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By . Tom Kelly . PUBLISHED: . 15:56 EST, 7 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:43 EST, 8 April 2013 . Battle zone: The Iraqi fraudsters claimed conflicts had left them mentally ill . Fifty Iraqis drugged themselves to fake mental illness so they could carry out benefits fraud costing millions of pounds. The group won asylum in Britain after saying they had depression or post-traumatic stress syndrome from the conflict in Iraq. They then claimed disability payments plus housing benefits worth up to £2,000 a week in what was described as a ‘wholesale onslaught on our welfare system’. Many of the fraudsters have Dutch and Danish passports and were believed to be living and claiming further benefits in other EU countries while also letting out their taxpayer-funded homes in Britain. The scandal was exposed when Lindsey Hall, anti-fraud tsar at Westminster council in London, raised the alarm following a massive increase in housing benefit claims after Labour introduced the generous local housing allowance in 2008. She said: ‘The debate about the abuse of the welfare system is shrouded in political correctness. But this is not a witch-hunt, it’s about criminality. ‘These men went to extreme lengths to commit benefits fraud. In some cases they would take drugs to fake delirium to convince doctors they had a mental disability or post-traumatic stress. ‘To keep the ruse up they would continue to regularly pick up the eight or nine medical drugs prescribed by doctors to treat their non-existent syndrome, which they would then dump, adding an extra cost to the NHS. Post traumatic stress: The fraudsters pretended to have mental health problems that have affected many who suffered during the war in Iraq . ‘Once you have secured disability living allowance on the basis of being a PTSD sufferer, the benefit can be granted indefinitely, so they could leave Britain and continue to receive the benefit.’ She said the scandal came to her attention after hard-working Iraqi residents in the area complained that fraud was out of control, but they were terrified of the repercussions of speaking out because of the criminal gang behind it. Miss Hall added: ‘In some of the . blocks of flats we targeted, 95 per cent of the people living there were . not the ones claiming housing benefit on the properties. ‘The . costs from false housing benefits alone when we started investigating . were more than £1milllion and historically could be far more than that. ‘At . the same time we had to close down day care centres which played a . vital role in the local community because we couldn’t afford the . £100,000 a year to keep them open.’ The Serious Organised Crime Agency investigated and, with the Department for Work and Pensions, has issued a warning to councils about the scandal. SOCA said: ‘In some instances corrupt professionals may have facilitated the criminal activity.’ The fraudsters would often provide false proof of employment, sometimes naming the same fictitious organisation, to qualify for housing benefit on the grounds of low pay. They would then claim up to £2,000 a week in rent. ‘Complicit property agents may have been used to facilitate claimants’ access to high rental value properties,’ SOCA added. Illegal sub-letting of homes offered further gains and ‘in several cases the original claimant was found to be no longer resident in the UK. ‘Claimants who travelled overseas for sustained periods of over 12 weeks were still able to claim housing benefit and it is difficult for the Department for Work and Pensions to establish if a claimant is travelling into or out of the UK.’
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Criminal gang won asylum in Britain claiming post traumatic stress disorder .
They claimed benefits up to £2,000 a week, taking drugs to fake delirium .
Fellow London Iraqis alerted the council about the fraud .
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Dreams of another Investec Derby winner being trained at historic Kingsclere stables will live on through the dark winter months after Andrew Balding-trained Elm Park conclusively landed the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. The historic Hampshire yard was once the base for John Porter, the legendary trainer who landed the Epsom Classic six times during the 1800s. It was also there that Mill Reef was prepared for his successful assault on Flat racing’s most important race by Balding’s father Ian and a statue of the 1971 Derby hero stands proudly in the stable. Andrea Atzeni rides Elm Park to victory in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday . Andew Balding-trained Elm Park streaks the field in the Racing Post Trophy . Elm Park's owner Sheikh Fahad Al Thani talks on the phone after his horse's comprehensive win . With Andrew in Australia on Saturday, where he saddled Side Glance to finish fourth in the Cox Plate, it was appropriate that Ian accompanied daughter-in-law Anna Lisa to Doncaster to cheer home a horse bred by his wife Emma. In an additional link to Mill Reef, in his first three races and until purchased by Qatari Sheik Fahad Al Thani, Elm Park had even carried the same distinctive black and gold silks that once represented the great horse’s late owner Paul Mellon but now are the livery of the Kingsclere Racing Club. An emotional Balding said: ‘We have had five generations of this family and to have bred him is special. Elm Park has the right temperament which is so important. You need that and Mill Reef had it in spades.’ With four Racing Post Trophy winners this century going on to the Derby, the most recent being Camelot in 2011, the race has developed into an important pointer to the Classic . The succinct post-race verdict of BHA two-year-old handicapper Matthew Tester that Elm Park was a ‘good winner of a disappointing race’ looked an accurate assessment keeping the result in perspective. But it is hard not to be very taken with the son of Phoenix Reach, who surprisingly providing Balding with his first British Group One winner since Casual Look won the 2003 Oaks in his first season at the Kingclere helm. Elm Park will have high hopes of landing the Investec Derby in the new year . Atzeni claimed his second win in the race in successive years after winning the 2013 edition on Kingston Hill . Coral cut Elm Park’s Derby odds to 14-1 after he secured the last Group One of the domestic Flat season by two and three quarter lengths from Aidan O’Brien’s Aloft. Sir Mark Prescott’s Celestial Path was a further half-length back in third. If the success meant a lot to the Baldings, it was also special to jockey Andrea Atzeni who had landed the race 12 months earlier with subsequent St Leger winner Kingston Hill. Atzeni was only signed up at the new No 1 jockey for Sheik Fahad’s Qatar Racing organisation in August after the surprise announcement that Jamie Spencer was retiring and to post a top-level success so early in their association is an early down dividend on the faith put in him. O’Brien may have lost out at Doncaster but gained more than adequate compensation when his three-year-old Adelaide won the Cox Plate in Australia under a trademark power-packed Ryan Moore ride.
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Andrew Balding-trained Elm Park won the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster .
Jockey Andrea Atzeni won the race for the second year on the trot after last year's victory on Kingston Hill .
Elm Park's win evokes memories of 1971 Derby winner Mill Reef, which was also trained at Kingsclere and was trained by Andrew's dad Ian .
The winner's Derby odds have now been cut to 14-1 by Coral .
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A Northern California woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to multiple road-rage charges before asking the judge to set her bail at $100, all the while grimacing and gesticulating wildly in court. Dierdre Orozco, 50, is accused of trying to run two young women off I-80 north of Sacramento Saturday. Days earlier, she had been arrested and released because of another road-rage incident. Scroll down for video . All smiles: Dierdre Orozco, 50, was grinning in court Tuesday as she pleaded guilty to a slew of charges in connection to two separate road rage incident . Bizarre antics: The woman at one point pretended to steer a wheel while in court . Facing justice: The 50-year-old grimaced wildly and pretended to smoke an imaginary joint (left) The victims of Saturday's event filmed Orozco yelling and honking as she swerved her huge silver Ford Explorer Sport Trac pickup truck into the women's tiny Mazda. At one point, the dramatic video shows Orozco pulling her car in front of the victims — forcing them to stop — and claiming to be a highway deputy. Orozco, of Santa Clara, was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of false imprisonment, unlawful use of a badge, reckless driving and resisting arrest. At her initial court appearance Tuesday, the woman sat in her red jail garb flashing smiles and making odd gestures. KCRA cameras inside the courtroom captured the moment Orozco pretended to steer a wheel, made the horns gesture with her hand and pretended to smoke a joint and take a swig out of an imaginary bottle. Orozco's bail was initially set at $250,000, but the figure did not sit well with the woman. As the prosecutor was asking to raise the amount to $500,000, Orozco chimed in, asking the judge to 'put it at $100.' After spending the hearing pulling faces and playing with her hands, Orozco finally got a chance to speak, telling the court she would like her case to be handled in 'the most expeditious way.' The four people involved in the two separate road-rage incidents have sought a restraining orders against Orozco. Caught on video: Deidre Orozco, 50, is seen pushing two young women in California off the road and then blocking their path with her huge silver truck . Orozco got out of her vehicle and tried to convince the victims that she was a highway deputy (left). She was later arrested by the real cops and booked on traffic charges for the second time in five days (right) The Highway Patrol said the Saturday incident began after Mazda passenger Delanie Strykul made a rude gesture because Orozco’s Ford Explorer had been tailgating. Strykul said the woman cut them off twice, then slowed down to drive alongside their car. 'When she did that, I threw up my hands and flipped her off,' Strykul told CBS Sacramento. That got Orozco enraged, said Strykul and her companion, who 'feared for their lives.' 'She pulls in front of us and then pulls her car horizontal and stops us,' Strykul told CBS. The young woman frantically called the California Highway Patrol while keeping her phone camera rolling, recording the confrontation. ‘She just hit our car. She just hit our car. She's pushing us off of the road. Yes, she's pushing us off the road. She's coming for us,’ Strykul tells a CHP dispatcher on the video, her voice shaking. ‘Please help us.’ The video shows the Explorer forcing their Mazda onto the shoulder as the Mazda's driver screams. ‘I could not believe this was real. I was sitting there going, 'This has to be a joke," Strykul told The Associated Press on Tuesday. At one point, Orozco emerges from her truck and repeatedly knocks on Strykul's window and flashes an ID card claiming to work in law enforcement. Investigators said the badge was actually an ID card for a national chain of senior centers called Visiting Angels. Passenger Delanie Strykul (left) filmed the scary incident with Orozco and was eventually able to find the real cops to assist her (right) The young women manage to pull away — but Orozco gets back in the truck and begins to follow them. 'She did the whole zig-zag in three lanes with her flashers on, kind of like what a police officer would do if they were trying to slow down traffic,' Strykul told CBS. They eventually were directed to an interstate exit where a highway patrolman was waiting to make the arrest. Five days earlier, Orozco had been arrested for an alleged hit-and-run in nearby Roseville. After the accident, police told the Auburn Journal, Orozco proceeded to drive to her friends’ house where she threw rocks through the windows, vandalizing the home and threatening to kill the people inside.
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California driver Dierdre Orozco, 50, is back in jail after she attempted to run two young women off I-80 near Sacramento .
Five days earlier, she had been arrested for another hit-and-run .
The victims say they 'feared for their lives' as Orozco swerved in and out of traffic to get their car to stop .
When the victims stopped, Orozco faked being a cop and demanded the women roll their window down .
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Sweden's 'party princess' turned fairytale bride today as she married her U.S. banker beau watched by European royals and the cream of New York society. Princess Madeleine, 30, the youngest of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia's three children, married British-born financier Chris O'Neill, 38, in Stockholm's Royal Palace today wearing a breathtaking Valentino wedding gown. The Earl and Countess of Wessex and Princess Charlene of Monaco were among those looking on as the groom placed a tender kiss on Princess Madeleine's hand during today's ceremony. Sealed with a kiss: Princess Madeleine of Sweden kisses her new husband, British-born financier Chris O'Neill, following their lavish wedding ceremony in Stockholm today . Fairytale ceremony: American financier Christopher O'Neill kisses the hand of his bride Princess Madeleine of Sweden in Stockholm's Royal Chapel today . Romance: British-born financier Mr O'Neill smiles as he places the wedding ring on Princess Madeleine's finger in the Royal Palace today . Newlyweds: Princess Madeleine and her new husband Chris O'Neill looked the picture of happiness as they appeared on the balcony at the Royal Palace following today's ceremony . Joy: The happy couple waved to the crowds gathered in the Swedish capital to wish Princess Madeleine and her groom well . Blue-blooded Europe mingled with Manhattan's elite and a sprinkling of pop aristocracy as the couple exchanged vows in the lavish ceremony. Mr O'Neill, 38, appeared to be . fighting back tears as the princess walked down the aisle with her . father at the Royal Palace in the capital. Among the high-profile guests in the chapel were . Duran Duran's John Taylor, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, Karl-Johan Persson . - the chief executive of fashion company Hennes & Mauritz . (H&M), and Roxette stars Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson. Radiant: The royal bride turned to legendary couturier Valentino for her wedding gown, which featured silk organdies, ivory Chantilly lace and a four-metre train . Joining the family: From right, Sweden's King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria with her baby daughter Princess Estelle, Prince Daniel and Prince Carl Philip look on as the couple exchange vows . Man and wife: The newly married couple emerge from the chapel to wave to the crowds watched by a row of musicians . The couple met after Princess Madeleine fled to the U.S. in 2010 with a broken heart. She . crossed the Atlantic following the breakdown of her first engagement to . Swedish attorney Jonas Bergstrom amid speculation that he had cheated . on her. But the radiant . princess - and fourth in line to the Swedish throne - got her happy . ending in the Royal Palace today, watched by a glittering congregation. A happy day: The newlyweds share a kiss in front of waiting crowds following their sumptuous nuptials . Start of a life together: They turn their back on the adoring crowds to go off and do some adoring of their own . Glimmering: Line shines through Princess Madeleine's dress, which was made from silk organdies with applications of ivory Chantilly lace by master couturier Valentino . Life of a royal personage: The newly married couple are taken by horse and carriage from the Royal Palace of Stockholm to Riddarholmen after their wedding ceremony . Pomp and ceremony: Soldiers in full ceremonial dress line their route as they travel along Stockholm's streets . Hi there! Princess Madeleine and Mr O'Neill wave to onlookers as they travel to the next stage of their celebrations . Madeleine's . showstopping wedding gown - made from silk organdies with applications . of ivory Chantilly lace - was created by master couturier Valentino. Small vertical pleats at the waist opened into a full skirt with a flowing, four-metre train. The . princess' six-metre long cathedral veil was also made from silk . organdies, edged with tulle and embellished with Chantilly lace flowers. Madeleine wore her hair swept back from her face in a simple yet elegant style. The low bun was held in place by her royal tiara, which was decorated with a delicate garland of fresh orange blossoms. Elite guest list: The British Royal Family were represented by the Earl and Countess of Wessex, left, today, while Princess Charlene of Monaco was also in the pews . Society wedding: Women in floor-length gowns and men dressed in white tie arrived at the Royal Chapel in Stockholm, Sweden, ahead of Princess Madeleine's wedding to New York banker Chris O'Neill . Greek royals: Princess Theodora and Prince Philippos, left, and Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos, all of Greece, were among the royals milling in the sunshine ahead of today's ceremony in the Swedish capital . Anticipation: Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of the H&M chain of stores, and his wife Leonie were representing the fashion world at the society wedding today . Guests enjoyed hymns in Swedish and English during the wedding, along with performances from Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson and Broadway's Phanton of the Opera star Peter Joback. Smiling Princess Madeleine read her wedding vows in Swedish, while Mr O'Neil delivered his in English. The financier is a partner and head of research at Noster Capital, a hedge fund with offices in London and New York. The couple announced their engagement in October 2012. Eclectic mix: Duran Duran's John Taylor and his wife Gela Nash (left) added a sprinkling of pop aristocracy to a guest list made up of Europe's elite, including Sofia Hellqvist (right), the girlfriend of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, who chose a simple yet striking lavender gown . Elegant: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, left, wore a floor length column dress in pale pink, while Charlene of Monaco wore a chocolate brown gown with a sheer shawl . International arrivals: Princess Mary of Denmark, in a vibrant pink lace gown, accompanied by her husband Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at Sweden's royal wedding . Happy day: Queen Silvia of Sweden was escorted into the ceremony by her son Prince Carl Philip, left, while Norwegian royals Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Hakkon smiled for the cameras as they filed into the chapel . Let's party: Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of . Wessex, Prince Edward, Earl of . Wessex, and Princess Charlene of Monaco leave for Drottningholm Palace after the wedding . Their wedding celebrations began last night with a private dinner at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm hosted by the king and queen. Following today's ceremony a reception will be held at Stockholm's Drottningholm Palace, the royal family's private residence. The princess, who is also known as the Duchess of Halsingland and Gastrikland, is the fourth in line to the Swedish throne. She lives in New York where she works for the World Childhood Foundation, a non-profit group founded by her mother. Mr O'Neill will not hold a title after the wedding as he has elected to remain a private citizen and not be granted royal rank. Madeleine became known as Sweden's party princess during her early 20s, when she was frequently spotted at Stockholm's high-end nightclubs. Countless column inches were also devoted to Madeleine's stylish wardrobe and glamorous lifestyle.
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Bride, 30, was stunning in a flowing Valentino gown with a glittering tiara and cathedral veil .
Earl and Countess of Wessex and Princess Charlene of Monaco among royals in the congregation .
Princess Madeleine, the fourth in line to Swedish throne, wed British-born Chris O'Neill in Stockholm's Royal Palace .
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By . Leesa Smith . Are you qualified to address both the 'shocks and stresses that weaken the fabric' of Melbourne on a day to day basis? If so, the position of the Chief Resilience Officer could be just the job for you at a total employment package of $236,544 per annum on a two-year contract. To be paid more than three times the average wage in Australia, you will need to establish a vision and drive the resilience conversation in the city, and also implement the resilience strategy across metropolitan Melbourne by working with relevant Victorian agencies. Melbourne is hiring a Chief Resilience Officer for $236,544 a year - more than three times the average Australian wage . If you’re still unclear on what is required of you in the role – you must have excellent leadership skills, the ability to engage positively with a wide range of stakeholders, and a broad background encompassing social, community, corporate, financial and project management abilities and understanding. The Rockefeller Foundation launched the 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge in 2013 for those cities to ‘better address the increasing shocks and stresses of the 21st century’. Melbourne is one of the initial 33 cities chosen across the globe, and the only one in Australia, selected by judges with unique expertise on tools and strategies that make a city 'better prepared to face natural and man-made disaster'. The Rockefeller Foundation, which has promoted the well being of humanity throughout the world for more than 100 years, supplies the funding for the position in each city and provides the support to develop and deliver a resilience strategy. If you’re still not sold on the City Of Melbourne role - it has been plugged as a ‘Unique Australian opportunity’ in ‘The World’s Most Liveable City’. The role requires you to establish a vision and drive the resilience conversation in the city, and also implement the resilience strategy across metropolitan Melbourne . As the officer you will also build 'excitement' about creating a resilient city . As the officer you will also build 'excitement' about creating a resilient city and ensure active and inclusive public engagement throughout the process. Melbourne hosted an agenda setting workshop on April 1 with more than 50 senior attendees from the state and local government, energy distributors, emergency service organisations, water authorities, not for profit organisations and transport companies. The outcomes included enhanced engagement of stakeholders and identification of success factors and possible focus areas for Melbourne.
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A role for a Chief Resilience Officer is paying $236,544 per annum on a two-year contract in Melbourne .
The position pays more than three times the average wage in Australia .
The Rockefeller Foundation, that promotes the well being of humanity throughout the world, is funding the job .
The officer is required to build excitement about creating a resilient city .
Melbourne was chosen as one 33 cities chosen across the globe, and the only one in Australia .
Judges selected cities with unique expertise on tools and strategies that make a city 'better prepared to face natural and man-made disaster'
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Special delivery: Angus McDonagh claims he has sent letters all over the world for free by making his own DIY stamps . An architect has been sending letters for free using DIY stamps featuring his own face. Angus McDonagh, 64, claims he has duped Royal Mail with over a hundred of his bizarre designs on letters which have been posted all over the world. Many have his own face where the Queen’s traditional side profile would sit - complete with a comic eye patch or curious hat. At Christmas he created some of himself with a white Santa beard while others have used family photos. Mr McDonagh, an architect who describes himself an ‘anarchist philatelist’, began his personal freepost system three years ago in protest at bland stamp design. He objected to what he felt was a decline in the design and detail of official Royal Mail stamps and the demise of posted letters because of email. Mr McDonagh said: 'When I started I wanted them to be deliberately silly, so I had a fake moustache or beard or eye patch, that was very obviously drawn on very crudely. 'I started it as a bit of a protest. It seemed as if stamps were disappearing due to everyone going online all the time. 'The Queen’s head, it seemed to me, was going to disappear from stamps and be replaced with lots of other images and I felt I had to act. 'I just kept going and it has become more and more farcical. It’s gone undetected for so long now it is just silly.'Mr McDonagh has created 50 individual stamp designs, printed them on his home computer and stuck them to envelopes with glue. All stamps have a fake value of 50c - his own invented currency - and are franked with a location mark by Mr McDonagh before he posts them. He makes special edition stamps, but instead of commemorating real life events they celebrate his own fantasy occasions such as ‘Upside Down Day’. One stamp is simply a black and white snap of him as a six-year-old boy, while another is a sweetly-posed portrait of him and partner Jo Purvis, 52. Fakes: Mr McDonagh has created 50 individual homemade stamps which include images of his own face. He claims Royal Mail staff have failed to spot his stamps are fake for more than three years . Imitations: Mr McDonagh often adds fake glasses, mustaches and hats to his DIY stamps . He has successfully sent over 100 . letters to France, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada and Italy - as well as . all over the UK - and only one has ever been detected as a counterfeit. Mr McDonagh, of Bridgwater, Somerset, claims he never meant to evade payment and has even tried to send Royal Mail a number of cheques for the total costs, but they were all returned. He said: 'I’m actually a great fan of Royal Mail. I think the local postmen in our rural community are very important people who do a great job. 'But Royal Mail has been sold for many billions of pounds when it seems to me that the system in place just doesn’t work. 'I have records of everything I have sent with my own stamps. 'The critical thing is I have never intended to defraud the Post Office from any money. Retaliation: Mr McDonagh claims he began making his own stamps in protest against the decline of official Royal Mail stamps and the demise of posted letters . DIY: Mr McDonagh, an architect, has designed all the stamps himself on his home computer . 'My solicitor has sent a few cheques for around £200 with a letter saying it is for unpaid postage, but they are always returned.' Mr McDonagh has now self-published a book about his creations - to highlight the flawed system - called ‘Anarchist Philatelist’, which is available from www.blurb.com for £40 or £4.99 for the iPad edition. The Royal Mail today confirmed they were investigating his claims. A spokeswoman said: 'We would like to make it clear that it is a crime to create or use counterfeit stamps. 'We will take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of stamps on behalf of the 29 million households and businesses we are honoured to serve.' Documented: Mr McDonagh has self-published a book about his stamp creations called 'Anarchist Philatelist'
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Angus McDonagh has created 50 individual stamp designs over three years .
They include images of his face with an eye patch and a Santa hat .
He claims Royal Mail staff have failed to notice the stamps are fake and his letters have been sent for free all over the world .
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(CNN) -- A man was fatally wounded when his 4-year-old son fired a gun he found while they were visiting a residence in Prescott Valley, Arizona, officials said. Justin Stanfield Thomas, 35, and his son made an unannounced trip Friday to the home of an unidentified former roommate, police said. Thomas had previously lived in the residence, according to investigators. "This appears to be an accident. There was no conflict in the stories of those in the house," said Prescott Valley Police Sgt. Brandon Bonney. "The resident didn't know his former roommate was stopping by to visit." Moments after arriving at the home, the boy picked up the small-caliber handgun and asked his father and other adults in the room what it was he was holding, said Bonney. When and how do parents educate children about guns? Seconds later he pulled the trigger. Officers and emergency crews arrived and found Thomas, of Phoenix, with a single gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Kids and guns: 'These are not isolated tragedies' Acknowledging it appears to have been a tragic accident, Bonney cautioned gun owners . "We want to remind people without making a villain of this person, that if a child is visiting your home, the first thing to do would be put the firearm away." No charges were anticipated because the incident was an accident, Bonney told CNN. 5-year-old Kentucky boy fatally shoots 2-year-old sister .
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Father, boy were visiting Prescott Valley, Arizona .
Former roommate did not know they were coming .
Boy, 4, picked up handgun, opened fire .
Dad is fatally wounded in accident .
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f8cd29c82fb37e4561969e09ab5cf993aac1aa0a
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A U.S. Border Patrol agent has shot and killed an apparently undocumented migrant who allegedly threw rocks at the agent, striking his face, on the California-Mexico border near San Diego, authorities said. A social justice advocacy group on Wednesday criticized the Border Patrol's use of deadly force in the Tuesday incident, saying there's a disturbing trend of Border Patrol "killings of rock throwers, some of whom were teenagers and some whom were U.S. citizens" on the U.S.-Mexico border, said Andrea Guerrero, executive director of Alliance San Diego. The Border Patrol declined to comment directly on this week's incident, which is under investigation by local authorities, but in the past, the agency has highlighted how agents are seriously injured in rock-throwing incidents and resort to lethal force to protect themselves. Guerrero said, however, some police experts advise using nonlethal force such as pepper-ball guns to respond to rock throwings. "Border agents should adhere to best policing practices and only use lethal force as a last resort, not the only resort," Guerrero said. In the San Diego sector on the U.S.-Mexico border, the Border Patrol has recorded more than 400 assaults, including rock throwings, on agents since 2010. The numbers have fluctuated in recent years, from 130 assaults in 2010, 77 in 2011, 133 in 2012 to 73 in 2013, according to the agency's statistics. Names of the agent and the apparently undocumented migrant in this week's deadly encounter haven't been released by authorities. Rock-throwing incidents have been controversial on the U.S.-Mexico border, particularly when Mexicans have thrown projectiles from the Mexico side of the international line toward Border Patrol agents on the U.S. side. In some cases, U.S. Border Patrol agents have fired their guns at the rock throwers on the Mexico side of the border, killing the rock thrower. Mexican officials have condemned the Border Patrol's use of lethal force as excessive. The U.S. Border Patrol said the incident occurred in a rugged section of the Otay Mountains near San Diego where the agent was trying to arrest several immigrants who crossed the border illegally. "During the attack the agent was struck in the head with a rock," the Border Patrol said in a statement. "Fearing for his life the agent discharged his service issued weapon resulting in the death of one assailant." Two other undocumented migrants were arrested and in custody, the agency said. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the killing, said in its account that two Border Patrol agents were trying to detain a group of suspected undocumented migrants in rugged terrain in the mountain's White Cross area about four mile east of the Otay Mesa border crossing. "The two agents were out of sight of each other when one of the agents was struck in the face by a rock thrown by one of the suspects," Lt. Glenn Giannantonio said in a statement. "Fearing for his safety, the agent fired his duty pistol at the man, striking him. The man was pronounced dead at the scene." The border patrol agent who fired his service weapon suffered minor injuries, the sheriff's homicide unit said.
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A Border Patrol agent shoots an apparently undocumented migrant near San Diego .
The agent was trying to detain the migrant, who threw rocks, striking agent's face .
A social justice group decries the trend of Border Patrol shootings toward rock throwers .
The migrant died at the scene .
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(CNN) -- On Tuesday, the Congressional Budget Office added another reason to drop the politics and get down to the hard work of health care reform. The nonpartisan organization released a report that finds the cost of repealing the reform will balloon government deficits by $109 billion between 2013 and 2022. The CBO's report reveals the practical hurdles to repeal and underscores a growing pattern in which the key stakeholders -- states, medical providers, businesses, insurers and consumer groups -- are moving beyond the partisan squabble to the no-nonsense work of building the market place of 2014, where everyone will be able to purchase affordable insurance regardless of pre-existing conditions. Doctors, hospitals, insurers and employers are, of course, bargaining to improve their specific stakes. They harbor reservations and uncertainties, but their general approach is "mend it, not end it." The medical providers welcome relief from the crushing burden of uncompensated care and from the immorality of leaving the ill without adequate care owing to patients' inability to pay. Insurers look forward to new customers and to a new public conversation that spotlights the broader causes of high medical costs rather than blaming insurers alone. Large employers are nervous about rising costs but are generally more concerned about moderating the rate of growth and ending a system that often shifts costs to them in the financial burden of caring for the uninsured. A series of developments reveals the growing gap between the new reality on the ground and the lingering efforts of those who want to refight battles and repeal the law that the Supreme Court declared constitutional in June. Texas Gov. Rick Perry called Medicaid -- the program for the indigent -- the "Titanic" because he didn't believe it was feasible or would prove seaworthy. Meanwhile, private business checked their bottom line and readily saw the new opportunities. Our nation's second-largest insurer, WellPoint, paid $4.9 billion in cash to purchase another insurance company, Amerigroup, to dramatically expand its ability to service the expanding number of people in Medicaid. Wall Street is doubling down on insurers who do Medicaid business because of their confidence in the Medicaid expansion. As repealers complain, the marketplace created 89 new accountable care organizations, which were formed in 40 states to deliver more cost-effective care to more than 1 million people by July 1. With great fanfare, House Republicans held a hearing earlier this month to profile how health reform interferes with patient care. There's one problem: They are unable to feature the leading voices of patient care -- the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association -- because those organizations support reform as good for patients. And then, of course, we have the voters. Only about a fifth push for full repeal. And many Americans, including rank-and-file Republicans, support new protections against insurers who turn away customers with pre-existing conditions or terminate policies when the costs of care pass annual limits. Even if Republicans won the White House and congressional majorities in November, the frustrating legislative trapdoors that slowed and nearly killed health reform in 2009 and 2010 will likely remain hurdles to repeal. The reluctance of stakeholders, states and voters will stir consternation, delay and deadlock. The growing talk among Republicans of what would replace "repeal" is an early indicator of the changes afoot. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently offered a dose of reality to calm repeal fever when he counseled that "it's a lot harder to undo something than it is to stop it in the first place." Mitt Romney's position may be the most revealing. Against driving hailstorms from those favoring repeal, he has continued to support his reform in Massachusetts because he knows where stakeholders stand. While he won't force states to implement his or the national reforms (he says he'd like to repeal the Affordable Care Act), his continued support for the Massachusetts reform will make it very difficult for him to deny other states the same opportunity that President George W. Bush gave him. Reform of America's health care system is under way, reconfiguring how care is provided and paid for. It is time to shift from symbolism and theatrics to the details of improving the transition that is occurring. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Joel Ario and Lawrence R. Jacobs.
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Joel Ario, Lawrence Jacobs: Cost of repealing health care reform will increase deficits .
Key stakeholders are starting to build the new health market place, they say .
States, medical providers, businesses, insurers and consumers embrace reform .
Ario, Jacobs: It's time to put aside politics and embrace the new health care system .
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By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:22 EST, 21 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:27 EST, 21 May 2013 . One volunteer celebrated winning an award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in quite an unusual way today. Tim Wilkinson was so ecstatic that Trailfinders Australian Garden won the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Best in Show award that he celebrated by stripping off and jumping into a nearby water feature. Tim went where no man has gone before by streaking through the gold-standard garden - and his team seemed to be encouraging him to take the plunge. Taking the plunge: Tim Wilkinson was so ecstatic that Trailfinders Australian Garden won the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Best in Show award that he celebrated by stripping off and jumping into a nearby water feature . That's one way to celebrate: Volenteer Tim Wilkinson showed off the teams award in the water . And it comes as no surprise that he was in such good spirits. This is the ninth year for the . Trailfinders-sponsored garden but the first year it has won Best in Show. It . took a staggering 17 days and over 2,500 people hours to build. Celebrations all round: Director of Fleming's nurseries Wes Fleming (black coat), Garden Designer Phillip Johnson (checked shirt) join volenteers in celebrating the Trailfinders Australian Garden winning the gold medal . Jumping for joy: This is the ninth year for the Trailfinders-sponsored garden but the first it has won Best in Show . Fleming’s Nurseries . and the Victoria State Government sponsored the garden, which included native Australian plants including kangaroo paws and bottle trees. Whether of not the monarch was treated to the sight of the streaking man is currently unconfirmed. Not long before the streaking incident unfolded, the Queen was shown the Trailfinders Australian garden and admired an . imposing pine and aluminium studio made in the shape of the Australian . national flower, the waratah, which towered above the plants. The chamber, reached by a spiral staircase, was designed specifically with the Queen - and in particular, her height - in mind. The team: Fleming's Nurseries and the Victorian State Government sponsored the garden, which included native Australian plants including kangaroo paws and bottle trees featured . Urban jungle: Designed by Philip Johnson of Philip Johnson Landscapes, it aimed to show the possibilities of sustainable landscaping within an urban setting and clearly did just that with much success . If . she were to stand in the middle, the wooden petals would come out of . her line of vision, giving her an uninterrupted view of the Australian . native plants below. However the 87-year-old royal did not try this and made do with standing at ground level and looking up at it. Designed by Philip Johnson of Philip Johnson Landscapes, it aimed to show the possibilities of sustainable landscaping within an urban setting and clearly did just that with much success. Johnson described being involved as 'a dream come true.' He said: 'Winning an award among contemporaries of this calibre is absolutely mind-blowing. We couldn't be more proud of what we have achieved, it's been an incredible experience.' For her majesty: It is unclear whether she witnessed the streaking man but the chamber, reached by a spiral staircase, was designed specifically with the Queen - and in particular, her height - in mind . Ecstatic: The team celebrated the garden, which took a staggering seventeen days and over 2,500 people hours to build .
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Tim Wilkinson is volunteer for Trailfinders Australian Garden .
They won the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Best in Show award .
He stripped and jumped into water feature as onlookers cheered .
Ninth year for the .
Trailfinders garden but first it has won Best in Show .
Queen had visited garden moments earlier .
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At least eight people came down with listeria -- and one of them died -- after, authorities believe, eating "Hispanic-style cheese." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported the outbreak, which has affected people only of Hispanic descent and living in California or Maryland. Three babies were among those infected, while the other five were adults, including two women who had recently given birth. The illnesses date back to between August 1 and November 27, 2013. Seven cases -- all in Maryland -- ended up being hospitalized, with the lone death occurring in sole California case, according to the CDC. The age of the person who died was not given. Earlier this month, health inspectors in Virginia found listeria monocytogenes bacteria in a sample of Cuajada en Terron, or fresh cheese curd, on sale in clear, unlabeled plastic bags at a Mega Mart in Manassas. This was traced to Roos Foods, a company based in Kenton, Delaware. Virginia authorities said at that time there were no known sicknesses in the state tied to that cheese. What you need to know about listeria . A few days later, Maryland authorities' tests of pre-packaged cheese products produced by Roos Foods also came back positive for listeria. That state's health and mental hygiene department warned people not to buy or consume any products from that company sold under brand names Santa Rosa de Lima, Amigo, Mexicana, Suyapa, La Chapina and La Purisima Crema Nica. Older adults, pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to listeriosis, according to the CDC. It typically spreads through the consumption of contaminated foods such as uncooked meats and vegetables, unpasteurized milk and cheeses, and cooked and processed foods such as certain soft cheeses, ready-to-eat meats and smoked seafoods. Newborns can develop it if their mothers ate such tainted foods while pregnant. A person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, according to the CDC. They might also have headaches, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. The public health agency says that about 1,600 people fall ill and 260 die each year in the United States from this ailment. A call placed Friday by CNN to Roos Foods wasn't immediately returned. According to its website, Roos is "a family-owned business ... dedicated to the production of a wide variety of dairy products of Latin origin." How to protect yourself from food poisoning .
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8 people got sick last summer, fall with listeria in Maryland, California .
3 were adults, 3 were babies and 2 were new mothers, the CDC says .
Authorities tie the illnesses to "Hispanic-style cheese"
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A prolonged undersea search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could cost nearly a quarter of a billion U.S. dollars if private companies are used, Australia's top transport official said Thursday. Martin Dolan emphasized that the $234 million price tag is a "ballpark rough estimate" of an extended search and salvage mission that includes an underwater vehicle. The Bluefin-21 is back at work Friday morning on a fifth trip into the southern Indian Ocean. Authorities said the vessel has scanned a total of 110 square kilometers (42.5 square miles) without making any "contacts of interest." Searchers seem to be preparing for the possibility that an underwater drone scan of the ocean may not yield debris from the plane immediately. Malaysia's acting transport minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, said that authorities are looking at deploying more unmanned underwater probes. Officials might consider searching along a large portion of sea highlighted by a partial digital "handshake" between the jetliner and an Inmarsat PLC satellite, Dolan said. That arc of sea is over 370 miles long and 30 miles wide. Underwater search . Officials didn't indicate whether Bluefin's fourth mission was a lengthy one. The Bluefin was forced to abort its mission twice this week; the first time after it exceeded its original depth limit and the second time over a technical issue. After the latter was resolved, officials dipped it into the ocean again. Phoenix International Holdings, which owns and operates the equipment under a contract for the U.S. Navy, called the third dive "very productive," saying that the underwater drone spent nearly 13 hours at the sea bottom. But after four dives, "there has been no debris or aircraft wreckage discovered," the company said. The underwater vessel takes two hours to get near the ocean floor and another two hours to return to the surface. It aims to map the ocean floor for 16 hours to retrieve data, which then take four hours to analyze. The vessel searches maximum depths of 4,500 meters (14,764 feet). The U.S. Navy has determined the seafloor in the search area reaches a maximum depth of 4,600 meters (15,092 feet). Bluefin operators said they can reprogram it to operate at 5,000 meters (16,404 feet), giving it more leeway. New setbacks . Officials believe a recent ping heard in the search area has the right frequency to belong to the flight data recorder's emergency beacon. The quality of the "ping" led authorities to focus the underwater search in the area. And as the underwater focus continues, officials faced other setbacks. A preliminary analysis of an oil sample collected in the ocean shows that it is not aircraft engine oil or hydraulic fluid, Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Centre said Thursday. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished on March 8 with 239 people aboard after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, bound for Beijing. With no debris found so far and no possible pings from the plane's "black boxes" detected in a week, officials shifted the focus of the search underwater.
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Malaysian official raises the possibility of more underwater search vehicles .
Underwater probe heads out for fifth mission, no 'contacts of interest' yet .
Bluefin-21 has covered 110 square kilometers in four trips .
A preliminary analysis of an oil sample shows that it is not aircraft engine oil .
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An MIT-educated neuroscientist terrorist known as 'Lady al Qaeda' was named on a 'laundry list' of demands from ISIS captors holding James Foley named, it was revealed today. Petite mother-of-three Aafia Siddiqui is currently serving 86 years in a Texas jail after being arrested with plans for a 'mass casualty attack' in the US, including infecting people with Ebola and a dirty bomb. But President Barack Obama's administration point blank refused to consider releasing Siddiqui, or handing over a $132 million ransom, according to the New York Times. Scroll down for video . Lady Al Qeada: Aafia Siddiqui is currently serving 86 years in a Texas jail after being arrested with plans for a 'mass casualty attack' in the US, including infecting people with Ebola and a dirty bomb. She was named by Foley's captors on a 'laundry list' as the person they wanted in a prisoner swap . Hunted: Mother-of-three Siddiqui, who is 5 ft. 4 in. and weighs just 90 lb, was on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist list after 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed mentioned her name during his 2003 interrogation . Karachi-born Siddiqui, 42, attended two New England universities. She gained a PhD from Brandeis and then trained as a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She founded the Institute of Islamic Research and Teaching while living in the U.S. Mother-of-three Siddiqui, who is 5 ft. 4 in. and weighs just 90 lb, was on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist list after 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed mentioned her name during his 2003 interrogation. Siddiqui, who is divorced from her first husband is now married to Ammar al-Baluchi, one of the 9/11 masterminds, who is currently being held in Guantanamo. He is the nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Burqa-clad Siddiqui was arrested in Ghanzi, Afghanistan in 2008 after a local saw her poring over a map. He became suspicious as most women in that country are illiterate. When she was held she had detailed plans on how to kill by spreading Ebola, making a dirty bomb and even a theoretical chemical weapon that somehow spared children while killing adults. She also had two pounds of highly toxic sodium cyanide hidden in her bag and documents detailing potential New York targets for attack including Wall Street, the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and the subway system. The documents also showed the Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Long Island Sound, New York - which was used for biological weapons testing during the Cold War - as another potential target. During interrogation the day after her arrest she grabbed a rifle that had been left on a table and started shooting at her questioners. She failed to hit them but she was shot in the stomach as they returned fire. Author Deborah Scroggins, who wrote a book about Siddiqui, calls her the 'poster child for jihadists around the world.' 'I doesn't surprise me that ISIS should call for her release, even though she is associated with al-Qaeda, because they want to take over al-Qaeda's mantle,' she told MailOnline. 'What better way to establish your bona fides than to exchange a prisoner for the jihadist's icon?' Scroggins, whose book, Wanted Women: Faith, Lies, and the War on Terror was published in 2012, points out that Siddiqui received an 86-year jail sentence despite never harming anyone, and it has never been fully explained whether her plans were realistic or just in her head. Demands: Obama refused to negotiate with the terrorists over Foley's release - in stark contrast to suspected deserter Bowe Bergdahl who was released to huge controversy in exchange for five Taliban prisoners . Siddiqui was only charged with two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and three counts of assault. She was brought to the U.S. for trial which lasted for 14 days in January and February 2010. 'She was only tried for firing a gun at U.S. personnel overseas and Congress had just passed a law, going back to the attacks on the embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam, that said anyone trying to kill U.S. personnel would get special strict sentencing,' said Scroggins. During her trial she said she loved both the United States and Islam. Her lawyers pleaded for leniency due to mental issues, but she said: 'I am not paranoid. I do not agree with that.' 'I do not want any bloodshed. I do not want any misunderstanding. I really want to make peace and end the wars,' she said during her trial. Siddiqui - prisoner number 90279-054 - is currently held in the Federal Medical Center in Carswell, Texas, which specializes in treating inmates with mental health issues. She is not due for release until August 8, 2083. Scroggins added: 'She is definitely closely involved with the highest levels of al-Qaeda, but the fact is she has never been convicted of killing or injuring anyone, but she has become a cause celebre in the jihadist movement.' Her 86-year sentence, imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, led to violent protests in her home country of Pakistan. Thousands of protestors burned tires in Lahore, and police had to fire teargas to quell riots in her hometown of Karachi. Failed rescue: Obama authorized instead a daring mission to snatch back Foley and his fellow captives on July 4. But after a firefight, special forces realized the hostages were not there . Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani called Siddiqui 'the daughter of the nation' and begged U.S. authorities to release her. While Obama did swap five Taliban prisoners in exchange for suspected deserter Bowe Bergdahl, who was freed on May 31 to huge controversy,Obama authorized a daring rescue mission over the July 4 weekend that failed in the Syrian desert. At least five ISIS militants were killed and one American soldier was wounded as the raid failed because the terrorists had moved Foley and other hostages including Miami journalist Steven Sotloff away from the base in Syria's northern Raqqa province. Scroggins said the question of whether Siddiqui's release would be a real threat is doubtful. 'But exchanging her would have been a PR disaster for the Obama administration.' She pointed out that the prisoners released in exchange for Bergdahl had not been convicted and tried in a U.S. court as Siddiqui was. Her release would certainly have been perceived as a tremendous victory for the jihadist forces,' said Scroggins.
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ISIS sent 'laundry list' of demands for release of James Foley .
Before ransom rose to $132m, ISIS wanted release of Afia Siddiqui among other prisoners .
Mother-of-three was jailed after she was caught with plans for 'mass casualty attack' and details of New York landmarks .
Author describes her as a 'poster girl for jihadists' and her release would have been PR disaster for Obama .
In her handbag was found details for a dirty bomb, Ebola, and a theoretical chemical weapon that did not kill children, her New York trial was told .
Government refused to enter into negotiation with his captors and launched failed rescue attempt instead - in contrast to the Bowe Bergdahl swap .
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Criticism: Nick Robinson, pictured outside 10 Downing Street, said BBC executives feared uncensored debate . The BBC made a ‘terrible mistake’ by not reflecting the public’s concerns about immigration, its political editor has admitted. Nick Robinson said that during Labour’s years in government, BBC executives feared an uncensored debate about the issue would stoke racism. As a result, viewers’ concerns about pressure on jobs and wages, and cultural tensions were not aired as the BBC ‘had decided these are not acceptable views – and that was a terrible mistake’. Claiming that attitudes have changed, Mr Robinson was speaking ahead of tomorrow’s screening of his documentary The Truth About Immigration, which is set to reveal new data about the scale of public concerns. However, amid debate over the lifting of controls this month on Romanians and Bulgarians coming to settle in Britain, critics say the BBC still has some way to go. As recently as November, the broadcaster was giving uncritical blanket coverage to a report about the economic benefits of immigration that was dismissed as ‘fatally flawed’ by Mervyn Stone, one of the country’s most senior statisticians. Sir Andrew Green, of the think-tank Migration Watch, said: ‘Nick Robinson is right – the BBC has a lot to answer for. ‘They were largely silent as immigration rose from 50,000 a year to 250,000 a year under the previous government and as net foreign migration reached nearly 4million. ‘Their coverage has improved a little in the face of overwhelming public opinion, which many of them seem to despise.’ Mr Robinson said in interviews at the weekend that the public ‘deserve the truth because although immigration has been top of the political agenda, the real debate about it has scarcely begun’. Controversial: Mr Robinson said that whether to allowi BNP leader Nick Griffin on Question Time caused 'huge argument' In the run-up to eight Eastern European countries joining the EU in the early 2000s, BBC managers ‘feared having a conversation about immigration’ as they believed it would ‘unleash some terrible side of the British public’. Mr Robinson said: ‘The same people who said you couldn’t have [British National Party leader] Nick Griffin on Question Time said: “Don’t talk about this. Do you know what you’re going to unleash? Do you know the horrors that are going to come?” ‘There was huge argument within the BBC about that.’ He said his documentary would go through the ‘mistakes and miscalculations’ about immigration numbers made by the Labour government. Fear: Mr Robinson said that ever since Enoch Powell (pictured) gave his infamous 'Rivers of Blood' speech in 1968, the BBC has shied away from discussing immigration . Accusing the BBC of being ‘too slow to recognise and reflect the concern, dislocation and anger felt by many’, he said: ‘We worried too much about airing views that might offend some viewers and listeners and not enough by the offence caused to people who did not hear their own concerns reflected on air. That, I am happy to say, has now changed.’ Mr Robinson said the country was beginning to have an honest discussion about immigration, and the fact that it might result in greater competition for jobs, housing and school places, while also benefiting the economy as a whole. In the same interview, Mr Robinson did not deny that there was rivalry between him and Robert Peston, the BBC’s economics editor. ‘We’re not mates,’ he said. ‘He’s not part of my social circle. Are we fairly assertive individuals? Yes, probably – removing the word “fairly”.’ Former Tory Cabinet minister Michael Portillo, a regular BBC contributor, said: ‘The BBC has failed in the immigration debate over a 40-year period. ‘Ever since the Enoch Powell speech [about immigration in 1968], there has been such a fear that immigration equals racism that the BBC and other outlets have banished reporting the full facts for fear of stoking racism.’ In an interview in 2011, the BBC’s former director-general Mark Thompson admitted that there had been ‘some years’ when the broadcaster was ‘very reticent about talking about immigration’. He added: ‘There was an anxiety about whether or not you might be playing into a political agenda if you did items on immigration.’
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Mr Robinson said BBC executives were afraid of uncensored debate .
He said the Corporation decided some concerns were 'not acceptable'
But the political journalist claimed that attitudes have now changed .
He spoke ahead of his new documentary, The Truth About Immigration .
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Three men have been arrested on suspicion of supplying the dangerous batch of 'Superman' ecstasy pills - as the drug claims its fourth life. Police confirmed they detained a 19-year-old man, a 20-year-old man and a 26-year-old man last night on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs. All three men are from Ipswich, Suffolk, and remain in police custody at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre awaiting questioning. Scroll down for video . Labourer, John Hocking, 20, (left) died yesterday after taking the drug while Lithuanian factory worker, Justas Ropas, was found dead on Christmas Eve at the house he shares with friends in Ipswich . Four deaths have so far been linked to the rogue batch - three of which were all in Suffolk. The first victim, 22-year-old Lithuanian factory worker Justas Ropas, who was also known as Justin, collapsed and died at his home in Ipswich on Christmas Eve. While John Hocking, 20, from Rendlesham, Suffolk, Gediminas Kulokas, 24, from Ipswich, and Daniel Bagnall, 27, from Telford in Shropshire, died within hours of each other on New Year's Day. All are believed to have taken one or more of a deadly batch of triangular red pills embossed with the Superman ‘S’ logo. It comes as the girlfriend of one of the victims said anyone who takes the drug must have a 'death wish'. Natasha Mumby tried desperately to resuscitate her partner, Gediminas Kulokas, who died at their home in the county following a night of celebrations. Another man – a friend of the couple who is also believed to have taken pills from a batch of ecstasy tablets marked with a ‘Superman’ logo – remained in hospital last night. Suffolk Police yesterday took the unprecedented move of offering an amnesty to anyone who hands in the tablets, as they desperately attempt to get them off the streets and trace the dealers. Heartbroken Miss Mumby, 30, said last night that her boyfriend, a labourer originally from Lithuania, was not a regular drug user. The pills are described as red and triangular with a Superman logo printed on them (pictured) He had stayed up late partying at their flat to celebrate his 24th birthday and New Year’s Eve. She said: ‘I went to bed at 2am and woke up a few times because him and his friend were making a bit of noise. I had no idea that they had been taking drugs. ‘Every time I got up to tell them to keep quiet, they were looking the worse for wear. His friend popped out and when I checked on Gediminas, he was breathing in a funny way. I propped him up and went back to bed. ‘I then came back in the lounge because he was not making the breathing noise any more.’ She dialled 999 at around 9.40am on New Year’s Day and took advice over the phone on how to try to resuscitate her boyfriend. A tearful Miss Mumby, a recruitment agency manager, said: ‘Then the ambulances and the helicopter came along. They tried and tried to save him. At one point they got his heartbeat back and then it went again.’ She added: ‘He was in good health, went to the gym and ate well. He was a wonderful person who was always helping people.’ Mr Kulokas was pronounced dead at 10.10am. His girlfriend said she wanted his story to serve as a warning to others to avoid drugs. ‘If anyone else was thinking of taking them, I would say, “If you have got that pill in your hand, you either live or die”,’ she said. ‘Drugs are a death wish. Just don’t do it, because you will hurt yourself, your family and your friends. Life is just too short.’ Justas Ropas, also known as Justin, worked in a DVD factory in the Suffolk town and was found dead on Decemeber 24 . Suffolk Police said the drugs are similar to some found in the Netherlands which contained a very high amount of the substance PMMA. This gives the pills a delayed effect and users often overdose accidentally because they think the drug is not working, leading to a fatal rise in body temperature. Labourer Mr Hocking died around three hours before Mr Kulokas at his home 13 miles away. Mr Bagnall, the only victim outside Ipswich and the surrounding area, was found dead at a house in Telford at 1.45pm on New Year’s Day. It is believed he had taken an ecstasy tablet from the same batch as the men in Suffolk. Ipswich Conservative MP Ben Gummer said last night: ‘It’s very sad indeed ... if you are buying drugs you are never going to be sure about where they come from.’ Police believe the men, who were all in their twenties, may have been involved with the drug after emergency services were called to three addresses across Ipswich in the space of one week (pictured) It is believed John Hocking had been with friends who lived at the house in Rendlesham on New Year's Eve . A spokesman for Suffolk Police said this is the first time they have come across pills matching this description. The force has drawn a link between these drugs and dangerous pills with a similar appearance which were in circulation in the Netherlands last month. Those tablets had a large concentration of PMMA, which acts more slowly than MDMA, the main component of ecstasy. This causes people to take more pills because they think they are not working. PMMA can cause high body temperature and an increased heart rate. There are also concerns the pills could be linked to 120,000 similar ones seized in Ireland last month. Police say the drugs may also be in a round shape with the 'S' Superman logo embossed on them (pictured) Chief Inspector Steve Denham said: 'As well as it being illegal to sell and buy drugs, it can also be very dangerous as we have sadly seen with these tragic deaths. 'We would urge everyone not to be tempted to take illegal drugs - you don't know where they have come from, what they are made up of, or how your body will react to them. 'If you have been offered drugs in the Ipswich area over the past few weeks, in particular ecstasy, we'd urge you to contact us with any information so that we can find those responsible and remove these dangerous drugs from the streets.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Police detained three men aged 19, 20 and 26 in connection with drugs .
First victim was 22-year-old Lithuanian factory worker Justas Ropas .
He was found dead on Christmas Eve after taking Superman ecstasy .
John Hocking, 20, fell ill and died at house in Rendlesham yesterday .
Third man, Lithuanian Gediminas Kulokas, 24, died three hours later .
A fourth man named as Daniel Bagnall from Telford has died from drugs .
Police offered amnesty to anyone who hands in rogue ecstasy tablets .
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Thiago Silva wants Brazil to win the World Cup for Neymar - and he is confident they can do so. There was a flat feeling around Fortaleza late on Friday night as the extent of Neymar's injury began to filter through to the locals. The Brazilian Football Confederation had confirmed Neymar would miss the rest of the World Cup because of a fractured veterbra he suffered after being kneed in the back by Juan Zuniga. VIDEO . Leading the way: Thiago Silva celebrates giving Brazil the lead . On the run: Thiago beats Adrian Ramos to the ball . Their best player may be out of the World Cup, but Silva insists Brazil's dreams of lifting the trophy on home soil for the first time remain very much alive. The Brazil captain was saddened to hear of Neymar's injury, but after the match he was buoyant about his team's chances of lifting the trophy on July 13 in the Maracana.'We have proposed to win the World Cup for Neymar because of the injury he suffered,' the Paris Saint-German defender said. 'This moment could mark the start of a revolution for us. 'He hopes and expects a lot from this group, and this could unite us, it could give us more determination to win.' Crunch: Juan Camilo Zuniga clashes with Neymar . Agony: Neymar clutches his back after going down injured during Brazil's win over Colombia on Friday . Neymar may be 22-years-old but he has dragged Brazil through this tournament so far. The Barcelona forward's pace, trickery and eye for goal make him a nightmare to defend against. The former Santos man is Brazil's top scorer here, with four goals, and he also scored the crucial penalty to knock Chile out in the previous round. Bernard, a diminutive 21-year-old from Shakhtar Donetsk, and Chelsea's Willian, who played for the Ukrainians until last summer, are not in the same class as Neymar, but Silva is sure they could do a good job if called upon to face Germany in the semi-finals. Carried away: Neymar was stretchered off the pitch and taken to hospital after Brazil's quarter-final win . 'Neymar is very important for us. We depend a lot on him and he makes the difference in our group,' said Silva, who put Brazil ahead with an early strike. 'But in the place of Neymar, we can play either Willian or Bernard, who have similar characteristics. 'This is the moment to show the strength of the squad.' Zuniga apologised to Neymar after the final whistle and Silva, who used to play for AC Milan, insisted the Napoli defender did not mean to harm the forward. 'Zuniga does not have any nastiness in him. I know him from Serie A,' he said Silva. 'What he did, I think, was rash. I still have not seen the pictures, but I know that in these circumstances it was difficult to get the ball off Neymar. 'He was dominating. I am a centre-back, and I know that in situations like this one should be looked at more thoroughly.' The whole game as an ill-disciplined affair. Referee Carlos Velasco Carballo failed to maintain discipline in a full-blooded encounter at the Estadio Castelao. A total of 54 fouls were committed, one of which came when Silva pulled back Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina. That foul meant the 29-year-old will miss Tuesday's semi-final against Germany in Belo Horizonte. Colombia, meanwhile, head home wondering what might have been.Jose Pekerman's side looked down and out when David Luiz scored a stunning free-kick to put Brazil 2-0 up, but James Rodriguez converted an 80th minute penalty to cue a nervous finale. Horror: X-rays confirmed Neymar suffered a clean break in his back . Rodriguez has been just as key to Colombia as Neymar has been to Brazil at this tournament. The 22-year-old Monaco forward has scored six goals at his first World Cup, but that mattered little to him after Friday's defeat. 'We are really sad because we wanted to progress, we wanted to make history tonight,' Rodriguez said. 'This is a hungry team and that is what hurts us most - that we knew we could have progressed.'
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Neymar broke bone in his back in win over Colombia .
Thiago Silva wants to win the tournament for injured star .
Brazil to face Germany in the semi-final .
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By . Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 23:00 EST, 28 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:54 EST, 29 March 2013 . Michael Steinberg, a portfolio manager at Steven A. Cohen's $15 billion hedge fund, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at his home in New York City early on Friday morning in connection with a long-running insider-trading investigation, an FBI spokesman said. Steinberg later pleaded not guilty in federal court on charges that he traded shares of Dell Inc on insider information, sources close to the matter said on Thursday. He was released on a $3 million bail. SAC Capital suspended Steinberg from his . post in October 2012, and he has been moving among several hotels in . New York City in recent weeks, according to Reuters sources, as he . wanted to avoid being arrested at his Upper East Side home where he . lives with his wife and two children. Arrested: SAC Capital Advisors employee Michael Steinberg (right) walks out of a New York courthouse after being charged by U.S. prosecutors with engaging in insider trading . Elusive: Steinberg (center) has been moving among several hotels in New York City in recent weeks to avoid being arrested at his Upper East Side home . Steinberg's lawyer Barry Berke said in a statement to Reuters that his client had done 'absolutely nothing wrong.' 'At all times, his trading decisions were based on detailed analysis as well as information that he understood had been properly obtained through the types of channels that institutional investors rely upon on a daily basis,' Berke said. Meanwhile: Steven A. Cohen this week bought Picasso's Le Rêve for $155million as well as a Hamptons home for $60million . FBI Assistant Director George . Venizelos characterized the research used by Steinberg as 'nothing more . than well-timed tips from an extensive network of well-sourced . analysts.' 'Mr. Steinberg was at the center of an elite criminal club, where cheating and corruption were rewarded,' Venizelos said. Steinberg, 40, is the most senior SAC Capital Advisors employee to be charged in the U.S. government's probe into how hedge funds may use illegally obtained information to trade. Including Steinberg, nine people have been either charged or implicated with wrongful trading while they were employed at the Stamford, Connecticut-headquartered SAC. An SAC Capital spokesman had no immediate comment on the arrest. Steinberg's arrest had been widely expected after Jon Horvath, a former SAC analyst who worked closely with him, pleaded guilty last year to using illegally obtained information to trade in Dell and Nvidia Corp. Horvath has been cooperating with the government and had implicated Steinberg. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara issued a statement saying that Steinberg 'cultivated' insider information from other sources. 'As alleged, Michael Steinberg was another Wall Street insider who fed off a corrupt grapevine of proprietary and confidential information cultivated by other professionals who made their own rules to make money,' the statement said. 'With lightning speed in at least one case, Mr. Steinberg seized on the opportunity to cash in and tried to keep his crime quiet, as charged in the Indictment.' Steinberg, 40, is the most senior SAC Capital Advisors employee to be charged in the U.S. government's probe into how hedge funds may use illegally obtained information to trade . Widespread: Including Steinberg, nine people have been either charged or implicated with wrongful trading while they were employed at the Stamford, Connecticut-headquartered SAC . The arrest comes two weeks after SAC agreed to pay a record $616 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to settle civil charges of insider trading. SAC neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing at that time. But the government made clear that that settlement did not preclude further charges. As part of that settlement, SAC Capital agreed to pay $14 million to settle charges of improper trading in Dell, in which a former trader who reported to Steinberg had been involved. Meanwhile, Steven A. Cohen this week bought Picasso's Le Rêve for $155million as well as a Hamptons home for $60million.
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Michael Steinberg, 40, a portfolio manager at .
Steven A. Cohen's $15 billion hedge fund, was arrested Friday at his home in New York City .
Steinberg is charged with trading shares of Dell Inc on insider information .
SAC Capital suspended Steinberg from his .
post in October 2012 .
He has been moving among several hotels .
to avoid being arrested at his Upper East Side home where he lives with .
his wife and two children .
Meanwhile, Steven A. Cohen this week bought Picasso's Le Rêve for $155million as well as a Hamptons home for $60million .
Cohen made the purchases a couple weeks after settling two insider-trading lawsuits with the government for a fine of $616 million .
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f8cf52e3cc1c5175dd1b808e46366a5e889f9b3a
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MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- Beginning December 1, Mexico City plans to hand out free medicine to elderly men with erectile dysfunction, the local government said. Medications such as Viagra, Levitra or Cialis reportedly will be offered under medical supervision. "Everyone has the right to be happy," said Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, governor of the federal district that encompasses the Mexican capital. "We have to protect people -- senior citizens above all," he said in a statement Thursday. "Many of them are abandoned and lack money. They don't have medical services, and a society that doesn't care for its senior citizens has no dignity." The government said it plans to offer Viagra, Levitra or Cialis -- medication used to treat erectile dysfunction -- under adequate medical supervision. It cited figures saying that 70 percent of elderly men suffer from the condition. To obtain the medicine, men must first undergo a "very, very detailed" medical check to screen for and possibly treat ailments such as hypertension and diabetes, the government said. Centers in Mexico City also will offer a variety of treatment to elderly men and women.
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Elderly men in Mexico City must undergo medical screening first .
Free medicine will be out handed out to those with erectile dysfunction in December .
"Everyone has the right to be happy," official says .
Figures show 70 percent of elderly men suffer from condition, local government says .
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f8cfe29b326d03a131fa57f2b182445cc6490554
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(CNN) -- The year Stacy London turned 11, she started wearing a turtleneck and long, corduroy pants every day, even in summer. For the next two years, that was her uniform. She was a long way away from being known as a fashion expert who guts people's closets. At the time, she felt like long sleeves and high necks were her only choice: She had woken up one morning with angry psoriasis scales covering her body from neck to toes. It taught her a painful lesson in self-consciousness. "When my skin disease was at its worst, I hated the summer sun. I was like Emily the Strange. I was like Wednesday Addams," she said. "It was so painful to live with something that there was so little I could do about and at the same time could inflict so much emotional damage. It made me feel like a monster." Hiding behind clothes and worrying about looks is "not about vanity when it is a question of identity," London said. "We're worried about it because we're worried about what kind of image we're putting forward, what people are going to think about us. "People want to be accepted and respected, approved of and loved." As a fashion expert on TLC's "What Not to Wear," which starts its final season on August 9, London and her colleague Clinton Kelly have seen some tragic attempts to hide what makeover clients see as flaws, whether it's extra weight around their waist or legs they think should be longer. For many, though, it's skin: Chronic conditions such as psoriasis, but also freckles, aging skin, poor circulation, stretch marks, scars and body hair cause skin shame, and make people want to cover up, London said. But how do you dress to suit that? Especially in summer? "When I was in my 20s, I loved summer clothes," said Naked Fashion Help image consultant Carmen Westbrook, from Atlanta. "I loved wearing short skirts and dresses and showing off my legs. And I'm glad I had that time in my life. "Now I'm in my 40s, my skin is aging. I don't enjoy summer clothes," she said. "I don't like showing off my skin." She joked that she might be a vampire, but had to accept it: "I'm white, that's who I am. I have really pale skin." Atop a bathing suit, she makes sure to add a fabulous hat and some jewelry, maybe even an elegant cover-up, "to make it more of an outfit," she said. As her clients try to hide their arms, knees, legs and even feet, Westbrook's plan is to focus on the positive and adhere to the advice she learned at the London Image Institute: Show your skinny bits. When ankles, wrists, lower arms and calves are exposed in tasteful ways, everyone looks longer and leaner, Westbrook said, while still covering up the parts of their skin that they don't want to show. "I tell clients, 'Let's accentuate what we like," she said. "Look in the mirror and focus on one good part. I hope everyone can at least do that." Clothes used to be the tool London used to hide her skin, but fashion helped saved her, she said. And now she hopes to share the secrets she has learned over the years. "When style is at its best, it's a wonderful source of confidence," London said. "It becomes a kind of armor." She teamed up up with AbbVie to launch the "Uncover Your Confidence" campaign this week. The website aims to help those with psoriasis, a chronic immune system disease that affects the skin, to feel empowered through fashion advice, empathetic personal testimonies and help finding dermatologists. Style and beauty products are supposed to help you forget about the parts of your body that you perceive as flaws, London said, even if only for a little while. London uses makeup, moisturizer and smart fabric choices to combat her skin troubles. "These are things that we can do, these little tricks of the trade. You put a shiny moisturizer or foundation on your decolletage area, which can get very wrinkly as you get older, more freckly, liver spotty. But the more shiny moisturizer you use, the more reflective it is, and you see less of those things." "Sally Hansen makes a leg foundation that I live by, because for most of my life, my skin has been discolored. If I don't put that on when I'm wearing a dress, it looks like I am wearing blue stockings instead of skin," because of poor circulation due to psoriasis. She finds ways to make fads work for her, too. With longer silhouettes strutted into spring and summer collections, maxi dresses, full midi skirts, floaty Bermuda shorts and even jumpsuits made of tissue-thin cotton are all trendy clothing options that look like deliberate fashion choices, but are in actuality cover-ups, London said. "All of your clothing still has to be chosen with fashion in mind," she said. "Look around you so you know what the trends are, not if they're going to work for you." "As I sit here wearing an Isabel Marant Etoile [jumpsuit,]" London explained, the outfit offers nearly complete body coverage, but because the fabric is cotton and ultra-thin, it's breathable. "Very, very easy to wear in the swamp-like weather we're having now in New York City, without having to show a lot of skin," she said. What else will London be wearing this summer? "I am all about cotton dresses," she said. "Particularly this season I am obsessed with white. And one of my favorite companies, Dolce Vita, makes these beautiful white cotton dresses. A bunch of their designs have three-quarter sleeves. They're so whisper-thin, the sleeves don't feel like you're in a straight jacket, and you can wear them in the hottest weather."
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Summer fashion leads to anxiety for people with freckles, poor circulation and other conditions .
Psoriasis once kept Stacy London wearing only skin-covering turtlenecks and pants .
The "What Not To Wear" expert has fashion guidance for people feeling skin shame .
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f8d012c2aad89a830b3df235c28a993e20115890
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Thousands of picture perfect Christmas Day snaps appeared on social media as families around the country got into the swing of the festive season. People surfing in Santa hats, making snowmen out of sand and enjoying a beer on the beach were common trends on Christmas Day. But what about those that opted for an offbeat-style Christmas? Scroll down for video . As thousands of people shared photos of themselves at the beach on Christmas Day, many others opted for a quirkier style Christmas - and here's the photos to prove it . A car load of boys dressed as Santa spent the day cruising the streets in their vintage car . Photos have started to surface of the weird ways people spent the jolliest day of the year - some are quirky and hilarious while others are just plain sad. Some spent the day dwelling on Christmas gifts from the past, namely an old and broken trampoline. Others styled Christmas trees out of beer bottles and left booze out for the unlucky garbage collectors working. People photographed their Christmas-themed feasts, but one quirky family decided it was 'too hot' in Australia for the more common turkey and ham - they opted for a Sushi smorgasbord instead. An unlucky man in the IT industry was working over Christmas and decided to spend the festive holiday watching Guardians of the Galaxy with his feet on his desk. One family left a couple of beers out for the unlucky garbage collectors who had to do the rounds . This was the closest a caravan park could get to having a Christmas tree for the festive holiday . The weather was too warm for this family who steered clear of turkey and ham, opting for a sushi spread instrad . Some spent the day dwelling on Christmas presents from the past, like the broken and worn out trampoline . This family drew attention to the fact Australia will never have a white Christmas with toasty warm fires . While most people share photos of their beautifully decorated Christmas trees and presents, the reality actually looks like this come Christmas Day . Others opted for a sport-filled day with the Boxing Day cricket Test looming . But many were unlucky and had to work. This IT employee chose to watch Guardians of the Galaxy to help pass the time on his shift . And then of course there's the health care workers who were also working .
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People who opted for a quirky Christmas Day are sharing photos of their offbeat-inspired festivities .
Some styled Christmas trees out of beer bottles and left booze out for the unlucky garbage collectors working .
Others cruised the streets in Santa suits and feasted on a sushi smorgasbord instead of traditional turkey and ham .
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f8d0f634eb08c2dc35fffa19fffc6d6fa65ba630
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An explosive row has erupted between diplomats and Ministers over their reluctance to help a British man on death row in Ethiopia. A series of extraordinary emails, obtained by The Mail on Sunday, reveal officials’ increasing frustration at political inaction over Andargachew Tsege. Tsege, 59, a father-of-three from London, was snatched at an airport in Yemen last June and illegally rendered to Ethiopia. There are concerns he may have been tortured. Family torn apart: Kidnapped Briton Andargachew Tsege with wife Yemi and their children, before his abduction . Yet Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond's office said he could not ‘find time’ for a phone call to raise the issue and did not want to send a ‘negative’ letter. In one email, an exasperated official asks: ‘Don’t we need to do more than give them a stern talking to?’ Tsege, who has lived in the UK since 1979, has been called Ethiopia’s Nelson Mandela. Tsege fell out with his university friend ex-Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, after he exposed government corruption and helped establish a pro-democracy party. In 2009, he was sentenced to death in his absence for allegedly plotting a coup and planning to kill Ethiopian officials – claims he denies. He was abducted on June 23 while en route to Eritrea, emerging two weeks later in Ethiopia, where he has since been paraded on TV. It is not known where he is being held. The diplomatic exchanges disclose how officials were dismayed when British Ministers rejected requests to raise the case with Ethiopia in a firm and robust manner. ‘I feel so shocked and let down,’ said Tsege’s wife Yemi Hailemariam. ‘I thought Britain was a nation driven by fairness but it seems my husband’s life is simply not valued.’ The series of emails begins on July 1, with Foreign Office officials confirming his capture: ‘His detention in Yemen is significant news, and could get complicated for the UK.’ Yemi Hailemariam is campaigning for the release of her husband . Diplomats noted that neither Yemen nor Ethiopia informed Britain about the rendition of its citizen. ‘It feels a bit like I’m throwing the kitchen sink at the Yemenis but I want them to think twice before they do this again,’ wrote one senior figure at the British Embassy in Addis Ababa. He also noted that a prominent Ethiopian minister had given assurances over Tsege’s treatment –‘but I wouldn’t take them with complete confidence’. Ethiopia has claimed Tsege tried to recruit other Britons to become involved in terrorism. But the regime has used anti-terror laws to jail journalists and silence political rivals, and UK officials had not seen credible evidence. One diplomatic cable says: ‘All we have seen are a few pictures of him standing in an Eritrean village – hardly proof that he was engaged in terrorist training.’ Three weeks after Tsege’s kidnap, the Foreign Office’s Africa director wrote that Ministers ‘have so far shied away from talking about consequences... their tone has been relatively comfortable’. On July 21, Hammond’s office was still reluctant to talk to his Ethiopian counterpart on the phone. ‘I don’t think we are going to be able to find time for that at the moment,’ wrote his private secretary. He also turned down sending a ‘negative’ letter, asking for it to be rewritten ‘setting out areas of co-operation. It can end with a paragraph on the Tsege case.’ Despite concerns over Ethiopia’s human rights record, the nation receives £376 million a year in UK aid. One farmer there is suing Britain, claiming the money was used to usurp him from his land. Hammond is believed to have finally called his counterpart at the end of July, one month after the kidnap. It is understood he focused on requesting consular access rather than condemning the capture. Reprieve, which campaigns against the death penalty said: ‘These shocking emails show the Foreign Secretary appears to have blocked any meaningful action that could potentially bring this British father home to his family, unharmed.’ The Foreign Office said they were ‘deeply concerned’ by Tsege’s detention and were lobbying for further consular access as well as seeking confirmation the death penalty would not be carried out. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he could not ‘find time’ for a phone call to raise the issue and did not want to send a ‘negative’ letter .
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Andargachew Tsege was snatched by officials at Yemen airport last June .
The 59-year-old was transferred to Ethiopia where he is thought to remain .
Father-of-three moved to London in 1979 from native African country .
He was dubbed 'Ethiopian Mandela' after exposing government corruption .
Leaked emails revealed British officials' frustration at political inaction .
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Los Angeles (CNN) -- Kanye West's "Yeezus Tour" is on hold because of a truck crash that destroyed his huge video screen, his spokesman said Thursday. A custom-made video truss and 60-foot circular LED screen were damaged "beyond repair" when a tour truck wrecked on the road from Los Angeles to Vancouver, British Columbia, where West was scheduled to perform Thursday night, Gabe Tesoriero said. . "This gear is central to the staging of 'The Yeezus Tour' and central to the creative vision put forth by Kanye West and his design team at DONDA," Tesoriero said. It is "impossible" for West to perform "until these essential pieces can be re-engineered and refabricated," he said. "Kanye West will not compromise on bringing the show, as it was originally envisioned and designed, to his fans." . Thursday night's Vancouver performance, Sunday's concert in Denver and Tuesday's stop in Minneapolis are the only dates officially postponed for now. The next show on the schedule is Thursday, November 7, at Chicago's United Center. A decision will be "announced shortly" about that one and future dates, the spokesman said. CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report.
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Kanye's video truss and 60-foot circular LED screen were damaged "beyond repair"
It's "impossible" for West to perform until a new screen is made, spokesman says .
Shows in Vancouver, Denver and Minneapolis are postponed .
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f8d11a068617f9966173a037edecba2b19764b99
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By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 09:46 EST, 14 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:02 EST, 14 January 2014 . A 20-year-old girl broke down in tears after discovering she had been in the same road accident which killed her older sister, a witness told a court today. Rosie-Ann Stone is accused of causing the death of her sister Jennie Stone, 28, by careless driving after they were both in a queue behind a slow-moving lorry on the A165 in East Yorkshire. Lorry driver Steven Wragg told Hull Crown Court today that he said to Rosie-Ann as he climbed out of his lorry: ‘That was a big one’ - and she shouted: ‘That was my sister’, before starting to cry. Trial: Rosie-Ann Stone (left) is accused of causing the death of her sister Jennie Stone (right), 28, by careless driving after they were both in a queue behind a slow-moving lorry on the A165 in East Yorkshire . Mr Wragg, who was driving the HGV which the two women were trying to overtake on the road between Hull and Bridlington, said he initially thought Jennie was ‘driving like a bat out of hell.’ Prosecutors claim Rosie-Ann pulled out of the queue in her Vauxhall Astra to overtake the truck - but did not see that Jennie, who was further back, had also pulled out to overtake in her Peugeot 206. Mr Wragg told the court: ‘I looked in my mirror and saw something flying through the air. I must have seen some sort of collision with plastic flying. I was not sure what it was. ‘I saw the blue Peugeot come in front on me at an awkward angle as if it was not going to make it. I knew the driver didn’t look right - and when it touched the grass it seemed to lose it altogether. ‘It was more or less back straight and . went sideways into the tree. It careered across the front of me and . seemed to lose control when it hit the grass more. It all happened so . quickly. ‘It hit the tree . very hard. There was an orange flash and a bit of smoke. I saw a girl running down the road. I said “That was a big one”. She . shouted: “That was my sister”.’ Patrick Palmer, defending, said to Mr . Wragg: ‘You remember the lady (Rosie-Ann) being very upset. She was . effectively being hysterical. When you saw her she was not running to . the blue car. In court: Rosie-Ann Stone (centre), who was on her way home at the time of the crash, denies the charge . ‘She had been to the blue car and was . running back to you. You knew that a blue and a grey car had been . involved in an accident.’ Mr . Wragg said: ‘The lady (Rosie-Ann) was in such a state, other people led . her way.’ Mr Palmer added: ‘She was someone who was beyond . self-control?’ Mr Wragg replied: ‘Definitely.’ In . his statement given to the police at the time of the accident on . February 22, Mr Wragg said: ‘I saw a blue car pass me like a bat out of . hell and hit a tree.’ Also dead: The women were sisters of Private Gregg Stone, a soldier killed in Afghanistan in June 2012 . Asked . about his statement by Mr Palmer, Mr Wragg replied: ‘I might have said . that in the heat of the moment. It was not going over fast. When you are . doing 40mph, everything seems quick.’ Michael . Evans, a delivery driver who was driving a red Ford transit van and . witnessed the crash, told the jury: ‘The blue car (driven by Jennie) got . out and was passing me. I thought she should not have done that. I said . “Jesus”. 'She should not be doing that. There was a car coming in the opposite direction. My fear was she was not going to make it back in time to avoid the on-coming traffic. 'I was doing about 40mph, so maybe it was doing 50mph. I thought she had gone too far to the right and clipped the barrier. She lost control of the car and skidded across the road. 'I didn’t see another car bye or near the other car when it hit the barrier. It hit a tree.’ Meanwhile, . Humberside Police senior accident investigator John Rusted told the . court that Rosie-Ann failed to look in her rear-view mirror to check . before she pulled out. He . said: ‘However long Jennie Stone was in that offside lane, Rosie-Ann . Stone would have had a clear view of Jennie Stone behind her. ‘In . my view it is not safe to pull out if you don't have a clear view, . because you cannot be sure you are not pulling out in to the path of . another vehicle.’ Mr Rusted . told the jury he had visited the scene of the accident and that scuffing . on the two women’s cars matched, showing the older sister was . travelling faster at the point of impact. He . said: ‘In my view the most likely scenario is Jennie Stone had moved . out of to commence and overtake behind the transit van, behind the . (Nissan) Serena. ‘The . minimum distance between the two sisters is 27 metres when Jennie Stone . pulls out. We don't know the exact gaps.’ Mr Rusted added that the . likely speed of Jennie’s car was 50 to 60mph. Sisters: Prosecutors say Rosie-Ann (left) pulled out of the queue in her Vauxhall Astra to overtake the truck - but did not see that Jennie (right), who was further back, had also pulled out to overtake in her Peugeot 206 . He said Jennie would have been overtaking for several seconds. Mr Rusted added that even if she hit Rosie-Ann at 70mph as one witness estimated, the time to see her was ‘a couple of seconds’. Mark Ibbotson, a paramedic who went to the collision, told the jury: ‘I was asked to treat a lady in the back of a Nissan. She was very upset. ‘She said: "Other cars were overtaking a HGV in front, and my sister was behind me. I pulled out to overtake too - into the path of my sister behind me”.’ 'There was an orange flash and a bit of smoke. I saw a girl running down the road. I said "That was a big one". She shouted: "That was my sister"' Steven Wragg, witness . Under cross-examination by Mr Palmer, . Mr Ibbotson said: ‘She was extremely upset and hysterical. I believe she . is asthmatic. I treated her for an asthma attack. I think she was in a . hysterical state. ‘She . was crying. From my examination she had the typical asthmatic wheeze. She wanted her inhaler. I provided oxygen and a drug through a mask on . the face.’ Asked by Mr . Palmer whether it struck him that Rosie-Ann was thinking calmly, Mr . Ibbotson replied: ‘I don't think you could think in that manner after . what had happened.’ Rosie-Ann, of Bridlington, who had been on her way home, denies causing death by careless driving. She told police she knew her sister was travelling on the A165 at the same time. Jennie had recently moved to Skipsea from Bridlington and Rosie-Ann was helping her there until the return to Bridlington in separate cars. Rosie-Ann and Jennie - whose parents Angie and Robert, both 56, have been in attendance at the trial - were sisters of Private Gregg Stone, a soldier killed in Afghanistan in June 2012. The trial continues.
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Rosie-Ann Stone, 20, is accused of causing death of her sister Jennie, 28 .
Their cars were in queue behind slow-moving lorry on the A165 near Hull .
Accident investigator says Rosie-Ann failed to look in rear-view mirror .
Driver tells court he spoke to Rosie-Ann as he climbed out of his lorry .
Told her 'That was a big one' and she shouted to him 'That was my sister'
Women were sisters of soldier Gregg Stone, killed in Afghanistan in 2012 .
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Ukraine's acting President called on law enforcement agencies to renew anti-terror measures across the country, citing the discovery of two tortured bodies near the city of Slaviansk. One of the victims was Vladimir Rybak, Oleksandr Turchynov said. Rybak, who recently went missing, was a member of the local parliament and belonged to the President's political party. "The terrorists who basically have taken the entire Donetsk region hostage have crossed the line with torturing and killing Ukrainian patriots," Turchynov said. Such crimes are committed with the support of Russian forces, he charged. But a statement from a pro-Russian leader in Slaviansk rejects the President's claim, and highlights that there is a war of perceptions, too. Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, the de facto mayor of Slaviansk, placed blame for the deaths on far-right Ukrainian nationalist extremists. A pro-government party official told CNN that Rybak's family identified his body at the morgue Tuesday. But the competing claims persist. Biden to Russia: 'Stop supporting men hiding behind masks' As the crisis in Ukraine shows no signs of easing, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden promised support for Ukraine and stressed that the United States won't recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea. "Ukraine is and must remain one country," he said in Kiev on Tuesday at a news conference with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. "No nation has the right to simply grab land from another nation," Biden said. "We will never recognize Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea." Biden called on Russia to "stop supporting men hiding behind masks and unmarked uniforms sowing unrest in eastern Ukraine." He warned of additional sanctions if such "provocative behavior" does not end. Ukrainian and U.S. officials say they think Russian special forces are in the region and are behind efforts to seize government buildings and generally promote unrest -- a claim Moscow denies. As well as voicing solidarity with Kiev, Biden promised financial support, assistance in reducing Ukraine's dependence on Russian energy sources and nonlethal aid for security forces. "You will not walk this road alone. We will walk it with you," Biden told Yatsenyuk. As he spoke, the White House announced a $50 million package of assistance to help Ukraine pursue political and economic reform and strengthen its partnership with the United States. Biden said he also expects an International Monetary Fund package for Ukraine to be finalized imminently. The backing is likely to sit well with Ukrainian leaders struggling to keep their country afloat amid dire financial problems, the ongoing showdown with Russia over its annexation of Crimea and alleged interference in Ukraine's pro-Russian east. Tensions remain high as pro-Russian militants show no sign of preparing to leave occupied government buildings in eastern Ukraine despite an international deal agreed to in Geneva, Switzerland, last week. "As a result of what's going on in Ukraine," the United States is deploying Army paratroopers nearby, Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said Tuesday. Four companies of paratroopers based in Italy will be sent to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia over the next few months for military exercises, he said. Medvedev: Russia can export more to China . But one top Russian official said his country shouldn't be ruffled by talk of increased Western sanctions. Addressing Russia's lower house Tuesday, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia can shift its economy east, becoming less reliant on the international banking system and selling more oil and gas to China, state media reported. Medvedev acknowledged that the sanctions, coupled with instability in the global economy and domestic economic issues, are having an impact. "Our decision has provoked a rough reaction. Crimea became a reason for a political pressure, which is carried out on the account of so-called sanctions," Medvedev said, according to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency. He said the circumstances should be a foundation for economic reforms. "We have all of the needed tools to allow us stable development even in these rough conditions," Medvedev said. Turchynov: Ukrainians want unity . Turchynov, meanwhile, had strong words for Moscow, saying that "Ukrainians are ready to protect their country from military aggression of the Russian Federation." A majority of Ukrainian citizens "are for a united, democratic Ukraine with greater powers given to the regions," he said, referring to constitutional reforms promised in a bid to calm fears in eastern Ukraine. Kiev and Western powers have urged Moscow to use its influence to persuade protesters in the east to lay down their arms, leave the buildings they're occupying and accept amnesty in line with last week's deal. But Turchynov said Tuesday that "unfortunately, the Russian Federation and its terrorist special forces present in Ukraine are demonstratively not going to implement the Geneva agreement." He cited the seizure of a police station Monday in the eastern city of Kramatorsk by militants who also took the police chief hostage, "thereby negating the agreements reached in Geneva." Moscow has said that it holds no sway over pro-Russian protesters and militants. But Kiev and the United States dispute this. Meanwhile, a statement from the prosecutor general's office in Kiev criticized law enforcement agencies in a number of cities in eastern Ukraine for not resisting pro-Russian protesters as they seized administrative buildings -- even in cases where they outnumbered the militants. The statement says self-defense groups in these places were established in reaction to the failings of the security forces. "These defense groups have the right to bear arms and promise to guarantee public order in their respective regions," it said. Phone calls from Kerry . U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called his Russian counterpart on Tuesday to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine, the State Department said. Kerry "expressed deep concern" to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and said sanctions against Russia would increase in "the absence of measurable progress" in implementing the Geneva deal, according to the State Department. Asking Russia to call for those occupying buildings to disarm and stand down, Kerry said there was "mounting evidence that separatists continue to increase the number of buildings under occupation and take journalists and other civilians captive." Turchynov's government has talked tough but done little to curb pro-Russian activities in the east, possibly afraid that a crackdown could send Russian forces across the border. At the same time, the occupation of buildings continues in about a dozen towns and cities across eastern Ukraine. In three towns, pro-Russian protesters and militants have made it clear to CNN they have no intention of moving until the "illegal" government in Kiev also moves out of official buildings. Moscow also says the government in Kiev, installed after ousted President Viktor Yanukovych fled Ukraine for Russia in February, is illegitimate and backed by far-right extremists. Yanukovych's ouster followed months of street protests prompted by his decision last November to drop a planned EU trade agreement in favor of closer ties with Moscow. Russia annexed Ukraine's autonomous Crimea region last month, following a controversial referendum in which most voters were in favor of joining the Russian Federation.
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Kerry warns Lavrov that sanctions could be increased .
"As a result of what's going on in Ukraine," U.S. troops add drills in Europe .
Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov calls for renewal of anti-terror measures .
VP Joe Biden tells Ukraine PM the United States has his country's back .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 08:11 EST, 22 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:16 EST, 22 September 2013 . Ed Miliband today tried to distance himself from New Labour’s vile culture of spin and smears. He insisted he had never been engaged in the sort of ‘reprehensible’ briefings against colleagues exposed in the memoirs of disgraced Gordon Brown spin doctor Damian McBride. And he insisted it was not in his nature to take part in such behaviour, claiming: ‘I am not sure I have ever been accused of being macho.’ Pressure: With the Labour conference dominated by revelations from the McBride memoirs, leader Ed Miliband tried to distance himself from the parties past . Critics will claim that this latest . allegation underlines the public interest in the amoral political world . in which Mr Brown’s spin doctor operated . The Labour party conference in Brighton risks being dominated by the McBride memoirs, which have lifted the lid on the relentless in-fighting, briefings and smears which dominated the last government. The scandal risks reminding voters of Mr Miliband’s role as a close lieutenant of Mr Brown, alongside shadow chancellor Ed Balls. This weekend Mr Balls admitted he was part of a blokeish culture which damaged Labour. He told The Times: 'The period up to 1997 and after, yes, it was macho. I look back on that as a time we were young and inexperienced. 'It was something both [Blair and Brown] allowed to happen. It was a mistake and it was damaging to the government.' But Mr Miliband today insisted he had urged Mr Brown to sack Mr McBride amid suspicions about his behaviour, which he said were ‘not my kind of politics’. Image conscious: Mr Miliband was seen walking in Brighton with his adviser Rachel Kinnock, daughter of former Labour leader Neil . The police could be called in to investigate whether Damian McBride broke the law when leaking government secretes, former No.10 spin chief Alastair Campbell has suggested. He accused Mr McBride, Gordon Brown’s former spin doctor, of having ‘admitted not just to venality but criminality’. Mr Campbell added: ‘I think the other thing that people should be aware of is he [McBride] has admitted to criminal offences in this.’ In his memoir, Mr McBride confesses to logging into Mr Brown’s official email account in the Treasury. He also admits leaking details of restricted and confidential documents. Labour frontbenchers said that Mr Miliband read the riot act to the first meeting of his shadow cabinet, insisting anyone caught briefing against colleagues would be fired. Mr Miliband insisted that he now led a ‘unified’ party. During an appearance on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Miliband was asked whether he could ‘look into your heart during that period and say to yourself that you were completely clean’. He replied: ‘I think that people who know me would say that I am someone who has never engaged in the factionalism and was never engaged in the briefing. ‘That wasn't my style of politics. It has never been my style of politics and I find it reprehensible and not something I would engage in. ‘I am someone who is deeply committed to the Labour Party and deeply committed to Britain and that is the way I have always approached my politics.’ However Mr McBride's account of vicious Labour in-fighting, serialised in the Mail, has cast a shadow over the party's conference. In particular serious questions have been raised about Mr Brown’s failure to act to stop the behaviour. Ex-cabinet minister Dame Tessa Jowell said Mr Brown must publicly state that he did not know about the activities of Mr McBride or have his own reputation tarnished. She says she is ‘sure’ Mr Miliband was aware of his activities. Dame Tessa, who claimed to be a victim of smears from Mr Brown's faction, told the Mail on Sunday: ‘Gordon is not an innocent, it is inconceivable he did not know what Damian was doing. Damian clearly felt it was implicitly sanctioned.’ Mr Brown should be ‘ashamed’ of employing Mr McBride. He must disown him – or suffer the consequences. ‘In the absence of a very clear statement by Gordon that he didn’t know about it, it damages his reputation. Only Gordon can deal with that.’ ‘If he refused, it would destroy the credit given to him for rescuing the country during the banking collapse.’ Revelations: Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper (left) warned Labour not to go back to the navel gazing of the past while Tessa Jowell said it was 'inconceivable' Gordon Brown didn't know about the smears revealed in Damian McBride's memoirs . Energy firms will be banned from increasing prices while making huge profits under a plan to be unveiled by Labour this week. Ed Miliband will take on gas and electric firms to stop them ripping off customers. Companies will also be forced to pass on savings when wholesale prices fall. Up to 4million pensioners will be automatically put on the cheapest tariff in a move which could save them up to £200 a year each. Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint said: 'People are sick and tired of paying over the odds.' Senior Labour figures lined up to distance themselves - and their leader- from the McBride revelations. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, whose husband Ed Balls was a key Brownite, said Mr McBride was 'out of control'. She told Sky News' Murnaghan programme: 'I think this is ... about a kind of politics that really is appalling, that we should never go back to. 'It is something that happened some years ago, but I think it's a sign of how much the Labour Party has changed, the very different climate, the very different way in which Ed Miliband is managing things and operating things now, that's a good thing, we don't want to go back to the navel gazing of the past.' Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said of the ex-spin doctor: 'He's a relic from the past. There is no place for that kind of nasty, vile politics in Britain today. I am glad we've seen the back of him.' He said he was at a shadow cabinet meeting where Mr Miliband was 'very clear he will not tolerate any of that kind of behaviour'. 'If anyone is found to be briefing against anybody you will be out, there's no discussion. That's not the way Ed Miliband does things," he told a fringe meeting organised by the New Statesman magazine. 'If any good comes from Damian McBride's indulgence, it's to remind people that that's not the way we do things. 'Everybody who was around then, and is still around, knows how damaging that was. Think how much more we could have achieved if so much energy had not been expended on this nonsense.'
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Labour leader condemns 'reprehensible' behaviour by ex-No.10 spin doctor .
Denies he was part of the 'macho' culture of smears and briefings .
Party frontbenchers line up to distance themselves from the revelations .
Pressure mounts on Gordon Brown for not reining in adviser .
Alastair Campbell suggests McBride may have broken the law .
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By . Deni Kirkova . Saving your placenta after birth and consuming it, due to its supposed health benefits, is a growing trend among new mothers. Despite scarcity of research some mothers swear by eating their placenta - a practice with no anthropological precedent - saying it enhances milk supply, helps with hormonal imbalances, reduces depression and much more. Now one U.S. company has taken the trend, dubbed human placentophagia, one step further by turning the organ in to handy pills that can be popped for years after the birth. Being processed: Laura Curtis, of PlacentaWise in Lindon, Utah, prepares a placenta for a client that will be turned into capsules as a supplement for new mothers . Under the knife: Many swear by the benefits of consuming nutrient-rich placentas - although there is no anthropological evidence that it was widely done by humans before the mid-20th century . The placenta connects the developing foetus . to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas . exchange via the mother's blood supply, and is usually discarded after . birth. But PlacentaWise in Lindon, Utah, offer a service where they prepare new mothers' own placentas and turn them into health supplement capsules, just 48 hours after birth. 'It's not weird or freaky or gross, it's science' is their slogan. They say your personal placenta pills will be full of nutrients and essential hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone for mammary gland development in preparation . for breastfeeding. The oxytocin supposedly decreases pain, increases mother-child bonding and counteracts the production of stress hormones such as cortisol. The organ connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake and waste elimination . Multiple other naturally occurring ingredients with supposed health benefits for new mothers (and those suffering PMS) include thyroid stimulating hormone, cortisone, interferon, iron, hemoglobin and human placental lactogen. Critics are yet to be fully convinced. 'It is very very rare in the UK for . people to eat their own, or other people's placentas,' said Claire . Friars, midwife for Tommy's Baby Charity said. 'A certain taboo does exist around it. Midwives may be surprised by such a request but are aware that this ritual does happen.' 'There . was some suggestion that a mother could avoid postnatal depression by . eating her placenta but no evidence has backed this up,' Ms Friars said. 'It's not weird of freaky or gross, it's science': The website for the Placenta Encapsulation Service lists a range of health claims . Benefits: Naturally occurring ingredients that can be healthy supplements for new mothers include thyroid stimulating hormone, cortisone, interferon, iron, hemoglobin and human placental lactogen . 'Some people also believe that because the placenta provides the baby with the vitamins and minerals it requires the placenta would be full of these when eaten. Again there is no evidence for this.' However, Ms Friars said: 'There have been some concerns raised around eating it raw and may carry the same food infection risks as eating raw meat. 'There have also been concerns raised around blood infections as the placenta will contain the mother's blood.' In the wild, mammals bite through the umbilical cord and eat the placenta straight after the birth. In . Chinese medicine, the placenta is known as a great life force and is . highly respected in terms of its medicinal value. It is not cooked, but . usually dried. In 1998, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall cooked a placenta on his Channel 4 programme and served it at a dinner party. He . devised the recipe with mother Rosie Clear for a party to celebrate the . birth of her daughter Indi-Mo Krebbs. The placenta was fried with . shallots and garlic, flambéed, puréed and served as a pate on focaccia . bread. Channel 4 was severely reprimanded by the Broadcasting Standards Commission as a result, although the practice is legal. When placenta is eaten it is usually cooked and made into a pate or eaten like a steak or used in a similar way to other meats. It has been described as similar to liver in flavour and texture when cooked.
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PlacentaWise in Utah turn new mothers' own placentas into pills .
Around 100-175 capsules are produced, depending on size of placenta .
Claim multiple health benefits, though there is lack of research .
Process begins with form-filing and £31 ($50) deposit .
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(CNN) -- An Alabama man described as a jihadist "rock star," two Minnesota women and a California man are among more than a dozen people now charged with aiding al Qaeda-linked rebels in Somalia. The Justice Department unsealed a slew of indictments Thursday that accused 14 people of providing "money, personnel and services" to Al-Shabaab, the Islamist militant group battling Somalia's U.N.-backed transitional government. Most were in Minnesota, where the group has attempted to find recruits from among Somali immigrants. FBI agents have arrested two women in Rochester, Minnesota, about 85 miles south of Minneapolis, on charges of raising money for the insurgents, the Justice Department announced. The rest named in Thursday's indictments are believed to be in Somalia, fighting with the rebels. "While our investigations are ongoing around the country, these arrests and charges should serve as an unmistakable warning to others considering joining or supporting terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab: If you choose this route you can expect to find yourself in a U.S. jail cell or a casualty on the battlefield in Somalia," Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters Thursday. Two men -- Omar Shafik Hammami, 26, a former resident of Daphne, Alabama, and Jehad Serwan Mostafa, 28, a former resident of San Diego, California -- have been charged in separate cases of providing material support to Al-Shabaab. Both are U.S. citizens, and are thought to be fighting alongside the rebels in Somalia, U.S. officials said. Hammami in particular has become a "rock star" among jihadists, with rap-style videos that bridge American and Somali culture, said Frank Cilluffo, an analyst with the Homeland Security Policy Institute in Washington. In one such video, Hammami declares, "Mortar by mortar, shell by shell, only going to stop when I send them to hell." In another, he boasts that he and his comrades are waiting for the enemy "away from our families, away from the cities, away from ice, candy bars." "This isn't just someone reciting dusty old texts," Cilluffo said. "This is someone Americans see glimmers of themselves in." Hammami was raised a Baptist in Alabama, but converted to Islam as a young man. His father, Shafik Hammami, said in a written statement, "What we know of the current situation is what everyone is learning from the same news reports, nothing more." "Omar is my son and I love him dearly, just as a father should," he said. "However, I do not, in any way, condone his current philosophy nor his actions." Holder said Hammami is now believed to be a ranking Al-Shabaab member who has "operational responsibilities." Another indictment in Minnesota charged 10 men with leaving the country to join Al-Shabaab. Seven had faced previous related charges. Abdikadir Ali Abdi, 19; Abdisalan Hussein Ali, 21; Cabdulaahi Ahmed Faarax, 33; Farah Mohamed Beledi, 26; and Abdiweli Yassin Isse, 26, are charged with conspiring to provide and providing material support to Al-Shabaab and conspiring to kill, maim and injure people abroad. Faarax and Isse had been charged previously in a criminal complaint, and Abdi, Ali and Faarax are U.S. citizens, the Justice Department said. Meanwhile, Ahmed Ali Omar, 27; Khalid Mohamud Abshir, 27; Zakaria Maruf, 31; Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan, 22; and Mustafa Ali Salat, 20, are charged with conspiracies to provide material support to terrorists and foreign terrorist organizations; conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim and injure persons abroad; possessing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence; and solicitation to commit a crime of violence. All five have been previously charged. A separate indictment charged Amina Farah Ali, 33, and Hawo Mohamed Hassan, 63, on Thursday. The Rochester women, both of whom are naturalized citizens, were charged with providing material support to terrorists by raising money for the rebels among Somali immigrants in Minnesota, other states and Canada, Holder said. "In some cases, these funds were raised under the false pretense that they would be used to aid the poor and the needy," Holder said. The attorney general emphasized that innocent Muslims have been the victims of attacks by Al-Shabaab, al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terror groups and pointed out that American Muslims have been vital in helping battle "this emerging threat" in the United States. "These individuals have consistently -- and correctly -- expressed deep concern about the recruitment of their youth by terrorist groups," he said. "Many members of the community have taken proactive steps to stop the recruitment of their youth by terrorist groups. Just recently, a group of prominent American Muslims joined together in a video to repudiate the tactics employed by radicalized militants to recruit young Muslims via the internet." The announcement comes a day after federal prosecutors in Chicago, Illinois, charged a U.S. citizen with trying to provide material support to two terrorist organizations -- al Qaeda and Al-Shabaab -- and with another charge related to weapons of mass destruction, according to a criminal complaint. Shaker Masri, 26, a U.S. citizen who lives in Chicago, was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly tried to violate a law that prohibits U.S. nationals "from using, threatening, attempting or conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States," the complaint said. Minnesota is home to the country's largest population of Somali residents, according to the Minneapolis Foundation, a philanthropic community organization. Most of those Somalis came to the United States as refugees, the foundation says. The 2000 Census showed that 13 percent of Minnesota's foreign-born residents were from Africa, a higher percentage than any other state in the country. According to the Minneapolis Foundation, there were 5,000 Minnesota residents in 1990 who had been born in Africa. Ten years later, that number had grown to more than 34,000. CNN's Jeanne Meserve and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.
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Indictments and arrests took place in Minnesota, California and Alabama .
One expert described an Alabama man charged in the case as a jihadist "rock star"
One suspect is called a ranking Al-Shabaab member with "operational responsibilities"
Two women were charged for raising money door-to-door for Al-Shabaab .
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By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 20:29 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:33 EST, 19 November 2013 . Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has warned that, for many people, their standards of living are falling . The Archbishop of York has warned of the growth of a 'new poor' who have jobs and work hard but still live in poverty. Dr John Sentamu, second in the hierarchy of the Church of England, told its General Synod that many people who previously enjoyed comfortable lifestyles were seeing their standard of living fall significantly. Such people - who he called 'the new poor' - feel they are going 'down the social scale' through no fault of their own, he said. 'Unlike the chief executives, many hard-pressed people find that they are on a 'down escalator',' he said. 'That phrase captures more than just a shortage of money - it adds a sense of descending the social scale.' Dr Sentamu added that many such people no longer believed that they could provide a better life for their children than they had enjoyed themselves. 'Formerly, each new generation enjoyed a higher standard of living than the previous one,' he said. 'That was the progress that everybody was taught to expect. It was a source of hope. 'But now the gains are being reversed. Many people believe their children will be worse off financially than they are.' He added that while 'once upon a time, you could not really be living in poverty if you had regular wages', this was 'no longer so'. Now, he said, 'you can be in work and still live in poverty', adding: 'Politicians often refer to hard-working families. They should speak instead of hard-pressed families.' Speaking in his presidential address to the Gerneal Synod - the parliament of the Church of England - Dr Sentamu said the annual salaries of chief executives of Britain's 100 largest companies 'reached an average of £4.3 million last year, or 160 times average wages'. Meanwhile, he said, 27,000 people in Leeds were diagnosed as suffering from malnutrition last year - 'not in Lesotho, not Liberia, not Lusaka, but Leeds.' The NHS defines malnutrition as poor nutrition, and it can include people who eat too much or eat the wrong things as well as those who eat too little. Concern: Justin Welby (right), the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York . Poverty warning: Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, addresses the General Synod . Dr Sentamu said such figures left a 'dark stain on our consciences' - but he added it was a 'hard economic fact' that wage rises were likely to lag behind price rises in future, as a result of global competition for jobs and technological advances. 'This is the new reality. Food banks are not going to go away any time soon,' the Archbishop said. 'Prices are rising more than three times faster than wages. 'This has been going on for 10 years now. And for people slipping into poverty, the reality is much harsher.' Official poverty figures, which draw a poverty line at 60 per cent of average household income, have been showing that rising numbers of people with jobs have been falling into poverty since 2004 - three years before the onset of recession. Last week a study for the York-based Joseph Rowntree Foundation by the left-wing Institute for Public Policy Research said that traditional families with stay-at-home mothers and fathers who work are now more likely than to be poor than any other kind of family. There were more families with stay-at-home mothers in poverty than two-parent families where the household lives on benefits, or benefit dependent single-parent families, it found. The study said nearly one in three - 30 per cent - of the families with children who live below the official poverty line are families where only one parent works. The Archbishop said the need to combat poverty could provide the CofE with a moment similar to the foundation of Methodism 250 years ago, when John Wesley concentrated heavily on the poor and working people. 'The Church of England, I believe, has arrived at another such moment', Dr Sentamu said. 'Confronting poverty is again rising to the top of the agenda.'
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Dr John Sentamu said standards of living are falling significantly .
He was speaking to the Church of England's General Synod .
Sentamu said 'the new poor' feel they are going 'down the social scale'
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By . Craig Hope for MailOnline . Follow @CraigHope_DM . Siem de Jong is set to make his Newcastle United debut at Aston Villa on Saturday after recovering from a calf injury. The former Ajax captain – a £6million summer signing – missed the back end of pre-season as well as Sunday’s league opener against Manchester City. The Magpies were beaten 2-0 by the champions, failing to register a shot on target, and boss Alan Pardew said afterwards that the return of De Jong would aid his side’s offensive threat. Fighting fit: De Jong is poised to make his debut for Newcastle this weekend . And Pardew has now confirmed that the Holland international will feature for the lunchtime trip to Villa Park. ‘Siem de Jong has trained all week and will be in the squad for Villa,’ he said. ‘He missed last week, he is back this week and I think he is keen to start – we will have to wait and see if he is ready – but his enthusiasm is good and his CV and quality speak for themselves and hopefully he can produce a great season for us.’ Meanwhile, Cheick Tiote – a target of Lokomotiv Moscow – remains sidelined with a hamstring problem. But Pardew added: ‘Tiote has been running outside and working towards training.’
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The £6million summer signing is set to make his debut against Villa .
The former Ajax captain looks to have recovered from his calf injury .
Newcastle will look to bounce back to winning ways after defeat to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the new season .
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By . Associated Press Reporter . and Josh Gardner for MailOnline . A central Pennsylvania man will serve 28 to 56 years behind bars for suffocating his girlfriend after she survived his deliberate, high-speed crash. Lancaster Online reports Benjamin Klinger pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and was sentenced Friday. Authorities say Klinger was physically and verbally abusive to 17-year-old Samantha Heller during their turbulent relationship. Horrific: Benjamin Klinger (left) has pleaded guilty to intentionally smashing his car into a guardrail and then smothering to death his girlfriend, 17-year-old Samantha Heller (right) In December 2012, prosecutors say Klinger intentionally sped into a guardrail at over 100 mph. Police say he sat on Heller after she lived through the wreck near Manheim. A truck driver who came upon the 2am crash heard Heller hanging outside the window and screaming, 'Get off of me!' but was told by 911 operators not to move the crash victims. When police arrived, Klinger was sitting on top of Heller's head and torso, according to the arrest affidavit. 'Klinger was observed by the officers to be what appeared as 'slipping in and out of consciousness,' because he would close his eyes for several seconds, moan, and then reopen his eyes while continuing to be positioned on top of the victim's head and torso while the victim was face down,' police wrote. Based on medical records, investigators later concluded Klinger was pretending to be unconscious. Abusive: Klinger reportedly had a rocky and abusive relationship with Heller leading up to the horrific crime, for which he'll serve up to 56 years in prison . Shocking scene: An eyewitness said he heard Heller screaming for help as Klinger sat on top of her, but a 911 operator told the witness not to move the victims . An autopsy perform of Heller's body has revealed that the teen died from multiple injuries and asphyxiation. Dr. Wayne Ross, who performed the autopsy, concluded 'the cause of death is consistent with someone sitting on (Heller).' Detectives recovered marijuana, cash, a digital scale, a pipe, pills and a black air pistol from the wreckage. The 21-year-old Klinger apologized in court and said he takes 'full responsibility for the loss of a very special person.' He wept as he apologized, which Judge Margaret Miller said was the the first she'd seen 'any degree of humanity or emotion' in Klinger. The victim's mother, Sandy McFalls, says her heart has been shattered. 'I want you to have nothing else to do (in prison) but think about how you took her life and destroyed ours,' McFalls said in a statement to the court, reported LancasterOnline. Klinger's sentence includes time for a drug charge and for sending sexually explicit photos of a minor.
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Benjamin Klinger will serve 28 to 56 years in prison for third degree murder as well as a drug charge and for sending explicit photos to a minor .
Authorities sat Klinger had a turbulent and abusive relationship with high schooler Samantha Heller before he killed her in late 2012 .
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By . Lucy Osborne . PUBLISHED: . 19:57 EST, 19 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:57 EST, 19 July 2013 . Catfight: Marjory Ramson, 83, has had a solicitor¿s letter demanding £500 compensation for a bite inflicted by a cat which she no longer consider hers (file photo) When her cat decided to move in with the neighbours, Marjory Ramson assumed he was no longer her responsibility. Not in the eyes of the law. The 83-year-old has had a solicitor’s letter demanding £500 compensation for a bite inflicted by Henry the ginger tom. The victim, Linda Close, says the wound was so deep she had to spend four days in hospital and faced possible amputation. The grandmother-of-six-says she has never had any problems before and said the cat was well-behaved ever since her late husband bought it three and a half years ago. After being confronted by Miss Close after the incident, Mrs Ramson agreed to have Henry put down – much to her distress as the cat was a reminder of her late husband, Bob, who passed away aged 85. The grandmother of six, who works part-time in a charity shop, said: ‘The cat was a great comfort to him when he was dying so it was always nice to see him around.’ But as cats often do, after the death of its owner, Henry left Mrs Ramson’s home and became something of a ‘neighbourhood pet’. Shortly afterwards he was taken in by a family who lived behind the Ramsons’, who renamed him Cyril and let him sleep at the end of their bed. Earlier this year, however, the family moved home, letting the property to Linda Close and her two teenage children who agreed to continue taking care of him. But on the day they moved in the 46-year-old full-time carer says she was bitten so badly the doctors said her hand may need to be amputated. She subsequently captured the cat, took it to the vets and discovered it had been micro-chipped and belonged to the Ramsons. It was then that she consulted Ralli Solicitors, who wrote to the 83-year-old. The letter demand she pay £500 for Miss Close’s medical report and stated: ‘The reason we are alleging fault is that you are negligent and/or breached your statutory duty pursuant to the Animals Act. ‘We allege that your cat exhibited characteristics which were known to you as its owner and that you failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the attack.’ Feral feline: Henry the ginger tom bit Mrs Ramson's neighbour Linda Close so badly she faced amputation (file photo) But Mrs Ramson said: ‘I was so shocked to receive the letter, at first I didn’t even believe it was for me. I thought it must be some mistake. ‘I liked seeing Henry every now and then and would leave milk out for him, but as far as I was concerned he had moved on as cats often do. ‘I haven’t been able to sleep ever since and I just don’t know what to do. When I first received the letter I was worried that they’d send me to prison,’ she said. ‘If it is true what happened to this lady, it is very unfortunate, but it honestly has nothing to do with me. She added: ‘The only time he ever bit me was when I stood on its tale once and it gave me a nip, but I didn’t draw blood.’ However, Miss Close, who is a full-time carer for her mother and father who live next door, said she believed Mrs Ramson knew about the cat’s alleged aggressive behaviour. ‘I love cats and have them as pets and this has never happened to me before,’ she said. I lent down to give him a stroke, he rolled onto his back and was purring then he suddenly bit into my hand with both paws. ‘It left two marks on my hand, which by the morning had swelled up like a balloon and I couldn’t move my thumb.’ She said she couldn’t drive because of the swelling and had to call her friend to drive her to A&E, after her local GP told her the infection was serious. Miss Close said she has ‘never been so scared in her life,’ adding that doctors told her they feared she may have to have it amputated. ‘I was worried I wouldn’t be able to care for my parents,’ she said.
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Marjory Ramson, 83, has had a letter demanding £500 compensation .
Her neighbour was bitten by a cat which she no longer consider hers .
Henry the ginger tom bit woman so badly she faced amputation .
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(CNN)Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry again asserted his innocence in the felony abuse-of-power case against him Wednesday and pledged to fight the charges, despite a Texas judge's refusal to dismiss the case this week. "I am confident that I will ultimately prevail because the prosecution's case amounts to the criminalization of politics," he said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference. Perry's attorneys had sought to have the two criminal charges — coercion of a public official and abuse of official capacity — against him thrown out on constitutional grounds, their second failed attempt to have the case dismissed. Tony Buzbee, the governor's attorney, said in a statement issued Tuesday that Perry "acted lawfully and properly exercised his power under the law as Governor to protect the public safety and integrity of government." "Continued prosecution of Governor Perry is an outrage and sets a dangerous precedent in our Democracy. America's commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law is at stake in this case, which is why we will immediately appeal this decision to the Third District Court of Appeals," he said. The former governor has already spent more than $1 million from his campaign coffers on his defense, and another appeal is likely to take months and draw more resources as he prepares for a likely presidential bid. Perry was indicted in August related to his 2013 veto threat to veto funding for public corruption prosecutors in the state, a threat which he eventually carried out and one that critics said was intended to pressure a local district attorney to resign. District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, a Democrat, rebuffed the governor's calls to resign after she was arrested and pleaded guilty in April of 2013 to drunken driving. The Texas governor is openly preparing for another presidential bid, and though the indictment was then seen as a possible impediment to his candidacy, he continued his travel to early primary states, and in fact drew widespread support from Republicans when the indictment was reported. His potential GOP primary opponents again came to his defense with the judge's decision to allow the case to move forward this week. Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, along with Govs. Scott Walker and Chris Christie, all issued statements of support on social media. And Perry reiterated Thursday that the ongoing case will have no impact on his preparations for a second run. "We're moving right along as we have intended to" with those plans, he said, and hinted that he may already have his mind made up on whether to go forward with another bid. "We'll make a decision — or, actually, make an announcement, is a better descriptive term — in the May-June timetable just like we had intended to before this," Perry added.
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A Texas judge denied the second attempt by Rick Perry's attorneys to have the felony charges against him thrown out .
Perry pledged to continue to fight the charges, which he said "amounts to the criminalization of politics"
He said he's moving forward with a potential presidential bid, despite the charges .
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(CNN) -- Japan's governing body of sumo wrestling announced it has fired star sumo wrestler ozeki Kotomitsuki in the wake of a gambling scandal that has enveloped the sport, according to news reports. The unprecedented move also was taken against Kotomitsuki's stable master, Otake. Kotomitsuki becomes the first active "ozeki," the champion rank to which he was promoted in 2007, to be fired, Kyodo News reported. He was found to have gambled on professional baseball, with money allegedly a source of funding for mobsters. The Japan Sumo Association on Sunday stopped short, however, of expelling them, the most severe sentence which would bar them from receiving retirement allowances, according to Kyodo News. Such a sentence would be decided by a council of high-ranking sumo officials, Kyodo News reported. The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament, which runs later this month, will go on as planned. The allegations have shaken sumo wrestling, with 63 percent of people responding to a poll saying the summer tournament should be postponed, according to the national Asahi Shimbun newspaper. The scandal also has led to the arrest of a former sumo wrestler and the demotion of a stablemaster-coach of several wrestlers who also allegedly gambled on baseball. The association has sought to repair the damage. The association's chairman says on the association website that the situation is "unprecedented and critical." He also promises to try to "regain the fan's confidence ... as soon as possible." Sumo is an ancient sport dating back some 1500 years, according to the Japan Sumo Association's website.
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Kotomitsuki was found to have gambled on professional baseball .
He becomes the first active "ozeki" to be fired, Kyodo News reports .
A council of high-ranking sumo officials to decide on expulsion, Kyodo News reports .
Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament to go on as planned this month .
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(CNN) -- A man who told Maryland State Police that his wife was killed by a carjacker early Friday morning has been charged in her death. Ryan Holness, 28, was charged with first- and second-degree murder in the death of Serika Dunkley Holness, 26, according to Maryland police. Her body was found about 6 a.m. Friday in a field in Crumpton, Maryland, police said. Holness was arrested after inconsistencies surfaced in his story, according to investigators. Holness said that he and his wife were carjacked by a man armed with a knife and a gun on the New Jersey Turnpike while returning to Maryland from New York on Thursday night, police said. "He told investigators that he was assaulted by the suspect and forced to drive to Crumpton," said Gregory Shipley of the Maryland State Police. "He said the suspect bound his feet and hands with duct tape before attacking his wife who had tried to flee the scene." Police interviewed various people and launched a nationwide search for the carjacker and Holness' 2007 blue Honda Accord, Shipley said. "Information provided by Holness throughout the day Friday did not match information developed through witnesses and evidence at the scene," Shipley said. Shortly after 11 p.m. Friday, Holness' car was located by a D.C. police officer on a Washington street. "Maryland State police homicide detectives have taken custody of the car," Shipley said. State police are not yet sure how the car got to Washington.
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Police arrest man who blamed carjacker for wife's death .
Ryan Holness told police he and wife were assaulted on trip to Maryland .
Police say information Holness provided did not match witness statements, evidence .
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The fighting that erupted in Baghdad's Sadr City last month has killed 925 people and wounded 2,605, a top government official said Wednesday. Iraqis mourn outside the Sadr City hospital Wednesday after several people were killed in clashes. Most of the casualties consist of civilians and "criminal elements attacked by us," said Tahseen al-Sheikhly, a spokesman for the Baghdad security crackdown called Operation Enforcing the Law. Civilians are being caught in the crossfire because militants "use the population to cover themselves," al-Sheikhly said. The number of Iraqi civilians killed and wounded nationwide continued to increase during April. According to Iraq's Interior Ministry, 969 civilians died and 1,750 were wounded during April. In March, the total was 923 civilians killed and 1,358 wounded -- a sharp increase over February, when 633 died and 701 were wounded. Despite Shiite militants' calls for the Iraqi government to honor a cease-fire, al-Sheikhly said, the crackdown on insurgents will end when the insurgency ends. "I don't think there is a timetable for all this. I can't tell that this will end tomorrow or the day after," he said. The attacks "will end when those aspects of violence end." He echoed sentiments expressed earlier in the day by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who said the government will not accept the existence of a nongovernment armed force. Word of the casualties came as the U.S. military said its highest death toll in seven months reflected an effort by Iraqi militants to reassert themselves after weeks of government crackdowns. Watch how civilians are dying in the urban fighting (graphic content) » . Three U.S. soldiers in Iraq were killed Wednesday in two roadside bombings, the U.S. military said. The first incident occurred about 1 a.m. during a walking patrol in northern Baghdad, the military said. The other two died about 4:50 p.m. when an improvised explosive device detonated in southern Baghdad, the military said. Names of the soldiers were withheld pending notification of their relatives. Another U.S. soldier died Wednesday in a bombing in the northern Iraqi province of Ninevah, according to the military. The deaths bring the April death toll for the U.S. military to 50, the highest monthly tally since September. Most of the deaths occurred in and around Baghdad, and most were combat-related. Since the war in Iraq began, in March 2003, 4,062 U.S. service members have died. Over the past several weeks, militants have increased mortar and rocket attacks against civilian, government and military targets, said Gen. Kevin J. Bergner, spokesman for Multi-National Force-Iraq. "These indirect fire attacks have killed some 40 people in Baghdad, with some 370 others injured," he said. Troops "are responding appropriately to these lethal attacks. As we do so, we use precision strikes and take precaution to limit the damage," Bergner said. "We have said all along this will be a tough fight." A member of the American-backed militia Sons of Iraq was killed Wednesday, and four others -- three of them also Sons of Iraq members -- were wounded, when an improvised explosive device detonated near the town of Hawija, Iraq, the U.S. military said. The Sons of Iraq members were returning from a meeting when the explosion occurred, the military said. The wounded were taken to a hospital in Hawija, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Kirkuk. U.S. and Iraqi troops have clashed with Shiite militants in Sadr City, a sprawling, crowded Shiite slum. Many of the militants are loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mehdi Army militia. Much of the fighting has been between the Mehdi Army and U.S.-backed Iraqi security forces, which are dominated by a rival Shiite group, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq. The fighting intensified March 25, when the Iraqi government announced a crackdown on "criminal elements" in Basra, a Shiite stronghold in southern Iraq. The fighting soon spread through southern Iraq's Shiite heartland and into Shiite neighborhoods in the capital. There also has been violence in areas dominated by Sunnis, such as Nineveh and Anbar provinces. Skirmishes in Sadr City were aggravated this month when al-Sadr aide Sayyed Riyadh al-Nuri was shot outside his home in the Shiite holy city of Najaf. Al-Sadr suspended the activities of his militia in August. U.S. military commanders cited the suspension as a major reason for a decline in violence in Iraq. Another factor, commanders said, was last year's troop escalation, dubbed the "surge." Al-Sadr issued a cease-fire for his followers March 30. Fighting in Sadr City waned but remained intense, the U.S. military said. The cleric has intermittently appealed for calm and threatened to rescind his cease-fire order in recent weeks. Al-Maliki has threatened to boot al-Sadr's supporters from parliament if the Mehdi Army does not stand down. An adviser to al-Maliki said this week that the government would halt its assault on militias if the groups hand in their weapons, turn in wanted militia members and refrain from interfering in the affairs of the Iraqi government and security forces. Al-Sadr has rejected the offer, saying al-Maliki hasn't kept his end of the present cease-fire -- under which, the cleric's supporters said, the Iraqi government would free nonconvicted prisoners belonging to the Sadrist movement and discontinue attacks on al-Sadr's followers. Last week, al-Sadr threatened to wage "open war" on U.S. troops if attacks do not cease. He issued a separate statement Friday to emphasize that his militia would target "occupiers" and not Iraqis. In that statement, al-Sadr also said he would not accept the long-term agreement that the United States and Iraqi governments are crafting to replace the U.N. mandate for multinational forces in Iraq. The mandate expires in December. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
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NEW: 3 U.S. soldiers killed in 2 roadside bombs; total U.S. death toll at 4,062 .
Government attacks on militants will stop when insurgency stops, official says .
Official: Civilians killed because militants "use the population to cover themselves"
Iraqi security forces, Shiite militants have been fighting in Sadr City for weeks .
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A law student left paralysed by a rare spinal condition has defied doctors' predictions and landed a dream career as a model. Katie Knowles, 24, feared she'd never walk again after developing disc degenerative disease and spinal stenosis – a condition that usually only affects pensioners - at just 15 years old. She lost feeling in her toes, feet, and thighs and couldn't even get out of bed without help – a devastating situation for a girl who had previously been a ballet dancer, swimmer, badminton player and horse rider. Katie Knowles, 24, has defied medics to become a model (left) despite being struck down with a rare spinal condition that left her paralysed and meant she had learn to walk all over again (right) Ms Knowles was approached by agency Models of Diversity, and is now campaigning for more representation of disabled people in the modelling industry and the media . After years of back pain, Miss Knowles was diagnosed with spinal stenosis due to a slipped disc in her back at just 15 years old. At 20 years old she underwent a nine hour operation to remove the slipped disc in her back. But when she woke up she had lost all mobility in the lower half of her body . Despite doctors warning her paralysis meant she faced life in a wheelchair, she underwent physiotherapy and fought hard to learn to walk all over again. And though at one point she 'thought her life was over', she has now launched a career as a model, and wants to inspire other people with mobility issues to follow their dreams. Miss Knowles, from Newcastle, said: 'When I realised I couldn't walk I felt like my life was over - I couldn't feel my feet and parts of my legs, it was horrendous - it was like I was paralysed. 'I was so used to being active, I danced regularly, played Badminton for the county, and swam competitively, but suddenly I couldn't do anything at all. 'Learning to walk again was so difficult and frustrating - I got the nickname Bambi at physio because I was so wobbly. 'I was very determined, and taking my first steps was just amazing, but the experience left me with no confidence at all. 'A friend suggested that I should try some modelling, as she had already done it, so I agreed to take some pictures with her for fun. Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal. It can be caused by problems, including overgrowth of bone or other tissue or by a herniated disc. Sometimes called a slipped disc or a ruptured disc, a herniated disc occurs when some of the softer 'jelly' pushes out through a crack in the tougher exterior. When the spinal canal which surrounds the spinal cord gets too narrow, it can squeeze and choke the spinal cord or nearby nerve roots. Spinal stenosis can cause pain, numbness, or weakness in the legs, buttocks, arms, or neck, depending on which area of the spine is affected. This is known medically as 'sciatica'. 'Before I knew it she'd put them online, and I had photographers and brands contacting me to work with them - it was unbelievable.' Despite her condition, Miss Knowles is determined to carve out a successful career for herself. She said: 'I still use my crutches all the time, and on a really bad day I'll use a wheelchair, but I won't let that stop me. 'I'll try anything at shoots because I want to prove to the photographer that I'm a good model. 'I once modelled on a horse, and it threw me off backwards - everyone else was concerned about my back but I was more worried about my hair and make up. 'I did a bridal shoot once, and one of the photographer's helpers had to hide under my dress holding me steady because I was quite unstable on my feet. 'But if there's a pose or a shot that the photographer wants, I'll do everything to make sure I can achieve it.' After years of living with pain, Miss Knowles was diagnosed with disc degenerative disease, where one of the discs in the spinal cord becomes worn away (sometimes referred to as a 'slipped disc'), causing pain in the back. She was also diagnosed with spinal stenosis – in which the spinal canal become narrowed, squeezing and choking the spinal cord or nearby nerve roots - causing pain, tingling and weakness in the back and legs (known as sciatica), at just 15 years old. The disease stunned doctors, who had never seen a case in someone so young before. Miss Knowles said: 'When doctors first suspected I had the condition, they couldn't quite believe it because it's something that only happens to old people. 'They wondered if I'd some kind of trauma, but no one can work out why I have it - it's just one of those things. Though doctors said she faced a life in a wheelchair, Miss Knowles was determined to walk again. As her confidence had been shattered by the ordeal, a friend recommended she tried modelling. She discovered she loved being behind the camera and was approached by other photographers . Doctors were stunned when Miss Knowles was diagnosed with spinal stenosis at just 15 years old, as this condition is normally only seen in pensioners. She lost confidence after being left paralysed, but modelling gave her a new sense of purpose. She is pictured (left and right) posing in her own photographs . Before her diagnosis, Miss Knowles was a keen sportswoman. She is pictured on a family skiing holiday . 'It's funny because now my Nana, who is 82, has been diagnosed with the same thing.' At 16 years old she underwent surgery to remove the part of the slipped disc that was pressing on her nerve, in the hope that it would reduce her back pain. However, four years later the pain returned and so doctors decided to carry out a more extreme operation to remove the disc entirely. It was after this operation Miss Knowles woke up unable to feel or move anything in her lower body. Ms Knowles said: 'They took a bone graft from my hip and put it where the disc was, then they put rods either side of the new disc and screwed it all in place. 'It took nine hours and was supposed to be the cure I needed, but I woke up in agony and completely unable to walk.' The once active student woke up to a completely new life - and was horrified to discover that she had lost her mobility. After six months of physiotherapy, and feeling as though her life had been shattered by her paralysis, Miss Knowles is proud to have learned to walk again.After six months of physiotherapy, and feeling as though her life had been shattered by her paralysis, Miss Knowles is proud to have learned to walk again. 'I was so young when I got this condition that there were no other people my age to talk to about it, I thought it was the end of the world,' Miss Knowles said. However, modelling gave her a new sense of purpose . This was a known risk of the surgery - but was unexpected in Miss Knowles' case. Feeling as though her life as she knew it had been shattered, her journey to being able to walk again was difficult. She said: 'I was out of hospital, but I still had a long way to go, plus my confidence was at an all time low. 'I'd put on a lot of weight in hospital, and I just felt like a different person. 'I couldn't dance or do any sports, and I'd lost my independence because I was so unsteady.' But after being introduced to modelling by a friend, she discovered a new sense of purpose. Miss Knowles said: 'My friend, who also has mobility issues, suggested I try modelling, as it had boosted her confidence too. 'I had nothing to lose so I thought I may as well give it a go. 'As soon as I got in front of the camera I loved it, and the response was amazing. Before being diagnosed at 16 years old, Miss Knowles was a keen ballet dancer (left), badminton player (pictured right with a medal) and horse rider. But she was blighted by agonising back pain . Now, Miss Knowles is trying to raise as much awareness of her condition as possible. 'Disabled people receive so little representation in the media, so Models of Diversity is trying to change that. I want to show people that you don't have to let it hold you back - you can still achieve your dreams,' she said . 'I'm now the face of some independent clothing labels, and I regularly pose for photographers. 'I'm also a model for Models of Diversity - a company that campaign for more diversity within the modelling industry. 'Disabled people receive so little representation in the media, so Models of Diversity is trying to change that. 'I'm really excited to be part of such an important campaign.' Now, Katie is trying to raise as much awareness of her condition as possible through modelling. She said: 'I was so young when I got this condition that there were no other people my age to talk to about it, I thought it was the end of the world. 'I want to show people that you don't have to let it hold you back - you can still achieve your dreams.' For more information about Models of Diversity visit their website.
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Katie Knowles, 24, suffered agonising back pain for years .
Was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis .
This is where spinal canal has become narrow, choking the spinal cord .
She underwent an operation when she was 20 but woke up paralysed .
Faced a life in a wheelchair but she fought hard to learn to walk again .
Was approached by photographers and landed a dream job as a model .
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Getting your own place and moving out from Mum and Dad is every teenager’s dream, but property savvy young Australians have worked out that it’s much better financially to stick with their parents until they're 30 if they want to buy their ideal home. Today young people all over Australia are happy to live with their parents for as long as possible if it means they can afford to buy the property they want in the right area. Graham Mirabito of RP Data – the largest provider of property information, analytics and property-related risk management services in Australia and New Zealand – confirmed that many young adults and couples were prepared to stay at home until they were 30 and do things differently. Young Australians are happy to stay at home with their parents before splashing out on a trendy pad . ‘What we’re hearing from the mortgage brokers is that young people today are buying an investment home in an area they’d like to live in, but for the first few years they'll rent it out and let someone else pay for it, while they remain living at home,’ Mirabito explained. ‘It means they are never priced out of that market and they can move when they can afford to. So what we’re seeing from the mortgage brokers is that young couples are happy to buy an investment property but still live with Mum and Dad. ‘Kids are a lot smarter with their money than what we give them credit for today. It’s a new trend to live at home until you’re 30 because there’s no stigma attached to it now. It’s a sensible business decision.’ Mum and Dad could be seeing much more of their children in the future . Many couples are from Chinese, Italian and Greek ancestry where living together as an extended family well into their 20s is traditional. But it also now makes a lot of financial sense. ‘Young couples buy an investment property and let it tick over, then when they do get married they can move in themselves or sell it to get an even better property in that area,’ Mirabito said. He argued that this new way of thinking caught some developers out in recent years. ‘Developers were building dairy farms in the country into attractive housing lots when the kids looking for places just wanted to live in the city. For 10 years the developers got it wrong to an extent, because the lots were not being bought up as fast as developers thought they would be,’ Mirabito said. A house in this row in Newtown in Sydney would appeal to many first-time home owners . Terraced houses like the ones here at Bourke Street, Surry Hills in Sydney are much sought after . He also believed that the change of thinking was as much cultural as anything else. Decades ago Australians used to get married in their early 20s. Their kids had grown up by the time they were in their 30s. They’d live in the suburbs until the kids had flown the nest and then move back into the city. ‘That has all changed. Young people today want to live in the city to start with and have babies later in life,’ said Mirabito. ‘They’ll then bring their kids up in the early years in their city apartment. It’s later on when the kids get older that they’ll move out to the burbs where they can kick the football around.’ Staying at home longer will help young people save more money to buy their ideal home . CoreLogic RP Data’s quarterly review on the Australian residential property market and economy highlighted other reasons why this new phenomenon was taking place. At the moment first home buyers languish at near record low levels. In September first home buyers accounted for just 12 per cent of all financial housing commitments over the month. The main reason for this is because since early 2010 temporary first home buyer incentives were removed. Over a 12-month period to September 2014 there were 77,854 commitments by first home buyers which were just 12.5 per cent of all commitments and the lowest annual figure on record. Houses like these overlooking North Bondi Beach in Sydney will not come cheaply . It all means that the lack of affordable housing available for Australian first home buyers, particularly within the major capital cities, is what’s likely to be contributing to the low number of first home buyers despite historically low mortgage rates. Young Australians will stay at home first before making a bid on the house of their dreams . The mortgage rates are at near record low levels, because interest rates are at extremely low levels. However, the trouble is that although mortgage rates are low and home values are increasing, household disposal incomes are hardly rising at all.
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Young Australians happy to live with parents until finding the right place .
'It's a new trend to live at home until you're 30,' says real estate expert .
No longer any stigma attached as it's a sensible business decision .
Developers misjudged what young homeowners were looking for .
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The former Korean Air executive involved in the infamous 'nut rage' incident earlier this month, has been arrested in order to prevent her from leaving South Korea. Cho Hyun-Ah, the daughter of the Korean Air's chairman, has faced mounting public anger following the incident, which saw her force a flight to return to its gate in New York over a bag of nuts. Cho, 40, had become outraged that the macadamia nuts had been served in a bag and not in a bowl and demanded the removal of a senior flight attendant. Scroll down for video . Going nuts: An arrest warrant has been issued for Cho Hyun-ah, center, former vice president of Korean Air Lines, in order to prevent her from leaving South Korea . Prosecutors have yet to press criminal charges against Cho, but South Korean law allows authorities to arrest a suspect for up to six months over worries the person could flee or destroy evidence. Seoul Western District Court said such concerns were warranted. A separate arrest warrant for a current Korean Air executive, whose surname is Yeo, was also granted. Yeo is suspected of pressuring Korean Air employees to conceal the incident. The court said there were 'systematic attempts to cover up' Cho's actions 'since the beginning of the incident.' The Seoul Western Prosecutors' Office has said Cho would face several charges, including inflight violence and changing a flight route, which is prohibited under aviation law. Cho, 40, resigned earlier this month as vice president at Korean Air and from all her roles at the airline's affiliates. Cho Hyun-ah, center, former vice president of Korean Air Lines, is escorted by court officials as she leaves for Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday . Cho Hyun-ah, 40, forced a Korean Air flight to return to its gate in New York to remove a senior flight attendant who had failed to serve her nuts the way she wanted . A passenger on the flight on December 5 told local media that Cho assaulted and threatened crew members. Park Chang-jin, the senior flight attendant who was kicked off, told the KBS television network that he was insulted and had to kneel before her because he didn't dare to challenge the chairman's daughter. Her behavior touched a nerve with South Koreans who are frustrated with family members who control mighty business groups known as chaebol that dominate Asia's fourth-largest economy. Cho and her two siblings quickly became executives at the airline and its affiliates. The family's direct stake in Korean Air is just ten per cent but cross-shareholdings among Hanjin companies give it effective control. South Korea's transport ministry has also faced criticism because ministry investigators probing the incident were said to be too cozy with company executives who tried to protect Cho. Most of the ministry's investigators formerly worked at the airline, South Korea's largest, raising questions about their fairness. Earlier this week, the ministry said it decided to punish four of its officials for misconduct during the investigation. One official was arrested last week for leaking information about the probe to Yeo, the Korean Air executive, in several telephone conversations and text messages.
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Korean Air heiress Cho Hyun-Ah delayed flight with a tantrum over snacks .
Prosecutors said charges include a violation of aviation safety law .
The heiress took exception to being served nuts in a bag, not a bowl .
She screamed abuse at flight attendant, and chief purser Park Chang-Jin .
Cho compelled the plane to return to the gate so Chang-Jin could get off .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . As staff at a New England grocery store chain prepared for another week of protest at the loss of their beloved CEO, the company's director prepared to meet with his board. Thousands of staff have been on strike since Market Basket's Arthur T Demoulas was ousted by his cousin Arthur S Demoulas. The . feud dates back to the 1970s, but the most recent round of infighting . began last year when Arthur S. gained control of the board of directors. Last month, the board fired Arthur T. Scroll down for video . Rivals: Arthur T Demoulas, left, was ousted as Market Basket president by his cousin Arthur S Demoulas, right . As he headed to a meeting of directors in Boston on Friday, Arthur S told 7News he will not consider his cousin's bid for the chain until he has seen it. He added that he had no comment about the workers' strike, and reaction from customers who have come out in support of his ousted cousin. Arthur T, who staff have always liked, and who is described as being like George Bailey from the classic film It's a Wonderful Life, has said that his offer more than meets the value of Market Basket. He also called on the company to reinstate the staff who had been fired after protesting in favor of him. 'Their fierce loyalty to the company and its customers has always been deeply valued,' he told the Boston Herald. 'It is about the people who have proven their dedication over many years and should not have lost their jobs because of it. I urge that they be reinstated.' Market Basket supermarket employees and supporters hold a rally Friday to back ousted former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas . A decades-long family feud, which brought about the ouster of Arthur T. Demoulas as CEO of the privately held company, led to a worker revolt, customer boycotts and empty shelves in the grocery chain's stores in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire . Maria Arvarado, of Haverhill, Mass. finds empty produce bins as she shops at Market Basket supermarket . The ongoing dispute has been called a . David vs. Goliath story, a 'Tale of Two Arthurs' and even the 'ultimate . Greek tragedy. A . workers' revolt at the Market Basket supermarket chain has led to empty . shelves, angry customers and support for a boycott from more than 100 . state legislators and mayors. Industry . analysts say worker revolts at non-union companies are rare, but what's . happening at Market Basket is particularly unusual because the workers . are not asking for higher pay or better benefits. They are demanding the . reinstatement of beloved former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, whom they . credit with keeping prices low, treating them well and guiding the . company's success. The New England grocery store chain is embroiled in a family feud featuring two cousins who have been at odds for decades. While . earlier squabbles between Arthur T. Demoulas and Arthur S. Demoulas . were fought in courtrooms, this dispute has spilled into the stores. Cashiers and baggers sit idle at the Market Basket supermarket chain . For . the past week, warehouse workers have refused to make deliveries to . Market Basket stores, leaving fruit, vegetable, seafood and meat shelves . empty. Workers have held protest rallies and organized boycott . petitions through social media, attracting thousands of supporters. Customers . are switching to other grocery stores. In some cases, customers have . taped receipts from competitors to Market Basket windows. 'We . are going to go somewhere else from now on,' said Soraya DeBarros, as . she walked through a depleted produce department at the Market Basket in . West Bridgewater this week. 'I'm sad about it because of course I want . to keep the low prices, but I want to support the workers.' Market Basket employees acknowledge passing supporters as they picket in front of the store in North Andover, Mass . Despite . threats by new management to fire any workers who fail to perform their . duties, 300 warehouse workers and 68 drivers have refused to make . deliveries. Eight supervisors have been fired. The . new executives have assured workers they are not planning drastic . changes in the way the company is operated and have urged them to return . to work. On Friday, the company again . appealed to workers to return, saying they won't be punished or face any . change in compensation and benefits. 'We welcome back associates who are committed to Market Basket's customers,' it said in a statement. Massachusetts . Attorney General Martha Coakley, who is running for governor, and New . Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan have publicly supported the employees. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who is running for governor, and New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan have publicly supported the employees . A shopper examines produce near empty bins . 'If . you had told me that workers at a grocery store would walk out to save . the job of a CEO, I would say that's incredible. There is usually such a . gulf between the worker and the CEO,' said Gary Chaison, a professor of . industrial relations at Clark University in Worcester. Market . Basket stores have long been a fixture in Massachusetts. The late . Arthur Demoulas - grandfather of Arthur S. and Arthur T. and a Greek . immigrant - opened the first store in Lowell nearly a century ago. Gradually, Market Basket became a regional powerhouse, with 25,000 . employees and 71 stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Workers are fiercely loyal to Arthur T. 'You . know the movie, `It's a Wonderful Life.' He's George Bailey,' said Tom . Trainor, a district supervisor who worked for the company for 41 years . before being fired last weekend over the protests. 'He's just a . tremendous human being that puts people above profits. He can walk . through a store, and if he's met you once, he knows your name, he knows . your wife, your husband, your kids, where they are going to school.' Meat manager Dave Fillebrown wipes down largely empty shelves at a Market Basket supermarket in Haverhill, Mass. Earlier Friday, board members said they will consider an offer Arthur T. made this week to buy the company. 'Consistent . with its fiduciary obligations, the board will evaluate and seriously . consider this proposal, along with any other offers previously received . and to be received,' the board said. The board also decried what it called the 'negative behavior' of some current and former employees. 'It . is now clear that it is in the interests of all members of the Market . Basket community for normal business operations to resume immediately,' it said. As the board met, up to 10,000 . employees, customers and supporters attended another protest rally at a . Market Basket store in Tewksbury. Employees . said they believe the fight between the family members loyal to Arthur . T and Arthur S is largely over money and the direction of the company. They say Arthur S and his supporters have pressed for a greater return . to shareholders. Arthur T and his supporters have focused on keeping prices low. Many . employees are distrustful of Arthur S and two co-chief executives who . were brought in from outside the company: Felicia Thornton, a former . executive of the grocery chain Albertsons, and Jim Gooch, former . president and chief executive at RadioShack Corp. Arthur S. has not spoken publicly about his ouster or the striking workers supporting him . The company statement Friday acknowledged 'the strain this change of leadership has placed on our associates.' Valerie Burke, a worker in the West Bridgewater store, said she's worried about her job. 'It's . a great company to work for now, but we are worried it won't stay that . way,' she said as she picketed outside the store Tuesday. Arthur S. has not spoken publicly, except a short response to 7 News when he said he wouldn't consider selling until he had seen his cousin's offer. Gooch and Thornton have communicated only through prepared statements. Steve . Paulenka, who started in 1974 as a bag boy and rose to facilities and . operations manager before being fired last weekend, said he sees no end . to protests unless Arthur T. is reinstated. 'A . big part of me doesn't like what's going on - it's like breaking your . favorite toy on purpose,' he said. 'But we'll get through this.'
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Market Basket staff continue strike that has led to empty .
shelves, angry customers and support for a boycott .
Workers want return of former CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, whom they .
credit with keeping prices low and treating them well .
Demoulas was removed as company president last month .
The New England grocery store chain is embroiled in a family feud featuring two cousins who have been at odds for decades .
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(CNN) -- A man from Uzbekistan living in Alabama has pleaded guilty to charges related to a plot to assassinate President Barack Obama, prosecutors said Friday. Ulugbek Kodirov, 21, faces up to 15 years behind bars after he sought help to either shoot the president or kill him with explosives in a suicide attack, according to a government affidavit. Kodirov pleaded guilty to supporting terrorist activity, threatening to kill the president and illegal possession of an automatic weapon. Lance Bell, his court-appointed attorney, said Kodirov had initially intended to enter a not guilty plea at his arraignment. A source whom Kodirov contacted for help with his plot told authorities that Kodirov supports Islamic extremists, the affidavit says. Authorities say Kodirov stayed in the United States illegally after his student visa was revoked. He was arrested on July 13 at a motel in Leeds, Alabama, after he obtained a machine gun and four disassembled hand grenades from an undercover agent, the Justice Department said. In an affidavit filed that day with a search warrant request for a room at the extended-stay motel -- Kodirov's apparent home -- U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Todd Matney said Kodirov contacted "an FBI confidential reliable source" on July 9 and 10 and "made inquiry regarding possible ways to kill President Obama, including shooting the president from a long distance," and asked for help. Not knowing the person he was speaking to was a confidential source for the authorities, "Kodirov specifically provided information ... pertaining to long-range sniper rifles" and also asked about using explosives, saying "that he did not care if he lost his own life killing President Obama," Matney said in the affidavit. "On or about July 11, Kodirov" told a second confidential source that he wished to kill Obama and asked for help. The second source "knows Kodirov to be a very strict Muslim, who has previously expressed support for Islamic extremists," the affidavit says. The source knows that "Kodirov views jihadist websites and Internet content" on a laptop in his residence, the affidavit said. Items to be seized at the residence included computers, mobile phones and documents, the affidavit said. "There is probable cause to believe" that documents -- including information about "possible co-conspirators," as well as "sniper rifles and other long range weaponry, assault rifles, hand guns, explosives, weapons training and tactic manuals, documentation related to assassinations, Jihadist manuals and training manuals" -- were at the premises, the affidavit said.
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Ulugbek Kodirov faces up to 15 years behind bars .
He sought help to either shoot the president or kill him with explosives, an affidavit says .
Kodirov pleaded guilty to supporting terrorist activity and threatening to kill the president .
He also pleaded guilty to illegal possession of an automatic weapon .
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By . Andrew Levy . PUBLISHED: . 10:55 EST, 2 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:03 EST, 2 November 2012 . An undertaker who stole a purse from an elderly woman as he collected her body was jailed yesterday after a judge criticised the sickening ‘breach of trust’. Grahame Lawler, 37, was called to Muriel Swift’s home minutes after it was discovered the 78-year-old disabled spinster had died. He pounced after asking a police officer to hand some paperwork to a colleague outside the room, taking the purse which contained £10 in cash. Jailed: Undertaker Grahame Lawler, seen outside Cambridge Crown Court today, was sentenced to four months in prison for stealing a purse from a woman less than an hour after she died . The police officer noticed the purse was missing after he left. When the married father of three was arrested at a mortuary it was found stuffed up his sleeve. Lawler, who worked for Co-operative Funeralcare, was jailed for four months at Cambridge Crown Court yesterday after admitting theft from a pending estate. Judge Jonathan Haworth told him: ‘It is difficult to think of a greater breach of trust than stealing from someone who has just died, abusing your position as an undertaker. ‘I can see no alternative but a prison sentence because people will want to see justice in this case. ‘Your good character and early guilty plea do nothing to change this fact. The mitigating factors in this case only lessen the amount of time you will serve.’ Diabetes sufferer Miss Swift, a retired manager of an engineering firm, was confined to a wheelchair after a leg was amputated following a serious fracture of the tibia and fibula. Her body was discovered by her carer on July 6 after she passed away in the living room of her bungalow in Linton, Cambridgeshire. Lawler was employed by Co-operative Funeralcare when he stole the purse, a crime the firm branded 'despicable' A post-mortem examination later revealed she died from pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. Sara Walker, prosecuting, said: ‘The attending officer searched the deceased’s handbag in the hope of finding [information about] a next-of-kin. In the handbag was a dark blue leather purse. The purse contained identification and bank notes. ‘Mr Lawler asked the police officer to leave the room to give a form to his work colleague who was in the ambulance. ‘Returning to the room, the officer searched for keys to secure the property, finding herself looking through the handbag once again. This time she noticed the purse was missing.’ When he was arrested at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, Miss Swift’s bank cards and PIN she had noted down on a piece of paper were also found in his wallet. Lawler, of Fulbourn, near Cambridge, was due to appear in court on September 17 but went on the run. He handed himself in two days later. The court heard he got into financial difficulty last year and was £12,000 in debt. Jane Carpenter, 43, a friend of the pensioner who had no living relatives, was at court to hear the sentence. She said afterwards: ‘I knew Muriel a very long time and I thought the world of her, as did my kids. She was the kind of woman who was very giving. She was one of those women who would probably have given him some cash if he had needed it. ‘To steal from someone minutes after they have died is foul. I am pleased to see that he has been sent to prison.’
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Grahame Lawler admitted stealing Muriel Swift's purse after being called to the dead woman's home to escort her body to a mortuary .
Lawler had claimed he was traumatised by the 'vile, nasty' things he saw in the course of his work and said he saw the crime as a 'way out'
He was sentenced to four months in jail at Cambridge Crown Court today .
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By . John Drayton . Sevilla celebrated their Europa League triumph in front of thousands of jubilant fans in the Spanish city on Thursday. Just hours after the nail-biting penalty shoot-out win against Benfica in Turin, supporters lined the streets to greet Unai Emery and his players. They boarded an open-top bus to take them through the city to the pier, where they boarded a boat to carry on the procession. River cruise: Sevilla's stars took to the water to celebrate their Europa League success . Attracting attention: The boat carrying the Sevilla players is flagged by other vessels . Sevilla fans were put through the wringer before clinching their third Europa League title with a 4-2 shoot-out success against their Portuguese opponents. Neither side could find a breakthrough in a tense 120 minutes as spot-kicks were left to separate the sides. Prize guys: Sevilla players show off the trophy on their journey down the Gudalquivir river . Welcome home: Fans line the river banks to greet the winners . Hands up for the champions: Sevilla celebrate their triumph in the city . Sevilla keeper Beto was the hero, denying Oscar Cardozo and Rodrigo from 12 yards before Kevin Gameiro fired home the winning penalty. Emery praised his players for staying strong as they edged out Benfica in heartbreaking fashion. He said: 'You could tell our players were suffering from fatigue and physical discomfort but this team has learned how to suffer. We have learned how to stay strong and so we were ready for that.' Roadblock affair: Fans turned out in their thousands to get a glimpse of their heroes . All aboard! Sevilla's players take an open-top bus through the city centre . Meanwhile, UEFA will investigate why nearly 6,000 seats were left unoccupied at the final. Fans jeered when an official attendance of 33,120 was announced during Wednesday’s match at the Juventus stadium, although UEFA said it had sold all 39,000 tickets. Trophy boys: Unai Emery and his players arrive back at Sevilla airport . We've done it! Sevilla's players go crazy after Kevin Gameiro's winning penalty . Match-winner: Beto is congratulated by Carlos Bacca and Diogo Figueiras .
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Thousands of supporters flocked to the city to get a glimpse of their heroes .
Fans lined the roads and river banks as Unai Emery's men arrived home .
Sevilla edged out Benfica in nail-biting penalty shoot-out in Turin .
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Michael McIntyre has said he is ‘heartbroken’ after his step-mother revealed his father committed suicide. The comedian, 38, said he disapproved of disclosing the ‘painful and personal’ information, which has been kept secret for more than 20 years. McIntyre was brought up believing his father Cameron had died of a heart attack, and only discovered that he had killed himself four years ago. Michael McIntyre, aged 17, and his father Ray Cameron in London in 1993, six months before his suicide . His father, who was also a comedian and worked for four years on the Kenny Everett Show, suffered from depression after a downturn in his career. He shot himself in the head in the utility room of a Hollywood apartment block in 1993, aged 55. His widow Holly, now 58, decided to shield the truth from McIntyre, who was only 17 at the time, and his 15-year-old sister Lucy. But yesterday, she revealed that she was forced to tell her two step-children the truth in 2010 after McIntyre was invited to take part in a BBC series probing his background. She feared his death certificate would be found, revealing the real cause of death. The comedian was brought up believing his father had died of a heart attack, and only discovered that he had killed himself four years ago, pictured with his sister, Lucy . Mr Cameron's wife Holly (both pics), now 58, decided to shield the truth from McIntyre, who was only 17 at the time of his father's suicide . She said: ‘That was the hardest phone call of my life. I was shaking when I told him. For years I kept this terrible secret and finally I was sharing it. ‘I said, “Michael, your father didn’t have a heart attack. He killed himself.” ‘There was a paralysed silence on the other end of the line. He was crushed. How are you supposed to react to news like that? ‘He just said, “Oh my God, Oh my God… are you sure?”’ His father, who was also a comedian and worked for a while on the Kenny Everett Show, suffered from depression after a downturn in his career . Mrs McIntyre said she had found a suicide note from her husband apologising for what he had done and asking her to protect the children. In the years after his death, her stepson Michael left Edinburgh University to become a stand-up comedian and found worldwide success. In his autobiography, Life And Laughing published in 2010, he detailed his father’s heart attack and said that his death was his inspiration to succeed. But that year he was approached by the BBC’s genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?, and she realised she would have to tell him the truth. McIntyre said: ‘I’m heartbroken my stepmother has chosen to share painful and personal information publicly’ Cameron McIntyre’s death certificate is freely available in US public records, and clearly states he died of a ‘self-inflicted gunshot wound to head’. His widow told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Michael grew up believing his dad went out for his morning walk and suffered a heart attack at the side of the road. ‘I didn’t think the children needed the burden of growing up under the shadow of a parent committing suicide. ‘If Michael hadn’t become famous the truth would never have come out because I wouldn’t have told anyone. ‘But he emailed me and said he would be doing this show and could I help the BBC with information about his daddy. ‘I knew the researchers would find the death certificate because it is a matter of public record. I had to come clean.’ Cameron killed himself after work began to dry up and the family had to give up their lifestyle of lavish homes, nice cars and private school for the children. He had been pinning his hopes on getting a commission for a series with the BBC, but after making a pilot episode the corporation decided not to run with it. He wrote in his suicide note: ‘I cannot tell you what to say to the children, but I know you will make the right decision. My instinct is to shield them if you can. I’m guessing that will be yours, too.’ In the wide-ranging interview, she also told how much her step-son values money after watching his father lose all of his. She also revealed she has recently been on bad terms with the comedian, after several rows involving her two children with McIntyre’s father, Georgina, now 22, and son Billy, 28. Georgina told the newspaper: ‘I only found out the truth about the suicide last year. I thought with me being the youngest, he might care to comfort me and build a bond. ‘But he’s not interested. I feel abandoned by him.’ Yesterday, Michael McIntyre said: ‘I’m heartbroken my stepmother has chosen to share painful and personal information publicly.’
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McIntyre grew up believing his father, Ray Cameron, died of heart attack .
But in 2010 the comic learned that his father had, in fact, shot himself .
Comedian's step-mother, Holly, spoke out about the 'deep, dark secret'
McIntyre said he is 'heartbroken' at her sharing this information publicly .
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This remarkable footage of a mega-pod dolphin stampede, three migrating grey whales and a newborn Humpback calf with its mother was captured off the Californian coast by drone. Captain Dave Anderson, of Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari, in Dana Point, California, used a quadcopter drone to capture the incredible shots. The footage includes thousands of common dolphins stampeding off Dana Point, California, along with the migration of three grey whales off San Clemente. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . This incredible footage of a mega-pod dolphin stampede was captured off the Californian coast by drone . The footage also shows the migration of three grey whales off San Clemente and a close-up of a newborn Humpback whale calf with its mother, in Maui . To watch Captain Dave's full 5 minute video click here . Capt Dave managed to capture the footage, which can be seen at Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari's website, after launching and catching the drone by hand while in a small inflatable boat. He said: 'This is the most beautiful and compelling five minute video I have ever put together. 'I learned so much about these whales and dolphins from this drone footage that it feels like I have entered a new dimension. 'I have not been this excited about a new technology since we built our underwater viewing pods on our whale watching boat.' The footage also features a close-up of a newborn Humpback whale calf with its mother, in Maui. Capt Dave said: 'This is the most beautiful and compelling five minute video I have ever put together' Capt Dave managed to capture the footage by launching and catching the drone by hand while in a small inflatable boat . In January, MailOnline reported how a so-called 'superpod' of dolphins was spotted swimming together off the coast of Costa Rica. The group was thought to include anywhere between 3,000 and 5,000 of the creatures. In the footage, the animals can be seen propelling themselves out of the water before joining scores of others swimming deep under the water's surface. Some of the footage was taken by cameramen both in and above the water, using long-lens and slow motion techniques. But the most amazing, detailed scenes came from cameras installed in 'spy creatures' - fake animals with cameras built into their mouths and eyes.
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Captain Dave Anderson used a quadcopter drone to capture footage .
Video includes stampede of dolphins and three grey whales migrating .
Capt Dave had to launch and catch drone by hand while in inflatable boat .
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Borussia Dortmund have been dealt a huge blow with the news that defender Mats Hummels has been ruled out for up to three weeks with a sprained foot sustained in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich. Hummels had only returned to action in September, missing the beginning of Dortmund's season with muscle problems after Germany's World Cup win. 'Hummels' injury was confirmed following a scan performed by club doctor Markus Braun at the Knappschaft Hospital in Dortmund on Sunday,' a statement on Dortmund's website said. Mats Hummels (on the ground) will miss three weeks for Borussia Dortmund, a huge blow for Jurgen Klopp . Jurgen Klopp greets Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola at the game between Bayern Munich and Dortmund . Marco Reus (right) put Dormund ahead as they chased a needed victory against German champions Munich . 'Hummels is expected to be out for three weeks and will miss the Champions League match against Galatasaray on Tuesday and Sunday’s Bundesliga clash against Mönchengladbach, with the next game after a two-week international break being an away trip to Paderborn on 22 November.' The problems keep mounting for Jurgen Klopp's side, after Dortmund surrendered a one-goal advantage, given to them through Marco Reus, to lose to Munich and drop into the relegation places in the Bundesliga. Former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski hoisted Munich level on 72 minutes with a strong finish from the edge of the area before Arjen Robben won the game from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining. Former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski celebrates leveling for Munich in the 72nd minute . Arjen Robben then secured the three points for Munich with a well-taken penalty in the 85th minute . While the scoreline was close, Dortmund had goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller to thank for keeping it respectful. He produced an array of saves to frustrate the German champions, before their pressure eventually told. Dortmund's last league victory came on September 13th and they are 16th in the Bundesliga with a miserly seven points from 10 games.
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Mats Hummels forced off at half-time against Bayern Munich with a sprain .
The Germany defender missed the season's start with muscle problems .
Borussia Dortmund in the relegation zone after 2-1 loss to Munich .
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By . Jenny Stocks . PUBLISHED: . 18:12 EST, 6 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:08 EST, 7 November 2012 . Under threat: A key ingredient used in Chanel No 5 may be banned if found to cause allergies . Famously, it was the only thing Marilyn Monroe wore in bed, and it has been synonymous with style and sophistication for more than nine decades. But now, for the first time in its 91-year history, Chanel No 5 perfume is under threat. The reason? One of its key ingredients — a naturally occurring type of tree moss — has come under the microscope of a team of EU scientists who believe it may cause allergies. It may seem bizarre that the top-selling perfume in the world — a bottle is sold every 30 seconds — could potentially be so damaging when tens of thousands of women across the globe wear it every day. But it’s just the latest in a long line of restrictions imposed on the scent industry in the past few years. Under rules implemented by the European Commission in 2006, 26 common ingredients including the now-infamous tree moss and eugenol (found in rose oil), must be declared on the packaging of perfume because they are potentially allergenic. Now it has emerged that the Commission’s Scientific Committee of Consumer Safety, charged with protecting citizens from harmful substances, has extended the list to cover 100 ‘unsafe’ materials. While they recommend that some must be declared on packaging or the amount used in a perfume be restricted, they want some — including the tree moss used in Chanel No 5 to help give it its distinctive smell — banned entirely. And while these are only guidelines and not law, it is likely that perfume manufacturers will feel pressure to comply. The industry watchdog, the International Fragrance Association, is taking it so seriously it has decided to conduct further research into the potential skin allergens on the back of the recommendations. Scroll down for video . The world's favourite perfume: A bottle of Chanel No 5 is sold every 30 seconds around the world . This doesn’t affect only Chanel; a host of other well-loved perfumes — from Miss Dior to Guerlain’s Shalimar and Angel by Thierry Mugler — could be caught up, too. For the new list calls for restrictions of many commonly used ingredients such as citral, found in lemon and tangerine oils, and coumarine, which comes from the spicy South American tonka bean — all naturally sourced ingredients, it should be pointed out, which have been used for decades in perfume-making without causing serious harm. It is even feared that jasmine and rose — some of the most common ingredients in the world’s favourite scents — could be put on future lists. But back to Chanel. What is this . innocuous-sounding tree moss, and how important is it to Chanel No 5? According to Francis Pickthall, director of UK-based international . fragrance house CPL Aromas, tree moss has always been an important . ingredient in high-end fragrances thanks to its distinctive earthy, . woody scent, which No 5 fans would immediately recognise. 'Unsafe': The European Commission's Scientific Committee of Consumer Safety wants to ban the tree moss ingredient . ‘It’s created by scraping moss from the bark of Northern hemisphere trees, often in former Yugoslavian countries, which is then steam-distilled,’ he says. ‘But it has already started to be phased out of many perfumes and replaced with similar-scented synthetic mosses or oak moss, though only if it is low in atranol, the component of moss which is a known skin-sensitiser’. Oak moss, it must be mentioned, is also in Chanel No 5, and also on the future ‘forbidden’ list. But Mr Pickthall argues that ingredients being banned or restricted is nothing new to the industry, and that perfumers are expert at phasing out problem materials while finding alternatives. That is clearly not how everyone feels, though. Chanel spokeswoman Francoise Montenay declared: ‘It would be the end of beautiful perfumes if we could not use these ingredients’; while the French Perfumer’s Society said it would lead to ‘the death of perfume if this continues’. One wonders what Coco Chanel herself would have thought of being told by EU scientists that her beloved fragrance had to be updated before it had even reached its 100th birthday. Because the story leading to its creation is just as captivating as the scent itself. Until Chanel No 5 emerged in 1921, perfumes had tended to be thick and rich with animal musk. Having already taken the Parisian fashion scene by storm, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel decided to turn her hand to a beauty product that had so far eluded her, a fragrance that was light, fresh and reflected the liberated spirit of the new decade. Her mother had been a laundry woman in rural France, so she loved the smell of soap, but for years she was unable to find a perfumer who was up to the task, because citrus fragrances such as lemon, bergamot and orange just didn’t last on the skin. Then, in 1920, she heard about a daring perfumer Ernest Beaux, who had worked for the Russian Royal family and lived in the capital of perfume, Grasse. He took up her challenge, spending months creating ten samples for her to try. They were numbered one to five and 20 to 24. And, you guessed it, she picked number five. Testing: The International Fragrance Association is now conducting further research into potential skin allergens . She is said to have told Beaux: ‘I present my dress collections on the fifth of May, the fifth month of the year, and so we will let this sample number five keep the name it has already — it will bring good luck.’ And it did. The scent combined jasmine, rose, sandalwood and vanilla with other background notes, and it is said that when Chanel sprayed the perfume around her table in an upmarket Paris restaurant, women passing by literally stopped in their tracks to ask her what the fragrance was and where it came from. She declared later: ‘It was what I was waiting for. A perfume like nothing else. A woman’s perfume, with the scent of a woman.’ French fashion designer Gabrielle Coco Chanel released No 5 in 1921 . Time would show that millions of women from all walks of life agreed with her, from the American war-time wives who had it brought back from Europe by their GI sweethearts, to the one-in-ten modern women who were wearing Chanel No 5 when they met ‘the One’, according to a study in 2009. So will all these women really fail to notice if the formula is changed? Perfumer Roja Dove is not so sure. While he admits that it has been necessary to remove certain common components of fragrances over the last century — both for health reasons, such as when benzene was phased out when it was discovered to be a potential carcinogen, and ethical ones, like the disappearance of musks taken from slaughtered animals — he says it is never easy to recreate a well-known scent with different raw materials. ‘It’s impossible to reformulate without making a product smell different — that is why the original ingredients were used in the first place,’ he says. Dove, as a leading figure within the British perfume industry, is more than a little troubled by the ‘Big Brother’ restrictions that are gradually taking hold. ‘While I do think the consumer’s health and wellbeing should always be our first priority, imagine if Brussels authorised for all nut products to be banned or restricted because a few people are allergic,’ he says. ‘There’s huge inconsistency. Just look at basil. I have to list it on the back of packaging if I use more than a certain percentage because it’s one of the original list of 26 the European Commission decided must be declared. ‘But a chef can take a huge bunch of basil, chop it up and sprinkle it over food, and their hands will be covered with basil oil. There are no guidelines there.’ He does make a valid point. Many of the ingredients that are now being considered dangerous are even edible.So what does Roja Dove suggest for the future? ‘As an industry, we are very responsible. We would never want to use ingredients that were scientifically proven to be a major problem, but I do believe consumers should have freedom of choice. ‘There are scents around that people have loved for centuries, so is it right to do away with them entirely? I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.’
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A bottle of Chanel No 5 is sold every 30 seconds around the world .
Scientists are testing whether a key ingredient - a naturally occurring type of tree moss - causes allergies .
European Commission’s Scientific Committee of Consumer Safety wants the material banned .
Outcome could also affect Miss Dior, Guerlain’s Shalimar and Angel by Thierry Mugler .
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Paris (CNN)The terrorist attacks in France last week have revealed serious breaches and lapses in the French system of intelligence, surveillance and security, according to numerous counterterrorism experts, including former government officials. The rips in the so-called intelligence "net" reveal gaps that led directly to the tragic events that have gripped Paris and the rest of France for days and also raise serious security concerns for the future here and abroad, more than a half dozen experts on security and terrorism told CNN. And it couldn't come at a worse time. The brazen murders of 17 innocent people, in three separate attacks in as many days, has led to a fabled city shaken, shocked and in mourning. The new concerns raise the serious possibility that national security and surveillance of suspected terrorists in France will need to be increased or totally reviewed and revamped to provide better safety for the nation as a whole, some experts told CNN. And with one of the suspected terrorists still on the loose of as Sunday night and new reports of "sleeper cells" being activated, the security concerns are only amplified. On Saturday, French police were told in a briefing that sleeper cells have been activated over the past 24 hours inside France, terror expert Samuel Laurent said he had been told by a police source. He said officers were told to erase all visible online presence on social media and keep their weapons on themselves at all times, he said. "There is a huge security failure those people were all considered as extremely dangerous," said Laurent, a French expert who has written several books on terror groups, their actions and jihadism. "They were all supposed to be monitored. In the U.S., they were on a no-fly list. So we can ask the question whether the U.S. is more able to monitor French jihadis on French territory than the French intelligence itself," said Laurent. One of the most common complaints heard by experts: simple math showing aspiring terrorists in France having the upper hand. One former director of a French counterterrorism unit put it in these terms: "There are far too many of them, and far too few of us," he said, asking to speak anonymously because he did not have permission to speak to reporters. "We cannot possibly keep track of them all, and we are seriously outnumbered," he said. Two other former French terrorist officials agreed. Jean-Charles Brisard, head of the French Center for Analysis of Terrorism, put it like this: "To put someone under surveillance, you need two things. You need a good reason -- you need to believe someone is going to be radicalized, that someone is going to become violent. "The second thing you need is resources. You need 25 agents ... to survey them physically, his phone, his laptops, iPads whatever. It is virtually impossible to put surveillance on 3,000 to 5,000 people in France who we know now are radicalized," he said. Beyond concerns about the state of simple surveillance, experts point out other issues in the fight against terrorism. They're worried about the proliferation of jihadi videos on social media, the growth of radical jihadi preaching and the relative ease with which citizens of France can get into Turkey and across the Syrian border. The week of terror began at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, where 12 journalists and others were murdered in close quarters, leaving a gruesome and violent crime scene behind the likes of which Paris has not seen in years. The attackers were two brothers who were well-known to authorities and who would seemingly call out for increased surveillance and scrutiny. Cherif and Said Kouachi were orphans and had criminal records. The younger brother, Cherif, was actually prosecuted and jailed for his ties to a jihadist recruitment ring in the northeast quadrant of Paris. The ring, known by name for a park where they met, the Buttes-Chaumont, was recruiting young disaffected Parisian Muslims to join in the Iraq War as jihadis against American forces. Three of the young recruits wound up in Falluja, where American forces died in numerous fierce battles. Cherif Kouachi was arrested in 2005 when he was about to leave for Iraq. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 2008. But Cherif didn't serve any time after the conviction -- the judge ruled that his pretrial detention had been enough. Still, his radicalization was well-known to officials, spelled out in detailed court documents back in 2007. The documents, obtained in conjunction with L'Express, show Cherif had a long history of jihadist aspirations, including going to Iraq to "combat the Americans" for the "injustices" they had "inflicted on Iraqis." In 2010, Cherif was connected with a foiled plot to help a convicted terrorist escape from jail, though there was not enough evidence to send him back to jail. During his stint behind bars, Cherif met Djamel Beghal, a jihadi who was jailed for plotting to bomb the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Beghal, a known al Qaeda recruiter, was also connected to Amedy Coulibaly, who died the same day as the two brothers after he killed several hostages at a kosher grocery store in eastern Paris. At times before and after his stint in jail, Cherif Kouachi was under surveillance by French authorities. But several former top French government officials told CNN he had "dropped off" priority lists this past summer and was less carefully monitored. Cherif's older brother, Said, traveled to Yemen in 2011, according to a U.S. official for three or more months and is believed to have trained with al Qaeda while he was there. Coulibaly was also known by French authorities. He, too, had a criminal past with jihadi links. Like Cherif, he was connected to the plot to free a convicted terrorist from jail. A Western intelligence source told CNN that Coulibaly was arrested in connection with the plot known as BELKACEM Project in May of 2010. He was in possession of 240 rounds of ammo for a Kalishnikov. While he was awaiting trial for the foiled plot, Cherif visited Coulibaly, according to the Western intelligence source. Despite all these well-known links to terror concerns, and even the links between Coulibaly and Cherif, all three attackers seem to have largely dropped from French surveillance priorities up to the moment they were linked to the ongoing attacks. "We know that the level of alert has been lowered in 2014," said Laurent. But he said the level of alert could and should have been raised. Speaking just about the Kouachi brothers and Coulibaly, Laurent said: "Actually, they could not be considered as a lower-level threat. Those people were extremely dangerous, they were very motivated and the French have made a huge mistake by letting them off the radar or allowing them such a level of freedom in terms of operating, finance and preparing this attack," he said. Brisard, head of the French Center for the Analysis of Terror, agreed. Coulibaly had made several phone calls to target police in France. Coulibaly is believed to have killed a French policewoman on Thursday. He was killed during the hostage attack on the kosher market on Friday. While not known previously, it is now believed the Kouachi brothers' jihadism extended beyond Iraq, to Yemen and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. During their rampage, the Kouachi brothers had told witnesses they were "avenging the Prophet." On the day of their final shootout and deaths, French station BFM says it spoke with both Cherif Kouachi and Coulibaly. The men both gave details of their jihadist Yemeni ties. They said, independently, that they were financed and supported by Anwar al-Awlawki, the American-born cleric who became the a key jihadi leader in Yemen and was killed by Americans several years ago. The ties to Yemen and al Qaeda prompted many of the experts speaking to CNN to raise even more security concerns for the future. Said Kouachi is suspected of slipping off for terror training in Yemen in July 2011 during a trip he made with another French national to Oman in July 2011, according to multiple French officials who spoke to L'Express national security reporter, Eric Pelletier. Pelletier shared the details of his reporting with CNN. U.S. intelligence agencies developed intelligence suggesting a high probability he slipped across to Yemen during the trip to Oman, and informed their French counterparts, according to Pelletier's French sources. The French responded by placing Said Kouachi under surveillance in November 2011 by issuing a "Fiche de Surveillance" notice, multiple French officials told Pelletier. The surveillance was conducted by both DGSI, France's domestic security service and later by the judicial police. Wiretaps were authorized for his cell phones and that of his brother Cherif. But the surveillance of Said was terminated in June 2014 because French security services judged him no longer dangerous, Pelletier was told. The surveillance of his brother Cherif stopped earlier -- at the end of 2013. Cherif's phone calls suggested he had disengaged with violent extremism and was focusing on counterfeiting clothing and shoes. "The fact that al Qeada's affiliate in Yemen pulled off the most deadly terrorist attack in Europe in a decade speaks for itself," said CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen, an expert on al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. "Groups like al Qaeda in Yemen, as well as ISIS and other jihadist groups in the Middle East, are likely to continue to be a problem in Europe for the foreseeable future." "Hindsight is, of course, always 20/20. In the case of a large-scale terrorist attack, there is often intelligence in the system that was overlooked before the event," said Bergen. "The CIA, for instance, knew that two men associated with al Qaeda were living in the United States who later turned out to be among the hijackers of the flight that crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11; the lead bomber in the London bombings of 2005 was known to British law enforcement, and the Fort Hood shooter, Major Nidal Hasan, had come to the attention of the FBI because of emails he exchanged before the attack with Anwar al-Awlaki, an al Qaeda leader based in Yemen. "This time it's the French that dropped the ball, but this is not a problem particular to France."
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Security will need to be increased or totally reviewed, expert and analysts tell CNN .
Author: Is the U.S. is more able than France to monitor French jihadis on French territory?
Another expert says sheer numbers favor the jihadis at the moment .
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Jos Buttler begins his Test career as England’s wicket-keeper batsman on Sunday but just a few years ago the former child prodigy was a reluctant gloveman. The 23-year-old former Somerset star — whose remarkable ball-striking ability has drawn comparisons with Viv Richards and Ian Botham — caught the attention of England’s hierarchy at a early age, once scoring 227 not out for his school first XI in a record 340-run partnership in 2008. The player who had the best view in the house that day, former school friend and current Somerset batsman Alex Barrow, says the man making his Test debut in place of 79-cap veteran Matt Prior today was not always a willing wicket-keeper. Catching practice: Jos Buttler in an England nets session on Saturday . Debutant: He is set to make his Test bow for England against India on Sunday . ‘Jos was actually very reluctant to keep at school,’ Barrow said. ‘On several occasions he’d hand the gloves over to someone else so he could have a bowl. He was a very good keeper but didn’t really enjoy it. 'He didn’t really want to do it but he’s come on a long way and done a huge amount of work which is testament to him for becoming a Test keeper. But there were many times at school he didn’t fancy it.’ With his opportunities at Taunton limited by former England keeper Craig Kieswetter, Buttler moved to Lancashire from Somerset this winter to gain regular wicket-keeping opportunities at first-class level. He has worked tirelessly with wicketkeeping coach Bruce French and is entrusted with the gloves at the Ageas Bowl following Prior’s decision to take a break. He is the least experienced wicketkeeper England have selected in the past 50 years in terms of first-class appearances, apart from Essex skipper James Foster who made his Test debut against India in 2001. Buttler’s one-day credentials are already established and his astonishing innings of 121 from 74 balls in a losing cause against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in May led to calls from many — including Kevin Pietersen — for him to be elevated even sooner. ‘Jos’s ball-striking was always pretty exceptional,’ said Barrow. ‘He was able to clear the boarding house at one end and the science block from the first XI square at school, which was around a 100m carry. 'No-one else could get close but Jos could hit it over pretty regularly and pretty comfortably. He could always hit the ball a long way. He could also always hit the ball in strange areas, too. ‘We batted together in a Twenty20 tournament at Millfield and he walked down the wicket to me in one game and said “I’m going to try to hit this guy over point for six”. In my naivety I wondered how the hell he was going to cut the ball for six, but the next ball he came down and he said: “I’m going to reverse sweep him for six”. And that’s exactly what he did. It was pretty amazing. ‘He spent a lot more time practising those sorts of skills at a younger age than most other people.’ Pedigree: He is already established in limited overs cricket for England . Backup: In training with captain Alastair Cook (centre) and Chris Jordan (right) Buttler’s parents, John and Patricia, will be at the Ageas Bowl today to witness his Test debut. ‘Jos was a bowler at a young age but when one of his team’s wicket keepers was ill and the other was injured on that day, Jos took over, and that was it,’ John told the Mail on Sunday. ‘One thing that he has had ever since he was born is incredible hand-eye co-ordination. It means if there’s something to be hit or something to be caught, he has the natural ability to do it.’ Jos honed his skills as a youngster by playing against his older brother James, seven years his senior, in the garden of their family home in the Somerset village of Wedmore. Patricia said: ‘We had a mown strip up the top of the garden and they would charge in at each other, smashing around the place. Windows were broken, the greenhouse was in pieces but they played and played. ‘Because there were so many years between them, if Jos wanted to play he had to play as hard as his older brother. They were so competitive and still are. They still play whenever they’re both here. ‘People have told us that Jos is the same as Kevin Pietersen. They go because he’s playing, he’s got something special to inspire a crowd.’ Buttler turned down the chance to be a school prefect in order to concentrate on his cricket and A-Levels in his final year at King’s, Taunton, a West Country boarding school he attended through a cricket scholarship won aged 13. ‘He was an unbelievable cricketer and clearly a class above everybody else,’ said headmaster Richard Biggs. ‘There was no doubt he would go on to succeed in the game. But he wasn’t just a cricketer, he was also an exceptionally talented rugby player who I have no doubt could have gone on to make a living out of that. He played hockey very well and was also a bright boy who did very well in his A-Levels. ‘He was modest, softly spoken and a great ambassador for the school. The only place he pushed himself on to the centre stage was on the cricket field. He was never arrogant and everybody liked him.’ Batsman: According to a school friend, he was a reluctant wicketkeeper growing up . Safe hands: But he has been working hard with Somerset to prepare for his chance when it comes . Buttler was soon on Somerset’s radar where former England batsman Brian Rose — county captain in the late Seventies of a side containing Botham and Richards — immediately spotted his promise. ‘I was fortunate enough at Somerset to see Ian Botham emerging and one or two others,’ said Rose. ‘I’ve seen Jos play cricket since he was 13 and it was immediately apparent to me he was going to play at the highest level. ‘There are not many people you can say that about. People as talented as Jos will always get through. 'His hand-eye co-ordination and ability to hit the ball anywhere in the ground takes me back a long time to when I was watching people like Ian Botham and Viv Richards, one of the greatest cricketers ever to play. ‘I think Jos has that special ability. His big challenge is to bat for longer periods in first-class cricket.’ At just under six feet, Buttler is relatively tall for a wicket-keeper. ‘Initially I doubted he’d be a wicketkeeper because of his height,’ Rose added. ‘But he’s naturally flexible and is good on his feet. His glovework has come on a lot and he’s been helped a lot by Frenchy over the last couple of years. ‘He’s a natural athlete so the more he keeps practising with soft hands he’ll be fine.’
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Buttler was a reluctant wicketkeeper when he was growing up .
Set to make England Test debut against India on Sunday .
Already established at national level in limited overs cricket .
England on a run of ten Tests without a victory .
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Restaurant chain Nando’s have become the latest company to end their relationship with Oldham over the impending signing of Ched Evans. Convicted rapist Evans looks set to return to football with the League One club and could sign a two-and-half-year deal as early as Thursday. Oldham owner and chairman Simon Corney said: ‘There is an 80 per cent chance of us signing him. It’s not straightforward and there are some legal issues. We believe he has served his time.’ Oldham Athletic's deal to sign Ched Evans is at an advanced stage and is set to be announced on Thursday . Evans, pictured with his fiancee on Tuesday, is set to sign a deal with the League One club until 2017 . Evans (pictured in Cheshire on Sunday) will earn a salary comparable with his Oldham Athletic team-mates . Nando's have ended their relationship with Oldham due to the impending signing of Evans . Speaking exclusively to The Jewish Chronicle, Corney added: ‘There might be a cost implication, but you have to stick to your principles. We weren’t surprised by the backlash.’ However, Nando’s - who had been involved with promotions at Oldham – tweeted: ‘RE Oldham signing: we’d have liked to continue our involvement with fan prizes at matches but feel we can no longer continue our association.’ Nando’s announcement came after Verlin Rainwater Solutions cut their ties with the club, which included sponsoring a stand at Boundary Park. Company director Craig Verlin said: ‘It is with great regret that Verlin Rainwater Solutions will no longer be associated with Oldham Athletic. Oldham chairman Simon Corney (third right) believes Ched Evans has 'served his time' Oldham manager Lee Johnson arrives at the training ground on Tuesday . Oldham chief executive Neil Joy reads out a club statement outside Boundary Park on Monday afternoon . ‘We feel Mr Evans should be able to lead a life without further punishment after serving his sentence, although our feelings remain that this should not be within the public domain where his previous behaviour may influence the next generation. ‘We sincerely wish the club a very successful future but feel our continued support would be sending out the wrong message.’ Another Oldham sponsor, ZenOffice, warned it would sever its five-year relationship with the club if the signing went ahead. A statement from the company said: ‘This partnership has been based on mutual respect based on family and community. ZenOffice do not agree that the current path OAFC are embarking on espouses these values. Therefore it is with much regret that we confirm we will end our association with Oldham Athletic if the move goes ahead to sign Ched Evans.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Nando's have been involved with promotions at Oldham Athletic .
The restaurant chain has ended their relationship with the club .
Ched Evans is set to return to football with the Latics on Thursday .
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(CNN) -- Uruguay star Diego Forlan said Monday that he is leaving Atletico Madrid and is set to join Serie A Inter Milan. Forlan, who scored two goals in the final as his country lifted the Copa America this summer, has been with Atletico since 2007, but a posting on the club's official website confirmed his departure. Forlan, who appeared at a news conference with Atletico president Enrique Cerezo, said the La Liga club would always be in his heart. But added: "At the age of 33, going to a club like Inter is not an opportunity that comes up often. "I am happy with the decision that I have taken, it is normal that some players come and others go," Forlan added. Atletico have set up a special Twitter hash tag so their fans could pay tribute to Forlan, who scored 74 goals in 134 appearances for the club. He will replace Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, who joined Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala from Inter on a massive three-year contract. Forlan, the player of the tournament at the 2010 World Cup, will sign a two-year deal with the Italian giants, Spanish media reported. Inter have also signed Italian Under-21 midfielder Andrea Poli from relegated Sampdoria, the Serie A club announced on their official website Monday. Poli impressed for Samp last season, despite their demotion to Serie B and is rated one of the most promising young players in Italy. In other transfer news Monday, Paraguay's Roque Santa Cruz has left Manchester City to join La Liga Real Betis on a season-long loan deal. The 30-year-old Santa Cruz has fallen further down the pecking order at City with the arrival of Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid. Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun looks set to leave Stamford Bridge, with Arsenal one of the club's linked with the Israeli star. Benayoun used his Twitter blog to reveal his intentions. "Negotiation with several team... news soon," tweeted the 31-year-old.
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Atletico Madrid star Diego Forlan confirms he is leaving La Liga side .
Forlan pays tribute to Atletico but says he cannot turn down opportunity at Inter Milan .
Roque Santa Cruz joins Real Betis on loan from Manchester City .
Yossi Benayoun reveals he is talking to several teams over a move from Chelsea .
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Cooler, ice box, cool box: Whatever you call it, this mainstay of picnics around the globe has barely been innovated upon for several decades. Not any more, though - Oregon-based Ryan Grepper has unveiled his innovative ‘Coolest’ device that has a host of different features, and it's currently taking the internet by storm. Combining Bluetooth functionality, a smartly designed interior, off-road wheels, a blender and more, Grepper is hoping that his innovation is going to change the world of coolers forever. An Oregon-based inventor has designed a new type of food and drink cooler. Known as 'Coolest' (pictured) the product has racked up £1.2 million ($2 million) on Kickstarter in just a few days. The multi-functional product has a number of different features on offer . The project is currently just a few days into a Kickstarter campaign but has already racked up more than £1.2 million ($2 million) from more than 10,000 backers . - 18v battery-powered rechargeable blender . - Removable waterproof Bluetooth speaker . - USB charger . - LED lid light . - Gear tie-down . - Cooler divider/cutting board . - Extra wide easy rolling tyres . - Integrated storage for plates and knife . - Bottle opener . The device can be bought by residents of the U.S. now for £96 ($165), while customers in the EU and Canada can get one for £108 ($185). The release date is expected by February 2015, although higher pledges get access to earlier releases - and for £1,200 ($2,000) the inventor himself will attend a party you host. From the outside the Coolest is similar in shape and size to a regular cooler. On its top though is a blender, which can be used with a supplied jug to mix up drinks and food. A single charge of the device, via the mains, will apparently allow for 27 litres (six gallons) of liquid to be blended. Wireless speakers are also included on the exterior, which can be connected to by a Bluetooth-enabled device. These are also waterproof, preventing them becoming damaged from spillages or the rain. The interior of the Coolest (shown) is designed to separate things you want to keep relatively dry with ice to be used in the blender. Inside there are also compartments for plates to be stored, and there's a ceramic knife that can be used to cut limes, lemons and whatnot on top of the cooler . Other features of the multi-purpose cooler include a USB charger, LED lights inside to light up when it’s dark and a tie-down to hold equipment on top. Beach-ready tyres make it easy to drag over rough terrain, while an interior divider can keep surplus ice separate. The final feature of the jack-of-all-trades device is a bottle opener on its exterior. ‘The Coolest is a portable party disguised as a cooler, bringing blended drinks, music and fun to any outdoor occasion,’ Grepper writes on Kickstarter. ‘Regular coolers are boring, break easily and are a hassle to haul around just to carry the ice. ‘The Coolest cooler is 60 quarts of awesome packed with so much fun you'll look for excuses to get outside more often.’ Responding to suggestions from backers, Grepper has more plans for the product in future as well, including alternative colours and possibly even solar panels to charge it. Beach-ready tyres make it easy to drag over rough terrain. Other features on offer include wireless Bluetooth speakers, a USB charger and a blender. The Coolest can currently be pre-ordered on Kickstarter for £108 ($185) with delivery by February 2015 .
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Oregon-based inventor has designed a new type of food and drink cooler .
Known as 'Coolest' the product has racked up $2m on Kickstarter in days .
The multi-functional product has a number of different features on offer .
These include wireless Bluetooth speakers and wheels that can go off-road .
The Coolest can be pre-ordered for £108 ($185) with delivery by Feb 2015 .
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Scientists believe it may be possible to clone a woolly mammoth within five years after finding well-preserved bone marrow in a thigh bone recovered from permafrost soil in Siberia. Teams from Russia's Sakha Republic's mammoth museum and Japan's Kinki University will launch fully-fledged joint research next year aiming to recreate the giant mammal, Japan's Kyodo News reported from Yakutsk, Russia. By replacing the nuclei of egg cells from an elephant with those taken from the mammoth's marrow cells, embryos with mammoth DNA can be produced, Kyodo said, citing the researchers. Clone hope: The discovery of marrow inside the thigh bone of a woolly mammoth in Siberia has led scientists to believe they can bring the species back to life . Exciting: Mammoth bones like this one have been dug up many times before, but finding one with undamaged genes has proven a challenge (file picture) The scientists will then plant the embryos into elephant wombs for delivery as the two species are close relatives, the report said. Securing nuclei with an undamaged gene is essential for the nucleus transplantation technique, it said. For scientists involved in the research since the late 1990s, finding nuclei with undamaged mammoth genes has been a challenge. Fertile land: The thigh bone was discovered in the permafrost soil of Siberia as were these tusks which came from an entire 23,000-year-old mammoth dug up in 1999 . Mammoths became extinct about 10,000 years ago. But the discovery in August in Siberia has increased the chances of a successful cloning. Global warming has thawed ground in eastern Russia that is usually almost permanently frozen, leading to the discoveries of a number of frozen mammoths, the report said.
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Thigh bone discovered in permafrost soil of Siberia .
Contains elusive undamaged genes essential for nucleus transplantation .
Nuclei of elephant's egg cells will be replaced with mammoth's marrow DNA .
Embryo will then be planted into elephant womb for gestation .
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(CNN) -- Lindsey Vonn completed a hat-trick of World Cup victories in the space of three days at Haus Im Ennstal in Austria as she claimed Sunday's super-G in fine style. The American skier powered down the Krummholz course in one minute 26.69 seconds to beat Swede Anja Paerson by over half a second. Nadia Fanchini of Italy and Martina Schild of Switzerland were tied for third place. Vonn's super-G success followed victories on Friday and Saturday in downhill races and showed she has fully recovered from the arm injury she sustained in a giant slalom event last month. She is the first female racer to win on three straight days since Germany's Katja Seizinger in 1997 and it was her 28th World Cup win. Vonn, from Minnesota, is also the first skier from the United States to achieve this feat. To cap a superb week for the 26-year-old, she extends her overall World Cup lead to 192 points over Maria Riesch of Germany and is well-placed to retain the title. Vonn told her official Web site www.lindseyvonn.com that her hat-trick of World Cup victories was one of the major achievements of her career. "Today was difficult because I put a bit of extra pressure on myself," she admitted. "But right now I'm on cloud nine, it couldn't get much better than this," she added. Vonn will go into the Vancouver Olympics next February as a warm favorite in the speed events of downhill and super-G as she bids for a first Olympic medal of any color. In men's World Cup slalom action on Sunday, an incredible second run by Julien Lizeroux of France gave him victory at Adelboden in Switzerland. Lizeroux came from 12th after the first run to win with a combined time of one minute 51.88 seconds. Austria's Marcel Hirscher finished second with Croatia's Ivica Kostelic in third. Austrian Benjamin Raich stretched his lead in the overall standings after claiming fourth. He has 62 points more than Switzerland's Carlo Janka, who skied out on the first leg in front of his home fans.
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Lindsey Vonn completes superb hat-trick of wins in three days on World Cup circuit .
American skier wins super-G in Austria to follow successive victories in downhill .
Vonn extends her overall lead to 192 points over Maria Riesch of Germany .
Julien Lizeroux of France wins men's World Cup slalom in Switzerland .
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(CNN) -- Peruvian President Alan Garcia said Saturday that "dark political interests" were responsible for the recent deadly outbreak of violence in the southern department of Puno. "What they are looking to do is pressure the next government of President (Ollanta) Humala," the outgoing president told reporters. "There are dark political interests here that are demanding power." Humala, elected this month, is scheduled to take office on July 28. Garcia spoke the same day the Peruvian government agreed to put an end to a private mining project in Puno, following the deaths of five protesters in clashes with police on Friday. The decision followed more than 10 hours of talks between government ministers and indigenous Aymara leaders as the two sides tried to put an end to an indefinite strike that has gripped Puno for a month. The protests are against mining and drilling concessions in the region. On Saturday, a repeal of a 2007 decree that gave permission for the silver mine in Puno was officially repealed. As a result, operations at the Santa Ana mine, owned by the Canadian Bear Creek Mining Corporation, were canceled. Also, the deal gives local indigenous communities the power to approve or deny any mining or drilling operations in the area. "If the communities don't want mining, it can't be forced," said Fernando Gala, vice minister of mines. The agreement could also affect existing concessions in Puno, he said. The move comes after five people were killed and 25 injured in clashes with police as protesters tried to take over Manco Capac International Airport in the Puno city of Juliaca. "Sadly, these are human lives and we have to sympathize with what happened," said Cabinet chief Rosario Fernandez. She called for residents of Puno and two other areas where violent protests have taken hold -- Huancavelica and Huancayo -- to restore calm and assume an attitude of "democracy and dialogue." While she regretted the deaths of the protesters in Puno, she said the government would act as needed to restore peace. The mining of metals is one of Peru's leading industries, and a major revenue source for Peruvian departments with such natural resources. According to the mine ministry, Puno receives 700 million soles ($250 million) annually from the government, of which about 40% is from mining royalties. The canceling of the Santa Ana mine could cost Puno some 25 million soles ($9 million) in royalties, Gala said.
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NEW: The violence unfolds a month before a new president is to be sworn in .
Five people were killed and 25 injured in clashes with police .
The protest was over mining projects in the department of Puno .
The government decided to put an end to one mining project .
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(CNN) -- Beyonce's hit song "Run the World (Girls)" could very well have been the theme music for the world of comedy in 2011. One month after the song's April release, "Bridesmaids" -- a movie seen as a risky box office proposition when it first came out -- landed in theaters, drawing in audiences (of both genders) in droves. Some $169 million later, having quickly surpassed the records for highest grossing female-driven comedy and highest grossing Judd Apatow-produced comedy, it has also helped transform Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and the rest of the cast into major stars while also racking up Golden Globe and Screen Actors' Guild nominations. So, looking back, why was it seen as so risky? Quite simply, as "Bridesmaids" co-star Ellie Kemper put it to CNN earlier this year, "There aren't a lot of huge studio films with huge female ensembles." Kona Gallagher writes for CliqueClack.com and pointed out that, "We still have a long way to go in the way women are portrayed, especially in movies. For every 'Bridesmaids,' there are three depressing rom-coms in which a woman derives her self-worth from the success of her relationship." Time will tell if that changes. There were also some changes on the small screen this year. As "Bridesmaids" surprised just about everyone in the movie business, the major television networks (otherwise known as "SNL's" Wiig, "Mike and Molly's" McCarthy and "The Office's" Kemper's day job employers), picked up a number of comedy series with female protagonists, all of which have since been successful enough to get a full season order. In fact, the only sitcom with a lead male character to get picked up for the remainder of the season is Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" on ABC, as opposed to quickly canceled male-centric shows like "Man Up" and "How to Be a Gentleman." If there is one big star to come out of this TV season, it is Zooey Deschanel, whose show "New Girl" has beaten lead-in "Glee" in the ratings on several occasions. "Zooey Deschanel is a genuine breakout star," said TV critic Ed Bark of the site UncleBarky's Bytes. "Without her, maybe that show wouldn't work. She really makes the show. I instantly liked it, because she brought something very distinctive and appealing." Deschanel's quirky (or "adorkable," if you will) character is based in large part on "New Girl's" creator, first-time show runner Liz Meriwether. "I think probably (after) 'Bridesmaids,' there's just sort of a feeling of more trust from the people in charge that women actually want to see shows and movies that are written and created by women as opposed to sort of shows created by men that women are just supposed to like," Meriwether told reporters in November. "I feel like that trust just from a business sense is really important for empowering more women (who create) shows." One such creator has not one, but two series that were given full seasons early on in the fall. Stand-up comic Whitney Cummings is the creator and star of the NBC sitcom "Whitney," and the co-creator, with "Sex and the City's" Michael Patrick King, of "2 Broke Girls." The CBS series, about a street smart food server (Kat Dennings) who has to teach a former rich girl (Beth Behrs) how to get by, has been regularly appearing among the 10 shows with the highest ratings each week. "It's very telling to the times -- our dealing with being broke and being in that time where it's hard to get a job, and I think people can relate to it," Behrs said. "With 'New Girl,' the way they play with that relationship with her and the guys, it's very relevant to the times. I think that's one reason they're all so successful. And seeing women pushing boundaries, like on our show." Indeed, one thing that sets "2 Broke Girls" apart is the bawdy dialogue between the two stars. "Girls our age do talk like that a lot of the time," said Behrs. "It's shocking, but a lot of what we say and do is very realistic to that, in our generation." "I remember growing up on 'I Love Lucy' reruns and I was always a big Carol Burnett fan," said Behrs. "Women in comedy have been something I've followed my whole life. I don't think it's like, 'Look, we're letting women be funny.' Women have always been funny, it's just more recognizable, and there's just so much at once. It's not just one TV show, there's this influx of it -- and I'm definitely glad to be a part of that. I'm proud to be in the company of all these funny women." Indeed, one only needs to say the two words "Tina Fey" (or "Amy Poehler", for that matter), to realize this moment has been a long time coming. "What's really interesting to me about the surge of women in television and film comedies is that a large part of it is really driven by 'Saturday Night Live,'" said Gallagher. "Lorne Michaels is directly responsible for Tina Fey being able to do '30 Rock,' which really kicked off the whole movement by showing that women can be the driving force of comedy on a show, instead of just the beleaguered wife reacting to her husband's jokes. Michaels also produces 'Up All Night,' which does a great job of letting both Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph shine, even in a more traditional sitcom setting." "Up All Night" stars Applegate and Will Arnett as a couple adjusting to a new baby, and in a change of pace for TV, even in 2011, Applegate works as a producer for a talk show host, played by Rudolph, while Arnett's character stays home with their daughter. Rudolph, who also starred in "Bridesmaids," was asked about the movie having positive implications for women in comedy, shortly after "Up All Night" (created by her writing partner, Emily Spivey) premiered on NBC. "Having people say that out loud certainly doesn't hurt. It's just kind of surprising to me because if I knew people felt that way I think I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago," she said. "I'm just going to keep my head down and keep doing what I'm doing, because it shouldn't matter, because that's not what I'm doing it for. But if it allows people like me and my friends more work and more jobs, it's great. But I'm not going to lie. It's surprising to hear that people are really that behind the times." Rudolph isn't the only former "SNL" female cast member joining prime time with Fey and Poehler. Ana Gasteyer, is a regular presence on ABC's new hit, "Suburgatory," which focuses on a teenage girl's move from New York City to the suburbs. "We always looked at the fictitious suburban town, Chatswin, as being the land of the moms. The idea was this family without a mom moves into a town that is dominated and run by moms," said Emily Kapnek, creator of the show, who like Behrs was also a big Carol Burnett fan growing up. "Creating an ensemble of these women who -- parenting is their full time job, not just parenting these children but other people's children. We found the best and brightest we could think of to populate this world." Those moms include Cheryl Hines of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," in the scene-stealing role of Dallas Royce. "I think you're getting roles for women that are written by women that come at it differently and feel in some ways more authentic," said Kapnek. "I was a single mom when I had my older son, and everyone wanted a single mom show and I was always so surprised at the way they wanted to develop those shows. 'Why does she have to be perfect? Why isn't she a mess, why doesn't she fall down on her face?' I think right now, we have so many female show runners, you have a more undiluted feed to what their point of view is and I think people are identifying with that and it feels different." Bark said that women being behind the camera more and more will be the most important thing. "This season, (that development) is welcome and it should continue and if these shows work, it will continue." (On that note, already on tap for 2012: NBC's "Are You There, Chelsea?" and ABC's "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.") As for right now, "New Girl's" Meriwether said that it's great to see the diversity of shows by and about women being produced. "I personally think that they are all really funny, so I'm just really happy to be sort of a part of this, whatever it is ... new moment, I guess."
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"Bridesmaids" broke box office records in 2011, part of female dominance in comedy .
Top-rated new sitcoms: "2 Broke Girls" and "New Girl"
More female-driven sitcoms in 2012: "Are You There, Chelsea?" and "Apartment 23"
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(CNN) -- The legendary Bjorn Borg fueled his success with a daily diet of steak and potatoes. Hell raising stars of the recent past were not adverse to sinking more than a few beers after a tough match. But the modern tennis star is more likely to be teetotal and to stick to a gluten free diet -- avoiding the red meat and carbs which five-time Wimbledon champion Borg apparently ate every day. Doubles stalwart and ATP Player Council member Eric Butorac should know. He's been on the circuit for nearly a decade and rubs shoulders with the likes of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic both on and off the court. "I think the top players have cut alcohol completely out of their diet and the rest of the players to stay competitive have mostly followed suit," Butorac told CNN's Open Court program. "It's funny because actually our tour sponsor is Corona -- so there are Coronas available wherever we want, in the locker room and in the players' lounge but it's surprising that at the end of the week they are often not even touched. Serious endeavor . "For the most part guys treat their bodies like a temple and take it very seriously." Butorac believes the established "Big Four" of Rafael Nadal, Djokovic, Andy Murray and Federer have permanently raised the bar as regards fitness and diet issues and there is no going back. With the rewards for success so large -- $31 million on offer at the 2014 season opening Australian Open -- any small margins gained can be worth a small fortune. "If you look at the amount of money that can be won at the top of the sport or any major sport so you know that line between No.1 and No.5 in the world is worth millions and millions of dollars so I think you see these guys doing every little thing they can to achieve that," added Butorac. Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said that the move to a great emphasis on fitness and diet started during his glory years in the 1980s and 90s, but his predecessors were not so careful. "I heard stories that the old Aussie greats used to play hard and drink hard and used to have steak and potatoes," said Cash. "I once asked Bjorn Borg 'what did you eat?' and he said 'every day I had a steak and I had potatoes' and he used to play five sets of practice every day and back it up day in day out with steak and potatoes!" Gluten free . Modern superstars such as Djokovic would not dream of that approach and it was the Serbian who started a trend with his gluten free diet, cutting out wheat and treats such as chocolate. "This particular diet changed my life really in a positive way and affected positively my career and my overall feeling on and off the court," Djokovic said. As he charged to No.1 and went through 2011 with just a handful of defeats, others took notice and followed suit. "Novak really made that popular when he really rose to the top," said Butorac. "I don't know if it's a fad or if it's here to stay but it's definitely a thing that a high percentage of the guys on tour now are gluten free or almost primarily gluten free. "I watch them taking strolls around the breakfast bar in France, bypassing the croissants and the pain au chocolats, all the different tempting things and actually staying away from it. It's pretty impressive to see them do it!" They are helped by the more healthy offerings available at the ATP and WTA's official tournaments and with players on the road for half of the year, maybe more, this is vital. "Players are looking to eat a lot of salads, a lot of fruits, pastas and then white meats, chicken and fish are really popular," Butorac said. Healthy options . "The cuisine can vary tournament to tournament but also normally what the tournaments week in week out provide is some really healthy options that allows us to stay very fit." But with this austere regime -- fat free and alcohol free -- has the sheer joie de vivre gone out of the game? "I believe the fun on the tour has dropped," said American Butorac. "There is very little alcohol consumed as players take their matches and practice very seriously. "But the tour is still a great place to be and there is plenty of fun to be had, though the stories we hear about what it was like 'back in the day,' it isn't even close nowadays." The 1987 Wimbledon champion Cash, who retired in 1997, said in his era there was still a high degree of professionalism but the difference has been advances in sports science. "You know more about nutrition. In my day it was all about carbo loading and I think it's slightly different now, it's not just about having carbohydrates because you need protein for your muscles to recover as well," said the Australian great. Butorac, who is 32, has had to battle to earn a living on the ATP Tour and establish himself as the No.3 American doubles player behind the incredible Byran brothers (Bob and Mike). A recent victory in the doubles at the Malaysian Open with Raven Klaasen was proof he is still a force at the top level and aside from attention to diet, Butorac, like many others, is training smarter. "I have become more attuned to listening to my body, when it needs rest, icing, stretching, massage and addressing minor injuries. Inspiring veterans . "Almost every player on tour is hurt or dealing with some sort of minor injury. However, players have all become great at managing these niggles." Butorac takes inspiration from the likes of Tommy Haas -- "playing some of his best tennis in his mid thirties" -- not to mention the 32-year-old Federer, who is the long-time president of the Players Council. Butorac is a vice president on the 10-member board and the group meet about half a dozen times a year to address issues such as prize money, draw sizes and the tour calendar. Player "burn out" has been a hot topic in recent years, making attention to diet and fitness all the more important with the increased demands placed on them. "Players are taking their health very seriously," said Butorac. "Fitness programs have reached new standards and along with that players' diets have become very healthy. "I haven't seen actual chefs with players yet, but I have seen nutritionists who are getting the food for the player out late at night buying specific products that they want to have in their players' body the next day. Modern trend . "And a physiotherapist is often in charge, making sure you have the protein shakes right after the match and also a specific diet that has probably been pre-arranged by a chef or nutritionist." Tennis is not alone in this obsession with fueling the body with the right stuff. "I think this is a trend in all sports though. I hear Steve Nash is a vegetarian and Kobe (Bryant) takes incredible care of his body," said Butorac. At 39 and 35 years of age respectively, the LA Lakers basketball stars serve as a powerful reminder that careers can be prolonged in the most demanding of sports by taking care what you eat.
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Modern tennis players stick to rigorous diet plan .
Most have cut out alcohol says doubles star Eric Butorac .
Novak Djokovic set trend with gluten free diet .
Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal lead the way .
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By . Alasdair Glennie and Laura Cox . PUBLISHED: . 18:04 EST, 12 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:10 EST, 13 February 2013 . When it comes to getting answers out of politicians, his abrasive manner certainly achieves results. But you might expect Jeremy Paxman to tone it down somewhat when the ones taking the questions are undergraduates on University Challenge. The presenter has been labelled ‘rude’, ‘nasty’ and a ‘bully’ by viewers who took exception to his treatment of a nervous contestant on the BBC2 quiz show – with one even commenting: ‘Why not just spit in his face, Paxman?’ Scroll down to watch . Hopeful: Tom Tyszczuk Smith was looking forward to appearing on University Challenge (left) but seemed shaken after Jeremy Paxman's remarks when he answered a question wrong . Third-year medical student Tom Tyszczuk Smith, representing University College London, found himself receiving the brunt of Paxman’s ire during a quarter-final match against a team from the University of Bangor on Monday. During one quick-fire round, the 20-year-old from Cambridge was met with a barrage of scorn by the broadcaster, 62, who also hosts current affairs show Newsnight. In a question open to whoever pressed their buzzer first, he asked: “The liberties of England and the Protestant religion I will maintain.” Which royal figure made that claim when he landed at Brixham, in Devon, in 1688?” A rival contestant buzzed before Paxman had finished speaking and wrongly answered: ‘Elizabeth I’. Not impressed: Jeremy Paxman gave student Tom Tyszczuk Smith a grilling when he failed to answer a question correctly . 'Bully': Jeremy Paxman raised an eyebrow and declared 'It's only about 600 years out' when a UCL student got a history question wrong . But the presenter reserved his derision for Mr Tyszczuk Smith, who came in quickly afterwards and suggested William I instead. Looking incredulous, Paxman exclaimed: ‘No! William I? No I’m sorry that’s the wrong answer and you know it’s very wrong.’ Raising his eyebrows, he added: ‘It’s only out by about 600 years or so. Anyway no, it’s William of Orange of course, William III.’ Mr Tyszczuk Smith seemed shaken by the presenter’s reaction, putting his hand nervously to his face and shaking his head. He said: ‘Sorry, sorry, no I’m sorry,’ and kept his head lowered for much of the remainder of the game. Writing on Twitter, one viewer said: ‘Tyszczuk Smith looks like he’s on the verge of crying. Paxman you meany!’ Jeremy Paxman faced a Twitter tirade following the savaging of the shy student . The episode prompted a storm of other online comments, and 44 complaints to the BBC. But at the family home in Cambridge yesterday, the student’s mother Renata Tyszczuk, 45, defended Paxman and said viewers had overreacted. She said: ‘I think Paxman is always a little tough with the contestants. But I think it is all in good spirit. 'It is a challenge after all. ‘I don’t think he’s a bully. Tom wanted to do well and perhaps that showed more when he got things wrong rather than right. 'I met Mr Paxman and found him very pleasant. Tom’s very clever and we are very proud. Embarrassed: Tom kept his head down for most of the game after he experienced Jeremy Paxman's abrasive manner . 'He is a shy boy so I think at times he was a little uncomfortable, but that is just his way. He was very excited to take part and we think he did very well.’ Despite Mr Tyszczuk Smith’s mistake, the UCL team eventually beat Bangor by 190 points to 125 in the episode, watched by 2.89million. A BBC spokesman said: ‘University Challenge is a tense and fast-paced competition, and Jeremy Paxman’s acerbic remarks have long been part of the appeal. 'Viewers and contestants alike know what to expect from the host.’
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Student Tom Tyszczuk Smith got the brunt of Paxman's abrasive tone .
The 20-year-old answered a question wrong about William of Orange .
Undergraduate was left clearly shaken and kept head down for most of game .
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Keith Vaz said Britain's immigration system had entered 'intensive care' A backlog of more than 390,000 immigration cases has been built up by the Home Office – equivalent to the population of Cardiff. The figure is revealed in a report from MPs that describes Britain’s immigration system as being in ‘intensive care’. Earlier this week, chief inspector of immigration John Vine said that the number of missing migrants in the UK was 89,000. But the Home Affairs Select Committee said there were a further 304,222 files piled up elsewhere in the system – including asylum seekers and foreign criminals. Chairman Keith Vaz said: ‘This brings the total number of unresolved immigration cases to 393,222, which is more than the population of Cardiff.’ The revelation comes as separate figures show a record 3,000 immigrants a month being caught trying to sneak into the country illegally. The Home Office disclosed that 11,920 entry attempts were detected at Calais and British ports in April to July of this year alone – equivalent to almost 100 a day. And last night it emerged that rather than deporting the stowaways back to their home countries, France is simply releasing them to make new attempts at breaching Britain’s borders. On the backlog, Labour MP Mr Vaz added: ‘Our immigration system has left A&E and has entered intensive care.’ In its latest report on the work of the Home Office’s immigration directorates, the committee also hit out at the Government’s use of a single immigration target to reduce net migration to less than 100,000. The target – which the Government now has no chance of achieving, with net migration running at 260,000 – is labelled ‘too blunt’ and ‘arbitrary’. Scroll down for video . Chief inspector of immigration John Vine said the number of missing migrants in the UK was 89,000, but the Home Affairs Select Committee said there were a further 304,222 files piled up elsewhere in the system . The Home Office disclosed that 11,920 entry attempts were detected at Calais (pictured) and British ports in April to July of this year alone . The report states: ‘An arbitrary target set by ministers, however well-intentioned, only serves to reduce public confidence in the ability of any government to deliver a future pledge on immigration.’ The MPs also hit out at the Home Office and Theresa May for sitting on Mr Vine’s reports. A string of explosive investigations by the inspector have been delayed for months. Ministers have been accused of slipping them out on busy days in order to try to bury bad news. The committee said: ‘It is unacceptable for the Home Office to withhold from public view reports produced by the independent chief inspector of immigration and borders for longer than one month without providing a good reason.’ The Home Office was facing accusations of pandering to political correctness after saying foreigners sneaking into Britain should not be referred to as illegal immigrants. Instead they should be called ‘clandestine entrants’. The term emerged after borders chief John Vine described them as ‘irregular migrants’ in an interview on Radio 4’s Today programme. Referring to inspection reports on the immigration system, he said: ‘These people … very often succeed in getting into the UK as irregular migrants, the authorities in Britain have no record of who they are.’ The Home Office later said the preferred term was ‘clandestine entrants’. A spokesman said: ‘If you say “illegal immigrants” there is a presumption and connotations that they have done something wrong. There are other reasons people come to this country by illegal methods, for instance because they are trafficked or organised crime groups.’
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Backlog of more than 390,000 immigration cases built up by Home Office .
MPs described Britain’s immigration system as being in ‘intensive care’
Around 3,000 immigrants are caught trying to sneak into Britain a month .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . Southwest Airlines pilots who recently landed at the wrong airport in Missouri have told investigators they were confused by the small airport's runway lights, believing it to be a larger airport in nearby Branson, the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday. The pilots of Southwest Flight 4013 from Chicago's Midway Airport said in interviews with investigators that they had programmed the Boeing 737 flight management system for the Branson airport, NTSB said. But as they were approaching to land at night last Sunday, they first saw the airport beacon and bright runway lights of Graham Clark Downtown Airport, located in Hollister, Missouri, and mistakenly identified it as the Branson airport, which is 7 miles away. Investigation: A Crew inspects Southwest Airlines Flight 4013 at tiny M. Graham Clark Airport in Hollister, Missouri on Monday, where pilots accidentally landed while en route to Branson Sunday evening . Uncommon around these parts: A small crowd gathers at the M. Graham Clark Airport in Hollister, Missouri Monday to see Southwest Airlines jet that landed there by mistake. The pilots who mistakenly landed the jet there Sunday were grounded Monday pending an investigation . Whoops: Pictured is the flight path of Southwest Airlines Flight 4013 on Sunday. The flight, carrying 124 passengers and five crew members, was scheduled to go from Chicago's Midway International Airport to Branson Airport but somehow veered 9 miles off course . Grounded: This Sunday photo provided by passenger Scott Schieffer shows the cockpit and presumably the pilots who've now been grounded after the bizarre incident . The captain had not previously landed . in Branson, and the first officer had previously landed there once, and . that was during the daytime, NTSB said in an update on the incident. They didn't realize until the plane touched down that they were at the . wrong airport, the NTSB said. During . the landing approach, the pilots contacted the Branson control tower. They were told by controllers they were 15 miles from their target. But . the pilots responded that they had the airfield in sight. Controllers . then cleared the plane for a visual approach to land on Branson runway . 14. That means the pilots were relying on what they could see rather . than automation to orient the plane. Instead, . the midsized airliner with 124 passengers on board landed on the . Downtown Airport runway, which is half as long as the Branson runway. The runways are oriented in a similar direction. Passengers later . described the plane coming to an extremely hard stop just short of a . ravine at the end of the runway, and the smell of burnt rubber. NTSB said the pilots 'confirmed that they utilized heavy braking to bring the aircraft to a stop.' Besides . the pilots, NTSB said investigators also interviewed a Southwest . dispatcher, who was on the flight, riding in the jump seat, and listened . to the cockpit voice recorder. Investigators have also begun to analyze . the plane's flight data recorder, which contains about 27 hours of . recorded data from the jet's computer systems. Welcome to Branson? Confused passengers were first told by a crew member they'd landed at the correct destination. A pilot then spoke on the intercom: 'Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry to tell you we landed at the wrong airport . Wrong runway: Flight 4013 from Chicago landed at Taney County Airport instead of Branson Airport. The Boeing 737-700 carried 124 passengers and a crew of five . Here, passengers line up Sunday to board a new flight after being taken to a small Missouri town by mistake . Delay: After a five hour delay, passengers were bussed to the correct airport and re-boarded the plane to continue their journey . The . captain has been with Southwest since 1999 and has about 16,000 flight . hours, including about 6,700 hours as a captain on the 737. The first . officer has been with Southwest since 2001 and has about 25,000 flight . hours. Instances of . commercial jets landing at the wrong airport are unusual, but not . unheard of, according to pilots and aviation safety experts. Usually the . pilots are flying a visual approach in clear weather. The . instances also typically involve low-traffic airports situated close . together with runways aligned to the same or similar compass points. We've arrived: The Southwest Airlines jet landed at an airport nine miles away from where it should have been . The incident in Missouri is the second time in two months that a large jet has landed at the wrong airport. In . November, a freight-carrying Boeing 747 that was supposed to deliver . parts to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kan., landed nine miles . north at Col. James Jabara Airport. The company that operated the flight . later said in a training video that the crew was skeptical about the . plane's automation after the co-pilot's flight display had intermittent . trouble, and the pilot chose to fly visually when he spotted the . brightly lit runway at Jabara. Last . year, a cargo plane bound for MacDill Air Force base in Tampa, Fla., . landed without incident at the small Peter O. Knight Airport nearby. An . investigation blamed confusion identifying airports in the area, and . base officials introduced an updated landing procedure. Where they landed: The jet landed at Taney Airport. The runway is half the length of the one at Branson airport . So near, yet so far: Branson Airport (pictured) is where the plane was supposed to have landed . The M. Graham Clark Airport started as a dirt runway in the late 1960s. The longest of the two asphalt runways there is 3,738 feet.. At the commercial Branson airport, the concrete runway is more than 7,000 feet in length. In December, Southwest Airlines announced it will cease operations at the Branson Airport in June after serving the airport for about 15 months.
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The NTSB releases new information on last Sunday's wrong airport landing in Missouri .
The plane's pilots say the on-board computer was correctly programmed .
However, they visually identified the wrong airport .
The pilots didn't realize they were at the wrong airport until the plane had landed .
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Mexican troops have rescued 165 people, mostly Central Americans including children and pregnant women, who were kidnapped by a gunman in Mexico's northeast and held captive less than a mile from the U.S. border, the government said on Thursday. The group of would-be immigrants, primarily from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, had hoped to cross into the United States from the volatile northern state of Tamaulipas. They were captured in batches near the border two to three weeks ago and held in a house in the municipality of Gustavo Diaz Ordaz. Scroll down for video . Mexican troops have rescued 165 migrants that were being held against their will in precarious, dirty, overcrowded conditions in Gustavo Diaz Ordaz . There was also an Indian national among the group. ‘Everything indicates that these migrants were contacted by human traffickers... and these criminals handed them over to criminal gangs instead of taking them to the border,’ government security spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said. ‘They were found kidnapped by an armed individual and held against their will in precarious, dirty, overcrowded conditions,’ he added. The group was rescued on Tuesday. Tamaulipas has been plagued by kidnappings and violence in recent years, and it has long been the site of a turf war between two major drug cartels. The group of would-be immigrants, primarily from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, had hoped to cross into the United States from the volatile northern state of Tamaulipas . Amongst the people rescued were children and pregnant women, who had been kidnapped by a gunman in Mexico's northeast and held captive less than a mile from the U.S. border . In 2010, Mexican Marines found 72 corpses in a ranch near the border in the same state, thought to be the remains of migrant workers. It was the biggest single discovery of its kind during a bloody drug war that has killed an estimated nearly 75,000 people since 2006. Mexican cartels have moved into human smuggling in recent years, kidnapping migrants and extorting money from them or forcing them to carry drugs across the border.
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The would-be immigrants had hoped to cross into the U.S. from the northern Mexico state of Tamaulipas .
Instead a criminal gang was keeping them in terrible conditions .
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Berlin (CNN) -- Germany's parliament voted Thursday to increase the powers of Europe's bailout fund, as Greece's debt woes fuel fears of a wider financial crisis. The vote passed by a large majority -- 523 in favor to 85 against, with three abstentions -- which should boost confidence in European markets. Expansion of the European Financial Stability Facility -- Europe's bailout fund -- so it can increase its lending capacity from around €250 billion to €440 billion must be ratified by a number of European countries. Germany's parliamentary approval follows votes in favor this week from Austria and Finland. But the vote in Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, was seen as particularly crucial because it is the eurozone's biggest economy, and its Chancellor Angela Merkel is a key figure in attempts to pull the bloc out of its crisis. The bailout fund is being increased after the initial fund, which was put in place after Greece's €110 billion bail out last May, was tapped by Ireland and Portugal, before Greece returned for more help. The original fund was meant to stem the crisis but this has not happened. Instead, the crisis has intensified, feeding global instability and driving the eurozone to the edge of recession. The new powers will allow the fund also to buy sovereign bonds in the capital markets, a strategy designed to prop up debt prices and help struggling eurozone countries fund themselves. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen, Rick Noack and Irene Chapple contributed to this report.
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Germany's lawmakers passed the measure by a large majority .
It is one of a number of European countries that must ratify the plan .
Germany's ratification of the expansion plan is key because of its economic power .
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Former Kings Cross stripper and police trainee Kim Hollingsworth, who was this week found guilty of animal neglect, says she is the victim of a vicious Facebook hate campaign that has forced her to go into hiding under an assumed name. Ms Hollingsworth told Daily Mail Australia she has vengeful enemies who wrongly accused her of cruelty to animals. On Wednesday, a magistrate ordered Ms Hollingsworth pay more than $100,000 in costs after convicting her of charges including starving horses on properties at Brownlow Hill and Mulgoa, west of Sydney, late last year. Scroll down for video . Former policewoman and Kings Cross stripper Kim Hollingsworth has been ordered to pay more than $100,000 in vet costs after she was convicted of starving her horses . Ms Hollingsworth was dismissed as a NSW Police trainee in 1995 after failing to reveal her past as a stripper in Sydney's notorious Kings Cross . The one-time police trainee, whose earlier short careers as a Kings Cross stripper were portrayed in the television series Underbelly: The Golden Mile, maintained she had done nothing wrong and would appeal against the convictions. She says she is the victim of a Facebook-led hate campaign which at one stage had more than 3000 followers and which has caused her to fear for her life. 'I'm now hiding under an assumed name somewhere in Sydney,' she said. Ms Hollingsworth said she had never been cruel to animals and pictures showing emaciated horses in her care did not prove she had neglected animals. 'Any horse I save comes in looking like s....,' she said. The 48-year-old faced 14 charges of animal neglect against four horses at properties at Brownlow Hill and Mulgoa in Sydney in late 2013 . Ms Hollingsworth, who was portrayed in the popular television series Underbelly: The Golden Mile, was forced to surrender five horses to the RSPCA . The 48-year-old said one of the horses she was convicted of failing to properly feed, a bay gelding called Ghrib, was 29 years old, was missing teeth, and 'came to me in the most emaciated condition I'd ever seen in my life'. Ms Hollingsworth was forced to surrender five horses to the RSPCA and ordered to pay $67,609 for vet costs and $46,768 for professional costs at Penrith Local Court. The charges included failing to provide proper and sufficient food and failure to provide veterinary treatment to four horses in three separate matters. Ms Hollingsworth pleaded not guilty. 'In one month I had the vet out to six different horses,' she said. 'So it's not like I was trying to avoid vet bills.' RSPCA inspectors responded to a complaint regarding horses at a Brownlow Hill property, in Sydney's south-west, in August 2013. They found a grey pony mare in an emaciated body condition and Ms Hollingsworth was issued with written directions to have the horse seen to by a veterinarian. That pony, Sadie, was aged about 35, Ms Hollingsworth said, and she had been looking after her for six to eight weeks. Sadie had an undetected eye condition and no teeth. 'She would just stand there and not eat,' she said. 'Obviously (the short time) in my hands it was not enough for her to gain significant weight.' 'I did my best with her. As far as I was concerned, I was following the vet's instructions.' A month later, she was issued further directions to provide veterinary treatment and proper and sufficient food to Sadie and Ghrib. She was ordered to pay $67,609 for vet costs and $46,768 for professional costs at Penrith Local Court . The charges she faced included failing to provide proper and sufficient food and failure to provide veterinary treatment to four horses in three separate matters . However, Ms Hollingsworth said Ghrib was missing teeth, had been 'very problematic' and fluctuated widely in weight. 'There's a million reasons why a horse doesn't gain weight,' she said. On October 31, the RSPCA were called again to the property where they claimed Sadie was in need of urgent treatment. Sadie and Ghrib were taken into care after being found to have dental issues. Sadie is the horse Ms Hollingsworth said has no teeth. On November 5, the RSPCA was called to a Mulgoa property, near Penrith in Sydney's west, in a separate matter after concerns were raised over the emaciated condition of a brumby mare. The animal was seized and was found to have lice and worms. Ms Hollingsworth said that horse had been resistant to worming and lice treatment had not worked. At the time, bushfires in the area had sometimes prevented her from visiting the animals every day. 'I drove through flames to get to those horses,' she said. Later in November, RSPCA inspectors were called to the Mulgoa property again to look at a chestnut brumby mare and foal. RSPCA inspectors were called to a Brownlow Hill property, in Sydney's south-west, in August 2013 where they found this grey mare pony in an emaciated body condition . 'I paid the vet to come and see her and followed his expert advice to just keep feeding her,' Ms Hollingsworth said. 'She was actually over fed.' The mare was in an emaciated condition, the court heard. Both horses were seized and a vet determined the mare was suffering from lice and worms. Ms Hollingsworth said: 'Lice can be very hard to get rid of. Horses can reinfect each other.' Ms Hollingsworth said it was difficult to maintain weight on brumbies. 'Brumbies have this way of just plummeting very quickly,' she said. This is the second time Ms Hollingsworth has been convicted of offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act for similar charges. She has also beaten another set of charges, will appeal against this week's decision and has one more set of charges to defend in court next month. 'Every case I lose will go to the Supreme Court because I've got nothing to lose,' she said. 'It's not the money. It's all about the horses' lives. They would all be dead if it were not for me.' Ms Hollingsworth told Daily Mail Australia she had been the subject of a Facebook hate campaign. Two of the women she alleges to be campaigning against her have taken out apprehended violence orders against Ms Hollingsworth. She, in turn, is applying for orders against them. 'They're just jealous,' she said. 'I was saving horse after horse. I've never said no to a horse in my life. I think I just got too big for my boots in their eyes. I was saving too many horses.' Horses in Ms Hillingsworth's care were also found to have lice and worms on various occassions . Penrith Local Court awarded custody of the horses to the RSPCA this week . This is the second time Ms Hollingsworth has been convicted of offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act for similar charges . Ms Hollingsworth was dismissed as a NSW Police trainee in 1995 after failing to reveal her past as a prostitute and stripper in Sydney's notorious Kings Cross. Her story became part of the TV series based on John Ibrahim in Underbelly: The Golden Mile. She was recruited as an undercover detective to act as an informant for the Wood royal commission into police corruption in the lates 1980s and early 1990s. Those experiences led her to being diagnosed with post traumatic stress syndrome. Ms Hollingsworth said it was only due to what she had been through during those years that she had not thrown herself under a train. 'This has traumatised me more than the police force thing,' she said. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Kim Hollingsworth says she is the victim of a Facebook hate campaign .
The former stripper and police recruit is in hiding under an assumed name .
Convicted of animal neglect against four horses at two Sydney properties .
The 48-year-old was ordered to pay $67,609 for vet costs and $46,768 for professional costs in court this week .
Ms Hollingsworth says she will appeal against the convictions .
Reveals she is facing further charges relating to 16 other horses .
Ms Hollingsworth's time as a stripper and police informant was portrayed in the TV series Underbelly: The Golden Mile .
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(CNN) -- Celebrity business magnate Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for president Thursday, telling reporters he will not mount an independent campaign if Romney is the Republican nominee. Trump, who has repeatedly flirted with the possibility of his own White House bid, revealed his decision in Las Vegas two days before Nevada's Saturday caucuses. "It's my honor, real honor, to endorse Mitt Romney," Trump said, with Romney and his wife standing nearby. Calling Romney "tough" and "smart," Trump said, "he's not going to continue to allow bad things to happen to this country." Romney responded by praising Trump for "an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works and to create jobs" and for being "one of the few who has stood up to say China is cheating" in international trade. It was unclear whether Trump's decision will have any impact on the Republican race. A Pew survey last month found that 64% of definite and likely GOP voters said an endorsement from the reality television star would make no difference to them. In the survey, 13% said it would make them more likely to back a candidate, while 20% said it would actually make them less likely. "Endorsements rarely sway voters," Republican strategist Alex Castellanos said. But "the Trump endorsement undermines (Newt) Gingrich's argument that it is just the Washington establishment that is out to stop him and nominate Romney. Trump is the ultimate outsider." Trump was not always so positive regarding Romney's record. During an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" in April, Trump criticized Romney for eliminating jobs while in the private sector. "He'd buy companies. He'd close companies. He'd get rid of jobs," Trump told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley. "I've built a great company. My net worth is many many times Mitt Romney." Asked what changed since then to bring his endorsement of Romney, Trump told CNN later Thursday that his past comments were "political talk." "That was a long time prior to my getting to know him," Trump said of Romney. "But I have gotten to know him and he's a terrific guy. I don't know if he really comes out like he really is in person. He's a warm, smart, tough cookie and that's what this country needs. We need somebody that's tough, that will stop China and OPEC and all these other nations from just ripping us up. And i think he can do it." Perhaps in reference to Trump's earlier comments, Romney said Thursday after thanking Trump for the endorsement, "I spent my life in the private sector, not quite as successful as this guy but successful nonetheless." News of Trump's endorsement of the Republican front-runner came as the GOP candidates stumped for votes across Nevada and Romney continued to wrestle with fallout from a CNN interview in which the former Massachusetts governor said he wasn't "concerned about the very poor." Poll: Romney's big lead in Nevada . "We have a safety net" for the very poor, Romney told CNN's Soledad O'Brien on Wednesday. "If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich; they're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of America, the 90%, 95% of Americans right now who are struggling, and I'll continue to take that message across the nation." Pressed by O'Brien, Romney noted that the poorest Americans have access to food stamps, Medicaid and housing vouchers. "You can choose where to focus," he said. "You can focus on the rich; that's not my focus. You can focus on the very poor; that's not my focus. My focus is on middle-income Americans." Romney later insisted that his words were taken out of context and reiterated the full context of the quote, which was meant to stress his focus on the middle class. "You've got to take the whole sentence, (or else) it sounds very different," he said. "We have a safety net for the poor. ... If there are people that are falling through the cracks, I want to fix that." The comment, however, sparked a new round of debate over an emerging narrative of Romney as a plutocrat unaware of the needs and concerns of ordinary Americans. It also evoked memories of previous controversial Romney statements, such as when he said he likes firing people who provide poor service. Gingrich hammers Romney over 'poor' comment . Romney is "reinforcing the image of the national party that is elite (and) out of touch," said Mark McKinnon, a former campaign adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain. "That's why he's having such problems with independent voters. ... Unless the Republicans turn that around, they cannot win this election." Gingrich, the former House speaker, has blasted Romney for the remark over the past two days, declaring Wednesday that he is "fed up with politicians in either party dividing Americans against each other." On Thursday, Gingrich said that "we should care about the very poor -- unlike Governor Romney. But I believe that we should care differently than Barack Obama. Both Governor Romney and Barack Obama seem to believe that a 'safety net' is all the poor need. I don't believe that. What the poor need is a trampoline so they can spring up and quit being poor." Gingrich press secretary fights off Trump questions . Regardless of the extent of Romney's verbal miscue, the former governor is now the clear Republican front-runner. A national poll released Wednesday showed an immediate benefit for Romney, putting him in first place at 31% compared to 26% for Gingrich, 16% for Santorum and 11% for Paul. The Gallup daily tracking poll had Gingrich ahead of Romney after the former speaker won the January 21 South Carolina primary. Romney cemented his status as the GOP leader with an overwhelming victory in Tuesday's Florida primary. Romney won the primary with 46% of the vote, compared with 32% for Gingrich, 13% for Rick Santorum and 7% for Ron Paul, according to the Florida Department of State. The victory gave Romney all 50 of Florida's convention delegates and, more important, new momentum heading into a series of caucuses and primaries building up to Super Tuesday on March 6, when 10 states will hold nominating contests. Zakaria: Why I can't wait for the Republican convention . Gingrich's campaign asked the Republican Party on Thursday to allocate the 50 Florida delegates on a proportional basis, rather than the winner-take-all format that gave them to Romney. In a letter to the Republican National Committee, the Gingrich campaign argued that an RNC rule says early primaries and caucuses must award delegates proportionally. However, party rules say the issue can be addressed only at the August nominating convention in Tampa, Florida. Santorum also has expressed support for Florida to change its system, but the Florida Republican Party chairman, Lenny Curry, said in a statement Thursday that won't happen. "Florida was winner-take-all before election day, we were winner-take-all on election day, we will remain winner-take-all," Curry's statement said, adding: "It is a shame when the loser of a contest agrees to the rules before, then cries foul after losing." CNN's Tom Cohen, Jim Acosta, Paul Steinhauser and Alyssa McLendon contributed to this report.
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NEW: Trump said he previously criticized Romney before getting to know him .
The value of a Donald Trump endorsement of Mitt Romney is unclear .
Rick Santorum agrees with Newt Gingrich that Florida delegates should be proportional .
The Republican candidates are campaigning in Nevada, which holds its caucuses Saturday .
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(CNN) -- It's a mind-boggling surprise in whodunit mysteries and soap operas, but a soldier in Colorado is using the dramatic ploy for real in a criminal courtroom: his "evil twin" may be responsible for the sex crimes against girls that he's now accused of. The soldier's defense rests partly on the fact he and his identical twin brother have virtually the same DNA, an attempt to undercut authorities' allegations that the DNA from the crime scenes belongs to the soldier. The defendant, Aaron Gregory Lucas, 32, is also a suspect in sex crimes in two other states, authorities say. In addition to raising his twin brother as a suspect, Lucas also claims that a third man may be the culprit in some of the crimes, court papers say. A Colorado judge in El Paso County ruled last week that Lucas will be allowed to name his twin brother, Brian Lucas, as a suspect in his defense. The judge also allowed the defense attorneys to use the name of a third man as a suspect, too. The twin brother, who hasn't been charged in the any of the crimes, could not be reached by CNN for comment. So-called "evil twin" defenses have been used before in courtrooms, experts say. Defendants with an identical twin have sometimes accused the sibling as the real culprit to try to create reasonable doubt and seek acquittal, but the finger-pointing isn't a sure-fire strategy, said CNN legal analyst Danny Cevallos, who's also a criminal defense attorney. "No two of us have the same set of DNA -- with one exception and that is identical twins," Cevallos said. "Cases like this are interesting," he added. "Each twin essentially has to come up with an alibi, and we're seeing that in this case and seeing it in other cases. It comes down to whose alibi is a little bit better. You can imagine the complexity if both twins are in the same geographic area at the same time of the crime." In fact, both Lucas brothers lived in Alabama and Texas, where the other sexual assaults occurred, but authorities in Alabama, Texas and Colorado say Aaron Lucas is the focus of their investigations, Colorado prosecutors said. Brian Lucas has been to Colorado only once in the past decade and didn't visit El Paso County, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette, citing a police detective's testimony last week. Aaron Lucas, a decorated Army officer assigned to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, is accused of trying to lure 11 girls between ages 6 and 9 and sexually assaulting three of them, authorities said. In all, Aaron Lucas faces 27 charges in six cases, officials said. Prosecutors want all the cases to be heard together, but defense attorneys do not. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday to address the prosecution's request. The 27 charges include two counts of second-degree kidnapping with a sex offense on a child; one count of kidnapping with enticement of a child; two counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child; four counts of attempted sexual assault on a child; one count of sexual assault on a child; and other charges. Aaron Lucas is also charged with being a fugitive from justice in the Alabama and Texas cases. The Colorado crimes occurred in Fountain, Colorado Springs and unincorporated El Paso County from summer 2010 until late 2012, when Aaron Lucas was arrested, CNN affiliate KKTV reported last year. The Colorado crimes began at the same time that Aaron Lucas was first stationed at Fort Carson, the affiliate reported. Both of the Texas and Alabama cases "involve DNA evidence that the prosecution states matches the DNA of Aaron Lucas," defense attorneys said in court papers. When Aaron Lucas was arrested last year, Colorado authorities took his DNA and ran the findings in a national law enforcement database, said police in Madison, Alabama, and Texarkana, Texas. His DNA matched samples found in unsolved sex crimes in those jurisdictions, police said. But Aaron Lucas offers a different interpretation of those findings. "Aaron Lucas has an identical twin brother, Brian Lucas, who has (a) similar DNA profile," Aaron Lucas' attorneys said in court documents. "Additionally, witness statements from the Alabama case describe a vehicle matching that of Brian Lucas being in the area of the attack prior to the assault. "The defense believes that Mr. Brian Lucas contributed the DNA in the Alabama and Texas cases and that it is his DNA that was found during those crimes, not Aaron Lucas's." Aaron Lucas also argues that some of the Colorado Springs sex crimes may have been committed by a man who had been arrested for indecent exposure, defense attorneys said in court papers. That man, whose name is listed in court papers, also "bears a striking resemblance to the descriptions provided by several of the complaining witnesses (and) owned and drove vehicles matching the descriptions of the vehicles driven by the alleged perpetrator," the attorneys said. Aaron Lucas's attorneys said it is unclear whether the twin brother will be compelled to appear during the trial, expected to begin in January.
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Aaron Lucas is charged with trying to lure 11 girls and sexually assaulting three of them .
He is also a suspect in sex crimes in Alabama and Texas .
But Lucas' defense attorneys say the DNA could belong to his brother, an identical twin .
A Colorado judge allows Lucas to cite his twin brother as a potential suspect .
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By . Paul Revoir Tv Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 07:00 EST, 24 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:58 EST, 24 March 2013 . There was a time when films stood little chance of success unless there was something steamy going on at some point. These days, however, it seems movie moguls find sex one big turn-off. Experts say intimate love scenes have been vanishing from movie scripts in the last 18 months. Sexually explicit movies like Basic Instinct, starring Sharon Stone, are no longer popular . Special effects, such as in the film The Day After Tomorrow, are much more likely to appeal to viewers . This is not only because producers . want to avoid an adult-only rating, but also because women are . increasingly the ones who choose what film to watch when they go to the . cinema with their partner. It marks a huge shift from the days when films deliberately courted controversy with their sex scenes. Among the most famous examples of this . were Sharon Stone uncrossing her legs in Basic Instinct and 9½ Weeks, . which starred Kim Basinger. Vincent Bruzzese, president of the film . division of market research company Ipsos, said sex scenes were now . regularly removed from scripts by producers. The executive, whose company looks at . scripts for studios and filmmakers, said: ‘Sex scenes used to be . written, no matter the plot, to spice up a trailer. 'But all that does today is get a film . an adult-only rating and lose a younger audience. Today such scenes are . written out by producers before they are even shot.’ He told the Sunday Times: ‘They ask: . do we really need the sex? Can we fill the space with dazzling special . effects instead and keep the family-friendly rating.’ It was pointed out how this year’s best picture hopefuls at the Oscars contained a lot of violence but no explicit sex scenes. Kate Winslet in Titanic. Romantic plotlines feature less in modern films as they are more likely to incur R-rating . The Sessions, starring Helen Hunt, is one recent film featuring sex scenes that has failed to win big audiences . Nicole Kidman's film The Paperboy, in which she plays a trashy blonde, also flopped . Among recent films which have featured . sex scenes which have failed to win big audiences are The Sessions, . which stars Helen Hunt as a sex surrogate, and The Paperboy starring . Nicole Kidman as a trashy blonde with a sexual predilection for Death . Row prisoners. Film producers are now desperate to . avoid an adult-only rating because young people often drive the box . office success of movies. The trend has also been linked to a . report put together for Warner Bros, which suggested that women over 25 . are most likely to decide what film a couple watch. Research also shows the percentage of . adult-only films in the UK dropped to 8 per cent last year, as compared . with 12 per cent in 2001. Only two films containing sex and nudity made . the box office top ten last year. Adrian Lyne, who directed 9½ Weeks and Fatal Attraction, said these types of film would not be supported today. He told Entertainment Weekly: ‘I can’t . think of the last relationship piece that was a success... which is . apparently why I haven’t done something for quite a while now.’ Hollywood insiders also point out that . gratuitous sex scenes are not highly valued by audiences, notably in an . era where pornography is easily accessible on the internet.
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Raunchy movies like Basic Instinct no longer a turn-on for film fans .
Family-friendly films with handsome male leads now more lucrative .
Movie producers want to avoid adult-only rating and appeal to women .
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By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:55 EST, 17 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:17 EST, 17 July 2013 . Liam Gallagher was named yesterday as the rock star allegedly being sued for millions for fathering a love child. The former Oasis frontman faces claims from music journalist Liza Ghorbani, 39, who says she gave birth to his baby, a girl, according to reports in the US. Miss Ghorbani, who was named by the New York Post and New York Daily News, interviewed Gallagher for a column called ‘A Night Out With...’ in which reporters spend the evening with a celebrity. Scroll down for video . Allegations: Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher (pictured with his wife Nicole Appleton) faces claims from music journalist Liza Ghorbani (right) who says she gave birth to his baby, a girl, according to reports in the U.S. In the article, published in 2010, Gallagher and Ghorbani went to New York’s Ritz-Carlton bar and a private club. She has now hired ‘the best divorce lawyer in New York’ to handle her claim. Newspapers reported earlier this week . that a British rock star was seeking to keep a US love child secret over . fears that his wife would leave him. The reports, which did not name . the singer, said the child’s mother was demanding £2million from him as . well as child support. Millionaire Gallagher, 40, is married . to All Saints singer Nicole Appleton. There was no public reaction from . Miss Appleton, his second wife, while Gallagher’s spokesman refused to . comment on ‘gossip’. He added that ‘legal action’ was being taken against the New York Post, which named Gallagher as the father of the love child. Gallagher has instructed London law . firm Harbottle & Lewis. They sent warning letters to newspapers . making inquiries about the singer’s reaction to the claims. Second wife: There was no public reaction from Miss Appleton, his second wife, while Gallagher¿s spokesman refused to comment on 'gossip' Gallagher fathered a child as a result of an affair during his first marriage. A couple of months after he married . actress Patsy Kensit in April 1997, he had a fling with singer Lisa . Moorish, who gave birth to Molly, now 15, the following year. He and Miss Kensit had a son, Lennon, now 13, in September 1999 and divorced a year later. Gallagher had a son Gene, now 12, in . July 2001 with Miss Appleton. The couple, who married in 2008, were . believed to be in Ibiza yesterday as the love-child allegations emerged. Miss Ghorbani is said to claim that she gave birth to his daughter less than a year ago. After learning she was pregnant, she . is believed to have contacted the star, who denied the child could be . his and broke off contact, before instructing lawyers. The New York Post said she was suing . him in the Manhattan Family Court for £2million, in a case listed as . ‘Anonymous vs Anonymous’. It is alleged she is willing to take DNA tests to prove her case and wants Gallagher to pay paternity costs. A friend of the mother said: ‘She has no doubt in her mind he is the dad. ‘She knows who she slept with and when. She isn’t some tart, she’s a successful professional.’ The lawyer representing Miss Ghorbnai . is Bill Beslow, whose previous clients include Robert DeNiro, Nicole . Kidman when she divorced Tom Cruise, and Mia Farrow in her child custody . suit against Woody Allen. Mr Beslow told the Daily Mail: ‘I am representing the mother.’ But he said he would not identify her. Another top Manhattan divorce lawyer, Raoul Felder, is representing Gallagher. He declined to comment. Star: Liam Gallagher achieved fame with Oasis and is now in the successful Beady Eye, pictured performing in Germany this month with his trademark stance . A court hearing took place last . Friday, and another is set for later this month, according to the New . York Post, which claimed ‘multiple sources’ had named Gallagher in . connection with the paternity suit. Last night the singer’s spokesman said: ‘Lawyers are taking action against the New York Post. ‘We are not going to comment on gossip.’ Gallagher, who now fronts the band Beady Eye, was yesterday performing at the Ibiza Rocks festival. A housekeeper at the star’s . £2.7million five-bedroom townhouse on the edge of Hampstead Heath, North . London, said the whole family had ‘gone away’. The singer once said he wanted to . move his entire family to New York as soon as his children have finished . school, and last year bought a £1.6million apartment near Central Park. Gallagher was raised in a council . house in Burnage, Manchester, by his mother Peggy after his abusive . father left. He has a famously frosty relationship with his brother and . former Oasis bandmate Noel. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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New York paper says woman claims she had daughter less than a year ago .
Alleged she'd consider DNA tests and wants Gallagher to pay paternity costs .
Gallagher, 40, married Nicole Appleton in 2008 and has three children .
'We are not going to comment on gossip,' singer's spokesman said .
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New York (CNN) -- The nurses involved in a maternity ward scuffle with Douglas Kennedy should be investigated and disciplined, Kennedy's lawyers say. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy's son, was arrested and faces misdemeanor charges over the melee at a New York hospital last month in which he knocked down a nurse while he was holding his newborn son. "The only issue is the aggressive and unprofessional conduct of two nurses," attorney Robert Gottlieb said in a letter sent this week to the hospital. Gottlieb said the Kennedys have asked that a "thorough investigation be undertaken immediately of the nurses involved in this disgraceful incident and that appropriate disciplinary action taken against them." Kennedy was arraigned last week on harassment and child endangerment charges, attorneys for both sides have said. Kennedy -- a Fox News contributor -- was trying to take his newborn son for a walk "to get fresh air" outside Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco on January 7 when two nurses intervened to prevent him from leaving, they said. Kennedy, who was accompanied by a hospital doctor, allegedly twisted the arm of one nurse to move her away from a door and kicked another after she approached him, according to Elliot Taub, the attorney for both nurses. The doctor who accompanied Kennedy, Timothy Haydock, who is a longtime family friend, said the nurses had initially agreed to let Kennedy take the baby outside. "The nurses were the only aggressors," Haydock said in a statement delivered by Kennedy's attorney. But Taub said neither nurse recognized Kennedy as the child's father and intended to protect the baby, who apparently had not been discharged. They were trying to enforce hospital rules, Taub said. Northern Westchester Hospital issued a statement Monday in support of the nurses. "At Northern Westchester Hospital, patient safety is our priority and we completely support the actions of our nursing staff in this case as they were clearly acting out of concern for the safety of a newborn baby." Kennedy has denied the allegations, saying that "the nurse had no right to grab our child out of his father's arms." The late Robert F. Kennedy was the younger brother of slain President John F. Kennedy and had served as U.S. attorney general and U.S. senator. He was assassinated in 1968 while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. CNN's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.
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Douglas Kennedy was arraigned last week on misdemeanor charges .
He knocked down a nurse while he was holding his newborn son, attorneys say .
Kennedy wanted to take his son out for some "fresh air," attorneys say .
Douglas Kennedy is the son of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy .
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By . Lydia Slater . PUBLISHED: . 16:47 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:47 EST, 12 June 2013 . Slim hope: Lydia with her Malory band . On my birthday, my mother cooked me a celebratory dinner. The highlight was my favourite fish pie. A wantonly gorgeous creation made with lashings of cream, it's a dish I'd argue my mother is the best at cooking, probably in the whole world. Politeness as well as greed demanded I do full justice to her efforts; but as I reached out for a second helping - homing in on the lovely crispy, cheesy bits around the edges - an ominous tightness in my stomach warned me to put my plate down immediately. My new weight-loss aid was making its presence felt again. From surgery to drugs to smart bracelets which monitor calorie intake and output, the scientific solutions for tackling obesity seem to get ever more complex. Which makes it all the more surprising that the latest weight-loss wonder to capture the public imagination is very little more than a piece of string. The Malory Band is a woven polyester cord that you wear around your waist. Eat too much at one sitting, and the cord digs into your stomach. And that's basically it. At £39.95, it isn't cheap. The woman behind it, TV presenter and life coach Penny Mallory, calls it 'your best friend if you want to change the way you eat and exercise'. And, amazingly, it's proved a smash-hit. The bands have been flying off the shelves in more than 100 countries after receiving worldwide attention from the Press. Online forums are now filled with women praising its simplicity and miraculous effects on their waistlines. A similar technique was said to have been used in Egyptian times, and our Victorian great-grandmothers also apparently tied cords around their waists to keep track of their tums. So is it, literally, just money for old rope? Or is there method behind the apparent madness? Having tried innumerable weight-loss regimes, the simplicity of this solution really appealed to me. No banned foods, no mandatory exercise, no need even for willpower: it just relies on inflicting mild discomfort to discourage overeating. It would be like having a gastric band, but without any risk of post-operative complications. My waist measurement is 75cm, so I ordered a Malory Band in a size 10-14. It measured just under 90cm, and looked like a rather sophisticated belly chain. In plaited grey and white cord, it has loops along its length and silver stops at either end. You fit the cord around your waist, then push the stop through the loop to keep it at the desired circumference. It's invisible, except when worn under the tightest of body-con dresses (which you probably won't be wearing if you think you need a Malory Band.) I tied it so that it sat comfortably around my muffin top and went to show it to my husband. 'Hell-o!' he said in his best Leslie Phillips manner. 'I like it!' He's never said that about any of my control-top knickers. I think he liked the belly-dancer look. At first, the band and I got along fine. When I went to my fitness class at the gym, I was briefly aware of the metal ends knocking against my hip before I forgot about it. 'The band wasn't so much a . best friend as an ill-informed dietitian who disapproved of whatever I . chose to put into my mouth - however healthy it might be. And . my reaction to this constant nagging was to eat more.' I showered with it on - it dried quickly - but afterwards, getting dressed, I became aware of some rather strange looks from my fellow gym-bunnies. Either they were all aware of the Malory Band and were checking out how effective it was, or I looked as though I was working the belly-dancer vibe too hard for a women-only changing room on a rainy Monday morning. Afterwards, I decided it was time to set the band a test, so I popped into a café for a cappuccino and a croissant. As I munched, I waited tensely for something to happen. But my waistband felt as loose as ever, which perversely made me feel as though I was still being healthy. Lunch was a different story. I made myself a large but blameless broccoli salad, but as my stomach filled up, the band began to make its presence felt. Clearly, the fibre in the raw veg was making me bloat. I now realised that the low-tech qualities of the Malory Band obviously had their limitations; if I'd eaten a chocolate bar instead I'd have taken in far more empty calories without discomfort. The band also appeared to have issues with my posture. Returning to my desk to work, I found I had to sit bolt upright to prevent it digging in. By the time I went to bed, I had an unflattering red line etched into my stomach. I slept in it, and had wild nightmares of being trapped somewhere. At 4am, waking in a rage, I took it off and flung it to the floor. Jumping on the Malory band wagon: A mistake . The next day, I reluctantly put it on again. My stomach had slimmed down overnight. Once again, it felt comfortable (although I'd lost track of my original waist measurement). But by the end of the day, I had to loosen it once more. There were interesting aspects to wearing the Malory Band. Now I know which foods make me bloat: pasta, apples and broccoli were particular culprits. I made a mental note to avoid eating any of them before a party. Otherwise, the band wasn't so much a best friend as an ill-informed dietitian who disapproved of whatever I chose to put into my mouth - however healthy it might be. And my reaction to this constant nagging was to eat more, just to prove I was in charge of my body, and hadn't handed over control to this bossy piece of string. So when it started to bite into me at my birthday dinner, it was the final straw. I took it off with a sense of enormous relief. Which is possibly why, when I stepped on the scales after a week of wearing the Malory Band, I discovered to my dismay that I'd actually put on 1lb. In the longer term, I can see how wearing the band might work. Numerous scientific studies have proved that waist measurement is an important indicator of health. And if you've reached your target weight and are determined to stay there, that constant reminder not to eat another mouthful might be very helpful. But my personality doesn't work like that. I hate being niggled at, and my waist size seems to fluctuate quite significantly over the course of a normal day, whatever I'm eating. And as the band made me feel permanently fat and rather glum, I found myself reaching for the consoling biscuits rather more than I usually do. The technique might have worked for the Egyptians and the Victorians, but personally I'm still putting my faith in science rather than string. maloryband.com .
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The Malory band is a polyester cord worn around your waist .
The more you eat, the more it digs into your stomach .
Lydia Slater tries out the slim string...
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It is now hoped the studies will help lead to countermeasures for illness . By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 12:46 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:58 EST, 4 April 2013 . There are some spectacular images captured by astronauts in outer space. But these images of inner space, of human cells taken on the International Space Station, offer a truly unique insight of how the body reacts in orbit. This image, titled 'Goldfinger' by scientists, reveals a monocyte immune cell as a translucent, burnt-orange vision flecked with green. The internal structure of a human cell in simulated gravity taken on the International Space Station. Pictured here is a monocyte immune cell that plays an integral role in protecting our bodies from foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses . To record this image, immune cells were placed on gold-coated slides inside ESA?s Kubik incubator. As the cells grew they removed the gold, allowing researchers on Earth to measure their movements in space. Antibodies that light up under a fluorescence microscope were added to reveal colours and identify specific proteins. The human cell photo in space was taken under 'simulated gravity' conditions using the European Space Agency's Kubik incubator, which uses a centrifuge to mimic gravity in the weightlessness of space. Immune cells were placed on gold-coated slides inside the incubator. As the cells migrated they removed the gold, allowing . researchers on Earth to measure their movements in space. The cell picture was taken using the European Space Agency's Kubik incubator. It contains a small centrifuge to simulate Earth-like gravity . To record this . image, antibodies that light up under a fluorescence microscope were . added to reveal colours and identify specific proteins. The ESA said: 'Some cells, such as those in muscles and our immune system, are mobile. 'Others, such as those in our bones, are fixed. 'Knowing how spaceflight affects the mobility of cells is important for astronauts and mission designers.' On earth, cell motility depends on the integrity of the internal cell structure, which is known as the cytoskeleton. Researchers from the University of Sassari, ETH Zürich’s Space Biology Group and Zero g-LifeTec found that cytoskeleton changes in weightlessness lead to reduced motility. This process may be one of the reasons why astronauts suffer from weakened immune systems when living in space, the ESA said. It added: 'Humans bodies have evolved to live on Earthly gravity. Astronauts’ bodies adapt to living in weightlessness in many ways. 'Comparing human cells in weightlessness and simulated gravity in space allows researchers to understand how gravity affects the inner working of our bodies, which may help to prepare astronauts for further exploration of our Solar System.'
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Pictures taken on International Space Station under 'simulated gravity'
Many astronauts suffer from weakened immune systems when living in space .
It is now hoped the studies will help lead to countermeasures for illness .
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Juba, South Sudan (CNN) -- East African leaders on Friday gave South Sudan's warring factions four days to lay down their arms after nearly two weeks of widening violence. If they don't, the leaders of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) warned they'll "take action" to stop the conflict that the United Nations says has killed more than 1,000 and forced some 121,000 from their homes. The warning came the same day the United Nations said the first of 5,500 additional peacekeepers had arrived in the country. The leaders of the IGAD didn't specify what sort of action would be taken. But a communique issued Friday in Nairobi, Kenya, appears to throw the group's weight behind South Sudanese President Salva Kiir. In a joint statement by the leaders of the IGAD said they would not accept a violent overthrow of the country's democratically elected government, and said any change must come through the democratic process. Kiir has accused rival politician Riek Machar, his former vice president, of trying to stage a coup. Machar has denied involvement in a coup. Fighting broke out between Kiir's government and supporters of Machar on December 15 in the capital city of Juba. It quickly spread across the country, with reports of mass killings as evidenced by mass graves. Kiir and Machar are longtime rivals from two different tribal clans -- Kiir is from the Dinka tribe, Machar from the Neur. South Sudan's government said it has agreed "in principle" to a cease-fire demanded by the IGAD, Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth told CNN. Leith said Kiir's government is open to "unconditional dialogue" to end the violence. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development appointed envoys from Kenya and Ethiopia to help broker a deal. Machar hasn't responded to the proposal, leaving it unclear Friday what immediate impact the agreement would have on the fighting. The news of a possible deal comes as United Nations officials work feverishly to finalize details of sending peacekeeping reinforcements to South Sudan. The U.N. hopes to send them in no later than Saturday to help protect the 50,000 people now crowding U.N. bases, seeking shelter from the fighting. On Friday, 72 peacekeepers arrived in Juba, according to the United Nations. It was the first group of an additional 5,500 peacekeepers approved by U.N. Security Council. The additional personnel will increase the total peacekeeping force in South Sudan to 12,500 soldiers and 1,323 police officers. Meanwhile, U.N. officials and aid workers struggled to protect and provide food, shelter and medical care to those who have fled the fighting, which has spread to seven of South Sudan's 10 states, according to the United Nations. More than 63,000 people have crowded on to U.N. bases in South Sudan seeking shelter from the violence, requiring a massive influx of aid. U.N. workers on Friday were able to resupply a U.N.-operated hospital in Malakal, U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Toby Lanzer said on Twitter. The U.N. Humanitarian Air Service also began flying in aid workers and supplies, he said. CNN's Azadeh Ansari, Nana Karikari-apau, Moni Basu, Chelsea J. Carter in Atlanta, and journalist Kenneth Mijungu in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report.
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NEW: 72 of 5,500 new peacekeepers have arrived in Juba, the U.N. says .
East African leaders tell South Sudan government, rebels to stop fighting or else .
Group says it will take unspecified action if fighting doesn't stop within four days .
South Sudan's government says it's ready to adopt a cease-fire .
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 05:16 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:35 EST, 1 February 2013 . Argentina has refused to attend talks over the future of the Falklands because British Foreign Secretary William Hague insisted islanders be present. Hector Timerman, Argentina's foreign minister, sparked a diplomatic spat by rejecting the offer by the UK government to hold a meeting aimed at diffusing growing tensions over the sovereignty of the islands. Islanders had planned a 'frank exchange of views' before the Argentine pulled out of the face-to-face showdown. The Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman refused to attend a meeting on the Falklands (pictured) if islanders were present . The United Nations regards the dispute over the islands which Argentina knows as the Malvinas as a bilateral issue between Buenos Aires and London, he said. And he said he was sorry that Mr Hague ‘can't meet without the supervision of the colonists from the Malvinas’. Mr Timerman invited Mr Hague to meet with him in Buenos Aires, where he said ‘my fellow foreign ministers can freely meet with whomever they wish without being pressured or having their presence conditioned on meetings that they haven't asked for and don't interest them’. Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has in recent years strongly asserted her country's demands for the Falklands to come under its sovereignty despite the opposition of the islanders. Earlier this month, she had an advert published in British newspapers claiming that Argentina had been stripped of the islands in ‘a blatant exercise of 19th century colonialism’. Prime Minister David Cameron has repeatedly insisted the residents of the Falklands must decide their own future and a referendum on the islands' political status is to be held in March. A referendum on the islands' political status is to be held in March . Mr Timerman said he was sorry he could not meet with Foreign Secretary William Hague without the supervision of the colonists from the Malvinas’ In a statement released before Mr Timerman turned down the meeting, the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands stressed that their representatives, Dick Sawle and Jan Cheek, would not be ‘negotiating any deal’. ‘Rather we are anticipating a full and frank exchange of views,’ the assembly said. ‘Indeed we look forward to giving Mr Timerman some very direct messages on the unacceptability of Argentina's actions against the Falkland Islands in recent years. Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner recently published an advert in several national newspapers claiming the Falklands were 'forcibly stripped' from Argentina 180 years ago . ‘We demand that our rights be respected, and that we be left in peace to choose our own future and to develop our country for our children and generations to come. ‘It is only right that he should hear this directly from us, as well as from Mr Hague.’ In its statement, the Falklands assembly cited Britain's opposition to ‘any negotiations over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands unless and until the Falkland Islanders so wish’. ‘The Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly believes that the result of the forthcoming referendum will demonstrate definitively that we do not. Should the issue of sovereignty be raised at the meeting, it will not be discussed,’ it said. ‘Members of the Legislative Assembly made it clear in their letter of 2012 to President Fernandez de Kirchner... that the Falkland Islands Government is willing to meet with the Government of Argentina in order to make our views clear, and to discuss matters of mutual interest including fisheries and communication.’ A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: ‘We are aware that Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman is due in the UK next week, and have invited him to come to the Foreign Office to meet the Foreign Secretary and representatives of the UK Government and the Falkland Islands Government.’
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Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman refuses to attend meeting with William Hague because Falklanders would be there .
Islanders planned a 'frank exchange of views' over Argentina's claim .
Referendum on the future of the islands to be held in March .
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Ed Miliband was ridiculed yesterday after laying a wreath honouring the First World War dead with a scruffy message that read: 'From the Leader of the Opposition' . The note, scrawled with a black marker by an organiser, was left at the Cenotaph in Glasgow yesterday and has been branded 'pathetic' and 'distasteful'. But the Labour leader's team say he was denied the chance to write his own message and was only handed the wreath moments before he put it down. Scroll down for video . Contrast: A row has erupted online after David Cameron left a handwritten note on a WW1 wreath but Ed Miliband's just said his title and was written with a black marker . Incident: Political leaders were asked to lay tributes by Mr Miliband's team say he was handed his seconds before he put it down and was not allowed to write his own message . In contrast David Cameron's message read: 'Your most enduring legacy is our liberty. We must never forget' and was signed personally by the Prime Minister. The Prince of Wales also wrote his own note, which said: 'In everlasting memory, Charles'. Nick Clegg also put down a wreath with a note in the same handwriting, which only said: 'From the Deputy Prime Minister'. The incident has led to a row online with some calling Mr Miliband 'pathetic' and others claiming he had been 'stitched up'. Sarah Cochrane wrote: 'I think Ed Miliband's message on the wreath is pathetic. He couldn't even be bothered to write his own name'. Marion Armer said 'he must have put a lot of thought into that tribute'. Defence: Labour supporters say that Mr Miliband has been 'stitched up' over the incident . Similar: The wreath put down by Nick Clegg also had a note containing his job title . This tribute from the People of Scotland was also written in the same black marker . Commemorations: Prince Charles, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband were taking part in a series of events being held 100 years to the day after the start of the First World War . Others, including former Tory MP Louise Mensch, compared the incident to accusations former Labour leader Michael Foot wore a donkey jacket at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in 1981. Mr Foot denied the claims and said the coat was an expensive gift from his wife. Ms Mensch . added: 'I am stunned by Ed Miliband's WWI centenary wreath message, . which is arrogant, disrespectful and just plain rude.' Gordon . Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride said in a blog post: 'Did Ed . Miliband’s team really forget to have that conversation with the . ceremony organisers? 'Was the first any of them knew about the message on . the wreath really when it was handed to their leader 30 seconds before . he had lay it. And is their operation really as lacklustre and resigned . to their fate as Nick Clegg’s, who did the same thing? Upset: Twitter users have ridiculed the Labour leader for the message left at the Cenotaph . Leaving: Queen Elizabeth II (left) departs after attending a service of commemoration at Crathie Kirk Church in Crathie, Aberdeenshire . Act of remembrance: Prince Philip, Duke Of Edinburgh attends a service of commemoration at Sandringham Church in Norfolk . 'Or . is it a more serious problem: that the fear of being the first to screw . up after Miliband’s image speech means even the most effective staffers . are scared to do their jobs properly, especially on an issue as . sensitive as commemorating the war dead?' Mr Miliband's supporters said this afternoon any criticism was unfair. A source told MailOnline it was a . Government-organised ceremony and 'Ed was handed the wreath seconds . before and had not chance to write his own message.This was essentially a . label being used by the organisers to give him the right wreath'. A Labour spokesman added: ‘We were very disappointed that Ed was not given the chance to write a personal message.’ A source close to Nick Clegg said: 'The option of hand signing was not one we were ever given. Day of commemorations: Prince Charles walks out of Glasgow Cathedral with the Lord Provost of Glasgow Sadie Docherty after attending a memorial service to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War . Prince Charles represented the Queen at a . service at Glasgow Cathedral yesterday where David Cameron read a passage . from the Bible to the 1,400-strong congregation . Talking: Prince Charles (left), Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, stands with Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron in Glasgow . Centenary: Prince Charles, the Prince Of Wales, . and Prime Minister David Cameron leave Glasgow Cathedral clutching . poppies following the memorial service . The Prince of Wales later laid a wreath at the cenotaph in Glasgow on a day of events in Britain and Europe . Labour leader Ed Miliband and his wife . Justine arrive at the service along with Scottish First Minister Alex . Salmond and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg . Former members of the Armed Forces were among the 1.400 people remembering the start of the Great War yesterday in Glasgow . 'The DPM was handed the wreath seconds before he laid it and there was no opportunity to do anything differently.' The incident happened at hundreds of people gathered at George Square for the wreath-laying ceremony. Chief . Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, Home Secretary Theresa May . and Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities, were among those . who attended the hour-long service in the heart of the city. Prince Charles, sitting next to Mr Cameron, listened as prayers were said and a bugler played the Last Post. Members of the public lined the square to pay their respects, many of them clutching union flags.
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Labour Leader's wreath message said: 'From the Leader of the Opposition'
His supporters claim he was handed the wreath and note seconds earlier .
Nick Clegg and others also laid wreaths with messages in same handwriting .
David Cameron and Prince Charles left their own notes at Cenotaph .
PM wrote: 'Your enduring legacy is our liberty. We must never forget'
Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride believes Ed Miliband's team should have spoken to organisers ahead of the event about a message .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:22 EST, 13 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:26 EST, 13 March 2013 . A woman who lived in the same house as the three people accused of torturing, murdering and dismembering a Marine wife testified yesterday about the bizarre relationship between the trio - including who was the 'master' and who controlled the house. The unidentified woman said that defendant Dorothy Maraglino, also known as 'Dee', owned the San Diego house and was responsible for most of the decision making, even though Louis Perez was her 'sex master'. The two defendants and Jessica Lopez, who all lived at the house, are accused of the kidnap and murder of Brittany Killgore, 22, wife of a Camp Pendleton Marine. Tricked: Brittany Killgore, 22, never wanted to participate in the bizarre sex games that she was subjected to before her murder, prosecutors say . Defendant: Dorothy Maraglino, also known as 'Dee', owned the San Diego house and was responsible for most of the decision making, even though Louis Perez was her 'sex master' Contract of terms: Maraglino ran the household when Louis Perez - who was only there sporadically - was away . Defendant: Jessica Lopez is also accused of the kidnap and murder of Brittany Killgore, 22, wife of a Camp Pendleton Marine . All three are believed to have participated in an alternative lifestyle that included bondage and sadomasochism. They engaged in those activities in . the house, prosecutors have said, the same house where Killgore is . believed to have been killed. 'I believe that Dee did most of the . controlling in the house,' the witness testified on the second day of a . preliminary hearing, and added that there was a 'contract' that laid out . the rules of their relationship. Maraglino ran the household when Perez - who was only there sporadically - was away. 'It’s her house so she would make the rules in his absence,' the woman said. Prosecutors and investigators have . said that Killgore was not involved in the alternative lifestyle . described in court, according to UT San Diego. The three have pleaded not guilty to . killing Killgore, who vanished last year . while her estranged husband was serving in Afghanistan. They also are charged with conspiracy, kidnapping and torture. Alternate lifestyle: Prosecutors say Louis Ray Perez led a bondage sex ring and was active in playing out violent sex fantasies with his two lovers . Suspects: Prosecutors say Dorothy Maraglino (left) and Jessica Lynn Lopez (right) were part of a bondage sex ring and helped to torture and murder Killgore . Prosecutors contend that Killgore met . the trio when she and a friend went to a home in Fallbrook, north of . San Diego, to buy an item being sold online, according to the North . County Times. Killgore . turned down Perez's offer. However, later in the day, she sent him a . text message asking if she knew anyone who could help her move. 'Party with me tonight & you’ll have five guys there in the morning,' he replied. Killgore was last seen April 13 in a . borrowed purple evening gown, three days after she filed for divorce . from Lance Cpl Cory Killgore. Authorities have cleared him of any . involvement in her death. Authorities contend that Killgore was . kidnapped and made an unwilling participant in bondage and torture . before she was strangled and her nude body left in a ditch near Lake . Skinner in Riverside County. San Diego County sheriff's detectives . said they found 'bondage-type sex apparatuses, toys and tools' in the . Fallbrook home where the trio lived. Estranged: Brittany Killgore, right, filed for divorce from husband Cory, left, three days before her disappearance . Fears: Cory, right, returned from Afghanistan after hearing about the disappearance of his wife, left . Missing: Brittany Killgore lived in Fallbrook, California, not far from Camp Pendleton US Marine base . Newly unsealed documents listed numerous bondage objects seized as evidence from the house of Louis Perez, Dorothy Maraglino and Jessica Lynn Lopez. A partial list follows: . Unsealed Court documents previously revealed that police seized whips, sex toys, rope and pulleys, a document . titled 'Slave Rules', duct tape, a stun baton and other bondage . instruments from the house. Investigators . found Killgore's blood and hair on several of the items. Investigators said they believe all . three were with Killgore at the home shortly after she apparently sent a . desperate text message to a friend that simply said: 'Help'. In an affidavit filed in court last year, a detective said the trio may have targeted Killgore for 'unusual sexual fetishes'. Perez was arrested on April 15 on suspicion of possessing a stolen assault rifle and was later charged with murder. Lopez was arrested on April 17 at a San Diego hotel where she was discovered with self-inflicted cuts. They also found a letter in which . Lopez allegedly claimed that she killed Killgore out of fear that the . woman would steal away Perez, whom she described as her 'master'. Lopez said she tried to chop up . Killgore's body with power tools before dumping it near the lake, but . the body was found hours later. The letter also contended that Perez . and Maraglino weren't responsible for the killing. However, prosecutors . said both were involved.
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Brittany Killgore, 22, was found naked and dismembered in a ditch last April .
She had packed up was planning to move back to Missouri just before she was murdered .
Louis Perez is accused of luring her into his car then kidnapping, raping and torturing her .
Her blood was found on S&M objects seized from Perez's home .
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By . Pete D'amato . Sergio . Garcia is off the hook after fans find the diamond he knocked off a . woman's engagement ring with a wild drive in the WGC-Bridgestone . Invitational. Garcia bagged $900,000 for finishing second behind Rory McIlroy, some . of which might have gone to pay for the ring he broke with a wild shot . off the third tee on Sunday. Garcia . was up three shots over McIlroy going into the final round at . Firestone, when his tee shot veered off course and hit a spectator's ring finger. Scroll down for video . Rough riding: Sergio Garcia's drive broke a woman's engagement ring on a hole he went on to bogey . Diamond exchange: Sergio Garcia autographed a ball for a fan after breaking her engagement ring . Lost: Sergio Garcia paused to search for the diamond he knocked off a woman's engagement ring . CBS coverage showed Garcia gamely giving a look for the stone in the grass before leaving the woman with a . signed ball and finishing the hole with a bogey. As he headed away from the crowd Garcia asked to get the woman's contact information if the gem couldn't be found. CBS commentator David Faherty remarked that, 'This could be the most expensive tee shot of all time.' 'A diamond in the rough,' he added, followed up by a few faked laughs of his own. Another . spectator located the diamond in the grass, but the errant drive still . cost Garcia, as McIlroy shot a birdie on the par-four and took over at the top of the leaderboard. Lost and found: Another spectator (right) recovered the diamond knocked loose by Sergio Garcia . Off the hook: Fans found the diamond knocked loose by Sergio Garcia's errant tee shot . The Northern Irishman held onto the lead to secure a follow-up victory to his win at the British Open last month. McIlroy . returns to the top of the world rankings and heads for this week’s PGA . Championship as the bookies’ favorite - with odds as short as 9/2 at . some firms. Garcia is available at 20/1 as he looks to break a string of second-place finishes.
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Sergio Garcia accidentally broke a spectator's ring at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday .
Garcia gave the woman an autographed ball and was prepared to replace the diamond if it wasn't found .
Another fan discovered the gem in the grass a short time later .
Garcia bogeyed the hole and gave up the lead to Rory McIlroy, who went on to win by two shots .
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(CNN) -- A 32-year-old Texas man was killed Saturday in a shark attack while scuba diving off the coast of Western Australia, police said. The man was scuba diving with two friends near Rottnest Island, considered a popular tourist destination located about 15 miles off the mainland, when the attack occurred. The friends, who were not in the water at the time, noticed an abnormal amount of air bubbles rise to the surface from where the man was diving followed by a plume of blood, according to police spokesman Michael Wear. Moments later, the man's body rose to the surface, Wear said. The man is believed to have been killed by a great white shark, authorities said after a preliminary review of the teeth marks. "He was in the water by himself, I believe," Sgt. Greg True told CNN affiliate Channel Nine. "There's been some pretty massive injuries inflicted." Police say the man succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack. The victim's name was not immediately released, pending notification of family members. He had been living in Western Australia. Saturday's attack is the second fatal shark attack in the past two weeks near the capital of Perth. CNN's Jeremy Ryan contributed to this report .
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NEW: The man was scuba diving with friends at the time of the attack .
NEW: Authorities believe a great white shark inflicted "massive injuries"
The attack occurred near Rottnest Island in Western Australia .
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By . Corey Charlton . The theft of an American flag from the family of a firefighter killed in September 11 is causing heartache as they desperately plead for its return. The flag stolen from the front of Melissa Brengel's Long Island property was flown over the World Trade Center during the recovery and cleanup and was later gifted to her from the September 11 Families Association. Her brother Jonathan Ielpi was a New York firefighter killed in the . terrorist attacks on the morning of September 11, 2001. Firefighter Jonathan Ielpi, left, was killed in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. His sister, Melissa Brengel is now pleading for the return of the flag that was given to her in his memory . NBC New York reported Mrs Brengel said the flag was still at the front of her property when she returned home about 10.30pm on Monday, but it had disappeared some time during the night. 'We put it out during certain times of the year just to remember,' she said. 'I don't think there's a way [the thief] could have known, but at the same time, they're coming onto my property and taking something that means so much to me and so many Americans.' Jonathan Ielpi, 29, phoned his father Lee on the day of the attack to tell him he was en route to the site. He did not make it out of the south tower. His father is also a firefighter and is a co-founder of Tribute WTC, which pays homage to the victims of the attack. It is not the first time the insensitive handling of her brother's passing and his memory has caused heartache. Last year Brengel was outraged after the cast member of a reality TV show was depicted in a photo shoot acting flippantly around her brother's memorial. She was watching the Bravo reality TV show ‘Princesses: Long Island’ when she saw one of the cast members began to act imprudently around the statue of the firefighter who was her brother. She later said she felt her blood boil: 'It may not be against the law to do it, but it is the most disrespectful and disgusting that I think you can do,' she said. She now hopes the flag thief will hear of its significance, have a change of heart and return it.
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Family pleads for return of stolen flag that was a gift in memory of family member killed at the World Trade Center September 11 attack .
Flag was flown during the site cleanup and recovery and was given to Melissa Brengel by the September 11 Families Association .
Her brother Jonathan Ielpi was 29 when he died, never making it out of the south tower after a phone call to his father telling him he was en route .
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(CNN) -- Florida authorities have a message as the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial looms: raise your voice, not your hands. Anticipating that the outcome of the very public, and racially-tinged, case is likely to disappoint one swath of the population or another, law enforcement agencies have set up a response plan. Part of it is a public service announcement that the Broward County Sheriff's Office released this week. In it, a black teenage boy and a Hispanic girl urge viewers to "stand together as one. No cuffs, no guns." Zimmerman is a white Hispanic who is on trial for last year's shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a black teen, in Sanford city. Sanford is in Seminole County. He is charged with second-degree murder, and says he acted in self-defense. Prosecutors are arguing he profiled the teen. Opinion: Zimmerman trial -- it's about race . Millions of Americans have already made up their minds about what should happen. And no matter how the verdict falls, authorities worry passions will be inflamed. That's where the video comes in -- a plea not to resort to violence. "Freedom of expression is a constitutional right," the sheriff's office said. "While raising your voice is encouraged, using your hands is not." In the video, the boy says, "Let's give violence a rest, because we can easily end up arrested." The girl adds, "Let it roll off your shoulders. It's water off your back, don't lack composure. Because in one instant it could be over." In Zimmerman trial, it's a jury of millions . The case has triggered a nationwide debate about Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, race and racial profiling. "People care about gun rights. People care about race. People care about children. People care about the right to defend yourself," said CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin. "And this case has all of them wrapped up together, and that's rare." Zimmerman's lawyer, Mark O'Mara, told CNN's "Piers Morgan Live" that regardless of the outcome, his client will forever be looking over his shoulder: . "First of all, my client will never be safe, because there are a percentage of the population who are angry, they're upset, and they may well take it out on him," he said. "So, he'll never be safe." CNN's Cristy Lenz contributed to this report .
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Authorities plan for anticipated tensions .
"Freedom of expression is a constitutional right," the Sheriff's Office says .
However, raising your hand is not, authorities warn .
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By . Nicola Rowe . Playing video games really may have helped Prince Harry spot the enemy faster, research suggests. Researchers say that video game consoles help the brain to make better and faster use of visual input, distinguishing between one object and another - such as a ‘good guy’ and a ‘bad guy’ - more quickly. Prince Harry famously said that he . trained for flying Apaches by playing on the computer, and a study by . Duke University in America suggests there was some truth in his comment. Prince Harry wearing his monocle gun sight and sitting in his Apache helicopter cockpit in Afghanistan in 2012. He famously said that he trained for flying Apaches by playing on the computer . Professor Greg Appelbaum said: 'Gamers see the world differently. They are able to extract more information from a visual scene.' Researchers found 125 participants who were either non-gamers or very intensive gamers then ran them through a visual sensory memory task that flashed a circular arrangement of eight letters for just one-tenth of a second. After a delay ranging from 13 milliseconds to 2.5 seconds, an arrow appeared, pointing to one spot on the circle where a letter had been. Participants were asked to identify which letter had been in that spot. At every time interval, intensive players of action video games outperformed non-gamers in recalling the letter. Earlier research has found that gamers are quicker at responding to visual stimuli and can track more items than non-gamers. Researchers say that video games help the brain to make better and faster use of visual input, distinguishing between one object and another - such as a ‘good guy’ and a ‘bad guy’ - more quickly . Prof Appelbaum said that when playing a game, especially one of the 'first-person shooters,' a gamer makes 'probabilistic inferences' about what he’s seeing - good guy or bad guy, moving left or moving right - as rapidly as he can. With time and experience, the gamer apparently gets better at doing this. He said, 'They need less information to arrive at a probabilistic conclusion, and they do it faster.' 1. Dishonoured: The Knife of Dunwall2. BioShock Infinite3. Tomb Raider4. Metro: Last Light5. Defiance6. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon7. Call of Juarez:Gunslinger8. Call of Duty: Black Ops 29. Crysis 310. Dead Island: Riptide . Both groups experienced a rapid decay in memory of what the letters had been, but the gamers outperformed the non-gamers at every time interval. Dr Appelbaum said that the visual system sifts information out from what the eyes are seeing, and data that isn’t used decays quite rapidly. Gamers discard the unused stuff just about as fast as everyone else, but they appear to be starting with more information to begin with. The researchers examined three possible reasons for the gamers’ apparently superior ability to make probabilistic inferences. Either they see better, they retain visual memory longer or they’ve improved their decision-making. Looking at these results, Applebaum said, it appears that prolonged memory retention isn’t the reason. But he said that the other two factors might both be in play, suggesting that it is possible that the gamers see more immediately, and they are more able to make better and accurate decisions from the information they have available.
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Gamers 'extract more information from visual scenes than non-gamers'
Video games improve ability to make good decisions at a faster rate .
Intensive game-players have improved memory recall, say U.S. researchers .
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Former Conservative candidate Nick Morris (pictured) has quit the party after calling a group of feminists 'left-wing lesbo groupies' on Twitter . A former Conservative candidate has resigned from the party after calling a group of feminists 'left-wing lesbo-groupies' on social media. Nick Morris, who describes himself as a Conservative 'activist', went on to call them 'cretins' in a later tweet. He made the comments in response to a post by feminist campaigner @LiraelClayr who was tweeting about a campaign against male violence towards women. In the tweet, Mr Morris, who stood as a Conservative candidate for Sheffield Richmond in the 2004 Sheffield City Council elections said: 'Frankly I really dont care what you and leftwing lesbo-groupies think.'[sic] . He later posted: 'From what dark hole have these cretins crept from I wonder.' His remarks were made in relation to a project called 'Counting Dead Women' run by feminist Karen Ingala Smith that produces information about the number of women in the UK killed by their partners or sons. Last week she launched her Femiside Census: Profiles of Women Killed by Men - which records details of all the women murdered by men in Britain. Twitter user @LiraelClayr, who wished to remain anonymous, told MailOnline: 'The tweet was offensive, but I wasn't overly surprised as I tend to receive a lot of abuse on Twitter. 'The direct leap to calling a group of woman "lesbos" in my opinion was an attempt to diminish our words as if it was a shameful thing to be. 'Although I myself am not a lesbian, others included are and found it even more offensive as is their right. 'The gentleman apologised to me the next day and donated to a charity in way of that apology. I accepted the apology for myself but told him that others would accept or not accept as is their right. 'As far as I'm aware several people are still cross about it.' Following a backlash on Twitter, Mr Morris hastily deleted the offensive tweets and his account. He has since resigned from the party. Nikki Bond, Labour party councillor in Sheffield and an active feminist, said it was 'pretty appalling' He later issued a statement apologising for his remarks. He said: 'It was a very foolish tweet which I have apologised for. There was no justification for it whatsoever. 'I have since resigned from the Conservative Party and the lady in question has accepted my apology. 'I've made a donation to a charity of her choice. It was sent on the spur of the moment and it certainly doesn't reflect my views. I'm deeply ashamed about my comment.' Nikki Bond, a Labour party councillor in Sheffield and an active feminist, said: 'Unfortunately I'm all too familiar with this kind of attitude. 'For anyone to have that kind of attitude is pretty appalling but for someone in a political role, where people are looking up to them for guidance, it is really important they do not come out with this sort of language.'
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Nick Morris, a Tory 'activist' has resigned from party after offensive tweets .
He called a group of feminists 'left wing lesbo-groupies' and 'cretins'
Made comments in response to campaign against male violence to women .
Said it was 'sent on spur of the moment' and was a 'very foolish tweet'
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By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 11:37 EST, 2 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:42 EST, 2 August 2013 . Another woman has come forward and accused San Diego Mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment - making her the ninth to speak up. Emily Gilbert has claimed the 70-year-old Democrat . harassed her at a fundraiser where she was hired to sing in December. She tried to laugh it off and said she did not want to make a big scene about it. 'He grabbed me a little too tight, then proceeded to slide his hand down . my arm and then did a little grab on my derriere. I . didn’t want to make a scene there were kids around,' she told Fox. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . New Victim: Emily Gilbert has claimed the 70-year-old Democrat harassed her at a fundraiser where she was hired to sing in December . Her husband Jason said he saw the sexual harrassment take place but felt helpless, thinking: 'He's the mayor, what can I do? Accused: San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has launched an extraordinary defence against allegations he sexually harassed a former employee - by claiming he never received sexual harassment training . Her husband Jason said he saw the sexual harassment take place but felt helpless, thinking: 'He's the mayor, what can I do? 'We don’t want any money, but we think the mayor should make a donation to a woman’s cause… Actions speak louder then words. He needs to resign.' Earlier this week, Filner launched an . extraordinary defense against allegations he sexually harassed a former . employee - by claiming he never received sexual harassment training. Former employee Irene McCormack Jackson sued the mayor and the city on July . 22, alleging the mayor asked her to work without panties, demanded . kisses, told her he wanted to see her naked and dragged her in a . headlock while whispering in her ear. At its Tuesday night meeting, the City Council voted 9-0 to deny funds for Filner's legal expenses in the lawsuit filed by his former communications director. Lawyers representing Filner have claimed that if San Diego had provided mandatory sexual harassment training, then Jackson may never have filed the case. The claims suggest that if Filner is found liable in the claim, he could blame his own city council. As reported by NBC 7, in a letter, Filner’s lawyer Harvey Berger, said: 'The City has a legal obligation to provide sexual harassment training to all management level employees. The City failed to provide such training to Mayor Filner. 'This is not an excuse for any inappropriate behavior which may have occurred, but I have learned that many – if not most – people do not know what is and what is not illegal sexual harassment under California law.' Action: Irene McCormack Jackson, the mayor's former director of communications Jackson sued the mayor and the city on July 22 . The council is attempting to distance itself from the leader of the nation's eighth-largest city amid mounting calls for his resignation. At its Tuesday night meeting, the City Council voted 9-0 to deny funds for Filner's legal expenses in the lawsuit filed by Jackson. City councilman Kevin Faulconer said: 'His employers, San Diego taxpayers, did not have to bail him out for the mess he created.' Earlier in the day in a closed session, the Council voted 9-0 to have the city sue Filner to require that he pay all costs incurred by the lawsuit, which names the city as a defendant in addition to Filner. 'If Bob Filner engaged in unlawful conduct and the city is held liable, he will have to reimburse us every penny the city pays and its attorney fees,' City Attorney Jan Goldsmith said. Seven of nine City Council members have urged Filner, the city's first Democratic leader in 20 years, to resign. Since Jackson filed her lawsuit, seven other women have . offered detailed accounts of Filner's alleged advances, including . touching and forcible kisses. Veronica 'Ronne' Froman (front left), Sharon Bernie-Cloward (front right), Joyce Gattas (back left), and Patti Roscoe (back right) all told their stories of harassment . Lisa Curtin, director of government and military education at San Diego City College, said on KPBS-TV Tuesday that the then-congressman asked her in 2011 to remove her wedding band after questioning whether it was real, asked her on a date and moved to kiss her. She said she felt his tongue on her cheek after she turned her head. 'The City of San Diego maintains a zero tolerance policy as to sexual harassment and sexual harassment is not within the course and scope of employment,' according to the city's lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court. The mayor's office and his attorney, Harvey Berger, didn't immediately respond to requests seeking comment. Ann Ravel, chairwoman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said an official cannot accept more than $440 a year in donated services. Campaign money can be used only to defend against alleged violations of the state's campaign finance law. An official can, however, create a legal defense fund under state law, Ravel said. Filner, . who is divorced, said Friday he would enter two weeks of 'intensive' therapy on August 5, defying calls from his own party leaders to resign. The former 10-term congressman is less than eight months into a four-year term as mayor. Land-use . surveyor Michael Pallamary published a newspaper notice on Sunday to . begin a recall bid, two days after gay rights activist and newspaper . publisher Stampp Corbin did so. Pallamary . accused Corbin of being a stealth supporter of the mayor and threatened . to file a complaint with the San Diego County district attorney's . office alleging election law violations. Pallamary . said Corbin would make little effort to collect the more than 100,000 . signatures needed to get a recall measure on the ballot, setting it up . to fail and preventing another recall drive for six months. Promises: Mayor Bob Filner of San Diego speaks at a press conference on Friday announcing his intention to seek professional help for sexual harassment issues . Corbin denied the accusation on Tuesday, saying Pallamary or anyone else was welcome to join the recall drive. He . said he wouldn't pay anyone to collect signatures - a common practice . in California - but that anyone could visit his office to sign the . petition or pick up blank forms to circulate. Corbin, . who was appointed chairman of a city commission under Filner, declined . to say if he voted for Filner or how he would cast his ballot in a . recall. He said his motive was to bring swift resolution to the controversy. 'There's nothing going on in the city, in City Hall. Everyone is focused on this scandal. That is not good for this city,' he said. Confusion over whether recall petitions can circulate concurrently isn't the only procedural flaw uncovered since the mayor came under pressure to resign. The city attorney's office says a rule that voters must cast a ballot on a recall to be eligible to pick a replacement should be repealed because a federal judge struck down a nearly identical law during the successful 2003 recall of California Gov. Gray Davis. Tony Krvaric, chairman of the San Diego County Republican Party, said Friday that he didn't expect big GOP donors or business leaders to make significant donations to a recall.
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Bob Filner is being sued by former employee Irene McCormack Jackson .
She claims 70-year-old sexually harassed her multiple times .
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Hundreds of emergency workers from more than 30 agencies converged on Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday morning for a major disaster drill. LAX Air Exercise 2013 was described by organizers as a ‘full-scale, simulated aircraft disaster drill’ designed to test the airport’s emergency response capabilities during a two-hour, unrehearsed exercise. The drill is required by the Federal Aviation Administration to be conducted by Los Angeles World Airports at least once every three years to evaluate the operational capability and readiness of LAX’s emergency management system in a ‘real-time, stress-filled environment.’ Scroll down for video . Hundreds of emergency workers from more than 30 agencies converged on Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday morning for an major disaster drill . Local residents were warned before the drill to expect to see some flames and pyrotechnics during the exercise . Over 100 volunteers wore makeup and played the role of accident victims and family members positioned along the airfield ramp area at the southwest edge of LAX . Over 100 volunteers wore makeup and played the role of accident victims and family members positioned along the airfield ramp area at the southwest edge of LAX. Some role players were evacuated by ambulance and helicopters. The disaster scene included a Boeing 777-300 aircraft and simulated ‘debris field’ of aircraft parts strewn about the area. Speaking to KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO prior to the drill, John Kinney, director of Emergency Management Director at LAX, warned nearby residents to expect to see some flames during the exercise, reports CBS. ‘There will be some pyrotechnics associated with this because we’re trying to simulate and create a sense of realism,’ Kinney said. More than 300 participants representing over 30 organizations took part in the exercise, including Los Angeles Airport Police; Los Angeles Fire Department; Federal Aviation Administration; National Transportation Safety Board; Transportation Security Administration; American Red Cross, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs & Border Protection; and the Los Angeles City Emergency Management Department. More than 300 participants representing over 30 organizations took part in the exercise including the Los Angeles Airport Police and Fire Department . The drill is required by the Federal Aviation Administration to be conducted by Los Angeles World Airports at least once every three years . The purpose of the two-hour drill was to evaluate the operational capability and readiness of LAX's emergency management system in a 'real-time, stress-filled environment' LAX Air Exercise (AirEx) 2013 was described by organizers as a ¿full-scale, simulated aircraft disaster drill¿ designed to test the airport¿s emergency response capabilities .
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More than 300 people were involved in a major disaster drill at LAX .
The drill included explosions and a Boeing 777-300 aircraft .
The purpose was to test the airport's emergency management system in a 'real-time, stress-filled environment'
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(CNN) -- At least five people were reported killed and 30 injured Monday evening when a freak dust storm rolled through Iran's capital, Tehran. The storm brought winds that nearly reached 120 kilometers per hour, or some 75 mph, according to Iran's Press TV. It reported the storm plunged the city into darkness, and photographs from Tehran showed giant clouds of sand and dust clogging the air. Some flights were delayed at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport, but operations returned to normal when the storm passed, Press TV said. It was not immediately clear how the victims were killed or injured.
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The freak storm plunged the city into darkness .
Another 30 people were reported injured .
Some flights were delayed at Tehran's Mehrabad airport .
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The man who was caught on camera fleeing a New York City subway station with a grin on his face after attacking an MTA worker has surrendered, and he's a New York Police Department officer, authorities say. On December 23, around 2.30am, on a New York southbound D Train platform at the Tremont Avenue station near Grand Concourse, a 28-year-old Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker was grabbed by the then-unknown assailant, according to PIX11. The man grabbed her, threw her to the ground and began choking her before fleeing the scene, the New York Daily News reports. Scroll down for video . Surrendered: The man who was caught on camera fleeing with a grin on his face after attacking an MTA worker has surrendered, and he's a New York Police Department officer . Recognized Himself: Police say the officer recognized himself in the video and turned himself in at the 25th Precinct in Harlem . The woman was taken to a hospital where she was treated for minor injuries to her neck and back, CBS reports. The NYPD released a surveillance video of the attacker running through a subway turnstile and smiling. Once the video circulated, police realized they were looking for one of their own. The Daily News reports that people called investigators, identifying the assailant as a Harlem cop. The off-duty officer surrendered and was questioned Thursday, claiming he attacked the woman after she tried to grab his cell phone, according to CBS. The officer reportedly told investigators that the woman cursed at him when he asked her a question. Then the woman grabbed his phone to keep the officer from taking a picture, CBS reports. Police say the officer recognized himself in the video, that has received nearly 100 views on YouTube, and turned himself in at the 25th Precinct in Harlem. No charges were immediately filed, according to the Daily News, but the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating the incident. Incident: The incident occurred Dec. 23 around 2.30am at the Tremont Avenue station near Grand Concourse (photographed)
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The man who was caught on camera fleeing with a grin on his face after attacking an MTA worker has surrendered, and he's a New York Police Department officer .
The man fled after grabbing a female MTA worker, throwing her to the ground, and choking her .
The NYPD circulated the surveillance video of the man only to get calls identifying the assailant as one of their own .
The officer claims he attacked the woman because she tried to grab his phone .
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By . Francesca Infante and Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 13:58 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:21 EST, 23 August 2013 . 'Jessica', a girl of 14, claims that she was sexually abused by a violent criminal but the authorities did not intervene (posed by model) The girl, known only as 'Jessica' claims she was abused daily by a 24-year-old man after social services failed to accept that she was a victim grooming. On one ocassion married father-of-two Arshid Hussain was even caught with the half naked schoolgirl under his bed but shocking documents released today reveal that police arrested her and let him go. Now 'Jessica' is one four women suing Rotherham council over 'systematic failures' to protect them from 'sexual abuse by predatory men when they were children' according to their lawyers. South Yorkshire solicitors Switalskis . said they are working on behalf of the women who want to take legal . action against the council because of the abuse they suffered. Today in a stunning development Rotherham Council confirmed that Deputy Leader of council and vice chair of the police and crime panel Councillor Jahngier Akhtar has stepped down over allegations that he knew about the relationship. The Times alleges that at the time Mr Akhtar, who is related to Hussain, not only knew about his relationship with a child but also that he set up a 'deal under which a . violent offender (Hussain) agreed to hand a missing child to police . after being assured that he would not be detained'. But Mr Akhtar, who was a taxi driver at . the time, told MailOnline shortly before he stepped down today that the allegations are 'total lies' and also denied that there had been any such deal. A spokesman confirmed that the council had referred the matter to the police' to consider if any criminal offence has been committed and to undertake any appropriate criminal investigation.' Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has become known as Britain's under-age sex capital, after a string of high profile cased where authorities have let down vulnerable children. 'Jessica' got pregnant twice by Hussain, who at the time had convictions for robbery and affray, and was about to be jailed for violent disorder. But social services claimed they had 'no power' to stop him having sex with her despite the fact that she was only 14. The . Times revealed today that Hussain has never been prosecuted for . suspected child sex offences, and is only now being investigated 14 years on. At the time he was on a social services . list of men believed to be grooming up to 40 young girls in the area and more than a . dozen believed he was their 'boyfriend'. It has been alleged that Rotherham Borough Council (pictured) said they had 'no power' to intervene despite an admission the man and girl were having sex . Jessica described how she met Hussain days after her 14th birthday in 1999, and after he bought her chicken and chips he took her to some woods and told her: 'You're not really 16 are you? You look too young'. They starting seeing each other regularly and her parents could not keep them apart - in the end she was taken into 'emergency' care. But Jessica was rarely in school so the relationship continued, and Hussain would even follow her on holiday, on one occasion renting a caravan in Skegness so they could have sex there. In June 2000 police and social services reports said that Hussain and the girl, now 15, were 'known to be having a sexual relationship' and she was 'at risk of sexual abuse'. But after he was sent to prison for violent disorder and intimidation in a different case, Jessica got an injunction against him. Describing the infatuation Jessica said: 'It was like somebody put a spell on me. I wanted to marry him. He didn't tell me he was already married. 'I didn't think of myself as being groomed, but now I realise it was an abusive relationship. It can stay with you for the rest of your life. 'Police and social services don't want to take any responsibility for what happened back then'. Speaking about when she was caught in bed with him by police, Jessica, which is not her real name, told The Times: 'I was in bed upstairs with Ash when the police came into the house. He panicked and pulled on some trousers. 'I grabbed a pair of knickers and tried to hide under the bed. One of the police officers told me to come out. He could see my legs sticking out.'; . Officers then found an offensive weapon and she was arrested, but despite noting later she was 'at risk of sexual abuse' Hussain was released. A Home Office funded review, examining . her case, quoted by The Times confirmed that Hussain, with permission . of the authorities, was allowed to call her mobile phone and even to collect her from her foster carer's home. Resigned: Jahangir Akhtar, deputy leader of Rotherham council, denies that he knew anything about his relative's sexual relationship with a 14-year-old but has stepped down today . It . said: 'Perpetrator was allowed to contact (Jessica) via mobile . telephone, was allowed to arrange to collect her from foster carer's . home by ringing in advance and asking to meet him at the end of street' with the 'knowledge and consent' of social services. It also said there was an 'unwillingness . to recognise danger of relationship' an 'in the absence of any criminal . prosecution of perpetrator as a pimp, all rumours about him were . speculation and there was no cause for concern.' Staff 'also took some comfort in knowing where (Jessica) was', it said, and Hussain was even allowed to attend appointments with her GP. Solicitor Riyaz Shaikh told MailOnline this afternoon that his client Hussain is unwell and unable to comment today. A spokesman for Rotherham Borough Council said following Operation Yewtree, the authority asked South Yorkshire Police (SYP) to thoroughly review all historical cases that may be linked to child sexual exploitation. He added: 'That review is ongoing and continues with a number of live and ongoing investigations. 'The Council wishes to support SYP and not potentially compromise this process. As such we will not be making further comments on the article without further consultation with our police colleagues.' In response to the claims, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright said he was deeply concerned. Mr . Wright said: 'The allegations made in today's Times newspaper about the . way in which various agencies failed to adequately combat child sexual . exploitation and protect vulnerable victims 14 years ago concerns me . deeply. 'The approach . taken today is vastly improved, and as commissioner, my determination is . to ensure that the approach that is now being taken by those agencies . in responding to and investigating allegations of such crimes is . consummately professional. 'I . will be seeking assurances from the chief constable and other agencies . that all allegations of such crimes are thoroughly investigated, that . victims are fully supported and that this process is underpinned by the . most robust and thorough processes and policies.' The commissioner said extra resources . had been provided to South Yorkshire Police to help combat child sexual . exploitation and he noted that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of . Constabulary is about to review the approach to the problem being taken . by all police forces. The authorities in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, have been accused of turning a blind eye to sex grooming gangs for more than a decade, confidential files have revealed . In 2010 five men, described by a . judge as 'sexual predators', were given lengthy jail terms after they . were found guilty of grooming teenage girls for sex. The . prosecution was the first of a series of high-profile cases in the last . three years that have revealed the exploitation of young girls in towns . including Rochdale, Derby and Oxford. Last year it emerged police in the town turned a blind eye to allegations of sexual abuse of white girls by gangs of largely Pakistani men for more than a decade. Research, reports and case files also revealed that council officials were desperate to cover up any racial link to the abuse of young girls. Following the 2010 case, The Times . claimed details from 200 restricted-access documents showed how police . and child protection agencies in the South Yorkshire town had extensive . knowledge of these activities for a decade, yet a string of offences . went unprosecuted. The allegations led to a range of official investigations, including a probe by the Home Affairs Select Committee. South . Yorkshire Police said today it 'deeply regrets' the publication of The . Times story 'about an on-going, complex and highly sensitive . investigation into matters of historic child sexual exploitation.' But . The Times defended its decision to publish saying it believed stories . like this 'will encourage others to come forward to tell police what . happened to them so that successful prosecutions of their abusers will . be more rather than less likely.' It said: 'The police have asked us not to publish (the story) at this time for fear of prejudicing their own inquiries. 'While . we recognise the significant advances that have recently been made in . the force's approach to tackling child sexual exploitation, we do not . believe that enough has yet been done. 'South Yorkshire Police has had more than a dozen years to investigate the crimes against (the girl). 'It . is almost a year since this newspaper first highlighted the abuse . inflicted upon other vulnerable girls in Rotherham by groups of . offenders who were allowed to act with virtual impunity." David Greenwood, of Switalskis, said: "It is important to remember that at the time of the abuse they were children under the age of 16 and could not legally consent." Referring to the Home Affairs Select Committee report, Mr Greenwood said: 'The report noted part of the problem is that adults may misunderstand the grooming process and assume that the young person was a willing participant in a relationship, rather than the victim of sexual abuse.'
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Married father-of-two Arshid Hussain allegedly groomed dozens of girls with the full knowledge of the authorities .
'Jessica' was just one of around a dozen girls who believed he was their boyfriend .
Police found the teenager hiding, half-naked under Hussain's bed but arrested her and let him go .
With permission of the authorities he was allowed to collect her from foster care and even attend doctor appointments with her .
Today Deputy Leader of the Council Jahngier Akhtar, who is related to Hussain, resigned over allegations that he helped the coverup .
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With the World Cup countdown under way, there was a moment when Joe Hart squared up to Kevin Nolan after the West Ham midfielder nobbled him with a reckless first-half challenge. These are the final-day fears for any top player, the injury scares that can ruin the best-laid plans of any England manager. On Sunday, as Hart kept his 14th clean sheet of another title-winning season for Manchester City, he came through unscathed. Roy Hodgson can breathe a sigh of relief. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Joe Hart training for England . Champion: Joe Hart holds aloft the Premier League title after Manchester City beat West Ham 2-0 on Sunday . Injury scare: Hart collides with Kevin Nolan (centre) during their end of season match at the Etihad Stadium . At a Vauxhall car plant in Luton on Monday, City’s first-choice keeper will be named in England’s 23-man squad for Brazil. Hart will recall that the wheels came off for him earlier in the season, notably in defeats at Aston Villa and Chelsea. He spent a few weeks in the cooler, taken out of the team after his costly error at Stamford Bridge. By the time City played their next game, in the Capital One Cup at Newcastle, Costel Pantilimon had taken his place in the team. The fightback began there. On Sunday, as Hart wrapped up his second Premier League title-winners’ medal, he appeared back to his commanding best. He was submerged by City fans as they raced on to the pitch to salute their heroes and laud Manuel Pellegrini for his first league title. As inept and lamentable as West Ham were, Hart was safe and secure in goal. Back in August, Hart began the season with a clean sheet as City beat Newcastle 4-0. On Sunday he finished it with another. He is in good nick, enjoying his football again after that early-season wobble. Bad patch: Hart (centre) was dropped from the City team after his error allowed Chelsea win 2-1 in October . Support: Despite his poor form, England boss Roy Hodgson insisted Hart would be his number one choice . This is all good news for Hodgson, who . backed him throughout his difficult period. Even when Hart was unable to . force his way back into the City team, Hodgson picked him to start a . prestige friendly against Germany at Wembley in November. Hodgson always said Hart would be his first choice at the World Cup and he will be in goal when England face Italy in Manaus on June 14. England - and Hart - could do without City’s trip to Abu Dhabi this week to show off the Premier League trophy and a game against Al Ain. Hodgson has been assured Hart and James Milner, another England player in decent nick, will be rested from Thursday’s friendly. They will return at the end of the week before travelling to the Algarve for the start of England’s World Cup preparations.
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Joe Hart nearly suffered an injury scare during Man City's victory .
Goalkeeper kept 14th clean sheet as Man City claimed Premier League title .
Hart set to be named in Roy Hodgson's England World Cup squad .
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Washington (CNN) -- An Arkansas man charged with murder will be retried on the most serious offenses after the U.S. Supreme Court concluded Thursday a hung jury in his original criminal prosecution did not prevent the state from getting a second chance at a conviction. The 6-3 majority rejected the appeal of Alex Blueford, accused of killing his girlfriend's infant son. "The jury in this case did not convict Blueford of any offense, but it did not acquit him of any either," said Chief Justice John Roberts. "When the jury was unable to reach a verdict, the trial court properly declared a mistrial and discharged the jury. As a consequence, the Double Jeopardy Clause does not stand in the way of a second trial on the same offenses." Blueford was prosecuted for capital murder, but the death penalty was waived if he were to be convicted. But the trial judge said the Pulaski County jury could also consider three less serious crimes. During deliberations, the judge asked for a progress report, and the panel's forewoman in open court announced the jurors had rejected the capital and first-degree murder charges, but could not agree on manslaughter. They eventually deadlocked, and because of that, the 12 members did not even consider a separate, negligent homicide charge. The judge then declared a mistrial, but refused to give Blueford a partial victory on the capital and first-degree murder charges. Prosecutors then decided to retry the 29-year-old man on all the charges. The second trial was postponed until the high court could decide whether the defendant's constitutional rights were being violated. The Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment prevents trying a person again for a crime after a verdict of not guilty. But state courts around the country are at odds on whether split verdicts on some counts allow retrial on all counts. Roberts, writing for the majority, said trial courts could. "We have never required a trial court, before declaring a mistrial because of a hung jury, to consider any particular means of breaking the impasse -- let alone to consider giving the jury new options for a verdict," he said. Justice Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, and Samuel Alito supported the decision. Blueford had argued the jury should have been allowed to "give effect" to the jury's internal votes of not guilty on capital and first-degree murder. Justice Sonia Sotomayor agreed. "At its core, the Double Jeopardy Clause reflects the wisdom of the founding generation ... that one acquittal or conviction should satisfy the law," she wrote in a dissenting opinion. She added, "This case demonstrates that the threat to individual freedom from reprosecutions that favor states and unfairly rescue them from weak cases has not waned with time. Only this court's vigilance has." Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan joined the dissent. The Little Rock defendant was prosecuted in the November 2007 death of 20-month-old Matthew McFadden Jr. The state said the boy's brain injuries were comparable to someone being dropped off a building. Blueford told police it was an accident, that he "reflexively elbowed" the child into a nearby chair. The case is Blueford v. Arkansas (10-1320).
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Arkansas prosecutors had decided to retry all charges against Alex Blueford .
A jury had rejected capital and first-degree murder charges against him .
The jury was deadlocked on one lesser charge and didn't consider another .
Chief justice: A mistrial properly declared, double jeopardy doesn't apply .
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By . Jill Reilly . Horrifying: A teenager was brutally gang-raped by five men after being abducted as she walked home from a party (file photo) A teenager was brutally gang-raped by five men after being abducted as she walked home from a party. The 18-year-old girl was grabbed and forced in a car before being driven to a unknown location on Sunday evening in Sydney's Hills district. She was eventually released and went to hospital for treatment. The girl was walking home at Baulkham Hills at 1am on Sunday when a green sedan stopped next to her near St Michaels Place, reported Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph. The car, with five men inside, asked for directions to a nearby shopping centre. The woman gave directions and continued walking, but she was grabbed from behind by one of the men and forced into the car. She was then driven to an unknown location nearby and sexually assaulted by a number of men. Following the assault, the woman was driven to Waterloo Road at Castle Hill and freed. She was later taken to Westmead Hospital after reporting the terrifying ordeal at home. She was released this morning and is hoping to help police track her attackers. Attack: The girl was walking home at Baulkham Hills at 1am on Sunday when a green sedan stopped next to her (file photo) The head of the NSW Sex Crimes Squad, Detective Superintendent John . Kerlatec labelled the attack as 'horrendous.' Investigators have been told the car and males were seen outside the house party on Merindah Street earlier in the night. The man seated in the front passenger seat who asked for directions has been described as being aged about 25, of Caucasian appearance, with a chubby build and a beard. He was wearing a red and white shirt at the time.
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The 18-year-old girl was grabbed and forced in a car after giving directions .
Driven to a unknown location on Sunday evening in Sydney's Hills district .
Victim is hoping to help police track her attackers .
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By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 04:08 EST, 27 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:34 EST, 27 February 2014 . The organisers of the 2014 Boston Marathon have revealed a series of strict security measures brought in to prevent a repeat of last year's atrocity. Bulky costumes, strollers and Camelbak rucksacks will be banned from the race and a list of dos and don't has been issued to runners. In a mass e-mail sent out today, marathon officials said a new warmer cape will be handed to race finishers because they will have to a longer walk to get their bag of clothes after the race. Scroll Down for Video . Banned: Costumes like this that cover the face will not be allowed at this year's Boston Marathon . Organisers said their will be new arrangements at the finish line for this year's Boston Marathon . The Boston Athletic Association also said runners who like to run in costume won't be allowed to wear anything that covers their face. People will also be forbidden from wearing backpacks that carry water, such as CamelBaks. Props like sports and military equipment will be banned, as well as flags or signs that are wider than 11in and longer than 17in. Marathon runners typically are allowed to bring bags or backpacks to keep personal items. Those bags are bused between the starting line in Hopkinton and the finish line in Boston. But this year, runners will not be allowed to bring backpacks or bags, which will also not be allowed in certain areas near the start or finish line, or along the 26.2-mile course. Runners will be given a chance to check gear on Boston Common on the morning of the marathon to allow them to have a change of clothing at the end of the race. The athletic association said it will provide clear plastic bags for that purpose. Twin bombs placed in backpacks near the 2013 finish line killed three people and injured more than 260. Prosecutors say two spectators were responsible. Among the other items banned are Camelbak rucksacks under the new regulations . Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 20, is awaiting trial . and faces the possibility of the death penalty on 30 federal charges, . including using a weapon of mass destruction. His brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, died following a gun battle with police several days after the marathon. State, . local and federal law enforcement officials have been meeting for . months to prepare a stringent security plan for this year's April 21 . marathon. The new rules were outlined in an email sent by the athletic association to registered runners. The . BAA said unregistered runners, known as 'bandits,' who traditionally . jump into the race at various points along the course, will be strictly . prohibited this year. 'Anyone . on the course for any distance who has not been assigned, or is not . displaying, an officially issued bib number from the B.A.A. is subject . to interdiction,' the association said in its email. Costumes covering the face or non-form-fitting, bulky outfits will also be prohibited. Runners were told they cannot bring backpacks or any similar item carried over the shoulder or handbags of any size. Jeff Bauman, 27, in a wheelchair after he was injured in an explosion near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013 in Boston . Boston Firefighter James Plourde carries an injured girl away from the bomb scene near the finish line . People comfort each other after explosions went off at the 117th Boston Marathon in Boston . Those . items will be prohibited from all marathon venues, including along the . course, near the start or finish areas and at all official marathon . events. Glass containers and any container larger than one liter will also be banned. The . list of prohibited items for runners also includes strollers, suitcases . and rolling bags, weight vests or any type of vest with pockets, except . for lightweight running vests, which will be allowed. Boston marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev (left) was killed on Friday, April 19, and his brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (right) who awaiting trial accused of using a weapon of mass destruction . Two explosions shattered the euphoria of the Boston Marathon finish line . Runners continue to run towards the finish line of the Boston Marathon as an explosion erupts near the finish line of last year's race . Medical workers aid injured people at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon following an explosion in Boston . The BAA said runners will be allowed to wear small fanny packs to carry food, medicine, identification, cellphones or other necessary small items. They can also bring water bottles, but they must be one liter or smaller. Organizers are discouraging runners from wearing headphones, but they will be permitted. Kurt Schwartz, the state's undersecretary for public safety, said officials are trying to maintain the excitement of marathon while at the same time ensuring the safety of the thousands of marathon participants and spectators. 'It will still feel like a great day and it will be a great day,' Schwartz said. 'We are going to strike a good balance between public safety and security, and ensuring that this is a celebratory and festive event like it has always been.'
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Marathon officials sent out new regulations in mass e-mail today .
They are designed to prevent a repeat of last year's atrocity .
Two bombs were placed in backpacks near finish line, killing three .
Prosecutors say two spectators were responsible .
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(CNN) -- Online photo archive Getty Images is opening 35 million images to online publishers to use free of charge, acknowledging that many of its pictures are already being copied anyway. The company will allow "noncommercial" users such as bloggers and tweeters to embed its images using a code similar to what's on sites such as YouTube. The image that appears will include a Getty photo credit and will be linked to the company's website, where viewers can have the opportunity to license the photo. "This will provide people with a simple and legal way to utilize content that respects creators' rights, including the opportunity to generate licensing revenue," Getty said in a statement announcing the move. The decision "opens one of the largest, deepest and most comprehensive image collections in the world for easy sharing, thereby making the world an even more visual place." Craig Peters, Getty's senior vice president for business development, said Getty saw its content being copied online, and that "spoke to an opportunity." "The use of our content in these venues points to really the fact that people are excited to be sharing their ideas, their interests, their passions with our content," he said. By giving users limited access to its imagery, he said, "We're generating new brand awareness in this market." It also clarifies Getty's insistence that any commercial use of the company's images requires a paid license, possibly bringing in paying customers, Peters said. And it opens up the door to using the embed code to post advertising -- a prospect already covered in Getty's terms of use for the new venture. "I think it's a little premature to talk to a specific business model, but I think we can talk to specific benefits out of the gate," Peters said. Users will be able to choose from a universe of 35 million images out of the 150 million Getty has available for licensing to a wide variety of organizations, from advertising agencies to news outlets such as CNN. Embedded content must be used for "editorial purposes" -- meaning events that are "newsworthy or of public interest" -- and can't be used for advertising, the terms state. Joshua Benton, director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University, said Getty is trying to establish "an alternative for people who otherwise would just copy and paste photos," much as Apple's iTunes created a way to legitimize music sharing. But the trick for Getty will be to allow those users to access its images without making it so easy that its paying customers start using the embed service themselves, he said. "Getty makes a lot of money off folks like The New York Times and CNN and professional publishers. They do not in any way want to endanger that," Benton said. "They're trying to walk that thin line to protect that while at the same time enabling that different kind of business." Peters said that commercial users have more rights to the images than bloggers who embed them. They're able to use the images on multiple platforms, edit them and keep them on their own servers, he said. "It's a completely different work product than what any of our major media companies are looking for," he said. So far, news photos are harder to find in embeddable form "than a stock photo of a man in a classroom," Benton said. But if Getty starts using the embedded image to post ads -- a possibility included in its terms of use -- "then you have a question about how photographers get compensated," Benton said. Yvonne Boyd, a photographer in Atlanta, said the market for stock imagery has already declined sharply in recent years, and many photo agencies now expect photographers to pick up a larger share of their expenses. "I can't help but think that somehow Getty will gain something from this, but not their photographers," Boyd said. She and other photographers who commented on Getty's Facebook page also questioned whether an ad-supported website counted as a noncommercial venture. "When you're potentially making money, even if it's not a service or a product, that's commercial," she said. "You then are benefiting from another's work, and they are not being compensated." But Peters said the feedback he's received from photographers is "largely positive." "We have over 200,000 photographers whose work we represent on a global basis. In that world, not everyone's going to always agree with the things we do," he said. But he said he met with a group of photographers Wednesday night, "and they were incredibly excited about it."
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NEW: Copying of Getty photos "spoke to an opportunity," VP says .
NEW: Getty may make money, "but not their photographers," one photographer fears .
Getty Images is allowing online noncommercial use of 35 million photos .
The content-sharing service is walking a "thin line," analyst says .
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West Ham striker Andy Carroll insists the belief is there in the squad that the club can qualify for Europe this season. The Hammers' 3-0 home win over Hull on Sunday - courtesy of goals from Carroll, Morgan Amalfitano and Stewart Downing - took them up to seventh in the Premier League table after a run of four winless matches had seen them drop off the pace. Asked if West Ham were European contenders, Carroll told Sky Sports: 'There's a belief in the dressing room, I don't see why not. We haven't had a win in the last few games but we've had the performances that can take us up to the top.' Andy Carroll (centre) turns in the ball from close range to put West Ham ahead against Hull . Morgan Amalfitano (centre) is congratulated by Carroll (right) and Stewart Downing (left) Downing (left) slotted in West Ham's third goal in an emphatic win at Upton Park . West Ham had struggled in the first half before turning the screw on Hull in the second. Downing, who added West Ham's third after a peach of a through-ball from Alex Song, added: 'We just moved the ball quicker in the second half - in the first half we didn't do it quick enough and we made it easy for Hull who had a lot of men behind the ball. 'In the second half we were making a lot of good runs and getting men in the box, so it was a much better performance.' The victory means West Ham climb above Liverpool into seventh in the table, four points off fourth place. The Hammers were booed off by their own fans at half-time and manager Sam Allardyce admits he told his team to be more direct in the second period. 'All this tippy-tappy stuff - everybody keeps on going about the right way to play football - is all a load of b******s sometimes,' Allardyce said. 'Getting the ball into the opposition box as quickly as you can with quality is definitely sometimes the best way forward and that's what we did in the second half and that's why we won the game.' Allardyce had no complaints with the crowd venting their frustration but believes Tuesday's penalty shoot-out win over Everton in the FA Cup may have had an effect on his players. Amalfitano (second left) lifts the ball over Allan McGregor of Hull (right) to put West Ham 2-0 up . Sam Allardyce was pleased with how West Ham upped their performance in the second half . 'We weren't good (in the first half),' Allardyce said. 'When you've had an exciting game like Tuesday night, it was disappointing for the fans to see how poorly we played in the first half, they didn't expect it. 'I haven't seen us pass so poorly this entire season as we passed in the first half. 'That can only be a legacy of the efforts they put in on Tuesday night.'
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Andy Carroll opened the scoring for West Ham as they beat Hull 3-0 .
The striker said the squad believes they can qualify for Europe .
They are four points away from the top four after the victory .
Sam Allardyce told his side to play more direct in the second half .
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By . Liz Hull . Updated: . 20:39 EST, 30 November 2011 . When villagers searching for a missing cat heard frantic miaowing from a recycling bin, they thought the runaway had been found. But their efforts to free the cat, which was due to give birth any moment, became increasingly desperate as the lock on the clothing bin was broken and couldn’t be opened. After the fire brigade and RSPCA’s attempts also failed, the worried villagers had it loaded on to a truck and driven to a specialist engineering firm 20 miles away. Miaow!: Rescuers spent 12 hours trying to get this squeaky toy cat out of a clothes bank, thinking it was a real cat . There, steel saws were used to gain access and the mewing prisoner was revealed – as nothing more than a squeaky toy. Kelvin Owen, who owns the engineering . firm, said: ‘Once we got into the bin we heard the miaowing – it sounded . just like a cat and we all started to carefully search the bags. ‘Then I found a bag of toys and picked . out a toy. I said: “It couldn’t be this, could it?” As I held it it . went “miaow, miaow”. Mystery solved!’ The 12-hour drama unfolded in the . seaside village of Moelfre, near Anglesey, North Wales, as a pregnant . stray cat was being taken to a foster home by an animal charity worker. As the animal was being dropped off . she escaped. Villagers were alerted to be on the lookout for the cat but . it wasn’t until three days later that miaowing was heard from the . clothes bin. Missing: Puss Puss, the pregnant cat rescuers thought was stuck in the recycling bin . ‘By this time we thought the cat had been in there for three days,’ said Jasmine Hazlehurst, from animal charity Anglesey Pets. ‘We were worried she could have had . the kittens and was trapped, without much air supply or food, so we were . desperate to get her out. I did feel embarrassed when they pulled out . the stuffed cat. ‘People were laughing, it was a . priceless moment. I’m not that familiar with Disney toys but I’m told it . is Marie from the Aristocats. She makes a miaowing sound that is very . realistic when you touch her paw. My five-year-old daughter Naomi has . been playing with her ever since.’ The pregnant cat is still missing. ‘Cats have a way of getting into people’s homes and hearts, so we are . just hoping someone is feeding and looking after her,’ said Mrs . Hazlehurst. Effort: Rescuers try to get into recycling bin to save 'Puss Puss', but it turned out it was a toy cat, pictured with pet rescue volunteer Rachel Owen .
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Noise came from battery-operated cat .
Fears that it was a missing pet called Puss Puss .
Puss Puss is still missing. Anyone with information should contact the Facebook site of Freetoagoodhome Anglesey .
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Five American security contractors were detained in connection with the killing of another American contractor last month inside Baghdad's Green Zone, sources with knowledge of the investigation told CNN Saturday. The body of James Kitterman was found in a car in Baghdad's heavily protected Green Zone. Iraqi and U.S. personnel took the five into custody in an operation inside the Green Zone before dawn on Friday, according to an Iraqi official involved in the investigation into the killing of James Kitterman. The five, who have not yet been charged, were being held by Iraqi security forces Saturday at a jail inside the heavily protected zone, he said. The troops also confiscated weapons during the raid on the suspects' firm at about 4 a.m. (11 a.m. ET), said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The names of the suspects and the company they work for were not released. The U.S. military declined comment and referred questions to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Embassy officials did not immediately respond to request for comments. Kitterman was found bound, blindfolded and fatally stabbed in a car in the district, formally known as the International Zone, on May 22. The 60-year-old Houston, Texas, resident owned a construction company that operated in Iraq. The five suspects knew the victim, a source inside the Green Zone familiar with the investigation said. Both the Iraqi and the Green Zone sources noted that the FBI has been involved in the investigation from the start. Once the suspects are charged and referred to trial, the case would be sent to Iraq's Central Criminal Court, the Iraqi official said. If that happens, it would be the first time U.S. citizens were tried in Iraq since the United States returned the country's government to the Iraqis. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Alan Duke contributed to this report.
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NEW: Weapons confiscated in raid of suspects' firm, official says .
Five arrested in death of fellow contractor James Kitterman .
Kitterman found bound, blindfolded and fatally stabbed .
Victim owned a construction company that operated in Iraq .
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Maruf Yousaf, 16, whom police described as 'a bully and a wannabe gangster', has been given an Asbo . A schoolboy who terrorised pensioners and disabled people as he walked home from school has been given as Asbo. Police described Maruf Yousaf, 16, as 'cocky with a poor attitude; a bully and a wannabe gangster', and said he threatened and robbed his victims, mocking their age or disabilities, often while still in his school uniform. Yousaf, of Brierfield, Lancashire, was named by Lancashire Police officers after he was handed a two-year antisocial behaviour order (Asbo) at Burnley Magistrates' Court. The court heard how Yousaf's victims, often vulnerable through age or disability, would call police to say he had targeted them, swearing at them, assaulting them, jostling them or robbing them. Some reported having their windows smashed after they stood up to the baby-faced teenager, whom police have named. Over a six-month period, Yousaf was also involved in shoplifting, breaking into cars and hitting shoppers in his hometown, magistrates heard. Citing Yousaf's 'increasing levels of anti-social behaviour, hate crime, criminal damage and robbery', police and Pendle Council began proceedings against the teenager which resulted in him being given an Asbo last Thursday. Now the teenager, who attended Colne Primet High School, has been ordered to stay out of the town centre unless he is with his mother. He also cannot associate with four other youths, Shakeel Hussain, Hassan Ahmed, Fayzal Anwar and Qadir Ahmed, other than for 'educational or religious purposes', and faces jail if he does not comply with the order. PC Karen Isherwood of Lancashire Police said: 'His typical behaviour was that he would identify someone who was vulnerable, like the elderly or disabled, and he would be abusive and cause damage. 'He would make them feel intimated, and make them feel more vulnerable and frightened to be out on the streets.' 'He was making people's lives a misery.' She said 'a lot of work had been to address his behaviour', and said that he was attending school but committing the offences after school hours. PC Isherwood added: 'We won't tolerate this sort of behaviour and will take the action needed.' Brierfield Labour councillor Nawaz Ahmed said: 'The things that he was doing were just intolerable - he was making innocent people's lives miserable, and that can never be accepted.' Pendle councillor David Whipp said Yousaf had acted like a 'one boy crime wave.' He added: 'This boy has caused a considerable amount of harm and distress to local people. 'We will not tolerate this type of behaviour from anybody.' Coward: The baby-faced teenager would pick on the vulnerable on his way home from Colne Prime High School . Brierfield town centre: Yousaf is now banned from here for two years unless he's accompanied by his mother .
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Maruf Yousaf would target vulnerable people, and bully, mock or hit them .
Attacked victims as he walked home in Brierfield, Lancashire, in uniform .
Yousaf picked on old or disabled people, and swore at or jostled them .
He was given a two-year antisocial behaviour order by Burnley magistrates .
Boy is banned from Brierfield town centre unless he's with his mother .
Lancashire police spokesman said: 'He's a bully and a wannabe gangster'
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By . Ap and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:38 EST, 25 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:15 EST, 25 October 2013 . Firefighters have put out a blaze at the Macy's flagship store in New York City. The New York Fire Department said in a Twitter post at about 9:30 . p.m. Friday that the two-alarm fire burning in the basement of the . iconic department store on 34th Street in Manhattan was under control. Fire officials did not respond to repeated calls for more details. A . spokeswoman for Macy's said people in the building were moved out of . harm's way. Blaze: Authorities say the fire started in the basement of the midtown Macy's about 8:15 p.m. Friday . Debris: Fire officials cleared all the people out of the store. There are no reported injuries . More than a dozen fire trucks responded to the scene. A stretch of . sidewalk on Seventh Avenue between 34th and 35th Streets was shut down . on the west side of the store and crowds of onlookers had gathered to . watch. The well-known department store has over 1 million square-feet of retail space. The store made headlines earlier Friday when actor Robert Brown, an African-American, alleged that he was the victim of an unlawful stop-and-search while shopping at the 34th Street store. Brown was briefly detained at the store as police told him 'that his identification was false and that he could not afford to make such an expensive purchase. Investigation: Fire officials will now try to determine what caused the blaze . Huge: the retail giant has more than a million square feet of retail space in its flagship Manhattan store . Under control: Officials say the blaze is under control and then there were no injuries . Brown believes his detention was racially motivated, and has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme court. A cause of the blaze currently is under investigation.
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The New York Fire Department announced the blaze in a Twitter post at about 9:30 .
p.m.
Nobody appears to be injured .
The cause of the blaze currently is under investigation .
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A Facebook page depicting people blocking mobile speed cameras by pretending they have broken down has been slammed by road safety experts who say the practice is endangering lives. The Block Their Shot page contains several photos of drivers and passengers pulling up behind the detection vehicles, and coming up with various ways to prevent speeding cars from being captured on film. At the time of publishing, the page - which also encourages people to join their cause - had attracted more than 32,000 likes. Scroll down for video . The Block Their Shot Facebook page is filled with photos of people trying to obscure the mobile speed cameras . The page had amassed more than 32,000 at the time of publication of this article . Most of the photos portrayed New South Wales drivers propping up their hoods to cover the camera lense, while others got a bit more creative. One man is seen pulling out a lawn chair and camping next to a detection vehicle while he holds up an open umbrella. In another, brown butcher's paper has been stuck over the camera. But the campaign does not stop with motorists, cyclists are also getting in on the action. Most of photos portrayed drivers propping up their hoods to cover the camera lense, while others got a bit more creative . One man seen pulling out a lawn chair and camping next to a detection vehicle while he held up an open umbrella . But it is not just motorists getting in on the action, but it is cyclists as well . One bike rider is seen changing his tyres in the line of sight of a camera. Daily Mail Australia has attempted to contact Block Their Shot's administrators but are yet to receive a reply. On their page, they claim the mobile speed camera units are used as revenue raisers not to help save lives, referring to them as 'cash grabs'. But University of NSW's Road Safety Professor Raphael Grzebieta told Daily Mail Australia the people trying to obscure the cameras were treating it like a game, which it was not. Road safety experts have slammed the page saying it was endangering the lives of people by encouraging the behaviour . Daily Mail Australia has attempted to contact Block Their Shot's administrators but are yet to receive a reply . University of NSW's Road Safety Professor Raphael Grzebieta told Daily Mail Australia the people trying to obscure the cameras were treating it like a game . 'These people are clowns, they are idiots. They don’t realise they could have blood on their hands with these antics,' he said. 'These people are aiding and abetting people to break the law. 'That's got to be chargeable, that’s what I would have thought. 'Putting themselves on Facebook and identifying themselves, depending on what the minister wants to do in the next couple of days, they could be facing some serious fines.' Professor Grzebieta said speed limits were put in place in case something goes wrong so then it allows people more time to react, so they can avoid being seriously injured or killed. Professor Grzebieta said speed limits were put in place in case something goes wrong so then it allows people more time to react . Driver Safety Australia director Russell White echoed the professor's comments, likened covering up a speed camera to covering up important road signs . He said speed cameras 'absolutely' played a major part in preventing someone from becoming harmed. 'Somewhere between 30 to 40 per cent of fatalities or injuries are speed related,' Professor Grzebieta said. 'Some say speed doesn't kill... but actually speed does kill. 'If you go above the speed limit, your perception times remain the same, but if you are travelling faster you hit a solid object harder, and you have much higher chance of getting seriously injured or killed.' Driver Safety Australia director Russell White echoed the professor's comments and likened covering up a speed camera to concealing important road signs. 'To me it's like covering up a stop sign or any other infrastructure, you can end someone's life by doing something stupid like that,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Police should come down on people very hard about that.'
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Photos of people blocking camera view have been posted on social media .
The Block Their Shot Facebook page has amassed more than 32,000 likes .
Most pictures show motorists putting up car hoods to obscure the camera .
But road safety experts slammed the page saying it puts people in danger .
'They don’t realise they could have blood on their hands,' one expert said .
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Mark Robins has left his role as Huddersfield manager just one game into the new Sky Bet Championship season, the club have announced. The 44-year-old took charge of the Terriers in February 2013, helping them avoid relegation that year and then leading them to a 17th-place finish last term. However, a 4-0 drubbing at home to Bournemouth, in a game where they fell behind after just 26 seconds, on the opening day of the new campaign saw Robins and his players jeered by angry fans. WATCH Scroll down for 'Mark Robins on his delight at signing Conor Coady, just days ago' Gone: Mark Robins has left his post at Huddersfield Town . And following a meeting with Huddersfield's board on Saturday, it was mutually agreed Robins would step aside. A statement on the club's website read: 'Following yesterday's first day defeat, Mark met with the board of directors. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mark and the directors all agreed it would be in the interests of all parties to part company. 'Accordingly, Mark's contract has ended amicably and by mutual consent. 'Huddersfield Town would like to place on record its thanks to Mark and wish him all the best for the future.' After the game Robins admitted: 'It was poor. It was difficult to explain and sometimes that is what happens in sport. 'It was the first game of the season when everyone is in great spirits and this puts a real dampener on it. I will fight but it's really disappointing because we have worked hard over pre-season." 'The supporters having a go at me or the players are the same ones who cheer us when things go right. They want to be entertained and we have to give them that. 'The players have to grow up and take responsibility. The system we play only works when the players put a shift in and too many players decided to take a day off. 'It's still early days and we dump this result in the waste bin and move on.' Drubbing: His side were thrashed 4-0 by Bournemouth on the opening day of the Championship season . Town chairman Dean Hoyle added: 'Mark has put his all into the job over the past 16 months and has made a big contribution to the club. 'He arrived at the club at a difficult time and immediately impacted to keep us in the Championship. 'Mark's approach to this has been refreshing. He has always put the club before himself and worked tirelessly on the training ground to change our way of playing and we have seen that come to fruition. 'Mark will be someone that I personally, and we as a club, will always remain in contact with.' Assistant manager Steve Thompson will take charge of the team during Sunday's training session, along with first-team coach Steve Eyre. Video courtesy of Radio Yorkshire . Twitter: @Radio_Yorkshire .
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Robins leaves role at Huddersfield just one game into new season .
Lost 4-0 to Bournemouth on the opening day of the Championship .
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From the moment Yorkshire was named as the venue for the Grand Depart of this year’s Tour de France, the script has had Mark Cavendish raising his arms in victory in Harrogate on Saturday. A win would see him pull on the Tour leader’s yellow jersey for the first time in his career — and in his mother, Adele’s, home town, too. ‘It’s incredible that for the second time in my career the UK’s got the Grand Depart of the Tour de France,’ said Cavendish on Thursday. VIDEO: Scroll down to see Mark Cavendish relishing British support at the Tour de France . Focused: Mark Cavendish believes the home support could count in his favour . Warm welcome: Cavendish and the rest of his team during the presentation . ‘The support not just in Yorkshire but in the whole of the UK is phenomenal. It’s like something I’ve never seen. ‘People who rode the Tour de France when it started in London in 2007 still talk about it but I think Yorkshire’s going to out-do that. I think everybody here still doesn’t really anticipate how big it’s going to be. ‘It’s exciting. The Tour doesn’t begin and end in Yorkshire. It’s 21 days, I have a very strong Omega Pharma-QuickStep team and we want to be successful over the whole Tour.’ In the absence of Sir Bradley Wiggins, David Millar and Alex Dowsett — all Grand Tour stage winners in the last two years — Cavendish is one of only four Brits in the field. Feeling the love: Mark Cavendish looks relaxed with his family before the event . Centre of attention: Cavendish is mobbed by the media during a press conference . ‘In an ideal world, I’d have liked to have seen more Brits at this Tour de France,’ he said. ‘We’ve had so much success as a country and it’s thanks to those guys.’ Regardless of whether they were riding, Saturday’s first stage was always going to be all about Cavendish. And while he sought to play down the importance of the day, knowing that crashes or his main rival, Marcel Kittel, could come between him and victory, Cavendish admitted: ‘It would be nice to wear yellow. I’ve not yet done that.’ Support: Addingham gets ready for the Tour .
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Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider eyes victory in Harrogate .
Mark Cavendish's mother, Adele, hails from Yorkshire .
Rider one of four Brits in action in this year's Tour .
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By . Eve Mcgowan . PUBLISHED: . 16:00 EST, 7 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:00 EST, 7 September 2013 . With its glorious garden, thatched roof and an out-of-the-way location in rural Hampshire, Home Farm Cottage couldn’t be further from the Hollywood Hills. But this quintessentially English country cottage was once home to the acclaimed film director Ronald Neame who worked with names such as Noel Coward, Alec Guinness and Judy Garland. ‘Not a lot happens here,’ says current owner Brian Morris of the sleepy hamlet of Quarley that includes just 60 homes, a Saxon church and a community hall. Idyllic: Home Farm Cottage, located in Quarley, Hampshire, is on the market for £545,000 . ‘It’s an 18-mile round trip to the nearest shop,’ he laughs. Ronald Neame bought the house shortly after making his fortune on The Poseidon Adventure, so perhaps it was just the peace and quiet that he craved. The director, who started his career as a runner at Elstree studios at the age of 12, was the third choice to direct The Poseidon Adventure. Two earlier directors had walked off set leaving the production in a state of near collapse. A disaster movie about a capsized luxury cruise liner whose passengers have to escape from the upside-down vessel, it was his biggest commercial hit and made him more money than any of his other projects combined. He had already directed Maggie Smith in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie and collaborated on the screenplay of Brief Encounter. Hollywood home: Ernest Borgnine and Gene Hackman in the 1972 blockbuster The Poseidon Adventure, directed by former Home Farm Cottage owner Ronald Neame . Home Farm Cottage, once owned by the neighbouring farmer, was originally built in the 1500s. It was completely renovated and extended in 1971 and owned briefly by an Army officer and his wife before Ronald Neame bought it in 1972. Brian’s neighbours, who have had a home in the village since the 1960s, recall that Neame appeared to have left his wife and would spend weekends there with his beautiful girlfriend and her sister, all arriving in his Mercedes. Tragically, his girlfriend was to become ill with cancer and died, leading a heartbroken Neame to sell the cottage in 1975 and move to Los Angeles where he lived until his death in 2010 at the age of 99. ‘He became quite integrated in village life, by all accounts,’ says Brian, 78. ‘He went round taking photographs of all the houses, which he printed and mounted for an exhibition in the community hall. ‘Presumably after his girlfriend died it was too sad for him to stay here and he moved to America. Had that not happened he would probably have stayed here a long time.’ Old school: The cottage has three bedrooms and still has many of the original features, such as the beans and a wood burning stove . Brian adds: ‘They had created a beautiful Italianate garden of rose trees. Sadly that had died off by the time we came to live here in the 1980s, but my wife was a keen gardener and planted the garden so that there is always something in bloom from March onwards.’ Brian, a retired insurance broker who used to commute from the cottage to the City, has lived in Home Farm Cottage for 26 years and is now selling up for £545,000. He is moving to a retirement village in Tunbridge Wells, following the death of his wife Valerie last year. Amazingly, the same estate agent who sold him the property in 1987 is now selling it on his behalf. According to Mark Fry of Evans & Partridge, the area is still popular with commuters, attracted by the proximity to Andover station and the journey to Waterloo, which is just over an hour. He says that prices in the area dropped down to 2006 levels after the housing bubble burst in 2008 and that the increase currently seen in the London area has yet to filter down to Hampshire. ‘It could be another couple of years before prices catch up, but things are certainly getting a lot better. We’ve had a phenomenal summer of instructions and sales,’ he says. The three-bedroom cottage has lots of original features including beams, an inglenook fireplace and a wood-burning stove that was once a bake oven used communally by the village at the beginning of the last century. Brian says: ‘I have to admit, I have sat here by the stove and watched The Poseidon Adventure. It’s a cracker.’ Evans & Partridge, evansandpartridge.co.uk; 01264 810 702.
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Home Farm Cottage, Hampshire, was home to film director Ronald Neame .
Neame directed the 1972 Hollywood his The Poseidon Adventure .
Current owner of Home Farm Cottage is selling it for £545,000 .
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LeBron James claimed that violence is not the answer after rioters took over cities across America when it was determined that police officer Darren Wilson will not face charges related to the death of 18-year-old Micheal Brown. The basketball superstar condemned the violent protests across the nation, saying that the rioting was hurting more people. Members of a grand jury decided earlier this week that police officer Wilson would not face criminal charges related to the death of teenager Brown in August in Ferguson, Missouri. Peaceful protests then spiralled out of control and president Barack Obama pleaded for calm, and now James has had his say as well. LeBron James condemned the violent scenes in America as a result of the Darren Wilson ruling . James called on rioters to stop hurting more families and wants the larger society issue to be addressed . Kobe Bryant called on a 'serious legal system' conversation to take place . The Cleveland Cavaliers star said: 'That (violence) is not the answer. What does that do? What does that actually do? Just hurt more families, hurt more people, draw more attention to things that shouldn't even be going on instead of people going to the family's household and praying with them And saying, "Things are going to be great." You know, "Mike Brown is in a better place now," and "Trayvon Martin is in a better place now." 'That's where it should be. I mean, burning down things and shooting up things and running cars into places and stealing and stuff like that, what does that do? It doesn't make you happy.' James insisted that the Brown case touched on larger problems in society that must be addressed. 'I think that news itself, the issue is much bigger than that,' he said. Police officers move in on demonstraters after they damaged a Ferguson police car during violent protests . Unhappy protesters gather in New York City's Times Square on Tuesday night . Police officer Darren Wilson (right) shot teenager Mike Brown (left) in August in Ferguson, Missouri . A demonstrator burns an American flag in New York following the jury's decision not to indict Wilson . Around 300 people marched on Washington's Massachusetts Avenue on Tuesday afternoon . A man walks past a memorial in the middle of the street marking the spot of the August shooting of Brown . 'It's not just one instance. It's not just Mike Brown or Trayvon Martin or anything that's going on in our society. I think it's much bigger than that. 'Violence is not the answer and retaliation is not the solution. My prayers and best wishes goes out to the families of anyone that loses a loved one, especially a kid today.' Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant called for changes to the legal system. He said: 'We can sit here and argue about it until we're blue in the face and protest about it, but until we have a serious legal system conversation, it's going to keep on happening.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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LeBron James questioned the point of violent protests in Ferguson .
Cleveland Cavaliers star says larger society issues need to be addressed .
Kobe Bryant calls for a 'serious legal system'
Darren Wilson will not face charges relating to death of Mike Brown .
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ITV has defended its decision not to include any female presenters in its line-up of on-screen talent at this summer’s World Cup. The broadcaster yesterday unveiled its team of presenters and pundits who will travel to Brazil to present coverage of one of the world’s biggest sporting event, which is expected to attract millions of viewers per game. Former Daybreak host Adrian Chiles will head a 16-strong team which includes regular ITV pundits Roy Keane and Lee Dixon as well as a host of other former players such as Ian Wright, Glenn Hoddle and Gordon Strachan. It's a man's World Cup: Adrian Chiles will head a 16-strong team which includes regular ITV pundits Roy Keane and Lee Dixon as well as other former players such as Ian Wright, Glenn Hoddle and Gordon Strachan . They will be joined by reporter Gabriel Clarke, presenter Matt Smith and commentators Clive Tyldesley and Sam Matterface, who will all help present coverage of the 34 live games being broadcast by ITV during the month-long tournament. Last week the BBC unveiled its own line-up of presenters and pundits for the World Cup, which includes two women; long-time sports presenter Gabby Logan and Juliette Ferrington. Sky also include several high-profile female presenters on its football coverage, most notably on its rolling news channel, Sky Sports News. However, a spokesman for ITV defended the move on Tuesday, saying it had assembled the best team for the job. They . said: ‘We have an established and experienced on screen presenter and . reporter team who have led our broadcasts throughout England's . qualifying campaign as they will in Brazil. First-class males: ITV defended the move, saying it had assembled the best team for the job . ‘In . line with sport coverage across all media, our pundits tend to be drawn . from key figures currently or formerly involved with the game at the . highest level and we believe we have a first class World Cup line up . from a range of backgrounds. 'Whenever opportunities arise to bring in new people for ITV Sport, our aim is always to get the best we can.’ During the last World Cup held in South Africa in 2010, ITV employed reporter Kelly Cates to help present its coverage. However, the broadcaster will only take one reporter to this year’s event. On message: The BBC line-up for World Cup 2014 includes Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Lineker, Thierry Henry, Gabby Logan, and Alan Hansen . Speaking at the launch of ITV’s World Cup team of presenters, Chiles said of the lack of female reporters: ‘It is a fair point, but the BBC are taking four reporters. We are not taking any because it comes down to cost. ‘If we did have four reporters I am sure we would have a women on the team. But we are not we are taking one who is Gabriel [Clarke] who will be with England. It comes down to numbers. ‘Who are you going to take off our panel? I think it is difficult. If we had a bigger team there would definitely be female involvement. Some of our biggest operators behind the scenes are women. The head count tells a different story. It is not sexist business as far as I am concerned. 'Most of the Albion fans I watch the game with week in week out are women. ‘I don't know if you'd call it a boys' club, we have got a lot of our key players behind the scenes are women actually.’
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Former Daybreak host Chiles will .
head a 16-strong team .
He will be joined by Keane, Dixon, Ian Wright, .
and Glenn Hoddle .
BBC and Sky have unveiled their teams which all include women .
ITV defended move yesterday saying it was the best team for the job .
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