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f5f2e3ab2a6c05ec9da064a7db51939e318db94e	Andrew Flintoff is off the mark in Australia's Big Bash League after taking two wickets for Brisbane Heat in their one-run win over the Melbourne Stars. Flintoff took a battering in the last of his four overs as Stars' left-hander Rob Quiney smashed 21 runs in his almost match-winning innings of 43 from 31 balls. That flurry made his figures of 2-41 look expensive, but his scalps - dangerous big-hitters James Faulkner and John Hastings - taken as the Stars mounted a late charge were invaluable to his side's win. Andrew Flintoff celebrates one of his two wickets for Brisbane Heat in their one-run win over Melbourne Stars . It was a marked improvement on Flintoff's first appearance for the Heat which saw a third-ball duck and his two overs going for 12.5 apiece as Michael Hussey and Jacques Kallis smashed 96 and 97 not out respectively for the Sydney Thunder. Flintoff claimed Faulkner, a figure who haunts many an international T20 side for his late-innings heroics, with a ball full on middle and off that caught a leading edge that floated to the safe hands of James Hopes at extra cover. With the last ball of that third over Flintoff went wide of the crease to Hastings, who in trying a desperate heave over mid-wicket managed only to be clean bowled. Rob Quiney crushed 43 from 31 balls, including 21 from a single Flintoff over, in Melbourne Stars' chase . Despite Quiney's heroics, the Stars fell one run short in their attempt to run down the Heats 164 for eight . Flintoff was earlier run out from the last ball of the Heat's innings as they finished with 164 for 8, with Chris Lynn top-scoring with 48 from 34 balls. Coming on first change, 37-year-old Flintoff was relatively tight as England's Luke Wright got Stars' chase off to a decent start with 33 from 23 balls before being caught by Hopes from Dan Christian. In the penultimate over of the chase, Scott Boland took a single to bring in-form Quiney on strike and the Victorian who was dumped from Australia's Test team after two matches unleashed. Stars batsman John Hastings is bowled while attempting to heave Flintoff over midwicket . Flintoff earlier scored 15 - bettering his previous duck - before being run out from the last ball of the innings . Quiney crushed two sixes and a four (only one other boundary came from Flintoff's bowling), along with a pair of twos. Boland got Quiney on strike again with the first ball of Ryan Duffield's closing over, but Quiney could manage just one six and got three (after being dropped at midwicket) when he needed five from the last ball.	Andrew Flintoff took 2-41 after being hit for 21 runs in his last over . They were Flintoff's first wickets in Australia's Big Bash League . Brisbane Heat defeated Melbourne Stars by one run on Sunday .
f5f3742400f4dac1467934a2bc9961e15f80a94f	(CNN) -- Amenah Ibrahim vividly remembers her first introduction to thermodynamics. It was her freshman year at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and she sat in a large auditorium filled with students aspiring to degrees in chemical engineering. "The first thing the (professor) told us was, 'You should expect to see this class dwindle down as the semester goes on.' It was the first thing they told us," she said. Ibrahim said the professor's expectation came true. As the semester progressed, students began to drop the class, some switching to other majors entirely. Ibrahim hung on, although it took her five years and three summer sessions to complete her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. "I was a very persistent and resilient person," Ibrahim said. "I remember bombing my first calculus exam, and I could have dropped. If it wasn't for my (persistence), I could have seen that score and said, 'Well, maybe this isn't for me.'" Undergraduates across the country are choosing to leave science, technology, engineering and math programs before they graduate with those degrees. Many students in those STEM fields struggle to complete their degrees in four years, or drop out, according to a 2010 University of California, Los Angeles, study. The study, conducted by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute, found students in science, math and engineering take longer to complete their degrees than students who start out majoring in other fields. The study tracked thousands of students who entered college for the first time in 2004. Thirty-six percent of white, 21% of black and 22% of Latino undergraduate students in STEM fields finished their bachelor's degrees in STEM fields within five years of initial enrollment. Nearly 22% dropped out after five years. Low graduation rates among science and math undergraduates affect how the United States competes globally. Fewer biology and math majors means fewer doctors and engineers later. How to stop America's math, science lag . In President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech this year, he said science, technology, engineering and math will guide the country's future, and education improvements are needed. "Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America's success ... if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas, then we also have to win the race to educate our kids," Obama said. James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition, said a big problem is that educators don't often realize the urgency of fostering the next generation of American scientists and engineers. "People who follow this issue understand the connection between a STEM workforce and national competitiveness. But that's not enough," Brown said. "Universities and faculty have to understand this is a national priority." 'Sink or Swim' Sylvia Hurtado, director of the Higher Education Research Institute and one of the UCLA study's authors, said high school seniors are interested in pursuing science, math and engineering degrees more than ever. But research shows that most don't make it to the finish line. "Many students want to be in science, but very talented people are choosing other fields. That shouldn't be the case," Hurtado said. "It's important to understand how we close this gap." Poor scientific literacy among college students is one reason students pursuing science and math are less likely to graduate from those programs. High school graduates aren't prepared for first-year science classes in college, Hurtado said. But there's another problem, too: Higher education, itself. Science and math programs are designed and taught to winnow down the number of students. University tenure systems often reward professors who conduct research and publish their work, but not those who teach well. Among students who majored in liberal arts, business or other fields, 73% of white students and about 63% of black and Latino students finished their degrees in five years. Forty-one percent of American students who start off majoring in science, math, engineering or technology fields graduate from those programs within six years. More collaborative and supportive environments for STEM students are one of the solutions to the problem, Hurtado said. One girl's academic success defies all expectations -- even her dad's . Ibrahim, the University of Illinois student, said her classes were all "sink or swim." "There were not a lot of resources to develop interest in students," Ibrahim said. (Professors) say, 'Here's the workload, if you can handle it, you're good to go. If not, sorry.' " When Lena Groeger majored in biology at Brown University, working one-on-one with a science professor was key to maintaining her interest in the field, she said. She managed to finish her bachelor's degree in four years. "I had a really good experience majoring in biology because my junior year, I did an independent study with a professor," Groeger said. "It was great to have the freedom to do that." Freeman Hrabowski, president of The University of Maryland Baltimore County, said American attitudes toward science are hurting STEM graduation rates. "We in America have accepted that science is just not for everybody. We send messages to students all the time that, 'This is not really for you,' " he said. "One of the reasons American (students) aren't more excited about science is that adults themselves aren't excited. Most (students) have been weeded out before they even get to college." Hrabowski said many people assume they're not smart enough to study science or math. His response? "No. Your teacher wasn't innovative enough." Changing the culture . Schools admit more science majors than they expect to graduate, and don't teach students to support each other, Hrabowski said, instead fostering an atmosphere of cutthroat competition. "We say, 'If we accept you in science, you have ability to do it, and we'll help you succeed,' " Hrabowski said. "What has made the difference at UMBC is the way we encourage group work and teachers to rethink their approach in the classroom. The results are significantly more students are succeeding." The University of Maryland Baltimore County puts an emphasis on research, Hrabowski said. The university has space for biotechnology companies that can work with students on campus. The school's curriculum emphasizes student collaboration and research projects that require students to solve real-world problems. Hurtado, the UCLA researcher, said the school has earned a reputation for solid completion rates in science and math fields, especially among black students. In 2010, U.S. News and World Report ranked it first among "up-and-coming schools," and gave it a high rank for undergraduate teaching and undergrad engineering programs. Opinion: Why liberal arts matter . "We need more supportive programs and less sorting," Hurtado said. "The most important practice in terms of sustaining interest among students is faculty involvement in research programs that connect students and give them a feel for what it's like to be a scientist." Ibrahim said research was an elective class during her undergraduate years, and nobody encouraged her to pursue it. With little mentorship made available, it was easy to become discouraged. "My parents didn't go to college and I didn't have a support system," Ibrahim said. "There were no (students) ahead of me in the program who could give me encouragement. It's very difficult to do it alone, without a support system." After taking five years to graduate with her bachelor's degree, Ibrahim went on to get a master's degree in science and engineering and now works as a chemical engineer for PepsiCo, as part of the team developing advancements in the sports drink, Gatorade. "I chose to keep going," she said.	Science and math students struggle to complete their degrees in four years, if at all . Researchers say higher education must "weed out" students . More and better prepared science and tech students keep the U.S. competitive.
f5f3a041ce9b3ba13f8223942c31e00c2cb9186d	By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 13:20 EST, 15 October 2012 . \| . UPDATED: . 16:22 EST, 15 October 2012 . The family of a boy who developed severe cerebral palsy after a hospital blunder led to him being starved of oxygen at birth have received a £6million payout. Joseph O’Reggio, 11, has been left unable or speak or feed himself after staff at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital failed to act swiftly enough when his heart rate dropped. His mother Rachel O'Reggio, now 40, had gone into labour after a healthy pregnancy on the morning of April 13, 2001. Injury: Joesph O'Reggio has been left unable to speak or feed himself after maternity staff failed to act swiftly enough when his heart rate dropped at birth which led to brain damage . But the following day, from late morning, her unborn baby's heart rate dropped. Although he was being monitored, it wasn’t until around 10pm that evening - when there was a shift change - that specialist help was called for. Joseph was delivered by forceps shortly after 10.45pm, but his heart rate was weak and he suffered brain damage. Now more than a decade on, the Royal Courts of Justice, London, have awarded a £6million care package to Joseph’s parents. The couple, from Wolverhampton, West . Mids, won their fight to get Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust to accept . that they were liable for the majority of Joseph's injuries and that he . should have been delivered earlier. Joseph . requires round-the-clock care and his parents hope the money will allow . them to move to a specially adapted home with their three other . children. Payout: Jospeh's parents Rachel and Julian O'Reggio, pictured outside the High Court in London where they were awarded a £6million care package . He will also . have access to the specialist rehabilitation equipment he needs . including the installation of a multi-sensory room that uses light, . sounds, smells and shapes to develop his skills with hearing, sight, . taste, touch, language and hand-eye co-ordination. Speaking outside the Royal Courts of . Justice today Joseph's Julian O'Reggio, 39, said he and his wife were over the . moon with the figure they have been given. He said: 'We’ve managed to secure the funding Jo needs now to last him for the rest of his life. 'This money will be used for extra . physio appointments, speech therapy, occupational therapy to really try . and bring him out so he can live his life to the full. Mrs O'Reggio, . a part-time credit manager, who also has two daughters and a younger . son, said: 'I cannot describe how it feels knowing we finally have . justice for Joe. 'It is . a mixture of huge relief and happiness that he will now always have . access to the treatment he deserves and be cared for the rest of his . life. Battle: Parents Rachel and Julian O'Reggio, pictured with Joseph and their other children Molly, 9, Phoebe, 5, and Oliver, 2, fought for over a decade to force the hospital to accept liability . 'His brother and sisters are great with Joe and love to play with him, but at his age he should be playing and running around with them. 'It is heartbreaking that he has not been able to meet the normal milestones in his life. 'This settlement means we will always have support and he will always be cared for, as well as funding all the specialist equipment he needs. 'However, although it draws a line under everything, nothing can turn back the clock and Julian and I will always remember that if the correct decision had been made earlier, Joe would be the healthy boy we dreamed of.' Blunder: The court heard how staff at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton failed to act swiftly enough when Joseph's heart rate dropped . Sara Burns, a Partner and medical negligence expert at Irwin Mitchell who represents the family, said: 'Rachel and Julian have waited patiently and with huge dignity for today’s settlement, which will make such a big difference to Joe’s life. 'The adaptations to a new house and one-to-one support will make life easier for the whole family who have given up so much to care for Joe and juggled hospital appointments and rehabilitation support with trying to provide a normal family home life. 'This was a complicated case but the fact is the mistakes made during Joe’s care should simply not have happened. 'Patient safety must be the top priority across the NHS, but sadly, we continue to be contacted by families whose children have been left brain damaged as a result of negligent hospital staff, looking for access to the rehabilitation and support they desperately need to live their lives as independently as possible. 'Trusts must ensure thorough training of staff and that guidelines are in place for when to call for senior support, not just for midwives, but all areas of the NHS. 'This will reduce basic, preventable errors from happening that have devastating consequences for patients and their families.' Joseph was Rachel’s first pregnancy and she said the money was a huge relief and it was devastating at the time. She added: 'We were very angry, we were very raw, for a fair few years, we have gone on to have three other healthy children. That made it a little bit easier emotionally. 'It’s a huge relief today that we can get Jo care for the rest of his life and pay the carers to help him in every day living. 'Jo needs 24-hour care, he has no functional use of his arms, his hands, or anything. He has to washed, bathed, gel in his hair, he has to fed, he can’t give himself a drink. 'The apology means a lot, more than anything it means a lot because it’s that acknowledgement of what they did. We fought for this for more than 10 and half years, and it means more than anything.'	Joseph O’Reggio, 11, has been left unable or speak or feed himself . Maternity staff failed to act swiftly enough when his heart rate dropped . Delay caused him to be starved of oxygen which led to brain damage . Ten year battle for parents Julian and Rachel to get the hospital to accept liability .
f5f4278c6edbfa297bc821ba6581a01767223376	(CNN) -- A mysterious blast ripped through a busy Turkish customs gate on the border with Syria on Monday, killing at least 13 people and wounding dozens, the Turkish government said. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, chief spokesman for the government, said a minivan traveling from Syria to Turkey exploded. He declined to call it a terrorist attack, saying the investigation was still ongoing. "The type of explosive could not be determined as of this time," Arinc said. "In situations like this all possibilities are considered." There is no question, however, that this was one of the deadliest blasts to hit Turkey in years. "It's like hell. People are injured," said a Turkish smuggler who asked to use only the name Gokmen because of the illicit nature of his work. He said he was on the Syrian side of the sprawling border terminal when he heard the blast. Security Council condemns Syria's attack on Turkey . Amateur video of the explosion aftermath showed bystanders running amid scattered shrapnel, burned-out cars and ambulances, screaming in panic and pain. Bystanders carried a bleeding man from smoking wreckage near the traffic booths where Turkish border officials normally processed transiting cars and cargo trucks. Turkey and Syria: Why neither side wants war . "My house is two kilometers (about a mile and a quarter) away from the border ... but the blast was powerful enough that we heard it," Mahmut Iri, the mayor of the Turkish border town of Cilvegozu, said in a phone call with CNN. Iri said the explosion hit the last Turkish border gate before Syrian territory. "I know for a fact that two of the people who died were Turks," Iri added. Turkish president: ''Worst-case scenario' in Syria becoming reality . Syrian rebels first overran the Syrian border gate at Bab el Hawa last summer, flushing out government forces after days of fighting. Within several months, Turkey was allowing vehicles through the border gate to rebel-controlled Syria. Turkish officials have not yet commented on the cause of the deadly blast. Over the past 22 months, fighting has frequently spilled over Turkey's 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Syria. In October, five Turkish civilians were killed when Syrian troops shelled the Turkish border town of Akcakale. And in June, Syrian anti-aircraft fire brought down a Turkish military reconnaissance jet over the Mediterranean Sea. When fighting erupts across the border, Turkish authorities periodically close schools that are close to Turkish territory. In recent months, the NATO military alliance has responded to a Turkish government request for assistance by deploying Patriot missile batteries around major cities close to the Syrian border. Hundreds of American, German and Dutch troops have been sent to Turkey to operate the Patriots, which the Turkish government says are designed to protect Turkey from the threat of Syrian ballistic missiles. On February 1, a suicide bomber attacked the entrance to the U.S. Embassy in Turkey's capital, Ankara, killing a Turkish guard and seriously wounding a Turkish journalist. A violent leftist group called the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C, claimed responsibility for the attack. In a rambling online manifesto, the group said one of the reasons the U.S. Embassy was targeted was to stop what it called American imperialist plans to colonize Syria and Turkey. Fighting inside Syria . Meanwhile, Syrian rebels claimed to have captured Syria's largest man-made dam on Monday. "The Free Army took control of the city of Tabqa and the Euphrates (Tabqa) Dam," the opposition Media Center in Tabqa announced in an online posting. Turkey to Syria: Don't send arms through our airspace . "If clashes will happen, this will cause big damage and the whole area will drown and many places will lose electricity." CNN could not independently confirm claims that the dam had been captured. The Syrian government did not respond to opposition claims that its forces had lost control of the dam. The Tabqa Dam was completed in the 1970s with the help of thousands of Syrian and Soviet workers. It houses a hydroelectric power station. The dam sits at the end Assad Lake, a man-made reservoir on the Euphrates River named after the father and son who have ruled Syria for the past four decades. Opposition groups distributed videos of Syrian rebels seizing caches of weapons and ammunition from positions once held by Syrian security forces. They also showed video of what appeared to be the dam itself, towering over the surrounding countryside.	NEW: Death toll in minivan explosion rises, government official says . Syrian rebels first overran the Syrian border gate at Bab el Hawa last summer . Turkish officials have not yet commented on the cause of the blast . Meanwhile, Syrian rebels claim to have captured Syria's largest man-made dam .
f5f43eb5275492f69dee2fd279a3e2cb3afa2033	In a growing rage a man has head butted and kicked a glass door at a Queensland pub, shattering it before leaving. Police have released CCTV footage of the incident at the Noosaville hotel, north of Queensland's Sunshine Coast, at 7am on November 29. The video shows the man yelling through the automatic entry glass doors at the Mary street premises, as it appears he is trying to get inside. Scroll down to video . Man gets ready to head butt the glass door at the Noosaville hotel . Bang! The agitated man head butts the glass door at the Noosaville hotel before kicking it . The man is then seen head-butting the glass before kicking it which causes it to shatter and then flees the premises. Police say they are investigating the wilful damage at the hotel and have released the footage in an attempt to identify the man. The man is described as being Caucasian in appearance, in his later 20s or early 30s, about 173 centimetres tall, with a fair complexion and tattoos on both arms. The video shows the man yelling through the automatic entry glass doors at the Mary street premises, as it appears he is trying to get inside . After head butting the glass door he then kicks the door and it shatters . The man is seen yelling at the door before he walks away, now police are looking for him . Police say he was last seen getting into a silver early 2000s Holden Commodore sedan. Anyone who may recognise the man is being urged to police or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.	Police are looking for man who kicked and head butted glass door of Noosaville hotel . CCTV footage has been released which shows the the glass shattering . He was last seen getting into a silver early 2000s Holden Commodore sedan .
f5f4b2f4584774759b3a4cc9086ab5b342fb5642	Hundreds of parents have been forced to miss work to look after their children after a flagship academy school announced it would be closing for three days because so many of its teachers are off sick. St Aldhelm's Academy, in Poole, Dorset, closed with just a few hours' notice on Thursday because nine members of staff – which equates to a quarter of the teaching staff – called in sick. Most of the absent teachers have been affected by 'winter viruses' while 'one or two' are suffering from stress, the school said. It added that it would not open until Wednesday at the earliest - meaning it will be closed for at least three school days. St Aldhelm's Academy, in Poole, Dorset (pictured), closed with just a few hours' notice on Thursday because nine members of staff called in sick. The school has said it will not re-open until Wednesday at the earliest . The school, which last year lost £1.1million after falling for a simple email scam, closed to all but its Year 11 and Sixth Form pupils because of the shortages, forcing disgruntled parents to arrange last-minute childcare. A text message was sent to parents at 9.45pm last Thursday warning them of the following day's closure. Yesterday, parents were told the school - which caters for 469 pupils aged 11 to 19 - would not reopen to students until Wednesday at the earliest. It also emerged that several Year 11 students who did turn up on Friday were sent home because they weren't wearing school uniform. A spokesman for school sponsor the Diocese of Salisbury said it had taken the decision to shut the school after 'exhausting all other options'. The spokesman added that the Diocese of Salisbury was merely an interim sponsor of the school until a new, permanent sponsor came forward. He said: 'At present, nine staff are absent due to illness. We are working hard, with the support of the Department for Education to recruit supply teachers to ensure the school reopens fully. 'Our primary concern has always been the welfare and attainment of students at the Academy, and we remain committed to working with any future permanent sponsor to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.' However, parents slammed the academy's administration at an emergency meeting organised by residents' group Bourne Valley Action Group. Dawn Cummings, whose 15-year-old daughter Kyra Bartlett attends the school, said: 'I think it's disgusting. It's Kyra's GCSE year and she is willing to knuckle down and study but gets to school and there are no teachers. 'There has been lots of empty promises and meetings but they've all come to nothing. It's so frustrating because it's totally out of my hands. I can't send her to a different school because it's her last year.' Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West (right), joined furious parents at a hastily-arranged meeting in which they slammed the academy's administration and its decision to close the school over teacher sickness . The school, which is one of the worst performing in the country and faces calls for permanent closure, said it had been forced to close after 'exhausting all other options'. Pictured above: Interim principal Amanda Bibby . Parents have also taken to message boards to vent their anger and frustration at the school, which is one of the worst-performing in the country. Kerry Forward said: 'This is unbelievable, this school is failing all its pupils.' Jenny Garry wrote: 'Have some clever students hacked this account lol - surely they can't have that many staff off sick!' And Matt Moses added: 'The school is so unorganised (sic), they need to sort themselves out and start doing some teaching.' A letter to parents from Gerry Lynch, spokesman for the Diocese of Salisbury, which was sent yesterday, said: 'I regret to inform you that, as a number of staff remain absent due to illness, Years 7-10 at St Aldhelm's Academy will remain closed on Monday 9 February and Tuesday 10 February. 'Year 11 and the Sixth Form will remain open as normal. 'I apologise for the inconvenience this will undoubtedly cause many of you. It is a decision we have only taken after exhausting all other options. 'We will review the state of play on Tuesday and I will write to you early on the afternoon of Tuesday 10 February to keep you informed of further developments. St Aldhelm's Academy students Kyra Bartlett, 15 (left) and Courtney Sherman, 16 (right), with Kyra's mother Dawn Cummings (centre) who found out about the closure via a late night text message . 'In the meantime school work can be downloaded from the learning links on the academy website.' The school was one of the first in the country to be given academy status in 2012 by former education secretary Michael Gove. However, it is now facing permanent closure following a string of setbacks. It was first was put into special measures in 2000 when it was known as Rossmore Community College. Inspectors warned it to improve in 2008 following an unsatisfactory report and in 2011 it recorded the country's worst GCSE results, with just three per cent of students scoring the bench-mark five A*-C GCSE grades including English and maths. The school improved its scores in 2012 and 2013 but it was put into special measures in December last year after inspectors gave it the lowest possible rating. They said performance at the school had 'declined substantially since the previous inspection' and slammed staff for teaching up to five different lessons in the same classroom at the same time. Last year the school sensationally lost £1.1million when finance staff fell for an email scam asking for details of its bank account. The staff sent the details without questioning the email, allowing the con-artist to withdraw money from the account. Bournemouth University was a co-sponsor of the school alongside the Diocese but pulled out in June last year. Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West, has now called for new governors to be installed at the school in a desperate bid to turn it around - but said closing the school permanently must be considered. He said: 'We need ground zero now. We must step right back and refocus on the situation. Every option has got to be on the table, whether it's closure, splitting the campus so St Aldhelm's becomes a studio school or bringing in a new sponsor. 'There is no difference in my judgement between the calibre and talent of the students who go into the Bourne Academy and those who go into St Aldhelm's. Something is fundamentally, unacceptably wrong there. 'What we need is a new governing body, because the old governing body are inextricably linked to the previous failure, and a new sponsor who is absolutely committed to the academy and it just needs to happen quickly.' A Department for Education spokesman said: 'We are aware that the Diocese of Salisbury has temporarily closed St Aldhelm's Academy. 'The regional schools commissioner is working closely with the school and its sponsor to ensure that an appropriate plan is in place so that pupils' education can resume as soon as possible.' Dame Sally Coates, who is now a government adviser, rewarded teachers who took no sick days by giving them bottles of wine and book tokens . A former headteacher cracked down on the number of sick days taken by staff at her school by offering them bottles of wine and book tokens for good attendance. Dame Sally Coates, who is now a government adviser, rewarded teachers who took no sick days by giving them incentives as part of her crackdown on recurrent absences. While working at Burlington Danes Academy, in Hammersmith, west London, she also cut a third of the teaching staff and vowed to cut the £150,000-a-year bill for supply teachers – who were drafted in to cover sick days. Prior to her taking over running of the school, staff had been told to ring a dedicated 'cover phone' if they were going to be off sick. However, Dame Sally immediately pulled the plug on the phone and advised all staff they would have to phone the senior vice-principal before 7am if they planned to have the day off ill. She said it allowed her to overhear their reasons for being off ill, and clamped down after hearing some of the excuses. She told The Times: 'I would hear him [senior vice-principal] negotiating with staff. Often he would ask just how sick they were. 'How severe a headache? Have you taken a paracetamol? Can't your boiler be fixed at the weekend? Why don't you bring your child to school? 'A particular stand-out favourite of mine was: 'What do you mean your cat's hurt her paw?' As part of her overhaul at the school, Dame Sally also refurbished the toilets, enlisted plants in the corridors, started punishing pupils who arrived late, installed table tennis tables in the playground and fitted doorstops in every classroom so doors could always be kept open. Dame Sally, who also arrived at the school at 6am every morning during her time as headteacher, was praised with transforming the comprehensive grammar school from 'feral and toxic' to a success. While working at Burlington Danes Academy, in Hammersmith, west London (pictured), Dame Sally also cut a third of the teaching staff and vowed to cut the £150,000-a-year bill for supply teachers covering for staff .	St Aldhelm's Academy, in Poole, Dorset, has closed due to 'staff sickness' School closed on Thursday and will not re-open until at least Wednesday . Many parents have been forced to take time off work to look after children . School said nine staff members were affected by 'winter viruses' or 'stress' It said it had taken the decision to close after 'exhausting all other options'
f5f5137529624cee3fa82dde2bacfffa38db644e	By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 05:50 EST, 17 October 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 11:14 EST, 17 October 2013 . It was named one of the top 10 parties in the world by Forbes and boasts a glittering list of past participants, among them Ksénia Gorbachev, Barbara Berlusconi and the Ecclestone sisters. But this year's glamorous Bal des Débutantes in Paris will witness a deb of more humble origins take centre stage. Lauren Marbe, 17, is the daughter of an Essex taxi driver and was invited to take part after organisers were impressed by her incredibly high score in a Mensa test. Ball: Clever teenager Lauren Marbe, 17, has been invited to the Ball des Debutantes in Paris next month . Impressed: Lauren was invited to the ball after organisers were impressed by reports of her intelligence . The Essex teenager has an IQ of 161, making her cleverer than Einstein and Bill Gates, and putting her miles ahead of the average of 100. She still is a long way off the Guinness Book Of Records holder of the highest IQ - held by American magazine columnist and playwright Marylin vos Savant, who has a score of 228. But then, at 67 years of age, Mrs vos Savant was never in a position to take Lauren's place at this year's deb ball. Now the teen, who admits to a penchant for fake tan and TOWIE, will join Lady Amelia Windsor, the granddaughter of the Duke of Kent, and John F. Kennedy's great-niece Kyra at the ball, which will take place at the end of November. 'We tell a story about each young lady and this girl certainly has a story to tell,' organiser Ophelie Renouard told the Telegraph. 'I read an article about her, found her interesting and asked her to come and she said yes. She is very excited.' The Bal des Débutantes has been a Paris institution since 1992 and brings together girls from some of the world's most glittering society families. Glitttering: Former participants include Theodora Warre, Sofia Barclay and Princess Augusta von Preussen . Wealthy: Former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev's granddaughter, Anastasia, has also taken part . Although it usually takes place at the magnificent Hotel du Crillon, this year's event will take place at the equally spectacular Automobile Club de France on the Place de la Concorde. Debutantes are limited to just 25 per . year and each is accompanied by a 'chevalier' [knight], on whose arm . they will make their debut. In . Lauren's case, her chevalier will be a 20-year-old Frenchman named . Théodore Rousseau, who, says the teen, 'doesn't know what an Essex girl . is'. Despite her chevalier's patchy knowledge of English women, Lauren, although concerned about her lack of French language skills, says she has 'never been so excited about something' while her mother Susan revealed that her daughter was 'amazed' when the call from Ophelie came. 'When the call came from Ophelie, Lauren had a look and was amazed,' the proud parent revealed. With a glamorous night in the company of Théodore and the 24 other debs to look forward to, it seems there's plenty of excitement yet to come for Britain's brainiest teen. IQ 180 - Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu . IQ 160 - Bill Gates and Albert Einstein . IQ 154 - Carole Vorderman . IQ 140 - Geena Davis, Madonna and Shakira . IQ 137 - Bill Clinton (Hilary's is higher at 140) IQ 73 - David Hasselhoff . IQ 78 - Boxer Muhammed Ali . IQ 86 - Andy Warhol . IQ 94 - Tom Cruise . IQ 98 - George H W Bush .	Lauren Marbe, 17, has an IQ of 161 - a point higher than Einstein . Organisers of the Bal des Débutantes were so impressed, they invited her . Marbe is the daughter of a taxi driver and a deputy headmistress . Previous debs have included Ksénia Gorbachev and the Ecclestone sisters . Debs appearing this year include Lady Amelia Windsor and Kyra Kennedy .
f5f5c38490c93f7d741a3ce34222d74d56165e56	CNN -- Years ago, a frustrated boy with a violent temper attacked his own mother with a hammer (his older brother restrained him). He stabbed a schoolmate over a dispute about which radio station to listen to; the knife blade luckily hit a belt buckle. Carson wants to continue educational efforts and find ways to reform the health care system when he retires. That brash teen today is a world-renowned neurosurgeon and the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Dr. Benjamin S. Carson made medical history in 1987 by performing the first successful surgery that separated twins conjoined at the back of the head. He also became known for his expertise in pediatric brain tumors and methods of controlling seizures. In 2008, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, this country's highest civilian honor. Having come up from the streets of Detroit, Michigan, to receiving an award at the White House, Carson, 56, works to spread his gospel of education and hard work to motivate others. He and his wife, Candy, started a scholarship foundation to help children with strong academics and humanitarian qualities to pay for college. "I have at least 100,000 letters from kids and adults from around the world ... telling me how it changed their lives," Carson said. Their tales of transformations and redemption inspire him to keep talking about educational empowerment and overcoming adversity, he said. An obstacle is a hurdle, and "you jump over it," Carson said. "Every time you see a hurdle, you jump over it, and it strengthens you for the next one. And if that's the case, you lead a victorious life, because whatever comes before you, you know you're going to get around it." Carson was raised in Detroit, majored in psychology at Yale University and attended medical school at the University of Michigan, where he studied neurosurgery. Carson's life has been told through plays, books and movies, including a TNT made-for-TV movie called "Gifted Hands," which airs Saturday. (TNT is part of Turner Broadcasting, which also owns CNN.) The biopic stars Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carson. "I think he's an angel, a gift from God," Gooding said. "He has touched a lot of people's lives." Carson holds more than 50 honorary doctorates and hundreds of other awards. He's fortunate, he acknowledges, but this doctor does not believe in luck. "I always say you make your own luck by being prepared," he said. His mom pushed him hard. Sonya Carson "would not accept the victim mentality. She wouldn't let us accept the victim mentality. No excuses. She didn't make excuses, and she didn't accept excuses," Carson said. She turned off the TV, sent Carson and his brother to the library and made them write weekly book reports. Meanwhile, she worked several jobs to support her two sons. She is now 80 and lives with Carson in Baltimore, Maryland. When Carson was young, he was influenced by stories about Booker T. Washington, a former slave who taught himself to read and later advised presidents, and the biblical character Joseph, who persevered though his brothers sold him into slavery. "Those kinds of stories had an impact on me and helped me to believe it's not where you started, it's where you end that counts. And you have a whole lot to do with that," he said. "Everybody has problems. They just come in different forms. If that problem for you becomes a containing fence, then you become a victim. Once you think you're a victim, you are one, and you're not going anywhere." In the same way, Carson's biography has resonated with people like 22-year-old Douglas Nivens II of Baltimore, Maryland. Nivens' mother was killed when he was 4 years old, and his father was imprisoned for her murder. His aunt raised him, and he endured relentless teasing for his interest in academics while attending public schools in Baltimore City. During middle school, Nivens picked up Carson's autobiography, "Gifted Hands," and immediately identified with it. "It was a relief to see someone grew up in the city and didn't have a luxurious life but overcame it all," he said. "I love stories about underdogs, those who overcome adversity and do something." When he was in middle school, Nivens won two $1,000 scholarships from the Carson Scholars Fund, which helps children with strong academics pay for college. "When it came to times of doubt during high school, when I talked to my adviser, they would say, 'You got this award. Not everyone gets it. You're not dumb. You have the tools to be successful in life,' " Nivens said. "That's what really helped me in terms of self-esteem and management in high school." He graduated with honors from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in May. "I probably should not be where I am," said Nivens, a budget analyst for the U.S. Social Security Administration. "I went to Baltimore public schools. My father's in jail; my mother is dead. Statistically, I should not be here. I should be on parole somewhere or even dead. I never looked at it that way. I made it through." Carson said he's heartened by stories pf people who've been inspired by his biography. "My message is that the person who has the most to do with what happens to you is you," Carson said. "Not somebody else, and not the environment. If you have a normal brain, you're capable of incredible things."	Doctor overcame troubled youth to head pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins . Carson won Medal of Freedom and shares his biography to motivate others . Surgeon's biography inspired Baltimore, Maryland, teen that anything is possible .
f5f661554f9c299dae234207bf0dc6807f0c12d8	The parents of two teenage girls struck by a car, which killed one of them and seriously injured the other, have expressed sympathy for the teacher who was driving. Kalie Gill, 15, and her sister Lindsey, 12, were at a church festival in Yonkers, New York, on Friday night when Roseanne Piccirilli lost control of her Jeep. As they maintain a vigil by the hospital bed of Lindsey, who has not yet been told her big sister is dead, the Gill family have said they have no animosity to Mrs Piccirilli. Scroll down for video . Family tragedy: Sisters Lindsey and Kalie Gill were hit by a car at a carnival, which killed Kalie . 'She’s a good woman, a good person and she didn’t mean to do this,' Karen Gill told LoHud News. 'I believe it was a freak accident. I just wish her well.' Her husband Damien added: 'It’s something she’ll have to live with too.' It was just after 9pm on Friday that the sixth grade teacher lost control of her Jeep, causing it to plow into the carnival crowd, killing Kalie and injuring her sister and two others. Lindsey suffered serious injuries including a broken femur, and has undergone several operations since the crash. 'She’s a tough one. She’s a fighter,' Mr Gill said, adding: 'She has been under sedation . and has been in pain.' Mrs Piccirilli reached out to the family in a statement, and thanked them for their compassion. Tributes: Candles and messages are left for 15-year-old Kalie who died on Friday . Crash: A Jeep driven by a schoolteacher plowed into the sisters during a church festival . 'I am grateful for the kindness they . have shown in their public statements, and cannot even imagine the sense . of loss that they feel,' the 55-year-old's statement said. 'My . family and I are praying for the recovery of Lindsey and ask that God . will watch over her and over the soul of her sister Kalie. This is a wonderful family, and what has happened is so very tragic.' Injured: Lindsey, 12, is still in hospital where she is being treated for broken bones . Father James Healy said moments after the fatal incident Mrs Piccirilli told him she had been unable to stop, News 12 Westchester reported. 'She . said the car wouldn't obey when she was putting her foot on the brake. She said it felt like she was putting her foot on the accelerator,' he . said. The St Paul Apostle teacher had been on the way to the carnival, where she had volunteered to help out. Police have taken the 2002 Jeep away for analysis and took a routine blood sample from the teacher, who had no previous traffic violations on her driving record. Relatives of the Gills have been flying in from their native Ireland to help the family through their grief. The family had only just returned to the Bronx area of New York over the summer after spending several years in Co Leitrim, Ireland. Both Kalie and Lindsey had been born in the U.S. when the family first relocated with older sister Jamie, now 21, in the 1990s. 'Kalie was wonderful, the best. Just perfect,' Mrs Gill, a stay-at-home mother, told the Irish Voice. The 15-year-old sophomore and her younger sister were incredibly close and always together. Lindsey has not yet been told that Kalie died in the crash. 'There’s enough going on with her right now that she doesn’t need to know,' Mr Gill, a carpenter, said. Tributes and a touching YouTube film dedicated to the memory of the popular St Barnabas schoolgirl have been set up. Yonkers' Irish-American community has also rallied to support the grieving family. 'People have been so kind,' Mr Gill said. 'We could feed the whole hospital with all of the donations of food we’ve gotten.' Grief: 15-year-old Kalie, who had just returned to New York from Ireland, died on Friday . 'Just perfect': Kalie's parents paid tribute to their teenage daughter . Lieutenant Patrick McCormack said it could be months before crash investigators know what happened. He has not said how far Mrs Piccirilli's car traveled and said witnesses were still being interviewed. Skid marks were visible on the sidewalk, next to a flowers, pictures and messages of sympathy for Kalie and her sister.	55-year-old woman plowed into American-Irish sisters in her Jeep . Seriously injured 12-year-old has not been told her older sibling died in tragic collision .
f5f7481f77acfddf46fc87fcaa2883719c88679d	Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to compete at the 2016 Paralympic Games if he has served his sentence by the time the Games get underway. The South African double-amputee has been found guilty of culpable homocide after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his Pretoria home but has not yet been sentenced. He could face 15 years in prison but may also walk free from court when sentenced by Judge Thokozile Masipa next month. Scroll down for video . Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to compete in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games as long as he has completed whatever sentence he is handed by a judge for the manslaughter of Reeva Steenkamp . 'Providing he serves his sentence and he wants to compete, and if selected by the South African National Paralympic Committee, he will be free to compete in IPC competitions going forward,' IPC spokesman Craig Spence said. Spence said Pistorius, who has won six gold medals in three Paralympic Games, could not be denied the right to compete again as the IPC was not 'responsible for the punishment - that has come from the South African courts.' 'We are a sports organization,' Spence said. 'We have to differentiate between sport and what's gone on in his private life.' Event organisers described the athlete as an 'ambassador for the Paralympic movement' following his past sporting success . The double amputee shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a door at his Pretoria home on Valentine's Day last year. He maintains he thought the model was an intruder when he opened fire . Xavier Gonzalez, chief executive of the IPC, said Friday that Pistorius' murder trial 'has not had any impact on our activities' because the organization is no longer dependent on the high profile of the South African. 'Oscar was a fundamental ambassador of the Paralympic movement in the period between 2008 and 2012,' Gonzalez said. 'Since then, the Paralympic movement has many other ambassadors and many other athletes that have been recognized globally and we believe that will continue growing as we lead up to 2016.'	International Paralympic Committee to allow disgraced athlete to compete . If he has served sentence for manslaughter in time will take part in Rio 2016 . IPC spokesman praised Pistorius as 'ambassador for Paralympic movement'
f5f79212645aa86efe55505eec56f1e8c85d8ef4	The French comedian at the center of the controversy over the "quenelle" gesture has been banned from entering Britain, UK authorities said Monday. Dieudonne M'bala M'bala has been widely associated with the gesture -- which involves pointing the right arm straight down and touching that arm with the left hand -- that many believe is a Nazi salute in reverse. Dieudonne counters that it is anti-establishment but not anti-Semitic. "We can confirm that Mr. Dieudonne is subject to an exclusion order," Britain's Home Office said. "The Home Secretary will seek to exclude an individual from the UK if she considers that there are public policy or public security reasons to do so." The comedian has voiced his support for controversial French soccer star Nicolas Anelka, who faces a possible five-match suspension after being charged by the English Football Association for making a "quenelle" gesture in December. The 34-year-old striker made the sign after scoring for his Premier League team, West Bromwich Albion, against West Ham on December 28. Anelka has insisted that the gesture was a dedication to his friend Dieudonne. The 46-year-old Dieudonne, who ran in the European elections as an anti-Zionist, has been fined several times in France for anti-Semitic commentary. The French government said last month that it wanted to ban his live performances.	Dieudonne M'bala M'bala has been widely associated with the "quenelle" gesture . Many people say his trademark gesture is a Nazi salute in reverse . Comedian has voiced support for soccer player penalized for gesture .
f5f80457a1884f2ae2211e63dcfd7f8c6b0b2026	A truly captivating map that shows the ancestry of everyone of the 317 million people who call the melting pot of America home can now be seen on a U.S. Census Bureau map. For decades, the United States opened its doors and welcomed with open arms millions of immigrants who all arrived through New York's Ellis Island in the hope of a better life in America. Indeed, the inscription on the Statue of Liberty in New York's harbor reads 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free' and the fascinating map identifies the truly diverse nature of the United States in the 21st century. Although the 2010 census left out questions about ethnicity, this map shows how it looked in 2000, according to Upworthy. Melting pot: This map shows the ethnic heritage of Americans . 49,206,934 Germans . By far the largest ancestral group, stretching from coast to coast across 21st century America is German, with 49,206,934 people. The peak immigration for Germans was in the mid-19th century as thousands were driven from their homes by unemployment and unrest. The majority of German-Americans can now be found in the the center of the nation, with the majority living in Maricopa County, Arizona and according to Business Insider, famous German-Americans include, Ben Affleck, Tom Cruise, Walt Disney, Henry J. Heinz and Oscar Mayer. Indeed, despite having no successful New World colonies, the first significant groups of German immigrants arrived in the United States in the 1670s and settled in New York and Pennsylvania. Germans were attracted to America for familiar reasons, open tracts of land and religious freedom and their contributions to the nation included establishing the first kindergartens, Christmas trees and hot dogs and hamburgers. 41,284,752 Black or African Americans . The census map also identifies, Black or . African-American as a term for citizens of the United States who have . ancestry in Sub-Saharan Africa. The . majority of African Americans are descended from slaves from West and . Central Africa and of course have become an integral part of the story . of the United States, gaining the right to vote with the 15th amendment . in 1870, but struggling with their civil rights for at least another . century. Predominantly living in the south of the nation where they were brought to work on the cotton plantations and as slaves in the late 18th to mid-19th centuries, Black or African Americans also have sizable communities in the Chicago area of Illinois and Detroit, Michigan. 35,523,082 Irish . Another group who joined the great story of the United States were the Irish and the great famine of the 1840s sparked mass migration from Ireland. It is estimated that between 1820 and 1920, 4.5 million Irish moved to the United States and settled in the large cities like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and San Francisco. Currently, almost 12 percent of the total population of the United States claim Irish ancestry - compared with a total population of six and a half million for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland today. Irish residents of note include John F. Kennedy, Derek Jeter and Neil Armstrong and 35,523,082 people call themselves Irish. 31,789,483 Mexican . And from 1990 to 2000, the number of people who claimed Mexican ancestry almost doubled in size to 31,789,483 people. Those with Mexican ancestry are most common along the Southwestern border of the United States and is largest ancestry in Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas and San Antonio. 26,923,091 English . The next largest grouping of people in the United States by ancestry are those who claim to be English-American. Predominantly found in the Northwest and West, the number of people directly claiming to be English-American has dropped by 20 million since the 1980 U.S. Census because more citizens have started to identify themselves as American. They are based predominantly in the northeast of the country in New England and in Utah, where the majority of Mormon immigrants moved in the middle 19th century. Notable American people with English ancestry are Orson Welles and Bill Gates and 26,923,091 people claim to come from the land of the original Pilgrims. 19,911,467 Americans . The surprising number of people across . the nation claiming to have American ancestry is due to them making a . political statement, or because they are simply uncertain about their . direct descendants. Indeed, this is a particularly common feature in the . south of the nation, where political tensions between those who . consider themselves original settlers and those who are more recent . exist. Historic Moment: A painting of Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA depicting the Landing of Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock . Nebraska, USA --- A family poses with the covered wagon in which they live and travel daily during their pursuit of a homestead. Loup Valley, Nebraska. 1886 . 17,558,598 Italian . One of the most influential nationalities to migrate in large numbers to the United States were the Italians. Between 1880 and 1920, more than 4 million Italian immigrants arrived in the United States forming 'Little Italies' wherever they went. Bringing their food, culture and entertainment to the nation, another large wave of Italian immigrants arrived in the country following WWII, bringing the total number today to 17,558,598 people. 9,739,653 Polish . The largest of the Slavic groups to live in the United States, Polish Americans were some of the earliest Eastern European colonists to the New World. Up to 2.5 million Polies came to the United States between the mid-19th century and World War 1 and flocked to the largest industrial cities of New York, Buffalo, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Chicago. In many states, the Hispanic population doubled between the 2000 and 2010 census. In New Mexico, Hispanics outstripped whites for the first time, reaching 46 per cent compared to 40 per cent. 9,136,092 French . Historically, along with the English, the French colonized North America first and successfully in the North East in the border areas alongside Quebec and in the south around New Orleans and Louisiana. Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty National Monument, New Jersey, New York City, USA --- A portrait of Polish and Slavic immigrant women wearing I.D. tags at the turn of the 20th century . The figures reveal the changing face of . the U.S., with the number of Hispanics up by 15 million by the 2010 . census, from these figures in 2000. Hispanic . children now account for one in four American youngsters as a portrait . emerges of a country with an aging white population and rapid minority . growth. While Hispanic communities cover a . swath of states from California to Texas, American Indians are more . dispersed, with pockets of populations in states including Arizona, New . Mexico, Montana and the Dakotas, with a higher concentration in Alaska. The map also reveals a concentration of people stating American as their ethnic heritage, mostly in the South. Many . may have stated American on the census form as a political statement, . or because they have a mixed or unknown heritage, according to Business Insider. While the United States has its roots in being a welcoming place for . immigrants, that hasn't always been the case. As a wave of new arrivals . flooded U.S. shores in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but a . movement to restrict who was allowed into the country took hold as well. In . 1882, Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act, the first major . federal law to put immigration limits in place and the only one in . American history aimed at a specific nationality. It came into being in . response to fears, primarily on the West Coast, that an influx of . Chinese immigrants was weakening economic conditions and lowering wages. It was extended in 1902. Other laws followed, like the . Immigration Act of 1917, which created an "Asiatic Barred Zone" to . restrict immigration from that part of the world, and the Emergency . Quota Act of 1921, which limited the number of immigrants from any . country to 3 percent of those people from that country who had been . living in the United States as of 1910. The 1924 Immigration Act . capped the number of immigrants from a particular country at 2 percent . of the population of that country already living in the United States in . 1890. That favored immigrants from northern and western European . countries like Great Britain over immigrants from southern and eastern . European countries like Italy. Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty National Monument, New Jersey, New York City, USA --- Immigrants stand with members of the New York Bible Society . Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty National Monument, New Jersey, New York City, USA: Immigrants on line leaving Ellis Island waiting for ferry to N.Y . It also prevented any immigrant . ineligible for citizenship from coming to America. Since laws already on . the books prohibited people of any Asian origin from becoming citizens, . they were barred entry. The law was revised in 1952, but kept the quota . system based on country of origin in the U.S. population and only . allowed low quotas to Asian nations. The American children of . Italian and other European immigrants saw that law "as a slur against . their own status" and fought for the system to be changed, said Mae . Ngai, professor of history and Asian American studies at Columbia . University. In fighting for change, they looked to the civil rights . movement. The political leaders who agreed with them saw it in the . same terms, as a change needed for equality's sake, as well as to be . responsive to shifting relationships with nations around the world. Speaking . to the American Committee on Italian Migration in June 1963, President . John F. Kennedy cited the "nearly intolerable" plight of those who had . family members in other countries who wanted to come to the U.S. and . could be useful citizens, but were being blocked by "the inequity and . maldistribution of the quota numbers." Two years later, in signing . into law a replacement system that established a uniform number of . people allowed entry to the United States despite national origin, . President Lyndon B. Johnson said it would correct "a cruel and enduring . wrong in the conduct of the American nation." Stephen Klineberg, . sociology professor at Rice University in Houston, said the civil rights . movement "was the main force that made that viciously racist law come . to be perceived as intolerable," precisely because it raised questions . about fairness and equality.	Census data shows heritage of 317 million modern Americans . Clusters show where immigrants from different nations chose to settle . Largest ancestry grouping in the nation are of German descent with almost 50 million people . African American or Black is the second largest grouping with just over 40 million people . Almost 20 million people claim to have 'American' ancestry for political reasons and because they are unsure of their family's genealogy .
f5f87a4ed179fb36364bd00543c9975085373db5	A rugby player was left waiting for three hours for an ambulance after he broke his leg - despite the hospital being just five minutes away. Ambulance chiefs have launched an inquiry after Luigi Segadelli, 30, was left lying face down on a freezing rugby pitch with his ankle bent almost 90 degrees during a game for Morriston RFC in Swansea, South Wales. The flanker broke his tibia and fibia in a horrific tackle. When paramedics arrived at the pitch they told him he could lose his foot which had turned blue in the freezing cold. Luigi Segadelli, 30, was left with his ankle bent almost 90 degrees after a horror tackle during a game for Morriston RFC in Swansea, South Wales . His shocked teammates called an ambulance - but had to cover him with blankets to protect him from the cold as he lay face down waiting for medics. Mr Segadelli said: 'The rugby club is only five minutes away from the hospital so none of us thought we'd be waiting for half an hour, let alone three. 'I was cold and shaking. When the paramedics saw how long it was taking to get colour back into my foot they said it was a big concern because I had been in the cold so long there was a risk of losing my foot. 'That was when I started panicking. 'I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone else. The 30-year-old broke both his tibia and fibia. When paramedics arrived he was told that he could lose his foot due to the severity of the injury . 'I want an apology for the delay - they must have the decency to make sure it does not happen to anyone else again. 'I'm a proud rugby player so I was up for moving to the hospital but there was no way I could move my ankle, it would have made things worse. Still, the fact that it was considered as an option shows how frustrating the wait was.' He was given morphine at the scene and has had an operation to put pins in his leg . The game was called off following his injury shortly after the 2.30 kick-off on Saturday afternoon. When his teammates called 999, operators told them Mr Segadelli wasn't to be moved. Mr Segadelli had to wait until almost 6pm for an ambulance - and the pitch floodlights had to be put on as it became dark. He was given morphine at the scene and has had an operation to put pins in his leg. Mr Segadelli said once he was eventually reached, the ambulance and hospital staff were 'brilliant' but he said he wanted an apology and an assurance no one else would have to wait so long for treatment. A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesman said in a statement: 'Demand on our ambulance service over the Christmas and New Year period was unprecedented and it meant we were unable to respond to some some calls in the time we would have liked. 'Unfortunately the call to help Mr Segadelli was one of those calls. 'The trust has had contact from Mr Segadelli and will now be looking into the matter to ensure we have a full understanding of what happened. 'In the meantime, we would like to wish him a speedy recovery.' Mr Segadelli had been playing for around 20 minutes during Saturday's match when he suffered the injury saying his ankle 'turned right round'. He said initially 'the adrenaline kicked in' and he did not feel too much pain but he soon began feeling severe pain and the 999 operator gave advice that he should not be moved.	Luigi Segadelli, 30, left with his ankle bent almost 90 degrees after tackle . He was left waiting for three hours for an ambulance after he broke his leg . He was given morphine and has since had operation to insert pins .
f5f8c5042171f04124796e851ea93f1bab5caf6b	Danny Alexander today challenged Alex Salmond to a debate on Scottish independence ‘any time, any place anywhere’ accusing the Nationalist leader of ‘cowering in his bunker’. The Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury told the Mail that the First Minister should stop ‘hiding away’ and go head to head with him. The challenge came after Mr Salmond accused the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems of trying to 'bully' him with an unprecedented cross-party warning that an independent Scotland would not be allowed to keep the pound. Clash: Alex Salmond was challenged to a debate on the future of Scotland by Lib Dem Danny Alexander, the most senior Scot in the UK government . Mr Alexander dismissed the SNP's claims that an independent Scotland could . or should be able to share the pound as 'pure fiction'. Conservative Chancellor George Osborne insisted the pound was not like a CD collection to be divided in a 'a messy divorce' and Labour's Ed Balls accused nationalists of not living in the real world. It is a devastating blow for SNP First Minister Mr Salmond’s campaign to persuade the Scots to vote to break away, leading him to grumble that about a bid by the 'Westminster establishment to bully and intimidate'. Mr Salmond, the leader of the SNP, has challenged David Cameron to debate him. But the Prime Minister has declined on the grounds that the independence debate should be between Scots and amid fears in Downing Street that a Tory leader puts off Scottish voters. Today Mr Alexander accused the First Minister of cowardice for refusing to debate. Mr Alexander told the Mail that he – not Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael or No campaign leader Alistair Darling – is the most senior Scot in the British government and he should go head-to-head with Mr Salmond. Mr Osborne used a speech in Edinburgh to insist the currency was not like a CD collection to be divided up in the event of a 'messy divorce' Mr Alexander said: ‘I’d like to debate Alex Salmond. I will meet him any time, any place, anywhere. It’s time that Alex Salmond got out of his bunker and started to engage in the debate with people in Scotland, who have a vote in this referendum, who disagree with him. ‘I’m the most senior Scot in the UK Government. If he wants to debate the UK Government I am available any time. He’s welcome to come to the Highlands any time. ‘It’s about time that rather than hiding behind the bogus challenge to David Cameron. ‘It’s a way to avoid debate rather than seek it out. This has to be settled by people in Scotland. The participants in this debate should be people who have a vote. ‘I’ve offered to debate him. Alistair Darling—the leader of the Better Together campaign—has offered to debate him. He has refused. It’s pretty pathetic.’ Mr Alexander admitted that Unionists have failed to make a strong enough or a positive enough case. ‘We have to step up our argument because this is the most important decision facing our country. This is the most important decision we will make in my political lifetime. ‘The SNP’s argument is based on asserting things that simply aren’t true. They assert that the rest of the UK will sign up to a currency union. They assert that an independent Scotland will have much more money to spend on all the expensive promises they have made—and yet the opposite is the case.' Mr Osborne also visited BSW Timber in Cargo near Carlisle, but did not look like he was enjoying it . Mr Osborne said is clear that as Chancellor he could not recommend that the UK could share the pound with an independent Scotland . Conservative Chancellor George Osborne: The . evidence shows it wouldn’t work. It would cost jobs and cost money and . wouldn’t provide economic security for Scotland or for the rest of the . UK. People need to know – that is not going to happen.' Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander: 'This isn't bluff, or bullying, it's a . statement of fact. The SNP's claims that an independent Scotland could . or should be able to share the pound are pure fiction.' Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls: . 'You’d be trying to negotiate a monetary union as Scotland is pulling . away from the UK. It won’t happen, I wouldn’t recommend it. Scotland . will not keep the pound if Scotland chooses independence.' The Scottish government wants to keep . the pound if there is a ‘yes’ vote in the independence referendum due to . take place in September. Scottish nationalists accused the ‘Westminster establishment’ of attempting to bully Scotland into rejecting independence – and threatening to refuse to assume their share of the UK’s debts in retaliation. Mr Salmond said: 'This is a concerted bid by a Tory-led Westminster establishment to bully and intimidate but their efforts to claim ownership of Sterling will backfire spectacularly. 'The stance of any UK government will be very different the day after a Yes vote to the campaign rhetoric we are hearing now.' But Mr Osborne used a speech in Edinburgh today to insist: 'If Scotland walks away from the UK, it walks away from the UK pound.' Mr Osborne went on: 'The Scottish government say “it’s as much Scotland’s pound as the rest of the UK’s”. They are like an angry party to a messy divorce. 'But the pound isn’t an asset to be divided up between the two countries after break-up as if it were a CD collection. 'The value of the pound doesn’t lie in the paper and ink that’s used to print it. The value of the pound lies in the entire monetary system underpinning it.' Mr Osborne insisted he wants Scotland to keep the pound and the economic security that it brings. But he added: 'It is clear to me I could not as Chancellor recommend that we could share the pound with an independent Scotland. 'The . evidence shows it wouldn’t work. It would cost jobs and cost money and . wouldn’t provide economic security for Scotland or for the rest of the . UK. 'I don’t think any . other Chancellor of the Exchequer would come to a different view. The . Scottish government says that if Scotland becomes independent there will . be a currency union and Scotland will share the pound. 'People need to know – that is not going to happen.' The Chancellor later visited Haas-Tek, an export-driven business in Lockerbie, Scotland that specialises in the relocation and installation of industrial machinery and equipment . The blunt warning from Mr Osborne was immediately matched by Mr Alexander, the Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who dismissed claims Scotland could keep the pound as 'pure fiction'. He said: 'A currency union would leave the rest of the UK highly exposed to fiscal and financial risks from a separate Scotland. 'As a Scot and as Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the UK Treasury, on the basis of this analysis, I couldn't recommend a currency union to the people of Scotland and my party couldn't agree to such a proposition for the rest of the UK. 'This isn't bluff, or bullying, it's a statement of fact. The SNP's claims that an independent Scotland could or should be able to share the pound are pure fiction. 'When we vote in September, no one in Scotland should vote for independence in the belief that we could keep the pound.' And Labour's Ed Balls added: 'It would be bad for Scotland, it would place an unacceptable burden on the UK taxpayer, it would repeat the mistakes of the euro area. 'In fact worse, you’d be trying to negotiate a monetary union as Scotland is pulling away from the UK. It won’t happen, I wouldn’t recommend it. Scotland will not keep the pound if Scotland chooses independence.' Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused Westminster parties of trying to 'bully' Scots . Ministers . have already said it is ‘unlikely’ that the rest of the UK would agree . to a currency union, but it is a major blow for Mr Salmond that all three main parties have gone further than that to rule out any such arrangement. Scots . deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon said: ‘People won’t take kindly . to the Westminster establishment ganging up to try to bully Scotland in . the decision that we are being asked to take on the referendum.' She insisted reports that the . Chancellor would reject any deal that would allow Scotland to leave the . UK and keep the pound were a 'cack-handed, panicky campaign manoeuvre' ahead of that historic vote. Blair . Jenkins, chief executive of the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign, . told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that the . 'best currency choice for an independent Scotland is to be in a currency . union with the rest of the UK'. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon . He said ruling that out before the referendum was a 'very extreme position being taken for the purposes of negotiation' by the pro-Union parties. Mr Jenkins insisted: 'It would be so clearly to the detriment of the rest of the UK to impose the additional costs, currency transactions, currency conversion, to threaten growth, to threaten jobs in that way. 'To go against what we know is the wishes of the majority of people in England, that Scotland should continue to use the pound after we vote Yes in September, would be ludicrous.' However Lib Dem former Scottish Secretary Michael Moore told the same programme that ruling out a currency union was 'the logical extension of the debate over the last year'. He added: 'We've got a very effective monetary union at the moment as part of a political and fiscal union, and it works very well across the UK. There are challenges in the economy, but together we have greater resilience and greater opportunities than if we go apart.'	George Osborne rules out currency union with an independent Scotland . Labour's Ed Balls and Lib Dem Danny Alexander back the move . Scottish government accuses Westminster politicians of 'bullying'
f5f8ddcc934b9dd92219a647e8dd2cafddc5528b	(CNN) -- It's a community of crude green metal sheds, baking hot during the day and lacking clean running water. Residents say thieves can slice through the thin walls with their knives. A man packs up his belongings after being evicted from Borei Keila to Tuol Sambo. Locals call it "the AIDS colony." The Cambodian government set up the community on a site known as Tuol Sambo, on the outskirts of the capital, Phnom Penh. It began relocating families affected by HIV and AIDS from the neighborhood of Borei Keila last month, and last week removed 20 more families. The move sparked outrage among human rights groups, which said the conditions in Tuol Sambo do not meet standards for even emergency housing, and that the isolation would further stigmatize those affected by HIV. "By bundling people living with HIV together into second-rate housing, far from medical facilities, support services and jobs, the government has created a de facto AIDS colony," said Shiba Phurailatpam of the Asia-Pacific Network of People Living With HIV. Human Rights Watch released a letter Tuesday that was signed by more than 100 global HIV/AIDS and social justice organizations and sent the day before to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and Health Minister Mam Bunheng. "We are deeply disturbed by the Cambodian authorities' creation of a de facto AIDS colony at Tuol Sambo," the letter said. "Tuol Sambo is far away from the jobs, medical facilities and support services that had been available to Borei Keila residents in the city." The letter said HIV-affected families are being moved to unsafe housing while, just a short distance from "the AIDS colony," nonprofit agencies are helping build brick houses for other homeless families -- ones without HIV. The letter acknowledged the international recognition the Cambodian government has received for treating and supporting people living with HIV. But it called the Tuol Sambo relocations "discriminatory" and "life-threatening" to people whose immune systems are compromised. The evictions took place despite repeated appeals to the government, including from the United Nations, the human rights activists said. "We have reason to fear that relocations of HIV-affected families are continuing even as we sign this letter," they said. Reports compiled by the United Nations show that HIV is declining in Cambodia. In 2008, an estimated 67,200 adults and 3,800 children were living with HIV. A resurgence of an epidemic exists, however, according to UNAIDS. The agency reported a risk of second-wave HIV infections among high-risk populations, such as female sex workers, their clients and their partners. The HIV/AIDS families relocated by the Cambodian government worked mostly as day laborers, motorcycle taxi drivers, seamstresses and cleaners, the human rights groups said. They said most of those relocated have little prospect of finding work in Tuol Sambo. Government officials told The Phnom Penh Post that they knew about the problems at Tuol Sambo and that steps were being taken to improve conditions. "We are trying to find clean water for them," Phnom Penh's Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun told the English-language newspaper. "They will also no longer face problems getting medicine, because we have given one house to [Center of] Hope, which has improved the health of the village." A mission of an area hospital, The Center of Hope provides free medical care for the poor. But Gerlinda Lucas, the deputy director of grant management, told the Post that the center had no plans to open a permanent clinic at Tuol Sambo, though it will continue weekly mobile clinic service. Meanwhile, the relocated families expressed relief that they were leaving a neighborhood where landlords refused to rent to them. But they worried about their safety after thieves cut through the metal walls of one resident's home. "I do not feel safe here because our houses are not strong," Chheang Toma told the Post. And then, there was the added fear of starting anew in an unfamiliar community.	Cambodian government began relocating families last month . Last week 20 families were removed . Human Rights Watch releases letter signed by more than 100 organizations . "We are deeply disturbed by the ... creation of a de facto AIDS colony," letter reads .
f5f8f7ab32f988ea5c1b8220ee985ceb4d36376d	Joplin, Missouri (CNN) -- Calling the students an inspiration "to me (and) the world," President Barack Obama urged Joplin High School graduates Monday to heed the lessons they've learned and spirit they've shown to rebuild not only their tornado-ravaged Missouri city, but also their nation. "America only succeeds when we all pitch in and pull together -- and I'm counting on you to be leaders in that effort," said Obama. "Because you are from Joplin. And you've already defied the odds." Minutes after 450 seniors from the same Missouri school got their diplomas last May 22, a monster twister tore through the community. More than 161 people were killed -- the worst death toll for such a tornado since modern record-keeping began in 1950 -- while dozens of buildings were torn to shreds by winds as strong as 200 mph. One of them was Joplin High School itself, with the damage so severe that students ended up attending classes in a vacant section of the city's Northpark Mall. Joplin 'on the mend' one year later . Monday night's graduation ceremony was personal, with students reflecting with humor and perspective on their tumultuous school days and one administrator leading them in a chant to show their "Eagle pride." "No matter where you are or what you do, your Joplin family loves you and believes in you," said school district Superintendent C.J. Huff, fighting back tears. "We are so very proud of you." Obama alluded to students' unique struggles during his own commencement address, which was held on the campus of Missouri Southern State University. He referred, too, to broader challenges facing they their townsfolk to work together, dream big and remain positive in adopting a new slogan of "Remember. Rejoice. And rebuild." "We can define our own lives not by what happens to us, but by how we respond," said the president, who returned to Joplin for the first time since attending a memorial service a week after the disaster. "We can choose to carry on, we can choose to make a difference in the world. And in doing so, we can make true what's written in scripture: that 'tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance (produces) character, and character, hope.'" After devastating tornado, Missouri hospital to be demolished . The story of Joplin also showed there are "so many good people in this world," something that he insisted the students never forget. While Joplin has worked fast to rebuild, many of the hundreds of businesses destroyed by the tornado have not been able to get back to full speed. Some 332 households still live in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers and are unable to rebuild their homes. But they've gotten some help. The White House released a statement Monday noting the federal government has approved $21 million for directly affected Missouri residents, not including $97 million to the state of Missouri to support rebuilding projects and $41.3 million in low-interest disaster loans via the U.S. Small Business Administration for individuals, businesses and non-profit groups. And the city of Joplin -- which is calling Tuesday's anniversary a Day of Unity, with events including a commemorative walk through the city -- estimates that almost 130,000 volunteers have logged hundreds of thousands of hours since the tornado. It was during his remarks about community and unity that Obama shifted from discussing Joplin more exclusively, to talking about the nation in general. "We need God. We need each other. We are important to each other. And we're stronger together than we are on our own," he said. "That's the spirit that's allowing all of you to rebuild this city. It's the same spirit we need right now to help rebuild America." The Joplin High graduates are particularly qualified to do so, according to Obama. They have walked the walk -- by pitching in to assist their neighbors, pursuing their education despite the chaos around them and learning from other city citizens and total strangers about what people can do, against the odds, when they work together. "Some of life's strongest bonds are the ones we forge when everything around us seems broken," the president said. "And even though I expect some of you will ultimately end up leaving Joplin, I'm convinced that Joplin will never leave you."	NEW: "Your Joplin family loves you and believes in you," the superintendent says . A monster tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011 . The storm killed 161 people and flattened a broad swath of the city . Obama tells Joplin High graduates "I'm counting on you to be leaders"
f5f993f5b18dd841b71bad6156c62955910317e7	Anxiously waiting for a phone call home is a scenario that any parent will understand. This evening that call was coming from 500 million miles, after a decade away and two and half years without contact. And it was late. The Rosetta spacecraft was due to send in a signal to the European Space Agency at 5.30pm this evening. Scroll down for video... Rosetta was launched in 2004 and has since travelled around the sun five times, picking up energy from Earth and Mars to line it up with its final destination: Comet 67P/Churyumov/Gerasimenko. it is due to arrive at the comet in August this year . Rosetta, named after a block of stone that helped archeologists decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, will seek to help scientists unlock the composition of comets and thereby understand more about the origins and evolution of our solar system. The probe was launched in 2004 and has since travelled around the sun five times, picking up energy from Earth and Mars to line it up with its final destination: Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. For the coldest, loneliest leg of the mission, as Rosetta travelled out towards the orbit of Jupiter, the spacecraft was put into deep-space hibernation. Later this year, Rosetta will complete its cruise towards the comet, meeting with it in August, before putting its Philae lander onto the comet’s surface in November. ‘It could come any moment now,’ said operations manager Andrea Accomazzo. ‘We could get the signal at any time.’ Eventually, at 6.18pm, a tiny beep came through, a spike on a graph that showed the £1billion spacecraft was still intact. A few seconds later the all-clear message ‘Hello World!’ was sent out on social networking sites. The Rosetta craft is hurtling through space in a ten-year long pursuit of an icy comet. For . the last 31 months it has been in hibernation, too far away from the . sun for its solar panels to generate enough power to keep it going. But today, as it closed in on its target, it was woken up to prepare for several months of delicate manoeuvres. At 10am an alarm triggered a process by which its systems were slowly warmed up and turned on. The process was due to have taken just over seven hours before a signal was sent to Earth, a process that took 45 minutes. The European Space Agency (ESA) received the all-clear message 'Hello World!' from its Rosetta spacecraft, 500 million miles away, shortly after 6pm . The signal was received by Nasa's Goldstone ground station in California at 18:18 GMT, during the first window of opportunity the spacecraft had to communicate with Earth. It was immediately confirmed in ESA's space operations centre in Darmstadt (pictured) A screenshot of the moment the signal was received from Rosetta. The spacecraft's orbit has brought it back to within 673 million km from the sun . The Rosetta mission will perform several historical firsts, including the first time a spacecraft orbits a comet rather than just whizzing by it to snap some fly-by pictures, and the first time a probe has landed on a comet's nucleus. Rosetta is also the first mission to venture beyond the main asteroid belt relying solely on solar cells for power generation, which is also why it had to be put into a deep sleep for 957 days. 'It has been so far away from the sun that the solar rays were not able to generate enough energy to safely operate the spacecraft, said Rosetta spacecraft operations manager Andrea, who has been working on the Rosetta mission since 1997. But either Rosetta’s four clocks had fallen out of sync way out in space, or the warm-up took a little longer than anticipated. Eventually, 48 minutes behind schedule, the message came through to the operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany, to huge cheers. ‘It has been a fantastic few moments of pure terror,’ said one exhausted organiser. Rosetta is now around 5.6 million miles from its destination, the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, and closing on the object at half a mile a second. The spacecraft, which was launched by in French Guiana in 2004, will now spend several months approaching and orbiting the comet. Once it has found for a suitable landing site for the box-like Philae lander it will attempt a landing in November. Philae will also capture panoramic images of the view from the comet’s surface with an on-board camera. Scientists hope Rosetta will answer important questions about the origins of the solar system and the way comets evolve and develop. Rosetta was put to sleep to conserve power as it headed to regions as distant as the planet Jupiter, where the sun’s weak rays provide only limited amounts of energy. Unlike other long-distance space probes the craft has no nuclear batteries and instead relies on electricity generated by ultra-sensitive 15-metre long solar panels. Scientists planned to hibernate Rosetta for 957 days before bringing its main systems back on line. For the coldest, loneliest leg of the mission, as Rosetta travelled out towards the orbit of Jupiter, the spacecraft was put into deep-space hibernation . Later this year, Rosetta will complete its cruise towards the comet, meeting with it in August, before putting its Philae lander onto the comet's surface in November . Rosetta . is now around 5.6 million miles from its destination, the comet . Churyumov-Gerasimenko, and closing on the object at half a mile a . second. The spacecraft, . which was launched by in French Guiana in 2004, will now spend several . months approaching and orbiting the comet. Once it has found for a suitable site, it will attempt a landing in November. Scientists are particularly keen to conduct organic chemistry experiments on samples from the comet's body. One of Rosetta's first tasks will be to scout for a suitable landing location for its piggyback-riding Philae probe. Scientists are particularly keen to conduct organic chemistry experiments on samples drilled out from inside the comet's body. ‘It would be really interesting to find out whether the organic chemistry that is relevant for life is there on comets,’ Professor Ulamec said. Engineers who designed the lander did not know what type of terrain they would find on the comet's surface. It is outfitted with twin harpoons laced with tethers that will be fired into the comet's surface to anchor Philae and keep it from bouncing back into space after touchdown. The spacecraft will be involved a high-speed chase later this year followed by a delicate dance around comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Pictured is an artist's impression of the comet .	Rosetta spacecraft aims to better understand the composition of comets . It launched in 2004 and has since travelled around the sun five times . Probe has been hibernating for most of the past three years to save power . Its alarm sounded at 10am but its signal to Earth didn't arrive until 6pm . The probe will land on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in November . Scientists hope the mission will provide more clues about how the solar system came into existence .
f5f9f62b421ef4b7a96e99a473d4735d6ac6b795	Boris Johnson today lashed out at Home Secretary Theresa May for watering down strict anti-terror powers which may have helped ISIS executioner Mohammed Emwazi escape the net and travel to Syria. The London Mayor accused his Tory leadership rival of giving the 'benefit of the doubt' to terror suspects like Emzawi – identified yesterday as the London-raised ISIS executioner known until now as 'Jihadi John'. Mr Johnson's astonishing attack comes amid growing controversy over who is to blame for MI5's failure to stop 'known wolf' Emwazi leaving Britain for the front line in Syria in 2013. Scroll down for video . Boris Johnson today lashed out at the Home Secretary Theresa May for making it easier for terrorists like Mohammed Emwazi to escape justice . The extremist, who was brought up in west London, was subject to a no fly order and was on a terror watch list but still managed to leave without detection. He was a 'person of interest' to MI5 as a member of a cell known as The London Boys, which was set up in 2007 to recruit and raise funds for Somalia-based terror group al Shabab. The Government's independent reviewer of terror legislation David Anderson today admitted MI5 may have 'slipped up'. But he said: 'One won't know until there's been an inquiry or a report of some kind.' London's police chief this afternoon defended MI5, adding: 'You can't plea bargain with evil.' But experts believe Emwazi was helped to escape Britain by his terror associates who had been allowed back to London by the Government in 2011. Mohammed Emwazi, who was brought up in west London, was subject to a no fly order and was on a terror watch list but still managed to leave without detection . Emwazi, known as Jihadi John, pictured in an ISIS video from September 14, 2014 (left) and at St Mary's Church of England primary school in London as a child . Experts say he is likely to have been aided with money, a false identity and bogus travel documents by a London jihadi cell which he had belonged to since 2009. Three members of the cell had been kicked out of London under Labour's control order regime, but were allowed to return in 2011 when Mrs May scrapped them. The power to relocate terror suspects was finally reintroduced a fortnight ago, under growing pressure from the security services. Speaking this afternoon, Mr Johnson slammed the 2011 'mistake' to scrap the 'internal exile' powers contained in Labour's control order regime. The Mayor of London said: 'We need to keep a very, very close eye on these people. 'The decision to modify the control orders, to water them down I think in retrospect looks as though it was a mistake because it is vital to be able, when you are controlling these people to be able to relocate them, to take them away from their support networks and look after them, to monitor them properly. The family home of Mohammed Emwazi, in Lancefield Street, West London . 'We are now back on the right track and it just confirms to me the vital importance of us being able to monitor these people, to keep tabs on them, to look at what they are saying to each other in their email, their electronic contact.' Mr Johnson added: 'The politicians who made that mistake need to think very carefully about why they did it and I think that the balance, the benefit of the doubt was, I am afraid, given too much to those who wish us serious harm. 'This whole thing needs to be tackled very, very robustly. 'We need to have a very strong security response that gives our people, gives our security services and the police the surveillance powers that they need.' The former head of Britain's terror powers watchdog David Anderson admitted Emwazi had 'a couple of associates… who were under control orders' before Mrs May scrapped them. He said he was not surprised that MI5 was aware of Emwazi but had failed to stop him from travelling overseas. 'I'm afraid it's not surprising to me at all. I do spend time with the intelligence agencies and with the police. They are very busy at the moment and they were very busy then. There are a lot of people that they're a bit suspicious of - there are hundreds, probably thousands.' He added: 'You can't round all those people up without a trial and declare that they're subject to some form of house arrest. You need at the very least to be sure that they have participated in terrorism before you start taking measures like that. Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette cooper shadow today backed the London Mayor's attack on Mrs May. She said: 'We warned the Government from the start not to abolish control orders. I said in Parliament many times that those relocation powers were immensely important and that removing them would make it easier for terror suspects to organise.' The Labour shadow minister added: 'At the very least, the Prime Minister should ask the Intelligence and Security Committee to examine the period following the scrapping of relocation. 'Parliament needs to know whether the legislation to alter counter terror powers affected the UK's ability to prevent people travelling to Syria. 'The Home Secretary has a duty to protect national security, so if the decisions she made on legislation against expert advice have weakened national security instead, the public and Parliament have a right to know.' Jihadi John was named in High Court as key player in UK terror funding network TWO YEARS before he vanished . Jihadi John was named in the High Court by the Home Secretary as being part of a terror funding network two years before he vanished from Britain despite being on a MI5 watchlist, it was revealed today. Court papers name Mohammed Emwazi as part of a notorious gang of Islamists called the London Boys 'provision of funds and equipment to Somalia to undertake terrorism-related activity'. This included allegedly raising cash to send people to terror training camos in Somalia. Emwazi was known to be trying to get to Somalia in 2009 and MI5 accused him of trying to join Al Shabaab. The London Boys were being monitored by the security services from as early as 2007, and Emwazi was himself interrogated by MI5 in 2009, but was still able to flee to Syria in 2012. Revealed: This court document from 2011 reveals that two years before he fled for Syria Mohammed Emwazi - Jihadi John - was known by the Government and believed to be part of a terror gang called the London Boys . Emwazi's name is on paperwork relating to a control order for a terror suspect known as CE, among at least 13 others linked to Somalia and Al Shabaab including some of the world's most notorious terrorists. CE attended an Al Qaeda training camp led by Harun Fazul and Saleh Nabhan, a leading Al Qaeda figure suspected of involvement in the 1998 US embassy bombings in east Africa. Files leaked by WikiLeaks showed how Bin Laden sent messages to these men from his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan, to other Al-Qaeda members in Somaliaand told them to carry out more attacks on the West. Fazul was named by Guantanamo Bay detainees as leader of Al Qaeda's African unit and trained number of Britons at a terror factory in Mogadishu. Saleh Nabhan was the mastermind behind two of East Africa's worst terror atrocities: the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 250, and the 2002 attempt to bring down an Israeli airline with Stinger missiles. He was known to be close to the White Widow Samantha Lewthwaite, who was the wife of 7/7 London terrorist bomber Germaine Lindsay. Notorious: Saleh Nabhan, left, and Harun Fazul, right, were also named in the document, and were part of Al Qaeda's leadership in Africa and received orders directly from Osama Bin Laden . The government stripped both Fazul and Nabhan of their British passports and they were killed in separate drone attacks in 2012. Also on the list was an extremist who can be identified only as J1 – an Ethiopian accused of being a member of Al Shabaab and a close associate of one of four bombers who attempted to cause mass casualties on the London Underground on July 21, 2005. On his return to Britain, Emwazi's comrade CE was tasked with recruiting others to join Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab. The group also included Hamza Chentouf and Mohammed Ezzouek, who along with CE were interrogated by British intelligence officers in Kenya. Ezzouek and Chentouf were rescued from Somalia . in 2007 after they were imprisoned while trying to flee after the US . ordered air strikes on Islamists who took over Mogadishu. The . Foreign Office spent tens of thousands of pounds on a jet to bring them . home. They denied accusations of being involved in the London Boys gang.	'Jihadi John' Mohammed Emwazi was helped to escape by known fanatics . He was a 'person of interest' to MI5 and a member of 'The London Boys' Three of the terror cell's members had been kicked out of London . But they were allowed to return to the capital by the Government in 2011 . Came after Mrs May scrapped the draconian 'control order' regime in 2011 . Mr Johnson today accused her of giving terrorists the 'benefit of the doubt' Emwazi named in High Court as terror helper two years before he vanished .
f5fa587081421d1a9906af51acd19619e9adf01f	A woman who fell behind on her yard work was sent to jail for not complying with city regulations regarding the maintenance of her overgrown lawn. Karen Holloway, from East Tennessee, was cited by Lenoir City officials in June for not keeping proper maintenance of her yard. She told WVLT-TV that while her yard was in dire need of attention and did look overgrown she did not think that it was a criminal offence. Shock: Karen Holloway said her busy schedule was the reason that her yard had become overgrown . Back yard: Holloway admits that her yard, seen here, was in dire need of attention and did look shabby . Citation: In July, she received a citation from the city stating that she had broken the law under Section 302.1 of the City of Lenoir City Property Code which requires all exterior property to be maintained . The mother-of-two said her busy schedule and other personal family issues were the reasons that her yard became overgrown. She said: 'With my husband going to school and working full time, me with my job, with one vehicle, we were trying our best. ‘[The bushes and trees] were overgrown. But that’s certainly not a criminal offense.’ In July, she received a citation from the city stating that she had broken the law under Section 302.1 of the City of Lenoir City Property Code which requires all exterior property to be maintained. It went on to suggest that she had not complied with the city's request for her to cut her grass under Section 302.4, which requires all grass to be cut to less than 12 inches. It meant Holloway faced jail, and on Tuesday, she turned herself in and made an appeal to city officials. Jail: On Tuesday, Holloway turned herself in and made an appeal to city officials but it did not work . Grass: The city requests, under Section 302.4, that grass be cut to less than 12 inches . More time? Judge Vann has set up a follow-up hearing for Holloway in November to check on her lawn . Judge Terry Vann initially handed her a five-day jail sentence, before amending it on Tuesday to just six hours. She said that she had offered to do five days of community service instead, but Vann refused her offer and said she should serve time behind bars. The judge admitted that she is not a criminal and it was not a criminal case - making Holloway believe that she was being used as an example. She said she felt 'bullied,’ and claims that she was not read her rights or told she could have a lawyer present. She said: ‘It’s not right, why would you put me in jail with child molesters and people who have done real crimes because I haven’t maintained my yard up to the city’s standards?’ ‘This opens a floodgate to everybody in Lenoir City being put in jail for silly things.’ Holloway said she has received several citations from the city in the past while her husband was serving overseas in the military. But none of them turned out like this. Judge Vann has set up a follow-up hearing for Holloway scheduled for November to check on her progress and suggested that additional jail time may be added if the city is not satisfied with her lawn.	Karen Holloway, from East Tennessee, was cited by Lenoir City officials . They said she had not kept her grass cut and this was a violation of the law . She turned herself in on Tuesday but asked a judge to be lenient with her . The judge did cut her sentence, but she still served six hours in prison . She could face further jail time if she does not keep her property neat .
f5fbcd8f64c7f3504ce4e58b672eda52a7a80acc	By . Anthony Bond . UPDATED: . 09:24 EST, 8 March 2012 . Syria's deputy oil minister has announced he is defecting from the regime and joining the opposition against President Bashar Assad. In a video posted on YouTube, a man wearing a suit and tie identifies himself as Abdo Husameddine. He says he is defecting because of Assad's brutal crackdown that has killed thousands of people in the past year. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Resignation: Syria's deputy oil minister Abdo Husameddine has announced via YouTube that he is defecting from the regime and joining the opposition against President Bashar Assad . If confirmed, this would be the highest ranking official in Assad's administration to defect since the uprising began a year ago. There have been scores of army defections but civilian government officials have remained largely loyal to Assad's regime. It was not clear when or where the video was filmed and there has been no comment from the Syrian government. Meanwhile, the U.N. humanitarian chief has toured the shattered Syrian district of Baba Amr but found most residents had fled following the bloody military siege. Activists have accused the government of trying to cover up evidence of atrocities there. The month-long crackdown on the rebellious Homs neighborhood brought international condemnation, and the top U.S. military leader said yesterday that President Barack Obama has asked the Pentagon for a preliminary review of military options in Syria. Tragic: Relatives mourn the death of a family member moments after his death after being shot by a Syrian Army sniper . These include enforcement of a no-fly zone and humanitarian airlifts, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate. However, both he and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Mr Obama still believes that economic sanctions and international diplomatic isolation were the best ways to pressure Syrian President Bashar Assad into handing over power. Yesterday's visit to Baba Amr by the U.N. humanitarian chief, Valerie Amos, was the first by an independent outside observer since the Syrian military began its assault of the rebellious neighborhood. A key stronghold of the uprising against Assad, it was wrested from rebel control on March 1. The Syrian regime has kept the neighborhood sealed off over the past six days, saying it was too dangerous for humanitarian workers to enter. But activists accused the government of engaging in a 'mopping-up' operation to hide their atrocities. 'They haven't let anyone in for a week, and now they are going to let them in?' Homs activists Tarek Badrakhan told The Associated Press. Young victim: Nazem Najar, 12, recovers in a hospital after being wounded by a Syrian Army sniper in Idlib, north Syria . 'Today it's simple: They finished their crimes and hid all the proof. Now they think they can show that everything is normal.' A spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross said Baroness Amos entered Baba Amr with a team from the Syrian Red Crescent that had been waiting nearly a week to be allowed in and found the ravaged neighborhood deserted. 'The Syrian Arab Red Crescent stayed about 45 minutes inside the neighborhood,' Red Cross spokesman Hicham Hassan said in Geneva. 'Volunteers say that most inhabitants have fled Baba Amr.' American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also lashed out at the delays in letting aid workers in. 'The regime's refusal to allow humanitarian workers to help feed the hungry, tend to the injured, bury the dead, marks a new low,' she said. 'Tons of food and medicine are standing by while more civilians die and the regime launches new assaults.' Baroness Amos said the aim of her . two-day visit to Syria was 'to urge all sides to allow unhindered access . for humanitarian relief workers so they can evacuate the wounded and . deliver essential supplies.' She . met with Syria's foreign minister and is to meet other government . officials today but it was unclear whether she would be allowed to . return to Baba Amr or deliver any aid. Important role: UN aid chief Valerie Amos is in Syria and has visited Baba Amr . The U.N. says more than 7,500 people have been killed since Syria's uprising began. Activists put the death toll at more than 8,000. Republican Senator John McCain has called on the Obama administration to launch U.S. airstrikes to end Assad's crackdown. But Mr Panetta and Gen. Dempsey described a well-armed Syria that bears little resemblance to what the U.S. military and its allies faced in Libya. Syria's air defenses are five times more sophisticated than Libya's, and its chemical and biological weapons stockpile is 100 times larger, they said. Suppressing the air defences would require a sustained air campaign over an extended period of time with a significant number of aircraft, and the U.S. would have to lead the effort, Gen. Dempsey said. Because the air defences are located in populous neighborhoods, airstrikes could also mean scores of unintended deaths. Rocked: Fire rages in a house in the embattled . northwestern province of Idlib, which is also being targeted in a . crackdown by Assad's troops . After seizing Baba Amr from the rebels, regime forces now appear to be turning their attention to other rebellious areas. A wave of new arrests was reported in Homs by the Local Coordinating Committees, an activist group, as well as assaults on the northern province of Idlib near Turkey. The shift suggests the Syrian military is unable to launch large operations simultaneously, even though the security services remain largely strong and loyal. According to witnesses, Syrian troops shelled the northern villages in Idlib yesterday. There also were reports of snipers in Homs province. Russia and China, powerful Syrian allies that have blocked a Security Council resolution against Syria, have made clear they are still standing by the regime in Damascus. Still, in a sign of China's growing alarm, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming said Beijing was pulling its workers out of Syria because of the violence. In Moscow, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said the government wasn't considering granting political asylum to Assad, shooting down rumors that such an offer is on the table as a way to end the Syrian regime's deadly crackdown. VIDEO: Extract of resignation (with translation) Watch full video here .	Abdo Husameddine is the highest ranking official in Syrian regime to defect since the uprising began . Activists accuse government of trying to cover up evidence of atrocities in Baba Amr . Hillary Clinton attacks regime for not letting aid workers into battered district .
f5fc05a103e1c93c171224e02edd2498c9521a9a	(CNN) -- Everyone aboard US Airways Flight 1549 survived when the plane crash-landed into the Hudson River, and that may be due as much to diligent rescue training as luck. Passengers and crew line up outside the plane as boats move in to rescue them. The Coast Guard rescuers who quickly got to the scene and many of the ferries and boats that first responded train for water rescues. "We, the Coast Guard, we do train for these type of events and these type of situations, scenarios, and one thing we do try to do is try to coordinate with our other maritime agency partners [so] that incidents like this go off without a hitch or as safely as possible," said Coast Guard Lt. C.K. Moore, who helped coordinate the response. Within minutes of the plane crash-landing into the water, the aircraft was surrounded by ferry boats that had been making their regularly scheduled trips across the Hudson and other boats coordinated by, and including, the Coast Guard. The passengers had begun exiting the plane -- getting into rafts or standing on the wings. But as more people began to exit, the plane started to become submerged and passengers' feet started getting cold. See photos of the crash and rescue . The quick response may have helped save the lives of passengers, who if not for the rescuers may have been subjected to the frigid Hudson water. It's one of the things Moore said the Coast Guard focuses on during water rescues, especially in the winter. After only three minutes in cold water, people can lose the use of their arms and legs, according to the Oregon State Marine Board. At the time of the crash it was 21 degrees outside, the water temperature in the Hudson was 32.5 degrees and winds were blowing at 15 mph. Oregon State Marine Board: Surviving cold water immersion . Thankfully for passengers, ferry captains like Brittany Catanzaro came quickly to their rescue. Watch passengers describe what happened » . She was at the helm of a New York Waterway ferry during a normal commute across the river when she looked to her right and saw a plane in the water. "I had to do a double-take," she said. But Catanzaro knew exactly what to do. She said she and her crew train each month for water rescues. "We have to do man overboard, and we're constantly drilling. Constantly," she said. "And when something comes, you already know how to take effect and how to put everything together, so it just went very smoothly." Catanzaro immediately told her crew to get life jackets on, take extras to throw in the water, and prepare a cradle to help bring passengers onto the boat. The boat was the second on the scene. "When I got there, my crew went to work and started pulling out people," she said. "Some people were sighing with relief, some people were crying. It was nerve-wracking." In all, Catanzaro's crew helped bring 24 people aboard. "I was telling my crew, even if we pulled out one person, that was one more person we saved," she said. "And to pull out 24 people, that's 24 people." The Coast Guard was able to pluck at least 35 people from the water and wing of the plane. Catanzaro's crew and the Coast Guard were able to take nearly half the plane's passengers out of the Hudson. That's a credit to their training, Moore said, which is done exactly for this scenario. "We do train with each other from time to time to understand what each other can bring to the table when it comes to -- to search and rescue," he said. "This is one of the situations where this has come to fruition, and it's a great -- it's a great thing to see it happen like this."	Coast Guard, ferry training enable quick response, rescue . Ferry captain says they drill each month for man overboard scenarios . Boats help pluck passengers off wings, out of the water . Coast Guard lieutenant: "It's a great thing to see it happen like this"
f5fc20e17277b695316d120c9275d155ab9a0b9a	By . Tara Brady . Losing a tooth would land most of us in prickly situation but for Norman the hedgehog it's made him an internet sensation. It is not known how the African pygmy hedgehog owned by American Brett Jessie damaged his front gnasher. However, when Mr Jessie, 23, posted a picture of his beloved pet's mishap online he had no idea it would make the animal an internet hit. Scroll down for video . Norman the hedgehog has made a name for himself on the internet after this photograph was posted which shows him with a missing tooth . Construction engineer Brett, from Kentucky, said he took Norman on as a pet two years ago after a friend could no longer look after him. He said: 'I've had cats, dogs, lizards and fish, so I thought why not look after a hedgehog. 'I started posting pictures of him online but since I put the picture of him losing his tooth I've had hundreds more followers. 'Norman has lost a tooth but I'm not sure how or why, I was worried but the vet said so long as he's still happy it's fine. It is not known how the African pygmy hedgehog owned by Brett Jessie damaged his front gnasher . Construction engineer Brett, from Kentucky, said he took Norman on as a pet two years ago after a friend could no longer look after him . Brett Jessie has begun posting images of adorable Norman online and he has proved to be an internet hit . Construction engineer Brett, from Kentucky, said he took Norman on as a pet two years ago after a friend could no longer look after him . When Mr Jessie posted a picture of his beloved pet's mishap online he had no idea it would make the animal an internet hit . Mr Jessie says Norman eats meal worms mostly but his favourite food is cat food . Fun-loving Norman the hedgehog enjoys sailing his little boat in a bath of bubbles . 'He usually lays around the place and he's all about smells so if you put him down on the ground he's off. 'He eats meal worms mostly but I've tried everything and his favourite is cat food.'	The African pygmy hedgehog called Norman is owned by Brett Jessie . Mr Jessie, 23, posted a picture of his beloved pet's missing tooth online .
f5fc7e8f81f95cbe2894be8209c3d1658c3ff026	(CNN) -- As more technology goes mobile, "where" has become one of the key pieces of context in daily life. And the answers to "where" increasingly are provided through geographic information systems (GIS), a technology that is being explored, debated and celebrated today in public. It's GIS Day, and events are being held in 45 U.S. states and 59 countries. Find a GIS Day event near you . GIS is an umbrella term to describe tools used to gather, transform, manipulate, analyze and produce information about real-world places. It's used to create maps and 3-D models, and to provide information to create more accurate reports and make better decisions. It also powers popular interactive services like Google Street View, or GPS features that help apps on your smartphone know what you mean by "nearby." The point of GIS Day is to demonstrate uses of GIS that are making a difference in society, from getting driving directions on your cell phone to geocaching games to the global response to the Haiti earthquake. Presentations, demonstrations and discussions will cover such far-ranging topics as transportation, defense, education, agriculture and more. Every event is unique. I'll be attending the GIS Day event at the University of California, Berkeley, where I'm hoping to try out the free app GeoBeagle on my Android phone in a geocaching exercise. Some GIS Day events (like the UC Berkeley one) are conference-style and geared toward adults. But many are specifically kid- and family-friendly. For instance, Myford Elementary School in Irvine, California, is hosting a GIS Day event that includes first-graders making "map hats" and fourth- and fifth-graders playing geo-"Jeopardy." Most events are free and open to the public. GIS Day grew out of Geography Awareness Week, an annual campaign launched in 1987 by the National Geographic Society to promote geo-literacy and draw attention to "the importance of geographic understanding in ensuring our nation's economic competitiveness, national security, environmental sustainability, and the livability of our communities in the 21st century." Of course, GIS technology isn't all roses and sunshine. When GIS-enabled devices or systems know where you are and where you've been, it opens substantial concerns about privacy, safety, security and equity. GIS technology can pave the way for the more effective or equitable delivery of products and services, or it can empower communities to better look after their own local interests. But it can also enable new types of discriminatory "redlining," or encourage overeager law enforcement agencies to snoop. How much locative information is OK to share, and who should have access to it? Where to draw that line will probably be one of the most important "where" questions discussed at today's GIS Day events.	GIS Day aims to show how geographic information systems can aid society . Amy Gahran will be attending the GIS Day event at the University of California, Berkeley . GIS Day grew out of Geography Awareness Week, an annual campaign launched in 1987 .
f5fc9ff8f11b59eec5ddb8b7b9429162b8a6f91a	By . Associated Press . University of Connecticut alumnus Rick Mastracchio would have liked to deliver this year's graduation address to the school of engineering in person. But he'll be out of town on May 10 - orbiting the globe on the International Space Station. So UConn has arranged for the 54-year-old astronaut give the speech from space. His recorded address will be shown on the video boards at Gampel Pavilion to about 5,000 people, including more than 400 graduating seniors and their families, and several members of Mastracchio's family, including his wife, Candi. Above the world: Astronaut Rick Mastracchio will deliver his speech from the International Space Station . 'I remain a bit nervous,' said Kazem . Kazerounian, the dean of the engineering school, who helped set up the . unusual graduation speech. 'We . have never tried anything like this before, and I know that the world . will be watching us. So, while I'm excited, I still have to have my . fingers crossed.' Mastracchio, . Waterbury native who earned a bachelor's degree in electrical . engineering and computer engineering from UConn in 1982, will receive an . honorary doctorate. He is . wrapping up his fourth trip into space, an eight-month stint aboard the . space station, and has spent more than 51 hours on space walks outside . the orbiting laboratory. He recorded the speech over the weekend and beamed it back to NASA, which was converting the file Thursday to send to UConn. The astronaut graduated from UConn in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and computer engineering . This won't be Mastracchio's first contact with a Connecticut audience from space. Last month, he and colleague Steve Swanson did a live question-and-answer session from the space station with children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which has a new building since the December 2012 shooting that killed 26 people. This is at least the third astronaut to give a commencement speech from space, NASA spokesman Jay Bolden said. The first two both occurred at the University of North Dakota, including an address in August by astronaut Karen Nyberg. The other was a brief live "drop-in" by astronaut Mike Fincke in 2004 during a speech by NASA chief Dan Golden. Mastracchio is scheduled to fly back to Earth aboard a Russian spacecraft on May 13.	UConn alumnus and astronaut has pre-recorded the speech . Rick Mastracchio, 54, will be orbiting the globe on the ISS . UConn dean Kazem Kazerounian admits he's 'a bit nervous'
f5fcd5268d152942055414b73f92a79e4f4f2dd4	It seems right that different cultures would adapt Santa to suit their own traditions. But when the finished product involves riding a Harley Davidson, dressing in a slick zoot suit and sporting a sombrero you know that your Santa has the cool factor. Meet Pancho Claus, the Tex Mex Santa who usually has black hair, a black beard or sometimes just a moustache. Scroll down for video . Peter Martinez stands in front of his lowrider 'sleigh' in Odessa Texas . Like Santa, he wears a hat — though often it's a sombrero. He dons a serape or a poncho and, in one case, a red and black zoot suit. Pancho Claus likes to make an entrance wherever he goes too, usually on a lowrider or Harley Davidson, led by a pack of burros instead of eight reindeer. The tradition comes from the Chicano civil rights movement, and Pancho Claus is mostly based in Texas US. Rudy Martinez of San Antonio in his Pancho Claus costume . The Pancho Claus' traditionally have a black beard, but draw on their area's cultural flavour too . Pancho Claus Rudy Martinez visits a school in San Antonio Texas . The Pancho Claus tradition was borne of the Chicano civil rights movement in the late 1970s: Rudy Martinez (pictured) cuts a striking figure on a visit to bring some festive cheer to school children . Mesmerized school children enjoy a visit from Pancho Claus . Lorenzo Cano, a Mexican-American studies scholar at the University of Houston, says Pancho was apparently conceived north of the border as Mexican-Americans looked to 'build a place and a space for themselves' in the 1970s. His rise coincided with a growing interest in Mexican art, Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence Day and other cultural events. Each of the Panchos has a unique local flavour, and the tradition is adored across Texas. Some . historians believe that the tradition is set to spread to other parts . of the US too, with Panchos being spotted in California already. Children receive gifts from Pancho Claus across Texas, and the tradition aims to bring Christmas cheer to disadvantaged youngsters . In the West Texas plains, Pancho Claus is known as Pancho Clos. Julian Perez, a 71-year-old retired heating and air conditioning . repairman, has been Lubbock Texas' Pancho for 30 years and remembers when . three men, all of whom have since died, first came up with the idea. Mr Perez, who wears a long salt-and-pepper beard, . oversized sombrero and colorful poncho when he assumes the role of . Pancho, said: 'I . wanted to quit, but I just can't. It just makes me want to do something . for the kids.' Robert Narvaiz, vice commander for Lubbock's American GI Forum and coordinator of that city's Pancho project, said: 'Pancho Claus comes from the South Pole, and Santa Claus comes from the North Pole, and every year they get together here in Lubbock. 'Santa ... was he Anglo? Was he black? Was he Hispanic? I guess everybody is trying to do the same thing: Add a little of their own culture.' This city's Pancho dates to 1971, when the local American GI Forum decided to infuse a little Hispanic culture into Santa. They gave him a sombrero and serape, and held a big party at a park, giving out candy and fruit to 3,000 children. Today, Pancho visits schools, churches and supermarkets, but the biggest event — now supported by three different car clubs and dozens of bikers — remains the party at Rogers Park. There, on the Sunday before Christmas, Pancho hands out gifts. In Houston Texas Pancho wears a signature red and black zoot suit, fedora hat and waves to children from the back of a lowrider. Richard Reyes, 62, transformed into Pancho in the early 1980s, blending his interests in theater with his Hispanic heritage and a desire to work with at-risk, low-income children. He took on the mission after his teenage sister was killed in a drive-by shooting. Reyes put his own spin on Pancho, and started producing a short show that that eventually grew into a play with a 10-piece band and hip-hop dancers. Many of the performers were enlisted by Mr Reyes who met them while working in detention and community centres. He said: 'It's grown amazingly. 'Now we give out hundreds of toys, if not thousands, with other agencies and we also have a big Christmas Eve party for about 300 families ... and then on Christmas Day itself we actually go to the barrios with lowrider cars with sirens blaring ... and give out toys there.' In San Antonio Texas Pancho wears a sombrero and serape. He spends the festive season hanging out at River Walk, and poses in front of the Alamo. His gifts are carried in a cart pulled by trusty 'burritos.' Forget Rudolph's red nose. A head donkey named "Chuy" leads the way for this Claus. In San Antonio, Pancho visits schools and churches to hand out gifts and turkeys with all the trimmings to 50 low-income families. And Pancho, portrayed by Rudy Martinez, has grown so popular he even has a public information officer. His spokesman Patrick Resendez, said: 'The end result is putting a smile on their face.'	The Tex Mex community has its own unique take on Father Christmas . From zoot suits to donkeys Pancho Claus spreads unique festive cheer . Began in the 1970s in conjunction with Chicano civil rights movement .
f5fd057fdfa817a21da2674b6d5fcde791bc7ac6	(CNN) -- Police spotted a man in the gardens of Buckingham Palace and stopped him, concerned he might be an intruder. The man in question: Prince Andrew, Duke of York. He was out for a stroll through the manicured gardens in the early evening. Andrew, the son of Queen Elizabeth II, was born in the palace in 1960, has offices there, and spends much of his time there. Oops. Two uniformed officers spotted him at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and approached him "to verify his identity," the Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement. "The man was satisfactorily identified." "The police have a difficult job to do balancing security for the royal family and deterring intruders and sometimes they get it wrong," Prince Andrew -- brother of Prince Charles and former husband of Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson -- said in a statement. "I am grateful for their apology and look forward to a safe walk in the gardens in the future." The British press reacted with predictable excitement. A few accounts, apparently incorrectly, reported that the officers had their guns drawn. One outlet wrote that the prince was "held at gunpoint." According to the authorities, no force was used, and no weapons were drawn. Guards were already on higher alert when the incident took place. Two days earlier, it was the real deal: a security breach at Buckingham Palace. A man scaled a security fence and entered the building before being detained. Authorities arrested him for burglary, trespass and criminal damage. Another man was arrested later for alleged conspiracy to commit burglary. The incident drew headlines around the world. It was the latest in a series of security lapses over the years, a few quite colorful. In 2004 "Batman" scaled a fence and stood on a ledge to make a point about paternal rights. A year earlier, another royal residence, Windsor Castle, had an uninvited guest: someone dressed as Osama bin Laden showed up at Prince William's birthday party. It turned out both incidents had more to do with publicity for the perpetrators than safety of the royal residents. "Batman" was merely a dad with a cause; "bin Laden," a comedian. But Monday's alleged burglar seemed different, a more serious matter. Comparisons were drawn to the time in 1982 that a man made it all the way to the bedside of Queen Elizabeth. The queen talked to that intruder until help arrived. As for Prince Andrew, the garden incident wasn't his first brush with security gone wrong. In 2003 a bodyguard accidentally fired a shot while unloading his weapon at the prince's mansion.	Prince Andrew was mistaken for an intruder on Buckingham Palace grounds . The incident came days after a man made it into the palace and was arrested for burglary . Prince says he looks forward to "a safe walk in the gardens in the future"
f5fdbab87a0b3da4673132dbadefdf504ae82ce8	KINGSTON, Ontario (CNN) -- For Shona Holmes, simple pleasures such as playing with her dog or walking in her plush garden are a gift. Canadian Shona Holmes, who had a brain tumor, sought medical care in the United States. After suffering from crushing headaches and vision problems, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor four years ago. She was told if it wasn't removed, she could go blind or even die. "They said to me that you had a brain tumor and it was pressing on your optic chasm and that it needed to come out immediately," Holmes said. Holmes is Canadian, but the "they" she refers to are doctors at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, where she turned after specialists in her own government-run health care system would not see her fast enough. "My family doctor at that time tried to get me in to see an endocrinologist and a neurologist," Holmes recalled. "It was going to be four months for one specialist and six months for the other." Watch Holmes talk about her experience in getting treatment » . Even with the warning from U.S. doctors in hand, Holmes said she still couldn't get in to see Canadian specialists. Because the government system is the only health care option for Canadians, she says she had no choice but to have the surgery in the U.S. Her treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona cost $100,000, and she and her husband put a second mortgage on their home and borrowed from family and friends to pay for it. When she recounts that part of her painful story, she weeps. "That's the stuff that I find so tragic -- having dinner with my friends and I know how much money I owe them," Holmes says, tears streaming down her face. With the health care reform debate raging in the U.S., Republicans in Washington are seizing on Holmes' story and other accounts from Canada to warn against government involvement in the health care system. The Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, asserted several times on the Senate floor last month that a government-run health insurance option, which President Obama and Democrats want, could lead to a government-controlled health care system like Canada's. Watch McConnell talk about Canada's health care system . McConnell singled out Kingston General Hospital in Ontario as a prime example of what Americans should be fearful of: staggering delays in treatment. CNN went to Kingston General and played a DVD for its chief of staff Dr. David Zelt of McConnell slamming the hospital. Zelt insists McConnell's numbers -- an average of 340 days wait time for knee replacements, 196 days for hip replacements -- are an exaggeration. "I find it very frustrating that someone of that stature would not really have true knowledge of the numbers he is actually quoting on things," Zelt told us, saying the average wait time for a knee replacement is actually 109 days, and a hip replacement is 91 days. Watch Zelt talk about Canada's health care system » . However, Zelt does concede that in Canada's system, where every Canadian citizen is covered, there are limited resources, shortages and often delays. "In our health care system, we're looking at what we have to do to prioritize patients -- critically ill versus purely elective surgeries," Zelt said. "I'm not going to say we don't have issues with timeliness for some things. It does happen. But again take the other side of the coin -- these patients have access. They're on somebody's waiting list if they have a problem, and I think the senator would need to look at that issue. Yes it may take time, but they will get seen." McConnell's remarks have not only ruffled feathers with Ontario's doctors but also with government officials across the border. Canadian Sen. Hugh Segal, whom we met up with at Kingston's picturesque waterfront, says his "fellow conservatives" to the south are dead wrong about Canada's health care system. "The notion that we have some bureaucrat standing next to every doctor between the patient and that doctor is a complete creation, there is no truth to that at all," Segal said. Watch Canadian senator challenge McConnell's assertions » . "What you have is a longer life span, better outcomes and about one-third less costs. That's what you have." What Segal, Zelt and other Canadian officials underscore is that their government-run system is driven by the value of the care and that the quantity of tests and procedures don't necessarily equal quality. "You can have a patient from the hospital with abdominal pain as an example, and you can run him through every high-tech equipment, CT scan, MRIs -- it's unlimited," Zelt said. "But then you have to take a step back and look at that. What's the cost of doing those types of investigations, and what's the value really added to the patient?" Despite Shona Holmes' horror story about her inability to get timely treatment for a brain tumor, Canadian officials and doctors insist most life-threatening cases are treated quickly. Toronto's Doug Wright can attest to that. The 40-year-old father of three young boys found out last month he has cancer -- a tumor on his leg. But he says he never had to wait more than five days to see a specialist or get a test. And from diagnosis to surgery, it will be just over a month. "The community medical system thought this process could not have been any better. I have not had to wait to see some of the best specialists in the country, who are renowned internationally," Wright said. Watch Wright talk about his treatment » . An investment adviser, Wright has the money to go to the U.S. for his care, but says there is no need. But Wright recognizes one reason he has gotten such a rapid response from Canadian doctors is because he has cancer. "The bad news is I didn't have to wait for anything, because you don't have to wait when it's a serious issue," he said. Still, people can wait for months, or even years, for elective surgery. Wright's friend Rick Hession has a heart condition that could cause a stroke, but he has a three-month wait or more for an operation to help correct it. He says he can't exercise the way he would like to until he gets the surgery, but he's willing to wait. He calls it a small price to pay for free health coverage for all Canadians. "I'm OK with it, and I think most people I talk to find they really are [willing to wait]," says Hession. Watch Hession talk about waiting for treatment » . The reality is that despite GOP rhetoric to the contrary, no Democratic plan now on the table calls for a Canadian-like government run health care system. But in talking to doctors, government officials and even average Canadians, they concede their system is far from perfect, but there is one statistic they are quite proud of: All Canadians have health coverage. That's 33 million people, compared with the 47 million uninsured in the U.S.	Woman with tumor said wait would have been too long; she got costly U.S. treatment . Canadian man with cancer says he was put on fast track for treatment . Sen. Mitch McConnell says U.S.-run program would mimic Canada's problems . Some doctors who spoke to CNN say McConnell doesn't have facts right on waits .
f5fe8058c6716e4c971c29e26ea0d22ba5250f36	(CNN) -- Even when pulling a 60-degree angle bank turn over the Dubai desert, the U.S. military's V-22 Osprey aircraft is hardly approaching the limits of its capabilities. "What it's doing for us operationally, it's changing the game plan," says Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Duffy after the test flight at the Dubai Airshow earlier this week. "We're still exploring what this aircraft can do." What the aircraft has been doing recently is helping with the relief efforts in the Philippines after the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan - it's unique ability to tilt its rotors from vertical to horizontal allows it to act like a helicopter or turboprop plane and land without need for a runway. Duffy admits that it is a complicated aircraft to fly. Pilots -- be they experienced with fighter jets or helicopters -- have to train for around 24 weeks. But after all the tests and simulator hours, "it really is a thrill to fly, wherever we go people always ask us about it." Naturally Duffy is a fan, he's part of the hard sell that goes on to help procure orders for Bell and co-producer Boeing, much like all the other manufactures that gathered at the airshow that employed a mix of schmoozing and test-flight "wow-factor." "It's a great opportunity for all the main equipment suppliers to show both their commercial and military offerings to they key decision makers in the UAE," says Charles Forrester, an analyst for IHS Jane's Defense Industry. "As domestic markets are shrinking due to budget cuts, the large manufacturers are working hard to improve their export sales into regions such as the Middle East." UK prime minister David Cameron flew into the UAE before the airshow began to boost the bid to sell 60 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to the Emirates. While that deal remains unfulfilled, the rules of engagement, at least for sales of military hardware in the region, seem to be changing. The U.S. and Western European companies have long had political and economic links with many Gulf countries but more is being asked for them. "Many countries in the region are becoming more demanding in terms of industrial participation as part of procurement," says Forrester. "Known as 'offsets', these can cover direct participation in the construction and manufacturing process, technology transfer or direct investment in a country's defense industry." These offsets then are more than just sweeteners, but increasingly part of the package that aircraft manufacturers have to offer to boast sales. Another big piece of kit that doesn't have the advantage of an operational showreel like the V-22 Osprey is Airbus Military's A400M airlifter -- one of the newest aircraft in the skies. The first planes were delivered to the French Air Force in September. For his part former Mirage fighter pilot and A400M test engineer Eric Isorce is thoroughly impressed with the machine after 5,700 hours of test flights. "Its like nothing else, its a real plane for the 21st Century." Analysts believe that will be important as delays to the aircraft development meant it missed out on some potential orders from countries in the region who were renewing their fleet of multi-use cargo planes. IHS Jane's Defence estimates that the market for heavy-lift military planes is worth around $30B, and Airbus have stated they are keen to capture at least half of it. But it's not just a battle between big manufacturers from the U.S. and Europe. Russia's recently announcement that it wishes to sell arms to Egypt to the fill the potential void left by the U.S. showing that there are plenty of other players and obstacles in the high-stakes game of selling military hardware. "Other challenges in the region include export control regulations and embargoes," says Forrester. "Egypt, a key Western client country, currently has a number of arms trade suspensions against it. Some exporting countries, such as Germany, have had to deal with domestic opposition over exporting to countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia on human rights grounds."	Latest military planes were on show at Dubai Airshow . U.S. and European companies looking to expand sales in the region . Certain trade restrictions and increased competition make deals more difficult .
f5ff37f586e4c3ee231c7239510457e82a34b894	By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 10:09 EST, 3 April 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 11:40 EST, 3 April 2013 . A tree surgeon has appeared in court after his girlfriend suffered severe burns when she was doused in nail varnish remover which caught fire. Maxine Bohanan was taken to hospital after the incident at her home in Colburn, near Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, at 1.30am on bank holiday Monday. She had been at home when her hair, head, face, hands, arms, neck and back became covered in the flammable liquid, which ignited. Maxine Bohanan, 45, pictured right with Neil Watson, was engulfed in flames after she became covered in nail varnish . Ms Bohanan, 45, who runs a firm cleaning castles and historic homes, was found beside her bathroom sink by her daughter, Robyn, who called for an ambulance. Paramedics said Ms Bohanan, who also has a part time job as an administrative clerk for the Army, has extensive burns to her upper body. She was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital for treatment, but was transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle because of the severity of her injuries. Doctors said that Ms Bohanan’s condition had been life-threatening, but after being given a range of treatments she was stable. They said that because the burns would continue to develop for several days, they would not be able to assess the extent of her injuries until later this week. Doctors said that Ms Bohanan's condition had been life-threatening, but after being given a range of treatments she was stable . Ms Bohanan's boyfriend of five years, Neil . Watson, a tree surgeon from Colburn, has appeared before . Northallerton magistrates charged with grievous bodily harm with intent. Magistrates remanded Mr Watson, 40, to appear before Teesside Crown Court . next Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing. Robyn Bohanan, 22, said that despite the horrific injuries, her mother was in good spirits and was more worried about her beloved parrot, dog, guinea pigs and rabbit. She said concerns about her mother’s welfare and a range of rumours had been building in the community after the incident and she felt forced to end speculation that her mother had died. She said: 'Mum won’t like coming home and being on bed rest - she is always on the go, but we are very close and I will be here to look after her. 'She absolutely loves her animals and wants to get back here to care for them, but she is going to have to stay in hospital for some time.' Acetone, the active ingredient in nail varnish remover, is known for its extreme flammability and can combust when its concentration in the air rises above 2.5 per cent. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.	Maxine Bohanan was covered in nail varnish remover, which caught alight . Suffered extensive burns to her body and remains in hospital . Her boyfriend appeared before magistrates charged with GBH with intent .
f5ff4887cebd0d6e9266362ea6807130449a0782	An unknown hacker apparently gained access to a 2-year-old girl's baby monitor, calling her by name and harassing her, and her parents, with insults and profanity. A couple in suburban Houston, Texas, told CNN affiliate KTRK that, over the weekend, they heard a strange voice in the bedroom shared by their two toddlers. When they got there, Marc Gilbert said they realized the voice was coming from the Web camera they use to keep tabs on the children. What they heard next was ugly. "He said, 'Wake up Allyson, you little slut,' " Gilbert said. He said the hacker, who had a British or European accent, may have read her name on a wall in the bedroom. When he and his wife Lauren arrived, Gilbert said, the camera swiveled to face them. The hacker proceeded to call him a "stupid moron" and his wife a bitch, Gilbert said, before he unplugged the camera. The only positive about the situation, he said, is that Allyson never woke up. She was born deaf and has cochlear implants to help her hear, which she was not wearing while sleeping. "I felt like somebody broke into your house," Gilbert said. "As a father, I'm supposed to protect her against people like this. So it's a little embarrassing to say the least, but it's not going to happen again." Baby monitors, particularly those with video capabilities, have been shown in the past to be vulnerable. Video monitors can broadcast to TVs and hand-held receivers, or over Wi-Fi to computers, smartphones and tablets. In 2009, an Illinois family sued the manufacturer of its monitor after they discovered that they and their neighbors could monitor each other's feeds. Some newer models have technology that jumps from frequency to frequency, making them more secure, while older monitors do not. Security experts warn parents to make sure to enable passwords for baby monitors and Web cameras. Most new models are equipped with that ability, they say. Experts like Lisa Vaas of the Sophos Security blog also say to make sure home Wi-Fi and routers are password-protected. "Those who can't figure this out should ask for help from somebody with security expertise -- somebody they trust with the safety of extremely precious things," Vaas said. In comments on the KTRK article about the hack, Marc Gilbert said he did take basic security precautions: "The router was password protected and the firewall was enabled. The IP camera was also password protected," he said. "Of course, devices may well be protected by passwords, but default passwords that haven't been changed are like having no password at all, as other commenters pointed out," wrote Vaas on the Sophos Security blog. Multiple security experts have identified the camera model shown in the Houston news report as a Foscam FI9821P. A FAQ page on the manufacturer's site lists the default user name and password -- both "admin" -- for the camera, as well as the default port used to connect it to the Web. Altering those default settings "with a non-trivial password would make the device far more difficult to access, and probably too much trouble to bother with," wrote technology and security analyst Larry Seltzer for tech blog ZDNet. "If you want to go even further and make it really hard for attackers, you can change the default port." Seltzer said that anyone on the Internet could build a scanner that would find cameras still hooked up to their default port. They could then check those cameras to see if they still open using the default password. "This is almost certainly what happened," he wrote. Earlier this year, researchers at security firm Qualys used the Foscam in a demonstration of how Web-enabled cameras can be exploited. Foscam did not immediately respond Wednesday to a message seeking comment for this story.	Hacker curses at 2-year-old through baby monitor in her room . Houston father says web camera turned to face parents when they arrived . The girl, who is hearing-impaired, never woke up . Experts say to make sure monitors are password-protected .
f5ff64acd7bd3df287a7c4e76d78b905cbd9df5f	Gaza City (CNN) -- Israel's ground incursion into Gaza, which it says is intended to destroy Palestinian militants' tunnels and stop rocket fire into Gaza, has entered its fifth day with the death toll mounting on both sides and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arriving in Egypt. CNN's Ben Wedeman, a veteran Middle East correspondent, puts the incursion into perspective. How does this incursion compare to previous ones by Israel into Gaza, in terms of military force? Unlike 2008/09, this incursion seems to be focused on areas with high concentrations of people, initially focusing on the Gaza City neighborhood of Shaja'ia. In '08/09 the focus was on areas where rockets were being fired, which were typically away from highly populated communities. And of course at this stage, it's unclear how many Palestinian casualties there have been in these locations. The people have been warned by the Israelis to leave these areas with phone messages, but while many have left, a significant proportion has stayed behind. My impression is that Israel has mobilized a much larger military force than in 2008/09 and in 2012. This is part of the picture of the Israelis going into heavily populated areas -- which is a much more dangerous operation, as can be seen by the deaths of at least 13 Israeli soldiers on Sunday. Is Israel likely to achieve its objective of destroying the tunnels, and stopping the rocket strikes? So far, Israel hasn't been wildly successful in its stated mission. Since this started, Hamas has been using tunnels in an attempt to ambush and capture soldiers and continues to fire rockets at Israel, although the number fired has gone down. What we see is that as Israel's capabilities have changed, so have Hamas'. Whenever Israel comes up with new tactics, Hamas and other factions seem to find new ways to counter them, such as by using longer-range rockets to fire at Israel, for example. What is significant now is that Hamas fighters appear to be better trained, with a new set of skills that I don't think Israel anticipated. One Israeli soldier who came out of Shaja'ia was quoted in an Israeli publication that Hamas is fighting like Hezbollah, which waged a successful guerrilla war against Israel's occupation in the 1980s and 1990s, and inflicted high casualties on Israeli forces during the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon. The last serious street fighting I saw in Gaza was in early 2008, and it was almost like it was "amateur hour," with fighters in Gaza parading around with their weapons but not really able to stop the Israeli forces. Now it appears they've learned they must keep a much lower profile. They've developed what could be called commando tactics, and are taking full advantage of their knowledge of their turf. How long do you believe this incursion will last? How soon before it realistically is better described as a war? This is now a war, in my modest opinion -- it's gone beyond a mere incursion. Hamas shows no sign of backing down, and didn't jump at Egypt's cease-fire proposal. They want to show that they're a military force to be reckoned with, and are in it for the long run. Israel's defense minister said it would take two or three days to destroy the tunnels. If this crisis is to end soon, Israel will have to pull back and Hamas needs to stop firing rockets. In Hamas' opinion, they have achieved one of their objectives, which is to give Israel a bloody nose. They claim to have captured an Israeli soldier -- as yet this is unconfirmed -- but if true, it would be a huge feather in their cap, in their own terms. When Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured by Hamas in a June 2006 raid near the Israel-Gaza border, it took five years before he was freed, in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners -- so, if true, this will be a huge bargaining chip for Hamas. Will the death toll already suffered by Israel have a serious impact on public opinion in Israel? Israelis are used to this sort of death toll from Hezbollah, but not from Hamas. I was on the streets of Gaza on Sunday night, when Palestinians celebrated the claims that an Israeli soldier had been captured. Shortly afterwards, the guns on Israeli navy boats opened up. The immediate conclusion of everyone in the street was that this was Israel's response to the capture of one of its soldiers. How much effect will the pressure/condemnation from the United Nations (and in the off-mic remarks from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry) have? I believe the U.N. remarks will have no effect in Gaza. There is a perception there that the U.N. "talks but doesn't walk" -- it's toothless in other words. Hamas realizes it has few friends in the outside world. The remarks of the White House last week though will not go down well in Israel, I believe. And the comments of John Kerry on Sunday -- which left some wondering whether he was criticizing Israeli assurances that its ground offensive in Gaza would be limited -- indicate American patience may be wearing thin. After one of his deputies mentioned the latest number of Palestinian casualties, Kerry was heard to say, "It's a hell of a pinpoint operation." It is estimated that 70% of the more than 500 Palestinians killed in Israel's assault have been civilians. Washington has tied itself to Israel, and that country's right to self-defense, therefore the U.S. is going to feel some responsibility. Americans support Israel rhetorically, but this high Palestinian death toll is very problematic for the U.S. This is why Kerry may be feeling uncomfortable -- he spent almost a year trying to forge a Mideast peace deal, and what's he got to show for it now? Kerry seeks Gaza cease-fire amid rising casualties . Peter Wilkinson in London contributed to this report.	CNN's Ben Wedeman says Hamas is a stronger force this time . It has adopted commando-like tactics, he says . There was cheering at reports of an Israeli solider captured . U.S. has little to show for a year of trying to forge peace, he says .
f5ff9ba70a5007a655890705c8d02c88cab3effa	By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 11:43 EST, 30 January 2014 . \| . UPDATED: . 12:30 EST, 30 January 2014 . The apartment where Jay Z used to store drugs during his dealing days has been put on the market. The rapper revealed the location of his former 'stashspot' in the lyrics of his hit song 'Empire State Of Mind' and now the apartment at 560 State Street is for sale. Though he only mentions the building address in the song and not the apartment number, it has been previously reported to be apartment 10C, which is now on the market for $870,000. Open plan: The kitchen and living room of the duplex apartment are on the first floor . Spacious: The two-floor, two bedroom apartment feels much bigger than it's actual 1,045 square feet . Modern: The amenities have clearly been updated since Jay Z lived in this apartment in 1997 . Outdoor section: The building has a large courtyard area that Jay Z visited recently during the filming of a documentary about his life and upbringing . Jay Z reportedly moved into the building in late 1996 or early 1997, according to Zillow. The interest in the building came after he included the address in the 2009 hit song: 'I used to cop in Harlem, all of my Dominicano's / Right there up on Broadway, pull me back to that McDonald's / Took it to my stashspot, 560 State St.' From there, New York Magazine launched an investigation into the building's famous past, and initially reported that he lived in apartment 10B after speaking to long-term residents. Global Grind later revealed that the Grammy winning-billionaire actually lived in 10C- as told by Jay Z himself. New reason to visit: Jay Z and Beyonce are regular visitors to the Barclay's Center, which is just one block from his old digs on State Street . New views: The rapper's old apartment has views of the Williamsburg Savings Bank (right) but a recent picture of he and his daughter shows that they have upgraded (left) After one of his concerts that helped open the Barclay's Center- which is not far from his old home- Jay Z stopped by 560 State Street and looked at 10C for part of a documentary being filmed about his roots. 'He pointed out where he slept, how he had the place set up with music equipment and where he worked on some of his hip hop masterpieces in the late ’90s,' Amit Wehle, who lives in apartment 10B, told Global Grind. Now that same apartment that Jay Z called home is on sale, with a price that has clearly appreciated over time. The two-bedroom apartment in Boerum Hill has one and a half bathrooms and an open plan kitchen-living room. The Sotheby's listing notes how light pours in the six oversized windows. A duplex apartment with high ceilings, it comes as little surprise that it is described as being loft-like.	The rapper lived in the Boerum Hill apartment in 1997 and revealed the address in his hit song . Duplex apartment with two bedrooms and open plan kitchen now on the market for $870,000 . Is one block away from the Barclay's Center, where Jay Z performs often .
f5ffdf57a5c2bdc332665ee938208699fb23edba	Local police are searching the Surrey home of the two girls orphaned in the Alps massacre in an attempt to find out who was behind the fatal shootings. French prosecutors have also confirmed in a press conference this afternoon that all four victims were shot twice in the head, and that all immediate family members, including Saad Al-Hilli's brother will be questioned. Two relatives of the Al-Hilli family have gone to France, alongside a British social worker to visit the two girls, Zeena and Zainab, who are under police supervision. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Surrey Police have been on-site at the home of the Al-Hilli family in Claygate, Surrey since this morning, to held find further clues as to the massacre in the Alps . Forensic officers outside the al-Hilli home in Claygate. French investigators are working with British colleagues to find the killers . British Scenes of Crime Officers (SOCO) outside the home of French shooting victim, Saad al-Hilli in Claygate, Surrey . Grief: Family friends outside the Al-Hilli home in Claygate, Surrey, yesterday . The family home of Saad al-Hilli in Claygate, near Esher where tributes were laid yesterday. Three members of the family have been shot dead in the French Alps . Zaid Al-Hilli's home in Kingston, Surrey. He visited his nearest police station and 'presented himself spontaneously' to officers 'as a matter of course' after learning of his brother's murder . Public prosecutor Eric Maillaud said the identities of the . relatives who had arrived in France would not be made public for 'security . reasons'. There was confusion yesterday as no . relatives had presented themselves to the authorities to care for the . girls, who were being looked after by British consular staff and nurses. However it is unclear when they would be able to see the elder girl, Zainab, as she continues to be treated in hospital. Officers from Surrey Police erected a tent at the front of the al-Hillis' house today as they prepare to conduct a search of the property with the French police team, led by officer Marc de Tarle. The caravan which the family had been . staying in at the Le Solitaire du Lac campsite in Saint-Jorioz was also removed . by police. A team of four French officers has . travelled to the UK to work with British detectives at the house of Saad . al-Hilli in Claygate, Surrey. Four-year-old Zeena Al-Hilli – who . cowered under her mother’s skirt as bullets riddled the family car – has . spoken to police about the bloodbath. Saad Al-Hilli, the father of the two girls who who was shot dead in the massacre in the French Alps alongside his wife and stepmother . Her . elder sister, seven-year-old Zainab, remains in an artificial coma and . is seen by police as the key to learning what happened. Their uncle and closest living relative, Zaid Al-Hilli, 53, is being questioned in London today over an alleged feud between him and the girls’ murdered father over an inheritance rumoured to be worth anything up to £1million, police said. The desperate plight of the two little girls left alive emerged as it was also revealed that: . Iraq-born aerospace engineer Saad Al-Hilli, 50, his dentist wife Ikbal, 47, and his 74-year-old Swedish mother-in-law were killed by a hail of gunfire while in their BMW on holiday in the French Alps. Local cyclist Sylvain Mollier, 45, a father-of-three, was shot dead after disturbing the killing spree, and was hit by five bullets. Speaking about the children yesterday, Mr Maillaud added there had been much discussion about who will look after the orphans. Mr Maillaud said he hoped Zainab – who suffered a fractured skull and a bullet in the shoulder – could rebuild her life. 'It is a miracle the girl didn't get a bullet through her head and we feel that she may be able to start her life again,' he said. 'We're hoping the little girl will talk at length. It's awful for a little girl to be a key witness, because she will have to talk about her own suffering, but she's seven and seven is the age of reason, sometimes. She can tell the colour of skin, the colour of clothes, and other information we need.' When asked if their uncle Zaid had offered to be the children's guardian, M. Maillaud replied: 'Not to my knowledge.' Zainab, seven, was shot in the shoulder and beaten 'savagely' about the head. She is in a medically induced coma in Grenoble University Hospital and police are awaiting permission to question her. Her sister was unharmed and found so well hidden next to her mother and grandmother's body that it took police eight hours to find her. Delayed reaction: Several hours after police arrived on scene, Mr Al-Hilli's four-year-old daughter Zeena was found alive huddling under her mother's legs inside the car . Two French gendarmerie vehicles parked in front of the CHU Hospital in Grenoble, French Alps, where one of the two daughters of a British-Iraqi family is staying after a shooting . A bouquet of roses is seen on the place where four people were shot dead on the Combe d'Ire road, in the French Alpine village of Chevaline . The world's media has descended on the quiet and picturesque French village where the shootings took place . Glass from a shattered car window can clearly be seen on the floor of the murder scene . A French police's evidence marker is seen at the crime site in Chevaline, near the Annecy Lake, France . Yesterday, Mr Maillaud said Zeena had . identified her family, and described what he called the 'fury' and . 'terror' of the attack to French police. But . he added that because she hid behind her mother and grandmother's . skirts when the gunfire began she did not see anything important. 'This . is a little girl who must be protected,' he said. 'She should go back . to the UK soon so that she can try and forget this nightmare.' The . prosecutor said: 'We asked her, “Who were you with?”, and she said . first, “With my dad”, and she gave a name, “With my sister”, she gave a . name, “My mother”. 'The . little girl said, talking like a little girl does, she didn't know [the . Swedish woman] very well. We have to assess very clearly, who was that . lady with the Swedish passport?' Police believe this woman was the girl's maternal grandmother. French . and British police are waiting for the go-ahead from medical staff at . the hospital to talk to Zainab, who was hit with 'tremendous ferocity'. Mr . Maillaud said detectives hope the girl, who is in a stable condition, . will recover sufficiently from the trauma to speak to them and that her . memory was not damaged. He said: 'We are waiting for the ballistic . team's report and, when possible, a hearing with the eldest girl. 'Maybe she can give us information on the number of people present for example, or the colour of their skin, and other elements of description that might allow us to consider a bit more seriously a first lead.' On Thursday, some 12 gendarmes stood guard at the hospital alongside a number of security guards. Yesterday, there were no gendarmes, just two security guards. The Baghdad Connection .	Iraq-born Saad . Al-Hilli, 50, his dentist wife Ikbal, 47, and his Swedish . mother-in-law were killed by a hail of gunfire while on . holiday in the French Alps . Zeena Al-Hilli, four, – who . cowered under her mother’s skirt as bullets riddled the family car – has . spoken to police about the bloodbath . All immediate family members will be questioned, French prosecutors have confirmed . Surrey home is being searched by police in an attempt to find clues . Two unidentified family members are now in France to look after the orphaned girls . Elder sister, Zainab, remains in an artificial coma and is seen by police as the key to learning what happened . It is now thought that two gunmen – including one on a motorbike – carried out the murders . A total of 25 bullets were fired at the victims, not 15 as previously thought, with at least three shots per victim . Police think it is a 'miracle' the elder girl survived – and she may only be alive because the gunman ran out of bullets . Police praised the bravery of the . 'nerves of steel' shown by the British cyclist who telephoned for help . on the day of the shootings, and who has been 'unable to sleep' since . Wednesday's attack . French police will question Mr . Al-Hilli's brother Zaid just 48 hours after he walked into a British . police station to deny any involvement in the case .
f600a872619449e14b360c8b892c7971d86dbcdc	Mario Balotelli may have drawn criticism while enduring a relatively barren start to his Liverpool career - but supportive team-mates Jose Enrique and Suso are still singing his praises. The Italian firebrand silenced some doubters by scoring his first goal at Anfield in Liverpool's dramatic 2-1 comeback against Swansea in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday - closely followed by a bust-up with Jonjo Shelvey at the end of the game. And, while they are unlikely to make it on the X Factor, Spanish team-mates Enrique and Suso showed their appreciation with a rendition of the striker's 'Mario fantastico, Mario magnifico' chant that has been adopted by the Kop. Mario Balotelli (centre) came on as a substitute to score against Swansea in the Capital One Cup . Jose Enrique (right) and Suso voiced their appreciation with a version of 'Mario fantastico, Mario magnifico' The injured Spaniards sang the chant from a swimming pool before sending it to Balotelli on social media . Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Enrique is still sidelined with a knee injury . The pair recorded the song, which offers the lyrics 'Mario fantastico, Mario magnifico, ole ole ole', from what appears to be the training ground swimming pool before sending it to Balotelli via social media. The 24-year-old was pleased enough to post the video on his Instagram with the message: 'Jose and Suso. That cute voice lol! I want to see how they sing in English also!' VIDEO Rodgers dismisses Balotelli questions with a smile . Balotelli enjoys his goal with Jordan Henderson and eventual match-winner Dejan Lovren (right) Never far from controversy, the Italian was also embroiled in a spat with former Liverpool player Jonjo Shelvey . Balotelli brings a smile to Steven Gerrard (centre) and Kolo Toure's (left) faces during a training session . Injured Enrique posted a Twitter picture of himself and Suso (right) watching the game from the stands . The injured Spaniards were in the stands to watch their side's midweek win, although manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Enrique is still struggling with a knee injury. 'Jose is still not available, it's just an issue with his knee. He won't be available for the squad.' Rodgers told his pre-match media conference.	Mario Balotelli has failed to shine for Liverpool since a £16m move . Italy star scored in the Capital One Cup defeat of Swansea . Jose Enrique and Suso recorded their version of 'Mario Magnifico' chant .
f6011690537aa7af6f96070a3b975784f8e322da	By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 14:30 EST, 1 August 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 17:22 EST, 1 August 2013 . The mother of a convicted murderer who stabbed a chef to death today sensationally claimed her other son is the real killer after he signed a confession to the crime. Nina Winter, from Bournemouth, Dorset, is making an extraordinary plea to the authorities to charge her elder son Danny Brand with the murder in a bid to free his ‘innocent’ brother Jake. The 52-year-old said: 'I don’t want either of my sons to go to prison, I love them both, but if one is going to be in prison it should be the right one.' Who is the killer? Convicted murderer Jake Brand (left) is serving 23 tears in prison. His mother says his brother Danny (right) was the actual murderer . Jake Brand, 23, was jailed for life last year after a jury found him guilty of killing chef Glyn Helliwell in Bournemouth in July 2011. Mr Helliwell, 42, was walking home during the early hours when he was confronted by the Brand brothers. The prosecution’s case was that Jake Brand stabbed him to death with a knife as he robbed him for his mobile phone. Danny Brand, 30, was also arrested in connection with the murder but was never charged. Jake claimed to a jury that it was his sibling who committed the act, although it took him five months to mention it as he had not wanted to get him into trouble. Loss: Chef Glyn Helliwell was murdered in Bournemouth in July 2011 . Nearly two years after the killing, Danny Brand signed an affidavit confessing to stabbing Mr Helliwell in self-defence and that his younger brother was innocent. Jake Brand took his case to the Court of Appeal this week to overturn his conviction on the back of this confession but it was dismissed by judges who said it was 'simply not credible'. Miss Winter today insisted the police have jailed the wrong man and is seeking justice for youngest son Jake, who is facing at least 23 years behind bars. She said: 'Danny told me what had happened at the time - that it was him and not Jake that killed the man. 'He said they came across the victim and he had a bottle in his hand, and he thought the man was going to go for Jake. 'Danny was just defending his brother but it all went wrong. 'I know my boys and I know Danny was telling the truth. 'My boys are no angels but they would never go out looking to hurt someone like that. 'Danny wrote a confession at the time but the police didn’t want to know about it. 'They just wanted to pin it on Jake because of his history with them.' Danny, a builder, had been due to attend an appeal hearing in London this week but failed to show up. Family members are now trying to track him down in the hope that he can convince the authorities that he is the killer. Miss Winter, who has two other sons, added: 'I haven’t spoken to Danny since he signed the affidavit two months ago. 'He was supposed to turn up to the appeal hearing but he didn’t, and we’re now doing all we can to find him. Nina Winter is making an extraordinary plea to the authorities to charge her elder son Danny Brand with the murder in a bid to free his 'innocent' brother Jake . 'I speak to Jake all the time, he calls me twice a week. I tell him not to give up. I have to have hope that Danny will do the right thing. 'I know him and he won’t be able to live with the guilt of killing a man and seeing his brother in jail for it. 'He has to be a man and do what is right. The victim’s family need to know the truth and justice must be done. 'I love my boys with all my heart, but it has to be the right one of them in jail.' Mr Helliwell, who was a chef at the Bistro on the Beach restaurant in Bournemouth, had been on a night out at the time of his murder. A court heard that Jake Brand, who has 70 previous convictions ranging from theft, assault and criminal damage, stabbed him with a 6in knife. He later pawned Mr Helliwell’s mobile phone for £20. The father of Mr Helliwell today said he is convinced the police have the right man. Derek Helliwell said: 'I kept an open mind at the trial but at the end of it I was convinced that it was Jake who killed Glyn. 'I think the right man is in prison.' A spokesman for Dorset police said they were satisfied with the outcome of the court case. He said: 'The court case has concluded and we are satisfied with the result. We will not comment on further appeals.'	Jake Brand was jailed for stabbing Glyn Helliwell to death in 2011 . Now the murderer's mother says brother Danny was the real culprit . Judges say new development is 'simply not credible' Danny signs affidavit admitting to crime but is now on the run . Police and victim say they are satisfied right man is in prison .
f601639c358f71b03f5e2bdc79c1fa2cb52ac840	They say never mix business and pleasure but one Texas police officer decided to pop the big question to his girlfriend while on the job. Gregory Parris, 28, from Galveston, arranged for a patrol squad team to pull over the love of his life so he could propose to her in an elaborate ruse. The bold stunt was caught on dashcam camera, with footage showing poor Sarah Wolff on the verge of tears with sirens flashing before she realizes what's going on. Scroll down for video . On the job: Gregory Parris, 28, from Galveston, arranged for members from his patrol squad to pull over the love of his life so he could propose to her in an elaborate ruse . The bold stunt was caught on dashcam camera, with footage showing poor Sarah Wolff on the verge of tears with sirens flashing before she realizes what's going on . Will you marry me? Parris, who was watching the whole episode from another patrol car, drove up and walked toward his girlfriend . Spouses-to-be: Wolff's tears turned to laughter as her boyfriend got down on one knee, produced a ring and asked her to marry him . At first an officer tells her she has a broken taillight and that she also faces outstanding warrants. 'Are you serious?' she exclaims as she's escorted out of her car. The unwitting Wolff starts to cry. Parris, who was watching the whole episode from another patrol car, then drives up and walks toward his girlfriend. Her tears turn to laughter as he gets down on one knee, produces a ring and asks her to marry him. The two then lovingly embrace in the middle of the road. Elaborate stunt: Parris said that he was 'very nervous' that day but his hard work paid off in the end . Grand gesture: The police officer flashes the diamond engagement ring at the camera . All smiles: The happy couple are set to tie the knot on July 6 . Parris said that he was 'very nervous' that day but his hard work paid off in the end. His wife-to-be said she had no idea about what was going to happen and the officers involved 'deserve academy awards' for their convincing act. She concluded during an interview with KHOU-TV: 'I can't imagine being proposed to any better than that. It was perfect for us.' The happy couple are now set to tie the knot on July 6 .	Gregory Parris, 28, from Galveston, arranged for a patrol squad team to pull over the love of his life so he could propose to her in an elaborate ruse . The bold stunt was caught on dashcam camera . Footage shows poor Sarah Wolff on the verge of tears before she realizes what's going on . Luckily the grand gesture pays off and she says 'yes' The happy couple are set to tie the knot on July 6 .
f6018d11efb490bddf328d933ba1929b75377cb4	(CNN) -- The Denver Broncos are in ongoing contract talks with free agent quarterback Peyton Manning, a member of the Broncos organization told CNN on Monday. Manning was released earlier this year by the Indianapolis Colts, the only team for which he'd played in his 14-year pro career. In the subsequent weeks, the Super Bowl XLI victor -- who has been named the National Football League's Most Valuable Player a record four times -- has been hotly sought after by several teams. He did not play during the 2011 season after having surgery to repair a neck injury, and he ended his career with the Colts this month in an emotional news conference. All indications Monday were that the Broncos were the only ones negotiating with the star quarterback, deflating several other teams in the process. The Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals were said to be among the others interested in signing Manning. SI's Peter King: Bad news for other teams . While the signing hasn't been made final, several Denver Broncos players expressed excitement Monday that Manning had picked their team to join. Running back Lance Ball wrote "Wow!" on his Twitter feed, while offensive lineman Ryan Clady tweeted, "Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "It makes you think big," linebacker Robert Ayers told reporters. "If you look at [it] historically, the teams that won the Super Bowl are teams with a guy like Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees and Eli (Manning) and Aaron Rodgers and all those guys. So it definitely makes you confident." Linebacker Joe Mays, who officially signed again with the Broncos on Monday, told CNN affiliate KMGH, "We're definitely going to go for that Super Bowl ring, and we're going to do whatever it takes. We've got the man at quarterback to play for us." Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams said in a statement that he spoke with Manning on Monday morning. "I want to thank the whole organization for their efforts in trying to sign Peyton and also to Peyton for the time he put into the process," he said. "Peyton called me this morning to inform me of his decision and obviously I am disappointed, because I thought we would be a perfect fit." Manning told Adams that he will sign with the Broncos, KHOU-TV of Houston, Texas, reported. ESPN, citing multiple unnamed sources, said Manning would become the Broncos quarterback unless some unexpected problem surfaced during contract negotiations. The Denver Post, citing an unnamed NFL source, said Manning called former Broncos quarterback John Elway, who is now the team's executive vice president for football operations, to say he wants to play for the Broncos and wants to negotiate exclusively with the team. SI's Don Banks: Manning seeks to follow Elway arc . Manning's agent, Tom Condon, declined to comment. The arrival in Denver of a superstar of Manning's stature would raise questions about the fate of Tim Tebow, who became the Broncos starting quarterback last year amid electric fanfare and led the team into the playoffs. Tebow won the Heisman Trophy in 2007, when he played for the University of Florida Gators. SI's Chris Burke: Manning Watch over; Tebow Watch begins . On Friday, Elway traveled to North Carolina to watch Manning practice. "Watching him throw today was the next step in this important process for our team and Peyton. It was a productive visit and went well," Elway said on Twitter. "We enjoyed visiting with Peyton today in N.C. He threw the ball great and looked very comfortable out there."	NEW: Broncos players say Peyton Manning would boost their Super Bowl chances . The quarterback and Denver are discussing a contract, a Broncos source says . The former Colt was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player a record four times . John Elway of the Denver Broncos visited Manning in North Carolina on Friday .
f6026138c7d9de85cd4c3f60b465982e0b4140ee	An artist who can only draw in his sleep is hoping to raise £1million by selling his entire collection of work. Lee Hadwin, 37, places pads of paper around his London flat for the bizarre talent which he picked up at the age of four. He has drawn numerous portraits of screen siren Marilyn Monroe but most of his artwork is of circle-inspired abstract pieces. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Sleeping beauty: Lee Hadwin has drawn several portraits of Marilyn Monroe but most of his work consists of abstract pieces . Unique: The bizarre talent has baffled scientists who have examined Lee Hadwin several times . Celebrity fans: The work has been snapped up by art collectors including a few famous faces such as Derren Brown and Donald Trump . Baffled: Scientists have even examined Lee Hadwin's schoolwork to test if he is lying about the talent . Now the artist, who has baffled scientists with his talent, has decided to sell off his entire collection on eBay and donate half of to the Missing Person charity. Lee, a self-described 'rubbish' artist when he is awake, has sold sleep pieces for six-figure sums in the past with previous buyers including Derren Brown and Donald Trump. He is hoping to make £1 million from the sale with £500,000 going to charity. Charity: Lee Hadwin is hoping to raise £500,000 for charity with his latest collection . He said: 'It can happen two-to-three times a week that I get out of bed and draw in my sleep. 'But then then it might be another two weeks before I do it again. I sometimes go away and come back to finish a piece off. 'When I wake up, I know I have done something but I don't know what. 'My partner Clint, who I have been with for 14 years, thought it was a joke at first. He used to wake me up but now he just leaves me to it.' Lee, who wakes up with horrendous migraines after a night's drawing and is often sick as a result, says it has been a nightmare proving he's not a hoaxer. Over the years he has been for inconclusive tests at the Edinburgh Sleep Clinic with experts going back over his school work to see if he is lying. The artist, will put between 80 and 100 pieces on eBay on February 11, added: 'My art is horrific when I'm conscious. 'I have only sold a few drawings over the years and have held off selling a lot because I've been told to hold onto them because they will increase in value. 'But now I have just decided to sell them all for charity.' Lee, who is originally Welsh and lives with partner Clint, 40, chose the charity after meeting a woman whose sister has been missing for six months leaving her having to look who is looking after her children. Contrast: Lee Hadwin says his artwork is 'horrific' when he is awake . Sale: Around 80 to 100 pieces of Lee Hadwin's work will be put up for auction on eBay . Effects: Lee draws in his sleep two or three times a week and suffers migraines afterwards . The talent has astonished scientists around the world who have tested Lee several times . Valued: Some of Lee's work has been bought for large sums including a six-figure deal for a piece which was bought by an Asian businessman . Complex: Lee started off by drawing circles on walls as a child but later began making more advanced pieces . Ross Miller from the charity Missing . People, said: 'Lee is a passionate supporter of the charity and we're . very grateful for his ongoing dedication, generosity and help so we can . be a lifeline for families of missing people. 'Lee never does things by half and his latest gesture is another sign of his serious commitment to philanthropy and to doing it with gusto. 'On behalf of families currently facing the trauma of having a loved one missing, thank you for not forgetting us Lee.' VIDEO Watch Lee Hadwin drawing in his sleep .	Welsh artist Lee Hadwin, 37, picked up the bizarre talent at the age of four . Leaves pads of paper around his flat so he can draw in his sleep . Fans include illusionist Derren Brown and businessman Donald Trump .
f6027f8ec73695802e34bc738f750d9f859abe32	(CNN) -- Much has changed for Fresno State student body President Pedro Ramirez since he made news in November for admitting to being an undocumented immigrant. For one, he says he's been threatened countless times. "My cell phone info was public since I'm the (student body) president and so that was leaked out and people were calling me at night leaving me very -- let's say passionate voice mails," he said. The worst was the voice mail of gunshots and someone laughing in the background, he said. He received phone calls from as far away as Utah from someone who said they were coming to California to make a "citizen's arrest" because he was "illegal." They never showed up, he said. Ramirez moved with his parents from Mexico when he was 3. He has little memory of living anywhere other than Tulare, California, located about 45 miles outside Fresno. "I wanted to go to the military, but then I started asking questions and found out I wasn't a citizen. And then I found out I was undocumented," Ramirez told CNN in November. "I knew I was born in Mexico, but I was under the impression that we fixed our legal residency. So when I found out that wasn't the case, I was a little taken away." For four years, Ramirez did not reveal his undocumented status. When he started college at Fresno, he told a few friends about his illegal status and hoped they would keep his secret. That all changed in November after an anonymous tip to the Fresno State newspaper, The Collegian, leaked his undocumented status. Reaction to the news was mixed. While a small, but vocal group came out against Ramirez, Fresno State President John D. Welty emerged as one of Ramirez's most high-profile supporters. "I commend (him) and other AB 540 students who are following the statute as they seek higher education despite a great many difficulties that undocumented immigrants face," Welty said in a statement to CNN. AB 540 is a California state law that allows qualified undocumented students to pay in-state tuition, instead of out-of-state tuition, at California's public higher education institutions. "When (his) immigration status was made public ... there was some campus controversy and it occurred at the same time when the Student Senate voted to endorse the Dream Act," Welty said. "My support of their efforts stems from a hope that our campus and community will remember that diverse colleges and universities better prepare students for the diverse workplace of today and tomorrow." Welty was referring to legislation that calls for offering a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children. In December, the Dream Act was defeated by a Republican filibuster in the Senate after winning passage in the House. Despite his support for Ramirez, Welty said the controversy and conflict surrounding the student is understandable. Still, he lauds Ramirez for "encouraging students to strive to change laws in our nation that may be unjust." Fellow Fresno State senior Neil O'Brien -- who describes himself an Argentinean-American citizen born to legal immigrant parents from Argentina -- became Ramirez's most vocal critic. "There is a process to become a citizen. There is a path. My parents emigrated here from South America. They took the path Pedro should have taken. That's the process in place and that's the process he should have applied to. He shouldn't be a special case. He shouldn't be granted special treatment," O'Brien said in a phone interview with CNN. O'Brien created a website called www.TheRealPedro.com, which he uses to "expose" Ramirez, he says on his website. "I agree with diversity. This is nothing against diversity," O'Brien told CNN. "This is not about race or anti-diversity. Everybody knows this country was built by immigrants. But we are a nation of laws. The reason this country is so great is because we have laws." In recent months, other college students have come forward as undocumented immigrants. This month, U.S. immigration officials decided that an undocumented immigrant in Georgia apprehended by authorities after driving without a license can stay in the United States for another year. Reached by phone as she rushed to class last week, Kennesaw State University student Jessica Colotl told CNN the decision was "like a big present." Mariano Cardoso, 23, a Capital Community College student in Hartford, Connecticut, is also undocumented. Much like Ramirez, the Mexican college student has lived in the United States since his family entered the country illegally when he was a toddler. In late April, Connecticut's governor and two U.S. senators announced they had won the fight against Cardoso's deportation and that he would be allowed to stay in the United States, for now, and graduate this month with his classmates. "I think that's great," Ramirez said Cardosa's case. "I believe that he's a student like me. It shows that people support us. Just like the polls show, (the U.S. would) rather have students who want to stay in the country. They want to find a path for them rather then deport them." For Ramirez, his dream is still very much alive. He's looking into continuing his education to get a master's in public administration and policy. To those who criticize his still illegal status, he said, "Until Congress decides to act, there's no process" to become a citizen. He understands he is a divisive character, but said he's received more support than attacks in the six months since his immigration status was released. He is scheduled to graduate on May 21.	Pedro Ramirez is Fresno State student body president . He made news in November for being president despite being an undocumented immigrant . He says has been threatened numerous times since then .
f602bd1afab96b8b61cec3d2ff070b3dbe9167b7	The woman at the center of the Obamacare enrollment site, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner on Tuesday was the first government official to testify before Congress since the government's health insurance exchange went live on October 1. After nearly three hours of questions from both Republican and Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee, here's what we learned: . 1. Finally, an apology . After four very tumultuous weeks of open enrollment, Tavenner became the first government official to publicly apologize for the rocky rollout of HealthCare.gov. Tavenner: Sorry for problems, but system working . "We know that consumers are eager to purchase this coverage and to the millions of Americans who have attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health care coverage, I want to apologize to you that the website has not worked as well as it should," Tavenner said during her opening remarks. President Barack Obama has admitted his frustration and Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has expressed regret, but on Tuesday, Tavenner accepted responsibility for the site's failures. "Obviously, I'm accountable for this," she said later in the hearing. But Tavenner was insistent that the site is not beyond repair. "I want to ensure you that HealthCare.gov can and will be fixed and we are working around the clock to deliver the shopping experience that you deserve," she said. "We are seeing improvements each week, and as we said publicly, by the end of November, the experience on the site will be smooth for the vast majority of users." Despite Tavenner's claims of responsibility for the program's failures, none of the members of the committee signaled that she should be reprimanded. On the other hand, more than 30 House Republicans and at least two prominent Republican members of the Senate have called for Sebelius' resignation. Why Sebelius will keep her job... for now . 2. Insurance plans are being canceled . No fewer than 10 Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee held up or cited letters sent to constituents saying that their health insurance plans were going away. Most of these legislators quickly followed up with references to a talking point at the center of Obama's pitch to consumers both before and after the Affordable Care Act was passed. "If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan," the president repeated in speeches, weekly addresses and even the 2010 State of the Union address. At Tuesday's hearing, Republicans called that promise misleading. Keep your plan? Maybe not . Opinion: Canceled health plan is a good thing . Tavenner acknowledged that while some insurance companies had decided to stop offering certain plans on the individual market, the ACA did not force them to make that decision, and consumers whose plans have been canceled now have more comprehensive plans available to them. CNNMoney: Obamacare pricier for some individual buyers . "If, in fact, the issuer has decided to change the plan -- it didn't have to," Tavenner said. "Plans were grandfathered in in 2010 if they didn't make significant changes in cost-sharing and this sort of thing, they could keep the plans that they had." Companies that decide to create new plans, Tavenner continued, must conform to new mandates under the ACA. These include a ban on rejections due to preexisting medical conditions, and new mandated benefits such as hospitalization, emergency services and maternity care. In response to repeated Republican questioning, Tavenner recommended that consumers who lose their coverage explore the options available to them on the new federal exchange. "They can call the call center today and we will help them," Tavenner said. "They can go online and if they're not successful we can help them through the call center. We also have people in their individual markets that can help them in person. So there are more methods than just the website. And I think that's important." 3. Initial enrollment will be low . Since the ACA passed in 2010, Obama administration officials have pointed to the initial months of Massachusetts' health reform implementation as a predictor of how the nation-wide rollout might go. While repeatedly emphasizing that her agency wouldn't be releasing any enrollment information until mid-November, Tavenner used this example again on Tuesday as one reason why the first round of numbers might be lower than expected. "We expect the initial number to be small," Tavenner said. "And I think you've seen that in our projections, and that was the Massachusetts experience as well." Later Tavenner expanded on that explanation saying, "The Massachusetts experience was very slow initially and then it started to ramp up over time. We expect the same type of projections." In recent days, White House officials have cited a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that found the vast majority of the consumers who enrolled in the first month of the Massachusetts health insurance exchanges were Medicaid eligible. The study found that just 123 premium-paying enrollees signed up in Massachusetts during the first month, compared with 10,000 people who signed up for Medicaid or plans with no premiums. 4. The partisan gulf remains wide -- and Democrats are standing by Obamacare . As Republican after Republican read testimonials from their constituents about the disastrous effects the Affordable Care Act is having on insurance policies, and the tortured experiences many have had trying to enroll online, the stories coming from Democrats were quite different. Supporters of the law acknowledged that the first month of open enrollment had been less than pleasant, but the stories they recounted had happy endings. California Democrat Rep. Xavier Becerra told the story of Andrew Striker, who waited three hours to purchase insurance online, but was happy with his insurance in the end. "The good news for Mr. Striker is he's saving $6,000 as a result of being able to apply for the plan," Becerra said. "So it's unacceptable for anyone to have to wait even three hours, and even though he says that he would have waited all day given the result he got, what we want is for everyone to experience the $6,000 savings -- maybe not that much, maybe more." Rep. Danny Davis, a Democrat from Illinois, used his time to list off statistics demonstrating the successes of open-enrollment in his state. The most passionate defense of the health care law came from New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell, who chastised Republicans for trying to kill the law rather than working to improve it, as Democrats had done when faced with health reform they opposed, President George W. Bush's Medicare Part D. "We lost the policy fight, and what did we do? We went back to our districts and we told our seniors although we voted no, we personally believe -- and will work with the Bush administration to make it work, that's what we did," Pascrell said, standing from his chair to face his colleagues. "And how many of you stood up to do that? None. Zero. Zero." 5. Capacity is improving . In a statement that galled many Republicans on the committee, Tavenner said that despite all of its hiccups and inconsistencies, HealthCare.gov is currently functioning. "The system is working," she said. "We'd like for it to work better and that's what we've committed to do by the end of November." Will the young and healthy use healthcare.gov? Security hole found in Obamacare website . For weeks, administration officials have said that performance is improving every day, and on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday afternoon CMS officials gave an update on consumers' ability to create an account on HealthCare.gov, a major bottleneck in the site's early days. "Now we are able to process nearly 17,000 registrants per hour, or five per second, with almost no error rates," CMS communications director Julie Bataille said on the call. "So that's the number of individuals who are completing that full account creation process, that first step in the application."	Woman at center of Obamacare website is first official to apologize for rocky rollout . Republicans say President's Obamacare promise is misleading . Administration cites Massachusetts health care law as example of slow enrollments . Is the law helping? Republicans say no, Democrats cite happy customers .
f602c4d6555cda6d3774c05645f788e46456744f	He said one household was costing the public purse £600,000 a year . By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:17 EST, 12 March 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 18:45 EST, 12 March 2013 . A mother gave her daughter three ecstasy tablets as a present for her 13th birthday, it emerged last night. The woman was reported to social services after handing over the Class A drugs as a special prize for becoming a teenager. It is understood the family, from Middlesbrough, are now being monitored by social workers – although the mother was not prosecuted. Tough ex-detective Ray Mallon, formerly known as RoboCop, has spoken out about problem families in Middlesbrough, where he leads the council . The case was exposed by the town’s mayor, Ray Mallon, in a bid to highlight widespread social problems. Mr Mallon said it was just one example . of the terrible parenting he had encountered, and added that such . incidents led him to ‘despair’. Social problems blamed on bad parenting are placing a huge strain on council budgets, with many children being taken into care. One family with six children in care is costing Middlesbrough Council more than half a million pounds a year. He claimed he knew of one nother who gave her daughter three ecstasy tablets for her 13th birthday present . Mr Mallon, a former policeman who . earned the nickname ‘Robocop’, said: ‘No one wants to take children . into care, but when we have parents whose own upbringing makes them feel . giving their children drugs is acceptable, we sometimes have little . choice.’ He said one household was costing the public purse £600,000 a year. Mr . Mallon said children should be targeted 'in the womb' to stop problems, . as he claimed that they were being let down by parents who abused . alcohol and drugs. Mr Mallon, who has been elected Middlesbrough's mayor three times, said there were 360 children in care in the town. He highlighted the case when speaking to BBC's Look North about hundreds of troubled families being supported on Teesside. He told the BBC as an ex-police officer, he often recognised the same family names getting involved in crime. He said we should target children whilst they're in the womb 'because it's clear that you can work out by the parents which kids are likely to have problems.' The Government has set up the Troubled Families programme so authorities and their partners can help 120,000 households in England turn their lives around by 2015. The scheme will see councils receive funding if they tackle problems such as truancy, anti-social behaviour and youth crime. Mr Mallon was heralded by politicians in the late 1990s when he adopted a zero tolerance stance against crime while a detective superintendent with Cleveland Police. He was elected on an independent ticket in 2002, and will stand down in 2015. He has also said today that of the borough’s 23 wards 16 were socially deprived - one of the biggest challenges facing the town right now. He said for every 16 children taken into care it costs the council £1.2m.	Children should be 'targeted in the womb to stop problems', Ray Mallon said . Former detective was speaking out about problem families in Middlesbrough . He said one household was costing the public purse £600,000 a year .
f6035d2783cddfb01b9bad856d4d01b7b2a4e5aa	Thomas Eric Duncan was one of five people who rode in a cab with an infected woman who later died . The Liberian cab driver who ferried U.S. Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan and a pregnant 19-year-old who he was helping has said that the woman was so sick she could not walk and had blood trickling out of her mouth. It is believed that Duncan contracted the deadly virus on that the taxi ride in Monrovia, Liberia, with Nathaline Williams. Ebola spreads by contact with an infected person's blood, sweat, saliva or other bodily fluids. Five people rode in Jiminez Grugbaye's cab as they searched for a hospital for Williams on September 15. Williams later died of Ebola. Her brother, who was with her in the car, died days later. Her parents, who were also in the cab, are currently hospitalized with the disease. Still, when Duncan flew out of Monrovia en route to Dallas, Texas, he claimed he had not come in contact with anyone infected with Ebola. When he showed up at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas with a fever, headache, abdominal pain and decreased urination on September 25, he again claimed he had never come in contact with anyone afflicted with the virulent virus that has already killed 3,300 in West Africa, the hospital announced on Thursday. Mr Grugbaye, the taxi driver, told an NBC News crew in Liberia that he had picked up Miss Williams and ferried her to three hospitals and a clinic while she convulsed and moaned in the back seat. She was clearly very sick and feeble, he said. Scroll down for video . Jiminez Grugbaye says he drove the taxi that ferried Duncan and a sick pregnant woman in search of a hospital. All five people who rode in the cab have either died of Ebola or are infected with it . 'She was helpless. She, she was not able to walk by herself,' he told NBC. Mr Grubaye said he noticed a stream of blood trickling from Williams' mouth. However, her family told him that she had only bit her tongue and that she was suffering a miscarriage - not sick with Ebola. Despite Williams' dire condition, she was turned away at three hospitals and a neighborhood clinic. Ebola is ripping through the 72nd SKD Boulevard neighborhood where Duncan lived in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, spreading faster than health officials in the impoverished nation can stop its spread. Four days after Duncan's counter with Ebola-stricken Williams, he boarded a plane for Brussels, Belgium. From there, he flew on a United Airlines flight to Washington Dulles International Airport, where he was allowed into the country. Duncan then flew to Dallas, where he stayed with his girlfriend for five days while Ebola began to run its course.	Jiminez Grugbaye says Thomas Eric Duncan rode in his cab with Nathaline Williams, who later died of Ebola . All five people who rode with Williams later died of Ebola or were infected with it . Duncan claimed he had no contact with anyone with Ebola when he flew out of Liberia . He made the same claim the first time he was taken to a Dallas hospital .
f6037292319c1fc5a664e716c53e7e75fd7b0b25	By . Andy Milne and Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 19:34 EST, 2 October 2012 . \| . UPDATED: . 05:43 EST, 3 October 2012 . A tape has emerged on the eve of the presidential debate of Barack Obama making controversial 'race' remarks about the government’s response in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Speaking to an audience of predominantly black ministers at Hampton University in 2007, Obama said that the response to Katrina was lacklustre because ‘the people down in New Orleans, they don’t care about them as much'. Critics say the tape is an example of the President trying to whip up 'fear and hatred' but supporters of Obama said the speech has already been widely reported and dismissed the release as an attempt to deflect attention away from Romney ahead of tonight's crucial debate in Denver, Colorado. Scroll down for video . Fiery remarks: Obama was filmed giving the speech in 2007 at Hampton College, Virginia where he discussed the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina . The speech had previously been aired but . only an edited video was released and a transcript that did not include . the ad-lib remarks about New Orleans. Mr Obama said: 'Down in New Orleans, where they still have not rebuilt 20 months later. There's a law, federal law - when you get reconstruction money from the federal government - called the Stafford Act. 'And basically it says, when you get federal money, you have to give a 10 per cent match. The local government has to come up with ten per cent. Every $10 the federal government comes up with, local government has to give a dollar.' He continued: 'Now here’s the thing. When 9/11 happened in New York City, they waived the Stafford Act - said, ''This is too serious a problem. We can’t expect New York City to rebuild on its own. Forget that dollar you have to put in. Well, here’s $10.'' 'And that was the right thing to do. When Hurricane Andrew struck in Florida, people said, ''Look at this devastation. We don’t expect you to come up with your own money here. Here’s the money to rebuild. We’re not going to wait for you to scratch it together, because you’re part of the American family.'' 'What's happening down in New Orleans? - ''Where's your dollar? Where's your Stafford Act money?'' ‘It tells me that somehow the people down in New Orleans, they don’t care about as much.' Rousing: Obama spoke at the minsters' conference of Hurricane Katrina, saying: 'The people down in New Orleans, they don't care about as much' Audience: Obama's speech was made to predominantly African-American ministers at a conference in 2007 . The recording of Obama also reveals him giving a 'special shout out' to controversial pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright who was in the audience. In the footage, Obama introduces Reverend Wright as 'my . pastor, the guy who puts up with me, counsels me, listens to my wife . complain about me. 'He's a friend and a great leader. Not just in . Chicago, but all across the country.' The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act became law on November 23, 1988 and was amended in 2007. It coordinates the federal response to natural disasters including tsunami, tornado, terrorism, landslide, hurricane/tropical storm, wildfires and earthquakes. During the response to Katrina in 2005, the act was criticized for its bureaucratic red tape that delayed the relief effort and distribution of aid. Obama's speech in June 2007 came a year before Wright's infamous 'God damn America' remarks surfaced in 2008. Referring to treatment of African-Americans in the U.S, Rev Wright said in a sermon in 2003: 'No, no, no, not God Bless America. 'God damn America....God damn America, for treating our citizens as less than human.' The retired pastor also came under fire . after he said the September 11 terrorist . attacks were 'America's chickens coming home to roost'. He was kept at a . distance by Obama during the 2008 campaign. Right and left-wing media were divided over the impact of the tape. The Daily Caller, which broke the story, erupted over Obama's remarks, describing them as 'racially-charged'. The conservative blog added that the 'at times angry speech undermines Obama’s carefully-crafted image as a leader eager to build bridges between ethnic groups'. It also compared the President with radical civil rights activist Al Sharpton. The site's editor Tucker Carlson told Fox that the clips were Obama 'whipping up race hatred and fear. Period.' Supporters of Obama have dismissed the tape's release as an attempt to deflect attention away from Mitt Romney ahead of tonight's crucial debate in Denver, Colorado. Romney here faces Newt Gingrich (left) during a Republican presidential debate earlier this year . Direct line: President Obama calls supporters during a visit to local campaign offices in Henderson, Nevada this week ahead of the first presidential debate . The liberal media played down the Obama tape as old news. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow heaped . sarcasm on the clip, saying: 'This is how he snuck into the White . House, right? People didn’t actually know he was this black, and if they . had known, they never would have elected him.' Sam . Feist, Washington Bureau Chief at CNN, tweeted: 'Re: Secret tape of the . Obama event: CNN covered it in 2007. It was open press.' Both Romney and Obama have stepped back from the campaign trail in recent days as they prepare ahead of their first head-to-head meeting on stage on Wednesday night. The Republican National Committee has stayed quiet over the release of the tape while Romney's camp has denied involvement. Security: Workers build fencing outside the Magness Arena at the University of Denver ahead of tonight's first presidential debate . All set: Adjustments to the stage are made with just hours to go before Obama and Romney arrive . The Obama campaign said the release of the clips were a 'transparent attempt' by Romney's allies to divert from a secretly-recorded tape where the Republican nominee told a fundraiser that 'there are 47 per cent who are with him [President Obama], who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims'. Campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said: 'The only thing shocking about this is that they apparently think it’s wrong to suggest that we should help returning veterans, children leaving foster care and other members of Mitt Romney’s 47 per cent get training that will allow them to find the best available jobs. 'If the Romney campaign believes that Americans will accept these desperate attacks tomorrow night in place of specific plans for the middle-class, it’s they who are in for a surprise.' VIDEO: Watch Obama's controversial 2007 'race speech' - an October surprise?	Obama was speaking to ministers at Hampton University, Virginia . Described incendiary pastor Rev. Wright as a 'friend and great leader' Right-wing media said Obama was whipping up 'fear and hatred' while liberals dismiss tape as old news . Obama and Romney go head-to-head in presidential debate on Wednesday .
f6045d636c6235d66c43f70b2f69f0a854b0262e	Astronomers recently spotted seven galaxies that appeared around 13.1 billion years ago - 700 million years after the Big Bang. Where the galaxies came from initially confused the experts because they seemed to appear almost out of nowhere, very rapidly. But now the team behind the observations suggest the previously hidden cluster of stars appeared when a cosmic 'fog' cleared. These colour composite images from the Subaru Telescope show the seven galaxies found in the study, as they would have looked 13.1 billion years ago - but their sudden appearance is a bit of a mystery. They have a red colour due to the effects of cosmic expansion on their light . The latest discovery, published in the Astrophysical Journal, was made by a team of astronomers at the University of Tokyo using the Subaru Telescope in Japan. Although earlier galaxies have been spotted by the Hubble Space Telescope, the telescope is significant as it looks for a particular type called Lyman-alpha Emitters (LAEs). The universe was born in the Big Bang some 13.8 billion years ago. In its earliest epochs, it was filled with a hot 'soup' of charged protons and electrons. As the newborn universe expanded, its temperature decreased uniformly. When the universe was 400,000 years old, conditions were cool enough to allow the protons and electrons to bond and form neutral hydrogen atoms. That event is called 'recombination' and resulted in a universe filled with a 'fog' of these neutral atoms. Eventually the first stars and galaxies began to form, and their ultraviolet light ionised (energised) the hydrogen atoms, and 'divided' the neutral hydrogen into protons and electrons again. As this occurred, the 'fog' of neutrals cleared. Astronomers call this event 'cosmic reionisation' and think that it ended about 12.8 billion years ago - about a billion years after the Big Bang. The timing of this event - when it started and how long it lasted - is one of the big questions in astronomy. LAEs were primitive, low mass galaxies and are among the oldest types known in the universe. They are thought to have been the progenitor for modern, Milky Way-type galaxies. Using the telescope, the team, led by graduate student Akira Konno and Dr Masami Ouchi, were looking to find the role LAEs played in an event called 'cosmic reionisation'. When the universe was 400,000 years old, conditions were cool enough to allow the protons and electrons to bond and form neutral hydrogen atoms. That event is called 'recombination' and resulted in a universe filled with a 'fog' of these neutral atoms. Eventually the first stars and galaxies began to form, and their ultraviolet light ionised - or energised - the hydrogen atoms, and 'divided' the neutral hydrogen into protons and electrons again. As this occurred, the 'fog' of neutrals cleared. Astronomers call this event 'cosmic reionisation' and think that it ended about 12.8 billion years ago - about a billion years after the Big Bang. The timing of this event - when it started and how long it lasted - is one of the big questions in astronomy. To investigate this cosmic reionisation, the Subaru team searched for early LAE galaxies at a distance of 13.1 billion light years. 'At first we were very disappointed at this small number,' Mr Konno said. 'But we realised that this indicates LAEs appeared suddenly about 13 billion years ago. 'This is an exciting discovery. We can see that the luminosities suddenly brightened during the 700 to 800 million years after the Big Bang. What would cause this?' The latest discovery, published in the Astrophysical Journal, was made by a team of astronomers at the University of Tokyo using the Subaru Telescope (pictured) in Japan. Although earlier galaxies have been spotted by the Hubble Space Telescope, Subaru is significant as it looks for Lyman-alpha Emitters (LAEs) In the team's analysis, they suggest neutral fog that once filled the universe began to clear about 13 billion years ago, which resulted in LAEs suddenly appearing for the first time. Shown left is a distant LAE and right is what one might look like from up close . According to the team's observations, one reason that LAEs appeared very quickly is cosmic reionisation. LAEs during the time of cosmic reionisation became darker than their actual luminosity due to the presence of the neutral hydrogen fog. In the team's analysis, they suggest the possibility that the neutral fog filling the universe was cleared about 13 billion years ago and LAEs suddenly appeared in sight for the first time. 'However, there are other possibilities to explain why LAEs appeared suddenly,' said Dr Ouchi, the principal investigator on the programme. 'One is that clumps of neutral hydrogen around LAEs disappeared. Another is that LAEs became intrinsically bright. 'The reason of the intrinsic brightening is that the Lyman-alpha emission is not efficiently produced by the ionised clouds in a LAE due to the significant escape of ionising photons from the galaxy. 'In either case, our discovery is an important key to understanding cosmic reionisation and the properties of the LAEs in early universe.'	Astronomers recently found galaxies that seemed to appear from nowhere . Known as Lyman-alpha Emitters (LAEs) - the galaxies sprung into view 700 million years after the Big Bang . Why they appeared so suddenly initially confused the astronomers . But, they now suggest it was due to the clearing of a 'fog' in the universe . As hydrogen was swept away, hidden galaxies were rapidly revealed . This may explain how the galaxies appear to form incredibly rapidly .
f6048aa358fdddc9a54dcec3f6a012cfe5051283	The number of unaccompanied minor immigrants who have crossed into the United States has officially surpassed the 60,000 expected in the Obama administration's initial estimates, according to Department of Homeland Security data. Internal DHS figures show the number for the fiscal year, which ends in October, stands at more than 62,000 as of the end of last week, according to a U.S. official. The child-immigrant crisis was at the center of the roiling political fight in recent days. The Republican-controlled House shelved and then, late Friday night, passed legislation to force the Obama administration to more quickly deport the undocumented immigrants. The bill has no realistic chance of becoming law. The administration has since produced new estimates of up to 90,000 unaccompanied minors by year's end. The vast majority are from the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. While the administration says the number of unaccompanied minor immigrants appear to be slowing recently, this year's figure already is significantly higher than the 38,293 of the previous two fiscal years combined.	Internal DHS figures: Current count for fiscal year ending in October is over 62,000 . Administration's new estimate: Some 90,000 unaccompanied minors by year's end . Just over 38,000 undocumented minors came to U.S. in past two fiscal years combined .
f604b89a14dc701acef1261373d808327d2775fa	(CNN) -- The rapid evolution of mobile technology has placed quite a burden on our brains. Nowadays, attention to even the most pressing of matters can be interrupted at any moment by a familiar buzzing in the pocket -- a friendly nudge to "pay attention to me!" that many find virtually impossible to resist, even while driving on busy roads. These frequent and unplanned interruptions, coupled with growing expectations for immediate responses, challenge our cognitive control system at its very core. Cognitive control is our ability to focus on accomplishing a task in the context of competing demands. This increasingly taxed ability is what has allowed humans to achieve remarkable feats, such as developing languages and building complex societies. Special series: Our mobile society . Although data are still lacking on the direct impact of mobile technology on cognition, there is extensive evidence showing that our brains are exquisitely sensitive to external interference by both irrelevant distractions and multitasking. This "noise in the system" erodes our performance on a wide spectrum of cognitive activities, including the ability to recall details in our lives. In other words, an overload of "noise" can wear down our memory. For example, we found that a simple task that intervenes while you are holding a piece of information will degrade your ability to remember it. This is because the memory network in your brain that is responsible for remembering is disrupted by the interrupting task and has to be reactivated. This is why we often consider multitasking a myth, and feel it is more accurate to think of it as rapid task switching. Likewise, we found in another experiment that even having your eyes and ears open and exposed to normal visual and auditory environmental stimuli can diminish the details of visual memories when you try to recall them. The negative impact is greater for those with undeveloped or impaired cognitive control, such as children and older adults, and is exacerbated by the presence of neurological or psychiatric conditions like ADHD or Alzheimer's disease. There is no doubt that we have to be careful about the influence of unending streams of interference on our minds. We should make more informed decisions about how best to interact with the technologies in our environment. When we are engaged in something that requires high-quality attention, especially if it is time sensitive, we should attempt to conduct ourselves in a manner that is most appropriate for how our brains function: in focus mode. Just because all of this marvelous technology exists does not mean that we have to use it all at the same time. We are not slaves to it, obliged to respond whenever it calls. Turning off mobile notifications and making an effort to use only one high-tech device at a time is a way to stretch our cognitive resources. While this is not always feasible, we should be mindful to do so. Despite all the very real concerns, mobile technology can be harnessed to improve our minds. There are ongoing efforts by cognitive science laboratories and companies to develop cognitive assessment and brain training software that will function on mobile phones and tablets. This field is still in its infancy, but early signs are encouraging. For example, one day we might be able to design apps that allow people to probe their own cognitive abilities (processing speed, memory, decision-making, etc.) at any time during the day and track these abilities over the years, transmitting the results from their smartphones to a health care provider if desired. This real-time data will be more powerful than what we currently obtain by using questionnaires and cognitive snapshots during stressful visits to the doctor's office. Over time, with growing databases across the population, you can compare yourself to any of your cohorts. Such tools that measure our biological signals can help advance our understanding of our bodies and aid doctors and scientists in their efforts to combat illness and diseases. In addition, we might be able to play immersive apps that incorporate the best video game mechanics into brain training programs to enhance cognition, perhaps allowing people to correct neural deficiencies and even delay the development of dementia. Of course, this potential needs to balance against any unforeseen negative effects. For now, it's exciting to speculate on the promises of what mobile technology can offer. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Adam Gazzaley.	Adam Gazzaley: Frequent interruptions challenge our cognitive control system . Gazzaley: "Noise in the system" erodes our performance, including memory . He says we're not slaves to technology; we should try to operate in focus mode . Gazzaley: Despite concerns, mobile technology can be harnessed to improve our minds .
f604c721b8aadf6da9c9ede2111662c39c92dabc	By . Adam Shergold . PUBLISHED: . 09:21 EST, 21 November 2012 . \| . UPDATED: . 11:06 EST, 21 November 2012 . These pictures show three stolen luxury cars stripped and broken down to their components as part of a £600,000 racket to sell spare parts across Europe via eBay. The Mercedes, Audi and Land Rover were among 41 prestige vehicles snatched during house burglaries in the Manchester area and then driven back to warehouses to be taken apart by a gang of 'Del boy' traders. They raised hundreds of thousands of pounds selling the parts on eBay and other internet auction sites to unsuspecting buyers. Stripped: A broken down Audi RS4, one of the luxury cars taken down to their component parts by a gang based in Manchester, Blackburn and Leicester . Spare parts: The component parts of this stolen Land Rover were sold on eBay and other online auction sites to buyers across Europe . But the gang were caught when a prospective buyer responded to an advert for 'genuine Audi RS4 Recaro interior bucket seats' for sale on eBay. He visited a salvage centre in Wythenshawe, Manchester to buy them, but became 'suspicious' and tipped off police who discovered further bases in Blackburn and Leicester. Police released photographs of the broken up motors as Shoayb Patel, 26, of Blackburn, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Arif Gorji, 31, also of Blackburn, was jailed for two years and eight months. Both admitted concealing criminal property. Convicted: Shoayb Patel (left) was sentenced to three years and four months, while his business partner Arif Gorji (right) received two years and eight months for his part in the £600,000 eBay car part racket . The men sold component parts of stolen luxury cars, including Audi TTs, BMW 550s and BMW M5s, over a two-and-a-half year period through their firm JG Salvage in Wythenshawe, Manchester Crown Court heard. Gorji, who had previously been jailed for selling counterfeit clothing on eBay in 2008, set up an account called UKSALVAGE2012 on the auction site, which was used to sell more than £18,000 worth of stolen car parts. Neil Fryman, prosecuting, told the jury: 'This case is about car ringing - stealing cars, breaking them up and then selling on the parts. 'Various people within this enterprise played different roles. The vehicles were pretty high value and pretty much prestige-type vehicles.' Following the tip-off from the prospective buyer, police uncovered the car ringing racket in October 2010 when they stopped a Ford Transit van driven by two accomplices of Gorji and Patel after they dropped off car parts at the Wythenshawe site. Broken down: This Mercedes E500 was discovered in the Wythenshawe lock-up, with its wheels, engine, gearbox and even body panels stripped off . Later that day, officers raided the yard and discovered the unit was being used to store car component parts. They seized a large number of high value items, including engines, gearboxes and body panels. Police found a list of 19 cars - 17 of which matched records of stolen vehicles. A further raid on a breakers yard 120 miles away in Leicester uncovered chassis and parts from 14 stolen cars and two sets of number plates from vehicles stolen in London. It emerged that identifying numbers had been ground down from the stolen parts. A third raid, in March last year in Blackburn, found Gorji and Patel loading a large heavy goods vehicle bound for Germany with engines and gearboxes. The 20 engines from stolen vehicles on the truck were worth an estimated £127,000. Portuguese cousins Jose Joaquim, 36, and Helder Santos, 33, who ran the Leicester breakers yard, were convicted of money laundering offences and were each jailed for two years. A fifth man, Ayas Patel, 34 from Bolton, was given a year's suspended sentence and ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work. Police are hunting a sixth member of the gang, Imran Chokwala, 30, who is believed to be on the run in India. Money laundering: Jose Joaquim (left) and Helder Santos (right) ran a breakers yard in Leicester associated with the Manchester car parts operation . On the run: Another suspect, Imram Chokwala, is believed to be on the run in India . Det Con Ashley Matthias from Greater Manchester Police’s Organised Crime Unit, said today: 'This was a highly organised criminal enterprise headed by Arif Gorji and Shoayb Patel. 'It involved the theft and disposal of more than £600,000 worth of cars and the resale of their parts to innocent purchasers through eBay and other sale websites. 'They had no regard for those innocent members of the public who were buying stolen parts from them or for the victims of the burglaries from where the majority of the stolen vehicles originated. 'It is a priority for police to combat organised crime, reduce burglary and tackle all theft related offences. 'We hope that operations such as this demonstrate our commitment to these priorities, and show that we will continue to try and make people feel safer in their homes. 'We will not rest until we have brought criminals to justice, no matter how sophisticated or successful they think they are.'	Mercedes, Audi and Land Rover cars among those stolen and stripped down for £600,000 spare parts racket . Engines, gearboxes and body panels among parts sold to unsuspecting buyers across Europe . Gang ran three breakers yards in Manchester, Blackburn and Leicester . Shoayb Patel jailed for three years and four months . Business partner Arif Gorji received two years and eight months .
f604d7f45869d7492cc2662e9c1d9bbaa01f95ce	Alan Pardew never lost the Newcastle dressing room during their miserable run of form earlier in the season, according to former Magpies' favourite Warren Barton. The St. James' Park outfit failed to win their opening seven games of the season in the Premier League as pressure on club owner Mike Ashley to replace Pardew grew with fans protesting against the 53-year-old during matches. Prior to October, Newcastle had only won six of their 28 fixtures this calendar year before their fortunes turned with league victories at home to Leicester and away to Tottenham. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew never lost the dressing room during their bad run, according to Warren Barton . Wednesday's impressive 2-0 Carling Cup fourth round win at holders Manchester City has continued the positive momentum being built at the club - something Barton believes proves that the players were always in support of Pardew even through the bad times. He told TalkSPORT: 'Even in their hardest moments, like Stoke away, when the pressure was really on, there was still that effort and commitment. 'I don't think the players will turn their back on him [Alan Pardew], he took a lot of them there. They believed in what he was trying to do.' Moussa Sissoko (centre) scored Newcastle's second goal in their Capital One Cup win at Manchester City .	Newcastle have won their last three matches in all competitions . Prior to that the club had only won six of last 28 fixtures in calendar year . Pressure had grown for boss Alan Pardew to be sacked due to poor form .
f6050cd862dcf84585da9eb6456ab0a1fef83ff7	(CNN) -- Nearly 2,000 miles from Haiti, there's a ripple effect from the earthquake that devastated the country on January 12. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have arrested 140 Haitian men and women who have crossed the border from Canada into Vermont since late January. Many had gone to Canada well before the earthquake to seek asylum, and thought they could take advantage of a relaxed U.S. policy on deporting Haitians. "One of the things that's happening is that some of these individuals that have previously been either deported or ordered deported and are looking for refuge in Canada, have entered Canada illegally, are now looking to come back into the U.S. and possibly take advantage of the temporary protected status that our government has given," said David Aguilar, acting deputy commissioner at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. That temporary protected status allows Haitians who were in the United States at the time of the earthquake to stay longer, regardless of whether they were in the country legally or not. But the policy does not protect Haitians illegally entering the country now. "We are going to apprehend them," said Aguilar. "These are people that should not have come into this country and applied for a program that they do not benefit from." That message was likely lost in translation, said David Watts, a court-appointed attorney for three Haitians charged with illegal entry and jailed. "I think there's no doubt that there was some confusion," Watts said. "None of them have immigration lawyers, they're relying on the word on the street and the word in the community." One of the men Watts represents is Arry Seguin, whose story is not uncommon. Seguin was living in the Haitian community in Montreal after going to Canada in 2008 to seek asylum. Until then, he had been living in Florida with his wife and two children, now ages 6 and 2. Seguin left the United States after losing appeals to stay. His wife, Louizette, a naturalized citizen, lives in a cramped apartment in Lantana, Florida, and doesn't understand why her husband can't join her. "You see, everything is a mess without him. Nothing is working well without him," she says. She says she struggles to take care of her children, but she is also getting calls from relatives in Haiti who are desperate for help. It's the reason she believes her husband tried to return to Florida. He never made it far beyond the Canadian-Vermont border and was arrested in the early morning hours of March 21. Because Seguin doesn't have a criminal record, his lawyer was able to reach a settlement with prosecutors. For now, Seguin will be eligible to stay in the United States under supervised release, checking in with immigration authorities. It will be up to a judge to decide if that happens. Watts expects his client will released from jail soon. While Seguin will eventually face deportation, Watts says the goal is to return him to his family to weather their immediate personal crisis. "So he will have achieved his goal, but for the fact that he's spent an awful lot of time in jail," Watts said. "It would have been better, given what actually happened, if he had been able to come back and help sooner." Taking the risk of getting caught was in the cards, says Chrissy Etienne, who works as an interpreter for the Haitian men and women who've been arrested. Etienne is a Haitian native living in Burlington, Vermont, having recently graduated from Middlebury College. Because she speaks Creole, she had signed up to be a translator and was stunned when attorneys called in February asking for help. Since then, her phone hasn't stopped ringing and she's met with dozens of Haitians who've been arrested, meeting them either in prison or in court. "I think some thought there is a great chance I will get caught," says Etienne. "I think some expected to get caught. I think it was get to the U.S. at all costs, get to my family at all costs." "I think that it is connected to the earthquake," says Etienne. "When you lose your home, when you lose Haiti as a whole. What is left?" Giving a voice to the arrested Haitians, she said, has been tough since she is restrained in what she can do. Etienne describes a common scenario with the men and women she deals with, saying, "There is that, that wish for a system that is more personal. Couldn't I just explain this to a judge? To someone? That I am not a criminal. That I have no background or criminal background. I am just trying to get to my family. Isn't there someone who is going to believe that story? And who is going to hear me? "And there is that moment where ... I know what the attorney is going to say and I have to relate it with that same sort of calm, collected feeling, but I am also watching someone fall apart."	140 Haitians have crossed the U.S.-Canada border since the Haiti earthquake . Some Haitians are seeking refuge based on a U.S. policy revised post-quake . One refugee's attorney says his client is confused and just wants to be with his family .
f605701d73f7e3694d0d56e9a8066935d11f4b2b	A David Bowie fan has spent over £20,000 creating a shrine packed with the singer's memorabilia. Louise Moody has been dubbed the 'Keen Genie', in reference to the glam rocker's hit Jean Genie, due to her devout obsession with the musician. The 24-year-old from Stretford, Manchester, has spent £5,000 having pictures of the star's face and Space Oddity designs tattooed on her body - even though at 67 he is 43 years her senior. Louise Moody, 24, Manchester, has built up a David Bowie collection worth £20,000 since the age of 11 that includes signed pictures and books. She has also spent £5,000 on tattoos dedicated to him . She has also splashed out on Bowie clothes, signed photos and magazine cuttings of her idol, which adorn her bedroom walls at her home. The superfan began building up her vast collection from the age of 11, by getting her hands on everything and anything Bowie-related. Louise's obsession began when she heard her mother Jane play his greatest hits album over dinner and was captivated by him. Three years later, she was able to see the music legend in person with her mother as they watched him live in concert at the MEN Arena in 2003. She said: 'I started collecting clippings and T-shirts with the little pocket money I had when I was a kid and my mum surprised me by taking me to see him live in 2003 when I was 14.' 'It was the most incredible experience of my life and since then I pledged to see him again one day, however he has hardly toured since.' Louise is so dedicated that she transforms herself into his alter ego Ziggy Stardust, for nights out (right) It has taken Louise 13 years to put together her collection of books, magazine clippings and signed albums . Louise's love of the Aladdin Sane artist started at the age of 11 when her mum played his greatest hits . While her friends at school would listen to Arctic Monkeys and The Killers while debating the latest number one chart hit, Louise would listen to what her pals would playfully describe as 'dad rock'. Louise admits that her ever-growing collection has now begun to take over her home. She said: 'All of my memorabilia spreads through the house, my books and DVDs go on the shelf but my magazine cuttings are stored in loads of folders - I have even had to put them in folders that I keep recipes and things in because I have so many. 'I am hoarding them for no reason as I don't use them. The project designer now owns every single David Bowie album available, many as vinyl records . As well as her music and book collection, Louise has adorned herself with £5,000 worth of tattoos . Much of Louise's clothing features David Bowie logos or motifs including his face, birth date and guitar . 'If there was a fire in the house, the first thing I would save would be my expensive Bowie stuff, my signed picture would definitely be up there. I would get as much as I could get really. 'In my old room, the walls were lined with pictures and posters of him. 'A lot of people say it's strange that a young girl can have such an obsession with an artist in a completely different generation, but I fell in love with him the minute I heard his music.' As well as dedicating her interiors to the icon, project designer Louise has even styled her appearance to look more like her idol. Louise regularly goes on nights out dressed as Bowie's iconic character Ziggy Stardust and has modelled her dyed red hair to match his iconic look. Louise says that she has written to her idol on several occasions but is yet to receive a reply . She said: 'David Bowie has influenced my life so much, I dress like him and my hair is the same colour as his on one of his album covers. 'I dyed it that colour a few years ago and was gutted when I had to dye my hair brown for my job but since I have moved jobs I have been able to dye my hair back.' Louise said that her obsession became so great that she even took to copying some of his lifestyle choices to be more like him. 'I even started smoking Marlboro lights when I found out he smoked them. I just love everything about him. 'It is my dream to meet him and I wouldn't even think about shelling out more than £1,000 to see him live again.' Some of Louise's most prized possessions include those that have been personally signed by Bowie . Louise now owns every album and single he has ever made and admits that she still holds out hope of meeting him one day. She said: 'I think if I met him I would scream and faint, it's giving me goosebumps just thinking about it. 'All I ever think about is him and I don't think any other music I have heard.' However, Louise says that every attempt at contacting the star has so far been fruitless. She said: 'I have written letters to his fan club but never heard back - at the time I was only a teenager and it really upset me but it never lowered my hopes of one day meeting him. 'I can't help myself, if I see anything with his face on it I must have it, regardless of the price.'	Louise Moody has collected David Bowie memorabilia from the age of 11 . The 24-year-old's shrine includes books, signed pictures and albums . The project designer from Manchester also spent £5,000 on Bowie tattoos .
f605eaf9a3f24d85b947726a4525897ee836957d	By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:46 EST, 7 March 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 17:42 EST, 7 March 2013 . A Florida doctor sent his pregnant patient an email saying that he would call the police and have them force her to the hospital after she refused to give birth to her high-risk child. The case is still going on as Lisa Epsteen refuses to give in and have a C-section even though that is the way she gave birth to her first four children. When Mrs Epsteen, 35, became pregnant with her fifth child, she resolved to have a vaginal birth even though some view that as a more difficult and potentially complicated process after having given birth via caesarean four previous times. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Sticking to her plan: Lisa Epsteen, 35, gave birth to her four prior children via C-section though she refuses to take multiple doctor's advice and have a similar procedure for her fifth child even though her baby is at risk and a week past the due date . Big family: Lisa Epsteen had four C-sections with her older children (pictured) but now wants to have a natural birth if possible, though she has scheduled a C-section on Friday in case she doesn't go into labor . According to The Tampa Bay Times, her due date passed a week ago, she had a worrying doctor's appointment on Friday, and then another one on Tuesday where other doctors asked her to stay in the hospital and give birth right then. She brushed those concerns away and stuck to her plan to give birth naturally, but the moment where she got truly upset was when her physician, Dr Jerry Yankowitz, sent her the threatening note in an effort to push her into action. 'I am deeply concerned that you are contributing to a very high probability that your fetus will die or your child will incur brain damage if born alive. At this time, you must come in for delivery,' Dr Yankowitz wrote in the letter. He is the chairman of the University of South Florida's obstetrics and gynecology department, and though he initially agreed to take Mrs Epsteen on as a patient and help her towards a vaginal birth, the circumstances have changed. 'I would hate to move to the most extreme option, which is having law enforcement pick you up at your home and bring you in, but you are leaving the providers of USF/TGH no choice,' he wrote. Expert: Dr Jerry Yankowitz is the head of obstetrics at the University of South Florida hospital and he sent her an email saying he would call police if Mrs Epsteen didn't go to the hospital immediately . 'In a couple of hours there are going to be cops on my doorstep taking me away from home — in front of my children — to force me into having surgery.' Instead of sending her speeding out to the hospital, Mrs Epsteen got angry and reportedly told the Tampa Bay Times that she called a support group called National Advocates for Pregnant Women because she felt his actions were illegal. The group sided with her in spite of the fact that multiple doctors told her that her baby was in distress on Tuesday, and that because she had developed gestational diabetes she was at an additionally high risk point in her pregnancy. When doctors at the University of South Florida hospital told her that she should give birth right then, she determined that their joint concern was unfounded, and felt that it was the wrong time to give birth because no one would be able to watch her 2-year-old child and her husband was still at work with no way to get to the hospital since she had used the family's only car. The University of South Florida would not comment on the issue to MailOnline, saying that they respect patients privacy. Water views: Doctors at USF wanted her to stay and have the baby after an appointment on Tuesday but she refused because there would be no one to watch her 2-year-old child and her husband was unable to get out of work . The New York-based advocacy group had a lawyer call the doctor and tell him to stop his threats against Mrs Epsteen. 'The threat he was making was both legally and ethically unjustifiable,' the group's attorney Farah Diaz-Tello said told MailOnline. 'The problem is not that her doctor . recommended that she have a caesarean section; the problem is that her . doctor threatened her with arrest if she didn't have a Caesarean . section.' Excited: Mrs Epsteen posted a video of the moment that she told her husband that she was pregnant with their fifth child = . Ms Diaz-Tello said that expectant mothers in Florida have extra reason to be nervous about the threat of law enforcement involvement, as two infamous cases stand out as warning signs. In the 1990s, a woman named Laura Pemberton wanted to have a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) and wanted to have the child at home with the aid of a midwife. Because she became dehydrated, Ms Pemberton went to a local hospital to get treated for that before returning to her home to have a natural birth. Once doctors learned of her plans, they sent a sheriff to her home to force her to have a C-section at the hospital. Another case occurred more recently in 2009, when Samantha Burton wanted to ask for a second opinion about whether or not she was going to miscarry as she was experiencing symptoms at the 25th week in the pregnancy. Rather than provide her with a second opinion, doctors got a court order to keep her on bedrest at the hospital for the rest of the pregnancy. She was eventually had a C-section, at which time doctors realized that the child had already died. Even though Mrs Epsteen has been so adamantly opposing having a C-section for the fifth time- repeatedly refusing various doctor's suggestions and even going against the news that her baby boy is not in an ideal position for a vaginal birth- she went ahead and scheduled one on Friday. 'Honestly, I feel abandoned. There has . to be a level of trust between provider and patient, and that has been . betrayed,' she told The Tampa Bay Times. In . light of the legal action, Dr Yankowitz sent a follow-up email saying . that he will not send the police to get her but he remains convinced . that 'you and your child are in jeopardy'. Borderline: Victoria Beckham famously had her fourth C-section with her daughter Harper, pushing what many doctors believe is the upper limit for how many caesaraen procedures many women can undergo . While the idea of having a natural . birth seems like a woman's right, there are some serious health concerns . in this particular situation because of Mrs Epsteen's history of having . four prior Caesarean operations. And the practice is common, since 29.1 per cent of all births in the U.S. in 2005 were via caesarean. The . practice of having a Vaginal Birth After Caesaraen (VBAC) has dropped . significantly in popularity and practice after a damning 1999 study. The . greatest risk that VBAC poses is uterine rupture, as the scar tissue . that forms around a woman's womb during a C-section could rip during a . natural birth, which could cause 'a catastrophic risk to the mother and . baby'. Because the . scar tissue can harden over time, many doctors consider three the 'safe' upper limit for having C-sections, with four instances happening from . time to time but still a rarity. One . of the most noted instances of the procedure is that of Victoria . Beckham who famously had her fourth C-section procedure when she gave . birth to her daughter Harper. According . to consultant obstetrician and gynecologist Clive Spence-Jones, a . fourth Caesarean — or even a fifth or sixth — is not the automatic . health disaster many people assume it to be, although risks do exist. 'Caesarean . surgeries become more dangerous for the mother the more surgeries you . have... there is an increasing risks to the baby but the risks to the . mother also becomes significant,' attorney Farah Diaz-Tello told . MailOnline.	Florida mom, 35, is pregnant with her fifth baby . Gave birth to her first four children via C-section but wants a natural birth this time even though multiple doctors said it is a high-risk pregnancy .
f6064105a59fc52323c6f6e077b998e48e812488	By . Phil Vinter . PUBLISHED: . 08:53 EST, 11 June 2012 . \| . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 11 June 2012 . An intricate watch concealed within a gleaming £5 gold coin that was a love gift from King Edward VIII to his first mistress is expected to sell for thousands when it goes under the hammer next week. The young Prince of Wales gave the beautiful token of his affection to Freda Dudley Ward some years after he had a passionate affair with the married socialite in 1918. The pair had romantically met in a doorway in London’s Mayfair as they sheltered from a Zeppelin raid during the First World War. Intricate: This watch hidden inside a gold coin which King Edward VIII gave to his first mistress Freda Dudley is expected to fetch at least £15,000 when it is auctioned in London next week . Artistic: The beautiful front and back of the coin watch. Edward had met Freda Dudley-Ward in doorway as they sheltered from a bombing raid . Beautiful: Prince Edward was presented with the wafer-thin watch created inside the 1902 £5 gold coin when he opened the Scottish Motor Exhibition in 1927 . The Prince of Wales broke off the relationship in 1934 when Wallis Simpson came into his life - the relationship which sparked the dramatic abdication crisis. Prince Edward was presented with the wafer-thin watch, created inside the 1902 £5 gold coin, when he opened the Scottish Motor Exhibition in 1927 and had it engraved with the initials ‘F’ and ‘D’, for his pet name David, and presented it to his secret lover. Auctioneer James Grinter said: 'This watch is a unique piece of Royal history linked to the man who became the Duke of Windsor and we are expecting a lot of interest from collectors around the world.' Lovers: King Edward VIII, left, with his mistress Freda and her husband Liberal MP William Dudley-Ward . The watch is due to go under the . hammer a week tomorrow at Colchester auctioneers Reeman Dansie’s sale of . Royal memorabilia which includes items from the Queen, Princess Diana, . the Queen Mother, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and other monarchs. It is estimated to reach between £10,000 and £15,000. Mr . Grinter said: 'The watch has a beautifully-made, extremely thin . 18-jewel movement by Stablis of Switzerland so it can actually be closed . on a hinge inside the £5 coin. 'The . Prince was obviously impressed by the concept because he later bought a . very similar £5 gold coin watch from Cartier for Wallis Simpson and . that sold two years ago at Sotheby’s for £27,500.' Controversial: Edward VIII broke off his affair with Freda after he met Wallis Simpson, pictured left, the woman whom he eventually married after abdicating from the throne . The Prince of Wales and Freda Dudley Ward were both 23 when they met in 1918 and began their affair. She had already been married for five years and had two daughters by a husband 16 years her senior, but that didn’t stop the Prince bombarding her with extravagant gifts - including the watch. Next week’s Royal sale also includes a rare dinner menu from the Canadian steamship RMS Lady Somers signed by the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson as they sailed to the Bahamas in August 1940, where the Duke was due to take up his post as Governor. The signed menu, which is estimated at £250 to £350, shows the couple dined on dishes including Canapes de Langouste Rossini and Roast Quarters of Lamb a la Menthe. Reeman Dansie’s Royal memorabilia sale is in Colchester on June 19.	King Edward VIII started affair with first mistress after doorway meeting during bomb raid . Originally given to King in 1927 at opening of Scottish Motor Exhibition . Royal sale also includes dinner . menu signed by Duke of . Windsor and Wallis Simpson .
f6066ca349b8e39adc5f97775d85ada6ac33ff8a	By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 15:56 EST, 30 August 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 16:06 EST, 30 August 2013 . Doll's houses are usually modeled after dream homes, from sparkling Malibu mansions to opulent Georgian townhouses. But a new design was inspired by the eerie ruins scattered around the city of Detroit. Jen Spectacular, who created the 'scary' Victorian structure, told Cool Hunting that she hopes to pass it on to someone who will 'love' it. Shabby chic: Dollhouses are usually modeled after dream homes but a new design was inspired by the eerie, modern ruins scattered around Detroit . The miniature three-story abode features blackened, moss-covered brickwork, climbing ivy and crackled window frames. Inside, Ms Spectacular has also painstakingly applied the shabby-chic look. Bathroom sinks have chipped enamel, damp-looking wallpaper peels at the edges, while chandeliers dangle precariously from ceiling cornices. Eye for detail: Jen Spectacular was the artist behind the 'scary' Victorian structure . Distressed: Inside, the furnishings appear to be in a sorry state with rust and chips being common features . Still habitable: Despite its appearance, a family are seen happily living in the house along with their pets . Despite its distressed appearance, a family are seen happily living there along with their pet cats and dog. Working to a vintage theme, Ms Spectacular made each static inhabitant a tiny retro-style outfit. It took her over two-and-a-half years to build, paint, furnish and install electricity in the doll's house. 'I suppose it's worth around $5,000 with all the little bits and pieces; time and effort,' she revealed to MailOnline. Painstaking process: It took over two years for Ms Spectacular to build, paint and furnish the doll's house . Dressed to impress: Working to a vintage theme, she even created tiny retro-style outfits for each inhabitant . Welcome to the house of horrors: Ms Spectacular says that her work 'tends to focus on imagination' The former advertising illustrator has been crafting dolls and doll's houses from her San Francisco studio since 2008. Currently she has 13 structures that are works in progress. She writes on her Facebook page that her work 'tends to focus on imagination' and she looks to her 'childhood and dreams' for inspiration. Life-like scenes: One of the rooms is scattered with art materials . Cooking up a treat: The kitchen features miniature gizmos and food stuffs . Spooky: One attic room even features a giant ghost-like doll . For architectural influence, she is . haunted by the bleak images of Detroit, which has gone through major . economic a decline in recent decades,. She grew up about an hour north of the city and ended up working there for 15 years. While most professional doll's makers . make a considerable profit from their one-of-a-kind designs, Ms . Spectacular says that she isn't in it for the money. Scent of success: Ms Spectacular's doll's houses have scored her a loyal fan following . Work of art: She says her Victorian house is worth around $5,000 . Dedicated: Ms Spectacular has been crafting dolls and dollhouses from her San Francisco studio since 2008 - currently she has 13 structures that are works in progress . 'It’s more important to give them to people like close friends or charity. I just want to give the house to someone who'll love it,' she explained to Cool Hunting. Now she has finished her Victorian home she says her ultimate goal is to refurbish the damaged doll's house that her grandfather gave her as a child.	The miniature three-story abode features blackened, moss-covered brickwork, climbing ivy and crackled window frames . Jen Spectacular, who created it, says it's worth around $5,000 .
f6069020ac31e46c76e042a43015ba8545905c9d	Britain has David Cameron enthusing about his date nights with wife Samantha. America has the Obamas happily puckering up for the kiss cam at a baseball match.And North Korea – well, North Korea has the announcement that its leader has a wife. The country’s official state broadcaster made the revelation after weeks of speculation over the identity of a woman who has been seen accompanying Kim Jong-un at recent engagements. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and his wife, named as Ri Sol-ju, visit the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground in Pyongyang in these undated pictures . It named her as ‘Comrade Ri So-Ju’, and she is believed to be in her twenties or early thirties. By the notoriously secretive standards of the communist state, it’s practically a Hello magazine world exclusive. The announcement is the first insight the world has had into the private life of Kim, 28. State television said Miss Ri took part in a ceremony marking the completion of a Pyongyang amusement park. A smiling leader and his wife at the amusement park. It has not been confirmed how long the couple have been married . It released a photo of her walking alongside Kim, wearing a red polka dot jacket and smiling nervously. North Korean watchers in South Korea . had previously said the woman might be Hyon Song-wol, a former singer . with the Bochonbo Electronic Music Band. Intelligence agencies had suggested . Kim and the pop singer first became romantically involved ten years ago, . after he returned home from his studies at a private academy in . Switzerland. It was claimed that Kim’s late father, . Kim Jong-il, had ordered him to end the relationship, and she ended up . marrying an officer in the North Korean army instead. Kim Jong-un visit the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground, which is nearing completion. It is the latest move in the young leaders bid to be more like his grandfather rather than his father Kim Jong-il . Other educated guesses suggested the mystery woman might be a younger sister. South Korea’s unification ministry . said yesterday that it appeared Miss Ri was the woman who had been . pictured several times at Kim’s side at public events in recent weeks. Photos aired by state television . recently showed her standing beside Kim during a visit to a . kindergarten, smiling as he hugged and talked to children. Kim, the world’s youngest head of state, became leader last December following the death of his father. Married: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with Ri Sol-ju, the woman state media have confirmed is his wife .	Named by state broadcaster as Ri Sol-ju . The naming of his wife silenced the rumours that his mystery woman was a married pop-star with whom he reportedly had an affair . His wife is also a performer, it is alleged, with YouTube videos where the woman pictured with the leader performs .
f606c6a3ff50d4ea84c1e44ef72d3062ba63752e	By . Fiona Macrae . PUBLISHED: . 20:57 EST, 18 December 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 05:36 EST, 19 December 2013 . Flaw: Scientists have found a piece of DNA which puts men more at risk of heart attack . A heart attack gene has been discovered by scientists. The flawed DNA, found in one in eight men, raises the odds of a patient with heart disease having a heart attack by 38 per cent. It also raises the likelihood of them dying in the next six years by the same amount. A small number of women – 2 to 3 per cent – are also affected by the rogue DNA. In future, it might be possible to test heart disease patients for the gene and give them a treatment that will boost their odds of survival. US researcher Redford Williams said: ‘It is almost too good to be true.’ Dr Williams, of Duke University, in North Carolina, began by showing that people with the genetic flaw produce twice as much of the stress hormone cortisol when put under psychological pressure. As cortisol is known to be bad for the cardiac health, he then tracked thousands of heart disease patients for six years. This revealed that those with the DNA that made them extra-sensitive to stress were also at higher risk of heart attacks, as well as dying from any cause over the course of the study. In those with heart disease, having the gene was as damaging as smoking or being obese. Heart attack genes have been discovered before. But Dr Williams believes his is different because it is known how it raises the odds of problems. Plus, it should be possible to treat its effects. For instance, if further research confirms the findings, heart disease patients could be given drugs that lower cortisol production, the journal PLoS ONE reports. Hope: The research raises the prospect that heart disease risks could be combated in those with the faulty gene . Lead author Beverly Brummett, said: ‘The exciting part to me is that is genetic trait occurs in a significant proportion of people with heart disease. ‘If we can replicate this and build on it, we might be able to find ways to reduce the cortisol reaction to stress – and reduce deaths from heart attack.’ It is also possible that treating still-healthy carriers of the gene would prevent them from ever suffering a heart attack.	Scientists identified a defective gene in many of those monitored . It can lead to extra production of stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to bad cardiac health . The study was led by Dr Redford Williams of Duke University in the U.S. It found that having the faulty gene was as bad as smoking or obesity .
f606ed3b1f9e0ca661f3db280f0cc9836c8b5f80	Graeme Swann feels England were 'crazy' to change their World Cup batting line-up at short notice - but still believes they can turn their tournament around. The in-form James Taylor was dropped down the order to number six to accommodate Gary Ballance's return in place of Ravi Bopara for the competition opener against Australia. Defeats in that game and against New Zealand - the latter an eight-wicket hammering having been bowled out for 123 - have left Peter Moores' side with an uphill task to make the quarter-finals. Eoin Morgan lead his team off the field after their Cricket World Cup defeat to New Zealand . Peter Moores offers a word of advice to Morgan during a session in the nets before the Scotland match . And former Three Lions spinner Swann told BBC Radio Five's Sportsweek programme: 'I don't think the strategy's been clear. Every player hasn't got a clear and concise role. 'The Kiwis have been building up to this World Cup for four years and every player absolutely knows his role - Ashley Giles said that last night. 'England changed their batting line-up the morning of the World Cup against Australia, Gary Ballance is suddenly brought back in, James Taylor's down to number six, Ravi Bopara taken out of the squad - that was crazy, in my book. 'It's muddled, it's not clear. (Captain) Eoin Morgan wants to play a very expressive, aggressive form of cricket; I'm not sure Peter Moores completely agrees with that and I don't know how easily that relationship is going to fare.' England batsman James Taylor plays a shot in a training session in the nets on Sunday . Taylor was dropped down the order to accommodate Gary Ballance's return against Australia . England's Alex Hales plays a shot during a nets session in Christchurch, New Zealand . Results so far have seen speculation build around Moores' future, even at this early stage of his second spell in charge, but Swann is determined to remain positive. 'They were like rabbits in the headlights against New Zealand. The disparity was enormous,' he said. 'But if they actually play well for the next four games - beat Sri Lanka heavily, destroy Scotland - if they do that, all this anger and emotion will disappear. If they come out fighting and do well, we'll all get back on their side. 'So I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon and say, 'Moores must go if we don't reach the quarter-finals'. I'm going to be the positive one that says, "in three weeks' time, we'll play New Zealand in the semi-final and thrash them by nine wickets".' Next up for England is a clash with Scotland, who may just fancy their chances considering recent events. England have lost their opening two games of the World Cup and cannot afford to lose on Sunday . New Zealand's Tim Southee tore through England's batting order, taking 7-33 and restricting England to 123 .	England have lost both of their World Cup matches so far . Graeme Swann said England's players lack direction at the moment . Said they were 'crazy' to change their batting line-up before the World Cup .
f606fc2aa95cbec518dfd309f0b0e4c9a35738d5	A police force is suing its former chief constable for nearly £500,000 after he was sacked for gross misconduct. Cleveland Police is trying to reclaim salary and bonuses paid to Sean Price, who was dismissed last October after being found guilty of asking a colleague to inquire about a job for the former police authority chairman’s daughter and subsequently lying about it. Mr Price was the first chief constable to be sacked in 35 years. Legal action: Sean Price, former chief constable of Cleveland Police, who became the first chief constable to be sacked for 35 years, could be sued for £500,000 . Months later his wife, Heather Eastwood, 41, resigned as a detective chief inspector with the same force after failing to tell superiors she had been arrested on a drunk and disorderly charge. Now court papers reveal that Mr Price, 55, is facing a claim that some payments he received after his appointment in 2003 until his suspension in 2011 were unlawful. They say some parts of the salary package were, in effect, illegal because they breached Home Office guidelines on police pay. Gone: Deputy chief constable of Cleveland Police Derek Bonnard who was sacked for gross misconduct in March . When Mr Price started the job, Cleveland Police Authority – which has since been disbanded – approved a salary of £125,000, making him one of the country’s highest-paid police chiefs. By the time he was suspended, Mr Price’s remuneration had risen to nearly £200,000, with allowances including a £50,000 ‘retention package’ and a £24,000 ‘honorarium’ for cutting crime. When he was fired, he took a pension pot thought to be worth about £60,000 a year. The force is seeking to claw back £330,000 from wages and bonuses paid, plus interest amounting to more than £100,000 from when the claim was first submitted to the High Court in Leeds. Mr Price, who has strongly denied the claims, is currently on police bail as inquiries continue into corruption allegations linked to the former police authority. In March, Cleveland’s former deputy chief constable Derek Bonnard was dismissed for gross misconduct on six counts, including obstructing a criminal investigation and misusing public funds. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.	Sean Price became the first chief constable to be sacked in 35 years . Cleveland Police is now trying to reclaim salary and bonuses .
f6074429dbf3f4f786ebd88e10c76d780c6f8f79	By . Michael Zennie for MailOnline . The nephew of a Philadelphia mother-of-two who was strangled to death last week has been arrested after police say he was caught trying to burglarize her home after her funeral. Steven Anderson, 32, knew no one would home to stop him when he and Brandon Howard, 27 tried to pry open to back door of her house Wednesday morning, police say. Anderson's aunt Connie Murray, 46, was found strangled to death in a park after going for a jog on August 4. Her husband Christopher Murray, 48, has confessed to her murder and is behind bars. The couple's two young daughters are being looked after by relatives. Scroll down for video . Busted: Steven Anderson (left), the nephew of murdered mother-of-two Connie Murray, was busted - along with his pal Brandon Howard (right) Connie Murray, 46, was found strangled to death on August 4. Her husband Christopher (left) has confessed to her murder and is behind bars . Mourners laid Connie Murray to rest on Monday. WTXF-TV reports that a vigilant neighbor spotted the two men trying to break into her house about 2am Wednesday and called police. Authorities say Anderson tried to tell cops that he was just checking on the house with a friend. However, both men are career burglars and have lengthy arrest records. Anderson had pleaded guilty to burglary just one month ago and received probation. Howard had been released from jail just one day before his arrest. 'One defendant knew that nobody was home and knew the circumstances,' Philadelphia police Lieutenant Dennis Rosenbaum told WTXF. Neighbors, who are still dealing with the shock of Mrs Murray's death and her husband's arrest, are furious and say they can't believe someone would stoop so low as to break into a murder victim's house. 'Let everybody else know, everybody watching. Everybody's watching,' family friend Tom Fogarty said. Vigilant neighbors caught to two men trying to pry open a back door at Connie Murray's Philadelphia house at 2am on Wednesday . Pall bearers can be seen loading Connie Murray's casket into a hearse before her burial on Monday . Mrs Murray was laid to rest on Monday. Two days later her nephew, a career burglar, tried to break into her house, police say .	Steven Anderson, 32, and accomplice Brandon Howard, 27, were spotted trying to pry open the back door at 2am Wednesday . Anderson's aunt Connie Murray was strangled to death on August 4 and her husband Christopher has confessed to her murder . Anderson and Howard are both career burglars, police say .
f6076356d95d7d16112068c9ef152cb48213d7a5	(CNN) -- An Iraq war veteran accused of fatally stabbing four homeless men in Southern California is dead, authorities said Friday. Itzcoatl Ocampo, 24, was pronounced dead the previous afternoon at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. He had been sent there Wednesday from Orange County Jail, where he had fallen ill while awaiting trial. Deputies noticed Ocampo "shaking and vomiting" in his solitary cell "and immediately summoned medical attention," the department said. Ocampo was charged in January 2012 with four counts of first-degree murder. The first homeless man, killed a month earlier, was stabbed more than 40 times with a 7-inch, heavy-gauge Ka-Bar Bull Dozier knife, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said. "In each of these cases, the violence, the number of stabbing wounds of each victim, increased," the prosecutor added. The next month, Ocampo was arraigned on new charges that he killed the mother and brother of an old friend. Authorities say 53-year-old Raquel Estrada was stabbed more than 30 times and her 34-year-old son Juan Herrera more than 60 times on October 25, 2011, their bodies left in pools of blood inside their Yorba Linda home. The accused killer was being held without bail, with his next court appearance scheduled for January 17, 2014. His death is under investigation "as is protocol for all Orange County Jail in-custody deaths," the sheriff's department said. An autopsy is tentatively set for early next week, with toxicology tests possibly coming back in several weeks. Ocampo served in the Marines from July 2006 until July 2010, including a six-month stint in Iraq in 2008, according to military service records. He completed his service, with the rank of corporal, with the 1st Marine Logistics Group at Camp Pendleton, which is about 80 miles south of Los Angeles and 50 miles north of San Diego. Friend: Ocampo 'down' after return from Iraq .	Sheriff: Itzcoatl Ocampo dies after falling ill at the Orange County Jail . His death is under investigation, including a pending autopsy . Authorities accused Ocampo of stabbing 4 homeless men to death . He was also charged in the deaths of his old friend's mother, brother .
f6076f8c4cf385efa36e885c88d0e2c81a0e576b	WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Isaac Lidsky arrives in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, stops suddenly and, upon hearing a voice, extends his hand in greeting almost instinctively. Isaac Lidsky graduated from Harvard University at 19. Retinitis pigmentosa has seriously impaired his vision. Seemingly simple gestures such as a hello don't always come easily for a man who is legally blind. But this hasn't deterred the ex-Justice Department prosecutor from pursuing a promising legal career, one that will take him inside the nation's highest court in a few weeks. The Florida native will join 36 of the nation's top young attorneys as law clerks to Supreme Court justices for the 2008-'09 term. He will be the first legally blind law clerk in the court's history. Lidsky, 28, will work with the retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and will be assured of long days writing and researching cases. "I certainly am nervous to the extent I am eager to be helpful to the justice and productive," he said. "I just want to do good work." Watch as the lawyer will break new ground at the court » . Lidsky, a one-time actor, may be vaguely familiar to adults of a certain age. He played the lovable geek Barton "Weasel" Wyzell on the NBC series "Saved by the Bell: The New Class" in the 1990s. "There's a little bit of a cringe factor because my character was not necessarily the coolest kid in school, but certainly, [there's] fond memories," he recalled. "It was an incredible experience for a kid to have." Around that time, the 13-year-old was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that already had struck two of his older sisters. The symptoms were slow to develop, so Lidsky came to terms early with the idea of losing his vision. Now his sight is seriously impaired. Lidsky said his parents, Betti and Carlos Lidsky, did not allow self-pity and encouraged him to help others like himself. "Right away my parents really led the charge on saying, 'How can we take this challenge and turn it into something positive?' " he said. "So for 15 years we have been doing just that." Acting was never going to be a career for Lidsky. It was the law that always attracted him. As a child he went to court with his father, a prominent Miami lawyer. Becoming a Supreme Court law clerk, he said, was a lifelong dream. After graduating at 19 from Harvard University, he earned a degree from its law school, with a brief stop in between as an Internet business entrepreneur. In 2004, he began a clerkship with Judge Thomas Ambro of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ambro became a mentor to the bright young lawyer and witnessed a sudden decline in his vision. "You could tell things were getting worse," Ambro said. By the end of the one-year assignment, "he now needed a cane and was using a guide dog. Once he had no idea I was in the same room with him until I spoke." But that did not dull Lidsky's drive to succeed. "He had a real good sense of what he was facing," Ambro said. "He's determined to make it in the same way as other people who succeed. For him it was simply a matter of getting the tools to do it." Those tools include optical character recognition software, which scans printed words electronically and reads them back to him, and a Blackberry-type communication device that sends and receives e-mail audibly. Friends said he was a little reluctant over the years to embrace much of the technology, as he sought to preserve his independence as long as possible. After his clerkship came a stint in the Justice Department's Civil Division, where he argued about a dozen cases in federal courts. He said his acting skills came in handy when pleading before often skeptical judges. With the recommendations of Ambro and others, Lidsky applied four times to be a Supreme Court law clerk but was rejected. A meeting with longtime federal Judge David Tatel, who also is blind, convinced Lidsky he should not give up his dream. Then came the call from O'Connor. "Sitting in her chambers, here I was worrying about having to recall the minutiae of legal doctrine" for the personal interview, he recalled. "But we fell into talking about our families and philosophies, and she made me feel very warm and welcome." O'Connor was not available for an interview, but former clerks said they remember her as a nurturing type who nevertheless demands much from them. "I have no doubt Justice O'Connor will keep me very busy," Lidsky said. In addition, Lidsky likely will be assigned to an active justice to sort through the 9,000-some appeals that reach the high court every year. In that capacity, he would recommend which cases should be accepted for review and help write early drafts of opinions. O'Connor also will continue her practice of sitting in on several appeals court cases a year, so Lidsky will assist her on those, along with the 78-year-old's busy schedule of teaching, speeches and public advocacy. Lidsky will have to scale back involvement in his foundation, Hope for Vision, which he created with his wife, Dorothy, and some friends to raise awareness of blinding diseases. His group is launching a campaign this week to find a cure for blindness by 2020. "We have communities of Hope across the country that do events to raise awareness and funding for research," he said. "It's purely volunteer-driven, very grass-roots. Over 98 percent of the money we raise goes directly to scientific grants." As for the future, Lidsky plans to go to London, England, after his clerkship ends, so his wife can finish her master's degree. He would be set to rejoin his law firm, where he has taken a leave of absence, but has no specific career goals. "In 10 or 15 years, I would bet he will be a man still on your radar screen," Ambro predicts. Lidsky appears more modest. "I'm not out there to set any kinds of records or prove anything to anybody," he said. "As odd as it may sound, losing my vision has in a lot of ways been a very rewarding experience for me." CNN's Kelli Arena contributed to this report.	Isaac Lidsky is set to become first legally blind law clerk at U.S. Supreme Court . Lidsky will work with retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who still hears appeals . Lidsky played Weasel on NBC's "Saved by the Bell: The New Class" He and wife founded Hope for Vision, a foundation that seeks a cure for blindness .
f6079b9f42a6152d31521a64b5fe12ab3d8e4144	By . Andy Sims, Press Association . England shotgun ace Charlotte Kerwood blasted her way to Commonwealth Games glory in the double trap. The 27-year-old from Sussex was in devastating form at the Barry Buddon Centre in Dundee, nailing 94 of her 120 clays to claim her third individual Commonwealth gold medal. Kerwood won her first gold at Manchester 2002 aged just 15, and would probably have more in her collection had the event not been excluded in Delhi last time out. Shooting for gold: Charlotte Kerwood was in brilliant form in the double trap event . Easy peasy: Kerwood won her third Commonwealth Games gold medal in the double trap on Sunday . She finished two shots clear of India's Shreyasi Singh, who claimed silver. Rachel Parish, with whom Kerwood also won pairs gold at Melbourne 2006, made it a medal double for England by taking bronze. The 33-year-old from Nottingham finished level with Canada's Cynthia Meyer on 91 and triumphed in a sudden-death shoot-off. Kerwood led by five shots at the start of the final round and appeared relaxed, smiling and laughing, as the competitors lined up. But with Singh and Meyer closing in, she missed a pair halfway through the round and gave herself a dressing down before holding her nerve over the final few shots. 'It feels pretty good, I can't quite believe it,' Kerwood told Press Association Sport. 'The Commonwealth Games obviously like me, it's a good event to come to. 'I was laughing because I didn't realise I was five targets ahead at the start, so I thought 'no pressure!' Then I felt it was slipping away from me a little bit, which wasn't good. But now it feels amazing.' Congratulations: Kerwood gets a hug after easing to victory in the shooting double trap event . Kerwood will have little opportunity to celebrate, though, as she lines up in her favoured event, the Olympic trap, on Monday morning. 'That will be good experience for tomorrow because now I know what to expect with the crowd and everything. 'There's no time to celebrate yet. Tomorrow is what I have been training for. My coach thinks I was crazy going for this one as well but I'm going to be more confident now.' For Parish, who claimed silver behind Kerwood in the individual event eight years ago, it was also a test of nerve in the shoot-off. 'I've practised doing that before with the other England guys, I knew what was coming and I knew I'd done it before and I could do it again - and I did,' she said. 'I'm disappointed with the way I shot today, I know I can shoot a lot better than that, so I'm really pleased to have come away with a medal. 'I think there will be some champagne now. Possibly a lot!'	The 27-year-old nailed 94 of 120 clays to win third Commonwealth gold . Kerwood won her first gold at Manchester 2002 at the age of 15 . She finished two shots clear of India's Shreyasi Singh in Glasgow . Kerwood will compete in her favoured event, the Olympic trap, on Monday .
f607ce76f88eb348525b7e40394cf5c04f699a45	(CNN) -- Hamza Ali al-Khateeb, the Syrian boy whose killing has enraged, mobilized and emboldened the country's opposition movement, once harbored dreams of being a police officer. But the 13-year-old changed his ambitions when the government crackdown went into full swing. "When he saw police officers kill the people in the revolution, he would say, 'The police kill the people and I don't want to be like them. I do not know what I will be but the police kill people and torture them,'" according to one of his relatives, who escaped to Kuwait amid the regime's suppression of protesters. The relative asked not to be named out of fear for the safety of his family in Daraa, the southwestern city where the anti-regime demonstrations started in mid-March. Family members say Hamza got separated from his father in the chaos during demonstrations around Daraa on April 29, when protesters marched on the city to break the Syrian military siege and force the delivery of important supplies, such as medicine and milk for babies. A few weeks ago, the family received the boy's body. A video that showed up on YouTube displays an appalling and mutilated corpse; much of the video is too graphic to broadcast. The face is bloated and purple and his body is covered in bruises. There are gunshot wounds to his torso and his genitals are mutilated. CNN cannot independently verify what happened to Hamza or the authenticity of the video. His death has punctuated the domestic and international outcry against the clampdown by President Bashar al-Assad's government against peaceful protests. "I can only hope that this child did not die in vain," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said this week. Patrick McCormick, a spokesman for the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, said children are not immune to the civil unrest across the region. "The pictures are shocking. They have gone all over the world. And no one could see that without being deeply moved and ashamed about what happened to that boy," he said. "I have no idea why anybody would brutalize a young boy like that. I cannot even begin to go there. We just know that somehow it happened." UNICEF is calling for investigations so the perpetrators can be brought to justice, "some sort of justice in a situation that's volatile," McCormick said. "We want to get to the bottom of it." The relative, interviewed Thursday by CNN, described Hamza as a smart kid who loved school and soccer, and who was raised in a modest setting where he was the youngest child of a laborer. "He was only 13 years old but he had the maturity of a 30-year-old," the relative said. The boy supported the demonstrations and would refuse to eat during the military's late April siege in Daraa because others didn't have food and he felt it would be unfair to eat while they went hungry. Hamza would accompany his family to protests, waving a Syrian flag and chanting, "No Hezbollah and No Iran. We want freedom," the relative said. The relative said he, Hamza and other members of their extended family took to the streets on the day the boy got lost and apparently swept up by Syrian officials. Children accompanied the marchers, the relative said, because "we did not expect people to shoot." "Hamza was among the children and carried a small Syrian flag with three stars, the flag of Syrian independence." After he went missing, his family searched for days but failed to find him. Eventually, another relative got a tip that Hamza was being held in prison, saw the boy alive and well, and begged the security forces to free him. Security officials asked Hamza's family to return in two days and said they would release the teen. However, the first relative told CNN, "the security forces were angry at us, asking how we found out where Hamza was and infuriated that we had found him. Then they tortured the poor boy for two days." When the parents went to the prison, security officials told them to go to the hospital. That's where they found the corpse. "We went to the hospital and what we saw was horrific. His mother had a nervous breakdown. These are people who are not afraid of God who do not know God," the relative said of the security officials. The family took Hamza back to his village for burial and held a wake in the child's honor. "His father was destroyed and his mother seemed to have lost her sanity crying for him one minute and then yelling shrills of joy for his martyrdom the next," the relative said. The relative said that the night the family received the body, Hamza's father was arrested and taken away by security forces. The security forces threatened him and told him not to speak to any media outlets, human rights organizations or anyone else. "They told him we have killed one of your children and we can kill the rest of them too," he said. Syrian state TV on Tuesday ran a segment in which a person identified as the medical examiner in the case said the body's injuries were sustained when the boy was alive, but there was no evidence on the surface of the body that the boy had been subjected to torture, violence or retaliation. The medical examiner said proper procedures to identify the body were followed after the body first arrived, and went on to describe how a body deteriorates in phases after death, turning dark brown, for example, with parts becoming enlarged. The boy's death, he said, was the result of the three gunshot wounds he sustained. Syria TV also said al-Assad met with members of Hamza's family on Tuesday, and it showed men it identified as the boy's father and uncle who said that al-Assad was very welcoming and understanding, and promised reform. The relative had fled Syria by the time state TV aired the video of the father and uncle thanking al-Assad. But, he said, "I swear to you they said this because they were threatened. The father is defeated. They told him they would kill his children and destroy his family. They forced him to say this." The man said he is very concerned about the issue of child victims and feels the regime was purposely targeting children to "teach us a lesson." "There is not just one Hamza in Syria," the relative told CNN. "There are hundreds of Hamzas, and these men do not know God so they will make a hundred more Hamzas." CNN's Arwa Damon contributed to this report.	NEW: UNICEF wants an investigation so there can be "some sort of justice" Hamza, a boy who loved school and soccer, had been protesting on April 29 . His death has sparked worldwide outrage . Those who killed him "do not know God," says a relative who has fled to Kuwait .
f607dbdabae6ed9c9a1eade0947718d4b43c2d1c	As excitement builds around Sunday's final between Chelsea and Tottenham, Sportsmail asked two fans to take part in a Capital One Cup final Q&A. Rory Jennings from ChelseaFansChannel, and Dan Kilpatrick of The Tottenham Way answered questions from historic rivalry between the two clubs, previous results, as well as predictions for the Wembley showdown. Scroll down to read their answers. Chelsea play Tottenham in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley on Sunday hoping to get their own back . Click here to check out Rory Jennings' work on ChelseaFansChannel . Click here to follow CFC on Twitter . Click here to check out Dan Kilpatrick's work on The Tottenham Way . Click here to follow TTW on Twitter . Feeling confident? RJ: Extremely. After the catastrophe that was New Year’s Day we owe Tottenham massively. Combine that with the fact that they played in Italy on Thursday night in a huge match while we have had over a week off, and Matic’s ban aside, we couldn’t really ask for much more going into the game. DK: Yeah, weirdly I'm very confident, perhaps because I can't bring myself to contemplate defeat. Eden Hazard (left) of Chelsea and Tottenham's Christian Eriksen (right) will hope to inspire their team to a win . There’s plenty of history between the two teams – what is it that make this rivalry intense? RJ: Its very tricky to put a finger on exactly why the rivalry is so venomous. From their perspective I assume it’s the fact that they couldn’t beat us for years even when they had a superior team. Or the fact that they haven’t won a league match at Stamford Bridge for 25 years. Or the fact that we knocked them out of the Champions League by becoming the first London club to win it. For us I think its more to do with the hatred we receive from them. It's responsive. DK: I hate Arsenal for who they are but I hate Chelsea for what they are – a morally bankrupt, jammy, despicable club, with some of the most dislikable personnel in the game. The majority of their fans are in the same vein. Our terrible record against them, plus the Champions League fiasco, also contributes to the recent bad feeling but the rivalry dates back decades. Tottenham fans generally don't have fun at Stamford Bridge, and that may be a reason for the rivalry . Stewards remove a fan from the pitch during an FA Cup quarter-final replay at White Hart Lane . Spurs were underdogs in the 2008 final but beat Chelsea 2-1, will lightning strike twice? RJ: The Chelsea team of 2008 were not a team of winners. It had all the hallmarks of an Avram Grant team, who I believe has just taken his side to second in the Africa Cup of Nations. Under Grant we came out second best in the Carling Cup, second in the Premier League and second in the Champions League. And we were knocked out of the FA Cup by Barnsley. You say they were underdogs but I don’t think too many Chelsea fans were surprised that Grant managed to steer us to defeat that day. DK: Yeah, we'd love a 2-1 this season, and I think we're more closely matched now than then. Jubilant Tottenham player after beating Chelsea to lift the Carling Cup in 2008 . What are your memories of that day? RJ: The overriding memory of the day is the pain and torture as Woodgate got to the ball ahead of Cech right in front of us. And then being soaking wet at Wembley listening to endless renditions of 'Oh When The Spurs'... it was agony but it Tottenham deserved it. They were excellent. It takes huge character to come back from a goal down in a cup final. DK: I had a ticket but in the corporate seats at Wembley. There were more Chelsea fans and neutrals around me than Spurs fans but it was stunning looking across at the Spurs end and the noise was incredible. I can't remember much of the game but Berbatov's cool penalty obviously stands out and I went crazy when Woodgate scored. A couple of the Chelsea fans shook my hand at the final whistle, which was a touch.· . Jonathan Woodgate nods home the winner - getting to the ball before goalkeeper Petr Cech . Dimitar Berbatov netted a cool penalty during the 2-1 victory at Wembley Stadium . Which of your players will make the difference this time around? RJ: I think the only bright spot when Tottenham destroyed us on New Years Day was the performance of Eden Hazard. He seemed to really understand the rivalry and how desperate Chelsea fans were to get something from the game. If he plays to a similar level and those around him raise their game, I think that he could be too much for Spurs to deal with. DK: Kane and Eriksen are the obvious ones but I've got a good feeling about Lamela too. Harry Kane will be looking to make the difference against Chelsea at Wembley this weekend . That 5-3 game is still fresh in the memory – how will that affect this game? RJ: I think it will affect the game positively for everybody. It will definitely inspire Tottenham, they scored five goals against us. However, I also think it will inspire Chelsea. There isn’t a better way to get back at a team to whom you feel you owe one, by beating them at a final at Wembley. DK: On the one hand, it will give Spurs belief they can outplay and beat Chelsea, which is crucial. On the other, it will make the Chelsea players (who must be prioritising the Premier League and Champions League) extra motivated to exact revenge. So, it could be beneficial for both teams. Chelsea players look dejected after losing 5-3 to Tottenham at White Hart Lane on New Year's Day . And what of Nemanja Matic's ban? RJ: Huge. Disastrous. Close to being irreplaceable. But I think that Mourinho will opt for Ramires. Now I concede that Ramires doesn’t have the presence of Matic but he is a wonderful player, capable of chipping Valdes in the Nou Camp or scoring in the FA Cup final against Liverpool. I have full faith in him. DK: He's a good player and hopefully Eriksen can exploit the space created by his absence. But it shouldn't make too much difference. If Chelsea – one of the richest clubs in the world, who routinely buy players to stop them joining rivals – can't cope without one midfielder, then their squad isn't nearly as strong as everyone thinks. Nemanja Matic was sent off against Burnley and will miss the final - his absence is a huge loss for Chelsea . Generally, Spurs don't beat Chelsea that often, do they? RJ: Well over the course of my lifetime generally not. However, we have never beaten them in a cup final which is slightly worrying. Third time lucky I hope. DK: No but I'm happy with Spurs' record against Chelsea in cup finals. Tottenham players celebrate with the FA Cup after beating Chelsea 2-1 in 1967 . What are your plans on the day of the game? RJ: A pint of Guinness around Great Portland Street to ease the nerves before Met-lining it into Wembley. There isn’t a better feeling in football. DK: I haven't got a ticket (yet) so I'm going to watch at home with some mates and try to write a few articles, then go out to celebrate our victory afterwards. There's no better feeling in football than making your way to Wembley on cup final day . Finally, your predictions, please. RJ: 3-1 Chelsea. DK: There's been lots of goals when we've played Chelsea this season, so I'll go 3-2 Spurs after extra time.	Chelsea take on Tottenham in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday . Spurs beat Blues 2-1 in 2008 - their last final at Wembley . Chelsea looking to bounce back after 5-3 defeat on New Year's Day . We ask Rory Jennings and Dan Kilpatrick questions ahead of the final . Two clubs have plenty of history - making an intense rivalry . Paul Scholes: Tottenham must show they 'have the balls to take risks' READ: Chelsea vs Tottenham Capital One Cup final head-to-head .
f608008426c2e56cf4c190417b142d70bc1756b3	(CNN) -- The central California city of Salinas is being rocked with unrest and violence after protesters accused police of racism and brutality in the fatal shootings of three Latino men since March, including one captured on grainy video this week. Demonstrations peaked Wednesday night when a man was shot to death outside his home near an anti-police protest. The circumstances of that shooting, which did not involve police, are being investigated, police said. When authorities responded to that homicide, demonstrators went to the scene and threw bricks, bottles, sticks and rocks at police and EMS personnel as they aided the shooting victim, police said. One bottle struck the head of an officer who was giving CPR to the victim, stopping him from giving aid, police said. The shooting victim, Constantino Garcia, 23, who had just moved to Salinas with his wife and child, was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said. Detectives said about 100 people saw the homicide, but no witnesses are cooperating with police. In Wednesday's protests, police arrested demonstrator Diego Garcia, 26, who was accused of taunting officers, antagonizing a police dog and urging the crowd to join him. He was arrested on accusations of inciting a riot, resisting arrest and probation violation, police said. The rising tensions led Police Chief Kelly McMillin to hold a news conference Thursday afternoon in which he offered more details on one incident that has infuriated some and explained his department's approach to addressing it. "They are frustrated, they are angry -- and legitimately," McMillin said. "I'm not going to tell anybody that you just don't understand what you see. They see it, they react to it, that could upset them." The residents should be able to express their views, as should police, he added. "We recognize that ... the anger of the community (is) coming out," said McMillin. "We're trying to explain ourselves as best we can and move on." Most recent fatal shooting . The most recent officer-involved shooting happened Tuesday afternoon and ended in the death of a man who allegedly lunged at officers with gardening shears. The man -- whom police identified Thursday as 44-year-old Carlos Mejia -- was accused of breaking into a woman's home and threatening her while armed with the shears, police said. The suspect also exposed himself to the woman and made sexually explicit statements, police said, adding that the man also tried to kill the woman's dog. When police responded to a 911 call, the suspect was walking on Elkington Avenue and police noticed he had a large pair of gardening shears sticking out of his backpack, police said. Rather than comply with officers, the man swung the gardening shears at the officers near him, according to police. "It's a pretty common item, we see it all the time," McMillin said Thursday, holding up the shears. "...But the manner in which it was presented ... this clearly is a weapon and obviously a very dangerous one." The officers "were dead set against allowing him to get into" a nearby bakery, fearful of the damage he could do there, according to the chief. One attempt to subdue him using a Taser ended in "a catastrophic failure," according to McMillin, and ultimately the officers fired on the suspect. The man was pronounced dead on the scene. From a distance, a witness took a videotape of the encounter between two police officers and the suspect, who walked away from police before being shot and killed. But the videotape wasn't clear on what had transpired between police and the man before the shooting. The video was posted on YouTube. The police chief played that and other footage of the incident reporters, explaining that he did so to give the public a better sense of what happened. He said no final judgment has been made on whether the officers were "reasonable" in their use of deadly force. "When people look at (this case), you don't (necessarily) get a lot of the details and you don't necessarily understand exactly what was happening," McMillin said. This new information was released "to make people understand why the officers did what they did, and just what the officers did." March 20 shooting . The first officer-involved shooting occurred March 20, when police fatally shot a man with a gun under his sweatshirt in a restaurant parking lot, police said. Police had received a call about a suspicious person with a handgun. "As the involved officers challenged the suspect, the suspect lifted his sweatshirt, brandishing a handgun at the officers. Fearing that the suspect was going to shoot, the involved officers shot the suspect, resulting in the suspect's death at the scene," police said. "Three Salinas police officers were involved in this incident and were not injured." The fatally shot man was Angel Ruiz, who was armed with an Airsoft pellet gun, CNN affiliate KSBW reported. May 9 shooting . On May 9, police received 911 calls about a man chasing people and waving a large knife, and after arriving on the scene, officers used a Taser on the suspect, Osman Hernandez, 26, who had no arrest history in Salinas, police said. When they tried to put handcuffs on him, Hernandez "pulled up his shirt clearly exposing a large knife that was tucked into the area of his waistband," police said. "Quickly, the suspect grabbed the knife and pulled it out towards the officers who were in close proximity to him while attempting to restrain him," police said. Two officers shot Hernandez, who died at the scene, police said. On Wednesday, Hernandez's family filed a claim against the city seeking $2 million in damages, KSBW reported, quoting the family's attorney. "There is something seriously wrong. It's horrific. These men were shot down in cold blood," attorney Christopher Dolan told the station. CNN's Greg Botelho, Jason Kravarik, Stephanie Elam and Carma Hassan contributed to this report.	NEW: Police chief offers detail to help people better understand officers' killing of 1 man . NEW: He says authorities "recognize ... the anger," says such frustration is legitimate . Police in Salinas, California, have fatally shot three Hispanic men since March . Anti-police protests turn raucous Wednesday when police respond to a nearby shooting .
f6088765df4e1f234dc74b98d636583471fd495b	By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 10:24 EST, 11 October 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 10:27 EST, 11 October 2013 . A man has admitted having a 'cat kill room' in his Alabama home where he would throw kittens he had bought off Craigslist against the wall until their necks broke, or stomp on them. Ronald Fraser Golden, who has been charged with 22 counts of first-degree cruelty, said he killed the defenseless creatures because he was 'angry at the world'. The 48-year-old was arrested after police received an anonymous tip as they investigated reports of dead kittens found near his Athens home. Horrific: Ronald Fraser Golden told police he had been killing kittens since July . 'Kill room': Five dead kittens were found in Golden's garden and police saw blood spatters on the walls . 'Golden admitted to buying kittens off . Craigslist, naming them and then killing them,' police chief Floyd Johnson said. Charged: Ronald Fraser Golden faces 22 counts of animal cruelty . 'Golden . told investigators he had a cat room where he would throw the kittens . against the floor to break their necks, stomp on them or wring their . necks.' When police searched his home, opposite an elementary school, they found blood spatters on the walls and floors and the bodies of five kittens in the garden, according to AL.com. Two kittens named Melvin and Mia, and . two dogs were found alive in the house. Lieutenant Chris Slaton said . Golden claimed to have cared for the dogs. A . family who believe they may have unwittingly sold two kittens to Golden . claimed he was in the process of buying another one, named Tigerlily, . from them. The family claim they met Golden after placing an ad on Craigslist to find homes for their kittens. 'As soon as they showed the picture I said "That's the man, that's him",' one of the women, who has not been named told Whnt. 'He seemed real nice and talkative and . he gave me some updates a couple of days later on how they were doing, . what he'd named them,' she said. Saved: The owners of this kitten say Golden had contacted them about buying a new cat . Sickened: An Athens family claim Golden bought two of their kittens earlier this year . Golden, who was initially held for a mental health evaluation, allegedly began his kitten killing spree in July. He is currently being held in Limestone County Jail, where bail has been set at $22,000. If convicted, Golden could face a year in jail for each of the 22 charges made against him.	Ronald Fraser Golden charged with 22 counts of first-degree animal cruelty . Police find five dead cats and blood spatters on the walls . 48-year-old admitted killing spree began in July .
f609349eb343bfe01d5c346b021f8af0ea73b7d0	By . Associated Press . and Mail Online Reporter . Jason Brown, 24, is accused of dismembering several dogs and keeping their heads in a refrigerator while staying at a Nevada motel . A 24-year-old man is accused of killing and dismembering several dogs and keeping their heads in a small refrigerator while staying at a Nevada motel. Jason Brown is scheduled to appear at a status hearing Wednesday in Washoe District Court on animal torture and drug charges that could send him to prison for more than 20 years. Authorities say he was arrested July 9 after a maid called police when she found a decapitated dog in the bathtub of a room Brown was renting at the Super 8 Motel in Reno. Police say they found four dog heads inside a small refrigerator, and several bloody knives and scissors. Brown had reportedly been staying at the motel for a several days without letting cleaners into his room. His lawyer, John Oakes, tells the Reno Gazette-Journal the former Reno High . School student has 'mental health issues'. He says he may need a psychiatric evaluation before he goes to trial. It's believed Brown bought at least two of the dogs he killed off the listings website, Craigslist. The were reported to have been Chihuahuas. Kevin Schiller, Washoe County Regional Animal Services assistant manager and department head, said at the time of Brown's arrest: 'We haven't had any cases like this before. 'This is probably the second major case we've had dealing with animal abuse. 'They're not that common, at least at this level.' Police say they found four dog heads inside a small refrigerator, and several bloody implements inside Brown's room at the Super 8 Motel in Reno . Brown had reportedly been staying at the motel for a several days without letting cleaners into his room . If Brown had committed such acts before 2011 Reno police would have only been able to charge him with misdemeanors. However, the laws were changed after Raymond Rios adopted a dog from Craigslist and sliced the dog’s stomach open with a box cutter in a Reno motel leading to its death. This led to Cooney’s Law being passed, which allows police to charge people accused of animal cruelty with felony counts.	Jason Brown, 24, is accused of dismembering several dogs and keeping their heads in a refrigerator while staying at the Super 8 Motel in Nevada . His lawyer claims the former Reno High School student has 'mental health issues' It's believed Brown bought at least two of the dogs he killed off the listings website, Craigslist .
f60a2815de6d2165ab17dcfb2516c5b061875f1e	Washington (CNN) -- There is an old joke in the Middle East that goes like this: One of Hosni Mubarak's advisers finally gets the courage to say, "Mr. President, maybe it's time to think about your farewell address to the Egyptian people." Mubarak looks at the adviser and asks, "Why? Where are they going?" In reality, Mubarak got the message loud and clear. Now, this leader, who for decades has been not just the symbol of Egypt but a dominant voice in the Middle East, will be leaving, and nobody is sure what will emerge in his wake. The effects will be felt not just in the Middle East but back in the United States. Today, the U.S. has less leverage in the region than ever before. At talks last month in Istanbul, Turkey, Iran showed the U.S. and its allies that it will remain defiant on its nuclear program in the face of tough sanctions. Lebanon is in the throes of a dangerous game of brinksmanship that threatens to send the country back into civil war after Hezbollah, supported by Syria and Iran, brought down the U.S.-backed government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri and installed billionaire businessman Najib Mikati as its choice for the job. In Yemen, a strongman president has been ejected, but he was also key to U.S. anti-terror efforts in the country that harbors an active and threatening subset of al Qaeda. Reform in the Middle East was an important item at the outset for the Obama administration. President Obama received international goodwill upon taking office, for simply not being President George W. Bush. He flew to Cairo early in his tenure and gave a much-watched speech to offer a "new era" in U.S. relations with the Arab and Muslim world. That was the high point. Although it came into office hoping to seduce the region rather than fight it, the Obama administration has not delivered on the tantalizing promises it made since taking over, not only to show progress on solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but to encourage democratic reform. Change in the region comes not from his encouragement but from the disaffected taking matters into their own hands. These dashed expectations Obama has created in the region are not just disappointing; they have hurt U.S. credibility in the region and have had diplomats and Middle East experts scratching their heads about just what Obama's vision for the region is. This troubled region has always looked to the U.S. to help in times of crisis. Now, countries like Turkey and Qatar, whose interests don't always align with Washington's, are taking the lead. While its influence on big-ticket issues in the region is declining, the U.S. has redoubled efforts to tackle their root causes, such as poverty, hunger and disenfranchisement of women. These are the same ills that prompted Tunisians to take to the streets, with people in the neighborhood nipping at their heels. Sensing the winds of change in the region, the Obama administration has been engaged in a robust debate over the past few months about whether to elevate the issue of reform. The answer was delivered in a speech last month in Qatar by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in which she warned Arab leaders that unless they reform and address economic and social frustrations, their regimes would "sink into the sand." The fall of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia and the events in Egypt caught U.S. officials off-guard and brought that debate to critical mass. For the first time in history, the U.S. has broken with authoritarian Arab allies. The events in Egypt have leaders of other pro-U.S. countries in the region rightly concerned about what will happen if demonstrations take place in their countries and whether they can count on America's loyalty. The Obama administration is trying to send the message to these countries -- but not necessarily their leaders -- that they can count on American loyalty. For years, a game ensued in which the U.S. called for reform and Arab leaders resorted to cosmetic and ad hoc changes to placate Washington, which accepted the meager gestures in the hopes they would lead to further changes. That game is over. Obama's decision to break with Mubarak, a critical U.S. ally in the Mideast, serves as a warning to Arab allies that they too are expendable and their reactions to U.S. calls for reform in the future must be met more seriously. Although the U.S. has finally found its footing on the reform issue, its aspirations of restarting Mideast peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians may be stalled indefinitely. Mubarak was an anchor of U.S. policy of stability in the region. The twin pillars of that policy -- support for pro-American regimes that share U.S. security interests and the pursuit of Israeli-Arab peace -- are now on shaky ground. Israel will probably conclude that if such entrenched Arab regimes can fall, making peace with a deeply divided Palestinian movement is anything but a sure bet. Israel is keeping a wary eye on developments in Egypt with fears that an Islamic takeover there would end three decades of cooperation between the two countries. The U.S.-brokered Camp David accords, signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1978, ended a generation of hostilities between the two nations and forged a relationship that has endured, in part, because of the stability of the Mubarak regime -- which came to power after Sadat was assassinated in 1981 -- and in spite of deep animus among rank-and-file Egyptians toward Israel. Eli Shaked, Israel's ambassador to Egypt from 2003 to 2005, predicted that if the Mubarak regime falls, a new Islamist regime, hostile to Israel and Western nations, will replace it. "There will be no democracy in Egypt," Shaked said. "If there will be democratic elections in Egypt in the summer or in the very near future, (they) will be the first and last democratic elections in Egypt." While he recognizes that the causes of the upheaval in Egypt lie in economic and social strife, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu said he is concerned that "there is a possibility that an organized force will take advantage of the situation." A new Egyptian regime probably will affect relations with Hamas, which controls the Palestinian territory sandwiched between Israel and Egypt, and may play up the harsh criticism among many sectors in Egyptian society toward Israeli policy. But some terrorism experts believe that extremist voices are being drowned out by the chants of the protesters in Cairo. CNN analyst Paul Cruickshank wrote that al Qaeda's support base, "already severely shaken by its barbaric excesses in Iraq and biting criticism from fellow jihadists, could narrow yet further." "The televised scenes of secular, middle-class youngsters and Egyptians from all walks of life courageously and largely peacefully challenging the regime of President Hosni Mubarak have been transmitted onto tens of millions of television screens across the Arab world and have captured the imagination, providing vastly more attractive role models for young Arabs, whose hopes for too long have been strangled by political, economic and cultural sclerosis," he wrote. U.S. officials feel that the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's main Islamic political organization, has been very sophisticated in its handling of the people's revolt. The group deliberately stayed out of the fray in the early days of the protests, allowing other Egyptians to lead the charge for fear Mubarak would cite fears of extremist activity in cracking down on the demonstrators. Carrie Rosefsky Wickham, an associate professor of political science at Emory University and author of "Mobilizing Islam: Religion, Activism and Political Change in Egypt," notes that the Brotherhood is an umbrella organization that encompasses different views and trends. Though technically illegal, the group does have a presence among the masses, but it is no longer the defiant anti-system movement it was in the past. The key question is whether the Brotherhood will continue to exercise self-restraint when the Mubarak regime falls. Rosefsky believes it will, arguing that the Brotherhood is less interested in seizing power and calling the shots than it is in spreading its message and influencing policy. Other experts believe the Brotherhood will grab power if given the chance. It is unclear to what extent established institutions of Egypt and other countries will be willing and able to change and open enough political space for viable oppositions to flourish. The future of U.S. policy and interests in the region will largely depend on who ends up in power, not just in Egypt but in the host of other countries on the verge of transformation. In a doomsday scenario, extremist Islamic factions in Egypt, Tunisia and even Jordan could come to power, killing critical diplomatic and military relationships, forcing the closing of the Suez Canal and allowing Iran fill the vacuum. That could even trigger a most dangerous war between Israel and Iran. Nobody expects that worst-case nightmare to come through, however. Regardless of the outcome, the Obama administration has concluded that it must try to be on the right side of history, which is seems to be the catchphrase of the week for Middle East analysts. Supporting the status quo could embolden leaders to hold on, possibly becoming even more oppressive. That could give way to a permanent resistance that creates even more pressure for chance, further radicalizes the Arab street and creates even more anger at the United States. This tectonic shifts taking place in the region have altered the American role in the Middle East indefinitely, if not forever. For the first time in decades, the U.S. is in uncharted waters in the proverbial boat without a paddle. There is certain fatalism to it all, with the U.S. gradually accepting the hard reality that it can only be driven by events rather than helping to drive them. The hope is that the whoever the new leaders of the Middle East are, they will look to Washington as a partner. When asked how the U.S. will pick up the pieces in the region, one senior official simply said, "We will call whoever is in charge."	Nobody is sure who will fill Hosni Mubarak's place when he steps down as Egypt's president . The effects will be felt in the Middle East and in the United States . Follow them on Twitter @eliselabottcnn and @joshlevscnn .
f60aaa2bfda5c4cd69e92bd7f0b349cecb2594a6	New York (CNN) -- There are days when Congress seems determined to earn its 12% approval rating -- and that 14 Republican senators are threatening to filibuster any new gun legislation should make your blood boil if you still have a heart to pump it with. Four months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School slaughter, the vast majority of Americans still support some sensible new gun laws, but the same legislation has been declared DOA by conservative senators. It's enough for some activists to crow that the NRA's strategy to stall until public attention moved elsewhere has succeeded. The old argument after a mass shooting -- "it's too soon" -- has been revealed to be the delay and dodge it always was. In a democracy, the will of the people is supposed to have some sway. And an astounding 91% of Americans back universal background checks -- including 88% of Republicans, according to a Quinnipiac poll. Reality check: 90% of Americans don't agree on the awesomeness of apple pie and vanilla ice cream. The disconnect between Congress and Main Street America has rarely been so stark. This should be a no-brainer -- especially because the most "controversial" initial proposals have been dropped because they were considered too politically difficult to pass. Those included a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, which is only supported by a narrow majority of the American people, and a limit on high-capacity magazines . Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was hotly criticized by liberals for backing off this proposal, but he cited pragmatism -- the need to get 60 votes for passage. That Reid himself has enjoyed high ratings from the NRA and is looking out for the political fortunes of red state Democrats running for re-election was a source of some suspicion. But even Reid's attempt to put forward a less polarizing bill has been met by the threatened Republican filibuster. There seems to be no reward for being reasonable. Reid to force a vote Thursday on debating gun measures . When Rand Paul filibustered the nomination of CIA Director John Brennan, I cheered -- not because I agreed, but because it was a principled attempt to educate the American people on drone strike policy and because Paul pursued the filibuster the traditional "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" way, taking the Senate floor rather than blocking debate with a parliamentary maneuver. But this threatened filibuster on guns follows the old obscure obstructionist ways, blocking debate and accountability rather than encouraging it. The arguments would-be filibusterers such as Sens. Paul, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Mitch McConnell and Mike Enzi are making sound as if they are principled -- if you don't pay attention to the facts. Here's Enzi's take: "The measures proposed currently by the majority do not reduce crime, they simply restrict the American public's constitutional right to self-defense. ... These bills would take away one of the basic freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and proponents won't stop with these restrictions." Enzi is singing from the current conservative hymnal, but let's take a closer look. His statement is a combination of fictitious fear-mongering ("These bills would take away one of the basic freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights") and the dystopian slippery slope ("and proponents won't stop with these restrictions.") Let's start with a reality check on the most predictable of the oppositional bumper stickers: the "assault on Second Amendment." First, the Second Amendment is already enshrined in the Constitution. It cannot be abridged by legislation. Moreover, there exists the right to reasonable restrictions, such as the ban on machine guns that has existed in the USA since the 1930s and originally passed with NRA support. But don't take my word for it -- listen to conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote in the landmark Heller Decision, which declared D.C.'s functional ban on handguns unconstitutional: . "Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose: For example, concealed weapons prohibitions have been upheld under the Amendment or state analogues. "The Court's opinion should not be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms. [United States v.] Miller's holding that the sorts of weapons protected are those 'in common use at the time' finds support in the historical tradition of prohibiting the carrying of dangerous and unusual weapons." Got that? Unless gun advocates are going to start calling Scalia a RINO (Republican In Name Only), there should be some room here for reasonable debate. Yes, we need to acknowledge that Americans use guns differently in urban and rural areas. That's one reason liberal former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean had an A rating from the NRA when he ran for president in 2004. But if politically difficult but clearly constitutional measures such as an assault weapons ban, which Ronald Reagan backed, aren't included in the proposed legislation, we surely should be able to debate this issue rationally and in the open. Republicans are doubling down on irrational appeals and trying to block debate. That's another reason this position is infuriatingly stupid -- it compounds the number one negative perception about the Republican Party. Namely, that it is "inflexible and unwilling to compromise." Why be afraid of an open debate and an up or down vote on this issue? Republicans such as Rudy Giuliani and John McCain have pointed out the counterproductive nature of this threatened filibuster, with McCain saying on CBS' "Face the Nation": "The purpose of the United States Senate is to debate and to vote and to let the people know where we stand." He added, sensibly: "What are we afraid of?" That's a good question. And the answer is hiding in plain sight. Republican senators are afraid of a conservative primary challenge fueled by huge amounts of outside money backed by activists and lobbying groups such as the NRA. I genuinely believe that both parties have good ideas and good people -- and principled voices are arguing for a constructive compromise and a real debate on this issue. Opponents can't even defend their inaction by arguing they are representing their constituents because of the overwhelming bipartisan margins for the proposed increased background checks and cracking down on gun-trafficking. But hyperpartisan politics are once again threatening to trump policy-driven problem solving. That's why Congress has such a dismal approval rating in the first place. On Tuesday and Wednesday, parents who lost children in the Newtown massacre will be walking the halls of Congress, trying to appeal to the conscience of our legislators. It will be interesting to see whether their personal appeals will carry as much weight as the influence of gun lobbyists. This issue isn't academic -- it is an urgent test of our elected representatives' ability to be responsive to the public will and reason together. If Newtown can't get Washington's attention, what will? The shooting of a colleague, Gabby Giffords, apparently didn't. Conscience and compassion should matter more than cold hard cash. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Avlon.	Universal background checks on gun buyers favored by 90% of Americans . John Avlon says the threatened Republican filibuster would thwart democracy . He says the arguments against background checks are bogus . Avlon: Real fear of GOP senators is primary challenge funded by NRA .
f60ab542056d9ce1f61102140ee314938de39319	By . Daily Mail Reporter . The log fire is raging and the lights are turned down low. He snuggles in and his mind turns to passionate ways of getting the pulse racing on a cold winter’s night. However, her mind is firmly stuck on far sweeter things – her favourite chocolate treat hidden away in the cupboard. A survey has confirmed what many chaps had always feared: That most women would rather give up sex than chocolate. Treat: Women would rather give up sex than chocolate according to a new study . A survey of 2,000 people found that alcohol, chocolate and sex were the most difficult things to forego, followed by caffeine and swearing. When it comes to giving things up for a month, one in five men – 22 per cent – said sex was one of the hardest things to live without, while only one in ten women – 9 per cent – agreed. Twenty-two per cent of women said chocolate would be the last thing they would forego. While 59 per cent of people thought women were more likely to be able to abstain from sex, only 5 per cent thought men could. Men were thought to have less willpower than women once they set their mind to a challenge, with 19 per cent of people saying men lacked the ability to control their urges compared with 31 per cent for women. The survey was carried out to mark the launch of Cancer Research UK’s fundraising campaign Dryathlon, encouraging people to test their willpower by staying off alcohol for January. Vices: Drinking alcohol and sex were ranked as among the most difficult things to give up (file pictures) When asked about how their willpower changed over the year, half of the UK admitted that the winter period - in particular Christmas and New Year - is when we are at our weakest. The study also found that men are still thought of as being commitment-shy, with more than half - 56 per cent - of those questioned saying women are more committed to relationships compared to 5 per cent of men. While people thought men are stronger willed in work and sport, 31 per cent thought that women were more likely to be able to stick to a diet than men. Robert West, professor of health psychology at the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre said: 'When you take exposure to temptation and strength of desire out of the equation you are left with this thing called "willpower": the force that our plans have in controlling our actions. Addictive: Many people struggle to give up caffeine . 'Individuals with more willpower are probably more likely to achieve their objectives, whatever these might be. 'Some believe that willpower is like a muscle - it can get tired but it can also be strengthened with training. 'The idea is that getting people to practice doing something that requires self-control builds a general ability to do this. 'There are also studies showing that when people make their personal rules very clear with well-defined boundaries, they are more likely to stick to them.' Jessica Ennis topped a list of 30 of the UK’s willpower heroes, picking up more than 20 per cent of the public vote. Following her heptathlon success at the Olympics, Ennis topped the poll for demonstrating the highest willpower, closely followed by The Queen who took more than 10 per cent of the vote for her lifetime dedication to her country.	More than 20 per cent of women said that chocolate would be the last thing they could give up, according to aa Cancer Research UK campaign . But just nine per cent said that sex would be the hardest thing to forego .
f60ac66752fe6d0aad640a78c834464c984f93f6	By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:07 EST, 31 August 2012 . \| . UPDATED: . 14:07 EST, 31 August 2012 . Facing jail: David Chatwood (above) has admitted his part in a plot to steal £1.1million in gold and silver bullion from a company in Belgium . Two men today admitted plotting with the stepdad of The Only Way Is Essex stars Sam and Billie Faiers to steal £1.1million in gold and silver bullion today. David Chatwood, who was arrested last year at the home he shares with the two celebrities in Brentwood, Essex, has already pleaded guilty to his part in the international conspiracy to snatch the precious metal bars in Belgium. The gullion were stolen from a lorry in Antwerp on October 19 last year while it was being transported to the UK. In April this year Chatwood, 58, and three other men - Brian Mulcahy, 46, Stanley Rose, 75, and 55 year-old David Gale - pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to steal. Today Gary Cummings, 51, and Matthew Middleton, 42, also entered guilty pleas to the same count. Four others, John Corley, 52, Sheron Mancini, 53, Kayracos Nicolas, 30, and his father Andreas Nicolas, 50, are due to stand trial next month. Corley, Kayracos Nicolas and Mancini are accused of two counts of conspiracy to steal between June 1 and October 14, 2011, and one of conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property. Celebrity connection: Chatwood is the stepfather of TOWIE stars Sam and Billie Faiers (pictured) Andreas Nicolas faces trial only for conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert or transfer criminal property. Chatwood, from Brentwood, Essex; . Middleton, from Buckhurst Hill, Essex; Rose, from Iver Road, Pilgrims . Hatch, Brentwood; Mulcahy, from Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex; Gale, from . Essex, and Cummings, from Ilford, Essex, will be sentenced after the . trial, which is due to finish in the middle of November. Corley, from Biggin Hill, Kent; . Kayracos Nicolas, from Winchmore Hill, north London; Andreas Nicolas, . from Duxford, Cambs; Mancini, from Roydon, Harlow, Essex, are due to go . on trial on September 10, 2012. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.	David Chatwood pleaded guilty to his part in the plot to snatch the gold and silver bullion in Belgium . Gary Cummings, 51, and Matthew Middleton, 42, today entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to steal . They will be sentenced following trial of another four .
f60b05715f137fa0f9592900f1c8a3b353d694b9	By . Ralph Ellis . PUBLISHED: . 19:33 EST, 2 March 2014 . \| . UPDATED: . 22:13 EST, 2 March 2014 . Ralph Ellis runs you through what we learned from the weekend's football... with some star turns and a look through the leagues, too. This week includes Adam Johnson's nightmare League Cup final, Arsene Wenger's error in dropping Mathieu Flamini for the trip to Stoke and Fulham's managerial woes. 1) Arsene Wenger’s decision to leave Mathieu Flamini out of the team at Stoke forced Jack Wilshere to take a deeper role – meaning the England star effectively played with the handbrake on. Nearly half of the passes he played were in Arsenal’s half of the field, and he failed to create a single chance for a team mate before going off nine minutes from the end. Handbrake on: Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere played a deeper role against Stoke and was ultimately ineffective . Error: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger decided to leave Mathieu Flamini on the bench on Saturday . It was the first time in ten matches that Wilshere has not either made a chance or had a goal attempt of his own. 2) Adam Johnson has been the catalyst for Sunderland’s best form of late and looked as if he could be a Wembley star when he set up Fabio Borini’s early goal. After that, though, he suffered a nightmare against his former Manchester City team mates. They tightened up on him so much that by the time he went off with half an hour to go he had found a team mate with only two other passes. In all he only touched the ball 21 times, losing possession on 13 of those occasions, and got in just one cross. Assistance: Adam Johnson (left) congratulates Fabio Borini after setting the frontman up against Man City . Crowded out: After his side's opener, Johnson failed to get the into the game which Sunderland went onto lose . 3) Joe Allen has never really established himself at Liverpool since he followed Brendan Rodgers from Swansea as the first big buy of his management reign. If anything stops the 23-year-old from making it at Anfield, though, it won’t be lack of effort. Given his first start of 2014 at Southampton, EA Sports stats show he ran 7.9miles during 90 minutes of effort to contribute to the 3-0 win. No player in any Saturday’s Premier League games went further, and his total of 63 sprints was only matched by Chelsea’s hat-trick hero Andre Schurrle. Workhorse: Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen (right) covered more miles than any Premier League player on Saturday . 4) It’s just like old times in the North West – a 4-1 win for United and a good performance by somebody called Neville. That won’t be any comfort for David Moyes, though. It was FC United of Manchester who beat Droylsden at Gigg Lane in front of a crowd of nearly 2,000, to move into the play-off places in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League. The Neville was left winger Lee who made a telling contribution as a second half substitute - but is no relation to Gary or Phil. 5) Fulham have suffered from some odd management decisions all season and it looks as if Felix Magath has dropped straight into the pattern. Lewis Holtby was not only his best player in his first match in charge at West Brom, but also helped the boss by translating the manager’s instructions from German. His reward was to be left on the subs bench against Chelsea – getting on only for the final 28 minutes when although he created a chance it was too late to rescue the game. Struggles: Fulham manager Felix Magath (left) trudges off the Craven Cottage pitch on Saturday . 6) Cardiff owner Vincent Tan has praised Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for bringing in seven new players for an outlay of just £6million during the January transfer window. Clearly you get what you pay for. Solskjaer used all of his new boys and started five of them in the 4-0 thrashing by Hull a week ago. By this weekend he’d axed all but Cala and Fabio from his starting line-up at Tottenham with only Kenwyne Jones and Mats Daehli coming off the bench – and Fabio was one of the players he subbed. The 1-0 reverse at Spurs meant the Bluebirds (or is it Redbirds these days?) suffered their fifth defeat in seven Premier League games since the former Manchester United star took charge. Fauth: Juan Cala (left), pictured challenging Tottenham's Nacer Chadli, kept his place in the Cardiff team . 7) Dean Saunders has yet to find another job in football since failing to stop Wolves slide to a second successive relegation during an ill-fated spell in charge at Molineux last season. The former Liverpool and Villa star should at least be given credit, though, for being brave enough to give defender Danny Baath his first team chance amid the wreckage of a disastrous campaign. The 23-year-old has grown from there as the cornerstone of Kenny Jackett’s team this season, and was excellent in the 3-0 win over Port Vale that put the club top of the table. He is the only ever-present in 32 League One games so far. 8) Chris Martin’s red card in Derby’s defeat at Burnley might mean striker Conor Sammon finally gets the chance to start a game when Steve McClaren picks his side to face Millwall at home next week. The lanky Irishman, 27, came on as a half time sub at Burnley as former England boss McClaren tried to orchestrate a fightback before his ten men ultimately lost 2-0. If the former Wigan star does get to play next week it will be only his second start of the season – despite coming on as substitute an incredible 27 times. 9) Middlesbrough will be leading the campaign for goal-line technology in the Championship as well as the Premier League as their barren run now stretches to more than 700 minutes without scoring. Tough times: Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka has seen his side go without a goal for over 700 minutes . Jacob Butterfield thought he’d brought the wait to an end with a 20-yard drive against Sheffield Wednesday which appeared to go a foot over the line. Sadly for Boro boss Aitor Karanka, who last saw his team score back on January 18th, ref Andy D’Urso had to accept the advice of his assistant Paul Hodkinson who didn’t give the goal. Just to make matters worse for Boro they ended up losing to another controversial decision when Dean Whitehead was sent off for handling Leon Best’s shot on the line, and Atdhe Nuhiu scored the resultant penalty. 10) Plymouth’s board were brave when they stuck by John Sheridan early in the season – they were just two points above the relegation zone in October after losing to ten-man Hartlepool. They have got their reward in a sustained run of form since – and Saturday’s 5-0 thrashing of Morecambe made it four wins in the last five games. A crowd of nearly 7,000 saw Lewis Alessandra score twice and the Pilgrims are now two points outside the League Two play-off zone with a game in hand over seventh placed Southend.	Adam Johnson failed to make a big enough impact in the League Cup final . Jack Wilshere's deep role for Arsenal against Stoke made him ineffective . Felix Magath's odd decision hindered Fulham's chances against Chelsea . Joe Allen covered more ground than any other Premier League player .
f60b1390af05eb824ee65fb6deb95898350ce066	Chipotle is rolling out organic tofu on menus across the country, the Mexican restaurant chain has announced. The meatless protein, which has been tested in some branches for a year, can now be added to make vegan and vegetarian burritos, tacos, bowls and salads. Named Sofritas, it is made with chipotle chilis, roasted poblanos and spices. The tofu will be sold at the same price as Chipotle chicken - which makes it around $6.50 in a burrito. Chipotle is rolling out their organic tofu called Sofritas in restaurants across the country where it will be available in burritos, tacos and bowls . The new product, said to mimic the taste of chorizo, is lower in calories than meaty fillings. A sofritas burrito with brown rice and no accompaniments is 645 calories compared a chicken version at 680, steak at 690 calories and pork at 720. The shredded tofu is already on the menu at Chipotles in San Francisco, Baltimore and Philadelphia. A single burrito (flour tortilla with meat or tofu, healthy brown rice no accompaniments): . Tofu - 645 caloriesChicken - 680 caloriesSteak - 690 caloriesBarbacoa (spicy beef) - 665 caloriesCarnitas (seasoned pork) - 720 calories . From March 3, it will be available in New York City and Boston before rolling out across the U.S. The tofu is being made with producer Hodo Soy in Oakland, California. The product is GMO-free and organic. Chipotle promotes a 'food with integrity' message and supports sustainable farming, local businesses and organic produce. Although plenty of major fast-food . restaurants have vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, Chipotle . appears to be the first nationwide chain to offer tofu. Last . month, Chipotle paid $1million for a four-episode series 'Farmed and . Dangerous' on Hulu, which promised to be a satirical take on industrial . farming. A Sofritas bowl from Chipotle - the new organic shredded tofu will be available in New York City and Boston from March 3 after being trialed in Baltimore and Philadelphia . Chipotle has rolled out a tofu option which will please veggie and vegan customers of the chain .	The meatless protein can now be added to make vegan and . vegetarian burritos, tacos, bowls and salads . Called Sofritas, a basic tofu burrito will cost $6.50 . Tofu available in NYC and Boston on March 3 before being rolled out across the country .
f60c2edbca02a2db0adcc912d2a140d83a2154d7	Atlanta (CNN) -- An official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been arrested and charged with two counts of child molestation and one count of bestiality, police said. Police arrested Dr. Kimberly Quinlan Lindsey, 44, in DeKalb County, Georgia, on Sunday. Authorities also charged Lindsey's live-in boyfriend, Thomas Joseph Westerman, 42, with two counts of child molestation. The two are accused of "immoral and indecent" sexual acts involving a 6-year-old, according to information from DeKalb County Magistrate Court and an arrest warrant. The bestiality charge says Lindsey "did unlawfully perform or submit to any sexual act with an animal." The alleged incidents took place between January 1, 2010, and August 22, 2011. Westerman is out of jail on bail; Lindsey remains in jail with bail set at $20,000, said Lt. Pam Kunz of the DeKalb County Police Department. Neither has made a public statement. Westerman did not immediately return a call from CNN. Both went to court on Sunday for an initial appearance and have a preliminary hearing scheduled for December 1, said Reggie Silverman, deputy clerk with DeKalb Magistrate Court. Lindsey is the deputy director for the Laboratory Science Policy and Practice Program Office at the CDC, according to her biography on the agency's website. Prior to her current role, Lindsey was the senior health scientist in the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. That office oversees the allocation process for $1.5 billion in terrorism preparedness. In her 12 years at the CDC, Lindsey has received 12 awards for outstanding performance on projects and programs, according to her bio on Emory University's Biological and Biomedical Sciences website. Lindsey earned her doctorate in immunology and molecular pathogenesis from the university in 1998, a year before she began work at the CDC. A LinkedIn Web page for a Thomas Westerman lists him as having been a watch officer at the CDC from November 2009 to November 2010 and a resource management specialist since August 2011. CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said the agency is aware of the case but cannot comment on personnel issues. CNN's Vivian Kuo, Mary Lynn Ryan, Caleb Hellerman and Tom Faust contributed to this report.	NEW: The two are accused of "immoral and indecent" sexual acts involving a 6-year-old . NEW: The bestiality charge alleges Lindsey performed "a sexual act with an animal" Dr. Kimberly Lindsey is a supervisory health scientist at the CDC . Lindsey remains jailed; Westerman is out on bail .
f60cb6c9ba4693237428dc347542925aefe961a2	By . Daily Mail Reporter . A California woman has embarked on a 24,300-nautical-mile journey with the hope of becoming the youngest woman to ever circumnavigate the globe in a single-engine aircraft - and her name just happens to be the same as another female aviator who famously tried to circle the planet 77 years ago. Amelia Rose Earhart took off Thursday from Oakland, California, in a single-engine Pilatus PC-12NG aircraft with co-pilot Theddy Spichtig. The pair expects the journey around the globe to take 17 days with stops in 14 different countries. When she is in the air, about 80 percent of her flight will be over water, the majority of which is open ocean. Scroll down for video . Amelia: Earhart, 31, hopes to become the youngest woman to circle the globe in a single-engine airplane . Amelia, too: Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 as she attempted to become the first woman to fly around the world . As for that other Amelia Earhart - the one who disappeared in the Pacific Ocean while trying to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in 1937 - there is no relation. However, Amelia Rose Earhart's family always thought they were distantly related to the famous aviator, and that is who the 31-year-old Amelia Earhart is named after. About 10 years ago, the contemporary Earhart started taking aviation lessons with the hopes of living up to her famous name and flying around the world. A few years later, Earhart learned she was not related to the famous pilot. 'If you believe anything for 30 years and are told it's not true, it's tough to take,' she told NBC News prior to her flight on Thursday. But Earhart - who also flies a helicopter for her job as a traffic reporter - still admired her namesake, and vowed to complete a voyage similar to the one that presumably claimed the life of the fearless aviator. Long flight: Earhart and co-pilot Theddy Spichtig expect the journey to take about 17 days . After years of aviation training, Earhart began her journey Thursday from the same Oakland airfield where Amelia Earhart started her doomed voyage nearly 80 years ago. 'When I think about the feelings of opening up the hangar door on the morning of the flight and seeing the same view that Amelia saw, it's really special to me,' she said. All aspects of the trip aren't the same, of course, and Earhart says that her plane has state-of-the-art equipment that her namesake didn't have the luxury of enjoying during her tragic flight. 'The reliability of a single-engine aircraft today in 2014 is vastly . different than it was back in the 1930s,' Earhart told Boston NPR radio . station 90.9 Wbur's "Here and Now" program. 'So, while there is still a . component of adventure with any flight over water, I felt most connected . to the Pilatus. It’s a beautiful aircraft. The cockpit is absolutely . state-of-the-art -- we’ve got synthetic vision, we’ve got dual GPS.' Training: Earhart began her flight training 10 years ago and also flies a helicopter as a traffic reporter . Earhart plans to make stops in 14 different countries on her 17-day trip to become the youngest woman to circle the globe in a single-engine airplane . Despite the fact that they share no familial ancestors, Earhart says recreating the journey will help her connect with her namesake - and hopefully inspire others. 'By recreating and symbolically completing Amelia Mary Earhart’s flight . around the world, I hope to develop an even deeper connection to my . namesake and also encourage the world to pursue their own adventures,' the pilot wrote on the website set up to document her trip. 'Amelia . believed that, ‘adventure is worthwhile in itself’ and it is that type . of attitude that spurs us to seek the unknown, push our limits and fly . outside the lines.' Earhart's journey can be tracked minute-by-minute on her website.	Amelia Earhart grew up thinking she was related to the famed aviator who disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 . When she learned she and her namesake were not related, she vowed to still attempt to fly around the world . Earhart's trip is expected to take 17 days with stops in 14 different countries . About 80 percent of her trip will be over water . Earhart took off Thursday from the same airfield where her namesake began her fateful journey 77 years ago .
f60cc894743fcabab750e5c8f248c5fe3e12a978	A rich husband is less likely to help you with the housework than one on a lower income. This is according to a new study which claims to have found a link between a man's wealth and attitudes towards gender equality. The research also found that women are still doing the most around the home, no matter how many hours they work or how much they are paid. A rich husband is less likely to help you with the housework than one on a lower income. This is according to a new study which claims to have found a link between a man's wealth and attitudes towards gender equality . 'It seems men on lower incomes are happily picking up the dusters, filling the dishwasher and generally starting to do their bit,' said Dr Clare Lyonette from Warwick University. But there is a different attitude when it comes to higher earners – and women could be partly to blame, the researchers say. 'We found that while men in these households do also recognise the need to help their partners, they remain reluctant to lift a finger and appear to simply throw money at the issue by hiring a cleaner instead,' said Dr Lyonette. The researchers interviewed 36 partnered women and 12 partnered men for the project, all of whom had at least one child under the age of 14. 'Inequality still exists and that's perpetuated, in part, by the so-called 'myth of male incompetence',' added Dr Lyonette. It seems men on lower incomes are happily picking up the dusters, filling the dishwasher and generally starting to do their bit,' said Dr Clare Lyonette from Warwick University. But there is a different attitude when it comes to higher earners – and women could be partly to blame, the researchers say . 'This is a belief by some women - and our study shows it's still rife - that men are unable to complete housework to an acceptable standard.' One participant in the survey told the researcher: 'I think they do it on purpose, men, don't they? 'Using the cleaner, he'll just clean around things, then all of a sudden you'll move the sofa and you're like, "what is that under there?"... or he says: "Don't clean upstairs now because no one goes up there bar us, you don't need to hoover' is his argument".' Dr Lyonette concluded that men from lower-income families seem to be starting to do their bit around the home. 'But until all men are willing to take on more domestic tasks, so allowing women to take on greater responsibility within the workplace, any hoped-for progress in gender equality is likely to stall,' she added. You may imagine that a man who is adept at housework would be attractive to woman. But sociologists claim that mopping the kitchen and washing up dishes won’t help men get lucky in the bedroom - with middle-aged women at least. A study has found that men who regularly do housework, such as cooking and cleaning, have less sex than men who don’t bother. Researchers from the Juan March Institute in Madrid studied data based on relationships of 4,561 middle-aged US couples over 20 years, including their sex lives and how they divide household chores. The study found that home tasks such as cooking and cleaning are traditionally perceived as women’s work – and 80 per cent of housework is still done by females. The results showed that men performed around 55 per cent of 'masculine' tasks such as paying bills and mowing the lawn. While egalitarian marriages tended to be happier, men who did ‘feminine’ tasks had sex less often than those who shunned the iron and oven.	This is because they can throw money at the problem, scientists claim . Study also found that women are still doing the most around the home . Women are partly to blame for fact that some men don't help, study says . 'There is a belief by some women that men are unable to complete housework to an acceptable standard,' said Dr Clare Lyonette .
f60d223df97afc6af8841eb44001997880ad3da6	(CNN) -- Looking to get to Hawaii without blowing your son's college fund? Want to experience the islands but not sure when to go? Here's how to avoid costly and exhausting mistakes during your Hawaiian vacation. DON'T travel to Hawaii during school holidays.Tourists crowd Hawaii's stunning beaches in summer and winter. During school holidays, flight and hotel rates are off the charts -- between Christmas and New Years, condos and vacation rentals can run three times as much as rates in early December. DO visit Hawaii in the off-season.Hands down the best values on visiting Hawaii can be found in May and October. With prices reasonably low and the weather at its peak -- not too hot, not too rainy -- take advantage of the perks of off-season travel to jet off to the islands. Current spring and fall flight deals from the West Coast are half of July rates. Additionally, hotels and condos generally slash their prices off-season, rewarding visitors with oceanfront accommodations that typically sell out in peak months. Travel Snapshots: Hawaii . DON'T blow your whole budget on a luxury resort.While staying in a luxurious Hawaiian resort where birds flutter through the open-air lobby and fresh papaya is served at the swim-up bar is nice, it is likely to cost between $400-$600 a night in high season. Instead, fork over the cash for a lomilomi massage and gourmet seafood dinner, and make your own poolside Mai Tai at a rental condo. DO consider staying in a condo.Repeat visitors know to rent a condo. Kitchens, ample square footage, washing machines and privacy afford travelers a more authentic (and often less costly) vacation experience. It's common for numerous companies to manage individual units in the same complex, meaning one property may be decked out by a globetrotting interior decorator, while another may be awash in wicker. Be sure to see photos of the particular condo you're interested in and get specifics on the number and configuration of beds. DON'T try to see everything.While each island has its own personality, it is too expensive (and exhausting) to island-hop the entire archipelago on one vacation. Inter-island flights generally run between $70-$140 each way and most travel to Oahu, so if you want to get from Kauai to the Big Island, you might have to stop in Honolulu and basically pay the equivalent of two inter-island flights each way. DO stick to one or two islands.Each region on each island has its own flavor. The north and east sides of the islands are more tropical, while the south and west regions offer sunnier skies and a more arid landscape. Instead of island hopping, break your trip up by staying in a plush hotel within walking distance of a sunny south shore beach and then cozy up in a rental house near the more tropical (read: rainy) north shore. If you want to island-hop on the cheap, Maui offers ferry service to Lanai and Molokai. DON'T fall for the luau.Most luaus are overpriced and far from the real thing (usually family events on a beach for a first birthday). While they seem like an authentic experience, you can actually piece together the highlights of a luau yourself. Grab a picnic of poke, lomi lomi, fresh pineapple, and poi from a local market. In the evenings at most malls on Kauai and Maui, and at sunset at Waikiki Beach, you can watch free hula shows featuring some of Hawaii's best dancers. DO splurge on an adventure.Whether you fancy diving deep into the sea, soaring over waterfalls on a helicopter tour, or a kayak trip along the Na Pali Coast, treat yourself to at least one adventure. Be sure to book early in your trip in case of bad weather. And lastly, DO NOT forget to relax on the beach.No need to be on a boat, or a horse, or a helicopter, or a zip line the whole time. Save time to enjoy Hawaii's world-class beaches. From the shore, you can walk right out into the sea and snorkel with sea turtles, angelfish and monk seals basically for free. As the sun descends over the Pacific, unwind under a coconut palm and watch the sky burst with color as surfers ride the last sunlit waves onto the white sand. Michele Bigley is the author of "Great Destinations, Kauai" (Countryman Press) and the upcoming "Backroads and Byways of Hawaii" (Countryman Press). Do you have tips for a great trip to Hawaii? Share them in the comments section below.	Consider a trip to Hawaii in May or October for the best value . A condo rental offers more flexibility than a hotel and often is more affordable . Hopping to every island is pricey and time-consuming; consider focusing on one or two .
f60d3b1e7dc2f466bcc44726f95b17d343058126	By . James Chapman In Beijing . PUBLISHED: . 07:01 EST, 2 December 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 07:04 EST, 2 December 2013 . David Cameron has distanced himself from Boris Johnson's controversial suggestion that one in six people is too stupid to get on in life. The Prime Minister, speaking for the first time about the London Mayor's remarks, said he believed in equality of opportunity for all. In a speech last week, the Mayor, seen as one of Mr Cameron's chief rivals for the Conservative leadership, said equality was unachievable when 16 per cent of the 'species' have an IQ of under 85. David Cameron, pictured after meeting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during trade talks in Beijing, hit back at Boris Johnson's comments . His remarks prompted a storm of criticism, with Deputy Prime Minister branding them 'careless' and 'unpleasant' and accusing him of talking about people like dogs. Some critics have suggested the row will dent Mr Johnson's chances of succeeding Mr Cameron and help ensure Home Secretary Theresa May does so instead. Mr Cameron and his key ally George Osborne appear to be revelling in Mr Johnson's discomfort. Speaking on a trip to China, the Prime Minister made clear he disagreed with the Mayor. 'I let Boris speak for himself,' the Prime Minister said. 'I think it's very important that we make sure we do everything so that we maximise people's opportunities to make the most of their talents. 'I believe in equality of opportunity. No-one should be held back by not being able to get the training, the education, the skills that they need. Everyone has their own way of putting these things and I'll leave Boris to talk to Boris.' Delivering last week's Margaret Thatcher Lecture – staged by the right-wing Centre for Policy Studies think-tank – Mr Johnson insisted the rich had a duty to help the poor and embrace philanthropy. And he urged the Government to do much more to help bright children from poor homes to get a good education. He called for the reintroduction of John Major’s assisted places scheme, which paid for the brightest poor children to go to public schools – and accused the Tories of hypocrisy for blocking a revival of the grammar school system. London Mayor Boris Johnson, pictured on a visit last week, said some people were simply not bright enough to succeed in the modern world . But his most controversial comments came when he said globalisation was intensifying the trend towards inequality. Mr Johnson said: ‘I am afraid that violent economic centrifuge is operating on human beings who are already very far from equal in raw ability, if not spiritual worth. ‘Whatever you may think of the value of IQ tests, it is surely relevant to a conversation about equality that as many as 16 per cent of our species have an IQ below 85, while about 2 per cent have an IQ above 130. London Mayor Boris Johnson . ‘The harder you shake the pack, the easier it will be for some cornflakes to get to the top. And for one reason or another – boardroom greed or, as I am assured, the natural and God-given talent of boardroom inhabitants – the income gap between the top cornflakes and the bottom cornflakes is getting wider than ever. ‘I stress I don’t believe that economic equality is possible. Indeed, some measure of inequality is essential for the spirit of envy and keeping up with the Joneses that is, like greed, a valuable spur to economic activity.’ Mr Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister condemned the comments for revealing a 'fairly unpleasant, careless elitism' that siuggested giving up on 'a whole swathe of our fellow citizens'. He added: 'To talk about us as if we are a breed of dog, a species he called it... I think the danger is if you start taking such a deterministic view of people and start saying they’ve got a number attached to them, in this case an IQ number, somehow they’re not really going to rise to the top of the cornflake packet... 'That is complete anathema to everything I’ve always stood for in politics, which is, yes of course, you shouldn't aspire - and as an old-fashioned Liberal I don’t aspire to a perfectly homogenous society where everyone has the same kind of outcomes but you’ve got to try and do more to instil greater opportunity in society.' And yesterday Chancellor George Osborne joined the chorus of disapproval. 'I wouldn't have put it like that. I don't agree with everything he said,' Mr Osborne said. 'You can't achieve equality of outcome but you should be able to achieve equality of opportunity. Education is, I think, the best key to this.' Mr Johnson appeared to echo the film character Gordon Gekko (pictured), whose notorious motto was 'greed is good', saying that greed was 'a valuable spur to economic activity' ON INTELLIGENCE . ‘Whatever . you may think of the value of IQ tests, it is surely relevant to a . conversation about equality that as many as 16 per cent of our species . have an IQ below 85, while about 2 per cent have an IQ above 130.’ ON GREED . ‘I . don’t believe that economic equality is possible. Indeed, some measure . of inequality is essential for the spirit of envy and keeping up with . the Joneses that is, like greed, a valuable spur to economic activity.’ ON THE RICH . ‘I . hope that this time the Gordon Gekkos of London are conspicuous not . just for their greed ... as for what they give and do for the rest of . the population.’ ON GRAMMARS . ‘I . remember once sitting in a meeting of the Tory shadow education team . and listening with mounting disbelief to a conversation in which we all . agreed solemnly that it would be political madness to try to bring back . the grammar schools ... most of the people in that room were about to . make use, as parents, of some of the most viciously selective schools.’ ON IMMIGRATION . ‘It’s . time to sort out the immigration system so that we end the madness ... we are claiming to have capped immigration by having a 60 per cent . reduction in New Zealanders, when we can do nothing to stop the entire . population of Transylvania – charming though most of them may be – from . trying to come here.’	London Mayor said only those with high IQs could rise to the top . Inequality is 'essential for the spirit of envy', Mr Johnson argued . Called for creation of new generation of grammar schools to help brightest . Comments came in the third annual Margaret Thatcher Lecture . But David Cameron says he wants to maximise opportunities for all .
f60d4c0862004eed813d007b51a9fc75e8da407a	Scotland will be left without any weapons to defend itself if it votes for independence and refuses to take on its share of UK debt, an MP has warned. Ian Davidson, the chairman of the influential Scottish affairs committee, said that Alex Salmond’s ‘cavalier’ plan to renege on Scotland’s debts if he does not get his way on the pound would ‘poison’ negotiations with the UK. He warned that Scotland would be denied access to military equipment and could be left with ‘a navy with no ships, an air force with no planes and an army with no guns’. Scroll down for video . Alex Salmond’s (left) ‘cavalier’ plan to renege on Scotland’s debts if he does not get his way on the pound would ‘poison’ negotiations with the UK, says Ian Davidson (right), chairman of the influential Scottish affairs committee . Mr Salmond has been under intense pressure to give details of an alternative if Westminster does not agree to the share the pound, but he has said he has no intention of proposing a ‘plan B’. All three main UK parties have promised to veto a currency union if Scotland votes for independence on 18 September. But Mr Salmond has insisted that monetary union with the rest of the UK would go ahead and promised not to help repay British debt if it does not. Yesterday, Mr Davidson warned that an independent Scotland could not expect to receive military equipment if it walks away from UK debt. He told the Mail: ‘Any decision by a separate Scotland to repudiate its share of the National Debt will clearly have an impact upon any potential division of assets and liabilities, since the National Debt is the major liability. HMS Ambush alongside Valiant Jetty at Faslane.Scotland will be left undefended it votes for independence and refuses to take on its share of UK debt (File photo) ‘It is difficult to imagine the UK handing over assets such as warships, aircraft and other military equipment when the Scottish share of the borrowing that has helped pay for these items is not being repaid. ‘Thus debt repudiation could result in a Scottish Navy with no ships, a Scottish Air Force with no planes and a Scottish Army with no guns.’ The Labour MP for Glasgow South West said that the UK could try and block Scotland joining the EU or Nato if it did not take on any existing debt. He said: ‘Any debt repudiation by a separate Scotland will poison the waters of all other negotiations. ‘The SNP will have to clarify whether a Scotland in dispute with the UK over debt will be eligible to apply to join the EU? Or Nato? ‘Clearly the collaboration and support from the UK for any Scottish application to such organisations, and for the negotiation of terms, is less likely to be forthcoming if a separate Scotland is reneging on debt.’ He also warned that a debt default would ruin Scotland’s reputation for fiscal responsibility and stop it being able to raise money for spending. HMS Blyth leaving Faslane - the base could be abandoned by the Royal Navy if Scotland votes for independence (File photo) ‘As for defence procurement – there is little chance of orders for equipment, which will be partly funded by new borrowings, being placed in a Scotland which will not pay its share of previous debts,’ he said. ‘Thus debt repudiation will accelerate the job losses in defence industries that will follow separation. ‘Now that the First Minister is making debt repudiation one of his strategic objectives then voters in Scotland need to be aware of the consequences.’ The UK Treasury will today publish new expert analysis that shows more than a tenth of Scottish jobs are linked to trade with the UK. The figures, based upon independent academic research from Professor Brian Ashcroft of Strathclyde Business School, reveal that almost 270,000 jobs are connected with UK trade.	Chairman of Scottish affairs committee said Alex Salmond’s ‘cavalier’ plan to renege on Scotland’s debts would ‘poison’ negotiations with UK . Mr Salmond has insisted monetary union with rest of UK would go ahead .
f60d83036d2c6b4c24403d2862f1338b86880606	Probe: The man who handed himself in to authorities in Cyprus has facial similarities with reconstructions of how Ben may now look, the family said . This young man could be missing Briton Ben Needham, Greek authorities have revealed. Ben was just two went he went missing from his family while they where holidaying in Kos, in 1991. But after 22 years, police have called for DNA tests on the member of a Roma family living in Cyprus who they claim could be the long-lost child. Police have even handed Ben's mother Kerry an image of the tall, blue-eyed man they are testing, with light brown hair, wearing a blue and white striped rugby top. There is also a video of the 22-year-old man, which has been viewed by authorities. The . man came to the attention of the Greek police when he fled the mainland . with his family a few years ago to avoid compulsory military service. After seeing the image, Kerry, 41, told the Sunday Mirror that she believes the man in the photograph could be Ben, who would now be aged 23. She said: 'I’ve seen the picture and believe he bears a resemblance to how Ben might now look. 'As a family we’re greatly . lifted by this and we will be in close contact with the Greek . authorities to make sure we are kept fully aware of any progress. 'We’ve never given up hope of finding Ben and we are encouraged that the police in Greece are continuing to investigate.' The image came to light after an unnamed tipster approached the Lawyers Association in Kos. Breakthrough: Ben, pictured left, has never been found but new images and a video show a Roma man with light brown hair and blue eyes, as in the artist's impression above, right. Police want to find and DNA test him . Panayiotis Avrithis, the president the association, realised the potentially explosive nature of the images and handed them to Alexandra Moussoura, the area's District Attorney. The video clip shows a man Greek sources say is between 20 and 25, with four other men from the Roma community, attending a church service in Limassol, Cyprus. It was published with the photograph on Greek news site Zougla. The development has been described as 'highly significant' by Greek police, who are now expected to work with their Cypriot colleagues to track down the man and establish his identity. Ben disappeared on July 24, 1991, while his grandparents Eddie and Christine Needham were looking after him in the Greek resort. Hope: Ben Needham's mother Kerry, right, pictured on Kos with her mother Christine, left, said she has been 'lifted' by the breakthrough . Despite a move by Greek police to excavate land in Kos in a bid to uncover Ben's body, his mother Kerry has refused to believe that her son died after being taken. Last year, officers from South Yorkshire police travelled to the island to conduct their own land search, but no major new leads emerged. The case bears strong links to the tale of little 'Maria', the four-year-old blonde girl who was found living with Romas Greece this month, after allegedly being 'trafficked'. It has since emerged that she is the daughter of a Bulgarian woman called Sasha Ruseva after DNA tests proved biological link. Mrs Ruseva, 35, claimed she handed her daughter over to a Roma family after she gave birth in Greece and could not afford to register the new born. But she and her husband Atanas, 37, could now now face prosecution after allegations that she sold Maria for profit. Regardless of the conclusion, the evidence of Romas having acquired children who are not their own lends support to the theory that more missing children could have ended up in the impoverished communities. Maria's story sent shockwaves all round the world with parents of missing youngsters given fresh hope by her discovery. Disappearance: Ben's family were on a trip to Kos, above, in 1991 when the toddler went missing . Search goes on: South Yorkshire Police Officers, above, travelled to Kos last year to conduct their own search for missing Ben . Covering old ground: The officer's search was without success but the new breakthrough has been welcomed by Ben's mother Kerry . Gerry and Kate McCann were alerted to the case after Police in Portugal agreed to reopen their investigation into missing Maddie. Authorities in Ireland too, seized two children from a Roma family to two test if they were living with their biological parents. In . both cases, police suspected that the children, a seven-year-old girl . from Dublin and two-year-old Iancu Munteau from Athlone, might be . victims of abduction because they were blond haired and blue eyed unlike . the rest of their immediate family. Tests have since shown that both children were living with their real parents. Pictured: The case has echoes of the story of young 'Maria', above, who was found to be living with a Roma family last week. Her biological mother has now been discovered in Bulgaria .	Man identified is living with Roma family in Cyprus after fleeing Greece . Video and images were handed to authorities in Kos by anonymous tipster . Ben's mother Kerry said family are optimistic after the breakthrough .
f60da7c64b99e63e1bc47c321a57477da469a2b7	This is the moment a German tennis player lobs her racquet at a linesman after flying into a rage over a bad call. Andrea Petkovic threw a temper tantrum after the ball was ruled in by the line judge when it appeared to land outside the baseline. She crashed to her knees in frustration, banging her hands while screaming and pleading to the umpire, who remained unmoved by her protest. Scroll down for video . Andrea Petkovic cannot believe it as an incorrect decision is given against her . The German points out that the ball she let bounce had clearly crossed the baseline . The umpire does not agree and Petkovic drops to her knees in frustration . She bangs her hands on the ground while screaming her protests to the officials . Still fuming, Petkovic went on to lose the set on the next point, prompting her to throw her racquet in anger towards the bench, narrowly missing the linesman. She then sheepishly fishes the racquet out from behind the advertising boards just feet away from the official as she makes her way back to her seat. Her opponent took advantage of her mental snap and loss of concentration by going on to win the macth. The incident took place during the 7-5, 6-3 loss to Zarina Diyas at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Still fuming, Petkovic went on to lose the set on the next point, prompting her to throw her racquet in anger towards the bench, narrowly missing the linesman . She then sheepishly fishes the racquet out from behind the advertising boards just feet away from the official (left) as she makes her way back to her seat . Petkovic isn't the first player to throw explode on the court - and she certainly won't be the last. Last month, MailOnline revisited the best temper tantrums in the Australian Open, not to mention the most famous ever: John McEnroe’s ‘You can not be serious’ tirade at Wimbledon in 1981. At the Australian Open, Serena Williams once threatened the line judge in 2009, while Xavier Malisse had a hissy fit in 2005, lying on the ground and refusing to get up to resume the match. Several competitors this year have revealed a less-than-flattering side of their personalities whilst Down Under, succumbing to meltdowns on the hot Melbourne courts. Nineteenth seed John Isner took his rage to centre stage following his shock straight-set loss to unseeded Gilles Muller. An irate Isner threw his tennis racquet across the court twice, running after it to give it another serve to ensure his equipment was sufficiently destroyed. With all the force he could muster the US tennis star slammed the tennis racquet across the floor, where it bounced several times before laying crumpled and useless. Andrea Petkovic plays a shot during her match with Khazakhstan's Zarina Diyas in Dubai . Petkovic went on to go and lose the match 7-5, 6-3 after some poor officiating . Andrea Petkovic pictured at the WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party last year (left) and the Generali Ladies Linz tennis tournament party in Austria in 2012 .	Andrea Petkovic lost her cool during her loss to Zarina Diyas in Dubai . The German let a shot bounce as it landed clearly beyond the baseline . However, the decision was given against her and Petkovic protested . Screamed and banged her hands on the floor before throwing her racquet .
f60db965af577dfbdeeef65f93b784841409cf5b	Rosie Fortescue and Millie Mackintosh may be regarded as Chelsea's most stylish exports, but there's a new cast member following in their fashionable footsteps. Clearly keen to give the stylish duo a run for their money, Made In Chelsea star Lucy Watson has adopted a slick new look - and is preparing to launch a style site to go with it. The 24-year-old reality TV star has been keeping her fans up-to-date with her trendy new outfit choices via Instagram ahead of the launch of her style blog next year. Scroll down for video . Watch out, Millie Mackintosh! Made In Chelsea star Lucy Watson has adopted a slick new look . Lucy, who already runs her own jewellery line and has designed for Lipsy, champions high street brands such as Lipsy, Missguided and Topshop. There's also a fair few bikini shots thrown in for good measure - so how does Lucy stay so trim during party season? Speaking about her festive fitness regime, Lucy, who stars in MIC: FIT, the new Chelsea exercise DVD, said: 'It's important all year to be fit, but obviously if you're going away then you really want to be bikini ready. 'But if you're staying in London then it's important too because you're going to be invited to parties where you want to wear a little black dress and you want to feel confident. I think it's good to have a balance. Balanced approach: Lucy, 24, who has been showing off her toned body on Instagram lately, says she can't stop herself from eating her favourite foods . Trendy new look: The reality TV star has been keeping her fans up-to-date with her trendy new outfit choices via Instagram ahead of the launch of her style blog next year . 'I can't, personally, really stop myself from eating what I want to eat. I love food. And I'm a veggie so it's pretty boring for me just to eat vegetables, with no carbohydrates. 'So I just exercise more when I know I need to really look good.' Currently single, Lucy says her ideal date would be at Winter Wonderland in London's Hyde Park because the food - in particular the doughnuts - is amazing. Although judging by her latest Instagram snaps, she hasn't been indulging on too many sweet treats. Hot on the high street: Lucy, who already runs her own jewellery line and has designed for Lipsy, champions high street brands such as Lipsy, Missguided and Topshop, in her new style posts . Big plans: Lucy's career has sky-rocketed since joining the hit show and now she's preparing to add another string to her bow with the launch of her style site . Lucy's career has sky-rocketed since joining the hit show. She was recently unveiled as the face - and smooth legs - of Wilkinson Sword, the face of Skinny Tan, as well as Lipsy VIP and has her own book, The Dating Game. Currently starring in season 8 of the E4 show that propelled her to fame, Lucy has her sights set on another reality TV show. She said: 'I know this is really weird, but I quite like Simon Cowell. Not in a fancying way. I just really want to be good friends with him. I think he'd be really fun. I'd just hang out with him and talk about stuff. 'Maybe we could judge together. It's my dream job.' Watch your back, Cheryl! Lucy says she wants to be good friends with Simon Cowell and judging with him on X Factor would be her 'dream job' MIC:FIT is out now on DVD and Digital HD through Universal Pictures .	Lucy, 24, is preparing to launch style blog in New Year . Has been showing off her slick new style ahead of launch . Discussed fitness, fashion and X Factor dreams with FEMAIL .
f60df7838fdab66b4f383a896bb4b28f270f8346	A luxury baby cot has hit the shelves with a price tag just shy of £10 million. Dubbed the most expensive cot in the world, the 24-carat gold design is priced at a staggering £9,960,000. The solid gold crib, named the Dodo Bassinet, takes six months to build. Inside the standard golden Dodo Bassinet, created by Ximo Talamantes, which is priced at a staggering £9,960,000 . The solid gold 'crib of golden dreams' weighs in at 188kg, and is 114cm high . The magnificent 'crib of golden dreams' was created by Ximo Talamantes, designer and CEO of Suommo. The company, which manufactures luxury furniture for babies and children, was established in 2005, after Ximo became a father. Suommo artist and manager Rafael Esmila says: 'Timeless and contemporary character make every creation a definite trendsetter.' The solid gold limited edition design is the by far the priciest of the Dodo Bassinet collection, which includes gold, black, silver, white and rose gold designs. The white edition would set the buyer back £9,960.00 and the Rose Gold £182,600.00 . 'All of our designs are made with impeccable attention to detail," says Rafael. The bedding is made of the highest quality materials: natural wild silk, together with Pima cotton and gold yarn embroideries . Truly the ultimate answer of what to get the baby who has everything, few new parents will be able to afford the six figure price tag of the crib . 'Our cribs are embellished with the highest quality materials: natural wild silk, together with Pima cotton and gold yarn embroideries. 'London is one of our most popular markets, but we also receive orders from all over the world.' The solid gold crib weighs in at 188kg, and is 114cm high. Customers can also choose to have the cot engraved for an additional cost. A diamond and white gold insignia will cost you £71,380, while a diamond and pure gold embellishment is £68,060. The luxury range includes gold, black, silver, white and rose gold designs. The white edition would set the buyer back £9,960.00 and the Rose Gold £182,600.00 . Rafael says: 'Our customers tend to pass our products through generations as a family heirloom. 'Word of mouth among them is a very important source of our revenue. 'We believe that we are the best that money can buy in luxury for babies and moms.' Suommo will soon be opening a brand new boutique in Dubai, where they will showcase their luxurious designs, which includes a diamond and pure gold Dodo dummy for £24,900.00.	The solid gold crib weighs in at 188kg and is 114cm high . Each crib takes six months to build . Bedding made of wild silk, with Pima cotton and gold yarn embroideries . The cot can be engraved and personalised at additional cost .
f60e44740a08808f66b8556d2c81f6217cde0dd1	Rosamund Pike, pictured at a press conference for Gone Girl, says that seeing the character on screen ‘was hard even for me – and I’d played the role' The film is a dark blend of betrayal, gore and suspense – and its leading character a chilling femme fatale riven by jealousy and loathing. So it is perhaps not surprising that five gruelling weeks spent playing psychotic Amy Elliott-Dunne in the hit thriller Gone Girl left British actress Rosamund Pike traumatised and physically drained. But the instant the cameras stopped rolling, Rosamund, 35, made a momentous decision – she knew she wanted to have a baby... straight away. ‘After filming I just knew I had to go out there and make a human being,’ says the Oxford- educated actress, patting her bump beneath her loose-fitting white Christian Dior dress. ‘The film was so tough and such a hard experience that the instant I’d finished I thought, “I need to bring something positive into the world. Life is good with little people around.” ’ Rosamund, who already has a two-year-old son called Solo with her partner, London businessman Robie Uniacke, is now seven months' pregnant with her second child. But the happy domesticity she now radiates could hardly be in greater contrast to Gone Girl’s Amy, who is at war with her cheating husband. Indeed, with the birth of her new child just weeks away, Rosamund found it disturbing watching the film at last month’s premiere in New York. Gone Girl, based on Gillian Flynn’s addictive bestseller of the same name, is the tale of a marital meltdown in which Amy goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary, leaving behind a scene that suggests her husband Nick (Ben Affleck) has harmed her. What starts out as psychological warfare descends into a gory bloodbath. ‘Seeing it on screen was hard even for me – and I’d played the role,’ says Rosamund in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday. ‘As a pregnant woman I felt so far away from that narcissistic woman. ‘It’s the sort of part that does make you look at yourself and wonder where the movie role ends and the real self begins. ‘I thought, “I’d better make sure this is all buried away. I don’t want to release any of this when I get home.” The role was tough because there are scenes of great violence in the film – physical and psychological. The script just gets into your veins, as though someone is injecting toxins into you.’ Luckily, Robie, 53, and Solo were able to join her while the film was being made, providing some much-needed distraction. ‘If you have a little boy, you walk through the door at home and you get on to the floor with some Lego – that’s a wonderful antidote,’ Rosamund reveals. Scroll down for video . ‘If that didn’t work, I’d play ping-pong, which is a great way of getting things out of your head.’ While her blossoming career may mean moving to America from London full-time, the actress is determined that neither of her children will become Hollywood brats. ‘I look at all of the kids who are wearing T-shirts saying “Little Princess” or “I’m The Boss” or “I’m Too Cute” or “My Mommy Thinks I’m Hot” or whatever, and they’re encouraged in school to sing songs about why they are special, and it’s just got out of hand. 'It’s really prevalent – expectations are sky-high for kids these days.’ Though clearly a doting mother, Rosamund, pictured here with her partner, London businessman Robie Uniacke with their son Solo, two, she takes her career seriously which has been more steady than stellar . She adds: ‘I think we are living in a narcissism epidemic. We’re encouraged to share our lives in a way that is presented as fun. 'But what it really means is that we end up editing them – we want to make it seem that we are more enviable, and having a better time, and going to more amazing parties than all our friends are. ‘If you watch people taking photographs of each other now, you see that everyone is aware of the cameras in the room and everyone is aware of how they want to be seen, and immediately thinks, “Quick, change my expression, I don’t want to make that face for the camera.” Rosamund, pictured here with Ben Affleck in a scene from Gone Girl in which she played a dark role, said after a tough day of filming she would wind down by playing with her son Solo. 'If you have a little boy, you walk through the door at home and you get on to the floor with some Lego – that’s a wonderful antidote’ ‘But if you look at old albums from your parents’ or grandparents’ generation, there’s an amazing candour in people’s faces you just don’t get these days.’ Though clearly a doting mother, there is no doubt how seriously Rosamund takes her career. To date, however, her track record has been more steady than stellar. Although she played supporting roles in a number of Hollywood films, a big breakthrough role had proved elusive ... until now. She discovered from Gone Girl director David Fincher that she had been cast while filming in the Scottish Highlands. Rosamund, pictured in merry spirits after a night out at a function in Downing Street this month, says she's been ready for tougher roles for years and says she was ready to 'get out of all the boxes I've been put into' ‘I’ve been ready for tougher roles for years,’ she insists. ‘I was ready to get out of all the boxes I’ve been put into ... for someone to call on me for the dark role. I felt as though I’d never been stretched. ‘Even though I’ve played a variety of roles I’m still seen in the same light: the reserved, cool one from Oxford. ‘When I first met David, he probably wanted to see whether I had the guts for the role, or whether I was some sort of precious little English flower who didn’t want to get my hands dirty – which, of course, wasn’t the case. ‘I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some lovely roles where I am not the main focus – now I was ready to do something like this.’	Leading character in the hit film is riven by traits of jealousy and loathing . Five gruelling weeks playing the psychotic role left Rosamund, 35, drained . Instant the cameras stopped rolling the star made a decision to have a child . Says filming was 'tough' and wanted to bring something 'positive' into world . She has son, two, and now seven months' pregnant with her second baby .
f60e7cf455e602d85c78994b3abdff2be1185f68	(CNN) -- The military is investigating a "shocking and deplorable" YouTube video that seems to show a Marine throwing a puppy off a rocky cliff. YouTube.com removed the video for violating the Web site's terms of use. The black-and-white puppy makes a yelping sound as it flies through the air. "That's mean, that was mean," one companion says off-camera, addressing the alleged puppy thrower by his last name. The fate of the animal is not known. The Marine is identified on the video and in other Internet postings as a lance corporal stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe. It's not clear where the video was shot, although the man who appears to throw the puppy and another Marine are in full combat gear with helmets. YouTube.com had taken down the video by 12:30 p.m. ET Tuesday "due to terms of use violation," according to a banner on the Web site. "This is a shocking and deplorable video that is contrary to the high standards that we set for every Marine," Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Chris Perrine said at a news conference Monday night. "We will investigate this and take appropriate actions," Perrine said. Watch other Marines and civilians react to the video » . He said the Marine is being kept safe in view of the anger over the alleged incident. Perrine added that the majority of Marines conduct themselves honorably. "There are many examples of Marines who adopt pets and bring them back from Iraq and demonstrate their compassion on a daily basis," he said. If the video is deemed legitimate, the lance corporal could face a charge of conduct unbecoming a Marine, Perrine said. There could be administrative action, nonjudicial punishment or a court-martial, he added. "It's all governed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and anything from reduction in pay to reduction in rank to confinement to discharge from the Marine Corps" is possible, Perrine said. If others are involved, they too will be disciplined, he said. "Certainly, there's a lot of outrage, and a lot of people are upset about it. I think every Marine is upset about this video," he said. "We hope that it turns out not to be what it looks like." E-mail to a friend .	Marine in YouTube video appears to throw tiny dog over a cliff . Corps investigating "shocking and deplorable video," spokesman says . Location of scene not known, but Marines are in full combat gear . Lance corporal could face mild to severe discipline, spokesman says .
f60e7ddc70d634be90b17680b62d1e7cc0a58d5d	By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 23:00 EST, 7 March 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 00:22 EST, 8 March 2013 . Three teenagers who had left a school function early were killed on Thursday when their pickup trucks collided at a rural intersection in southeastern Indiana, police and school officials said. The two-vehicle crash involved six students from South Ripley High School in the small town of Versailles, about 45 miles west of Cincinnati. The students had the day off of school to attend a Future Farmers of America event at a rural church, but they left the daylong event around 9:30 a.m. after serving breakfast to local agriculture officials, Superintendent Rob Moorhead said. Samantha Hansen, 18 (left) was tragically killed in the lethal smash today that killed two other teenagers and injured three others including Kayla Adkinson, 15 ( center right image) Caleb Cumberworth, 15, (left) suffered minor hand injuries in the crash and Thomas Crawford, 17, (right) was taken to hospital with a chest injury . This picture shows the deadly force of the crash today the 1999 Dodge Ram 3500 (right) and 1996 Ford F250 that left both vehicles wrecks . Police believe both drivers ran a four-way stop and their trucks collided at a right angle, with the larger dual-wheel Dodge truck hitting the smaller Ford F-250 broadside. Three of the teenagers died at the scene, and the others were taken to local hospitals, Indiana State Police Sgt. Noel Houze said. Those killed were identified as the driver of the Ford F-250, 17-year-old Timothy Bowman of Osgood, and his passenger, 18-year-old Jacob Vogel of Versailles. A passenger in the other pickup, 18-year-old Samantha Hanson of Holton, also was killed. Police said one of the injured was the driver of the 1999 Dodge Ram . 3500, identified as Thomas Crawford, 17, who was transported to University . of Cincinnati Medical Center with chest injuries. This photo provided by Indiana State Police shows the scene of a crash between two pick trucks that killed three teenagers on Thursday near Versailles, Indiana . Caleb M. Cumberworth, 15, of Holton, suffered minor injuries to his hand . and was taken to Margaret Mary Hospital in Batesville. Cumberworth was riding in the Dodge Ram 3500. Kayla Adkinson, 15, of Holton, was rushed to Margaret Mary Hospital in Batesville with unknown injuries. Investigators don’t know why the teenagers left the event early and said they are testing the drivers' blood alcohol level but do not believe drinking was a factor. However, speeding has not been ruled out as the cause. Moorhead said officials at the high school, which has about 370 students, called students into the gym to tell them about the crash. Teachers also were briefed. 'It’s completely devastating to the people at the school,' said Moorhead. Friends and relatives of the injured and deceased at the scene of the fatal car crash near to Versailles, Indiana on Thursday morning . All of the victims of the car crash attended South Ripley High School near to Versailles, Indiana . The fatal crash was the latest in handful of recent tragedies in Versailles, a town of about of 2,000 people. In the last year and a half, an 18-year-old girl died after crashing her car while texting, a 15-year-old girl was killed while riding an all-terrain vehicle, and a popular teacher died in a plane crash. A 71-year-old man who was injured when a tornado hit the area last year recently died from injuries he sustained in the storm. 'There has just been so much tragedy here,' said Holton resident Lori McNeelan, one of dozens of people who packed a restaurant where Hanson had worked for an impromptu vigil. A makeshift memorial set up on a counter at one end of the restaurant featured a photo of Hanson with about 100 tea lights clustered around it. Teenagers and parents embraced as they reflected on the victims. Kayla Little, 17, said Hanson 'always had a smile on her face.' 'There was never a day that went by that you couldn’t just go up to her and talk to her about anything,' she said, choking up. 'This community will pull together like it always does,' said Holly Leach, 35, of Versailles.	Horror crash kills 17-year-old Timothy Bowman, 18-year-old Jacob Vogel and 18-year-old Samantha Hanson . All of the deceased and injured attended South Ripley High School in Versailles, Indiana .
f60e88b3c9833f45f5756c7c590be613aa1f958a	(CNN) -- Italy's Valentino Rossi gave his bid to seal a seventh Moto GP world title at the Malaysian Grand Prix a boost after qualifying for the race in pole position. The defending champion set a name lap-record time of 2 minutes 00.518 seconds despite sweltering conditions on Saturday. The time smashed Casey Stoner's 2007 lap record of 2 minutes 02.108 seconds. The Yamaha rider celebrated his seventh pole of the season by pulling a wheelie as he drove into the pit lane at the Sepang circuit. The 5.5-kilometer track that is situated south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, is a notoriously tought test for rider and machine alike with its combination of tight corners, long straights and tough high-speed bends. The 30-year-old currently leads the world championship by 38 points, a position that means a top-four finish at Sepang would seal the title on Sunday. Rossi's teammate Jorge Lorenzo qualified in second place, just 0.569sec behind -- a result that prompted Rossi to pay tribute to the hard work of his team. "The team worked well, the bike performed well, hence I was able to go faster. "Starting from pole is important since the (first) corner is far away," he added. Spaniard Dani Pedrosa (Honda) was 0.736sec behind Rossi while Australian Stoner was fourth at 0.937sec. Ducati rider Stoner, who finished ahead of Rossi in last weekend's Australian Grand Prix to take the win, is third in the world championship standings, with Pedrosa fourth on a Honda.	Italy's Valentino Rossi qualifies in pole position for the Malaysian Moto GP . The 30-year-old's fastest time smashed the lap record at the Sepang circuit . Rossi currently leads the world championship by 38 points with two races left . The defending champion can clinch his seventh title with a top-four finish .
f60f213633d8552bef58a7355f456013221ad417	(CNN) -- New IBO light-welterweight world champion, Manny Pacquiao, is planning a career in politics, the 30-year-old told CNN on his return to his native Phillipines. Philippine boxing champ Manny Pacquiao sits with Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Lito Atienza (L) and former governor Chavit Singson (R) in Manila. Though "Pacman" will concentrate on boxing until next year, the man dubbed the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world suggested he could retire the following year to run for congress. "I want to be a Congressman so I can help the people," Pacquiao told CNN's Andrew Stevens. But when asked if becoming the Filipino president was his ultimate aim he added: "I wouldn't think about that because my ambition is only to run for congress. Pacquiao previously ran in the 2007 congressional elections for President Arroyo's party but was beaten by the Nationalist People's Coalition candidate Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who received 139,061 votes to Pacquiao's 75,908, Britain's Daily Telegraph said. Pacquiao is a national hero in the Phillipines but has seen his popularity grow around the world since his comprehensive victory over British fighter Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas. "I'm happy to be back (in Manila) because there's a lot of people supporting me here. I expected it in the Phillipines but I had many supporting me in America too." The man dubbed the "National Fist" will be a busy man over the next few months as he plans to make his second film and record a TV programme. This is a long way from his humble origins growing up in General Santos City, southern Philippines, a reality that Pacquiao says he struggles to believe sometimes. "I never dreamed I would reach the levels of success I have reached, he said. "But I have faith in God and discipline in myself to make the sacrifices (needed) and to train hard." In 14 years as a professional, Pacquiao has won world titles in four weight divisions -- from 7st 8lb to 9st 9lb, at flyweight, super bantamweight, super featherweight and lightweight. In his last contest, in December, in what many felt would be a step too far, he dismantled America's most popular boxer, Oscar De La Hoya, at the 10st 7lb limit, in eight one-sided rounds. Pacquiao is currently rated by The Ring, the sport's most respected trade magazine, as the best boxer in the world. His career earnings stand at an estimated £30 million, with major paydays coming relatively late in his career. However he remains modest despite the success. "It's a big honour to me and my family to be looked up to by so many people. "My inspiration comes from my family -- the people who are always there behind me supporting me and love me."	Manny Pacquiao plans career in politics . Wants to run for Philliphines congress . World's best pound-for-pound fighter coulf retire in 2010 .
f60f85d08f13985bd2311746b0fe52a5a5aabf68	This is the horrifying moment a father accidentally shot a firework into a trampoline where his daughter was playing. Peter Watson, 40, of Middlesbrough on Teesside, looked on in horror as the rocket fired directly into the enclosed trampoline - turning a playful bouncing session into a scene of sheer panic. CCTV footage captured sparks spraying around the netting as Mr Watson's daughter Kacey, nine, and a family friend's brother, ten, desperately try to escape. Scroll down for video . Panic: One child cowers on the side of the trampoline while Peter Watson's daughter Kacey becomes obscured from view by the intense explosion of sparks . Taxi driver Mr Watson said: 'I was in total shock, I just immediately ran over to check that they were both okay, I couldn't believe what had happened. 'Luckily, nobody got hurt, but it was certainly a fright, fireworks can be very dangerous even if they are set off correctly. 'We were very lucky, the children could have suffered some very nasty burns. 'Someone was looking down on us all that night and I won't be doing any more fireworks any time soon.' Calm: The two children are seen happily bouncing on the trampoline in CCTV footage before disaster strikes . After attending an organised fireworks display locally, the Watson family had continued the party back at their home, buying £50 worth of rockets. Mr Watson's other daughter, Sam, 21, a health carer, said: 'We were all in the garden. My dad and my friend's boyfriend set up the fireworks outside of the front gate and on a grassy area nearby. 'My dad put the kids on the trampoline, as it's the well away from the house and what he thought would be the safest place. 'The rocket that went wrong was the last one, my dad lit it and we all watched as it flew off the wrong way, then bounced off the wall of our house and landed onto the trampoline. 'Kacey and the other boy who were playing on the trampoline tried to run and get off but Kacey fell and got her leg stuck in the netting. Luckily they both managed to get out without getting burnt. 'It was very scary as all the kids were in the garden and we had no idea where the firework would land. 'Kacey was shaking and very scared during the whole night but she's fine now, I don't think she'll feel the same around fireworks in the future though.' Alert: After Peter Watson lets off the firework, smoke fills the area and a child standing in the garden falls to the ground . Terrifying: Sparks fly around the netted enclosure while the two children desperately try to avoid being burnt . Mr Watson, who suffered a serious injury to his hands 15 years ago in another firework-based accident, thinks people should learn from his mistakes and take more care with fireworks in general. He added: 'Please don't buy any fireworks online or from Facebook. Only buy them from a shop who has a licence to sell them.' 'Yes, the whole incident has put me off fireworks for a while. Next year, I'm not even going to buy a pack of sparklers.' Mr Watson has stressed that he had lit the firework according to the instructions on the packet and that it flew off in the wrong direction. He added: 'I did everything I was supposed to do. The firework was pointing away from the house when I lit it, but it shot off in the wrong direction. 'It hit the side of the house and bounced into the trampoline.'I don't want to be portrayed as an irresponsible father because that is simply not the case.'	Rocket was lit by taxi driver Peter Watson, 40, of Middlesbrough on Teesside . Dramatic CCTV shows intense sparks turning scene of fun into sheer chaos . Mr Watson's daughter, 9, and family friend amazingly escaped unscathed . Father said: 'We're very lucky - someone was looking down on us that night' But he also stressed he followed the instructions on the pack .
f60f8787f96b7e34c3e5e21002c79cbb112848ae	By . Mia De Graaf and Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 09:33 EST, 1 December 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 12:06 EST, 2 December 2013 . Britain is bracing itself for a barrage of snow in the next few days with up to 8in falling in some parts, forecasters have warned. The north-east of England and Scotland will bear the brunt of the severe weather as an icy cold snap takes hold across the country. Bitter northerly winds of up to 60mph will leave the nation shivering and snow 4in to 8in deep north of the border is expected to fall from Thursday as the mercury drops to -4C. Snow is also likely in Northern Ireland, parts of northern England and north Wales. The chilly conditions are expected to arrive after a few days of milder weather. Frosty morning: Sheep graze outside the village of Tetbury in Gloucestershire this morning . Ice-capades: Skaters at Somerset House in London today. The ice won't just be restricted to the rink next week as temperatures plunge to -9C . The Met Office has issued a gale warning for Thursday covering the northern parts of the UK, from the northern tip of East Anglia upwards, and a yellow snow warning covering Scotland into Friday. Met Office forecaster Dan Williams said Thursday and Friday nights will stay icy with a widespread frost affecting most areas and high winds. He said: 'With the wind and the snow it will be pretty unpleasant conditions in isolated high parts so that's something to bear in mind if you are going out.' However, he added that by Saturday temperatures will recover with low pressure moving out and a warmer air flow drifting in meaning more settled conditions. Snow is forecast for the far north of Scotland from around lunchtime on Thursday, moving south through Thursday night. The hills of northern Scotland could see several centimetres of snow, with up to 4cm elsewhere. Mighty Swoosh: Comedian Noel Fielding took to the ice at the special skate session today, where skaters were invited to wear extravagant and eccentric hats in tribute to fashionista Isabella Blow, who died in 2007 . Isabella Blow was the former fashion director for Tatler and was known for her flamboyant headwear . Getting chilly: The three-day forecast for the UK issued by the Met Office . There could also be snow showers affecting the east coast of England, as far south as the northern areas of Norfolk. Temperatures will reach a maximum of 10C (50F) on Thursday with temperatures overnight on Thursday plummeting as low as minus 4C, or 25F, in Scotland. The freezing climes will likely see off the last-remaining autumn leaves scattered around the country. Making the most of the pre-winter golden glow, three tigers were pictured today rolling around in a pile of leaves. The three Amur tigers at Longleat Safari . Park in Wiltshire wrestled each other to find treats which their . keepers had hidden underneath. Flamboyant: The Mighty Boosh creator and comedy actor is known for his extravagant clothes . Mohican: The event was held to celebrate Somerset House¿s winter exhibition Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! Skaters were encouraged to wear their finest hat or fascinator on the ice . Cold elegance: A skater wears a extravagant red creation with a veil, while another skater dons a headband with twigs attached . Misty dusk: As the sun sets over London this afternoon, the mist casts an orange glow through the capital . Brisk walk: Before the freeze descends on Britain this week, a couple in Suffolk go for a December walk . Amur tigers at Longleat got very excited over stunning autumn leaves at the Wiltshire Safari park this week . Hailed from Siberia, the freezing climes set for this week are no problem for the tigers enjoying 6C today . Glow: As autumn comes to an end, a warm glow is cast over the Wiltshire park where the tigers look for treats . Keepers hid food under the leaves and the felines wrestled each other for it in the open woods . Ian Turner, a keeper at Longleat, said: 'The tigers love anything new to . investigate and they were soon leaping into the leaves and hunting out . the food inside the mounds. 'The leaf litter also provided the perfect opportunity for them to practice their ambush skills. 'It's quite a sight to see fully-grown tigers leaping over piles of leaves. 'The leaves went down equally well with our troop of macaque monkeys who . wasted no time in wading into the mounds and start foraging for food. 'The meerkats were a little more wary before jumping in and joining the fun.' Unlike . the animals native to Britain, the trio of tigers hailed from Siberia . will have no problem with playing outside once the freezing temperatures . descend this week. Tonight, after days of blustering . wind, cloud is set to cover the nation and temperatures hover around 6C . in the South, Wales and Northern Ireland. The North East, North West and Scotland will be hit with the lowest temperatures of 3-4C. Ahoy there: Walkers and children enjoy playing on a replica pirate ship in the winter sunshine at New Brighton, Wirral, Cheshire . Crisp: Walkers enjoy the view of Liverpool city centre across the Mersey from the shore of New Brighton . Festive: Two Bristol brothers last night turned on the lights at their mother's home to start the festive season . Merry: Lee Brailsford and his brother Paul started the tradition in 1994 and have now built up their display to £20,000 worth of lights. Almost 1,000 people gathered outside the house in Brentry for the big reveal . Nativity: The set is completed by a nativity set and fake snow - ahead of the real snow coming this week . Despite some rain in the early hours of tomorrow morning, it looks set to be dry nationwide. The fog will lift by Monday morning but return again in the evening. After a steady few days, Thursday night will signal a drop in temperatures nationwide. Alongside the usual Santas and snowmen, they also have bears in Christmas hats playing drums . Huskies: These festive toy dogs welcome in visitors as they enter the front garden of the Bristol home . Santa's workshop: There are little figurines and fake snow clouds dotted around the windows . The . South will drop from 6C in the day to 3C early evening. The North East . will drop from around 4C to 0C and parts of Scotland will go from around . 3C to -2C. By Friday . morning, the highest temperatures will be around 2C in Northern Ireland, . which will have a 'feels like temperature' of -1C, according to the Met . Office. Carlisle will be as low as -2C, which feels like -9C. The Met Office revealed Christmas looks set to be unsettled in the north and bright in the south, although it is too early to predict accurate temperatures or snow. Parents and children were delighted as they collected their Christmas trees when they were helped by these giant shaggy dogs. The huge Newfoundland dogs were on hand for one day only . Santa's little helper: A Newfoundland dog in Cannock, near Birmingham, pulls a sleigh with a Christmas tree at the Forestry Commission's Cannock Chase Forest as people shop to decorate their homes . Excited: Matthew Connor, 40, brought his daughters Eleanor, eight, and Jessica, 10, to see the animals . However, that hasn't stopped people from embracing the festive spirit to celebrate the start of December. Last night almost 1,000 people gathered outside a house in Bristol where two brothers switched on one of Britain's biggest home light displays. Every year builders Lee and Paul Brailsford turn their mother's house in Brentry, Bristol, into a winter wonderland with tens of thousands of lights each year. They started the tradition in 1994 and have now built up their display to £20,000 worth of lights. For this year's event, local bands and dance acts performed to celebrate. And in Cannock, near Birmingham, dogs were enlisted to help carry Christmas trees on sleighs as families flocked to get their own Norwegian firs. The big shaggy dogs delighted parents and children as they darted around the Forestry Commission's Cannock Chase Forest decked in tinsel.	Britain faces barrage of snow that could fall 8in deep in Scotland . England's north-east and Scotland will bear the brunt of icy cold snap . But heavy snow is also likely in Northern Ireland and north Wales . Cold sweep will descend on Britain from Thursday with lows of -4C . The Met Office claims it will feel as low as -9C in the north of England .
f60f88183fae9091d1c5946e1752883d81a6f4b5	By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:09 EST, 11 July 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 00:44 EST, 11 July 2013 . From the moment of his ill-fated operation in 1953 Henry Molaison became world famous, yet few people knew his name. Until his death at the age of 82 in 2008, the Connecticut man who had lost his ability to form and store new memories was known simply as HM to the scores of scientists and researchers studying his case. Although he had been a willing test subject for neurologists since 1957, Mr Molaison's unique condition whereby his memory is wiped after about 30 seconds, was protected by those who researched him and the nursing home staff who cared for him. Present tense: Henry Molaison lost the ability to form and retain new memories after experimental brain surgery in 1953 . 'His case appeared in so many textbooks . they inspired students to pursue careers in neuroscience. The world's . fascination with memory took off,' Suzanne Corkin, who studied . Mr Molaison from 1962 until his death, said. 'Everyday people wanted to know what it was . like to always live in the moment ... He touched an unknown number of . lives,' she told the Hartford Courant. Mr Molaison, who had suffered from epilepsy when he was a teenager, was 27 when a famous surgeon removed part of his brain in the belief that it would ease his seizures. From the moment William Beecher Scoville operated on Mr Molaison, he lost the ability to retain new information after about 30 seconds. While Mr Molaison may have lost the ability to learn, his condition helped move forward knowledge of the brain. Family: Henry Molaison with his parents Lizzie and Gus, who cared for him before he moved into a Connecticut nursing home . Lifetime's work: Suzanne Corkin has written about her decades of studying Henry Molaison . Bright: Henry Molaison was 27 when surgery to help ease his epilepsy robbed him of his memory-making ability . 'Henry taught us so much about the . brain. He taught us that you can be smart and still have a horrible . memory. He taught us that memory was localized in the hippocampal area,' Ms Corkin said. 'He taught us that not all kinds of learning memory was . impaired in amnesia. In Henry, what was preserved was motor skills, . conditioning ... and procedures.' The surgery that was supposed to ease Mr Molaison's epilepsy instead trapped him permanently in the moment. Although he was never able to form a new memory, Ms Corkin said that he was nearly always happy, friendly and was enthusiastic about helping researchers. 'He . always lived in the moment, fully accepting the events of daily life. From the time of the operation, every new person he met was forever a . stranger, yet he approached each one with openness and trust. He . remained as good natured and pleasant as the polite, quiet person his . high-school classmates knew,' Ms Corkin wrote. She added that he also liked to make jokes, telling NPR: 'He had a wonderful sense of humor, and he would come up with little quips that were appropriate to a specific moment, nothing that he had made up before, rehearsed or he knew from his preoperative life.' Ms Corkin, who studied Mr Molaison's case until his death, and who was also raised in Hartford, Connecticut, has now written a book about the man who had such a lasting impact on memory research. Long term loss: Henry at his family home in 1958, four years after experimental surgery led to memory loss . Her book, Permanent Present Tense, gives more details about Mr Molaison's life and her observations of him during the time she knew him. Ms Corkin also has a connection to the doctor who performed the ill-fated surgery on him. Her family lived opposite him when she was a schoolgirl. When the surgeon operated on Mr Molaison however, he damaged his hippocampus, which is responsible for long-term memory. 'We didn't know that memory was . localized in that particular part of the brain. That was one of the big . discoveries that came from studying Henry,' Ms Corkin said. Her book includes research findings as well as details of Mr Molaison's daily routine and his brief thoughts on his life. One of the first aspects of his conditions scientists noticed was that intelligence and memory are separate entities. After the operation his IQ remained slightly above average and his ability to solve problems was unaffected by the operation. Scientists discovered that although he could not remember the tasks they had set him, his ability to complete them improved each time. And, although he met Corkin after his operation, over time he became familiar with her, believing that he had known her at high school. One of his favorite pastimes was also completing crossword puzzles in the nursing home where he lived, after his parents were no longer able to care for him. Unchanged: Henry pictured in the 1970s. His inability to form new memories left him trapped in the life he lived before the 1953 operation . However, he was aware he had trouble remembering and once said: 'At this moment everything looks clear to me, but what happened just before? That's what worries me. It's like waking from a dream. I just don't remember,' according to The Daily Telegraph. Although Mr Molaison was considered one of the most important case studies in brain research, Dr Corkin said the sense of his importance was lost on him. 'Every now and then I would tell him he was very famous and a lot of people knew about him in the world of scientists,' Dr Corkin told NPR. 'He would get this little sheepish grin and say, "Oh, you know, isn't that nice". You could see that it was heartwarming for him. But... of course, as soon as he was distracted, he forgot.' Mr Moliason is still making a contribution to science. His brain was donated for research purposes after his death.	Henry Molaison was studied by hundreds of scientists . Connecticut man lost his memory after experimental brain surgery in 1953 .
f60f9a2b94b98a7c86e6aeef0e642d33cce4f442	Jyoti Amge, from India, visited the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building - which is 600 times her height . By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 19:42 EST, 12 September 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 02:38 EST, 13 September 2013 . The world's shortest woman has visited one of the world's tallest buildiings in New York City today for the launch of the latest edition of the Guinness World Records book. Jyoti Amge visited the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building - which is 600 times her height - on Thursday. The 19-year-old from Nagpur, India, . measures 24.7 inches tall, making her the world's . shortest person, according to Guinness World Records. Scroll down for video . On top of the world: Shortest woman Jyoti Amge,19, from Nagpur, India, stands on top of the Empire State Building in New York today . Welcome to America: Miss Amge was making her first trip to the U.S. and will be taking in the sights of New York City . Miss Amge is making her first visit to the United States. Through a translator, she said that Guinness had given her the opportunity to travel the world and made her 'very popular and very famous'. Her trip to New York City also included a visit to Times Square and the Statue of Liberty. For such a small stature, Miss Amge has big dreams. She has already appeared in a Bollywood movie and plans on pursuing a career in Hollywood. I am proud of being small,’ she said during an interview with The Sun last year. ‘I have the same thoughts and the same dreams as you. ‘I would like to be an actress in Hollywood and win an Oscar. The only difference is my height.’ Welcome to America: Miss Amge was making her first trip to the U.S. and will be taking in the sights of New York City . Ranjana Amge, left, watches as her daughter Jyoti Amge is held by her translator Dinesh Govandi as she looks through binoculars at the Empire State Building . The teenager has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia which stopped her growing after her first birthday. Jyoti has brittle bones and is likely to need care for the rest of her life. She weighs just 12lbs (5.5kg), only 9lbs more than she did at birth. Miss Amge is accompanied by her mother Ranjana, 55, or other friends and family every time she goes out. Touring the world: Miss Amge is carried out by her translator on to the observation deck of the Empire State Building .	Jyoti Amge, from India, visited the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building - which is 600 times her height .
f60fc8e9cf709d33641636573566170b5d5d0bfd	(CNN) -- For the 13th year in a row, Jacob was the most popular name in 2011 for newborn boys in the United States, according to rankings released by the U.S. Social Security Administration. Among girls, Sophia rose from No. 2 in 2010 to claim the No. 1 spot from Isabella, pushing her down to No. 2 in 2011, according to the annual top 10 list. Mason cracked the the top 10 for the first time in 2011, bolstering the adage that the list reflects common names in pop culture. Mason, which held the No. 12 spot in 2010, is the name TV personality Kourtney Kardashian gave her son in 2009. Chloe -- the name of Kardashian's younger sister, except spelled with a "K" -- has been in the top 10 since 2008. The name dropped from 9 in 2010 to 10 in 2011. Jayden, the name of Britney Spears' son, held on to the No. 4 spot for the second year in a row since making the top 10 in 2009. Time will tell whether Maxwell, the unconventional name that Jessica Simpson gave her daughter, will climb the list from its current spot at No. 134 as a boy's name. Names that buck convention: Advice for Jessica Simpson's daughter . And, of course, the names Bella (or Isabella) and Jacob, characters from the popular "Twilight" series, held their ground. Isabella entered the top 10 in 2004 at No. 7. Jacob entered the list at No. 9 in 1993 and began his winning streak in 1999. Otherwise, the list contained most of the usual suspects, including William, Noah, Ethan, Emma, Olivia, Madison and Ava. The names to make the biggest gains from 2010 to 2011 were Brantley, perhaps popularized by a country singer, and Briella, as in the "Jerseylicious" star, jumping 416 and 394 spots, respectively. That makes his name the 320th most popular and hers the 497th. In America: What does your name say about you? Over the past 100 years, the names Michael and Mary have held the top spot most often: 44 times in both cases. The data come from Social Security card applications for births in the United States. The complete list: . 1. Jacob and Sophia . 2. Mason and Isabella . 3. William and Emma . 4. Jayden and Olivia . 5. Noah and Ava . 6. Michael and Emily . 7. Ethan and Abigail . 8. Alexander and Madison . 9. Aiden and Mia . 10. Daniel and Chloe . Find out more at the U.S. Social Security Administration. Did your name or your child's name make the list? Share your story in the comments or tweet your thoughts to @CNNWriters.	Sophia steals No. 1 spot from Isabella; Jacob earns No. 1 spot for 13th consecutive year . Names like Isabella, Mason bolster adage that list reflects common names in pop culture . Brantley and Briella make the biggest gains from 2010 to 2011 . Data come from Social Security card applications for births in the United States in 2011 .
f60fedd8e06b3bb723ad163c435c9c8ed9d51317	By . Gerri Peev . PUBLISHED: . 16:43 EST, 26 May 2013 . \| . UPDATED: . 03:19 EST, 27 May 2013 . Tory donors have threatened to switch their allegiance to UKIP unless David Cameron adopts a tougher stance on Europe. In yet another blow to his leadership, former Tory treasurer Lord Kalms said he was ‘willing to pack my bags’ and sign up with UKIP unless the Prime Minister adopted more traditional Tory policies. UKIP leader Nigel Farage is set to seize on discontent among Tory MPs and UKIP’s recent success in the polls with a fund-raising appeal. Leaving: Senior Torys have said that they are willing to 'pack their bags' and leave for UKIP if the Conservatives don't change their policy . He has been invited by City financier Crispin Odey to pitch to wealthy donors for support. Lord Kalms, the Dixons tycoon, is one of the most likely to start bankrolling UKIP. He said Mr Farage was ‘very, very attractive’ and a ‘first-rate guy,’ adding: ‘UKIP deserve all the support they get.’ He told the Sunday Times: ‘I have always been a Conservative but that loyalty is wearing very, very thin.’ ‘If UKIP has the right policies, that’s where we’ll go. I am very, very disenchanted and won’t tolerate being dragged down into Europe without some fight.’ Defecting: Nigel Farage revealed that at least one Conservative MP has used a go-between to discuss switching to UKIP . He urged the PM to stop trying ‘to be all things to all men - that means you are nothing to nobody’. Lord Kalms was stripped of the Tory whip after he said he would lend his vote to UKIP in 2009. But last year, he donated £5000 to the Conservatives in Harlow, Essex. He and his wife Lady Pamela, have given the Tories £761,287 since 2001. Three of the most generous donors to the Conservatives have reportedly complained about the PM’s emphasis on gay marriage. Support: Nigel Farage has been invited by City financier Crispin Odey to pitch to wealthy donors . Separately, one former Tory donor Andy Brough, has joined UKIP. Backing from more heavyweight donors will be welcomed by UKIP after one of its recent bankrollers, Demetri Marchessini, was criticised for writing a book telling women to stop wearing trousers. A boost in financial support is likely to follow UKIP’s recent success in the local elections, where it won 23 per cent of the vote. It is also on course to come first in the European elections next year. But the rising profile of the party recently led to a bitter confrontation with protesters in Edinburgh which left the party leader shaken. Mr Farage was forced to barricade himself into a pub after angry Scots turned on him, calling him a ‘racist scumbag’. Mr Farage has revealed he has now had to rethink his security situation and hired bodyguards. ‘I have to think about security for the first time ever, I’m afraid. Horrible,’ he said. He added,’ What I’ve done for the last 15 years is to book halls all over the country... and just turn up, park outside, bowl in, do my bit, meet the people afterwards. Sadly that’s going to change.’ A summit to discuss an electoral pact with UKIP is also being planned by the Bow Group - whose president is Sir John Major - and the Conservative Grassroots [corr] body of local parties. The event, Deal or No Deal, is being held in the Commons on June 24. Nadine Dorries, the Conservative MP who was only given back the whip this month after an unauthorised absence from parliament to perform in a reality TV show, reiterated plans for MPs to seek endorsement from UKIP. She told Sky’s Murnaghan: ‘It almost seems a nonsense where you have two people who think and have the same values standing against each other.’ Values: Nadine Dorries reiterated plans for MPs to seek endorsement from UKIP as they have the same values . She added ‘Every Conservative MP has to be adopted by their Conservative association and then they could seek endorsement from UKIP with a double logo. After all, we have just recently voted to change the law to allow that to happen.’ In an interview with the Sunday Times, Mr Farage revealed that UKIP was speaking to ‘about 20’ Tory MPs about standing on a joint ticket. He also cited two Labour MPs - Kate Hoey and Gisela Stewart - who the party would not stand against as they were considered ‘friends’ in the Eurosceptic movement. He is also in talks with Tory councillors who want to defect, while one Tory MP had been in touch with a go-between but Mr Farage had vetoed him after taking one look at his voting record and deciding, ‘no, no way’.	Former treasurer Lord Kalms said he was willing to sign up with UKIP . Believes Cameron must return to traditional Tory policies on Europe . Nigel Farage has been invited to pitch to wealthy donors for support . Is raising funds following UKIP's recent success at the polls .
f6102e0349df9bb6afaa6ad34cf1467e53fb5145	Norwich will pay £3million plus an extra £1m in add-ons for Graham Dorrans after agreeing to sign him from West Bromwich Albion. Dorrans, 29, is joining on an initial loan before his move becomes permanent in the summer. Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe was also keen on the midfielder and made an unsuccessful late attempt to hijack the move. Graham Dorrans is set to move to Norwich City on a loan deal from West Bromwich Albion on February 22 . West Brom manager Tony Pulis has allowed Scotland midfielder Dorrans to leave the club . Dorrans will join the Canaries in a permanent deal (worth £3.5million) in the summer . Dorrans told the Championship club's official website: 'I'm glad to finally get it sorted. 'I came here on the last day of the transfer window and for whatever reason it didn't work out. I've been in discussions ever since then, so although I was frustrated it never got done on the final day, hopefully now I can add to a good squad. 'I spoke to the manager (Alex Neil) and a couple of the boys, and they had nothing but nice things to say about the club. 'The manager and everyone here is working to get this club back to the Premier League, and I'm excited to be here. 'With the fans right behind us, hopefully we can do that as we've got some big games coming up. I'm looking forward to getting started, and to helping us push on.' Dorrans could make his Canaries debut against Watford on Saturday.	Graham Dorrans will join Norwich City on loan from West Brom this week . Bournemouth attempted to hijack the deal late on but were unsuccessful . Move will become permanent in the summer, with Norwich paying £3.5m .
f61047c615d360bc9e2f9a6726ed2c19fcb5f545	Facebook portrait of Jade Stringer, 14, from Manchester, who was found hanged by her father David . A schoolgirl who was found hanged in . her bedroom may have been driven to kill herself by bullies jealous of . her popularity and good looks, it emerged yesterday. Jade Stringer, 14, died six days after she was found unconscious by her father, David. Friends say the teenager, who was well-liked and attractive, had endured a campaign of bullying over the past few months. It is understood she may also have . been upset at having her mobile phone confiscated by her family because . they felt she was using it too much. She was rushed to Fairfield General Hospital on June 10 where she died after almost a week on life support. Friends of the teenager, who attended Haslingden High School, in nearby Rossendale, Lancashire, claimed she’d been bullied. Tributes to Jade left on Twitter and Facebook said she had been a victim of bullying. One pupil wrote: 'She was being bullied by numerous people.' Chelsea Lazaruik added: 'R.I.P jade . stringer you didn’t deserve to die the way you did bullying is horrible . your was gorgeous in everyway.. Sleep tight xxx.' 'Gorgeous in every way': Jade Stringer died on Saturday six days after being discovered unconscious in her bedroom by her father . Vanessa Nuttall said: 'Why anyone feels the need to bully someone so much is absolutely disgusting.' It has also been reported she had . clashed with her father after her mobile phone was taken off her. Police said they were not treating her death as suspicious but were 'reviewing the circumstances' leading up to the incident. Popular: Friends of the teenager (far right) claimed she had been bullied . Jade, who has a brother Jack, 13, was discovered in the attic bedroom of the home in Bury by her father nine days ago. She was put on a life-support machine at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury where she died on Saturday afternoon. A Greater Manchester Police spokesman . said: 'Shortly after 3.35pm on Sunday, 10 June, police were called by . paramedics to attend a house in Bolton Road in Hawkshaw, Edenfield, . following a report a 14-year-old girl had been found unconscious. 'The incident is not being treated as suspicious and we are not searching for anybody else in relation to the incident. 'However, police are reviewing the circumstances leading up to this incident.' The latest Ofsted report found Haslingden High to be an ‘outstanding school’. The report added: ‘Surveys of students’ and parents’ opinions continue to support the view that “the control of bullying” is one of the school’s strongest features.’	Jade Stringer was discovered in bedroom by her father . Friends make claims about bullying on tribute pages .
f611b56ab3126b28919ff655a6a415bad1496103	The original Jules Rimet trophy is pictured . A piece of the original World Cup trophy, which was stolen in Brazil in 1983 and never recovered, has been found in a basement at FIFA's headquarters. The base of the Jules Rimet trophy carries the names of the first four World Cup winners between 1930 and 1950. The trophy, which was handed to Brazil permanently after they won the world Cup for the third time in 1970, was also stolen three months before the 1966 World Cup was staged in England. That time, it was recovered a week later after being found in a south London hedge by a dog named Pickles. David Ausseil, the creative director of FIFA's museum which is due to open in March next year, said the trophy had been given a new base in 1954. 'We think no FIFA president has seen it since Jules Rimet himself,' he was quoted as saying by the BBC. The 10 centimetre high octagonal relic will be displayed in the museum. Rimet, the 'father' of the world Cup, was FIFA's president from 1921 to 1954. In the early 1970s, FIFA commissioned a new trophy for the 10th World Cup in West Germany in 1974. Fifty-three designs were submitted to FIFA by experts from seven countries, with the final choice being the work of Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga. Unlike the previous trophy which was awarded to a country winning three world Cups, the current trophy remains in FIFA's possession but a replica is awarded to the three-time winners instead. The current base, made of two layers of semi-precious malachite, bears the engraved year and name of each World Cup winner since 1974. England captain Bobby Moore receives the Jules Rimet trophy from the Queen at Wembley in 1966 .	The original World Cup trophy was stolen in Brazil in 1983 . A piece of the Jules Rimet trophy has been recovered at FIFA HQ . The base carries the names of the first four World Cup winners .
f611c2d58ec3cbf56bb6f201d94265bf8a94e00b	(CNN) -- Ask teens the object of social media, and they'll all tell you the same thing: to get "likes." Whether on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr, young users understand the coin of this realm, and are more than happy to do what is necessary to accumulate it. But is the currency value neutral, or does it come with an agenda of its own? Living for likes makes a teen's social career a whole lot easier, in some respects. Now there's a number letting kids know how popular they are, how well a photo is resonating with their friends, or whether their video stands a chance of vaulting them into the professional world of singing, skateboarding or twerking. What they may not understand, however, is that this game of likes is not taking place on a level playing field. It was constructed by companies whose multibillion-dollar stock valuations are depending on little more than generating traffic -- more likes, follows and favorites -- and then selling the data that can be gleaned from it. In a sense, major parts of our economy (or at least the inflated valuations on the NASDAQ exchange) are now depending on the social media activity of kids. I'm not sure that's a pressure worth putting on them. On the surface, it all looks pretty empowering. For the MTV generation, changing the channel via remote control was about as interactive as mainstream media got -- and that only brought a kid from one corporate media conglomerate's commercial programming to another's. Clearly, the social media universe, with its countless Facebook pages, YouTube channels, Twitter feeds and Instagram photos, offers a whole lot more choice. Instead of watching a TV channel, today's teens get to watch each other. That in itself amounts to power, freedom and agency, right? Maybe. For while all these clicks and keystrokes and photos and videos may be free, they come with a price. Kids aren't paying with money, but with their attention and their hours of meticulous profile tweaking. They're paying with their likes, their favorites, and their follows. And they get paid back with a new path to popularity or even fame. Sometimes, the exchange is explicit. Brands from soft drinks to automobiles ask kids to like an ad or promotion, all for the chance to be liked back or re-tweeted by the brand to its millions of followers. The teen gets more of those coveted likes. The companies get a real-time portrait of their potential customers and influencers, as well as all their friends. And this isn't just some virtual game. Likes really do matter out here in the real world, too. New musicians and new writers alike must demonstrate that they have social media followings in order to find distribution and sponsors. A new kind of talent agency, The Audience, has arisen to help young up-and-comers cultivate a social media presence, and then sell that network of followers to the appropriate advertisers. It's actually a science. Thanks to the immense data pools created by social media users, a firm like The Audience can find the overlaps between fans of a certain pop star and those who have interacted with particular brands. That little venn diagram is marketer's gold. And, to be fair, The Audience is helping young musicians build careers in a landscape where there are no record labels left willing to develop talent -- and no one buying music, anymore, anyway. By pairing talent with sponsors, The Audience creates a new revenue stream for artists, or at least the ones with the most viewed selfies. But it does create an oddly circular culture: Kids develop social media audiences in order to become "stars," which really just means having enough social media followers to sell out to a brand for sponsorship. Perhaps more amazingly, none of them seem to mind. When I asked kids what they thought about "selling out" for my PBS documentary on social media, none of them could even tell me what "selling out" meant. They thought it had something to do with there not being any tickets left for a concert. The language barrier aside, young social media users today draw no distinction between art and commerce, culture and advertising. While kids engaged with social media have the ability to express themselves and their values to pretty much the rest of the developed world, they seem unaware of the extent to which these platforms shape the values they choose to express. As I learned from a 13-year-old skateboarder who calls himself Baby Scumbag, you get fewer likes for making videos of board tricks than you do for getting gorgeous girls to pose for you in the near nude, or just doing crazy antics in the street. He's a massive success on YouTube, where his videos often generate more than a million views. Another teenager, a girl from near San Diego, started making videos of herself singing, but is quickly learning that shots of her in her bedroom, or full body, or in a bathing suit, get her more attention. Her videos no longer include her vocals. That's the part I don't think most teens grasp. Nor do most adults have enough of a handle on this whole social media universe to fully articulate our misgivings. We know something is amiss, but saying it out loud feels so, well, out of touch. The reality here, however, is that it's our young social media users who are out of touch -- or at least painfully oblivious to the way the tools and platforms they're using in turn use them. They grew up with this stuff in their lives, and they accept these tools at face value, as features of the natural landscape. Not so. They were made by companies whose interests go far beyond helping kids express themselves and make friends. Our kids are not the customers here; they are both the product and the unwitting labor. Our social media platforms are embedded with values that shape our perspectives and our behaviors. If we live in the social media landscape without an awareness of what it really wants from us, no one is really being empowered at all. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Douglas Rushkoff.	Douglas Rushkoff: Teenagers aim to get as many likes as possible . Likes have real value for teens but even more value for giant companies that profit, he says . Rushkoff: Getting liked on social media can be a route to getting your talents recognized . But he says behavior designed to gain more likes may not always be beneficial .
f61275d6cb90c539e39d53e86b3542b85d80fce1	Roger Baker, 66, ran his vet practice in Whitstable, Kent, for 40 years but injected himself with a legal drug after becoming 'overwhelmed' with debt . A vet killed himself with a lethal injection of a drug used to put animals down after becoming 'overwhelmed' by debts, an inquest heard. Roger Baker, 66, successfully ran his veterinary practice in Whitstable, Kent, for 40 years but became overwhelmed by VAT debts and Inland Revenue demands which threatened to close his business. The father-of-three was found dead in a shed close to his practice on April 19 by his wife and son after they went looking for him when he failed to return home, an inquest heard today. He had left several suicide notes on his desk, which were each contained neatly in envelopes and addressed to his family members, including his wife Georgina. A post-mortem examination revealed he died from a fatal overdose of a drug usually used to euthanise animals, and CCTV footage showed him unlocking the dangerous drugs cabinet and taking out several bottles and syringes prior to his death. Mr Baker's wife told the inquest at North East Kent Coroner's Court today that her husband had refused to disclose the scale of his financial difficulties to her. The 65-year-old said she was 'unaware' of the letters from Inland Revenue, but said that her husband would have not wanted to cease trading because he would be deemed 'a complete failure'. She told the hearing: 'He had no intention of retiring. If he couldn't do that anymore, to him, life would not be worth living.' Mrs Baker said she, along with her son Christopher, 30, found the suicide notes on her husband's desk having let themselves into his surgery when he failed to return home from work. She told the coroner said: 'As soon as I read the first line, I knew immediately what had happened.' Her son added: 'It was obvious to me it was a suicide note from a man who was depressed and didn't want to carry on.' The pair called 999 and a search of the building and outbuildings by police found Mr Baker lying on the floor in a shed, with a syringe next to him. Paramedics confirmed he was dead. The father-of-three was found dead in a shed close to his practice on April 19, having injected himself with a lethal drug used to put down animals. He had left suicide notes in marked envelopes on his desk for family . Following his death, Mr Baker's surgery in Whitstable, Kent, has been taken over by Lady Dane veterinary centre (pictured) after his family asked the company to take over the business and retain the staff members . Recording a verdict of suicide, Coroner Ian Goldup said: 'The deliberateness of his actions, the interpretation of the notes and the circumstances of his death leave me in no doubt that he took his own life.' An investigation by Kent Police concluded there had been no third party involvement or foul play. Mr Baker, who served as vice-chairman of Conservative Animal Welfare, started working at his surgery in 1973. Following his death, his family approached the Lady Dane veterinary centre in Faversham, Kent, which took over his practice and retained the staff.	Roger Baker committed suicide after becoming 'overwhelmed' with debts . 66-year-old vet injected himself with lethal drug used to put down animals . Inquest heard he left suicide notes to his family on a desk at his practice . Coroner ruled there was 'no doubt' the father of three took his own life . For confidential support, call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details.
f61291ef2ab289af9cd3652080e26cb4033eedfa	By . Emily Anne Epstein . PUBLISHED: . 08:27 EST, 2 October 2012 . \| . UPDATED: . 11:09 EST, 2 October 2012 . A Utah high school principal has been forced to apologize for an outdated dress code policy that left several young ladies weeping in tulle. Half the girls who arrived to attend the Stansbury High homecoming dance were barred from entering because their hemlines showed an inch of thigh - a length deemed dangerous because it revealed the girls' knees. But the school dress code states that teens could wear dresses that 'at or near knee length' causing confusion and shattered dreams on an evening that was supposed to celebrate the beginning of the school year. Scroll down for video . Shamed: A Utah high school principal has been forced to apologize for an outdated dress code policy that left several young ladies weeping in tulle. All but one of the girls pictured were turned away from the dance . Scandal: Half the girls that arrived to attend the Stansbury High homecoming dance were barred from entering because their hemlines showed an inch of thigh - a length deemed dangerous because it revealed the girls' scandalous knees. Both these young ladies were turned away at the dance . Knees: But the school dress code states that teens could wear dresses that 'at or near knee length' causing confusion and shattered dreams on an evening that was supposed to celebrate the beginning of the school year . Students believed they were following the dress code when they spent hundreds of dollars on their festive wear, but one by one, were turned away. As many as half the students were rejected at the door. 'It was just utter shock at first,' said Amber Hesleph to KSL. 'Here we are spending all this time and everything and then we get there and they just turn us away. It's just kind of depressing.' Parents who were dropping their children off, after first taking memorable snapshots of their teens, were also flabbergasted at the melee. 'If you're going to arbitrarily paint scarlet letters all over children, then something has to change,' Donna Hesleph, Amber's mother, said. Many parents and students shared their frustration on a Facebook page titled 'Stansbury High Homecoming Spirit Massacre.' More than 3,300 people liked it by this morning. Tears: Students believed they were following the dress code when they spent hundreds of dollars on their festive wear, but one by one, were turned away, including these two girls . Policy Police: As many as half the students were rejected at the door, including these two girls . Poise: Some girls were told that they could come back into the dance if they purchased opaque tights . On the site, mothers and daughters posted photographs of their dresses and smiles before the dance, explaining how many of them paid to get hemlines taken out and shoulder straps extended to make the look more modest - to no avail. Reminder: The Formal Dance Dress Code is located on page 30 of the student planner and there are posters up around school showing examples. Students are expected to look their best and dress appropriately. Dresses should be at or near knee length. Slits in the dresses should not be any higher than the top of the knee. Strapless dresses are prohibited unless a jacket or shawl is worn. 'Plunging' necklines are prohibited. The backs of dresses should not show more than 1/3 of the back (directly below the armpits). Midriffs should not show in any way. 'Sheer' fabric is acceptable, as long as skin is not showing underneath. Even the homecoming queen was turned away. 'They told me that it was showing my knees so therefore it was too short, and in order to get into the dance I needed to put on leggings,' Miss Alvey said. 'So I did and I got back in the dance, but that was before I realized that this thing was going to turn into such a big issue.' The principal insisted that the dress code was posted before the dance, but that the vague rule that 'dresses should be at or near knee length' had disastrous consequences. 'It's been our dress standard in our previous handbooks but the vagueness seemed to come to the surface this time and, again, it needs to be addressed and we'll get it fixed,' principal Kendall Topham said to KSL. He held four assemblies on Monday, one for each grade, and apologized to the students. He promised to host a replacement dance at a future date. 'I apologized that there wasn’t better clarification,' Principal Topham said to the Salt Lake Tribune. Gown: Parents who were dropping their children off, after first taking memorable snapshots of their teens, were also flabbergasted at the melee. All three of these girls were sent home . Embarrassed: Many of the girls who were branded immodest by the school felt humiliated in front of their dates and about their bodies . Date: The principal held four assemblies on Monday, one for each grade, and apologized to the students. He promised to host a replacement dance at a future date. This silly photo was taken before the dance and the heatbreak . 'I apologized that we had those who came thinking they were meeting the standard and doing what they were supposed to who still got turned away, and it being a very disheartening, sorrowful night of sadness and frustration.' 'If you're going to arbitrarily paint scarlet letters all over children, then something has to change.'Mother, Donna Hesleph . He said it wasn't his administrations intention for the evening of fun to leave students 'heartbroken and disgruntled and confused.' Students say the apology isn't good enough. Many of the girls felt the school had publicly shamed them, their dates, as well as their bodies. 'Other than the fact that it is ridiculous that we spend time and money to get dresses and then don't even get to wear them for what they were purchased for, do the school officials know that it is also embarrassing to be told that you are immodest in front of your date? Doesn't part of our school motto have something to do with empowering the students of SHS?' Sidney Warick said. 'Because this sure wasn't empowering to me.'	Dress code said frocks 'at or near knee length' were acceptable, but dozens were turned away at the door of Stansbury High's homecoming dance . Parents spent hundreds of dollars to modify gowns to be more modest . Teens were humiliated in front of their dates . Principal apologized for 'vague' policy and promised to hold another dance .
f6130f5d00ae510dcdee1f9fb34c899301e131ac	One of Jamaica's most beautiful stretches of beach could all but disappear in the next 30 years, experts have warned. Hundreds of thousands of tourists a year make the journey to Negril on Jamaica's Western coast, famed for its postcard white sandy beach, clear turquoise waters and laidback lifestyle. But the stretch of palm-fringed shoreline known as Seven Mile Beach is under severe threat as its sands are slipping away every year due to erosion and rising sea levels. The beach in better days: Seven Mile Beach in Long Bay, Negril, which could disappear within 30 years . A drop in the ocean: a local rakes a thin strip of sand separating beach cottages in Western Jamaica . Every morning groundsmen with metal rakes tend to Negril's resort-lined shore in an attempt to repair the daily damage. Some sections, however, are barely wide enough for a beach towel and the Jamaican National Environment and Planning Agency says sand is receding at a worrying rate of more than a metre a year. 'The beach could be totally lost within 30 years,' said Anthony McKenzie, a senior director at the agency. Locals fear they will have to find a new nickname for the seven mile stretch of land, one of the top destinations which brings in millions of dollars from tourists in a country where a quarter of all jobs depend on tourism. 'If the water takes over this beach, well, that's the end of the tourists,' said Lyn Dennison who owns a beach side jewellery stand. Already message boards and thread on sites such as TripAdvisor have spring up, written by worried travellers who aren't sure whether there will be any beach left by the time their holiday is booked. September 2014: the tide gnaws away - up to a metre a year - at resort lined 'Seven Mile Beach' in Caribbean . Barely room to swing a cat: some sections are barely wide enough for a beach towel and locals are panicked . Negril - thought to be named after the black cliffs to the south of the village - was for years an isolated fishing outpost after Spanish explorers arrived in 1494. It wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s that it became a resort location, drawing ferries to drop off passengers in the bay then let them wade ashore to camp or stay with locals. Lured by the idyllic scenery, relaxed atmosphere and cheap marijuana American hippies, party goers and more sober-minded travellers woke up to the area's charm. Resorts such as Sandals and the Grand Lido sprang up and the number of annual visitors grew from about 40,000 in 1980 to more than 400,000 in 2012. Now, there's certainly a note of panic in the air as the environmental and economic impact of the shrinking coastline concentrates the minds of the local population. Another option for Negril? A seawall in The Turks and Caicos Islands which prevents sea damage to properties . Drawn by palm fringed shores (left) the number of annual visitors grew to the village of Negril from about 40,000 in 1980 to more than 400,000 in 2012 as they work up to the charms of the area . Fearful of losing their main attraction, some hoteliers are pressing the government to refill the beach with dredged sand, a pricey step many experts say will only be a temporary fix. Jamaica is also planning to build submerged breakwaters to absorb wave energy and slow loss of shoreline, costing almost £3.4 million ($5.4 million) in grants from a U.N. climate change convention. This project, which one study estimates could cost as much as £48 million ($77 million) over 80 years, offers a glimpse of what may lie ahead for other similar Caribbean coastal locations. These islands, many already heavily in debt, will be faced with the choice of trying to armour shores with seawalls and breakwaters, or conducting a costly retreat from seas that the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says could rise by nearly a metre by the end of the century. The future? A breakwater already in place in Helengeli, Maldives similar to what might be used in Jamaica . Some are sceptical of seawall tactics. 'For many beaches, adaptation measures such as bringing in sand and creating seawalls will only slow the inevitable, and at a significant and continual financial cost,' said Jason Spensley of the U.N. Climate Technology Centre and Network. Beaches across the area are being transformed by a number of factors: shoreline development; surges from increasingly intense storms; coastal pollution that affects marine life and crumbling coral reefs in warmer waters. 2007: just seven years ago Negril beach looked far healthier. Now it's being transformed by shoreline development, storms, pollution and crumbling coral reefs . The changes are a particular headache for the Caribbean because of its dependence on sea-and-sand tourism - roughly 70 percent of the Caribbean's people and much of its essential infrastructure are situated along coasts. Ulrich Trotz, a science adviser for the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre believes the area is facing an existential threat. 'We don't have much time. Action now is imperative if the Caribbean is to survive as we know it,' said Trotz. Uncertain future: geologist Simon Mitchel says there is 'no doubt' hotels will be deluged in coming decades . Environmental experts and civil planners say leaders across the region need to adapt for the long term. City developers could adjust how they zone, improve enforcement of marine regulations and better plan water systems, for example. Beach front developers could be encouraged to protect dunes and anchor vegetation, better manage coastal pollution and push construction farther back from the sea. 'We just don't seem to be prepared to do any of it. It's as if we do not see what Negril has become, what the dangers to its future are,' said Diana McCaulay, CEO of the non profit Jamaica Environment Trust. Simon Mitchell, a geologist at the island's University of the West Indies, says governments need to think further ahead. In low-lying Negril, for example, there is 'no doubt' that hotels perched along the beach will be deluged in coming decades, he said. 'We need to be looking 50 years into the future,' he said. 'We can't keep going into places with pristine beaches, immediately put in hotels and then end up with the same problem in 10 years' time because those beaches are eroding away.'	Negril on Jamaica's Western coast sees 400,000 visitors a year . Panic as sand receding at rate of more than a metre annually . Each morning local groundsmen use metal rakes to try to repair damage . Plans afoot to build £3.4m submerged breakwaters to dam the tide .

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