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Washington (CNN) -- President Obama's senior economic adviser said Sunday the government was delaying a report to Congress in order to provide more time to address China's alleged currency manipulation. Lawrence Summers, director of the National Economic Council, told the CNN program "State of the Union" that major international meetings coming up, including a G-20 economic gathering that will include China, provide the opportunity to resolve trade differences that could be exacerbated if the exchange-rate report were released on April 15 as scheduled. Summers said the upcoming meetings offer opportunities to engage China and other countries that have large trade surpluses with the United States. U.S Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced the delay of the report to Congress on Saturday. Many lawmakers had hoped the report would publicly admonish China for allegedly manipulating its currency to the detriment of the United States. Geithner, explaining the delay, said the upcoming meetings are "the best avenue for advancing U.S. interests at this time." On Sunday, Summers denied that the delayed report had any connection to the U.S. desire for China to support tougher sanctions against Iran over the Tehran government's refusal to comply with international regulations regarding its nuclear energy program. His comment was in response to a question on the ABC program "This Week." China has opposed more sanctions, but last week signaled a willingness to negotiate the issue within the U.N. Security Council, according to Susan Rice, the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations. Lawmakers from both parties have called on the Obama administration to speak out against China's refusal to let its currency appreciate. China has kept its yuan at about 6.83 to the dollar for almost two years. Many U.S. economists say the currency is undervalued by as much as 40 percent. Keeping its currency low makes China's goods cheaper on the world market and more likely to be purchased by other countries. But, analysts say, it hurts American businesses, which cannot compete. Some analysts have argued that this is costing the United States 1.5 million jobs and impeding the country's economic recovery. "Everyone knows China is manipulating the value of its currency to gain an unfair advantage in international trade," said Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, adding he was disappointed in the treasury secretary's decision. "If we want the Chinese to take us seriously, we need to be willing to say so in public," said Grassley, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Finance Committee. "The past few years have proven that denying the problem doesn't solve anything." Chinese officials have insisted the United States is using Beijing as a scapegoat for its own economic problems. "The Chinese government will not succumb to foreign pressure to adjust our exchange rates," said Zhong Shan, vice minister of commerce, late last month. Premier Wen Jiabao has been equally stern in his response. "We oppose the practice of finger-pointing among countries or strong-arm measures to force other countries to appreciate currencies," he told reporters last month. In his statement, Geithner acknowledged China has maintained an "inflexible exchange rate." "A move by China to a more market-oriented exchange rate will make an essential contribution to global rebalancing," he said. Rep. Sander Levin, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the delay was meant to see if the international community can address the issue in the coming months. "If the multilateral effort does not result in China's making significant changes, the administration and Congress will have no choice but to take appropriate action," said Levin, a Democratic lawmaker from Michigan.
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Economic adviser Lawrence Summers wants to give China more time .
Critics argue China keeps currency low, hurting American businesses .
U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced delay of currency report .
Geithner admits China has maintained an "inflexible exchange rate"
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f6bcd344c7655dfa1e0478a7bc8d060c1b1b8b67
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By . David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 08:03 EST, 1 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:15 EST, 2 January 2013 . A couple who created their own children’s programmes because they were so appalled by ‘nonsense’ such as the Teletubbies have become an internet hit. Jezz Wright, 44, and Julianne Martin, 35, were regularly having to switch off the television because they believed the shows on offer were ‘numbing’ their two young children’s brains. The married couple believed popular programmes such as Power Rangers and In The Night Garden were just ‘virtual e-numbers’ that made children hyperactive – so they decided to make their own. Scroll down for video . Family affair: Jez Wright and Julianne Martin were sick of their children Cillian and Beth watching nonsense TV so they created their own animation called Jack and Holly . Clever: Their own animations - with characters Jack and Holly - aim to educate children whilst watching instead of rotting their brains . They created a series of animated . films based on characters called Jack and Holly, best friends who learn . something of educational value through their adventures. The stories are designed for pre-school children and can be downloaded via the internet. The 15-minute episodes can be viewed . only once they are started by parents, meaning that children cannot just . sit watching programme after programme as they could with television. Mr Wright and Miss Martin believe this gets youngsters to interact with . their parents and discuss the show. The couple are now receiving more than . 500,000 monthly hits worldwide on the animated tales, with interest . particularly keen in the US, and experts reckon the venture could now . become a multi-million-pound business with the right investment. Rubbish: Shows like the Teletubbies are 'virtual e-numbers' according to the parents and offer nothing good for Britain's children . Mr Wright, a freelance media lecturer . who lives in Norwich with his wife and their two children Cillian, . eight, and Beth, five, said: ‘We’re delighted with the success we have . had. That was never the aim, so it has been a terrific bonus. We were . just fed up with all the unnecessary nonsense children’s heads are . filled with. We wanted to make something we felt happy about our son and . daughter sitting down to watch. ‘When we were young, there would be a . short spell after school when you could watch children’s TV. Now there . are entire channels dedicated to it. ‘The massive problem with TV for . pre-schoolers in the UK is that you are either sending them to la-la . land with the Tele-tubbies, or making them hyper watching programmes . like the Power Rangers. ‘TV effectively becomes virtual e-numbers for children with nothing remotely stimulating for them.’ Concerns: Cillian and Beth watch the box and they themselves contribute to the show created by their mum and dad . Happier: More than 500,000 people have watched their animations in a venture that could make them huge sums in the future . Housewife Miss Martin added: ‘Jack And . Holly isn’t filling children’s heads with rubbish but it still captures . the imagination enough for them to be entertained. ‘It harks back to old-school, . traditional values in terms of children’s TV, fulfilling genuine . educational material. At least that’s what we’ve aimed for.’ The creative couple were inspired to make the films when Cillian was four and began asking questions about Christmas. They looked for programmes to help explain but found nothing suitable. Instead they designed Jack And Holly’s . Christmas Countdown, a 70-minute animated film about the friends . discovering the true meaning of Christmas. It proved so popular with . their children and friends’ children that they decided to continue. Pair: Cillian and Beth say they love the Jack and Holly characters and learn a lot more from them . Mr Wright produces and writes each . episode, Cillian performs the voice of Jack and Miss Martin performs the . voice of Holly. Family friend Graham Jones draws the animations, which . have been expanded to a whole series of stories. Last month, Mr Wright . and Miss Martin launched their own online channel, allowing anyone with a . Roku TV Box or a smart TV to stream their programmes via the internet, . like BBC iPlayer. The programmes can currently be . downloaded for free but the couple also sell DVDs via their website, . www.jackandholly.com. They set up the enterprise on a ‘shoestring . budget’ and currently operate on a not-for-profit basis, donating their . small profits to children’s hospices across the UK. But business development experts have . told them their creation has the potential to make them millionaires. Mr . Wright said: ‘With the right investment we certainly believe the . business could potentially be worth more than £500,000 within just a . year or so. From there who knows? We’ve been told the sky’s the limit. ‘The response has been so terrific – . it shows parents are looking for quality programming for their children. And at least we finally have something for our two to watch.’
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Jez Wright and Julianne Martin created cartoon 'Jack and Holly'
The educational cartoon has became a surprise internet hit .
Their films have had 500,000 hits a month online from across the world .
Parents said programmes like In The Night Garden are 'virtual e-numbers'
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(CNN) -- A federal appeals court on Monday affirmed a previous injunction of Arizona's controversial immigration law, another setback for legislation that has drawn sharp opposition from President Barack Obama's administration. In its ruling, a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit sided with the U.S. Justice Department and against Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the measure known as SB 1070 into law last year. Among other things, this legislation would have required local law enforcement in Arizona to apprehend and help deport illegal immigrants. The Obama administration sued, arguing that only the federal government has that authority. That lawsuit led to U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton's decision last July, which temporarily blocked the law's most contested parts just a day before they were scheduled to go into effect. That included the requirement that local police officers should check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws. Monday's decision came more than five months after both sides presented their cases in San Francisco to the federal appeals court judges. The ruling was written by federal Judge Richard Anthony Paez and supported in full by Judge John Noonan. Judge Carlos Bea partially concurred and partially dissented from the ruling opinion. "We hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion," the ruling states. "Therefore, we affirm the district court's preliminary injunction order enjoining these certain provisions of SB 1070." Arizona's governor and attorney general will now consider "their legal options," according to a statement, including possibly an immediate petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. Brewer claimed Monday in this statement that the latest decision "does harm to the safety and well-being of Arizonans who suffer the negative effects of illegal immigration." "For decades, the federal government has neglected its constitutional duty to American citizens by failing to secure the border," she said. "States like Arizona have borne the brunt of that failure." Those on the other side of the issue, including key figures in Arizona's immigrant community, applauded the ruling. 'What this decision says is that Governor Brewer is wrong," Lydia Guzman of Somos America, an activist group focused on promoting social justice and equal rights for immigrant communities in Arizona, told reporters Monday. "This decision shows a victory on the side of justice and it shows that civil rights prevails." The ruling is the biproduct of a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department that challenged six of the Arizona law's provisions, meaning other parts of the law went into effect in July. That includes a ban on "sanctuary cities": municipalities with laws or policies that render them relatively safe for undocumented immigrants. Bolton's ruling also allowed a provision making it illegal to hire day laborers if doing so impedes traffic. In addition, the ruling allowed parts of the law dealing with sanctions for employers who hire illegal immigrants. Republican lawmakers, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and other state governments were among those filing briefs with the appeals court supporting Arizona's argument. The Mexican government, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the city of Tucson, Arizona, were among those filing briefs supporting the Justice Department's side. In its lawsuit, the Justice Department challenged only six of the Arizona law's provisions, meaning others went into effect in July. That includes a ban on "sanctuary cities": municipalities with laws or policies that render them relatively safe for undocumented immigrants. Bolton's ruling also allowed a provision making it illegal to hire day laborers if doing so impedes traffic. In addition, the ruling allowed parts of the law dealing with sanctions for employers who hire illegal immigrants. The decision Monday sides with the U.S. Justice Department, largely on the argument that federal immigration policy would be greatly undermined -- as might America's standing in the world -- if individual states adopted their own separate immigration laws. Doing so, the ruling contends, equates to a given state adopting its own foreign policy, one that may be in opposition to national policy. "That 50 individual states or one individual state should have a foreign policy is absurdity too gross to be entertained. In matters affecting the intercourse of the federal nation with other nations, the federal nation must speak with one voice," the ruling says. Brewer, along with Attorney General Tom Horne, on Monday said the appeals court relied too much on testimony from "foreign governments," calling it wrong to give such nations "the de facto right to veto the duly-enacted laws of a sovereign state of the United States." In his partial dissent -- which represents his opinion, but does not equate to law -- Bea contended that local and state officers do have a role in addressing federal immigration laws. "Congress intended that state officers be free to inquire of the federal officers into the immigration status of any person, without any direction or supervision of such federal officers -- and the federal officers 'shall respond' to any such inquiry," he writes. In February, Brewer announced that Arizona had filed a countersuit against the federal government, seeking the authority to implement its own border security efforts. At that time, Homeland Security Department spokesman Matt Chandler called Arizona's court claim a "meritless" one that "does nothing to secure the border."
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NEW: An immigrant activist says, "This decisions says ... Gov. Brewer is wrong"
Brewer says the ruling harms "the safety and well-being of Arizonans"
U.S. appeals court judges on Monday affirm an earlier ruling on Arizona's SB 1070 .
That ruling had blocked key provisions of the law, just before they became law .
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Gratitude: Anna Wing was a regular at the Turkish restaurant in central London and left the tip in her will as a 'token' EastEnders star Anna Wing left £5 to a restaurant boss among the £90,000 legacy she bequeathed in her will. The actress, who the cantankerous Lou Beale between 1985 and 1988, stated that the legacy to Kazim Akkus - the owner of Efes and Efes 2 in London's West End - was 'a token of gratitude for all his generosity'. Wing, who died in July at the age of 98, was a regular customer for more than 30 years at Mr Akkus's Turkish restaurants. Probate records released last week reveal that she left the bulk of her estate in trust for her two sons as well as individual legacies to charities, relatives and friends. Mr Akkus said the gift was a 'lovely surprise' from a loyal customer, who, he said, loved his 'hummus, taramasalata and kebabs'. Wing always left 'one or two pounds' as tips for his staff, the 71-year-old restaurateur said. Mr Akkus said: 'I am really touched that she remembered me in this way. 'She was a regular and used to come in once or twice every week. 'But she came in less as she got older because she had problems walking and I think I last saw her about three years ago. 'She would always love to have a chat while she was having a coffee or something to eat.' Mr Akkus said Wing had mentioned that she wanted to leave him something, but he had refused. 'Once she told me that she wanted to leave me quite a large legacy in her will, but I told her that I did not want it as it should be going to her family,' he said. Loyal customer: Efes Restaurant in Great Titchfield Street, which Wing visited on a weekly basis until her health declined, according to owner Kazim Akkus . 'But it is nice that she still decided to leave me a little something. She was a lovely lady.' Mr Akkus initially served Anna at his Efes restaurant. He left the restaurant around ten years ago but continued to serve her in his new Efes 2 nearby. Wing also left her Steinway square grand piano to Richard Niazi, who also ran a West End Turkish restaurant - the Sarastro in Drury Lane. But Mr Niazi died in 2008 so he did not receive the gift. Veteran: Wing was a familiar presence in Albert Square until her character was killed off in 1988 . Wing featured in 232 episodes of EastEnders until her character's death, having joined when the series was launched. Her other TV roles included appearances in Doctor Who, Casualty, Silent Witness and The Bill. Anna was made an MBE in the 2009 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity. Her will, drawn up in 2004, left £1,000 to each of her five grandchildren and £500 each to Help The Aged, Age Concern and St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy. Legacy: Anna Wing - pictured here launching the Elizabeth Fry £5 note - also left gifts to her family, charities, and another Turkish restaurant owner . The remainder or her estate was left in trust for her sons - actor and director Mark Wing-Davey, 64, and Jon Wing-O'Connor. Wing-Davey was the child of Wing's three-year marriage to actor Peter Davey which ended in divorce. Wing-O'Connor was born from her seven year relationship with writer Philip O'Connor.
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Actress who played Lou Beale from 1985 to 1988 died in July this year .
Kazim Akkus, owner of Efes and Efes 2 in London, gets £5 'token' in will .
Wing used to be a regular at the restaurants until her health declined .
Star also left money to her two sons, family and charities .
The will bequeathed a piano to another restaurateur - but he died in 2008 .
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Cameron has vowed to wield a second veto in Europe if France and Germany insist on pushing ahead with an EU-wide financial transaction tax . David Cameron has vowed to wield a second veto in Europe if France and Germany insist on pushing ahead with an EU-wide financial transaction tax. The Prime Minister said countries calling for a levy were welcome to implement it within their own borders – but added that to impose it across the EU without the backing of other major economies would harm businesses and jobs. The plan to impose a so-called ‘Robin Hood tax’ could cripple the City of London, through which the vast majority of European financial transactions go. Mr Cameron spoke hours before France announced it would try to implement a financial transaction tax of its own, even if EU leaders cannot agree on a tax to cover the whole union. The country’s housing minister Benoist Apparu said yesterday that a bill on the tax – which would only cover France – could be put to parliament as soon as next month. Mr Cameron is entirely happy with the prospect of France going it alone because it would mean their financial sector would be put at a disadvantage to the UK’s. However, Britain would be able to veto an EU-wide tax because it would need the support of all 27 members. Mr Cameron said: ‘If the French themselves want to go ahead with a transactions tax in their own country then they should be free to do so. ‘We actually have stamp duty on share transactions in Britain and yet we have one of the most competitive and successful financial services markets anywhere. ‘But the idea of a new European tax when you are not going to have that tax put in place in other places... I will block it unless the rest of the world all agreed at the same time that we were all going to have some sort of tax.’ French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. France announced it would try to implement a financial transaction tax of its own, even if EU leaders cannot agree on a tax to cover the whole union . The Prime Minister's determination to fall in line with the rest of the world has left him in a trickier position when it comes to IMF contributions, however. After his pledge not to go above a £10billion ceiling, the Financial Times revealed today that he is prepared to give 30bn euros more to help the eurozone if countries such as Japan and China do the same. Mr Cameron tried to play down concerns Britain will end up excluded from decisions affecting the single market under a new treaty being thrashed out in Brussels. The latest draft of a fiscal accord designed to shore up the crisis-hit eurozone specifically talks about ‘deeper integration in the internal market’. It also suggests EU institutions would be involved in policing tough new deficit rules. A bid to apply new rules across the EU was vetoed by the Prime Minister last month – but Britain found itself alone among the 27 member states in opposing the proposal. Britain may end up giving billions of pounds more to the International Monetary Fund to help bail out eurozone countries. After previously refusing to pledge more than the £10bn approved by Parliament in July, David Cameron could be ready to change his position, insiders said. They believe that if countries such as China and Brazil increase their support to the IMF to help it deal with the eurozone crisis, the Prime Minister is likely to follow suit. 'I'd expect the issue of resources to be discussed at the G20 finance ministers' meeting,' Mr Cameron's spokesman told the Financial Times. Britain is already under pressure from the single currency countries to increase its IMF contributions by 30bn euros. The Prime Minister has so far refused to join the eurozone members who have committed an extra 150bn euros to the IMF to assist Europe. But it now looks possible that he could commit to giving more money on an ad hoc basis, in a move that is bound to infuriate eurosceptic Tory MPs. IMF experts have pointed out that getting assistance from other countries will depend on Europe demonstrating its efforts to prop up its struggling countries. Extra resources would help supplement an IMF war chest of about $348bn, which is currently too small for a major rescue of Spain and Italy. But Mr Cameron could have trouble persuading Parliament to increase Britain's contributions to the IMF. The last time he tried to do so, 30 Conservative MPs joined forces against the proposal with Labour.
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'Robin Hood' tax could cripple the City of London .
But Mr Cameron ready to give billions more to IMF for assisting eurozone .
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f6be7ec35219651db9e7cd48c375a2e215f0f1a8
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British authorities say Aslam Awan was a member of a militant cell in northern England who had fought in Afghanistan . Two wanted Al-Qaeda leaders killed by U.S. drone attacks are believed to have travelled from Britain to launch terrorist attacks against the West. One, Aslam Awan, studied in Manchester but joined an Islamic terror cell then went to Afghanistan to fight coalition forces. By contrast, his brothers remain in Britain pursuing respectable careers – they are a surgeon, a GP, a banker and a software engineer. Awan rose to become a senior figure in Al Qaeda’s leadership, planning attacks on the West, but was killed in Pakistan’s inaccessible border area by a missile launched from an unmanned U.S. drone. His death was announced as it was claimed that an Al-Qaeda commander killed in a drone attack in Somalia was a British citizen. Insurgent group Al-Shabab said Bilal al-Berjawi grew up in West London before he too went to fight in Afghanistan, but the Foreign Office denied he had held British citizenship. Awan, who is thought to have been 29, came to Britain on a student visa in 2002 but became part of a committed terrorist cell based in Manchester. They filmed each other training in the Lake District, with police later finding clips of them crawling across a snow-covered mountain while firing imaginary guns. Awan had told his family he was studying at Manchester University, hoping to better himself just as his four elder brothers had done before him. But while his brothers remain here pursuing successful professional careers, Awan returned in about 2007 to his hometown of Abbottabad, Pakistan – ironically, later revealed as the hiding place of Osama bin Laden. On guard: Plainclothes Pakistani security men stand outside the family house of al-Qaida militant Aslam Awan . He first came to prominence when letters he wrote from Afghanistan dubbed a ‘call to arms’ were seized from former schoolfriend and fellow plotter Abdul Rahman. One praised Taliban rule in Afghanistan and called on supporters to join him and spread the ‘fragrance of blood’ on the battlefield. Rahman later became the first person in Britain to be convicted of a charge of disseminating terrorist information and was jailed for six years. The cell was headed by Rangzieb Ahmed, who was later captured in Pakistan and jailed in Britain. Operating under the nom de guerre Abdullah Khurasani, Awan is understood to have been highly regarded within the Al Qaeda hierarchy for his education, computer skills and foreign contacts. According to U.S. intelligence officials, he rose to become a senior external operations planner, plotting attacks on the West. They do not believe he was in direct contact with bin Laden, who kept communication with his supporters to a minimum after going into hiding. Awan was among four people killed in a CIA drone attack on a militant stronghold on North Waziristan on January 10 but his death was only confirmed at the weekend. A U.S. official said: ‘His death reduces al-Qaeda's thinning bench of another operative devoted to plotting the death of innocent civilians.’ His father Khushal Khan, who lived in Britain in the 1970s and worked at a bank, was informed of his death in a phone call to his wife which said Awan had been ‘martyred’. However at the family home in Abbottabad he refused to believe that he had been a terrorist, telling how his other sons all had respectable careers in Britain - one is a surgeon, another is a doctor, the third an engineer and the fourth is a banker. Attack: An undated handout image courtesy of the U.S. Air Force shows a MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft . ‘I don't believe this is true, my son was not indulging in these things,’ he said. Another drone attack on Al Qaeda terrorists killed Bilal al-Berjawi on the outskirts of the war-town Somali capital Mogadishu. Militant group Al-Shabab said he was a Lebanese and British citizen who grew up in West London and fought in Afghanistan before going to Somalia in 2006. However the Foreign Office denied he had been a British citizen, refusing to comment on whether he had ever lived in this country. Berjawi is understood to have helped oversee recruitment, training and tactics for al-Shabab, who are fighting the weak UN-backed government in Somalia. In a statement on Saturday, the insurgents said he had been ‘martyred immediately’, receiving ‘what he wished for and what he went out for’. But Omar Jamal, the first secretary in the Somali mission to the UN, responded ‘Good riddance’, adding that he hoped it would help bring an end to fighting in his country. Last year one of Britain’s most wanted terror suspects was killed in another drone attack on Waziristan. Ibrahim Adam had fled after his brother Anthony Garcia was jailed for life for plotting to blow up the Ministry of Sound nightclub or the Bluewater Shopping Centre with a fertiliser bomb in 2004. He died along with a fellow Briton, Mohammed Azmir Khan.
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He was one of four people killed in strike .
Member of militant cell in northern England .
Strike directed 'at a compound near the town of Miranshah in the border province of North Waziristan'
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f6be859b2b109d9b87ffe13f6b3519e3f91591ff
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Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta apologised for his red card in the clash with title rivals Chelsea - but insists Diego Costa should have followed him down the tunnel. The Argentina full back received his marching orders for a second booking following a clash with Costa, who was only shown a yellow card. Zabaleta tweeted a picture of the Chelsea striker with his hands around his throat with the message: 'I would like to apologise to everyone for my red card today. Diego Costa puts his hands around Pablo Zabaleta's throat - but it's the latter who was sent off . Zabaleta tweeted a picture of Costa with his hands around the defender's throat . Costa and Zabaleta get up close and personal before the latter's sending off . The Argentinian defender challenges Costa before receiving a second yellow card . Referee Mike Dean gives Zabaleta his marching orders at the Etihad . 'However after seeing this image I can't believe that Diego Costa remained on the pitch.' Zabaleta's sending off came moments before Andre Schurrle gave Chelsea the lead, with Costa involved in the move leading to the goal. However, Frank Lampard came off the bench to rescue a point for the 10-man champions against his former club. Costa and Zabaleta clash after the defender's rash tackle . It was a lonely walk off for the Argentina defender in Man City's clash with Chelsea . Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho acknowledges Zabaleta as he heads to the dressing room .
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Pablo Zabaleta was sent off after 66 minutes with the game goalless .
The Man City defender clashed with Diego Costa - and he is adamant the Chelsea striker should have seen red, too .
Zabaleta tweets a picture appearing to show Costa with his hands around his throat .
Apologises for his red card but adds 'I can't believe that Diego Costa remained on the pitch'
Costa involved in move which led to Andre Schurrle giving Chelsea the lead .
Former Chelsea star Frank Lampard equalised to earn 10-man City a point .
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f6bfa626eac9999cb7d260f28645d135b17eee36
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Joan Rivers is a tough act to follow, but E! Network has decided its hit show Fashion Police will continue - with Kathy Griffin filling Joan's Jimmy Choos. Show insiders tell MailOnline, that Joan's daughter Melissa Rivers agreed to continue to produce her mother's show and has given her blessing to the choice. E! executives are negotiating a deal with the popular redhead. 'Kathy has been told if she wants . the gig she can have it because Melissa wanted someone who her mother . would have approved of,' says the show source. 'Kathy will probably take the position but they are still working . out the deal.' Scroll down for video . Bittersweet substitute: Joan Rivers and Kathy Griffin, here at the Comedy Central Roast of Joan in 2009, have long been friends. Now Kathy, with her brash, outspoken wit, has been tapped to take over for Joan on Fashion Police . In her memory: E! Network revealed it has decided hit Fashion Police will continue without its famed host, saying that is the way Joan Rivers would have wanted it . Sad farewell: Kathy was among the mourners at Joan's memorial service at New York City's Temple Emanu-El on September 7 . Joan . created Fashion Police and Melissa produced and directed the show, so Joan's grieving daughter . may be on the first show they tape to say a few words about her mother and to . introduce Kathy. While Joan was in a coma, rumors were floating around at the time that Kathy would pitch hit for Joan on the show, which she vigorously denied. “It’s disgusting. It’s not true,' she told Larry King . 'And I know that stuff shouldn’t bother me at this stage of my career—you know, I thought I’d heard it all—but that one hurts, because it’s as far from the truth as you can get.' Griffin, 53, who was among the dozens of celebrities who attended her unconventional memorial service on September 7, lauded Joan for paving the way for women in comedy. Kathy began performing in the early 1980’s at the Improv Comedy Troupe at The Groundlings in Los Angeles. Her big Hollywood breakthrough came on the hit BRAVO reality show ‘Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-list’ that ran from 2005-2010. Kathy won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Program and she has released six comedy albums that were all nominated for Grammy Awards. 'Kathy adored and admired Joan,' a close family friend revealed. 'Not only did Joan mentor Kathy they were really close friends. Kathy is heartbroken that she is gone.” Fashion hit: The E! show also stared Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopoulos . Paying tribute: E! aired a special tribute Fashion Police show on September 19, hosted by Joan's daughter, Melissa Rivers . Since the 81-year-old's death on September 4, the show which she helmed had been on hold and its future uncertain. But last week E! announced Fashion Police would return in 2015. In a statement the broadcaster said it . would return to television screens for post Golden Globes coverage and . the decision was only made with the late comedian's daughter Melissa's . blessing. The statement . said: 'We are deeply saddened by the loss of Joan Rivers and, for the . last two weeks, have turned our attention to honoring her memory on all . of our platforms. We have also thought long and hard about what Joan . would have wanted as it pertains to the future of Fashion Police. 'We decided, with Melissa Rivers’ blessing, that Joan would have wanted the franchise to continue.' E! has not said what changes will be made to the show's format - which also stars Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopoulos. The statement added: 'Fashion Police will return in 2015 commencing with Golden Globes coverage on Monday, January 12. No further details will be announced at this time.' Tough shoes to fill: The redhead said the late host, pictured 2013, 'brought a fearlessness and a brand of humour into our homes that we really need' Guiding force: The 81-year-old comedian had helmed the show since 2011 and is pictured in the post-Emmys and MTV VMAs show August 26 . Speaking on whether she would want the show to continue, co-host Giuliana said she was in two minds. She told ABC News on Thursday: 'A part of me is like Joan would want Melissa and us and the team to go on and I know she would, but it's just a matter of can there be a show without Joan?' 'Do we want to do a Fashion Police without Joan? I don't know.' As the guiding force of the program, Joan . led co-hosts Giuliana, Kelly and George since 2010 on the show that picked apart celebrity fashion on the red . carpet. Working till the very end: Only two days before the veteran actress suffered a cardiac arrest during a routine medical procedure, she was leading the charge against bad red carpet fashion . Starting off as just a half an hour show, . it was quickly expanded to an hour as Joan's biting and no holds . barred commentary on Hollywood's top stars won over audiences. Only two days before the veteran actress suffered a cardiac arrest during a routine procedure last Thursday, she was leading the charge against bad celebrity fashion at the MTV VMAs and Emmy Awards. During that show - aired August 26 - Joan . had sounded a little raspier than usual but, if she was not feeling her . best, the longtime red carpet reporter did not show it or hold back . about those who committed fashion don'ts. A special episode called Fashion Police: . Celebrating Joan airs Friday, September 19 at 8 p.m. ET. in the US and . September 20 at 9pm in the UK. Hard shoes to fill: Speaking on whether she would want the show to continue, co-host Giuliana said she was conflicted about carrying on without Joan .
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E! Network has decided the hit show Fashion Police will continue - with Kathy Griffin at the helm .
Fashion Police producer Melissa Rivers has given Kathy her blessing as someone her mother would have approved of .
Griffin says Joan paved the way for women in comedy .
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(CNN) -- An Arizona couple who wanted to adopt a woman's baby know more than they're saying about the 8-month-old boy's disappearance, police say. Gabriel Johnson hasn't been seen since December 26, police said, and his mother was arrested last week in Miami Beach, Florida, after not reporting for a December 28 child custody hearing in Arizona. "We have some good indications at this point with our investigation that Tammi and Jack Smith do know more information than they have provided to us that could possibly lead us to Gabriel," Sgt. Steve Carbajal, spokesman for the Tempe (Arizona) Police Department, told HLN's Nancy Grace on Thursday. For their part, the Smiths told HLN's Jean Casarez on "Nancy Grace" that they voluntarily took polygraph tests Friday at the Tempe Police Department. "The polygraph test is not like what you see on TV," Jack Smith said. "It's almost like being strapped into the electric chair, so it's very intensive. And we were very happy to do it." The Smiths have said they met Elizabeth Johnson, 23, seven months ago during a long layover at an airport, and later the three discussed a plan to adopt Johnson's child, Gabriel. But the boy's father, Logan McQueary, has legal custody and has said Elizabeth Johnson urged him to sign papers giving the Smiths custody of the boy, but he refused. "She didn't want Logan to have the baby, and we couldn't adopt the baby because Logan wouldn't sign the papers," Tammi Smith said on "Nancy Grace." "So her idea was to just keep running forever. And we told her, 'You can't run forever. They're going to find you.' " Elizabeth Johnson has refused to say where the boy is, according to police, and remains in a Florida jail on suspicion of custodial interference. Carbajal's department has indications that Gabriel is alive, he said, adding that the Smiths have spoken with investigators. But he declined to say why police believe that the couple has more information. The Smiths say they do not know where Gabriel is. Watch what they say about the polygraphs . Detectives have not been able to confirm that Johnson gave the child to an unidentified couple in San Antonio, Texas, as she has claimed. "On one hand, we hear that that went down and the child was given away to an unknown couple at a park," Carbajal said. "We balance that with statements made by Elizabeth that she killed Gabriel. Which story is true? Our investigators are trying to get to the bottom of that right now." New leads and developments in the case were coming in by the minute, he said. The FBI found Johnson's car in San Antonio and have examined it for any clues that could lead them to the boy, but his whereabouts remain unknown. Anyone with more information is asked to call the Tempe Police Department at 480-350-8311 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
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NEW: Would-be parents tell HLN they volunteered for polygraph tests .
Gabriel Johnson, 8 months old, hasn't been seen since December 26 .
Child's mother was arrested in Miami and is in police custody but won't say where he is .
Police believe they Arizona couple know more than they're saying .
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Hebron, West Bank (CNN) -- Standing under a large poster of Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock, Nabil Saeed lays out large rolls of red, green, white and black cloth on his workshop table. These are the colors of his homeland, one he hopes will soon become a fully recognized state. The flag-maker marks the cloth in precise shapes before cutting different colored layers as the hum of a sewing machine is heard from a small room next door. The Saeed family home in the West Bank city of Hebron has been bustling with activity lately, as they seek to meet the increased demand for Palestinian flags ahead of an expected move by the Palestinian Authority to seek statehood at the United Nations next week. Having cut the cloth, Saeed and his wife, together with his nephew Mahmoud, sit in a small room, filled with textiles, threads of different colors, and three small tables. Perched upon each table is an old sewing machine, like a relic of a bygone era. Like clockwork, the pieces of cloth here are passed between them. First, Nabil's nephew, Mahmoud, sews the pieces together, passes them to Saeed's wife, who passes the flag-in-making on to him, who quickly adds the finishing touches and lays it on a pile of flags on the table next to him. During the past few weeks the three of them have sewn over fifteen thousand flags says Nabil, who has been doing this for over 40 years. His profession has even landed him behind bars in an Israeli prison. "During the first Intifada we were only producing a very small quantity of flags because it was forbidden, but when the Palestinian Authority arrived we started producing huge quantities," he explains. At a time when business is slow, Saeed welcomes the Palestinian authority's U.N. initiative and the public relations campaign behind it. He says it has brought him fresh business, at a time when the global economy and foreign competition has made his job more difficult than ever. "During the second Intifada we also produced large quantities of flags, but when people started importing the flags from outside with cheaper prices, it was not that good business," Nabil says, remembering that he used to be able to charge the equivalent of about seven dollars for a flag. He says he would be lucky to get four dollars today. "We used to do thousands of flags before people start importing the flags from China, it's something that affected the prices dramatically. It caused us to stop producing," he says. But money is not the driving factor for the flag maker, rather he is driven by the dream of finally having a Palestinian State. "This flag that we sew and will continue to sew, we hope we will see it raised at the United Nations with the rest of the world. This is our hope, and we are sure that one day our flags will be raised in the United Nations and on every international occasion. It is a dream that is coming true, and we hope that our brothers, the Arabs, will support us," the flag makers say. Mahmoud, Saeed's nephew, agrees. "Money is not the issue here, what is important is to have a state where we can live in dignity, where we can go wherever we want, where we can visit our holy places and walk our streets without having soldiers stopping us and asking for ID. This would be much better than any quantity of money. Business is important, but living in freedom and dignity is much more important," Mahmoud says. Yaeem Al-Heleh has been running a printing business just down the road from Saeed's flag factory since the 1980's. Cardboard boxes full of flyers, posters, and small printed flags are stacked in the corner of the room. Nearby, workers use a hot press to flatten the freshly printed flags and others print large posters adorned with the picture of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat standing next to current Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Like his friend Nabil Saeed, Al-Heleh welcomes the extra income the Palestinian statehood campaign has brought, and he too believes the dream it carries is important. "We have been dreaming of having a state since the beginning of occupation. People were very positive towards this campaign. Here in Palestine everybody is supporting this idea. We hope to have the support from the Arab states and the whole world," he says. Although he, like many, sees the likelihood of Palestinian Authority success at the United Nations Security Council as very low, AL-Heleh says he is hopeful that the Palestinian push for statehood will bring change. Read what Israel's prime minister thinks about the Palestinian bid . "The flag today has a special meaning, before we used to fight in order to raise it. The flag used to be raised and then the Israeli soldiers used to take it down and now the flag is in a way of getting sovereignty and recognition. Now 130 countries recognize us and are ready to support us, I think it's a dream that could come true," he says. Sitting behind his sewing machine Nabil Saeed sighs when asked whether he thinks the Palestinian Authority will succeed with its effort this month. "If we don't succeed in September, it won't be the end and we will continue the resistance until our flag is raised everywhere. I will continue sewing the flag and I will never get bored of it. This is our flag, this is our pride and we will continue raising it all of our lives," he said.
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Flagmaker family sees more demand for Palestinian flags .
Palestinian Authority seeking statehood at the United Nations this week .
Many Palestinians see success for U.N. bid is low .
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By . Bianca London . She designs and models a lingerie range for M&S but Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is proving her worth as a clothes horse for the high street chain too. The 27-year-old supermodel is showcasing the store's summer offering in a series of high fashion images. Proving that she is the perfect lady, Rosie looks demure and sophisticated as she showcases an array of the store's summer dresses and lightweight jackets. Scroll down for video . She's a lady! Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looks ladylike and demure in M&S' summer clothing range . Wearing natural make-up and her hair in its trademark beachy curls, Rosie gives us a lesson in summer style. Rosie's made no secret of her love of all things green and it seems that it helped her on the way to the glowing skin and svelte physique she parades in the new campaign. Speaking about her love of green juices, she told the Irish Independent: 'I make one every morning and try to have them in hotels. How to do high summer: We are more accustomed to seeing Rosie in her underwear but she proves she can dress demurely and still look amazing in this new imagery . Bare-faced beauty: Rosie, 27, appears to be wearing hardly any make-up in the new campaign, which sees her showcases summer dresses and more casual jeans and boots for the high street stalwart . 18600 . 100055 . 42145 . 46255 . 20852 . 112826 . 70000 . 25635 . 96160 . 157943 . 135512 . 111944 . 71634 . 68685 . 38685 . 425901 . 107207 . 39683 . 80388 . 'I put in quite a few sprigs of kale and spinach, apples and celery - anything green. You put in the right amount of everything and it's delicious.' She also works out with James Duigan, the man behind the hugely successful Clean & Lean empire. Rosie met James several years ago and is such a fan that she penned the . introduction to his book Clean & Lean: Flat Tummy Fast. Rosie said: 'James knows exactly how I want my body to look: lean, taut and strong, yet soft, curvy and feminine. 'What . I've learned through working with James is that by focusing on creating . a healthy body you can really achieve all of these things, faster than I . ever thought possible. Oh, and by the way, nobody can get a stomach as . flat as James can!' Staying in shape for summer: Rosie swears by the power of all things green and works out with celebrity trainer James Duigan . Wise words: Sharing her life advice in a recent interview, the Devon-born beauty said: 'Keep your wits about you. Be smart. Say no if something makes you feel uncomfortable. Have goals and go after them, and practice good manners' Aside from her modelling duties, Rosie has been spending a lot of time with long-term boyfriend Jason . Statham. Proving that they are stronger than ever, the lovebirds stepped out for a . romantic dinner on Sunday evening. Rosie, . 27, of course looked incredible for the occasion wearing a stunning . floral maxi dress which no doubt made her 46-year-old man swoon. The in-demand model recently covered the June issue of Violet Grey, . in which she opened up about her idol. 'I love Elizabeth Taylor. She . always strikes me as the ultimate femme fatale,' she gushed. As we're used to seeing her: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley modelling her first ever lingerie collection called 'Rosie for Autograph' designed in partnership with Marks & Spencer . Super smoothie: The model often uploads snaps of . herself slurping on smoothies and juices, which she describes as 'the . perfect way to start the day . 'Keep your . wits about you. Be smart. Say no if something makes you feel . uncomfortable. Have goals and go after them, and practice good manners.' And . though she has a thriving career and is perhaps considered one of the . world's most beautiful women, she admitted she is not always feeling . quite so on top of the world. When . asked if she is happy, she said: 'Mostly, yes. I do believe to be happy . you have to work on yourself. You have to listen to yourself and stay . true to your heart.' Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who has one of showbiz's most enviable figures, recently praised her ‘delicious green juice' which she described as 'a . great way to start the day.' But what’s behind this mysterious . concoction? Along with other super healthy ingredients such as cucumber, . kale and parsley, the Japanese wholefood Chlorella is added to the . juice. And it’s not just Rosie . who’s caught the Chlorella bug, Miranda . Kerr has admitted that she takes Chlorella supplements to keep her skin . in check. green vegetable smoothie . Nadia Brydon, who’s a . nutritionist and green food expert at Sun Chlorella, has shared her tips . for the perfect morning smoothie.... 'With . everyone from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to Millie Mackintosh drinking . green smoothies recently, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is just . another beauty fad. 'We . all know that we’re probably not eating enough greens, yet our greens . contain the most vitamins and minerals of any foods we eat, and are the . most important category of foods to consume on a daily basis to help . keep us healthy. Green . smoothies can be high in vitamin B12, which can help reduce tiredness, . and magnesium, which is found in dark green vegetables and can act as . nature’s tranquiliser, helping to keep us de-stressed and relaxed – so . it’s no wonder so many busy celebs are trying it! You’ll . notice that a lot of models are now adding green supplements to their . juices, to up their nutrient intake even further. For instance, a daily . serving of the Japanese wholefood Sun Chlorella contains iron content . equivalent to nine cups of spinach (270g) and the same B12 content as a . 32oz steak. Perhaps . most importantly, these drinks provide large quantities of whole food . natural vitamins and minerals and help increase our daily intake of . fruit and vegetables – for busy people who still want to remain healthy, . this is hugely important. Smoothies . are also full of fibre and water along with a whole range of nutrients . which naturally makes us feel fuller which reduces the desire to consume . food generally especially sugar and carbohydrates. We recommend the . Rolls Royce of blenders, the Vitamix blender, as it breaks down the cell . walls of fresh, whole foods to deliver the full benefit of nutrients. It also saves time as all of the ingredients can be added at once.' Miranda . and Rosie’s green juices and smoothies are so nutritious, simply . because greens contain the most vitamins and minerals of any foods we . eat, and are the most important category of foods to consume on a daily . basis to help keep us healthy. Combining . these into an easy to drink smoothie can help busy people cram as many . of these vegetables into their daily diet as possible. Juicing and . blending raw green vegetables and living micro greens (sprouts) containing fresh vibrant green chlorophyll are extremely nutritious ways . of creating optimum health and energy. Just juice: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has revealed that she loves Chlorella (like those pictured right) green juices . Juicing . or blending any raw green vegetable, especially the living leafy . varieties, is an effective way of increasing oxygen in the body and . helping to build healthy tissues. Oxygen maintains life and is a . rejuvenator of all body systems. Green . smoothies containing the ingredients seen in Rosie and Miranda’s can be . high in vitamin B12, which can help reduce tiredness. The . spinach in Rosie’s signature smoothie is high in magnesium, which is . found in dark green vegetables and can act as nature’s tranquiliser, . helping to keep us de-stressed and relaxed – so it’s no wonder so many . busy celebs are trying it! You’ll . notice that a lot of models are now adding green supplements to their . juices, to up their nutrient intake even further. For instance, a daily . serving of the Japanese wholefood Sun Chlorella contains iron content . equivalent to nine cups of spinach (270g) and the same B12 content as a . 32oz steak – vitamin D in particular is important for winter, as this . nutrient is produced by natural sunlight, and long cold winters can . cause Brits to become deficient, meaning it’s important to top up where . possible. To make a Rosie or Miranda style green . smoothie, try the delicious recipe below at home. Freshly juiced fruits . should always be diluted 50:50 with water in order to dilute the sugar . content. Blend the below ingredients, adding the water first.• 600ml mineral water (still) • ½ chopped cucumber (skin & pips included) • ¼ peeled avocado • 1 chopped celery stick • Juice of ½ lemon or lime • ¼ teaspoon unrefined salt • . Sun Chlorella ‘A’ tablets: initially starting off with 5 tablets for . the first three days, moving up to 10 for the next 3 days and then 15 . tablets herein after. • Small double handful (60-80mg) of mixed . green leaves from the following (they can be combined): spinach, . watercress, rocket, savoy cabbage, chard, lettuce, chicory, kale, bok . choy, sprigs of mint, parsley, coriander, basil.
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Rosie, 27, showcases summer offering from M&S .
Look casual and cool as she models floral dresses and jeans and coats .
Star says she still swears by drinking a green juice every single day .
Has been spending a lot of time with boyfriend Jason Statham .
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Liverpool are exploring the possibility of sending Suso to Sevilla as part of a £16million deal to sign exciting left back Alberto Moreno. Moreno is training with Spain in Madrid, having just arrived home from Sevilla’s post-season tour of Indonesia and could play in his country's friendly against Bolivia. The 21-year-old has been closely watched by Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City this season but after a bright start had some indifferent performances in the second half of the season. Nevertheless, there is no doubting his ability and his age allows room for improvement. Target: Liverpool have stepped up their efforts to sign Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno (left) On duty: Moreno is training with the Spain squad in Madrid ahead of the World Cup . On loan: Suso spent last season at Almeria . Liverpool have taken the initiative with an opening offer and are willing to use 20-year-old unsettled midfielder Suso as a sweetener. The Spain U21 star had a successful loan spell at Almeria last season and Sevilla are keen to help him put his career back on track. Liverpool continue to negotiate with Bayer Leverkusen over midfielder Emre Can although his wage demands have taken them by surprise. Leverkusen are one of the few clubs in the Bundesliga that compete with Premier League wages. Rodgers has been looking at signing a top class left back for more than 12 months and tried to bring Guilherme Siquiera to Anfield last August before he eventually brought Aly Cissokho in on a season long-loan. Academy graduate Jon Flanagan ended up filling the role with distinction but he is naturally right-footed and will be moved across in time. Liverpool have also been considering Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand as an option. Manager Brendan Rodgers is also ready to signal a move for Swansea's Michel Vorm now that Lukasz Fabianski has joined Swansea from Arsenal. Xherdan Shaqiri remains an option should Liverpool fail to sign Adam Lallana. The 22-year-old Swiss international indicated he was ready to leave Bayern telling 20 Minuten: 'It's clear that I cannot continue like this. If nothing changes, I will have to make some changes myself. I want to play in the important games as well and not just in the Bundesliga. I don't want to go through another year like this. Hole: Liverpool experimented with Jon Flanagan (above) and Aly Cissokho at left back last season . 'I only want to play for a major club. The Champions League is important to me. We will see what happens. England would be an option. If I were to leave Bayern, it will be for a foreign club. But it will have to be a club challenging for the title.' Liverpool have made a fresh enquiry about free agent Seydou Keita, 34, but he is also considering a new offer from Valencia. Liverpool spoke to Keita in January but he was apparently upset when it became clear they wanted him as a squad player.
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Liverpool step up effort to sign Sevilla left-back .
Suso spent last season at Almeria, and Liverpool could offer him in deal .
Liverpool played Jon Flanagan and Aly Cissokho at left back last season .
Brendan Rodgers keen to improve Liverpool's defence .
Liverpool still pursuing Emre Can and Adam Lallana transfers .
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The note that Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev wrote on the wall of the boat where he was found after a massive manhunt has been released, showing the motivation behind the fatal attack. Stains of either red paint or blood are shown dripping down through the angry note and some words were blasted away by bullet holes. 'The U.S. government is killing our innocent civilians, but most of you already know that… I can’t stand to see such [bullet hole] go unpunished,' the hand-scribbled note obtained by ABC News says. Final words: Photos of the note that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev wrote inside a boat where he has captured have now been released showing what his thoughts were in the wake of the bombing that killed 3 and injured 260 . Censored by a bullet hole: Some of the words in the note are blocked out by bullet holes and either blood or paint . 'We Muslims are one body. You kill one of us, you hurt [bullet hole] us all.' Much more was included in the note but very little of it is legible. The note was written on the side of the wall of the boat in a backyard in Watertown, Massachusetts where Dzhokhar was found. Earlier reports noted that the phrase 'F*** America' was included somewhere but the photo released on Thursday did not show that portion. Dzhokhar, the now-20-year-old charged with helping his older brother Tamerlan set off two bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon last April, is currently awaiting trial and is being held in solitary confinement at a prison in Massachusetts. Under a spell: The denfense s planning on describing how Dzhokhar was under his brother's control when he participated in the dual bombing at the Boston Marathon in 2013 (pictured: then-19-year-old Dzhokhar being captured) ABC reports that his defense team did not have a comment about the note. Just yesterday, a judge ruled that Dzhokhar can be visited by his relatives without an FBI agent present. He had previously been watched during the visits, but his defense attorneys argued that there was no clear threat and the agent's presence prevented the family from speaking freely. 'This case is very much a story about a family and the relationships between them,' defense attorney David Bruck said in a court hearing on Wednesday. Family ties: Defense attorneys for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (right) argued that he did not need an agent present when he met with his sister in prison and they are trying to understand the relationship he had with his older, now-deceased brother Tamerlan (left) The judge agreed with the defense's point, pushing past the prosecution's suggestion that the minder was needed for security. 'I don’t think the safety, security issue looms very large,' US district judge George A. O'Toole Jr ruled. The Boston Globe reported that the decision will not be final until the US Bureau of Prisons weighs in, and that is expected to take about two weeks. The agent's presence is not only a question of security but could also have a role in the trial as it was earlier reported that during one of these visits, the agent allegedly heard Dzohkhar say something controversial in a heated exchange with his sister. 'Tsarnaev, despite the presence of an FBI agent and an employee of the federal public defender, was unable to temper his remarks and made a statement to his detriment which was overheard by the agent,' a late February court hearing stated. Prosecutors later said that the remark was 'the driving force' behind Tsarnaev's defense team's decision to push for a change in the visitation procedure. The strategy also suggests that the defense team is preparing to paint Dzhokhar, who was 19 at the time of last year's bombings, as under the mental control of his 26-year-old brother Tamerlan who was killed in a shoot out with police. Paying respects: The court decisions come just one day after the anniversary of the bombings (the Boylston Street finish line pictured on Tuesday during a memorial ceremony)
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The note's message is broken up by bullet holes and 'blood stains'
Was written on the inside wall of the boat where Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was found five days after the dual blasts at the Boston Marathon finish line .
Identifies himself as a Muslim and shows disgust for the American government .
Comes one day after a judge ruled that an FBI agent doesn't have to sit in on visits between Dzhokhar and his sisters .
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- JetBlue Airways and two TSA screeners will pay $240,000 to settle an Iraqi man's claim he was denied access to a flight until he covered a T-shirt that read in English and Arabic, "We Will Not be Silent." JetBlue and two TSA screeners settled a lawsuit for $240,000, but denied any wrongdoing. In the settlement, JetBlue and the TSA screeners deny any wrongdoing, saying they only wanted to resolve the 2½-year-old federal lawsuit. But Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi who immigrated to the United States three years ago, cast the settlement as a victory, saying the payout would discourage airlines and airport security officials from imposing restrictions in the future. ACLU attorney Aden Fine, who represented Jarrar, also called it a victory. "A $240,000 award should send a clear and strong message to all TSA officials and to all airlines that what happened here is wrong and should not happen again," he said. The TSA screeners -- Garfield Harris and Franco Trotta -- declined comment, referring questions to their attorneys, who also declined comment, and the TSA. TSA spokesman Christopher White, while noting that the TSA was not a party to the suit, said "There is absolutely no intention to take disciplinary action against the employees involved." The incident occurred August 12, 2006 -- two days after the United Kingdom revealed a plot to bomb planes to the United States had been foiled. In response, the United States imposed a ban on carry-on liquids, and raised the threat level at airports. Jarrar, now 30, said he was attempting to travel on JetBlue flight 101 from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Oakland, California, when he was approached by TSA officers. The officers told him he'd have to cover his T-shirt. "When I asked why, one of the TSA officers said, 'Coming into an airport while wearing a T-shirt with Arabic letters on it was equivalent to going into a bank while wearing a shirt saying, 'I am a robber,' " Jarrar said. Jarrar said he originally refused to cover up the shirt, first asking to speak to a supervisor, and asking if there was a law prohibiting Arabic shirts. "I said, 'I think as a U.S. resident and taxpayer, I think it's my constitutional right [to express myself],' " said Jarrar, adding the T-shirt's message was not threatening. Jarrar said he finally relented when it became obvious he couldn't get on the plane without complying. The officials purchased a T-shirt for him to wear, he said. "They had actually a discussion in front of me. One said, 'Let's buy an "I [heart] New York" shirt.' And another said, 'No, we can't take him from one extreme to another.' " "I said, 'What makes you assume that I don't love New York?' " Jarrar said they eventually bought him a "generic gray" T-shirt with the words "New York" on it. "They tried to say this is a compromise ... I said, 'It is not a compromise, you are denying me my rights,' " Jarrar said. Airline officials also changed his seats without consulting him, forcing him to to sit in the back where flight attendants kept an eye on him, Jarrar claims. According to court documents, TSA screener Trotta said he remembers Harris telling Jarrar he "had perhaps not made the best choice of clothing" given the events two days earlier. But "at no point in time did he ever request or order that the passenger change his shirt or suggest that his failure to do so" would keep him off the flight. Jarrar said he is disappointed the TSA and airline did not apologize to him. In a written statement to CNN, JetBlue said it was pleased with the settlement. "The settlement amount represents a fraction of the amount originally sought by Mr. Jarrar," spokesman Bryan Baldwin said. "JetBlue continues to deny, outright, every critical aspect of Mr. Jarrar's version of events." "At no time did anyone from JetBlue ever say he could not board the aircraft unless he changed his T-shirt," Baldwin said. ACLU attorney Fine said Jarrar did not sue TSA directly because of "legal considerations." "It's much more difficult to sue a government agency than it is to sue the direct government employee that committed the unconstitutional act," he said. But the JetBlue settlement should accomplish the same goal, he said. "It's very difficult to bring these kinds of cases and to prevail on these kinds of cases, especially in a post 9/11 world in which airline officials and government officials have been given an extreme amount of latitude," Fine said. Jarrar said the slogan on the T-shirt -- "We Will Not Be Silent" -- originated in Germany as a campaign against the Nazi repression. He said artists in New York have printed it in various languages.
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JetBlue and the TSA screeners denied any wrongdoing .
JetBlue, TSA screeners, said they only wanted to resolve the 2½-year-old lawsuit .
Iraqi Raed Jarrar immigrated to the United States three years ago .
Jarrar cast the settlement as a victory .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:45 EST, 25 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:58 EST, 26 January 2013 . PepsiCo Inc. is removing a controversial ingredient from its Gatorade sports drink in response to customer complaints. Molly Carter, a spokesperson for the company, said Friday the removal of brominated vegetable oil was in the works over the past year after the company began 'hearing rumblings' from consumers about the ingredient. She said it wasn't a reaction to a recent petition on Change.org by a Mississippi teenager. Decision: PepsiCo says it is going to remove a controversial ingredient from its Gatorade sports drink formula after concerns were raised about associated health risks . Heavy hitters: PepsiCo has recruited a number of high-profile athletes, like Eli Manning (left) and Serena Williams (right), to market Gatorade . Ubiquitous: Gatorade owns, at last count, 69 per cent of the U.S. sports drink market with rival Powerade in possession of about 30 per cent . The ingredient is also used in other drinks, including some flavors of Powerade made by rival Coca-Cola Co. The Atlanta-based company did not say whether it would remove the ingredient from Powerade, but noted that it heeds customer concerns when looking for ways to improve its drinks. Ingredients in food and drinks have come under greater scrutiny in recent years, helped by the ability of consumers to mobilize online. The petition on Change.org noted that brominated vegetable oil has been patented as a flame retardant and is banned in Japan and the European Union. It had more than 200,000 supporters Friday. For Gatorade, Carter said the ingredient is used as an 'emulsifier,' meaning it distributes flavoring evenly so that it doesn't collect at the surface. Denial: PepsiCo says the removal of brominated vegetable oil from Gatorade is not in response to an online petition begun by 15-year-old Mississippi teen Sarah Kavanagh . Widespread: The controversial ingredient that PepsiCo is removing from Gatorade is also used in other sports and soft drinks, like Powerade (left) and Fanta (right) USDA approved: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found no health risks associated with brominated vegetable oil, but it's banned in other countries . She said it was used only in select varieties including orange and 'citrus cooler.' Other drinks that use brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, include Coca-Cola's Fanta and PepsiCo's Mountain Dew. A spokesman for competitor Dr. Pepper Snapple Group said Sun Drop and Squirt are among its drinks that have BVO. Carter noted that the ingredient is not banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and that PepsiCo's decision wasn't the result of any health or safety concerns. She said it was specifically a response to concerns expressed by Gatorade customers. The company's decision was first reported by the trade journal Beverage Digest. Pulin Modi, a spokesman for Change.org, said the move reflects the 'shift in power we're seeing between businesses and their customers.' You won't even know it's gone: PepsiCo is replacing the BVO in Gatorade with an ingredient called sucrose acetate isobutyrate, which will reportedly maintain the flavor and taste of the drinks . Sarah Kavanagh, the 15-year-old who posted the petition in November, said she's 'very, very happy' that Gatorade is making the change. Kavanagh said she used to drink Gatorade frequently before she checked the ingredients to see if it was in line with her vegan diet. When she looked up brominated vegetable oil online, she didn't like what she found. Now that the ingredient is being removed, she said she'll likely go back to drinking Gatorade. Kavanagh also taped a segment on the topic for The Dr. Oz Show this week that is set to air Wednesday. PepsiCo, based in Purchase, N.Y., is replacing the BVO in Gatorade with an ingredient called sucrose acetate isobutyrate, which Carter said will maintain the flavor and taste of the drinks. Although Americans have been drinking less soda since 1998, sports drinks have remained a growth area for PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. Gatorade remains the dominant player with about 69 per cent of the market, while Powerade has 30 percent, according to Beverage Digest.
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PepsiCo, Inc. said Friday it is removing brominated vegetable oil .
Company maintains action is not in response to online petition .
Health concerns attached to excessive consumption of the ingredient .
The controversial oil is used in much more than just Gatorade .
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By . Ian Ladyman . Follow @@Ian_Ladyman_DM . Louis van Gaal is interested in appointing Roy Keane as his assistant manager if he is given the job of replacing David Moyes as Manchester United manager. The Dutchman is among the favourites to take charge at Old Trafford this summer, with owners the Glazer family keen to get the club back on track after Moyes' disastrous 10 months at the helm. Club chiefs are interested in retaining at least one former player to help manage the first team next season, opening up the possibility of Keane returning after more than eight years away. VIDEO Scroll down for Louis Van Gaal: I want to manage in the Premier League . New man? Holland boss Louis van Gaal is tipped to replace David Moyes as Manchester United manager . In the frame: Van Gaal could appoint former United midfielder Roy Keane as his assistant at Old Trafford . The 42-year-old is currently assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland's senior team, working under boss Martin O'Neill. ‘I . don’t know anything about it, I really don’t,’ said O’Neill on a flying . visit to Dublin on Wednesday to open a football pitch in Rathfarnham. Keane's experience as a manager, most notably with Sunderland, is attractive to both United and Van Gaal as they plan for the future. The 62-year-old is understood to remember Keane's impressive performance against his country in 2001, a game which stopped Holland qualifying for the following year's World Cup. Down to business: Ryan Giggs arrives for Manchester United training at Carrington on Wednesday morning . Give us a wave: Wayne Rooney looks focused as he makes his arrival at Carrington on Wednesday . Keane is precisely the type of iron-willed personality needed to ‘sort out’ Manchester United’s problems, according to Hull City and Ireland midfielder David Meyler. The 24-year-old Republic of Ireland international, plucked from the Airtricity League by Keane six years ago, has no doubts about the ability of the Ireland assistant manager to revive United’s fortunes, if asked. ‘Do I think he’s good enough to do the [United] job? Yes, of course. He’d sort out a lot of stuff out there fairly lively,’ said Meyler. Prepared: Giggs, pictured carrying the balls away at Hull in December, took full training . Insecurity: Giggs was edged out of the David Moyes backroom staff as the season progressed . ‘For me, he’s probably the best Irish footballer ever. To try and learn so much off him would be great,’ he added. Ryan Giggs has been installed as the interim manager while senior club staff begin the process of searching for and naming a new manager following the departure of Moyes just 10 months into a six-year contract. The role for Giggs is purely temporary, with officials at the club not confident they can impress the midfielder upon any new manager's backroom staff. Nevertheless, Giggs has the full support of his mentor Sir Alex Ferguson and see him as a United boss in the long-term.
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Man United keen in retaining at least one former player to help manage the first team .
Keane's experience as a manager is attractive to both United and Van Gaal .
Keane is right personality to 'sort out' the club's .
problems, according to Hull midfielder David Meyler .
Ryan Giggs has been installed as the .
interim manager while club search .
for new manager .
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Detained: Bradley Manning is escorted from the courthouse in Maryland today . Defence attorneys for Bradley Manning, the young soldier accused of leaking government secrets, revealed today that Manning, a gay soldier in the era of ‘don't ask, don't tell,’ had an alter-ego named Breanna Manning. In the pre-trial hearing, his lawyers claim gender identity disorder played a role in Manning’s mental and emotional problems that should have barred him from having access to sensitive material. They said they found medical information about female hormone treatments in Manning’s room in Baghdad. While prosecutors objected to the line of questioning, Manning’s military attorney Major Matthew Kemkes said Manning’s gender identity disorder and homosexuality was paramount, because it would show 'what was going on in my client’s mind. Manning, 24, is accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of sensitive items to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. The leaked secrets include Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, State Department cables and a classified military video of a 2007 American helicopter attack in Iraq that killed 11 unarmed men, including a Reuters news photographer and his driver. The Obama administration says the released information has threatened valuable military and diplomatic sources and strained America's relations with other governments. Manning's lawyers argue that much of the information that was classified by the Pentagon posed no risk. Turning the guns: The young soldier's lawyer immediately turned fire against the investigating officer - claiming the proceedings were biased against Manning . The military is conducting a hearing at an Army post outside Washington to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to bring Manning to trial, where he could face a term of life in prison as a traitor. An intelligence officer who worked with Manning said today that the soldier was considered to have an especially high understanding of enemy threats in Iraq and had to be trusted to keep the material he saw private. The description of Private Manning came at the beginning of the third day of the military hearing. Captain Casey Fulton testified for the prosecution that Manning had a 'top secret' security clearance, enabling him to view a wide range of classified material. None of the material posted on WikiLeaks was classified higher than 'secret'. Fulton said Manning was regarded as having a . better understanding than other analysts of enemy threats in Iraq. She . said analysts such as Manning, known as all-source analysts, were . trained to gather intelligence from a wide array of . sources. Fulton said analysts are trained not . to disclose classified information and are not allowed to burn . classified information onto CDs for personal use. But she said it was . impossible to supervise them 100 per cent of the time. 'You have to trust that they'll safeguard the material the way that they've been taught,' she said.. Accused: Bradley Manning, 24, is blamed for the largest leak of state secrets in American history . Military court: U.S. Army courtroom sketch shows a member of the prosecution team speaking during the hearing of Bradley Manning in at Fort Meade in Maryland . Army criminal investigators described . evidence they collected that links Manning to the WikiLeaks website's . collection of U.S. military and diplomatic secrets. Among the first issues to arise on Saturday was whether Manning's sexual orientation is relevant to the case against him. The . basis for the charges Manning faces are transcripts of online chats . with a confidant-turned-government-informant in which Manning allegedly . confesses his ties to WikiLeaks and also reveals he is gay. Maj . Kemkes asked Special Agent Toni Graham, an Army criminal investigator, . whether she had talked to people who believed Manning was gay or found . evidence among his belongings relating to gender-identity disorder. The condition often is described as a mental diagnosis in which people believe they were born the wrong sex. Graham said such questions were irrelevant to the investigation. 'We already knew before we arrived that Pfc. Manning was a homosexual,' Graham said. Prosecutors objected several times to the questions. Kemkes responded that if the government can argue that Manning intended to leak secrets, 'what is going on in my client's mind is very important.' During its cross examination of Graham, Manning's defense team also sought to convince the court that not all of the material he is accused of leaking is classified. Graham, who collected evidence from Manning's living quarters and workplace, testified that among the items seized was a DVD marked 'secret' that contained a military video showing the 2007 incident in which Apache attack helicopters gunned down unarmed men in Iraq. The video was taken from the . cockpit of one the helicopters. WikiLeaks posted the video in April . 2010, sparking questions about the military's rules of engagement and whether more needed to be done to . prevent civilian casualties. The gunners can be heard laughing and . referring to the men as 'dead bastards.' Kemkes, one of Manning's lawyers, . asked Graham whether she knew the video was unclassified. She said she . didn't. 'In fact, it was an unclassified video,' Kemkes said. Emotional turmoil: Manning's lawyers say he was a gay soldier at a time when homosexuals were barred from serving openly . Although WikiLeaks had been . posting sensitive information to the Web since 2006, release of the . Apache video drew worldwide attention to the organization as it prepared . to publish secret documents on the war in Afghanistan. Manning's appearances Friday and . Saturday in the Fort Meade courtroom mark the first time he has been . seen in public after 19 months in detention. The Oklahoma native comes to court in . Army camouflage fatigues and wearing dark-rimmed glasses. Slight and . serious, he takes notes during the proceedings. An Army appeals court on Friday . rejected a defense effort to have the presiding officer, Lt. Col. Paul . Almanza, because of alleged bias. Separately, lawyers for WikiLeaks and . founder Julian Assange are asking the military's highest appeals court . to guarantee two seats in the Fort Meade courtroom. Manning's hearing is open to the . public, with limited seating. Inside the courtroom, no civilian . recording equipment is allowed. Instead of a judge, a presiding . officer delivers a recommendation as to whether prosecutors have enough . evidence to bring a suspect to trial. A military commander then makes the final decision. Manning supporters: Hundreds of demonstrators march in support of Bradley Manning outside his military court hearing in Fort Meade on Saturday . In protest: Chris Hager of Falls Church, Virginia (right) dressed as Guantanamo detainee outside the opening of WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning's pre-trial hearing at Fort Meade, Maryland . Defiant: A demonstrator carrying an image of soldier Bradley Manning, marches with hundreds of others outside Fort Meade in Maryland today . The case has spawned an . international support network of people who believe the U.S. government . has gone too far in seeking to punish Manning. More than 100 people gathered . outside Fort Meade for a march in support of Manning, some holding signs . declaring 'Americans have the right to know,' 'Free Bradley Manning' and 'Blowing the whistle on war crimes is not a crime.' Todd Anderson, 64, said he drove from New York City to take part. 'I think this man showed a great deal . of courage, the kind of thing I wouldn't have the courage to do, and I . really consider him to be a hero," Anderson said. Juline Jordan, 46, said she flew in from Detroit just for the day. 'I support what he did because he . exposed some horrific war crimes and horrific things done at the hands . of the United States government and the Department of Defense, and he's a hero for that,' Ms Jordan said. In London, several dozen . protesters from gay organisations, the Occupy London protest camp and . other groups rallied outside the U.S. Embassy Saturday calling for Manning's release and offering birthday wishes.
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Manning's defence claim his position in an environment hostile to homosexuality caused mental and emotional problems .
Also claim Manning created female alter-ego 'Breanna Manning'
The 24-year-old blamed for largest leak of state secrets in American history .
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By . Nazia Parveen and James Tozer . PUBLISHED: . 10:19 EST, 27 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:51 EST, 27 March 2013 . A failed businessman was found guilty yesterday of shooting his parents dead four months after trying to drown them in a staged car crash. Fraudster Stephen Seddon blasted them with a sawn-off shotgun after learning he was the sole heir to their £230,000 estate. The luxury car salesman, who had massive debts, also planned to kill his disabled nephew, but by a stroke of luck he was not at home. Guilty: Stephen Seddon, 46, left, shot his parents at their home with this shotgun, right. He was found guilty of killing them and is facing life in prison . Convicted: A man with an 'insatiable thirst' for money was facing life in jail today for the cold-blooded 'execution' of his parents for his £230,000 inheritance. Patricia and Bob are pictured with Stephen . Manchester Crown Court heard the . 46-year-old had first tried to kill Robert, 68, and Patricia, 65, by . driving a hired BMW into a canal with them strapped in the back. Seddon smashed his way out of the car and was later hailed a hero for ‘rescuing’ his parents and nephew. Yesterday police admitted that ‘with . hindsight’ they should have spotted that the canal incident was staged . and ‘handled it differently’. Seddon had previously enjoyed a luxury . lifestyle, owning a Porsche 911 Carrera, an Audi convertible and a . chauffeur-driven Bentley. It was claimed his firm had an annual . turnover of £5million and at one time he had £2million in his bank . account. But his lifestyle came ‘crumbling down’ when he was convicted . of fraud in 2000 and he became financially reliant on his parents. Seddon, who rubbed shoulders with . high-flying businessmen and footballers, killed his ‘quiet, unassuming’ parents despite them giving him £40,000 and buying him a home. The court heard Bob Seddon, 68, suspected that a earlier car crash into a canal was an attempt by his son . to kill him and his wife Patricia, 65 . Tragic: The couple's bodies were discovered after a neighbour raised the alarm and police broke into their house in Manchester . Prosecuting, Peter Wright QC, said: ‘He was spending money as fast as he received it. He was in his parents’ debt and deeply so. 'He was heavily reliant on their generosity. He was the sole beneficiary of their estate and he knew it.’ On the day of his parents’ deaths, unemployed Seddon had just £5 in his bank account and had been applying to payday lenders. After the shootings, the defendant . planted the gun in his father’s lap to make it look like a . murder-suicide at their home in Sale, Manchester. Shocking: Seddon had previously tried to murder his father, Robert, 68, and mother Patricia, 65, by driving into a canal with them strapped in the back seats in a fake road accident . Health problems: Patricia Seddon was left unconscious after the crash, and was rushed to a nearby hospital . But ballistics reports were ‘entirely . inconsistent’ with this version of events. It was also revealed that . Seddon’s nephew, Daniel, 17, had narrowly escaped death. Police found the shotgun was loaded . and it was alleged that Seddon had been expecting three people at the . house. Luckily Daniel was in respite care at the time. Happier times: Robert and Patricia Seddon are pictured on their wedding day . The day before the murders, Robert Seddon had warned his GP that his son was trying to kill him. He had grown suspicious when he noticed his son had watched a programme on how to escape from a sinking car on his Sky Plus box. Following the killings, police launched an internal inquiry into the canal crash. Yesterday, Detective Chief Inspector . Denise Worth said: ‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and yes, looking . back now it could have been handled differently. ‘But at the time he came out of it as . a hero and it was treated like a tragic accident, but it was only after . the murders that we went back and looked at it in detail that we . realised things didn’t fit.’ Seddon’s first murder attempt took place on Mother’s Day last year at the Bridgewater canal in Timperley, Cheshire. Daniel managed to free himself and Seddon was seen on the roof of the car kicking the windows in and shouting for help. He told police he had suffered a heart . attack but hospital tests indicated he hadn’t. He also suggested the . car had hit a brick, but no debris was found. Four months later the father-of-three . of Seaham, County Durham, acquired a stolen shotgun from a contact in . Darlington before driving to his parents’ house. Police later found both victims had been blasted at close range. Seddon, who denied murder and attempted murder, will be sentenced today. Recovery: A salvage crew is pictured recover a black BMW car which Seddon drove into a canal in Timperley, Greater Manchester in an attempt to kill his parents . Stephen Seddon has become one of the very rare number of people whose greed drove him to the ultimate crime - not only murder but the murder of his own parents. For Seddon money was his 'whole world' and when he got it, he spent it fast. Even the lives of his mother and father were just an obstacle to overcome to get his grasping hands on cash. Close: Pat and Bob Seddon, pictured, had been married for 47 years . Detective Superintendent Denise Worth, of Greater Manchester Police, said: 'This job is probably one that is very, very difficult for anybody to contemplate. 'That anybody could kill their parents, to plan it, and to do it for money is indescribable. I cannot imagine that there are many people in the world that could do it.' Seddon was leaching off his parents' modest wealth for years before he murdered them.In one of the last acts of his life, his father paid his son's £60 speeding fine. His parents had already bought Seddon's home in Seaham, Co Durham to keep a roof over his family's heads. Seddon was supposed to pay his father rent - but it was not clear if money ever changed hands. Seddon grew up in Timperley, a Manchester suburb. His father worked for British Airways and the family were 'comfortable'. He began offending at the age of just 13, appearing before youth courts for offences of burglary, handling and theft. Grim: The bodies of the elderly couple were discovered after police were called to their home in Sale . Further convictions followed as an adult for taking vehicles without consent and he was jailed at Bolton Crown Court in 1989 for a series of offences including obtaining goods by deception, theft and making off without payment. He met his wife Nicola, an ex-model who is from the Sunderland area, in a lap dancing bar in Manchester 17 years ago and they moved to the North East. His offending continued and he developed a taste for the high life. He worked mainly in sales and in the late '90s set up a firm, European Business Support, providing grants to small businesses. The firm charged businesses £295 on the promise it would help secure European funding. His firm grew to an annual turnover of £5 million and he had £2 million in his bank account at one point. Ms Worth said: 'Seddon has had quite a lavish life in some respects. 'He has always had a fair amount of money. He has always had fairly well-paid jobs, so he has not had any financial difficulties. 'When he had his own company he had a really, really lavish lifestyle.' He bought a Bentley Turbo, hired a chauffeur and enjoyed jetting around the world, staying first class - again it was all just show. There were no European grants - he simply kept the cash. In 2000 Seddon pleaded guilty at Teeside Crown Court to fraudulent trading and was jailed for a year. In the weeks before killing his parents he was desperate for money, applying for high-interest, instant- access loans from various finance firms. On the day he carried out the killing he had just £5.45 in his bank account.
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Stephen Seddon shot Robert, 68, and Patricia, 65, with a sawn-off shotgun .
Four months earlier he tried to kill the couple by staging a fake road crash .
He drove into a canal with them strapped in the back seats of a car .
Found guilty of two counts of attempted murder and two counts of murder .
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(CNN) -- Former Sen. Tom Daschle has withdrawn his nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a statement Tuesday from the White House. Former Sen. Tom Daschle apologized for making mistakes on his tax records. Daschle had been fighting to save his nomination after controversy over his tax records and questions over his work in a field that some consider lobbying. In a statement announcing his withdrawal, Daschle said it was an honor to be chosen to lead the reform of America's health care system. "But if 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction," he said. "Right now, I am not that leader, and will not be a distraction. The focus of Congress should be on the urgent business of moving the president's economic agenda forward, including affordable health care for every American." Watch what the administration loses with Daschle's withdrawal » . The Obama administration had stood by his side, and fellow Democrats lined up behind him, but Daschle's problems, coupled with other nominees' issues, gave critics ammunition to question President Obama's call for a "new era of responsibility." The president said Tuesday he accepts Daschle's decision "with sadness and regret." "Tom made a mistake, which he has openly acknowledged. He has not excused it, nor do I. But that mistake, and this decision, cannot diminish the many contributions Tom has made to this country, from his years in the military to his decades of public service. Now we must move forward, with our plan to lift this economy and put people back to work," Obama said in a statement. However, in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper later Tuesday, Obama said he made a mistake in handling the nomination of Daschle. "I think I screwed up. And, I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again. "Ultimately, I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics," Obama said. "And I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards -- one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes." Daschle's resignation came hours after Nancy Killefer's withdrawal as Obama's chief performance officer, a new post in the administration. View past Cabinet nominees who withdrew » . Officials said privately the reason for Killefer's withdrawal was unspecified tax issues. The much-touted post was designed to scrub the federal budget. iReport.com: Share your thoughts on Obama's cabinet choices . Daschle, the former Senate majority leader, apologized Monday for failing to pay his taxes in full. He said earlier he was "deeply embarrassed" for a series of errors that included failing to report $15,000 in charitable donations, unreported car service and more than $80,000 in unreported income from consulting. Daschle recently filed amended tax returns and paid more than $140,000 in back taxes and interest for 2005-2007. A New York Times editorial on Tuesday called for Daschle to withdraw. The paper's editorial board particularly took issue with Daschle saying he identified the unpaid taxes in June but did not pay them until his nomination for the top post at the Department of Health and Human Services. The editorial also criticized Daschle for generating a sizable income from health-related industries while working in the private sector. Watch how Daschle's consulting work also caused some concern » . "Mr. Daschle is another in a long line of politicians who move cozily between government and industry. We don't know that his industry ties would influence his judgments on health issues, but they could potentially throw a cloud over health care reform," the editorial said. Shortly after news of the tax quandary broke, a number of Democratic senators released statements expressing their support for Daschle, including Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Charles Schumer of New York, Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. In their opinions, Daschle identified the problem and corrected it. Daschle's supporters said that given his record of three decades of public service, he was still the right man for the job. "One cannot underestimate how widely admired Tom Daschle is in Washington for his integrity, for his public service. And many, many Democrats look to him as one of the favorite people. He's got a lot of support in this White House, starting with the president," said David Gergen, a senior political analyst for CNN. Obama and Daschle have a longstanding relationship. Daschle endorsed Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in February 2007 -- nearly 11 months before the first contest. Daschle was also considered to be a contender for Obama's No. 2 spot. Daschle also has a history with members of Congress. He represented South Dakota in the House of Representatives for four terms, and he served in the Senate for three terms. He was the Senate majority leader from June 2001 to January 2003, and was the minority leader before losing his re-election bid in 2004. Daschle's work in his post-Senate years was also a point of contention on his path to confirmation. After leaving the Senate, Daschle went on to serve as a special public policy adviser at the law firm Alston & Bird. According to the firm's Web site, Daschle advised clients on "issues related to financial services, health care, energy, telecommunications and taxes." His work, for which he reportedly made millions, seemed to contradict Obama's strict rules on lobbyists working in his administration. Promising "a new era of openness in our country," Obama signed executive orders relating to ethics guidelines for staff members as one of his first acts in office. "If you are a lobbyist entering my administration, you will not be able to work on matters you lobbied on, or in the agencies you lobbied during the previous two years," the president said. The administration had defended its choice of Daschle, pointing out that he was not technically a lobbyist. "If you're not registered to lobby, you can't be a lobbyist," said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, according to Time.com. Time.com: When is a lobbyist not a lobbyist? Daschle and Kellifer were not the first of Obama's nominees to come under scrutiny. Before Tim Geithner was confirmed as treasury secretary, he was questioned over concerns involving his personal taxes and the immigration status of a former housekeeper. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson also withdrew his nomination to be commerce secretary, citing the distraction of a federal investigation into ties to a company that has done business with his state. Given Obama's pledge for "unprecedented transparency, rigorous oversight and clear accountability," some said the controversy surrounding Obama's appointments are calling into question the president's vetting process. "Mr. President, your picks to help run the federal government don't have to be perfect, but is it too much to ask that they pay like everyone else, to keep that same government functioning? And more importantly, that they don't wait until everyone, including you, is watching?" CNN's Campbell Brown wrote in a commentary. Read the commentary . Asked if the president is embarrassed by the slew of appointment problems, Gibbs was quick to negate that idea. "No, I don't think that -- that we believe there's any problem in the vetting," Gibbs said Monday. CNN's Ed Henry and Kristi Keck contributed to this report.
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NEW: President Obama accepts Tom Daschle's decision "with sadness and regret"
Daschle's nomination questioned due to tax problems, work in recent years .
Move follows withdrawal of Obama's pick for chief performance officer .
Daschle has long history with Congress, was Senate majority leader .
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(CNN) -- Rebels in the Central African Republic -- who took over numerous towns and threatened to overrun the capital -- will be part of a unity government under that nation's embattled president, a government spokesman said Friday. The apparent deal would appear to end violence that began last month, when the Seleka rebel coalition launched an offensive as they demanded President Francois Bozize step down after accusing him of reneging on a peace deal. As the insurgency advanced in the nation's north and neared the capital of Bangui, Bozize urged the international community, including the United States and France, to help fend off the rebellion. He also engaged in peace negotiations, including those this week involving the Seleka and opposition party leaders in Gabon's capital, Libreville. These talks ended Friday with an agreement to form a "government of national unity" headed by Bozize, said Jules Gauthier Ngbapo, a spokesman for the Central African Republic's decentralization and territorial administration ministry. "Seleka rebels and ... opposition (party) leaders agreed to select the prime minister," said Ngbapo, who added that there will be new legislative elections in a year. Bozize, the soon-to-be named prime minister and Cabinet members cannot run in the next election, said Margaret Vogt, a special representative of the U.N. secretary-general. The rebels want 400 South African troops deployed to the Central African Republic to "withdraw progressively," Ngbapo said. South African President Jacob Zuma announced Sunday that his nation's troops would "assist with capacity building" of the Central African Republic's military, which was then fighting a still vibrant insurgency. The new government and the other changes were expected imminently. A cease-fire -- expanding on one that Ngbapo, earlier Friday, said would be in effect for a week -- goes into effect "within 72 hours" of the parties signing the deal, said Vogt. "We are hopeful that the agreements that have been signed today in Libreville will contain the immediate flare-up and will calm the situation ... and enable us to recalibrate the disarmament process," Vogt said from New York, where the United Nations is based. At the same time, the U.N. official warned the lack of introspection -- and corrective action -- regarding why past agreements weren't fully implemented "may lead to another meltdown a few years down the line." This sentiment was echoed by the office of European Union foreign affairs representative Catherine Ashton. "Such an agreement is the first step out of the crisis," Ashton's office said. "To be sustainable, the normalization and stabilization of the country in the longer term requires the underlying causes of the outbreak of recurrent conflicts in the Central African Republic to be addressed in a consensual way by all stakeholders." The deal comes after fits and starts in the peace process in recent weeks, which were marked by fighting interspersed by indications both sides were open to dialogue. For instance, Ngbapo said rebel fighters attacked two towns last Saturday -- a few days before their leaders were set to join Bozize, as well as the presidents of Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea and the Republic of Congo, in Libreville. CNN was unable to confirm government claims about the occupation of the towns. As the government scrambled to put down the rebellion, UNICEF representative Souleymane Diabate said "reliable sources" had told his U.N. agency "that children are newly being recruited" by rebel groups and pro-government militias. Armed groups were forcing people younger than 18 to fight, carry supplies and serve as sex slaves, the agency said last Friday. About 300,000 children have been affected by the rebellion, including family separation, sexual violence, displacement and lack of access to education and health facilities, the agency said. CNN's Karen Smith contributed to this report.
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Central African Republic rebels launched an offensive last month, upset at their president .
They had overtaken several towns in the nation's north and threatened the capital, Bangui .
Under the peace agreement, the rebels and opposition party leaders will pick a prime minister .
EU and U.N. officials laud deal, but say sides must address other issues for a lasting peace .
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Are you in the market for a new car but have trouble deciding between a Holden Commodore and a Ford Falcon? Well look no further because Bundamba Auto Wreckers in Ipswich, south-east Queensland, has morphed the two together to create a car lover's dream - the 'Falcodore'. Dean Hawkins, owner of Bundamba Auto Wreckers said the challenge came about when he was approached by breakfast radio hosts Mike Bryne and Marie T from the local station River 94.9. Bundamba Auto Wreckers in Ipswich, south-east Queensland, has morphed a Holden Commodore and a Ford Falcon together to create a car lover's dream - the 'Falcodore' The challenge came about when owner Dean Hawkins was approached by breakfast radio hosts Mike Bryne and Marie T from the local station River 94.9 - they couldn't decide which one to purchase . Mr Hawkins, a self confessed Holden lover, said the challenge was sure to be hard but he was ready to take it on . 'Marie's partner was looking at buying a new vehicle but he couldn't decide between a Ford Falcon or a Holden Commodore - they asked me what I thought and if we could put the two together,' Mr Hawkins told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Hawkins, a self confessed Holden lover, said the challenge was sure to be hard but he was ready to take it on. 'We made a plan on how we were going to do it, made a schedule and away we went.' He said he knew of other auto wreckers who had tried to combine cars together. 'Others have cut cars and just attached the front and back of two different vehicles but we actually got the two cars and cut them down the middle. 'We worked out how to cut them, got it wielded, got the paint and added the stickers.' The red and blue Falcodore is literally half Ford and Holden, with an engine made from a Ford Falcon motor, a Holden gear box and a Falcon diff. The savvy car developer was amazed at how fast it took his team to create the Falcodore. 'I had six people working on it at different times and it only took us about four weeks to build which is pretty good,' Mr Hawkins said. 'The result was great - I thought it was excellent.' As for Marnie's partner Mr Hawkins said he was blown away with the innovative Falcodore. 'It was built because he was undecided and once he saw it he loved it - he wanted to take it home,' he said. Mr Hawkins said the Falcodore can be driven, but unfortunately for Marnie's partner driving his ultimate car is not an option. 'The car works - it can drive but it can't be registered which means we can't even drive it across the road.' Community members of Ipswich travelled Bundamba Auto Wreckers to check out the unique hybrid vehicle. Mr Hawkins said his business welcomes any other challenges given to community members from Ipswich. Mr Hawkins said 'we made a plan on how we were going to do it, made a schedule and away we went' The workers at Bundamba Auto Wreckers literally cut the two cars in half . The Falcodore took only four weeks to create . The red and blue Falcodore is literally half Ford and Holden, with an engine made from a Ford Falcon motor, a Holden gear box and a Falcon diff . Community members of Ipswich travelled Bundamba Auto Wreckers to check out the unique hybrid vehicle .
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The 'Falcodore' is every Ford and Holden lovers dream car .
Bundamba Auto Wreckers in Ipswich, south-east Queensland has morphed the two together .
The unique hybrid vehicle took only four weeks to create .
The Falcodore is able to drive but not registered .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:56 EST, 6 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:04 EST, 7 October 2013 . 'Let me in': Betting shop robber Timothy Stern, 31, did not like being far from his family . A convict on the run from jail stunned guards when he knocked on the door of another prison and asked to be let in. Timothy Stern, 31, begged officials at HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire to let him come back after escaping from an open prison more than 70 miles away. The betting shop robber said he wanted to return to the high-security jail to be closer to his family. Stern’s good behaviour had seen him transferred to minimum-security Leyhill, near Bristol, in August. But he walked out and turned up at his old jail 24 hours later asking to be let in. He is now back at his preferred prison, but has had 21 days added to his sentence. Stern walked out of open prison HMP Leyhill, in Wotton-Under-Edge near Bristol, on September 26, Oxford Crown Court was told. Within a day, he walked up to the gates at Bullingdon in Arncott, Oxfordshire, and asked to be let in. Instead Stern, who was serving a three-and-a-half year sentence for the knifepoint robbery, was asked to sit on a grass verge for the police to arrive. Cathy Olliver, prosecuting, said he was transfered to the open prison from Bullingdon for good behaviour in August. But, Stern was unhappy at being so far away from his Oxford family and after failing to move to a much closer prison decided to escape. Peter Du Feu, defending, said that after escaping from prison in Bristol, his client was on the loose for 24 hours. He said he went to visit his partner and three children, before heading back to Bullingdon The barrister said: 'He knocked on the door and asked to be let back in. Where he wanted to be: Bullingdon, near his family in Oxford, is more than 70 miles from the prison he was in . Too far: Stern was moved to Leyhill in Bristol for good behaviour. But he said it was too far from his family . Sentenced: Stern had 21 days added to his sentence for robbing a betting shop but gets to stay where he wants . 'They said they couldn’t possibly let him in, but could he sit on the verge and wait for the police. 'The nature of open prisons is to try to integrate prisoners back into the community, which clearly he couldn’t do so far away. 'He was only free for 24 hours and then went back to Bullingdon. He has been there since.' Judge Mary Jane Mowat sentenced Stern of Blackbird Leys Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, to a further 21 days inside. She told Stern: 'Prisoners have got to obey the rules.'
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Timothy Stern, 31, escaped HMP Leyhill, near Bristol, to be near his family .
He knocked on the door of HMP Bullingdon, in Oxford, begging to be let in .
A judge agreed but added 21 days to his sentence for robbing a betting shop .
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A singer who created a custom song for a newlywed couple has revealed the lyrics about falling and climbing up hills that seem spooky now that the wife admitted to killing her husband by pushing him off a cliff. Jordan Linn Graham has been released from police custody after allegedly telling police that she and her husband Cody were fighting during a hike and she ended up shoving him to his death. Jordan, 22, has been put under house arrest and is wearing a GPS monitoring bracelet while she stays at her parents' Kalispell, Montana home until her trial. Happier times: Jordan and Cody Johnson got married eight days before she allegedly pushed him to his death . Downward spiral: Her defense attorneys are now arguing that Graham, seen here dancing with her husband at their wedding just eight days before his death, was having post-wedding 'blues' The latest revelations about the seemingly prophetic song now adds another layer of intrigue to the case, as the woman who wrote the song said that she came up with the lyrics based on a series of interviews with the couple before their wedding. 'I used words like "you helped me to climb higher for a better view, you're my safe place to fall, you never let me go,"' songwriter Elizabeth Shea told CNN. 'Now when I hear those words, it's a little creepy.' Judge Donald Molloy determined Friday that 22-year-old Jordan Linn Graham does not pose a flight risk. Molloy said during a brief hearing that restrictions placed on Graham's release address concerns that she poses a risk to the community or herself. Jordan Linn Graham, 22, (left) was allegedly having second thoughts about getting married around the time the body of her husband, Cody Lee Johnson, 25, (right) was discovered . Under the conditions for her house arrest Graham must live at her parents home in Kalispell, undergo a mental health evaluation and submit to radio frequency monitoring. Authorities say Graham has admitted to shoving Cody Lee Johnson, 25, off a cliff in Glacier on the night of July 7 during an argument. According to charging documents Graham had been having second thoughts about getting married around the time the body of her husband was discovered. Her release comes a day after Montana prosecutors revealed that an email was allegedly sent from a man named 'Tony' while Graham's husband was still missing. Songwriter: Elizabeth Shea came up with the lyrics based on interviews she had with the couple before the wedding . The email, sent three days after Cody Lee Johnson went missing, claimed he had fallen and died after going hiking with three friends. According to the affidavit, the message also suggested 'the search should be called off', according to the Missoulian. Graham (left) 'pushed Johnson (right) with both hands in the back, and as a result, he fell face first off the cliff,' an affidavit states . Jordan Graham, who goes by 'JoJo' is pictured on her wedding day . Family friend Tracey Maness said Johnson (pictured) was excited about his wedding and in love with Graham . However, the email was traced to a . computer belonging to Graham's stepfather Steven Rutledge, and it found . to have been written on the day the gmail account it was sent from was . created, FBI Special Agent Steven Liss said. She made her confession to . police only after this email had been sent. Her . 25-year-old husband died on July 7 and Graham allegedly confessed to . pushing him on July 16, but she wasn't arrested on second-degree murder . charges until Monday. When . she interviewed by the police on July 18, Graham admitted that she had . lied about the death of her husband and provided false statements, . according to ABC News. Graham posted this photo around the time of Cody Johnson's death. She said she was doing some 'modeling' after a night of bowling . Graham posted this photo to Instagram in December 2012 with the caption: 'He proposed!! Best early Christmas present ever!! :)'
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Jordan Linn Graham released on house arrest by Montana judge .
22-year-old told FBI she had been arguing with her husband, 25-year-old Cody Lee Johnson as they walked in Glacier National Park .
Graham said Johnson grabbed her arm, then she turned around and 'pushed Johnson with both hands in the back, and as a result, he fell face first off the cliff'
Graham is facing second-degree murder charges .
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(CNN) -- It has now been certified officially: Germany is special, at least in the eyes of ratings agency Standard & Poor's. According to Standard & Poor's, Germany is the only country in the eurozone which still deserves the prized AAA rating with a stable outlook. Nine other countries, together accounting for more than half the euro area's GDP, were downgraded at least one notch. Given that these countries also provide more than half of the financing of the eurozone bail out fund (the European Financial Stability Facility) it was only logical that this institution also lost its AAA rating. One could be tempted, following the downgrades, to conclude that most euro countries just cannot get their fiscal houses in order. But the opposite is closer to reality. The average fiscal deficit for the euro area was only about 4% of GDP in 2011. This is projected to fall to about 3% in 2012. This is much lower than the double digit figures for the U.S. and UK fiscal deficits for 2011, which are expected to persist through this year. Italy -- hit with a two-notch downgrade -- is actually expected to structurally balance its 2012 budget. "Excessive" deficits are thus unlikely to be the root cause of the problem (at least apart from Greece). The motivation for the downgrades given by Standard & Poor's actually cites the excessive attention given to fiscal austerity as one principal reason for the downgrading of a whole swath of euroland. Greek debt talks to resume . So why the downgrade? Is there really such a lack of capital that the remaining deficits, which look modest in comparison to other developed countries, cannot be financed? The answer is surely no. There are enough savings within the monetary union area to finance all public deficits of the eurozone's members. This is because euro area savers are usually loath to invest in foreign currency; and most regulated intermediaries such as investment fund have little choice but to invest in government securities in euro. Further, Europe's investment funds and insurance companies cannot all put their money in a bank account where yields are close to nothing. This is a key reason why reaction in the markets was so muted after the downgrades. So what is Standard & Poor's afraid of? One major problem is Europe's regional split of savings habits. Those in the north -- Germany and the Netherlands, for example -- have an excess of savings. But the area's investors dare not cross the Alps to spend their money in the southern countries such as Italy, Spain and Greece (and maybe soon France). This is why Italian funding costs have gone up so dramatically while the same time, the German government can collect money from investors when it issues short term paper. The collection of savings within national pools means the capital markets have ceased to function in the euro area. The European Central Bank is the only institution able to recycle northern European savings through the euro area. The ECB has thus become the "central counterparty" to most north-south lending in Europe. By doing so it has prevented a collapse of the banking system. But the ECB has its limits too. The ECB cannot single-handedly substitute for all private cross border lending. The downwards spiral will continue until these markets begin to function again. This should be the main priority of Europe's leaders. The fiscal compact might be useful to prevent the next crisis a generation down the road, but this will not be very useful if the euro does not survive the present one. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Daniel Gros .
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Daniel Gros thinks the eurozone's public finances are still in shape despite downgrades .
Gros regards Europe's regional split of savings habits as one of the key problems in the crisis .
The European Central Bank has prevented a collapse of the banking system, but it has its limits .
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By . Ian Sparks . PUBLISHED: . 11:33 EST, 25 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:43 EST, 25 January 2013 . Shamed former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn 'was fully aware' that young girls at orgies were being paid to have sex with him, a prostitute has told a court in France. The disgraced economist came face-to-face with the 30-year-old Belgian call girl during a pre-trial hearing into accusations he was part of a global vice network. Strauss-Kahn, 64, insists he only ever had sex with 'willing young women' at sleazy swingers parties around the world. In court: Former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn insists he did not know he was having sex with prostitutes . But the hooker named Jade told a judge in the French town of Douai on Thursday that the man once tipped as a future president of France KNEW the girls were prostitutes. Strauss-Kahn is appealing a decision to send him to trial on charges of 'aggravated pimping as part of an organised gang', when he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. His latest court appearance was aimed at discovering if he genuinely believed that young women in their 20s were having sex with him for free. According to a judicial source quoted in French newspapers today, Jade told the court: 'He was fully aware we were prostitutes being paid to have sex.' The same prostitute revealed last year how she was flown to Washington DC, where she had sex with Strauss-Kahn at the city's four-star W Hotel. Then the next day, the International Monetary Fund boss even took her to his office at the institution where he managed the stability of the world's finances. Separated: Dominique Strauss-Kahn with his wife Anne Sinclair, . pictured outside Manhattan criminal court in 2011, at the time of the . alleged offences . But Jade also praised Strauss-Kahn for his 'courtesy and respect' during the sleazy swingers' parties. In an interview with France's Nord-Eclair newspaper in March 2012, she told how hookers at an orgy in Paris waited for Strauss-Kahn 'like the arrival of the Messiah'. She added: 'When he turned up, everyone was very admiring of him. He always had a certain charisma about him, an aura. 'I must say, I found DSK to be very pleasant and overly polite. 'Each encounter with him was mutually respectful. I have always ensured I am seen as a woman and not an object.' Strauss-Kahn is one of four Frenchmen charged with conspiring with pimps to procure girls for orgies in Paris, Lille, New York and Washington DC. He is also accused of knowing fraudulently obtained money was being used to fund the vice network based in the northern French city of Lille. The looming trial in France is the last in a catalogue of sex scandals that began when Strauss-Kahn was arrested for trying to rape a New York hotel chambermaid in May 2011. After being held in New York's notorious Ryker's Island prison, criminal charges were dropped and he recently paid hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo four million pounds in a civil settlement. He returned to France last year only to face similar accusations of sexually abusing a young French writer. When those allegations were also dropped, he was then confronted with the latest claims he used knowingly used hookers supplied by the Lille vice network. His lawyer Richard Malka has described Strauss-Kahn as 'simple swinger' whose only crime was giving in to his 'lustful urges'. Mr Malka said his client intended to appeal every decision to send him to trial, branding the charges 'as false as they are absurd'. Strauss-Kahn remains under 'judicial control' on £85,000 bail until a new date is set for his appeal hearing in the French Cour de Cassation. The hugely experienced economist has meanwhile made a discreet return to public life, giving a speech on the global finances in China and advising the Greek government on their massive debts.
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Disgraced economist insists he only ever had sex with 'willing young women'
Hooker named Jade told judge that Dominique Strauss-Kahn knew the girls involved were prostitutes .
His appearance at orgies was hailed 'like the arrival of the Messiah'.
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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- At least 40 people were killed and scores were wounded in overnight airstrikes by the Pakistani military on areas in the country's northwest where militants are based, a senior military official said Tuesday. Later Tuesday, in southwestern Pakistan, an explosion on a bus carrying pilgrims killed at least 22 people. The airstrikes in the northwest came after recent militant bombings that struck military targets. The strikes by fighter jets and helicopter gunships targeted areas in North Waziristan, a Taliban stronghold bordering Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It was unclear whether there were any civilian casualties in the attacks. The military official said the dead and wounded were militants. The strikes follow two recent deadly attacks claimed by the Pakistani Taliban that targeted military areas. On Sunday, a blast at an army checkpoint in the northwestern city of Bannu killed more than 20 people and wounded dozens more. And on Monday, a suicide bombing at a market near the Pakistani army's headquarters in Rawalpindi left 13 people dead -- some of them military personnel -- and more than two dozen wounded. After the Bannu attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he was canceling a planned trip to Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum takes place this week. Also in Pakistan on Tuesday, at least 22 Shia Muslim pilgrims from neighboring Iran were killed in an explosion on the bus that was carrying them in the southwestern province of Balochistan, a local official said. More than two dozen others were injured in Tuesday evening's blast in the province's Mastung district, said Shafqat Anwar, an assistant commissioner for Mastung. Women and children were among those killed and hurt, he said. Details about what caused the blast weren't immediately available. Saima Mohsin reported from Islamabad, and Zahir Shah reported from Peshawar, Pakistan.
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NEW: Explosion on bus kills 22 in southwestern Pakistan .
Overnight airstrikes kill at least 40 people and injure scores, official says .
The airstrikes come after recent militant bombings that struck military targets .
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By . Paul Donnelley . Police searching for the body of murdered Suzanne Pilley have identified a key new search area. The 38-year-old bookkeeper who disappeared in May 2010 on her way to work in her Edinburgh office was killed by her ex-lover David Gilroy who is serving a life sentence for her murder. He has always refused to say what he did with Miss Pilley’s body but after an emotional appeal on BBC's Crimewatch by her heartbroken family fresh information means her remains may finally be found. Missing: Suzanne Pilley, a 38-year-old bookkeeper, was murdered by her former lover David Gilroy who is serving a life sentence for her killing . A remote spot near Minard near Argyll, Scotland, is subject to a fresh, intensive police search in connection with Miss Pilley after a new witness came forward. Police have moved into the area following claims from a witness who saw Gilroy's silver car on the main road between Lochgilphead and Inverary the day after she vanished. The same witness also claims to have spotted Gilroy's Vauxhall Vectra at a quiet spot off the main A83 arterial route that runs through the area. Suzanne Pilley's parents, Rob and Sylvia made an appeal for information on Crimewatch earlier this month . Last night, Police Scotland confirmed that they were looking at the site in Minard. DCI Stuart Houston said: ‘The area of Minard, along with a number of areas in Argyll, did feature in the investigation. ‘Following the recent appeal on BBC's Crimewatch, officers have followed up on information that has been passed to police, which is subject to further investigation.’ Detectives believe Gilroy killed Suzanne Pilley in the basement of the Edinburgh building in which they worked but her body has never been found . Suzanne Pilley, 38, disappeared on her way to her bookkeeper's job in Edinburgh. She was murdered by her ex-boyfriend . Earlier this month, Miss Pilley’s heartbroken parents appealed on Crimewatch for Gilroy, 50, to reveal their daughter's final resting place. Grief stricken Sylvia Pilley sobbed as she said: ‘Justice had been done, but we felt so sad after it because we weren't going to get her back. She's lying somewhere and nobody knows, as if nobody loved her.’ Gilroy was found guilty by majority verdict on 15 March 2012 of the murder of Suzanne Pilley and of attempting to defeat the ends of justice. He was jailed for life, with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 18 years. The Crimewatch reconstruction led to a witness who saw Gilroy's silver car on the main road between Lochgilphead and Inverary the day after Suzanne Pilley vanished . The case made legal history when Gilroy became the first convicted killer to have his sentencing filmed for British TV. During the investigation into her disappearance more than 200 searchers scoured 100,000 acres of land. Their earlier hunt focused on the Argyll Forest, targeting Glen Croe, and an area known as Hell's Glen.Gilroy's trial heard that the day after Suzanne disappeared, he drove his Vectra to Lochgilphead, some 13 miles from Minard. He was then spotted near Lochgilphead High School buying black bin bags .
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Suzanne Pilley, 38, vanished on her way to work as a bookkeeper in Edinburgh .
Ex-boyfriend David Gilroy convicted of her murder and sentenced to life .
Parents made appearance on BBC crime show to ask for new information .
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(CNN) -- Hans Zimmer, the creative force behind some of Hollywood's best loved film music, including the Oscar-winning Lion King score, adjusts his chair in front of a sleek black instrument that looks something like the control panel of a stealth bomber. He raises his hands to the monochrome keyboard and presses gently. A familiar strain emerges from it: the opening lines of the Dark Knight theme, but today it sounds unlike it has ever sounded before. The 'Seaboard keyboard' is a tech forward interpretation of the piano, that attempts to reimagine what a keyboard can do. To test the device, CNN invited Zimmer to cast an expert eye over the British invention, and give a frank assessment of how it works. "The Seaboard is really interesting," Zimmer says, "because you're forever trying to figure out how to make music more expressive. I've always been involved in music and technology and this is quite a relationship we're developing here ... we're trying to figure out how to get beyond the boundaries of technology that was invented 600 years ago or so." Developed in the UK, the Seaboard is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist inventor Roland Lamb. While studying at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, Lamb decided to create a new keyboard that he hoped would be more expressive than the piano. "The piano was the first object I truly loved," Lamb says. "I played it all growing up ... but I became frustrated with its inability to modulate the timbre, and pitch and volume of each note. Essentially I was jealous of guitar players who could bend notes at will on a single note." The Seaboard takes the basic layout of a piano but allows a player to 'bend' the sound of each note by using a range of different gestures that Lamb says are based very closely on the gestures people learn when they first pick up the piano. Moving a finger left on a key makes a note 'bend' downwards. Moving it right makes it go up a little. Lamb believes that this opens up the expressive potential of the instrument, and serves to counter the "direct and unbending" nature of notes played on a piano. Zimmer says that in this respect, Lamb has been successful: "It behaves much more the way you imagine as a human being you would want to interact with your notes. It doesn't have that stiff 'plunky' thing that a piano has. It automatically has a sort of sensuality to it ... Look, if Debussy or Ravel had had one of these I think their music would have been X-rated." The invention of an unusual instrument is nothing new of course. Earlier this year a device called the Artiphon came out, aiming to bridge the gap between guitar, keyboard and violin. Typically, new instruments have struggled to gain widespread traction, but some have been adopted by working musicians, such as the Swarmatron used by Trent Reznor on the Social Network soundtrack or the Reactable which, for a period, Bjork used in her live shows. Lamb says he would love to see a Seaboard in the hands of Herbie Hancock or Vangelis, but that seeing it played by Zimmer was a particular thrill. Lamb says that all of Zimmer's feedback was useful, but he was most surprised by the German composer's interest in the Seaboard's tactile qualities: . "One of the most surprising pieces of feedback that I got from Hans was his emphasis on the importance of the touch. I've always known that the touch is kind of the core part of the Seaboard ... but he wanted to just go back and focus on the simplicity and the beauty and the expression of the touch and that was a really nice reminder to me of what was of the greatest importance." The Seaboard goes on sale this week. CNN's Monique Rivalland takes a look at other unusual instruments piquing the interest of musicians around the world: . The Reactable . Music can be heard, felt and with the Reactable it can also be seen. Mostly used in live music production, the Reactable allows musicians to compose tracks by tweaking a series of objects placed on a multi-touch screen. Those motions then trigger real-time changes in the music as well as a visual feedback that means you can 'see' the song. Anton Funer, who forms part of a live techno act called Klangmechanik, says that the physicality of the Reactable "allows us to act on our intuitive musicality." He says: "When I'm playing my songs, it's like I'm arranging the instruments of a band. Then I can build variations and mix it all together on the table surface in real-time. "The visual feedback means you can actually see the music and it's also easy for the audience to understand what I am doing and connect to what I am playing." Although Funer does admit that it has some glitches: "One problem with the Reactable is that sometimes objects connect to each other by mistake, which can lead to loud interferences in your track." The Fingerboard Continuum . An instrument not unlike the Seaboard, the Fingerboard Continuum by Haken Audio has a similar structure to a keyboard but allows you to play multiple notes at once and have "integrated" control over pitch, volume and timbre. Rob Schwimmer, an American composer and pianist who has worked with a number of high profile musicians ranging from Stevie Wonder to Chaka Khan, has recently recorded on the Continuum for Paul Simon. "The Continuum blew my mind in that it is sort of a fabulous hi-speed collision between a piano and a Theremin and yet something totally unique and totally expressive. Also the sounds that have been painstakingly designed specifically for the instrument are gorgeous!" says Schwimmer. See Schwimmer perform a version of "Because" by The Beatles. The Swarmatron . It has a funny name and it looks ancient but in fact there has never been an electronic instrument quite like it. "Eight analogue oscillators hum slightly out of tune with each other, which is the reason for the name: the discordant chaos sounds like being in the middle of a swarm of bees," explains Roger Cordell from Big City Music, who are the main distributors of the Swarmatron. "The artist can control the color, intensity and direction of the swarm with an array of controls, but never to perfection, so working with the Swarmatron is always an adventure." Fans include Trent Reznor, who used it for the soundtrack to The Social Network and British producer Dan Carey, who has worked with big name artists including Franz Ferdinand, Hot Chip and most recently, Emiliana Torrini. "It's such a sensitive piece of equipment that when you manipulate the controls there are almost an infinite number of harmonies. I've never heard anything like it before. The noises it makes are completely unique and otherworldly," says Carey. Carey's label Speedy Wunderground, on which he records tracks in just one day, has 10 commandments. Rule number seven is: "Somewhere on each record the Swarmatron will make an appearance." Monique Rivalland and Andrew Stewart contributed to this article .
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The Seaboard is a re-imagined keyboard that allows players to bend notes like a guitar .
Hollwood composer Hans Zimmer describes it as 'inspiring'
The Seaboard's inventor believes it opens up expressive potential .
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(CNN) -- Just like some U.S. officials looking into the mystery, the man who captured video of an apparent fireball plunging from the sky over Texas on Sunday is perplexed about what it was. Video captured in Austin, Texas, shows a meteor-like object in the sky Sunday morning. "I don't know what I saw in the sky. It was something burning and falling really fast," Eddie Garcia, a videographer for News 8 Austin, told CNN Monday. "I'm looking in the viewfinder and I see, just, something flying through the sky. And it kind of looks like it could be dust, it could be something, and then I look up and, no, it was something burning in the sky," he said. "And you know, this is something that you see at night clearly during a meteor shower or something like that, but you don't see something like that during the day." Authorities in Texas said there were reports of sonic booms in the area Sunday as well. Watch video of meteor-like fireball » . Early speculation was that it might have been debris from two satellites -- one American, one Russian -- that rammed into each other in space a week ago. But the U.S. Strategic Command, which tracks satellite debris, said it was not. "There is no correlation between those reports and any of that debris from the collision," command spokeswoman Maj. Regina Winchester told CNN Monday. So what was it? "I don't know," she responded. "It's possible it was some kind of natural phenomenon, maybe a meteor." Meteor fireballs bright enough to be seen in the daytime are rare but not unheard of. Two of the most recent fell in October in the Alice Springs region of Australia and last June just west of Salt Lake City, Utah. The one over Australia was unique because the asteroid that caused it was discovered and tracked before it reached Earth's atmosphere, according to the Sydney Observatory's Web site. It says the asteroid was about 6.5 feet wide. A sonic boom also was heard in connection with that event, the Australian observatory says. On Friday, the National Weather Service reported that its office in Jackson, Kentucky, had received calls about "possible explosions" or "earthquakes" in that area. "The Federal Aviation Administration has reported to local law enforcement that these events are being caused by falling satellite debris," the service said Friday. "These pieces of debris have been causing sonic booms, resulting in the vibrations being felt by some residents, as well as flashes of light across the sky. The cloud of debris is likely the result of the recent in-orbit collision of two satellites on Tuesday February 10, when Kosmos 2251 crashed into Iridium 33." CNN's call Monday to NASA to get its take on the fireball over Texas was not immediately returned. Garcia said he had been told NASA may have called him. The FAA had asked pilots Saturday to keep an eye out for "falling space debris," warning that "a potential hazard may occur due to re-entry of satellite debris into the Earth's atmosphere." FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said Sunday there had been no reports of ground strikes or interference with aircraft in flight. He said the FAA had received no reports from pilots in the air of any sightings, but had gotten "numerous" calls from people on the ground in Texas, from Dallas south to Austin. As of Monday morning, Herwig said his agency had no information about what the fireball was. iReport.com: Did you see the fireball? Send photos, video . He also said the FAA had rescinded its warning to pilots to look out for space debris. Garcia, the videographer, was out covering a marathon race Sunday morning when he caught a glimpse of the blaze. In the video, it appear as a meteor-like white fireball blazing across the clear sky. "I remember shooting it and wondering what I shot, and then looking around and seeing if anyone saw it with me, and everyone was just focused on that marathon that we were shooting at the time," he told CNN Newsroom. Whatever it was, Garcia said he's "just grateful I got a shot of it. And, hopefully, that'll help" people figure out what it was.
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Video shot in Austin, Texas, shows meteor-like object in sky Sunday morning .
Fireball sightings, reports of sonic booms come days after satellite collision in space .
FAA told U.S. pilots to watch for "falling space debris"
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(CNN) -- Mourners gathered Saturday in a California church to remember slain Yale graduate student Annie Le, 24, whose body was found on the day she was to be married. Yale student Annie Le's family said in a statement that "her laughter was infectious." "You were born in my loving embrace," said Le's mother, Vivian Van Le, reading a poem she'd written in Vietnamese to those gathered for the funeral at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in El Dorado Hills, California. Chris Le -- her son and Annie Le's brother -- provided a translation. "The most wonderful gift that God had sent to me. ... You left life at too young an age, at the beginning of many great things. All the dreams and hopes of your future gone with you to your resting place," Vivian Van Le said, according to her son. Le, a pharmacology graduate student, was last seen alive on September 8, the day she appeared in a surveillance video as she entered the four-story lab at 10 Amistad St., about 10 blocks from Yale University's campus. Her body was found inside the basement wall of the building on September 12, the day she was to be married. Authorities have charged Yale lab technician Raymond Clark, 24, with Le's murder. Bond has been set at $3 million, according to police. See timeline of case » . Vivian Van Le addressed her daughter's fiance, Jonathan Widawsky, on Saturday at the funeral, saying, "Even now, Annie is gone. But I still have you and love you very much, like my son, Christopher." Widawsky is a graduate student in physics at Columbia University, according to Yale. Watch loved ones say goodbye to Le » . Monsignor James C. Kidder told the mourners that "the worth of Annie's life was not its length, it was its intensity of love." Yale released a statement Friday, saying that a university memorial service would be held on October 12. The university is also establishing a scholarship in Le's memory. It released a statement from her family, saying "Annie was loved by everyone who knew her and special to all those who came in contact with her. ... Her laughter was infectious and her goodness was ingenuous. ... We will always remember her beautiful smile, her fun-loving spirit, and the joy that she brought to us all."
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Mourners gather in a California church to remember slain Yale student .
Le's mom: "You left life at too young an age, at the beginning of many great things"
Authorities have charged Yale lab technician Raymond Clark with Le's murder .
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Thieves have stolen eight shoes belonging to Holocaust victims from a museum in Poland, the latest in a series of thefts targeting memorials to those killed in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. The shoes were stolen from a permanent exhibition at the Majdanek State Museum in Lublin, spokeswoman Agnieszka Kowalczyk-Nowak told CNN on Wednesday. The museum displays 280,000 shoes belonging to Holocaust victims in a former barracks building on the grounds of the former concentration camp. The theft was uncovered when a security guard noticed Thursday that one of the cabinets used to display the shoes had been broken into, Kowalczyk-Nowak said. This triggered a count that revealed that eight shoes had been stolen. Holocaust artifacts bear witness . The theft was reported to police, and a criminal investigation is ongoing, she said. It comes less than a month after an iron gate with the notorious Nazi slogan "Arbeit Macht Frei," which translates to "work sets you free," was stolen from the former Dachau concentration camp in Germany. The Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum condemned that theft, saying: "While we do not know who is behind the theft of the sign, the theft of such a symbolic object is an offensive attack on the memory of the Holocaust." The famous "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland also was stolen in 2009. It was discovered shortly afterward cut into three pieces. The concentration camp in Lublin, popularly known as Majdanek, housed Jews from Poland and across occupied Europe, as well as Soviet prisoners of war and political prisoners from Poland. According to the museum website, of an estimated 150,000 inmates who entered Majdanek, 80,000 people, including 60,000 Jews, were killed. "In order to remove the traces of the crimes, the corpses of those who died and the murdered were burnt on pyres or in the crematorium," it states. eBay removes purported Holocaust memorabilia from site, apologizes .
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Eight shoes belonging to Holocaust victims are taken from a museum in Lublin .
A cabinet containing some of 280,000 shoes displayed at the museum was broken into .
Some 80,000 people, among them 60,000 Jews, were killed at the Majdanek camp .
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From carpets that switch to wooden beams at the touch of a button, to floating beds and personal stylists built into mirrors – the bedroom of the future is set be a high-tech affair. Experts predict that, within the next decade, we could also be sleeping on bedding with built-in cooling and heating systems,and surrounding ourselves with 3D printed ornaments. And for people who don’t have a scenic view, smart windows could be used switch between rainforests scenes, valley views and even double up as projector screens. Scroll down for video . The bedroom of the future (illustrated) was designed by London-based Betta Living. Its predictions include carpets that switch to beams, floating beds and personal stylists built into mirrors . Betta Living, the bedroom furniture firm, also details how many of these so-called futuristic concepts are already in the making, or available to buy. Starting with a morning routine, Betta Living claims that mirrored glass on wardrobe doors will be superseded by virtual mirrors. In September, the National Sleep Foundation released its first international Bedroom Poll. It compared the amount of sleep and attitudes, habits and bedtime routines of people living across the United States, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany and Japan. The results discovered that while a third of Britons prefer to sleep naked, Germans have to air their bedrooms weekly to achieve a good night's sleep and half of both Japanese and Americans take naps every two weeks to catch up on their shut eye. Oral B has already developed a similar smart mirror prototype for the bathroom, and Betta Living believes they will become commonplace in bedrooms within five years. The intelligent interactive surface will not only display the contents of the wardrobe, but micro-tagged clothes could be tried on virtually using gestural technology. This means users can virtually swipe through choices, and see how items look when worn together. It could also be used as a personal stylist, helping people to decide what to wear depending on their diary entries, when linked with a smartphone, or the weather. Users will also be able to shop online from these mirrors, to find shoes and accessories to match existing items. Elsewhere in the futuristic bedroom concept, clear glass windows will be replaced with ‘smart windows’, automated to the time of day and season, or personal preferences. The screen could be translucent, fade completely to black, work as a virtual window blind, display a scene of the user’s choice, or be used as an interactive screen to watch TV, check the weather and even browse and update social media accounts. Betta Living claims mirrored glass on wardrobe doors will be superseded by virtual smart mirrors. Oral B has already developed a similar prototype for the bathroom (pictured). The intelligent surface will not only display the contents of the wardrobe, but micro-tagged clothes can be tried on virtually using gestural technology . Elsewhere in the futuristic bedroom, traditional windows will be replaced with ‘smart windows’, automated to the time of day, or personal preferences. The screen can be translucent, fade to black, display a scene of the user’s choice, or be used as a TV. Samsung has a similar design, called Transparent Smart Window (pictured) Samsung has already created a similar design, called Transparent Smart Window. On to the beds of the future.The next-generation mattresses and beds could use a cantilever mechanism to store the bed in the ceiling rather than a wall, according to Betta Living. At the touch of a button, the bed could elevate up into a spot lit surround, and disappear into the ceiling. The bedding could be high-tech too. Duvets of the future, for example, could be connected to body monitoring systems, telling sleepers to heat up if their body is getting too cold. To boost and monitor health, future bedrooms could be fitted with home automation systems linked to fitness tracking gadgets. The system would be able to optimise the heat and light to a person’s exact needs. Honeywell’s evohome (pictured) already lets users schedule, and personalise heating and hot water wirelessly . This trend has also been seen recently with products such as LightwaveRF (pictured) - that controls everything from power sockets and light dimmers from smartphones - and Beddit’s ultra-thin film sensor, which connects wirelessly to a smartphone to provide sleep analytics . And thanks to an in-built cooling system, this bedding will cool the body down to prevent night sweats. Pillows could incorporate the same light technology used in lamps to combat light sensitivity, and could light up gradually as people wake. To boost and monitor health further, future bedrooms could be fitted with home automation systems linked to fitness tracking gadgets. The whole system would then be able to optimise the heat and light to suit a person’s exact needs - even down to heart rate and core body temperature. This trend has already been seen recently with products such as LightwaveRF - that controls everything from power sockets and light dimmers from smartphones - and Beddit’s ultra-thin film sensor, which connects wirelessly to a smartphone to provide sleep analytics. And Honeywell’s evohome lets users schedule, zone and personalise their heating and hot water wirelessly, using a touchscreen controller or an app. On the subject of fitness, Betta Living also predicts that bedrooms of the future will double up as gyms. Homeowners will be able to elevate the bed to reveal a home gym, such as the Domyos Training Box. This box (pictured) contains a weight-lifting bar and selection of weights and a weight bench . Experts also predict that the flooring will be interchangeable at the flick of a switch. This means that carpets could be switched for laminate flooring at the touch of a button, and it could be cleaned using Roomba vacuums (pictured) that can be set to clean whenever the owner wants . Energy-bills will be substantially less too, as lighting becomes more energy-efficient. In addition, self-iron fabrics could spell the end of ironing duvet covers. On the subject of fitness, Betta Living also predicts that bedrooms of the future will double up as gyms. Homeowners will be able to elevate the bed to reveal a home gym, such as the Domyos Training Box. This box contains a weight lifting bar and selection of weights, a weight bench and cardio step, and mat all in a storage box. The bedroom of the future will also be decorated with homemade, and home-designed, 3D-printed frames, ornaments, vases and more. And the flooring will be interchangeable at the flick of a switch. The Sleep Council recently created a similar bedroom of the future concept, (pictured) with adaptable furniture and augmented reality displays to show constellations or flight paths overhead. It also featured a holographic Colin Firth that read people bedtime stories . Duvets of the future, for example, could be connected to body monitoring systems, telling sleepers to heat up if their body is getting too cold. Pillows could incorporate the same light technology used in lamps to combat light sensitivity, and could light up gradually as people wake. The Sleep Council's simialr prediction is illustrated . This means that carpet could be switched for laminate flooring at the touch of a button, and or graphics and patterns could be beamed onto the floor for parties, or for children to play on. And it could be cleaned using Roomba vacuums, or Dyson's latest automated vacuum, that can be set to clean the floor whenever the owner wants. Barry Rourke said: ‘Our bedroom of the future is all about multi-functionality to make the most of space, fabulous design and making home comforts even more sophisticated. ‘As people flock to popular urban areas, domestic spaces are shrinking but in our transformative bedroom, even the smallest of spaces will not restrict the homeowners in the future. ‘Windows will adapt to whatever we want our view to be and interactive living surfaces will mean we have access to our lives and wardrobe in one clever screen. ‘Even the traditional bed will become tech driven and be linked to everything else in the room by clever sensors and smartphones. There are so many exciting things being developed our problem designing the bedroom of the future was what to leave out.’
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The bedroom of the future was designed by experts at Betta Living .
Predictions include carpets that switch to wooden beams at the touch of a button, floating beds and personal stylists built into mirrors .
Designs also feature bedding with built-in air heating and cooling systems .
And smart windows that provide changing views and double up as TVs .
Firm also details how many of these futuristic concepts are already available .
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By . Martin Robinson . and Rupert Steiner . Struggle: M&S boss Marc Bolland, pictures with Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley, will lose his bonus and so will his staff after a fall in profits for the third year running . Marks & Spencer's army of 65,000 store workers have today all been denied a bonus because profits have fallen for the third year in a row. Chief Executive Marc Bolland has decided that nobody deserved one because the High Street giant's results for the past year were so poor. He will not have a bonus for the first time since taking over in 2010, having received a cash and shares bonus worth £829,000 last year to take his full package to £2.1million a year. This is because annual . profits to the end of March were £623million, down 3.9 per cent from . £665.2million a year earlier. He said: 'No bonuses will be paid out to the whole company. There are no bonuses this year'. The announcement will apply to all . M&S employees from the boardroom to the shop floor, where staff received on average £250 last year. Today's poor results means rival Next has overtaken M&S in terms of earnings for the first time, having recently posted full-year profits of £695million. Experts said today that Bolland's decision to invest millions in new clothing lines modelled by stars like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and David Gandy have failed to connect with shoppers. There have also been complaints by customers about a drop in quality but no drop in price. Mr Bolland said today that after three years of trying to change the business the results showed 'solid progress'. This is despite general merchandise . sales - which includes clothing - seeing like-for-like sales fall by 1.4 per cent, although its food sales were up 1.7 per cent. 'We are making solid progress on this journey and are now focused on delivery,' the chief executive said. However he warned warned that its new website launched earlier this year was taking time to 'settle in', and will have a negative effect on sales figures. M&S shares were down 10p each to £4.40p when the London Stock Exchange opened this morning. Falling sales: A series of expensive high profile campaigns featuring stars like Ellie Goulding and Helen Mirren has still not led to a rise in clothing sales . Total annual group sales were £10.3billion, with UK revenues of £9.16billion and international revenues of £1.15billion. M&S is ramping up global expansion plans and during the year added 22 new stores overseas, focusing on key markets in India and China. Today's poor results mean M&S' whole management team, from store level to the executive board, will miss out altogether on an annual bonus because Britain’s biggest clothing retailer has not reached the minimum threshold required. The last time no bonus was awarded was in the financial year of 2008. Last year the top team at Marks and Spencer received bonuses to the tune of £3million with Bolland pocketing £829,000 in cash and shares. Bolland has attempted to turn the business around after years of under investment in warehousing and computer systems.
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Annual profits down to £623m in 2013/14 from £665.2m a year earlier .
Marc Bolland - who received a £829,000 bonus last year - will get nothing .
And he has decided that 65,000 store workers will also miss out .
Like-for-like general sales - including clothing - down but food sales are up .
Next overtakes M&S in terms of annual profits for the first time .
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Microsoft was left red-faced over Christmas when its Xbox One service was infiltrated by hackers, and now its facing a similar problem. Reports on a German website claim that a list of 1,800 Microsoft-owned Minecraft's usernames and passwords have been published online. With access to these details, a security expert warns that criminals could break into accounts, change settings and buy virtual items. The hack was reported by Heise Online, and many of the verified accounts (selection pictured) are believed to belong to German gamers. It is not known how the hackers got their hands on the credentials, but security analyst Graham Cluely wrote : 'Possibilities range from phishing attacks, malware, or even a security breach' The hack was reported by Heise Online, and many of the verified accounts are believed to belong to German gamers. It is not known how the hackers got their hands on the credentials, but security analyst Graham Cluely wrote on the Hot for Security blog: 'Possibilities range from simple phishing attacks, keylogging malware stealing players’ details as they log into the game, or even a security breach at Minecraft itself. 'Let’s hope it’s not the last one - because the game has over 100 million registered users.' However, a Microsoft spokesman told MailOnline: 'We can confirm that no Mojang.net service was compromised. 'Normal industry procedures for dealing with situations like this were put in place to reset passwords for the small number of affected accounts.' Minecraft was created in 2009. At the start of the game, a character is put into a 'virtually infinite game world.' They can then walk around different terrains, including mountains, forests and caves. Players can also fly up in the air for a birds-eye view of the landscape. Players are given blocks and tools to build towns and cities. The game was initially made for the PC but there are now Xbox 360 and mobile versions available. He added that when the company discovers lists gamertags, usernames and passwords posted online, it takes 'immediate action to protect customers by reviewing valid credentials and resetting account access when necessary.' Based on the huge number of registered users, the hack is relatively small. But, as Mr Cluely pointed out: 'If unauthorised users exploited the exposed email addresses and passwords they could not only log into other people’s gameworlds, but also download a full version of the game which normally sells for €19.95 Euros ($26.95 or £17.95).' Plus, once a cybercriminal has access to a person's email address they could use it hack other accounts, send spam or spread malware. Mr Cluely additionally said there is no guarantee that the hacker who released this current list also doesn't have more 'in their back pocket.' Microsoft bought Mojang in September in a deal said to be worth $2.5 billion (£1.5 billion). The game is available on PCs, Android, iOS and Windows Phone, as well as games consoles including the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. However, a Microsoft spokesman told MailOnline that no Mojang.net service was compromised. Although the number of released details is a small percentage of the game's 100 million user base, Mr Cluely said there is no guarantee the hacker who released this current list doesn't have more 'in their back pocket' At the start of the game, a character is put into a 'virtually infinite game world.' They can then walk around different terrains, including mountains, forests and caves. Players can also fly up in the air for a birds-eye view of the landscape. Players are given blocks and tools to build towns and cities. As a player progresses they can earn advanced tools and building blocks in different materials. More than 16,645,000 people have bought the game, so far, and it is an online phenomenon. There are even YouTube channels dedicated to showing people how to play the game, which in same cases make the owners enough money in advertising to quit their jobs.
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The hack was reported by German website Heise Online .
Many of the verified accounts are believed to belong to German gamers .
It is not known how the hackers got their hands on the credentials .
Microsoft, which owns Mojang, said that its service was not compromised .
It has reviewed credentials and reset account access, where necessary .
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Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The nephew of Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi was buried Wednesday, three days after he was killed in anti-government demonstrations. Seyyed Ali Moussavi's body was delivered to his family early Wednesday and buried at Tehran's Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery around 10:30 a.m. (2 a.m. ET). There were no demonstrations or disturbances during the burial, and several plain-clothed and uniformed security personnel were patrolling the area. A reformist Web site, Parlemannews, had reported Tuesday that Moussavi's body had disappeared, though the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) disputed that account. Moussavi was one of seven people killed in the riots Sunday, according to Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran's chief prosecutor. The toll meant the riots were the bloodiest since June, when protests over the disputed presidential election that gave Ahmadinejad a second term left at least eight dead. The Iranian government has denied that its security forces killed anyone. It is not clear how Moussavi died, though his uncle's political movement said he was shot to death. Are you in Iran? Show us what the scene is like . Dolatabadi said one of those killed was fatally shot and the case is under investigation, but he did not identify the victim. He said most of the seven deaths occurred after the people were struck with "hard objects or due to similar causes." Read more about the protests in Iran . Mir Hossein Moussavi's Web site said the nephew was killed in the demonstrations by a shot to the heart. But IRNA said the bullet came from a "terror team," and that other such teams were operating in Tehran. It did not offer further details. The semi-official Mehr news agency quoted security forces Tuesday as explaining that the nephew was standing on a street at midday Sunday when he was "assassinated by firearm by the occupants of a passing vehicle, and died because of the delay in taking him to the hospital." "He died of severe bleeding on the way to the hospital," Mehr reported. "Efforts to identify the culprit or culprits continue." Parlemannews, which reported the disappearance of Seyyed Ali Moussavi's body, said the government was holding it and four other bodies for autopsies. The delay meant the dead could not be buried within 24 hours, as Islamic custom dictates. CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report .
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Saeed Ali Moussavi's body was delivered to his family early Wednesday .
Not clear how Moussavi died, though some claim he was shot .
Iranian government has denied that its security forces killed anyone .
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(CNN) -- LeBron James has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row after claiming 116 of a possible 123 first place votes. It gave him a landslide win over the runner-up, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had just four first place votes, with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers in third. The media panel, who decide the prestigious award, had no hesitation in opting for James, whose outstanding play has lifted the Cleveland Cavaliers into the second second round of the playoffs. They beat Boston Celtics in game one of the best-of-seven series with game two on Monday. "To be MVP is definitely an honor. It's a humbling experience," James told the NBA official Web site. "To receive that while you are trying to win a championship, you have to balance it out. I've been able to do that so far." Orlando center Dwight Howard was fourth overall. James, who is determined to finally land the NBA championship with the Cavs after a series of near-misses, has averaged just shy of 30 points per game, with 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists this season. It helped Cleveland to a league-best 61 wins in the regular season and left him a near-certainty for the MVP honor. He is only the 10th player to win it twice in consecutive seasons, joining greats such as Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Magic Johnson. "I'm just trying to do my job," James said. "Hopefully I can add onto that championship list of names and pass it on to someone when I'm done."
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LeBron James named NBA Most Valuable Player for second year in a row .
Cleveland Cavs star gains 116 out of a possible 123 first place votes .
James is determined to bring the NBA Championship to Cleveland .
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By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 05:06 EST, 23 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:52 EST, 23 July 2012 . It is a forbidding place where temperatures reach a million degrees, and violent storms can cause havoc on Earth. However, until today scientists have been unable to get a good look at the mysterious corona of the sun. Astronomers have revealed the unprecedented high resolution pictures which reveal what really goes on in the atmosphere of our sun. Scroll down for video . Activity in the sun's corona on July 11, 2012, captured by Nasa's High Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C). The representative-color images were made from observations of ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 19.3 nanometers (25 times shorter than the wavelength of visible light). The 16-megapixel images were captured by Nasa's High Resolution Coronal Imager, or Hi-C, which was launched on a sounding rocket on July 11th. The Hi-C telescope provides five times more detail than the next-best observations by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. Using a new mirror design, the Hi-C telescope is able to obtain images of structures as small as 135 miles across. Nasa compares the advance to switching from ordinary cathode ray television to high-definition TV . Scientists say the new pictures could help us understand how the sun affects earth, . Before and after: These photos of the solar corona, or million-degree outer atmosphere, show the improvement in resolution offered by NASA's High Resolution Coronal Imager, or Hi-C (bottom), versus the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (top). 'Even though this mission was only a few minutes long, it marks a big breakthrough in coronal studies,' said Smithsonian astronomer Leon Golub (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), one of the lead investigators on the mission. Since Hi-C rode on a suborbital rocket, . its flight lasted for just 10 minutes. Of that time, only about 330 . seconds were spent taking data. "The Hi-C flight might be the most productive five minutes I've ever spent," Understanding the Sun's activity and its effects on Earth's environment was the critical scientific objective of Hi-C, which provided unprecedented views of the dynamic activity and structure in the solar atmosphere. 'The phrase 'think globally, act locally' applies to the Sun too,' said Golub. 'Things happening at a small, local scale can impact the entire Sun and result in an eruption,' explained Golub. Researchers with the hi-res Nasa Hi-C rocket that took stunning images of the sun's corona . The corona surrounds the visible surface of the Sun. It is filled with million-degree ionized gas, or plasma, so hot that the light it emits is mainly at X-ray and extreme-ultraviolet wavelengths. For decades, solar scientists have been trying to understand why the corona is so hot, and why it erupts in violent solar flares and related blasts known as "coronal mass ejections," which can produce harmful effects when they hit Earth. The Hi-C telescope was designed and built to see the extremely fine structures thought to be responsible for the Sun's dynamic behavior. Hi-C focused on an active region on the Sun near sunspot NOAA 1520. The target, which was finalized on launch day, was selected specifically for its large size and active nature. The resulting high-resolution snapshots, at a wavelength of 19.3 nanometers (25 times shorter than the wavelength of visible light), reveal tangled magnetic fields channeling the solar plasma into a range of complex structures. The project was a collaboration between University of Central Lancashire, NASA and Smithsonian. Dr Robert Walsh, University Director of Research at UCLan, said: 'These first images taken by the Hi-C camera are truly awe-inspiring and have surpassed our expectations.'We are now able to analyse structural aspects of the Sun at a level of complexity we’ve never been able to achieve before. 'The image quality is comparable to looking at a reflection in a steamed up mirror and then wiping it clean to reveal the true detail. 'Findings from the Hi-C Mission will help us to understand the outer atmosphere of the Sun, learn more about the electrified gases that erupt from it along with the mechanisms that generate the energy it releases; all of which have knock on effects on Earth.' 'We have an exceptional instrument and launched at the right time," said Jonathan Cirtain, senior heliophysicist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. 'Because of the intense solar activity we're seeing right now, we were able to clearly focus on a sizeable, active sunspot and achieve our imaging goals.'
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New images show the Sun 's corona up close for the first time .
Could reveal new clues to explain how how sunspots form .
Experiment lasted just five minutes .
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New York (CNN) -- A pizza deliveryman is accused of selling more than $45,000 in cocaine, hidden among pizza boxes, to undercover agents in New York. Ramon Rodriguez, 45, was arrested Wednesday after more than a yearlong investigation by the New York City Police Department's narcotics bureau in Brooklyn. Rodriguez has been charged with multiple counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to a statement released by the Special Narcotics Prosecutor in New York. Undercover agents said Rodriguez sold a kilo of cocaine, worth $27,500, to an agent on Wednesday outside the Papa John's restaurant where he works in Brooklyn. This marked the largest individual sale of the investigation, according to prosecutors. Officials say Rodriguez, while dressed in his Papa John's uniform, passed the kilo of cocaine to the agent in a bag along with a box of pizza and a chicken nuggets box. Rodriguez was arrested as he placed the bag of cocaine inside the trunk of the undercover officer's car, prosecutors said. Rodriguez used his job as a pizza deliveryman as a cover during many of the 19 sales of cocaine he is accused of making to the undercover officer during the investigation, prosecutors said. Rodriguez conducted the sales outside the Papa John's restaurant and at his home a few blocks away, they said. "On multiple occasions, Rodriguez told the undercover officers that he was interrupting pizza deliveries to conduct the drug transaction," according to prosecutors. Rodriguez was expected to be arraigned Thursday in Manhattan Criminal Court. When reached for comment, a Papa John's spokesperson said the company was not aware of the case. The manager at the Papa John's restaurant where Rodriguez works had no comment.
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Ramon Rodriguez, a Papa John's deliveryman, is accused of selling cocaine while on the job .
The NYPD has been running an undercover investigation on Rodriguez since fall 2011 .
Rodriguez was arrested after his biggest sale to the undercover agent: cocaine worth $27,500 .
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Pablo Zabaleta hopes Manchester City's higher Champions League seeding will prevent another 'group of death' when the draw takes place in Monaco on Thursday. City's current UEFA co-efficient will see Manuel Pellegrini's side in the pot of eight second seeds in the draw, which should hand his club an easier group than in the last two seasons. Chelsea and Arsenal, should the Gunners qualify, will be in the pot of eight top seeds, and Liverpool among the third seeds. VIDEO Scroll down for Manchester City's Vincent Kompany wants the quadruple . Champions League: Pablo Zabaleta hopes that Manchester City will avoid a 'group of death' this year . City were drawn in the same group as Bayern Munich last season, but still managed to qualify, but finished bottom of an even tougher group in the 2012-13 season against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax. Argentina defender Zabaleta said: 'We know we are Manchester City and have a strong squad to play against the best teams in Europe so we will see the draw and this time if we have a little bit more luck than the last few years. 'We were in the group of death and it has always been tough for us in Champions League - but it is a competition we are looking forward to and hopefully we can do better. 'The rest of the teams see Manchester City as a tough team to have in the group and I think that is the most important thing for us.' Groups: Last year Manchester City faced then-champions Bayern Munich in the group stages . The prospect of being drawn in as tough group as that is a worry for Liverpool - with the worse-case scenario seeing the Reds drawn with reigning champions Real Madrid, big-spending Paris St Germain and Italian side Roma. Chelsea and Arsenal, however, will be guaranteed to avoid the big European powers such as Real, Barcelona, Bayern or last season beaten finalists Atletico Madrid. The draw at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco will see 32 teams drawn into eight groups of four. The English clubs cannot be drawn into the same group as each other. As in previous seasons, the top two in each group will qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League and the third-placed side go into the knock-out stages of the Europa League. Last 16: Because they were in a difficult group, City finished second, meaning they faced Barcelona afetrwards . It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager .
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Manchester City will be seeded higher in this year's Champions League .
Pablo Zabaleta hopes City can avoid a difficult group .
City have faced Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Dortmund in recent years .
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A teenage boy has managed to survive a shark attack by tearing the animal off him while it was biting his leg. 15-year-old Garrett Sebesta was praised for his bravery following the incident, which occurred yesterday in waist-high water off the Gulf Coast in Texas. He has apparently been left with a seven-inch gash in his leg from the bite, and severe damage to his hand. Brave: 15-year-old Garrett Sebesta was praised for his bravery following the incident which occurred in waist-high water. He is now in stable condition. Locals were surprised where usually the most serious injuries are jelly fish stings . Lucky boy: Garrett Sebesta managed to pull the shark off although it bit his left hand and has a big chunk of his calf his missing . Emergency: 15-year-old Garrett Sebesta was airlifted to hospital after being bitten by a shark . Garrett was swimming with friends from a church group in the resort of Surfside Beach, on the outskirts of Houston. He felt a shark bite in to his left leg and immediately grabbed it and pulled it off him. But the animal continued its attack, biting his hand until he finally managed to shake it off and it swam away. The teenager was helped out of the water by his friends before being tended to by paramedics. He was airlifted to a hospital in Houston, where he underwent surgery on Monday evening. Injuries: The teenager suffered cuts to his leg and lacerations on his hand in the shark attack . Close: Garrett Sebesta pictured with his mom Marina - Several people have reported spotting and even catching sharks recently in the area where Garrett was bitten and are advising swimmers to use caution . Garrett suffered a seven-inch-deep circular wound in his leg as well as nerve damage in his hand, his mother told KHOU. 'He was a trooper,' medic Suandra Monnat told My Fox Houston. 'This kid felt the shark bite his calf, and then literally grabbed the shark and tore it off of him.' Local officials said it had been more than two decades since the last shark attack in the area, where jellyfish stings are a much more common complaint. Caught: Shortly before Monday's attack, this shark was found in shallow water in the same area . However, in the past few days a shark which was several feet long was caught in shallow waters off Surfside Beach. Ms Monnat advised swimmers to avoid going near fishermen, as they tend to attract dangerous animals with their bait.
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Garrett Sebesta bitten by shark while swimming in Surfside Beach, Texas .
Tore animal off his leg and was airlifted to hospital with bite wounds .
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Brendan Rodgers has expressed his deep disappointment that Lazar Markovic has been given a four-match ban and described the punishment as 'harsh'. The Liverpool midfielder was sent-off against Basle in the final Champions League game in December for an innocuous hand flick but UEFA only revealed his punishment yesterday. It means Liverpool will be without Markovic for both legs of their Europa League last 32 contest against Besiktas and, potentially, both legs of the last 16 also and it a suspension that his manager believes is unjust. Lazar Markovic pushes out his arm towards Behrang Safari's face in the clash with Basle in December . Brendan Rodgers speaks to the press ahead of Liverpool's clash with Besiktas on Thursday night at Anfield . 'We are obviously disappointed with the length of the ban,” said Rodgers. 'We felt it was very harsh but we accept it and unfortunately he won’t be able to contribute. Hopefully he will play many more European games for the club.' Rodgers, whose side are enjoying their best run of form of the campaign, is relishing the chance to get back into European competition and is not in the least bit concerned about a reunion with Demba Ba, the striker who blew a hole in their quest to win the Barclays Premier League when he played for Chelsea. 'It won’t stimulate any bad memories for me. He scored a goal. We will pay him respect but nothing more than that.” said Rodgers. Daniel Sturridge and Rodgers talk to the press ahead of their Europa League game with Besiktas on Thursday . 'He has been a very good player and had a fruitful period in England - a wonderful player who scores goals and he has done well at Besiktas.' Daniel Sturridge, meanwhile, is determined to carry on building his fitness up and sees this game as an opportunity to continue his momentum. 'Every competition is important for us. We take each game as it comes. We will play our football and look to get good results,' said Sturridge. 'I have got no worries, no stresses at all. I am enjoying my football and if selected I will continue to do my best for the team. 'It is important to get a relationship with every player, whether it is Mario, Simon Mignolet or whoever. I am just doing my best to help the team. I look forward to continuing playing between now and the end of the season. Sturridge is determined to build his fitness and sees the game as a chance to continue his momentum . 'I think the setup is different but the mentality is always the same. We are going in with that mentality and it is important for us as a team. That is what will bring us success in the future. 'It is easy to play with Mario and any of my team-mates. I feel like I can play him or anybody, it is up to the manager. I like Mario and I will do my best to help the team.' Of the challenge Besiktas and Ba present, Sturridge added: 'I know they are a good side from watching the videos. I don't see them every week but I know that it is a good game for us, very difficult. It will be a great game for everybody in the stadium. 'He has got a good goalscoring record from his time in England. But we are not trying to concentrate on individuals. We are just going to play the Liverpool way.' The duo admitted there will be no hard feelings towards former Chelsea striker Demba Ba on Thursday night .
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Lazar Markovic was sent off in Liverpool's final Champions League match .
The midfielder was shown red for an innocuous hand flick during the game .
Markovic has been banned for four games by UEFA for the incident .
Brendan Rodgers feels the punishment on Markovic is unjust .
CLICK HERE for all the latest Liverpool news .
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Hong Kong (CNN) -- Tens of thousands of people are fleeing violence in Myanmar only to be robbed, beaten and starved on boats helmed by human traffickers, according to a new report from the United Nations Refugee Agency. In the 12 months to June, around 53,000 people left ports in the Myanmar-Bangladesh border area -- 61% more than the previous year -- many with the hope of reaching family in Malaysia, according to the report "Irregular Maritime Movements." They paid between $50 and $300 to board boats carrying up to 700 passengers, some manned by armed guards, many of whom doled out verbal abuse or beatings to prevent their human cargo from moving around. Some passengers were fed rice and noodles, while others received nothing at all on journeys lasting anywhere from seven days to two months, the report said. More than 200 people are thought to have died making the trip so far this year, due to illness, heat, lack of food and water, and severe beatings. However, the number of people who have perished at sea appears to have fallen over the past year, the report noted, after people smugglers hired bigger, more seaworthy vessels. Persecution in Myanmar . That so many people, the vast majority Rohingya Muslims, are rushing to flee the country is a scathing indictment of the conditions they're being forced to endure in Myanmar, or Burma, as it's also known. Of around 800,000 Rohingya Muslims living in Rakhine State, violence has pushed around 140,000 into temporary camps, while another 40,000 are effectively detained in isolated villages, according to Human Rights Watch. "It's a humanitarian disaster," said HRW's Phil Robertson, who said conditions had worsened, especially since February, when the government barred international aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) from working in Rakhine State. The ban was lifted in late July but aid is yet to reach tens of thousands of people, many who are hungry and suffering preventable illnesses in crowded, unhygienic camps. "What you're seeing is people who are leaving Rakhine State with very frail health to start with; people who have been in these camps and face the slow deprivation of food and basic medical services to the point that they're already weakened," Robertson said. "They're getting on these boats, and these boats are landing in Thailand, and they're being put in jungle camps where they're on starvation rations unless their relatives can find exorbitant fees that the traffickers are demanding to release them and send them onto Malaysia." The U.N. report said upon arrival in Thailand, new arrivals said they were driven through the night in pickups with 15 to 20 other people who were forced to sit or lie on top of one another. They were then taken to camps where hundreds of people, including women and children, were held while smugglers phoned family members abroad, demanding more money for their loved ones' safe passage to Malaysia. Demands "were accompanied by threats or, when payment was not immediate, severe beating and prolonged detention in a smugglers' camp for up to six months," the report said. Malnourished in Malaysia . As many as 38,000 people had registered as Rohingya in Malaysia, the report said, noting that since 2013, many had arrived with serious medical conditions. In the first half of this year, more than 140 people had been diagnosed with beriberi, a condition caused by severe malnutrition and vitamin B deficiency, which can cause paralysis and death. That's 12 times the number diagnosed in the previous 14 months. "They have faced deprivation, abuse and suffering every step of their way as they try to flee the predations of the Burmese government, and the local state government and the Rakhine state government," Robertson said. Myanmar doesn't recognize the Rohingya as citizens or as one of the predominantly Buddhist country's ethnic minorities. "I think the international community really has to push very hard on the Burmese government to accept the reality that these people should be considered citizens of Burma. "For the government of Burma to maintain this fiction that somehow these are recently arrived migrants from India or from Bangladesh is absolutely unconscionable," Robertson added. In a statement following their five-day visit to Myanmar last week, two commissioners from the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom said they were "deeply troubled by reports we received of abuses against the Rohingya Muslim community in Rakhine State." "No impartial observers question reports of systematic, large-scale and egregious abuses of human rights of this community involving acts and omissions resulting in deaths, injuries, displacement, denial of basic health and other services, denial of freedom of movement, and denial of the right to a nationality, among other violations," said Commissioners M. Zudhi Jasser and Eric P. Schwartz. In the past few years, Myanmar's new leadership under President Thein Sein has won praise for its efforts to open the once reclusive country to foreign influences and trade. However its treatment of the Rohingya continues to cloud its stated commitment to improving human rights.
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More than 50,000 people have fled Myanmar-Bangladesh border ports .
U.N. report details abuse, starvation and cramped conditions on boats .
Many fleeing are Rohingya Muslims who are being persecuted in Myanmar .
Around 140,000 are living in camps where supplies have run out .
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Astronomers around the world are . tracking with eager anticipation the arrival of a comet next year which . could even outshine our Moon in the night sky. Comet ISON is expected to draw . millions into the dark to witness what is likely to be the most . brilliant comet seen in many generations. It is visiting the inner solar system . for what is thought to be the first time and is set to put on . spectacular views for the Northern Hemisphere across November and . December as it heads towards the sun. Look to the skies next year: Comet ISON could produce a spectacular show when it flies by next year - similar to the 1997 appearance of Hale-Bopp (pictured) How Hale-Bopp looked above Alaska: Next year's comet is predicted to be even more spectacular, and remain in the skies for weeks . It may prove to be brighter than any . comet of the last century - visible even in daylight - and this may end . up being its one and only trip to the solar system, as its trajectory . may see it plunge into the sun in a fiery death. It is currently moving inwards from . beyond Jupiter, and as it approaches the Earth, the 'dirty snowball' could produce a dazzling display, burning brighter than the moon and . potentially being visible in broad daylight. Astronomer Dr David Whitehouse, . writing in The Independent, says the comet will be visible to the naked . eye in the night sky by late November. Spotted in space: Two astronomers from Russia discovered the icy ball, pictured here dimly lit against background stars . 'Its tail could stretch like a searchlight into the sky above the horizon,' Dr Whitehouse writes. 'Then it will swing rapidly around the . Sun, passing within two million miles of it, far closer than any planet . ever does, to emerge visible in the evening sky heading northward . towards the pole star. 'It could be an "unaided eye" object . for months. When it is close in its approach to the Sun it could become . intensely brilliant but at that stage it would be difficult and . dangerous to see without special instrumentation as it would be only a . degree from the sun.' The comet, which was discovered by . astronomers using the International Scientific Optical Network (ISON) telescope in Russia, will pass within two million miles of the sun's . surface - making it a 'sun-grazing' comet. It is on a 'parabolic' orbit, which . means it probably originated from the outer skirts of the solar system, . perhaps from the Oort cloud - a mass of icy debris which lies 50,000 . times further from the sun than the Earth does. If comet ISON survives the encounter, . it could take thousands - potentially millions - of years before the . comet passes back through the inner solar system. Hale-Bopp sailed overhead, leaving two trails: An ionic trail of magnetically-charged particles facing directly away from the sun (left), and a trail of dust and debris (right) Comets are dusty balls of ice, which generally originate from the Kuipler belt - a region of icy small bodies beyond Neptune. Occasionally, a comet gets dislodged from its orbit, and plunges in to the inner solar system. They differ from asteroids, which are made of metal or rock, and are usually the left over remnants of planets or moons. Comets are not really reflective - they only reflect 4 per cent of the the Sun's rays, about the same as coal. So although they look brilliantly white from Earth, they are black at the surface. Halley's comet is the most well-known, named after Edmond Halley who noted the regular 75-76-year appearance of a comet, and predicted it would return in 1758, although sadly the astronomer died 16 years before he was proved correct. Halley's comet has passed within a fraction of the Earth before - in 1910 the Earth even moved through the comet's tail. Sadly, the 1986 re-appearance was the worst for 2,000 years, as the Earth and the comet were on opposite sides of the sun. The comet will begin brightening once . it gets within Jupiter's orbit, as the sun's heat begins boiling the ice . locked within the comet, converting it directly into gas. It is likely to recall the excitement . of Comet Hale-Bopp, which sailed past the Earth in 1997, appearing as a . static-looking smear in the skies across the Northern Hemisphere. It is also set to outshine 'the . greatest comet of the last century' - Comet McNaught, which shone . brighter than Venus as it passed above the southern hemisphere in 1965. Comets are known as 'dirty snowballs', . although technically a better definition would be 'snowy dirtballs', as . comets are generally rocky at the surface, with chemical-laden ice . within the interior. As the ice and chemicals heat up, they . erupt as brilliant jets which can form tails lasting hundreds of . thousands of kilometres in length. The comet is expected to be bright throughout late November and early December. Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, said: 'This is a very exciting discovery. 'The comet looks like it could become a . very spectacular sight in the evening sky after sunset from the UK in . late November and early December next year. 'Our members will be eagerly following . it as it makes its first trip around the Sun and hoping to see it . shining brilliantly and displaying a magnificent tail as it releases . powerful jets of gas and dust.'
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Comet ISON to be visible to the naked eye by November 2013 in the Northen Hemisphere .
It could be brighter than any comet of the past century and may even be visible in DAYLIGHT .
Discovered by Russian astronomers, ISON is thought to originate from the Oort Cloud and may end up crashing into the Sun .
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Bombs in Shiite areas of Iraq claimed the lives of 25 people Sunday, the second day of the Muslim holy month Ramadan. An Iraqi soldier and a policeman also died in separate incidents. The violence started in the morning, when a car bomb exploded outside a popular restaurant in the central city of Najaf, about 100 miles south of Baghdad, an official with Iraq's Interior Ministry said. Five people were killed and 14 others were wounded. Just before sunset, when Muslims break their daily Ramadan fast, three roadside bombs exploded within a few minutes of each other at the crowded al-Tameem market in a predominantly Shiite area in Baghdad's southern outskirts, police officials in the capital said. Fifteen people were killed and 60 others wounded, police said. Police: 11 dead, 37 wounded in Iraq blast . Later in the evening, five people were killed and 25 wounded when a car bomb exploded in another market, this time in Mahmoudiya, a predominantly Shiite area about 19 miles south of the capital, police in Baghdad said. Separately, a sniper killed an Iraqi soldier in Falluja on Sunday afternoon as he stood near his patrol, local police officials said. Falluja is in Anbar province, just west of Baghdad. A car bomb exploded near a police patrol in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in the evening, killing a policeman and wounding 16 others, including three officers, a police official in the city said. The city is predominantly Sunni. While the violence in Iraq has dropped since the peak of sectarian strife between 2005 and 2007, Iraqi residents continue to express concerns over the stability of the country and the efficacy of its security forces. 6 killed, 20 wounded in Iraq bomb blast, police say . Bombings over three consecutive days earlier this month left 52 people dead. In June, at least 240 people were killed in militant attacks in Iraq, according to CNN estimates. The recent carnage coincides with an emerging political crisis in the war-torn Middle Eastern nation, which faces an increasingly fractious legislature as Iraq's Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish political blocs increasingly seem at odds. Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has struggled to forge a lasting power-sharing agreement and has yet to fill key Cabinet positions, including the ministers of defense, interior and national security, while his backers have also shown signs of wobbling support. Series of deadly attacks hit Iraq .
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The bombs happened in predominantly Shiite areas .
99 people were wounded .
An Iraqi soldier and a policeman were killed in separate incidents .
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Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. and NATO have been quietly talking to National Transitional Council officials for the last several weeks about securing Libya's remaining stockpiles of mustard gas and other weapons material in the event the Gadhafi regime fell, U.S. officials confirm. Topping the list of worries is Libya's stockpile of mustard gas. "The opposition forces are being asked to keep track of what's going on" with both weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the regime's inventory of surface-to-air missiles, a NATO official said. "We have had direct eyes on the storage facilities" of the WMD for some time, the official said, including the use of satellites, drones and other surveillance aircraft. The official also confirmed that intelligence personnel from the U.S. and other countries have been in Libya in recent weeks to help maintain security at various sites, although he could not confirm Western personnel are currently at those locations. "Individual nations have folks on the ground," he said. A U.S. official also confirmed U.S. intelligence personnel have been involved in monitoring WMD stockpiles inside Libya. Both officials declined to be identified because of sensitive intelligence matters. "We hope those items don't get out of control" of the NTC, the U.S. official said. He also noted the U.S. and NATO have told the NTC that now that it has been recognized by many countries, its personnel must conduct themselves within the realm of international law. Congress is already underscoring the worry. "In particular, we must ensure that (Moammar) Gadhafi's stockpiles of advanced weapons, chemical weapons and explosives don't fall into the wrong hands," said Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Michigan, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee in a press statement. Rogers is also concerned about the Libyan inventory of anti tank rockets and plastic explosives. CNN reported earlier this year that Libya still has approximately 10 tons of the deadly blister agent left in its arsenal, according to an assessment from the Arms Control Association. Much of the material has been located at the Rabta chemical weapons facility south of Tripoli. In 2003, Libya agreed to destroy its entire chemical weapons arsenal, which included some 25 tons of mustard gas and 3,300 empty aerial bombs. The entire stock of shells and bombs was literally crushed by bulldozers in 2004. U.S. officials say any chemical weapons material that remains in Libya would be difficult to "weaponize" into a form that could be used to conduct attacks, and it's not clear Libyan forces would follow any orders to conduct such attacks.
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Nations have been monitoring missiles, mustard gas .
Intelligence personnel have been in Libya to help secure sites, NATO says .
About 10 tons of mustard gas known to remain .
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(CNN) -- Android is finally getting Chromed out. Google launched a beta version of Chrome for Android smartphones and tablets Tuesday, delivering a mobile version of the popular desktop web browser after a very long wait. Indeed, both Android and Chrome launched more than three years ago, and users have demanded unification ever since. Why bemoan the long wait? Much like the company's other products and services, the new Chrome app hooks wonderfully into the Google universe, giving those immersed in desktop Google apps even more incentive to choose Android as their mobile OS. So, naturally, we would hope — nay, expect — that Chrome would be the default browser for the Android OS. But this hasn't been the case. Android users have been forced to use a generic, stock browser (unceremoniously named "Browser") that's inferior to not only Chrome, but also other browsers available in the Android Market. Dolphin, anyone? Google had a reason to take its time: It wanted to do Chrome for Android right. "We didn't want to just push out Chrome light," said Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of Google Chrome, in an interview. "Our goal was to get all of Chrome onto Android." Which is exactly what Pichai and his team did. It's a full version of the Chrome browser for Android, still performing as adroitly as ever without losing the features that come in the desktop version. There are clear perks in using Chrome instead of other Android browsers. If you're already a desktop Chrome user, your bookmarks will be synced across all your browser versions after signing into your Google account. Even cooler, if you've left pages open on your laptop at home, you can access those same open tabs from your mobile Chrome browser. Search terms you've entered on your desktop browser also carry over to Chrome for Android, saving precious time and screen tapping. But most important of all, Chrome is fast. Really freaking fast. When typing in an address into the search bar, for instance, Chrome predicts what page you're going to visit and starts loading it in the browser background. So by the time you've clicked "go," most of the site has already loaded. To be sure, the Chrome browser itself is nothing new. It's been around since 2008, when Google first decided to take on Microsoft, Mozilla and others by casting its lot in the browser wars. The move proved to be a smart one: For nearly the past year and a half, Chrome has slowly increased market share, according to various browser analytics firms' estimates. In fact, Chrome actually surpassed Firefox, once the most popular alternative to the dominant Internet Explorer (which still holds about 50 percent of desktop browser share). After Tuesday's debut for Android devices — of which there are more than 700,000 activations daily — Chrome's adoption numbers will only escalate. But the Chrome release raises a number of questions about the new browser app, and the relationship that the Android and Chrome teams have with one another. When the Chrome team first announced it was creating a Chrome-based operating system — later to be known as Chrome OS — it was difficult to resolve how the software wouldn't come into conflict with Android. After all, Android is the premier operating system for all things mobile (smartphones, tablets). Except, that is, for Google's version of the netbook: the Chromebook. So the question is, Which OS owns what? Is it Chrome for netbooks, and Android for everything else? Pichai thinks there's room enough for both operating systems. The Chrome OS, he says, can be seen "as a different computing paradigm." It's one that, "end-to-end, is fully based on the web." "Native mobile applications are thriving, but web apps are going to thrive as well," Pichai said. While it's nice to see the two camps playing nicely in Tuesday's release, it's not without a caveat. As of Tuesday's launch, Chrome for Android is only available for smartphones and tablets running Android version 4.0 (a.k.a. Ice Cream Sandwich). At this point, this includes just a handful of phones and tablets. And of course, it's Chrome "beta" for Android, so don't expect everything to work perfectly. Still, Pichai is confident the Chrome team will drop the "beta" title sooner rather than later. "After announcing Chrome the first time, we took it out of beta in three months," Pichai said. "I'd expect this to happen here in the near future." And as it stands, after Chrome moves out of beta, the plan is for Chrome to take the place of Android's default browser permanently. If you've got Ice Cream Sandwich, head to the Android Market to download the app right now. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2011 Wired.com.
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Google launches Chrome Web browser for Android devices .
Google says it wanted to make sure its browser was right for its operating system .
Chrome has already replaced Firefox as the second most-popular browser .
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Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard will not feature in tonight's Euro 2016 qualifier against Andorra due to a toe injury, national coach Marc Wilmots has confirmed. The 23-year-old joined up with his countrymen despite picking up the knock during Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League win over Arsenal on Sunday, but will not be risked in Brussels with one eye on Monday's clash with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica. Wilmots tweeted, in French and Dutch: 'As a precaution, @hazardeden10 will not play against Andorra because of a bruised toe. Trying to get him 100% for #bosbel.' Eden Hazard won't play against Andorra for Belgium because of a bruised toe, says coach Marc Wilmots . Jelle Van Damme fools around with Hazard during a training session on Wednesday . Wilmots also revealed on Twitter on Thursday evening that Hazard's club and international team-mate Thibaut Courtois was feeling no ill-effects from the head injury which ended his weekend involvement against the Gunners. '@thibautcourtois has trained from the beginning to the end without any problems,' he posted.
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Eden Hazard had 'blue toe' following Chelsea's last game .
Marc Wilmots says he will be rested against Andorra as a precaution .
Thibaut Courtois should be fit to feature, though .
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By . Nathan Klein . and Maria Lewis . and Taylor Auerbach . AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin has denied speculation he was texting or speeding while driving his girlfriend's SUV into four parked cars last night. The Sydney Swans player told reporters at a press conference this morning the incident was just 'an accident' and he was grateful no one was hurt. 'I just didn't see the cars parked on the left,' he said. 'It was just an accident, accidents happen.' Scroll down for video . Sydney Swans AFL star Lance Buddy Franklin said he wasn't texting or speeding when he crashed his girlfriend's SUV into four parked cars last night . Sydney Swans AFL player Lance Franklin takes part in team a training session in Sydney today, a day after crashing his girlfriends Jeep . Busted: Sydney Swans AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin was fined $405 after smashing into four parked cars last night . On Wednesday night, the Sydney Swans released a statement in relation to their $10 million star recruit's crash. 'Franklin was the only person involved in the accident. He was not carrying any passengers and there were no passengers in any of the other vehicles involved. No one was injured in the accident,' the statement read. The 27-year-old said after training at the SCG this morning he was upset about the crash. 'I'm devastated but so thankful that no one else was in the car,' he said. 'I was in shock at first. Anyone in a car accident has that reaction, so yeah a bit shocked and a bit shaky too. 'Obviously I'm frustrated, at myself...I don't want to see myself in the spotlight, I just want to move forward as quickly as possible and focus on our game this weekend.' He was also 'deeply sorry' about the inconvenience caused to the owners of the parked cars. 'I haven't had a chance to speak with them but...I am truly sorry,' he said. Car crash: The AFL player was driving the Jeep SUV he shares with girlfriend Jesinta Campbell when he collided with four parked cars in Rose Bay, Sydney, on Wednesday night . Serious damage: The impact of the crash caused airbags on the vehicle to deploy . The forward told Sunrise on Thursday morning he was 'a little bit upset' about what happened - but wasn't able to shed any light on why he collided with the parked vehicles. 'Obviously I'm a little bit upset about what happened last night...I'm just lucky no one was injured, and myself wasn't injured, so to come out of it unscathed, I'm happy with that,' he said. The boyfriend of Jesinta Campbell was allegedly driving along New South Head Road in Rose Bay, Sydney, when the incident occurred around 7.30pm. Franklin admitted that he was driving too close to the parked cars when the accident occurred. 'I got a little bit too close to the car parked in lane one and that was pretty much it,' he said. 'Then the airbags went off and that's all I can say about it.' Police have confirmed the footballer has since been issued a $405 traffic infringement notice for negligent driving and docked three demerit points. He will not be charged over the matter. The 27-year-old was driving a black Jeep SUV that belongs to his model and TV presenter partner, the same vehicle they were caught parking in a disabled spot in back in January. A New South Wales police spokesman said that people were alerted to the incident after 'residents reported hearing a car crash'. 'Inquires are continuing after a car hit a number of parked vehicles in Rose Bay tonight,' he told AFL.com.au. 'A Jeep that was travelling west on New South Head road hit four parked vehicles, all four vehicles were damaged as a result of the crash. 'The driver of the Jeep was a 27-year-old Bondi man and he was not injured in the crash. 'He underwent a roadside breath test that was negative. 'After speaking with police at the scene the 27-year-old man left the area.' Star couple: Jesinta Campbell and Buddy Franklin have been dating since November, 2013 (pictured in Nov) Friends: Buddy Franklin with good friend and teammate Dan Hannebery in Sydney, Australia, last month . Loud collision: Residents in the area were drawn outside after hearing the noise of the accident . Towed away: The car was unable to drive from the scene and Franklin gave a statement to police at the site . A male witness who first responded to the crash told MailOnline Franklin 'collected' four parked cars on New South Head road and 'totalled' the jeep he was driving in. 'It was half up on the gutter, half on the road and facing in toward the footpath,' he said. 'It's gone.' The collision caused the airbags of the jeep Franklin was driving in to deploy. They said Franklin was traveling alone and did not appear intoxicated. 'He wasn't drunk or anything, he was fine. He was giving police a statement and then he left eastbound.' Star couple: Jesinta Campbell and Buddy Franklin have been dating since November, 2013 . Sydney Swans players Dan Hannebery and Buddy Franklin. Franklin posted this picture of the two of them on his Instagram account . Mass accident: There was a total of five cars involved in the crash . 'Just totalled': Rose Bay resident Craig McDonald was on the scene and saw the wreckage first hand . Rose Bay resident Craig McDonald was on the scene and tweeted photos of accident, including images of the damaged Jeep and other vehicles involved. 'Buddy Franklin has just totalled three cars on New South Head road outside my place,' he posted on the social media site. Police attended the scene and were seen speaking to Franklin shortly before his vehicle was towed away. Franklin was last seen leaving the crash site in a black Audi sedan with two females inside, and is expected at a team training session in the morning. Karla Leach, director of corporate affairs for Fiat Chrysler Australia, told the MailOnline her company was in 'constant' discussions with Jesinta Campbell's management about arranging the TV star a new vehicle. 'At this stage we are obviously assessing the car and understanding the extent of the damage,' she said. 'We have been talking with Jesinta's management all day and a decision about a replacement vehicle will be made in the next week.' She said the company needed to determine if the car was a write-off before Jesinta can be given a new Jeep. 'We're just relieved nobody was seriously injured,' she said. Lance Franklin (C) talks to Daniel Hannebery (R) during a Sydney Swans AFL training session at Lakeside Oval in December . Not drivable: One of the cars hit in the accident is towed from the Rose Bay scene . Traffic investigation: A New South Wales police spokesman said the driver returned a negative breath test result . Double trouble: Campbell and Franklin were in the car when it was also seen parked in a disabled parking space in Sydney in January . The superstar footballer has been seen leaving Swans training in recent days in a black Audi sedan with mate Dan Hannebury behind the wheel. Sports commentator Jim Wilson told Sky News that the collision was the last thing the Sydney Swans AFL club needed. 'They've just got themselves back on track with their win against the Dockers, they don't need this,' he told James Bracey on SportsNight. 'They don't need to be dealing with this and the damage control tomorrow.' Happy pair: The couple regularly post pictures of themselves together on social media and share an apartment in Bondi .
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AFL star Buddy Franklin collides with four parked cars in Rose Bay, Sydney .
Sydney Swans confirm their $10m recruit was involved in the accident and was not carrying any other passengers in his car .
He was driving model girlfriend Jesinta Campbell's Jeep at the time of the incident .
New South Wales police spokesperson says he 'underwent a roadside breath test that was negative'
'The driver of the Jeep was a 27-year-old Bondi man and he was not injured in the crash', say police .
Police confirmed he was issued a traffic infringement notice for $405 .
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(CNN) -- Yemen says al Qaeda was behind a suicide bombing Sunday that killed four South Korean tourists, according to the Daily Yemen Post. The city of Shibam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The explosion Sunday evening in the city of Shibam also wounded three other tourists, said Hakim Almasmari, editor-in-chief of the English-language newspaper. Almasmari told CNN Monday that Yemen's Interior Ministry is blaming al Qaeda. CNN could not immediately reach the Yemeni government for confirmation. The bomb was very strong and could be heard some 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away from the site, in the Al-Qubah district of Shibam, which is in Hadramot province, Almasmari said. The nationalities of the three injured people were not immediately known. The tourists were taking pictures of Shibam at sunset, Almasmari said. The old walled city is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site; sunset is the best time to take pictures of it, he said. CNN's Caroline Faraj contributed to this report.
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Yemen says al Qaeda behind bombing that killed 4 tourists, according to local press .
Four fatalities were South Korean citizens; nationalities of injured unknown .
Suicide blast occurred Sunday in city of Shibam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
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By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 11:45 EST, 19 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:24 EST, 19 February 2013 . Tragic: Freya James, 8, was taken ill after the incident at Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham, Middlesex, last Thursday and died in hospital . An eight-year-old girl has died after apparently falling over in the playground at school. Freya James was taken ill at Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham, Middlesex, last Thursday and later died in a London hospital. Her death is being treated as non-suspicious. Her parents released an emotional statement, saying Freya was 'loved by everybody who had contact with her' and their 'hearts, bodies and souls are aching constantly' following her death. They said: 'Freya was an Angel and was loved by everybody who had contact with her. 'She was a bundle of energy from the time she woke up to the time she went to bed. She was so strong and determined in everything she did and always tried to help those that struggled. 'Our princess has gone but we know her spirit and her memories will always be with us. Our lives have been absolutely shattered. Our hearts, bodies and souls are aching constantly and we are left with scars that will never heal.' The school is linked with five others in . the area, and a governor at a neighbouring school said health and . safety procedures were looked into at all those linked to Trafalgar . following the death. The governor said: ‘As far as we can tell at the moment it looks like everything has been done by the book. There is nothing to suggest that anyone was a fault.’ A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘I can confirm that police are investigating the death of a child following an incident at a school in Twickenham at about 1.15pm on Thursday, February 14. ‘Paramedics attended. Next of kin are aware and we await formal identification to take place.’ A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘We were called at 1.25pm on February 14, to reports of a patient taken unwell at Trafalgar Junior School, Twickenham. Accident: The schoolgirl was taken ill after the incident at Trafalgar Junior School (pictured) in Twickenham, Middlesex, and later died in a London hospital. Her death was being treated as non-suspicious . ‘We sent one ambulance and a single responder in a car to the scene. Our staff treated one patient, a girl believed to be eight years old, who was taken as a priority to West Middlesex Hospital.’ 'Our princess has gone but we know her spirit and her memories will always be with us. Our lives have been absolutely shattered. Our hearts, bodies and souls are aching constantly and we are left with scars that will never heal' Family of Freya James, aged eight . Paramedics were at the school in just over four minutes after receiving a call. Metropolitan Police officers in Twickenham and the Health and Safety Executive are now investigating. A post-mortem examination was due to take place today at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in Lambeth, central London, but was postponed until tomorrow. Nick Whitfield, director of education and children's services at Richmond Council, said: ‘Our sincere thoughts are with the parents and family of the pupil at this very sad time. ‘The council is offering full support to them, her teachers and fellow pupils. We are also working with the school and the Health and Safety Executive to carry out a full investigation looking at how this tragic accident happened.’
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Freya James 'fell over' at Trafalgar Junior School in Twickenham .
Schoolgirl was taken ill in playground and later died at hospital in London .
Police and Health and Safety officers investigating after Thursday death .
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(CNN) -- Barcelona, Buenos Aires and Miami top a list of 29 cities that attract single men on the go. The cities on the list, compiled by the editors of AskMen.com, were considered for factors from the cost of a pint of beer and a cab ride to culture, weather and food. Various aspects of the social scene also proved a dominant factor. From scouting out sports to nightlife, today's single men are looking for an all-encompassing adventure, editors said. Not surprisingly, women are a factor as well. The rest of the top 10 (out of 29) included New York City, London, Seoul, Paris, Melbourne, Bangkok and Las Vegas. Las Vegas and Bangkok have both been the setting for popular guy films "The Hangover" and due out at the end of May, "The Hangover 2." The cities of Tel Aviv, Berlin and Amsterdam topped the list for best nightlife scene, while Barcelona, Miami, and Uruguay's Montevideo topped the list for best beach cities. Sports are often a factor for single male travelers and not all the top spots are domestic. While New York's Yankee Stadium is the second most popular "arena" destination, Barcelona's Camp Nou, Mexico City's Estadio Azteca and London's Wembley Stadium beat out sports meccas like Chicago's Wrigley Field, which is not mentioned. As for single men wanting to journey into the land of (available) women, Bangkok, Miami and Tel Aviv received the highest score, all netting a 9.47 out of 10. "Explorability" is also a key factor for traveling single men. They are looking to discover new places outside of the expected, including Tangier, Morocco; Punta del Este, Uruguay; Tallinn, Estonia; and Istanbul, Turkey.
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Barcelona, Buenos Aires and Miami top AskMen.com's 29 destinations for single men .
Besides accomodations, sports, nightlife and women were part of the criteria .
Bangkok, Miami and Tel Aviv are the top cities for available women .
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(EW.com) -- Kris Jenner worked her magic — and familial connections, of course — to land an interview with the typically media-shy Kanye West, the father of her granddaughter North. Kanye stopped by the set of Kris on Monday to tape an hour-long interview that will air this week. West, who welcomed his first child with girlfriend Kim Kardashian in June, opens up to Jenner about his baby girl, falling in love with Kim, and dealing with the press. He also addresses President Obama's comments last month about how celebrities like Kanye and Kim have shifted the idea of the American dream. "There was not that window into the lifestyles of the rich and famous," the president said at the time. "Kids weren't monitoring every day what Kim Kardashian was wearing, or where Kanye West was going on vacation, and thinking that somehow that was the mark of success." "Kris" airs on select Fox stations, including in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Stay tuned for more info on when Kanye's interview will air. 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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Kanye West talked to his daughter's grandmother for her talk show .
He opened up about his new child, falling in love and coping with the press .
"Kris" appears on select stations around the country .
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A new study has found arsenic could help cut breast cancer deaths . It is notoriously poisonous but arsenic may help cut the number of deaths from breast cancer, research suggests. A new study carried out in Chile has linked the chemical element with a 50 per cent drop in breast cancer deaths. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, hailed their findings 'astonishing', indicating further trials could pave the way for new treatments. The study focused on a region in the South American country where residents had been inadvertently exposed to high levels of arsenic - a naturally occurring element found in many minerals. Instead of noting a rise in death rates, researchers found breast cancer deaths were cut in half during the period coinciding with high arsenic exposure. The effect was more pronounced among women under the age of 60, with mortality reduced in this group by 70 per cent. Lead author, professor Allan Smith, said: 'What we found was astonishing. 'We've been studying the long-term effects of arsenic in this population for many years, focusing on increased disease and mortality attributed to the historical exposure to arsenic in this population.' In 1958, the northern Chilean city of Antofagasta switched to a geothermal water source originating in the Andes mountains. Years later, it was discovered that the water sources contained more than 800 micrograms per litre of arsenic - 80 times higher than the levels recommended by the World Health Organisation. An arsenic removal plant was installed in 1970 after some residents began to show the toxic effects from exposure. As part of the study, researchers at the Stanford Cancer Institute found human breast cancer cells grown in the lab are killed by arsenic. And normal breast cells were also found to be more resistant to the chemical. The medicinal use of arsenic is not entirely new. A new study carried out in Chile has linked the chemical element with a 50 per cent drop in breast cancer deaths. The disease is pictured under the microscope . In 1958, the northern Chilean city of Antofagasta switched to a geothermal water source originating in the Andes mountains. Years later, it was discovered that the water sources contained more than 800 micrograms per litre of arsenic - 80 times higher than the levels recommended by the World Health Organisation . Arsenic trioxide was approved in 2000 by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S., as an effective treatment for a rare type of leukaemia. So should the chemical be used to treat breast cancer? Professor Smith said: 'Not yet. We do not know if the treatment will work, but carefully designed clinical trials should take place as soon as possible based on this new evidence.' The team of scientists are in the process of designing clinical trials, in which some advanced breast cancer patients would be given arsenic treatment. The study was published in the open-access journal EBioMedicine.
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Study in north Chile found chemical is linked to 50 per cent drop in deaths .
Scientists at University of California, Berkeley hailed findings 'astonishing'
Focused on the town of Antofagasta where arsenic levels in drinking water were found to be 80 times higher than levels recommended by WHO .
Among women aged under 60 mortality was reduced by 70 per cent .
Study could pave the way for new treatment to combat the disease .
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Several pods of sperm whales emerged off the Southern California coast in an extremely rare, hours-long sighting that had whale watchers and scientists giddy with excitement. More than 50 mothers and juveniles were rolling and playing with dolphins Monday a few miles off Laguna Beach, the Orange County Register reported. 'I've been counting whales and been on the water for 35 years. We've never had a large group like this ever,' said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, director of the ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project. Unprecedented: Over 50 female and juvenile sperm whales appeared off the coast of Orange County, California on Monday in first ever sighting of its kind . Fascinating: The whales were spread out over an area of up to 3 square miles and came within inches of boats as they poked their heads out of the waves . The whales weigh up to 45 tons and eat about a ton of squid a day. The massive mammals were spread out over an area of up to 3 square miles and came within inches of boats as they poked their heads out of the waves, said David Anderson, who operates Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari sightseeing tours. Anderson said before Monday he had seen only one sperm whale in nearly 20 years on boats off Southern California. 'This was the most amazing sighting that I've ever had off Southern California, by a long shot,' he said. By 5 p.m. the whale pods were passing the Dana Point Headlands and heading south. Frolicking: The whales were playing with pods off dolphins during the hours-long swim-by. When a sperm whale or two have been seen in the area in the past, they were there to hunt the depths for squid. These whales appeared to be having a good time . While a group of this size is totally without precedent in the area, individual sperm whales have been seen off Orange County before. Some individuals have even continued to be spotted for years at a time. A male sperm whale dubbed Double Scoop was first seen off Newport Beach in March 1984. Double Scoop and another male sperm whale friend were seen off and on until 1990. A male named Mango was seen in the Point Vicente and Redondo areas in 2011 and 2013. Sperm whales mostly stick to warmer tropical or subtropical waters, but unusually warm waters off the Baja peninsula have brought with them species not usually seen. 'I’ve never seen anything like this,' said Schulman-Janiger. 'Nobody I know in Southern California has.' Sperm whales weigh up to 45 tons and eat about a ton of squid a day. They usually stick to warmer tropical or subtropical waters, but unusually warm waters off the Baja peninsula have brought with them species not usually seen .
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Dozens of female and juvenile sperm whales appeared off Orange County in the area's first mass sighting of the 45-ton beasts .
Individual and pairs of bachelor males have been spotted in the region before, but never so many as Monday's sighting .
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Perveen Crawford became Hong Kong's first female pilot in 1995 and is soon to be Hong Kong's first female astronaut when she blasts off to sub-orbital space as a paying customer on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipOne. Po Toi O is in Clear Water Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong socialite shows us around her city's favorite haunts. For the best seafood in the city, Crawford recommends Po Toi O a small fishing village at Clear Water Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. At the village's two seafood restaurants diners can sample the freshest fish picked from teeming water tanks and enjoy specialties such as fried mantis shrimp with peppery salt and fried rice with sea urchin. There's also a 300-year-old temple in the village and hiking trails abound in the hills around the bay. Po Toi O is a 45-minute drive from Hong Kong Island and can be reached using minibus route 16 from Po Lam and by car along the Po Toi O Chuen road. Another of Hong Kong's hidden gems is the retro-chic China Club on the 13th floor of the Old Bank of China building on Bank Street. The style is 1930s Shanghai with traditional furniture as well as contemporary Chinese art and dazzling views from the balcony. On the menu is traditional Chinese food (monosodium glutamate is completely banned) as well as Western tea, coffee and cakes during the day. China Club, The 13/F, The Old Bank of China Building, Bank Street, Central, Hong Kong. Telephone: 25218888.
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Perveen Crawford, Hong Kong's first female pilot, shows us around her favorite spots .
For the best seafood try Po Toi O a small fishing village in the New Territories .
The retro-chic China Club in Central Hong Kong serves traditional Chinese food .
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By . Tara Brady . A baseball fan plucked a flying bat out of the air with one hand saving the child behind her from being hit in the face. Eileen Depasa's was sitting in the stands near the left-field line when Tyler Flowers lost the handle of his bat. Despite sending the bat flying into the stands, the Chicago White Sox fan's quick reflexes meant she effortless grabbed the wooden missile with one hand. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . She's got skills! Fan pulls off an unbelievable mid-air baseball bat catch and stops a child from getting hit in the face . She wasn't allowed to keep the bat after the catch but was relieved to save the child sitting behind her with her mother from being hit on the head. She told MLB.com: 'I was more concerned with protecting the baby seated behind me.' However, the same cannot he said about her male companion. As the bat hurtled towards them, he ducked and covered his head putting his fingers in his ears. Flowers had the bat retrieved but gave Depesa an autographed bat in return. 'That one in particular, I switched to a new model recently and I don't have a surplus of them,' Flowers said. 'I'm trying to keep as many as I can.' Although . he heard news of the catch, Flowers never actually saw it. He said . accidently losing your bat coincides with a warm humid day. 'Usually, it's the second or third bat for me, your gloves get a little moist, you are sweating a fair bit. 'On . top of that, the pine tar becomes more slimy as opposed to sticky. I . had a feeling when I was on deck. I was starting to go get another pair . of gloves and possibly a different bat.' Cole Tyler Flowers, 28, is a professional baseball catcher and infielder for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball.
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Eileen Depasa's was sitting in the stands when Tyler Flowers lost his bat .
Chicago White Sox fan effortlessly grabbed the missile with one hand .
Flowers had the bat retrieved but gave Depesa an autographed bat in return .
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A prisoner has been arrested after reportedly threatening to set himself on fire. The 44-year-old man who had a device strapped to his body surrendered after police negotiations at Barwon maximum security prison on Friday morning. 'Police were called to the correctional facility just before 9.30am and began negotiating with the 44-year-old,' a police spokesperson said. Police were in negotiations with a 44-year-old prisoner at Barwon prison in Victoria (stock photo) Police are now assessing the device which Corrections Victoria suggested was thought to be ground up match heads. 'Members from the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) attended the scene with Bomb Response Unit members,' police said. 'The man surrendered without incident around 11.30am and was returned to custody. 'Police will now assess a device that was located on the man.' The man allegedly had an 'Irish Republican Army flag' strapped to his body, according to Nine News. Earlier, a Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Police are currently in negotiations with a man at a corrections centre in Lara. 'Emergency services were called to the facility just before 9.30am and a number of specialists are en route to the scene.' The prison is located 6 kilometres from the township of Lara. Corrections Victoria spokesman Michael Newhouse told the Herald Sun: 'There is no immediate threat to staff or other prisoners, and no evacuations are required at this stage.' The prison is home to some of the state's most notorious underworld figures, bikies and violent offenders . In July, the prison, which is home to some of the state's most notorious underworld figures, bikies and violent offenders, was in lockdown after a small explosion, believed to have been triggered by a parcel bomb. The explosion occurred in an unoccupied cell at Barwon Prison near Geelong and a second bomb is believed to have been discovered before it detonated. The jail was locked down an hour earlier than usual for the day, while emergency authorities were on site. Barwon Prison was where Melbourne gangland boss Carl Williams was bashed to death by Matthew Johnson in the high-security Acacia section of the prison in 2010. Fellow underworld boss Tony Mokbell is also held there, as is multiple murderer and rapist, Peter Dupas. More to come . The prison is located 6 kilometres from the township of Lara . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Police were at the scene after a 44-year-old man strapped a device to himself .
The incident took place at Barwon prison in Victoria .
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By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 05:49 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 20 March 2013 . A mother has credited her baby daughter with saving her life after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer while pregnant . Jane Heffey, 28, received the devastating diagnosis when she was 20 weeks pregnant with Ciara last February, after having suffered excessive bleeding. She said: 'At first I assumed it had something to do with being pregnant before, and that my body was readjusting. Ms Heffey, a nurse at Aintree Hospital, in Liverpool, said: 'If hadn't pregnant with Ciara, I might have brushed it off. Lifesaver: Jane Heffey mother has credited her daughter Ciara, now 11 months, with saving her life after she was diagnosed with cancer while pregnant . 'I was worried that the bleeding meant was something wrong with Ciara. I never imagined it would be me.' After an initial check-up, Ms Heffey was given an examination at Liverpool Women's Hospital, where she received the devastating news that she had a 9cm tumour on her cervix. As baby Ciara developed in her womb, she was putting pressure on her cervix, causing heavy bleeding. But there was more devastating news to come. The cancer had already spread to Jane's lymph nodes and the medical staff were worried that it had reached her bladder, too. She said: 'When the doctor was delivering the news, it felt like an out-of-body experience. It was like everything had been perfect. I had my house, my career, my partner and my family. Then my whole world just crumbled. 'I couldn't understand why it was happening to me. I went running, I ate healthily, I didn't smoke. And then this happens, I found that very hard.' Ms Heffey, who at that point already had a nine-month-old daughter, Niamh, with partner Stephen, 30, added: 'It wasn't just my life hanging in the balance. 'Being pregnant with an eight month old baby, it was the worst news imaginable.' Shock diagnosis: Ms Heffey was told she had a 9cm cervical tumour when she was 20 weeks pregnant. She had to undergo chemotherapy while pregnant, which led to her shaving her head . Relief: Baby Ciara was born by C-section at 32 weeks. Despite her mother having to have chemotherapy while pregnant, she was perfectly healthy . In order to stop the cancer from spreading even further, Ms Heffey was told she would need to have chemotherapy while she was still pregnant with Ciara. She said: 'I signed the consent form and I was warned about the side effects, like how the chemotherapy could affect Ciara's growth and her hearing.' She was also given the option to abort her daughter, which would have allowed her to start intensive treatment sooner - something she immediately dismissed. She said: 'Just one word could have ended Ciara's life, but there's no way on earth I would have done that. Not when she's the one who had saved my life.' Still reeling from the news, she was introduced to Dr Karen Whitmarsh, a gynaecologist who would supervise her treatment at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Wirral. Last March, while she was 24 weeks pregnant, she started her first cycle of chemotherapy. She said: 'The potential effect of the treatment on Ciara was terrifying, but this was my only option. It had to work.' Gruelling: Three weeks after Ciara was born, Jane had to start intensive chemotherapy again . Clear: Her tumours have now disappeared completely, thanks to radiotherapy and chemotherapy . That same month Jane returned to hospital for the results of an MRI scan. Incredibly, the tumour had shrunk from 9cm to 5cm, while the cancer on her lymph nodes had been reduced by half. The remainder of her treatment was put on hold until Ciara was born, as a second round of chemotherapy could potentially harm her. At 32 weeks baby Ciara was delivered by caesarean on April 12, 2012 at Liverpool's Women Hospital. 'When I woke up Stephen told me Ciara was fine. It was the best news in the world.' 'When I saw her for the first time she was curled up in an incubator. I just burst out crying. She was beautiful.' Three weeks after Ciara was born, Ms Heffey had to start intensive chemotherapy. Although she had been warned about hair loss, she was alarmed when Niamh pulled out a huge clump. Fundraising: She is now planning to do a skydive to raise money for the cancer centre that treated her . Ms Heffey said: 'That really frightened me, and I realised I needed to take control. I called Stephen and he grabbed the clippers and that was it. We shaved my head and I toasted my new look with a glass of champagne.' After weeks of gruelling chemotherapy, her next scan came in July, where she discovered the tumour had disappeared completely. But she still needed 25 external sessions of radiotherapy across her pelvis, as well as more chemotherapy to blast the cancerous cells still left in her body. She said: 'I was whacked but Stephen made me laugh every day, and he was always there for me. 'Seeing my daughters' smiles made the fight worthwhile. Priorities: She said: 'I used to be career orientated, but being a mum is my priority now' 'At times I felt vulnerable and ugly, but the nurses in the radiation unit were great. It's not always been easy, and there are times when Ciara, now 11 months old, and Niamh, now 22 months old, are at the dinner table and there are peas flying everywhere and both of them are crying. 'At times like that, me and Stephen just look at each other and we burst out laughing. After the year we've been through, we're not about to moan.' This month Ms Heffey will be falling 10,000ft when she performs a sponsored charity skydive for The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre with Stephen. She said: "Any other time and I would be having a heart attack at the thought of doing that. But now I feel like I can do anything. 'I'm taking HRT to replace the hormones that would have been produced by my ovaries, which were destroyed by the treatment. 'It's only now that it hits me how bad it could have been. When I see a funeral car I have a little panic. That could have been my future. 'I used to be career orientated. Being a mum is my priority now. Being with my kids and cherishing every moment is so important.' To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Jane and more information about the work at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is available at www.clatterbridgecc.org.uk.
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Jane Heffey, from Liverpool, suffered bleeding when 20 weeks pregnant .
Doctors discovered she had 9cm tumour in her cervix .
As the baby developed, it was put pressure on her cervix, causing bleeding .
Had to have chemotherapy while pregnant to save her own life .
Miraculously, baby Ciara, born at 32 weeks, was unaffected by it .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:05 EST, 20 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:57 EST, 20 August 2013 . A man pulled a pistol on his friends and opened fire, killing one and critically wounding another, in a dispute over beer money, a court heard. Gumaro Torres has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon over the shootings in Chicago, Illinois. The 31-year-old is being held with no bail after the fatal incident on the 1800 block of North Pulaski Road, in Chicago's Hermosa neighbourhood, late last Friday night. Senseless: Gumaro Torres has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon over the shootings in Chicago, Illinois . Prosecutors allege that Torres was sitting drinking around a picnic table in the back yard of a home with a group of others when he began to get angry at getting no change from his beer money. An argument broke out and after a short while the suspect is alleged to have left the group and gone to his nearby home before returning with a loaded 9mm semi-automatic hand gun. 'He stated that he was angry that when he returned the victims laughed at him,' prosecutors told the court. Incensed, he 'immediately began to fire his gun at Jose De LaFuente,' prosecutors were quoted by the Chicago Tribune as saying. Mr De LaFuente, 35, was shot in the abdomen and died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 2.45am on Saturday morning. A scene picture shows the area of the 1800 block of North Pulaski Road, in Chicago's Hermosa neighbourhood . Another friend tried to tackle Torres but, as he approached, was shot in the hand, abdomen, leg and right hip. The injured 27-year-old remains in a critical condition at the Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. A third man was able to subdue Torres, but not before suffering several 'pistol whips' in the head with the butt of the pistol. He was treated at the scene and released.
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Gumaro Torres allegedly turned a handgun on friends at a party .
He is being held with no bail after the incident on Friday night .
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(CNN) -- Scoobers, hammers and laying out - it's the "ultimate" flying saucer attack. And if Mark Poole is right, his sport could soon be coming to an Olympics near you. Poole is one of an estimated five million people who are taking to green spaces across the United States to play a game that is particularly booming at college level. But forget outdated notions of dogs scurrying after flying discs in the park, ultimate is a frenetic pursuit that blends aspects of football and rugby into a dynamic "frisbee" package. And Poole firmly believes a movement that began with the idle toss of a cake pan lid on a Santa Monica beach some 76 years ago is destined for a slot at the greatest sporting show on earth. "I think that ultimate will become an Olympic sport," Poole, who plays for Atlanta-based team Chain Lightning, told CNN's Human to Hero series. "The sport has got better on the whole. There are more players that are picking it up in high school and in middle school, and the level of talent is continuing to get younger. "So we have young kids who are coming out and being stars at the highest level because they're starting so early. "There's a bunch of amateurs already doing it, and I think it's an international sport, so we can easily play against other teams and we're already doing it -- it's just being part of the Olympics." According to the USA Ultimate website, membership of college clubs has doubled in the past 10 years, while participation internationally is also growing. More than 42 countries play the game, with teams from Japan, Sweden, Great Britain and Australia also thriving. But how do you play it? Ultimate is contested between two teams, each consisting of seven players. The aim is to pass your way into the opposition's end zone, just like in American Football, but once in possession players aren't allowed to run with the disc. The concept was born in California back in the late 1930s when a teenage Fred Morrison and his girlfriend started throwing a popcorn lid back and forth on the beach. Through various incarnations this led to Morrison manufacturing his own plastic discs, which were then bought in the 1950s and patented as "Frisbees" by the Wham-O company. Millions were sold worldwide and by the 1970s the origins of Ultimate had been born. Poole and his Chain Lightning gang are chief exponents of the sport, winning the USA national championships in 2009. The 29-year-old was also selected in the U.S. ultimate beach team back in 2011, his proudest achievement in the game to date. Players are constantly harrying round the field of play creating space, executing a variety of throws -- including the "hammer" and the "scoober" -- and flinging themselves around attempting to catch the disc. Poole says any budding players must be equipped with the three pillars of ultimate: to run hard, jump high and throw far. But while the game moves at a fast pace, respect is a key component, because ultimate is ultimately self-policed. "Competition is great, but you want to have good spirit," Poole explained. "I am a proponent of it. I think it's great. "We don't have any referees in the game, and so people have to make calls against each other and they have to be respectful. We do have observers, though, and they've been very helpful I think. "They help speed up the game, they keep the clock between points, they keep discussions between two players to a minimum. They let you discuss what you saw, what the other player saw, but then they'll try to come to an agreement or a decision quicker than if they weren't there. "I think there are still bad calls made -- sometimes observers miss calls just like referees, and they're human. I mean, we're all human, we're going to make the wrong call sometimes, but I think on the whole they have a very positive effect on the game." If the sport can be classified as quirky, so can some of the names of the teams who compete in the Triple Crown tour alongside Poole's Lightning. Furious George, Neon Yellow Panda Dragons (NYPD), Seattle Sockeye and Revolver are just some of the clubs involved. Poole has friends from various teams and says that even though they are spread far and wide, the overriding theme of the league is community. "I love ultimate because of the players, the people that are involved with it -- they're just very inviting, very welcoming," he said. "I think that's the best part of ultimate. "It's a situation where you can play competitively and then go out for a drink, go out for food afterwards, even though you're playing against those players you can still be friends off the field." It might only be a small disc weighing just 175 grams but there are many ways to manipulate it around the playing field. As Poole explains, the two most common throws are backhand and forehand, just like in tennis, and the best players complete pinpoint passes with a simple flick of the wrist. The more complicated maneuvers include the hammer, an overhead throw that travels far faster than either the forehand or backhand, used to quickly switch play from one side of the field to the other. Then there's the scoober, a short flick used to loop the disc over a defender, typically no more than 15 or 20 yards. But despite the variations of throw, Poole's favorite aspect of the game is attempting to catch. "My favorite thing to do is lay out," he said. "I dive for the disc, leave my feet and catch the disc as it's going to the ground. "It means that I can't run it out, I need to extend as far as possible to catch the disc. The disc is the most important thing in ultimate. "You have to maintain possession, so laying out if you have to do it, you've got to do it." Ultimate now has two pro leagues in the United States and interest is growing, but for now the Chain and their players are doing it purely for the love of the game. As Poole says with a smile: "I make zero dollars playing ultimate, but I spend way more than that."
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'Ultimate' is a largely recreational sport that is growing in popularity .
Mark Poole is one of the leading proponents of the amateur side of the game .
American believes that ultimate should become an Olympic sport in future .
It involves two teams trying to pass a flying disc towards an end zone .
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By . Simon Tomlinson . and Chris Pleasance . A Subway restaurant in Chicago has installed a bulletproof glass screen to keep their employees safe, just as the city's police chief insisting the homicide rate has gone down. The 24-hour sandwich shop, on the city's south side, has put up a glass barrier around the serving area, including a revolving door hatch for staff to pass food through. The news comes on the same day that police chief Garry McCarthy praised his force for keeping homicides down to their lowest level - 415 last year - since 1965. A Subway restaurant on Chicago's south side has put up a bulletproof glass screen around the service counter to protect staff in America's 'murder capital' That figure was an 18 per cent drop on 2012 and he said this year's rate is 'still ahead of where we were last year'. That is despite a spate of violence over the Easter weekend which left nine people dead and another 36 wounded, including six children aged 11 to 15. It is not known exactly what prompted the Subway enclosure to be put up, and when contacted by Mail Online, a member of restaurant staff refused to comment. Speaking to WGN Radio's Steve Cochran, Supt McCarthy said: 'A week doesn't wipe out two years of progress. 'We always knew that we're going to have good days and we're going to have bad days, we've just got to make sure we're having more good days than bad.' The barrier was put up as Gerry McCarthy, the city's Police Chief, announced that the homicide rate has dropped - despite a spate of violence over the Easter weekend . Nine people were killed and 36 injured in 48 hours over the weekend, including five children aged 11 to 15 who were shot in a drive-by, and another 15-year-old girl shot while she was in a car (file pic) He praised officers for 'getting out in front of the shootings' but told CNN it would take time for the improvements to be felt. In the latest round of violence five children were shot in a drive-by on Sunday night after a person in a vehicle reportedly asked if the children were members of a particular street gang, then opened fire. A sixth youngster, a 15-year-old girl, was shot while riding in a vehicle in what appears to be a separate gang-related incident. Supt McCarthy highlighted the Easter killings to call for more gun control laws. 'It's just insanity that there's such a proliferation of firearms that they're so easy to get your hands on,' Supt McCarthy told WGN Radio . 'The studies show when there's more restrictive gun laws, there's less gun violence. It's not brain surgery, it's really really simple. 'It's going to take us a while to fix poverty and the break-up of the family units and education and jobs. But we can do something about gun laws today and we're just not doing it.'
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Restaurant on city's south side installed glass shield to protect staff .
Spate of Easter weekend shootings saw nine killed and 36 wounded .
Those wounded included six children aged between 11 and 15 .
Despite that, Police Chief said murder rate has dropped since last year .
In 2013 there were 415 killings, the lowest in the city since 1965 .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 06:58 EST, 7 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:14 EST, 7 May 2013 . Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg promised to end 'abuse' of the benefits system . Immigrants to Britain will not be able to claim benefits without proving they have contributed to the welfare state by working, under plans to be set out by the government. Benefits, housing and healthcare will be limited to new arrivals who are willing to work and paid taxes to fund state-backed support. A package of reforms will be included in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech including major law changes needed to limit the claims that can be made by Romanians and Bulgarians when controls are lifted next year. Ministers will also use existing powers to enforce secondary legislation needed to stop ‘abuse’ of the tax and benefits system. However, government sources say the details are yet to be fleshed out, and the flagship Immigration Bill is unlikely to be published in full until the autumn. The moves will be seen as a reaction to the electoral threat posed by the UK Independence Party, which rocked the political establishment this week by taking votes and council seats from all the main parties. UKIP leader Nigel Farage focussed on the impact of immigration, and how membership of the EU stopped Britain acting to limit it, during much of the local election campaign. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today signalled that the days of Britain’s benefits ‘free-for-all’ for foreigners were over. He said: ‘We have been very clear that we totally get that there’s a heightened level of public anxiety about immigration. ‘We should stamp out abuse and make sure our public services and benefits are not simply a free-for-all, there needs to be some relation between what you put in and what you get out,’ he told BBC Breakfast. Ministers will use the Welfare Reform Act, passed in the last year, to close a loophole that allowed migrants who no longer have a right to work here to carry on claiming benefits. The test that decides who can access benefits will also be tightened. Migrants from the European Economic Area will be told that they can only receive Jobseeker’s Allowance if they are genuinely looking for a job. It will include a tougher test to ensure they can speak English properly. The National Health Service will be given more powers to recoup costs for treating people from overseas while access to benefits from Jobcentres will be curbed if migrants cannot speak English . Migrants will be given only six months to find a job before benefits stop, unless they can prove they are close to getting a job. David Cameron responded to fears about the appeal of Britain's benefits system in drawing immigrants to Britain. He put immigration minister Mark . Harper in charge of a Cabinet committee examining the 'pull factors' which needed to be addressed. It also included ministers for health, . housing, legal aid and welfare. Ministers are in talks with other EU countries about whether jobless migrants can be the responsibility of their home country before they start claiming benefits in the UK. Britain would also like to curb the £36million paid every year in child benefit to 24,000 families who do live in the UK. The government also wants to end the idea that the NHS is a ‘free international health service’. Efforts will be stepped up to recoup costs from migrants who use the NHS, through charging or requiring private medical insurance. David Cameron used a major speech on immigration in March to insist housing, benefits and healthcare should not be available free of charge to anyone arriving in Britain . One in ten new rentals of social homes goes to a foreign national. New guidance from this spring will set a local residence test, to ensure people with ties to a local area can get priority for housing. Migrants will have to have lived – and worked - in the UK for two years before their qualify for a state-funded home. Illegal immigrants will also face tougher checks to stop them getting driving licences, credit cards, personal loans or a council house. Mr Clegg said: ‘This Government will take further measures to ensure that, yes, of course we should be a welcoming, generous country to those people who want to come here and make a contribution. ‘But people who want to come here – worst of all illegally – or want to come here and sort of abuse our generosity and use our benefits and public services when they’re not really properly entitled to do so, yes, we need to clamp down on that,’ he told ITV’s Daybreak. ‘So, yes, to a sort of open and tolerant Britain, but no to abuse of the immigration system and that’s what we will make sure happens.’ The immigration bill expected in tomorrow's Queen's Speech will implement the major legal changes which cannot be made using secondary legislation. Mr Cameron has promised to ‘fight back very robustly’ against any attempts by the courts or the EU to block British curbs on benefits for migrants. In a speech in March, Mr the next stage of reform is to say, ‘Let’s not just reform the immigration system. Let’s make sure the housing system, the welfare system, the legal aid system, all of these things actually fit in – the health system – fit in with our immigration policy,’ sending a very clear message that people can come and work, but they can’t come for the wrong reasons.
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Queen's Speech to include legal changes to limit access to public services .
Access to housing, the NHS and benefits to linked to contribution .
Nick Clegg vows to end 'abuse' of welfare system .
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Admit it, some days you just don't feel like going to work. And when those days come, whether we'd like to admit it or not, we call in sick -- even when we're not sick at all. The art of 'playing hooky' is a great way to get out of a day at the office, but with that comes one challenge: coming up with a credible excuse. And a survey for the online career site Careerbuilder.com has revealed that people have gotten creative, I mean really creative. The survey, carried out by Harris Poll, sampled more than 3,000 U.S. workers from Aug. 11 to Sept. 5 looking at how many of them faked being sick this year as well as their excuses for doing so. Creative: A survey commission by Careerbuilder.com and carried out by Harris Poll found that 28 percent of employees surveyed have faked being sick to get out of going to work (stock photo) The survey found that 28 percent of employees have called in to work sick over the past year when they were feeling fine, down 4 percent from last year. The excuses workers reportedly gave when taking a sick day ranged from one employee failing to come in to work because they 'just put a casserole in the oven' to another claiming they 'caught their uniform on fire by putting it in the microwave to dry.' But wait, there's more. Employers also reported hearing from employees that they couldn't come in to work because they 'accidently got on a plane' or 'had a lucky night and didn’t know where he was.' One employee also reportedly took the day off because their plastic surgery needed some 'tweaking.' The survey found that though 49 percent of the employees surveyed said they have Paid Time Programs which allows them to use their 'sick days' or 'vacation days' however they please, many felt obligated to give a reason for their absence -- even if that reason is a lie. Relax: Of those surveyed, 30 percent admitted that they simply did not feel like going to work and 29 percent said they called in sick because they just 'wanted to relax' (stock photo) Thirty percent admitted that they simply did not feel like going to work and 29 percent said they called in sick because they just 'wanted to relax.' A phone call and a good excuse isn't the end of the line for playing hooky anymore, 31 percent of the employers surveyed said they checked up on these 'sick' employees. Some employers said they've required doctor's notes from their employees, some called the employees, and others even drove past the home of the absent workers, according to Careerbuilder. In some cases, employers don't even have to investigate, the employees unknowingly rat themselves out. One in four employers said that they've caught employees who have lied about being sick by simply checking social media. Although some of these employers have fired the employees, more than half said they only reprimanded the employee for lying. Not all of the employees were 'playing hooky' though, 21 percent said they took the day off to actually attend a doctor's appointment. But the survey reports that 19 percent just wanted to catch up on sleep. The survey reports that employee absences seem to peak during the winter months with 11 percent of employees taking the day off due to bad weather or to spend time with friends and family during the holiday season. Despite the winter weather, phony excuses, and lethargy, the amount of employees that have called in sick has gone down. CNN reports that many refuse to call in sick because of the responsibilty of their work or because they can't afford to lose a day's pay. The survey found that employees in the IT, Hospitality, and Retail and Leisure industries were least likely to call in sick with percentages between 20 and 22. The survey sampled 3,103 workers and 2,203 human resouce professionals and hiring managers across various industries. The workers surveryed were fulltime, non-governent, and non self-employed U.S. employees.
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A survey for online career site Careerbuilder.com has revealed that 28 percent of employees played hooky in the past year .
'Sick' employee: 'My plastic surgery needed some tweaking to get it just right'
One in five employers say they've caught their lying employees by checking social media .
The amount of employyes who have called off has gone down from last year because some 'can't afford to lose a day's pay'
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(CNN) -- A top Asian football official has urged the game's top law-making body to overturn a controversial ban on headscarves. Zhang Jilong, acting president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) requested the International Football Association Board (IFAB) review its ruling at their upcoming meeting in London on March 3. "I would like to request the IFAB to favorably consider FIFA's proposal and review the rule and allow women players to play wearing a safe headscarf that covers the neck," Jilong said in a statement on the AFC website. Jilong, who is also a member of FIFA's executive committee member said the review, which will be presented to the IFAB members by FIFA vice-president HRH Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, has the full backing of the AFC. Many women footballers in Asia wear headscarves, Jilong says while pointing out that many new designs of headscarf make safety far less of an issue. Soccer officials defend hijab ban . "I have personally seen the new designs with a Velcro joined at the neck, which releases if the headscarf is pulled, ensuring the player's safety," Jilong said. IFAB is "the guardian of the Laws of the Game and is responsible for studying, modifying and overseeing any changes to it" according to FIFA, football's world governing body. FIFA banned the wearing of a headscarf or hijab on the field of play in 2007 and extended the safety rule to include neck warmers or snoods in July 2011. Jilong says a review of the ruling would be in the interests of women's football worldwide.
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Acting head of Asian football demands FIFA law-making body review headscarf ban .
Zhang Jilong says new designs now available which ensure safety of a player .
Meeting of IFAB scheduled to take place in London in early March .
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Families hitting the road for the half-term holiday face paying double for lunch at motorway services compared with supermarket prices, a study has revealed. The average picnic lunch for a family of four costs nearly £32 from service stations but is just over £15 from Asda, research by the supermarket found. Some services charged as much as £2.40 for a bottle of water, while sandwiches, sweets, fizzy drinks and crisps were at least twice the normal price at the roadside. Comparison: How supermarket prices compare with service stations . Researchers studied prices at the four biggest motorway services providers: Roadchef, Moto, Welcome Break and Extra. They . found hugely inflated prices, including bags of Haribo selling for . £2.99 in Moto, compared with £1 in Asda, and BLT sandwiches at nearly £4 . in Roadchef, Moto and Welcome Break, compared with £2 in the . supermarket. At a Roadchef on . the M6 Toll in Staffordshire, a lunch consisting of a BLT sandwich, a . standard-sized chocolate bar, a packet of crisps and a litre of water . cost £8.33. The equivalent lunch would cost £4.05 – less than half the price – from the supermarket. Other . service stations also hiked prices, with the same lunch costing £8.18 . at a Moto services on the A1 in Lincolnshire, £7.94 at a Welcome Break . in Oxfordshire and £7.06 at an Extra on the M40 in Beaconsfield, . Buckinghamshire. Buying petrol from services could also cost around £10 a tank extra, with fuel costing up to 15p more per litre. Services: The survey found that stations including Moto, pictured, were often twice as expensive as supermarkets . Busy: Millions of drivers will take to the roads this weekend - and often end up stopping in service stations . The . study was published as the AA predicted 17million cars would be on the . roads over this Bank Holiday weekend, with Monday being the busiest . day of the year as it coincides with the start of half term. Tom . Hill, pricing expert at Asda, said: ‘We recommend planning ahead and . with the cash you save, treat the family to games or snacks to share or . perhaps use the extra money to fill the car with fuel for your trip. ‘By pre-packing a lunch for the family, you could save yourself close to £100.’ A . spokesman for the RAC said: ‘There is no reason why fuel and food costs . should be higher, other than these service stations have a monopoly and . appear to charge whatever they like.’ Prices . in the survey relate to food on sale in WHSmith stores at Roadchef and . Extra, M&S Simply Food at Moto and Waitrose at Welcome Break. None of the four services providers could be contacted for comment last night. In . the past they have defended their high prices by saying they run a wide . variety of services 24 hours a day so have large overheads..
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Motorway drivers could pay more for food if they stop off at service stations .
A survey reveals prices can be almost triple those of regular shops .
An average four-person picnic is £32 from services but is £15 from Asda .
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By . Emma Innes . Twin brothers are getting stronger each day after they were saved by laser surgery while still in the womb. Nathaniel and Joshua Cavalier will be four months old this week, despite being given only a 33 per cent chance of survival. Their mother, Verena, has also seen her twins fight off blood poisoning and meningitis - and only now are they the normal size of newborns. Twins Joshua and Nathaniel Cavalier, now four months old, are thriving after surviving laser surgery in the womb. They had to have an operation after developing a potentially fatal condition called twin to twin transfusion syndrome. They are pictured with their mother, Verena, and sister, Magdalena . The teacher, from Rayleigh, Essex, had to undergo an operation after it was found the twins had developed a rare and potentially fatal condition known as twin to twin transfusion syndrome. The condition, in which one twin has a higher blood volume than the other, can occur in identical twins whose umbilical cords are attached to a shared placenta. It was spotted by a consultant at Southend Hospital during a routine scan, and sparked an extraordinary sequence of events that saw Mrs Cavalier have surgery on the same day. She said: ‘I was diagnosed with the condition in December, during a scan at 21 weeks into my pregnancy. ‘Because the hospital knew I was expecting identical twins, I was having scans every two weeks. ‘I was very lucky because it can develop very rapidly and I wasn't due another scan for a week, but my consultant said she would do it early as she was going on holiday. The babies were born at just 31 weeks but are now the size of average newborns. Image shows Nathaniel . The babies were given just a 33 per cent chance of survival before the operation. Image shows Joshua . ‘She spotted signs of the condition and I was told to go to King's College Hospital in London. ‘That was at noon and by 5pm I reached the hospital. They did an ultrasound and confirmed the condition.’ Amazingly, an hour later Professor Kypros Nicolaides performed the surgery. Mrs Cavalier said: ‘He inserted a laser into my tummy and severed the connections between the babies to stop one baby taking too much from the other.’ Things moved so rapidly, Mrs Cavalier only just had time to call her husband Paul to let him know she was being operated on. She added: ‘One minute I was at Southend Hospital and the next I was on the train. ‘My husband was at work so I had to make the decisions myself. He got there just as they started the surgery. Twin to twin transfusion syndrome can affect identical twins who share a placenta. It is caused by abnormal connecting blood vessels in the twins' placenta. This causes an imbalanced blood flow from one twin to the other. It leaves one baby with a greater blood volume than the other. It affects 10 to 15 per cent of identical twins who share a placenta. If it goes undetected, there is a very high risk of the babies dying or being left severely disabled. There are a number of treatment options, including laser treatment, but in some cases it is necessary to sacrifice one twin in a bid to save the other. Source: NHS Choices . ‘It was an awful decision to have to make because of the risk of the surgery, but there was no time to lose. The longer we waited, the higher the chance the babies could die or be brain damaged.’ The procedure was carried out under a local anaesthetic with Mrs Cavalier, 32, fully aware of what was happening to her and her babies. She said: ‘They had a camera attached to the laser with a monitor nearby. ‘I could see what they were doing. I could see a little hand moving about and I prayed the babies wouldn't move and get caught by the laser. ‘It took 45 minutes and then I was sent to recover in a quiet room. Another scan showed the babies were both well and I was allowed to go home.’ Despite its success, the couple were told the chances of both twins surviving the surgery was only 33 per cent. They then had to face a 20 per cent chance of a miscarriage over the following six weeks. Mrs Cavalier added: ‘I'd had two miscarriages before, so I was convinced I would lose them. ‘I went back to work because I didn't want to sit at home and panic. ‘At 29 weeks, my waters broke. However, I didn't go into labour for another two weeks, which gave them vital extra time. I was also given cortisone in that time to help the babies' lungs develop.’ The twins arrived on February 12 by caesarean section. Nathaniel weighed 3lb 12oz and his brother Joshua weighed just 3lb 1oz. Both had to overcome a potentially fatal infection of the stomach and blood poisoning, but survived thanks to Southend Hospital's neonatal unit. They went home to be with their sister, two-year-old Magdalena, on March 9, but had to return after catching bacterial meningitis. However, they pulled through again and now weigh 8lb 3oz and 6lb 10oz. Mrs Cavalier said: ‘They are four months old now. People ask me how old they are and are very surprised when I tell them. ‘We owe Professor Nicolaides so much. Without him, we wouldn't have our boys. We would have lost them. ‘We are really grateful to Southend Hospital neonatal unit as well. They were all wonderful there.’
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Nathaniel and Joshua Cavalier developed twin to twin transfusion syndrome .
Causes one to have greater blood volume than the other and can lead to brain damage or death - so needed life-saving surgery at 21 weeks gestation .
Their mother, Verena, was told they had just a 33% chance of survival .
Amazingly, they survived the surgery and were born at 31 weeks gestation .
They are now thriving and are about to turn four months old .
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Three-year-old covered in cuts and bruises and feeding tube held in place by tape . Neighbours didn't even know the child existed . Mother, 28, tells police she suffers from depression . By . Paul Thompson . UPDATED: . 12:32 EST, 10 November 2011 . A mother is . facing child abuse charges after she starved her three-year- old son to the point . that he went into cardiac arrest. Arlena . Alanz, 28, is alleged to have tied the special needs toddler to his crib with a rope to stop . him from climbing out. The severely malnourished boy weighed . just 26lbs when he was finally taken to a hospital in Houston, Texas on October 2. Scroll down for video . Abuse: Arlena Alaniz, 28, has been charged with injuring a child after her three-year-old child, who has special needs, was starved and tied up at her apartment in Houston, Texas . Authorities found the boy after Alaniz called emergency services to her dilapidated apartment in a west Houston complex when the child stopped breathing, said Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva. Doctors . said that the child was in cardiac arrest and suffering from severe 'failure to thrive'. The boy was covered in bruises and cuts and at one point it was thought he would not survive. Investigators who interviewed the boy’s four-year-old brother said his . mother hit the younger child because he was always crying. The disabled child has to be fed through a feeding tube but after it fell out, Alaniz taped it to . his face to keep it in place. During an . interview with child protection officers, the single mother said she was unaware how her youngest . son suffered multiple injuries. Impoverished: The stairwell of the apartment block where the single mother lived with her two young sons in Houston, Texas . She also . told detectives that she suffered from depression and took sleeping pills every night. Neighbours . who know the family told police that they weren't aware Alaniz had a second . child because they never saw him. Doctors told investigators that the child's condition is consistent with abuse. Both children are now being cared for by Child Protective Services and are said to be doing well. Alaniz was charged with injury to a child at Harris County Jail on $20,000 bail. She is scheduled to appear in court later today. She has previously been convicted for driving while drunk. Police Say Mom Beat, Starved 3-Year-Old Son: MyFoxHOUSTON.com .
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Three-year-old covered in cuts and bruises and feeding tube held in place by tape .
Neighbours didn't even know the child existed .
Mother, 28, tells police she suffers from depression .
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- When Nina Temple was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2000, then aged 44, she quickly became depressed, barely venturing out of her house as she struggled to come to terms with living with the chronic condition. Sing for Joy is a choir made up of sufferers of neurological conditions plus friends, family and carers. "I was thinking of all the things which I wished I'd done with my life and I wouldn't be able to do. And then I started thinking about all the things that I still actually could do and singing was one of those," Temple told CNN. Along with a fellow Parkinson's sufferer, Temple decided, on a whim, to form a choir. The pair placed notices in doctor's surgeries inviting others to join them and advertised for a singing teacher. By 2003, with the help of funding from the Parkinson's Disease Society, the resulting ensemble "Sing For Joy" was up and running, rehearsing weekly and soon graduating to public performances. The group now consists of around two dozen singers, including sufferers of Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis, others recovering from conditions including stroke or cancer, plus their carers, family and friends. Led by acclaimed jazz performer Carol Grimes, the group's genre-defying repertoire ranges from Cole Porter classics to ethnic punk. Watch Sing for Joy perform » . "It's quite easy to get overwhelmed by the disease and having something that you do every week that makes you forget all your troubles and keeps you from feeling isolated is a great pleasure," says Temple. But singing also has physical and neurological benefits for the choir's members. A common symptom of Parkinson's disease and similar conditions is voice loss and each week the group begins its rehearsals with vocal exercises worked out with speech therapists. "All neurological conditions affect the throat because it has so many muscles," says Sarah Benton, another choir member with multiple sclerosis. "So singing, which makes you lift up your body and expand your lungs, is perfect for neurological diseases." While "Sing for Joy's" DIY-style music therapy has provided obvious social, mental and physical benefits for its members, there is a growing body of clinical evidence suggesting that music can play a key role in aiding recovery or helping sufferers cope with a broad range of brain-based conditions. Does music affect your mood or have particular physical or mental benefits? Sound Off below . Doctor Wendy Magee, International Fellow in Music Therapy at London's Institute of Neuropalliative Rehabilitation, describes music as a "mega-vitamin for the brain," capable of influencing and improving motor function, communication and even cognition. "When neural pathways are damaged for one particular function such as language, musical neural pathways are actually much more complex and much more widespread within the brain," Magee told CNN. "Music seems to find re-routed paths and that is why it is such a useful tool in terms of helping people with different kinds of brain damage because it can help to find new pathways in terms of brain functioning." Researchers in Finland have demonstrated that listening to music for several hours a day can enhance the rehabilitation of stroke patients. In another study, stroke patients who were taught to play the piano or drums made speedier progress in their general recovery than patients who received only traditional therapy. At Colorado State University, researchers have used musical and rhythmic cues as an effective tool to improve the movement and balance of Parkinson's disease sufferers and those with other degenerative diseases. Melodic Intonation Therapy, in which musical exercises are used to improve speech, has proved an effective treatment for patients with aphasia, a disorder that results from damage to portions of the brain responsible for language. Musical memories also seem to be more resilient to neural degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia, enabling therapists to use familiar tunes to cue memories which might otherwise have been lost. One American World War II veteran whose dementia was so severe he couldn't remember his own name and would barely acknowledge his own wife was brought alive through ballroom dancing and the music of Frank Sinatra, the sufferer still able to lead his wife through the foxtrot as if it was the 1940s. The power of music to enhance moods and emotions has long been harnessed by psychologists, but, as Dr. Lauren Stewart, director of a recently established course in Music, Mind and Brain at Goldsmiths University of London told CNN, "recent advances in neuroscience and brain imaging technology are now radically transforming conventional music therapy into a more rigorous and research-based clinical practice." Professor Michael Thaut of Colorado State University's Center for Biomedical Research in Music, who has helped pioneer a new research-based approach known as Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), says recent developments amount to a "paradigm shift." "Therapists in all fields have been doing things for decades; now they're trying to figure out the research to support their work," Thaut told CNN. "NMT started as a science and now it's turning into a clinical field. And that's very exciting." For now NMT remains on the fringes of standard neurological rehabilitation. But Magee believes its application and a general move away from psychoanalytical approaches dominant in the past, could bring music therapy towards the mainstream and make it an ever more effective tool. "We are now starting to see the evidence for why we see things work. That also means we can fine tune what we do because we understand more about the neurological processing behind it," she said. "But we're still at the point where we need to build the evidence base and translate that evidence base into practice so we can convince funders that music therapy is an important part of rehab practice." For the members of Sing For Joy however, the proof of the therapeutic power of music is already self-evident. "There is something about coming together and making a communal sound," said Sarah Benton. "There is nothing like it and it's wonderful."
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London choir is made up of sufferers of neurological conditions, friends and carers .
Growing evidence that music has neurological, physical, psychological benefits .
Music used to boost rehabilitation of stroke patients, improve motor function .
New approaches to music therapy could bring field into mainstream rehab practice .
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Chelsea and Wolfsburg are inching closer to an agreement on Andre Schurrle with bonus payments the key. Wolfsburg general manager Klaus Allofs said: 'There is no agreement at the moment. The clock is running out. Our options are getting less hour by hour. It depends on money. We still would like to sign him.' Chelsea will announce the £26million signing of Juan Cudrado from Fiorentina on Monday morning after Mohamed Salah agreed to go on loan to the Italian side. Chelsea and Wolfsburg are inching closer to an agreement on Andre Schurrle with bonus payments the key . The clubs also agreed a five percent sell on to Cuadrado's former club Independiente Medellin. Cuadrado has written a heartfelt message to Fiorentina supporters as his switch to Chelsea moves closer to completion. The Colombian winger said Florence 'will always be in his heart' in a message posted on his Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts on Saturday morning. Juan Cuadrado, circled, posed for a picture with his Fiorentina team-mates before saying his goodbyes . Cuadrado took to social media to post a message thanking Fiorentina and their fans .
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Klaus Allofs confirmed Wolfsburg club are still keen to sign Andre Schurrle .
Chelsea will announce £26million signing of Juan Cuadrado on Monday .
Mohamed Salah will join Fiorentina on loan as part of the switch .
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The words Louis Vuitton and Karl Lagerfeld used in one sentence should have warned you of a high price tag, however this collaboration packs a particularly pricey punch. The German designer has collaborated with the French fashion house in order to produce a range of luxury boxing equipment. The collection includes a set of gloves, a gym bag and the cream of the crop, a custom-made leather trunk with a punch bag tucked inside. Scroll down for video . The custom-made punch bag is housed with a monogrammed luggage case for fashionable fighters on the go . The bag takes between six and 12 months to build and was designed by Karl Lagerfeld. It boasts an aged cowhide leather trim with golden-brass hardware and includes four inside compartments and two zipped pockets. With the bag removed and attached to its stand, the trunk can be used as a travel closet. As well as the case and the bag, the set also includes a monogrammed mat and a pair of boxing gloves. The Chanel designer has collaborated with Louis Vuitton as part of their latest design series . The set also includes a pair of leather boxing gloves worth almost £5000 . The four-part set is part of a series of six collaborations that Louis Vuitton has undertaken with artists and designers including Cindy Sherman, Frank Gehry and Rei Kawakubo, with Karl being the latest to join the ranks. The bag housed within the leather trunk will set you back no less than £69,000 ($175,000) but if you are prepared to simply punch a pillow you can purchase yourself a pair of gloves at the reduced price of £3,700. Karl Lagerfeld has previously included sporting accessories in his Chanel shows, this surfboard was featured during the SS03 catwalk . As part of the Fuoripista collection these cutting-edge skis, released last year, were stamped with a oversized Chanel logo and retailed at £2,480 . This is not the first time that Karl has dabbled in luxury sportswear, having previously created surfboards, skis and dumbbells for Chanel. Those of you keen to invest in the knock-out accessory had better hurry, as there are currently only 25 in production. This latest workout accessory has already provoked outrage in the sporting world with boxer Ricky Hatton posting his disapproval of the over priced product on twitter. The former world champion posted a picture of an advert for the kit on Twitter, along with the message: 'The world's gone f***ing mad.' Boxer Ricky Hatton posted an advert for the Louis Vuitton boxing range on Twitter outraged by the price tag .
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Karl Lagerfeld has designed an exclusive boxing set for Louis Vuitton .
It includes a punch bag enclosed in a trunk costs £69,000 .
It is custom made and takes up to 12 months to build .
A pair of gloves are included but separately would cost almost £4,000 .
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(CNN) -- On Thursday in Tampa, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel presided over a change of command ceremony during which Adm. William "Bill" McRaven handed over the reins of Special Operations Command to his successor, Gen. Joseph Votel. As McRaven stepped down he observed, "We are in perilous times." He pointed out that U.S. Special Operations Forces are helping to fight the fast-growing Islamic State in Iraq; the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines; the militant group Boko Haram in Nigeria, and al Qaeda and the Taliban in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. McRaven also said, "We are in the golden age of Special Operations" in which elements of the 67,000 men and women under his command have deployed to 92 countries. Now, after more than 3½ decades working in the world of special operations, Bill McRaven, 58, is retiring. In his next incarnation he will become chancellor of the University of Texas. As Hagel pointed out in his speech on Thursday that celebrated McRaven's storied career, no one has written McRaven's full history, but if it ever was to be written it "would need to be heavily redacted" because so much of it took place in the "black" (secret) arena. "Revered" is the word you often hear about McRaven in the special operations community. That's in part because even as a three-star admiral, about once a month in Afghanistan, McRaven went out with his teams on risky snatch-and-grab missions. (His predecessor as the commander of Joint Special Operations Command, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, also went out regularly on such missions and is similarly held in the highest regard.) The book . Hagel pointed out in his Thursday speech that McRaven also has "literally written the book on Special Operations." Indeed, McRraven's 1995 book, "Spec Ops," is the standard text on the subject. It features lucid dissections of eight decisive special operations actions, ranging from the British forces who used midget submarines to badly damage the Tirpitz, a key Nazi battleship, in 1943; to the Nazi rescue the same year of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from his anti-Fascist captors; to the raid at Entebbe in 1976 that freed Israeli hostages held in Uganda by Palestinian terrorists. For his book, McRaven interviewed many of the key participants in the raids that he examined, and he traveled to the sites of the operations. After a careful investigation of each raid, he identified six common principles that had made these operations a success: repetition, surprise, security, speed, simplicity and purpose. -- Repetition meant frequent and realistic rehearsals so that the "friction" of actual battle was reduced. -- Surprise meant catching the enemy entirely off guard; for example, the Nazi rescuers of Mussolini crash-landed gliders on a mountain near the hotel where the Fascist leader was being held and rescued him without a shot being fired. -- Security meant confining the knowledge of the operation to a small circle. -- Speed meant that "relative superiority" over the enemy needed to be achieved in the first few minutes of the attack, and that the entire mission should be completed in no more than a half-hour. -- Simplicity ensured that the goal of the operation was well understood by each of the soldiers involved -- "release the hostages" at Entebbe. -- Purpose meant that the soldiers were completely committed to the mission. But McRaven's influence on "spec ops" goes far beyond just the book he wrote. McRaven helped establish a curriculum at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. And after taking up a job in the White House just weeks after 9/11, he became one of the principal authors of the Bush administration's counterterrorism strategy. During the Iraq War, McRaven led the shadowy Task Force 121, which tracked down Saddam Hussein in December 2003. Much of the public credit for Saddam's capture went to conventional army units, but it was, in fact, the Special Operations forces under McRaven's command who did much of the work to find the Iraqi dictator. Rescue of Capt. Phillips . From the beginning of the Obama presidency, McRaven has been the key to some of the most sensitive U.S. military operations. On the sweltering evening of April 13, 2009, several hundred miles off the coast of Somalia, as dusk deepened over the Indian Ocean, three shots rang out. All the bullets found their targets: three Somali pirates in a small, enclosed lifeboat bobbing on the darkening sea. For the previous five days the pirates had held hostage Richard Phillips, the American captain of the Maersk Alabama container ship. President Barack Obama had authorized the use of deadly force if Phillips' life was in danger. Unbeknownst to the pirates, the USS Bainbridge warship was shadowing them, and days earlier a contingent of SEALs had parachuted at night into the ocean near the Bainbridge. The SEALs had taken up positions on the fantail of the Bainbridge and were carefully monitoring Phillips and his captors. One of the pirates had just pointed his AK-47 at the American captain as if he were going to shoot him. That's when the SEAL team commander on the Bainbridge ordered his men to take out the pirates. Three U.S Navy SEAL sharpshooters fired simultaneously at the pirates from a distance of 30 yards in heaving seas at nightfall, killing them all. Obama called McRaven, then the leader of Joint Special Operations Command, to tell him, "Great job." The flawless rescue of Capt. Philips was the first time that Obama -- only three months into his new job -- had been personally exposed to the capabilities of America's secretive Special Operations counterterrorism units, whose skills Obama would come to rely upon increasingly with each year of his presidency. How bin Laden was found . It is, of course, the raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011, that has ensured McRaven's place in the history books as the architect of the operation. During the spring of 2011 McRaven formulated the plan for the assault on the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan where bin Laden was believed to be hiding. The planning for the raid was deeply informed by the key principles he had laid out in "Spec Ops." McRaven explained, "It was a simple plan, carefully concealed, repeatedly rehearsed, and exercised with surprise, speed, and purpose." Following extensive realistic rehearsals of the raid in both North Carolina and Nevada that included a full-scale model of the compound bin Laden was believed to be hiding in, McRaven went to the White House to give Obama his assessment of the plausibility of the mission. When he was outlining to the President and his war cabinet the planned Abbottabad helicopter raid, McRaven said, "In terms of difficulty, compared to what we're doing on a nightly basis in Afghanistan, what we're doing in Iraq, this is not among the most difficult missions technically. The difficult part is the sovereignty issue with Pakistan and flying for a long stretch of time over Pakistani airspace." Obama knew that the intelligence regarding bin Laden's presence at the compound was always circumstantial, but the president had confidence that McRaven and his men would be able to execute the mission successfully, whether the al Qaeda leader was in fact at the Abbottabad compound, or not. The night of the raid, when one of the stealth helicopters carrying a SEAL team crashed inside bin Laden's compound, McRaven -- who was narrating the progress of the operation from his command post in Afghanistan to the White House -- didn't skip a beat, saying without altering his tone: "We will now be amending the mission." Around 15 minutes after the helicopter had crashed, on his audio feed, McRaven heard a SEAL team member give the code word "Geronimo." Each step of the operation had been labeled with a letter of the alphabet, and G meant that bin Laden was "secured." McRaven relayed the "Geronimo" to the White House. He assumed that meant bin Laden was now dead, but suddenly thought, "What if we captured him?" So McRaven asked the SEAL ground force commander, "Is he EKIA [enemy killed in action]?" A few seconds later, the answer came back: "Roger, Geronimo EKIA." Then McRaven announced to the White House, "Geronimo EKIA." There were gasps in the situation room, but no whoops or high fives. The President quietly said, "We got him, we got him." What's next for special operations . On Thursday, McRaven gave his final speech as the leader of American Special Operations. In his dress whites, the famously unflappable four-star admiral concluded, his voice quavering with emotion, "It has been the greatest honor of my life to lead the men and women of Special Operations Command." The United States owes a real debt to McRaven and to his wife, Georgeann, who, like many other military spouses, has also served her country stoically as her husband deployed repeatedly to war zones after 9/11. McRaven's successor General Votel, previously led the military's elite and secretive Joint Special Operations Command, which comprises units such as SEAL Team 6 and the Army's Delta Force. As a colonel, Votel led the unit that five weeks after the 9/11 attacks established the first U.S. military base in Afghanistan and is widely viewed as the right officer to succeed McRaven. As the United States and its allies pivot away from the post-9/11 conventional wars but still face threats from jihadist militants in countries in the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa, Special Operations Forces working "by, with and through" local militaries will be a key part of future U.S. military operations. Among his other legacies, McRaven has put in place a Global Special Operations Forces network, which in practice mean a small presence of U.S. Special Operations and Special Forces personnel in dozens of countries around the world. The goal of that network is twofold: To be better positioned to respond to an immediate crisis, such as the attack on the U.S. facility in Benghazi in 2012, and also to build up the capacity of local militaries so they can keep the peace themselves.
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Peter Bergen: Adm. William McRaven stepped down as head of U.S. Special Operations Command .
He says McRaven not only led the bin Laden raid planning but wrote the book on special ops .
McRaven identified six key elements needed for success in special operations .
Bergen: Troops under his command have deployed to 92 nations .
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By . Janine Yaqoob . PUBLISHED: . 12:32 EST, 18 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:41 EST, 18 February 2013 . War and Peace, one of the greatest novels of all time, is to be turned into an epic television drama by the BBC. Leo Tolstoy's classic book will be made into a six-part series, it has been announced today. It will written by the award-winning scriptwriter Andrew Davies, who is best known for his adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, Little Dorrit and Bleak House. Although the castings have yet to be announced, Les Miserables star Eddie Redmayne has been tipped to take up one of leading roles. BBC controller Danny Cohen said: 'War And Peace is truly epic in scale and builds on BBC One's commitment to bringing audiences drama of the highest quality and impact. Les Miserables star Eddie Redmayne has been tipped to feature in the BBC's adaptation of War and Peace, which will be screened in 2015 . 'Told over six episodes, Andrew Davies will bring his exceptional powers of adaptation to this literary masterpiece.' The adaptation will be screened on BBC One in 2015 and will be the first adaptation of the novel on British television for 40 years. The iconic book was transformed into a memorable 20-part series in 1972, starring Anthony Hopkins. First published in 1869, the book follows the lives of aristocratic families affected by the French invasion of Russia in the early 19th century. Widely regarded as one of the greatest novels of all time, Andrew Davies scripts are expected to draw all the elements into powerful focus for a modern audience. Veteran screenwriter Davies, who also scripted the Bridget Jones films and the popular ITV drama Mr Selfridge, said: 'Not just a great novel, it’s a wonderful read and it’ll make a wonderful serial. 'A thrilling, funny and heartbreaking story of love, war and family life. Award-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies, who is best known for his adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, Little Dorrit and Bleak House has been tasked with writing the new War and Peace adaptation . 'The characters are so natural and human and easy to identify with and Natasha Rostova just beats Lizzy Bennet as the most lovable heroine in literature.' Davies has said that although he won't dumb down the novel, it will contain all the drama of Britain's best-loved soap operas. He said the adaptation will focus less on the philosophical strands, and more on the human relationships, romance and family struggles. Davies played down the notorious length of the original novel, which has a total of 1,225 pages. 'It's nothing to be frightened of. These people are just like us; their emotions are so recognisable,' he told the Telegraph. 'At the heart of the book, it is a story of four families, with certain characters we get to care about and love very much.' Sir Anthony Hopkins as Count Pierre Bezuhov in the BBC's last War and Peace adaptation in 1972 . He joked that the interaction between characters and families would be 'very familiar' to fans of the soap opera Eastenders, but with 'not so much yelling and nobody on the dole'. Davies has expressed his desire to cast an unknown actress to play Natasha Rostova. But he said the roles of male protagonists Pierre and Andrei will be played by more experienced actors. Actor and model Eddie Redmayne is the favourite to play one of the lead roles, but Bafta award-winning writer Davies refused to speculate about prospective stars. War and Peace was last shown on the BBC in 1972, with Sir Anthony Hopkins in the role of Pierre, while Audrey Hepburn starred in a film version in 1956. Faith Penhale, executive producer and . head of drama at BBC Wales, said: 'Andrew Davies is the master of the . classic adaptation and it’s thrilling to be able to bring War And Peace, . with its rich cast of characters and epic drama, to BBC One. 'Today’s . audience will be drawn into the sweeping story of life and love during a . time of conflict, with a dazzling production that brings to life the . great vision and scale of the novel.'
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BBC announced it is turning classic book War and Peace into epic TV drama .
Award-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies will write series .
Les Miserables actor Eddie Redmayne tipped to star in it .
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By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 19:10 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:11 EST, 7 January 2013 . The Church of England yesterday expressed deep concerns over David Cameron’s plans to overturn centuries-old laws that govern succession to the throne. Senior bishops share the worries of the Prince of Wales that legislation to give princesses equal rights to princes in line of succession is rushed, risky, and could lead to unintended constitutional crises. Concern in the Church centres on the Prime Minister’s plan to remove the 312-year-old ban on members of the Royal Family from marrying Roman Catholics. Monarch and clergy: The Queen with former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams last year. The Church of England yesterday expressed deep concerns over plans to overturn centuries-old laws . Even though the Coalition’s Bill stipulates that the monarch must be Anglican, a Roman Catholic married to the monarch or an heir to the throne must, if they follow the doctrines of their church, bring his or her children up as Catholics. That raises the prospect that an heir to the throne would be raised as a Catholic. Leading clergy believe the planned changes will bring confusion and complication to the historic rule that the King or Queen must be a member of the Church of England in order to become its Supreme Governor on taking the throne. Reforms that undermine that principle threaten the established status of the Church and could ‘unpick the constitution’, they said. Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey said yesterday: ‘The reported concerns of the Prince of Wales need to be listened to very carefully. We must not have any ill-thought-through proposals because of the potential to upset a delicate constitutional balance. ‘The Government’s instincts to allow female heirs to succeed are wholly right but to avoid any unintended consequences of the proposals for the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church there must be much greater consultation and discussion.’ Officials at Lambeth Palace, where the Right Reverend Justin Welby takes over as Archbishop of Canterbury next month, said there had been talks with ministers over the issue. How yesterday's Mail covered the story . They also pointed to remarks made by Dr Rowan Williams, who stepped down as Archbishop last month, in a little-noticed interview with Vatican Radio late last year. In it Dr Williams said any heir to the throne would have to be raised in the Church of England – and not as a Catholic – which could pose problems if the child had a Catholic parent. Dr Williams said: ‘If we’re quite clear that, so long as the monarch is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, there needs to be a clear understanding that the heir is brought up in that environment.’ Prince Charles has voiced serious concern about 'rushed' plans to change ancient laws governing the royal line of succession . Prince Charles is understood to have raised a series of questions over the impact of reforms on the constitutional relationship between church and State. Mr Cameron’s reforms, drawn up under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in a Succession to the Crown Bill, will remove the ancient rule of primogeniture that says boys take precedence over girls in line to the throne. The law is set to be fast-tracked through Parliament with minimal debate. It will mean that should the Duchess of Cambridge give birth to a daughter, she will have first claim to succeed to the throne, in preference to any son born later. The rules will also remove the requirement, dating to the Act of Settlement of 1701, that the heir to the throne and senior royals do not marry Roman Catholics. The issue was given fresh significance by the announcement of the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy . The law will, however, keep the Act’s paragraphs which say the monarch may not be a Catholic him or herself. The changes to allow a daughter of William and Kate to take the throne is widely popular, and Roman Catholics have long resented the anti-Catholic discrimination in the 18th century succession law. But the CofE leader in the House of Lords, Bishop of Leicester the Right Reverend Tim Stevens, has previously warned that the 26 bishops in the Upper House would vote against reforms. Dr Stevens said: ‘If the heir to the throne is brought up as a Catholic, and therefore, under the present disciplines of the Roman Catholic Church, is not able to be in communion with the Church of England, it effectively renders a Catholic heir incapable of being the Supreme Governor of the Church, so clearly that’s a more complicated issue than it appears at first sight.’ He added that any threat to the established status of the Church of England was something bishops ‘would have to resist’. The Church of England’s most important protestant faction, the Reform evangelical group, also indicated its unease yesterday. Its chairman, Plymouth vicar the Reverend Rod Thomas, said: ‘I would see a problem if a child was brought up in the Roman Catholic Church. That would threaten to unpick the constitution and unravel the whole basis on which our constitution has been built.’ By CATHERINE OSTLER . The Duke of Buccleuch, whose fortune is reckoned at £200million . The removal of the precedence of boys over girls in line to the throne threatens arguments and upheaval in other families where titles and inheritance are handed down by ancient hereditary principles. The reforms would throw a question over the inheritance rights of the Prince of Wales’ own Duchy of Cornwall, which is currently the automatic property of a male heir to the throne. A new law must therefore affect the Duchy of Cornwall and introduce equal rights for girls into its practices. But that leaves the question of whether more than 20 other dukedoms may also be compelled to follow the new system. The removal of the primogeniture law from the Royal succession leaves titled families exposed to legal challenge if they persist with the tradition of male inheritance. Families which do not opt to follow the new rules for the Royals could see their inheritance arrangements tested in the courts, with frustrated daughters and their descendants looking to win a greater share. A number of the most prominent aristocratic families may be involved in the process. Among those affected may be the Duke of Buccleuch, whose fortune is reckoned at £200million. The eldest child of Richard Scott, the 10th Duke, is a girl, 20-year-old Lady Louisa. David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland and owner of Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, has three daughters older than the male heir to the title. Lady Tamara Grosvenor, eldest daughter of the Duke of Westminster, the country’s wealthiest aristocrat, is married to Prince William’s friend Edward van Cutsem. She and her sister are both older than the male heir to the dukedom.
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Church of England expressed deep concerns over plans to overturn laws .
Concerns centre on Prime Minister's plan to remove 312-year-old ban .
Ban stops members of the Royal Family from marrying Roman Catholics .
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has today set foot on the slopes of the country's first ski resort... but he appears to have forgotten his skis. Kim took a test ride on one of the new lifts at Masik Pass Ski Resort but as he sat surveying the resort his legs dangled free. The leader was said to note 'with great satisfaction' that everything was 'impeccable' and gave instructions to serve people well to ensure visitors may 'keenly feel the loving care of the party', local media reported. Scroll down for video . A ski-less Kim Jong-Un surveys the snowy surroundings during his visit at the end of last year . Kim, who was educated in Switzerland, told officials to hold the opening ceremony at the resort at the earliest opportunity, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The ski resort was described as KCNA as a 'great monumental structure in the era of Songun', referring to the nation's 'military first' policy. The military played a leading role in the project. Kim was accompanied by top military leaders and, Pak Myong-Choi, a top sports official known to be associated with Kim's uncle who was executed this month. Jang Song-Thaek, Kim's powerful political mentor, was put to death in a shock purge on charges including corruption and plotting to overthrow the state. The purge was the biggest political upheaval since Kim, aged around 30, took power after the death of his father and longtime ruler, Kim Jong-Il, in December 2011. Kim Jong-un inspecting his 'pet project', near Wonsan in North Korea with top officials. He has called for the resort, which features 70 miles of runs, a hotel and helipad should be opened as soon as possible . The Masik Pass Ski Resort made headlines in August when Switzerland blocked a $7.6 million sale of ski lifts to Pyongyang, calling it a 'propaganda project' for the impoverished Stalinist regime. Featuring 110 kilometres (70 miles) of multi-level ski runs, a hotel, heliport and cable cars, the resort has been heavily promoted since Kim visited it in June and called for construction to be completed by the end of the year. The young leader has shown a fondness for expensive, high-profile leisure projects in and around the showpiece capital Pyongyang including a massive new water park, an amusement park and a luxury horseback riding club. The Munsu Water Park in Pyongyang opened in October to much fanfare, with the 109,000-square metre venue sporting dozens of indoor and outdoor pools, water slides and saunas. Kim in September also watched films at a new '4D' movie theatre built in the newly-renovated Rungna People's amusement park, state media reported earlier. He was photographed riding a roller coaster in the Rungna amusement park in Pyongyang when it reopened in July 2012 after renovations ordered by Kim.
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Kim Jong-Un orders the nation's first resort be opened as soon as possible .
Switzerland educated leader surveyed the resort from a chair lift .
Masik Pass Ski Resort features 70 miles of runs, a hotel and heliport .
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Kit Symons could move a step closer to landing the permanent Fulham manager's job with victory over Charlton on Friday. Symons has guided the Cottagers to four wins from seven matches since taking over on a caretaker basis from the sacked Felix Magath last month. Chairman Shahid Khan has a five-man committee to advise him over the club's next managerial appointment, with names such as Chris Hughton and Steve Clarke thought to be on the shortlist along with Symons. Kit Symons (above) has four wins from seven games since becoming caretaker manager at Fulham . Former Norwich manager Chris Hughton (above) has also been linked with the vacancy at the London club . But while Danny Murphy, Brian McBride and Co mull over the options, Symons has quietly gone about transforming a side who had collected just one point from their previous seven Sky Bet Championship games under Magath. One player benefiting from the former Fulham defender's spell in charge is Dan Burn, whose late equaliser secured a dramatic 3-3 draw at Rotherham on Tuesday. The 22-year-old told the club website: "We just had the desire to at least come away with something. We took a point - yes, we wanted it to be three, but it wasn't a defeat so it means we can build on that going into the Charlton game on Friday. "You can't keep getting a win, a defeat, a win, a defeat - you've got to keep the momentum going so it's really important we didn't get a defeat on Tuesday. We've got a lot of games coming up, so hopefully we can carry on." Dan Burn (right) is desperate for Fulham to continue their improvement against Charlton . Symons will hand a late fitness check to defender Tim Hoogland, who missed out in midweek through illness, while captain Scott Parker will return to the starting line-up to face his old club. A point would lift Fulham out of the relegation zone for the first time this season, while Charlton are looking for a win which would move them to within a point of leaders Derby. But Addicks boss Bob Peeters is well aware of the stark contrast between Magath's confidence-drained team and the in-form side he will face at Craven Cottage. Scott Parker (right) is set to return to Fulham's starting line-up at home to Charlton on Friday . "I saw them in one of the last games under Felix Magath, (a 1-0 defeat) at home to Wolves, and at that time they were struggling, there was no mentality, nothing in the team," he said. "Then I saw them against Bolton at home and it was another team completely - they won 4-0. So it's going to be a very tough night for us, especially because it's a proper derby." The visitors will be without suspended midfielder Yoni Buyens, while winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson and six-goal top scorer Igor Vetokele are injury doubts.
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Symons has improved Fulham's results since taking over in temporary role .
He has four wins from seven since stepping in after Felix Magath sacking .
A draw against Charlton would lift them out of the relegation zone .
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Manchester United striker Will Keane is the centre of a tug-of-war between Championship duo Reading and Blackpool. The 22-year-old has made just one first-team appearance for the Red Devils, appearing as a substitute in the 3-2 defeat to Blackburn back in 2011. Keane spent time out on loan at Wigan and QPR last season, but failed to find the net in 14 games. Will Keane is wanted on loan by Championship duo Reading and Blackpool . However, the Royals and the struggling Seasiders are both keen to do a deal for the United academy graduate to boost their options in attack for the second half of the season. Keane's twin brother, Michael, recently quit Old Trafford to sign a permanent deal with Premier League strugglers Burnley after impressing on loan. Michael Keane quit Old Trafford to sign a permanent deal with Burnley .
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Championship duo Reading and Blacpool eye loan move for Will Keane .
The 22-year-old has made just one first-team appearance for United .
Keane failed to find the net during spells at Wigan and QPR last term .
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Fears that Ebola may reach Britain intensified last night after a passenger from a flight which stopped in Sierra Leone fell ill at Gatwick airport and died later in hospital. The 72-year-old woman became ill and collapsed after she left a Gambia Bird jet arriving from the West African country. A total of 826 people have died in Africa as a result of an outbreak of the deadly virus which began in February - 256 of these lived in Sierra Leone. Scroll down for video . The woman, who was tested for Ebola arrived at Gatwick on a Gambia Bird jet from Sierra Leone (file picture) The woman was reportedly vomiting heavily and sweating profusely, but tests last night showed that the woman did not have the virus . The plane, which had 128 passengers on board, was quarantined as officials traced those who had been in contact with the woman. An airport worker told the Daily Mirror: ‘We’ve all seen how many people have died from Ebola, especially in Sierra Leone, and it’s terrifying. The woman was sweating buckets and vomiting. ‘Paramedics arrived to try to help her. The next thing everybody was there… emergency crews, airfield operations, even immigration. Latest figures from the World Health Organisation show the outbreak of the deadly virus in western Africa has infected more than 1,300 people . ‘They closed down the jet bridge and put the aircraft into quarantine. ‘They took everyone’s details, even the guy who fuels the aircraft.’ The flight landed at Gatwick on Saturday morning via stops in Freetown, Sierra Leone and Banjul in The Gambia. A spokesman for Gatwick said the passenger boarded the plane in The Gambia. A nurse in Liberia in protective clothing is sprayed with disinfectant. There is no cure for Ebola, which is spread by close contact . Last night the Department of Health said that tests on the woman proved negative for Ebola. A spokesman for Public Health England said the woman’s symptoms had suggested Ebola was very unlikely but the tests were carried out as a precaution. A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust added: ‘We were called to Gatwick Airport on Saturday at 8.27am to attend to a patient who had been taken unwell on an inbound flight from Gambia.' There is no cure for Ebola, which is spread by close contact. It kills between 25 and 90 per cent of its victims. Christians in Liberia held holy communion wearing gloves to try to prevent the spread of Ebola. Early symptoms include headache, fever, fatigue, muscle pain and a sore throat . Early symptoms include headache, fever, fatigue, muscle pain and a sore throat. In the more advanced stages of the virus victims can experience skin rashes; bleeding from the eyes, nose and mouth; as well as diarrhoea, vomiting, and internal bleeding. Guidelines advise quarantining anyone who has caught the virus and disinfecting their homes. Contact with infected animals should be prevented and healthcare workers should wear protective clothing when caring for victims. The death rate from the outbreak has been constantly rising since the first case was detected in Guinea in February. More than 339 people have died in Guinea, 233 in Sierra Leone, 156 in Liberia and one in Nigeria. The World Health Organisation has said the infection rate is moving faster than efforts to control the disease, prompting fears it could spread outside the continent. A lack of border control has allowed infected people who didn’t seek medical attention because of fear, suspicion or stigma to travel freely among in West Africa. The fatality rate has been about 60 percent, and the scenes of patients bleeding from the eyes, mouth and ears has led many relatives to keep their sick family members at home instead. Sierra Leone is now sending teams door-to-door in search of Ebola patients and others who have been exposed to the disease .
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72-year-old died after arriving at Gatwick airport on flight from Sierra Leone .
Was reportedly vomiting and sweating heavily and collapsed after leaving jet .
Was taken to hospital where she later died and was tested for Ebola .
Plane quarantined as officials traced those who she had been in contact with .
Tests which were carried out as a precaution showed she did not have virus .
826 people have died as a result of the outbreak which began in February .
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By . Aaron Sharp . PUBLISHED: . 12:28 EST, 10 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:59 EST, 10 December 2013 . They may look like scenes from a sci-fi fantasy film, but rather than being created by a Hollywood special effects unit, theses photographs are the work of two mountaineers and a photographer. Daniel Arnold and Stephan Siegrist are professional alpine explorers with years of experience in tackling some of the world's most intense ascents. They teamed up with climbing photographer Thomas Senf and Swiss mountain sports manufacturer Mammut to create this set of unique images inside frozen waterfalls of Norway. Ice blue: Daniel Arnold and Stephan Siegrist worked in the glacial surroundings of the Eidfjord in Norway . The pictures were taken in on the Eidfjord in northern Norway, using coloured flares, spotlights and headlamps. The . terrain, three hours east of the city of Bergen, is famous for the . large number of icefalls - frozen waterfalls which can reach heights of . over 500 metres. The trio . planned the pictures and then set about lighting the scene by carefully . positioning coloured spotlights and flares at strategic points in the ice. Green lantern: The climbers hung off the ice while rigging lights and flares inside the walls of the cavern . The . climbers, who swung from wall to wall to set-up elaborate rope . structures for the rig, used over 700 metres of electric cable to . achieve the required set up. With the mountaineers in place, Senf triggered the lights, casting these dazzling displays of colour onto the walls of the icefalls and captures the scene with his lens. With . the majority of the work done at night and in sub-zero temperatures, . the photographer said planning had to be exact for the operation to be a . success. He said: 'Photography and filming at night is a big challenge, the right lighting determines whether you succeed or fail." Such meticulous planning required help of the highest standards in climbers, Arnold and Siegrist. Flash of inspiration: Senfís contrasted the black of night sky with a green flare inside the ice cave . The pair were the first team to ever complete a winter ascent of Torre Egger, an imposing structure in the ice-fields of Patagonia, South America. Arnold was born Central Switzerland and grew up in Biel a . tiny mountain village which is accessable only by cable car during . winter time. Stephan Siegrist also grew up in Switzerland in the Bernese Alps. Fire in the ice: This stunning shot was created by strategically placing lamps in the walls of the cavern at night .
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Photos set up by two climbers and a photographer .
They illuminated frozen waterfalls with lamps and flares .
The trio set up rig for lights in freezing Norwegian caverns .
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The Eiffel Tower, Tower Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and the Lincoln Memorial - we couldn't imagine our cities without them. But what of the discarded designs that never made it off the drawing board? How different would our skylines have looked? Vincze Miklos from iO9 has unearthed some incredible drawings of great architectural landmarks that failed to get commissioned. A proposal for the Lincoln Memorial by John Russell Pope, 1912. With no classical tradition within the U.S. to draw from, Pope instead looked towards the Greek and Egyptians to create a pyramid proposal for the Lincoln Memorial . One of the more unusual designs is a drawing put forward by architect John Russell Pope in 1912. With no classical tradition to draw from in the U.S., he instead looked towards the Greek and Egyptians to create a pyramid proposal for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Some historians believe that Pope put forward the zany design because he wasn't a fan of the original site chosen for the Lincoln Memorial. They believe it was his last-ditch effort to discourage decision-makers from using the location by briefly presenting his strange pyramid idea, before strongly pitching ideas for other sites in Washington. Eighteen years earlier, a number of . potential designs for Tower Bridge were published by The Engineer in . 1894 in a book written by J.E. Tuit. A number of potential designs for Tower Bridge were published by The Engineer magazine in 1894 . Among them were three by Joseph Bazalgette. He proposed a series of designs for a very high-level bridge that would have allowed shipping to pass beneath . All three of Bazalgette's designs were rejected as they would have required a huge spiral ramp on the bank of the Thames to allow traffic to flow down at a reasonable slope . The book, which will today set you back between £100-£150, reveals a number of other potential designs as well as building plans for the bridge and images of its construction. Among the designs were three put forward by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, chief commissioner to the Metropolitan Board of Works and the architect of London’s great sewer. All three, however, were rejected because they would have required a huge spiral ramp on the southern bank of the Thames to enable traffic to move down at a reasonable angle. Another design by F.J Palmer had two moveable platforms at either end of the bridge with a roadway in place at all times, even when ships were passing through. Another design by F.J Palmer had two moveable platforms at either end of the bridge with a roadway in place at all times, even when ships were passing through . Not long after the Tower Bridge commission, architects . in London started drawing up plans to rival and outdo the Eiffel Tower. Recently uncovered . documents revealed how an intense competition was held to find a design for . what was to be called the Great Tower of London. The winning entry was to be built in Wembley Park, North West London and was intended to be a centerpiece of a new funfair. However the building of the ambitious . octagonal structure hit a stumbling block as the project ran out of . money after only completing the first floor. These pictures show the amazing designs that were submitted by 68 talented architects that were published in a catalogue. The winning design, by Stewart, Maclaren . and Dunn, right, looks similar to the Eiffel Tower. The winners received a prize of 500 guineas and according to documents was . 215 feet taller than the Eiffel Tower . These pictures show the amazing designs that were submitted by 68 talented architects that were published in a catalogue. Some look like carbon copies of the Eiffel Tower itself, while others resemble bizarre structures of the future . In 1957, architect Anatol Kagan participated in the competition for the Sydney Opera House, which he prepared during a brief stay in that city. While his entry was unplaced, his drawings were later displayed as part of an exhibition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the competition. Other designs that were never built include a Masonic temple complex created by Waddy B. Wood in 1922 and a drawing the U.S. Capitol with high dome by William Thornton in 1797. This image was on display in the National Building Museum’s exhibition, Unbuilt Washington (2011-2012). In 1957, architect Anatol Kagan participated in the competition for the Sydney Opera House, which he prepared during a brief stay in that city . This proposed Masonic Temple Complex was created by Waddy B. Wood, 1922-24. The site of this complex was where the Washington Hilton stands today . This design for the US Capitol with high dome by William Thornton, c. 1797 was never built .
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One of the most unusual is a pyramid proposal for the Lincoln Memorial .
Three failed designs for Tower Bridge by Sir Joseph Bazalgette are revealed .
There is also a catalogue of 68 drawings for a structure in London to rival the Eiffel Tower in Paris .
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By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 05:20 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:31 EST, 18 September 2012 . Caught: William Duncan, 43, was snared when he unwittingly sold the class-A drug to undercover officers outside Mae Luster Stephens Junior High in Linden, Texas . TV hit Breaking Bad is a gritty drama that reflects America's real-life problems with crystal meth addiction. But it appears the popular show is more realistic than producers may have imagined - after a Texas chemistry teacher was caught selling home-made meth at the junior high school in which he taught. William Duncan, 43, was snared when he unwittingly sold the class-A drug to undercover officers in the car park of Mae Luster Stephens Junior High in Linden, Texas. Moments later, police say, the school bell sounded for class. The case is uncannily reminiscent of hit AMC drama Breaking Bad, which follows the exploits of a mild-mannered chemistry teacher who becomes a ruthless drug . baron to support his family after he's diagnosed with terminal cancer. Duncan's case, though, was somewhat less glamorous. While police do not believe he ever sold the crude narcotic to any of his students, they say he had been using the school's campus to peddle his wares for some time. 'We were surprised. I've known him . for a long time and I'd have never thought it,' said Linden Police Chief . Alton McWaters told KLTV. 'He's real upset about what he's done. But as I told him, I've got to do my job - and you've got to go to jail.' He said when they arrested Duncan they found a stash of the drug in the back of his van, parked nearby. Dealing on your doorstep: Duncan was caught after a police sting selling the narcotic in this playground minutes before the school bell sounded . Linden Police Chief Alton McWaters: 'He's real upset about what he's done. But as I told him, I've got to do my job - and you've got to go to jail' The arrest follows a five-month investigation by police into the sale of crystal meth in the area. He . added: 'We've been conducting an undercover operation for about five . months and buying narcotics and we had bought off of this person a few . weeks back. 'We set-up another buy from him. He sold it to us at the school, at the junior high school where he teaches.' Life and art: The fictional Walter White, played by Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston, is a mild-mannered chemistry teacher who becomes a ruthless drug baron to support his family after he's diagnosed with terminal cancer . Big hit: The show . stars Cranston alongside Aaron Paul who plays a slackers former student . of White, who team up to manufacture and distribute huge quantities of . the drug in New Mexico . He said Duncan admitted also using meth for physical pain. He was charged with delivery of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone. It is the second time real life has imitated Breaking Bad. Street name for methamphetamine - hyper-charged member of amphetamine family . Odourless, white crystalline powder - but some forms have strong ammonia smell, because of solvents used to make it . Increases arousal in nervous system: pumps up levels of norepinephrine and dopamine . At low doses boosts alertness and blocks hunger and fatigue; higher doses causes exhilaration and euphoria; very high doses cause agitation and paranoia . Physically increases heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature . Anxiety, emotional swings, and paranoia are common psychological effects of chronic use . Overdose is a huge risk: Symptoms include fever, convulsions, and coma . Death can result from burst blood vessels in the brain (triggered by spikes in blood pressure) or heart failure . High tends to last 4-12 hours with users continuing to take the drug for days - sometimes addicts stay awake for days, eat very little and in heightened state of arousal . Last month, a man who shares the same name with TV's . most famous meth dealer - Breaking Bad's Walter White - was arrested by . authorities in Alabama, for making meth. White, who shares a name with the . fictional meth dealer from the AMC TV show Breaking Bad was found in an . inpatient treatment facility after news of his coincidental name made . national headlines. According to court documents, he was . placed on probation in Tuscaloosa County in 2010 after being arrested in . 2008 on charges of trafficking methamphetamine, unlawful manufacturing . of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and . possession of precursor materials. The fictional Walter White, played by Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston, is a mild-mannered chemistry teacher who becomes a ruthless drug . baron to support his family after he's diagnosed with terminal cancer. The show, created by Vince Gilligan, . stars Cranston alongside Aaron Paul who plays a slackers former student . of White, who team up to manufacture and distribute huge quantities of . the drug in New Mexico. It is currently in its fifth and final season. Cranston has won three consecutive Emmys. Methamphetamine abuse is exploding across rural America as cooks find it increasingly easier to manufacture the drug at home or in make-shift factories thanks to increased availability of its main ingredient - Pseudoephedrine. In Kentucky, for example, police say instances of 'meth labs' being uncovered across the state have trebled in the last three years. Pseudoephedrine can be easily bought over the counter in pharmacies in medicine such as Sudafed. And while they may provide relief to cold sufferers, to criminals who . are in the business of making meth, these pills are gold.
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William Duncan, 43, was snared when he unwittingly sold the class-A drug to undercover officers outside Mae Luster Stephens Junior High, Linden, Texas .
He said Duncan admitted also using meth for physical pain .
He was charged with delivery of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone .
It comes after a man who shares the same name with TV's .
most famous meth dealer - Breaking Bad's Walter White - was arrested for making meth .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:16 EST, 25 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:54 EST, 26 July 2012 . Bungling: Neil Timmins, whose toy gun fell apart as he tried to hold up an off-licence in Dudley, West Midlands . A would-be robber who held up a shop with a toy gun tried to pretend his raid was a prank when the weapon fell apart in his hands. Neil Timmins, 33, was left red-faced when his flimsy fake firearm fell to bits as he held up an off-licence in Dudley, West Midlands. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that in an attempt to back-track Timmins told shocked shopkeeper Mohammed Khan: 'I'm only joking mate.' A judge on Tuesday jailed Timmins for three years after he pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Judge Michael Dudley told him: 'People who run small supermarkets like this provide an exceptionally good service to the public but they are vulnerable to attack . 'This was extremely frightening because you foolishly produced a toy pistol they clearly thought was genuine.' Mark Rees, prosecuting, said Timmins went into Minty’s off-licence on June 8 and produced the gun before jamming it into the stomach of Mr Khan. Mr Rees said: 'Timmins told Mr Khan "Give me the money. Give me what you have got", before pushing him into shelving. 'Mohammed Tariq then approached and demanded what Timmins was doing. 'It was then Mr Khan grabbed at the gun and as he pulled it harder it broke and he quickly realised it was not a genuine firearm. A plastic toy gun: Timmins's fake firearm, similar to this one, fell to pieces when shopkeeper Mohammed Khan bravely grabbed it in an attempt to foil the robbery . 'Timmins then said "I’m only joking mate", as Mr Khan replied, "You joke like that. What are you trying to do?" 'Officers were on the scene within minutes and were able to grab Timmins, when they searched his bag they found the broken pieces of the toy gun.' When questioned by police Timmins said he had been drinking heavily and could not remember what happened inside the off-licence. Christopher O’Gorman, defending, said it was clear his client was 'in a highly intoxicated state.'
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Neil Timmins's fake firearm broke when the shopkeeper bravely grabbed it in an attempt to foil the robbery .
Timmins given three years after pleading guilty to attempted robbery and possession of imitation firearm .
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By . Joel Christie . The efforts of a pilot who was forced to make an emergency landing in the middle of a Texas freeway on Friday have been hailed, despite the light aircraft crashing into a passing car. The single-engine aircraft reportedly lost oil pressure during a Friday afternoon flight near Arlington. Thinking quickly, the pilot dropped a sign advertising Geico he was towing behind the plane and set about finding the best place to set down. Police say the pilot attempted to avoid Highway 287 but was forced to land there anyway after the plane came to a stop. Scroll down video . Incredible: A driver caputres video of a light aircraft making an emergency landing on the median strip of a freeway in Arlington, Texas, on Friday . The plane was able to set down, but soon after crashed into a freeway retaining wall and a passing truck . Lucky landing: The light aircraft was towing around a sign for Geico when its oil pressure dropped and the pilot was forced to set down on the grass median strip of a freeway in Arlington, Texas, on Friday . The pilot came close to a successful landed, however his landing gear clipped a retaining wall and then a truck . Amazingly, the pilot suffered no injuries and the driver of the truck had only minor cuts and cruises . A passing driver managed to capture video of the landing and released on Live Leak. The plane bounced along the grass median of the Friday because crashing into a retaining wall and truck. The driver of the truck, Richard Dutton, said he had no warning he was going to intercept the plane. 'It just opened the side of my truck up like a coke can,' Dutton told NBC. The second smashed through Dutton's windshield and landed in his lap, causing minor injuries to his face. '(The pilot) wishes he wouldn’t have hit anything,'police spokesman Christopher Cook told the TV station. 'He was doing his best to try to get in the field.' This image shows how the wing of the plane smashed through the drivers-side of a passing truck . The wing landed in the lap of the driver, Richard Dutton, but he managed to escape with minor injuries . Fortunate: Richard Dutton explains the moment crashed into his truck . Part of the plane's wing entered the driver's windshield . Wreckers on the scene remove the plane from Highway 287 in Arlington on Friday . The highway shut down for a few hours after the crash. All lanes reopened at about 8:15 p.m. The FAA is currently investigating the situation.
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Crash occurred on Highway 287 in Airlington, Texas, on Friday afternoon .
Plane quickly lost oil pressure and needed to make an emergency landing .
Pilot managed to set down on grass median strip but smashed into freeway retaining wall .
Intercepted a passing truck .
No one was seriously injured .
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Arsenal's stars stepped back in time for a special photoshoot recently, donning the red-and-white kit worn by Gunners players way back in 1955. Theo Walcott, Laurent Koscielny, Mathieu Flamini and David Ospina all took part to celebrate 60 years since the release of Citroen's DS car. The four players posed with a 1961 DS in their retro strips and the recently released DS 5 in their current kits to commemorate the longevity of Citroen's popular model. Theo Walcott, Mathieu Flamini, David Ospina and Laurent Koscielny (L-R) pose alongside a 1961 Citroen DS . Walcott and Flamini (right) wear the Gunners' current strip as they lean on a Citroen DS 5 . Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger (left) appears to accidentally photobomb his players at London Colney . Manager Arsene Wenger even got himself into a picture when he appeared to accidentally photobomb his players as he walked around the club's London Colney training ground. The original DS was launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1955, but Arsena's current crop will be hoping for a more successful season than the Gunners squad of 60 years ago. The north London side finished ninth in Division One in 1954-55, coming below the likes of Portsmouth, Wolves and Aston Villa. Arsenal's players wore their kit from 1955 to celebrate 60 years since the launch of the first Citroen DS . The Gunners quartet could be in the starting XI when Arsenal welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates on Sunday . Walcott, Flamini, Ospina and Koscielny enjoy a laugh after winning their last four games in all competitions . Wenger's men welcome Paul Lambert's side to the Emirates on Sunday looking to force their way back into the Premier League's top four. Consecutive wins against Manchester City, Stoke and Hull have strengthened the Gunners' position, meaning just a point could move them back into the Champions League places this weekend. The FA Cup holders can also look forward to a fifth round tie against Championship outfit Middlesbrough after seeing off Brighton 3-2 at the Amex Stadium on Sunday.
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Arsenal's players took part in a photoshoot wearing 1955-style kits .
David Ospina and Mathieu Flamini were also involved at London Colney .
The pictures are to celebrate 60 years since the release of Citroen's DS .
The Gunners finished ninth in Division One in the 1954-55 season .
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By . Simon Tomlinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:43 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:59 EST, 23 December 2013 . It would have been regarded as a lucky escape for any able-bodied person. But one quadriplegic man has remarkably lived to tell the tale after getting trapped in his car on a snow-covered mountainside - then crawling for four hours through freezing conditions to safety. Wheelchair rugby player Matt Gypin, 32, had driven his jeep into Colorado's mountains to take a picture for a calendar he gives his mother each Christmas when he became stranded in a snow drift. 'Didn't think I was going to make it': Quadraplegic Matt Gypin re-enacts how he used his wheelchair as a walker to help him crawl to safety after getting trapped in his car on a snowy mountainside in Colorado . Stranded: Rescuers work to free Mr Gypin's Jeep which became stuck in a snow drift, forcing him to spend the night in the car while wearing only a beanie hat and sweatshirt to keep him warm . With the sun setting, no mobile phone signal and with only a beanie hat and sweatshirt for warmth, he had no option but to hunker down for the night in his car. The next morning, having failed to dig his vehicle out of the snow, he realised he had no option but to try to make it to the nearby Sylvan Lake State Park. Mr Gypin was left partially paralysed after breaking his neck when he fell from a third-floor balcony during a friend's graduation party ten years ago. But he still has some feeling in some of his limbs. Against the odds: Mr Gypin was left partially paralysed in all four limbs after breaking his neck when he fell from a third-floor balcony during a friend's graduation party ten years ago . Civilization, at last: Eventually, four hours later, Mr Gypin arrived at the park, where he had to throw a brick through the window of this building to get to a phone to dial 911 . Using his manual wheelchair as a walker, he painstakingly edged his way down the road. 'It wasn't easy,' he told Daily Camera. 'There were times that I didn't think I was going to make it. I was exhausted. 'I would go 10 or 20 paces, rest, go another 10 or 20 paces. I was kicking and pushing with my left foot. It was very slow going.' Eventually, four hours later he arrived at the park, where he had to throw a brick through the window of a building to get to a phone to dial 911. Mr Gypin, who plays wheelchair rugby for the Denver Harlequins, says he will let people know where he is if he ever ventures of the beaten track again.
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Matt Gypin, 32, became trapped in a snow drift after driving into mountains .
With no mobile signal and sun setting, he hunkered down in Jeep overnight .
Had no option but to set out on foot after failing to dig his car out of snow .
Painstakingly made his way to nearby park using his wheelchair as walker .
Retains limited use in some of his limbs after breaking neck in balcony fall .
'There were times that I didn't think I was going to make it. I was exhausted'
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By . Nazia Parveen . PUBLISHED: . 05:28 EST, 16 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:59 EST, 17 June 2013 . For Rosa De Filippo it seemed like a reasonable expectation – a seat next to her partner as they flew out on holiday. But when they head off to Sicily in August they will be sitting separately. Their holiday company charges couples an extra fee so they can sit together on a plane – even if they are going on honeymoon. A passenger was told it would cost £7.50 per seat to make sure she could sit with her fiance on flights for their upcoming £1,800 Thomson package holiday to Sicily . TUI Travel, which owns Thomson and . First Choice, demands £7.50 per seat to guarantee a spot together. This . amounts to £30 per couple for return flights. Miss De Filippo, 43, and her partner . were told they would have to pay the extra fee after they had already . forked out £1,800 for their holiday. She discovered the surcharge after . booking the Thomson package holiday to the southern Italian island. When . she viewed her pre-assigned seats online, the legal secretary saw they . were separated by an aisle. She rang customer services and tried to change positions, but was asked to pay £7.50 per alteration. ‘The agent assured me the charge was correct,’ she said. ‘He said they have had lots of complaints.’ Couples and friends would be charged by Thomson and First Choice to change their bookings so they could sit together - only parents with children would be exempt . Miss De Filippo, of Radlett, . Hertfordshire, is refusing to pay the fee, so she and her partner will . have to sit separately on the three-hour flight. ‘It just makes me . seethe,’ she said. Yesterday German-owned TUI Travel, . which sells holidays to millions of Britons every year, confirmed that . the fee applies to all holidaymakers flying with Thomson Airways apart . from parents sitting with children. No exception is made for . honeymooners. All Thomson passengers and many First . Choice passengers fly on Thomson Airways flights. A spokesman said: . ‘A charge is applied for these services, giving customers the peace of . mind that they will be seated together.’ A Thomson spokesman added: ‘Thomson . Airways always tries to seat customers travelling together next to each . other wherever possible. However, along with many other UK airlines, we . offer an optional extra service whereby customers can pre-book specific . seats. ‘This service not only guarantees that customers can sit together, but also allows them to choose their preferred seats.’ ABTA, the Travel Association told MailOnline that this was a system that other carriers also used: “Many airlines give the option of paying in advance for pre-allocated seating which has proved popular with passengers avoiding the need to check-in very early. "You may well still sit together even if you have not used pre-allocation but booking in advance removes a degree of uncertainty. Airlines will always ensure that families with small children sit close to each other.” Last year TUI, which made pre-tax . profit of £390million in 2012, came under fire after claims it was . forcing holidaymakers who had already paid for trips to shell out extra . cash before they departed to cover exchange rate and fuel price . fluctuations. A school ski trip was told to pay an . extra £13 for every child before they could travel, while customers for . an adventure holiday to New Zealand faced demands for £200 more.
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Rosa De Filippo, 43, found she and her fiance were separated by an aisle .
Owner TUI Travel charges £7.50 per person to change the allocated seats .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:33 EST, 28 March 2013 . The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that a set of white foster parents should raise two toddler sisters instead of the black grandparents who have fought for them for three years. Steven and Liv Grosser, from Plymouth, will now raise the girls instead of Dorothy and Lawrence Dunning after the court ruled relatives should get first consideration but not preference in adoptions. Princess and Dorothy Knox, who are now aged three and two, were placed with the Grossers after doctors found they both had traces of cocaine in their blood after they were born. As a result of the pre-natal drug ingestion, they both suffer from developmental difficulties and the court ruled that the Grossers are better placed to provide for them. Scroll down for video . Success: Steven and Liv Grosser, pictured, have been granted custody of two toddler sisters over their paternal grandparents as a court ruled they were better placed to provide for the girls . But the Dunnings, from Gautier, Mississippi, have fought a hard battle for their granddaughters, and argue that blood relations, love and heritage should come before money. State laws say that race should not factor in to adoptions but require that a child's 'cultural needs' should be a consideration when determining a child's best interests. The Grossers' attorney, Wright Walling, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that there were grey areas over the word 'culture'. 'From my perspective it was never about . race, except to the extent that their race and culture is who these . children are,' Walling said. 'But what does culture mean? My clients . living in the suburbs? My clients being white? Mrs. Dunning living in . rural Mississippi? The kids living in Minnesota? Those issues have yet . to be flushed out.' But the Dunnings' attorney, Michael . Perlman, countered that race was - and should have been - a factor . during the adoption proceedings. Separated: Dorothy Dunning said she loves her granddaughters, Princess and Dorothy (pictured), and that her ability to provide for them, as well as her blood connection to them, should come before wealth . 'Even if their hearts are in the right . place, they can't give these children the same culture, the same . history, the same experiences that relatives can,' he told the Star Tribune. The battle began in 2009 when Princess tested positive for cocaine and was placed with the Grossers days later. The Dunnings requested to adopt her, but the paperwork was 'stalled', the Star Tribune reported. When Dorothy was born in 2010, . officials asked the Grossers if they would adopt her as well, and the . couple, who have seven other children, agreed. Hennepin County District Judge . Kathryn Quaintance said the girls should stay with the Grossers as they . could better help their special needs and moving the girls from the home . could affect them. But the Dunnings argued that they could provide a good home for the girls so no other home should have been considered. Grief: Dorothy Dunning has uploaded videos to YouTube in which she shares her heartbreak over the battle . Difficulties: The girls were put in foster care after they were both born with traces of cocaine in their blood . Despite her objections and a heartfelt media campaign by Dorothy Dunning to gain custody of her granddaughters, the Minnesota Court of Appeals sided with the Grossers. The Minnesota Supreme Court heard the case in January and reached their decision on Wednesday, ruling in favour of the Grossers 5-2. Justice Paul Anderson wrote that family members should be considered but that there is no reason not to consider other potential parents when deciding what is in the child's best interest. But Justice Alan Page argued that the relative's petition should be considered first and others should only be looked at if they are not providing adequately for the child. He wrote: 'I do not believe that the Legislature intended that relatives - who can meet the child's needs and offer a loving home - be passed over merely because nonrelatives may be marginally "better" in some sense, such as being more affluent or better educated than the relative.' Decision: The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Grossers by a majority of 5-2 . Dorothy Dunning had previously shared her anguish in a series of YouTube videos and in an editorial for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. She wrote that she only learned her grandchildren were in care when she called the Department of Children's Services to express her concern that her son and the children's mother were on drugs. 'I wanted my babies to be in a safer environment. I then found out that my grandchildren were in the custody of foster parents,' ,' she wrote in January 2012. 'I am so appreciative of the care of . their foster parents, but I am the biological grandmother, and I am not . giving up my rights for the belief that they belong with me. 'Although the foster parents may have . multiple degrees and earn more money than we do, I am a proud and hard . worker, and so is my spouse. I've never turned to the government for any . assistance. Thoughtful: The Grossers celebrated their win on Facebook but said their thoughts were with Dorothy . 'I know that money does not give love, . and I love my grandchildren and desire that they experience the love. This is not and never has been . about the finances... I am their grandmother and will always be their grandmother.' But as the Dunnings struggled to come to terms with the ruling, the Grossers took to their Facebook page to celebrate their win - and to pass on their thoughts to the Dunnings. 'Justice has been done for two little girls to stay with the only family they have ever known,' Liv Grosser wrote. 'I know Dorothy is feeling sad and my heart is heavy for her... We will continue to honor her as the girls' grandma and we hope we can become friends soon. Please pray for Dorothy as she comes to grips with this decision that she can see that it is best for the girls.'
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Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Steven and Liv Grosser could better provide for the sisters who have lived with them since they were babies .
Grandmother Dorothy Dunning has argued that love, blood relations and staying connected with their heritage should come before wealth .
Girls were fostered by the Grossers, who have seven other children, after they tested positive for cocaine when they were born .
Court argued over whether there was even a need to consider other parents as the grandparents were able to provide for the girls .
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Ed Miliband’s hopes of winning the General Election were fading last night after his leadership came under heavy fire from his own party. The embattled Labour leader faced a new crisis as the party’s biggest private donor joined the withering attacks on his NHS policies. And Mr Miliband was described as looking ‘haunted’ because he knew that his party was on course to lose the Election, according to the editor of Britain’s leading Labour-supporting magazine. Scroll down for video . Missing the point: Ed Miliband’s speech on the NHS last week failed to stop Labour’s electoral rot . The twin blows came as Labour MPs privately admitted they feared Miliband’s Election campaign was in danger of collapsing. His credibility was further eroded as it was revealed that: . The new pressure on Miliband over his controversial vow to reverse Coalition NHS reforms came from millionaire businessman John Mills, the brother-in-law of former Minister Tessa Jowell. Mr Mills backed the attack on the policy made by former Labour Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn last week, exposing rifts within the party. The tycoon said Labour was wrong to decry the increasing involvement of the private sector in the NHS, adding: ‘I agree with Milburn – if you look at the Continental model, they have a much greater mix of public and private provision.’ Mr Mills, the chairman of consumer goods giant JML, gave Labour £1.65million in 2013. He also condemned Mr Miliband’s plan to use a mansion tax to provide much of the extra £2.5billion a year he plans to inject into the NHS. ‘I am not convinced of the case for a tax on expensive properties,’ he told The Mail on Sunday. ‘And it certainly should not be hypothecated for the NHS. It would be much better to introduce extra council tax bands and spend the money on local needs, such as affordable housing.’ Miliband faced another devastating critique from Jason Cowley, editor of the Left-leaning New Statesman magazine, who said Labour knew it was heading for defeat in May – but had no idea how to stop the rot. Writing in today’s Mail on Sunday, Mr Cowley says Miliband is at war with his campaign chief Douglas Alexander, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has ‘all but given up’ on the party leader, and Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham is busy promoting his own leadership ambitions. The mood of Labour MPs is ‘not so much one of despair, it’s worse than that – resignation,’ says Mr Cowley. Labour appeared to be ‘willing itself to defeat. The party knows it is losing an Election that it should be winning, and doesn’t know what to do about it.’ Mr Cowley says ‘haunted’ Miliband has ‘grown distrustful of colleagues’ adding: ‘There are splits over strategy between Miliband and Alexander, and between Miliband and Balls. Balls has “all but given up on Miliband,” I was told by a friend of the Shadow Chancellor.’ Mr Cowley says Miliband is ‘decent and intelligent’ and could yet scrape home with more seats than the Tories – though not achieve an overall majority – but only thanks to Britain’s voting system which favours Labour. A measure of the anxiety in Miliband’s inner circle is the claim that they have already discussed how to prop up his leadership in the event of defeat on polling day, in a series of so-called ‘war gaming’ sessions. ‘A group of Ed’s advisers have talked through what to do if they wake up on May 8 and Cameron is still PM,’ said an insider. ‘They know Ed’s Shadow Cabinet enemies are waiting to strike and their plan is to buy time by arguing that Cameron will be in a very weak position if he fails to win an outright majority. Ed’s people will say that Cameron may be unable to form a new Coalition and there could be a second Election very soon. ‘If that happens, they will say that Labour needs stability, not a divisive leadership contest lasting months, and that Ed would provide that stability.’ Ed Miliband’s hopes of winning the General Election were fading last night after his leadership came under heavy fire from his own party . Further signs of Miliband’s embattled position emerged from reports of an Election ‘pep talk’ he delivered to Shadow Ministers. According to one witness, he said: ‘I know they will be coming for me and I am ready for it. Even the liberal BBC appears to be losing the faith. First, on Tuesday’s Newsnight, Kirsty Wark skewered Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham over his NHS policy. Then on yesterday’s Today programme on Radio 4, James Naughtie, who once used the term ‘we’ on air to describe Labour, repeatedly likened Mr Miliband’s efforts to the party’s doomed 1992 campaign during a challenging interview with Roy Hattersley. ’Some thought he was referring to growing attacks on him by former Ministers such as Milburn, who served in Tony Blair’s Government and backed David Miliband in the 2010 Labour leadership contest. A source close to Miliband said: ‘He is very angry at the number of Labour politicians who are prepared to criticise him publicly.’ One senior Labour MP pointed the finger of blame at Lord Mandelson, who enraged Miliband by criticising the mansion tax. ‘The sniping against Ed [Miliband] has all the hallmarks of a Mandy campaign,’ said the MP. ‘Ed despises him for what he said on the mansion tax. Mandelson cannot get over the fact that Ed has turned his back on his precious New Labour project.’ Friends of Mandelson said it was ‘nonsense’ to suggest he was behind a campaign to undermine Miliband. One MP, a long-standing ally of Miliband, said: ‘You sometimes wonder whether these Blairites actually want us to win the Election. Maybe they would rather Ed loses so they can say “We told you so” and replace him with another Blairite.’ Ed Miliband became a laughing stock when his clumsy attempts to eat a bacon butty slavered in ketchup were captured on camera. And it appears that his Shadow Chancellor isn’t quite prepared to forget the embarrassing incident. Yesterday Ed Balls tweeted the ‘bliss’ of finding a ‘cafe which does proper bacon sandwiches’ after two hours of canvassing Yorkshire. His post triggered a tsunami of sarcastic comments, including, ‘Can you eat it without looking like an alien????’ and ‘You aren’t giving the other Ed lessons in eating a bacon sandwich are you?’ In the end, Mr Balls joined in, pointedly revealing he had ordered ‘bacon on a big bap, no sauce…’
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Ed Miliband's leadership comes under heavy fire from his own party .
Labour leader faces crisis as biggest private donor attacks NHS policies .
Millionaire donor John Mills says Labour is wrong to decry privatisation .
Miliband looks 'haunted' as he knows his party is set to lose the Election .
His aides are already discussing how to keep him as leader if he loses vote .
Insiders said Miliband’s aides had held secret ‘war gaming’ talks on how he could cling on as leader if David Cameron wins in May.
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy accused of defying Miliband by ordering Labour’s Scottish MPs to quit Westminster now and return to their constituencies to fight for their seats in May’s Election.
Allies of Miliband accused former Blairite Cabinet Minister Peter Mandelson of masterminding a plot to ‘destablise’ him.
Miliband faced claims of paranoia from Shadow Ministers after telling them: ‘I know they’re coming for me and I am ready for it.’
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Wisbech (CNN) -- Chatting casually over a pot of tea in the sleepy village of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, Nick Leeson remarks on his time spent in a maximum security prison in Germany in 1995: "That was the one time I contemplated suicide." Thrown in with Yugoslav gunrunners, Bolivian drug lords and sex offenders, "I wouldn't have been able to do it myself though," Leeson added, stirring in the milk. "But there were these two Italian boys. One of them was an ice cream vendor, Luigi, and another well-dressed man, Salvatore. They were connected." Leeson began sipping his tea, and suddenly laughed at how his story sounded like an episode from Italian mafia drama The Sopranos. Leeson, once considered the whiz kid of the Asian derivative markets before his bad trades on Japanese stocks collapsed UK merchant bank Barings, was thinking of doing a final deal: One with his own life. "It would have cost me £10,000 ($15,268) I think," he said, struggling to remember, as if the detail is minor. "I presumed it would happen in the showers one day, someone would just knife me." From Watford to a Singapore prison . As the Watford-born Leeson sat regaling the most definitive time of his life, the anthem from Les Miserables "I dreamed a dream," played on loop at the Rose & Crown Hotel, which is owned by his uncle-in-law. Leeson was due to give a speech for charity in the hotel that evening. It provided an eerily fitting soundtrack to his tale. The lyrics "I was young and unafraid, and dreams were made and used and wasted" resonate with Leeson's life. He went from high-flying trader to convicted fraudster, spending three and a half years in a gang-ridden Singapore prison. He has now joined GDP Partnership, an Irish restructuring firm. At the Rose & Crown, the couple on the next table appear unaware they are seated next to one of the 20th century's most infamous financial convicts. They're chatting about the hotel's renovations while Leeson is calculating the cost of his trades. "The press were saying I could spend up to 84 years in prison," he said, offering me sugar. "You don't have to be an MIT mathematician to work out I was gonna be dead." "I spoke to my wife and father about it [suicide]," he said, explaining that they would have to negotiate the assisted suicide on his behalf from outside prison. "Obviously they cried but you have to deal with the reality of situation." Surviving jail, divorce and cancer . Almost 20 years on and having weathered incarceration, divorce and colon cancer, the man dubbed the "original rogue trader" now makes his money on the after-dinner speaking circuit; a far cry from his lucrative days earning $76,000 a year with bonuses of up to $228,000 as a trader speculating on Asian financial markets. When asked if he would press a magic button to take it all back, Leeson told CNN: "There is no such button." Describing himself as a "realist," it may be hard to understand how he could have lost $1.3 billion, destroying a 233-year-old bank in the process. It's even harder to understand why he thought he could hide it away in a secret account known as the "five eights." Public perception of him as a symbol of capitalist greed may precede him, but Leeson doesn't shirk the responsibility. "Nobody other than me should be accountable for what went wrong at Barings," he said. Leeson has no sympathy for rogue traders Jerome Kerviel of Societe Generale and Kweku Adoboli of UBS, who lost $6.4 billion and $1.8 billion respectively. "Anything that they've done and hidden is fraud." Leeson said abruptly. "I think it's a macho culture that's evolved. When things go wrong, there's a certain age group that is usually involved; young men." After leaving his desk and fleeing with his wife to Kuala Lumpur, Leeson resurfaced days later and was arrested in Frankfurt at the age of 28. Imprisoned and awaiting deportation to Singapore, Leeson started to reflect and accept responsibility for his actions. "Prison was tough," said Leeson, who now found himself mixing with dangerous criminals from the Chinese and Malaysian underworld. "I was the only white guy in there." He rattled off details of a typical day of incarceration: "You're locked up in a cell for 23 hours a day with two other people. You wake up at 6am in the morning and it's a hundred degrees outside. You get three books a month. So there's not much to occupy your mind." Leeson could still recall the sores on his pelvis, ankles and elbows that he developed from sleeping on the floor. At the time, Leeson said he received messages of support to keep him sane, including nude photographs from air hostesses. "I never got the naked pictures, I just got the letter," he joked. "The Singaporean authorities took the good bit away." Leeson paused for a moment, before recalling the darkest days of his incarceration. After a strip search and contraband swipe of his cell, he refused an order to return to a cell with two inmates he feared would fight. Leeson was punished, put in solitary confinement for 31 days. "They would turn the lights on at night and turn them off in the day. There were no windows and there was a hole that they put your food through." "I used to walk up and down 780 times in the cell and that was an hour. That's how I passed time. You start singing to yourself." Leeson chuckled. That was hard, because he didn't know the words to many songs. After his release from solitary confinement, Leeson was diagnosed with colon cancer. "I had an emergency operation to remove a tumor in my stomach that was 9cm by 5cm. It was big." Peering over my notebook, he pointed and added quickly as if to make sure I got the all the detail: "Oh, and I had six months of chemotherapy in prison." Leeson was released in 1999, aged 32. Broke, and with no job prospects, he returned to the UK, where he continued cancer treatment. Leeson overcame his illness, and set about rebuilding his life. He sold his story for a six-figure sum to the Daily Mail, wrote a book and had a film made about his time at Barings called "Rogue Trader" starring Ewan McGregor. But "I've never seen a penny of it," he said. Barings' liquidators had served Leeson with an injunction of £100 million and took 50% of proceeds from his story. "I asked them 'if I got a job flipping burgers, how much would you want?' and they told me "half.'" A quiet life in Ireland . Now 46, Leeson lives the quiet life in Galway, Ireland, and it's difficult to see from his retiring demeanor how he could have destroyed one of the world's most prestigious institutions. Leeson is philosophical about his past these days: "I created a success story that everyone at the bank wanted to believe." He laughed at how absurd that sounds now. Asked if a rogue trader will ever bring down a bank again, Leeson confidently replied: "No doubt about it. If you ask anyone in the banking industry, they will say 'yes, but it won't be me.'"
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Nick Leeson is dubbed the 'original rogue trader' for bad trades which collapsed Barings Bank .
Leeson now lives in Ireland and has joined GDP Partnership, an Irish restructuring firm .
Leeson said his time in a jail, with drug lords and sex offenders, made him consider taking his own life .
But he survived incarceration and colon cancer and has since rebuilt his life .
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By . Associated Press . and Daily Mail Reporter . There is 'no compelling medical reason' for U.S. armed forced to ban transgender Americans from serving, according to a report released on Thursday. The independent commission led by a former U.S. surgeon general also concluded that President Obama could lift the decades-old ban without approval from Congress. As long-term soldiers share their stories of being kicked out of the forces, the report says the current regulations - which are designed to keep transgender people from joining or staying in the military on the basis of psychological and physical unfitness - are outdated. One former soldier, Army Reserve Capt. Sage Fox, 41, was put on leave after taking female hormones following a deployment to Kuwait. Scroll down for video . Battle: Army Reserve Capt. Sage Fox, pictured, began taking female hormones and living as a woman after being deployed to Kuwait. But after notifying her battalion commander, Fox learned she had been placed on inactive status . In November, with her hair getting long and her voice higher, she . notified her battalion commander, whom she said expressed support. At . drill time, an announcement was made to 400 colleagues at the B.T. Collins Reserve Center in Sacramento. For a few days, Fox thought she might escape the ban. But then she was informed she had been placed on inactive status. 'When . I transitioned, I wasn't just a good officer, I became a better officer . because I didn't have to deal with that conflict anymore,' she said. Fox also wrote a blog post . about the incident, explaining that she had repeatedly been recognized . as a good soldier, but after she revealed her desire to transition, 'I . received no disability, no compensation, no handshake, no . thank-you-for-your-service'. 'In the days and weeks that followed an anger grew within me,' she wrote. 'Not just at the way I was treated, but at the way my fellow trans service-members are cast out of the services they’ve given so much of their lives and devotion to. We are NOT broken. We are NOT diseased or disordered.' New life: Fox, pictured left, and right before her hormone treatment, said living as a woman made her a better soldier because she was no longer in conflict but she said did not even get a thank you for her service . About 15,500 transgender personnel are currently . serving, nearly all under their birth genders and not transitioning in . an appearance-altering way, according to the Williams Institute, a think tank. Dr. Joycelyn Elders, who served as . surgeon general during Bill Clinton's first term as president, and Rear . Adm. Alan Steinman, a former chief health and safety director for the . Coast Guard, led the report that was released on Thursday. 'We determined not only that there is no compelling medical reason for the ban, but also that the ban itself is an expensive, damaging and unfair barrier to health care access for the approximately 15,450 transgender personnel who serve currently in the active, Guard and reserve components,' it said. The panel, convened by a think tank at San Francisco State University, said the ban has existed for several decades and apparently was derived in part from the psychiatric establishment's consensus, since revised, that gender identity issues amounted to a mental disorder. The ban also appears based on the assumption that providing hormone treatment and sex reassignment surgeries would be too difficult, disruptive and expensive. But the commission rejected those notions as inconsistent with modern medical practice and the scope of health care services routinely provided to non-transgender military personnel. 'I hope their takeaway will be we should evaluate every one of our people on the basis of their ability and what they can do, and if they have a condition we can treat we would treat it like we would treat anyone else,' Elders said in an interview with The Associated Press. Report: Former Surgeon General Dr Joycelyn Edlers, left, and Rear Admiral Alan Steinman, right, led a report released on Thursday that said the law about transgender military personnel was outdated . At least a dozen nations, including Australia, Canada, England and Israel, allow military service by transgender individuals. Transgender rights advocates have been lobbying the Pentagon to revisit the blanket ban in the U.S. since Congress in 2010 repealed the law that barred gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals from openly serving in the military . 'At this time there are no plans to change the department's policy and regulations which do not allow transgender individuals to serve in the U.S. military,' said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a defense department spokesman. The commission argued that facilitating gender transitions 'would place almost no burden on the military,' adding that a relatively small number of active and reserve service members would elect to undergo transition-related surgeries and that only a fraction might suffer complications that would prevent them from serving. It estimated that 230 transgender people a year would seek such surgery at an average cost of about $30,000. Decisions: Congress would not need to be involved in changing the rules, according to the report, and Obama could instead issue an executive order instructing the Department of Defense to amend its regulations . Retired Brigadier General Thomas Kolditz, a former Army commander and West Point professor on the commission, said he thinks allowing transgender people to serve openly would reduce gender-based harassment, assaults and suicides while enhancing national security. But Center for Military Readiness President Elaine Donnelly, whose group opposed the repeal of the ban on openly gay troops, predicted that putting transgender people in barracks, showers and other sex-segregated could cause sexual assaults to increase and infringe on the privacy of non-transgender personnel. 'This is putting an extra burden on men and women in the military that they certainly don't need and they don't deserve,' Donnelly said. The commission recommends the president issue an executive order instructing the Department of Defense to amend its regulations so transgender people are no longer automatically barred. The Pentagon then would need to develop rules for assigning service members who are transitioning, said Palm Center Executive Director Aaron Belkin, whose San Francisco State-based think tank commissioned the report. The Palm Center, which previously researched 'don't ask, don't tell,' is funded in part by a $1.3 million grant from Jennifer Pritzker, a billionaire former Army lieutenant colonel who came out as transgender last year. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Army Reserve Captain Sage Fox began taking female hormones and her battalion commander expressed support .
But days later, she was served inactive service papers .
A report led by a former U.S. surgeon general has said there is 'no compelling medical reason' for the outdated ban .
15,000 transgender personnel are serving in the armed forces and most are living under their birth genders and not changing their appearances .
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Former Taliban prisoner Bowe Bergdahl will meet Wednesday with an Army general leading the investigation into the sergeant's disappearance five years ago, his lawyer said. Attorney Eugene Fidell wouldn't characterize the upcoming session as an interrogation. He called it an interview and said he assumed it would be "people sitting around a conference table." Bergdahl's team spent Tuesday meeting and reviewing documents, some classified. "I think tomorrow will be an interesting and productive day," Fidell said. Bergdahl has met once before, briefly, with Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, the point person for the Army's investigation. After he disappeared in Afghanistan in June 2009, the now 28-year-old soldier spent five years in the hands of Taliban militants. After he was released in May in exchange for five senior Taliban members held by the U.S. military, Bergdahl underwent counseling and medical care at a hospital in San Antonio, where he is back on regular duty at Fort Sam Houston. The news of Bergdahl's freedom initially was met with jubilation, but the mood quickly turned as many called for an investigation into his disappearance and captivity. Some critics accused the soldier of deserting his comrades in war. An Army fact-finding investigation conducted in the months after his disappearance concluded he left his outpost deliberately and of his own free will, according to an official who was briefed on the report. The Army has no definitive finding that Bergdahl deserted because that would require knowing his intent, something officials couldn't learn without talking to the soldier, a U.S. military official recently told CNN. Bergdahl works at the headquarters of U.S. Army North in Texas. He is with a unit responsible for homeland defense, civil support operations and security cooperation programs involving countries such as Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas. He will eventually be given a position commensurate with his rank of sergeant, the Army said last month. Bergdahl was a private first class when he was captured, and the Army extended his enlistment and twice promoted him on schedule while he was in captivity. A grateful Bergdahl 'understands that his life has been saved,' lawyer says .
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Bergdahl and Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl have met once before, briefly .
Many have called for investigation into Bergdahl's 2009 disappearance, five-year captivity .
Bergdahl, 28, is back on regular duty in San Antonio, Texas .
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It shows a hunched couple walking with the aid of a walking stick and is used to warn drivers to beware older people crossing the road. But the government's tsar for the elderly says the road sign should be banned because they convey a message that older people are 'frail and disabled' and discourage employers from hiring someone over 50. Dr Ros Altmann, the government's business champion for older workers, claims the 'elderly people' sign is discriminatory because it puts off employers. Ros Altmann, the government's business champion for older workers, left says the road traffic sign puts employers off hiring someone over 50 . She is planing to bring the issue to women and equalities minister Jo Swinson at a meeting next month, reported The Sunday Times. Dr Altmann said the signs like the one for elderly people are 'colour stereotypes' and should be abolished. She told MailOnline: 'I would like to see the signs banned - just drop them. 'I don't understand what purpose they serve - in this day and age, do we really need a say that says "Warning: old people"? It's not very helpful to anybody. 'It just feeds into the social stereotypes that suggest old people are disabled. 'It's one of those things that seeps into the national psyche and we don't think about it.' She added: 'We have got an ageing population in this country. The vast majority are fit and healthy and in no way like that picture of people being stooped over and needing a walking stick. 'The signs give the message that old people are frail and disabled - it contributes to the some of the age discrimination that we know exists in society. 'They belong to a bygone era and I think there is merit in focusing people's attention on something that everybody recognises.' This week, at a meeting of employers, including Centrica and Barclays, she will reveal proposals to offer older people internships to help them start new careers. She added she would like to see the government offer older works the same kind of job subsidies planned for young people. Dr Altmann plans to bring the issue to equalities minister Jo Swinson, pictured, at a meeting next month .
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Ros Altmann says sign 'colour stereotypes' and puts employers off .
Dr Altmann wants internships for over-50s to help them start new careers .
The government's business champion for older will bring issue to equalities minister Jo Swinson .
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They are well known for their shocking adverts with some of the world's most famous people posing naked to help boost their animal rights message. But this time PETA may have gone too far with its latest campaign, which suggests those who swim or fish in waters containing sharks are attacked or killed as 'payback'. The new poster shows a shark eating a severed human leg and the blood-stained slogan 'Payback is Hell', which aims to shock people into turning vegan. Controversial: The PETA advertisement may upset many whose loved ones have been hurt or killed in shark attacks . PETA say that in particular they hope . it will make people rethink fishing, suggesting if people inflict pain . on sealife they deserve it themselves. This could be considered particularly . offensive as British man Michael Cohen was yesterday left fighting for . his life after he was attacked by a great white shark while swimming in . the sea near Cape Town, South Africa. It could also be seen as an affront to . the family of British honeymooner Ian Redmond who was attacked and . killed as he went snorkelling yards off a Seychelles beach in August. The newly married Mr Redmond, from . Skelmersdale, Lancashire, had enjoyed a honeymoon lunch with his new . wife Gemma before the couple headed to the Anse Lazio beach in the . Seychelles. But tragedy struck when Mr Redmond was attacked while swimming in relatively shallow waters around 20 yard from shore. He lost an arm and suffered horrendous injuries to his left leg, as well as bite marks on his torso and hips. Holidaymakers tried desperately to . save him as he lay bleeding on the beach while others kept Mrs Redmond . back to spare her the horror of his injuries. Tragedy: Smiling newlyweds Ian Redmond 30, and Gemma Houghton 27 before the shark attack that killed Mr Redmond . Jeanne Vargiolu, 56, the owner of Le . Chevalier restaurant on the beach, said Mrs Redmond was saying she . ‘still had hope’ for her husband as he lay on the beach. ‘I saw his wife talking to about five people, I think one was English, that she still had hope he was still alive,’ she said. Speaking last month, 27-year-old . primary school teacher Mrs Redmond, who during the drama refused to . believe her husband was dead, paid tribute to Mr Redmond. She spoke movingly of the man who had been her partner for nine years and husband for a mere ten days. ‘My husband and my best friend was . tragically killed’ she said. ‘I loved him so much and he was a very . special husband, a thoughtful son and a devoted brother. ‘He worked tirelessly to give us both a . wonderful married life and home and I want to thank him for nine years . of joy. We were having so much fun and we were so excited about our . future together. 'Myself, our families and our friends . are devastated and shocked by what has happened. The loss of Ian has . left a gaping hole in our hearts that will never be filled. All smiles: Ian Redmond and Gemma Houghton on their wedding day on August 7, before they flew to the Seychelles for their honeymoon . ‘He was always calm and collected, . strong and brave, witty and intelligent, handsome and caring, a . remarkable individual who will be deeply and sorely missed.' In the South Africa attack on Tuesday . 43-year-old Mr Cohen was bitten 'numerous times' by a ten-foot-long . shark, which ripped off the lower part of his right leg and part of his . left foot. Despite his injuries the man managed . to drag himself onto the beach, from where he was rushed to hospital. He . was yesterday in a critical condition. The attack happened in the Cape Town . suburb of Fish Hoek: an area that is notorious for sharks, especially at . this time of year when they are known to be more numerous and more . likely to attack. Meanwhile last weekend, Charles 'CJ' Wickersham was spearfishing with friends in the Gulf of Mexico when a . 9ft bull shark bit him in the left leg. It tore so hard that his thigh bone was exposed beneath a 15in gash. PETA have wished the victim well, but say this is an example of the 'payback' the poster campaign highlights. Mr Wickersham, 21, only survived because six of his friends dashed into the water and pulled him to safety. Honeymoon destination: Anse Lazio beach in the Seychelles, where Ian Redmond was attacked last month . Connor Bystrom, who was in the boat . with Wickersham, told Good Morning America: 'All of a sudden he started . screaming and we knew it wasn’t good. 'Within seconds there was just a pool of blood around him.' PETA activist Ashely Byrne said: 'It . may be an unusual way to get the message across, but I think it will . cause people to be more sensitive towards fish. 'We are certainly glad the man is . going to be alright, but we hope he and other fishermen will use this as . an opportunity to rethink fishing.' PETA wants the illustration placed on billboards and benches around Anna Maria. Lucky escape: Friends gather round Charles Wickersham as he's treated in hospital, but PETA consider his attack 'payback' A photo snapped by his pals before the terrifying attack on Charles Wickersham in the Gulf of Mexico last week . But Mayor Michael Selby says that won't happen. Mr Selby said: 'We have no billboards in the city, and we do not allow advertising on our trolley benches.' One angler says this is PETA's 'typical propaganda.' Shark angler Bill Goldschmitt said: 'If I see one of those billboards that they plan on putting up, I will burn it down.' 'This is a human we are talking . about. A lot of these animal rights activists look at the things being . done to animals and don't seem to recognize what is being done to . humans.' PETA officials say this is not the first time they have tried to install signs after a shark attack on a human. A group of surfers helped rescued what is believed to be a young great white . shark over the weekend. The baby shark washed ashore near the . Venice Pier, a popular fishing spot, Saturday with a fish hook in its mouth. Surfers in the area came to the shark's . rescue, removing the hook from its mouth and dragging it back into the ocean. A . bystander caught the rescue on tape. It is unknown if the shark survived. Scientists say the shores off the southern . California coast are populated with young great white sharks who feed on area . marine life.
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Ian Redmond was killed by a shark in the Seychelles just last month .
'Insult' comes as British man Michael Cohen is left fighting for his life after being attacked off the coast of South Africa yesterday .
PETA want to put up billboards in areas where shark attacks happen, but locals say if they see them they will 'burn them down'
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(CNN) -- Gay men who've abstained from sex for one year would be able to donate blood in 2015, ending a lifetime ban for the gay community, under a proposed FDA policy change unveiled Tuesday. The current lifetime ban by U.S. Food and Drug Administration states dates back to 1983 and forbids men who have had sex with men from becoming blood donors because the group is "at increased risk for HIV, hepatitis B and certain other infections that can be transmitted by transfusion," the FDA has ruled. But the FDA is now seeking a change in that policy and would allow such blood donations based on an independent expert advisory panel's recommendation, the agency said. The proposed change would align the one-year deferral period "with that of other men and women at increased risk for HIV infection," the FDA said. The agency will be gathering public comments on the proposed change. "We encourage all stakeholders to take this opportunity to provide any information the agency should consider, and look forward to receiving and reviewing these comments," FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg said in a statement. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the FDA would monitor a national blood surveillance system to see any effects of the proposed policy change and to ensure the continued safety of the blood supply, Hamburg said. "A history of male-to-male sex is associated with an increased risk for exposure to and transmission of certain infectious diseases, including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS," the FDA said. Men who have had sex with other men represent approximately 2% of the U.S. population, yet are the population most severely affected by HIV, according to the FDA. In 2010, male-to-male sex accounted for at least 61% of all new HIV infections in the United States, and "an estimated 77% of diagnosed HIV infections among males were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact," the FDA said.
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Gay men who abstain from sex for one year may be able to give blood in 2015 .
The plan is now receiving public comments .
The proposal is recommended by an independent expert advisory panel .
The one-year deferral period would align with that of other men, women at HIV risk .
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A couple who had their two young children placed in foster care for nearly a year because of their use of medical marijuana are seeking punitive damages after a judge ruled that local welfare officials had no grounds for ever taking the children. Michael Lewis and Lauren Taylor are suing local Health and Human Services officials and police officers in Coronado, California, accusing them of false imprisonment, battery, negligence and civil rights violations, according to a lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court last month. The lawsuit stems from an incident on August 5, 2011, when local police received an anonymous tip that the couple were operating an illegal covert daycare operation and exposing children to marijuana. Michael Lewis and Lauren Taylor are suing local welfare officials and police officers in Coronado, California after their two sons were placed in foster care for nearly a year because of their use of medical marijuana . The couple, Michael Lewis and Lauren Taylor, have sued Coronado, two city police officers, the county and seven Health and Human Services department specialists, accusing them of false imprisonment, battery, negligence and civil rights violations, according to a lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court this month. Police found no evidence of a daycare center at the house, but they did find Lewis’ prescribed marijuana. A former Gulf War vet, he had been prescribed the drug to help alleviate migraines he suffered after being exposed to chemicals. Lewis was able to provide the cops with a valid California doctor's recommendation which they were happy to accept. But three days later, agents from the United States Department of Health and Human Services showed up at the family’s home, reports Courthousenews.com. A former Gulf War vet, Michael Lewis had been prescribed marijuana to help alleviate migraines he suffered after being exposed to chemicals . Citing the discovered marijuana as a ‘hazard’ in their official report, the agents removed the couple's two young boys - Cameran, then aged four, and Bailey, aged two - and placed them in an emergency shelter for ‘abused, abandoned, and neglected children’ in San Diego. Even though the Center immediately determined that the kids were ‘developmentally on target and there were no concerns for them’, the children were kept from their parents for a year. In their lawsuit, Lewis and his wife claim the County repeatedly lied to the Courts, inventing tales of 'abuse' and 'neglect' to keep the family separated. Lewis was accused of being a forger and a drug dealer who suffered from mental illness, while officials disregarded evidence that his marijuana use had been recommended by a physician and practiced away from the youngsters, and that Taylor did not use pot at all. After a year of anguish, Lauren Taylor had her boys returned after a judge ruled that the HHS had no grounds on which to continue holding them . Finally, on August 2, 2012, the children were returned to their parents after a judge ruled that the HHS had no grounds on which to continue holding them. The family was overjoyed at being reunited and now a year later has filed a lawsuit. They claim the misconduct by city and . county officials has cost them physically and emotionally - from costly . drug tests and supervised visitation to eviction and going a year . without the bond of family life. They are now suing for abduction of a child, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment and are seeking an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages. Michael Lewis and Lauren Taylor were overjoyed in August 2012 when their boys were returned to them almost a year after they had first been taken away .
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Michael Lewis and his partner Lauren Taylor had their two young son taken from them by local welfare officials .
The official had determined that Lewis' medical marijuana was a hazard .
A Gulf War vet he had been prescribed the drug to help alleviate migraines .
It took a year before the couple had their sons returned to them .
They claim the misconduct by city and .
county officials cost them physically and emotionally and have filled a lawsuit seeking damages .
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A high-stress job which left her 'burning the candle at both ends', combined with her mum falling very ill were the triggers that forced Irena Macri to take a step back and reexamine her life. She quit her high-paying job in the corporate world and through her mum's battle with cancer began to reevaluate her own health and wellbeing. 'Mum was sick in 2009. She had colon cancer and then got diagnosed with thyroid cancer soon after,' Irena told Daily Mail Australia, adding that the diagnosis was a shock as her mother had always been very healthy. Scroll down for video . Irena Macri is the blogger behind popular food website Eat Drink Paleo, which has 170,000 monthly readers . Irena, here with her mum Tamara in 2007, started researching the 'lifestyle' after she quit her high-stress job and her mother fell ill . She works out of a 'small kitchen' in London, creating and photographing all her own food . 'She is now in remission but had to undergo surgeries for both,' she continued. 'For us as a family it was scary of course but we all stayed as positive as we could and mum was determined to not let the illness affect her love of life.' Through her own research Irena experimented with various trends and diets before discovering the Paleo lifestyle in 2011. 'Paleo is a diet and I guess it’s a lifestyle, it is inspired by our hunter gatherer ancestors. 'We just take cues from the way our ancestors lived and look at what we as humans have thrived on,' Irena explained. Irena's mum suffered from colon and thyroid cancer despite being healthy, and now grows her own vegetables . The paleo diet excludes refined sugars and grains, plus dairy, legumes, and anything processed . Irena insists the approach is just as much lifestyle-based as it is about changing what you eat . Now just a few years on she runs her wildly successful blog Eat Drink Paleo which has over 170,000 readers a month, and has just released a cookbook of the same name. 'It excludes refined sugar and grains, anything that comes in a package and has ingredients you can’t pronounce,' Irena said. Dairy, legumes and any processed foods are also banned on the Paleo diet. But she insisted the approach is more lifestyle based than simply changing one's diet, and the focus lies in many aspects of a person's health. 'There’s the lifestyle aspect of paleo which doesn't get talking about as much, people that follow the paleo/primal lifestyle are really focused on improving sleep, reducing stress and stress management,' Irena said . Dairy, legumes and any processed foods are also banned on the Paleo diet . Irena quit her high-paying job in the corporate world to fulfill her life-long dream of working with food . Irena's friend, letterer and designer Carla Hackett who worked on the cookbook . '(It's about) getting outdoors and getting in touch with our more primal activities,' she added. 'It’s probably more important than the food to be honest, if people didn't even follow the diet but made improvements in the lifestyle aspects it would have a huge impact.' Irena's mother is now in her late sixties but 'keeps a very active lifestyle' and 'has a big garden where she grows vegetables and fruit and tries to eat nourishing food.' The author explained that her relationship with food can be traced back to her family life in Ukraine, where she grew up and lived until she was 16. 'I have very fond memories of my childhood and everyone in the family was a big fan of cooking,' Irena recalled. She said she remembers harvesting her own food and berries, and everything was made fresh as there were no fast food options. 'I have very fond memories of my childhood and everyone in the family was a big fan of cooking,' Irena recalled . Designer Carla Hackett helped create the front cover of the book . Eat Drink Paleo published by Penguin Books is now available at Booktopia and Bookworld . 'The cooking was kind of the centre of socialising with my family,' Irena said. 'When I look back I would consider what we ate as very nutrient dense I just didn't know it at the time. 'My parents were quite active, my dad was an athlete and my mum was a swimmer, both competitively. 'We spent a lot of time outside, I think I had a really good foundation,' she added. With her Paleo lifestyle Irena encourages people to take an 80/20 approach to 'sustain the lifestyle and a little treat every now and then'. 'When it comes to eating well my approach is that 80 percent of the time I eat a very clean Paleo diet,' she explained. With her Paleo lifestyle Irena encourages people to take an 80/20 approach to 'sustain the lifestyle and a little treat every now and then' She said moderation and variety is the key, so people don't get too 'obsessed with things' 'The 20 percent is for the things I add into my diet like a little bit of white rice or dairy', Irena said before adding that the additions could be different for every person. 'Moderation and variety is the key, we just tend to get a little bit obsessed with things.' From a health perspective Irena believes the Paleo lifestyle has reduced her stress levels, increased her energy levels, improved her immune systems and helped her deal with a whole host of chronic illnesses as simple as cold and flus. And with a global following of 87,000 people it seems that others are experiencing the same positive results. What started as a resource for others to find Paelo recipes and support - something Irena struggled to discover when she initially started the blog - is now a full-time lifestyle for her. Zucchini and Bacon Fritters are just one of many recipes that appear in Irena's cookbook . Ingredients - Onion Relish . 3 tbsp virgin olive oil . 2 medium brown onions, sliced . 1 long red chilli, fi nely diced . 2/3 tsp sea salt . 1 garlic clove, fi nely diced . 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar . 1 tbsp tomato paste . 1/2 tsp coriander seed powder . 1/2 cup water . Ingredients - Fritters . 2 rashers of bacon, diced and . trimmed from excess fat . Ghee for cooking . 2 medium green zucchinis, grated . (discard the middle with seeds) 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated . 1/2 chopped green onion . 2 eggs . 2 tbsp tapioca fl our . 2/3 tsp sea salt . 1/2 tsp pepper . 1/4 tsp gluten–free baking powder . 3 tbsp coconut oil . Method . 'It has completely changed my life, I still pinch myself everyday,' Irena revealed. 'I work everyday, it’s a passion but its also a job.' She cooks in her London home, and creates and photographs all her own food. 'I have a very small kitchen for someone who writes about food,' Irena joked. Although she has a few gadgets she can't live without such as a food processor and blender, 'I have one frying pan, it’s all very basic'. Eat Drink Paleo was originally self-published as an e-book but with a little help from crowd-funding meant she could produce a higher quality end product. It has since been published in its latest form by Penguin Books Australia and is available from Booktopia or Bookworld RRP $34.99.
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Irena Macri is the brains behind popular food blog Eat Drink Paleo .
She began researching the diet after she quit her high-stress job and her mother got cancer .
Irena discovered the lifestyle in 2011 and her blog now has almost 200,000 monthly readers .
She takes a realistic 80/20 approach which means followers can introduce treats in 20 percent of the time .
Paleo is a primal diet based on eating mostly fresh vegetables, meat and excludes things like grains and refined sugars .
Eat Drink Paleo cookbook is now available through Penguin Books .
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Paul Scholes has questioned Roy Hodgson's decision to deploy Jack Wilshere as a holding midfielder, insisting the Arsenal star is an 'attacking' player who 'is stuck between two roles' at the moment. Wilshere was utilised in front of the back four for the Three Lions against Switzerland and Scholes feels that his talent is being misused and wasted due to both Hodgson and Arsene Wenger constantly switching the 22-year-old's role in the side. Writing in his column in The Independent, former Manchester United and Three Lions midfielder Scholes said: 'I still have my concerns about the diamond formation in midfield (for England) and most of all about Jack Wilshere’s role in it. New role: Paul Scholes does not believe Jack Wilshere (right) should be deployed as a holding midfielder . Opinionated: Scholes (pictured) believes that Jack Wilshere's best role is as an 'attacking midfielder' Strong: Wilshere has always been a player who can dive into a tackle, but can improve that part of his game . 'Don’t get me wrong, Jack has great ability and at some point I hope that he will be in a position to score goals and to create them. 'But I just do not believe that playing in front of the back four, on his own, suits him.' The 11-time Premier League winner also made comparisons between Wilshere and himself, believing both to be 'attacking' midfielders by nature. Scholes claims Wilshere is being asked to play in an undefined role, almost a middle-ground between attacking and defensive midfield. He continued: 'Wilshere is an attacking midfielder, as I was for most of my career. He is not a defensive midfielder and I feel at the moment he is stuck between the two roles. He is being asked to control the play from a deep position, which does not play to his strengths.' Attributes: Arsene Wenger believes his midfield man has the abilities to play further back . Improving: The Arsenal midfielder was happy with his first game in the position, but wants to get better . Versatile: The Arsenal man can play in any of the three central midfield positions at his club .
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Paul Scholes question Roy Hodgson's decision to play Jack Wilshere deep .
Ex-Manchester United star thinks Wilshere is better suited further forward .
Wilshere was given England's holding-midfielder role against Switzerland .
Scholes says the 22-year-old is an 'attacking' and not 'holding' midfielder .
Questions why Wilshere yet to be given defined role for Arsenal or England .
Scholes claims Wilshere is an 'attacking midfielder' just like he was .
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JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel has expelled Venezuela's ambassador in response to Venezuela's expulsion of an Israeli envoy and the rupture of diplomatic relations earlier this month. A pro-Palestinian mural in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. Venezuelan head of mission Roland Betancourt and two other diplomats were given until Friday to leave. "Due to the decision of Venezuela to cut relations with us a few weeks ago, we told the Venezuelan charge d'affaires that he and his staff should leave Israel," Foreign Ministry official Lior Hayat said. "We told them they are declared persona non grata in Israel." Venezuela expelled Israeli Ambassador Shlomo Cohen and staff on January 6 and broke off diplomatic relations on January 14 in protest of Israel's attack on Gaza. Bolivia also broke off relations with Israel that day. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro defended his country's actions, saying Israel violated basic human rights with its military action. "Our decisions were just, correct, aligned with and adjusted with the spirit of our constitution, which mandates that we seek international peace," Maduro said in a statement on the foreign ministry's Web site. Maduro said Venezuela's actions are compatible with its support for the creation of a Palestinian state. He has not spoken, he said, with any Israeli officials over this week's expulsion of the Venezuelan diplomats. "The response of the state of Israel is weak, late, and in any case for us it's an honor," Maduro told the Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera. "We're proud that the state of Israel that exists today, led by these criminals, made this decision." Israel and Venezuela have had diplomatic tensions before. Israel recalled its ambassador to Venezuela in August 2006 "in protest against the one-sided policy of the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, in light of his outrageous defamatory remarks against the state of Israel, and in reaction to the recalling of the Venezuela ambassador to Israel," the foreign ministry said at the time. A January 21 cease-fire put an end to fighting between Hamas militants in Gaza and Israel, which had launched a three-week offensive, saying its goal was to stop missile strikes into southern Israel. More than 1,200 Palestinians, many of them civilians, were killed. Israel lost about 10 soldiers and three civilians.
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Venezuelan ambassador to Israel and two others expelled .
Move in response to Venezuela breaking diplomatic relations over Gaza attack .
Venezuelan foreign minister says country is proud of the expulsion from Israel .
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f6de3eb5b4dfa7712623921e2f41e50f687b273d
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By . Lee Moran . UPDATED: . 13:10 EST, 9 January 2012 . Flexing his pecs and showing off his speed, President Barack Obama stripped off for some beach football to round off his Christmas holidays in Hawaii. As his Republican rivals were deep in preparation for the Iowa caucuses, these photos show President Obama had his mind on diving headlong for catches and tossing touchdowns to his friends from the Secret Service. The 50-year-old looked surprisingly lean on New Year's Day at the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base on Oahu, where he stayed with the first family for their 10-day vacation. Game player: As his Republican rivals were deep in preparation for the Iowa caucuses, Barack Obama had his mind on diving headlong for catches and tossing touchdowns to his friends from the Secret Service . Game on! Barack Obama was pictured playing football during his Hawaii holiday . The football game brought to an end a relaxing and fun-filled 10 days for the President who arrived in Hawaii a week later than he had hoped. He would have enjoyed an even longer period away from the White House had there not been a stalemate in Washington D.C. over the payroll tax cut. But he certainly made up for lost time as, within an hour of arriving on December 23, he took wife Michelle out for dinner at one of their favorite hotspots, Morimoto Restaurant. Then, on Christmas Eve, they spent some family time together with daughters Sasha and Malia in the morning. Relaxation: The football game brought to an end a fun-filled 10 days for the President who arrived in Hawaii a week later than he had hoped . During the afternoon the couple split their time as President Obama went to play golf and the First Lady answered phone calls from expectant children who called NORAD to see where Santa was on his route. Like many families, the Obamas spent Christmas morning by themselves, opening presents and singing carols. They then attended church services at a nearby naval base and talked with military families afterwards. President Obama had no public schedule when he arrived in Hawaii but his schedule seemed to fill up quite quickly. The entire Obama clan was joined by their family friends the Nesbitts as they took a drive from their multi-million dollar rented vacation home to the Sea Life Park marine sanctuary. Beach babies: President Barack Obama walks down to the beach with his family during his 10-day break to Hawaii . Rival: Is Obama trying to compete with . Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who is regularly pictured topless? While there, the girls were able to release three 18-month-old sea turtles into the wild. Though he tried to keep a low profile throughout the trip, he and his motorcade was seen driving to and from the golf course a number of times. One of his golfing partners was an old high school buddy Robert 'Bobby' Titcomb, who was arrested in a prostitution sting. After golf that day, the boys were joined by the First Lady and President Obama's sister Maya Soetoro-Ng at Alan Wong's, one of Hawaii's priciest restaurants. In an act of reflection, the President and Mrs Obama visited the Pearl Harbor memorial and paid tribute to the thousands who lost their lives there 70 years ago. It was his first visit since 2008, when he was president-elect. And then on New Year's Day, the family went back to their roots by paying tribute to two different generations. They first visited the grave of President Obama's maternal grandmother, Stanley Durham, and later they went to an exhibit honoring President Obama's mother, Ann Durham, and the work she did overseas in Indonesia. It was afterwards that he managed to squeeze in a game of football - the photographs of which some have compared to Vladimir Putin's display of masculinity in promotional pictures. The Russian Prime Minister is well known for posing with his top off in a bid to demonstrate his power and virility. Later that night, the Obamas left the girls at home while they joined 10 friends for dinner in the private room at celebrity hotspot Nobu Wakiki. They returned to Washington D.C. on Monday, January 2. Commander in briefs: Obama pictured in 2008 prior to becoming President .
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Obama pictured playing football with Secret Service friends during family Christmas holiday in Hawaii .
Photo of him looking lean draws comparison to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's horseback picture .
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(CNN)Sri Lanka's current president Mahinda Rajapaksa has conceded defeat to rival Maithripala Sirisena in the country's presidential election, bringing an end to a decade of leadership increasingly criticized as corrupt and nepotistic. Rajapaksa acknowledged the defeat on his official Twitter account Friday, writing: "I value and respect our democratic process and the people's verdict, and look forward to the peaceful transition of power." Sirisena would be sworn in at 6 p.m. local time in Colombo's Independence Square, Dhanushka Ramanayake, the head of his media unit, said. The defeat of the once untouchable president, the longest-serving political leader in the region, was the result of a failed electoral gamble. In November, the 69-year-old called elections two years earlier than required, only to be shocked by the defection of many key political allies, including the man who would unseat him. The defections apparently wrong-footed Rajapaksa, and the opposition had the better of the campaign, say analysts. "He didn't expect the candidate to be Sirisena," said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of Sri Lanka's Center for Policy Alternatives. "I think he probably underestimated the disaffection in the country and the desire for change." Unexpected departure . Sirisena, 63, served as general-secretary of Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party and health minister in his cabinet, before switching allegiance to a broad opposition alliance that proved to be the former president's most serious political challenge. The unwieldy coalition includes the center-right United National Party, the hardline Sinhala Buddhist Jathika Hela Urumaya as well as parties representing the substantial Tamil and Muslim minorities. The alliance could prove fractious as Sirisena pursues his ambitious agenda, said political scientist Dayan Jayatilleka. "Sirisena not only has this coalition to hold together, he has to do so having promised a fast-track program of drastic political reform," he said. "One doesn't know how this coalition will handle that." During a campaign focused on Rajapaksa's perceived nepotism and dynastic urges, Sirisena pledged to weaken the powers of the presidency, crack down on corruption and hold fresh parliamentary election within 100 days. 'Heartland appeal' A former Maoist, Sirisena was jailed as a young political activist, before being entering mainstream politics and being elected as a parliamentarian in 1989. The farmer-turned-politician comes from a humble background in the rice-producing North Central Province -- credentials that appealed to Rajapaksa's political base in the Sinhalese heartland, said Jayatilleka. "He's a Sinhala Buddhist from a peasant background -- you couldn't get more mainstream than that in Sri Lankan politics," he said. "He's someone that the Sinhalese would trust." But he also had the overwhelming backing of the country's substantial Tamil and Muslim minorities, who had been alienated by Rajapaksa's perceived failure to advance national reconciliation efforts in the wake of the country's decades-long civil war, and perceived tolerance of hardline Buddhist extremists blamed for stoking anti-Muslim violence. READ MORE: Fascists in saffron robes? The rise of Bodu Bala Sena . Luster faded . Rajapaksa was elected president in 2005 and returned to office in 2010, a year after government forces routed the Tamil Tigers rebels to end the country's 25-year civil war. The victory remained his main political asset, contributing to a "rock star appeal," said Jayatilleke. But in recent years, the luster seemed to have faded for voters, with criticisms that his presidency had become increasingly authoritarian, power-hungry and dynastic. Three of Rajapaksa's brothers occupied powerful positions: Basil as the Minister of Economic Development, Gotabaya as Defense Secretary and Chamal as the Speaker of Parliament. Following his 2010 reelection, in which he earned 58% of the vote, an emboldened Rajapaksa amended the constitution to concentrate power in the presidential office and remove term limits, allowing for a tilt at an unprecedented third term. Many Sri Lankans felt the move excessive, said Saravanamuttu. "They want the force of the executive president trimmed or abolished." Congratulations flow . World leaders were quick to offer their congratulations to the incoming president. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he had called Sirisena, and congratulated "the people of Sri Lanka on the peaceful & democratic poll process." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry congratulated Rajapaksa on accepting the results "in the proud tradition of peaceful and orderly transfers of power," and said he looked forward to working with Sirisena on implementing his platform of building a "Sri Lanka that is peaceful, inclusive, democratic, and prosperous." Jayatilleke said there was a sense of satisfaction in Sri Lanka that, five years after the end of a decades-long civil war, the country had witnessed a smooth transfer of power. "That's something that any society can be proud of," he said. CNN's Sumnima Udas and Iqbal Athas contributed to this story.
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Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes defeat to rival in presidential elections .
Maithripala Sirisena was minister in Rajapaksa's cabinet before defecting .
A farmer turned politician, he has support of minorities and has pledged reform .
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Karl Stefanovic's blue suit is now world famous after the internet went 'a little bit crazy' over the fact the television presenter had been wearing the same thing every day for a year. The Today show co-host has worn the exact same cheap Burberry suit on air to prove a point about the double standards women face, especially in the television industry. Stefanovic said he had not received one complaint about his repetitive attire over the past year, but his female co-host Lisa Wilkinson regularly copped criticism about the way she looked. Scroll down for video . Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic has worn the exact same cheap Burberry suit on air to prove a point about the double standards women face, especially in the television industry . The Channel Nine presenter's year-long suit-wearing investigation came to light on Saturday and Stefanovic was still wearing it on Monday morning when he spoke of the hype surrounding it . The Channel Nine presenter's year-long suit-wearing investigation came to light on Saturday via Fairfax Media and Stefanovic was still wearing it on Monday morning when he spoke of the hype surrounding it. 'No one has noticed; no one gives a s**t,' he told Fairfax Media. 'Women, they wear the wrong colour and they get pulled up. They say the wrong thing and there's thousands of tweets written about them. 'I'm judged on my interviews, my appalling sense of humour – on how I do my job, basically. Whereas women are quite often judged on what they're wearing or how their hair is ... that's (what I wanted to test).' Stefanovic's experiment has since sparked worldwide media interest from websites like the BBC and New York Post. He has worn the suit everyday and just changed his shirt and tie. The Channel Nine presenter conducted the year-long experiment into the double standards faced by his female co-host Lisa Wilkinson . Stefanovic (pictured with Richard Wilkins (left) and Ben Fordham (right) said he had not received one complaint about his repetitive attire over the past year . 'It does get a little bit stinky,' he quipped on the Today show on Monday. 'It has been dry-cleaned a couple of times and it gets harder and harder to wear.' The experiment was a show of support for Wilkinson who gave a speech 12 months ago on the pressures and scrutiny women in television faced on a daily basis. 'Some people have called it reverse sexism, or whatever it is, I don’t know whether it is that because can sexism be women judging mainly other women?' Stefanovic said. 'I think in this situation for women on TV, it’s mainly women judging women and what they wear.' Wilkinson said: 'From the emails I've received in this job, most have been from women and I don't know how we got into that space where it leans to a lack of support.' Stefanovic said his female co-host Lisa Wilkinson (left) regularly copped criticism about the way she looked . Stefanovic's sexism stance garnered worldwide attention with feminist website Jezabel among those to weigh in on the experiment. Reporter Isha Aran wrote: 'As hilarious and interesting as this is, he simply proved something we all already know, the double standard women deal with on a day-to-day basis'. MTV.com quipped that everyone should pitch in for his dry cleaning bill. 'Stefanovic’s experiment is definitely hilarious but it also shines an important light on what his female colleagues have to deal with every day,' they wrote. The experiment was a show of support for Wilkinson who gave a speech 12 months ago on the pressures and scrutiny women in television face on a daily basis . Stefanovic's experiment has since sparked worldwide media interest from websites like the BBC and New York Post . While Stefanovic said he was showing support for his co-host, female television hosts on other networks have also copped similar criticisms on their appearance. Samantha Armytage, co-host of Channel Seven's Sunrise breakfast program, was ridiculed earlier this year after a newspaper published photos of her in everyday clothes outside of work. 'She's a mate and she was hurt by that... and I can understand. You've got to have a thick skin in TV but there's a limit.,' Stefanovic told Fairfax Media. Just last month, ABC News Breakfast host Virginia Trioli made headlines after a viewer told her she needed a makeover and wasn't paying enough attention to her appearance. The veteran journalist posted a copy of the letter on social media to highlight the scrutiny she faced. Stefanovic in the same blue cheap Burberry suit with co-host Lisa Wilkinson and Tim Cahill . Social media jumped to support Stefanovic's experiment, labelling it 'magnificent', 'fabulous' Social media have jumped to support Stefanovic's experiment, labelling it 'magnificent', 'fabulous' and calling him 'a legend' and 'as big as Kim Kardashian's butt'. Others wondered whether the message would make any impact and commented that women in the media could not avoid being criticised. 'Stefanovic has shown, no matter what a man chooses to wear within a limited scope he will not be examined by the public. Female talk show hosts do not have that option. That's the point I think is being made. Female talk show hosts cannot escape this scrutiny,' said one Twitter user. Another pointed out that 'Female talk show hosts constantly have their wardrobe choices and bodies examined by the public. This is a consequence of being female. Being female in the workplace means there is no single way of dressing, so there is no escaping the criticism or admiration of the public.'
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Australian TV host, Karl Stefanovic, has worn the same suit for a year to prove a point about double standards for men and women .
The Today host says he hasn't received one complaint about his cheap Burberry suit despite co-host Lisa Wilkinson copping regular criticism .
Stefanovic's experiment has since garnered worldwide media attention .
He was still wearing the Burberry blue suit on Monday to host the show .
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