and eased my way in, I could not have been there without the support of Virlanie.' The Virlanie Foundation is a private, non-profit organisation reaching out to street children in the Philippines and has been helping children who come from difficult situation to become a responsible and an independent adult life with the hope of a brighter future. For almost 22 years , Virlanie has helped and cared for more than 16,000 children and accompanied towards a responsible and independent adult life .
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Children in the slums of the Philippines have been pictured smiling and happily playing in the squalor of the streets .
Images were captured by Belgian photographer Sebastian Cuvelier on a two-month trip to Manila .
Visited four slums in the city named Divisoria, Payatas, Quiapo and Tondo and Singkamas in Makati City .
Says despite the filth and poverty the people were welcoming and seem to be happy despite the appalling conditions .
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Mike Tyson has a newfound respect for the IRS after revealing that they forgave some of his owed back taxes. The former boxing champ has famously struggled with his finances for years and declared bankruptcy in 2005, stating that he was $23million in debt. He has been working his way back to even with the IRS after failing to pay taxes for years. Putting the past behind them: Evander Holyfield (left) and Mike Tyson (right), seen together on Saturday, both told about how they struggled with the financial windfall of their success . That moment: Tyson infamously bit off a portion of Holyfield's ear during a 1997 fight (pictured) but only had kind words for his former competitor when they went to promote a documentary about themselves . At a Tribeca Film Festival talk over the weekend, he alluded to the fact that the debts were not necessarily paid off but he is working towards it, saying 'Just look at the IRS check I just sent!' 'The IRS was very kind to me the other day. They excused $2million off my bill. I like the IRS now,' he said. Tyson spoke about his newfound appreciation for the government agency during a talk that coincided with the launch of a documentary called Champs which profiles Tyson, his former rival Evander Holyfield and fellow boxer Bernard Hopkins. Holyfield, who had a part of his ear bitten off by Tyson during a fight in 1997, was by his side at the Manhattan event on Saturday and said that he had similar financial problems. 'All of sudden when I started making . $20million a fight . . . and they started talking about things I had . never heard of before so I just listened and figured they’d do the right . thing,' Holyfield said according to The New York Post. 'Unfortunately, . it’s not people you don’t know, it’s people you do know and people you . trust. A lot of the time we trust our family members, but you have to . forgive. Because I have forgiven.' Proud dad: Little is known about Tyson's seven living children but he was accompanied to the Tribeca Film Festival event with his son Miguel . Tyson has taken a similarly Zen attitude towards the issue, focusing on the positive aspects of his life and how his seven living children have been able to thrive. (One of his daughters, Exodus, died in 2009 after getting strangled by a cord on a treadmill at the age of four.) 'I didn’t spare any quarters any nickels or dimes either. I’m not regretful for that whatsoever,' the 47-year-old said, according to the Tribeca Film Festival. 'I had a 9th grade education. But my kids go to Ivy League schools. I’m dumb as s*** but I did something right.' 'I am a better parent than my mother and my father and that’s a victory in itself. 'Ten years ago, if you asked me where I’d be now, I’d have said f****** dead. But I’m not dead. I have an awesome life. And I’m just very grateful. That’s the one thing I try to convey. Gratitude.'
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Former boxing legend has been paying the IRS back after failing to pay taxes for years and filed for bankruptcy in 2005 .
Said that he wrote a hefty check to them recently and just had $2million dropped off .
Noted that some of his seven living children are attending Ivy League colleges even though he only got through ninth grade .
'I'm dumb as s*** but I did something right'
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At least two people have been killed and dozens injured after a coach carrying more than 50 passengers collided with a height restriction barrier in Tianjin municipality, China today. Without explanation, the 59-seater vehicle had driven into an ordinary bus lane, which has a height restriction of 2.8 metres. After crashing at speed, the top of the bus was virtually ripped off as the black and yellow barrier tore through the coach's metal exterior. Ripped metal: Smashed glass and broken metal could be seen littered around the crash site as police cordoned off the road . Smashed glass and broken metal could be seen littered around the crash site as police cordoned off the road this afternoon. The driver has been arrested and the cause of the accident is under investigation. The crash took place at about midday, according to state-owned China Central Television. Those injured were treated at two nearby hospitals. Unexplained: It is not known why the driver entered the ordinary bus lane, which has a height restriction of 2.8 metres . Heavy toll: At least two people were killed and dozens injured when the coach slammed into the barrier . The crash took place in Tianjin municipality in eastern China . Investigation: The driver has been arrested and the cause of the accident is under investigation .
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The coach was carrying more than 50 people when it struck the barrier .
The metal height restriction tore through the coach, almost ripping off roof .
Driver arrested over the incident, which took place in Tianjin municipality .
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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- When -- after many visits to doctors and hospitals --- Tian Huiping's son was finally diagnosed with autism, the only advice she was given was to make use of a loophole in China's "one-child" policy that allows parents with disabled children to have one more. Tian Huiping considered suicide when she learned her son was autistic. Instead, she opened an autism school. Alone with her son after her husband divorced her, Tian became depressed and desperate enough to consider killing herself and her son, Yang Tao. "I made a poison for me and my son," she said. But when she saw her boy smiling up at her happily, she says she couldn't do it. "I thought, I have no right to end his life, and I cannot kill myself and leave him." From that horrible moment 18 years ago, there grew an incredible resolve -- the kind of dogged determination borne of a mother protecting her child. At one of the many hospitals she went to for help in Beijing, Tian came across a small brochure printed by the Taiwan Autism Association, explaining a few basic concepts on how to teach kids with autism. Watch mom describe being near suicide with autistic child » . She read it over and over again. "I just tried to work a little bit with my son and another boy we lived with," she says. "And it worked -- a little bit -- but I saw hope." She rented space in a kindergarten and opened her own school at first, with just six autistic children. She slept on the floor in a store room to save money. Two months later, the kindergarten closed her down. "We didn't make enough money for them," she says. But the children had shown progress, even though the teaching was based on a few simple concepts in a few pages of a brochure. Soon, the word was out. And more parents with autistic children came to Tian looking for help, all of them with the same fears. "If my son cannot go to school, what will happen with him? As a mother this is such a big worry." Fifteen years later, Tian and her Stars and Rain Education Institute for Autism help more than 3,000 children a day through her school and its outreach program. Eighty children of all ages enroll in her school for an 11-week course with their parents -- many of whom travel hundreds of miles from small villages to get help for their children. The parents then return to their villages to try to educate the local population. Interactive: Autism 101 » . The Chinese government says there are only about 100,000 people with autism in the entire country, but unofficial estimates put the number between 1-2 million people, perhaps even more. Tian says her institute has a list of just 60 doctors nationwide who are capable of diagnosing autism. Fifteen years ago, she says there were just three. Because resources are scarce, the focus at her school is on teaching the parents how to educate their children. They first help parents to accept their child's disability and teach basic information about autism awareness. Programs are individualized for each child, with teachers working on verbal communication, managing tantrums and other early intervention methods. One of the parents is a woman named Fu Jing. It took three years and countless wrong diagnoses, before she finally learned why her son Ruoqi wasn't talking or playing with other kids, she said. When Fu leaned Ruoqi was autistic, her world collapsed. "I thought about committing suicide with my son. I could not imagine the pain he would suffer when he grew up. All the unfair treatment from society and schoolmates," she said. "As a mother, I felt so much pain." But now Fu is learning how to communicate with her son, how to raise him, even how to love him. "The training here strengthens the acceptance of your kids. Honestly speaking, as an ordinary person, I get angry and even shout at him," she said. "But here, they say we have to accept our kids as who they are. I feel that I have changed." There are no government programs to help parents with autistic children -- and there is no government help for Tian and her school. "I'm not used to requesting anything from government," she says. "We have grown up in such a situation." For the past three years, Stars and Rain has been working with Heartspring, a Kansas-based center for children with special needs. Teachers from Beijing have been sent to Wichita, Kansas, for training; and teachers like Connie Coulter have come to Stars and Rain. When she arrived in February, Coulter found a school with almost no resources and without access to the latest research. Some parents, she said, would come up to her and ask about a magic pill or vitamin "to cure their child." "In the villages where they're coming from, they're just viewed as basically throw-away children," she said. "To tell [the parents] and be able to educate them, it was an exhilarating experience to talk to them about the basic understanding of autism." Coulter described her time at the school as a "life-changing experience." "There are things that they have taught me about value of family, the passion, the empathy, the sacrifice that I don't see as much in the United States," she said. It's a sacrifice these parents feel lucky to make -- because in China, if your child has autism and you want to help, there is almost nowhere else to turn. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Wayne Drash contributed to this report.
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China estimates 100,000 people with autism; some say real number is 1-2 million .
Mom considered murder-suicide with autistic son; instead started autism school .
The school helps 3,000 children with autism every day despite no government aid .
"As a mother, I felt so much pain"
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f5d7571a63a55734f70cf86fefaea221bf95193e
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A major operation has been launched tracking Santa Claus as he makes is annual delivery of presents to all the children who have been good over the past year. Santa left his top-secret toy factory deep underneath the North Pole several hours ago, with Rudolf leading the reindeer on their trip around the world. International aircraft have been warned to steer clear of the North Pole as Santa Claus dashes around the world at almost the speed of light. Scroll down for video . Volunteers are busy working on the phones dealing with questions from children over Santa's location . Hundreds of highly trained experts follow the live action on a big screen normally used by the US Air Force . Central to the tracking operation is the North American Aerospace Defense Command, who have been following Santa's movements from space since 1955. Before the invention of satellites, ground observers had to try and spot the reindeer-powered sleigh as it shot across the night-time sky. NORAD is especially busy on Christmas Eve and has brought in volunteers in order to field hundreds of phone calls, emails and tweets from anxious children, wondering what time Santa will arrive. Also parents and guardians want to ensure that their children are in bed before Santa arrives so he stops and makes his much-anticipated delivery. This year, NORAD has launched a live-feed of Santa's journey from a special satellite which is able to keep up with the Mr Claus as he hurtles across the night sky. The 59-year-old program is based at a special Santa nerve centre at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. In December 1955, children discovered a phone number for the top-secret NORAD facility and rang officers who routinely passed on detail's of Santa's progress. Santa Claus pictured earlier today, said he was making deliveries to everyone who had been good . Pilots have been warned to avoid the area around Santa's top-secret workshop for the rest of the day . At 2pm GMT Santa was spotted in the middle of Australia before heading north east to Papua New Guinea . The volunteers will work for 23 hours today following Santa, before racing home just in time for the delivery of their own presents. By lunchtime today, the Santa Tracker had more than 1.5 million likes on Facebook with more than 19.5 million people visiting the website. Major Beth Castro, who is in charge of communications between Santa and the children said in 2012, 22.3 million people logged onto the website. This year, the website features an animated elf named 'Radar'. Normally the NORAD facility is responsible for defending the skies of the United States and Canada and was originally located deep within Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs. Pilots flying near the North Pole have been advised to avoid the area for the whole of Christmas Eve. A special pilot map produced by Jeppesen warned air crew that: 'Departures may be illuminated by a blinding red nose. The notice also warns of 'supersonic heavy departures' and that 'non-sleigh traffic discouraged'. Pilots are also warned that 'reindeer and elves on and in the vicinity of the runway'. British Airways Captain, David Thomas, said: 'Santa has absolute priority over the skies on Christmas Eve and we’ll be cheering him on. 'There will be 28 British Airways aircraft flying tonight to the four corners of the world, so we’ll be telling our customers to look out for the sleigh and to give Santa and his reindeer a wave.' The National Air Traffic service tracked Santa's deliveries last year as he flew all over Europe, pictured . Santa is based in a top-secret workshop at the top of the world, known only to a few people .
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Santa Claus is travelling almost at the speed of light according to NORAD .
Santa is delivering thousands of presents every second to nice people .
Naughty people face an anxious wait to see if they will receive any gifts .
Pilots have been warned to avoid the North Pole due to 'blinding red lights'
British Airways said 'Santa has absolute priority in the skies tonight'
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A proposed new black and white flag for New Zealand has been compared to one that's flown by Islamic State militants. British comedian John Oliver drew similarities between the new design and the infamous ISIS flag, saying it could lead to future awkward situations for New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key. During his show on Sunday - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - he continued to mock the proposed design, describing it as a 'flag of a vegetarian pirate ship'. Scroll down for video . The proposed new design for New Zealand's flag (right) has been compared to the black flag of ISIS (left) British comedian John Oliver (pictured) put forward his suggestion for an alternative design - one of a bundy-jumping sheep . Oliver further attempts to imitate Key's New Zealand accent, after showing a clip of the re-elected Prime Minister vowing to hold a referendum to change the flag in 2015. 'Key is now back in office and ready to tackle the most pressing issues facing the country,' Oliver said. 'He wants to change the New Zealand flag, or as they call it there, the "fleg". 'Now why's he going to do this? Well one reason might be that it looks too much like Australia's flag.' Another video is then shown of a radio interview with Key, who said: 'There's just a huge confusion factor...the number of times I'm in an international meeting and the number of times they sit me down in front of the Australian flag or the Australian area. It's not funny, it happens all the time.' The Australian flag (left) and is often confused with the New Zealand flag (right), according to New Zealand Prime Minister John Key . Oliver says if the proposed black and white New Zealand flag is approved, it could lead to future awkward situations for New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key . Re-elected New Zealand Prime Minister John Key . But Oliver warns of the repercussions of transforming New Zealand's predominately blue flag to the colours used by ISIS. 'If you think mistakenly being seated under the Australia's flag was bad, wait until they put you under the one for ISIS,' he said. Instead Oliver puts forward his suggestions, including a bungy-jumping sheep, as an alternative. The current New Zealand flag has the same Blue Ensign on the top left corner as Australia and is defaced with four red stars outlined in white representing the Crux Australis - also known as the Southern Cross. Australia's flag has a large white seven-pointed star, known as the Commonwealth Star, under the Union Jack. The Southern Cross constellation on the flag is made up of five white stars. The proposed new design has a silver fern which is the same trademark logo for the All Backs - New Zealand's beloved national rugby union team.
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John Oliver says New Zealand's new flag designs could be mistaken for the flag flown by Islamic State militants .
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key hopes to change the current flag as it's often confused with Australia's flag .
The new design has a silver fern which is the same trademark logo for the All Blacks .
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f5d7c7cd46689c47dc85cee1649455dc7e038013
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St. Louis (CNN) -- The funeral of slain Ferguson, Missouri, teenager Michael Brown was a celebration of his life, a search for meaning in his death and a battle cry to change policing in America. The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered one of two eulogies during the service Monday, and he had sharp words for those who looted stores and clashed with police after the teenager was shot. "You don't understand that Michael Brown does not want to be remembered for a riot. He wants to be remembered as the one that made America deal with how we're going to police in the United States." With a call to action, Sharpton criticized police who pointed rifles at peaceful protesters in Ferguson. "We have to leave here today and change this," he said. He urged mourners at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church to respect the Brown family's wish for silence Monday. And when protests resume, Sharpton said "they've asked for it to be peaceful. If you can't control yourself, then don't do it in Michael's name. Do it in your own name." Brown's great-uncle, the Rev. Charles Ewing, drew parallels between the teenager's life, death and Scripture during his eulogy on behalf of the family. "Michael Brown's blood is crying from the ground, crying for vengeance, crying for justice," he said. "There is a cry being made from the ground, not just for Michael Brown but for the Trayvon Martins, for those children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, for the Columbine massacre, for the black-on-black crime." Family members and friends reflecting on their memories of "Mike Mike" recalled him saying, "One day, the world will know my name." "Michael was a big guy, but he was a kind, gentle soul, and before he left this Earth, the day that he was killed, he was out spreading the word of Jesus Christ," a family friend said. They urged the crowd of thousands of mourners to "show up at the voting polls," because "we have had enough to of seeing our brothers and sisters killed in the streets." "If we had more of this," one family member said, referring to the audience and then motioning to Brown's casket, "we could have less of this. It shouldn't have took this to get us together like this." A message of hope to a full sanctuary . Bishop Edwin Bass of the Church of God in Christ told the Brown family that he, too, lost a child to violence on the streets of St. Louis. "While this tragic loss will always be with you, the step-by-step, one foot in front of the other march of time will ultimately bring you to a divine place where you will laugh again, you will find the joy of living again, as your thinking shifts from tragedy to the joyful reflection of good times." Michael Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, wiped away tears as she stood at the coffin that holds her son's body. She wrote a letter to her son published in the funeral program that said in part, "I never want this to go unsaid, there are no words to express how much you mean to me. A son like you, I thought could never be. Because the day you were born, I just know, God sent me a blessing -- and that was you." His father, Michael Brown Sr., wrote his own letter, saying, "I always told you I will never let nothing happen to you. And that's what hurt sooooooo much, that I couldn't protect you but we love you. I will never let you die in my heart, you will always live forever." The sanctuary, which holds 2,500 people, was filled, and an overflow auditorium was also full. It was estimated by reporters at the service that another 2,000 people were on church property for the funeral in addition to those in the sanctuary. Retired mail carrier Hilliard Phillips, who once delivered on the street where Brown was killed, was among the mourners. He said there's power in numbers, and he hoped the outpouring of support for Brown and his family would spur society to take a look at itself. "You can't really overnight change the behavior of a person, but sometimes they can be coerced in a sweet way. ... I would hope they could see people coming together in a solemn way to show their respect to someone," he said. Following the service, scores of motorcycles ridden by mourners accompanied the funeral procession that carried Brown's body to St. Peter's Cemetery in St. Louis. T-shirts and buttons memorializing Michael Brown . Brown's death on August 9 sparked days of sometimes violent protests in the St. Louis suburb and concern over race and police shootings across the country. In the past several days, things have calmed down, and the town is slowly coming back to life. Among the guests at the service were Martin Luther King III and the Rev. Bernice King; the Rev. Jesse Jackson; the families of Trayvon Martin and Sean Bell; and celebrities Spike Lee, Diddy and Snoop Lion. The White House sent three officials to the funeral. One of them was Broderick Johnson, who leads the White House's My Brother's Keeper Task Force. He was joined by Marlon Marshall, a St. Louis native who attended high school with Brown's mother, and Heather Foster. Marshall and Foster are part of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, however, did not attend. "The governor has communicated to attorneys representing the family of Michael Brown that he will not be attending today's funeral out of respect for the family, who deserve time to focus on remembering Michael and grieving their loss," spokesman Scott Holste said before the service. A tense tranquility . One sign of a return to normality: Children in the Ferguson-Florissant School District finally started school Monday. The first day had been scheduled for August 18 but was delayed a week because of looting and protests, reported CNN affiliate KMOV. Two weeks after the shooting sparked violent protests, the mood turned more tranquil over the weekend, with smaller crowds and lots of music. Gone were police in riot gear and defiant protesters. The tear gas, rubber bullets and Molotov cocktails were nowhere to be seen, either. In their place were clusters of officers, hanging around businesses, chatting with one another. Race has been at the forefront of the tensions; Brown was African-American, and the officer who shot him is white. Two investigations -- one federal and one run by state prosecutors -- are in the early stages of trying to determine what led up to the shooting. Investigators are grappling with witness statements that include shifting and contradictory stories, and some who appear to be reciting accounts of what they've seen in the media, two law enforcement sources told CNN. Complete coverage of Michael Brown's shooting . Eliott C. McLaughlin reported from St. Louis, and Michael Pearson and Susanna Capelouto reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Shimon Prokupecz, Evan Perez, Aaron Cooper, Faith Karimi and Dana Ford contributed to this report.
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Don't do violence "in Michael's name" Al Sharpton says at service .
Slain teen's uncle says Brown's death is a call for justice for other victims of violence .
Sharpton: Police should not have aimed rifles at protesters: "We have to ... change this"
Children in Ferguson start school after a week's postponement .
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(CNN) -- Tensions magnified among the world's top three economies over China's controversial new air defense zone. The issues range from disagreements on air space as well as disputed islands between China and Japan. On Saturday, China declared the creation of an air defense identification zone in the East China Sea, eliciting strong criticisms from the United States and its close ally, Japan. Both countries refuse to recognize China's newly created zone. What is China's "Air Defense Identification Zone"? China released a map and coordinates that identify its air defense zone on November 23. It declared that aircraft in the area must report their flight plans to China, maintain two-way radio and clearly mark their nationalities on the aircraft. The new rules went into effect 10 a.m. that day, Xinhua reported. This space included a swath of the East China Sea, including a disputed island chain known as Daioyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. China vowed to "adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not cooperate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions." What is an "Air Defense Identification Zone" or ADIZ? The ADIZ is not a new concept. It's essentially a buffer zone outside a country's sovereign airspace. Several countries including the United States and Japan have established ADIZ in international airspace next to their nations. A foreign aircraft traveling in an ADIZ can be required to identify itself for entry into that country's airspace. It is unilaterally imposed, so it doesn't really have a legal basis and isn't based on negotiation with neighbors, said James Hardy, the Asia-Pacific Editor of IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. "It's purpose is to give the country an early warning zone in which it can intercept potentially unfriendly aircraft." What islands does China's ADIZ affect? The Chinese defense ministry said the new air defense zone was not directed toward a specific country. The map and coordinates released by China show the zone covers parts of the East China Sea, as well as the Daioyu/Senkaku islands. Japan and China both lay claims on Daioyu/Senkaku islands. And China's new zone overlaps with Japan's, which was formed on August 29, 1968. China contests the Japanese air defense zone as illegal, Zhang Junshe, who is with the Chinese Navy, told Xinhua. China also has stirred its South Korean neighbors. A reef called Ieodo in the Yellow Sea sits about 149 kilometers southwest of Korean and 287 kilometers east from China, and is partially covered by the Chinese ADIZ. The Koreans have established an Ocean Research Station on Ieodo. How have China's neighbors reacted? Japan on Sunday slammed the Chinese announcement, saying it had "no validity whatsoever." The nation's Minister for Foreign Affairs called China's measure "profoundly dangerous acts that unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea, escalating the situation, and that may cause unintended consequences." Opinion: Did China make strategic error with air zone? In South Korea, the nation's defense ministry spokesman, Kim Min-seok said the country's jurisdiction over Ieodo remains unchanged. "China has unilaterally set up its ADIZ," Kim said. He said it overlaps with Korea's jurisdiction. The Korean government would fly over such areas without informing the Chinese side, he added. Sounds like an Asia conflict, so why is the U.S. involved? The United States interprets the ADIZ differently than China. As stated in Xinhua, China's new aircraft identification rules don't distinguish between aircraft flying through the zone with no intention of flying into China's airspace and those that do, the Center for Strategic and International Studies points out. This is not how the United States interprets the ADIZ, as stated by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's on November 23: "The United States does not apply its ADIZ procedures to foreign aircraft not intending to enter U.S. national airspace. We urge China not to implement its threat to take action against aircraft that do not identify themselves or obey orders from Beijing." The United States has said it won't recognize the zone -- nor China's call that aircraft entering it identify themselves and file flight plans. "Freedom of overflight and other internationally lawful uses of sea and airspace are essential to prosperity, stability, and security in the Pacific. We don't support efforts by any State to apply its ADIZ procedures to foreign aircraft not intending to enter its national airspace." To the United States, the newly formed air zone becomes more than an island dispute between China and its longtime ally, Japan, but a controversy over international airspace. "The U.S. is very concerned with freedom of navigation, whether that be sea or sky," said Greg Waldron, Asia managing editor of Flightglobal, an aviation and aerospace industries news site. What are countries doing in response to the new zone? After the United States thoroughly expressed its displeasure with China's ADIZ, two U.S. military aircraft flew into the newly claimed air defense zone without notifying China. The flight came just two days after China's announcement of its new zone. Meanwhile, a flurry of strong words have been exchanged amongst various countries. The United States' warning that the zone heightens the risk of "misunderstanding and miscalculation" drew a sharp Chinese rebuke, calling the U.S. remarks "irresponsible." U.S.: China claim of air rights over disputed islands 'creates risk of incident' In an editorial in state-run media Xinhua, one commentary writer denounced the U.S. and Japanese objections as a case of "they can do it while China cannot," referring to the countries' existing ADIZ. China slams 'inappropriate' U.S. remarks on territorial dispute with Japan . South Korea and China defense officials are expected to hold talks this week regarding the overlapping ADIZ that includes Ieodo. Are commercial flights affected in China's new air defense zone? As defined by China's announcement, the air defense zone's requirements appear to apply to all aircraft. But details are murky. Such planes are probably not required from a legal perspective to notify China, but it might be a good idea from a safety perspective, said Waldron. In the meantime, Japanese airliners, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) announced Wednesday they would not submit flight plans for their flights through the affected areas. Back to the islands -- why have Diaoyu/Senkaku islands been so contentious? China says its claim on the islands extend back to 1400s, which was used as a staging point for Chinese fisherman. Japan says it saw no trace of Chinese control of the islands in an 1885 survey, so formally recognized them as Japanese sovereign territory in 1895. Japan then sold the islands in 1932 to descendants of the original settlers. The Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 only served to cloud the issue further. The islands were administered by the U.S. occupation force after the war. But in 1972, Washington returned them to Japan as part of its withdrawal from Okinawa. According to Xinhua, China and Japan "agreed in 1978 to put the issue aside and solve it in the future." The dispute intensified last year as protests erupted in China after Japan announced it had bought several of the disputed islands from private Japanese owners. Anti-Japanese demonstrations turned violent as protesters hurled bottles at the Japanese embassy in Beijing, overturned Japanese cars, ransacked Japanese stores and restaurants. What's so appealing about the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands? It's uninhabited and may look like a bunch of rocks. But ownership of the islands would allow for exclusive oil, mineral, and fishing rights in surrounding waters. CNN's Barbara Starr in Washington, Jethro Mullen in Hong Kong, Junko Ogura in Tokyo and KJ Kwon in Seoul contributed to this report.
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NEW: U.S. flies 2 B-52s over China's new air defense zone .
China's declaration of air defense zone prompts outcry .
Japan and China's compete with claim for Diaoyu/Senkaku Island .
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f5d803e0542ba410759c0bf4906a1a1cea8976a6
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(CNN) -- It's been a difficult year for the seven time F1 champion, Michael Schumacher. After three years in retirement, Schumacher returned to F1 with the new Mercedes team, but has struggled to make an impact on the race track, finishing this year's season in a disappointing ninth place. It has led many to wonder why the racing legend has returned to sport. But amid the gossip and allegations, the 41-year-old has defended his decision. He told CNN: "I enjoy it. I feel I have the right to do what I enjoy. Whether I put in dispute my reputation...I just feel good about my decision and I have so much support from people." "I certainly want to make it a successful return," he continued. "I'm only happy if I'm back on the winning road with the team. This is what I'm working for, this is the joy of the passion for Formula 1." His decision has been supported by some of the biggest names in F1. Finnish F1 driver for Team Lotus Heikki Kovalainen told CNN the criticisms towards Schumacher were unfair. "People had high expectations, people expected him to win. But (Mercedes) didn't have a car to win and second of all, things have changed since he left Formula 1." Fellow F1 champion Alain Prost said no-one should judge or criticize a driver of his caliber, saying, "For me, it is difficult, almost impossible to go back to the title after three years...But if there's one driver who'd be able to do it, I think it's Michael." Team principal and co-owner of Mercedes, Ross Brawn, admits the team has had a disappointing year and credits some of that to Schumacher. "It's been disappointing, in overall performance, we haven't had the car, Michael's taken a little time to get up to the performance he'll be able to deliver. I've seen patches of that performance...the last few races of the season was the Michael Schumacher I expected to see. But on a more positive note, Brawn added: "Now it's all coming together and I think next year we're going to have a really exciting time." Schumacher admits it's been a sluggish return to the track, but remains positive, saying: "It's certainly not as successful as I thought initially and many other people have thought." "But then having such a strong group and team behind, Mercedes pushing it so hard, I have no doubt about success in the future."
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Michael Schumacher return to F1 racing this year after three years in retirement .
Despite high expectations Schumacher finished the season in ninth place .
Schumacher has won seven F1 world champion titles since his debut in 1991 .
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