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(EW.com) -- "The Office" ends its nine-season run this month, and rumors have been swirling with respect to how the stories will wrap up and who will return to say goodbye. At the forefront of the rumors is former "Office" star Steve Carell, who led the Dunder Mifflin crew as General Manager Michael Scott for seven seasons. His particular delivery of Scott's insensitive and naive dialogue drew many viewers to the show, and fans are desperate for news of his return. NBC announces 'The Office' retrospective special . Predictions Monday by TV Line have narrowed a Carell appearance to a cameo, having confirmed by unnamed sources that Michael Scott will indeed return for a final farewell moment. Last week on "Late Show With David Letterman," Mindy Kaling claimed not to remember if Carell would be in the finale or not. When pressed, she said she had signed a nondisclosure agreement and didn't want to lie to Letterman. 'The Office' debuts farewell web series featuring Will Ferrell, more . In a conference call with reporters last week, show creator Greg Daniels danced around the query, saying, "I think Steve felt, and I agree, that the 'Goodbye, Michael' episode was his goodbye and he didn't want to overshadow the ending that all the other characters deserved." Daniels didn't specifically say that an appearance by the former boss was out of the question, only that he left on a good note. NBC has not yet returned EW's request for comment. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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"The Office" will end its nine-season run this month .
Rumors are swirling that former star Steve Carell will return for the finale .
Show creator Greg Daniels has danced around the question .
NBC has yet to comment .
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By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 07:51 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:56 EST, 12 June 2013 . A contestant in a 'Birdman' competition has died after he was dragged underwater by the weight of his hang glider in front of hundreds of horrified spectators. Li Weng, 44, had hurled himself from a platform above a lake in Hangzhou in China's Zhejiang province, as part of a display to mark local Dragon Boat festival celebrations. At first spectators cheered when he sunk beneath the surface, thinking it was a joke. Tragic death: Li Weng,44, launches himself off a platform above a Chinese lake. The . weight of his home-made hang glider dragged him underwater and he . drowned . But they watched on in horror as he failed to come to the surface and the reality of the situation became apparent. Organisers staged a full scale rescue when he failed to emerge from the water. Two frogmen were sent down to rescue the man. Mr Li was eventually hauled to the surface after spending around ten minutes underwater and could no be revived. 'I saw him dive into the water and not come to the surface for seconds. Then I thought he might got drowned,' one witness told the Chinese state news agency. Mr Li's body is dragged out of the water some ten minutes after he sank below the surface . One rescuer explained: 'His hang glider was home made and hadn't been tested before.' 'We think the frame was too heavy and simply pushed him face down under the water where he couldn't push himself up and he drowned,' he added. Birdman competitions involve contestants launching themselves off a pontoon some 30 ft above the water on human-powered flying machines to see how far they can fly out. Some of the contraptions are serious flying machines others are little more than glorified costumes. The most well known events are the Red Bull Flugtags which take place around the world and draw thousands of spectators.
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Tragic Li Weng, 44, drowned in a lake in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province .
Metal frame of his home-made hang glider dragged him beneath the surface .
Witnesses said he was underwater for around 10 minutes .
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While President Barack Obama has relaunched a massive public relations effort for the Affordable Care Act, Republican opponents to the law have also implemented a relaunch of sorts. Absent from their public outcry is any talk of repeal. It is a deliberate and significant shift in strategy for Republicans in the House after years of beating the drum of repeal. For the first time since they regained control of the House in 2011, Republicans have no plans at the moment to bring up a bill to repeal the law -- something they have done nearly 50 times. Instead, "We'll continue to do everything we can to protect the American people from the effects of this awful law," said Michael Steel, House Speaker John Boehner's spokesman, without saying that repeal was still part of the plan. A confluence of events hampered the Republican repeal effort and put it on pause. Stand back . The problems with the Affordable Care Act exist beyond its balky website. The troubled roll out of Obamacare has also forced the President to delay multiple important components of the law, including the insurance marketplace for small businesses and the requirement that businesses with 50 or more employees provide their workers with health insurance or face fines. Republicans realized they should have let the launch play out, instead their shutdown distracted from the Obamacare debacle. "Never interfere when your opponent is committing suicide," Michael Tanner, senior fellow working on health care at the libertarian Cato Institute, said. Instead, Republicans have gone to great lengths to promote the negative aspects of the law by launching their own public relations campaign. The strategy is outlined in a 17-page Republican playbook that CNN reported last month. During a news conference on Tuesday, Republican leaders didn't utter the word "repeal" once. Instead, they promoted reports that people have been canceled from their low-coverage insurance plans and that insurance plans in the exchanges have dropped doctors and hospitals from plan options. "The American people want to be able to pick their own type of health insurance, they want to be able to pick their own doctor and they want to be able to pick their own hospital," Boehner told reporters Tuesday. "It's all negative," Tanner said of the Republican strategy. "It's to form this general feeling out there that it's failed." The law's the law . Additionally, Republican opposition had been based on hypotheticals, now the rhetoric has become reality. "We're not going back," Obama said earlier this week. "I mean, that seems to be the only alternative that Obamacare's critics have is, well, let's just go back to the status quo." Obama urges young supporters to talk up Obamacare . With that strategy, Republicans could deprive the President of that argument. Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said the change happened because circumstances changed. "The effort to defund Obamacare is that people weren't experiencing it yet." Now, "voters are starting to experience bad news," he said. "As the law is being implemented, millions are either losing health care or having premiums go up, and Republicans want to make sure that everyone recognizes that." That has caused Republicans to move away from their blanket calls for repeal to highlighting problems with the law. Additionally, they could be proactively looking down the road. While some are being negatively impacted by the law, millions are expected to benefit. Salon's Brian Beutler wrote, "I think Republican leaders will be extremely reluctant to hold votes to nakedly destroy the law." Reality . "To get rid of it completely would be very difficult," said Ilya Somin, law professor at George Mason University, who was involved in Republicans' Supreme Court challenge. Democrats control the Senate and the White House. Efforts to repeal the law have gone nowhere. The Cato Institute's Tanner said repealing the law "hasn't been a realistic option for quite some time." Regardless, Republicans pushed by their conservative wing shut down the government for 16 days in October in an effort to defund the health care law. "They don't have to go down the legislative road to defund Obamacare at this point because it didn't work," Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said. Lawmakers pass more blame than bills in do-nothing Congress . The move, pushed by the most hard-right members of the party, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and multiple members of the House, did not sit well with the public and distracted the country from the horrible roll out of the federal health care exchanges. The race for public opinion . While the Republicans have been taking to news conferences, committee hearing rooms and cable television to espouse the negative aspects of Obamacare, Obama has launched his own public relations campaign to highlight the bright parts of the law. He is working to reverse negative perceptions of the law that have increased since the law's implementation at the beginning of October. And the President still has time. The latest CNN/ORC poll found that while only 40% favor the law, 14% of opponents say the law doesn't go far enough. Meanwhile, 53% say it's too soon to tell if the law will be successful. But Tanner says the Democrats don't have a lot of time because "opinions harden" over time. The uncertain voter is what the Republicans are hoping to tap into. Republican risk? Republicans might have realized that the defund or repeal argument is not politically advantageous as it is associated with the right-wing elements of the party. But that aspect of the party might not be pleased with their decision to stop trying to repeal the law. The conservative group FreedomWorks is still pushing the repeal agenda. Dean Clancy, vice president of public policy for the group, wrote in a recent news release that "FreedomWorks plans to redouble our efforts for full repeal." "ObamaCare can't be fixed; it needs to be uprooted," he added. Bonjean said Republican incumbents shouldn't be worried about primary challengers if they drop the repeal argument in the halls of Congress because they can still espouse it on the campaign trail. "Republicans can still say defunding or replacing Obamacare," he said, adding that they can point to the dozens of votes taken to repeal it in the past. "It's hard to get (to) the right" of Republican incumbents on this issue, he said. Washington could still screw up your holidays . Repeal isn't going to be possible until "after the 2014 elections," Bonjean said, hoping that Republicans maintain their majority in the House and gain a majority in the Senate. Regardless if Republicans continue to shelve the repeal argument, Tanner said repeal will never happen. "There will be something on the books called the Affordable Care Act," he said. He just doesn't know what it will look like in five or 10 years. If the law proves unworkable and not beneficial for Americans, expect Democrats to join with Republicans to alter the law. On the other hand, if the law is successful and voters are pleased, the law is unlikely to be rolled back. "If the positive stories begin to sell, then you won't get wholesale changes," Tanner said.
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Republican Party has shifted its strategy on Obamacare away from repealing the law .
GOP launched its own public relations campaign to highlight negative aspects of the law .
The defund strategy has proven counterproductive .
Some on the right still pushing for Republicans to keep repeal efforts moving .
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A career criminal who was the youngest person in Britain to be handed an ASBO when he was 14 will not have to repay £26,000 in drug money following a new arrest after claiming it was stolen. Declan Madigan, now 27, was labelled a 'one-boy crime wave' in 2000 after being arrested 100 times for violent crime, burglary and car theft when he was just a teenager. He was jailed this year for 11 years after being convicted of a drive-by shooting and drug offences in Nottingham despite having been paralysed from the waist-down in an earlier car crash. Declan Madigan, now 27 (left) does not have to repay the money which he claims was stolen. Since being the youngest person to be given in ASBO in 2000 he has racked up more than 100 arrests (pictured right, aged 16) But of the £47,000 he made illegally, Madigan will only have to repay £22,762 as the remainder, kept beneath his kitchen sink, was allegedly stolen. Nottingham Crown Court heard how the 27-year-old did not know what had happened to the haul of cash and changed his story when questioned, first telling prosecutors the money had been taken by masked robbers and later claiming a carer had stolen it. In November last year Madigan was jailed after coercing two men into firing shots at the house of a man losing some of his drugs money, the court heard. He admitted to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, two charges of using another person to hide a firearm and three drug offences. The career criminal was jailed last year for a drive-by shooting and three drug offences following more than a decade of offences. He is pictured, right, leaving youth court as a teenager . The 27-year-old's lawyer told Nottingham Crown Court (pictured) his 'relationship with police is not always at the forefront of his mind' All the money available in his bank account - some £22,000 - has been seized but the remainder of the proceeds from his criminal activity will not have to be repaid. Madigan was paralysed from the chest down following a car accident and is now in a wheelchair. Michael Evans QC, defending, told the court: 'My Lord will understand his relationship with police is not always at the forefront of his mind.'
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Declan Madigan, now 27, was described as a 'one-boy crime wave' in 2000 .
Teenager had racked up 100 arrests for violent crime, burglary and theft .
He was jailed last year for a drive-by shooting and three drug offences .
Criminal profited almost £50,000 which he kept in the bank and in cash .
Will not repay £26,000 which he claims was stolen from his kitchen sink .
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f69a9d1ed87640e1db899e6ddb6398b683cdf0c7
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After five years in captivity, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is free. But that's hardly the end of the story. While the Idaho man's friends and family and the Obama administration are hailing his release, the deal that set him free is getting heat from critics who say Bergdahl is a traitor who cost American lives and those who say the deal could cost American lives in the future. A captive U.S. soldier returns home ... sounds like a good thing. Why are some people so upset? Some fear that the deal will encourage hostage-taking and open a new era in which the United States has to negotiate with terrorists. Others say the administration may have broken the law by failing to notify Congress that it was letting terror detainees free from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Still others -- many of them Bergdahl's fellow soldiers -- are queasy about the whole thing because of the questions that continue to swirl around his disappearance and claims that he may have deserted his post. Don't other countries make such swaps? Hasn't the United States? Of course. Prisoner exchanges have been a feature of many U.S. conflicts going back to the Revolutionary War. And no student of Cold War history could overlook the exchange of U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers for a Russian spy in 1962, or of the several cloak-and-dagger spy exchanges conducted on Germany's Glienicke Bridge. Other countries, notably Israel, have also been known to negotiate prisoner swaps to gain the release of captive soldiers. One controversy here is a U.S. law that requires the administration to give Congress notice 30 days before releasing any detainees from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said Sunday on CNN that the "acute urgency" of Bergdahl's failing health and what she described as a narrow opportunity to win his freedom justified making the move without notifying Congress. On Monday, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough defended the administration's handling of the negotiations, saying Congress had known for years of negotiations for Bergdahl's release, including the possibility that detainees might be released. But several U.S. lawmakers on Monday criticized the White House's approach. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters on Capitol Hill Monday that lawmakers on her committee should have been given a heads-up about the prisoner swap. "We had participated in a number of briefings some time ago, and there (were) considerable concerns," the California Democrat said. Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman the House Intelligence Committee, said he planned to look into whether Obama broke the law by not notifying Congress 30 days in advance. "I think it certainly merits further review, and that's what I'm going to do to make that determination," the Michigan Republican told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "It certainly doesn't smell right to me." So who is this guy, and how did he wind up getting captured, anyway? Friends describe him as a trustworthy and outgoing world traveler who joined the Army in 2008. How he ended up captive remains a bit of a mystery. U.S. officials have declined to go into detail, but soldiers in his platoon say he was pulling guard duty when he put down his weapons and walked off base. He reportedly had sent e-mails to his parents denouncing U.S. activities in Afghanistan, according to 2012 reporting by late Rolling Stone reporter Michael Hastings. What are the soldiers who served with him saying? Bluntly, they resent any talk of Bergdahl as a hero. They say he's a deserter who should be put on trial, especially in light of the deaths of at least six U.S. soldiers killed while looking for him. "I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on," said Matt Vierkant, who was in the same platoon as Bergdahl. "Bowe Bergdahl deserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him." "I don't understand why we're trading prisoners at Gitmo for somebody who deserted during a time of war, which is an act of treason," Vierkant said. Are they right? Was he a deserter? U.S. officials aren't saying that, at least not directly. When asked about the issue Sunday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sidestepped the question. "Our first priority is assuring his well-being and his health and getting him reunited with his family," Hagel said. "Other circumstances that may develop and questions, those will be dealt with later." On Monday, Pentagon spokesman Adm. John Kirby said U.S. officials "still don't have a complete picture of what caused him to leave his base that night." "But let's not forget, he was held captive as a prisoner for five years. Five years by himself," Kirby said. "That's a pretty high price to pay for whatever impelled him to walk off that base." So what's next for him? He's at an American military hospital in Germany being evaluated by doctors and facing a lengthy repatriation and reintegration process. He's in stable condition "receiving treatment for conditions that require hospitalization," Landstuhl Regional Medical Center said in a statement. Beyond saying he requires attention to "dietary and nutrition needs," the hospital didn't elaborate, citing medical privacy requirements. "The Landstuhl staff is sensitive to what Sgt. Bergdahl has been through and will proceed with his reintegration at a pace with which he is comfortable," the hospital said. Those in charge of treating Bergdahl are working to build up his confidence in them, a senior Defense Department official said, noting that Bergdahl hasn't been able to trust anyone for five years. Doctors in Germany are evaluating his health and whether he's ready to be transported, said Arwen Consaul, a spokeswoman for U.S. Army South. Once doctors give the OK, a receiving team will travel there to facilitate his transport to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. From there, he'll head to the San Antonio Military Medical Center, where a room is already ready for Bergdahl and a support team is standing by, Consaul said. He hasn't yet talked to his family, Kirby said. "That will obviously occur, but it won't occur until I think everybody believes it's the right time," he said. The first meeting between Bergdahl and his parents may only last minutes, Consaul said, depending on what psychologists recommend. Once in the United States, she said, Bergdahl's daily routine will focus on four key areas: medical care, psychological support, debriefings and family support. "This is to help a person who has had no control of their own life for years now regain that control step by step," she said. Is it true he's having trouble speaking English? Why? Yes, according to a senior Defense Department official, but the reasons for it aren't clear. It may be that he hasn't used English since he was captured, instead speaking to his captors in Pashtun, the local language. Roy Hallums, a private contractor held by Iraqi insurgents for 10 months, said he didn't have trouble readjusting to English, but said he couldn't talk for a while because he had been forced to stay silent under threat of death. "It's like your vocal chords are like your muscles in your arms. If they don't get any use, they get out of shape," he told CNN's "New Day." What about these detainees the U.S. let go? Should we worry about them? According to senior U.S. officials, they're mid- to high-level officials from the Taliban regime that ruled Afghanistan when the United States invaded the country. They include figures said to be linked to the late terror leader Osama bin Laden, his al Qaeda terror network and to abuses inside Afghanistan during the Taliban's rule. But Kirby said Monday that U.S. officials have received assurances from Qatari officials that the men "were not going to pose a direct threat to the national security of the United States." He declined to go into detail, but according to a senior defense official, they will be subject to Qatari supervision and a one-year travel ban. Should we expect any more prisoner swaps or releases? There aren't any other U.S. military personnel being held, so there won't be any more swaps involving troops, at least. But it's possible that Bergdahl's release presages a broader release of Afghan citizens from Guantanamo Bay, said CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen. "At the end of hostilities, both sides typically swap prisoners, and we're coming to the end of conventional hostilities between these two groups," he said. The State Department said Monday that the swap for Bergdahl doesn't set a precedent for other detained U.S. military or diplomatic personnel, like former State Department contractor Alan Gross in Cuba or Korean-American missionary Kenneth Bae in North Korea. "We look at each case differently," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. Bergdahl "is a member of the military who was detained during an armed conflict. That, obviously, is a unique circumstance," she said. "In any case, whether it's Alan Gross or Kenneth Bae or others who are detained American citizens, we take every step possible to make the case and to ... take steps to ensure their return home to the United States." What's next for Bergdahl? Fellow soldiers call Bergdahl a deserter, not a hero .
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Feinstein: Lawmakers should've gotten heads-up about prisoner swap .
Rogers: Decision to swap prisoners without telling Congress "doesn't smell right"
Soldier's release generates controversy and questions .
Some say the deal puts Americans at greater risk; others question Bergdahl's disappearance .
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(CNN) -- Azerbaijan's capital Baku might have an ancient heart, but it is getting a remarkable modern face. Funded largely by money from oil and gas exports, the city has become one of the most vibrant places on the planet for grand designs, with numerous head-turning projects towering above low-rise Soviet-era apartments and medieval walled city. One ground-breaking work of public planning is known as "White City" -- an optimistic title and flip of Baku's old moniker of the "Black City"; a title gained because of oil-related pollution. On a 220-hectare site that was formerly a storage hub for the industry, ground is being cleaned up and prepared for offices, hotels, homes and facilities for 50,000 Baku residents and 48,000 workers. Across the country improvements are being made in infrastructure. Within five years in Baku more roads, new parks, a new transit system, water supplies and internet connections will all be in place. Already dominating the skyline are the iconic Flame Towers that are close to completion, plus the Baku TV Tower. Joining these soaring landmarks are some even more eye-popping structures; the towers of Crescent Place and the Hotel Crescent, designed by South Korean architecture firm, Heerim Architects and Planners. The firm won the rights to build the two projects, as well as the 39-story Crescent City and 38-floor future headquarters for the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), through an international competition. "(Azerbaijan) is considered to have the will and economic power based on high-growth that can widely accommodate new architecture designs," wrote a spokesperson for Heerim. "Many clients in Azerbaijan are actively accepting creative designs... that will provide great advantages to their national development." When completed in 2015, Hotel Crescent will stand on the banks of the Caspian Sea, its 33-stories housed in a vast, down-turned crescent. A sister project was proposed called the Full Moon Hotel that would have brought something resembling the Death Star from "Star Wars" to the Caspian coastline. The White City project may take decades to complete and be less radical in its design, but it and other projects in the city shows a commitment to give the Azerbaijan capital more than just a clean up.
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Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, is undergoing a major face-lift .
Major project called 'White City' is planned for old oil refinery site .
New iconic buildings like Hotel Crescent are also being built .
Infrastructure to make it a regional hub also being improved .
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f69bdc24a230cf62cf999e23deedcafceed94604
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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie -- a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate -- finally broke his silence on President Barack Obama's decision to normalize relations with Cuba in a letter to the President issued on Sunday. Christie urged Obama to demand Cuba hand over Joanne Chesimard, an American fugitive who escaped from prison after she was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper. Christie also joined the chorus of Republicans who oppose Obama's decision to re-establish ties with Cuba without substantial political reforms. Chesimard, now known as Assata Shakur, was a member of the militant group the Black Liberation Army and gained political asylum in Cuba, where she lives freely. Chesimard is on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list, with a $1 million reward for information leading to her capture. Who is Assata Shakur? "Despite my profound disagreement with this decision, I believe there is an opportunity for Cuba and its government to show the American people it is serious about change," Christie wrote to Obama, according to a copy of the letter Christie's office provided. "If, as you assert, Cuba is serious about embracing democratic principles then this action would be an essential first step." Christie added that he was "very disappointed" that Chesimard's return was not already one of the conditions of normalizing relations in Obama's deal with Cuban President Raul Castro. "The family of her victims, like so many of those who have, and continue to suffer under the Castro regime, deserve this basic decency before further steps toward Cuba are taken by this government," Christie wrote. Senate Republicans, including Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio, have already vowed to do everything they can to prevent or blunt the impact of Obama's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba. The pair -- members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee -- pledged to tie up funds for a planned embassy and to prevent Obama's nominee for ambassador to win confirmation.
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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said on Sunday he does not support the President's decision to normalize relations with Cuba .
Christie did send a letter to Obama asking he press Cuba to hand over a wanted fugitive, however .
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New Delhi (CNN) -- Indian authorities added murder charges Saturday for suspects in the brutal gang rape that led to the death of a 23-year-old woman and sent outraged protesters to the streets. The suspects already faced rape charges. Six people, including a minor and a bus driver, have been arrested in connection with the rape that occurred in New Delhi this month. Throngs of people have protested for days, demanding more protection for women and punishment for those behind the assault. The woman was airlifted to Singapore earlier this week after she was treated for injuries in a New Delhi hospital. Singapore doctors said she died "peacefully" early Saturday, surrounded by her family and Indian embassy officials. Read more: Doctor: Young woman gang-raped in India dies . The woman had been in "extremely critical condition" since her arrival Thursday and took a turn for the worse, said Dr. Kelvin Loh, chief executive officer at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. "She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain," Loh said. "She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds, but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome." The victim's body was returned to India, where it was cremated Sunday in a private funeral, Home Ministry spokesman K.S. Dhatwalia said. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi expressed its condolences Saturday. "As we honor the memory of this brave young woman, we also recommit ourselves to changing attitudes and ending all forms of gender-based violence, which plagues every country in the world." Authorities have not released the name of the woman, but Indian protesters are calling her Damini, which means "lightning" in Hindi. Read more: Indian prime minister calls for calm after violence erupts during anti-rape rallies . "Damini" is also a 1993 Bollywood film whose lead female character fights for a housemaid, a victim of sexual assault. The Times of India calls her Nirbhaya, which means "fearless." Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, wrote on Twitter, "To our friends in India: we share your outrage over an act of unimaginable cruelty against one of our sisters. RIP Nirbhaya." Read more: Misogyny in India: We are all guilty . India's ambassador to Singapore said the victim's relatives, who are Hindus and live in New Delhi, have asked for privacy. Attackers assaulted the woman and her male companion on a bus December 16, robbing them of their belongings before dumping them at the side of a road, police said. The male companion was eventually discharged from a hospital. Last week, police said the woman recovered enough to give a statement to a magistrate from her hospital bed. But she had more surgery to wash out infection in her abdomen, her doctors said. The death spurred an outpouring of sadness and calls for action to ensure change and punishment of her rapists. Read more: New Delhi rape exposes the perils of being a woman in India . Fearing massive protests following the death, police tightened security in the capital and barricaded some sites of previous rallies. Authorities said demonstrations are only allowed at Jantar Mantar observatory and the Ram Lila grounds. Police banned protests in Raisina Hills and closed roads leading to the area, fearing a possible repeat of the furious, large-scale demonstrations that occurred last weekend. Ten metro stations also were ordered closed, authorities said. Additional protests were planned Sunday in several cities, activists told CNN affiliate IBN. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered his "deepest condolences." "We have already seen the emotions and energies this incident has generated," he said, referring to the widespread protests. "It would be a true homage to her memory if we are able to channel ... these emotions and energies into a constructive course of action." Read more: Opinion: India's rape problem needs a rewiring of society's attitude . Reported rape cases in India -- where a cultural stigma keeps many victims from reporting the crime -- have increased drastically over the past four decades, from 2,487 in 1971 to 24,206 in 2011, according to official figures. New Delhi alone had 572 rapes reported last year and more than 600 in 2012. One such recent case involved a 17-year-old girl who said she was gang-raped during the Hindu festival of Diwali on November 13. A formal case wasn't registered by police until 14 days later. The girl committed suicide Wednesday by ingesting poison, according to authorities in the Patiala district of Punjab, in northern India. In her suicide note, she blamed her alleged rapists. Three suspects -- including a female accomplice -- have been arrested. Most women in India have stories of sexual harassment and abuse on public transportation, on the streets and elsewhere, said Seema Sirohi of the Indian Council on Global Relations. "There are a lot of reasons why this happens, but the patriarchal system is one, a lack of policing is another and general treatment of women is not equal to men, even though it may be so under the law," Sirohi said. Human Rights Watch said the gang rape highlights the widespread problem of sexual violence in India. "The government needs to act now to prevent sexual assault, aggressively investigate and prosecute perpetrators, and ensure the dignified treatment of survivors," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director for the organization. The Indian government announced plans Thursday to "name and shame" convicted rapists by posting their names, images and addresses on official websites, according to the Times of India. And the Cabinet plans to set up a commission to look into rape cases and suggest measures to improve women's safety. This group has three months to submit its report to the government. CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report from Atlanta.
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Victim's body returned to India, cremated .
U.S. Embassy offers its condolences .
Gang rape of a 23-year-old in New Delhi galvanizes the nation .
Human Rights Watch says India has a widespread problem of sexual violence .
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(CNN) -- Caroline Wozniacki beat Ana Ivanovic in a battle of former world number one ranked players to reach the semifinals of the $2 million WTA tournament in Dubai Thursday. The Dane, who lost the top spot during the Australian Open earlier this year, won an entertaining encounter 6-3 7-5 in one hour 33 minutes. Former French Open champion Ivanovic threatened a comeback when she twice retrieved deficits in a thrilling second set, but Wozniacki achieved her sixth break of service to lead 6-5 and serve for the match. Ivanovic saved one match point but hit a return long on the second to leave defending champion Wozniacki on course to defend her title. Her semifinal will be against Julia Goerges, the improving German, who beat Slovakian star Daniela Hantuchova 4-6 6-3 6-4 in their last eight match . The unseeded Goerges has beaten Wozniacki the last two times they have met, both on clay. Wozniacki is the highest ranked player left in the tournament after the withdrawals of Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova through injury. Earlier, Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland reached her second semifinal in two weeks by thrashing German Sabine Lisicki 6-2 6-1. The fifth seed will play in-form Jelena Jankovic in their last four clash Friday. Jankovic, also a former world number one, upset fourth seed and reigning U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur 6-4 6-2 to reach her fifth Dubai semifinal since 2005.
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Caroline Wozniacki beats Ana Ivanovic 6-3 7-5 in Dubai Open quarterfinals .
Both players have been former world number one ranked .
Agnieszka Radwanska thrashes Sabine Lisicki in their quarterfinal .
Jelena Jankovic beats Sam Stosur to reach the semifinals .
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Unhappy customer: Lorraine Fisher and Creme de la Mer's Lifting Contour Serum . They’re the promise of ‘youth in a bottle’ that no woman should be without. Over the past year, you haven’t been able to open a magazine or pass a beauty counter without seeing adverts for facial serums. Almost every cosmetics brand is doing them, from Boots No 7 to Clarins and Guerlain. These light, fast-absorbing creams are designed to be used as an alternative, or addition, to our usual skincare regimes. The theory is that because the molecules in their formulas are so much smaller than those in a moisturiser, they penetrate deeply into the skin. And they contain more active ingredients, vitamins and minerals than a normal face cream to help target problems such as fine lines, brown spots or oiliness. It’s because they use more expensive ingredients that serums cost a lot (you won’t get much change out of £20 for the cheapest). But do they work or are they just another cosmetic company plot to part us from our hard-earned cash? I decided to try one to find out. I chose the latest on the market: luxury brand Creme de la Mer’s Lifting Contour Serum. At £230 for a 30ml bottle, it’s one of the most expensive. It’s claimed to be ‘a high-performance sculpting serum for the face and neck’ that ‘gives skin a tighter feeling from the first touch and helps define and reshape the look of contours, significantly transforming skin’s appearance’. The active ingredients include perennial brown algae, which has been dubbed ‘the fountain of youth’, and marine peptides (or proteins) to ‘enhance the look of skin’s density and dimension’. To help ascertain whether it’s working during the recommended two months I sample it, I enlist London skin expert Lesley Reynolds to scan my face every fortnight using a Visia machine. Before we start, the machine shows that for my age (I’m 44), I have incredibly few wrinkles. The machine works by comparing you to 100 women of your age group. For wrinkles, I’m in the best 1 per cent. I also do well in the pore test — mine are quite small, which means my skin looks better. But the machine says my face is a bit too red. It’s no surprise: I’ve always flushed easily and had pink cheeks, though I’ve thought of myself as having an English rose complexion. Worst, though, is the sun damage — I’m in the bottom 11 per cent. While I put that down to having spent the past eight months travelling around the world in temperatures of over 100 degrees, Lesley isn’t convinced. She says my type of skin, so pale I could be Scottish or Irish, is more prone to sun damage than darker shades. Lorraine Fisher says: 'So it seems that Creme de la Mer was right. The Lifting Contour Serum could 'significantly transform' skin's appearance: except in my experience, it made it worse . So, even though I never sunbathe, enough has filtered through over the years to give me UV damage. It means that while my skin may be in good condition now, age may creep up quickly. That night, I put on the Lifting Contour Serum for the first time, massaging in an upward motion as detailed in the instructions. I also press four acupressure points (on my forehead, between my eyes, under my nose and on my chin) for three seconds each, as the instructions tell you to. This is supposed to help stimulate blood flow and improve the serum’s effectiveness. A few minutes after I put it on, my face begins to tingle. Not unpleasantly, just a bit tickly. I’m pleased — it means the serum is actually doing something, though a quick check in the mirror doesn’t reveal a 25-year-old staring back at me. By day five, I am seeing results — just not the positive ones I expected. My face hasn’t tingled since that first night, but my chin is dry and flakey. The next day, my nose and cheeks start peeling and my whole face is red and patchy. That night, I slather on thick, unctuous Nivea — my go-to product when my skin’s a bit unhappy. After a fortnight, I return to see Lesley. The results are worrying. I’m now in the top 14 per cent of British women for wrinkles — down from the top 1 per cent. I’m horrified: the last thing I want is for this serum to damage my skin and make me look older. 'I’m horrified: the last thing I want is for this serum to damage my skin and make me look older.' ‘Don’t worry, this sometimes happens,’ she reassures me. ‘Things get worse before they get better.’But while they might get worse, they certainly don’t get better. A couple of days later my skin feels so waxy in places and dry in others it no longer feels like mine. By day 17, the fine lines around my mouth are no longer fine. There’s no good news from Lesley at the halfway point nor after six weeks. I must admit that at this point I’m so furious at the thought I might be damaging my skin I want to stop the experiment. I can’t wait to throw away the trendy green and silver bottle with its tiny writing that can be seen only by those young enough not to need Lifting Contour Serum. But I carry on: maybe it does take eight weeks to work. I can’t describe my relief as the trial comes to an end and I visit Lesley in her Harley Street clinic for the last time. The Visia machine has some horrifying results for me. The only real improvement has been the sun damage (I moved from the bottom 11 per cent of British women up to 29 per cent). ‘This could be due to the fact there’s not much sun around,’ says Lesley. ‘And the serum may have helped.’ My wrinkles aren’t as good as they were eight weeks before: I’m in the top 3 per cent, down from 1 per cent. Lorraine Fisher (pictured) tried the Creme de la Mer serum for the recommended two months and enlisted the help of London skin expert Lesley Reynolds who scanned Lorraine's face every fortnight using a Visia machine . And heaven knows what this serum has done to my pores because they’ve got much, much worse. I was in the top 22 per cent when I started this experiment; I’m now in the bottom 39pc. But it’s the redness that’s the real problem. The day before my last Visia session, I was at a friend’s when I noticed my entire face was bright red. Not gently flushed, but pillar-box red. ‘The redness in your skin is much worse and due to a flare-up of rosacea,’ says Lesley. ‘So the serum would probably not be something that I would recommend to sensitive skin types.’ Not much is known about rosacea except that it’s incurable, though pretty harmless. But it is embarrassing — believe me, it’s not very nice walking around with a bright red face. You feel as if everyone’s staring at you. Lesley believes I’ve had rosacea mildly for a while, but something in the serum caused it to flare-up — we don’t know what. She recommends a treatment called photodynamic therapy — usually used on skin cancer sufferers — which uses laser light to help reduce the redness. I leave her office at my wits’ end. This serum was meant to help my skin, not hurt it. A few weeks later, my skin is still much redder than it used to be. Not all the time — it comes and goes. I have to work out what triggers it — usually such things as heat, cold or alcohol are to blame — and try to avoid them. In the meantime, I use thick foundation every day to try to cover it up, something I’ve never had to do before. So it seems that Creme de la Mer was right. The Lifting Contour Serum could ‘significantly transform’ skin’s appearance: except in my experience, it made it worse. And to think that they charge £230 for it.
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Luxury brand Creme de la Mer’s Lifting Contour Serum is £230 for 30ml .
Ingredients include perennial brown algae (dubbed ‘the fountain of youth’)
Lorraine Fisher tried the serum for the recommended two months .
London skin expert Lesley Reynolds to monitored Lorraine's skin .
Lorraine ended up with WORSE skin than beforehand .
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A couple donned Santa costumes during their wedding ceremony before being waved off in a sleigh. Terminally-ill Harry Paul, 56, and Margaret Steward, 65, were joined by more than 50 guests in fancy dress outfits, including Snow White, elves and snowmen, at their party. The best man was dressed as a Christmas cracker, while two elf maidens were the bridesmaids and the seven dwarves even made an appearance. The happy couple: Mr Paul and Miss Steward donned their Christmas costumes for their wedding at Shire Hall Register Office, in Cambridge . Special day: The newly-weds were joined by guests dressed as carton characters and other seasonal figures for their party . The children dressed as a Christmas pudding and little elves with the family's dogs Marley, seven, and Layla, one, were Santa's helper and snowman outfits. Other guests dressed in costumes included Minnie and Mickey Mouse and the Stig from BBC's Top Gear. The extravaganza, which included children dressed as a Christmas pudding and little elves, was organised by Mr Paul's sister Anna Webster, 52, on a shoestring. The mother-of-two transformed her home in Willingham, Cambridgeshire, into a winter wonderland before the couple, who married on Saturday, left for honeymoon in a sleigh. Mrs Webster said: 'It was absolutely fantastic and we all had a great time. 'My brother and Maggie said it was a day they will never forget.' Fancy dress: The best man was dressed as a cracker while Mickey and Minnie Mouse also turned up to their celebration . Mr Paul, from Cambridge, added: 'It all seemed to have just snowballed from a quiet wedding to a Christmas theme - but I am up for a laugh.' Margaret and Harry, who have been together for eight years, met at a Christmas party on Boxing Day. Harry suffers from incurable disease sapho - a painful rare bone disorder which forced him to retire six years ago. The couple married at Shire Hall Register Office in Cambridge and are honeymooning in a static home at the bottom of Mrs Webster's garden.
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Terminally-ill Harry Paul and Margaret Steward wed in fancy dress .
Guests also turned out in a range of costumes at the Cambridgeshire event .
The happy couple waved goodbye to guests as they rode off on a sleigh .
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(CNN) -- Running has always been an enigma to me. It seems so simple: Lace up your sneakers, crank up the music and head out the door. It comes so easy to some people, but it never has to me. Growing up, I tried to be a runner. At an early age, I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. This is an inflammation and constriction of the bronchi in the lungs that occurs after a few minutes of strenuous or aerobic activity. I was prescribed various inhalers to control the condition, and they seemed to decrease the asthma, but it never completely stopped. It was annoying, it was embarrassing, and it caused me to avoid most exercises, especially running. It was an excuse. I am not a runner ... Make your workout go by faster . I decided to start playing tennis in middle school. While I always had great bursts of speed on the court, the off-season running workouts killed me. Still, I could control my asthma, and my tennis skills slowly improved. Then my next nemesis arrived. I discovered a nasty pain called shin splints, from pounding those hard courts day after day. This condition is also called medial tibial stress syndrome and is caused by a combination of factors that put stress on the lower leg, causing some very uncomfortable pain in my shins and cramping in my calves when running. The pain, or rather the threat of the pain, kept me from running long distances, so I stopped. It was an excuse. I am not a runner ... Fast-forward to later in life. I wanted to try to run again. After some research and a visit to my local running shop, I discovered a compression strap for my calf that could help my shin splints, and it worked! T-shirt tales: The athlete I used to be . So off to run I went. All was going great: I was gaining endurance while managing to control the asthma and the shin splints. Then I started to get a sharp pain just in front of my heel on the bottom of my foot. This pain occurred right after my running workouts, and it was even worse the next morning. My doctor diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis in my left foot. This is an incredibly painful inflammation of the connective tissue (the plantar fascia) that stretches from your heel to your toes. With this pain, I had found my newest nemesis. I tried to run through the pain, but even walking during the day became painful, so I stopped running altogether. There are many treatments for helping manage this pain, from special socks that stretch the tissue to cortisone injections that help the inflammation. I found an orthotic shoe insert that helped to stretch the plantar fascia, and slowly, the pain went away. 'Too fat to do a lot of things' But once again, the threat of pain kept me from running. It was an excuse. I am not a runner ... Fast-forward to today. I've developed a love of endurance sports and an admiration for the amazing athletes who compete in them, from runners to cyclists to triathletes. I've always wanted to participate, but the fear of pain or asthma has always kept me on the sidelines. I know that my pain is manageable and my fear is irrational. I want to run. Getting fit for the family I love . As I've started training for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, I constantly think of my CNN Fit Nation teammates, many of whom have conquered their own obstacles, much more serious than the pain that has stopped me. We all have hurdles in life, some great and some small, that try to prevent us from doing the things we want to do. My mantra had become "I am not a runner," but it was just an excuse. This excuse no longer stops me. My minor injuries and pains are nothing compared with the hardships many people face every day. My pain and anxiety are manageable, and I am no longer afraid. Perspective is a wonderful thing, and when I think of all of the amazing people in my life who have overcome much larger hurdles than those that have stopped me in the past, I am motivated. I keep moving, knowing that if they can overcome their obstacles, I can overcome mine. My running workouts aren't breaking any endurance records, and I don't move that fast, but I keep moving. I lace up my sneakers and crank up my music, and I keep running because my pain is temporary. I am not a runner ... YET! Follow Stacy on Twitter @TriHardStacy .
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Pain has stopped Fit Nation teammate Stacy Mantooth from running the past .
Mantooth developed asthma, shin splints, plantar fasciitis .
Excuses are no longer going to stop Mantooth from running, he says .
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Washington (CNN) -- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has released approximately 1,800 pages of documents that shed more light on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The documents indicate that the National Security Agency violated its own internal guidelines relating to phone numbers it can "query" from among records the agency collects. Moreover, the documents indicate that the NSA presented false information to the surveillance court about the violation. "The people responsible for authoring the report did not fully understand how the operation was working," a senior intelligence official said. "That misrepresentation resulted in a factually inaccurate report." Opinion: What the government is hiding from you . The documents satisfy a judge's order pertaining to public records requests from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy advocacy group, about FISA Court interpretations of the section of the Patriot Act dealing with collecting metadata, the so-called business records provision. The metadata program started in 2006 and allowed the NSA to seek to obtain more information about a number if there was "reasonable articulable suspicion" that the number was linked to terrorism. The NSA also kept a separate "alert list" that was used to compare the new numbers that were coming in daily and consider whether new numbers should be added to the category of those with "reasonable articulable suspicion." The alert list started with about 4,000 numbers and ended up with 17,835, most of which did not have the required suspicion, officials say. The court ruled that the NSA was allowed to have the alert list, but the agency could not run it against the larger database because it did not have the reasonable suspicion. Every day, phone companies sent metadata, which went into an archive. But each day, the NSA ran the alert list against the new information to see if it could establish reasonable suspicion. This went on from May 2006 until January 2009. "To further complicate matters," an official said, "reporting to the court, we described the alert list but did not describe (it) accurately." NSA misrepresented scope of data collection to secret court . Senior intelligence officials attempted to assure reporters that the news was not so much the compliance violation, but the fact that the NSA uncovered the problem, reported it to the Justice Department and the FISA Court, "took steps thereafter to do a thorough scrub of operations," and reported back to the FISA Court after the changes had been made. In one declassified order from March 2009, Judge Reggie Walton said the court would "not permit the government to access the data collected until such time as the government is able to restore the court's confidence that the government can and will comply with previously approved procedures for accessing such data." A senior intelligence official noted "fairly strong language" by the court, but stressed that it did not find any "intentional attempt" to violate the law or abuse the program. Because there was such confusion about the program, the NSA instituted new steps to guard against future violations, including adding a compliance director, the officials said. Reports: NSA has cracked much online encryption . One official said this proved that there was "effective oversight by the executive branch and the court. NSA is not perfect and screws up from time to time." But there never has been any indication that these programs have been abused by spying for improper purposes or exceeding guidelines with improper authority, he said. The officials said they did not know of any NSA employee who was punished or fired as a result of the problem. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement that the incidents were promptly reported to the court, which ordered NSA to seek its approval to query metadata on a case-by-case basis, except when lives were under imminent threat. "The documents released today are a testament to the government's strong commitment to detecting, correcting, and reporting mistakes that occur in implementing technologically complex intelligence collection activities, and to continually improving its oversight and compliance processes," he said. Court renews secret U.S. surveillance program . The American Civil Liberties Union said the documents confirm that the agency "cannot be trusted" with such sweeping powers and that the "secret and one-sided" judicial review is not an adequate check. "The abuses revealed in these documents are alarming but also predictable. These violations are the inevitable result of allowing the NSA to assemble a vast database of sensitive information about every American," Alex Abdo, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project, said in a statement. The civil liberties group has challenged the constitutionality of the NSA phone records collection program in court. Internet companies fight to release more information on NSA requests .
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Newly released documents show the National Security Agency violated phone-records rules .
Papers: NSA also submitted incorrect information to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court .
The papers were released to comply with ACLU, Electronic Frontier Foundation requests .
The court required the NSA to seek approval to query data until processes were improved .
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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Classic pop rock band Chicago and Grammy-Award-winning songwriter Bill Champlin have parted ways after nearly three decades together. Bill Champlin is leaving Chicago. "This music is callin' me," he says of his new solo venture. "Bill Champlin is no longer in Chicago. He was a long-time band member and we wish him all the best as he embarks on his new solo project, for which he's worked long and hard.," a statement from Chicago's management said Monday . "After 28 years with Chicago, singer-songwriter-keyboardist Bill Champlin is parting ways with the classic jazz/rock band to focus once again on his solo career," Champlin's publicist Judi Kerr said of the split. "This music is callin' me," said Champlin, whose new solo album "No Place Left to Fall" was released last week on the DreamMakers label. "I'm really looking forward to playing more intimate venues and hearing what fans think of the new music. I can't wait to spend some one-on-one time with my old and new fans!" Champlin has scheduled a string of concerts along the West Coast in November to promote the new album. Champlin joined Chicago in 1981 at a pivotal point in the band's history. After a string of 12 platinum and multiplatinum albums, Chicago was struggling for direction in the years after the death of original guitarist Terry Kath in 1978. The appearance of the new vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist on "Chicago 16," along with the production skills of David Foster, marked a new era of chart success for the band. Champlin was most prominently featured on "Chicago 19," where he sang lead on three of the album's four hit singles, including the chart-topping "Look Away," which ranked No. 1 on Billboard's 1989 year-end Hot 100. Before joining Chicago, Champlin picked up a pair of Grammy Awards for tunes he penned for other artists: "After the Love is Gone" for Earth, Wind & Fire and "Turn Your Love Around" for George Benson. Champlin also occasionally performs with the Sons of Champlin, a horn-heavy band he helped found during the late-1960s San Francisco, California, psychedelic scene. Chicago is on a co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire this summer, with the next show scheduled for August 21 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Lou Pardini, a Grammy-nominated keyboardist who has played with Stevie Wonder and Santana, will replace Champlin, according to Chicago's management. Chicago formed in 1967, committed to the concept of a rock 'n' roll band with horns. First called The Big Thing, the group was known as Chicago Transit Authority on its debut album before taking its present name. In more than four decades, Chicago has sold more than 122 million recordings. It had five consecutive No. 1 albums and has had more than 50 Top-40 singles.
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Singer-songwriter-keyboardist Champlin joined Chicago in 1981 .
He'll tour in autumn to promote new solo album "No Place Left to Fall"
Grammy-nominated keyboardist Lou Pardini will replace Champlin .
Group formed in 1967 and was named The Big Thing, then Chicago Transit Authority .
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By . Ted Thornhill . Spanish underground train passenger Armand Serrano Maya who discovered his vending machine chocolate bar had been nibbled in the corner did not have far to look for the culprit – a mouse that had infiltrated the equipment. He could see the critter inside the machine where it was continuing to tuck into the free feast. Armand said: 'I think the sound of me ordering a snack as it dropped into the bin scared the mouse off temporarily, but when I realised my chocolate bar had been nibbled and looked at the other items. Scroll down for video . Snack attack: A mouse was filmed munching on snacks in a Barcelona train station vending machine . ‘I saw that some of them had also been eaten and wanted to take my phone to video them. But then I realised that the mouse was still there, and seconds later it moved back to the front of the vending machine and continue tucking into a pack of chocolate biscuits.' He said the incident on the Sants-Estacio station of the blue line on the Barcelona metro network had left him feeling ill, saying: 'It was really disgusting, and I posted the video online to complain about it and warn other people. They claim that this food is fresh.' Mouse about that: The incident happened on the Sants-Estacio station of the blue line on the Barcelona metro . The Transport Metropolitans of Barcelona which owns and operates the underground line in the eastern Spanish city confirmed that they have started an investigation after being made aware of the video. They said they had contacted the company that owned the vending machine to demand an explanation. A spokesman said: 'We understand fully the concerns of our passengers, many of whom have contacted us about this unusual event, and it is being fully investigated and steps will be taken as a result of what we find out.' A spokesman for the company that owned and operated the vending machine, Selecta, said: 'How the mouse got inside is a complete mystery but we can confirm that the machine has been taken out of service and in the meantime has been completely cleaned, disinfected and sanitised and will be checked by mechanics to make sure this can't happen again before its put back into service. 'The mystery, however, is how it happened in the first place, because we have been offering vending machine services for 16 years in Spain and despite the fact that we have 4000 machines in operation across the country, we have never had a similar case. All machines are not only vandalism proof, they are also secure to prevent pests from getting inside.'
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Mouse has been videoed nibbling on snacks in Barcelona vending machine .
Passenger Armand Serrano Maya bought chocolate with nibbled corner .
He said: 'It was really disgusting. I posted the video to warn other people'
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(CNN) -- The message sent by the military council that rules Egypt was simple: "Don't mess with Egypt's armed forces." The message received by the activists who flooded Tahrir Square 18 months ago: "Egypt's revolution, which began with a bang, is ending with a whimper." With several decrees, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces -- a body of 20 generals - moved to neuter civilian authority and give itself unprecedented powers. It got some help from the Supreme Constitutional Court. The timing was hardly coincidental. The candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood was running strongly in the final round of the presidential election against a former Egyptian Air Force general. [Read more about the candidates] . What many observers are calling a "constitutional coup" has serious implications not only for the prospect of democracy in Egypt, but also for the future of the Arab world and for the close relationship between Washington and Cairo. Conflicting reports about whether Mubarak has died . The drama began Thursday, when the Court ruled to expel one-third of the parliament entrusted with drafting a new constitution. The court held that the entire parliament, in which the Muslim Brotherhood and allies have a majority, had to be disbanded. The court's ruling was "absurd, destructive and essentially voids Egypt's last year of politics of meaning," Marc Lynch wrote in Foreign Policy. The director of the Institute for Middle East Studies said the country was going through the "stupidest transition in history." "With Egypt looking ahead to no parliament, no constitution and a deeply divisive new president, it's fair to say the experiment in military-led transition has come to its disappointing end," Lynch wrote. While Egypt dealt with upheaval, its justice ministry (part of the government appointed by the ruling military council) extended the powers of military police and intelligence agents, allowing them to arrest civilians for a wide range of offenses, including protesting. Late Sunday, Egyptians had still gone ahead and voted in the presidential election. The United States Embassy in Cairo tweeted Monday: "We congratulate Egypt on this presidential race. It's a historic event 4 democracy in Egypt." Hours later, the view from the U.S. State Department seemed different. "We are particularly concerned by decisions that appear to prolong the military's hold on power," said spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. Meanwhile, the Supreme Council announced that an appointed assembly would draft the constitution, replacing the assembly chosen by the elected parliament. The Supreme Council also announced it would "decide all matters related to military affairs," including the country's defense budget. There would be no civilian oversight, they said. Egyptians already appeared to be losing faith in politics, with a low turnout in voting between the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, Mohammed al-Morsi, and Ahmed Shafik, who was Mubarak's last prime minister. Now, whoever wins could discover the office of the president has much lesser authority than it did before. Nobel Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, himself once a presidential contender, tweeted: "Electing president in the absence of constitution and parliament is electing an 'emperor' with more powers than deposed dictator. A travesty." ElBaradei was once considered a sell-out by disappointed leaderless revolutionaries for not participating in this year's presidential race. Whatever their ultimate goal, Egypt's traditional institutions are reasserting themselves in the face of an unpredictable political landscape. The Supreme Constitutional Court is afraid the Muslim Brotherhood plans to reform the judicial system, said Steve Cook, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Nathan Brown, a political science professor at George Washington University, agrees. "The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and the Court have a similar outlook, regarding themselves as guardians of the Egyptian state -- with responsibilities above politics," he said. "Both felt threatened by the prospect of a Muslim Brotherhood-dominated system. The Egyptian military has now become a state within a state, with oversight of the political system and the constitutional process," Brown said. All four Egyptian presidents over the past 60 years have been former military men. The military and retired generals, like their counterparts in Pakistan, run important state enterprises, overseeing everything from food manufacturing to running hotel resorts. But what's new and unusual in Egypt is that the military had put itself beyond civilian control. It is "the locus of power, authority and legitimacy in the system, without having to run the country on a day-to-day basis," Cook said. Debate rages over whether this power grab was the military's plan all along, or whether it has reacted to events. Michael Hanna, an analyst at the Century Foundation, thinks it was the latter. "Over the past several months, they saw that the political climate had shifted in their favor and consequently regained their confidence," he said. "They knew the revolutionaries had lost support on the streets and were viewed negatively, so they seized the opportunity." Many Egyptians still feel the military is something to be proud of, a sentiment shared especially among the poor who are more concerned that Egypt becomes stable and they can provide for their families. In the Upper Egyptian rural governorate of Asyut, home to many young people who have served in the military, factory worker Mohammed Nour, 23, praised the military. "The military and the people are still one hand," he said. "The military alone can save Egypt and make us one of the greatest countries in the world." Meanwhile, secular pro-democracy activists who took to Tahrir Square last year are wringing their hands. The very democratic structure they dreamed of appears to have withered in part because they developed no unifying ideology. They appeared to have no plan for a post-Mubarak Egypt. They failed to get solidly behind a single presidential candidate, not least because several possible contenders were disqualified. Mahmoud Salem, a popular blogger who has journaled the revolution and goes by the name Sandmonkey, said the pro-democracy movement has itself to blame. "You successfully dethrone a tyrant, and you have neither plan nor vision on what to do afterwards, and no real understanding of the regime itself," he posted. But he also criticized reformers who voted for the Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate simply because he was not the "counter-revolutionary." "Our revolution called for a civil state: nonreligious, nonmilitary, and this guy will try to form a religious military state," Salem wrote about Morsi. Cook said he believes that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces won't be swayed by reaction from the United States. The United States gives $1.3 billion in annual aid to Egypt, an amount second only to aid the United States provides to Israel. "The question is, Does anyone in Cairo care?" he said. "The answer is yes and no. It is clear that the [top military commander and de facto leader of Egypt] Field Marshal [Mohamad ] Tantawi and his colleagues are giving far more weight to their domestic interests than the potential consequences with the United States." But a note from U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to Tantawi to "ensure a full and peaceful transition to democracy" appears to have fallen on deaf ears. Cook wrote the recent book, "The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square," chronicling the influence of the military in Egyptian national politics. Cook said the level of aid has been static since the early 1980s. "Historically, the military aid program was intended to help secure peace between Egypt and Israel, establish an ally that could be an asset for military contingencies in the Gulf and be a partner to prevent Soviet penetration of the region," he said. "Now, we are basically paying for access to airspace and transit through the Suez Canal." "Now isn't the time to publicly threaten to end U.S. aid, in the midst of an extremely volatile and fluid situation," Lynch said. "But it is the time to forcefully convey to the SCAF privately that the transfer to civilian rule really does matter to the U.S." Shadi Hamid, research director at the Brookings Doha Center, disagreed. "The U.S. has to show that it's on the side of Egyptian democracy and willing to stand up for it publicly," he said. "Frankly it has to undo damage. Obama's policy toward the Arab Spring has been completely reactive. We wait until something disastrous happens when we should have anticipated it months ago." The political chaos and an ever worsening economy appears to have induced a sense of resignation among Egyptians. The turnout in Sunday's run-off vote and the prospect of the Muslim Brotherhood joining forces with secular activists in defense of democracy seems remote. Some secularists even take solace from the dissolution of the parliament, thinking they may do better in fresh elections. But that shouldn't be confused with stability, warns Lynch. If Shafik is declared the victor, "he will preside over a country in economic collapse, with little prospect of restoring investor confidence any time soon." Mahmoud Salem, aka Sandmoney, said the pro-democracy movement must start over. "Do something except running around from demonstration to march to sit-in," he wrote. "Real street work means that the street you live in knows you and trusts you, and will move with you, because you help them and care for them, not because you want to achieve some lofty notions you read about in a book." But with a people more exhausted than incensed by 18 months of uncertainty, finding the determination for another uprising won't come easily. Fast facts on the life of Hosni Mubarak . CNN's Ashley Fantz contributed to this report.
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Experts: The "constitutional coup" in Egypt has serious implications for democracy there .
Generals neutered civilian authority, gave themselves unprecedented power .
The move called into question whether Tahrir Square uprising really made Egypt more open .
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People say it’s only the Capital One Cup, but this could be one of the games of the season. There is a Wembley final at stake and the bigger picture to think about. If Chelsea win, they move on and can take a big step towards the title if they beat Man City on Saturday and a Liverpool win could inspire the rest of their season. Dejan Lovren (left) posted an Instagram picture of him and Mario Balotelli on the train to London . The Liverpool players will be hoping to continue their resurgent form against Chelsea on Tuesday night . HOW CHELSEA CAN WIN IT . Jose Mourinho reverted to type at Anfield. It didn’t work. He loves being the underdog and tends to be more defensive in the big games, but playing Jon Obi Mikel as an extra midfield shield has not worked. This Chelsea team is just not built to play defensively. For Jose attack is definitely the best form of defence. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see Liverpool’s weakness is at the back, and I fully expect Mourinho to name his strongest team on Tuesday night. As we saw at Swansea, when they are let off the leash, they are almost unstoppable. When Chelsea are let off the leash, they are almost unstoppable - attack is the best form of defence . HOW LIVERPOOL CAN WIN . After letting in five at Spurs and four against Bradford, there will be doubts creeping into the minds of Chelsea players and fans alike. Liverpool must prey on that. They will have to be patient but their system caused Chelsea problems last week. Steven Gerrard was rested on Saturday so should start and I’d like to see him playing in an advanced role again. If he and Philippe Coutinho can keep Nemanja Matic occupied, then that might tempt John Terry or Gary Cahill to step out and deal with him, as our pitch map shows. If that happens, that leaves Raheem Sterling with a one-on-one situation. After the way he played last week, that is the last thing Chelsea will want. Liverpool must try and occupy Chelsea defenders to get Raheem Sterling into one-on-one situations . JOHN TERRY & GARY CAHILL v RAHEEM STERLING . Sterling terrorised these two in the first leg and took his goal so well. He is one of the fastest players in the league and if Liverpool can get their main man driving at the heart of the Chelsea defence, then they are in with a real chance. NEMANJA MATIC v STEVEN GERRARD & PHILIPPE COUTINHO . Matic is the solid foundation on which Chelsea build all their attacks, but he will not be getting much help from Cesc Fabregas. Matic can’t be in two places at once and if Liverpool’s midfield men can isolate him, they will be able to find spaces either side to try and open up their opponents. Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho could hold the key in isolating Nemanja Matic at Stamford Bridge . OSCAR v LUCAS . He might not get praised like some of his team-mates, but Oscar is a silent assassin. If I were facing Chelsea, he is the one I would be most scared of. He sparks much of Chelsea’s best work and because of their forward players’ fluid movement, you can’t mark man for man. That’s why Lucas has such an important role. Oscar is Chelsea's silent assassin, he sparks much of Chelsea's best work . Lucas Leiva will have a tricky task in trying to mark his fellow Brazlian on Tuesday night .
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Chelsea host Liverpool in their Capital One Cup semi-final second leg .
First leg at Anfield finished 1-1 after Raheem Sterling equaliser .
Sterling could hold the key for the Reds... if Nemanja Matic is occupied .
Lucas Leiva will have a tough job trying to keep Oscar at bay .
Stamford Bridge clash could be one of the games of the season .
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By . Hannah Roberts . An Italian soccer fan, who allegedly cut his wife and . children's throats in a triple murder, tried to use the England-Italy game as . an alibi. The bodies of mother-of-two Cristina Omes, 38, and the . couple's children, five-year-old Giulia and Gabriele, 20 months, were found at . their home in the residential area of Motta Visconti near Milan. All three were found with their throats slit as well as . other stab wounds, Italian newspaper Il Mesaggero reported. Triple murder suspect Carlo Lissi, 31, on his wedding day with his wife, mother-of-two Cristina Omes. He is accused of killing her and their two children . Computer consultant Carlo Lissi has been charged with the . triple murder. Following hours of questioning the 31-year-old allegedly . confessed to the killing, telling police to give him 'the maximum sentence'. The father-of-two told detectives he had killed his wife . first, followed by the two children late on Saturday night, it is alleged. He then left home at around 11.30pm, stopping en route to . the game to throw the murder weapon, a knife, down a manhole, police sources . told Italian newspaper La Stampa. Carlo Lissi told police he watched the Italy Vs England game with friends after the triple murder, it is reported. Pictured here, Mario Balotelli of Italy scores his team's second goal . The young professional watched the game with friends in a . nearby town. When he returned home shortly after 2am to 'find' the bodies, he . called police. Lissi allegedly told police he committed the horrific . triple murder because he was in love with a colleague, sources told Italian . newspaper La Stampa. A safe at the home was open with a small amount of money . missing, but investigators had focussed on a private motive early on because of . the murder of the baby, police sources told Italian media. And the lack of a murder weapon caused them to rule out a . murder-suicide by the young mother.
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Father, 31, allegedly admits killing his wife and two children .
All three were found their throats slit as well as .
other stab wounds .
Carlo Lissi told police he then watched World Cup game with friends .
IT consultant, from near Milan, has been charged with triple murder .
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Police say two brothers stole nearly $500,000 worth of sewer grates from the Philadelphia suburbs and sold them for scrap. Brian and John Vetrulli Jr. were jailed Saturday in Montgomery County on charges of theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property. The 36-year-old Brian Vetrulli and 38-year-old John Vetrulli Jr. were unable to post $10,000 cash bail as of Tuesday and could not be reached for comment. Scroll down for video . Alleged thieves: Brian and John Vetrulli Jr. were jailed Saturday in Montgomery County on charges of theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property . Police say the Gilbertsville men stole 13 sewer grates from area parking lots since the beginning of December and had receipts showing they'd sold more than 1,000 grates to scrap-metal dealers. Each grate weighs about 100 pounds and costs about $475. Police say the Vetrullis sold them for $9 each. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 30. ABC reports that the men confessed to stealing as much as $500,000 worth of grates - more than 1,000 from Philadelphia, Limerick, Collegeville, Plymouth Meeting, Willow Grove, Abington, Bensalem, Haverford, Broomall, Upper Providence, and Montgomeryville. Grate amount of money: Police say the Gilbertsville men stole 13 sewer grates from area parking lots since the beginning of December and had receipts showing they'd sold more than 1,000 grates .
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Brian and John Vetrulli Jr. were jailed Saturday in Montgomery County on charges of theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property .
Police say the men stole 13 sewer grates from area parking lots and had receipts showing they'd sold more than 1,000 grates .
Each grate weighs about 100 pounds and costs about $475 but police say the Vetrullis sold them for $9 each .
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By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 10:47 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:46 EST, 9 December 2013 . A creepy man has been caught on camera lying under the seats of a Metro train while he touched women's legs. The terrifying snaps of a man wearing a blue mask and coat were taken on the underground system in Beijing, China. Another passenger spotted him lying beneath the moulded plastic seats before reaching out to the legs of women who sat down. Scroll down for video . The man lying beneath the seats touching legs of women sitting down on a metro train in Beijing, China . The picture-taker, called Mr Zhou, said the man hid even deeper under the seats after noticing him taking pictures but 'after a short while, he started to touch the legs again'. Amazingly, none of the woman in question appeared to react to what was happening. The man, who was wearing a mask and in a blue coat, was spotted lying beneath the moulded plastic seats before reaching out to touch the legs of women who sat down . The picture taker, Mr Zhou, said the man hid even deeper under the seats after noticing him taking pictures but 'after a short while, he started to touch the legs again'
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Terrifying snaps were taken on underground system in Beijing, China .
Another passenger spotted him lying beneath moulded plastic seats .
Amazingly, none of the woman in question appeared to react .
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A skatepark dating back to the sport's 1970s peak has become a protected heritage site in recognition of its cultural importance. With its half-pipe, moguls and special skating pool, the Rom skatepark in Hornchurch, east London, is a far cry from the majority of listed buildings. But as it became the first facility of its kind in Europe and only the second in the world to achieve listed status, heritage bosses said the elaborate 1978 concrete construction was an important example of youth culture in the UK. Youth culture: The Rom skatepark in Hornchurch, east London, is a far cry from the majority of listed buildings . Built and designed by Adrian Rolt and G-Force, the leading skatepark designers of the period, the Rom follows the Bro Bowl in Tampa, Florida, in achieving listed status . It has been granted Grade II status, meaning it is nationally important and of special interest, by the Department for Culture Media and Sport on the advice of English Heritage. Heritage Minister Ed Vaizey said: 'The Rom was built in the late seventies for the very first skateboarders and is as popular now as it was then. 'Its listing at Grade II is testament to its design and also highlights how the UK's unique heritage reflects all parts of our culture and history. 'I hope the protection provided by this listing ensures the pool, moguls and snake run can be enjoyed for years to come.' Built and designed by Adrian Rolt and G-Force, the leading skatepark designers of the period, the Rom follows the Bro Bowl in Tampa, Florida, in achieving listed status. Heritage bosses said the elaborate 1978 concrete construction was an important example of youth culture in the UK . Old skate shoes strung from a fence at Rom skatepark in Hornchurch which dates back to the 1970s . The Tampa park was added to the USA's National Register of Historic Places in October last year. Roger Bowdler, designation director at English Heritage, said: 'Skateboarding is more than a sport: it has become a world-wide cult. 'The Rom is the finest example in England to this aspect of youth culture, and we are delighted its special interest will be protected for future generations through listing. 'It gives the whole idea of heritage an extra twist.' The Rom, which occupies 8,000 square metres, features a series of bowls and hollows and was among a rash of skateparks built as a skateboarding craze swept Britain in the 1970s. Many were later demolished as the sport's popularity declined. It is a rare survivor and has become one of the most influential sites in British skateboarding culture, English Heritage said. Author Simon Inglis who helped Rom skatepark in Hornchurch, Essex to become the first skatepark in Europe to be grade II listed . Made from seamless pressurised concrete, it is closely based on Californian skateparks. These were themselves inspired by the urban spaces - including oval and kidney-shaped swimming pools belong to the Los Angeles elite - colonised by pioneer skaters. The listing coincides with the publication of English Heritage's Played in London - a book charting the spaces, buildings and sports that have shaped London's cultural and urban landscape for over two millennia. Author Simon Inglis said: 'When most of us think of sporting heritage we conjure up images of Victorian cricket pavilions, of old football shirts or of Edwardian swimming baths. 'But skateboarding has now been part of the nation's recreational life for over 35 years, since it arrived in Britain from California at the height of the 1970s. Some of the pioneers are now grandparents, passing on their skills and enthusiasm to the next generation. 'Lots of people thought that like Chopper bikes and Space Hoppers the fad would soon pass, but as we can see in London alone, where there are at least 75 skateparks currently in use, skateboarding is still as cool as ever, and has received a real boost thanks to the growing number of BMX bikers, who now shares the facilities at most skateparks.' He added that researchers 'honed in on' the Rom because of the six or seven survivors from the 1970s, it retains more of its original features than any other site. 'I really hope that 'the Rom' will now become a place of pilgrimage for young skateboarders wanting to learn more about the sport's early days, and have a brilliant time while doing so,' Mr Inglis said.
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The Rom skatepark is a far cry from the majority of listed buildings .
The east London site is only the second of its type to be protected .
It was built as the skateboarding craze swept Britain in the 1970s .
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida (CNN) -- A bat that apparently had trouble flying instead tried to hitch a ride on the space shuttle Discovery, NASA officials said. The free tail bat was last seen clinging to the space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank just before launch. The animal was last seen clinging on the foam of the external tank of the space shuttle moments before the Discovery launched, officials said. NASA officials had hoped the bat would fly away on its own, but admitted the bat probably died quickly during Discovery's climb into orbit. Discovery's seven-member crew, which lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on Sunday, is on a 14-day mission to deliver supplies needed to expand the International Space Station. NASA officials noticed the bat before shuttle's liftoff and brought in a wildlife expert to look at video images of it. The expert said it appeared to be a free-tailed bat that probably had a broken left wing and an injured right shoulder or wrist. The launch pads at the space center are near the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, so NASA has sirens to scare away animals that get near the shuttles. The bat isn't the first to try hitching a ride into space. NASA officials said they noticed one of the creatures on a tank of a shuttle in 1998. That bat flew away as the shuttle's massive engines ignited. The crew of the Discovery safely docked at the International Space Station on Tuesday. It was unclear whether its stowaway was still clinging to the shuttle.
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NASA: Bat was last seen clinging on space shuttle Discovery before launch .
Wildlife expert says bat appeared to have broken wing or injured shoulder .
Discovery is on 14-day mission to deliver supplies to International Space Station .
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Older people with memory problems can boost their brainpower with fish oil supplements, say researchers. Healthy people with mild memory deficits of events in their past life, so-called episodic memory, had improved recall after six months of treatment. A new overview says the omega-3 fatty acid DHA has most benefit for people with existing memory problems, particularly when they are coping with physical or mental stress. Experts believe supplements rich in DHA from fish oils or other marine sources might slow or prevent mental decline as it is found in reduced amounts in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Scroll down for video . Supplements rich in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA from fish oils might slow mental decline as it is thought to help nerve cells communicate with each other . But here have been conflicting results from studies, with some showing no benefit from supplements in dementia patients. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is thought to help nerve cells communicate with each other. The richest source of the nutrient is oily fish, such as herring, mackerel and sardines. Britons are currently advised to eat at least one portion of oily fish a week but figures show just one in three do so. In an overview of evidence, scientists from the US and Canada said several studies had looked at DHA supplements and their effect on memory. The MIDAS study involved of 485 healthy elderly people who complained of memory problems, says a report in the journal Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids. The findings showed 24 weeks of taking marine oil supplements led to ‘significant improvements’ in memory test scores compared with those who had dummy tablets. ‘It appears that benefits of DHA are best observed during ageing when there is some mild cognitive impairment or memory complaint or perhaps when a person is exposed to certain chronic physical or mental stressors’ says the overview. The best dietary source of omega 3 fatty acids is oily fish because the human body cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids. The richest source of the nutrient is oily fish, such as herring, mackerel (pictured) and sardines . White fish is also a healthy food including cod, haddock and plaice although it contains lower levels of essential fatty acids. Dr Carrie Ruxton, independent public health nutritionist who reviewed the latest evidence for supplements manufacturer Equazen, said oily fish consumption was falling. On average, Britons were eating around 90g weekly compared with the government’s recommended levels of 140g weekly. She said ‘Studies have variously shown that fish oils lead to better performance in working and verbal memory indicating the potential to delay the onset of cognitive decline and that supplementation with DHA could improve learning and memory function. ‘Two thirds of Briton never eat oily fish, they do not have omega 3 in their diet and supplements are a good alternative. ‘We know that people with the greatest cognitive decline have the least amount of omega-3 in their diet.’
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Supplements rich in DHA from fish oils might slow mental decline .
The omega-3 fatty acid helps nerve cells communicate with each other .
It is found in reduced amounts in people with Alzheimer's disease .
Richest source of the nutrient is oily fish such as herring and mackerel .
Just one in three Britons eat the advised one portion of oily fish a week .
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Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- Ten Ivory Coast soldiers have been killed in attacks Sunday and Monday by unidentified gunmen in Abidjan, the economic capital, the defense minister said. The attacks come just before the country celebrates its independence on Tuesday. The first of the attacks occurred before dawn on Sunday and took place in Abidjan's neighborhood of Yopougon, a stronghold of the former president, Laurent Gbago. The gunmen attacked the Abidjan's 17th district police station after about 50 people were arrested in the neighborhood in a preventive raid carried out by the Ivorian army earlier in the night, defense minister Paul Koffi Koffi said by phone from Abidjan Sunday. Read more: Thousands flee in wake of clashes in western Ivory Coast . He said six armed men carried out the attack in which three soldiers were killed. "The gunmen arrived in a taxi and started to fire without any warning," said Koffi Koffi. The assailants wore army-style uniforms and were armed with AK-47 rifles, he said. The group of armed men then fired at a checkpoint of the Forces Républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire, the national army's official name. The base is located in the same neighborhood and the shooting left two more soldiers dead, the defense minister said. There was no reason so far to think the attack was anything other than "an act of banditry," Koffi Koffi said Sunday. But Monday before dawn, 30 gunmen attacked an Abidjan military camp, killing five more. Again, some were wearing army-like uniforms, though not all, he said. He added that one soldier is missing and one attacker was killed in the incident. Read more: Seven peacekeepers killed in Ivory Coast . An Ivoirian soldier who was in the camp during the fight said the gunmen were targeting soldiers from the Dioula ethnic group, a population native to the Northern Ivory Coast and said to support President Alassane Ouattara. At least 3,000 people were killed last year in five months of post-election violence after ex-President Laurent Gbagbo refused to cede power to Ouattara. An emergency security meeting with army and government officials was held Monday in Abidjan by Ouattara, Koffi Koffi said. The president pledged to reinforce the security in the country before the Independence Day, Koffi Koffi said. There was another attack Sunday against a military camp in Abengourou, which is about 140 miles northeast of Abidjan, the Ivory Coast's state media reported, citing anonymous sources. The report said no one was killed.
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Five Ivory Coast soldiers are killed by unidentified gunmen Monday, the defense minister says .
A separate attack Sunday killed another five soldiers .
An attack also occurred Sunday in Abengourou but no one was killed, state media reports .
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By . Richard Spillett . Tony Blair's son Nicky, pictured in 2006, has set himself up as a football agent and could make thousands from the Brazil World Cup . The son of former Prime Minister Tony Blair looks set to make thousands off the back of the World Cup after signing up top players to his football agency business. Nicky Blair, 28, starting representing footballers after leaving Oxford University and reportedly made a massive sum from brokering the transfer of Mexican Hector Herrera last year. The players he represents - including fellow Mexican rising star Marco Fabian - could now make the agent even more cash if they perform well at the World Cup in Brazil. Fabian, 24, impressed when he was brought on during his nation's 1-0 win over Cameroon yesterday, increasing speculation he could be about to move to a top European club. It is thought Nicky Blair could earn around 10% of any fee given to the player as well as a cut of his future earnings, adding to his growing empire. Nicky, helped by his university friend Gabriel Moraes, set up agency Magnitude after teaching in an inner city school following university. It is thought they have signed up a number of young South American players with a view to cashing in if the youngsters make it big in Europe. Herrera, 24, was one of his first successes when he moved from Mexican outfit Pachuca to Portuguese team FC Porto for £6.7million last year. Fabian's estimated £10million value means he could make Nicky even more money, with Premiership teams reportedly interested. The Mirror reported today that Nicky's firm also has a number of Brazilian stars on its books, including Marlon Barbosa of club side Fluminese and Leandro Alves of Botafoga. Nicky has reportedly already cashed in on the sale of Hector Herrera (left) to Portuguese club FC Porto and could now be set to earn even more if rising Mexican star Marco Fabian (right) seals a move to Europe . It is thought mother Cherie is supportive of the venture and has allowed her son to use a desk at her business in central London. The money would put Nicky on his way to emulating his father's growing fortune, which is estimated at £80million. Meanwhile, Mr Blair's eldest son, Euan, is expected to follow his father into politics and has been tipped to run for election in Bootle, Merseyside. Younger sister Kathryn has gone into law, also like her parents, and worked for the same inn of court her parents Tony and Cherie joined in the 1970s. Mr Blair's 14-year-old youngest son Leo, who was the first child born to a serving Prime Minister in over 150 years in 2000, is meanwhile said to be 'musically gifted' Nicky, far right, pictured with father Tony Blair, brother Euan (far left), sister Kathryn (centre), brother Leo (bottom centre) and mother Cherie, leaving Downing Street for the final time in 2007 .
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Ex-PM's son Nicky Blair signed up Mexican footballers to his agency .
He has reportedly already cashed in on transfer deal for Hector Herrera .
The agent could now make more from £10million-rated Marco Fabian .
Fabian's career boosted when brought on in World Cup game yesterday .
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By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 11:50 EST, 30 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:16 EST, 31 May 2013 . It is certainly not a job for those of a nervous disposition. Working hundreds of feet above the ground, these brave power grid workers balance precariously on slender electricity cables. With just a couple of harnesses attaching the workers to the cables, they slowly move across them ensuring they are in correct working order. Tricky: With just a couple of harnesses attaching the workers to the cables, they slowly move across the cables ensuring they are working correctly . Below them, large boats moving across the huge river in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, look small from so high up. These incredible pictures show three of the maintenance workers reaching the cables by climbing up one of the enormous pylons. It is no wonder that maintenance work is needed on the cables. As the capital of the Fujian Province, Fuzhou is a fast-growing area with a population of 7,115,370 inhabitants. Head for heights: Working hundreds of feet above the ground, this brave power grid worker balances precariously on slender electricity cables in China . Scary: These incredible pictures show three of the maintenance workers reaching the cables by climbing up one of the pylons . Balancing act: This man slowly moves across the cable, with a huge river underneath him . Industry in the city is supplied with power by a grid running from the Gutian hydroelectric scheme in the mountains. China is the world's second largest economy after the United States. It has the world's fastest growing major economy and is the largest exporter and second largest importer of goods in the world.
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They balance precariously on slender cables in Fuzhou, China .
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By . Joe Bernstein . Former England manager Steve McClaren left Wembley a beaten man again — but this time with his head held high and rightly bemoaning the ‘cruelty’ of football. McClaren lost his job on his last visit to the national stadium after a 3-2 defeat by Croatia cost England a place at Euro 2008. He was vilified as the ‘Wally with a brolly’ after he tried to protect himself from driving rain. This time, there was honour in defeat as his young Derby side had dominated the game, only to lose to a late sucker punch. Proud: Steve McClaren can be proud of his Derby County team and their performance at Wembley . Delight: QPR players and staff mob Bobby Zamora after he scored the goal that sent them to the top flight . McClaren said: ‘I am so proud of my players. We played a midfield with an average age of 20 but dominated and controlled the game. ‘We will be disappointed but we know we have to get over this, use the hurt and make sure next season we continue. ‘Sometimes when you are growing, you have to take hits, and this is a big hit.’ McClaren, who started the season as QPR’s defensive coach before taking the Derby job in September, kept his players on the pitch to applaud Harry Redknapp’s side at the end. Commiserations: Harry Redknapp gestures to McClaren as the full time whistle blows at Wembley . ‘You want to go down the tunnel when you get a kick like that, but we played the right way and, win or lose, we also wanted to react in the right way. ‘I shook hands with Harry afterwards but I can’t remember what was said — I was in shock. I’m sure we will talk after. ‘Queens Park Rangers were ready for the Premier League. It was not our time and it was difficult to take.’ McClaren will spend the summer urging the Derby board to keep young stars like Will Hughes — valued at £15million — so the club can have another tilt at promotion next season. Tears: McClaren tries to comfort skipper Richard Keogh after his blunder gifted QPR their goal . Captain Richard Keogh was in tears at the end after his blunder had gifted Bobby Zamora the winning goal. But McClaren said: ‘We won’t put the blame on anyone. For any goal, there is always more than one reason. ‘We’ll wallow in our misery for a few days now.’ But McClaren, who took over with Derby 14th, has done enough to restore his battered reputation.
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Former England manager a beaten man at the national stadium again .
But this time he left with his head held high .
His Derby side lost the Championship play-off final to a last minute goal .
QPR's Bobby Zamora with the late sucker-punch .
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By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 18 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:57 EST, 18 June 2013 . Brink of death: Michael Evans (pictured in hospital), 28, suffered serious brain damage and had his life shattered after he was hit in the head by 21-year-old Daniel Brzozowski . A 28-year-old man was left with half a skull after he was punched by a drunken Polish boxer in an unprovoked late night attack . Michael Evans, 28, suffered serious brain damage after he was hit in the head by Daniel Brzozowski, 21. Mr Evans, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was knocked out and smashed his head on the pavement after the blow. He was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where a CT scan revealed he had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, bleeding on the brain and a broken jaw. Brzozowski, of Yarmouth, was sentenced to three years in prison at Norwich Crown Court yesterday after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm. The Polish immigrant, who has a baby, was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120. But Mr Evans' mother Linda Etheridge, 50, has blasted the sentence. She said last night: 'It's disgusting. He took my son's life. 'Michael's walking round at the moment with half a skull. 'I have to take him where he wants to go. He can't go anywhere by himself.' She fears her son will never work again after the devastating assault. 'His right hand can't work at the moment but he's practising with the Xbox controller,' said Mrs Etheridge, of Yarmouth. 'He can't use a knife and fork or a pen. 'We've only just been able to get him to go out, up town. He would freak out. 'He was always out with his mates before - he liked pool and nights out.' She said Michael's memory is now so poor he could not recognise his two-year-old niece when she visited him. 'Michael is a different lad completely. The way he talks is different, his laugh is different,' she added. Happier times: Michael, at the back, pictured with his mother, Linda, stepfather Andy and his younger brother . 'He was convinced he was Batman and could jump off buildings but luckily that's passed,' said Mrs Etheridge. 'As he's got better we've had to explain things to him. When we explained how his injuries had affected him he was apologetic.' 'He remembers places he used to go and places he used to work. He used to work at a hotel in Essex and he remembers it like yesterday. But he couldn't tell you what he did yesterday.' Mr Evans was out with friends in the town centre when his group was involved in a bust-up with Brzozowski and his friends. Michael was walking away with his hands in his pockets when he was hit in the head by the amateur boxer. Brzozowski after he was arrested. Recorder Mark Dennis told the thug as he jailed him: 'It was yobbish, violent behaviour' Brzozowski, who moved here from Poland eight years ago, went home after the vicious attack, calmly got changed and was going out to a nightclub when he was arrested after police tracked him on CCTV. Mr Evans' stepfather, Andy, 60, said the last seven months since the late-night attack last November have been 'hell'. He said: 'Nobody could tell us if Michael was going to live or die. It was constant stress.' Michael is due to have a special titanium plate fitted in his skull on June 27, but his parents are taking events day by day. 'Hopefully there will be a bit more improvement then, but really they can't tell us,' said Mr Etheridge. 'It's all in the lap of the gods.' 'Michael's still struggling to walk, as he has a fused hip, and had learned a special way of coping with it before the attack.' 'He's a 28-year-old 12-year-old at the moment. 'He has no memory of the incident and he has no idea of what this guy looks like or anything. 'It's been hell,' said Mr Etheridge. 'If we weren't so strong it could have easily divided us.' Mr Etheridge attended yesterday's court hearing and has watched CCTV footage of his son being attacked. He said of Brzozowski's three-year jail term: 'It's what I expected. 'He was charged with it being GBH without intent as it was one punch. I don't think it's right, but I suppose that's the law.' Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Mr Evans nearly died from the unprovoked attack, had to have an emergency operation and spent three months in hospital. Recorder Mark Dennis told the thug as he jailed him: 'It was yobbish, violent behaviour, late at night, when in drink. 'It was a life-changing event for the victim, who will never be the same person again. 'You know how to punch and how to hurt someone, and you know the consequences of a heavy punch.' Mr Burrows said after the case: 'This is a very sensitive case with devastating effects all round. 'No-one ever minimises the level of injury or wider impact it has on the victim's family members. 'This single punch in drink will haunt Daniel for many years, if not the rest of his life.' Ross Burrows, defending, said Brzozowski 'misjudged the situation and felt threatened'. 'He threw the punch because he was trying to protect his group. His intention was to punch and run. 'It will stay with him for the rest of his life. He has not been out since and does not drink. It was a moment of madness.' Inspector Nick Cheshire, of Norfolk Police, said last night: 'This was an unprovoked attack which left an innocent man with serious head injuries, having been enjoying a night out with friends in Yarmouth. 'Brzozowski was arrested a short time later and was still drunk whilst in custody. 'The majority of people drink responsibly. But the minority who do drink to excess and behave violently or anti-socially cause a disproportionate amount of trouble and distress to the local community.'
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Michael Evans nearly died after the brutal and unprovoked attack .
Daniel Brzozowski punched Mr Evans as he walked away from argument .
Victim's parents say the attacker's three year sentence is 'disgusting'
Mr Evans needs constant care as a result of the brain damage .
Mother Linda Etheridge fears he will never work again .
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A young mother from Essex popped into . the toilet at the medical centre, and after a very short labour had a baby . she did not know she was expecting. Emma O'Doherty, 24, who had not been feeling well for a few days, gave . birth to little Harry in the waiting room toilets at Harold Wood Polyclinic . in Romford last Friday. Miss O'Doherty had left work at Creative Kids Nursery for a check-up at the GP walk-in clinic because she wasn't feeling well. Shock: O'Doherty, 24, went to the toilet and 10 minutes later had a baby she did not know she was expecting . Doctors and nurses rushed to help the . mother-of-three and waiting patients were asked to leave as she had her . surprise baby in a cubicle after only 10 minutes labour. Her amazed partner Gary Beechey, 28, said: 'She had not been feeling well for a few days and thought she had an infection so her friend took her to the polyclinic. 'Emma went to the toilet and she called me asking me to come because she had bad stomach pains. 'I got there just in time as the baby came along!' Family called their son Harold, or Harry, as a thank you to Harold Wood Polyclinic (pictured) where he was born . Emma O'Doherty, who already has a . daughter, Louise, seven, and son, George, three, could not have been in a . better place for the birth but was still terrified. 'I will never forget Emma's face when I walked in the bathroom, she was so frightened. 'It was worrying enough for me but it was her body,' said Mr Beechey, a roofer. 'I will never forget Emma's face when I walked in the bathroom, she was so frightened.' Gary Beechey, 28, partner . Out-patient Jake Portsmouth said he was waiting for an appointment with his GP as the incredible drama unfolded. He said: 'It was so weird that it was happening in the room next to me and I didn't hear a thing. 'I think it was a huge shock to everyone. 'It was one of the most surreal things.' Polyclinic staff said they were 'absolutely delighted' to help and 'nobody panicked' as Ms O'Doherty had the third child she never expected. Members of the public, who had been cleared out of the centre, were very understanding and cheered the thrilled family as they left. Mr Beechey added: 'It was a very emotional moment although I had difficulty taking it all in. 'But I can't praise the polyclinic enough, they were fantastic.' An ambulance took the family to Queen's Hospital, Romford, where Miss O'Doherty and her little boy were kept under observation until Tuesday before they were allowed home.
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Emma O'Doherty, 24, from Essex, was unwell and went to see her GP .
She gave unexpected birth in the medical centre's toilet after a short labour .
Partner Gary Beechey, 28, got there just in time as the baby came along .
Baby called Harold, or Harry, as a thank you to Harold Wood Polyclinic .
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Scientists hope to be able to beat obesity within years by 'rewiring' brains to reduce appetites after researchers made a significant breakthrough. They hope to develop drugs that can control the amount we eat from infancy, or later in life for those who are overweight. It is hoped the findings could lead to a 'permanent solution' for tackling obesity within years. Obesity battle: Scientists hope to develop a pill which can stop obesity within years after a breakthrough by researchers at the University of East Anglia . Scientists had thought nerve cells in . the brain associated with appetite control were produced in the womb and could not be changed. But new research has identified a group of stem cells capable of triggering new appetite-regulating neurons in mice in an area of the brain known as the hypothalmus. The University of East Anglia scientists hope to apply their findings to humans within five to 10 years. Dr Mohammad Hajihosseini said: 'Unlike dieting, translation of this discovery could eventually offer a permanent solution for tackling obesity. 'Loss or malfunctioning of neurons in the hypothalamus is the prime cause of eating disorders such as obesity. 'Until recently we thought all of . these nerve cells were generated during the embryonic period and so the . circuitry that controls appetite was fixed. 'But . this study has shown the neural circuitry that controls appetite is not . fixed in number and could possibly be manipulated numerically to tackle . eating disorders. Weight battle: Children with obese mothers could be given medicine to control their appetite at birth . 'Our hope is that drugs could effect these stem cells in such a way that more appetite suppressing neurons are produced, or even appetite suppressing ones. This means babies, for instance, with obese mothers could be primed from infancy to eat less. 'But although our main objective is to combat obesity with this, it could also work at the other end of the spectrum. Anorexics could be made to produce more appetite promoting neurons, so they eat more.' The findings were published in the Journal of Neuroscience. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally causing rising rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and cancer. The economic burden on the NHS in the UK is estimated to be more than £5billion annually. In the US, the healthcare cost tops $60billion. The researchers say their findings could help develop drugs that could one day lead to a permanent intervention in infancy for those predisposed to obesity, or later in life as the disease becomes apparent. More than 1.4billion adults worldwide are overweight and more than half a billion are obese. And at least 2.8million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. The hypothalamus section of the brain regulates sleep and wake cycles, energy expenditure, appetite, thirst, hormone release and many other critical biological functions. Looking specifically at the nerve cells that regulate appetite, the researchers used a genetic mapping technique tracking the development of stem cells and cells derived from them, at desired time points during the life of an animal. They established a population of brain cells called 'tanycytes' behave like stem cells and add new neurons to the appetite-regulating circuitry of the mouse brain after birth and into adulthood. Dr Mohammad Hajihosseini said: 'The next step is to define the group of genes and cellular processes that regulate the behaviour and activity of tanycytes. 'This information will further our understanding of brain stem cells and could be exploited to develop drugs that can modulate the number or functioning of appetite-regulating neurons. 'Our long term goal of course is to translate this work to humans, which could take up to five or ten years. It could lead to a permanent intervention in infancy for those predisposed to obesity, or later in life as the disease becomes apparent.'
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Stem cells in the brain trigger neurons that control our appetites .
Scientists believe they will be able to control the neurons with pills 'within years'
Babies with obese mothers could be given medicine at birth so that they eat less .
Obesity costs the NHS £5billion a year .
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The U.S. government has spent $3million on eight inflatable boats that were intended to be used in Afghanistan but never once saw water. The landlocked nature of Afghanistan- not to mention the fact that they have been sitting in a Naval warehouse in Virginia ever since they were purchased in 2010- are two of the biggest reasons why they went unused. The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction does not specify why the boats cost so much more than their American counterparts either. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Never made it over: Eight of these inflatable boats were ordered to deter smuggling along a river that separates Afghanistan and Uzbekistan but they were deemed unnecessary nine months after they were bought . The $3million price tag breaks down to $375,000 per boat, and The Washington Post reports that similar inflatable boats in the U.S. tend to cost about $50,000. 'We don't even have a list from (the Defense Department) of where they spent the money. We have no centralized list of where the taxpayer money went in Afghanistan,' special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction John F. Sopko told CBS. 'It's like you gave your credit card to your teenage daughter or son and then you just never looked at the bills.' The boats were originally intended to patrol the Amu Darya River that separates Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Small section: Afghanistan is a landlocked nation but there is a strip of a river that separates it from Uzbekistan that, at one point, was considered necessary to patrol . Unanswered questions: Similar boats (like this one) reportedly cost about $50,000 but the ones the military ordered somehow cost $375,000 each . General Harold Greene told The Washington Post reports that they were intended 'to deter smuggling and illegal entry into Afghanistan' but they didn't see much action on that front. U.S. officials and NATO commanders deemed that the boats were not needed only nine months after they were bought without giving any specific reasons as to why, so the boats ended up staying in a warehouse in a Yorktown, Virginia naval base. 'The list of unanswered questions is particularly troubling given the fact... that this program had been an important national security priority for the Afghan National Security Forces prior to its cancellation,' Mr Sopko wrote in an official letter to military officials, which was then shared with The Washington Post. He expects the boats to be stripped for parts or 'sold for pennies on the dollar'. The boats are far from the only instance of an expensive budget item that went unused. Ghost town: A two-story facility in Helmand Province will now likely be demolished because American troops are being pulled out of the region, and it will be too expensive for the fledgling Afghan army to maintain . Seats to fill: The command and control facility at Camp Leatherneck in southern Afghanistan cost $34million . More than $600million was spent on specialized aircrafts that stayed on runways in Kabul and Germany. One of the clearest signs of waste, however, was highlighted in another SIGAR report last summer, where it detailed how $34million was spent on a state-of-the-art building on a base in southern Afghanistan that will never be used. The building was never be used by American troops but is too expensive for Afghan forces to maintain, so it will be levelled as a result. 'This is an example of what is wrong with military construction in general — once a project is started, it is very difficult to stop,' Mr Sopko wrote in a scathing report released last June. 'One senior U.S. military official told me that this facility was designed for a military division that was never deployed and, subsequently, a decision was made not to construct the facility, but inexplicably the building construction started and is now complete.'
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Eight inflatable boats were ordered in 2010 but have stayed in a Viginia naval warehouse ever since .
Each boat cost more than seven times the standard price of similar boats .
American army officials and NATO leaders deemed the boats unnecessary nine months after they were purchased for $3million .
Just one of a handful of multi-million dollar purchases in Afghanistan that are becoming more clear as American troops prepare to leave .
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Cats and dogs in Venezuela may soon get a taste of the South American country's brand of socialism. President Nicolas Maduro announced plans Sunday to consider controlling pet food prices as part of efforts to help street animals. Price controls have become a staple of Venezuela's economic policies, drawing praise from supporters of Maduro and his government who say they make items more affordable for the poor. Opponents have sharply criticized such policies, arguing that they fuel goods shortages and harm businesses. Maduro mentioned the possibility of capping pet food prices after he announced the construction of six new veterinary centers and adopted a stray cat on government television at an event Sunday for the Mision Nevado, an animal-rights project named after a dog once owned by Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar. Maduro said national and international media, which gave extensive coverage to the slaying of a well-known beauty queen and actress in Venezuela last week, would likely ignore the news. "Everything that is good, that is beautiful, that we do in Venezuela is ignored by the media. ... Tomorrow you will not find any summary in the press," he said. "They are going to hide it. The media always hides the good of Venezuela."
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Venezuela's president says the country may control pet food prices .
He announces the possibility as part of a program to help keep animals off the streets .
Price controls have been a staple of Venezuela's economic policies .
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In October 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra took the first recognisable images of Earth from space. He used a Hasselblad camera and Zeiss lens to take the photographs on the Mercury-Atlas 8 (MA-8) mission. More than 50 years later, the unique camera has been sold at auction for $275,000 (£175,985) - more than double its initial estimates. A camera to be snapped up? A modified Hasselblad camera (pictured left) that was used by astronaut Wally Schirra (pictured right) on the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission of 1962 is to be auctioned. He used it to take the first recognisable images of Earth from space and it has been sold at auction for $275,000 (£175,985) The single lot auction took place yesterday at RR Auction’s Boston Gallery and the camera was sold to an unnamed online bidder from the UK. Mr Schirra chose the Hasselblad 500c as his camera of choice because it was held in high regard by photographers due to its superior engineering, craftsmanship and picture quality. Hasselblad sill makes medium format cameras and is based in Gothenburg, Sweden. They were also used during the Apollo program missions when humans landed on the moon. Mr Schirra reportedly bought it himself at a Houston photo supply shop in 1962 and then took it to Nasa to prepare for his mission. MA-8 was the US' fifth manned space mission. Mr Schirra orbited the Earth six times in the Sigma 7 spacecraft during a nine-hour flight designed to test engineering features of the craft. Mr Schirra chose the Hasselblad 500c as his camera of choice because it was held in high regard by photographers because of its superior engineering, craftsmanship, overall quality. He used it to take this photo . Mr Schirra reportedly bought the camera himself at a Houston photo supply shop in 1962 and then took it to Nasa to prepare for his mission. There, it was modified, including being painted black to minimise reflections . ‘It was not until astronaut Wally Schirra - a known camera enthusiast - naturally sought the finest camera available at the time to accompany him on his MA-8 mission that Nasa’s photographic identity began to take shape,' said Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President at RR Auction. This is one of this photographs of Earth . Walter Marty Schirra Jr was born in 1923 and died seven years ago. He was a US naval officer, aviator, aeronautical engineer and test pilot - but most notably, one of the original seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury, America's first effort to put humans in space. He flew a six hour orbit, nine hour Mercury-Atlas 8 mission on October 3, 1962. The capsule attained a velocity of 17,557 miles per hour (28,255 kph) and an altitude of 175 miles (282km). In doing so, he became the ninth human to ride a rocket into space. He was the first person to go into space three times and the only person to have flown in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions. In the third orbit, he took photographs over California, and on the sixth orbit, of South America. ‘It was not until astronaut Wally Schirra - a known camera enthusiast - naturally sought the finest camera available at the time to accompany him on his MA-8 mission that Nasa’s photographic identity began to take shape,' said Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President at RR Auction. While his pictures are not as famous as Earthrise - a snap taken by William Anders in 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission - it paved the way for such images, which are given credit for changing people’s perceptions of planet Earth. Engineers at the United States Air Force camera laboratory worked with Wally Schirra, and later fellow astronaut Gordon Cooper to modify the camera. This included the installation of a 100-exposure film container, an aiming device mounted on the side, and modification of the camera surface. The original metal facing was repainted black to minimise reflections. Mr Cooper used the Hasselblad camera along with the Zeiss lens on the next Mercury mission, MA-9. MA-9 was the final manned space mission of the US Mercury programme and launched on May 15, 1963. The spacecraft, named Faith 7, completed 22 Earth orbits piloted by Mr Cooper. Engineers at the United States Air Force camera laboratory worked with Wally Schirra, and later fellow astronaut Gordon Cooper, to modify the camera. This included the installation of a 100-exposure film container (pictured right), an aiming device mounted on the side, and modification of the camera surface . The original metal facing of the camera was was repainted black to minimise reflections in the spacecraft. Here, 1960s adverts show how the camera came to be associated with the space race . Following yesterday's sale, the Space and Aviation Autograph and Artifact Auction was launched. Among the items up for grabs is an original Gemini Boilerplate Capsule, that stands approximately 9.5ft (2.8 metres) tall and weighs in at an impressive 4,500lbs (2,041kg). Other items include a Command Module Block II Translation Controller and Apollo Command Module Rotation Control, . The hand controller would have been mounted on the left armrest of the commander’s couch. Its primary function was to provide 3-axis manual control of spacecraft velocity changes. A fully-loaded ‘Strizh’ space suit, made for the defunct Russian Buran space project and a rare test-fired command module rocket engine called Rocketdyne, is also available. model number SE-8 measures approximately 14″ tall, weighs almost 9.5 pounds. The auction closes on 20 November . Astronaut Gordon Cooper used a Hasselblad camera along with the same Zeiss lens on the next Mercury mission, MA-9. This letter, obtained by the auction house, confirms the camera's authenticity . MA-9 was the final manned space mission of the US Mercury programme and launched on 15 May, 1963. The spacecraft, named Faith 7, completed 22 Earth orbits piloted by Mr Cooper who took this photo .
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Astronaut Wally Schirra used the camera to take the first recognisable images of Earth from space in 1962 on the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission .
The Hasselblad 500c camera was modified to suit space travel .
Device was auctioned off this week at RR Auction's Boston Gallery .
It sold for $275,000 (£175,985) to an unnamed online bidder from the UK .
Experts had expected the rare piece of kit to fetch $100,000 (£62,500)
Mr Schirra reportedly bought the camera at a Houston photo supply shop .
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It was almost a party to remember for all the wrong reasons. Leaning forward to blow out the candles on her 50th birthday cake, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's wife Shelley managed to catch her hair on fire. The exact moment was caught on camera by their daughter Nicki, who posted the picture to social media with the heartfelt message, 'You know you're 50 when your hair catches fire. 'Shelley Meyer girl on fire. Literally. The most beautiful mommy in the world! Never a dull moment. #typical.' Flames: Shelley Meyer's hair catches alight as she attempts to blow out the candles for her 50th birthday earlier this week . Thoroughly amused: Shelley Meyer then decided to throw up a whole sequence of her hair catching fire - confirming that she was just fine afterwards . Celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary this year with Urban, the first couple of Ohio college football laughed off the affair, with Shelley tweeting the picture herself online. Indeed, before taking over at Ohio State, Urban was head coach of the Florida Gators from 2005 to 2010 and is famed for his motivational line, 'run like your hair's on fire'. Busy preparing for the upcoming Sugar Bowl with Alabama, Urban will go up against Nick Saban. Saban's top-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) faces Meyer's fourth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) on New Year's Day, a semifinal matchup between two of the nation's most storied programs. Saban has established himself as perhaps the greatest coach of this generation, winning three national titles at Alabama after taking a BCS title during his time at LSU. Meyer captured a pair of national titles at Florida, and now he's two wins away from landing another with the Buckeyes. Mom and daughter: Nicki Meyer with her mother in pictures she posted to Instagram to celebrate her birthday . First couple of Ohio college football: Head Coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes and his wife Shelly Meyer sing "Carmen Ohio" with the team after defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini 52-22 on November 3, 2012 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio . Happy families: Urban Meyer when he was Head Coach of Florida Gators in 2010 celebrating a win with his wife Shelley Meyers and two of his children, children Gigi Meyers, (left), and Nate Meyers .
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Shelley Meyer managed to set her hair on fire during her 50th birthday party this week .
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The world's first motorised lawnmower has been restored to its former glory more than a century after being invented as the ultimate rich man's toy - costing the equivalent of £15,000 today. Andrew Hall, 54, a gardener from Ilminster, Somerset, spent four years working on the 1.25 ton machine that was the forerunner of suburban lawns across the world today. The Ransome driveable mower cost £137 in 1902 - equivalent to £15,000 today - and was a 20th Century alternative to horse-driven and steam-powered mowers. Enthusiast: Andrew Hall from Somerset spent four years working on the 1.25 ton machine . The machine at work in Bournville: The 8ft long mower was initially purchased by Cadbury's . Because only the rich could afford them at first they were driven by chauffeurs who were given the task of tending to their master’s lawns. The 8ft long machine, that is about the same size as a Mini, was initially purchased by Cadbury’s and used in the Bournville village in Warwickshire to maintain a sports field. It was then bought second-hand by Peugeot Talbot in 1923 to mow their sports field in Coventry. However, when the motoring firm extended their pavilion they built a new structure over the top of the machine, totally encasing it. It lay forgotten for more than 50 years until the building was demolished. Historic: The Ransome driveable mower cost £137 in 1902 - equivalent to £15,000 pounds today . Mr Hall had to build a new side frame and a grass box assembly to restore the machine . Luckily, the main frame, body, rollers, cutting cylindar blades and 1906 3hp engine were still intac . Mower enthusiast Mr Hall was then given the machine which he has painstakingly restored. Luckily, the main frame, body, rollers, cutting cylindar blades and 1906 3hp engine were still intact. Mr Hall had to build a new side frame and a grass box assembly and had to locate and replace the chains which run down one side. Mr Hall, 54, a gardener, said: 'As collectors you are always having to look for rare items or what people haven’t heard of. Mr Hall said the machine runs a bit slower than a modern lawn mower and it is loud like tractor . 'When I first saw the mower it looked a bit forlorn, someone had gone at it with a sledge hammer and there was nothing in front of the cutting cylinder. 'After I was given it I realised it was the first one that Ransom’s made when I spotted the identification number. 'It has taken four years to restore it and I would say it was 60 per cent intact, and I had to build some new parts. 'It was a mammoth job and a real labour of love. The 1902 Ransome is a historic survivor from the Edwardian age when chauffeurs were given the task of grooming their masters lawns . It took Mr Hall four years to rebuild and source the parts of the world's first motorised lawnmower . The mower now forms part of Mr Hall's mammoth collection of 1,200 machines . 'It took so long because of the rebuilding and sourcing of parts and putting it all together. 'One of the things I had to do was find a magneto and carberetta. 'I used a stop valve from a central heating system in a block of flats in London as a wheel for adjusting the height of the cutting cylinder. 'It runs a bit slower than a modern lawn mower, I would say it is about walking pace. One of the things Mr Hall had to do to restore the mower was find a magneto and carberetta . Andrew Hall, 54, a gardener from Ilminster, Somerset, spent four years working on the 1.25 ton machine . 'When the engine is running everybody knows about it because it is very loud like a traction engine. 'There aren’t any brakes on it because it was just designed for use on flat ground. 'There’s a wheel and what you do is turn it one way or the other and somewhere in the middle there is a neutral position. 'But there aren’t any gears and to stop you have to turn it off.' The mower now forms part of Mr Hall's mammoth collection of 1,200 machines housed in a large shed at his home.
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Andrew Hall, 54, from Somerset, spent four years working on the mower .
The 1.25 ton machine was the forerunner to suburban lawns today .
The Ransome driveable mower cost £137 in 1902 - about £15,000 today .
First purchased by Cadbury’s and used in the Bournville village .
It was then bought second-hand by Peugeot Talbot in 1923 .
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By . Anthony Bond . This is the moment a passenger plane travelling to San Francisco was forced to dump its fuel load over the Irish Sea and return to Heathrow following a loss of cabin pressure. United Airlines flight UA900 was forced to turn around today shortly after passing south of Morecambe Bay - about an hour after taking off from Heathrow. The plane, which had 374 passengers onboard with a crew of 19, dumped its fuel load before landing back at the west London airport at 12.52 pm. Problems: This is the moment United Airlines flight UA900, which was bound for San Francisco, dumped its fuel over the Irish Sea today before returning to Heathrow after losing cabin pressure . Passenger Christopher Bourke, who took this picture of the plane, said he noticed something was not right during take off. 'You could feel your ears pop when we took off which was extremely unusual, that normally happens when landing. You could feel something was not quite right. 'After a while the cabin crew remained seated and were chatting on private phones to the flight deck. 'I could here someone saying that there was a bit of a problem. Shortly after that the co-pilot said that we had to turn around because there was a problem with the pressure.' Worrying: This map shows the journey made by flight UA900 - it can be seen turning around shortly after passing south of Morecambe Bay . Mr Bourke said passengers remained calm but some were annoyed and frustrated. 'There were some moans and groans from people. Lots of people were starting their summer holidays and were a bit frustrated.' Today's incident comes after a United Airlines plane en route from Heathrow to Washington DC . with 150 passengers on board had to make an emergency landing at Dublin . last week because of a 'technical issue'. United . said the plane in today’s incident was a Boeing 747-400 and it landed safely at Heathrow at 12.52 pm. Problems: A passenger said people remained calm but some were annoyed and frustrated. This is a file picture of a United Airlines plane . The airline said the flight was then cancelled 'because necessary maintenance work could not be completed before the crew exceeded their legally-permitted duty hours'. Passengers are staying in hotels this evening before departing on United Flight UA1753 which is due to leave Heathrow at 11.30am tomorrow. A spokesman said: 'We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience caused.'
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United Airlines flight UA900 turned around about an hour after take off .
Plane dumped its fuel load over Irish Sea before flying back to London .
'You could feel something was not quite right' said passenger .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 08:25 EST, 10 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:51 EST, 10 February 2014 . Violinist turned Olympic skier Vanessa Mae was today pictured getting to grips with conditions in Sochi after telling of the huge challenges she has overcome to qualify for the Winter Olympics. The world renowned musician, 35, will go toe to toe with the best in the world in the Giant Slalom which is set to take place on Tuesday next week. And she looked quite at ease while sizing up the snow on the slopes earlier today as she watched the Alpine Skiing Women's Super Combined Downhill on day three of the Games. Scroll down for video . On the slopes: Vanessa Mae will compete in the Giant Slalom on Tuesday, next week, but got some time on the slopes to get comfortable with the conditions . However, she told a press conference earlier that she held out no hope of getting anywhere near the medals. Instead she spoke of her pride at simply being in the same . competition as some of the sport's greats. She said: 'I have to say that the greats are here. I'm not here to compete against the best, I'm here to participate with the best. That's the real Olympic spirit and message of this movement. Miss Mae has been skiing since she was four years of age but only started training for the Olympics six months ago . She added: 'I had this idea a couple of years ago, but the real training started six months ago. 'So for me this is an enormous challenge in such a short amount of time to have reached the qualifying level.' Getting to grips: Vanessa Mae of Thailand attends the Alpine Skiing Women's Super Combined Downhill on day three of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics . She qualified for Sochi after meeting the criteria on her on her last possible chance. Thailand . were able to send one person in the skiing if they met the qualifying . standard, and despite her position as the world No 3,16. Miss Mae is British, but is allowed to compete for Thailand because of her father. Her transition from musical prodigy to Olympian has already become one of the stories of the Games so far. She . has spoken of how aiming for the Olympics has helped heal a rift with . her father which had last 10 years. But despite her amazing achievement, her estranged mother Pamela had not . bothered to contact her when she qualified for the competition. Miss . Mae, who will compete as Vanessa Vanakorn following her emotional . reunion with her Thai father, Varapong Vanakorn, told the Mail on Sunday . that her mother had not encouraged her to ski. Talent: Mae has been skiing since she was four but only started training for the Olympics six months ago . She recalled: ‘I gave up horse riding as a child because my mother didn’t like me doing anything that was dangerous. ‘It wasn’t a big sacrifice as music was more important to me. I was honestly not rebellious as a child – except when it came to skiing. ‘My mother introduced me to skiing but when the violin became a big part of my life she didn’t want me to doing something she thought could be dangerous.’ Pamela has not spoken to her daughter since she removed her as her manager when Vanessa turned 21. Passions: Former child prodigy Vanessa Mae has sold millions of copies of her albums but is now indulging her second love of skiing . ‘Unfortunately, relationships can be sometimes transient,’ says Miss Mae. ‘I accept that if I wasn’t pushed as a child I wouldn’t have achieved a quarter of things I have achieved until now.' She became a citizen of Thailand in 2011 to ensure she could compete for her father’s country – and it was through this that the pair became close once more. ‘I didn’t speak to my dad for ten years,’ says Miss Mae. ‘We just grew apart when he went back to Thailand. He was a monk for ten years, but he is now back doing what he does best – management.’ The former child prodigy has sold millions of copies of her albums and she was the wealthiest young entertainer in the United Kingdom in 2006.
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Vanessa Mae will compete in the giant slalom event in Sochi .
Musician, 35, started training for the Olympics six months ago .
She became a citizen of Thailand in 2011 in order to compete for them .
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By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 13:15 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:24 EST, 15 March 2013 . A teenager obsessed with designer labels was given a birthday cake in the shape of a Louis Vuitton handbag after she helped steal £150,000 from a string of bank accounts, a court heard. Aamna Aliani, 18, bought Christian Louboutin shoes, Dolce & Gabbana clothes and dozens of handbags on an incredible spending spree. The teenager, together with accomplices Derrick Mensah, 20, and David Kwarteng, 27, hijacked confidential credit and debit card details from 22 Lloyds TSB customers before they hit the shops. Jailed: Aamna Aliana (left) was one of a trio of fraudsters who splashed out on a wardrobe-full of designer clothing after siphoning off almost £150,000 from a string of bank accounts. Aamna Aliana, 18, is also pictured with Derek Mensah, 20, outside Southwark Crown Court . Police found this picture of Aamna Aliani's birthday cake, in the shape of a Louis Vuitton bag, on a mobile phone . They blew tens of thousands of pounds at Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada stores in London's exclusive Mayfair. Thousands of pounds in cash were also withdrawn from bank branches in Hammersmith, west London; High Road and Cranbrook Road in Ilford, Essex; East Gate, Harlow; Wood Green, north London; and Knightsbridge, southwest London. Aliani also used the cash to purchase a gym membership from Fitness First for £534 while Mensah bought £200 gift vouchers from John Lewis, Southwark Crown Court heard. The two month-long scam unravelled on May 14, 2011, when police became suspicious after spotting Kwatreng waiting in a BMW for Aliani, while she was shopping at Louis Vuitton in central London's Conduit Street. Aliani had purchased two designer bags worth £1,130 and also had a further £860 in cash on her. Five envelopes in the BMW were stuffed full with a total of £12,800 while the car boot was also heaving with trendy clothing. Prosecutor Nicholas Mather said the total loss was in the region of £144,000. (Left) A bag of cash recovered by police and (right) a pair of expensive Christian Louboutin shoes bought with cash stolen from a string of bank accounts . A large envelope with large quantity of cash stolen by the trio of fraudsters . The collection of Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana designer bags Aamna Aliani, 18, bought . 'In short this case involves the taking over of individuals' bank accounts and the use of the credit and debit cards that are attached to those accounts. 'A memory stick was found on Kwatreng which was full of financial information relating to a number of different bank accounts. 'The information included dates of birth and addresses and confidential data such as telephone banking passwords. 'Someone has had access using the information on the memory stick to 22 individuals' bank accounts. 'The method used is identical - the bank would be telephoned and the (account holder's) address would be changed to one of two addresses in Harlow, Essex. 'The bank would then be informed that the card was damaged and a new card sent out to the false address. David Kwarteng (left), 27, of Canonbury, north London admitted fraud, two counts of possessing articles for use in fraud and possession of criminal property and (right) Derrick Mensah, 20, of Stoke Newington, north London, admitted four counts of fraud . Gucci trainers bought with cash stolen by Aamna Aliani, 18, Derrick Mensah, 20, and David Kwarteng, 27 . Aamna Aliana, 18, at Southwark Crown Court where she admitted 12 counts of fraud and possession of criminal property . 'The card would then be used either to make purchases of luxury goods or withdraw money. 'The . total loss from compromised cards, whoever was responsible, whether it . was one of the defendants or others, is something in the region of . £144,000. 'There is also the enormous inconvenience to the card holders and the banks.' When . police arrested the gang they found pictures of designer clothes, wads . of cash and the handbag birthday cake which had been taken on their . mobile phones. Aliani, who . was just 16 at the time of the scam, and Mensah were each sentenced to a . year in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to . complete 240 hours unpaid work. Kwarteng, . who has previous convictions including handling stolen goods, was . immediately jailed for one year. Relatives in the public gallery wept as . the sentence was passed. Mr Justice Nicol said: 'All three of . you were involved in the use of replacement bank cards which the banks . had been talked into sending to a false address. 'The cards were then used to withdraw cash or buy expensive items of clothing.' Addressing Kwatreng, the judge said: 'Your offending was part of a professional operation but it was only over two days. 'The offence of possessing criminal property is intended to discourage the criminal activity which generates such property.' Mr Justice Nicol told Aliani: 'Your role was the most serious of the three defendants and you used the cards most extensively, in total spending £22,700. 'It's clear you have had some difficulties in your family background and the lure of the lifestyle which this offending held or appeared to promise obviously proved to be too much.' James McCrindell, for Aliani, said: 'This is someone who can be punished in the community. The focus can still be in respect of rehabilitation rather than sentence. 'At the start of her criminal conduct she was just 16, turning 17 when she was arrested. She is now 18 and has looked back on her conduct and realises she went the wrong way. 'She recognises and accepts responsibility for her offending and says she only has herself to blame. She is a good young person who, notwithstanding disadvantages, has always tried to do the right thing.' Jeremy Ornstin, defending Kwatreng, said grew up in a 'challenging environment' but 'against the odds' is now embarking on a degree at the University of Hertfordshire. Ray Hedlam, for Mensah, urged the judge to take a merciful course. Aliani, of south Tottenham, north London, admitted 12 counts of fraud and possession of criminal property. Mensah, of Newington Green, Stoke Newington, north London, admitted four counts of fraud. Kwatreng, of Canonbury, north London admitted fraud, two counts of possessing articles for use in fraud and possession of criminal property. We're sorry but reader comments are currently unavailable.
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Aamna Aliani, 18, from London, went on incredible spending spree .
With two others, she hijacked details of 22 Lloyds TSB customers .
They then blew tens of thousands of pounds in Mayfair shops .
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Astronomers have discovered stars forming in a remote region of the Milky Way not thought possible before. The stars were seen in a cloud of molecular gas 16,000 light-years below the flattened disc of our galaxy - further than any others ever seen. And if any planets were to form around these stars, inhabitants would see the entire glory of the spiral galaxy above them in their night sky. Brazilian scientists have discovered remote stars forming in the Milky Way. They are the most distant stars ever to be seen forming in the galaxy. Shown is an image from Nasa’s Wise telescope of dust emissions, centred on the star cluster called Camargo 438. Some of the stars may be hidden by dust . The amazing discovery - led by Dr Denilso Camargo of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil - marks the first time that star-forming clusters that are part of the Milky Way have been found this far from our galaxy. ‘This is the first time astronomers have found stars being born in such a remote location,’ said Dr Camargo. ‘Our work shows that the space around the galaxy is a lot less empty than we thought.’ Previously, it was only thought possible for stars to form inside giant molecular clouds (GMC) located in the inner part of the galactic disc. The Milky Way is thought to be 120,000 light years across and contains more than 200 billion stars. This makes it a ‘middleweight’ galaxy with the largest galaxy known, IC 1101, containing more than 100 trillion stars. On a clear night, when you look up into the night sky, the most you can see from any one point on the Earth is about 2,500 stars. Like more than two-thirds of the known galaxies, the Milky Way has a spiral shape. At the centre of the spiral, a lot of energy and, occasionally, vivid flares are created. And also at the centre is a supermassive black hole, known as Sagittarius A*. Astronomers believe the Milky Way wasn’t always a stunning barred spiral, though. It may have formed into its current size by ‘eating’ other galaxies. Within these clumps, many stars are born together in clusters. Using Nasa’s orbiting Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (Wise) telescope, Dr Camargo and his team discovered several GMCs above and below the disc of our Milky Way. But they were shocked to find that one GMC 16,000 light-years from the galactic centre contained two clusters of stars forming. Their location is towards the outer limits of our galaxy - far enough that they would see the entire splendour of its spiral above them, but not so far that they are not classified as being in the Milky Way. From the position of Earth in the Milky Way, the galaxy appears flat, with most of its material surrounding the supermassive black hole at its centre. The new clusters are named Camargo 438 and 439, reported the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), and are located within the molecular cluster known as HRK 81.4-77.8. The cloud is thought to be about two million years old, and is located towards the constellation of Cetus. The discovery was made using Nasa’s orbiting Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (Wise) telescope (artist's illustration shown). Dr Camargo and his team discovered several GMCs above and below the disc of our Milky Way - But they were shocked to find that one GMC contained two clusters of stars forming . The new clusters are named Camargo 438 (left) and 439 (right), reported the Royal Astronomical Society, and are located within the molecular cluster known as HRK 81.4-77.8. Both of these images are 24 light-years across, and the black dots in the image are individual stars . If any planets are in orbit of the stars, this illustration is the view they would see of the Milky Way. The location of the clusters is towards the outer limits of our galaxy - far enough that they would see the entire splendour of its spiral above them, but not so far that they are not classified as being in the Milky Way . There are currently two theories explaining how stars came to be forming in this region so far from the Milky Way, where dust and gas is thought to be much less abundant. One theory is known as the Chimney Model, which suggests that supernovae and other violent explosions ejected dust and gas out of the galactic disc, merging to form these GMCs. This would have required several hundred massive stars to explode over several generations, creating a ‘superwind’ that moved HRK 81.4-77.8 to its present location. Bubbles from these explosions would then lead to the creation of new stars within the cloud. The other theory suggests that the interaction between the Milky Way and its satellite, known as the Magellanic Clouds, may have disturbed gas falling into the galaxy, giving rise to these distant clouds. ‘The new clusters of stars are truly exotic,’ said Dr Camargo, according to the RAS. ‘In a few million years, any inhabitants of planets around the stars will have a grand view of the outside of the Milky Way, something no human being will probably ever experience. ‘Now we want to understand how the ingredients for making stars made it to such a distant spot. ‘We need more data and some serious work on computer models to try to answer this question.’ One theory to how the stars came to be is known as the Chimney Model, which suggests that supernovae (illustration shown) and other violent explosions ejected dust and gas out of the galactic disc, merging to form these GMCs. Bubbles from these explosions would then lead to the creation of new stars . The discovery is the most distant example of star formation taking place in our galaxy. Many other closer such regions have been discovered before, such as the Coronet cluster, seen here, which is located about 500 light-years away. Young stars are seen forming in this infrared image taken by Nasa’s Spitzer telescope .
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Brazilian scientists have discovered remote stars forming in the Milky Way .
They are the most distant stars ever to be seen forming in the galaxy .
The stars were spotted in a cloud of dust and gas 16,000 light-years below .
From a planet around one of the stars, the entire spiral structure of the Milky Way would be seen in the night sky .
'Superwind' from supernovae could have moved the cloud to its location .
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By . Rosie Taylor . PUBLISHED: . 10:53 EST, 16 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:27 EST, 17 May 2013 . An Indian woman was forced into modern-day slavery by two women who locked her indoors and forced her to work 16-hour days. The victim was also raped by the women's accomplice, 54-year-old butcher Enkarta Balapovi. At a sentencing of three people today, the court heard he subjected the 39-year-old to four months of sexual abuse behind his wife's back while forcing his victim to sleep on the floor of his single room flat. He forced the woman to cook and clean for him, and threatened to burn her passport unless she stripped naked and performed sex acts. Convicted: Shamina Yousuf (left) and Shashi Obhrai (right) treated the woman like a 'slave' When the married victim resisted his advances, Balapovi threatened to throw her on to the streets without any identity documents if she did not sleep with him. The illiterate woman had been lured to the UK with the promise of work as a nanny, hoping to earn money for her poverty-stricken family in India. But she found herself locked indoors and forced to work 16-hour days during a four-year ordeal at the hands of Balapovi and co-accused women Shamina Yousuf, a secretary, and optician Shashi Obhrai. The mother-of-four was burned with an iron, threatened with hypodermic needles and had a knife held to her throat by Obhrai, 54, when she tried to escape. Her passport was seized by Yousuf, 33, as soon as she arrived, and the woman was passed between three families as a 'dogsbody', earning just £2,300 for year's of gruelling work. Despite dubbing Obhrai as 'wicked', Judge Shani Barnes spared her a jail sentence because she is the primary carer for her terminally ill millionaire husband Balram Obhrai, 59. Mr Obhrai had been accused of trafficking and making threats to kill but the prosecution offered no evidence against him because he has a brain tumour and is on his death bed at home. Yousuf, 33, had first recruited the woman when she came to the UK in 2005 to earn money for her poverty-stricken family in Hyderabad, India. After nearly three years as a 'servant' for Yousuf's family and friends, the woman confronted her. Yousuf, whose marriage was breaking up, threw a mug at the woman's foot which left a two-inch gash. Slave: The victim was made to sleep on this kitchen floor in Balapovi's flat . Escaped jail: Shamina Yousef (pictured outside court, left, and in a police mugshot, right), who forced the woman to work as a 'servant', was sentenced to 40 hours unpaid work . Rapist: Butcher Balapovi was found guilty of five counts of rape . Obhrai employed the victim from October 2007 and forced her to work from 6am to 11pm. During . her time there, she was burned with an iron, threatened with a . hypodermic needle and hit over the head with a rolling pin after a row . about chapatti recipes. Balapovi, Yousuf, and Obhrai appeared in the dock together at Croydon Crown Court today to be sentenced. Balapovi . was jailed for 11 years, while Yousuf was sentenced to 40 hours . community service and Obhrai was given a 20 month suspended jail . sentence. Prosecutor . Caroline Haughey said the uneducated victim was 'one of the most . vulnerable members of society' who had been targeted because she was . unaware of her basic human rights. 'She has been bullied physically, psychologically, she has been sexually assaulted, she has been raped,' she said. 'She . was clearly viewed as a belonging by the defendants in this case, each . one of them separately contributing to the violation of her right. 'Her . naivety, her innocence, her lack of education, has been exploited with . threats and physical violence preying on her lack of understanding of . western norms.' Terminal illness: Obhrai (left) was given a suspended sentence as she is caring for her husband (right) who is dying from brain cancer. The prosecution did not bring any evidence against him as he is on his death bed . In a statement to the court, the . victim, who has been given compassionate leave to stay in the UK for . five years, said: 'They have made my life hell. I have suffered with . depression and sleepless nights for a very long time. 'I . have to take medication so that I can get some sleep. They have treated . me so badly that I worry at night that they will come for me. 'These . people are dangerous they have ruined my life and kept me away from my . children. Each should be punished for their wrongdoings.' During . a six-week trial, the court heard how Yousuf had forced the woman into . servitude at her home in London by taking away her . passport and promising to help her get a UK visa. But . she refused to return the passport and the victim found herself trapped . for three years before she was passed on to Balapovi, a butcher living . in north London. He . downed alcohol and repeatedly forced himself on her when she spurned . his advances, grabbing her hair, kissing her so violently he cut her . lips, and promising her a visa for her if she had sex with him. The woman said: 'When Salim [Balapovi] used to have sex with me, my whole body used to ache. I can't move on - he raped me.' When . passed to Obhrai's house in also in north London the woman was beaten . with high heel shoes, jabbed in the head with a comb and pushed her down . the stairs. Of one incident, the woman said: 'Shashi Obhrai put a hot iron on my arm when I asked her for my earnings to be paid. 'She . told me that she would do it. I told her that the iron was on and she . said, "Have a look, is it hot or not?", and put the iron on me.' Threats: Obhrai used this knife to threaten the Indian victim who she kept as a slave . She was also forced to survive on out-of-date food and the spat-out leftovers of Obhrai's children. When she was sick from tiredness, Obhrai made her clean up the vomit with her own clothes. The woman managed to escape from Obhrai's clutches to a crisis centre, but her tormentor found her and threatened to kill her with a knife if she did not return. She eventually escaped again and contacted refuge charities and the police. In May last year, officers charged the trio with a variety of abuse offences. Obhrai was convicted after trial of making a threat to kill and ABH after a trial. She was given 18-months in prison for ABH and 20 months in prison for making threats to kill, with both sentences running concurrently and suspended for 20 months. Yousuf was convicted of ABH, and order to carry out 40 hours unpaid work. Her husband, supermarket manager, Aleemuddin Mohammed, 35, was cleared of sexual assault at the trial. Butcher Balapovi's wife Shanaz Begum, 57, was found not guilty of people trafficking offences on the direction of the judge.
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The woman was also raped by a butcher who made her sleep on his floor .
Indian victim came to UK to work as nanny but was trapped by group .
She was passed between the homes of three acquaintances .
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By . Emma Innes . A mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer during her pregnancy had a mastectomy just 30 minutes after giving birth. Sarah Williams gave birth to her son Joshua by planned C-section before surgeons removed her breast in the same operating theatre. The 40-year-old had already endured five rounds of chemotherapy while carrying her second child, at Wrexham Maelor Hospital in North Wales. Sarah Williams, 40, had a mastectomy just 30 minutes after baby Joshua was delivered by planned C-section . Mrs Williams, of Connah’s Quay, was diagnosed with breast cancer after becoming pregnant with Joshua, last year. Today the mother-of-two recalled her terrifying ordeal. She said: ‘When I was told I had cancer it was an utter shock. 'I was 20 weeks pregnant and kept thinking, “what about the baby?” I was terrified this would mean I would lose him or her. ‘Although I felt in safe hands, it was the most terrifying experience of my life having chemotherapy while knowing I had this precious bundle of joy inside me.’ Doctors at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital planned a treatment plan for Mrs Williams, which aimed to protect her unborn child. In October she was taken into hospital for a C-section to deliver her baby boy. Half an hour later, in the same operating theatre, she underwent a mastectomy as well as a procedure to remove 29 lymph nodes, 22 of which had live cancer cells in them. Following Joshua’s birth, she resumed three more cycles of chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy treatment. Mrs . Williams, who also has a young daughter, Sasha, said: ‘Chemotherapy was . a nightmare physically and mentally but it did the trick and, . thankfully, reduced my tumour. Mrs Williams (pictured with Joshua and her daughter, Sasha) was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 20 weeks pregnant with Joshua. She went to her doctor after noticing changes in one of her breasts . Mrs Williams had to have five rounds of chemotherapy while she was still pregnant with her son . ‘The . thought of losing the baby and not coming through this to see my little . girl Sasha grow up was sickening. 'But I tried really hard to push those . thoughts to the back of my mind and focus on the treatment.’ 'When I was told I had cancer it was an . utter shock. I was 20 weeks pregnant and kept thinking, “what about the . baby?” I was terrified this would mean I would lose him or her' - Sarah Williams . Having . conceived naturally after undergoing failed IVF treatment, Mrs Williams . and husband Carl’s delight turned to concern when she noticed a . change in one of her breasts. She initially put it down to the IVF, but tests revealed she had cancer. ‘It’s strange because I wasn’t ill before my diagnosis,’ said Mrs Williams. ‘I was hardly ever poorly. I never had any warning signs.’ She is now preparing to run the Chester Race for Life with Team Beck, and has been chosen to start the countdown on Sunday, July 20. She has already raised more than £2,000 for Cancer Research UK. ‘I feel so blessed now,’ said Mrs Williams. ‘We have our beautiful little girl and precious baby. I can’t believe that just months ago all this was at risk. I have never valued life so much.’ For more information about the Race for Life click here.
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Sarah Williams noticed changes in her breast when she was pregnant initially putting it down to rounds of IVF treatment .
But at 20 weeks the 40-year-old doctors diagnosed her with cancer .
Mother-of-two had five rounds of chemotherapy while carrying her son .
Half-an-hour after giving birth to Joshua she had her breast removed .
She said: 'I feel so blessed. I have never valued life so much'
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A man and woman who met when they were serving as a ring bearer and a flower girl in a wedding have married – 20 years after their first trip down the aisle as children. Briggs Fussy and Brittney Husbyn, of Mankato, Minnesota, married in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, on January 10, five years after being reunited in a college class. 'She turned around one day in class and said "I think I have a picture of you on my wall at home,"' Briggs, now 22, told Fox 9. Here comes the bride: Briggs Fussy and Brittney Husbyn married in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, on January 10, five years after the couple reconnected in a college class . Flashback: The couple first met in 1995 while serving as a ring bearer and flower girl in a wedding . 'It's funny how God's plan came into place. I didn't even know her before she turned around in class and told me that.' Briggs and Brittney, who are students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, also shared what they remember of the wedding that first brought them together. 'I’m standing up there straight, and Brittney’s running around, making commotion,' Briggs said, adding that he recalls 'little glimpses' of the day that their respective relatives wed in 1995. Kiss the bride: The couple began dating five years ago, after Brittney recognized Briggs from a wedding photo and approached him in class . Fond memory: 'It's fun to have something special like that to look back on,' Brittney said of the 1995 wedding . Child's play: 'I’m standing up there straight, and Brittney’s running around, making commotion,' Briggs recalled of the wedding that first brought them together . It turned out that it wasn't just Brittney's family who had kept photos of the nuptials two decades later. 'It was funny, the first time I ever went over to his house his mom whipped a picture off her wall and said "I've had a picture of you up in my house forever,"' said Brittney, who describes herself as the 'sappiest human ever'. 'It's fun to have something special like that to look back on,' she added. Happy couple: While their fairytale story prompted guests to wonder whether the flower girl and ring bearer in their wedding might one day tie the knot, Briggs said they're both Brittney's cousins . Briggs' father, Scott Fussy, observed: 'If crazy equals love, they won't have any problem because they're both a little crazy.' After Briggs and Brittney wrap up their remaining college classes, they plan to take a Caribbean honeymoon. While the couple's fairytale romance likely prompted guests to wonder whether the flower girl and ring bearer in their wedding might one day tie the knot, Briggs said that's not the case - as they're both Brittney's cousins. 'They're related, so it's not going to be the same story,' he said.
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Briggs Fussy and Brittney Husbyn married in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, on January 10, five years after the couple reconnected in a college class .
Brittney recognized Briggs from a wedding photo in her family's home .
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All 17 of the Nomads bikie gang who had got together at their regular 'church meeting' have been arrested in a pre-emptive raid by NSW Police. Senior members of the gang were among those charged during Friday night's raid on their recently furnished western Sydney clubhouse. Officers executed a search warrant on the property in Wetherill Park as part of an investigation into the outlaw motorcycle gang. As a result, 13 Nomads members have been charged with habitually consorting with convicted offenders and four others charged with various drug, weapons and traffic offences. Police first raided their western Sydney clubhouse and had it shut down. Scroll down for video . Thirteen Nomads OMCG members charged with consorting following clubhouse raid in western Sydney . The men were taken to police stations and were charged with habitually consort with convicted offender . Officers executed a search warrant on the property in Wetherill Park at about 7.45pm on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation into criminal activity by the outlaw motorcycle gang. Following the raid, 13 Nomad members were arrested under anti-consorting legislation after a joint operation by the Gangs Squad's Strike Force Raptor and Fairfield Local Area Command. The men were taken to various police stations and were charged with habitually consort with convicted offender. Gangs Squad Commander Superintendent Deborah Wallace says police wanted to disrupt the group's regular meeting, described as a 'church night' with a party vibe. It's at these get-togethers that criminals usually meet to hatch out their plans, she said. 'We would allege the clubhouses are used to further their criminal activities and associations,' she told reporters on Saturday. Consorting-related offences relate to those who organise to meet on two separate occasions with two separate criminals. 'It's a complex piece of legislation, we have to ensure that each criminal has been warned about their association prior to us arresting them,' Supt Wallace said. During the raid on the Nomads' clubhouse, which was recently created after the shutdown of their previous club two years ago, police say they also found drugs and evidence of illegal alcohol sales. Drugs, believed to be cocaine, were also found hidden under the petrol cap of a motorcycle. All those arrested have been granted conditional bail to appear in court in the coming months. Gangs Squad Commander Superintendent Deborah Wallace says the arrests were made as part of a crackdown under anti-consorting laws. 'These arrests have been made under legislation that makes it an offence for a person habitually to associate with two more convicted offenders,' she said in a statement on Saturday. 'My message is that if further offences are detected under these laws, my detectives will continue to enforce the legislation to the fullest extent by arresting and charging those involved.' Supt Wallace said many more consorting-related arrests were anticipated following the raid. During the search, 13 men were arrested by the Strike Force Raptor under anti-consorting legislation . Four of the 13 men arrested on Friday have been variously charged with traffic, drug and weapon offences . It is anticipated that Strike Force Raptor will be making many more consorting-related arrests. In addition to the consorting arrests and charges, four of the 13 members arrested on Friday have been variously charged with traffic, drug and weapon offences. A 25-year-old member of the gang was arrested after a drug dog detected 29 grams of a white powder, believed to be cocaine, hidden under the petrol cap of the motorcycle he was riding. The man was taken to Green Valley Police Station but has been released pending further inquiries. A 27-year-old associate of the gang was issued with a field court attendance notice for riding while unlicensed. He was also found to be in possessions of an Ice pipe and, as a result, was taken to Fairfield Hospital for blood and urine testing, before being released pending the outcomes of the tests. He is scheduled to appear in Fairfield Local Court on 20 April 2015. It is anticipated that Strike Force Raptor will be making many more consorting-related arrests . The men were taken to police stations and were charged with habitually consort with convicted offender . A 21-year-old member of the gang was found to be in possession of a knife and was issued with a field court attendance notice for custody of a knife. He is scheduled to appear in Fairfield Local Court on 23 February 2015. A 41-year-old member of the gang was caught riding his motorcycle while on a suspended licence. He has been issued with a field court attendance notice for riding whilst suspended and is scheduled to appear in Fairfield Local Court on 23 February 2015. All have been granted conditional bail to appear in court in February. Strike Force Raptor was established by State Crime Command's Gangs Squad in 2009. It is a proactive and high-impact operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs and any associated criminal enterprises. Thirteen Nomads OMCG members charged with consorting following clubhouse raid in western Sydney . It is anticipated that Strike Force Raptor will be making many more consorting-related arrests . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Thirteen Nomads members have been charged with consorting .
Following clubhouse raid, police arrested 13 men as part of ongoing investigation into criminal activity by the outlaw motorcycle gang .
Four of the 13 men arrested have been variously charged with traffic, drug and weapon offences .
As a result of the operation, the clubhouse has been closed .
All have been granted conditional bail to appear in court next month .
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By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 12:04 EST, 20 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:40 EST, 20 November 2013 . Frederick Sanger, the ‘father of genomics’ and a two-time Nobel Prize winner, has died at the age of 95. The Gloucestershire-born biochemist is described as ‘one of the greatest scientists of any generation’. He pioneered methods to work out the exact sequence of the building blocks of DNA and was also at the forefront of work to uncover the structure of proteins. Frederick Sanger, the 'father of genomics' and a two-time Nobel Prize winner, has died at the age of 95 . Dr Sanger won his first Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1958 for work on determining the structure of insulin . He set out to determine the entire sequence of chained-together amino acid building blocks in a protein. This involved separating the different fragments of protein on filter paper and then moving them with an electrical current. The result was a distinct pattern on the paper, which Dr Sanger called a 'fingerprint'. The information about these fragments then had to be reconstructed in the correct order. Using . these methods, Dr Sanger revealed the entire sequence of the 51 amino . acids that make up insulin, and showed how they linked together. It was the first conclusive evidence that proteins are constructed from a defined molecular sequence. He was one of only four people to have won two Nobel prizes, the highest honours in science – and the only person to have won two Nobel prizes in chemistry. Frederick Sanger’s name was adopted by the world famous Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, where Human Genome Project scientists conducted much of the research leading to the first complete blueprint of the human genetic code. In 1958 Dr Sanger received the honour for his work on the structure of proteins. Then, in 1980, he shared half of the chemistry prize for his contribution to research on DNA sequencing. In . his groundbreaking insulin research, Dr Sanger set out to determine the . entire sequence of chained-together amino acid building blocks in a . protein. This involved separating the different fragments of protein on filter paper and then moving them with an electrical current. The result was a distinct pattern on the paper, which Dr Sanger called a 'fingerprint'. The information about these fragments then had to be reconstructed in the correct order. Using . these methods, Dr Sanger revealed the entire sequence of the 51 amino . acids that make up insulin, and showed how they linked together. It was the first conclusive evidence that proteins are constructed from a defined molecular sequence. He later turned his attention to the sequencing of nucleic acids and developing techniques to determine the exact sequence of the building blocks in DNA. Dr Sanger revealed the entire sequence of the 51 amino acids that make up insulin, and showed how they linked together . Sir Sanger pioneered methods to work out the exact sequence of the building blocks of DNA and was also at the forefront of work to uncover the structure of proteins . Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said: ‘Fred can fairly be called the father of the genomic era: his work laid the foundations of humanity’s ability to read and understand the genetic code, which has revolutionised biology and is today contributing to transformative improvements in healthcare. Professor Colin Blakemore, former chief executive of the Medical Research Council, called Sir Sanger ‘a real hero of 20th century British science’. Dr Frederick Sanger was born on August 13, 1918, into a Quaker family in the village of Rendcombe, Gloucestershire. His father, also Frederick, was a local GP. He . was educated at Bryanston School in Blandford, Dorset and then St . John’s College, Cambridge, where he studied natural sciences. At . Cambridge, Dr Sanger became interested in the emerging field of . biochemistry, believing it could offer a way to understand and tackle . medical problems. Dr Sanger took his degree in 1939 just as the Second World War broke out, . but as a conscientious objector stayed on at the university for a . further year to take an advanced course in biochemistry. Earlier he had not shone as a student, taking three years to complete the first part of his degree, yet he obtained a First. From . 1940 on he conducted research at Cambridge University’s Department of . Biochemistry. In 1951 he was awarded the Corday-Morgan Medal and Prize . of the Chemical Society, in 1969 the Royal Medal of the Royal Society, . and in 1977 the Royal Society’s Copley Medal. He was honoured with the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award in . 1979, and the Gold Medal of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1983. Dr Sanger became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1954. He was appointed CBE in 1963 and made a Companion of Honour in 1981, but turned down a knighthood. 'A . knighthood makes you different, doesn’t it, and I don’t want to be . different,' he was quoted as saying. However he accepted the Queen’s . special gift of the Order of Merit in 1986. Dr Sanger retired in 1985, after which he was said to have devoted much of his time to his garden.He . married his wife, Margaret Joan Howe, in 1940, who he said contributed . more to his work than anyone else by providing a peaceful, happy home. The couple had two sons and a daughter. ‘His invention of the two critical technical advances - for sequencing proteins and nucleic acids - opened up the fields of molecular biology, genetics and genomics,’ he said. Professor Blakemore added that Dr Sanger was a ‘disarmingly modest man’ who once said: ‘I was just a chap who messed about in his lab.’ Born in 1918 in Gloucestershire, Sir Sanger initially planned to follow his father into medicine, but instead pursued a career in biochemistry. Professor Sir Mike Stratton, director of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: ‘His work for his second Prize, a method to decode DNA, has transformed our understanding of life on earth and is the foundation of developments in healthcare from understanding inherited disease to developing new cancer treatment.’ ‘It was an honour for this Institute when Fred acceded to founding director John Sulston’s request that we be named after him. Fred’s only stipulation was that “it had better be good”. ‘That typically Fred response is our inspiration and will continue to be so.’ Dr Sanger was a 'disarmingly modest man' who once said: 'I was just a chap who messed about in his lab'
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Dr Sanger was the only person to have won two Nobel prizes in chemistry .
His methods helped work out the exact sequence of DNA building blocks .
He was also at the forefront of work to uncover the structure of proteins .
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By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 07:21 EST, 7 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:25 EST, 8 October 2012 . Lavinia Olmazu is able to remain in Britain with her 12-year-old son despite funneling £2.9million in false benefit claims to 172 Romanian gypsies . A Romanian gypsy campaigner jailed for her role in a £10million benefits fraud has been allowed to stay in Britain to protect her human rights. Lavinia Olmazu, 33, and her accomplice, Alin Enachi, funneled £2.9million in false benefits claims to 172 Romanian gypsies after providing false National Insurance numbers to immigrants. Olmazu was sentenced to more than two years in prison in 2010 and should have been deported automatically upon her release. But she has been allowed to stay in Britain after challenging the Home Secretary's attempt to have her removed by exploiting a loophole in the Human Rights Act. She has been able to persuade judges that because she has a 12-year-old son it would be an attack on their rights if they were to be deported. Her case will raise further concerns over how judges are interpreting Article Eight of the act, which guarantees the 'right to family life', to allow criminals to escape deportation by arguing that being removed from Britain would be a breach of that right. As reported in the Daily Telegraph, the Home Office had believed it was appropriate for her child to return to Romania with her, as he is Romanian-born, has a father who lives in the country, and lived with his Romanian-speaking mother and her Romanian partner until she was jailed. But when the Home Office tried to deport her she argued to immigration judges that being deported would breach her human rights because she has a son, 12, who she said was essentially British, having spent much of his life in the UK. She claimed he did not speak Romanian fluently. The case is among the first to be considered by senior immigration judges after an attempt by Theresa May to make it more difficult for immigration criminals to stay. In June Mrs May declared war on judges who refused to deport foreign criminals because of their human rights, saying the courts should stop allowing overseas prisoners, law-breakers and illegal immigrants to stay in Britain on the grounds that they have a right to a family life. She promised a vote in Parliament to ram home to judges ‘what the public believe’ and persuade them ‘to take into account what Parliament has said’. Failure by the judiciary to listen will result in new laws to curb the exploitation of the human rights legislation by foreign criminals, Mrs May said. MPs of all parties voted unanimously in support of the stricter guidelines. In the case of Olmazu, the Home Office appealed against the immigration court's decision to let her stay, but a senior judge ruled her son had a right to continue his schooling in Britain. Activist: Olmazu, who claimed illegal benefits for Roma gipsies, at a demonstration in South Africa in 2001 . Senior tribunal judge Andrew Jordan said the immigration courts still have significant leeway to decide where deportations should take place. Judge Jordan said in his ruling: 'There is inevitably room for different judges to reach a different . conclusion on proportionality on the same facts.' Olmazu, who has addressed the United Nations, was employed by two London boroughs and homeless charity the Big Issue to help integrate Romanian gipsies into British society. The Home Secretary said the courts should stop allowing overseas prisoners, law-breakers and illegal immigrants to stay in Britain on the grounds that they have a right to a family life . She was jailed after she abused her position of trust with the authorities and Roma community to orchestrate an elaborate fraud that cost taxpayers millions – and gained her and her partner tens of thousands of pounds. They charged £80 each to provide hundreds of immigrants from Romania with false National Insurance numbers so they could claim thousands of pounds in benefits they were not entitled to. Armed with an NI number, their clients claimed handouts including child benefit, child tax credit, working tax credit, as well as use the NHS and other welfare services. Under rules introduced when Romania joined the EU in 2007, Romanian immigrants cannot get a National Insurance number – which is the key to getting benefits – unless they can prove they have paid employment lined up. Operating from their suburban home in Woodford Green, Essex, they provided 368 false NI numbers. Of these, 172 were successfully used to claim benefits resulting in fraud totalling £2.9million. But at the time it was reported the scam could have cost taxpayers up to £10 million if all of the fraudulent documents had been used, police revealed. Olmazu was jailed for two years and three months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply articles for use in fraud. Following her release, Olmazu now works for the Media . Diversity Institute, a charity which has received hundreds of thousands . in sponsorship from the Foreign Office and the Department for . International Development. Dominic Raab, the Conservative MP, . said tougher action was needed to counter what he described as 'judicial . sabotage' and called for clearer legislation to force judges to follow . the Home Secretary's will. He told the Telegraph: 'We need a new UK Borders Act that . enables the authorities to remove serious criminals, ignore spurious . human rights claims and override the current judicial sabotage.'
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Lavinia Olmazu provided false National Insurance numbers to immigrants .
Olmazu should have been deported automatically upon her release .
She was able to persuade judges because she has son, 12, it would be an attack on their human rights if they were to be deported back to Romania .
Home Office appealed against immigration court's decision to let her stay .
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(CNN) -- Just days after a Boeing 737 flown by Southwest Airlines made an emergency landing with a hole in its fuselage, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a press release Monday that it will mandate operators of about 175 specific older Boeing 737s to conduct inspections for wear and tear. The FAA said the "emergency directive" it plans to issue on Tuesday would affect about 80 U.S.-registered 737-300s, 737-400s and 737-500s, mostly operated by Southwest. The remaining 95 or so aircraft are registered outside the United States. Each of the 175 or so planes in question have taken off and landed more than 30,000 times and will receive repetitive electromagnetic inspections at regular intervals for fatigue damage. In a separate statement, Boeing said it was working with the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and Southwest, and it was preparing a service bulletin to recommend lap joint inspections on certain 737 models. NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt said Monday that inspectors have visually checked lap joints in the past, but haven't used high-tech monitoring, because no one thought that part of the plane was susceptible to cracks. Moving forward, inspectors will test the joints with an electromagnetic process. The chairman on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation said in a statement that the American public wants answers to retain confidence in commercial air travel. "As the details of this unusual incident unfold, we will get a better understanding of what caused the plane's fuselage to tear open," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia. "I expect the FAA to be painstakingly diligent in reviewing the safety of all aircraft, and to conduct a careful investigation into what caused the cracks that have been discovered on the bodies of these planes." Rockefeller took advantage of the occasion to renew his call for reauthorizing the FAA. "The FAA reauthorization bill now headed to conference takes steps to strengthen the inspection process of passenger aircraft, and I hope we can move that bill quickly to a resolution," he said. After Southwest canceled about 600 flights over the weekend to accommodate inspections, the airline said it canceled another 70 flights on Monday. By 3:30 p.m. Monday, the company had checked out 67 of the 79 planes it had grounded for inspection. Southwest said 64 of the 737-300s were being returned to service, while inspectors had discovered subsurface cracks on three jets. Those three will remain out of service "until Boeing recommends an appropriate repair," Southwest said. As planes are cleared, they will be put back into service, Southwest said. Inspections are expected to be completed by late Tuesday. The airline recommended that customers should check with the website SWA.com for the status of a particular flight or rebook a trip before heading to the airport. Eighteen minutes into Flight 812 from Phoenix to Sacramento, California, on Friday, a hole 5 feet long and 1 foot wide opened in the fuselage, causing the cabin to lose pressure, the NTSB said. One flight attendant received minor injuries, the agency said. The pilot initially planned to return to Phoenix, but he made an emergency landing at a military base in Yuma, Arizona, after flight attendants reported seeing blue sky through the jet's roof, the safety board's Robert Sumwalt told reporters. Some of the 118 passengers who were aboard the crippled Boeing 737 said they feared for their lives. "We were in shock," passenger Debbie Downey said Saturday. "We were in row 16, and my husband and I could see blue sky ... the wiring, the cabling. It actually was terrifying." Greg Hansen said fellow passengers panicked and screamed as the sun shone through the cabin. "Most people were just white knuckles, holding on to the arm rests," he said. The airline said it provided a full refund, an apology and two complimentary round-trip passes on the airline for future flights. In July 2009, another Southwest Airlines 737-300 made an emergency landing when cabin pressure dropped because of a football-size hole in the jet. That incident prompted the airline to inspect its entire fleet of 737-300s. Earlier that same year, the airline was fined $7.5 million by the FAA after the agency found that Southwest operated 46 of its Boeing 737s on nearly 60,000 flights without performing mandatory inspections for fatigue cracks in their fuselages. Sumwalt said the 737 used for Flight 812 had a maintenance check in March at Southwest's Dallas facility, and the jet had no outstanding maintenance issues at the time of the accident, with all its records "positive, up to date, (and) with no discrepancies." The plane's flight data recorders had no noteworthy information on them, Sumwalt said. CNN's Mike Ahlers, Ric Ward and Marnie Hunter contributed to this report .
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NEW: Southwest Airlines says as of 3:30 p.m., it had inspected 67 of its 79 grounded jets .
NEW: The joint where the breach opened had been visually, not electromagnetically, inspected in past .
The Federal Aviation Administration says it plans to mandate inspections of certain 737s .
About 175 planes, including about 80 registered in the United States will be subject to inspection .
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By . John Hall . Inspectors . at Los Angeles International Airport have seized an unusually slimy . package - 67 giant African land snails that are a popular delicacy . across West Africa. The . live snails - which are banned in the U.S. - arrived from Nigeria and . were being sent to a person in San Dimas, California said Lee Harty, . spokeswoman for the U.S. Customs and Border protection. The . snails were confiscated earlier this month and a sample was later sent . to a federal mollusc specialist in Washington, D.C., who has now . identified them as a prohibited species. Discovery: The live snails - which are banned in the U.S. - arrived from Nigeria and were being sent to a person in San Dimas, California said Lee Harty, spokeswoman for the U.S. Customs and Border protection . The molluscs are among the largest land snails in the world and can grow to be up to 8 inches long. They are native to Africa and can live for up to 10 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture incinerated the snails after they were inspected, Harty said. The animals are prohibited in the U.S. because they can carry parasites that are harmful to humans, including one that can lead to meningitis. They a perfectly legal to sell in much of the rest of the world, however, including Britain. Banned: The animals are prohibited in the U.S. because they can carry parasites that are harmful to humans. They a perfectly legal to sell in much of the rest of the world, however, including Britain . Handled: The molluscs are among the largest land snails in the world and can grow to be up to 8 inches long and live for up to 10 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture incinerated the snails after they were inspected . Giant African land snails are considered a delicacy in much of West Africa. The are particularly enjoyed in Nigeria, from where the LAX package was sent. The snails are commonly served as finger food in Nigeria, but need to be thoroughly washed to ensure all parasites are killed. They are typically removed from their shell and cut in half to kill them, before being washed in a mixture of salt, lemon and alum gum - which removes the slime. The snails are placed into a put and brought to the boil, then left to simmer for an hour to tenderise the meat. While this takes place, a separate pot is used to pan-fry onions, peppers and tomatoes, with enough water added to create a kind of vegetable stew. The tender snails are then added to the stew along with salt for seasoning, and the whole mixture is then cooked for another 20-30 minutes. The low-calorie, low-cholesterol dish is then typically served with rice and eaten by scooping up small amounts in the hand. Source: WLRN-FM . The snails are also agricultural pests, said Maveeda Mirza, the CBP program manager for agriculture. 'These snails are seriously harmful to local plants because they will eat any kind of crop they can get to,' she added. The person the snails were destined . for is not expected to face any punishment as it is always difficult to prove that a person has ordered or requested items that are sent to them. It is also very rare for a criminal case to be pursued if there is little evidence of professional smuggling and the culprit claims not to know that the legal status of the prohibited items. The authorities are launching a formal investigation into the incident, however, if only to establish why such a large batch of snails was sent to a single person. 'We're investigating . what happened, but it doesn't seem like there was smuggling involved,' Mirza said. 'When someone doesn't know a commodity is prohibited under USDA . regulations there is usually no punishment,' she added. Although . the agency has previously found one or two giant African land snails that gave accidentally crawled into a passenger's luggage, this is the largest batch ever confiscated at LAX airport.
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67 living snails were discovered inside a passenger's luggage at the airport .
Molluscs are banned in the U.S. for carrying parasites harmful to humans .
But they are legal in most of the world - and even a delicacy in West Africa .
After being inspected by federal agents the snails were killed by incineration .
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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Los Angeles firefighters and city crews worked for several hours Tuesday to rescue one of their own: a 22-ton firetruck that was nearly swallowed by a water-logged sinkhole. Two firefighters crawled out of the truck's windows after it sank Tuesday morning. No one was injured. The incident happened after four firefighters took the truck to the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Valley Village, where flooding had been reported after a water main break, just before 6 a.m. PT. After seeing running water in the road, a fire captain instructed the rig's driver to back up and had two firefighters get out of the truck to direct it. That's when the ground gave way and the front of the truck began quickly sinking. The driver and captain crawled out of the truck's windows to escape. The four firefighters were not injured. Workers had to simultaneously pull and lift the truck to get it out of the sinkhole. Watch workers pull truck from sinkhole . CNN's Carey Bodenheimer contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles firetruck nearly swallowed by sinkhole Tuesday morning .
Firefighters in truck were responding to flooding call when incident happened .
Two firefighters escaped truck through windows; no injuries reported .
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f6aa2c055e64c86f0176badc3d9affcd6da15098
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The so-called Plaxo co-founder who is charged with murdering his wife's new husband had never worked a day at the groundbreaking social network, founding executives reveal. Minh Nguyen, 38, has spent years claiming he and Napster billionaire Sean Parker jointly founded Plaxo, which was later sold to Comcast for an estimated $170 million. As a supposed high flyer in the tech world, his arrest over the fatal shooting of his ex-wife's new husband on January 15 made national headlines. But it has now emerged that Nguyen never set foot in the Plaxo building, was not present for any of the seminal discussions, and repeatedly edited the company's Wikipedia page listing himself as a co-founder - even though marketing directors kept correcting his changes. His only connection to Plaxo, former executives told DailyMail.com, was that he went to school in Virginia with Sean Parker, who went to become the first president of Facebook. Lies? Minh Nguyen (left) who is charged with murdering Corey Mattison (right), new husband of his ex-wife Denise (also pictured right), claimed to be a co-founder of Plaxo - which former executives say is false . He also attended one of Parker's 'brainstorming' sessions before Plaxo was created, but was not present at any of the brainstorming sessions which led to Plaxo's inception. In fact, a former friend of Nguyen told DailyMail.com, the self-professed co-founder left the tech business altogether to become a hairdresser during Plaxo's early years. John McCrea, former marketing director of Plaxo from 2006 to 2009, told DailyMail.com he never saw Nguyen. 'Minh was a person that caused a fair bit of puzzlement for the company,' McCrea said. 'He was publicly making the claim of being a co-founder. We were aware of this through Wikipedia, which is a wonderful resource but comes with its own issues. 'As the new head of marketing, soon after I joined I was curious to know who this person was. 'Socially, people told me no one knew why he made the claim. He wasn't there when Sean, Todd [Masonis] and Cameron [Ring] came up with the idea and developed the idea. He wasn't there when the company was finally formed. He never even set foot in the building. Turned a blind eye? Napster billionaire Sean Parker has not commented on the controversy as former executives of Plaxo reveal Nguyen, Parker's school friend, pretended to be a co-founder of the network . Plaxo: (left to right) engineer Joseph Smarr, marketing executive Scott Epstein, marketing director John McCrea, and co-founders Cameron Ring and Todd Masonis. McCrea and Masonis told DailyMail.com Nguyen never worked at Plaxo . 'According to his LinkedIn, Minh worked at Plaxo for ten months between 2001 and 2002, before the BETA version of Plaxo launched. There are no records of this and no one ever saw him there.' McCrea said the company fought a constant battle, spanning years, trying to maintain the accuracy of their Wikipedia page. 'We went about correcting the false claim by editing it. But time and time again, a user by the name of Minh21 would go back in and change it inaccurately to say he was a co-founder. 'That happened many times over multiple years. It became almost a joke. 'Eventually, after Plaxo was sold and many of us went on to our own start-ups or new firms, the importance of altering the Wikipedia page to accurately reflect history was not a priority. 'We almost forgot all about it until this tragic story came out.' Speaking to DailyMail.com Todd Masonis, a founder of Plaxo who was with the company through its sale to Comcast, said that 'in my nine years working on Plaxo, [Nguyen] wasn't involved in any capacity beyond some initial discussions with Sean [Parker, another Plaxo founder] before the company was incorporated'. Masonis, who is no longer with Plaxo, said Nguyen 'never met or worked with any of our employees, investors, or partners. I only met him socially two or three times. 'Unfortunately, he appears to have overstated his connection to the company. This is a really tragic situation and our hearts go out to his family.' Although, he says, Nguyen may have discussed the idea with Parker, he did not develop the business model, meet the customers, meet the investors, work in the office, or work on its sale to Comcast. Sean Parker, who left Plaxo in 2005, has so far declined to comment on the matter. Sources inside the company recall Parker brazenly handed shares to numerous people - including Nguyen - which created problems for the company and he later left. A former friend, who spoke to DailyMail.com under the condition of anonymity, said Nguyen felt his ideas tabled in a brainstorming session were key elements of what Plaxo came to be. Corey Mattison (left) was allegedly killed by the ex-husband of his new wife Denise (center back). She said his final act of love was to protect her children by leading the gunman away from them at their Virginia home . The source said Nguyen claimed he fashioned design boards and paper prototypes. When Parker got serious about the idea, he enlisted the partnership of Todd Masonis and Cameron Ring - two Stanford co-founders - to work with and left Minh behind. 'Over the years, while the Stanford co-founders were always annoyed by it and they all played the game of editing Wikipedia, it never seemed like Sean had a problem with Minh calling himself a co-founder - probably because he thought it was dumb and didn't care about it,' the source said. Also, the edit history of Plaxo's Wikipedia page shows that as far back as 2006 a person identifying himself as Nguyen would edit the page to list himself as a founder any time he would be deleted. Denise Mattison told ABC that when her ex broke into her Virginia home last Thursday with a gun, her husband Corey lured him out of the back door and away from their children. Minh Nguyen has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting dead his ex-wife's new husband . Mrs Mattison said that her daughter, Madison, 14, and a younger sibling were able to escape and hide out in the bathroom to call the police. Mrs Mattison, who married her late husband three months ago, told the network: 'He was my knight in shining armor... he literally laid his life down to save me.' The couple lived together with their five children - Mrs Mattison's three children from her marriage to Nguyen and Mr Mattison's two children from a previous relationship. Nguyen was charged with first-degree murder on Tuesday. He was arraigned on Tuesday and was held without bond. He is due back to court for a January 28 bond hearing. He allegedly shot dead Corey Mattison, a former minor league pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals, after breaking into the newlyweds' townhouse in Ashburn, Virginia. Two of Nguyen's three children with his ex-wife were present at the time of the shooting at 9.30pm last Thursday, police said. Denise walked in with her third child during the attack, according to a reported from the Londoun County Sheriff's Office. Nobody else was injured in the attack. Nguyen was arrested without incident after being captured by his mother, who held him down and called the police, NBC reported. Officers found the mother and son struggling over his gun. He was charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond. Mattison, who had two elementary-school-aged children of his own, was a project manager at a glass construction company based in Washington, D.C., WPBF reported. His colleagues told the station Mattison spent a lot of time with his children as well as Nguyen's. 'Corey and his wife would go to a baseball game with the kids, and [Nguyen] would blow up,' his colleague Rick Knutson said. 'He would try to prevent them from taking the kids anywhere. The guy seemed to be a little unstable.' Nguyen, 38, allegedly broke into his ex-wife's home in Ashburn, Virginia, at 9.30pm and shot dead her husband . Court records from Nguyen's 2011 divorce do not indicate that he reaped any kind of lasting financial fortune from his association with the company. The documents said Nguyen was unemployed at the time and had been making less than $50,000 a year in the years leading up to the divorce decree. Papers show that he was ordered to pay only $750 a month in child support for the couple's three children. Nguyen, graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Multimedia Design in 1997, and was based in Washington, D.C. Having started out as an interface programmer at AOL, Nguyen's post-Plaxo career saw him take up advising roles at numerous apps and websites. In 2012, he became the founding CEO of App Press, which provided tools for designers to build, manage and deploy apps. He was then an advisor to for at least three tech firms and the chairman of the now-defunct Syllabuster, a mobile platform for students and teachers.
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Minh Nguyen, 38, sparked national headlines as Plaxo co-founder charged with murdering his ex-wife's husband last Thursday .
He allegedly broke into ex-wife's home and opened fire in front of children .
But former executives of the firm tell DailyMail.com he never worked at Plaxo .
He was a school friend of Napster billionaire and Plaxo founder Sean Parker and attended Parker's mass brainstorming sessions .
However he was not present at seminal meetings about Plaxo .
Former marketing director describes years-long battle with Nguyen falsely editing the Wikipedia page to claim he was a co-founder .
Denise Mattison called her late husband 'a knight in shining armor' for leading the alleged gunman Minh Nguyen away from her children .
Court records from Nguyen's 2011 divorce do not indicate that he reaped any kind of lasting financial fortune from his association with Plaxo .
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By . Jack Gaughan . PUBLISHED: . 09:47 EST, 4 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:07 EST, 5 September 2013 . Usain Bolt is planning to retire from the sport after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The current world record holder in both the 100 and 200 metres, the Jamaican has an exit strategy in place that will cement him as a true sporting legend. Bolt hopes to win gold in Rio, set another 200 metres world record next year, and take a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. And to top it all off, he will celebrate the final day of his sporting career also turning 30. The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio are scheduled to run until August 21, the sprinter's birthday. Finish: Usain Bolt has revealed he plans to retire after the 2016 Olympics . Plan: Bolt wants to win everything again, and set world records, before calling it a day . When revealing his plans, Bolt said: 'I think it will be a good time to retire, on top and just been dominating for so long.' After winning another three golds at the world championships in Moscow, Bolt will run his final race this season in the 100 metres at Friday's Van Damme Memorial. 'If I want to be among the greats of (Muhammad) Ali and Pele and all these guys I have to continue dominating until I retire,' Bolt added. Picture perfect: This is one of the greatest sporting snaps ever taken, catching lightning as a backdrop to Bolt . Strong: Bolt recovered from a desperate start to win the 100 metres at the Weltklasse Diamond League meeting in Zurich . OLYMPICS . Beijing 2008: Three golds . London 2012: Three golds . WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS . Berlin 2009: Three golds . Daegu 2011: Two golds . Moscow 2013: Three golds . With six Olympic goal medals and eight in World Championships, there isn't much danger of the 27-year-old being forgotten. Bolt took home three gold medals - in the 100 metres, 200 metres and the 4x100 metres - during the recent week in Moscow. Although plagued by slow starts to races, the world's best ever sprinter has a knack of catching up and pulling clear of the field, easing up before the finish line. The disqualification during the final of the 100 metres in Daegu two years ago is the sprinter's only failure to date. Winner: Bolt's trademark celebration has been synonymous with athletics for the last five years . Flying: Bolt took three gold medals in Moscow, including the relay . Bolt's trademark celebration has been synonymous with athletics for the last five years. Only three athletes - including Carl Lewis - have more Olympic medals than the current phenomenon. If Bolt takes three golds in Rio, he will equal the best ever athletic record at an Olympic Games.
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Jamaican's exit strategy designed to cement him as a sporting legend .
He hopes to win gold at Rio and the Commonwealth and set another 200m world record .
Athlete will turn 30 on the last day of his sporting career - on August 21 - the final day of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games .
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Three teenage boys who went missing from their boarding school have been found safe and well with a relative. Police won't say whether the relative had found them or if the boys were with the relatives since they went missing. William Blake, 15, Troy Klystra, 15, and Mitchell Cattle, 16, went missing from Yanco Agricultural High School in southwest NSW, at about 9am on Tuesday. From left to right: William Blake, Michael Cattle and Troy Klystra have been found safe and well with a relative after going missing from Yanco Agricultural High School on Tuesday morning . Police were alerted this evening that the boys had been with a relative and would attend a police station to confirm that they were safe. Search teams made up of Griffith Local Area Command, a dog squad and local volunteers thoroughly scoured the surrounding areas to locate the missing students. The news has seen many take to social media to voice their relief. On the Facebook page of local news Prime 7 News Wagga, Mr Cattle's sister Anika wrote: 'My beautiful brother is safe!' Mike John Kelly said:'I'm just glad I'm reading their (sic) alive and well.' Griffith Police have thanked the public and all those organisations and volunteers involved in the search for their assistance. Yanco Agricultural High School in south eastern NSW, where the three boys went missing about 9am on Tuesday .
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Teenagers from Yanco Agricultural High School in NSW have been found .
William Blake, Troy Klystra, and Mitchell Cattle went missing on Tuesday .
Their disappearance sparked a large scale search in the area .
Search team was made of local police, dog squads, and volunteers .
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A former decorated detective who had sex with a woman at a police station and let her handle his gun will be sentenced on Thursday. Mark Garner had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct in office while he was a sergeant on the NSW north coast. His legal team argued on Wednesday that Garner, who appeared before Sydney's District Court, was an otherwise 'conscientious and devoted officer' and had been suffering mental health issues at the time of the offences. Former police officer Mark Garner arrives at the Downing Centre Local Court, in Sydney . The 50-year-old cried when he gave evidence in court last week, recounting his downward spiral from the 1990s, when he received courage and bravery awards, to after 2007, when he was drinking up to four bottles of wine a day. It was in this low state in 2011, he told the court, that he met a woman, who cannot be named. She had visited Kingscliff station to make a complaint about an alleged assault. 'She would come into the police station where we would talk. We started building a friendship ... then it developed into something more,' Garner said. He said he had not been intimate with his wife for some time. 'At that time, I believe I was vulnerable ... all of a sudden this young, pretty girl comes along and takes an interest in me,' he said. Garner is awaiting sentencing for misconduct after allegedly letting a sex worker play with his gun . The court heard that in September 2011, Garner let the woman handle his Glock pistol and had sex with her at the station. He also admitted to inappropriately accessing police files to gain details of the address of a person who might have taken a laptop owned by the woman. Garner said the laptop contained photos of the pair in an 'intimate session', which would have been embarrassing and possibly career-destroying if they got out. He admitted to the court he had tried to assist in her plan to break into the person's home and retrieve the computer. The court heard he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2012, after years of investigating serious crimes . The court heard he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2012, after years of investigating serious crimes. Garner, who now works as a night manager at a club, admitted he had disgraced himself and his family. His matter will return to court for sentencing on Thursday before Judge Ross Letherbarrow.
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Mark Garner will be sentenced for allegedly letting a sex worker play with his gun .
His lawyers say he was suffering mental health issues at the time of the offences .
Garner had previously received courage and bravery awards in the 1990s, but fell to alcoholism .
He also admitted to inappropriately accessing police files to gain details of the address of a person .
The court heard he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2012, after years of investigating serious crime .
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Neil Redfearn has signed a 12-month rolling contract to become the third permanent boss of Leeds United this season. The 49-year-old has been in temporary charge since Darko Milanic was sacked last Saturday after only 32 days at the helm. Redfearn will once again step up from his secure role with the club’s academy with the club confirming the news on Twitter ‘Leeds United can confirm the appointment of Neil Redfearn as the club's head coach. #DoItForRedders #lufc’. Leeds then tweeted: ‘Redfearn has signed a 12-month rolling contract with the option of a further year or returning to the academy. #DoItForRedders #lufc’. More to follow... Neil Redfearn has taken permanent charge of Leeds United after signing a one-year rolling contract . Redfearn was placed in temporary charge of Leeds United after Darko Milanic was sacked last Saturday . Redfearn wanted assurances that he can resume his job in the academy if the role does not work out . Leeds owner Massimo Cellino appointed Darko Milanic last month, but sacked him after just 32 days . Slovenian Milanic was appointed on a two-year deal but did not even last two months at Elland . Cellino reacts while watching a recent game alongside Redfearn, who he has appoint on a rolling contract .
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Neil Redfearn was in temporary charge after Darko Milanic was sacked .
Redfearn has been the head of the club's academy .
The 49-year-old has signed a one year rolling contract at Elland Road .
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(CNN) -- This morning, around 10 a.m., I was 10 years old again. At that hour, the space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA jetliner, soared over Washington and the Capitol Mall on the way to its permanent home at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport. I had walked over from my apartment complex toward Southwest Waterfront Park along the Potomac River to see this double-decker aircraft flying over my head, and stared agog at it like the goofy space-age nerd boy of 50 years ago, face pressed against a black-and-white television screen, listening, back then, to the voice of NASA media spokesman John "Shorty" Powers count backward to zero before a ballistic missile boosted a Project Mercury astronaut into low Earth orbit. Read more about the shuttle's destination . Back then, it was hard not to imagine that by 2012 we would have a permanent multinational lunar base from which ships with people would be traveling every other month to Mars -- and from there, maybe, to one of Jupiter's potentially habitable moons. We can see those things better than we once did, thanks to things like the Hubble Space Telescope, which wouldn't be working now unless people went up in shuttles for repairs and maintenance. But we're nowhere near being ready or, worse, willing to go there ourselves. Spot the shuttle, share a photo with CNN iReport . I have many friends who think that's just fine. They're a lot like the friends I had back in the '60s who believed I was a ninny for gaping at space walks and rendezvousing spaceships, while billions of those dollars were more urgently needed on the ground for such things as education. Maybe they're right, I sometimes thought. I don't think that anymore, having read in "Space Chronicles" (Norton), a recently published collection of articles by astrophysicist and Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, that only 4% of the U.S. budget during the 1960s went toward meeting President John F. Kennedy's goal of landing men on the moon before 1970. He also writes that even with the shuttle program in place, along with all those satellite repair missions, the $100 million operating budget for NASA represents six years of the agency's total funding and that said funding amounts to "one half of one percent of [a U.S. citizen's] tax bill." Which still sounds like too much to some. But think of what, ultimately, we're buying with that money. I'm not just talking about all that ancillary technology generated by space travel that eventually improves people's lives. I'm talking about something more intangible and, yet, more vital to our basic needs. Bear with me. I believe it wasn't just coincidence that both the space race and the civil rights movement reached their respective apogees at roughly the same time: the late 1950s and early 1960s. Think about the integration of Little Rock High School starting barely a month before the Russian launch of Sputnik, which galvanized the United States, pushing it toward not just sending its own satellites, but also getting busy with improving and funding math and science education. I also think about the morning of May 5, 1961, the day that Alan Shepard was scheduled to become the first American to fly into space, an act that would help commit his country to a full-fledged moon race. That same morning, newspapers all over the country showed a picture of a bus set ablaze by white racists wishing to quell a movement by black and white civil rights activists to ensure racially integrated travel on interstate bus lines in the South. At the time, the tendency was to think of such events as being at best mutually exclusive. I think they are now both logical and synchronous outgrowths of the human impulse to break down barriers and move ahead. The less afraid we are to think outside the box scientifically, the less afraid we are of other barriers, other things that constrict our natures. This week, Major League Baseball celebrated the 65th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier on April 15, 1947. Seven months later, almost to the day, Chuck Yeager poked a hole in the sky with a rocket plane and broke the sound barrier. I do not say one event led directly to the other (not necessarily, anyway). But I do think both were driven by the same insistent energy to fly higher, push harder, maybe even make ourselves better people in the very long run. I will try very hard not to consider Discovery's last touchdown as the end of something, though I still fear it may signify the beginning of the end -- not just of a dream, but of our very capacity to dream. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gene Seymour.
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Gene Seymour: He'll watch as space shuttle is flown above Capitol .
He says as a boy he was entranced with promise of space travel .
He says U.S. early space progress tracked with civil rights movement .
Seymour: Discovery's exit may signal end of America's capacity to dream .
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Madrid (CNN) -- Inspired by the deadly Columbine school shooting, a Spanish man purchased more than 300 pounds of explosive materials as part of an alleged plan to massacre university students, authorities said Thursday. Instead, Spanish police, who had been tracking him for five months, descended on his home Wednesday morning and arrested the 21-year-old just as he received the potentially deadly materials he had ordered off the Internet, according to authorities. They seized 140 kilograms of the materials. Police arrested the man in Palma de Mallorca, not too far from the University of the Balearic Islands, where they say he planned his attack. Mallorca is one of Spain's Balearic Islands, off its southeastern coast in the Mediterranean Sea. Police have not released the suspect's name, but they say he was a student at another educational center where he studied business administration. Although they believe he planned his attack at the University of the Balearic Islands, he had sent a threatening letter to his school, a police statement said. Documents taken from his home, including his personal diary, indicated he wanted to imitate the 1999 U.S. massacre that left 15 dead at a high school in Columbine, Colorado, according to police. "He showed a hatred for society, especially for university students, and his decision to strategically place pipe bombs filled with shrapnel on the university campus," according to the police statement, referring to the documents seized from the suspect's home. "He also admitted the hypothesis of suicide while carrying out the massacre," the statement added. Police began investigating the suspect five months ago after detecting Internet messages alluding to the Columbine massacre. "The suspect showed a sympathy" for the two men who carried out the Columbine attack, the statement said. His blog included sections showing that he knew how to make bombs, displaying the same musical tastes as the Columbine killers, describing his interest in weapons and mentioning "social isolation that led to situations of feeling left on the sidelines at school," the statement said. Read more: Nothing the same after Columbine, say students, teachers . The suspect sought to acquire weapons illegally and later applied for a license to legally possess weapons, a document that is hard to get in Spain. The application was rejected. Police tracked his subsequent efforts to acquire the explosive materials through the Internet before arresting him Wednesday. The suspect "is not part of any political party or association," according to Teresa Palmer, a central government representative in the Balearic Islands. She called it "a completely isolated event" and encouraged citizens to remain calm. Complete coverage: Theater shooting in Aurora . Read more: Norway killer Anders Breivik ruled sane, given 21-year prison term .
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Police began investigating man 5 months ago after Internet messages about Columbine .
Police tracked his efforts to acquire explosive materials via the Internet .
Suspect arrested Wednesday as he received the materials at his home, police say .
In his personal diary, "he showed a hatred for society," police say .
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Jurors in the rape trial of two former Vanderbilt football players watched dorm surveillance video on Thursday showing their alleged victim being carried inside and dragged out of an elevator. Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey are accused of assaulting the 21-year-old unconscious woman in a dorm room in June 2013. Two other football players are also accused in the case. The surveillance footage, which was discovered when officials were looking into vandalism, prompted the rape investigation. Vanderbilt police Lieutenant Donnie Harville testified on Thursday that the video showed a male student walking naked out of a bathroom in the coed dorm. Defendant Brandon Vandenburg, left, and Cory Batey, right, listen with attorney Fletcher Long, center during their trial for sexually assaulting a fellow student on Thursday . Vandenburg and Batey are the only two suspects who did not strike a plea deal with with prosecutors and plead guilty. The other two defendants are slated to testify against them . Jurors saw a surveillance video that showed the victim being dragged out of an elevator before she was gang raped . It also appeared that no one called police to report concern for the woman, even though the video showed two female students nearby when she was carried inside Gillette House around 2.30 a.m. 'To your knowledge, did she contact anyone out of concern?' defense attorney Worrick Robinson said. 'To my knowledge, no,' Harville said. The footage did not show any bystanders around when the woman was dragged out of the elevator. Defense attorneys say the video portrays a culture of binge drinking and promiscuous sex that their clients were caught up in. The defense also appears to be trying to convince jurors that no one would have been concerned for the woman because it was commonplace to see students drunk. Prosecutors accuse the players of laughing, taking photos and videos while the incapacitated woman was being violated in a dorm room. One is accused of inserting something in her while another egged him on. Another player is said to have had sex with her and urinating on her. On trial: Pictured in court on Wednesday, Brandon Vandenburg, left, and Cory Batey, right, are accused of raping a 21-year-old unconscious woman in a dorm room at Vanderbilt in June 2013 . Lieutenant Donnie Harville of the Vanderbilt Police Department testified about the surveillance footage and said that Vandenburg placed a towel over a campus surveillance camera on the morning of the incident . On Wednesday, Harville also testified that Vandenburg placed a towel over a campus surveillance camera on the morning of the incident. The footage shows the woman lying on the floor of a dorm hallway and being photographed in a compromising position, prosecutors said. Defense attorneys have said Vandenburg and Batey were drunk despite not being old enough to drink. Vandenburg, a star player who had recently transferred to Vanderbilt from College of the Desert in California, took the student to a bar called Tin Roof for a date on the night of the alleged attack. On the ride back, she reportedly passed out in the car and he drove to the dorm, where he ran into the other players. During the opening statements, the alleged victim, an Oklahoma native, sat in the audience wiping her eyes with a tissue. She is expected to take the stand as a witness for the prosecution. Star witnesses: Fellow football players Brandon Banks (left) and Jaborian 'Tip' McKenzie (right) also have been charged in the rape case but are expected to testify against Vandenburg and Batey . Accused: Vandenburg (left) had been on a date with the woman the night she says she was attacked. On the way back, she passed out and Vandenburg took her to the dorm where he saw Batey (right) and the others . Crime scene: Prosecutors say Vandenburg brought his unconscious date to his second-floor room in the Gillette House dormitory, where the men egged each other on and proceeded to rape the young woman . Vandenburg and Batey are being tried on five counts of aggravated rape and two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg is also charged with one count of tampering with evidence and one count of unlawful photography. The two ex-players not on trial but also charged in the case, Jaborian 'Tip' McKenzie and Brandon Banks, are expected to testify against Vandenburg and Batey. All have pleaded not guilty. The trial comes in the midst of a debate about the prevalence of rapes on America's college campuses. The Obama administration has launched a campaign to end sexual assault on university campuses. Officials at Vanderbilt University did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
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Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey 'assaulted the unconscious 21-year-old student with two more football players as they egged each other on'
The other two are expected to testify against Vandenburg and Batey .
On Thursday, the jury saw a surveillance video showing a man carrying the woman into the dorm room and dragging her out of an elevator .
A campus police officer testified that bystanders did nothing to help .
The defense team hope the video shows a culture of binge drinking and promiscuous sex that the students were caught up in at the school .
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Brad Guzan has hailed Thibaut Courtois as one of the world's best goalkeepers and insists the Belgium international deserves to be Chelsea's number one. The Aston Villa keeper believes Courtois is Chelsea's future ahead of Villa's trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Courtois has replaced Petr Cech between the posts for the Blues this season after three years on loan at Atletico Madrid, where he won the Europa League, Super Cup, Copa del Rey and La Liga. Thibaut Courtois (L) is one of the top five keepers in the world, according to Brad Guzan . 'He's someone who I believe is one of the top five goalkeepers in the world,' Guzan told Villa's official site. 'Thibaut's resume is outstanding. His accolades for the past few seasons at Atletico speak for itself, with Belgium too. 'He's only 22 so these things are unbelievable. He's a top, top keeper and someone Chelsea sees their future with. 'There's nothing better that having the confidence of the manager and coaching staff. 'You want to be dependable and the guy the lads look to if an opposition player gets through the defence. Brad Guzan became No 1 at Aston Villa after eventually replacing Brad Friedel and Shay Given . 'You want them thinking that you're going to come up with the goods and make a save at the vital time. You want that responsibility. 'You relish that opportunity to be number one - be the guy that's going to hopefully help the team. That's what it's all about.' Guzan was back-up to Brad Friedel and Shay Given before eventually becoming first choice at Villa Park under Paul Lambert, and knows how Courtois would have felt after signing for Chelsea from Genk in 2011. 'It's a great feeling when you eventually establish yourself,' he said. Petr Cech warms up after being replaced by Courtois as No 1 at Stamford Bridge . 'It's not easy being a goalkeeper because you have strikers trying to take your head off - and it's different from outfield positions in that only one can play. 'You have to wait for your chance, or even your half-chance. You have to take it because you don't know when the next one is coming around. 'Thibaut has gone to Spain, not knowing the language and league, and gone on to achieve individual and team accolades.'
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Chelsea face Aston Villa in Premier League clash on Saturday .
Brad Guzan rates Thibaut Courtois as one of the world's best keepers .
Belgian international has replaced Petr Cech as No 1 at Stamford Bridge .
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They were the two best friends who decided - after finding themselves single at the same time - to date for 40 days to see what happened. But whatever happened to Jessica Walsh, 28, and Timothy Goodman, 34, whose story went viral in 2013 - did they find their happily ever after? Well, Jessica certainly did, only the bad news for Timothy is, it was with another man! Scroll down for video . Best friends Jessica Walsh and Timothy Goodman dated for 40 days in 2013. The pair blogged about their experience and wrote a book, 40 Days Of Dating which is out now . New York-based designers Jessica and Timothy decided to embark upon their 40 day experiment two years ago after finding themselves partner-less. The couple, who described themselves as complete opposites - she's the hopeless romantic and he's a charming lothario - would then share their experiences in a series of blogs. However, despite the fact that there was clearly some chemistry between the two and they even ended up sleeping together (on day 25) their relationship didn't work out. In fact just one month after their time together Jessica met her husband, cinematographer Zac Mulligan. But while she and Timothy might not have gone the distance some good did come out of their 40 days together. They have now turned their story into a book to be released this month named 40 Days Of Dating: The Experiment and it's already been optioned for a movie. Just a month after her 40 days was up Jessica met cinematographer Zac Mulligan, who she went on to marry . Speaking of the experience, which both Jessica and Timothy have previously described as a positive one, Jessica said the pair had wanted to iron out their relationship issues. 'Tim was a commitment-phobe and I was a hopeless romantic,' Jessica told news.com.au. 'I had just gotten out of a relationship and was heartbroken. Tim had the exact opposite issue where he was dating five girls at once and couldn't commit. We were like, 'What's wrong with us? How can we fix this?' The couple decided to date for 40 days. As part of the agreement they'd see each other every day and even take a weekend break together. They also decided that they wouldn't date anyone else while taking part. They now admit that they had definitely been attracted to one another and that their pals had been worried about what might happen to their friendship. Tim said: 'When we told our friends about it they were really against it, because we did have a great friendship and they were worried that we could ruin our friendship and end up hating each other. 'Now when we look back on it there was definitely a part of us that was attracted to each other, but we were too afraid to admit that to each other because we were such good friends.' And Jessica says the experiment changed her for the better and that her new husband - who happily allowed Tim to come to their wedding - doesn't mind that the two once dated. 'I learned to just be myself and not worry so much,' said Jessica. 'After the experiment I was in a really good mindset and just having fun with it all. 'I told him [her husband] about what Tim and I had done. At that point the blog wasn’t live yet. He’s a creative person too and he thought it was a really cool idea.' Tim is still single but says he's now a lot more 'open and vulnerable'.
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Close pals Jessica Walsh and Timothy Goodman dated for 40 days .
They blogged about their experience and turned it into a book .
Although Jessica wed another man, they say the experiment was positive .
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By . Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:26 EST, 22 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:28 EST, 22 September 2013 . Grand Theft Auto V has crossed the $1 billion sales mark after three days in stores, a rate faster than any other video game, film or other entertainment product has ever managed, its creator Take Two Interactive Inc said on Friday. The latest installment of GTA, a cultural phenomenon that has sparked a national debate on adult content and violence, received strong reviews and racked up $800 million in first-day sales alone. That marked a launch-day record for the Grand Theft Auto franchise which is Take Two's most lucrative and allows players to cruise around a make-believe gameworld based on real-life locations such as Los Angeles. Scroll down for video . Race to the store: There have been record sales of Grand Theft Auto V, seen on sale here at a Game Stop store in Encinitas, California . Take-Two shares were little changed at $17.48 in early afternoon-trading on the Nasdaq. Gamers had eagerly awaited the fifth installment of the 16-year-old game after Grand Theft Auto IV was released in 2008. It took more than five years to be developed by Take-Two's Rockstar Games studio at a cost of between $200 million and $250 million, according to some analysts' estimates. Last year, it took Activision Blizzard Inc's first-person shooter title Call Of Duty: Black Ops II 15 days to hit $1 billion in global sales after its November release. That game took in sales of $500 million on its first day. While GTA V is off to a flying start, industry analysts are keeping a close eye on Take-Two's ability to sustain sales momentum. Grand Theft Auto V is currently only available on Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 consoles, owned by over 160 million gamers. Take-Two is yet to announce a version for the much-awaited next-generation Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles, which will go on sale in November. A 'deeply disturbing world': The state-of-the-art game cost $270million to make .
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GTA V, the latest installment of the franchise, racked up $800m in its first day alone .
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"This is the house?" my mom asks, turning around. "Yes," says our guide. "This is where your grandmother was born." My mother and I have traveled more than 6,000 miles to explore Candia Canavese, a tiny village outside Torino, Italy, founded in the fifth century. We're here to learn more about our heritage and get a sense of where her family is from. We're not the first ones to visit for that reason. Even though Candia Canavese has a population of just 1,200, our guide says plenty of other travelers have come searching for records, data, photos and that intangible sense of history you can't get without visiting a place yourself. Interest in genealogy appears to be at an all-time high, with a recent Harris Interactive Survey indicating that four in five Americans wish to learn more about their family history. Shows like CNN's upcoming "Roots: Our journeys home," along with series "Who do You Think You Are?" and "Finding Your Roots" are gaining in popularity. "People see these programs and they want that experience for themselves," says Michelle Ercanbrack, family historian at Ancestry.com. As a result, she says, more travelers are looking to incorporate family history research into a trip or even plan a standalone journey for the sole purpose of discovering their roots. Want to embark on your own family tree trip? Here are some tips and techniques to help smooth the process. Get your history organized before you leave . If you're spending the time and money to get to a far-flung destination, you don't want to spend your visit stuck in a library or office. It's more rewarding to get your history organized before you leave. "Start with what you know and build your tree online," says Ercanbrack. Sites like Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org and Genealogy.com can get you on the right track, while genealogy research site Cyndislist.com has a comprehensive collection of useful links. For example, Ancestry.com has 14 billion searchable, indexed records -- everything from passenger records to census data and more. "Remember, online records can build the branches, but there will be holes -- things you can't find because of records loss or privacy details," Ercanbrack adds. Beyond just building out a family tree skeleton online, it's also wise to create a historical timeline before your trip. A snapshot of the family's movements will help you see holes easier. For example, start with one family member -- say a grandparent -- and create a timeline of where and when they were born, where they lived, went to school, were married, and so forth. Writing things down in a narrative fashion can help you pinpoint gaps, like when a child might have been born or a family member emigrated. Let them know you're coming . Regardless if where in the world family history travel takes you, it helps to get in touch with a few locals before you arrive. People worth contacting include librarians, city clerks, museum officers and clergy. Giving information in advance helps a researcher flag potential documents and can maximize time on the ground while visiting. Prior to our Italy trip, my mother and I got in touch with the innkeeper at the one hotel in the village to inquire about an Italian-speaking guide to help us. Our host went above and beyond -- as it turns out his family had lived in the village for generations and knew all the people we needed to speak to. Because we sent information requests with family names and dates in advance, by the time we arrived he had already laid the groundwork and we had appointments with the priest and the city clerk's office. That allowed us to spend a good chunk of our time wandering the streets, taking in the ambiance and imagining how my great-grandmother's family lived. On-site research: Tombstones and immigration offices . Sure, you may have to spend time browsing through old boxes and files searching for documents, but there are countless of other places to find data while visiting a location. "Visiting the place is where you do the finishing touches," says Ercanbrack. Cemeteries: Local cemeteries often provide location-based details you won't find in other files such as place of death. They can also turn up details on previously unknown family members or even children that died as infants and were never recorded. Ercanbrack offers a great tip for getting details off a worn headstone: Shine a flashlight directly above the headstone to cast a shadow on engravings -- you can then take a picture of the shadow. It's far more effective than using the paper-rubbing-with-charcoal technique you see so often in the movies -- that can actually permanently damage the headstone. Immigration offices: Passport applications and naturalization records can be information goldmines, as they often include detailed information on family records, places of residence and work. Military/VA Offices: Military pension records also are crammed with data including dates and location of service, awards and recognition and time spent overseas. Note that these might be harder to access and there are privacy issues concerning release of some statistics, but worth investigating. By the end of our journey we discovered new details previously blank on the family tree. More importantly, we felt connected to a place that was previously just a spot on the map. As Alex Haley, author of "Roots," so eloquently put it: "In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage -- to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning."
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Interest in genealogy is rising, with many choosing to combine travel with family history research .
Websites like Ancestry.com offer access to billions of indexed records .
Librarians, city clerks, museum officers and clergy members can be solid sources of information .
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(CNN Student News) -- February 22, 2013 . Media Literacy Question of the Day . What methods can news media use to convey the enormity or severity of an event to the audience? * . * . Know Your News -- The following questions relate to events that were covered this week on CNN Student News. Write your answers in the space provided. Click here for a PDF version of this Newsquiz. 1. Who qualified for the pole position at this weekend's Daytona 500? * . * . 2. A 10,000-ton meteor exploded over what country, damaging thousands of buildings? * . * . 3. What U.S. capital city is considering a ban on plastic bags? * . * . 4. The 1963 March on Washington culminated with a rally at what U.S. landmark? * . * . 5. Authorities believe a natural gas leak may have contributed to an explosion and fire at a restaurant in what U.S. city? * . * . 6. Which U.S. economic indicator reached its highest point in five years on Tuesday? * . * . 7. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution discusses the right to bear arms? * . * . 8. What is the name of the natural gas used in many homes and businesses? * . * . 9. Some packages in Europe that were labeled as beef were discovered to contain meat from what type of animal? * . * . 10. In addition to hydrogen, what chemical element makes up polyethylene? * . * .
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Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News .
Write your answers in the space provided .
Today's Newsquiz includes the Media Literacy Question of the Day .
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Benjamin Watson, a tight end for the New Orleans Saints, came home Monday night after a tough loss to the Baltimore Ravens. It was late and surely he was worn out. He turned on the television and saw everything that was going on in Ferguson, Missouri, in the wake of the grand jury decision. As he fixated at the screen, his heart hurt for the people there. The next day, he started to deal with his emotions -- and there were many. Watson, in his 11th NFL season, likes to write down his feelings, so throughout the day he jotted them on his iPhone. While sitting in a Target parking lot as his wife shopped, Watson went back and put the notes together into an emotional Facebook post. One you've probably heard about. And possibly read. That post has 427,000 shares and more than 760,000 likes. There were 78,000 comments at last look. In 611 words, Watson writes he is angry, frustrated, fearful, embarrassed, sad, sympathetic, offended, confused, introspective, hopeless, hopeful and encouraged. He told CNN's Brooke Baldwin on Friday the two sections that resonated the most with him are the ones about introspection and encouragement: . -- I'M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take "our" side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it's us against them. Sometimes I'm just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that's not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That's not right. -- I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through ... his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope. While the religious nature of that final section may turn some readers off, Watson says he thinks it points to a way that people of different races can solve some of the issues they face. "Internally our sin makes us prideful, it makes us judgmental, it makes us prejudice, which leads to racism, it makes us lash out at people that don't look like us. It makes us do all those things. It makes us lash out in anger and makes us point fingers," he told CNN. He finds the answers in the Gospels of the Bible. The message also spoke to many, many people. A comment about his boldness in proclaiming his faith landed 24,000 likes. Watson began his post facing his anger. "It's OK to be angry and to identify your emotion as being angry, because like I said later we like to protect our own," he told CNN. "Because of our life experiences, whether it is being a black American or a white American, because of stories that you've heard over time, because of injustices that have happened or maybe being accused of something you didn't do or being accused of being racist when you're not, we have these certain histories and we react because of those." He said the key is to get past that first level of emotion. You have to understand why you are angry, he said. And then take it a step further. We need to understand the other side brings his own experiences to each situation. "It's really important that we take a step back sometimes and think about the other side before we make accusations and assumptions," he said.
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Benjamin Watson sometimes shares his thoughts about life on his Facebook page .
A post about the emotions he felt on day after Ferguson decision was read by many .
He closed by saying Bible offers hope that we can get past divisiveness .
Watson plays tight end for the New Orleans Saints .
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The most chilling place I've ever visited is the former Nazi death camp of Dachau, not far from Munich, Germany. Nobody enters Dachau. It enters you. First as a series of surface impressions: the gate with the infamous sign and heinous lie, "Arbeit Mach Frei" (Work Will Set You Free), the crematorium and gas chambers, the gallery of black and white photos. On our visit in the middle of winter, the atmosphere felt so charged with particles of memories and electrons of history floating around that it was like being in the middle of an electrical storm, but everyone was too horror struck to say anything. Until then, all our knowledge of World War II had come from secondhand sources, like memoirs and movies. Now we were seeing it all as if for the first time, while feeling a part of history instead of apart from it. And that gave the holocaust a whole new authority and authenticity. This is one of the purposes of "dark tourism," a type of travel that's been gaining ground and winning proponents as more wanderers search out "authentic experiences," preferring hard-bitten realism to Photoshopped fantasies, and home truths over tourist-board propaganda. The genre has also gained a newfound respectability in academic circles after the establishment of the Institute for Dark Tourism Research (iDTR) at the University of Lancashire in England in 2012, which defines it as: "the act of travel to sites, attractions and exhibitions of death, disaster or the seemingly macabre. Dark tourism is a broad ranging and often contentious consumer activity that can provoke debate about how death and the dead are packaged up and consumed within the modern visitor economy." These attractions, which include both the 9/11 Memorial in New York and Dracula's Castle in Romania, are surging in popularity among visitors to Southeast Asia, where sights that chronicle the Vietnam War and the 2004 Asian tsunami, the rise of colonialism and the fallout of World War II, supply insights and shivers in equal doses. Hanoi Hilton . History is full of Orwellian ironies, like the oppressed turning into the oppressors. Hoa Lo Prison, constructed by the French in 1896 to house Vietnamese revolutionaries, is one such paradox -- it eventually became a jail for the communists to hold American fighter pilots grounded by gunfire over North Vietnam. When "dark tourism" destinations are presented with artistic panache the results go far beyond partisan politics and propaganda purposes. The "Hanoi Hilton," as it was sarcastically dubbed by its American inmates, uses a multimedia approach to conjure the reality of death row. Dungeon-dim lighting and effigies of shackled prisoners are combined with expressionistic etchings of inmates on the courtyard walls, grainy film footage of aerial combat scenes and an actual French guillotine used to behead Vietnamese prisoners, to provide a level of physical and psychological immersion that feels like incarceration. Hoa Lo Prison, 1 Hoa Lo St., Phu Khanh village, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam; +84 (0)4 824 6358 . Bangkok Forensic Medicine Museum . Students who come to bone up on anatomy at the Songkran Niyomsane Forensic Medicine Museum in the Thai capital bow to thank the skeletons in the glass cases whom they address as "ajarn yai" (headmaster). For them, this is a classroom not a crypt. Having spent a lot of time here while researching a true crime and Asian horror novella about the country's most prolific serial killer, See Ouey, whose preserved corpse is housed in a glass case, I've been astonished by how many adolescents visit the museum to gawk at the graphic autopsy photos and Exhibits A to Z of murder weapons. But these are instructional, too. The images show neither the glamorized violence found in Hollywood films (the slow motion ballet of bullets flying and bodies falling), nor the cartoonish violence of computer games. What they depict are slices of death served raw and real. But there's a brighter side to dark tourism. In front of the glass jars holding the tiny fetuses of infants and stillborn babies, locals have left candy, dolls and toys to appease their spirits, make Buddhist merit and ward off hauntings. Songkran Niyomsane Forensic Medicine Museum, Siriraj Hospital, 2 Prannok Road, Siriraj, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok, Thailand; +66 (0)2 419 7000 6363 . The Killing Fields, Cambodia . The first time I visited the Choeung Ek Killing Fields outside Phnom Penh in 2003, I was transfixed by a tree with a sign on it that read in Khmer and English: "Chankiri tree against which executioners beat children." This was done to save bullets. My driver pointed at the nails sticking out of the tree that had been used to drive home the regime's barbarity and speed up the executions. Just then, a little girl appeared, right beside the tree, her face peeking over an urn stacked with bones that went up to her neck. It was as if an apparition of the deceased had appeared before us, when in fact it was one of the many children who used to beg here. The tree is still there, but the kids are not. When local authorities renovated the so-called Killing Fields in 2011, this series of mass graves, where the Khmer Rouge executed and buried the inmates of Tuol Sleng, a high school turned torture chamber, they turned it into a full-fledged tourism spectacle, complete with audio tours, benches, refreshment stalls and souvenir stands. It's certainly a much more audio-visual experience than it used to be. Now you can listen to the Khmer Rouge songs that once blasted from speakers to drown out the cries of the condemned men and women being beaten to death with the axles of oxcarts, or having their throats slit with the serrated edges of a palm frond. Still, I was of those who had to wonder, as the top "tourism attraction" in Phnom Penh, when does big business become blasphemy? Choeung Ek Killing Fields are located about a 30-minute drive from the center of Phnom Penh. Penang War Museum, Malaysia . It takes a gruesome pedigree to make it onto National Geographic Channel's Top 10 List of most haunted places in Asia, as named in its series, "I Wouldn't Go In There." Sitting atop "Ghost Hill," beside Chinese graveyards and tower blocks, the Penang War Museum in Malaysia has just such a pedigree. "This was one of places that was most fascinating for me," the show's host, Robert Joe, told CNN. But it may be more haunted by history than otherworldly forces. "People might think it's a ghost show, but it's actually a history show," said Joe. "We investigate places that have ghost stories, but these places are actually haunted by history. A lot of terrible things happened." The museum in Penang is no exception. Much of its history revolves around World War II atrocities. As the legend of "Vlad the Impaler," a despotic ruler from Romania, birthed the Dracula legend, so the bloodthirsty reputation of a Japanese police colonel named Tadashi Suzuki, whose constant companion was a samurai sword he used to behead locals, created a phantom said to still haunt "Ghost Hill." A few other ghouls whose effigies adorn the trails twisting around the museum are said to roam free -- ghouls that the workers claim they saw when clearing the property some 10 years ago. Penang War Museum, Lot 1350 Mukim 12, Merah Barat Daya, 11960, Malaysia; +60 (0)16 421 3606 . Tsunami tombstones . The towering waves triggered by the underwater earthquake off the coast of Indonesia on December 26, 2004, claimed victims as far away as Somalia and triggered aftershocks in Alaska. The worst natural catastrophe of the century thus far, the tsunami left a trail of havoc along Thailand's Andaman Coast. The most prominent memorial is a police boat on Khao Lak -- the beach community north of Phuket that bore the brunt of the waves' wrath in Thailand. Some 20 meters long and 50 tons huge, the vessel was swept about one kilometer inland, where it's remained immobile at the bottom of a foothill. It's a few minutes walk from the International Tsunami Museum, heavy on photos and videos but light on science and artifacts. Farther down the coast, in the coastal village of Ban Nam Khem, which was almost completely annihilated after being slammed by three successive waves, two fishing trawlers, known locally as the "Blue Angel" and "Red Devil," have been left in an empty lot a kilometer inland to commemorate the 6,000 victims in Thailand. Also in the village, the Tsunami Memorial Park features a wave-shaped tunnel leading past plaques, photos, flowers and other offerings for the dead. The images in the nearby museum chronicle the collaborations between volunteers and locals, travelers and expats, monks and medical professionals and manual laborers, who formed an hoc team of altruists in action. When grasping for superlatives to describe the extremities of that tumultuous situation for the final novella, "Tsunami," in my new collection, I recalled a line from Malcolm Lowry's novel "Under the Volcano," set on the Day of the Dead in Mexico, one of the most important events on the dark tourism calendar: "But it's amazing when you come to think of it how the human spirit seems to blossom in the shadow of the abattoir." Perhaps that could also serve as a guideline for those who dare to travel on the dark side of the road. The International Tsunami Museum and police boat is at 39/8 Moo 6, Bang Niang, in Khao Lak; +66 81 442 5660. The Ban Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Park is located in the village of Nam Khem, about 30 kilometers north of Khao Lak.
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Dark tourism is gaining ground as more travelers seek out authentic experiences .
Establishment of the Institute for Dark Tourism Research has given the genre newfound respectability .
Sites in Southeast Asia include Cambodia's Killing Fields, Thailand tsunami memorials, 'haunted' Penang Hill .
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By . Alex Gore . PUBLISHED: . 05:43 EST, 3 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:41 EST, 4 June 2012 . A shamed prison officer who swapped sexy letters and phone calls with inmates could end up behind bars. A court heard Zanib Khan had 'inappropriate relationships' with three prisoners - thought to include drug dealers - in their late 20s. The 27-year-old shared intimate calls with male inmates on mobile phones smuggled into Brixton prison in London. Police also found sexy love letters from prisoners at Khan's home in Ilford, east London. Misconduct: Brixton prison in south London where Zanib Khan worked as an officer and had 'inappropriate relationships' with inmates . Officers believe she was also close to four other prisoners over three years. As Khan left Southwark Crown Court, where she admitted misconduct in a public office, she told The Sun: 'I've been stupid. I made a silly mistake and I have quit my job.' Prison Service spokesman, Paul Halford, said Khan was suspended after being arrested and she subsequently resigned. He added: 'We take the issue of staff inappropriate behavior extremely seriously. 'The vast majority of Prison Service staff are honest, hardworking and professional. 'The Prison Service seeks to create and support a culture which values integrity above all and rejects corruption and dishonesty wherever it is found.' Khan hopes to get off with community service but could be jailed when she appears before a judge this week. Scotland Yard's Prison Anti-corruption Team found no evidence of a sexual relationship between Khan and any of the inmates.
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Court hears of Khan's 'inappropriate relationships' with male prisoners .
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They are the most loyal of pets, so it is perhaps no surprise that dogs become jealous when we don’t show the same level of devotion. A study found that dogs, like people, can experience envy. Faced to watch their owner pet a potential rival, they snap, jump, paw and push. Scroll down for video . The University of California studied 36 dogs in their own homes while owners were told to ignore their pet in favour of a stuffed dog or a bucket. Dogs exhibited jealous behaviour such as snapping and pushing when their owner displayed affection for the stuffed toy. Stock image pictured . While dog owners may not find the result very surprising, some scientists have argued that the complexity of thought behind jealousy makes it a uniquely human emotion. For centuries, dogs have been man's best friend. But it turns out canines would drop humanity for artificial intelligence in a second if offered a treat. A study in Animal Cognition found that dogs interacted with robots similar to how they would with humans if those robots seemed 'social'. The researchers conducted their experiment by having a robot point out hidden food to a dog and measuring their reactions to the robots directions. But the dogs were better able to find the hidden food when the robot had a human face on it's monitor, and acted 'socially'. To find out if this was the case, the University of California researchers videoed 36 dogs in their own homes as their owners ignored them in favour of a stuffed dog, another toy or a book. The toy dog barked, whined and wagged its tail at the push of a button and the real dogs seemed to be taken in by the act. They were around twice as likely to push or touch their owner when he or she was petting and talking sweetly to the stuffed dog as when the owner was displaying the same behaviour towards the other toy. Even fewer pushed or touched their owner when the book was being read aloud. Just under a third of the dogs also tried to get between their owner and the stuffed animal and a quarter snapped at the ‘other dog’ but only one did so at the other toy and the book. The study found the dogs were around twice as likely to push or touch their owner when he or she was petting and talking sweetly to the false dog (stock image pictured left) as when the owner was displaying the same behaviour towards the bucket (stock image pictured right) Samwise (pictured) was one of three border collies that inspired the study on dog jealousy . This shows that the dogs weren’t simply reacting to the loss of attention and affection. Instead, . their main concern seemed to be that this attention and affection had . been switched to another dog, the journal PLOS ONE reports. The fact that most of the pets tried to sniff the bottom of the toy dog also suggests that they thought it was real. Researcher Professor Christine Harris . said: ‘Our study suggests not only that dogs do engage in what appear to . be jealous behaviours but also that they were seeking to break up that . connection between the owner and a seeming rival. ‘We . can’t really speak to the dogs’ subjective experiences, of course, but . it looks as though they were motivated to protect an important social . relationship.’ She added . that research into jealousy is important because it can have . far-reaching consequences, including, at the extreme, murder. The professor said her findings suggest that jealousy is not uniquely human. Nor is it simply tied to sex and romance. And . with babies as young as six weeks seemingly capable of experiencing . envy, it may have evolved as a way of ensuring that the very young can . compete with siblings for parental love and help.
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The University of California studied 36 dogs in their own homes .
Owners were told to ignore their pet in favour of a stuffed dog or a bucket .
In a third test, the owner was asked to read a musical pop-up book .
Dogs exhibited jealous behaviour such as snapping and pushing when their owner displayed affection for the stuffed dog .
This behaviour was twice as likely than when the owner touched the bucket .
Even fewer pushed or touched their owner when the book was being read .
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The on-off girlfriend of Kim Kardashian's infamous sex tape partner Ray J has been arrested for allegedly 'beating him to a bloody pulp'. TMZ reports that Princess Love attacked her 34-year-old partner last Wednesday morning around 3am in New Orleans after waiting for him to return to his hotel from a strip club. Ray J reportedly told police that Princess went 'ballistic' before cracking several of his ribs, busting his lip open, and tearing a ligament in his knee. Scroll down for video . Threat: Princess Love, pictured with Ray J back in September, apparently beat the rapper 'to a pulp' after he spent the night at a new Orleans strip club last Wednesday . Someone staying at the W French Quarter Hotel also apparently heard Princess scream: 'I'm gonna kill you.' A security guard at the complex then saw Ray J bleeding and called 911, according to TMZ. Police confirmed to MailOnline that Princess was charged with domestic abuse and battery. Putting their argument to one side, Ray J apparently bailed his girlfriend out and paid $10,000 for her lawyer. Despite the severity of the reports, in recent Instagram photographs Ray does not appear to show any sign of injury. His face is not bruised and his lips are not cut. Scene of the crime: Someone staying at the W French Quarter Hotel also told TMZ that they heard Princess scream: 'I'm gonna kill you' before the alleged attack . Were they engaged? Ray, of course, is best known for his relationship with Kim Kardashian during which they filmed their notorious infamous sex tape which was leaked in 2007 (here the couple are pictured in 2006) Ray J, of course, is best known for his relationship with Kim Kardashian during which they filmed their notorious infamous sex tape which was leaked in 2007. Kardashian filed a lawsuit against Vivid Entertainment, who distributed the film as Kim K Superstar. She then dropped the suit and settled for $5 million. Ray - real name William Ray Norwood Jr - and his Love & Hop Hop Hollywood star girlfriend have had something of a fractious relationship of late. After splitting last October, they fought for custody of their tiny Maltese pooch Boogotti but then appeared to get back together. Then in December Princess reportedly threatened to take her own life after seeing a photograph of Ray with model Karrueche Tran a day after they decided to go on another break. Karrueche's representatives later dismissed the claims, telling MailOnline: 'This is not true.' MailOnline has contacted Ray's representative for a comment.
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Princess Love allegedly attacked Ray J, 34, last Wednesday night in New Orleans after waiting for him to return to his hotel from a strip club .
Police confirmed to MailOnline that she was charged with domestic abuse and battery .
Ray reportedly told police that Princess went 'ballistic' before cracking several of his ribs, busting his lip open, and tearing a ligament in his knee .
Despite the severity of the reports, in recent Instagram photographs Ray does not appear to show any sign of injury .
His face is not bruised and his lips are not cut .
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By . Lucy Waterlow . In 2014 many people will be seeking a date for Valentine's Day via dating websites and smart phone apps. Gone are the days when women had to wait to be asked to dance at a stately hall ball or seek their father's approval on whether a man was rich enough to take their hand in marriage. Back when Jane Austen was penning her novels in 19th century England, a woman's reputation was everything and finding a husband was imperative. But while many of the traditions from that time have changed, there's still a lot that modern day daters can learn from their literary heroines... Timeless: Modern women can still learn from Jane Austen's stories which are no longer just books but films and TV series too . We all know that first impressions count on a first date but don't be too quick to judge. In Pride and Prejudice Mr Darcy dismisses Lizzie Bennett as 'barely tolerable' and 'not handsome enough to tempt me' after their first meeting but soon realises the error of his ways once he gets to know her. Our friends may have our best interests at heart but they don't always make the ideal matchmakers. A man they deem to be your perfect match could actually be the opposite. This is proved in the novel, Emma, when the book's heroine Emma Woodhouse convinces her friend Harriet Smith that farmer Robert Martin isn't the man for her and she should reject his proposal. She instead encourages her to pursue the gentleman Mr Elton but this ends in tears when he reveals he doesn't have feelings for her. If only Harriet had followed her heart. As Austen writes: 'You must be the best judge of your own happiness.' But keep your friends close as you will certainly need them as you negotiate the dating scene as Austen observes in Northanger Abbey: 'Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.' Wasn't love at first sight: But the path of true love ran smoothly for Mr Darcy and Lizzy Bennett in the end in Pride and Prejudice . Too good to be true: Online daters have to be wary of boastful profiles . When online dating, it's not easy to know if you can believe someone is who they really say they are when they boast of their riches and good-looks on their profile. Unfortunately, it was the same in Austen's day and men who seemed too good to be true usually were. She illustrates this in the character of Mr Wickham in Pride and Prejudice, a charming soldier who makes a wonderful impression on everyone he meets and seems like the perfect catch. However, he turns out to be untrustworthy after it is revealed he gambled away his inheritance and nearly ruins the reputation of Lydia Bennett by convincing her to elope with him. He had no intention of making her an 'honest woman' by marrying her but is forced to do so by Mr Darcy. Wise words: Author Jane Austen . Hands up if you've been guilty of rejecting someone just because they weren't an inch taller, didn't earn enough money or shared your love of your favourite film. While it's fine to have standards, being too fussy could prevent you from finding true love. Mr Darcy shows he was being a bit too picky when he declares in Pride and Prejudice that he is looking for an 'accomplished woman' who 'must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.' Marianne Dashwood also fears she will never meet a man to meet her high standards in Sense and Sensibility when she declares: 'Mama, the more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!' She adds: 'I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter in all my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both.' Looking for such a Mr Right could leave you single for a long time. In Sense and Sensibility, the wise Elinor cautions her younger sister Marianne not to get carried away with her feelings for Mr Willoughby after he comes to her rescue. Elinor advises her to be more prudent: 'Pray, pray be composed, and do not betray what you feel to every body present.' But Marianne doesn't listen and gets caught up in a whirlwind romance before having her heart broken. Fools rush in: Marianne in Sense and Sensibility, played by Kate Winslet in the film, listened to her heart over her head . In Mansfield Park, after being rejected by Mr Crawford, Maria Bertram marries for money. Later she is reunited with her first love and they have an affair which leads to her fall from grace. Playing cupid: But that meant Emma, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, almost missed out on love her herself . Emma is so busy involving herself in other people's business she completely misses the fact that her one and only is her life-long friend Mr Knightley - until another woman expresses an interest in him. Austen writes of her Eureka moment: 'A few minutes were sufficient for making her acquainted with her own heart. A mind like hers, once opening to suspicion, made rapid progress; she touched, she admitted, she acknowledged the whole truth... Mr Knightley must marry no one but herself!' Could your true love be staring you in the face? In Sense and Sensibility Marianne's relatives are concerned when Mr Willoughby insists their relationship must be kept secret - and it turns out he is engaged to someone else. Meanwhile, Elinor's intended beau Edward Ferrars has been secretly engaged to Lucy Steel for four years and regrets his proposal. So if a new man refuses to introduce you to his friends and family, won't acknowledge being in a relationship with you on Facebook or otherwise and insists your dates remain secret, consider why. If he loves you (and if he's really single), he shouldn't hide you. Happily ever after: But women today don't need a man for financial security . In Pride and Prejudice, poor Charlotte Lucas becomes engaged to Mr Collins. 'There is no earthly reason why I shouldn't be as happy with him as any other', she tells Lizzy, to which she responds: 'But he's ridiculous!' Charlotte tells her friend she 'can't afford to be romantic' because at 'I'm twenty-seven years old, I've no money and no prospects. I'm already a burden to my parents and I'm frightened. So don't you judge me, Lizzy.' Thankfully women today don't have to be dependent on their parents and then a husband for money and a roof over their heads (and 27 is no longer considered an age which it's old to be unmarried). Austenland, a film about a woman obsessed with Pride and Prejudice who travels to a Jane Austen theme park in search for her perfect gentleman is out now on DVD .
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Times and technology have changed since Jane Austen's day .
But some things still remain true when it comes to finding true love .
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By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 09:19 EST, 29 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 29 November 2013 . Delayed mail: A love letter written to Muhammed Siddeeq turned up more than 50 years later, long after he had married and then divorced its sender . A love letter intended for a US college student turned up in his mailbox more than 50 years after it was sent - and decades after he had married and then divorced its writer. Muhammed Siddeeq was a student at the California University of Pennsylvania in 1958 when his then girlfriend Vonnie wrote the heartfelt note. But the letter didn't reach Siddeeq until he was aged 74 and by that stage he had married Vonnie, had four children together and gone through a bitter divorce in the 1960s. The note found its way to Siddeeq despite the fact that he changed his name from Clark Moore in the 1970s when he converted to Islam and had changed address several times. The extraordinary delay in delivering the piece of mail has found its way into the latest edition of Ripley's Believe It Or Not. At the time of the letter, Vonnie was living in Pittsburgh almost 60km from where Siddeeq was studying. According to USA Today, she wrote: 'I still miss you as much as ever and love you a thousand times more.' She signed it: 'Love Forever, Vonnie.' Although the pair corresponded regularly, the letter got lost in the post. But it eventually found its way into the California University of Pennsylvania mailbox more than five decades later and ended up in Siddeeq's possession when someone contacted the university having seen a news report about it on television. According to Ripley however, the delay is not a world record, with several other pieces of mail taking long to reach their target destination. Although the couple have long been divorced, the letter did serve one purpose according to Siddeeq. He said: 'For the first time the kids could see that their mother and I, at one time, had a good, loving relationship which is important for them to know.' Siddeeq, a retired maths and science teacher, became a public figure when he pushed for an investigation into the shooting of a 16-year-old boy in police custody in Indianapolis in 1987. He was also a spiritual adviser to boxer Mike Tyson in the 1990s during his jail term for rape. California University of Pennsylvania campus where the letter eventually turned up .
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Muhammed Siddeeq was a student at California University of Pennsylvania in 1958 .
His then girlfriend Vonnie set a letter from Pittsburgh signed 'love forever'
But the note didn't arrive until teacher Siddeeq was in his seventies .
By then the pair had married, had four children and subsequently divorced .
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Police fear a Brisbane father and his two young sons, who haven't been seen in over a week, may be stranded in an isolated part of outback Queensland. Stephen van Lonkhuyzen, 37, and his boys Ethan, 7, and Timothy, 5, vanished after starting out on a 1700km Christmas holiday road trip from Brisbane to Cairns. They left their home at Lota, in Brisbane's east, on December 11 and were expected to arrived in Cairns on December 15. But Mr Van Lonkhuyzon hasn't made contact with family and friends in over a week. The trio were last seen at a petrol station at Miles, northwest of Toowoomba, on December 11. Scroll down for video . Stephen van Lonkhuyzen, 37, (left) and his boys Ethan, 7, and Timothy, 5, (right) went missing on a road trip . 'Police hold concerns for their whereabouts as it is totally out of character for them not to make regular contact with family,' a spokesman said in a statement. Mr Lonkhuyzen last contacted his wife at Taroom on December 11 after he and his sons travelled inland to do some sightseeing. Detective Acting Superintendent Owen Elloy said Mr Van Lonkhuyzen may have decided to take his sons camping off-road and become stranded because of recent heavy rain. He said a massive search has been launched across a huge area of outback Queensland. 'We have had police, including those from Miles, Wondoan and Taroom, patrol hundreds of kilometres of outback roads, as well as camp grounds and truck stops,' he said. 'This is a vast geographical area that we are talking about and many roads are cut due to localised flooding or swollen creeks.' He urged property owners, station workers and motorists to keep an eye out for the trio. The family is travelling in a 1995 model white Mitsubishi Pajero, Queensland Registration 426 MCZ, and they are towing a silver trailer. The trio left Taroom on December 11 and were due to arrive in Cairns four days later but never did .
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Stephen van Lonkhuyzen, 37, and his boys Ethan, 7, and Timothy, 5, left their home at Lota, in Brisbane's east, about midnight on December 11 .
The trio were due to arrive in Cairns on December 15 but never did .
They are travelling in a white Mitsubishi Pajero with registration 426MCZ and towing a trailer .
Police say many outback roads have been cut because of flooding and swollen creeks .
It is believed the car was last filled with fuel at Miles on December 11 .
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By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 05:05 EST, 21 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:38 EST, 21 May 2013 . A man survived the Moore tornado yesterday by sheltering in a horse stall as the stable he was in was carried more than 100ft in the storm. Lando Hite credits his native knowledge of Oklahoma tornadoes with saving his life. He said he instinctively knew the weather had become dangerous when he noticed the storm winds drop and every 'go quiet'. Scroll down for video . Lando Hite standing in front of the devastated farm where he lived and worked survived the tornado by sheltering in a horse stall which collapsed on top of him . The horse exercise rider and caretaker looked outside, giving him vital seconds to take cover. He told new station KFOR: 'It was unbearably loud. There were horses and stuff flying around everywhere. Just like the movie Twister.' He said he immediately tried to free some of the horses on the ranch where he lives before hiding in the stall. Shirtless and covered in mud, Mr Hite said the stalls collapsed on top of him as they were pummeled by the wind and a pick-up truck was pushed on top of the stable. He said: 'I had no idea it was coming. I just figured a storm is coming . then it went quiet. When it did that, being from Oklahoma I came outside . to see all this debris flying this way.' 24 people have been confirmed dead in the devastating two-mile wide tornado. Initial numbers put the death toll at 91 people, including about 20 children, but authorities say the chaos of the storm's aftermath is making it difficult to give precise numbers. Nine children were confirmed as among the dead. Hite said all but one of their 80 horses died in the tornado. Elsewhere, injured horses huddle together near Drexel . Rescuers pull a horse free from the remains of day care center and destroyed barns in Moore . The 200mph tornado smashed its way across the community of 41,000 for 45 minutes. Search efforts are ongoing under flood lights as rescuers look under collapsed buildings in the town. Mr Hite cared for 80 horses on the Orr Family Farm, a local tourist attraction, but believes that just one of the animals survived. He said five sturdy barns, including one where he lived, were completely destroyed. While the farm owners were able to shelter in the basement, Mr Hite said he did not have enough time to make it to the house. The caretaker told KFOR that he had lost everything in the tornado. Areas of the town, including the Plaza Towers Elementary School (pictured) were leveled by the tornado . Fatalities: 24 people were confirmed dead yesterday including nine children. Shocking images and videos emerged of the tornado which caught many off guard . Farm owners Glenn Orr and his son Tom said that all the staff were safe. They said on their Facebook page: 'We are physically alright, but we have sustained a large amount of damage at the farm and adjacent properties. 'We are still assessing damage to both properties and animals.' In a second post, the family thanks well-wishers and said they had been inundated with officers of help to care for the animals.
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Lando Hite hid in stall which collapsed on him as it was battered by winds .
Credits his innate knowledge of Oklahoma tornadoes with saving his life .
Instinctively knew to shelter when storm winds outside dropped .
Said the two-mile wide tornado was 'just like movie Twister'
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This touching video shows a team of rescuers as they work tirelessly to save a dog after it fell into hot tar in western India. The animal was left unable to move after it slipped into the thick, sticky substance and it cooled - coating its fur in a solid layer of tar. A passer-by spotted the dog as it lay on the ground covered in dirt and twigs, and phoned a local rescue centre based in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Scroll down for video . Desperate: The dog, seen covered in twigs and leaves on the ground, was left unable to move after the thick, sticky substance solidified - coating its fur in a rigid layer of tar . Gentle: The team from Animal Aid Unlimited work to slowly free the animal from the rigid layer of tar. They use vegetable oil to soften the substance - pulling clumps of it away as it comes loose . The video shows a team from Animal Aid Unlimited as they begin to work on freeing the dog - slowly massaging tar from its limbs and body as it lies on the dirt. The rescuers use small amounts of vegetable oil to soften the tar, gently pulling clumps of the congealed substance away as it comes loose. While the team work, the dog can be seen blinking slowing into the camera - trying to look at everything that is going on around him. The rescuers, who worked over two days to free the animal, described the tar as being 'as hard as rock'. Helpless: The dog can be seen looking around at the rescuers as they work to save his life. The animal was spotted by a volunteer as it lay on the ground . Unrecognisable: At the end of the video, the dog can be seen happily playing with a volunteer, its chocolate-coloured coat now visible . Friendly: The dog wags its tail as it is fed snacks in a lush garden. Every year the team rescues thousands of hurt and sick animals and provide sanctuary to those who need life-long care . At the end of the video, the dog is unrecognisable - its chocolate-brown fur visible for the first time. It happily wags its tail as it is fed by one of the volunteers, moving around easily in a leafy garden. Animal Aid is a rescue center, hospital and sanctuary for injured and ill street animals in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Every year the team rescues thousands of hurt and sick animals and provide sanctuary to those who need life-long care.
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Dog was spotted after it fell into hot tar in Rajasthan, western India .
It was left unable to move after the thick substance cooled, coating its fur .
Team of rescuers worked for two days to free the helpless animal .
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By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 07:58 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:58 EST, 8 August 2013 . At first glance they look like ordinary trees - albeit very tall, thin ones. But on closer inspection it becomes clear that the palms, pines and firs are in fact cellphone towers. Phone companies in South Africa have taken to disguising the controversial masts so they fit into suburban streets. Blending in: Phone companies in South Africa disguise cellphone masts as trees to make them fit in . Surroundings: The masts are disguised as trees native to the area . Pioneering: The idea was first developed in South Africa in 1996 when a mast was turned into a palm . Photographer Dillon Marsh has created a series of some of the camouflaged towers erected around Cape Town. Called 'Invasive Species', the collections shows the lengths telecommunications companies have gone to make residents feel comfortable with having the masts so near to their homes. Mr Marsh said: 'A palm tree appeared almost overnight in a suburb of Cape Town. 'This was supposedly one of the world's first ever disguised cell phone tower. 'Since then these trees have spread across the city, South Africa and the rest of the world. 'Invasive Species explores the relationship between the environment and the disguised towers of Cape Town and its surrounds.' Wood for the trees: From a distance some of the disguised masts are very convincing . Controversial: Companies have gone to great lengths so residents feel comfortable with the nearby masts . Fake trees: Dillon Marsh has photographed the masts for a collection called Invasive Species . The features masts were erected in suburbs or towns all within 60km Cape Town's city centre. The photographer said it took six months to complete the work. He said: 'There were already a wide variety of designs by the time I started photographing. 'The designs loosely mimic trees that are found in the local environment.' According to Wired, the world's first Palm Pole Tower was developed in the mid-1990s by Ivo Branislav Lazic of South African telecommunications company Brolaz Projects and his colleague Aubrey Trevor Thomas. Felled: Some of the cellphone towers are even make to look like felled or dead trees . Project: Mr Marsh said the series explores the relationship between the phone masts and their environment . Challenge: The photographer spent six months on the project and all the masts are within 60km of Cape Town . It was placed into service in 1996 for Vodacom, one of South Africa's leading cellular operators. Brolaz say that more than a 1000 of these and similar camouflaged structures have been erected in South Africa and are also exported to USA, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. The company claim that increasing public approval, as well as advancements in antenna technology, have seen them expand the range of camouflaged options from the original Palm Trees to include other trees, lighthouses, windmills and roadside advertising structures.
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Dillon Marsh spent six months photographing them for a collection .
Invasive Species series follows relationship between masts and environment .
Phone companies camouflage the masts so they blend in .
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(CNN) -- Hated by the English Premier League champions, chastised by the UK's Prime Minister and even lampooned by a pizza company -- is Luis Suarez the number one enemy to English football? If the Uruguayan had not already secured his place as the "Enfant Terrible" of the English game then he now has that role all wrapped up. As Suarez sank his teeth into the flesh of Branislav Ivanovic, he put paid to the old adage of "once bitten, twice shy." No sooner had the Liverpool striker been handed a 10-game ban for his meal on Merseyside than the entire footballing world began a furious debate over the severity of the punishment. "The FA should explain how they've come to 10 games," Rory Smith, football writer at The Times newspaper speaking before the FA released the reasoning behind their decision, told CNN. "If they've taken his past transgressions into account then that's understandable, but by not explaining they're allowing for lots of speculation and conspiracy. "They could have given seven matches, which is the same as the Dutch FA so it would be interesting to see their reasoning. "It's unusual for past offenses to be taken into account and perhaps there is a thought that they have something against Suarez. "The problem they have now is that next time there is a reckless challenge which goes over the top of the ball and hurts a player, what are they going to do? "Are they saying biting is worse?" Suarez is no saint. That much has been clear ever since that infamous handball at the 2010 World Cup which deprived Ghana of a place in the semifinal and earned him a red card and his country a place in the last four. Then there was the episode where he was labeled as the "Cannibal of Amsterdam" after he was hit with a seven match ban for biting PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal's shoulder during a match in November 2010. His reputation was tarnished further when he was given an eight-match suspension and a $63,000 fine after being found guilty by the Football Association of racially abusing Patrice Evra. After Sunday's game, Suarez, 26, was quick to apologize for his antics and would have hoped for a lesser sentence. But he appears to have found himself in the unenviable role of English football's hate figure. One company in the UK has even brought out a Suarez pizza where customers are invited to bite into his face, which is shaped with various toppings. The Uruguayan has won few friends outside of Anfield, despite riding high in the English Premier League goalscoring charts with 23 so far this season. His constant niggling away at defenders, his penchant for diving around the penalty area and his often childish behavior has riled opponents and opposing fans. But this latest incident, which occurred during last Sunday's 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Anfield has caused outrage both within and outside the realms of sport. Such was the outcry at Suarez's actions that even British Prime Minister David Cameron felt compelled to offer his opinion on the matter. "It is rightly a matter for the football authorities to consider," a Downing Street spokesman said. "As part of their consideration, I think it would be very understandable if they took into account the fact that high-profile players are often role models." In a statement issued by the FA on Wednesday, the organization which runs the English game insisted that "a suspension of three matches was clearly insufficient and the player will serve a further seven first-team matches in addition to the standard three." Liverpool, which has until midday on Friday to respond, has already criticized the decision and the severity of the ban. Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre told the club's official site: "Both the club and player are shocked and disappointed at the severity of today's Independent Regulatory Commission decision. "We await the written reasons tomorrow before making any further comment." What rankles with many critics of the ban is that it appears out of proportion when compared to punishments handed out for similar offenses. Writing on the CNN World Sport Facebook page, Jason Noblit said: "It should have been five games. No doubt he deserves to be punished, but the FA is too happy to demonstrate it has double standards for players like Suarez." But others disagreed with Moustafa Ali adding: I think they gave him the right punishment , especially he has blemish record against other players like Evra and Bakkal." During a Premier League game in 2006, Tottenham's Jermain Defoe was shown just a yellow card for biting Javier Mascherano, then playing for West Ham United. At the time, an FA spokesman said: "We are unable to take any action because the referee has already dealt with the incident. "FIFA regulations prevent us from taking retrospective action." Suarez's ban is also longer than that of former Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher, who was suspended for eight games after his elbow on Pedro Mendes left the player unconscious. The FA also issued a further 15-match ban suspended for two years, while the club fined him six weeks wages and prohibited him from playing for six weeks . Suarez's ban is by no means the most severe handed out by the FA. In 1998, current Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio was banned for 11 games after pushing a referee while playing for Sheffield Wednesday. Five years later, Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand was suspended for eight months after missing a drugs test. Another Manchester United star, Eric Cantona, was banned for nine months after launching a kung-fu style kick at a supporter during a game at Crystal Palace in 1995. Di Canio, Ferdinand and Cantona all went on to enjoy successful Premier League careers, despite their off-field problems. Suarez could yet follow suit with his name on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year Award -- voted on by his peers -- which will be handed out on Sunday. And if he does pick up the prestigious trophy, you can be assured that there will be the gnashing of teeth around the football world.
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Luis Suarez hit with 10-game ban for biting by Football Association .
Punishment appears out of proportion with in comparison with past bans .
Pizza company offers customers chance to "bite Suarez's face"
In contention to win top player award voted by his fellow professionals on Sunday .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . A pit bull and a Chihuahua from Georgia proved they were best friends recently when the larger dog carried its small, injured pal to safety - and now they're looking for a loving home together. About a week ago, pit bull Jonie was found carrying her injured friend Chachi inside her mouth, around a Savannah, Georgia, neighborhood. According to animal control officers, the Chihuahua had a badly infected eye and Jonie was every now and then putting her pal down to lick the wound. Best friends: 'It's not every day we get to see such devotion between two special dogs like this,' Animal Control Officer Christina Sutherin, pictured with Jonie, right, and Chachi, left, said . Need a home: Jonie and Chachi have proved they're the best of friends, and now they're looking for an owner . Chachi 'appreciated the attention,' according to a Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department Facebook post. The officers then took the cute canines to Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Animal Control Shelter, where the Chihuahua underwent eye surgery. Vets couldn't save the damaged eye, however they managed to stitch it up pretty well. He was then reunited with his 'soul mate,' though they're not living together currently to allow Chachi to recover properly. Friends: About a week ago, pit bull Jonie was found carrying her injured friend Chachi inside her mouth, around a Savannah, Georgia, neighborhood . Injured: According to animal control officers, the Chihuahua's badly infected eye and Jonie was every now and then putting her pal down to lick the wound . Officers said they were extremely excited to see each other, 'licking, whining, caressing and finally cuddling.' 'It's not every day we get to see such devotion between two special dogs like this,' Animal Control Officer Christina Sutherin said. The pets were named by the shelter after the Happy Days couple who married in the final episode. 'They are both such sweet animals. But the relationship they share just sets them apart.' Initially, police expected the dogs' owner to come forward. Too late: Veterinarians couldn't save the damaged eye, however they managed to stitch it up pretty well . Cute: 'They are both such sweet animals. But the relationship they share just sets them apart,' Sutherin said of the pets . However, they're now appealing for someone to adopt them since no one has yet claimed the pair, obviously keeping them together. Sutherin told the Huffington Post that neither one of the dogs seems to care about another dog they are exposed to, only each other. 'They truly appear to be soul mates,' she said.
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The Chihuahua's badly infected eye and Jonie was every now and then putting her pal down to lick the wound .
They were discovered in a Savannah, Georgia neighborhood .
The officers then took the cute canines to the vet where Chachi underwent eye surgery .
Though the eye couldn't be saved, he is doing much better and the pair were thrilled to be reunited .
They are now in need of a loving home together .
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New Orleans (CNN) -- The legendary Chaka Khan, dressed in a regal purple and blue blouse and slacks, glides into the CNN Red Chair Interview room. She's wearing stunning, large, hoop earrings crafted by her mother. Her energy, warm and embracing, is big enough to blow out a nearby spotlight. "Did I do that?" she calmly asks. "No," I assure her as I try to get the attention of my shooter/producer/editor to resolve the problem. I ask the singer what I should call her. She seems surprised and tells me to please call her "Chaka." I respond that my stepdaughter is also named "Chaka." Her face lights up. "People usually name their dogs after me," she whispers, as though we are girlfriends sharing a funny secret. But she keeps no secrets during our interview. She says she'll answer just about any question, and she does. Chaka tells funny stories and shares pivotal moments, a few of them sad. She apologizes for not remembering anything about her childhood, but later sent some of her baby pictures. The one thing she recalls from way back when, however, is that she always wanted to be an anthropologist. Her singing career allowed her to become one, she says. She loves children and cries when she relives the day she realized she could not have a conversation with her nephew Tallon, who has autism. I remind her of how many people she's helping through her Chaka Khan Foundation, which has raised more than $4 million. The foundation says it "is dedicated to assisting women and children at risk with a particular emphasis on education and autism." Through tears, she smiles, "I hope so. I hope so." Her "God Shots," as she calls her "aha" moments, keep coming. She loves life and each moment God gives her, she says. Her latest special moment was during a flight with an autistic boy who was "talking, talking, talking" as he got on the plane, she recalls. A storm during the flight made everyone including him go silent. However, when the plane landed safely, the boy announced, "We're all back now." That's right, she reflected. It was like a homecoming, a shot at life again. After our conversation, she won't leave the room until she sees a picture of my little Chaka. My husband gladly thumbs through his iPhone for photos of his daughter. Chaka Khan says she is "just Chaka." Her CNN Red Chair Interview shows that she's someone to remember. CNN Red Chair Interviews strive to look at people's past to see what made them who they are today. We also want to know the biggest pivotal and "aha" moments of their lives. Be sure to read and watch next Wednesday's revealing conversation with minister and author Jacquie Hood Martin.
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Music legend Chaka Khan opens up during a CNN Red Chair interview .
She says many people have named their "best friend" after her .
Chaka calls special moments in her life "God Shots"
She raises money to help children who share her nephew's disease .
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By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 09:18 EST, 12 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:09 EST, 12 October 2012 . A former volunteer firefighter has pleaded guilty to setting a fatal fire in 1986 that killed a Connecticut couple one year before he was dismissed for having a suspicious knack for finding fires. Peter Waraksa, nicknamed 'Pyro Pete' by fellow firefighters in East Windsor, pleaded guilty on Thursday to two counts of negligent homicide, arson and burglary. The 50-year-old was arrested in July 2010 – more than 23 years after the crimes – in connection with the deaths of 59-year-old Orie Weeks and his wife, 57-year-old Assunta Weeks. Guilty: Former volunteer firefighter Peter Waraksa has pleaded guilty to setting a 1986 fire that killed a Connecticut couple in their home more than 23 years ago . The couple were found dead in their home on Oct. 7 one year before Waraksa was dismissed by the Warehouse Point Volunteer Fire Department in 1987 on suspicion of setting fires throughout the area according to an arrest report. A retired fire chief and fire marshal of Warehouse Point told investigators in 2010 that the number of brush, grass and structure fires significantly increased after Waraksa became a firefighter. He said 45 fires were found within a one-mile radius of his home between 1984 and 1987. He was also said to often be the first to arrive at fires, called in many himself, and found grass and wood fires no other firefighter could find. Dismissed: Waraksa, nicknamed Pyro Pete, was dismissed by this East Windsor firehouse in 1987 after the area saw an increase in fires and Waraksa showed a suspicious nose for finding them . Laurence Johnson, a retired East Windsor police officer, told police he was surprised when arriving at the 1986 fire that killed the Weeks couple and seeing Waraksa immediately there in full uniform. Pleading guilty to two counts of negligent homicide, third-degree arson and second-degree burglary, Waraksa was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison with 10 years of parole following. At the time of Waraksa's arrest in 2010 he was already serving an unrelated five-year prison sentence issued in 2007 for sexually assaulting five boys.
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Peter Waraksa, nicknamed 'Pyro Pete' by fellow firefighters, has been sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison .
Waraksa was arrested in 2010 for the 1986 blaze that killed a Connecticut couple in their home .
One year after that fatal fire he was dismissed by the department over suspicions of setting fires in the area .
Investigators were told the number of brush, grass and structure fires significantly .
increased after Waraksa became a firefighter .
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Orlando, Florida (CNN) -- A whale trainer at SeaWorld died from "multiple traumatic injuries and drowning" after a 12,000-pound killer whale grabbed her ponytail and pulled her underwater in front of shocked onlookers at Shamu Stadium, the Orange County Sheriff's office said Thursday. Dawn Brancheau, 40, was "pulled underwater for an extended period of time," by the whale, Chuck Tompkins, SeaWorld's curator of zoological operations, told CNN's "American Morning." The county medical examiner ruled Brancheau "most likely died from multiple traumatic injuries and drowning after one of the park's killer whales pulled her into a pool behind Shamu Stadium," the sheriff's office said in a statement. The statement confirms Tompkins' account, saying that Brancheau was interacting with the whale, named Tilikum, in knee-deep water "when the animal grabbed her by the hair, said to be in a long ponytail, and pulled her underwater." Rescuers were not immediately able to reach Brancheau because of the "whale's aggressive nature," the sheriff's office said. She was recovered by SeaWorld staff members after Tilikum was coaxed into a smaller pool and lifted out of the water by a large platform on the bottom of the smaller tank, authorities said. WESH: Watch tourist's video seconds before whale attack . "While this incident remains the subject of an ongoing death investigation, there are no signs of foul play," the sheriff's statement said. "All evidence and witness statements indicate that the death was a tragic accident." Earlier accounts varied on how Brancheau ended up in the tank. A witness told CNN affiliate WKMG-TV that the whale approached the glass side of the 35-foot-deep tank at Shamu Stadium, jumped up and grabbed Brancheau by her waist, shaking her so violently that her shoe came off. A SeaWorld employee, who asked not to be identified, described the incident the same way. Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Solomons said Brancheau slipped into the tank. Tilikum has been linked to two other deaths. He and two other whales were involved in the drowning of a trainer at a Victoria, British Columbia, marine park in 1991. The trainer fell into the whale tank at the Sea Land Marine Park Victoria and was dragged underwater as park visitors watched. In 1999, Tilikum was blamed for the death of a 27-year-old man whose body was found floating in a tank at SeaWorld, the apparent victim of a whale's "horseplay," authorities said then. The Orange County Sheriff's Office said the man apparently hid in the park until after it closed, then climbed into the tank. The 22-foot-long whale was "not accustomed to people being in his tank" and "wouldn't have realized he was dealing with a very fragile human being," Solomons said at the time. iReport: Photo taken moments before Sea World incident . Because of Tilikum's history, as well as his size, trainers did not get into the water with him, Tompkins told CNN. Specific procedures were in place for working with him, he said, although "obviously, we need to evaluate those protocols." "He's just a really, really large animal," Tompkins said, noting that female killer whales weigh 6,000 pounds -- half of Tilikum's weight. "Just because of his size alone, it would be dangerous to get in the water with him." But the whale's previous incidents were also taken into account, he said. Tompkins pointed out that the 1991 incident occurred before SeaWorld owned Tilikum and that no one is sure what took place in the incident eight years later. Tilikum could have been trying to play with Brancheau or get her attention or companionship, said Nancy Black, a marine biologist who has studied whales for 20 years. Such whales play with seals and sea lions in the wild, tossing them in the air, she said. But they do not kill them and end up letting them go. "I don't believe the killer whale purposely intended to kill the woman," she said. "It was more likely an accident, I would guess." But, she said, the whale could also have been frustrated for some reason. Tompkins said there were no indications of any problem with Tilikum or any other animal just before the incident, and that Brancheau "had done a great session with him ... he seemed to enjoy what he was doing at the time." The incident, however, raises larger questions regarding the captivity of wild animals. A spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called the death "a tragedy that didn't have to happen." Jaime Zalac said the organization had called on SeaWorld "to stop confining oceangoing mammals to an area that to them is like the size of a bathtub, and we have also been asking the park to stop forcing the animals to perform silly tricks over and over again. It's not surprising when these huge, smart animals lash out." Black told CNN that killer whales in the wild live in family groups, and males stay with their mothers their entire lives. Family members rely on each other for social structure and play, and they cover hundreds of miles of ocean, she said. "I think they do need more space, and situations like that do cause a lot of stress for them, most likely." She said Tilikum had a "flopped fin," something seen in captivity but not much in the wild. But Tompkins said, "We have a tremendous track record with these animals at SeaWorld" and a very small percentage of problems. It's useful to have animals in the park, he said, because it gives scientists a chance to study them and gives members of the public an opportunity to see them and learn about them. "This is the first time in 46 years that we've ever had an incident like this with a trainer," he said. Although Tilikum is large and has to be handled carefully, "to mark him as a killer is unfair." In 2006, a trainer at the adventure park was hospitalized after a killer whale grabbed him and twice held him underwater during a show at Shamu Stadium. CNN's John Couwels and Brian Todd contributed to this report.
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Whale shows canceled Thursday at SeaWorld .
Trainer Dawn Brancheau, 40, fatally injured by killer whale at SeaWorld Orlando .
The whale, Tilikum grabbed her ponytail, pulled her underwater .
Tilikum has been linked to two other deaths .
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Tea, that most ordinary of beverages, was once so highly prized that traders, travelers and seafarers risked their lives to bring the precious cargo from China to the rest of the world. Now, a small but growing band of tea aficionados is traveling across the country in pursuit of tea at its source, fueled by an appreciation of China's ancient tea culture and traditions and a more modern interest in green methods of cultivation and artisanal production. Tea tourism within China is still a relatively new phenomenon, gaining traction in the last few years and generally associated with an educated and upwardly mobile Chinese middle class. For Chinese people, traveling for tea brings with it a certain cachet. "In most public schools, there is no formal education about tea, so one's knowledge of the subject proves you have traveled, and studied about tea on your own," says tea guide Michael Wang. "In others' eyes, you are not only educated but cultivated." 'Understanding begins with a single cup' Tea expert and guide Tracy Lesh specializes in bringing Chinese tea culture to foreign travelers and expats within China -- a small portion of her clientele are Chinese people who appreciate her depth of knowledge. Lesh began arranging tea tours more than five years ago when she realized there was a growing interest in learning not just about the tea itself, but the culture surrounding it. "Americans are overwhelmed and undereducated about Chinese tea culture," she says. "Many aren't aware of the benefits of loose-leaf teas and are mainly drinking teas blended with fruits and flowers. It takes a lifetime to appreciate tea, but understanding begins with just a single cup." Chinese tea tourists tend to have a different focus than Westerners when it comes to visiting a tea area. Wang says non-Chinese look for a sense of adventure and don't mind hiking into the tea terraces. They have a strong interest in seeing production methods firsthand and picking tea for themselves, but don't yet understand the culture of tea. "Foreigners have difficulty understanding the delicate taste of xian (savory) and huigan (sweetness) in tea," Wang says. Chinese visitors, on the other hand, place an emphasis on relaxing and drinking tea without the need to hike into the tea plantation or pick leaves. They often use artisanal teas as gifts for building good business relationships and are interested in learning gongfu tea -- a refined way of serving tea involving proper vessels, brewing techniques and atmosphere that takes patience and skill to master. Like good wine, tea's final flavor is influenced heavily by terroir -- the microclimate in which it's grown. For those interested in taking a tea tour, below are three starting points, corresponding to three of China's most well known teas, each different in climate, geography and taste. Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea . Located just south of Hangzhou province's beautiful West Lake, Longjing is home to China's most celebrated green tea, which is the color of jade and has the fresh aroma of chestnuts and cut grass. The best time to visit the area is during China's Qing Ming Festival (usually April) when most picking and roasting take place. Longjing's tea villages and plantations -- many are open to the public -- are connected by a cycle pathway and bus route. Longjing is home to the China National Tea Museum. Among the temples, pagodas and gardens lining the shores of nearby West Lake sit many small tea houses where longjing tea can be enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere. Hangzhou is reached by high-speed train from Shanghai's Hongqiao Railway Station. Trains run every 30 minutes and take one hour. Tracy Lesh and Michael Wang arrange small group tea tours to the Longjing tea terraces year round (shanghaiandbeyond.com; +86 159 009 03998). China National Tea Museum, 88 Longjing Road, West Lake, Hangzhou; +86 571 8796 4221; open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., May-October 7; 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., October 8-April 30; . closed Mondays; free admission . Wuyi Mountain oolong tea . Oolong tea, a fragrant partially oxidized tea midway between green teas like longjing and black teas like pu'er, has its origins in southern China's Fujian province. The most famous of Fujian's oolongs, da hong pao or "big red robe" tea comes from Wuyi Mountain, a UNESCO-protected natural heritage site rich with rare and animal life, centered around the pristine Nine Twists River. Genuine da hong pao is picked from just a few ancient tea trees high on Wuyi Mountain and is unobtainable to all but the wealthiest and most influential, but oolong plantations in the surrounding hills produce wonderful teas too. Like wine, the terroir of these teas is demonstrated by oolong's floral notes, which are subtly different according to the orientation, altitude and soil mineral content of the hillside on which the tea is grown. Nearby is the well preserved medieval tea-trading town of Xiamei and further afield are Fujian's famed tulou -- ancient rammed earth roundhouses that hold up to 400 families inside. Wuyi Shan has its own airport with daily flights to and from major Chinese cities. China Base Travel runs three-day Wuyi Mountain and oolong tea tours year round. Wuyi Shan UNESCO World Heritage Site; daily from 7:30 a.m.; admission RMB 235 ($38) for a two-day pass . Southern Yunnan's pu'er tea . Pu'er, a fermented and aged black tea with a complex, earthy taste, is considered the pinnacle of all Chinese teas. Usually pressed into cakes, it's allowed to age so that its complexity and depth of flavor increase over time (as does the price), again drawing comparisons to wine. Pu'er has a fascinating trade history. Tea was carried, often on foot, overland on the ancient Tea Horse Road linking Yunnan and Tibet in exchange for the Tibetan mountain ponies sought by the Chinese for their hardiness. The area of southern Yunnan where pu'er is produced lies adjacent to Myanmar, Laos and the Mekong River. The region features an enormous protected native jungle and wild elephant reserve, a tropical and medicinal botanic garden, hills terraced with tea plantations and areas filled with wild tea trees that are hundreds of years old. There are daily flights to the regional capital, Jinghong, from all major Chinese cities, or you can fly directly into the smaller Pu'er airport (known as Pu'er Simao). Pu'er tea tours can be arranged through Jinghong's Mekong Café. Sanchahe Nature Reserve and Banna Wild Elephant Valley is 48 kilometers north of Jinghong; daily, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Menglun Botanical Garden in Menglun is located 70 kilometers east of Jinghong; daily, 7 a.m.-midnight .
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Tea tourism in China is relatively new, but growing in popularity among foreign and domestic travelers .
Like wine, tea's final flavor is influenced heavily by terroir -- the microclimate in which it's grown .
Three top areas for tea lovers are Longjing, Wuyi Mountain and Yunnan .
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By . William G. Stewart . The return to TV after an absence of ten years of Fifteen To One — the most intelligent and challenging quiz show of its time, with a daily audience of four million viewers — takes my mind back to its beginnings. In 1986, I had received the letter that was to change my life, although I was so busy at the time — producing The Price is Right and making a new sitcom starring Warren Mitchell from Till Death Us Do Part — that I very nearly didn’t get round to opening it. It came from a chap called John M. Lewis, a former sales manager with BT who said he had an idea for a new television quiz show. He called it Twenty To One. Legendary: William G Stewart who presented and produced Fifteen To One for 15 years . It was a good idea, and knowing that it had already been rejected by nine other producers and sensing that John would probably be very keen to make any sort of positive progress, I made him an offer. I’d pay him £200 if he gave me a 12-month option to develop the idea. Well, that £200 was the best money I’ve ever spent in my life. For it led, of course, to Fifteen To One, the hugely popular Channel 4 quiz show that I presented and produced for 15 years. In all, we made 2,265 programmes, with almost 34,000 contestants endeavouring to answer an astonishing 350,000 questions. Once, the show topped Channel 4’s viewing figures every day for a week. Originally running between January 4, 1988 and December 19, 2003, each show began with 15 contestants and whittled them down to three finalists. To avoid elimination they had to not only answer questions correctly, but also decide which of their opponents to nominate to put under the question spotlight. The 15 highest-scoring winners from the series were then entered into a grand final to find the overall champion. Arguably, the combination of tactical skills and general knowledge made the show unique and influenced successors such as The Weakest Link. I’m pleased — and rather flattered — that a decade or so after our last grand final, the show is back. Naturally, it’s a little odd seeing someone else presenting it, but I think Sandi Toksvig is a very good choice. She’s funny, a good broadcaster but, most importantly of all, she’s intelligent. I’ve always thought that what made Fifteen To One the institution it became was its intelligence.It was sheer happenstance that I got into quiz shows at all. William G. Stewart who presented Fifteen to One which topped Channel 4¿s viewing figures every day for a week . By the mid-Seventies I’d carved out a pretty successful career as a producer/director of sitcoms and the occasional drama, too, having worked with Patrick Cargill on Father, Dear Father and Sid James in Bless This House, made a series with Harry Worth, and produced several episodes of Love Thy Neighbour with Rudolph Walker, Jack Smethurst and Nina Baden-Semper. And then I got a call from ATV asking me to go the States and look at a show called Family Feud with a view to buying the format. I ended up producing the first three series of what in the UK we called Family Fortunes, presented originally by Bob Monkhouse. Suddenly, I was a quiz show producer and, when The Price Is Right with Leslie Crowther soon followed, a pretty successful one at that. Which, I suppose, is why, several years later, John had got in touch with me. I began trialling his idea but, hard as I tried, I could never whittle down 20 contestants to one winner inside half an hour, which was vital if we wanted to get it commissioned. I realised it would work better if we reduced the starting line-up to 15. There wouldn’t be a lot of time for chat or banter but it could be done. I took the proposal to Channel 4, and they liked it enough to commission a proper studio pilot. Great, I said, I’ll present the pilot, as I understand how the show should work, and then if you like it we can discuss who we should get to present it full time. But when Channel 4 gave the green light for the first series to be made, they said they wanted me to present it. In fact, they wanted to bring in someone else to produce the show, so that I could concentrate on presenting. Welcome return: Sandi Toksvig was chosen to be the host of the new Fifteen to One which is back . But I wasn’t having that: by now Fifteen To One felt like my baby. After a bit of thought, they gave me the go-ahead to do both jobs. Fifteen To One soon became an established part of the tea-time television landscape. But its success wasn’t down to me alone; the real credit belonged to my wonderful production team and the superb team of question setters that I’d assembled. That’s what people liked about the show: the questions were properly tough and if you were playing along at home, you needed to have your wits about you. I didn’t set the questions but I did select them and I loved it when one of the setters delivered a particularly good one. One of my favourites was: ‘Who is the only person to have won a Nobel prize and an Oscar?’ Got it yet? The answer is George Bernard Shaw who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925 and then won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for Pygmalion in 1938. I remember asking for ‘more like that’ after someone delivered that gem. That brilliant team, some of whom now set questions for Mastermind, did just that for show after show, year after year. Indeed, they set such a high standard that the only quiz shows I watch regularly now are Mastermind and University Challenge. Even now, a decade after our final show was broadcast and 14 years after I sold the format to Fremantle Media, I still take that wonderful team of people out for lunch at Christmas. John quite rightly became an important member of the team — he received a royalty for every show, became a quiz consultant and wrote tie-in books. People don’t believe me when I tell them I don’t watch today’s quiz shows, but it’s true; I don’t. I never saw The Weakest Link, while Who Wants To Be A Millionaire just wasn’t my kind of show. These days, people keep asking me what I think of Pointless, but I haven’t seen it. I’ll leave it to others to say what influence Fifteen To One had on those quizzes that followed it. We were intelligent, challenging and popular and if people think we raised the bar a little, that’s good enough for me. Fifteen To One is on Channel 4 weekdays at 4.30pm .
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The classic teatime quiz has returned to Channel 4 .
Fans will recognise the same knockout format formula .
Original show ran from 1988 to 2003 and was seen as one of TV's difficult .
It was presented and produced by William G. Stewart .
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A British trawler suspected of illegally dredging scallops was ordered into a French port today and her captain threatened with prison. In the latest round of a maritime dispute between the two nations, the Van Dijck was forced to berth at Ouistreham, Normandy. She was suspected of dredging at least 17 tons of scallops in French territorial waters. Conflict: A British fishing trawler (not pictured) suspected of illegally dredging scallops was ordered into a French port today and her crew threatened with prison.This picture shows French and British boats during the first clash last year . The haul was thrown back in the sea after the French Navy carried out an on-board inspection 12 nautical miles from the coast. Gary Smith, the Van Dijck’s skipper, faces charges of violating French . territorial waters while switching off his monitoring system in an . effort to avoid arrest. The two crimes carry a maximum sentence of one year in prison and fines . of £80,000. Rude: . French fisherman seen offering rude hand gestures and burning England . rugby shirts during a dispute over scallop fishing areas . Mr Smith insists that he had to turn . off his so-called transponder to stop other vessels following him into . French waters after he miscalculated his position. But he now has to pay 50,000 euros (£40,740) bail to get back to the UK before a French court hearing on May 15 in Caen. The Royal Navy was deployed to protect British fishermen during the Cod Wars with Iceland in the 1970s. In 1972, Iceland had declared an Exclusive Economic Zone beyond its own territorial waters while announcing plans to reduce over-fishing. This led to the Icelandic Coastguard cutting the nets of British trawlers that fished in the area. The UK retaliated by deploying Royal Navy warships to protect British fishing crews. There followed a number of stand-offs between UK and Icelandic vessels, which included them ramming each other. The lengthy dispute finally ended in 1976 when Iceland threatened to close a vital Nato base in retaliation for the deployment of the Navy. The British Government conceded that UK vessels would no longer fish within the disputed 200- nautical-mile limit. The Van Dijck is now under guard in . Ouistreham, which is Caen’s port, with French prosecutor Bruno Albisetti . confirming that Mr Smith claims he ‘miscalculated his position by . failing to take into account low tide’. The owner of the Van Dijck tonight said the ship's incursion was a mistake. Andrew McCloud added: 'My skipper strayed into French territory. The limit is 12 miles and she was about 11.6 miles.' In October, the Van Dijck was one of five British trawlers attacked by Gallic fishermen brandishing iron bars, flares and rocks. A force made up of some 40 French boats steamed into them while they were trying to collect scallops off the port of Le Havre. The British insisted they had been . fishing legally in international waters, while the French say they were . encroaching into their own waters, while also ruining efforts to . preserve stocks. Mr Smith and his crew then vowed not . to be ‘intimated’ by threats of a 250-boat French armada blocking their . passage through the English Channel. Today Richard Brouzes, head of the Lower Normandy fisherman’s organisation, OPBN, appealed for calm. Mr Brouzes said: ‘If this boat was . stopped then perhaps it had entered the 12-mile zone where the numbers . of scallops are perhaps higher. It’s tempting, but error is human, and . it’s happened before that French boats have strayed into British . waters.’ Pointing to the fact that the scallop . population is around 50 per cent higher than normal this year, Mr . Brouzes said: ‘There are enough scallops for everyone. Our fisherman . have other worries.’ But, as the Scallop Wars escalate, . the French and British are due to hold talks over fishing rights later . this year after a French fishing industry representative blocked a deal . in September. In a separate hearing on Wednesday, . the Caen prosecutor called for a year fishing ban on a Scottish trawler, . the Mattanja, and a fine of 20,000 euros (£16,300 ) for identical . offences in September. A verdict is due on January 16. Frustration: Angry French protestors have called on EU authorities to impose a temporary ban . on fishing for scallops claiming that overfishing had reduced sizes of . shellfish and catches . Anger: French trawlers confront the larger British trawler, in the centre of the picture, during the standoff . The Van Dijck is registered in Brixham, Devon, and owned by Englishman Andrew McLeod. In October Mr McLeod said the Royal Navy should be used to protect fishermen from further attacks by the French. Mr McLeod said: 'Protection from the Royal Navy is something we've been asking for for some time.' He said the British had been in negotiations with the French over access to the rich scallop beds 15 miles off the coast of Caen. The Van Dijck’s crew painted Union Jack on the boat’s side, and pledged to resist efforts by the French to intimidate them. Tension: The French trawlers confronted the British following a dispute over fishing for scallops. This image shows a British trawler with catch of scallops .
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Latest round of a bitter maritime ‘war’ between the two countries .
Vessel believed to be in French territorial waters, and so breaking strict fishery laws .
All of the haul had to be thrown back into the sea .
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(CNN) -- Thirteen-year-old Rose Matrie lives in a cracked house. The light that streams through the narrow slit in the concrete wall is an ever-present reminder of the earthquake that struck her home in Haiti in 2010 and devastated the already impoverished country. Still, Rose Matrie has big dreams for her future. "I want to go to a big school in order to develop my talents," she says. Her mother fastened a large chalkboard on the outside of their home to cover up the crack, and every day Rose Matrie does her homework there. Her teacher says she is very bright and excels in literature. "When I let my imagination go, I think of extraordinary things," Rose Matrie says. Her father lost his job after the earthquake, and though her mother works as a seamstress, there is little demand for her skills. Like many families in Haiti, her parents are struggling to pay the school fees to keep her and her five siblings enrolled. In Haiti, public schools only meet about 20% of the demand for basic education in rural areas, and education costs, particularly for private schools, remain very high in relation to family income, according to the nonprofit Plan International USA. Plan is working with local governments and schools to provide more children in Haiti with access to a quality education. The organization is building classrooms and school facilities, training educators and providing school supplies, textbooks and uniforms for children in need. "[This is] so those costs aren't passed on to families as a barrier to attendance," explains Ann Wang, a plan communications specialist. When the relatively high cost of school is decreased or eliminated, more children like Rose Matrie can get an education and develop their talents. Watch the video for a glimpse into Rose Matrie's world. You can help her and other girls growing up in Haiti. Give . Support the campaign behind the film "Girl Rising" and give to the 10x10 Fund for Girls' Education. Donations will be distributed evenly among the 10x10 nonprofit partners and help fund girls' education projects around the world. You can also help advance Plan's work by donating to its "Because I am a Girl" campaign, which supports projects that help girls and women in the developing world. Through the "Gifts of Hope" program, you can symbolically donate things like school uniforms, vaccinations, school supplies or even girl-friendly latrines. Share . Plan international USA created resources for students and teachers. These online booklets are designed to help people of all ages understand the challenges that many girls and women face around the world. Impact . For even more ways to make an impact for girls education around the world, check out CNN's Impact Your World resources or take action with 10x10. More about CNN Films' "Girl Rising" project . More from CNN's Impact Your World .
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Rose Matrie is a bright student attending secondary school in Haiti .
Her parents are struggling to pay the fees to keep her and her five siblings enrolled .
Public schools in Haiti only meet about 20 percent of the demand for basic education .
Organizations like Plan are working to provide more access to quality education .
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By . Chris Greenwood . PUBLISHED: . 17:26 EST, 10 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:37 EST, 11 April 2013 . Anarchists vowed to ‘re-enact’ the poll tax riots last night as they plotted to wreck Baroness Thatcher’s funeral. Die-hard fanatics hope a ‘protest’ in Trafalgar Square on Saturday night will ignite an explosion of violence that will culminate with disturbances at her funeral on Wednesday. They plan to hang an effigy of the former prime minister in a macabre ‘celebration’ that has been planned for more than a decade. Running amok: Black Bloc thugs break away from a TUC protest in London last October . Among those leading the charge are members of the shadowy Black Bloc group, which fought pitched battles with police during student and anti-cuts riots. The ‘collective’ of young thugs takes its name from their anonymous uniform of black clothes and hoods. Their campaign of violence is fuelled by rallying threats posted on networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Police intelligence analysts are monitoring a growing torrent of disturbing online messages. Dozens of groups are urging others to ‘take to the streets’, including one under the title: ‘If Thatcher does get a State Funeral We Will Riot.’ Black Bloc protesters break away from the main march and march along Regent Street . The focus of the surge of anger is on Trafalgar Square this Saturday where hundreds are expected to gather for an anti-Thatcher protest. The roots of the event go back more than a decade when followers of Left-wing websites vowed to hold a ‘party’ the Saturday after Lady Thatcher died. Anti-capitalist protester Professor Chris Knight warned there will be a ‘historical re-enactment’ of the 1990 Poll Tax riots. The 70-year-old, who was sacked from his university lecturer role after inciting violence against bankers, branded Lady Thatcher a ‘blood-sucking vampire’. He said: ‘Partly we’ll be remembering and . celebrating the poll tax riots, because that was when we drove the . stake into the blood-sucking vampire. Baroness Thatcher's funeral could be hijacked by die-hard fanatics who plan to protest . ‘I was at the Poll Tax riots in 1990. I’ve heard that there may be a riot re-enactment in full costume by one of those historical re-enactment societies.’ Anarchists and members of the hard Left hope the anti-Thatcher protests will reignite the student protests that fizzled out in spring 2011. Many anarchists were disappointed that the lawlessness did not spark mainstream dissent and further anti-cuts protests. Anonymous organisers are privately boasting that up to 3,000 people could travel to London on Saturday. Among them are expected to be Black Bloc activists as well as members of Class War and the All London Anarchist Revolutionary Mob. They will be joined by the Green and Black Cross, an anarchist support group, which offers legal advice, field kitchens and street medics. One former anarchist told the Daily Mail that a leading member of the Black Bloc was a ringleader in the attack on the Tory HQ at Millbank in 2010. He said: ‘He will going and he will be prepared for trouble. It’s a perfect storm because the weather is warming up and that’s when it kicks off. Already protesters, seen here in Brixton, have been ghoulishly celebrating the former prime minister's death . Police and party goers clash after a Margaret Thatcher death street party got out of hand in Bristol . ‘Thatcher’s death will bring out the hard core. There is time for anarchists to travel in from Bristol, Scotland, up north. ‘Trafalgar Square had been planned for ten years and about four years ago the plans were done in more detail, because everyone knew she was going to die soon.’ Veteran anarchist Ian Bone, who founded Class War, said his followers will hang an effigy of Thatcher on the empty fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. He said they would then play football with her head up Charing Cross Road, which leads to the nearest police station. He added: ‘There is talk of a statue to Thatcher in Trafalgar Square. Why wait? Every revolution needs the toppling of an iconic statue from Stalin to Saddam. So on Saturday Class War will hang a statue of Thatcher from the fourth plinth so she can be toppled in a moment of liberation and retribution.’ Gangs of hooligans operating as part of Black Bloc have infiltrated anti-capitalist and anti-globalisation protests worldwide. They have copied the tactics of violent 1970s German anti-nuclear demonstrations to intimidate police and escape identification and capture. Their trademark outfit includes a black hooded top and many carry fireworks, paint bombs and tools in small rucksacks. A Met spokesman said the force was aware several groups wanted to ‘protest’. He said: ‘The Met wishes to speak to anyone who may choose to demonstrate so their rights to protest can be upheld while respecting the rights of Baroness Thatcher’s family and those who wish to pay their respects.’
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Plans to hang an effigy of the former prime minister in Trafalgar Square .
Threat to riot if Baroness Thatcher gets a state funeral .
Thugs will protest Saturday night and are rallying others on internet .
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By . Hannah Ellis-petersen . PUBLISHED: . 17:25 EST, 1 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:55 EST, 2 June 2013 . To most people, it will sound like a barking mad idea. But inventors have come up with a new range of premium teabags – for dogs. The brew costs 35p a bag – about ten times the price of PG Tips – and is a mixture of herbs, vitamins and minerals which, it is claimed, will help dogs live a ‘happy and healthy life’. Lapping it up: Highland terrier Waffle samples the Woof & Brew tea for dogs with a little help from his handler Charis . The tea is the brainchild of Steven Bennett, who has run a website listing dog-friendly pubs and beaches, and tea expert Tony Kinch. The pair pooled their expertise to set up Woof & Brew, which will start selling the tea in shops this week. The drink, which contains no real tea, was launched at the Crufts dog show in March and hundreds of orders have already been placed on the firm’s website. ‘People loved the idea of being able to sit down and have a cup of tea while their dogs had one as well,’ explained Mr Bennett, 47. ‘We’ve already sold out of our initial stock so we are making additional bags. ‘We’ve even had a couple of dog-friendly teashops and hotels that are interested in serving it alongside their normal teas.’ A lovely cuppa: Waffle shows his enthusiasm for the brew, a mixture of herbs, vitamins and minerals which, it is claimed, will help dogs live a 'happy and healthy life' Mr Bennett and Mr Kinch worked together with holistic vet Richard Allport, who carried out research into the medical benefits of certain herbs, to create the five blends of canine tea – ‘Adult’, ‘Senior’, ‘Skin & Coat’, ‘Performance’ and ‘Breath’. Ingredients include dill, dandelion, ginseng and seaweed. To brew the tea, owners are told to infuse the bag for four minutes in hot water, before adding cold water to cool the cuppa to suit canine tongues. Costing £9.99 for a pack of 28, the teabags might seem expensive, but each makes a litre of tea which can be stored in the fridge for a week. Mr Bennett said the company was adding two new blends, including ‘Posh Pooch’, which he described as ‘the Earl Grey tea for dogs’. Mr Allport, who tested the tea to ensure it was safe for canines, said: ‘They can really work to enhance their health. They’ve even got the seal of approval from my own dogs.’
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Inventors come up with new range of premium teabags for dogs .
Brew costs 35p a bag - around ten times the price of PG Tips .
Woof & Brew contains herbs, vitamins and minerals - but no real tea .
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By . William Cook . PUBLISHED: . 11:25 EST, 1 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 1 October 2012 . A teenager has told a court how a Nigerian man accused of threatening girls with 'black magic' to try and force them into prostitution raped her and said he wanted to marry her. Osezua Elvis Osolase, 42, is alleged to have imprisoned the teenager - who is now 18 - in a flat for three months and raped her up to three times a week. The court heard he forced her to call him 'Uncle' and she was deprived of other human contact for weeks before she managed to take his keys and flee. Osezua Elvis Osolase, 42, is on trial at Canterbury Crown Court (pictured) Osolase, a former security guard and recycling worker from Gravesend, Kent, is accused of 13 offences of trafficking, rape, false imprisonment and sexual activity with a child. He is alleged to have smuggled three children from Nigeria to Britain in order to sell them into prostitution in Italy. He is also alleged to have sexually assaulted the girls - who are now aged 15, 17 and 18. Osolase's alleged victims say he used African Juju magic rituals to scare them into doing as they were told and to prevent them from running away. Juju refers to traditional West African religions involving objects of superstition and witchcraft. The churchgoing teenager, told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday that Osolase - whom she knew as 'Uncle' - visited her at the flat. She claims he told her he wanted to make love - but she did not want to. She told the court: 'He said he wanted to play with me and make love to me. 'He said he wanted to take care of me. I didn’t want to have sex and I told him. I told him I didn’t want to sleep with him. 'Uncle took off his clothes then he took off my clothes. He then took a condom out of his wallet. 'He said he wanted to get married to me. I felt bad and I felt sad. I didn’t love him, I didn’t like him and I felt frightened of him.' The teenager - the third girl to give evidence at the trial - claimed Osolase, who was married to a German national, had helped bring her to the UK. She eventually managed to get hold of his keys and escape from the flat, the court heard. But the teenager told the jury Osolase found her in a park nearby and took her back to the flat, telling her: 'Do you think you are clever?' She added: 'I didn’t run away again because I had no place to stay.' The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Osezua Elvis Osolase, 42, accused of smuggling three children from Nigeria to sell into prostitution .
Alleged to have used African witchcraft to scare girls into obedience .
Teenage girl says Osolase raped her and said he wanted to marry her .
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By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 07:21 EST, 21 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 21 February 2013 . Icy roads spelled trouble on a Chinese highway when two cars skidded to a halt - and caused a 19-car pile-up. The two white cars were travelling along an overpass in Wuxi, in Jiangsu Province, China, earlier this month when they sparked the multiple-vehicle accident. The first car lost control on the ice but the driver appeared to be unable to pull over because of the slippery conditions. Scroll down for video . It begins: two cars in the bottom left of the screen can be seen after their first skid on the ice . The white cars skidded but the traffic behind could not avoid the hold-up . The number of cars involved soon rose to seven on the overpass Jiangsui Province, China . The second car then caught the back of the first before they both stopped. The ensuing drama was captured on CCTV - and miraculously, the first car was able to drive away. Other vehicles weren't so lucky. The footage shows three more drivers approaching the accident scene but unable to swerve to dodge the pile. The footage, recorded over a two-and-a-half minute period, shows cars skidding so they're facing the wrong way, but left helpless in the face of oncoming traffic, including a bus. Some drivers tried to leave their vehicles to warn other cars of the chaos ahead at the risk of being hit themselves. Cars quickly clustered up behind the spot where the first two cars came to blows . Before too long, the ice caused the accident total to climb into double figures - including a bus . The cluster or cars and a bus clogged the road - but traffic behind had nowhere to go .
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Accident was captured on CCTV in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China .
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By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 06:39 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:16 EST, 21 October 2013 . A teenager who threatened to 'cut up' neighbours with his machete after they dared stand up to him has been evicted from his home after terrorising them for nine months. Reece Huskinson, 19, stood at one pregnant woman's back door with a knife, saying 'I'm going to kill your kids', and fired a pellet gun at another woman as she took the rubbish out, Blackpool magistrates were told. The court heard that police recorded 35 separate incidents of antisocial behaviour against Huskinson, who rented the three-bedroom terraced house in the Layton area of Blackpool, with his then girlfriend and her three children. Reece Huskinson, 19, pictured right with machete, has been evicted after terrorising neighbours in Blackpool . The teenager moved into the privately-rented home in Garrick Grove at the beginning of the year . The trouble began almost immediately he moved in to the quiet street of Garrick Grove in January this year and told one neighbour who stopped him racing up and down the street on his mini motorbike: 'You think this is trouble, wait for the trouble that is going to kick in.' He also took pot shots at neighbours with a ball-bearing pellet gun, threatened others with a baseball bat, threw bags of dog waste at children, kicked in doors and clambered across roofs to spy on women in their own homes. The cocky teenager would also be seen parading up and down the streets in just a vest and boxer shorts, and would allow his Staffordshire Bull Terrier to frighten local residents. Police obtained a closure order on Huskinson’s home after collating a dossier of evidence from his neighbours in the seaside resort, which enabled magistrates to grant a house closure order under the Anti Social Behaviour Act, forcing Huskinson out of the terraced house. Mother-of-two Tracy Fisher, 32, who lives in neighbouring Alder Grove, said: 'We are so relieved he’s gone as our lives were made a living hell. 'He didn’t have a job and I think he must have sat there every day plotting what to do next and how to terrorise people - every single person on the street had had a grievance with him. Nightmare neighbour: One resident said the teenager behaved 'as if he owned the whole street' 'We were ready to move because he threatened to petrol bomb the house. I had to keep the doors locked as we believed we were in danger. 'l was heavily pregnant and one night when he was kicking off, I went outside to confront him because my little boy was in bed. But he threatened to cut my kids up. 'I came back inside shaking, but he was up at the back door with a knife - I could see the blade shimmering. 'He said "I’m going to kill your kids, I swear on my sister’s grave." I ended up going into labour two months early. He knew he was intimidating me.' Mrs Fisher added: 'He would rev the engine late into the evenings waking up my two-year-old son, but when I asked him to stop he just hurled abuse at me and it got worse from there. Closure order: A Closure Order made under the Anti Social Behaviour Act is taped to the house's windows . A tip: The terraced property in Garrick Grove has piles of rubbish in the back garden and is now boarded up . 'There was something every single day. He thought he owned the whole street.' She said he encouraged his girlfriend's children to throw dog faeces at people's houses, and sent his Staffordshire bull terrier into the house of a woman whose daughter is frightened of dogs. She added: 'He smeared dog poo on our doors - I was terrified it would get in my children’s eyes. One time he threw it in bags that had been split into the garden just as we were about to have my son’s second birthday party - we had to cancel it.' Mrs Fisher said Huskinson would climb onto the roof of his terraced house's extension and stare at her in her kitchen. She said: 'He used to sit there as I washed up so he could see me, and as I moved he would move along the roofs, leaping across all the extensions mouthing and jeering ‘"Come on come on". I have never felt so sick in my life.' Good riddance: Huskinson has moved on from the terraced house but is thought to still be living in Blackpool . Another neighbour, Cheryl Cooksey, 26, said: 'He used to sit at the window firing his BB gun as I took the rubbish out. I heard this ping against my door and he had obviously been trying to hit me but thankfully he missed. 'I was forever getting my two children who are two and five back inside because I didn’t like them being outside on their own. I’m glad that he has gone.' 'You used to hear him every night on that bike circling the street, he even put his children on. He caused a lot of trouble.' Prosecutor Chris Keogh told Blackpool magistrates: 'Our evidence shows there was foul language used to adults and children, criminal damage, threatening behaviour, fly tipping and stone throwing. 'There was also incidents where dog dirt was thrown into neighbours homes.' After the case, PCSO Lucy Hesketh of Lancashire Police said: 'We welcome the decision of the court to grant this initial three-month closure order and give the residents some respite from what was disruptive and disgraceful behaviour.' It is not known where Huskinson has moved on to, though he is believed to still be in the city.
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Reece Huskinson, 19, intimidated residents of Garrick Grove, Blackpool .
He revved his motorbike late at night, fired a BB gun, and threw dog waste .
One neighbour said he threatened her and her children with a knife .
Another said he fired his pellet gun at her as she took out the rubbish .
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By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:00 EST, 31 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:52 EST, 31 May 2012 . A stag party sparked an overnight search operation costing £8,000 after taking boats out on a river for a boozy session. A witness called the coastguard just . after midnight saying he was concerned the 20 men were drunk and not in . control of the four 16ft day boats on the Helford River in west . Cornwall. But an extensive search involving two lifeboats and a cliff rescue team failed to locate them as the group had made their way to bed by the time the rescue attempt was in full swing. Irresponsible: A stag party triggered an overnight search on the Helford River (pictured) in Cornwall after taking out their boats on a boozy session after dark (file image) The next morning Nick Bailey, of Helford River Boat Hire, who had rented them the boats for a weekend of fishing, found them at their accommodation in Port Navas. He said: 'I was furious and they were . severely reprimanded. They acted contrary to all the instructions I'd . given them. I warned them not to take the boats out after dark and not . to consume alcohol. 'But they took it upon themselves to take them just after 5pm when we had left, and hit the pub pretty hard. 'The . next morning they were very apologetic and swore the skippers were . sober. It would appear they were fine and the boats were tied up . firmly.' Wasted resources: The operation by coastguards and a cliff rescue team cost around £8,000 . Mr Bailey took away the boats and ended the hire contract saying it was the first time in seven years anything like this had happened. James Instance, of Falmouth coastguard, said: 'We received a report the men were worse for wear and not in a fit state to be in the boats. 'The people acted irresponsibly on boats late at night, which caused concern for their safety and triggered quite a large response. We had volunteers out overnight.' Tamsin Thomas, of the RNLI, said: 'Every time there's an incident we always react, we don't judge.'
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Rescue attempt on Cornwall river cost around £8,000 .
Group of 20 men were on fishing weekend in Cornwall .
Witness saw them at midnight 'not in control' of boats .
Search fruitless as they had made it back to their beds .
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(CNN) -- Elisabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of "The View" and author of the new book, "The G-Free Diet," spoke Wednesday with Larry King. Elizabeth Hasselbeck, of "The View," says Bristol Palin is an ideal choice to speak about teen abstinence. Hasselbeck offers her thoughts on being the sole conservative on her show, Elizabeth Edwards dealing with her husband's infidelity, Bristol Palin being abstinence spokeswoman and her battle with celiac disease. The following is an edited version of the interview. Larry King: Were you surprised that "The View" made the most influential list of Time magazine? Elisabeth Hasselbeck: I sure was. I think it's truly a tribute to what Barbara (Walters) has done and the show that she created along with Bill Geddie, our executive producer. It's a great place for women to come to and listen -- men, as well. But, also, for us to get there every day and discuss everything from politics to motherhood and parenting. But it was a shock. I think any time you receive an honor such as that, it's shocking. Watch Hasselbeck defend Bristol Palin » . King: As the definitive conservative in the group, do you feel like the outcast? Do you feel put upon? Hasselbeck: I never feel like an outcast there. If anything, I feel more included than ever. I mean, truly that is a table where respect is number one, in terms of we sort of have a vow to one another. And we couldn't come there every single day and talk about the things that -- that we discuss and have the debates that we do and get as fiery as we do and get back there the next day if there wasn't that respect at the table and true value for the others' opinion. I mean the more we tend to disagree, I think the more we sort of dig deeper into that relationship. King: So the anger doesn't carry over? Hasselbeck: No. I wouldn't even classify it as anger. I think it's passion, and I think it's passion with purpose. You know, we do believe different things at times. Occasionally, we agree. It may not be that interesting when we do, but there is passion. It is coming from different places, but we love that conversation. I love being able to hear someone else's opinion on a subject and maybe sort of, you know, push a button here and there and see what they think about what I have to say. King also talked with Hasselbeck about Bristol Palin, the daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, being a spokeswoman for abstinence. King: What do you make of that choice? Hasselbeck: I think she's the perfect choice. She has a tangible, living example of what this new responsibility is in her life. I believe that there is a sort of sadistic giddiness on the part of some true radical leftists, who are laughing behind-the-scenes about Bristol Palin's situation. Why are they so obsessed with her being a spokesperson for this? She's promoting a great thing -- abstinence. Find me something else that works 100 percent of the time. King: Elizabeth Edwards has gone public about her pain about her husband's infidelity. Yesterday on this show, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar, your compatriot, called John Edwards a dog. Do you agree? Hasselbeck: You never understand the intimacies of someone's relationship with their spouse -- I mean or boyfriend, partner, etc. Those are places that only the two people truly understand. I think we're also looking at a woman of incredible strength, having looked at cancer and battled through. I believe that nothing, truly, can compare to that. And, you know, it's unfortunate. I think this alleged affair and, you know, disturbance, even in terms of allegedly funding his mistress' foundation, is even more complicating the matter. The idea of another child in the mix (is) disturbing as well. King: Elisabeth, Miss California USA Carrie Prejean -- first, the controversy over gay marriage statements and now scandal over semi-nude modeling photos of her. What do you think of the way she's being treated in the media? Hasselbeck: Well, I think there's a very specific witch hunt going on here because she expressed her opinion. So now we're going to dig and throw fear into the heart of any person who may want to freely express their opinion in the United States of America. That seems like a big bullying scheme to me. If she had answered the other way, would anyone have been searching for those photos? Would they want to vilify her or remove what she's been working for? I don't understand the pageant well, and I don't know what her responsibilities were. Was she to represent the state of California in her opinions and was she to represent the opinions of a young woman who believed in her heart one thing? That's her personal opinion. I'm not sure what her duties were or were to be. I do know this, though. I'm not sure this investigation into any sort of photos or background or family members that they're pulling out of left and right would have even occurred if she had given an answer on the other side. So it seems to me a bit of a bullying scheme, as I said before, and that disturbing. We should be able to have our opinions in this country and stand by them and at least be respected, at the very least. Later in the interview King talked with Hasselbeck about her new book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide." King: Now, (when) we think of gluten, we think of wheat, right? Hasselbeck: Well, it's actually more than that. Gluten is a protein found in barley, oats, wheat and rye. It's more broad than most people actually think, so that is definitely a misconception out there. This has been a decade-long process for me. I have celiac disease, and I say out of diabetes came that low glycemic index diet and out of my celiac disease, I found this all-star diet. I call it my "diet in the rough" because it is something that, even if I didn't have celiac disease, like many others, I would follow this diet. You know, over 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with IBS, thyroid issues. I was having infertility problems. People suffer miscarriage after miscarriage, stillbirth. It eventually leads to intestinal cancer. This is something that needs to be treated. But the diet is actually, yes, for people with celiac disease, for millions with food intolerance that is up like 25 percent in the past five years (and) for people who just want a healthy lifestyle. I mean I'm on this diet before I'm pregnant, during pregnancy and when I'm trying to get back in my bikini to, you know, strut around in the summer.
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Elisabeth Hasselbeck says "radical leftists" laughing at Bristol Palin's situation .
Hasselbeck calls Miss California USA controversy "a big bullying scheme"
Hasselbeck, who has celiac disease, wrote book on gluten-free lifestyle .
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The innovation could provide the vital early warning of sepsis, which is responsible for almost 40,000 hospital deaths each year . Thousands of lives could be saved by a simple test to detect potentially-fatal blood poisoning within a matter of hours. A blood test could provide the vital early warning of sepsis, which is responsible for almost 40,000 hospital deaths each year – more than breast and bowel cancer combined. When combined with antibiotic drugs, the measure could improve a patient’s chances and save up to 15,000 lives a year. Conventional blood tests currently take up to 48 hours to confirm the illness, which has a mortality rate in excess of 40 per cent. But scientists at King’s College London have identified a molecule in the blood which is raised in those with sepsis, also known as septicaemia. They have now developed a blood test that, in tests, diagnosed the condition within two hours with 86 per cent accuracy. Large scale trials of the test are now being planned, and it is hoped to make it available on the NHS in as little as a year. Lead researcher professor Graham Lord said: ‘Sepsis is a hidden killer, causing nearly a third of all hospital deaths. Rapid antibiotic treatment for the condition is vital - every minute counts,’ he said. ‘Yet current diagnostic methods can take up to two days, so an accurate diagnostic test that can be carried out at the patient’s bedside is urgently needed. We have for the first time identified a group of biomarkers [molecules] in the blood that are good indicators of sepsis. ‘We have shown that it is possible to detect these markers by screening a patient’s blood in the ward, a process which can deliver results within two hours. This is an extremely exciting development, and hopefully we can improve recovery rates, but this has the potential to save thousands of lives every year.’ Sepsis costs the NHS more than £2billion a year and occurs when the immune system has a severe overreaction to an infection, attacking organs such as the heart and liver. Sepsis causes fever, inflammation and blood pressure and clotting problems that can lead to multiple organ failure and death . It causes fever, inflammation and blood pressure and clotting problems that can lead to multiple organ failure and death. On its website, the UK Sepsis Trust says healthcare workers have just six hours to deliver a set of interventions like antibiotics and intravenous fluids once the illness strikes. But fewer than one fifth of patients receive this standard of care due to its complexity. The research, published in the journal Public Library of Science ONE, took blood from individuals with sepsis, those with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) – a similar condition that does not respond to antibiotics – and healthy patients. After comparing the samples, they isolated a molecule that was more active in sepsis patients than in the other groups. Medical microbiologist Mark Fielder, of Kingston University London, said: ‘An early intervention in these cases can often result in a much improved result for the patient. ‘With this in mind, any improvements or aids to the diagnosis of such diseases are to be welcomed, especially when the tests are rapid and potentially able to be of use at the point of care.’ Professor Jodi Lindsay, professor of microbial pathogenesis at St George’s, University of London, said: ‘The accurate and rapid diagnosis of sepsis is vitally important and necessary to ensure some of our sickest patients receive the most effective method of treatment. Current methods are not accurate or rapid enough.’
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Test can detect sepsis much earlier than conventional techniques .
Sepsis currently has a 40 per cent mortality rate .
It could be used by NHS in just a year .
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By . Victoria Woollaston . We’ve had phone cases that double up as tasers, Swiss Army knives and even edible cases made from rice - but the latest design is much more practical, and could save your life. The Wello case, from Indian firm Azoi, has been fitted with monitoring sensors that measure a number of key health vitals. It tracks blood pressure, electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature and lung functions with what the company calls a ‘high level of accuracy’ - and the measurements can be shared. The Wello case, pictured, is fitted with monitoring sensors that measure a number of key health vitals. It tracks blood pressure, electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature and lung functions with what the company calls a 'high level of accuracy' - and the measurements can be shared . ‘Fast and easy-to-use, Wello empowers people to track key data, improve awareness of their body’s state and make more informed lifestyle choices,’ explained Azoi’s founder and CEO Hamish Patel. ‘Over the last two years, we have focused our efforts on coming up with a technologically advanced tool to help people monitor their health. Patel described Wello as ‘a not-so-small engineering feat in microelectronics, nanosensors, imaging, data analytics and design.’ Measurements are taken by holding two fingers and thumbs over the four sensors on the back and side of the case. Blood . Pressure: Wello gives a blood pressure reading, it also gives multiple readings so users can track any patterns that cause spikes or dips. ECG: The case takes an ECG reading without wires. An ECG is a mapping of electrical signals from the heart. Heart . Rate: Wello keeps track of a user's heart rate or pulse. A pulse provides clues to the state of a person's fitness, potential heart . problems or other illnesses. Blood Oxygen: The case helps measure the amount of oxygen being used to pump blood around a body. Temperature: . The sensors read a person's body temperature from their fingers. This is used to monitor a fever, for example. Lung . Function: Wello reads how much air a user inhales and exhales, which may point . towards possible obstructions or underlying conditions. These sensors measure all the vital health signs and record them on the Wello app. The results appear ‘within seconds.’ These measurements can be shared with family members and doctors, for example, or used to plot changes in health over time. ‘All too often, health problems go undetected until they are too late to address,’ continued Patel. Measurements are taken by holding two fingers and thumbs over the four sensors on the back and side of the case, pictured. These sensors measure all the vital health signs and record them on the Wello app. The results appear 'within seconds' The case, pictured, will cost £120 in the UK and $199 in the U.S. European shipments will arrive in Summer, but U.S shipments will be delayed until Autumn pending FDA approval . ‘We believe that through improved self-awareness of key vitals, technology could very easily reduce the incidence and impact of a wide range of illnesses and diseases. ‘ . Wello also connects with other health and fitness devices, such as pedometers, to help identify how different behaviours affect a person’s health. The data can additionally be accessed remotely on a web browser, meaning if a friend or relative is having a health problem, users can keep an eye on them from miles away. Wello will cost £120 in the UK, €145 in Europe and $199 in the U.S. A Tricorder is a scanning device used by Starfleet personnel in the Star Trek universe. There are two variations; a regular (engineering) tricorder, pictured here being used by Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, and a medical tricorder . It is expected to ship in Summer across Europe, Canada and Asia, but U.S shipments will be delayed until Autumn pending FDA approval. The technology is similar to the tricorder scanning device used by Starfleet personnel in the Star Trek universe. There are two variations; a regular (engineering) tricorder and a medical tricorder. Another device, called the Scanadu Scout, pictured, works in a similar way to the Star Trek tricorder, and Azio's Wello case. It is held on a person's temple for 10 seconds. Built-in sensors then establish body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and more . Medical tricorders are used to scan a patient, either in a ‘sick bay’ on a star ship, or during an away mission. The . advanced scanning tool can determine a patient’s medical status and . readings, and allows doctors to quickly and easily diagnose their . condition without an intensive or invasion examination. Another device, called the Scanadu Scout, works in a similar way to the Star Trek tricorder, and Azio's Wello case. It is held on a person's temple for 10 seconds. Built-in sensors then establish body temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen levels and more.
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The Wello case is due to ship in summer across Europe, Canada and Asia .
It is fitted with four sensors - two on the rear and two on the side .
These sensors measure blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature, lung function and stress levels .
Wello also maps electrical signals from the heart, known as ECG readings .
The case will cost £120 in the UK, €145 in Europe and $199 in the U.S .
U.S shipments will be delayed until Autumn pending FDA approval .
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f6b9de63cbd5667f36ee3a8fe9c17481c727a381
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By . Lizzie Parry . PUBLISHED: . 11:48 EST, 4 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:16 EST, 4 March 2014 . Trapped in a cage and helpless, all this mother bear can do is watch as keepers take her three tiny cubs from her den. Roused from her slumber keepers at the zoo in the Russian town of Lipetsk, south of Moscow, tempted the dosy bear with a pile of sausages. These images reveal the heartbreaking moment the towering bear is left distraught, and trapped as the heavy metal door slams shut behind her, separating her from her young. Keepers at a zoo in the Russian town of Lipetsk, south of Moscow, coaxed this towering mother bear away from her three cubs, shutting her in a cage . Once the keepers had managed to separate the mother and her young, slamming her inside a metal cage, they removed the tiny cubs one by one . The three male cubs were sold on for 20,000 rubles each . Suddenly realising what has happened the adult bear, Mosckwirchka, is seen scratching furiously at the floor and biting at the cage. She is seen desperately trying to back inside the den, watching as the keepers take her cubs one by one. The keepers were overheard telling reporters they were disappointed that all three bears were male. Zoo director Aleksander Osipov, said: 'I have already found buyers for all three bears and they are now ready to go to the new homes. But the zoo said they were disappointed all three cubs were boys. Male cubs are said to be harder to sell, because they are harder to train and control than female bears . When she realised she had been separated from her young, Mosckwirchka, was seen scratching furiously at the floor and biting at the cage . Zoo director Aleksander Osipov, said: 'I have already found buyers for all three bears and they are now ready to go to the new homes' 'It was disappointing though because the male bears are hard to sell and you can only earn 20,000 rubles (£332). 'People complain that male bears are harder to train and control than female bears. If we had female bears we would have been able to sell them for 30,000 rubles (£498) each. He added: 'We decided we wanted to separate the cubs early from the mother because we already had buyers and there was a risk that if the father woke up he might attack and kill the cubs and we didn't want to risk that.' Zoo staff said they decided to separate the cubs from their parents earlier than normal because they already had buyers . Zoo director Aleksander Osipov added: 'There was a risk that if the father woke up he might attack and kill the cubs and we didn't want to risk that'
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Mother bear is separated from her young at Lipetsk Zoo, south of Moscow .
Keepers coaxed her with food while they slammed a metal cage door shut .
Three male cubs plucked from the den and sold for 20,000 rubles each .
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f6ba7dd73fed3b256cf020607000231287943dc7
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By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 07:37 EST, 18 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:42 EST, 18 June 2013 . Charged: Laszlo Csatary was the world's most wanted Nazi for his alleged role in the Holocaust. He is accused of beating jews with his bare hands and a dog whip . A 98-year-old former police officer has been charged today by Hungarian prosecutors for abusing thousands of Jews and sending them to Nazi death camps during World War II. Prosecutors say Laszlo Csatary was the chief of an internment camp for Jews at a brick factory in Kosice - a Slovak city then part of Hungary - in May 1944. He is alleged to have overseen the deportation of 15,700 Jewish detainees to concentration camps. The pensioner is also accused of beating them with his bare hands and a dog whip. He also allegedly refused to allow ventilation holes to be cut into the walls of a railcar crammed with 80 Jews being deported. Csatary 'willfully assisted in the unlawful execution and torture of the Jews deported from (Kosice) to concentration camps in territories occupied by the Germans,' prosecutors said in a statement. Csatary, who has denied the charges, was first detained by Hungarian authorities in July 2012 after his case was made public by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish organization active in hunting down Nazis who have yet to be brought to justice. Budapest Investigative Prosecutors' Office spokesman Bettina Bagoly said that since Csatary has been charged with war crimes, the case is considered to be of special importance and the first session of the trial must be held within three months. Bagoly also said that the prosecution has asked the court to tighten the conditions of Csatary's house arrest, which were loosened by a judge in April. Csatary lived for decades in Canada and worked as an art dealer before leaving in 1997 just before he was due to appear at a deportation hearing. His Canadian citizenship was later revoked. Though Csatary is currently expected to go on trial in Hungary, it is also possible that he could be extradited to Slovakia, where he was convicted in absentia in 1948. In January, a court in Kosice changed the sentence in that case from death to life in prison, since the death penalty is banned in the European Union. That could open the way for his extradition. Bagoly said prosecutors, who requested information in the case from Slovakia, Canada and Israel, had not yet received an extradition request from Slovakia. Accused: The 98-year-old is alleged to have been the chief of an internment camp for 12,000 Jews . Case: Csatary was a senior police officer at the time he is accused of committing the crimes . Efraim Zuroff, head of the Wiesenthal . Center's Jerusalem office, who brought Csatary to the attention of . Hungarian officials, said he planned to attend the trial. 'We welcome the indictment and call . upon authorities to expedite the trial in light of the defendant's . advanced age,' Zuroff said by telephone from Israel. 'This is a very . strong reminder of the importance of achieving justice even many years . after the crimes were committed' Csatary was placed under house arrest in Hungary after it was revealed he was secretly living in Budapest. Acting on the information provided by . the Wiesenthal Center, prosecutors . began an investigation. Up in arms: Demonstrators protest outside Csatary's Budapest home last year after prosecutors said investigating an aged Nazi war criminal is problematic because the events took place so long ago . The door of Csatary's Budapest home (left) on which activists previously pasted 'No Nazi' symbols. Slow progress by prosecutors added to worries about the direction of Hungary under PM Viktor Orban (right) Prior to his arrest: The European Union of Jewish Students stand with their hands taped together in front of Csatary's home . Efraim . Zuroff, the Wiesenthal Center's chief Nazi-hunter, said last year that . he has been 'very upset and very frustrated' about the lack of action by . Hungarian authorities. The . fact that Csatary lived freely in Hungary for some 15 years and the . lack of progress by prosecutors also added to worries about the . direction of the EU member state under right-wing Prime Minister Viktor . Orban. Hell: Millions lost their lives at Auschwitz Concentration Camp, where Csatary is accused of being complicit in deporting 15,700 to their deaths . Csatary, the former police commander of the Jewish ghetto in Kassa, Hungary, is accused of complicity in transporting thousands to their deaths . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Prosecutors say Laszlo Csatary was the chief of internment camp for Jews .
He is accused of beating them with his bare hands and a dog whip .
Allegedly refused to allow ventilation on railcar crammed with 80 .
Jews .
Csatary has denied the charges .
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By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 03:28 EST, 8 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:45 EST, 8 September 2012 . Forgetting people's names and unsightly sweat patches are among the most common faux pas that leave Britons blushing with embarrassment four times a day. Tripping in public and getting food stuck between teeth are also humiliating moments that most try hard to avoid and one in seven say a relationship has ended because something embarrassing happened. A study of 2,000 adults found that burping accidentally, stalling the car at traffic lights and having food on your face are among the top 50 most common moments that leave us red faced. How embarrassing! Sweat patches is one of the most common embarrassments experienced by Britons . Commissioned by Ladbrokes, the research found that the biggest embarrassments were most likely to have been in the workplace while stories involving things going wrong in front of the in-laws were also very common. A Ladbrokes spokesman said: ‘Everyone does their best to be composed and cool wherever they are, but it isn’t always going to work and clearly there are many pitfalls. ‘The good thing is once the awkwardness clears the little things that throw us can eventually be looked back on and laughed about.’ Terrible teeth: Discovering food stuck in between teeth is a common humiliation . Forgetting someone’s name when introducing them . Tripping over in public . Getting someone’s name wrong . Getting food stains or splashes on your top . Waving at someone and they don’t see you . Getting food stuck in your teeth . Thinking someone’s waving at you when they are not . Being late . Forgetting where you parked . Burping accidentally . Getting lost . Having sweat patches . Snorting while laughing . Flies/ trouser zip being undone . Swallowing food the wrong way . A fifth of people have had a public . speaking nightmare that they would rather forget and the most . embarrassing speaking blunder is having your voice break or squeaking . high pitched unexpectedly. And one in seven Britons have been so embarrassed that they have fled a room to avoid the awkward stares. The spokesman said: ‘The good thing about this list is no one is immune and we’re all guilty of having done at least some of these things. ‘We don’t always bring them on ourselves of course, so it’s worth being aware of particular mates or people who might look to embarrass you when you’re off guard. ‘Certain situations have more potential for embarrassment than others of course but the thing to take remember from all of it is there’s no point taking yourself too seriously. ‘Look down the list and the results show there are many things that we can all relate to and some might have more embarrassing memories than others. 'With hindsight they can even be quite funny, even if at the time you just wanted the ground to swallow you up.’ Faux pas: Tripping over in public is considered one of the biggest embarrassments by the study that says Britons are red faced four times a day .
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Britons blush with embarrassment four times a day .
A study of 2,000 adults found the top 50 most common embarrassing moments .
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(CNN) -- "My friends think just because we live in Hawaii, we live in paradise. We're all just out here sipping mai tais, shaking our hips and catching waves. Are they insane?" While an Oscar-nominated picture requires the kind of conflict that George Clooney's character implies with this line from "The Descendants," your vacation getaway doesn't. So leave the plot-twisting drama at home while you sink into the stunning scenery of some of this year's best picture picks, from the lush jungles of Kauai to England's wild moorlands to the heart of the Mississippi Delta. "The Descendants" -- Kauai, Hawaii . The Garden Isle's resplendent green cliffs and lush tropical landscapes have served as a backdrop for dozens of movies in addition to this year's Academy Award nominee. The oldest of all the main Hawaiian Islands, Kauai is known for its secluded beaches, scenic waterfalls and jungle hikes. More than 90% of the island cannot be reached by road, so bring your walking shoes. In Central Kauai, the 4.2-mile-round-trip Kuilau Trail winds through a diversity of flora before opening to a view of Kapehua'ala, the highest peak of the Makaleha Mountains. A moderately difficult hike, this former road also offers a glimpse of Mount Waialeale, the wettest place on Earth. The only way to view the breathtaking waterfalls hidden in the island's remote valleys is by helicopter tour. Make sure yours includes a view of the "weeping wall" in the Waialeale Crater. And if you're looking for killer snorkeling, Tunnels Beach is the place. Wondering where to stay? Visitors rave about the Hanalei Surfboard House, just across the street from surfers' paradise, Hanalei Bay. The courtyard features a fountain, tropical flowers and quirky sculptures, along with the inn's namesake fence, lined with vintage surfboards. Choose between the Elvis and Cowgirl rooms, decorated with thematic Americana, each with a private entrance and patio as well as an outdoor shower. "War Horse" -- Dartmoor, England . Explore the "abundance of natural beauty" that so captivated director Steven Spielberg during the shooting of "War Horse" at Dartmoor, in Devon. Dartmoor National Park is the largest and wildest area of open country in southern England. With rolling green fields, grazing sheep, rock outcroppings and blue rivers, the 368-square-mile park offers a guided walk about the movie filming as well as opportunities for cycling, hiking and climbing. Visit the ruins of Okehampton Castle, then picnic at River Okement. Trek to Lydford Gorge with its turquoise lagoons, or take a class with the professional chefs at the nearby Ashburton Cookery School. Stay at the Hotel Endsleigh (where Spielberg himself is rumored to have roomed) and schedule your own equine adventure, riding horseback on the hotel's 108-acre grounds, or a fishing trip along eight miles of the Tamar, lauded as the best salmon and sea trout river in England. Furnished with antiques, the hotel embraces the spirit of the Regency period while the dining room features local and regional foods prepared according to traditional English recipes. If it was nice enough for Spielberg ... "Moneyball" -- Oakland, California . Have a budding baseball fan in the family? How about a trip to Oakland to see Stomper the elephant, the official A's mascot, at a real, live A's game? Purchase a Kids Club membership and receive an A's drawstring bag, water bottle, lanyard and coupon booklet, featuring discounts at places like the Oakland Zoo. Take advantage of that coupon to see the more than 660 native and exotic animals. Other kid-friendly Oakland options include the Chabot Space & Science Center, with a planetarium and interactive exhibits about space and earth sciences, the Museum of Children's Art, which offers hands-on workshops and "Drop-In Art" sessions for children to explore using paint, papier-mâché, clay, fabrics, feathers and other materials, and Children's Fairyland, a 10-acre park on the shores of Lake Merritt where children's literature comes to life through storybook sets, rides, animals and puppet shows. Continue the family fun at the historic Claremont Hotel, which, in addition to luxuries parents will enjoy, offers on-site craft activities, toys and games. Plan to top off "game day" night with a sundae at Fentons Creamery, the century-old ice cream parlor and restaurant featured in the movie "UP!," and be sure to wear Oakland A's colors for a discount. "The Help" -- Greenwood, Mississippi . When "The Help" filmmakers went looking for stately Southern buildings and "modern" homes to stand in for 1960s-era Jackson, Mississippi, they discovered Greenwood, a historic Delta town 90 miles away. Though much of the shooting took place on private property, the local visitors' bureau provides a map, and CivilRightsTravel.com has compiled a list of a dozen sites to see. For some historical context, take advantage of Greenwood's other "true Delta" experiences. View the eclectic collection at the Museum of the Mississippi Delta, which includes regional art as well as artifacts related to agriculture, Native American and local military history. Venture out to nearby spots on the Mississippi Blues Trail, including Baptist Town, one of Greenwood's oldest African-American neighborhoods, said to have been a safe haven for musicians looking to escape work in the cotton fields. Then, journey 10 miles north to Money to glimpse what remains of Bryant's Grocery and Meat Market, where in 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till allegedly whistled at a white woman. After he was beaten and murdered two days later, photographs of his mutilated body spurred the public outrage that sparked the civil rights movement. Following your day of history, take refuge at The Alluvian, the boutique hotel that several "Help" stars called home during filming. Enjoy the award-winning design, the Mississippi art on the walls and dinner at Giardina's, the on-site restaurant founded in 1936. "Midnight in Paris" -- Historic Paris . If you needed inspiration to visit Paris, Woody Allen's latest flick provides it. Kick off your historic Parisian adventure with a Paris Underbelly Discovery Tour of sites featured in the film that "capture the lively and quintessential spirit of Paris from the past." Depending on which tour you choose, you'll see Monet's "Waterlilies," visit the Rodin sculpture garden, sip cocktails in one of the swank hotels featured in the film, or pop in at one of Ernest Hemingway's favorite haunts for jazz and spirits. By the 1920s, Paris had become a rich cultural center, a world capital for the artistic and intellectual vanguard. Catch a glimpse of this period at La Coupole, the brasserie that hosted a convergence of writers, artists and musicians including Man Ray, Pablo Picasso, Josephine Baker, Henry Miller and Jean-Paul Sartre. Over dinner, ogle at the Cubist-inspired pillars covered with imitation-marble mosaics and the brightly colored Art Deco dome. For a glamorous finish to your day, splurge on a night at the opulent Le Meurice hotel where "Midnight" scenes were shot, and surrealist Salvador Dali once stayed.
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Visit the filming sites of five of this year's best picture nominees .
Subtract the drama of "The Descendants" and relax on location in Kauai .
Create a kid-friendly getaway around "Moneyball" and the Oakland A's .
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(CNN) -- The U.S. Agriculture Department cited drought and heat on Wednesday in designating 597 counties in 14 states as primary natural disaster areas. "As drought persists, USDA will continue to partner with producers to see them through longer-term recovery, while taking the swift actions needed to help farmers and ranchers prepare their land and operations for the upcoming planting season," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. The designations make qualified farmers in the areas eligible for low-interest loans, the agency said. Affected counties have suffered severe drought for eight consecutive weeks, which qualified them for the automatic designation. Richard Oswald, a 62-year-old farmer in Missouri's Atchison County, said he has been hit hard by the drought but was not sure whether he would take advantage of the drought designation for his county by getting a low-interest loan. "The hay situation is not good; the pastures burned up early because of the heat and lack of rain," said Oswald, who was born on a farm and has been farming since he was a teenager. "This is the worst drought that I have ever seen. An emergency loan is great, but it's still borrowed money, and as a farmer, that's not good because you have to pay it back." Chad Breiner of Wabaunsee County, Kansas, said the drought has affected his bull-selling business because he uses grass for feed and has to buy hay. "The fact that it hasn't rained significantly since June is going to make 2013 look rather bleak because the ponds are low, the creeks are low, and without adequate moisture in the next few months when grazing comes up, our production is going to be significantly less than normal," he said. Last year, the USDA designated 2,245 counties in 39 states, or 71 percent of the United States, as disaster areas due to drought. Australians battle wildfires . Wednesday's announcement comes a day after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that 2012 had been the hottest year on record for the continental United States and the second-worst for "extreme" weather such as hurricanes, droughts or floods. The year's average temperature of 55.3 degrees Fahrenheit across the "Lower 48" was more than 3.2 degrees warmer than the average for the 20th century, NOAA reported. That topped the previous record, set in 1998, by a full degree. Drought shriveled crops across the farm belt, leading to an expected rise in food prices in 2013, according to USDA. It also turned forests of the mountain West into tinder stands that exploded into wildfires over the summer, scorching millions of acres and destroying hundreds of homes. Seven of the 10 hottest years on U.S. record, which date to 1895, and four of the hottest five have occurred since 1990, according to NOAA. Rough winter weather hits Middle East . The year also saw Arctic sea ice hit a record low in more than 30 years of satellite observations and studies that found the world's major ice sheets have been shrinking at an increasing rate. Scientists are quick to point out that no single storm can be blamed on climate change, but say a warming world raises the odds of extreme weather. "I think, unfortunately, 2012 really may well be the new normal," said Daniel Lashof, director of the climate and clean air program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a U.S. environmental group. "It's the kind of year we expect, given the global warming trend is ongoing." The science of global warming is politically controversial but generally accepted as fact by most researchers, who point to heat-trapping carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels as the major cause. CNN's Matt Smith and Carma Hassan contributed to this report.
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NEW: "This is the worst drought I've ever seen," says 62-year-old Missouri farmer .
The designations make farmers eligible for low-interest loans .
Help kicks in automatically after eight consecutive weeks of severe drought .
597 counties in 14 states are designated primary natural disaster areas .
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Arrested: John Michael Dodrill was arrested on suspicion of pulling a gun on a seven-year-old girl scout . A girl scout selling cookies was left traumatised after a customer pulled a gun as he opened the door. The seven-year-old and her father were fundraising on Strawberry Tree Lane in Temecula, California, with a tin of baked goods on Sunday morning. But at 11.30am she knocked on a door and was met with a deadly weapon. The pair scarpered, horrified, and called the police. John Michael Dodrill, 59, has been arrested and charged with the offence, and is due to appear in court tomorrow. Online jail records reveal Dodrill had been in custody less than two hours before the girl arrived on his doorstep. Her father, who witnessed the alleged offence, called the police. Two handguns and two rifles have been seized from Dodrill's home, reports claim. The girl is a member of the San Gorgonio Girl Scouts, which will join its sister groups in celebrating National Girl Scout Cookie Day this weekend. The sale of Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, and other favorites bring in $790 million each year. The trade is also touted as a way to give young girls invaluable life experiences, and to teach them about the values of business ethics and people skills. Girls are encouraged to get out and 'spread the word' to potential customers this Friday and Saturday. Scouts spokesman Jua-Nita Houston said the girl was shaken by the incident but would not be deterred from fundraising. Ms Houston said: 'She set very strong goals for herself, and she’s going to meet those goals.'
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7-year-old fundraising around Temecula, California, on Sunday morning .
Man on Strawberry Tree Lane allegedly answered door with hand gun .
John Michael Dodrill, 59, arrested and charged with the offence .
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By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 09:53 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:53 EST, 26 February 2014 . A 3-year-old boy has been beaten to death and his mother's boyfriend, who fled into nearby woods following the incident, is in custody. Sheriff's deputies were called to a home in Georgia's Forsyth County at about 11 a.m. Tuesday and found the toddler, who neighbors identified as 'Wyatt,' unresponsive. Deputy Doug Rainwater said the mom's boyfriend fled into the woods behind the neighborhood after calling the child's mother to say something was wrong. Scroll down for video . Dead: The little boy, Wyatt, pictured, was killed TUesday . Chase: More than three dozen deputies used dogs to track a man, pictured being cuffed, who is a suspect in the death of a 3-year-old boy . The mother rushed home and immediately called 911, Rainwater told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The child was rushed to Northside Hospital-Forsyth but despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced dead. More than three dozen deputies used dogs to track the man into the woods and he was accosted just before 1:45 p.m. near the intersection of Georgia 369 and Georgia 400. He was taken into custody and Rainwater said investigators are questioning him and the mother, both of whom haven't been identified. Tragic: Young Wyatt was found unresponsive at his home, pictured, in Forsyth County in Georgia Tuesday . Police said the man is at this stage only considered a person of interest in the case. No details have been released about the child's cause of death. However, Rainwater said they do consider the death 'suspicious.' The neighborhood was in shock after the child's death, which came days after another local toddler was killed. 'It is very shocking,' Empress Ming told the Journal Constitution. 'I can't believe it.' Hunt: The mom's boyfriend, who hasn't been named, ran into the woods after telling the woman something was wrong with her son. Scores of police searched for hours for him . A vigil for the boy was held Tuesday night in the Bridgetowne subdivision where the boy and his mother lived. 'Everybody's out here out of love and concern,' neighbor Lakshmi Shri said. The tragic death comes after three-year-old Lela Bemis was suffocated by her mother, Meriel Bemis, on Sunday while the woman was arguing with her boyfriend. She was charged with felony murder but waived her first court appearance after confessing to her daughter's murder.
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Sheriff's deputies were called to a home in Georgia's Forsyth County at 11 a.m. Tuesday and found the toddler, identified as 'Wyatt,' unresponsive .
Police said the mom's boyfriend fled into the woods behind the neighborhood after calling the woman to say something was wrong .
More than three dozen deputies used dogs to track the child's mom's boyfriend into the woods and he was accosted just before 1:45 p.m.
He has not been identified and is only a person of interest in the case at this stage .
The child was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead .
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f6bb822e42b793bb3e0b43f37981b14727bcfec7
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(CNN) -- Three violent deaths in two stores marred the opening of the Christmas shopping season Friday. A Wal-Mart employee at this Long Island location was killed in a rush early Friday morning. In the first, a temporary Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death in a rush of thousands of early morning shoppers as he and other employees attempted to unlock the doors of a Long Island, New York, store at 5 a.m., police said. In the second, unrelated incident, two men were shot dead in a Toys "R" Us in Palm Desert, California, after they argued in the store, police said. The toy company and authorities said the California shootings had nothing to do with shopping on Black Friday, which is historically one of the year's busiest shopping days. The Wal-Mart worker, whom authorities did not identify, was 34 and lived in Queens, said Nassau County police Detective Lt. Michael Fleming. "This was utter chaos as these men tried to open the door this morning," Fleming said. Watch police describe the 'utter chaos' » . Video showed as many as a dozen people knocked to the floor in the stampede of people trying to get into the Wal-Mart store, Fleming said. The employee was "stepped on by hundreds of people" as other workers attempted to fight their way through the crowd, Fleming said. "Several minutes" passed before others were able to clear space around the man and attempt to render aid. Police arrived, and "as they were giving first aid, those police officers were also jostled and pushed," he said. "Shoppers ... were on a full-out run into the store," he said. The crowd had begun forming outside the store by 9 p.m. Thursday, Fleming said. By 5 a.m. Friday, when the doors were unlocked, there were 2,000 or so shoppers, many of whom "surged forward," breaking the doors, he said. The man was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Others in the crowd sustained minor injuries such as sprained ankles, Fleming said. A 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital, but "the baby is going to be OK," Fleming said. She was to be released later in the day, he said. The California shootings occurred about 11:30 a.m. (2:30 p.m. ET), authorities said. By the time police arrived, two men were dead from gunshot wounds, Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said. He said authorities are not seeking any other suspects. Gutierrez said that the men did not appear to be store employees and that the dispute appeared unrelated to shopping. "There was a confrontation inside of the store. But over a toy? I don't think that is accurate," he said. Two handguns were found near the men's bodies, Gutierrez said. In a written statement, Toys "R" Us spokeswoman Kathleen Waugh said the shooting appeared unrelated to the heavy shopping day. "Our understanding is that this act seems to have been the result of a personal dispute between the individuals involved," she said. She said company officials were "outraged" by the shooting and were working with authorities to find out what happened. Gutierrez said no one else in the store was injured. The store remained closed Friday afternoon but was expected to open as usual Saturday. Watch police confirm two people dead at a Toys 'R' Us store » . He said authorities would not release the men's names until their families have been notified. Daniel Watson said he was at home with his children when his wife called from the Toys "R" Us store, where she and her mother were shopping. "All I could hear was gunshots in the back," he said. "She said, 'They're in here shooting.' I told her to run and hide, stay down and hide." He said his wife did just that, ducking under a clothes rack until the threat was over. Watson said neither woman was hurt. Asked about the possibility of criminal charges in the Wal-Mart death, Fleming said he would not rule it out but noted that charges would be "very difficult," as it would be "almost impossible" to identify people in the crowd from the video, and those in the front of the crowd were pushed by those behind them. Hundreds of people may have lined up in an orderly fashion but got caught up in the rush, he said. Wal-Mart spokesman Kelly Cheeseman issued a statement saying, "We are saddened to report that a gentleman who was working for a temporary agency on our behalf died at the store and a few other customers were injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this difficult time." The company is investigating the incident, the statement said. Officers patrolling the shopping center overnight had had concerns about the size of the crowd, Fleming said, and had tried to get those in line better organized. Wal-Mart security officers were also present overnight, but he said he did not know how many. "I don't know what it's worth to Wal-Mart or to any of these stores that run these sales events," Fleming said, "but it has become common knowledge that large crowds do gather on the Friday after Thanksgiving in response to these sales and in an effort to do their holiday shopping at the cheapest prices. "I think it is incumbent upon the commercial establishments to recognize that this has the potential to occur at any store. Today, it happened to be Wal-Mart. It could have been any other store where hundreds and hundreds of people gather." Asked whether the security had been adequate, Fleming said, "In light of the outcome, in hindsight, the answer is obviously no. ... This crowd was out of control." CNN's Rosalina Nieves contributed to this report.
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34-year-old was unlocking Wal-Mart's doors when he was knocked down .
Crowd had begun forming outside store as early as 9 p.m. Thursday .
In unrelated incident, two men were shot dead in a Toys "R" Us in California .
Officials say toy store shootings unrelated to shopping .
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f6bb8ed81b9506096080406cdde4818d2a0a7b99
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(CNN) -- Ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former treasurer got more than $125,000 in free travel and entertainment from an investment firm that made $3 million handling city pension funds, federal regulators said Wednesday. A lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission accuses Kilpatrick and former city Treasurer Jeffrey Beasley of soliciting the gifts from MayfieldGentry Realty Advisors, which regulators say picked up the tab for trips to Las Vegas, Bermuda and Florida on private jets. Beasley told the firm's owner, Chancey Mayfield, that his company was "in the doghouse" with Kilpatrick's administration after Mayfield backed Kilpatrick's opponent in the 2005 election, the lawsuit states, and Beasley offered to help Mayfield "clear the air" with the mayor. "At the same time Mayfield and MGRA secretly provided these gifts, they were seeking approval from the trustees of the funds, including Kilpatrick and Beasley, for over $115 million in investments," the lawsuit states. "The failure by Kilpatrick, Beasley, MGRA, and Mayfield to disclose these gifts and the resulting conflicts of interest constituted a fraud on the pension funds." There was no immediate response to the lawsuit from the defendants Wednesday afternoon. MayfieldGentry's phone was out of service, and the company's website was offline. Kilpatrick was forced to resign in 2008 in a scandal over his attempt to cover-up of an extramarital affair. He served three months in jail for assaulting a police officer who was attempting to serve a subpoena on one of his friends, then served another 14 months in prison for violating probation. He still faces federal racketeering charges over what prosecutors call "a pattern of extortion, bribery and fraud" during his administration, particularly involving contracts with the water department. Beasley was indicted on federal bribery charges in February, with prosecutors accusing him of taking kickbacks from companies with city pension fund business. According to the charges, Detroit's two pension funds lost more than $84 million as a result of the scheme.
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An SEC lawsuit names Kwame Kilpatrick and his former treasurer .
The suit says they got free trips from a company that wanted to handle Detroit pensions .
Kilpatrick resigned in 2008 and faces federal racketeering charges .
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f6bbbaf0b1c213c2c200b68eaa42b0c6d8e7dcc7
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College tuition fees may have risen by more than 400 per cent since in the last 40 years, but the number of graduates has also increased dramatically. An interactive map uploaded by Metric Maps shows the increase in US citizens obtaining a bachelors degree from 10.7 per cent in 1970 to 28.5 per cent in 2012. Almost half a century ago, college graduates made up less than 10 per cent of the population in a huge number of areas across the country, the map shows. In 1970 only a small number of areas had more than 30 per cent of people studied for four years at college. These included the San Francisco Bay Area, parts of Colorado and Washington D.C . In only a few regions — the San Francisco Bay Area, parts of Colorado and Washington D.C. — did the number of people who had completed four years of college approach a third. By 1990, there had been an enormous change with more areas showing an increase in the proportion of their citizens obtaining degrees. Large parts of the northeastern and western coasts could boast that at least a third of their population were college graduates. In 2012, the number increases again, with yet more areas showing a high percentage of residents achieving a bachelors degree. The dramatic increase across the country is surprising considering the substantial rise in college tuition. In 1970 for example, a University of Utah student would spent about $390 a year on tuition. Today it costs around $6,000. The rise is also putting pressure on the job market and is causing thousands more to be left with mountains of student debt at the end of their courses. PBS reported that the percentage of American jobs that require bachelor’s degrees to be somewhere between 20 and 35 percent. It means the market may not have enough employment opportunities for all the graduates. By 1990, the picture had dramatically changed, with coastal areas showing a higher proportion of people obtaining a bachelors degree . More than 40 years on from the first map, huge swathes of the country have a population where more than 30 per cent have studied for four years at college .
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Images by Metric Maps show the increase in US citizens studying from 10.7 per cent in 1970 to 28.5 per cent in 2012 .
Forty years ago, only a small number of areas around the country had populations where over a third were graduates .
By 1990, there had been an enormous change with more areas showing an increase in citizens obtaining degrees .
In 2012, the number was higher again, but some believe the rise could lead to graduates missing out on jobs .
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