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By . Emma Lowe . PUBLISHED: . 10:30 EST, 8 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:25 EST, 9 December 2013 . As Susan Boyle was catapulted into the public eye on Britain’s Got Talent, fans watched as she struggled to cope with the rigours of a rapid rise to fame. Yesterday the multi-millionaire singer opened up for the first time about her difficulties – revealing she has been diagnosed with Asperger’s. The talent show runner-up said that she feels ‘relieved’ to finally understand her condition, which until now has gone undetected. Asperger's: Singing star Susan Boyle opened up about her difficulties in an interview with Hello! magazine . Susan Boyle was blackmailed by her older brother Gerry, who threatened to kill himself if she did not part with £50,000, it has been reported . The 52-year-old had always thought the ‘learning difficulties’ and ‘slowness’ she experienced had been caused by complications at birth. But a year ago Miss Boyle visited a Scottish specialist who later diagnosed her with Asperger’s – a form of autism that mainly affects social interaction and communication skills. After claiming she was misdiagnosed with brain damage as a child – and cruelly dubbed ‘Susan Simple’ at school – Miss Boyle said she now feels more relaxed in her own skin. She told Observer Magazine: ‘I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what’s wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself.’ 'Relief': Susan, who has previously admitted she struggled with 'learning difficulties' and 'slowness', said it was good to finally be diagnosed . For Miss Boyle the symptoms have been subtle but she admitted the diagnosis finally explained why she has suffered from anxiety around strangers and delayed eye contact . Miss Boyle has always struggled with her health. Suffering from depression as a young . woman in Blackburn, Glasgow, the isolation it caused made her more . determined ‘to be where I want to be’. But knowing she has Asperger’s has now helped explain why she also suffered from anxiety around strangers and struggled with eye contact – making her feel ‘different’ and ‘an outsider’ throughout her childhood. She added: ‘It’s a condition that I have to live with and work through, but I feel more relaxed about myself. People will have a greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do. Interview: Susan Boyle spoke about the condition in the latest issue of Hello! magazine . ‘I have communicative difficulties, which leads to a lot of frustration. If people were a bit more patient it would help.’ Miss Boyle shot to fame in 2009 when her audition on the ITV1 talent show became a global sensation on YouTube. But the sudden fame made the singer’s Asperger’s more difficult to manage and she went into rehab after coming second in the final. The I Dreamed A Dream singer, who has previously spoken about her struggles with depression, says she is now in a healthy and positive place. She said: ‘Mental illness carries less stigma now. It’s not indulgence, it’s a negative process, but if you can turn it into a positive it makes you stronger. Believe me.’ Miss Boyle employs a team of people to help her combat her anxiety difficulties, adding: ‘I’m not strong on my own.’ People with Asperger’s often struggle to understand conversation and have difficulty comprehending gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice. Initiating and sustaining social relationships can be tricky, and it can sometimes lead to an intense, sometimes obsessive, interest in a hobby or collecting. Mark Lever, of The National Autistic Society, said public understanding of Asperger’s can make a ‘huge difference’. He added: ‘By revealing her diagnosis, Susan has played an important role in bringing the issue of autism to the nation’s attention.’ Miss Boyle is this month releasing a duet with Elvis Presley – with technology used to combine her vocals with those of the American icon, who died in 1977. The single, O Come All Ye Faithful, is raising money for Save The Children. Asperger syndrome is a form of autism, which is a lifelong disability that affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people. It is often described as a 'spectrum disorder' because the condition affects people in many different ways and to varying degrees. The main problematic triggers are social communication, social interaction and social imagination. Asperger’s sufferers struggle with understanding conversation, with extreme cases finding every day conversation as difficult as a foreign language. Sufferers can often find it difficult to pick up social cues and find it hard to know what to do when they get things wrong. The characteristics of Asperger syndrome vary from one person to another but as well as the three main areas of difficulty, people with the condition may have a love of routinesspecial interests and sensory difficulties. People with Asperger syndrome may develop an intense, sometimes obsessive, interest in a hobby or collecting. It is not caused by a person's upbringing, their social circumstances and is not the fault of the individual with the condition. Star: Susan Boyle finished as runner up on Britain's Got Talent in 2009 and has launched a successful career on the back of it .
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Performer has previously said she suffered 'learning difficulties' as a child .
Her condition was wrongly diagnosed as 'brain damage'
Singer revealed she was cruelly dubbed 'Susan Simple' in school .
The performer, 52, said she is 'more relaxed' about herself now she has been diagnosed .
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Washington (CNN) -- The United States will ease some restrictions on defense sales to Vietnam, the State Department announced Thursday, following a meeting between Secretary of State John Kerry and his Vietnamese counterpart. While this change is limited to maritime security-related sales, it is a significant step forward for the U.S.-Vietnamese relationship. The United States previously maintained a full arms embargo on the country, which started during the Vietnam War nearly 40 years ago. During his meeting with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Kerry emphasized that any change to defense cooperation will be tied to Vietnam's human rights record, according to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. "Our security relationship remains under constant review," Psaki said in a news briefing. "Clearly, there's more work that needs to be done in areas like human rights, and that's one thing that the secretary conveyed during the meeting. And this is, of course, a partial lifting." The Vietnamese have been pressing the United States to lift its arms embargo, particularly following aggressive acts by China in the disputed the South China Sea. Boats and brinkmanship up close in the South China Sea . Earlier this year, China towed a deep-sea oil rig into the contested waters, igniting tensions in the region. Asked whether Thursday's announcement, which comes just one day after Kerry met with his Chinese counterpart, was related to the dispute, Psaki was vague. "Well, in part," she said, "in order to fully integrate Vietnam into maritime security initiatives that, you know, we have partnerships on throughout the region." The United States has condemned Chinese drilling in the South China Sea, and its efforts to intercede in the conflict have been met with ire in Beijing, where the sea as viewed as a vital national interest. A dangerous dance: China, Vietnam posture in the South China Sea .
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U.S. will ease restrictions on defense sales related to maritime security .
The United States has previously maintained a full arms embargo on Vietnam .
The policy shift follows aggressive Chinese drilling efforts in disputed seas .
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f67620810f247e935ac618a423bbaba45247e6fc
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By . Katy Winter . Trendy grandfather Allan Bradbury is still a 'dedic-aged' follower of fashion - at the age of 70. The former construction worker may have his bus pass and is entitled to 20 per cent discounts in DIY stores and garden centres - but he spends up to £160 a month on Gucci and Vivienne Westwood designs, including oversized shirts and funky pirate boots. Mr Bradbury, from Bolton, who has two wardrobes at home to house his giant collection of flamboyant designer gear, is refusing to grow old gracefully. As a result, he says he regularly gets stopped in the street by onlookers admiring his quirky fashion sense. Scroll down for video . Fashionista Allan Bradbury likes to dress to impress and wears the latest styles and designer gear . Allan has two wardrobes at home to house his giant collection of flamboyant designer gear . Allan has vowed never to give into 'old man' slacks and woolly jumpers, no matter how old he is . The former RAF gunner who served the 15th squadron’s parachute team in Borneo, Asia, warned he would never give up his favourite ripped jeans for conventional ‘old man’ jumpers, no matter how old he is. 'Anyone who suggests I wear slacks and a beige shirt can wash out their mouth with soap and water as far as I’m concerned,' said the divorced father-of-four, from Bolton, Greater Manchester. 'I’ve always been a follower of fashion and I’m not going to stop now just because I’m in my 70s. When I left school at the age of 15 I was a Teddy Boy and I thought I was a bit of looker back then. 'Then in the 1970s I loved the whole Flower Power theme and in the Eighties I wore a lot of leather. My fashion sense has evolved with the decades. Allan's funky dress sense has caught the eye of exclusive fashion house Vivienne Westwood, which invited him to a tea party at the Manchester store to preview the new season's collection . 'Fashion is an expression of people’s personalities and I don’t think that should stop just because you have reached a certain age.' Amongst his collection of designer jackets, trousers and shoes in his walk-in wardrobe, Mr Bradbury boasts a section dedicated to his favourite fashion label Vivienne Westwood. The world-famous designer is known for her daring and off-the-cuff designs, and is favoured by celebrities such as Dita Von Teese and Kate Moss. But the fashion house was so impressed with Mr Bradbury, it invited him to a tea party at the Manchester store when the new season’s collection was unveiled. He added: 'I discovered Vivienne Westwood about eight years ago and that’s when my obsession started. I love her designs, they’re asymmetric and she doesn’t follow the rules or conform. I love that about her. Allan with one of his favourite T-shirts (L) and his trousers that once belonged to Jim Morrison of The Doors . 'I buy her clothes whenever I can, and staff in the Manchester store now know me really well - they give me a hug when they see me.' Mr Bradbury who currently volunteers as a counsellor admits his style is far from conventional and said his love of Vivienne Westwood took a while for his children, Tracy, 40, Lee, 40, Alaine, 31, and Christopher, 27 and granddaughter Jade, 22, to get used to. He said: 'When I first started wearing . Vivienne Westwood clothes my children would tell me to walk on the other . side of the road but they’re used to it now. Vivienne Westwood, beloved by the likes of Kate Moss (pictured with her left) is Allan's favorite designer, . Allan (centre) in Malaysia in 1961. The former RAF gunner served the 15th squadron's parachute team in Borneo, Asia . Allan, left in the 70s and right in 2000, has evolved his personal style through the fashions of the ages . Allan, pictured in Cardiff in the Eighties, says he sees no reason why fashion should be influenced by age . Allan (right) in Cairo in the Seventies (L) and aged 19 (R) says he thought he was 'quite a looker' in his youth . 'I get so many people coming up to me in the street and saying things like "I love you for having courage. You’re old but you still have a love of fashion". I guess I do like the attention. I have been called the "OAP fashion icon". 'So many people stop me for photographs but some young men do judge me. I get called "gayboy" because I wear pirate boots and an oversized shirt, but I’m not bothered. I like my style and that’s the main thing. 'I will absolutely, definitely not ever wear plain trousers and beige shirts and jumpers. My favourite outfit is combat ripped jeans with red pocket linings, a Vivienne Westwood shirt with gold glitter on the cuffs and a Union Jack on the neck. I dress loud and colourful - I guess I’m a bit of a show off. 'Age is just a number, it is nothing to do with fashion. It was Vivienne Westwood who said buy less but buy well. 'Nelson Mandela said we should not be subservient, but to shine, therefore we give people the opportunity to do the same, and I believe in that philosophy.'
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Allan forks out £160 a month on designer clothes despite being retired .
The 70-year-old gets stopped in the street by people who love his look .
Claims fashion has nothing to do with age and will never dress 'normally'
The grandfather says he has loved fashion since an early age .
Local Vivienne Westwood store invited him to preview new collection .
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f6765d77b555355569c366bca3e23e8f99cce963
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By . Sara Nathan . Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli has split with her boyfriend Adi Ezra in a blazing row over Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger - ruining her 29th birthday. Bar recently admitted she was serious about Ezra and the couple were pictured on an intimate vacation in Thailand in March. However, Israeli publications reported the couple split after Ezra accused the blonde of dancing too close to notorious womanizer Jagger, 70, with one claiming that he was so furious he grabbed Bar and pulled her off the dance floor at an exclusive Stones party. Scroll down for video . Flirt: Mick Jagger with Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli in 2013. They met up again last week . Suddenly single? The X Factor Israel host reportedly split with her boyfriend Adi Ezra after he accused Refaeli of dancing too close to Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv . The couple were then heard having an argument and left the bash separately - and have not spoken since. Bar - who was pictured partying with Jagger last year - and Ezra attended the Stones gig at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv last Wednesday, celebrating the model's birthday. The pair later joined the band at an exclusive after party at a restaurant called Mr. & Mrs. Lee. But Bar's birthday celebrations soon soured, allegedly fueled by Ezra's jealousy. The Sports Illustrated beauty flew to Los Angeles at the weekend accompanied by her father Rafael, and her youngest brother, On, and the trio were pictured at the Jewish Life Foundation Salute to Hollywood Gala on Sunday. Asked about the split, her mother Zipi Refaeli refused to comment, while Ezra said he did not comment on his personal life. However, Bar - who dated A list star Leonard DiCaprio for four years before their split in May 2011 - made it clear she was serious about Ezra as she posed in wedding dresses for Hello! magazine in May and admitted she could hear wedding bells, saying: 'The wedding of my dreams is very simple, not a lot of people, not in a big place, maybe outdoors, barefoot. 'I'm in a relationship, there's a special guy in my life, we're not talking marriage yet. ''[I . am] a romantic person, but a very solid romantic person.I like basic . things - when somebody tells me he loves me, or when I say, 'I love . you'. I really mean it, I don't just say it, so that's romantic to me. 'I . don't need to go to the beach and have a picnic with wine in a basket . to feel romantic. I feel romantic when I look into my boyfriend's eyes - . that's enough for me.' Meanwhile, . Rocker Jagger has caused his own furore by seeming to be back to his . womanizing ways just 11 weeks after the tragic suicide of his longtime . love, fashion designer L'Wren Scott. Physical: Adi Ezra shows off bruises from a boxing fight as he is joined by Bar in Tel Aviv earlier this year . Serious: Bar Refaeli said she could hear wedding bells for her and Adi Ezra - however, their romance soured on her 29th birthday last Wednesday when Ezra is believed to have dragged her off the dance floor at an exclusive Rolling Stones party following their Tel Aviv gig - accusing her of getting too close to Mick Jagger . Beaming and looking relaxed, he threw his arm around Israeli model Noa Tishby following the Stones Tel Aviv gig. Today, a pal of the singer conceded to the Daily Mail the pair have a flirtatious friendship, but added: ‘They got to know each other in Mustique but they are not having sex, that one just likes the publicity.’ Fuelling rumours over their friendship, the brunette shared the image of the pair together with her 49,000 Instagram followers last week, writing: 'There's no way to post a picture like this without . feeling a little douchy. 'However in the world of self aware name dropping, this may be the best one yet. So here goes. 'Thank you @mickjagger for amazing few days in Israel. 'Thank you for showing us all how to rock it like a legend. Thank you for being so generous with your energy, time, music. 'To say you're inspirational would be the understatement of the century.' Her . post came just days after Jagger was pictured with a dazzling young . brunette on his hotel balcony in Zurich, Switzerland, whom he is . believed to have picked up in a Zurich nightclub. Moving on: The star has also been pictured posing with model Noa Tishby in Israel after he performed in Tel Aviv on Wednesday . On stage: Sir Mick met the model after his performance at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv (pictured) Wearing what appears to be one of his shirts, the singer’s companion was seen leaning in behind him and a friend said today: ‘He has been up to his old tricks with women since the tour started a couple of weeks ago. There have been several already. Everybody is really pleased about it, delighted actually. It’s good to see him back in the saddle. 'The woman in Zurich, he picked up in a nightclub. It was just a passing fling and is over now and he has moved onto the next one. 'To Jagger, having sex is like taking a beer out of the fridge.' As to the identity of the brunette, in some quarters she has been identified as a Russian ballerina, though there has been no corroboration of that suggestion. In any case, Jagger’s camp are quite sure the woman in question is, in their words, ‘a goner’, and has been discarded by the priapic frontman. The source added: ‘I don’t think he will start another serious relationship for a long time because that would feel like a betrayal of L’Wren, but this sort of a fling does not. ‘He didn’t leak the Zurich girl on purpose, but the Stones camp and Mick are really quite glad that it’s out. Mick doesn’t want to be seen as some sort of broken old bloke who is on the look-out for his next wife.’ But for the sister of L’Wren Scott, it is too much too soon. Partner: L'Wren Scott was found dead in her Manhattan apartment in March. The couple had been together for 13 years and the rock legend was said to be 'devastated and distraught' at her death . Jan Shane attacked the Stones frontman, saying: ‘And people wonder why L’Wren was so depressed.’ Speaking . from her Utah home, the 53-year-old, who was estranged from her . sister, added: ‘These pictures make me really wonder what Mick is . thinking and feeling. ‘His . daughter says that he is still heartbroken and so devastated about . losing my sister. And then you see these photos – he will never . change.’ 'Too much too soon': L'Wren's sister Jan Shane attacked the Stones frontman for the balcony pictures, saying: 'And people wonder why L'Wren was so depressed¿ . Miss Scott, 49, killed herself in March . in her Manhattan apartment. There was no suicide note, but business . records showed her design company, LS Fashion, had racked up millions of . pounds of debt – a burden thought by friends to have caused her a level . of distress that she kept private. Miss . Scott and Jagger were together for 13 years and the fashion designer . was widely regarded as having tamed his roving eye. Following her death, . Jagger was said to be distraught. In a statement, he said he could not . understand how his ‘lover and best friend could end her life in this . tragic way.’ The Stones were . forced to cancel the Australian leg of their tour after the tragedy . and resumed their concert dates only last month.
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Leo DiCaprio's ex was celebrating her 29th birthday at Rolling Stones Tel Aviv gig last Wednesday .
Bar's boyfriend, Israeli businessman Adi Ezra, reportedly pulled her off the dance floor at after-party when she got too close to womanizer Mick .
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f676e9bbdea898b9444bed56aa85075c486656bd
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- The death of a 12-year-old student in Brooklyn from the staph infection MRSA has prompted fear among parents and students throughout the New York City school system, forcing officials to respond. Omar Rivera, 12, a New York seventh-grader, died of drug-resistant staph on October 14. Omar Rivera, a seventh-grader at Intermediate School 211, died October 14 from the infection, according to the New York City school superintendent, but investigators were unable to confirm where he contracted the infection. MRSA is short for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and is responsible for more deaths in the United States each year than AIDS, according to new data. "There's often no way to know how an individual person got the infection," said New York City Health Commissioner Tom Frieden. "An infection in a child like this is extremely rare. Fatal infections in children is in the order of 1 in a million. It's a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the family." The Office of School Health sent letters to parents Thursday, notifying them of Rivera's death. Despite assurances from health officials that Rivera's death was an isolated incident, several parents decided to keep their children out of IS 211, which opened at its normal time Friday after the disclosure of Rivera's death Thursday, as it has every day since the death. Watch more on the student's death » . The Heath Department said in its statement, "We have no reason to believe that other children or school employees are at increased risk of staph infection." But department officials advised in a press conference Friday that people should limit skin-to-skin contact, wash their hands regularly and not share items such as towels and razors. Nearly nine out of every 10 resistant staph infections are hospital or health-care related, Frieden said. "Hospitals are taking it seriously and need to continue to improve the way they prevent and treat staph infections," he said. According to the CDC, 25 to 30 percent of the population carry the staph bacteria -- one of the most common causes of infection. While such infections are typically minor, invasive MRSA infections, because they are caused by drug-resistant staph, can become fatal. Dr. Julie Gerberding, the director of the CDC, says these infections are not new. "It's important to appreciate that many of these infections are the same infections moms have been dealing with for decades. They're very preventable," she says. "If you see a skin infection that looks like the redness is getting bigger or if it's associated with a lot of swelling around the wound or if the individual has a fever, those are reasons to definitely seek doctor's attention. But most of the time these are things that can be treated with the same kind of common sense approach that is we've been using for years." Pat Mshar, an epidemiologist for Connecticut's Department of Health, emphasized that the highest rate of MRSA deaths -- 58 percent -- is found in hospitals. "The healthy person in the community -- like the high school student -- generally is going to be able to be treated adequately without adverse outcome," she said. So long as an infected student seeks treatment, covers open cuts or lesions and avoids direct skin contact with other students, "it's OK to go to school." She noted that recent reports of MRSA numbers and the student deaths has heightened concern. "Parents are more aware of MRSA now than they ever were before," she said. For more information, see MayoClinic.com's Q&A on MRSA,Centers for Disease Control's Invasive MRSA Fact Sheet, its advice on MRSA in schools and the Journal of the American Medical Association's Patient Page on MRSA.. E-mail to a friend .
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NEW: Brooklyn student's death from drug-resistant staph infection confirmed .
NEW: School officials unable to confirm where student contracted infection .
No reason to think other students or teachers are at risk, department says .
25 to 30 percent of the population carry the staph bacteria, according to CDC .
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f676ebc23bd80b2ff8302800680f8461a8fdd6eb
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By . Sam Creighton . Criminals are piecing together heat-detecting drones using kit they can buy from supermarkets . Criminals are using cheap kit bought from supermarkets to build heat seeking drones they can use to track down cannabis farms to rob. Tech-savvy thieves are buying drones for as little as £60 from supermarkets such as Tesco and attaching infra-red cameras to them, which they can monitor via an iPad. By flying the modified drones over houses, they can locate the drug dens, as cannabis farms produce a large amount of heat, due to the huge hydroponic heat and light required to grow the plants. Burglars are then breaking in to the premises and stealing the crop to sell on the streets. Any digital camera has the potential to film in infra-red, it's a simple task of replacing basic components, meaning it is becoming both easier and cheaper for criminals to obtain heat-detecting technology. Yesterday, Labour MP Tom Watson, who is the chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, said: 'This is remarkable and shows the proliferation of drone technology which can be used for both good and bad. 'It is no surprise enterprising criminals would want to get the upper hand in the criminal underworld by using drones. Scroll down for video . The drones can be bought from high street stores and supermarkets for less than £60 and then modified by attaching a camera . An example of the heat signature given off by a cannabis farm taken during a police sweep . The large amount of heat given off by equipment needed to grow cannabis makes the drug farms easy to detect with infra-red cameras . Criminals are targeting cannabis farms run by rival gangs. They steal the drugs and then sell them themselves . 'As a society we will be dealing with the impact of drones on our laws and regulations for years to come and it is time the Government started listening about privacy concerns about the misuse of drones.' It emerged the problem is particularly prevalent in areas of West Midlands where the tactic has led to a number of violent robberies as the intruders know victims will not call the police. One convicted burglar, who did not wish to be identified, said: 'I bought my first drone for a few hundred quid and learnt how to fly it over wasteland and fitted a wifi camera to it so I could look into people’s windows. 'However, I noticed police helicopters used thermal imaging cameras to find cannabis farms because of the heat the hydroponic lights give off so I bought a second hand heat-seeking camera one online and hooked it up to my iPad.' After finding a property containing a cannabis farm the criminal would either burgle or 'tax' the victim. The 33-year-old added: 'Half the time we don’t even need to use violence to get the crop. Even though the commercial drones only have a fly time of 30 minutes, they allow criminals to locate targets . The criminals strap infra-red cameras to the top of the drones and then monitor the images on an iPad . An example of the sort of commercial drone that is being used. While drones were originally just used by the military, they are becoming far cheaper and more accessible . 'Growing cannabis has gone mainstream and the people growing it are not gangsters. 'They are fair game, it is not like I’m using my drone to see if people have nice televisions I am just after drugs to steal and sell, if you break the law then you enter me and my drone’s world.' Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, were first used by the military but simpler remote control models are now on sale from many high street shops and have a flying time of 30 minutes. Civilian companies are now using drones for various projects and both fire services and police forces are exploring their use. Growing cannabis requires huge hydroponic heat and light, making them easy targets . The Association of Chief Police Officers latest report on commercial cannabis cultivation found the number farms had doubled in two years . One convicted criminal, who has used drones to target cannabis growers, said: 'If you break the law then you enter me and my drone¿s world' The Association of Chief Police Officers latest report on commercial cannabis cultivation found the number farms had doubled in two years and police were discovering over 21 a day in the UK. The report said: 'There has been an increase in robberies, burglaries and violence including the use of firearms linked to cannabis farms.' 'And there is evidence of taxing (stealing) of crops and debt bondage being used to control local individuals.'
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Thieves are modifying the drones by attaching infra-red cameras .
They can monitor the camera images on an iPad .
Cannabis farms give out heat, meaning the cameras can pick them up .
The criminals then rob the drug dens and sell the cannabis themselves .
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Jurors hearing the Michael Jackson wrongful death case seem to be enjoying themselves after 15 weeks of testimony, even after the judge told them they could be in court through September. They've leaned forward, taken close notes and often laughed while watching lawyers for Michael Jackson's mother and children spar with attorneys for concert promoter AEG Live. "I'm not going to be babysitting you two," Judge Yvette Palazuelos told Jackson lawyer Brian Panish and AEG Live lawyer Marvin Putnam this week as the attorneys traded barbs in court. Several jurors even applauded famed choreographer and director Kenny Ortega at the end of his lengthy testimony Thursday. While some of the 65 days of testimony has covered tedious medical and legal ground, Jackson's music and intimate home videos are often shown on two big screens in the tiny Los Angeles courtroom . The jurors were getting an inside look Friday at how Jackson's family tried to intervene in the singer's prescription drug use as AEG Live's lawyers showed them video of their questioning of Randy Jackson, Michael Jackson's youngest brother. The jury will eventually have a billion-dollar decision to make: Is AEG Live liable in Jackson's death and, if so, how much should the promoter-producer of his comeback tour pay the family in damages? Katherine Jackson and her grandchildren -- Prince, Paris and Blanket -- contend AEG Live negligently hired, retained or supervised Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician now serving a prison term for involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death. Murray told investigators he gave the entertainer nightly infusions of the surgical anesthetic propofol to treat his insomnia so he could rest for rehearsals while preparing for his "This Is It" shows set to debut in London in July 2009. The coroner ruled Jackson's June 25, 2009, death was caused by an overdose of propofol. AEG Live argues Jackson, not the company, chose and controlled Murray. A contract the company negotiated with Murray to work as Jackson's personal tour doctor for $150,000 a month was signed by Murray and returned to AEG Live on June 24, 2009. With Jackson's death the next day, no AEG Live executive ever signed it. The company also argues its executives had no way of knowing about the dangerous and unusual treatments Murray was giving Jackson in the privacy of his bedroom. AEG Live lawyers are using Randy Jackson's testimony about his family's attempts to intervene with the pop icon's use of painkillers to bolster their contention that he was a secretive drug addict. AEG lawyer testifies in Michael Jackson death trial . Red flags missed? The Jackson lawsuit accuses AEG Live executives of ignoring a series of red flags signaling that the artist was at risk in the weeks before his death -- including warnings from Kenny Ortega and others working on the production. "He was like a lost boy," Ortega wrote in an e-mail to AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips days before Jackson's death. "There still may be a chance he can rise to the occasion if we get him the help he needs." After a poor rehearsal on June 13, 2009, and a missed rehearsal the next day, Ortega expressed his concern in an e-mail to AEG Live co-CEO Paul Gongaware: "Were you aware that MJ's doctor didn't permit him to attend rehearsals yesterday? Are Randy and Frank (DiLeo, another Jackson manager) aware of this? Please have them stay on top of his health situation without invading MJ's privacy. It might be a good idea to talk with his doctor to make sure everything MJ requires is in place." The AEG Live executives later told Ortega they met with Murray and put him in charge of getting Jackson to rehearsals, Ortega said. The director said he was told that if he needed to know whether Jackson was coming to a rehearsal, he should call the doctor. Ortega was given Murray's cell phone number, which he said he programmed into his own phone. When Jackson finally showed up for a rehearsal on June 19, "he appeared lost, cold, afraid," Ortega said. It is a day he will never forget, he testified. "I saw a Michael that frightened me, a Michael that was shivering and cold," Ortega testified. "I thought there was something emotional going on, deeply emotional, and something physical going on. He seemed fragile." When AEG Live's lawyer asked Ortega if Jackson could've just had "a really bad flu," the show director said that was "not the best way of describing it." A sleep expert hired by the Jacksons' lawyers testified earlier that he believed the singer was suffering from long-term sleep deprivation caused by two months of nightly propofol infusions. The drug interrupts crucial REM sleep cycles, depriving the brain of real rest and repair, the expert said. Ortega persuaded Jackson not to go onstage that night because he was afraid he would hurt himself, he testified. Instead, Jackson agreed to watch the rehearsal with choreographer Travis Payne dancing his parts. Jackson's ex-bodyguard testifies about singer's drug use . Jackson appeared paranoid and afraid, Ortega said. "He was repeating for me not to quit or to leave him. He was afraid that I was going to quit or leave him." With just a dozen days left for rehearsals before the touring company moved to London for the opening, Ortega testified, he was worried "that all that we had worked for together, Michael and I -- this dream, this desire -- was going to fall away." Ortega testified that on June 19, he "felt that we should stop" the production, but he was "torn because I did not want to break Michael's heart." Ortega sent a series of e-mails that night and the next morning to AEG Live executives warning that they needed professional help for Jackson. "There are strong signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behavior," Ortega wrote. "I think the very best thing we can do is get a top psychiatrist in to evaluate him ASAP. It's like there are two people there. One (deep inside) trying to hold on to what he was and still can be and not waiting us to quit him, the other in this weakened and troubled state." A contentious meeting . Ortega testified that he was called to a meeting with AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips, Jackson and Murray at Jackson's home on June 20, hours after he sent those e-mails. Murray angrily confronted him, Ortega testified. "He said I had no right to not let Michael rehearse, that Michael was physically and emotionally capable of handling all his responsibility as a performer and I should be a director and not an amateur doctor or psychologist. I should stick to my job and leave the rest to him." Phillips watched Murray's attack on him in silence, Ortega testified Thursday. Jackson died while under Murray's care five days later, in a bedroom just upstairs from the parlor where the meeting took place. "A different Michael" showed up for the next rehearsals on June 23 and 24, Ortega testified. Jackson "seemed healthy and ready and happy. There didn't seem to be any leftover issues." "I was feeling that we were back on track and grateful and believing that we were now in a new chapter," Ortega said. Jackson lawyer Brian Panish asked Ortega what he thought caused the "metamorphosis" he witnessed in Jackson. "Maybe a lot of rest," he said. "He seemed rested, stronger." "I assume sleep had to be a part of it," Ortega added. "He just looked rested. Deep sleep, real sleep." Murray told investigators he stopped using propofol to induce Jackson's sleep for the two previous nights -- after 60 nights of it. Jackson lawyers contend that is why Jackson was revitalized. Jackson lawyers argued that Murray was influenced by a conflict of interest -- created by his arrangement with AEG Live -- to continue dangerous propofol infusions to help Jackson rest for rehearsals. He was $1 million in debt and had abandoned his medical practice two months earlier to serve as Jackson's personal physician for the tour. If he failed to get Jackson to rehearsals, the shows might be postponed or canceled and he would be out of a job, they argue. Blame game . Lawyers for both sides used Ortega's appearance in court to argue over who was responsible for Jackson's death -- the promoter or the artist. "At the time, did you think Mr. Jackson was responsible for his own health?" AEG Live's Marvin Putnam asked. "I didn't think he was being very responsible, but it was his responsibility, in my opinion," Ortega answered. "I wanted to take care of him, you always want to take care of someone if they're not feeling well, but you can't be responsible for them. They have to be responsible for themselves." When Jackson lawyer Brian Panish had a chance to again question Ortega, he focused on AEG Live's responsibility in retaining Murray. Panish: "You would expect a responsible concert promoter and producer to make sure anyone they hired to be checked out as fit and competent?" Ortega: "Yes." Panish: "Check them out to make sure they had no conflict?" Ortega: "Yes." Panish: "It would be irresponsible not to do that?" Ortega: "Yes." As Ortega stepped off the witness stand Thursday afternoon, several jurors applauded. Debbie Rowe, the mother of Michael Jackson's two oldest children, may finally appear in court next week as a witness called by AEG Live. She was married to Jackson for several years and traveled with him on tour in the 1990s.
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The jury will watch a video deposition of Michael Jackson's youngest brother Friday .
Kenny Ortega testified Michael Jackson seemed sleep-deprived a week before his death .
Lawyers use Ortega's testimony to debate who's responsible for Jackson's death .
Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe is expected in court next week .
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By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 09:32 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:15 EST, 14 January 2013 . The pool at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's new home could be moved to a sunnier and more private site it has today been claimed. And the decision may have been influenced by the publication of topless photographs taken of Kate while she was on holiday in France last year. Kate and William are expected to be given Anmer Hall, a Norfolk mansion, by the Queen. Sprawling estate: The royal couple are expected to be given the country house by the Queen. Plans to relocate the pool may have been influenced by the publication of topless pictures of Kate sunbathing . Anmar Hall was lived in by the Duke and Duchess of Kent from 1972 to 1990 and is now leased to James Everett . A planning application has been submitted to the council to make changes to the Georgian property . According to the Sunday Times, a list of refurbishments to the grade II listed Georgian building have been released in planning documents, submitted on December 10 last year. It includes a new driveway, installation of electric gates, and conversion of wood stores. It is believed the work will be carried out by Charles Morris, who has previously worked for the Prince of Wales, and who is the great great grandson of Sir John Kelk, who built the Royal Albert Hall. A source told the paper Anmer Hall was not an 'occasional house' but would be where the couple, who are expecting their first child, intend to spend a lot of time. King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council is being asked to approve plans to re-route the existing driveway in order to make it more private as well as construct a new garden room. The application, which is described as a ‘major development’ in council papers, also involves converting a wood store into accommodation – which could be used for police guarding the couple - and extending an existing garage block to form an equipment room. Couple: . The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pictured as the Duchess left hospital . after a severe bout of morning sickness. The couple are currently based . in Kensington Palace, West London . The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh stay at Sandringham every Christmas with the rest of the Royal family . Anmer Hall is one of the 150 properties owned by the Queen on her 20,000 acre estate in north Norfolk and is only two miles east of Sandringham House. It is surrounded by 60 acres of estate farmland, which will afford William and Kate a high level of privacy . At the moment the main entrance to the hall is about 100 yards down a tiny lane which is also used as a public road to St Mary the Virgin Church, where services are held twice a month. Anmer Hall which largely dates back to 1802 was reportedly one of the houses where Prince Charles and his then mistress Camilla Parker Bowles, now the Duchess of Cornwall, used to enjoy secret trysts, when it was rented by the prince’s friend Hugh van Cutsem. William spent many childhood holidays playing in the grounds with the van Cutsem boys, who are all close friends. It was earlier leased to the Duke and Duchess of Kent as their country house from 1972 until 1990. The current tenant is James Everett, who owns a kitchen and timber company, and has leased the property until 2017, which means William and Kate’s son or daughter would be three years old when then move in. The palace declined to comment.
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Plans submitted to relocate pool at Anmer Hall which is expected to be gifted to the royal couple .
Topless photographs were taken of Kate while she was beside a pool on holiday in France last year .
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Washington (CNN) -- Some Marine Corps families, mourning a son or daughter killed in action, received an unexpected surprise for the holidays: an ornament of the Purple Heart, a letter addressed to their fallen hero and even information about athletic reconditioning. The Marine Corps was apologizing Tuesday for sending the packages to families of the fallen instead of the Marines wounded in action but still alive. "There are no words to express how very sorry we are for the hurt such a mistake has caused the families of our fallen warriors," said Col. John L. Mayer, commanding officer of the Marines Wounded Warrior Regiment. "We always strive to honor the sacrifices these Marines, sailors and their families gave to this country." Mayer, alerted to the problem when families began phoning in Monday, said there was no excuse for what happened. "We accept full responsibility for this error and are moving quickly to reach out to the families we have affected," he said in a statement. "This initiative was meant to thank combat-wounded Marines and sailors for their service." Mayer is calling some of the families who telephoned after they received the packages in error and all will receive a letter of apology. More than 9,000 were sent out, but 1,150 went out to families of the Marines who had died.
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Families of fallen Marines received packages meant for injured veterans .
The parcels offered information about athletic reconditioning .
Wounded Warrior commander: "We accept full responsibility for this error"
1,150 packages went to families of Marines who had died .
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Campaigners have warned that shoppers are being hoodwinked by organic beauty products laced with chemicals found in antifreeze, floor cleaners and engine oil . Shoppers are being hoodwinked by organic beauty products laced with chemicals found in antifreeze, floor cleaners and engine oil, campaigners warned last night. It said Boots, Nivea and other manufacturers misled the public. The Soil Association surveyed shampoos, creams and other toiletries labelled as being organic, natural or inspired by nature. Nivea was criticised for using an unofficial logo to proclaim its Pure And Natural hand cream as ’95 per cent natural’. However, the ingredients show it . contains methylisothiazolinone, a preservative found in window and floor . cleaners and air fresheners. The association said the chemical could cause cancer and is suspected of causing nerve damage. Boots Botanics – a skin care range which draws on the ‘power of plants’ – was also put under the microscope. Items . singled out included the facial oil, costing £9.99, which is labelled . as 100 per cent organic but was found to contain at least four . non-organic ingredients. US . firm Organix – a beauty company unconnected to the British baby food . manufacturer of the same name – was accused of ‘misleading marketing’. Although the brand name suggests products will be organic, its coconut shampoo does not contain any organic ingredients, and there were concerns that at least one component may cause cancer. Unlike organic food, the labelling of organic beauty products is not covered by law. However, there are voluntary certification schemes run by organisations, including the Soil Association. To qualify, certain chemicals are banned from products and all plant-based ingredients must have been grown organically. Peter Melchett, the Soil Association’s policy director, said the many companies that strive to meet the standards are being undermined by those that take shortcuts and make misleading claims. He added: ‘It is wrong that people are putting chemicals found in antifreeze, paint, oven cleaner and floor cleaner on their skin, when they thought they were buying a product made from only natural or organic ingredients. This must stop.’ The Soil Association surveyed shampoos, creams and other toiletries labelled as being organic, natural or inspired by nature . Nivea and Organix did not comment on the claims. Boots said any problems with its Botanics range were related to labelling and not the products themselves. A spokesman added: ‘The Botanics range uses the power of plants extracts with scientific formulations to create effective skin care products. We would like to reassure our customers that the ingredients in the Botanics Organic Facial Oil support a 100 per cent organic claim and Trading Standards approve our process. ‘The ingredient list on the packaging may not make this clear. We will look to rectify this immediately.’
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Soil Association surveyed shampoos and creams labelled as organic .
Boots Botanics and Nivea skin care ranges criticised in findings .
'Pure and Natural' hand cream contained preservative methylisothiazolinone .
Chemical found in window cleaner and can cause cancer .
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Scott Quigg faces former world champion Paulus Ambunda on September 13 at the Phones 4 U Arena in Manchester in what I believe will be the toughest fight of his career. Ambunda won the WBO bantamweight title in 2013 before losing to the hugely talented Tomoki Kameda in the only loss of his career. I give Ambunda plenty of credit for taking this fight - it’s been a hard task matching Quigg. His devastating knockout of Tshifhiwa Munyai in his last fight has made many in the division much less forthcoming. Scott asked for the Leo Santa Cruz unification but they simply don’t fancy the fight - we even offered to come to the US and again he was avoided. Time to shine: Scott Quigg will face Paulus Ambunda in Manchester in September . As Scott continues to send big statements to the vision, we now hope Belfast’s Carl Frampton can beat Kiko Martinez in September and then we can finally give the public the fight they want to see. It is one of the biggest fights out there and we want to make it. Taking the division by storm: Quigg has proved a force to be reckoned with in the bantamweight division . Also on the Manchester bill, Anthony Crolla continues his impressive march in the lightweight division when he challenges former word champion Gamaliel Diaz and unbeaten star Scotty Cardle faces Sunderland’s Kirk Goodings with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger for Terry Flanagan’s British lightweight title. On the bill: Anthony Crolla will fight on the undercard of the . Manchester’s Denton Vassell returns in an expected barn burner against Sam Eggington and heavyweight sensation Anthony Joshua will now make his Manchester debut after his Dublin fight was postponed. I'm continuing talks with Bob Arum over a fight between Carl Froch and Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr on January 24 in Las Vegas. I wish I had more to say but it's going slowly. We still have the same options of Chavez, James DeGale and Mikkel Kessler. Let's wait and see. I watched the boxing at the Commonwealth Games very closely, with one eye on who might make a good professional signing. It was nice to see Antony Fowler, my pre-tournament tip, win the gold – he was brilliant. Golden moment: Antony Fowler celebrates winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . He was like a little Carl Froch in there, trading away with true grit at times. He’s confident and has talent. I was impressed, as I was by Paddy Barnes, Joe Joyce, Michael Conlan, Josh Taylor and Joe Fitzpatrick. There is some great talent coming through. Impressive: Hearn tipped Fowler for glory before the games . What all of them must now decide is whether to stick or twist. All of them will want to win titles as a professional, but the lure of a gold medal in the Rio Olympics is always there. That is a massive appeal for any amateur. The gamble for them would be to wait instead of switching now when their profile is high. I can reveal here that Ricky Burns’ proposed comeback fight in Manchester on September 13 has been moved because of an elbow injury he picked up against Dejan Zlaticanin. He will now fight on October 4 in Leeds, on a bill including Josh Warrington and Callum Smith. Brian Rose will also make his comeback after his light-middleweight world title challenge in June. Kell Brook has been in Las Vegas for a week as he prepares for his world title shot at Shawn Porter on August 16. He has adjusted well to the time difference and is training hard. He sounds so confident every time I talk to him. He is looking sensational in sparring and I can’t wait to get out there next week and enjoy the build up to this huge fight. Fighting fit: Kell Brook is in Las Vegas preparing for his World Title fight with Shawn Porter . There has been some noise made about the drug testing arrangements after the fight date was changed and I can confirm that both fighters have now been tested and will be again in the future. I think it’s an extremely important part of our sport that needs close attention. Chance to shine: Callum Smith will fight on the Kell Brook undercard . On Brook’s card, I am also using Callum Smith and Luke Campbell, one of our 2012 gold medallists. They have been standout fights for me in the past year. Luke is fighting again after his short break from the sport for family reasons, while Callum does no wrong at the moment. He is such an enormous talent and is heading for a title shot in the next year to 18 months. They will fight six-rounders and both will be benefit from the experience and exposure. I will be talking with Nathan Cleverly this week to try to iron out some more details about his rematch with Tony Bellew. The two dates under consideration are still November 1 in Manchester or November 29 in Liverpool. Rematch: . At Matchroom Boxing we have just launched Fight Pass, which we’re very excited about. I’ve teamed up with Dave Coldwell, Steve Wood and Steve Goodwin, who are all respected UK promoters, and we are now streaming live coverage online of 10 additional fight nights a year. You’ve seen us invest heavily in the elite level of the sport and in the best young talent, and this helps us get involved in all levels of the sport. For information, visit http://www.matchroomboxing.com/fight-pass.
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Quigg has terrified the super bantamweight division .
Leo Santa Cruz was offered a Quigg unification in the US but said no .
Slow progress on Froch-Chavez .
Golden amateurs like Antony Fowler face huge decision .
Ricky Burns comeback has been delayed .
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(CNN) -- Taliban official Hakeemullah Mehsud has been selected the new head of the Pakistani Taliban, a local Taliban commander in Pakistan's federally administered tribal areas told CNN Saturday. Baitullah Mehsud, right, former leader of the Pakistani Taliban, and a bodyguard in Pakistan, in 2004. Mehsud was selected Friday by a 42-member Taliban council, or shura, according to Taliban commander Qari Haris. Another Taliban official -- Maulvi Faqir Mohammad -- had been tapped as Mehsud's deputy, Haris said. Mohammad had named himself acting head of the Pakistani Taliban on Wednesday. A third official -- Hazem Tariq -- was named the group's new spokesman, Haris added. The announced selection underscored the contention by Pakistani and U.S. officials that the group's former leader, Baitullah Mehsud, was killed in an August 5 drone attack in Waziristan. Both Mohammad and Haris claim Mehsud is alive but ill. Pakistani officials announced Tuesday that two top figures in the Pakistani Taliban had been arrested. Saif Ullah is believed to have been Baitullah Mehsud's right-hand man, and Maulvi Umar is the well-known spokesman for the militant group. Umar recently declared that Mehsud had not been killed in a drone strike on his father-in-law's house, but a senior Pakistani official said that Umar had admitted under questioning that Mehsud was dead. The top U.S. envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, told CNN that the Pakistani Taliban had not confirmed Mehsud's death because of an ongoing power struggle over his successor. Journalists Janullah Hamizshada and Nazar ur Islam contributed to this report.
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Taliban official Hakeemullah Mehsud was selected Friday by 42-member panel .
Taliban officials say former leader Baitullah Mehsud is alive but ill .
Taliban official Maulvi Faqir Mohammad tapped as new leader's deputy .
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A Boston housing director who earned a hefty $360,000 salary and managed low-income housing only spent 15 days on the job this year. The rest of the year, Michael E. McLaughlin was travelling the country, doing business elsewhere, working remotely, or not putting in a full eight-hour workday. He served as one of the highest-paid public housing officials in the country, and yet took 47 days of vacation in 2011 alone, during a time of grim realities in the housing market. Cashing in: Michael McLaughlin earned $360,000 for 15 full days work, and cashed in for 'unused' vacation time . The Boston Globe uncovered cellphone records of Mr McLaughlin and pointed out that while he had claimed over $80,000 in ‘unused’ vacation time and sick time. He was only on-site in the low-income Chelsea neighbourhood of Boston for 15 days total in 2011. ‘The office was just a place (McLaughlin) stopped to delegate to everyone what to do,’ an anonymous housing authority employee told the Globe. The employee said that Mr McLaughlin would come in slightly before 10am and leave in the early afternoon, often around 1pm. 'These are disturbing allegations (that) further indicates that our efforts to remove the former executive director and board members were the right thing to do.' -Greg Bialecki, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development . Mr McLaughlin resigned swiftly last month after his extraordinary salary and pitiful attendance was revealed. His work for the Chelsea Housing Authority was often spent in Maine and Florida, The Boston Globe reported. He claimed near-perfect health, only reporting 3.5 hours of sick time in more than a decade of work. On his last day of work, he wrote himself a $114,237 check which compensated him for the ‘unused’ sick time. Officials tried to claim the check, but he had already cashed it. Following his departure, the FBI is investigating whether or not Mr McLaughlin has illegally diverted federal funds. ‘These are disturbing allegations,’ Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development said in a statement. Help for the hurting: Chelsea Housing Authority provides aid for low-income families and the elderly looking for affordable housing in the Boston area . According to their website, the authority administers two housing programs – rental assistance and public housing, both of which help low-income families find places to live. His deputy assistant and friend Linda Thibodau kept a similarly luxurious schedule, and didn’t show up to the Chelsea neighbourhood of Massachusetts that often. Ms Thibodau, who started working for Mr McLaughlin in 2001, was earning a padded wage for the amount of time she worked. Ten years later, she was earning $99,000, which included a 2009 stipend given to her by the board of directors for ‘added…duties,’ the Globe reported. She and Mr McLaughlin often visited Naples, Florida, but did not count it as vacation time, even though as little as a quarter of all calls made while in Florida were to the housing authority. Mr McLaughlin’s contract also allowed him to sell unused vacation and sick days back to the housing authority.
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McLaughlin claimed over $80,000 in unused vacation .
Reported only 3.5 hours of sick leave and was reimbursed $114,000 .
FBI investigating if he diverted federal funds .
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Marseille extended their winning streak to eight games with a 2-0 home win against Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Sunday, but not before manager Marcelo Bielsa sat on a scalding hot cup of coffee. There were laughs all round when Bielsa, widely regarded as the man who has transformed Marseille into an exciting team, accidentally sat on the coffee perched on an icebox near the touchline. It had looked like one of the Argentine's coaches had put the cup down on the cooler, and the boss instantly jumped up before angrily turning to his bench and kicking the cup away. Marcelo Bielsa perched down on his ice cooler after one of his coaches put the cup of hot coffee down . Bielsa's side extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1, with their eighth straight win . That was as scary as it got for Bielsa, whose team comfortably held off a Toulouse side who are 10th on 14 points. First-half goals by Nicolas Nkoulou and Andre-Pierre Gignac, in front of a club record 61,846 crowd at the Stade Velodrome, wrapped up the win and put Narseukke on 25 points from 10 games. They lead arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain by seven points after the champions beat RC Lens 3-1 on Friday. Bordeaux are third, also on 18 points, after being held to a 1-1 home draw by strugglers Caen on Sunday. The Argentine soon realised what was on his seat, before he jumped up and turned to his bench . Marseille have conceded only three goals in those eight matches. 'There was a lot of fatigue after the international games but everybody wanted that win,' Gignac, who has scored 10 goals in as many games, told the club website. Nkoulou shouldered the ball into the net from Dimitri Payet's curled cross after 20 minutes. Florian Thauvin came close to doubling the tally two minutes later but his low left-foot strike went just wide. Gignac then beat Zacharie Boucher with a powerful shot from inside the area after Steeve Yago's poor clearance. Frustrated, Bielsa then kicks the cup away on to the floor and carries on watching the game . Marseille's Andre-Pierre Gignac celebrates after scoring against Toulouse on Sunday . Marseille fans have enjoyed eight straight wins, with Bielsa's side sitting top of Ligue 1 .
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Marseille extended their winning streak to eight with a 2-0 win over Toulouse .
But Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa wasn't smiling for the whole game .
He sat on a coffee cup placed on his ice cooler by a coach .
Bielsa then kicked the cup away in anger and turned to his bench .
Marseille are now seven points ahead of PSG at the top of Ligue 1 .
First-half goals by Nicolas Nkoulou and Andre-Pierre Gignac sealed the win .
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Doctors and nurses have been warned by David Cameron that ‘standards are not good enough' after one in three patients said they would not recommend their local hospital to family and friends. The Prime Minister said the new test would give a single measure for the quality of NHS care across the country. The first set of results revealed patients in 36 hospital wards across England would not recommend them to loved ones. Care: David Cameron said the new Friends and Family Test would expose areas where healthcare is poor . The first wave of the ‘Friends and Family’ test also saw one English A&E department get a ‘negative score’ - at Chase Farm Hospital, part of the Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital NHS Trust, in north London. Patients are simply asked whether they would recommend the hospital where they were treated to their loved ones. Each hospital is then given a score based on patient satisfaction levels - if every single patient says they would be ‘extremely likely’ to recommend the service the ward would receive a score of 100, if every single patient said they would be ‘neither unlikely nor likely’, ‘unlikely’ or ‘extremely unlikely’ to recommend the service, the trust receives a score of minus 100. Mr Cameron, who is on holiday in Portugal, said: ‘I am determined to give patients a far greater voice within the NHS as a way of highlighting the best and worst of care within our hospitals. Health minister Anna Soubry claims the Mid-Staffs scandal could have been prevented if the test had been in place . ‘With the 'Friends and Family' test, we now have a single measure that looks at the quality of care across the country. ‘I want the NHS to put patient satisfaction at the heart of what they do and expect action to be taken at hospitals where patients and staff say standards are not good enough.’ Health minister Anna Soubry suggested that the test could have highlighted earlier the Mid-Staffs NHS scandal, in which up to 1,200 people died needdessly as a result of poor care. She told BBC News: 'We are clearing away some of the smokescreen, some of the systems that prevented people from knowing what's actually happening in their hospitals. 'People in Stafford had known what was happening in their hospital had they been listend to then hopefully some of those people that died wouldn't have died if people had taken proper action considerably sooner.' More than 400,000 NHS hospital inpatients or A&E attendees completed the test during April, May and June. NHS England will now publish monthly updates to ensure patients can regularly give feedback about the care they receive. By the end of next year, NHS England hopes to roll the test out to include GP practices, community services and mental health services. All other services will be included by April 2015. Tim Kelsey, NHS England's national director for patients and information, said: ‘This is the boldest move yet to promote real openness in the NHS and to concentrate our focus on improvement in care. ‘At the heart of Robert Francis's report into the tragedy at Stafford hospital was one basic message: to ensure the NHS delivers high quality care for all, we need transparency of the patient and carer experience. It is the absence of this transparency that often allows poor care to go undetected.’ But Jocelyn Cornwell, director of new patient charity the Point of Care Foundation, said the data are ‘not meaningful’. She said: ‘The way in which the data for the friends and family test is collected varies widely and is open to gaming. ‘People who respond are not part of a random sample, but are self-selecting or, worse, are encouraged to respond by staff. ‘Clearly there is a temptation for staff to encourage responses from patients who they feel will respond positively, especially as a positive result is linked to financial reward.’ Under the new Friends and Family test, patients are asked if they would recommend their ward to their loved ones. The number who give a negative rating is then deducted from the number who give a positive response. This figure is then used to produce a Friends and Family Test Score. NHS England said that in the first set of results a total of 36 out of 4,500 wards had a negative rating. However, some of the hospitals point out that the score can be based on just one rating from a patient.
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Patients asked if they would recommend wards to friends and family .
David Cameron says new test reveals where standards not good enough .
Minister Anna Soubry says it could have prevented Mid-Staffs deaths .
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By . Australian Associated Press . Robert Xie is accused of killing two children, their parents, and their aunt at their home in northwest Sydney in 2009 . Accused murderer Robert Xie has 'a human face, but animal's heart', the Lin family matriarch says. 'I used to think he had higher education and could not be that bad. Now I see him as a monster.' Feng Qin Zhu made the comments during another emotional day of evidence at the Supreme Court trial of her son-in-law Xie. The crown says Xie was driven by bitterness when he crept into her son Min 'Norman' Lin's North Epping home in Sydney's northwest in the early hours of July 18, 2009. Using a hammer-like weapon, Xie is alleged to have murdered his brother-in-law Mr Lin, 45, Mr Lin's wife, Yun 'Lily' Li Lin, 44, their young sons Henry and Terry, and Lily's sister, Yun Bin 'Irene' Lin, 39. Xie, who has pleaded not guilty, faced trial earlier this year but it was cut short. He now is the midst of a retrial. Crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi QC asked Mrs Zhu what information she 'found out' between these two trials. During another day of evidence at the Supreme Court trial of her son-in-law, the Lin family matriarch, Feng Qin Zhu said 'this person with a human face but animal's heart' Yun Bin 'Irene' Yin (left) was staying with her sister Lily (right) and Lily's husband Min when they and Irene's nephews Terry, 9, and Henry, 12, were bludgeoned to death with a hammer-like object . 'It was about Robert. This person with a human face but animal's heart,' Mrs Zhu cried. In the year before the killings, the crown alleges Xie had engaged in 'inappropriate sexual behaviour' toward a young female relative, who cannot be named for legal reasons. After the murders, the 50-year-old allegedly began sexually abusing her regularly. Mrs Zhu said she used to think Xie, who is married to her daughter Kathy Lin wasn't 'that bad' but after the sexual assault allegations were 'exposed' she now views him as a 'monster'. Referring to a Chinese proverb, Mrs Zhu said her daughter Kathy was a 'fresh flower'. 'In contrast Robert was the ox s***,' she told the court on Thursday. The trial continues. Yang Fei Li, the patriarch of the family, told the court he was meant to take his grandson Henry shopping on the day of their deaths . Robert Xie (right) has pleaded not guilty to the murder of five members of the Lin family, including Lily (middle) Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Xie is accused of killing two children, their parents, and their aunt at their home in northwest Sydney in 2009 .
The Lin family matriarch, Feng Qin Zhu, made the comments during another day of evidence at the Supreme Court trial of her son-in-law .
Mrs Zhu said she views Xie as a monster since learning of his regular sexual abuse toward a young female relative who cannot be named .
He has pleaded not guilty and the trial continues .
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By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 01:54 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:21 EST, 13 January 2014 . When authorities searched the apartment of Boston gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger, they found $822,000 in cash and a large collection of guns hidden in holes cut into the walls. Other than the cash, there were few valuables. Books, hats, sweatshirts and household items bought at discount stores filled the rent-controlled Santa Monica, California, apartment the notorious crime boss shared with his longtime girlfriend while he was on the run. Proceeds of crime: James 'Whitey' Bulger, captured in Santa Monica, California, after 16 years on the run . But authorities are hoping they can attract buyers for Bulger's belongings so they can compensate his victims. Bulger's possessions will be sold to . the highest bidders during a criminal forfeiture auction expected to be . held over the next few months. Prosecutors . in U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office are now trying to decide which . of Bulger's belongings should be auctioned. They are trying to balance . their desire to compensate relatives of Bulger's murder victims with . avoiding glamorizing Bulger or his crimes and staying within the . boundaries of good taste. 'We . want to certainly be able to obtain funds to go back to the victims who . were harmed by Bulger, but we don't want to do that in a way that . glorifies Bulger or potentially causes some offense to the victims or . others who have been impacted by Bulger,' said Assistant U.S. Attorney . Mary Murrane. Bulger . was convicted in August of orchestrating or participating in 11 . killings during his reign as leader of the Winter Hill Gang. He was . sentenced to two life terms plus five years in prison. The cash and . proceeds from the auction will be split among the estates of murder . victims who choose to participate and several extortion victims. There are a few things likely to bring in a substantial amount of money, including a gold and diamond claddagh ring with an estimated appraised value of $48,000, a replica of a 1986 Stanley Cup championship ring and a 40-inch flat-screen TV. But most of the items found in the apartment Bulger shared with Catherine Greig are ordinary things that have no intrinsic value. Authorities are hoping they could appeal to crime memorabilia collectors or other buyers. There's a rat-shaped cup used to hold pens and scissors, a collection of books about the mob and Bulger's gang, an assortment of cat figurines and 'Soldier of Fortune' magazines. There are also Valentine's Day and Christmas cards Greig sent to Bulger. Modest: The apartment in which Bulger hid with his girlfriend had few items of value . Authorities haven't yet decided whether personal items should be auctioned, Murrane said. 'It's looking at those items that on their own don't have value and which of those would be appropriate to auction, knowing that they would sell only because of who owned them,' she said. 'It's definitely a question of balance.' Families of Bulger's victims have mixed feelings about the upcoming auction. Bulger was convicted of gunning down Patricia Donahue's husband, Michael, in 1982 while targeting a different man who offered him a ride home that night. She said she isn't opposed to the auction. 'I can't imagine anybody wanting his things, but if they can sell them and make money and give the money to the victims, I think that's great. I'm sure a lot of the victims can use the money,' she said. Peaceful retirement: James 'Whitey' Bulger pictured with his then-girlfriend Teresa Stanley in this undated photo . But Steve Davis said he doesn't like the idea of an auction. The jury was unable to reach a decision on whether Bulger was responsible for his sister Debra Davis' death. 'I wish they would burn everything right in front of all of us,' Davis said. 'They should just destroy everything. That would kill the memories we have of him.' Thomas J. Abernathy, assistant chief . inspector of the asset forfeiture division of the U.S. Marshals Service, . said the program has two goals: to compensate victims and to deter . future criminal activity. 'It's a very important piece of the law enforcement process. Compensating victims is paramount in our program,' he said. Auctions in other high-profile cases have brought in millions. The . U.S. Marshals Service, which is responsible for selling seized and . forfeited properties, raised $232,000 through a 2011 online auction of . Ted Kaczynski's belongings, including 20 personal journals and the . hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses depicted in his famous FBI sketch. This photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's office shows inside James 'Whitey' Bulger and Catherine Greig's apartment at the Princess Eugenia complex, in Santa Monica . A two-day auction in Miami in 2011 brought in $3.2 million in the case of convicted financier Bernard Madoff to compensate victims of his $65 billion Ponzi scheme. The sales included fine jewelry, coins and even 14 pairs of Madoff's underwear. Rich Kroll, an online retailer who bought some of Madoff's clothing at the auction, said he thought Madoff's status would attract buyers, but he doesn't expect Bulger's possessions to draw much interest. 'Madoff was more of a celebrity. Bulger was a downright killer,' he said. 'I don't even want anything of his.' Bulger, now 84, fled Boston in 1994 after being tipped by a former FBI agent that he was about to be indicted. He was finally captured with Greig in 2011.
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Authorities are planning to auction James 'Whitey' Bulger's possessions to raise money for his victims .
The items come from the Santa Monica, California apartment he shared with his girlfriend while in hiding .
He didn't have much of value, but a few items may realize large sums, including a ring and a 40-inch TV .
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Michael Carrick may be relaxing on holiday for the time being but the Manchester United midfielder's summer could be about to get a lot more hectic. Carrick is in with a chance of being promoted from the standby list to Roy Hodgson's England squad, should Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fail to recover from an injury that seemingly shattered the Arsenal midfielder's World Cup dream. Oxlade-Chamberlain limped off in the 63rd minute of the feisty 2-2 affair with Ecuador after Carlos Gruezo rolled on to the 20-year-old's foot. VIDEO Scroll down for Oxlade-Chamberlain talking about his delight and pride at making the tournament before he flew out with the rest of the squad to The Algarve . Relaxing: Michael Carrick with wife Lisa as they take a break in Ibiza, although it could be cut short . Time off: Carrick played for Manchester United last year as they finished a poor seventh in the Premier League . Back-up: Carrick is on the standby list and could be called upon by England manager Roy Hodgson . Ready: Oxlade-Chamberlain will have a knee scan on Thursday to assess the extent of the damage . It is the latest injury to set Oxlade-Chamberlain back after a groin injury disrupted his Premier League campaign. The ex-Southampton player is to have a knee scan to assess the damage . Hodgson will have to choose between Carrick and his Man United team-mate Tom Cleverley, should Oxlade-Chamberlain be out, and the England boss said he will 'cross that bridge' when he has to. Worry: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (right) in agony after Carlos Gruezo rolled on to his foot . Leaving: Oxlade-Chamberlain holds his right knee after it buckled under a challenge in England's friendly .
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's World Cup looks over after injury in England's feisty 2-2 draw with Ecuador on Wednesday .
Michael Carrick is on standby list of Roy Hodgson's England squad alongside Manchester United team-mate Tom Cleverley .
Carrick is on holiday with wife Lisa in Ibiza .
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(CNN)Money makes the world go round, they say, but what if notes and coins were replaced with online code? Bitcoin -- the world's much talked about cryptocurrency -- is just that. It can't be printed, it can't be directly controlled by governments or central banks, but it can be sent around the world instantly at a low cost. And in sub-Saharan Africa, where 75% of the population don't have a bank account, experts say the currency could help millions of people pay bills and get to grips with their finances. Transferring cash via a bank or a Money Transfer Operator (MTOs) like Western Union or MoneyGram can be costly. According to the Overseas Development Institute, the average charge to transfer $200 to Africa using traditional money transfer services is 12%. If you send $200, you pay $24. The ODI added up all the transfers that happen in a year, and found remittance fees cost the African continent $1.8 billion a year. What if that money could be spent on things, rather than fees? As Bitcoin is a virtual peer-to-peer currency -- designed to operate on the border-less internet -- the costs of transferring money can be radically cheaper than traditional methods, and the process is much quicker. "Bitcoin can greatly alter the remittances industry and beyond," says Michael Kimani, who heads the African Digital Currency Association, a Kenya-based group launched last May to promote digital currency technologies. "From seven days [for a transaction to clear] using banks & PayPal, down to 20 minutes speaks volumes." African examples . Beam is a service in Ghana that converts Bitcoin sent from abroad into the local currency, cedi. Since launching three months ago, it has attracted 30 users who pay a 3% fee on each transaction rather than the average 12% from traditional transfer services. Ghana received $1.7 billion of remittance income in 2012 according to the Bank of Ghana, and Beam's founders are optimistic about the future. "Bitcoin is going to make a huge difference when it starts to get accepted by merchants in Ghana," says CEO Nikunj Handa. "People won't need to change Bitcoin to any other currency so there will be no broker fees involved and people can get really very low-cost transactions. But Bitcoin is in its early days yet, and we need banks and merchants to catch up." And the founders are also planning to launch "Value Remittances" -- a service which will allow people in other countries to use Bitcoin to pay the water, electricity and phone bills for their family members in Ghana. Kitiwa, a similar service in Ghana, says it has processed over $90,000 worth of Bitcoins, and BitPesa, in Kenya, is another remittance services doing the same thing but with Kenyan shillings. Another sign that Bitcoin is gaining traction in Africa came in August, when Johannesburg got the first Bitcoin ATM on the continent. The machine, which converts cash into Bitcoin, is located at the Metroman beauty salon where customers can pay in crytocurrency. But it's not the only place South Africans can spend their Bitcoin. According to South Africa-based Bitcoin startup Xoin, 30,000 online stores in South Africa now accept the cryptocurrency. "We have about five transactions a week, and in total I would estimate we have had about 250 transactions," explains Rolf Deppe, who operates the machine. "The main reason we launched the ATM was to create awareness of Bitcoin in Africa... We do expect to see more [Bitcoin] ATMs popping up." Commission charges for Bitcoin ATMs vary, but Lamassu says the average commission is 5%. And Africa's second Bitcoin ATM is set to arrive in Cape Town soon -- a city hosting a Bitcoin conference in April. Crypto-critics . But not everyone is so optimistic about Bitcoin's future in Africa. Critics say the fees associated with buying crypto-currency must be taken into account when considering the cost of remittances. As well as overcoming the technical challenges of obtaining Bitcoins at an "exchange," users have to also pay a commission. According to Lamassu, the fee is usually 0.5%, but that can vary between exchanges. Bypassing most of the online process is possible with voucher services like Azte, which charges a 4% commission for the convenience. And Xoin, based in Stellenbosch, have come up with a similar proposition involving QR codes on vouchers, which you scan with your smartphone. As well as standard charges, not all banks support Bitcoin companies yet. Some customers of British banks, for example, have to first transfer money from their bank account to a Bitcoin company's account in a European bank. To do this, they pay banking transfer charges and have to wait up to five days for the funds to clear before they get their Bitcoins. Not exactly speedy. Breaking traditions . Competition with existing, established services is also a major reason some say widespread adoption of Bitcoin in Africa is still a long way off. MoneyGram has agents in 25,000 locations across Africa, and Western Union has 32,000 registered locations across the continent. While its yellow and black outposts aren't going away anytime soon, the company is adapting to mobile money transfer. "Africa, in particular, is kind of at the frontiers of mobile," says Hikmet Ersek, chief executive of Western Union. "The people do like mobile, use it like mobile... but also as a wallet. This mobile wallet has been very successful in Kenya. We did not see a big success in other countries...but the future, I think, will be that, once the consumer figures out how to use it." It is precisely this complexity, and this issue of trust, which makes the man who founded South Africa's Bitcoin exchange ICE³X.com skeptical about it's widespread adoption on the continent. "You've got a company like Western Union, which has been around for longer than most people have been alive, and they trust that method," says Gareth Grobler. "That's a huge stumbling block for Bitcoin acceptance." For Grobler, the real value of the super-secure "blockchain" technology which facilitates Bitcoin could be in commodities trading where large sums need to be transferred across borders in a transparent way. Erratic price value . Another major issue with Bitcoin is its volatility. In January 2013, one Bitcoin was worth around $13, surging in December to a high of $1,147. But since then, its value has dropped again and at the time of writing one Bitcoin was worth $221, according to coindesk. "If I buy Bitcoin and transfer it to another person, the price is very likely to change overtime," says Grobler. "So I could send $200 worth of Bitcoin to someone, but as the price fluctuates they actually only get say $150. Bitcoin is really only going to be a better deal for someone who really understands financial markets and watches the price constantly. Further solutions need to be developed for mainstream adoption and tangible financial benefits." More from Marketplace Africa . READ THIS: Africa's 'most intelligent' city revealed . READ THIS: Gas discovery transforms Mozambique backwater .
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It costs less to send Bitcoins overseas than traditional money .
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 75% of the population don't have a bank account .
African services like Beam and BitPesa convert Bitcoin to local currencies .
Established money transfer players pose a challenge to Bitcoin .
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Would your marriage work better if you lived separately? Claire and David Burke, a married couple from from West Yorkshire, argue yes. They've been together 14 years and never lived under the same roof. The perks (they say) you too could have if you live separately from your spouse: You don't take each other for granted, you spend more quality time together rather than drift off to different parts of the house to text, read or watch telly and you have better sex because it's easier to see each other as sexual beings when you're not over-familiar. Scroll down for video . It has been argued that by living in a separate house to your partner could mean you make an effort spend quality time together and don't become over-familiar . There isn't a long-term couple alive who won't deny there's a part of them that stirs and thinks 'Hmm. That could work!' A part of him thinks 'Brilliant! I could invite my mates over whenever I fancied it, drink on Monday nights, watch porn 24/7 in my pants and vest, sleep in late, eat crap without being lectured about my high cholesterol, never make the bed or do the dishes.' A part of her thinks 'Brilliant! No more picking up his sodding socks, pretending to like his mates and that I don't know that 'catching up on emails' in the office at 10pm means he's watching porn. I'd have more time to read and I bet I'd stick to that 5:2 diet if I didn't have to watch him scoff bangers and mash when I'm starving.' Of course, when most men think it through, they realise not only would they be living in a pigsty, they'd closely resemble a bleary, bloated pig with any motivation for anything simply sliding under the sofa and seeping into the floorboards, lost forever. Claire and David Burke have been together 14 years and never lived under the same roof . She soon realises the 5:2 diet is even more dreary when there's no-one around to see how good you're being, that she actually quite likes the 'crap' TV he 'makes' her watch and doesn't really relish having that needy, clingy girlfriend who stays away because 'the man of the house' wouldn't want her dropping in announced, permanently parked on the sofa. There are huge sexist, generalisations there but I'd suggest women do motivate men and lots of men provide a sensible sounding board for our insecurities. Well-matched couples provide the 'yin' to each other's 'yang' regardless of which sex plays the traditional 'female' role of nurturer or fulfils the logical 'male' relationship function. Quite apart from the fact that most couples couldn't afford to maintain two homes, most couples choose to marry and live together because it works. It's a balancing act. You give each other kicks up the bum when you need it. Dispense cuddles and soup and sympathy when it's TLC that's required. Tracey says that well matched couples balance one another out in the home . Independence is healthy in relationships but commitment and intimacy are higher on the list. If your partner's sick, are you going to feel comfortable waving goodbye and jumping in your car to go 'home' when they're feverish and talking in tongues? What about when you're both old and doddery and something as simple as having a shower becomes risky? Living together might just save your lives. Yes it's tough sharing your life and your space - especially at the start. Everyone thinks it's all going to be lovey-dovey and you can't wait for them to arrive and then the moving van pulls up and all their stuff is plonked in your living room and everywhere you go and turn, they're there and instead of it being romantic you feel like an animal that's been cornered and trapped. Those first few weeks and months are hell, even for compatible couples, because it's absolutely true that it's not until you live with someone that you truly know them. We're weird creatures, human beings - we all have our little secrets that no-one really should see. Fishing the half-eaten chocolate bar out of the bin, drunk at 2am, and polishing it off. Sitting on the sofa picking our toe-nails and lining up the bits on the coffee table. Things that make you go 'Ewwww' are in abundance at the start. But then so are the endearing things. The super-confident career girl who can't sleep without her teddy. Him reaching his foot out to touch yours in the middle of the night 'just to check you're there'. Is there anything nicer than snuggling up to someone you love on a cold winter's night or waking up from a heart-stopping nightmare to someone cuddling you and telling you 'It's OK, it's just a dream'? If you don't live together, you not only don't develop the skills to negotiate challenges, I'd suggest you don't actually know each other. Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of relationships where the thought of living apart was mighty appealing and plenty of circumstances (working day and night) when it felt necessary. But now I'm with the right person, a home without him in it would feel cold, lonely and soulless. A major study recently revealed that the two key factors to long-term couple happiness were kindness and generosity. You need buckets of both to make living together work but if you're getting it back by the bucketload, isn't that rather a nice place to be? Fancy giving someone the gift of good advice this Xmas? Tracey's books and products are on traceycox.com .
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Claire and David Burke argue the pros of living in separate houses .
They argue it keeps them from becoming too over-familiar .
Tracey says good couples balance each other out in their home .
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By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 03:46 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:12 EST, 8 August 2013 . A pub worker was overcome by toxic fumes and felt his lungs burning while he cleaned a toilet. Jason Smith unwittingly mixed descaler and bleach at the Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower in Ashtead, near Epsom, Surrey, to produce chlorine - used in chemical warfare during the First World War. Fire crews who were called said he was lucky not to have lost consciousness. But Mr Smith admitted he had no idea pouring descaler then bleach down the urinal would create a poisonous chlorine gas. Toxic fumes: Jason Smith unwittingly mixed descaler and bleach at the Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower (pictured) in Ashtead, Surrey, to produce chlorine - used in chemical warfare during the First World War . Mr Smith, assistant manager at the pub, said: ‘The chemicals combined and started pumping out toxic vapour. When I saw vapour coming out I left, because I knew it was not very good.’ But he said he then decided to go back inside the pub toilet in order to wedge open the door and let fresh air inside. Fortunate: Fire crews called to the pub said Mr Smith was lucky not to have lost consciousness . Mr Smith added: ‘When I bent down close to the ground, my eyes were stinging, my lungs were burning and I nearly passed out.’ Fighting back the fumes he swiftly evacuated the pub and rang 101 to get advice. He said: ‘I realised what was happening very quickly and sealed off the section. I was about to go in there with a bucket of water when the fire brigade turned up. They took in a giant fan to blow the vapours away.’ Epsom firefighters who attended the incident at 3.30pm last Saturday said Mr Smith was lucky to escape the toilet still conscious. Crew manager Jon Bennett said: ‘He thought he was doing the right thing pouring the bleach and descaler in the toilet. If he had stayed in there we would have been carrying him out rather than him stumbling out.’ Descaling agents can sometimes include hydrochloric acid, which, if mixed with bleach can create chlorine gas - a toxic substance used to kill during the First World War. Mr Smith, who still had chest pains three days later, said he was left feeling ‘pretty stupid’ for only leaving about five minutes between pouring in the descaler then the bleach. He said: ‘I knew from household chemicals you could create mustard gas, but I didn’t realise it was the combination I had in my hands at the time.’ The result: Descaling agents can sometimes include hydrochloric acid, which, if mixed with bleach can create chlorine gas (pictured) In battle: Chlorine gas was a toxic substance used to kill during the First World War. A British Vickers machine gun crew wearing PH-type anti-gas helmets are pictured near Ovillers during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 . Roger Bibbings, occupational safety adviser at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: ‘It is important to read materials’ hazard data sheets and the labels on the backs of cleaning products, which should detail clear instructions for safe use. ‘Many cleaning substances are hazardous and if handled incorrectly, they can cause irritation, inflammation or chemical burns. 'Mixing chemical products together is extremely dangerous and can produce toxic vapours such as chlorine.’
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Incident happened at Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower in Ashtead, Surrey .
Assistant manager unwittingly mixed descaler and bleach last Saturday .
Jason Smith 'had no idea pouring both down urinal would create gas'
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Minneapolis (CNN) -- It's hard to find a lot of things in Williston, North Dakota, where thousands of workers have flocked for high-paying oil jobs. Houses and apartments are in short supply, and those living in temporary abodes must wait for hours at run-down truck stops for a hot shower at the end of a long workday. Evan Jensen, 18, found that out firsthand when he visited the oil boomtown a few months ago to help his brother find work there. The recent high school graduate, who is attending college this fall, knew there was an opportunity to make money in Williston, considered ground zero in the oil boom region known as the Bakken. Lured by the possibility of six-figure salaries, thousands have flocked to the region, leaving nearly everything in short supply. CNNMoney.com: Workers score payday in North Dakota . Jensen's first idea was to create a camper with bunk beds, and rent that. But then he had a better idea. "While we were there we were getting pretty smelly," Jensen said. "[We thought] 'Man, you can't get a shower anywhere.' So that's where [the idea] really sparked." Jensen said during peak after-work hours, popular truck stops in the area utilize a number system and people line up for showers. Sometimes the wait can be two or three hours, he said. "I mean the truck stops -- they're just nasty," Jensen said. "They're hard to get in and out. You get to certain ones ... and it's just a zoo." He said one man told him when he's "feeling desperate for a good shower" he'll drive 60 miles out of the way. He mentioned the idea of a shower house to his dad and, during their nine-hour drive back to their home in South Dakota, they mulled it over. "By the time we got home I was on the edge of my seat because I was so excited," he said. A week later, enough time for his parents to realize he was serious and not being a fickle teenager, his folks asked if he was ready. He said he was. Jensen used an old 53-foot semi-trailer from his father and, with the help of his family and friends, spent three weeks outfitting it with five private shower stalls. They also installed a washer and dryer, an office, and bought a separate water tanker. In mid-June, they took the tanker and trailer up to Williston. "We had a blast doing it," Jensen said. Gallery: Check out other boomtown opportunists . Showers run $10 a pop -- $5 if you live in the makeshift village of campers where the mobile shower trailer is located. When he first got it up and running, Jensen was manning it from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. He soon changed that when he realized 90% of his customers were coming between the peak after work hours of 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. These days, the place is staffed by one hired employee, because Jensen is focused on his move to school. So far, they're averaging between 20 and 25 customers a day, and he said he has probably made more than $5,000 -- although it will be awhile before he pays off the start-up costs. Ideally he'd love to sell the business. He has put an ad on Craigslist.com asking for $95,000 "or best offer." Classes at McNally-Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota, start September 6. Jensen said music has been his "absolute passion" since he was a kid. He taught himself how to play guitar a few years back. "I just love creating music. It's a blast, I could do it forever," he said, adding that performing his own work isn't necessarily what he's after. "I'd rather make somebody a rock star that has better vocal talent than I do." Jensen said that while his parents would always be there to assist if he really needed it, the burden of tuition rests squarely on him. He is determined to balance his passion for music with the reality of life. "Music is what I absolutely love doing, but for anything in life, if it doesn't pay the bills you gotta find something that does," he said.
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Evan Jensen, 18, noticed a lack of showers on a recent visit to Williston, North Dakota .
Williston is the epicenter of the region's oil boom .
Many oil workers have to wait for hours to shower at local truck stops .
Jensen hopes his shower truck will help him earn money for music college .
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f67d09f29fcb392a5572ecfcbf2974ec5141fc2b
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:58 EST, 14 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:35 EST, 15 January 2013 . A mother was jailed today for stealing money from her sister's struggling electrical company to fund her own luxury holidays. Divorcee Deborah Price, 56, turned to her businesswoman sister for help when she was made redundant while bringing up three sons on her own. A court heard her sister Kenis and brother-in-law Gareth Thomas gave her a job in the wages department of their electrical firm. Betrayal: Deborah Price, left, has been jailed for eight months at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court for stealing £16,470 from a company owned by her sister Kenis and brother-in-law Gareth Thomas, right, to fund lavish holidays . Life of luxury: Deborah Price, pictured on holiday, used the stolen money to travel to Zante, Madeira, Ibiza and Gran Canaria all in just one year . But former bank worker Price helped herself to company funds while the family firm was struggling to stay afloat. Price spent the money on luxury sunshine holidays and to send her son to the NASA space station in America. Trusting: Kenis Thomas gave her sister Deborah Price an accounting job with her electrical company . When asked why she stole from her sister, Price said: 'Because it was so easy.' Prosecutor Lowri Wyn Morgan said: 'Price was employed in the family company with sole responsibility for the company accounts. 'At one point her sister and husband were forced to sink their savings into the business to pay salaries. 'But all the time Price was stealing from them.' Price was caught when Mr Thomas checked the accounts and noticed she had paid herself twice in one month. Mrs . Morgan said: 'She said it was a mistake but when he checked back he . found 18 separate occasions when she had transferred money into her own . accounts. 'The Thomases confronted her and she said she was sorry and that she had done it because it was so easy.' In . a statement to Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court Mr Thomas, 57, said he and . his wife had been left 'devastated' by Price's betrayal which has torn . the family in two. He said: 'When my sister-in-law split from her husband 18 years ago we did nothing but help her.' Price, . of Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, was jailed for eight months after admitting . stealing £16,470, between January 2011 and April 2012. Recorder Paul Hopkins QC told her: 'It is a tragedy that a woman of your age has come before the court for the first time.' Price's sister Kenis, 52, said after the case: 'She would be responsible for paying everyone's salaries and keeping all the company accounts straight. 'It was important to have someone we could trust, someone reliable. Family ties: Kenis, pictured front right, was trying to help Deborah, pictured back left with their father, get work after being made redundant . Cunning: But Deborah Price, pictured right, used her position working on the accounts of the company owned by her sister Kenis Thomas, left, to steal . 'We paid her a good salary and in one year she had four holidays - to Zante, Madeira, Ibiza and Gran Canaria. She even managed to send her 16-year-old son on a NASA trip to America. 'I used to admire her for managing her money so well. 'At the same time the business was struggling - we had to draw every single penny of our life savings out to pay everyone's salary. 'I never thought for a moment my own sister was stealing from us. I am completely heartbroken that my big sister who I loved so much could do what she did.' Dedicated: Kenis and Gareth Thomas had to pour all their savings into their company In Stitches, pictured in Merthyr Tydfil, so their could pay their staff . Unrepentant: Deborah Price, pictured right, said she stole from the company owned by her sister Kenis Thomas, pictured left, because 'it was so easy'
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Deborah Price managed the accounts at an electrical firm run by her sister .
The mother-of-three repeatedly overpaid herself - stealing a total of £16,470 .
Price said she took the money from the company owned by her sister Kenis and brother-in-law Gareth Thomas 'because it was so easy'
Mother was today jailed for eight months at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court .
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By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 05:37 EST, 7 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:59 EST, 7 September 2012 . On the run: Christopher Maffei, 43, is accused of abducting his two children . A father who is believed to have abducted his two young children from their home and stole a yacht to sail away with them has been spotted off the coast of San Mateo in California. Christopher Maffei, 43, is believed to have taken his three-year-old daughter Brooklynn and two-year-old son Devin from their mother's home in south San Francisco. It is alleged he then drove to Ballena . Isle Marina in Alameda where police found his abandoned hire car on . Wednesday, and stole a 44-foot yacht. The Coast Guard is now closing in on the family aboard the sailboat after it was seen on Friday morning. It is being tracked by a Coast Guard plane and boats from the agency are en route to intercept it. San Francisco police said Maffei had visited the owner of the stolen yacht with his two children two weeks ago to ask about buying it and to inspect the vessel. The stolen sailboat is a white Hunter 41 with blue canvas called 'Unleashed'. It has a hull number of HUN41366C707. A police spokesman said: 'An extensive air and ground search was conducted ... but the vessel was not located.' The children's distraught mother Jenifer Nipon believes Maffei may have headed to Thailand where he has lived previously or to Mexico where he previously talked about taking Brooklynn and Devin on holiday. Missing: Brooklyn, aged three, left, was taken from her home with her baby brother Devin, aged two, right . Missing: Maffei is accused of taking the children from their mother's San Francisco home and speeding off with them in his car. They may be on this stolen sailboat, a white Hunter 41 . She told the San Mateo County Times: 'I . want the Coast Guard. The Navy. Anybody who has a boat. Please look for . my children and bring them back to me. I am afraid for my children's . lives. 'He got a sailboat and he's somewhere out there in the ocean. I am not sure where he is right now.' She told BC7 News said her mother was watching the children when Maffei grabbed them and put them inside his car that had the engine running before speeding off. She continued: 'I'm afraid if they back him into a corner. I just don't want him to snap and do something really stupid more than what he's already done, so I'm just really worried for my kids and I just want them to come back home to me safe and unharmed.' Brooklynn was last seen wearing a white, sleeveless dress with blue and green designs. Devin was wearing a short-sleeved Sponge Bob SquarePants shirt and a diaper. Destination?: It is believed Maffei may be sailing towards Mexico where he talked about taking his two children on holiday . Hideout: According to the children's mother, Maffei may also be planning to take them to Thailand, where he previously used to work .
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Christopher Maffei, 43, is accused of abducting his two children Brooklynn, three, and Devin, two, from their mother's home in San Francisco .
Police allege he stole a yacht to sail to Mexico or Thailand .
Coast Guard boats and planes on their way to intercept boat seen Friday .
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DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNN) -- Bob Konrardy carried the guilt with him for more than 40 years. A platoon commander in Vietnam, Konrardy was wounded when shrapnel tore through his body. Four comrades carried him to safety in a poncho for more than an hour while the firefight raged. Bob Konrardy says the fallen soldier monument outside his home honors soldiers killed in Iraq like Dave Behrle. "These four guys went back to help the platoon because they were still fighting, and all four of those guys got killed," Konrardy says. "I felt guilty for 40-something years." Two years ago, Konrardy got to thinking: He'd be a Santa of sorts for soldiers in Iraq as a way to help him deal with his conscience. He would collect autographed college and pro footballs, letters from local kids and other mementoes from home to help inspire the troops in Iraq. Then, he would have the goods delivered to his old platoon serving in Iraq, the First Cavalry Division. He initially thought he'd have the material shipped. But his plan changed when the military signed off for Konrardy to deliver the goods in person and work as an embedded journalist for a local paper. The 65-year-old grandpa was about to head to one of the world's most dangerous places. Watch "I could have been killed" » . "I wanted to maybe bury some Vietnam demons and just make a difference with this platoon and maybe make up for what I didn't do with my old platoon," he says. "I thought it was going to go one way. It went the other. It made me worse." He adds, "I couldn't sleep before, but now it's worse. I hate to see it get dark. I get extremely nervous. I get uptight. I just don't like to see it get dark. And once it is dark, I'm on edge until it gets dawn." Konrardy's story is one of patriotism, heroism and torment -- a war veteran unable to escape what happened in 1965, when he was just 23. "Here's a guy who is a true American hero in his own right. He was wounded in action in the Iadrang Valley, and he comes into a combat zone 40 years later," says Maj. Chris Rogers, the operations officer of the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, when Konrardy embedded with them. "In my opinion, he's a guy who has done it all -- bled for his own country -- and he's more interested in telling the story of today's generation of young heroes than trumpeting his own horn." Konrardy was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder shortly after he retired from John Deere in 2002, when he says his disorder really kicked in. He once sleep-drove to a Wal-Mart about 20 minutes from his home at 3 a.m. He doesn't recall how he got there or how he got home. He only remembers a guy mopping the floor asking if he could be helped. Other times, he'd patrol the neighborhood in the wee hours of the night with his loaded 9-mm pistol on his hip. His counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs once asked what he would do if the police ever stopped him. "I said, 'I'll just shoot out his windows and escape and evade back to the house. I think it'd be fun.' She didn't like that answer," he says with a laugh. "So I'm lucky because that's probably what I would've tried to do." Konrardy checked himself into a VA facility in Des Moines, Iowa, to get help for his PTSD. He chuckles more when he recounts trying to escape from the place and police approached him. "I rolled down a hill and started running so they couldn't catch me. They said that was the wrong thing to do." Learn about PTSD and how to get help » . He says he was then put in an isolation ward for 11 days and nights, and eventually released. It was August 2005. Fast forward to the fall of 2006. That's when Konrardy spoke to his grandson's eighth-grade class about his war experience. They thanked him for serving his country. "Nobody had ever done that before, for serving in Vietnam," he says. He started e-mailing members of the Army's First Cavalry Division as part of his grandson's "adopt a platoon" project. He got autographed footballs from the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts, as well as from the University of Tennessee and University of Georgia. Even the players at local St. Ambrose University chipped in with a football of their own: the game ball from their championship game. "I just wanted to do something and make up for what I didn't do for my guys," Konrardy says. His family gathered for Christmas that year and he told of his plans to travel to Iraq. "Everybody cried," he says. "I said, 'Hey, this is a chance of a lifetime. I have to go.' " Quizzed about why a man who was held in a VA facility a couple years earlier was cleared to travel to Iraq, Konrardy laughs. He says CNN is the first to ask that question. But he adds the original plan was for him to not go into combat. "On the way over, I didn't think I'd be going out." By March 2007, the old warrior's boots were on the ground in Baghdad. His plan was to hand out the 95 pounds of goods and kick back with the soldiers at base camp, collecting their stories and gathering video to give to their families back home. Konrardy handed the St. Ambrose football to a soldier named David W. Behrle, a 20-year-old from Tipton, Iowa. He scooped it up and cherished it. Konrardy was officially in Iraq as an embedded journalist to file blog posts for "The Quad-City Times." He had not intended to go into combat, but that quickly changed. He says the commander said if he wanted to get to know the troops "you've gotta be proactive." Konrardy says he hopped into a Humvee and began patrolling the tight streets of Baghdad with the unit. He was assigned the back right seat for four days. His Humvee once struck a dud of a roadside bomb that blew the tire out underneath where he was sitting. Gunfire erupted. "Looking back, I'm thinking, 'Wow, I could have been killed,' " he says. He's still haunted by another time in Iraq -- not because of what happened, but because of what he didn't do. "I'm going to the bathroom and I hear somebody crying. My first instinct was to be a grandpa: I'm going to go in and I'm going to hold this young kid whoever it is and just say, 'I know where you're coming from. I've been there. Let's just talk.' " He adds, "But I chickened out. I didn't do that. Now, I wish I would have." A few weeks after he left Iraq, soldiers he befriended were riding in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle on patrol around Baghdad. He says the soldiers had recently saved a young Iraqi girl who had been shot in the head from insurgent crossfire. But on this day, May 19, 2007, a roadside bomb went off, killing all six soldiers inside. One of those killed was Spc. David Behrle, the soldier who loved the football hand-delivered by Konrardy. "I took that hard. It still bothers me," Konrardy says. Outside his Iowa home, a flagpole stands on Konrardy's lawn. A fallen soldier monument sits at its base with a pair of boots, rifle facing down and helmet with the name "Behrle" on it. Behrle's family was so moved by Konrardy they had it built for him. Kneeling next to the monument, Konrardy says, "It reminds me of Dave. But it also reminds me of the Behrle family and how close we've gotten with them and how great they've been in my grieving for Dave and helping me ... try to readjust to the things I went through in Iraq." "They say I helped them; I say they helped me." The lifelong Republican recently did something he thought he'd never do: He says he voted for a Democrat for the president of the United States. Thousands of American troops will soon be returning home in need of help just like him. Konrardy, who is still getting PTSD treatment, wishes the rest of the nation could better understand what that's like. "I just want them to realize the life of a soldier is not what you think," he says. "It changes you for the rest of your life."
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Army veteran went to Iraq hoping to expunge "Vietnam demons"
Bob Konrardy spent four days on patrol in March 2007 as an embedded journalist .
"I couldn't sleep before, but now it's worse. I hate to see it get dark," he says .
Konrardy says nation must be ready for when troubled soldiers return from Iraq .
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A plumber has died and a family taken to hospital from a block of flats which was evacuated because of chemical fumes. The man was believed to have suffered an electric shock and was pronounced dead at the scene. He is understood to have been unblocking a sink using a drain cleaning fluid when the tragedy happened on the fourth floor of the flat on New Year's Day. Residents said a small 'explosion' took place when the plumber - who has not been named - poured the fluid down a drain. A plumber died on the fourth floor of this block of flats at Boulter House in New Cross, south east London . London Fire Brigade said around 100 people were evacuated from Boulter House in New Cross, south east London, by the emergency services as a precaution because of the smell of chemicals. People in the flat spent several hours sitting on a night bus which had been pulled over by police to give residents shelter. The plumber is not believed to be a resident, but a Nigerian couple and their three children who live in the flat were all taken to hospital. An LFB spokesman said: 'A woman and three children from the flat involved were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering from the effects of the fumes. 'Two men who were in the flat at the time are also believed to have suffered a possible electric shock. One of them, also affected by fumes, was taken to hospital, but sadly the other man was pronounced dead at the scene.' Yohannes Berhe, 33, a cleaner, who lives next door to the flat, said the son of the couple had been knocking on his door for help. Mr Berhe said: 'I came home around 9:30pm and the eldest boy, he's 14, was really distressed and he said "my dad and my mum and the engineer - they've had an accident and they're all lying on the floor". 'He was holding his mobile phone and so I rang the ambulance for him. They told us to stay outside so I took the children and looked after them until the ambulance came. 'The plumber had poured some acid or solution down the drain because the sink was blocked. I think that must have caused an explosion somehow. The kitchen light exploded. 'From what I can make out, the plumber was shocked and the man who lives there touched him to see if he was OK and was shocked himself. Then the same thing happened to the lady too, I think.' He said he could see the emergency services rushing to the aid of the Nigerian man, adding: 'It looked like they were pumping his chest in the back of the ambulance. 'The mother was vomiting a lot in the back of the ambulance. The children were also taken to hospital.' Yohannes Berhe (pictured), 33, a cleaner, who lives next door to the flat, said there was an 'explosion' - because he was outside with the couple's children when the building was evacuated but had left his light on, the fire brigade smashed his front window (pictured) to check no body was in . Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: 'We were on the bus until around 2am, but the police made sure we stayed calm. 'After a while, when they had taken everybody's name and address on the bus, they told us there could be a problem with gas and we wouldn't be allowed back until they knew it was safe.' Residents were eventually allowed to return to their flats at around 4.30am. Boulter House resident, Raynold Dove, 47, said: 'It was like a disaster movie, there were fire engines, ambulances, and police all around the flats. I counted six fire engines and five ambulances. I thought the end of the world was coming, or something. It was crazy, absolutely crazy. 'We weren't aware at all what was happening. We just got put on a night bus and didn't really know why we were being evacuated.' London Ambulance Service (LAS) said paramedics were called at 9:49pm. An LAS spokesman said: ' 'We sent a number of resources to the scene including an advanced paramedic, the hazardous area response team and a tactical advisor. 'A man reported to be in his fifties, a woman reported to be in her forties and three children were all taken to Kings College Hospital as a priority. 'Sadly, despite extensive efforts to resuscitate the patient, a man was dead at the scene.' A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said officers were called to the flat shortly after 10pm and that the incident was not believed to be suspicious. She added that the Health and Safety Executive had been informed. The building is managed by Lewisham Homes. However, the flat the Nigerian family live in is a leasehold property. The social housing provider described the incident as 'terrible' and said it was providing support to police to help their investigations. A Lewisham Homes spokesman said: 'Our thoughts are with the families involved in the terrible incident at a leasehold property in New Cross on Thursday night. 'We are providing support to the police to ensure the property is safe to enter while investigations are carried out.'
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Man thought to have suffered electric shock and pronounced dead at scene .
Residents said explosion happened when plumber poured fluid down drain .
Described it as being like a 'disaster movie' and 'crazy, absolutely crazy'
A family of five were taken to hospital from the flats in New Cross, London .
All 20 flats in building evacuated and residents took shelter on a night bus .
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By . Pa Reporter . Hull KR hooker Josh Hodgson is to leave for Canberra Raiders at the end of the season, Rovers have confirmed. The Hull-born 24-year-old, who since joining the Robins from city rivals Hull FC in 2010 has made more than 100 appearances and earned a call-up for the second-string England Knights side, has agreed a two-year contract with the NRL club. On the move: Hull KR hooker Josh Hodgson is set to leave for Canberra Raiders at the end of the season . Rovers chairman Neil Hudgell told www.hullkr.co.uk: 'Whilst we are disappointed to lose a player of Josh's calibre, we fully understand his reasons for wanting to test himself in the NRL. 'As you would expect from Josh, he has been honest with the club from the start of these discussions and we have secured a substantial fee from Canberra as well as agreeing first refusal on Josh if he comes back to the UK.' Hodgson added: 'This opportunity has come at the right time for me. I've always had an ambition to play in the NRL and I felt I would have had regrets later in my career if I didn't take this opportunity. 'Hull KR took a chance on me five years ago when I first came to the club and I was grateful for that. I've always done my best to repay the faith they showed in me and it was a really tough decision to leave.' Big miss: Hodgson (centre) has featured over 100 times for Hull KR since joining in 2010 .
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Josh Hodgson will join Canberra Raiders at the end of the season .
Hull KR hooker has played more than 100 appearances for the club .
24-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with the NRL side .
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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Tensions rippled through Pakistan's tribal region Saturday as three drone strikes killed 18 people and the government continued to block a NATO supply route into Afghanistan. Pakistani intelligence officials said 10 people died in one drone strike targeting a militant hideout, four people died when a vehicle was struck, and four others were killed when another hideout was targeted. All three occurred in the Data Khel area of North Waziristan. The intelligence officials did not want to be named because they are not authorized to speak to the media. While the United States is the only country in the region of Pakistan and Afghanistan known to have the ability to launch missiles from drones -- which are controlled remotely -- U.S. officials normally do not comment on suspected drone strikes. Saturday's attacks come amid an uptick in drone strikes in Pakistan as insurgents fighting in Afghanistan have taken refuge across the border. At Torkham, the main border crossing in Pakistan's Khyber district, queues of trucks and tankers formed at the border crossing, officials said. The supplies are all-important for the NATO-led war effort in Afghanistan. Pakistan halted the convoys Thursday after officials blamed cross-border NATO helicopter fire for the deaths of three Pakistani soldiers. A senior Pakistani government official in Khyber told CNN on Saturday that NATO supplies are still not allowed to enter in Afghanistan and doesn't know when the main route for supplying 152,000 U.S. and NATO forces will open again. "We were asked by our seniors to block these supplies until further orders and we can't allow it to go until we receive orders from our seniors," the official said. A senior security official in the northwestern city of Peshawar also confirmed that convoys were suspended for third day but said negotiations to solve the problem continued. NATO said aircraft had entered Pakistani airspace Thursday in self-defense and killed "several armed individuals" after the crews believed they had been fired at from the ground. It was the fourth such strike this week by NATO helicopters pursuing militants into Pakistani territory in actions that have been condemned by the government. The Pakistani government said it was investigating Thursday's incident in the Kurram district of the northwestern tribal belt, which Washington has branded as a militant hub.
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NEW: Pakistan continues to block the border crossing .
The attacks come amid an increase in drone strikes in Pakistan .
The strikes occurred in Pakistan's tribal region .
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Crystal Palace have completed the permanent signing of academy product Wilfried Zaha from Manchester United for a fee of £6million. Despite initially jumping the gun by announcing the deal before United believed the finer details had been finalised - which saw the south Londoners then quickly remove the confirmation from their official website, the club confirmed the deal later on Monday evening. Zaha left Selhurst Park in 2013, joining Manchester United for £15million, but has since returned to the club on loan after failing to impress at Old Trafford. Crystal Palace have re-signed Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha after selling him in January 2013 . The 22-year-old returned to Selhurst Park on loan at the start of the season and has impressed Alan Pardew . Appearances . Premier League - 0(2), 26 minutes . FA Cup - 0(0) League Cup - 1(0), 78 minutes . Champions League - 0(0) Community Shield - 1(0), 61 minutes . Goals . Premier League appearances - 0 . FA Cup appearances - 0 . League Cup appearances - 0 . Champions League - 0 . Community Shield - 0 . The 22-year-old recently claimed he felt back at home playing back at Selhurst Park where he became a fans' favourite before leaving for Manchester United. He tweeted: 'Glad to be back permanently and appreciate all the messages #CPFC #home' Zaha, tipped as one of English football's brightest prospects at the time, was signed under former Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in January 2013. But the terms of the transfer saw him loaned straight back to the Eagles for the remainder of the season and he did not arrive at Old Trafford until the summer, by which time Ferguson had retired and been replaced by David Moyes. During a disastrous campaign for the club under Moyes, Zaha made just four United appearances before playing out the second half of last season at Cardiff. However, Zaha is rejuvenated back at Palace and manager Alan Pardew has decided to keep the talented winger, as he doesn't fall into Louis van Gaal's United plans. Zaha cost United £15million, but the £6million fee back to Crystal Palace is significantly less . Zaha failed to make an impact following his £15m move to Manchester United in January 2013 .
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Wilfried Zaha signed for Manchester United in 2013 for £15m .
However, he was frustrated with the lack of first-team opportunities .
Zaha returned to Crystal Palace, impressing on loan at Selhurst Park .
The winger has signed a permanent £6m deal with his boyhood club .
CLICK HERE to see how transfer deadline day unfolded .
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Zsa Zsa Gabor's daughter got her wish when a Los Angeles judge appointed a conservator to oversee the 95-year-old actress's finances and medical care Wednesday. Judge asked to intervene in Zsa Zsa Gabor's care . But the man named temporary conservator is Gabor's ninth husband, Prince Frederic von Anhalt, who has feuded with his stepdaughter Francesca Hilton for years. Hilton contended when she filed for the conservatorship in March that von Anhalt kept her ailing mother "increasingly isolated" and "heavily sedated," and she questions his handling of Gabor's finances. Hilton is satisfied, though, because the court order requires her stepfather to provide monthly financial reports and medical records, Hilton lawyer Kenneth Kossoff said. The Hungarian-born actress was once one of Hollywood's most glamorous women, but a broken hip and leg amputation in the past two years have left her confined to a bed. Gabor's only child, the result of her marriage to Conrad Hilton, will also get weekly visits with her mother without von Anhalt present, the judge said. Billionaire's son arrested as wife found dead . The arrangement is an improvement for Hilton because it will "make sure Zsa Zsa's money is used for Zsa Zsa's benefit and not for anybody's birthday party, billboards or mayoral campaign," Kossoff said. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Reva Goetz, who also oversees singer Britney Spears' conservatorship, ordered an end to any powers of attorney von Anhalt might claim that would have allowed him to sell Gabor's Bel Air mansion or other estate assets. As conservator, he must send canceled checks and other financial records to Hilton's lawyer each month. Von Anhalt can make spending decisions with some of the money, but he must get court approval to access one bank account, Kossoff said. Hilton and von Anhalt have battled publicly for several years over Gabor's finances and her access to her mother. "He's basically taken my mother away from me," Hilton told CNN in an interview a year ago. Husband accused of 'slavery and torture' Von Anhalt, in an interview with CNN, said he limits his stepdaughter's access because she brings negativity into the room. "I want smiling people in here. Happy, smiling people," he said. He defended his care of Gabor, saying, "I'm going to make sure she has a good life, as long as I live, I will take care of her." Von Anhalt, 68, maintains a high media profile, including a run for governor of California in 2010 that he halted after his wife's hip injury. He is currently an announced candidate for mayor of Los Angeles. He made news several years ago when he claimed to be the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter after the actress's death. Paternity tests later disproved that claim. Official: Mother abandons disabled daughter . Last year, von Anhalt announced that he wanted Gabor to become a mother again using an egg donor, artificial insemination and a surrogate mother. "That's just weird," Hilton said at the time. "I'm a retired guy," von Anhalt said then. "I can take care of it." The unusual motherhood plan was never hatched. Von Anhalt is 27 years younger than Gabor, whom he married more than 25 years ago. The conservatorship agreement, reached through mediation, expires in January when the judge will revisit the case, the lawyer said.
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Francesca Hilton is happy with conservator arrangement for her mom, lawyer says .
Gabor's ninth husband must share financial and medical info with daughter .
Hilton can visit her ailing mother once a week, the judge orders .
Prince Frederic von Anhalt and Hilton have feuded over Gabor for years .
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Washington (CNN)Hillary Clinton is worried that European governments are being "too wimpy" in dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin, London's mayor Boris Johnson said Friday. Johnson, on a trade mission to the United States, said that he was struck by the former secretary of state's insistence that Europe must do more to stand up to the Russian leader over Ukraine. "One thing in particular she really wanted to get across -- that was she thought the Europeans were being too wimpy in dealing with Putin," Johnson said, at a Politico Playbook Breakfast event in Washington. Stressing he was not quoting Clinton word for word, two days after meeting her in New York, Johnson said that he was impressed by the likely Democratic presidential candidate's "brilliant mastery" of foreign policy. "She thought in particular that we in Britain should be less dependent on Russian hyrdrocarbons and she thought we should get on with seeking alternative sources," Johnson said. "Her general anxiety was that Putin, if unchallenged and unchecked, would continue to expand his influence in the perimeter of what was the Soviet Union. She spoke of alarm in Estonia and the Baltic states. I was very, very struck by that." "I was struck by the firmness with which she wanted us in Britain to stick it, to take it to Putin," he said, once again underlining he was not using Clinton's exact words but offering a "brutal summary" of what she said. Johnson, who is known for his scruffy shock of blond hair and colorful turn of phrase, said Clinton backed President Barack Obama's strategy on tackling ISIS and thought there was more everybody could be doing to support Kurdish Peshmerga forces fighting the extremist group. The mayor, who recently visited Kurdish areas in Iraq, quipped that he would not overstate the danger of his trip -- in a reference to NBC newsman Brian Williams who was suspended for six months for exaggerating his experiences during the Iraq war. "You get in trouble over here .. I was nearish to the front line. I wouldn't say bullets were wanging over my head." Johnson also said that Clinton was "particularly gracious and charming" in their meeting, considering his comments about her in a Daily Telegraph article in 2007 in which he accused her of "purse-lipped political correctness" and said she reminded him of a "sadistic nurse in a mental hospital." "She was so nice and so kind that even in that article she found something to agree with," he said Friday. Johnson also weighed in on the controversy stoked up by a possible Republican presidential candidate Bobby Jindal who said in London last month after the Paris terror attacks that Muslim communities had made parts of the British capital and other European cities "no go areas" for people who did not share their faith. He said that Louisiana Gov. Jindal and those who shared his views were in need of some "gentle education" on the issue. "I would be more than happy personally to escort Governor Jindal around any area of London that he thinks is a no go zone. It really isn't true, it is complete nonsense ... there are no no go zones and nor will there be." The flamboyant Johnson, while remaining mayor of London, is running for a seat in parliament at the next UK general election in May, and has long been tipped as a future leader of the Conservative Party and possible future prime minister.
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Johnson says Clinton wants tougher European response .
Also slams Jindal 'no go zone' comments as "nonsense"
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Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has said he would welcome the chance to speak to ex-manager David Moyes. Ferdinand has been critical of of the Scot's methods at Old Trafford in his imminent autobiography but rejects the idea that Sir Alex Ferguson should be blamed for United's downfall. The 35-year-old, who is now at QPR, said Moyes' approach last season unintentionally created a 'negative vibe' and some of United's play was 'embarrassing'. Rio Ferdinand has said he would welcome the chance to speak to ex-manager David Moyes . Moyes was relieved of his duties by Manchester United at the end of last season . Ferdinand ended his 13-year association with United in May after being allowed to leave the club . Moyes succeeded Ferguson in the Red Devils' hotseat in the summer of 2013 but lasted just eight months. Ferdinand has not spoken to Moyes since but asked if he would like to, the former England centre-back told CNN World Sport: 'Yes, of course. I've got nothing against him as a person. 'As I said, I'm saying that he's a gentleman, a great man. As I said, I've never had any bad words to say about him at all in that respect as a person.' United won the Barclays Premier League in Ferguson's final season in charge but then slumped to seventh last term and failed to qualify for the Champions League. New manager Louis van Gaal has since overseen a £150million facelift in the hope of pushing United back up the league. Ferdinand jumped to the defence of former manager Sir Alex Ferguson (left, talking to Rory McIlroy) But even though such a spending spree has been deemed necessary, Ferdinand resents suggestions that Ferguson allowed the squad to grow stale. He said: 'I don't understand how people can say (that). You've got some great players throughout the squad. You win the league by 11 points. You've got to be a top team to do that. 'So he goes and then it all falls apart? So that's his fault? How can people say that? 'I don't think the buck stops with Sir Alex Ferguson at all. I think you leave and you win a trophy. There's not many better ways to go out than that.' Ferdinand left United when his contract expired and he was released at the end of last season. Asked if he was frustrated about how it ended, he said: 'Yes. But you can't keep looking back and thinking like that. 'I think, yes, I've had thoughts like that but at the same time it's been really nice to see a lot of the young lads getting their opportunities.' Like our Manchester United Facebook page.
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David Moyes' play was described as 'embarrassing' by Rio Ferdinand .
Former Manchester United defender left the club at the end of the season .
Ferdinand also jumped to the defence of Sir Alex Ferguson .
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(CNN) -- Six members of the Newtown Strong team who ran the Boston Marathon on Monday are OK, according to a Facebook post from the group. "Members of the Newtown Strong team which ran in today's marathon are safe. All runners completed the race before the explosions happened," the post said. The runners ran the 26.2-mile event to honor the 26 people who were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14. The Newtown Patch reported there were six runners from the town in the race, including Laura Nowacki, whose daughter survived the shooting. Marathon organizers held a 26-second moment of silence before the race to honor the first graders and educators who were killed by Adam Lanza and dedicated the final mile to the victims. The Newtown Strong Fund is a scholarship fund for the siblings and relatives of the victims of the school massacre. Lanza also killed his mother, Nancy, at the family's home.
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Runners ran the 26.2-mile race to honor 26 victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary .
Newtown Strong's Facebook post says all of them are safe .
The group raises money for siblings of those killed in December .
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Katie Couric has has ditched cold and snowy New York City to soak up some sun down in Barbados. Couric was showing off her impressive beach body as she and her financier husband John Molner were spotted frolicking on the beach and stealing a few kisses while swimming in the ocean. This as the former anchor of CBS Evening News and current Yahoo global news anchor has been singled out by some as a possible replacement for disgraced NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, who is dealing with new reports the say he was not in fact friendly with the SEAL team responsible for killing Osama Bin Laden during his time in Iraq, despite his previous claims. Scroll down for video . Katie Couric and her financier husband John Molner were spotted frolicking on the beach and stealing a few kisses (above) in Barbados . Couric and Milner were married last June at her home in East Hampton and ditched cold and snowy New York for the sunshine break . Couric was also showing off her impressive beach body as she enjoyed a swim at the luxury Sandy Lane resort . The break in the Caribbean comes after her talk show Katie was cancelled after two seasons in 2014 . Couric sips from a drink on the beach while on vacation in Barbados. She is currently working as an anchor for Yahoo global news . Couric is now being discussed as a possible replacement for disgraced NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams (above) The veteran newscaster was enjoying some time at the very exclusive Sandy Lane luxury resort, which features three golf courses, a spa, and its very own private beach. The pair spent one day snorkeling and riding on a boat, while another day was dedicated to enjoying a few drinks and relaxing on the beach. 'I think life is more fun when you have someone in your life,' Couric has said about Molner. 'And I always wanted to find a father figure for my daughters, but it hasn’t worked out that way.' Both Couric and Molner has two daughters from their first marriages. The pair spent one day snorkeling and riding on a boat, while another day was dedicated to enjoying a few drinks . Molner proposed to Couric in September 2013 after two years of dating. She said she always wanted a father figure for her daughters . Couric is staying at the exclusive luxury resort Sandy Lane while in Barbados which features three golf courses, a spa, and its very own private beach . Couric, 58, became a household name thanks to her 15 years as an anchor on Today and has become known as America's Sweetheart . She left Today in 2006 to become the anchor of CBS Evening News while also doing segments for 60 Minutes . Couric has had a number of high profile jobs since she left NBC's Today back in 2006 after 15 years on the morning news show, over which time she became known as America's Sweetheart. She worked at CBS Evening News until 2011, while also doing segments for 60 Minutes, a job that earned her a reported salary of $15million a year, the most ever for a journalist at the time. Her most famous interview came in 2008 when she sat down with vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin for a series of pieces that many believed doomed Palin and McCain's campaign. In was during that interview that Palin famously talked about Alaska's proximity to Russia and was unable to name a single magazine she read on a regular basis, instead telling Couric; 'Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me all these years.' Palin would later claim that Couric had a bias against her. Couric was paid a reported $15million a year, the most ever for a journalist, when she joined CBS . While at CBS she also became a contributor to 60 Minutes . The couple enjoy a trip on a speed boat along the coast while holidaying in Barbados together . As well as enjoying the boat trip, the news anchor was also seen swimming and snorkelling among the turtles . She also filled in on shows including Good Morning America and The View . In 2012 her talk show Katie was launched . Couric left CBS in 2011 to go work as a special corespondent at ABC, where she did segments for Nightline and 20/20 and filled in on all their morning programs at some point: The View, Live with Kelly and Good Morning America. Then, in 2012, she launched her own talk show, Katie, on ABC, which was cancelled after just two seasons in 2014. After leaving ABC there were rumors she might rejoin Today as the show was struggling in the ratings. Though Katie was picked up for a second season, it was quickly cancelled . Some thought Couric might rejoin Today after Katie was cancelled . Couric famously interviewed Sarah Palin during the 2008 election . Palin was unable to name a single magazine she read during that interview . Couric has two daughters, Ellie, 23, and Carrie, 18, from her relationship with her first husband John Monahan, who tragically died at the age of 42 in 1998 of colon cancer . Palin would later say that she believed Couric had a bias against her . Couric and Molner were married last June in a small, intimate ceremony at her home in East Hampton, New York. The two dated for two years before Molner proposed in September 2013. Couric has two daughters, Ellie, 23, and Carrie, 18, from her relationship with her first husband John Monahan, who tragically died at the age of 42 in 1998 of colon cancer. Molner also has two daughters from his previous marriage, which ended in divorce.
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Katie Couric was showing off her impressive beach body on a trip to Barbados with new husband John Molner .
Molner and Couric married last June at her home in East Hampton, New York .
This as some have singled out Couric as a possible replacement for disgraced NBC Nighly News anchor Brian Williams .
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By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 10:36 EST, 15 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:06 EST, 29 March 2013 . A mother died of a broken heart after her daughter was stillborn, her husband has claimed. Darren Clift, 41, said his wife Lindsay was so devastated by the death of their daughter that she died just five hours after giving birth to their first child, Katy May. Mrs Clift, 29, from Bilston in the West Midlands, was due to give birth last month. Lindsay Clift died five hours after her daughter Katy May was stillborn. Her husband Darren believes she died of a broken heart . But when the baby still hadn’t arrived 12 days after the due date, Mr Clift took his wife to Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital to be induced. Tragically, doctors induced labour but discovered Katy May had died in the womb. Shortly afterwards Mrs Clift she passed out and never regained consciousness. Despite desperate attempts to revive Mrs Clift, who worked as a mobile hairdresser, she died five hours later. Mr Clift said: 'There was no reason to think anything was going to go wrong that day. She walked in there fit and healthy. The couple had wanted to start a family since they met seven years ago. They discovered they were expecting their first child after marrying last May . 'She seemed to just pass out. To my . mind, once Katy May had gone it was almost as if Lindsay wanted to go as . well, to look after the baby. She wanted a baby so much. 'In my view she was so heartbroken . that she wanted to be with the baby. This was a longed-for baby, it was . mine and Lindsay's first. 'For them to not find an instant . cause of death, it sort of strengthens my feeling, even if it's . medically nonsense, that she made the decision to go - I was there, I . saw the fight go out of her. 'We went in there hand in hand to become a three and very quickly found that Katy May had passed away, and then Lindsay. 'I still can't believe how we got to this. 'The hospital were brilliant, they did everything they could. 'It probably sounds cheesy given recent events but I called her my angel for the last few months. Just five hours after her daughter's death, Mrs Clift, who was fit and healthy, inexplicably passed away . 'She touched so many people, she was . just lovely, so many people have got in touch to pay tribute to her . since she passed away and that's some comfort. Mr Clift paid tribute to his ‘beautiful, stunning and warm’ wife. The pair met in 2005 at his place of work before marrying in May last year in Wolverhampton. ‘Lindsay . was just a warm and easy person to be with,' he said. 'There was never a . bad patch. We just wanted the same things in life.’ The exact cause of death is not yet known. An inquest into Mrs Clift's death on September 26 has been opened and adjourned. Her funeral service and cremation will take place on Friday.
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Lindsay Clift collapsed soon after Katy May was born .
The first time mother, 29, never regained consciousness .
Devastated husband Darren, 41, said: 'She was so heartbroken that she wanted to be with the baby'
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(CNN) -- The cigarette companies -- and, boy, it's hard to say this -- may turn out to be right. Not "right" in the sense we usually think of the word. The death, suffering and heartache that cigarettes have brought to millions of families is no longer in serious dispute. But in the courts right now, it is beginning to look as if those gruesome, graphic warning illustrations that were supposed to be plastered all over packs of cigarettes might not happen after all. You know the illustrations -- there has been abundant advance publicity about them. A photograph of a diseased lung, a picture of a tracheotomy hole in a man's throat, an illustration of a man with his bare chest surgically stitched up, a picture of rotting teeth. The full-color illustrations were mandated by the government to cover the entire top half of the front and back of every package of cigarettes. They were intended to be so revolting and so visually inescapable that potential customers would turn away. But five tobacco manufacturers have argued in federal court that what the government has ordered is in violation of the First Amendment. The cigarette companies say that freedom of speech must not be trampled upon -- and that for the government to tell private companies what large, ugly, dominant illustrations they must print on their packages is an infringement upon basic American principles. The government derives the power to do this from the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, which was enacted by Congress. The R.J. Reynolds Co., manufacturer of Camel, Kool, Winston and Salem cigarettes, has said that the government-ordered images are "intended to elicit loathing, disgust and repulsion." U.S. District Judge Richard Leon appears to believe the cigarette manufacturers have a strong case. Back in November he issued a temporary injunction that blocked the forced publication of the images. At a hearing this month, he said: "There's nothing on the record to suggest that Congress gave any clear and thoughtful analysis on the First Amendment implications of this." He promised to have a final ruling soon. No matter how much many of us may dislike what cigarettes have done to the nation's health, the First Amendment argument is a compelling one. The government risks setting a troubling precedent when, regardless of how laudable the intentions, it tells someone -- either a person or a company -- that it must say and show things that aggressively advocate against the person's or company's own interests. That's the slipperiest of slopes to start sliding down. What about the text-only warning labels that have appeared on packs of cigarettes for decades? The cigarette companies have never liked them either, of course. But the argument in court is that there is a legal distinction between requiring labels that state facts and requiring illustrations that serve to actively advocate against the purchase of the product. The government believes that public health concerns are paramount; the cigarette companies contend that nothing outweighs free speech. The tobacco manufacturers, as we all know, have long made ample use of their own free speech. Some of the old advertisements for cigarettes, when you come upon them now, are simply astonishing. I recently saw a November 1936 national magazine advertisement for Camels, which presented cheerful, colorfully illustrated, course-by-course instructions on how to smoke five cigarettes at the table during Thanksgiving dinner to achieve "the peaceful feeling that comes from good digestion and smoking Camels." Among the tips: Start with tomato soup and "smoke a Camel right after the soup." Before asking for a second helping of turkey, "smoke another Camel. Camels ease tension." After the salad course, another Camel, which "clears the palate and sets the stage for dessert." It goes on. In 1954, when health concerns about cigarettes were gaining momentum, the Old Gold brand took out a double-spread national magazine ad that all but mocked the medical evidence. "America, we love you!" the ad began. "Thanks again for putting your trust in the cigarette made by tobacco men ... not medicine men ... We promise! Old Gold will continue to cure just one thing: the world's best tobaccos ... Smoke Old Golds for a treat instead of a treatment." If, in 2012, cigarettes were a new prescription drug, or a new over-the-counter medication, or a new snack, and the government knew what it knows now about the health ramifications, such a product would never be approved for consumer use. It would be yanked from the shelves right away. But cigarettes aren't a new product. They have a history of being sold legally. So the government is telling the manufacturers that they must run those illustrations to drive people away. Will it transpire -- will the government get its way? Or will the cigarette companies' First Amendment argument prevail? It has long been axiomatic that free speech stops at the right to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater. But do cigarette marketers have the unfettered right to enthusiastically yell "Smoke!" to a crowded nation? You can almost bet that this one is going to end up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. What a case it will be. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter. Join the conversation on Facebook. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene.
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Bob Greene: Cigarette companies fighting a government mandate; they may be right .
They say requiring them to show graphic warnings on packs hurts free speech .
Whatever you think about scourge of cigarettes, their argument is compelling, he says .
Greene: Cigarette companies have long pushed a dangerous product. Do they have the right?
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Editor's note: Gene Seymour has written about movies, music and culture for The New York Times, Newsday, Entertainment Weekly and The Washington Post. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Gene Seymour says we want to relive Michael Jackson's youth, not the sad and bizarre aspects of his later life. (CNN) -- Seconds after the news first hit the airwaves, your own shock merged with everyone else's in the immediate vicinity. And you could feel it rolling through the rest of the planet like a runaway diesel. As with most things you neither expected nor wanted to hear, you thought that there had to be more to it than what was being said. Especially because it was Michael Jackson, who seemed too dominant, too other-worldly and, more than anything, too complex to be brought down by anything as simple as cardiac arrest. And also because most of what we'd been hearing about Jackson's personal life over the last decade and a half had been bizarre, sordid and sad. It was to those aspects -- the deepening isolation, the child molestation trials, the financial woes, the "Wacko Jacko" moments like that 2002 interlude on the balcony with the baby -- that the talking heads on TV devoted tentative attention within minutes of the official announcement. The commentariat presumed it had a responsibility to poke those embers for clues of something beyond the single, dreadful fact of Jackson's death. Even if we didn't care for this conversation, we had been conditioned by the most recent events to wonder, deep down, if there was something stranger or more unpleasant attached to his passing. But acceptance came easier -- and sooner -- than any of us expected last night. And when it did, we wanted the talking heads to go away and leave us with our memories ... and nothing but the good ones, thank you very much. We wanted the loop of performances and hit singles. Retrieve for us, please, the electricity of the 10-year-old wunderkind who literally leapt into our consciousness in that shattering year of 1968 with "I Want You Back" and "ABC." Let us see that transfiguring moment 15 years later at the Motown Anniversary TV special when Jackson seized dominion over the pop firmament with his shattering, moon-walking recital of "Billie Jean." We wanted the videos -- "Beat It," "Bad," "Thriller," "Black and White" and all that incredible, unearthly dancing. That was all we needed to see and hear. Save the armchair psychoanalysis for later. Maybe, much later. No one would have understood or indulged such yearnings as quickly or as intuitively as Michael Jackson. As surely as he was the King of Pop, Jackson was also a high priest of wish fulfillment. His performances as both precocious child and child-like adult made growing up or growing old the only unimaginable things in the known world. This Peter Pan mystique even became part of the Jackson brand to the point of naming his combination of retreat and theme park the Neverland Ranch. The promise of eternal youth was embedded in pop music way before Jackson and his four brothers emerged from the grit of Gary, Indiana, to jump-start Motown's winning streak. But it's when that promise expands to shatter boundaries and expand possibilities beyond Top-40 parameters that pop music becomes pop phenomena. And Michael Jackson, in the early 1980s, was a pop phenomenon powerful enough to pool together previously polarized audiences -- heavy metal, disco, funk -- and get them all on the same bandwagon. Only twice before -- with Elvis Presley and the Beatles -- had the cultural landscape been changed as decisively by a pop star. It hasn't happened since -- and may never happen again. Certainly, "Thriller," the best-selling LP of all time, won't be surpassed because LPs have been superseded twice over by discs and downloads. Jackson's off-stage public diffidence gave the impression that his transformations of both self and society were all happening by off-hand magic. But his wispy speaking voice belied a steely resolve to control his image, his artistry and his product. The energy he devoted to keep what he considered "negativity" at bay was meant to nurture his audience's dreams of release -- and to maintain his primacy in the pop marketplace. Even the eccentricities, at the peak of his influence, seemed calculated to promote, if not perpetuate, his product. But time (by far, Jackson's worst and most formidable enemy) couldn't stop even his most devoted admirers from wondering what drove him to change his appearance so drastically over the years. Or why he wanted to both save the world and hide from it with the same ferocious intensity. If he'd been able to stop the clock at 1985 or even 1987 (the year of "Bad"), life would have been so much easier. The magic faded. Setbacks and embarrassments were occasionally offset by a tour or show that transported us back to the better, happier times when we were willing to overlook real life for our most elemental dreams of release. We seek those dreams even more urgently now that we know, for certain, that we'll never again see him on stage -- the one place where he was happiest and most assured. But perhaps the hardest dream to give up -- and the reason so many people in so many countries were almost physically leveled by yesterday's news -- is of finding common ground and sharing common awe in a song or a dance or a single act of outreaching, transcendent audacity. However divided (or worse) we may have felt about Michael Jackson at the end, we cherish how he brought out the best in us at the beginning. Whatever the days ahead, that will be more than enough for now, forever. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gene Seymour.
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Gene Seymour: We want to relive the promise of Jackson's eternal youth .
He says the final years of his life were bizarre and sad .
Seymour: Jackson pooled heavy metal, disco and funk audiences .
Jackson's "Thriller" LP will never be surpassed, he says .
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By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 10:11 EST, 28 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:34 EST, 18 November 2013 . His internationally renowned 'Clean & . Lean' diet has picked up a host of celebrity fans, from supermodels Elle Macpherson and . David Gandy, to actor Hugh Grant and Victoria's Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. And now fitness guru-to-the-stars James Duigan has updated and re-released . his healthy living plan for everyone on Kindle this month, promising to banish yo-yo dieting forever and give . you the streamline body of which you've always dreamed. And for Femail readers, Duigan has filmed a series of . exclusive exercise videos, each targeting a specific problem area, just for us. Last week Duigan revealed how to get the bottom you really want, and this . week tummies are under the spotlight. Scroll down for exclusive video . British model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a staunch supporter of James Duigan's Clean & Lean diet plan . In today's short video, Duigan reveals three exercises which he promises will give you a flat tummy. The wood chop is one of his favourite exercises, a 'big bang' exercise that uses pretty much every muscle in your body. It involves swiping your clenched hands in outstretched arms from left to right, down to up. The plank helps improve posture and strengthen core muscles by working and switching on abdominals. The tummy vacuum is 'a great way of connecting your brain to your tummy muscles', by teaching them to work properly. It helps you engage muscles in the stomach properly. The three exercises are easy-to-do and can be carried out anywhere at any time. And although . it's loved by supermodels, Victoria's Secret girls and film stars, Duigan says that the real magic is . that is can work for anyone, from housewives to office workers and . everyone in between. Huntington-Whiteley . met James several years ago and is such a fan that she penned the . introduction to his book Clean & Lean: Flat Tummy Fast. Rosie said: 'James knows exactly how I want my body to look: lean, taut and strong, yet soft, curvy and feminine. 'What . I've learned through working with James is that by focusing on creating . a healthy body you can really achieve all of these things, faster than I . ever thought possible. Oh, and by the way, nobody can get a stomach as . flat as James can!' Rosie said: 'James knows exactly how I want my body to look: lean, taut and strong, yet soft, curvy and feminine' Common sense: James Duigan's Clean & Lean plan is loved by supermodels and anyone who wants to detox and tone up . The . diet has never been advertised, but those who follow it (and who follow . Duigan's workouts, which he teaches from his London gym Bodyism, . recently voted as best in the business by Tatler) become enthusiastic to the point of . fanaticism, making the Clean & Lean plan popular through word of . mouth alone. It recommends fresh food, as close to . its natural state as possible. No refined sugar, which Duigan describes as like a 'toxic fat . bomb' for your waistline. Cut back caffeine to one cup of coffee in the . morning. Rely on . natural, nutritious foods to give you energy rather than a roller coaster . of unnatural highs provided by sugar and caffeine that invariably end . in a crash that will have you reaching for the next stimulant, whether . that be coffee, carbs, sweets or wine. And yes, ditch the booze. Fans: Left, supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley . has been following the Clean & Lean plan for some years now, while . right, British model David Gandy is also a fan . In . his new book, Duigan explains that he came up with the term 'clean and . lean' to describe the 'ultimate approach to achieving the perfect body. The word 'clean' here means a body that can deal effectively with . toxins - one that can deal with few that sneak in (via a glass of wine . or a chocolate bar) and flush them out successfully.' In . his years of studying nutrition, says Duigan, he has discovered that . while you can live off processed low-fat food and diet colas for a while . your body will be so toxic that you'll find it hard to keep the weight . off. 'People come to me . who have tried every single diet out there, yet they can't stay slim . for long. 'They cut carbs, they count calories, they ban whole food . groups and they spend their lives weighing and measuring out food,' he . says. 'But this type of . dieting is a complete waste of time: it might help you to drop a dress . size or tighten your belt for a while, but you'll gain it back . eventually because your body will still be toxic and it's unsustainable - . who wants to live like this? 'And so the cycle of dieting, feeling . miserable and deprived, losing and gaining weight continues.' Instead, . Duigan says we should enjoy our food, but make sure that rather than . processed foods, we eat healthy, natural foods and avoid ones laden with . sugar. Download The Clean & Lean Diet on amazon.co.uk for £5.99. Or for U.S. readers at $9.56 on amazon.com . Clean foods are those that: . It's not just the wrong type of food that piles on the pounds. The relentless, low-level stress of everyday life can also add inches to your waist. When we're frightened, angry, tense or worried our bodies become flooded with adrenalin and a stress hormone called cortisol. The adrenalin keeps us alert and focused, while the cortisol prepares our muscles for a 'fight-or-flight' response. Does stress leave you feeling fat? It also helps the body to release sugar into the bloodstream for instant energy. It's all part of a defence mechanism that allows the body to respond appropriately when faced with danger. While this stress mechanism worked well for us when we were cavemen, modern-day stress, caused by a relentlessly busy lifestyle, is really bad for you. It makes you fat, it wears out your immune system and it increases your risk of serious illness. This is because many of the situations that cause stress nowadays don't present the sort of physical danger that you need to run away from. The result is that fat-storing hormones - and the sugar they help to release into the bloodstream - float around your system, eventually ending up as fat on your tummy and around your waist. They also make you crave more sugar because your body thinks it needs more to keep going. As stress levels subside, your adrenalin levels fall, but cortisol (and the resulting blood sugar) stays in the system much longer. Research shows that fat cells around the stomach attract cortisol, giving you a layer of toxic fat just below your abdominal muscles that's really hard to shift, so doing regular sit-ups is pointless if you always feel stressed. And stomach fat is the most dangerous type because it raises your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers. Constant stress also shuts down the digestive system because your body redirects blood from there to your muscles. So stress can leave you constipated, bloated and toxic. Beating stress is the only way to better health and a better body. From The Clean & Lean Diet by James Duigan .
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Australian health warrior James Duigan promotes strong, lean body shape .
Founder of Bodyism and author of Clean & Lean diet books .
Clean & Lean diet has celebrity fans all over the world .
Updated version now available to everyone on Kindle .
Elle Macpherson, David Gandy, Hugh Grant and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley .
Here FEMAIL shows second of four exclusive exercise films .
Parts three and four - legs and arms - to be shown next month .
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Judges’ copies of the leading Oscar and Bafta contenders – 12 Years A Slave, Gravity and American Hustle – have leaked on to the web for illegal download. The pirated versions of the films appear to have originally been sent to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who decide the winners of the Oscars, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. There are around 6,000 people in each. The illicit copy of the sci-fi epic Gravity includes the warning: ‘This secure screener is on loan for you, the member’ – the same message appearing on the films sent to Bafta members towards the end of last year. Warning: This message appears on an illegal copy of Saving Mr Banks - the same note that flashes up on preview copies of movies for people who pick Oscar and BAFTA winners . The pirated versions of comedy drama American Hustle include a screen alert that reads: ‘For Your Consideration Only.’ And the copy of 12 Years A Slave is marked ‘Property of Fox. May not be copied or transferred or sold.’ The three films, which are competing for Best Film at the Oscars and the Baftas, have only just been released into cinemas and are not yet available on DVD. Several other award contenders are also available on the same pirate sites, including The Wolf Of Wall Street, Saving Mr Banks and The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. The copy of The Wolf Of Wall Street contains the on-screen message that this version is ‘For Awards Consideration’. Many of the films also carry a warning that ‘an invisible water mark’ has been embedded in the movie, on the disc and even in the packaging, any of which can be used to identify who it was sent to. Leaked: American Hustle is one of the films pirated on the web, along with 12 Years A Slave and Gravity . Studios have warned judges that unauthorised distribution of the films could lead to ‘civil and criminal penalties’. They have even advised on how to destroy the DVDs once the awards season has drawn to a close on March 2. One Bafta source, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Most members take the responsibility very seriously but the problem arises when a film is lent out to a family member or if a family member takes it without permission.’ It cannot be established whether the leak was definitely from Bafta or Oscar voters. Bodies such as the Screen Actors Guild, which presented its awards last night, are also believed to send out films. The Mail on Sunday has decided not to identify the pirate sites but some film fans have already tweeted their joy at finding them. One wrote: ‘Bless Awards Screeners’ and another added: ‘I down loaded all of em last night, marathon viewing going on.’
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Preview copies are sent to 6,000 judges who pick Oscar and BAFTA winners .
Branded with screen alert reading: 'For Your Consideration Only'
Same alerts appear on pirated films such as Gravity and 12 Years A Slave .
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called on the international community to form a coalition to stop the 'cancer of ISIS from spreading' in an opinion piece for The New York Times. Kerry described the Islamic group, which has become notorious for beheadings and terror campaigns in the Middle East a ‘unifying threat to a broad array of countries’ and he wants to confront it. His article comes just days after President Obama faced a backlash over comments he made suggesting that he ‘did not have a strategy’ to deal with the threat of ISIS in Syria. Scroll down for videos . Coalition: U.S. Secretary of state John Kerry has called ISIS, 'a cancer that must be stamped out,' in an opinion piece written for The New York Times . ISIS, also known as The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has forcibly and violently grabbed territory across northern Iraq over the summer. The Obama administration is said to be considering its next move and may consider expanding U.S. airstrikes. U.S. airstrikes against ISIS fighters have already slowed their advance. However, Kerry now appears to be keen to get the international community more involved. Fanatics: Islamic State fighters parade . with group's black flags. A UN human rights report says the militant . group conducts a regular Friday ritual of executions, amputations and . lashings in areas it controls . ISIS: A fighter of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) holds an ISIL flag the group has become notorious for beheadings and terror campaigns . Airstrikes: 'Airstrikes alone won't defeat this enemy. A much fuller response is demanded from the world,' Kerry wrote . He said that any further action would require the aid of America’s international allies. Kerry . wrote: ‘With a united response led by the United States and the . broadest possible coalition of nations, the cancer of ISIS will not be . allowed to spread to other countries. ‘The world can confront this scourge, and ultimately defeat it. ISIS is odious, but not omnipotent.’ ‘Airstrikes alone won't defeat this enemy. A much fuller response is demanded from the world,’ Kerry wrote. In an accompanying piece written for The New York Times by Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, both want President Obama to take military action to stamp out the terror group’s growing threat. The senators urged the President to act immediately. They warned him against ‘Doing too little to combat ISIS’ which they see as a problem. And wrote: ‘Doing less is certainly not the answer now.’ Military force: Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, want President Obama to use military action to stamp out the terror . group’s growing threat . McCain and Graham suggested that the next move must include a squeezing of ISIS financing. They are also calling for the Iraqi government to include Iraqi Sunnis, rather than pushing them toward terrorist groups. ‘Ultimately, ISIS is a military force, and it must be confronted militarily,’ the senators wrote. But the Government has yet to decide what measures it will take. Senators Mccain and Graham used the piece to criticise the President’s airstrikes saying that ‘they have been tactical and reactive half-measures.’ They wrote: ‘Continuing to confront ISIS in Iraq, but not in Syria, would be fighting with one hand tied behind our back. We need a military plan to defeat ISIS, wherever it is.’ However, the Secretary of State has echoed the remarks made by the President and Press Secretary Josh Earnest who have both called for an international coalition to fight ISIS. International intervention: Barack Obama this week claimed that an international coalition of willing partners would help root out ISIS once and for all . Plan: White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has called for an international coalition to fight ISIS . Kerry, along with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel are expected to begin laying the groundwork for talks over a coalition next week. Kerry will meet with European allies at the NATO meeting in Wales next week and then fly to the Middle East in an attempt to drum up further support from the region.
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Kerry described the Islamic group as a ‘unifying threat to a broad array of countries’ in an opinion piece written for The New York Times .
The Obama administration is said to be considering its next move and may consider expanding U.S. airstrikes .
Kerry wrote: ‘With a united response led .
by the United States and the broadest possible coalition of nations, .
the cancer of ISIS will not be allowed to spread to other countries'
Kerry, along with Defense Secretary .
Chuck Hagel are expected to begin laying the groundwork for talks over a .
coalition next week .
Kerry will meet with European allies at the .
NATO meeting in Wales next week and then fly to the Middle East to drum .
up further support .
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Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) -- Early this year Ukraine -- along with much of eastern Europe -- was caught in a deep and protracted cold snap. Many froze to death, energy demand spiked, and to top it all Russia accused Ukraine of stealing gas from transit pipes destined for western Europe for the second time in three years. Ukraine issued a firm denial, adding another blot to the two nations' fraught -- but highly dependent -- relationship. The fact remains that Ukraine needs Russian gas while Russia needs Ukraine's transit pipeline to export west. The spat came on the heels of a disastrous relationship meltdown in 2009, when for two nerve-wracking weeks Russia abruptly stopped pumping gas to Ukraine and Europe. The Russian energy giant Gazprom claimed Ukraine's gas company -- Naftogaz Ukrainy -- owed it huge sums of money in missed payments and fines. However, Naftogaz countered that it had paid the bill and claimed that Gazprom was in fact trying to force it to accept a new price for gas which it could ill afford. They eventually reached a deal, but Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov still maintains that the terms are unfair: . "Americans pay $70 for 1000 cubic meters of gas when Ukraine pays $550 to Russia for the same amount. It means almost ten times more. Tell me what kind of economy can take this?" He told CNN. However, America benefits from its own vast reserves of natural gas, and Russia argues that still Ukraine gets it for less than consumers in Poland, Hungary, Turkey and Romania. So, while Ukraine tries to negotiate a better deal with Russia, it's also working to break its dependency on Russian gas and diversify its sources of energy. A key part of the plan is to import liquid natural gas from other countries -- such as Azerbaijan -- which will be processed at a terminal built near the vast port of Odessa on the Black Sea. The head of the project, Vitaly Demyanin, says that by 2018 it should have replaced 30% of existing Russian gas imports. "It will have 10 billion cubic meters of alternative gas. It will help us to negotiate with our main supplier," he said. At the same time Yury Boiko, the Ukrainian energy minister, has high hopes that shale gas -- formed deep underground within large shale rock formations -- could also be a major alternative source of power in the decades to come. He told CNN that shale gas exploration in western Ukraine has "very large potential." But it's not just alternative gas supplies that the energy-hungry nation of 44.8 million residents has in its sights. The government has pledged to invest heavily in green energy. However, this won't do much to bolster their eco-credentials, as they are also planning to burn a great deal more coal too. It's all testament to their increasing desire to generate power without recourse to gas. Meanwhile, as Ukraine looks for other energy supplies, Russia is looking for other ways to get its gas to Europe. Russia is the world's biggest producer of natural gas and supplies Europe with nearly 40% of its imports, according to the European Commission . It has already built one pipeline that bypasses Ukraine. The 765-mile long "Nord Stream" pipeline -- costing more than $12 billion -- directly links Russia with the European Union via the Baltic Sea bed. At its launch in 2011, the then Russian Prime Minister, now President, Vladimir Putin, made an ominous and thinly-veiled reference to his Ukrainian neighbors. "Any transit country has always the temptation to take advantage of its transit status," he said. "That exclusivity is now disappearing." At the end of this year, Russia plans to begin construction on another gas pipe to Europe -- the "South Stream" -- running through the Black Sea to Bulgaria and on to Greece, Italy and Austria. The projects threaten to strip Ukraine of billions in revenue and any remaining leverage it might have over future gas prices. But in an effort to salvage long-term relations, Ukraine is now proposing a new model that would allow themselves, Europe and Russia equal control of their transit system. "So the consumers, the sellers, the supply and transit country is together. It's a good model and it's convenient for everybody," says energy minister Boiko. Only time will tell if these major energy reforms will change Russia's position in future negotiations and transform the horizon of Ukraine's economic future.
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Ukraine and Russia have long-standing feud over gas supply lines .
Ukraine is big importer of Russian gas, while Russia depends on Ukraine pipeline .
In recent years, Ukraine has tried to diversify its energy supply to reduce dependence .
Liquid gas imports, underground shale gas and green energy are among new sources .
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White House staff are tip-toeing around revelations that the French president has a mistress as they face the awkward question of just who will be his plus one at a state dinner next month. Francois Hollande, 59, faced the world's media for the first time on Tuesday after it was reported that he had been sneaking to a Paris apartment to meet up with 41-year-old actress Julie Gayet - unbeknown to his partner and France's de facto first lady Valerie Trierweiler. When asked if Trierweiler was still the first lady of France, the President dodged the question earlier this week, saying: 'This is neither the time nor the place.' Scroll down for video . French President Francois Hollande pictured outside the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday. The White House is unsure of who he is bringing to a state dinner next month - his girlfriend or alleged mistress . President Obama speaks alongside French President Francois Hollande at the G8 Summit at Camp David in 2012. Questions have been raised over who the French president might be bringing to dinner in DC next month after news of an affair broke . Mr . Hollande, who allegedly has been sneaking off on a scooter for trysts with Ms . Gayet in a flat 150 yards from the Elysee, said that he would make his mind up about who his first lady was . by February 11. This is the date that he is due to be in Washington for a meeting with President Obama and First Lady Michelle. The White House invitation was addressed to 'President Hollande and Valérie Trierweiler'. The Obama administration sidestepped all questions on the dinner, directing queries to the French government. MailOnline was awaiting a comment from the Embassy of France in Washington today. However earlier statements from French officials suggested that they were also bewildered as to who Mr Hollande would bring as his White House dinner date. Despite the diplomatic headache that is causes with regards protocol, White House spokesman Jay . Carney has said: 'The president looks forward to seeing President . Hollande for the state visit in February. 'On issues of the delegation . that the French come with, I would refer you to the French government.' First Lady Michelle Obama poses with Valerie Trierweiler, domestic partner of Francois Hollande in September last year. Ms Trierweiler is treated as the de facto first lady of France . In . words which may be considered extremely cruel by both women, Mr . Hollande even confirmed that the presidential partner had 'no official . status' in France, and he was determined to keep costs down by whoever . was confirmed as first lady. Democrat Representative Gerald Connolly, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs panel told thehill.com: 'Quel dommage...What a problem to have.' Ms . Trierweiler, meanwhile, remains in a central Paris hospital after she . had a 'nervous breakdown' finding out about Mr Hollande's cheating. President . Hollande is not thought to have even visited Ms Trierweiler at the . Petite Salpetriere hospital since she checked in last Friday. Ms . Trierweiler, a journalist for Paris Match magazine, has styled herself . as France's first lady. This entitled her to five permanent . staff, and numerous other perks, including limousines, private jets and . homes all over France. Plus one? French President Francois Hollande with partner Valerie Trierweiler in May 2013. Allegations have arisen that he has a long-standing affair with actress Julie Gayet . Affair: Hollande is alleged to be having an affair with French actress Julie Gayet . Despite . Mr Hollande's insistence that the scandal is a 'private matter' which . should be kept 'secret', Julie Gayet is the cover girl in the latest . edition of French Elle. In it she is quoted as telling a friend 'more . than a year ago' that she has found an 'older man, very different from . earlier boyfriends, who is in politics.' This raises the prospect . that Mr Hollande started the affair within a few months of being sworn . in as French president in May 2012. The storm surrounding the president shows no sign of ceasing as former president Nicolas Sarkozy branded him 'ridiculous'. Mr Sarkozy told Le Canard Enchaîné he had dealt with his relationship with Carla Bruni much better. 'He's got himself into a right old pickle,' He said. 'While everyone has the right to a private life, when one is a public figure and president, one must be careful to avoid being ridiculous.' Manuel Valls, the Interior Minister, was also quoted in the Times as saying Hollande acted like a 'retarded adolescent' when presented with pictures of the president on the scooter. And the Telegraph reports today that . Miss Gayet is pursuing legal action for 'violation of privacy' against . Closer magazine that published photos it said proves she is Mr . Hollande's mistress. Mr Hollande expressed 'total outrage' after the publication of the photos but has not denied the affair.
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Francois Hollande, 59, has refused to say if partner Valerie Trierweiler is still the de facto first lady of France .
President said he will decide by February 11 - just in time for a state dinner in DC with President Obama and First Lady Michelle .
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When President Obama first met Burma's Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi two years ago, their awkward embrace caught the media's attention. A kiss on the cheek by the Commander in Chief was branded by some as inappropriate and in poor taste. But it seemed the democracy activist was over-compensating for their last encounter, as she kissed the US leader on both cheeks before pulling him in for a hug. Scroll down for video . Second meeting: President Obama kisses Aung San Suu Kyi as they meet for a press conference at her lakeside villa in Burma for a press conference . First embrace: When the pair met for the first time in 2012, it was the Commander in Chief's kiss that caught the media's attention . Sealed with a kiss: The pair held a press conference, allowing Obama to show his support as the nation turns towards elections next year . The pair held a press conference, allowing Obama to show his support as the nation turns towards elections next year. However, in scenes reminiscent of 2012, their handshake, kiss and hug seemed a little strained. Social media users took to Twitter after the encounter. Rahul Tyagi said: 'Did someone else notice Aung San Suu Kyi' s kiss to Obama? Almost over compensation for the kiss Obama gave 2 years ago.' Journalist Anita Bennett said: 'Watching Obama newser from Burma on @CNN. Confused why Suu Kyi just hugged, kissed and felt up Obama on live TV #Awkward.' Before the meeting, the president exited his limo and flashed a big smile as he walked up to greet Suu Kyi at the front door. They met privately before addressing the press at a joint news conference on her lawn. Summit: The pair held a press conference, allowing Obama to show his support as the nation turns towards elections next year . Reaction: Journalist Anita Bennett was one of the first people to describe the 'akward' moment that was caught on camera . The residence, where she spent almost 15 years of her confinement under house arrest, is a large grey colonial overlooking a lake. Obama and Suu Kyi met briefly yesterday in Naypyitaw, but today they are expected to have a more in-depth discussion about the government's stalling reform and her unique role in progressing the transition to civilian rule. The beloved activist has been urging the US to step up its involvement and recently accused the US of being 'overly optimistic.' 'What significant reforms have been taken within the last 24 months?' she asked at a news conference last week. 'This is something the United States needs to think very seriously about as well.' Burmese police marshal the crowds outside Yangon International Airport ahead of the arrival of Barack Obama as part of an official visit . A motorcade carrying the American President speeds past crowds outside Yangon International Airport . A man holding an American flag and taking pictures on his smartphone stands in front of police lines . Burmese people gathered opposite the airport in order to welcome Obama as her arrived in Yangon today . Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party is widely expected to sweep polls in late 2015, but its figurehead is banned from the presidency by a constitutional clause. In 2012 the US leader throw his political might behind Burma's transition from junta rule. After the conference Michael Aung-Thwin, professor of Asian Studies at the University of Hawaii, said that it is not custom for women to kiss in public, which is why Suu Kyi may have shied away. He told the International Business Times: 'It is not at all the custom (in Burma, also known as Burma) as it is here in Hawaii, and (Suu Kyi's) backing away is almost instinctive for most Burmese women, even those brought up in or have lived a long time in the West.' Obama stands in front of the Burmese flag while giving a speech to young people in the country's captial . The President speaking this afternoon at the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative in Yangon . After talks with his counterpart Thein Sein late Thursday Obama expressed cautious optimism hope for the once-cloistered nation that balanced out earlier warnings on the risks of 'backsliding' on the transition. 'The democratic process in Burma is real,' Obama said. 'We recognise change is hard and you do not always move in a straight line but I'm optimistic.' During his two-night trip to Burma the US leader has also raised alarm over the direction of reforms, however, citing the cramping of freedom of expression, ongoing conflicts and the treatment of Burma's minority groups -- especially the Muslim Rohingya. Historian Than Myint-U gives Obama a tour of the Secretariat building in central Yangon. The property is 120 years old and was the seat of governance in British Burma . While the Secretariat building used to be the centre of power in the 1800s, and is still a major landmark in the capital, it is now almost completely abandoned . Obama pays a visit to a memorial commemorating some of those who died as the country attempted to gain independence from the British . Obama was whisked from Yangon airport to tour the British colonial-era secretariat building in downtown Yangon where Suu Kyi's father, independence hero General Aung San, was gunned down by political rivals in 1947. On his last visit in 2012 Obama received a fanfare welcome from thrilled locals a year after Thein Sein began to open up the country. Most political prisoners have been released and elections have seen Suu Kyi become a lawmaker, while foreign investors have arrived in lockstep with the lifting of most sanctions. But the atmosphere has slowly soured, with many observers saying reforms have stalled. Obama tells one young supporter to give him a call while greeting crowds at an even in Burma this afternoon . Obama shakes hands after giving a speech for the Young South Asian Youth Leaders group today . A Burmese man dressed in combat fatigues holds a US flag outside Yangon airport earlier today . Suu Kyi cautioned against US 'over-optimism' ahead of Obama's visit, with even her star power earned as the torch-bearer of democracy during the dark junta years having waned in the eyes of some. For his part, Obama has been battered domestically with poor approval numbers compounded by a thumping defeat for his Democrats in last week's mid-term elections. He has invested a large amount of political capital in Burma's transition from military rule and hopes his second visit will boost the process as elections edge closer. His visit has coincided with the start of a debate on constitutional reform, in particular over the clauses effectively blocking a presidential bid by Suu Kyi and reserving 25 percent of seats for the military. The pair walked out of the Suu Kyi's home to take questions from the media . Feeling the heat: The President wipes his forehead with a towel as Suu Kyi addresses the media . After the conference, the pair walked away arm-in-arm for further talks throughout the day . While Obama is cautiously optimistic on the long game for impoverished Burma, many ordinary people are not as easily convinced. 'I wondered when Obama first came, whether things will be better,' 52-year-old street stall holder Minny Oo Aung told AFP in Yangon, where security is high, with clusters of police about every hundred metres. 'But there has been no improvement in our society or economy.' Today marked the last day in Burma for the President as he tries to boost his international standing following a thumping defeat in midterm elections back home .
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Obama and Suu Kyi's embrace during 2012 meeting caught public attention .
Obama's kiss was seen by some as inappropriate and in poor taste .
But this time Suu Kyi kissed him twice before pulling him in for a hug .
Tweets accused her of 'over compensating' and branded move 'awkward'
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Cape Town, South Africa (CNN) -- Mike Steenkamp still wakes up in the morning expecting a phone call from his niece. That call never comes. "It hasn't really sunk in to my way of thinking," he said. Steenkamp and his daughter Kim Martin told CNN this week that they aren't focusing on why Reeva Steenkamp is gone. She was shot and killed just three weeks ago by her boyfriend, Olympian and South African track star Oscar Pistorius. They are trying to avoid the speculation and debate that swirl around whether Pistorius intentionally shot and killed his 29-year-old girlfriend or whether he mistook her for an intruder. He's been charged with premeditated murder. Former lead detective on Pistorius case resigns . Mike Steenkamp said the family has no plans to attend Pistorius' trial. "We won't be present, I can tell you that now," he said. That's because the family wants to focus on Reeva. "I have to concentrate on her," Kim Martin explained. "I know that sounds crazy, but that's how I get from day to day. "It's easier to deal with it if you don't concentrate on anything else other than the fact that Reeva's not here, and at the end of the day, she's not coming back." Kim Martin and Reeva Steenkamp were like sisters, she said, sharing every detail of their lives. Reeva frequently stayed at her cousin's Cape Town home where Mike Steenkamp says he can still picture Reeva in the kitchen, helping prepare dinner. Yet Martin said she only met Pistorius once, at a seaside cafe. She and Steenkamp chatted, catching up on their lives, as Martin settled her kids. Her interaction that day with Pistorius "wasn't long enough to form an opinion on his personality." "What I saw of him ... he did seem like a nice guy," Martin said. Before Reeva Steenkamp started dating the man nicknamed "Blade Runner" for his lightning-fast prosthetic legs, she was famous in her own right. A law school graduate with a vibrant personality, she had a slew of modeling gigs under her belt and the striking, platinum-haired beauty had been gearing up for her reality television debut. Her growing exposure brought more opportunities. She served as a presenter for FashionTV in South Africa, was an FHM cover girl and was the face of cosmetics company Avon. FHM described her as a "beautiful, intelligent and warm-hearted woman" who had a "wicked" sense of humor. "She was the kindest, sweetest human being; an angel on earth," said Capacity Relations, the agency that represented her. Yet, despite her fame, she was still her mother's baby girl, Mike Steenkamp recalled. Reeva's uncle told the story of when Oscar and Reeva were driving on a highway and Oscar, prone to fast cars, was supposedly speeding. "(Reeva) phoned her mum and said ... 'Mum, Oscar's speeding,'" Steenkamp recalled. "So June took the phone and said, 'Let me speak to Oscar.' And (she) said to Oscar, 'Hey listen, that's my precious, and my only daughter ... she's my angel. And you'd better slow down or I will get the mafia onto you afterwards.' And Reeva said afterwards, 'Mum, he slowed down.'" Now, Pistorius, 26, is free on bail as he awaits trial. His next court date is scheduled for June 4. Prosecutors say the track star killed his girlfriend after a heated argument in the early morning hours of Valentine's Day. Pistorius case brings attention to South African gun culture . Pistorius and his attorneys insist he thought an intruder was hiding in a toilet room inside the bathroom of his Pretoria home. He says he fired in a fit of terror before realizing Steenkamp was inside. "I'd like to ask Oscar why he didn't lean over and touch my cousin first... and say 'are you okay?' 'keep quiet,' 'I'm coming now,'" Kim Martin said, shortly after her cousin's death. As for what happens to Pistorius, Mike Steenkamp said it doesn't matter. Nothing will bring back their beloved Reeva. But he does want one thing: a chance to meet with Pistorius and forgive him. "That way, I can find more peace with the situation," he said, fighting back tears. Steenkamp says it's his Christian faith that prompts him to want to offer forgiveness. And he wants to do it face to face, not through the media. "Whatever the outcome, I feel with my belief (that) if Christ could forgive me when he died on the cross, why can't I?" Watch Anderson Cooper 360° weeknights 10pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here.
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Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed by boyfriend Oscar Pistorius .
Facing a murder charge, he says he mistook her for an intruder .
Steenkamp's uncle says the family will not attend the trial .
Mike Steenkamp says he wants to forgive Pistorius, face to face .
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f684ec0a4969e99d6afe5ba6fc7165ab94eedfb7
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Yemen's army has retaken most of Jaar, the final al Qaeda stronghold in the country's southern Abyan province, forcing hundreds of militants to flee the town, two local security officials told CNN. Hundreds of militants were still skirmishing with military forces Tuesday. The state-run Saba news agency also reported that government forces were retaking Jaar on Tuesday morning after fierce battles against al Qaeda with the support of the Yemeni air force. The agency confirmed that Batis district is now under government control. The officials estimated that more than 80 militants were killed over the last three days in the province, inlcuding 29 on Tuesday, mainly in areas surrounding Jaar and Zinjibar. They also confirmed that seven troops were also killed Tuesday. The officials said that thousands of landmines were planted in the roads and mountains leading to Jaar and were the reason for the government's slow progress over the last two weeks. In a statement, the Yemeni Embassy in Washington said Tuesday that Yemen's military retook areas previously controlled by the militants, including the governor's mansion in Zinjibar. "Demining engineers have been dispatched to sweep and clear previously held areas in Abyan," the statement said. Military forces also aim to recapture the coastal town of Shaqra in Abyan province. And troops are making gains in the city of Azzan, an al-Qaeda stronghold in Shabwa province, it said. Hundreds of pro-government resistance fighters joined government lines last week. Eyewitnesses in Jaar told CNN that most civilians fled the town last week after the government warned they would attack if militants did not put down their arms. A senior Defense Ministry official told CNN that hundreds of militants are still fighting government troops in Jaar and the takeover will be complete by nightfall. "Our troops entered Jaar but are not in total control of the town yet. We expect the town to be cleansed from al Qaeda by late Tuesday evening," the official said on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorized to talk to media. He said that al Qaeda militants fled Jaar to the coastal city of Shuqra, where the army has already targeted the fighters with shelling and airstrikes. "The militants are surrounded now, and it is a matter of time before they surrender," he added. The government intensified its offensive against al Qaeda two months ago after newly elected President Abdurabu Hadi vowed to fight the militant group until its members are killed or surrender to the government. Ansar al-Sharia, an offshoot of al Qaeda, took over mass areas of Abyan province last May, benefiting from the political turmoil in the country. The Sanaa-based Abaad Strategic Center told CNN that the current government success in the war against al Qaeda came after the military was united and now serves a nation rather than factions. "With a divided military last year, terror networks gained power and ground. The power transfer last February played a major role in weakening al Qaeda," said Abdul Salam Mohammed, president of the center.
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Security officials and news agency: Troops forced al Qaeda militants from the town of Jaar .
Officials estimate that more than 80 militants were killed in the last 3 days in Abyan province .
They say that seven troops were also killed Tuesday .
Hundreds of militants are still fighting in Jaar, Defense Ministry official says .
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Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol is facing a barrage of criticism after the former France and Bayern Munich defender said African players are ‘powerful’ but seemed to suggest they lacked intelligence and discipline. In an interview with local newspaper Sud Ouest, Sagnol said: ‘The advantage of the typical African player is that he is not expensive when you take him, he’s generally ready to fight and he is powerful on the pitch. But football is not just that, it’s also technique, intelligence, discipline.’ Sagnol also hinted that he didn't want to sign many African players due to the African Cup of Nations which takes place during the Ligue 1 campaign. Willy Sagnol has been criticised for the comments he made regarding African players . Sagnol, pictured with Malian player Cheick Diabate during training, has been publicly backed by Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud . Ludovic Sane - Senegal . Abdou Traore - Mali . Henri Saivet - Senegal . Thomas Toure - Ivory Coast . Cheick Diabate - Mali . Andre Poko - Gabon . Wahbi Khazri - Tunisia . David Djigla - Benin . Former France full-back Lilian Thuram and anti-racism associations hit out at Sagnol, who has the backing of his club. ‘It’s laid-back anti-black racism,’ SOS Racisme said in a statement, asking that ‘the LFP (French League), FFF (French Federation) and the Sports ministry take immediate sanctions.’ Thuram said: ‘It is damaging that someone can hint that African players lack this or that quality.’ The International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) said in a statement: ‘These abject theories are those that during the course of history have led to some kind of men and women having their humanity denied.’ Bordeaux, however, stood by their coach, with president Jean-Louis Triaud saying on Wednesday that the interpretation of Sagnol’s remarks were ‘malicious’. In 2011, then France coach Laurent Blanc also came under fire after he attended a soccer federation meeting in November where the idea of quotas for Arab and African youth players were discussed. Blanc was cleared of discrimination charges following an inquiry by the French government. Bordeaux coach Sagnol played alongside Lilian Thuram during his time with the France national team .
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Willy Sagnol hinted that he didn't want to sign too many African players because of the African Cup of Nations .
Sagnol's former team-mate Lilian Thuram was not happy with comments .
Anti-racism associations have hit out at the Bordeaux coach .
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(CNN) -- "You can hear the horse hold its breath over the jump." Dennis Baxter has been listening to sounds for so long, he even listens to their absence. Baxter is not only a sound man, but "The Sound Man." His engineering helped form the beating, surround-sound heart of the revolution in televised sports coverage. "If you listen carefully," he continues, narrating, "you can hear the rider talking to the animal. "Maybe a few choice words." Baxter is best-known for his work at the Olympic Games, tackling the timbre of dozens of disciplines to captivate global audiences, winning multiple Emmy Awards. He is the man who first gave you the sound of arrows fizzing through the air in archery, thanks to his brainwave of microphones between the archer and the target. More recently, his was the idea to place microphones beneath the wooden velodrome surface, to intercept the rumbling of Olympic track cyclists in action. Baxter's job is to find the defining sounds of a given sport, and bring them to your TV in the finest detail. He believes that while most people think they are watching TV, how they listen defines their experience. "The details really bring people in," he explains. "TV is consumed in a casual way. Rarely do you sit with full focus on the screen -- you're usually there with your family, or your friends, and you're talking. "It's the sound that brings you back into the show. The detail pulls the audience back in. "The thing I like most about equestrian is that detail in the coverage. The little, bitty micro-sounds of the horses and the riders. "You can close your eyes and hear the image of a horse. There is so much there." Ask most people for the sound they most readily associate with equestrian sport, and the chances are it will be the hollow clang of a jump clattering to the floor. To capture that sound, Baxter uses an array of small, wireless microphones attached to the jumps on the course. Alongside those, sets of microphones normally used to record singers are placed around the edges of the arena to sample the hubbub of the crowd. (But never close enough to record your conversation.) Back in the broadcast truck, a sound mixer then has the job of seamlessly threading between these dozens of microphones to create the finished TV experience. "The jumps are interesting because when they fall to the ground, it's never a flat fall," says Baxter, as though describing an artwork hanging in a gallery, or a fine wine. "There's a nice, resonant sound with an echoing tone. The camera may not be on that moment but, when you hear that sound, you know exactly what has happened. "But then -- and I've thought about this recently -- you have to decide if you want to have a constant barrage of sound or a coming-and-going. We give the sound a chance to breathe between the jumps. The more you listen, the more natural it sounds." Like the horse holding its breath, Baxter is a fan of quiet as much as he admires sound. That extends to voices. "Music today is so compressed that it never really breathes, and I hate to see television get that way," he complains. "It does bother me that everything is driven by the narrator. You need to tell the commentator to shut up, and let's just listen." The commentator, as it happens, concurs. "I totally agree," says Steven Wilde, one of the world's leading showjumping commentators. "I listen to a lot of different sports -- including our own sport and how it's presented in different countries -- and it's definitely possible to talk too much. You don't have to talk over every inch of it." Yet if you are watching at home, Wilde's voice is as much a part of the soundtrack as Baxter's breath-holding horse. "I grew up helping out at some shows. I used to be the man on the public address system. 'Please keep your dogs on a leash,' etc. Then somebody asked why didn't I try commentating," Wilde recalls. "I was naturally a very shy person, it was the last thing I expected ever to be doing. But you take on a persona, I suppose." Wilde now travels the globe, talking about horses for a living at the sport's biggest events. "One of the main challenges is keeping it fresh," he admits. "If you're seeing the same top riders all the time, you want to keep up to speed on them. News changes so fast now, so you're reading the internet all the time, looking at Twitter. "That side generally takes a lot more time than people think. Today, for example, I've been at the show (in Los Angeles) chatting to everyone and getting more depth on how the horse is going, what they're doing socially. "That gives me more color than picking up a piece of paper that simply says what they won at the Olympics. "The hard part is not talking, it's preparing." You now have Baxter's carefully crafted natural sound of the event, dozens of microphones mixed into a delicate blend, lapping softly below Wilde's narrative. There is at least one more element, though: music. Not a feature in jumping, music is a required component in sister sport dressage. The freestyle routine, widely regarded as the climax of any major dressage event, demands that rider and horse move in precise harmony around an arena, executing precision maneuvers to a soundtrack of their choosing. Once, comparatively little thought was given to the music used. Now, dressage composition is an industry in its own right. Tom Hunt composed the freestyle score to which Britain's Charlotte Dujardin won Olympic dressage gold at the London 2012 Olympics. "The Olympics was the culmination of a lot of things, but making it was quite stressful," says Hunt of his patriotic theme, featuring "Land of Hope and Glory." "At the Olympics, we had to do that -- and it was quite regimented, in a way. "I had the most fun with the last freestyle I did with Charlotte (for this season). We could try some different styles of music." Composing the music requires a degree of precision you might not expect. Hunt uses video analysis to fine-tune the rhythm and tempo of his composition, ensuring it precisely matches the expected movement of the horse at each stage. Sometimes, he will never meet the rider or horse for whom he is composing, working purely from video. "For a rider like Charlotte Dujardin," he adds, "I'll go down and watch Charlotte ride around, I'll take several videos, and I'll go back again to go through the music with her. "It takes a few visits to see the horse, get the footage, take it away and work with it. "Sometimes, the riders give me free rein with the music. The top riders often have a clearer idea of what they want, and that can help the process but it can also hinder it." Hunt got started when he finished his music degree and found himself watching dressage on TV. ("When I saw it, it didn't seem like the music was fitting," he remembers.) Now, he is excited for the future. "There's a lot going on in freestyle at the minute," he says. "It's really developing and I want to see how it progresses over the next five to 10 years. "People are getting better music and I think the judging will probably change, so it'll be quite an interesting thing to be involved with. "It's getting to be a big part of the sport -- it's getting the crowds, and people acknowledge the music more. It makes the sport more accessible." Baxter, too, is looking ahead. "Wireless microphones on anything that moves, in any competition whatsoever, is the future," he declares. He sounds only half-joking when he adds: "We're the ones paying for this. We're the ones who've got to put our foot down to these spoiled athletes and say, 'You know what? You've got to make it a show, you've got to earn your money.' "We've been asking to put microphones onto the athletes, and the horses. We've not been successful yet, but I think, pretty soon, we will be." On the horses? "Absolutely. Absolutely."
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Sound engineer Dennis Baxter helped revolutionize TV sports coverage .
Baxter uses dozens of microphones to capture detail of equestrian sport .
He prefers commentators to keep quiet -- and commentators often agree .
Dressage riders get music custom-made using video analysis .
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(CNN) -- Josef Fritzl, the Austrian accused of keeping his daughter in a cellar for decades and fathering her seven children, will plead guilty to rape and incest when his trial opens Monday, Fritzl's lawyer told CNN. Josef Fritzl is expected to plead guilty to rape and incest on Monday, his lawyer tells CNN. However, Fritzl will deny other charge he faces: murder, enslavement and assault, attorney Rudolph Mayer said Sunday. The 73-year-old expects to spend the rest of his life in prison, Mayer added. Fritzl faces six charges in a closed-door trial. The trial is scheduled to last five days, but Mayer said it could be shorter. Fritzl was charged in November with incest and the repeated rape of his daughter, Elisabeth, over a 24-year period. But he was also charged with the murder of one of the children he fathered with her, an infant who died soon after birth. State Prosecutor Gerhard Sedlacek said Michael Fritzl died from lack of medical care. In all, Fritzl is charged with: murder, involvement in slave trade (slavery), rape, incest, assault and deprivation of liberty, Sedlacek's office said. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Austria does not have the death penalty. "This man obviously led a double life for 24 years. He had a wife and had seven kids with her. And then he had another family with his daughter, fathered another seven children with her," said Franz Polzer, a police officer in Amstetten, the town where Fritzl lived, at the time of his arrest. The case first came to light in April 2008 when Elisabeth's daughter, Kerstin, became seriously ill with convulsions. Elisabeth persuaded her father to allow Kerstin, then 19, to be taken to a hospital for treatment. Hospital staff became suspicious of the case and alerted police, who discovered the family members in the cellar. Fritzl confessed to police that he raped his daughter, kept her and their children in captivity and burned the body of the dead infant in an oven in the house. Elisabeth told police the infant was one of twins who died a few days after birth. When Elisabeth gained her freedom, she told police her father began sexually abusing her at age 11. On August 8, 1984, she told police, her father enticed her into the basement, where he drugged her, put her in handcuffs and locked her in a room. Fritzl explained Elisabeth's disappearance in 1984 by saying the girl, who was then 18, had run away from home. He backed up the story with letters he forced Elisabeth to write. Elisabeth Fritzl and all but three of her children lived in the specially designed cellar beneath her father's home in Amstetten, Austria, west of Vienna. The other three children lived upstairs with Fritzl and his wife; Fritzl had left them on his own doorstep, pretending the missing Elisabeth had dropped them off. Under Austrian law, if Fritzl is convicted on several offenses, he will be given the sentence linked to the worst crime. The charges he faces are: . • Murder: The infant who died in 1996 died from a lack of medical care, the state prosecutor said. The charge carries a sentence of life in prison. • Involvement in slave trade: From 1984 until 2008, prosecutors allege, Fritzl held his daughter, Elisabeth, captive in a dungeon, abused her sexually and treated her as if she were his personal property -- in a situation similar to slavery. If he is convicted, the sentence could range from 10 to 20 years in prison. • Rape: Between August 30, 1984, and June 30, 1989, Fritzl "regularly sexually abused Elisabeth," according to the prosecutor. The sentence could be from five to 15 years in prison. • Incest: Parallel to the rape charge. It carries a sentence of up to one year. • Withdrawal of liberty: Three of the children Fritzl had with Elisabeth were illegally held captive in a dungeon with no daylight or fresh air, according to prosecutors. That charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years. • Assault: Between August 28, 1984, and April 26, 2006, Fritzl repeatedly threatened Elisabeth and their three children with gas and booby traps as warnings in case they tried to escape, authorities allege. The sentence would range from six months to five years. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen and Melissa Gray contributed to this report.
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Man accused of keeping daughter in a cellar for decades, fathering her 7 children .
Josef Fritzl, whose trial starts Monday, will plead guilty, his lawyer tells CNN .
Prosecutors: Fritzl raped his daughter over 24 years, said she had run away .
Fritzl also accused of killing one of the children he fathered with daughter .
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(CNN) -- Christopher Carlson sprang into action when smoke and embers ushered a fire that threatened to envelop his Noble, Oklahoma, home. After taking his 12-year-old stepson to safety, Carlson raced against time to assist neighbors and try to save his trailer from one of more than a dozen wildfires that, as of Saturday, had destroyed more than 120 structures. "That's what we do in Oklahoma," Carlson told CNN on Saturday from Norman. "We help each other because we are prone to tornadoes, disasters and fires." Conditions across the state remained critical, state officials said, with high temperatures and winds stoked by a cold front. The Noble fire in Cleveland County, south of Oklahoma City, affected about 7,800 acres and had destroyed 25 structures -- including homes and outbuildings -- as of Saturday, officials said. Residents Friday helped shovel dirt around Carlson's residence to protect it from flames. He checked on neighbors to ensure they were aware of the danger. Dressed in flip-flops and shorts, Carlson doused the outside of his home, which eventually lost several rooms to the fire. Carlson, who has asthma, said he suffered minor burns, smoke inhalation and respiratory failure. Fourteen fires were burning Saturday across the state, according to Michelle Finch-Walker, spokeswoman for Oklahoma Forestry Services. Gov. Mary Fallin toured Luther, where at least 56 structures were lost to a 2,600-acre fire. Resident Joe Love told CNN Oklahoma City affiliate KOCO that he stayed in his residence as long as he could. "When I left, the fire was right at my back door," said Love. "I don't know what to think right now. I'm just numb to the whole deal." A fire in Creek County, southwest of Tulsa, had mushroomed to 32,000 acres. Forty structures were reported lost. "Those numbers are going to grow," said Finch-Walker. "It is rolling. It is a big fire." Weather has been a fierce enemy . Six helicopters had been deployed, according to Jerry Lojka, spokesman for the state department of emergency management. Officials were unable to handle additional requests. "This is a repeat of yesterday," Lojka told CNN. "The fires that started to come under control last night are back to full fire." Oklahoma City tied a record of 113 degrees on Friday, and Saturday's reading was expected to be around 107. Oklahoma, like much of the nation, has been locked in an extreme drought, making fire conditions critical. Officials are urging residents to have an evacuation plan ready and to take extreme precautions outdoors, including limited outdoor grilling and not driving vehicles across bone-dry grass. "It doesn't take much to strike a blaze in these conditions," said Finch-Walker. "Once the fire gets into a highly vegetative area with a lot of trees it will create its own wind," Lojka said. Marc Austin, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Norman, said the region will see somewhat better conditions Sunday, but temperatures will stay in the low 100s next week. Rainfall for the year is 2 inches below normal, but the deficit for the summer is 6.2 inches -- meaning most of the rain fell by spring. A cold front in northwestern Oklahoma brought increased wind speeds to an area enduring sweltering temperatures. "It makes for a pretty nasty fire weather scenario," said Austin. Heat, long tours take toll on firefighters . The wildfires posed special challenges for firefighters, many of whom were getting little sleep. Supervisors were closely watching their crews in the searing, wind-fed heat. "They can only fight minutes at a time, come out to drink some water and go back in," said Capt. John Conkling of the Bristow Fire Department, which is helping combat the Creek County blaze near Freedom Hill. "Within 15 minutes your socks are squishing wet," from perspiration, he said. With winds at about 30 miles per hour and a temperature of about 107, the strategy Saturday was to protect homes, he said. "To fight this fire offensively would be dangerous." Still, homes were lost Friday and Saturday. "You want to try to help people and do the best that you can," Conkling said. "Sometimes you have to pull people back and say we can't do this because it is too dangerous." Conkling said a couple firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion. Seven firefighters suffered heat-related injuries Friday in Luther, northeast of Oklahoma City, said Lojka. One of them and a trooper were transported to a hospital for treatment. David Richardson, spokesman for the Midwest City Fire Department in suburban Oklahoma City, said many crews are using lighter-weight and specialty gear in the wildfires. "You've got to rotate those guys out," he said. "You have to look out for their safety." Regan Siler, wife of Bristow firefighter Mike Siler, said Facebook and other forms of social media are getting the word out to communities about how to help neighbors and fire victims. Residents across the affected areas also were donating snacks, water and Gatorade to fire crews. "Everybody has come together to try to help," said Regan Siler. "So many of our friends have lost their homes." CNN's Kara Devlin contributed to this report.
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NEW: Firefighters face challenges with extreme heat, winds .
Fourteen fires are burning Saturday in Oklahoma .
At least 120 structures are destroyed .
Strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures take a toll .
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Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) -- An investigation continued Monday into a helicopter crash that killed five people, including prominent Mexican businessman Moises Saba Masri, the state-run Notimex news agency said. The Sunday night crash also killed Saba's wife, their son, their son's wife and the pilot, said Mexican President Felipe Calderon, in an official statement of condolence. Fog and other inclement weather may have played a role in the accident, which occurred at 8:35 p.m., said Mexico City's civil protection secretary, Elias Moreno Brizuela. The helicopter's tail hit a house and its blades struck a tree, Moreno Brizuela said at a news conference monitored by Notimex. There were no injuries on the ground. The helicopter fell into a ravine that is about 90 feet (30 meters) deep, hindering recovery efforts, Moreno Brizuela said. Saba Masri was one of Mexico's wealthiest citizens, said to be worth billions of dollars. He was in the telecommunications business, owned construction and textile companies, was an investor in the TV Azteca network and owned two hotels in Acapulco, published reports said Monday. He was planning to build a 52-story mixed-use building in Mexico City this year.
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Helicopter crashed Sunday night into deep ravine, officials say .
Crash killed Moises Saba Masri, his wife, son and daughter-in-law, and the pilot .
Saba Masri, said to be worth billions, was planning major construction project .
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Sam Burgess scored his first try in rugby union to help Bath academy beat London Irish A 44-5 in an A League game on Monday. The 26-year-old crossed just before half time to put Bath 20-0 up by the break, and played 63 minutes in the comfortable win at the Rec. Burgess, Sportsmail's new columnist, switched codes from rugby league in October and has made four first-team appearances for Bath, mainly at centre, with his debut against Harlequins last month. Sam Burgess fends off tackles as he runs to score his first rugby union try since switching codes . Burgess nabbed his first try for Bath academy as they beat London Irish A 44-5 in an A League game . Burgess scored his first try in rugby union to help Bath beat London Irish A 44-5 in an A League game . The 26-year-old crossed just before half time to put Bath 20-0 up by the break against London Irish . 'Great turnout at the Rec tonight for the A team match. Good team win, some talented boys,' Burgess tweeted . 'Great turnout at the Rec tonight for the A team match. Good team win, some talented boys,' Burgess tweeted. Richard Lane scored a hat-trick with Horacio Agulla, Darren Atkins, Marcus Beer and Callum Waters also going over for Bath. Gary Johnston scored Irish's only points of the night after the break. Burgess has attracted attention from England coach Stuart Lancaster ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Burgess has attracted attention from England coach Stuart Lancaster ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup .
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Bath beat London Irish A 44-5 in an A League match on Monday night .
Sam Burgess got his first rugby union try since switching codes .
The 26-year-old crossed just before half time to put Bath 20-0 up .
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Tottenham will face Besiktas in the Europa League after north London rivals Arsenal relegated the Turkish club to European club football's second tier while Everton will contest a group including Wolfsburg and Lille after the draw in Monaco. The Gunners just overcame the Istanbul side over two legs in the Champions League play-offs, with Slaven Bilic's side dropping down to become top seeds in the secondary competition. Also ahead of Mauricio Pochettino's side in group C is Serbia's Partizan Belgrade and Greek side Asteras. VIDEO Scroll down for Pochettino: My philosophy is simple play football, work hard . Fired through: Tottenham's Harry Kane celebrates Spurs first goal as they qualified for the Europa League . Over to you: Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez fires in the goal that put Spurs opponents Besiktas in the Europa League . Everton, being drawn from pot three, are among one of the tournament's toughest groups after being matched against Lille, featuring on-loan Liverpool striker Divock Origi, Bundesliga side Wolfsburg and Russia's Krasnodar in group H. Scottish champions Celtic avoided meeting Legia Warsaw, the side who they controversially beat in Champions League qualifying due to a technicality, and take the second seed in Group D alongside Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb and Astra Giurgiu. Title holders Sevilla will play Standard Liege (Belgium), Feyenoord (Holland) and HNK Rijeka (Croatia). The full fixture list for the group stage was due to be finalised an hour after the draw, with matches set for September 18, October 2 and 23, November 6 and 27 and December 11. Wanted: Romelu Lukaku (right) embarks on a much-desired European campaign with Everton . Villarreal (Spain) Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany) Zurich (Switzerland) Apollon (Cyprus) FC Copenhagen (Denmark) Club Brugge (Belgium) Torino (Italy) Helsinki (Finland) TOTTENHAM . Besiktas (Turkey) Partizan (Serbia) Asteras Tripolis FC (Greece) FC Salzburg (Austria) CELTIC . Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) HJK FC Astra Giurgiu (Romania) PSV Eindhoven (Holland) Panathinaikos (Greece) Estoril Praia (Portugal) Dynamo Moscow (Russia) Inter Milan (Italy) Dnipro (Ukraine) Saint-Etienne (France) Qarabag (Azerbaijan) Sevilla (Spain, holders) Standard Liege (Belgium) Feyenoord (Holland) HNK Rijeka (Croatia) Lille (FRA) Wolfsburg (Germany) EVERTON . FC Krasnodar (Russia) Napoli (Italy) Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) BSC Young Boys (Switzerland) SK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) Steaua Bucharest (Romania) Rio Ave FC (Portugal) Aalborg BK (Denmark) Fiorentina (Italy) PAOK FC (Greece) EA Guingamp (France) Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) Trabzonspor (Turkey) GD Legia Warsaw (Poland) KSC Lokeren OV (Belgium) Champions: La Liga's Sevilla celebrate their Europa League final victory in Turin last year .
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Tottenham drawn in group C with Besiktas, Partizan Belgrade and Asteras .
Everton is in group H with Lille, Wolfsburg and Krasnodar .
Celtic face FC Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb and HJK Astra Giurgiu in group D .
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Caffeine is causing 'untimely deaths' and its 'lethality' is being underestimated, a leading expert has warned . Caffeine is so dangerous and is being consumed in such high quantities that it should now be regulated, a leading expert claims. Dr Jack James says that the stimulant is causing ‘untimely deaths’ and that its 'lethality' is being underestimated. Dr James, editor in chief of the Journal of Caffeine Research, and . head of the department of psychology at Reykjavik University, . Iceland, says he is concerned that the substance is increasingly being added to products such as energy drinks, alcoholic drinks and medicines. As a result, many of us are unwittingly consuming way more than we think - with worrying implications for our health and society as a whole. Dr James believes the risks caffeine poses to our health are so great that products that contain it should be taxed and restricted like cigarettes and alcohol. Sales to children in particular should be restricted. He says that as well as tea and coffee, caffeine is found in fizzy drinks, energy drinks, bottled water, alcoholic drinks (such as Tia Maria), cookies, chewing gum, yogurt and flavoured milk. It is also commonly found in cold and flu remedies, weight loss pills, mints, cosmetics, soaps and even tights to aid slimming. Even more worrying, he says that caffeine is also frequently used as a diluent (cutting agent) in illicit drugs. He notes that while some countries in . Europe and Scandinavia have begun to take regulatory action, including . sales restrictions and product labelling, most countries including the . UK and the U.S. have a ‘regulatory vacuum’. In his provocative editorial 'Death by Caffeine: How Many . Caffeine-related Fatalities and Near-misses Must There Be before We . Regulate?', he argues that the trend of children downing energy drinks is exacerbating the problem. He says that in order to . highlight the risks of caffeine, products should be labelled with the amount they contain and sales to children in particular should be restricted. Caffeine: Table shows a range of drinks in order of caffeine content and their relation to daily allowances . The U.S. Food and Drug administration announced last year that it . is investigating reports of five deaths being linked to Monster Energy . drinks. The company has denied any link. And in 2009, a father from Bolton said his 11-year-old son hanged himself after energy drinks . changed his behaviour. Lee Johns said his son Tyler was a . happy-go-lucky child until he started downing the drinks to make himself . feel grown up. Tyler went from thriving at school and impressing neighbours with his good . behaviour to becoming 'hyper and disruptive' in the months leading to his . death last year. A one-litre caffeine drink was lying near Tyler's body when his mother found him hanging in his bedroom. Dr James is also concerned that sporty teenagers who drink lots of caffeine are putting their hearts under a great deal of strain. He adds that although caffeine has been widely considered to be harmless, 'awareness is increasing that its consumption is associated with substantial harm, including fatalities and near-fatalities'. He says that caffeine was named as a contributing factor in 6,309 cases that the American National Poison Data System was notified of in 2011. Lethal: Dr Jack James (left) says caffeine is causing ‘untimely deaths’ . In 2009, 11-year old Tyler Johns (right) was found hanged after downing energy drinks . And the annual number of emergency room visits in the U.S. associated with energy drinks jumped 36 per cent . to 20,000 in 2011 compared to the previous year, according to a report released by the Substance Abuse & . Mental Health Services Administration. In just one year, the substance killed four people in Sweden, adds Dr James. He . says that caffeine - in the form of energy drinks - also offsets the . sedating effects of alcohol and encourages people to drink more. Furthermore, there is a 'growing body of evidence' which indicates that compared to alcohol alone, adding caffeine increases the risk of having unprotected sex, experiencing or committing sexual assault, drink driving and being violent. There is also evidence that children who drink caffeine are more likely to use alcohol, drugs and smoke in the future . There is also evidence that caffeine consumption by children may also make them more likely to use alcohol, drugs and smoke in the future. According to the Food Standards Agency, there is no recommended daily limit on caffeine because the amount people can tolerate varies hugely depending on a number of factors, such as age, weight and average caffeine consumption. A study by the government regulatory agency Health Canada concluded that . the average person can have up to 400mg of caffeine a day without . experiencing negative affect, such as anxiety or heart problems. Indeed, we can become used to caffeine over time. The only exception is for pregnant women, who are advised to consume no more than 200mg of caffeine a day, as it can have adverse effects on birth weight and pregnancy outcome. Children should have no more than 75mg. An 8oz can of Monster Energy has 92mg, while an 8oz Red Bull can has . 83mg. A bottle of Coca-Cola contains 58mg of caffeine, while a an 8oz . cup of decaf coffee has 5mg and hot chocolate has 9mg. Caffeine intoxication is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a medical condition. Symptoms include nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, stomach upset, tremors and rapid heartbeat. Two known triggers of the heart rhythm disorder supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) are caffeine and alcohol, so the risk increases if they are taken at the same time. SVTs can make your heart beat very quickly - up to 160 beats per minute. The result can be terrifying palpitations, chest pain, dizziness and feeling out of breath.
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Dr Jack James claims that the stimulant is causing ‘untimely deaths’
Says its 'lethality' is being underestimated as it's widely considered harmless .
But caffeine is now in many everyday foods, drinks, medicines and toiletries, meaning we are unwittingly consuming or exposed to more than we think .
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Since the car radio was born 85 years ago there's been one golden rule - the driver picks the music. Now that could finally be about to change, thanks to technology which reportedly splits the family saloon into four 'personal sound zones' with no need for headphones. It works by having an array of speakers - in headrests and the car roof, for example - which direct a different set of sound waves towards each 'corner' of the car. Pioneering: The rule of 'my car, my music' could finally be over - thanks to a set of headphones which can reportedly split the family saloon into four 'personal sound zones' each with noise-cancelling technology . Noise-cancelling systems, which are already common in personal headphones, then monitor unwanted background noise in each corner and add 'inverse' sound waves to cancel it out. Such technology has been a long-held dream of audio engineers across the world, and a more primitive prototype was unveiled by British researcher Dr Jordan Cheer in 2013. Dr Cheer, of the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at the University of Southampton, said his system provided two 'listening zones' - one for the front seats and one for the back. But the latest system is said to promise four zones - a major coup if so for its designer Harman, a U.S. audio firm which provides stereos to names including Audi, BMW, Fiat, Ferrari and Ford. Details of the new system are scant but it features today in the Sunday Times, where it is claimed Harman will unveil it this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Fight: Music choices prompt regular rows on road trips - though getting lost is still worse (posed by models) The effect, researchers claim, will be a car where each passenger listens to their own choice of music but can still hold a conversation over the din. The background noise could be cut by 20 decibels, equal to reducing a normal voice in conversation to a whisper. According to the Sunday Times report, the system could go into production in as little as a year - though it is so far unclear what it would cost. Phil Eyler, Harman's general manager of global automotive audio, told the newspaper: 'Today, when a navigation prompt comes on, it interrupts the music for everyone. 'Now only the driver will hear "Turn left in 100ft". The music doesn't stop for other passengers'. Based in Detroit, Michigan - the down-on-its-luck former heart of the U.S. car industry - Harman employs more than 16,000 people and made sales of £3.65billion last year. Sit down! Researchers say drivers could soon hear sat nav instructions only for their corner of the car . Its revelation could help stop arguments over music, cited by an AA survey as the eight-biggest cause of in-car fights after driving too fast and not knowing the route. Getting it in your current car might be a bit tricky, though - since the most advanced hi-fi systems can already cost upwards of £10,000. Dr Cheer presented his previous theory to a 2013 conference in Montreal, Canada. He said at the time it 'would allow, for example, the driver to listen to a navigation system while the rear passengers watched a film'. He added: 'Personal audio systems have previously been implemented in mobile devices and monitors, for example, however, the investigation of the effects of an enclosure on the generation of personal listening zones has been limited.'
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Technology is latest step in race for headphones-free personal music .
It will reportedly be unveiled at global conference in Las Vegas this week .
Speakers direct music and noise-cancelling 'inverse' waves to four areas .
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Rachel Reeves: Labour frontbencher is set for a Cabinet role if Ed Miliband wins the election in May . David Cameron yesterday distanced himself from remarks by a Conservative MP who questioned a Labour frontbencher's plan to go on maternity leave straight after the election. Rachel Reeves hopes to become Work and Pensions Secretary if Ed Miliband wins power in May, but is due to have her second baby just five weeks later. She said at the weekend that she would begin maternity leave shortly before her baby is due and stay away from work until September. That prompted Tory MP for Romford Andrew Rosindell to say: 'I don't want to say someone who is having a baby is not eligible to be a Cabinet minister, but I certainly think perhaps the demands of that particular job will require someone to give it their full attention. 'I don't expect Rachel Reeves to be in the Cabinet after the election because I expect the Conservatives to win, but clearly people need to be put in the positions they can handle.' Yesterday, however, when asked whether the Prime Minister believed a pregnant woman could serve in the Cabinet, Mr Cameron's official spokesman replied: 'Why on Earth not?' He added: 'The Prime Minister's views around maternity leave (entitlements) is that they are universal, they apply to everyone and it is entirely a matter for individual families to take the decisions that they think are right for them, and the Government's job is to support them in those decisions they take.' Despite Mr Cameron's support, Miss Reeves last night accused the Conservatives of having a 'women problem'. She wrote on Twitter: '300,000 women a year take maternity leave but @AndrewRosindell thinks can't do big job & be a mum. Tory women problem?' The election Miss Reeves, 36, hopes will propel her into the Cabinet is on May 7, and she is due to have her second child on June 15. She has said she believes she will have time before she goes on maternity leave to abolish the so-called bedroom tax – the reduction of benefits for claimants in social housing who are deemed to have more living space than they require, which ministers refer to as ending a 'spare room subsidy'. Miss Reeves said: 'I'm having a child and I shall be on maternity leave for the early weeks and months of the next government. Miss Reeves took to Twitter to hit back at criticism of the idea of taking maternity leave from the Cabinet . 'The first thing I would do is abolish the bedroom tax. That's something I can do really quickly. My baby's due in June and I want to cancel the bedroom tax before I go on maternity leave.' Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem minister for employment relations, yesterday joined the criticism of Mr Rosindell. She said: 'The suggestion that a woman should be turned down for a job because she is pregnant is clearly outrageous. 'That kind of discrimination would be illegal under employment law and is an appalling attack on the right of pregnant women to take on high-profile leadership roles in government or business. It echoes the outdated sexist view that women can't be good mothers and also good at their jobs.' David Cameron (left) distanced himself from remarks by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell who questioned whether Miss Reeves could give the job her full attention . Mr Rosindell was last night unavailable for comment. Miss Reeves, who is married to civil servant Nick Joicey, does not have a nanny or any formal childcare and relies mainly on her mother and aunt. She took five months' maternity leave from Parliament after her first child was born in March 2013. During the election campaign she is expected to be one of Labour's most prominent public faces with regular TV appearances. She has been pushed forward by Ed Miliband, becoming shadow chief secretary to the Treasury in 2011 before being promoted to shadow work and pensions secretary in 2013. But she insisted last night that she does not want to become Labour leader, telling LBC radio: 'I see the sacrifices my leader Ed Miliband makes and the toll I think it must place on family life. It's not something that I want to do.'
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Rachel Reeves hopes to be Work and Pensions Secretary if Labour wins .
But she is due to have her second baby just five weeks after the election .
Tory MP questioned whether she would be able to give job full attention .
David Cameron has distanced himself from Andrew Rosindell's comments .
Despite this Miss Reeves accused Tories of having a 'women problem'
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(CNN) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and the opposition demanded independent investigations Wednesday into countering accusations of the use of chemical weapons, allegations that prompted most members of the U.N. Security Council to call for a probe. The demands, made in writing to the United Nations, came a day after the government and the rebels accused one another of using chemical weapons in fighting in the flashpoint province of Aleppo and a rural suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus. Even as both sides accused the other of using such weapons, the U.S. ambassador to Syria and other officials said there was no evidence to substantiate the reports. "So far, we have no evidence to substantiate the reports that chemical weapons were used yesterday," Ambassador Robert Ford told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "But I want to underline that we're looking very carefully at these reports. We are consulting with partners in the region and in the international community." Ford, who was pulled from Syria when the United States closed its embassy in Damascus more than a year ago, said he was "skeptical" of Russian reports that the rebel Free Syrian Army had used chemical weapons. Competing calls for investigations . Throughout the civil war, which began in 2011, it has been difficult for the international community to determine the validity of claims by both sides of violence and casualties because access to the country has been severely restricted by the Syrian government. Even so, the United Nations confirmed Wednesday it was studying a written request received from Syrian government officials, who were calling for a neutral party to investigate their claim. A majority of the members of the U.N. Security Council plan to send a letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to request an inquiry to "shed light" over the reports, said Gerard Araud, the French ambassador to the United Nations. He made the comments after Wednesday's closed-door meeting of the Security Council. The letter asks Ban to conduct a "swift, thorough and impartial" investigation, Philip Parham, the UK's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, said. Parham described the Syrian government's demand as a request for a narrow investigation, looking into only one alleged incident. "The way in which they have framed the request prejudges the outcome of the investigation by alleging it's the opposition that is responsible for that case of use of chemical weapons," he said. The Security Council is calling for a broader investigation. The rebels' coalition government, meanwhile, demanded an international investigation and called for a delegation to visit the sites of the alleged attacks. Military analysts believe the Syrian government may have one of the largest stockpiles of chemical weapons in the world. Specifically, the supply is believed to include sarin, mustard and VX gases, which are banned under international law. Syria has denied the allegation. The use of chemical and biological weapons are banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention. Syria is not one of the 188 signatories to the convention, which bans the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. In recent months, reports have repeatedly surfaced that Syrian forces moved some of the chemical weapons inventories possibly because of deteriorating security in the country, raising fears the stockpile could fall into the hands of al Qaeda-linked groups working with the opposition should al-Assad's government fall. As a result, the United States has been talking with neighboring countries about the steps needed to secure the weapons stockpile should al-Assad be forced from office. Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday reiterated his warning to Syria's government that it would be held accountable for the use of chemical weapons "or their transfer to terrorists." "We intend to investigate thoroughly exactly what happened," Obama told reporters during a joint news conference in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The president said he was "deeply skeptical" of Syrian government claims that the opposition used chemical weapons. Obama has previously said Syria's use of chemical weapons would cross a "red line." "We have been very clear to the Assad regime -- but also to other players on the ground -- that a red line for us is, we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized," he told reporters. "That would change my calculus; that would change my equation." Intelligence agencies pore over the evidence . Intelligence officials around the world were investigating the accusations, U.S. officials told CNN on Wednesday. Investigators were talking to rebels and defectors, poring over medical intelligence regarding symptoms reported by doctors and looking at satellite imagery used to track missiles launched and chemical weapons movements, the officials said on condition of anonymity. They were not authorized to release details to the media. A spokesman for Netanyahu, Mark Regev, told CNN that Israeli officials had no confirmation that chemical weapons had been used. But Regev's comments did not square with those of Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. "It is clear for us here in Israel" that chemical weapons have been used in Syria, and an international response should be on the table, Livni told CNN in an exclusive interview from her home in Tel Aviv. Livni wouldn't say whether there is evidence the Syrian government has directed the use of any chemical weapons. But she said the development would pose a direct threat to Israel, which shares a border with Syria. Their concerns centered on an attack Tuesday in Khan al-Asal in the northern province of Aleppo. State-run media blamed rebels for the attack, which it said killed 25 people and injured more than 110 others. Rebels say they have no chemical weapons . On Wednesday, Syria's U.N. ambassador, Bashar Ja'afari, said the Syrian government has asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to open an investigation into the alleged use of chemical weapons by "terrorist groups," which is how the government refers to rebels. But the opposition Free Syrian Army said rebels don't have access to chemical weapons and blamed the casualties on a government missile. Separately, an opposition group said the government attacked the rural Damascus suburb of Ateibeh with "chemical rockets," causing an unspecified number of deaths along with cases of suffocation, nausea and hysteria. There was no immediate government response. The reports ignited a firestorm of reactions, with Russia slamming the rebels and some U.S. lawmakers saying that Washington might need to take action against the Syrian government. Observers: Images are not consistent with a chemical weapons attack . But images posted by Syrian state-run media of the aftermath of the Aleppo incident, which the government blamed on rebels, are not consistent with a chemical weapon attack, some observers said. "There are no images of the site of the attack; just of some affected people. These people do not show outward symptoms of a CW (chemical weapon) attack. Definitely not mustard; definitely not a nerve agent," wrote Jean Pascal Zanders, senior research fellow at the European Union Institute for Security Studies. "There are far too many people, including non-medical staff, around the affected persons. Apart from a surgical mask, nobody wears any protective garment or gas masks. If there would have been a CW attack with one of the agents known (or believed) to be in Syria's arsenal, then most of the people present would have been fatally or seriously contaminated." He added that, during the Arab uprisings, witness reports cited chemical attacks, but none had been confirmed. "People are exposed to a wide range of toxicants in today's battlefield," he said in an e-mail. "Furthermore, once a rumor gets around, people are more likely to think that they suffer from symptoms similar to the ones being rumored." Q&A: What's Syria's chemical weapon potential, and what are the health risks? Not the first round of claims . U.S. officials pointed to previous claims that the Syrian government used chemical weapons, which were found to be false after extensive investigation. The Syrian government did not use chemical weapons against residents of Homs in a December attack, a U.S. State Department investigation showed, but did apparently misuse a riot-control gas in the incident, according to senior U.S. officials. The officials said the State Department launched a probe from its consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, after reports from doctors and activists that dozens of people suffered nervous system, respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments after inhaling the gas in Homs on December 23. The civil war -- which began two years ago after a government crackdown on Syrian protesters -- has left around 70,000 people dead and uprooted more than 1 million others, the United Nations has said. CNN's Tom Watkins, Saad Abedine, Jessica Yellin, Nick Paton Walsh, Jake Tapper and Elise Labott contributed to this report.
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NEW: The Security Council asks Ban Ki-moon for a "swift, thorough and impartial" investigation .
U.N. Security Council calls for investigation to "shed light" on chemical weapons claims .
"We have no evidence" to prove chemical weapons use, U.S. ambassador to Syria says .
Medical evidence and satellite imagery are a focus of chemical weapons inquiry, sources say .
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Apple reportedly paid as little as $83 million tax in Australia last year despite racking up more than $6 billion through sales of its products - a tax bill which works out to just 0.01 per cent of the massive revenue. In figures provided by the global giant's Australian arm to the nation's corporate watchdog, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, Apple shows its tax bill for the year ending September 27 has doubled from the previous 12 months. The revelations come as the Federal Government prepares to crack down on corporates' profits and prices. But Apple Australia, which has upwards of 3000 employees, told Daily Mail Australia only that 'we don't release details of what (tax) we pay but we are paying all taxes which are due' but would not be making any other comment on the controversy. Scroll down for video . Apple Australia has reportedly paid as little as $83 million tax in Australia despite racking up more than $6 billion through sales of its products - which works out to just 0.01 per cent of the massive revenue . The revelations about Apple Australia's tax bill, come as the Federal Government prepares to crack down on corporates' profits and prices . However, DMA understands that the tech giant will defend itself against any suggestions it's minimising tax - by pointing to miscalculations by its critics of the Income Tax Expense included in its report to ASIC. That is a complex equation, which includes the amount of expense a business recognises in an accounting period for the government tax related to its taxable profit . It comes as the Australian Tax Office is reportedly set to undertake audits against local companies and major multinational corporations in an ongoing probe into profit shifting, a list which is believed to include up to 25 international technology groups. And according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Apple is likely to be one of the organisations to be called before a Senate inquiry into corporate tax avoidance. Daily Mail Australia understands that the tech giant will defend itself against any suggestions it's minimising tax - by pointing to miscalculations by critics of the Income Tax Expense included in its report to ASIC . Apple Australia says 'we don't release details of what (tax) we pay but we are paying all taxes which are due' Meantime, Labor MP Ed Husic is a member of a parliamentary inquiry investigating alleged price gouging by tech companies, hit out at the results in an interview with the Australian Financial Review. 'It’s simply staggering to see Apple make more money but manage to pay less tax in Australia,' he said. 'When you consider the massive overcharging that has occurred with some of their products, it seems both Australian consumers and taxpayers are shouldering a heavy load to fund Apple’s bottom line.' Dr Antony Ting from the University of Sydney Business School says that 'roughly almost 40 per cent of what we pay for an Apple product in Australia is never taxed anywhere in the world' Dr Antony Ting is the University of Sydney Business School senior lecturer in Taxation Law. He explained the system Apple uses as part of its global tax structure, to minimise tax. 'Imagine if I pay $600 for an iPad in Australia, $550 is paid to Apple Ireland - that means very little profit is left to be taxed in Australia,' Dr Ting said . 'To make it worse, out of the $550 paid to Ireland, $220 is never taxed anywhere in the world. 'In other words, roughly almost 40 per cent of what we pay for an Apple product in Australia is never taxed anywhere in the world. 'One important point to note is that Apple's tax structure is perfectly legal. 'That means we need a serious re-think of the international tax rules for the taxation of company groups.' One Australian tax expert says 'imagine if I pay $600 for an iPad in Australia, $550 is paid to Apple Ireland - that means very little profit is left to be taxed in Australia' Apple Inc. has recorded staggering results, including revenue of US$74 billion in the last three months of 2014, selling about 34,000 iPhones every hour . Globally, Apple Inc. has recorded staggering results, including revenue of US$74 billion in the last three months of 2014 - generating profit of $18 billion on the back of the new iPhone's popularity. 'Demand for iPhone has been staggering, shattering out high expectations,' said Apple CEO Tim Cook. 'This volume is hard to comprehend. 'We sold about 34,000 iPhones every hour, 24/7 for the entire quarter. 'We have sold over a billion devices running iOS.' He also confirmed the firm's plan for Apple Watch were on track. 'Development for Apple watch is right on schedule, and we intend to begin shipping in April,' he said. 'We can't wait for customers to experience it. 'My expectations are very high, I use it every day, love it and can't live without it.'
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Apple Australia reportedly paid $83 million in tax last year as its revenue comes in at a whopping $6 billion .
That is just 0.01 per cent tax on sales of popular products like the iPhone .
Tech giant disputes the accuracy of the numbers and says 'we are paying all taxes which are due'
The political focus has turned to 'profit shifting' of super tech companies .
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By . Simon Tomlinson . UPDATED: . 03:04 EST, 3 November 2011 . A bizarre pre-historic mammal that looked just like the fictional sabre-toothed squirrel in the Ice Age movies has been unearthed in South America. The primitive mouse-sized creature lived among the dinosaurs up to 100million years ago and sported a snout, very long teeth and large eyes - just like popular animated character Scrat. Its discovery in Argentina bridges a gap of about 60million years in the mammalian fossil record on the continent and provides an insight into a largely unexplored period. Exceptional discovery: An artist's impression of the prehistoric mammal that resembles a type of sabre-tooth squirrel that was found in Argentina. The fossil remains reveal previously unknown dental and cranial features . It was a palaeontologist, Dr Guillermo Rougier, of Louisville University, Kentucky, who said the species - named Cronopio dentiacutus after its sharp teeth - bears a striking resemblance to Scrat . The animal, identified after skulls and jaws were dug up, was a dryolestoid - a group of extinct mammals that led to a large and diverse variety of animals including kangaroos, elephants and even humans. They are known mainly from teeth and jaws found in the US and Europe, although they also thrived in South America where their lack of remains has made it hard to study their origin and early diversification. Bizarre: The newly discovered species bears more than a passing resemblance to Scrat, the sabre-toothed squirrel from the Ice Age movies . Palaeontologist Dr Guillermo Rougier, . of Louisville University, Kentucky, said the species - named Cronopio . dentiacutus after its sharp teeth - bears a striking resemblance to . Scrat in the Ice Age films. The . remains, described in the journal Nature, included two partial skulls . and jaws showing previously unknown dental and cranial features such as . single-rooted molars preceded by double-rooted pre-molars. Ice Age tells the story of a human infant who is found by a group of animals that includes a woolly mammoth, a sabre-toothed tiger, and a pair of giant sloths and tries to reunite him with his parents . These . were combined with a very long muzzle, exceedingly long teeth and . evidence of highly specialised jaws. They were found in the Patagonian . province of Rio Negro in Argentina. Dr Rougier said: 'Dryolestoids are an extinct mammalian group belonging to the lineage leading to modern marsupials and placentals.' In the Ice Age films, Scrat was intent on hiding his acorn and keeping it from predators and forms part of a mismatched gang of animals who take it on themselves to return a human infant to its tribe before the cold weather sets in. Dr Christian de Muizon, of the National History Museum in Paris who reviewed the paper for the journal, said the fossils were 'remarkably complete'. He said: 'Mammalian remains from the age of the dinosaurs - the Mesozoic era, from 250million years to 65million years ago - are rare. 'Ten times fewer mammalian genera have been identified from the Mesozoic than from the age of mammals that followed it - the Cenozoic era, from roughly 65.5million years ago to the present - even though the Cenozoic has lasted less than half the time. 'Furthermore, Mesozoic mammals are most often known from isolated teeth or partial jaws; complete skulls and/or skeletons are exceptional.'
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Mouse-sized creature found in Argentina scurried among dinosaurs 100million years ago .
Remains of two partial skulls and jaws show previously unknown dental and cranial features .
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(CNN) -- Two people were killed and 21 others were injured Wednesday when a tour bus went out of control and overturned on a freeway outside Austin, Minnesota, state authorities said. The bus, which was carrying senior citizens, overturned on Interstate 90 about three miles west of Austin, landing in a ditch off the right side of the roadway. At least 10 ambulances and several medical helicopters were called to the scene. "All 23 people on board were either injured or killed," said Andy Skoogman, spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Weather conditions were good when the bus, headed east, crossed the highway median, crossed over westbound lanes and overturned, Skoogman said. Watch video of tour bus crash site . The cause of the accident was not immediately known, he said. Investigators talked with some passengers, he said, but had not yet talked with the driver. CNN affiliate KAAL reported the bus was returning to Rochester, Minnesota, from a trip to a casino in Northwood, Iowa.
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Bus carrying senior citizens returning from casino trip in Iowa overturns in Minnesota .
Minnesota official: "All 23 people on board were either injured or killed"
At least 10 ambulances, several medical helicopters rush to the scene .
Weather conditions were good when the bus lost control on Interstate 90 near Austin .
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(CNN Student News) -- September 9, 2011 . Download PDF map related to today's show: . • New York City; Shanksville, Pennsylvania; Arlington, Virginia . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published.
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The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program .
Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News .
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f6892aea67442159a6266ab31c519e5f58f20b86
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Belgrade, Serbia (CNN) -- After more than 15 years in hiding, onetime Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic was in a Belgrade jail Friday to face charges that he presided over Europe's worst massacre since World War II. Mladic was the highest-ranking fugitive to remain at large after the conflicts that accompanied the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. His arrest followed a three-year investigation, President Boris Tadic announced in a dramatic news conference Thursday morning. Tadic told CNN's "Connect the World" that he expected Mladic to be transferred to the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia "within seven days." He said Serbian authorities are still investigating who aided Mladic during his decade and a half on the run, but he called allegations that the country's military sheltered him "rubbish." Notorious Hutu militia leader captured . "At the end of the day, he was protected by a very small group of people from his family," Tadic said. He acknowledged that Mladic may have been aided by military officers early on, "but at the end of that process, I don't believe that," Tadic said. Mladic's lawyer, Milos Saljic, said Mladic's hearing was halted and rescheduled for Friday when he could not address the judge "because of his physical and psychological condition." Saljic called the ex-general "a ruin of a man" who has suffered two heart attacks and three strokes since 1996. "He is no longer the monumental personality he used to be," Saljic said. He said doctors would evaluate whether Mladic is fit to return to court on Friday. Hundreds of riot police patrolled central Belgrade as the 69-year-old Mladic made his initial appearance on war crimes charges in a special Belgrade court. One squad chased away a crowd of 100 to 200 people, including one man who waved a Serbian flag, but they were far outnumbered by other people eating dinner or otherwise enjoying a warm spring night. The former Yugoslav army officer was the commanding general of Bosnian Serb forces during the 1992-95 war that followed Bosnia-Herzegovina's secession from Yugoslavia. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has charged him with leading a genocidal campaign against Bosnia's Muslim and Croat populations, including "direct involvement" in the 1995 killings of nearly 8,000 men and boys in the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica -- the worst European massacre since the Holocaust. However, Mladic remains a hero to some Serbs, and small outbursts of anger were seend in Belgrade late Thursday. A passenger in a speeding car hurled a full beer can at a Serbian television truck, while another driver shouted, "I like Ratko Mladic" and an obscenity as he passed the courthouse. After midnight, three men stood beneath the building, clapping and chanting Mladic's name. "That man fought for us, for my father and mother," 28-year-old Goran Stijela told CNN. One of his companions, Midorag Rodjenkov, called Mladic "a martyr for Christ." Mladic was transferred from Lazarevo, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Belgrade, earlier Thursday. In a statement issued after the arrest, the tribunal said it looked forward to his "expeditious transfer" to its custody in The Hague, Netherlands, for trial. Once there, he will be allowed to enter a plea to the charges against him, which include genocide, crimes against humanity and violating the laws of war, the court said. "The arrest of Mladic is a milestone in the Tribunal's history and brings the institution closer to the successful completion of its mandate," the tribunal said. The sole remaining fugitive from the court is former Croatian Serb leader Goran Hadzic, "and the Tribunal hopes he will be arrested in the very near future." Mladic is accused of leading a campaign of "ethnic cleansing," widespread killing, forcible deportations, torture, forced labor and physical, psychological and sexual violence during the Bosnian war. The international police agency Interpol praised the arrest as "a triumph for international justice." Interpol officials had met with Tadic in January to discuss closer cooperation in the hunt for war crimes suspects, the organization's secretary-general, Ronald Noble, said in a statement on Mladic's capture. "After today's arrest, no one should doubt Serbia's commitment to the rule of law and justice," Noble said. Tadic said the arrest will help the process of reconciliation throughout the Balkans and should pave the way for Serbia's entry into the European Union. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton hailed the arrest as a victory for "the rule of law in Serbia" and praised Tadic and his government for "this courageous action." Mladic had been on the run since the Bosnian war ended in 1995. The Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List was the first to report his arrest, saying police were doing DNA tests on a suspect to determine whether he was the notorious former commander. Mladic was the last fugitive from a triumvirate of Serbian leaders accused of genocide against Muslims and Croats as the three populations fought a brutal war over Yugoslav territory. Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was toppled in 2000 and sent to face charges in The Hague, but he died in 2006 while the trial was still going on. Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was arrested in July 2008 and is now on trial in The Hague. Karadzic was removed from power under the Dayton Peace accords that ended the Bosnian war. He went into hiding, grew a full white beard and long hair, and was working in an alternative medicine clinic in Belgrade -- right under the noses of authorities -- when he was captured. Karadzic has insisted on defending himself at The Hague. Prosecutors accuse him of deliberately obstructing the trial with delaying tactics, and judges have threatened to impose a defense lawyer on him if he does not cooperate. The Bosnian war was the longest of the conflicts spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Backed by the Milosevic government, Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations. The United Nations declared Srebrenica to be a safe haven, and tens of thousands of Bosnian Muslims flooded in, expecting protection. But a small contingent of Dutch U.N. peacekeepers, lightly armed and aware that no reinforcements were coming, stood aside and allowed Mladic's troops to overrun Srebrenica, leading to the slaughter. NATO intervened in the conflict, bombing Bosnian Serb military positions. The United States brought the leaders of the warring factions to an agreement in Dayton, Ohio, in 1995, bringing the violence to an end. CNN's Ivan Watson, Richard Allen Greene, Joe Sterling, Moni Basu and Lateef Mungin contributed to this report.
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NEW: Mladic is "a ruin of a man," his attorney says .
NEW: A few supporters praise Mladic outside the courthouse .
Mladic was wanted on charges of genocide, extermination and murder .
Serbia's president says he expects extradition within a week .
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By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 12:40 EST, 15 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:49 EST, 15 November 2012 . Hate preacher Abu Qatada is to be given a new home at the taxpayers' expense, it emerged today. The 52-year-old Jordanian that the Government has tried and failed to deport has asked to be rehoused. His lawyers confirmed that his request has been granted. He and his family will continue to live on state benefits in their new home. New home: Abu Qatada (left) pictured on his return to Wembley, north London. Now it has been revealed he will be rehoused . The announcement comes just two days after the Special Immigration Appeals Commission upheld his appeal against deportation. He was released from prison on Tuesday on restrictive bail conditions - which include him being fitted with a GPS satellite tag to provide police and security officials with precise details of his movements. Home Secretary Theresa May has said the Government will appeal against the decision to let him stay - which caused outrage across Britain. Now, to add further anger, he and his family will shortly move from their current North London home to a secret address - all at public expense. In a statement, Edward Fitzgerald QC said: 'The family are going to relocate and therefore Mr Qatada would accept the Home Office-approved accommodation.' He refused to say whereabouts in the country Qatada will be living but he confirmed that the cleric and his family had asked to be relocated. Terror suspect: Abu Qatada (pictured in April) has won his appeal against deportation to Jordan to face trial. Now the taxpayer will have to pay for surveillance at £5m a year . Front-door: Abu Qatada returned home this week after his second period of time in prison. Housing benefit is understood to cover his current rent of £1,900 a month . Protesters at Abu Qatada's home holding a message for him . The surveillance operations to keep him under constant observation has been costing £5million a year and is set to continue indefinitely. The money pays for a team of 60 Scotland Yard officers, some MI5 officers and a private security firm. Qatada moved to his current £400,000 address near Wembley, north west London, in February. He returned there this week after his second period of time in prison. Housing benefit is understood to cover his current rent of £1,900 a month. 'It is outrageous that he and his family . are living here at public expense when the rest of us have to go out and . work for a living.' A neighbour . The family's desire to be moved follows noisy demonstrations that have been staged outside his house by protestors. The demonstrators shouted 'Qatada out' and carried banners demanding his deportation when he arrived back on Tuesday. Neighbours in Wembley were delighted to hear that the preacher is moving away. One said: 'We are pleased he is leaving the street, although we would be even more happy if he was leaving the country altogether. 'It is outrageous that he and his family are living here at public expense when the rest of us have to go out and work for a living.' A second neighbour said: 'I am glad that he is going. He is nothing but a burden on neighbours. I will be happy if he goes.' Prime Minister David Cameron said this week that he was 'completely fed up that this man is still at large in our country'. David Anderson QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism laws, has warned it could be 'years' before the case is concluded.
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His family will move from their current London home to a secret address .
It follows noisy demonstrations staged outside his house by protestors .
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Manchester United’s lavish spending has not finished. In January another £50million has been allocated to sign more players in the wake of this summer’s £150m-plus spending spree which culminated in the signing of Radamel Falcao. Arturo Vidal, Mats Hummels and Sami Khedira remain top targets. Juan Mata will be sold in January to accommodate a second wave of rebuilding under manager Louis van Gaal. VIDEO Scroll down to watch transfer targets Vidal and Cleverley showing their quality . Next time: Manchester United are still on the hunt for Arturo Vidal (pictured) On the move: United will look to sell Juan Mata as Louis van Gaal continues his rebuilding process . Atletico Madrid, Roma and Juventus are in the market for the mercurial Spaniard, who was signed last January from Chelsea for £37m. United would accept a sale in the region of £20m. It is said don’t judge a book by its cover. But the weird front image of a new biography about Bobby Moore suggests otherwise. I can’t think of a worse, more unflattering picture I have ever seen of Bobby Moore who remains England’s only World Cup-winning captain and who was an inspiration to a generation. The image makes England’s original golden boy look more like an east London gangster of the Sixties than an icon of whom Pele said was the best, and most handsome, English footballer he had ever seen or played against. Maybe though that was the point: to depict Moore as an enigma rather than an icon of his time. Controversial: A new biography of Bobby Moore (left) features an unusual image of the football icon . Mon: On transfer deadline day Man Utd seal the signing of Radamel Falcao on a loan deal. A few days earlier United had no interest or involvement in signing the Colombian from Monaco. Tue: The transfer window is briefly re-opened to accommodate United offloading Tom Cleverley to Aston Villa. Seems like big club caveats to me. Wed: James Milner sums up England's dire 1-0 win over Norway with such a bad pass that would have made Geoff Thomas flinch. Thur: England boss Roy Hodgson gets angry with a press pack that have not only supported him but given him an easy ride. I feel he’s had a crack at two tournaments so should go especially now that he is blaming everyone but himself for England banality. Fri: A book is launched aimed at tarnishing the reputation of Bobby Moore. Libero . The formation of the Elite Development League which has taken the place of reserve football has been hailed as a way of improving the standard of young players coming through. It is essentially an Under 21 team but can accommodate three over age players usually if they are coming back from injury. Last Monday I went to watch Charlton host Leeds at their training ground in Eltham. I have to say I was underwhelmed. There is a lot of talk about how more sophisticated training techniques and tactics under coaches with an attache case full of badges and iPad presentations is improving the game. But there was little evidence of that. Sadly I came away with the distinct impression that players are being drilled like robots and constrained with the parameters of whatever the latest fad formation happens to be. 4-3-3 morphing into 4-5-1 has become popular over the last couple of seasons and both Charlton and Leeds played that way. They both set out to pass the ball out from the back bit more often than not when a route was closed down the ball went back then forward with a long hopeful ball. The main reason? Not one player on either side was prepared to dribble past an opponent or two thus opening up the game and allowing a passing cycle to continue and set up a chance. And while both teams had wide men none were wingers in the conventional sense. And it doesn’t matter how many times someone re-writes the coaching manual; wingers with pace, tricky and good crossing change games to break through two sets of back four who able to rely on physical and rugged defending in a match Leeds eventually won 1-0. The other problem is that the formations were too rigid. People make the mistake that 4-4-2, for the time being outdated, has been the root of the problem for English football especially at international level. It hasn’t per se. The problem has been that too many teams, especially England, play a far too rigid 4-4-2, with the flat lines. When the lines are blurred, when there is flexibility 4-4-2 can be as fluid as many formation. Coaches have got to start giving players freedom of expression and conscious of doing the right thing and staying in their zone but even at this level and at most clubs there is pressure to get results. So actually it seems there is more emphasis on success rather than development than there was in the days when the stepping stone to the first team was the reserves. Talent: Oscar Borg (above) has failed to secure a move to Manchester United . I am hearing . One of the country’s best young players, Oscar Borg, has failed to secure a move to Manchester United because of complications over a compensation fee from parent club West Ham, with whom he has been with since the age of 10. Left back Borg, 16, is also wanted by Aston Villa but as it stands the potential 'new Luke Shaw' is ready to commit himself to the Hammers for the next two years. But Borg has been contacted by the Turkish FA (his grandmother was born in Istanbul) about declaring his nation allegiance to them and has also has offers from Galatasaray and Beskitas. I am also hearing . It is now being reported that Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to re-join Manchester United next summer. Regular readers of this column will know Football Grapevine revealed last summer how close Ronaldo was to going back to United. After long discussions Ronaldo’s advisors decided it was best to get a new mega-deal with Madrid. Going back? Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured) could be ready to re-join Manchester United . But come next summer Ronaldo could be swayed by Man United’s new 'Galactico' recruiting policy. The key could be Falcao moving on from his loan with United to Madrid, whom he wanted to join last week. In that respect such a deal would happen if super agent Jorge Mendes wants it to happen. Mendes currently represents Ronaldo and Falcao. It is understood that Mendez and his company earned nearly 5m euros for the deal that took Falcao to United, the player having been touted about to PSG, Arsenal Manchester City and Liverpool. Bid spender: United manager Louis van Gaal (above) is looking to spend more transfer cash in January . Big money: The Real Madrid winger (right) could be swayed by Van Gaal's new 'Galactico' recruiting policy . Back Heel . In a fortnight it will be ten years since Brian Clough died. It was no secret that in latter years of his managerial career that an alcohol problem affected his life. Sometimes it made Clough hard work for those around him. But those of who grew up watching football in the Seventies will never forget the two wonderful football sides he nurtured organically at Derby and Nottingham Forest. A club like Forest winning two European Cups with a cavalier style of football? Icon: It's hard to disagree with those that say Brian Clough was the best manager England never had . You didn’t have to be a Forest fan to cheer them on and be enthralled by how they played. And how for so long Clough’s inspiration kept Forest punching way above their weight even when financial muscle started to control who could win titles and cups. Then of course there were Clough’s outspoken tirades. I still feel had Clough not Don Revie succeeded Sir Alf Ramsey, Clough would have got the best out of mercurial players such as Alan Hudson, Tony Currie, or Stan Bowles, and a bit later Glenn Hoddle and Laurie Cunningham, and maybe won (or at least qualified for!) the 1978 or 1982 World Cup. It’s often said that Brian Clough was the best manager England never had. It’s hard to disagree. RIP MR Clough. BTW . Isn’t it funny how so many people are now lamenting the fact that the England team doesn’t have the option of a 'young' Frank Lampard and Steve Gerrard playing in tandem. Three Lions: Are England missing Steven Gerrard (left) and Frank Lampard (right)? Y Factor . If you are wondering why England’s match against Switzerland is on a Monday night it's because it is part of UEFA’s money orientated plan to spread Euro qualifiers over the weekend to pocket more TV revenue. But as it stands more and more people are losing the appetite to watch England and I can’t see a Monday night slot helping. Let's see. Why not in future just give the captain’s armband to the player who has the most caps at the start of the game? As it stands that is Rooney. But from now on the position should be a symbol of seniority. Not some sort of sinecure. I-Bet . England are 2-1 to beat Switzerland. I think it will be a 1-1 draw which is 5-1. Coral offer 33-1 for Gary Cahill to be top scorer.
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Manchester United target January spending spree .
Juan Mata set to be sold as Louis van Gaal eyes Arturo Vidal, Mats Hummels and Sami Khedira .
Cristiano Ronaldo could also return to Old Trafford next summer .
I was underwhelmed by football in the Elite Development League .
Talented youngster Oscar Borg is ready to commit his future to West Ham after Man United move falls through .
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Nine- year-old Jack Bristow is thought to be one of the youngest men in the world to be diagnosed with testicular cancer . A boy of nine has been diagnosed with testicular cancer – making him what is believed to be the youngest sufferer in the world. Jack Bristow has had to have his right testicle removed and has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy, causing his hair to fall out. The diagnosis came after the youngster’s right testicle began to swell in September last year when he took a blow to his groin while playing football at school. Doctors said it was likely to be inflammation and he was prescribed ibuprofen to decrease the swelling. Just weeks later he took another knock to his groin when playing at school and was taken to Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital. It was probably this blow that saved his life. Doctors found his right testicle was significantly larger than his left. His parents were told he could have a torsion of the testicle – in which a cord becomes twisted and cuts off its blood supply – or it may be dead and could need to be removed. After doctors concluded it was neither of those, a biopsy was taken and it showed there were abnormal cells. Jack was then transferred to Southampton General Hospital where doctors found he had seminoma, a testicular cancer germ cell tumour. Medics told the family that Jack was probably the youngest in the UK, and the world, to be diagnosed with the disease. In the weeks since the diagnosis in December, Jack has had his right testicle removed and had two cycles of chemotherapy. He has also had testicular tubing removed and has had biopsies, ultrasounds and countless blood tests. Jack, pictured with his parents Joanne and Dan, was diagnosed in December after visiting doctors complaining of a swollen right testicle. He has since had his testicle removed and has faced two rounds of chemotherapy, causing his hair to fall out. His father, in a show of solidarity, has shaved his head . Jack and his family are raising money for the hospital ward where he was treated. Doctors told his parents the cancer is 'treatable', giving them hope . His mother, Joanne, 29, of Basingstoke in Hampshire, said: ‘I can’t even begin to describe how we felt. I thought I had felt heartache before but that nearly killed me. Jack is taking it all a whole lot better than we thought he would – it’s probably affected us more than him.’ Father Dan, 32, added: ‘The doctors think he is the youngest to have it but said it is one of the most treatable types of cancer so it fills you with hope. 'It is thanks to those kicks that we found out he had cancer. If that had not happened we would never have known – it helped save his life.’ Cancer of the testicles most commonly affects men aged 15 to 45, with around 2,200 cases diagnosed each year. Around 47 per cent of men diagnosed with the disease will be under 35 years old. Despite it being a relatively rare form of cancer, it is one of the more treatable. If caught at an early stage, men can expect a high cure rate with 98 per cent of sufferers disease-free a year after treatment. If caught at any stage, 96 per cent of men will still be alive 10 years after their treatment. Unlike many cancers, there are few known risk factors for testicular cancer. Men born with an undescended testicle, are at a slightly greater risk. Around 10 per cent of sufferers will have a history of this condition. Having a brother or father affected by testicular cancer can also increase a man's risk. Some research has suggested the disease is slightly more common in men with fertility problems and men with HIV are more likely to develop testicular cancer. Signs and symptoms include: . Source: Orchid, Fighting Male Cancer . His parents have been told that the treatment has a 95 per cent success rate. Jack said: ‘It doesn’t really feel like I have cancer. 'Sometimes it’s really painful but sometimes it’s okay. I’m not a fan of needles though. My friends have all been really supportive.’ Dr Alan Worsley, of Cancer Research UK, said: ‘Only a handful of children are diagnosed each year in the UK with testicular cancer. The good news is that, thanks to research into better treatments, most patients diagnosed with testicular cancer survive.’ The family, which also includes his seven-year-old brother Alfie, are now fundraising for the Piam Brown Children’s ward at Southampton General Hospital, where Jack goes for treatment.
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Jack Bristow went to see doctors with a swollen testicle in September .
Thought to be inflammation after he suffered groin injury playing football .
But after second injury he went to hospital and doctors found his right testicle was significantly larger than his left .
Tests revealed he had seminomas - a testicular cancer germ cell tumour .
Doctors told his parents he is one of youngest sufferers in UK and world .
Has now had right testicle removed and two rounds of chemotherapy .
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England's Andy Sullivan won his first European Tour title on Sunday after home favourite Charl Schwartzel suffered a dramatic collapse in the South African Open. Schwartzel took a five-shot lead into the final round at Glendower Golf Club in his native Johannesburg and, despite an error-strewn display, still led by four with five holes to play. However, the former Masters champion then failed to get up and down from a plugged lie in a greenside bunker on the 14th and three-putted the 16th to run up a double-bogey six, before a dreadful tee shot on the 17th led to another bogey and left him tied with Sullivan on 11 under par. Andy Sullivan celebrates on the 18th hole after his winning putt in the sudden-death play-off . Sullivan (left) is presented with the South African Open trophy by Monid Gungabele, Mayor of Ekurhuleni . The players returned to the 18th for a sudden-death play-off and, after both had missed the fairway, Sullivan produced a stunning recovery from the trees and holed from 10 feet for a winning birdie. Sullivan, who held a one-shot lead at the halfway stage but bogeyed the first four holes as playing partner Schwartzel birdied them, started the day seven shots off the lead but carded four birdies, an eagle and one bogey in a closing 67. The 27-year-old from Nuneaton perhaps thought his chance had gone when he left a long birdie putt on the 18th a few inches short, but Schwartzel's shaky finish led to a 74 and ensured extra holes were required. Sullivan (left) and Charl Schwartzel ponder their next moves in the third round at the Glendower Golf Club . 'It's unbelievable,' Sullivan said during the trophy presentation. 'After Saturday I didn't think I stood much of a chance with Charl getting ahead that far. 'I just dug in there yesterday and today and found myself in a position where I had a chance to win. My caddie said over the last few holes 'no regrets' and I've definitely got no regrets over the last few holes, especially that play-off hole. 'Charl has won major championships, my caddie said expect him to hole (his third shot) and he nearly did. I was delighted just to hit the green and have a chance to win and I'm just glad I took it. 'I didn't want to give him a second chance to take the title away from me so I am absolutely delighted and I hope the guys at Nuneaton Golf Club are having a few beers for me! Sullivan produced a stunning recovery from the trees and holed from 10 feet for a winning birdie . 'To just play on the European Tour is something I've wanted to do my whole life, so to win an event just caps it all off and to do it in South Africa where I have always enjoyed playing, it has just been an incredible week.' England's Lee Slattery carded a closing 69 to finish third, just one shot outside the play-off, with Spain's Pablo Martin another shot back in fourth after also recording a 69. Former US Amateur champion Matt Fitzpatrick had been the first player to put the pressure on playing partner Schwartzel with birdies at the second and fourth, but the 20-year-old from Sheffield double-bogeyed the seventh and ran up a triple bogey on the 13th to finish joint fifth.
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Favourite Charl Schwartzel suffered a dramatic collapse on the final day .
Schwartzel took a five-shot lead into the final round .
But the South African suffered a nightmare outing that left him tied Sullivan on 11 under par .
Sullivan started the day seven shots off the lead .
The players returned to the 18th for a sudden-death play-off .
Sullivan holed from 10 feet for a winning birdie .
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A single mum successfully juggles the contrasting worlds of caring for her daughter and writing gay erotic fiction. Not only did Toni Griffin hate English when she was at school but she had never even considered writing a book until an idea popped into her head on the way to pick up her daughter from school about five years ago. An avid reader, the Darwin resident went home and instead of picking up a book, she opened her laptop to see if she was capable of writing a book which was when her love of writing gay erotic fiction was born. Single mum Toni Griffin (left) successfully juggles the contrasting worlds of caring for her daughter, Adara (right) and writing gay erotic fiction . Not only did Griffin hate English when she was at school but she had never even considered writing a book until an idea popped into her head on the way to pick up her daughter from school about five years ago . The 32-year-old, who released her 20th book on Valentines day, has always been into reading straight erotic fiction and one day decided to give gay erotic fiction a go. 'I really enjoyed the story and have never looked back since,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Surprisingly, many women feel the same way as at least two thirds of Griffin's fan base are in fact females. 'I find it difficult to explain what the attraction is - it's just something that is for me,' she said. 'Maybe it's the naughty aspect or just being able to escape the pressure of their lives into a little fantasy world.' Griffin makes a point of keeping her career as separate as possible from her 11-year-old daughter, Adara. 'I like to spend as much time as I can possibly can with her so when she goes to bed - the laptop comes out,' she said. 'She knows she isn't allowed to read them until she is 18 but I'm not sure she knows the full extent of the content in the books. 'So she doesn't really ask any questions but she's proud of what I do.' Griffin makes a point of keeping her career as separate as possible from her daughter . Griffin can't imagine ever writing anything other than gay erotic fiction novels . Griffin said she has only ever received positive feedback in the correspondence she receives from readers. 'When I tell some people what I do they often get a stunned look on their face but then ask lots of questions - while others think it's incredible and have a bit of a chuckle then also start asking questions,' she said. It's not just humans who feature in Griffin's books with story lines including werewolves, hellhounds and vampire characters - and even a necromancer series set in and around Darwin. But Griffin doesn't expect to have any of her series of books to be the next Twilight series or even 50 Shade of Grey. 'I think there is much better writing out there before they would even thinking about mine,' she says modestly. Griffin can't imagine ever writing anything but gay erotic fiction novels. 'My parents and lot of other people ask if I would ever write straight erotic fiction but I don't know if I even want to try to be honest - it doesn't draw me in as much.' Griffin's daughter knows she isn't allowed to read her mum's books until she is 18-years-old . Griffin says straight erotic fiction does not draw her in the way that gay erotica novels do .
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Single mum of one writes gay erotic fiction and most fans are female .
Toni Griffin always hated English and preferred maths at school .
She came up with the idea on the way to pick up her daughter from school .
The 32-year-old, from Darwin, has no desire to write about straight fiction .
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By . Simon Jones . Swansea City have enquired about Holland international Jordy Clasie and are also showing interest in Crystal Palace midfielder Jonathan Williams. Feyenoord's Clasie, 22, is valued around £7m and highly regarded by his international manager Louis Van Gaal. He has made eight appearances for the international side and is part of the 30-man preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. Making their move: Swansea have made an enquiry about Holland international Jordy Clasie (left) Welsh international Williams has battled back from injury and was loaned out to Ipswich last season. The 20-year-old made 12 appearances for The Blues, scoring one goal. Keen: Swansea are also interested in Crystal Palace and Wales midfielder Jonathan Williams (right)
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Swansea have enquired about Feyenoord midfielder Jordy Clasie .
Clasie is worth around £7m and is a part of Holland's preliminary World Cup squad .
The Swans are also interested in Crystal Palace's Jonathan Williams .
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f68b6d596faf775db63a054e8982f4cc85bdac7c
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(CNN) -- One of the world's most successful horse racing operations has undergone a major reshuffle in an attempt to close the stable door on a damaging doping scandal. The changes come after the publication of a report into Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoun's Godolphin stable, which criticized "management failings, insufficient oversight and complacency." The report was commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed -- the ruler of Dubai -- after Godolphin's former trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was banned by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in April 2013, having been found guilty of administering anabolic steroids at the operation's stables in Newmarket, England. In the reshuffle, Godolphin's long-standing racing manager Simon Crisford has resigned, though he will take up a new role as a racing adviser to Sheikh Mohammed . With the position of racing manager no longer existing, responsibility for horses will be devolved to trainers Saeed bin Suroor of Al Quoz Stables and Godolphin Stables and Charlie Appleby of Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin Marmoom Stables. "They will be the people ultimately responsible for their particular stables; they hold the delegated authority of the owner as defined by the condition of their license," said a Godolphin statement. Al Zarooni is serving an eight-year ban after 22 horses tested positive for anabolic steroids. The BHA has also banned 15 horses trained by the 37-year-old for six months. Sheikh Mohammed was cleared of any wrongdoing by former Metropolitan Police commissioner John Stevens' report, which concluded that Al Zarooni had acted alone in the doping scandal. "Having dealt with the events of last year and seen the Lord Stevens inquiry through to its conclusion, I thought that this was a good moment to bring my time at Godolphin to a close," Crisford, who has been Godolphin's manager since the stable was created over 20 years ago, told the Racing Post. "I had felt for a while that I would like a fresh challenge. I think the time is right for a new start for the stable and for me. "Sheikh Mohammed has asked me to take on a new role as his global racing adviser. I am delighted to have accepted that position and I am very much looking forward to what will be an exciting new chapter for me." Godolphin has won more than 200 Group One races in different countries since Sheikh Mohammed established training operations in Dubai and England in 1992.
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Simon Crisford resigns from role as Godolphin racing manager .
His exit is part of a major reshuffle at the prestigious racing stable .
Crisford takes on new role of racing adviser to Sheikh Mohammed .
Godolphin has won more than 200 Group One races since 1992 .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:32 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:41 EST, 23 December 2013 . If you think your Christmas schedule is hectic, then spare a thought for mother-of-nine Rayna Warriner, from Bournemouth, whose festive preparations begin in January and are planned with military precision. Rayna, 39, spends all year organising the festivities for her large brood of children, all aged between six and 16. To ensure she sticks to her strict budget of £3,000, she starts shopping for bargain gifts in the New Year sales - 11 months before the big day. Big family: Rayna has nine children and needs a 10.6kg turkey and eight tins of Quality Street to feed them . Tough job: Rayner Warriner starts preparing for Christmas in January and needs 110m paper to wrap her gifts . 'For most people Christmas is busy but for me it's an average day,' explains Rayna. 'I . hear people tell me they are worried because they have nine people . coming for dinner, and then it dawns on them that it's a usual thing for . me. 'But it is brilliant fun and I love making it magical for the children, it makes me feel like I have done my job for them. 'I . think the key to running Christmas smoothly with a big family like ours . is organisation, and also realising that you are only one person and . you can only do your best.' To ensure the day goes perfectly for Eryn, 16, Jackson, 14, Harrison, 13, Callan, 11, Taitum, 10, triplets Meredith, Romany, and Ilish, aged eight and Avie, six, Rayna writes her food list weeks in advance and fills two large shopping trolleys with goods worth £550, including a 10.6kg turkey. Along with the turkey she buys eight bottles of soft drink, six tins of Quality Street and dozens of boxes of biscuits. Rayna's little helpers: All of the children, and husband Malcolm, pitch in and help put up the tree . Presents take five nights to wrap and require an astonishing 110 metres of paper, as well as piles of ribbon and bows. Once the festive period gets underway, she and her husband Malcolm, a police sergeant, attend no fewer than six nativity plays starring their youngest five children. She and Malcolm then supervise the decoration of their 8ft Christmas tree but because the children to help out, . it takes minutes. On the big day itself, Rayna less than three hours sleep as she waits until 3am to put out the children's stockings but is woken again at 6am by the excited youngsters. After cramming the turkey in the oven, she and Malcolm, 53, take their brood to church for a Christmas service. They return to their six-bedroom home in Bournemouth to eat dinner around the 12 seat dining table at 2pm sharp. The family spend the rest of the afternoon unwrapping the piles of presents and assembling toys and Rayna finally gets a moment to herself at around midnight. Supersized: Everything about the Warriner's Christmas Day is big, including the tree - an 8ft fir . Rayna, who now works as a stress management consultant, says the experience of planning Christmas for her large family has provided her with useful lessons to teach her clients. 'Christmas starts for me in January,' she reveals. 'I start shopping for the kids' stockings then for things that don't date, like stationary, underwear and socks. 'By the time August comes around, I really start getting it in my mind and start buying their main presents.' But present buying doesn't always go entirely to plan, so Rayna schedules in time for returning gifts should the children change their minds ahead of the big day. 'With new adverts on TV and new toys out all the time, what the children want can change all the time so sometimes I have to return and swap a few gifts over the year. 'I spend about three days wrapping presents and on Christmas Eve I stay up until about 3am putting them in their stockings and hanging them up. 'Once they have opened their stockings we all go to church because I think that shows them what the true meaning of Christmas is. 'We have Christmas dinner at about 2pm which might sound stressful but as I do a roast every Sunday anyway for that many people, it's not too bad.'
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Rayna Warriner, 39, from Bournemouth has nine children .
She starts shopping for Christmas presents during the January sales .
Festive food includes a 10.6kg turkey and eight tins of Quality Street .
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(CNN) -- The Philippines Department of Tourism has a lot to boast about. The country has beautiful beaches, great scuba diving and a culture that is known for its hospitality. What it doesn't have is a lot of money for a global tourism campaign. Thankfully, the country's social media mad population is happy to help. In January, the government launched a campaign with the tagline "It's More Fun in the Philippines," openly inviting the country's bloggers, tweeters and Facebook friends to come up with their own ads. "We just opened another battlefront, which was the social media side and tapping into the fact that there are 27 million Filipinos on Facebook," says campaign creator David Guerrero. The response was resounding. Within hours #itsmorefuninthephilippines became the number one trending item on Twitter. Facebook pages filled with homemade ads popped up, exclaiming everything from "Social Climbing, More Fun in the Philippines," to "Angry Birds, More Fun in the Philippines." Roland Benzon was one of many Filipinos who seized on the campaign with delight, creating his own Facebook album of ads. Within 24 hours, his work was shared by over 10,000 people. He says the democratic nature of the campaign inspired him. "Usually it's top down," he says. "The government does something and we just sit there passively reacting to it and voicing our opinions. Here it wasn't that way. We actually made the ads." Read more: Why Philippines tourism is a tough sell . The use of crowd-sourcing did mean that not all the ads stuck to the positive messages the government hoped to convey. Ads sprung up with slogans like "Poverty, More Fun in the Philippines," and "Corruption, More Fun in the Philippines." "There is no way with a genuine people's campaign that you can control everything that people are going to say and everything is going to be the way you'd like it to be," says Guerrero. Still he feels the positive reception for the campaign has overwhelmed the negative. Tourism numbers to the Philippines are rising, though the country does have a long way to go. Fewer than four million people visited the country last year, compared with 19 million to Thailand and the industry has yet to become a tent pole for the broader economy. However visitor arrivals were up nearly 16% in the first two months of this year. One of the Philippines' greatest battles in attracting tourists will continue to be its poor infrastructure. Roads and airports across the country are in need of a major upgrade and tourists' complaints range from hassles with dishonest taxi drivers to less than savory toilets. The current government has said it is committed to upgrading the country's tourism infrastructure, allocating a chuck of money towards the cause in the 2012 budget. Those involved in the travel industry says such government support is necessary if the country wants to fully capitalize on the buzz from its tourism campaign. After all, it's one thing to promise people "More Fun in the Philippines" but another thing to deliver it.
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The Philippines attracted around 4 million tourists last year .
Thailand attracted 19 million visitors during the same period .
Social media a huge help to promoting the Philippines as holiday destination .
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(CNN) -- An alleged gang member who was on the FBI's Top 10 List of most wanted fugitives and sought in connection with a 2000 attack on two Los Angeles, California, officers was captured in Mexico, authorities said Monday. Emigdio Preciado Jr., believed to be 39, was captured Friday in the hills Yagos, Mexico, according to the FBI. Emigdio Preciado Jr., who is believed to be 39, was captured Friday in the town of Santiago Escuintla in western central Mexico, north of coastal Puerto Vallarta, according to Mexican authorities. He had been living there, using the name Regalo Castaneda-Castaneda and working as a fisherman, the FBI said. Authorities believe Preciado stepped out of a van and opened fire on two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies with an assault rifle in September 2000, according to the FBI. Twenty-one rounds were fired; one hit a deputy in the head and critically injured him. The deputy has since recovered and returned to duty. The FBI said that although Preciado's identifying tattoos had been surgically removed, Mexican police and FBI agents confirmed his identity through fingerprints at the time of his arrest. Specific details regarding Preciado's capture were not released. But Sal Hernandez, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles office, said a reward of $150,000 offered on the FBI Web site would be paid. "The significance of the publicity in this case and the reward offered cannot be understated," Hernandez said, according to the statement. Preciado, a U.S. citizen, is in the custody of Mexican federal police, the FBI said. He is expected to be transferred to Mexico City, where extradition proceedings will take place. Preciado was sought on a California parole violation at the time of the 2000 shooting, authorities said in the statement, and has an extensive criminal record. He was added to the FBI's Top 10 list in March 2007.
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Sought in connection with 2000 attack on two Los Angeles, California, officers .
Emigdio Preciado Jr., captured Friday in hills near Yagos, Mexico, FBI said .
Preciado's identifying tattoos had been surgically removed, said FBI .
Mexican police and FBI agents confirmed his identity through fingerprints .
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A horrified Vanessa Feltz has spoken of her shock after being subjected to a torrent of online abuse - including being called a c*** and a whore - after going public about being molested live on TV by Rolf Harris. During an appearance on This Morning, the veteran presenter said the abuse had made her 'question my faith in human nature' and added it could dissuade victims from coming forward. 'The response has been so . appalling,' she told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. 'It makes you question your faith in human nature, really. Scroll down for video . Angry: Vanessa Feltz made an angry appearance on This Morning where she told of a week of Twitter abuse . 'I've . been called absolutely everything from a C-word to . a whore. People have said they can't believe it could be true, they've . lost all faith in Rolf Harris' judgement that he could dream of . molesting someone as physically repulsive as [me], said how ugly and . revolting I am. 'It's just horrid and I'm so lucky . that I don't actually go online which has protected me from at least some of it, because I certainly . didn't anticipate [the abuse] and I'm shocked by it really.' Feltz, 52, spoke out about being molested by Harris on Sunday, revealing how the disgraced groped her during a TV appearance 18 years ago. Since then, she has been bombarded with cruel comments, with some even accusing her of telling her tale for cash - much to her fury. 'I didn't sell the story - I wouldn't have . dreamt of it,' she insists. 'I haven't made a penny and why would you want to make . money out of something as horrible as that? Cruel: Feltz revealed how she has been bombarded with malicious comments since speaking out . Cruel: A Twitter user named Jack was among the trolls to write abusive messages directed at the presenter . Nasty: One of the unpleasant tweets posted on Twitter following Vanessa Feltz' revelations . Vile: Feltz told of being 'upset' by the messages, among them the abusive example pictured . 'That's completely untrue and . the only motivation I had was that someone suggested to me that it . would be a good thing to do and that was it.' On Twitter, many of the nasty comments can still be seen, with one, written by a Twitter user named Jack, saying: 'Vanessa Feltz claims Rolf Harris groped her. Surely even Rolf Harris has standards?' Another, Jo Hoskinson, wrote: 'Apparently #RolfHarris groped #vanessafeltz. Really Vanessa? Does someone need some publicity? #jumponthebandwagon' One Twitter user, Rob, wrote: 'If #RolfHarris has touched up #vanessafeltz he deserves another 5 years for p***poor taste.' Another, referred to as Belcher, added: 'Vanessa Feltz, though? You've really let your fans down this time, Rolf.' Adam Tonner remarked: 'Vanessa Feltz is just a stupid b**** that noone likes #doone' Although Feltz says she's tough enough to take the abuse, she admitted to being worried about the impact it might have on other victims of sexual abuse. 'One of the greatest fears that people . who have been abused sexually is is that someone won't believe them or . they'll be castigated,' she revealed. Disgusting: Feltz was groped by the paedophile presenter during this TV appearance in 1996 . Convicted: Rolf Harris, pictured leaving Southwark Crown Court,was found guilty of 12 sex charges last week . 'I'm . fine. I'm a grown-up. I'm 52 years old, I haven't read too much . of it and I can take it. I've had quite a few years in the press being . roundly castigated for being fat or being unattractive or whatever it . happened to be. 'Of course you shouldn't have to take it but I'm fine. A . little bit upset, as you can see, my feathers have been ruffled, but . I'll be fine. 'But imagine if I was 17. Imagine if it had been my first . day as a make-up artist on that programme [The Big Breakfast] or imagine if it had one of . the other people who suffered from all the terrible things he did. 'I . think it's a terrible shame, really, that I tell a story about a . convicted abuser and I'm met with a torrent of abuse. I just don't . understand what people who tweet that kind of thing are thinking of.' Harris, 84, was jailed for five years . and nine months at Southwark Crown Court last Friday for 12 indecent . assaults on four victims including his daughter’s best friend and an . eight-year-old. Other victims to come forward this week include singer Linda Nolan who alleged the paedophile molested her when she was 15. She claims Harris attacked her while she was backstage in South Africa - where she and her sisters were due to perform.
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Feltz, 52, received a torrent of abuse after speaking out about Rolf Harris .
She was molested by the paedophile during a live TV show in 1996 .
Says she has been called everything from 'a c-word to a whore' this week .
Harris, 84, was jailed for five years last Friday for multiple sex offences .
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It gives the phrase 'sleeping with the fishes' a whole new meaning. An unusual new room has officially opened as part of Africa's first underwater hotel has opened for business. The three floor little piece of luxury is situated 820ft from the little-known island of Pemba, off the mainland of Tanzania and Zanzibar and the room can only be reached by going down a step ladder. Scroll down for video . The bedroom windows look directly into the ocean giving the sense of an underwater theatre . Guests can have their own window on the Indian Ocean at the Manta Resort, and wave hello to divers . Located 13ft below the sea, the unique hideaway is not for the claustrophobic. The top floor is the balcony, perfect for star gazing at night and soaking some rays during the day. The middle floor is where the dining room is, but offers guests the chance to relax and enjoy the sunset. The newly opened ‘Manta Underwater Room’ - 13 feet (four metres) under the India Ocean - allows travellers to observe shoals of fish drifting past during the day, watch squid and octopus at night, and perhaps even spot rarer underwater creatures lurking in the coral which is developing around the base of the room and its anchoring lines. The idyllic room costs £960 ($1,500) a night. You may find it hard to get some shut eye, as the fabulous sea creatures might leave you amazed andintrigued . It’s not the world's first underwater room, although it may be one of the most remote: The Manta Resort is situated on an idyllic island beach on the northern most point of one of East Africa’s finest island sanctuaries. With a population of 300,000 in total, the island has a very low level of tourism despite white coral sand and clear waters. Guests of the Manta Underwater Room sleep in a glass-walled underwater chamber surrounded only by the sea while, above sea level, two additional levels are provided for leisure and recreation. The roof doubles as a sunbathing terrace during the day and a stargazing spot at night, and without any light pollution means would-be astronomers can enjoy exceptional night-time views. The Underwater Manta Room can only be reached by boat and is situated 820ft from the little-known island of Pemba, off the mainland of Tanzania and Zanzibar . The landing deck includes a lounge and bathroom, accessed by ladder. A small group of Swedish and Tanzanian investors made the underwater room on Pemba possible, and it is now owned by Genberg Art UW Limited. The company says the idea of the underwater room was based on probably the first of its kind, also designed by Mikael Genberg, a Swedish artist and public speaker, which opened in 2000 in Lake Mälaren in Västerås, near Stockholm. Called the Utter Inn, the single room of the hotel lies three metres below the surface of the lake and proved an instant hit. (Genberg is no stranger to creating unusual public spaces for people to stay, having also created the Woodpecker Hotel, where guests can look across the city of Västerås from 13 metres up an old oak tree.) Staying at the underwater hotel would make for a somewhat interesting game of 'I spy'... The special underwater hotel is located off the island of Pemba, which can be reached easily by boat for further exploring . Sub-aquatic tourism is of growing interest in the specialist hotel sector: The Jules Undersea Lodge off Key Largo, Florida, features three underwater rooms, while the Maldives also has a number of underwater ventures. Last year Dubai’s space-age underwater project, the Water Discus hotel, designed by company Deep Ocean Technology was announced and there are more in the pipeline. For now, it’s worth keeping an eye on the Genberg Underwater Hotels Company as it is planning to launch similar rooms around the world. Watch this (underwater) space.
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The newly opened ‘Manta Underwater Room’ is 13 feet under the India Ocean off Zanzibar and Tanzania .
Hotel consists of three floors - a balcony, a dining area, and the underwater bedroom .
Costs £960 ($1,500) a night to stay there - but will leave memories to treasure forever .
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James Noble, 25, was the captain of the Ocean Way which disappeared in the North Sea yesterday . A sailor who died after his trawler got into difficulty in the North Sea was the boat's captain according to rescuers. The 45-year-old skipper, who has been named as James Noble from Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, was airlifted to hospital by RAF helicopters yesterday but later died. Two other men - aged 32 and 38 - are still missing after the Ocean Way vessel ran into problems off the Northumberland Coast, but the search operation has now been called off. The two survivors, men aged 38 and 28-years-old, were taken to Wansbeck Hospital in Northumberland suffering from hypothermia and have been released following treatment. Apart from Mr Noble, the four crew members are said to be Filipino, according to reports. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said nothing had been found in the search for the remaining men. A statement said two helicopters and merchant vessels had been searching throughout Sunday afternoon and evening but were unable to find any sign of the two missing crewmen. 'The search will not resume,' said the statement. A search and rescue operation was launched for the missing skipper and crew of the fishing trawler Ocean Way after it began transmitting a mayday signal early on Sunday afternoon. In total three people were rescued from the water, including the captain, Mr Noble. An RAF rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene while a Norwegian chopper was also sent to help with the search. The Humber Coastguard said the vessel, based at Fraserburgh, was last heard from about 100 miles east of the Farne Islands. The boat, which had sailed from Tynemouth, began transmitting an emergency beacon and attempts were made to contact the skipper. Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said: 'We are greatly saddened by this tragic news and our heartfelt thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of the crew at this very difficult time. 'This terrible accident highlights the very real dangers our fishermen face on a constant basis and is a sober reminder of the important role fishing plays in putting food on our plates.' Scotland's Fisheries Minister Richard Lochhead said: 'I am very sorry to hear about the loss of the Fraserburgh registered fishing vessel the Ocean Way that has tragically resulted in fatalities. 'This is a terrible tragedy and my thoughts are with the loved ones and friends of the crew. The trawler, based at Fraserburgh, was last heard from about 100 miles east of the Farne Islands . Three people were winched from the sea - two have survived and another two are still missing. The search has now been called off . 'This tragedy will be felt by all fishing communities and is a horrible reminder of the dangers our fishermen face day in day out to bring fish to our tables with many paying the ultimate sacrifice. 'I would like to pay tribute to all the personnel involved in the rescue operation.' A spokesman for the MCA said yesterday that none of the rescued sailors were wearing lifejackets. She said the whereabouts of the boat was unknown and refused to be drawn on speculation it had sunk until the outcome of further investigations. The Coastguard have been broadcasting mayday relay messages requesting all passing shipping to look out for the missing crew. It is believed the boat set sail from North Shields on Saturday and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch is now investigating the incident. The Ocean Way had reportedly sailed out of Tynemouth with four Filipino crew and a British skipper. File photo . The two survivors were taken to Wansbeck hospital in Ashington, Northumberland, where they were suffering hypothermia but they have since been released .
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Skipper of the Ocean Way who died yesterday named as James Noble .
The 45-year-old captain was rescued from sea but died soon afterwards .
Two crew members plucked from the North Sea by RAF search and rescue .
Two others, said to be Filipino men aged 32 and 38, are still missing .
None of the rescued crew were wearing life jackets, rescuers said .
Ocean Way trawler boat reportedly sunk after getting into difficulties .
Maritime and Coastguard Agency say search has now been called off .
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(CNN) -- Hillary Clinton on Thursday became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit East Timor since the developing Southeast Asian nation gained full independence from Indonesia 10 years ago. Clinton arrived in the capital, Dili, on Thursday morning for meetings with President Taur Matan Ruak and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao. Her schedule made it impossible for her to watch a live broadcast of the speech by her husband, Bill Clinton, at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday night. As she toured a coffee cooperative in Dili, a project manager showing her around remarked that Clinton's husband had "a big job today." "He does," Clinton said. "He's probably doing it as we speak." She will have to watch her husband's speech on playback later, an aide traveling with her said. Clinton is visiting a nation still working to find its feet. East Timor celebrated its 10th birthday as an independent nation in May, but it still suffers bouts of political violence and faces stiff economic challenges to alleviate high poverty rates. The country ranks 147th out of 187 countries in the United Nations' most recent Human Development Index, which rates countries on life expectancy, education and income. Clinton is expected to announce funding for scholarships for students from East Timor to study in the United States, a senior State Department official said. A day earlier, Clinton held talks with a string of Chinese officials in Beijing but appeared to gain little traction on the sensitive issue of the competing maritime claims of China and its neighbors in the region. After receiving a hostile welcome in editorials and articles in the Chinese news media when she arrived Tuesday, Clinton also had to contend with the abrupt cancellation of her planned meeting with Vice President Xi Jinping, who is expected to become the next Chinese president. Beijing attributed the decision to unspecified scheduling reasons. China talks tough in Japan island dispute . After meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Wednesday, Clinton repeated the U.S. position on the territorial disputes between China and other countries in the South China Sea, urging those involved to "begin to engage in a diplomatic process toward the shared goal of a code of conduct." Tensions over territorial disputes have spiked this year between China and a string of countries around its coastline -- from Vietnam in the south to Japan in the northeast -- and the United States has been drawn into the fray. But Beijing, which prefers to tackle the disputes bilaterally, has reacted angrily to Washington's involvement in the matter, accusing the U.S. State Department of "unfounded accusations" and showing a "total disregard of facts." At the joint news conference with Clinton on Wednesday, Yang took a more diplomatic tack, saying that "freedom of navigation and safety in the South China Sea is assured." But even while Clinton was in Beijing, the Chinese government was maintaining a heated diplomatic back-and-forth on another territorial controversy, this one concerning a set of small islands in the East China Sea also claimed by Japan and Taiwan. The uninhabited islands are known in Japan as Senkaku and in China as Diaoyu, and are privately owned by a Japanese family. Interactive: Asia's disputed islands - who claims what? Some Japanese media outlets reported Wednesday that the Japanese government had agreed to buy the islands from the family, a claim the government's chief Cabinet secretary, Osamu Fujimura, declined to confirm, saying talks on the matter were continuing. But that was enough to prompt a stern response from Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman. "I want to emphasize again that any unilateral actions taken by the Japanese regarding the Diaoyu Islands are illegal and invalid," he said. "We are closely monitoring the developments and will take necessary measures to defend our territorial sovereignty," Hong added. Furious anti-Japan protests erupted across China last month when a Japanese group sailed to one of the disputed islets and symbolically waved Japanese flags. China doesn't seem eager for the United States to get involved in the quarrel. The Global Times, a Chinese newspaper affiliated with the ruling Communist Party, said in an editorial published Tuesday that Clinton's diplomacy in the region "has fomented frictions between China and some surrounding countries." It called on her to "reflect upon the deep harm she is bringing to the Sino-U.S. relationship." More: Islands dispute reopens old wounds . CNN's Jethro Mullen in Hong Kong; and Jaime FlorCruz and Chi-Chi Zhang in Beijing contributed to this report.
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East Timor is a young country still facing economic and political challenges .
Clinton is the first U.S. secretary of state to visit since independence .
Her schedule means she misses her husband's Democratic Convention speech .
She is in East Timor after a difficult visit to China on Tuesday and Wednesday .
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By . Leesa Smith . A homeless man who allegedly raped and killed a Chinese woman in Melbourne has been described as an 'average Aussie bloke’ by a stranger who bought him a drink just hours beforehand. The white collar worker, who requested not to be named, happened to meet Scott Allen Miller before he allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered pastry chef Renea Lau, 32, in Kings Domain on Saturday morning. The stranger told The Age that Miller, 42, approached him in Federation Square earlier that morning to ask where he should go for a drink and when the man told him that he was going to the Carlton Club, Miller began to walk with him. ‘He did appear like your average Aussie bloke,’ he said. ‘As we were walking there he told me how he was sleeping rough on the street and I felt a bit sorry for him.’ Scroll down for video . The anonymous white collar worker was approached by Scott Allen Miller in Federation Square just hours before he allegedly raped and killed Renea Lau . He described Miller as ‘articulate and friendly’ and thought he was a ‘very highly functioning homeless person’ who bought most of his own drinks at the bar. But the office worker said about an hour after he bought Miller a beer, he became ‘weirded out’ by the conversation. Police reported that Miller had been ejected from the Carlton Club hotel on Bourke Street about half an hour earlier before allegedly chased down Ms Lau. Yuk Ling Lau (left) has been remembered as a 'wonderful person' by her friends . Meanwhile Miller, 42, remained alert in the dock during a brief hearing at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday where he stands accused of killing Chinese national Yuk Ling Lau while she was on her way to work. Miller, who had been living on the streets for two months, looked bewildered and yawned several times during the short hearing, the Herald Sun reports. Legal Aid solicitor Sarah Pratt told the court that Miller had suffered a previous drug-induced psychosis and required a prison health assessment. 'It’s his first time in custody,' Ms Pratt said. Scott Allen Miller has appeared in court in Melbourne charged over the rape and murder of Yuk Ling Lau . A police application to retain forensic samples taken from Miller was granted and he was remanded to reappear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on October 24. Ms Lau, a 32-year-old pastry chef from Hong Kong, was found dead by joggers in Kings Domain on Sunday morning at 5.30am. Miller was arrested near Eden on the NSW far south coast on Monday following a three-day manhunt. He was extradited to Victoria on Tuesday and was charged in Melbourne that night. Ms Lau's friends, who knew her as Renea, remembered her as a 'beautiful friend and colleague' and a large group of them attended the hearing on Wednesday. A colleague who worked with Ms Lau at the dessert bar in Melbourne's inner-east, Steven Kearney, said she was a 'wonderful person'. 'I would just like to state with deep sadness that Renea was an employee,' Mr Kearney told The Age. 'She will be terribly missed here. She was... a beautiful friend and colleague. We offer our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends and all our thoughts are with them.' Mr Kearney asked the media to respect his and his other colleagues' privacy as they were 'grieving and working through this difficult time'. Yuk LIng Lau (pink top) was on her way to work in Melbourne when she was raped and murdered . Ms Lau had moved to Australia in 2012. Her family will arrive in Australia later this week to formally identify her body. Homicide Squad Detective Inspector John Potter confirmed on Monday that Ms Lau had been sexually assaulted before she died. 'This is a particularly violent assault on this woman, she has been sexually assaulted and she has been physically assaulted,' Insp Potter said. Miller was arrested by an off-duty police officer near Eden, while camping in a small cove area and was later taken to a police station. Yuk Ling Lau's parents are due to arrive from Hong Kong this week to take their daughter's body home . He was born in the US and once lived in an affluent Perth suburb. In the 1990s, he was a leading figure in the illegal dance party scene in Perth as director of E-Nerve Pty Ltd a company that organised raves, The Age reported. Scott Allen Miller is led into court in Melbourne on Wednesday charged over the rape and murder of Yuk Ling Lau . Her body was discovered by joggers on Saturday morning under a tree in the popular park . Police have not released the woman's name, but say she is a Chinese national who was in her 30s . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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A white collar worker met Scott Allen Miller just hours before he allegedly raped and killed pastry chef Renea Lau, 32, in Melbourne on Saturday .
The worker described Miller as ‘articulate and friendly’
Miller, 42, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being extradited from NSW .
He was remanded in custody and will reappear in October accused of killing Ms Lau on her way to work .
Ms Lau, a 32-year-old pastry chef from Hong Kong, was found dead by joggers in Kings Domain on Saturday .
A police application to retain forensic samples from Miller was granted .
He was arrested at a NSW campsite following a three-day manhunt .
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By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 10:48 EST, 29 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:07 EST, 29 March 2013 . As much of the UK freezes under a blanket of snow, spare a thought for this man. The father was forced to dig his way out of his home after heavy snowfall trapped him inside the house. The snow was more than 6ft high and had completely blocked his back door. Scroll down for video . The father poses for the camera in front of his backdoor which is blocked by more than 6ft of snow . Luckily his back door opens inwards and he begins on the mammoth tasks of escaping through the snow wall . A video of the Ukrainian dad escaping through the wall of snow has become an internet hit, and has been seen more than 57,000 times. The film begins will him tentatively opening his backdoor, which fortunately opens inwards, to reveal the mountain of snow. To the obvious delight his son, who can be heard laughing in the background, the father sets about trying to get out of his house. At first he dives headfirst into the snow and his son is sent into even greater fits of hysteria as the father emerges covered head to toe in snow. However, he had created enough space for him to then use his hands and a shovel to begin shifting the blockage. But the father falls once more as he tries to climb through the gap. First of all he dives headfirst into the snow and emerges covered in the white stuff . He uses a shovel and his hands to clear enough space for him to try and climb through . He does finally manage to escape and is seen posing triumphantly in his back garden at the end of the video. Ukraine announced a state of emergency this week amid record snowfall and the loss of power in about 600 towns and villages. Temperatures plummeted to -28C in some parts of the country and some areas received the normal monthly level of snow fall in just 24 hours. It has been so heavy this winter that . almost 5,000 soldiers have been tasked with clearing roads and . pavements in ten regions and the capital city Kiev. Since last week, the service people had already cleared 7,200 roads as they tried to get the country's transport moving again and tanks were used to drag buses and cars from snowdrifts. The father's escape plan finally works and he is pictured standing triumphantly in his back garden .
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Father trapped in his house by snow that reached to the top of his door .
He was filmed diving into the wall of snow to try and escape .
Ukraine has seen record snowfall in the past week as temperatures dropped to as low as -28C and soldiers were tasked with clearing the roads .
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Lynda Bellingham's son has claimed a simple test may have detected his mother's fatal colon cancer in time to save her life. Speaking for the first time since the actress's death last month, Michael Peluso said he believed a colonoscopy should have been carried out as it would have given her longer to live. The 31-year-old added routine screening tests had failed to pick up his mother's illness for 18 months, leaving it too late for her to recover once diagnosed. Scroll down for video . Lynda Bellingham's son Michael Peluso believes a simple colonoscopy would have saved his mother's life . In her final interview on ITV's Loose Women, the 66-year-old urged over 60s to undergo the procedure as her disease had gone undetected for months . 'She was a massive champion for getting a colonoscopy... it would have saved her life,' Mr Peluso told the Daily Mirror. 'They missed it so much. She was carrying cancer for 18 months before she discovered she had it.' Ms Bellingham's health deteriorated drastically within weeks of bravely revealing she had chosen to stop treatment to enjoy a final Christmas with her sons and husband. Chronicling her battle with the disease in her book, There's Something I've Been Dying To Tell You, the 66-year-old even told of how she'd chosen the day she would die. The beloved actress, best known for her role as the Oxo mum and as a host on Loose Women, died on October 19, days after describing her battle with colon cancer on the ITV talk show. Ms Bellingham chronicled her battle with the disease in a book. Since her death, husband Michael Pattemore (right) thanked fans and well-wishers for buying There's Something I've Been Dying To Tell You . Mr Peluso, pictured at his mother's funeral with brother Robbie (right) and Mr Pattemore (left), previously thanked the public for their 'overwhelming' support . Mr Peluso acted opposite his mother in the film Too Close For Comfort 2 in the months before her death. In a poignant scene, Ms Bellingham tells him she has been diagnosed with cancer . Colon cancer is also referred to as bowel cancer or rectal cancer. In countries such as the UK and U.S., more than 80 per cent of cases occur in people aged 60 or over, such as Lynda. People who are older, who eat a diet low in fibre and high in fat, those who are overweight and those who take little exercise are most at risk. Smoking, alcohol and a family history of the disease also increase the risk. The cancer can present itself in a number of ways, explains Dr Stuart Riley, a consultant gastroenterologist, and clinical director of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in South Yorkshire. ‘The usual symptoms are rectal bleeding, a change in bowel habits - usually looser stools, though it could also cause constipation or needing to go to the toilet more frequently - abdominal discomfort and anaemia.’ He says if any bleeding is accompanied by a change in bowel habits, or if any other signs persist for several months, then a ‘full clinical assessment’ should be carried out. This includes a colonoscopy - where a tiny camera is inserted into the colon. It’s also important to establish if a patient has a family history of bowel cancer as this can increase the risk. In the UK routine screening tests are offered to over 60s by the NHS. Those eligible are sent home stool testing kits designed to detect the disease. If stool tests return an abnormal result, the patient is invited to undergo a colonoscopy. This is the case for only two in every 100 patients, according to the NHS. In a final interview, the 66-year-old urged people her age to undergo colonoscopies routinely and have regular stool tests. 'The minute you’re diagnosed it’s too late. I knew I was stage four 15 months ago, so it was quite hard when people said, “Oh, your chemo will be finished soon. Don’t worry,"' she said. 'I always had a stool test and had always gone for a check up but this [cancer] hides. Advising viewers of how best to detect the disease, she said: 'I would say get checked up, but the biggest thing... if you put a pound away for a colonoscopy when you get to 60, they actually do say that’s probably the only way of knowing for sure that you have got bowel cancer.' Mr Peluso, Ms Bellingham's son from her second marriage to Nunzo Peluso, has not spoken out formally since his mother's death in October. Last week emotional footage of the pair emerged, with Ms Bellingham playing her son's on-screen mother in the film Too Close For Comfort 2. In one poignant scene, the 66-year-old tells her son she has been diagnosed with cancer. In the days after his mother's death Mr Peluso took to social media to express his grief and thank the public for their 'overwhelming' outpouring of support. 'Oh mama miss u so much', he posted on Twitter, before thanking well-wishers for their messages. 'Thank you everyone! Your love and compassion is overwhelming,' he wrote. Since Ms Bellingham's death thousands of pounds has been raised for Action Against Cancer in her memory. Speaking of the public's love for his late wife in the first interview since her death, Michael Pattemore said he was glad she had the chance to experience fans' adoration. ‘She was amazed by the public response, completely overwhelmed, and we were flooded with letters, cards and flowers. Until then, she had no idea how loved she was,' he told the Mail. ‘David Pugh told her: “Lynda, you are lucky. Most people never get to know how much they are loved, but you’ve had a taste of it before you die.” ’
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Michael Peluso, 31, said a colonoscopy would have saved mother's life .
Ms Bellingham died of colon cancer following 18-month battle in October .
Routine checks and screening failed to detect 66-year-old's condition .
In a final interview, Ms Bellingham urged over 60s to have colonoscopies .
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By . Gavin Allen . UPDATED: . 15:44 EST, 18 December 2011 . The wintry conditions claimed the life of a 37-year-old man today who reportedly fell through a frozen lake in East Dunbartonshire after trying to rescue his dog who had gone into the water. Strathclyde Police said the man's body was recovered from the Gadloch in Lenzie following an extensive search involving divers and a police helicopter. Police said investigations are continuing but they believe it was an accident and there were no suspicious circumstances. The incident in central Scotland came after thermometers hit -5C in Eskdalemuir yesterday, and there were gloves and scarves abound as far south as Benson, where the temperature reached -4.7C . The surges of snow as we head towards December 25 had led some bookmakers to slash the odds of a white Christmas at the end of last week, with Ladbrokes offering a 3/1 chance that London will have snow on the big day, while the odds were 9/4 for Edinburgh and Glasgow. No, it's not the Alps... Robin Cummings, 43, skis down some virgin snow near Buxton, Derbyshire . Walkers make their way along a footpath across the Pennines close to the highest motorway in Britain, the M62, where Lancashire and Yorkshire meet . With food in short supply, these two blue tits fight it out for any scraps that could be retrieved from a snow-covered bird feeder . Covered with snow: Across the UK snow has fallen, but as the countdown to the big day begins, the chances of a White Christmas are looking unlikely . White blanket: Heavy snowfall has been seen in Scotland with snow covering a valley at Wanlockhead, Dumfries Scotland . Stuck: Canal boats surrounded by frozen water in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, in Central Lancashire . However, there was precious little . snow around the UK with only the Highlands of Scotland and North and . West Wales seeing much in the way of truly white weather. And . the forecast for the weeks ahead is milder, with a much drier and . brighter day across the country today with wintry showers less . widespread and frequent. The . East of the country can expect to see the best of the sunshine, but it . will stay staying cold for everyone who is chilled by the northwesterly . wind. Despite . the milder conditions, however, Christmas shoppers and motorists were . still warned they could expect treacherous driving conditions. 'It . is getting milder, particularly from midweek onwards so it will be . quite clear with fewer wintry showers,' said Met Office forecaster . Michael Lawrence. 'There is rain on the way and we are expecting a milder wind direction. There . are still some patches of high pressure coming in from the Atlantic, . and we can't rule out the chances of a white Christmas in some places, . but the signs are at the moment are that it won't be a white Christmas . for the majority of us.' Despite the worst of weather predictions not coming to pass this weekend there were still major problems on the roads. Treacherous icy conditions left two . motorist in hospital after a five car pile-up on the A41, in Kingswood, . near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The . collision happened as dozens of other drivers were crashing and sliding . off the roads as a result of black ice across the South East of . England. Surrounded by snow: A horse in Scotland where the thermometer bottomed out at -5C in Eskdalemuir yesterday . Wave to the camera: Two walkers enjoys the rough seas on Porthmeor Beach in St Ives . Silent night: A car battles to make its way through snow and ice on the Weaver Hills near Wootton, Staffordshire . Too cold to ride? A shopper pushes a bicycle through the snow in Buxton, central England . A man and a woman . were taken to hospital suffering from an arm injuries and cuts after the . vehicles skidded into each other on the ice covered route. It . happened just before 9am and involved a a green BMW 520, a black Ford . KA, a red Ford KA, a black Toyota Corolla, and a black BMW 320. The road was closed down for several hours so that the vehicles could safely be recovered. A spokesman for Thames Valley Police . said: 'Officers on the scene have reported the road is icy and driving . conditions are treacherous.' South . Central Ambulance Service were advising motorists to take extra care . after attending a number of crashes across Hampshire, Berkshire, . Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire due to the icy conditions. Black ice also caused a spate of crashes across Gloucestershire over the weekend. Gloucestershire Police said there were dozens of accidents on high ground in the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean on Saturday morning. In the Forest area a silver Renault Clio careered into a ditch on the B4215 at Rudford at just after 6am but the driver escaped uninjured. A green Vauxhall Astra collided with a bus stop on the A48 in Minsterworth, near Gloucester, at 6.15am and the driver, a 36 year-old man was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital as a precautionary measure. The bus stop was described as completely demolished. The Highways Agency insisted it is equipped to cope with the cold snap, saying it has 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles on standby and enough salt to deal with severe conditions.
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Temperatures plunge to -5C in Scotland .
Ice warnings still in place across entire country .
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(CNN) -- CNN's senior international correspondent Arwa Damon has won the 2014 Courage in Journalism Award, a prestigious accolade that honors female journalists who risk their lives reporting the news. "Arwa's outstanding courage comes from her deep conviction to journalism that really matters," says Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International. "She is totally committed to telling the important stories in the right way, and she will let nothing come in the way of that." Damon started working with CNN in 2004 as a freelance producer at the network's Baghdad bureau, before becoming correspondent in 2006. Recognized for her coverage of the fierce battles in Falluja and on Haifa Street in the Iraqi capital, it was her reporting of Youssif, a five-year-old boy burnt in a brutal attack, that highlighted her arresting ability to tell a story. She has also traveled to volatile regions such as Syria, Libya, South Sudan, Congo, Egypt and Kenya. She has covered significant stories such as the Arab Spring, the Red Shirt protests in Thailand and, more recently, the Ukraine crisis from Donetsk. Damon has previously won a number of awards, including an Emmy and Peabody for her contribution to the network's coverage of the Arab Spring, as well as the Investigative Reporters and Editors' IRE Medal award for her reporting on the U.S. Consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya. The award celebrates its 25th year. The ceremonies take place on October 22 in New York, and on October 29 in Los Angeles. This year's recipients also include Brankica Stanković from Serbia and Solange Lusiku Nsimire from the Democratic Republic of Congo. "As a journalist working for an international news network like CNN, the gender bias has largely been broken," says Damon. "Such is not the case for others -- both men and women -- in the field who have to chart their own course while facing threats at home without the protection of a major news network. "To be recognized alongside Brankica and Solange as well as recipients of years past -- people I admire and respect, whose quality of journalism continues to raise the bar -- is humbling. And it's not just because they are women, but because they are stellar journalists who won't let anything or anyone stand in their way of pursuing the truth."
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CNN correspondent Arwa Damon wins 2014 Courage in Journalism Award .
The accolade recognizes women who risk their lives reporting the news .
Damon started with CNN in 2004 and became correspondent two years later .
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This week, House Speaker John Boehner announced that the House will not consider immigration reform this year. Despite growing numbers and increasing political influence of the nation's Latino population, the House leadership has chosen to show it disrespect. How shameful. Here is some context: Last year, 409,849 human beings -- mothers, fathers, sons and daughters -- were torn from their families and deported. Millions have been exploited, forced to live in unrelenting fear of workplace raids and criminalized as they seek a fair pathway to citizenship. An entire generation of immigrants, the majority of whom are immigrants of color, are relegated to second-class status. Sadly, many of the same corporations that build the country's correctional facilities also build and run prison-like immigrant detention facilities. Since the Illegal Immigration Reform Act and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which cuts off long-standing policies of pardoning eligible immigrants who were at one point undocumented, and since 9/11, even the path to legality and recognition as human beings with equal rights has become an illusion. The breakdown of our democratic values does not end there. The path to equal representation in our democracy — our fundamental right to vote — must also be urgently addressed. On June 25, the Supreme Court struck down the formula of the Voting Rights Act needed for the federal government to protect rights in states with long histories of discrimination. Just two hours after the decision, Texas announced it would reinstate its strict voter ID law. This law had already been struck down by the Justice Department as discriminatory against Latinos and African Americans -- groups significantly less likely to have the limited forms of government-issued photo ID required under the law. Florida has followed suit by purging its voting rolls, ensnaring former immigrants who are now citizens despite the lack of measurable non-citizen voter fraud. Under the purge procedure, Florida's immigrant communities may be at risk of getting hit with letters questioning their citizenship status, hearing dates, requirements to show their papers and the costs of replacing lost documents. The state renewed this intimidating attempt to scare off communities of naturalized citizens, despite having settled a discrimination claim brought over a similar purge in 2012 by Advancement Project, Latino Justice, other national voting rights groups, and Florida-based Latino and Haitian American community groups. In state after state across the country, voter ID and other "show me your papers to vote" laws, laws that disparately impact immigrants of color, are being pursued at an alarming rate. Given our nation's long history of racial discrimination, it is perhaps not surprising that there is a great backlash against inclusion and equality as the face of our nation changes and the immigrant population grows dramatically. Restrictions on voting rights based on race have been going on since formerly enslaved black Americans first became "citizens" and eligible to vote. But disenfranchisement is not the American way. True democracy is impossible if millions have no road map to become citizens, and if those who are citizens have their voting rights challenged at every turn. For a true and just democracy, we must dismantle any ethnic and racial barriers to citizenship and voting rights. Only when each person, regardless of race or ethnicity, is allowed to equally participate will our fundamental notions of citizenship and democracy -- and indeed, the American dream -- be realized.
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Katherine Culliton-González: Boehner says House won't take up immigration reform .
She says this is shameful; a generation of immigrants live in shadows .
Promise of equal rights also hurt by Voter ID laws that tend to target people of color, she says .
Writer: For a just democracy, we must dismantle racial barriers to citizenship and voting rights .
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A star Vanderbilt student has testified in her alleged rapists' trial that she only knew she had been assaulted when she watched video footage of the alleged attack. The woman, whose identity is being concealed, took to the stand in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday in the rape trials of former football players Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey. The men and two of their teammates stand accused of sexually assaulting the unconscious woman in a dorm room after a night of drinking in June 2013. The court has already heard testimony from other witnesses that the woman had been assaulted with a water bottle, smacked, raped and urinated on while Vandenburg 'egged on' the men. Accused: Brandon Vandenburg, left, and Cory Batey, right, are on trial in Nashville, Tennessee for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in a dorm room at Vanderbilt in June 2013 . On Thursday, the alleged victim recounted how she had drank more alcohol than usual while out with friends at a local bar, the Tin Roof, and while there, she bumped into Vandenburg, whom she was dating. The last thing she can remember is being in the bar at around midnight, she said. 'I remember waking up in an unfamiliar room at 8-something the next morning,' she said. After the alleged attack, she had walked to a friend's neighboring room and slept there for about three hours. She woke up feeling disorientated, sick and in pain, she said. She recalled how she felt pain on some parts of her body, such as her shoulder, wrist and knee, but she did not feel as if she had been sexually assaulted. 'I was sore all over but those hurt particularly badly,' she recalled. That afternoon, the woman said that Vandenburg invited her to his room before initiating sex . They had unprotected sex for a few seconds, which left her 'confused', she said. Injuries: Katherine Parnell, a nurse at Metro General who carried out a rape kit on the victim, said the young woman had multiple bruises across her thighs and buttocks, and scratches on her feet . In the days after, she became 'somewhat' aware of rumors about the incident, she said, but when she texted with Vandenburg, he insisted that he was 'getting blamed for stuff that didn't even happen'. Initially the woman offered to help him, she said. Several days after the alleged assault, she went to Metro General to undergo a rape kit. The nurse who attended to her, Katherine Parnell, testified on Thursday that rape kits are usually carried out within 72 hours of the incident - putting the woman's outside that window. Parnell had noted that the student had multiple bruises across her thighs and buttocks, scratches on her ankles and a wound to her knee. By looking at how the injuries were healing, it appeared they had likely occurred around the time of the incident, Parnell testified. She added that when the woman came to the hospital, she could recall nothing of an alleged assault, including whether or not she had had sex or if condoms had been worn. Shocking: The victim's former roommate took the stand on Wednesday to describe what she looked like the morning after the attack, expressing her shock at how disheveled her friend had appeared . It was only later that the woman watched cell phone footage from the assault and identified herself as the victim, she said, The Tennessean reported. She only watched it once, she said. The jury previously heard how Vandenburg had sent footage and pictures of the alleged attack to friends in California before urging them to delete it the following morning. 'Did you consent to any of the acts done to you?' Prosecutor Tom Thurman asked the woman. 'Absolutely not,' she responded. On Wednesday, the woman's best friend described how her then-roommate's distressing appearance the morning after the attack is said to have occurred. Lauren Miller said she went to a bar with the victim the night leading up to the attack, and told the court her reaction the next time she saw her friend the following morning. She says her roommate came back to their condo with a gash on her leg, looking ill and 'out of it'. 'My immediate reaction was "Woah, what happened to you?"' Miller recalled. Co-accused: Former Vanderbilt players Jaborian 'Tip' McKenzie (left) and Brandon Banks (right) also face charges connected to the alleged rape. McKenzie testified that he did not touch the woman . 'So just from a physical standpoint, starting from top to bottom, her makeup was completely disheveled, the one thing I very clearly remember was the state of her hair. She had had it curled the night before and I remember being like, "'Did you go jump in a pool?"' She says she also found her roommate's black heel on the lawn outside their condo, and later overheard a voicemail message left by Vandenburg that her friend played on speaker. 'I heard him talking to (the woman) and saying he had just gotten out of football meeting, and he was being accused of some very horrible things that he did not do,' Miller recalled. 'And he was telling (the woman) to not believe anything she heard.' Vandenburg and former teammates Cory Batey, Jaborian 'Tip' McKenzie and Brandon Banks face five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg faces an additional charge of tampering with evidence and unlawful photography. Two other former Vanderbilt athletes took the stand as well on Wednesday to give their witness accounts of the event. Questions: Miles Finley, Vandenburg's friend from California, told jurors he was receiving graphic videos from his friend on the night of the attack but did not know that the alleged rape was happening at the time . 'Enablers': Former Vanderbilt athletes Michael Retta (left) and Dillon Van Der Wal (right) testified on Wednesday that they saw the victim passed out in front of Vandenburg's door but did not inform police . Then Vanderbilt tennis player Michael Retta and football player Dillon Van Der Wal told the jury that they saw the victim lying outside of Vandenburg's room that morning but neither reported the incident to police at the time. They both gave conflicting reports about whether Vandenburg asked for help moving the girl to his bed. Retta says he saw the alleged victim naked in the morning hours of June 23, while Van Der Wall said he saw the woman with 'handprints on her buttocks'. He also described Vandenburg's emotions that morning, saying he was 'extremely fidgety,' 'not acting normal,' and pacing. The prosecution rested on Thursday afternoon. The trial was expected to last 10 days but is now in its third week.
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Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey are accused of raping an unconscious student at Vanderbilt with two other men in June 2013 .
On Thursday, their alleged victim took to the stand and said the last thing she remembered was being in a bar and drinking with Vandenburg .
She awoke the next day in a friend's room and felt in pain - but did not feel as if she had been sexually assaulted, she told the court .
A nurse who carried out a rape kit several days later said she had bruises over her legs and buttocks and scratches to her feet and knee .
The victim said she later saw herself in cell phone footage 'of the attack'
Prosecutors say the woman was dragged into the room and assaulted with a water bottle, smacked, raped and urinated on as the four men laughed .
The prosecution has now rested .
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The hunt for missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 has been narrowed to the southern region of the previous search zone after a new analysis of satellite phone data. A failed attempt at a satellite phone call from the jet 'suggests ... the aircraft might have turned south a little earlier than expected,' said Warren Truss, Australia's deputy prime minister. It comes just weeks before the multi-million dollar, year-long sonar hunt for wreckage is due to begin. The overall search area still remained unchanged, Mr Truss said. He did not explain how the southern area was singled out. Scroll down for video . Boeing 777 Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 with the registration number 9M-MRO flies over Poland February 5. The jet vanished without a trace after flying off course while ferrying passengers from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing . However, Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Martin Dolan said he would meet with international experts next week to decide whether the 60,000 square kilometre (23,000 square mile) targeted search area should be extended or shifted further south based on the new analysis. 'We think we may extend that area farther south; that's the thing we're currently considering,' he said. The new analysis applies to satellite data from the first of two satellite phone calls Malaysia Airlines ground staff attempted to make to Flight 370's crew. By the time the calls were attempted, the plane had become invisible to civilian radar. It had flown west without communications past Sumatra and beyond the range of Malaysian military radar. Mr Dolan said the new analysis suggested the jet was already flying south when the first phone call was attempted less than 20 minutes after the plane dropped off military radar. 'Previously, there was the possibility that it could have been quite a bit later, so we had to do our modelling based on a range of possibilities as to where the aircraft turned,' he said. Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai and Australian deputy prime minister Warren Truss today signed a memorandum of understanding sharing the ongoing costs of the search for the missing Boeing 777 . A U.S. Navy submersible aboard an Australian vessel. Similar submarine vehicles equipped with sonar, echo sounders and video cameras will be used to scour 23,000 square miles of search area . 'We're now more confident that it turned comparatively early. That does make a difference to how we prioritise the search along the seventh arc,' he added, referring to the area where satellite information from a jet engine transmitter suggests the plane ran out of fuel and crashed. Investigators have long been aware of the phone call. But they have only recently adapted analysis methodology to glean clues to the plane's direction from the satellite phone data. MH370 disappeared on March 8 after flying far off course from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Officials say the investigation into the how it crashed can only proceed once its wreckage and black boxes are recovered. By the time the calls were attempted, the plane had become invisible to civilian radar. It had flown west without communications past Sumatra and beyond the range of Malaysian military radar. Mr Dolan said the new analysis suggested the jet was already flying south when the first phone call was attempted less than 20 minutes after the plane dropped off military radar. Today, Mr Truss and Liow Tiong Lai, Malaysia's transport minister, signed a memorandum of understanding sharing the ongoing costs of the search for the missing Boeing 777 as it progresses to an expensive new stage. Mr Liow said investigators had advised that success of the undersea search for wreckage and the aircraft's back boxes with cockpit voice recordings and flight data was crucial to solving the mystery of the disaster. 'The investigation cannot continue without the search result,' he said. 'We need to find the plane, we need to find the black box in the plane so that we can have a conclusion in the investigation.' Malaysia, as the country where the Boeing was flagged, has overall responsibility for the investigation. But Australia has search and rescue responsibility for the area of the Indian Ocean where the plane is thought to have crashed 1,100 miles off Australia's west coast. From next month three vessels towing underwater vehicles equipped with side-scan sonar, multi-beam echo sounders and video equipment will begin scouring 23,000 square miles of search area. The operation could take up to a year and cost AU$52million(£29m). Before the underwater search starts, two survey ships are mapping the entire search area. Chinese vice minister of transport He Jianzhong, who also attended the Canberra meeting, said the ministers agreed that the search would not be interrupted or given up. Most of the lost passengers, 153, were Chinese.
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The overall search area in the southern Indian Ocean remains unchanged .
Officials from Australia and Malaysia agree to share costs of search .
Investigation into the crash can only begin once the wreckage is found .
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(CNN) -- The man who allegedly lit an explosive on board a U.S.-bound international flight deserves none of the constitutional protections afforded American citizens, a former top Bush administration official said Monday. Tom Ridge, who served as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security from 2003 to 2005, made the comments on CNN's "Larry King Live." "I take a look at this individual who has been charged criminally, does that mean he gets his Miranda warnings? The only information we get is if he volunteers it?" Ridge said. "He's not a citizen of this country. He's a terrorist, and I don't think he deserves the full range of protections of our criminal justice system embodied in the Constitution of the United States." Ridge also said he was "not surprised" about reports that two former detainees in the detention center at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had joined up with the group that claimed responsibility for Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab's failed terrorist attack. "It's a symptom of a larger challenge that this country has, and that's how do you adjudicate these individuals that we pick up from these places and make a determination if they should be incarcerated for a long time, if not permanently," he said. Muhamad Attik al-Harbi, also known as Muhamad al-Awfi, and Said Ali Shari were released to Saudi Arabia in 2007 by the Bush administration. The two went through a "rehabilitation" program in Saudi Arabia but returned to the militants. U.S. officials, however, cautioned that the two could not be connected with Friday's attack. Ridge told King that the country is "clearly ... safer, but it's equally clear, given the several incidents that have occurred in the last couple of months in this country, that we still have very serious gaps in information-sharing." "What are we going to do to make sure more information, particularly with that kind of information that sends warning signals out, gets to the people that can act on it?" he said. "Whether you're in the battlefield in Iraq or Afghanistan or a screener at the airport, you need actionable information. I'm not sure all this information was in the hands of TSA at the time." Ridge also questioned why the State Department did not revoke AbdulMutallab's visa upon learning that his father had reported his son might have terrorist connections. "Why the State Department didn't revoke his visa immediately is beyond belief, in my judgment," he said. "But at the heart of this, it's a clash of cultures and institutional challenge. [The Department of Homeland Security] can only act on information it has, and they didn't have all the information at its disposal." The former secretary was less critical of current Secretary Janet Napolitano than many other Republicans for comments she made praising the way some protocols had worked. "I don't think any right-thinking person actually believed that Secretary Napolitano thought the system worked," he said. "Obviously, it was flawed. I think what she was referring to was that after the incident occurred, there are certain procedures and protocols to put in place. That worked smoothly."
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Tom Ridge, secretary of homeland security 2003-05, appears on "Larry King Live"
He comments on Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, suspect in failed airline attack .
Ridge: "I don't think he deserves the full range of protections of our criminal justice system"
He passes on criticism of Janet Napolitano, current chief of Homeland Security .
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Turkey is in a tough spot. It has ISIS militants threatening the Syrian border town of Kobani, inching ever closer to confronting Turkish security forces. In addition thousands of Syrian Kurds, fleeing ISIS attacks, have massed along its border, adding further to Ankara's troubles. Amid mounting pressure to become more active in the U.S.-led international coalition against ISIS, the Turkish parliament last week overwhelmingly authorized its military to make incursions into Syria and Iraq; also to allow foreign troops to operate out of Turkish bases. The move has been greeted in Western capitals as a welcome sign that Turkey is finally fully on board with the anti-ISIS coalition. Yet the Turkish parliament's actions herald neither a complete about-face in policy toward Syria nor immediate military action against ISIS. Indeed, Turkey's reasons for joining the war may be more to do with suppressing Kurdish separatists and removing the al-Assad regime than with destroying the jihadist group. Toppling the leadership in Damascus and keeping in check the Syrian Kurds who are closely linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, have long been Ankara's priorities in Syria. The wording of last week's parliamentary resolution -- which states that "the terrorist elements of the outlawed PKK still exist in northern Iraq" -- suggests that Kurdish separatists still remain the Turkish government's top concern. The vote does not signal intervention against ISIS any time soon: despite thousands of Syrian Kurdish refugees and ISIS's fast advance towards Turkey's southern border, Ankara seems unwilling to act. Turkey's defense minister Ismet Yilmaz said: "Don't expect an imminent step after the approval of the authorization request." Rather, the Turkish government is likely to give its full cooperation to the campaign against ISIS so that it can secure agreement of a U.S.-backed no-fly zone in Syria: this, Ankara believes, would address both concerns. Turkey thinks that Assad regime's ability to attack mainstream opposition forces from the air has strengthened ISIS, causing the Free Syrian Army to flee and allowing the Islamic militants to capture the vacant territory. Enforcing a no-fly zone over Syria would ground al-Assad's air force and boost rebels fighting to topple him: it could also establish a Turkish military presence, ridding northern Syria of Kurdish fighters linked to the PKK and smothering the autonomous Kurdish region. Turkey has become increasingly uneasy about the emergence of yet another Kurdish entity on its frontier after the PKK-affiliated Syrian Kurdish groups established autonomy in northern Syria. The military and diplomatic boost that the PKK has received through its effective fight against ISIS has also worsened the situation for Ankara. In response to the growing ISIS threat, the PKK, the Peshmerga, and the People's Protection Unit (the PKK-linked Kurdish militia group fighting in Syria), have established a united Kurdish front, with the PKK militants coming to the aid of Peshmerga fighters and halting the jihadi group's advance into the autonomous region of northern Iraq. The People's Protection Unit was the main force battling ISIS, and it helped thousands of Yazidis escape from the western part of the region as ISIS attacked. The PKK has effectively become the West's best hope for on-the-ground troops, winning the group positive reviews in Western media. Since the group started its assault against ISIS in northern Iraq, there has been a lot of talk in Western capitals about removing the PKK from the terror list. The fight against ISIS has also empowered the PKK militarily: Turkey is concerned that that weapons sent to the Peshmerga might ultimately end up in the hands of the PKK at a time when Ankara is moving forward with a deal that would disarm its group. The Turkish government puts the blame for this on the West but Ankara's overtures towards its own Kurdish minority have been mostly strained by its own short-sighted Syria policy. The ongoing conflict around Kobani has underscored the many challenges the Syrian war poses for the peace process Ankara launched in 2012 in an effort to end the 30-year old Kurdish insurgency. The intensified shelling in Kobani has angered Kurds on the Turkish side of the border, who have blamed the Turkish government for allowing ISIS to fester and not doing enough to stop its assault against Kurds. Turkey's reluctance to get involved for fear of empowering Kurdish militants in Turkey is now contributing to the growing discord between Kurds and the government. Last week, after reports that Turkey closed the border gates to impede the flight of Kurds from Kobani, Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK's imprisoned leader, warned that if ISIS carried out a "massacre" in Kobani then the peace process with the PKK could end. If engaged by Ankara, the PKK-linked groups in Syria could be integrated into the moderate Syrian opposition and become an effective fighting force against the al-Assad regime. But the Turkish government's increasingly harsh rhetoric against the group signals that such a shift in Ankara's thinking is not in the works. Last week, Erdogan said "While the ISIS terror organization is causing turmoil in the Middle East, there has been ongoing PKK terror in my country for the last 32 years, and yet the world was never troubled by it. Why? Because this terror organization did not carry the name 'Islam.'" If Turkey keeps seeing the PKK a bigger threat than ISIS activities in Syria, then the legislation passed last week is unlikely to lead to a deeper involvement of Turkey in the fight against the jihadist group.
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Gönül Tol: Turkey may be joining the anti-ISIS coalition to suppress Kurdish separatists .
The vote does not signal intervention against ISIS any time soon, she says .
Tol: The PKK has effectively become the West's best hope for on-the-ground troops .
The fight against ISIS has also empowered the PKK militarily, she writes .
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By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 08:49 EST, 12 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 03:48 EST, 13 January 2014 . Wolf: Leonardo DiCaprio, pictured on the Andrew Marr Show, said the attitudes it embraces are 'more damaging' today . For his latest Hollywood role he has become an icon of hedonism, recklessness and the worst excesses of the banking industry. But according to Leonardo DiCaprio, even the profanity-laden, ultra-expensive life of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, whom he plays in The Wolf of Walls Street, does not match up to the 'destructive' heights of today's Wall Street. The actor said that as the economy has grown, the culture of unbounded greed shown in the film, directed by Martin Scorsese, has becoming 'more and more damaging in our culture'. Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr show, he said the culture of Wall Street as shown in the film, which is set mostly in the boom years of the 1990s, was 'incredibly destructive.' He then added: 'I think this attitude is more and . more damaging in our culture today. As our economy continues to expand, . the population continues to surge - this has to do with the evolution of . our species in a lot of ways.' And though the actor admitted that the excesses of the film - which shows bankers using prostitutes at work, taking hard drugs and even organising a midget-throwing competition - were distasteful, he insisted the 'cautionary tale' was simply being true to life. He said: 'People have been talking about a . protagonist getting his proper punishment at the end of a film. Our film . doesn’t have that because it’s the truth.' Responding to some critics, who have complained that the film ignores the suffering of investors who lost millions to line bankers' pockets, he said that when making the film a conscious decision had been made to show only the people living the high life. Banking excess: DiCaprio, who plays Jordan Belfont in the film, founds a corrupt stock-brokerage . High life: DiCaprio's character is pictured on his yacht, where he meets FBI investigators . Hedonism: The film features DiCaprio's character having sex on top of a pile of money . He explained: 'We very purposefully didn’t do that [include the victims]. To me, the best thing a film can do is immerse an audience completely in somebody else’s mindset. These people weren’t thinking about their victims – they were ships moving forward that didn’t think about the wake of their destruction. They cared only about themselves.'
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Actor plays a corrupt stockbroker in blockbuster The Wolf of Wall Street .
He said the recklessness and excess of the film is 'incredibly destructive'
But added that the hedonistic attitudes behind the film have worsened .
He also defended the decision to ignore victims and reward misdeeds .
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Levi Strauss CEO Chip Bergh has revealed that he hasn't washed his favorite pair of jeans for a year. The 56-year-old arrived at Fortune magazine’s Brainstorm Green conference on Monday in California wearing the dark denim pants, which he admitted were 'yet to see a washing machine.' He continued telling the crowd of business leaders gathered: 'I know that sounds totally disgusting, I know it does . . . [But] I have yet to get a skin disease or anything else.' Scroll down for video . Saving water: Levi's CEO Chip Bergh (left) revealed that he hadn't washed his jeans for a year at Fortune's business conference on Monday - the magazine's magazine editor, Andy Sewer (right) looked a little disgusted . Asked how often people should be washing their jeans, Mr Bergh replied 'not very often.' He added that 'real denim aficionados' never put their threads near soap and water. Instead he recommends simply dabbing stains with a sponge or using a toothbrush for more stubborn marks. Andy Sewer, . Fortune's managing editor who interviewed Mr Bergh, looked a little . disgusted at his revelation, although he admitted the tight-fitting . pants looked 'pretty good.' Spreading the word: The 56-year-old told the crowd of business leaders gathered: 'I know that sounds totally disgusting. I know it does . . . [But] I have yet to get a skin disease or anything else' Steeped in history: Mr Bergh became the CEO of Levi Strauss in 2011 - the company celebrated the 141st birthday of its 501 jeans this week and is now striving to create more sustainable products . Tags on Levi Strauss jeans urge customers to wash less and use only cold water. Mr Bergh isn't the only one ditching the wash cycle. Last year, Tommy Hilfiger also revealed that he 'never' washes his jeans - his favorite brand being Levi Strauss over his own eponymous label. The 63-year-old told a TMZ reporter: 'I never wash my Levi's. They'll fall apart. I love them broken in.' And TV anchor Anderson Cooper told how he wears the same jeans every day, washing them on average only four times a year. He admitted that he also had an unconventional method of cleaning his jeans: wearing them in the shower. 'So the times I've washed my jeans, maybe twice in six months . . . I've worn them and walked into my shower with them and put some soap on them and then air dried them.' Levi Strauss celebrated the 141st birthday of its 501 jeans on Tuesday. The California-based company is now striving to create denim products that last longer and require less washing in a bid to promote sustainability. In 2011, Levis Strauss introduced a stone-washed denim brand smoothed with rocks but no water, its cleaning instructions urging customers to wash their jeans rarely, if at all, and put them in the freezer instead. Freeze cleaning doesn’t remove dirt or dust, and certainly does not remove stains, but it does kill the germs that cause jeans to smell. Levis advises customers to put jeans in a plastic, zip-lock bag and put them in the freezer for 24 hours. And according to a student-professor team that tested a pair of jeans at the University of Alberta, wearing raw denim jeans for 15 months without washing them does not pose any health risks. Josh Le, 20, bought a pair of Nudie Jeans in 2009 and wore them nearly every day, even sleeping in them for a month and spilled food on them (wiped off with a paper towel). But when Mr Le and assistant human ecology professor Rachel McQueen swabbed the inside of the jeans and tested them for bacteria 15 months later, they found levels to be normal. Mr Le then washed the jeans, wore them for 13 days, and re-tested them. The bacteria levels were nearly identical.
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Chip Bergh arrived at Fortune magazine's Brainstorm Green conference on Monday wearing the unwashed dark denim pants .
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By . Gavin Allen . UPDATED: . 22:21 EST, 17 November 2011 . Ronnie Biggs, who is unable to walk or talk because of a stroke, has finally expressed remorse over the death of the driver who never recovered from his assault during the Great Train Robbery - as he launched an updated version of his autobiography. The deterioration of his health became apparent as he posed for the media at the launch in London, where he described himself as a 'loveable rogue'. Unable to speak after several debilitating strokes, Biggs, 82, answered questions by pointing to a word and letter board. Thumbs up: Biggs poses for the cameras at the launch of his updated autobiography 'Odd Man Out: The Last Straw' in London . The inside story: Biggs poses with a copy of the book, which reveals details of his later life and struggle with ill health . Biggs's compared himself to Katie . Price, saying he was the 'Jordan of the 1980s', and the Great Train . Robber said he was proud of his achievements despite expressing remorse . over his crimes. When asked by reporters how the nation perceived him, Biggs spelled out: 'Loveable rogue.' Son Michael Biggs, speaking on his . father's behalf at the east London launch, said his father had no . regrets about voluntarily returning from Brazil to face justice in 2001. Michael Biggs described how his father developed a life-threatening chest infection every three or four weeks. 'It's a constant battle for my father,' he added. 'This is probably the first and last time he is holding a press conference.' Biggs had been working on the book since his release from jail on compassionate grounds in 2009, the family said. In an interview before the launch of . Odd Man Out: The Last Straw, Biggs expressed sorrow over the fate of . mail train driver Jack Mills, who died in 1970 having never made a full . recovery after being coshed. Great Train Robber: Ronnie Biggs, pictured with his son Michael, spelled out on a word board that he regretted the death of the driver that followed the the notorious crime . Spelling it out: The word board Biggs now uses to speak due to his failing health following a series of strokes . But when asked whether any proceeds . from the book would go to Mr Mills' family, the ex-fugitive's son said: . 'That has not been discussed yet.' The book updates his 1994 . autobiography and has chapters covering his later years, including his . return to the UK, his time in prison, his release on compassionate . grounds and his life since his release. He first suffered a stroke in 1998 and has been admitted to hospital several times since returning to Britain in 2001. Originally from Lambeth, south London, . Biggs was a member of a gang of robbers that stole £2.6m in one of the . most infamous heists in history. The 15-strong gang of robbers raided a . Post Office train from Glasgow to Watford after fixing a red signal to . bring it to a halt at a lonely spot near in Buckinghamshire on August 8, . 1963. When the driver got out to investigate he was coshed and the gang escaped with 120 mail bags of bank notes. The target: The mail train that the Great Train Robbers attacked forty years ago, making off with £2.6million . Death: The train driver Jack Mills, pictured left, was coshed over the head during the robbery and died seven years later, having never recovered from the assault. Biggs, right, lived much of his subsequent life in Brazil . Ill health: Biggs pictured in a Norwich Hospital bed in 2009as his legal team lobbied the then-Home Secretary Jack Straw to release him from prison . The robbery left Mills with serious injuries. He never fully recovered from his injuries, and died seven years later. Biggs says in his new book he is a 'very different man to the one who went on the run from HMP Wandsworth back in July 1965'. 'Not only are there many, many more . miles on the clock, but also there is the damage done to my body and . soul by the strokes and other health problems that should have killed me . already; and may have already done so by the time you get around to . reading this,' he writes. 'I lay no claim to having been a . perfect man who has led a faultless life, and never have, but I am a . better man for the experiences of the past 50 years, a period in which I . spent over three quarters of my life trying to honestly maintain my . family and myself as best I could. 'It has been said by those who don't . know me - and who have never even met me - that I have no regrets, but . that simply isn't true. 'I have always regretted the hurt I caused by my actions, and especially to my own family and friends.' In an interview before the launch, . Biggs had professed his regret by pointing out the words 'crime doesn't . pay' on his word board. When asked if he was sorry for what . happened to mail train driver Jack Mills, who died in 1970 having never . made a full recovery after being hit on the head, he pointed out: 'Yes.' In reaction to Biggs' interview, the . son of Jack Mills told ITV News that he didn't believe the robber's . contrition and pointed out that Biggs is still making money from the . crime with his book.
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Biggs, 82, launches updated version of his autobiography in London .
Train robber compares himself to Katie Price: he was 'the Jordan of the 80s'
Expressed regret over death of train driver but book profits won't go to Jack Mills family: 'We haven't discussed that yet,' says son .
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A woman has been left paralysed from the waist down after contracting tonsillitis so severe that she was hospitalised on her 21st birthday. Samantha Siddell, 22, has spent months learning to walk again after she was diagnosed with a condition called transverse myelitis, thought to have been triggered by a virus. The rare reaction caused a severe inflammation of her spinal chord, and her nervous system was attacked - leaving her complete paralysed below the waist. Her condition was so severe that she collapsed and was hospitalised on her 21st birthday. She . said: 'I know a lot of people end up in hospital on their 21st . birthday, but usually it involves alcohol - I was stone cold sober, and . terrified. Samantha Siddell has been left paralysed from the waist down after contracting tonsillitis so severe that she was hospitalised on her 21st birthday . 'Two days later I was completely paralysed from the waist down - and it was all thanks to tonsillitis. I never would have thought something as routine as tonsillitis would have stopped me walking.' 'I had never had tonsillitis before in my life,' she said. 'I had been suffering with it for a few weeks, but when I collapsed I knew this was not an average case.' Miss Siddell, of Rotherham, was treated and discharged, but a week after leaving hospital, Miss Siddell started complaining of strange sensations in her hand. She said: 'It started in my hands - I couldn’t bend my fingers. 'It was a really hot summer and whenever I picked up a cold can in a shop I found it painful. It felt like electric currant shooting through my hand. 'I went to my doctor and they told me it was probably a trapped nerve and referred me to physiotherapist. The rare reaction caused a catastrophic inflammation of her spinal chord, and her nervous system was attacked . 'By the time I saw the physio the sensation had spread to my legs. The physio was shocked and said it was more serious than a trapped nerve.' The condition baffled experts - who at first diagnosed her with either kidney or liver failure, until tests for both came back negative. She was then referred to a neurologist as doctors thought the strange sensations could have been brought on by depression. She said: 'The neurologist saw a large inflammation on my spinal chord but nobody could tell me what it was.' Then on her 21st birthday, while she was enjoying a celebratory meal, her symptoms took a turn for the worse and she collapsed again. By the next day, she couldn’t feel anything below her waist. She said: 'At least when you have the weird sensations you can feel something. I couldn’t feel anything and it was unbelievably scary. 'It's like being on a plane and then suddenly you hear all the loud noises stop - the absence of noise is more terrifying.' It was only when she became paralysed that she was diagnosed with transverse myelitis - a rare neurological condition which consists of inflammation of the spinal cord. She has spent months learning to walk again after contracting a condition called transverse myelitis . The condition myelitis causes sensory loss in the upper or lower parts of the body and in rare cases can cause complete paralysis. It is caused when a patient’s immune system reacts abnormally and attacks tissues and organs in the body. Doctors said that in Miss Siddell’s case, the shock of her severe tonsillitis effectively reprogrammed her immune system to attack the tissue in her spine. Miss Siddell said: 'This mystery illness of mine which had been through every diagnosis under the sun had turned out to be this really unusual condition.' Miss Siddell was hospitalised for the next six months. Ever since then she has been confined to a wheelchair. She said: 'One in three people with my disease will get completely better and have no lasting symptoms. Transverse myelitis is a neurological condition that triggers inflammation of the spinal cord. It is thought to be caused by a virus experts remain unsure of the exact cause. It is very rare and affects just 300 Britons each year. Symptoms include weakness, 'heaviness' and numbness of the limbs. In severe cases this can lead to total paralysis. It may also cause someone to be more sensitive to touch, cold, and heat. There may also be tight and painful muscle contractions (known as tonic muscle spasms). The symptoms and signs depend upon the extent of the spinal cord affected. Around 70 per cent of sufferers will never recover but intensive physiotherapy can help reduce symptoms. 'Another one in three will have partial recovery and have partial mobility - but still suffer with symptoms. 'The final third don’t make any recovery at all.' Now approaching the two-year anniversary of her 21st birthday, Mrs Siddell has started to learn to walk again. She said: 'I can walk very small distances now - I’m trying to slowly build back up. 'At one point I was told I would never get back out of bed again. 'I went to a specialist rehabilitation place. First I worked on being able to sit up, because I couldn’t support myself at all. I was like a ragdoll I kept falling to the side all the time. 'Then I progressed to using a standing hoist. They put a belt round my waist and it takes my weight through my arms. 'Then I started walking while being supported by people. 'I can walk short distances by myself now, but it is very tiring for me to walk around so I have to use the chair out of the house nearly all the time. 'Walking for the first time in nearly two years felt unbelievable - I had been on my back for so long and I never thought I would know what it feels like to stand on two feet again.' Mrs Siddell won’t know for sure if she’ll be able to lose her wheelchair until three years after her initial paralysis. She said: 'It is a possibility that I might completely get rid of the chair. 'But doctors said they have to wait another year to determine what the long-term effects of my condition are.'
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Samantha Siddell, 22, was diagnosed with tonsillitis which triggered a rare condition called transverse myelitis .
The rare reaction caused a severe inflammation of her spinal chord .
Condition was so severe that she was hospitalised on her 21st birthday .
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Step too far: Jonathan Charles Stevens, 24, was arrested for impersonating a police officer on Sunday after he pulled over a real cop in Tampa, Florida . A Florida man pretending to be a police officer pushed his luck way too far on Sunday when he pulled over a real cop - and got arrested for his troubles. Incredibly, this is the second time in three months that 24-year-old Jonathan Charles Stevens, of Palmetto, has been charged with impersonating an officer. According to Tampa Police, Stevens was driving a white Chevy Tahoe equipped with flashing red and blue emergency lights. He then reportedly used the lights to stop a female officer at around 10.30pm at 17th Street North and 7th Avenue East in Ybor City. Stevens told the policewoman that he wanted to report a reckless driver. Officers say that he had also called police dispatch to tell them about the same complaint. Stevens reportedly told the officer that he worked for Homeland Security, and he had a Glock .45-caliber handgun and a badge around his neck. But, according to the police report, the policewoman grew suspicious of the phony agent. She continued to talk to Stevens and discovered that his vehicle was not registered to any government agency. After further questioning, the man admitted that he wasn't a law enforcement officer. He also didn't have a concealed weapon permit. Scene: Stevens reportedly pulled over a female police officer at around 10.30pm at 17th Street North and 7th Avenue East in Ybor City, Tampa . The real deal: A picture from the Tampa Bay Police Facebook page . Stevens was charged . with impersonating a police officer, unlawful use of blue lights and . carrying a concealed firearm. He was booked into prison early on Monday . morning. According to records, he was released from jail after posting a $17,500 bail bond. But this is the second time that Stevens has been arrested for impersonating a police officer and unlawful use of emergency lights recently. On September 7, undercover Manatee County sheriffs spotted him pull a woman over in a parking lots with flashing red and blue lights in the same vehicle. Tool: According to police, Stevens was driving a white Chevy Tahoe (like the one in this file photo) equipped with flashing red and blue emergency lights . Authorities discovered that Stevens had told her that he was an off-duty police officer. When officers visited his home he admitted to the incident and said that he knew what he was doing was wrong. He posted $2,000 bail and was released. The Tampa Tribune reported that Stevens said he had been warned by his friends in law enforcement that he could get into trouble for these actions.
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Jonathan Charles Stevens, 24, of Palmetto, Florida, pulled over a real police officer to report a reckless driver .
Stevens told her that he worked for Homeland Security but she grew suspicious .
Officer discovered that his car was not registered to any government agency and he didn't have a concealed weapon permit .
This is the second time in three months that he has been charged with .
impersonating an officer .
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(CNN) -- The desperate search in Portland, Maine, for a Harvard Business School student missing since Sunday ended in heartbreak after his body was found just days before he was to graduate. Portland Police Chief Michael Sauschuck confirmed Tuesday that a body pulled from Portland Harbor in the city's Old Port area is that of 31-year-old Nathan Bihlmaier. "It's a tragic end. We had high hopes throughout working with the family and the community to bring Nate home. These weren't the circumstances that we wanted," Sauschuck told reporters. He said there's no indication of foul play, but investigators are working to piece together Bihlmaier's final hours using security camera video from nearby businesses. Cops: Body of missing girl, 19, found in woods . Bihlmaier and two friends drove from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Portland last weekend to celebrate his graduation from Harvard. According to police reports, Bihlmaier was asked to leave the Ri Ra Irish pub on Commercial Street around 12:20 a.m. Sunday because he was visibly intoxicated. He left alone but never returned to his hotel, prompting his friends to report him missing, police said. Arrest made in missing California teen case . For two days, police divers, using side-scan sonar, searched Portland Harbor for the missing man. On Monday, authorities announced that divers had found Bihlmaier's clothing. Bihlmaier's wife, Nancy, who is pregnant with their first child, traveled to Portland to help police in their search efforts. "It's a day that will now be forever tinged with sadness," Nitin Nohria, dean of Harvard Business School, told reporters after learning Bihlmaier's body had been found. Nohria also said this week's commencement activities will be bittersweet as Bihlmaier's classmates mourn. "We're a tight-knit community preparing for a graduation. Nathan was supposed to be one of 900 receiving a diploma. We were all hoping this would be a day Nathan could celebrate. Instead, we are here trying to grasp this unspeakable tragedy," Nohria said. Is this what Baby Gabriel looks like today?
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Body of missing Harvard Business School student pulled from Portland Harbor .
Nathan Bihlmaier, 31, was missing since Sunday; he was to have graduated Thursday .
Police chief in Portland says there's no indication of foul play .
Harvard Business School dean says commencement activities will be "bittersweet"
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(CNN) -- Syria's vice president is calling for a "historic settlement" of the country's civil war and the creation of a national unity government, according to an interview with a Lebanese newspaper to be published Monday. "The solution has to be Syrian, but through a historic settlement, which would include the main regional countries, and the members of the U.N. Security Council," newspaper al-Akhbar quoted Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa as saying in excerpts released Sunday. Al-Sharaa, who also once acted as Syria's foreign minister, noted that neither the rebels nor government has the military ability to reach what he called "a conclusive end." "This settlement must include stopping all shapes of violence, and the creation of a national unity government with wide powers," he said. Al-Sharaa, a Sunni Muslim in a government dominated by the country's Alawite minority, was rumored to have defected to Jordan in August, but he later resurfaced in Damascus. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told Turkish media then that al-Sharaa is not to blame for the mass bloodshed in the country. "Farouq al-Sharaa, with a reasonable and conscientious approach, was not a part of recent events and did not partake in the massacres. And perhaps there is no one that knows the system better than Farouq al-Sharaa," Davutoglu said, according to the Turkish Anadolu Agency. Al-Sharaa has clout as a prominent member of the government's old guard, serving as foreign minister under President Bashar al-Assad and his late father, Hafez, for more than 20 years. Turkish state media said in October that some Syrian rebels were open to the idea of al-Sharaa leading an interim government. But rebel leaders have not indicated to CNN that they support that idea. Meanwhile, Syrian warplanes bombarded a densely populated Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus on Sunday amid clashes there, opposition activists said. Airstrikes hammered the Yarmouk camp in the southern part of the capital, opposition activists said. The opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria said warplanes shelled a school and a mosque, and reported at least 15 deaths. The air assault comes with fighting over the past 48 hours between rebels and a pro-government Palestinian militia, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Palestinian faction is led by Ahmad Jibril, a longtime leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command, one activist and news outlets are reporting. Read more: Rebels gaining ground in Aleppo, opposition says . Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urged combatants in Syria "to spare our camps and our people in Syria" and not draw the Palestinians into the civil war. He also called on the world community "to take immediate action" to protect Palestinians in Syria. Rebels and the government have gained and sought support from Palestinians in Syria. "We are very worriedly following the situation," Abbas said, according to the WAFA news outlet. "This must be stopped immediately." Many displaced Palestinians have been living for decades in Yarmouk, a nearly square-mile district inside Damascus about five miles from the center of the city. Formed in 1957, the urban enclave is the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, with more than 148,500 registered refugees, the United Nations said. Refugees in Yarmouk appear to have been well-integrated into Syrian society, working as doctors, engineers, civil servants, laborers and street vendors. The United Nations said living conditions in Yarmouk "are far better" than they are in other refugee camps in Syria. There are more than 486,000 Palestinian refugees living in nine official and three unofficial camps across Syria, the United Nations said. Most of the Palestinian refugees who fled to Syria amid the founding of Israel in 1948 were from the northern part of the area -- mainly Safed and the cities of Haifa and Jaffa, the United Nations said. Palestinian refugees were among those who fled from the Golan Heights to other parts of Syria after Israel occupied that area in the Six Day War in 1967. Rebels intent on overthrowing al-Assad's government are working to seize ground in and near Damascus. More than 40,000 people have been killed in 21 months of conflict. At least 150 people were killed across the country Sunday, the LCC said. Opposition groups also said rebels and regime forces battled near a hospital in the Hama province town of Halfaya. Twenty-five people died there, the LCC said. Read more: How the Patriot deployment to Turkey will work . ______________________________________________________ . Editor's note: CNN wants you to know that we got word last Thursday night that Richard Engel and his team were missing. NBC News asked us not to report that news -- and we complied. CNN has complied with such requests before and likely will again. Often in the first few days after a non-combatant goes missing -- whether it is a journalist, a member of a non-government organization, or other company employee -- CNN is asked, as are other news organizations, to delay reporting the story. The reason is so fact finding and any negotiations to free them can take place before their capture becomes a worldwide news event. Hostage negotiators say that once the global spotlight is on the missing, the hostages' value soars, making it much harder to negotiate their freedom. We thought you ought to know why we complied with the NBC News request -- just as we would from any organization or company missing an employee in such a high risk area. Joe Sterling and Amir Ahmed reported from Atlanta. Journalist Slma Shelbayah and CNN's Samira Said contributed to this report.
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Neither side can reach "a conclusive end," Farouq al-Sharaa says .
Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus hit by fighting .
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemns the violence .
At least 150 people were killed across the country Sunday, opposition group says .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:21 EST, 19 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:09 EST, 20 November 2012 . They have taken to the celebrity jet-set lifestyle of Los Angeles with considerable ease. But despite clearly enjoying life in California, it appears the Beckhams could be about to move after David announced last night that he will play his last game for the Los Angeles Galaxy next week. The . iconic midfielder will attempt to help his team win their second . consecutive MLS Cup in the league final against Houston Dynamo on . December 1. Scroll down for video . Moving?: David Beckham could be on his way out of the U.S. as he announced today that he will play his last game for the Los Angeles Galaxy next week. He is pictured with his wife Victoria and their three children . New challenge: The superstar midfielder's last game for LA Galaxy will be on December 1. He is pictured laughing with his sons Romeo, right, and Cruz , left, at a basketball game . Famous: U.S President Barack Obama smiles as he meets the iconic footballer . While that . will be the final act of his impressive six-year career in LA, the 37-year-old . former Manchester United player insisted he would not retire and said he . was hoping for 'one last challenge'. Speculation over his next destination is . likely to rage over the next few days, with Paris, Australia and his . native London all possible new homes for the English legend. Last week, he pointedly denied rumors linking him to a short-term stint in Australia. New home? Speculation over Beckham's next destination is likely to rage over the next few days, with Paris, Australia and his native London all possible new homes for the English legend . Ecstatic: David Beckham was pictured behind London mayor Boris Johnson at the London Olympics over the summer . Close: Victoria Beckham whispers into her husband's ear during a basketball match . 'I've had an incredibly special time playing for the L.A. Galaxy,' Beckham said in a statement on Monday evening. 'However, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career. I don't see this as the end of my relationship with the league, as my ambition is to be part of the ownership structure in the future.' Beckham and his wife, former Spice . Girl Victoria, seem comfortable in Los Angeles, where their three sons - . Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz - attend school. The footballer is a fixture in the Los Angeles Lakers' courtside seats, attending his most recent game with his three sons last Friday. He has played six years in Los Angeles since his groundbreaking move from Real Madrid - building on a worldwide fame that reportedly produces more than $40 million per year in endorsement income. On his way out: David Beckham has announced he is to leave LA Galaxy at the end of next week . Star: The midfielder, left, pictured with his teammate Robbie Keane during a game on Sunday . He has reached three league finals and winning one MLS title last year during his best season stateside. He agreed to a two-year contract . extension with the Galaxy in January after playing out his initial . five-year deal, turning down potential moves to Paris St Germain and . other clubs. Beckham had not given any overt indications he was planning to leave the Galaxy after this season. 'Seldom does an athlete redefine a sport,' said Tim Leiweke, the president of Galaxy owners AEG. 'David not only took our franchise to another level, but he took our sport to another level. 'It has been an honour and privilege to be a part of his world, and more importantly, to have him be a part of ours.' Beckham has been the star player on . the league's most glamorous franchise during his tenure, which began . with a handful of rocky seasons before the Galaxy became a power under . coach Bruce Arena over the past few years. Origins: The star first made his name playing for Manchester United and the England national team . 'In . my time here I have seen the popularity of the game grow every year,' Beckham said. 'I've been fortunate to win trophies, but more important . to me has been the fantastic reception I've had from fans in L.A. and . across the States. Soccer's potential has no limits in this wonderful . country, and I want to always be part of growing it.' Beckham began his professional career with 12 years at Manchester United before his move to Real Madrid. He left for the Galaxy in 2007. Beckham played in three World Cups and made a record 115 appearances for England, but wasn't chosen for the Olympic team at the London Games last summer. Beckham still played a role in the Olympic festivities, including a prominent part in the lighting of the Olympic flame in his native east London during the opening ceremonies.
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Paris, Australia and London are all possible new homes for the footballer and his family .
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The family of missing toddler William Tyrell have endured a heart-rending Christmas, with a stockpile of unopened presents from locals serving as a sombre reminder of his disappearance. Members of the Kendall Services and Citizens Club in NSW gave a collection of gifts and Spiderman merchandise to his parents in the hope that the three-year-old will soon be found. One of the senior officers in the investigation has said the family remain heartbroken at William's baffling disappearance almost four months ago. After news that homicide detectives are now leading the investigation, an expansive search of the surrounding areas has led them to believe that the boy did not wander away on his own accord, reports The Sunday Telegraph - with one neighbour suggesting he could have been kidnapped. Scroll down for videos . William Tyrell was last seen wearing his favourite Spiderman costume when he disappeared on September 12 . Lead investigator superintendent Paul Fehon points to the house where three-year-old William Tyrell was last seen on the Mid North Coast of NSW . 'They indicated to me that Christmas was just a quiet silent time at home, the emptiness of having a void in their house,' lead investigator Superintendent Paul Fehon, from Port Macquarie Local Area Command, told The Sunday Telegraph. 'That's been unopened presents, not able to share the festivities, to see a smile on young William's face to receive gifts or presents like any other normal child.' Supt Fehon said a lack of evidence to support the potential scenarios has left investigators baffled. 'It's got to be either adventure that's turned into misadventure, or human intervention. Because we're not finding anything on that side, we've got to be open to the possibility of human intervention,' he said. His parents have also made a poignant announcement: 'We pray that 2015 brings William home.' Supt Fehon said police were considering the importance of a walking track which starts at the end of Benaroon Drive where William disappeared and leads into the nearby Kendall cemetery. Supt Fuhon has revealed the Tyrell family have endured a heart-rending Christmas . Members of the Kendall Services and Citizens Club gave a collection of gifts and Spiderman merchandise to William's parents in hopes the missing three-year-old will appear soon . Homicide detectives have taken over the investigation of William Tyrell who disappeared on September 12 . For the first time he has also outlined a detailed account of the sequence of events before William's disappearance. His grandmother, mother and four-year-old sister were enjoying a relaxing morning on the driveway of his grandmother's property. Dressed in his favourite superhero costume, William was playing a game of hide-and-seek with his sister. He was dashing around the side of the house before reappearing with a smile and returning to his his family. When he ran around out of view at about 10.25am on September 12, his mother did not check on him until 10.30am, when she went around the corner looking for him and he was nowhere to be seen. Neighbours watched the family frantically scouring the area and calling out his name, before they contacted police shortly afterwards. It comes after news that homicide detectives have joined the investigation into William's disappearance. Lead Investigator superintendant Paul Fehon said a lack of evidence to support any scenario has left investigators stumped . One neighbour saw William’s distraught mother pacing the quite street after William went missing. Afterwards, his father, who had been at the shops, returned and instantly joined into the search. The family had visited Kendall before, with locals recalling seeing them the previous December. Another neighbour said the community has been rocked by William’s disappearance, with children no longer allowed to ride their bikes or visit the local store without supervision. William was last seen in the front yard of his grandmother's house at Kendall, on the NSW mid-north coast . Investigators have now also outlined a detailed account of the sequence of events before William's disappearance . In a major turn for the investigation, murder squad officers are now leading inquiries - meaning the case is no longer a missing persons investigation. Homicide Squad boss Detective Superintendent Michael Willing told the Sunday Telegraph that the investigation had taken a new direction. 'We want to do a thorough investigation to determine what's happened to William and obviously we need to consider the worst case scenario,' Supt Willing said. A NSW police spokeswoman confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that homicide detectives are now leading the investigation. 'The homicide squad are involved to ensure thorough investigation but we have no evidence to suggest any particular scenario at this stage,' a police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. Detectives have spoken to every person they could locate who was in Kendall that day when the little boy disappeared at Benaroon Drive about 10.30am, five minutes after he was last seen by his grandmother and mother. He had been playing with his four-year-old sister. Detectives, who found no trace of William during an intense nine-day search and were concentrating their investigation on the theory that William was abducted, have previously described the case as 'astonishing'. Searches combed bushland surrounding the home of missing toddler William Tyrell's grandmother . Police have spoken to everyone they could locate who was in Kendall on the day little William disappeared . A huge search of surrounding properties and bushland failed to find a trace of the boy. One lead police have investigated is a report of a 'well-dressed, well-spoken' man who reportedly asked a local shopkeeper for directions to Batar Creek Road, which leads to Benaroon Drive, on the morning William disappeared. William's family thanked searchers for their hard work. 'Thank you does not seem like the right sort of word to express our gratitude and heartfelt warmth we feel towards each and every one of you,' a statement from the family said. 'We have been completely overwhelmed with the way the public, SES, Surf Life Saving, RFS and the Police have rallied together to find our little Spiderman William.' Anyone with any information about William's disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 .
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Three-year-old William Tyrell has been missing for nearly four months .
Detectives are now adamant that he did not wander away on his own .
But a lack of evidence to support any scenario has left them stumped .
Locals from Kendall have donated a collection of gifts in his honour .
Investigators have outlined the sequence of events before the event .
Homicide detectives have taken over the investigation of missing toddler .
He was last seen in his grandmother's front yard at Kendall .
He was last seen wearing his favourite Spiderman costume and sandals .
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f6957f98e30629ab1955ca67be7fed8a5b95670c
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:27 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 17:31 EST, 3 January 2014 . An unremarkable porcelain dish valued at £70 has sold for £84,000 after it was found to be from the court of King Louis XV. It is believed the 13.5-inch French plate was displayed in a cabinet by its elderly owner who knew nothing of its royal history and thought it was of little worth. Even the auctioneers initially failed to spot the 260-year-old plate's heritage, saying it would fetch just £70. This unremarkable porcelain dish valued at £70 has sold for £84,000 after it was found to be from the court of King Louis XV . But closer inspection revealed it was from a collection of around 1,700 items made for the king and held at the Palace of Versailles. A bidding frenzy saw the price rocket to 1,200 times the estimate as the plate, which dates back to 1753, was snapped up by a French antiques dealer. The plate was part of a set made by master goldsmith Jean-Claude Duplessis between 1753 and 1755 at the Royal factory in Vincennes. Louis XV, who ruled France from 1715 until his death in 1774, paid 87,272 French livres for the set - around £6,500 in today's money. Louis XV, who ruled France from 1715 until his death in 1774, paid 87,272 French livres for the set - around £6,500 in today's money . Jane Brown, from Wellers Auctions in Guildford, Surrey, said: 'Very little is known about the plate's history before it came to us. 'It was inherited from a deceased elderly relative who we think just kept it in her china cabinet thinking it was a pretty plate but not realising its true value. 'We missed it at the cataloguing stage and so it initially had an estimate of £70. 'After that, it went into a store room until we were ready to put it on display closer to the auction date. 'However by the time it went on view, we had a second look and realised what the plate really was. 'We got some second opinions from experts and they confirmed it was from the Louis XV service. It was just one of those auction miracles. 'There was a lot of demand for the plate and bidding was going up in increments of £5,000. 'A similar plate sold recently for £50,000 so there were smiles all round when ours sold for even more.' Although the hammer price for the blue and white plate was £70,000, with all the fees added on, the overall price paid for it was £84,000. Louis XV ascended the throne in 1715 at the tender age of five following the death of his great grandfather Louis XIV. His cousin Philippe II, the Duke of Orleans, ruled as Regent until Louis was 13 and considered mature enough to take over. Louis XV was ruler of France until he died from smallpox aged 64 in 1774. Auctioneers in Guildford, Surrey, discovered that the dish was from a collection of around 1,700 items made for the king and held at the Palace of Versailles (above)
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Part of set made by .
master goldsmith Jean-Claude Duplessis between 1753 and 1755 at the .
Royal factory in Vincennes .
Elderly owner may have kept it in china cabinet, unaware of its true worth .
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f6958e743566754efd82d0cb0cae30ee0860632f
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By . Jason Groves - Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mail . Billionaire former Tory chairman Lord Ashcroft has released a series of polls carried out in key swing constituencies . Labour is tightening its grip on key election battlegrounds across the country as Tory voters desert to Ukip, according to a major new poll. The survey of eight Tory-held marginal constituencies shows that each one would fall to Labour if an election were held tomorrow. And polling in four Labour-held marginal seats suggests only one would be a close contest, with Labour comfortably holding the other three. The study, conducted by former Tory treasurer Lord Ashcroft, suggests David Cameron still has a mountain to climb in order to stay in Number 10 next year. And it suggests that Ed Miliband’s prospects are being boosted by the reluctance of Tory defectors to Ukip to desert Nigel Farage. Just under seven out of 10 people who voted Conservative in 2010 said they would do so again next year. Of the remainder some 17 per cent said they would now vote Ukip. The findings will increase pressure on Mr Cameron to adopt a tougher line on both Europe and immigration in the run-up to the election in a bid to persuade defectors to return to the Tory fold. Mr Miliband receives a further boost from the collapse of the Liberal Democrat vote. Barely a quarter of those who voted Lib Dem last time say they will do so again. Of those who did not almost a third say they will now vote Labour. Lord Ashcroft said the findings ‘confirm my view that it’s going to be close, but the Tories have most to do’. Lord Ashcroft’s research has previously looked at the 12 most marginal Conservative-held seats, where he has found a strong swing to Labour. This time, polling focused on the ‘second tier’ of marginal seats, where Labour needs a bigger swing to win. Voters were polled in Bedford, Carlisle, Dewsbury, Lincoln, Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, Stroud, Warrington South and Weaver Vale. In all eight seats Labour would now win, thanks to an average swing from the Tories of 6.5 per cent. Ukip achieved double-digit support in each of the seats, and attracted support of more than 20 per cent in Carlisle, Dewsbury and Plymouth. The Lib-Dems, by comparison, failed to reach 10 per cent in any of the seats. The polling also revealed that Labour would hold on to three key marginal seats – Bolton West, Birmingham Edgbaston and Hampstead and Kilburn. Only in Southampton Itchen would the Tories run them close. The polling appears to confirm the Tories’ key message that Tory supporters who back Ukip risk putting Mr Miliband into power by the back door. Tory high command plans to hammer home the message ‘Vote Ukip, get Miliband’ next year. But more than two-fifths of Tory defectors (41 per cent) polled in the latest survey ruled out going back to the Conservatives under any circumstances. David Cameron has a mountain to climb to win the next election, according to a survey of marginal constituencies . But despite the apparently gloomy message for Mr Cameron, the new survey contains some cheer for Tory supporters. Despite the average 10-point Labour lead in the marginal seats polled, the majority of voters in these constituencies are either satisfied with Mr Cameron’ s performance (29 per cent) or prefer him to Mr Miliband (29 per cent). Just 31 per cent of voters in these seats (including only two-thirds of Labour voters) would prefer to see the Labour leader in Number 10. In another positive finding, the majority of voters in all twelve seats polled believe the economy will do well for both the country and their own families in the coming year – suggesting that Labour’s focus on the cost of living ‘crisis’ may be running out of steam.
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Survey of eight Tory-held marginal seats shows each one falling to Labour .
Poll in four Labour-held swing areas shows only one winnable for Tories .
The study was conducted by former Tory treasurer Lord Ashcroft .
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f695b4a9b6faa5d090c34f2fd22df4bdd7943aaa
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Singapore (CNN) -- Dr. George Khoo vividly remembers the opium dens. Fifty years ago, they lined the street just down from his small Singapore clinic. It was the time just before independence in 1965, before the shiny skyscrapers, velvet freeways and almost-painfully spotless streets. Many of his patients were addicts struggling to unhook, he writes. Many would not come to the clinic. He had to go into the dens to find and treat them. "It was hard treating them in the pitch darkness," he recalled. "I had to call out their names and they would call out to me. I would then give the injection, but I never really knew for sure who exactly I was treating." Khoo's gritty memories have been captured as part of a unique, crowdsourced history project that Singapore has commissioned ahead of its 50th anniversary of independence in 2015. The goal of the Singapore Memory Project is not to produce a slick history. "We're not going for certain types of people," said Memory Project director Gene Tan. "What we're looking for is specificity. It's the messiness of it, of the lives people lived and the communities they lived in, that we want to have." So far, Singaporeans have sent in more than 400,000 memories -- including text, audio, still images, even e-books and video uploaded to the project's website or through a free iPhone app available on iTunes. With the support of 120 partner groups and 130 volunteers, the project hopes to record 5 million Singaporeans, virtually everyone in the country. Before the economic boom . Along Singapore's shoreline in the years after independence, fishermen would lay their morning catch on the beach where vendors from the nearby "hawker" stands would buy fish to serve at their small, hot food shacks, recalled Faridah Anom. Today, that site is home to a row of terrace houses. "Everything is gone," Anom said. "It was so long ago." It was only the 1960s, the 1970s. But in Singapore, that was another eon. In 1965, the year of independence, Singapore's per capita GDP was $516. Last year, it was about $60,000 -- among the top five in the world. That mammoth growth has dramatically transformed Singapore's landscape in just a few short decades, from rows of hardscrabble fishing shacks and bungalow neighborhoods to a towering glass, steel and concrete wonderland of efficiency, wealth and dazzle. Little remains of what was there just a short time ago: Many of the houses, the stores, the neighborhoods and the communities have been transformed. Hamzah Yaacor, 17, only remembers today's booming Singapore. As a volunteer for the Singapore Memory Project, Yaacor and two other students are interviewing seniors along a just a few streets for a small book of interviews titled "Streets We Remember." Yaacor said he is learning more than he ever did in school about Singapore's history from people like Anom. "You start talking about their memories, and they just open up," Yaacor said. "Looking at this personal history, it's more authentic." Singapore schools, he said, teach history as a blanket of facts, figures, dates and places. But he said it's actually more like a patchwork quilt, something that he and his fellow students hope to capture for the Memory Project. All the memories collected have fallen into two broad categories: individual recollections about Singaporeans' communities, their friends, their schools, the way they were. The other are collective memories -- the experiences and objects that nearly everyone shared. Big and small memories . James Seah was 11 years old in 1961 when a massive fire tore through his neighborhood, Singapore's Bukit Ho Swee squatter settlement, destroying some 2,000 homes. "Dark billowing smoke filled the sky, the smell was toxic," Seah recalled in his Singapore Memory Project blog post. "People were screaming and shouting 'Fire, Fire' ... I had never seen a big fire that burnt down houses and places before. I had not read about it, or watched it on television (monochrome TV broadcast in Singapore only began in April 1963) or at the movies. He described a feeling of "excitement rather than a fear of danger." "My mother and I ran as fast as we could as we fled from the burning houses," Seah said. "There was a stampede. The older and weaker people were carried by younger and stronger ones." The Bukit Ho Swee fire left four dead and thousands homeless and is one of those moments in Singapore's history where most people alive at the time remember where they were when they learned about the massive blaze. Other memories focus more on Singapore's rapidly evolving culture, including one e-book focusing on the traditional games children played, arranged by clicking on alphabet letters made to look like children's blocks. Another e-book covers the playgrounds that have been swept away by the city-state's rapid development. Ruth Ann Keh, 17, and two of her fellow students compiled the memories of people living in the Rochor Centre complex that is slated to be torn down in 2016 to make way for a new expressway. Many residents have lived there for decades, and neighbors were like family. One resident told Keh the story of a birthday party some boys held years ago on an open deck, and how all the neighbors came down. "What struck me the most was the sense of family," Keh said. "All the people I talked to mentioned the bond. Now, you don't know your neighbors. It's not as it was before. But it is possible to have a sense of neighborhood. It's just a matter of making time." Sharon Ng recalled fond memories of growing up watching her grandmother use a bucket instead of a cash register at the Kian Guan sauce factory. "Inside, my father, uncle and one hired worker would sit on small stools or on the floor, hard at work six days weekly making chilli, tomato and soya sauces, bottling them and tying the bottles expertly with thin rope-like twine in packs of six or 12," Ng wrote in her Singapore Memory Project post. "Grandma sold sauces at the ground floor shop while the rest were sold to other businesses. All her takings were kept in an iron pail on a pulley. She just pulled the rope down, put in the money and the pail went up." A generation's gift . Singapore's Memory Project is about a country getting personal with itself, and project director Tan said most of the posts are "very emotional." "There's a lot of longing in all the memories -- longing and attachment to people who are gone, places that are gone," he said. But he said there's also celebration about the stability that Singapore enjoys today. "There's a great sense of relief of where we are today," Tan said. In the process, the Memory Project staffers say, they are learning things about themselves that they never expected. They thought the project was about talking to others, about something external. But they've realized that documenting Singapore's history is about them, too. "We started out with a lot of arrogance," Tan explained. "We started with an intent to hack into other people's memories. What's humbling is there's nothing to hack into, but only things to discover." Singapore is a young country that has packed more history into its few years than most others. But in a place where most everyone came from somewhere else, the Memory Project is helping define what it means to be Singaporean. It is bringing texture to the life of the nation, endowing a diverse people with a common identity, a way to look forward together. The submissions also make for astonishingly interesting reads. "This is the gift of our generation," Tan said. "History is not just for the leaders. It's about random people, too."
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Singapore is using crowdsourcing to compile its recent history .
The city-state will celebrate 50 years of independence in 2015 .
It's calling on all citizens to upload memories to its Memory Project .
Singaporeans have shared memories in photos, blog posts, e-books and videos .
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f695b7d0906297d71be6a31012164eadad7d0ae3
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:15 EST, 17 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:51 EST, 19 September 2013 . A devastated mother has confronted her son-in-law in court as he finally goes on trial for allegedly strangling her daughter six years after she was found dead. Gael Schneider unleashed an emotional rant when she came face-to-face with David Pietz in court in King County, Washington on Monday. 'I've cried my brains out every day for . seven years,' Mrs Schneider said. 'If he can't take being confronted by a 72-year-old . woman, he's not much of a man.' She added that she had long suspected her son-in-law was responsible for the death of her daughter, Nicole Pietz, 32, who vanished from her home in Renton in 2006. Scroll down for video . Emotional: Gael Schneider unleashed an emotional rant when she came face-to-face with her daughter's alleged killer - her son-in-law - in court, six years after her daughter was murdered . Her husband reported her missing before appearing in television interviews pleading for information, but her strangled body was found by a walker in a wooded area nearly two weeks later. 'I just said he murdered my daughter,' Schneider recounted, ABC News reported. But for years, there were no charges brought in connection with the murder - until police arrested Pietz, 34, last year and charged him with second-degree murder after advances in technology. Detectives were initially interested in Pietz as a suspect after learning that he was unhappy in the marriage and had allegedly cheated on her and asked her to engage in a threesome. Now they say they have built a case on circumstantial evidence - and in court they played the 911 call in which he reported her missing. His voice is quiet, calm, and matter of fact, King5 reported. Pietz, who had been married to his wife for four years, was finally arrested earlier in March 2012 after DNA and phone GPS linked him to the scene, police said. Killed: Nicole Pietz, 32, was found dead in February 2006. She is pictured with her husband, David Pietz . Cowering: Martin David Pietz could hardly look at his mother-in-law as she faced him in court in Seattle . Investigators claimed there were contradictions in his statements and he failed a lie detector test before refusing to undergo a second. Mr . Pietz told police that on January 27 he got home from work around . midnight and briefly said goodnight to his wife, who was already . sleeping, KOMO reported after his arrest. The next morning he said left for work at 8.30am without speaking to Nicole and had no contact with her throughout the day. Mr . Pietz told police that he called 911 when he went straight to a planned . dinner with friends that night and his wife never arrived. He claims that she must vanished as she headed to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that morning where she was going to celebrate 8 years of sobriety. He claimed that he believed she had fallen back into her old drug habit. Scene: Her body was found in a wooded area in 2006. Police said evidence suggested she had been killed at night - not in the day as Pietz suggested - as she still had her night mouth guard in . Cover? in 2006, Pietz had appeared on television beside Schneider pleading for information in the case . However, police said that forensic tests - including undigested food in her stomach - showed that Mrs Pietz had been killed around midnight on January 27. When her body was found, she was wearing a mouth guard she only wore at night and her wedding ring was in cleaning solution in the bathroom; friends said she only took it off at night to clean it. Phone records also show her phone was allegedly used at her husband's workplace. And . DNA evidence showed that Mr Pietz's was the last person to drive her . car, which was found two weeks after her body in a parking lot near the . University of Washington . In court, Nicole's mother, Mrs Schneider. added that she remembered her son-in-law acting strangely at the funeral. 'He put his arms around me and said, "I didn't think you'd take it so hard",' she told the court. Loss: Investigators believe the couple was having marital problems and that Mr Pietz had cheated on his wife . But defense attorneys have argued that their case is weak and that there were no eyewitnesses. 'It's not based on any direct evidence, and it's not going to show that David Pietz took Nicole's life,' Pietz's defense attorney Cooper Offenbecher said, ABC News reported. After his arrest, she told KOMO that it was a huge relief. 'I can't even tell you, I'm so elated. My stomach was just like it has bees in it. And [I was] thanking God over and over and over for finally granting this prayer to me.' The mother said knowing her daughter's killer was free was 'absolute hell'. See below for video . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.
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Nicole Pietz, 32, found dead in wooded area in Burien, Washington in 2006 .
Her husband claimed she had gone missing on way to a meeting but investigators claim evidence shows she had been killed at night .
David Pietz, 34, is now on trial for second-degree murder .
His mother-in-law Gael Schneider unleashed emotional rant in court .
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f695f950ea62f43a00d34bce1b56d45a30c855e9
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . The BBC licence fee should be scrapped and replaced with a voluntary subscription service, TV presenter Nick Ross has claimed. The former host of Crimewatch warned support for the BBC would ‘fall off a cliff’ if the mandatory charge for all owners of a television set is not axed. But the Corporation hit back saying the change would mean fewer people paying much more each year to maintain a quality service. Ex-Crimewatch host Nick Ross said people who support the BBC could change their minds if the licence fee is not scrapped . Viewers must buy a TV licence £145.50 licence if they want to watch live broadcasts. But they can legally avoid paying by waiting until their favourite show is available on BBC iPlayer instead. The rise of rival subscription services including Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Netflix has also raised questions about the viability of a compulsory charge for the BBC. Wrangling over the future of the licence fee is expected to build in the run up to the renewal of the BBC royal charter in 2017. Ross argues that the flat fee for every home should be replaced with a pay-per-view or subscroiption charge, which he claims could raise more than the current £3.6billion. Ross told the Sunday Times: ‘I'm one of the few people calling for the abolition of the licence fee who are doing this because they treasure the BBC. ‘The experience of BSkyB is that people will voluntarily pay far more than they will under criminal sanction, and easily enough to promote and subsidise the encrypted radio-receiver technology that would need to be phased in. ‘People who support the BBC now could change their minds; this would be pretty dangerous for the BBC,’ he added. The BBC¿s iPlayer website received a record three billion requests for free online programmes last year, reigniting fears viewers will stop paying the TV licence fee . However a BBC spokesman warned: ‘While subscription might initially appeal to some, it would actually lead to more expensive fees paid for by fewer people. 'The licence fee is effective and good value and continues to be the best way to fund the BBC.' Ross is only the latest senior figure with links to the BBC calling for an overhaul of the licenece fee. Question Time host David Dimblbely last year called on the director-general Tony Hall to hand out the licence fee to its commercial rivals to create ‘more variety’ in TV and radio output. It came after former head of TV news Roger Mosey admitted the BBC was too big and too left wing, and also suggested the licence fee should be shared with rivals and the number of TV channels reduced.
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Licence fee 'should be replaced with pay-per-view or subscription'
Warns people who support the BBC now could change their minds .
But BBC insists fewer people would pay much more under subscription .
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f696ae213165971d2e3802197687235958ed6664
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By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 05:28 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:59 EST, 26 November 2013 . It is a truly hair-raising idea - a wig that can monitor your health, give you directions, and even change its shape. The bizarre patent for a 'wearable computing device, comprising a wig that is adapted to cover at least a part of a head of a user' has been filed by electronics giant Sony. The U.S. patent describes a terrifying-sounding device called a SmartWig, which is packed with sensors and special devices that vibrate on the user’s head to give them messages such as driving directions. The bizarre patent for a 'wearable computing device, comprising a wig that is adapted to cover at least a part of a head of a user,' has been filed by electronics giant Sony. It has a circuit board hidden under the hair and can talk to a second device - such as a phone . The application describes a standard wig that could ‘be made from horse hair, human hair, wool, feathers, yak hair or any kind of synthetic material.’ However, the wig could also include special fibres that move, changing its shape. It has a circuit board hidden under the hair and can talk to a second device - such as a phone. ‘The user can wear the wearable computing device as a regular wig while looking natural at the same time,’ the says. Wearers of the wig can give presentations wearing it and switched slides by tapping their sideburns, under which buttons are hidden. They may not be as impressive as Bradley Wiggins' sideburns, who is pictured here after winning the 2012 Tour de France . It vibrates on a user's head to give them messages, such as driving directions. People can wear it to give presentations by tapping their sideburns. It also has a laser pointer built in for presentations. A built-in GPS chip could monitor the area around the wearer to make sure they don't bump into things. The wig could include special fibres that move to change its shape. They could be worn by couples who want to make each other's hairpieces vibrate. Sony has already tested the wig with employees who gave presentations wearing it and switched slides by tapping their sideburns. 'One or two switch buttons may be provided under the sideburns of the wig, and the one or more buttons are connected to the external computer via a wireless connection (using the Wi-Fi module),' Sony’s documents reveal. The SmartWig also has a GPS chip built in and ultrasound sensors that could monitor the area around the wearer to make sure they don’t walk into things. 'During a presentation the user may, for example, move forward or backward through presentation slides by simply pushing the sideburns. Thus, the user can control the presentation slides simply by natural behaviour like touching side burns.' The SmartWig also has a GPS chip built in and ultrasound sensors that could monitor the area around the wearer to make sure they don't walk into things . The SmartWig also has a built in laser pointer for presentations. ‘The laser pointer may, for example, be arranged on a forehead part of the wig, so that the user may point out relevant information on the projected slide in the above-explained presentation mode.’ Sony even says the wigs could be worn by couples. 'If one user touches one of his/her vibration motors, the other users equivalent motor may vibrate,' the patent says. As tech giants try to out-do each other by patenting cyborg-like technologies, Motorola has recently filed a patent for a 'tattoo,' which would be placed onto a person's throat and pick sounds created by their voice. If the user is making a phone call, the tattoo would then send these sounds wirelessly to the smartphone and the caller. The patent is called ‘Coupling an electronic skin tattoo to a mobile communication device’ and was originally filed in May last year. Throughout the patent, Motorola calls the device ‘electronic tattoo 110’ and said it would ‘comprise audio circuitry that enables reception of acoustic signals from a person's throat’. Put simply, the tattoo’s built-in microphone could pick up the sounds made by a person’s voice by reading vibrations and fluctuations of muscle or tissue from their voicebox. It continues that the tattoo would either contain a battery that ‘may or may not be rechargeable’, or alternatively, could be powered by an NFC or Bluetooth charging device.
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Sony has filed a patent for a SmartWig packed with sensors and special devices that vibrate on the user’s head to give them messages .
The Japanese multinational said the wig could also include special fibres that move, changing its shape but claim it looks natural .
It has been used by employees who gave presentations wearing it and switched slides by tapping their sideburns .
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