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By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 12:56 EST, 22 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:47 EST, 22 March 2013 . An injured fisherman caught in bad weather on the Irish Sea has to be winched to safety as the 17ft waves threatened to sink his boat. Due to the rough sea, a 3,500 tonne Royal Navy vessel had to be called in to provide shelter as the rescue team struggled to get to the French fisherman in time. The coastguard had already scrambled both an RAF search and rescue helicopter and an RNLI lifeboat to rescue the fisherman, but weather conditions were deteriorating fast. Saving the French: The RAF helicopter evacuated the French crewman using a winch following a difficult rescue mission in the stormy weather . Royal Navy Hydrographic survey vessel, . HMS Echo, was carrying out maritime security operations when she . received a request for assistance from Milford Haven Coastguard. The 17-ft high swell meant it was not possible to lower a winchman safely onto the vessel’s deck and assist the fisherman who was showing signs of hypothermia. Once Echo was called in the 3,500 tonne ship attempted to provide some shelter for the RNLI lifeboat to get alongside the French fishing vessel, Alf, but once again the weather prevented a rescue. This left them with no choice but to escort the fishing vessel closer inland before the helicopter was able to winch the injured fisherman to safety. Dangerous mission: A gigantic wave nearly swallows the boat as the RAF helicopter hovers nearby to save the French fisherman . Distress call: The helicopter closes in on the French fishing boat as it is battered in the rough waves . With 59 crew members on board, HMS Echo . was fortunate to have Gunnery Officer, Lieutenant Adam Butler, among the . Ship's Company. Lt Butler studied French at University College London before joining the Royal Navy and was able to translate what the French crew were saying. Lt Butler said: ‘It’s not often that I get to use my language skills in my current job, but this was a refreshing change. ‘I'm just pleased we were able to assist another mariner in his time of need.’ Search and rescue: The rough sea meant a tricky operation which saw 3,500 tonne HMS Echo called in to provide shelter for the RNLI lifeboat . Lt Cdr Karen Fyfe, HMS Echo's Executive Officer, added: ‘The safety of life at sea remains the responsibility of every mariner - HMS Echo was the right ship, in the right place, at the right time. ‘We have the expertise onboard to enable the ship's company to make an immediate impact on the lives of those unfortunate enough to have been caught up in the incident on the fishing vessel. ‘I am pleased that we were able to provide valuable and timely support to fellow mariners. ‘This is what our people in the Royal Navy are trained to do, and do well.’ However, this was not the only incident where French fishermen found themselves in trouble on the Irish Sea. Brave: Wicklow RNLI arrive to rescuing four fishermen on a French-registered trawler after their vessel got into difficulty on the Irish Sea in the early hours of the morning . Four fishermen on a French-registered . trawler were rescued after they suffered . engine failure 2.5 miles east of Wicklow Head, shortly after 3am in the . morning. Despite a force nine gale, torrential rain and a 10ft-13ft breaking swell, Wicklow RNLI responded and towed the boat to Wicklow Harbour. The 85ft 120-tonne boat had been on a delivery run from France to Ireland. Wicklow RNLI volunteer Tommy Dover . said: ‘It was such a bad night but the experienced crew, confident in . the lifeboat's ability to meet the conditions, skilfully responded and . were thankful and delighted to be able to assist the four crew members . and their vessel safely to shore this morning.’ Saving grace: Despite a force nine gale, torrential rain and a 10ft-13ft breaking swell, the four fishermen were rescued and their boat towed to Wicklow Harbour .
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Helicopter, lifeboat and 3,500 tonne Royal Navy ship called to save crewman .
French fisherman showed signs of hypothermia and was winched to safety .
Rescue team struggled in the sea with 17ft waves threatening to sink boat .
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By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 07:39 EST, 13 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:11 EST, 13 March 2014 . Holiday nightmare: Heidi-Ray Noble Steeples suffered life-changing injuries when she fell from the top of a play area slide in Turkey . An eight-year-old girl lost a kidney after she went down a slide at a Thomas Cook resort and fell on a picket fence at the bottom. Now her family are suing the holiday giant over the ‘life-changing injury’ she suffered, which has left her unable to participate in her favourite hobby of horse-riding . Heidi-Ray Noble Steeples landed on a ‘poorly positioned’ fence in the play area of a resort in Oludeniz, Turkey. Heidi-Ray was rushed from the hotel to a local hospital where her kidney was removed during two weeks of treatment in August 2012. She also developed pneumonia and suffered a bad reaction to plasters used on her wounds causing her further pain. After returning to UK the youngster also faced a number of outpatient appointments with a renal specialist before being given the all-clear to return to school. Her family, of Tingley, West Yorkshire, say Thomas Cook should take responsibility for her injuries, which have left her unable to take part in her beloved hobby of horse riding. They have instructed specialist lawyers at legal firm Irwin Mitchell to secure a settlement on her behalf. Mother Sarah Noble Steeples said: ‘Falling from that slide has changed her life forever. ‘It could all so easily have been prevented if the resort had taken more care with the layout of its play area. ‘It was heartbreaking to see Heidi in such pain on what should have been a really enjoyable holiday and it was an incredibly difficult time for the family. Legal action: Heidi-Ray's family is suing Thomas Cook over the injuries . Lengthy treatment: After Heidi-Ray injured herself at Oludeniz (pictured), she required a two-week stay in hospital . ‘Whilst Heidi has made a good recovery, it is such a shame that she is no longer able to take part in the same activities that she did before the accident. ‘It was very upsetting for Heidi to be told that she could not go back to horse riding.’ She added: ‘We want to make sure somebody takes responsibility for Heidi’s fall. ‘There’s no excuse for an eight-year-old having to go through this and having to adjust to life after the incident without being able to return to all of the things she used to love doing.’ Demetrius Danas, an international personal injury law specialist at Irwin Mitchell, said: ‘Heidi’s life has been changed greatly because of the fall. ‘Losing a kidney is a very serious, life-changing event and a hugely stressful situation for anybody, let alone an eight-year-old girl. ‘We have started legal action against Thomas Cook following the incident and have invited them to admit responsibility for what happened to Heidi. ‘We hope that Thomas Cook will now work with us constructively to provide Heidi with a full and fair financial settlement for the injuries she has sustained and the treatment, care and support she has needed to date as well as any that she may require in the future.’ Thomas Cook said: ‘We were naturally very concerned to hear about Miss Noble Steeples’ accident while on holiday with us. ‘As we are in the process of liaising directly with the family’s legal representative in relation to this, we are unable to provide any further comment at this time.’ The hotel removed the fence following the accident and put up a sign saying children should be supervised in the play area.
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Heidi-Ray Noble Steeples landed on a 'poorly positioned' fence in Turkey .
The eight-year-old ruptured a kidney and needed two weeks of treatment .
Heidi-Ray suffered complications including pneumonia .
She has been left unable to go horse riding again - her favourite hobby .
'No excuse for an eight-year-old to have to go through this' - mother .
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Two sisters orphaned in last year's Alps massacre have started a new life with their aunt and uncle, but will always have armed police guards, it emerged today. Zainab al-Hilli, eight, and her sister Zeena, four, lost their parents and grandmother after they were gunned down in their BMW on a holiday to Lake Annecy on September 5, 2012. Saad al-Hilli, 50, mother Iqbal, 47, and grandmother Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, were killed alongside 45-year-old French cyclist Sylvain Mollier, in a crime that has still not been solved. Mystery: Zainab Al-Hilli, 8, was pistol-whipped and left for dead, and sister Zeena hid under her dead mother's skirt in the unsolved Alps massacre that claimed the lives of their parents and grandparents . Unsolved: French police investigating the horrific murder . of Saad al-Hilli (left) have, more than a year on, finally released a portrait of the possible . killer (right) Zainab was left fighting for her life after being shot in the shoulder and bludgeoned over the head with a gun, while Zeena hid underneath her mother's skirt in the back of the car and survived unscathed. Ruling: High Court judge Justice Baker today agreed the orphans' maternal aunt and uncle should be their guardians . But because it is believed Zainab . saw the assassin, the sisters will be getting an armed police guard, the High Court heard. Judge Justice Baker made special guardianship orders allowing the orphans to live with their . maternal aunt, uncle and cousin. In making the guardianship order he commended the aunt and uncle 'for the dedication that have shown to the girls. They have without hesitation taken on the responsibility of caring for their nieces and welcomed them into their home. 'They have, of course, had to do this whilst addressing their own grief and sense of loss. They have had to withstand the intrusion of professionals coming to carry out assessments and other enquiries and the inevitable media attention. 'I commend them for all that they have done, and all that they are going to do in future, for the benefit of the girls'. He also sent his 'very best wishes to the girls. In the last few weeks, they have moved to live with their aunt and uncle and have started their new schools'. The girls had been in foster care since the murders. Another uncle 54-year-old Zaid al-Hilli from Chessington , Surrey is on bail over the deaths thought to be linked to a disputed will. But he denies any wrongdoing. Under the special guardianship order the aunt and uncle are given exclusive power to exercised parental responsibility for the children. The judge said it also provides a degree of permanence, stability, and security for the children. Denial: Zaid Al-Hilli says he does not have any involvement in his brother's death, and remains on police bail . He added: 'It is in the interests of Zainab and Zeena to retain their existing family links and their identity as the children of their tragically deceased parents. 'Accordingly, and rightly, no party has proposed adoption as the appropriate outcome in this case. Manifestly, however, given their traumatic experiences, they do require an order which gives them a higher degree of stability and permanence and in my judgment a special guardianship order meets that requirement. 'Accordingly I make special guardianship orders appointed the aunt and uncle to be special guardians of the girls.' He said the local authority would still provide support for the girls. The aunt and uncle have made an application to live permanently in England . The judge said while it was not a matter for him but the immigration authorities, in his judgment 'it would manifestly be in the best interests of the girls for a way to be found for them to continue to live in this country with their aunt and uncle.' The ruling was made earlier this month but only made public today.
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Zainab al-Hilli and her younger sister Zeena, lost parents and grandmother .
Zainab was pistol-whipped by assassin and Zeena hid under her mother .
Require an armed police guard because the eldest child may have seen killer .
High Court has agreed their maternal aunt and uncle should be guardians .
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By . Jaymi Mccann . PUBLISHED: . 05:08 EST, 11 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:07 EST, 11 March 2013 . £100million bank boss Rich Ricci has been accused of being ‘out of touch’ after entering race horse Fatcatinthehat into the Cheltenham Festival. The Barclays investment banker, who always wears his signature trilby while racing, cashed in £9.7million of shares bonuses last year, earned £44million . of pay and perks in 2010 and is set to pocket up to £6million in deferred shares bonuses this year. Labour have accused the 49-year-old of being 'out of touch' with the plight of ordinary, hardworking people after choosing such an insensitive name. Ricci with his horse Champagne Fever after winning at Cheltenham in 2012. He has reared 30 horses with his wife and trainer Willie Mullins . Labour MP John Mann said: ‘It's an insult to every taxpayer and small business in the country. And it shows just how out of touch these bankers are.’ The name might be a reference to a revealing article in The Independent in 2011 about Ricci titled ‘Who’s the fat cat in the hat? The rich world of Rich Ricci.’ Ricci, from Nebraska, USA, rose through the ranks of the . operations and technology departments at Barclays, spending several . years as the group's chief operating officer before taking the top job. Fatcatinthehat and Paul Townend won the Leopardstown. The horse is now third favourite for its race on Wednesday . Fatcatinthehat is just one of 11 horses at Cheltenham that multi-millionaire Ricci owns . Rich Ricci with jockey Paul Townend after winning the Racing Post Novice on Arvika Ligeonniere during the Leopardstown Christmas Festival last year . As a chief executive of Barclays Capital . he received a huge £44million, including a basic salary of £700,000, a . £3.3million long-term incentive award, a £9.9 million bonus and . £30million in shares in 2010. Despite never accepting a government bailout, Barclays have seen a string of scandals with their bosses receiving millions of pounds in bonuses. The bank was fined £290million after it admitted manipulating submissions used to calculate interest rates. The controversial bank boss received £44million in pay and perks in 2010 and cashed another £9.7million in share bonuses last year . Former chief executive was then awarded £17million from the bank despite being forced to resign amidst the interest rate scandal. New chief executive Antony Jenkins has announced a major restructuring of the bank to help repair its damaged image. Barclay's capital, the investment banking side of the company, will be forced to scale back their operations in Europe and Asia. Ricci and his wife of 12 years Susannah, 49, have reared 30 horses with champion trainer Willie Mullins, winning £588,125 in prize money this season alone. They have entered a total of eleven horses to the meeting which starts tomorrow. He is famous for his trademark trilby and extroverted choice of tailoring when he appears at the races. Fatcatinthehat won his last race . and is 12-1 third favourite to win Wednesday’s Fred Winter Juvenile . Hurdle for a £75,000 prize. Ladbrokes . spokesman David Williams said: ‘If Fatcatinthehat wins, we will . sink into recession - all the bankers will be shovelling their bonuses . on to the horse. ‘Mr Ricci has some fancied runners and it's an odds-on shot he will be celebrating a winner this week.’ Ricci’s other horses have included Champagne Fever, The Midnight Club, Zaidpour, and Scotsirish. Five Barclays bosses are set to receive up to £17million in shares bonuses this year, including Ricci's £6million . Ricci has been involved in racing in the . UK and Ireland for years and described watching his horses race and lose . as an experience: 'Like going to a job interview and then puking all . over yourself.' Their unbeaten five-year-old thoroughbred Pont Alexandre is favourite to win Wednesday’s Neptune Novices Hurdle.
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Rich Ricci's has 11 horses that will race at Cheltenham this week .
The multi-millionaire is famous for wearing a trilby to the races .
The chief executive of Barclays Capital cashed £9.7million of share bonuses last year .
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(CNN) -- A controversial bill that would extend the right to request euthanasia to children suffering terminal illnesses and adults with dementia cleared a vote in a Belgian Senate committee Wednesday. The panel voted 13-4 to allow minors to seek euthanasia under certain conditions, the communications director for the Senate, Patrick Peremans, told CNN. The vote is one stage in a legislative process -- the bill must clear other hurdles before it becomes law. Belgium passed legislation in 2002 allowing voluntary euthanasia for adults. Changes to the law now being considered by lawmakers would allow under-18s to request an end to their life only under stringent guidelines. Dr. Kenneth Chambarae, who is part of the end-of-life research group at Brussels' Free University, specializing in the impact of legalized euthanasia, said the bill explicitly states that it would be possible only for competent minors suffering unbearable physical pain from a serious physical illness without prospect of improvement to request euthanasia. This is different from adults, who can also request it if they are suffering psychologically. Chambarae argues the debate in Belgium is more one of principle than anything else -- that very few children would ever choose euthanasia but that the law now discriminates against them. The bill will now be introduced in the Senate, where it will be debated in a plenary meeting by all senators, Peremans said. If the bill is voted against, this would mean the end of the measure. If it passes, the bill would then be transferred to the House of Representatives for debate. If approved there, it would go to the king to be signed into law. 'Grey zone' Earlier this month, 16 pediatricians wrote an open letter in two national newspapers demanding an extension of the practice. Among them was Gerland van Berlaer, also from Brussels' Free University. "Doctors do terminate lives of children as well as adults," he told CNN. "But today it's done in a gray zone or in the dark because it's illegal. And this means that there's a lot of room to do things the wrong way." Dr. Philip Nitschke, director of pro-euthanasia group Exit International, told CNN the Belgians are to be applauded for their progressive thinking on a very difficult issue. However, critics question whether children are capable of making an informed decision on whether to end their own lives. The Netherlands already allows children over the age of 12 to request euthanasia with the consent of their parents. Since the law was introduced in 2002, only five children have chosen to die that way. INTERACTIVE: Euthanasia and the right to die around the world . CNN's Diana Magnay reported from Brussels and Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. CNN's Damien Ward and Bryony Jones contributed to this report.
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A Belgian Senate panel votes in favor of a law extending euthanasia rights to children .
The bill must clear other hurdles before it becomes law .
If passed, under-18s could request euthanasia only under stringent conditions .
Belgium passed a law allowing euthanasia for adults in 2002 .
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f863433d973cd7f80096e5d39d1916b1e9ebece7
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The Shooter, unmasked: The Navy SEAL who shot dead Osama Bin Laden will sit down for his first television interview next month, but may face criminal action for doing so. Above, the shirt the shooter war during Operation Neptune's Spear on display at the National September 11th Museum . The Pentagon has warned the Navy SEAL that shot and killed Osama Bin Laden who is set to reveal his identity in a documentary is still bound by a 'non-disclosure agreement to not discuss classified information' - and could face criminal proceedings for doing so. On Wednesday it was revealed one of the greatest mysteries in American military history will be solved next month when Fox News airs a documentary about the SEAL Team 6 member known as 'The Shooter'. The soldier's identity has been intensely guarded since the May 2011 raid on Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan - fearing the SEAL could be targeted by al-Quada - but he has since retired and is reportedly ready to be unmasked. However the Pentagon has now urged 'The Shooter' to 'abide by the SEAL Ethos, particularly the core tenant, ''I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions''' and that protecting such secrets is a 'liefelong obligation'. 'As a private citizen, former or retired service members are free to speak with the media and exercise their First Amendment rights,' Navy Commander Amy Derrick-Frost, a Defense Department spokeswoman, told Business Insider. 'However, it is important for all former service members to adhere to their signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) when they seek to openly discuss classified or sensitive information, or make claims about their active duty operations or accomplishments. 'NDAs are voluntarily executed by service members. 'After a thorough briefing on the NDA and what each paragraph contains, the service member is aware that his/her signature signifies their understanding and intent to comply with the lifelong obligation for protecting National Defense Information.' Crucially, Derrick-Frost told Business Insider that the military had confirmed the soldier interviewed by Fox News for the two-part broadcast The Man Who Killed Usama bin Laden' was indeed the man who killed the terrorist leader. Killed: 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden was shot dead at his Abbottabad, Pakistan, compound in May 2011. The identity of the SEAL that shot him has been a fiercely guarded since . The attack: This is the plan for the Seal Team 6 'Kill Operation' that finally netted Bin Laden . Above, the Abbottabad compound where Bin Laden lived before his death. In the three years since the raid, the Shooter's identity has been kept a secret for fear he could be targeted by al-Qaeda or other terrorist networks once loyal to Bin Laden . 'If in fact this individual was associated with the military unit that carried out the UBL raid, which is yet to be determined, he is still bound by his non-disclosure agreement to not discuss classified information, especially in a nationally televised interview,' Derrick-Frost said. The documentary is set to air November 11. Fox said this week the SEAL 'w share his story of training to be a member of America’s elite fighting force and explain his involvement in Operation Neptune Spear, the mission that killed Bin Laden'. 'The documentary will provide an extensive, first-hand account of the mission, including the unexpected crash of one of the helicopters that night and why SEAL Team 6 feared for their lives' Fox said in a press release. It will also touch upon what was taking place inside the terrorist compound while President Obama and his cabinet watched from the White House.' It's unclear whether the Shooter's identity will be protected, or whether he will be named and appear on camera. Fox says he will also share what it was like to confront Bin Laden and what happened when the terrorist took his final breath. Also included in the special will be footage of the ceremony in which the Shooter donated the shirt he wore during the raid to the National September 11 Memorial Museum earlier this year. While the shooter's identity has remained a secret in the three years since Bin Laden's assassination, a few details have emerged about his life from an interview he gave to Esquire magazine last year. Now retired, it was revealed the special-forces solider has suffered a breakdown in his marriage and is so concerned about being identified that he refused to meet families of 9/11 victims to preserve his anonymity, said the New York Post. Hearts in mouth: President Obama, with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and vice president Joe Biden, watched the raid unfold in front of their eyes back in Washington D.C. In an interview with Esquire magazine in February 2013, the shooter described in extraordinary detail the heart-stopping two minutes that changed the course of history. In the Esquire interview The Shooter reveals that once they were given their mission, the female CIA agent - portrayed by Jessica Chastain's Maya in Zero Dark Thirty - told the team that bin Laden was '100 per cent on the third floor' of his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. 'We got him,' she told us. 'This is him. This is my life's work. I'm positive.' Once he locked eyes on his target, the SEAL remembers being surprised at his appearance. Bin Laden was much taller than he expected him to be - taller than any of their guys, and skinny with a short beard and shaved head. He was holding his wife Amal in front of him as a shield and though The Shooter could see exactly what was going on through night vision goggles, bin Laden was in total darkness and could hear but not see. He also said he feared she might try to blow them up. He added: ‘I don’t know if she’s got a vest and she’s being pushed to martyr them both. 'I'm just looking at him from right here [he moves his hand out from his face about ten inches]. He's got a gun on a shelf right there, the short AK he's famous for. And he's moving forward. I don't know if she's got a vest and she's being pushed to martyr them both. He's got a gun within reach. He's a threat. I need to get a head shot so he won't have a chance to clack himself off [blow himself up]. 'In that second, I shot him, two times in the forehead. Bap! Bap! The second time as he's going down. He crumpled onto the floor in front of his bed and I hit him again, Bap! Same place. 'That time I used my EOTech red-dot holo sight. He was dead. Not moving. His tongue was out. I watched him take his last breaths, just a reflex breath. 'And I remember as I watched him breathe out the last part of air, I thought: Is this the best thing I've ever done, or the worst thing I've ever done? This is real and that's him. Holy sh**. 'His forehead was gruesome. It was split open in the shape of a V. I could see his brains spilling out over his face.' The Shooter also says that the night before the raid, all the members of Team Six wrote letters to their loved ones - fully believing they would die in the mission to take down bin Laden. He described how he sat on his bed writing a letter to his kids to be delivered on the case of his death, 'something for them to read when they are 35'. Earlier this week, the former Navy SEAL who wrote an inside account about the mission that killed Osama bin Laden is facing a criminal investigation for revealing classified information, reports claim. Matthew Bissonnette controversially released No Easy Day in 2012 without approval from the Department of Defense, selling thousands of copies worldwide before it was even published. Now, as he prepares to publish a sequel, his lawyer has revealed a vast proportion of the profits could be soaked up by extensive fines leveled by the Pentagon.
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The man who shot the 9/11 mastermind will give his first televised interview next month on Fox News .
In the three years since the raid on Bin Laden's compound, the identity of 'The Shooter' has remained a secret .
The Pentagon has says it is 'concerned' about the broadcast because the solider is bound by a non-disclosure agreement .
He may face criminal action for coming forward .
The Shooter has previously spoken to Esquire to detail his life in retirement after the historic raid but remained anonymous .
The Man Who Killed Usama Bin Laden will air in two parts on Tuesday November 11 and Wednesday November 12 from 10-11pm ST on Fox .
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By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 17:34 EST, 30 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:47 EST, 30 April 2013 . Justice Secretary Chris Grayling wants to halt Britain's compensation culture . Insurance premiums are expected to fall as ministers attempt to halt the gravy train for ‘ambulance-chasing’ lawyers. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling will say today it is time to ‘turn the tide on Britain’s compensation culture’ as he sets out reforms designed to slash rip-off legal fees and prevent insurers, claims firms and garages selling on details of accident victims. So-called ‘referral fees’ are being banned, and the fees lawyers can make from processing basic claims for minor injuries suffered in road accidents will be cut by more than half from £1,200 to £500. The Government is also imposing new limits on what lawyers can earn from controversial ‘no win, no fee’ cases. Experts predict a 10 to 15 per cent drop in motoring premiums over the next 12 months as the changes take effect. The existing system has pushed up legal costs and damages, and is blamed for a boom in whiplash injury claims, making car cover more expensive for all. Ministers say it has also forced up insurance premiums in other areas, leaving schools, community groups and local authorities fearful of staging events and activities. Mr Grayling told the Daily Mail: ‘We are turning the tide on the compensation culture. It’s pushing up the cost of insurance, and making it more expensive to drive a car or organise an event. It’s time the whole system was rebalanced.’ Referral fees were legalised in 2004 by the last Labour government, leading to a boom in the claims management industry. The cost of personal injury claims doubled to £14billion in ten years. Police, insurance companies, unscrupulous lawyers and breakdown firms have been accused of conspiring to profit from unsuspecting members of the public. Fees are paid to claims management companies, garages and insurance firms which provide details of accidents to personal injury lawyers in a business estimated to have been worth £3billion a year. Claims managers then bombard . motorists with texts and phone calls offering to help them to pursue . compensation claims for alleged injuries. The . practice of referral fees has also left many hospitals, local councils . and businesses with large legal bills. Personal injury work is worth . around £1.8billion a year for solicitors, while the NHS is paying more . than £1billion a year in damages. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act, which has just come into effect, prohibits payment and receipt of referral fees in personal injury cases by solicitors, claims management companies and insurers. Claims firms are also being banned from offering upfront cash incentives or other gifts to those who bring cases to them. Mr Grayling said that fees in ‘no win, no fee’ cases in the civil courts would also be limited. Previously, it has been possible to claim a ‘success fee’ on top of damages from defendants, often doubling what lawyers earn. Now, defendants will have to pay only the damages and the lawyer’s basic fee. From July, Mr Grayling said, a system used to settle payouts for road accidents quickly and simply without expensive court cases will be extended to also include claims for accidents at work and in public places. The so-called ‘claims portal’ will also start handling claims up to the value of £25,000, up from £10,000 now. The minister also promised action to crack down on the spiralling number of whiplash claims. The Ministry of Justice has consulted on proposals to set up independent medical panels to improve injury assessment and allow the more questionable claims to be more easily challenged in court by insurers. Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said: ‘The reforms should go some way towards bringing “no win, no fee” type whiplash injury claims under control and will thus reduce the costs of claims.’
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Justice Secretary Chris Grayling wants to ‘turn the tide on Britain’s compensation culture’
The fees lawyers can make for processing minor injury claims are to be reduced by more than half .
New limits will be placed on 'no win, no fee' cases .
The cost of car insurance could fall 10-15 per cent as a result of reduced payouts .
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The Dead Sea is drying up at an incredible rate leaving huge chasms of empty space in its wake. These chasms appear in the form of large, devastating sinkholes and are increasing in number throughout the region. Experts claim they are now forming at a rate of nearly one a day, but have no way of knowing when or how they will show up. The Dead Sea is drying up at an incredible rate leaving huge chasms of empty space in its wake . Estimates by Moment magazine suggest that, on the Israeli side alone, there are now over 3,000 sinkholes around the Dead Sea. This compares to just 40 counted in 1990, with the first sinkhole appearing in the 1980s. The Dead Sea spans more than 60 miles through Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. Its waters are 10 times saltier than the northern Atlantic Ocean because it has no outlet. This means that any minerals that flow there, stay there. The Dead Sea spans more than 60 miles through Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. Its waters are 10 times saltier than the northern Atlantic Ocean because it has no outlet. This means that any minerals that flow there, stay there . An aerial view shows a close up of a salt formation inside a large sinkhole on the shores of the Dead Sea. The increase in sinkholes is directly related to the Dead Sea drying up at a rate of one meter per year . The Dead Sea spans more than 60 miles through Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. Its water level has fallen from 394 meters below sea level in the 1960s to about423 meters below sea level as of end 2012. As a result, the Sea’s water surface area has been reduced by one third: from roughly 950 square kilometers to 637 square kilometers today. The water level continues to drop at an alarming pace of 0.8 to 1.2 meters per year. The significant decline of the water level over the past 30 years is due to diversion of water from the Jordan River and from the Dead Sea itself due to population increase. The increase in sinkholes is directly related to the Dead Sea drying up at a rate of one meter per year. Sinkholes are basically bowl-shaped features that form when an empty space under the ground creates a depression. The depression is the result of a reaction between freshwater and salt buried in a subterranean level beneath the surface. When the freshwater dissolves the salt, it creates a void, causing the landscape around and above it to suddenly collapse. Over the last few decades, increasing numbers of people have been drawn to the Dead Sea causing its salt water to dry up. This leaves more fresh water in the area to dissolve the salt and create more cavities. Sinkholes pock-mark the emerging shoreline of the Dead Sea near Ein Gedi. The sinkholes are caused by fresh groundwater dissolving subterranean salt deposits that once formed the bottom of the Dead Sea . To bring the world's attention to Dead Sea's plight artist Spencer Tunick shot the first mass nude shoot in the Dead Sea in 2011 . One solution being presented by the World Bank is to create a canal linking the Dead Sea to either the Red Sea. But environmentalists warn that doing this could spell the end for the Dead Sea. Experts believe more needs to be done to highlight the plight of the Dead Sea and come up with a solution. For instance to bring the world's attention to the challenge artist Spencer Tunick shot the first mass nude shoot in the Dead Sea in 2011. ‘Human intervention has just about killed the Dead Sea,’ Alon Tal, professor in the Department of Desert Ecology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, told Moment magazine. ‘It will take extraordinary human measures—careful, wise intervention and positive regional cooperation—to save it.’ Estimates suggest that, on the Israeli side alone, there are now over 3,000 sinkholes around the Dead Sea .
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The Dead Sea is drying up at a rate of one meter per year causing sinkholes .
There are now over 3,000 sinkholes around the Dead Sea on the Israeli side .
This compares to 40 in 1990, with the first sinkhole appearing in the 1980s .
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By . Chris Parsons . Last updated at 9:17 AM on 14th February 2012 . Survivor: Albert Freeborn, pictured arriving at today's inquest, parachuted to safety after the RAF plane collided with his glider . A glider pilot today told how he parachuted to safety after colliding mid-air with an RAF aircraft in a crash which killed a teenage air cadet and his instructor. Nicholas Rice, 15, and RAF reservist Flight Lieutenant Mike Blee, 62, died when their two-seater Tutor plane collided with the glider piloted by Albert Freeborn near Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The duo's plane plummeted towards the earth and crashed in a field after the June 2009 collision, but Mr Freeborn today told how he scrambled from his stricken glider and parachuted to safety. Mr Freeborn, 29, told an inquest he . flew from Sherborne, Dorset over Oxfordshire when he heard a propeller . sound which indicated a plane was 'very close to him'. He . said: 'It has to be quite close, if you hear the sound of an engine . propeller. It’s very audible, and alarming as well, because you know it . has to be very close. 'I . looked left and down, saw the Tutor very, very close beneath me, then . about a second later, to my disbelief, it began to rotate, and rose up . towards me. 'At the time of the impact, my head was knocked through into the canopy, which shattered. 'The glider pitched nose-down, looking . at the ground. I decided I should abandon the glider, and with my left . hand opened the canopy, by which time the glider was inverted, it was . upside down. 'My weight was supported by the straps at this point. Mr Freeborn, who holds a private pilot's licence said there had been 'very good' flying conditions on the day of the collision. He added:'With my right hand I released the straps, I was helped to some extent by gravity, and when I was out of the glider, pulled the ring, and the parachute started to deploy. Tragic: Cadet Nicholas Rice, 15, left, and RAF Lieutenant Mike Blee, 62, right, both died when their plane went down in Oxfordshire . 'I was aware of the trainer and the glider beneath me, the glider was like a sycamore leaf falling to the ground, then the trainer came into view, not very far away from me, it looked like the engine was still on full power, and there was a trail of smoke. 'The glider landed beneath me and I saw the Tutor impact into a field of crop.' Mr Freeborn, from Porchester, Hampshire, landed with just a few cuts and bruises in a field half a mile away form the wreckage. The inquest at Oxford Coroner’s Court into the deaths of Mr Rice and Mr Blee heard, however, that he has suffered some post-traumatic stress since the crash. The crash saw a Royal Airforce Grob Tutor 115E hurl towards the ground after the collision with another plane . Wreckage: The smashed remains of Mr Freeborn's glider lie in the field near Abingdon, Oxfordshire after the crash in June 2009 . Investigators survey the scene of the light aircraft wreckage, far right, ploughed into a field of long grass .
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Cadet Nicholas Rice and Lieutenant Mike Blee died in crash in 2009 .
Pilot Albert Freeborn managed to parachute to safety after their plane collided with his glider .
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(CNN) -- Anything can still happen at the quake-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant at Japan, but experts are hopeful that the situation will stabilize. In the best-case scenario, electrical power and cooling would be restored to all of the six units of the plant, said Tom Kauffman, spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute, a policy organization of the nuclear energy and technologies industry in Washington. Restoring electric power is essential to stabilizing the plant, said Michael Golay, professor of nuclear science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Power would ensure that the water can be provided to cover the fuel. Workers hope to install a crucial panel at an annex building, which was not severely affected by last Friday's post-earthquake tsunami, for a new power supply system that should be finished Friday morning, an official from the Tokyo Power Company said Friday morning. The improvised power system, using 1.5 kilometers total of cable, is expected to provide electricity to power the cooling systems for the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at the plant. Also, engineers got an emergency diesel generator for Unit 6 running, and it is supplying power to Units 5 and 6, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said Friday. Water injection to the spent fuel pool was continuing. "Obviously what we're hoping for is that they will bring the various cooling problems under control in the very near future," said Ian Hutchinson, professor of nuclear science and engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Once the fuel rods are submerged in water, the large releases of radioactive materials should come to an end, Hutchinson said. When the cooling water is restored to the spent fuel pools, and the reactor is cooling and the flooding can be maintained, expectations are for a stabilization of the situation, and a major reduction of radiation emissions, he said. "That's when we'll be able to say, 'We've got this under control,'" Hutchinson said. Once it's been under control for a week or two, things may stabilize. The whole cleanup would take a matter of months or even years, Hutchinson said. And the site won't be usable again, said Gary Was, professor in the department of materials science and engineering at the University of Michigan. Even in the best case scenario, there will be melted fuel in the reactor that's not going to be usable, Was said. A real concern is the after-heat arising in the fuel rods, which need to have water cooling them, Hutchinson said. Unless there are much bigger releases and contaminations near the site, people may one day be able to safely get closer to Fukushima Daiichi than the current established evacuation zones, Golay said. The United States government has instructed Americans to stay 50 miles from the plant; for Japanese citizens, the evacuation zone is only about 12 miles. "The fact that you have differing policies doesn't mean the U.S. thinks it's more dangerous," Golay said. It's simply because the U.S. is not in a position to help its citizens in Japan, he said. The situation at Fukushima Daiichi is worse than Three Mile Island, the Pennsylvania plant that suffered a partial core meltdown in one of its reactors in 1979, Golay said. That's because at Fukushima Daiichi there's more radioactive material involved, and it's less contained he said. At the Chernobyl disaster, the world's worst nuclear power plant accident, which occurred in 1986, the facility had to be sealed off with a large concrete sarcophagus. It's hard to say whether this will need to happen at Fukushima Daiichi, experts say. It all depends on the extent of the contamination, which is unknown, Was said. Sealing off Three Mile Island was also discussed at the time of that disaster, Kauffman said, but instead the reactor was cleaned out, with the damaged fuel and core debris shipped off-site and put into storage. "We're still in the wait-and-see mode," Kauffman said.
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Experts: Restoring electric power is essential to stabilizing Fukushima Daiichi .
Work is ongoing to establish a new power supply system, says TEPCO .
It's unknown whether the plant will need to be sealed off, as Chernobyl was .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 03:45 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:08 EST, 23 August 2013 . A young photojournalist was gang raped while her male colleague was tied up and beaten in India's business hub of Mumbai, police said. The case has brought back bad memories of the December gang rape and death of a young university student in the Indian capital that shocked the country. The attack took place in an abandoned textile mill in Lower Parel, a gritty former industrial district that is now one of the city's fastest-growing neighbourhoods of luxury apartments, malls and bars. Scroll down for video . Composite sketches of the suspects: Police said the victim was on assignment to take pictures of an abandoned textile factory in south Mumbai late yesterday when the five men confronted her . The woman was working on an assignment . with a male colleague to take pictures of the factory last night when . five men confronted the pair. After . initially offering to help her get permission to shoot inside the . building, they became aggressive and accused the male colleague of being . involved in a local crime. When . he denied any involvement they tied his hands with a belt and took the . woman to another part of the building compound and took turns raping . her, said Mumbai's Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh. The . police chief said officers have already arrested one suspect over the . attack and he has named and identified the other four. The woman, 22, is in stable condition in a hospital. A policeman stands guard at the scene in Mumbai's Mahalaxmi area: Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh told reporters that the men tied the victim's colleague's hands with a belt while she was gang raped . The assault comes amid heightened concerns about sexual violence in India. The . gang rape and death of the student on a bus in New Delhi in December . had shaken a country long inured to violence against women and sparked . protests demanding better protection for women. In . response, the government passed a new stringent law increasing prison . terms for rape and making voyeurism, stalking, acid attacks and the . trafficking of women punishable under criminal law. The . trials of the four men and one juvenile accused of the December attack . are expected to conclude within the next three weeks. The . verdict on the juvenile suspect is set for August 31. Closing arguments . in the trial of the four adult suspects started on Thursday. CSI Mumbai: The attack took place in an abandoned textile mill in Lower Parel, a gritty former industrial district that is now one of the city's fastest-growing neighbourhoods . The . police have released sketches of the suspects wanted over yesterday's . attack based on descriptions given by the woman and her colleague, and . have formed several teams to track them. Commissioner Singh said the area where the attack took place was very isolated and the men may have been local drug dealers. The . attack was discussed in India's Parliament, where junior Home Minister . R.P.N. Singh told lawmakers that the government had asked the state of . Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, for a detailed report on . the attack. About 1,000 people, including members of several local journalists' associations, gathered this evening in south Mumbai to stage a silent protest. Some wore black armbands, while others carried placards reading 'Stop rape' and 'City of shame'. We want justice: Female Indian photojournalists are supported by male colleagues during a protest rally in Mumbai against the gang rape . Anger: About 1,000 people joined the protest, according to the Associated Press . In contrast to Delhi, Mumbai has long been considered a safer place for women to travel alone, even at night. '(Mumbai) has this sense of security ... but these things make us feel that maybe . we are not really that safe,' said A. L. Sharada, director of . Population First, an NGO that works on women's rights issues. 'Women . should be able to move freely and take up work. Why should we be . worrying about something bad happening to us all the time?' Ms Sharada . added. Commissioner Singh . said the federal government had recommended that the 'harshest' punishment be handed down to anyone found guilty in the case.
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Victim and colleague were on assignment to photograph abandoned factory .
Five men initially offered to help, but then became aggressive .
They tied up the victim's colleague with a belt then took turns raping her .
In contrast to Delhi, Mumbai has been seen as a safe place for women .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 7:49 AM on 28th June 2011 . The TTP have vowed to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden by targeting 10 places in America, the UK and France . The Taliban has issued a chilling threat to carry out a series of attacks against 10 targets in Britain, American and France to avenge the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. 'Soon you will see attacks against America and Nato countries, and our first priorities in Europe will be France and Britain,' deputy Pakistani Taliban leader Wali-ur-Rehman said in a videotape aired on Al Arabiya over the weekend. The Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP), or Taliban Movement of Pakistan, which swears allegiance to Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, is blamed for many of the suicide bombings across the country and remains highly dangerous despite a series of army offensives against its strongholds in the north-west of the country, on the Afghan border. It has not demonstrated an ability to stage sophisticated attacks in the West, however, and the TTP's one apparent bid to inflict carnage in the U.S. failed. The group claimed responsibility for the botched car bomb attack in New York's Times Square last year. But American intelligence agencies . take it seriously. It was later added to the country's list of foreign . terrorist organisations. The video showed Rehman, described as more sober and experienced than other TTP leaders, flanked by armed followers walking through rough mountain terrain. He sits on a blanket beside a sniper's rifle on a hilltop and explains the TTP's plans. He said: 'We selected 10 targets to avenge the death of bin Laden.' Deputy Pakistani Taliban leader Wali-ur-Rehman made the threats in a video which aired over the weekend . Attack: Labourers clean the Police Station which was stormed by the armed Taliban militants in Kolachi, a town of volatile Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan . Rehman, also seen firing a machine gun into the distance in the video, did not elaborate. But he said the first revenge operation was the Taliban siege of a Pakistani naval base in Karachi last month - one of several setbacks the military has suffered since U.S. special forces killed bin Laden on Pakistani soil on May 2. The TTP regards the Pakistan army as a U.S. puppet and it has kept the government on the defensive since bin Laden's death, staging suicide bombings, large-scale attacks on security forces with large numbers of fighters, and employing new tactics. A Taliban militant and his wife carried out a weekend shooting and suicide bombing on a police station that killed 12 policemen. Britain confirmed yesterday that it is withdrawing 18 military trainers, who had been working with an anti-Taliban unit in Pakistan, amid ‘security concerns’. It was unclear whether the move is linked to the latest threat. The United States has been leaning hard on Pakistan to crack down on militancy since it was discovered that bin Laden may have been living in the country for years. More Pakistani cooperation is needed as Washington seeks to wind down their war effiorts in Afghanistan and defeat Al Qaeda, and its allies. But Pakistan's generals are furious because the United States kept them in the dark over the bin Laden raid . The Pakistani and Afghan Taliban move easily across the porous frontier and provide each other with shelter and intelligence, complicating efforts to root out militancy in the region U.S. President Barack Obama has described as 'the most dangerous place in the world'.
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TTP video does not elaborate on targets .
Obama describes area as 'most dangerous in the world'
TTP added to U.S. list of terrorist groups .
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(CNN) -- Authorities have recovered 54 bodies after a ferry crammed with people capsized in southern Bangladesh, police said Sunday. Among the victims were 22 children and 15 women, said Nazrul Islam, the police chief of Bhola district where the accident occurred Friday. Thirty more passengers are believed missing and presumed dead, he said. "Hopefully, in few hours, we should be able to confirm the exact number of missing (people)," Islam said. The boat had a capacity of 1,500 but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people who were traveling from the capital, Dhaka, to their homes in Bhola for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. The boat toppled as passengers weighted down one side to disembark, Islam said. Police and firefighters rushed to aid passengers, many of whom were trapped in the lower deck. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report .
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Authorities recover 54 bodies after overcrowded ferry capsizes .
Boat had capacity of 1,500, but 2,000 people onboard .
They were traveling homes for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha .
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By . James Salmon . PUBLISHED: . 11:05 EST, 30 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:52 EST, 30 August 2012 . Scandal-hit Barclays has appointed insider Antony Jenkins on a package of up to £8.6million to replace disgraced former chief executive Bob Diamond. Mr Jenkins, 51, from Stoke-on-Trent – who is described by colleagues as the 'nice guy' of banking – admitted it was 'not a job for the faint-hearted'. Announcement of his appointment came just hours after the bank admitted it faces a criminal investigation led by the Serious Fraud Office for its dealings with Qatari investors. Boss: Antony Jenkins has vowed to overhaul the bank after being named as immediate successor to Bob Diamond . The probe concerns payments made to the Middle Eastern investors at the height of the financial crisis when they backed a rescue deal that gave Barclays a £4.5billion lifeline. Mr Jenkins most recently was head of Barclays's retail and business banking arm, looking after 50million customers and 90,000 staff worldwide. He promised to put customers 'at the centre of what we do', and admitted Barclays had made grave errors, including mis-selling PPI loan insurance that cost it £1.3billion in compensation. 'We have made serious mistakes in recent years and clearly failed to keep pace with our stakeholders' expectations,' he said. The keen marathon runner and married father-of-two is a veteran of Barclays, having joined its management development programme in 1983. He returned to the bank in 2006 to run Barclaycard after a 16-year spell at rival US bank Citigroup, which this week paid £373million to settle a legal dispute with shareholders over claims it lied over its huge investments in toxic loans. Former boss: Bob Diamond was once described by Lord Mandleson as the 'unacceptable face of banking' and was forced out of his job after the Libor rate-rigging scandal earlier this year . Barclays has endured one of the most . turbulent periods in its history after it was fined £290 million by UK . and US regulators for manipulating Libor, an interbank lending rate . which affects mortgages and loans . He will not enjoy the same riches as . his predecessor, who scooped £17million last year, but critics . complained he has still hit the jackpot. Mr . Jenkins will receive a basic salary of £1.1million and an annual bonus . of up to £2.75million, as well as shares in Barclays's long-term . incentive plan worth up to £4.4million and a cash allowance of £363,000 . instead of a pension. Deborah Hargreaves of the High Pay Centre . think-tank said: 'By anyone's standards this is still a massive amount . of money. Educated at Oxford University, Mr Jenkins, 51, began his career at Barclays nearly 30 years ago, when he completed the Barclays Management Development Programme before going on to hold various roles in retail and corporate banking. He moved to Citigroup in 1989, working in both London and New York and most recently held a senior role in the credit card division. He re-joined Barclays as chief executive of Barclaycard in January 2006 and was appointed chief executive of retail and business banking, with a seat on the executive committee, in November 2009. Married for 28 years and a father of two, he comes from Stoke-on-Trent and spends his spare time running marathons. Where his predecessor Mr Diamond was regarded as a brash, American investment banker - once described by Lord Mandelson as the 'unacceptable face of banking' due to his lavish pay deals - Mr Jenkins is a far more conservative choice. 'If Barclays is really serious about . cleaning up its act there needs to be a fairer pay policy, with people . at the bottom given a fair wage and those at the top showing more . restraint.' Mr Jenkins admitted his salary is 'a . lot of money' but claimed his basic pay was 'slightly below the median' for bosses in the FTSE 100 index. Mr Diamond was forced to quit in July . after the bank was fined £290million in a separate scandal over rigging . crucial Libor interest rates. Chairman Marcus Agius also resigned. It is thought Barclays made a . conscious effort to steer clear of hiring another 'casino' banker' to . replace Mr Diamond, after the revelations of traders promising each . other champagne to fiddle the rates caused the lender's reputation to . sink to a new low. The bank's chief financial officer Chris Lucas is . one of four individuals being investigated by the Financial Services . Authority over Middle Eastern transactions. Critics pointed out Mr Jenkins was at . the helm at Barclaycard while it mis-sold payment protection insurance . to customers alongside credit cards. He yesterday insisted the worst of the mis-selling occurred before he joined. However, he was also boss of the . retail bank when it was fined £7.7million in January last year for . luring thousands of elderly customers into risky investments. Marc Gander, of the Consumer Action . Group, said: 'How on earth does Barclays expect to restore public . confidence unless it brings in someone from outside the bank with clean . hands? Jenkins was in the thick of a number of important scandals.' The Financial Services Authority was . already investigating Barclays over concerns surrounding rescue deals . totalling £11.5billion with Qatar and Abu Dhabi. It is one of a number . of banks under investigation over Libor rigging. Barclays raised nearly £11 billion at . the time, which effectively allowed the bank to avoid following in the . footsteps of Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland by taking a state . bailout. 2005 . - Barclays traders seek to manipulate the London Interbank Offer Rate . (Libor) between 2005 and 2009 while Bob Diamond headed the British . bank’s investment banking operations, according to documents from . British and U.S. regulators. 2006 - Jenkins is hired from Citi, where he spent 16 years, to turn around Barclays’ credit card business. 2009 - Jenkins becomes global retail CEO and a member of the Barclays executive committee . 2011 - Diamond takes over as chief executive on Jan. 1. 2012 - June. Barclays is found guilty of manipulating Libor interest rates and fined $453 million. - . July. Diamond resigns, a day after Chairman Marcus Agius. Diamond . appears a week later before the parliamentary committee probing the . scandal and acknowledges “reprehensible behaviour” among his group’s . traders. - Aug 18, a UK . parliamentary report says company culture at Barclays is 'deeply flawed' and Diamond’s testimony to parliament was selective in parts and short . on candour. - Aug 29, . British fraud prosecutors launch a criminal probe into payments between . Barclays and Qatar Holdings, a unit of the bank’s largest shareholder. - Aug 30, Jenkins becomes CEO.
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Antony Jenkins is a marathon-running father-of-two and has pledged to review the bank's entire operations .
Experts believe his appointment signals a .
return to its retail banking roots, but Barclays said he's committed to the 'universal' banking model .
He will take home a package worth £8.6million a year and will lead the bank through one of the toughest periods in its history .
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(CNN Student News) -- March 20, 2014 . Thirteen days after a Malaysia Airlines plane vanished, CNN Student News takes you to the Indian Ocean to show you how a military aircraft is helping in the search. In the UK, there's a new coin on the way, and we'll explain why it's being minted. You'll also hear about "math anxiety," and you'll meet a CNN Hero who captures the spirit of Women's History Month. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). Media Literacy Question of the Day: . What perspectives and elements might you include in a video report about a local hero? Key Concepts: Identify or explain these subjects you heard about in today's show: . 1. P-8 Poseidon . 2. counterfeit . 3. "math anxiety" Fast Facts: How well were you listening to today's program? 1. What area is now the focus of the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? What are some challenges of looking for something on the surface of the ocean? What kind of plane has been brought in to aid the search? If this plane spots something, what bigger challenge remains? 2. What is the world's oldest currency still in use? Describe the makeover that this coin is getting. Why is it being redesigned? In what ways could this redesign come at a cost for some businesses and the British government? 3. What is "math anxiety"? According to the video: What are some reasons why some people have math anxiety? How might an awareness of math anxiety help educators? 4. Who is Sharon Cohen? In what sport did she once compete? Why did she start Harlem Ice? What are the priorities for its skaters? Discussion Questions: . 1. Why do you think that the U.S. is sending military equipment to help in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? Why do you think it is so important for the families of the passengers and crew and for the rest of the world to find the missing plane? 2. How do you think that technology has helped and hurt counterfeiters? How do governments respond to the possibility of counterfeit currency? Has the currency that you use changed over the past few years? If so, how? Why do you think that counterfeit currency is so dangerous to a country's economy? 3. Why do you think that some people are anxious about math? What might be some ways to overcome this fear? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request.
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This page includes the show Transcript and the Daily Curriculum .
Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
The Daily Curriculum offers the Media Literacy Question of the Day, Key Concepts, Fast Facts and Discussion Questions .
At the bottom of the page, please share your feedback about our show and curriculum .
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The devices used in the Boston Marathon attack Monday are typical of the "lone wolf:" the solo terrorist who builds a bomb on his own by following a widely available formula. In this case, the formula seems very similar to one that al Qaeda has recommended to its supporters around the world as both crudely effective and difficult to trace. But it is also a recipe that has been adopted by extreme right-wing individuals in the United States. The threat of the "lone wolf" alarms the intelligence community. "This is what you worry about the most," a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN's Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger. "No trail, no intelligence." Officials have told CNN that among the materials used in the attack on the marathon were some sort of timing device, a basic mixture of explosives and some sort of metal container containing nails and other projectiles. The FBI said late Tuesday that what appeared to be fragments of ball bearings, or BBs, and nails had been recovered and had possibly been contained in a pressure cooker. One federal law enforcement source told CNN's Deborah Feyerick the devices contained "low-velocity improvised explosive mixture -- perhaps flash-powder or sugar chlorate mixture likely packed with nails or shrapnel." An explosives expert told CNN the yellowness of the flame probably came from carbon or some organic fuel such as sugar that contains it. The expert, who is frequently consulted by the FBI and other government agencies, said the white smoke made it "unlikely that a military-grade high explosive, such as those used in shells and bombs, which is usually grey or black, was used." U.S. Rep. Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said "most likely gun powder" was used in the devices. Such improvised devices use readily available materials that cannot be easily traced. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, in its English-language online magazine Inspire, noted such "ingredients are readily available" and they are "easily disposed of if the enemy searches your home." There is no evidence that AQAP or any of its supporters was involved in the Boston attack. Nor is it clear whether the attack was the work of one or more individuals. But AQAP has championed 'do-it-yourself terrorism' in the last three years, urging Muslims in the West to take action on their own. "How to Make a Bomb in Your Mom's Kitchen," published in a 2010 edition of Inspire, has been downloaded by Islamist militants plotting terrorist attacks in both the United States and the U.K., according to counterterrorism officials. Eight pages were devoted to building a basic but lethal device. The ingredients included sugar and a black powder made from match heads. Combining step-by-step instructions and diagrams, the magazine described wiring a "timed circuit as it is simple" and using small nails as shrapnel. It said gunpowder or powder from fireworks can be used as a substitute for match heads. It continues: "It only works if contained in a high-pressure environment. So you may use iron pipes, pressure cookers, fire extinguishers or empty propane canisters ... The pressure cooker is the most effective method." The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued several unclassified bulletins about the use of pressure cookers as part of an explosive device. In July 2010, the DHS said that while pressure cookers are common in countries such as Afghanistan, "the presence of a pressure cooker in an unusual location such as a building lobby or busy street corner should be treated as suspicious." Such a formula is certainly not unique to AQAP. Variations appear all over the Internet. A senior U.S. counterterrorism investigator told CNN that pressure cooker bombs have also been a signature of extreme right-wing individuals in the United States who he said tend to revel in building homemade bombs. For example, the devices planted by Erich Rudolph at an Atlanta park during the 1996 Olympic Games were pipe bombs filled with gunpowder and nails to increase their lethality; it also had an alarm clock as a timing mechanism. Like the bombings in Boston, those devices were concealed in a backpack, according to a Department of Homeland Security report detailing the 1996 attack. At least two previous terrorist plots on U.S. soil have involved variations on the Inspire recipe, and both involved "lone wolves." Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad tried to detonate a vehicle bomb in Times Square in 2010 that included "a pressure cooker containing approximately 120 firecrackers," according to the 2010 DHS bulletin. The indictment against another alleged "lone wolf" militant, Jose Pimentel, described a video "showing the defendant following precisely the instructions from the Inspire Magazine article by (i) scraping the heads from the matches and collecting the incendiary powder in a bowl; and (ii) connecting a Christmas tree light to the battery using wiring to create an ignition device." Pimentel was arrested by New York police in November 2011 and pleaded not guilty to state terrorism charges. He had not received training overseas, but Shahzad had received training from a bomb-maker with the Pakistani Taliban. And exactly one year before Pimentel's arrest, Taimur Abdulwahab al-Abdaly flew to Sweden from England. There he built a powerful but rudimentary bomb, using ingredients he was able to purchase locally: pressure cookers, fireworks, explosive chemicals, and nails and ball bearings. He too had received bomb-making training, not in Pakistan, like many others, but in Iraq. Abdulwahab died when he tried to detonate a device in central Stockholm in December 2010.
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Boston Marathon bombs seem to follow widely available recipe, experts say .
"Lone wolf" devices worry the intelligence community because there's "no trail, no intelligence"
Al Qaeda, U.S. right-wing extremists use hard-to-trace bombs, experts say .
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(CNN) -- Army troops and rebels clashed on Wednesday in the violence-ridden eastern part of Congo, threatening to undermine an already fragile stability. Hundreds of people in North Kivu fled toward the city of Goma by road trying to escape the fighting. The sound of heavy artillery echoed through the hills. The Congolese army continued a second day offensive to recover the cities of Rugari and Rumangavo, and to takeover these positions held by the insurgency. "The situation is deteriorating because of the fighting between various groups," said Ronald Paul Veilleux, the International Rescue Committee's provincial director for North and South Kivu. As of January 2009, an estimated 1.5 million people in North and South Kivu provinces have been internally displaced, and the number continues to rise, according to the United Nations. "People are losing their homes, their livelihoods and their hope," Veilleux said. The massive displacement has also led to an increase in gender-based violence. According to Veilleux, reported cases have gone up by 75% nationwide since April, and many go unreported in a nation that is already known as the rape capital of the world. In addition, this past week the World Health Organization reported a sharp increase in the number of cholera cases in North Kivu. "There is potential for this to turn into an epidemic if the situation continues to deteriorate," said Veilleux. The eastern part of Congo has been embroiled in violence since 1994, when Hutu forces crossed the border fearing reprisals following the genocide in neighboring Rwanda. In 1998 the vast nation -- previously known as Zaire -- became a battleground for eight African countries. More than 5 million people died in the war and its aftermath, making it the deadliest conflict since World War II. Despite the signing of peace accords in 2003, fighting continues in the eastern part of Congo between various rebel groups and the Congolese army, which is back by U.N. peacekeepers. There are many different forces on the ground, all of whom are armed. "The fighting is like a view through a kaleidoscope," said John Campbell, an Africa expert with the Council on Foreign Relations. Amid growing concerns of an escalating conflict, the U.S. government announced last week that it will cut military aid to Rwanda. The United States has accused Rwanda of supporting rebels in Congo. "The United States government is deeply concerned about the evidence that Rwanda is implicated in the provision of support to Congolese rebel groups, including M23," said Hilary Fuller Renner, a State Department spokeswoman. The M23 -- named after a failed peace agreement signed on March 23 three years ago -- is a rebel group that split from the Congolese army earlier this year. It has been accused of killing hundreds of people. One of the M23 commanders, Bosco Ntaganda, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes. In a report to the U.N. Security Council in June, a U.N. expert panel on Congo found "substantial evidence" attesting to support from Rwandan officials to armed groups operating in the eastern region. It documents a "systematic pattern of military and political support provided to the M23 rebellion by Rwandan authorities" in the form of recruits, weapons and military equipment. Rwanda has denied allegations that the M23 are backed by their country's Tutsi leadership. "As we have made clear from the outset, Rwanda is neither the cause nor the enabler of instability in the eastern (Congo)," said Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda's foreign minister. Journalist Gemma Parellada contributed to this report.
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Army troops and rebels clashed on Wednesday .
Numbers of internally displaced people continues to swell .
Disease and violence against women also are seen rising sharply .
U.S. has accused Rwanda of supporting rebels in Congo .
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The former prime minister said it Ed Miliband must not win any votes by taking a tougher line on immigration and Europe. He said changing course now would only 'confuse' voters . Tony Blair this morning launched a furious assault on Ukip in the wake of the party's European election triumph - describing it as 'nasty and unpleasant'. The former Prime Minister urged the Labour leader Ed Miliband to 'stand up' and take on Nigel Farage. He said Mr Miliband had to 'stand firm' in the face of growing demands to promise an in-out referendum on Europe and ignore pleas from within his party to take a tougher stance on immigration. It came after Labour MP Simon Danczuk broke ranks to demand stricter curbs on who can come to work in Britain. But Mr Blair said swinging to the right on Europe and immigration would only 'confuse' Labour voters. The former PM's intervention this morning risks deepening the growing division within the party over how to respond to Ukip's rise, amid growing fears that it will eat into traditional Labour heartlands at next year's election. Labour MP Ben Bradshaw said Mr Blair's interview was 'great'. He added, in a thinly-veiled attack on Mr Miliband, that it was 'what many of us have been wanting & waiting to hear'. Speaking on Radio 4, Mr Blair said: 'The way to deal with Ukip is to stand up and take them on, because what they're putting before people is a set of solutions that anybody who analyses where a country like Britain has to be in the 21st century, knows they are solutions that are regressive, reactionary and would make all the problems of the country worse, not better.' Mr Blair added that Mr Miliband had to be 'prepared to stand up, to lead, to take them on' and 'confront and expose reactionary forces'. When asked about the growing pressure to offer voters an in-out referendum, Mr Blair added: 'I’d advise him to stay firm.' He said: 'It’s not as if yielding to that pressure from Ukip has actually done the Conservatives any good at the present time. 'For the Labour Party if it tries to follow either Ukip on its anti-European platform or, even worse frankly, on its anti-immigrant platform, all that will happen is it will confuse its own supporters and it won't actually draw any greater support.' He said to allow a trend of 'anti-immigrant feeling' would be a 'huge mistake for the country'. Mr Blair added: 'People in Ukip always say that the other politicians don't get it. I mean, I do get it and I get them. You look a little bit beneath that Ukip facade and you see something in my view pretty nasty and unpleasant.' Veteran Cabinet minister Ken Clarke said Ukip voters were 'blaming foreigners' for the country's problems and urged David Cameron to push ahead with his plan to reform the EU . Mr Blair's warning was echoed by the veteran Tory Cabinet minister Ken Clarke - who also lashed out at Ukip for pandering anti-immigration voters. Speaking before Mr Blair on the Today programme this morning, the Europhile former Tory Chancellor claimed Mr Farage was out of touch with ordinary Brits who did not care that the UK attracted a lot of foreigners. In a dig at the Ukip leader's comments that he felt uncomfortable listening to foreign languages on the train, Mr Clarke said: 'Every western country is multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and everybody gets used to listening to foreign languages on the bus. Young people aren't bothered by that.' Mr Clarke accepted immigration needed to be 'controlled' but added that Britain needed foreigners to help the economy. He added: 'We need some people to do jobs that British people somehow can't be persuaded to do.' Ukip's rise was 'symbolic of the disillusion' voters felt with politics, Mr Clarke said. He added: 'People are blaming foreigners and blaming Brussels.' But he said: 'Only one in 10 of the electorate voted for UKIP... the important thing is, really, two-thirds of the electorate couldn't be bothered to vote at all. 'I think what we have to do is firstly persuade those people - particularly younger people - actually to vote when they say they're not interested or all the politicians are the same and all the rest of it. 'We have to make the case, the intelligent case, why it's in Britain's national interest to stay in the European Union, and what sensible reforms we can actually make of the European Union that mainstream politicians across the rest of Europe are likely to agree to, because they face the same problem that we do. 'I think, actually, we need to articulate the case, as to why it's in the national interest - particularly younger people whose future it is - that our prosperity, our political security, our role in the world actually depend on our being a leading member of the European Union.' The Cabinet minister dismissed suggestions his colleague Theresa May was being soft on immigration but agrees it is good for the country. 'We're in the 21st century, it's no good blaming foreigners, blaming England, telling our damn politicians 'you need to look at our role in the EU in terms of the malaise of the population in their prosperity and the sense of security. 'The first thing to point out is that immigration is a feature of the 21st century in every prosperous western democracy.' Mr Blair's remarks this morning came after he was criticised for complaining about voters who elected Ukip MEPs opposed to rampant immigration – despite running an ‘open door’ policy on migrants while in office. The former prime minister said it was wrong that the debate on the EU was dominated by ‘anti-immigrant feeling and a desire to get Britain out of Europe’. These, he added, were ‘not answers to what is happening in the world’. But critics pointed out that it was Mr Blair’s policies which caused the problems in the first place by allowing immigration to run rife over the last decade, creating the largest population explosion since Saxon times. In his comments, made to a Swedish television station, Mr Blair said: ‘Of course we should be worried when a party like Ukip comes first in the European election, it would be foolish not to be. ‘But on the other hand we also have to stand for what is correct and right for the future of Britain in the 21st century. ‘When the world is changing so fast, to end up having the debate dominated by anti-immigrant feeling and a desire to get Britain out of Europe, these are not solutions for the 21st century.’ But Douglas Carswell, the Tory MP for Clacton, said Mr Blair was a member of a ‘supranational, smug, anti-democratic elite’. He added: ‘Tony Blair was in charge of this country when the floodgates were opened. Labour’s open-door migration policy led to the largest population explosion in Britain in more than a thousand years. Between 1997 and 2010, the foreign-born population of the UK increased by three million, while nearly a million British citizens left. In that period, the size of the foreign-born workforce nearly doubled. UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage poses for photographers at a pub ahead of a press conference in central London yesterday . In 1997, people born outside the UK held two million jobs – making up around 7.5 per cent of the total workforce. By 2009, that had swelled to 3.8million jobs, or 13 per cent of the total. Labour ministers predicted in 2004 that opening Britain’s labour market to millions of workers from former Eastern Bloc countries would result in only 13,000 new arrivals. By the end of 2009, more than a million workers had signed up to a Home Office registration scheme. In 2009 former Blairite aide Andrew Neather revealed that the increase in immigration under Labour was a deliberate policy designed to change Britain. He said the influx of foreign nationals was intended to socially engineer a ‘truly multicultural’ country. It was also a politically motivated attempt to ‘rub the Right’s nose in diversity’, he said. Mr Neather, a former speechwriter to Mr Blair, wrote that ‘the policy of ministers from late 2000 ... was to open up the UK to mass migration.’
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Former PM says Ukip 'pretty nasty and unpleasant' under its facade .
Calls on Miliband to 'stand up, to lead, to take them on' and not copy policies .
Mocks Tory attempts to stem Ukip rise by promising in-out referendum .
But critics say his immigration and EU policies caused problems .
Veteran Tory Ken Clarke says Ukip supporters are 'blaming foreigners'
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(CNN) -- Rio Ferdinand was one of the world's top defenders -- now he's turned his hand to defending the reputation of his former manager Alex Ferguson. The Scot, one of British football's most successful leaders, has been criticized in recent months following Manchester United's dramatic downturn in form since his departure. Over two decades, Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League crowns, five FA Cups and four League Cups. But after leading United to league glory in 2013, a title won by 11 points, Ferguson retired and appeared to take his magic touch with him. Under David Moyes, United capitulated in alarming fashion, finishing seventh and failing to qualify for European competition. However, some argued Ferguson had left his successor an aging squad, with the likes of Ferdinand, now 35, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra -- two defenders who left Old Trafford in the summer transfer window -- Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick all in their fourth decade. "I don't understand how people can say that," Ferdinand, who left Old Trafford at the end of last season, told CNN when asked whether Ferguson was responsible for United's failings. "You've got some great players throughout the squad. You win the league by 11 points. You've got to be a top team to do that. "So he goes and then it all falls apart. So that's his fault? How can people say that?" Ferdinand, who won 81 caps for England, arrived from Leeds United in July 2002 for £30m, a world record for a defender at that time, went on to win six Premier League titles, the Champions League and two League Cups. Now at Queens Park Rangers, Ferdinand was part of the United team which struggled badly last season under Moyes, the man who was handpicked by Ferguson to succeed him. Moyes was relieved of his duties after just 10 months in charge and was replaced at the start of the 2014 season by Dutch coach Louis van Gaal. Van Gaal has already made his mark by bringing in a number of high-profile players including Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for a British transfer record fee of $98.7 million, Colombia striker Radamel Falcao on loan from Monaco and Dutch star Daley Blind. Results have been mixed so far with United losing to the likes of Swansea and Leicester City, as well as being humiliated by third-tier side Milton Keynes Dons in the League Cup. Two consecutive home wins over Queens Park Rangers and West Ham have lifted United to seventh in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday's clash with Everton at Old Trafford. With Van Gaal struggling for defensive options and Ander Herrera, the midfielder, absent with a rib injury, United will once again by forced to field a changed line-up. Ferdinand, who won six league titles with United, says the new manager needs time to ensure his new signings gel and come together. "It's just about the new managers coming in and making that work together still," he added. "Do they want wholesale changes? This manager seems like he wants to do that now. He's changing, making big changes. He's bought a lot of players in. "So I don't think the buck stops with Alex Ferguson at all. I think you leave and you win a trophy. "There's not many better ways to go out than that."
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Rio Ferdinand launches staunch defense of Alex Ferguson .
Former Manchester United boss is regarded as one of the best managers in world football .
United have struggled since the Scot left in 2013 .
Louis van Gaal charged with restoring club's fortunes .
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By . Tara Brady . A former nurse is suing the NHS after she tripped up on a broken parking barrier in a hospital car park. Pauline Fowles, 55, claims she suffered a fractured shoulder when she fell over the metal barrier while visiting a friend at Southend Hospital in Essex. She has submitted a damages claim, for up to £25,000, against Southend Hospital at Southend County Court. The claim argues the hospital was negligent in leaving the broken barrier in the car park without warning signs . The claim argues the hospital was negligent in leaving the broken barrier in the car park without warning signs. It also states Miss Fowles suffers 'ongoing symptoms of pain and loss of function in her left shoulder' as a result of her injuries sustained on January 27, 2010. Miss Fowles, from Pitsea, Essex, had worked as a nurse at neighbouring Basildon Hospital for 25 years before starting her own hypnotherapy company. The case is due to go to court in September. Pauline Fowles says she suffered a fractured shoulder when she fell over a metal barrier at Southend Hospital . Sue Hardy, chief nurse at Southend Hospital, said: 'We would like to sincerely apologise to Miss Fowles for the distress caused by the injuries she sustained. 'The hospital has admitted liability and the National Health Service Litigation Authority is currently in negotiations with Miss Fowles’ representatives.'
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Pauline Fowles, 55, claims she suffered a fractured shoulder .
She was visiting a friend at Southend Hospital in Essex when she tripped .
Ms Fowles has submitted a damages claim for up to £25,000 .
Claim says hospital was negligent in leaving broken barrier in the car park .
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Washington (CNN) -- There is little evidence the U.S. government's sweeping collection of phone records, as revealed by admitted intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, has helped prevent terror attacks as national security officials have claimed, a top senator said on Wednesday. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy opened a hearing on the controversial National Security Agency (NSA) program applied under post 9/11 anti-terror legislation and approved by a secret court by questioning if it works or is needed. "If this program is not effective, it has to end," the Vermont Democrat said of the phone record collection program under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. He noted that classified details provided by the NSA on how the initiative had been used do not "reflect dozens or even several terrorist plots" that it helped prevent "let alone 54 as some have suggested." Despite Leahy's complaint, NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander later Wednesday repeated the figure of 54 terrorist events thwarted by the overall surveillance effort, of which the Section 215 program is one component. "If we tell everyone exactly what we're doing, then the adversaries will know exactly how to get through our defenses," he told a conference in warning of the danger caused by Snowden's leaks. Published reports have indicated the NSA received secret court approval to collect vast amounts of so-called metadata from telecommunications giant Verizon and leading Internet companies, including Microsoft, Apple, Google, Yahoo and Facebook. NSA chief: Snooping is crucial to fighting terrorism . This includes "non-content" material -- phone numbers called, or e-mail addresses -- rather than the actual substance of the information, which would require a separate search warrant. Senate Intelligence Chairman Dianne Feinstein said her panel was looking at potential changes to the surveillance programs, including a reduction in the five-year limit that the NSA currently can can hold gathered records. Feinstein, a California Democrat, said the Senate also was considering a requirement for the NSA to expedite its review of information it collects under the Section 215 program and another one that gathers Internet use information from abroad. "These are things that can be done to increase transparency, but not to stop the program," she said. "I believe, based on what I have seen and I read intelligence regularly, that we would place this nation in jeopardy if we eliminated these two programs." Meanwhile, the Guardian in London published a report on an NSA program that it says mines Internet browsing history and other online data, some of it in real time. The program called XKeyscore, which does not require any type of formal authorization, was detailed in documents leaked to the newspaper by Snowden, the Guardian said Wednesday. Snowden's revelations have triggered new debate about national security and privacy interests, and about the secretive legal process that sets in motion surveillance. With lawmakers sharpening scrutiny of how the law is applied and the House narrowly defeating an amendment to cut surveillance funding last week, the Obama administration is scrambling to demonstrate more transparency and regain congressional support. Earlier this month, it declassified and publicized the NSA program's periodic renewal. On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper released other previously secret documents, including reports from the 2009 to 2011 period. Report: FBI wanted to fly Snowden's father to Moscow . The Justice Department reports were aimed at helping Congress understand the surveillance as lawmakers debated renewing relevant parts of the Patriot Act. "The National Security Agency's bulk collection programs provide important tools in the fight against terrorism, especially in identifying terrorist plots against the homeland," the 2011 report said. "These tools are also unique in that they can produce intelligence not otherwise available to NSA." Snowden's father: My son loves his country . At Wednesday's hearing, Justice Department and security officials conceded the lack of direct causal links between the Section 215 phone record collection and thwarted attacks, but said the program was part of a crucial network for filling information gaps. Opinion: We need transparency on domestic surveillance . They said the network of surveillance programs over the years helped thwart dozens of plots, including those targeting the stock exchange and the subway system in New York. In another apparent bid to demonstrate transparency, the Obama administration now says terror defendants should be informed when the government plans to use as evidence any information from its secret collection of electronic records. The change in legal interpretation this week suggests that criminal defendants subject to certain types of surveillance may be able to challenge the constitutionality of the NSA programs. As recently as this spring, the administration had argued that such disclosure of information from a secret court order was not necessary, even if the information was used to track and capture a suspect. The Supreme Court in its last term limited lawsuits against the government by plaintiffs who were unable to prove they were specific subjects of surveillance. Those plaintiffs had complained of a "Catch 22" because the government refused to acknowledge any surveillance for national security reasons. It was not clear if other pending terror prosecutions involving metadata evidence would adopt the new legal interpretation. CNNMoney: NSA chief to hackers: If you don't like what we do, change it . But the latest efforts in transparency were clouded by the Guardian report on XKeyscore, which it said magnified statements by Snowden that he, as a contractor, could easily access an astonishingly broad menu of personal information on just about anyone. Security officials had called Snowden's assertion untrue, and White House spokesman Jay Carney echoed that denial on Wednesday by saying allegations of "widespread, unchecked analyst access to NSA collection data are false." Separately, the NSA said in a statement that its tools include stringent checks to limit what an analyst can do. "Not every analyst can perform every function and no analyst can operate freely," the statement said. At the Senate committee hearing, Leahy asked NSA Deputy Director John Inglis whether the agency has held anyone responsible for the Snowden leaks. "How soon will we know who screwed up?" Leahy asked, contending that inadequate controls allowed the former NSA contractor to leak surveillance program documents to media outlets. "I think that we'll know over weeks and months precisely what happened and who should then be hold accountable -- and we will hold them accountable," Inglis responded. House rejects effort to curb NSA phone surveillance . Leahy was impatient with the answer and raised the issue in connection with former Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning, who was convicted on Tuesday of leaking a trove of Iraq war battlefield reports, diplomatic cables and other information. "We had a huge security breach, I think we'll all agree, committed by Edward Snowden. And a few years ago Bradley Manning downloaded hundreds of thousands of classified and sensitive documents -- passed them on to WikiLeaks," Leahy said. "Now, if two data breaches of this magnitude occurred in the private sector, somebody would have been held accountable by now." Snowden has fled the country and remains in diplomatic limbo at the Moscow airport. The United States has charged him with espionage. Opinion: NSA secrets kill our trust . CNN's Barbara Starr contributed to this report.
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NEW: NSA director repeats his statement that surveillance network thwarted 54 terror plots .
Sen. Leahy: Classified details show phone records had little role in stopping terror attacks .
The Director of National Intelligence releases details of surveillance programs .
NEW: The latest Snowden leak details a broad Internet surveillance program .
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By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 16:18 EST, 5 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:16 EST, 28 November 2012 . The soldier accused of killing 16 villagers in a nighttime rampage in Afghanistan returned to his base wearing a cape and with the blood of his victims on his rifle, belt, shirt and pants, a military prosecutor said Monday. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was incredulous when fellow U.S. soldiers drew their weapons on him when he returned to Camp Belambay in southern Afghanistan last March, prosecutor Lt. Col. Jay Morse said as a preliminary hearing opened at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Bales then turned to one sergeant at the scene and said: 'Mac, if you rat me out...' Morse said. A courtroom sketch of Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, third from left, during his hearing last month . Robert Bales is charged with 16 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder . Bales, 39, has been charged with 16 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder in one of the worst atrocities of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Nine of the victims were children. The hearing will help determine whether the case goes to a court martial. Bales has not entered a plea. His attorneys have not discussed the evidence in the case, but say Bales has PTSD and suffered a concussive head injury during a prior deployment to Iraq. The father of two from Lake Tapps, Wash., sat beside one of his civilian lawyers, Emma Scanlan, in green fatigues as an investigating officer read the charges against Bales and informed him of his rights. Bales said, 'Sir, yes, sir,' when asked if he understood them. Morse said Bales seemed utterly normal in the hours before the March 11 killings. With his colleagues, Bales watched the movie 'Man on Fire,' a fictional account of a former CIA operative on a revenge rampage. Just before he left the base, Morse said, Bales told a Special Forces soldier that he was unhappy with his family life, and that the troops should have been quicker to retaliate for a roadside bomb attack that claimed one soldier's leg. 'At all times he had a clear understanding of what he was doing and what he had done,' said Morse, who described Bales as lucid, coherent and responsive. Bales is accused of slipping away from the remote outpost with an M-4 rifle outfitted with a grenade launcher to attack the villages of Balandi and Alkozai, in a dangerous district. American officials have said they believe Bales broke the slaughter into two episodes - walking first to one village, returning to the base and slipping away again to carry out the second attack. The prosecutor said Bales returned to the base at one point, telling a colleague about shooting people at a village. The soldier apparently took it as a bad joke and responded: 'Quit messing around.' Bales' hearing is taking place in a military courtroom on Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington state . The defense team for Bales, second from left in this courtroom sketch, are preparing for his case to go to court martial . Innocent: Kari Bales told ABC News last month: 'My husband did not do this. I truly believe from the bottom of my heart that my husband is not involved' Prosecutors played for the first time a video captured by a surveillance blimp that showed a caped figure running toward the base, then stopping and dropping his weapons as he's confronted. There is no audio. Morse said Bales was the caped figure. After being taken into custody, Morse said, Bales said: 'I thought I was doing the right thing.' The hearing is scheduled to run as long as two weeks, and part of it will be held overnight to allow video testimony from witnesses, including an estimated 10 to 15 Afghans, in Afghanistan. Bales' attorney, John Henry Browne, said the hearing will give the defense a chance to see what the government can prove. They are expecting a court martial. Bales is an Ohio native who joined the Army in late 2001 - after the 9/11 attacks - as his career as a stockbroker imploded. An arbitrator entered a $1.5 million fraud judgment against him and his former company that went unpaid, and his attempt to start an investment firm in Florida also failed. He was serving his fourth combat tour after three stints in Iraq, and his arrest prompted a national discussion about the stresses posed by multiple deployments. Scanlan, his attorney, declined to say to what extent the lawyers hope to elicit testimony that could be used to support a mental-health defense. Bales himself will not make any statements because his lawyers said he would have nothing to gain. Bodies of Afghan civilians, allegedly shot by US soldier Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, loaded into the back of a van in Alkozai village of Panjwayi district, Kandahar province . Man on Fire: The movie Bales watched with colleagues before allegedly carrying out 16 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder . Bales' wife, Kari, who plans to attend the hearing, had complained about financial problems on her blog in the year before the killings, and noted Bales was disappointed at being passed over for a promotion. Browne described those stresses as garden-variety - nothing that would prompt such a massacre - and has also said, without elaborating, that Bales suffered a traumatic incident during his second Iraq tour that triggered 'tremendous depression.' Bales remembers little or nothing from the time of the attacks, the defense said. Scanlan, who deferred an opportunity to give an opening statement, said the Army had only recently turned over a preliminary DNA trace evidence report from the crime scenes, but defense experts have not had time to review it. Bales, who spent months in confinement at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., before being transferred to Lewis-McChord last month, is doing well, Scanlan said. Kari Bales maintains that her husband is innocent and was not responsible for the senseless slayings. Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, she said she finds it 'incomprehensible' that her husband and best friend, 'Bob,' faces 16 charges of premeditated murder. 'It doesn't seem possible. Especially that there were women and children,' she said. 'My heart goes out to those families that lost loved ones, parents and grandparents. I am a mom; I can't imagine losing my child, especially to something like that.' Ms Bales said she learned of the . attack within hours from military officials and her initial reaction was . that 'it must have been a mistake.' 'It . certainly wasn't, it wasn't my husband,' she said. 'I know my husband. I know . him very well, and especially the talk about the women and the children. I knew that it wasn't my husband. So it was just incomprehensible to . me.' Speaking to her husband in the middle of that March night confirmed to her that even he didn't know what really happened. Changing tales: Bales' lawyer says the army should take greater responsibility for sending soldiers into combat who are suffering from PTSD and head injuries, but now he seems grateful for the plea deal . Bales will not make any statements in court because his lawyers said he would have nothing to gain . 'He was like, 'What? What you talking about?' He had, he knew that something was going on, but did not know the extent of what was going on, and I was actually the one that had told him how many people had died, and that included women and children, and he was blown away. He did not know the details as they had been portrayed in the press.' But Kari told ABC News she believes the . truth has yet to come out. 'I don't think we have even begun to have the truth.' In the meantime, Ms Bales said she . finds it hard explaining to the couples' two-year-old son and . five-year-old daughter why their father is sitting in a jail cell. 'It's . been difficult,' she said. 'I question myself, what is the right thing . to say, what is the right thing to explain to them, what can they . understand? And for me, I don't even really understand what is . happening, so how can I possibly expect my kids to understand, right?' Media coverage: Television trucks parked near the military courtroom where Robert Bales' preliminary hearing is taking place . But the family regularly travels the mere mile to where Bales' has been calling home. Their conversations are monitored but at least, she says, they can be a family. 'We are together, we're as a family. We're regular; we can look forward to it. We know when we are going to see him again. It's somewhat normal,' she said. To help pay what could end up being millions of dollars in legal fees, Ms Bales has set up a website, www.helpsgtbales.com, where people can donate to the SSG Bales Legal Defense Fund. 'Really the reason we need a defense fund is to get a fair trial out of this. I really feel Bob gave his best for his country. Now it is time for America to give their best to him.' She told the TV station that she tries not to dwell on the possibility that her husband may spend his life behind bars or worse, face the death penalty. 'I have come to terms with that, and that I have put away. You know, I thought about it and I put it away until I actually have to deal with it. So you, I have learned to compartmentalize a lot of these issues, too. Yes, I've thought about it and yes, that scares me.'
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Robert Bales is charged with committing one of the worst atrocities .
of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars .
His victims included nine children .
When Bales first told a colleague about shooting people, he was told to 'quit messing around'
His defense team are preparing for his case to go to court martial .
Wife Kari says it is 'incomprehensible' that her husband could be guilty .
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Washington (CNN) -- For federal workers with security clearances, losing a house to foreclosure can cost them their jobs as well, because financial distress can be a security vulnerability, a recent study says. Attorney Sheldon Cohen says he has several clients who face losing their jobs -- or being rejected for a new job -- because they have gotten into debt and cannot pass the required background check. "The government needs to take into account the current financial crisis in the country," he said. "Not everybody who loses their house due to a mortgage or a short sale is necessarily a security risk." To prove his point, Cohen looked at the Defense Department, and counted the number of contractor employees who have been stripped of their security privileges because of debt. Ten years ago, there was fewer than one case per year that reached the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals, the study shows. Last year, there were 24, and the pace this year looks similar. Employees with at least 10 other agencies face similar procedures of reviewing and revoking clearances, Cohen says. "No single fact (e.g. a foreclosure) will necessarily result in a denial of clearance. Conditions beyond the individual's control can be mitigating," said Jennifer Dorsey, a spokeswoman for the government's Office of Personnel Management. But an inability to satisfy debts can be grounds for denying an employee a security clearance, according to the Pentagon's published guidelines. "An individual who is financially overextended is at risk of having to engage in illegal acts to generate funds," the guidelines say, "including espionage." Financial problems were the reason double-agent Robert Hanssen, one of the most damaging spies in American history, started selling secrets to the Soviets in the 1980s, according to Eric O'Neill, the former FBI counter-espionage agent who helped catch him. O'Neill said even if the financial difficulties are not the government employee's fault, they can make a worker vulnerable. "Foreign agents are looking for that," he said. "It's not hard. You can pull the credit report on just about anybody, and you look at them and realize, wow, they are in enormous debt." Then, O'Neill says, a foreign agent might approach the target -- say by following the employee after work to a bar -- and offer to pay for secrets. He says the agent might say, " 'Hey, I've got a solution to your problems. Just give me something little, and I'll give you some money, and you'll make ends meet this month.' " The revoking of clearances, recently highlighted by ProPublica and The Washington Post, could be costing the country valuable employees. As an example, Cohen cited a client, whom he declined to name, who may lose her security clearance because of foreclosure. "She's a highly-trained person," he said. "And she'd be difficult to replace. So not only are people losing their jobs, the government is losing the services of good people they need." Fran Townsend, the former Homeland Security adviser under President George W. Bush, says when officials discover vulnerable employees, "the first order of business is always to try and save that person's clearance, and therefore job. But I can see now, during this period, where this is probably a much more serious concern for investigators."
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Some are being turned down for new jobs over debt .
Others have been stripped of their security privileges .
Famed double agent started selling secrets to Soviets after money woes, expert says .
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(CNN) -- Very few pandas are born each year, but even fewer of the fragile cubs stay alive. That's why zookeepers say it's a "miracle" after a panda gave birth to a healthy set of triplets, who have now survived over two weeks and are reportedly doing well. The cubs, which weighed 83 grams, 90 grams, and 122 grams, respectively, at birth, are thought to be the only living panda triplets in the world. The 12-year-old mother, Juxiao (whose name means "chrysanthemum smile") gave birth to the adorable cubs on July 29 in China's Chimelong Safari Park in the southern city of Guangzhou. The delivery took four hours, said Dong Guixin, the manager of the park. "After nearly half a month under the care of the mother, the babies are very healthy," China Daily reported Dong as saying. "They now weigh nearly two times what they did when they were born... It was a miracle for us and the births exceeded our expectations." The new trio are now with their mother and are being cared for by a team of feeders, he said. Pandas are known for having very low survival rates. According to the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding, only one-third to one-half of pandas born in Chinese captivity manage to survive past infancy. In 1999, another set of giant panda triplets was born in China, but one died after three days. In the next few weeks, another little panda could enter the world: Tian Tian, a panda living in Scotland's Edinburgh Zoo, is suspected to be pregnant and may give birth before the end of August. Thanks to science, there are more baby pandas .
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Panda triplets were born on July 29 in Guangzhou, China .
Babies are "very healthy," says park manager .
They are thought to be the only living panda triplets in the world .
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By . Emma Reynolds and Ian Sparks . PUBLISHED: . 09:46 EST, 20 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:33 EST, 21 September 2012 . The photographer who took the topless pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge is British, it was claimed today. French paparazzo Pascal Rostain said the the Royal couple were staked out at the chateau while on their holiday by an Englishman living in the south of France. Mr Rostain also sensationally claimed that the photographer was spying on them on the orders of France's Closer magazine, which was first to publish 13 intimate images of Kate and William last week. Scroll down for video . The pictures originally published in French Closer magazine, left, are appearing in a Swedish magazine today and 60 will be printed in Denmark's Se & Hoer magazine tomorrow . William and Kate have won a court order banning French Closer from selling or republishing the photographs, under the threat of a 100,000 euro fine . The news comes as a Swedish magazine today published the pictures and Danish magazine Se Og Hor (See And Hear) prepared to reproduce over 60 photos tomorrow in a 16-page supplement. Mr Rostain, in his 40s, is a close friend of former French First Lady Carla Bruni and one of France's most notorious long lens photographers. Denial: If true, the claim would exonerate French photographer Valerie Suau, who claims she took bikini photos of Kate but not topless ones . He told France Metro newspaper in Lyon: 'The irony of this whole thing is that the photographer who took these pictures is an Englishman living in the south of France. 'These photos were taken on the orders of Closer, who asked him to sit around for several days to take them. 'For his efforts he did not earn a lot. He could have sold them for 10,000 euros. 'But in fact he was just paid his wages for going to take them. 'He didn't put them on the open market either, where he could have earned a lot more.' Another French photographer outside the Chateau d'Autet where the snaps were taken was a French woman named Valerie Suau - nicknamed The Sewer because of the pronunciation of her surname. She has admitted taking pictures of Kate in her bikini, but said she does not know who took the topless photos. The Royal couple this week won a landmark injunction preventing further distribution of the images by Closer, under the threat of a 100,000 euro fine. They have also handed over all files containing the images to representatives of the couple on the orders of the judge, after they were ruled a 'brutal' invasion of privacy. The court made no ruling for the magazine to name the photographer, however, and it has the right to protect his or identity under France's laws on protection of journalistic sources. Meanwhile a criminal investigation is under way to find and prosecute the photographer - who could face a year in jail and a £36,000 fine. X marks the spot: The long lens pictures taken of the topless Duchess were shot from the side of the road between trees around half a mile away from the chateau . Yet the photos are still being touted on the open market worldwide, with magazines in Italy, Denmark and Sweden all publishing them. Closer published 13 grainy images of Kate's breasts and bottom last Thursday, branded 'grotesque and unjustifiable' by a Royal spokesman. Mr Rostain did not specifically say he knew the identity of Kate's photographer, but is known to be very well connected among the French paparazzi community. He defended the person who took them, adding: 'As a photographer, I take the pictures I want and let the publication decide whether to print them. Italian magazine Chi also published the pictures, while Michael O'Kane, editor of the Irish Daily Star, was suspended after publishing a selection that he called 'tasteful' 'What they choose to print is not the photographer's problem, but the editor's.' There are thought to be up to 200 photos taken of Kate and William at the time - many of them much more explicit. Closer magazine's editor Laurence Pieau defended her decision to publish 13 of the photos, insisting the images were 'joyous'. She said: 'These photos are not in the least shocking. They show a young woman sunbathing topless, like millions of women you see on beaches. 'They were not making any special effort to conceal themselves. Critcising our magazine is stupid.' Ms Pieau also warned also that Closer had more photos, adding: 'Intimate pictures exist that we haven't published and will not publish. Probably other newspapers will choose to publish them.' VIDEO: Editor-in-chief calls Kate pic 'nothing spectacular'
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He said photographer was 'just paid his wages' and could have earned a lot more on the open market .
Magazine has caused a storm by publishing intimate images of William and Kate on holiday .
Court has banned anyone in France from republishing the photos .
Swedish magazine republished them today and Danish publication will do so tomorrow .
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A male porn star has been sentenced to 30 days in jail after admitting responsibility for the syphilis outbreak that closed down the adult film industry in Los Angeles last August. 'Mr Marcus', 42, whose real name is Jesse Spencer, contracted the bacterial infection on set before altering his syphilis-positive test so he could continue performing. The 19-year veteran pleaded no contest in . Los Angeles Superior Court where he was also sentenced on Tuesday to 36 months' probation and 15 . days of community labor. In August his admission came after the industry’s self-imposed 10 day moratorium which saw more than 1,000 performers in the LA area get tested and administered preventative antibiotics. Jailed: Porn star Mr Marcus has been sentenced to 30 days in jail after continuing to work after contracting the bacterial infection . At least nine porn stars were revealed to have contracted syphilis. Mr Marcus said: ‘I tried to cover it up…because I said it was like the scarlet letter. It’s the word. Syphilis, whoa. ‘Mr Marcus, syphilis? Mr Marcus, the one I worked with? The one that everybody works with? The one that’s been in this industry forever?’ Returned to work: His doctor said Mr Marcus would not be contagious 10 days after a pencillin shot so he returned to work at porn shoots after 11 days . A doctor told Mr Marcus that he would not be contagious 10 days after taking a shot of penicillin on July 13. With that diagnosis he returned to . work 11 days later, on July 24, still with syphilis. Instead of . presenting a paper or digital copy of the test results he showed the . producer a copy on his phone so the details about the infection were not . visible. While filming . another porn film, Mr Marcus said he folded the test to hide the . syphilis diagnosis and photocopied it but a producer noticed the results . were missing and questioned him about it. He said: ‘I have to live with this, no one else does. ‘I’m very sorry. I did not think that this would come out like this.’ The . porn star posted on Twitter yesterday: ‘You can be disappointed, but . don't throw stones. Some of you are living in glass houses.’ The bacterial infection has a 90-day . incubation period meaning a porn actor could potentially be carrying the disease . without it showing up on tests. Porn star Aletta Ocean, 24, said she contracted syphilis while shooting movies in Budapest, Hungary. Her revelation led to speculation that the outbreak of the disease came from Hungary. On hold: Pornographic films are being set . outside of Los Angeles because of the city's law that now requires . performers to wear condoms, leading to increased permit requests in . neighboring towns . According to porn industry blog LukeIsBack.com she tweeted: 'F****** siphilis problem… In Budapest many people got it..Me too…’ Sex workers are supposed to undergo regular blood tests to ensure they are free of sexually transmitted disease. It was reported that one of the labs frequented by porn stars does not test for syphilis. Speculation it came from Hungary: Porn star Aletta Ocean said on Tuesday that she contracted syphilis in Hungary leading to speculation that the outbreak came from there . Syphilis is a treatable bacterial infection that can be spread by both bodily fluids and contact with infected skin. Its causes skin lesions and rashes. If left untreated, it can permanently alter and damage internal organs and brain function. The number of syphilis cases in . California has jumped 18 per cent according to a report from the . California Department of Public Health. The results showed a much higher rate . of men had contracted the infection and that African Americans were . affected more than any other racial demographic. Requests for filming permits for porn shoots have dropped dramatically since LA imposed a law forcing performers to wear condoms during sex scenes. Neighboring towns are now putting a moratorium on permit approvals as they deal with an influx from production companies who are looking for places to film without condoms. LA residents voted in November to force actors in pornographic films to wear condoms during shoots, and now the industry is feeling the results as many producers have opted for different shoot locations.
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Porn star Mr Marcus admitted altering his syphilis-positive test results to continue performing in adult films .
He hid the details of the bacterial infection when showing producers his blood test results .
The adult film industry shut down after at least nine porn stars contracted the infection .
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By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 14:00 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:05 EST, 28 February 2014 . Menace: John Worboys attacked numerous women between 2002 and 2008 as Scotland Yard's bungled investigation failed to track him down . More than 100 victims of 'black cab rapist' John Worboys could sue Scotland Yard over its botched investigation into the menace after two women won a landmark case. The anonymous victims, attacked in 2003 and 2007, successfully claimed their human rights had been breached by the Metropolitan Police for failing to catch Worboys during his six year rampage across London. Worboys, a former porn actor and stripper, attacked numerous women during a five-year period between 2002 and 2008. The 53-year-old offered the women cheap lifts home after nights out but spiked their drinks before carrying out the assaults. Police also found a 'rape kit' in the back of his taxi which including sleeping tablets, condoms and gloves. Worboys, who called himself Terry the Minder, was jailed indefinitely in April 2009 with a minimum tariff of eight years. But today, the two women - referred to as DSD and NBV - were awarded a High Court order for . compensation from the Metropolitan Police under Article 3 of the Human Rights Act, . which relates to inhuman treatment. Mr . Justice Green at London’s High Court ruled that the Met was liable to hundreds of women for failures in its investigation and poor treatment of victims. DSD told the court she suffered from depression as a result of her . treatment by officers during the 2003 investigation. NBV claimed . that she suffered serious distress, anxiety, guilt and an exacerbation . of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression after her experience of the investigation in 2007. Speaking on behalf of other victims, they accused the Met of allowing Worboys to run free and reoffend for an unacceptable amount of time. Mr Justice Green said: 'In this case I have identified a series of . systemic failings which went to the heart of the failure of the police . to apprehend Worboys and cut short his five- to six-year spree of . violent attacks.' He berated senior officers for failing to train . relevant officers in the intricacies of drug-facilitated sexual assaults and failing to supervise junior detectives. He also attacked detectives for not making use of intelligence sources to find links between the cases. Other . failures included losing the confidence of victims and not creating an environment where victims felt comfortable to express their ordeals. Landmark ruling: The High Court ruled in favour of the women who will now receive compensation and pave the way for more than 100 more victims to make claims . The judge said Worboys was clinical and conniving and the effect upon the women was profound. 'In . the cases of DSD and NBV, I received evidence about the trauma they . experienced at the time and subsequently, and have read the psychiatric . reports upon them,' he said. 'I have learned that the effects of the . assaults have stayed with them in a variety of ways over the ensuing . years, manifesting themselves in depression, feelings of guilt, anxiety, . and an inability to sustain relationships, including sexual . relationships. 'That trauma has to be multiplied one hundred fold, . and more, to begin to have a sense of the pain and suffering that . Worboys’ serial predatory behaviour exerted upon his many victims. 'But . their feelings are not the end of this circle of misery because, as was . evident from the psychiatric and other evidence, the effects rippled . throughout the victims’ families and their respective circles of . friends.' He said the Met was liable to both women for breach of the . Human Rights Act in relation to the period between 2003 - which . coincided with the first complaint to police - and 2009, when Worboys . was tried. Attacks: This is an image, released by Metropolitan Police, of the taxi he used to drug and attack the women . In a statement, the Metropolitan . Police Service said: 'The MPS has previously apologised for mistakes . made in the investigation of rapes committed by Worboys. 'The . judge acknowledged that the failings in this case were very much . historic; a recognition that in the interim we have made important and . significant changes to the way we investigate rape, which remains one of . the most challenging and complex policing issues. We are committed to . providing the best possible service to victims, ensuring that they are . at the heart of every investigation. 'We will now take time to consider the judgment in full.' DSD . said later: 'After 11 years of living with guilt, I can now finally . start to put it all behind me and move on with my life. I have always . felt responsible for what happened to Worboys’ other victims but I now . know this was not my fault. 'What I am now responsible for, and am extremely proud of, is making the Met finally accept they have a duty towards victims.' NBV . added: 'The experience of being disbelieved by the police was almost . worse than the rape itself. It’s been unbearably hard to bring this case . and spend years going over the same events. 'I am so relieved that our efforts have finally resulted in justice.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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High Court ruled victims had been severely damaged by their treatment .
Mr Justice Green berated detectives for failing to make victims feel at ease .
And 'bungled investigation let Worboys run free for unacceptable period'
Worboys, jailed for life in 2009, raped 100 women between 2002 and 2007 .
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Jamie Redknapp and his wife Louise have become the faces of jewellery company Pandora's latest campaign. The couple posed for Pandora's new #PANDORAwishes shoot with the pair both describing their heart desires. Louise Redknapp shared pictures of her and her husband in the photoshoot via Twitter in a sneak peek on Monday. Jamie Redknapp and his wife Louise are the new faces of Pandora's latest jewellery campaign . Louise Redknapp shared the jewellery campaign with her Twitter followers on Monday . When asked what her 'ultimate wish' was in the promotional campaign video she replied: 'A beautiful secluded holiday with the family. 'Life is quite fast-paced and to have quality time with Jamie and the kids is my dream.' Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp enjoyed a glittering football career before injuries forced him to retire at the age of 31. The midfielder starred for 11 years at Liverpool following a two-year spell at Bournemouth - where he began his professional career at the age of 16. Jamie Redknapp enjoyed 11 years at Liverpool (left) before he ended his career at Southampton in 2005 . Following his time at Anfield, Redknapp moved to Tottenham where he scored four goals in almost three years at the club. The 17-time capped England midfielder moved to Southampton during the January transfer window of the 2004-05 season in what proved to be his final campaign due to constant injury problems and on the advice of his medical specialists. The Redknapp's are joined by Marvin and Rochelle Humes as well as couple Rik Edwards and Emer Kenny in the #PANDORAwishes campaign. Redknapp (right) made 17 appearances for England and played at Euro 96 . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Former Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp is part of Pandora's new campaign .
Sportsmail columnist is pictured with wife Louise in campaign photoshoot .
Jewellery company's #PANDORAwishes gives sees the married couple describing their hearts' desires .
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(CNN) -- President Barack Obama concluded his trip to Africa Tuesday after making a final pitch for partnership at a Tanzanian power plant. Some 70% of Africans lack access to reliable electricity, Obama said, and the United States can help bring more power on line. "The first step that we're going to take is to try to bring electricity to 20 million homes and businesses," he said. The president spoke at the Symbion Power Plant at Ubungo, was had been idle until the Tanzanian government used U.S. help to revamp it. "This is just the beginning. We look forward to even more companies joining this effort," he said. Such partnerships create more jobs and exports in the United States, he said. Before his remarks, Obama kicked around an energy-generating soccer ball that harnesses kinetic energy to provide power. Obama challenges students to follow Mandela legacy . "I don't want to get too technical, but I thought it was pretty cool," Obama said. Also Tuesday, Obama was joined by former President George W. Bush for a wreath-laying ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, the site of a 1998 terror attack that killed 10 Tanzanians and injured more than 85 Americans and Tanzanians. Survivors of the bombing were present as Obama and Bush stood by the wreath at a memorial that is on a piece of rock under a big tree near the entrance to the embassy. Obama was in Africa to promote an increased partnership amid criticism the United States has, outside of military interests, focused its attention on other areas of the world. The three-nation trip began last week and included stops in Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.
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In Obama's last stop on an African visit, he pushes for partnerships on energy .
He also attended a wreath-laying ceremony with former President George W. Bush .
The ceremony was at the memorial for those killed in a 1998 terror attack .
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Saturn, around of 900 million miles from Earth, is the second largest planet in our solar system. Orbitting it are 62 moons and, since its arrival in 2004, Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft, which has been sending back images and data on some of them, and the planet itself. And now, in a series of enhanced images from the spacecraft, the detail and beauty that was previously hidden in some of the photos has been revealed. Croatian programmer Gordon Ugarkovic added colour and touched up the snaps to reveal new details. In the images the gas giant Saturn and its moons are featured. Here is Titan (background) and Rhea, with the former 2.038 million km from Cassini and the latter 1.329 million km . The amazing new photos were created by Croatian computer programmer Gordan Ugarkovic. He highlights a stunning array of features on the gas giant and its moons including Titan and Dione. The latter, for example, can be seen with pockmarked craters across its surface. In another image, it is seen dwarfed by the much larger Titan, as Cassini made a rare pass that saw the two align. The hazy atmosphere of Saturn’s moon Titan is also revealed in stunning detail, with a noticeable ‘thin blue line’ between where the atmosphere ends and space begins. And Saturn is also given some additional treatment, with the huge planet and its rings seen partially lit up by the sun. Writing on his Flickr page, Mr Ugarkovic said he created the images because he was ‘somewhat underwhelmed by the frequency the Cassini Imaging Team releases colour composites.' The majestic Saturn is seen here with part of the planet lit up, while the rings of dust can also be seen encircling the planet. Titan can also be seen above the planet in the top right. The faint greenish colour to the left of the planet is residual camera glare that could not be removed . Here the surface of Enceladus can be seen in exquisite detail, with the sun also lighting up part of the moon. It's thought it may have an ocean of water underneath its surface . Dione is seen in front of Titan. The distance to Titan in the image is 3.163 million km, and the distance to Dione is 1.611 million km . He continued: ‘The images you see here are (more or less) calibrated images that were released to the Planetary Data System. The downside of the PDS is the data releases are delayed about nine months in order to give the imaging team priority over analysing data. ‘Other than that, the PDS data allow more accurate reconstruction of colours and brightnesses over the histogram-stretched jpeg images.’ Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and second largest in the Solar System after Jupiter. The planet was named after the Roman god who also lends his name to Saturday. The gas giant has an average radius about nine times that of Earth. While just one-eighth the average density of Earth, its larger volume means Saturn is more than 95 times bigger than Earth. The planet's interior is thought to be composed of a core of iron, nickel and rock surrounded by a deep layer of metallic hydrogen, an intermediate layer of liquid hydrogen and liquid helium and an outer gaseous layer. The planet exhibits a pale yellow hue as a result of the ammonia crystals in its upper atmosphere. Wind speeds on Saturn can reach 1,100mph - faster than those on Jupiter but slower than on Neptune. The prominent ring system feature nine continuous main rings and three discontinuous arcs. They are composed mainly of ice particles with a small amount of rocky debris and dust. There are 62 known moons - 53 of which are officially named - orbiting the planet. Titan is Saturn's largest and the Solar System's second largest moon - bigger even than Mercury. The small irregular moon Epimetheus is seen here from a distance of 104,500km. The moon has a radius of about 130km, while several craters on its surface are larger than 30km . The atmosphere of Titan is seen here, which is often said to be the most Earth-like place in the solar system aside from our planet. The moon is also known to have liquids on its surface in lakes and seas . In recent months Cassini has revealed some fascinating insights into the Saturnian system. Towards the end of November, Nasa announced that the spacecraft had created the most detailed maps yet of several of Saturn’s moons. These included the icy surface of Enceladus, which may have a liquid ocean underground, and the bizarre ‘tow-toned’ world of Iapetus. Cassini also spotted the glint of the sun on the surface of one of Titan’s lakes - confirming the presence of liquids on its surface. And data released today suggests that there are sand tunes on Titan that may have been shaped by the moon’s wind. Cassini mission around Saturn will continue until 2017, when it will be sent crashing into gas giant’s atmosphere to prevent it contaminating any of the nearby moons as its fuel runs out.
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Croatian programmer Gordon Ugarkovic improved Cassini's images by adding colour and touching up photos .
Gas giant Saturn and its moons are featured, with some showing the hazy atmosphere of Titan and surface of Dione .
Mr Ugarkovic created the images because he was ‘underwhelmed by the frequency the Cassini Imaging Team releases colour composites'
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(CNN)Some music lovers didn't even know Beck had a new album out when he won the Grammy for album of the year for "Morning Phase" on Sunday. Now it seems people can't stop talking about him. After rapper Kanye West looked to be about to crash the stage during Beck's acceptance speech and then said the musician "needs to respect artistry, and he should've given his award to Beyonce," there was a rush to defend Beck. West took umbrage with Beck's surprise win over his friend Beyonce's self-titled album. But in an open letter to West posted on her Facebook page, Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson said it's the rapper who needs to learn some respect. "You disrespect your own remarkable talents and more importantly you disrespect the talent, hard work and tenacity of all artists when you go so rudely and savagely after such an accomplished and humble artist like Beck," Manson wrote. "You make yourself look small and petty and spoilt." Even a dear friend of West's has offered support for Beck. The rapper's wife, Kim Kardashian, Instagrammed a photo of herself with singer John Legend and his wife, model Chrissy Teigen, in the Grammy audience. The photo shows the trio making faces and is captioned "This is the Beck won that award face?!?!?!" On Monday, Legend -- who is a longtime friend and collaborator of West's -- tweeted congratulations to Beck, calling him "a great artist" and explaining that the selfie was in fact taken before the artist's win. According to Billboard, radio is rallying around Beck. "It's wonderful he is getting the accolades and the credit," KROQ music director Lisa Worden told Billboard. "Morning Phase is beautiful, and at this point for radio listeners, it isn't top-of-mind so the fact that he did win two huge awards means people will go back, listen to the album and buy it." The attention has brought a 388% increase in streams of his music, Spotify reported, including a 524% increase in streams of "Morning Phase." And what does Beck think about all of the uproar? It seems he didn't mind West almost crashing his win, telling Us Weekly that he thinks the rapper is a "genius" and "I was just so excited he was coming up. He deserves to be on stage as much as anybody. "I thought she was going to win," Beck said of his competition for the award. "Come on, she's Beyonce!" How did Beck beat Beyonce?
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Garbage's Shirley Manson criticized Kanye West in an open letter .
West said Beck should have given album of the year award to Beyonce .
His music is skyrocketing on Spotify, thanks to all the attention .
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Images of the Arctic ice shelf cracking up are an icon of the damage wrought by global warming. But a team of researchers from the Universite Laval in Canada have found evidence that one ice shelf might have broken up before, 1,400 years ago – long before industrialisation had any impact on the planet. A study of sedimentary material on the bottom of Disraeli Fjord in Canada, found evidence of what the team described as a ‘major fracturing event’ 1,400 years ago. Scientists believe the Ward Hunt ice shelf north of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, broke up and then re-froze 800 years ago . They believe at least one ice shelf, Ward Hunt north of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, the largest remaining ice shelf in the Arctic at 170 square miles, broke up and then re-froze 800 years ago. Ice shelves are thick platforms of ice which have been pushed out to see by the pressure from glaciers. They act as dams in fjords and result in sediment building up at the boundary between fresh water from the ice and salt water from the ocean. Researchers used carbon dating and other techniques to examine the sediment and were able to create a timeline of events. They found the ice shelf appeared 4,000 years ago staying whole for several thousand years before fracturing 1,400 years ago. They said it didn't fully re-freeze until 800 years ago. Melting: A chunk of ice is shown drifting after it separated from the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf off the north coast of Ellesmere Island in Canada's far north in 2008 . It began to shrink again almost 100 years ago and is getting smaller every year. Dermot Antoniadesa said: 'At this point, it doesn’t appear that the shelf ice around Ellesmere Island is any smaller now than it was during the previous period of warming, but because it’s still shrinking, it’s possible it could become, an 'unprecedented' event.' The team published the results of their survey in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Ice shelves in the Arctic lost more than 90 per cent of their total surface area during the 20th century and are continuing to disintegrate rapidly.
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Researchers think one Canadian ice shelf broke up 1,400 years ago and then re-froze .
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By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 11:41 EST, 30 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:58 EST, 30 October 2012 . Millions of New Yorkers were today struggling to go about their normal day after one of the busiest cities in the world was brought to its knees by one of the biggest storm's in its history. The city that never sleeps spent the night at a virtual standstill and cloaked in darkness, waking up today to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy which has so far claimed the lives of 18 people and caused what is expected to be $20billion of damage. As daylight finally illuminated the streets this morning, New Yorkers were faced with a flooded subway, shuttered financial markets, closed schools, deserted streets and many homes still without power after a night which saw a wall of sea water and high winds slam into the city. Homes devastated by fire and the effects of Hurricane Sandy at Breezy Point Queens borough . Water floods the Plaza Shops in lower Manhattan, New York and debris fills the steps . A man looks at the flooded Battery Park underpass after Sandy left most of lower Manhattan without power . Buildings were destroyed, tunnels going into and out of Manhattan were flooded, dozens of trees and power lines were felled and thousands had fled from their homes. Some would have no homes to return to after at least 50 in the Queens area flooded and caught fire. This morning, there were police officers on every corner, patrol cars circling the neighborhoods on the lookout for looters and casualties. Traffic lights were down and streets and subways were eerily empty. Those on the streets seemed confused as to what to do and how to go about it. High above midtown, the broken boom of a crane continued to dangle precariously over a neighborhood. New York City police officers put up police tape in front of a subway station today . A playground stands surrounded by water pushed up by Hurricane Sandy in Bellport, New York . The city's subway, which is 108 years old, has never faced a disaster as devastating as last night, an MTA spokesman said today. 'We knew that this was going to be a very dangerous storm, and the storm has met our expectations,' Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today. 'This is a once-in-a-long-time storm.' From 8pm last night, lower Manhattan was bathed in darkness as the power went out from one neighborhood to another like a domino effect. Soon after, the city's cell phone networks stopped working leaving people in virtual obscurity. 'We see a pop. The whole sky lights up,' said Dani Hart, 30, who was watching the storm from the roof of her building in the Navy Yards. A statue is seen among homes devastated by fire in the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough . A construction site sinks into a large hole on South Street Seaport following Hurricane Sandy . 'It sounded like the Fourth of July,' Stephen Weisbrot said from his powerless 10th-floor apartment.'It's really a complete ghost town now.' Alice Goldberg, 15, a tourist from Paris, was watching television in her hotel when a voice came over the loudspeaker and told everyone to leave. 'They said to take only what we needed, and leave the rest, because we'll come back in two or three days,' she said as she and hundreds of others gathered in the luggage-strewn marble lobby. 'I hope so.' It could be several days to a week before all residents who lost power during the storm get their lights back, officials said. People take their belongings out in lower Manhattan in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy . A pedestrian passes a fallen tree on East 7th Street in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood . A pedestrian passes a fallen tree on East 7th Street in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood . In the early hours of Tuesday morning, it was like a tale of two cities. In uptown Manhattan, windows of apartments and businesses glowed and curious faces peered from windows, eager to see the damage. But to cross through midtown was to be swallowed by darkness. Only a few emergency or backup lights appeared in buildings. Further downtown, only the flicker of candlelight could be seen from windows, the usually bustling financial district was both flooded with water and cloaked in darkness. Even though the worst of the storm had passed, authorities warned people to be on the alert when moving around today for falling debris, felled trees and downed power lines. A woman looks and gestures at debris left behind along the East River . 'This will be one for the record . books,' said John Miksad, senior vice president for electric operations . at Consolidated Edison. 'This will be the largest storm-related outage . in our history.' 'Folks . don't realize that this is the most dangerous time,' Irene K. Asbury, a . municipal prosecutor for the town of West New York, told Yahoo! Shine. 'Your . guard is down, you think your family is safe, the storm is over... then . you step on a rusty nail, a branch falls on you during cleanup, or you . wade through a puddle and there is a live wire.' A man uses his mobile phone to photograph a closed and flooded subway station in lower Manhattan . 'It’s the worst I’ve seen,' said David Arnold, watching the storm from his home in Long Branch, N.J. 'The ocean is in the road, there are trees down everywhere. I’ve never seen it this bad.' 'We are at the mercy of the MTA -- our staff has to be able to get to work -- and Con Ed,' restaurateur Drew Nieporent wrote in an e-mail to Businessweek. His Tribeca Grill flooded and he’s waiting in New Jersey without power, to hear how Nobu and Corton fared in the storm. 'As the storm has come and gone, time will tell how we all fared, the degree of damage suffered, the amount of lives sadly lost to this natural disaster and how long it will take before the city that never sleeps resumes being the be-all and end-all for so many of us.' 'Scallywag' blogger .
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Hurricane Sandy has claimed .
the lives of 18 people and caused what is expected to be $20billion of .
damage .
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(Travel + Leisure) -- You haven't experienced Christmas lights until you've seen nearly four miles of them artfully hung in patterns dictated by Tiffany's head designer in Copenhagen's famed historic amusement park, Tivoli Gardens -- and that's not counting the 1,800 strands dramatically draped on the lakeside willows. Salzburg, Austria's Christkindlmarkt is one of Europe's oldest markets. Copenhagen celebrates Jul (as in "yuletide") in high style, with its famed Christmas market the centerpiece. Stalls stocked with fine handmade crafts, including traditional figurines of clog-clad elves in pointy red caps, compete for space with vendors selling iced doughnuts slathered with black currant jam and hefty cups of gløgg, a steaming hot mulled red wine laden with raisins, almonds, cinnamon sticks and cloves -- all of which, for good measure, are steeped in aquavit or schnapps. Christmas in Europe is a time for elaborate pastries straight out of a medieval cookbook, for lyrical midnight masses in Gothic churches and for the upholding of quirky local traditions -- in many countries, Christmas just isn't complete without mischievous pixies, kindly witches (Rome), treacherous demons (Salzburg) or an 8,000-pound fruitcake (Dresden). However else Europeans celebrate the Yuletide season, Christmas still centers around an Advent market that, in most cases, has filled the square before the cathedral each December for hundreds upon hundreds of years. Many markets start on the Friday before Advent, which is four Sundays before Christmas Eve; most end on December 24, especially in Germanic countries, where Christmas Eve is set aside for trimming the tree at home. Others keep celebrating until Epiphany on January 6. Travel+Leisure.com: See Europe's best Christmas markets . These markets are where the romance of the holiday comes alive in grand tradition -- smells of gingerbread and roasting sausages waft through the cold air, handmade ornaments adorn ancient fir trees, master glassblowers and other artisans ply their crafts in wooden stalls, shoppers bustle past Gothic church facades and half-timbered houses, pausing to sip their glühwein, heavily spiced and mulled "glow wine" -- the piping-hot beverage of choice at any self-respecting Teutonic Christmas market. This is what Christmas should be -- a holiday free of mall Muzak and the frantic need to lay your hands on the superstore's last Tickle Me Xbox. It's an old-world Christmas of heartfelt caroling and wooden toys, where every gift is crafted by hand and Santa hasn't outsourced his workshop to China. For a few precious frost-nipped weeks, these museum-piece cities of Olde World Europe flicker back to the Middle Ages -- not the ossified medieval throwbacks of soot-blackened cathedrals and tourist-bedeviled museums, but the living, breathing yesteryear of a bustling outdoor marketplace. A few practical notes: It's wise to book as far in advance as possible in these Christmas hotspots, especially for trips between December 15 and January 1 and definitely for December 24 and 25. That goes not only for your lodging but also for restaurants, many of which close on Christmas Eve and Day; those that are open usually offer a set-price feast and book up fast with locals. Planning a Caribbean getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's new Ultimate Caribbean Hotel Guide - CLICK HERE . Copyright 2007 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.
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Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens glitters with lights during the market .
Advent markets have been held for hundreds of years .
Handmade crafts, local snacks and mulled wine are typical .
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(CNN) -- A Sikh farmer in India has surpassed a month on a hunger strike, demanding the release of six men from his community jailed since the 1990s during a period of a deadly Sikh separatist movement in the country. Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa, 48, began his protest on November 14, his aide, Harpal Singh Cheema, told CNN. His hunger strike brings attention to the fates of Sikhs who were arrested and convicted for their actions during the separatist movement, but who, unlike others, have not had their sentences shortened. The fact that other Indians sentenced to life have been released earlier, but not the Sikhs, has some accusing the justice system of discrimination against the group. Those who support Khalsa's hunger strike say it is long overdue that the cases of those Sikhs be reviewed. An armed Sikh rebellion operated in Punjab, the heartland of the faith, from the 1980s to the early 1990s, when it was crushed. Hiding from the massacre: 1984 remembered . Many political leaders were assassinated during the insurgency. India's then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards in October 1984, the same year she had ordered a military raid on the Golden Temple, the holiest of the Sikh shrines, to flush out militants holed up inside. Three of the six convicts whose freedom Khalsa is fighting for were arrested in 1995 for their alleged role in the assassination of Punjab's then-Chief Minister, Beant Singh, in a car bombing. They were sentenced to life in prison. The others were convicted under a draconian anti-terror law that has since been repealed, civil rights lawyer H.S. Phoolka said. "It is not unusual to set lifers free after they have served 14 years in prison," Phoolka said. "These prisoners should also be freed, as normalcy returned to Punjab long ago and they should be joining the mainstream now." International rights groups have accused both the Sikh separatists and Indian forces of serious violations during the insurgency. The six Sikh inmates are lodged in the jails of the federally-administered territory of Chandigarh and in Punjab, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh states. Khalsa is "weak but says he will not end (his hunger strike) until he sees those six prisoners free," his aide said. iReport: 'Free those political prisoners [who] should be legally free' Khalsa's protest, which has drawn support from across the Sikh political and religious spectrum, has gained a viral online attention, although the story is not prominent on India's national media. "A number of Sikhs were falsely arrested, charged and convicted. Many of them are still in jails despite their old age. It's my personal opinion all such prisoners — whichever community they may belong to — should be set free now," said Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, general secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the top Sikh religious administration in Punjab. "It's up to the discretion of those governments, administrations to reconsider their cases. We are trying our best," Punjab government spokesman Harcharan Bains said. In India, state authorities can review a lifer's case after a prisoner serving that sentence has spent 14 years, Bains and lawyer Phoolka said. "But, otherwise, a life sentence means sentence until the last breath of the prisoner," Bains said. Rights attorneys, however, say authorities are selectively rejecting reviews of Sikh inmates incarcerated during the Punjab militancy. "There are numerous examples where life convicts have been prematurely released after undergoing imprisonment of 12 to 14 years or even less," Phoolka said. "It is a great discrimination against... because of their religious beliefs." Meantime, Human Rights Watch, in a statement to CNN, called upon Indian authorities not to let prisoners remain behind the bars beyond their sentences. "There were serious human rights abuses during the Punjab insurgency," the human rights group said. Both militants, with their attacks, and the security forces, abusing the now repealed terror law, committed human rights violations, the group said. Sikhs and rights bodies have also accused successive Indian governments of going soft on high-profile politicians suspected of perpetrating a massacre of Sikhs in and round New Delhi in the wake of Gandhi's assassination. Official figures put the number of those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh attacks at 2,733 in the Indian capital alone. Human rights activists say the death toll was much higher. "Despite the findings of independent commissions, government forces or officials responsible for excesses, including during the 1984 riots, are yet to be properly prosecuted," Human Rights Watch said in its statement. Himself a Sikh and the country's first non-Hindu head of government, Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh issued a public apology for the deadly events -- 21 years after their occurrence. "I have no hesitation in apologizing not only to the Sikh community but the whole Indian nation because what took place in 1984 is the negation of the concept of nationhood and what enshrined in our Constitution. So, I am not standing on any false prestige. On behalf of our government, on behalf of the entire people of this country, I bow my head in shame that such thing took place," Singh told India's Parliament in an impassioned address in 2005.
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Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa has been on a hunger strike for more than a month .
He is demanding the freedom of a group of Sikh separatists .
Both sides in the conflict during the 1980s and 1990s committed violations .
But some argue that the justice system has been harsher on the Sikhs .
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Walsall will play at Wembley for the first time in their history after reaching the Johnstone's Paints Trophy final after a 0-0 draw sealed a 2-0 aggregate win over Preston in the northern area final. Late goals from Anthony Forde and Tom Bradshaw secured Walsall a two-goal cushion in the first leg of the tie. After 90 tense minutes of football, the Saddlers hung on to secure their place at Wembley. Walsall manager Dean Smith (centre) celebrates with his players after their 2-0 aggregate win over Preston . 'It's an amazing achievement to be the first Walsall manager in 127 years to take his team to Wembley, said manager Dean Smith. 'Especially when I think of the calibre of some of the mangers who have been here before me and I feel very proud. 'It was a very scrappy game, but then I always thought it would be and it turned out that the two-goal cushion we got up there was enough.' There are now just three Football League clubs who have never played at Wembley — Accrington, Hartlepool and Crawley Town. Walsall will face either Bristol City or Gillingham. Walsall's Romaine Sawyers (right) narrowly shoots wide during the tense second-leg tie .
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Walsall have reached the Johnstone's Paints Trophy final .
Dean Smith's side sealed a 2-0 aggregate win over Preston .
Late goals from Anthony Forde and Tom Bradshaw secured Walsall a two-goal cushion in the first leg of the tie .
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A jury took less than an hour to find a woman guilty on Tuesday in the 2011 starvation death of her ten-year-old stepson. The Dallas County jury found Elizabeth Ramsey, 33, guilty of intentional serious injury to a child in Johnathan Ramsey's death. The child weighed just 60lb when he died and in desperation, had eaten his own feces. Jurors will hear testimony today in the sentencing phase of Ramsey's trial and could sentence her to a maximum of life imprisonment. Elizabeth Ramsey, 33, was found guilty of starving to death her ten-year-old stepson in Texas and faces life in prison . The boy's 35-year-old father, Aaron Ramsey, is serving a life sentence already. Prosecutors said the two locked the boy in his room at the family's Dallas, Texas home, then slowly starved him on a diet of bread and water or milk and dumped his emaciated body in a rural area south of Dallas in 2011. The body was found the next year in a creek. The stepmother's attorneys asserted that her husband kept her from reporting her stepson's ordeal. Ramsey's lawyers had asked jurors to find her guilty of a lesser charge, arguing that Aaron Ramsey was the instigator and she was forced to participate in the crime. Prosecutors blamed the couple equally for Johnathan’s death. Witnesses described Elizabeth Ramsey as a habitual liar with a hot temper. Johnathan Ramsey was starved for months by his stepmother and father until his tiny body gave out in 2011. The pair then dumped the child in a rural area, south of Dallas . Johnathan's grandfather, Edward Ramsey, . had contacted police early in 2012 to ask them to search for the child . because he had not seen the boy for more than a year. The boy's 35-year-old father, Aaron Ramsey, is serving a life sentence already . The boy's biological mother, Judy Williams, and other relatives did not see him for months. Williams lives in New Mexico and has custody of the couple's other son, according to relatives. Police said Aaron and Elizabeth Ramsey, the child's stepmother, initially claimed the boy had gone to live with his mother but later confessed to starving the boy to death. According to police, Aaron Ramsey said he put his son on 'military rations' because the boy began to misbehave early last year. Ramsey said the boy had punched his stepmother in the stomach when she was pregnant, causing a miscarriage. Johnathan’s schoolteacher Carrie Liska said that the child was never violent but quiet and sweet. She . told the Dallas News that Johnathan didn't play much with other . children which could be attributed to his Asperger syndrome. Ramsey said he hit Johnathan in the chest and then locked him in a bedroom, according to the records. Jurors in Elizabeth Ramsey's trial heard testimony that Ramsey was not pregnant after all. Relatives told Dallas News on Monday that Elizabeth Ramsey was known for making up lies, at one point claiming to be an FBI agent and earning her doctorate at college. Elizabeth Ramsey grew up believing that her mother was her sister after she was adopted by her maternal grandparents as a baby. Her biological mother Kathleen Pate, who blew kisses to Ramsey from the stand, told the court on Monday that her daughter lied frequently and had a very short temper, according to the Dallas News. Johnathan was found lying on the bedroom floor in August, according to court records. Aaron Ramsey told detectives he changed his son into his favorite T-shirt, placed him into a sleeping bag and inserted a dryer sheet to mask the smell of his body, the records said.
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Elizabeth Ramsey, 33, found guilty of intentional serious injury to a child in Johnathan Ramsey's death .
The little boy, who has Asperger Syndrome, weighed 60lb when he died and ate his own feces in desperation .
Sentencing begins today, she could face life in prison .
The boy's 35-year-old father, Aaron Ramsey, is serving a life sentence .
The two locked the boy in his room at the family's Dallas .
home, starved him on a diet of bread and water and dumped .
his body in a rural area .
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Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has criticized the timing of the U.S. drone strike that killed the leader of the Pakistani Taliban last week, his office said in a statement. Karzai made the comments when he met with a U.S. congressional delegation in Kabul on Sunday evening, the statement said. The Afghan President expressed hope that the death of the Pakistani Taliban leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, would not undermine cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan aimed at achieving a successful peace process. Mehsud, who had a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head for his alleged involvement in a 2009 attack on a U.S. base in Afghanistan, was killed Friday in a drone strike in northwestern Pakistan, senior U.S. and Pakistani officials said last week. The Pakistani government condemned the use of drone strikes on its territory after Mehsud's killing. The U.S. ambassador to Islamabad was summoned to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Saturday. Mehsud's death happened as Pakistani authorities were working on efforts to hold peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban. There are fears that his killing could jeopardize the proposed talks. In a different initiative, the Afghan government announced plans last week to send a delegation to Pakistan to meet with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a former Afghan Taliban leader who was released last month from detention by Pakistani authorities. The planned visit plays into efforts to pursue peace in war-torn Afghanistan, where NATO and Afghan troops have been fighting the Afghan Taliban for more than a decade. The Afghan Taliban condemned the drone strike that killed Mehsud as "cowardly" and "barbaric" in a statement posted on their website Saturday, the SITE intelligence group said. The statement urged the Pakistani government and people to take measures to stop the attacks. The Pakistani Taliban have voted to elect Asmatullah Shaheen, who is on Pakistan's most wanted list, as their interim head, an official for the group said. The group, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, will not be making an announcement on a new permanent leader for several more days, according to Azam Tariq, a member of the Pakistani Taliban's Shura Council, their centralized decision-making body.
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Karzai says he hopes the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud won't hurt cooperation with Pakistan .
He made the comments when he met with a U.S. congressional delegation .
A U.S. drone strike in northwestern Pakistan killed Mehsud last week .
Afghan officials plan to travel to Pakistan to meet a former Afghan Taliban leader .
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Everton midfielder Ross Barkley doesn't have any kind of buy-out clause in his contract, manager Roberto Martinez has revealed. Barkley signed a new four-year deal with the Toffees at the end of July. But despite pledging his future to Everton a matter of months ago the 20-year-old continues to be linked with a switch to either Manchester City or Chelsea next summer. However, should either club attempt to lure the England international away from Goodison Park, they will have to meet Everton's valuation after Martinez quashed rumours Barkley had a price on his head. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Martinez: Manchester City interest in Barkley just 'rumours' Ross Barkley (centre), pictured in action against Lille, does not have a buy-out clause in his Everton contract . Barkley fires a free-kick over the bar during the Toffees' Europa League draw in France on Thursday . 'No, there are no buy-out clauses in any of the contracts,' said the Spaniard. 'The only one was with Marouane (Fellaini) and that wasn't triggered, so it didn't matter. 'All the speculation and talk is positive. Because you don't get any of that when your players are not playing well or they haven't got potential.' The last time a young English player of such precocious talent was at Goodison Park he was sold with his best years well ahead of him. But Martinez claims the financial parameters are now different from a decade ago when Wayne Rooney left for Manchester United. Everton boss Roberto Martinez insists the club are in a healthy financial position and do not need to sell . Barkley, pictured in action against Aston Villa, is back in the first-team after two months out injured . 'Football and finances always go hand in hand,' explained Martinez, ahead of his side's clash with Burnley on Sunday. 'Now at Everton, every decision is going to be a football decision.' Martinez accepted, however, that every player ultimately does have their price. 'If you are going to lose a player for three times over the market value I am sure that the football club would be in a better state,' he said.
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Manchester City are interested in signing Ross Barkley from Everton .
But Roberto Martinez does not want to sell the young England midfielder .
Barkley does not have a buy-out clause and Everton do not need to sell .
However the Spaniard admits that every player has their price .
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Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Comedian Conan O'Brien returns to the late-night television circuit Monday with a much-anticipated new show. Actors Seth Rogen and Lea Michele will be guests on the first episode of "Conan," which airs Monday at 11 p.m. ET on TBS. But the veteran host is keeping mum about a mystery guest -- the winner of an online poll. A guest lineup schedule posted on the new show's website says: "You clicked and we listened! Who will be the poll winner: The Pope? The Sultan Of Brunei? Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Gerhard Ertl? WATCH AND FIND OUT!" There's one person who probably won't be taking the stage in O'Brien's Burbank, California, studio any time soon: Jay Leno. "He can come as the musical guest, because that I want to see... No, there are certain things I will not do, regardless of the price," O'Brien said in an interview in the December issue of Playboy. Will Conan O'Brien live up to the 'Conan' hype? O'Brien has been off the air since January, when NBC canceled Leno's primetime hour after disappointing ratings led to an affiliate revolt. NBC paid O'Brien and his staff an estimated $40 million to clear the way for Leno to return to the "Tonight Show" host chair he handed off to O'Brien last year. The settlement left O'Brien free to launch a competing show after September 1, 2010. TBS announced plans to bring O'Brien onboard in April. The cable network is owned by Turner Broadcasting, the same company that owns CNN. The ouster of O'Brien after just seven months on the show stirred his friends and fans -- dubbed Team CoCo -- to launch a variety of anti-NBC protests. Actors Tom Hanks, Jon Hamm and Michael Cera are among the guests slated to appear during the first week of O'Brien's new show. Musical guests Jack White, Soundgarden and Fistful of Mercy are also scheduled to perform. From 1993 to 2009, O'Brien hosted "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on NBC. He is also a former editor of the Harvard Lampoon and writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons."
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O'Brien is returning after more than 9 months off the air .
Actor Seth Rogen is scheduled to appear Monday .
The host says rival Jay Leno is unlikely to be a guest on his new show .
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Elliot Rodger's difficulties with women were so devastating to him that he vowed to kill anyone he couldn't win over. "My orchestration of the Day of Retribution is my attempt to do everything, in my power, to destroy everything I cannot have," Rodger wrote in a 137-page manifesto obtained by CNN affiliate KEYT. "All of those beautiful girls I've desired so much in my life, but can never have because they despise and loathe me, I will destroy." He also said he despised men who had luck with women and said he would eliminate them, too. "I will kill them all and make them suffer, just as they have made me suffer," he added. "It is only fair." On Friday, that "day of retribution" came. Authorities say Rodger, 22, fatally stabbed three men in his home before killing two women outside a sorority house and then shooting a man at a deli in Isla Vista, California. By the end of his rampage, six victims were dead. Rodger died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. And perhaps the only clues to the reasons are in the gunman's haunting dissertation of his life. A life-changing divorce . For most of his early childhood, Rodger was a happy boy. But he said his first major traumatic event came when he learned at 7 that his parents were divorcing. He described his parents' divorce as a devastating, "life-changing event," but said he gained more respect for his father after he quickly acquired a girlfriend. "Males who can easily find female mates garner more respect from their fellow men, even children," Rodger wrote. "How ironic is it that my father, one of those men who could easily find a girlfriend, has a son who would struggle all his life to find a girlfriend." Bitterness after puberty . But the impetus for most of Rodger's angst stemmed from his unfulfilled desires for women. "As children we all play together as equals in a fair environment. Only after the advent of puberty does the true brutality of human nature show its face," he wrote. "Life will become a bitter and unfair struggle for self-worth, all because girls will choose some boys over others. The boys who girls find attractive will live pleasure-filled lives while they dominate the boys who girls deem unworthy." He described himself as a very jealous person, "and at the age of nine my jealous nature sprung to the surface." Rodger wrote about the website PuaHate.com as a "forum full of men who are starved of sex, just like me. "Many of them have their own theories of what women are attracted to, and many of them share my hatred of women, though unlike me they would be too cowardly to act on it. Reading the posts on that website only confirmed many of the theories I had about how wicked and degenerate women really are." The site was down Sunday. "I certainly would not want to blame a specific website for the violence and a tragedy that was carried out by one specific individual," Josh Glasstetter, a researcher at the Southern Poverty Law Center, told CNN. "But his online activities on forums like PuaHate gave his thoughts and beliefs more of a definition, and direction." Traumatized by porn . When Rodger was 11, a friend he met through a chat room sent him photos of "beautiful naked girls," he wrote. "When I looked at the pictures, I was shocked beyond words. I had never seen what beautiful girls looked like naked, and the sight filled me with strong and overwhelming emotions," Rodger said in his autobiography. "I was traumatized. My childhood was fading away. Ominous fear swept over me. ... Indeed, a whole new world had opened up before me, and I had no idea how to prevail in it. I still wanted to live as a child." The trauma got worse two years later, Rodger said, when he was at an Internet cafe and saw an older teen watching porn. "The sight was shocking, traumatizing, and arousing. All of these feelings mixed together took a great toll on me," he wrote. "I walked home and cried by myself for a bit. I felt too guilty about what I saw to talk to my parents about it." "Not getting any sex is what will shape the very foundation of my miserable youth," he said. Taunting and bullying . Rodger said he endured a spate of bullying in the eighth and ninth grades, causing him to be "more shy and timid than I ever was in my life." "I felt very small, weak, and above all, worthless," he wrote. "I cried by myself at school every day." He said one of his worst days came at the end of ninth grade, when a classmate was bragging about having sex with his girlfriend. "I defiantly told him that I didn't believe him, so he played a voice recording of what sounded like him and his girlfriend having sex," Rodger wrote. "I could hear a girl saying his name over and over again while she panted franticly. He grinned at me smugly. I felt so inferior to him, and I hated him." That sense of inferiority carried over into his college days at Santa Barbara City College. "Every day that I spent at my college, the more inferior and invisible I felt," he wrote. "I felt like such an inferior mouse whenever I saw guys walking with beautiful girls." 'Sophisticated, polite gentleman' Some of Rodger's social media posts were more positive than the rants in his autobiography. He portrayed himself as an affluent young man who drove a black BMW Series 3 coupe and traveled the world. "I consider myself a sophisticated, polite gentleman, unlike most boys my age," according to a statement posted on "Elliot Rodger's Official Blog." CNN cannot confirm the authenticity of the social media posts. According to the blog, Rodger was born in the United Kingdom and moved to the United States at age 5. He was raised in the shadow of Hollywood, in the affluent Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills, by his father -- a commercial photographer and sometimes director -- and his stepmother, an actress who appeared with Matt Damon in "Green Zone." Pictures posted on Rodger's Facebook page show him with his father, Peter, on the red carpet at the premiere of the 2012 film "The Hunger Games." Peter Rodger briefly worked as a second unit assistant director on the film, according to a spokeswoman with Lionsgate Entertainment, the company behind the "Hunger Games" movie franchise. But it's also in the blog where Rodger railed against life in Isla Vista. "I have tried very hard to fit in with the social scene there, but I have ultimately been unable to do so," the blog states. "There are too many obnoxious people who have ruined my whole experience at that place." 'Day of retribution' The day before before the rampage, a video posted on YouTube featured Rodger ranting for nearly seven minutes against women who he said rejected him and popular kids who ignored him. "For the past eight years of my life, ever since I hit puberty, I've been forced to endure an existence of loneliness, rejection and unfulfilled desires all because girls have never been attracted to me," he said. "Tomorrow is the day of retribution. The day in which I will have my revenge against humanity, against all of you." Rampage killings: Fast Facts .
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"All of those beautiful girls I've desired ... I will destroy," Elliot Rodger wrote .
In his 137-page autobiography, Rodger said he was traumatized by pornography .
He also said he was bullied and taunted .
Authorities say Rodger killed six people before apparently shooting himself in the head .
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Nemanja Vidic continued his nightmare start to his Inter Milan career - giving away a penalty as the Nerazzurri crashed to a humiliating 4-1 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Cagliari at the San Siro. Cagliari had lost its last three matches but gained an advantage when Inter captain Yuto Nagatomo was sent off in the 27th minute following two yellow cards. Albin Ekdal, who had scored three goals in 87 appearances for Cagliari, doubled his tally for the club with a 15-minute hat trick. Albin Ekdal looks as if he almost cannot believe it as he scores a hat-trick against Inter Milan for Cagliari . Pablo Osvaldo and Rodrigo Palacio look downcast as they prepare to take a kick-off after conceding again . Ekdal leads his team-mates to celebrate with the travelling fans at the San Siro after a famous win . It would have been worse for Inter if Samir Handanovic had not saved a penalty after Vidic's mistake. 'I made some mistakes when evaluating the squad rotation,' Inter coach Walter Mazzarri said. 'When we were down to 10 men we should have acted differently: an experienced team would've sat back, not conceded four in the first half and tried to come back in the second.' Napoli won 1-0 at Sassuolo in the lunchtime kickoff, while 10-man AC Milan was held to a 1-1 draw at Cesena. Fiorentina also drew 1-1 at Torino as did Chievo Verona at home to Empoli. Juventus and Roma both maintained their perfect start to the season with victories on Saturday. Inter Milan manager Walter Mazzarri reacts during the match in what was a very hard-to-take defeat . Cagliari took the lead in the 10th minute when Nagatomo failed to deal with a long ball and headed straight at Marco Sau, who fired home. But Inter was back on level terms eight minutes later when Rodrigo Palacio took a free kick quickly and set up Pablo Osvaldo. The turning point came shortly afterward when Nagatomo picked up two yellow cards in as many minutes and was dismissed. Cagliari immediately restored its advantage as Handanovic did well to parry a fierce strike from Daniele Dessena, but Ekdal pounced on the rebound. Ekdal doubled his tally five minutes later, tapping in Victor Ibarbo's cross after a great run from the Colombia winger who had bamboozled the Inter defense. It almost got worse shortly before halftime when Vidic mistimed a sliding tackle on Sau in the area. However, spot-kick specialist Handanovic saved Andrea Cossu's penalty. Napoli's Jose Callejon celebrates after scoring the only goal of the game against Sassuolo . But Cagliari did get a fourth moments later when Ekdal completed his hat trick after Inter failed to clear a corner. Osvaldo thought he had pulled one back for Inter shortly after the interval but his effort was ruled out for offside. City rival Milan was also forced to play at a numerical disadvantage after Cristian Zapata was sent off in the 73rd minute for denying Gregoire Defrel a clear scoring opportunity. Cesena had taken a shock lead in the 10th minute when Christian Abbiati - replacing the injured Diego Lopez - fumbled a simple attempt from Guido Marilungo and Davide Succi was on hand to tap in the rebound. Jeremy Menez almost recorded his fourth goal of the season but it was struck off after Fernando Torres was adjudged to be offside. Milan did level in the 19th when Adil Rami headed in Keisuke Honda's corner. Adil Rami celebrates with Fernando Torres on his shoulders after grabbing AC Milan's equaliser in Cesena . Stefano Lucchini thought he had snatched all three points for Cesena at the death, but the referee had already stopped play for Emmanuel Cascione's push on Mattia De Sciglio. In the early match, Jose Callejon scored the only goal of the game in the 28th minute when he was on hand at the back post to tap in Gonzalo Higuain's cross. Sassuolo almost snatched a late equalizer but Federico Peluso's deflected effort crashed off the crossbar. The pressure had been mounting on Benitez, who had guided the southern club to just two wins in seven matches in all competitions this season. Napoli had just one point in its last three Serie A matches. In Turin, the home side broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark when Bruno Peres' pull back set up Quagliarella, who carved out space for himself under pressure and drilled into the far bottom corner. Khouma Babacar leveled 12 minutes from time after a delightful through ball by substitute Federico Bernardeschi with his first touch.
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Nemanja Vidic conceded a penalty in Inter's heavy defeat to Cagliari .
Albin Ekdal scored a hat-trick within 15 minutes in a nightmare for Inter .
Napoli won 1-0 at Sassuolo to ease the pressure on Rafael Benitez .
AC Milan drew 1-1 with Cesena after Cristian Zapata saw red .
Fiorentina fought back for a 1-1 draw at Torino .
Chievo Verona and Empoli finished all square too .
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By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 06:05 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:05 EST, 26 February 2013 . Fish oil could protect sun-worshippers from skin cancer, new research suggests. Scientists from the University of Manchester have discovered that omega-3 acids in the oil boost the immune system, affecting the body's ability to fight skin cancer and infection. It is the first time the protective effect of omega-3 - commonly found in fish and plant oils - has been demonstrated in humans. Omega-3 acid reduces the way sunlight suppresses the immune system, scientists believe . The research team, from the university's photobiology unit, claim the oils reduced the sun's impact on the immune system by half. Exposure to a lot of UV radiation from the sun can suppress the immune system, which affects the body’s . ability to fight skin cancer and infection. Team leader Professor Lesley Rhodes, who also works for Salford Royal Hospital, described the findings as 'very exciting'. He added: ‘It has taken a number of years to get to this stage. ‘This study adds to the evidence that omega-3 is a potential nutrient to protect against skin cancer.' He added that although the changes when someone took the oil were small, they suggest that omega-3 could reduce the risk of skin cancer over an individual's lifetime. ‘There has been research in this area carried out on mice in the past but this is the first time that there has been a clinical trial directly in people.’ Fish oil has also been shown to have other beneficial health effects, such as combating cardiovascular disease . The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The 79 patients who volunteered for the trial took a 4g dose of omega-3 - about one and a half portions of oily fish - daily, before being exposed to the equivalent of either eight, 15 or 30 minutes of summer midday sun in Manchester using a special light machine. Other patients took a placebo, before being exposed to the light machine. Suppression of the immune system was 50 per cent lower in people who took the supplement and were exposed to eight and 15 minutes of sun, compared with people who did not take the supplement. The study showed little influence on those in the 30-minute group. Fish oil has already been shown to have many beneficial health effects, such as helping with cardiovascular disease. Prof Rhodes' team are now continuing their research with further omega-3 studies being carried out on healthy volunteers at Salford Royal Hospital. Around 100,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer were diagnosed in the UK in 2010, according to the most recent figures available, making it an extremely common cancer.
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Omega-3 fatty acids found to halve the negative effect sunlight can have on the immune system .
Boost the body's ability to fight skin cancer .
But the benefits only hold for less than 30 minutes of sun exposure at a time, warn the researchers .
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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Thirty-six people were killed and dozens were injured in explosions at a market in Lahore, Pakistan, on Monday, an official said. Rizwan Naseer, chief of Lahore's rescue service, also said 109 people were wounded. The explosions did not appear to be a suicide attack but could instead have been bombs detonated by remote control, Punjab Police Chief Tariq Salim said. The nation's state-run news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan, said the blasts were the result of "bomb explosions." The explosions occurred at Moon Market in the Iqbal Town neighborhood, the news agency said. It cited Iqbal Town Division's Ali Nasir Rizvi as saying most of the victims were women. Khusro Pervaiz, a senior government official in Lahore, said in a television interview that 60 people had been taken to five Lahore hospitals. The blasts happened around 8:45 p.m. at the popular market, said Rai Nazar Hayat, a spokesman for Lahore police. Earlier, ten people were killed -- including two police officers -- when a suicide bomber detonated outside a district courthouse in Peshawar on Monday, officials said. At least 36 were injured, six of them seriously, said Dr. Hameed Afridi, CEO of the Lady Reading Hospital. The bomber got out of a rickshaw and detonated himself, according to witnesses. The attacker was wearing a suicide jacket with about 6 kilograms of explosives, said Shafqat Malik, head of the North West Frontier Province bomb disposal unit. Peshawar is the capital of the Northwest Frontier Province, where the Pakistani government waged a recent military offense against Taliban militants. Meanwhile, five people were hurt in a bomb attack in Quetta on Monday morning, said Jamil Kakar, a Quetta police official. The explosives were placed in a car and destroyed two other cars and three motorbikes. The courthouse attack comes three days after four militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel. At least 36 were killed and 75 wounded. Among the dead were 17 children, according to military officials. Also killed were an army general and eight other military officials, six of senior rank. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan reiterated its claim in an e-mail to CNN the next day, after media outlets quoted officials who doubted the group's participation. "We reconfirmed it, that the TTP has done it and will do more which are already planned," the group said in the e-mail. "We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces." Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani army. CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report.
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36 dead, dozens hurt following two explosions at market in Lahore .
Explosions could have been bombs detonated by remote control, police say .
Ten killed, including two police officers, in suicide attack in Peshawar .
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(CNN)It has all the makings of a Bollywood blockbuster: a beautiful leading lady, an ukulele-toting hero and more than three hours of dancing across locations in India, London and the Swiss Alps. "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge," which is also known as DDLJ and translates as "The Brave-Hearted Will Take Away The Bride," has been on the big screen for an unprecedented 1,009 weeks -- nearly 20 years -- at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir theater. The longest-running film in Indian movie history, the 189-minute romantic comedy is about a young Indian couple from London who meet during a road trip around Europe. Simran, who is from a strict, conservative family, is due to be married off to a husband in India, when a Raj, a young hot head, pursues her. After much singing, dancing and serenading across fields of poppies, they fall head over heels in love -- despite opposition from their families. Much of DDLJ's enduring success is down to the movie's young leading actress, Kajol, who plays Simran. A virtual unknown when the film released in 1995, she's now Bollywood royalty -- known as much for her very distinctive eyebrows as her singing and dancing. Then there's Kajol's co-star Shah Rukh Khan, who plays as Raj. Now one of the most famous men in the world, he played a cheesy, over-the-top kid with a fancy car and charming dimples. Barely a blip on the Bollywood radar back then, Khan's career was defined by the first notes from his character's ukulele, which wafted through a field of yellow flowers as Kajol -- wearing hot pink lipstick -- ran towards him with the urgency of a woman in love. 'Spontaneous outcry' So when the Maratha Mandir theater decided to end the Yash Raj Film production's two-decade run on its big screen, it caused an uproar among many Mumbai residents. Yash Raj put out a statement on its website titled "DDLJ Forever!" on February 19. The production company and the movie theater explained to the public that it had been "mutually decided to end the film's historic and record breaking run." The announcement triggered what The Times of India described as "a spontaneous and an overwhelming outcry from the cinema going audience." The Maratha Mandir theater told CNN by phone that it had "received hundreds upon hundreds of calls" the day the end of the film's historic run was announced. Fans also took to the movie's official website posting messages like: "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge -- Official will no more be running in Martha Mandir!!! I really had a wish to go and fall in love once there ... A part of my dream dies today!!" Another said, "Ouch! This was not expected. Some legends are too good to come to an end ... at least not without a warning! Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge -- Official comes to a halt!" So -- after only two days -- the decision was reversed and Yash Raj invited movie lovers to "Come fall in love ... again and again," as the movie's tag line goes. 'Absolute nostalgia' The scale of the Bollywood film industry -- the word's most prolific -- is truly staggering: the government estimates the industry produces more than 1,200 feature films a year, while approximately 15 million Indians fill cinemas daily. At this point, there are not even enough cinemas to screen these films. Even U.S. President Obama quoted, or tried to quote, a famous line from DDLJ during his visit to India last month, while discussing the economy and aid packages with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Senorita, bade bade deshon mein ..." he started to say, before trailing off with: "you know what I mean." Last year when the film marked 1,000 weeks on screen, Shah Rukh Khan paid homage to his character by tweeting a picture of himself carrying his backpack from the movie with the caption: "Tried my 20 yrs later Raj look. The bag and me is original from the film.... the smile is from today for a 1000 weeks!" Kajol, meanwhile, in November tweeted stills from the movie with an emphatic: "Re-living #DDLJ! Absolute nostalgia!!!" The movie's return to the big screen means that now -- at 11.30 a.m. every day - Mumbai's film aficionados can share that nostalgia, once again falling under the spell of some truly classic crooning Bollywood-style.
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"Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge" released in 1995 and is India's longest running film .
Mumbai's Maratha Mandir theater announced February 19 that the film's run would end .
Hundreds of fans expressed outrage and the romantic comedy has been brought back .
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Julian Assange has found a way to escape asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy, and preach his causes, without getting arrested by British authorities. The infamous founder of WikiLeaks used hologram technology to appear on Sunday for a speech at The Nantucket Project, a Massachusetts conference similar to TED talks. The 43-year-old Australian native has been able to speak at several events from his self-imposed house arrest thanks to Skype, but Sunday marked the first time he has appeared as a hologram. The hologram event was organised from inside the Ecuadorian Embassy by London-based British billionaire Alki David, whose company Hologram USA owns the technology which made the transmission possible. Documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki interviewed Assange at the project, which also saw Secretary of State John Kerry, former Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers and poet Billy Collins this weekend. Scroll down for video . Futuristic: Julian Assange appeared via hologram to give a talk at the Nantucket Project on Sunday. The 43-year-old founder of Wikileaks has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 . Assange talked about life in asylum, which makes it difficult to do his work finding sources willing to divulge documents. Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012, when the UK decided to extradite him to Sweden where he is wanted on charges of sexual assault. He went on to slam Google's privacy policies, promote his new book, and defend his stance to release the Chelsea Manning papers four years ago. As for the Chelsea Manning leaks, Assange says he doesn't regret publishing them on WikiLeaks, even though they compromised American military secrets. Home: Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy after the British government decided to extradite him to Sweden where he is wanted on sexual assault charges . In person: Julian Assange speaks from the balcony of the Ecuador embassy in Knightsbridge in 2012 . At the ready: The embassy is guarded around the clock by British police officers in case Assange tries to flee the coop . He says he expected 'a hard time for maybe five to seven years' but felt the good in publishing the papers outweighed the negatives. Assange's book 'When Google Met WikiLeaks' is set to hit book stands this week, at the same time as 'How Google Works' - a book penned by Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt. 'If you see Eric Schmidt’s book, the cover of it is remarkably similar to the cover of this book,' Assange said, holding up a hologram of his book. 'So similar that I’m not sure the timing was a coincidence in publication.' The two have been engaged in a back and forth public debate, with Assange this past week calling Schmidt's Google a 'privatized NSA'. The Google exec responded by calling Assange 'paranoid'. Assange said that Google tries to pass itself off as a company run by 'fluffy graduate students' or rather 'not even a company at all, but something that gives free services'. He argued that Google is a normal company that needs to be viewed and held to the same standards as such. However, he says Google is more than a normal company in the sense that it tries to 'collect as much information about the world as is possible, store it, index it, make predictive models about people’s interests, and use that to sell advertising.' Assange ended the interview by giving moderator Jarecki a hologram high-five.
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The 43-year-old founder of WikiLeaks spoke at the Nantucket Project on Sunday via hologram .
He used the futuristic technology to talk about his new book, Google and defend his decision to publish the Chelsea Manning papers .
Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012, in an attempt to avoid extradition to Sweden on sex assault charges .
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By . James Gordon . Here's one trucker who knows a thing or two about lane discipline. As the semi was being buffeted by high winds along a highway in Kansas, the trucker managed to remain upright - but only just! The big rig leaned more than 45 degrees over to the right, on the road near Hays. The man was driving for KCK-based Butler Transport. Scroll down for video... About to flip! An 18-wheeler nearly flips over, amid what were believed to be 60-mile-per-hour winds on a Kansas highway and the driver behind the semi caught it all on video . Going, going: Even those who caught the near accident on video can't quite believe what they're seeing . Opinion: Other truckers say the driver's recovery was 70-percent luck and 30-percent skill . Truckers who have watched the video say the man's skill, the western Kansas sand grabbing the rig's tires and perhaps pure luck helped save the day. The drama was captured by a driver who was traveling right behind the rig. Jeff Steinberg, owner and instructor at APEX CDL Institute, told Fox Carolina the driver of the semi did an outstanding job in keeping the rig from rolling over. 'That driver deserves a medal,' Steinberg said. 'That was a great driving maneuver there.' Saving the day: The driver rescues the rig by turning into the tilt and . 'He did the only thing you could do, which was a perfect reaction to turn in the wind,' Steinberg said. 'There's no way to actually teach that.' Semis can easily tip over in the wind, especially when they're empty. Truck rollovers are the number one cause of fatalities for commercial drivers and it's usually caused after drivers are thrown out of the vehicles. Off-road: The truck turns off the highway and into a field after managing to stop the rig from toppling . Driving skills: Amazingly thanks to luck and skill the driver manages to right the semi . Safe at last: The truck pulls off into a nearby field, the driver presumably, counting his blessings .
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An 18-wheeler nearly flipped over in 50-mile-per-hour winds on a Kansas highway .
Driver behind the semi caught it all on video .
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(CNN) -- Malaysian authorities are bolstering security measures on the island of Borneo after a Chinese citizen was kidnapped by suspected Filipino rebels Tuesday. Gunmen armed with M-16 rifles abducted Yang Zailin, 34, from the fish farm where he worked on the east coast of Sabah around 2.45 am, the state's director general of security, Mohammad Mentek said in a statement Tuesday. The kidnappers, who are believed to be from the mainly Muslim southern part of the Philippines, fled by boat into international waters after exchanging gunfire with Malaysian security forces, the statement said. Originally from Guizhou province, Yang had been working in Sabah for three years as the manager of the farm, China's Deputy Consul General in Kuching, Liu Dong Yuan, told CNN. The farm belongs to a Hong Kong-owned company called Wonderful Terrace. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said authorities are looking to introduce travel restrictions and curfews at high-risk spots around the coast of Sabah following the incident, according to local media reports. The kidnapping is the latest in a spate of abductions of foreigners in the area. On April 2, two women -- a Chinese tourist and a Filipino hotel worker -- were taken from a diving resort on the coast of Sabah. Authorities say the pair are being held for ransom, in the province of Sulu in the southern Philippines. Last November, a Taiwanese man died when he and his wife were kidnapped from another Sabah resort by suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen. His wife was freed after being held hostage for more than a month on the island of Jolo, also in Sulu province. Early in 2013, Malaysia established a special security zone along Sabah's maritime border after insurgents from the southern Philippines stormed a village in the eastern district of Lahad Datu. The latest kidnappings could further strain diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China, which have had a tense relationship since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished on March 8. Many relatives of those on board the missing plane, most of whom were Chinese, have been fiercely critical of Malaysia's handling of the investigation.
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Gunmen have kidnapped a Chinese man working in Malaysian Borneo .
Authorities believe Filipino rebels are responsible .
Another Chinese citizen and a Filipino worker were abducted from the region last month .
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By . Mark Nicol Defence Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 17:39 EST, 3 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:41 EST, 3 August 2013 . Interpol has linked a worldwide Al Qaeda terror warning to a series of jailbreaks that have freed more than 1,500 suspected terrorists in the last fortnight. Detectives fear that inmates who escaped from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the al-Kwyfah facility in Libya and a number of other jails intend to hit British and other Western targets around the festival of Eid – which takes place this week. The Foreign Office has announced the temporary closure of the embassy in Yemen after receiving a tip-off that Al Qaeda was planning to attack a Western embassy there. Breakouts: 1,500 suspected terrorists have escaped from prisons including Abu Ghraib iin Iraq (pictured) in the last fortnight . France, Germany and the United States are also closing their embassies in the country, and the US is also shutting 21 others, most of them in the Middle East. The intelligence indicating a threat to Western embassies in the Arabian peninsula is believed to have come from intercepted communications, though this has not been publicly disclosed. The British embassies in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq will remain open but staff have been advised to ‘exercise extravigilance’. Interpol suspects Al Qaeda staged the jailbreaks as part of a major recruitment drive. The agency has asked its 190 member states for assistance in establishing whether they were ‘co-ordinated or linked’. Britain has temporarily closed its embassy in Yemen after receiving a tip-off that Al-Qaeda was planning to attack a Western Embassy there (file picture) Interpol’s warning was echoed by the US, which yesterday warned its citizens in the Muslim world to take security precautions – the first such alert since the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey said: ‘There is a significant threat stream and we’re reacting to it. The threat is more specific than previous ones and the intent is to attack Western, not just US interests.’ It is with this in mind that the Foreign Office said it was closing the embassy in San’a today and tomorrow. The embassy has also recently been operating with a reduced staff for the same reason. The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning to Britons in Yemen, urging them to ‘leave now’. Only a few hundred British people are believed to live in the country, mostly working for the embassy, charities, oil companies and the United Nations.
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Inmates escaped from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the al-Kwyfah facility in Libya and a number of other jails .
Detectives fear they intend to hit British and other Western targets around the festival of Eid – which takes place this week .
UK closes embassy in Yemen after receiving tip-off that Al Qaeda was planning to attack a Western embassy .
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(CNN) -- Wherever we go, travel bombards us with superlatives. Best beach bar. Nicest mountain view room. Freshest shrimp. Some of these claims may verge on truth. Most are subjective. Then there are those rare destinations offering genuine superlative or even extreme experiences with claims that can be backed by science or cold, hard (or hot or dark or windy) facts. Extremely hot: Death Valley, California . Just more than a century ago, on July 13, 1913, the planet's hottest recorded temperature was measured in California's Death Valley -- 134 F (56.6 C). It's a high that hasn't been surpassed, but every summer we inch closer to it. In July, thermometers in Death Valley National Park -- 3.3 million acres of desiccated lake beds, barren mountains and parched canyons -- can reach beyond 125 F (51 C). What makes it so bloody hot here? Depths of 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, combined with a narrow length and sheer mountain walls trap and maximize solar radiation. 8 Amazing American caves . This creates masses of super-heated air that have nowhere to go and nothing to do all summer long but melt the teeth of anyone foolhardy enough to visit. So who would venture into Death Valley when it gets this sweltering? "I'd say it's a fairly select type who comes here in late June or July specifically to experience that level of heat, but we definitely do get those people -- and summer is now one of our busiest seasons," says Cheryl Chipman, the park's public information officer. Recently, park officials had to ask summer visitors to refrain from frying eggs on the sidewalk when it became a thing. Death Valley National Park; California Highway 190 transects Death Valley National Park; there's no street address for the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. GPS users can use the street address for the Death Valley Post Office, located about 400 meters south of the visitor center. The post office address is 328 Greenland Blvd., Death Valley, California; + 1 760 786 3200 . Extremely cold: Fairbanks, Alaska . Fairbanks, Alaska, rewards dead-of-winter visitors with four hours of daylight and temperatures that can dip to minus-40 F on any given cold snap. It also offers the northern lights. The Alaskan interior is known as one of the best places on earth to see the northern lights -- winter nights are some of the most reliable viewing periods for these mesmerizing displays. It's also the season for dog mushing, snow machining, ice fishing -- and witnessing the world's top single-block ice carvers chisel it out in sub-zero temperatures at the BP World Ice Art Championships (February 23-March 29). Best U.S. movie locations to visit . "People are often amazed by how much there is to do here in the winter," says Amy Geiger of Explore Fairbanks. "You can even go for a winter bike ride. Those fat tire bikes have become quite popular." You can rent those bikes from Far North Fatbikes (+1 907 888 2160). "Forty-below is its own badge of honor," says Geiger, who notes that the Arctic Circle is just 120 miles north of Fairbanks. "Visitors love crossing that barrier too." Extremely dark: Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah . Yes, of course, there's an International Dark-Sky Association. And, of course, it loves nights at Utah's Natural Bridges National Monument. Hiding in the preternaturally dark shadow of better known national park neighbors like Zion, Bryce and Canyonlands, Natural Bridges became the world's first IDA-certified International Dark Sky Park in 2007. That officially makes it one of the most naturally and conscientiously light pollution-free spots in the United States. According to a National Park Service survey, Natural Bridges ranks a "Bortle Class 2" -- the darkest sky in the study. Never mind what exactly a Bortle is (the nine-level scale measures relative observability of celestial objects), just know that Class 2 is the most pristine night sky you'll find anywhere between New York and Las Vegas. "Its remote location, far from the usual sources of artificial light, makes Natural Bridges an unusually good place to stargaze," says park superintendent Jim Dougan. Most insane U.S. roller coasters . "Clean air, 6,500-foot elevation, un-obscured vistas and a semi-arid environment enhance the opportunity to view a pristine night sky much as ancestral Puebloans experienced it over a thousand years ago." Natural Bridges National Monument; entrance to Natural Bridges is at the end of Highway 275, about 35 miles west of Blanding, Utah on Highway 95; +1 435 692 1234 Ext. 16 . Extremely stormy: Olympic Peninsula, Washington . March and early April is still off-season in the Pacific Northwest. Unless you're an avid storm watcher. Then the wave-battered, rain-hammered, wind-pelted, lost-cell phone-signaled coast of Washington's Olympic Peninsula smokes Cancun any day of the week. For front row views on one of the most enchantingly torrential edges of the world during winter storm season, visitors can hunker down in a bluff-side cabin or ocean-facing room at Olympic National Park's Kalaloch Lodge (157151 U.S. 101, Forks, Washington, +1 866 662 9928). There they can safely watch waves toss around giant conifer logs like matchsticks and splurge on a "brave the storm package" that includes ponchos, hand warmers and peppermint schnapps. "The craziest gales here are usually in November and December," says Mike Guildford, Kalaloch Lodge facility manager. "But you can get some pretty impressive rain storms right up into May." Extremely old: St. Augustine, Florida . Unbeknown to many Americans, the oldest permanently settled European town in the United States is -- no, not Jamestown, Virginia, not Old Town, Maine, not Century City, California -- but St. Augustine, Florida. The small, tourism-fueled spot on North Florida's "Historic Coast" was founded in 1565 when Spanish explorer Admiral Pedro Menendez pulled ashore here and built a military base. September 2015 will mark the town's 450th birthday with fireworks, festivals and a reenactment of the Menendez landing. But in any given year there may be no better place in the United States to surrender to the forces of "extremely old" theme-tourism. Here one can enter the old Colonial Quarter of the country's oldest city and stroll down its oldest street, get fake diplomas at the oldest school house, hear ghost stories and enter the old jail. A bell-clanging trolley train tours 60 other points of interest in St. Augustine -- which (did we mention?) are all old. Extremely windy: Mount Washington, New Hampshire . Any place that trademarks itself as "Home of the World's Worst Weather" -- with a World's Worst Weather coffee mug in its summit gift shop to prove it -- better be able to walk the talk. With erratic conditions that can go from sun to blinding blizzard in the span of a half-day hike, Mountain Washington State Park's namesake peak witnessed a record-shattering wind speed of 231 mph (371 kph) in 1934. 7 super-extravagent U.S. cruises . That's since been surpassed elsewhere, but who's really keeping score at this point? The 1,916-meter mountain sits at the perfect confluence of major storm tracks and air mass routes buffeting the U.S. northeast and pulls in gusts that exceed hurricane force on more than a hundred days each year. "January and March seem to be the worst," says Mount Washington State Park assistant manager Nathaniel Camille, who notes that winter mountaineering and hiking here are on the rise. "On a nice weekend in February, we will see 100 or so people on the summit." Mount Washington State Park, 1598 Mount Washington Auto Road, Sargent's Purchase, New Hampshire; +1 603 466 3347 . Extremely gut wrenching: West Virginia Roadkill Cook-off, Marlinton, West Virginia . A highlight of the Pocahontas County Autumn Harvest Festival, this gustatory tribute to all lost-in-the-headlights creatures, great and small, celebrates its 23rd season on September 27, 2014, in the small but comestibly adventurous town of Marlinton (population 1,051). Moose, possum, snake, mole and perhaps squirrel have all been known to appear on the menu. Entry dishes win extra points for unappetizing names, and all are welcome to sample the goods. Or not. Past faves have included frog meat jambalaya, smeared hog with groundhog gravy, and "South-of-the-Border Mishap Tacos" filled with armadillo, roadrunner and a mystery meat simply called "hitchhiker." West Virginia Roadkill Cook-off, September 27, 2014 . Jordan Rane writes regularly for CNN Travel and The Los Angeles Times. His work on travel and the outdoors has spanned six continents and appeared in more than 50 publications. He lives in Los Angeles.
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Temps in Death Valley National Park can reach beyond 125 F (51 C) during summer .
Utah's National Bridges National Monument is one of the most light pollution-free spots in the United States .
Conditions can go from sun to blinding blizzard in the span of a half-day hike on Mount Washington .
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By . Sanchez Manning for The Mail on Sunday . The Mail on Sunday is today offering a £5,000 reward to help catch a man suspected of savagely attacking a father of four in his own home. Oskar Pawlowichz, 29, is wanted in connection with an attempted burglary in which four masked men forced their way into Paul Kohler’s £2 million home in Wimbledon, South-West London. Three other men have already been arrested over the incident which left the Cambridge–educated law lecturer fearing he would lose his sight. Victim Paul Kohler in hospital with daughter Eloise on his left and Bethany on his right . Recovering at home as he awaits reconstructive eye surgery, Mr Kohler, 55, said: ‘I want this man to be caught for what he did to my family – not just the physical blows but also the psychological trauma. ‘I hope, through this reward, someone who has remained quiet will think it’s worth the risk of coming forward.’ Detectives believe that Pawlowichz, who is 6ft tall, stocky, bow-legged and walks with a limp, is being harboured by someone in the Polish community in Britain. The £5,000 reward will be paid for information leading to his arrest. Police are hunting for Oskar Pawlowichz,29, in connection with the attempted burglary . Police said last night one line of investigation related to CellarDoor, the bar Mr Kohler co-owns near Covent Garden. It is possible the men who broke into the house were looking for takings. Detective Inspector Dan O’Sullivan, who is leading the Scotland Yard investigation, said: ‘By putting out a reward I think someone could give him up.’ Anyone with information should call the police incident room on 020 8649 3019 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Police are hunting for Oskar Pawlowichz, 29, in connection to the crime .
The MoS reward will be paid for information leading to his arrest .
Police believe someone within the Polish community is hiding Pawlowichz .
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By . Sarah Griffiths . Few people pop to the supermarket and discover a new species. But DNA testing has revealed that three unnamed species of mushroom that are new to science have been found in a bag of dried porcini that came off a shop shelf in London. While porcini mushrooms are served in many restaurants, relatively little is known about them scientifically. Discovery in the bag: DNA testing has revealed that three unnamed species of mushroom have been found in a bag dried porcini (pictured) that came off a shop shelf in London . The porcini mushroom is a type of fungus in the genus Bolestus. They can be found in Europe, Asia and North America and have only been introduced to the southern hemisphere relatively recently. The mushrooms grow in deciduous and coniferous forests, typically enveloping a tree's underground roots with sheaths of fungal tissue. Porcini are popular in cooking - despite species unknown to science being traded internationally. The mushrooms are low in fat and carbohydrates and high in protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Because they are quite difficult to cultivate all your round, they are often dried and packaged. To explore the nature of the popular cooking ingredient, mycologists Bryn Dentinger and Laura Martinez-Suz of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, in south west London, sequenced the DNA of a bag of dried Chinese porcini. There were 15 pieces of mushroom in the bag and all them belonged to three unnamed species, indicating that experts know relatively little about the vast group of fungi. Boletus is one of the most traded wild and edible mushroom in the world and many types are exported from China. They can come from remote regions without any reliable identification, raising the spectre that some less palatable or even dangerous types could possibly slip through the net undetected. Scientists have previously proved that unknown species of the edible mushroom are sold, but the experts from Kew said they were surprised that they found some so easily. ‘The finding demonstrates the ubiquity of unknown fungal diversity, even in traded products and the recognition of these species will enable better regulations to improve food safety and enable countries to adhere to international agreements on the exploitation of wild species,’ experts at Kew said. Mysterious mushrooms: There were 15 pieces of mushroom in the bag and all them belonged to three unnamed species, indicating that experts know little about the vast group of fungi, even if they are widely used in cooking. A pasta dish is pictured . While mushrooms are most commonly used in cooking, some scientists think that they have the potential to save the world. Ascocoryne . sarcoides can be used to make biofuel. Its volatile compounds are . similar to those found in diesel and can turn dead leaf matter into . fuel. Laricifomes officinalis could be used to make a 'universal insecticide'. Mycelium from various mushrooms is a flexible polymer similar to plastic and can be used to make biodegradable materials. Most of a mushroom’s power lies beneath the soil in a bundle of filaments called that mycelium that secrete enzymes capable of breaking down soil and rocks. They also produce potent chemicals to defend their territory, and release nutrients into the soil. And it is this mycelium that is of predominant interest to mycologists, who believe mushrooms could be used to produce superior drugs and green materials of the future, New Scientist reported. One microbiologist has developed a biofuel after discovering that a wood-decaying fungus called Ascocoryne sarcoides contains volatile compounds comparable to the type found in diesel fuels. And Eben Bower, CEO of Ecovative, has created a flexible polymer-like plastic from fungus that is biodegradable and can be persuaded to grow in different densities to produce a variety of materials and properties. It is already used to make packaging and could be harnessed to make more permanent products in the future. A company called Fungi Perfecti is working on making a 'universal insecticide' from a type of fungus called Lacrifomes officinalis.
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Experts from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, in south west London, sequenced the DNA of the mushrooms in the bag .
They discovered three types of porcini new to science .
Relatively little is known about the various types of cooking ingredient .
The product was purchased in a small Chinese supermarket in London .
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Goalscorer Andros Townsend does not believe England should beat themselves up after only defeating minnows San Marino 5-0 on Thursday night. England barely broke a sweat as they hit five goals against the world's worst national team, with Phil Jagielka, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Townsend and an Alessandro Della Valle own goal on the scoresheet. When asked if Roy Hodgson's side should have scored more goals, Townsend told ITV: 'The main thing was that we got the three points. Goalscorer Andros Townsend defended England's scoreline after they only put five goals past San Ma . 'We're hoping not to win the group on goal difference, we're hoping to win it by two or three points, so two, three, four, five tonight doesn't really matter that much. 'The manager has always shown faith in me and although it was only against San Marino it was nice to come on and get my goal and repay the manager's faith.' Jack Wilshere, who was named man of the match, hailed the professional performance from the Three Lions. The Tottenham winger said points, not goals, are the most important factor in qualification . He said: 'We have done what we had to do. We knew we were going into a game that we were going to win. It was just a matter of keeping our concentration. 'We knew it could take 20-25 minutes (to score). Last time it took 40 minutes to get the goal and once we got it I knew we could get a few and we looked really professional. We showed them enough respect and kept going. 'We didn't play against one of the top nations in the world but we did a job and we're happy with that and we'll look forward to Sunday.' Jack Wilshere said he was pleased with the scoreline and the result , even though the opposition were poor . England manager Hodgson was impressed with the performance shown by his side. 'It was a job well done. I certainly can't fault the players for their application throughout the game and I'm really pleased we've got this game behind us. They're never easy games to play but we've won it comfortably and added five goals to our tally,' he said. 'In the first half of these games when a fit and healthy team is getting 10 men behind the ball, that is the time you have to wear them down and keep plugging away and keep doing the right things and know if you keep doing that and score one or two goals, in the second half it is going to open up and there will be chances for lots and lots of goals. 'In the second half against a team that is tiring with a high passing tempo we created some very good occasions.' England fans initially voted Joe Hart man of the match but the award was later given to Jack Wilshere .
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England beat San Marino 5-0 at Wembley .
Andros Townsend, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Phil Jagielka scored .
Alessandro Della Valle scored an own goal .
Townsend defended scoreline, saying points, not goals, are what counts .
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A dog survived after being struck by a car then travelling 55 miles dangling from its bumper, it was reported today. Driver Julia Cesar Siqueira said he heard a thud after turning onto a road near his home in Itapetinga, northeastern Brazil. But the student, 35, carried on his hour-long trip towards the next town - unaware that the young mogrel was trapped inside the vehicle's front bumper grille. Terrifying: Rescuers help a dog after it was struck by a car and carried 55 miles while wedged in the front grille . It was only after arriving at his university campus in Vitoria de Conquista, Bahia state, that passers-by noticed the terrified animal and alerted him. Mr Siqueira, who was traveling with his mother and two fellow students, told Brazil's Globo G1 website: 'I saw the dog in the middle of the road and swerved to avoid it. 'But then I heard a thud, and realised I'd hit it. 'I was traveling at speed and knew it could have survived the collision, so I kept driving. It's quite a dangerous spot.' Arriving at his destination at around 8.30pm on Tuesday, Mr Siqueira noticed several people signalling for him to stop. Journey of terror: The mongrel's 55-mile ride from Itapetinga to Vitoria da Conquista . He said: 'There weren't any places to stop safely so I carried on and parked in front of the university. 'Someone told me there was a dog on the front of my car, so we went to look, imagining it was dead. 'We couldn't believe it when she appeared to still be alive and conscious. 'The force of the collision had smashed the front panel and she was trapped in the body of the car.' Firefighters and a local vet were called who rescued the animal, which was found to have a broken front leg but was otherwise unharmed. The bitch has now been christened Vitoria, which as well as being the name of the town, means 'Victory' in English. A spokesman for Vitoria da Conquista's 7th Fire Brigade confirmed they had freed the dog and that it was being cared for at a private veterinary clinic in the town. Mr Siqueira had agreed to pay all of the dog's treatment, the spokesman added.
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Brazilian driver heard thud but was unaware mongrel was trapped in car .
Only discovered the animal when he arrived at university 55 miles away .
Dog has been named Victory after escaping ordeal with just a broken leg .
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Nicosia, Cyprus (CNN) -- In the old town of Cyprus's capital Nicosia, something subtle and unexpected is happening. In the wake of the economic crisis, the historic center -- an attractive old town ringed by vast 16th century Venetian walls -- is gradually coming back to life with new cafes, shops, and art galleries emerging from the labyrinthine streets. Ledra Street, at the heart of town, has been a symbol for the island's division since 1974, when, in July of that year, a Greek military junta backed a coup d'etat in Cyprus. In response Turkey launched military intervention and by August it had landed thousands of troops and successfully partitioned the island. Around 180,000 Greek Cypriots were forced south and some 50,000 Turkish Cypriots moved into vacant properties in the northern Turkish occupied zone. Since 2008, Ledra Street has reopened with a checkpoint that can now be crossed. But between the ubiquitous Kentucky Fried Chicken and Starbucks outlets, and the local restaurants selling frozen yoghurt, coffee, and souvlaki by the pita-load, U.N. soldiers still patrol. Gradually however, through the frustrations of separation and the strain of the economic crisis, a new generation of poets, directors and entrepreneurs are reclaiming the area. Band aid . The band Monsieur Doumani have been playing in and around Ledra Street for several years. Many of their songs have a distinctly political edge. The band's lead singer, Antonis Antoniou, says that in his view music and art can help to heal old wounds: . "We strongly believe that art and music can reconcile and reunite people ... especially in parts of the world where problems are between neighboring countries. For instance, here in Cyprus, the two communities share the same culture, and people used to live happily together listening to the same songs -- in many cases sung in both Greek and Turkish. This should be used as an example to bring people of the communities together." The Green Line -- the buffer zone between the north and south Cyprus-- stretches almost across the length of the country (interrupted by the British Overseas Territory of Dhekelia), but nowhere is it more visible than in Nicosia. "The Green Line gives the city a strange energy ... in a good way," says Eleni Xenou, a writer who lives in city. "There is a silence here; an absence. A feeling of the past with the U.N. in the middle. It is very edgy and it gives the city a very interesting charm. You need to get over yourself to get over the line." Cafe culture . Even though the checkpoints are now open, barricades still snake through the middle of town. On the corner of one inauspicious street, is the popular Xaratsi Cafe, which owner Stavros Lambrakis has managed since before the checkpoints opened up. The cafe attracts all kinds of people, and welcomes anyone from either side of town. "The vibe of the place is what I believe attracts (my customers)," Lambrakis says. "Xaratsi is like no other place. It is on the Green Line, sitting on the 'no man's land.' It carries the energy and history of the city. It is untouched and one can see how the time has stopped." Retail therapy . Alongside the arts scene are the shops, many of which celebrate their location with an unmistakable irony. A kebab shop called Berlin 2 sits right by a street blockade; a little further down the road you can buy lingerie from No Border Underwear. On Kleanthi Christophides Street Anastasios Gkekas runs a shop called the Office -- a high end men's fashion boutique and art gallery space. The shop has no mirrors, but asks its customers go outside and down the street to look at themselves in the mirrors inside the nearby U.N. guard station. "I find it necessary to expose my clients to this reality," Gkekas says. "To make them see their reflection among the ruins, (and) get them to think about where it is they are standing, at a very particular level of history." As there is a high turnover of guards, Gkekas regularly has to explain what he is doing: . "Officially the access to the guard station 103 is not permitted to anyone. In addition, the guards often change so I do not know several of them and anyway I always have to ask permission, explaining the nature of my request ... I do not know why they let me enter," he says. Many younger people in Nicosia see hope for the city and believe that reconciliation, while difficult, is certainly possible. Antoniou believes that opening up the crossings and allowing the two communities to get to know one another has been key to the city's healing. "For the first time in our lives (especially for us who were born after 1974) we came to have first-hand experiences with the so-called 'other' and create friendships," he says. "Both the propaganda that spread amongst people all these years in both sides and the fact that we had no direct contact with this 'other', helped towards demonizing it. But now, people who manage to get rid of these prejudices are able to construct relationships and have built trust, so the future could be optimistic." CNN On the Road series often carry sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However, CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Read the policy.
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The U.N.-patrolled Green Line divides Cyprus .
Artists, poets and musicians are returning to the divided Cypriot capital, Nicosia .
New cafes and galleries are bringing life to the city, and with it hope of reconciliation .
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By . Joshua Gardner . and Associated Press Reporter . The mother of a 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl who was shot dead in the head by an intruder who blindly fired through her font door was awaiting trial for allegedly selling crack, it was revealed Tuesday. Police say Shantye Brown, whose daughter Taniyah Thomas was shot and killed before dawn Monday, sold crack cocaine to an undercover informant. While police in the city of Washington are stopping short of saying that's why the apartment was targeted, Thomas's grandfather thinks the incident was undoubtedly drug related. Tragic: Shantye Brown lost her daughter in the predawn hours Monday when intruders blasted through their front door with a gun, hitting 10-year-old Taniyah in the head. It was revealed Tuesday that Brown (left) was awaiting trial for allegedly selling crack to a police informant, but police haven't said drugs were a motive . Sherman Brown, told CBS News that he blames the mother’s live-in boyfriend, who has drug-related convictions in 2011 and 2013. Police say Taniyah's mother was arrested on the drug charges in January. 'Why would they come to somebody’s house and break in and then go to shooting? She was an innocent girl and got shot and died. And that’s terrible. I’m just so upset,' Sherman Brown said. Police say a 10-year-old girl was . asleep in her family's apartment when she was woken up by the sound of . gunshots in the middle of the night. Washington . County Coroner Tim Warco says Thomas was shot in the head at about 3:50 . a.m. Monday at her home about 20 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. Washington . police Detective Daniel Stanek says the girl, her mother, her mother's . boyfriend and a baby were asleep when the shots were fired through the . apartment door. Taniyah died of a head wound about 30 minutes later at Washington Hospital. Not the target: The shooter or shooters reportedly blasted through the from door of the Washington, Pennsylvania building and later did the same to Taniyah's apartment door but never entered the home . Heartbroken: Taniyah's grandfather says he believes the shooting was drug related and said he blames Shantye's live-in boyfriend, who was home but unscathed . Police say the shooter didn't enter the apartment. They also say it isn't clear whether more than one suspect was involved. During . a Monday news conference, police said whoever fired the shots kicked in . a bottom level door to get access to the building. They then traveled . upstairs, where the shots were fired. Investigators . said Taniyah likely woke up scared after hearing the gunshots and tried . running to her mom’s room, where she was shot. Taniyah’s grandfather said she loved cheerleading and was an innocent bystander to terrible violence. Killed: Washington police Det. Daniel Stanek says the girl, her mother, her mother's boyfriend and a baby were asleep when the shots were fired through the apartment door. Taniyah died of a head wound about 30 minutes later . 'You . don’t shoot kids. I can see you killing a grown-up or doing something . that did something to you. You don’t mess with young kids. Why? They . never did anything you,' Brown told WPXI. 'I . just took her last Wednesday to her cheerleading and she was supposed . to go tomorrow to Pittsburgh for a competition. Now she can’t go.' No one else was hurt in the shooting. A fund has been set up for anyone that would like to contribute cash donations for the funeral of the little girl at GiveForward.com. Killed: 10-year-old girl who was woken up by sound of gunfire shot to death during attempted home invasion as she ran for safety to her mom's bedroom .
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Taniyah Thomas, 10, was shot just before 4am Monday .
Her mother Shantye Brown was awaiting trial for allegedly selling crack to an undercover police informant .
Police are not saying whether the shooting was drug-related, but Thomas's grandfather believes it was .
The cheerleading fourth-grader was awoken when the intruders used a gun to break into the front door of their building .
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By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 10:14 EST, 30 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:11 EST, 1 October 2013 . The bodies of 13 immigrants have washed up on the coast of Sicily after a boat carrying 200 people ran aground as it approached the shore. When the boat ran into difficulties in rough seas near the coastal town of Scicli this morning, the migrants it was carrying jumped into the sea. Most made it to shore and ran away, but a number of men were unable to swim strongly enough and drowned. Warning: graphic content . Victims: 13 immigrants drowned off the coast of Sicily after their boat ran aground this morning . Horror: Rescuers pause to pay their respects to the 13 victims of the tragedy . Rescue boats and divers are now combing the waters looking for more bodies. Two alleged leaders have been arrested on suspicion of people-trafficking, according to Italian newspapers. One of the alleged smugglers is said to have lashed out at a swimmer who tried to rescue him from the water. As well as the 13 men who drowned, a number of other immigrants had to be rescued, and several - including a pregnant woman - were taken to hospital for treatment. Accident: This boat was carrying around 200 people when it ran aground in rough seas near shore . Grief: A priest says prayers over the bodies of the victims, who were trying to immigrate to Italy . Location: The boat ran into difficulties near the coastal town of Scicli in Sicily, pictured . One immigrant who tried to escape after reaching the shore was hit by a car on a nearby road and suffered serious injuries. In addition, 20 children are among the 70 migrants apprehended so far, most of whom came from Eritrea in East Africa, according to Corriere Della Sera. The nationality of the 13 victims, whose bodies were laid out on the shore, is not yet known. However, Sicily and surrounding islands are notorious hotspots for immigrants arriving by boats from Tunisia, Libya and sub-Saharan Africa. Tragic: A policeman stands next to some of the bodies washed up on the beach . Arrests: Two people were apprehended by police on suspicion of people-smuggling and taken into custody . Rescue: Quick-thinking bystanders helped to save the life of several migrants trying to swim to safety . The region has also attracted a large . number of Syrian immigrants in recent weeks following the continued . violence in the country's civil war. This is not the first time in recent months that illegal migrants making the desperate journey to Italy have drowned on the way. Last month six migrants died after they jumped out of a boat off the coast of Sicily. The fishing trawler was illegally transporting . some 100 migrants when it hit a sandbank about 15 metres (50 feet) from the . shore. Scene: Officers and firefighters stand by the boat, pictured in the background, which carried the group . It is thought that the six victims, believed to be Egyptian, thought they had arrived onshore and so jumped overboard. They were identified as being between 17 and 27 years of age. The 27-year-old was trying for a fifth time to get into Italy, investigators said following the incident in August. In July seven immigrants drowned while trying to hold on to a fishing cage being towed to shore. Sicily and the islands surrounding are hotspots for illegal immigrants arriving by sea from Tunisia, Libya . and sub-Saharan Africa hoping for a better quality of life and employment. Recently, following continued violence in the country, a growing . number of Syrian immigrants have fled to the region hoping for protection from the raging civil war. Often the immigrant's desperate journey ends in tragedy. Last month six migrants died after they jumped out of a boat off the coast of Sicily. Some 100 migrants where aboard a boat when it hit a sandbank close to the shore. Six perished as they tried to swim to land. In July seven drowned after they tried to hold onto a fishing cage which was being towed to shore off the coast of Sicily.
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Men found dead on the shore of Sicily near the town of Scicli .
Another 70 migrants from Eritrea have been apprehended by police .
Two people arrested on suspicion of people-smuggling after packed boat ran aground this morning .
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By . Julian Robinson . Former Chief Inspector for Surrey Police Tanya Brookes brought' shame' on her profession by targeting High Street stores in refunds scam . A senior police officer has been jailed for a catalogue of petty frauds after tricking High Street stores in to giving full refunds for discounted luxury items. Tanya Brooks was a chief inspector at Surrey Police when she carried out the scams, netting more than £11,000 by targeting household names including the White Company, Micro Scooters and Boots. Among the items she bought on the cheap and used for her refund fraud were breast pumps, fertility tests and cashmere blankets. Now she is starting a two and a half year jail term after a judge condemned her for bringing 'shame' on the police service. Sentencing the 46-year-old at Winchester Crown Court, Judge Andrew Barnett said: 'By your criminal activities, you have disgraced the uniform you once wore, you have brought shame on the force that you once served and you will have tarnished the reputation of the police service. The mother-of-four, who worked under her maiden name of Sillett, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to five charges of fraud by false representation and three of making an article used in fraud. A further five offences which she denied were ordered to lie on file. A further two charges of acting with intent to prejudice/defraud HM Revenue and Customs which were due to be heard at a third trial will also now lie on file. Brookes, of Nursery Road, Godalming, Surrey, was also previously found guilty following a trial of nine offences of making an article used in fraud, 14 of fraud and two of converting criminal property. She was found not guilty of a further two offences. Nicholas Tucker, prosecuting, said at the start of the first trial how Brookes, who was also married to another senior police officer, David, had joined the Surrey force as a university graduate and he described her as a 'high-flyer'. He said that it was as she was about to mark her 20 years’ service in July 2011 that she became the subject of an investigation by her own force. In his opening of the case, Mr Tucker said one of Brookes’s main targets was The White Company. He . said that she would buy items such as Poitier cotton sheets or a . cashmere satin-edge blanket from the chain’s outlet store in Bicester, . Oxfordshire, at a discount rate. She . would then falsify a bank statement on her computer showing that the . full price for the product had been paid and return it to another branch . of the store and fraudulently reclaim the difference in price. Luxury homeware store The White Company was one of her main targets, as she bought cashmere blankets for a discount and took them back to the store with false bank statements . Boots handed out hundreds of pounds to the former chief inspector when she produced false statements claiming she had paid the full price for £130 breast pumps and £120 fertility monitors . She would tell shop staff that the items had been bought by 'an extravagant great aunt'. Mr . Tucker continued: 'Mrs Brookes would often be wearing her police ID on a . lanyard round her neck - this was irregular, and the prosecution say it . was a ploy by Mrs Brookes to capitalise on the trust people tend to . place in police officers.' He . also described how she fraudulently gained a £6,000 discount from a . luxury holiday for her family by falsely claiming that she was a . counter-terrorism officer at Gatwick Airport. The . deceit was in order to claim a discount given to people connected with . the travel industry from specialist holiday firm Caribbean Unpackaged . for the £10,000 trip to Buccament Bay on St Vincent. Mr . Tucker said that Brookes even sent an email to the company saying they . could not pass on her details because her identity was a secret because . of the nature of the role. Mr . Tucker added that as she returned from this holiday, Brookes also . falsely claimed for a damaged Buggaboo buggy worth £849 and a Maclaren . buggy worth £195 from British Airways by providing a forged proof of . purchase from John Lewis. She . had made a similar false claim against Monarch airlines for a £491 . pushchair she alleged had been damaged on a return flight from Tenerife . in May 2009. Former Chief Inspector for Surrey Police Tanya Brookes was sentenced to two and half years at Winchester Crown Court where a judge said she had 'disgraced',the uniform she once wore . In another 'scam' outlined by the prosecution, Brookes offered to organise a stall selling Micro Scooters at her son’s nursery. Mr . Tucker said that despite the fact that the parent-teacher association . decided to decline her suggestion, Brookes went ahead anyway and when . she received the two promotional scooters offered by the manufacturer, . she returned them to the Kingston branch of John Lewis and exchanged . them for vouchers and a different Micro Scooter. Mr . Tucker described another fraud which involved Brookes buying products . such as Sculptinex facial treatments, Clearblue fertility monitors and . Medela breast pumps in bulk and at discount on eBay and returning them . to Boots to claim the difference in price. She . also bought forged discount vouchers for products such as Lurpak butter . on the internet and used them to buy products at reduced price in . stores such as Waitrose, Mr Tucker said. The court was told that her husband had also lost his job as a superintendent as a result of the case. Nicholas Yeo, defending, said that Brookes had suffered a brain injury prior to her offending and a psychiatric assessment had suggested this might have affected her behaviour and ability to make appropriate judgments. But he added: 'Mrs Brookes, in her role as a senior police officer, should have known better and should have set an example.' He said that the offences had led to both her and her husband losing their careers as well as her probably losing her pension. He continued: 'She has, in a very real sense, thrown it all away.' Outlet: Brookes, 46, made trips to Bicester Village, the outlet street in Oxfordshire, to buy cheap items . Mr Yeo added: 'She was so harrowed by the investigation that she has ended up with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.' In his opening of the case, Mr Tucker said: 'It is our case that despite the healthy salaries which she and her husband enjoyed as senior police officers, Mrs Brookes - for reasons which may remain a mystery - expended an extraordinary amount of effort and her own time devising various scams, principally targeted against high street retailers. 'To compound matters, we say that on occasion she exploited her status as a police officer in order to inspire trust in individuals she meant to deceive.' Following sentencing, Assistant Chief Constable Gavin Stephens of Surrey Police said: 'The sentence handed to Brookes today not only reflects the severity of the offences she committed but also the fact that she used her position as a police officer when committing a number of these offences. 'In her role as a police officer, she should have known better. 'We expect the highest standards of conduct from all of our employees and this kind of behaviour has no place in Surrey Police. 'The vast majority of our officers and staff who serve the people of this county are professional and hard-working and the public rightly trust them to act with integrity at all times. 'We will not hesitate to thoroughly investigate any evidence of wrongdoing and take swift action if any officer is involved in criminality.'
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Tanya Brookes made fake bank statements showing she paid full amount .
Took discounted luxury items into stores demanding full refund .
Court heard she 'manipulated' staff by wearing police ID during offences .
Mother-of-four pleaded guilty to 8 counts of fraud, already found guilty of 25 .
Judge says she brought 'shame' on profession, jailing her for two-and-a-half years .
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The Labour party is advertising for a £33,000 a year endorsement officer to forge new relationships with celebrities for Ed Miliband. The Labour leader is hiring the aide to show he is in touch with the people of Britain in the run up to the general election. A job advert on the Labour party's website says the candidate will need to 'deliver an effective General Election endorsements programme with specific focus on real people and celebrity endorsements.' Ed Miliband is advertising for a £33,000 a year endorsement officer to forge new relationships with celebrities. He is pictured here with Towie star Joey Essex at a party last December, which the reality star tweeted . The Sun reports that party chiefs hope the new employee will rekindle Tony Blair's 'Cool Britannia' and show Mr Miliband is 'in touch' with the public following a number of embarrassing photo opportunities. But Conservative vice-chairman Bob Neill told the paper: 'Poor Ed is so desperate for support he's now paying someone to find him friends.' In October Mr Miliband was pictured chatting with EastEnders' star Danny Dyer, rattling off detailed facts about the cast of the show. But he soon admitted he had not watched the show but had been reading about it online, leaving the actor bewildered. Then in November former Hear’Say singer Mylene Klass took the Labour leader to task in a heated TV debate, with viewers praising her for ‘doing a Paxman’ and ‘wiping the floor’ with him. Mr Miliband said the photo opportunity is ‘not where my talents lie' after being pictured struggling to eat a bacon sandwich . In April Essex took a second picture of himself with Mr Miliband and posted it on Twitter with the group shot, labelled ‘My selfie buddies’ - but the Labour leader appears awkward and only just made the photo . The pair clashed on ITV’s The Agenda, when Ms Klass criticised Mr Miliband’s controversial proposal for a mansion tax on homes worth more than £2million. The Labour leader has said previously that the photo opportunity is ‘not where my talents lie' after being pictured struggling to eat a bacon sandwich. He has also been mocked for posing wearing a feminist t-shirt and awkwardly giving money to a beggar in Manchester. In a boost for Mr Miliband in December last year Joey Essex took a selfie with the Labour leader at the British Military Awards and referred to the would-be prime minister as his ‘bezzie’, slang for best friend. Tory MP Bob Neill said: 'Poor Ed is so desperate for support he's now paying someone to find him friends' The 24-year-old, who tweets about vitally important matters such as having a bad hair day, has 2.98 million followers on Twitter. Mr Miliband has 365,000. In April Essex took a second picture of himself with Mr Miliband and posted it on Twitter with the group shot, labelled ‘My selfie buddies’. A Labour party source told The Sun: 'Labour, like all political parties, works with well-known figures who support our aims.'
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Labour party are advertising for a £33,000 a year 'endorsement officer'
Job role would require candidates to secure celebrity endorsements .
Part of a push to show Ed Miliband is 'in touch' with British public .
Senior Tory says Miliband 'so desperate for support he's paying for friends'
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Taxi drivers and bellboys aren't the only ones going back to school to learn a little English ahead of the 2014 World Cup to be hosted in various cities across Brazil. In the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, prostitutes are lining up for free English classes that will be offered by the regional Association of Prostitution starting in March. Read more: Brazil boosts World Cup security budget . "Across Brazil, lots of businesses in the private sector are getting prepared and making their workers more qualified for the Cup. Well, this is a profession, too," Cida Vieira, the president of the association, told CNN in a telephone interview. In Brazil, prostitution is legal, although sexual exploitation and pimping are not. Read more: Can 'sugar seats' bring sweet taste of success to Brazil? "English will be very important to communicate with clients during the Cup," Vieira said. "They'll have to learn how to work out financial deals and also use a specialized vocabulary with sensual words and fetishes." Vieira said that 20 prostitutes had already signed up, but that she expected at least 300 women to participate in the classes once they started. The association is in talks with teachers and English speakers to provide their services free of charge, similar to deals they have with doctors and health care workers. The classes would last six to eight months. Belo Horizonte will host football games not only for the World Cup in 2014, but also for the Confederations Cup, a kind of dress rehearsal that will take place in June 2013.
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Starting in March, association hopes to offer lessons to deal with World Cup tourist influx .
20 have signed up, and at least 300 women are expected to take part, association chief says .
She says English skills will help with financial deals, discussion of sensual ideas and fetishes .
Prostitution is legal in Brazil, but sexual exploitation and pimping are not .
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(CNN) -- A woman convicted of murder in the 2011 deaths of four children in a fire at her Houston day care center was sentenced Tuesday morning to 80 years in prison. Jessica Tata also was ordered to pay a fine of $10,000. She was silent as a judge read the sentence, which came from a jury but was confirmed by the judge. She declined an opportunity to speak at the sentencing, which took place in a Houston courtroom. Prosecutors said Tata's carelessness led to the February 2011 fire that killed the four children and injured three others at her home day care. She was convicted of felony murder last week. Tata, then 22, left seven children unsupervised at her home day care while a pan of oil was on an activated stove, authorities said. The home was on fire when she returned, authorities said. After the fire, Tata fled to Nigeria, and the U.S. Marshals Service named her one of its most wanted fugitives. She was arrested in Nigeria in March 2011 and brought back to the United States. The Marshals Service said it worked "with international investigative resources in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, to bring Tata to justice."
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Jessica Tata was convicted of murder in the 2011 deaths of four kids at her day care .
Prosecutors said she left seven children unsupervised, and that her careless led to the fire .
Tata fled to Nigeria after the fire, but she was arrested and returned to the United States .
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By . Carolyn Hiblen . PUBLISHED: . 17:00 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:10 EST, 2 August 2013 . The weight of the world is currently resting heavily on Teresa Giudice's shoulders. So it's no wonder she looked puffy-eyed and much older than her 41 years as she emerged in New Jersey on Wednesday. Perhaps trying to detract from her weary appearance, the Real Housewives Of New Jersey star donned a garish purple outfit as she headed to the gym. The eyes give her away: Teresa Giudice looked like she'd endured a sleepless and likely tearful night as she hit the gym in New Jersey on Wednesday . With her hair pulled back and wearing . next to no war paint, the mom-of-four stood out in her purple patterned . three-quarter leggings, which she teamed with a near-matching purple . T-shirt, black socks and white runners. Later than evening, however, it was a perfectly coiffed Teresa who attended the Beauty Buster Awards in New York City. Her long dark hair in perfect curls and with her signature heavily kohl-rimmed eyes and nude lips, she didn't miss the chance to promote her Milania Hair Care line. Trying to distract us? The Real Housewives Of New Jersey star donned a garish, eye-catching purple outfit - but all eyes were on her pained expression . 'You can't stop living': Photographer Lora Warnick revealed the star was 'in good spirits' and 'didn't seem depressed at all' as she attended the Beauty Buster Awards in New York City on Wednesday night . The star put on a brave face at the . event, pouring herself into a tight-fitting royal blue off-the-shoulder . dress with strap detail around the neck. 'You . can't stop living,' she rather cheerily said as she posed for . photographer Lora Warnick - who noted that the star appeared to be 'in . good spirits' and 'didn't seem depressed at all' as she chatted with . guests, according to RadarOnline. Just a day earlier, the New Jersey native and her husband of 15 years, Giuseppe 'Joe' Giudice, made an appearance of a very different kind - at the Martin Luther King Jr courthouse in Newark, New Jersey, after being charged with 39 counts of fraud. Disheveled: An unshaven Joe Giudice was spotted on Thursday outside his home in Towaco, New Jersey for the first time since posting bail two days earlier . The multitude of indictments included . conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, making false . statements on loan applications and bankruptcy fraud. Joe . is also charged with failing to file tax returns between 2004 and 2008, . during which time it is alleged he earned close to $1 million. The businessman also faces further charges in Passaic County, after obtaining a driver's licence using his brother's identity. A united front: Joe and Teresa arrived hand-in-hand to their court hearing at the Martin Luther King Jr Federal Courthouse in Newark, New Jersey, after being indicted on 39 charges of fraud . The 43-year-old rejected a plea deal through his lawyer, Miles Feinstein, in April. Neither . husband nor wife entered a plea during Tuesday's brief court session . and they were released on a combined $1 million unsecured bail bond. Judge . Cathy Waldor did, however, order them to surrender their passports and . restricted their travels to New Jersey and New York amid fears of a . 'great escape' to Italy. Speaking to the masses of gathered reporters at the courthouse following the proceedings, US Attorney Paul Fishman confirmed, 'We are confident we have enough evidence to convict the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.' Out on bail: The couple were charged with 39 counts of fraud and released on a combined $1 million bail following their brief court appearance in which neither entered a plea . While Teresa's attorney, Henry . Klingeman, says he believes the government is prosecuting the couple . because of their celebrity, it seems he's not the only one who thinks . fame is playing a pivotal role in the proceedings. Fellow . reality TV star and former New York City Real Housewife Bethenny . Frankel has given her unfiltered opinion on the situation. Asked . to comment on the developing saga while promoting her talk show, . Bethenny, at the TCA Tour Panel in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, the . 42-year-old said, 'My first thought today was, "Oh, if they weren't on . reality TV, none of this would probably ever be exposed."' Further charges: Joe is also charged with failing to file tax returns between 2004 and 2008, during which time it is alleged he earned close to $1 million . She continued, 'It's just funny how . certain people are [like a] moth to a flame. It's almost like, not that . you want to get caught, but people who love to be in the spotlight often . have a lot of skeletons in their closet. It's just an interesting . thing. 'Do I feel sorry for them? No, I . don't,' she stated honestly. 'Not so much, because it broke the law. You . broke the law and you went on television. That's not really that . smart.' The mom-of-one did, . however, express sympathy for the couple's children - Gia, 12, . Gabriella, 10, Milania, seven, and Audriana, three - who have been . caught up in the drama. No support here: Former Real Housewives Of New York City star Bethenny Frankel said, 'Do I feel sorry for them? No, I don't,' when asked about the situation at Wednesday's TCA Tour Panel . It's certainly an unsettling time for the entire Giudice family, with Teresa and Joe now each facing up to 50 years in jail if convicted on all charges. Meanwhile, Joe could also potentially be deported back to Italy after it was revealed during the hearing that despite having been married to his American wife for more than a decade, the family patriarch is not a US Citizen. The Giudices' hearing is set for August 14 and, according to their attorneys, both will plead not guilty.
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First public outing since charged with 39 counts of fraud .
'You can't stop living,' she tells guests at Beauty Buster Awards .
Neither entered plea and were released on a combined $1 million bail .
US Attorney Paul Fishman 'confident' of enough evidence to convict .
Hearing set for August 14, when both will plead not guilty .
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By . Ben Spencer . More than 66 million years ago, a fearsome beast roamed the planet that was so ferocious it has been dubbed the 'chicken from hell'. Standing 10ft tall, the creature got its name because of a chicken-like crest on its head, feathered wings, long talons, a dangerous beak and a powerful tail. Its official name is Anzu wyliei and palaeontologists from the University of Utah discovered three partial skeletons of the animal in ancient rocks in North and South Dakota. Standing 10ft tall, the Anzu wyliei creature, illustration pictured, got its name because of a chicken-like crest on its head, feathered wings, long talons, a dangerous beak and a powerful tail. Palaeontologists from the University of Utah discovered three partial skeletons of the animal in ancient rocks in North and South Dakota . Name: Anzu wyliei - after a bird-like demon in ancient mythology. Height: 10ft (3m) Weight: 45 stone (286kg) Age: The dinosaur lived around 66 million years ago. Features: The dinosaur had a crest on its head, feathered wings, long talons, a dangerous beak and a powerful tail. Diet: Vegetation, small animals and eggs. Character: Fighter. Found: In ancient rocks in North and South Dakota. Piecing the three fossils together, they found the separate parts formed an almost complete skeleton of a dinosaur. Emma Schachner, a biology postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah, said: ‘It was a giant raptor, but with a chicken-like head and presumably feathers. ‘The animal stood about 10ft tall, so it would be scary as well as absurd to encounter.’ Matt Lamanna, of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, added: ‘We jokingly call this thing the 'chicken from hell,' and I think that’s pretty appropriate. ‘So we named it after Anzu, a bird-like demon in ancient mythology.’ The findings, published in the journal Plos One, describe a 45-stone beast which roamed the Dakota Hills 66 million years ago, at the same time as the most fearsome predator, Tyrannosaurus Rex. Resembling a gigantic flightless bird, Anzu wyliei had a slender neck and hind legs, similar to an ostrich. Piecing the three collections of fossils together, pictured, researchers found the separate parts formed an almost complete skeleton of a dinosaur. The fossils have preserved only bones, but close relatives of this dinosaur have been found with fossilised feathers, strongly, suggesting the new creature was feathered too . The fossils have preserved only bones, but close relatives of this dinosaur have been found with fossilised feathers, strongly suggesting the new creature was feathered too. The dinosaur was an omnivore, eating vegetation, small animals and perhaps eggs, but the scientists think it may have been built to defend itself from larger predators. Two of the three skeletons have signs of injuries, suggesting the species was a fighter. One has a broken and healed rib, and the other has evidence of trauma to a toe. Dr Schachner continued: ‘These animals were clearly able to survive quite a bit of trauma, as two of the specimens show signs of semi-healed damage. ‘Whether these injuries were the result of combat between two individuals or an attack by a larger predator remains a mystery.’
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Anzu wyliei was a fighter and had a chicken-like crest on its head .
It also had feathered wings, talons, a dangerous beak and a powerful tail .
Palaeontologists from the University of Utah discovered three partial skeletons in ancient rocks in North and South Dakota .
The animal measured 10ft (3m) tall and weighed 45 stone (286kg)
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(CNN) -- Prosecutors building a case against a teenager accused of raping and killing a high school teacher say he apparently planned an attack on a female youth counselor earlier this month, according to court documents. Philip Chism, 15, took deliberate steps to "elude" staff as he followed a counselor into a locker and bathroom area at a Department of Youth Services facility and, wielding a pencil as a weapon, attacked her, according to an affidavit filed June 10 and released Thursday. Chism allegedly choked and beat the employee before staff intervened and restrained him. Chism "took several steps to elude other staff who were believed to be observing him including but not limited to creeping along a common hallway crouched down out of view of observers," Essex Assistant District Attorney Kate B. MacDougall said in the affidavit. Chism is awaiting trial on charges he raped and murdered his high school algebra teacher, Colleen Ritzer, on October 22, 2013. Police and prosecutors say the teacher was killed with a box cutter in a girls' bathroom at Danvers High School. He is now being held at Worcester State Hospital, court documents say. Prosecutors have requested that Chism not be allowed in any part of that hospital that is not securely locked; not be allowed to leave without prosecutors' consent; and not be left alone with female staff or patients, according to court documents. An official at the youth services facility had been warned by MacDougall in November not to allow Chism to be alone with female staff members, court documents say. A call to one of Chism's attorneys, Susan Oker, was not immediately returned. Denise Regan, another defense attorney, declined to comment Friday. In January, Chism pleaded not guilty to aggravated rape, robbery and murder charges in the Ritzer case. He is being tried as an adult. After Chism was reported missing by his mother on the evening of October 22, police had his cell phone company "ping" the location of his phone. It was found near the Hollywood Hits Theater, where investigators learned the teen had bought a movie ticket and then left. An affidavit said that when Chism was spotted by a police officer the next day, he was carrying a knife. A search of his backpack turned up a bloodstained box cutter. Asked where the blood came from, Chism allegedly responded: "The girl." He also allegedly carried credit cards and driver's licenses belonging to Ritzer, as well as a pair of women's underwear. Police discovered Ritzer's body in a wooded area near the school, covered with leaves and debris, court papers said. Her throat was slit. CNN's Rande Iaboni contributed to this report.
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Suspect "took several steps" to evade observers before alleged attack, court documents say .
Court documents: Female counselor at the Youth Services facility was choked and beaten .
Philip Chism, 15, is awaiting trial on charges he raped and killed a high school algebra teacher .
Facility official was warned not to let Chism be alone with female staffers, court documents say .
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By . Richard Spillett for MailOnline . Health experts have slammed a hospital canteen for selling an 800-calorie 'fry-up pie' to patients. The meal - dubbed 'a heart attack on a plate' - includes a slice of bacon, a sausage, a black pudding and beans with an egg on top. It is being sold at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, just around the corner from the cardiac rehabilitation ward where doctors are fighting to save heart attack victims. Scroll down for video . Defence: Bosses at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee backed the selling of the snack alongside other alternatives . The NHS trust in charge of the hospital has been blasted by healthy-eating campaigners for continuing to sell the £1.50 pie - which contains a third of a man's daily calorie intake - despite expert advice. Former government adviser Professor Mike Lean, chair of Human Nutrition at Glasgow University, said the pie was proof that stricter guidelines are needed on what food should be sold to patients. He said: 'It should never be anywhere near a hospital. It is laden with fat, salt and without a vegetable in sight.' One of those being cared for at the hospital added: 'There are so many huge and obese staff and patients here, it's the last place that should be selling something like this. It comes after a patient in Southmead Hospital in Bristol shamed hospital bosses by keeping a photo diary of the meagre meals he was served during his stay. Chef Steven Williams photographed the tiny portions he was given, which included a roast dinner with just one floret of broccoli and a half-plate portion of chilli con carne with rice. Alternative: It comes after a patient at another hospital posted photos of the small meals he was given . After experts criticised those meals for having insufficient nutritional value, others have expressed dismay at the calorie-overload of the fry-up pie. National Obesity Forum spokesman Tam Fry said: 'What we have here is a heart attack on a plate. 'It should be absolutely obligatory for the NHS to have wholesome food whether it is from a take-away shop within hospitals or on menus. 'The NHS is creaking under the weight of the nation's obesity problem.' Labour health spokesman Neil Findlay added: 'NHS hospitals should be leading the way in encouraging people to eat a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet.' A spokesman for NHS Tayside admitted the pies are on sale at one of their takeaway outlets - but insisted that healthy food is also available. He said: 'There are a wide range of meals, snacks and drinks available for the public and staff to choose from including healthy breakfast options such as cereals, fresh orange juice, low fat yogurts and fresh fruit. 'These are provided by NHS Tayside dining rooms as well as third-party providers on the concourse of the hospital.' Steven Williams was given this tiny roast dinner with just one floret of broccoli, two potatoes, two pieces of cauliflower and fatty beef at Southmead Hospital in Bristol . When the patient asked for a different topping on a baked potato, he was given this small cheese sandwich .
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Meal - sold in Dundee - is a third of a man's recommended calorie intake .
Healthy eating experts say it should be 'nowhere near a hospital'
NHS bosses ignore calls for ban, insisting other meals are available .
Comes after patient in another hospital photographed meagre meals .
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Tennis star Serena Williams has accused the Russian tennis chief of making 'extremely sexist, racist and bullying' comments after he described her and her sister Venus as 'scary' to look at. Shamil Tarpischev, of the Russian Tennis Federation, made the remarks during an appearance on a local TV talk show this month alongside former Olympic singles champion Elena Dementieva. When Dementieva was asked what it was like playing against the Williams sisters, Tarpischev cut in and called them the 'Williams brothers', before adding: 'It's scary when you really look at them.' Scroll down for video . Hitting back: Serena Williams (left) has criticized Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpischev (right) for making 'extremely sexist, racist and bullying' comments after he described her and her sister Venus as 'scary' World number one: Speaking on Russian television, Tarpischev, of the Russian Tennis Federation, referred to Serena (pictured) and her sister as the 'Williams brothers', adding: 'It's scary when you really look at them' The official was later handed a one-year suspension imposed by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for the comments. He was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. Speaking in Singapore today, ahead of her WTA Finals defense, Williams said: 'I think the WTA did a great job of taking (the) initiative and taking immediate action to his comments. 'I thought they were very insensitive and extremely sexist as well as racist at the same time. I thought they were in a way bullying. ' When asked whether he regretted his comments, Tarpischev initially told AP that the program on which he spoke was 'a humorous show.' He added that he 'didn't understand' his one-year ban. Tennis star: The official was later handed a one-year suspension imposed by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for the comments. He was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. Above, Venus Williams . Press conference: Williams (pictured speaking during previews for the WTA Finals in Singapore today) said: 'I think the WTA did a great job of taking (the) initiative and taking immediate action to his comments' Angry: She added: 'I thought they were very insensitive and extremely sexist [and] racist at the same time' But in a statement later released by the Russian Tennis Federation, the chief denied any 'malicious intent' and said his quotes had been taken out of context. Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, 27, has also spoken out against her compatriot's comments. 'I think they were very disrespectful and uncalled for and I'm glad that many people have stood up, including the WTA,' said Miss Sharapova, who is also in Singapore for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals. 'It was very inappropriate, especially in his position and all the responsibilities that he has not just in sport, but being part of the Olympic committee.' Impressive duo: Williams is pictured (left) playing tennis with her older sister Venus in New York last month . In agreement with Serena: Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova (pictured attending a charity event with Porsche Asia Pacific on October 16 in Singapore), 27, has also condemned her compatriot's comments . Tarpischev has been chairman of the Kremlin Cup, Russia's only WTA event, for its entire 18 years as a women's tour event. He is also a member of the International Olympic Committee. The WTA said it would seek his removal as chairman of the Kremlin Cup, which ends today. During the 1990s, Tarpischev was the personal tennis coach to Russian President Boris Yeltsin and served as his adviser on sports matters. Williams, currently the world number one, is going into the WTA Finals on the back of another stellar year, winning six titles including the US Open. Tennis head: Tarpischev (pictured) has been chairman of the Kremlin Cup, Russia's only WTA event, for its entire 18 years as a women's tour event. He is also a member of the International Olympic Committee . But she pulled out of the China Open earlier this month with a knee injury, triggering some concerns she might not make the Singapore. The draw for the year-end competition - starting Monday at the 10,000-capacity Singapore Indoor Stadium - puts Williams in the Red Group with Simona Halep, 23, and 20-year-old Eugenie Bouchard as well as the more experienced Ana Ivanovic, the only one of her three opponents ever to beat her. Williams said doctors only allowed her to start hitting the ball in practice again last week. Dressed up: Williams (fourth right) is pictured with fellow tennis stars (l-r) Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard and Ana Ivanovic at the Marina Bay Sands hotel yesterday following the draw ceremony for the BNP Paribas WTA Finals . Posing: Williams (right), who was sporting a cleavage-baring canary frock, high heels and crimped hair, later posted this snap of her and Miss Wozniacki of Denmark to her Instagram account . 'They thought it was very bad for me to hit sooner than that,' she said. 'After that, I just, like I said, started training. I was surprised at how well I was able to kind of jump back into it.' Yesterday, Williams was spotted sporting a cleavage-baring canary frock, high heels and crimped hair as she attended a glamorous WTA Finals gathering at the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore. The White Group sees second-seeded Sharapova, the French Open champion, joined by Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska.
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Shamil Tarpischev made the remarks during an appearance on Russian TV .
Referred to tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams as 'Williams brothers'
Russian tennis chief then added: 'It is scary when you really look at them'
Tarpischev later handed one-year suspension and a $25,000 fine by WTA .
Serena Williams, who is playing in WTA Finals, criticized head's comments .
'I thought they were extremely sexist and racist at the same time,' she said .
World number one is playing in tournament after knee injury in China Open .
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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The American accused of killing two Pakistani men isn't a diplomat, as U.S. officials have said, but rather a CIA contractor in the country providing security for CIA officers, a U.S. government official said Monday. The revelation that Raymond Davis was working for the U.S. intelligence agency when he shot two men -- one of them in the back, according to Lahore police -- is a dramatic twist in a case that has already inflamed hard-line clerics and an angry public that wants the American tried in a Pakistani court. In protests since Davis' arrest last month, hard-line Pakistani clerics have condemned the shootings and demanded that the government not release the American. Despite the revelation of Davis' true line of work, U.S. officials on Monday renewed their argument that he enjoys diplomatic immunity and must be released. U.S. officials notified Pakistan that Davis had been posted to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in January 2010, U.S. officials said. Pakistan's only recourse under international law is to order Davis out of the country, according to a senior U.S. official who briefed reporters on background Monday. "Any other form of action, including a judicial action or any other proceeding, is inconsistent with his status," the official said. Davis was jailed January 27 after fatally shooting two men who pulled up to him on a motorcycle in a bustling Lahore neighborhood. U.S. officials and Lahore police said Davis told them he shot the men in self-defense. Evidence showed the two men may well have been robbers, according to police who found cash and cell phones linked to a robbery reported earlier that day. But Lahore's police chief, Aslam Tareen, has said witnesses told police that Davis kept firing, even when one of the men was running away. "It was clear-cut murder," Tareen told reporters. That Davis was working for the CIA as a contract employee seems to explain the assortment of gear Lahore police reported finding in his rental car following his arrest. According to a Lahore police report, Davis' car contained 9mm pistol, five ammunition magazines, two cell phones, an infrared light, a digital camera, a telescope, a long-range wireless set and a survival kit. While acknowledging that Davis is a CIA contractor, the U.S. official said that Davis is not a case officer or paramilitary officer. "Davis is a protective officer, someone who provides security to U.S. officials in Pakistan. Rumors to the contrary are simply wrong," the official said. The U.S. official added "any suggestions that he was conducting covert operations or personally leading efforts to target militant groups is wrong." But the official said Davis could have been providing security for CIA officers who were engaged in covert operations . Davis is part of the agency's "global response staff," which is responsible for protecting the safety of CIA operatives in other countries. He was doing "advance work," scouting areas of Lahore at the time of the shooting, the official said. Davis' role required him to "know the environment." He provided all facets of security for case workers including surveillance detection, route surveillance and protection in potentially hostile environments, said the official. The 36-year-old Davis is a former member of the U.S. Army special forces and had been employed by security firm XE Services, previously known as Blackwater. Davis began working for the CIA nearly 4 years ago. He was assigned to Pakistan in late 2009. He was living with other security personnel at a safehouse in Lahore before the shooting incident. Until Monday, U.S. officials had described Davis only as an employee who was attached to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and who was working at the U.S. Consulate in Lahore at the time of the shootings. Formally, they continue to describe him only as a member of the "technical and administrative staff" of the embassy. The U.S. government has had ongoing conversations with Pakistan's government about Davis' security, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Monday. "Clearly, we hold the government of Pakistan fully responsible for his safety," Crowley said. A U.S. official said Davis is being held in a facility with 4,000 other prisoners, some of them militants. Pakistani officials have moved Davis to a separate part of the prison and taken away guards' guns for fear one might kill the American, the U.S. official said. Dogs are even being used to taste and smell Davis' food to ensure he is not poisoned, according to the official. Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently traveled to Pakistan in part to express "our deepest sorrow for the loss of life" and underscore Davis' diplomatic immunity. Members of Congress have told senior Pakistani leaders that billions of dollars in U.S. aid are in jeopardy unless Davis is released. But Crowley said Monday no such action is currently being contemplated. The U.S. supplied more than $1.5 billion in nonmilitary aid to Pakistan in fiscal year 2010. CNN's Pam Benson and journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report.
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U.S. officials say Pakistan's only recourse under international law is to expel Raymond Davis .
The American. who is accused of murder in Pakistan, is a CIA contractor, a U.S. official said .
Davis provided security for officials, the official said .
Lahore police arrested Davis January 27 after shooting two men he said tried to rob him .
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By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 11:48 EST, 16 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:04 EST, 16 November 2012 . A brave teenage girl today told of how her father raped her in a sickening attack when she visited him for the weekend. Twisted Robert Hawksworth, 54, plied daughter Emily, then 17, with wine at his Derbyshire home before putting her to bed and then climbing in with her. The teenager had been sexually abused by Hawksworth since the age of 14, but had remained silent until the rape last year, when she reported the crime to the police. Sick: Emily Hawksworth, left on her 18th birthday, was plied with wine by her father Robert, right, before he attacked her in June last year . The 18-year-old, whose parents divorced when she was seven, has now waived her right to anonymity to bravely speak out about her ordeal to help other teenagers in similar situations. 'When I woke up in the morning I felt sick and I felt like something had happened,' said Emily, who was a virgin until the horrifying attack. 'I felt violated. 'I stayed in bed all day and on the Sunday he kept asking me to go to town with him and make me take the Pill. 'I refused to take it because I did not want to believe what had happened. 'I was blunt with him and I didn't want the conversation to be brought up. 'When I went home on the Sunday night, I wasn't going to say anything to my mum but as soon as I walked in I burst into tears. 'She knew something had happened so I told her. She was distraught and rang the police.' On Wednesday Hawksworth, who denied rape and sexual assault, was caged for nine years after a trial at Derby Crown Court. Moving forward: The teenager, who was a virgin until the attack last year, has burnt all photos and gifts from him and is changing her surname from deed poll . Emily said she had not initially reported what had happened because she felt scared. 'I was young at the time,' she said. 'I did not know how to handle it.' Hawksworth, from Findern, Derbyshire, denied raping his daughter when he was arrested, forcing her to give evidence at his trial. Closure: Emily's father denied rape and sexual assault but was caged for nine years at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday . Jailing him, Judge John Burgess told Hawksworth: 'She was visiting you as she regularly did for the weekend. 'During the course of that Friday evening you and she were drinking both wine and cider, alcohol you provided. 'She became very drunk and was very sick. You tended to her and she was put to bed. 'During the night you came into her room, removed her underwear and had full sex. 'She was a virgin until that happened. This was a gross breach of trust and the violation of a vulnerable girl.' Hawksworth split up with Emily's mother in 2001 after he subjected her to an 'extremely abusive' relationship, the court heard. Today Emily's mother Karen Atalay, 53, described her daughter's ordeal as 'terrible and heart-breaking'. She said: 'I felt quite guilty. I felt it was my fault. 'My marriage to him [Robert] was extremely abusive but I was too frightened to tell anybody anything. 'I'm relieved that at last we have some justice. 'We have all found it very hard to lead a normal life. 'I think we have got through the worst but we are just trying to come to terms with what has happened.' Emily, who burnt all photographs and . gifts given to her by Hawksworth, is having her surname changed by deed . poll in a bid to wipe away any trace of her father.
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Emily Hawksworth had remained silent until the attack a year ago, when she was 17 .
Her father Robert plied her with wine at his home last year before putting her to bed and climbing in beside her .
Mother Karen, who divorced her father when their daughter was seven, said she was heartbroken .
The teenager has burnt all photographs and .
gifts he gave her and is changing her surname by deed poll .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:42 EST, 15 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:10 EST, 15 August 2013 . The parents of a 12-year-old Florida boy infected with a 'brain-eating amoeba' are praying for a miracle, with the help of pastors and residents gathering for a prayer vigil. Zachary Reyna remains in Miami Childen's Hospital while fighting for his life after developing the rare infection caused by an amoeba attacking and eating his brain. The family have been gathering at the hospital to pray and yesterday the boy's uncle, Daniel Reyna, said they've created a Facebook page and hashtag in his honor, 'pray4number4'. Fighter: Zachary Reyna is in intensive care after contracting a rare infection from a deadly amoeba . Risks: Zachary is being treated in hospital, above, for an infection only three people are known to have survived . The page has information on how to donate and already has over 5,000 likes. On Wednesday morning, five pastors and hundreds of residents met at LaBelle Veteran's Memorial Park for the vigil. Donations were taken by organizer Susan Whidden, who lives in the area and works at Seacoast National Bank, on behalf of the family, The Miami Herald reported. A local LaBell resident, Mr Bares, told the Herald: 'When something happens close to home we really come together. That's why I love living in a small town.' Zachary Reyna fell critically ill after playing on a knee board with friends in a ditch near his LaBelle, Florida home on August 3rd. If he recovers from the infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba he will be only the four person to have survived. The single cell Naegleria Fowleri or brain-eating amoeba, lives in warm fresh water and attacks the brain after entering the body through the nose, according to Naples News. A Facebook page has been set up for Zachary Reyna, named pray4number4, to help raise donations . Vigil: The family of the 12-year-old, pictured with his sister, are staying by his bedside. He became sick after playing in a ditch with friends . Doctors don't know why some people . who swim in amoeba-containing water become infected in their nervous . system, while others don't. In the past 50 years only 31 have contracted the rare primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (Pam) infection, and only three have survived so far. 'He can be number four. That's what we're hoping for, for him to be number four,' Zachary's brother, Brandon Villarreal, said. The . family first noticed there was something seriously wrong with Zachary . after he slept for a whole day after playing with friends on August 3. At . first they thought he had a 24 hour virus, but soon realized there was . something seriously wrong with the usually active, baseball loving . child. 'I wish I could just touch him and it would transfer over. It don't work like that,' Brandon told ABC7. 'It's just tough to see him like this.' Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis is as rare as it is horrific. It is caused by an amoeba that implants itself in its victim's brains - usually when infected water shoots up their nose. The amoeba grows in the sediment at the bottom of pools of warm, stagnant water and is most active at about 85F. The water must reach a relatively high temperature for the parasites to reach numbers that threaten humans. Health officials have recorded only 125 instances of the disease in the United States in the past 50 years. Only two people have survived in the U.S. One other survivor was found in Mexico . Swimmers can reduce their risk by: . The family have been keeping a vigil by his bedside at Miami Children's Hospital, where Zachary has been sedated. '[It] . will actually eat away at the tissue; it literally eats the tissues,' Dr Mark Heulitt told KATV. 'It is a severe form of meningitis where your . brain will be eaten by the amoeba.' Brandon is positive that his little brother, who loves to play baseball, will pull through. 'He's fighting and he's strong, he's really, really strong,' he said. Swimmers have been warned to be careful in still water around Florida, as health officials try to prevent further infections. The amoeba is common in warm, stagnant water in central Florida, especially in the summer. Health officials have advised swimmers and water skiers to wear nose clips as a safety precaution because it cuts off the only way the amoeba can enter the body and do damage. A Department of Health spokesman told MailOnline the water must to be forcefully, almost violently, pushed up the nose - as it can be after diving into the water, being dunked or using a water slide. Three boys, aged between 10 and 14, developed the infection last year after wakeboarding or swimming. Mark Zeitler, whose nephew of Will Sellers, who died from the infection last year, has warned people to stay away from water in the summer. 'We're not trying to be alarmists, but . as that water heats up, find other places to recreate,' Mr Zeitler told . the Orlando Sentinel. Warning signs: Zachary's family realized he was sick when the usually active child could not stop sleeping . It can take up to a week for the infection to show symptoms, which include headaches, fever, vomiting and seizures. A 12-year-old girl who developed the condition in July is still in hospital after managing to fight off the infection. Kali Hardig came in contact with the amoeba as she swam in a sandy bottom lake at Willow Springs Water Park near Little Rock, Arkansas.
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A Facebook page has been set up to help with donations, named pray4number4 .
Only three people have survived primary amoebic meningoencephalitis .
Zachary Reyna became ill after playing with friends near Florida home .
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It appears British holidaymakers like to cram in as many sights as they can when they head abroad. New research reveals that the typical city break lasts three nights with travellers taking in five attractions – more than they would over the course of a year in their hometown. But trying to pack it all into just a few nights doesn’t cut it as Brits admit they often need more time away to tick everything off their itinerary. One in three (31 per cent) have extended their break as a result. The city that never sleeps: New York ranks as the number one dream destination for British holidaymakers . The bright lights and endless activities of New York are always a popular draw for British tourists so it’s no surprise that the Big Apple ranks as the number one dream destination. Of those polled in the lastminute.com survey, 27 per cent of respondents put New York at the top of their list. Barcelona (23 per cent) came in second place on the list of the top cities that Brits want to visit, followed by Amsterdam (20 per cent), Rom (19 per cent) and Venice (18 per cent). But whether these dream trips become reality is another thing. Top cities: La Sagrada Familia, an iconic Roman Catholic church, is a popular draw for tourists in Barcelona . Venice of the North: Tourists ride a boat on a canal in Amsterdam . In terms of the top ten city breaks that British holidaymakers have taken before, Paris was the most common destination with visits from 33 per cent of the poll’s respondents. The second most visited city was Amsterdam (32 per cent). It was followed by Barcelona (26 per cent), Dublin (20 per cent) and Berlin (13 per cent). New York – 27 per cent . Barcelona – 23 per cent . Amsterdam – 20 per cent . Rome – 19 per cent . Venice – 18 per cent . Athens – 16 per cent . Berlin – 16 per cent . Florence – 15 per cent . Las Vegas – 15 per cent . Vienna – 15 per cent . Paris – 33 per cent . Amsterdam – 32 per cent . Barcelona – 26 per cent . Dublin – 20 per cent . Berlin – 13 per cent . Rome – 13 per cent . New York – 12 per cent . Prague – 11 per cent . Bruges – 11 per cent . Brussels – 11 per cent . Travellers have their reasons for heading abroad for a few days, but it appears a long weekend in an international city is often the refuge of the heartbroken. Eight per cent of those polled admitted they will go on a city break to help them to get over an ex, while seven per cent said they have booked a trip in a desperate bid to save a rocky relationship. The study of 2,000 Brits revealed the average number of local attractions we visit in and around our home town during a year is just four. City of Love: Paris is the most visited city break destination for British holidaymakers . Walking on air: Visitors pose for a photo on the new glass floor at the Eiffel Tower . Reigo Eljas, lastminute.com trading director, said: ‘We are a nation of keen travellers and our research found our appetite for city breaks is growing. ‘The trend we're seeing is people are now ready to discover new destinations around the globe. ‘Once away, Brits definitely get swept up in the holiday spirit with nearly a third extending it while they are there.’
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Poll asked Brits to list their dream destination and cities they have visited .
Of those surveyed, 27 per cent listed New York as their dream holiday .
Paris is the most visited city, followed by Amsterdam and Barcelona .
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By . Daniel Martin . Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to bring in tough new curbs on strikes in 'essential' services if the tories win the next election . The Tories will bring in tough new curbs on strikes in ‘essential’ services if they win the next election, David Cameron pledged yesterday. The Prime Minister said he intends to introduce a minimum threshold on the number of employees who must take part in a ballot on industrial action before it can trigger a strike. He said he had been held back from introducing a threshold of this type since he took office in 2010 because of opposition from Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government. Mr Cameron told BBC Radio London: ‘Of course there is a right to strike in our country. But in essential services, isn’t it worth saying that there ought to be a threshold, a certain percentage of people who have to take part before a strike is called that does so much damage?’ ‘This is not something I can deliver in Coalition. Our Liberal . Democrat coalition partners don’t seem keen on this, for whatever . reason. But I am keen on it, and a new Conservative Government would . deal with that.’ He did not outline which types of industrial action could come under the remit of the new rules. A Number 10 source said no decisions had yet been taken, and it was not known at what level the turnout threshold would be set. But campaigners have called for a minimum threshold to be introduced for the railways, the fire service, the NHS and schools. However Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, responded: ‘If 50 per cent of those eligible to vote becomes the new test of . democratic legitimacy, not a single MP including Mr Cameron passes the . test. ‘Few would argue that the outcome of a general election is a . lot more important than the result of any strike ballot. We cannot have . abstentions added to no votes to count as a no vote in a strike ballot . and totally ignored in the more important ballot vote to elect our . Parliament. ‘Workers’ rights are already severely constrained and . curtailing the right to strike even more is simply neither acceptable . nor democratic.’ David Cameron, pictured giving a talk in Gloucestershire, said he intends to introduce a minimum threshold on the number of employees who must take part in a ballot on industrial action before it can trigger a strike . Speaking at a question and answer session in Stroud, Gloucestershire, on . Thursday, Mr Cameron said: ‘When strikes take place that are hugely . disruptive to other people’s lives, they should at least have the . support of a good share of the members of that trade union. ‘I’m looking at if we can change that for the future, because I think a strike should be the last weapon that people use. ‘People . should be talking, people should be negotiating. In some of these cases . people have opted for a strike far too quickly and we need to change . that.’ London mayor Boris . Johnson has demanded a threshold to be set so that a strike cannot be . held unless at least 50 per cent of all eligible union members vote in . favour. London mayor Boris Johnson has demanded a threshold to be set so that a strike cannot be held unless at least 50 per cent of all eligible union members vote in favour . Tory MP Dominic Raab, who has campaigned for strike thresholds, said: ‘We need this reform to make sure militant hardliners lacking majority support from rank and file members can’t hold the hard-working public to ransom with outlandish demands. ‘The public back this proposal by three to one, but yet again the Lib Dems have blocked a common-sense measure most would welcome.’ The comments come after a disruptive strike on the London Underground at the end of last month.
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PM intends to introduce minimum threshold before strike can be triggered .
He said he has been held back from introducing the scheme by Lib Dems .
Boris Johnson said strikes should only go ahead if 50% of union vote for it .
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The UK Independence Party today claimed it was on the verge of an electoral earthquake after storming to second place in the South Shields by-election. Labour held the seat vacated by former Foreign Secretary David Miliband, but UKIP doubled its vote share to 24 per cent, pushing the Tories into third and the Lib Dems slumping to a humiliating seventh just ahead of the Monster Raving Loony Party. UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall said his party was knocking on the door to Westminster and 'soon we will kick that door in'. Scroll down for video . UKIP surged into second place halving the Labour majority to less than 5,000 votes . Ricard Elvin's, right, UKIP came second while Lib Dem candidate Hugh Annand, left, came seventh . UKIP is also making big gains in local elections across England, taking votes from the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems. In South Shields, UKIP secured 24 per cent of the . vote as Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck held the seat with a reduced majority . of 6,505. The result proved . disastrous for the Liberal Democrats, who came seventh and lost their . deposit, and also bad for the Conservatives who picked up 11.5 per cent . of the vote. Mr Nuttall said: 'It shows we are a . party on an upward trajectory, that we are going places and it also . shows that we are not just a southern-based party taking votes from the . Conservatives, we are taking votes in the north as well. Emma Lewell-Buck (Lab) 12,493 . Richard Elvin (UKIP) 5,988 . Karen Allen (Conservative) 2,857 . Ahmed Khan (Ind) 1,331 . Phil Brown (Ind Soc) 750 . Lady Dorothy MacBeth Brookes (BNP) 711 . Hugh Annand (LD) 352 . Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 197 . Thomas Darwood (Ind) 57 . Electorate: 62,979 Turnout: 24,736 (39.28%) 'We . have been knocking on the door of Westminster now for the past two . years, and very soon we will kick that door in and once we get one, . we'll get two, we'll get four and then we'll be in there and things will . change forever,' he told the BBC. The South Shields contest was . triggered by former foreign secretary David Miliband's decision to quit . politics and head to the United States to lead an international charity. Labour's majority was reduced from . the 11,109 achieved by Mr Miliband and the 50.5 per cent share of the vote was . the party's lowest in the safe seat since 1083. UKIP candidate Richard Elvin said: 'It's an absolutely fantastic result for UKIP. 'To come from nowhere to take 25 per cent at its first attempt is absolutely stunning. 'It's a message to all three mainstream parties that UKIP is the official opposition. We have proved that in Labour strongholds and we have done it again in South Shields.' David Miliband congratulated his successor in a message on Twitter. He wrote: 'Congrats @EmmaLewellBuck and Labour team in Southshields. Holding 50% of vote very good result.' The Labour winner, a married social worker, was cheered by supporters as she became the first female MP in South Shields. From the podium, she said: 'I will help get people back to work, champion our wonderful town and never give the Tory Government one moment's peace.' But Lib Dem Home Office minister Jeremy Browne said he thought the Labour winner's victory speech was 'stage-managed' and 'phoney'. He told BBC News: 'I was watching the Labour by-election winner from South Shields on television this morning and I have no bone to pick with her - I have never met her in my life - but it was the most stage-managed, phoney, inauthentic political display that you could ever see on television. "She just repeated all the same mantras about millionaires and bedrooms and I thought, doesn't she have any views of her own? 'Why isn't the Labour Party letting her speak? Why isn't there any authenticity in this whole stage-managed occasion?' Mr Browne said the three main parties needed to respond to the UKIP surge by thinking 'a bit differently about how we do politics as well as the policies'. Celebrating: Labour candidate Emma Lewell-Buck gives a speech after winning the South Shields by-election . UKIP is on course to win 100 council seats after local elections were held across the country . BNP candidate Lady Dorothy Macbeth Brookes beat the Lib Dems' Hugh Annand, who finished seventh . Voters have gone to the polls in 34 . council contests across England, plus the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, . with an eligible electorate of around 40 per cent of the UK total. A UKIP source said 'we are expecting a . cracking night' and the party would 'triple or quadruple our vote from . 2009' when the council seats were last contested. The dire result for the Lib Dems is just the latest poor showing for the Nick Clegg's party which built its success on winning by-elections before joining the coalition. Its one notable success was clinging on in Eastleigh, but the other 13 by-elections contested since May 2010 make for grim reading:Oldham East and Saddleworth: 2nd (vote share +0.3%) Barnsley Central: 5th (-13.1%) Lost deposit . Leicester South: 2nd (-4.4%) Inverclyde: 4th (-11.1%) Lost deposit . Feltham and Heston: 3rd (-7.9%) Bradford West: 4th (-7.1%) Lost deposit . Cardiff South and Penarth: 3rd (-11.4%) Corby: 4th (-9.5%) Lost deposit . Manchester Central: 2nd (-17.2%) Croydon North: 4th (-10.5%) Lost deposit . Middlesbrough: 3rd (-10%) Rotherham: 8th (-13.9%) Lost deposit . Eastleigh: 1st (-14.5%) South Shields: 7th (-12.8%) Lost deposit) Nigel Farage's party became the second largest party in Lincolnshire as the Conservatives lost control of the authority. They . won 16 seats in Lincolnshire, 10 in Hampshire, nine in Essex, three in . Gloucestershire, three in Somerset and one in Dorset. Overnight counts took place at six authorities which were held by the Tories before the election. The . Conservatives retained control in Dorset, Essex, Hampshire and - . narrowly - Somerset, where they lost five seats and the Liberal . Democrats lost four. But . as well as in Lincolnshire, they were ousted from overall control in . Gloucestershire, where there were four gains for Labour and three for . UKIP. Labour's Norma . Redfearn ousted incumbent Tory Linda Arkley in the battle to be mayor of . North Tyneside. Results elsewhere will be announced later today. The father of Tory MP Priti Patel took second place standing under the UKIP banner in a Hertfordshire County poll. Sushil Kantibhai Patel was running under that party's description on the ballot paper at Bushey South. He came more than 1,200 votes behind Conservatives but ahead of Labour and Liberal Democrats. Last night Tory International Development . Secretary Justine Greening said UKIP did not have any 'substance' and . insisted the Government was listening to people's concerns. Appearing on BBC1's Question Time, . she said: 'I think as people take more of a look at UKIP they will be . able to form their own opinion about whether there is any substance . underneath the policies. 'I personally don't think that there is but I think it's up to voters to decide, obviously.' Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman . told the programme UKIP's rise was a 'wake-up call' for the . establishment parties, but some of its politics were 'quite . threatening'. She said: 'We should listen very . seriously if people are feeling disaffected and disenchanted. It is a . challenge to us. It's a wake-up call for us to actually listen to people . who feel that times are hard and wonder whether any of us have actually . got the answers.' But she added: 'I don't take the easy . assumption 'Oh well, it's great because it's going to take votes off . the Conservatives'. 'I think some of their politics is quite threatening . and we shouldn't be complacent either.' Labour won the South Shields by-election but the result was marked by surge in the vote for UKIP . UKIP candidate Richard Elvin polled almost 6,000 votes, halving the Labour majority to only 5,000 . Lib Dem veteran Baroness Williams of Crosby told the programme UKIP would not 'last that long' as a political force. She said: 'I may be wrong, but I . think what they are doing essentially is trading on protest and they . don't have anything very solid to say about the problems that really . face the country.' After the win, the new MP Emma Lewell-Buck said: 'UKIP did make inroads but ultimately the people of South Shields have spoken and they want a Labour MP.' Her background in social work meant she had seen people living with poverty under a Labour government she said. 'I have seen how people live under a Coalition Government and are really struggling, and I want to make a difference.'
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Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck wins safe seat with with 12,493 votes .
UKIP claims 5,988 votes in last night's by-election .
Dire night for Lib Dems in seventh - just ahead of Monster Raving Loonies .
By-election triggered by surprise resignation of David Miliband in March .
UKIP on course to win 100 council seats in local elections .
Conservative lose control of two local authorities as UKIP make gains .
UKIP win 16 seats in Lincolnshire, 10 in .
Hampshire, nine in Essex, three in Gloucestershire, three in Somerset .
and one in Dorset .
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(CNN) -- President Obama said that police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "acted stupidly" in arresting a prominent black Harvard professor last week after a confrontation at the man's home. Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. talks Wednesday about his ordeal with Cambridge police. "I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said Wednesday night while taking questions after a White House news conference. Cambridge authorities dropped disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Tuesday. Obama defended Gates on Wednesday night, while admitting that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend. "But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately." The incident, Obama said, shows "how race remains a factor in this society." Watch the president address the incident » . The mayor of Cambridge said she is going to meet with the city's police chief to make sure the scenario that caused Gates' arrest does not happen again. "This suggests that something happened that should not have happened," Mayor E. Denise Simmons said on CNN's "American Morning." "The situation is certainly unfortunate. This can't happen again in Cambridge." Watch how the mayor plans to handle the situation » . Gates said Simmons called him to apologize. He told CNN on Wednesday that although charges had been dropped, he will keep the issue alive. "This is not about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates told CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Have race relations improved since Obama's election? Gates said he'd be prepared to forgive the arresting officer "if he told the truth" about what the director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research said were "fabrications" in the police report. The officer, Sgt. James Crowley, told CNN affiliate WCVB earlier Wednesday that he will not apologize. "There are not many certainties in life, but it is for certain that Sgt. Crowley will not be apologizing," he said. Gates said the mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, called him to apologize about the incident, in which he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. Watch Gates talk about his arrest » . CNN could not confirm Wednesday night that an apology was made. Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons did not respond to requests by CNN for comment. Crowley wrote in the Cambridge police report that Gates refused to step outside to speak with him, the police report said, and when Crowley told Gates that he was investigating a possible break-in, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" the report said. Was the professor profiled? » . The report said Gates initially refused to show the officer identification, but eventually produced a Harvard identification card, prompting Crowley to radio for Harvard University Police. "While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," Crowley said, according to the report. Gates was arrested for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space" and was released from police custody after spending four hours at the police station. He said Wednesday that he and his lawyers were considering further actions, not excluding a lawsuit. Gates said that although the ordeal had upset him, "I would do the same thing exactly again." Earlier this week, a prosecutor dropped the charge against Gates and the city's police department recommended that the matter not be pursued.
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NEW: Obama: Incident shows "how race remains a factor in this society"
NEW: Mayor says: "This can't happen again in Cambridge."
Harvard's Henry Louis Gates Jr. says he intends to keep the issue alive .
Arresting officer: "It is for certain that [I] will not be apologizing"
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By . Lizzie Parry for MailOnline . A rising number of women are complaining of 'mummy's thumb', a form of tendonitis linked to lifting babies . Women being 'weaker than they used to be' is to blame for a growing number of new mothers experiencing an injury known as 'mummy thumb'. Older generations of women would regularly make their own bread, kneeding the dough, they would hand wash the clothes and perform other grueling daily chores. But in a world where bread makers and washing machines are a staple in the kitchen, women are suffering. Chartered physiotherapist Sammy Margo told MailOnline a more sedentary lifestyle means women are 'generally weaker than they used to be'. That, she says, is the reason for an increasing number of women complaining of 'mummy thumb', known by its medical term de Quervain's tenosynovitis. It is a painful condition affecting the tendons in the thumb, that run down the side to the wrist. Women suffering 'mummy's thumb', commonly complain of pain every time they turn their wrist, go to grasp objects or make a fist. Ms Margo said repeatedly lifting a baby can cause the condition to develop. She said: 'When you have a baby the ligaments in the body relax, and then all of a sudden, with weaker ligaments and floppy tendons you have to effectively weight lift all day. 'Statistically on average a new mother will lift their baby 25 to 30 times a day. 'Years ago we used to treat a lot of cases of washer women's knee, when women would hand wash clothes regularly. 'But as the times have changed, we no longer see that injury. Instead we are seeing more cases of "mummy's thumb" because historically women used to be stronger and so more prepared for the task of lifting a heavy baby all day.' While it is a common injury, Ms Margo said as a physiotherapist she only sees the most severe of cases. 'I am treating several mums with 'mummy thumb' at the moment,' she told MailOnline. 'But most mothers, busy with their babies, will put off going to seek treatment, instead researching the condition online. 'Being a new mum is a very special time so only those that are really suffering will find time to come and get treatment.' Though referred to as 'mummy' thumb', the condition is not a new one. Physiotherapist Sammy Margo said one of the reasons behind the rise in the injury, treated using a splint, is the fact women are 'not as strong as they used to be'. A more sedentary lifestyle has resulted in women not building up the strength needed to 'effectively weight lift all day', after giving birth, Ms Margo told MailOnline . 'Mummy's thumb' known by its medical name, de Quervain's tenosynovitis is a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. People suffering de Quervain's tenosynovitis, will probably feel pain every time they turn their wrist, grasp anything or make a fist. Although the exact cause is not known, any activity that relies on repetitive hand or wrist movement - such as working in the garden, playing golf or racket sports or lifting your baby - can make it worse. Symptoms of de Quervain's tenosynovitis include: . Pinching, grasping and other movements of the thumb and wrist aggravate the pain. Chronic overuse of the wrist is commonly associated with the condition. People between the ages of 30 and 50 have a higher risk of developing de Quervain's tenosynovitis. The condition is more common in women than in men, and it may be associated with pregnancy. Baby care, which involves using your thumbs as leverage to lift your child hundreds of times a day, may also be associated with the condition.Source: Mayo Clinic . Ms Margo said it has been around for years, and in recent years was known as 'texting thumb injury'. 'As mobile phones started to get smaller, we started to see cases of what became known as 'texting thumb injury',' she said. 'It is the same condition, a form of tendonitis. Different lifestyle factors mean we see it coming to the forefront.' Ms Margo said new mothers can help reduce the risk of suffering 'mummy's thumb' by regularly using aids, including feeding pillows to bring the baby closer, without lifting. She added: 'For some mothers the condition will just burn out and ease off. 'The condition is particularly prevalent when mothers are breast feeding. 'When you breast feed the body releases a hormone called relaxin, which causes the collagen in the body to become more soft, leaving the joints more lax. 'When mothers stop breast feeding, generally the condition will ease off in three to four months. 'In more severe cases the condition needs hands-on manual therapy and in some cases hand splints.' She said women can take action before they fall pregnant, to build their strength and be mindful of the task ahead. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic, in the U.S. say people aged between 30 and 50 have a higher risk of developing de Quervain's tenosynovitis. They note the injury is 'more common in women than in men, and it may be associated with pregnancy'. 'Baby care, which involves using your thumbs as leverage to lift your child hundreds of times a day, may also be associated with the condition,' their website states.
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A rising number of mothers are complaining of 'mummy's thumb' experts say .
The injury is a form of tendonitis, caused by repeatedly lifting a baby .
Symptoms include pain, swelling and difficulty moving the thumb .
Physiotherapist Sammy Margo said increase in cases is due to more sedentary lifestyles, meaning women are 'not as strong as they used to be'
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f8784efa7229f1a2462616778ea5ce613b697181
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Restaurant companies with 20 or more U.S. locations will have to post calorie counts for everything they sell beginning next year because of a little-noticed line buried deep inside the Obamacare law that some studies suggest could actually backfire. The rule, buried 455 pages inside the Affordable Care Act, was the brainchild of lawmakers who modeled the idea after a 2008 New York City law. Dr. Thomas Frieden, now the embattled helmsman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spearheaded the New York City law and guided it through a series of legal challenges, arguing that information – as the saying goes – is power. But after the Big Apple got a calorie sticker, researchers got a shock: New Yorkers eating at calorie-labeled restaurants consumer more calories than they had before the law took effect. The public health scientists compared meal receipts collected from McDonald's locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn with similar meal tickets scooped up from the same restaurants a year earlier. 'Posting calorie benchmarks had no direct impact, nor did it moderate the impact of calorie labels on food purchases,' they wrote in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH). And the menu labeling 'appeared to promote a slight increase in calorie intake.' SIMPLE: Chipotle has a small range of offerings and already posts calorie ranges in every restaurant – a plan that probably won't pass the FDA's muster but is well-positioned for expansion . NOT SO SIMPLE: Most traditional fast-food joints have a range of options, toppings and sauces whose potential unique combinations range into the tens of thousands . UNCHANGED: Only restaurant companies with 20 or more locations will have to comply, meaning that most mom-and-pop restaurants could be at a nutritional advantage . More than one in four New Yorkers said they saw the calorie-counts and let the numbers affect their choices, but the receipts told a different tale. The same researchers published a second finding in the journal Health Affairs: New York eaters took in more calories during the same period than restaurant patrons in nearby Newark, New Jersey – where there was no menu law. That's a sentiment shared by Chris Jackson, a Virginia businessman who told MailOnline at a Washington, D.C. steakhouse that he is better off not knowing how many calories are lurking in his dinner. 'The minute I have to stare at the numbers – what are they all, three digits? And I'm supposed to have a four-digit total? – everything on the menu is going to look doable. But you know, if I'm left to my own devices I tend to make the kind of choices I could explain to my wife with a straight face.' Sondra Jacobson at the next table, however, said the idea is one whose time 'is long overdue.' 'The loaf of bread in my kitchen has a calorie label,' Jackson said. 'They're on everything but my cigarettes, and what's the harm? Some people need that kind of information and maybe they should have it.' 'Just keep it off my dining room table and I'm fine,' she said. A man at her table who identified himself only as 'Jamie' and said he didn't want his last name in print because he works on Capitol Hill, said the menu labeling question was 'more about politics than science.' 'You have nutritionists on one side who want to be on your shoulder all the time like some caloric guardian angel,' he said, 'and you have the restaurants on the other wide who are trying to survive on razor-thin margins and, I think, reasonably, terrified that this will be the regulation that kills them.' The science side of the debate is decidedly mixed. An AJPH study unrelated to the first one, and about one-fourth as large, showed a modest decrease in calorie intake when eaters were shown calorie counts, but the dinners they ate ate weren't served in restaurants. 'If someone is going to serve you thousands of calories, the least they could do is tell you how many calories it has,' says nutrition activist Margo Wootan . A third research report published in Health Affairs looked at 1,000 minority and low-income New Yorkers, finding no effect at all. A fourth, by Drexel University researchers, found a modest impact in Philadelphia but was criticized because it compared restaurants in different neighborhoods. And a fifth found that Starbucks customers trimmed back their food calories by 14 per cent at locations where calorie counts were posted. Lattes and frappucinos, however, kept their appeal: There was no impact on the beverage sales that make up more than 95 per cent of Starbucks sales. According to the Food and Drug Administration, a typical American female should consumer no more than 2,000 calories. Men should top out at 2,400. And no meal, according to the government, should tip the scales at more than 800 calories. The FDA will soon require the display of total calories in every menu item to show up 'in a clear and conspicuous manner' along with 'a succinct statement concerning suggested daily caloric intake.' It's that second requirement that researchers in the first study thought might be confusing people. Carnegie Mellon University professor Julie Downs told Health24 last year that consumers might see a 550-calorie Big Mac alongside an 800-calorie meal recommendation, and then 'maybe feel OK to go ahead and get a slightly bigger main dish, but at the same time still get the same side dish and drink they would normally get.' 'And then all of a sudden they're up over 1,100 calories for the meal. Each one item may seem OK, but it adds up.' University of Alabama biostatistics professor Dr. David Allison, then president of the Obesity Society, told a court hearing a 2008 New York City menu labeling lawsuit that another avenue of backfire could be the 'forbidden-fruit allure of high-calorie foods.' DAMAGE CONTROL: McDonald's has experimented with food tray liners that play up its lower-calorie items, but hide the health cost of a Double Quarter Pounder . WAITING ON THE FDA: A final rule from the government could come any day now, and will likely bring menus like this McDonald's concept to every big chain restaurant in America . He added that customers who heed the posted calorie warnings and walk away less full would be more likely to gorge themselves on calories later the same day. 'What harms (if any) might result .... is difficult to predict,' he wrote. It's also difficult to know what will happen when Burger King has to disclose calorie counts but individual mom-and-pop restaurants won't. The debate over whether the idea works as intended – trimming America's waistline by sending fewer calories out of restaurant kitchens – has been over for four years despite the murky scientific picture. Frieden, then head of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, conceded to the New York Times in 2008 that . By 2009 state laws modeled after New York City's stretched from California to Maine and included nearly 20 county and city ordinances. One of those laws was in Oregon, where government scientists found 'small but meaningful reductions in calories bought' 18 months later, 'particularly among the 20 percent of patrons who see and use the labels.' The National Restaurant Association, among Washington, D.C.'s more powerful lobbies, opted in 2010 to embrace a national law that would let its member companies work from a single playbook instead of a patchwork quilt. But implementing the law is full of political maneuvering. NOT FAR ENOUGH: Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin and Connecticut Rep. Rosa Delauro, both Democrats, want the menu labeling rules expanded to include bowling alleys, theme parks and even putt-putt courses . COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU? Buttered popcorn labels could be devastating for cinema chains that make most of their revenue on food concessions . Margo Wootan, chief nutritionist at the left-leaning Center for Science in the Public Interest, told The Hill on Monday that she's disappointed in how the FDA has interpreted Obamacare's food mandate. Her group, which once famously turned fettucine alfredo into food porn by labeling it 'a heart attack on a plate,' wants to see movie theater concession stands subject to the same rules. 'If someone is going to serve you thousands of calories, the least they could do is tell you how many calories it has,'she told The Hill. Wootan has the support of Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin and Connecticut Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who want the FDA to force bowling alleys, movie theaters and amusement parks to follow suit. 'Congress intended the scope of the disclosure law to extend to movie theaters, bowling alleys, bookstore cafes, and other like establishments,' the pair has written to the FDA, 'which is the very reason Congress used the phrase 'and similar retail establishments' in the statute to extend the reach of the law beyond restaurants.' While the restaurant lobby may have thrown in the towel, it appears the convenience store and family entertainment lobbies have gone all-in to protect their junk food franchises. Most affected businesses are taking a wait-and-see approach, however. The FDA could issue its final rule at any time, and the devil – or angel, depending on who's telling the story – could be in the details. Pizza chains are hoping for loopholes that will allow them to avoid calculating every possible topping combination. 'Pizza is so customizable that it's literally impossible to put all the calorie information on a menu.' Domino's executive vice president Lynn Liddle told The Hill. The National Restaurant Association also wants the government to provide companies with a modicum of 'flexibility' so they won't have to guarantee that every steak or bowl of soup is nutritionally identical. Fast food restaurants want an exemption for special orders so they only have to disclose calorie counts for sandwiches built according to their standard menus.
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Members of Congress who pushed for the rule say it doesn't go far enough and want it expanded to movie theaters, bowling alleys and theme parks .
But public health researchers collected before-and-after food receipts and found people ate more calories after the requirement kicked in .
Post-menu-labeling-law New Yorkers also ate more calories than people in Newark, where there was no law at all .
Requirement was modeled after a New York City law shepherded by embattled CDC chief Thomas Frieden .
Affordable Care Act included little-noticed clause requiring chain restaurants to list calorie counts where customers can see them .
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f878a0203b3a953864b8e9152669ee816f1024c0
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London, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, announced Tuesday the birth of their fourth child, a baby girl. The baby was born by Caesarean section at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, southwestern England, at midday. She had been due next month. The baby weighed 2.75 kilograms (6 pounds, 1 ounce), and both the baby and mother are "doing very well," Cameron's office at Downing Street said in a statement. The child had been expected in September. The Camerons already have two young children, Arthur and Nancy. Their oldest child, Ivan, was severely disabled and died last year at age 6. Samantha Cameron was visibly pregnant during the campaign that brought her husband to power in May. She scaled back her hours as creative director at luxury brand Smythson after the election. "It was very exciting, we were on holiday, thought we were going to get through the holiday and then have a baby, and then it just seemed to kick off a bit quickly," Cameron told reporters outside the hospital after the birth. "Samantha woke up this morning and thought she was having contractions and it was all beginning to get going, so we thought we would come to the hospital just to get everything checked out, and then things sort of sped up and it all happened very, very quickly and the baby popped out at about 12 o'clock." He added: "It was a bit of a shock. We're absolutely thrilled. She is an unbelievably beautiful girl and I'm a very proud dad and both baby and mum seem to be doing very well, so it's really exciting."
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David and Samantha Cameron announced the birth Tuesday .
The girl weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce .
The baby had been expected in September .
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London (CNN) -- The horrifying video of a Syrian rebel leader apparently eating the heart of a dead government soldier, which has been circulating this week on the internet, has caused a storm of instantaneous outrage and disgust on social media such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. But the video, which human rights monitors say appears to be genuine and not a regime propaganda "plant," may also inflict long-term political damage on the already challenged reputation and credibility of the Syrian opposition, despite earnest condemnation of the alleged atrocity by the umbrella rebel organization, the Syrian National Coalition. Human Rights Watch said this week the video "appears to show" a commander of a rebel Syrian brigade called the Independent Omar al-Farouq brigade mutilating the corpse of a regime opponent. "The figure in the video cuts the heart and liver out of the body and uses sectarian language to insult Alawites," a HRW statement said, adding: "At the end of the video [the man] is filmed putting the corpse's heart into his mouth, as if he is taking a bite out of it." The HRW statement said: "It is not known whether the Independent Omar al-Farouq brigade operates within the command structure of the Free Syrian Army. But the opposition Syrian National Coalition and the Free Syrian Army leadership should take all possible steps to hold those responsible for war crimes accountable and prevent such abuses by anyone under their command ... Any party with the power to do so should do all it can to keep weapons from reaching the brigade." The last sentence is particularly pointed, given the accelerating debate in the U.S. and Britain on whether to arm the rebels. The past two weeks has seen a concerted effort by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to rally support for an international summit on Syria to discuss a peace agreement and a transition of power from the regime led by President Bashar al-Assad to a new opposition-led government. When David Cameron travelled to Washington and New York this week, he was pushing a similar agenda. In White House talks with Barack Obama, the British prime minister stressed the urgent need for a diplomatic settlement, but also reiterated that Britain (like France) was considering supplying weapons to the rebels after the EU arms embargo expires at the end of this month. Pentagon officials have meanwhile indicated that the U.S. is moving closer to providing weapons and other lethal assistance to the rebels. Up until now, it has not done so, although the CIA has reportedly been involved in routing weapons supplied by Gulf state sympathizers to the rebels. Cameron also pressed his case in Russia, during a Black Sea meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Like Kerry and Obama, the British see Moscow's support for al-Assad as the key obstacle to ending the Syrian civil war. But Putin continues to suspect that the western nations are pursuing regime change in Syria, and that they are looking for an excuse to intervene, as Nato did in Libya two years ago. He has refused to join calls for al-Assad to step down. Upping the ante, Cameron subsequently announced that Britain would double its non-lethal aid to the opposition over the next year and that it was looking at ways to provide more technical assistance to the rebels. The new humanitarian support of £30 million ($46 million) takes the UK's total contribution to the Syria humanitarian crisis to £170 million, according to Downing Street. All these well-laid diplomatic stratagems in Washington and London could be set at nought if alleged rebel atrocities, such as this week's video, and other misdeeds turn international public opinion against the opposition. The rebels were already facing an uphill battle for support. Republican members of the U.S. Congress and right-wing commentators have long warned that elements of the rebel forces are linked to al Qaeda, and that arming or otherwise supporting them would be to repeat the same mistake the U.S. made when it armed the Afghan mujahedeen in the 1980s (when Afghanistan was occupied by the Soviet Union). The mujahedeen mutated into the modern-day Taliban, formed an alliance with the late Osama bin Laden in the 1990s, and have since turned the expertise they attained in defeating the Red Army against Nato forces which entered the country after the 9/11 attacks. What leads a human being up to a grotesque act . Putin has voiced similar fears in September 2012, suggesting the West could be creating a monster in backing Sunni Muslim groups against the Alawite-led regime. Moscow argues, in effect, that better the devil you know (al-Assad) than the devil you don't (an extremist Sunni successor regime). Oddly, perhaps, these western voices of caution find themselves in de facto coalition with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shia Muslim allies of the Assad regime. Meanwhile, a senior U.N. official suggested recently that the rebels were guilty of using chemical weapons (which they deny). On top of all this, the opposition faces another question, bigger than all the others: can it win? According to the U.N., the Syrian civil war has claimed an estimated 80,000 lives so far, with millions more displaced or forced into foreign exile. The rebels control large tracts of territory, but they have failed to seize and hold major cities, and the balance of battlefield fortunes swings back and forward inconclusively. The regime has proved tenacious, resourceful and stubborn. Al-Assad and his allies have nowhere to run. For them it is a fight to the death. The rebels, meanwhile, comprising myriad local groups and leaders, continue to lack strong central direction or agreement on what a post-Assad future might look like. It may be that a compromise deal on a new government including existing members of the regime and some rebel elements will ultimately prove the only way to end the war. This week's video horror increases pressure to halt the bloodshed as quickly as possible -- even if that means some kind of patched-up deal, unpalatable, unsatisfactory and impermanent though it will undoubtedly be. OPINION: Why a man eats another man's heart . READ MORE: Obama cautious on Syria, Britain ups urgency for peace . READ MORE: Turkey may be Obama's key to solving Syria crisis . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Simon Tisdall.
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A video showing a Syrian rebel eating the heart of a dead soldier circulated the internet .
Simon Tisdall: The video may "inflict long-term damage" on the Syrian opposition's reputation .
Human Rights Watch says war criminals should be punished and such abuses prevented .
The U.S. and Britain continue to debate whether to arm the rebels .
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has urged his team to focus on maintaining intensity for the full 90 minutes. Van Gaal is convinced United will start delivering results on a consistent basis if they can avoid tailing off in the latter stages of matches. United have assembled a formidable-looking attacking side but their defence has made them look vulnerable in the opening two months of the campaign. Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wants his team to concentrate and remain focused for 90 minutes . Van Gaal is convinced United will start delivering cnsistent results if they avoid tailing off in the latter stages . Louis van Gaal has become the first manager of a major Premier League club to encourage his players to go to the European Under 21 Championships with England this summer. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE . Victories over West Ham and Everton in their last two matches have eased some of the concern after a series of indifferent results, but they were left clinging to 2-1 scorelines on both occasions. Van Gaal said: 'When you see a match, when a trainer or coach is honest, you see his team is not playing 90 minutes at the highest level. So, that is not so difficult to feel and analyse, but to improve it is much more difficult. That is what we are looking for. 'The players are willing to do everything and we saw that in the matches against West Ham and Everton, but you have to do it in the right way. 'To kill a game, for example, you need a lot of discipline, and discipline together - not with three players or eight players, but with 11 players. That is the most difficult thing and we can do that, but that needs time.' United are lifted ahead of Monday's trip to West Brom by the possible return of a number of players from injury. Ander Herrera, Chris Smalling, Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Michael Carrick have all recently returned to training and could be in contention if they can prove match-fitness. Defenders Jonny Evans and Paddy McNair and midfielders Jesse Lingard and Antonio Valencia are still sidelined while captain Wayne Rooney is suspended. Chris Smalling (right) of Manchester United with Radamel Falcao do exercises during a training session . Ander Herrera, Smalling, Ashley Young, Phil Jones (pictured) and Michael Carrick have returned to training . Carrick jogs out for training as the Manchester United midfielder looks to prove match-fit for West Brom .
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Louis van Gaal convinced United just need to avoid tailing off in matches .
Manchester United manager demands intensity and focus is maintained .
Ander Herrera, Chris Smalling, Ashley Young, Phil Jones and Michael Carrick have all recently returned to training .
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f879545903dd9ef17c2be53cc65ec4a21e196744
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(CNN) -- In a shaky videotape released Tuesday, the couple who kidnapped Jaycee Lee Dugard can be heard discussing how to operate their new camera as they zoom in to capture images of children in a playground. In another, taken some years later, Phillip Garrido accompanies a parole agent who is searching their home as his wife, Nancy Garrido, films the search, mere yards from the outbuildings where Dugard is hidden. The videotapes were released Tuesday by the El Dorado County, California, district attorney's office in response to media inquiries under open-records laws, and "to highlight the gravity and severity of the mistakes made" by law enforcement in the 18 years the Garridos held Dugard captive, during which time she gave birth to two children by Phillip Garrido. Dugard and her children do not appear in the videos released Tuesday. Dugard was just 11 years old when she was abducted in 1991 from the street in front of her South Lake Tahoe, California, home by Phillip Garrido, a convicted sex offender who had served 11 years for rape. Despite the fact that as a parolee he was regularly visited by police, he and his wife held Dugard and her daughters in a hidden compound of sheds and tarpaulins until 2009. Last month, a judge sentenced Phillip Garrido, 60, to 431 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and 12 counts of sexual assault. Nancy Garrido, 55, got 36 years to life in prison for her role in the crimes, including kidnapping and one count of rape by force. The couple had pleaded guilty in late April in El Dorado Superior Court. A statement from Dugard, read by her mother at the sentencing hearing, called the Garridos "evil" and described her kidnapping by them as a "sexual perversion." In a statement accompanying the release of the videos, the DA's office said it had decided to reveal "certain details of this horrific case" at the request of Dugard's family "in hopes of improving the supervision and detection of sexual predators." In one of the three videotapes, taken sometime between 1989 and 1993, the Garridos can be heard talking in low tones about how the autofocus and other features of the camera work. Meanwhile, the jostled camera catches fleeting images of children playing in a playground some yards away -- then settles on a small girl playing in the sand as older girls gambol on a tire swing. Then, Phillip Garrido stands against a tree, and begins playing the guitar and singing while the camera pans to either side, pushing his face to the margins and centering on the children in the background. "You got me real good?" he asks at one point while barely on camera. "Yeah," she responds, "I can see you really good." Another brief and inept video, apparently taken from a car in which the Garridos are sitting, shows a girl getting onto a bicycle and people in a parking lot. The camera zooms in on the legs. Nancy Garrido appears onscreen briefly, affecting a grin. The third clip, taken between 2000 and 2007, was taken by Nancy Garrido during a parole agent's search of their home in Antioch, California. As the agent goes from room to room, Phillip Garrido has little to say to his queries. But Nancy Garrido does, and raises some non sequiturs of her own. "What does a parole agent do for his parolees?" she asks at one point. "Ma'am, you can come to the office and we'll discuss that at an appropriate time," the parole agent responds. "Right now I'm doing a search, and I'd really -- uh, if you'll stay in this front room, then I don't have to place you in restraints." The agent's face is blurred in the video clip, and a portion where his name is mentioned is edited out. The images of children's faces also are blurred. CNN's Cameron Tankersley contributed to this report.
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Videotapes taken by Phillip and Nancy Garrido were released by prosecutors Tuesday .
DA's office: Release is part of an effort to improve "detection of sexual predators"
One clip shows children in playground as Phillip Garrido plays a guitar and sings .
In another, a parole agent searches house, some years before Dugard was found .
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By . Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:20 EST, 24 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:33 EST, 24 August 2013 . An Australian baseball player who was allegedly shot and killed at random while he was jogging wasn't targeted because of his race or nationality, the prosecutor in charge of the case has said. Christopher Lane, a 22-year-old student at East Central University, was shot in the back and killed last week while jogging in Duncan, Oklahoma where the three teenagers accused in his killing live. 'At this point, the evidence does not support the theory that Christopher Lane was targeted based upon his race or nationality,' District Attorney Jason Hicks said in a statement on Friday. Hicks acknowledged that social media posts allegedly made by some of the defendants are racial in nature, but he said 'the evidence is insufficient to establish that race was the primary motive' in Lane's slaying. Killed: Christopher Lane, a baseball player and student who was shot dead as he went jogging, was not targeted due to his race or nationality, the prosecutor in charge of the case has said . Chancey Allen Luna, 16, and James Francis Edwards, Jr., 15, have been charged as adults with first-degree murder. Michael Dewayne Jones, 17, is charged with using a vehicle in the discharge of a weapon and with accessory to first-degree murder. He is considered a youthful offender but will be tried in adult court. Police said Jones told investigators that the three were 'bored' and decided to kill someone for the 'fun of it'. One of Edwards' friends, Serenity Jackson, told The Associated Press she didn't believe race was a factor in the shooting. She noted that Luna's mother, Edwards' girlfriend and Jones are white. Suspects: Michael Jones (left) is accused of being an accessory to murder while Chancey Luna (center) and James Edwards (right) face first degree murder charges for the shooting of Christopher Lane . Questionable: Friends claimed Edwards (center) and Luna (right) were trying to join the local chapter . of the notorious Crips gang, and they posted pictures to their Facebook . where they are holding gang signs . 'It has nothing to do with Chris being white. They didn't even know who he was,' said Jackson, 17, who grew up with Edwards. It had previously emerged that Edwards . had posted on his Twitter profile that he 'hated white people' and . boasted that . he beat up five white people - using the derogatory term 'woods' - . after the George Zimmerman acquittal in the Trayvon Martin case. 'Ayeee I knocced out 5 woods since Zimmerman court!:) lol sh*t ima keep sleepin sh*t! #ayeeee,' he wrote. In another, he said: '90% of white ppl are nasty. #HATE THEM'. But Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford said that . rather than being part of any gang, which had been suggested before, . authorities believe the boys were just wannabes who were emulating the . thuggish beliefs of their idols, with Chief Keef being prime suspect. Remembered: Bob Gregg, a professor in the religion department at Oklahoma Christian University, bows his head as he leads the audience in prayer during the memorial service for Lane on Saturday . Support: Friends Jordan Corn, left, and Sam Moon embrace before the memorial service on Saturday . Struggle: Tyler Iago is comforted by his friend, Sam Moon, of Australia as he weeps at the end of the service . It emerged that the day before . Edwards is alleged to have shot dead Christopher in a drive-by from . a black Ford Focus, he tweeted about rapper Chief Keef. Two . days earlier he posted a chilling tweet that was a lyric from the . rapper's song I Don't Like. It read: 'With my n****s when it's time to . start taken life's' (sic). Other lyrics in the same song include 'pistol . toting and I'm shooting on sight'. Ford said: 'These boys were more into . some rapper that goes around, his music is violent. More than gang . stuff. One of the parents said something about rap. 'These . boys have no respect for life or authority or society, it doesn't . matter who it is. By one of their own words, they saw him go by, and . they said, "there's the target" and they followed him and shot him. He . could have been anybody walking down the street.' Tough guy: Edwards posted videos of him tossing around guns and looking threatening in a blue bandana associated with the notorious Crips gang . Random: Police chief Danny Ford said 'it could have been anybody' who was killed that day. But it was Chris Lane (left) and his girlfriend Sarah Harper has talked of her heartbreak at the 'senseless' killing . The boys also posted pictures of themselves doing gang signs with their hands, pretending to use wads of cash as telephones and posing with guns in social media videos. Victim: Chris Lane, 22, was visiting his girlfriend's family in Duncan, Oklahoma when he was killed . Edwards also changed his profile picture on August 9 to show his face hidden in a blue bandana - typically associated with the Crips and its affiliates - and they are active in Oklahoma. Four Crips were indicted on drugs charges in Tulsa in June. But Detective John Byers, who is leading the investigation and is the town's gang expert, told MailOnline: 'Jones, the white gentleman, I've not known him to be claiming to be part of any gang. 'On Edward's posts he is throwing up hand signs, but I haven't known him to say he's part of any gang - and we have no knowledge of Luna being involved with the other two before at all. 'I cannot say this is a gang. They knew each other, they hung out. they committed crime. Yes, by classification, to be called a gang, they have to have some kind of initiation and call themselves a certain name, but at this point I can't say they are a gang. 'Social media has played a large part of this investigation.' Officials believe that Lane was not their first target, though he was their first human victim. Police . chief Ford said that during their investigation they found a dead . donkey that had been killed with a shotgun just a block away from where . Lane was murdered. Shock: Residents of Duncan have been convulsed by the murder that has attracted worldwide attention . The small town has been rocked by the . senseless murder that has sent shockwaves around the world, leaving many . wondering what drove the 'bored' boys to apparently kill just for the . thrill of it. Because . of Lane's nationality, the case has gained national attention, but some . have criticized the White House for not reacting strongly enough. A . State Department spokeswoman put out a statement last week saying that . the federal government is 'deeply saddened' by Lane's death but she did . not comment on any specific action. Australia's . former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer called for his fellow . countrymen to think of this shooting when they are planning a trip to . the United States.
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Lane was shot in the back as he jogged in Duncan, Oklahoma last week .
James Edwards, 15, and Chancey Luna, 16, accused of first-degree murder .
Michael Jones, 17, charged with being an accessory to the crime .
The DA said some of their tweets were racial in nature but do not provide enough evidence to prove that race was the main motive .
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No Christmas is complete without a war on Christmas, and this year it's being fought on several fronts. NPR reported the White House attacking Republican intransigence over the debt talks in a report with a section titled "The Holiday Season is No Time to Threaten Middle-Class Pocketbooks." That prompted the Daily Caller to respond with the headline, "Disagreeing with Obama can ruin Christmas, says White House report." In the eyes of some liberals, the Republicans have become the party of the Grinch. This must be news to conservatives who have always insisted that it's the Democrats who want to steal Christmas. To them, the war is being waged by liberal secularists against patriotic American Christians who want to celebrate the holiday loudly and publicly in the way Baby Jesus intended. Pat Robertson has hit out at those "miserable" atheists and Fox News has gone after Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee for deciding not to host a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. In other words, although the war on Christmas phenomenon might have something to do with rising unbelief among Americans, more likely it reflects growing partisanship among politicians. In an age when nothing is so sacred it can't be used to hurt a political opponent, Christmas is one more weapon that statesmen and stateswomen can use against each other. But the meaning of the war on Christmas is actually bigger than partisan tomfoolery and isn't limited to right-wing fantasy, either. Some of it exposes genuine tensions within American politics and society. Take the decision of the Santa Monica City Council to end the tradition of erecting nativity scenes or other displays in Palisades Park. The right to display a scene was hitherto decided by lottery, and the previous winter season atheists won 11 out of 14 spaces, which they used to erect enormous critiques of Christianity. In response, locals lobbied the council to establish stricter guidelines about who could take part. The council decided that would be discriminatory, but it also didn't want to leave the system open to abuse by more offensive groups like neo-Nazis. So it decided the displays would have to stop altogether. That decision was upheld in November by a federal judge. The local secularists were thrilled. "The free thinkers ... played the game of the religionists and they outsmarted them," Annie Laurie Gaylor told the Huffington Post. "They showed the Christian people of the city what it feels like to have a public park promoting views that offend your personal conscience. These views were on public property that were supposed to be owned equally by everyone." This story is a classic example of the failure to reconcile different interests within a democratic society. Nobody involved was technically wrong. The secularist campaigners were right to say that the nativity displays should be open to everyone because they were on public land. Their Christian opponents were right to insist that anything erected to celebrate Christmas ought to give some priority to celebrating Christmas. And the council was right that, in the absence of consensus, it was better to allow no displays at all. The tragedy being that Gaylor's campaign ended up destroying a perfectly wonderful tradition in the name of fairness. And that hardly seems fair. Unfortunately, Gaylor gets around almost as much as Santa Claus; now she's involved in an effort to take down a Jesus-shaped war memorial near a popular ski resort in Montana. There's a thin line between this sort of secularist activism and the politics of personal taste. In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a jewelry shop manager called the cops on Salvation Army bell ringers because the noise was "raising her blood pressure and making her hate Christmas." In Colorado Springs, the Salvation Army was stopped from bell ringing because of a new ban on panhandling. What's really happening isn't just a targeted, political war on Christmas but a more general battle for control of what goes on in the public sphere, especially around the holidays. Undoubtedly, some of this is motivated by anti-religious secularism. But it's also the product of living in a crowded multicultural environment where everyone risks getting on each other's nerves -- and we have to find better ways of getting along. One of the reasons why "Happy Holidays" has risen in use as an alternative seasonal greeting to "Merry Christmas" is simply that it helps avoid occasions of offense and confrontation. Religious conservatives complain that it's a surrender to militant atheism. But if that's the case then the surrender is widespread. George W. Bush's White House cards wished everyone a happy "holiday season" and even Fox News has its own Holiday Wish List. If there is a solution to this controversy then perhaps it's to try to treat it with a dash of humor and disdain. The Rev. Jonathan Morris was recently invited on "Fox and Friends" to unleash hell on the war on Christmas. Instead, he did the opposite. After pointing out that Christians have throughout the centuries taken much worse persecution (and, I might add, dished out a bit, too) he concluded, "If our Christmas is going to be all about getting upset at people trying to take away Christmas, isn't that silly, too?" Amen, Father.
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Tim Stanley: It's not Christmas without "War on Christmas," a cooked up culture crisis .
This time, politics in mix, with White House, others using holidays to score points, he says .
He says "war" really reflects failure to reconcile different interests in democratic society .
Stanley: Battle is over what goes on in public sphere. One solution? Have sense of humor .
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By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 07:59 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:50 EST, 26 November 2013 . The 'poshest playhouse in Britain' which is fully furnished and comes complete with a thatched roof has gone on sale for £6,500. The wooden Wendy house is spread over two floors and has an upstairs bedroom with two beds as well as a downstairs sitting room. The thatched cottage, which is 11ft 6ins wide and 8ft 4ins high, can even be connected to mains electricity and water. Playhouse: Brian McDonough bought the cottage 11 years ago for his granddaughters but is now selling it because they are grown up . Inside: The cottage, which is on the market for £6,500, is spread over two levels . Bedroom: The Wendy house features an upstairs bedroom with two beds . Owner Brian McDonough, 69, bought the cottage 11 years ago for his two granddaughters to play in. He said: 'I bought it from a couple who had it in their back garden for their grandkids. The woman’s ex-husband was a carpenter and had built it himself. 'It has got a proper little staircase with spindles and it is completely waterproof. It is really super. 'It is hidden away in our back garden but when we get visitors they always say how fantastic it is.' Mr McDonough, who lives in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, with wife Pamela, also 69, has just spent £2,500 re-thatching the cottage. But he has decided to sell the playhouse because granddaughters Sophie, 20, and Olivia, 17 are now grown up. Cosy: The house, which also has a downstairs living room, can even be connected to mains electricity and water . For sale: The estage agents selling the cottage have had to point out in the advert that the cottage is 'only suitable for small children as it has very restricted headroom' Work: Mr McDonough, who lives with wife Pamela, has just spent £2,500 re-thatching the cottage . He said: 'It is a beautiful little thing for someone who’s got a few bob to spare. 'I didn’t want to just put in on eBay because people would think it was just an ordinary little plastic Wendy house. 'Mind you, the agents have had one woman who thought it was a real house and couldn’t work out why it was so cheap.' Up for grabs: The builder is selling the cottage through local estate agents Perry Bishops with the unusual property on the market for £6,500 . The builder is selling the cottage through local estate agents Perry Bishops with the unusual property on the market for £6,500. The estage agents have had to point out in the advert that the cottage is 'only suitable for small children as it has very restricted headroom, but it is possible for an adult to squeeze inside when crouched down'. Anyone interested in buying the two-ton Wendy house will also need to hire a crane to remove it from the McDonough’s garden. Faringdon-based Perry Bishops won’t profit from any sale, instead donating their normal fee to ‘Helen & Douglas Home’, a children’s hospice in nearby Oxford. Sarah Benson, a director at the estate agency, said: 'It has got to be the perfect Christmas present for your children or grandchildren. 'The property was recently re-thatched and is owned by a builder so is ready to go. 'We have had one enquiry so far from a couple who asked why it was so cheap and if they could move in straight away. 'I had to tell them it was a home for little people but then they asked if they could stand up inside it. 'It has to be the cheapest house I have sold in 26 years and certainly one of the most unusual.'
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Brian McDonough bought the cottage 11 years ago for his granddaughters .
But he decided to sell it because his granddaughters are now grown up .
The Wendy house features an upstairs bedroom and a sitting room .
The cottage can even be connected to mains electricity and water .
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(Reader's Digest) -- "Would you marry the same person again?" could be a dangerous question. However, an international poll conducted in 15 countries reveals that 68 percent of respondents, and even more women, would again say "I do" to their spouse. The survey, which was conducted by Reader's Digest and published in the March issue, reveals that China has the highest level of spousal satisfaction (83 percent.) Also at the top of the list: The Philippines, Germany and the Netherlands. The United States came in at number 12 for satisfaction levels (63 percent) and Malaysia last (59 percent.) On average, men were more dissatisfied with their wives than women with their husbands. Malaysia tops the list with 48 percent of men stating they would untie the knot if given the chance. In Italy, however, 42 percent of the women would say "arrivederci" to their husbands. Peggy Northrop, VP/Global Editor-in-Chief, Reader's Digest, said: "In the countries where marrying young is part of the culture, people seem to have a long time to wonder 'What if?' The survey results reminded me of the saying 'Marry in haste, regret at leisure.' Age and wisdom still influence marital satisfaction." In the United States, Brazil, and Great Britain, respondents over age 45 are more likely than younger people to feel satisfied with their choices. But in Canada, France, India, Malaysia, and Spain, it is the 45-and-unders who feel more happily matched. In the Philippines, where couples marry younger than in most nations, only 20 percent of those over age 45 say they would stay with the same spouse. The countries that participated in the survey were Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States. Read a complete list of results here.
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68 percent of respondents say they would marry the same person again .
China has the highest level of spousal satisfaction, and Malaysia the least, survey finds .
On average men were more dissatisfied with their wives than women with their husbands .
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A great grandfather has been asked for ID in a supermarket to prove he's old enough to buy alcohol. War veteran Tony Ball, who is 92, didn't have anything to prove he is over 18 - so he was told he couldn't buy the two bottles of vodka he wanted. Mr Ball - who has 16 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren - was buying the bottles for Christmas presents and at first thought the checkout girl at Tesco in Feltham, West London, was joking. Tony Ball, 92, was asked for ID when he went to buy two bottles of Vodka for a family Christmas party from Tesco in Feltham . 'I laughed but she then said, "We're not allowed to serve you if you're under age",' he said. 'By the look on her face she wasn't joking. I said, "Do you mean it?" and she said, "Yes". So I said, "You can tell Tesco what to do with their stuff," and walked out.' Mr Ball, who fought in North Africa and Italy in the Second World War, added: 'I went to another shop across the road and it was cheaper.' The checkout girl's manager later admitted she had done it before 'as a joke'. Old enough: Tony with his driving licence showing his date of birth, which is September 19, 1921 . Tesco, in High Street, Feltham, where Mr Ball was refused permission to buy two bottles of vodka . But Mr Ball told The Sun: 'I can take a joke but that wasn't a joke. I was embarrassed as well because there were other people in the queue.' A spokesman for Tesco said: 'Our colleague was trying to be lighthearted, but we appreciate the joke wasn't shared. 'We have apologised and we're keeping Mr Ball's bottles for him if he chooses to drop by, with our compliments.'
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War veteran Tony Ball didn't have anything to prove he is over 18 .
So he was told he couldn't buy the two bottles of vodka he wanted .
Tesco have since apologised for the incident at their store in Feltham .
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f87b2977a19e20d38d271472b488fc39b3085aef
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Lazio president Claudio Lotito has refused to rule out a move for Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli - but insists any player who wants to join the Serie A side must respect their standards. Both Parma and Lazio are believed to have sounded out Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola over a potential loan move, but Raiola has insisted the Italian forward wants to stay and fight for a first-team place at Anfield. However, when asked about the possibility of Balotelli joining Lazio, Lotito refused to deny that they have made an approach for the 24-year-old. Both Parma and Lazio are understood to have sounded out Mario Balotelli's agent over a proposed loan move . Lazio president Claudio Lotito has refused to rule out a January move for Balotelli . The 24-year-old celebrates scoring against Swansea in the Capital One Cup fourth round at Anfield in October . At a recent press conference he said: 'Balotelli? There are a lot of rumours. 'When I first came here, people ran away [from Lazio], now a lot of them want to come to Lazio. Whoever wants to join us must respect our standards.' Lazio currently lie fifth in Serie A, just two points off third-placed Napoli after 19 games.
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Lazio and Parma both interested in January move for Mario Balotelli .
The Liverpool striker has failed to impress since joining the club for £16million from AC Milan last summer .
Balotelli has scored just two goals in 18 appearances for the Reds .
But Lazio president Claudio Lotito has refused to rule out signing Balotelli .
Lotito said 'there are always a lot of rumours' during the transfer window .
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f87b5f88d909a820238ac14619aea672f2b477df
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Washington (CNN) -- President Obama has declared a national emergency to deal with the "rapid increase in illness" from the H1N1 influenza virus. "The 2009 H1N1 pandemic continues to evolve. The rates of illness continue to rise rapidly within many communities across the nation, and the potential exists for the pandemic to overburden health care resources in some localities," Obama said in a statement. "Thus, in recognition of the continuing progression of the pandemic, and in further preparation as a nation, we are taking additional steps to facilitate our response." The president signed the declaration late Friday and announced it Saturday. Calling the emergency declaration "an important tool in our kit going forward," one administration official called Obama's action a "proactive measure that's not in response to any new development." Having trouble finding vaccine? Share your story . Another administration official said the move is "not tied to the current case count" and "gives the federal government more power to help states" by lifting bureaucratic requirements -- both in treating patients and moving equipment to where it's most needed. The officials didn't want their names used because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Obama's action allows Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements" to help health care facilities enact emergency plans to deal with the pandemic. Those requirements are contained in Medicare, Medicaid and state Children's Health Insurance programs, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy rule. Since the H1N1 flu pandemic began in April, millions of people in the United States have been infected, at least 20,000 have been hospitalized and more than 1,000 have died, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Watch how to find out if you have H1N1 . Frieden said that having 46 states reporting widespread flu transmission is traditionally the hallmark of the peak of flu season. To have the flu season peak at this time of the year is "extremely unusual." The CDC said 16.1 million doses of H1N1, or swine flu, vaccine had been made by Friday -- 2 million more than two days earlier. About 11.3 million of those had been distributed throughout the United States, Frieden said. "We are nowhere near where we thought we would be," Frieden said, acknowledging that manufacturing delays have contributed to less vaccine being available than expected. "As public health professionals, vaccination is our strongest tool. Not having enough is frustrating to all of us." Frieden said that while the way vaccine is manufactured is "tried and true," it's not well-suited for ramping up production during a pandemic because it takes at least six months. The vaccine is produced by growing weakened virus in eggs.
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National emergency declared to deal with "rapid increase in illness"
Obama: "Potential exists for the pandemic to overburden health care resources"
Source: Action helps states by lifting bureaucratic requirements .
CDC says 16.1 million doses of H1N1 vaccine have been made .
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f87b996ee37ae508a3b16b455f5da75cf10fc34a
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By . Sean Poulter . PUBLISHED: . 23:07 EST, 15 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:08 EST, 15 September 2013 . Environmental campaigners have criticised Government moves to delay until 2015 its plan to charge shoppers for plastic bags in supermarkets. The introduction of a 5p charge per bag was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on Saturday, and was welcomed by green campaigners and shoppers. However, it will not begin in England until 2015, despite already operating in Wales and Northern Ireland, with Scotland following next year. Banished: From 2015, all supermarkets and department stores in England will charge 5p for a plastic carrier bag . Last night, campaigners fighting the blight caused by bag litter called on ministers to bring forward the launch, saying the delay was unnecessary and disappointing. Phil Barton of Keep Britain Tidy said: ‘There is no need for new legislation in England as retailers are already geared up to deal with it. We would like to sit down with the Government and the retail sector to discuss introducing a charge earlier.’ He said adopting the controls in 2014 rather than 2015 could result in 5.25 billion fewer carrier bags being handed out at tills. Ban: The new charge was announced by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, pictured meeting volunteers from the Scottish Wildlife Trust at Cathkin Marsh nature reserve . The Conservative majority in the . Coalition is understood to have insisted on a delay until after the next . General Election in May 2015, despite the benefits to the environment . and that money raised by the charges will be given to charities that . tackle the impact of plastic bags on wildlife and the environment. The delay is just one of a number of measures that supporters fear will restrict its impact. Significantly, the charge will apply only to stores that employ more than 250 people. This will allow thousands of other retailers to continue giving away millions of single-use bags. As a result, the scheme in England will operate differently to the ones in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, where all bags carry a charge. Separately, retailers may be able to keep some or all of the cash from the charges, rather than being under a legal obligation to give it to good causes. Destructive legacy: Most free plastic carrier bags are not used for more than 20 minute, but can take up to 1,000 years to naturally dissolve . Keep Britain Tidy and the Marine . Conservation Society (MCS) are among the many supporters of the Daily . Mail’s five-year ‘Banish the Bags’ campaign. MCS spokesman Richard Harrington said: ‘England is really lagging behind the rest, and we would like to see the change come in earlier than 2015.’ The British Retail Consortium, which speaks for the big supermarkets, favours a single national scheme. A spokesman said: ‘Any legislation should be, as far as possible, consistent across the UK to avoid confusion for customers and businesses.’ A Lib Dem source dismissed the criticism, saying: ‘We are introducing this measure on a timetable that is realistic. We want to make sure we get it right.’
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A 5p mandatory charge per plastic bag will be introduced across England .
But the charge won't be implemented until 2015 - after the general election .
Introducing the charge a year earlier could result in 5.25 billion fewer carrier bags being handed out at tills .
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This is the touching moment a NASCAR driver kissed his girlfriend who is battling Stage III ovarian cancer just seconds before competing in a race. Martin Truex Jr, 34, was captured embracing his long-time partner, Sherry Pollex, in glorious sunshine before the green flag dropped at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. It was just the third time Miss Pollex had been at a race track since she underwent life-saving surgery on August 15 following months of doctors visits with no answers. Donning a large hat to protect her head from the sun, the 35-year-old beamed as she greeted friends, some of whom she was seeing for the first time since her devastating diagnosis. Supporting each other: This is the touching moment NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr kissed his long-time girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, who is battling Stage III ovarian cancer, just seconds before competing in a race . Before her boyfriend of eight years took to the track, she also joined him in singing along to the national anthem, and offered him a final word of support. Truex and his Furniture Row Racing Sprint Cup team placed 26th in the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on Sunday, which was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr, his 23rd NASCAR Sprint Cup victory. Later in the day, Miss Pollex, who was wearing a blonde wig, tweeted about the day's events, saying: 'What a beautiful day for a race! I'm SO happy to be here in Martinsville!' Miss Pollex, from North Carolina, who runs the popular Mooresville boutique shop, Lavendar, and whose father, Greg, owned a NASCAR team from 1993 to 2006, started feeling ill in mid-summer. Couple: Truex, 34, was captured embracing his long-time partner in glorious sunshine before the green flag dropped at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Above, the couple are pictured at the track . In good spirits: Later in the day, Miss Pollex took to Twitter to express her delight at being able to witness the event, saying: 'What a beautiful day for a race! I'm SO happy to be here in Martinsville!' Thankful: A week earlier, while at Talladega Superspeedway, Miss Pollex tweeted: 'Feels SO good to be back at the track to see all my friends. God is good.' She is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment . She and Truex had just started thinking about having their first child, so she initially thought she might be pregnant. But after visiting a number of doctors, she still had no definitive answer. 'She had gone to three or four doctors, and they couldn't figure out what was going on,' Truex, a two-time Nationwide Series champion (in 2004 and 2005), told USA Today. "This went on for a couple of months. Finally, we got her to a surgeon - a friend of a friend - in Lake Norman. He said right away, "Let's do a CT scan". Two hours after the scan in early August, the surgeon called the couple and asked them to come to his office. He then delivered the shocking blow - Miss Pollex had ovarian cancer. Race: Truex and his Furniture Row Racing Sprint Cup team placed 26th in the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 on Sunday, which was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr (pictured doing a victory lap following his win) Together: Miss Pollex is one of around 22,000 U.S. women to be struck down with ovarian cancer annually, according to the American Cancer Society. Above, the businesswoman and Truex are pictured in 2007 . Miss Pollex - one of around 22,000 U.S. women to be struck down with the disease annually, according to the American Cancer Society - immediately asked doctors if she could save her eggs. However, she was told she would die if her surgery was delayed . 'I don't know what hit me worse – the devastation that I couldn't carry my own child or the devastation that I had Stage III cancer. To hear all that in a matter of five minutes - it was so hard,' she said. Miss Pollex and Truex, who met around eight years ago, are pictured embracing in November 2007 . During the lengthy operation, Miss Pollex's appendix, spleen, ovaries, Fallopian tubes and parts of her stomach were removed. It was eight days before she was well enough to leave hospital. Four weeks later, she started weekly chemotherapy treatments, that will last until January. These involve receiving medicine through a port in her stomach. Miss Pollex, a native of Michigan, told the newspaper her reaction to the treatment has been relatively mild, but she has lost her hair, dropped in weight and tires easily. She said the slower lifestyle was a huge contrast from her previous way of living life 'in fourth gear', co-founding and running the Martin Truex Jr Foundation alongside her own business. Over the past seven years, the Foundation has assisted many children who have been affected by pediatric cancer, as well as their families. Miss Pollex is now working closely with the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance to promote awareness of the deadly disease, which is not often spoken about. 'I don't know if I'm going to be here in five years. I don't know if I'm going to be here in two years,' she said. 'All I can do right now is fight and try to help other women so they don't make the same mistake.' Symptoms of ovarian cancer include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, feeling full quickly, fatigue and the need to urinate urgently or more often. Miss Pollex and Truex, who met around eight years ago when she was working in racing public relations and he was trying to build his career on-track, live in Mooresville.
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Martin Truex Jr, 34, seen kissing girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, at race track .
Miss Pollex, 35, was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer in August .
Diagnosis followed months of visiting different doctors with no answers .
She has lost all of her hair and is now undergoing weekly chemotherapy .
Truex and Miss Pollex had just started thinking about having first child .
But in surgery, businesswoman's ovaries and Fallopian tubes removed .
Truex placed 26th in Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 race in Virginia .
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By . Mark Prigg . Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has called for the firm to work with arch rival Google and produce a phone running Android software. He believes there is nothing stopping Apple from taking on Samsung and other Android phone makers. He said he believes an android iPhone would 'compete very well.' Wozniak believes there is nothing stopping Apple from taking on Samsung and other Android phone makers. He said he believes an android iPhone would 'compete very well.' 'There’s nothing that would keep Apple out of the Android market as a secondary phone market,” Wozniak told Wired magazine. 'We could compete very well. People like the precious looks of stylings and manufacturing that we do in our product compared to the other Android offerings. 'We could play in two arenas at the same time.' Experts say that although highly unliklely, an Android iPhone is technically possible. Firms such as Samsung and Motorola already have their own 'skins' for Google's software. Amazon has gone one step further and created its own version of Android, known as a fork, for the Kindle tablets it makes. Doing this would allow Apple to keep its Android handset looking similar to its own iOS software. However, it would also require Apple to pay Google to license its apps such as Gmail and Maps. Wozniak also defended called for apple to quickly release radical new product categories such as a Tv ans watch. Wozniak also admitted to Wired that he owned all three colours of Apple's iPhone 5S . Apple President John Sculley, flanked by co-founders of Apple, Steve Jobs (left) and Steve Wozniak (right), unveiled the new briefcase-size Apple IIc to more than 3,000 dealers and software sector representatives at Moscone Center in April 1984 . 'The great products really come from secret development,' he said. 'You put small teams of great people on them and they aren’t bothered by other people commenting on what they’re doing while they’re doing it. 'A whole new category of products doesn’t happen very often. It might happen once a decade. Sometimes you have to wait for one of those to come about.' It is not the first time Wozniak has called for apple to work with Google. The Apple co-founder told the BBC he wishes ‘to God' his tech firm and Google will be partners in the future. He also admitted Apple’s voice recognition service Siri can't always live up to the same standards as Google’s Android version. A partnership between the two firms could make phones better, he continued. In the interview with BBC Click, Wozniak, 63, said: ‘Sometimes I say 'Go to Joe's Diner' and [Siri] doesn't know where Joe's Diner is. 'And very often usually I find out that Android does.’ He continued that Google’s success is down to the fact Android has the benefit of being directly linked to the California-based firm’s search engine and results – something Apple doesn’t have the benefit of. Wozniak adds that Android is the ‘future of intelligence for computers getting smarter’ and wishes the two companies could join forces. If the two companies combined, Wozniak claims the information that could be shared would benefit all those involved, and ultimately benefit the paying customers. Wozniak admitted Apple's voice recognition service Siri, pictured right, just isn't up to the same standards as Google's Android version, pictured left. The 63-year-old believes a partnership between the two tech giants would make phones and technology in general better for everyone . Wozniak ruffled Apple fanboy feathers by admitting wouldn’t be interested in buying the new iPad Air. The 9.7-inch tablet, said to be 20 per . cent thinner than previous models, officially went on sale on Friday, . but Wozniak won’t be buying one. He told the Apps World conference in . London: 'Yes it's thinner but I wanted storage' adding he was tempted, . but in the end emailed his wife saying he wouldn't be getting one. He additionally claims there are features on Samsung phones he wishes were in his iPhone and wants every company to share the good technology to encourage development, especially in wearable technology, including smartwatches. Looking further forward, Wozniak told the BBC he believes we’re on the verge of having products with ‘foldability and flexibility’ and predicts this will be where the real technological advancements will lie. Last week, Wozniak ruffled Apple fanboy feathers by admitting he wasn't interested in buying the new iPad Air. The 9.7-inch tablet, said to be 20 per cent thinner than previous models, officially went on sale on Friday, but Wozniak claimed he won't be buying one. Speaking at the Apps World conference in London: 'Yes it's thinner but I wanted storage' adding he was tempted, but in the end emailed his wife saying he wouldn't be getting one.
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Called for Android iPhone to be released as a 'secondary phone market'
Has previously admitted Apple's Siri can't live up to Google's voice recognition .
The 63-year-old admitted he owns all three colours of Apple's iPhone 5S .
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(CNN) -- The rallying world has paid tribute to promising young co-driver Gareth Roberts, who was killed during a race in Sicily on Saturday. The 24-year-old from Wales was navigating for Irish driver Craig Breen at the Targa Florio Rally, and they were sixth overall when they crashed. Breen was unhurt in the accident, but Roberts died from his injuries according to the motorsport's official website. They won the inaugural FIA WRC Academy title last year, and were leading the Super 2000 World Rally Championship after three races. "Our thoughts are with Gareth's friends and family. The world of rallying has lost a true talent," said M-Sport, the company which built the Ford Fiesta S2000 Breen and Roberts were using in the SWRC. "I heard the sad news from Italy. Me and Jarmo want to send our condolences and our thoughts to Gareth's family and friends on this sad day," top Finnish rally driver Mikko Hirvonen wrote on networking website Twitter. This season's WRC Academy leader Alastair Fisher said: "I cannot believe what's happened. I'm totally devastated. My thoughts are with Gareth's family and of course Craig." Tire supplier Pirelli, who worked with Breen and Roberts last year, also offered condolences. "Words cannot express our shock and sadness," said the company's motorsport director Paul Hembery. Last year, Breen acknowledged Roberts' contribution after they sealed the WRC Academy title in November. "He's kept my feet on the ground this weekend, which is not an easy job. Having to leave service for the last three stages knowing there was no possibility other than to win them all was very difficult," Breen said. "But he's really kept me on the straight and narrow so it's all credit to him. He's the littlest Welsh wizard but the best of them for sure."
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Rally navigator dies after crash in Italian race .
Gareth Roberts was a promising navigator from Wales .
His death at age of 24 brings tributes from rally world .
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On September 15 next year, Britain will witness an extraordinary sight. High in the heavens, the Moon will turn an eerie blood-red — filling the night sky with fiery radiance, as if Mars, the planet of war, has suddenly burst from its natural orbit and arrived on our doorstep. This spectacular vision will be the culmination of a rare — and, in the eyes of some, deeply ominous — astrological event, which began this week. On Tuesday, millions of people across America and much of the rest of the Western hemisphere saw exactly such a blood-red moon glowing above their heads for around an hour-and-a-half. That same moon will return over Earth three times in the next 17 months, making its final dramatic appearance over Britain. Scroll down for video . On September 15 next year Britain will witness a blood-red moon filling the sky. It will be the culmination of a rare astrological event that started this week when America and much of the Western hemisphere witnessed the phenomenon . Astronomers call this run of red moons a ‘tetrad’ but some doom-mongers have a different name for it: the End of the World. They insist that between the first and last eclipse, the world will be plunged into a cataclysmic downward spiral predicted by the Bible. This decline presages Armageddon, the arrival of the Anti-Christ and the Second Coming of Christ. Forget rising sea levels, the Mayan calendar and Nostradamus — this is the big one. ‘There will be signs in the Sun, Moon, and stars… now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.’ So said Jesus in Luke’s gospel. In times gone by, people were understandably terrified of these ‘blood moons’. Our ancestors greeted these infrequent and inexplicable arrivals in the night sky as harbingers of disaster or great change. As superstition gave way to greater scientific understanding in the 15th century, scientists discovered the Earth orbits the Sun, and the Moon spins around the Earth. A blood moon, they came to realise, occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon align, and the Moon slips into the Earth’s shadow. It doesn’t darken completely because some sunlight still reaches it after passing through the Earth’s atmosphere. But the light — and therefore the Moon — takes on a reddish hue. However, there are still many who have looked upon this week’s moon with apprehension. For Tuesday’s was a very special one. It was the first of four consecutive total lunar eclipses, with no partial eclipses in between. The moon glows a red hue during the total lunar eclipse on Tuesday over Milwaukee. It was the first of four total lunar eclipses that will take place this year and next . Rational-minded astronomers will point out that while such tetrads are rare, they are not unheard of. And they have never yet heralded the end of days. Indeed, there have been 62 since the First Century AD. Ah, counter the prophets of doom, but this one is different. This particular tetrad coincides with two of Judaism’s holiest days. And the Jews, the Holy Land and God’s Chosen People, inevitably figure large in the Biblical predictions of the Apocalypse. This week’s eclipse coincided with Passover, the most important festival in the Jewish calendar, as will the third eclipse, which falls on April 4 next year. The second and fourth eclipses, on October 8 this year and September 15 next year, both fall on Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles. So these eclipses are deemed to be especially significant. But there’s still more, say advocates of what has been dubbed the Blood Moon Prophecy. According to a clutch of number-crunching American pastors, each of the last three occasions when tetrads have fallen over Passover and Sukkot coincided with traumatic events for the Jews. A tetrad in 1493-1494 came just after the 1492 expulsion of the Jews from Spain, while a 1949-1950 tetrad followed just after the establishment of the state of Israel and the first Arab-Israeli War. As for the most recent tetrad, in 1967-1968, it started just before the Six-Day War, when Israel was once again threatened by its enemies. Astronomers call this run of lunar eclipses a 'tetrad' but some doom-mongers have a different name for the event (pictured in the skies over the Bryce Canyon in Utah on Tuesday) - the end of the world . The Bible’s Book of Revelations, which tells how the world will end, makes clear the Second Coming will be preceded by Jerusalem being surrounded by armies. The resulting strife, plague and pestilence, during which God will judge non-believers, will last seven years before Christ returns to Earth. With Syria aflame, Egypt in turmoil, Russia throwing its weight around and the Iranians threatening Israel, you don’t need to be a wild-eyed conspiracy theorist (though it helps) to see signs of impending destruction. The tetrad isn’t just a sign of things to come, says Texan pastor John Hagee, a popular U.S. ‘televangelist’ who’s made a fortune from predicting Armageddon. He claims the four blood moons are messages from God projected on to the heavens. ‘The question,’ he asks, ‘is are we listening?’ He and another pastor, Mark Biltz, of Washington state, are ‘Blood Moon Prophets’. They first stumbled on the theory in 2008 after matching NASA eclipse records with moments in Jewish history. They can quote Bible-verse after verse about how the ‘End Times’ will be presaged by a bloody or darkened moon. They argue that the very first chapter of the Bible, Genesis, makes clear that God wanted to communicate with Man through Nature, creating the Sun, Moon and stars to provide ‘signs’. The Old Testament’s Book of Joel speaks of how ‘the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord comes’. This week's eclipse coincided with Passover, the most important festival in the Jewish calender, as will the third which falls on April4 next year. The second and fourth eclipses on October 8 this year and September 15 next year both fall on Sukkot, or the Feast of Taberbnacles, so they are deemed especially significant . The Book of Revelations also talks of how, just before the Day of Judgment, ‘the whole moon turned blood red’. In a prophecy that is repeated again and again, Isaiah speaks of the Second Coming: ‘The Sun will be dark when it rises and the Moon will not shed its light.’ Pastor Biltz says he has sold more than 70,000 copies of his new book, Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs, in just four weeks. But that’s nothing compared with his prophet-of-doom rival, Mr Hagee, whose Four Blood Moons: Something Is About To Change was one of America’s best-selling books for several weeks when it came out last year. Mr Biltz initially claimed the tetrad’s final eclipse of September next year would coincide with the Second Coming. But that ignored the golden rule of successful apocalypse prediction — if you don’t want to look silly, don’t tie yourself down to dates. He is now wisely hedging his bets. ‘I’m not saying whether it is or isn’t going to be the Second Coming in a year and a half. I don’t have the word “stupid” written on my head,’ he told me. ‘But we are living in the Last Days. I believe the Second Coming is approaching.’ Pastor John Hagee believes the same. Tuesday marked the dawn of a ‘hugely significant event’ for the world, he said. ‘God is shouting to us: “Something big is about to happen!”’ Centuries ago, people would bang on pots and pans during a red eclipse, trying to scare away the monster that was eating the moon. What are the fearful doing now? According to a number of American pastors, each of the last three occasions when tetrads have fallen over Passover and Sukkot, it has coincided with traumatic events for the Jews.The most recent tetrad in 1967-1968 started just before the Six Day War when Israel was once again threatened by its enemies . America is rife with ‘Doomsday Preppers’, an estimated three million people who are stockpiling food and weapons — some even digging bunkers — in preparation for what they see as the imminent collapse of the U.S. Some believe Barack Obama’s administration will cause this nightmare scenario but just as many believe in an Apocalypse as predicted in the Bible and set into motion by this week’s blood moon. Of course, those who fervently believe in this particular doomsday theoretically have nothing to be scared about. They are the God-fearing folks who’ll be taken up to Heaven. It’s the rest of the world that has to worry. Pastor Biltz insists nobody in his 800-strong congregation is fretting about the approaching storm: ‘When there’s a Second Coming and they’re righteous, they have nothing to fear.’ However many Christians, even in America’s fundamentalist Bible Belt, have no time for the prophecy. Mark Hitchcock, a preacher and biblical prophecy expert, has written his own book telling the faithful not to worry about blood moons. ‘I know people who are very concerned over this blood moon prophecy,’ he says. ‘These sorts of theories are gaining traction because people are fearful. ‘With Syria, Ukraine and Iran, as well as mounting social and economic problems, a lot of people are ready to believe that everything is spinning out of control and coming to an end.’ There is, he insists, no need to panic. Let’s hope he’s right!
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On Tuesday millions in America saw a total lunar eclipse in the skies .
That moon will return over Earth three times in the next 17 months .
Astronomers call the rare run of red moons a tetrad .
On September 15 next year, Britain will witness the spectacle .
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Britain's Chemmy Alcott, 31, pictured celebrating after coming 19th in the ladies' downhill at the Sochi Olympics . For skier Chemmy Alcott the 19th place in the women’s Olympic downhill on the mountains above Sochi today was as good as a gold medal after the glamour girl dubbed Britain’s ‘bionic woman’ defied medical science to compete in Russia. The 31-year-old is a testament to the skill of surgeons and her own courage having overcome an astonishing 42 fractures and four career threatening breaks - one where her ankle bone ripped through her ski boot - to ski in her fourth Winter Olympics. She only returned to the competitive ski slopes in January after a broken leg and took part in an historic race that saw the first ever tie in the history of the Winter Games when Dominique Gisin, of Switzerland, and Slovenian Tina Maze recorded exactly the same time to share the gold medal in the alpine downhill. Miss Alcott, who credited her friend . Zara Phillips with helping her overcome her horrific injuries and reach . Sochi, finished 1.86 seconds behind the pair but was jubilant as she . finished, breaking into a huge smile, punching the air three times and . shouting : 'Yes, Woo...’ Still . beaming minutes later, she said : ‘I know it sounds crazy to some . people, especially when we have such a strong team here in Sochi, but . 19th is a gold for me. ‘After what I’ve been through, it’s amazing justice. I’m swelling with pride and I’m on a buzz.’ Seven . other skiers fell yesterday in difficult conditions, and Miss Alcott . admitted she had been as ‘loose and a goose’ on the course. She added : ‘When I made the commitment to come here it was about personal goals. I never put any statistics on it, if I had then top 20 would have been massively over super-ceding what I expected. I’ve done this against all odds and I’m very proud.’ Determined: Miss Alcott has been dubbed Britain's 'bionic woman' because of her injuries . Miss Alcott only returned to competing on the slopes in January after breaking her leg . Delighted: Miss Alcott said 19th place was as good as gold after what she has been through . Those odds could not have been more heavily stacked against the former Dancing on Ice star, who finished 11th in both the Turin and Vancouver Olympics, after a life of crippling injuries that began at the age of 12 when she broke her neck and had two vertebrae fused together. In Sochi, she carries around an X-ray of her neck in case she is in an accident and doctors want to prize the vertebrae open. Other injuries sustained since she first put on a pair of skis at the age of 18 months have injured a broken jaw, broken bones in both arms and legs, damage to the head and face - her goggles cut into her left eyebrow - back and pelvis. She needed surgery on bone spurs in her feet, broke an ankle and has other problems with damage to her feet. She has broken her right leg three times and three years ago feared she might die after an 80mph crash on the slopes in Lake Louise, Canada, that saw her airlifted on a stretcher from the slopes. ‘When I was coming down the mountain, on a stretcher beneath the helicopter, I thought I was dying. I have never known pain like it,’ she said. Crippling injuries: Miss Alcott has broken her right leg three times . Action shot: Chemmy Alcott during her run in the Women's Alpine Skiing Downhill at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center . Miss Alcott's first serious injury came when she was just 12-years-old and broke her neck . 'I did it!': Miss Alcott gives a thumbs up to a photographer after her run . ‘I could feel my leg was hot and . moist...from photographs, I have been shown that my ski boot liner had . become lodged inside my leg with bones and blood everywhere. The doctors . were pretty shocked.’ A 38cm rod holding her bones together was locked . inside her leg. ‘It goes all the way from my ankle to my knee, and I have a few screws in there,’ she said, ‘But I will do anything for the sport.’ That determination was to be again threatened in August when she broke the same leg again, an injury that put her Sochi place in doubt until the last minute. She took the highly unusual move of writing to the ski team’s chief, asking for a Sochi place and promising she would be fit to compete despite medical fears. She pays tribute to the Queen’s daughter Zara Phillips, an Olympic equestrian medallist in London 2012, as playing a key part in her recovery from the worst of her injuries. Chemmy Alcott after the Ladies' Super Combined at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Centre on Monday . Patriotic: Miss Alcott shows off her nails complete with Union Jack Flag designs . Held together: Alcott tweeted a photo of her leg that had stood up to the challenge of the race . Proud: Miss Alcott says she is 'swelling with pride' at her achievement . Miss Alcott said : ‘After my first big accident, which was back in 2010, I felt like I wanted to escape a little bit. Zara invited me to come and stay with her for a while and watch her train. Well, I have never seen anyone train as hard as her. ‘We would get up at 6.30am most mornings. I would watch her train for an hour and a half on one horse. I’d say: ‘That’s great. Can we can get some breakfast now?’ But she’d reply: “I have got four other horses to do this on”. I couldn’t believe it. ‘As an athlete, you always think you work harder than everyone else. But when I saw Zara and what she does, I just had a massive respect for her as both an athlete and as a person.’ However, it is not only physical injury that Miss Alcott, whose full name is Chimene after Sophia Loren’s character in the 1961 film ‘El Cid’, but also finding the money to chase her Olympic dream. Apart from renting out a room in her Surrey home, she and her fiancé, alpine skier Dougie Crawford, organised a Question of Sport-themed black-tie dinner for more than 170 guests, including fellow stars of Dancing on Ice, that raised £36,000 to pay for training. Miss Alcott’s final race - she has said this is her last Olympics - will be in the Super G slalom on Saturday. Joint winners: Women's downhill gold medalists Switzerland's Dominique Gisin, left, and Slovenia's Tina Maze, right, hold hands during a flower ceremony at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics . Slovenia's Tina Maze celebrates after finishing the women's downhill, to tie for first place with Switzerland's Dominique Gisin at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia . Switzerland's Dominique Gisin reacts after finishing the women's downhill at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. Gisin tied with Slovenia's Tina Maze to win the gold medal . Switzerland's Dominique Gisin reacts after finishing the women's downhill the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics . Women's downhill gold medal winners Switzerland's Dominique Gisin, left, and Slovenia's Tina Maze step onto the podium together during a flower ceremony at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics . Gold medalists Slovenia's Tina Maze, right, and Switzerland's Dominique Gisin celebrates after Maze's run in the women's downhill at the 2014 Winter Olympics . Switzerland's Dominique Gisin makes a turn in the women's downhill at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics . Women's downhill gold medalists Switzerland's Dominique Gisin, left, and Slovenia's Tina Maze, center, stand with bronze medalist Switzerland's Lara Gut before a flower ceremony at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics .
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Skier Chemmy Alcott, 31, has suffered 42 fractures and four breaks .
She only returned to the competitive ski slopes this year after a broken leg .
Miss Alcott came 19th in the women's Olympic downhill on Wednesday .
She said it was as good as winning gold after what she has been through .
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By . Tom Mctague, Mailonline Deputy Political Editor . David Cameron has been challenged to get off the beach and campaign to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom - by Alex Salmond. Mr Salmond laid down the challenge after it emerged the Prime Minister did not interrupt his summer holiday in Cornwall to watch last night’s live TV debate on Scottish independence. The Prime Minister also failed to tune in to the first clash between Mr Salmond and Alistair Darling – despite claiming it would ‘break my heart’ to see the United Kingdom broken up. Today, Mr Salmond said the PM was the real leader of the 'No' to independence campaign, adding: 'Let’s have him in Scotland now, let’s see if he can do any better that Alistair Darling did.' Scroll down for video . David Cameron, pictured on the beach in Cornwall just hours before last night's debate, has been challenged by the Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond to travel to Scotland to campaign against independence . Mr Salmond enjoys a Mars Bar outside Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow Invercylde today after a deal was struck to save jobs at the site . Mr Darling, the leader of the Better Together campaign, visited a factory in Paisley today following last night's mauling by Mr Salmond . The revelation risks reigniting accusations that Mr Cameron is too complacent about crucial matters of state – including Britain’s deepening role in the Iraq crisis and the possibility of the breakup of the United Kingdom. Mr Cameron returns to Downing Street tomorrow – from his third holiday this year – with less than three weeks to go before next month’s historic referendum on September 18. He will arrive back in London amid growing confidence within the ‘Yes’ to independence campaign, following last night’s crushing victory for Mr Salmond in the second and final debate on independence. Mr Salmond easily won the contest according to a snap poll for ICM. Some 71 per cent of voters said the SNP leader was the victor. Just 29 per cent thought Mr Darling had won the contest. Today, a confident Mr Salmond challenged Mr Cameron to campaign against independence in Scotland. It comes after Mr Salmond accused his debate rival Mr Darling of being the ‘front man for the Conservative Party’ in last night's debate. He said: ‘Alistair Darling is in alliance with the Conservative Party in this campaign. That is what the No campaign is. ‘Let’s have the real leader of the No campaign, David Cameron. Let’s have him in Scotland now. ‘Let’s see if Mr Cameron is prepared to come to Scotland and have the debate.’ Last night's victory is a dramatic turnaround for Mr Salmond who was left flailing earlier this month after Mr Darling successfully challenged him over the economy and the future of the pound. Mr Salmond's challenge came after he clashed with Alistair Darling (left) in last night's live television debate on the BBC . First Minister Alex Salmond gets his make-make up during an interval in the second television debate last night . Former Chancellor Alistair Darling was left reeling after Mr Salmond went all out attack . But last night Mr Salmond came armed with a number of currency options for an independent Scotland, but insisted keeping the pound was the best. Mr Darling meanwhile was left repeating his criticism that Mr Salmond had not offered a plan B if Westminster stopped Scotland using sterling. A 'Yes' vote in Scotland on September 18 would trigger a political earthquake at Westminster – and could even force Mr Cameron to resign. The Prime Minister has insisted he would not resign if Scotland voted for independence. But if Mr Salmond triumphs next month, there will immediately be pressure for him to go from within his own party. Former Conservative leadership rival David Davis said a ‘Yes’ vote would be ‘particularly humiliating’ for Mr Cameron. John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, added: "A Yes vote would destroy Cameron's place in the history books. He would become known as the prime minister who gambled on keeping Scotland in the union and lost his gamble.’ Despite the threat to his premiership, Mr Cameron’s spokeswoman indicated that the Prime Minister did not watched last night’s independence debate. ‘The Prime Minister watched news reports of the debate,’ said the spokeswoman. Asked why Mr Cameron had missed a key moment in the independence battle, she said: ‘The key moment is when people go to vote on September 18.’ The PM only watched highlights of the first debate earlier this month, which was won by Mr Darling, and perhaps he was confident of another victory by the pro-union camp. Following last night’s debate, Mr Darling admitted the battle to keep Scotland in the union would be fought ‘right down to the wire’. But the former chancellor insisted he was ‘increasingly confident’ that Scots would vote against leaving the UK when they go to the polls in just over three weeks’ time. Today, as he visited a factory in Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, Mr Darling said the No campaign had been ‘right to focus on currency’, adding: ‘One of the things that is striking in the last three weeks is the amount of people who have come up to me and said “What about this plan B?” is quite remarkable.’ When asked if changes would be made to the pro-UK campaign following last night’s debate, he insisted: ‘Absolutely not.’ Postal votes for the September 18 ballot are being sent out from today, and Mr Darling added that as the ‘finishing post’ comes into sight, Scots are increasingly focused on the decision to be made. He said: ‘There’s a very clear choice here and I think people can see that, people are very focused now, especially as they can see the finishing post. ‘I’m increasingly confident we will win, but it is our job to win well and to win well we’ve got to carry on campaigning up untill 10pm on September 18.' Mr Salmond meanwhile told Sky News he had ‘argued persuasively’ on currency, setting out his position that it was ‘common sense for a common currency’. He argued that the Yes campaign was winning ‘decisively’ on the key issues of protecting public services and creating jobs in Scotland. The First Minister said: ‘He (Alistair Darling) had his chance and he muffed it last night. The currency bluff has been called. The Scottish people are calling that bluff. ‘The No campaign had their chance, their bluff has been called. People have, I think, overwhelmingly in Scotland now in poll after poll shown that we want to keep the pound. That is the decision that the Scottish people are being asked to make.' The Scottish First Minister went on the attack immediately in last night's debate - questioning what would happen to the NHS, welfare and oil under Tory rule from London after 2015. Mr Salmond also claimed the former Labour Chancellor had made the ‘biggest revelation’ in the independence debate so far after he admitted Scotland could use the pound without the rest of the UK’s permission after independence. But Mr Darling said this would leave Scotland at the mercy of a ‘foreign country’ telling it how much it could spend like Eurozone countries which have to get their budgets signed off in Brussels. Mr Salmond also admitted for the first time that there were other options for Scotland than keeping the pound. He said: ‘I'm looking for a mandate to share sterling in a currency union.’ But he added: ‘There are other options for Scotland.’ However Mr Darling said: ‘The thing about a currency union is both sides have to agree to it. We are talking about a huge risk if we assume it’s going to fall into line. ‘It’s not a matter for Alex Salmond what the alternative is. If it’s the Panama model I want to know. If it’s the Euro I don’t want that either. I want to know what plan B is.’ But after being pressed by Mr Salmond he admitted: ‘We could us the pound.’ Mr Salmond said: ‘Alistair admitted we could use the pound anyway. They cannot stop us using the pound – the most important revelation in this debate.’ The pair also clashed over North Sea oil and the NHS. The SNP leader said every other country in Europe would give their ‘eye teeth’ for North Sea oil. But Mr Darling said: ‘Once it’s gone it’s gone. What I don’t want to see is my country so dependent on something that is so volatile.’ He added: ‘He is asking us to take his word on everything. ‘We need answers to tonight, right here right now. Are we going to place all our bets on Alex Salmond alone being right?’ Mr Darling said: ‘This is a decision for which there is no turning back.’ But Mr Salmond said: ‘This is an extraordinary time for us all. The eyes of the world and, indeed, focus is on Scotland.’ He added: There is much far too much, far too much, that is still controlled in Westminster. We couldn't stop the bedroom tax, we couldn't stop illegal wars.’ He added: ‘Three weeks on Thursday we can take things back to Scottish hands. Absolutely no-one, non-one, can run the affairs of Scotland better than the people of Scotland.’ Mr Salmond added: ‘This is our time, it’s our moment, let us do it now.’
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First Minister and ex-Chancellor took part in live 90 minute debate on BBC .
Voters to decide Scotland's fate in historic referendum on September 18 .
Snap Guardian/ICM poll showed 71% of voters thought Salmond had won .
Victory leaves future of the union in doubt ahead of next month's poll .
But the Prime Minister did not break off his holiday to watch the debate .
Mr Cameron also failed to watch the first clash between Yes and No leaders .
Scotland's First Minister today challenged the PM to campaign in Scotland .
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LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- The government of Peru on Friday declared a state of emergency in a remote northern area after a clash between police and indigenous people protesting what they say is the exploitation of their native lands left a number of people dead. Alberto Pizango, a leader of the protesters, says his followers did not kill police officers. Police and indigenous protesters said separately that at least eight police and 22 protesters died. The clash took place at dawn outside the northern province of Bagua in the Department of Amazonas as police attempted to break up a roadblock on the 59th day of protests. Foreign Minister Jose A. Garcia Belaunde told CNN en Español that the state of emergency was ordered to give the government the opportunity to re-establish order and reopen talks with the protesters. Under the state of emergency, the army can be called on to maintain order. "Look, the use of force is legitimate," he said. "Today, what we have received in response were gunshots -- directed at police helicopters, killing eight or nine police." But Alberto Pizango, the principal leader of the indigenous group, said his followers could not have been responsible for killing any police, because they were armed only with stones and arrows. He said the demonstrators had been pursuing a peaceful protest. Authorities have not confirmed the number of civilian deaths. The director general of the police, Jose Sanchez Farfan, said government buildings in Bagua had been looted and set aflame. Though a congressional commission has recommended the repeal of the laws rejected by the native communities, President Alan Garcia supports those that allow using the lands, maintaining that the richness of the Amazon belongs to all Peruvians and that a significant percentage of natural areas are already protected. "These people don't have crowns," he said about the protesters. "These people aren't first-class citizens who can say -- 400,000 natives to 28 million Peruvians -- 'You don't have the right to be here.' No way. That is a huge error." Garcia called Pizango a criminal. Several days ago, Garcia announced an arrest warrant had been issued for Pizango, who is accused of inciting his followers to violence. Journalist Maria Elena Belaunde contributed to this story from Lima.
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Violence flares as police attempt to break up a roadblock .
Government declares state of emergency in remote northern area .
Indigenous people protest what they call the exploitation of their native lands .
Peruvian president says land belongs to all the people of the country .
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Squatters refusing to leave a Palm Springs apartment at the centre of an Airbnb 'horror story' have complained THEY are the ones being harassed. Hiding his face with a hoodie and scarf, a man who claimed to be the brother of squatter Maksym Pashanin answered the door of the home in a gated community in Palm Springs. Videogame programmer Maksym is currently locked in a legal battle with Airbnb host Cory Tschogl, 39, who initially agreed to rent him her property for 44 days from May 25 to July 8. But now he refuses to leave. Hooded: A man claiming to be the brother of Airbnb renter Maksym Pashanin answers the door to San Bernadino County process server Sean Dacy - who left without handing over the eviction notice . 'Horror story': Pashanin is locked in the legal battle that could last for months and cost $5,000 because under California law he cannot just be kicked out for not paying his rent or overstaying his welcome . What Cory didn't realise is that under Californian law once someone has rented a property for more than 30 days they are treated as a tenant on a month-by-month lease. To get him out she now has to go through a legal process that could take between three and six months and cost between $3,000 and $5,000. In that time Maksym and his brother can continue to live rent-free. And the brothers don't seem to be giving up easily. San Bernadino County process server Sean Dacy arrived yesterday to serve Maksym with an eviction notice. Dacy couldn't serve the papers because he has to hand them to Maksym personally but the man answering the door claimed to be his brother. Instead, the man complained to Dacy: 'I can’t [take the scarf off] because these guys [the press] have been harassing me all day. I can’t even get to MY secure mailbox.' Dacy wasn't convinced. 'If he’s covering his face, that's probably him,’ he said as he walked away. After paying his initial 30 days rent, Maksym has not made any further payments, and ignored repeated requests to vacate the property by both Airbnb and Cory. Shortly after moving into the home, located on the Western side of the upmarket desert community, Maksym told Cory his brother had fallen ill from drinking the tap water and was now suffering a stomach ulcer. He demanded a refund. Cory, who lives in San Francisco and works as a therapist for blind people, was also met with an angry response when she threatened to cut off the utilities. Maksym texted her: 'Hi Cory, this is Maksym. I have consulted my attorney. As I said multiple times I am LEGALLY occupying the domicile. My nature of work from home is dependent on electricity, and my income while working averages $1,000 to $7,000 per day, involving over 2000 customers in the US alone. IF THE ELECTRICITY GETS CUT OFF I WILL BE LOSING MONEY EVERY DAY. 'I am pressing charges for blackmail and damages caused by your negligence and misconduct, including $3,800 PID Espresso machine as well as medical bills for my brother’s hospital visit after he got sick here drinking unfiltered tap water (ulcer). 'Not only what you do is illegal, it is also discriminatory in nature and had (sic) cause me and my brother a lot of stress and suffering.' Cory told the San Francisco Chronicle that the episode has been a 'horror story'. She bought the one-bedroom condo 18 months ago and she charged around $450 a week to renters. Squatter: Maksym Pashanin (seen here promoting his videogame) first complained to Cory that his brother had fallen ill from the water. Then when she threatened to turn off the utilities he said he had contacted a lawyer . When it became clear that Maksym was turning into a nightmare tenant Cory complained to Airbnb, but was angry at the response from the company. 'They were almost absent,' she said. 'There was no phone number or direct contact e-mail. I got e-mail responses only every 24 to 48 hours.' Airbnb eventually paid her the two weeks' missing rent and offered to pay for Maksym, who had a 'verified ID' with Airbnb saying he is from Austin, Texas, to stay at a hotel for 30 days. But he never answered emails and his phone was disconnected. Airbnb has since apologised and spokesman Nick Papas said: . 'Officials from our team have contacted this host and she has been paid . the full cost of the reservation and we're working with her to provide . additional legal support as we move forward. 'We're . also reviewing our procedures and making changes to our platform to . give hosts more information about long-term reservations.' Maksym was identified by KESQ.COM as a videogame programmer who created a computer game called Confederate Express. Maksym used kickstarter to raise $40,000 to fund the game but after eight months he has delivered nothing beyond a demo. KESQ said Maksym has claimed that the game will be released, but has said he has made some bad business decisions. The case echoes that of 'nightmare nanny' Diane Stretton, who moved in to work for Marcella Bracamonte and her family in Upland, California, earlier this year but quickly gave up all duties, and refused to leave despite being fired. Apology: Airbnb came under fire from the condo's . owner Cory Tschogl for not helping her quickly enough at first. The . firm has now apologised, paid her rent she was due and offered to help . with the legal fees involved . Mrs Bracamonte, 31, and her husband, Ralph, hired Stretton on March 4 using Craigslist to help with their three children, ages 11, four and one, but Stretton quickly stopped doing any work, claiming she had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She also reportedly threatened to sue the family for wrongful dismissal and abuse of the elderly. Although the police were contacted they said there was nothing they could do, as it was a civil matter. After negotiations with the family she was thought to have left at the beginning of July. Attorney Robert Spitz told ABC News that the landlord tenant law in California is very specific in terms of eviction processes. 'If the guy's a deadbeat, what does he care? He paid one month and he gets three months,' Spitz added.
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Cory Tschogl, 39, locked in 'horror story' after squatter who rented her Palm Springs home is refusing to leave .
Under California law Maksym Pashanin is treated as a month-to-month tenant so a legal process to evict him will take up to six months and cost thousands of dollars .
A man claiming to be his brother yesterday said he was 'harassed' as a process server came to hand Maksym eviction notice .
Airbnb apologised for not dealing with the nightmare quick enough, have offered to pay Cory's legal fees and refunded her the unpaid rent .
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By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 23:08 EST, 8 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:56 EST, 9 December 2012 . Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Saturday night that his cancer has returned and that he will undergo another bout of surgery in Cuba. Chavez, who won re-election on October 7th, also said for the first time that if his health were to worsen, his successor would be Vice President Nicolas Maduro. 'We should guarantee the advance of the Bolivarian Revolution,' Chavez said on television, seated at the presidential palace with Maduro and other aides. Scroll down for video . Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, (left), speaks with his Defense Minister Diego Molero upon his arrival to Simon Bolivar airport in Maiquetia, near Caracas today . The president said that tests had shown a return of 'some malignant cells' in the same area where tumors were previously removed. He said he would return to Cuba on Sunday to undergo surgery in the coming days. Chavez called it a 'new battle.' It is to be his third operation to remove cancerous tissue in about a year and a half. The 58-year-old president first underwent cancer surgery for an unspecified type of pelvic cancer in Cuba in June 2011, after an operation for a pelvic abscess earlier in the month found the cancer. He had another cancer surgery last February after a tumor appeared in the same area. He has also undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Hugo Chavez, (left), speaks to Cuba's President Raul Castro, (center), before the South American leader departed Cuba for Venezuela on Friday . Chavez made his most recent trip to Cuba on the night of November 27th, saying he would receive hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Such treatment is regularly used to help heal tissues damaged by radiation treatment. Chavez said that he has been coping with pain and that while he was in Cuba thorough exams detected the recurrence of cancer. He arrived back in Caracas on Friday after 10 days of medical treatment in Cuba, but until Saturday night had not referred to his health. His unexplained decision to skip a summit of regional leaders in Brazil on Friday had raised suspicions among many Venezuelans that his health had taken a turn for the worse. Chavez said that he was requesting permission from lawmakers to travel to Havana and that he hoped to have good news after the surgery. This news comes just two months after Chavez drafted tanks and soldiers wielding AK-47s onto the streets of Caracas as he won a historic third re-election after almost 14 years in office. Victory lap: Hugo Chavez waves a Venezuelan flag while speaking to supporters after receiving news of his reelection in Caracas . Celebration: A Chavez supporter revels in the streets after the vote in October . The decision marked the end of a bitter campaign in which the opposition . accused him of unfairly using Venezuela's oil wealth and his near total . control of state institutions to his advantage. Chavez rallied thousands of supporters from a balcony of the presidential palace as he declared victory, holding up a sword that once belonged to 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar. 'The revolution has triumphed!' Chavez told the crowd, saying his supporters 'voted for socialism.' The crowd responded chanting 'Chavez won't go!' The election triumph gave Chavez a freer hand to push for an even bigger state role in the economy and continue populist programs. Six more years: The win gives Chavez another term to cement his legacy and press more forcefully for a transition to socialism in the country with the world's largest proven oil reserve . Jumping for joy: Supporters of Hugo Chavez celebrate in the streets as the longtime president won re-election . He pledged before the vote to make a . stronger push for socialism in the next term. He's also likely to . further limit dissent and deepen friendships with U.S. rivals. A victory for his opponent Henrique Capriles would have brought . a radical foreign policy shift including a halt to preferential oil . deals with allies such as Cuba, along with a loosening of state economic . controls and an increase in private investment. Good feeling: Chavez gestures to supporters after casting his vote during the election in Caracas . During the election Chavez's critics said the president has inflamed divisions by labeling his opponents 'fascists,' 'Yankees' and 'neo-Nazis,' while Chavez backers alleged Capriles would halt generous government programs that assist the poor. The news of the return of his cancer is a big blow for his supporters in South America's biggest oil exporter, who elected him in October to a new six-year term in power. Chavez has twice said he was cured, and then had to return to Cuba for more surgery. In a televised broadcast flanked by ministers at the Miraflores presidential palace, Chavez said that if anything happened to him and a new vote had to be held, his supporters should vote for Vice President Nicolas Maduro - the first time the socialist leader has named a successor. Chavez returned to Venezuela on Friday from having medical treatment in Cuba, ending a three-week absence from public view. 'Unfortunately, during these exhaustive exams they found some malignant cells in the same area ... . It is absolutely necessary, absolutely essential, that I have to undergo a new surgical intervention,' the 58-year-old said, looking resolute. 'With God's will, like on the previous occasions, we will come out of this victorious.' The president has already had three cancer operations in Cuba since the middle of last year. News of more surgery will likely raise new doubts about his future and the fate of his self-styled 'revolution' in the OPEC nation. Chavez, who has dominated Venezuelan politics since taking power 14 years ago, said he would return to Havana on Sunday. Under Venezuela's constitution, an election would have to be held within 30 days if Chavez were to leave office within the first four years of his next term, due to begin on January 10. The president has been receiving treatment at the Cimeq hospital in Havana as a guest of his friend and political mentor, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Revelry: Chavez supporters celebrate at the Miraflores presidential palace after Chavez's victory was announced . VIDEO: Venezuelans vote in presidential election .
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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Saturday night that his cancer has returned .
The 58-year-old president first underwent cancer surgery for an unspecified type of pelvic cancer in Cuba in June 2011 .
He said he would return to Cuba on Sunday to undergo surgery in the coming days .
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It is 10 years to the day since Wayne Rooney, an 18-year-old tyro with the world at his feet, made his unforgettable debut for Manchester United in a Champions League fixture with Fenerbahce at Old Trafford. Many believed the £25.6m transfer fee would weigh heavily on Rooney's young but stocky shoulders but he confounded the doubters with a stunning hat-trick in a 6-2 win. On the anniversary, we take a look back at how Rooney's debut was reported by Sportsmail at the time. Wayne Rooney's scored a debut hat-trick for Manchester United in a Champions League match with Fenerbahce a decade ago as he announced his arrival at Old Trafford in remarkable fashion . MANCHESTER UNITED 6 FENERBAHCE 2 . REPORT BY MATT LAWTON AT OLD TRAFFORD . The shirt he wore at the end belonged to Fenerbahce but the fans who applauded on an enchanted European evening had already identified a legend in Manchester United red. Wayne Rooney had arrived, and in some style. Old Trafford witnessed something magical last night, an opening performance as memorable as any ever seen at their Theatre of Dreams. Not even Sir Bobby Charlton enjoyed a debut like this. Two goals had marked his first league match as an 18-year-old against, well, Charlton. Rooney went one better. He scored three. Rooney drills the ball home from outside the box for his second goal of the evening after 28 minutes . Rooney curled home a free-kick to complete his treble as Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Gabriel Heinze looked on . The United fans rejoiced at Old Trafford as their £25m signing made a stylish debut . Tuesday September 28, 2004 . Champions League - Old Trafford . Manchester United (4-4-2): Carroll; G Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze (P Neville 82); Bellion, Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, Giggs (Fletcher 62); Rooney, Van Nistelrooy (Miller 82) Scorers: Giggs 7; Rooney 17, 28, 54; Van Nistelrooy 78; Bellion 81 . Booked: Heinze . Fenerbahce (4-4-1-1): Rustu; Baris, Luciano, Ozat, Akyel (Akin 62); Balci, Aurelio, Nobre, Sanli; De Souza; Van Hooijdonk . Scorers: Nobre 47, Sanli 60 . Booked: Aurelio . Man of the match: Wayne Rooney. Referee: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium) Attendance: 67,128 . The matchday programme . Sir Alex Ferguson has dared to compare Rooney to Eric Cantona but already that does not do him justice. Cantona never excelled like this in the Champions League. This was Best against Benfica, Charlton at Wembley. When Cantona joined from Leeds, he started as a substitute against Manchester City. United were pleading poverty on the eve of this contest but they are richer for the £30million they agreed to pay Everton last month. They have Rooney, as exciting a player Ferguson has seen in 30 years - and United have seen in 40. Roy Keane said he was the only English player he would pay to watch and for the 67,000 fortunate enough to be here, Rooney was certainly worth the admission fee. He did more than entertain them with his first professional hat-trick. He took them back to a glorious past and opened the door to a glittering future, leaving them spellbound in the process. Three months out with a broken foot did nothing to lessen his impact. Nor did the side Ferguson selected to play alongside him. David Bellion, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Kleberson occupied three of the four midfield places. Imagine what Rooney can achieve when he finally gets to line up with the real United. Against Fenerbahce he was magnificent, providing a dazzling demonstration of pace, power, poise and precision. As a passer and a predator, he was simply sensational. All three goals came from outside the penalty area. Incredible. Ruud van Nistelrooy provided the ammunition for his opening 17th-minute goal but after that Rooney delivered on his own. A 22-yard shot increased United's advantage. A 20-yard freekick then followed. Who needs David Beckham? Not United. Rooney even mimicked the England captain with a celebration that saw him run to the corner flag with his arms outstretched. No wonder Ferguson said this a footballer who does not require coaching. He needs nurturing, yes. Protecting, certainly. But this is the boy, as Best said last week, who has 'everything'. Manchester United line up before the match - (back row, left to right) David Bellion, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Roy Carroll, Rio Ferdinand, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Mikael Silvestre, Gabriel Heinze; (front row, left to right) Kleberson, Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs . Rooney, wearing a Fenerbahce shirt, asks referee Frank de Bleeckere for the match ball . Minutes played: 90 . Goals: 3 . Shots on target: 4 . Shots off target: 2 . Assists: 1 . Passes: 23 . Passing accuracy: 61 per cent . Fouls conceded: 2 . Fouls won: 3 . Sven Goran Eriksson had seen this before, and against Turkish opposition. He handed Rooney his full competitive debut in last year's European Championship qualifier and the teenager responded with the game of his life. The game of his life, that is, until he met France, Croatia and then Fenerbahce. While Eriksson would have delighted in seeing Gary Neville return to action and Rio Ferdinand take the captain's armband, Rooney wasted little time in proving himself ready for next month's World Cup encounters against Wales and Azerbaijan-But then Rooney, it seems, is always ready. United opened the scoring when Brazilian World Cupwinner Kleberson sent an accurate cross to Ryan Giggs and the Welshman headed past Rustu with considerable aplomb. Already Rooney was sparkling - twisting, turning and running in a fashion defenders fear most. Van Nistelrooy cut through Fenerbahce's back line with a beautifully timed pass, and then looked on in admiration as Rooney struck from just outside the area. Rooney jumps on Ruud van Nistelrooy after the Dutchman scored United's fifth goal of the night . Rooney sends the ball beyond Fenerbahce goalkeeper Rustu for his first goal of the evening . United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said afterwards: 'I don't suppose I have seen a debut like it. 'What you saw tonight is the reason why we signed him. And I think he can only get stronger now. We think the boy has great potential and it was a great performance and a great start by him.' Fenerbahce coach Christoph Daum was equally as enthusiastic, saying: 'Maybe he will become the player of the century.' His second goal arrived in the 28th minute, and it was another trademark strike from a prodigious talent. A sidestep to escape the attention of Umit Ozan, the Fenerbahce captain, was followed by a blistering 22-yard drive. 'Rooney, Rooney, Rooney,' cried the fans. Those who once hailed Denis Law as the King now have their Prince. Fenerbahce reduced the deficit when Marcio Nobre met a 47th-minute corner with a volley, but Rooney's free - kick arrived seven minutes later and again Old Trafford rose to its feet. There was a moment when he stumbled from the sublime to the ridiculous, a backpass that looked more like a shot resulting in a corner for Fenerbahce and another goal for the Turkish champions from Tuncay Sanli. But Van Nistelrooy scored in the 78th minute with an excellent finish, and Bellion left Rustu beaten for a sixth time after running on to a pass from - who else? Rooney. Remarkable. The goals made Rooney the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League at 18 years and 335 days. He scored 17 goals in 43 appearances for United during his debut season but it was a campaign of disappointment for Sir Alex Ferguson's team. They finished a massive 18 points behind champions Chelsea in the Premier League, ending up in third place, and were eliminated by AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League. The rest of Rooney's career at Old Trafford is, of course, pretty impressive. He now has 218 goals in 443 matches for the club and has won six Premier League titles, three League Cups, the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Like our Manchester United Facebook page here.
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It is 10 years to the day since Wayne Rooney made his Man United debut .
The £25m striker scored a stunning hat-trick in a 6-2 win over Fenerbahce .
Just 18 at the time, Rooney's debut was among the greatest ever .
Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy and David Bellion also scored .
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(CNN) -- After divesting from luxury brands purchased in Europe, the Ford Motor Co. is revamping its Lincoln car line to try to recapture the prestige -- and market share -- of the past. "We had purchased Aston Martin and Jaguar and Landover and Volvo, and we had decreased our investment in Lincoln," Ford CEO Alan Mulally told CNN's Richard Quest. "With our One Ford Plan in 2006, we decided to have a laser focus not only on the Ford brand but Lincoln. We continued to invest in the toughest times and the MKZ is our first proof point of a new line of luxury Lincoln vehicles." Ford announced Monday it is renaming its Lincoln division as the Lincoln Motor Co. Lincoln is not being spun off into an altogether separate carmaker, notes CNNMoney's Peter Valdes-Dapena, but Ford wants to give it greater separation from the more mass market Ford "blue oval" brand. Lincoln have has its own product development team, designers and salespeople. The all-new MKZ is due to hit the market soon. "As you know the Lincoln has been part of the Ford Motor Co. for nearly 90 years and its always been known for elegant styling and design, inside and out, and also very useful and exciting technology and innovation," Mulally told Quest. Ford was able to avoid the bailouts required to keep U.S. competitors General Motors and Chrysler afloat after an aggressive restructuring that began in 2006, before the financial crisis struck. But the carmaker has been hit of late by the slowdown in the eurozone. The company announced in October the closure of two plants in England and one in Belgium in the next two years, which together employed 5,700 workers. "We are moving very decisively on our better plan to serve the European customers both with a more complete family of best in class vehicles that we describe, but also taking the actions on the productivity and the utilization of our facilities," Mulally said. "It's going to take us a couple years to do that, we know how to do it, everybody watched us do it in the United States." Mulally, who has been among the U.S. CEOs who have met with President Obama on the looming U.S. fiscal cliff, says he's optimistic the talks will avert crisis. "The last few weeks has really centered on discussion about not only the fiscal cliff, which needs to deal with the revenue side but also the expense side, is what do we do to create the environment where businesses can grow, can be more competitive, to provide the economic expansion that we all want," he said. "I might also add that we are very encouraged by the ongoing dialogue in Europe on the same subject, because clearly we're in a recession in Europe and pulling together around a compelling vision to facilitate economic growth is what's most important for all of us."
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The Ford Motor Co. is revamping its Lincoln car line to try to recapture past prestige .
Ford announced Monday it is renaming its Lincoln division as the Lincoln Motor Co.
Building up Lincoln after divesting of investments in Aston Martin and other luxury brands .
CEO Mulally optimistic that U.S. fiscal cliff negotiations will be sucessful .
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Forty years ago this week, the nation was captivated by one of the most horrendous crimes in living memory. An unprovoked frenzied axe attack by a total stranger on a ten-year-old as she walked home from school. And as police launched one of the biggest manhunt in South Wales Police history and detectives chased down leads on the appalling crime, only one thing seemed certain: that little Paula Hughes would never leave a normal, happy life - if she survived at all. But Paula has made a remarkable recovery, defying the negligible odds she was given by medics in the wake of the shocking attack. Not only did she go on to regain movement and speech following pioneering treatment in the U.S, but she also went on to have two children - and has now welcomed her first grandson into her life. Scroll down for video . Recovery: Paula Hughes (pictured right with her mother Gennifer Hughes) was left for dead after being attacked by an axe-wielding thug as she walked home from school in Caerphilly in 1975 . Left for dead: The young girl (pictured left before the attack and right afterwards) was hit over the head 15 times during the brutal incident . Paula, now 50, said: 'I didn't think I would ever be normal but if it was not for the programme I don't know what I would have been like.' She added: 'I was just going home from school and I went to the shortcut - that was the railway track - and for no reason somebody hit me over the head with an axe. 'Now I have got Robert, who is 15 now and Emily, 18, and she is a mother as well. I'm now a nan to Baby David. He's rather funny.' Smiling as she sits next to her mother, the sight is a far cry from what the family expected when surgeons told her mother Gennifer to 'forget her daughter' and leave her to die in hospital. Medics had told Gennifer that her ten-year-old had barely any chance of survival and would be unable to walk or talk if she did make it through. Her mother said: 'I just can't believe how it has all turned out, I never imagined that I would be a grandmother, never mind a great-grandmother. 'At this point in my life, I am so very happy. We have had our problems along the way, but I am so very glad I didn't listen to the surgeon who told me to just leave her.' The attack, which sent shockwaves through the community, took place on February 13, 1975. Desperate to get home after the school bell rang at Cwm Ifor Junior School for the day, Paula had thrown on her backpack and began walking back to her home in Caerphilly, as she did every day. But, as she took a shortcut along the railway embankment, she was struck over the head by the mystery attacker, who split open her skull in one of 15 excruciating blows. Evidence: Paula sits on her mother Gennifer's lap as she talks to Chief Inspector Harry Sambrook about what happened . Manhunt: The attack, which sent shockwaves through the community, sparked one of the biggest manhunts ever carried out by South Wales Police but the attacker disappeared . Detectives search the area where Paula was attacked for clues. The incident took place on February 13, 1975 . So desperate were Paula's attempt to shield herself from the man's menacing attack that her left hand was almost severed as she tried to protect her head. In hospital, surgeons removed a piece of brain tissue the size of an egg. But, despite the work carried out by medics, they warned Paula's devastated family that, if she even survived to the end of the week, she would never walk or talk again. For her mother Gennifer, who lives with Paula and her family in Gwent, the memory of what happened is as clear as if it were yesterday. 'The cat was ill, so I was planning on taking her to the vet after work,' said Gennifer, 69. 'I had told Paula that, if she was not home in time, I would go on to the vet so as I didn't miss them before closing. 'She wasn't there, so I left her a note saying that she should stay at home until I got back. I remember clearly that the weather was dreadful and I thought twice about going, but the cat really needed to see the vet.' When Gennifer got back, she found her neighbour at home, who was 'white as a sheet'. Re-enactment: Police re-enacted the attack on Paula alongside the Rhymney Valley railway line, Caerphilly . The young girl leaves her home with her mother Gennifer to meet a police car, which was waiting to take her to the re-enactment of the attack . Return: Despite her ordeal, Paula returned to the same spot where she had been attacked 12 months later to help police re-enact the scene, in the hope of finding the mystery man . Probe: Detective Constable Wendy Parry retraces the steps taken by Paula on the day of the fateful attack. Paula's friend Jacqueline Williams (pictured front) also walked with the officer . 'I remember thinking it was strange because the neighbour had red hair and a red face, but he was white as a sheet,' she said. 'He followed me into the house and I saw immediately that Paula's coat and shoes were not where she usually left them and the note hadn't been touched. I knew immediately something bad had happened and they took me straight to the hospital, but I still didn't know how bad it was.' When Gennifer got to the hospital, Paula's father broke the devastating news. 'He told me she had been hit 15 times with an axe - 15 times,' says Gennifer. 'I don't know how I managed to stay upright. That was the biggest shock of all and then I wasn't able to see her because she was in surgery. 'When we finally got to see her, she was all bandaged up and her eyes were almost closed. There was blood on her legs because they had been so focused on the surgery they had not had time to clean her up. None of it felt very real, it was like waking up in a nightmare.' Glyn Davies (left) came to Paula's rescue following the brutal attack, after finding her in a ditch near the railway line. Police hunting the attacker issued a photofit of the suspect (right) Fear: Parents who would usually let their children walk home alone from Cwm Ifor Junior School arrive at the school to the collect them following the attack . 'They told me that if she survived the next three days, she would never walk or talk again. 'One doctor told me to go away, leave Paula with them and to forget about her. He said I was young enough to have another family, but there was no way I was going to leave my daughter there.' Despite advances in forensic science, the brazen attacker has never been caught. Cruelly, heavy rain washed the evidence away and they have never been found. But the mystery over the attacker's identity became secondary to the remarkable recovery story which was to follow. Family: Paula's children Emily, now 18, and Robert, now 15, (left) and her grandson David, 16 months . Surgeons at Cardiff Royal Infirmary tried to explain to Paula's parents how badly injured she was. 'At the end of the day, they were not giving us much hope, and said that she was likely to be a vegetable because her brain injury was so severe,' recalls Gennifer. Gennifer refused to believe the doctors and took her daughter to America for pioneering assessment at the Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential. With financial help from friends, Paula endured six years of physical and mental exercises, which lasted 14 hours a day. When they started the treatment, Paula was in a wheelchair, unable to feed herself. By the end, she was able to hold down a job in an electronics factory. Paula's health continued to go from strength to strength. She soon met John and together they had children Emily, now 18, and Robert, 15. Then, 16 months ago, Emily gave birth to David - her first grandchild. David's birth, which made Gennifer a great-grandmother, was yet another chapter in Paula's story which the family never thought they would see. Gennifer said: 'They get embarrassed when I say it, but I am so, so proud of them all. 'When Paula was pregnant first time, I didn't tell anyone, but I really hoped that she would have a girl because I could get to see a little girl grow up the way they should.'
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Paula Hughes was attacked in Caerphilly as she walked home from school .
She was left brain damaged and doctors said she would never walk or talk .
But she made a remarkable recovery after being taken to U.S for treatment .
She went on to regain movement, speech and had a son and a daughter .
Ms Hughes has now watched her first grandson David take his first steps .
Her mother Gennifer said: 'I am so very glad I didn't listen to the surgeon'
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f882469d102646807ead63c138c0a0aa249ec660
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Brightly-coloured primary school classrooms are being toned down with shades of beige to calm rowdy pupils - but fed-up teachers say the bland tones make them feel like they are working in Ikea. Some schools, including Berkhamsted pre-prep school in Hertfordshire, are choosing to replace garish primary colours with neutral tones to calm children down while improving their behaviour and attainment levels. Several schools and councils have employed Elizabeth Jarman, an education expert who specialises in creating effective learning environment to help improve their classrooms. Traditional, brightly-coloured primary school classrooms are being replaced with a muted palette of beige in a bid to calm rowdy pupils, particularly in younger classes - but some teachers do not like the changes . Berkhamsted head teacher Samantha Jaspal told The Times: 'Not all staff like the look of a beige, natural classroom and are comparing it with a Swedish store showroom.' She went on to explain that they made the changes to a blander environment after noticing children appeared to prefer being taught outside in a natural environment. They replaced brightly coloured display boards to hessian and swapped colourful tables for natural wood - and Ms Jaspal says the changes have had a clear impact on pupils' focus and behaviour in the classroom. Some teachers do not approve of the blander classrooms and say it makes them feel like they work at Ikea . 'Children who are easily distracted are able to concentrate for longer periods if the spaces around them are uncluttered.' she said. 'We have noticed this particularly when teaching early reading.' Ms Jarman, who has a background in teaching, told MailOnline: ‘We know so much more about children’s brains now and they are critical ingredients when we are thinking about environments. ‘We need to challenge some of the historical stereotypes about the way that environments have traditionally been set up for children, based on what we know today about brain development, language acquisition, child development and attachment theory.’ When asked about the Ikea comment, Ms Jarman said: ‘I would agree. A lot of the thinking we challenge, people hold onto because that’s how they’ve always done it and that’s what you expect to see. ‘When you look in toy shops and the environments children are spending time in, they just give them sensory overload. ‘We need to get the balance right, that is so important. ‘In a world of information overload we need to be thinking about where are the places you can be still, reflect and consolidate your thinking? We need to create more of that.’ In 2006 research claimed brightly decorated classrooms covered with colourful displays can damage children's education and some primary schools were told to tone down their environments. The report from the Basic Skills Agency warned that classrooms which were too 'cluttered' with colour could disrupt young children's concentration. The report said: 'Over-stimulating environments are not always the best. 'That has implications for the use of displays. Sometimes it is a visual overload for children. 'It can make it very difficult for them to concentrate.' Schools are replacing bright colours and de-cluttering classrooms to make them calmer places to learn . The study focused on how the school environment can affect children's speaking and listening skills. The report added: 'Spaces should take account of environmental factors that can impact on learning, for example, light, colour, noise. 'The environment should not be over-stimulating. 'Cosy, small areas, where children feel safe and able to chat in privacy are necessary.'
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Schools are choosing neutral colours in classrooms to calm rowdy pupils .
They say method improves learning, especially in younger children .
But some teachers say bland new environment is like working in Ikea .
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